Chapter 231 – Is that All? (1/2)

There was nothing wrong with the weak wanting to band together, but the strong would never want to share fairly with the weak. At least, Li Qingshan did not. His proud, lonely heart did not need the ‘warmth’ of so many strangers. Just Xiao An alone was enough for his family.

The expressions of the independent cultivators all changed. The female cultivator who wanted to share her body earlier cursed under her breath in anger, “Selfish!”

All of the independent cultivators chanted with her. “Selfish!” “Selfish!” “Selfish!”

The waves of sounds rolled out, wrapping around Li Qingshan. As the flames rose up, the shadows projected on the walls twisted and distorted, as if they were demons that wanted to lunge at him.

Li Qingshan lifted the fire iron and picked at the fire. He asked, “What did you add to the fire?”

Priest Qiu was slightly surprised. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Li Qingshan said, “Your voice is very special as well. It made me remember some matters of the past.” The singing, the dance, and the incense from the Parlour of Clouds and Rain in Jiaping city were what he remembered. Having experienced it once already, he would be a fool if he fell for it a second time.

Priest Qiu lowered his head. “If you join our Truth-seeking society, I can make you the vice leader.” The two sixth layer Qi Practitioners wanted to say something, but they both seized up when priest Qiu glanced at them.

“Oh?” Li Qinghan smiled. “I can join, but let me ask you one thing. Will you be venturing underground as well for the Herb Gathering ceremony of the three mountains?”

Priest Qiu smiled. “I’m already too old.”

Han Xiong said, “The leader is our father, the hope of the cultivation world. How can he enter such a dangerous place? We will find the spiritual herbs ourselves and bring them back to share.”

He was originally a clever, capable man, but his eyes were filled with devotion right now. And, what he said led to an echo of agreement.

Li Qingshan’s heart was like a clear mirror. The strongest did not venture underground, only waiting for the weak to risk their lives. The weak would gather the herbs to bring them back to the strong. This relationship was nothing like a father and son’s. It was clearly a master-slave relationship.

Priest Qiu had used this Truth-seeking society to enslave all of the independent cultivators here. Even more terrifyingly, these independent cultivators completely embraced it, like crazed zealots. They had been completely brainwashed. This was not something that could be achieved in a short amount of time.

Under the threatening glares of the Qi Practitioners, Li Qingshan shook his head. “You and I don’t share the same path.”

Priest Qiu said sinisterly, “The selfish have no right to live in this world!”

There were over twenty Qi Practitioners, varying in strength, but just like what they had said earlier, they were brothers and sisters. Their true qi merged together, all gathering onto the body of their father, priest Qiu.

Priest Qiu’s true qi rapidly increased. It easily broke through the level of the eighth layer, reaching the ninth layer and then the tenth layer. The powerful, terrifying true qi surpassed Li Qingshan’s understanding of Qi Practitioners. It rushed towards him like a raging wave.

This seemed to be some wondrous combined attack. No wonder he was still so oppressive towards Li Qingshan even though he knew Li Qingshan had defeated a sixth layer Qi Practitioner in a single strike.

Li Qingshan felt like a straw hut by the ocean, almost about to be smashed to pieces by the incoming tidal wave. He rubbed his forehead gently. Was this the feeling?

Priest Qiu said, “Look how powerful I am. If you continue to cling to your ignorance, refusing to let go of your selfishness, only death awaits you. Open your mind and join us. Merge with us. You will be protected by the family!”

As he said that, the independent cultivators actually all said the same thing. The thunderous sound wave shook up the tiny hut, almost as if it wanted to crush all dissent.

The walls of the tiny hut flickered with light and glyphs. It had been inscribed with some sort of formation, such that it was impregnable. Li Qingshan seemed to be trapped in a cage with a monster.

Li Qingshan straightened himself up and knelt on the ground on one knee. He held the Whale’s Ingestion of Water and shook his head. “Is that all?”