Chapter 767: Arranging funeral affairs

Li Qi truly never expected that Great Deer Kingdom would have such a background.

It could even be said that the entire Baiyue Area was like this because of Great Deer Kingdom.

Li Qi had actually always had this doubt before: the Baiyue Area was simply too peculiar. It was a place of Dao contention between humans and witches, yet there were rarely any wars, at most just minor skirmishes and standoffs. Even when Song Kingdom was conquered, they actually withdrew very quickly, leaving only the Song Kingdom Lord to develop it himself, with no intention of occupation.

However, looking at it now, all of this had a reason.

The location of Great Deer Kingdom was very important, and it happened to be stuck right on the Human-Shaman border…

Wait, perhaps not necessarily. It wasn't just stuck on the Human-Shaman border; rather, Shaman Dao forcefully controlled the Baiyue Area, firmly grasping Great Deer in their hands, and thus delineated the border.

But this was clearly unsustainable. With the dominance of the Human Dao, it was absolutely impossible for them to swallow their anger, so later, both sides reached an agreement, making this place a battleground for Dao contention, which ultimately led to the current state of the ‘Baiyue’ area.

Both sides tacitly maintained a certain balance, neither allowing the Human Dao to be unable to see Great Deer, nor allowing Shaman Dao to be unable to touch Great Deer, thus maintaining the status quo.

Now, countless years have passed, so much so that the Baiyue Kingdom Lords seem to think… they have truly become the lords of Baiyue.

This also explains why the Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord was in Baiyue.

It was previously said that the Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord was sent into Baiyue by the Great Sage of the Demon Race as a nail. (See Chapter 584 for details)

But thinking about it carefully, what was so strange about Baiyue? Why would the Great Sage of the Demon Race personally select someone to send in? The title of Great Sage, at the very least, would be First Grade or Second Grade. Was there anything in the Baiyue Area worth the personal attention of a Second Grade Great Power?

But looking at it now, it must have been an informant left for Great Deer.

All of this was to keep a close eye on Great Deer.

Including that Human Dao Ninth Grade who was once in Guangyang, the person who sought food with Li Qi in Guangyang, Wang Baiyan, he was certainly also a manifestation of the Human Dao rooting itself.

Everything was connected at this moment.

“Alas, everything has a cause, it’s all Karma,” Li Qi sighed, indicating that he had deeply understood the current situation.

Indeed, it seemed that he really needed to go to Great Deer Kingdom.

Zhu Fengdan shook his head, waving his hand and saying, “Hmm… your wife is back, so I’ll give you a few more hours, but no later than today. I’ll go to the front line and hold the fort first.”

“Oh, and you don’t need to worry too much. At most, people of your level will fight from the battlefield to here. We, who are responsible for holding the line, it’s unlikely that First Grade and Second Grade will truly enter the fray and fight, after all, everyone wants Face, don’t they? I’ve already recommended to the higher-ups that for this defense of Great Deer, I’ll be the supervisor’s trump card, and you’ll be the commander-in-chief, after all, among the Fourth Grade of Shaman God Mountain right now, there’s no one more suitable than you.”

Zhu Fengdan said something that greatly surprised Li Qi, which was that he would be the commander-in-chief.

Although it wasn't surprising for a Fourth Grade to serve as commander-in-chief, the question was… did Li Qi have that ability?

“Me, the commander-in-chief?” Li Qi’s expression was one of surprise.

“You’re the most suitable. Those who can fight aren’t as smart as you, and those smarter than you can’t fight as well as you. Moreover, you’re not bad in both combat and strategy, both are considered top-tier, and most importantly… you have a Karma connection with Great Deer, and you happen to be from the Di Qi (Earthly Qi) lineage. As a Di Qi (Earthly Qi), you can gain local geographical advantages, which is quite good,” Zhu Fengdan said.

Li Qi’s brow furrowed deeper. He replied, “Master… what use could the Di Qi (Earthly Qi) of Great Deer be?”

It wasn’t that Li Qi looked down on Di Qi (Earthly Qi), it was just that the Di Qi (Earthly Qi) of Great Deer Kingdom… the strongest was only Sixth Grade, and among the Sixth Grade, there was also the White Snake Mountain God of that caliber…

This was not on the same level as the Di Qi (Earthly Qi) of Buzhou Mountain or Mount Sumeru. What effect could they have on a battle?

“You underestimate Di Qi (Earthly Qi) in this regard. Never mind, you’ll know when you go. Time is urgent, I’m leaving first.” Zhu Fengdan casually dropped a sentence, and his body vanished from the spot.

Apparently, he went to Great Deer.

Only a few minutes after Zhu Fengdan left, Shen Shuibi swooped down from the sky and landed at the entrance of the Immortal Cave.

“You’re back already?” Sensing Li Qi’s aura, Shen Shuibi said.

“I’m back.” Li Qi nodded, opening the Immortal Cave door.

“Did you notice? Over in Baiyue…” Shen Shuibi looked towards Baiyue.

“I already know. The Human Dao has spread the war throughout the world, and our vacation is probably over. I received word from Master that I am to go there and serve as commander-in-chief, to resist the Human Dao’s military might.”

“Master… uh, this time my cultivation was also helped by Master. Does he already know something?” Shen Shuibi, hearing ‘Master’ and knowing it was Zhu Fengdan’s arrangement, immediately asked this question.

“He definitely knows more than us, but there’s no need to worry. In any case, the matters of the previous generation won’t harm us. Let’s pack up and prepare to go to Baiyue,” Li Qi smiled.

However, at this moment, he suddenly looked at Shen Shuibi with belated realization.

“You’re about to advance?” Li Qi’s voice rose, his tone extremely surprised.

The nature of Shen Shuibi’s being clearly showed the precursor of detaching from reality and independently constructing her own existence.

In other words, she was about to reach Fourth Grade.

“Within a thousand years.” Shen Shuibi nodded, and at the same time, she said with some concern, “The place I went to this time… was Great Power Shi Yan. It was Master who asked Shi Yan to lecture to me, but for some reason, Shi Yan made a prophecy to me, saying… saying that we two might have a tribulation in the future. If we separate now, we can overcome it, but if—”

As she spoke, Shen Shuibi began to describe the situation in detail, recounting the lingering sound of her Genesis flute, her preparation to go to the Grand Director of Music’s location, and finally being taken by Zhu Fengdan to the Divine Dao Heavenly Court to Face the high-ranking divine official Shi Yan, and receiving his guidance.

Similarly, she also recounted Shi Yan’s deduction process.

After listening, Li Qi naturally knew who Shi Yan was, so he said with a somewhat gloomy expression, “You suspect that this matter in Baiyue might be the tribulation Shi Yan prophesied?”

“Yes.” Shen Shuibi nodded.

This made Li Qi fall silent for a moment.

Refute Shi Yan?

He was a Second Grade, and his predictions were most likely accurate. Although the future could not be fully predicted, the other party’s deductions were clearly much stronger than his own.

However, after a while, Li Qi still shook his head and said, “It doesn’t matter. When soldiers come, we’ll block them; when water comes, we’ll cover it with earth. Let things be as they are, and we’ll solve them when they happen. Worrying now is useless.”

“That’s what I thought too, so I refused him.” Shen Shuibi smiled, agreeing.

Li Qi covered his Face with his hand, smoothing out his furrowed brow, then smiled as he looked at Shen Shuibi’s chest: “What are you holding in your arms? Is this… a dog?”

It was a spirit of the earth, looking very much like a fluffy Chow Chow, plump and very cute.

Shen Shuibi explained, “It’s a spirit of the earth that was awakened by my flute music earlier, but my ability wasn’t enough, leaving her half-asleep. However, she was later awakened by Shi Yan’s zither music, so she is now completely awake and has nowhere to go, so I brought her with me.”

After speaking, she placed the Chow Chow on the ground and looked at Li Qi.

“Alright, then let’s raise her. Then…” Li Qi said, reaching out and holding Shen Shuibi’s hand: “Another world war after a billion years, and a Great Power has foretold… there might be a tribulation. This trip to Baiyue will likely be fraught with countless difficulties.”

“Such is the way of the world. You and I have transcended countless Mortals; we are much better off than them. What reason do we have to wallow in self-pity? A thousand difficulties, ten thousand difficulties, once overcome, they are no longer difficult,” Shen Shuibi said with a smile, feeling no pressure.

In the past, before the Human-Shaman War began, when Li Qi was too anxious to sleep, she had the same attitude.

Li Qi also smiled, seemingly recalling the eve of the Human-Shaman War.

Thinking back then, it was indeed very difficult. A mere Sixth Grade participating in the Human-Shaman War, confronting the super Genius Liu Junyi, if not for a fortuitous Opportunity, he would surely have died there long ago.

But looking at it now, it doesn’t seem so difficult.

“It’s all like this. Master might have anticipated this, giving me these last few hours. You and I haven’t been together for many days since returning from the Myriad Demon Reservoir World. Let’s rest well for this last bit of time. Oh, and this, it’s a custom.” Li Qi said, taking a hairpin from his embrace.

In the past, Li Qi had said he hoped to give Shen Shuibi nine hairpins, and he had been doing just that. (See Chapter 250 for details)

So, for every grade she advanced, Li Qi would personally carve one for her. Now that she had reached Fourth Grade, the one in his hand was also finished.

This one was made in the Myriad Demon Reservoir World, using the branch of a Bodhi Tree born from the Bodhisattva’s Dharma form as Materials. It had taken a lot of Li Qi’s effort.

Seeing this, the Little rabbit (Nickname) just smiled, pulled out the hairpin currently in her hair, letting her bun loosen and her dark hair fall freely. She softly asked, “Young Master, would you comb my hair?”

Li Qi then took the comb from her hand and began to work, the jade comb slanting, the golden robe translucent, her skin as white as snow and fragrant.

The matters of Baiyue, that could wait. They were all future matters.

But behold this place.

What fame is there beyond the body? Let worldly affairs cease.

The jade comb divides the brocade, dark hair hangs from the fingertips.

Climbing mountains, one fears no steepness; crossing seas, one fears no depth.

Parting the hair in hand, showing one’s true heart.

— — — — — — — —

Several hours later, Li Shiwei received a letter.

The Little rabbit (Nickname), currently in the East Sea, had formed a pirate crew. While called a pirate crew, their main work was treasure hunting, as there were many Dragon Lord remains in the East Sea, and many people were searching for treasure there. (See Chapter 434 for details)

It was rare to come to the East Sea; if one didn’t search for Dragon Lord remains, or get some treasures or even the Dragon Lord’s body, wouldn’t it be a wasted trip?

She was now preparing to go to sea, but before that, she received a family letter.

“Hmm, from home?” The Little rabbit (Nickname) curiously opened the family letter. Did her parents miss her? Surely not, it hadn’t been that long, only over two hundred years.

She opened the family letter.

Suddenly, a magical technique surged out!

“Don’t—” The Little rabbit (Nickname) immediately cried out in alarm.

An indescribable power directly pushed her out of the world, crossing infinite distances, countless light-years, instantly sending her into the Winged Constellation!

Her body was also subjected to a Restriction. Before the Restriction was lifted, she could not set foot in the world for even half a step!

This was Li Qi’s arrangement.

The world was about to fall into chaos; it was better for the Little rabbit (Nickname) to go to the Void Realm.

When she landed, her surroundings were already a complete Void Realm.

“Boss…” The stone hanging at her waist floated up and drifted in front of Li Shiwei: “Invoker seems to…”

But he chose to shut up at this point.

Because he saw Li Shiwei’s Face, filled with rage.

Li Shiwei only felt an unnamable fire rise in her heart. Her magical technique unfolded, violently striking a patch of nothingness in the Void Realm.

The shining magical techniques were enough to shatter some worlds, even pulverize planets, but such power exploding in the endless Void Realm only produced tiny sparks, nothing else.

No one even saw these sparks; the nearest worlds were nowhere to be found.

She attacked for a quarter of an hour, growing tired and out of breath, finally floating in the Void Realm, saying nothing.

The stone flew in front of Li Shiwei, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing, just floated with Li Shiwei in the Void Realm.

After floating for a while, the stone watched Li Shiwei’s expression gradually soften before finally saying, “Boss… although you might not like to hear this, I still have to say, Invoker is actually doing this for your own good.”

“I know,” Li Shiwei said.

“Invoker is actually very magnanimous. He’s much better than most parents. You see… he never asked you to do anything difficult, he always supported you in finding your own Dao, and he would clear obstacles for you as much as possible without delaying you…” The stone babbled on about many things.

Yes, no matter what, Li Qi and Shen Shuibi could be considered model parents.

They never put extra pressure on their child, gave her countless resources, never asked for anything in return, and did not project their unfulfilled ambitions onto their child. Their devotion and love for Li Shiwei were pure, but they were never overindulgent. She never lacked the necessary tempering, preventing Li Shiwei from growing up freely into one of those troublesome, unintelligent second-generations.

So, even now, Li Shiwei could still be considered an upright person. She hadn’t become arrogant and domineering just because her parents were Fourth Grade, and her grandmother and grand-Master were Third Grade. Although her cultivation Genius was not as good as her parents’, being able to achieve longevity in such a short amount of time actually meant her Genius was quite good, at least surpassing ninety-nine percent of people.

But… the more this was true, the heavier Li Shiwei felt in her heart.

Her parents were too good, so good that they gave her everything.

But she couldn’t do anything. When her parents were about to participate in the war, she could only be thrown here.

“Cultivate well. If you want to help Invoker… you still need to become stronger, at least as strong as the Demonic Prince,” the stone sighed.

Hearing this, Li Shiwei suddenly took a deep breath.

Although her surroundings were a vacuum, there was no Qi. (End of Chapter)