Chapter 637: Summon Wind, Call Rain

The changes at Anshan Imperial Mausoleum caused Li Yi to halt, for he had no desire to involve himself with these Yin Emperors—after all, the timing was not yet ripe—but the other party seemed unwilling to let Li Yi pass by Anshan without incident, and the commotion now raised was unclear whether it was a warning or a threat.

Li Yi merely gazed calmly; if this Yin Emperor named Shen Zong wished to strike, he had no objection to ending him here.

As the beam of light above Anshan gradually faded, a middle-aged man radiating sunlight-like brilliance, clad in a python robe, manifested himself, flanked by divine generals and accompanied by Yin officials, while the entire mountain echoed with the thunderous sound of bells and drums.

This was the imperial procession's retinue.

"Shen Zong Emperor?" Li Yi's gaze locked onto the man; indeed, this Yin Emperor, having enjoyed centuries of national fortune and incense offerings, needed only to release his aura to stir the spiritual energy across three hundred li.

The accumulated incense energy had become so abundant it could no longer be absorbed, and instead spread outward, coalescing around Anshan; over time, it formed an incense canopies.

"Are you the current state's Grand Master, the True Person Tai Yi, who recently shattered mountains and demolished temples?" Shen Zong Emperor spoke slowly, his voice instantly echoing across the heavens and reverberating through the land.

"His strength is formidable, Tai Yi—be careful. If necessary, use the divine arrow Wujin left behind by the great demon. My new body has not yet matured; I cannot freely channel magic power or perform Daoist arts, so my help is limited."

On the golden auspicious clouds, Xiang Xiangzi, while familiarizing herself with her seven-colored stone body, spoke.

Li Yi said: "Immortal Lady, do not worry. I will meet this Shen Zong Emperor. If he moves to attack, it will be the perfect chance to test the incense method—so much incense power gathered within me, if left unused, would be a waste."

"True enough," said Xiang Xiangzi.

Immediately, Li Yi stepped upon golden auspicious clouds and flew toward Anshan, soon arriving before the emperor.

He remained calm, bowed respectfully: "Are you Shen Zong Emperor? I am True Person Tai Yi, the current state's Grand Master."

Shen Zong Emperor stood with hands behind his back, squinting at the young Daoist before him—he was truly extraordinary: young, with profound cultivation, faint five-colored qi swirling around him, and the bearing of dragon and tiger. Though called True Person, he did not resemble a Dao cultivator, but rather a warrior bent on conquering the world.

"Time turns, and centuries have passed. Today, I learn that a figure of such extraordinary renown has emerged—a True Person who, as Grand Master, leads three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards to shatter mountains and demolish temples, exterminating all incense deities of the realm," Shen Zong Emperor sighed. "Had my incense power not suddenly and inexplicably surged recently, I would still be slumbering within my mausoleum, oblivious to this grand renewal of sun and moon, this cleansing of the world."

He was the sixth emperor of the Zhao imperial house.

After Li Yi shattered mountains and demolished temples, gathering the incense energy of the realm, Shen Zong Emperor became one of the beneficiaries.

But to him, incense had become useless—more of it was merely adding flowers to brocade.

Li Yi said: "Since Shen Zong Emperor knows what I have done, why then suddenly appear to stop me?"

"True Person Tai Yi, do not misunderstand. My appearance is not to hinder the shattering of mountains and demolition of temples. Though this act offends all incense deities, it concerns me not—I cultivated deeply in life, and even after death, I remained within my tomb, studying the Dao of heaven and earth," Shen Zong Emperor sighed. "Yet my talent is limited. As an emperor, I may have some insight, but as a cultivator, I am likely inferior to a mountain spirit. Thus, my cultivation over centuries has yielded little."

"After death, one possesses only a soul-body. Even with incense power, one may endure, but forging a path of cultivation is fraught with peril," Li Yi said.

Shen Zong Emperor said: "Indeed, I have realized this. That is why I have appeared now to seek your guidance. You, so young, possess such remarkable cultivation. You have confronted all incense deities of the realm—I have heard of your battle at Taihu; truly spectacular. I humbly beg you, True Person, to instruct me in the path of cultivation."

As he spoke, he bowed respectfully.

Seeking the Dao?

Li Yi paused, surprised—the Shen Zong Emperor was so astute, recognizing in him his greatest value. Other incense deities wished only to destroy him, yet overlooked that all incense deities of the realm lacked a cultivation method. If they could obtain one, it would transform the world utterly.

His father, Li Jiye, had used the Evolution Method to train powerful Golden-Eyed Guards and Embroidered Uniform Guards. Given time, once they formed souls and gathered incense, each could become a god in flesh, completely altering the world's balance.

But could he give cultivation methods to Yin Emperors?

Of course not.

These Yin Emperors possessed such vast incense power, accumulated over centuries. If they obtained a cultivation method, they would soar beyond measure and become eternal overlords of this world—even his father, Li Jiye, could not control them.

"My cultivation method is unsuitable for incense deities."

Li Yi spoke calmly: "Shen Zong Emperor, your desire to seek the Dao is commendable, but your timing is wrong. You have been dead for centuries; your flesh has long rotted away. You possess only a soul-body. Merely maintaining this state is already remarkable—changing it is impossible."

He neither wished to transmit the method nor could he transmit it.

Whether Evolution Method, Gene Method, Dao cultivation, or Immortal cultivation—all required a physical body. He knew nothing of soul-focused methods, had never encountered them. Unless Shen Zong Emperor could restore his flesh.

Of course, that was not difficult.

Simply extract some genes from his corpse, replicate a body using the Life Cradle of the No. Gene World, and let him inhabit it to resume cultivation.

But Li Yi would never help him.

He and his father, Li Jiye, intended to seize the Zhao imperial house entirely. These Yin Emperors would inevitably become dust of history.

"I know that without a body, achieving cultivation is nearly impossible. But I wish to gather wisdom from all schools, study and contemplate, slowly discovering a cultivation method for incense deities. I beg you, True Person Tai Yi, to impart your teachings," Shen Zong Emperor said earnestly.

Clearly, he cared nothing else—he wanted Li Yi's cultivation method.

Whether useful or not, at least it could serve as reference.

"Moreover, I will not let you go unrewarded. During my life, I collected many heavenly treasures. If you agree, all of them are yours."

As he spoke, the Shen Zong Emperor waved his hand, and countless incense deities emerged from the mausoleum, carrying enormous treasure chests filled with the world's most precious relics: sentient ginseng, he shou wu, divine artifacts born of heaven and earth, beautiful spirit beings who had taken human form, and even the imperial jade seal of the Shen Zong dynasty, embodying the incense faith of an entire reign.

To the people of this world, each item was priceless.

But to Li Yi, they were commonplace.

He had crossed realms multiple times; he had seen much. The only thing this world offered him was incense belief power—everything else was ordinary. Compared to the treasures of Dao and Immortal worlds, were there not far more?

"Shen Zong Emperor, seek another master. I have no interest in transmitting cultivation methods," Li Yi refused outright.

"True Person Tai Yi, reconsider. After all, I was once an emperor. Though dead, my influence over the court remains. You have already felt it—just one imperial decree, and your title as Grand Master vanishes, your gathered incense power instantly dissipating."

Shen Zong Emperor said: "Cooperating with me benefits us both. I am even willing to send men to aid you in shattering mountains and demolishing temples, gathering incense across the realm."

He spoke sincerely, yet with an undercurrent of threat.

If Li Yi refused to hand over his cultivation method, Shen Zong Emperor would immediately strip him of his Grand Master title, causing his incense to collapse.

Precisely because they held this ultimate weapon could the court control all incense deities.

"So this is why Yin Emperors must be eradicated early—they are a looming threat," Li Yi thought, his gaze darkening.

!

Even he could not tolerate the emperor's authority being eroded by Yin Emperors—how much less could his father, Li Jiye?

"True Person, have you decided? Will you accept my request?" Shen Zong Emperor asked again after a moment of silence.

Accept?

Li Yi suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with killing intent. Instantly, his cultivation power of the Third Layer of the Five Qi Realm surged from his body, forming three brilliant pillars—red, gold, and blue—which swiftly intertwined into a three-colored divine light, which he swallowed whole.

The cultivation power within his thirty-six major acupoints surged violently; the entire Anshan seemed to tremble faintly.

"Accept? Pfft! You think a few words can claim my cultivation method? Today, I, this Daoist, shall send you, this Yin Emperor, to your end. Summon Wind, Call Rain!"

This time, he did not merely mobilize the power of the thirty-six acupoints—he also channeled incense energy.

The complete Dao technique, combined with abundant cultivation power and the reinforcement of incense belief, produced a terrifying effect.

Instantly, heaven and earth darkened. Black clouds blanketed the sky. A crimson light erupted into flame, engulfing the entire Anshan, covering the imperial mausoleum mountain in fire, as if a colossal furnace were melting the hundred-li mountain range.

Gales laden with heartfire reduced trees and rocks to dust. Within seconds, the lush mountain became bare rock. Then torrential rain fell—each drop golden, like countless swords piercing the mountain, driving deep into the earth's core.

"Hmm?"

Such a cataclysmic transformation caused Shen Zong Emperor's eyes to narrow sharply.

But it was already too late.

Instantly, the spirits and incense deities of Anshan screamed—none even understood what happened before their bodies were blown apart and their souls burned to ash, dissolving into smoke.

Only Shen Zong Emperor, whose incense power was immense and reinforced by imperial aura, barely held out.

"Roar!"

Anshan possessed spirit. Sensing its imminent destruction by the Summon Wind, Call Rain technique, it manifested, merging with its incense-canopy belief power to become a dragon of incense, daring to challenge heaven.

But how could the spirit of a single mountain withstand Li Yi's Dao art?

As soon as it appeared, the spirit of Anshan wailed, its body pierced by golden rain, the wounds immediately filled with gales and flame, its form collapsing, incense dispersing—until the entire mountain vanished from this world.

After the mountain was leveled by cultivation power, the hidden underground mausoleum emerged—but within moments, its myriad palaces turned to dust.

Nothing remained.

Under Summon Wind, Call Rain, no life could survive in the Anshan region.

Such was the might of supreme Dao art.

With incense energy and the power of his thirty-six acupoints, Li Yi truly possessed the ability to move mountains and fill seas.

After Summon Wind.

A hundred-li mountain region had become a plain. Anshan had vanished into history.

Fortunately, this was the imperial mausoleum zone—normally sealed off, with no civilians living here. Otherwise, such an art would have claimed countless lives.

(End of Chapter)