Chapter 546

Prince Xin was taken aback upon hearing the fox spirit's words.

That's right.

Without this status of a prince, he wouldn't even have the qualifications to seek the Dao, let alone the ability to host a banquet at the Invitation Star Tower.

"Your Highness, if you want immortality, there has been only one path since ancient times, and that is to become a god through incense."

At this moment, a disheveled middle-aged Daoist stroked his beard and said: "All the ghosts and spirits in the world walk this path. Even if this fox spirit has several hundred years of cultivation, a mortal body will eventually turn into yellow earth. Only by building temples and enjoying the offerings of incense can one endure between heaven and earth."

"The Daoist says so too?" Prince Xin regained his composure, somewhat surprised: "Can't cultivation also lead to immortality?"

The Daoist laughed: "We people of cultivation roam the four seas and help others do good—why? It is called accumulating merit, but in reality, it is to gather the incense of ten thousand families. Only when enough merit is done can there be magic power in the body. Some have practiced methods to draw in the earth's energy and can live for one or two hundred years, but they still cannot achieve immortality. I saw with my own eyes my master pass away in the Daoist temple at the age of two hundred and seventy-one."

Prince Xin shook his head and said: "This Prince is not willing to abandon his body to become a mud statue or a wooden carving. Moreover, incense offerings are here today and gone tomorrow; if it declines one day, won't my soul still scatter?"

"Your Highness's status is noble; it is ultimately easier for you to become a god through incense. Furthermore, Your Highness shares the fate of the nation; even if a powerful ruler were to destroy mountains and temples, they would not dare to touch Your Highness," the Daoist said.

Prince Xin gave a self-deprecating smile: "A new emperor brings new courtiers. A hundred years from now, who in the imperial court will still recognize me as Prince Xin? Are there few temples of princes and generals that have been banned by the imperial court? Some temples were torn down in less than fifty years because there is only so much incense in the world, and there is always someone waiting in line."

"To put it bluntly, if I can be a god for sixty years after I die, it is already a stroke of luck."

Everyone fell silent.

These words were not false.

Although becoming a god through incense can grant immortality, the problem is, who can worship you for thousands of years? The imperial court itself changes, let alone the gods in the temples.

Take, for example, the City God of Xinzhou City.

The City God of a hundred years ago was not him. By the same logic, who will the City God be a hundred years from now?

Seeing everyone silent.

Prince Xin stood up holding his wine cup. He looked out the window; the night view was perfect, with stars filling the sky and the bright moon hanging high, clear and luminous.

But his heart was heavy, and he could only sigh and recite aloud: "Ask how much sorrow one can bear, just like a river of spring water flowing to the east."

"A fine verse! This line alone is enough to be passed down through the ages. With such literary talent, Prince Xin, you could write books and leave a legacy; why bother competing with the imperial court for incense?" Suddenly, a scholar's eyes lit up, and he clapped in praise.

Prince Xin shook his head and smiled, just about to say something.

But at this very moment, an abrupt voice suddenly appeared. This voice was like thunder, possessing a mysterious and unfathomable power; just by speaking, it could shake one's soul.

"Who taught you this verse?"

The next moment.

A red cloud steamed upward, and a Daoist of similar age to Prince Xin stood upon the clouds. His eyes were glowing, and he was surrounded by the aura of a dragon and tiger, his presence terrifying to the extreme.

Stared at by this gaze, Prince Xin's hair stood on end, his face filled with fear. He immediately retreated several steps; had it not been for his attendants supporting him, he would have nearly collapsed to the ground.

The sudden change occurred, and all the guests stood up.

"There's an assassin!" a servant of the Prince's mansion exclaimed.

At this cry, the spirit birds in the hall flew in chaos, the fox spirits scurried, and then armored soldiers poured out from outside the Invitation Star Tower, rushing rapidly toward the upper floors.

Immediately.

The swordsman with a precious sword on his back leaped out violently, taking the lead to protect Prince Xin, his face full of vigilance and solemnity. Although he wanted to draw his sword, an instinct told him that the Daoist stepping on auspicious clouds before him was more terrifying than a fierce tiger; if he were the least bit careless, he would die without a burial place.

For some reason, a bead of cold sweat had already dripped from his forehead.

"My hand holding the sword is actually trembling." This wandering knight looked at his disobedient hand, both shocked and afraid.

His body was actually afraid and disobedient on its own.

This was an unprecedented event. Even when facing the most ferocious spirits, he had always been able to remain calm and draw his sword to fight, but today, it was the exact opposite.

In reality, it was not just this wandering knight; everyone had this feeling.

This gap in the hierarchy of life could not be explained in a few words. If Li Yi were to undergo transformation a few more times, just by standing there and letting his aura leak out, everyone would have to prostrate themselves on the ground, without even the strength to stand up. It was the same logic as a fierce tiger descending the mountain—even a passing dog would tuck its tail and run upon smelling the scent.

But it was precisely because they sensed this dangerous aura that the capable guests immediately had the intention to act.

"Wait, wait, not an assassin, it's a high-level Daoist." The white ape saw Li Yi, was startled at first, and then shouted aloud.

The white ape did not want the two sides to fight. It knew the abilities of this high-level expert; if a real mess broke out, it didn't know how many people would die.

Upon hearing this, the crowd's expressions changed slightly, but their vigilance did not diminish.

Li Yi, however, stepped on the red auspicious clouds and walked in step by step from mid-air. His gaze remained fixed on the so-called Prince Xin, and he said again: "That verse, it couldn't have been written by you. Who exactly are you?"

Although he hadn't read many books and his cultural level was limited, when he was a child and his parents were still around, they would help him memorize texts and do his homework.

The line Prince Xin recited just now: "Ask how much sorrow one can bear, just like a river of spring water flowing to the east," was simply not a poem from this world, but a poem from ancient Earth.

The appearance of this poem could only have two possibilities.

Either a cross-dimensional traveler had come to this world and left some traces, or this Prince Xin was a cross-dimensional traveler.

But Li Yi felt the latter possibility was very small because although this Prince Xin possessed the aura of a dragon, his body showed no signs of any evolution. If he were a cross-dimensional traveler, he would have likely started cultivating long ago, and his strength would certainly not be weak; how could he still be an ordinary person?

"Who are you? This Prince's Invitation Star Tower banquet does not seem to have invited you, Daoist."

Prince Xin steadied himself at this moment. The dragon aura on his body roared and bellowed, protecting his soul so that he wouldn't be unable to even stand firmly before Li Yi.

Li Yi continued to step on the auspicious clouds, walking over step by step: "I am Tai Yi, a practitioner of the Dao. Today, I do not wish to make things difficult for you; as long as you tell me who wrote this verse, that will be enough."

At this moment, another disheveled Daoist widened his eyes and said with some shock: "You are that demonic Daoist Tai Yi who destroyed the prefect's government office during the day? How bold! You actually dare to stay in Xinzhou City; you are truly lawless. Don't you know that the imperial court has already issued an Underworld Decree to send gods from all directions to capture you?"

Demonic Daoist Tai Yi?

Upon hearing this, everyone's gaze shifted slightly.

They did know about a major event that happened today; it was said that a Daoist broke into the prefect's government office and almost killed the prefect, Chen Nian.

They had discussed before which Daoist had the guts to dare to oppose the imperial court, never imagining that this Daoist would appear at the Prince's mansion tonight, and...

They looked at the dragon and tiger aura on Li Yi, feeling shocked and uncertain.

(No Chinese characters allowed in output, skipping tag content)

The rumors were true.

Daoist Tai Yi truly possessed the aura of a dragon and tiger, with the bearing of a Son of Heaven. Compared to it, the dragon aura on Prince Xin was simply a drop in the bucket; just by appearing, it was suppressed by that dragon and tiger aura and could not act fiercely at all.

"Demonic Daoist?" Li Yi glanced over: "You are also a practitioner of the Dao; are you blind? Can't you tell if I'm a demonic Daoist? I have no time to deal with you now; get lost to the side obediently, or else I will cut off your head and make it so you can never speak again."

"Arrogant!"

The disheveled middle-aged Daoist was furious: "You demonic Daoist, I don't know where you stole that dragon and tiger aura from, yet you dare to act fiercely in the Prince's mansion. Do you want to rebel? Since I have encountered you tonight, it is only right that I subdue the demon and eliminate the devil, destroying you to avoid endless future troubles and harm to the common people."

Having finished speaking, he took a deep breath, then opened his mouth and spat, and a cold light suddenly appeared.

That cold light transformed into a tiny flying sword, heading straight for Li Yi's neck.

It seemed that with just one touch, it could sever his head.

"It's actually a flying sword!" Everyone was shocked upon seeing this.

They didn't expect this disheveled Daoist to have such immortal means. Although they had heard legends of flying swords before, they had never seen one; this was their first time.

It was rumored that a flying sword could kill from a thousand miles away; they didn't know if it was true or false.

"This thing is also called a flying sword?"

Li Yi's eyes moved slightly; he had indeed captured the trace of the flying sword. In the eyes of others, this cold light was incredibly swift, but in his eyes, it was simply not enough. He then reached out and grabbed it, the power of the dragon and tiger pouring out in his every movement.

Boom!

The air seemed to explode, rolling like muffled thunder.

The cold light landed in his hand, as if it had instantly vanished, and could no longer be seen.

Wah!

The next moment.

The Daoist spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face deathly pale, and he stumbled and fell to the ground. He pointed at Li Yi in extreme terror: "You, you actually destroyed my flying sword?"

Others saw this scene and their eyelids twitched.

They had thought seeing a flying sword was already outrageous, but they didn't expect something even more outrageous: the flying sword had been crushed by someone with their bare hands.

Was that hand truly made of flesh and blood?

"It's just a breath of golden energy, and not even pure at that; what kind of flying sword is that? Since you like flying swords so much, I'll give you one," Li Yi said, opening his mouth to spit as well.

Suddenly, a brilliant golden light flew out.

That golden light was dazzling; just by appearing, as its aura spread, everyone felt as if their bodies were being torn apart, causing extreme pain.

But before anyone could react.

The golden light flickered and vanished.

The next moment.

The middle-aged Daoist's head now seemed to have lost its restraint, rolling off his neck with a thud. Fresh blood sprayed three feet high, staining the surroundings red.

As the headless corpse fell.

This Daoist not only died in body, but his soul also scattered.

This was something transformed from a breath of golden energy in the lung meridian. Once spat out, let alone Daoists of this world, even a true cultivator, a Golden Core cultivator, might not be able to block it. It was just that the methods involved were too high-level, and these people's realms were too low and their strength too weak to see it.

They only knew that with a flash of golden light, someone's head had fallen to the ground before them.

(End of chapter)