The Eternal Way-Chapter 146: Inquiry

Piaoxu, along with Qiyao and some of the workers, took their leave to retreat to the backyard for safety.

After delivering his stern warning, Li Qi did not act immediately but remained standing at the entrance, silently waiting. However, he was far from idle. He was carefully observing the terrain, calculating the placement of the altar and its corresponding directions.

With insufficient information, for someone like Li Qi who preferred meticulous planning before taking action—and sometimes came across as indecisive due to this—he would never confront Jin Bu Huan directly at this moment. Knowledge and intelligence were the foundations of action; without them, acting would be reckless and could lead to disaster.

Li Qi observed for a while, determined the precise location, and then began setting up the altar. He placed offerings for communication and performed the ritual with reverence. After a short while, there was a response from the altar—the ritual had succeeded. The offerings, blessings, and the local deity had reached an agreement.

Li Qi felt a lightness as he entered the familiar chaos...

Wait, this space wasn't familiar at all!

Where was the previously endless, chaotic, dark void? How come it now had mountains, rivers, and waterways? Though devoid of life, it felt alive somehow.

The sky was clear, the earth bright, and the three yang forces harmonized perfectly. The former chaotic space had transformed into a tangible small world.

Li Qi immediately realized what caused this transformation. The chaotic space where he used to communicate during rituals was actually his personal microcosm! Each time he communicated in that space, it was within his own body. Previously, his cultivation was too shallow, not yet reaching any rank, so his personal microcosm remained chaotic. Now, having attained the ninth rank, the chaos evolved into a small world, and the surrounding scenery changed accordingly.

For the first time, Li Qi clearly felt the evolution of his inner world. He tried exerting his power here—blowing wind that stirred sand and stones, stepping on the ground that produced dust. Pointing to the sky brought forth suns and stars; pointing to the ground created mountains and lakes. Summoning clouds and fog, creating mountains and abysses—it felt as if he could manipulate this world at will.

While testing his control over this place, he heard a dry cough. Following the cough, a gentle and cautious voice spoke: "Ahem! Young Master summoned me. What is it?"

It was the deity he had summoned. Li Qi felt embarrassed. Of course, he wouldn't forget the main task, knowing why he was here, but since he hadn't seen the deity's presence earlier, he had been experimenting with other things. Even after hearing the voice, he still couldn't see the deity.

"Cough... I can't find you, Senior. Where are you?" Li Qi looked around apologetically.

"Young Master, look down. I'm here," the voice said again.

Li Qi looked down. There was no change; he wasn't standing on the ground...

Wait, the ground was moving. An earthquake spread from under his feet! Each tremor made solid matter behave like liquid, spreading through soil and rocks as easily as through air!

Countless mountains were forcibly created, the earth being pulled out, looking like countless spikes rising from the ground, piercing the heavens! The shockwave resembled endless tides, rolling towards him, threatening to collapse the core of the earth!

Heaven and earth merged, thousands of mountains rose!

From Li Qi's perspective, tens of thousands of cubic kilometers of land were overturned! A thousand-mile-wide earthquake!

Then, a white snake emerged, almost overturning the crust. This white snake was thousands of miles long and dozens of miles wide, with scales large enough to build cities upon. It stretched endlessly, occupying almost all of Li Qi's personal microcosm!

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Li Qi was terrified. No wonder he couldn't see it. If something so massive were visible, it would be strange!

After lifting its head, the giant white snake buried itself back into the ground. The gentle voice spoke again: "Young Master's cultivation is still shallow. Your personal microcosm cannot fully contain my projection, so I must bury myself below to communicate."

Li Qi was so surprised he stuttered: "Then... then how did you descend last time?"

Yes, the altar Li Qi set up and the entity he invited was the Mountain God of White Snake Mountain. But he hadn't expected the mountain god to be a gigantic white snake!

"Ah, you mean the first time you summoned me? Back then, did you see a chaotic space?" the giant white snake asked.

"No, I remember seeing a beautiful garden," Li Qi replied.

"That explains it. Last time, we weren't in your personal microcosm but in a space I constructed with my power. Now you know why summoning powerful deities doesn't always get a response—your personal microcosm can't handle it," the white snake explained with a smile.

"I spent my power constructing a stable space to appear because your offerings startled me. Most unfamiliar deities wouldn't do this," the white snake continued calmly.

Li Qi nodded: "I see."

"But Young Master, just attaining the ninth rank, your personal microcosm can already barely accommodate my will. Your talent is top-notch. Even Wu Deity Mountain might not have many disciples capable of this. Truly worthy of being a disciple of Grand Diviner Zhu. You're indeed a fledgling phoenix, destined to soar high one day," the white snake praised.

"Cough, Senior, please don't flatter me," Li Qi hurriedly declined.

Regarding the phoenix and owl metaphor, he could say it himself but didn't want others to use it.

"Now, let's get back to business. Why did you summon me? Do you need help solving a problem?" the white snake asked.

"On my journey home, I should solve problems myself, not trouble Senior. Besides, Teacher wouldn't be pleased if I relied on you," Li Qi quickly explained.

If he really used his status to ask deities to solve his problems, his teacher would probably crush his head.

"So, why did you summon me?" the White Snake Mountain God asked, puzzled.

"It's like this. I wanted to inquire about Luo Fu Niangniang and the Green Mountain Mountain God. Are you acquainted?" Li Qi asked.

"Ah, you want to gather information. The Green Mountain Mountain God... is Jinchi? I know him and have met him briefly. Why do you ask? Did you offend him?" the white snake asked.

"Not exactly. As a mere ninth-rank, how could I offend a sixth-rank powerhouse? I merely upset his son Jin Bu Huan in Clear Mist City. I don't know much about him, so I dared to invite you to inquire," Li Qi explained.

"I see. Jinchi's son is indeed quite unruly. Being taught a lesson by you isn't bad," the white snake smiled, seeming to understand.

But Li Qi shook his head: "I wasn't planning just to teach him a lesson."

Hearing this, the white snake paused: "You mean...?"

This young master has such a strong desire for revenge?

"He killed dozens to force me to accept gifts, hoping to burden me with resentment and ruin my 'reason,' attacking my Dao heart. Brutal, unjust, acting improperly, he's nothing but a menace," Li Qi explained.

"Your reasoning sounds humanistic, but you're from Deer Kingdom..." the white snake stopped abruptly, changing the subject.

"Forget it. Ask anything, I'll answer truthfully. Just don't mention me to Jinchi. He's extremely violent, and I'm not good at fighting. I was once suppressed by a Curse Demon Bear, facing Jinchi would only end in defeat..."

Sounding mournful, the white snake added: "Among sixth-ranks, Jinchi is among the strongest. Twenty of me wouldn't stand a chance against him..."

"Of course. I won't reveal your existence. If he troubles you, I won't forget," Li Qi promised.

"Alright, what do you want to know?"

"First, about Jin Bu Huan's cultivation..."

Li Qi began his inquiry, discovering and confirming one thing: the White Snake Mountain God was truly terrible at fighting.

---

An hour later, Li Qi returned from the trance-like state of communicating with the deity. During such communications, practitioners of Wu Dao temporarily lost control of their bodies, appearing dazed or even possessed to outsiders.

Li Qi once found this ridiculous but now understood the situation, feeling helpless. He genuinely disliked this trance-like state. Perhaps when he could multitask in the future, he could maintain control.

However, doing so would be disrespectful during formal invitations. Opening his eyes, he took a deep breath.

"Miss Shen, how is the formation coming?" he asked Shen Shuibei.

"Almost done, don't rush, I'm finishing up," Shen Shuibei replied absentmindedly.

"Alright, I'll go outside." Li Qi nodded, stood up, opened the door, and stepped outside.

Outside, the Flame Lord still stood motionless. Around him, there was no one left. The crowd had dispersed, the street empty, shops closed, people avoiding the area. All the attendants and officials from earlier were gone, leaving only ashes and the Flame Lord standing amidst them.

Dozens of attendants, officials, and various personnel—over a hundred in total—now reduced to ashes.

"Mr. Li, have you decided to accept my young master's apology?" the Flame Lord politely asked, his tone humble and respectful, though his words made Li Qi grimace, ruining his composed expression.

Li Qi sighed, realizing his self-control needed work.

"Flame Lord... is that your name?" Li Qi asked.

"Yes, Mr. Li may call me by my name," the Flame Lord responded respectfully, though Li Qi sensed little genuine respect. His gaze toward the house, however, held significant admiration.

Clearly, the Flame Lord saw Li Qi as unworthy of respect but regarded Shen Shuibei as a venerable master. Reasonable, considering Li Qi appeared ordinary as a ninth-rank, while Shen Shuibei seemed like his protector, the true expert.

Seeing Li Qi approach, the Flame Lord tilted his head, showing slight exasperation. Honestly, he didn't care much for this ninth-rank, even if they had high status or talent. Currently, Li Qi lacked anything deserving respect besides lineage.

Yet, due to luck or birthright, Li Qi commanded respect, even requiring him to address Li Qi as "Master."

What is a "Master."?

A term for those advanced in knowledge and wisdom, a title for accomplished predecessors—not for someone like this youngster.

But due to good fortune, being born into a prestigious family, or having a great teacher, Li Qi became someone he must respect and address formally.

Truly unfair.

Despite his thoughts, the Flame Lord raised his hand: "Master. Li, what do you think?"

Li Qi thought he saw a glint in the Flame Lord's eyes but couldn't be sure. Regardless, it wouldn't change the fact that he couldn't defeat this eighth-rank being.

"The deaths of those people would be meaningless if I accepted now," Li Qi stated.

"If you don't accept, their deaths are meaningless. My young master's wrath might cause more deaths," the Flame Lord countered.

"Is death so trivial?" Li Qi asked.

"Not trivial? Clear Mist City has millions; hundreds die naturally daily. Accidents and illnesses claim thousands. These hundred deaths won't make a ripple," the Flame Lord replied.

"Did you summon me just to say this?" the Flame Lord questioned.

Li Qi shook his head: "Not entirely, just curious. I came to meet Jin Bu Huan personally. Can you arrange a meeting?"

Then, he made a request that greatly surprised the Flame Lord.