Under One Person: I Have a Billion Taoist Gods Within Me

Hearing Lü Ci's question so abruptly, even somewhat offensively, made him feel ashamed.

Lü Jian's face immediately darkened: "Aci! How dare you be so rude!"

Li Yuan, however, paid no attention. His gaze calmly fell upon Lü Ci, then swept over the gentle and refined Lü Ren, and he slowly said:

"Young Master Lü, you flatter me."

"The Way follows nature and resides in one's own mind. No one is born with knowledge of it; only those who diligently comprehend the Way and respond to the heavens and the earth can truly understand it."

"As for your brother's 'Ruyi Jin'..."

He paused slightly, his gaze lingering on Lü Ren for a moment.

Lu Ren immediately felt his aura ripple slightly again.

It was as if that gentle yet profound gaze had lightly brushed over him, revealing the circulation path and characteristics of his "Ruyi Jin" (a type of internal energy cultivation technique)...

Even the deeper, more subtle aspects of the connection between thought and intention seem to be laid bare under the other person's single glance.

This made him even more horrified, but with the shock he had just experienced, he was able to remain calm on the surface, simply standing with his hands at his sides, waiting for comments.

Li Yuan withdrew his gaze and said calmly, "Young Master Lü Ren has a solid foundation and his strength is well-rounded, combining both hardness and softness. He has already grasped the true meaning of the word 'Ruyi'."

"What's even more remarkable is his peaceful state of mind, which allows his energy to flow freely without being bound by form. His future achievements are limitless."

At the same time, however, he was thinking:

"Lü Ren... truly deserves to be called a prodigy of the Lü family; his temperament and cultivation are both of the highest caliber."

"The Lü family's Ruyi Force is characterized by its adaptability between softness and hardness, emphasizing the control of the mind, which aligns well with the resilient inner strength beneath its gentle exterior."

"pity..."

Thinking of this, a vision of the future flashed through Li Yuan's mind mirror.

In the impending catastrophe that would determine the survival of China, in order to deal with the threat of the Japanese pirates and other supernatural forces known as "Hihoyama".

The Shangqing Sect, the three Putuo Temples, and Longhu Mountain once joined forces with four major families to ambush and kill their leader.

Lü Ren then became involved.

Although the ambush ultimately failed to achieve its goal and even came at a heavy cost.

But Lü Ren risked his life to capture the true face of the ninja head using special methods.

This provided crucial intelligence for the Tang Clan's later shocking "hunt".

Lu Ren himself perished in that fierce battle, struck by the demonic sword "Hiruma" of the Japanese pirate Eita Nikaido.

The death of Lü Ren was an unbearable blow to the Lü family.

Not only did it lose its most outstanding heir.

Furthermore, he subsequently participated in several fierce battles, including the "Sky-Piercing Hole," in order to seek revenge.

Many members of the Lü family died or were wounded in these fierce battles, which severely damaged the family's vitality and showed signs of decline.

It was this heavy blow and the family crisis that ultimately forced the young Lü Ci, who was still sharp and outspoken and always had his older brother to support him, to transform rapidly.

He shouldered the burden of his family with ruthless and even obsessive methods, eventually becoming the "mad dog" that would strike fear into the hearts of the supernatural world.

"The Lü family will indeed contribute greatly and suffer heavy losses in future battles."

"If Lü Ren were here, he could stabilize the Lü family and prevent Lü Ci from going down an overly extreme path in the future."

His death is a loss for the Lü family and for the overall situation.

Li Yuan's gaze swept almost imperceptibly across Lü Ren's young and promising face.

"A single meeting today has forged a positive connection."

"If that ambush is unavoidable in the future, perhaps we can take advantage of today to offer a subtle reminder or secretly assist them, so that they can avoid certain death."

"So that this sharpest sword of the Lü family can play a greater role in the war against foreign aggression, rather than being broken prematurely."

As his thoughts raced, Li Yuan's gaze returned to Lü Ci, and he continued:

"As for Young Master Lü Ci..." He looked at Lü Ci, whose eyes were burning and whose sharpness was fully revealed.

"Your heart is simple and upright, your sharpness is outward, your spirituality is active, and you are unconventional. On the path of cultivation, the key lies in 'sincerity' and 'focus'."

"If you can treat yourself and others with sincerity, hone your skills with focus, and transform your sharpness into insight, your future will be bright."

His words directly pointed out the essence of Lü Ren's cultivation and gave him high praise.

The text points out Lü Ci's personality traits and provides him with guidance on his cultivation.

All of them were insightful and to the point, moving the three members of the Lü family at the same time.

Lü Jian secretly praised him, thinking that this Daoist Li Yuan was indeed insightful!

His assessment of his eldest son was incredibly accurate, and his advice to his youngest son was even more insightful, hitting the nail on the head regarding his character.

Lu Ren was shocked; the other party had seen through his cultivation secrets so clearly with just one glance.

Such keen eyesight is truly terrifying and admirable.

Lü Ci blinked and muttered:

"Sincerity? Focus? Sharpen your skills?"

Li Yuan took in the reactions of the three people and understood what was going on.

Today's encounter has left a deep impression on the Lü brothers.

This "chess piece" will determine the future of the Lü family and even play a crucial role in the future war against foreign aggression...

Its landing point and trajectory have become clearer and more controllable in his strategic planning.

Inside the waterside pavilion, the atmosphere became even more subtle and rich with the arrival of the Lü family father and son.

Wang Wang and Lü Jian, the two family heads, exchanged pleasantries in hushed tones, exchanging their views on the current situation in the world of supernatural beings.

Lu Renqian spoke amiably with Li Yuan, Bai Ling, and Guan Xiugu, his words were appropriate, and his insight was also remarkable.

Lü Ci mostly listened, occasionally interjecting with direct questions, his gaze lingering on Li Yuan, Wang Ai, and Guan Shihua.

Li Yuan sat calmly in the center, dealing with all parties with ease.

He was like a transcendent hub, connecting these forces in the waterside pavilion—forces that would one day stir up waves in the world of supernatural beings—in a subtle and peaceful way.

This situation did not last long.

Along the winding corridor, footsteps, conversations, and even various kinds of sounds—some deep, some clear, some ethereal—began to arrive one after another.

"The Zhuge family of Wuhou, patriarch Zhuge Yunting has arrived—"

The Lu family steward's loud greetings drifted from afar, breaking the tranquility around the waterside pavilion.

Before the words were finished, a middle-aged man dressed in a moon-white wide-sleeved long gown arrived gracefully.

The man had a lean face, three long wisps of beard, and gentle eyes. His gait subtly conformed to the principles of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.

He is Zhuge Yunting, the current head of the Zhuge family, who inherited the mantle from one of the greatest extraordinary figures in history—the Han Dynasty chancellor Zhuge Liang.

He stepped onto the platform, glanced around, first nodding slightly to Wang Wang and Lü Jian, then his gaze fixed firmly on Li Yuan in the center of the waterside pavilion.

His gaze did not hold the same inquisitive look of surprise or awe as others.

Rather, it is a kind of "examination" and "deduction" based on profound understanding of the principles of Yi Jing and the wisdom passed down through family tradition.

However, in just a moment, the usual calm and confident look in his eyes was replaced by an undisguised shock and confusion.

This was solely due to his "qi-observation" technique.

Li Yuan's existence is like a chaotic, undifferentiated "Qi," or a "bright mirror" reflecting all things.

Its Qi flows smoothly and flawlessly, in harmony with heaven and earth, and is unfathomable.

There is also a subtle sense of "freedom" and "perfection" that transcends the scope of ordinary fortune-telling.

He tried to sense the divination using his family's secret technique, "Wuhou Qimen Technique," but found the divination results to be confusing, like looking at flowers through fog, as if the very existence of the other party had disturbed the established causal trajectory.

This reminded him of the vague records in his family's secret texts about certain enlightened immortals who "transcended the Three Realms and were not within the Five Elements."

Zhuge Yunting subconsciously took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, stepped forward a few paces, and solemnly bowed to Li Yuan:

"Zhuge Yunting, a junior scholar from Wolonggang, pays respects to Daoist Liyuan."

"I have long heard of the Daoist Master's profound Daoist attainments, and only today, having met him in person, do I realize that even the rumors could not fully capture even a fraction of his true nature."

"The Daoist's aura was perfectly unified, almost a manifestation of the very origin of the Dao, which was truly captivating."

Li Yuan rose to return the greeting, his tone calm: "Mr. Zhuge, you flatter me."

"The legacy of Zhuge Liang has endured for a thousand years. The gentleman comes from a family with profound learning and possesses great wisdom. I have often heard of his name."

Zhuge Yunting repeatedly said he dared not, but in his heart he was even more impressed by Li Yuan's humility and his profound demeanor that seemed to encompass everything.

He considered himself to have seen many top figures in the world of supernatural beings, but someone as young as Li Yuan, whose Daoist aura was so lofty, was truly one of a kind.

Before we could say more, another greeting rang out:

"The Quanzhen Wu-Liu School, Master Yunshu has arrived—"

An old Taoist priest, dressed in a blue robe and with a serene and ancient face, slowly approached.

His steps were steady, and his body was surrounded by a pure aura, clearly indicating that his internal alchemy skills had reached an extremely high level.

He was none other than Yun Shu Zhenren, a high-ranking master of the Wu Liu School from the Quanzhen Longmen School.

His gaze swept across the waterside pavilion, finally settling on Li Yuan. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, which then transformed into a solemn expression of camaraderie.

The Quanzhen Wu-Liu School of cultivation also places great emphasis on cultivating one's mind and character and mastering the internal alchemy, making them particularly sensitive to the flow of Qi.

Li Yuan's natural, seemingly harmonious aura...

In the perception of this Master Yunshu of the Wu-Liu School.

It was like witnessing the supreme state described in alchemical texts as "the golden elixir is formed and the infant appears," or even surpassing it!

How could he not be alarmed?

Master Yunshu stepped forward and offered a Taoist salute: "May the Heavenly Venerable bestow boundless blessings upon you."

"This humble Taoist, Wu Liupai Yunshu, greets Fellow Taoist Liyuan."

"Fellow Daoist, your Daoist Qi is abundant and your spiritual light is perfect. You have attained the ultimate state of cultivating both nature and life in Quanzhen Daoism. I admire you greatly."

He addressed me directly as "fellow Daoist".

This clearly shows that Li Yuan's cultivation level is on par with his own and even his seniors in the sect.

Li Yuan returned the greeting: "True Master Yun Shu is too kind."

"The Five Streams of Quanzhen Daoist alchemy are profound and extensive, and I, too, yearn for them."

Not long after that.

"Master Chonghe, steward of Zixiao Palace at Wudang Mountain, has arrived—"

A middle-aged Taoist priest, dressed in a black Taoist robe, with a calm and dignified demeanor yet concealing a sharp edge, entered.

It was none other than the Wudang master, Daoist Chonghe.

His gaze was sharp and deep. He first greeted Wang Wang, Lü Jian, Zhuge Yunting, Yunshu Zhenren, and others one by one. When he looked at Li Yuan, his eyes were particularly complicated.

The sect leader spent seven days discussing the Dao with this naturally gifted Daoist last month, and his comment of "another world" after returning to the mountain has already spread among the Wudang elites.

As a trusted confidant of the sect leader, Chonghe naturally knew this.

Seeing this young Daoist who was so highly praised by the sect leader, he subconsciously used the "listening energy" skill passed down from Wudang to try to sense him.

However, his "listening skills" were completely ineffective.

Li Yuan's aura was perfectly harmonious and flawless, and there was a subtle, natural flow of "momentum" as vast as the starry sky and as heavy as the earth.

This made it impossible for him to "hear" anything clearly, and instead, his own mind wavered slightly.

Master Chonghe was shocked and quickly stopped his practice. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully, his tone filled with heartfelt admiration.

"Wudang Chonghe pays respects to Daoist Liyuan."

"The Master often thinks of Daozi's demeanor, and now that I have seen him, I know that what the Master said is true."

"The Way of the Master is indeed beyond our comprehension."

Li Yuan returned the greeting: "You're too kind, Daoist Chonghe."

"The Wudang Zhenwu Xuan Gong is a precious treasure of Taoism, which I greatly admire."

"The High Priest Mingzhen of the Maoshan Shangqing Sect, who has been ordained, has arrived—"

Another Taoist priest, dressed in a Taoist robe, with a slightly dark complexion and sharp, piercing eyes, strode in.

Maoshan is known for its talismans and thunder magic. This Taoist priest, Mingzhen, was surrounded by a hidden aura of thunder and fire, and his movements exuded an aura of authority to ward off evil and drive away malevolent forces.

His gaze was sharp, first sweeping over everyone present, and when it finally landed on Li Yuan, his pupils contracted slightly.

He was highly skilled in thunder magic and was most sensitive to the energy of the world, whether it was extremely yang and strong or pure and lofty.

The seemingly gentle and peaceful aura emanating from Li Yuan, in his perception, seemed to contain a vast and boundless pure and holy Daoist charm.

It even faintly resembled the aura of certain supreme beings that he tried to communicate with during his daily rituals, yet it was more natural and perfect, like the Tao itself!

This gave him a great shock.

Master Mingzhen restrained his usual sharpness, stepped forward, bowed, and spoke in a loud voice:

"Mingzhen, a disciple of Shangqing, greets Daoist Liyuan."

"The Daoist's aura is pure, holy, and vast, almost innate, making this humble Daoist feel as if he were witnessing the legacy of the patriarch, and I feel awe and reverence."

His words were straightforward, yet sincere.

Li Yuan also bowed in return, saying, "Master Mingzhen, you flatter me."

"Maoshan talismans can communicate with heaven and earth and command ghosts and gods. They are a wonderful method for the Taoist sect to help the world and benefit all living beings. I have always respected them."

In a very short period of time.

The Zhuge family head, a high-ranking master of Quanzhen, a steward of Wudang, and a high-ranking master of Maoshan arrived one after another.

Without exception, they all placed Li Yuan in a very high position and treated him with utmost respect.

This made Wang Wang, Lü Jian, and others in the waterside pavilion even more emotional, giving them a more direct understanding of Li Yuan's status and influence.

Bai Ling maintained her detached and aloof demeanor, but her eyes held a deeper sense of amusement.

The younger generation, such as Lü Ren, Lü Ci, Wang Ai, and Guan Shihua, were shocked by the successive appearances of these important figures and their attitudes toward Li Yuan.

Especially Lu Ci and Wang Ai, their gazes toward Li Yuan had changed from curiosity to a complex mix of admiration and disbelief.

At Chengxin Water Pavilion, at this moment, it truly is a place where "learned scholars gather and no uncultured person comes and goes."

Representatives of the top forces in the world of supernatural beings gathered here.

Li Yuan, the youngest figure, has unwittingly become the core of this place.

Just as the atmosphere reached a delicate balance, with everyone exchanging pleasantries and subtly forming a small circle centered around Li Yuan.

From the direction of the Lu residence, the loud chanting suddenly paused for a moment.

Immediately afterwards, a noticeably louder and more solemn voice pierced through the layers of noise and came clearly:

"The Celestial Master of Zhengyi Mountain, accompanied by his disciple Zhang Zhiwei, has arrived at—"