As soon as Li Qi spoke, Zhu Fengdan's mouth stretched into a wide grin, barely suppressing his laughter.
The other Great Shamans could only manage wry smiles.
It had to be said, this was a beautifully executed resolution.
Could the conflict not be resolved?
Then simply shift the conflict elsewhere.
The tactic of shifting conflict always worked, no matter the time or place.
If you elders are at odds because of your disciples, then I'll create such a commotion that you'll all redirect your grievances toward me.
Now, with my power skyrocketing and my foundation unstable, what can you do?
If you fight me, you'll worry that my newfound strength might overpower you. But if you win, you'll fear it was an unfair victory due to my instability.
No matter how you look at it, it's awkward.
Besides, are there really irreconcilable contradictions among you Great Shamans?
In Li Qi's view, probably not.
At most, there was some mild displeasure between adults.
So now, as a junior, I've gone ahead and broken a cup, drawing everyone's attention to me.
And when they all came to look, they even helped me clean up the mess.
Now, can you elders still bring yourselves to return to the previous topic and argue?
Moreover, I didn't just break a cup for the sake of causing trouble—I was showcasing myself.
Who else in Wu Deity Mountain could pull off something like this?
From Li Qi's actions, these Great Shamans could clearly discern the underlying meaning.
"Among the Eighth Rank newcomers of Wu Deity Mountain, who else but me?!"
On the surface, he appeared polite, refined, and fair. But wasn't he just as audacious and unpredictable as Zhu Fengdan?
Could anyone blame him, though?
Seeing Zhu Fengdan now, laughing so hard he couldn't stop, it was clear he was extremely satisfied.
And weren't these Great Shamans satisfied too?
They had just witnessed an outstanding younger generation member shine brightly.
These Great Shamans weren't petty old men who would suppress talented juniors out of jealousy for their own disciples. If that were the case, all the younger generations of Wu Deity Mountain would have perished long ago.
An Eighth Rank practitioner hosting a grand ceremony, using both the grand ceremony and the Ten Thousand Dances to worship himself!
Even Seventh Rank practitioners wouldn't dare attempt such a feat, yet he achieved it with the help of two strands of Dao Resonance.
Though protected by the Great Shamans, he had genuinely relied on himself.
It was akin to climbing a towering mountain on the path of Dao—one must scale it alone, with no one able to assist.
At most, the six Great Shamans acted as safety ropes, ensuring he wouldn't plummet to his death if he failed.
But the actual act of climbing still depended entirely on his own efforts.
Even with safety ropes, all they guaranteed was survival; everything else relied on his own effort and wisdom to resolve.
Yet, right before the six Great Shamans' eyes, Li Qi succeeded.
This left the six forced-to-work-overtime Great Shamans feeling quite moved.
Li Qi had used this method to shift the conflict onto himself, then showcased his brilliance, resolving the tension without a trace.
He gave Zhu Fengdan a face-saving boost while leaving the other Great Shamans speechless.
"Hahaha, you old geezers, are you convinced now? Let's go! Apprentice, we're heading back!" Zhu Fengdan, in high spirits, grabbed Li Qi and prepared to leave the hall.
Li Qi was taken aback: "Wait, Master, didn't we come for the banquet...?"
Zhu Fengdan, full of bravado, dragged Li Qi out: "What banquet? Do you lack food? When we get back, I'll arrange dragon liver and phoenix gallbladder for you—we don't need their scraps!"
Li Qi sighed inwardly.
Hadn't they originally come here because there was a diviner predicting futures for them, with a banquet arranged for the occasion?
What happened?
Never mind, he'd have to get used to his master's unpredictability.
This seemed to be his usual style—acting on impulse. Now that his mood was high, it was best not to interrupt him.
If he insisted on staying, who knew—he might get beaten up and dragged away anyway.
It was better to obediently follow along.
However...
Thinking about this, Li Qi immediately closed his eyes, deliberately avoiding thoughts of that "however."
Because if the other Great Shamans caught wind of this "however," the conflict might flare up again.
As for Zhang Zidu...
Uh, surely standing around a bit longer wouldn't hurt? He'd eventually leave on his own, wouldn't he? He couldn't wait for Li Qi forever, right?
Impossible, impossible.
Li Qi, still being dragged by Zhu Fengdan, waited until he felt himself stuffed into a carriage and the vehicle began moving before finally opening his eyes.
"Master..." Li Qi sighed.
Zhu Fengdan grinned, urging the iron-eating beasts to speed up while turning back to say to Li Qi: "Boy, good job today! A promise is a promise! Once we get back, I'll fix you up—give you a new hairstyle, change your clothes—and then we'll head to Luo Fu's cave retreat. Whether you want to meet her or propose, it's all up to you!"
"Uh, uh..." Li Qi was speechless.
But rather than dwell on this topic, he directly asked Zhu Fengdan: "Master, did you plan all of this?"
"Hmm? What did you say?" Zhu Fengdan hummed a tune, absentmindedly replying.
"That Wuyu practitioner, and that strand of cosmic Dao Resonance—it wasn't a coincidence, was it?" Li Qi speculated.
Before Zhu Fengdan could respond, Li Qi continued.
"You planned all of this long ago, intentionally sending me to buy things, letting me discover that strand of cosmic Dao Resonance myself, and using it to reel me in."
"Then, based on my reaction, you were able to force those five Great Shamans to work for you without losing face."
"The only variable was my response. Without prior knowledge of the plan, I needed to react appropriately to reap the benefits."
"But you couldn't tell me beforehand, as doing so would inevitably leave traces of manipulation."
"So you let me improvise. If I succeeded, it meant I passed your test. If I failed, you'd act as if nothing happened, wait for the divination, and return."
"Is… is that what happened?"
Li Qi looked at Zhu Fengdan's back and asked.
This banquet, from his arrival to the market, to the subsequent demonstration—all of it was orchestrated by Zhu Fengdan.
Li Qi believed his master had known about the Wuyu practitioner and the Dao Resonance all along.
If he cooperated and played along, the outcome would be as it was now.
If he hadn't, he'd still gain the opportunity for divination—it just meant he hadn't passed his master's test.
"Tsk." Zhu Fengdan sneered: "You guessed six out of ten, but listen, kid—don't overthink things."
"Overthinking will make you miserable. Children should enjoy life more."
"Thinking itself is a form of torment. Be kinder to yourself." Zhu Fengdan glanced outside, his previously cheerful expression suddenly hollow, his gaze...
Terrifying.
Li Qi fell silent.
Still, after some thought...
He couldn't help but ponder—it was already part of his nature.
What did his master mean by "thinking itself is a form of torment"?
He didn't fully understand that statement.
But Li Qi skipped over the topic and continued: "So, Master, what's next?"
"What's next? As I said, I'll give you a new hairstyle, change your clothes, and we'll head to Luo Fu's cave retreat! First, stabilize your cultivation and savor the threshold of the Seventh Rank. Let's speed up!" Zhu Fengdan laughed heartily.
After laughing, he took out a fishing rod with a golden bamboo shoot dangling from it, hanging it in front of the iron-eating beasts.
Their speed surged!
Li Qi was slammed into the backseat by the acceleration.
This vehicle usually had no acceleration.
Now that there was acceleration, it meant his teacher didn't want to talk anymore.
So he shut up...
And focused on his cultivation instead.
Li Qi closed his eyes and turned inward.
From entering the Eighth Rank to reaching its peak, only a few hours had passed.
This sudden leap left Li Qi extremely unfamiliar with his newfound strength, requiring time to adapt.
At the peak of the Eighth Rank, only one step remained to reach the Seventh Rank.
What powers did he possess now?
His internal divine essence was more stable.
His magical power had increased several times over.
And then there was that indescribable feeling...
He had touched a threshold.
The threshold of immortality.
This was a fundamental difference. With just one more step, crossing this mountain, he would no longer be a mere mortal.
He might no longer be called a "child."
Li Qi knew this—he had read about it.
In the various Daoist traditions, immortality was the marker of adulthood.
Only upon achieving immortality, free from the ravages of time, could one claim to be an adult. Only then would the Great Shamans stop calling him a "child."
Only then would they acknowledge that he had grown up, capable of truly understanding them.
This step was extraordinary.
Before this, as a short-lived species, he could never comprehend the ancient, enduring great beings.
The hallmark of the Seventh Rank was achieving immortality.
Living in this world, every breath, every metabolic process, caused constant wear and tear on the body, followed by repair. When the day came that repairs couldn't keep up with the damage, aging set in.
Even at the Eighth or Ninth Ranks, though lifespan could be extended, the aging process couldn't be halted.
But at the Seventh Rank, everything changed.
After reaching the Seventh Rank, Daoists had many options. For example, the Vajra Pure Body, or other methods like the Nine Elixir Rebirth Technique—all paths to immortality.
In Buddhism, the Golden Body of Arhats served a similar purpose. Li Qi also knew of the Three Bodies Method: the Dharma Body as essence, the Reward Body as merit, and the True Body as unity—all merging into one to achieve immortality.
For the Wu Dao, ascending to the Seventh Rank required a similar transformation.
What method should he choose to ascend to the Seventh Rank?
Though it wasn't time to decide yet, it was worth considering in advance.
Wu Deity Mountain offered thousands of methods to ascend to the Seventh Rank. How should he choose?
Li Qi couldn't help but let his imagination run wild.
But he quickly reined himself in.
Never mind—it wasn't time to choose yet.
Take it slow.
Though curious about what it felt like to become "immortal," foundational stability was still the priority.
He hadn't fully mastered the cosmic Dao Resonance yet, nor had he completely controlled his newfound power. Many spells and abilities he needed to accumulate were still unpracticed. Despite having reached the peak of the Eighth Rank, he was essentially an empty shell, with most techniques still at the level of a newly minted Eighth Rank practitioner.
It was like upgrading a computer's hardware from a 3060 to a 3080—but still running outdated software. Though smoother, there was no qualitative improvement.
Such was the drawback of rapidly advancing cultivation.
There was still a way to go before the Seventh Rank.
One step at a time.
---
Li Qi planned to spend a little time familiarizing himself with his newfound power and preparing properly. This would likely take a few days.
By now, less than eight hours had passed since his arrival at Wu Deity Mountain—not even a full day.
Meanwhile, Shen Shuibì, finally arrived at the temporary cave retreat where Luo Fu Lady resided.
Rabbits were notoriously bad at hiding their emotions.
Her expression was bitter as she walked along.
She had just reached the vicinity of this cave retreat.
The retreat was built atop a spiritual peak spanning a hundred li, with the entire area allocated to the remnants of Luo Fu Mountain.
The spiritual peak was divided into four sections, each representing a season, forming a layout of perpetual seasonal rotation—a truly exceptional place.
Spring was warm and vibrant, summer lush and verdant, autumn sparse and serene, winter dim and tranquil. The four seasonal energies surrounded the spiritual peak.
The peak was adorned with short pines, dwarf poplars, cypress, plum, willow, and other trees, all lush and green.
Flowers bloomed regardless of season: roses, chrysanthemums, peonies, and tree peonies—all flourishing year-round.
Streams wound around, teeming with small animals drinking and frolicking, as well as waterfowl with fledgling white feathers playing in the water.
Stone paths meandered through crevices, interrupted by rugged ridges, winding and twisting, connected by wooden walkways suspended against cliffs, spiraling upward. Streams and rivers coiled below, growing ever more intricate.
Small stones dotted the surroundings, serving as decorative accents—yellow stones, Xuan stones, and Lingbi stones.
Waterfalls cascaded down perilous slopes, pooling below in ponds where small fish swam—a harmonious blend of mountains and water.
Butterflies flitted among flowers, and green-feathered birds chirped melodiously.
The sound of flowing springs indicated swift currents, while drifting clouds brought the mountains closer.
A peaceful, natural aura permeated the area.
Wu Deity Mountain wasn't a domineering sect, so they had granted ample personal space, refraining from surveillance. Even the Great Diviners deliberately avoided prying into this place.
In truth, the Wu Dao had always pursued equality among all things, treating even Luo Fu Mountain with respect, never showing neglect.
Even though they coveted the First Rank Dao mechanism hidden within the Sun and Moon True Lead Cauldron, they hadn't resorted to force, instead opting to extend favors until Luo Fu Lady willingly handed it over.
Thus, the area remained serene and undisturbed.
Shen Shuibì had just arrived when a flock of cloud sparrows suddenly flew in from the horizon.
The rabbit's troubled face broke into a smile, surprise lighting her eyes as she gazed at the approaching sparrows.
The palm-sized cloud sparrows swiftly flew toward Shen Shuibì, landing with a thud and transforming into human forms—girls around thirteen or fourteen years old, dressed as maids, their faces beaming.
"Lady Yuezhong has returned!"
"Welcome back, My Lady!"
"My Lady, did the people of Wu Deity Mountain treat you poorly on the journey?"
The flock of cloud sparrows crowded around her, their expressions a mix of concern and joy.
Concerned that Lady Yuezhong might have suffered indignities, yet joyful that another powerful figure from their side had returned.
Finally, one slightly older sparrow, appearing around fifteen or sixteen, stepped forward as the leader: "True Lord sent us to welcome you, My Lady! Why do you seem so downcast?"
Shen Shuibì smiled: "It's nothing. Let's head back first. How is Yang Ning?"
The sparrow replied immediately: "Crimson Qi True Lord is waiting inside for you. However, she still needs to embrace the Great Sun to nurture her damaged soul, so she couldn't come out to greet you and sent us instead."
Shen Shuibì nodded and took the lead: "I see. Then let's hurry. By the way... how many family members has Wu Deity Mountain managed to find and bring back?"