The Eternal Way-Chapter 197: Recruitment

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Having determined what needed to be done, Li Qi began to act.

First, he gently placed the sleeping rabbit aside. The rabbit did not wake up. A surge of demonic thoughts filled Li Qi's mind. There was something he had wanted to do for a long time. He reached out and pulled on the rabbit's tail. Wow, a rabbit's tail could stretch so far! Satisfied, his demonic thoughts dissipated. Then, putting these matters aside, he went to attend to more serious business.

He first arranged the Covenant. He had to manually set up the Covenant ritual because Shen Shuibei's array could only summon him and served no other purpose, making it a highly technical yet useless artifact with some collectible value. Of course, Li Qi kept it. After setting up the Covenant and calling upon distant allies, he carried Shen Shuibei out the door.

As soon as they left the secret chamber, two guards were startled and rushed over, their blades gleaming coldly. Without even asking who he was, they attacked Li Qi directly. This was the core area of the Lower Nine Gates, where King Ma resided; any stranger appearing here would be killed without question. However, Li Qi knew this and showed them a jade pendant. The guards immediately stopped and looked at him suspiciously. It was a token from King Ma, indicating his presence. Only his closest confidants would have such an item. Who is this person? Why haven't we seen him before? Despite their doubts, they knelt on one knee and bowed silently.

"Do not reveal my presence. Prepare a carriage and take me to the Grain Alliance's Eastern Master. Announce that King Ma is traveling," Li Qi said coldly. "Yes!" They responded and withdrew. Soon everything was ready, and Li Qi rode in the carriage, clattering towards Wang Baisan's estate. Along the way, apart from the core members of the Lower Nine Gates, no one saw Li Qi.

A divine avatar had a physical form, so there was no need to worry about invisibility, though its combat ability was weaker. Li Qi's current avatar's strength was comparable to when he was a coolie. Being a fragment, it lacked equipment or the support of his personal heaven and earth, relying solely on temporary faith power for combat, almost indistinguishable from a mortal. But now, fighting wasn't necessary. Pawns fought, while players sat by the chessboard sipping tea. Only when pawns ran out would a player step in, but that would lower his status. Li Qi wasn't afraid of losing face, but maintaining a higher profile made things easier for him.

After a while, carrying the sleeping rabbit, Li Qi finally met Wang Baisan. This meeting took place in a luxurious yet hidden room within Wang Baisan's estate. Books lined the table, brushes and inkstones laid out, and various writing implements scattered around. The walls were made of smooth stone, framed with sandalwood. Large glass tanks filled with goldfish and aquatic plants adorned the room, offering a refreshing view.

Li Qi surveyed the surroundings, noticing many runes, suggesting the presence of formations, though unfamiliar to him. As he observed, Wang Baisan pushed open the door. "Ah, Brother Li!" Wang Baisan exclaimed joyfully, approaching quickly. "I'm so glad you're safe! That monk—" Before he finished, Li Qi placed the sleeping rabbit on the table and punched him squarely in the face. Wang Baisan didn't dodge, taking the punch and slamming into the wall. Part of Li Qi's temporary golden body was dispersed by the recoil. Wang Baisan rubbed his nose, seemingly unharmed. He got up from the wall with a bitter smile, "Why go so far, Brother Li? Aren't we brothers sworn to live and die together?"

Li Qi shook his hand, replenishing his golden body with incense power, and sneered, "Live and die together? Why don't you knock on the Pagoda's door right now and discuss your heart with that monk? Wouldn't that be truly living and dying together?" "Hahaha, no need for that. If I went in, who would help Brother Li coordinate Tang Kingdom's resources? Right?" Wang Baisan stood up, walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down smiling. "Besides, how can you blame me? Everything I said was true, not a single lie."

"Even if some facts were slightly off, it's because I didn't know either. I was deceived by that monk too. How can you hold that against me?" Indeed, from Wang Baisan's perspective, he hadn't lied to Li Qi once. Even if some truths were distorted, it was due to his own deception.

"Half-truths are worse than lies," Li Qi replied coldly. Wang Baisan answered innocently, "But Brother Li, weren't you also not deceived? You didn't destroy the landscape formation, nor did you tear relations with Guangyang officials. Even after returning to the White Rhino Army, you didn't use more drastic measures to stop the blood sacrifice."

"If I were you, knowing the monk's position, I wouldn't risk myself for those refugees but decisively activate the landscape formation to confront him, ensuring my safety. I guess correctly, didn't you leave a backdoor in the landscape formation, able to control it as needed? Calculating the time, it should take two hours to return from Guangyang to Zhen Guan, but you actually took three hours. Surely you weren't sleeping?"

"But instead, you didn't touch the landscape formation and followed the monk willingly. When I heard about this, I was surprised. Turns out you never believed me at all." Li Qi shook his head, his tone harsh, "If I had activated the landscape formation then, wouldn't I have fallen into your trap? Probably you'd conspire with the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest to attack and gradually consume Guangyang."

Wang Baisan chuckled lightly, avoiding further discussion on the topic. Instead, he continued, "What surprised me even more was your maneuvering in Guangyang. That woman took over Marquis's position within half a day and negotiated with me, trying to rescue you from the monk. Layer upon layer, you've planted numerous backups. Your depth of thought and strategy is admirable. No wonder you're a disciple of Wu Deity Mountain. Now that you've escaped, why come find me? What's your plan?"

He complimented Li Qi, defusing the tension and steering the conversation toward the main topic. Li Qi understood the subtle tactics but didn't care. His goal wasn't to accuse but to get straight to business. "Forget about Seventh Rank; you probably can't muster any from Baiyue. Two Eighth Ranks, at least two Eighth Rank combat powers, appearing before me within a month, can you manage?"

Wang Baisan sobered up, closing his fan and frowning, "What do you want to do? Don't tell me you plan to challenge that monk with Eighth Ranks? Are you suicidal? Even a hundred Eighth Ranks would be no match for him. Do you think Seventh Rank is easy?"

"Of course not. I understand Seventh Rank's power better than you. I have another use for them, not for direct confrontation," Li Qi explained. Wang Baisan pressed, "Why all the secrecy? Since you've escaped, why not seek help from Wu Deity Mountain instead of coming to me, a mere humanist? Notify your sect, and despite Chan Zhi's strength, challenging a kingdom-level figure is impossible. Driving him away isn't difficult."

"As a direct disciple of Wu Deity Mountain, can't you call for aid?" Wang Baisan was puzzled by Li Qi's attitude. A direct disciple of Wu Deity Mountain was rare, possibly fewer than a thousand across the land. These individuals were known as 'Wu Deity Mountain Gentlemen,' indicating their masters were high-ranking figures above Third Rank. Though they might be Ninth Rank, they held equal status with Fifth Rank. As a noble son of Tang Kingdom, Wang Baisan knew similar prodigies existed, like scholars of Imperial Academy and Royal Guards, representing the pinnacle of talent.

Wu Deity Mountain lacked systematic selection methods, relying on individual mentors' whims, but those chosen couldn't be ordinary. This highlighted the difference between Wu Dao's casual nature and Ren Dao's structured system. Li Qi never publicly revealed his identity, but Wang Baisan deduced it through Chan Zhi's reactions and confirmed it through evidence and Shen Shuibei's knowledge. Knowing Li Qi blocked Green Mountain God's strike solidified his conclusion.

Upon hearing this, Li Qi realized Wang Baisan knew a lot. Given his status in Tang Kingdom, commanding forces beyond his rank wasn't surprising. Mobilizing Eighth Ranks from Tang indicated significant influence. Li Qi clarified, "Because I'm a disciple of Wu Deity Mountain, I can't casually summon powerful figures. Otherwise, what would I become? Since Chan Zhi's affair started with me, it should end with me."

Wang Baisan was shocked, "Brother Li, are you really going to challenge a Seventh Rank?!" "A man of wealth shouldn't risk himself unnecessarily. Fighting a Seventh Rank is unprecedented!" Li Qi shook his head, "If I defeat a Seventh Rank as a Ninth Rank, what do you think will happen?"

Though Li Qi spoke calmly, Wang Baisan was unnerved. Understanding Li Qi's implication, he felt a chill run down his spine, cracking the floor tiles with his surging energy. "Don't be so surprised, Brother Wang. Want to add your name to this achievement? As a young noble of Tang Kingdom in Baiyue, surely you didn't come just to retire?"

"You've schemed against me, the governor, and even plotted with the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest. Surely you have the courage?" Li Qi asked with a smile. Wang Baisan took a deep breath, hesitating. He had always maneuvered behind the scenes, protected by his family's power. With multiple Eighth Ranks under his command and hidden trump cards, he could survive against a Seventh Rank, but barely.

Using those trump cards meant escaping, not confronting. Stronger artifacts existed, but he couldn't wield them. Ninth Rank driving Seventh Rank artifacts was the limit. Some treasures had no cultivation requirements, but such items were priceless, impossible to obtain. So his trump cards ensured survival, not victory.

Intervening might safeguard his life but jeopardize his plans in Guangyang. Moreover, Chan Zhi effectively commanded two Seventh Ranks, including the puppet of Guangyang Situ. Facing him directly seemed hopeless. But Wang Baisan reconsidered, seeing Li Qi as a Wu Deity Mountain Gentleman. Could he bridge the gap between Ninth and Seventh Rank? Doubts lingered, but the allure of partnership with a Wu Deity Mountain Gentleman was irresistible.