The Eternal Way-Chapter 168: The Rat Mound

The two sides finally let go and began introducing themselves.

Li Qi's introduction was simple. He claimed to be a shaman who had experienced some extraordinary encounters. He hailed from the Great Deer Nation, and the Dao cultivator beside him, Shen Shuibei, was his good friend. The two were traveling together to the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest with the intention of slaying two demon leaders.

As for his lineage, he simply skipped over it. By not mentioning it, he wasn't technically lying.

Zhang Lan then began introducing himself.

Only then did Li Qi realize Zhang Lan's situation.

This unassuming fellow, named Zhang Lan, was a Sword Master of the Righteous Sword Palace.

The title "Sword Master" was a rank within the Righteous Sword Palace.

Initially, the palace master of the Righteous Sword Palace spent a great deal of money hiring a swordsmith to forge 365 Celestial Stellar Swords, matching the number of celestial cycles, all of which were of the Eighth Rank. Then, the position of Sword Master was established.

Any disciple who reached the Eighth Rank and didn't wish to remain in the sect to take on managerial roles could apply for the position of Sword Master. After passing numerous assessments, they would receive one of these swords and learn a formation technique.

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Sword Masters usually traveled abroad, performing acts of chivalry, spreading the tales of the Righteous Sword Palace, and also recruiting talented disciples back to the mountain. Their main role was to serve as the face of the Righteous Sword Palace outside its walls and handle external affairs.

After all, many external matters weren't so simple.

Although there were disciples who left the mountain to travel, their cultivation was still shallow, and they couldn't handle many major events.

Other Eighth Ranks, meanwhile, had various duties within the sect and couldn't easily leave to handle matters.

Higher-ranking members were even less mobile.

Thus, the position of Sword Master was created. They carried the sect's treasured swords as proof of identity, could exchange resources, and were dedicated to traveling freely outside.

As a Sword Master, Zhang Lan was known for his sense of justice. This time, he was also heading to the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest to slay demons. However, along the way, he encountered many strange occurrences, such as the near-complete withdrawal of border troops in the Hundred Forests Nation, while the civilians remained behind. Only a small number of soldiers were diligently helping with the evacuation.

Therefore, he temporarily halted his journey to the demon nest to assist these people. The White Rhino Army was already the third army he had helped.

Upon hearing this, Li Qi was full of questions. He asked, "Brother Zhang, is this a common phenomenon?"

"What? Oh, you mean the relocation of these civilians? Yes, according to my knowledge, across the entire Hundred Forests Nation, especially near the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest, it seems to be the case. I find it strange too," Zhang Lan replied.

"This doesn't seem right. What about their commander? From what I saw earlier, an army should have an Eighth Rank leader, but I didn't see the commander here. Without a leader, an army is like a headless dragon. How can this be?" Li Qi asked, puzzled.

Zhang Lan explained to Li Qi, "From what I know, the commander of the White Rhino Army has temporarily left to report to the capital. Before leaving, he ordered these soldiers to assist in evacuating the civilians. Seeing that they only numbered ten thousand and were tasked with relocating over a hundred thousand civilians, which seemed far too difficult, I decided to lend a hand. Alas, after this battle, so many brave men have perished. Now, only six thousand remain."

"Strange, truly strange. Would a commander's report involve arranging something like this beforehand?" Li Qi frowned. Everything seemed highly unusual, but with insufficient clues, he couldn't pinpoint the reason.

"I also find it strange, but regardless of the reason, we can't abandon the civilians. Brother Li, how about we temporarily team up? The three of us can escort these hundred thousand people to safety first, then head to the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest to investigate. Miss Shen, what do you think?" Zhang Lan turned to Shen Shuibei and asked.

In Zhang Lan's view, although Li Qi was quite capable, appearing clever and resourceful, and his actions were admirable, he was still at the Ninth Rank. If they were to join forces to enter the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest, it was necessary to consult this woman, who had been quietly observing the whole time.

After all, she was at the Eighth Rank.

When Shen Shuibei was asked, she became flustered for a moment, then quickly pointed to Li Qi, saying, "Ask him. I follow him."

With that, she hurriedly hid behind Li Qi.

Shen Shuibei suffered from severe social anxiety.

Li Qi was well aware of this.

Zhang Lan was stunned, surprised.

This woman, an Eighth Rank, initially appeared to be on equal footing with Li Qi, but now it seemed she regarded him as her leader?

Who exactly was this Li Qi? His self-introduction hadn't mentioned any affiliation with a major sect.

Even if he were from a major sect, the guardians sent by such sects would undoubtedly be seniors, never under his command.

They didn't appear to be a couple either. Li Qi showed no intimate gestures toward this Miss Shen, and his words and actions were respectful, without a trace of impropriety.

On the other hand, Miss Shen occasionally displayed natural signs of affection toward Li Qi, such as brushing off his clothes, supporting him without hesitation, or glancing at him occasionally. These actions were very natural, as if she were accustomed to them.

Could it be...

That Miss Shen was pursuing him instead?

This Li Qi certainly had some skills.

Thinking this, Zhang Lan's gaze toward Li Qi changed.

Previously, he had admired Li Qi for his ability to preside over the ritual and his courageous deeds, which led him to address him as an equal brother.

Now, his gaze toward Li Qi became even more reverent.

Li Qi felt a chill down his back. Why had Zhang Lan's gaze become so... uh, how should he describe it?

If he had to find an adjective, perhaps "reverence"?

What had he done to deserve such admiration?

Li Qi couldn't figure it out, so he coughed twice to change the subject. "Ahem, Brother Zhang makes a valid point. Let me perform another ritual to drive away the sick energy here and improve the health of these civilians. We'll set out tomorrow."

Time was abundant, and Li Qi didn't mind delaying for a bit—perhaps half a month at most.

He had taken nearly half a year to travel from Green Mountain Nation. Half a month was nothing.

He was already a cultivator, and his lifespan far exceeded that of ordinary people. His perception of time needed to be gradually cultivated.

"You can perform a ritual to remove sickness? Truly impressive. Someone like me, who only knows how to fight, can't compare," Zhang Lan praised.

The Righteous Sword Palace was a martial sect, and Zhang Lan was naturally an Eighth Rank martial cultivator, though he seemed to have dabbled in other techniques.

Hearing this, Li Qi voiced his doubts. "By the way, Brother Zhang, I see that you seem to cultivate martial arts, and your flashy techniques are indeed few. But I noticed you used Solar Lung Meridian Geng Metal Sword Qi earlier, which clearly belongs to Dao techniques. Your sword case should contain one of the Celestial Stellar Swords. Why didn't you use it during the battle?"

If Zhang Lan practiced martial arts, it meant he hadn't revealed his full strength earlier, holding back even to the point of not drawing his sword. What was the meaning of this?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lan burst into laughter and explained to Li Qi, "Haha! Young Brother Li, you don't understand. If I went all out at the start, those demons wouldn't fall for it and would definitely prepare defenses."

"I used Dao techniques to mislead them about my true strength. At a critical moment, I closed in with my martial cultivation and drew my sword. That was my chance to survive—to kill one demon first, then fight the other. Based on my estimation, I had a 30% chance of turning the tables and saving these hundred thousand people. Even if I failed, I was 100% sure I could take them down with me." Zhang Lan confidently raised his head and spoke.

Li Qi finally understood.

Though Zhang Lan might be rash, reaching the Eighth Rank meant he wasn't entirely without brains. He had clearly planned everything before acting.

However, Zhang Lan quickly added, "But this time, I relied heavily on Young Brother Li. Alas, my martial spirit isn't yet refined enough, and I didn't notice there was someone lurking in the rear. If it weren't for you spotting the third one early on, we might have really fallen this time."

At this point, Zhang Lan curiously asked, "Young Brother, how did you manage it? At the Ninth Rank, you were able to detect the concealment techniques of an Eighth Rank demon. How did you do it?"

"In my body, there is a strand of Dao Resonance that excels at observation. As long as there's a trace, it won't escape my notice," Li Qi replied honestly.

"I see." Zhang Lan was satisfied with the answer and stopped asking further questions. He stepped back slightly, preparing to end the conversation and begin meditating.

Li Qi, however, still had one question left. He finally asked, "Before you rest, Brother, could you answer one more question for me? You Sword Masters often travel abroad with precious treasures. What happens if you lose your sword, say, if it's stolen or you die? What happens to the sword?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lan laughed heartily as if he'd heard a joke. "What's there to worry about? If a Sword Master meets with an accident while outside, the sword will naturally fly back to the sect."

"Not only will it return, but before leaving, it will record the surrounding situation. Once it returns, the sect will handle the matter. It's very convenient. Even if I die, someone will surely seek revenge!"

His tone was carefree, leaving Li Qi momentarily speechless.

"No one can stop it?" Li Qi asked again.

Zhang Lan replied, "To stop a Celestial Stellar Sword from returning on its own, at least a Sixth Rank expert would be required. For a Sixth Rank powerhouse to deal with an Eighth Rank like me, wouldn't that be a huge gain? Besides, within a radius of ten thousand miles, every Sixth Rank expert is accounted for. We can visit them one by one and always find the culprit."

Alright, Li Qi now understood the modus operandi of the Righteous Sword Palace.

No wonder it was a martial sect...

It seemed they had a bit of a mental condition.

The two temporarily ended their conversation. Zhang Lan went to tend to his injuries, while Li Qi spent the night setting up the altar.

This time, he was preparing a ritual to remove sickness, which he could do alone.

First, he placed wine and food offerings, then blew a horn, rang a gong, and arranged colorful flower rings made of medicinal herbs.

He instructed the soldiers to arrange the civilians' camps in a circular formation, symbolizing the human ring with the flower ring.

Then, he summoned Metal Qi, cut his arm, and used his blood to draw nine talismans. Eight were placed around the flower ring, and one was placed in the center.

The talismans were buried underground, covered with soil, each at a depth of two feet five inches.

The ritual was complete.

The essence of flowers and herbs represented purity.

The blood and vitality of the shaman represented spirit.

Combined with talismans, they linked through Wu Dao techniques. The resonance of floral purity and the shaman's blood connected through this method, allowing the essence of flowers and herbs to spread throughout the encampment, driving away the original sick energy.

The shaman's blood and vitality transformed into Li Qi's phantom form, akin to a divine general, guarding the eight directions and the center to prevent the return of sickness.

In this way, the group-wide removal of illness was achieved.

If the flower rings and blood phantoms in this process were replaced with other elements, such as toxic herbs or demonic blood, the resulting effect would be a curse cast through the ritual, capable of cursing over a hundred thousand people.

Of course, whether it was a curse or the removal of sickness, the shaman bore all the consumption and consequences, making it far from easy.

After completing the ritual, Li Qi was utterly exhausted and promptly lay down on the ground to sleep.

Sleep was the best means of recovery.

Not sleeping was possible, but it was akin to having no night in the microcosm of the human body, which would prevent defensive Qi from entering Yin.

If defensive Qi remained in Yang and couldn't enter Yin, Yin Qi would weaken, leading to constant agitation, emotional disturbances, and an unsettled mind.

Thus, maintaining sleep was crucial. As the saying goes, "When awake, the spirit resides in the heart." For this reason, those who didn't sleep inevitably faced side effects.

At higher cultivation levels, the microcosm of the human body became stronger, allowing one to stay awake longer, but rest was still necessary. Otherwise, it would negatively impact the body's harmony.

Sleep and wakefulness were transformations of Yin and Yang, mirroring the changes of the greater universe. Reversing this process wasn't impossible, but it wasn't necessary.

Everyone went to rest. After the soldiers ensured all the civilians were asleep, it soon became late into the night.

In the depths of the night, only Shen Shuibei remained awake. In her hand, she held a silver-furred rat—the same Eighth Rank demon she had killed while watching from the rear.

Though it was the strongest among the three Eighth Ranks, it was no match for Shen Shuibei.

"The Rat Mound..." Shen Shuibei tilted her head, recognizing the creature's origin.

The so-called Rat Mound referred to a unique cluster of exotic beasts.

The "Records of the Western Regions" contains an account that states: In the midst of the main road through the sandy desert, there is a mound called the Rat Mound. Within it dwell rats as large as hedgehogs, their fur shimmering in distinct hues of gold and silver. The leader of their group, whenever emerging from its burrow to roam or rest, is always followed by a retinue of rats.

Once, two nations were at war. A large nation led hundreds of thousands of troops to invade a border city, camping near the Rat Mound.

The smaller nation, with only tens of thousands of soldiers, was unable to resist. However, they knew of the peculiar rats in the desert and treated them as divine beings.

Within days of the battle, the smaller nation was on the verge of collapse, its cities and lands seized. With nowhere to turn, the king and ministers were terrified and at a loss. In desperation, they performed a ritual, burning incense to summon the rats, hoping for their divine assistance.

That night, the king of the smaller nation dreamed of a giant rat saying, "I wish to help. Prepare your troops early. On the day of battle, you will surely triumph."

Knowing divine favor was on their side, the king mobilized his troops, issued orders to his soldiers, and launched a surprise attack before dawn.

When the larger nation heard of this, they rejoiced, thinking victory was assured. As they prepared to mount their horses and don their armor, they suddenly discovered that saddles, clothing, bowstrings, and armor straps—all things tied or fastened—had been gnawed through by the rats.

With the enemy upon them and no weapons in hand, they could only surrender and face execution. Thus, the smaller nation killed their generals and captured their troops.

The larger nation was shocked, believing divine intervention had occurred.

Grateful for the rats' immense assistance, the king of the smaller nation built a shrine and performed rituals. Generations honored and revered the rats deeply, considering them sacred. From the ruler to the common folk, all performed sacrifices to seek blessings. When passing by their burrows, they dismounted and bowed in respect, offering sacrifices of clothing, bows, arrows, incense, flowers, and food. Through sincere devotion, they received abundant blessings. Without offerings, calamities would strike.

"This type of beast cluster should only exist in the Western Buddhist Lands, far west of even Wu Deity Mountain... How did it appear in the Baiyue region?" Shen Shuibei wondered.

Wu Deity Mountain was merely southwest of Tianxia, while the Buddhist Lands were due west, at the farthest western edge of the world.

"Never mind, maybe it migrated... I won't worry about it," she said, storing the silver-furred rat in her mustard seed pouch.

It might still be useful to Li Qi.