Chapter 680: Undercurrent

Li Qi got up and left.

He did not go to save the suffering people of the Immortal Heaven, because there was no need.

By now, Li Qi was no longer the hot-blooded youth he had been in Guangyang.

If the current Li Qi were to return to Guangyang at that time, he would most likely choose to stand by and watch, only intervening when Chan Zhi the Monk made his move at the very end.

As for the previous events, such as the struggles in Guangyang, the Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord wanting to compete, the Rat King vying for incense, and even the apathy of the local people, Li Qi would probably not bother with them.

There was no particular reason; it was simply unnecessary.

Yes, it was unnecessary; these things were completely in a very natural state, inherently so, neither particularly good nor particularly bad, and there was no need to force a change.

Forcing a change would be like a documentary cameraman running to rescue a baby seal from the mouth of a polar bear.

Is this a good thing?

Perhaps not.

The only thing that was not so suitable was probably the descent of Chan Zhi the Monk, so Li Qi would prevent that, but he would let other things be.

The matters of the Immortal Heaven were naturally the same.

His long life, nearly ten thousand years of experience, had already caused Li Qi to shed the hot-blooded state of his past.

He would still pursue his Dao, but he would not interfere with the external world so intensely, because he knew that the essence of those matters was quite illusory.

The more powerful one becomes, the more one can perceive the impact of one or two things on the world.

The impact is, essentially, none.

When your perspective broadens, the suffering of individuals becomes increasingly insignificant. Li Qi was not indifferent, nor had he lost his sense of right and justice; rather, his gaze had become more distant, and he sought to solve deeper problems.

For example, just as he did among the Mortals in the Immortal Heaven before, he did not reach out to help any Mortal, nor did he save any suffering individual, seemingly just observing silently.

But a thousand years later, those Mortals had transformed from livestock raised by cultivators into humans, even gaining the right to 'show kindness'.

Showing kindness is very expensive; livestock do not have the sufficient capacity to be kind.

Unbeknownst to them, everything had already changed.

This was what Li Qi was doing now.

Of course, this was a typical Shaman perspective, which is to view the gains and losses of individuals from the perspective of the balance of the entire world.

For the Human Dao, what the hell is the balance of heaven and earth? Clearly, everyone deserves to be saved.

They have done things like expending millions of times their power to save a small team; if a Human Dao First Grade is in distress in an outer domain and sends a distress signal through a terminal, it’s very likely that a Seventh Grade will come to rescue him, completely disregarding the cost.

Of course, the prerequisite is that you must be a human.

As for those of the Demonic Dao or the Dao of Heaven’s Evolution, don't expect anyone to come save you; just let it be.

Therefore, Li Qi did not interfere with this predicament; to solve such matters, one must rely on a deeper Dao, a Dao profound enough to change the existing Dao of the Immortal Heaven’s True World.

And Li Qi had not even fully grasped the existing Dao of the True World yet, so discussing those matters was still premature.

As for making everyone happy…

Li Qi couldn't do that.

Because the essence of happiness is not pleasure; no matter how much pleasure there is, one will eventually grow tired of it and find it unremarkable.

What truly makes people feel happy is contrast.

The contrast with others, the contrast with one's own past life.

Falling from a high point to a low, and then climbing back up, brings great happiness.

Eating coarse food in the past and now eating white flour steamed buns—this kind of difference makes people very happy, even happier than those who have lived in luxury their entire lives.

The greater the contrast between high and low, the stronger the feeling of happiness; and after the contrast, there is habit, and after habit, even the best things no longer feel happy.

Making everyone happy is inherently a false proposition, unless everyone is constantly rising and falling.

Even the process of rising and falling can become habitual, eventually leading to numbness no matter how one falls or rises.

It’s like ranking up in a game; the first time you play a promotion match to become a King, some people will feel their hands and feet numb, their whole body tense, and then be filled with joy after succeeding.

But the second time, that feeling is very difficult to replicate.

After a few more times, becoming a King every season, even starting a new account from scratch to climb ranks, won't evoke any feeling anymore.

Even if one is forced into chemical euphoria through drugs, increasingly larger doses are required to maintain it.

Therefore, it is impossible for everyone to be happy.

Li Qi knew this well, so he would not pursue such an illusory goal.

Let's be pragmatic. After all, the purpose of this trip was not to save the common people, but to win over the Immortal Heaven. Essentially, Li Qi was still doing Invoker's work.

Hopefully, everything Li Qi has done will lead the Immortal Heaven to choose to join the 'Shaman Dao' camp and help Shaman Dao resist the Human Dao.

And so, on the other side—

With Ling Xiao's help, the invitation letter personally written by Li Qi was delivered into the hands of every influential person in the city.

Everyone knew that a Heaven-Penetrating Realm cultivator wanted to host a banquet, inviting many people to attend.

Besides the upper-class banquet, he even arranged an open-air buffet outside the venue, where anyone could eat, with no quantity limit, only prohibiting taking food away.

No one could figure out what this Heaven-Penetrating Realm cultivator intended to do.

But no matter what, they definitely had to come.

Li Qi went to prepare the banquet itself.

And Ling Xiao, after delivering all the invitations, was surrounded by a crowd of people.

A Sixth Grade eagerly asked, "Young Miss Ling, you are the City Lord's niece, so you must be on our side. You've also spent so much time with that Heaven-Penetrating Realm Senior; have you discerned his purpose?"

The others also chimed in, "Yes, what does that Senior want to do?"

"Xiao Xiao, what kind of person is he exactly?"

"What is his cultivation level? What is his combat power? How does he compare to the Sect Master?"

"The Sect Master is also in the Heaven-Penetrating Realm, so he shouldn't be too far off, but why does this person travel alone? Does he not have his own disciples and grand-disciples? Or is he a lone wolf?"

A group of people chattered, asking questions. They were clearly a group of Sixth Grade cultivators, people who had already achieved immortality and enjoyed eternal blessings, yet at this moment, they were fussing like a flock of ducks.

Ling Xiao was also quite displeased with this scene, so she pulled back and flew away, saying, "Everyone, keep your distance and show some decorum. Ask one by one, and I will naturally tell you everything I know. Don't crowd together like this."

"That was our rudeness, then let's stand here and ask. How about this, Ling Xiao, you stand there, and the others write their questions on slips of paper and give them to the City Lord, who will then ask them one by one." Someone suggested at this point.

They were still Sixth Grade after all; they had basic organizational skills. After the suggestion was unanimously approved, the City Lord of this place stepped forward and sat next to Ling Xiao, while the others quickly wrote down their questions and handed them to the City Lord.

Everyone wanted to know the specific information.

Ling Xiao knew what they were thinking. These people cared a lot about that Heaven-Penetrating Realm cultivator, but they also greatly feared those around them, afraid that someone might use that Heaven-Penetrating Realm cultivator to break some stalemate. That’s why they gathered here; while they claimed to be asking questions, they were actually interrogating her. She couldn’t leave this place.

She had to reveal all the answers before she could leave.

Even her uncle, the City Lord, was now sitting in front of her, and though there was a smile in his eyes, he was also wary of the others.

Clearly… everyone actually had no conflicts, and one could even say they got along well. There was no point of competition among them, because for a Sixth Grade, all the mines were already designated, and they couldn't be arbitrarily seized, as that risk was too great.

But they remained mutually vigilant.

This reminded Ling Xiao of what that Heaven-Penetrating Realm Senior had said about the struggle for self-subjectivity.

The struggle for fame and fortune, what is truly contended for is the 'right to discipline' others.

Because in the True World of the Immortal Heaven, there is no resource dilemma. As a First Grade world, the Immortal Heaven can easily support everyone, so internal strife is entirely self-inflicted.

The total amount of resources occupied is not important; what is important is the percentage of resources occupied.

49% simply cannot compare to 51%. Even if 49% of the resources are enough to enjoy for a thousand lifetimes, in terms of status, you are still part of the group disciplined by the 51%, defined by the other party, and your subjectivity is encroached upon by them.

Whether it's combat power, resources, or reputation, it's all the same.

What is pursued is not one's own survival needs, but to overpower the other, otherwise one can only live in the other's shadow.

Even though that Heaven-Penetrating Realm Senior was just passing by, they were unwilling to easily let go of this opportunity, and even less willing to accept any 'potential' threat from others.

In the past, Ling Xiao thought this situation was natural.

But after walking with Li Qi for these past ten-plus days, she suddenly realized… it doesn't necessarily have to be this way.

Aside from competition for survival, are other forms of competition… truly necessary?

What if they cooperated?

Of course, she only thought this, because she knew that eliminating such competition was almost impossible.

This competitive mindset of oppressing others was already deeply ingrained in everyone's heart, including Ling Xiao herself.

Ling Xiao saw another possibility, but even she herself felt it was unrealistic.

Cooperation?

How to cooperate?

There are many more twists and turns involved.

So, she did nothing but began to answer the questions.

Everyone sent their written questions to the City Lord.

This City Lord, who had been obsequious in front of Li Qi earlier, now appeared quite dignified. With his goatee and middle-aged appearance, he was quite imposing.

The City Lord picked up the first question: "Then let's begin. What is this person's purpose?"

Ling Xiao replied, "He is observing the city, from the lowest Mortals to people like us. This banquet is designed by him to observe us."

She did not hide anything, because if she lied or concealed, others would easily see through it, and besides… Li Qi had also said that she didn't need to hide anything; she should just tell the truth.

Li Qi had no intention of concealing his intentions.

"Why observe this?" The City Lord frowned slightly.

"If I knew that, I could be a Heaven-Penetrating Realm cultivator," Ling Xiao pouted.

"Hmm… the next five papers are all this question. The next one is, how does the other party treat you? Like? Dislike?" The City Lord looked at Ling Xiao and said.

That gaze made Ling Xiao a little uncomfortable, but she still said, "He's not interested in me, he mostly ignores me. However, he asked me to draw his portrait, and I use that as an excuse to follow him around anytime, anywhere, observing his demeanor."

This answer made the others nod slightly.

There's a chance.

Ling Xiao, however, frowned tightly.

These people seemed to have misunderstood something.

"Next, this question is, what is the other party's cultivation level?" The City Lord asked again.

"Can the person who asked this question be thrown out? Are they blind? He's been in the city for the past few days, and your informants must have come to see him, right? Does such a person deserve to sit in this room?" Ling Xiao swept a cold gaze across the others.

"My niece speaks wisely." The City Lord smiled, then flicked his hand, and a fat man below him changed his expression and was directly sent flying out.

Even though they were all Sixth Grade, with just one move, he sent the other party flying directly, without any ability to resist.

Indeed, the title of City Lord is not something just anyone can bear.

This action also startled Ling Xiao.

The City Lord was her uncle, but he wasn't like this before.

Wait—

This change in attitude, could it be that Uncle wants something from her—

"Alright, let's move on to the next question, don't be nervous." The City Lord smiled and patted Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao suddenly felt a chill.

Because of Li Qi's arrival, Uncle might have developed some ill intentions…

There's no need for that, is there? He's already the City Lord, the most powerful person here. What is he thinking?

At this moment, the City Lord's voice came again: "Hmm? Why aren't you answering? What are you thinking?"

Ling Xiao quickly looked up: "Uncle… can you say it again? I didn't hear it just now."

The City Lord, neither annoyed nor angry, simply continued: "Oh, alright. The question just now was, have you grasped the Senior's divine presence? Even if it's just a tiny bit."

Ling Xiao felt a slight suffocation.

The wind howls, a storm is brewing.

——————

However, as the center of it all, Li Qi was still very relaxed.

He was currently sitting on a rock in the wilderness, playing with an Immortal Stone in his hand.

The reason for his relaxation was simple: he could flatten and reshape this city with one hand, completely destroying it and then rebuilding it. Of course, that's relaxing, like a vacation.

Facing such power, it was natural for others to want to exploit it; this was innate ambition, and also the driving force behind human progress.

Mastering power beyond oneself is the original intention of cultivation for many civilizations, and Li Qi was already accustomed to this.

In fact, one could even say he was deliberately provoking these people.

The City Lord, other forces, and even Ling Xiao—everything was under Li Qi's control.

Driven by such ambition, many things were bound to happen in the city.

Only amidst turmoil could Li Qi see more clearly.

A stagnant pool only reveals a calm surface; only when social contradictions are ignited can the deep operational logic of the Immortal Heaven truly be seen.

The time was almost right.

Pondering these thoughts, Li Qi stood up from the rock.

It was time to prepare the banquet; he was an expert at this.

Back in Chang'an, Li Qi was a banquet professional; the Flower Gods of Shangyuan would always hire him as their contractor. (End of this chapter)