Li Qi felt a sliver of 'Qi' being forcibly squeezed out from his muscles and body, but as soon as this Qi emerged, he immediately felt utterly drained.
"Li Qi, you're awake?!" Shen Shuibei's voice came from beside him at that moment.
Her tone sounded very anxious, yet relieved.
Li Qi opened his eyes and found her tightly hugging him. The places where their skin touched felt smooth and soft; his oily sweat had formed a layer, but somehow didn't stick to Shen Shuibei, creating a strange sensation.
"Thank goodness... I almost thought you wouldn't wake up. Do you know, just now, the Yin Qi from the Netherworld surged up and nearly dragged you away!" Seeing Li Qi awake, Shen Shuibei quickly got off him and adjusted her already disheveled clothes.
"Netherworld Yin Qi... Thank you, Miss Shen." Li Qi still sounded weak, feeling too feeble to move.
However, at least he was awake.
From Shen Shuibei's words and combining them with the strange dream earlier, he immediately understood what that half-asleep illusion was all about.
A simple deduction.
The Netherworld Yin Qi wanted to drag him down, likely indicating that he was truly dying.
So, Shen Shuibei hugged him, using her Immaculate Body, which repelled all evil, to block those strands of Yin Qi, giving him time to save himself.
He really should thank her; otherwise, he might have truly died this time.
Then... let's see the current situation?
Li Qi struggled to sit up from the ground.
Only then did he realize he was in a clearing in the forest, lying on a canvas , with his chest wrapped in a messy bandage.
Should be a bandage, made of linen cloth. Judging by the looks of it, it must have been Shen Shuibei's dress.
After all, her long skirt had turned into a knee-length seven-eighths skirt.
She probably kept listening to the situation here with her ears, riding Old Horse, always following closely, so she could rush out at the critical moment and kick that soldier to death.
Old Horse is indeed reliable, Shen Shuibei may be a bit naive, but she can be counted on in crucial moments.
Without her, he would have really failed this time.
While observing the surroundings, Shen Shuibei was squatting on the other side, tidying up a pot.
Something seemed to be stewing inside the pot, bubbling. It must have been made by Shen Shuibei.
Seeing Li Qi awake, she started tidying up.
Since there were no utensils and Li Qi usually ate directly from the pot, she simply brought the pot over.
It looked scalding hot, but with her Immaculate Body, immune to heat and cold, neither temperature extremes seemed to affect her. Even if she picked up a scalding iron pot with her bare hands, she felt nothing, her hands remained tender and smooth.
Bringing the pot over, Shen Shuibei placed it in front of Li Qi, squatted down, used Li Qi's usual spoon, fed him a mouthful, and said, "Li Qi, you're really amazing. With an unranked level, you managed to kill a Ninth Rank Military Cultivator.Even by Lady's side, I've never seen anyone like you!"
"It was just taking advantage of the terrain. Besides, most of his power wasn't directed at me but rather used to sever the mountain roots and water veins," Li Qi shook his head, not thinking he was strong enough to achieve it.
That officer, that Ninth Rank Military Cultivator, if they were fighting on flat ground fairly, one slash would have severed Li Qi's head, leaving him powerless to resist.
After forming an array with his subordinates, he could even briefly cut off the mountain roots and water veins, preventing others from drawing strength from the mountains and rivers.
Fortunately, Li Qi couldn't draw strength from the mountains and rivers; he guarded against nothing.
This was normal; facing someone showing Ox Power Technique, the first thing to do was to cut off their connection to the mountains and rivers.
But that officer hadn't expected Li Qi to be a useless novice.
He simply couldn't do it.
Plus, with the advantage of the pond and the sudden appearance of the willow branch, he barely managed to counterattack.
It was truly dangerous, far from the point of boasting. He still had a hole in his chest and couldn't move.
"You achieved it, that's what matters. It doesn't matter how you did it. That's what Her Ladyship says," Shen Shuibei said, feeding Li Qi another mouthful.
Li Qi glanced at it; it seemed to be porridge made from rice cakes.
Crushing the rice cakes, adding some mountain goods like mushrooms and wood ears, cured meat, coarse salt, and some wild vegetables, all stewed together.
What a delicious pot of meat porridge, fragrant and inviting, making Li Qi's already weak body crave food.
He eagerly swallows a spoonful, but it isn't enough, eagerly waiting for Shen Shuibei to continue feeding him.
Unable to lift his hands, his whole body sore and weak, the knife wound on his chest continuously bleeding, unbearable pain.
Shen Shuibei understood him, eating one bite herself, then feeding him another, even disregarding the heat, eating messily.
Fortunately, his physique was strong; otherwise, he might not have been able to eat to recover his strength.
"You sustained external injuries and forcibly squeezed out your physical essence to generate a sliver of internal Qi, so you need to eat more meat. I cooked all the meat from your bag," Shen Shuibei said while feeding Li Qi.
These words startled Li Qi, pausing his hurried eating.
"Wait, forcibly squeezing out my physical essence to generate internal Qi?" Li Qi asked back.
"Yes, didn't you know? But wasn't that something you did yourself?" Shen Shuibei also seemed puzzled.
"I'm not sure. what is it? I was just trying to save myself. I don't understand the principle," Li Qi decisively sought guidance.
Although Shen Shuibei's mind reacted a bit slowly, her knowledge reserve was unquestionable.
When Li Qi asked, she answered: "This is a cultivation method of the Martial Dao, different from the Witchcraft Path, which incorporates external Qi into the human microcosm. They believe the human body itself is the strongest, requiring no external Qi."
"So, practitioners of the Martial Dao don't incorporate Qi into their bodies but rely on eating. They consume various spirit beasts, many types of Qi, and even humans. After consumption, they digest these things through the human microcosm, turning them into a unified 'internal Qi', using this internal Qi to fight."
"Different eating methods give rise to different branches. The Martial Dao has many cultivation techniques, teaching people how to eat. Apart from techniques, there are different combat styles. The Martial Dao excels in combat skills, capable of using many unimaginable martial techniques, thus having strong frontal combat abilities. You should have a Martial Dao technique on you, right?"
"Martial Dao technique..." Li Qi looked at himself.
Is the Pai-bo Technique, is it actually a Martial Dao technique?