Chapter 957: On the eve of bad omen

Li Qi himself had been alone for a long time, so long that even a Third Grade would consider it long.

According to his own sense of time, it was probably around ten trillion years.

During this period, he racked his brains, constantly trying to reconstruct his Inner World, attempting to build a functional Inner World without the 'Ultimate Dao'.

He had now entered a phase of complete concentration in meditation; his essence had undergone a tremendous change, and his perception of the world naturally changed with it.

He re-examined all his previous works with fresh eyes, eventually finding none satisfactory. Though very impatient, he still chose to reconstruct his past works. Brand new ideas stirred in his mind, then were put into practice.

But…

Only after Li Qi truly started did he realize that his brand new idea… was indeed just an idea.

So, he destroyed them and began to create anew.

He utilized all his wisdom and ability, trying his best to interpret more in the current way. Thus, the new worlds he created became more and more exquisite, each such work surpassing his comprehension.

This indicated that he himself didn't understand what he had created; his 'Dao' was insufficient to interpret such existences. These worlds had flaws and randomness.

He had to destroy these reconstructed Inner Worlds, even though each destruction led to increasingly severe damage to his Dao Foundation. As time progressed, the expansion of the Desire Realm also continued.

Therefore, he was exhausted and in great pain.

From his surging imagination, new worlds were born, each with its own infinitely diverse rules. When each world reached its Peak, it was more exquisite than the previous mental construct, but Li Qi had to destroy them.

He was like a craftsman, desperately forging works of art. Although each became more and more exquisite, there always seemed to be some problem, and an ideal world could never be achieved.

And for Li Qi, each world, more difficult to understand than the last, was rapidly exhausting his wisdom and imagination.

He struggled to catch even a glimpse of the world that could contain all the Dao Orthodoxy within him, but he consistently failed.

He mustered his courage, preparing to give it his all.

So, he used all his knowledge to create a world with all his might.

In this world, he included everything he had ever witnessed. In the process of creating these, his skills became more refined, employing all the methods he had known before. He wove various things together, forming a space more exquisite and vast than any previous creation.

However, it was still not enough.

He kept pacing outside the great gate, exhausted, yet seemingly also vaguely perceiving a community formed by diverse individuals. Li Qi saw the exquisite nature of those worlds and the strong colors they exuded through the Fusion of matter and spirit.

Some insights in his heart seemed to have Awakened, just a little short of achieving complete self-understanding and mutual insight.

But when Li Qi carefully listened to the鸣音 played by the countless worlds he created, he could not describe what he heard.

Unable to describe, this was an inconsolable sorrow.

This feeling was almost indescribable; Li Qi was simply suffering in darkness.

Despite possessing the ability to discern everything, Li Qi realized that his abilities could not bear fruit.

Li Qi endured pain that Mortals' spirits could not experience.

The weak spirits of Mortals simply could not bear such intense pain.

Nevertheless, Li Qi continued.

He had made up his mind not to stop until his mind completely collapsed.

However… at this critical juncture, Li Qi heard bad news.

Shamansan was preparing to leave. During Li Qi's seclusion, one thousand five hundred years had passed in the outside world, so Shamansan could no longer leisurely act as Li Qi's Dharma Protector.

Shamansan said to Li Qi, “The war has progressed to a new level, and I can no longer remain aloof. You will have to face the next matters yourself.”

“Is it because I was too slow?” Li Qi sighed, reacting with a small portion of his thinking ability.

Almost all of his thinking ability was invested in constructing his Inner World, so he could only spare some simple thoughts to respond to Shamansan. However, such a 'simple' thought-body was no different from a clever Mortal, and normal conversation was still very easy.

“Partially, yes. If you were faster, I wouldn't have to go this time, but it's not your fault. No one can control such things.” Shamansan smiled, “If I stay here, you would actually be more dangerous.”

“Then I'll be going. If anything happens, you'll need to resolve it yourself.” After Shamansan finished speaking, he disappeared directly.

Li Qi sighed.

There was nothing he could do. Shamansan's actions were beyond reproach. As a First Grade, he couldn't wholeheartedly help Li Qi; that would be too cruel to other Shamanes.

A First Grade needed to balance all things to achieve the best outcome and could not focus on a single person. Li Qi understood, as he himself had made such choices before.

But as the one being abandoned, he still couldn't help but sigh.

However, sighs aside, what needed to be done was already decided; it was merely a matter of performing deductions while fighting.

Li Qi calmed his mind and did not interrupt the deductions he was performing.

Less than a quarter of an hour after Shamansan left, Li Qi already felt the attacks from the Human Dao.

“Alas,” he sighed again.

If one were to observe Li Qi's main body at this moment, they would find him extremely emaciated, due to the inescapable torment from the depths of his mind.

The collapse of his Dao Foundation prevented him from getting even a second of rest and quiet. This illness was incurable and was continuously weakening his main body.

This injury had almost stripped him of all cognition, all prospects, and all hope, tormenting him alive to this extent.

Even for a Third Grade, such a collapse could cause intense pain, leading to the shattering of their Dao Heart.

This pain did not come from the Physical Body, but from the powerlessness of: “No matter what, I cannot interpret this world.” This world looks nothing like I imagined.

Then… either the world is wrong.

Or, the one who is wrong is… ‘I’.

However, Li Qi endured.

He had to endure, otherwise, what would happen to those who cared about him?

And next, he had to endure more.

The Human Dao's attack had arrived.

“Li Qi… you can't stop me now, can you?” A familiar voice came, filled with gloomy rage.

“Ah, Imperial Academy’s Chancellor…” Li Qi sighed.

So, was the Ruler going to be Reincarnated?

Truly, Heavenly Dao is a good Reincarnation.

Was it his turn to die this time?

However, at this moment—

Suddenly, strange phenomena erupted all around, and the stars rotated!

Stars began to appear, and a large number of galaxies began to emerge behind Li Qi, like a giant cloud.

Under gravitational forces, these galaxies formed a special swirling shape.

However, there were no formed stars within it yet, only a glowing mist.

Light vaguely shone through the middle of the mist, extending outwards, the light gradually weakening, finally merging almost seamlessly with the dark space.

Even the space background of this Universe looked strange; there were no stars in the Void Realm, only faint misty gases everywhere.

These gases rotated ceaselessly, and soon, something was amiss.

The interstellar matter rotated continuously, its Peak constantly flickering. Stars were ignited from within the mist, and fountains of worlds continuously erupted from it. It flung out two arms, which were two rotating clusters of worlds.

Many ignited stars were thrown out by this rotating force, forming sub-Universes.

The sub-Universes rotated around the main Universe.

In the Universe before them, there was a faint ‘superstructure’, undoubtedly the largest of all sub-Universe clusters, gleaming with brilliant luster and radiating light.

Li Qi opened his eyes, trying his best to see its structure more clearly.

Looking out, countless galaxies and other distant galaxies came into view. However… while it seemed like everything was in view, in reality, even the closest two stars were as far apart as two lightbulbs placed at the South and North Poles respectively. Only the vast perception of a High Grade cultivator could take all of this in.

So, due to such vast distances, although the overall background of the starry sky before him glowed with a hazy milky white light, very beautiful, it was merely a huge void scattered with some luminous points.

It looked incredibly magnificent as a whole, but upon closer inspection, one could find the nihilistic void within it.

It was such an existence that resisted the incoming attacks from the outside, while also protecting them.

Of course, the scene before him was essentially a Third Grade Dharma Idol.

And Li Qi was very familiar with this scene; he had seen it more than once, at Shaman God Mountain… and in Baiyue.

“Master…” Li Qi looked at the surrounding starry sky that had appeared.

Seemingly full of things, yet incredibly empty, a Dharma Idol where even the Four Symbols did not exist, undoubtedly belonged to Zhu Fengdan.

“Don't shoulder everything yourself. If Shamansan isn't doing it, just call me~.” Zhu Fengdan's Dharma Body appeared behind Li Qi.

“Master, your injuries…?” Li Qi frowned. He was well aware of Zhu Fengdan's injuries, which could certainly not be healed in such a short time. She was still far from her Peak.

Zhu Fengdan, however, gave a thumbs-up, stuck out her tongue, and said with a frivolous, unbearable expression, “Don't worry, I brought a dog.”

As soon as her voice fell, flames capable of incinerating Chaos ignited in the sky.

“And also, your self-shattering of your Dao Foundation, that was really well done. I've done that too. This is a bit of my experience; I wasn't here before because I was organizing this.” Zhu Fengdan handed Li Qi a scroll.

“So, you rest, and leave the rest to me. Don't forget, your Master, I, am very powerful!” Zhu Fengdan's expression suddenly became serious at this point.

Li Qi did not refuse.

To be honest, there was no reason to refuse.

Indeed, Li Qi was already a Great Power, capable of standing on his own.

But at this moment, there was no problem in relying on an elder, right?

He closed his eyes, gathered all his mental energy, even withdrawing all intentions to defend and perceive the outside world back into his body.

One must know that even when Shamansan personally protected him, he still left a trace of his mind outside, observing external matters at all times.

Despite Shamansan being a First Grade.

But after Zhu Fengdan arrived, he even let go of his last defenses.

Next, he would do his own thing.

The battle had been prolonged, and the situation had become incredibly complex.

If it were the previous Li Qi, he would probably be anxious and constantly ponder the problems within these situations.

There was no helping it; Li Qi was just such an overthinker.

However, now he had given up on analyzing the situation.

He no longer considered what the Demonic Dao wanted, nor what the Human Dao wanted, and he didn't even care about Shaman Dao.

None of that mattered anymore.

If one didn't even know how to view the world, what good was understanding the situation?

Since he had already burned his bridges, he might as well be more decisive.

——————————

Meanwhile, on the First Grade battlefield.

Shamansan nodded slightly.

This was how it had to be. With him nearby, that child could never calm down, still thinking about this and that even when death was imminent, even analyzing the situation.

Now, his departure could better prompt him to think. Sometimes, young people just needed to be pushed.

Of course…

This pushing included Zhu Fengdan.

Both were young people.

Zhu Fengdan had been slacking off for a long time under the guise of injury, but she had been secretly active, seemingly plotting something for her disciple. This would not do; she needed to get moving.

It was better to let them handle it themselves.

Though it was a bit dangerous.

For example… Li Qi and Zhu Fengdan might both die.

But those were not within Shamansan's considerations.

Death was death. Having fought to this point, many Second Grades had already fallen; the death of two Third Grades was truly no big deal, as long as the Desire Realm remained.

And…

If they survived, it would be a huge gain. If Zhu Fengdan could be forced to abandon that unpromising path, perhaps she could catch up to her two brothers.

These trivial matters passed through Shamansan's mind lightly, not even taking a picosecond. His main thoughts were on more macroscopic matters.

Because… Buddhism seemed to be unable to hold on.

The Human Emperor had already lost four portions of his lifespan, and the Three Dukes had all taken action.

This meant that Burning Lamp, Amitabha, Maitreya, and Lapis Lazuli Light had all been repelled and suppressed.

Was only the World Honored One Tathagata left?

In other words… the Seal of the Heavens of the Formless Realm was about to collapse.

Was it a bad thing?

Hard to say.

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