Chapter 59: Capture the Rat by Catching it in a Pot

Li Si was actually a bit nervous. After all, everyone here was a top dog, and he was just the newbie.

He wasn’t sure what would happen if the Old Madam found out about this. But when he discovered he could exchange resources with other big shots here, he decided to go all in.

Daring to ask for a hundred Heart-Cleansing Blood-Refining Pills for just a remnant exuviae of the Seven Emotions Mushroom? Sure, he’d never encountered a full-grown Seven Emotions Mushroom before, but everyone has to start somewhere.

Ancestor Chisongzi: Kaoshanzi? Never heard of him. Could this fellow Daoist be a rogue cultivator?

Ancestor Tianjizi: Comrade Kaoshan, you’ve newly opened a Pure Land. This poor Daoist speaks boldly, though our acquaintance is shallow: the Evil God and its lackeys will not let this rest. The toughest times are ahead; I urge you to prepare well. I have here a Tianji Array Rune, freely offered to you.

Ancestor Shendanzi: I’m quite poor lately, with over a dozen disciples and hundreds of mortals to feed. Still, since Comrade Kaoshan has newly opened a Pure Land, support is due. I have thirty Heart-Cleansing Blood-Refining Pills that can restore three stones of magic power. Comrade Kaoshan, I gift them to you.

Ancestor Jiuxuanzi: Comrade Kaoshan, forgive me. This poor Daoist is truly poor now, barely holding onto a lonely village in the desert where even drinking water is scarce. Today, I offer you a Hidden Sword Spirit Rune. I only hope you can endure.

Ancestor Qingyunzi: Comrade Kaoshan, please accept my apologies too. This poor Daoist is likely the poorest, with no spirit runes or spirit pills to give. But I’ve been tracked and cornered by the Evil God for years and have some survival experience. If you face trouble, come ask me anytime. This month, I’ll remain in the Illusory Realm.

Unexpected. Li Si was genuinely surprised.

Though there were Twelve World-Quelling True Immortals in this Hall of Fate, and only five had appeared so far, four of them had expressed support, offering gifts without question. He owed them a debt.

As for that Chisongzi guy who suspected he was a rogue cultivator and sent nothing… well, he shouldn’t think like that. Gifts were an act of kindness; not sending them was normal. He shouldn’t demand too much.

So, this was the Illusory Realm!

No wonder, Old Madam. You always seemed idle; turns out you were just here chatting and goofing off. Is this how you repay us?

Dao Ancestor Kaoshan: This poor Daoist offers deep gratitude for everyone’s generosity. If I survive this calamity, I shall repay you richly. Farewell for now, fellow Daoists.

Li Si left quickly and decisively. He had to. If the Evil God Cult’s forces had retreated from the Floating Cloud Sect, they were surely gathering right here at his place. He needed a plan, fast.

As Li Si’s consciousness withdrew, his divine idol gradually dimmed. Thus, he didn’t see the five figures outside curiously examining it.

“Our Comrade Kaoshan is quite fascinating,” spoke Heavenly Secrets Dao Ancestor (Tianjizi). He looked like a man around thirty, warm and gentle, his eyes filled with stories. His very presence offered comfort.

“Kaoshanzi, ha! I bet that’s a fake name. This guy was scared stiff. He dared pop up earlier, but one sharp word from me sent him fleeing!” boomed another, a majestic, god-like elder – Chisongzi.

“Senior Brother Chisong,” interjected a graceful, beautiful woman, her elegant face etched with persistent melancholy. Her voice identified her as Ancestor Jiuxuanzi. “Since he gained the Heaven and Earth Decree and entered this Hall of Fate, he’s one of us. Why tease him? Solidarity is vital now.”

Chisongzi shrugged dismissively. “Don’t get your hopes up. In recent years, the Evil God Cult’s ranks have swelled rapidly. Add their Puppet Kingdom, and they practically stole 99% of the Human Race’s fate! Those monsters became the orthodox heirs of heaven and earth, the chosen sons of fate. Us Twelve World Guardian True Immortal Sects? We’re hunted vermin now. We struggle just to hold on. That imposter, ‘Kaoshanzi’? I wager his divine idol won’t last three days before being erased!”

“Old Skinflint Chisong! Just say you’re cheap and unwilling to help! Don’t spout nonsense!” A wild voice cut in. It belonged to Ancestor Shendanzi, a disheveled, grubby old man.

“Hmph! Unreasonable!” Chisongzi had no interest in arguing. He waved his sleeve, dissolving into mist as his idol faded.

“Farewell everyone!” Tianjizi clasped his hands and vanished too, leaving whether he and Shendanzi finished unclear.

“Senior Brother Shendan, Junior Sister Qingyunzi, I must leave too. Village matters mount,” Jiuxuanzi said.

“Take this jar of water.” Mad old Shendanzi tossed her a gourd without looking back.

Jiuxuanzi thanked him, then turned to Qingyunzi Dao Ancestor. “Junior Sister Qingyun, won’t you stay? What about your sect affairs?”

“With the Seven Emotions Tribulation and Six Desires Tribulation looming, I dare not linger. Even when I return, it’s only briefly. Hiding away like this seems useless, but it’s the only way to delay the tribulations. Surviving step by step is all I can do. Staying here is practical anyway – I can relay messages for fellow senior brothers and sisters. Everyone is busy; simultaneous gatherings are impossible.” Qingyunzi offered a helpless, bitter smile.

Jiuxuanzi frowned, sighing deeply. “Your last sanctuary is so far from mine. Otherwise, no matter what, I would bring you to my refuge. Junior Sister Qingyun, above all else, you must preserve yourself. Achieving True Immortal status wasn’t easy. Victory is almost within grasp… don’t fall now.”

“I know.”

Jiuxuanzi sighed softly and vanished. Only the lonely, grief-stricken woman (Qingyunzi) remained by the idols.

“Ah, my cunning little disciple… probably not even ash remains by now. Such a pity. These days, even I cannot save you.”

——

As Li Si’s consciousness shifted back from the idol to his “Gentleman on the Rafter” true body, a gentle breeze seemed to pass. Three objects materialized before him.

They were exactly the items gifted by Dao Ancestors Tianji, Jiuxuanzi, and Shendanzi.

It looked bizarre. But understanding the link between the Mortal Realm and the Illusory Realm made sense of it.

Like the Little Mushroom – an Evil Entity hailing from the Illusorial Real, able to manifest in the Mortal Realm by riding intense emotions, becoming a real ‘little mushroom’.

The twelve – no, thirteen now – World-Quelling True Immortals, each anchoring part of the world’s fate… could exchange almost anything mutually.

Put bluntly: anything but living beings could be traded.

Li Si felt he’d found a shortcut to riches.

He pocketed the thirty Heart-Cleansing Blood-Refining Pills without a glance – useless to him for now.

But the Tianji Array Rune from Tianji Dao Ancestor and the Hidden Sword Spirit Rune from Jiuxuan Dao Ancestor? Powerful!

[Tianji Array Rune: A specialty talisman of the Tianji Sect. Seals a formation array onto talisman paper for instant activation. Single use only.]

[Effect: Upon activation, a Seven Spirits Heavenly Secrets Kill Array forms, centered on the activator. Within the array, seven divine abilities – Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder – manifest, dealing lethal damage to intruders. Can severely injure targets up to the Nascent Soul realm, but not outright kill them.]

[Note: Can also be pre-set at a specific location. Automatically activates when intruders enter its range. Optimal damage achieved this way.]

——

[Hidden Sword Spirit Rune: A specialty spirit rune of the Jiuxuan Sect. Single use.]

[Effect: Instantly releases nine Fiend-Slaying Sword Qi bolts sealed within. Deals massive, terrifying damage to a specified enemy or area. Can instantly kill enemies up to the Nascent Soul Realm. Maximum theoretical range: fifty li (~16 miles). Recommended range: ten li (~3 miles).]

[Note: Key weakness – only carries one lock-on effect. Targets with dispel, immunity, deflection abilities (like ‘Shifting Stars’), or puppet/substitute artifacts will immediately break the lock and become untargetable. Always stack an unbreakable lock-on effect on the enemy before using this!]

——

“Heaven itself aids me!”

Li Si stowed the runes away, pleased. The Tianji Array was going right onto his divine idol. This was his plan.

He was certain: if the Evil God Cult attacked him, all three types of enemies would come.

First tier: Black-Armored Warriors. Easy. Poor town attackers, simple to handle. Kao Mountain Town already had 265 of them manning its walls. Against their cold steel tactics? No fear.

Second tier: Evil Cult Priests and Cultists. Trickier. Li Si planned to boost his own Temple Priests and followers next. They could hold the line, at least for a while.

The real fight decider? The third tier enemies. Those beings that could cover ten li in a second. Mysterious stuff.

Those were definitely not Golden Core realm. Likely Nascent Soul Realm foes.

Therefore, Li Si wouldn’t show himself personally. He’d stay the Gentleman on the Rafter, letting them come destroy his idol.

Because that idol? That was the Evil God’s pressure point. And thus, Li Si’s own pressure point too. Everything else was secondary.

They’d never guess Li Si was willing to sacrifice his Golden Core Relic for victory and resources. That he’d be so ruthlessly insane!

But just let them get near that idol… then he would speak.

Yes. Li Si’s first immediate upgrade? His Iron Prison Discipline!

Advanced Divine Ability: Iron Prison Discipline + Tianji Array Rune + Hidden Sword Spirit Rune? What’s a Nascent Soul? Nothing!