Chapter 480: God’s will

Li Qi's words completely stumped Ao Guangxiao, causing the True Dragon's movements to freeze.

In an instant, the giant spirit god puppet seemed to detect this huge flaw and immediately burst forth with immense power, instantly destroying everything within a radius of several thousand miles, even within the underworld's world.

Of course, in reality, there was nothing left to destroy; the surroundings had long been cleaned out, becoming like the boundless Void Realm—this was merely the aftershock.

Unfortunately, the True Dragon's body instinctively emitted a peculiar wave, its frequency exactly opposite to the giant spirit god puppet's spell fluctuations, completely neutralizing all effects and turning them into nothing.

As for the physical damage from the giant axe's cleave, it only caused sparks to fly off the Dragon scales, with no other effect.

The True Dragon made no resistance or defensive movements, allowing the giant spirit god puppet to strike with its world-opening might, yet remained completely unharmed from beginning to end.

It was as if he was taking a bath.

For an insect, the water from a showerhead is a deadly threat; a touch will directly wash it away, or even shatter it.

But for a person, the shower water only helps him bathe, perhaps even feeling a bit comfortable.

Ao Guangxiao ‘bathed’ while in a daze, and after about four or five seconds, he finally responded to Li Qi: “The Celestial Pole Golden Elixir Method… Hmm, you’ve talked to the Dragon King? To say the same thing as the Dragon King, it seems I was shallow, to be angered by the death of a distant relative…”

“Dragon King? Who is that?” Li Qi frowned.

He hadn't discussed it with anyone, and what Rank was the Dragon King?

“One of the actual controllers of the East Sea, haven’t you heard of the East Sea Dragon King? As a dignified Rank Two, you don’t even know him? Hmm… never mind, the Dragon King’s reputation outside isn’t great, it’s better not to know.” Ao Guangxiao seemed to be in a much better mood, even starting to joke with Li Qi.

As for the giant spirit god puppet…

He completely ignored it, allowing it to continuously bombard him, as if he didn't see it.

“East Sea Dragon King…” Li Qi thought for a moment, indeed, he had never heard this name.

Of course, he had an impression of this term, but these impressions all came from Earth, and although there was some inexplicable correspondence between Earth and All Under Heaven, most of it didn't match up.

The Tang Dynasty of Earth and the Tang Nation of All Under Heaven basically had no matching points, other than sharing the same name; no other similarities could be found.

Therefore, Li Qi didn't dare to casually link two identical names.

However, it could be used as a clue, so Li Qi asked: “A bad reputation… was it perhaps that his Dragon Palace was overthrown by a Great Sage of the Demon Race?”

“Ha! I knew it, such a famous event must have spread everywhere. Even if he used a Divine Ability to erase all records of these things from all books in the heavens, there would always be Great Powers who remembered it, and it would surely spread. Yes, it’s exactly what you’re thinking, the contemporary East Sea Dragon King.” Ao Guangxiao seemed very happy as he said this to Li Qi.

Li Qi felt a bit ashamed.

He had come to sacrifice to Ao Guangxiao with the determination to die, prepared to rack his brains and fight wits with him, planning to use underhanded tactics to gain a slim chance of survival.

But after truly getting started, he found… Ao Guangxiao was a bit like Zhu Fengdan.

He seemed completely unconcerned with the current situation, nor with his future fate?

And Ao Guangxiao, on his side, seemed to have noticed Li Qi's feeling. His massive Dragon claw waved, appearing indifferent, and he said: “What? Do you think I’m a bit improper? Oh, why think so much? Haven’t you realized since those things just happened? All these things are happening because of ‘Heaven’s Will’.”

Ao Guangxiao's tone was playful as he continued: “I’m just a fringe character, only a Rank Four in this life, unlikely to be promoted, so the time I can truly be controlled by ‘Heaven’s Will’ is relatively short. But occasionally, situations like this arise, where I accompany you favored children of heaven to face ‘Heaven’s Will’.”

“Look, ‘Heaven’s Will’ has already destined everything. All matters, including your and my reactions, every coincidence, even when the wind blows, which leaf will fall—all of this has already been destined by ‘Heaven’s Will’. Since that’s the case, why be so serious? No matter what we do, the outcome won’t change. The ending is already written; we just need to casually act it out and push things in the direction Heaven’s Will desires.”

When Ao Guangxiao said this, his tone was still playful, but Li Qi unexpectedly heard a hint of… indifference?

He was being playful, but he didn't seem that happy.

“So, is it really necessary to be so serious? Why put on such a facade? Heaven’s Will has already destined what you and I must do. Since you’ve decided to give me the Celestial Pole Golden Elixir Method in exchange for my defection, the next step should be for me to accept the Celestial Pole Golden Elixir Method. After all, this thing is indeed quite important. After all, how do you of Shaman Dao say it? ‘Sun-Moon are constant, intertwined Dragons are banners,’ right? This matter should still be quite important to the Dragon Kings, no?”

Ao Guangxiao continued speaking like a chatterbox, and he very easily agreed to Li Qi's negotiation, not even discussing a price, just like Dragon Fifteen faced Li Qi.

Li Qi, facing Ao Guangxiao, was also overwhelmed by this indifferent attitude.

However, Li Qi noticed a bit more than Dragon Fifteen…

First, he had already discovered that the giant spirit god puppet had no effect on Ao Guangxiao whatsoever.

In other words, the so-called ‘being held back’ was entirely an act.

This bastard… truly, it was outrageous. He hadn't cooperated with the Demonic Dao at all. From beginning to end, Ao Guangxiao had been waiting for Li Qi to make this request, waiting for Li Qi to ‘voluntarily’ hand over the Celestial Pole Golden Elixir Method.

This was the True Dragon's arrangement.

The True Dragons were not to be trifled with. Li Qi had no right to negotiate with them. The Dao of Heaven’s Evolution had its own methods to make Li Qi hand over the Celestial Pole Golden Elixir Method.

For example, this arena before them.

This actually represented their attitude.

Li Qi had no right to negotiate terms with the True Dragons, so the True Dragons also arranged such an arena. At the same time, the Demonic Dao might have also participated in it; this arena was the result of multiple forces entering the fray.

Moreover, Li Qi also read another layer of meaning from Ao Guangxiao's attitude.

From Ao Guangxiao's playful attitude, Li Qi seemed to vaguely see the shadow of Zhu Fengdan.

Cynical, reckless, as if not considering the consequences of any action, casually messing around without a care.

Was it also because of… ‘Heaven’s Will’?

Li Qi was actually quite dissatisfied with ‘Heaven’s Will’; he loathed the experience of having every step arranged for him. But Li Qi had always held the belief of doing his best and leaving the rest to fate.

Even if someone arranged things, ultimately, he was still the one doing them, so he still had to face every matter actively and treat every matter seriously.

Because, no matter who arranged it, ultimately, this was his own life.

If he gave up on his own life merely because of interference from others, wouldn't that be too foolish?

But… Ao Guangxiao didn't seem to find this pathetic. On the contrary, Ao Guangxiao seemed to find Li Qi very pathetic.

Is it pathetic?

Li Qi suddenly doubted himself.

It seems… it is quite pathetic. Such effort, such struggle, yet always being arranged on a stage by others, like a marionette.

Is Ao Guangxiao's current cynical demeanor due to this reason?

‘Heaven’s Will’ is hard to defy.

Li Qi couldn't help but sigh in his heart. He felt that his matters with Mount Luofu and the Celestial Pole Golden Elixir Method were all decided by himself. He had pondered deeply and finally found a way for Mount Luofu to survive through this method, and it also found a way for Shaman God Mountain to truly master the Sun-Moon Orbit. And if it succeeded, he himself would have an opportunity to break free from the shackles of the human Dao.

He felt this was a path he had thought of himself, a path he had struggled to create.

But now, looking at it, was it truly a path he had struggled to create?

His journey to Tang Nation was the ‘Heaven’s Will’ of the Heavenly Demon; everything was prepared for him to stand before the three lives ancient mirror and accept the scrutiny of the Heavenly Demon's Eye, to find his origin.

Why had he come to the East Sea now?

Li Qi himself felt it was to seek a way out for Mount Luofu, to find a breaking point for Shaman God Mountain, and to extricate himself from the vortex. Yet, he never imagined that this was just one vortex, another layer of ‘Heaven’s Will’.

Ao Guangxiao's playfulness, Zhu Fengdan's cynicism, were they all because they had seen through ‘Heaven’s Will’?

Li Qi did not know.

However, one thing was certain: according to Li Qi's character, even if he understood all of this, he would not stop struggling.

Back then, when the Heavenly Demon personally descended before Li Qi, what Li Qi thought in his mind was not to give up, but to ponder if there was any possible way to survive.

So, after only a moment of confusion, Li Qi shook his head and said to Ao Guangxiao: “It’s fine. Even if everything is already destined, we still have to do it to push things towards the destined end.”

Ao Guangxiao, however, became curious. He flicked his tail, letting countless attacks strike him, and asked Li Qi: “Even if you know that things will progress to their destined end even if you lie down and do nothing, that your efforts are meaningless, that everything you do has no effect whatsoever, and that ultimately nothing will change, will you still do it?”

“Your desperate efforts to do those things, and you lying at home sleeping, the final result will not change, because this is ‘Heaven’s Will’. ‘Heaven’s Will’ is like this, human power cannot defy it. Oh no, not difficult to defy, but impossible to defy, absolutely impossible.”

Ao Guangxiao's voice was no longer playful, but somewhat serious.

“It's different. Sleeping at home and me striving to do something, even if the result is the same, it's still ultimately different. Alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Senior, what is your intention regarding the transaction I proposed?” Li Qi shook his head, not continuing the debate.

It was meaningless, just like the Dao path; each person has their own way.

For Li Qi, even if he was arranged and pushed to do things, it didn't matter.

What mattered was that, no matter what, the things he did had to come from his true heart, things he was willing to do, things he voluntarily put effort into.

If it was such a thing, even if no one arranged it, he would still do it.

If someone arranged it, even better, it meant he wouldn't fail no matter what he did.

And if someone arranged for him to inevitably fail, then… what remained was resistance.

Who said Heaven’s Will couldn't be defied?

Besides, even if it truly couldn't be defied, there wasn't just one Heaven's Will in this world.

“My intention isn’t important, what’s important is ‘Heaven’s Will’. If Heaven’s Will wants you to do this, then whatever I do is useless. I agree, defection, right? Fine, but there’s one condition: make the Dao of Reason hand over their ship. Not a single scale of my distant nephew’s corpse on it is to be taken away.” Ao Guangxiao said.

“That’s the Dao of Reason’s business, it has nothing to do with me. I can’t manage that matter, but… if you act now, I can’t stop you, can I?” Li Qi smiled.

“Hmm, well said. Indeed. Then I’ll leave it to you. Don’t let him chase after me.” Ao Guangxiao chuckled.

Immediately, the True Dragon's body stretched out violently, sending the giant spirit god puppet flying with a single tail whip, and swiftly flew towards Li Qi!

This movement was extremely fast, but it was still traceable in the eyes of a Rank Four.

After all, even Li Qi's Rank Seven combat was calculated in seconds; Rank Four combat units were probably far beyond milliseconds. A millisecond was enough for them to do many, many things.

After all, they were beings who could exchange thousands of blows in an instant, and each blow was a terrifying spell that low-Rank beings could study for decades or even centuries.

So, Cang Hou suddenly erupted, and a powerful message directly rushed towards Li Qi: “Young Master! What are you doing?!”

But he didn't go to stop Ao Guangxiao, because he couldn't spare a hand.

The reason was simple: he was currently engaged in battle with Demon Lord Moluo Yan, and the opponent held a Dharma Idol formed from Demon of Death Qi. He had to rely on the Buddha Light from Li Qi's side, drawn by the Buddha Qi, to resist.

And Li Qi, in that instant just now, had momentarily wavered the Buddha Qi of Medicine King Buddha.

In that single instant, Moluo Yan seized the opportunity! He directly suppressed Cang Hou, who couldn't spare a hand to stop him!

Ao Guangxiao also took this opportunity to directly rush to the vicinity of the treasure ship and, opening his mouth, inhaled!

The Restrictions on the treasure ship shattered directly, and the ship's hull exploded open. Inside, there was indeed a small True Dragon corpse, which he directly sucked into his mouth.

Not a single drop of blood remained.

Li Qi, however, immediately said: “I was just now disturbed by Demonic Qi! Senior, be careful!”

As he said this, he re-stabilized the Buddha Qi, and the Buddha Light continued to exert its power. Only then did Cang Hou finally stabilize his front, avoiding complete collapse.

Cang Hou gritted his teeth. How could he not know what was behind this?

But at this moment, he could only accept it, otherwise, he would likely lose his life on the spot.

As for Li Qi's side, he had also completely reached an agreement with Ao Guangxiao.