Chapter 288

Chapter 288: Suddenly Hearing About Haotu’s Recruitment

The fierce beast Qiongqi was powerful, but compared to Li Hui, who was well-equipped with escape skills, it could only follow behind, eating dust.

The giant crane flew three thousand miles, and the land finally quieted down. Since they had made a straight escape, they were now close to the border of Haofu.

To reach Yunzhou, they needed to cross through Zhuozhou and Qingzhou. Exiting the Formation Disk to switch to the giant crane would take about ten days of flight. With night falling, it was time to find a place to rest.

In the distance, Li Hui spotted a deserted temple and directed the giant crane to land.

The place was secluded and overgrown with weeds. He casually released twenty-eight talisman flags, which immediately started to ripple, calling forth heroic spirits through the Heavenly and Earthly Arrays.

“Liu Yong, are you ready?”

The flickering shadow of Guangxiao Temple emerged, and Lieutenant Liu quickly responded, “Reporting to Your Majesty, it will take half an hour. I have already dispersed my cultivation to empower the spirits under your command, with twelve heroic spirits willing to follow.”

“Good, then I’ll set things up; half an hour will be the limit.” Li Hui took out the Primitive Shell Symbol, which had transformed into a Golden Shell, shimmering and bright as stars.

He activated the Yin-Yang Nine Heads for defense and began his preparations.

First, he crushed bone pieces, specifically from the silver snake bracelet that devoured the Sea Suppressing Bone Sword, yielding hard fragments. Although they were very tough, after achieving the Reversing Five Elements decree, he could barely crush them using the Ideal Body technique.

Next, he picked up the bamboo tablet to memorize Buddhist scriptures and spells, and he wrote down various astronomical and geographical texts for later use. Li Hui firmly believed that reading more was beneficial; it could broaden perspectives and enhance wisdom, and even the heroic spirits needed to read more.

Then he took out blank talisman flags and talisman paper to prepare to create a sanctuary using the Primitive Shell Symbol.

The Primitive Shell Symbol originated from ancient tribal worship, requiring belief and faith to continuously enhance its power. The spirits like Liu Yong could emerge from Fusu City, seemingly ability to escape a situation boiled in waves of fire; they were absolutely loyal and reliable.

When the time came, Li Hui mixed the bone powder with the Five-Color Fortune Coins powder, pouring it into the ink stone to blend with blood rhinoceros ink. Once fully mixed, he dipped the talisman brush in the bone powder ink and began to draw on the Primitive Shell Symbol.

As the tip of the brush was half a foot away from the Golden Shell, layers of light and shadow emerged from the tip and flew in.

At the same time, the talisman flags “swished” loudly as heroic spirits were summoned from Fusu City. The golden statue of Master Yingjun saw its accumulated wish power within Guangxiao Temple decrease by ten percent.

Li Hui pondered for a moment, silently thinking: “In the great calamity of Haofu, I will do my best to secure some blessings for the both of you and burn wish power to mitigate disaster.”

The flickering shadow of Fusu City trembled, sending ripples to the branch of Guangxiao Temple, and Luo Chongba and Shen Shancai felt the gratitude towards Master Yingjun, receiving guidance from the wish power to help them avoid calamity.

“I will not take any wish power or merits; may you both often aid the disaster victims and leave behind talisman formations and intact bone pieces in this abandoned temple to help you navigate through dangers. This much I can do. I hope Haofu stabilizes soon and cultivates peace.”

The message would be conveyed to Luo Chongba and Shen Shancai through dreams, serving as a warning for them as well. Li Hui employed the Seven Stars step method, setting up various mechanisms. At this time, he saw a large group approaching through the Yin-Yang Nine Heads with great speed.

“Command!” The Primitive Shell Symbol erupted with dazzling golden light, quickly forming a temple. The former remnants of the shells fell, transforming into hundreds of little monks, welcoming Liu Yong and the heroic spirits to settle in.

At this moment, Li Hui held the bamboo tablet and forcefully waved it at the Primitive Shell Symbol, causing many scriptures to appear in the temple. As the sound of hooves echoed outside, he erased all traces and took out a table to enjoy exquisite food and wine.

“Eh? There are people in this wilderness,” someone said from outside.

“Be careful; we are almost at the surface of Zhuozhou, where bandits and thieves roam,” a voice warned. Just then, two guards dressed as cultivators stepped over the threshold and froze in surprise upon seeing Li Hui, secretly thinking, “What a handsome young man!”

Li Hui’s experiences far exceeded what an ordinary person could imagine; a natural grace radiated from him as he preferred luxurious attire, always dressing well.

There is a saying: a person’s appearance matters, just as a horse needs a good saddle. Even though he had traveled for a while, there was not a speck of dust on him as he sat there enjoying dinner, similar to sitting at home, while the newcomers felt like guests.

Subconsciously influenced by his aura and demeanor, the two guards felt hesitant to act rashly, stepping forward to greet him: “Greetings, young sir. We are bodyguards from Fuyuan Escort Agency, escorting two distinguished guests to Yunzhou. Please excuse us for any disturbances.”

The two bodyguards had keen eyes and knew how to speak well.

“Uncle Xu, Uncle Ma, who are you talking to in this wilderness? Please excuse him,” a pair of young man and woman entered from outside.

As soon as the young man and woman saw Li Hui, their expressions jolted simultaneously.

The young man did not hide his jealousy, while the young woman’s eyes sparkled; she smiled and hurried forward, saying, “So you two were speaking with this young man. Elder Brother and I traveled dusty roads and finally reached Haofu’s border. I didn’t expect to find such a carefree and remarkable young man here; Liu Ying feels drawn to him and wishes to befriend you.”

“That’s enough, Liu Ying; you are my fiancée,” the nearby Elder Brother said angrily.

Li Hui glanced at the young woman; in a few years, she might possess a beautiful appearance, but for now! He had no interest in a flat-chested little sister. Seeing her reminded him of Su Qing’er, who was not so “affectionate” like this girl, but rather had a sense of distance, yet fate had separated them.

“Greetings to everyone; I am Li Yingjun.”

Polite from his side, Li Hui reciprocated the courtesy, while the statement about the “Elder Brother” marking his territory was automatically ignored. If it were not for needing to connect with the heroic spirits before leaving Haofu, he would have traveled overnight. Now, he felt a little lazy and wanted to take a nap, planning to rise early the next day to journey further.

“Hehe! What a good name, and a person worthy of it,” Liu Ying laughed, “Don’t listen to Elder Brother’s nonsense; our families are close friends, so we often joke around.”

“Who’s joking? Our families have made agreements! Previously when you met that Li Changtian, you flirted with him, exchanging glances and not being virtuous.”

At this moment, the young woman erupted: “Hmph! You say our families have agreements, but have you proposed? The matriarch of the Nian Family said I bring misfortune to husbands and children; how can I get married if this spreads? If you say I’m your fiancée, fine! Have the family send a matchmaker, will you? Do you dare?”

“You, it’s not what it seems…” The young man’s face turned pale, feeling dispirited.

Li Hui found it amusing when he heard the young woman say, “If we can meet here, it must be fate. Surely, we are heading towards Yunzhou to try for the Haotu Sect’s exam. Speaking of this recruitment, many from nearby nations like Daqi and Daliang are also participating.”

“Liu Ying, why don’t you share what obstacles there are in this Haotu Sect recruitment? I am still in the dark; the news I’ve gathered outside is vague,” Li Hui quickly analyzed, subtly probing for information.

“Well, I don’t know the specific situation, but I’ve heard that the first three tests evaluate Spirit Motion marks, physique, and fortune. My qualities in Spirit Motion marks are decent, so I begged my family to allow me to try my luck in Yunzhou,” Liu Ying said proudly, with a slight upward curve of her lips.