Chapter 38: Alliance of Kings

Li Qingshan ignored the curious eyes of the Qi Refiners and said, "What's the matter with you? Please tell me!"

The blushing man was also tactful and didn't ask much, and waved his hand generously: "This is not a place to talk, let's talk to the teahouse!"

"Drinking tea is tasteless, is there a place to drink here? Today I am the hall." Li Qingshan solved several important things in his heart and was in a good mood.

The red-faced man also smiled and said, "I also like to drink more. Baiweilou is not far away from me. However, when it comes to the east, fellow Taoists must not compete with me."

Li Qingshan held the jade slip of "The Book of All Elephants" in his hand, and many messages from Baiweilou immediately emerged in his heart. This is a restaurant that is very famous in the Qinghe Mansion's practice path. The chefs in it are all Qi Refiners. They cook dishes just like Lu Ziyu, using methods that only Qi Refiners know, and cooking is a rare ingredient for ordinary people.

Li Qingshan smiled slightly. This thing is indeed easy to use. It is like summing up dozens of knowledge reserves of knowledge into this thin jade slip. For a casual cultivator who is just a beginner, it is a rainfall from the sky.

But it is rare to say that the casual cultivators who are willing to spend nearly a hundred spiritual stones to buy this item are rare. And disciples from sects all have the common sense of masters teaching the path of practice, so it is even more impossible to spend such a large price.

Upstairs, Baiwei, there was a long table next to the window. Several people sat down. The blushing man said, "I'm in Han Xiong, these are all my friends." He introduced Li Qingshan one by one, and the Qi Refiners all bowed one after another.

Li Qingshan nodded and returned the salute, and told himself: "I'm at Niu Juxia, Fellow Daoist Han invites me to come, what's the matter?" He also thought, calling himself Niu Er was a bit too perfunctory, so he simply followed Yu Zijian's words and called Niu Juxia.

"Are you the Niu Juhe who defeated Song Ming, an inner disciple of Jidu Mountain, with that move!" Han Xiong was solemn and couldn't help but use his respect.

Li Qingshan didn't expect that he was so famous and said humbly: "It's just a lucky person."

The other three Qi Refiners, a little surprised and confused, not as good as Han Xiong's knowledge, asked, "Brother Han, what's going on? Are you talking about the Golden Rooster Lord Song Ming?"

Li Qingshan almost laughed. What a golden cockerel, it is even more unpleasant than a tiger going down the mountain.

Han Xiong explained to several companions.

Li Qingshan was not easy to interrupt and looked at the restaurant. Like other buildings in this town, this restaurant was made of pure wood structure, exuding the unique aroma of wood.

The decoration is not luxurious, but it is very simple, without even a single calligraphy and painting. As soon as people sit here, they feel like they are coming to eat and drink. The store owner obviously has absolute confidence in their cooking skills.

Just at this moment, a waiter brought the plate and walked over, wearing a square hat on his head and a white towel on his shoulders. He quickly put down a pot of wine and several stacks of exquisite side dishes, making a full and enthusiastic sound from his mouth, introducing the names of these dishes. The movements and languages ​​are extremely standard, but they are somewhat mechanical.

Li Qingshan looked carefully and found that this was not the waiter. It was clearly a puppet doll. It was just very exquisitely made. He was wearing the waiter's clothes and the exposed skin was painted with some paint. It looked exactly the same as a person's skin color. It was obviously not the type used for fighting.

It is probably because this market cannot allow ordinary people to go in and out, but Qi Refiners are unwilling to do the job of serving dishes and delivering wine, so they customized this kind of waiter puppet from the Mohist family.

At this time, Han Xiong finished speaking of Li Qingshan's glorious achievements. The qi refiners looked at Li Qingshan's eyes and were already in awe. Han Xiong, the strongest here, was just the fifth level of Qi refining. He tied it together and could not beat any inner disciple of the three mountains. He thought that Li Qingshan was a fledgling qi refiner, but he never thought he was such a powerful person.

Han Xiong stood up and poured wine for Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan couldn't sit still, picked up the wine glass, signaled slightly, drank the wine all over, and smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Han can tell the purpose of the trip now!"

Han Xiong also hurriedly drank the wine in the glass: "We are all members of the Truth Quest Society, and we sincerely invite fellow Daoist Niu to join this time!"

What is the sect of Qiuzhen Society? Li Qingshan hurriedly poured his mind into the Book of Wanxiang, but got nothing.

Han Xiong said: "Fellow Daoist Niu doesn't have to worry. The Qiuzhen Society is just a spontaneous association organized by casual cultivators. It is not a major sect. It is impossible to record it in the Book of Wanxiang."

"A casual cultivator is forming a association?" This was the first time Li Qingshan heard such an organization and said curiously: "Actually, I have never quite understood what a casual cultivator is."

"This is what you don't know about fellow Taoist Niu. The monks refer to those who practice alone. As long as they are not from families or sects, they are all considered casual cultivators."

Li Qingshan said: "Based on the fifth level of Qi Refining Fellow Han, even if he set up a family and formed a Qi Refining Gang, he would be more than enough."

Han Xiong smiled bitterly and said, "Without his own background and inheritance, how dare you call yourself a family sect? Generally speaking, there are no foundation-building cultivators in the family sect. Even if you gather 100,000 Qi Refiners, you are still a casual cultivator and are not recognized by the path of cultivation. To be honest, my Han family is in Wanshun City, 500 miles northeast, almost like a local emperor."

"But in the entire path of practice, it is not worth mentioning at all. It is often excluded and bullied by disciples of the sect, so it forms a community and jointly protects itself."

Li Qingshan said: "With the strength of Fellow Daoist Han's fifth level of Qi Refining, can't we find a sect to join?" He pointed to the towering mountains outside the window: "For example, this Qingteng Mountain."

Han Xiong sighed: "I am so old and don't have the amazing talent like Brother Niu. Which sect will accept it? I can only explore it bit by bit. How about it? Niu Juxia wants to come to our Truth Hunting Club to take a look?"

Li Qingshan thought about it, and the disciples of the sects he saw were all young and had the strength of five or six. Judging from Han Xiong's appearance, he was at least forty or fifty years old, and his qualifications were definitely not good.

He vaguely remembered that Zhou Wenbin said that sects usually only recruit young disciples, grew up on the mountain, were disciplined by masters, taken care of by seniors, and tied with various emotions, so that they would have a sense of identity and belonging to the sect. This is also the foundation of a sect's existence.

Regarding Han Xiong's invitation, Li Qingshan carefully said: "I'm afraid I don't have much time, and I may join the sect in the future..."

Seeing that Li Qingshan did not express his explicit rejection, Han Xiong became even more enthusiastic: "The Truth-Quozhen Society is not a sect and will not ask fellow Taoists to do anything. It just meets occasionally to exchange experiences of cultivation or exchange resources, and will never waste any time."

The three Qi Refiners beside him echoed: "Yes, yes, everyone is getting together to drink and chat, how happy!"

"A few years ago, we organized people to enter Cangmang Mountain and found hundreds of kilograms of black iron elites."

Li Qingshan has a little more understanding of the nature of this "truth-seeking society". (")

Han Xiong said: "Let's do it. After a while, we will have a party in Youquan Valley. Friends can go and have a look. If we don't like it, we will never force it."

"Let me think about it!" Li Qingshan picked up the wine glass and said no more. Han Xiong exchanged glances with his three companions, and said no more: "Come on, drink!"

Li Qingshan looked out the window, the brightly lit market and the endless stream of Qi Refiners on the street, and said strangely: "Is this place always so lively?"

Han Xiong said: "How is that possible? The three mountains herb collection ceremony that was once a decade ago is approaching, which has attracted so many Qi refiners to prepare here!"

Li Qingshan said inexplicably: "The Three Mountains Herbal Collection Ceremony? What does it have to do with ordinary casual cultivators?"

Han Xiong said: "The disciples of Sanshan are strong. When they go to collect herbs and attract the attention of monsters, we scattered cultivators will have the opportunity to catch fish in troubled waters."

"Aren't we also being used by Sanshan to attract monsters to eat bait?"

Li Qingshan turned his head and saw the fourth-level Qi Refiner who was talking, who was sneering on his face.

Han Xiong said: "In short, it is safer if there are more people."

"Safe? I don't think so. Every time I collect herbal medicine, there are countless Qi Refiners who die under the ground. How many of them die in the mouths of monsters?"

"Underground? Isn't it Cangmang Mountain?" Li Qingshan was surprised and put down his wine glass.

Han Xiong smiled and said, "Brother Niu, you really don't know anything. Almost all the spiritual herbs in the remaining veins of Cangmang Mountain can be picked. If you go deeper, any demon general will be attracted, and the Qi Refiners will die. Who dares to go deeper?"

Li Qingshan had some ominous premonition in his heart and continued to ask: "Is there no monster general under the ground?"

Han Xiong said: "Of course. To be honest, some underground are more dangerous than Cangmang Mountain? However, it is much safer to enter the underground and go deeper to the southeast."

Isn't this the territory ruled by Ma Lu? Li Qingshan hurriedly asked, "Why is this?" The answer was already vaguely expected in his heart.

Han Xiong was happy to show off his knowledge: "If you ask others, others may not be able to tell you the answer, but the president of my Truth Society has a friend who is the core disciple of Tomb Qiushan, so I know!"

"If you collect herbs in other places, if you kill monsters and hunt demon pills, it will definitely attract attacks from demon generals. Nine out of ten people will survive will be considered a good fortune, but this place rarely attracts demon generals. This herb collection ceremony will take a month or two to really start. Do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because we have to wait until the weather is the coldest, it is said that the demon general will hibernate at that time. It is a good time to kill monsters and pick spirit grass. Even if we turn the earth into a mess under the ground, it doesn't matter."

Li Qingshan suddenly didn't know what to say. He knew that Ma Lu had two major hobbies in his life, including eating and sleeping. Even if it wasn't winter, he was afraid that he would lie on the stone platform and remain motionless, which gave Qi Refiners the opportunity to take advantage of it.

But why have you heard Ma Lu talk about the oppression of other demon generals and never talk about the threat from the earth?

"Why are you afraid of demon generals? Aren't the heads of the Three Mountains all foundation-building cultivators? As long as they join forces, even the demon generals can kill them!"

Han Xiong opened his eyes wide and said, "Fellow Daoist Niu, don't you even know the 'Association of Kings'?" The sudden amplification of the voice alarmed the Qi Refiner next to the table, turned his eyes toward Li Qingshan, and looked at him with a little surprised and contempt.

It seems that Li Qingshan didn't know the "All of Kings", but did not know that the sun was round.

Zhou Wei said: "Fellow Daoist Niu just came out of the mountain, and it's not surprising that he hasn't heard it. There must be extremely detailed records in the Book of All Elephants. You might as well take a look."

Li Qingshan held the jade slip and his mind fell into his mind. He immediately received all the information of the "All Kings Alliance". The information was very complicated. If he continued to read one by one, he would be afraid that he would not finish it for three days and three nights.

But after a brief look, I learned a rough idea. I understood why other Qi Refiners were so surprised. I didn't know about this. It can be said that they didn't even enter the sect.

The alliance between the kings originated from the Emperor of the Great Xia Saint. Legend has it that it has monster bloodlines. When conquering the world, it received help from many powerful demons to establish the Great Xia Dynasty.

After the establishment of the Great Xia Dynasty, the most important and most prominent titles were the Eight Prefectures Man King and the Ten Directions Demon King.

Under the leadership of the Holy Emperor, the kings met and discussed for a hundred days, signed a covenant, and divided the boundaries between monsters and humans, so that the two tribes would never invade each other.

What made Ma Lu dare not take a step on the ground was not the demon coach above his head, nor even the Dragon King of the Mohai in Qingzhou, but this covenant thousands of years ago.

However, low-level monsters have limited intelligence, and there are too many and complicated Qi Refiners, which is difficult to restrain them. Therefore, whether the monsters rush out of the ground or Qi Refiners enter the ground, they are all within the scope of tolerance and tacit approval. Of course, being killed in the other party's territory is also a way to die.

What this consents is the real constraints of people and demons who have survived a heavenly tribulation or more. Whether it is the foundation-building monk entering the ground to kill demons, or the demon general coming to the ground to slaughter humans.

The best result is that the covenant destroyer was strangled by the two tribes. The worst result is to rekindle the war and involve all humans and monsters in it.

Today, three foundation-building monks go deep into the ground to kill a demon general. Tomorrow, a demon general may appear and massacre Qingteng Mountain and all the Qi Refiners in this market will be slaughtered completely.

Even though Li Qingshan was so brave, he felt chill when he thought about that scene.

But when he heard that the foundation-building monk would not enter the underground, he felt a little relieved, but he was even more confused. As the leader of the demon soldiers, monsters and beasts were all his subordinates and could not be slaughtered. He also had absolute control over the various resources under the underground and would never give up.

If he was a pure monster, of course he would immediately return to the ground and summon a group of monsters, set up traps, and kill all the invaders, and instead get a lot of treasures.

But he was transformed from a human being, and this decision was not that simple. For a moment, he didn't even have the intention to eat.

He was patient and asked Han Xiong about more about the herb collection ceremony, so he wanted to say goodbye and leave.

Han Xiong saw that Li Qingshan was interested and did not force him to stay, but advised him to go to Youquan Valley to take a look.

After Li Qingshan asked about the time and place, he finally agreed, not just to increase his experience. Youquan Valley is not far away. Before the gathering of the herb collection ceremony, no matter what his decision was, he must always pay attention to the changes here.

When he arrived downstairs, Li Qingshan ordered another table of wine and food and put it in a treasure bag to take it away.

It was late at night, and Li Qingshan found an inn and spent five spirit stones to book the best room. Under the guidance of the boss, he opened the old door and the space inside was much larger than expected. He knew that he had used some kind of magic array to increase the space.

Although it was winter, the room was as warm as spring. The room was covered with thick silk carpets. The patterns on it seemed not just patterns, but some kind of magic circle, which made the spiritual energy in the room slightly thicker than the appearance.

On a jade painting screen, there was a beautiful woman embroidered with a pipa and jade zither. When the boss knocked on the screen, the moving sound of silk and bamboo sounded.

A cushion in the room is said to be able to gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and is said to be of great help to practice!

There is also a huge bathhouse in the room, which not only can gather water flow by itself, but also can use two runes to regulate the water temperature.
To be continued...