The Eternal Way-Chapter 144: Divine Weapon

On the other side, the "passing traveler" did not seem anxious at all.

Li Qi sat by the inn, playing with a small fox, looking very relaxed.

Shen Shuibei, on the other hand, was busy. The rabbit was scurrying around the entire inn, carving talismans and setting up formations, burying different energies while muttering incantations under her breath.

"Six inches per breath, four to twenty-four inches for one cut, two hundred forty feet with four guis, two hundred forty feet, six zhus... gentle fire for one hundred eighty breaths, wuji fire for sixty-four, jiabing fire for seventy-two... Ah, I made a mistake."

She then hurriedly tinkered and knocked off her mistakes, redrawing them as she dashed around the room, making it impossible for anyone to find peace.

Fortunately, she was very cute.

So no one had any complaints.

But even if there were complaints, no one would dare say anything.

Everyone knew that this seemingly adorable and somewhat dazed girl was actually a hermit master who nearly killed an eighth-rank existence.

However, there weren't many people around—just the original staff and helpers; not a single guest remained.

The entire inn had been cleared out. After returning that day, Piaoxu had politely asked all guests to leave with compensation and subsequently refused to accept any new ones.

Even Piaoxu herself realized that this place might soon become the center of a whirlpool, so she quickly emptied the inn.

As for the guests, they had long wanted to leave.

Knowing that a hidden eighth-rank entity lived nearby was unsettling, especially since she had offended someone.

Thus, currently, the inn housed only Li Qi and Shen Shuibei as guests.

Li Qi held a smooth-furred red fox in his arms, saying, "Don't worry, Qiyao. We know this matter started because of me, and we won't just leave after patting our butts. Why are you so worried?"

The small fox he was teasing was named Qiyao, Piaoxu's sister, though not by blood but adopted—a little fox that had awakened its spirit.

Although she had awakened, she hadn't transformed into a demon yet and still retained some wild animal habits, unable to speak.

For demons, blood relations didn't matter; intelligence determined kinship, so their relationship wasn't any less close than biological sisters.

It was said that Hu Xian'er and Hu Meier from Clear Mist Sect weren't related by blood either, as demons didn't care about such things.

Qiyao wagged her tail upon hearing Li Qi's words, lightly biting his sleeve, appearing very happy.

Li Qi also liked this red fox, stroking her fluffy red tail while pondering what to do next.

Over the past few days, Li Qi hadn't been idle.

Shen Shuibei handled protective measures, while he gathered information through inquiries and witchcraft methods from visitors.

Firstly, Jin Bu Huan's identity was confirmed multiple times. Many visitors mentioned that he was the most favored son of the Green Mountain Mountain God.

He was extravagant and domineering, with unpredictable moods, relying on his father's power. As a divine son, he kept countless concubines, indulging in debauchery, often forcibly taking women as concubines, sometimes without even touching them, purely for amusement.

He lavishly gifted his harem, inviting others to feasts, allowing them to take concubines as they pleased, showing no remorse.

Additionally, he extensively constructed gardens and pavilions, owning several luxurious estates in Clear Mist City, filled with gold, jade, and countless treasures.

Despite owning so many properties, he rarely used them, keeping them locked and guarded by old servants, visiting none for twenty years.

He enjoyed exquisite objects and collected beautiful jade, spending extravagantly on anything costly, leaving all serious matters to his maids while indulging in feasts, revelry, gambling, and pleasure-seeking, embodying a typical second-generation heir's lifestyle.

Listeners couldn't help but curse him.

However, Li Qi noticed something else amidst these reports.

Despite his lavish spending, he didn't seem to be running out of money; rather, his wealth seemed to increase.

Most visitors cursed Jin Bu Huan for using cunning tactics to seize wealth, causing significant losses to them.

He also noticed that more wealthy merchants and tycoons in the city hadn't come forward, and even Clear Mist Sect seemed oblivious to him, not sending anyone.

All these signs made Li Qi sigh repeatedly.

Though no one spoke well of him, Li Qi pieced together some facts from various clues.

Jin Bu Huan, despite being arrogant and reckless, even killing randomly out of momentary anger, burning down a small market town, seemed quite capable. His extravagance was real, but he also earned plenty.

He always paid with liquid assets, using circulating currency for purchases.

Others imitating his lifestyle, gambling, collecting beauties, and indulging in various amusements, eventually lost all their wealth within a few years. But Jin Bu Huan, regardless of how much he spent, seemed to grow richer, never showing signs of financial strain.

Because he never touched his productive assets—the true 'industries'—keeping them intact and untouched, maintaining a clear bottom line.

Moreover, his behavior alienated many people. Therefore, when Li Qi merely clashed with him and gained an upper hand, people immediately approached, trying to rally him against Jin Bu Huan, indicating longstanding conflicts with Jin Bu Huan.

However, there were still some wealthy households firmly supporting Jin Bu Huan.

His habit of gifting concubines, though debauched, could also be seen as courting favor and bribery.

Often indulging whimsically, spending lavishly in shops, if this was just his way of expressing attitudes?

Regardless, Jin Bu Huan controlled numerous industry guilds, binding another group of people closely to him.

He wasn't an isolated figure despised by everyone but a significant force in Clear Mist City.

Lastly, Clear Mist Sect's stance was intriguing.

The Green Mountain Mountain God was sixth-rank, but the local power was Clear Mist Sect, with Hu Xian'er and Hu Meier as seventh-rank cultivators. This city was officially sanctioned by the Green Mountain Kingdom, limiting the mountain god's influence.

Yet, Clear Mist Sect hadn't reacted to Jin Bu Huan's actions, neither showing favor nor hostility, acting as if unaware.

What was Clear Mist Sect thinking?

Layered clues made Li Qi hesitate to act rashly. Initially, he considered leaving, going elsewhere, but since Piaoxu was involved, abandoning her would mean certain death.

This violated Li Qi's sense of righteousness, preventing him from packing up and moving on.

"Hmm... I need to observe further, ensuring my safety while watching Jin Bu Huan's reactions," Li Qi thought for a long time before deciding to stay.

Now, in Clear Mist City, his goal had expanded.

Help Piaoxu escape danger.

After that, he'd leave quickly.

No matter how powerful the local forces were, once out of Green Mountain Kingdom, he might never see them again.

"Old Horse's cultivation method, helping Piaoxu escape..." Li Qi muttered his goals, committing them to memory.

Old Horse's method could wait; cultivation methods could be found anywhere, not necessarily here.

While contemplating these thoughts, sudden loud noises erupted outside.

Not explosive sounds but musical instruments.

First came drums, followed by horns, then drums again, and finally string and wind instruments, playing joyous music.

Startled, the rabbit made another mistake, groaning as she erased and redrew.

Setting up formations required precise measurements unless using pre-made formation discs or magical artifacts that could quickly adapt based on celestial conditions. Otherwise, like Shen Shuibei, one had to meticulously survey the environment, check the land veins, determine celestial phenomena, and slowly set up formations according to specific circumstances.

Formation diagrams and designs existed, similar to formulas, but applying them to specific environments required considerable effort and expertise.

The rabbit continued engraving.

Upon hearing the music, Li Qi frowned, placed Qiyao aside, stood up, and walked out.

Piaoxu also emerged upon hearing the noise but Li Qi gestured for her to return inside.

She retreated, leaning against the door, watching Li Qi step outside.

Just outside the door, a row of carriages awaited!

Each carriage was drawn by two chestnut-red horses, high-quality spirit horses, fully loaded with large red lacquer trunks, appearing heavy.

Ahead were grand palanquins, golden lanterns, torches, fruits, sacrificial offerings, and attendants surrounding the vehicles.

Beside the spirit horses, dozens of attendants stood, singing and playing music, creating a festive atmosphere. Without knowing their purpose, Li Qi might have mistaken them for a wedding procession.

Stepping out, Li Qi saw a protocol officer standing at the gate, bowing deeply upon seeing him: "Greetings, Mr. Li! I am a servant of the Jin family, sent by the young master to offer gifts for the previous incident!"

Before Li Qi could react, the officer straightened up and ordered his attendants to unfurl a long scroll.

Two attendants each held one end of the scroll, walking apart to reveal its contents.

The red scroll stretched three zhang long, requiring two people to hold it open.

The protocol officer moved to the right, loudly reading: "Today, specially presented to Mr. Li—!"

"Three thousand jin of gold!"

"Six thousand bolts of colored silk!"

"Eight hundred spiritual flowers!"

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"Twelve Xuande incense burners!"

"Fifteen carts of calligraphy and paintings!"

"Eight and a half carts of fresh fruits and vegetables!"

"Three zhang three chi of iron pear wood!"

"One zhang eight chi of red coral from the Eastern Sea!"

"Thirty jin of stone ore!"

"Six pieces of Beauties' Goblets!"

"Two peonies of the rare variety 'One-Foot Snow'!"

"Twenty amber gemstone beads with encased insects!"

"Twelve jade ruyi scepters!"

With each item announced, attendants opened corresponding boxes.

Each box revealed dazzling treasures—pearls like stars, corals like trees, rubies glowing, emeralds shimmering, precious gems piled up like mountains, their brilliance overwhelming.

Li Qi was stunned.

He had never seen such... such a breathtaking scene.

This display truly overwhelmed him.

Is this what rich people do?

But it wasn't over. The list spanned three zhang, taking a quarter-hour to read.

Treasure chests lined half the street.

Finally, the protocol officer shouted: "A damaged eighth-rank golden aura, a natural divine weapon!"

The last carriage's trunk was opened, revealing a long sword. Upon its appearance, blood and gore seemed to spill, screams and cries echoed, limbs scattered everywhere!

Amidst a sea of blood, a crystalline light pierced through, unyielding against thunderstorms and tempests, cutting through the carnage.

Other treasures paled in comparison.

Even Li Qi was shocked.

Eighth rank!?

Was this a joke?

Could such a thing be given away?

What did eighth rank mean? In a city like Clear Mist City, with millions of transient residents, how many eighth-rank beings could there be?

Li Qi estimated maybe a hundred or two.

In the entire city.

If ninth rank was one in a thousand,

Eighth rank was one in a million!

Each rank represented a vast difference, ascending each level harder than climbing the sky.

An eighth-rank item was incomparable to a ninth-rank one; cross-rank battles were nearly impossible unless one was like Shen Shuibei, a fallen high-level master with high-grade magical artifacts.

Li Qi believed he could handle dozens of rogue ninth-ranks but facing a self-taught rogue eighth-rank, his only thought was to flee.

This was absolute suppression, an insurmountable gap.

Initially, the first ghost deity he contacted, Old Man Li in Deer Kingdom, was a lowly eighth-rank.

Yet, his abilities allowed him to maintain his consciousness posthumously, practicing ghost dao, easily cursing families to ruin and destroying their fortunes.

Li Qi couldn't achieve such feats yet; Old Man Li's ghost qi was still his trump card.

Thinking of this, Li Qi couldn't resist stepping closer to examine the divine weapon.

It was a long sword.

Its body curved like a snake's spine, brimming with ferocity.

The hilt resembled claws gripping fiercely, scales standing erect like spears, exuding a bloody aura.

Just a glance revealed its sharpness!