Cultivation is just so scientific!

Chapter 575: Chapter 334: Influence

Li Shiming had no idea what had transpired at Qianye Temple after the rocket explosion; he was unable to discern the situation at the scene.

However, the strategic plan was executed perfectly, and his lifebound treasure, the IBMz15, had already simulated the outcome.

Yet, he never imagined the actual results would exceed his expectations and the simulations of his lifebound treasure, IBMz15.

The flawless Buddha Flower Formation at Qianye Temple lost a corner.

That corner was first breached by three ‘Thunder Cloud Skill’ attacks, and then set ablaze by thermite.

Venerable Huijing acted to extinguish the fire, but under the eruption of his inner demon, the damage intensified, completely destroying that corner’s structures. Even the survival of the monks there was sparse.

Compared to the inner demon that provoked Venerable Huijing, the damage Li Shiming caused was negligible.

Li Shiming probably didn’t expect that a rocket, not particularly valuable, could injure a Venerable.

Venerables are considered the equivalent of Nascent Soul Ancestors among Buddhist Practitioners, to directly harm such beings, one must be of the same realm, a Nascent Soul Ancestor.

Given the methods of resolving disputes between Nascent Soul Ancestors, it’s nearly impossible for such a figure to sustain injuries.

The injury sustained by Venerable Huijing was particularly troublesome—his inner demon.

Although Venerable Huijing’s inner demon was suppressed by four Arhats skilled in Buddhist doctrine, this was merely suppression. If inner demons were so easily eradicated, cultivators wouldn’t fear them so profoundly.

It can be said that for a considerable time to come, Venerable Huijing won’t be able to take action. He must enter seclusion immediately — and not just any seclusion, but one that involves these four specific Arhats.

This period could last years, decades, or even centuries; inner demons are intangible and once formed, they are difficult to dispel.

If a resonation with the Heavenly Demon occurs at the moment the inner demon arises, allowing the Heavenly Demon to invade the spirit, then the trouble would multiply manyfold.

The attack on Qianye Temple was an incident that could neither be concealed nor hidden.

The all-consuming firestorm of thermite and the terrifying thunderclouds from the ‘Thunder Cloud Skill’ were visible even hundreds of miles away.

Additionally, within all major sects, there are always some spies from other sects, perhaps not professional intelligence agents, yet sources of leaked information.

Shortly after Qianye Temple was attacked, the other five major sects were aware of the incident, followed by some major forces.

In the days that followed, the news spread continuously. While not every cultivator was aware, those associated with medium-sized sects or larger were informed of the events that took place at Qianye Temple.

Of course, there were many versions of the rumor; some cultivators even claimed that a Nascent Soul Ancestor personally attacked Qianye Temple.

This argument was accepted as fact by many, as there were recent rumors of a Nascent Soul Ancestor from outside the continent appearing on the Beishu Continent. Combined with the attack on Qianye Temple, it’s no wonder cultivators would make such an inference.

However, the most accurate account was believed by few.

An odd man-made flying object, having flown from a great distance to Qianye Temple, breached the Sect Protection Array and transformed into seas of thunder and fire that attacked Qianye Temple.

Any cultivator with a functioning brain would burst into laughter after hearing this rumor and accuse the storyteller of joking, as this simply couldn’t happen.

Yet, those in power within the six major sects knew this rumor was true, and according to investigations over several days, they also discovered the origin of the rocket.

The rocket had flown out of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, breaking through both Righteous and Demonic formations, covering hundreds of thousands of miles in its long-range attack on Qianye Temple.

The incident involving Li Yuanba at Qianye Temple a few months earlier was also no secret among the six major sects. On behalf of Li Yuanba, Ancestor Lu had even clashed with Venerable Huijing.

Initially, nobody suspected Li Yuanba, but as the investigation deepened, someone discovered that on the day the rocket appeared, Li Yuanba had left Jieshan Town alone.

There are many cultivators in the Ten Thousand Great Mountains who hold grudges against Qianye Temple, but few have the capability to launch such an assault.

Though theoretically, Li Yuanba did not possess such capabilities, who would suspect otherwise when Li Yuanba could access formations on both the Righteous and Demonic sides, and he also demonstrated a decent level of mastery over formations?

He became one of the suspects, and if not for Ancestor Lu’s presence in the Senluo Sect, he might have already been summoned by his sect for questioning.

The questioning within Senluo Sect isn’t ordinary; the Sect uses its great formation to invoke a sliver of Heavenly Demon Power for an Inquiry, and before it, one cannot lie.

However, the stronger the person, the greater the risk when invoking Heavenly Demon Power. If Li Yuanba were a Golden Core cultivator with little to no backing, he might have already undergone the Heavenly Demon Inquiry.

Nevertheless, during this recent period, whether it’s the three Golden Core Elders at the Jieshan Mountain Pass from Senluo Sect, or the three Golden Core Elders from the Righteous Path, their gaze towards Li Yuanba has shifted.

Therein lies deep fear, and those who are on better terms with Li Yuanba are more inclined to believe that he is involved in this incident.

The instincts of cultivators are extremely accurate; if not for their relationship with Li Yuanba tied by mutual benefits, the six Golden Core Elders might have already reported their suspicions.

The reason they have not done so is because Li Yuanba has offered too much; through his connections, they have been able to request Li Shiming, Master Li, to personally conduct alchemy.

Not just the Golden Core Elders of Senluo Sect, but even those from the Righteous Path whose origins lie in the Shushan Sect, cannot easily request Master Li’s services for alchemy. Within the Shushan Sect, only the Golden Core cultivators from Elder Su’s lineage are afforded such treatment.