Chapter 561

Chapter 561: The Path of Myriad Forms Supreme

“Little Ganchan, what happened?” Chef Zhao quickly supported Nian Ganchan.

Li Hui stood up and said, “The trading team was suppressed by the Ten Thousand Gu Sect on their way back. The Ten Thousand Gu Sect built a Gathering Yin Tower on the official road, charging tolls for every stretch of the journey. Previously, they kept it somewhat reasonable, but now, as the great summer chaos escalates, they have become increasingly outrageous, leading to a conflict.”

“You…” Nian Ganchan’s eyes brightened, and he exclaimed, “Brother Yingjun, you’re back! Why were you gone for so long on your travels? If my elder brother were in the trading team, the Ten Thousand Gu Sect wouldn’t dare to suppress us.”

“Great summer is getting more chaotic by the day!” Li Hui gazed upward, unsure of where to look, and shook his head, saying, “It’s darkest before dawn. The Ten Thousand Gu Sect has emerged before we reached the peak of darkness. Many sects must also be stirring restlessly.”

“Brother Yingjun, please save everyone! They not only seized the goods but also captured everyone; I managed to escape by luck.”

“No, they deliberately let you go to lead them,” Li Hui said just as the sound of breaking air came from the courtyard: “Right here! Take all the valuables; anyone who dares oppose the Ten Thousand Gu Sect, the men will raise bugs, and the women will be taken as slaves.”

“This…” Nian Ganchan went dumbfounded, tears streaming down as he cursed himself. How foolish was he! How could he not think this through before running back?

“Damn it, I’ll fight them!” Zhao the Fatty took out a kitchen knife, ready to charge out, but the Ten Thousand Gu Sect had mid-stage Bosa experts backing them up, and they never personally engaged, having already sent bugs into the village, making the situation very terrifying.

Li Hui sighed, “Chef, I taught you talisman methods, but you were too lazy to practice diligently; you must pick it up and truly study it. In a chaotic world, don’t let any opportunity to become stronger slip away. Remember what I say today. Also, if the Ten Thousand Gu Sect dares harm anyone in this village, they are certain to die!”

“Ha ha ha! Who speaks so outrageously, daring to say such words?” Someone laughed from outside: “I’ll deal with you all!”

“Ah!”

“Ah!”

Two shrieks rang out as two Condensed Essence Stage practitioners from the Ten Thousand Gu Sect turned into black goo, all because they had grabbed two maids in the village.

“Outrageous! All of you die!” The person outside shouted angrily.

The roar carried far and wide, a gentle breeze swept through the village, yet not one person was harmed; instead, the bugs released into the village suddenly retreated violently. Cries of agony filled the air as the Ten Thousand Gu Sect practitioners died tragically due to the backlash of the bugs.

“This is impossible…”

Li Hui sat calmly, eating breakfast while saying, “Go back and bring our people back. Anyone who dares to obstruct will be killed, and you will sever ties with the Ten Thousand Gu Sect.”

“No, I… I can’t control myself.” A figure that was known for being hard to deal with fled into the air, and the notoriously troublesome Ten Thousand Gu Sect practitioner, now a mid-stage Bosa master, became a puppet. Seeing this crisis resolve without a hitch, Chef Zhao and Nian Ganchan were left speechless.

Chef Zhao called out, “Boss, how have you become so powerful? I remember you were only a Condensed Essence Stage practitioner when you left us, and Li Changtian has now reached mid-stage Bosa, making him the strongest among us, but he still wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”

“Stop your blabbering! The Ten Thousand Gu Sect is no easy opponent; I can defend once, but it’s hard to do it a second time.” Li Hui frowned slightly, knocking on his bowl and said, “Chef, your cooking has regressed. Have you put any effort into understanding the five-element balance? Also, the seasoning is lacking a level of spiritual energy.”

“Boss, the current situation is that the ingredients are contaminated with dark energy, making it impossible for me to achieve the delicate balance I had before.”

“Wrong! It’s possible, but in the end, it’s because you’re not putting in enough effort to strive for perfection,” Li Hui shook his head, “Fatty, you only have one path ahead of you, and that is to enter the Dao through your skills. Think of those master chefs who perished in the Ten Thousand Gu Sect; the fact that you’ve survived to marry and have children means you should inherit their legacy and elevate your culinary art!”

“You’re right, boss. I… I’ve been careless.” Chef Zhao looked at his hands, lost in thought, “Living in comfort, I’m not striving for progress!”

“Alright, everyone wants an easy life, but…” Li Hui shifted his tone, “But that won’t work now; you must shoulder the safety of Qiniang and the children. Of course, delicacy is my privilege; I love fine food and clothes, so I hold you to high standards.”

“I will work hard and definitely create dishes that will earn your praise!” Chef Zhao clenched his fists, feeling a fire of ambition rekindle within him; how could he allow himself to fall into despair? No, absolutely not…

As the sun rose high, Li Changtian returned with the trading team. Bugs were indeed difficult to defend against; as everyone heightened their vigilance, they had already fainted or were paralyzed, with only a few people barely alive, now sitting in the carts to heal.

“Brother Yingjun!” Li Changtian bowed seriously and clasped his fists, “I heard from Little Ganchan that you returned to avert a catastrophe for us. Longtian feels guilty for not being able to protect everyone.”

“Longtian, after several years of forging, you’ve become more polished,” Li Hui said while standing in front of the cart, “The you of the past was full of sharp edges; I often saw ambitions and aspirations in your eyes, pushing me to work even harder, fearing one day you would surpass me.”

“Ha ha, I still have those ambitions; I just learned to hide them.” Li Changtian smiled amiably; it was rare for him to smile, as he hadn’t done so in three years.

“Brother Yingjun!” Everyone bowed in respect.

“Good to have you back!” Li Hui reminisced with everyone before stating, “The situation with the Ten Thousand Gu Sect can be resolved, but with chaos erupting across the land, it’s not safe for you to stay here. Hurry and get ready to head to the royal city! Yao’er and the disciples of the Heavenly Talisman Sect are now working for the current Empress Wu Zhao, who was previously the Prince’s Consort.”

“Ah? That puppet little emperor’s mother?” Everyone was curious.

“Don’t underestimate Wu Zhao! She might have the power to end the chaos in the Great Summer, though she lacks trusted aides around her. If you go there to contribute in any way, showing your abilities, it could lead to further developments.” Li Hui smiled slightly, trying his best to find help for Wu Zhao. He had already sent messages to the Heart Refining Branch, gaining the support of Senior Sisters Lian Luosha and Qian Qiu Yue. There were still some connections to be made with the Jin Tian Sect, which might come in handy.

Suddenly, a voice came from afar: “Which high-level demon cultivator is performing spells? Letting my Ten Thousand Gu Sect lose a true disciple.”

“From the Geng Gold branch of the Haotu Sect, Li Yingjun, leader of the Heavenly Talisman Sect, Li Yingjun,” Li Hui replied coldly, his expression serious, “The Ten Thousand Gu Sect dares to harm my junior brothers and sisters in the Haotu Sect; you have three days to compensate with fifty thousand high-grade Miao Jade. You can measure my strength, but know that if you do, the compensation will multiply a hundredfold, and there will be deaths—many deaths!”

“Outrageous!” The incoming person was preparing to strike when they suddenly realized something was amiss.

“Boom…” With a loud crash, the bell towers standing three miles outside the village ignited fiercely. No matter the skills of the mid-stage Myriad Forms practitioners, they couldn’t escape; they let out inhuman wails as they burned, their flames fueled by both Demon Fire and Talisman Flames.

“Boss, just how powerful have you become?” Chef Zhao asked, trembling.

“I’ve already reached the mid-stage of Myriad Forms! There is a distinction from ordinary Myriad Form cultivators,” Li Hui did not hide his cultivation level; the path he was on was one of supremacy, growing deeper, and no one could gauge his depth anymore.