The Eternal Way

It didn't matter if he couldn't become an apprentice; Li Qi thought that at his current state, even grabbing onto a single leg hair of someone powerful was better than nothing. So, he made his decision decisively.

Young Master Zhu also scrutinized Li Qi carefully.

Moreover, as someone from the Outer Path, he could be confirmed to have a clear background and couldn't possibly be a pawn laid down by some great figure centuries ago.

There weren't many people from the Outer Path, but all could be verified as having no hidden agendas, ensuring they weren't pawns set up millennia ago to manipulate events through precise calculations of cause and effect.

Since the grand ritual showed that someone from the Outer Path would bring great fortune, it was natural for him to make some investments.

This was why Young Master Zhu appeared here.

Thus, he continued, "The technique you practice is called Ox Power Technique. You probably don't know its origins, but I can tell you about it."

"The Ox Power Technique originates from the Ten Thousand Beasts Technique, a pact established between the Great Wu Zhu of the Wu Deity Mountain and various Earth Spirits."

"The cultivation paths of the Wu Deity Mountain are divided into Human Ghosts, Earth Spirits, and Heavenly Gods. Among them, Human Ghosts are the strongest, while Heavenly Gods and Earth Spirits are on par with each other."

"For now, let's leave aside the other two paths and focus on the Earth Spirits you're involved with."

"Earth Spirits are deities of myriad things. Mountains have mountain spirits, waterways have water spirits, fields have farming spirits, and various land gods and five worship gods like door gods and kitchen gods are all considered Earth Spirits."

"These Earth Spirits are mostly transformed from monsters. A mountain spirit is usually a highly cultivated mountain essence, while a water spirit is often the strongest monster in that body of water. Due to their powers and being worshipped by local residents, they form karmic ties, take root, nurture their golden bodies, and become gods."

"Therefore, Earth Spirits are mostly beasts, and these beasts often possess extraordinary abilities far surpassing ordinary humans."

"The Great Wu Zhu of the Wu Deity Mountain travel the lands, seek out Earth Spirits, befriend myriad beasts, and reach agreements with them. They offer their essence, and the Great Wu Zhu use grand rituals to create the Ten Thousand Beasts Chart. Within this chart, there are 14,632 techniques, each corresponding to a specific Earth Spirit."

"Practicing the Ten Thousand Beasts Technique allows one to draw power from the corresponding Earth Spirit even if they are millions of miles apart, gaining their blessings and possessing special abilities."

"The Ox Power Technique you practice comes from Li Zhou and the Barbarian tribes, where locals worship an Earth Spirit named Qiong. It is a white ox with four eyes, curved horns pointing inward, long without branches, straightforward in nature. With two additional eyes that open at night to illuminate objects, thick skin allowing it to move through thorny bushes unharmed, immense strength capable of carrying two mountains, and a massive body standing ninety zhang tall (approximately 984 feet)."

"Each time you use the Ox Power Technique, you borrow Qiong's strength through the Ten Thousand Beasts Chart, causing your body to swell by a foot, filled with vitality and strength, and your skin becomes tough, impervious to blades and spears," Young Master Zhu explained in one go.

"This is a unique technique of our Wu Dao Zhu lineage, and only we can practice it. Moreover, this technique is miraculous and has no side effects," Young Master Zhu said with a smile, clapping his hands.

"However, all of this is based on the premise that you are a Wu Zhu."

"If you aren't a Wu Zhu and yet manage to grasp the Ox Power Technique under my divine inheritance, you won't have the corresponding power to act as a catalyst when using it."

"But, there is something in humans that can serve as a catalyst for any technique—Qi, one of the Three Treasures of Innate Nature."

"Qi is formless and substanceless, serving as the foundation for nourishing Jing (essence) and Shen (spirit). Its existence is quite remarkable, almost able to substitute for everything. The Ox Power Technique you activated previously was forcibly initiated using human Qi in the absence of the corresponding cultivation method."

"Now you should understand why you've been feeling weak and fatigued recently. If this continues, your Qi won't be able to sustain Jing and Shen, leading to further weakness and eventually death," Young Master Zhu said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Li Qi immediately understood.

No wonder he had those symptoms—it was indeed related to the Ox Power Technique.

That meant if he failed the test or ran away, he would die from practicing this technique sooner or later.

Young Master Zhu had calculated this well.

But... if it was related to the Ox Power Technique...

"Young Master, you've been honest with me! I dare not hide anything either. There's something I need to tell you. Previously, unaware of the true nature of this technique, I shared the cultivation method with my gang members. Now, seeing the potential danger, I beg you to grant me some time to return and warn them not to practice it, lest they meet untimely deaths!" Li Qi quickly pleaded.

He still cared deeply for the Paibo Gang members and immediately sought mercy from Young Master Zhu upon realizing the fatal consequences of practicing the Ox Power Technique without the proper cultivation method.

He didn't want to return after a year or so only to find the corpses of his gang members.

Seeing Li Qi's reaction, Young Master Zhu was quite satisfied. Though intelligent, Li Qi wasn't cold-blooded and still had feelings, aligning with Young Master Zhu's own beliefs.

After all, Wu Dao requires a pure heart, and Young Master Zhu himself was truly kind-hearted. If Li Qi showed no sentimentality, he would still consider him a pawn but wouldn't invest much effort.

A pawn and an apprentice were different.

So, he replied, "Of course, as long as you don't delay your mission to find Luo Fu Niangniang, you can do whatever you want. But remember, without permission, practicing techniques from the Wu Deity Mountain will either lead to failure or death."

"Oh, not just the Wu Deity Mountain, the entire world follows this rule—the more advanced the technique, the more dangerous it is if practiced improperly. Keep that in mind," Young Master Zhu said seriously, putting away his playful demeanor.

"Next, I'll impart the cultivation method to you. By following it, you will officially join the ranks of the Wu Deity Mountain and gain a sense of belonging. Let me confirm again—accepting this means accepting the task, and from now on, you will be an Earth Spirit Wu Zhu of the Wu Deity Mountain."

Li Qi naturally had no objections and nodded vigorously like a pecking chick.

Without further ado, Young Master Zhu lightly tapped Li Qi's forehead with his finger.

Familiar divine inheritance.

Li Qi felt something added to his mind.

But... it wasn't like before, where it felt like memories. Instead... it was like a book?

A book appeared in his mind. Without looking, he knew nothing, but he could freely browse through it. Moreover, there was no sensation of being struck by a rod, instead, it was very refreshing, light, and even dispelled his drowsiness.

This... felt different from previous divine inheritances.