Chapter 401 - New Son-In-Law
After they came to a decision, the elders told the disciples to greet Li Qiye.
The shrimp demon cringed a bit after hearing the orders from the top. This was actually happening, and this person was the legitimate fiance of the princess. He was glad that he did not snub Li Qiye.
“Honoured Guests, please follow me.” The shrimp demon turned very polite without the slightest of delays.
Li Qiye and Lu Baiqiu rode in the shrimp demon’s small boat as they entered the Thousand Carp Lake with the feeling as if they were entering a vast ocean.
Eventually, the shrimp demon took the two of them onto an island atop the lake. It was an island meant for receiving guests, and the person who greeted the two of them could be considered an old acquaintance — Protector Xiao.
“My apologies for not being able to greet you earlier, welcome to our Thousand Carp River, Young Noble Li.” Protector Xiao exchanged greetings with a relatively welcoming smile.
It was not easy for him to put on such a welcoming smile. In fact, Protector Xiao was still very annoyed at Li Qiye because ultimately, Li Qiye was too arrogant, bringing about the protector’s dislike. Not to mention, as Lan Yunzhu’s fiance, not many people in the river sect had an amiable feeling towards him. This was blatantly digging from their house corners, so how could anyone be happy? 1
Nevertheless, the sect master, Daoist Bao Gui, ordered for Li Qiye to be treated like an honored guest, so Protector Xiao had to obey his command.
Protector Xiao took the two to the highest location on the island where a special mansion meant for entertaining honored guests was located and settled them in.
“If Young Noble Li needs anything else, you can tell the servants.” Protector Xiao said: “You are an esteemed guest of our Thousand Carp River. Outside of a few special places, you can go around and look where you please.”
Although Protector Xiao didn’t like Li Qiye, he still managed to hide his temper. As a disciple of an emperor’s lineage, he truly did have a certain level of tolerance.
“Then I thank you for your sect’s hospitality.” Li Qiye smiled and asked: “Regarding the matter of marriage, what is your sect’s decision?”
This was the thing Protector Xiao didn’t want to talk about the most. This issue was still being debated amongst the upper echelons. Of course, the majority of elders opposed this marriage while a smaller number adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
The sect master held the same view regarding this marriage, so it was impossible to make a decision immediately.
Of course, Protector Xiao was one of those who opposed this marriage. How could an unknown junior and an outsider like Li Qiye be worthy of their descendant, Lan Yunzhu?
In response to this, Protector Xiao answered with a question: “What is Young Noble Li’s decision about this? If you can end this marriage arrangement, then it is a good thing for both sides.”
“Well.” Li Qiye cheerfully smiled and said: “The decision is not up to me, but up to you guys. To be more exact, it is up to your little girl. If you want me to make a decision, then let her come and see me in person.”
“You—” Protector Xiao was very displeased at this attitude. Very few people dared to act so arrogantly in front of their Thousand Carp River, but this junior didn’t show any restraint time and time again. If it wasn’t for the sect master’s order, he would immediately teach this junior a lesson about the immensity of the heaven and earth.
“Let the girl come and see me, there is no need for a bunch of old men to interfere in the girl’s business. As for how to deal with this matter, it is up to the two of us.” Li Qiye gently spoke then motioned with his sleeve.
Protector Xiao was unhappy and snorted before leaving with a swing of his sleeves. What could he do outside of leaving in exasperation since he didn’t want to violate the sect master’s order?
After he left, Lu Baiqiu couldn’t help but say in a low voice: “Young Noble, this is the Thousand Carp River’s territory. Since you didn’t give them any face like this, what if they change their attitude completely?”
Lu Baiqiu inadvertently also changed the way she addressed Li Qiye at this moment. The Static Stream Royal Lord and Protector Xiao both called Li Qiye “Young Noble,” so Lu Baiqiu also adopted this honorific.
“Change their attitude?” Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and gently smiled: “I’m not afraid that they will become more aggressive; on the contrary, I’m afraid that they won’t. If they do so, then I will have a reason to take away a few items. But if they don’t, then I can’t forcefully take some stuff out of consideration for Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s face.”
Lu Baiqiu was suddenly speechless after hearing such words. She knew that Li Qiye was very overbearing, but she didn’t expect it to reach this level. Out of consideration for Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s face… These words were too nonsensical.
Immortal Emperor Qian Li was, of course, an invincible existence, yet Li Qiye nonchalantly made it sound as if they were acquaintances.
Of course, it was an impossibility in Lu Baiqiu’s opinion. How could someone of Li Qiye’s age be related to Immortal Emperor Qian Li?
“Could it be that Young Noble is not here because of the marriage?” Lu Baiqiu just had to ask to dispel her uncertainty.
“Perhaps.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “Taking care of this marriage arrangement is only out of convenience since I’m already here. How could the matter of this marriage warrant my personal arrival?”
Lu Baiqiu couldn’t help but wryly smile. With unparalleled talents and kingdom-toppling beauty, Lan Yunzhu was a renowned heaven’s proud daughter in the Distant Cloud. Countless people could not reach for her, including descendants from emperor’s lineages. But now, Li Qiye spoke as if she was the one who wanted him.
Lu Baiqiu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry; she didn’t know whether he was only arrogant or mad. Nevertheless, she felt as if he still had a sliver of rationality, but the crux of the issue was that this matter, to him, was essentially trivial.
“Young Noble, this is the Thousand Carp River… If… if you want to take away a few items, I’m afraid this might be a bit inappropriate.” Lu Baiqiu had to whisper since she was afraid others would hear such words. 2
Taking items from the river sect’s ancestral ground was a thing that had never happened before. Not to mention, judging by Li Qiye’s tone, the items that he wanted were not ordinary. Having thought of such things, Lu Baiqiu became quite anxious about this foreboding event that could pierce the sky.
“Nothing is inappropriate about this. There are many things that did not initially belong to them.” Li Qiye nonchalantly smiled and said.
To be more exact, there were items in the sect that belonged to Li Qiye. This time, he came by chance to see if the river sect was worthy of having such items; otherwise, he would take away these items from the past, these supreme immortal items…
Lu Baiqiu gently sighed in her heart and didn’t say anything else. She knew very clearly that she didn’t have enough face to convince Li Qiye otherwise. At this moment, she could only hope that Li Qiye would not escalate this matter to an irreconcilable state.
On the second day of their stay at the Thousand Carp Lake, Li Qiye brought Lu Baiqiu out for a stroll. Although some disciples wanted to be their guide, Li Qiye chose to deny this request.
The truth was that the sect’s disciples were not as familiar with this lake as Li Qiye. At the inception of this location, Li Qiye spent a lot of effort so he knew more about the secrets of this lake than the disciples; even the elders of the Thousand Carp River were no exceptions.
The items and secrets hidden in this lake were clearly known by Li Qiye.
The lake had numerous islands. Some were continuous with interlinked sections while others were completely separated by the lake. Nevertheless, many of them were connected via divine bridges that towered over the sky all the way into the clouds. It was indeed a spectacular scene.
Li Qiye became immersed in memories as he took a deep breath while basking in the familiar and misty worldly energy that emanated from the lake. He once left an indelible footprint upon this place, the Thousand Carp Lake.
Once upon a time, it was only a plain lake that did not garner any attention. But later on, he struggled to excavate the secrets of this place and then Immortal Emperor Qian Li created the sect here to start their emperor’s lineage.
Unlike Li Qiye, this was Lu Baiqiu’s first time visiting the Thousand Carp Lake. She was struck with astonishment by many spectacles at the lake. This was indeed a land of immortals, a sacred place worth yearning for, a paradise for cultivators.
The two of them encountered many disciples along the way and were met by a lot of whispers. Fingers were even pointed at them. There were also some disciples who carried a deep sense of hostility towards Li Qiye.
There were no walls in this world that were completely impervious to the wind. The news of Li Qiye being Lan Yunzhu’s fiance had already secretly spread to the rest of the river sect, causing quite a commotion.
Chapter 402 - Yan Long
The older generation of the river sect only smiled while one of them shook their head: “How could a nobody be a match for our Thousand Carp River’s descendant? Not even descendants from emperor’s lineages have such qualifications.”
The young disciples were also incensed, especially the young males who carried extreme hostility towards Li Qiye.
This matter should come as no surprise. Lan Yunzhu was the perfect girl in both talents and looks, thus she was the goddess and lover in the dreams of these young men. How could they not become outraged when their goddess suddenly gained a fiance out of nowhere?
“Isn’t that Sister Zhu’s fiance? I heard he came this time around to marry her.” A young female disciple whispered to her brothers and sisters next to her.
“Sister Zhu’s fiance?” There were also some students who were immediately shocked after hearing this as they responded: “Since when did Sister Zhu have a fiance? Before this, the Saint Child of the Titanic Crescent Sacred Ground came to propose, but he was denied by the group of elders, so how could there be a fiance now?” 1
“I heard this marriage was arranged by Sister Zhu’s family!” Another young male disciple said: “This brat crawled out of nowhere and suddenly became Sister Zhu’s fiance.”
“Don’t worry, a marriage arrangement like this will not work out; the elders will not let such a thing come to fruition!” A knowledgeable older disciple calmly spoke as if a character like Li Qiye was not worthy of entering their inner circle.
“Of course! This brat must be daydreaming if he wants to marry our Sister Zhu!” A male disciple sneered: “Why not look in the mirror first? It’s only a marriage arrangement from the mortal world, yet he still dares to show his face at our Thousand Carp River. Hmph, does he not know what kind of place this is? Even an imperial descendant is not worthy of our sister, let alone a nobody like him!”
In just a brief moment, many disciples whispered and discussed this matter. They were quite antagonistic towards Li Qiye’s arrival. Nevertheless, the disciples here didn’t make it difficult for Li Qiye, but they indeed carried unfriendly expressions for Li Qiye to look at.
Li Qiye didn’t mind such trivial things and kept on following his whim to bring Lu Baiqiu around the islands on the Thousand Carp Lake.
Lu Baiqiu had to wryly smile after seeing Li Qiye’s good mood. She felt inadequate compared to Li Qiye since he was able to leisurely stroll around despite being in the enemy’s camp. It was as if the lake was his own house. Despite the disciples not giving him any amiable expressions, he ignored these disciples and their whisperings.
Inadvertently, the two of them went to a particular island with a huge statue standing tall in the center. This extremely large statue only consisted of the shadow of a back.
However, this alone was enough to shake spectators. The person who left behind his back seemed to have come from the great ocean as his head entered the primordial chaos, leaving behind an endless blue ocean.
Even the silhouette of this back was not very clear. More than half of the figure had entered the primordial chaos, so one could only see a faint profile. Nevertheless, it was still an awe-inspiring scene as this ethereal back proudly stood above the nine heavens and ten earths. It was as if everything had to stop at this place, and even the gods and devils could only gaze at this faint back, not daring to take a step further.
Li Qiye was lost in a daze for a long time after seeing this statue that only consisted of a faint silhouette.
Lu Baiqiu was also stunned from astonishment by the aura exuded from this silhouette. Standing before the statue was like seeing the back of an Immortal Emperor in person. It seemed that the emperor was walking on a solitary path forward and eventually entered the endless primordial chaos.
“Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s silhouette!” Lu Baiqiu couldn’t help but murmur while staring at this statue.
Immortal Emperor Qian Li was too mysterious. Some even considered this emperor as the most mystical out of them all. No one even knew whether the emperor was a man or a woman, let alone their background and master.
So the world kept on guessing about the emperor’s mysteries with many speculations that ended without any result. In fact, even the disciples of the emperor did not know whether their master was a man or a woman. To sum it up, everything about the emperor was shrouded in a thick layer of fog, blocking out the gazes from the rest of the world.
There was even a rumor stating that during the emperor’s generation, no one had ever seen the emperor’s true appearance, not even the emperor’s own disciples. Thus, there was no frontal image of the emperor even within the Thousand Carp River, only side profiles.
The only thing future generations knew was that the emperor was a demon, but their true form remained unknown. However, a few people guessed that Immortal Emperor Qian Li was a demon carp, but this conjecture could not be proven.
Li Qiye softly sighed while gazing at this statue before him. The past had disappeared inside the mist, and future generations could no longer find it again.
“I feel that Immortal Emperor Qian Li was very lonely!” Seeing the figure entering the primordial chaos, a lonely sensation suddenly rose in Lu Baiqiu’s heart. It was as if when Immortal Emperor Qian Li entered this primordial space, the prosperity and prestige of the world along with an Immortal Emperor’s glory no longer had anything to do with them. They only left behind a lonely figure.
“The path of the grand dao is solitary.” Li Qiye sighed softly and said: “The 3,000 dao are very long, so as one walks on a path, many things will slowly disappear. Even those who could walk with you towards the apex will eventually leave one day. Walking on the path of the grand dao alone might not necessarily be a bad thing since the day will be inevitable. This way, they can at least enter this endless primordial chaos without any hesitation.”
Lu Baiqiu was taken aback after listening to Li Qiye’s emotional words. It was as if Li Qiye, at this moment, had changed and became quite melancholic and lonely, entering a profound state that was unreachable by others.
“A brat whose mother’s milk has yet to dry, what do you know about the loneliness of the grand dao!” At this time, an encroaching voice appeared as a young man walked towards them along with many Thousand Carp disciples right behind him.
Before the youth even got close, a pressing hot aura approached. His aura seemed to be able to burn all things, and even the disciples right behind him didn’t dare to get close.
This was a young man covered in flames that had intertwining universal laws surrounding him as if they wanted to turn into dao scriptures. The blood energy from his body also appeared to be boiling due to this fire. His approach made people feel that their mouth was drying with a burning sensation.
No one wanted to come close to such a dangerous person.
The young man was very handsome. If it wasn’t for his hair taking the appearance of little crimson snakes, others would actually think that he was the son of a Fire God.
The moment this young man came close, he looked down at Li Qiye. In fact, his arrival had already attracted the attention of many disciples.
“It’s the senior brother of the Thousand Carp River, Yan Long!” Lu Baiqiu whispered to Li Qiye with a shocked expression after seeing this young man. 2
Yan Long was the prime disciple of the Thousand Carp River’s younger generation. Many disciples once thought that if Lan Yunzhu didn’t join the sect, maybe Yan Long would have been the current descendant.
Although Yan Long referred to himself as a descendant of a Fire Dragon, his ancestor was only a demonic Fire Serpent that had an extremely strong affinity for fire. His talents were exceedingly high and he was greatly valued by the elders of the sect. He himself was the disciple of an elder.
“Senior Brother is here!” Many disciples quickly stopped to watch in anticipation once they saw Yan Long suddenly appear and approach Li Qiye’s location.
Such a thing was not surprising to many disciples because the one who would oppose Lan Yunzhu having a fiance the most was Yan Long.
Despite the fact that Lan Yunzhu took his position as the descendant, Yan Long was not unhappy. The reason was very simple — Yan Long also liked Lan Yunzhu. The inner circle of the sect itself valued both of them together quite a bit.
Lan Yunzhu was the river sect’s descendant, so naturally, the elders didn’t want her to marry an outside. Thus, there was once a high elder trying to match them together. The upper echelons were happy at the prospect of them becoming dao companions for this was not a bad choice at all!
However, Lan Yunzhu was not interested in this arrangement made by the high elder. Nevertheless, Yan Long still held onto this hope because even descendants from the other emperor’s lineages could not move Lan Yunzhu. This meant that he, as the senior brother of the sect, still had some hope, especially with the support from the elders.
Chapter 403 - The Fiancee, Lan Yunzhu
Yan Long was very hopeful about this situation and had always thought that he was the most suitable dao companion for Lan Yunzhu. But now, Lan Yunzhu’s fiance suddenly appeared so how could this not be a huge blow to him? He even had the urge to kill Li Qiye.
Others could still stay calm with Li Qiye’s arrival, but Yan Long lost all of his patience and came to find him. He wished to teach Li Qiye a lesson so that he would know better and quit.
Yan Long looked at Li Qiye in disdain. In his eyes, Li Qiye’s appearance was ordinary, and his cultivation was shallow — far from the apex. He contemptuously sneered — how could a common mortal like this be worthy of their sister? Truly an idiot’s dream!
“So you are Li Qiye!” Yan Long snorted and said with an imperious tone as he glared at Li Qiye. As the senior brother of the Thousand Carp River who had always enjoyed the highest level of respect, an unknown nobody like Li Qiye was no different than a cockroach in his eyes.
To Yan Long, trampling an unknown cockroach like Li Qiye would be dirtying his shoes!
Li Qiye was too lazy to look at him or care for his words; he simply stood there to look at Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s statue.
“Brat, do you hear me?” Li Qiye ignoring him enraged Yan Long. In his opinion, even talking to a nobody like Li Qiye was already a great honor for the brat, yet this brat didn’t even bother to look at him — this was extremely humiliating.
“Where did this fly come from. It keep buzzing around nonstop!” At this time, Li Qiye slowly spoke while gently swinging his sleeve as if he wanted to chase this annoying fly away.
Lu Baiqiu could only lament her fate after hearing Li Qiye’s aggressive words. At this moment, it would be difficult to stop this conflict.
Many disciples from the river sect looked at each other in anger. Li Qiye’s bold tone was extremely disrespectful to their river sect. Some who viewed Yan Long as their love rival chose to watch by the side.
“Ignorant fool!” Yan Long suddenly became outraged as he glared and spewed out a wave of flames that resembled a fire dragon, roaring towards Li Qiye.
The moment Yan Long took action, Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and revealed a cold glint. Lu Baiqiu, who was right next to him, couldn’t help but become startled. She was not worried for Li Qiye since she already knew of his ferocity. Yan Long’s fierceness was not enough compared to Li Qiye!
“Pop!” Before the fire dragon could even come close to Li Qiye, it was already destroyed by a flick of a finger. Yan Long had been angered, but after seeing the person who dispelled his fire dragon, all of his anger suddenly vanished.
A girl wearing a blue dress suddenly appeared right next to Li Qiye. She then silently stood beside him with a transcendent air. The girl had a pair of spirited eyes that could bewilder spectators with their pure aura. Although her features shamed the moon and flowers, more people would pay attention to her wonderful temperament.
“Sister!” Yan Long’s anger dissipated after seeing this lady dressed in blue. He immediately put on his gallant posture and revealed a smile that could swoon countless young girls.
“Sister Lan!” Seeing this lady in blue, many Thousand Carp disciples excitedly called out. The male disciples stared in obsession after seeing this charming, beautiful woman.
“Descendant of the Thousand Carp River, Fairy Zhu!” Lu Baiqiu’s expression changed after seeing this woman before her, feeling a sense of inferiority. Lan Yunzhu was indeed worthy of being the descendant of the river sect, a heaven’s proud daughter of the Distant Cloud, and a famed beauty in the entire region.
Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile after seeing the lady in blue beside him. He was too familiar with this girl since it was the person who he referred to as a faded old woman.
“Sister has finally broken through the trial!” Yan Long happily exclaimed: “Congratulations, I knew that this little trial was nothing to you.”
Lan Yunzhu gently nodded her head and greeted: “Thank you for your concern, but I wonder why you suddenly wanted to attack him?”
“Sister, this brat does not know the immensity of the heaven and earth and considered himself your fiance. I want to teach this brat a lesson in your stead about a frog wanting to eat a swan’s meat!” Yan Long hurriedly replied.
Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile, then he looked at Lan Yunzhu and said: “Faded Old Woman, if your senior brother wants to teach me a lesson, do you think it would be better if I fight back, or if you should do it?”
Lan Yunzhu gritted her teeth after hearing these words; she couldn’t help but glare at Li Qiye. As for Yan Long, his anger had already reached the sky.
“Thing that doesn’t know life from death, you dare to insult my sister!?” Yan Long’s flame suddenly soared forward. It was as if he had turned into a Fire Dragon and unleashed a move that covered the sky in flames wanting to incinerate Li Qiye.
“Pop!” Lan Yunzhu gently stopped Yan Long again before he could harm Li Qiye. Although she was quite angry at him, she was also someone who knew when to move forward and when to retreat. Although their senior brother was powerful, but not to mention an Ancient Saint like him, even a Heavenly Sovereign would not be able to handle Li Qiye.
Six palaces and nine stars — this was absolutely an existence worthy of fear. Heavenly Sovereigns would turn pale when faced with such a heaven-defying existence.
“Sister—” Yan Long was surprised to see Lan Yunzhu blocking another attack. He suddenly felt jealous seeing Lan Yunzhu protect Li Qiye twice!
“Brother, this person is a guest. This is no way to treat our Thousand Carp River’s guest!” Lan Yunzhu dismissively said.
Yan Long stopped with with a hateful expression and said: “I’ll spare this brat today out of respect for Sister, but next time, I’ll show him who’s daddy!”
Li Qiye couldn’t be bothered to care for Yan Long and told Lan Yunzhu: “Very well, you guys can deal with your own sect stuff. Little Girl, come to my place later.” Having said that, he turned around and left.
Lu Baiqiu’s mouth was wide open as she stood there dumbfounded. This was the descendant of the Thousand Carp River; countless talents respected her like a goddess, but Li Qiye treated her like his own servant.
Li Qiye’s attitude exasperated Yan Long’s murderous fury while Lan Yunzhu couldn’t do anything about it. As for the disciples standing to the side, they could only glance at each other speechlessly.
Not long after he returned to his mansion, Lan Yunzhu came by. The moment she saw him, she angrily rolled her eyes at him and exclaimed: “You came here to stir trouble, right!?”
Li Qiye leisurely said: “So what if I am? If you guys didn’t come to provoke me, would I be running here to mess with you? To keep it simple, you guys brought this upon yourselves.”
“This is the Thousand Carp River! It’s not a place where you can come and go as you please. Hmph, if something happens, I want to see who will protect you!” Lan Yunzhu angrily scowled.
Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile and say: “Faded Old Woman, your words are mistaken. It is exactly because this is the Thousand Carp River that I can do as I please!”
“Please, Uncle, your tone is so grand. Do you really think that you are invincible in this world?” Lan Yunzhu goaded. Her teeth were itching from anger because of this brat, so she also thought about teaching him a lesson.
Li Qiye nonchalantly replied: “Not quite invincible in this world yet. However, if there is a place where I want to go, there really is no one in this river that can stop me. Not even those old ancestors buried beneath the earth can do so.”
Lan Yunzhu snorted in response. Although she was a bit annoyed by Li Qiye’s attitude, she had to admit that this brat indeed had the ability to act arrogantly. Six palaces and nine stars… Even a genius with dual Saint aptitudes like her felt inferior…
“You guys… know each other?” Lu Baiqiu finally had the opportunity to jump in. However, she felt that this question was a bit idiotic. They were engaged, so how could they not know each other?
But then again, she felt as if this was not correct either. Li Qiye never talked about Lan Yunzhu before. It was as if he didn’t know about her, so why were they acting so familiar now?
“Well…” Li Qiye looked at Lan Yunzhu and cheerfully smiled: “A certain person wanted to hide their identity and pretended to be an old housewife to cook for her fiance. So it turns out that it was to check my identity!”
“Please, Uncle, you think too highly of yourself!” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at Li Qiye and retorted: “Who would ever want a fiance like you? It was merely a whim in order to experience the tough life of a mortal!”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye looked at her and said: “Running to a random island in the Thousand Islands to experience the hardships of mortal life? Out of all the places, you chose mine. This is too much of a coincidence, yeah?”
“That is how I like it, don’t you worry about it!” Lan Yunzhu snappily exclaimed: “And the Thousand Islands is not your home. I can come as I please, so what are you going to do about it?”
Lu Baiqiu watched the two bicker and couldn’t help but chuckle. The two of them fighting seemed a bit like a young couple.
“Very well.” Li Qiye said with a wide smile: “All in all, you have spied on me. So what do you think about your fiance, and when are we going to get married?”
“Bah, a toad trying to eat a swan!” Lan Yunzhu’s face blushed as she angrily exclaimed.
Li Qiye looked at her and said: “Faded Old Woman, I do enjoy being a toad eating a swan. However, a swan in my eyes is at least at the True Immortal and Immortal Emperor level. You are still very far from being a swan!”
Chapter 404 - Flirting
“You—” Lan Yunzhu’s pretty eyes angrily stared at Li Qiye as she felt the urge to beat him up.
Li Qiye leisurely asked Lan Yunzhu with a smirk: “What do you want to do about this marriage arrangement? It seems that your Thousand Carp River is really eager to cancel it.”
“Oh? Uncle, an old lady like me is still not in a rush, so why are you in a hurry?” Lan Yunzhu said snappily.
Li Qiye then replied with a serious tone: “How could I not be in a hurry? A wife suddenly appearing out of nowhere — this is not a good thing for me. You need to compensate for my losses!”
“Brat, don’t act as if you didn’t gain something good from this!” Lan Yunzhu was shaking in anger and wished that she could strangle this annoying brat to death! She was the descendant of the river sect, a princess that ruled over millions of miles, someone with countless suitors. And now, this brat was acting as if she was an old, unmarriageable grandma, and that it was a big loss for him to marry her.
Countless geniuses wanted to earn her favor, yet this little devil dared to treat her like this. It was too frustrating!
Li Qiye leisurely replied: “Faded Old Woman, who said that I am just acting? I am already in a bind. Because of this marriage, your Thousand Carp River kept coming to my door to bother me. I am physically and mentally traumatized, so you need to do a good job to compensate for my suffering.”
Even Lu Baiqiu to the side was at a loss for words. Lan Yunzhu was indeed a great catch in the Distant Cloud region with her dual Saint talents. And it was not just limited to the Distant Cloud, the entire Sacred Nether World was filled with so many geniuses that wanted to marry her. To these geniuses, marrying her was a blessing accumulated from doing good deeds during their past three lives. However, in her opinion, Li Qiye was acting indignantly as if he was the victim of this marriage.
“Bah, so be it, there will be no marriage then. Who wanted to marry you anyway!” Lan Yunzhu exasperatedly said.
Li Qiye took out the jade pendant that belonged to Lan Yunzhu and swung it around while leisurely smiling: “Not marrying is not a problem. This is your promissory item for marriage. You can take it back, but the question is, what will you give in order to reclaim it?”
Lu Baiqiu didn’t know how to describe her feelings. Even descendants from emperor’s lineages wished to marry Lan Yunzhu, but not Li Qiye. Just what kind of person was he?
A peerless beauty from the Distant Cloud, the descendant of the Thousand Carp River, a genius with dual Saint talents — all of this seemed to be insufficient to Li Qiye as he paid them no mind.
The initially angry Lan Yunzhu suddenly shifted her eyes and changed her attitude. She revealed a charming smile like the blossoming of a hundred flowers. She became more at ease and spoke: “Uncle, do you really want to escape from me that quickly? Very well then, now I am in no hurry to cancel this marriage, so you can put away that promissory item!”
“Aizz, nothing I can do about it, it is a sin to be so handsome!” Li Qiye put away the jade pendant and cheerfully laughed: “It seems that my supreme romantic charm has completely got you head over heels for me, making you want to marry me no matter what!”
“Wow—” Lan Yunzhu acted as if she wanted to puke and glanced at him to say: “Don’t be so narcissistic.”
At this point, she put on Li Qiye’s style as she narrowed her eyes and revealed a slight smirk to say: “Uncle, wait until we are married. Then, I will take my time fixing you and beat you into a pig’s head every day. Trust me, I am very competent at being a bad wife.”
Lu Baiqiu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she witnessed the two of them like this. Who would have thought that Lan Yunzhu, the fairy in everyone’s eyes, would also have such a devilish side?
“Pop!” Li Qiye slapped her butt and conveniently caressed it as well. Lan Yunzhu jumped up from shock and angrily glared at him. Seeing Lu Baiqiu standing right there, she became even more embarrassed and shouted: “Brat, what are you doing?”
Li Qiye leisurely answered with a smile: “I can’t touch my wife’s butt? Since you want to marry me… As the husband, I’m just giving you some early love. There is nothing wrong with this!”
Lu Baiqiu immediately looked away and acted as if there was nothing to see. In the entire Sacred Nether World, maybe only Li Qiye would dare to flirt with Lan Yunzhu like this.
Lan Yunzhu was a proper girl. No one had ever dared to tease her let alone touch her butt, so she was suddenly embarrassed as her cheeks started to heat up. She was shaking with anger after being taken advantage of by Li Qiye!
“Little Girl, you alone want to discipline me? You are still too young. Maybe cooking and acting like a housewife is doable, but as for being a bad, controlling wife… I’m afraid it is not possible. There are no girls that can put me on a leash!” Li Qiye said with a smile.
Lan Yunzhu was angry to the point where she swung her palm around in the air and snappily exclaimed: “Little Devil, just wait and see. One day, I’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Little Girl, where are you going?” Li Qiye said with a wide smile as he watched her leave.
The now-far-away Lan Yunzhu dismissively replied: “Going to meet the elders. I have my own plans about my marriage and do not need interference from the sect.”
After she left, Lu Baiqiu whispered: “Young Noble, I think Fairy Zhu seems to like you, will you marry her?”
Li Qiye only gave Lu Baiqiu a look and gently shook his head with a smile without saying anything.
Not long after Lan Yunzhu left, an uninvited guest came to visit. But rather than a visit, it was more like a forceful break in.
This was an old man with white hair and a beard. His blood energy was quite plentiful as divine rings orbited around his body as if they were shouldering individual worlds. Each ring looked like a gigantic star while he appeared to be a giant. A suppressive aura that could render others breathless came along with his arrival.
There was a total of eighty-one rings around his body. This meant that he was an amazing Jewel Sovereign at grand accomplishment.
Despite the passing of the Difficult Dao Era, Heavenly Sovereigns were still a rare sight, let alone a powerful Jewel Sovereign. A grand accomplishment Jewel Sovereign was indeed someone worthy of awe and fear.
“You are Li Qiye?” This old man entered with an oppressive momentum. He didn’t even bother to look straight at Li Qiye; it was as if Li Qiye was only an insignificant insect.
“Where did this little buzzing fly come from?” Li Qiye met the old man’s arrogance with an even more boisterous tone. He also didn’t bother to look at the old man while he performed a fly-swatting motion with his hand.
Lu Baiqiu immediately held his sleeve and whispered after hearing Li Qiye’s arrogant reply: “This is Elder Lin, Yan Long’s master.”
The old man’s eyes became fierce as he exuded a frightening aura that emanated throughout the room. Lu Baiqiu had a weak cultivation so she had difficulty breathing amidst this suppression.
“Don’t act all high and mighty within my domain. State your business or do not bother me!” At this time, Li Qiye finally gave him a cold glare.
The elder replied with a similar chilling tone: “Brat, be smart and drop this marriage with Yunzhu! One should know their own place in this world; Yunzhu is our descendant, so you are not worthy of her! Let go of this marriage and the Thousand Carp River will not mistreat you. You can leave this place with treasures and go as far as you want. It is best to never return to the Distant Cloud!”
“Is this your wish, or the Thousand Carp River’s?” Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile at Elder Lin’s sudden and threatening intrusion.
Elder Lin came to threaten him for a reason — Yan Long was his disciple. Meanwhile, inside the Thousand Carp River, he was the one who wished for a marriage between Yan Long and Lan Yunzhu the most. The descendant marrying the senior brother was the best possible outcome; it was a match made in heaven!
He was the first to reject this marriage with a fiance that appeared out of nowhere, and he was also the strongest proponent of using more aggressive means to force Li Qiye to abandon this marriage!
Just for his disciple, Elder Lin personally appeared to decisively end this matter by forcing Li Qiye to give up.
Elder Lin coolly said: “It doesn’t matter whose wish it is! You don’t deserve our descendant, so be smart and give up! Otherwise, you are just asking for trouble.”
“So you are telling me that if I don’t give up, there will be trouble?” Li Qiye let out a bright smile.
Elder Lin’s gaze became serious as he stated: “This world is dangerous. Cultivators traveling outside cannot guarantee their own safety. What if they meet a dangerous man? Maybe they would die a shady death!” Having said this, a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.
Lu Baiqiu drew in a cold and calming breath after hearing the elder’s words. She understood that this threat was more than just empty words.
Chapter 405 - The Storm Of A Marriage
Keep in mind that a Jewel Sovereign would not throw out empty words, so anyone who heard these hints would be scared out of their mind.
It was not difficult for a Jewel Sovereign to kill a young disciple, especially if he personally took action when they were outside.
Lu Baiqiu, as a Region Lord, had experienced many things. She felt a chill after hearing such a blatant threat. Li Qiye would truly be in danger if a Jewel Sovereign like Elder Lin wished to do such a thing.
“Threatening me?” On the other hand, Li Qiye was still calm as he leisurely smiled: “I actually want to see how you will carry it out. Elder Lin, take your leave. I have made my decision regarding this marriage. As for your idiotic disciple, Yan Long, he is not worthy of my woman. A fool like him wants to taste a swan’s meat? Not even in his next life would he be able to do so.”
“You!” Elder Lin’s expression became quite agitated. As a respected elder of the Thousand Carp River, a Jewel Sovereign like him rarely went out to deal with mundane things. This time, he had to interfere because of his own disciple. However, this no-named junior refused his request and even dared to look at him with disdain. How could he not become furious and brimming with murderous intent?
Li Qiye remained calm and relaxed against Elder Lin’s frightening murderous aura, but Lu Baiqiu turned pale. She understood how frightening a Jewel Sovereign was once they decided to take action.
“Elder Lin is also here ah!” Amidst the surging murderous aura, a clear voice came from outside. At this time, Lan Yunzhu was standing by the door and asked: “What business does Elder Lin have at this place?”
“My good niece, Lan.” Elder Lin converged his murderous aura and said with a smile: “Nothing, I am only chatting with Young Noble Li for a bit. If you have returned, then I won’t bother the two of you!” Having said that, he turned around and left.
After he left, Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye who shrugged and said: “It is nothing, just a good old threat. Little Girl, being your fiance isn’t easy. I am in quite a bit of pain, so you will need to offer compensation.”
Lan Yunzhu sternly glared at him and then unhappily said: “Since when did outsiders dictate my marriage!” Of course, she was referring to Elder Lin.
“Heh, not necessarily. You are the river sect’s descendant, so do you think they would actually let you marry an outsider?” Li Qiye smiled and slowly continued: “I know you truly want to marry me, but there are a few things that you have no control over.”
“Bah, there’s no need to praise yourself, who would want to marry you!” Lan Yunzhu angrily retorted, then she lightly added with a glimmer of stubbornness in her eyes: “My marriage shall be decided by myself!”
“Can you deal with the old men from your sect?” Li Qiye smiled and asked. As the descendant of the river sect, her marriage was certainly a difficult matter to resolve. Despite it being her personal business, the sect would definitely interfere.
Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye and said: “Senior Brother Yan Long may have some elders supporting him, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have any at the sect as well! Don’t worry, Grandpa Yang will support us.”
“Grandpa Yang?” Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and asked while looking at Lan Yunzhu: “A person from your Soaring Remembrance Village?”
Lan Yunzhu nodded and replied: “Yes, Grandpa Yang is part of our village’s oldest generation. At this moment, he is also a high elder in the sect, so unless an ancestor comes out to interfere, Elder Lin and the others will not have any say either!”
In the Soaring Remembrance Village, males had the surname Yang while females carried the surname Lan. Moreover, the village didn’t have just Lan Yunzhu as a genius since they had produced many big characters before her. The “Grandpa Yang” Lan Yunzhu referred to was a high elder of the Thousand Carp River as well as her dao guide.
“Hey, are you trying to use me as a blade?” Li Qiye glanced at her and said: “To put it frankly, you just don’t want to marry Yan Long or a different martial brother, so right now, you chose not to cancel this marriage. You’re trying to use this chance to escape your own problems! Little Girl, this is the internal struggle of your sect, it has nothing to do with me.”
Lan Yunzhu looked back at him and countered: “So? Are you afraid? If you are, then you can choose to leave now. I won’t blame you, and I will deal with my own problems.”
Lan Yunzhu’s oath beneath the Dream Wishing Tree of the village was not only because of her parents’ egging, she also wanted to use it as an excuse to escape the forced marriage from the sect elders. She didn’t want to marry any brothers in the sect, including Senior Brother Yan Long.
It just so — very conveniently — happens that Li Qiye obtained her promissory jade pendant and got embroiled in the internal strife of the Thousand Carp River.
“Afraid?” Li Qiye couldn’t help but reveal a natural smile: “The Thousand Carp River alone is not enough to scare me. However, there is a saying — with merits come rewards. If you want to use me as a tool, Little Girl, then don’t you think you should give me something in return? How about this, you will warm my bed tonight!”
“Go to hell!” The blushing Lan Yunzhu angrily kicked forward, but Li Qiye easily dodged it.
“Little Girl, stop being so unladylike. Don’t be so rude like this!” Li Qiye reached out and slapped her butt, then he said with a laugh.
While Lan Yunzhu was shaking with anger, Lu Baiqiu was chuckling because, in her eyes, the two of them seemed to be flirting like newlyweds.
While Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu were going back and forth with each other, the Thousand Carp River had a meeting with all the elders. This time, it was personally led by the sect master, Daoist Bao Gui.
“Regarding this engagement… How about we let Yunzhu herself decide?” Daoist Bao Gui started the meeting.
This was met with strong opposition from many elders, and one of them stated: “Big Brother, how could we treat such an important matter so trivially? This is not only about Yunzhu’s marriage, it also involves our Thousand Carp River’s rise and fall in the future!”
“Sect Master, a junior cannot decide this matter.” Of course, the biggest opposition came from Elder Lin, Yan Long’s master.
Elder Lin gravely said: “That junior, Li, came with unknown intentions. Perhaps he’s even malicious. If he meant harm to our sect, then wouldn’t it be the same as leading a wolf into our home? Not to mention, our sect is an emperor’s lineage and Yunzhu is our future dao descendant. Her status alone demands a very strict selection for her match.”
“Brother Lin makes a lot of sense!” Another elder echoed the sentiment: “Big Brother, we cannot take this matter lightly. If that Li fella really does not want to cancel this marriage, then we can just use force. He is just a nobody so he cannot cause any turmoil.”
Daoist Bao Gui frowned against such conduct and shook his head: “Forgetting the fact that Yunzhu won’t agree to such actions, it is also not appropriate for our Thousand Carp River. We are an emperor’s lineage, we have not fallen to the point of committing such a vile deed to degrade our patriarch’s prestige.”
“This matter has to be decided by Yunzhu. In the end, this is also a part of fate, so if Yunzhu feels that they are not a good match, then it still wouldn’t be too late to dissolve it. However, if Yunzhu likes it, then old men like us shouldn’t necessarily reject it. It is not so bad to let that little fella into the Thousand Carp River. By doing so, it will sever Yunzhu’s mortal worries so that she can reach the peak in peace in the future.” Not all the elders opposed this marriage; some were actually supportive.
“That would also be fine.” Another elder continued: “This marriage was decided by fate, so maybe it is a good thing for Yunzhu. The grand dao is long with dwindling roads; if she can find the right dao companion to walk together, then it will be quite beneficial for her future path.”
Although this matter seemed to be about a simple marriage, it was an internal battle within the sect. And of course, as the sect’s descendant, Lan Yunzhu also had the support of quite a few elders and even a high elder.
“This is foolishness!” Elder Lin’s attitude was very aggressive as he gravely said: “How could that Li brat be of any help to Yunzhu’s future path? Hmph, it would already be a blessing if he didn’t slow her down! If we were to talk about helping Yunzhu’s future path, then the dao companions most appropriate for her would be our sect’s young disciples.”
“For example, Yan Long is the best candidate. Yan Long’s talents are only weaker than Yunzhu’s amongst the younger generation. Not to mention, he had cultivated for a longer time with great experience and maturity.”
Elder Lin continued on: “How can anyone else be her dao companion if not our own students?”
Quite a few elders were dissatisfied with Elder Lin constantly trying to match Yan Long and Yunzhu together. In fact, he had once done this before but was rejected by Lan Yunzhu and the sect master.
Despite this setback, Elder Lin did not give up on Yan Long since Yan Long always wanted to marry Lan Yunzhu.
“Little Brother Lin, don’t bring up Yan Long at this moment. We have to talk about this engagement first.” Daoist Bao Gui gently shook his head and said.
Keep in mind that a Jewel Sovereign would not throw out empty words, so anyone who heard these hints would be scared out of their mind.
It was not difficult for a Jewel Sovereign to kill a young disciple, especially if he personally took action when they were outside.
Lu Baiqiu, as a Region Lord, had experienced many things. She felt a chill after hearing such a blatant threat. Li Qiye would truly be in danger if a Jewel Sovereign like Elder Lin wished to do such a thing.
“Threatening me?” On the other hand, Li Qiye was still calm as he leisurely smiled: “You’ll find out how I teach impudent scum like you a lesson tomorrow…”
Chapter 406 - Thousand Carp River’s Arrangement
“The issue of Yan Long and Yunzhu can be put aside.” Elder Lin continued: “But that Li brat is definitely not worthy of our descendant. Just give him some small benefits so that he’ll happily give up on this marriage! Hmph, a little brat like him cannot control such a grand matter.”
“Let the youth decide their own business.” While the elders were debating nonstop, an old voice emanated throughout the room.
“Venerable Yang!” After hearing this voice, all the elders in this room quivered as their expressions became serious.
This was a high elder of the Thousand Carp River, someone with great influence and status. There was no one else who had such a high level of authority within the sect to interfere with the matter of Lan Yunzhu’s marriage. He was not only a high elder, he also came from the Soaring Remembrance Village — a direct elder of Lan Yunzhu as well as her dao guide.
“Venerable Yang… But in the end, Yunzhu is still our descendant…” Elder Lin couldn’t help but softly tremble after hearing Venerable Yang’s words.
“Can the Thousand Carp descendant not decide her own marriage? If she can’t even decide her own marriage, then how can she have the ability to reach for the Heaven’s Will and become an Immortal Emperor!?” Although Venerable Yang did not appear in person, his commanding voice was still awe-inspiring. He continued on: “It is true that Yunzhu is our Thousand Carp River’s descendant, but she is also someone from my Soaring Remembrance Village. Her marriage is not tied to the Thousand Carp River’s interests!”
Obviously, Venerable Yang was looking out for his own; he was Lan Yunzhu’s backing.
“Older Brother Yang, you can’t put it that way!” At this time, another voice appeared: “Yunzhu is our descendant, so we have to be more careful about her future marriage.”
“Venerable Wang?” The elders present couldn’t help but look at each other after hearing this voice. It was another high elder! The one who was the most excited was Elder Lin since Venerable Wang was his master.
“Since when did Little Brother Wang decide my business?” Venerable Yang spoke with the same pressing momentum.
Venerable Wang replied with a laugh: “I don’t dare to do so. As an outsider, I do not dare to interfere with Venerable Yang’s Soaring Remembrance Village. But in the end, Yunzhu is still our sect’s disciple. Although this marriage might have been a matter of fate, it is not unreasonable for us to give our descendant’s fiance a trial. This is also for Yunzhu; if this fiance feels that he is inadequate, then maybe he will quit on his own accord.”
“Then we shall have a little test to find out this Young Noble Li’s determination regarding this marriage.” At this time, Daoist Bao Gui made the decision: “Since this marriage was a match made in heaven, we — as Yunzhu’s elders — cannot forcefully interfere, but a little evaluation is not unreasonable for her sake.”
In the end, Daoist Bao Gui was still the sect master. Such decisive words could not be easily denied even by the high elders.
“Very well, a trial it is!” Even Venerable Yang, who was a stern supporter of Lan Yunzhu, agreed to test Li Qiye.
“The sect master wants to see you.” After this decision regarding the marriage was decided, Daoist Bao Gui wanted to see Li Qiye, so Lan Yunzhu passed on the news.
“It seems that your mood isn’t bad. I assume that the matter of marriage has now been decided?” Li Qiye asked with a wide smile while looking at Lan Yunzhu: “Are you that desperate to marry me?”
Lan Yunzhu looked at him with one eye and slowly said: “Marry you? Wait until you successfully pass the trials, then talk. If you truly want this marriage, then you have to pass the trials.”
“What if I can’t?” Li Qiye asked with a smile.
Lan Yunzhu answered: “To our sect, if you choose to give up on this engagement, nothing can be better. The sect will compensate you, and as long as your demands are reasonable, the sect will try its best to meet them.”
“If that is the case, then I would rather give up.” Li Qiye rubbed his chin and said: “I would rather take the treasures than marry an old faded woman!”
“You!” Lan Yunzhu was angered to the point of vomiting blood as she glared at him and stated: “Little Devil, am I only worth one or two pieces of treasure?”
Li Qiye’s eyes shifted up and down as he scanned Lan Yunzhu before smiling: “So you really want to marry me that badly? I have to think about this for a second. In the end, marriage is the biggest decision of one’s life, and I am not a careless person.”
“Do you really think that I won’t beat you up?” Lan Yunzhu gritted her teeth while holding up her fist as she stared at Li Qiye with hatred.
“Little Girl, you need to be more gentle if you want to marry me. I like gentle women!” Li Qiye said with a smile: “If you become gentler, then I can think about marrying you. Aizz, this is a big loss, I really have to think about it.”
Lan Yunzhu was shivering from anger. After a while, she finally managed to calm down with a deep breath. She then looked at Li Qiye and said: “Are you giving up because you don’t think that you can pass the trials? Of course, if you want to be a turtle, then I won’t blame you. I could only lament the fact that the person chosen by the Dream Wishing Tree was a coward.”
“Girl, your psychological egging is still too weak.” Li Qiye shook his head then spoke while touching his chin: “However, your Thousand Carp River’s elders are acting all high and mighty… They actually think that I’m trying to climb up within your sect so I want to teach them a lesson.”
“So you are saying that you want to take the challenge!” Lan Yunzhu couldn’t help but happily exclaim.
“Oh, you really want to marry me, huh.” Li Qiye smilingly replied.
Lan Yunzhu glared at him and angrily stated: “Stop daydreaming! Wait until you pass the examination, then you can dream all you want!”
“Girl, the price of using me as your tool is very high. How about coming to warm my bed tonight? We can see if a faded old woman like you can actually warm the bed or not.” Li Qiye gently held her chin and teased.
“Go die!” Lan Yunzhu mercilessly kicked forward without a care for maintaining a proper ladylike manner.
She then brought Li Qiye to meet Daoist Bao Gui at the main chamber hall.
“You must be Li Qiye.” Although Daoist Bao Gui was the sect master of the Thousand Carp River, he was surprisingly friendly and kind; this was a striking difference in contrast to the group of Elder Lin with their oppressive auras.
After letting Li Qiye sit down, Daoist Bao Gui spoke right away: “The marriage between you and Yunzhu was decided by the heavens. However, Yunzhu is also our descendant, so we cannot be careless even if it was a match made in heaven.”
“I understand, Sect Master is saying that I can either give up or pass the trials, correct?” Li Qiye also didn’t want to mince words, so he cut right to the chase.
“Of course. To give up or to stick with it — this will be your choice, no one can force you.” Daoist Bao Gui elaborated: “Our Thousand Carp River will not force you to give up on this marriage!”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye then asked with a smile: “If I choose to give up on this marriage, what benefits will your sect compensate me with?”
Li Qiye’s words incited Lan Yunzhu’s wrathful glare since they already talked about this before.
At this time, Daoist Bao Gui uncovered a treasure tray on top of the table. After this tray was opened, a burst of light flashed, revealing three items on top.
“If you are willing to give up, then our Thousand Carp River shall not mistreat you. We will give you a Tidal Jade Vessel for protection, a Tortoise Teleportation Scroll to escape in times of danger, and also a Thousand Carp Pill to help you temper your body.”
The daoist went on slowly: “Of course, this is just the start of our sincerity. Outside of these three items, you can also pick another three as long as they are not of the Immortal Emperor level; our sect will consider and meet your request.”
Li Qiye himself was quite surprised at the Thousand Carp River’s huge showing. It seemed that the sect truly didn’t want to betroth Lan Yunzhu to him. Of course, he could understand their reasoning. After all, fertile water shouldn’t flow to outside fields; it was easier said than done for the sect to groom a descendant.
“I can feel the sincerity.” Li Qiye glanced at Lan Yunzhu, who was standing to the side. She was also gazing right back at him. Although there was no exchange of words, their intents were clearly exchanged.
“What if I pick the trial?” Li Qiye glanced over the items on the tray before asking with a grin.
Daoist Bao Gui looked at him and eventually nodded his head to say: “If you choose to continue with this marriage, then you have to pass two out of three trials. Anything less would be considered failure.”
“Then what is the consequence of failing?” Li Qiye’s interest was piqued as he cheerfully asked.
Daoist Bao Gui answered: “Although our sect won’t interfere with your marriage, Lan Yunzhu is still our descendant, so we must assess you for her sake. If you fail and choose to give up, then you can leave. However, if you choose to stay and persevere onwards, then you can try your best to cultivate until the day of success.”
“These conditions are not bad at all.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “At the very least, your sect still carries the style of an Immortal Emperor’s lineage. Your current generation does not dishonor Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s dao lineage.”
Li Qiye simply didn’t care for the sect’s strength. If the sect chose to be stubborn, then nothing could be better for him. Then, he could disregard the sect’s future completely and directly take away the items he wanted.
Of course, such prime conditions were the result of Venerable Yang as a high elder supporting Lan Yunzhu. Unlike the other elders, Venerable Yang actually wished to push this marriage along due to his own reasons.
Chapter 407 - Venerable Yang
“Giving up without a fight is not my style at all. Since your sect wishes to test me, then I just have to rise up to the challenge!” In the end, Li Qiye answered the daoist.
Daoist Bao Gui was not surprised by his answer as he nodded his head: “Very well, since there are three trials, one of them will be chosen by you to keep it fair.”
“Okay, if I can specify a trial, then I will choose what the second trial will be.” Li Qiye decisively responded with ease.
“Good, the first trial will be a martial test starting tomorrow, do you have any objections?” Daoist Bao Gui asked.
Li Qiye shrugged and said: “I’m ready at any time.”
“Then you can return and prepare. Tomorrow, our Thousand Carp River will select a disciple to challenge you. You need to prepare; don’t underestimate your opponent.” Daoist Bao Gui was quite friendly and specifically warned him.
Li Qiye looked at Lan Yunzhu and smilingly asked: “Don’t tell me you guys are sending my fiancee to fight me?”
The word “fiancee” irritated Lan Yunzhu, but it also caused her to blush while she glared at Li Qiye.
“You don’t have to worry about that. If Yunzhu comes out, it would not be very fair.” Daoist Bao Gui smiled in response. In fact, although he was the sect master, he was also Lan Yunzhu’s master so of course he supported her.
In his opinion, if Lan Yunzhu went out, then Li Qiye would have no chance of winning. He had a lot of faith in his disciple since she had absolute confidence of winning against other emperor’s lineage descendants. Even if she were to face the descendant of the Myriad Bones Throne, he still believed that his disciple had a great chance of being the victor.
But to Li Qiye, he was happy to face any opponent. In fact, the stronger the opponent, the more excited he would be.
They went back to the mansion after saying goodbye to the daoist. There, they were met by Lu Baiqiu who quietly informed them that there was a guest waiting inside.
“Grandpa Yang!” After entering the room, Lan Yunzhu couldn’t contain her excitement and excitedly cried out after seeing the old man seated there.
There was an old man with an appearance around the age of seventy. He was not very tall, but him sitting there seemed to be able to block the storm and rain from all eight directions like an impregnable wall.
This old man was a high elder from the Thousand Carp River, someone who also came from the Soaring Remembrance Village — Venerable Yang!
The truth was that many great characters came from the village, including great generals and commanders from the mortal world. Some of these great characters became high elders of emperor’s lineages, such as Venerable Yang. However, no matter how great these characters were, nothing could break the silence of the village. After all, this silence belonged to the serene contemplation of an Immortal Emperor during his old age and remained unbreakable by anything or anyone.
“Grandpa paused your training.” Lan Yunzhu said with surprise. Venerable Yang was not her actual grandfather, but he was a very respected senior in the village, so she referred to him as “grandpa.”
Venerable Yang happily smiled and asked: “If the divine tree found you a good husband, how can I — as your Grandpa — not go and take a look?”
“Grandpa, what are you talking about!” Lan Yunzhu was quite shy, so she bashfully responded with a tint of red on her cheeks.
Venerable Yang carefully judged Li Qiye from top to bottom like a mother-in-law judging her son-in-law and found himself satisfied. 1
“Good, good, good!” After looking at Li Qiye, Venerable Yang nodded his head approvingly and smiled: “It seems that the divine tree did indeed choose the right husband for you!”
“The divine tree might have picked the perfect husband for her, but it didn’t necessarily pick a virtuous wife for me.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
“Brat, don’t act like you didn’t get a good deal!” Venerable Yang smiled and gave him a stern look: “Our girl is not worse than anyone else. No matter what happens, you two must support each other in the future with love!”
Venerable Yang was very pleased with Li Qiye. The truth was that he trusted the Dream Wishing Tree of his village. As a high elder of an emperor’s lineage, he understood the significance of his tree, so the tree must have a good reason for choosing Li Qiye for Lan Yunzhu.
“Grandpa, it is not for certain yet!” Lan Yunzhu bashfully asserted.
Li Qiye could only shake his head and grin. This marriage, to him, was only a coincidence and nothing else. As for Lan Yunzhu, she only wanted to use him to escape the marriage forced upon her by the Thousand Carp River.
“Brat, I went out of my way to come out from my seclusion to cheer for you. I won’t say much about other things, but no matter what happens, you can do as you please. Regardless of what happens, this old man shall support your marriage and no one else can change it no matter what. Our Soaring Remembrance Village’s son-in-law can’t be defeated that easily, don’t you think?”
Elder Yang, as a high elder of the river sect, could be said to rarely care about worldly affairs. This time, he went out of his way to come out and back Li Qiye up since he was afraid that it would be hard to clap with only one hand. 2
“Okay, I will do my best to win over this beauty so that we can make some healthy babies!” Li Qiye responded with a smile after seeing Venerable Yang’s enthusiasm.
Lan Yunzhu’s countenance was beet red due to anger and embarrassment; she couldn’t wait to beat this little devil into a pig’s head.
“Good, very good! I shall wait for your good news.” Venerable Yang smiled and told Li Qiye before leaving: “Go ahead and do as you please. A marriage made in heaven cannot be separated by anyone.”
“What nonsense were you talking about just now!” After Venerable Yang left, Lan Yunzhu angrily pinched Li Qiye’s thigh with no mercy and glared at him.
“Pop!” Li Qiye once again slapped her butt and squeezed it a little, causing Lan Yunzhu to scream as she immediately jumped back with a flushed appearance.
“You little pervert!” Lan Yunzhu’s pretty eyes displayed her exasperation. She was once again treated so frivolously by this brat that it caused her to tremble with anger as her face turned red like the sunset.
Compared to Lan Yunzhu’s anger that was capable of reaching the sky, Li Qiye — on the other hand — leisurely looked at her to say: “What little pervert? Such nasty words… Don’t forget, I am your fiance, and as your fiance, massaging my wife is a reasonable thing. And what’s more, your butt is both plump and supple…”
“You are still talking!” Lan Yunzhu could no longer maintain her calm while being overwhelmed with embarrassment, so she readied her claws in anticipation to chase Li Qiye.
Within a short amount of time, the room was filled with Li Qiye’s teasing laughter as well as Lan Yunzhu’s crazed voice. This caused Lu Baiqiu, who was standing right outside, to wryly smile as the two were becoming more and more like a young husband and wife.
On the second day, the news regarding Li Qiye’s trial to become the future son-in-law quickly spread throughout the Thousand Carp River.
“Future son-in-law? Ugh, we can call him that after he passes the examination. Right now, he is not qualified.” Countless young disciples had a crush on Lan Yunzhu so Li Qiye’s hostile love rivals were everywhere.
When the young disciples heard that Li Qiye wanted to take a trial, their first thought was to hope that he would fail.
Next, the information regarding the first martial trial also came out; it was a fight between Li Qiye and their senior brother, Yan Long.
In order to test Li Qiye’s martial capabilities, the Thousand Carp River sent out Yan Long, one of the strongest young disciples. This was understandable since it was already very fair that they didn’t send anyone from the previous generation.
And as for Yan Long being the one to take the mantle, it was unknown whether he was chosen by the elders or he volunteered himself.
When the Thousand Carp disciples heard that their senior brother was about to fight, they instantly became excited. One of them exclaimed: “Not bad, Senior Brother can instantly teach this frog who wants to eat a swan’s meat a good lesson!”
Very quickly, it could be said that even disciples who normally didn’t get along became quite united with a single thought, and that was to kick this Li Qiye out!
“Heh, that Li brat probably won’t even be able to handle three moves from Senior Brother. How can a nobody like him be a match for Senior Brother?” A junior sister who was a fan of Yan Long said.
“Three moves? That is thinking way too highly of that brat. In my opinion, one move is enough. Senior Brother is an amazing Ancient Saint!” A junior brother said: “If Senior Brother uses one move to defeat this brat, he will lose all confidence and won’t even have the courage to participate in the next one.”
“Nothing would be better. We have to let this brat know that not just anyone is worthy for our senior sister!” In an instant, all the brothers and sisters in the Thousand Carp River banded against Li Qiye.
It was as if Li Qiye had done something that warranted the unified hatred from everyone since all the disciples hoped that he would lose.
Early morning of the next day, the martial stage of the Thousand Carp River was filled with disciples since they all came early to witness the fight.
The elders that would act as referees came right after, then Yan Long also entered the stage. Today, Yan Long was in high spirits as the flames around his body resembled dragons capable of incinerating the sky.
Today, his battle intent was at its peak. He had a conceited look on his face as if victory was assured.
The truth was that Yan Long didn’t think too highly of Li Qiye. In his opinion, no matter how powerful a nobody like Li Qiye was, it still wouldn’t be enough to be his match.
His arrogance was not without reason. As the senior brother of the river sect, his talents were very high and he had become an Ancient Saint for some years now.
Chapter 408 - A Kiss
If Lan Yunzhu was not there, then maybe Yan Long would have been the descendant of the Thousand Carp River. Of course, compared to a devilish monster like Lan Yunzhu, Yan Long was much weaker. Moreover, Lan Yunzhu’s cultivation within the river sect was a mystery. The disciples only knew that she was very strong, strong to the point where she could challenge any descendant from the other emperor’s lineages in the Sacred Nether World.
“Senior Brother, beat him in three moves!” The moment Yan Long entered the stage, countless disciples loudly cheered to support him.
“Three moves? Brother Hu, you think too highly of that brat. One move from Senior Brother is enough!” A disciple immediately laughed and stated.
In brief moment, an encore of laughter emanated throughout the stage.
Compared to Yan Long, Li Qiye’s side was much weaker. There was nothing anyone could do about it since the river sect was Yan Long’s home ground, so the disciples here naturally supported him.
Compared to Yan Long’s huge entourage, Li Qiye’s arrival to the stage was rather lonely. Only Lu Baiqiu, who had always stayed by his side, and Lan Yunzhu accompanied him.
Li Qiye came strolling in under the watchful eyes of many. Meanwhile, Lan Yunzhu was like a graceful fairy with her delicate walking posture. Her swaying body commanded attention no matter where she went. Because of her presence, Li Qiye’s side became more noticeable.
Today, Lu Baiqiu also specifically wore leather armor. Being dressed in full battle armor, she was quite energetic, causing her to look quite heroic while being ready to cheer for Li Qiye. Today, the only outsider cheering for Li Qiye was her.
Of course, many were annoyed to see Lan Yunzhu walking together with Li Qiye. In an instant, countless vengeful gazes fell upon his body. He was the enemy of everyone present.
Despite Yan Long’s domineering and aggressive aura, Li Qiye remained carefree. After entering the stage, he started to wave at the Thousand Carp disciples, causing Lan Yunzhu right next to him to angrily quip: “It is only a trial, why are you messing around? It is not like they are here as your fans!”
“This is a good place to start. I’m going to use this trial so that the sect’s disciples can get to know their future son-in-law.” Li Qiye leisurely smiled and said. Then, he waved and shouted towards the Thousand Carp disciples: “Fellow Brothers and Sisters, good morning. This little brother just got here, so I hope that everyone can look out for me in the future. This time, I came here in a rush and didn’t prepare any wedding sweets. Wait until after the ceremony, then this little brother shall give everyone sweets as compensation.”
Lan Yunzhu was now shaking with embarrassment. She couldn’t help but clench her white-as-snow fists.
“Stop!” A Thousand Carp disciple suddenly cried out: “Stop dreaming you frog-wanting-to-eat-a-swan!”
“You are completely correct, I am indeed a frog wanting to eat a swan!” Li Qiye nonchalantly teased the Thousand Carp disciples while smiling: “Don’t worry, Fellow Brothers and Sisters, wait until we are married. Then, you guys will all get your wedding sweets. According to the mortal traditions of our Soaring Remembrance Village, we will have a feast that lasts for fifteen days before our marriage; I hope all of you brothers and sisters can come to celebrate.”
“If you keep on speaking nonsense, I’m going to beat you to death.” Lan Yunzhu was too embarrassed and wished that she could just hide in a hole underground. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she threatened Li Qiye.
Li Qiye glanced at her and lightly smiled: “Girl, there is a price for everything. It is unknown whether our marriage will be a thing or not, but for now, I am being used as your tool. What if things turn bad and I have to leave my life behind? … Can’t I even tease you a little bit? If you have an issue with this, then I can just leave right now.”
Despite her rage, she still had to endure it as she gripped her fists tightly. After this matter ends, she was going to teach this brat a good lesson.
But in the eyes of the Thousand Carp disciples, Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu’s banter appeared to be very intimate, so many of them became quite jealous.
Especially Yan Long, his eyes became fierce as he was overwhelmed with jealousy. He wanted to smash Li Qiye into pieces at this very moment.
“Very well, since both sides are here, the duel can begin.” An elder who was seated up high said with a serious tone.
Another elder added: “Once a party accepts defeat, the other party must immediately stop. This is only a trial and not a life and death battle. One can immediately acquiesce once they can no longer handle it.”
“Li, come here!” After getting permission from the elders, Yan Long coldly gazed at Li Qiye and shouted: “Let us end such a boring fight! I shall conclude this within three moves.”
Li Qiye didn’t bother to take a glimpse at Yan Long. He only looked at Lan Yunzhu next to him and smile: “I’m about to fight for you, shouldn’t you reveal a bit of sincerity?”
“Reveal what?” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at him and immediately felt that this brat had some evil intentions.
Li Qiye leisurely replied with a smile: “How about a lucky kiss or something of that sort? Of course, a passionate kiss on the lips would be even better. I would be very motivated and might even be able to slay emperors and evil lords.”
“Go to hell!” Lan Yunzhu felt her face becoming hot as she felt embarrassed and angry. However, she couldn’t kick him in front of everyone.
“Aizz, so heartless.” Li Qiye shook his head and smiled, then he told Lu Baiqiu who was standing right beside him: “Baiqiu, I have to step onto the stage soon, so give me a lucky kiss and wait for my triumphant return.”
The valiant Lu Baiqiu looked at Lan Yunzhu then back at Li Qiye before revealing a beautiful smile and saying: “I’ll wait for your triumphant return.” Having said that, she softly kissed Li Qiye’s forehead and gave him her blessing.
Meanwhile, Lan Yunzhu started to sulk on the side after seeing this.
“Li, don’t delay this! If you are afraid, then it is not too late to surrender!” Yan Long became furious after seeing such a scene. He wanted to instantly kill this thing that doesn’t know life from death.
“What’s the hurry? Do you not see that I’m trying to get a lucky kiss?” Li Qiye smiled and said: “Faded Old Woman, wait for my victory then warm my bed tonight, okay?”
“You—” Lan Yunzhu couldn’t stay calm from embarrassment. However, at the time of her eventual outburst, Li Qiye suddenly came close and kissed her lips, then he decisively turned and stepped onto the battle stage.
After suddenly being kissed, Lan Yunzhu became frozen as her mind was emptied as she watched Li Qiye enter the stage.
The Thousand Carp disciples who saw this scene became quite furious. If gazes could kill, then Li Qiye would have died countless times already.
Yan Long’s temper exploded as he gritted his teeth and prepared his fists while he coldly said: “Ignorant thing, you chose to ignore a clear path to heaven while insisting on trespassing into hell without an entrance. Don’t blame me for being ruthless today!”
“Senior Brother, teach him a good lesson!” At this time, the Thousand Carp disciples roared, especially the male disciples who wished that they could be the one to beat Li Qiye up instead. He actually dared to shame the goddess in their hearts! Unforgivable!
Yan Long was overtaken by extreme anger at this point, so he said with a cold demeanor: “Li, it is not too late to say your last words because you won’t have the chance once I make a move.”
At this point, Yan Long wanted to kill Li Qiye. This was no longer an examination; he swore to slay Li Qiye within three moves, denying him a chance to even give up.
“Last words? I have never needed to say these before!” Li Qiye looked at Yan Long and said without a care.
This arrogant attitude only fueled Yan Long’s murderous intent as he responded coldly: “Still boasting on the verge of death… I shall slay you in three moves!”
“Three moves?” Li Qiye gently shook his head in response: “Three moves are too many, one is plenty for us to end this fight. Within one move, your defeat is guaranteed.”
“Bah, how naive. Senior Brother, behead him with one move, make us proud!” Many disciples were instantly enraged as they shared the same enemy!
“Brat, come accept your death!” Yan Long furiously took a deep breath. In just the blink of an eye, his blood energy let out a draconic roar as the flames that encircled his body turned into a gigantic dragon. His body then emitted a frightening draconic aura as this gigantic dragon devoured the raging flames.
“So powerful!” Seeing Yan Long turning into a gigantic dragon, even Lu Baiqiu became astonished. His power could definitely challenge Ancient Saints from the previous generation.
Elder Lin was very satisfied with his disciple after seeing the powerful draconic aura. Although it was not comparable to Lan Yunzhu’s might, Yan Long was certainly not bad compared to the younger generation in the Distant Cloud!
“Brat, it’s time to end this!” Yan Long cried out as this flame dragon struck downward with a draconic claw made from fire. Under this sharp and thick claw, the entire battle stage seemed to be a piece of paper; it was as if this claw could tear the whole field asunder.
Chapter 409 - One Triumphant Move
“Senior Brother is amazing, he already obtained a dragon soul.” A disciple exclaimed after seeing Yan Long’s transformation into a giant fiery dragon.
Long Yan had the bloodline of a Fire Serpent, so he belonged to the demon dao. If he could make the dragon flames eventually give birth to a dragon soul, then in the future, it could evolve into a True Dragon. At that time, his bloodline would undergo a real transformation to become a powerful and heaven-defying divine beast.
“Senior Brother, beat him up!” A junior brother cheered while waving their arms after seeing Yan Long on the move! Many others also encouragingly cried out for him.
Right when the fiery claw was scratching downward, Li Qiye suddenly shifted his body at this very second. The space around him suddenly shivered as if it was a flap of his wings.
“Bang!” A huge explosion resounded. Everyone thought Li Qiye had become mince meat under the fire dragon’s gigantic claw. However, when all of them took another look, Yan Long, with a dragon encircling him, was sent up high, staining the sky with his own blood.
“Boom!” Another loud bang resonated as Yan Long, who was just blown away, didn’t have time to regain his composure before being slammed down to the ground by someone in the sky.
“Bang—bang—bang!” Three more explosions rang. Before Yan Long could reach the ground from the sky, he was struck three more times. The force of these three blows accumulated on his body in a split second, crushing the gigantic fire dragon around Yan Long’s body into little pieces!
“Rumble!” Finally, a loud bang shook the entire stage as Yan Long heavily slammed into the ground, creating a huge pit.
Inside this huge pit, Yan Long was bruised and covered in blood; he was completely immobilized. If he wasn’t still breathing, others would have thought that he was dead.
Meanwhile, Li Qiye still stood in the same place as if he had never taken any action.
Instantly, everyone’s mouth was gaping; they couldn’t close them for a long time. The disciples who were cheering for Yan Long earlier had unvocalized words stuck in their throat. In the end, they had to forcefully swallow them. At this time, all sounds disappeared.
Even the elders of the river sect were shocked because everything happened instantaneously. In this split second, even Yan Long’s powerful defense was completely useless.
Their disciples most likely couldn’t see Li Qiye’s actions, but the elders saw them. However, even they themselves only saw his afterimages. If it wasn’t for their Heavenly Sovereign cultivation, and some were even Heavenly Kings, they would not be able to keep up with Li Qiye’s speed.
This speed was too fast. Even peak Sovereigns and powerful Heavenly Kings would not necessarily have such terrifying speed.
Even Lan Yunzhu was staring at Li Qiye in aghast. She knew more about Li Qiye compared to others. Six palaces and nine stars — such an Ancient Saint would have a definite advantage even when facing Heavenly Sovereigns.
In her eyes, Senior Brother Yan Long’s defeat was assured; it was only a matter of time. However, the swiftness of his defeat shocked Lan Yunzhu. Li Qiye didn’t even use his six palaces and nine stars, yet Yan Long had already lost. What kind of terrifying thing was this?
Lan Yunzhu was a rare genius of an absurd level. She had enough faith in her cultivation that she could challenge any emperor’s lineage descendant. Today, she needed a calming breath after seeing Li Qiye in battle.
“What kind of secret technique was that?” The elders of the sect were in disbelief. They were certain that Li Qiye had to be cultivating an extremely unbelievable secret art.
Soaring Immortal Physique and Hell Suppressing Godly Physique — these two immortal physiques activating at the same time would have an incalculable power. And the result was right in front of everyone’s eyes. Moreover, Li Qiye’s Soaring Immortal Physique had yet to reach minor completion!
One body with two physiques was something the world could not fathom. Today, Li Qiye utilized both physiques for the first time and found the power to be quite terrifying.
Absolute speed and absolute weight! His extremely heavy body under the fastest speed became the most powerful weapon with an incredibly shocking destructive power.
“Long’er!” The frightened Elder Lin quickly rushed down and found that Yan Long was still barely breathing. He then took a sigh of relief and hatefully glared at Li Qiye.
“This brat is truly ruthless!” He glared at Li Qiye with a chilling expression and a flash of murderous intent.
Li Qiye lazily retorted without bothering to look at him: “Ruthless? Who was the one who said they wanted to slay me within three moves? Me sparing his life was already plenty merciful.”
“Well, go down there, saving him is more important!” Daoist Bao Gui opened his mouth: “Li Qiye has passed the first trial, so the content of the second trial will be decided by Li Qiye. What will you pick? As long as you say it, the river sect will accept your challenge.”
“My choice?” Li Qiye rubbed his chin and then smiled: “If it is my choice, then how about catching immortal sungrasses? Whoever catches more will be the winner.”
“Catching immortal sungrasses?” Daoist Bao Gui couldn’t help but to look at Li Qiye and ask: “Do you know what catching immortal sungrasses actually entails?”
“There is no need for Sect Master’s reminder regarding this matter.” Li Qiye smiled and replied with a question of his own: “Who doesn’t know that the Yin Yang Immortal Sungrasses beneath the Yin Yang Pond are great immortal treasures of the southern Distant Cloud?”
“Very well. Three days later, the second trial will be at the Yin Yang Pond.” Daoist Bao Gui didn’t question Li Qiye’s request and immediately agreed.
As for the rest of the Thousand Carp disciples, they could only stand there silently. Although they were quite annoyed with Li Qiye, after seeing Li Qiye use his own strength to defeat Yan Long, they could only acquiesce.
“Very well, let us go!” Li Qiye smiled as he spoke to Lan Yunzhu: “I trust that no one can separate the two of us, don’t you think?”
Li Qiye’s words were really prone to misunderstanding. At this moment, it seemed as if the two of them were stranded lovers while the Thousand Carp River was a wicked man that was trying to break them apart with a rod.
Lan Yunzhu gave him an angry look, but she didn’t retort and left with him.
The Thousand Carp disciples didn’t know how to describe their current feelings outside of their restrained anger. Before the battle, many of them were excited and had a winner’s mentality. In their eyes, this battle was without any doubt since their senior brother would certainly teach this ignorant brat a lesson. They didn’t expect that their senior brother would be lying flat on the ground after just one move from the opponent. This was truly humiliating to the sect, but they couldn’t do anything about it since Li Qiye won fair and square.
“Hmph, even if he passed the first test, he cannot pass the second. Not everyone can go down into the depths of the Yin Yang Pond.” In the end, an unconvinced disciple scowled.
After returning to their private mansion, Lan Yunzhu looked at him and asked: “Going down to the Yin Yang Pond to catch immortal sungrasses requires two people, can you do it alone?”
Li Qiye smiled and looked at Lu Baiqiu to the side and spoke: “If you don’t want to help me, then Lu Baiqiu can go down with me.”
“Me?” Lu Baiqiu was taken by surprise as she shook her head: “I can’t, Young Noble, do you actually know the meaning behind catching immortal sungrassess below the pond?”
Li Qiye answered with a faint smile: “If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have chosen sungrasses catching.”
“But Young Noble, you must know that the Yin Yang Pond is a very terrifying environment. The pond contains both Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang Water, so even though they are in the same pond, these two types of water are completely different. Extreme Yin Water is the coldest liquid in this world. A touch of a drop could completely freeze one’s true fate and soul, and the pond gets even colder the further one goes down…” Lu Baiqiu quickly explained to Li Qiye.
“… Extreme Yang Water is the hottest liquid in this world. It could easily melt steel. Even Named Heroes and Royal Nobles would not dare to touch it carelessly.”
She continued on: “It is not because I don’t want to lend Young Noble a hand, it is because my cultivation is really too shallow. Once we enter the pond, I’m afraid I will only slow you down.”
“Don’t worry, it is no big deal.” Li Qiye continued while being completely at ease: “If you can’t, then Yunzhu can do it. The two of us can go down while you watch.”
“Who said I would help you?” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at him and said: “You brought this upon yourself; I didn’t tell you to pick such a challenge. Also, I am a disciple of the Thousand Carp River, so how can I help an outsider?”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye nonchalantly looked at her and said: “Do you feel that martial brothers and sisters are closer than husband and wife? Don’t forget that I am your husband!”
“Stop spouting nonsense!” Lan Yunzhu was both shy and angry as she stated: “There is no chance for you to be my fiance. Wait for your next life! Wait, no, even in your next life, there would be no chance!”
“Oh? Since you are saying this, should I think about giving up?” Li Qiye gently chuckled and said: “If I give up now, I think your river sect will happily hand me a few treasures. As for the matter of your marriage, you can take your time and think about it again in the future.”
“Don’t you dare—” The blushing Lan Yunzhu had her hands placed on her waist while revealing an appearance as if she was about to explode from anger.
Chapter 410 - Yin Yang Pond
“Girl, you haven’t even married yet, but you are already acting like an old housewife. Do you really want to marry me that badly?” Li Qiye smiled and teased after seeing her posture with her hands on her waist.
At this time, Lan Yunzhu finally realized her rude appearance, so she became quite embarrassed. She angrily stomped her foot and said with exasperation: “Little Devil, I won’t forget this!” Then she immediately ran out.
After she left, even Lu Baiqiu had to softly remark: “Young Noble, Fairy Zhu definitely likes you!”
Li Qiye only smiled in response. Without saying anything, he began to contemplate while gazing towards the distance.
Seeing him in such a state, Lu Baiqiu also silently took her leave and didn’t bother him any longer.
The Yin Yang Pond was located on an island deep within the Thousand Carp Lake. The pond itself was not very large; it had an area of more than ten acres. However, its location was very special due to being at the center of the lake.
It was just as mysterious and was filled with unknowns like the Thousand Carp River. Although it was not that large, one could not see the bottom. The river sect once had Virtuous Paragons who tried to reach the bottom, but they were unsuccessful.
While standing in front of the pond, no one would be able to tell that this lake was somehow different. The water was very clear and lacked distinct qualities compared to an ordinary pond.
However, once an expert opened their heavenly gaze for a closer look, they would find that the water inside the pond was clearly separated; to the right was Extreme Yang Water while the left was Extreme Yin Water.
Extreme Yang Water was extremely clear; it was as if this water had boiled away all the impurities within. In contrast, Extreme Yin Water was as dazzling as ice. A quick glance would make people confuse it with a piece of a glacier instead of flowing water.
The intersection where the two types of liquid met consisted of a glue-like liquid that emitted a faint water vapor.
From the looks of it, both of these types of water behaved the same as regular water, but with just the slightest bit of contact with a drop of these liquids, one would find that the Extreme Yin Water could instantly encase someone in ice while the Extreme Yang Water could melt their body.
As such, the pond was an extremely strange place. There were some long and thin water grasses growing along the bottom of the pond. If ordinary eyes couldn’t discern the Extreme Yin and Yang Waters, then they could see these grasses to distinguish the two types of water.
The water grasses growing within the Extreme Yin Water were as black as iron. With just one glance, one could feel the cold air that emanated from them. Meanwhile, the water grasses floating in the Extreme Yang Water were as red as gold. One could sense its melting heat. What was even more wondrous was that when these two water grasses made contact at the intersection, in a split second, the two types of grasses would combine into one. With Yin and Yang, it would give birth to strands of laws that emitted blinding lights. These little strands of laws would then intertwine into a single unit.
The moment the two types of grasses joined together, that would be when this extremely rare and precious treasure was formed — Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass.
The Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass was quite an item since it could replace many rare herbs and serve as the main ingredient for life-prolonging pills.
The deeper the grasses were, the more precious they would be. There was a rumor floating around in the Thousand Carp River stating that the immortal sungrass found at the bottom of the pond was comparable to mythical immortal medicines!
On this day, the elders of the river sect all gathered next to the Yin Yang Pond. There was no shortage of disciples participating as witnesses.
In fact, every once in awhile, there would be people responsible for going into the pond to pluck immortal sungrass. Moreover, it required two people to complete this task.
Today, Daoist Bao Gui specifically ordered for two protectors to compete against Li Qiye. The two protectors were both experienced immortal sungrass pluckers and could even be referred to as masters within this domain.
“How about we use a day as the time limit? Whoever catches more will be the victor.” Daoist Bao Gui spoke.
Li Qiye looked at the Yin Yang Pond before him and revealed a faint smile before speaking: “I have no problems with this, one day it is!”
“Young Noble Li should understand that catching immortal sungrass requires two people. Who will your assistant be?” Daoist Bao Gui asked.
“Her.” Li Qiye smilingly pointed at Lan Yunzhu right next to him and declared: “We’ll catch the immortal sungrass together.”
“No!” Some disciples from the river sect immediately rejected Li Qiye’s proposal. In fact, a few elders were also against it, especially Elder Lin. He then spoke coldly: “Yunzhu is a disciple of our sect; if you want an assistant, you have to find someone else.”
Li Qiye lazily looked at him and said: “Elder Lin, it is true that Yunzhu is a disciple of your sect, but don’t forget, she is also my fiancee!”
Lan Yunzhu became irritated but was helpless. This matter had already become the truth!
“Wait until you pass the trials, then you can start saying such things!” Elder Lin snorted with a chilling glare. Right now, his disciple was still lying on his bed, incapacitated, so as his master, Elder Lin wanted to kill this brat at this very second!
“Very well, then Yunzhu can lend you a hand.” Daoist Bao Gui nodded his head and spoke with a deepened tone.
“Sect Master, this isn’t right.” Many protectors and elders were not happy with such a decision, so they couldn’t help but voice their disagreement.
Daoist Bao Gui gently motioned his hand and said: “We sent out protectors — this is already quite an advantage. Although Yunzhu is a disciple of our sect, she is not an expert in catching immortal sungrass. Since they are engaged, it is quite reasonable for Yunzhu to lend him a hand.”
In the end, Daoist Bao Gui was still protecting Lan Yunzhu and was on her side.
“We shall start then!” Daoist Bao Gui overpowered the crowd and told the two protectors along with Li Qiye.
The two protectors didn’t say anything and immediately took action. One of them stepped into the Extreme Yin Water. The moment his sleeve met this Yin water, it was immediately frozen. In just a split second, each of his divine rings opened and began to block the cold energy from the Yin water as he slowly dived into the depths.
As for the protector on the Yang side, his sleeve was immediately burnt to ashes by the water. Although he was an amazing Heavenly Sovereign, he still had to immediately summon a treasure. It poured down a cold energy like a waterfall and protected him in an airtight manner as it combated the heat of the Yang water.
Once they reached a certain depth, they immediately no longer dared to descend any further since they would no longer be able to withstand it. At this particular depth, one of the protectors turned pale since he was penetrated by the cold air. At the same time, the other had to shoulder the heat as sweatdrops as big as beans dripped down his skin.
At this moment, they stared intensely at the water plants slowly floating up from the bottom. The moment when two strips of water grasses slowly reached the intersection, both of them held their breaths. In just flash, the two strips combined together into a Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass, and the two protectors immediately took action. One person manipulated the Extreme Yin Water while the other controlled the Extreme Yang Water. The two vortexes of water suddenly became chains that tried to lock onto the immortal sungrass. Moreover, the vortex of Extreme Yin Water tried to bind the root of the golden grass while the vortex of Extreme Yang Water bound the black grassroot.
“Clank!” However, they lost their focus for just a moment and the Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass immediately broke the chains, fleeing instantly.
The immortal sungrass was an extremely powerful medicine. Only the extreme waters were capable of binding them. Even those who reached a divine state would still be unable to catch them without using these waters.
Nevertheless, the two of them were experts. Despite their first attempt being ineffective, they were able to catch four Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass right afterward.
“Amazing.” Li Qiye laughed and told the glaring Lan Yunzhu: “It is our turn now.” Having said that, he grabbed Lan Yunzhu’s slender hand.
“What are you doing—” Holding hands in front of everyone caused Lan Yunzhu to be both embarrassed and angry.
However, the disciples present were even more enraged as they glared at Li Qiye. A few elders showed their dissatisfaction with a scowl.
“Do you trust me?” Amidst her raging temper, Li Qiye suddenly asked a strange question.
“Boom!” But before she could answer, Li Qiye immediately dragged her into the Yin Yang Pond. Moreover, they jumped into the intersection of the two water currents.
The moment they jumped into the water, suddenly, it became both hot and cold at the same time. Lan Yunzhu channeled her merit law in order to block the extreme waters.
“Dive down!” Li Qiye immediately pulled her down and said.
Lan Yunzhu could only listen to Li Qiye. Their speed of descent was extremely fast as they instantly disappeared into the pond.
“What are they trying to do!?” Seeing Li Qiye suddenly pulling Lan Yunzhu down to the bottom of the pond, everyone became startled. Keep in mind that even Virtuous Paragons were not able to reach the bottom.
“Hmph, foolish thing. He actually believes that he can dive down!” Elder Lin snorted.
Even Daoist Bao Gui grimaced and couldn’t help but worry for his disciple. As the sect master, he naturally knew about the dangers of the Yin Yang Pond.
Li Qiye carried Lan Yunzhu along and dived down at a very fast rate. Although the two of them were very strong, they still weren’t able to withstand the extreme heat and cold at a certain depth.
At this point. Li Qiye took out the Yin Yang Refining Immortal Mirror, and the Yin Yang Fishes immediately jumped out from inside. The fishes then playfully swam around them as if this was their natural habitat.
“Is this an Immortal Emperor True Treasure?” Lan Yunzhu was astonished to see the mirror. She was someone who was capable of discerning treasures very proficiently.
“It is not, but it is not necessarily weaker than a true treasure.” Li Qiye answered while holding the mirror, then he dived down even further under the protection of the Yin Yang Fishes.
“Girl, you still haven’t married yet, but you are already acting like an old housewife. Do you really want to marry me that badly?” Li Qiye smiled and teased after seeing her posture with her hands on her waist.
At this time, Lan Yunzhu finally realized her rude appearance, so she became quite embarrassed. She angrily stomped her foot and said with exasperation: “Little Devil, I won’t forget this!” Then she immediately ran out.
After she left, even Lu Baiqiu had to softly remark: “Young Noble, Fairy Zhu definitely likes you!”
Chapter 411 - Golden Temple
It seemed as if the Yin Yang Pond was bottomless. They had been diving down for an extremely long period of time, yet they were still unable to arrive at the bottom.
After reaching a certain depth, even the mirror began to have trouble protecting them against the all-freezing cold and the all-melting heat. Even the blood energy of the two in their most powerful state couldn’t withstand it. Under the extreme temperatures, even universal laws shattered from the coldness, and dao techniques disintegrated.
At this depth, even Virtuous Paragons couldn’t handle it, let alone Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu. If they kept diving down, they would surely die.
“Now! Your Heaven’s Will Secret Law… Cyclical River of Fate!” Li Qiye shouted at Lan Yunzhu.
After hearing his words, Lan Yunzhu immediately communicated with the heaven and earth. The heaven’s will suddenly hovered around them, channeling countless supreme dao like the infinite reincarnation cycles.
While Lan Yunzhu was activating her secret law, Li Qiye opened his sea of memories. A mantra flew out from its depths and turned into a golden divine chain that eventually rushed out of Li Qiye’s forehead.
“Clank!” The unbelievable suddenly happened. This golden divine chain struck Lan Yunzhu’s secret law and locked the most important part of the Cyclical River of Fate. In the blink of an eye, Lan Yunzhu lost control of her secret law and the heaven’s will suddenly wove into a door.
“Buzz—” The gate created by the heaven’s will laws suddenly sucked Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu inside.
The discombobulated Lan Yunzhu found that there was no longer a Yin Yang Pond as they were standing at a different location. She was quite in shock as well. She started to cultivate the secret law at a young age, and it could even be considered as her dao root, but she didn’t know that it had such an effect.
As soon as her mind returned, she was once again amazed at the scene that was unraveling before her eyes.
Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu were standing under a sky filled with stars. There was a giant willow tree at this place — the biggest willow tree that Lan Yunzhu had ever seen. It pierced all the way into the sky as it shouldered this entire realm. Each hanging branch was like a peg of a ladder; those who could climb to the top of the tree would eventually reach the nine firmaments.
What was even more moving was that the entire willow tree was golden; one could see its dazzling radiance from afar. One would be basked in a golden light if they stood below the tree, and they would be able to hear the crisp and pleasing sounds of golden powder falling down that followed a musical rhythm.
Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang Waters met right at the root of the tree. And right below it was a golden temple that was seemingly cast from pure gold. Its heavy doors were shut tight.
Lan Yunzhu took a long time to calm down after looking at this scene and asked: “Just… where is this place?”
“Below the Yin Yang Pond.” Li Qiye calmly spoke: “This is the foundation of your Thousand Carp River.”
Li Qiye sighed softly as he looked at the willow tree and the golden temple in front of him. He had finally returned after so many years.
Lan Yunzhu took a deep breath while gazing intensely at Li Qiye and exclaimed: “You used me! My Cyclical River of Fate is the key to getting in here.”
There was a rumor that the biggest secret of the Thousand Carp River was hidden below the Yin Yang Pond, but no one had been able to come here until now. But now, Li Qiye had done so.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “The Cyclical River of Fate is the key?” He then shook his head and continued: “You are mistaken. The secret law is only a medium; even without you, I could still enter. It would only be a bit more cumbersome, that’s all.”
Lan Yunzhu’s heart thumped as she cautiously gazed at Li Qiye: “You didn’t come here to catch immortal sungrass, your goal was this place from the very start!”
Li Qiye asked with a smile: “Oh? Are you cautious of me? You definitely do not understand the secrets in this place. If I wanted to do anything to your sect, I would not have waited until today. I only came to take what belongs to me.”
Lan Yunzhu just stood there while gazing at Li Qiye. Eventually, she took in a calming breath and asked: “How do you know this place? And how do you know the method to enter?”
Li Qiye responded with a smile: “I calculated with my fingers.”
How could Li Qiye not know about everything under the pond? In the past, he personally created this domain. Because of him, there was Immortal Emperor Qian Li and the Thousand Carp River.
Li Qiye pointed at the monstrous golden tree and said: “Sit down beneath the tree. Maybe you will benefit from its heavenly dao.”
Lan Yunzhu looked at the tree and asked: “What kind of divine tree is this?”
Li Qiye answered with a smirk: “An amazing divine tree. There would be no mysterious Thousand Carp River without it. If there was no Ghost Ancestral Tree in the Sacred Nether World, then it might have a chance to be the number one tree.”
“I’m going to enter now to take a few things.” Li Qiye then stepped towards the golden temple beneath the golden tree.
Lan Yunzhu suddenly realized something: “I don’t agree to let you take those things away.” Here, she deepened her tone: “They should belong to the Thousand Carp River.”
“Should belong to the Thousand Carp River?” Li Qiye replied with a smile: “Girl, do you know why the Thousand Carp Lake is such a wonderful place? A long time ago, it was just an ordinary lake, but later on, it became a wondrous land yearned for by countless people. Do you know why?”
“The lake wasn’t always like this?” Lan Yunzhu asked in surprise. Her Thousand Carp Lake had produced many amazing treasures craved by countless people.
“If the lake was always such a wondrous land, then would it be your Thousand Carp River’s turn to establish a sect here? Such a wondrous land would have soon been taken by the Myriad Bones Throne or the Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom to build their ancestral grounds.”
“Then why did it become such an amazing place? Was it because of our patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li?” After speaking these words, even Lan Yunzhu didn’t feel very confident.
Li Qiye mysteriously smiled as he headed inside the golden temple. Lan Yunzhu quickly followed right behind him.
Li Qiye turned around and smiled: “If you want to stop me, then you can try to follow along, but it is impossible.”
He softly sighed while standing before the immense gate of the golden temple. Then, he reached out and knocked: “I have returned.”
Li Qiye’s words had a certain harmony with the grand dao.
“Crank—” At this time, the golden gate slowly opened, revealing the primordial chaos inside.
Lan Yunzhu followed Li Qiye right after he entered, but the moment she set one foot inside, she was repelled as if there was an invincible existence forbidding her entry.
“Crank—” Before she had time to get up, the golden door had already closed.
She quickly rushed forward and pounded on the door while shouting: “Open the door, Little Devil!”
However, there was no reply from inside. She pondered for a moment and remembered Li Qiye’s earlier appearance, then she copied him by knocking on the golden gate. She also mimicked the particular rhythm when she said: “I have returned.”
But the golden gate had zero response. However, she didn’t give up and tried several times again to no avail.
“Little Devil, you dared to trick me!” Lan Yunzhu bitterly cried out: “Don’t let me catch you or I’ll really let you have a taste!”
She couldn’t do anything else but sit down beneath the golden willow tree while being filled with resentment. She eventually calmed down and looked up at this golden willow tree.
Meanwhile, Li Qiye entered the temple that was filled with primordial chaos in its entirety.
It was as if a world had not existed in this place and this was still the primal origin — the beginning of all things.
When one stood in this spot and opened their heavenly gaze while carefully listening, they could faintly hear the sounds of divine beasts, including dragons, phoenixes, qilins, and taotie as if this place was their nest. 1
Then, they could see divine pagodas along with heavenly cauldrons inside along with many other immortal treasures.
Li Qiye emotionally murmured while standing in this place: “Time is heartless, I didn’t expect to actually return to this place.”
The moment these words came out, a voice came from within the primordial chaos: “It is good to see your return.”
Chapter 412 - Immortal Emperor Qian Li
At this time, a faint shadow could be found inside the primordial chaos, but it was completely shrouded by the essence so one couldn’t tell whether it was male or female; it was only a blur of a shadow.
If the elders of the river sect could see this shadow, they would absolutely become shocked. This shadow was exactly the same as their patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li!
Seeing the shadow within the chaos, Li Qiye couldn’t help but become silent. Meanwhile, the shadow initiated the conversation: “Congratulations, you have finally regained your body. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait until this day.”
“So much time has passed… Qian Li, you are still here.” Li Qiye eventually sighed softly and said: “You know that you are no longer in this world.”
The shadow basked in primordial chaos answered: “I know.” There was a very particular order to the shadow’s voice; it seemed as if their tone was the sound of the grand dao. This also made their sex indecipherable.
“I was waiting for you to come back.” The shadow continued: “Although I am no longer here, my will and sentiment remain with this land.”
Li Qiye sat down and asked with a smile: “Or maybe you are here because you do not hope to see me take those items away?”
The shadow became silent for a long time before gently asking: “That year, when you and I created this miracle, what was our initial goal?”
Li Qiye responded: “It was to create the Thousand Carp River, and that was also why I never returned. If I wished to take them away, then I would have done so earlier. However, if your descendants are not worthy of these things, then I shall take them away.”
This prompted a question from the shadow: “Then do you feel like the current Thousand Carp River is worthy for you to leave them here? If the existences in this domain do not have these items, then they cannot reach the dao.”
Li Qiye turned quiet before eventually speaking in a low voice: “I knew you would leave a sentiment behind in this place, so I came back to see a friend.” Li Qiye then sighed dejectedly.
“If you choose to leave them here, then it would be a great blessing for the Thousand Carp River, and a great blessing for all the existences in this domain.” The shadow continued on: “This land has many things that I can’t forget.”
Li Qiye was silent for a long time before he helplessly smiled to say: “Then we can leave them here. It seems like I am unable to refuse your request.”
“But you have done so in the past.” The voice in the chaos spoke softly in a very gentle manner.
After the past was brought up, Li Qiye shook his head and replied: “Even though you are an Immortal Emperor, you should know that the Immortal Demon Grotto is eternal. Even you will find it difficult to succeed. And even if you were able to do it, you would surely die as well. Just like before when I groomed the group of Min Ren, I didn’t intend for them to die for me…
“… The same applies to you. It is very difficult for an Immortal Emperor to emerge in each generation. An Immortal Emperor exists not only to reign supreme over the Nine Worlds, but they must also protect this heaven and earth — you should be aware of this. Trading an Immortal Emperor for me is not something I desire. In this world, there are many wonderful things as well as tasks that we must perform. A crow is fine, an imperial teacher is also the same; to me, training someone is not for me to use them as a tool or let them die in my stead.” 1
Here, he let out a disappointed sigh.
A long time later, the shadow in the chaos gently asked: “Are you lonely?”
Li Qiye replied with a smile: “Once one is used to it, one will no longer feel lonesome. For tens of millions of years, I had Min Ren, Tun Ri, and people like you to spend time with me, so I should be happy instead.”
After a period of silence, the shadow let out a long sigh filled with sadness before finally speaking: “I have found something for you.”
An item flew out from the primordial chaos and landed in front of Li Qiye.
Li Qiye took a look at it before emotionally exclaiming: “Elusive Heavenly Vase!” He then gently touched the ancient vase.
The shadow said: “I know you have been searching for this thing for a very long time. After you went into hibernation, I opened a separate domain and the heavens did not let me down. I have finally found it.”
Li Qiye carefully put the vase away and smiled: “I had forgotten about it until now, but I was indeed very interested in it in the past. I wanted to research the legendary Elusive Heavenly Mountain, but I had put this matter on hold.”
“Because you are a very busy man.” The shadow in the chaos smiled; it was a very pleasant smile.
Li Qiye also smiled back. All the events in the past were still as clear as ever in his mind. Unfortunately, the endless time shrouded them until today when these memories were evoked once more.
“Can I see you?” A while later, the shadow in the chaos asked.
Li Qiye looked at the shadow and, after a long silence, he sighed and disappeared into the primordial chaos.
***
Near the golden temple, Lan Yunzhu looked up at the Golden Divine Willow and saw a sprite-like creature akin to sea grass flying around.
No, it was not sea grass but a Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass, and it was a king on top of that! Seeing so many Yin Yang King Sungrass shocked Lan Yunzhu.
The value of a Yin Yang King Sungrass was much higher than an Eight Transformation Soul Grass; it was comparable to a two or three million year old King Herb. In addition, this was a king sungrass that had turned into a bright golden color, so it was much more precious than old King Herbs.
There had always been people diving down the pond at the Thousand Carp River to catch immortal sungrass, but they very rarely ever caught a king sungrass, let alone one that had reached this golden color.
While being astonished at the sight of so many king sungrass, she also wanted to catch a few. However, no matter which techniques she performed, she was unable to catch any of these flying king sungrass beneath the Golden Divine Willow.
As she pondered on how to catch one, she heard the voice of Li Qiye right next to her: “You won’t be able to catch a king sungrass right below the Golden Divine Willow.”
Lan Yunzhu turned around to see Li Qiye standing there for who knew how long.
She exploded the moment she saw him: “Damned Little Devil, you dared to leave me outside!?” She was prepping her claws against Li Qiye and spoke resentfully: “Watch me take care of you!”
“Girl, it is not because I wanted to leave you outside, but because you couldn’t enter.” Li Qiye grinned and continued: “Not just anyone can enter the golden temple.”
The angry Lan Yunzhu snorted. After a while, she calmed down and asked while gazing at Li Qiye: “What did you take from there?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Li Qiye replied while meeting her gaze: “Even if I took some items, they are only things that belonged to me. However, your Thousand Carp River is lucky. Out of remembrance for your patriarch, I have left those things behind.”
“Really?” Lan Yunzhu stared at Li Qiye with doubts as if she wanted to see if he was hiding any treasures on his body.
Li Qiye angrily glared at her and said: “If I wanted to take those items, then what can your sect do to me? This was just my last deed to end the fateful ties with the Thousand Carp River.” He sighed softly after having said this.
Lan Yunzhu was caught off guard. She felt that Li Qiye seemed to be sad, but it was not because of the treasures. Ever since she met him, she found him to be a happy and always-smiling person; never had she seen him in such a sad state.
However, it was just for a second. Lan Yunzhu was not so sure and suspected that she might have just misread it. What could make Li Qiye so sad? She was quite curious about this.
Amidst her curious confusion, Li Qiye let out a long whistle and a very strange thing happened. A king sungrass slowly flew into Li Qiye’s palm, thus allowing him to easily catch it.
“Impossible!” Lan Yunzhu was astounded after seeing this. She also whistled just like Li Qiye, but all the other king sungrass ignored her.
“How did you do that?” Lan Yunzhu stared at Li Qiye in astonishment and asked.
Li Qiye revealed a mysterious smile and said: “It’s a secret. You won’t be able to find out. But of course, if we consummate our marriage tonight, then I can reconsider about clueing you in.”
“Go die!” Lan Yunzhu immediately blushed as she tried to kick Li Qiye.
Li Qiye laughed and jumped up, then he suddenly disappeared within the willow tree. A bit later, Li Qiye landed with a hat in his hand; it was a hat made from golden willow branches that were weaved together. Each branch emitted strands that resembled golden silk universal laws, causing onlookers to feel a disturbance in their mind.
Lan Yunzhu looked at the hat made from interwoven willow branches in Li Qiye’s hand and asked: “What is that thing?”
“Golden Willow Crest.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “Unfortunately, I won’t be giving it to you since you haven’t performed the duties of a fiancee.”
Lan Yunzhu snappily glared at him and retorted: “I don’t care for it at all.”
“Let us go, one Yin Yang King Sungrass is enough to beat your protectors.” Li Qiye looked at the golden temple one last time and secretly sighed in his heart.
Lan Yunzhu looked at him and paused for a moment before speaking: “I have to report this to the sect master.” In the end, Lan Yunzhu was still a disciple of the Thousand Carp River. This Golden Divine Willow was too important to the sect, so she must report it to the sect master.
At this time, a faint shadow could be found inside the primordial chaos, but it was completely shrouded by the essence so one couldn’t tell whether it was male or female; it was only a blur of a shadow.
If the elders of the river sect could see this shadow, they would absolutely become shocked. This shadow was exactly the same as their patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li!
Seeing the shadow within the chaos, Li Qiye couldn’t help but become silent. Meanwhile, the shadow initiated the conversation: “Congratulations, you have finally regained your body. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait until this day.”
“So much time has passed… Qian Li, you are still here.” Li Qiye eventually sighed softly and said: “Readers, go read Spirit Vessel on Gravitytales.”
Chapter 413 - Golden Willow Crest
“Do as you please.” Li Qiye didn’t care and said: “Even your ancestors might not know about it, and even if they did, your Thousand Carp River still wouldn’t be able to enter.”
The key was not the Heaven’s Will Secret Law nor the Cyclical River of Fate, but rather Li Qiye’s golden universal law. Without this law from Li Qiye’s sea of memories, it would be useless even if someone knew of this secret since they wouldn’t be able to enter.
Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye’s absent-minded expression and quietly asked: “How do you know about the matters in this place?”
Ever since he left the golden temple, he seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts, so she was a bit worried for him.
“I calculated with my fingers.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
“Go calculate in hell!” Lan Yunzhu gritted her teeth from anger. She had good intentions, but this little devil was completely ungrateful!
Li Qiye looked at her and asked: “Do you want to stay here and flirt with me for a bit longer, or do you want to hurry back so that your master won’t worry?”
“Bah, you narcissist, who wants to flirt with you? Don’t be so arrogant.” Lan Yunzhu angrily retorted with beet red cheeks.
***
Right by the Yin Yang Pond, Daoist Bao Gui was very worried since Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu had dived down for a long time and still hadn’t returned.
“Could they actually dive down that deep?” He wondered with uncertainty.
His old eyes gazed at the Yin Yang Pond. Although Lan Yunzhu’s cultivation was very formidable, as the sect master, he knew just how terrifying the pond was.
And he wasn’t the only one who was nervous, another elder was quite worried as well: “Hmph! Even if that Little Demon Li wished to die, he shouldn’t involve others!”
One of them scolded: “If anything happens to Yunzhu, I will personally kill this brat!”
At this time, everyone’s anger was directed at Li Qiye. The disciples also felt the same as they cursed Li Qiye since they were very worried about Lan Yunzhu.
Only Lu Baiqiu alone cared for Li Qiye’s safety. She stood by the pond while nervously looking down at the water, silently praying for his safe return.
“Sect Master, I’m afraid it is not looking good. How about we go down and take a look?” The two still hadn’t come out after a long time, so an elder expressed his concern.
The worried Daoist Bao Gui nodded his head in response: “We can temporarily stop this immortal sungrass catching competition and go down to take a look. It would not be good if anything happened to them.”
“Crash!” Right when the sect master’s group wished to dive down, two figures soared up and landed by the pond.
Both the elders and disciples were ecstatic after seeing the two figures leaving the pond.
“They are out!” A person exclaimed.
The constantly panicking Lu Baiqiu finally smiled after seeing Li Qiye was safe and sound and standing by the bank.
Daoist Bai Gui also let out a sigh of relief after seeing the two of them, then he scolded: “How rash! The Yin Yang Pond is extremely dangerous. How could you two carelessly dive down like that?”
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Do not worry, Sect Master. Just the Yin Yang Pond alone won’t be able to kill us.” He then took out a Yin Yang King Sungrass and smirked: “We captured a king sungrass, I wonder how many king sungrass the two protectors caught?”
“Yin Yang King Sungrass!” Daoist Bao Gui exclaimed after seeing the plant in Li Qiye’s hand.
All the elders and protectors gathered around. Even the two competing protectors also came by to take a closer look at the king sungrass in Li Qiye’s hand. One of them was aghast and cried out: “It really is a king sungrass!”
An elder movingly said: “We haven’t caught a single blade of king sungrass for three thousand years. How did you guys catch it just now? This is unbelievable.”
Elder Lin’s expression became very ugly and snorted after seeing the king sungrass. Li Qiye’s victory was assured with this king sungrass. Even if his side caught more immortal sungrass, they were still not as valuable as a single king sungrass.
“Who won this round?” Li Qiye looked at the elders and revealed a wide smile.
All of the elders glanced at each other. Although they were unwilling, they still belonged to an emperor’s lineage and had to admit that Li Qiye won this round.
“Li Qiye has passed the second trial.” In the end, Daoist Bao Gui announced.
Li Qiye then calmly spoke: “Since I succeeded in two out of the three trials, there is no need for the last trial, right? But if your sect wishes to test your future son-in-law again, I’ll be happy to comply. I trust that no one can separate the two of us, am I right, Yunzhu?”
Lan Yunzhu knew that this little demon purposely said this, so she angrily glared at him.
Despite their unhappiness, what could the elders and disciples of the river sect do? The terms were decided by them beforehand, so they couldn’t change it now.
Li Qiye went back along with Lu Baiqiu to their housing while Lan Yunzhu went to report to Daoist Bao Gui.
After going back to the courtyard, Li Qiye called for Lu Baiqiu and gave her the Golden Willow Crest before saying: “You have followed me for several days while fulfilling all of your duties, so I will give you this treasure crest as a reward.”
“What is this treasure?” Lu Baiqiu emotionally asked while looking at the golden crest. Although she didn’t know what it was, its appearance that was filled with encircling silk-like universal laws was impressive enough.
Li Qiye answered with a smile: “This is a Golden Willow Crest, it’s woven from the most valuable branches from the Golden Divine Willow. It is a natural creation, not something that was crafted. This particular crest can be a ghost divine merit law, but if you consider it as a weapon, then will be a weapon; if you want it to be a scripture, then it is a scripture; if you think it is a supreme manual to study, then let it be a supreme manual.”
“This thing… is that magical?” Lu Baiqiu asked in astonishment. If Li Qiye’s explanation was apt, then this crest was indeed an amazing divine treasure.
Li Qiye nodded and said: “Yes! This thing could be considered the one and only of its kind in this world, and it is a creation that I shall give to you. As for the benefits and wisdom you can gain from it, it will be up to your own fortune. Remember well, you only have one chance at studying the supreme scripture within.”
“This…” Lu Baiqiu hesitated while holding the golden crest in her hand. This treasure was too valuable for her since it was worthy of being called a divine treasure. Lu Baiqiu was only a Region Lord of the Static Stream Country, so she couldn’t come into contact with such a thing.
“Take it.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “You have earned it. I told you that I would give you a creation, and I will not break my word.”
Lu Baiqiu calmed down and bowed towards Li Qiye: “Thank you, Young Noble.” Outside of heartfelt sincerity, more wordy appreciations paled in comparison.
***
“Bottom of the Yin Yang Pond…? The secret of the Yin Yang Pond!” In another part of the Thousand Carp River, Daoist Bao Gui was quite moved after hearing Lan Yunzhu’s report: “The legendary Golden Divine Willow!”
Lan Yunzhu looked at her master and asked: “Master, what kind of divine tree is it?” She saw it with her own eyes but couldn’t gain any profound enlightenment.
One must know that Lan Yunzhu had dual Saint talents; she was a devilish existence in the entire Sacred Nether World, not just in the Distant Cloud. She was not weaker than any other genius, but she couldn’t fathom the mysteries below the golden willow.
Daoist Bao Gui pondered for a moment before answering: “The Divine Willow Tree… I don’t know the exact details about it since there are only a few written records regarding this existence. It is said that this divine tree obtained a mysterious and heavenly creation. People say that the most powerful and formidable tree in the Sacred Nether World is the Ghost Ancestral Tree, but there is also a rumor stating that the Divine Golden Willow is right behind it.”
“Ghost Ancestral Tree?” Lan Yunzhu remembered hearing Li Qiye mention such a thing.
Daoist Bao Gui shook his head and said: “The Ghost Ancestral Tree is only a legend, no one really believes in its existence. Many ghost tribes in the Sacred Nether World refuse to acknowledge its existence, including the Ancestral Domain. Eventually, people just assumed that it was only a fabricated myth.”
After hearing about how the Ancestral Domain itself refuted this legend, Lan Yunzhu eagerly asked: “Is the Ghost Ancestral Tree that important?”
Daoist Bao Gui replied with gravity: “This has always been a mystery. Rumor has it that the tree had something to do with the ghost race’s origin. If that is indeed true, then the tree is the root of the Sacred Nether World. Of course, this is all hearsay since no one has seen it before.
“However, the divine tree and the golden temple might have something to do with our sect’s foundation. Since the Thousand Carp Lake is such a miraculous place, it must be the doing of the divine tree and the golden temple.”
Lan Yunzhu was about to say something, but she chose to remain silent instead. She didn’t reveal the fact about Li Qiye wanting to take a few things from the golden temple. After some hesitation, she decided to bury this matter in her heart because it might be quite disastrous to Li Qiye once revealed.
“Do as you please.” Li Qiye didn’t care and said: “Even your ancestors might not know about it. However, even if they did, your Thousand Carp River still wouldn’t be able to enter.”
The key was not the Heaven’s Will Secret Law, the Cyclical River of Fate, but rather Li Qiye’s golden universal law. Without this law from Li Qiye’s sea of memories, it would be useless even if someone knew this secret since they wouldn’t be able to enter.
Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye’s absent-minded expression and quietly asked: “How do you know about the matters in this place?”
Ever since he left the golden temple, he seemed to be preoccupied with thoughts, so she was a bit worried for him.
“I calculated with my fingers.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
Chapter 414 - Turmoil
Unwittingly, she had started to worry about Li Qiye’s safety.
Daoist Bao Gui then inquired further: “Did Li Qiye say anything else about the Golden Temple?” As the sect master, he understood the gravity of this matter.
“Nothing else.” Lan Yunzhu shook her head in response. There were some things that she didn’t want to reveal.
“This is the secret of the Yin Yang Pond…” Daoist Bao Gui couldn’t help but murmur. Over the years, there were many tales circulating the inner circle of the river sect regarding the bottom of the Yin Yang Pond. Some believed that it was the foundation of the sect.
Because of this rumor, across many generations, people tried to dive down to the very bottom. However, despite their numerous efforts, they still failed to do so. As a result, these rumors, instead, became legends for the future generations.
But today, an outsider confirmed such a legend, so how could Daoist Bao Gui not become emotional?
“How does Li Qiye know this secret?” The daoist wondered. As the sect master, he knew his own sect very well, but an outsider like Li Qiye was privy to the pond’s secret while it eluded him, the sect master.
Perhaps even the high elders and the slumbering ancestors didn’t know the secret of the pond. Thus, this matter where their great secret was within the grasp of an outsider was of the utmost priority to Daoist Bao Gui.
After Lan Yunzhu’s report, the daoist immediately convened a secret meeting that only consisted of elders; even the high elders who rarely showed themselves participated as well.
After hearing the sect master’s statement, all the elders were quite moved as they glanced at each other: “There is a golden temple and a golden divine tree below the Yin Yang Pond!?”
“The rumor is true, then.” A high elder took a deep breath and wondered: “Could this be an inheritance bequeathed by our Immortal Emperor patriarch?”
“Such a secret affects the survival of our sect, we cannot let an outsider grasp it.” Elder Lin, who had always been antagonistic towards Li Qiye, gravely said: “We should capture Li Qiye and interrogate him right away.”
Another elder shook his head in disagreement: “There is no evidence regarding this matter so if we interrogate Li Qiye, our reputation as an emperor’s lineage would be greatly damaged. We should talk to Li Qiye first, then decide later.”
“Hmph, this affects our sect’s survival, so what is there to talk about?” Elder Lin coldly continued: “As long as we catch him and carefully interrogate him, there is no fear that he won’t talk.”
Another high elder, Venerable Wang, who was Elder Lin’s master, agreed: “This matter is indeed of the utmost importance. We should first capture Li Qiye.”
“We don’t even know about the secret of the pond, so how does Li Qiye know?” High Elder Yang replied in a deep tone: “Maybe Li Qiye has a deep connection with our sect.”
“Senior Brother Yang, how could an outsider have any ties with us?” Venerable Wang sarcastically smiled and exclaimed: “Maybe this little demon has been secretly spying on us and discovered a way to enter the Yin Yang Pond!”
“Spying on our methods and found a way to enter the pond?” Venerable Yang glanced at him and said: “If we had a method of entry, why would we even be here today? Does Junior Brother Wang know of such a method? And not just us, even our sealed ancestors might not know the secret. Are you telling me that our ancestor knew of this secret and told an outsider?”
Venerable Wang said with a grave tone: “If we torture him, there would be no need to fear that he won’t talk. At that moment, we’ll find out how Li Qiye knows of this secret.”
Venerable Yang shook his head in response: “I personally do not agree with an interrogation. We can talk to Li Qiye, instead.”
A different high elder nodded in agreement: “Beginning with an interrogation is too hasty, but we do need to talk with this little demon first.”
Daoist Bao Gui coughed to interject: “Senior Uncles, we should set aside the matter of Li Qiye for now. I feel that we should dive down and personally check the Yin Yang Pond before we take any action.”
“That’s right!” After hearing this, all the elders and high elders became excited: “We should go take a look!”
The elders took action immediately. They sealed the island and didn’t allow anyone to approach. A few elders and high elders carried treasures to dive down to the depths of the Yin Yang Pond. They followed Lan Yunzhu’s instructions in order to reach the bottom.
However, no matter how they tried to use Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s Cyclical River of Fate, they could not reach the bottom, let alone see the golden tree and golden temple.
After consecutive failures, the group realized that the key was not the Heaven’s Will Secret Law, it was Li Qiye.
“We have to talk to that little devil!” All the elders had the same thought, and that was to get Li Qiye to reveal the secret no matter what.
“Young Noble, it’s not looking so good!” In the afternoon, Lu Baiqiu rushed in and immediately exclaimed after seeing Li Qiye.
“What happened? Why are you so startled?” Li Qiye looked at her and asked.
Lu Baiqiu looked around as if she was afraid that people would eavesdrop before whispering: “Young Noble, there are a lot more disciples patrolling our private courtyard today. I’m afraid the river sect might have some unfavorable plans regarding us.”
Lu Baiqiu was a Region Lord, so she was meticulous and cautious. She immediately knew that something bad had happened the moment she noticed the extra disciples going back and forth.
“Is that so?” Li Qiye smiled in response. This was within his expectations. If Lan Yunzhu reported the matter of what was beneath the Yin Yang Pond, then naturally, the Thousand Carp River would have a great reaction.
“Would the Thousand Carp River change their mind about the marriage arrangement? But Young Noble, I think Fairy Zhu quite likes you.” Lu Baiqiu anxiously whispered.
Li Qiye lightly flicked her forehead and said: “Girl, where did your mind wander off to?” Li Qiye then smiled and shook his head: “It’s nothing of that sort, this has nothing to do with that little girl.”
Lu Baiqiu’s sense of danger was tingling, so she whispered again: “But Fairy Zhu should be warning you right now, yet there is no sign of her. Don’t tell me Fairy Zhu wants to cancel this marriage?”
Li Qiye calmly responded: “Don’t think about it too much. The little girl has no control over this matter for she is helpless as well regarding this issue.”
The secret of the pond affected the existence of the sect itself, so such a thing was outside the influence of a disciple like Lan Yunzhu. Even the sect master, Daoist Bao Gui, could not decide the course of action regarding this matter alone.
“Then what should we do?” Lu Baiqiu inquired: “Young Noble, how about we escape under the curtain of night?”
“Escape? Why do we have to escape?” Li Qiye nonchalantly stated: “Don’t worry, even if the sky falls down, your Young Noble will be here to shoulder it for you. What is there to be afraid of?”
Lu Baiqiu took a deep breath and resolutely nodded her head: “I shall stand together with Young Noble!”
Li Qiye just smiled and didn’t say anything else. He then slowly closed his eyes in anticipation of the things to come.
Later on, in the afternoon, the patrolling disciples around Li Qiye’s place only increased in number till the point where not even a drop of water could trickle through.
Even the stupidest disciple in the river sect would understand that something important had happened. However, the sect remained secretive, and ordinary disciples didn’t dare to ask any questions.
Lu Baiqiu became increasingly nervous after seeing even more disciples around, but she calmed down after noticing how relaxed Li Qiye was.
Once night fell, Daoist Bao Gui finally came to see Li Qiye. They couldn’t go down to the bottom of the pond, so they had no other choice. They knew the key lied with Li Qiye, so the sect master personally went to talk with him.
The sect master sat down and Li Qiye didn’t mince words: “Sect Master came because of the issue regarding what is beneath the Yin Yang Pond, correct?”
The sect master nodded his head while smiling and said: “Young Noble Li is a sensible person. If we all understand the circumstance, then we can openly talk.”
“I’m all ears.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
Daoist Bao Gui took a deep breath and sat in a very formal position before looking at Li Qiye to say: “Young Noble Li, our Thousand Carp River must know the key, the secret of reaching the bottom of the pond. Please teach us the method.”
“The method to reach the bottom?” Li Qiye shook his head in response: “I’m sorry, but there is no way I can do that. Only I can enter that place.”
Daoist Bao Gui’s gaze became serious as he spoke with more austerity: “Young Noble Li, this matter is very crucial, so I hope that you will speak with caution.”
Li Qiye glanced at the daoist in response: “There is nothing I can do if you don’t believe me. However, I do have a word of advice: don’t have any ideas about going down to the bottom of the Yin Yang Pond.”
“Why?” The daoist was quite surprised at this response and asked.
Li Qiye lightly answered: “It is not a place that you guys should enter. However, if you wish for a more understandable reason, then it is because you guys are not qualified.”
Li Qiye’s words caused the daoist’s expression to change as he gravely said: “Young Noble Li, do not forget that this is the Thousand Carp Lake of the Thousand Carp River. There is no place within this lake that we are not allowed entry!”
Unknowingly, she had started to worry about Li Qiye’s safety.
Daoist Bao Gui then inquired further: “Did Li Qiye say anything else about the Golden Temple?” As the sect master, he understood the gravity of this matter.
“Nothing else.” Lan Yunzhu shook her head and answered. There were some things that she didn’t want to reveal.
“This is the secret of the Yin Yang Pond…” Daoist Bao Gui couldn’t help but murmur. Over the years, there were many tales circulating the inner circle of the river sect regarding the bottom of the Yin Yang Pond. Some believed that it was the foundation of the sect.
Chapter 415 - Negotiation
Li Qiye gently shook his head in disagreement regarding the daoist’s assertion: “You are mistaken. To be more exact, your Thousand Carp River exists because of the Yin Yang Pond. Your paradise depends on the pond, and it does not belong to you. Is that clear?”
Daoist Bao Gui had always been biased in favor of Li Qiye, but Li Qiye’s words had angered him. Nevertheless, he tried to remain calm in a manner befitting that of a sect master. However, he still inevitably showed some anger in his tone: “Then pray tell, if the Yin Yang Pond does not belong to the Thousand Carp River, then who does it belong to?”
“Me.” Li Qiye pointed at his nose and said: “Frankly speaking, the pond belongs to me alone, and only with my permission can someone else enter.”
Daoist Bao Gui angrily exclaimed: “Young Noble Li, you are going too far!”
The daoist had tried to protect Li Qiye many times regarding this matter, but now, Li Qiye’s blustering and uncooperative attitude had made him furious.
Li Qiye lazily glanced at him and said: “Sect Master, I understand your position. I also know the attitudes of the old men of your Thousand Carp River. There are a few secrets that must be obtained by any and all means, correct? But do you know why I am still here?”
Daoist Bao Gui’s heart quickly thumped as his eyes turned serious. As the sect master of an emperor’s lineage, he had seen many storms. He was also a smart man and felt that there was something not right with Li Qiye since Li Qiye clearly knew how things would develop, yet he still chose to stay here.
Anyone else would have run away a long time ago if they knew that the river sect harbored unfriendly intentions towards them. However, it was the opposite for Li Qiye; he was without any fear.
Daoist Bao Gui then took a deep breath to maintain his calm before saying: “I’m ready to listen.”
Li Qiye let out a wide smile and spoke in a very leisurely manner: “It’s nothing much, I just wanted to see whether Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s descendants would shame him or not. The truth is that I am already showing respect towards you. However, if you choose to be unreasonable, then I think it is time for the Thousand Carp River to go on the decline.”
“What are you trying to say!” Daoist Bao Gui’s expression greatly changed as he gravely asked.
Li Qiye nonchalantly responded: “Nothing that serious. If your Thousand Carp River has nothing worthy of my remembrance, then this land no longer deserves me looking after it. If this is the case, then the prosperity of the river sect is one less thing for me to worry about.”
The reason why Li Qiye didn’t take away the items he left behind in the golden temple was not only because of Immortal Emperor Qian Li, but also to give the river sect a chance. Although it had several elders that annoyed Li Qiye, at the very least, he had a good impression of Lan Yunzhu, Daoist Bao Gui, and Venerable Yang. They were deserving of Li Qiye’s mercy.
Daoist Bao Gui’s countenance became quite difficult to look at as he gazed at Li Qiye. If it was anyone else, they would have erupted with anger, but not him.
The daoist then said with a serious tone: “Young Noble Li, do not forget that this is the Thousand Carp River. We are an emperor’s lineage; we have stood strong for generations and are not easily intimidated.”
“I’m not intimidating Sect Master, I merely speak the truth. Yes, this is the Thousand Carp River, and that is precisely the reason why I am the ruler of all things here. Do I make myself clear?” Li Qiye declared with a smile.
Li Qiye personally created this piece of miraculous land together with Immortal Emperor Qian Li. If he wished to reign over the Thousand Carp River, there were many means for him to do so.
Daoist Bao Gui coldly retorted: “Our Thousand Carp River is not clay for just anyone to mold as they please.” These words were not empty since an emperor’s lineage indeed had a certain sense of confidence that would remain strong against any foe.
“I know, the Thousand Carp River is very powerful.” Li Qiye nodded his head in agreement: “But do you know why the river sect has been prosperous till this day? Do you know why it is allowed to have such a paradise as the Thousand Carp Lake?”
Li Qiye emotionlessly continued: “It is because this land is worthy of my remembrance.” Just like Immortal Emperor Qian Li, these rivers and mountains had a history that could not be forgotten. The items in the golden temple were peerless; with them, Li Qiye could create a new Immortal Emperor lineage. However, after Immortal Emperor Qian Li left, Li Qiye did not take these things away.
Just like Immortal Emperor Qian Li said, this land deserved preservation since it contained an abundance of happiness. Otherwise, Li Qiye would have taken these items away during the Black Dragon King’s era. They were all things that Li Qiye took from the most dangerous places under the nine heavens.
Daoist Bao Gui was in a daze as he looked at Li Qiye without knowing what to say. He actually didn’t think that Li Qiye was simply speaking nonsense, and this greatly confused him. Li Qiye was only a junior… What kind of abilities or backing did he actually have for him to oppose an emperor’s lineage? No matter how powerful they were, a young man would not dare to oppose an emperor’s lineage in such a grand manner.
Daoist Bao Gui finally quelled the many thoughts in his mind and gravely stated: “Young Noble Li, I will try my best to work this out. I hope that we can reach a peaceful conclusion. However, without your cooperation, even I — as the sect master — am powerless to protect you.”
“I appreciate your kind sentiment.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “But if Sect Master forces me to cooperate, then I am also powerless.”
The daoist was in a dilemma, but he did not give up despite Li Qiye’s refusal. He took a deep breath and continued on: “Young Noble Li, in the end, this is an issue integral to our sect’s survival, so we cannot afford to tread lightly. We have no other intentions. As the Thousand Carp River’s disciples, we only wish to take a look to further our understanding of the sect’s foundation. If you could tell us the method of entry that we currently lack, then our sect is willing to pay the price!”
Li Qiye laughed and said: “Oh? Now it is the carrot after the stick has failed?” 1
Daoist Bao Gui replied in a serious manner: “We simply wish to talk this through. As long as you are willing, just name the price. We shall have a fair negotiation and our sect will definitely satisfy your demands.”
“Sect Master does not understand the crux of the situation.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “A price? Sect Master, if I truly wanted treasures, then I would not wait for Sect Master to bargain with me. Do you feel that your sect has something more valuable than the Golden Divine Willow? If I truly wanted treasures, then I would not be wasting my time with you, I would have already taken the divine tree away.”
“Take away the Golden Divine Willow!?” Daoist Bao Gui became aghast after hearing this.
The divine tree was related to the Thousand Carp River’s foundation so if someone took it away, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“If that is my wish, I’m sure the Golden Divine Willow would very happily follow me.” Li Qiye lightly continued: “Do you know why I left it behind? It is to give the Thousand Carp River a chance. I have explained myself very clearly, so Sect Master needs to be sensible now.”
Daoist Bao Gui silently stood there while deliberating these words. Taking away the Golden Divine Willow? Even the river sect itself knew very little about the tree… Could Li Qiye actually take the tree away? The daoist began to hesitate at this point since Li Qiye did not seem like he was joking.
“Sect Master, I do not wish to repeat myself anymore.” Li Qiye spoke apathetically: “Forget about the Yin Yang Pond and do as you did before. Otherwise, your Thousand Carp River would simply be seeking self-destruction.”
The daoist turned silent. The river sect was an emperor’s lineage so logically speaking, it would not easily falter due to the threats of a junior.
However, his intuition was telling him that involving themselves in this matter any longer would become detrimental to the sect. He was not sure of Li Qiye’s true abilities, but his heart was saying that by blatantly opposing Li Qiye, the river sect will decline.
There was no evidence since he knew nothing about Li Qiye’s means, he only knew that opposing Li Qiye was an unwise decision.
After a good while, the daoist stood up and eventually said with austerity: “Young Noble Li, I cannot decide this matter by myself. Even as the sect master, it is beyond my control.”
“I understand. As the sect master, your wisest decision is to persuade the others and act as if nothing had happened. Only then would all of you still have this paradise that is the Thousand Carp Lake as your emperor’s lineage continues to prosper. Don’t venture where you are not supposed to.”
Daoist Bao Gui gently sighed. Although he believed Li Qiye’s words and agreed to give up on discovering the secrets of the Yin Yang Pond, the other elders and high elders would not necessarily be convinced.
Chapter 416 - Approaching Battle
Daoist Bao Gui returned and convened a meeting at night. All the elders and high elders were present at this meeting that had a particularly solemn atmosphere.
During this meeting, the daoist clearly explained the details and his personal concerns.
Elder Lin, who was the first to dislike Li Qiye, sneered: “Since he does not want to cooperate, then he cannot blame us for not giving him a chance. Catch him and begin the interrogation.”
Another elder nodded his head and said: “Sect Master, a junior like him has the nerve to act like this in our Thousand River Sect as if we are nothing. If we don’t give him a taste of our strength, then he’ll actually think that we were only bluffing.”
Prior to this, a few elders who had yet to come to a conclusion did not want to use force and hoped that this could be resolved peacefully. But now, Li Qiye’s attitude had angered these elders. They felt that Li Qiye refused a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!
The high elders were especially strict regarding this behavior. Venerable Wang said in a grave manner: “Sect Master, a little junior is stomping on our heads like this… What are we waiting for? Capture him right now!”
Venerable Yang, on the other hand, assuaged the rest of the elders: “Let Li Qiye think about it some more, give him one last chance. Let’s make the deadline tomorrow.”
Although Venerable Yang wished to lend Li Qiye a hand in this matter, he was also powerless since Li Qiye’s attitude had offended the entire Thousand Carp River. He did not know what Li Qiye wanted to do. Did he want to oppose the entire river sect by himself? Even Virtuous Paragons would not be able to do so, let alone someone from the younger generation.
He understood that the Dream Wishing Tree chose Li Qiye for a reason, but his arrogant attitude left him speechless and made it impossible to protect him.
“We’ll do as Venerable Yang said. We’ll give Li Qiye one last chance, and I’ll go talk to him again tomorrow.” Daoist Bao Gui formally declared. He agreed to this plan; this was all that he could do.
Compared to the other angry elders, Daoist Bao Gui was quite apprehensive. The other elders didn’t speak to Li Qiye so they didn’t share such a feeling. Apprehension from the sect’s possible decline due to opposing Li Qiye loomed over the daoist’s mind.
But now, even he could not appease the angry elders in the sect, nor could he change the final outcome. Without the support of Venerable Yang’s group by his side, the other elders would have already taken action.
“Only one day.” In the end, under the sect master’s assertion, the other elders eventually agreed to a one-day extension. They gave the daoist one day to persuade Li Qiye; afterward, the sect would go and capture him.
The group of Elder Lin wanted to get rid of Li Qiye immediately since they were both anxious and annoyed due to Daoist Bao Gui’s attempt at protecting him.
The daoist let out a long sigh. He managed to gain one day for Li Qiye, but deep in his mind, he knew that Li Qiye would absolutely not acquiesce. However, there was nothing else that he could do since he failed to convince the elders.
The two sides were at an impasse where neither side was willing to back down. If it was someone else, then Daoist Bao Gui would have complete confidence in capturing them. After all, being called an emperor’s lineage was not just an empty title.
However, Daoist Bao Gui had no confidence against an unknown junior like Li Qiye. He found the whole thing to be quite mysterious. How could the Thousand Carp disciples, and even its descendants, not enter the foundation of the sect while an outsider like Li Qiye easily entered?
What was the connection between Li Qiye and the river sect? Li Qiye even said that the Golden Divine Willow belonged to him and that it would happily go with him… Why? These mysteries caused Daoist Bao Gui to be lost in thought.
If Li Qiye’s words were right, then once the conflict began, what would happen to the river sect if the divine tree chose to follow him?
Daoist Bao Gui shivered at the mere thought. Without the Golden Divine Willow, the Thousand Carp Lake would no longer be a paradise. It would become an ordinary lake from then on as countless medicines would perish while numerous demons won’t be able to become enlightened with the dao!
Daoist Bao Gui felt that the burden on his shoulders was too heavy to bear. He could not convince the elders, so at the moment, the only way was to invite an ancestor to come into being.
However, he knew that his idea alone was insufficient to convince an ancestor, let alone invite the ancestor to appear and protect Li Qiye.
Tonight was a sleepless night for the daoist; an endlessly long night.
On this night, Lan Yunzhu hurriedly rushed to Li Qiye’s place. She was normally a proud woman who never panicked in front of adversity, but she seemed quite alarmed at this moment.
The moment she saw him, she urged: “Hurry and escape tonight!”
Compared to her panicked state, Li Qiye was much calmer and relaxed. He looked at her and lightly inquired: “Why escape?”
The worrying Lan Yunzhu hurriedly replied: “The elders have decided to capture you. Although the sect master bought you an extra day, if you choose not to talk, then you will be captured. Now, the elders want to capture you, especially the branch of High Elder Wang. They all want to do so as soon as possible. If it wasn’t for the sect master, they would have already come.”
Li Qiye leisurely smiled and said: “If they want to do it the hard way, then I will gladly welcome it and will happily meet them anytime. I’m a bit itchy from the lack of fighting recently. If you don’t mind, I should really consider commencing a massacre.”
Lan Yunzhu glowered at him and snappily exclaimed: “Are you crazy? I know that you are very strong, but this is not the time to rely on it. Not to mention, all of our elders are Heavenly Sovereigns, and there is even a peak Heavenly Sovereign. Once a fight breaks out, even the high elders will not hesitate to join. Some of our reclusive high elders are peak Heavenly Kings. If they take action, it would still not be enough even if you had ten lives.”
“Girl, your words are mistaken. If it was a different location, then I would be a bit wary of peak Heavenly Kings. However, this is the Thousand Carp River, so even if Virtuous Paragons came, I will continue to sit safely on my throne above the nine heavens.”
Lan Yunzhu became so angry that she gave him a stern look before saying: “Don’t be too arrogant! This is the Thousand Carp River, an emperor’s lineage! Even Virtuous Paragons cannot shake our sect. Do you think that you alone can do anything? Even if you have the fabled six palaces and nine stars, it is still nothing to them. Do you get it?”
She was quite worried for Li Qiye. Otherwise, she would not have rushed here to persuade him to escape.
Li Qiye calmly smiled and slowly spoke: “You are right, this is the Thousand Carp River — my territory. In this place, I am the sole ruler, do you get it now?”
“Do you think you can fight against the elders? Hmph, even if you do have the ability to oppose the elders, once you threaten our river sect, the sealed ancestors will come out and quell all resistance. You should understand the significance of a Thousand Carp Ancestor coming into being.” Lan Yunzhu bitterly said. She really wanted to open Li Qiye’s head to see what could possibly be inside to make him as arrogant as this.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “You have it backwards. I am simply staying here to give the river sect another chance. If it wasn’t for your Immortal Emperor patriarch, then I would have already flipped over the river sect…
“… Heavenly Kings? Virtuous Paragons? So what. As long as it is my whim, I could slay them like nothing. But for now, I do not wish to stain my hands with the blood of Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s descendants. Otherwise, do you really think that I would have accepted the Thousand Carp River’s trial over such an insignificant matter?”
Lan Yunzhu stared at him as if she was staring at a freak and angrily exclaimed: “Uncle, your thick skin is unreal. You are speaking as if you knew our Immortal Emperor and are being considerate towards the emperor.”
“Your words, this time, are correct.” Li Qiye replied with a smile: “If your Immortal Emperor Qian Li was still in this world, then he would have to give me a little face.”
Of course he would not say that he actually knew the Immortal Emperor.
“Stop!” Lan Yunzhu snappily said: “You really have no shame about bragging. Go look at yourself in a mirror. Our Patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li, is invincible in this world, do you think a nobody junior like you would be given any face by the Patriarch? Your ego has no bounds.”
“Although I am a nobody… this does not mean your Patriarch cannot recognize true quality, unlike you guys.” Li Qiye said in a very matter-of-fact manner.
“I don’t care anymore. If you want to die, then die.” Lan Yunzhu was fed up and said: “Do as you please you egomaniac, just don’t regret it when you no longer have a chance to run!” Lan Yunzhu ruthlessly stomped her foot on the ground because this egomaniac truly infuriated her.
Chapter 417 - Declaration of War
“So you hope that I would flee from the Thousand Carp River overnight?” Li Qiye smiled and said while looking at the angry Lan Yunzhu.
“It is best if you start running now.” Lan Yunzhu thought that Li Qiye had changed his mind and happily continued: “If you run right now, then you still have a chance to escape the Thousand Carp River. Once you are out of the sect, leave the Distant Cloud as well; go to the Nether Border or the Green River. It is best to avoid the areas with a lot of ghost tribes. Regardless of what you do, you will not be safe if you stay in the Distant Cloud region.”
Li Qiye looked at her and smiled: “Girl, are you trying to work together with the enemy?”
“Are you running away or not!” Lan Yunzhu snapped and glared at him.
“You have seen it yourself.” Li Qiye waved his hand and said: “At this moment, the island is completely surrounded. There are no gaps and countless eyes are on me. Telling me to escape from your Thousand Carp River is not such an easy task.”
Lan Yunzhu took a deep breath and said in a serious manner: “I’ll cover for you, no one will notice with me leading you. Once you get out of here, escaping would not be difficult.”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye stroked his chin and revealed a pose of contemplation: “But I don’t want to leave you. If I run away now, we won’t see each other again.”
“What are you talking about at a time like this!” Lan Yunzhu angrily stomped her foot and exclaimed.
Li Qiye looked at her with a passionate gaze and said: “Girl, how about we escape together? We will leave the Thousand Carp River and become inseparable from then on. After that, we will be as free as the birds in the sky or the fishes in the ocean.”
“Yuck, who would want to run off with you!” The embarrassed Lan Yunzhu quipped and continued on: “You can keep on dreaming! So? Are you running or not? If you want to, then I will take you outside of the sect, but if not, then I’m just going to ignore you.”
This was quite admirable of her. This was a crime of treason. Once caught, she would be heavily punished despite being the prime descendant.
Li Qiye examined her serious expression and smiled while gently patting her on the cheek to say: “Girl, how could I involve you in this mess? Don’t worry, I won’t run. If such a small matter forces me to run, then I am not Li Qiye.
“Out of respect for your feelings, I won’t make it difficult for the Thousand Carp River this time. I also won’t take away the Golden Divine Willow so that the sect can continue to prosper. However, as for the blind fools… I shall not hesitate to massacre them.”
“Do you really think you can beat the entire sect by yourself?” Lan Yunzhu angrily spoke.
Li Qiye nodded his head in a serious fashion and declared: “Yes! I can defeat your entire sect because I am Li Qiye!”
Lan Yunzhu was completely stupefied. Because I am Li Qiye — this was the most domineering phrase she had ever heard. It was as if, amongst the nine heavens and ten earths across the ages, nothing would ever be able to match this remark of domination.
The moment her mind returned, she angrily exclaimed: “Forget it, you can do as you please! Don’t blame me when you die a miserable death here!” Having said that, she quickly stormed out.
Li Qiye chuckled at the sight of her exasperation. A while later, he looked up at the night curtain and gently sighed.
He then murmured to himself: “Qian Li, you can’t blame me for this, blame your descendants instead for not knowing when to stop. I have given a lot to the Thousand Carp River by leaving behind the divine tree and the treasures. If there are those who do not listen, then maybe it is time for someone else who is more tractable to rule over this land.”
The next morning, Lu Baiqiu hastily rushed in and said: “Young Noble, it’s not looking so good!”
Li Qiye opened his eyes and calmly asked: “What’s wrong? Is the sky falling down?”
The breathless Lu Baiqiu said: “The sky is not falling down, but Senior Brother Yan Long is leading a large group here to capture Young Noble.”
Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and said with a smile: “Capture me? Let us go, we can let those ignorant fools have a taste of blood. Today is the day when the Thousand Carp River will change.” 1
Li Qiye went outside with Lu Baiqiu and saw Yan Long leading a group of experts towards them; they all had a ferocious aura.
Yan Long’s eyes became bloodshot the moment he saw Li Qiye. A few days ago, he was incapacitated by Li Qiye, and his master had to use a lot of precious elixirs to heal his wounds. How could he not be reddened with rage now that his enemy was before his very eyes?
He then surrounded Li Qiye with the numerous experts, not leaving behind a single gap for the possibility of escape.
Many disciples saw this scene from afar, but none of them dared to say anything nor did they come and join the fun.
In the last two days, the atmosphere at the sect had been quite tense since the elders gave the order to seal off the lake, preventing others from entering and leaving.
Even the most oblivious disciple knew that something had happened in the sect, and it was a very big deal. However, ordinary disciples wouldn’t dare to ask about it.
Yan Long’s appearance was quite fierce; it was as if he wanted to strip Li Qiye of his flesh and remove his bones. Eventually, he said: “Li, will you peacefully accept your arrest, or do we have to force you to submit?”
“So your Thousand Carp River likes to go back on your words? An actual emperor’s lineage choosing to act so dishonorably… This is truly disappointing.” Li Qiye replied without batting an eye as he stood with both hands gallantly posed behind his back.
“Our words? We only act honorable towards gentlemen. As for ignoble wretches like you, there is no point in doing so. You spied on our sect to steal our secrets and even our Heaven’s Will Secret Law; any of these crimes is worthy of decapitation.”
“Spying on the Thousand Carp River?” After hearing the charges, Lu Baiqiu, who was right behind Li Qiye, felt indignation.
Everyone knew that Li Qiye came for the marriage arrangement, even the sect itself acknowledged and agreed to this. Accusing him of coming to the sect to spy on them — this was clearly a false allegation.
Contrary to Lu Baiqiu’s anger, Li Qiye remained unaffected and answered with a smile: “Not a bad list of crimes. Of course, since you aim to falsely accuse me, any reason would work just as well.”
“Stop wasting time. Be smart and let us capture you, or else you will only bring more trouble upon yourself.” Yan Long said with a deep voice: “If you choose to resist, then we will take your arms and legs, turning you into a cripple. At that point, don’t blame our sect for not giving you a chance at the beginning.” At this point, he revealed a cruel smile of pleasure.
Yan Long had been waiting long enough for his chance to get back at Li Qiye. A fate worse than death awaited Li Qiye if he should fall into Yan Long’s hands, a fate deserving of someone who tried to steal his woman.
“Is that so?” Li Qiye smirked: “Is this the decision made by the sect, or is this your personal decision?”
Yan Long didn’t answer directly and coldly declared instead: “All Thousand Carp disciples have the responsibility to kill someone who spies on our sect and stole our Heaven’s Will Secret Law!”
Li Qiye smiled and nodded his head: “I understand, so it is a personal vendetta. But you alone are not enough to catch me.”
Yan Long’s face became ashen because Li Qiye struck his sore spot. He then cried out: “Go, show no mercy if he resists!”
Having said that, his blood energy rushed forth as he took out a Virtuous Paragon Life Treasure.
“Boom!” After a loud explosion, the experts who came with him created an inescapable net. The sky started to shake as all four directions were locked down.
The group came prepared and were determined to capture Li Qiye at all costs.
Once this net entrapped the entire area, Yan Long’s Virtuous Paragon weapon slashed down with the suppressive might of a Virtuous Paragon.
While being on the verge of life and death, Li Qiye slightly shifted his body. At that moment, it seemed as if time itself shivered from him seemingly flapping his wings.
“Bang—bang—bang!” A series of impacts resounded along with shrill cries. The experts that wanted to trap Li Qiye were all instantly blown away as their blood painted the blue sky red.
“Boom!” Li Qiye’s body was the most powerful weapon. Each of his attacks carried the force of a divine mountain, so even a Virtuous Paragon weapon was knocked away.
“Boom!” Before Yan Long knew what was going on, he had already been blown away, spewing out blood as his bones broke. Before he got the chance to realize what was going on, his neck felt a grip that pushed him up high. Li Qiye had Yan Long by the throat in midair.
“Someone like you wants to capture me?” Li Qiye smirked at Yan Long and demanded: “Tell the ones who are ordering you to come out, or else I’ll crush you!”
“Little Beast, let him go!” Elder Lin roared and unleashed a sky-shattering fist towards Li Qiye, one without any mercy.
“So you hope that I would flee from the Thousand Carp River overnight?” Li Qiye smiled and said while looking at the angry Lan Yunzhu.
“It is best if you start running now.” Lan Yunzhu thought that Li Qiye had changed his mind and happily continued: “If you run right now, then you still have a chance to escape the Thousand Carp River. Once you are out of the sect, leave the Distant Cloud as well; go to the Nether Border or the Green River. It is best to avoid the areas with a lot of ghost tribes. Regardless of what you do, you will not be safe if you stay in the Distant Cloud region.”
Li Qiye looked at her and smiled: “Girl, are you trying to work together with the enemy?”
Chapter 418 - Patriarch’s Spirit
Without a doubt, Yan Long was just a lackey meant to provoke Li Qiye. Then, the rest would capture him under the charge of resisting arrest. However, Elder Lin didn’t expect for their plan to result in instant failure.
“Scram!” Li Qiye was too lazy to look at Elder Lin twice, so he showed his Thousand Hands Against The Nine Worlds. A myriad of hands appeared right behind him as two of them wielded the Nine Words True Bow.
“Buzzzz.” The string was drawn and the word “soldier” flew out. The word gathered the strength of the heaven and earth and eventually collided with Elder Lin.
“Boom!” Even the iron fist of a Heavenly Sovereign would turn into a gory spectacle when up against this mighty, number one bow in this world. The arrow pierced through Elder Lin’s fist for his flesh was insufficient in the face of this power, causing him to cry out in pain.
Li Qiye smirked and said: “Your master is too late; he won’t be able to save you.” With that, his fingers tightened.
Yan Long felt his death approaching and screamed: “Nooo—” However, it was already too late. His neck shattered as all breathing ceased.
“Goddamn you, you Little Bastard!” An extremely angry voice appeared; the owner of this voice rushed towards Li Qiye. Venerable Wang, who was Yan Long’s grandmaster, came with a slashing blade. This was a high elder, so his blade carried an unstoppable momentum. The spectating disciples shivered and turned pale from the power of such a blade.
“Buzzz—” The Nine Words True Bow shot out another arrow. This time, it was the word “fighter” — a defensive arrow. The arrival of this arrow brought forth countless realms; it seemed as if layers of light were opening before Li Qiye like giant shields to protect him.
After a deafening “boom,” the divine blade that could be considered invincible shattered all of these realms. It furiously slammed Li Qiye into the courtyard and destroyed the mansion.
Lu Baiqiu became deathly pale, but she couldn’t help at all. She didn’t have the ability to interfere in a fight of this magnitude.
“Crash!” Li Qiye burst out from the debris. Many figures descended from the sky to quickly surround Li Qiye.
The Thousand Carp elders and even some high elders were here. They sealed off all the directions so Li Qiye had no chance to escape.
Elder Lin’s eyes were about to split from anger as he revealed a vicious smile: “Fellow Elders, look, this brute killed our disciple. Capture him so that the world won’t laugh at our Thousand Carp River!”
Venerable Wang was also here, hovering emotionlessly as he stared at Li Qiye. He then commanded: “Arrest him and cripple his cultivation, then we can take our time interrogating him.”
All the spectating disciples held their breaths after seeing this scene. The elders and even some high elders had appeared. Li Qiye’s death was assured.
Daoist Bao Gui came running and shockingly exclaimed after seeing the current situation: “Venerable Wang, what is going on?”
He struggled to convince Venerable Yang’s group to go and invite their ancestor; he didn’t think that something like this would happen during his short absence.
“This little beast killed Yan Long — this is completely unforgivable. Thus, we elders appeared to protect our Thousand Carp River’s honor!”
Daoist Bao Gui’s expression changed since he immediately understood what had happened. Some people couldn’t wait to begin.
Daoist Bao Gui then gravely declared: “Venerable Wang, the one day grace period has yet to end!”
Venerable Wang glanced at the sect master and coldly replied: “Sect Master, do not be mistaken. This outsider has killed our disciple, so what else is there to talk about? Capture this animal and cripple him!”
All of the elders were on Venerable Wang’s side: “Big Brother, we cannot delay this any longer.”
Daoist Bao Gui realized that the group of Venerable Wang wanted to overpower his authority right when Elder Yang, who supported him, was not around.
He noticed the formation that trapped Li Qiye and could only sigh. This was already outside of his power, so he could only stand by and watch the end of this storm.
Venerable Wang looked down on Li Qiye and chillingly said: “Go.”
Li Qiye, who was completely surrounded, was still very calm and asked: “Do you really think I am just meat on a chopping block?”
Having this many elders contribute to the barricade proved that they were not underestimating him at all.
“Junior, if you cooperate with us right now, then it will be a lot less painful. Otherwise, you will discover a fate worse than death!”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye said with a smile: “It seems that I still have to kill today. What a shame, I will have to disappoint Immortal Emperor Qian Li.”
Li Qiye held the Elusive Heavenly Vase while looking at all the elders with narrowed eyes. At this moment, he would not show any mercy and would kill all these elders decisively.
“Junior, stand down!” Elder Lin was the first to take action. A divine saber slashed across the sky with a surging murderous intent. It was so cold that, in its presence, one would feel as if they were entrapped in an icy prison.
Li Qiye’s gaze shot out a cold glint as his desire to kill also increased.
“Poof!” Time suddenly trembled. A rain of blood had already started to fall before the divine blade could reach Li Qiye. In fact, the blood did not belong to Li Qiye, it came from Elder Lin.
The sudden change frightened the other elders as those who were about to attack immediately stopped.
“Omm—” In this split second, the Thousand Carp Lake shot out waves of immortal lights that seemed as if they were made from golden silk. These immortal lights traveled all the way to the sky and even the universe, alarming the entire world.
A divine tree emerged from the Yin Yang Pond. This divine tree made from gold suddenly shot to the sky and covered the entire lake.
All of the disciples were dumbfounded as they looked up to see this incredible, towering tree.
“Back down.” At this time, a voice came along. This voice seemed to be able to travel across eternity. It was as if it came from ancient times.
The sudden appearance of this voice took the elders by surprise as they all looked at each other.
Venerable Wang, with a sunken expression, turned around to look towards the voice’s direction and yelled out: “Who!”
“Whoosh!” A finger shot out and struck Venerable Wang, sending him down to the ground like a deflated ball. Under just one finger, his entire cultivation was sealed.
Before the other elders managed to calm down, Venerable Wang was seized by a gigantic hand and thrown into the Reflection Cliff — the prison of the Thousand Carp Lake. This sudden change of events startled the group of Daoist Bao Gui as well.
Venerable Wang was already a Heavenly King, yet he was completely powerless as his cultivation was sealed and then immediately thrown into the prison.
A figure appeared right below the Golden Divine Willow, and it declared: “Reflect on your mistakes!”
The moment this figure appeared, the six dao and eight desolaces seemed so far away while the nine heavens and ten earths became insignificant. This figure loomed above all like the ruler of this entire world and myriad dao.
An invincible emperor aura covered the entire lake. All of the disciples prostrated on the ground for they were truly convinced by this unparalleled aura.
A supreme Immortal Emperor — all were trivial before such an existence. Even Virtuous Paragons were nothing in the face of such might. An Immortal Emperor could sweep through all the stars in the sky and all the existing worlds with just a motion of their palm! They could end the six dao and the reincarnation cycle itself! This was an Immortal Emperor, an existence that had shouldered the Heaven’s Will!
“What happened?” At this moment, amazing existences throughout all four great domains trembled at the sudden appearance of the emperor aura.
“Immortal Emperor!” Daoist Bao Gui prostrated on the ground as tears flowed from his eyes. He could not contain his excitement: “Imperial Patriarch’s spirit is here! Forgive your unfilial children!”
Many sect members were all prostrating on the ground in astonishment. Some had tears in their eyes because never in their wildest dreams would they imagine Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s spirit showing up before them.
“Grandmaster!” Deep in the Thousand Carp Lake, an ancient coffin rushed out from the bottom. A frightening yet decrepit old man climbed out and piously prostrated on the ground.
“Sacred Ancestor has come into being!” At this time, an awakened ancestor of the river sect was extremely moved. As for the high elders, they were at a loss for words.
The person buried beneath the Thousand Carp River was the granddisciple of Immortal Emperor Qian Li. The sect’s high elders had once heard about an extremely frightening existence sealed beneath the lake, but they had never seen him. Even the slumbering ancestors were no exceptions.
Today, the Sacred Ancestor’s divine light emanated from beneath the lake since he himself climbed out of his Blood Era Stone to greet his grandmaster.
“Grandmaster, I have failed you by failing to guide them properly!” The Sacred Ancestor prostrated before Immortal Emperor Qian Li and professed his failure.
Below the Golden Divine Willow, Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s shadow had an indecipherable profoundness and remained forever mysterious. The aura emitted from the emperor’s body forced even Virtuous Paragons into submission.
Today, after seeing the spirit of their patriarch, the disciples of the river sect finally understood the true significance of an Immortal Emperor and what true invincibility really was.
Without any doubt, Yan Long was just a lackey meant to provoke Li Qiye. Then, the rest would capture him under the charge of resisting arrest. However, Elder Lin didn’t expect for their plan to result in instant failure.
“Scram!” Li Qiye was too lazy to look at Elder Lin twice, so he showed his Thousand Hands Against The Nine Worlds. A myriad of hands appeared right behind him as two of them wielded the Nine Words True Bow.
“Buzzzz.” The string was drawn as the word “soldier” flew out. The word gathered the strength of the heaven and earth that eventually collided with Elder Lin.
Chapter 419 - Day Turned Into Night
Meanwhile, the elders and ancestors of the river sect lost control of their emotions. They didn’t know that their patriarch left behind a lingering sentiment back at the ancestral ground. At this moment, they understood that their patriarch’s spirit had always been protecting the Thousand Carp River.
This forever-mysterious figure under the Golden Divine Willow looked straight at Li Qiye. As their gazes met, Li Qiye could only gently sigh.
“Starting from today, Li Qiye is the Guardian of our Thousand Carp River, his words are my decree!”
This voice suddenly turned into an eternal mantra, a universal law that would last for an eternity, something that could not be changed by anyone!
Li Qiye could only wryly smile while looking at the Immortal Emperor. In the end, he still had to play the role of a wet nurse just like back when the sect was first established.
He couldn’t say no to Immortal Emperor Qian Li. Being the Guardian of the river sect was not something he wanted to do.
However, regardless of his feelings, he couldn’t say no so he could only lament his own fate.
“In the end, you still couldn’t help it and had to come out to save the Thousand Carp River.” Li Qiye murmured to himself.
“We humbly accept Grandmaster’s decree!” The Sacred Ancestor bowed all the way down to the ground.
Flowers started to bloom after the declaration of the emperor’s eternal decree. The Sacred Ancestor respectfully held the newly formed universal law decree with both of his hands and accepted it.
All the elders and even the ancestors were piously prostrating to Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s supreme decree: “We humbly accept Patriarch’s decree!”
After the filial display, the Golden Divine Willow slowly disappeared along with the shadow beneath it. The Thousand Carp Lake became tranquil once more. Outside of the supreme decree in the Sacred Ancestor’s hand, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
The Sacred Ancestor himself personally prepared a grand ceremony to welcome Li Qiye into the Thousand Carp River’s main ground: “Welcome, our Guardian!”
Li Qiye was very helpless. Under the reception of the elders, Li Qiye was like a puppet being dragged into the sect’s main ground. This was completely different from his expectations. He wanted to kill until the river sect knew better, but Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s intent came out to save their descendants.
Eventually, after the Sacred Ancestor welcomed Li Qiye to the Guardian’s seat, the ceremony finally ended. He then specifically talked to the group of elders and ancestors once more before he sealed himself underground.
At this time, the entire sect was extremely respectful towards Li Qiye; no one dared to slight him. The patriarch’s decree was the highest authority in the Thousand Carp River, so everyone treated it with piety.
Lu Baiqiu was in disbelief due to this development. From the appearance of the emperor to them proclaiming Li Qiye as the sect’s Guardian, everything was like a dream to her. What a great honor this was! No genius would even dare to imagine it.
Others would be jubilated with such an honor, but Li Qiye could only helplessly smile. The title of Guardian might sound grand, but in the end, it was just the role of a wet nurse. Li Qiye was tired of taking on such a role, especially since this was his second time being the Guardian for the Thousand Carp River.
In the distant past, right when the river sect had just been formed, everything was just beginning. Li Qiye hid behind the scenes and was the sect’s wet nurse until Immortal Emperor Qian Li shouldered the Heaven’s Will. Then, he finally left the river sect after completing his duties.
After so many years, he had become the Guardian once again despite his unwillingness, but he couldn’t say no to Immortal Emperor Qian Li.
He secretly lamented to himself: “I’ll just consider this the last time.”
After becoming the Guardian, he didn’t want to see anyone. This position was incomparably grand, but he became extremely annoyed just by thinking about it. Daoist Bao Gui was also very respectful and asked for his opinion on everything.
To this, Li Qiye simply said: “Sect Master, I am the Guardian, not a wet nurse. The river sect can just function as before, you don’t need to come ask for my opinion.”
After Li Qiye’s request, the daoist stopped asking questions, finally relieving Li Qiye of one of his worries.
After several days of being the Guardian, Lan Yunzhu came and asked him: “How did you do it?”
She was quite astonished since this was an unbelievable miracle to her.
Oh, how shocking it was to see the spirit of an Immortal Emperor! In the past, countless geniuses from the river sect were not worthy of such a thing, but now, the emperor personally came to see an outsider and even bestowed a supreme decree to make him the Guardian.
Li Qiye glared at Lan Yunzhu and responded with annoyance: “Because I am the ruler of this domain.”
Lan Yunzhu pondered for a moment and thought about the things Li Qiye had said. He had once said something along these lines before, but she assumed that he was only being boisterous. But now, the recent events had changed her mind.
“Did you really want to destroy my Thousand Carp River?” She felt afraid after recalling his words. Before, she didn’t think that Li Qiye alone could go against the entire sect, but now she understood that the matter was much more grave than what she imagined.
“Don’t worry, an adorable person like you would naturally be fine. However, there were a few that needed to be re-educated.” Li Qiye laughed then shook his head to say.
“Bah, who is adorable?” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at him.
“Bang—bang—bang—bang!” Around this time, the earth started to shake as the Sacred Nether World changed.
Li Qiye rushed out in shock while Lan Yunzhu and Lu Baiqiu followed right behind him. They looked up to the sky in astonishment. However, they were not alone, all of the inhabitants of the Sacred Nether World were also alarmed.
The sky was peaceful during the day, but now it suddenly turned dark. The entire Sacred Nether World was encroached by darkness. Even ancestors, legendary masters, and eternal existences were freaked out. Countless invincible characters emerged from their Blood Era Stones.
Even these experts could not see through the sky and understand what was covering the entire Sacred Nether World.
This darkness scared everyone since some believed that it was the end of the world.
It lasted for a very long time, about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. The darkness disappeared and the sky returned to its original shade of blue as if nothing had happened.
“What… what is going on here?” Lu Baiqiu stuttered in fear.
This was the most terrifying thing she had ever experienced in her life. The entire Sacred Nether World had been shrouded by a dark curtain. Although it was very brief, it was still enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.
Li Qiye kept on looking at the sky without saying a word. It was as if he wanted to see through it. The always-nonchalant Li Qiye had a dignified expression at this time.
After a while, Lan Yunzhu asked: “What actually happened just now?” Recalling the scene from earlier scared her. She opened her heavenly gaze but still couldn’t see through the sky, let alone what enveloped the Sacred Nether World.
Li Qiye took in a deep breath and told Lan Yunzhu: “Go, order people to see if the lost mythical island is still there.”
Lan Yunzhu immediately did so. The Thousand Carp River had been watching the island, but they didn’t want to carelessly enter it before clearly knowing the situation.
Very quickly, some disciples came back with news. Lan Yunzhu reported: “The lost mythical island is no longer there. When the darkness covered the sky, many people were still out at sea, including ancestors of some great powers. However, they didn’t see how the island disappeared. Once the darkness dissipated, the island was no longer there.”
Li Qiye started to bite his lips in silence after hearing this; many thoughts were rampaging through his head. In the Sacred Nether World, there were only two or three possibilities that could explain why the lost island disappeared in an instant.
Li Qiye took in a deep breath and told Lan Yunzhu: “I must make a trip to the Prime Ominous Grave.”
Lan Yunzhu exclaimed in shock: “The Prime Ominous Grave! This is a legendary location from the ancient past, somewhere that no one had been able to enter besides Immortal Emperors.”
Li Qiye slowly replied with narrowed eyes: “I know, but I’ll find a way.”
Lan Yunzhu was taken aback and asked: “Does it have something to do with the lost mythical island?” The Prime Ominous Grave had always been an unsolved mystery in the Sacred Nether World.
“It is not clear.” Li Qiye shook his head to say: “It might not be a bad thing if it had something to do with the grave. Whether the lost island is at the grave or not, I will have to go in and see for myself.”
Chapter 420 - On The Road Once More
This new development happened too suddenly and differed from Li Qiye’s expectations. Originally, he wanted to go to the island after the mist consumed enough blood. Li Qiye had plenty of methods; as long as he could get on the island, he would have been able to take whatever he wanted.
But now, the lost mythical island had disappeared, or rather, was moved by someone. This completely derailed his plans, requiring him to contemplate on how to proceed.
Lan Yunzhu took in a deep breath and declared: “I’ll go with you. At least that way, you will have a helper.”
“No.” Li Qiye responded with a shake of his head: “You and the sect master’s group have to get ready. Maybe I will have a use for you guys. The most important thing is to prepare for the worst-case scenario.”
“What is this worst case scenario?” Lan Yunzhu inquired with some surprise.
With a serious expression, Li Qiye stared far into the distance and slowly replied: “The heavens is in turmoil, an era of carnage may be impending.”
“The heavens is in turmoil?” Lan Yunzhu repeated in shocked. In the present times, the Sacred Nether World was in peace and no power was capable of breaking the stability that was formed by several emperor’s lineages.
“Whether chaos will come or not…” Li Qiye continued with a grin: “A chaotic heaven might not necessarily be a bad thing. When I slaughter the heavens, a few crafty things should come out.” 1
Lan Yunzhu couldn’t help but become shocked. His light words did not carry a certain gravity, but in her ears, they were extremely tyrannical. How many geniuses would dare to bluster about slaughtering the heavens? But today, Li Qiye made it sound as if he could do it on a whim.
It was said in the most casual of tones, yet it was also extremely domineering.
“I will tell my master and the elders.” Lan Yunzhu calmed down and replied.
Li Qiye also prepared to go to the Prime Ominous Grave. Before leaving, he called for Lu Baiqiu and asked: “What are your plans? Will you go with me, or will you do something else?”
Li Qiye really did favor Lu Baiqiu and wished to groom her. Otherwise, he would not have brought her along with him all this time.
Lu Baiqiu paused for a moment and told Li Qiye: “I want to return to the Thousand Islands to see how it is.”
Lu Baiqiu was very worried about the lost mythical island’s disappearance. She was worried for the islands, the disciples, and the islands’ inhabitants.
As the Region Lord, she had always been in charge of the Thousand Islands and considered that place her home. There were citizens who loved her there as well as disciples who would follow her to the very end. Now, after such a big event had occurred, there was a certain restlessness in her heart, so she wished to return to check up on them.
“Then go back, it is good to go back and take a look.” Li Qiye replied with a smile. He understood her emotions — her unwillingness to depart with her home, so he didn’t force her to go with him.
“Thank you, Young Noble.” Lu Baiqiu bowed and gratefully said: “I have gained many things after following you and I’ll always remember it.” To Lu Baiqiu, after they part ways today, she might not ever be able to see Li Qiye again. The two of them were not of the same world. Li Qiye was a heavenly dragon so one day, he might soar up to the nine firmaments.
Li Qiye smiled and stroked her hair: “Follow your heart. I trust that one day, you will be able to go very far. Although it is immense, as long as you have the will, you will be able to reach every corner of this world.”
“I will remember your words well!” Lu Baiqiu took a deep breath and said. Inadvertently, her eyes became wet as she felt her nose getting stuffy. Although she had not followed Li Qiye for a long time, she had learned many things in the recent days that would benefit her for the rest of her life.
Li Qiye nodded his head and walked around. He quickly went to see Daoist Bao Gui who had prepared a dao gate for him.
After he saw Li Qiye, Daoist Bao Gui quickly said: “There is a great sect that has a good relationship with us at the Nether Border. This dao gate will directly take you to their side so that you can directly go to the Prime Ominous Grave.”
“Very well, it will be easy once I get to the Nether Border.”
Daoist Bao Gui ordered for the dao gate to open while the elders and high elders all came to see Li Qiye off. Before his departure, Daoist Bao Gui warned him: “Please be careful, the Prime Ominous Grave is the most dangerous and mysterious place in the Sacred Nether World.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not enough to take my life.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
Li Qiye stepped onto the platform and walked inside the dao gate, disappearing in a flash. It teleported him to the other side. After arriving at the friendly sect, he quickly hit the road and ran towards the Prime Ominous Grave without taking a break.
The Thousand Carp River was the longest river in the Sacred Nether World. Its stream not only crossed the entire southern Distant Cloud, but it also reached the northern Misty Field; its source went all the way to the eastern Nether Border’s hinterland, and this was the location of the Prime Ominous Grave.
The grave was a very mystical place, somewhere that had never been fully explored by anyone before. Since the start of time, very few people even had the chance to enter.
It was deep within the Nether Border’s endless hinterland. At that place, there were rolling mountains and peaks capable of reaching the sky, causing viewers to take a step back. No one would dare to try their luck at climbing them.
At the end of all the rolling hills was a gigantic mountain range that separated the heaven and earth. Anyone who made it this far could only stop since there was no way to traverse this blockade.
The world beyond the mountain range was covered by a mysterious veil, so no one really knew what it looked like.
In the middle of this mountain range was a huge burial. The burial tablet was more like a giant monolith that pierced the sky all the way to space. This burial tablet could be called the biggest in the world. There were neither engravings nor words on it.
This grave with the gigantic monolith for its memorial plaque was the legendary Prime Ominous Grave. It was said that only when one stepped inside this grave would they be able to enter the mountain range.
No one knew who was buried inside. Some said that there were Immortal Emperors, others said that there were existences from the Legendary Era, and there were even rumors about ancient, supreme fiends being buried here.
Although it had always remained sealed, after millions of years, it had been opened a couple of times because some people found the key to open the grave.
So why was this grave called the Prime Ominous Grave? No one really knew, but some believed that it was a land of the dead. It was one of the twelve forbidden burials; just like the other ones, it was filled with danger. No one could leave with their life once they entered.
Despite its notoriety, countless people throughout history still tried to get in. Everyone believed that those who could leave alive would gain an amazing creation. 2
One particular rumor stated that there were True Immortals buried here. One could obtain an amazing creation if they obtained their bones.
There was a reason for these rumors: Immortal Emperor Di Yu had entered the burial when he was young and managed to come back alive. Because of this experience, he hid for five generations of Immortal Emperors. Ultimately, at a very old age, he shouldered the Heaven’s Will and became an Immortal Emperor. 3
People claimed that he had obtained something great from the grave, something like an immortal scripture, so that was why he could cultivate through five generations of emperors and eventually become an emperor himself.
His tales were told throughout the ages. He did not live the longest after becoming an emperor, but since the moment of his birth till the date of his disappearance, he was definitely the oldest one. He managed to last through five generations of emperors and became a miracle across the ages.
Because of this miracle, there were many different tales of the events between the emperor and the Prime Ominous Grave. However, all of these versions had one thing in common, and that was that the young emperor left the Prime Ominous Grave alive. Because of this commonality, there was a rumor stating that Immortal Emperor Di Yu obtained the greatest creation in the grave — a method for everlasting life.
This resulted in countless generations of cultivators coming to excavate the grave in order to enter. In fact, some Immortal Emperors had managed to enter the Prime Ominous Grave, such as Immortal Emperor Yin Yang, Immortal Emperor Fan Chen, and Immortal Emperor Ming Du. 4
Chapter 421 - Necropolis
Li Qiye reminisced a bit as he stood on top of a high mountain while gazing at this monstrous obelisk that towered into the sky.
He needed a key to enter the Prime Ominous Grave. His gaze then shifted towards a different direction amidst the rolling mountain ranges beyond the grave.
There was quite a scene right outside, one that had wondrous natural landforms. It was a vast area and was referred to by others as the City of Ghosts.
One would find collapsed walls that spanned for millions of miles around this stretch of mountains and rivers. It was an ancient yet broken city with the words “Necropolis” engraved above its gate.
Necropolis was famous in the Nether Border and even the entire Sacred Nether World. However, many people liked to call it the City of Ghosts instead.
It was the largest city right outside the grave. Those who stood atop these walls and looked towards the far distance would find rivers and mountains everywhere, along with closely-packed structures. Some pavilions and temples were built with clay to form a town while other buildings towered above the mountain ranges. There were also inhabitants along the riverbanks and valleys.
It was easy to see that this place was prospering with life. The city was completely lit up and the streets were filled with shouting vendors.
However, if outsiders were to think of Necropolis as a peaceful city where all races congregated, then they would be completely mistaken.
All of these inhabitants that resembled cultivators were not alive, they were ghosts.
Talking about ghosts in the Sacred Nether World was absurd because it was a world filled with ghost tribes since this was their homeland. External races would view the ghost tribes as ghosts.
However, the truth was that the ghost tribes were not actually ghosts, they were existences with flesh and blood just like the human race. They were just a different ethnicity.
However, Necropolis’ inhabitants did not have flesh or blood. They were things without life — simple sentiments. If there were actually ghosts in this world, then the inhabitants of this city would be them.
Necropolis was more of a country rather than just a city. The geography right outside the grave was extremely abundant with countless ghosts as its citizens.
No one knew when Necropolis was established, but it had existed for a very long time. The ghosts here looked just like those outside; they took on the form of humans, demons, ghost tribes, cultivators, and citizens. They even had their own dao lineages.
The residents here seemed no different from those outside, but they just had no trace of life. They were only never-dissipating sentiments.
They did not know that they were dead and went on living in a similar fashion to those outside.
Necropolis was always vibrant with excitement regardless of whether it was day or night as if it was just a mortal city; it was nothing like a city of the dead.
However, one would be frightened to death if they knew that all of the street vendors, the young children that were learning how to speak, and the cultivators passing on their dao system were all people who had died and turned into sentiments.
No one knew why there were so many sentiments that lived at this location, and no one knew why it was so difficult for them to move on.
In short, Necropolis was a mysterious land of the dead. Some people who were on the verge of death would choose to die at Necropolis because this was a different way of life. Of course, these sentiments that continued to live at Necropolis had nothing to do with real people since they would lose their memories of their past life.
A dead person in Necropolis would turn into a trail of sentiment that continued to live in the city, but this sentiment no longer resembled their original self; it didn’t have the memories nor any marks — it was a completely different being.
People, or rather ghosts, that lived in the city never left. They would stay here until the day they disappear.
Everyone knew that the inhabitants that lived in this city were not ghosts but merely sentiments. Despite this, many cultivators still came here in order to live on after they died.
Of course, there were also different reasons why other cultivators chose to come. There were numerous treasures here, such as divine weapons, rare king medicines, and ancient scroll manuals. Second, it hid something craved by all — the key to open the Prime Ominous Grave. Third, it also had a treasure mountain that could allow others to obtain immortality.
Because of these reasons, many came to Necropolis. However, whether it was the treasures inside Necropolis or the Prime Ominous Grave, very few managed to see them. As for the legendary treasure mountain, even fewer had seen it.
Many young people came to risk their lives for these treasures, but people haven’t heard of many successful cases. Some did find some treasures, but they were very far from mythical weapons.
Of course, the key to the Prime Ominous Grave was found. Because of this, the grave was opened several times, leaving behind the tales of Immortal Emperor Di Yu that people never seemed to get tired of.
It was unknown whether the emperor was the one who found the key, or if it was someone else who successfully went into the grave. Nevertheless, Immortal Emperor Di Yu was the one who obtained the creation; it didn’t matter whether he went in with someone else or not.
Only one thing was confirmed by future generations, that there were several generations when the key was found to open the grave. Thus began the hunt for the key at Necropolis.
Li Qiye gently sighed while looking at the city in the distance. It indeed contained the key, but obtaining the key was not easy. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so many people leaving empty-handed for millions of years.
At this moment, Li Qiye was facing a problem. If the lost mythical island didn’t enter the grave, then there was no reason for him to find the key.
After thinking about it for a bit, he left this place. He needed to gather information to confirm the island’s whereabouts before finding the key. Around ten thousand miles away from Necropolis was another citadel — an ancient city named Crossing City. Now this was a place where the other races gathered. But of course, this was the eastern Nether Border, so there were more ghost tribes here.
It was not strange at all; outside of the southern Distant Cloud, all the other locations were territories that belonged to the ghost tribes because they were the primary inhabitants of this world.
Since Li Qiye was human, he maintained a very low profile after entering Crossing City since he only wanted to hear about the news from the Prime Ominous Grave.
The majority of the cultivators here were members of the ghost race. Keep in mind that the ghost race contained many different branches. Some of them carried a deep nether aura, but not all of them. Some branches were very bright, such as the Sun Ghost Tribe. Its members exuded a sun’s ray like the sun itself so, from their external appearance, it would be difficult to classify them as part of the ghost race.
The only unifying characteristic of all of these different ghost tribes was that their blood was of a purple color.
In the past several days, Li Qiye inquired about the Prime Ominous Grave with no success. It was because the grave would not change unless it was opened; it would remain the same in a unchanging manner.
Li Qiye was quite disappointed with his lack of information. Could it be that the lost mythical island was not inside the Prime Ominous Grave?
Li Qiye thought of a different possibility. However, if the island was not inside the grave, then that would not be good news.
Right when he was about to give up due to disappointment, one day, he went inside a diner to listen to conversations and was just in time for a particular message.
Chapter 422 - Snow-shadow Tribe
Li Qiye was in a diner inside Crossing City. Next to him was a table with more than ten people; there were men and women both young and old.
“Haha, this time, maybe we will find the legendary mountain at Necropolis. Then, our Snow-shadow Ghost Tribe will rise!” A young man excitedly laughed and declared.
There was a shared characteristic amongst this group, and that was that all of their hair was as white as snow.
The strangest thing was that when sunlight shone on their bodies, even their shadows would come out as white.
A white shadow would creep anyone out, but in the Sacred Nether World where ghost tribes congregated, this was not strange at all.
It was apparent that this table consisted of members of the same tribe, a tribe named the Snow-shadow Tribe. Just like their name, their shadows were white.
It was a minor tribe in Crossing City, one with very meager power. Legends state that they were once powerful, but as for how powerful they actually were, the current tribe did not know since it was too long ago.
The youths in the group were very excited when they talked about Necropolis. They all wanted to give it a try.
Another young man said: “Hehe, Necropolis is a treasure ground that Immortal Emperors regularly visited. We are going to make a fortune this time!”
However, an elder at the same table poured cold water over their excitement. He was quite old, but his eyes were as clear as the stars in the sky. He shook his head to say: “Don’t get your hopes up. We will just go and take a look so don’t dream about too many treasures. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Necropolis every year, but they don’t even find regular treasures, let alone mythical ones. We are only going in order to broaden your horizons.”
“Elder Zhi, don’t ruin our excitement like this.” The speaker was a muscular young man who optimistically smiled and said: “Elder Zhi, maybe I, Peng Zhuang, will find the legendary mountain. I will change and become an Immortal Emperor, then this will become my generation!”
“Someone who looks like a ruffian like you wants to become an Immortal Emperor?” Elder Zhi did not shy from bringing down the youth’s optimism and continued: “Don’t dream about the treasure mountain. This is a legend that no one has seen before, let alone a little brat like you.”
The youth named Peng Zhuang only smiled in response. Despite the elder’s words, it did not diminish his excitement. He and another youth continued to enthusiastically speak about the Prime Ominous Grave.
At first, Li Qiye didn’t pay them any attention. Every day, people all over the Sacred Nether World traveled to Necropolis with the same dream as Peng Zhuang. They all wanted to find the legendary treasure mountain inside the city.
But now, the youths were talking about the things that happened a few days ago at Necropolis; this was the moment when the Sacred Nether World was plunged into darkness.
“I heard that a fiend had come into being.” The youths’ conversation became increasingly ludicrous as they started to talk about all kinds of things.
“It wasn’t a fiend, I heard that the Heaven’s Will had died. Ever since the Black Dragon King tore apart the Heaven’s Will, it was on the verge of death. Yesterday, when the sky became dark, it was because the heavens died.”
“Pfft, what are you talking about? Where is this heaven? I feel that the arrival of a fiend is more accurate.” The group of them debated.
“All of you are wrong.” The muscular young man named Peng Zhuang mysteriously said: “Haha, in my opinion, an invincible existence came out from the Prime Ominous Grave. During the darkness, I saw a monstrous hand stretch out from the grave.”
“Oh Big Talk Peng, you are lying again.” A youth at the same table laughed and shook his head: “What monstrous hand? We were standing at the same spot that day; none of us saw a monstrous hand. Moreover, the grave had not been opened for tens of thousands of years, so how could there be a hand?”
“It is true!” Peng Zhuang busily replied: “Amidst that darkness, I saw a huge hand reaching out from the grave.”
Li Qiye’s expression changed; this was exactly the news he was looking for. If Peng Zhuang spoke the truth, then Li Qiye’s conjecture was not wrong.
“Peng Zhuang, don’t speak nonsense.” Suddenly, a clear yet slightly imposing voice came out.
It was a woman who sat at the same table; she was around the age of thirty. Her mature charm was like a ripe peach that was ready to be picked at any moment.
The thirty year old woman carried a plump and mature flavor; her white hair gave her an even more dignified aura. Her smoking hot figure was accented by her soft and tall bosom, and her slender waist could easily be held within a single hand. She was quite charming despite not reaching the kingdom-toppling level. During her moments where her dignity showed, she exuded the aura of a noble.
This mature woman brightened the eyes of others with a seductive and ripe aura, causing the hearts of others to beat faster.
Peng Zhuang immediately shut up after the woman spoke as he cheekily said: “Chief, I was just kidding.”
The woman didn’t say anything else, but she had a noble yet intimidating aura. The youths quickly changed the topic and talked about something else.
Li Qiye, who was eavesdropping to the side, knew that he had found the right people. Now, all that he needed to do was to find out whether Peng Zhuang told the truth or not.
Li Qiye stood up and clasped his hands together while smiling to greet the table: “Salutation, Fellow Daoists.”
As the proverb says, no one would hit a smiling face. Li Qiye was quite polite, so the Snow-shadow Tribe also greeted him back. It was not a big tribe so they were not arrogant at all.
Li Qiye said with a smile: “This junior is Li Qiye from the southern Distant Cloud. I came to the eastern Nether Border to broaden my horizons with a vacation. The mythical Necropolis is filled with mysteries, so when I heard Fellow Daoists talk about it, I just want to ask a few questions about how to get there.”
Li Qiye was both polite and courteous like a well-behaved and proper young man.
“You’re just in time, we are also going to Necropolis.” Peng Zhuang was a frank and simple person, so he quickly said: “How about we go together? Another companion will make it livelier.”
“Peng Zhuang…” The tribal chief warned with a serious tone.
However, Li Qiye quickly took charge before the chief could react. He clasped his hands towards her: “This junior will shamelessly ask to go with your group. I just came to the Nether Border and do not know my way around. I gratefully hope for your patronage in the future.” 1
The chief couldn’t help but grimace. This human with an unknown origin that suddenly wanted to join her team caused her to become overly sensitive.
“This junior’s name is Li Qiye, what are Daoist Brothers’ names?” Li Qiye was very friendly and enthusiastically asked.
Peng Zhuang was a straightforward person, so after seeing Li Qiye’s polite friendliness, he quickly called him brother right afterward as if they had known each other for a long time.
The other youths were also not cautious of Li Qiye. In the end, they were only a small tribe, so making more friends was not a bad thing.
Elder Zhi didn’t state his opinion. Only the chief alone was cautious, but she didn’t reveal any dissatisfaction towards Li Qiye.
After getting familiar with the young ones, Li Qiye learned the names of the older crowd. The chief’s name was Qiurong Wanxue.
Although it was only a minor one, it was still a tribe after all. Qiurong Wanxue proved her formidable strength by being the chief at the age of thirty. She was either the number one or number two expert in her tribe.
Despite being a relatively young female chief, the disciples in her tribe adored her. She also gained the acceptance from the previous generation since they believed that she would reach peak Heavenly King in the future.
In just a short moment, Li Qiye became quite close to Peng Zhuang’s group. After the meal, the group marched towards Necropolis while Li Qiye tagged along with them with his thick skin.
The youths enjoyed Li Qiye’s company, but Qiurong Wanxue remained vigilant. Nevertheless, she didn’t chase him away and agreed to him tagging along.
Once they were outside of Necropolis, the youths became quite excited. Peng Zhuang hysterically shouted: “Haha, Peng Zhuang is here! The treasure mountain is mine!”
Li Qiye laughed and pointed at the towering Prime Ominous Grave in the distance: “People say that there are even more treasures in the Prime Ominous Grave. There is even a method for immortality.”
Peng Zhuang relentlessly claimed: “Haha, wait until I find the key. Then, we’ll definitely go there.”
“I’m afraid it will be very hard.” Li Qiye shook his head to say: “I heard that no one had opened it for a very long time now. For tens of thousands of years, there had been no changes to the grave.”
“Who said so?” Peng Zhuang remained unconvinced and continued: “I clearly saw a change when darkness covered the sky. Right at that instant, I saw the biggest hand I’ve ever seen coming out of the grave.”
“Liar Peng Zhuang.” One of the other companions shook his head and said with laughter: “We were all together, so how come we didn’t see it?”
Chapter 423 - Companion
After hearing his companion, Peng Zhuang quickly retorted and swore: “I really saw it. It’s true, why would I lie to you guys? There really was a giant hand stretching out from the Prime Ominous Grave!”
“Really?” Li Qiye was secretly happy; he came just for this news. He put on a curious expression and asked: “What did that giant hand look like? Was it scary? Was it a ghost’s hand or something else?”
“It wasn’t a ghost’s hand.” Peng Zhuang shook his head and elaborated: “I felt that the hand was very weird. After the darkness disappeared, I also saw it going back into the grave.”
“A hand suddenly stretching outward…” Li Qiye was like an inquisitive little kid listening to a tale: “Maybe it was trying to grab something. Did you see what it caught?”
“Umm…” Peng Zhuang thought about it for a moment and replied: “Now that you mention it, I can faintly recall that it was holding something…”
“Peng Zhuang, stop your driveling.” Qiurong Wanxue said in a serious manner: “Prepare a few things, we’ll arrive at Necropolis in just a moment.”
Peng Zhuang wryly smiled while checking over his own items.
Li Qiye secretly sighed. It seemed that Qiurong Wanxue was still very cautious of him. Li Qiye then suddenly felt a glare settle on him. He looked up and saw a pair of sparkling eyes.
Li Qiye smiled and clasped his hands together towards Qiurong Wanxue: “This is this junior’s first time to Necropolis, so I hope Chief will teach me a thing or two.”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at him and then lightly replied: “Just be careful and don’t cause any trouble.”
This was a phrase with multiple meanings; it was as if she wanted to both gauge and warn him.
Li Qiye pretended to only understand the literal meaning, so he courteously gestured: “Then I give my thanks, Chief.”
At this moment, Li Qiye was 80 or 90 percent certain that the lost island had something to do with the grave. Unfortunately, he couldn’t speak with Peng Zhuang in private at this time.
He was no longer in a rush with this new revelation. What he needed to do now was to find the key to open the Prime Ominous Grave.
After Qiurong Wanxue and the six young disciples were prepared, Elder Zhi said: “Chief, we will stay here to support you guys. If anything happens, just fire off the signal and we will go to pick you up.”
Qiurong Wanxue nodded in agreement and said in a serious tone: “Very well, Elder Zhi, please be careful as well.”
To many people, Necropolis was a land filled with temptations, but only young people were able to enter. Of course, middle-aged and elderly cultivators could go in as well, as long as they had no fear of death.
There was a dark and inscrutable energy in Necropolis. The blood energy of young people was vigorous like a rising sun, so they were capable of dispelling this dark energy at Necropolis. 1
The middle-aged and the elderly were not capable of doing so. No matter how majestic a middle-aged man’s blood energy was, there were still flaws and gaps. As for the elderly, even their lifespan was withering. This was the reason why their blood energy would be infected by this dark energy, causing them to grow older at an increased rate.
For example, a middle-aged cultivator could live to six or seven thousand years. However, once they entered Necropolis, their blood energy would be eroded by this dark energy and their rate of aging would increase, resulting in a three or four thousand year lifespan instead. The longer they stayed at Necropolis, the faster they would age.
So for millions of years, Necropolis was a playground for the young. The Sacred Nether World had this saying: don’t waste your life by not visiting Necropolis once during your youth, or else it will be too late.
This was why any older existence — no matter how powerful — would not enter Necropolis unless there was no other choice.
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye and asked in a serious manner: “Have you prepared yourself?”
As the chief of a tribe, the truth was that she didn’t welcome an outsider like Li Qiye. Someone with an unknown background was a risk, but since Li Qiye shamelessly came along, it wasn’t proper for her to chase him away unless he clearly showed harmful intentions towards their tribe.
Li Qiye smiled to reveal his white teeth and said: “Don’t worry, Chief. I have prepared and can go at any time.”
Qiurong Wanxue took in a deep breath and said: “Come, we will go into the city now.” Then, she led the way.
The six Snow-shadow youths were very excited since this was their first time to Necropolis. The straightforward Peng Zhuang excitedly cried out: “Necropolis, here we come!”
These six were those with the greatest potential in the Snow-shadow tribe. Outside of a certain goal, Qiurong Wanxue brought them here so that they could gain more experience as well.
Once they were inside Necropolis, Qiurong Wanxue brought them to a huge town where they were immediately met with a rush of hot air.
With wide roads and countless pedestrians, the town was very big. Some cultivators were flying in the air while others rode their flying beasts above the street peddlers.
A little merchant cried out: “Necropolis Stone — it is capable of asking ghosts for direction. There’s only one left, come and buy, quick!”
“Three-streams fish — used for both energy restoration and dan refinement. One bottle for three fishes; come, come buy, don’t miss it!”
“Necropolis Ghost Energy — the number one choice for the Ghost Race. Being sold right here, being sold right here. It only costs three thousand fishes for the one and only in the city, come and buy!”
***
The town was extremely lively with the cries of hustling merchants and many bystanders. Once inside, who would actually think that this was a city of ghosts?
The six youths were quickly attracted by the animated town like village folk coming to the city for the first time. They gazed around curiously.
One of the youths wondered: “Is this really the City of Ghosts?” The town before them did not resemble one at all. The first impression of a ghost city should be a ghastly place full of nether energy.
However, there was no nether energy here. Instead, it resembled a mortal city even more due to the festive atmosphere and presence of humans.
He was here once more at Necropolis — Li Qiye gently sighed as he thought of this. This place was filled with mysteries, and only ghosts could truly live here. To be more exact, this was a congregation of sentiments, not real ‘ghosts.’
Qiurong Wanxue said: “Open your Heavenly Gazes to see whether they are people or ghosts… No, I should say sentiments.”
After hearing their chief, the six youths opened their Heavenly Gazes to see a creepy sight.
A huge bustling town should have an abundance of blood energy like the ocean — surging and inexhaustible, capable of gestating even the heaven and earth.
However, their eyes only saw a Necropolis filled with a dark energy. In addition to this, the pedestrians did not have any blood energy at all; some of the merchants on the sidewalks were only illusions.
How could first-timers not be alarmed at seeing such a huge city without blood energy? This was a city of the dead.
“How can they look so similar to real people?” A disciple exclaimed in astonishment. The inhabitants here looked exactly like real people, outside of not having any blood energy.
“Both the strong and the weak can be found in Necropolis. Strong sentiments are no different than ordinary cultivators, outside of not having any blood energy. On the other hand, weak sentiments would immediately be seen through by Heavenly Gazes, like those illusions.”
Peng Zhuang pointed at an approaching group of young men in the distance and exclaimed: ”Look over there, those ghosts have blood energy!”
Qiurong Wanxue responded in a serious tone: “Don’t be rude, they are just like you — cultivators from the outside.”
Peng Zhuang embarrassingly smiled and withdrew his finger. He didn’t dare to act wantonly.
In fact, many young cultivators came to Necropolis every day. Some came for fun, some came for the legendary treasures, and some came for the key to the Prime Ominous Grave.
The chief brought the group across a street as a street vendor called out: “Selling stone talismans here; a talisman from an ancient tribe, come and buy, quick!”
Peng Zhuang liked a particular stone talisman and walked forward to ask: “How much for this stone talisman?”
The merchant saw a customer so he enthusiastically smiled: “Cheap, it’s very cheap, only six fishes.”
A young disciple heard the price and curiously asked: “Six fishes? What are these six fishes?”
Qiurong Wanxue shook her head and explained to them: “The ‘fishes’ he’s referring to are Yang Nightfish. The currency in Necropolis is not refined jade, but Yang Nightfish.”
After hearing this, Peng Zhuang dejectedly gave up since he didn’t have any Yang Nightfish.
After hearing his companion, Peng Zhuang quickly retorted and swore: “I really saw it. It is true, why would I lie to you guys? There really was a giant hand stretching out from the Prime Ominous Grave!”
“Really?” Li Qiye was secretly happy; he came just for this news. He put on a curious expression and asked: “What did that giant hand look like? Was it scary? Was it a ghost’s hand or something else?”
“It wasn’t a ghost’s hand.” Peng Zhuang shook his head and elaborated: “I felt that the hand was very weird. After the darkness disappeared, I also saw it going back into the grave.”
Chapter 424 - City of Ghosts
Another disciple asked: “Chief, where are we going now?”
Qiurong Wanxue answered: “We are going to Nightsea. That is the only place where we can catch Yang Nightfish. We are only passing by this place.”
“Haha, we have to hurry!” Peng Zhuang was excited to hear this and wished that he could fly there instantly.
This was not Qiurong Wanxue’s first time to Necropolis, so she was not in a rush to get to Nightsea. She purposely took her time so that the group of Peng Zhuang could see more things and broaden their horizons.
On a particular street, they found a young man showcasing some merchandise with refined jade as the currency.
Peng Zhuang came and asked: “Doesn’t your Necropolis use Yang Nightfish to trade? Why are you using refined jades? What are you selling? Let me see.” Having said that, he excitedly looked at the items displayed on the stand.
His overly excessive enthusiasm was met by the young man’s angry glare and an evicting shout: “I am not a ghost, I am a human, wait no, I am a member of the Ghost Race!”
His strong response startled Peng Zhuang. He quickly opened his Heavenly Gaze and found that the person was truly not a ghost.
Peng Zhuang awkwardly apologized immediately: “Ahh, my bad, I thought that you were a ghost, wait, no, a sentiment…” Having said that, he sped off right away.
Li Qiye, who had been keeping silent within the group, smirked because Peng Zhuang’s group really knew too little about Necropolis.
However, this was not their fault; the Snow-shadow Tribe was only a minor one. Ordinary disciples within the tribe never got the chance to go to Necropolis, so their lack of knowledge was understandable.
Qiurong Wanxue reminded them: “There are many outsiders who come here to trade. There are not only ghosts here, but also many young cultivators. Make sure to use your Heavenly Gaze when looking at people from now on.” 1
A female disciple shivered and asked: “Oh I see, are they not afraid of living together with ghosts?”
All of the inhabitants of the city were sentiments without any life; it was no different from a ghost city. Just this thought alone was quite creepy.
Qiurong Wanxue warned them: “As long as you don’t provoke them, the ghosts of Necropolis will not mess with you. It is best not to do so, since being enemies with these ghosts won’t end well.”
Qiurong Wanxue was quite right. Visitors were either here for fun or for trading, so they didn’t need to mess with the ghosts. Some would often need to trade with Necropolis’ ghosts, so many visitors didn’t want to have any conflicts with them.
Another reason was because it was hard to leave Necropolis alive once one became an enemy of these ghosts.
Qiurong Wanxue brought the six of them — along with Li Qiye — to sightsee so it took two days before they reached Nightsea.
If one wanted to find any success in Necropolis, then their first destination should be Nightsea because the currency of the city was Yang Nightfish and not refined jade like the outside. Only Nightsea had Yang Nightfish.
To be more accurate, Nightsea was more like a gigantic lake. Standing before Nightsea would give spectators quite a creepy feeling.
The water was pitch black, and it exuded a cold, dark air as if the sea was a devil opening its mouth so that it could swallow people at any moment.
However, after seeing Nightsea, the six youths were not afraid and instead became rather excited, especially Peng Zhuang: “Nightsea, I’m jumping in now!” All he wanted to do now was to dive in and catch some Yang Nightfish.
Qiurong Wanxue immediately shouted in a grave manner to stop them: “Don’t fool around! There will be no escape once you enter Nightsea, you will die without a burial.”
These words startled the young group, so they immediately paused in fear. One disciple asked: “Really?”
Qiurong Wanxue warned them again: “Nightsea is extremely treacherous. No one can leave once they enter, not even Virtuous Paragons.”
“Then how do we catch any Nightfish?” Peng Zhuang inquired.
“We have to find a ferry; it is the only way to enter Nightsea.” Qiurong Wanxue continued: “Entering Nightsea without one is suicidal.”
A disciple with good eyes saw a boat at the port and exclaimed: “Over there!”
However, before they could react, a dozen young men had already boarded the ship to enter the vast Nightsea.
Qiurong Wanxue took them to several ferries, but all of these boats were either already reserved or taken by others.
Each boat had a handler, but the strange thing that surprised the group of Peng Zhuang was that these handlers were different from the ghosts back at Necropolis. The handlers had a body that exuded a weak blood energy.
The youths were also quite scared as they looked at these handlers since they dressed like mummies who just came out of a tomb. Especially their eyes that were filled with ghastly energy, they caused others to shiver.
“Are these handlers ghosts or people?” Peng Zhuang had to ask.
“No one knows. The handlers are always here to row the boats since they are the only ones capable of using these ferries.”
The disciples noticed the faint blood energy on the handlers’ bodies and curiously asked: “Are they just like Necropolis’ ghosts? Can they not leave Necropolis either?”
“Not necessarily.” Li Qiye, who was behaving quite well and didn’t talk a lot, smiled and shook his head: “A legend claims that a handler left this place and achieved invincibility.”
“Left Necropolis?” Another disciple asked with surprise: “Is that true?”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye and said: “This is only a legend. The person is the patriarch of the Nether Crossing Swamp, but this is — of course — only limited to a legend.”
Peng Zhuang slapped his thigh and said: “I have heard of this legend!” He then excitedly continued: “He is Immortal Emperor Ming Du! It was said that he came from Necropolis and might have been a handler.” 2
“Yes, it is Immortal Emperor Ming Du.” Qiurong Wanxue added: “However, it’s only a rumor. The Nether Crossing Swamp had never accepted this hypothesis. Moreover, the handlers cannot leave this place. Such a thing is unheard of!”
Immortal Emperor Ming Du was the emperor before Immortal Emperor Qian Li. There were many theories regarding his origin, but there were two that were the most popular. First was that the emperor was a boat-rowing ghost of the Underworld River, and the other was that he came from Nightsea at Necropolis.
For the second theory, it was said that after he obtained a great fortune, he was able to return to life and finally escaped Nightsea and Necropolis to become an invincible emperor.
But of course, regardless of whether he came from the Underworld River or Nightsea, they were just unproven rumors. In addition, even Immortal Emperor Ming Du’s lineage, the Nether Crossing Swamp, denied these claims.
Future generations later on believed that Immortal Emperor Ming Du came from the Ghost Race — this was widely acknowledged by people from the same generation as him.
Qiurong Wanxue led the group of Li Qiye to find ferries, but they were always late and had their ferry taken by others.
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a moment before looking at Li Qiye to say: “Fellow Daoist Li, please watch over them, I will go and find a ferry.”
Compared to an energetic youth like Peng Zhuang, the well-behaved Li Qiye was more trustworthy, so Qiurong Wanxue temporarily left him in charge.
“Don’t worry, we will wait here until you return.” Li Qiye answered with a smile. This was his chance since he wanted to ask Peng Zhuang some more things regarding the Prime Ominous Grave.
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye then cautioned the group of Peng Zhuang before quickly leaving to find a ferry.
After she left, Li Qiye immediately asked Peng Zhuang: “Brother Peng, what do you think the gigantic hand that night was?”
Another disciple said with a smile: “Brother Li seems to be really interested in this matter.” They had no ill feelings towards Li Qiye, and to the contrary, quite liked him.
Li Qiye calmly smiled and replied: “That day, when the night suddenly came, it really frightened me to death, so I am very interested in hearing about the gigantic hand from Brother Peng.”
The five disciples became excited and quickly discussed: “I nearly lost my mind too. I heard right after that the chief and the elders all went to the ancestral ground since they thought it was a huge deal.”
“Right when the sky turned dark, I really did see a gigantic hand. Although it was fleeting, I am sure that it wasn’t due to my blurred vision or anything.”
In fact, very few believed Peng Zhuang since he was the only one who saw it. At that time, he was coincidentally looking towards the Prime Ominous Grave.
Li Qiye asked with great interest: “What kind of gigantic hand was it?”
Peng Zhuang thought about it carefully before answering: “Hmm… How should I put this… It was a really huge hand. It seemed as if it was its own separate heaven and earth. It was like the stars in the sky or another world entirely. It had stars, a moon, and a sun… It was as if this gigantic hand replaced our own sky.”
Chapter 425 - Ferry
Li Qiye became even more certain after hearing Peng Zhuang’s description. It was just as he had predicted. Now, he was completely assured; as long as he opened the Prime Ominous Grave, he would be able to find the lost mythical island.
Another disciple shook his head and said: “Haha, Brother Li, don’t listen to Peng Zhuang’s lies. At that time, the dark sky didn’t have anything else, let alone celestials. Everyone saw a pitch black sky. Elder Zhi and the other elders said that they couldn’t see through the sky even with their Heavenly Gazes, so how could there be any stars or a moon?”
“I speak the truth!” Peng Zhuang couldn’t help but loudly protest.
Li Qiye said with a smile: “I believe Peng Zhuang. Nothing is impossible in this world that is full of wonders and mysterious occurrences. It is not that strange for Peng Zhuang to see something different.”
Peng Zhuang found solace and said: “Right? Brother Li trusts me, unlike little children like you guys.”
The other five disciples burst out in laughter. The girl in the group said: “Brother Li just doesn’t want to embarrass you. Do you really think he is being serious?”
They were in the same tribe and grew up together so their relationships were quite good and they didn’t mind teasing each other.
“Are all of you purposely banding together against me?” Peng Zhuang glared with his bullish eyes and asked: “Is your skin itchy? Want a beating or something?”
Another disciple laughed and lightly said: “Pfft, you alone want to fight against the five of us? Do you have what it takes?”
Peng Zhuang put on a fierce look and laughed: “What is the big deal about one versus five? Today, I’m gonna show you your uncle’s amazingness!”
Li Qiye smirked while looking at the six of them bickering with each other. Having friends to grow up together with was a happy thing.
But suddenly, a sarcastic voice appeared: “Oh, if it isn’t the group of country bumpkins from the Snow-shadow Tribe? You guys dared to come here?”
A group with both males and females that numbered more than ten came by. They exuded a cold air and had dark clouds over their heads.
The expressions of Peng Zhuang’s group dimmed after seeing this group: “Hmph! So it is a bunch of kids from the Black Cloud Tribe. Don’t tell me Nightsea belongs to you!”
The atmosphere immediately became quite tense.
This group of young men came from the Black Cloud Tribe, a tribe right next to the Snow-shadow Tribe; however, their relationship was quite bad. The Black Cloud Tribe was a bit stronger than the Snow-shadow Tribe so every conflict resulted in minor losses for the Snow-shadow Tribe. This forced the Snow-shadow disciples to harbor repressed anger in their minds.
The leading young man was the young lord of the Black Cloud Tribe. He led his group forward and looked at Peng Zhuang’s group with disdain.
The Black Cloud Young Lord arrogantly said: “Nightsea does not belong to our tribe, but with your shoddy skills, you guys still dared to come to Necropolis? Haha, heed my kind advice, be good little children and go back to your den. Otherwise, you will die without a burial at Necropolis.”
“This is none of your business.” Peng Zhuang sneered and said: “We can go wherever we want. Haha, watch your own backs.”
Both groups were laughing and making provocative gestures. Meanwhile, the young lord looked at the six disciples and then Li Qiye, then he shook his head to say: “Peng Zhuang, we have more people. If we fight you guys now, people will make fun of us for bullying with numbers.”
“Sixteen or seventeen people aren’t that many.” Peng Zhuang snappily countered: “We seven can still fight you guys, one versus three isn’t an issue for us!”
“Seven?” A Black Cloud disciple looked at Li Qiye and laughed. He then pointed at Li Qiye and said: “Are you counting this human brat? Peng Zhuang, your Snow-shadow Tribe is becoming more and more unsightly. Mixing together with the weak human race… Truly causing our ghost race to lose face.”
“So what if he is human!” A Snow-shadow disciple angrily quipped: “If you think you are so amazing as a ghost, then go challenge the Distant Cloud’s Thousand Carp River or Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom.”
“Haha, you don’t like my words?” The Black Cloud Young Lord smirked and said: “You immediately defended this human brat so fast… Could it be that your Snow-shadow Tribe can’t handle living in the Nether Border and want to go to the Distant Cloud to join the human race?”
Li Qiye only smiled in the face of their provocation; he was too lazy to bicker with a bunch of juniors.
Peng Zhuang was a frank and outspoken fella, so he stated: “Bah, Little Black Ghost, come out here and fight me solo if you have the ability!”
The Black Cloud and Snow-shadow Tribes had been enemies for generations, so now with the young lord’s provocation, Peng Zhuang became very furious and wished to fight him.
With an oppressive aura, the Black Cloud Young Lord walked forward and sneered: “Haha, Peng Zhuang, you think I am afraid of you? We’ll fight then, I’m going to let you taste the ground in three moves!”
“This is not the place to settle the disputes between our two tribes.” A cold yet pleasing voice appeared. Qiurong Wanxue had returned.
The young lord’s expression quickly changed after seeing Qiurong Wanxue. Although she was still young, she was the chief of the Snow-shadow Tribe, and her power was about the same as an elder from their Black Cloud.
“If your Black Cloud Tribe wishes to fight, then my Snow-shadow Tribe will accept your challenge at any time.” Qiurong Wanxue slowly spoke with a dignified look: “I won’t bully you juniors, tell your chief to come here.”
Eventually, the Black Cloud Young Lord left this sentence behind: “Our chief will meet you once we leave Necropolis.” Then, he and the other disciples quickly escaped.
“Hmph! What a coward.” If the chief didn’t show up, then Peng Zhuang would have taught that pretty boy a good lesson.
Qiurong Wanxue then told the rest of them: “Come, I found a ferry.”
The group followed Qiurong Wanxue to a corner of the sea that had a parked ferry. A handler was sitting on the boat; he was tall and thin like a bamboo shoot and sat at the stern with a hat on his head.
The moment they got close, the handler stared at them with his ghastly eyes, causing the group of Peng Zhuang to shiver.
He then spoke: “One drop of Longevity Blood per person per day. We will go out to sea once there are five.” 1
The handler’s voice sounded like sand being ground. Along with it being ice-cold and ruthless, his voice sent fear into the hearts of listeners.
“Everyone take out a drop of Longevity Blood.” Qiurong Wanxue commanded the group. She also took out a drop of her own.
The group of Peng Zhuang followed suit. Cultivators greatly valued their Longevity Blood, but Peng Zhuang’s group was very young, so they could accumulate even more in the future, unlike older cultivators. At a certain age, they would find that their blood energy would weaken and their Longevity Blood would dry up.
One must pay the handler to go out to Nightsea with a ferry. The payment was in neither refined jades nor Yang Nightfish, but was Longevity Blood instead.
After everyone gave a drop to the handler, he opened his mouth and swallowed them. The group of youths shivered at the sight.
They then understood why the handlers seemed different from the ghosts back at Necropolis — the ones without any blood energy. So it turned out that these handlers drank the Longevity Blood of cultivators. No wonder they had a faint blood energy on their bodies.
After accepting the blood, the handler allowed for the group of Qiurong Wanxue to get on the boat.
The moment the group boarded, a different group that consisted of both men and women came from afar.
They arrived at the beach in just the blink of an eye. Their blood energy was quite vast so it was apparent that they were all experts. The one leading them was a young man that wore a draconic robe as his body exuded a faint moonlight, causing him to seem dazzlingly handsome. Moreover, his vitality was quite majestic; he was surely a great master.
The young man appeared to be quite happy to see Qiurong Wanxue.
“Miss Qiurong, long time no see.” He then clasped his hands together and smiled: “Is Miss Qiurong also going out to sea? What a coincidence, so are we. How about we share a boat?”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at him and shook her head: “Prince of Yin Moon, our small boat can only take seven or eight people. Prince should find a bigger boat instead.”
However, the Yin Moon Prince did not give up. He looked at Li Qiye and said with a smile: “Fellow Human Friend, I am in a rush to go out to sea to catch some Nightfish, how about you let me have your spot? I will pay you.”
Li Qiye looked at the Yin Moon Prince then Qiurong Wanxue, and while as nonchalant and relaxed as ever, he shook his head in denial: “Sorry, I am also in a rush to go out to sea.”
The answer annoyed the prince, but he didn’t immediately show his anger.
“Goodbye, prince of Yin Moon, we will go before you.” Qiurong Wanxue didn’t want to linger any longer and told the handler to start rowing.
The Yin Moon Prince was not happy, but he had to clasp his hands together to say goodbye.
The handler seated at the back gently rowed as the boat slowly shook back and forth into Nightsea.
Li Qiye, who was sitting next to Peng Zhuang, then glanced at Qiurong Wanxue who was seated at the bow and asked: “Who was that group earlier?”
“He is the prince of the Yin Moon Tribe. This tribe is considered a second-rate sect in the Nether Border — quite formidable.” Peng Zhuang took a glimpse at the chief seated at the front and whispered: “The Yin Moon Prince fancies our chief and has always been trying to court her.”
Chapter 426 - Nightsea
Before Peng Zhuang could finish, Qiurong Wanxue turned around so he quickly shut his mouth in fear.
Li Qiye smiled and met her gaze; this deadlock went on for a while, but Qiurong Wanxue didn’t say anything.
The boat slowly entered Nightsea. Qiurong Wanxue had come here before so she was fine, but the youths were quite creeped out.
Although there was nothing particularly scary about Nightsea besides its dark water, those on the boats going out to sea had the feeling as if they were descending into an unknown abyss. The jet-black water seemed to be able to swallow all things, causing people’s hair to stand on end.
It was true that Nightsea was a very dangerous place. Even Heavenly Kings and Virtuous Paragons would die a miserable death without a ferry in this sea. This sea was like a ferocious beast that could swallow all people; even their bones would not be spared. A Virtuous Paragon capable of obtaining the god title would still not be able to escape this fate if they forcefully tried to enter Nightsea.
There was a rumor stating that only Immortal Emperors could force their way into Nightsea, but there was no way to verify it.
Peng Zhuang was quite alarmed as he sat on the boat above Nightsea. If Qiurong Wanxue didn’t say anything, the young ones wouldn’t dare to step outside the boat at all. After all, if they fell, death would be the only outcome.
Li Qiye looked at this sea that was seemingly like a world of darkness and murmured: “Nightsea…”
Li Qiye knew that this sea hid many secrets just like Necropolis. In fact, there was one in particular that was unknown to all others, a very important one.
After they went further into Nightsea, the handler gave each person a net. This fishing net was very special; it was made from an unknown material and seemed like it was woven from light. There was no weight to it when held in one’s hand.
This was a fishing net designed to catch Yang Nightfish and was given to people by the handlers. However, the strange part was that the handlers themselves never caught these fish, and no one knew the reason why.
The group casted their nets for two days, but no one managed to catch any Yang Nightfish. Qiurong Wanxue continuously changed the boat’s direction and location to no avail.
After three days without any results, Peng Zhuang became a bit dejected: “Not a single Yang Nightfish… Don’t tell me all the fish in this sea have been caught already?” The impatient fella had this urge to jump down into the sea himself.
Compared to the six youths, Qiurong Wanxue was much calmer. She shook her head and said: “Catching Yang Nightfish isn’t easy. It is the common currency in Necropolis, so if you can catch them anytime you want, then you will be able to get many things in the city. A lot of people fish for several months before getting any harvest. If you lose your patience now, then you won’t get anything at Necropolis.”
She wished to train them so she was not in a rush at all despite not catching any fish.
After three days passed, not a single fish was caught, but Li Qiye’s group was not the only group suffering this lamentable fate. They met many groups recently; they were all young men from all over the world, riding these ferries in order to catch Yang Nightfish.
Qiurong Wanxue coincidentally encountered several familiar ghost sects and ghost members and said hello. From their conversations, they found out that several people who came here for a month only managed to catch three to five fish at best.
After hearing about the lackluster results from others, Peng Zhuang’s group of six felt a lot better. Since others took a month to catch around five fish, it was not surprising for them to not catch any in just a few days.
On the eighth day, Li Qiye’s group met a particularly powerful sect. They rented an extremely big ferry that carried many young men who had surging blood energies. The divine flames on their bodies made them even more unapproachable. These youths seemed to be the children of a divine race and they each had an oppressive aura.
The person who sat at the bow was the most amazing. The flames that danced on his body turned into divine rings right behind him; the rings made him seem as if he was protected by gods.
Qiurong Wanxue emotionally spoke after seeing this huge boat: “Even the Divine Spark Country is here. The Divine Spark Prince came in person as well.” She then told the handler to row the boat around them.
Walking the long way was not Li Qiye’s style, so he asked with a smile: “Why are we avoiding them?”
Peng Zhuang looked at him curiously and asked: “Brother Li came from the Thousand Carp River, but you don’t know about the Divine Spark Country?”
“What about the Divine Spark Country?” Li Qiye smiled and asked without a care.
Peng Zhuang tapped his forehead and replied: “Brother Li, your information is too outdated. The Divine Spark Country is one of the most powerful lineages in your southern Distant Cloud. Although they are not an emperor’s lineage, they are still a first-rate great power and only a bit weaker than an emperor’s lineage.”
Another disciple added: “Yep, I heard that they are a divine race. They call themselves descendants of a True God.”
Li Qiye was not surprised at all as he smirked: “Is that so.” He paid no mind to even emperor’s lineages, so a great power like the Divine Spark Country naturally couldn’t enter his sight.
“Not only that.” The only female disciple spoke: “I heard that the Divine Spark Princess is a famous and beautiful goddess of your southern Distant Cloud. She is getting married to Sir Di Zuo.” 1
“Who is Di Zuo?” Li Qiye looked at her and asked one more time; a smirk was still on his face. He was not doing this on purpose since he really didn’t know who Di Zuo was.
The six disciples acted as if they were about to faint and looked at Li Qiye as if he was a monster. Peng Zhuang patted his forehead one more time and painfully said: “Brother Li… No way. Brother Li doesn’t even know who Sir Di Zuo is? He is one of the three heroes in our Sacred Nether World.”
“Three heroes? Who are they?” Li Qiye remained oblivious.
Peng Zhuang quickly explained: “Chan Yang, Di Zuo, and Tian Lunhui are the three strongest geniuses in our Sacred Nether World. People say that these three have the greatest chance of shouldering the Heaven’s Will in this generation. Sir Di Zuo has the most terrifying background; he is the only descendant of the Myriad Bones Throne.” 2
Li Qiye suddenly smiled as if he was happy to recognize a name: “Ah, the Myriad Bones Throne — I have heard of this name. It is a lineage with three emperors, correct?”
“ ‘A lineage with three emperors, right?’ !” The six felt their minds sway; they felt that Li Qiye was too slow. Peng Zhuang shouted: “Brother, this is one sect, three emperors! Do you know how powerful Sir Di Zuo is? People say that even Heavenly Sovereigns from the previous generations have to treat him with reverence.”
“I see.” Li Qiye dully replied. It was not him looking down on others; one sect, three emperors was a very normal thing in his opinion.
The female disciple spoke: “The Divine Spark Princess — the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden is Sir Di Zuo’s fiancee. I heard that after the news of the engagement, the fame of the Divine Spark Country rose like a ship meeting the waves.”
“The person who sat at the bow earlier was the Divine Spark Prince, the little brother of the Phoenix Maiden.” Qiurong Wanxue asserted from the front: “The Divine Spark Country is a major power, so it is better for people like us to avoid them.”
It was reasonable for Qiurong Wanxue to show caution due to the nature of her small tribe that was completely incomparable to a great power like the Divine Spark Country. The country could lift a finger and easily destroy their tribe, so she naturally would avoid such a monstrous existence.
“I get it now.” Li Qiye revealed an enlightened appearance and nodded his head with a smile.
Qiurong Wanxue warned them: “If the southern Distant Cloud’s people are here as well, then Necropolis will become very lively in the upcoming times. We have to be extra careful and not cause trouble.”
As the chief of a small tribe living between great powers, she and her Snow-shadow Tribe had to be very careful.
***
Li Qiye’s group had been out on Nightsea for ten days and finally got some results. Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue’s nets were empty so the last disciple who was reining in his net initially didn’t have too much hope, but a bright light emanated inside his retrieved net. Everyone came to take a look and found that inside this net was a little fish the size of a thumb, emitting some sunlight. It seemed to be carved from fire jade as a flame burned strongly on its body.
“Yang Nightfish!” Qiurong Wanxue smiled after seeing this little fish; it was a beautiful smile that resembled a blooming peony flower.
“Yang Nightfish!” The disciple who caught it was extremely excited, especially since he was the first to catch one.
“We finally got something.” The six young ones jumped up and down happily.
Catching a fish motivated the young ones so they assumed that a great harvest was sure to follow. However, they didn’t catch any other fish for the next two days.
Qiurong Wanxue remained calm while the six became more impatient.
Before Peng Zhuang could finish, Qiurong Wanxue turned around so he quickly shut his mouth in fear.
Li Qiye smiled and met her gaze; this deadlock went on for a while, but Qiurong Wanxue didn’t say anything.
The boat slowly entered Nightsea. Qiurong Wanxue had come here before so she was fine, but the youths were quite creeped out.
Although there was nothing particularly scary about Nightsea outside of its dark water, those on the boats going out to sea had the feeling as if they were descending into an unknown abyss. The jet-black water seemed to be able to swallow all things, causing people’s hair to stand on end.
Chapter 427 - Catching Nightfish in Nightsea
The group of Peng Zhuang started to lament after failing to catch anything for two days. Peng Zhuang said: “Aizz, it is so difficult to catch these fish. If this goes on, then I’m afraid we won’t catch more than two fish in an entire month.”
Even though as long as they kept on paying with their Longevity Blood, they could keep renting the ferry, the young ones became more restless as the days passed by.
Li Qiye went to find Qiurong Wanxue. He looked at this mature and alluring woman and asked with a smile: “Is it alright if I guide the way today?”
Although Qiurong Wanxue was patient, Li Qiye didn’t have time to play around with them on Nightsea. There were many things he needed to do that required a large amount of Nightfish.
Qiurong Wanxue watched him for a while then nodded her head: “Very well, you can give it a try.”
After she agreed, Li Qiye told the handler who was sitting at the back of the boat: “We’ll go over there.”
The handler quietly rowed the boat towards the direction Li Qiye pointed to. It was as if the handler was invisible; he never said anything and only dealt with controlling the ferry, never participating in anything else.
As the small boat rocked back and forth, Li Qiye was secretly measuring Nightsea. He needed to calculate the time and the trajectory of the boat. In the last millions of years, this was not his first time catching Nightfish, so he knew more than the group of Qiurong Wanxue.
After riding the waves for half a day, Li Qiye said in a serious manner: “Stop right here.”
The handler stopped the boat as it paused on this pitch-black sea. Li Qiye held his breath while staring at the sea’s surface.
His solemn attitude also affected Qiurong Wanxue as she did the same thing along with the group of youths. However, they didn’t see anything. Nightsea was very mysterious, so even Heavenly Gazes couldn’t see through the dark water to assess the situation below no matter how powerful the person was.
Time continued to flow. Suddenly, Li Qiye’s pupils narrowed as he gravely shouted: “Now! Drop the nets!” Then, he immediately flung his net down into Nightsea.
Qiurong Wanxue and the group of six also did the same. One disciple intended to pull his net up right away, but he was stopped by Li Qiye’s serious tone: “Don’t move!”
The group didn’t dare to move and just stared at the sea like Li Qiye, but they didn’t see anything.
After a while, Li Qiye finally shouted: “Pull up your nets, now!” He then pulled his own net up.
“Whoosh!” The moment he pulled up his net, a blinding sunlight came forth, forcing everyone to close their eyes.
There was a Yang Nightfish inside the net, struggling to break free, but it was no use. Li Qiye quickly took the fish out of the net and threw it into a jar that was prepared beforehand so that it wouldn’t escape.
“Whoosh!” The group of Qiurong Wanxue also pulled up their nets and the same blinding sunlight appeared once more.
The light caused the group to be shocked and speechless. The jaws of the younger crowd were wide open for a very long time. Just a single release of their nets resulted in more Yang Nightfish than what others gained in an entire month.
Qiurong Wanxue was the fastest to react as she told the young ones: “Quickly, catch the fish!” She then took out a jar to place her fish inside.
The young ones regained their sanity and quickly placed their fish into their jars as well. They were quite jubilant as the great harvest from a single round left them in disbelief.
The moment Peng Zhuang’s group finally finished storing the fish away, another ferry happily pointed out Li Qiye’s successful catch: “There are fish over there!”
The people of Peng Zhuang’s group were no strangers to this ferry; it was their old enemies — the Black Cloud Young Lord and the other disciples.
“Release the nets!” The young lord noticed Li Qiye’s catch so he immediately ordered for the disciples on board to cast their nets into the sea as well.
All of the disciples did so and then pulled up their nets, but they didn’t catch anything. Seeing the empty nets, the young lord angrily stomped his foot and exclaimed: “Too late!”
“Haha, Little Black Ghost, you guys are too late!” Peng Zhuang was quite happy to see the lack of results on the other side: “The fish already ran away last night!”
The young lord didn’t believe in magic, so he shouted again: “Release the nets!” They wanted to catch a large amount of fish like how Li Qiye’s party did earlier, but every time they cast their nets, it ended with zero results.
Earlier, the young lord saw — with his own eyes — how the group of Peng Zhuang managed to catch Yang Nightfish right at this place. However, his continuous attempts all ended in failure.
Li Qiye was too lazy to look at the Black Cloud Tribe, so he said: “Let us go.” With his great understanding of Nightsea, he knew that the moment he stopped that school of fish, there wouldn’t be more coming for a long time.
The handler once again rowed under Li Qiye’s directions. Peng Zhuang happily waved goodbye to the Black Cloud Young Lord before leaving and shouted: “Little Black Ghost, you guys can take your time, your uncle is leaving now.”
The young lord shivered with anger as his eyes failed to hide his rage; he could only watch Peng Zhuang’s group leave.
Li Qiye told the handler to go to a certain area in the sea before stopping. He then told the group: “We’ll spend the night here and cast our nets around midnight.” He then sat down and closed his eyes to rest right afterward.
The young ones looked at each other with excitement as they gathered together. Peng Zhuang asked: “I caught ten Yang Nightfish, what about you guys?”
A disciple counted his fish and happily exclaimed: “Fifteen!”
Some people took a month to catch three to five while a single cast of their nets resulted in several dozen fish, so how could they not be incredibly excited?
The only female disciple in the group was the most joyous since she had the best catch: “I got eighteen!”
The six talked for a while in elation. Peng Zhuang then said: “Man, Brother Li is our lucky star. We got a really big harvest this time. Haha, Brother Li is truly amazing!”
Another one added: “Yep, yep, although we didn’t catch anything in the last ten days, we got so much this time. This is a month’s worth for other people.”
They felt so lucky after the great harvest that resulted from Li Qiye’s guidance.
Only Qiurong Wanxue was silent as she watched Li Qiye meditate. She definitely did not believe that this rich harvest came from luck alone. She had come to Nightsea several times before, but she had never heard of anyone catching several dozen fish in a single round. This harvest was too unreasonably great.
Moreover, the location was not chosen by chance since Li Qiye clearly chose it deliberately. Could it be that Li Qiye knew where the fish were within Nightsea?
Having thought to this point, she felt that it was an impossible matter. It was said that the Yang Nightfish were very unpredictable and no one could know where they would appear. Even Virtuous Paragons could not calculate the time or location of the fish.
However, if that was the case, then how did Li Qiye pick such a location? Qiurong Wanxue was quite perplexed.
She became even more cautious of Li Qiye. The group of Peng Zhuang was careless since they were young, but she clearly noticed that Li Qiye purposely followed them.
Along the way, Li Qiye was quite polite and obedient. She felt that he was a bit problematic, but he never did anything to them, so she slowly became at ease.
Although this release of their nets caused her doubts to resurface, she couldn’t see through him at all. She only knew that his name was Li Qiye and that he came from the southern Distant Cloud — nothing else.
During midnight, Li Qiye, who had been meditating, suddenly stood up and ordered the group: “Get ready!”
The group of youths who were meditating woke up and picked up their nets with excitement. Li Qiye looked at the sky’s shade then towards another direction before telling everyone: “We have to be fast this time; just a bit late and we’ll lose our chance.”
The young ones memorized his words as they gripped their nets tightly. Li Qiye stared at the sea without saying anything else.
The young ones held their breaths and copied his gaze. Qiurong Wanxue was also quite nervous as she looked out towards the sea.
Minutes began to pass by and, in just the blink of an eye, an hour had elapsed. Li Qiye remained immobile like a wooden statue, staring at Nightsea.
Chapter 428 - Abundant Harvest
Before anyone noticed, two hours had gone by and Li Qiye still didn’t move; he just stared at the sea. Throughout this time, they didn’t do anything, so the group of Peng Zhuang became impatient.
Peng Zhuang wanted to ask Li Qiye, but Qiurong Wanxue shook her head at them, signaling for them to not disturb him. The six calmed down and held their breaths while looking at the sea’s surface.
At this time, Li Qiye then shouted: “Release the nets!” Li Qiye released his net at the speed of lightning.
Qiurong Wanxue and the six didn’t dare to hesitate; they released their nets with their fastest speed.
However, the nets had only went down for a moment before Li Qiye shouted again: “Pull them up, fast!” Then, Li Qiye dragged up his own net.
“Whoosh!” The seven also pulled their nets up and found themselves dumbfounded. A light as bright as the sun illuminated the surroundings, turning the sea’s night into day; it was as if a sun was rising up from their nets.
Their hands were heavy since there were so many fish the size of a finger jumping around, wanting to escape from their confines.
They had never seen so many fish like this; this was enough to scare someone to death. Even Qiurong Wanxue was aghast until Li Qiye’s voice rang in her ears: “Catch them, quick!”
Her body shook once, then she hurriedly caught the fish. The six young ones also calmed down and busily caught their own fish. Their hands were shivering with excitement while they attempted to store them. As the chief, Qiurong Wanxue could be said to be the most composed, but right now, her cheeks were red with excitement. In her eyes, this was simply incredible.
After putting their fish away, one disciple began to count and then shouted out: “Oh heavens, I… I have a total of eighty-six!”
The only female disciple jumped up and exclaimed: “I… I have one hundred and seven!” She then kissed Li Qiye on the cheek and happily declared: “Brother Li! You are too amazing!”
Li Qiye smilingly shook his head and said: “You are molesting me.”
The embarrassed female disciple let go of Li Qiye, but she was still very excited.
“A kiss is nothing.” Peng Zhuang smiled and declared: “If Brother Li wants me to kiss you, I’ll be very happy to do so.”
The other disciples laughed and began to line up as if they were all going to kiss Li Qiye.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “No thanks to men, but girls can come for a kiss. How about Chief Qiurong? Will you give me a kiss? I don’t mind.”
The six young ones were not as bold as Li Qiye, so they didn’t dare to say anything. They turned around to face a different direction, pretending that they didn’t hear anything.
Qiurong Wanxue’s cheeks were red when she quickly shook her head in response: “No thanks!” She was a bit mad on the inside. Li Qiye, who had been very well-behaved so far, suddenly dared to tease her at this moment. This little brat is now too bold.
“Nevermind, you chose to give up on this chance.” Li Qiye smirked and said.
Li Qiye’s teasing agitated Qiurong Wanxue quite a bit. Keep in mind that she was a respected chief in the Snow-shadow Tribe, so how could she not become angry after being teased by a little brat?
Meanwhile, the young group of six were lost in excitement. Peng Zhuang couldn’t help but ask: “Brother Li, how did you know this place had Yang Nightfish to catch? It is too unbelievable.”
“Intuition, it is only intuition.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “I don’t know why, but after staying in Nightsea for ten days, I suddenly have this feeling that I could sense the fish in the sea.”
After hearing this response, the group of six half believed him: “Really?” Why did they not have such an intuition?
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Why would I lie to you guys? I have been very sensitive from a young age, so if I stayed at any place for a while, I would begin to sense a few things.”
“Oh, so it is natural.” The six felt that this explanation was trustworthy. Otherwise, how would one explain Li Qiye’s perception of the Yang Nightfish?
Compared to the younger six, Qiurong Wanxue didn’t trust Li Qiye so easily. In the end, a chief was a chief, so she had much more knowledge.
She didn’t believe his excuse of it being his intuition and felt that he had hidden secrets. She found it strange that Li Qiye would know the exact time and location of the Yang Nightfish.
She stared at him, hoping to find some clues, but there were none no matter how hard she tried.
Li Qiye looked at the moving sea and said: “We’ll go now.” The handler then followed Li Qiye’s directions as they disappeared further in Nightsea.
The following days, Li Qiye kept on changing the location, and they obtained great harvests each time. It was as if nothing in this mysterious sea could escape his sight.
The group of six was immersed in excitement; they felt that Li Qiye’s intuition was too magical. It was a shame that it was a natural characteristic; otherwise, they would really want to have it.
In contrast to the young ones, the rich harvests each day caused Qiurong Wanxue to become even more suspicious. She knew that it was something other than intuition, but she couldn’t pinpoint it at all.
Outside of excitement and disbelief at the quantity of Yang Nightfish, she became even more vigilant. She wondered what type of person Li Qiye was. Why did he want to go with the Snow-shadow Tribe? Since Li Qiye could catch so many fish by himself, there was no reason for him to go with them.
With this ability of being able to guess where the fish will appear, he would be quite a welcomed guest at any emperor’s lineage. However, he ultimately chose to go with them, so Qiurong Wanxue speculated for a long time about the reason why he decided to follow them.
In theory, there was nothing worthwhile at the Snow-shadow Tribe for Li Qiye. It was only a minor tribe; they didn’t have supreme treasures nor apex merit laws. If he channeled his skills to work for a great power or an emperor’s lineage, he would surely have better returns.
This was the other big question in her mind, next to Li Qiye’s fish-predicting ability.
“If it is this easy to catch Yang Nightfish, why don’t Necropolis’ inhabitants catch them themselves?”
Qiurong Wanxue answered in a serious manner: “These fish are not this easy to catch. It is all due to Young Noble Li, understand?” Despite her many questions and doubts, Li Qiye had brought a lot of benefits to them, so she would remember this kindness in her heart.
“Ah, I was just casually wondering.” Peng Zhuang quickly said: “Brother Li, how about you come to our Snow-shadow Tribe? Although we don’t have any human members, I’m sure that the chief and the elders will welcome you with open arms.”
Qiurong Wanxue said in a serious tone: “Peng Zhuang, don’t babble nonsense!” Despite being only thirty, Qiurong Wanxue was the chief and she had great prestige in the tribe.
Peng Zhuang didn’t dare to continue the topic after the interjection, so he quickly shut up after cheekily sticking out his tongue.
The only female disciple curiously asked: “If Nightsea is within Necropolis, how come the ghosts there don’t catch them?”
Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t answer the question. Instead, he then looked at Qiurong Wanxue.
Qiurong Wanxue shook her head to say: “I don’t know the specifics. A legend says that the sentiments in Necropolis cannot come to this place. They are not actual ghosts or living beings, they are only things without a body. If they come to Nightsea, then they would disappear right away.”
Peng Zhuang looked at the handler at the back and said: “No wonder why the handlers have a body.” After their stay together, the Snow-shadow Tribe understood that these handlers were different from the ghosts back in Necropolis. The ghosts didn’t have a body while the handlers did.
Under Li Qiye’s lead, the group had quite a frightening harvest after catching fish for a whole month. Today, Li Qiye looked at the sky and declared: “Tomorrow will be our last round. Then, we’ll leave Nightsea.”
“Okay!” The group of six excitedly replied. They had a lot of fish, so they were ready to go back to shore to trade with Necropolis’ inhabitants. Maybe they could even trade for some amazing treasures.
Unlike the happy youths, the calm chief, Qiurong Wanxue, looked at Li Qiye who was sitting peacefully at the bow. She then sat down next to him.
The six youths saw the chief sit next to Li Qiye, so they winked at each other and turned away, pretending to be deaf and mute.
Chapter 429 - Explaining
Li Qiye calmly sat at the bow of the boat and smiled at Qiurong Wanxue, who sat down beside him. In terms of beauty and allure, Qiurong Wanxue was far from Chen Baojiao’s level. However, Chen Baojiao didn’t have the mature charm nor the dignified elegance of Qiurong Wanxue.
Chen Baojiao was a calamitous and kingdom-toppling beauty, a supreme enchantress that took away the souls of others with a single glance.
Qiurong Wanxue was also movingly beautiful, especially her mature charm no different from a ripe peach that causes hearts to beat faster; people will love her more and more the more they’re exposed to her.
“Does Chief Qiurong have something to say?” Li Qiye looked at her amorous features and calmly asked.
Qiurong Wanxue’s heart was filled with emotions as she looked at this man who, despite being so much younger than her, seemed so mystical. Li Qiye was very ordinary when it came to his face and aura.
However, as one interacted with him more, they would find him to be full of mysteries. He would make others feel like they were being sucked in as if he was an inescapable black hole.
“What is Young Noble Li’s goal for coming to Necropolis this time?” Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a moment before asking the question that had been haunting her.
Qiurong Wanxue hoped to have a real talk with Li Qiye if they were to continue to stay together at Necropolis since they knew nothing about him!
Li Qiye didn’t answer her question but asked one instead: “What is Chief Qiurong’s goal at Necropolis?”
She stared at him while he met her gaze, right into her clear and bright eyes. They gazed at each other for a bit, and Qiurong Wanxue was the first to turn away.
She then took a deep breath and thought for a bit before resolutely saying: “If we are on the same side, then we need to work together. If you wish to know, then I’ll tell you. This time, I came to Necropolis to find something that my tribe had lost.” Since she wanted a sincere conversation with Li Qiye, she revealed the truth after contemplating for a bit.
“So that is the case.” Li Qiye smiled and replied. He understood her concerns, so he went on to say: “I don’t mind telling you; I came this time in order to find a certain something.”
“What are you searching for?” Qiurong Wanxue inquired further.
Li Qiye didn’t answer. He stared at her amorous snow-white face and asked: “Chief Qiurong, what item did your tribe lose?”
Qiurong Wanxue became silent. This matter was of grave importance to the tribe, so she couldn’t carelessly tell an outsider.
Li Qiye smirked at the sight of her careful contemplation. He then asked: “We won’t talk about this issue anymore, we can talk about the sudden eclipse instead. On that day, did you see anything strange?”
Li Qiye found out a lot of things from Peng Zhuang, but he was now asking Qiurong Wanxue to confirm it. The reason was very simple; whenever Peng Zhuang talked about the gigantic hand from the Prime Ominous Grave, Qiurong Wanxue would yell at him to stop. This made Li Qiye believe that she knew a thing or two about it.
Qiurong Wanxue turned around to look at the young group of six. They were sitting at the other end with their backs turned towards Li Qiye and didn’t seem to be paying attention to them.
“So Young Noble Li came because of this matter?” Qiurong Wanxue had speculated this possibility early on since Li Qiye had shown interest in this matter from the very start.
Li Qiye did not hide anything and smiled: “You can put it that way. I trust that you know a thing or two, so can you tell me?”
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a bit while looking at Li Qiye who was calmly waiting for an answer. She then took a deep breath and nodded her head in agreement.
Right afterward, she recalled: “The monstrous hand that Peng Zhuang talked about… It was indeed there. On the day of the eclipse, I was absorbing worldly energy while looking towards the Prime Ominous Grave.” She paused here for a moment.
“And then?” Li Qiye was not too anxious since he was quite sure about what had happened.
Qiurong Wanxue took a calming breath and eventually continued on: “Right when the sky was no longer dark, I saw… the Prime Ominous Grave open.”
Peng Zhuang was not certain of this matter for he was completely horrified after seeing the gigantic hand, but Qiurong Wanxue was staring at the grave the entire time.
When the eclipse was over, Qiurong Wanxue was astonished at the grave’s opening since it seemed impossible. The grave had not been opened for a long time, and she had heard that a key was required. Her ancestor had not heard of anyone obtaining this particular key.
This was the reason why she found the whole thing quite strange; this whole thing contained secrets unbeknownst to her. Each time Peng Zhuang brought it up, she quickly silenced it since she didn’t want to bring about any trouble to the Snow-shadow Tribe.
After listening to her recollection, Li Qiye smiled and said: “So that was the case.” Now, he was completely certain of the events that transpired. This meant that he absolutely had to obtain the key to enter the grave.
Qiurong Wanxue glanced in his direction and asked: “Since I have revealed the things Young Noble wanted to know, can you tell me one thing?”
“Please go ahead.” Li Qiye calmly said: “I’ll happily reveal what I know to Chief Qiurong.”
She then asked: “How did you know the locations of where the Yang Nightfish would appear?”
Their harvest was too shocking. There was once a descendant from an emperor’s lineage who brought along a supreme treasure to Nightsea, but this person’s harvest throughout an entire year was not comparable to the amount Li Qiye obtained in just a month. This matter had been hanging on Qiurong Wanxue’s mind.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “So Chief Qiurong didn’t believe me. I spoke the truth, my intuition had been very sensitive since a young age, especially when I stay in the same place for a long time. It is a natural gift from birth.”
Qiurong Wanxue angrily glared at him since she had been tricked. She didn’t believe his nonsense at all. If these fish in Nightsea could be caught by intuition, then they would have become extinct already.
Li Qiye only smirked in response to Qiurong Wanxue’s red and beautiful angry glare. He couldn’t tell this secret to someone else.
He spent countless efforts at Necropolis. In the past millions of years, at least half of the amount of times the grave had been opened contained traces of the Dark Crow, Li Qiye.
It was not easy to find the Prime Ominous Grave’s key since one needed to deal with Necropolis’ inhabitants. Although dealing with them was easy since one only needed sufficient Yang Nightfish to trade for the things they desired, the most essential requirement was finding the right person, no, the right ghost.
Li Qiye had opened the grave several times. Sometimes he was alone, sometimes he had companions; however, each time required a huge amount of Yang Nightfish. Because of these fish, Li Qiye had studied Nightsea for a long time. He had even stayed at Necropolis for a generation.
It could be said that currently, no one in this world understood Nightsea and Necropolis better than Li Qiye.
Qiurong Wanxue said in exasperation: “Young Noble Li, even if you don’t wish to speak the truth, you don’t need to come up with such an excuse to fool me.” As the chief, she had always been shrewd and careful, but this time, being tricked by Li Qiye had done quite a number on her.
“Oh, it seems that I have hurt Chief Qiurong’s feelings.” Li Qiye startlingly exclaimed: “If that is so, then I should try to compensate to further amend our relationship. It is my fault for not noticing your affection earlier.”
“You!” Qiurong Wanxue’s tender breasts swayed up and down like a powerful wave as she glared at Li Qiye. She couldn’t help but grip her fists; this little demon was too arrogant. He even dared to tease her! This was too much! Before, she felt that this little demon was very well-behaved. But now, it was clear that it was all an act, he was just a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Li Qiye was carefree as always and was unafraid of her fury. He looked straight into her eyes while putting on an innocent appearance.
Li Qiye’s pretentiously pitiful appearance made Qiurong Wanxue helpless since it stopped her from acting out.
While they were speaking, Peng Zhuang and the other youths were whispering to each other about the two.
Peng Zhuang softly muttered: “Heh, I feel that Brother Li and our chief are quite a match.”
“No way!” The female disciple tilted her head and replied: “Brother Li is about our age, but our chief is a bit older.”
“The old saying goes: age is not a barrier.” Peng Zhuang mischievously went on: “I feel that our chief holds Brother Li in high regard, do you guys not see it? She had been lost in thought while looking at him.”
Li Qiye calmly sat at the bow of the boat and smiled at Qiurong Wanxue, who sat down beside him. In terms of beauty and allure, Qiurong Wanxue was far from Chen Baojiao’s level. However, Chen Baojiao didn’t have the mature charm nor the dignified elegance of Qiurong Wanxue.
Chen Baojiao was a calamitous and kingdom-toppling beauty, a supreme enchantress that took away the souls of others with a single glance.
Qiurong Wanxue was also movingly beautiful, especially her mature charm that was no different from a ripe peach; it would cause the hearts of others to beat faster and faster. People would love her more and more from further exposure.
“Does Chief Qiurong have something to say?” Li Qiye looked at her amorous features and calmly asked.
Chapter 430 - Scoundrel’s Plot
If Qiurong Wanxue knew that her focus on Li Qiye had been misunderstood by Peng Zhuang’s group, she would definitely go insane.
“I think that is true.” Another disciple added: “How about after we return to shore, we give them some time alone?”
The six of them deviously grinned. They wanted to encourage and match their chief and Li Qiye together.
How would Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue feel if they knew about this mischievous matter?
Today was the last time the group of Li Qiye released their nets.
“Pull them up!” After a month had elapsed, the group was quite in sync with each other. With his command, everyone pulled up their nets.
A golden light appeared together with the nets as jumping Yang Nightfish could be seen everywhere. This was not their first harvest; it could be said that during this month, they had caught an unbelievable amount of fish. Nevertheless, seeing the net full of fish still left them in amazement.
The group was already very familiar with storing the fish in jars. Everyone was satisfied and excited with such a grand harvest.
Peng Zhuang emotionally said: “I’m afraid we caught more in one month than others in three years.” He understood that this was all because of Li Qiye. Without him, they were no different from ordinary cultivators; there was no way they could be compared to the descendants from the great powers.
“Don’t move!” At this time, Li Qiye was gazing intensely at the sea. Suddenly, he then shot out a terrifying gleam.
Qiurong Wanxue’s group was startled by Li Qiye’s attitude as they held their breaths. As they were completely lost, no one dared to move.
Li Qiye suddenly released his net and then pulled it back up again with an incredible speed.
“Crash!” Before the net was retrieved, the sea was already setting off waves as if a giant monster had been captured.
The rest were scared out of their minds. They had captured a lot of Yang Nightfish, but there had never been such a commotion.
Qiurong Wanxue wanted to help Li Qiye pull his net up, but he suddenly cried loudly as the ferry shook back and forth. He mustered all of his energy and flexed his body to pull the net up.
The moment the net was successfully pulled up, waves of bright lights painfully pierced the group’s eyes. They then took a careful look and found that a turtle was inside the net.
The turtle was around the size of a palm and had fire blazing on its body. This fire was made from universal divine laws in the form of chains, and each chain was a very profound grand dao. The small turtle emitted dazzling rays of light that pierced the eyes of spectators like needles.
The group was astounded since they had been catching fish for more than a month, but they had never caught anything besides Yang Nightfish. Qiurong Wanxue had come to Nightsea several times, and she had heard that there were only Yang Nightfish in this sea, nothing else.
This was the truth and not something that was just limited to her alone. No one who had come to Nightsea had ever caught anything outside of fish.
So today, when Li Qiye caught a strange turtle, how could Qiurong Wanxue’s group not become shocked? They had never heard of such a thing before.
“Good stuff!” Li Qiye was pleased to see the turtle in the net. He moved as fast as lightning to grab this turtle that intended to break free from the net.
“There’s a treasure over there!” Right when Li Qiye grabbed the turtle, a voice came from the distance.
Qiurong Wanxue looked up and noticed two ferries swiftly approaching.
By the time they came closer, Li Qiye had already put the turtle away in a treasure jar. He gently patted it after closing the lid. This time was a very fruitful harvest; he didn’t expect to be able to catch such a thing.
Many generations ago when Li Qiye was staying at Nightsea, he had caught a turtle like this before. That time, it required a long period of calculation to catch one, so this meeting could only be described as him being super lucky.
Qiurong Wanxue’s heart sank the moment she saw the people on the two approaching ferries. Who else could it be besides the Black Cloud Tribe and the Yin Moon Tribe?
The fact that these two tribes were traveling together was not a good thing for the Snow-shadow Tribe.
The Yin Moon Prince was interested in Qiurong Wanxue, so after going out to Nightsea, he wanted to both catch fish and look for her, intending to go together.
The prince then coincidentally met the Black Cloud Young Lord. The Black Cloud Tribe was a lot weaker than the Yin Moon Tribe, so the young lord purposely made friends with the Yin Moon Tribe. He told the prince how he met the group of Qiurong Wanxue who managed to catch dozens of Yang Nightfish in just one session.
Compared to the idiotic young lord, the Yin Moon Prince was a descendant from a second-rate great power, someone who had vast knowledge. He immediately found it strange after hearing the story about this great catch.
People on the same boat all having such a great harvest had to be called a miracle. There was only one explanation, and that was that the group of Qiurong Wanxue had met a school of Yang Nightfish.
He had been thinking about this matter, but he didn’t expect to see Qiurong Wanxue’s group today. However, before he could greet her, he saw Li Qiye’s yield.
Catching the turtle caused his heart to tremble. He had never heard of anyone catching anything besides fish in Nightsea. He immediately understood that this turtle was amazing — an absolutely world-shocking item.
Necropolis always had legends about its amazing items. Even though the Yin Moon Prince didn’t know what this turtle was, an existence that lived in Nightsea amidst the Nightfish must be marvelous, so he immediately wanted it.
The Yin Moon Prince clapped his hands and smiled: “Congratulations to Miss Qiurong’s group for having such a great harvest.”
After seeing the Black Cloud Young Lord and the Yin Moon Prince traveling together, Peng Zhuang’s group of youths immediately became restless. Although they were not afraid of the Black Cloud Tribe, they couldn’t afford to mess with the Yin Moon Tribe.
With her heart beating fast, Qiurong Wanxue smiled in response: “Yin Moon Prince is too kind, it wasn’t anything great. We only caught a bit more than ten fish in one month, so it is only so-so.”
“That is already not bad.” The Yin Moon Prince responded with a smile. He then looked at Li Qiye and asked: “Earlier, I saw this little brother catch a turtle with a strange shape. I wonder if you could take it out so that I can have a look?”
If it wasn’t for Qiurong Wanxue’s presence, the prince would be too lazy to bother talking to Li Qiye. At the eastern Nether Border, a human junior was nothing; he could easily and directly seize the turtle from him.
“No.” Li Qiye was too lazy to look at the prince since he knew what was on the prince’s mind.
The smile on the prince’s face froze as he wryly spoke: “I like to collect strange things, and Little Brother’s turtle matches my taste quite nicely. How about selling it to me? I will pay two thousand pieces of Ancient Saint Refined Jades.”
His words annoyed the group of Peng Zhuang. Although two thousand Ancient Saint Refined Jades was indeed a very high price to a minor sect, even Yang Nightfish sold for an extremely sky-high price, let alone a mysterious turtle.
The prince’s price was clearly trying to take advantage of them.
“Let us go back to shore.” Li Qiye didn’t bother wasting time, so he told the handler to head back.
The Black Cloud Young Lord wanted to curry favor with the Yin Moon Prince so he shouted at Li Qiye: “Hey, Human Junior, did you hear what the prince asked just now?”
Li Qiye ignored the young lord as well, prompting an ugly expression from the Yin Moon Prince.
The prince then said in a grave tone: “Little Friend, don’t be so arrogant on the road. This place is the Nether Border, it’s not a place for you humans. In this place, you have to know propriety. If you see a ghost tribe, you have to call them sir, understand?”
Qiurong Wanxue’s heart sank. She knew that the Yin Moon Prince was only looking for an excuse. Although the Nether Border was the ghost race’s territory, unless there was a conflict of interest, they rarely bothered to care about human cultivators. With the prince bringing up the ghost race, one could easily guess his intentions.
Li Qiye didn’t bother to look at the prince as he calmly retorted: “So what if it is the Nether Border? Not to mention an insignificant Yin Moon Tribe, but even if the Myriad Bones Throne comes, I still wouldn’t bat an eye! Keep on buzzing in front me and I’ll throw you down into Nightsea!”
Although the group of Peng Zhuang wanted to cheer for Li Qiye’s words because the Yin Moon Prince had no respect, they couldn’t help but wryly smile when Li Qiye brought up the Myriad Bones Throne. They secretly shouted in their mind: ‘Little Ancestor! One can eat anything, but one can’t speak everything carelessly.’ Offending the Myriad Bones Throne in the Nether Border… Not to mention a little tribe like the Snow-shadow Tribe, even a great power would become ashes.
Myriad Bones Throne — what a terrifying existence. One sect, three emperors… It was invincible in the eastern Nether Border!
Chapter 431 - Plenty of Excuses To Frame Someone
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t know what to say and could only reveal a bitter smile. She hated the Yin Moon Prince’s group, but Li Qiye’s attitude was too arrogant. He even offended the Myriad Bones Throne! If the throne heard these words, it would bring about a disaster.
She wanted to stop him from speaking, but it was already too late. If his words were made known to the public, then having nine lives still wouldn’t be enough.
The Yin Moon Prince’s expression turned cold after hearing Li Qiye’s response. Although the Yin Moon Tribe was a second-rate sect at the Nether Border, they were still a monstrous existence compared to the human sects.
In the Sacred Nether World, outside of the southern Distant Cloud, human forces at the other regions were very weak. Second-rate human sects were already considered quite powerful at these places since first-rate human sects virtually didn’t exist.
In the Yin Moon Prince’s eyes, a human junior like Li Qiye was but an ant, so how could he not become furious in the face of such blustering?
The prince then angrily shouted: “Fool, the Nether Border isn’t a place for an ant like you to boast!” His blood energy surged like a tidal wave. He didn’t make a move and let his blood energy soar towards Li Qiye to turn him into a mist of blood.
An ant like Li Qiye could easily be crushed by a single finger of his.
The sudden attack from the prince left Qiurong Wanxue with a bad expression. Li Qiye also narrowed his eyes.
“Do not fight on my ferry!” At this time, the handler weakly stated.
Although his words were quiet, they carried quite a weight. The Yin Moon Prince’s expression greatly changed as he withdrew his blood energy that attacked Li Qiye.
No one wanted to oppose the handlers or the local inhabitants at Necropolis for it was not a wise decision. It was hard to leave with one’s life once a feud began.
“Hmph! Junior, I’ll temporarily spare your life.” The Yin Moon Prince snorted. It was hard for him to restrain this anger, but he didn’t want to offend the handler.
Li Qiye didn’t bother to look at the prince. The handler then rowed the boat as they disappeared above Nightsea while the prince coldly glared at their departure.
“Prince, wait until they come to shore. Then, we can punish them at any time.” The Black Cloud Young Lord quickly said to the prince.
The prince only scowled and showed a glare as cold as ice that overflowed with murderous intent.
The handler eventually brought Li Qiye’s group back to shore. The six youths took a sigh of relief the moment their feet touched the hard ground and immediately became excited.
Peng Zhuang patted his pocket and put on a look of a newly rich fella: “Hehe, we should go to the city to see if anyone is selling anything good.” His excitement made sense since each of them had a crazy amount of Yang Nightfish. Even emperor’s lineage descendants would not have as many fish as their group even if they spent three years straight on Nightsea.
At Necropolis, they were considered quite wealthy and could buy many things they wanted. Of course, in order to buy the real good stuff, good eyesight and luck were also essential.
Even after becoming rich, Qiurong Wanxue remained calm in contrast to Peng Zhuang’s attitude. She also had a huge amount of fish, but she was not excited and restless like the young ones. She looked at Li Qiye who was standing next to her and asked: “Where does Young Noble Li want to go now?”
Li Qiye looked at the mature and beautiful chief and asked: “Chief Qiurong wants to go with me? Very well. Necropolis is filled with ghastly energy so going alone will be very sad.”
His flirting caused her to become quite annoyed, but she restrained herself and put on an elegant and calm demeanor befitting of a leader. She then said: “We’ll see you off.”
Li Qiye smiled and said: “So Chief Qiurong is worried about my safety.” Li Qiye understood her thoughts. She was afraid that the Yin Moon Prince’s group was going to take care of him, so she wanted to go together for a while.
She looked at him and responded calmly: “Since Young Noble Li helped us catch so many fish, we should lend you our strength when you are in trouble.”
She knew that protecting Li Qiye would bring about trouble for the Snow-shadow Tribe, but she still wanted to escort him for some distance. She was someone who knew how to be grateful after being given so much, so naturally, she would lend him a hand.
Peng Zhuang looked at Nightsea then quickly spoke to the chief: “Chief, we should talk while walking or else the Yin Moon Prince’s group might catch up.”
The group of youths was worried for Li Qiye. They weren’t afraid of the Black Cloud Young Lord, but their tribe couldn’t afford to provoke the Yin Moon Tribe. Of course, should Li Qiye face trouble, everyone was willing to help him.
“We’ll get out of here.” Qiurong Wanxue spoke and immediately led Li Qiye away from Nightsea.
Seeing their enthusiastic goodwill, Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t deny their affection.
“You are in such a hurry to leave, do you have something to hide?” However, the moment they left Nightsea, a person led a team and blocked their path. This person was the Black Cloud Young Lord. He and a dozen disciples blocked Li Qiye’s path with very aggressive postures. The atmosphere became extremely tense.
“It is this Little Black Ghost again!” Peng Zhuang sneered and said: “So? You want to stop us with your group? Are you tired of living?” He then rubbed his palms together.
Snow-shadows and Black Clouds had been enemies throughout many generations, so now that the young lord himself came to their doorstep to cause trouble, it caused the group of six to become very angry. They would not show mercy to their enemies.
As the chief, Qiurong Wanxue was much calmer and stopped the six from rushing forward. She then spoke in a serious manner towards the young lord: “What is your intention for blocking our path?”
The young lord revealed a malicious smile: “Chief Qiurong, we don’t want to oppose your Snow-shadow Tribe, but our tribe had lost an extremely important item.”
Peng Zhuang coldly smiled and asked in anger: “What does your tribe losing an item have to do with us?”
The young lord showed a sinister smile: “It indeed has nothing to do with the Snow-shadow Tribe, but it has something to do with him!” He then pointed at Li Qiye.
“And then what?” Li Qiye asked without a care. He didn’t even bother to look at the young lord.
The young lord smiled insidiously and said: “Some time ago, a little human snuck into our tribe and stole a treasure. Although he hid his face, he couldn’t change his body shape. Ever since we met, I’ve felt that your figure was very familiar. Now I understand, you were that human who snuck into my tribe!”
The young lord caused the expressions of the group of six and Qiurong Wanxue to sour while only Li Qiye remained calm as if nothing had happened.
“One cannot speak like this without thinking it through.” Qiurong Wanxue resolutely spoke: “Black Cloud Young Lord, your claim requires evidence.”
The young lord smiled and said: “Chief Qiurong, our tribe has evidence, this is why we are calling out this human boy. If he is innocent, then he can come and prove his innocence at our tribe. If we are wrong, then we are willing to accept our blunder.”
Qiurong Wanxue’s expression sank. She knew that the young lord’s claim was only an excuse. Once Li Qiye entered the Black Cloud Tribe, there would be no exit. Even if Li Qiye stealing a treasure was a lie, once he steps into the tribe’s territory, it would become the truth.
The young lord’s words were merely excuses while his real intention was to bring Li Qiye back to the Black Cloud Tribe.
Qiurong Wanxue then exclaimed: “Black Cloud Young Lord, your words alone are insufficient. Young Noble Li will not go with you to the Black Cloud Tribe. If you have clear evidence, then you can present it at my Snow-shadow Tribe at any time. Right now, Young Noble Li is our tribe’s esteemed guest.”
The Black Cloud Young Lord’s expression turned cold as he responded: “So Chief Qiurong is determined to protect this human? Do you understand that once word of this gets out, it will have a negative impact on your tribe? A ghost race protecting a human thief — do you think the Sacred Nether World will tolerate your tribe in the future?”
“You do not need to concern yourself with this matter.” Qiurong Wanxue had firmly decided to protect Li Qiye and spoke frankly: “Please leave. As long as Young Noble Li is our Snow-shadow Tribe’s guest, don’t think about bringing him away in front of me.”
“Chief Qiurong is making it very difficult for me.” The Black Cloud Young Lord was not afraid at all: “All of my brothers are here, but if Chief Qiurong makes me go back empty handed, what am I going to tell my elders?”
The dozen disciples then surrounded Li Qiye’s group. They were ready to fight the moment their young lord gave the order.
Qiurong Wanxue suddenly gave him a sharp glare as the dignified aura of a ruler enveloped her, making her seem like an empress. She then dryly said: “If the Black Cloud Tribe must fight against us, then we shall entertain you anytime.”
The young lord knew that Qiurong Wanxue was stronger than him, but he still said without any apprehension: “It seems that we have to talk with our fists.”
“We are all members of the ghost race, there is no need to be so tense. We should be unified with each other and coexist in peace.” At this point, a voice suddenly appeared.
Chapter 432 - Massacre
The Yin Moon Prince led a group of Yin Moon disciples closer. Qiurong Wanxue immediately became alarmed after seeing this. His arrival was definitely not a coincidence; she finally understood why the Black Cloud Young Lord showed no fear.
Li Qiye smirked as he noticed the approaching Yin Moon Prince and his fellow disciples. He was not angry at all; trivial schemes and plots like these couldn’t enter his sight. Li Qiye had once plotted against this entire world, so this little play from the Yin Moon Prince was merely a trivial trick to him.
Qiurong Wanxue revealed a chilling flash in her eyes as she asked in a grave manner: “Yin Moon Prince, your Yin Moon Tribe wants to interfere with this matter as well?”
The Yin Moon Prince smiled with the confidence of a self-proclaimed cool romanticist and said: “Miss Qiurong, I am the descendant of the Yin Moon Tribe so I will not be biased towards either side. I have heard the conversation between you two. Although Miss Qiurong might think the accusation is merely a one-sided allegation from the Black Cloud Young Lord…
“If someone actually stole the Black Cloud Tribe’s treasure, then I cannot easily let this go. Right, Miss Qiurong?” The Yin Moon Prince confidently said: “It is also understandable that Miss Qiurong doesn’t want to let the Black Cloud Young Lord take him away since Young Noble Li is a guest of your tribe.”
At this point, he coughed and continued on: “However, this situation has conflicting claims from both sides, so it is very difficult to decide. How about this, I am willing to be the mediator. If Young Noble Li didn’t steal anything from the Black Cloud Tribe, then please take out something as assurance.”
“What do you mean take something out for assurance!?” A Snow-shadow disciple couldn’t help but interject. The situation was not favorable for Li Qiye with the sudden involvement of the Yin Moon Tribe.
The Yin Moon Prince smiled and said: “Since this is Necropolis, we should use something from Necropolis as assurance. Young Noble Li caught some Yang Nightfish and that turtle earlier, so we can use them as the items. If you are innocent, then the items will be returned to Young Noble Li. Of course, if you escape due to guilt, then they will be used as compensation for the Black Cloud Tribe while Miss Qiurong won’t have to shoulder the responsibility.”
He then smilingly asked Qiurong Wanxue: “Do you agree, Miss Qiurong?”
As a tribe chief, Qiurong Wanxue immediately understood that the whole notion of theft was only a trap set up by the prince and the young lord. After walking around a large circle, their ultimate goal was still Li Qiye’s turtle. There were only Yang Nightfish in Nightsea so this turtle had to be something amazing, inciting the Yin Moon Prince’s greed.
Qiurong Wanxue shook her head and said in a serious manner: “Yin Moon Prince, we can’t just take Young Noble Li’s precious possessions based on the Black Cloud Young Lord’s words alone. If you really want to be the mediator, then our Snow-shadow Tribe is ready to bear the consequences. Young Noble Li is our guest so the Black Cloud Tribe can come to our tribe to find him when they have iron-clad proof.”
“Miss Qiurong, you should not be doing this.” The Yin Moon Prince shook his head and said: “I trust you, but this doesn’t mean that I trust the human. If he doesn’t want to take out something as assurance, then he has to follow me.”
Peng Zhuang’s young group of six were outraged as they glared at the prince. The prince clearly wanted to frame Li Qiye.
Qiurong Wanxue then moved in front of Li Qiye with a firm attitude: “Yin Moon Prince, our tribe will take responsibility for our guest’s safety. We will not allow anyone to take him away!”
The Yin Moon Prince’s expression became more aggressive as he said: “Miss Qiurong, I like you and want to help, but this matter is not trivial. If you keep on wanting to protect a human thief, then even if my heart was willing, the elders of my tribe would question me. If your tribe keeps on opposing the entire ghost race, then there will be no place for it in the Sacred Nether World. At that point, it would be even more difficult to settle this matter, and you would have to pay an even greater price!”
“Are you threatening me?” Qiurong Wanxue angrily exclaimed. Although the Snow-shadow Tribe was weak, this didn’t mean that they didn’t have their own dignity.
Li Qiye looked at Qiurong Wanxue who was protecting him like a mother hen protecting her baby and smiled. He then tapped her shoulder and leisurely said: “Chief Qiurong, leave this small matter to me.”
“But…” Qiurong Wanxue worriedly said.
Li Qiye waved his hand to stop her, then he stepped forward and lazily stared at the Yin Moon Prince’s group. He began to slowly speak: “I give you two options, scram or I’ll personally kill you! Be smart and run away because if you truly anger me, I’ll massacre your entire tribe!”
Peng Zhuang’s group was astounded. Li Qiye was too arrogant and overbearing. Meanwhile, Qiurong Wanxue was also taken aback and started to worry. Li Qiye had completely dropped all formalities in front of the enemy.
To Qiurong Wanxue, the Black Cloud Tribe was nothing, but the Yin Moon Tribe was not easy to mess with. The prince didn’t only represent himself, behind him was a powerful tribe — the force of a country.
The Yin Moon Prince snapped after being provoked by a human junior: “Fool! You chose to ignore the path towards heaven and picked the unwelcoming gate of hell…” With that, his blood energy soared along with the aura of an expert.
But before he could finish his words, his neck was already gripped by Li Qiye and was propped up high.
Li Qiye’s speed was too fast and no one saw his actions clearly. They only noticed the prince being suspended by Li Qiye’s hand.
“Stop!” The Yin Moon disciples shouted in horror after seeing their prince in trouble. All the disciples took out their weapons and attacked Li Qiye.
Li Qiye didn’t bother to look at the vanguard and simply stretched out his palm. A sky-covering palm instantly caught all of the attacking disciples.
“Zzzhh!” The disciples who had their weapons ready didn’t even know what had happened before they and their treasures were rendered into a puddle of blood by Li Qiye.
This sudden development shocked everyone. The Yin Moon Prince was suspended by the neck and was deathly pale as he pissed in his pants.
“If you… you… oppose the ghost race, the Sacred Nether World will… not tolerate you…” The Yin Moon Prince’s heart was pumping with fear as he stuttered.
Li Qiye stared at him blandly and leisurely smiled: “Oppose the ghost race? A little tribe like your Yin Moon Tribe is not qualified to be my enemy. Moreover, so what if I oppose the ghost race? Not to mention mere ghosts, even if they were gods and immortals, I would still kill them without mercy if they blocked my path!”
“You—” The Yin Moon Prince was scared out of his wits, but the words couldn’t come out in time. “Poof!” Li Qiye’s five fingers came together and crushed him, leaving behind a bloody pool.
“Oh mother… We… need to run, now!” The Black Cloud Young Lord and the dozen Black Cloud disciples were scared out of their minds. They immediately ran the moment they understood the situation.
“Since you are already here, don’t leave.” Li Qiye lazily spoke with that same smile. He then flicked his finger, and the escaping group couldn’t make it further than two steps before they were turned into a bloody mist.
“Opposing me is not a wise decision.” After taking care of his opponents, Li Qiye patted his palms and smiled. To him, this was only a trivial matter.
Qiurong Wanxue and the group of youths were horrified. So many were instantly annihilated by Li Qiye in just the blink of an eye. The young lord and the prince did not have the power to resist Li Qiye’s might. They were mere ants, no, they weren’t even ants before him.
Even after a deep breath, Qiurong Wanxue still struggled to calm her shivering heart.
The Black Cloud Young Lord was one thing, but the prince was a real Royal Noble. He was a bit weaker than her, but not by a lot.
Such a powerful Royal Noble was not even an ant and was without the ability to resist before Li Qiye, who crushed him by hand.
How could Qiurong Wanxue not become shocked? They were with Li Qiye for more than a month. Although his Yang Nightfish catching ability was very magical and she indeed felt that he was very mysterious, this was limited to Nightsea. From multiple angles, he looked nothing like an invincible expert.
Li Qiye’s appearance was very ordinary and he seemed even younger than Peng Zhuang’s group. However, despite not looking like an expert, today, he easily crushed a Royal Noble, so one could easily imagine how formidable his cultivation was.
Chapter 433 - Follow Me
The young group of six were stunned for a long time. The Yin Moon Prince, a Royal Noble, was crushed to death. This was too terrifying. They stared at Li Qiye witlessly without being able to say a word.
“So it seems that I was being a busybody. With your abilities, Young Noble Li had no need for our tribe’s protection.” Qiurong Wanxue calmed down and wryly smiled. 1
“No, I appreciate your affection.” Li Qiye looked at the elegant and beautiful woman before him and smiled. 2
Qiurong Wanxue only smiled bitterly at his teasing, no longer becoming angry. She now understood that her caution towards Li Qiye was redundant because they didn’t have anything worthy of him plotting against.
With her most conservative estimate, Li Qiye should be an Ancient Saint. This was a power capable of instilling fear in all as opposed to the small Snow-shadow Tribe.
With his power, he could just directly seize whatever he wanted from the tribe. She then knew that he only followed them for one reason — the Prime Ominous Grave.
She then gently sighed; her initial caution towards Li Qiye was only self-imposed and unnecessary. Li Qiye had no malicious intents and moreover, their strength was insignificant even if they were wary of him.
The group of the Yin Moon Prince was the best example. The prince was the descendant of a second-rate sect, a powerful Royal Noble, but he became nothing in an instant in Li Qiye’s hands.
The group of six calmed down while still feeling a bit restless. Peng Zhuang stuttered to say: “This… Brother Li, no, Fellow Daoist Li…” To them, a Royal Noble was already very strong. One would definitely be an expert in the Snow-shadow Tribe, yet this was nothing before Li Qiye.
Before this, they were calling Li Qiye “brother.” Not to mention them, but even the elders and the chief of their tribe would respect a master of this magnitude.
There was only confusion left in their minds as the entire group was a chaotic mess.
“You can just act like before.” Li Qiye noticed Peng Zhuang’s stuttering and said.
“Well… Okay.” Peng Zhuang scratched his head and let out a silly smile. He thought that it was not a bad thing to befriend such an expert.
“Who on earth are you?” Qiurong Wanxue took a deep breath and asked Li Qiye.
The six also stared at Li Qiye. Before, they thought that he was only a vagrant cultivator with his home being the four directions. But now, this didn’t seem to be the case. How could a vagrant cultivator be so strong at such a young age?
“Me?” Li Qiye pointed at his nose and asked, then he answered with a smile: “I am a human cultivator from the southern Distant Cloud. The truth is that who I am is not important, the pertinent matter is that I have no ill will towards you guys.”
Qiurong Wanxue could only force a smile. Li Qiye was right, someone with his power definitely had a heaven-frightening origin. It was not important whether a small tribe like the Snow-shadow Tribe knew his identity or not. It could be said that the two sides were not on the same level; they were people from two different worlds.
She then solemnly said with her hands clasped together: “In that case, Young Noble Li, goodbye for now. We’ll cross paths again if it is meant to be.” She intended to escort him for a while, but now it seemed that it was completely unnecessary.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “Qiurong, you follow me.”
These words out of nowhere left everyone speechless, including Qiurong Wanxue. The group of six were completely stunned with their mouths wide open. The moment they calmed down, they started peeking at each other. This development was a little bit too fast! Suddenly telling the chief to follow him… Could this be a… happy event? 3
Qiurong staggered for a bit as her beautiful face blushed. After a while, she calmed down and replied in a serious manner: “Young Noble Li’s joke is a bit out of line.”
Li Qiye looked at their expressions and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. They misunderstood his intentions.
“Ah… You misunderstood.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “I didn’t mean it like that. It is fate that we have met, and you are trying to find the thing your tribe lost, correct? Right now, it is no longer important whether you find it or not. Follow me in Necropolis, and I shall give you a new creation. Your tribe will obtain great benefits from this.”
After leaving Nightsea, Li Qiye initially wanted to part ways with Qiurong Wanxue’s group. However, in order to protect him, she didn’t mind opposing the Yin Moon Prince — this act moved him. A member of the ghost race was willing to protect a human. He really liked her attitude so he suddenly had the urge to take her along.
“Of course, if you are willing to follow me forever, then I can think about it as well.” Li Qiye looked at her elegant figure and smiled.
The group of six winked at each other. Just before this, they wanted to bring the two together, and it seemed like this was becoming very promising.
In a temporary stupor, Qiurong Wanxue thought about many things. Outside of training the young ones and broadening their horizons, she did indeed come to Necropolis to find something that their tribe had lost.
They lost it a long time ago back in an undated era. Before Qiurong Wanxue, many chiefs had come to Necropolis to search to no avail since there were no clues at all.
She didn’t have a lot of hope coming to Necropolis because, after all, miracles rarely occur. However, after catching so many fish with Li Qiye’s lead, the sliver of hope began to increase. She thought that a lot of fish could be traded for a lot of information at Necropolis, and this could result in clues.
Despite this blooming hope, she was still not very confident or assured. This was Necropolis; everyone knew that there were a lot of treasures here, including divine weapons, but very few ever managed to bring this level of treasure out from the city.
Even experts from emperor’s lineages had to return empty-handed, let alone Qiurong Wanxue.
But now, Li Qiye confidently declared that he would give her a creation, making her hesitate. She knew that he would not do something without a goal.
“Chief should go with Brother Li.” Peng Zhuang urged: “Maybe Brother Li can help you find our lost item.”
The other disciples also started to encourage her: “Yeah, Chief, with Brother Li’s protection, you will be able to go to more places inside Necropolis. Maybe our lost item is inside a particularly dangerous area.”
The six young ones wanted to match Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue together.
Qiurong Wanxue then stared at them and asked: “What about you guys?” She was very tempted since she needed such an opportunity. The current state of the Snow-shadow Tribe was quite undesirable.
For a while now, the Snow-shadow Tribe and the Black Cloud Tribe had been in constant conflict regarding control over territory. In recent years, even the Yin Moon Tribe had been eyeing them from the sidelines.
The Yin Moon Tribe was a second-rate sect that wanted to join the ranks of the first-rate orders, so they wanted to swallow up the surrounding territory. However, as fellow ghost tribes, they had no pretext to deploy troops.
The Yin Moon Prince wanted to marry Qiurong Wanxue, but she knew that outside of liking her, he also wanted the Snow-shadow Tribe’s territory. If this marriage came to fruition, then the Snow-shadow Tribe would surely fall into the grasp of the Yin Moon Tribe.
Thus, if Li Qiye could actually give a great creation to the Snow-shadow Tribe, then Qiurong Wanxue would be willing to go with him.
Peng Zhuang immediately said: “Chief, you can rest assured, we will just go around the towns and look around to gain more experience and see if there is anything we can buy.”
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a bit and felt that this made sense. Although Necropolis had treasures, Peng Zhuang’s group of six were too weak and there were many places that they couldn’t go to. Walking around town was also an opportunity. Moreover, they had a lot of Yang Nightfish so maybe they would also meet a great fortune.
“Then you guys have to be careful. Make sure you don’t show off your wealth and let people know that you have Yang Nightfish.” Qiurong Wanxue warned: “Remember to send the help signal when in danger.”
“Chief, don’t worry and go with Brother Li, we will definitely not start any trouble.” The six of them spoke in unison.
Chapter 434 - Penta Realm Gate
Li Qiye looked at the group of six and said: “There are indeed a lot of opportunities to buy good stuff in Necropolis, but it requires luck and keen eyes. It was not easy for you guys to catch the fish so don’t spend them carelessly. I will introduce you all to a place. There is a small town on the east side. If you see a symbol like this, then pay up with some fish. Repeat this several times. Whether you get anything or not will depend on your own luck.” Li Qiye drew a symbol and then handed it to Peng Zhuang.
After accepting the symbol, Peng Zhuang cheerfully smiled and said: “Brother Li, we’ll go ahead then. We’ll leave our chief in your care.” He then winked at Li Qiye and revealed an ambiguous and mischievous expression.
Li Qiye only laughed at Peng Zhuang’s group’s encouragement. How could he not know what these kids were thinking?
They happily said goodbye and left in excitement. Qiurong Wanxue sighed while looking at them leave. These six were the young seeds of the Snow-shadow Tribe, so she was not without worries, letting them go off alone. However, under her constant protection, they would never become independent.
“Where are we going now?” She composed herself and asked Li Qiye.
Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and said: “We’ll go to the Penta Realm Gate to test our luck.”
“The Penta Realm Gate?” Qiurong Wanxue nervously said: “It is quite a dangerous place. Out of the five entrances, four of them are located in extremely ominous locations.”
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Without taking a risk at Necropolis and putting it all on the line, Chief Qiurong will never discover the fortunes that await you.”
Qiurong Wanxue nodded without objecting. Since she had decided to follow Li Qiye, she would go wherever he wanted to.
Although Necropolis was a city of ghosts and had wandering spirits everywhere, it was not disorderly at all. On the contrary, it was just like the outside with ghosts cultivating instead.
They were remnants of the dead, sentiments without memories of their previous life. It was a new life without assured immortality. If these sentiments did not grow stronger, then they would disappear as time went by.
Ever since an unknown era, these ghosts had started to cultivate in Necropolis. There were sects in Necropolis that were even more ancient than the ones in the Nine Worlds. Their origins were untraceable as well.
The sects that occupied the best locations in Necropolis were also considered the most dangerous places.
It was true that Necropolis had treasures, but these treasures for cultivators were not worth a coin in the eyes of these ghosts because they were only sentiments. They cultivated a certain power given to them by Necropolis itself; it was completely different from cultivators absorbing worldly energy.
Cultivation in Necropolis comes from having faith in the city itself. The more these ghosts harmonize with this land and take root, the longer these sentiments could survive and the more powerful they would become.
Because of this, cultivators’ treasures were useless to the ghosts. However, the ghosts occupied the areas with treasures and took ownership of them. Any cultivator who wanted treasures or adventures must pay Yang Nightfish to these ghosts before entering their sect.
Cultivators wanted treasures while Necropolis’ ghosts wanted Yang Nightfish; it was a beneficial relationship.
The Penta Realm Gate was a lineage in Necropolis, a very ancient lineage. It occupied five mountain passes in the northern area. Rumor has it that there were many amazing things in these passes, and the key to the Prime Ominous Grave was once found inside.
This was why many cultivators wanted to enter and see if they could find anything.
Once Li Qiye brought Qiurong Wanxue to the Penta Realm Gate, there were already two long lines right outside the mountain passes. They were all cultivators from outside of all sorts — guys and girls, ghosts, humans, demons, heavenly devils…
“Necropolis has been quite lively recently.” Qiurong Wanxue was slightly surprised after seeing the long line and told Li Qiye.
Li Qiye looked at the line, then the two also joined in.
The lines were filled with young people from many different races. Outside of the passes were two guardian ghosts, or two sentiments, rather. Anyone who wished to enter must pay Yang Nightfish.
While they were waiting in line, a sudden explosion could be heard as the earth shook with rumbling noises. Everyone saw the arrival of a giant. Despite his huge stature, he was not slow at all and quickly joined the line.
This was a young man three times the size of an ordinary person, someone with quite a healthy appearance. He exuded a fierce aura and had a three-colored halo above his head.
Despite being huge, he was not a brute and, on the contrary, was quite handsome. The three-colored halo above his head gave him a somewhat sacred atmosphere.
The huge young man came closer and looked around coldly before lining up. Those who recognized him obediently gave way, and this giant walked forward without any reservation.
A young cultivator from the Distant Cloud emotionally exclaimed: “Mo Lidao!”
Li Qiye glanced at the three-colored halo above the young man’s head and said with surprise: “The Sky-devil Tribe.”
The Sky-devil Tribe was a branch of the Heavenly Devil race. Meeting such a rare tribe was not easy in this place. 1
Qiurong Wanxue noticed that Li Qiye didn’t know who the giant was, so she reminded him: “He is Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate.”
She then whispered: “I heard that he has the reputation of being a ruthless man in the southern Distant Cloud.”
Despite being part of a small tribe, as the chief, Qiurong Wanxue had always paid attention to the news of the world, so she was quite knowledgeable about famous people in current times.
Li Qiye smiled. People also called him a ruthless man back at the Mortal Emperor World, so he wondered just how fierce this Mo Lidao was to be addressed as such.
After a long wait, it was finally their turn.
The guardian ghost looked at them and said without any trace of emotion on his face: “Fifty fish per person, two is one hundred. You can only pick one mountain pass each time.”
Necropolis’ ghosts really knew how to do business with the price of fifty fish per entry. It didn’t matter whether the person obtained a treasure or not, they had to pay fifty fish to enter.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue paid one hundred fish and were allowed to enter.
“Pick one mountain pass out of the five.” The ghost told them.
“We pick the Shifting Mountain Pass.” Li Qiye looked at the five entrances and responded with a smile.
Many people looked at him after they heard his choice. A young human cultivator kindly reminded him: “Brother, this is your first time here, right? Although the Shifting Mountain Pass is the safest one, it is also the most hopeless one. You two won’t be able to go through the entire mountain since even Heavenly Sovereigns cannot do so. How about you guys pick the first pass? It’s very low-risk and there are a lot of opportunities as well. Even if you don’t get anything, there will be very minimal losses, and if you are lucky, maybe you will get one or two amazing treasures.”
This young human cultivator was quite kind. After all, the human race was very weak here, so those away from home should help each other.
“Thank you, Dao Brother.” Li Qiye said with a wide smile: “I wish to obtain a great fortune, maybe we’ll be able to find one.”
“Great fortune? You guys? Forget it.” Another young cultivator shook their head and said: “Even if you make it through the entire pass, you wouldn’t necessarily be able to find anything.”
Li Qiye only smiled and led Qiurong Wanxue into the fifth pass, the Shifting Mountain Pass.
“These two wasted one hundred Yang Nightfish, what a shame.” A person said with pity after seeing the two enter the pass.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue were met with hot, dry air the moment they entered. Unknowing travelers would think that they made a wrong turn after seeing the scene ahead.
Before them was a vast desert. The strange part was that this desert was completely flat, and its dried land appeared to have been burnt.
If the entrance was not right behind them, anyone who saw this desert would think that they were lost. This place did not resemble Necropolis at all.
“Shifting Mountain Pass?” Qiurong Wanxue couldn’t prevent herself from being dazed after seeing the desert before her. She had never been here before, but she had heard of a few things about it.
“Can we actually do this?” She asked without confidence: “I heard that there are practically no treasures here, but it is also the pass with the highest requirements among the five passes.”
“It is a gamble.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “Although the other four passes indeed have a higher chance of obtaining treasures, they are all ordinary treasures. If you want to gamble, you have to bet something huge. If we are lucky, then it will be a true fortune.”
Chapter 435 - Shifting Mountain
Qiurong Wanxue had nothing to say after hearing his explanation. Ordinary treasures were already very good for the Snow-shadow Tribe, and she didn’t even dare to think about legendary divine weapons.
However, she believed in his choice and asked: “What should we do now?”
Li Qiye responded with a smile: “There are five mountains at the five corners of this desert. As long as you can push these mountains into the middle, you will be able to open up this desert. Then, it will be up to your own fortune whether you will get a treasure or not.”
His familiarity with the Shifting Mountain Pass caused Qiurong Wanxue to gaze at him: “Didn’t you say that you have never been to Necropolis before?”
Li Qiye answered with a smile: “If I had answered that I have been to this place before, would you have let me come along? If I am not mistaken, Chief Qiurong had always been suspicious that I bore ill will towards you guys.”
Being figured out by Li Qiye caused her to blush. This made her feminine and elegant aura to be even more alluring like a dripping ripe peach.
“Just kidding.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “Don’t take it seriously.” Li Qiye didn’t mind it at all since it was natural for her to be so cautious as the chief.
Qiurong Wanxue angrily glared at him: “Who would have been so paranoid if you didn’t act so suspiciously?” Her mature demeanor now had a youthful coquettish air mixed into it.
“Come, we have to go find the five mountains and push them together to see if we are lucky this time around.” Li Qiye smiled and said.
They began searching in the vast desert. Very quickly, they found a mountain. It wasn’t overly large nor small and looked very ordinary. The only distinctive feature was that it was completely black.
“We’ll push now.” Qiurong Wanxue quickly said after finding this mountain.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “You won’t be able to, just follow me for now. Be on the lookout in case someone comes with bad intentions.” With that, he placed his hands on the mountain.
It was not hard to overturn mountains and seas with Li Qiye’s cultivation, so a normal-sized mountain should be as light as a feather and would easily be lifted up with one hand by him.
However, this black mountain was extremely heavy. Despite his utmost efforts, the mountain only shifted slightly. If any other mountain was met by this same force, it would have already been blown flying across the sky.
“Roll—” Li Qiye pushed the entire mountain as it followed a strange path; it was as if this path was already predetermined.
Qiurong Wanxue hurriedly followed behind him. She didn’t dare to be careless and released her divine intent to look around in case someone else wanted to take advantage of the situation.
Fortunately, no one else picked the Shifting Mountain Pass so only the two of them were in this desert.
“Rolling—” Under Li Qiye’s constant pushing, the black mountain slowly followed the predetermined path to the center of the desert.
Now, Qiurong Wanxue understood why people didn’t pick this pass. She witnessed Li Qiye’s strength with her own eyes when he crushed a Royal Noble like crushing an ant. However, he was struggling to push this mountain, so she wouldn’t be able to make it budge at all.
“Rolling—” This black mountain was heavy beyond one’s imagination. Even someone with astonishing physical strength like Li Qiye found it to be a huge challenge.
It was halfway to the center, but Li Qiye’s entire body was drenched in sweat.
“Take a rest for now.” Qiurong Wanxue noticed his fatigued panting and worriedly said.
Li Qiye kept on pushing and shook his head: “No, if I let go, it will move back to the original location and all will be for naught. You have to push it to the center in one go or it will never work.”
Qiurong Wanxue was shocked; no wonder why no one else wanted to pick the Shifting Mountain Pass. She believed that even Ancient Saints would find this very difficult.
Li Qiye was quite mighty, so despite the heavy weight of the black mountain, he persevered until it reached the center in one setting.
After moving it to the center, he suddenly heard a cranking sound as if something had latched onto the mountain. At that point, he finally let go while being completely out of breath as he felt his legs giving out.
Qiurong Wanxue was scared and quickly came to embrace the staggering Li Qiye before asking: “Are you okay?”
The exhausted Li Qiye heaved a sigh and said: “Let me rest a bit. So tiring… This is indeed really hard.”
Qiurong Wanxue propped him against a safe place to sit. After a while, his blood energy began to recover.
After his blood energy rejuvenated like a receding tide, Qiurong Wanxue felt relieved and caringly asked: “How do you feel?”
Li Qiye smiled while basking in his enjoyment: “Very comfortable, sleeping in a beauty’s embrace is indeed very comfortable. Just a bit more then I’ll be fine.”
Qiurong Wanxue was startled and suddenly realized something as her face turned red. She was hugging him tightly as his head was resting on her chest, deep into the valley. He also had a very comfortable and joyful expression.
“You!” She wanted to push him away due to the embarrassment.
Li Qiye lightly waved his hand to stop her and smiled: “Don’t be angry, Qiurong. If I really wanted to take advantage of you, using these kinds of means would be a disgrace to me. If I wanted to enjoy such affection, then I would directly take you in and taste you completely in addition to earning your willingness to be my woman. I have confidence and complete certainty in this. Don’t worry, this is just for fun and I have zero intent of treating you licentiously.”
Li Qiye’s head remained on her high bosom with a relaxed look. Despite this suggestive pose, Li Qiye still had a calm and natural air with no lustful thoughts.
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t know how to reply. After a while, she asked: “Are you always so full of yourself? Do you not feel that you are too arrogant and outrageous?”
“There are always those who tell me that.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “But if I pretend to be humble, then I will either become a hypocrite or the most sacred sage throughout history. Unfortunately, I don’t belong in either category. I have the power as well as the qualifications, so this is only to be expected of me. Of course, to others, I am full of hubris.”
“A lot of confidence.” Qiurong Wanxue snappily said: “The Nine Worlds is huge and has countless experts — hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Being overconfident is not a good thing.”
“That is for other people.” Li Qiye contentedly enjoyed his current situation and said: “The nine heavens and ten earths indeed have countless experts and invincible existences, but that does not affect me. I am Li Qiye, that alone is enough.”
Qiurong Wanxue was stunned for a while. I am Li Qiye, that alone is enough — such an ordinary phrase, but when uttered by Li Qiye, it was painted with a domineering attitude that could reign over the nine heavens and ten earths throughout the eons.
This sentence alone said it all. After a while, Qiurong Wanxue calmed down to look at this young man lying in her bosom. His eyes were closed and he had a calm smile on his face. It was as if, to him, everything in the world right now was just like the gentle flow of a river.
The stare lasted for a long while since Li Qiye was an unsolved mystery that others would never tire of trying to figure out.
Confident, calm, ordinary yet profound — these were his greatest charms. Just like the path towards the grand dao, they were both filled with temptation and attraction.
She then slowly stroked his hair and caressed his face before slowly speaking: “Just who are you?”
Li Qiye’s eyes remained closed and he only answered with a smile.
***
He spent a lot of effort before finally pushing all five mountains to the middle of the desert. Once all five mountains joined together…
“Clack!”
The empty ground that was surrounded by the five mountains suddenly opened like a treasure box. Li Qiye quickly took a look, but there was nothing inside.
“Unfortunately, that thing isn’t here.” He lamented with a disappointed sigh.
Qiurong Wanxue was also disappointed. She then remembered what Li Qiye said before and curiously asked: “What are you looking for?”
He clearly came to the desert for a certain something, so this piqued her curiosity. Just what kind of item could garner Li Qiye’s interest?
“Do you really want to know?” Li Qiye smiled at her and asked.
“Come on and tell me.” She glared at him with a mature charm that could swoon all beholders.
“It is no big deal to let you know. The thing I’m searching for is the key to opening the Prime Ominous Grave.”
“The key to the Prime Ominous Grave!” Qiurong Wanxue was shaken as she stared at Li Qiye for a long time.
Chapter 436 - Ghost River
Of course, Qiurong Wanxue understood the significance of this key, but since time immemorial, the number of times this key had appeared could be counted on one’s fingers.
Amidst her astonishment, Li Qiye gently raised her chin to close her cherry lips and said: “My Chief Qiurong, don’t be so alarmed. Your saliva almost dripped onto me. I already believe that your lady-like looks are charming enough.”
Qiurong Wanxue composed herself and then glared at Li Qiye with flushed cheeks. She then said: “So the rumors about the key appearing at the Penta Realm Gate are true.”
Li Qiye smilingly said: “To be more exact, the key had once appeared in this place.” But then he shook his head: “Unfortunately, the key is not here this time.”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at the empty center and asked: “Was it here before?”
Li Qiye replied: “There is no set rule about where the key will appear; it could be said that there is a chance for any location in Necropolis. One needs great luck to obtain the key, not just anyone can find it. A few places indeed have higher chances for its appearance, but the possibilities remain very low.”
“How do you know that there are a few places with a certain chance?” Qiurong Wanxue asked. An outsider shouldn’t know such a big secret.
Li Qiye explained: “This has a lot to do with Necropolis and its relationship with the Prime Ominous Grave. Both have secrets that are not known to outsiders.”
“Then how do you know about it?” Qiurong Wanxue emotionally asked. Even great powers wouldn’t know such a thing, but Li Qiye was privy to it as if it was written on the palm of his hand.
“This is a secret.” Li Qiye looked at the mature woman before him and shook his head: “There are a few things you shouldn’t know because it is not good for you.”
Qiurong Wanxue was sensible enough to stop prying further. Instead, she said: “The Prime Ominous Grave had not been opened by anyone for a long time. The chance of finding the key is minuscule and only a few people across the eons had been able to find it.”
“Believe in me.” Li Qiye calmly said: “I will find the key! The Prime Ominous Grave shall be opened in this generation even if I have to flip Necropolis over to find it.”
Qiurong Wanxue was taken aback by this high-handed tone. Since the ages, how many young people would dare claim that they would flip Necropolis over? The many people who came here were very reluctant to antagonize Necropolis.
“Where do we go now?” Qiurong Wanxue looked at the young man and asked: “Do you want to try the other four passes?”
“Although the other passes have treasures, they will absolutely not have the key.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “We’ll go somewhere else, perhaps the Ghost River, to test our luck.”
“The Ghost River?” Qiurong Wanxue movingly said: “That is a famous yet dangerous place in Necropolis. I heard that people die there every day.”
“Don’t worry, I am here.” Li Qiye nonchalantly said: “Although the Ghost River is fierce, it is not able to take me.”
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a moment then handed all of her Yang Nightfish to Li Qiye and said: “You decide, I believe that you will bring about a creation for us.”
There were a lot of dangerous locations at Necropolis that Qiurong Wanxue could not go to, like the Ghost River, so she handed her fish to Li Qiye and let him decide.
They then left the Penta Realm Gate and immediately went to the Ghost River.
Just like Qiurong Wanxue had said, the Ghost River was indeed a dangerous place. They arrived to find a much smaller line compared to the Penta Realm Gate.
The Ghost River was occupied by the Ghost Fate Sect. In order to obtain the treasures in the Ghost River, people must pay the sect Yang Nightfish.
The river was underground; once someone entered a cave, they would find a ferry right before them with a deep river quietly flowing below it.
Legend states that whoever dies inside Necropolis, whether by accident or willingly, would have their corpse sink into the Ghost River. Because of this, many people believed that this place was the gathering spot of evil spirits. 1
Of course, this was just a legend. It was difficult to verify whether the corpses of the dead would actually sink down to this river or not.
The two of them stood before the ferry and felt the cold air of the Ghost River rushing into their face — a ghastly and evil energy.
The river was not large, but even with a Heavenly Gaze, people were not able to glance at its depths.
While looking up from in front of the ferry, one would only see a vast and empty expanse. Below was a bottomless river that flowed towards an unknown destination with no end in sight.
Rumor has it that powerful characters had once tried to go upstream to find the river’s source as well as downstream to see its final destination. But either way, none had ever come back alive, including powerful existences like Virtuous Paragons.
“One Ghost Algae Trunk is thirty Yang Nightfish. You must salvage them while bearing all the dangers. The moment you pull one up, you must hand over the fish. Regardless of whether you obtain any harvest or not, you will have to risk yourselves.” A disciple from the Ghost Fate Sect told the two upon the moment of their arrival.
Ghost Algae Trunks flowed down from upstream. Anyone could pull them up as long as they had the power to do so or had no fear of dying.
A Ghost Algae Trunk was not a container at all, it was a mass formed by thick ghost algae. These masses tangled together as if there was something inside, but it was hard to tell what it was.
The inside of these trunks could contain a treasure or rubbish. No one knew the origin of these Ghost Algae Trunks; some people said that after someone dies in Necropolis, they would sink down into this river and their possessions would go upstream to be stuck at some place. Then, the possessions would be covered with countless ghost algae. After many years, these things would begin to float down the Ghost River.
Other said that these trunks came from a treasure grove inside Necropolis. This grove contained many things, such as divine weapons or immortal stones, or even items that date back to the Legendary Era. Of course, there were also lost scraps from those who died in Necropolis.
This particular legend believed that the treasure grove lied upstream of the Ghost River, so a plethora of things inside floated down the river from time to time.
Either way, the origin of these trunks remained a mystery. The one thing for certain, however, was that the chance for even ordinary treasures inside these trunks was not large. Legendary divine weapons were even rarer; it was to the point of being close to zero.
The story that was talked about the most was of Immortal Emperor Ju Tian. The tale was about how the young emperor came to the Ghost River to test his luck and eventually obtained an unparalleled treasure. Because of this treasure, the emperor who was but a vagrant ghost race cultivator became an invincible Immortal Emperor for a generation. 2
Because of the emperor’s luck, later on, many powerful young cultivators were willing to risk their lives here at the Ghost River.
Of course, many young people died here at the river each year since it was much more dangerous than the Shifting Mountain Pass. There were only a dozen people here so there was no need for a line.
The two stood there, waiting at the ferry for a bit. Amongst the dozen young cultivators gazing upstream, a person suddenly shouted: “Another batch of Ghost Algae Trunks is about to drift down!”
Everyone then looked upstream and confirmed that it was indeed the case. Each trunk had different shapes and sizes. The algae seemed to be like vines that intertwined like small snakes, causing others to feel a chill. The algae also emitted a black smoke that encompassed the group completely.
Even Heavenly Gazes were not capable of seeing the things inside these trunks. Li Qiye gazed at each trunk to see if there was one worthy of him taking action.
Once a trunk floated near the ferry, someone immediately took the chance. Five young cultivators soared out and tried to scoop up the trunk from the river.
All five were powerful experts from the ghost race. They were as fast as lightning and they immediately picked the trunks that they wanted.
“Crash!” However, once the trunks left the water’s surface, waves began to form.
Along with the sound of crashing water, several ferocious things rushed out from below the Ghost River. A huge snake formed by nether smoke coiled around the river and opened its mouth to bite. Another thing that resembled a tongue quickly pierced through the water’s surface to catch a young cultivator. Then, a white skeletal hand stretched out towards another young person…
Anyone who tried to take out these trunks from the river would be attacked by something fierce from beneath the surface. Some people said that these were the corpses below the river that would claim possession of all the items in the river, so naturally, they would attack anyone who tried to take their trunks.
Chapter 437 - Finding Treasures At The Ghost River
“Ah!!!” A miserable scream resounded as a young cultivator’s chest was pierced by a white hand. “Crash.” His body was then dragged into the Ghost River by this skeletal hand.
“Die!” Another cultivator let out a battle cry as he revealed his most powerful technique, causing waves to swell up.
These four cultivators were prodigies of the ghost race. After utilizing their most powerful techniques, they were able to escape the attacks from these evil creatures and rushed out from the river.
As each had their own trunk, they immediately paid the fish fee to the Ghost Fate Sect.
After doing so, they then took care of the ghost algae that surrounded the trunks. Two young men obtained useless items; one of them got an old and tattered helmet while the other got a broken shield. They were both cast from the lowest ranking metals — not worth a coin.
The other two were a bit luckier. One obtained an ancient medal with unknown usage, but its trace of divinity showed that it was a treasure.
The last young man was the luckiest as he obtained a Vermillion Stone. It was around the size of a fist and dancing flames were on the surface as if a small fiery bird was about to fly out. 1
“Hahaha, this time was pretty profitable!” The young man with the Vermillion Stone happily exclaimed. This stone was indeed valuable, so he quickly stored it.
The other people also exclaimed in admiration. One of them said: “Pretty lucky. I have been waiting here for ten days, and this Vermillion Stone was the best thing to be salvaged in the last ten days.”
After a while, some of them abandoned testing their luck. In the end, the Ghost River was too dangerous. Every attempt ended with one or two of them dying. However, a few of them were unwilling to give up and decided to stay.
“Although the Ghost River is dangerous, it is one of the fierce grounds in Necropolis that produces the most treasures. In fact, some divine weapons even came out from this place.” A young cultivator that wished to stay said.
This did make sense since a lot of treasures came out of this dangerous river. For example, the supreme treasure taken by Immortal Emperor Ju Tian. It was said to be an extremely ancient artifact.
There were no patterns to the trunks floating down from the river; sometimes there would be a lot and the time it took for the next batch to come was random. All the young cultivators were standing by the ferry to wait for them.
Some even stayed here for several months in order to see if there were any particular techniques to obtaining these trunks.
Whenever these trunks floated down, some people would take action and some would die. The corpses of the dead would disappear as they would sink all the way down to the bottom of the river.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue continued to stay by the ferry. He did not take action and instead only watched over the batches of floating trunks. They had stayed at the ferry for more than ten days; people came to test their luck and others left due of fear.
Within these ten days, no one found anything. Some obtained one or two decent items, but there was nothing too earthshaking.
Today, Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue continued to watch the Ghost River. A gloomy voice suddenly came out like the murmuring of ghosts: “Ghost River, it is time to test my luck.”
These words reverberated throughout the ferry, but no one saw the speaker. No one was weak amongst the young cultivators present, but their hearts thumped since although they couldn’t see the speaker, they understood that it was a very powerful expert.
As they looked around to find the source of the voice, a soft sound rang. “Poof.” Curling smoke eventually aggregated into a figure that resembled a ghostly shadow in an instant.
People focused their eyes to find that the person condensed from smoke was a very handsome young man, but his face was completely white as if he had never seen the sun all year round. He was just like a ghost that lived in the darkness.
“Ye Sha!” All the young cultivators lost their colors the moment they saw this young man appear amidst the crowd. They quickly took several steps back to avoid this man.
The name “Ye Sha” changed Qiurong Wanxue’s expression as well. Many cultivators were very wary of Ye Sha. 2
Ye Sha was a famous character in the southern Distant Cloud and even in the entire Sacred Nether World. He was the descendant of the prestigious Nightwalker Sect in the Distant Cloud that consisted of the Nightwalker Tribe.
The Nightwalker Tribe was a branch of blood sucking ghosts; their members came and went silently without a trace, especially during the night. It was as if the darkness was their paradise.
Ye Sha was an assassin, but he was not for hire. He only killed people who opposed him. In recent years, he had been very famous since he assassinated several grand characters, including geniuses, a few sect masters, and royal lords who had once offended him.
Even powerful sect masters from the previous generation died miserably to his assassinations.
He never clashed against his opponents fair and square. Once offended, he would shadow them like a thorn behind one’s back. He would continue to haunt them until their death.
For cultivators, grievances and grudges were common things. The easiest way to settle a dispute was to fight solo or participate in team battles.
In particular, geniuses especially liked to use their own power to deal with their enemies. This was a form of training to them; only when they swept through all of their enemies would they be able to reach the peak.
However, assassinations were frowned upon not only by geniuses, but any disciple from the great powers who had a bit of fame. They would rather choose to fight in a group; at the very least, it would show their sect’s power.
However, Ye Sha, who came from the Nightwalker Sect, did not care for such trivial things. He was an assassin and he only knew how to destroy his enemies regardless of the method.
Because of this, Ye Sha was not included in the list of the current top geniuses in the Sacred Nether World, but many people still feared him. A few young geniuses were stronger than him, but they still showed apprehension in his presence.
Ye Sha smiled at the sight of the other cultivators retreating before him; he enjoyed the fear displayed by others. He then said: “Fellow Daoists, I bear no ill will towards anyone. Why the need to look at me as if I am a monster?”
“Brother Ye Sha’s fame is like thunder next to one’s ear, so we were thunderstruck by your presence.” No one wanted to offend him. Although he was not the strongest amongst the younger generation, no one wanted to be haunted by him.
Ye Sha let out a gloomy and creepy laugh. He then noticed that Li Qiye was the only one who didn’t move, so he asked with a smile: “Human Junior, are you not afraid of me?”
Li Qiye looked at him and lightly replied: “I don’t know you so why should I be afraid of you?”
Many young cultivators started to sweat in Li Qiye’s stead. If one offended Ye Sha, then they wouldn’t know how they died before it was too late.
Ye Sha looked at Li Qiye and noticed his ordinary looks. He then thought that this made sense. He nodded his head and said: “I guess, an ant like you is probably not qualified to hear my name.”
Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t bother to care, nor did he glance at Ye Sha any longer. As for Ye Sha, a human junior was less than an insect, so Li Qiye was not worthy for him to take action.
Despite being so conceited, he really did have the strength to be like this. After standing by the ferry for one day, Ye Sha finally picked a batch of trunks floating down from the river. In just the blink of an eye, he entered the river with a gasp-inducing speed and took four trunks from the flow.
Four ferocious monsters also came out the moment Ye Sha dragged these four trunks out from the surface. Sporting a gloomy smirk, he was not afraid at all. He suddenly turned into four wisps of smoke and, with a slashing sound, a cold saber glint cut downward.
Just a moment later, the four monsters were killed by Ye Sha as he landed safely on the ferry. He threw down the Yang Nightfish then disappeared. No one knew whether his trunks contained treasure or not.
“So strong!” After his departure, the young cultivators finally became relieved and exclaimed. No one wanted to be close to an assassin, it was way too dangerous.
“He is indeed very strong. I heard that he recently assassinated the Demon King of the Iron Ox Country. Rumor has it that the Demon King was a Little Sovereign, but he still died in Ye Sha’s hands.” A young cultivator recalled.
The young cultivators present felt their hearts thumping fast. Even for geniuses, a Little Sovereign was still a very powerful existence, especially those from the previous generation. Ye Sha being able to assassinate a Little Sovereign spoke plenty of his might.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue had been at the ferry for twenty-one days. On the twenty-second day, a group of trunks floated down. Li Qiye, who had been watching these trunks, suddenly put on a serious expression as his eyes narrowed due to a particular trunk.
Chapter 438 - Immortal Moon Margin
In just a moment, Li Qiye dashed forward and dragged out a trunk from the river.
“Crash!” A skeletal scorpion flew out from the river with its extremely sharp tail stabbing at Li Qiye with lightning speed.
Li Qiye smiled and met the skeleton as both of his hands grabbed onto its tail.
“Snap!” Before the stinger could reach Li Qiye, it had already been torn in half by him.
“Such strength!” Many cultivators were shocked at how easy it was for Li Qiye to subdue the skeleton.
Li Qiye effortlessly threw the skeleton back into the river then landed on the shore and handed the fish over to the ghost representative. In the end, he gave the trunk to Qiurong Wanxue.
“For you.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “It is a shame that this is not the thing I want, but it is perfect for you.”
Qiurong Wanxue accepted the Ghost Algae Trunk with some surprise. Judging by Li Qiye’s attitude, this seemed to be an amazing treasure. Someone close by urged her due to their curiosity: “Open it, let’s see what is inside.”
It was a fun event to open these trunks, so many young cultivators hastily opened them right away to see if they were lucky or not. However, Qiurong Wanxue knew not to show off her wealth, so she looked at Li Qiye instead.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Open it and see, a bit of fun isn’t bad.” Li Qiye wasn’t afraid of others seeing the treasure. Qiurong Wanxue no longer hesitated after hearing this and quickly took care of the algae to reveal an old box.
Finding a box was a very rare occurrence. The moment this box was opened, a bright moonlight appeared like multi-colored fireworks.
Before seeing the treasure, this dazzling moonlight was already amazing enough.
Qiurong Wanxue noticed that this box contained a crescent moon around the size of a palm, emitting moonlight just like the actual moon in the sky. The shocking thing was that there seemed to be a shadow sitting on the moon; it exuded an ethereal presence like an immortal.
Before anyone could see what was actually inside, Qiurong Wanxue had already closed the box. Her heart was beating very quickly despite her not knowing what it was. However, she was certain that it was an incredible treasure.
Nevertheless, the spectators knew that it was a treasure just from the moonlight.
“It must be a decent treasure.” A young cultivator said in admiration: “So lucky, he only attempted once and already obtained a treasure.”
“Let us go.” In contrast to the cautious Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye freely smiled and said.
She obediently followed right after him and they left the ferry. Once they were outside, she quickly asked: “Are you not picking up a trunk for yourself?”
Li Qiye’s first choice already contained a treasure so she knew that it was another scenario like with the Yang Nightfish, where Li Qiye understood a few secrets about Necropolis. Otherwise, his actions wouldn’t have been so precise.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and continued: “The Ghost River is a very special place. Once an earth-shattering treasure appears, don’t even think about finding another one for several dozen years. I’m certain that the key is not in the Ghost River.”
“Earth-shattering treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue felt a rush as her spirit was shaken. An earth-shattering treasure was something she would never have dreamed of, but now this crescent moon seemed to be one of them.
At first, she simply thought that it was a good treasure, not an earth-shattering one.
“Are you… saying that this crescent moon is such a treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue couldn’t stay calm, quivering as she spoke.
“Half-moon Immortal.” Li Qiye nodded his head and explained: “A very long time ago, the Half-moon Immortal appeared once again, but it disappeared later on. I didn’t expect for it to be at the Ghost River.”
“Half-moon Immortal? Not Half-immortal Moon?” Qiurong Wanxue was struck into a daze: “This… This thing is alive?”
“It is a Half-moon Immortal, a foreign dao treasure with a great origin; you can call it the Immortal Moon Margin.” Li Qiye continued with a smile: “The last time it appeared, numerous battles took place for it. Later on, its owner took it away and it disappeared. Luckily, we found it this time.” 1
Qiurong Wanxue was quite emotional. This treasure was wondrous, but it was also a thing that could bring about a calamity since anyone would be tempted by its greatness.
She restrained her emotions and asked: “What kind of treasure is this Immortal Moon Margin?”
Li Qiye looked at her quivering self and replied: “That depends on you. This foreign dao treasure is from the Legendary Era, so its level is dependent on you and your fortune. As long as you keep trying, one day, this Half-moon Immortal will be no less than an Immortal Emperor Life Treasure and you will greatly benefit from it.”
Despite mentally preparing herself and knowing that what Li Qiye called “earth-shattering” would absolutely not be bad, hearing the words “Immortal Emperor Life Treasure” still left her heart beating rapidly.
An emperor’s Life Treasure was something outside of the Snow-shadow Tribe’s reach. Even great powers did not necessarily have one, let alone a small tribe like theirs. It could be considered a supreme and priceless treasure.
She didn’t dare to accept such a treasure: “This… It is too valuable.” An Immortal Emperor Life Treasure could cause fellow brothers to turn on each other and force master and disciple to slay each other.
“Take it.” Li Qiye calmly smiled: “This is your reward for catching the Yang Nightfish.”
Li Qiye could give a real Immortal Emperor Life Treasure to someone else, let alone the Half-moon Immortal.
Qiurong Wanxue couldn’t help but stand there in a daze. Just what kind of person would be so carefree about an emperor’s Life Treasure? Not to mention her, even the descendants from emperor’s lineages would not be so nonchalant when dealing with items of this magnitude.
All the geniuses and experts from the previous generation greatly valued emperor’s Life Treasures and considered them a lifeline. Li Qiye, on the other hand, couldn’t care less and immediately gifted it away like it was nothing.
Suddenly, before they could put some distance between them and the Ghost Fate Sect, tendrils of smoke suddenly condensed before them as a figure appeared to block their path.
“Ye Sha!” Qiurong Wanxue exclaimed after seeing the person that suddenly arrived. She took a step back and knew that the matter was not good after seeing his expression.
Ye Sha gazed at them as if they were mere lambs: “I heard you guys obtained a decent treasure?”
Qiurong Wanxue was panicking while Li Qiye remained calm. Li Qiye then slowly spoke: “Your information gathering is pretty fast.”
Ye Sha had just come back to the ferry in order to test his luck again, but after hearing that Li Qiye’s group found a treasure, he quickly gave chase.
“Hahaha, it seems that this treasure was meant for me.” Ye Sha deviously smiled: “I’ll pay three Yang Nightfish for the treasure in your hand.”
Qiurong Wanxue’s expression greatly soured. What kind of exchange was this? This was clearly robbery!
Li Qiye remained unperturbed and grinned: “What if I don’t want to sell?”
Ye Sha coldly glared at him: “Human Junior, maybe you don’t know who I am, but I’ll give you some advice anyway. Be smart and sell it. At the very least, you will get three fish. If not, your corpses will be lost in the wilderness.”
“You are right.” Li Qiye nodded his head in agreement: “Someone’s corpse will definitely be lost in the wilderness, but it will be your corpse, not ours.”
“Foolish Thing, you’re only making this hard for yourself!” Ye Sha’s eyes revealed a murderous glint as his expression darkened: “Very well, I will just save three fish. It is not a small amount.”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye responded with a relaxed air: “Be smart and hand over all of your treasures, or else I will flay your flesh piece by piece.”
“You’re courting death!” Ye Sha angrily exclaimed. Today, a human junior dared to humiliate him and incited his murderous intent.
Ye Sha wanted to attack, but suddenly, buddhist chants appeared: “Amitabha, oh merciful Buddha.” A monk descended from the sky and said: “No wonder why the murderous air is so dense here. Benefactor Ye Sha, I am here.” 2
The moment Ye Sha saw this monk, his expression quickly changed. A dense fog surrounded him as he wanted to quickly escape.
The monk didn’t give chase and merely warned him with a smile: “Benefactor Ye Sha, you can escape from the monk but not from the temple.” 3
However, Ye Sha didn’t dare to stop. He ran quite a distance away as if he had seen his nemesis.
In just a moment, Li Qiye dashed forward and dragged out a trunk from the river.
“Crash!” A skeletal scorpion flew out from the river with its extremely sharp tail stabbing at Li Qiye with lightning speed.
Li Qiye smiled and met the skeleton as both of his hands grabbed onto its tail.
“Snap!” Before the stinger could reach Li Qiye, it had already been torn in half by him.
“Such strength!” Many cultivators were shocked at how easy it was for Li Qiye to subdue the skeleton.
Chapter 439 - Monk Dazhi Is Afraid Of His Wife
A bald monk with unique ordination markings on his head appeared. A string of large and round buddhist beads hung by his neck as he stood there with his palms placed together. His amiable smiling face would fool others into thinking that he was an accomplished monk.
Li Qiye looked at the monk before him and shook his head to say: “Monk Dazhi.” 1
Monk Dazhi met his gaze and performed a buddhist chant before saying: “Amitabha, Benefactor Li, it seems that we are connected by fate. I didn’t expect to see you here in the far Nether Border.”
“Stop!” Li Qiye waved his hand and said: “I don’t like monks. You came here and ruined my fun. I was going to make mincemeat out of that brat, but you scared him away.”
Monk Dazhi didn’t care about Li Qiye’s distaste for him and smiled: “How could it be hard for Benefactor Li to take care of him? As the saying goes, a monk might be able to flee, but the temple cannot. If you really don’t want to spare him, then just directly rush into the Nightwalker Sect, annihilate it, and massacre his entire tribe!” 2
Qiurong Wanxue was taken aback by the monk’s words. The Nightwalker Sect was a great power, yet this monk was talking about annihilating it — way too arrogant.
Li Qiye glanced at him and responded: “Are you trying to trick me? Monk, don’t use me as a tool, or else I’ll break your temple and pull out all your hair.”
“Amitabha, amitabha. Benefactor Li’s hostile tendencies are through the roof. You should purify yourself.” Monk Dazhi placed his hands together and put on the appearance of a wise monk.
Li Qiye shrugged then narrowed his eyes at the monk: “So you want to enlighten me? I was waiting for someone to come and teach me the way. Why don’t you try?”
Monk Dazhi jumped from fear and quickly took several heavy steps back before motioning with his hands: “Joking, I was just joking. This little monk is but one who starts the fire for cooking and bathing. How could my trivial buddhist knowledge be enough to enlighten a god like Benefactor Li?”
“It is good that you are aware of this. Remember, you owe me one since you scared my prey away.” Li Qiye nonchalantly gazed at the monk and said.
“Oh… Then let me go and catch Ye Sha for you.” Monk Dazhi immediately said.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “It is too late, one has to pay attention to the process while hunting. Even if you bring him back now, the enjoyment is already gone. In short, you just owe me a favor, understand?”
Monk Dazhi frowned and wryly smiled: “This is Benefactor Li forcing me into a hole. You are making it difficult for me on purpose.”
“You’re wrong, this is because you tried to be cool earlier. It has nothing to do with me. If you didn’t try to be cool, then nothing would have happened.” Li Qiye leisurely smiled.
Monk Dazhi tapped his own head in resignation. However, the monk was also an optimist. A bit later, he noticed Qiurong Wanxue standing next to Li Qiye and revealed a mischievous smile.
“Amitabha.” The monk chanted and smilingly said: “How is Benefactor Li’s progress with the little girl from the Soaring Remembrance Village?”
“What does it have to do with you?” Li Qiye glanced at him with one eye and asked: “You are a monk so why are you asking about mundane matters?”
“Hahaha, Benefactor Li, it is because I care for you.” He smiled and added: “You should know that the little girl is famous for being difficult in the southern Distant Cloud. If she becomes furious, then everyone will get a headache due to her wrath. You, as her fiance, ran here to the Nether Border all alone with another lady… If the little girl finds out, then you won’t have an easy time.”
Qiurong Wanxue blushed and understood that this monk was not a proper monk at all!
“Oh? You’re threatening me?” Li Qiye glared at him and inquired.
This was met with a composed countenance as Monk Dazhi replied: “Benefactor Li, as the saying goes, a bribe is required to keep someone’s mouth shut, am I right? I’m afraid my mouth is a bit loose, unless I get a little something that is.”
Li Qiye smiled and leisurely retorted: “When it comes to sealing one’s mouth, I know the best way. In this world, to keep something a secret, do you know what the best method is? … Dead people do not talk, so it is meaningless how much they know.”
“What is going on?” Qiurong Wanxue became quite annoyed. They were speaking as if she had a shady relationship with Li Qiye. Clearly, the two of them had nothing going on at all.
Monk Dazhi was startled by Li Qiye, so he took several steps back again and forced a dry smile: “Amitabha, amitabha. Benefactor Li is too serious, I was just kidding.”
Li Qiye waved his hand and said: “Okay, you meat-and-wine fiend, stop pretending to be a respected monk in front of me. Even if you tell that girl, it is useless. It is normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Plus, there is no woman that I cannot handle.” 3
Qiurong Wanxue glared at him. This young man not only had a big tone against his enemies, he was also quite boastful about this kind of matter.
“Amazing, truly amazing!” Monk Dazhi gave him a thumbs up and admiringly praised. He then rubbed his hands in a lowly manner and said: “Hahaha, Benefactor Li, no, Brother Li, can you teach this little brother a thing or two? I respect your wife-handling skills very much. My respect for you is like the unrelenting torrent of the three rivers…”
Monk Dazhi unleashed a wave of praises towards Li Qiye.
This sudden change made Qiurong Wanxue speechless. What does a monk want to learn wife-handling skills for?
Li Qiye laughed at him and asked: “So? You don’t want to be a monk anymore and suddenly want to return to a secular lifestyle?”
Monk Dazhi was a little embarrassed as he replied: “I won’t hide it from you, Brother Li. I am only a monk due to necessity.”
“So you are a fake monk.” Li Qiye laughed and added: “It is one thing to be a meat-and-wine monk, but you are actually a fake one!”
Li Qiye then squinted his eyes and continued: “Wife-handling skills? Techniques? Very well, I shall teach you. Just directly push her onto a bed, then all will be well.”
“Pervert!” Qiurong Wanxue angrily exclaimed while blushing. This little guy really dared to say just about anything.
“Well…” Monk Dazhi also choked while giving a wry smile.
Li Qiye shook his head then smilingly asked: “Nevermind, each household has their own troubles; you have to take care of it yourself. However, Fake Monk, why did you run to the Nether Border?”
“The same reason as Brother Li.” Monk Dazhi replied: “After the lost mythical island disappeared, a piece of news suddenly erupted in the Distant Cloud. A few people in the Nether Border saw a gigantic hand stretching out from the Prime Ominous Grave, so many great powers came running over here. Now, many old men calculated that the grave will open in this generation, so a lot of people came here to add to the fun. This is the same with me.”
Li Qiye was not too surprised about this news. Paper cannot wrap fire, so Qiurong Wanxue’s group were not the only ones who saw the gigantic hand. The eclipse, the disappearance of the island, and the gigantic hand were quite easy to link together.
However, Li Qiye speculated further than others and was one step ahead.
Li Qiye looked at the monk and said: “So you came to Necropolis to find the key as well?”
The monk shook his head and answered: “It is not easy to obtain the key. The key is a great creation! To me, it doesn’t matter who obtains the key because anyone can enter the Prime Ominous Grave after it is opened. The only thing that matters is that the key owner will open the grave right after they obtain it.”
“Well put.” Li Qiye smiled. However, he must obtain the key because, to him, the key was not simply just a method to open the grave.
The monk then continued: “However, I heard about a certain something. There is an auction at Midtown called the Coffin-tapping Imp auction. I wonder if you are interested in going together?”
Li Qiye’s heart started to beat faster. He became serious and asked for confirmation: “The Coffin-tapping Imp?” He remembered a particular existence that had not appeared for a long time. He even thought that this existence was dead.
“Very well, I’m free anyway so I might as well go and see.” If it was truly the Coffin-tapping Imp, then it was worth a trip.
The group then proceeded towards Midtown. However, they didn’t make it very far before a red cloud floating in the horizon flew towards them at an extremely swift speed.
Monk Dazhi became shocked when he saw this red cloud and quickly told Li Qiye: “Brother Li, something suddenly came up. I gotta go.” With that, he escaped so fast that it seemed as if a plague was approaching.
A fierce voice came from the horizon: “Jian Xuan, I will capture you even if you run to the corners of the world!” The red cloud in the horizon was actually a girl in a red outfit. With an extreme speed, she quickly chased after Monk Dazhi.
Monk Dazhi didn’t dare to linger even a bit longer and disappeared in the distance in just the blink of an eye. He looked like a mouse that had just seen a cat.
“So it turns out that he is afraid of his wife.” Li Qiye smiled and said after watching the fleeing monk. He also understood why the monk asked him for some wife-handling techniques.
Chapter 440 - Divine Spark Prince
Qiurong Wanxue tilted her head while contemplating, then she suddenly exclaimed: “Jian Xuan… Could he be the descendant of the Nether Crossing Swamp? I heard that he is a really amazing genius. So it turns out that he is a monk!”
Li Qiye smiled in response: “Maybe.”
Perhaps the monk didn’t just run to the Soaring Remembrance Village to unravel the mystery of the village, it was to hide from someone as well.
Qiurong Wanxue recalled the monk’s words and asked while looking at Li Qiye: “Young Noble has a fiancee?”
Li Qiye looked at this mature and alluring woman in a carefree manner and replied: “Why? Are you jealous?”
Qiurong Wanxue glared at him with frustration and snappily retorted: “Don’t you feel that you are a bit too narcissistic? As if I would like you. Plus, your fiancee should be the one that’s jealous, not me!”
Despite being angry, her charming elegance did not lessen at all.
“You don’t have to worry about that.” Li Qiye smiled and continued: “There has not been a woman that I could not deal with. If I wanted to marry you, there would be no such thing as jealousy.”
Qiurong Wanxue glared at him and retorted: “Has no one ever told you about your ego?” Her mature charm juxtaposed her current coquettish and youthful attitude and made her even more alluring.
“People have mentioned it before.” Li Qiye slowly said: “But this is not being egotistic, it is called strength. I, Li Qiye, have never met anything that I couldn’t deal with.”
Qiurong Wanxue had nothing else to say and could only gently sigh. Li Qiye was correct about this.
***
“Midtown” wasn’t the real name of this particular location in Necropolis. However, because this city was located in the center, cultivators from the outside called it Midtown.
It was a very old and lively city. Midtown could be said to be one of the biggest cities inside Necropolis. There was an ocean of people in this city consisting of both people and ghosts. The distinction between the two was blurred and people would eventually get accustomed to living together with ghosts. Moreover, they were not real ghosts but sentiments, so they easily got along with outside cultivators.
The two of them entered Midtown and easily found out the location and time of the Coffin-tapping Imp auction. They discovered that it was taking place in the afternoon.
Qiurong Wanxue curiously asked after entering Midtown: “Auctions take place in this city? I have never heard about it before.”
Although there were visiting cultivators all year round, the majority of them didn’t want to stay for a long time at Necropolis. Even frequent visitors did not stay for long so one can forget about establishing a sect or an auction house.
The auction houses were just temporarily buildings. Despite visiting this place several times before, this was Qiurong Wanxue’s first time hearing about an auction.
“Occasionally.” Li Qiye said: “If it is an Imp auction, then it will be amazing. It will be a very high quality auction with great goods.”
“Imp?” Qiurong Wanxue curiously inquired: “Is it a Necropolis ghost?”
Li Qiye’s eyes narrowed as he answered: “This… I’m afraid no one knows. Whether Imp is a ghost or a regular being is a mystery. Some say that he is a ghost while others believe that he is just a normal existence.”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye. She felt that he knew more about this matter but didn’t want to reveal it, so she didn’t pry any further.
The Coffin-tapping Imp auction was taking place in an old courtyard in Midtown. However, rather than calling it a courtyard, it was more accurate to call it an abandoned yard. This was a big yet abandoned mansion. The house itself had collapsed a long time ago, leaving behind only a yard big enough to house one thousand visitors.
The two entered the premises around the time the auction began. A large crowd that nearly consisted entirely of cultivators from the outside gathered here.
The news about the auction had been spread in the last few days by an unknown source. There had never been an auction organization at Necropolis, so the news of the Coffin-tapping Imp auction attracted many curious cultivators.
Whether it was for the auction itself or just for the fun, many young cultivators came running here after hearing the news.
Everyone was able to participate in this auction as it was without any restrictions.
However, this auction did not truly resemble an authentic auction. There was no reception for participants, so everyone had to choose their own seat. Some sat on the ground while others hovered in the sky. Some even took out their treasure pavilions…
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue noticed that several hundred people were already waiting in the yard, including Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate whom they met back at the Penta Realm Gate.
Mo Lidao’s tall stature stood out amongst the crowd like a crane amongst chickens. In fact, his height was not his only exceptional characteristic, his identity and strength were quite notable as well.
“Many are disciples from the great powers.” Seeing the young crowd, Qiurong Wanxue emotionally added: “A lot of people came to Necropolis recently…”
Li Qiye replied: “There will be even more later on.” If the world knew that the Prime Ominous Grave was about to open, countless great powers and emperor’s lineages in the Sacred Nether World would come running. Anyone would feel an irresistible temptation for the grave — there was no exception!
Qiurong Wanxue leered around a bit more and asked with surprise: “Why are there no inhabitants of Necropolis? Is this just limited to cultivators?”
This surprise auction only had visitors from the outside. Necropolis’ inhabitants and ghost cultivators from the sects in the city did not come.
Li Qiye stopped looking around and answered her question: “If you are a ghost from Necropolis and know about Imp, then you would not take part in this auction.”
Qiurong Wanxue heard the underlying tone in his words and asked: “Is Imp that scary?”
“Imp…” Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and continued: “That depends on how you define the word ‘scary.’ If you say that he is scary, then he is indeed very dreadful. However, if you say that he isn’t scary, then he isn’t scary at all.”
Qiurong Wanxue gave him a stern look and angrily retorted: “Just don’t tell me then, keep on beating around the bush.”
He smiled in response: “All in all, just don’t try to find out Imp’s identity. Attempting to learn his identity is not a good thing for anyone, no matter who they may be.”
Li Qiye’s warning caused her heart to beat faster. Li Qiye, who was always carefree about everything, was now being serious. She naturally understood that this matter was not ordinary.
“Hahaha! It seems that I am not late.” Suddenly, a sepulchral voice appeared along with an amalgamation of smoke. Afterward, a person appeared.
“Ye Sha!” Many young cultivators were alarmed when they saw this person and immediately retreated.
Ye Sha enjoyed the fear from others and said with a devious smile: “Don’t be so alarmed, I am not a man-eating monster.” Despite saying this, his appearance was that of someone basking in the limelight.
“Ye Sha, don’t gloat around here.” An arrogant voice appeared: “The southern Distant Cloud doesn’t only have you as a hero.” A young man led a group of disciples to this place. The flame burning on his body gave him a sacred aura as if he was the child of gods.
“Divine Spark Prince.” Many young cultivators went to greet this person who just arrived.
He was the prince of the Divine Spark Country, the little brother of the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden. He brought along the Divine Spark disciples with an overbearing momentum that loomed over everyone else.
Ye Sha looked at the prince and coldly smiled: “So it is the Divine Spark Prince, excuse me.” Ye Sha then added in an awe-inspiring manner: “However, you are also showing off here.”
“So? If you think that you can act arrogantly, then do so in front of my sister!” These words were very domineering. Many cultivators on the sideline just watched and didn’t dare to interfere.
These blustering words caused Ye Sha’s expression to change. He was very arrogant, but even an assassin like him was extremely wary of the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden.
Not only was the maiden an extremely powerful heaven’s proud daughter, it was also because of her fiance, Di Zuo!
Anyone in the Sacred Nether World would be very careful when talking about Di Zuo, one of the three heroes. He was the descendant of the Myriad Bones Throne, a terrifying sect that had three emperors!
No matter how formidable one’s talent was, they would not dare to oppose Di Zuo in the Sacred Nether World.
Ye Sha could only restrain his anger. He was confident that his cultivation was not inferior to that of the Divine Spark Prince and was certain that he could assassinate him. But now, the prince had the upper hand in this vocal exchange.
“Divine Spark Prince, only one’s own strength carries true significance.” Ye Sha coldly proclaimed. He called out that the prince was only using his big sister’s prestige to bully others.
Chapter 441 - Golden Prince
The Divine Spark Prince only sneered at Ye Sha’s sarcastic remark and stared at him in disdain before saying: “Ye Sha, the power of my Divine Spark Country is enough to destroy you. Do you think that you can still escape like last time?”
He paused here then sneered: “The reason why I’m not taking action against you is because my sister wants to do it herself. She will personally arrive this time, so you better prepare yourself.”
After being struck by the prince in his sore spot, Ye Sha’s expression became very difficult to look at. This was his gravest threat — the possibility of the Divine Spark Divine Maiden maneuvering against him. More importantly, who would dare to oppose Sir Di Zuo in the Sacred Nether World?
Many young cultivators shivered after hearing the prince’s words; the arrival of the Phoenix Maiden was a huge deal. She was a famous heaven’s proud daughter of the southern Distant Cloud, someone with exceedingly high talents and a powerful cultivation. What was more astonishing was that her fiance was the dreadful Di Zuo.
Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate, came out to smooth things over: “Ah, Prince and Brother Ye Sha. Ye Sha indeed has many offenses, but Prince and the Phoenix Maiden are benevolent like the vast sea; we ordinary people naturally cannot compare to you both. Ye Sha should be apologizing to the Divine Spark Country; what do you think, Brother Ye Sha?”
The Divine Spark Country, the Sky-devil Gate, and the Nightwalker Sect were all great powers in the southern Distant Cloud. Mo Lidao had good relations with both the Divine Spark Prince and Ye Sha, so it was understandable that he would play the role of a mediator at this moment.
“Ye Sha was indeed in the wrong this time.” Another voice appeared. With some clicking sounds, another person entered the ancient yard.
This person garnered quite a bit of attention because it was more accurate to refer to him as a skeleton rather than a person.
It was a walking golden skeleton without any flesh; he was simply bones. Standing there was a complete skeleton seemingly crafted from pure gold — extremely fortified. In its eye sockets were burning golden flames as if it was his soul or pupils.
“Golden Child!” Many people exclaimed after seeing the arrival of this golden skeleton.
“A member of the Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe.” Qiurong Wanxue, who was standing next to Li Qiye, was also surprised to see this person.
The Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe was an extremely powerful ghost tribe at the eastern Nether Border. They were born with only bones and no flesh, unlike the other ghost tribes. With its very unique characteristics, this tribe was a major branch of the ghost race.
Their greatest characteristic was their extremely fortified bones that were capable of blocking attacks from Life Treasures. The stronger the disciple was in this tribe, the deeper the color of their bones.
For example, the bones of the descendant of the Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe, Golden Child, were of a golden color and he had soul flames in his eyes. This meant that his cultivation was very formidable.
Golden Child went closer to Ye Sha and said: “Ye Sha, you should apologize to the Divine Spark Prince. He is a very compassionate man so he will surely let go of this matter.”
Golden Child’s words made it hard for Ye Sha to act. Despite being a very powerful assassin, existences like Golden Child and the Phoenix Maiden weren’t people he could mess with.
Golden Child was very powerful; rumor has it that his bones could withstand an attack from a Heavenly King True Treasure. Even other Heavenly Kings could not proudly pat their chest and proclaim that their bodies could withstand such an attack. Golden Prince’s cultivation was far from this level, but he was capable of blocking such an attack, indicating the hardness of his bones.
Mo Lidao also tried to mediate: “Brother Ye Sha, the knot of a feud should be let loose instead of tightened. Everyone should take a step back and bask in the vastness of the sky and ocean…”
Ye Sha was tempted by Golden Child and Mo Lidao’s intermediation.
“Hmph! Apologizing is not hard, you just have to personally bow your head to my sister!” The Divine Spark Prince lightly smirked and arrogantly spoke.
Despite Ye Sha losing some face from this, it was fortunate that the Divine Spark Prince didn’t keep going.
Golden Child then politely greeted the Divine Spark Prince: “Divine Spark Prince, I heard that the Phoenix Maiden will come, I wonder if Di Zuo will be there as well?”
Regarding fame, status, and power, the Divine Spark Prince was not qualified for such a polite gesture from Golden Child. The Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe was a major branch and was much more powerful than the Divine Spark Country.
The reason for this politeness along with persuading Ye Sha to apologize was to form a connection with Di Zuo of the Myriad Bones Throne.
In the end, Di Zuo’s prestige was like thunder in the Sacred Nether World, causing all young cultivators to tremble.
Coming from the Myriad Bones Throne was already notable enough, but being the descendant of a sect with three emperors guaranteed his extraordinariness.
This was the reason why when people talked about Di Zuo, they would add the word “sir” to clearly show his status.
“If the Prime Ominous Grave opens, then my brother-in-law will come. He is the only person qualified to possess the immortal technique for immortality!” The Divine Spark Prince proudly said.
He was indeed always full of pride and arrogance when talking about his brother-in-law, who was the most famous youth in the current Sacred Nether World. After all, this was the person people thought was most likely to become an Immortal Emperor.
“Sir Di Zuo will come in person.” Many people gasped and no one dared to call the prince out for his arrogance. To many people, having a brother-in-law like Di Zuo was indeed something to be proud of. The prince was indeed too arrogant and put no one in his sight, but Di Zuo was enough to shut up all the other geniuses. If there was really a method for immortality in the Prime Ominous Grave, then Di Zuo was a qualified candidate for it.
“If Sir Di Zuo comes himself, then I will definitely go greet him to hear about his grand dao.” Golden Child followed with a smile.
Golden Child was not a weakling. There were rumors stating that he had entered the Heavenly Sovereign realm; he was much stronger than Ye Sha or Mo Lidao. However, his modesty right now was illustrative of Di Zuo’s strength and notoriety.
“I will definitely let Brother Golden know after my brother-in-law arrives.” The Divine Spark Prince replied with a smile as well.
Many people glanced at each other and quietly discussed Di Zuo’s arrival. Others were also talking about whether the Prime Ominous Grave would open or not.
“Will it really open?” A young person itched from the excitement about the grave.
Others were dejected and someone lamented with a sigh: “Di Zuo’s personal arrival will outshine so many people.” This made a lot of sense since many people would retreat before his sight, not daring to compete.
While others were talking, Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue sat in a corner and meditated while waiting for Imp’s arrival.
“Ye Sha is staring at us.” After a while, Qiurong Wanxue whispered.
At this point, Ye Sha’s gloomy eyes were fixated on the two of them; these eyes were filled with murderous intent. Before this, Ye Sha had already wanted to kill the two to steal their treasure, but he was interrupted by Monk Dazhi.
This chance meeting incited Ye Sha’s murderous intent, but there were too many people here and he didn’t want to recklessly make a move.
Li Qiye still had his eyes closed after hearing Qiurong Wanxue. Without batting an eye, he then slowly said: “Ignore the fly. If he wants to die, then I’ll gladly help him.”
Qiurong Wanxue stayed silent. She didn’t question Li Qiye’s confidence, but it would be troublesome if Ye Sha were to hear it.
Coming from a small tribe, as the chief, she more often than not chose to retreat. She was very different from the fierce Li Qiye who put no one in his sight.
The sky became darker as more people came to participate in the auction. Among them were many disciples from the great powers. Some of their descendants even came. They arrived and sat in the corners in the courtyard, waiting for the auction to start.
Once night fell, a person suddenly appeared in the middle of the courtyard. No one saw how he got there. It was as if he had always been there. This sudden appearance shocked a lot of people as everyone stared at him.
The person smiled and declared: “Friends, I am very happy to see all of you coming to participate in the Coffin-tapping Imp’s auction. We won’t waste time, the coffin tapping will begin now!”
Chapter 442 - Telling A Story
“You… are Imp?” A person asked with uncertainty after seeing this person who had just arrived.
The man replied with a wide smile: “I guarantee that I am Imp and Imp is me.”
The young cultivators looked around at each other after seeing this man and felt quite confused. After hearing about the Coffin-tapping Imp’s auction, many of them thought that the auctioneer would be a ghost inhabitant from Necropolis.
This person did not match their imagination at all! This was an old man with a stout stature. His hair was completely white and he had a very long beard. His face was kind like that of a benevolent grandfather.
No one would be able to put this old man and Imp together. He was clearly just an ordinary kind old man.
Many of them opened their Heavenly Gaze in order to see if this old man was a living being or a ghost, but no one could see through him.
“Are you a man or a ghost?” Someone curiously asked.
“That’s a secret!” Imp smiled in response. His mysterious nature caused the young cultivators present to be even more curious.
Although the Heavenly Gaze couldn’t discern whether he was alive or dead, no matter how you looked at it, he didn’t seem to be a ghost. However, what was he if not a ghost? Cultivators from the previous generations would absolutely not enter Necropolis no matter how powerful they were unless they were tired of living.
If the old man was alive, then why did he come to Necropolis? Anyone could tell that Necropolis was not affecting him. Those with dried up blood energy would be affected, especially older cultivators, but not Imp.
This made a lot of people have questions. Qiurong Wanxue, who was seated next to Li Qiye, quietly whispered: “Is he really a ghost?”
In the beginning, she thought that Imp would be a tiny, young ghost; she didn’t expect for Imp to be a kind, old man.
“Him?” Li Qiye looked at Imp and smiled, then he shook his head and said: “This… I’m afraid no one knows.”
However, Qiurong Wanxue believed that Li Qiye had to know something more than he let out.
“Very well, no more talking, the auction begins now! The rule is very simple. There is no need for weapons or refined jades, and there is no need for Yang Nightfish either. I will take out one item and anyone can trade with me as long as it is something that I like. Then, I will trade with that person.”
Everyone glanced at each other — what kind of auction was this? This was more like a simple trading post.
Imp then took out a small coffin about the size of a box. It seemed to be carved from a piece of jade that exuded a cold air, something that was naturally formed by the heavens.
Imp then gently opened the little coffin. A jade-light illuminated the premises while a clear sound rang out as if a golden jewel was rolling around on a jade plate.
Everyone then noticed that the little coffin contained a cocoon around the size of a fist. It was green like jade — very magical-looking.
Imp then spoke with a smile: “This is the cocoon of a Heavenly Jade Cicada! When it hatches, the Heavenly Jade Cicada will come out.” He then closed the little coffin and said: “Now, take out your treasures.”
Many people were quite perplexed. Some of them had never heard of a Heavenly Jade Cicada so there was no way they would take out their treasures to trade for it.
However, a young cultivator that hailed from an ancient clan emotionally blurted: “Heavenly Jade Cicada — a legendary creature that lives in the Ancient Immortal Ground!”
Upon hearing this, many people were instantly moved. Anyone who could enter an Ancient Immortal Ground would obtain a miracle, a great fortune. Regardless of which of the six Ancient Immortal Grounds it was, those who could enter one would surely benefit greatly.
This Heavenly Jade Cicada grew up in an Ancient Immortal Ground, so how could it not shock the present spectators?
A young cultivator took out a bell and said: “I have a foreign dao treasure named the Fallen Star Bell—”
However, before this youth could finish his sentence, Imp already grabbed him and threw him out of Midtown.
“I said I don’t need weapons.” Him effortlessly throwing that young cultivator out of Midtown caused many people to tremble for they knew that he was unfathomable.
Another youth took out a treasure box and said: “I have a gem to trade.” The box exuded waves of divine lights. The youth showed it to Imp and then immediately closed the lid so that others would not see the gem inside.
Imp took a glance before shaking his head and saying: “No need.”
“I have an ancient bone.” Golden Child from the Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe took out a bone around the size of a palm. It was a skull that was entirely black. The moment he took it out, shrill ghostly screams resounded, sending chills to the listeners.
“A bit interesting.” Imp looked at the old bone and nodded his head approvingly.
Golden Child couldn’t help but become happy. He had a chance of exchanging this for the Heavenly Jade Cicada from Imp.
“How about I tell you a story?” At this time, Li Qiye slowly spoke.
Qiurong Wanxue was startled and felt that this was a bit too much. Others were using treasures to barter, but Li Qiye was going to tell a story?
After seeing that Li Qiye was part of the human race, Golden Child snorted and said: “Hmph! If you don’t have any treasures, then don’t cause trouble. Stand to the side.”
“Sure.” Imp quickly nodded his head and said: “But you have to be careful. If you tell a randomly made-up story, then I’ll throw you out. Of course, if I like the story, then the Heavenly Jade Cicada will belong to you.”
Everyone was in disbelief. Telling a story to trade for a treasure — this was too outrageous. They had never seen such a thing before.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “You can rest assured that this is a good story.” He then cleared his throat and spoke: “A very long time ago, there was a crow that could speak. An even longer time before then, there was a person named Gongyang from the underworld. One day, the crow met Gongyang and said: ‘There is a place named the Immortal Grotto with an immortal presiding within. This immortal had everlasting life. Moreover, this immortal was growing an immortal grass. If one ate this immortal grass, then they would also have everlasting life…’ ”
Having listened to this point, the Divine Spark Prince sneered: “What kind of story is this? Nonsense…”
“Shut up!” Imp, who was lost in the story, interrupted the Divine Spark Prince. The prince obediently kept his mouth shut.
“However, it was very difficult to obtain this immortal grass from the immortal. The crow told Gongyang that it had come up with a method for him to take this grass, as long as Gongyang followed its instructions. Gongyang truly believed the crow’s words…”
Li Qiye slowly told this very boring tale. Many people started to fall asleep and had no desire to listen any further. This was such a silly tale, not even children would want to hear it. To cultivators like them, magical things happened every day so such an absurd and boring story like this was a waste of time.
Qiurong Wanxue also felt that this tale was not good. Any legend about an Immortal Emperor would have been much better. A story like this could only coax the children of the mortal worlds, not cultivators like them.
“… Gongyang followed the crow’s proposal and went to meet the immortal to find the immortal grass root. Gongyang then asked the immortal for the immortal grass, but the immortal…” Li Qiye temporarily paused at this point.
“And then what?” Compared to the other bored listeners, Imp excitedly listened. Many people were quite confused as to why he was enjoying such a silly tale.
“And then Gongyang’s clan faced genocide.” Li Qiye smiled and finished.
The first to be speechless was Qiurong Wanxue who was sitting next to Li Qiye. What kind of story was this? A completely incoherent story suddenly ended with clan extermination — how silly was this?
“Bullshit ramblings, completely disjointed.” Some people thought that Li Qiye’s story was too abrupt. Although the beginning was very boring and dull, at least it was still organized. The sudden blurt at the end ruined the story completely with Gongyang’s clan getting exterminated. It was just a complete mess of a story.
However, Imp closed his eyes and mumbled while nodding his head. No one knew what he was murmuring.
“Good story, good story, amazing, truly amazing, a miracle across the ages, unique in this world…” After a while, Imp praised and emotionally clapped.
Everyone became dumbfounded at such praises, including Qiurong Wanxue. This had gone too far! How could such a cluttered and disjointed story that was told in a completely incoherent manner be praised like this?
“This little coffin is yours.” Imp seemed to be very excited and threw the jade coffin that contained the Heavenly Jade Cicada to Li Qiye.
Chapter 443 - Not Everyone Is A Storyteller
Everyone’s mouths were wide open. Such a mess of a story was able to be traded for a treasure? Simply too unbelievable. Qiurong Wanxue also found this hard to believe. Everyone else would think the same if they were told of this event.
“For you.” Li Qiye placed the jade coffin into Qiurong Wanxue’s hand. Only then did she become certain that this was not just a dream.
“This…” Qiurong Wanxue was sent into a daze. Li Qiye gave another precious treasure to her?
Li Qiye jokingly added: “Don’t misunderstand, this is not a token of affection.”
Qiurong Wanxue was very reserved but also touched. Although he made it a joke, Qiurong Wanxue still found the gesture to be warm and sweet.
“Okay, this auction consists of a total of nine coffins. This is the second one, a silver coffin.” Imp continued with a smile: “This is good stuff, especially for the ghost race. Nightsoul Aqua — ghost tribe cultivators who use this water would surely be able to strengthen their True Fate.”
Imp opened the silver coffin. Inside was a pale greenish water that exuded nether energy. The ghost race cultivators felt this atmosphere and noticed that their True Fate was becoming even more spirited.
It made them realize that this Nightsoul Aqua was an extremely beneficial and sacred water to the ghost race.
“I want to tell a story, I want to tell a story!” People began to compete for the chance to tell a story.
Li Qiye only smiled before he closed his eyes. The Nightsoul Aqua had no use to him.
Imp randomly pointed at a young cultivator and said: “Okay, you try.”
The youth chosen by Imp was ecstatic. He cleared his throat in preparation and began: “There was once a child who fell into an immortal grotto. There was an immortal grass growing inside this grotto…”
“Nonsense!” He only said a few words before he got flung out of Midtown by Imp.
“I have a story, I have one!” Others did not give up. They raised their hands and loudly shouted.
Imp then randomly picked another person. This person cheerfully began: “During the Desolate Era, a Golden Phoenix appeared in the Sacred Nether World. On its back was an immortal citadel…”
“Nonsense!” The youth’s story was quite wonderful, but he didn’t get too far before being thrown out of Midtown by Imp.
A dozen stories followed suit; some were very well told, but all of them were flung away regardless.
Qiurong Wanxue had a hard time containing her excitement while holding the jade coffin. She listened to all of the stories so far and found it very strange. Some of the tales were colorful. One was even comparable to Immortal Emperor legends, but all the storytellers were thrown out by Imp.
In fact, she was not the only one since many others were confused as well. Why was Imp so unreceptive towards these other tales?
“Young Noble, why was Imp interested in your story?” The perplexed Qiurong Wanxue whispered softly in Li Qiye’s ear.
Li Qiye looked at her and smilingly replied: “The crux of the matter is not the story itself but the information contained within. It has to be valuable and useful!”
“Useful and valuable information?” Qiurong Wanxue uttered in surprise. She didn’t feel that her Young Noble’s story contained any valuable information at all.
“This is not something you guys can understand.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “If one does not know the immemorial past and the Immortal Demon, then how could they know about the thing hidden in the tale?”
Qiurong Wanxue then recalled the story told by her Young Noble. If he said so, then this story must be hiding a big secret, but she didn’t feel anything too amazing about this particular story.
“Don’t worry about it, you lack the necessary experience to understand.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
Qiurong Wanxue softly sighed and gave up on the matter. Just like Li Qiye had said, understanding the essence of the story was beyond her means.
After dozens of people were thrown out, the participants began to understand that storytelling wouldn’t do and so they started to take out items to trade.
Eventually, the second coffin was traded to a young cultivator from an ancient clan for an old calligraphy painting.
Many people found Imp’s preferences to be very strange. Other cultivators would consider merit laws as number one and treasure number two. Stuff like calligraphy paintings had no real use and was not worth a coin, but Imp just had to love these kinds of things.
Many young cultivators were full of regrets. If they knew that Imp liked these strange stuff, then they would have bought a bunch in the mortal world since these calligraphy paintings were not worth anything at all; they could buy as many as they wanted.
While others felt that the painting was worthless, Li Qiye opened his eyes and quietly praised: “A good item.”
“What is it?” Qiurong Wanxue also couldn’t see how this painting was useful. To ordinary people, this was art, but art was useless to cultivators. Cultivators simply aimed for power!
Li Qiye smiled and explained: “This is something from an ancient dynasty. The average person will not be able to see through its profoundness; it contains a few things worth desiring.”
Li Qiye didn’t reveal the entire secret, but Qiurong Wanxue now knew that this painting was not so simple. She wondered why Li Qiye knew so many things; it was as if he was privy to many secrets.
And as if he knew what she was thinking, he continued: “Because I read a lot. This is why I know so many things.”
Qiurong Wanxue gave him a glance full of doubt. If everything in this world was written down, then there would be no secrets.
Imp continued to auction off six more coffins, including a golden coffin and divine wood coffins with all kinds of things inside, such as treasures and strange items that no one knew about.
The items that he wanted were also very special. Items that belonged to the great powers were not to his liking. During the auction, Golden Child and the Divine Spark Prince took out treasures from their sects, but they were all declined.
People found that Imp liked items that were excavated from Necropolis. Including the jade coffin won by Li Qiye, Imp had auctioned off seven items. Amongst the six coffins, four successful trades included four items found in Necropolis.
The young cultivators then understood that Imp was looking for certain things in Necropolis, so they acted accordingly when presenting their possessions.
“The last two coffins are truly amazing. They’re very rare in this world.” After the seventh coffin was auctioned, Imp smiled and then kindly said: “As long as you obtain one of these two treasures, then on the day that you understand them, you will be free to do as you please with their usefulness.”
The young ones became very lively after hearing this. The previous seven coffins all contained incredible items, and now only two were left. It seemed that the last two were even better than the previous seven. He even said that they were very rare in this world, so they had to be extremely wondrous.
At this point, Imp slowly took out a bronze coffin. This bronze coffin was very large; it was twice the size of an ordinary coffin and it contained something huge inside.
Imp slightly tapped it and then narrowed his eyes before speaking with a grin: “Now, let me see your items. If I see something that I like, then this coffin will belong to you.”
“Why don’t you open the coffin so that everyone can take a look?” Someone couldn’t help but ask.
Imp cheerfully replied: “There is no rush, my item is definitely something good. Wait until I look at your offers first. I can open the coffin later.”
Having heard this, people quickly took out their items so that they wouldn’t lag behind.
“I have a Green Ivory Stone found inside the Penta Realm Gate.” A young cultivator took out his item and introduced it to Imp.
“I have a Profound River Lock. This was inside a Ghost Algae Trunk at the Ghost River.” People hurriedly took out their items.
Meanwhile, Imp was looking at the thing the Divine Spark Prince took out. The prince noticed that Imp was interested in his item so he energetically recommended: “I obtained this in Necropolis. When it was unearthed, a scintillating nether light shot everywhere. Although I don’t know what kind of treasure it is, it is definitely one-of-a-kind.”
“Kind of interesting.” Imp glanced at the prince’s item and nodded his head.
Golden Child took out a gray eye and said: “This is an ancient eye left behind by a wise sage from my tribe. Its origin is unclear, but it is surely wondrous.”
“Yes, that is indeed very rare.” Imp looked at the eye and nodded approvingly.
Chapter 444 - Heaven Sealing Pentagate
While Imp was looking at all the items presented, Li Qiye was gazing at the bronze coffin. The moment Imp took it out, Li Qiye focused his gaze upon it as a profound light flashed from the depths of his eyes, seemingly wanting to see what was inside the coffin.
He looked at the coffin meticulously without missing a single detail. He did so again and again.
Imp finally got through everyone’s items. There were only two that he was slightly interested in. One belonged to the Divine Spark Prince and the other was Golden Child’s eye.
The prince and the Golden Child were secretly happy since their chances were very high.
“Aizz, you guys don’t have many good things.” Little Imp looked at the item from the prince again. He was a bit tempted, but not by much. After all, the item in the bronze coffin was very valuable.
The prince was ecstatic. If Imp wished to trade, then he was the most promising client.
“If Senior doesn’t mind, I can take out a few more things from Necropolis.” The Divine Spark Prince hastily added.
“It’ll depend on what they are.” Imp nodded.
“Would you like to make a bet?” However, before the prince could take out his items, Li Qiye suddenly spoke to Imp.
The prince was not pleased, so he coldly spoke: “Human Junior, scram to the side. Do you not see that I’m doing business with Senior?”
Li Qiye ignored the prince and continued on: “This junk is not worth mentioning. Don’t you feel that this transaction is quite unfair for you? How about we make a bet; I’m sure that you will be satisfied.”
Li Qiye’s words not only offended the prince, but even Golden Child’s group. He suddenly became public enemy number one.
The eyes of Golden Child and the Divine Spark Prince became sharp. Golden Child then coldly smiled and said: “A human ant still dares to act so presumptuously?”
A murderous glint appeared in the Divine Spark Prince’s eyes as he coldly uttered: “Wait until I’m done trading with Senior before speaking, do not bother us!”
Naturally, the prince wanted the bronze coffin really badly, and clearly, Imp was a bit inclined to trade it to him. At such an important moment, Li Qiye suddenly decided to interfere, so how could the prince not become outraged?
Li Qiye ignored them and asked Imp again: “Will you bet or not!?”
Imp stared at Li Qiye while gesturing for everyone else to quiet down. The enraged prince’s urge to kill rose higher and higher. The common proverb was right — cutting someone’s road to riches was the same as killing their parents.
“What kind of bet?” Imp said with great interest. He was indeed tempted by the Divine Spark Prince’s item, but he also thought that it wasn’t valuable enough alone.
Li Qiye continued with a smile: “I will guess what is in your coffin. If I am correct, then the coffin will belong to me. If I’m wrong, then I will compensate you with an item.”
“Hmph! What kind of treasure can a human junior possibly have? Don’t waste Senior’s time.” The Divine Spark Prince sneered: “Senior, I still have several other good items that were taken from Necropolis, how about you take a look?”
Imp waved his sleeve, signaling for the prince to shut up. This caused him to become very angry and he wished to kill Li Qiye on the spot. A meal was right in front of him, yet it flew away. 1
Imp enthusiastically asked: “What will you take out to bet with me?”
Li Qiye handed a bottle to Imp and smiled: “Take a look, I’m sure you will accept the bet.”
Imp opened the bottle and was immediately shocked. He instantly closed it, took a deep breath, then said: “You’re on!”
Li Qiye only smiled because this was within his expectations. The bottle contained Myriad Star Water, something that even Immortal Emperors lusted for, so how could Imp possibly resist? In fact, it wasn’t just the water itself, even the bottle alone was already an amazing treasure. How could a bottle capable of containing Myriad Star Water not be wondrous?
The bottle was the War God Temple’s greeting gift to Li Qiye!
No one knew what Li Qiye’s bottle contained. Qiurong Wanxue was also very curious, but she was more curious as to what the bronze coffin contained.
Earlier, Imp traded seven items away to others. With the exception of the first item, the other six did not interest Li Qiye, but the eighth caused him to act. She was curious about the item that could tempt even Li Qiye in such a manner.
Imp gave the Myriad Star Water back to Li Qiye and impatiently urged: “Okay, you can guess now.”
The Divine Spark Prince hated Li Qiye even more after seeing this turn of events. Such a sale was undermined by this fool!
Li Qiye put away the water and smiled: “Slow down, let me look at your bronze coffin first.”
Imp immediately agreed: “As long as you can guess correctly, it will belong to you.”
Imp really wanted Li Qiye’s water. A bottle of such water was enough to tempt anyone without exception.
Li Qiye stood before the bronze coffin and gently caressed it as if he was feeling his lover. He then eventually closed his eyes to feel the coffin.
Moments began to pass and Li Qiye remained still with his eyes closed. His thoughts were fixated on the coffin.
The prince coldly shouted: “Do you know what is inside or not! If you don’t, then just give up, don’t waste everyone’s time!” The prince had lost all of his patience. He didn’t want Li Qiye to guess correctly so that he would still have a chance.
“Shut the hell up!” Imp interrupted the Divine Spark Prince without any consideration to his face.
Being yelled at by Imp left the prince with an ugly expression, but he didn’t dare to act out. Earlier, Imp easily threw dozens of people out of Midtown. Everyone knew that the old man had an unfathomable power and could easily crush them, so they didn’t dare to offend him.
The prince couldn’t afford to provoke Imp, but he didn’t care for Li Qiye. This was why he placed all of his frustration onto Li Qiye. Sooner or later, he would destroy this human ant.
After a while, Li Qiye finally opened his eyes and revealed a subtle smile. Imp then quickly urged him: “Tell me your guess. If you are right, then the coffin will be yours.” He was even afraid that Li Qiye might change his mind because he really needed the Myriad Star Water.
Qiurong Wanxue held her breath in anticipation out of worry for her Young Noble. If he guessed incorrectly, then it would be a huge loss.
Li Qiye gently tapped on the bronze coffin and leisurely said: “If my guess is correct, then this thing has an ancient origin and once sealed an entire realm.” Li Qiye paused here before continuing on: “Its name is… the Heaven Sealing Pentagate!”
Imp was taken aback and could only bitterly smile: “I didn’t think someone in this world would still be able to recognize it.” He took a deep breath and then looked at Li Qiye: “One must be able to concede elegantly. The bronze coffin belongs to you.” Although he was unwilling, he still went out in style.
“Thank you.” Li Qiye smiled and took the bronze coffin away. He didn’t expect to see it here; the Heaven Sealing Pentagate — what an old legend!
Everyone wanted to see the thing inside, but Li Qiye didn’t look like he was going to open it since he had already put it away. Many people gritted their teeth with hostility while gazing at Li Qiye.
Although they had never heard of the name “Heaven Sealing Pentagate,” the fact that it once sealed a realm meant that it must be something incredible.
Imp heaved out a sigh. He was very dejected at not being able to obtain the Myriad Star Water.
“Very well, this will be the last item for auction.” Imp then gravely said: “The last coffin is absolutely worth the most precious item in your entire life. Take out the things you found in Necropolis.”
This time, Imp bluntly said that he wanted Necropolis’ items. This was his initial goal.
Everyone took out their items from Necropolis without any hesitation. In just a split second, colorful treasures appeared and displayed their multi-faceted lights.
“This is the last coffin.” Imp took out the final item. This was a small wooden coffin that was not eye-catching at all. It was around the size of one’s palm and was of a purple color. Despite its humble size, it was a delicate work of art. Runes were carved atop of it, but rather than being hand-carved, they felt natural as if they had always been there.
Everyone was disappointed to see this small wooden coffin as the final item. They all assumed that the last item would — at the very least — be contained in a treasure coffin and not such an ordinary wooden coffin.
“Don’t judge it based on its external appearance.” Imp slowly said: “Even if all of you took out all the things in Necropolis, it still might not be enough to trade for my small coffin.”
The eight treasures prior to this were already wondrous, so Imp’s sentence just now woke everyone up to this small wooden coffin’s greatness.
“Senior, please have a look, this is everything I obtained from Necropolis.” The Divine Spark Prince quickly took out all of his items.
“No, there is more than just this!” The prince then told the disciples by his side to take out everything they had and displayed them in front of Imp.
He then went on to say: “Senior, this is everything I have. As long as you are willing, they will all be yours.”
While Imp was looking at all the items presented, Li Qiye was gazing at the bronze coffin. The moment Imp took it out, Li Qiye focused his gaze upon it as a profound light flashed from the depths of his eyes, seemingly wanting to see what was inside the coffin.
He looked at the coffin meticulously without missing a single detail. He did so again and again.
Imp finally got through everyone’s items. There were only two that he was slightly interested in. One belonged to the Divine Spark Prince and the other was Golden Child’s eye.
The prince and Golden Child were secretly happy since their chances were very high.
Chapter 445 - Mysterious Little Coffin
Golden Child’s group also took out all their items from Necropolis, but they didn’t have as many as the Divine Spark Prince. This was because the Divine Spark Prince brought many Divine Spark disciples and had been here for a very long time to catch a lot of fish to trade with.
Li Qiye’s expression changed after seeing Imp take out the little wooden coffin and said: “How did this thing fall into your hands?” Li Qiye glared at the coffin and was certain of its authenticity.
“Fate.” Imp looked at Li Qiye and hurriedly said with a smile: “Do you want it? Do you want to trade? For the thing in your bottle.”
Li Qiye gently shook his head and said: “You should know that I won’t exchange the item in my bottle, but I must have this wooden coffin.”
“Hmph! How many treasures from Necropolis can you possibly have?” The prince grunted and coldly said: “Do you have enough to trade for Senior’s little coffin?”
It was no surprise that the prince was livid. Amongst the group, he had the most treasures from Necropolis while Imp wanted exactly this. In this crowd, he had the highest chance of getting the wooden coffin, but now, Li Qiye wanted to interfere once again.
His last trade was already ruined by Li Qiye, and now the fella was joining in once again. The prince almost went insane from anger; he wanted to kill this foolish thing right away.
Li Qiye ignored the prince and told Imp: “Although I cannot trade that item with you, I have something else that you would surely want.”
Li Qiye then gave another treasure box to Imp. Imp opened the box and a bright golden brilliance appeared. He was astonished and quickly closed the box before he calmed himself down.
“This is indeed one of the things that I want.” Imp then handed the little wooden coffin to Li Qiye and said: “This belongs to you as well.”
No one knew what was inside Li Qiye’s box that could move Imp to this extent. Of course Imp would be tempted! That box contained the World Tree’s young leaf, the very last one.
Something like this was basically extinct in this world. Only Li Qiye, alone, had one. Imp really wanted it so naturally he was happy to make this trade.
“May we meet again if fate allows.” Imp took Li Qiye’s box and left instantly.
Li Qiye watched Imp’s departure while gently touching this ancient coffin and sighed. This item finally came into being, who would have guessed?
On the other hand, Qiurong Wanxue was wondering about the item inside the coffin that warranted such solemness from her Young Noble.
Despite their short stay together, she knew that not many things could move him. Li Qiye could casually give her the Immortal Moon Margin, but this ordinary wooden coffin made him extremely serious. Just what was inside?
After Imp left, the party was officially over so everyone went on their separate ways, including the group of Golden Child.
When Ye Sha was leaving, he gave a devious smile towards Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue. He would not make a move at this location.
“Boy, watch yourself!” The Divine Spark Prince glared at Li Qiye and snorted.
There was another person who gave Li Qiye special attention before leaving — Mo Lidao. He stood pretty far away from Li Qiye while watching him with a frightening stare. He then smirked and left as well.
Qiurong Wanxue could feel this special atmosphere; although no one had taken action, she could feel the underlying current moving against them: “I’m afraid someone will act against us for the treasures. We should leave Midtown during the night. Maybe we will be able to lose them.”
“Leave?” Li Qiye smiled and replied in a laid-back manner: “Why do we need to leave? If some people wish to die, it is a good thing.”
Qiurong Wanxue could only smile. If her Young Noble said so, then she was not in the position to advise him further. She remained even more vigilant since she was not a match for Ye Sha or the Divine Spark Prince’s group.
Not only did Li Qiye not leave, he also stayed at an inn in Midtown. Of course, the inns at Necropolis were operated by sentiments.
It took a little courage to stay in such an inn, but the benefits included being able to find out some information from these ghosts. New arrivals who wanted to find places or the situations of the fierce grounds would find it very appropriate to ask these ghosts.
“Why are we staying here?” Qiurong Wanxue asked. Not many outsiders would stay at these inns. The majority of them carried mobile mansions or pavilions so they could camp just about anywhere.
“We will stay here for a few days.” Li Qiye answered with a smile. “Since we are at Midtown, I have to look for someone, no, a ghost. I wonder if he is in Midtown or not.” 1
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t question his words. At this moment, she followed all of Li Qiye’s arrangements.
She then noticed Li Qiye playing around with the wooden coffin, so she curiously asked: “What does the wooden coffin contain?”
Ever since they started staying at the inn, Li Qiye kept on playing with the coffin as if he couldn’t get bored of it. However, the strange part was that he didn’t open it to take a look.
“Well, you won’t be able to understand what’s inside. Moreover, this wooden coffin is natural.” Li Qiye smilingly replied.
“Natural? What does that mean?” Qiurong Wanxue inquired further.
“Natural refers to the fact that this is its original shape.” Li Qiye explained: “The first eight coffins were all containers from Imp. For example, the Heavenly Jade Cicada requires Blue Heart Jade for its cocoon to hatch, so Imp carved this Blue Heart Jade into a coffin to store the cocoon till the day it hatches.”
Qiurong Wanxue immediately understood: “So Young Noble’s little coffin was always in this shape.”
Li Qiye nodded lightly and said: “No one can put the thing inside into something else; at least, Imp couldn’t. The thing inside has been there for a very long time and had once drifted throughout the vast three thousand worlds.”
“Is it a treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue looked at the coffin. If her Young Noble didn’t place such importance on it, she wouldn’t have been able to see its preciousness.
“Treasure?” Li Qiye replied: “I’m afraid there are no other treasures in this world that are comparable to it. It is not a treasure, but it is better than all the other treasures. If Imp wasn’t in such a rush, then he would have been very reluctant to trade.”
“You know Imp?” Qiurong Wanxue asked. She felt that even if he didn’t, he was privy to Imp’s identity.
Li Qiye smiled mysteriously without answering. He then went on: “Although you can’t see the thing inside for now, I can let you take a look at the bronze coffin.” Having said that, he took out the bronze coffin.
This bronze coffin was very heavy. He pushed the lid off. Inside were five bronze doors that were placed on top of each other.
The five doors were of the same size and when they lined up with each other, they would make a huge gate.
Each of the doors had different patterns engraved on them, and many runic outlines were around them.
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t understand these patterns and runes, but as she was staring at it, she was sent into a daze. She felt that an ancient portal was opening and was sucking in her soul.
Right when she felt her soul leave her body, Li Qiye covered her eyes and muttered in her ear: “Don’t look for too long!”
Li Qiye’s voice was like thunder and it immediately woke up Qiurong Wanxue. She shivered as her soul returned to her body. With her strength sapped from her body, she limply collapsed into the arms of Li Qiye.
It took her some time to calm down before asking while still being somewhat in shock: “Just… what kind of Life Treasure is this?”
Li Qiye replied with a smile: “To be more exact, it is not a Life Treasure. You can think of it as a foreign dao treasure.”
She recalled the feeling of her soul leaving her body, aghast. She then couldn’t help but ask: “How is the power of this treasure? Is it comparable to an emperor’s Life Treasure or emperor’s True Treasure?”
“Hmm…” Li Qiye smiled then shook his head gently in response: “It is difficult to gauge. It depends on the situation. If used correctly, then it is quite invincible. The Heaven Sealing Pentagate had once sealed an entire realm. Of course, it is not easy to exert its ultimate power; not just anyone can perform such a feat.”
Golden Child’s group also took out all their items from Necropolis, but they didn’t have as many as the Divine Spark Prince. This was because the Divine Spark Prince brought many Divine Spark disciples and had been here for a very long time to catch a lot of fish to trade with.
Li Qiye’s expression changed after seeing Imp take out the little wooden coffin and said: “How did this thing fall into your hands?” Li Qiye glared at the coffin and was certain of its authenticity.
“Fate.” Imp looked at Li Qiye and hurriedly said with a smile: “Do you want it? Do you want to trade? For the thing in your bottle.”
Chapter 446 - Distant Legend
“Did an Immortal Emperor leave behind this treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue emotionally asked. A treasure capable of sealing an entire realm — truly frightening and untouchable. It was absolutely comparable to an Immortal Emperor True Treasure.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and replied: “It’s not something left behind by an Immortal Emperor. At the very least, no one in this world knows who left behind this Heaven Sealing Pentagate. Its origin dates back to a very ancient era, perhaps the Legendary Era or even before that.”
“No way!” Qiurong Wanxue gaspingly replied: “The Legendary Era is just a rumor and isn’t real. How could there be an era even older than the Legendary Era?”
The inhabitants of the Nine Worlds believed that there were four eras in the following order: the Desolate Era, the Desolate Expansion Era, the Ancient Ming Era, and the Emperors Era.
The Emperors Era lasted until just recently when people determined that it ended with Immortal Emperor Ta Kong. The reason was very simple; it was due to the battle between the Black Dragon King and the emperor. The dragon king tearing apart the Heaven’s Will caused the Nine Worlds to fall into the Difficult Dao Era, but some still believed that the Emperors Era was still ongoing since the Difficult Dao Era was too short and couldn’t be considered an era of its own.
In fact, the only era with complete records was the Emperors Era. Although the Ancient Ming Era still had many written records and they were quite complete as well, there were still gaps in this era. There were events that had forever become secrets unknown to future generations.
Now, when it came to the Desolate Expansion Era, documents became scarce. This was the era where the races in the Nine Worlds established their foundation with designated locations chosen by the respective wise sages. For example, whether the human race originated from the Mortal Emperor World or not, this was hard to say. However, the only certainty was that humans took root at this world during the Desolate Expansion Era, and it became the ancestral ground for them.
The Desolate Era was even more distant and arduous to trace. The races in the Nine Worlds were quite weak at that time and there were very few written records. This was the reason why most believed that the Desolate Era was the most ancient time period.
There was another era before the Desolace Era, and it was called the Legendary Era. There were no written annals about this era, only a few incomplete legends. Future descendants could not confirm whether this era had actually existed or if it was only a “legend.”
And now, Li Qiye was talking about an era that predates even the Legendary Era. How could this not shock Qiurong Wanxue? The Legendary Era was but hearsay, so what kind of era was before this one?
“It exists.” Li Qiye nonchalantly said: “But there are a few untraceable events because it happened too long ago, so they became mere myths instead. However, as long as you have enough time and patience, you will be able to find the marks left behind by these the inhabitants of these eras despite the marks disappearing in the river of time.”
Qiurong Wanxue was dumbfounded as she tried to process all of this new information about the ancient eras. She eventually asked: “What kind of era was it?”
“No one knows.” Li Qiye smiled and said. Li Qiye knew a few things and was uncertain about others, but if he could obtain items like the Nine Heavenly Treasures, then he would be able to solve some of the immemorial secrets.
At this time, he reached out and gently touched the bronze doors. The runes appeared to come to life like fishes in the river. A faint light would appear wherever he touched as if he could summon this treasure.
“The Heaven Sealing Pentagate… It seems that Imp was in a rush to obtain a few items. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have traded an item of this magnitude away.” Li Qiye said while being visibly moved.
Qiurong Wanxue only dared to take a quick glimpse at the lively runes. This thing was too frightening, it was capable of sucking out people’s souls.
Li Qiye looked at the gate for a long time and simply shook his head gently without saying anything.
Meanwhile, Qiurong Wanxue closed her eyes out of fear of the gate. After a while, she heard Li Qiye’s teasing voice: “My dear chief, would you like to sleep in the same bed with me tonight?”
She jumped up from these words and opened her eyes to find Li Qiye’s face an inch away from her own. She became frozen because she suddenly remembered that she was still within Li Qiye’s embrace due to the pentagate earlier.
Their postures were extremely intimate as the atmosphere suggested of lasciviousness. In other words, their bodies were tightly pressed against each other.
“It seems that our beloved chief is willing to sleep with me.” Li Qiye smiled and continued.
Qiurong Wanxue became bright red as her body felt hot. This was the first time she had such an intimate physical encounter with someone else. She was embarrassed beyond control as she struggled to jump up. Her evening-shade face didn’t dare to look straight at Li Qiye as she denied: “Nonsense, I don’t want such a thing.”
Her usual mature look combined with this shy expression was charming to the bones yet gentle like the softly flowing aurora in her eyes.
She was too embarrassed to remain calm due to the heat that surged throughout her body. This strange thought remained in her mind without dissipating, causing her body to feel numb. She didn’t dare to stay around any longer since the sultry atmosphere was too unbearable, so she quickly left the room.
“Take care of the Heavenly Jade Cicada.” When she reached the door, she heard Li Qiye’s voice from behind: “This item is superb and will greatly benefit your Snow-shadow Tribe in the future. Maybe your tribe can rise because of it.”
Her heart felt warm from such words. It was hard to describe this feeling that coiled around inside her chest and eventually turned into something sweet that melted her heart…
After she left, Li Qiye only smiled and gently shook his head. Then, he quietly put away the Heaven Sealing Pentagate.
He then took out the small wooden coffin and placed it in front of him. He meticulously gazed at it as if it was a source of enjoyment. After a while, he couldn’t help but utter: “Such a thing has come into being so anything else could as well. Not to mention, the wooden coffin at the Heavenly Ancient Corpse Burial Ground came out as well… Nothing can surprise me anymore.”
Eventually, he put it away and sat in a meditative pose on his bed to channel his merit law to begin cultivating.
A primordial breath surrounded his body. The Yin Yang Sea of Blood appeared and began to refine his blood energy into drops of Longevity Blood. This sea of blood had an incredible origin; if he could actually use its full potential, then it would be absolutely frightening. Unfortunately, Li Qiye’s current cultivation could not excavate the sea of blood’s true profundities.
When Li Qiye’s Fate Palaces opened, seven of them hovered around him. Li Qiye had successfully opened his seventh and he could almost open the eighth.
With Li Qiye’s current foundation, opening eight or nine palaces was not difficult, not even the tenth would be hard. The eleventh would not necessarily be a challenge either, the hard part was the twelfth while the thirteenth would be Li Qiye’s toughest challenge.
Li Qiye was aiming for twelve and, given the chance, he would challenge the thirteenth. The truth was that, for cultivators, having twelve palaces was already an impossible matter. In the written legends, not more than three people had twelve palaces. Moreover, they were only rumors so no one knew whether people actually had twelve palaces or not.
As for the thirteenth, it simply did not exist in this world. Having twelve palaces was already an unreachable limit for cultivators.
However, Li Qiye’s ambition was not limited to someone with dual physiques; this was not a challenge at all. Li Qiye had once trained the Black Dragon King who had invincible dual physiques, thus he would not stop there.
Li Qiye’s blood circulated and his True Fate floated up and down. At times, it would turn into a Kun Peng, at others, it would turn into a vast grand dao or an endless starry sky…
Some amount of time passed by. It was late at night when Li Qiye suddenly opened his eyes with a frightening murderous intent.
Qiurong Wanxue was in the other room. They were separated by one wall. She was very cautious and prepared a line of defense in order to protect herself against people with malicious intents.
However, a fog suddenly condensed as a shadow quietly appeared in her room like a ghost.
This was Ye Sha, the one who stealthly appeared in Qiurong Wanxue’s room. He had been drooling over the two’s treasures for a long time now. Forget about the item from the Ghost River, the coffins from Imp alone were more than enough to incite his greed.
Ye Sha was not in the position to take action with so many people around at the yard. This was why he tailed them and prepared to take action under the cloak of the night.
He assumed that a human junior like Li Qiye was not worth worrying about, so as long as he could take care of Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye would be a fish on a platter.
Once he got close to the bed, the sleeping Qiurong Wanxue suddenly opened her eyes. She was quite aghast after seeing Ye Sha standing right there.
“Did an Immortal Emperor leave behind this treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue emotionally asked. A treasure capable of sealing an entire realm — truly frightening and untouchable. It was absolutely comparable to an Immortal Emperor True Treasure.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and replied: “It’s not something left behind by an Immortal Emperor. At the very least, no one in this world knows who left behind this Heaven Sealing Pentagate. Its origin dates back to a very ancient era, perhaps the Legendary Era or even before that.”
“No way!” Qiurong Wanxue gaspingly replied: “The Legendary Era is just a rumor and isn’t real. How could there be an era even older than the Legendary Era?”
Chapter 447 - Night Attack
Ye Sha was an assassin so, in a split second, he aimed to grip Qiurong Wanxue by the neck in order to finish her in one blow.
His cultivation was also much stronger than Qiurong’s so the moment he reached out, she couldn’t block it even if she wanted to.
However, before his palm could reach her neck, it suddenly stopped in midair. Another hand quietly clasped his wrist.
Li Qiye was standing by the bed as if he had always been there. Suddenly being gripped by the wrist caused even an assassin like Ye Sha to jump. After seeing Li Qiye, his expression greatly changed. Someone of his level knew the significance of being grabbed by the wrist after just one move.
“Crack!” Li Qiye easily crushed Ye Sha’s wrist.
“Snap!” He then pulled on it. Ye Sha’s hand was severed from his arm, causing blood to spurt everywhere as he miserably screamed: “Ahh!!”
Nevertheless, his killer’s instinct allowed him to run away instantly. After his hand was ripped off by Li Qiye, he immediately turned into smoke and escaped.
Li Qiye threw away the hand and looked at the pale and frightened Qiurong Wanxue. He then asked: “Are you alright?”
Qiurong Wanxue regained her composure and nodded her head. He then grabbed her waist and said: “We’ll catch him.” They then instantly vanished.
Ye Sha escaped to the east of Midtown right after he left the room. As an assassin, his speed and stealth were both top notch; those of the same cultivation level were not his match.
Ye Sha only had one foot into the Little Sovereign’s realm and didn’t actually possess a sovereign’s power, but due to his mastery of assassination, he had killed a Heavenly Sovereign before.
But tonight, he had met his match. He understood that his opponent was formidable, so he ran away with all his might.
The moment when he thought he was safe, Li Qiye’s lazy voice suddenly rang from behind him: “You think you could escape?”
With one hand holding Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye easily traversed the sky under the moonlight as if distance was not a hindrance to him. With one step, he easily caught up to Ye Sha.
Although Ye Sha was very fast, he was far too lacking compared to Li Qiye. Without taking into consideration Li Qiye’s cultivation of the Soaring Immortal Physique, the fastest physique in this world, he would still easily catch Ye Sha.
His Fate Law was the Kun Peng’s Six Variants, an emperor law with terrorizing speed. Although it could not completely make up for the Hell Suppressing Godly Physique’s lack of speed like the Soaring Immortal Physique, it was still much swifter than Ye Sha.
Ye Sha was scared out of his wits when he saw Li Qiye get right behind him with such ease. He unleashed a slash as fast as lightning towards Li Qiye, but Li Qiye easily evaded it.
The Kun Peng suddenly leapt into the air and the Dark Space Transformation came out. With an unbelievable speed, Li Qiye easily closed the distance between the two of them and appeared right behind Ye Sha.
He then stomped on Ye Sha’s back without having to use the Hell Suppressing Godly Physique. His normal strength and speed were more than sufficient.
“Rumble!”
With a deafening bang, Ye Sha was stomped down hard into the ground, creating a deep pit on the street.
The crisp sounds of bones breaking appeared. This kick destroyed numerous bones in his body as his back caved in, leaving him with only a thread of life. Nevertheless, Ye Sha did not dare to stop. He gritted his teeth and turned into smoke yet again to escape with his top speed.
“What happened?” Ye Sha slamming into the street had alarmed many young cultivators in Midtown. They came out to see what was going on and noticed the chase.
Seeing the drifting smoke, someone instantly recognized Ye Sha: “That… is Ye Sha, right?”
Many young cultivators were in disbelief while watching such a scene. Ye Sha was an expert assassin, a famous killer amongst the younger generation. Today, he was running for his life while being hunted down by someone. Who would believe such a tale?
After seeing Li Qiye, someone who had participated in the auction recognized him: “Isn’t that… the human brat?”
Many people became astonished. At that time, they didn’t respect Li Qiye at all; these young geniuses felt that a human brat like Li Qiye was just a weakling. In the eastern Nether Border, the human race was a weak ethnic group so the ghost race didn’t put them in their sight.
“Truly… unbelievable.” But now, watching Ye Sha running away from Li Qiye like a stray dog left them stunned.
With one hand hugging Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye easily chased after Ye Sha like a cat hunting a mouse.
“How far do you think you’ll get?” Li Qiye asked with a smile. He then shot out a finger beam.
“Pluff!” Ye Sha never had the chance to dodge. “Ahh!!” With a cry, blood spurted out after Li Qiye pierced Ye Sha’s chest with his finger strike.
Ye Sha screamed out in pain, but he still didn’t dare to stop dragging his bloodied body while trying to escape.
Qiurong Wanxue was frozen and forgot that she was being hugged by Li Qiye. Ye Sha was a famous assassin in the Sacred Nether World; he alone could easily massacre the entire Snow-shadow Tribe while no one could stop him.
But now, against Li Qiye, Ye Sha had become a stray dog without the strength to resist.
“This… Just what is the identity of this human brat? How could he be so domineering?” The spectating young cultivators all changed their expressions. They then followed them to witness the outcome.
In fact, such surprise was quite normal. Ye Sha’s cultivation was really strong, at least amongst the younger generation. Unfortunately for him, Li Qiye was someone who could kill Heavenly Sovereigns. Moreover, Ye Sha lacked emperor laws and Immortal Emperor Life Treasures. No matter how strong he was, he still couldn’t compete against Li Qiye.
Within the same realm, cultivators who cultivated emperor laws and possessed Immortal Emperor Life Treasures would easily suppress their opponents. Even opponents one level higher would not be able to escape this fate.
“Bang!” Eventually, Ye Sha dragged his battered body into a pavilion and exclaimed: “Brother Mo, save me!” He then collapsed after uttering these words.
Someone helped him up. This was Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate. They had a deep friendship so at the moment of life and death, Ye Sha ran to find him.
After propping up Ye Sha, Mo Lidao noticed that Li Qiye had already reached this place, so his expression turned sour.
Mo Lidao let Ye Sha into the room and then immediately blocked the entrance. Li Qiye laughed and stood in the sky while gazing down at Mo Lidao before declaring: “Hand Ye Sha over!”
Mo Lidao replied with a deep tone: “Junior, dying is only having one’s head fall to the ground — not a big deal. If you want to resolve your grievances with Brother Ye Sha, then wait for another day. Brother Ye Sha can’t see you tonight!” 1
Ye Sha was part of the Blood Race while Mo Lidao came from the Heavenly Devil Race; these two races had always maintained good relations, especially with the alliance between the Nightwalker Sect and the Sky-devil Gate in the southern Distant Cloud. This alliance was essential because the demon race and human race were very powerful in this region. Emperor’s lineages such as the Thousand Carp River and the Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom were all heritages that consisted of humans, demons, and charming spirits.
Because of this, the Blood Race, the Stone Golems, and the Heavenly Devils had to form an alliance in this region. Now that Ye Sha came running for help, Mo Lidao couldn’t just let him be.
Li Qiye laughed and shook his head in response: “That is impossible. Once someone provokes me, there is only one path for them — death. However, he does have two choices. He can either die in a swift and painless manner or die an agonizing death!”
“Such a big tone!” Mo Lidao’s expression sank as he coldly declared with a sharp gaze: “Junior, take a step back and appreciate the boundless open vistas! You should know that this is not the southern Distant Cloud, it is the Nether Border! The world of the ghost race!”
Mo Lidao made a blatant threat. He was a genius of the younger generation and had quite a few friends from the ghost race.
Li Qiye leisurely smiled and said: “So what if it is the Nether Border? Although the Nine Worlds are vast, I am free to tread where I please. I will come and go as I wish no matter the location!”
“Such blustering!” The Divine Spark Prince had also arrived at this time. He was antagonistic towards Ye Sha so he would not aid a foe. However, Li Qiye’s words annoyed the prince, not to mention that Li Qiye ruined his business earlier — this had been clearly engraved in his mind. Now, the prince couldn’t help but sneer after hearing such an arrogant proclamation.
Golden Child had arrived as well along with many other young geniuses who were attracted by the commotion.
Under the watchful eyes of so many, Qiurong Wanxue, being held by Li Qiye, felt her body becoming hot as her cheeks started to blush. Li Qiye ignored the prince. He looked at Mo Lidao and demanded: “My patience is limited. Quickly hand over Ye Sha to avoid making a mistake.”
“A mistake?” Mo Lidao proudly laughed and then stepped forward with a bold aura.
“Buzzz!” His body then released two divine rings.
“He really is a Little Sovereign!” Seeing the two divine rings shoot out from Mo Lidao’s body, many youths became alarmed. Mo Lidao being able to reach the Little Sovereign realm at such a young age meant that he was definitely an amazing genius.
Ye Sha was an assassin so, in a split second, he aimed to grip Qiurong Wanxue by the neck in order to finish her in one blow.
His cultivation was also much stronger than Qiurong’s so the moment he reached out, she couldn’t block it even if she wanted to.
However, before his palm could reach her neck, it suddenly stopped in mid air. Another hand quietly clasped his wrist.
Li Qiye was standing by the bed as if he had always been there.
Chapter 448 - Crushed With One Hand
Since it required nine divine rings to reach grand accomplishment Little Sovereign, Mo Lidao having two divine rings at such a young age was already quite amazing.
The Sky-devil Tribe was a branch of the Heavenly Devil Race; they had burly physiques like giants. With two rings around his body and a tri-colored halo above his head, Mo Lidao’s blood energy spewed forth like a flood. He was like a fierce rhino capable of crushing a mountain and pulling this earth with his aggressive atmosphere!
“Mo Lidao is indeed ferocious!” Many people exclaimed after seeing his powerful momentum. Mo Lidao’s current prestige was not due to assassinations like Ye Sha.
He arrogantly looked at Li Qiye and sneered: “You could have left earlier. Now, it is too late.”
“Oh? So you want me to stay?” Li Qiye smiled back at him.
“If you apologize to Brother Ye Sha, then I shall spare your life. If not… Today will be your funeral! In the Nether Border, humans are mere insects!” Mo Lidao coldly proclaimed.
Li Qiye laughed and said: “You’re a Heavenly Devil yet you keep on licking the asses of ghosts all day. If the indigenous Heavenly Devils were to hear these words, they would cower in shame.”
Mo Lidao became livid. He let out a loud roar as a huge tablet appeared from his Fate Palace. It soared up high into the sky and then turned into a giant mountain. This was Mo Lidao’s fate weapon, the Sky-devil Tablet.
“Bang!” The sacred mountain formed by the tablet appeared to be inhabited by a god as multiple divine rings floated around it.
“The Sky-devil Divine Mountain!” A person emotionally uttered after seeing Mo Lidao’s fate weapon: “This is Mo Lidao’s fate weapon, it contains the heavenly dao! Some people say that this mountain can crush a Grand Sovereign!”
“Junior, die!” Mo Lidao snarled. The tablet in the form of a mountain loomed over all of Midtown like a gigantic palm. It came crashing down with the might of a thousand mountains towards Li Qiye.
Explosions resounded nonstop as the sky broke apart from such a domineering fate weapon. Midtown would have been torn asunder if there wasn’t a power protecting it.
“So powerful!” Many felt this way when they saw this attack from Mo Lidao. They quickly retreated to avoid being accidental victims.
“Whoosh!” When the tablet was on the verge of slamming into Li Qiye’s head, a blob of smoke appeared; Ye Sha suddenly turned up right behind Li Qiye. With a cold glint, a knife pierced straight towards Li Qiye’s back.
Qiurong Wanxue was scared out of her wits and cried out: “Watch out!”
This stab was too fast; she couldn’t help Li Qiye even if she wanted to.
“This kid is dead for sure!” Everyone assumed that Li Qiye’s fate was sealed when they saw the joint attack from Mo Lidao and Ye Sha.
At this moment, Ye Sha was ecstatic to see his knife connect along with the incoming mountain.
Everyone thought Li Qiye was going to die and the pale Qiurong Wanxue almost fainted.
However, time seemed to freeze as everyone became dumbfounded at the unraveling scene. They no longer dared to believe their own eyes.
Li Qiye, with one hand still holding Qiurong Wanxue, used his other to effortlessly block the Sky-devil Tablet. The extremely heavy tablet was leisurely stopped by Li Qiye. The knife stabbed his back, but he didn’t even bat an eye.
“Your knife is too soft, is it made out of tofu?” Li Qiye turned around and smilingly asked Ye Sha.
The initially ecstatic Ye Sha was now completely frightened due to Li Qiye. At this time, he recognized that the knife did not pierce through Li Qiye’s flesh, it only slightly pricked his skin.
Li Qiye’s Hell Suppressing Godly Physique was noted for its toughness. Although it was not comparable to the Indestructible Diamond Physique, once trained to his current level, stopping Ye Sha’s knife would not be difficult at all.
The aghast Ye Sha turned around to run, but Li Qiye grabbed the tablet from Mo Lidao’s hands and violently swung it towards the door, the direction where Ye Sha was escaping to.
“Boom!” Ye Sha was swatted by the tablet like a fly. His blood stained the ground as he was beaten into the earth.
“Return!” Mo Lidao chanted a mantra to recall the Sky-devil Tablet.
“Buzzz!” The tablet vibrated in Li Qiye’s hand, but the Hell Suppressing Godly Physique suddenly activated. The force of his hand was enough to suppress the tablet!
“Impossible!” Mo Lidao’s heart sank from fear. The Sky-devil Tablet was his fate weapon so others could not steal it unless they were several realms higher than him.
Li Qiye casually glanced at Mo Lidao and said: “You are insufficient to compete with me regarding weight.”
The Sky-devil Tablet was a very heavy True Treasure; it had the weight of a divine mountain. However, it was far from enough compared to Li Qiye’s godly physique. Once fallen into Li Qiye’s hands, even this True Treasure had to suffer complete suppression.
“Eat this!” Li Qiye smilingly uttered. Li Qiye fiercely slammed the Sky-devil Tablet forward. The tablet flew with the force of the godly physique, causing the grand dao to scream. Countless universal laws in Midtown flew up to protect the town because it was in grave danger should this strike successfully connect with the town.
Mo Lidao felt that this devastating power from the tablet could annihilate the earth itself. Even the strongest attack from himself with the tablet was not comparable to Li Qiye’s current attack.
This blow from Li Qiye seemingly carried the weight of countless divine mountains, something that was capable of crushing even gods and devils! Mo Lidao’s soul nearly flew away from fear.
But nevertheless, he roared and immediately took out all of his strongest weapons, regardless of whether they were Life Treasures, True Treasures, or foreign dao treasures. Everything came out and formed an arc to protect his body.
“Bang!” This was a deafening blast that shook even the stars in the nine heavens. This attack could have plucked the stars in the sky! The tablet destroyed all of Mo Lidao’s treasures. The combined weight of the tablet and the godly physique was of an unimaginable magnitude. This weight crushed and collapsed all things. Mo Lidao’s treasures could not withstand this single blow.
However, Mo Lidao himself was only blown away; he vomited blood with a pale expression. The multitude of treasures protecting him saved him from becoming a bloody mist.
His legs shivered from fear while his heart thumpingly told him to escape. Mo Lidao knew that he had provoked a grim reaper. He didn’t dare to waste time thinking and immediately tried to run as far away as possible.
But right at this moment, a Kun Peng soared and the Dark Space Transformation came out. Li Qiye traversed the spatial distance with just one step and immediately appeared before Mo Lidao, blocking his path.
Li Qiye then leisurely smiled: “Trying to escape now? Too late. Just earlier, you were quite awe-inspiring, no?”
“Dao Friend, listen to me…” Mo Lidao’s face was as white as paper as he urgently shouted.
Li Qiye was too lazy to listen to his drivel. He slammed the tablet down. This time, he didn’t use the godly physique but the Kun Peng’s Six Variants instead. Under its catalytic push, the tablet had an extremely swift speed and turned into a light that rushed downward.
Mo Lidao tried to escape. He didn’t mind burning off his Longevity Blood to increase his speed, but how could it match the Kun Peng’s Six Variants?
“Pop!” When the tablet slammed down, Mo Lidao was worse off than a fly. It slammed onto his body and crushed him into nothingness. This strike didn’t even leave a fragment of a bone behind.
All became pale with horror after seeing this scene, including the Divine Spark Prince and Golden Child. The prince’s cultivation was not stronger than Ye Sha’s or Mo Lidao’s. The fate of those two was enough to show how violent Li Qiye was.
Golden Child, on the other hand, was much stronger than Mo Lidao and Ye Sha. However, those two were killed by Li Qiye like flies. Even with all of his strength, Golden Child wouldn’t necessarily be able to dispatch Mo Lidao as easily.
Other people gasped and felt a cold chill running down their spines. This guy was too brutish and aggressive! To kill Mo Lidao in such a manner…
“Who is he? Could he be from the Thousand Carp River or the Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom?” Someone murmured. Such a young yet fierce person couldn’t possibly be unknown.
A young man from the southern Distant Cloud shook his head in response: “I have never heard of such a character in the Distant Cloud. He’s not from the Simple Mountain either. The strongest person in the Thousand Carp River is probably Fairy Zhu.”
“Such a person is considered ferocious? If he is a ferocious person, then am I not a prehistoric beast?” Li Qiye nonchalantly threw the Sky-devil Tablet to the ground and smirked.
These words were quite aggressive, but no one dared to call Li Qiye out. He easily killed Mo Lidao, a famous monster in the Distant Cloud. It was just like Li Qiye said, if Mo Lidao was a fierce monster, then he was a prehistoric beast!
Since grand accomplishment Little Sovereign required nine divine rings, Mo Lidao having two divine rings at such a young age was already quite amazing.
The Sky-devil Tribe was a branch of the Heavenly Devil Race; they had burly physiques like giants. With two rings around his body and a tri-colored halo above his head, Mo Lidao’s blood energy spewed forth like a flood. He was like a fierce rhino capable of crushing a mountain and pulling this earth with his aggressive atmosphere!
“Mo Lidao is indeed ferocious!” Many people exclaimed after seeing his powerful momentum. Mo Lidao’s current prestige was not due to assassinations like Ye Sha.
Chapter 449 - Who The Hell Is Your Brother-In-Law?
Ye Sha, who was lying on the ground, watched as Li Qiye approached. He really wanted to run away, but his body was unwilling. Li Qiye casually swatting away the tablet was not enough to kill Ye Sha, but it injured him to the point where he couldn’t lift a finger.
Li Qiye came closer and looked down at Ye Sha. Ye Sha was terrified, but he still put on a strong act: “What… What do you want to do!? Don’t forget… I am the descendant of the Nightwalker Sect. If… If you dare to kill me… then the Nightwalker Sect will not let you off! Even if you run to the corners of the world, the sect will still come for you!”
“Nightwalker Sect? What is that?” Li Qiye leisurely replied to Ye Sha’s threat. He then stomped down.
“No—” Ye Sha unwillingly screamed out, but it was too late. Li Qiye killed him with a stomp.
Seeing Li Qiye trample Ye Sha to death forced those who were present to draw a cold breath. In the blink of an eye, this person killed off two descendants from two great powers, offending both the Nightwalker Sect and the Sky-devil Gate.
However, Li Qiye was still as carefree as ever. Just how domineering must this person be to not care about two great powers? How fierce does one have to be to maintain such a carefree posture after offending two great sects?
“This is a dangerous man.” A person whispered and shivered. Mo Lidao and Ye Sha were both quite notorious, but they were easily slain by Li Qiye.
After finishing off Ye Sha with a stomp, Li Qiye smiled and looked around at everyone before fixing his gaze upon the Divine Spark Prince. He then slowly asked: “Anyone else have a problem with me? I am someone who can accept criticism, so feel free to comment.”
The Divine Spark Prince’s expression changed after being fixated upon by Li Qiye’s gaze; the person was provoking him. This was a great humiliation to the arrogant prince, but now understood that Li Qiye was very powerful.
Nevertheless, the prince didn’t want to back down in front of so many people since he couldn’t bear such shame. He snorted and said: “There are countless masters in this world…”
Li Qiye leisurely smiled while looking at the Divine Spark Prince and asked: “Are you one of those masters?”
The prince was greatly alarmed and instinctively took a step back. Showing such weakness in front of everyone was very aggravating; he felt like Li Qiye was humiliating him. He took a deep breath and decided to play till the very end as his pride surged.
The prince then coldly spoke: “I admit that you are very strong, but you are nothing compared to my brother-in-law. Anyone who opposes my brother-in-law will not have a good end! No matter how strong you are, you are but an ant before him…”
The prince knew that he was not a match for Li Qiye so he showed his backing instead — his brother-in-law, Sir Di Zuo!
Many people were annoyed at the prince’s arrogance, but everyone obediently shut up when his brother-in-law was mentioned. They could only swallow their anger no matter how displeased they were with the prince.
“PA!” However, before the prince could finish, Li Qiye slapped him flying away!
The prince’s mouth was full of blood after he got slapped as he lividly glared at Li Qiye.
Li Qiye freely said: “You and I have no grievances, and I am not the type to massacre the innocent. However, if someone wants to act up in front of me, then sorry, sometimes my hand gets real itchy and likes to slap people. Don’t take it to heart.”
“You!” The Divine Spark Prince wanted to vomit blood from anger and had an extremely ugly expression at the moment. He wished that he could rush forward and kill Li Qiye, but reason told him that he was not a match. He had no choice but to hold back.
Li Qiye nonchalantly glanced at the prince and cheerfully smiled: “You were talking about your brother-in-law, but I must apologize, I do not know who your brother-in-law is. Who the hell is he?”
Everyone gasped when they heard this. Li Qiye’s words were too overbearing. Any experienced cultivator in the Sacred Nether World would have heard of Di Zuo’s name.
Di Zuo, the Myriad Bones Throne’s descendant, was rumored to cultivate the emperor laws of three Immortal Emperors. He was one of the three heroes of the Sacred Nether World. Legend states that Di Zuo could speak to the heavens; he was unparalleled in this world, so many people called him “Sir”.
But now, Li Qiye actually said “Who the hell is your brother-in-law?” This was clearly provoking Di Zuo, and it caused many hearts to beat faster. If this kid was not tired of living, then he could only be said to be super domineering.
Li Qiye ignored the prince. He then hugged Qiurong Wanxue and shifted his body to disappear under the night’s curtain.
After Li Qiye left, a person murmured: “A true ruthless person has been born.”
The Divine Spark Prince couldn’t swallow this anger. After Li Qiye left, he spat towards the direction of his departure and said through his gritted teeth: “Blind Little Animal! Just wait, you will experience a fate worse than death soon enough!”
Golden Child came closer and consoled: “Brother Divine Spark, just bear it for a bit. This human junior will not be arrogant for long. When Sir Di Zuo comes, he will definitely end that brat with his blade.”
Golden Child was also a genius of the generation and was very conceited. However, after seeing Li Qiye quickly dispatching Mo Lidao like killing a fly, his heart also sank. He knew that he was not Li Qiye’s match, so he didn’t dare to say anything when Li Qiye slapped the Divine Spark Prince. At that key moment, if he rushed in by himself, then that would be completely suicidal. He didn’t want to lose his life for the Divine Spark Prince.
Today, the Divine Spark Prince had lost all face. He was the prince of the Divine Spark Country and was always arrogant with his noble identity. Ever since his sister was betrothed to Di Zuo, the country’s status soared in the Sacred Nether World. No matter where he went, young cultivators and even geniuses would be very polite towards him.
Today, being humiliated by a human brat in front of so many people was the biggest shame of his life.
His gaze became extremely cruel as he spoke with a twisted expression: “Just wait, Little Animal, there is no need to wait for my brother-in-law just for an ant like you. My sister alone will be enough to deal with you! At that time, I will make you prostrate and lick my shoes!”
The prince would absolutely never forgive Li Qiye for giving him the biggest setback of his life. Once Li Qiye fell into his hands, he would take his time and slowly torture Li Qiye.
Many young cultivators did not agree with his words. He was clearly the first to provoke Li Qiye, but of course, no one would say it out loud.
The prince didn’t have the talent to join the elites of the younger generation; he wasn’t even equal to Golden Child, but many people were still wary of him. Whose fault was it that he had such a good sister and an amazing brother-in-law?
In fact, many people shivered after thinking about his sister, the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden. She was not only a kingdom-toppling beauty, she also had a strong cultivation. In fact, she was even stronger than Golden Child!
Some had praised her as the prettiest beauty and the number one expert amongst the younger generation in the Distant Cloud. Part of this was flattery, but it was not only directed towards her, it was also for Di Zuo.
Whether she was the prettiest or not would depend on each person’s subjective view. However, she was definitely not the number one expert amongst the younger generation in the Distant Cloud. Nevertheless, no one dared to show contempt towards her. Her cultivation was indeed very deep and her strength was formidable — this was the reason for many young geniuses to dread her.
She was not just a beautiful flower vase since both her talents and cultivation were quite immense. Otherwise, how could she be a match for a character like Di Zuo?
This was the reason why many people showed dread when her name was brought up.
“Just wait, Little Animal, my sister is almost here!” The Divine Spark Prince vented his resentment.
Though many people disliked his bullying ways, their hearts shivered after hearing about the Phoenix Maiden who was about to arrive. If the Phoenix Maiden was coming, then didn’t that mean that Di Zuo — as her fiance — was coming as well?
Di Zuo was an existence high in the clouds, someone who would cause everyone to feel dejected. The younger generation didn’t want to see Di Zuo at all.
As long as Di Zuo was there, every genius, regardless of how talented or excellent they were, would not be able to shine. Before Di Zuo’s brilliance, all geniuses were eclipsed and were not worth a single coin.
Di Zuo was an insurmountable mountain that always pressured the young cultivators. They could not surpass him and could only continue to be suppressed by him!
***
Li Qiye embraced Qiurong Wanxue all the way back to their housing. She was still in a daze when he put her down. He then tapped her shoulder and smiled: “Qiurong, are you afraid, or are you recalling the feeling of being in my embrace and thinking that you don’t want to leave?”
Qiurong Wanxue’s mind returned to her hot body as she blushed while looking at him with a pair of eyes filled with limpid autumn water that was about to spill. 1
Ye Sha, who was lying on the ground, watched as Li Qiye approached. He really wanted to run away, but his body was unwilling. Li Qiye casually swatting away the tablet was not enough to kill Ye Sha, but it injured him to the point where he couldn’t lift a finger.
Li Qiye came closer and looked down at Ye Sha. Ye Sha was terrified, but he still put on a strong act: “What… what do you want to do!? Don’t forget… I am the descendant of the Nightwalker Sect. If… If you dare to kill me… then the Nightwalker Sect will not let you off! Even if you run to the corners of the world, the sect will still come for you!”
“Nightwalker Sect? What is that?” Li Qiye leisurely replied to Ye Sha’s threat. He then stomped down.
“No—” Ye Sha unwillingly screamed out, but it was too late. Li Qiye killed him with a stomp.
Chapter 450 - Nightsea Becomes Clear
She looked up at Li Qiye to find a slight smirk and his always-nonchalant attitude; all of these things were imprinted in her heart before she knew it. A flame enkindled deep within her when she looked at this young man right before her.
Qiurong Wanxue took a deep breath and suddenly mustered her courage. She approached and stretched out her jade-like hands to embrace his neck and couldn’t resist the urge to kiss his lips.
When their lips touched, her heart pounded hard as she lost control of her body. Despite her nervous state, she still decisively chose to kiss him longer.
This elegant woman was blushing like the evening sun. The kiss revealed her inexperience, but she remained persistent.
Li Qiye was surprised as he felt her soft, sweet lips. He then lifted this mature beauty’s face and resolutely tasted her lips. He showed no mercy as he pried his way in to cherish her fragrant tongue and didn’t allow for her to escape.
Qiurong Wanxue’s soul almost left her body from Li Qiye’s overbearing kiss as she felt her strength being sapped from her body. Her unskilled self let it all go; she slightly pushed out her tongue to let the man do as he pleased, she was like a moth drawn to the flame.
The passionate kiss led to Li Qiye’s hand caressing her voluptuous buttocks. With a pinch, she became weak and fell into his embrace. He then patted it and teased: “My beloved chief, do you want to warm my bed tonight?”
This suddenly caused her entire body to feel hot as her skin became dyed with an alluring shade; she was unable to remain calm from the embarrassment and quickly pushed him away. She couldn’t lift her head to look at him when she bashfully said: “In your dreams, I would never warm your bed!” Having said that, she ran away with her fastest speed.
She still felt the rush after having left Li Qiye behind. She gently bit her lips while recalling the embarrassing scene from earlier. It was as if she had been possessed by the young man’s charm and couldn’t help but to offer her first kiss. She didn’t know where she found the courage to do such a thing.
Eventually, the ripe beauty coquettishly scowled and didn’t dare to remember the event that just transpired.
***
The next morning, her face felt hot after she saw Li Qiye. He then playfully asked: “So? Did you not sleep well last night?” Li Qiye then winked in an innocent yet suggestive manner.
While being both ashamed and angry, she took in a deep breath to pacify her chaotic thoughts before glaring at him to say: “Less nonsensical babble. Where are we going today?”
Qiurong Wanxue was a mature and elegant lady so her flirty yet shy eyes had a completely different charm to it. The combination of these two things made her even more attractive.
Li Qiye smiled and freely responded: “We’ll be looking for someone. I don’t know whether we can find the person or not, though. If successful, then maybe we’ll be able to get some news.”
They then left the inn and went around Midtown. He specifically looked for alleys and noted certain markings around them. They went to several small alleys but they couldn’t find the person.
After walking through many alleys, Qiurong Wanxue curiously asked: “Who are we trying to find?”
“A guy in hiding who doesn’t want to meet others.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
“Boom, boom!” However, as they continued on with their search, all of Midtown, no, all of Necropolis suddenly shook.
The shaking town scared Qiurong Wanxue as she asked: “What happened?”
Li Qiye felt the heaven and earth shake as he pulled Qiurong Wanxue up to the sky with a changed expression. He then gazed towards Nightsea and exclaimed: “It’s coming from Nightsea!”
“Rumble!” Nightsea was not that far away from where Li Qiye was. Everyone saw a terrifying scene. The splashing sounds of water contributed to an astonishing sight as a pillar of tides shot up straight to the sky, nearly piercing the nine heavens. This wave seemingly wanted to sweep through all the stars that hung above.
After reaching an unbelievable altitude, it started to descend while creating monstrous splashing sounds that were heard by everyone in Necropolis.
All were in fear, including the young cultivators from the outside as well as the local residents.
Long after the tide fell down, many people were still shaken since no one knew what was going on with this sudden development.
“It has to be Nightsea.” Li Qiye murmured. His expression changed after remembering a certain thing.
Qiurong Wanxue was stunned by this new development. She had never heard of a similar occurrence before. A tidal wave suddenly shot to the sky — this was too frightening. Just what on earth had occurred?
“What now? Do we go to Nightsea to take a look?” The frightened Qiurong Wanxue asked Li Qiye.
However, they didn’t need to go to Nightsea. In a short amount of time, new information spread across Necropolis. The messengers were cultivators from the outside along with the local ghosts.
“Nightsea is now clear!” A dazzling piece of news shocked all of Necropolis.
“Nightsea is clear? Impossible!” The first reaction to this news was disbelief.
The local inhabitants didn’t believe it either. Even as ghosts, they didn’t believe such an unimaginable thing.
For the past millions of years, Nightsea had always been as dark as ink. Even the longest living sentiment in Necropolis had never heard of Nightsea turning translucent.
“This cannot be any truer. Not only has it turned clear, it is no longer an ominous ground anymore. Anyone can enter without facing any dangers, and the handlers disappeared as well. I have a friend who was catching fish in Nightsea. He was sent into the sky by the tidal wave and thought that he would be dead for sure once he fell into Nightsea, but the water turned clear and it didn’t drown him!”
“How could this be…” Many people quickly went to check. When this sudden change occurred at Nightsea, many people were still fishing and were blown into the sky. They thought that they would be doomed for sure, but Nightsea was no longer dangerous by the time they fell into the water. All of the handlers disappeared as well.
Despite the new risk-free environment, these young cultivators all ran away from Nightsea in fear.
After confirming, many people headed towards Nightsea, including its ghostly inhabitants.
“What is going on?” Many people flocked to the shore and looked at the clear ocean water in astonishment. They rubbed their eyes repeatedly since they thought that it was merely an illusion.
However, this was not the case, this was reality. The previously pitch-black water was now as clear as crystal. One cultivator couldn’t help but jump into the water: “Come, we’ll go explore!”
In the beginning, the young ones were very cautious and only dipped one foot into the water. Once they found that nothing was wrong, they all traveled into Nightsea.
“It really is fine now, Nightsea is not drowning people anymore!” After discovering the lack of danger, many young cultivators excitedly rushed into the sea and swam around like flood dragons.
Before this, Nightsea was notorious for its dangers; once one fell into its waters, their only fate would be death. Thus, everyone was extremely careful at this place.
But now, Nightsea was not dangerous at all, so how could people not become excited?
Compared to the happy outsiders, Necropolis’ local ghosts were very cautious. These ghosts were still very afraid of Nightsea despite it being clear. They then went away; they were too reluctant to stay close to the shore.
“I wonder what actually happened.” Momentarily, many speculations formed around Necropolis to explain Nightsea’s change.
“Why did Nightsea suddenly become clear?” Qiurong Wanxue also found it hard to believe.
Li Qiye became quiet after hearing the news. He had several speculations to explain this change, but he could not be certain until he personally confirmed it.
“What should we do now? Do we still need to find that person?” Qiurong Wanxue asked her Young Noble.
“No, we have to go to the Ancestral Flow so I can meet someone.” Li Qiye pondered for a moment before replying.
After they came to a decision, the elders told the disciples to greet Li Qiye.
The shrimp demon cringed a bit after hearing the orders from the top. This was actually happening, and this person was the legitimate fiance of the princess. He was glad that he did not snub Li Qiye.
“Honoured Guests, please follow me.” The shrimp demon turned very polite without the slightest of delays.
Li Qiye and Lu Baiqiu rode in the shrimp demon’s small boat as they entered the Thousand Carp Lake with the feeling as if they were entering a vast ocean.
Eventually, the shrimp demon took the two of them onto an island atop the lake. It was an island meant for receiving guests, and the person who greeted the two of them could be considered an old acquaintance — Protector Xiao.
“My apologies for not being able to greet you earlier, welcome to our Thousand Carp River, Young Noble Li.” Protector Xiao exchanged greetings with a relatively welcoming smile.
It was not easy for him to put on such a welcoming smile. In fact, Protector Xiao was still very annoyed at Li Qiye because ultimately, Li Qiye was too arrogant, bringing about the protector’s dislike. Not to mention, as Lan Yunzhu’s fiance, not many people in the river sect had an amiable feeling towards him. This was blatantly digging from their house corners, so how could anyone be happy? 1
Nevertheless, the sect master, Daoist Bao Gui, ordered for Li Qiye to be treated like an honored guest, so Protector Xiao had to obey his command.
Protector Xiao took the two to the highest location on the island where a special mansion meant for entertaining honored guests was located and settled them in.
“If Young Noble Li needs anything else, you can tell the servants.” Protector Xiao said: “You are an esteemed guest of our Thousand Carp River. Outside of a few special places, you can go around and look where you please.”
Although Protector Xiao didn’t like Li Qiye, he still managed to hide his temper. As a disciple of an emperor’s lineage, he truly did have a certain level of tolerance.
“Then I thank you for your sect’s hospitality.” Li Qiye smiled and asked: “Regarding the matter of marriage, what is your sect’s decision?”
This was the thing Protector Xiao didn’t want to talk about the most. This issue was still being debated amongst the upper echelons. Of course, the majority of elders opposed this marriage while a smaller number adopted a wait-and-see attitude.
The sect master held the same view regarding this marriage, so it was impossible to make a decision immediately.
Of course, Protector Xiao was one of those who opposed this marriage. How could an unknown junior and an outsider like Li Qiye be worthy of their descendant, Lan Yunzhu?
In response to this, Protector Xiao answered with a question: “What is Young Noble Li’s decision about this? If you can end this marriage arrangement, then it is a good thing for both sides.”
“Well.” Li Qiye cheerfully smiled and said: “The decision is not up to me, but up to you guys. To be more exact, it is up to your little girl. If you want me to make a decision, then let her come and see me in person.”
“You—” Protector Xiao was very displeased at this attitude. Very few people dared to act so arrogantly in front of their Thousand Carp River, but this junior didn’t show any restraint time and time again. If it wasn’t for the sect master’s order, he would immediately teach this junior a lesson about the immensity of the heaven and earth.
“Let the girl come and see me, there is no need for a bunch of old men to interfere in the girl’s business. As for how to deal with this matter, it is up to the two of us.” Li Qiye gently spoke then motioned with his sleeve.
Protector Xiao was unhappy and snorted before leaving with a swing of his sleeves. What could he do outside of leaving in exasperation since he didn’t want to violate the sect master’s order?
After he left, Lu Baiqiu couldn’t help but say in a low voice: “Young Noble, this is the Thousand Carp River’s territory. Since you didn’t give them any face like this, what if they change their attitude completely?”
Lu Baiqiu inadvertently also changed the way she addressed Li Qiye at this moment. The Static Stream Royal Lord and Protector Xiao both called Li Qiye “Young Noble,” so Lu Baiqiu also adopted this honorific.
“Change their attitude?” Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and gently smiled: “I’m not afraid that they will become more aggressive; on the contrary, I’m afraid that they won’t. If they do so, then I will have a reason to take away a few items. But if they don’t, then I can’t forcefully take some stuff out of consideration for Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s face.”
Lu Baiqiu was suddenly speechless after hearing such words. She knew that Li Qiye was very overbearing, but she didn’t expect it to reach this level. Out of consideration for Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s face… These words were too nonsensical.
Immortal Emperor Qian Li was, of course, an invincible existence, yet Li Qiye nonchalantly made it sound as if they were acquaintances.
Of course, it was an impossibility in Lu Baiqiu’s opinion. How could someone of Li Qiye’s age be related to Immortal Emperor Qian Li?
“Could it be that Young Noble is not here because of the marriage?” Lu Baiqiu just had to ask to dispel her uncertainty.
“Perhaps.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “Taking care of this marriage arrangement is only out of convenience since I’m already here. How could the matter of this marriage warrant my personal arrival?”
Lu Baiqiu couldn’t help but wryly smile. With unparalleled talents and kingdom-toppling beauty, Lan Yunzhu was a renowned heaven’s proud daughter in the Distant Cloud. Countless people could not reach for her, including descendants from emperor’s lineages. But now, Li Qiye spoke as if she was the one who wanted him.
Lu Baiqiu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry; she didn’t know whether he was only arrogant or mad. Nevertheless, she felt as if he still had a sliver of rationality, but the crux of the issue was that this matter, to him, was essentially trivial.
“Young Noble, this is the Thousand Carp River… If… if you want to take away a few items, I’m afraid this might be a bit inappropriate.” Lu Baiqiu had to whisper since she was afraid others would hear such words. 2
Taking items from the river sect’s ancestral ground was a thing that had never happened before. Not to mention, judging by Li Qiye’s tone, the items that he wanted were not ordinary. Having thought of such things, Lu Baiqiu became quite anxious about this foreboding event that could pierce the sky.
“Nothing is inappropriate about this. There are many things that did not initially belong to them.” Li Qiye nonchalantly smiled and said.
To be more exact, there were items in the sect that belonged to Li Qiye. This time, he came by chance to see if the river sect was worthy of having such items; otherwise, he would take away these items from the past, these supreme immortal items…
Lu Baiqiu gently sighed in her heart and didn’t say anything else. She knew very clearly that she didn’t have enough face to convince Li Qiye otherwise. At this moment, she could only hope that Li Qiye would not escalate this matter to an irreconcilable state.
On the second day of their stay at the Thousand Carp Lake, Li Qiye brought Lu Baiqiu out for a stroll. Although some disciples wanted to be their guide, Li Qiye chose to deny this request.
The truth was that the sect’s disciples were not as familiar with this lake as Li Qiye. At the inception of this location, Li Qiye spent a lot of effort so he knew more about the secrets of this lake than the disciples; even the elders of the Thousand Carp River were no exceptions.
The items and secrets hidden in this lake were clearly known by Li Qiye.
The lake had numerous islands. Some were continuous with interlinked sections while others were completely separated by the lake. Nevertheless, many of them were connected via divine bridges that towered over the sky all the way into the clouds. It was indeed a spectacular scene.
Li Qiye became immersed in memories as he took a deep breath while basking in the familiar and misty worldly energy that emanated from the lake. He once left an indelible footprint upon this place, the Thousand Carp Lake.
Once upon a time, it was only a plain lake that did not garner any attention. But later on, he struggled to excavate the secrets of this place and then Immortal Emperor Qian Li created the sect here to start their emperor’s lineage.
Unlike Li Qiye, this was Lu Baiqiu’s first time visiting the Thousand Carp Lake. She was struck with astonishment by many spectacles at the lake. This was indeed a land of immortals, a sacred place worth yearning for, a paradise for cultivators.
The two of them encountered many disciples along the way and were met by a lot of whispers. Fingers were even pointed at them. There were also some disciples who carried a deep sense of hostility towards Li Qiye.
There were no walls in this world that were completely impervious to the wind. The news of Li Qiye being Lan Yunzhu’s fiance had already secretly spread to the rest of the river sect, causing quite a commotion.
Chapter 402 - Yan Long
The older generation of the river sect only smiled while one of them shook their head: “How could a nobody be a match for our Thousand Carp River’s descendant? Not even descendants from emperor’s lineages have such qualifications.”
The young disciples were also incensed, especially the young males who carried extreme hostility towards Li Qiye.
This matter should come as no surprise. Lan Yunzhu was the perfect girl in both talents and looks, thus she was the goddess and lover in the dreams of these young men. How could they not become outraged when their goddess suddenly gained a fiance out of nowhere?
“Isn’t that Sister Zhu’s fiance? I heard he came this time around to marry her.” A young female disciple whispered to her brothers and sisters next to her.
“Sister Zhu’s fiance?” There were also some students who were immediately shocked after hearing this as they responded: “Since when did Sister Zhu have a fiance? Before this, the Saint Child of the Titanic Crescent Sacred Ground came to propose, but he was denied by the group of elders, so how could there be a fiance now?” 1
“I heard this marriage was arranged by Sister Zhu’s family!” Another young male disciple said: “This brat crawled out of nowhere and suddenly became Sister Zhu’s fiance.”
“Don’t worry, a marriage arrangement like this will not work out; the elders will not let such a thing come to fruition!” A knowledgeable older disciple calmly spoke as if a character like Li Qiye was not worthy of entering their inner circle.
“Of course! This brat must be daydreaming if he wants to marry our Sister Zhu!” A male disciple sneered: “Why not look in the mirror first? It’s only a marriage arrangement from the mortal world, yet he still dares to show his face at our Thousand Carp River. Hmph, does he not know what kind of place this is? Even an imperial descendant is not worthy of our sister, let alone a nobody like him!”
In just a brief moment, many disciples whispered and discussed this matter. They were quite antagonistic towards Li Qiye’s arrival. Nevertheless, the disciples here didn’t make it difficult for Li Qiye, but they indeed carried unfriendly expressions for Li Qiye to look at.
Li Qiye didn’t mind such trivial things and kept on following his whim to bring Lu Baiqiu around the islands on the Thousand Carp Lake.
Lu Baiqiu had to wryly smile after seeing Li Qiye’s good mood. She felt inadequate compared to Li Qiye since he was able to leisurely stroll around despite being in the enemy’s camp. It was as if the lake was his own house. Despite the disciples not giving him any amiable expressions, he ignored these disciples and their whisperings.
Inadvertently, the two of them went to a particular island with a huge statue standing tall in the center. This extremely large statue only consisted of the shadow of a back.
However, this alone was enough to shake spectators. The person who left behind his back seemed to have come from the great ocean as his head entered the primordial chaos, leaving behind an endless blue ocean.
Even the silhouette of this back was not very clear. More than half of the figure had entered the primordial chaos, so one could only see a faint profile. Nevertheless, it was still an awe-inspiring scene as this ethereal back proudly stood above the nine heavens and ten earths. It was as if everything had to stop at this place, and even the gods and devils could only gaze at this faint back, not daring to take a step further.
Li Qiye was lost in a daze for a long time after seeing this statue that only consisted of a faint silhouette.
Lu Baiqiu was also stunned from astonishment by the aura exuded from this silhouette. Standing before the statue was like seeing the back of an Immortal Emperor in person. It seemed that the emperor was walking on a solitary path forward and eventually entered the endless primordial chaos.
“Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s silhouette!” Lu Baiqiu couldn’t help but murmur while staring at this statue.
Immortal Emperor Qian Li was too mysterious. Some even considered this emperor as the most mystical out of them all. No one even knew whether the emperor was a man or a woman, let alone their background and master.
So the world kept on guessing about the emperor’s mysteries with many speculations that ended without any result. In fact, even the disciples of the emperor did not know whether their master was a man or a woman. To sum it up, everything about the emperor was shrouded in a thick layer of fog, blocking out the gazes from the rest of the world.
There was even a rumor stating that during the emperor’s generation, no one had ever seen the emperor’s true appearance, not even the emperor’s own disciples. Thus, there was no frontal image of the emperor even within the Thousand Carp River, only side profiles.
The only thing future generations knew was that the emperor was a demon, but their true form remained unknown. However, a few people guessed that Immortal Emperor Qian Li was a demon carp, but this conjecture could not be proven.
Li Qiye softly sighed while gazing at this statue before him. The past had disappeared inside the mist, and future generations could no longer find it again.
“I feel that Immortal Emperor Qian Li was very lonely!” Seeing the figure entering the primordial chaos, a lonely sensation suddenly rose in Lu Baiqiu’s heart. It was as if when Immortal Emperor Qian Li entered this primordial space, the prosperity and prestige of the world along with an Immortal Emperor’s glory no longer had anything to do with them. They only left behind a lonely figure.
“The path of the grand dao is solitary.” Li Qiye sighed softly and said: “The 3,000 dao are very long, so as one walks on a path, many things will slowly disappear. Even those who could walk with you towards the apex will eventually leave one day. Walking on the path of the grand dao alone might not necessarily be a bad thing since the day will be inevitable. This way, they can at least enter this endless primordial chaos without any hesitation.”
Lu Baiqiu was taken aback after listening to Li Qiye’s emotional words. It was as if Li Qiye, at this moment, had changed and became quite melancholic and lonely, entering a profound state that was unreachable by others.
“A brat whose mother’s milk has yet to dry, what do you know about the loneliness of the grand dao!” At this time, an encroaching voice appeared as a young man walked towards them along with many Thousand Carp disciples right behind him.
Before the youth even got close, a pressing hot aura approached. His aura seemed to be able to burn all things, and even the disciples right behind him didn’t dare to get close.
This was a young man covered in flames that had intertwining universal laws surrounding him as if they wanted to turn into dao scriptures. The blood energy from his body also appeared to be boiling due to this fire. His approach made people feel that their mouth was drying with a burning sensation.
No one wanted to come close to such a dangerous person.
The young man was very handsome. If it wasn’t for his hair taking the appearance of little crimson snakes, others would actually think that he was the son of a Fire God.
The moment this young man came close, he looked down at Li Qiye. In fact, his arrival had already attracted the attention of many disciples.
“It’s the senior brother of the Thousand Carp River, Yan Long!” Lu Baiqiu whispered to Li Qiye with a shocked expression after seeing this young man. 2
Yan Long was the prime disciple of the Thousand Carp River’s younger generation. Many disciples once thought that if Lan Yunzhu didn’t join the sect, maybe Yan Long would have been the current descendant.
Although Yan Long referred to himself as a descendant of a Fire Dragon, his ancestor was only a demonic Fire Serpent that had an extremely strong affinity for fire. His talents were exceedingly high and he was greatly valued by the elders of the sect. He himself was the disciple of an elder.
“Senior Brother is here!” Many disciples quickly stopped to watch in anticipation once they saw Yan Long suddenly appear and approach Li Qiye’s location.
Such a thing was not surprising to many disciples because the one who would oppose Lan Yunzhu having a fiance the most was Yan Long.
Despite the fact that Lan Yunzhu took his position as the descendant, Yan Long was not unhappy. The reason was very simple — Yan Long also liked Lan Yunzhu. The inner circle of the sect itself valued both of them together quite a bit.
Lan Yunzhu was the river sect’s descendant, so naturally, the elders didn’t want her to marry an outside. Thus, there was once a high elder trying to match them together. The upper echelons were happy at the prospect of them becoming dao companions for this was not a bad choice at all!
However, Lan Yunzhu was not interested in this arrangement made by the high elder. Nevertheless, Yan Long still held onto this hope because even descendants from the other emperor’s lineages could not move Lan Yunzhu. This meant that he, as the senior brother of the sect, still had some hope, especially with the support from the elders.
Chapter 403 - The Fiancee, Lan Yunzhu
Yan Long was very hopeful about this situation and had always thought that he was the most suitable dao companion for Lan Yunzhu. But now, Lan Yunzhu’s fiance suddenly appeared so how could this not be a huge blow to him? He even had the urge to kill Li Qiye.
Others could still stay calm with Li Qiye’s arrival, but Yan Long lost all of his patience and came to find him. He wished to teach Li Qiye a lesson so that he would know better and quit.
Yan Long looked at Li Qiye in disdain. In his eyes, Li Qiye’s appearance was ordinary, and his cultivation was shallow — far from the apex. He contemptuously sneered — how could a common mortal like this be worthy of their sister? Truly an idiot’s dream!
“So you are Li Qiye!” Yan Long snorted and said with an imperious tone as he glared at Li Qiye. As the senior brother of the Thousand Carp River who had always enjoyed the highest level of respect, an unknown nobody like Li Qiye was no different than a cockroach in his eyes.
To Yan Long, trampling an unknown cockroach like Li Qiye would be dirtying his shoes!
Li Qiye was too lazy to look at him or care for his words; he simply stood there to look at Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s statue.
“Brat, do you hear me?” Li Qiye ignoring him enraged Yan Long. In his opinion, even talking to a nobody like Li Qiye was already a great honor for the brat, yet this brat didn’t even bother to look at him — this was extremely humiliating.
“Where did this fly come from. It keep buzzing around nonstop!” At this time, Li Qiye slowly spoke while gently swinging his sleeve as if he wanted to chase this annoying fly away.
Lu Baiqiu could only lament her fate after hearing Li Qiye’s aggressive words. At this moment, it would be difficult to stop this conflict.
Many disciples from the river sect looked at each other in anger. Li Qiye’s bold tone was extremely disrespectful to their river sect. Some who viewed Yan Long as their love rival chose to watch by the side.
“Ignorant fool!” Yan Long suddenly became outraged as he glared and spewed out a wave of flames that resembled a fire dragon, roaring towards Li Qiye.
The moment Yan Long took action, Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and revealed a cold glint. Lu Baiqiu, who was right next to him, couldn’t help but become startled. She was not worried for Li Qiye since she already knew of his ferocity. Yan Long’s fierceness was not enough compared to Li Qiye!
“Pop!” Before the fire dragon could even come close to Li Qiye, it was already destroyed by a flick of a finger. Yan Long had been angered, but after seeing the person who dispelled his fire dragon, all of his anger suddenly vanished.
A girl wearing a blue dress suddenly appeared right next to Li Qiye. She then silently stood beside him with a transcendent air. The girl had a pair of spirited eyes that could bewilder spectators with their pure aura. Although her features shamed the moon and flowers, more people would pay attention to her wonderful temperament.
“Sister!” Yan Long’s anger dissipated after seeing this lady dressed in blue. He immediately put on his gallant posture and revealed a smile that could swoon countless young girls.
“Sister Lan!” Seeing this lady in blue, many Thousand Carp disciples excitedly called out. The male disciples stared in obsession after seeing this charming, beautiful woman.
“Descendant of the Thousand Carp River, Fairy Zhu!” Lu Baiqiu’s expression changed after seeing this woman before her, feeling a sense of inferiority. Lan Yunzhu was indeed worthy of being the descendant of the river sect, a heaven’s proud daughter of the Distant Cloud, and a famed beauty in the entire region.
Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile after seeing the lady in blue beside him. He was too familiar with this girl since it was the person who he referred to as a faded old woman.
“Sister has finally broken through the trial!” Yan Long happily exclaimed: “Congratulations, I knew that this little trial was nothing to you.”
Lan Yunzhu gently nodded her head and greeted: “Thank you for your concern, but I wonder why you suddenly wanted to attack him?”
“Sister, this brat does not know the immensity of the heaven and earth and considered himself your fiance. I want to teach this brat a lesson in your stead about a frog wanting to eat a swan’s meat!” Yan Long hurriedly replied.
Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile, then he looked at Lan Yunzhu and said: “Faded Old Woman, if your senior brother wants to teach me a lesson, do you think it would be better if I fight back, or if you should do it?”
Lan Yunzhu gritted her teeth after hearing these words; she couldn’t help but glare at Li Qiye. As for Yan Long, his anger had already reached the sky.
“Thing that doesn’t know life from death, you dare to insult my sister!?” Yan Long’s flame suddenly soared forward. It was as if he had turned into a Fire Dragon and unleashed a move that covered the sky in flames wanting to incinerate Li Qiye.
“Pop!” Lan Yunzhu gently stopped Yan Long again before he could harm Li Qiye. Although she was quite angry at him, she was also someone who knew when to move forward and when to retreat. Although their senior brother was powerful, but not to mention an Ancient Saint like him, even a Heavenly Sovereign would not be able to handle Li Qiye.
Six palaces and nine stars — this was absolutely an existence worthy of fear. Heavenly Sovereigns would turn pale when faced with such a heaven-defying existence.
“Sister—” Yan Long was surprised to see Lan Yunzhu blocking another attack. He suddenly felt jealous seeing Lan Yunzhu protect Li Qiye twice!
“Brother, this person is a guest. This is no way to treat our Thousand Carp River’s guest!” Lan Yunzhu dismissively said.
Yan Long stopped with with a hateful expression and said: “I’ll spare this brat today out of respect for Sister, but next time, I’ll show him who’s daddy!”
Li Qiye couldn’t be bothered to care for Yan Long and told Lan Yunzhu: “Very well, you guys can deal with your own sect stuff. Little Girl, come to my place later.” Having said that, he turned around and left.
Lu Baiqiu’s mouth was wide open as she stood there dumbfounded. This was the descendant of the Thousand Carp River; countless talents respected her like a goddess, but Li Qiye treated her like his own servant.
Li Qiye’s attitude exasperated Yan Long’s murderous fury while Lan Yunzhu couldn’t do anything about it. As for the disciples standing to the side, they could only glance at each other speechlessly.
Not long after he returned to his mansion, Lan Yunzhu came by. The moment she saw him, she angrily rolled her eyes at him and exclaimed: “You came here to stir trouble, right!?”
Li Qiye leisurely said: “So what if I am? If you guys didn’t come to provoke me, would I be running here to mess with you? To keep it simple, you guys brought this upon yourselves.”
“This is the Thousand Carp River! It’s not a place where you can come and go as you please. Hmph, if something happens, I want to see who will protect you!” Lan Yunzhu angrily scowled.
Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile and say: “Faded Old Woman, your words are mistaken. It is exactly because this is the Thousand Carp River that I can do as I please!”
“Please, Uncle, your tone is so grand. Do you really think that you are invincible in this world?” Lan Yunzhu goaded. Her teeth were itching from anger because of this brat, so she also thought about teaching him a lesson.
Li Qiye nonchalantly replied: “Not quite invincible in this world yet. However, if there is a place where I want to go, there really is no one in this river that can stop me. Not even those old ancestors buried beneath the earth can do so.”
Lan Yunzhu snorted in response. Although she was a bit annoyed by Li Qiye’s attitude, she had to admit that this brat indeed had the ability to act arrogantly. Six palaces and nine stars… Even a genius with dual Saint aptitudes like her felt inferior…
“You guys… know each other?” Lu Baiqiu finally had the opportunity to jump in. However, she felt that this question was a bit idiotic. They were engaged, so how could they not know each other?
But then again, she felt as if this was not correct either. Li Qiye never talked about Lan Yunzhu before. It was as if he didn’t know about her, so why were they acting so familiar now?
“Well…” Li Qiye looked at Lan Yunzhu and cheerfully smiled: “A certain person wanted to hide their identity and pretended to be an old housewife to cook for her fiance. So it turns out that it was to check my identity!”
“Please, Uncle, you think too highly of yourself!” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at Li Qiye and retorted: “Who would ever want a fiance like you? It was merely a whim in order to experience the tough life of a mortal!”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye looked at her and said: “Running to a random island in the Thousand Islands to experience the hardships of mortal life? Out of all the places, you chose mine. This is too much of a coincidence, yeah?”
“That is how I like it, don’t you worry about it!” Lan Yunzhu snappily exclaimed: “And the Thousand Islands is not your home. I can come as I please, so what are you going to do about it?”
Lu Baiqiu watched the two bicker and couldn’t help but chuckle. The two of them fighting seemed a bit like a young couple.
“Very well.” Li Qiye said with a wide smile: “All in all, you have spied on me. So what do you think about your fiance, and when are we going to get married?”
“Bah, a toad trying to eat a swan!” Lan Yunzhu’s face blushed as she angrily exclaimed.
Li Qiye looked at her and said: “Faded Old Woman, I do enjoy being a toad eating a swan. However, a swan in my eyes is at least at the True Immortal and Immortal Emperor level. You are still very far from being a swan!”
Chapter 404 - Flirting
“You—” Lan Yunzhu’s pretty eyes angrily stared at Li Qiye as she felt the urge to beat him up.
Li Qiye leisurely asked Lan Yunzhu with a smirk: “What do you want to do about this marriage arrangement? It seems that your Thousand Carp River is really eager to cancel it.”
“Oh? Uncle, an old lady like me is still not in a rush, so why are you in a hurry?” Lan Yunzhu said snappily.
Li Qiye then replied with a serious tone: “How could I not be in a hurry? A wife suddenly appearing out of nowhere — this is not a good thing for me. You need to compensate for my losses!”
“Brat, don’t act as if you didn’t gain something good from this!” Lan Yunzhu was shaking in anger and wished that she could strangle this annoying brat to death! She was the descendant of the river sect, a princess that ruled over millions of miles, someone with countless suitors. And now, this brat was acting as if she was an old, unmarriageable grandma, and that it was a big loss for him to marry her.
Countless geniuses wanted to earn her favor, yet this little devil dared to treat her like this. It was too frustrating!
Li Qiye leisurely replied: “Faded Old Woman, who said that I am just acting? I am already in a bind. Because of this marriage, your Thousand Carp River kept coming to my door to bother me. I am physically and mentally traumatized, so you need to do a good job to compensate for my suffering.”
Even Lu Baiqiu to the side was at a loss for words. Lan Yunzhu was indeed a great catch in the Distant Cloud region with her dual Saint talents. And it was not just limited to the Distant Cloud, the entire Sacred Nether World was filled with so many geniuses that wanted to marry her. To these geniuses, marrying her was a blessing accumulated from doing good deeds during their past three lives. However, in her opinion, Li Qiye was acting indignantly as if he was the victim of this marriage.
“Bah, so be it, there will be no marriage then. Who wanted to marry you anyway!” Lan Yunzhu exasperatedly said.
Li Qiye took out the jade pendant that belonged to Lan Yunzhu and swung it around while leisurely smiling: “Not marrying is not a problem. This is your promissory item for marriage. You can take it back, but the question is, what will you give in order to reclaim it?”
Lu Baiqiu didn’t know how to describe her feelings. Even descendants from emperor’s lineages wished to marry Lan Yunzhu, but not Li Qiye. Just what kind of person was he?
A peerless beauty from the Distant Cloud, the descendant of the Thousand Carp River, a genius with dual Saint talents — all of this seemed to be insufficient to Li Qiye as he paid them no mind.
The initially angry Lan Yunzhu suddenly shifted her eyes and changed her attitude. She revealed a charming smile like the blossoming of a hundred flowers. She became more at ease and spoke: “Uncle, do you really want to escape from me that quickly? Very well then, now I am in no hurry to cancel this marriage, so you can put away that promissory item!”
“Aizz, nothing I can do about it, it is a sin to be so handsome!” Li Qiye put away the jade pendant and cheerfully laughed: “It seems that my supreme romantic charm has completely got you head over heels for me, making you want to marry me no matter what!”
“Wow—” Lan Yunzhu acted as if she wanted to puke and glanced at him to say: “Don’t be so narcissistic.”
At this point, she put on Li Qiye’s style as she narrowed her eyes and revealed a slight smirk to say: “Uncle, wait until we are married. Then, I will take my time fixing you and beat you into a pig’s head every day. Trust me, I am very competent at being a bad wife.”
Lu Baiqiu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as she witnessed the two of them like this. Who would have thought that Lan Yunzhu, the fairy in everyone’s eyes, would also have such a devilish side?
“Pop!” Li Qiye slapped her butt and conveniently caressed it as well. Lan Yunzhu jumped up from shock and angrily glared at him. Seeing Lu Baiqiu standing right there, she became even more embarrassed and shouted: “Brat, what are you doing?”
Li Qiye leisurely answered with a smile: “I can’t touch my wife’s butt? Since you want to marry me… As the husband, I’m just giving you some early love. There is nothing wrong with this!”
Lu Baiqiu immediately looked away and acted as if there was nothing to see. In the entire Sacred Nether World, maybe only Li Qiye would dare to flirt with Lan Yunzhu like this.
Lan Yunzhu was a proper girl. No one had ever dared to tease her let alone touch her butt, so she was suddenly embarrassed as her cheeks started to heat up. She was shaking with anger after being taken advantage of by Li Qiye!
“Little Girl, you alone want to discipline me? You are still too young. Maybe cooking and acting like a housewife is doable, but as for being a bad, controlling wife… I’m afraid it is not possible. There are no girls that can put me on a leash!” Li Qiye said with a smile.
Lan Yunzhu was angry to the point where she swung her palm around in the air and snappily exclaimed: “Little Devil, just wait and see. One day, I’ll teach you a lesson!”
“Little Girl, where are you going?” Li Qiye said with a wide smile as he watched her leave.
The now-far-away Lan Yunzhu dismissively replied: “Going to meet the elders. I have my own plans about my marriage and do not need interference from the sect.”
After she left, Lu Baiqiu whispered: “Young Noble, I think Fairy Zhu seems to like you, will you marry her?”
Li Qiye only gave Lu Baiqiu a look and gently shook his head with a smile without saying anything.
Not long after Lan Yunzhu left, an uninvited guest came to visit. But rather than a visit, it was more like a forceful break in.
This was an old man with white hair and a beard. His blood energy was quite plentiful as divine rings orbited around his body as if they were shouldering individual worlds. Each ring looked like a gigantic star while he appeared to be a giant. A suppressive aura that could render others breathless came along with his arrival.
There was a total of eighty-one rings around his body. This meant that he was an amazing Jewel Sovereign at grand accomplishment.
Despite the passing of the Difficult Dao Era, Heavenly Sovereigns were still a rare sight, let alone a powerful Jewel Sovereign. A grand accomplishment Jewel Sovereign was indeed someone worthy of awe and fear.
“You are Li Qiye?” This old man entered with an oppressive momentum. He didn’t even bother to look straight at Li Qiye; it was as if Li Qiye was only an insignificant insect.
“Where did this little buzzing fly come from?” Li Qiye met the old man’s arrogance with an even more boisterous tone. He also didn’t bother to look at the old man while he performed a fly-swatting motion with his hand.
Lu Baiqiu immediately held his sleeve and whispered after hearing Li Qiye’s arrogant reply: “This is Elder Lin, Yan Long’s master.”
The old man’s eyes became fierce as he exuded a frightening aura that emanated throughout the room. Lu Baiqiu had a weak cultivation so she had difficulty breathing amidst this suppression.
“Don’t act all high and mighty within my domain. State your business or do not bother me!” At this time, Li Qiye finally gave him a cold glare.
The elder replied with a similar chilling tone: “Brat, be smart and drop this marriage with Yunzhu! One should know their own place in this world; Yunzhu is our descendant, so you are not worthy of her! Let go of this marriage and the Thousand Carp River will not mistreat you. You can leave this place with treasures and go as far as you want. It is best to never return to the Distant Cloud!”
“Is this your wish, or the Thousand Carp River’s?” Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile at Elder Lin’s sudden and threatening intrusion.
Elder Lin came to threaten him for a reason — Yan Long was his disciple. Meanwhile, inside the Thousand Carp River, he was the one who wished for a marriage between Yan Long and Lan Yunzhu the most. The descendant marrying the senior brother was the best possible outcome; it was a match made in heaven!
He was the first to reject this marriage with a fiance that appeared out of nowhere, and he was also the strongest proponent of using more aggressive means to force Li Qiye to abandon this marriage!
Just for his disciple, Elder Lin personally appeared to decisively end this matter by forcing Li Qiye to give up.
Elder Lin coolly said: “It doesn’t matter whose wish it is! You don’t deserve our descendant, so be smart and give up! Otherwise, you are just asking for trouble.”
“So you are telling me that if I don’t give up, there will be trouble?” Li Qiye let out a bright smile.
Elder Lin’s gaze became serious as he stated: “This world is dangerous. Cultivators traveling outside cannot guarantee their own safety. What if they meet a dangerous man? Maybe they would die a shady death!” Having said this, a murderous glint flashed in his eyes.
Lu Baiqiu drew in a cold and calming breath after hearing the elder’s words. She understood that this threat was more than just empty words.
Chapter 405 - The Storm Of A Marriage
Keep in mind that a Jewel Sovereign would not throw out empty words, so anyone who heard these hints would be scared out of their mind.
It was not difficult for a Jewel Sovereign to kill a young disciple, especially if he personally took action when they were outside.
Lu Baiqiu, as a Region Lord, had experienced many things. She felt a chill after hearing such a blatant threat. Li Qiye would truly be in danger if a Jewel Sovereign like Elder Lin wished to do such a thing.
“Threatening me?” On the other hand, Li Qiye was still calm as he leisurely smiled: “I actually want to see how you will carry it out. Elder Lin, take your leave. I have made my decision regarding this marriage. As for your idiotic disciple, Yan Long, he is not worthy of my woman. A fool like him wants to taste a swan’s meat? Not even in his next life would he be able to do so.”
“You!” Elder Lin’s expression became quite agitated. As a respected elder of the Thousand Carp River, a Jewel Sovereign like him rarely went out to deal with mundane things. This time, he had to interfere because of his own disciple. However, this no-named junior refused his request and even dared to look at him with disdain. How could he not become furious and brimming with murderous intent?
Li Qiye remained calm and relaxed against Elder Lin’s frightening murderous aura, but Lu Baiqiu turned pale. She understood how frightening a Jewel Sovereign was once they decided to take action.
“Elder Lin is also here ah!” Amidst the surging murderous aura, a clear voice came from outside. At this time, Lan Yunzhu was standing by the door and asked: “What business does Elder Lin have at this place?”
“My good niece, Lan.” Elder Lin converged his murderous aura and said with a smile: “Nothing, I am only chatting with Young Noble Li for a bit. If you have returned, then I won’t bother the two of you!” Having said that, he turned around and left.
After he left, Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye who shrugged and said: “It is nothing, just a good old threat. Little Girl, being your fiance isn’t easy. I am in quite a bit of pain, so you will need to offer compensation.”
Lan Yunzhu sternly glared at him and then unhappily said: “Since when did outsiders dictate my marriage!” Of course, she was referring to Elder Lin.
“Heh, not necessarily. You are the river sect’s descendant, so do you think they would actually let you marry an outsider?” Li Qiye smiled and slowly continued: “I know you truly want to marry me, but there are a few things that you have no control over.”
“Bah, there’s no need to praise yourself, who would want to marry you!” Lan Yunzhu angrily retorted, then she lightly added with a glimmer of stubbornness in her eyes: “My marriage shall be decided by myself!”
“Can you deal with the old men from your sect?” Li Qiye smiled and asked. As the descendant of the river sect, her marriage was certainly a difficult matter to resolve. Despite it being her personal business, the sect would definitely interfere.
Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye and said: “Senior Brother Yan Long may have some elders supporting him, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have any at the sect as well! Don’t worry, Grandpa Yang will support us.”
“Grandpa Yang?” Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and asked while looking at Lan Yunzhu: “A person from your Soaring Remembrance Village?”
Lan Yunzhu nodded and replied: “Yes, Grandpa Yang is part of our village’s oldest generation. At this moment, he is also a high elder in the sect, so unless an ancestor comes out to interfere, Elder Lin and the others will not have any say either!”
In the Soaring Remembrance Village, males had the surname Yang while females carried the surname Lan. Moreover, the village didn’t have just Lan Yunzhu as a genius since they had produced many big characters before her. The “Grandpa Yang” Lan Yunzhu referred to was a high elder of the Thousand Carp River as well as her dao guide.
“Hey, are you trying to use me as a blade?” Li Qiye glanced at her and said: “To put it frankly, you just don’t want to marry Yan Long or a different martial brother, so right now, you chose not to cancel this marriage. You’re trying to use this chance to escape your own problems! Little Girl, this is the internal struggle of your sect, it has nothing to do with me.”
Lan Yunzhu looked back at him and countered: “So? Are you afraid? If you are, then you can choose to leave now. I won’t blame you, and I will deal with my own problems.”
Lan Yunzhu’s oath beneath the Dream Wishing Tree of the village was not only because of her parents’ egging, she also wanted to use it as an excuse to escape the forced marriage from the sect elders. She didn’t want to marry any brothers in the sect, including Senior Brother Yan Long.
It just so — very conveniently — happens that Li Qiye obtained her promissory jade pendant and got embroiled in the internal strife of the Thousand Carp River.
“Afraid?” Li Qiye couldn’t help but reveal a natural smile: “The Thousand Carp River alone is not enough to scare me. However, there is a saying — with merits come rewards. If you want to use me as a tool, Little Girl, then don’t you think you should give me something in return? How about this, you will warm my bed tonight!”
“Go to hell!” The blushing Lan Yunzhu angrily kicked forward, but Li Qiye easily dodged it.
“Little Girl, stop being so unladylike. Don’t be so rude like this!” Li Qiye reached out and slapped her butt, then he said with a laugh.
While Lan Yunzhu was shaking with anger, Lu Baiqiu was chuckling because, in her eyes, the two of them seemed to be flirting like newlyweds.
While Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu were going back and forth with each other, the Thousand Carp River had a meeting with all the elders. This time, it was personally led by the sect master, Daoist Bao Gui.
“Regarding this engagement… How about we let Yunzhu herself decide?” Daoist Bao Gui started the meeting.
This was met with strong opposition from many elders, and one of them stated: “Big Brother, how could we treat such an important matter so trivially? This is not only about Yunzhu’s marriage, it also involves our Thousand Carp River’s rise and fall in the future!”
“Sect Master, a junior cannot decide this matter.” Of course, the biggest opposition came from Elder Lin, Yan Long’s master.
Elder Lin gravely said: “That junior, Li, came with unknown intentions. Perhaps he’s even malicious. If he meant harm to our sect, then wouldn’t it be the same as leading a wolf into our home? Not to mention, our sect is an emperor’s lineage and Yunzhu is our future dao descendant. Her status alone demands a very strict selection for her match.”
“Brother Lin makes a lot of sense!” Another elder echoed the sentiment: “Big Brother, we cannot take this matter lightly. If that Li fella really does not want to cancel this marriage, then we can just use force. He is just a nobody so he cannot cause any turmoil.”
Daoist Bao Gui frowned against such conduct and shook his head: “Forgetting the fact that Yunzhu won’t agree to such actions, it is also not appropriate for our Thousand Carp River. We are an emperor’s lineage, we have not fallen to the point of committing such a vile deed to degrade our patriarch’s prestige.”
“This matter has to be decided by Yunzhu. In the end, this is also a part of fate, so if Yunzhu feels that they are not a good match, then it still wouldn’t be too late to dissolve it. However, if Yunzhu likes it, then old men like us shouldn’t necessarily reject it. It is not so bad to let that little fella into the Thousand Carp River. By doing so, it will sever Yunzhu’s mortal worries so that she can reach the peak in peace in the future.” Not all the elders opposed this marriage; some were actually supportive.
“That would also be fine.” Another elder continued: “This marriage was decided by fate, so maybe it is a good thing for Yunzhu. The grand dao is long with dwindling roads; if she can find the right dao companion to walk together, then it will be quite beneficial for her future path.”
Although this matter seemed to be about a simple marriage, it was an internal battle within the sect. And of course, as the sect’s descendant, Lan Yunzhu also had the support of quite a few elders and even a high elder.
“This is foolishness!” Elder Lin’s attitude was very aggressive as he gravely said: “How could that Li brat be of any help to Yunzhu’s future path? Hmph, it would already be a blessing if he didn’t slow her down! If we were to talk about helping Yunzhu’s future path, then the dao companions most appropriate for her would be our sect’s young disciples.”
“For example, Yan Long is the best candidate. Yan Long’s talents are only weaker than Yunzhu’s amongst the younger generation. Not to mention, he had cultivated for a longer time with great experience and maturity.”
Elder Lin continued on: “How can anyone else be her dao companion if not our own students?”
Quite a few elders were dissatisfied with Elder Lin constantly trying to match Yan Long and Yunzhu together. In fact, he had once done this before but was rejected by Lan Yunzhu and the sect master.
Despite this setback, Elder Lin did not give up on Yan Long since Yan Long always wanted to marry Lan Yunzhu.
“Little Brother Lin, don’t bring up Yan Long at this moment. We have to talk about this engagement first.” Daoist Bao Gui gently shook his head and said.
Keep in mind that a Jewel Sovereign would not throw out empty words, so anyone who heard these hints would be scared out of their mind.
It was not difficult for a Jewel Sovereign to kill a young disciple, especially if he personally took action when they were outside.
Lu Baiqiu, as a Region Lord, had experienced many things. She felt a chill after hearing such a blatant threat. Li Qiye would truly be in danger if a Jewel Sovereign like Elder Lin wished to do such a thing.
“Threatening me?” On the other hand, Li Qiye was still calm as he leisurely smiled: “You’ll find out how I teach impudent scum like you a lesson tomorrow…”
Chapter 406 - Thousand Carp River’s Arrangement
“The issue of Yan Long and Yunzhu can be put aside.” Elder Lin continued: “But that Li brat is definitely not worthy of our descendant. Just give him some small benefits so that he’ll happily give up on this marriage! Hmph, a little brat like him cannot control such a grand matter.”
“Let the youth decide their own business.” While the elders were debating nonstop, an old voice emanated throughout the room.
“Venerable Yang!” After hearing this voice, all the elders in this room quivered as their expressions became serious.
This was a high elder of the Thousand Carp River, someone with great influence and status. There was no one else who had such a high level of authority within the sect to interfere with the matter of Lan Yunzhu’s marriage. He was not only a high elder, he also came from the Soaring Remembrance Village — a direct elder of Lan Yunzhu as well as her dao guide.
“Venerable Yang… But in the end, Yunzhu is still our descendant…” Elder Lin couldn’t help but softly tremble after hearing Venerable Yang’s words.
“Can the Thousand Carp descendant not decide her own marriage? If she can’t even decide her own marriage, then how can she have the ability to reach for the Heaven’s Will and become an Immortal Emperor!?” Although Venerable Yang did not appear in person, his commanding voice was still awe-inspiring. He continued on: “It is true that Yunzhu is our Thousand Carp River’s descendant, but she is also someone from my Soaring Remembrance Village. Her marriage is not tied to the Thousand Carp River’s interests!”
Obviously, Venerable Yang was looking out for his own; he was Lan Yunzhu’s backing.
“Older Brother Yang, you can’t put it that way!” At this time, another voice appeared: “Yunzhu is our descendant, so we have to be more careful about her future marriage.”
“Venerable Wang?” The elders present couldn’t help but look at each other after hearing this voice. It was another high elder! The one who was the most excited was Elder Lin since Venerable Wang was his master.
“Since when did Little Brother Wang decide my business?” Venerable Yang spoke with the same pressing momentum.
Venerable Wang replied with a laugh: “I don’t dare to do so. As an outsider, I do not dare to interfere with Venerable Yang’s Soaring Remembrance Village. But in the end, Yunzhu is still our sect’s disciple. Although this marriage might have been a matter of fate, it is not unreasonable for us to give our descendant’s fiance a trial. This is also for Yunzhu; if this fiance feels that he is inadequate, then maybe he will quit on his own accord.”
“Then we shall have a little test to find out this Young Noble Li’s determination regarding this marriage.” At this time, Daoist Bao Gui made the decision: “Since this marriage was a match made in heaven, we — as Yunzhu’s elders — cannot forcefully interfere, but a little evaluation is not unreasonable for her sake.”
In the end, Daoist Bao Gui was still the sect master. Such decisive words could not be easily denied even by the high elders.
“Very well, a trial it is!” Even Venerable Yang, who was a stern supporter of Lan Yunzhu, agreed to test Li Qiye.
“The sect master wants to see you.” After this decision regarding the marriage was decided, Daoist Bao Gui wanted to see Li Qiye, so Lan Yunzhu passed on the news.
“It seems that your mood isn’t bad. I assume that the matter of marriage has now been decided?” Li Qiye asked with a wide smile while looking at Lan Yunzhu: “Are you that desperate to marry me?”
Lan Yunzhu looked at him with one eye and slowly said: “Marry you? Wait until you successfully pass the trials, then talk. If you truly want this marriage, then you have to pass the trials.”
“What if I can’t?” Li Qiye asked with a smile.
Lan Yunzhu answered: “To our sect, if you choose to give up on this engagement, nothing can be better. The sect will compensate you, and as long as your demands are reasonable, the sect will try its best to meet them.”
“If that is the case, then I would rather give up.” Li Qiye rubbed his chin and said: “I would rather take the treasures than marry an old faded woman!”
“You!” Lan Yunzhu was angered to the point of vomiting blood as she glared at him and stated: “Little Devil, am I only worth one or two pieces of treasure?”
Li Qiye’s eyes shifted up and down as he scanned Lan Yunzhu before smiling: “So you really want to marry me that badly? I have to think about this for a second. In the end, marriage is the biggest decision of one’s life, and I am not a careless person.”
“Do you really think that I won’t beat you up?” Lan Yunzhu gritted her teeth while holding up her fist as she stared at Li Qiye with hatred.
“Little Girl, you need to be more gentle if you want to marry me. I like gentle women!” Li Qiye said with a smile: “If you become gentler, then I can think about marrying you. Aizz, this is a big loss, I really have to think about it.”
Lan Yunzhu was shivering from anger. After a while, she finally managed to calm down with a deep breath. She then looked at Li Qiye and said: “Are you giving up because you don’t think that you can pass the trials? Of course, if you want to be a turtle, then I won’t blame you. I could only lament the fact that the person chosen by the Dream Wishing Tree was a coward.”
“Girl, your psychological egging is still too weak.” Li Qiye shook his head then spoke while touching his chin: “However, your Thousand Carp River’s elders are acting all high and mighty… They actually think that I’m trying to climb up within your sect so I want to teach them a lesson.”
“So you are saying that you want to take the challenge!” Lan Yunzhu couldn’t help but happily exclaim.
“Oh, you really want to marry me, huh.” Li Qiye smilingly replied.
Lan Yunzhu glared at him and angrily stated: “Stop daydreaming! Wait until you pass the examination, then you can dream all you want!”
“Girl, the price of using me as your tool is very high. How about coming to warm my bed tonight? We can see if a faded old woman like you can actually warm the bed or not.” Li Qiye gently held her chin and teased.
“Go die!” Lan Yunzhu mercilessly kicked forward without a care for maintaining a proper ladylike manner.
She then brought Li Qiye to meet Daoist Bao Gui at the main chamber hall.
“You must be Li Qiye.” Although Daoist Bao Gui was the sect master of the Thousand Carp River, he was surprisingly friendly and kind; this was a striking difference in contrast to the group of Elder Lin with their oppressive auras.
After letting Li Qiye sit down, Daoist Bao Gui spoke right away: “The marriage between you and Yunzhu was decided by the heavens. However, Yunzhu is also our descendant, so we cannot be careless even if it was a match made in heaven.”
“I understand, Sect Master is saying that I can either give up or pass the trials, correct?” Li Qiye also didn’t want to mince words, so he cut right to the chase.
“Of course. To give up or to stick with it — this will be your choice, no one can force you.” Daoist Bao Gui elaborated: “Our Thousand Carp River will not force you to give up on this marriage!”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye then asked with a smile: “If I choose to give up on this marriage, what benefits will your sect compensate me with?”
Li Qiye’s words incited Lan Yunzhu’s wrathful glare since they already talked about this before.
At this time, Daoist Bao Gui uncovered a treasure tray on top of the table. After this tray was opened, a burst of light flashed, revealing three items on top.
“If you are willing to give up, then our Thousand Carp River shall not mistreat you. We will give you a Tidal Jade Vessel for protection, a Tortoise Teleportation Scroll to escape in times of danger, and also a Thousand Carp Pill to help you temper your body.”
The daoist went on slowly: “Of course, this is just the start of our sincerity. Outside of these three items, you can also pick another three as long as they are not of the Immortal Emperor level; our sect will consider and meet your request.”
Li Qiye himself was quite surprised at the Thousand Carp River’s huge showing. It seemed that the sect truly didn’t want to betroth Lan Yunzhu to him. Of course, he could understand their reasoning. After all, fertile water shouldn’t flow to outside fields; it was easier said than done for the sect to groom a descendant.
“I can feel the sincerity.” Li Qiye glanced at Lan Yunzhu, who was standing to the side. She was also gazing right back at him. Although there was no exchange of words, their intents were clearly exchanged.
“What if I pick the trial?” Li Qiye glanced over the items on the tray before asking with a grin.
Daoist Bao Gui looked at him and eventually nodded his head to say: “If you choose to continue with this marriage, then you have to pass two out of three trials. Anything less would be considered failure.”
“Then what is the consequence of failing?” Li Qiye’s interest was piqued as he cheerfully asked.
Daoist Bao Gui answered: “Although our sect won’t interfere with your marriage, Lan Yunzhu is still our descendant, so we must assess you for her sake. If you fail and choose to give up, then you can leave. However, if you choose to stay and persevere onwards, then you can try your best to cultivate until the day of success.”
“These conditions are not bad at all.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “At the very least, your sect still carries the style of an Immortal Emperor’s lineage. Your current generation does not dishonor Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s dao lineage.”
Li Qiye simply didn’t care for the sect’s strength. If the sect chose to be stubborn, then nothing could be better for him. Then, he could disregard the sect’s future completely and directly take away the items he wanted.
Of course, such prime conditions were the result of Venerable Yang as a high elder supporting Lan Yunzhu. Unlike the other elders, Venerable Yang actually wished to push this marriage along due to his own reasons.
Chapter 407 - Venerable Yang
“Giving up without a fight is not my style at all. Since your sect wishes to test me, then I just have to rise up to the challenge!” In the end, Li Qiye answered the daoist.
Daoist Bao Gui was not surprised by his answer as he nodded his head: “Very well, since there are three trials, one of them will be chosen by you to keep it fair.”
“Okay, if I can specify a trial, then I will choose what the second trial will be.” Li Qiye decisively responded with ease.
“Good, the first trial will be a martial test starting tomorrow, do you have any objections?” Daoist Bao Gui asked.
Li Qiye shrugged and said: “I’m ready at any time.”
“Then you can return and prepare. Tomorrow, our Thousand Carp River will select a disciple to challenge you. You need to prepare; don’t underestimate your opponent.” Daoist Bao Gui was quite friendly and specifically warned him.
Li Qiye looked at Lan Yunzhu and smilingly asked: “Don’t tell me you guys are sending my fiancee to fight me?”
The word “fiancee” irritated Lan Yunzhu, but it also caused her to blush while she glared at Li Qiye.
“You don’t have to worry about that. If Yunzhu comes out, it would not be very fair.” Daoist Bao Gui smiled in response. In fact, although he was the sect master, he was also Lan Yunzhu’s master so of course he supported her.
In his opinion, if Lan Yunzhu went out, then Li Qiye would have no chance of winning. He had a lot of faith in his disciple since she had absolute confidence of winning against other emperor’s lineage descendants. Even if she were to face the descendant of the Myriad Bones Throne, he still believed that his disciple had a great chance of being the victor.
But to Li Qiye, he was happy to face any opponent. In fact, the stronger the opponent, the more excited he would be.
They went back to the mansion after saying goodbye to the daoist. There, they were met by Lu Baiqiu who quietly informed them that there was a guest waiting inside.
“Grandpa Yang!” After entering the room, Lan Yunzhu couldn’t contain her excitement and excitedly cried out after seeing the old man seated there.
There was an old man with an appearance around the age of seventy. He was not very tall, but him sitting there seemed to be able to block the storm and rain from all eight directions like an impregnable wall.
This old man was a high elder from the Thousand Carp River, someone who also came from the Soaring Remembrance Village — Venerable Yang!
The truth was that many great characters came from the village, including great generals and commanders from the mortal world. Some of these great characters became high elders of emperor’s lineages, such as Venerable Yang. However, no matter how great these characters were, nothing could break the silence of the village. After all, this silence belonged to the serene contemplation of an Immortal Emperor during his old age and remained unbreakable by anything or anyone.
“Grandpa paused your training.” Lan Yunzhu said with surprise. Venerable Yang was not her actual grandfather, but he was a very respected senior in the village, so she referred to him as “grandpa.”
Venerable Yang happily smiled and asked: “If the divine tree found you a good husband, how can I — as your Grandpa — not go and take a look?”
“Grandpa, what are you talking about!” Lan Yunzhu was quite shy, so she bashfully responded with a tint of red on her cheeks.
Venerable Yang carefully judged Li Qiye from top to bottom like a mother-in-law judging her son-in-law and found himself satisfied. 1
“Good, good, good!” After looking at Li Qiye, Venerable Yang nodded his head approvingly and smiled: “It seems that the divine tree did indeed choose the right husband for you!”
“The divine tree might have picked the perfect husband for her, but it didn’t necessarily pick a virtuous wife for me.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
“Brat, don’t act like you didn’t get a good deal!” Venerable Yang smiled and gave him a stern look: “Our girl is not worse than anyone else. No matter what happens, you two must support each other in the future with love!”
Venerable Yang was very pleased with Li Qiye. The truth was that he trusted the Dream Wishing Tree of his village. As a high elder of an emperor’s lineage, he understood the significance of his tree, so the tree must have a good reason for choosing Li Qiye for Lan Yunzhu.
“Grandpa, it is not for certain yet!” Lan Yunzhu bashfully asserted.
Li Qiye could only shake his head and grin. This marriage, to him, was only a coincidence and nothing else. As for Lan Yunzhu, she only wanted to use him to escape the marriage forced upon her by the Thousand Carp River.
“Brat, I went out of my way to come out from my seclusion to cheer for you. I won’t say much about other things, but no matter what happens, you can do as you please. Regardless of what happens, this old man shall support your marriage and no one else can change it no matter what. Our Soaring Remembrance Village’s son-in-law can’t be defeated that easily, don’t you think?”
Elder Yang, as a high elder of the river sect, could be said to rarely care about worldly affairs. This time, he went out of his way to come out and back Li Qiye up since he was afraid that it would be hard to clap with only one hand. 2
“Okay, I will do my best to win over this beauty so that we can make some healthy babies!” Li Qiye responded with a smile after seeing Venerable Yang’s enthusiasm.
Lan Yunzhu’s countenance was beet red due to anger and embarrassment; she couldn’t wait to beat this little devil into a pig’s head.
“Good, very good! I shall wait for your good news.” Venerable Yang smiled and told Li Qiye before leaving: “Go ahead and do as you please. A marriage made in heaven cannot be separated by anyone.”
“What nonsense were you talking about just now!” After Venerable Yang left, Lan Yunzhu angrily pinched Li Qiye’s thigh with no mercy and glared at him.
“Pop!” Li Qiye once again slapped her butt and squeezed it a little, causing Lan Yunzhu to scream as she immediately jumped back with a flushed appearance.
“You little pervert!” Lan Yunzhu’s pretty eyes displayed her exasperation. She was once again treated so frivolously by this brat that it caused her to tremble with anger as her face turned red like the sunset.
Compared to Lan Yunzhu’s anger that was capable of reaching the sky, Li Qiye — on the other hand — leisurely looked at her to say: “What little pervert? Such nasty words… Don’t forget, I am your fiance, and as your fiance, massaging my wife is a reasonable thing. And what’s more, your butt is both plump and supple…”
“You are still talking!” Lan Yunzhu could no longer maintain her calm while being overwhelmed with embarrassment, so she readied her claws in anticipation to chase Li Qiye.
Within a short amount of time, the room was filled with Li Qiye’s teasing laughter as well as Lan Yunzhu’s crazed voice. This caused Lu Baiqiu, who was standing right outside, to wryly smile as the two were becoming more and more like a young husband and wife.
On the second day, the news regarding Li Qiye’s trial to become the future son-in-law quickly spread throughout the Thousand Carp River.
“Future son-in-law? Ugh, we can call him that after he passes the examination. Right now, he is not qualified.” Countless young disciples had a crush on Lan Yunzhu so Li Qiye’s hostile love rivals were everywhere.
When the young disciples heard that Li Qiye wanted to take a trial, their first thought was to hope that he would fail.
Next, the information regarding the first martial trial also came out; it was a fight between Li Qiye and their senior brother, Yan Long.
In order to test Li Qiye’s martial capabilities, the Thousand Carp River sent out Yan Long, one of the strongest young disciples. This was understandable since it was already very fair that they didn’t send anyone from the previous generation.
And as for Yan Long being the one to take the mantle, it was unknown whether he was chosen by the elders or he volunteered himself.
When the Thousand Carp disciples heard that their senior brother was about to fight, they instantly became excited. One of them exclaimed: “Not bad, Senior Brother can instantly teach this frog who wants to eat a swan’s meat a good lesson!”
Very quickly, it could be said that even disciples who normally didn’t get along became quite united with a single thought, and that was to kick this Li Qiye out!
“Heh, that Li brat probably won’t even be able to handle three moves from Senior Brother. How can a nobody like him be a match for Senior Brother?” A junior sister who was a fan of Yan Long said.
“Three moves? That is thinking way too highly of that brat. In my opinion, one move is enough. Senior Brother is an amazing Ancient Saint!” A junior brother said: “If Senior Brother uses one move to defeat this brat, he will lose all confidence and won’t even have the courage to participate in the next one.”
“Nothing would be better. We have to let this brat know that not just anyone is worthy for our senior sister!” In an instant, all the brothers and sisters in the Thousand Carp River banded against Li Qiye.
It was as if Li Qiye had done something that warranted the unified hatred from everyone since all the disciples hoped that he would lose.
Early morning of the next day, the martial stage of the Thousand Carp River was filled with disciples since they all came early to witness the fight.
The elders that would act as referees came right after, then Yan Long also entered the stage. Today, Yan Long was in high spirits as the flames around his body resembled dragons capable of incinerating the sky.
Today, his battle intent was at its peak. He had a conceited look on his face as if victory was assured.
The truth was that Yan Long didn’t think too highly of Li Qiye. In his opinion, no matter how powerful a nobody like Li Qiye was, it still wouldn’t be enough to be his match.
His arrogance was not without reason. As the senior brother of the river sect, his talents were very high and he had become an Ancient Saint for some years now.
Chapter 408 - A Kiss
If Lan Yunzhu was not there, then maybe Yan Long would have been the descendant of the Thousand Carp River. Of course, compared to a devilish monster like Lan Yunzhu, Yan Long was much weaker. Moreover, Lan Yunzhu’s cultivation within the river sect was a mystery. The disciples only knew that she was very strong, strong to the point where she could challenge any descendant from the other emperor’s lineages in the Sacred Nether World.
“Senior Brother, beat him in three moves!” The moment Yan Long entered the stage, countless disciples loudly cheered to support him.
“Three moves? Brother Hu, you think too highly of that brat. One move from Senior Brother is enough!” A disciple immediately laughed and stated.
In brief moment, an encore of laughter emanated throughout the stage.
Compared to Yan Long, Li Qiye’s side was much weaker. There was nothing anyone could do about it since the river sect was Yan Long’s home ground, so the disciples here naturally supported him.
Compared to Yan Long’s huge entourage, Li Qiye’s arrival to the stage was rather lonely. Only Lu Baiqiu, who had always stayed by his side, and Lan Yunzhu accompanied him.
Li Qiye came strolling in under the watchful eyes of many. Meanwhile, Lan Yunzhu was like a graceful fairy with her delicate walking posture. Her swaying body commanded attention no matter where she went. Because of her presence, Li Qiye’s side became more noticeable.
Today, Lu Baiqiu also specifically wore leather armor. Being dressed in full battle armor, she was quite energetic, causing her to look quite heroic while being ready to cheer for Li Qiye. Today, the only outsider cheering for Li Qiye was her.
Of course, many were annoyed to see Lan Yunzhu walking together with Li Qiye. In an instant, countless vengeful gazes fell upon his body. He was the enemy of everyone present.
Despite Yan Long’s domineering and aggressive aura, Li Qiye remained carefree. After entering the stage, he started to wave at the Thousand Carp disciples, causing Lan Yunzhu right next to him to angrily quip: “It is only a trial, why are you messing around? It is not like they are here as your fans!”
“This is a good place to start. I’m going to use this trial so that the sect’s disciples can get to know their future son-in-law.” Li Qiye leisurely smiled and said. Then, he waved and shouted towards the Thousand Carp disciples: “Fellow Brothers and Sisters, good morning. This little brother just got here, so I hope that everyone can look out for me in the future. This time, I came here in a rush and didn’t prepare any wedding sweets. Wait until after the ceremony, then this little brother shall give everyone sweets as compensation.”
Lan Yunzhu was now shaking with embarrassment. She couldn’t help but clench her white-as-snow fists.
“Stop!” A Thousand Carp disciple suddenly cried out: “Stop dreaming you frog-wanting-to-eat-a-swan!”
“You are completely correct, I am indeed a frog wanting to eat a swan!” Li Qiye nonchalantly teased the Thousand Carp disciples while smiling: “Don’t worry, Fellow Brothers and Sisters, wait until we are married. Then, you guys will all get your wedding sweets. According to the mortal traditions of our Soaring Remembrance Village, we will have a feast that lasts for fifteen days before our marriage; I hope all of you brothers and sisters can come to celebrate.”
“If you keep on speaking nonsense, I’m going to beat you to death.” Lan Yunzhu was too embarrassed and wished that she could just hide in a hole underground. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists as she threatened Li Qiye.
Li Qiye glanced at her and lightly smiled: “Girl, there is a price for everything. It is unknown whether our marriage will be a thing or not, but for now, I am being used as your tool. What if things turn bad and I have to leave my life behind? … Can’t I even tease you a little bit? If you have an issue with this, then I can just leave right now.”
Despite her rage, she still had to endure it as she gripped her fists tightly. After this matter ends, she was going to teach this brat a good lesson.
But in the eyes of the Thousand Carp disciples, Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu’s banter appeared to be very intimate, so many of them became quite jealous.
Especially Yan Long, his eyes became fierce as he was overwhelmed with jealousy. He wanted to smash Li Qiye into pieces at this very moment.
“Very well, since both sides are here, the duel can begin.” An elder who was seated up high said with a serious tone.
Another elder added: “Once a party accepts defeat, the other party must immediately stop. This is only a trial and not a life and death battle. One can immediately acquiesce once they can no longer handle it.”
“Li, come here!” After getting permission from the elders, Yan Long coldly gazed at Li Qiye and shouted: “Let us end such a boring fight! I shall conclude this within three moves.”
Li Qiye didn’t bother to take a glimpse at Yan Long. He only looked at Lan Yunzhu next to him and smile: “I’m about to fight for you, shouldn’t you reveal a bit of sincerity?”
“Reveal what?” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at him and immediately felt that this brat had some evil intentions.
Li Qiye leisurely replied with a smile: “How about a lucky kiss or something of that sort? Of course, a passionate kiss on the lips would be even better. I would be very motivated and might even be able to slay emperors and evil lords.”
“Go to hell!” Lan Yunzhu felt her face becoming hot as she felt embarrassed and angry. However, she couldn’t kick him in front of everyone.
“Aizz, so heartless.” Li Qiye shook his head and smiled, then he told Lu Baiqiu who was standing right beside him: “Baiqiu, I have to step onto the stage soon, so give me a lucky kiss and wait for my triumphant return.”
The valiant Lu Baiqiu looked at Lan Yunzhu then back at Li Qiye before revealing a beautiful smile and saying: “I’ll wait for your triumphant return.” Having said that, she softly kissed Li Qiye’s forehead and gave him her blessing.
Meanwhile, Lan Yunzhu started to sulk on the side after seeing this.
“Li, don’t delay this! If you are afraid, then it is not too late to surrender!” Yan Long became furious after seeing such a scene. He wanted to instantly kill this thing that doesn’t know life from death.
“What’s the hurry? Do you not see that I’m trying to get a lucky kiss?” Li Qiye smiled and said: “Faded Old Woman, wait for my victory then warm my bed tonight, okay?”
“You—” Lan Yunzhu couldn’t stay calm from embarrassment. However, at the time of her eventual outburst, Li Qiye suddenly came close and kissed her lips, then he decisively turned and stepped onto the battle stage.
After suddenly being kissed, Lan Yunzhu became frozen as her mind was emptied as she watched Li Qiye enter the stage.
The Thousand Carp disciples who saw this scene became quite furious. If gazes could kill, then Li Qiye would have died countless times already.
Yan Long’s temper exploded as he gritted his teeth and prepared his fists while he coldly said: “Ignorant thing, you chose to ignore a clear path to heaven while insisting on trespassing into hell without an entrance. Don’t blame me for being ruthless today!”
“Senior Brother, teach him a good lesson!” At this time, the Thousand Carp disciples roared, especially the male disciples who wished that they could be the one to beat Li Qiye up instead. He actually dared to shame the goddess in their hearts! Unforgivable!
Yan Long was overtaken by extreme anger at this point, so he said with a cold demeanor: “Li, it is not too late to say your last words because you won’t have the chance once I make a move.”
At this point, Yan Long wanted to kill Li Qiye. This was no longer an examination; he swore to slay Li Qiye within three moves, denying him a chance to even give up.
“Last words? I have never needed to say these before!” Li Qiye looked at Yan Long and said without a care.
This arrogant attitude only fueled Yan Long’s murderous intent as he responded coldly: “Still boasting on the verge of death… I shall slay you in three moves!”
“Three moves?” Li Qiye gently shook his head in response: “Three moves are too many, one is plenty for us to end this fight. Within one move, your defeat is guaranteed.”
“Bah, how naive. Senior Brother, behead him with one move, make us proud!” Many disciples were instantly enraged as they shared the same enemy!
“Brat, come accept your death!” Yan Long furiously took a deep breath. In just the blink of an eye, his blood energy let out a draconic roar as the flames that encircled his body turned into a gigantic dragon. His body then emitted a frightening draconic aura as this gigantic dragon devoured the raging flames.
“So powerful!” Seeing Yan Long turning into a gigantic dragon, even Lu Baiqiu became astonished. His power could definitely challenge Ancient Saints from the previous generation.
Elder Lin was very satisfied with his disciple after seeing the powerful draconic aura. Although it was not comparable to Lan Yunzhu’s might, Yan Long was certainly not bad compared to the younger generation in the Distant Cloud!
“Brat, it’s time to end this!” Yan Long cried out as this flame dragon struck downward with a draconic claw made from fire. Under this sharp and thick claw, the entire battle stage seemed to be a piece of paper; it was as if this claw could tear the whole field asunder.
Chapter 409 - One Triumphant Move
“Senior Brother is amazing, he already obtained a dragon soul.” A disciple exclaimed after seeing Yan Long’s transformation into a giant fiery dragon.
Long Yan had the bloodline of a Fire Serpent, so he belonged to the demon dao. If he could make the dragon flames eventually give birth to a dragon soul, then in the future, it could evolve into a True Dragon. At that time, his bloodline would undergo a real transformation to become a powerful and heaven-defying divine beast.
“Senior Brother, beat him up!” A junior brother cheered while waving their arms after seeing Yan Long on the move! Many others also encouragingly cried out for him.
Right when the fiery claw was scratching downward, Li Qiye suddenly shifted his body at this very second. The space around him suddenly shivered as if it was a flap of his wings.
“Bang!” A huge explosion resounded. Everyone thought Li Qiye had become mince meat under the fire dragon’s gigantic claw. However, when all of them took another look, Yan Long, with a dragon encircling him, was sent up high, staining the sky with his own blood.
“Boom!” Another loud bang resonated as Yan Long, who was just blown away, didn’t have time to regain his composure before being slammed down to the ground by someone in the sky.
“Bang—bang—bang!” Three more explosions rang. Before Yan Long could reach the ground from the sky, he was struck three more times. The force of these three blows accumulated on his body in a split second, crushing the gigantic fire dragon around Yan Long’s body into little pieces!
“Rumble!” Finally, a loud bang shook the entire stage as Yan Long heavily slammed into the ground, creating a huge pit.
Inside this huge pit, Yan Long was bruised and covered in blood; he was completely immobilized. If he wasn’t still breathing, others would have thought that he was dead.
Meanwhile, Li Qiye still stood in the same place as if he had never taken any action.
Instantly, everyone’s mouth was gaping; they couldn’t close them for a long time. The disciples who were cheering for Yan Long earlier had unvocalized words stuck in their throat. In the end, they had to forcefully swallow them. At this time, all sounds disappeared.
Even the elders of the river sect were shocked because everything happened instantaneously. In this split second, even Yan Long’s powerful defense was completely useless.
Their disciples most likely couldn’t see Li Qiye’s actions, but the elders saw them. However, even they themselves only saw his afterimages. If it wasn’t for their Heavenly Sovereign cultivation, and some were even Heavenly Kings, they would not be able to keep up with Li Qiye’s speed.
This speed was too fast. Even peak Sovereigns and powerful Heavenly Kings would not necessarily have such terrifying speed.
Even Lan Yunzhu was staring at Li Qiye in aghast. She knew more about Li Qiye compared to others. Six palaces and nine stars — such an Ancient Saint would have a definite advantage even when facing Heavenly Sovereigns.
In her eyes, Senior Brother Yan Long’s defeat was assured; it was only a matter of time. However, the swiftness of his defeat shocked Lan Yunzhu. Li Qiye didn’t even use his six palaces and nine stars, yet Yan Long had already lost. What kind of terrifying thing was this?
Lan Yunzhu was a rare genius of an absurd level. She had enough faith in her cultivation that she could challenge any emperor’s lineage descendant. Today, she needed a calming breath after seeing Li Qiye in battle.
“What kind of secret technique was that?” The elders of the sect were in disbelief. They were certain that Li Qiye had to be cultivating an extremely unbelievable secret art.
Soaring Immortal Physique and Hell Suppressing Godly Physique — these two immortal physiques activating at the same time would have an incalculable power. And the result was right in front of everyone’s eyes. Moreover, Li Qiye’s Soaring Immortal Physique had yet to reach minor completion!
One body with two physiques was something the world could not fathom. Today, Li Qiye utilized both physiques for the first time and found the power to be quite terrifying.
Absolute speed and absolute weight! His extremely heavy body under the fastest speed became the most powerful weapon with an incredibly shocking destructive power.
“Long’er!” The frightened Elder Lin quickly rushed down and found that Yan Long was still barely breathing. He then took a sigh of relief and hatefully glared at Li Qiye.
“This brat is truly ruthless!” He glared at Li Qiye with a chilling expression and a flash of murderous intent.
Li Qiye lazily retorted without bothering to look at him: “Ruthless? Who was the one who said they wanted to slay me within three moves? Me sparing his life was already plenty merciful.”
“Well, go down there, saving him is more important!” Daoist Bao Gui opened his mouth: “Li Qiye has passed the first trial, so the content of the second trial will be decided by Li Qiye. What will you pick? As long as you say it, the river sect will accept your challenge.”
“My choice?” Li Qiye rubbed his chin and then smiled: “If it is my choice, then how about catching immortal sungrasses? Whoever catches more will be the winner.”
“Catching immortal sungrasses?” Daoist Bao Gui couldn’t help but to look at Li Qiye and ask: “Do you know what catching immortal sungrasses actually entails?”
“There is no need for Sect Master’s reminder regarding this matter.” Li Qiye smiled and replied with a question of his own: “Who doesn’t know that the Yin Yang Immortal Sungrasses beneath the Yin Yang Pond are great immortal treasures of the southern Distant Cloud?”
“Very well. Three days later, the second trial will be at the Yin Yang Pond.” Daoist Bao Gui didn’t question Li Qiye’s request and immediately agreed.
As for the rest of the Thousand Carp disciples, they could only stand there silently. Although they were quite annoyed with Li Qiye, after seeing Li Qiye use his own strength to defeat Yan Long, they could only acquiesce.
“Very well, let us go!” Li Qiye smiled as he spoke to Lan Yunzhu: “I trust that no one can separate the two of us, don’t you think?”
Li Qiye’s words were really prone to misunderstanding. At this moment, it seemed as if the two of them were stranded lovers while the Thousand Carp River was a wicked man that was trying to break them apart with a rod.
Lan Yunzhu gave him an angry look, but she didn’t retort and left with him.
The Thousand Carp disciples didn’t know how to describe their current feelings outside of their restrained anger. Before the battle, many of them were excited and had a winner’s mentality. In their eyes, this battle was without any doubt since their senior brother would certainly teach this ignorant brat a lesson. They didn’t expect that their senior brother would be lying flat on the ground after just one move from the opponent. This was truly humiliating to the sect, but they couldn’t do anything about it since Li Qiye won fair and square.
“Hmph, even if he passed the first test, he cannot pass the second. Not everyone can go down into the depths of the Yin Yang Pond.” In the end, an unconvinced disciple scowled.
After returning to their private mansion, Lan Yunzhu looked at him and asked: “Going down to the Yin Yang Pond to catch immortal sungrasses requires two people, can you do it alone?”
Li Qiye smiled and looked at Lu Baiqiu to the side and spoke: “If you don’t want to help me, then Lu Baiqiu can go down with me.”
“Me?” Lu Baiqiu was taken by surprise as she shook her head: “I can’t, Young Noble, do you actually know the meaning behind catching immortal sungrassess below the pond?”
Li Qiye answered with a faint smile: “If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t have chosen sungrasses catching.”
“But Young Noble, you must know that the Yin Yang Pond is a very terrifying environment. The pond contains both Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang Water, so even though they are in the same pond, these two types of water are completely different. Extreme Yin Water is the coldest liquid in this world. A touch of a drop could completely freeze one’s true fate and soul, and the pond gets even colder the further one goes down…” Lu Baiqiu quickly explained to Li Qiye.
“… Extreme Yang Water is the hottest liquid in this world. It could easily melt steel. Even Named Heroes and Royal Nobles would not dare to touch it carelessly.”
She continued on: “It is not because I don’t want to lend Young Noble a hand, it is because my cultivation is really too shallow. Once we enter the pond, I’m afraid I will only slow you down.”
“Don’t worry, it is no big deal.” Li Qiye continued while being completely at ease: “If you can’t, then Yunzhu can do it. The two of us can go down while you watch.”
“Who said I would help you?” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at him and said: “You brought this upon yourself; I didn’t tell you to pick such a challenge. Also, I am a disciple of the Thousand Carp River, so how can I help an outsider?”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye nonchalantly looked at her and said: “Do you feel that martial brothers and sisters are closer than husband and wife? Don’t forget that I am your husband!”
“Stop spouting nonsense!” Lan Yunzhu was both shy and angry as she stated: “There is no chance for you to be my fiance. Wait for your next life! Wait, no, even in your next life, there would be no chance!”
“Oh? Since you are saying this, should I think about giving up?” Li Qiye gently chuckled and said: “If I give up now, I think your river sect will happily hand me a few treasures. As for the matter of your marriage, you can take your time and think about it again in the future.”
“Don’t you dare—” The blushing Lan Yunzhu had her hands placed on her waist while revealing an appearance as if she was about to explode from anger.
Chapter 410 - Yin Yang Pond
“Girl, you haven’t even married yet, but you are already acting like an old housewife. Do you really want to marry me that badly?” Li Qiye smiled and teased after seeing her posture with her hands on her waist.
At this time, Lan Yunzhu finally realized her rude appearance, so she became quite embarrassed. She angrily stomped her foot and said with exasperation: “Little Devil, I won’t forget this!” Then she immediately ran out.
After she left, even Lu Baiqiu had to softly remark: “Young Noble, Fairy Zhu definitely likes you!”
Li Qiye only smiled in response. Without saying anything, he began to contemplate while gazing towards the distance.
Seeing him in such a state, Lu Baiqiu also silently took her leave and didn’t bother him any longer.
The Yin Yang Pond was located on an island deep within the Thousand Carp Lake. The pond itself was not very large; it had an area of more than ten acres. However, its location was very special due to being at the center of the lake.
It was just as mysterious and was filled with unknowns like the Thousand Carp River. Although it was not that large, one could not see the bottom. The river sect once had Virtuous Paragons who tried to reach the bottom, but they were unsuccessful.
While standing in front of the pond, no one would be able to tell that this lake was somehow different. The water was very clear and lacked distinct qualities compared to an ordinary pond.
However, once an expert opened their heavenly gaze for a closer look, they would find that the water inside the pond was clearly separated; to the right was Extreme Yang Water while the left was Extreme Yin Water.
Extreme Yang Water was extremely clear; it was as if this water had boiled away all the impurities within. In contrast, Extreme Yin Water was as dazzling as ice. A quick glance would make people confuse it with a piece of a glacier instead of flowing water.
The intersection where the two types of liquid met consisted of a glue-like liquid that emitted a faint water vapor.
From the looks of it, both of these types of water behaved the same as regular water, but with just the slightest bit of contact with a drop of these liquids, one would find that the Extreme Yin Water could instantly encase someone in ice while the Extreme Yang Water could melt their body.
As such, the pond was an extremely strange place. There were some long and thin water grasses growing along the bottom of the pond. If ordinary eyes couldn’t discern the Extreme Yin and Yang Waters, then they could see these grasses to distinguish the two types of water.
The water grasses growing within the Extreme Yin Water were as black as iron. With just one glance, one could feel the cold air that emanated from them. Meanwhile, the water grasses floating in the Extreme Yang Water were as red as gold. One could sense its melting heat. What was even more wondrous was that when these two water grasses made contact at the intersection, in a split second, the two types of grasses would combine into one. With Yin and Yang, it would give birth to strands of laws that emitted blinding lights. These little strands of laws would then intertwine into a single unit.
The moment the two types of grasses joined together, that would be when this extremely rare and precious treasure was formed — Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass.
The Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass was quite an item since it could replace many rare herbs and serve as the main ingredient for life-prolonging pills.
The deeper the grasses were, the more precious they would be. There was a rumor floating around in the Thousand Carp River stating that the immortal sungrass found at the bottom of the pond was comparable to mythical immortal medicines!
On this day, the elders of the river sect all gathered next to the Yin Yang Pond. There was no shortage of disciples participating as witnesses.
In fact, every once in awhile, there would be people responsible for going into the pond to pluck immortal sungrass. Moreover, it required two people to complete this task.
Today, Daoist Bao Gui specifically ordered for two protectors to compete against Li Qiye. The two protectors were both experienced immortal sungrass pluckers and could even be referred to as masters within this domain.
“How about we use a day as the time limit? Whoever catches more will be the victor.” Daoist Bao Gui spoke.
Li Qiye looked at the Yin Yang Pond before him and revealed a faint smile before speaking: “I have no problems with this, one day it is!”
“Young Noble Li should understand that catching immortal sungrass requires two people. Who will your assistant be?” Daoist Bao Gui asked.
“Her.” Li Qiye smilingly pointed at Lan Yunzhu right next to him and declared: “We’ll catch the immortal sungrass together.”
“No!” Some disciples from the river sect immediately rejected Li Qiye’s proposal. In fact, a few elders were also against it, especially Elder Lin. He then spoke coldly: “Yunzhu is a disciple of our sect; if you want an assistant, you have to find someone else.”
Li Qiye lazily looked at him and said: “Elder Lin, it is true that Yunzhu is a disciple of your sect, but don’t forget, she is also my fiancee!”
Lan Yunzhu became irritated but was helpless. This matter had already become the truth!
“Wait until you pass the trials, then you can start saying such things!” Elder Lin snorted with a chilling glare. Right now, his disciple was still lying on his bed, incapacitated, so as his master, Elder Lin wanted to kill this brat at this very second!
“Very well, then Yunzhu can lend you a hand.” Daoist Bao Gui nodded his head and spoke with a deepened tone.
“Sect Master, this isn’t right.” Many protectors and elders were not happy with such a decision, so they couldn’t help but voice their disagreement.
Daoist Bao Gui gently motioned his hand and said: “We sent out protectors — this is already quite an advantage. Although Yunzhu is a disciple of our sect, she is not an expert in catching immortal sungrass. Since they are engaged, it is quite reasonable for Yunzhu to lend him a hand.”
In the end, Daoist Bao Gui was still protecting Lan Yunzhu and was on her side.
“We shall start then!” Daoist Bao Gui overpowered the crowd and told the two protectors along with Li Qiye.
The two protectors didn’t say anything and immediately took action. One of them stepped into the Extreme Yin Water. The moment his sleeve met this Yin water, it was immediately frozen. In just a split second, each of his divine rings opened and began to block the cold energy from the Yin water as he slowly dived into the depths.
As for the protector on the Yang side, his sleeve was immediately burnt to ashes by the water. Although he was an amazing Heavenly Sovereign, he still had to immediately summon a treasure. It poured down a cold energy like a waterfall and protected him in an airtight manner as it combated the heat of the Yang water.
Once they reached a certain depth, they immediately no longer dared to descend any further since they would no longer be able to withstand it. At this particular depth, one of the protectors turned pale since he was penetrated by the cold air. At the same time, the other had to shoulder the heat as sweatdrops as big as beans dripped down his skin.
At this moment, they stared intensely at the water plants slowly floating up from the bottom. The moment when two strips of water grasses slowly reached the intersection, both of them held their breaths. In just flash, the two strips combined together into a Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass, and the two protectors immediately took action. One person manipulated the Extreme Yin Water while the other controlled the Extreme Yang Water. The two vortexes of water suddenly became chains that tried to lock onto the immortal sungrass. Moreover, the vortex of Extreme Yin Water tried to bind the root of the golden grass while the vortex of Extreme Yang Water bound the black grassroot.
“Clank!” However, they lost their focus for just a moment and the Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass immediately broke the chains, fleeing instantly.
The immortal sungrass was an extremely powerful medicine. Only the extreme waters were capable of binding them. Even those who reached a divine state would still be unable to catch them without using these waters.
Nevertheless, the two of them were experts. Despite their first attempt being ineffective, they were able to catch four Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass right afterward.
“Amazing.” Li Qiye laughed and told the glaring Lan Yunzhu: “It is our turn now.” Having said that, he grabbed Lan Yunzhu’s slender hand.
“What are you doing—” Holding hands in front of everyone caused Lan Yunzhu to be both embarrassed and angry.
However, the disciples present were even more enraged as they glared at Li Qiye. A few elders showed their dissatisfaction with a scowl.
“Do you trust me?” Amidst her raging temper, Li Qiye suddenly asked a strange question.
“Boom!” But before she could answer, Li Qiye immediately dragged her into the Yin Yang Pond. Moreover, they jumped into the intersection of the two water currents.
The moment they jumped into the water, suddenly, it became both hot and cold at the same time. Lan Yunzhu channeled her merit law in order to block the extreme waters.
“Dive down!” Li Qiye immediately pulled her down and said.
Lan Yunzhu could only listen to Li Qiye. Their speed of descent was extremely fast as they instantly disappeared into the pond.
“What are they trying to do!?” Seeing Li Qiye suddenly pulling Lan Yunzhu down to the bottom of the pond, everyone became startled. Keep in mind that even Virtuous Paragons were not able to reach the bottom.
“Hmph, foolish thing. He actually believes that he can dive down!” Elder Lin snorted.
Even Daoist Bao Gui grimaced and couldn’t help but worry for his disciple. As the sect master, he naturally knew about the dangers of the Yin Yang Pond.
Li Qiye carried Lan Yunzhu along and dived down at a very fast rate. Although the two of them were very strong, they still weren’t able to withstand the extreme heat and cold at a certain depth.
At this point. Li Qiye took out the Yin Yang Refining Immortal Mirror, and the Yin Yang Fishes immediately jumped out from inside. The fishes then playfully swam around them as if this was their natural habitat.
“Is this an Immortal Emperor True Treasure?” Lan Yunzhu was astonished to see the mirror. She was someone who was capable of discerning treasures very proficiently.
“It is not, but it is not necessarily weaker than a true treasure.” Li Qiye answered while holding the mirror, then he dived down even further under the protection of the Yin Yang Fishes.
“Girl, you still haven’t married yet, but you are already acting like an old housewife. Do you really want to marry me that badly?” Li Qiye smiled and teased after seeing her posture with her hands on her waist.
At this time, Lan Yunzhu finally realized her rude appearance, so she became quite embarrassed. She angrily stomped her foot and said with exasperation: “Little Devil, I won’t forget this!” Then she immediately ran out.
After she left, even Lu Baiqiu had to softly remark: “Young Noble, Fairy Zhu definitely likes you!”
Chapter 411 - Golden Temple
It seemed as if the Yin Yang Pond was bottomless. They had been diving down for an extremely long period of time, yet they were still unable to arrive at the bottom.
After reaching a certain depth, even the mirror began to have trouble protecting them against the all-freezing cold and the all-melting heat. Even the blood energy of the two in their most powerful state couldn’t withstand it. Under the extreme temperatures, even universal laws shattered from the coldness, and dao techniques disintegrated.
At this depth, even Virtuous Paragons couldn’t handle it, let alone Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu. If they kept diving down, they would surely die.
“Now! Your Heaven’s Will Secret Law… Cyclical River of Fate!” Li Qiye shouted at Lan Yunzhu.
After hearing his words, Lan Yunzhu immediately communicated with the heaven and earth. The heaven’s will suddenly hovered around them, channeling countless supreme dao like the infinite reincarnation cycles.
While Lan Yunzhu was activating her secret law, Li Qiye opened his sea of memories. A mantra flew out from its depths and turned into a golden divine chain that eventually rushed out of Li Qiye’s forehead.
“Clank!” The unbelievable suddenly happened. This golden divine chain struck Lan Yunzhu’s secret law and locked the most important part of the Cyclical River of Fate. In the blink of an eye, Lan Yunzhu lost control of her secret law and the heaven’s will suddenly wove into a door.
“Buzz—” The gate created by the heaven’s will laws suddenly sucked Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu inside.
The discombobulated Lan Yunzhu found that there was no longer a Yin Yang Pond as they were standing at a different location. She was quite in shock as well. She started to cultivate the secret law at a young age, and it could even be considered as her dao root, but she didn’t know that it had such an effect.
As soon as her mind returned, she was once again amazed at the scene that was unraveling before her eyes.
Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu were standing under a sky filled with stars. There was a giant willow tree at this place — the biggest willow tree that Lan Yunzhu had ever seen. It pierced all the way into the sky as it shouldered this entire realm. Each hanging branch was like a peg of a ladder; those who could climb to the top of the tree would eventually reach the nine firmaments.
What was even more moving was that the entire willow tree was golden; one could see its dazzling radiance from afar. One would be basked in a golden light if they stood below the tree, and they would be able to hear the crisp and pleasing sounds of golden powder falling down that followed a musical rhythm.
Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang Waters met right at the root of the tree. And right below it was a golden temple that was seemingly cast from pure gold. Its heavy doors were shut tight.
Lan Yunzhu took a long time to calm down after looking at this scene and asked: “Just… where is this place?”
“Below the Yin Yang Pond.” Li Qiye calmly spoke: “This is the foundation of your Thousand Carp River.”
Li Qiye sighed softly as he looked at the willow tree and the golden temple in front of him. He had finally returned after so many years.
Lan Yunzhu took a deep breath while gazing intensely at Li Qiye and exclaimed: “You used me! My Cyclical River of Fate is the key to getting in here.”
There was a rumor that the biggest secret of the Thousand Carp River was hidden below the Yin Yang Pond, but no one had been able to come here until now. But now, Li Qiye had done so.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “The Cyclical River of Fate is the key?” He then shook his head and continued: “You are mistaken. The secret law is only a medium; even without you, I could still enter. It would only be a bit more cumbersome, that’s all.”
Lan Yunzhu’s heart thumped as she cautiously gazed at Li Qiye: “You didn’t come here to catch immortal sungrass, your goal was this place from the very start!”
Li Qiye asked with a smile: “Oh? Are you cautious of me? You definitely do not understand the secrets in this place. If I wanted to do anything to your sect, I would not have waited until today. I only came to take what belongs to me.”
Lan Yunzhu just stood there while gazing at Li Qiye. Eventually, she took in a calming breath and asked: “How do you know this place? And how do you know the method to enter?”
Li Qiye responded with a smile: “I calculated with my fingers.”
How could Li Qiye not know about everything under the pond? In the past, he personally created this domain. Because of him, there was Immortal Emperor Qian Li and the Thousand Carp River.
Li Qiye pointed at the monstrous golden tree and said: “Sit down beneath the tree. Maybe you will benefit from its heavenly dao.”
Lan Yunzhu looked at the tree and asked: “What kind of divine tree is this?”
Li Qiye answered with a smirk: “An amazing divine tree. There would be no mysterious Thousand Carp River without it. If there was no Ghost Ancestral Tree in the Sacred Nether World, then it might have a chance to be the number one tree.”
“I’m going to enter now to take a few things.” Li Qiye then stepped towards the golden temple beneath the golden tree.
Lan Yunzhu suddenly realized something: “I don’t agree to let you take those things away.” Here, she deepened her tone: “They should belong to the Thousand Carp River.”
“Should belong to the Thousand Carp River?” Li Qiye replied with a smile: “Girl, do you know why the Thousand Carp Lake is such a wonderful place? A long time ago, it was just an ordinary lake, but later on, it became a wondrous land yearned for by countless people. Do you know why?”
“The lake wasn’t always like this?” Lan Yunzhu asked in surprise. Her Thousand Carp Lake had produced many amazing treasures craved by countless people.
“If the lake was always such a wondrous land, then would it be your Thousand Carp River’s turn to establish a sect here? Such a wondrous land would have soon been taken by the Myriad Bones Throne or the Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom to build their ancestral grounds.”
“Then why did it become such an amazing place? Was it because of our patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li?” After speaking these words, even Lan Yunzhu didn’t feel very confident.
Li Qiye mysteriously smiled as he headed inside the golden temple. Lan Yunzhu quickly followed right behind him.
Li Qiye turned around and smiled: “If you want to stop me, then you can try to follow along, but it is impossible.”
He softly sighed while standing before the immense gate of the golden temple. Then, he reached out and knocked: “I have returned.”
Li Qiye’s words had a certain harmony with the grand dao.
“Crank—” At this time, the golden gate slowly opened, revealing the primordial chaos inside.
Lan Yunzhu followed Li Qiye right after he entered, but the moment she set one foot inside, she was repelled as if there was an invincible existence forbidding her entry.
“Crank—” Before she had time to get up, the golden door had already closed.
She quickly rushed forward and pounded on the door while shouting: “Open the door, Little Devil!”
However, there was no reply from inside. She pondered for a moment and remembered Li Qiye’s earlier appearance, then she copied him by knocking on the golden gate. She also mimicked the particular rhythm when she said: “I have returned.”
But the golden gate had zero response. However, she didn’t give up and tried several times again to no avail.
“Little Devil, you dared to trick me!” Lan Yunzhu bitterly cried out: “Don’t let me catch you or I’ll really let you have a taste!”
She couldn’t do anything else but sit down beneath the golden willow tree while being filled with resentment. She eventually calmed down and looked up at this golden willow tree.
Meanwhile, Li Qiye entered the temple that was filled with primordial chaos in its entirety.
It was as if a world had not existed in this place and this was still the primal origin — the beginning of all things.
When one stood in this spot and opened their heavenly gaze while carefully listening, they could faintly hear the sounds of divine beasts, including dragons, phoenixes, qilins, and taotie as if this place was their nest. 1
Then, they could see divine pagodas along with heavenly cauldrons inside along with many other immortal treasures.
Li Qiye emotionally murmured while standing in this place: “Time is heartless, I didn’t expect to actually return to this place.”
The moment these words came out, a voice came from within the primordial chaos: “It is good to see your return.”
Chapter 412 - Immortal Emperor Qian Li
At this time, a faint shadow could be found inside the primordial chaos, but it was completely shrouded by the essence so one couldn’t tell whether it was male or female; it was only a blur of a shadow.
If the elders of the river sect could see this shadow, they would absolutely become shocked. This shadow was exactly the same as their patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li!
Seeing the shadow within the chaos, Li Qiye couldn’t help but become silent. Meanwhile, the shadow initiated the conversation: “Congratulations, you have finally regained your body. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait until this day.”
“So much time has passed… Qian Li, you are still here.” Li Qiye eventually sighed softly and said: “You know that you are no longer in this world.”
The shadow basked in primordial chaos answered: “I know.” There was a very particular order to the shadow’s voice; it seemed as if their tone was the sound of the grand dao. This also made their sex indecipherable.
“I was waiting for you to come back.” The shadow continued: “Although I am no longer here, my will and sentiment remain with this land.”
Li Qiye sat down and asked with a smile: “Or maybe you are here because you do not hope to see me take those items away?”
The shadow became silent for a long time before gently asking: “That year, when you and I created this miracle, what was our initial goal?”
Li Qiye responded: “It was to create the Thousand Carp River, and that was also why I never returned. If I wished to take them away, then I would have done so earlier. However, if your descendants are not worthy of these things, then I shall take them away.”
This prompted a question from the shadow: “Then do you feel like the current Thousand Carp River is worthy for you to leave them here? If the existences in this domain do not have these items, then they cannot reach the dao.”
Li Qiye turned quiet before eventually speaking in a low voice: “I knew you would leave a sentiment behind in this place, so I came back to see a friend.” Li Qiye then sighed dejectedly.
“If you choose to leave them here, then it would be a great blessing for the Thousand Carp River, and a great blessing for all the existences in this domain.” The shadow continued on: “This land has many things that I can’t forget.”
Li Qiye was silent for a long time before he helplessly smiled to say: “Then we can leave them here. It seems like I am unable to refuse your request.”
“But you have done so in the past.” The voice in the chaos spoke softly in a very gentle manner.
After the past was brought up, Li Qiye shook his head and replied: “Even though you are an Immortal Emperor, you should know that the Immortal Demon Grotto is eternal. Even you will find it difficult to succeed. And even if you were able to do it, you would surely die as well. Just like before when I groomed the group of Min Ren, I didn’t intend for them to die for me…
“… The same applies to you. It is very difficult for an Immortal Emperor to emerge in each generation. An Immortal Emperor exists not only to reign supreme over the Nine Worlds, but they must also protect this heaven and earth — you should be aware of this. Trading an Immortal Emperor for me is not something I desire. In this world, there are many wonderful things as well as tasks that we must perform. A crow is fine, an imperial teacher is also the same; to me, training someone is not for me to use them as a tool or let them die in my stead.” 1
Here, he let out a disappointed sigh.
A long time later, the shadow in the chaos gently asked: “Are you lonely?”
Li Qiye replied with a smile: “Once one is used to it, one will no longer feel lonesome. For tens of millions of years, I had Min Ren, Tun Ri, and people like you to spend time with me, so I should be happy instead.”
After a period of silence, the shadow let out a long sigh filled with sadness before finally speaking: “I have found something for you.”
An item flew out from the primordial chaos and landed in front of Li Qiye.
Li Qiye took a look at it before emotionally exclaiming: “Elusive Heavenly Vase!” He then gently touched the ancient vase.
The shadow said: “I know you have been searching for this thing for a very long time. After you went into hibernation, I opened a separate domain and the heavens did not let me down. I have finally found it.”
Li Qiye carefully put the vase away and smiled: “I had forgotten about it until now, but I was indeed very interested in it in the past. I wanted to research the legendary Elusive Heavenly Mountain, but I had put this matter on hold.”
“Because you are a very busy man.” The shadow in the chaos smiled; it was a very pleasant smile.
Li Qiye also smiled back. All the events in the past were still as clear as ever in his mind. Unfortunately, the endless time shrouded them until today when these memories were evoked once more.
“Can I see you?” A while later, the shadow in the chaos asked.
Li Qiye looked at the shadow and, after a long silence, he sighed and disappeared into the primordial chaos.
***
Near the golden temple, Lan Yunzhu looked up at the Golden Divine Willow and saw a sprite-like creature akin to sea grass flying around.
No, it was not sea grass but a Yin Yang Immortal Sungrass, and it was a king on top of that! Seeing so many Yin Yang King Sungrass shocked Lan Yunzhu.
The value of a Yin Yang King Sungrass was much higher than an Eight Transformation Soul Grass; it was comparable to a two or three million year old King Herb. In addition, this was a king sungrass that had turned into a bright golden color, so it was much more precious than old King Herbs.
There had always been people diving down the pond at the Thousand Carp River to catch immortal sungrass, but they very rarely ever caught a king sungrass, let alone one that had reached this golden color.
While being astonished at the sight of so many king sungrass, she also wanted to catch a few. However, no matter which techniques she performed, she was unable to catch any of these flying king sungrass beneath the Golden Divine Willow.
As she pondered on how to catch one, she heard the voice of Li Qiye right next to her: “You won’t be able to catch a king sungrass right below the Golden Divine Willow.”
Lan Yunzhu turned around to see Li Qiye standing there for who knew how long.
She exploded the moment she saw him: “Damned Little Devil, you dared to leave me outside!?” She was prepping her claws against Li Qiye and spoke resentfully: “Watch me take care of you!”
“Girl, it is not because I wanted to leave you outside, but because you couldn’t enter.” Li Qiye grinned and continued: “Not just anyone can enter the golden temple.”
The angry Lan Yunzhu snorted. After a while, she calmed down and asked while gazing at Li Qiye: “What did you take from there?”
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Li Qiye replied while meeting her gaze: “Even if I took some items, they are only things that belonged to me. However, your Thousand Carp River is lucky. Out of remembrance for your patriarch, I have left those things behind.”
“Really?” Lan Yunzhu stared at Li Qiye with doubts as if she wanted to see if he was hiding any treasures on his body.
Li Qiye angrily glared at her and said: “If I wanted to take those items, then what can your sect do to me? This was just my last deed to end the fateful ties with the Thousand Carp River.” He sighed softly after having said this.
Lan Yunzhu was caught off guard. She felt that Li Qiye seemed to be sad, but it was not because of the treasures. Ever since she met him, she found him to be a happy and always-smiling person; never had she seen him in such a sad state.
However, it was just for a second. Lan Yunzhu was not so sure and suspected that she might have just misread it. What could make Li Qiye so sad? She was quite curious about this.
Amidst her curious confusion, Li Qiye let out a long whistle and a very strange thing happened. A king sungrass slowly flew into Li Qiye’s palm, thus allowing him to easily catch it.
“Impossible!” Lan Yunzhu was astounded after seeing this. She also whistled just like Li Qiye, but all the other king sungrass ignored her.
“How did you do that?” Lan Yunzhu stared at Li Qiye in astonishment and asked.
Li Qiye revealed a mysterious smile and said: “It’s a secret. You won’t be able to find out. But of course, if we consummate our marriage tonight, then I can reconsider about clueing you in.”
“Go die!” Lan Yunzhu immediately blushed as she tried to kick Li Qiye.
Li Qiye laughed and jumped up, then he suddenly disappeared within the willow tree. A bit later, Li Qiye landed with a hat in his hand; it was a hat made from golden willow branches that were weaved together. Each branch emitted strands that resembled golden silk universal laws, causing onlookers to feel a disturbance in their mind.
Lan Yunzhu looked at the hat made from interwoven willow branches in Li Qiye’s hand and asked: “What is that thing?”
“Golden Willow Crest.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “Unfortunately, I won’t be giving it to you since you haven’t performed the duties of a fiancee.”
Lan Yunzhu snappily glared at him and retorted: “I don’t care for it at all.”
“Let us go, one Yin Yang King Sungrass is enough to beat your protectors.” Li Qiye looked at the golden temple one last time and secretly sighed in his heart.
Lan Yunzhu looked at him and paused for a moment before speaking: “I have to report this to the sect master.” In the end, Lan Yunzhu was still a disciple of the Thousand Carp River. This Golden Divine Willow was too important to the sect, so she must report it to the sect master.
At this time, a faint shadow could be found inside the primordial chaos, but it was completely shrouded by the essence so one couldn’t tell whether it was male or female; it was only a blur of a shadow.
If the elders of the river sect could see this shadow, they would absolutely become shocked. This shadow was exactly the same as their patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li!
Seeing the shadow within the chaos, Li Qiye couldn’t help but become silent. Meanwhile, the shadow initiated the conversation: “Congratulations, you have finally regained your body. Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait until this day.”
“So much time has passed… Qian Li, you are still here.” Li Qiye eventually sighed softly and said: “Readers, go read Spirit Vessel on Gravitytales.”
Chapter 413 - Golden Willow Crest
“Do as you please.” Li Qiye didn’t care and said: “Even your ancestors might not know about it, and even if they did, your Thousand Carp River still wouldn’t be able to enter.”
The key was not the Heaven’s Will Secret Law nor the Cyclical River of Fate, but rather Li Qiye’s golden universal law. Without this law from Li Qiye’s sea of memories, it would be useless even if someone knew of this secret since they wouldn’t be able to enter.
Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye’s absent-minded expression and quietly asked: “How do you know about the matters in this place?”
Ever since he left the golden temple, he seemed to be preoccupied with his thoughts, so she was a bit worried for him.
“I calculated with my fingers.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
“Go calculate in hell!” Lan Yunzhu gritted her teeth from anger. She had good intentions, but this little devil was completely ungrateful!
Li Qiye looked at her and asked: “Do you want to stay here and flirt with me for a bit longer, or do you want to hurry back so that your master won’t worry?”
“Bah, you narcissist, who wants to flirt with you? Don’t be so arrogant.” Lan Yunzhu angrily retorted with beet red cheeks.
***
Right by the Yin Yang Pond, Daoist Bao Gui was very worried since Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu had dived down for a long time and still hadn’t returned.
“Could they actually dive down that deep?” He wondered with uncertainty.
His old eyes gazed at the Yin Yang Pond. Although Lan Yunzhu’s cultivation was very formidable, as the sect master, he knew just how terrifying the pond was.
And he wasn’t the only one who was nervous, another elder was quite worried as well: “Hmph! Even if that Little Demon Li wished to die, he shouldn’t involve others!”
One of them scolded: “If anything happens to Yunzhu, I will personally kill this brat!”
At this time, everyone’s anger was directed at Li Qiye. The disciples also felt the same as they cursed Li Qiye since they were very worried about Lan Yunzhu.
Only Lu Baiqiu alone cared for Li Qiye’s safety. She stood by the pond while nervously looking down at the water, silently praying for his safe return.
“Sect Master, I’m afraid it is not looking good. How about we go down and take a look?” The two still hadn’t come out after a long time, so an elder expressed his concern.
The worried Daoist Bao Gui nodded his head in response: “We can temporarily stop this immortal sungrass catching competition and go down to take a look. It would not be good if anything happened to them.”
“Crash!” Right when the sect master’s group wished to dive down, two figures soared up and landed by the pond.
Both the elders and disciples were ecstatic after seeing the two figures leaving the pond.
“They are out!” A person exclaimed.
The constantly panicking Lu Baiqiu finally smiled after seeing Li Qiye was safe and sound and standing by the bank.
Daoist Bai Gui also let out a sigh of relief after seeing the two of them, then he scolded: “How rash! The Yin Yang Pond is extremely dangerous. How could you two carelessly dive down like that?”
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Do not worry, Sect Master. Just the Yin Yang Pond alone won’t be able to kill us.” He then took out a Yin Yang King Sungrass and smirked: “We captured a king sungrass, I wonder how many king sungrass the two protectors caught?”
“Yin Yang King Sungrass!” Daoist Bao Gui exclaimed after seeing the plant in Li Qiye’s hand.
All the elders and protectors gathered around. Even the two competing protectors also came by to take a closer look at the king sungrass in Li Qiye’s hand. One of them was aghast and cried out: “It really is a king sungrass!”
An elder movingly said: “We haven’t caught a single blade of king sungrass for three thousand years. How did you guys catch it just now? This is unbelievable.”
Elder Lin’s expression became very ugly and snorted after seeing the king sungrass. Li Qiye’s victory was assured with this king sungrass. Even if his side caught more immortal sungrass, they were still not as valuable as a single king sungrass.
“Who won this round?” Li Qiye looked at the elders and revealed a wide smile.
All of the elders glanced at each other. Although they were unwilling, they still belonged to an emperor’s lineage and had to admit that Li Qiye won this round.
“Li Qiye has passed the second trial.” In the end, Daoist Bao Gui announced.
Li Qiye then calmly spoke: “Since I succeeded in two out of the three trials, there is no need for the last trial, right? But if your sect wishes to test your future son-in-law again, I’ll be happy to comply. I trust that no one can separate the two of us, am I right, Yunzhu?”
Lan Yunzhu knew that this little demon purposely said this, so she angrily glared at him.
Despite their unhappiness, what could the elders and disciples of the river sect do? The terms were decided by them beforehand, so they couldn’t change it now.
Li Qiye went back along with Lu Baiqiu to their housing while Lan Yunzhu went to report to Daoist Bao Gui.
After going back to the courtyard, Li Qiye called for Lu Baiqiu and gave her the Golden Willow Crest before saying: “You have followed me for several days while fulfilling all of your duties, so I will give you this treasure crest as a reward.”
“What is this treasure?” Lu Baiqiu emotionally asked while looking at the golden crest. Although she didn’t know what it was, its appearance that was filled with encircling silk-like universal laws was impressive enough.
Li Qiye answered with a smile: “This is a Golden Willow Crest, it’s woven from the most valuable branches from the Golden Divine Willow. It is a natural creation, not something that was crafted. This particular crest can be a ghost divine merit law, but if you consider it as a weapon, then will be a weapon; if you want it to be a scripture, then it is a scripture; if you think it is a supreme manual to study, then let it be a supreme manual.”
“This thing… is that magical?” Lu Baiqiu asked in astonishment. If Li Qiye’s explanation was apt, then this crest was indeed an amazing divine treasure.
Li Qiye nodded and said: “Yes! This thing could be considered the one and only of its kind in this world, and it is a creation that I shall give to you. As for the benefits and wisdom you can gain from it, it will be up to your own fortune. Remember well, you only have one chance at studying the supreme scripture within.”
“This…” Lu Baiqiu hesitated while holding the golden crest in her hand. This treasure was too valuable for her since it was worthy of being called a divine treasure. Lu Baiqiu was only a Region Lord of the Static Stream Country, so she couldn’t come into contact with such a thing.
“Take it.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “You have earned it. I told you that I would give you a creation, and I will not break my word.”
Lu Baiqiu calmed down and bowed towards Li Qiye: “Thank you, Young Noble.” Outside of heartfelt sincerity, more wordy appreciations paled in comparison.
***
“Bottom of the Yin Yang Pond…? The secret of the Yin Yang Pond!” In another part of the Thousand Carp River, Daoist Bao Gui was quite moved after hearing Lan Yunzhu’s report: “The legendary Golden Divine Willow!”
Lan Yunzhu looked at her master and asked: “Master, what kind of divine tree is it?” She saw it with her own eyes but couldn’t gain any profound enlightenment.
One must know that Lan Yunzhu had dual Saint talents; she was a devilish existence in the entire Sacred Nether World, not just in the Distant Cloud. She was not weaker than any other genius, but she couldn’t fathom the mysteries below the golden willow.
Daoist Bao Gui pondered for a moment before answering: “The Divine Willow Tree… I don’t know the exact details about it since there are only a few written records regarding this existence. It is said that this divine tree obtained a mysterious and heavenly creation. People say that the most powerful and formidable tree in the Sacred Nether World is the Ghost Ancestral Tree, but there is also a rumor stating that the Divine Golden Willow is right behind it.”
“Ghost Ancestral Tree?” Lan Yunzhu remembered hearing Li Qiye mention such a thing.
Daoist Bao Gui shook his head and said: “The Ghost Ancestral Tree is only a legend, no one really believes in its existence. Many ghost tribes in the Sacred Nether World refuse to acknowledge its existence, including the Ancestral Domain. Eventually, people just assumed that it was only a fabricated myth.”
After hearing about how the Ancestral Domain itself refuted this legend, Lan Yunzhu eagerly asked: “Is the Ghost Ancestral Tree that important?”
Daoist Bao Gui replied with gravity: “This has always been a mystery. Rumor has it that the tree had something to do with the ghost race’s origin. If that is indeed true, then the tree is the root of the Sacred Nether World. Of course, this is all hearsay since no one has seen it before.
“However, the divine tree and the golden temple might have something to do with our sect’s foundation. Since the Thousand Carp Lake is such a miraculous place, it must be the doing of the divine tree and the golden temple.”
Lan Yunzhu was about to say something, but she chose to remain silent instead. She didn’t reveal the fact about Li Qiye wanting to take a few things from the golden temple. After some hesitation, she decided to bury this matter in her heart because it might be quite disastrous to Li Qiye once revealed.
“Do as you please.” Li Qiye didn’t care and said: “Even your ancestors might not know about it. However, even if they did, your Thousand Carp River still wouldn’t be able to enter.”
The key was not the Heaven’s Will Secret Law, the Cyclical River of Fate, but rather Li Qiye’s golden universal law. Without this law from Li Qiye’s sea of memories, it would be useless even if someone knew this secret since they wouldn’t be able to enter.
Lan Yunzhu looked at Li Qiye’s absent-minded expression and quietly asked: “How do you know about the matters in this place?”
Ever since he left the golden temple, he seemed to be preoccupied with thoughts, so she was a bit worried for him.
“I calculated with my fingers.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
Chapter 414 - Turmoil
Unwittingly, she had started to worry about Li Qiye’s safety.
Daoist Bao Gui then inquired further: “Did Li Qiye say anything else about the Golden Temple?” As the sect master, he understood the gravity of this matter.
“Nothing else.” Lan Yunzhu shook her head in response. There were some things that she didn’t want to reveal.
“This is the secret of the Yin Yang Pond…” Daoist Bao Gui couldn’t help but murmur. Over the years, there were many tales circulating the inner circle of the river sect regarding the bottom of the Yin Yang Pond. Some believed that it was the foundation of the sect.
Because of this rumor, across many generations, people tried to dive down to the very bottom. However, despite their numerous efforts, they still failed to do so. As a result, these rumors, instead, became legends for the future generations.
But today, an outsider confirmed such a legend, so how could Daoist Bao Gui not become emotional?
“How does Li Qiye know this secret?” The daoist wondered. As the sect master, he knew his own sect very well, but an outsider like Li Qiye was privy to the pond’s secret while it eluded him, the sect master.
Perhaps even the high elders and the slumbering ancestors didn’t know the secret of the pond. Thus, this matter where their great secret was within the grasp of an outsider was of the utmost priority to Daoist Bao Gui.
After Lan Yunzhu’s report, the daoist immediately convened a secret meeting that only consisted of elders; even the high elders who rarely showed themselves participated as well.
After hearing the sect master’s statement, all the elders were quite moved as they glanced at each other: “There is a golden temple and a golden divine tree below the Yin Yang Pond!?”
“The rumor is true, then.” A high elder took a deep breath and wondered: “Could this be an inheritance bequeathed by our Immortal Emperor patriarch?”
“Such a secret affects the survival of our sect, we cannot let an outsider grasp it.” Elder Lin, who had always been antagonistic towards Li Qiye, gravely said: “We should capture Li Qiye and interrogate him right away.”
Another elder shook his head in disagreement: “There is no evidence regarding this matter so if we interrogate Li Qiye, our reputation as an emperor’s lineage would be greatly damaged. We should talk to Li Qiye first, then decide later.”
“Hmph, this affects our sect’s survival, so what is there to talk about?” Elder Lin coldly continued: “As long as we catch him and carefully interrogate him, there is no fear that he won’t talk.”
Another high elder, Venerable Wang, who was Elder Lin’s master, agreed: “This matter is indeed of the utmost importance. We should first capture Li Qiye.”
“We don’t even know about the secret of the pond, so how does Li Qiye know?” High Elder Yang replied in a deep tone: “Maybe Li Qiye has a deep connection with our sect.”
“Senior Brother Yang, how could an outsider have any ties with us?” Venerable Wang sarcastically smiled and exclaimed: “Maybe this little demon has been secretly spying on us and discovered a way to enter the Yin Yang Pond!”
“Spying on our methods and found a way to enter the pond?” Venerable Yang glanced at him and said: “If we had a method of entry, why would we even be here today? Does Junior Brother Wang know of such a method? And not just us, even our sealed ancestors might not know the secret. Are you telling me that our ancestor knew of this secret and told an outsider?”
Venerable Wang said with a grave tone: “If we torture him, there would be no need to fear that he won’t talk. At that moment, we’ll find out how Li Qiye knows of this secret.”
Venerable Yang shook his head in response: “I personally do not agree with an interrogation. We can talk to Li Qiye, instead.”
A different high elder nodded in agreement: “Beginning with an interrogation is too hasty, but we do need to talk with this little demon first.”
Daoist Bao Gui coughed to interject: “Senior Uncles, we should set aside the matter of Li Qiye for now. I feel that we should dive down and personally check the Yin Yang Pond before we take any action.”
“That’s right!” After hearing this, all the elders and high elders became excited: “We should go take a look!”
The elders took action immediately. They sealed the island and didn’t allow anyone to approach. A few elders and high elders carried treasures to dive down to the depths of the Yin Yang Pond. They followed Lan Yunzhu’s instructions in order to reach the bottom.
However, no matter how they tried to use Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s Cyclical River of Fate, they could not reach the bottom, let alone see the golden tree and golden temple.
After consecutive failures, the group realized that the key was not the Heaven’s Will Secret Law, it was Li Qiye.
“We have to talk to that little devil!” All the elders had the same thought, and that was to get Li Qiye to reveal the secret no matter what.
“Young Noble, it’s not looking so good!” In the afternoon, Lu Baiqiu rushed in and immediately exclaimed after seeing Li Qiye.
“What happened? Why are you so startled?” Li Qiye looked at her and asked.
Lu Baiqiu looked around as if she was afraid that people would eavesdrop before whispering: “Young Noble, there are a lot more disciples patrolling our private courtyard today. I’m afraid the river sect might have some unfavorable plans regarding us.”
Lu Baiqiu was a Region Lord, so she was meticulous and cautious. She immediately knew that something bad had happened the moment she noticed the extra disciples going back and forth.
“Is that so?” Li Qiye smiled in response. This was within his expectations. If Lan Yunzhu reported the matter of what was beneath the Yin Yang Pond, then naturally, the Thousand Carp River would have a great reaction.
“Would the Thousand Carp River change their mind about the marriage arrangement? But Young Noble, I think Fairy Zhu quite likes you.” Lu Baiqiu anxiously whispered.
Li Qiye lightly flicked her forehead and said: “Girl, where did your mind wander off to?” Li Qiye then smiled and shook his head: “It’s nothing of that sort, this has nothing to do with that little girl.”
Lu Baiqiu’s sense of danger was tingling, so she whispered again: “But Fairy Zhu should be warning you right now, yet there is no sign of her. Don’t tell me Fairy Zhu wants to cancel this marriage?”
Li Qiye calmly responded: “Don’t think about it too much. The little girl has no control over this matter for she is helpless as well regarding this issue.”
The secret of the pond affected the existence of the sect itself, so such a thing was outside the influence of a disciple like Lan Yunzhu. Even the sect master, Daoist Bao Gui, could not decide the course of action regarding this matter alone.
“Then what should we do?” Lu Baiqiu inquired: “Young Noble, how about we escape under the curtain of night?”
“Escape? Why do we have to escape?” Li Qiye nonchalantly stated: “Don’t worry, even if the sky falls down, your Young Noble will be here to shoulder it for you. What is there to be afraid of?”
Lu Baiqiu took a deep breath and resolutely nodded her head: “I shall stand together with Young Noble!”
Li Qiye just smiled and didn’t say anything else. He then slowly closed his eyes in anticipation of the things to come.
Later on, in the afternoon, the patrolling disciples around Li Qiye’s place only increased in number till the point where not even a drop of water could trickle through.
Even the stupidest disciple in the river sect would understand that something important had happened. However, the sect remained secretive, and ordinary disciples didn’t dare to ask any questions.
Lu Baiqiu became increasingly nervous after seeing even more disciples around, but she calmed down after noticing how relaxed Li Qiye was.
Once night fell, Daoist Bao Gui finally came to see Li Qiye. They couldn’t go down to the bottom of the pond, so they had no other choice. They knew the key lied with Li Qiye, so the sect master personally went to talk with him.
The sect master sat down and Li Qiye didn’t mince words: “Sect Master came because of the issue regarding what is beneath the Yin Yang Pond, correct?”
The sect master nodded his head while smiling and said: “Young Noble Li is a sensible person. If we all understand the circumstance, then we can openly talk.”
“I’m all ears.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
Daoist Bao Gui took a deep breath and sat in a very formal position before looking at Li Qiye to say: “Young Noble Li, our Thousand Carp River must know the key, the secret of reaching the bottom of the pond. Please teach us the method.”
“The method to reach the bottom?” Li Qiye shook his head in response: “I’m sorry, but there is no way I can do that. Only I can enter that place.”
Daoist Bao Gui’s gaze became serious as he spoke with more austerity: “Young Noble Li, this matter is very crucial, so I hope that you will speak with caution.”
Li Qiye glanced at the daoist in response: “There is nothing I can do if you don’t believe me. However, I do have a word of advice: don’t have any ideas about going down to the bottom of the Yin Yang Pond.”
“Why?” The daoist was quite surprised at this response and asked.
Li Qiye lightly answered: “It is not a place that you guys should enter. However, if you wish for a more understandable reason, then it is because you guys are not qualified.”
Li Qiye’s words caused the daoist’s expression to change as he gravely said: “Young Noble Li, do not forget that this is the Thousand Carp Lake of the Thousand Carp River. There is no place within this lake that we are not allowed entry!”
Unknowingly, she had started to worry about Li Qiye’s safety.
Daoist Bao Gui then inquired further: “Did Li Qiye say anything else about the Golden Temple?” As the sect master, he understood the gravity of this matter.
“Nothing else.” Lan Yunzhu shook her head and answered. There were some things that she didn’t want to reveal.
“This is the secret of the Yin Yang Pond…” Daoist Bao Gui couldn’t help but murmur. Over the years, there were many tales circulating the inner circle of the river sect regarding the bottom of the Yin Yang Pond. Some believed that it was the foundation of the sect.
Chapter 415 - Negotiation
Li Qiye gently shook his head in disagreement regarding the daoist’s assertion: “You are mistaken. To be more exact, your Thousand Carp River exists because of the Yin Yang Pond. Your paradise depends on the pond, and it does not belong to you. Is that clear?”
Daoist Bao Gui had always been biased in favor of Li Qiye, but Li Qiye’s words had angered him. Nevertheless, he tried to remain calm in a manner befitting that of a sect master. However, he still inevitably showed some anger in his tone: “Then pray tell, if the Yin Yang Pond does not belong to the Thousand Carp River, then who does it belong to?”
“Me.” Li Qiye pointed at his nose and said: “Frankly speaking, the pond belongs to me alone, and only with my permission can someone else enter.”
Daoist Bao Gui angrily exclaimed: “Young Noble Li, you are going too far!”
The daoist had tried to protect Li Qiye many times regarding this matter, but now, Li Qiye’s blustering and uncooperative attitude had made him furious.
Li Qiye lazily glanced at him and said: “Sect Master, I understand your position. I also know the attitudes of the old men of your Thousand Carp River. There are a few secrets that must be obtained by any and all means, correct? But do you know why I am still here?”
Daoist Bao Gui’s heart quickly thumped as his eyes turned serious. As the sect master of an emperor’s lineage, he had seen many storms. He was also a smart man and felt that there was something not right with Li Qiye since Li Qiye clearly knew how things would develop, yet he still chose to stay here.
Anyone else would have run away a long time ago if they knew that the river sect harbored unfriendly intentions towards them. However, it was the opposite for Li Qiye; he was without any fear.
Daoist Bao Gui then took a deep breath to maintain his calm before saying: “I’m ready to listen.”
Li Qiye let out a wide smile and spoke in a very leisurely manner: “It’s nothing much, I just wanted to see whether Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s descendants would shame him or not. The truth is that I am already showing respect towards you. However, if you choose to be unreasonable, then I think it is time for the Thousand Carp River to go on the decline.”
“What are you trying to say!” Daoist Bao Gui’s expression greatly changed as he gravely asked.
Li Qiye nonchalantly responded: “Nothing that serious. If your Thousand Carp River has nothing worthy of my remembrance, then this land no longer deserves me looking after it. If this is the case, then the prosperity of the river sect is one less thing for me to worry about.”
The reason why Li Qiye didn’t take away the items he left behind in the golden temple was not only because of Immortal Emperor Qian Li, but also to give the river sect a chance. Although it had several elders that annoyed Li Qiye, at the very least, he had a good impression of Lan Yunzhu, Daoist Bao Gui, and Venerable Yang. They were deserving of Li Qiye’s mercy.
Daoist Bao Gui’s countenance became quite difficult to look at as he gazed at Li Qiye. If it was anyone else, they would have erupted with anger, but not him.
The daoist then said with a serious tone: “Young Noble Li, do not forget that this is the Thousand Carp River. We are an emperor’s lineage; we have stood strong for generations and are not easily intimidated.”
“I’m not intimidating Sect Master, I merely speak the truth. Yes, this is the Thousand Carp River, and that is precisely the reason why I am the ruler of all things here. Do I make myself clear?” Li Qiye declared with a smile.
Li Qiye personally created this piece of miraculous land together with Immortal Emperor Qian Li. If he wished to reign over the Thousand Carp River, there were many means for him to do so.
Daoist Bao Gui coldly retorted: “Our Thousand Carp River is not clay for just anyone to mold as they please.” These words were not empty since an emperor’s lineage indeed had a certain sense of confidence that would remain strong against any foe.
“I know, the Thousand Carp River is very powerful.” Li Qiye nodded his head in agreement: “But do you know why the river sect has been prosperous till this day? Do you know why it is allowed to have such a paradise as the Thousand Carp Lake?”
Li Qiye emotionlessly continued: “It is because this land is worthy of my remembrance.” Just like Immortal Emperor Qian Li, these rivers and mountains had a history that could not be forgotten. The items in the golden temple were peerless; with them, Li Qiye could create a new Immortal Emperor lineage. However, after Immortal Emperor Qian Li left, Li Qiye did not take these things away.
Just like Immortal Emperor Qian Li said, this land deserved preservation since it contained an abundance of happiness. Otherwise, Li Qiye would have taken these items away during the Black Dragon King’s era. They were all things that Li Qiye took from the most dangerous places under the nine heavens.
Daoist Bao Gui was in a daze as he looked at Li Qiye without knowing what to say. He actually didn’t think that Li Qiye was simply speaking nonsense, and this greatly confused him. Li Qiye was only a junior… What kind of abilities or backing did he actually have for him to oppose an emperor’s lineage? No matter how powerful they were, a young man would not dare to oppose an emperor’s lineage in such a grand manner.
Daoist Bao Gui finally quelled the many thoughts in his mind and gravely stated: “Young Noble Li, I will try my best to work this out. I hope that we can reach a peaceful conclusion. However, without your cooperation, even I — as the sect master — am powerless to protect you.”
“I appreciate your kind sentiment.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “But if Sect Master forces me to cooperate, then I am also powerless.”
The daoist was in a dilemma, but he did not give up despite Li Qiye’s refusal. He took a deep breath and continued on: “Young Noble Li, in the end, this is an issue integral to our sect’s survival, so we cannot afford to tread lightly. We have no other intentions. As the Thousand Carp River’s disciples, we only wish to take a look to further our understanding of the sect’s foundation. If you could tell us the method of entry that we currently lack, then our sect is willing to pay the price!”
Li Qiye laughed and said: “Oh? Now it is the carrot after the stick has failed?” 1
Daoist Bao Gui replied in a serious manner: “We simply wish to talk this through. As long as you are willing, just name the price. We shall have a fair negotiation and our sect will definitely satisfy your demands.”
“Sect Master does not understand the crux of the situation.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “A price? Sect Master, if I truly wanted treasures, then I would not wait for Sect Master to bargain with me. Do you feel that your sect has something more valuable than the Golden Divine Willow? If I truly wanted treasures, then I would not be wasting my time with you, I would have already taken the divine tree away.”
“Take away the Golden Divine Willow!?” Daoist Bao Gui became aghast after hearing this.
The divine tree was related to the Thousand Carp River’s foundation so if someone took it away, the consequences would be unimaginable.
“If that is my wish, I’m sure the Golden Divine Willow would very happily follow me.” Li Qiye lightly continued: “Do you know why I left it behind? It is to give the Thousand Carp River a chance. I have explained myself very clearly, so Sect Master needs to be sensible now.”
Daoist Bao Gui silently stood there while deliberating these words. Taking away the Golden Divine Willow? Even the river sect itself knew very little about the tree… Could Li Qiye actually take the tree away? The daoist began to hesitate at this point since Li Qiye did not seem like he was joking.
“Sect Master, I do not wish to repeat myself anymore.” Li Qiye spoke apathetically: “Forget about the Yin Yang Pond and do as you did before. Otherwise, your Thousand Carp River would simply be seeking self-destruction.”
The daoist turned silent. The river sect was an emperor’s lineage so logically speaking, it would not easily falter due to the threats of a junior.
However, his intuition was telling him that involving themselves in this matter any longer would become detrimental to the sect. He was not sure of Li Qiye’s true abilities, but his heart was saying that by blatantly opposing Li Qiye, the river sect will decline.
There was no evidence since he knew nothing about Li Qiye’s means, he only knew that opposing Li Qiye was an unwise decision.
After a good while, the daoist stood up and eventually said with austerity: “Young Noble Li, I cannot decide this matter by myself. Even as the sect master, it is beyond my control.”
“I understand. As the sect master, your wisest decision is to persuade the others and act as if nothing had happened. Only then would all of you still have this paradise that is the Thousand Carp Lake as your emperor’s lineage continues to prosper. Don’t venture where you are not supposed to.”
Daoist Bao Gui gently sighed. Although he believed Li Qiye’s words and agreed to give up on discovering the secrets of the Yin Yang Pond, the other elders and high elders would not necessarily be convinced.
Chapter 416 - Approaching Battle
Daoist Bao Gui returned and convened a meeting at night. All the elders and high elders were present at this meeting that had a particularly solemn atmosphere.
During this meeting, the daoist clearly explained the details and his personal concerns.
Elder Lin, who was the first to dislike Li Qiye, sneered: “Since he does not want to cooperate, then he cannot blame us for not giving him a chance. Catch him and begin the interrogation.”
Another elder nodded his head and said: “Sect Master, a junior like him has the nerve to act like this in our Thousand River Sect as if we are nothing. If we don’t give him a taste of our strength, then he’ll actually think that we were only bluffing.”
Prior to this, a few elders who had yet to come to a conclusion did not want to use force and hoped that this could be resolved peacefully. But now, Li Qiye’s attitude had angered these elders. They felt that Li Qiye refused a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!
The high elders were especially strict regarding this behavior. Venerable Wang said in a grave manner: “Sect Master, a little junior is stomping on our heads like this… What are we waiting for? Capture him right now!”
Venerable Yang, on the other hand, assuaged the rest of the elders: “Let Li Qiye think about it some more, give him one last chance. Let’s make the deadline tomorrow.”
Although Venerable Yang wished to lend Li Qiye a hand in this matter, he was also powerless since Li Qiye’s attitude had offended the entire Thousand Carp River. He did not know what Li Qiye wanted to do. Did he want to oppose the entire river sect by himself? Even Virtuous Paragons would not be able to do so, let alone someone from the younger generation.
He understood that the Dream Wishing Tree chose Li Qiye for a reason, but his arrogant attitude left him speechless and made it impossible to protect him.
“We’ll do as Venerable Yang said. We’ll give Li Qiye one last chance, and I’ll go talk to him again tomorrow.” Daoist Bao Gui formally declared. He agreed to this plan; this was all that he could do.
Compared to the other angry elders, Daoist Bao Gui was quite apprehensive. The other elders didn’t speak to Li Qiye so they didn’t share such a feeling. Apprehension from the sect’s possible decline due to opposing Li Qiye loomed over the daoist’s mind.
But now, even he could not appease the angry elders in the sect, nor could he change the final outcome. Without the support of Venerable Yang’s group by his side, the other elders would have already taken action.
“Only one day.” In the end, under the sect master’s assertion, the other elders eventually agreed to a one-day extension. They gave the daoist one day to persuade Li Qiye; afterward, the sect would go and capture him.
The group of Elder Lin wanted to get rid of Li Qiye immediately since they were both anxious and annoyed due to Daoist Bao Gui’s attempt at protecting him.
The daoist let out a long sigh. He managed to gain one day for Li Qiye, but deep in his mind, he knew that Li Qiye would absolutely not acquiesce. However, there was nothing else that he could do since he failed to convince the elders.
The two sides were at an impasse where neither side was willing to back down. If it was someone else, then Daoist Bao Gui would have complete confidence in capturing them. After all, being called an emperor’s lineage was not just an empty title.
However, Daoist Bao Gui had no confidence against an unknown junior like Li Qiye. He found the whole thing to be quite mysterious. How could the Thousand Carp disciples, and even its descendants, not enter the foundation of the sect while an outsider like Li Qiye easily entered?
What was the connection between Li Qiye and the river sect? Li Qiye even said that the Golden Divine Willow belonged to him and that it would happily go with him… Why? These mysteries caused Daoist Bao Gui to be lost in thought.
If Li Qiye’s words were right, then once the conflict began, what would happen to the river sect if the divine tree chose to follow him?
Daoist Bao Gui shivered at the mere thought. Without the Golden Divine Willow, the Thousand Carp Lake would no longer be a paradise. It would become an ordinary lake from then on as countless medicines would perish while numerous demons won’t be able to become enlightened with the dao!
Daoist Bao Gui felt that the burden on his shoulders was too heavy to bear. He could not convince the elders, so at the moment, the only way was to invite an ancestor to come into being.
However, he knew that his idea alone was insufficient to convince an ancestor, let alone invite the ancestor to appear and protect Li Qiye.
Tonight was a sleepless night for the daoist; an endlessly long night.
On this night, Lan Yunzhu hurriedly rushed to Li Qiye’s place. She was normally a proud woman who never panicked in front of adversity, but she seemed quite alarmed at this moment.
The moment she saw him, she urged: “Hurry and escape tonight!”
Compared to her panicked state, Li Qiye was much calmer and relaxed. He looked at her and lightly inquired: “Why escape?”
The worrying Lan Yunzhu hurriedly replied: “The elders have decided to capture you. Although the sect master bought you an extra day, if you choose not to talk, then you will be captured. Now, the elders want to capture you, especially the branch of High Elder Wang. They all want to do so as soon as possible. If it wasn’t for the sect master, they would have already come.”
Li Qiye leisurely smiled and said: “If they want to do it the hard way, then I will gladly welcome it and will happily meet them anytime. I’m a bit itchy from the lack of fighting recently. If you don’t mind, I should really consider commencing a massacre.”
Lan Yunzhu glowered at him and snappily exclaimed: “Are you crazy? I know that you are very strong, but this is not the time to rely on it. Not to mention, all of our elders are Heavenly Sovereigns, and there is even a peak Heavenly Sovereign. Once a fight breaks out, even the high elders will not hesitate to join. Some of our reclusive high elders are peak Heavenly Kings. If they take action, it would still not be enough even if you had ten lives.”
“Girl, your words are mistaken. If it was a different location, then I would be a bit wary of peak Heavenly Kings. However, this is the Thousand Carp River, so even if Virtuous Paragons came, I will continue to sit safely on my throne above the nine heavens.”
Lan Yunzhu became so angry that she gave him a stern look before saying: “Don’t be too arrogant! This is the Thousand Carp River, an emperor’s lineage! Even Virtuous Paragons cannot shake our sect. Do you think that you alone can do anything? Even if you have the fabled six palaces and nine stars, it is still nothing to them. Do you get it?”
She was quite worried for Li Qiye. Otherwise, she would not have rushed here to persuade him to escape.
Li Qiye calmly smiled and slowly spoke: “You are right, this is the Thousand Carp River — my territory. In this place, I am the sole ruler, do you get it now?”
“Do you think you can fight against the elders? Hmph, even if you do have the ability to oppose the elders, once you threaten our river sect, the sealed ancestors will come out and quell all resistance. You should understand the significance of a Thousand Carp Ancestor coming into being.” Lan Yunzhu bitterly said. She really wanted to open Li Qiye’s head to see what could possibly be inside to make him as arrogant as this.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “You have it backwards. I am simply staying here to give the river sect another chance. If it wasn’t for your Immortal Emperor patriarch, then I would have already flipped over the river sect…
“… Heavenly Kings? Virtuous Paragons? So what. As long as it is my whim, I could slay them like nothing. But for now, I do not wish to stain my hands with the blood of Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s descendants. Otherwise, do you really think that I would have accepted the Thousand Carp River’s trial over such an insignificant matter?”
Lan Yunzhu stared at him as if she was staring at a freak and angrily exclaimed: “Uncle, your thick skin is unreal. You are speaking as if you knew our Immortal Emperor and are being considerate towards the emperor.”
“Your words, this time, are correct.” Li Qiye replied with a smile: “If your Immortal Emperor Qian Li was still in this world, then he would have to give me a little face.”
Of course he would not say that he actually knew the Immortal Emperor.
“Stop!” Lan Yunzhu snappily said: “You really have no shame about bragging. Go look at yourself in a mirror. Our Patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li, is invincible in this world, do you think a nobody junior like you would be given any face by the Patriarch? Your ego has no bounds.”
“Although I am a nobody… this does not mean your Patriarch cannot recognize true quality, unlike you guys.” Li Qiye said in a very matter-of-fact manner.
“I don’t care anymore. If you want to die, then die.” Lan Yunzhu was fed up and said: “Do as you please you egomaniac, just don’t regret it when you no longer have a chance to run!” Lan Yunzhu ruthlessly stomped her foot on the ground because this egomaniac truly infuriated her.
Chapter 417 - Declaration of War
“So you hope that I would flee from the Thousand Carp River overnight?” Li Qiye smiled and said while looking at the angry Lan Yunzhu.
“It is best if you start running now.” Lan Yunzhu thought that Li Qiye had changed his mind and happily continued: “If you run right now, then you still have a chance to escape the Thousand Carp River. Once you are out of the sect, leave the Distant Cloud as well; go to the Nether Border or the Green River. It is best to avoid the areas with a lot of ghost tribes. Regardless of what you do, you will not be safe if you stay in the Distant Cloud region.”
Li Qiye looked at her and smiled: “Girl, are you trying to work together with the enemy?”
“Are you running away or not!” Lan Yunzhu snapped and glared at him.
“You have seen it yourself.” Li Qiye waved his hand and said: “At this moment, the island is completely surrounded. There are no gaps and countless eyes are on me. Telling me to escape from your Thousand Carp River is not such an easy task.”
Lan Yunzhu took a deep breath and said in a serious manner: “I’ll cover for you, no one will notice with me leading you. Once you get out of here, escaping would not be difficult.”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye stroked his chin and revealed a pose of contemplation: “But I don’t want to leave you. If I run away now, we won’t see each other again.”
“What are you talking about at a time like this!” Lan Yunzhu angrily stomped her foot and exclaimed.
Li Qiye looked at her with a passionate gaze and said: “Girl, how about we escape together? We will leave the Thousand Carp River and become inseparable from then on. After that, we will be as free as the birds in the sky or the fishes in the ocean.”
“Yuck, who would want to run off with you!” The embarrassed Lan Yunzhu quipped and continued on: “You can keep on dreaming! So? Are you running or not? If you want to, then I will take you outside of the sect, but if not, then I’m just going to ignore you.”
This was quite admirable of her. This was a crime of treason. Once caught, she would be heavily punished despite being the prime descendant.
Li Qiye examined her serious expression and smiled while gently patting her on the cheek to say: “Girl, how could I involve you in this mess? Don’t worry, I won’t run. If such a small matter forces me to run, then I am not Li Qiye.
“Out of respect for your feelings, I won’t make it difficult for the Thousand Carp River this time. I also won’t take away the Golden Divine Willow so that the sect can continue to prosper. However, as for the blind fools… I shall not hesitate to massacre them.”
“Do you really think you can beat the entire sect by yourself?” Lan Yunzhu angrily spoke.
Li Qiye nodded his head in a serious fashion and declared: “Yes! I can defeat your entire sect because I am Li Qiye!”
Lan Yunzhu was completely stupefied. Because I am Li Qiye — this was the most domineering phrase she had ever heard. It was as if, amongst the nine heavens and ten earths across the ages, nothing would ever be able to match this remark of domination.
The moment her mind returned, she angrily exclaimed: “Forget it, you can do as you please! Don’t blame me when you die a miserable death here!” Having said that, she quickly stormed out.
Li Qiye chuckled at the sight of her exasperation. A while later, he looked up at the night curtain and gently sighed.
He then murmured to himself: “Qian Li, you can’t blame me for this, blame your descendants instead for not knowing when to stop. I have given a lot to the Thousand Carp River by leaving behind the divine tree and the treasures. If there are those who do not listen, then maybe it is time for someone else who is more tractable to rule over this land.”
The next morning, Lu Baiqiu hastily rushed in and said: “Young Noble, it’s not looking so good!”
Li Qiye opened his eyes and calmly asked: “What’s wrong? Is the sky falling down?”
The breathless Lu Baiqiu said: “The sky is not falling down, but Senior Brother Yan Long is leading a large group here to capture Young Noble.”
Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and said with a smile: “Capture me? Let us go, we can let those ignorant fools have a taste of blood. Today is the day when the Thousand Carp River will change.” 1
Li Qiye went outside with Lu Baiqiu and saw Yan Long leading a group of experts towards them; they all had a ferocious aura.
Yan Long’s eyes became bloodshot the moment he saw Li Qiye. A few days ago, he was incapacitated by Li Qiye, and his master had to use a lot of precious elixirs to heal his wounds. How could he not be reddened with rage now that his enemy was before his very eyes?
He then surrounded Li Qiye with the numerous experts, not leaving behind a single gap for the possibility of escape.
Many disciples saw this scene from afar, but none of them dared to say anything nor did they come and join the fun.
In the last two days, the atmosphere at the sect had been quite tense since the elders gave the order to seal off the lake, preventing others from entering and leaving.
Even the most oblivious disciple knew that something had happened in the sect, and it was a very big deal. However, ordinary disciples wouldn’t dare to ask about it.
Yan Long’s appearance was quite fierce; it was as if he wanted to strip Li Qiye of his flesh and remove his bones. Eventually, he said: “Li, will you peacefully accept your arrest, or do we have to force you to submit?”
“So your Thousand Carp River likes to go back on your words? An actual emperor’s lineage choosing to act so dishonorably… This is truly disappointing.” Li Qiye replied without batting an eye as he stood with both hands gallantly posed behind his back.
“Our words? We only act honorable towards gentlemen. As for ignoble wretches like you, there is no point in doing so. You spied on our sect to steal our secrets and even our Heaven’s Will Secret Law; any of these crimes is worthy of decapitation.”
“Spying on the Thousand Carp River?” After hearing the charges, Lu Baiqiu, who was right behind Li Qiye, felt indignation.
Everyone knew that Li Qiye came for the marriage arrangement, even the sect itself acknowledged and agreed to this. Accusing him of coming to the sect to spy on them — this was clearly a false allegation.
Contrary to Lu Baiqiu’s anger, Li Qiye remained unaffected and answered with a smile: “Not a bad list of crimes. Of course, since you aim to falsely accuse me, any reason would work just as well.”
“Stop wasting time. Be smart and let us capture you, or else you will only bring more trouble upon yourself.” Yan Long said with a deep voice: “If you choose to resist, then we will take your arms and legs, turning you into a cripple. At that point, don’t blame our sect for not giving you a chance at the beginning.” At this point, he revealed a cruel smile of pleasure.
Yan Long had been waiting long enough for his chance to get back at Li Qiye. A fate worse than death awaited Li Qiye if he should fall into Yan Long’s hands, a fate deserving of someone who tried to steal his woman.
“Is that so?” Li Qiye smirked: “Is this the decision made by the sect, or is this your personal decision?”
Yan Long didn’t answer directly and coldly declared instead: “All Thousand Carp disciples have the responsibility to kill someone who spies on our sect and stole our Heaven’s Will Secret Law!”
Li Qiye smiled and nodded his head: “I understand, so it is a personal vendetta. But you alone are not enough to catch me.”
Yan Long’s face became ashen because Li Qiye struck his sore spot. He then cried out: “Go, show no mercy if he resists!”
Having said that, his blood energy rushed forth as he took out a Virtuous Paragon Life Treasure.
“Boom!” After a loud explosion, the experts who came with him created an inescapable net. The sky started to shake as all four directions were locked down.
The group came prepared and were determined to capture Li Qiye at all costs.
Once this net entrapped the entire area, Yan Long’s Virtuous Paragon weapon slashed down with the suppressive might of a Virtuous Paragon.
While being on the verge of life and death, Li Qiye slightly shifted his body. At that moment, it seemed as if time itself shivered from him seemingly flapping his wings.
“Bang—bang—bang!” A series of impacts resounded along with shrill cries. The experts that wanted to trap Li Qiye were all instantly blown away as their blood painted the blue sky red.
“Boom!” Li Qiye’s body was the most powerful weapon. Each of his attacks carried the force of a divine mountain, so even a Virtuous Paragon weapon was knocked away.
“Boom!” Before Yan Long knew what was going on, he had already been blown away, spewing out blood as his bones broke. Before he got the chance to realize what was going on, his neck felt a grip that pushed him up high. Li Qiye had Yan Long by the throat in midair.
“Someone like you wants to capture me?” Li Qiye smirked at Yan Long and demanded: “Tell the ones who are ordering you to come out, or else I’ll crush you!”
“Little Beast, let him go!” Elder Lin roared and unleashed a sky-shattering fist towards Li Qiye, one without any mercy.
“So you hope that I would flee from the Thousand Carp River overnight?” Li Qiye smiled and said while looking at the angry Lan Yunzhu.
“It is best if you start running now.” Lan Yunzhu thought that Li Qiye had changed his mind and happily continued: “If you run right now, then you still have a chance to escape the Thousand Carp River. Once you are out of the sect, leave the Distant Cloud as well; go to the Nether Border or the Green River. It is best to avoid the areas with a lot of ghost tribes. Regardless of what you do, you will not be safe if you stay in the Distant Cloud region.”
Li Qiye looked at her and smiled: “Girl, are you trying to work together with the enemy?”
Chapter 418 - Patriarch’s Spirit
Without a doubt, Yan Long was just a lackey meant to provoke Li Qiye. Then, the rest would capture him under the charge of resisting arrest. However, Elder Lin didn’t expect for their plan to result in instant failure.
“Scram!” Li Qiye was too lazy to look at Elder Lin twice, so he showed his Thousand Hands Against The Nine Worlds. A myriad of hands appeared right behind him as two of them wielded the Nine Words True Bow.
“Buzzzz.” The string was drawn and the word “soldier” flew out. The word gathered the strength of the heaven and earth and eventually collided with Elder Lin.
“Boom!” Even the iron fist of a Heavenly Sovereign would turn into a gory spectacle when up against this mighty, number one bow in this world. The arrow pierced through Elder Lin’s fist for his flesh was insufficient in the face of this power, causing him to cry out in pain.
Li Qiye smirked and said: “Your master is too late; he won’t be able to save you.” With that, his fingers tightened.
Yan Long felt his death approaching and screamed: “Nooo—” However, it was already too late. His neck shattered as all breathing ceased.
“Goddamn you, you Little Bastard!” An extremely angry voice appeared; the owner of this voice rushed towards Li Qiye. Venerable Wang, who was Yan Long’s grandmaster, came with a slashing blade. This was a high elder, so his blade carried an unstoppable momentum. The spectating disciples shivered and turned pale from the power of such a blade.
“Buzzz—” The Nine Words True Bow shot out another arrow. This time, it was the word “fighter” — a defensive arrow. The arrival of this arrow brought forth countless realms; it seemed as if layers of light were opening before Li Qiye like giant shields to protect him.
After a deafening “boom,” the divine blade that could be considered invincible shattered all of these realms. It furiously slammed Li Qiye into the courtyard and destroyed the mansion.
Lu Baiqiu became deathly pale, but she couldn’t help at all. She didn’t have the ability to interfere in a fight of this magnitude.
“Crash!” Li Qiye burst out from the debris. Many figures descended from the sky to quickly surround Li Qiye.
The Thousand Carp elders and even some high elders were here. They sealed off all the directions so Li Qiye had no chance to escape.
Elder Lin’s eyes were about to split from anger as he revealed a vicious smile: “Fellow Elders, look, this brute killed our disciple. Capture him so that the world won’t laugh at our Thousand Carp River!”
Venerable Wang was also here, hovering emotionlessly as he stared at Li Qiye. He then commanded: “Arrest him and cripple his cultivation, then we can take our time interrogating him.”
All the spectating disciples held their breaths after seeing this scene. The elders and even some high elders had appeared. Li Qiye’s death was assured.
Daoist Bao Gui came running and shockingly exclaimed after seeing the current situation: “Venerable Wang, what is going on?”
He struggled to convince Venerable Yang’s group to go and invite their ancestor; he didn’t think that something like this would happen during his short absence.
“This little beast killed Yan Long — this is completely unforgivable. Thus, we elders appeared to protect our Thousand Carp River’s honor!”
Daoist Bao Gui’s expression changed since he immediately understood what had happened. Some people couldn’t wait to begin.
Daoist Bao Gui then gravely declared: “Venerable Wang, the one day grace period has yet to end!”
Venerable Wang glanced at the sect master and coldly replied: “Sect Master, do not be mistaken. This outsider has killed our disciple, so what else is there to talk about? Capture this animal and cripple him!”
All of the elders were on Venerable Wang’s side: “Big Brother, we cannot delay this any longer.”
Daoist Bao Gui realized that the group of Venerable Wang wanted to overpower his authority right when Elder Yang, who supported him, was not around.
He noticed the formation that trapped Li Qiye and could only sigh. This was already outside of his power, so he could only stand by and watch the end of this storm.
Venerable Wang looked down on Li Qiye and chillingly said: “Go.”
Li Qiye, who was completely surrounded, was still very calm and asked: “Do you really think I am just meat on a chopping block?”
Having this many elders contribute to the barricade proved that they were not underestimating him at all.
“Junior, if you cooperate with us right now, then it will be a lot less painful. Otherwise, you will discover a fate worse than death!”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye said with a smile: “It seems that I still have to kill today. What a shame, I will have to disappoint Immortal Emperor Qian Li.”
Li Qiye held the Elusive Heavenly Vase while looking at all the elders with narrowed eyes. At this moment, he would not show any mercy and would kill all these elders decisively.
“Junior, stand down!” Elder Lin was the first to take action. A divine saber slashed across the sky with a surging murderous intent. It was so cold that, in its presence, one would feel as if they were entrapped in an icy prison.
Li Qiye’s gaze shot out a cold glint as his desire to kill also increased.
“Poof!” Time suddenly trembled. A rain of blood had already started to fall before the divine blade could reach Li Qiye. In fact, the blood did not belong to Li Qiye, it came from Elder Lin.
The sudden change frightened the other elders as those who were about to attack immediately stopped.
“Omm—” In this split second, the Thousand Carp Lake shot out waves of immortal lights that seemed as if they were made from golden silk. These immortal lights traveled all the way to the sky and even the universe, alarming the entire world.
A divine tree emerged from the Yin Yang Pond. This divine tree made from gold suddenly shot to the sky and covered the entire lake.
All of the disciples were dumbfounded as they looked up to see this incredible, towering tree.
“Back down.” At this time, a voice came along. This voice seemed to be able to travel across eternity. It was as if it came from ancient times.
The sudden appearance of this voice took the elders by surprise as they all looked at each other.
Venerable Wang, with a sunken expression, turned around to look towards the voice’s direction and yelled out: “Who!”
“Whoosh!” A finger shot out and struck Venerable Wang, sending him down to the ground like a deflated ball. Under just one finger, his entire cultivation was sealed.
Before the other elders managed to calm down, Venerable Wang was seized by a gigantic hand and thrown into the Reflection Cliff — the prison of the Thousand Carp Lake. This sudden change of events startled the group of Daoist Bao Gui as well.
Venerable Wang was already a Heavenly King, yet he was completely powerless as his cultivation was sealed and then immediately thrown into the prison.
A figure appeared right below the Golden Divine Willow, and it declared: “Reflect on your mistakes!”
The moment this figure appeared, the six dao and eight desolaces seemed so far away while the nine heavens and ten earths became insignificant. This figure loomed above all like the ruler of this entire world and myriad dao.
An invincible emperor aura covered the entire lake. All of the disciples prostrated on the ground for they were truly convinced by this unparalleled aura.
A supreme Immortal Emperor — all were trivial before such an existence. Even Virtuous Paragons were nothing in the face of such might. An Immortal Emperor could sweep through all the stars in the sky and all the existing worlds with just a motion of their palm! They could end the six dao and the reincarnation cycle itself! This was an Immortal Emperor, an existence that had shouldered the Heaven’s Will!
“What happened?” At this moment, amazing existences throughout all four great domains trembled at the sudden appearance of the emperor aura.
“Immortal Emperor!” Daoist Bao Gui prostrated on the ground as tears flowed from his eyes. He could not contain his excitement: “Imperial Patriarch’s spirit is here! Forgive your unfilial children!”
Many sect members were all prostrating on the ground in astonishment. Some had tears in their eyes because never in their wildest dreams would they imagine Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s spirit showing up before them.
“Grandmaster!” Deep in the Thousand Carp Lake, an ancient coffin rushed out from the bottom. A frightening yet decrepit old man climbed out and piously prostrated on the ground.
“Sacred Ancestor has come into being!” At this time, an awakened ancestor of the river sect was extremely moved. As for the high elders, they were at a loss for words.
The person buried beneath the Thousand Carp River was the granddisciple of Immortal Emperor Qian Li. The sect’s high elders had once heard about an extremely frightening existence sealed beneath the lake, but they had never seen him. Even the slumbering ancestors were no exceptions.
Today, the Sacred Ancestor’s divine light emanated from beneath the lake since he himself climbed out of his Blood Era Stone to greet his grandmaster.
“Grandmaster, I have failed you by failing to guide them properly!” The Sacred Ancestor prostrated before Immortal Emperor Qian Li and professed his failure.
Below the Golden Divine Willow, Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s shadow had an indecipherable profoundness and remained forever mysterious. The aura emitted from the emperor’s body forced even Virtuous Paragons into submission.
Today, after seeing the spirit of their patriarch, the disciples of the river sect finally understood the true significance of an Immortal Emperor and what true invincibility really was.
Without any doubt, Yan Long was just a lackey meant to provoke Li Qiye. Then, the rest would capture him under the charge of resisting arrest. However, Elder Lin didn’t expect for their plan to result in instant failure.
“Scram!” Li Qiye was too lazy to look at Elder Lin twice, so he showed his Thousand Hands Against The Nine Worlds. A myriad of hands appeared right behind him as two of them wielded the Nine Words True Bow.
“Buzzzz.” The string was drawn as the word “soldier” flew out. The word gathered the strength of the heaven and earth that eventually collided with Elder Lin.
Chapter 419 - Day Turned Into Night
Meanwhile, the elders and ancestors of the river sect lost control of their emotions. They didn’t know that their patriarch left behind a lingering sentiment back at the ancestral ground. At this moment, they understood that their patriarch’s spirit had always been protecting the Thousand Carp River.
This forever-mysterious figure under the Golden Divine Willow looked straight at Li Qiye. As their gazes met, Li Qiye could only gently sigh.
“Starting from today, Li Qiye is the Guardian of our Thousand Carp River, his words are my decree!”
This voice suddenly turned into an eternal mantra, a universal law that would last for an eternity, something that could not be changed by anyone!
Li Qiye could only wryly smile while looking at the Immortal Emperor. In the end, he still had to play the role of a wet nurse just like back when the sect was first established.
He couldn’t say no to Immortal Emperor Qian Li. Being the Guardian of the river sect was not something he wanted to do.
However, regardless of his feelings, he couldn’t say no so he could only lament his own fate.
“In the end, you still couldn’t help it and had to come out to save the Thousand Carp River.” Li Qiye murmured to himself.
“We humbly accept Grandmaster’s decree!” The Sacred Ancestor bowed all the way down to the ground.
Flowers started to bloom after the declaration of the emperor’s eternal decree. The Sacred Ancestor respectfully held the newly formed universal law decree with both of his hands and accepted it.
All the elders and even the ancestors were piously prostrating to Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s supreme decree: “We humbly accept Patriarch’s decree!”
After the filial display, the Golden Divine Willow slowly disappeared along with the shadow beneath it. The Thousand Carp Lake became tranquil once more. Outside of the supreme decree in the Sacred Ancestor’s hand, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
The Sacred Ancestor himself personally prepared a grand ceremony to welcome Li Qiye into the Thousand Carp River’s main ground: “Welcome, our Guardian!”
Li Qiye was very helpless. Under the reception of the elders, Li Qiye was like a puppet being dragged into the sect’s main ground. This was completely different from his expectations. He wanted to kill until the river sect knew better, but Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s intent came out to save their descendants.
Eventually, after the Sacred Ancestor welcomed Li Qiye to the Guardian’s seat, the ceremony finally ended. He then specifically talked to the group of elders and ancestors once more before he sealed himself underground.
At this time, the entire sect was extremely respectful towards Li Qiye; no one dared to slight him. The patriarch’s decree was the highest authority in the Thousand Carp River, so everyone treated it with piety.
Lu Baiqiu was in disbelief due to this development. From the appearance of the emperor to them proclaiming Li Qiye as the sect’s Guardian, everything was like a dream to her. What a great honor this was! No genius would even dare to imagine it.
Others would be jubilated with such an honor, but Li Qiye could only helplessly smile. The title of Guardian might sound grand, but in the end, it was just the role of a wet nurse. Li Qiye was tired of taking on such a role, especially since this was his second time being the Guardian for the Thousand Carp River.
In the distant past, right when the river sect had just been formed, everything was just beginning. Li Qiye hid behind the scenes and was the sect’s wet nurse until Immortal Emperor Qian Li shouldered the Heaven’s Will. Then, he finally left the river sect after completing his duties.
After so many years, he had become the Guardian once again despite his unwillingness, but he couldn’t say no to Immortal Emperor Qian Li.
He secretly lamented to himself: “I’ll just consider this the last time.”
After becoming the Guardian, he didn’t want to see anyone. This position was incomparably grand, but he became extremely annoyed just by thinking about it. Daoist Bao Gui was also very respectful and asked for his opinion on everything.
To this, Li Qiye simply said: “Sect Master, I am the Guardian, not a wet nurse. The river sect can just function as before, you don’t need to come ask for my opinion.”
After Li Qiye’s request, the daoist stopped asking questions, finally relieving Li Qiye of one of his worries.
After several days of being the Guardian, Lan Yunzhu came and asked him: “How did you do it?”
She was quite astonished since this was an unbelievable miracle to her.
Oh, how shocking it was to see the spirit of an Immortal Emperor! In the past, countless geniuses from the river sect were not worthy of such a thing, but now, the emperor personally came to see an outsider and even bestowed a supreme decree to make him the Guardian.
Li Qiye glared at Lan Yunzhu and responded with annoyance: “Because I am the ruler of this domain.”
Lan Yunzhu pondered for a moment and thought about the things Li Qiye had said. He had once said something along these lines before, but she assumed that he was only being boisterous. But now, the recent events had changed her mind.
“Did you really want to destroy my Thousand Carp River?” She felt afraid after recalling his words. Before, she didn’t think that Li Qiye alone could go against the entire sect, but now she understood that the matter was much more grave than what she imagined.
“Don’t worry, an adorable person like you would naturally be fine. However, there were a few that needed to be re-educated.” Li Qiye laughed then shook his head to say.
“Bah, who is adorable?” Lan Yunzhu angrily glared at him.
“Bang—bang—bang—bang!” Around this time, the earth started to shake as the Sacred Nether World changed.
Li Qiye rushed out in shock while Lan Yunzhu and Lu Baiqiu followed right behind him. They looked up to the sky in astonishment. However, they were not alone, all of the inhabitants of the Sacred Nether World were also alarmed.
The sky was peaceful during the day, but now it suddenly turned dark. The entire Sacred Nether World was encroached by darkness. Even ancestors, legendary masters, and eternal existences were freaked out. Countless invincible characters emerged from their Blood Era Stones.
Even these experts could not see through the sky and understand what was covering the entire Sacred Nether World.
This darkness scared everyone since some believed that it was the end of the world.
It lasted for a very long time, about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. The darkness disappeared and the sky returned to its original shade of blue as if nothing had happened.
“What… what is going on here?” Lu Baiqiu stuttered in fear.
This was the most terrifying thing she had ever experienced in her life. The entire Sacred Nether World had been shrouded by a dark curtain. Although it was very brief, it was still enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.
Li Qiye kept on looking at the sky without saying a word. It was as if he wanted to see through it. The always-nonchalant Li Qiye had a dignified expression at this time.
After a while, Lan Yunzhu asked: “What actually happened just now?” Recalling the scene from earlier scared her. She opened her heavenly gaze but still couldn’t see through the sky, let alone what enveloped the Sacred Nether World.
Li Qiye took in a deep breath and told Lan Yunzhu: “Go, order people to see if the lost mythical island is still there.”
Lan Yunzhu immediately did so. The Thousand Carp River had been watching the island, but they didn’t want to carelessly enter it before clearly knowing the situation.
Very quickly, some disciples came back with news. Lan Yunzhu reported: “The lost mythical island is no longer there. When the darkness covered the sky, many people were still out at sea, including ancestors of some great powers. However, they didn’t see how the island disappeared. Once the darkness dissipated, the island was no longer there.”
Li Qiye started to bite his lips in silence after hearing this; many thoughts were rampaging through his head. In the Sacred Nether World, there were only two or three possibilities that could explain why the lost island disappeared in an instant.
Li Qiye took in a deep breath and told Lan Yunzhu: “I must make a trip to the Prime Ominous Grave.”
Lan Yunzhu exclaimed in shock: “The Prime Ominous Grave! This is a legendary location from the ancient past, somewhere that no one had been able to enter besides Immortal Emperors.”
Li Qiye slowly replied with narrowed eyes: “I know, but I’ll find a way.”
Lan Yunzhu was taken aback and asked: “Does it have something to do with the lost mythical island?” The Prime Ominous Grave had always been an unsolved mystery in the Sacred Nether World.
“It is not clear.” Li Qiye shook his head to say: “It might not be a bad thing if it had something to do with the grave. Whether the lost island is at the grave or not, I will have to go in and see for myself.”
Chapter 420 - On The Road Once More
This new development happened too suddenly and differed from Li Qiye’s expectations. Originally, he wanted to go to the island after the mist consumed enough blood. Li Qiye had plenty of methods; as long as he could get on the island, he would have been able to take whatever he wanted.
But now, the lost mythical island had disappeared, or rather, was moved by someone. This completely derailed his plans, requiring him to contemplate on how to proceed.
Lan Yunzhu took in a deep breath and declared: “I’ll go with you. At least that way, you will have a helper.”
“No.” Li Qiye responded with a shake of his head: “You and the sect master’s group have to get ready. Maybe I will have a use for you guys. The most important thing is to prepare for the worst-case scenario.”
“What is this worst case scenario?” Lan Yunzhu inquired with some surprise.
With a serious expression, Li Qiye stared far into the distance and slowly replied: “The heavens is in turmoil, an era of carnage may be impending.”
“The heavens is in turmoil?” Lan Yunzhu repeated in shocked. In the present times, the Sacred Nether World was in peace and no power was capable of breaking the stability that was formed by several emperor’s lineages.
“Whether chaos will come or not…” Li Qiye continued with a grin: “A chaotic heaven might not necessarily be a bad thing. When I slaughter the heavens, a few crafty things should come out.” 1
Lan Yunzhu couldn’t help but become shocked. His light words did not carry a certain gravity, but in her ears, they were extremely tyrannical. How many geniuses would dare to bluster about slaughtering the heavens? But today, Li Qiye made it sound as if he could do it on a whim.
It was said in the most casual of tones, yet it was also extremely domineering.
“I will tell my master and the elders.” Lan Yunzhu calmed down and replied.
Li Qiye also prepared to go to the Prime Ominous Grave. Before leaving, he called for Lu Baiqiu and asked: “What are your plans? Will you go with me, or will you do something else?”
Li Qiye really did favor Lu Baiqiu and wished to groom her. Otherwise, he would not have brought her along with him all this time.
Lu Baiqiu paused for a moment and told Li Qiye: “I want to return to the Thousand Islands to see how it is.”
Lu Baiqiu was very worried about the lost mythical island’s disappearance. She was worried for the islands, the disciples, and the islands’ inhabitants.
As the Region Lord, she had always been in charge of the Thousand Islands and considered that place her home. There were citizens who loved her there as well as disciples who would follow her to the very end. Now, after such a big event had occurred, there was a certain restlessness in her heart, so she wished to return to check up on them.
“Then go back, it is good to go back and take a look.” Li Qiye replied with a smile. He understood her emotions — her unwillingness to depart with her home, so he didn’t force her to go with him.
“Thank you, Young Noble.” Lu Baiqiu bowed and gratefully said: “I have gained many things after following you and I’ll always remember it.” To Lu Baiqiu, after they part ways today, she might not ever be able to see Li Qiye again. The two of them were not of the same world. Li Qiye was a heavenly dragon so one day, he might soar up to the nine firmaments.
Li Qiye smiled and stroked her hair: “Follow your heart. I trust that one day, you will be able to go very far. Although it is immense, as long as you have the will, you will be able to reach every corner of this world.”
“I will remember your words well!” Lu Baiqiu took a deep breath and said. Inadvertently, her eyes became wet as she felt her nose getting stuffy. Although she had not followed Li Qiye for a long time, she had learned many things in the recent days that would benefit her for the rest of her life.
Li Qiye nodded his head and walked around. He quickly went to see Daoist Bao Gui who had prepared a dao gate for him.
After he saw Li Qiye, Daoist Bao Gui quickly said: “There is a great sect that has a good relationship with us at the Nether Border. This dao gate will directly take you to their side so that you can directly go to the Prime Ominous Grave.”
“Very well, it will be easy once I get to the Nether Border.”
Daoist Bao Gui ordered for the dao gate to open while the elders and high elders all came to see Li Qiye off. Before his departure, Daoist Bao Gui warned him: “Please be careful, the Prime Ominous Grave is the most dangerous and mysterious place in the Sacred Nether World.”
“Don’t worry, it’s not enough to take my life.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
Li Qiye stepped onto the platform and walked inside the dao gate, disappearing in a flash. It teleported him to the other side. After arriving at the friendly sect, he quickly hit the road and ran towards the Prime Ominous Grave without taking a break.
The Thousand Carp River was the longest river in the Sacred Nether World. Its stream not only crossed the entire southern Distant Cloud, but it also reached the northern Misty Field; its source went all the way to the eastern Nether Border’s hinterland, and this was the location of the Prime Ominous Grave.
The grave was a very mystical place, somewhere that had never been fully explored by anyone before. Since the start of time, very few people even had the chance to enter.
It was deep within the Nether Border’s endless hinterland. At that place, there were rolling mountains and peaks capable of reaching the sky, causing viewers to take a step back. No one would dare to try their luck at climbing them.
At the end of all the rolling hills was a gigantic mountain range that separated the heaven and earth. Anyone who made it this far could only stop since there was no way to traverse this blockade.
The world beyond the mountain range was covered by a mysterious veil, so no one really knew what it looked like.
In the middle of this mountain range was a huge burial. The burial tablet was more like a giant monolith that pierced the sky all the way to space. This burial tablet could be called the biggest in the world. There were neither engravings nor words on it.
This grave with the gigantic monolith for its memorial plaque was the legendary Prime Ominous Grave. It was said that only when one stepped inside this grave would they be able to enter the mountain range.
No one knew who was buried inside. Some said that there were Immortal Emperors, others said that there were existences from the Legendary Era, and there were even rumors about ancient, supreme fiends being buried here.
Although it had always remained sealed, after millions of years, it had been opened a couple of times because some people found the key to open the grave.
So why was this grave called the Prime Ominous Grave? No one really knew, but some believed that it was a land of the dead. It was one of the twelve forbidden burials; just like the other ones, it was filled with danger. No one could leave with their life once they entered.
Despite its notoriety, countless people throughout history still tried to get in. Everyone believed that those who could leave alive would gain an amazing creation. 2
One particular rumor stated that there were True Immortals buried here. One could obtain an amazing creation if they obtained their bones.
There was a reason for these rumors: Immortal Emperor Di Yu had entered the burial when he was young and managed to come back alive. Because of this experience, he hid for five generations of Immortal Emperors. Ultimately, at a very old age, he shouldered the Heaven’s Will and became an Immortal Emperor. 3
People claimed that he had obtained something great from the grave, something like an immortal scripture, so that was why he could cultivate through five generations of emperors and eventually become an emperor himself.
His tales were told throughout the ages. He did not live the longest after becoming an emperor, but since the moment of his birth till the date of his disappearance, he was definitely the oldest one. He managed to last through five generations of emperors and became a miracle across the ages.
Because of this miracle, there were many different tales of the events between the emperor and the Prime Ominous Grave. However, all of these versions had one thing in common, and that was that the young emperor left the Prime Ominous Grave alive. Because of this commonality, there was a rumor stating that Immortal Emperor Di Yu obtained the greatest creation in the grave — a method for everlasting life.
This resulted in countless generations of cultivators coming to excavate the grave in order to enter. In fact, some Immortal Emperors had managed to enter the Prime Ominous Grave, such as Immortal Emperor Yin Yang, Immortal Emperor Fan Chen, and Immortal Emperor Ming Du. 4
Chapter 421 - Necropolis
Li Qiye reminisced a bit as he stood on top of a high mountain while gazing at this monstrous obelisk that towered into the sky.
He needed a key to enter the Prime Ominous Grave. His gaze then shifted towards a different direction amidst the rolling mountain ranges beyond the grave.
There was quite a scene right outside, one that had wondrous natural landforms. It was a vast area and was referred to by others as the City of Ghosts.
One would find collapsed walls that spanned for millions of miles around this stretch of mountains and rivers. It was an ancient yet broken city with the words “Necropolis” engraved above its gate.
Necropolis was famous in the Nether Border and even the entire Sacred Nether World. However, many people liked to call it the City of Ghosts instead.
It was the largest city right outside the grave. Those who stood atop these walls and looked towards the far distance would find rivers and mountains everywhere, along with closely-packed structures. Some pavilions and temples were built with clay to form a town while other buildings towered above the mountain ranges. There were also inhabitants along the riverbanks and valleys.
It was easy to see that this place was prospering with life. The city was completely lit up and the streets were filled with shouting vendors.
However, if outsiders were to think of Necropolis as a peaceful city where all races congregated, then they would be completely mistaken.
All of these inhabitants that resembled cultivators were not alive, they were ghosts.
Talking about ghosts in the Sacred Nether World was absurd because it was a world filled with ghost tribes since this was their homeland. External races would view the ghost tribes as ghosts.
However, the truth was that the ghost tribes were not actually ghosts, they were existences with flesh and blood just like the human race. They were just a different ethnicity.
However, Necropolis’ inhabitants did not have flesh or blood. They were things without life — simple sentiments. If there were actually ghosts in this world, then the inhabitants of this city would be them.
Necropolis was more of a country rather than just a city. The geography right outside the grave was extremely abundant with countless ghosts as its citizens.
No one knew when Necropolis was established, but it had existed for a very long time. The ghosts here looked just like those outside; they took on the form of humans, demons, ghost tribes, cultivators, and citizens. They even had their own dao lineages.
The residents here seemed no different from those outside, but they just had no trace of life. They were only never-dissipating sentiments.
They did not know that they were dead and went on living in a similar fashion to those outside.
Necropolis was always vibrant with excitement regardless of whether it was day or night as if it was just a mortal city; it was nothing like a city of the dead.
However, one would be frightened to death if they knew that all of the street vendors, the young children that were learning how to speak, and the cultivators passing on their dao system were all people who had died and turned into sentiments.
No one knew why there were so many sentiments that lived at this location, and no one knew why it was so difficult for them to move on.
In short, Necropolis was a mysterious land of the dead. Some people who were on the verge of death would choose to die at Necropolis because this was a different way of life. Of course, these sentiments that continued to live at Necropolis had nothing to do with real people since they would lose their memories of their past life.
A dead person in Necropolis would turn into a trail of sentiment that continued to live in the city, but this sentiment no longer resembled their original self; it didn’t have the memories nor any marks — it was a completely different being.
People, or rather ghosts, that lived in the city never left. They would stay here until the day they disappear.
Everyone knew that the inhabitants that lived in this city were not ghosts but merely sentiments. Despite this, many cultivators still came here in order to live on after they died.
Of course, there were also different reasons why other cultivators chose to come. There were numerous treasures here, such as divine weapons, rare king medicines, and ancient scroll manuals. Second, it hid something craved by all — the key to open the Prime Ominous Grave. Third, it also had a treasure mountain that could allow others to obtain immortality.
Because of these reasons, many came to Necropolis. However, whether it was the treasures inside Necropolis or the Prime Ominous Grave, very few managed to see them. As for the legendary treasure mountain, even fewer had seen it.
Many young people came to risk their lives for these treasures, but people haven’t heard of many successful cases. Some did find some treasures, but they were very far from mythical weapons.
Of course, the key to the Prime Ominous Grave was found. Because of this, the grave was opened several times, leaving behind the tales of Immortal Emperor Di Yu that people never seemed to get tired of.
It was unknown whether the emperor was the one who found the key, or if it was someone else who successfully went into the grave. Nevertheless, Immortal Emperor Di Yu was the one who obtained the creation; it didn’t matter whether he went in with someone else or not.
Only one thing was confirmed by future generations, that there were several generations when the key was found to open the grave. Thus began the hunt for the key at Necropolis.
Li Qiye gently sighed while looking at the city in the distance. It indeed contained the key, but obtaining the key was not easy. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been so many people leaving empty-handed for millions of years.
At this moment, Li Qiye was facing a problem. If the lost mythical island didn’t enter the grave, then there was no reason for him to find the key.
After thinking about it for a bit, he left this place. He needed to gather information to confirm the island’s whereabouts before finding the key. Around ten thousand miles away from Necropolis was another citadel — an ancient city named Crossing City. Now this was a place where the other races gathered. But of course, this was the eastern Nether Border, so there were more ghost tribes here.
It was not strange at all; outside of the southern Distant Cloud, all the other locations were territories that belonged to the ghost tribes because they were the primary inhabitants of this world.
Since Li Qiye was human, he maintained a very low profile after entering Crossing City since he only wanted to hear about the news from the Prime Ominous Grave.
The majority of the cultivators here were members of the ghost race. Keep in mind that the ghost race contained many different branches. Some of them carried a deep nether aura, but not all of them. Some branches were very bright, such as the Sun Ghost Tribe. Its members exuded a sun’s ray like the sun itself so, from their external appearance, it would be difficult to classify them as part of the ghost race.
The only unifying characteristic of all of these different ghost tribes was that their blood was of a purple color.
In the past several days, Li Qiye inquired about the Prime Ominous Grave with no success. It was because the grave would not change unless it was opened; it would remain the same in a unchanging manner.
Li Qiye was quite disappointed with his lack of information. Could it be that the lost mythical island was not inside the Prime Ominous Grave?
Li Qiye thought of a different possibility. However, if the island was not inside the grave, then that would not be good news.
Right when he was about to give up due to disappointment, one day, he went inside a diner to listen to conversations and was just in time for a particular message.
Chapter 422 - Snow-shadow Tribe
Li Qiye was in a diner inside Crossing City. Next to him was a table with more than ten people; there were men and women both young and old.
“Haha, this time, maybe we will find the legendary mountain at Necropolis. Then, our Snow-shadow Ghost Tribe will rise!” A young man excitedly laughed and declared.
There was a shared characteristic amongst this group, and that was that all of their hair was as white as snow.
The strangest thing was that when sunlight shone on their bodies, even their shadows would come out as white.
A white shadow would creep anyone out, but in the Sacred Nether World where ghost tribes congregated, this was not strange at all.
It was apparent that this table consisted of members of the same tribe, a tribe named the Snow-shadow Tribe. Just like their name, their shadows were white.
It was a minor tribe in Crossing City, one with very meager power. Legends state that they were once powerful, but as for how powerful they actually were, the current tribe did not know since it was too long ago.
The youths in the group were very excited when they talked about Necropolis. They all wanted to give it a try.
Another young man said: “Hehe, Necropolis is a treasure ground that Immortal Emperors regularly visited. We are going to make a fortune this time!”
However, an elder at the same table poured cold water over their excitement. He was quite old, but his eyes were as clear as the stars in the sky. He shook his head to say: “Don’t get your hopes up. We will just go and take a look so don’t dream about too many treasures. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Necropolis every year, but they don’t even find regular treasures, let alone mythical ones. We are only going in order to broaden your horizons.”
“Elder Zhi, don’t ruin our excitement like this.” The speaker was a muscular young man who optimistically smiled and said: “Elder Zhi, maybe I, Peng Zhuang, will find the legendary mountain. I will change and become an Immortal Emperor, then this will become my generation!”
“Someone who looks like a ruffian like you wants to become an Immortal Emperor?” Elder Zhi did not shy from bringing down the youth’s optimism and continued: “Don’t dream about the treasure mountain. This is a legend that no one has seen before, let alone a little brat like you.”
The youth named Peng Zhuang only smiled in response. Despite the elder’s words, it did not diminish his excitement. He and another youth continued to enthusiastically speak about the Prime Ominous Grave.
At first, Li Qiye didn’t pay them any attention. Every day, people all over the Sacred Nether World traveled to Necropolis with the same dream as Peng Zhuang. They all wanted to find the legendary treasure mountain inside the city.
But now, the youths were talking about the things that happened a few days ago at Necropolis; this was the moment when the Sacred Nether World was plunged into darkness.
“I heard that a fiend had come into being.” The youths’ conversation became increasingly ludicrous as they started to talk about all kinds of things.
“It wasn’t a fiend, I heard that the Heaven’s Will had died. Ever since the Black Dragon King tore apart the Heaven’s Will, it was on the verge of death. Yesterday, when the sky became dark, it was because the heavens died.”
“Pfft, what are you talking about? Where is this heaven? I feel that the arrival of a fiend is more accurate.” The group of them debated.
“All of you are wrong.” The muscular young man named Peng Zhuang mysteriously said: “Haha, in my opinion, an invincible existence came out from the Prime Ominous Grave. During the darkness, I saw a monstrous hand stretch out from the grave.”
“Oh Big Talk Peng, you are lying again.” A youth at the same table laughed and shook his head: “What monstrous hand? We were standing at the same spot that day; none of us saw a monstrous hand. Moreover, the grave had not been opened for tens of thousands of years, so how could there be a hand?”
“It is true!” Peng Zhuang busily replied: “Amidst that darkness, I saw a huge hand reaching out from the grave.”
Li Qiye’s expression changed; this was exactly the news he was looking for. If Peng Zhuang spoke the truth, then Li Qiye’s conjecture was not wrong.
“Peng Zhuang, don’t speak nonsense.” Suddenly, a clear yet slightly imposing voice came out.
It was a woman who sat at the same table; she was around the age of thirty. Her mature charm was like a ripe peach that was ready to be picked at any moment.
The thirty year old woman carried a plump and mature flavor; her white hair gave her an even more dignified aura. Her smoking hot figure was accented by her soft and tall bosom, and her slender waist could easily be held within a single hand. She was quite charming despite not reaching the kingdom-toppling level. During her moments where her dignity showed, she exuded the aura of a noble.
This mature woman brightened the eyes of others with a seductive and ripe aura, causing the hearts of others to beat faster.
Peng Zhuang immediately shut up after the woman spoke as he cheekily said: “Chief, I was just kidding.”
The woman didn’t say anything else, but she had a noble yet intimidating aura. The youths quickly changed the topic and talked about something else.
Li Qiye, who was eavesdropping to the side, knew that he had found the right people. Now, all that he needed to do was to find out whether Peng Zhuang told the truth or not.
Li Qiye stood up and clasped his hands together while smiling to greet the table: “Salutation, Fellow Daoists.”
As the proverb says, no one would hit a smiling face. Li Qiye was quite polite, so the Snow-shadow Tribe also greeted him back. It was not a big tribe so they were not arrogant at all.
Li Qiye said with a smile: “This junior is Li Qiye from the southern Distant Cloud. I came to the eastern Nether Border to broaden my horizons with a vacation. The mythical Necropolis is filled with mysteries, so when I heard Fellow Daoists talk about it, I just want to ask a few questions about how to get there.”
Li Qiye was both polite and courteous like a well-behaved and proper young man.
“You’re just in time, we are also going to Necropolis.” Peng Zhuang was a frank and simple person, so he quickly said: “How about we go together? Another companion will make it livelier.”
“Peng Zhuang…” The tribal chief warned with a serious tone.
However, Li Qiye quickly took charge before the chief could react. He clasped his hands towards her: “This junior will shamelessly ask to go with your group. I just came to the Nether Border and do not know my way around. I gratefully hope for your patronage in the future.” 1
The chief couldn’t help but grimace. This human with an unknown origin that suddenly wanted to join her team caused her to become overly sensitive.
“This junior’s name is Li Qiye, what are Daoist Brothers’ names?” Li Qiye was very friendly and enthusiastically asked.
Peng Zhuang was a straightforward person, so after seeing Li Qiye’s polite friendliness, he quickly called him brother right afterward as if they had known each other for a long time.
The other youths were also not cautious of Li Qiye. In the end, they were only a small tribe, so making more friends was not a bad thing.
Elder Zhi didn’t state his opinion. Only the chief alone was cautious, but she didn’t reveal any dissatisfaction towards Li Qiye.
After getting familiar with the young ones, Li Qiye learned the names of the older crowd. The chief’s name was Qiurong Wanxue.
Although it was only a minor one, it was still a tribe after all. Qiurong Wanxue proved her formidable strength by being the chief at the age of thirty. She was either the number one or number two expert in her tribe.
Despite being a relatively young female chief, the disciples in her tribe adored her. She also gained the acceptance from the previous generation since they believed that she would reach peak Heavenly King in the future.
In just a short moment, Li Qiye became quite close to Peng Zhuang’s group. After the meal, the group marched towards Necropolis while Li Qiye tagged along with them with his thick skin.
The youths enjoyed Li Qiye’s company, but Qiurong Wanxue remained vigilant. Nevertheless, she didn’t chase him away and agreed to him tagging along.
Once they were outside of Necropolis, the youths became quite excited. Peng Zhuang hysterically shouted: “Haha, Peng Zhuang is here! The treasure mountain is mine!”
Li Qiye laughed and pointed at the towering Prime Ominous Grave in the distance: “People say that there are even more treasures in the Prime Ominous Grave. There is even a method for immortality.”
Peng Zhuang relentlessly claimed: “Haha, wait until I find the key. Then, we’ll definitely go there.”
“I’m afraid it will be very hard.” Li Qiye shook his head to say: “I heard that no one had opened it for a very long time now. For tens of thousands of years, there had been no changes to the grave.”
“Who said so?” Peng Zhuang remained unconvinced and continued: “I clearly saw a change when darkness covered the sky. Right at that instant, I saw the biggest hand I’ve ever seen coming out of the grave.”
“Liar Peng Zhuang.” One of the other companions shook his head and said with laughter: “We were all together, so how come we didn’t see it?”
Chapter 423 - Companion
After hearing his companion, Peng Zhuang quickly retorted and swore: “I really saw it. It’s true, why would I lie to you guys? There really was a giant hand stretching out from the Prime Ominous Grave!”
“Really?” Li Qiye was secretly happy; he came just for this news. He put on a curious expression and asked: “What did that giant hand look like? Was it scary? Was it a ghost’s hand or something else?”
“It wasn’t a ghost’s hand.” Peng Zhuang shook his head and elaborated: “I felt that the hand was very weird. After the darkness disappeared, I also saw it going back into the grave.”
“A hand suddenly stretching outward…” Li Qiye was like an inquisitive little kid listening to a tale: “Maybe it was trying to grab something. Did you see what it caught?”
“Umm…” Peng Zhuang thought about it for a moment and replied: “Now that you mention it, I can faintly recall that it was holding something…”
“Peng Zhuang, stop your driveling.” Qiurong Wanxue said in a serious manner: “Prepare a few things, we’ll arrive at Necropolis in just a moment.”
Peng Zhuang wryly smiled while checking over his own items.
Li Qiye secretly sighed. It seemed that Qiurong Wanxue was still very cautious of him. Li Qiye then suddenly felt a glare settle on him. He looked up and saw a pair of sparkling eyes.
Li Qiye smiled and clasped his hands together towards Qiurong Wanxue: “This is this junior’s first time to Necropolis, so I hope Chief will teach me a thing or two.”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at him and then lightly replied: “Just be careful and don’t cause any trouble.”
This was a phrase with multiple meanings; it was as if she wanted to both gauge and warn him.
Li Qiye pretended to only understand the literal meaning, so he courteously gestured: “Then I give my thanks, Chief.”
At this moment, Li Qiye was 80 or 90 percent certain that the lost island had something to do with the grave. Unfortunately, he couldn’t speak with Peng Zhuang in private at this time.
He was no longer in a rush with this new revelation. What he needed to do now was to find the key to open the Prime Ominous Grave.
After Qiurong Wanxue and the six young disciples were prepared, Elder Zhi said: “Chief, we will stay here to support you guys. If anything happens, just fire off the signal and we will go to pick you up.”
Qiurong Wanxue nodded in agreement and said in a serious tone: “Very well, Elder Zhi, please be careful as well.”
To many people, Necropolis was a land filled with temptations, but only young people were able to enter. Of course, middle-aged and elderly cultivators could go in as well, as long as they had no fear of death.
There was a dark and inscrutable energy in Necropolis. The blood energy of young people was vigorous like a rising sun, so they were capable of dispelling this dark energy at Necropolis. 1
The middle-aged and the elderly were not capable of doing so. No matter how majestic a middle-aged man’s blood energy was, there were still flaws and gaps. As for the elderly, even their lifespan was withering. This was the reason why their blood energy would be infected by this dark energy, causing them to grow older at an increased rate.
For example, a middle-aged cultivator could live to six or seven thousand years. However, once they entered Necropolis, their blood energy would be eroded by this dark energy and their rate of aging would increase, resulting in a three or four thousand year lifespan instead. The longer they stayed at Necropolis, the faster they would age.
So for millions of years, Necropolis was a playground for the young. The Sacred Nether World had this saying: don’t waste your life by not visiting Necropolis once during your youth, or else it will be too late.
This was why any older existence — no matter how powerful — would not enter Necropolis unless there was no other choice.
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye and asked in a serious manner: “Have you prepared yourself?”
As the chief of a tribe, the truth was that she didn’t welcome an outsider like Li Qiye. Someone with an unknown background was a risk, but since Li Qiye shamelessly came along, it wasn’t proper for her to chase him away unless he clearly showed harmful intentions towards their tribe.
Li Qiye smiled to reveal his white teeth and said: “Don’t worry, Chief. I have prepared and can go at any time.”
Qiurong Wanxue took in a deep breath and said: “Come, we will go into the city now.” Then, she led the way.
The six Snow-shadow youths were very excited since this was their first time to Necropolis. The straightforward Peng Zhuang excitedly cried out: “Necropolis, here we come!”
These six were those with the greatest potential in the Snow-shadow tribe. Outside of a certain goal, Qiurong Wanxue brought them here so that they could gain more experience as well.
Once they were inside Necropolis, Qiurong Wanxue brought them to a huge town where they were immediately met with a rush of hot air.
With wide roads and countless pedestrians, the town was very big. Some cultivators were flying in the air while others rode their flying beasts above the street peddlers.
A little merchant cried out: “Necropolis Stone — it is capable of asking ghosts for direction. There’s only one left, come and buy, quick!”
“Three-streams fish — used for both energy restoration and dan refinement. One bottle for three fishes; come, come buy, don’t miss it!”
“Necropolis Ghost Energy — the number one choice for the Ghost Race. Being sold right here, being sold right here. It only costs three thousand fishes for the one and only in the city, come and buy!”
***
The town was extremely lively with the cries of hustling merchants and many bystanders. Once inside, who would actually think that this was a city of ghosts?
The six youths were quickly attracted by the animated town like village folk coming to the city for the first time. They gazed around curiously.
One of the youths wondered: “Is this really the City of Ghosts?” The town before them did not resemble one at all. The first impression of a ghost city should be a ghastly place full of nether energy.
However, there was no nether energy here. Instead, it resembled a mortal city even more due to the festive atmosphere and presence of humans.
He was here once more at Necropolis — Li Qiye gently sighed as he thought of this. This place was filled with mysteries, and only ghosts could truly live here. To be more exact, this was a congregation of sentiments, not real ‘ghosts.’
Qiurong Wanxue said: “Open your Heavenly Gazes to see whether they are people or ghosts… No, I should say sentiments.”
After hearing their chief, the six youths opened their Heavenly Gazes to see a creepy sight.
A huge bustling town should have an abundance of blood energy like the ocean — surging and inexhaustible, capable of gestating even the heaven and earth.
However, their eyes only saw a Necropolis filled with a dark energy. In addition to this, the pedestrians did not have any blood energy at all; some of the merchants on the sidewalks were only illusions.
How could first-timers not be alarmed at seeing such a huge city without blood energy? This was a city of the dead.
“How can they look so similar to real people?” A disciple exclaimed in astonishment. The inhabitants here looked exactly like real people, outside of not having any blood energy.
“Both the strong and the weak can be found in Necropolis. Strong sentiments are no different than ordinary cultivators, outside of not having any blood energy. On the other hand, weak sentiments would immediately be seen through by Heavenly Gazes, like those illusions.”
Peng Zhuang pointed at an approaching group of young men in the distance and exclaimed: ”Look over there, those ghosts have blood energy!”
Qiurong Wanxue responded in a serious tone: “Don’t be rude, they are just like you — cultivators from the outside.”
Peng Zhuang embarrassingly smiled and withdrew his finger. He didn’t dare to act wantonly.
In fact, many young cultivators came to Necropolis every day. Some came for fun, some came for the legendary treasures, and some came for the key to the Prime Ominous Grave.
The chief brought the group across a street as a street vendor called out: “Selling stone talismans here; a talisman from an ancient tribe, come and buy, quick!”
Peng Zhuang liked a particular stone talisman and walked forward to ask: “How much for this stone talisman?”
The merchant saw a customer so he enthusiastically smiled: “Cheap, it’s very cheap, only six fishes.”
A young disciple heard the price and curiously asked: “Six fishes? What are these six fishes?”
Qiurong Wanxue shook her head and explained to them: “The ‘fishes’ he’s referring to are Yang Nightfish. The currency in Necropolis is not refined jade, but Yang Nightfish.”
After hearing this, Peng Zhuang dejectedly gave up since he didn’t have any Yang Nightfish.
After hearing his companion, Peng Zhuang quickly retorted and swore: “I really saw it. It is true, why would I lie to you guys? There really was a giant hand stretching out from the Prime Ominous Grave!”
“Really?” Li Qiye was secretly happy; he came just for this news. He put on a curious expression and asked: “What did that giant hand look like? Was it scary? Was it a ghost’s hand or something else?”
“It wasn’t a ghost’s hand.” Peng Zhuang shook his head and elaborated: “I felt that the hand was very weird. After the darkness disappeared, I also saw it going back into the grave.”
Chapter 424 - City of Ghosts
Another disciple asked: “Chief, where are we going now?”
Qiurong Wanxue answered: “We are going to Nightsea. That is the only place where we can catch Yang Nightfish. We are only passing by this place.”
“Haha, we have to hurry!” Peng Zhuang was excited to hear this and wished that he could fly there instantly.
This was not Qiurong Wanxue’s first time to Necropolis, so she was not in a rush to get to Nightsea. She purposely took her time so that the group of Peng Zhuang could see more things and broaden their horizons.
On a particular street, they found a young man showcasing some merchandise with refined jade as the currency.
Peng Zhuang came and asked: “Doesn’t your Necropolis use Yang Nightfish to trade? Why are you using refined jades? What are you selling? Let me see.” Having said that, he excitedly looked at the items displayed on the stand.
His overly excessive enthusiasm was met by the young man’s angry glare and an evicting shout: “I am not a ghost, I am a human, wait no, I am a member of the Ghost Race!”
His strong response startled Peng Zhuang. He quickly opened his Heavenly Gaze and found that the person was truly not a ghost.
Peng Zhuang awkwardly apologized immediately: “Ahh, my bad, I thought that you were a ghost, wait, no, a sentiment…” Having said that, he sped off right away.
Li Qiye, who had been keeping silent within the group, smirked because Peng Zhuang’s group really knew too little about Necropolis.
However, this was not their fault; the Snow-shadow Tribe was only a minor one. Ordinary disciples within the tribe never got the chance to go to Necropolis, so their lack of knowledge was understandable.
Qiurong Wanxue reminded them: “There are many outsiders who come here to trade. There are not only ghosts here, but also many young cultivators. Make sure to use your Heavenly Gaze when looking at people from now on.” 1
A female disciple shivered and asked: “Oh I see, are they not afraid of living together with ghosts?”
All of the inhabitants of the city were sentiments without any life; it was no different from a ghost city. Just this thought alone was quite creepy.
Qiurong Wanxue warned them: “As long as you don’t provoke them, the ghosts of Necropolis will not mess with you. It is best not to do so, since being enemies with these ghosts won’t end well.”
Qiurong Wanxue was quite right. Visitors were either here for fun or for trading, so they didn’t need to mess with the ghosts. Some would often need to trade with Necropolis’ ghosts, so many visitors didn’t want to have any conflicts with them.
Another reason was because it was hard to leave Necropolis alive once one became an enemy of these ghosts.
Qiurong Wanxue brought the six of them — along with Li Qiye — to sightsee so it took two days before they reached Nightsea.
If one wanted to find any success in Necropolis, then their first destination should be Nightsea because the currency of the city was Yang Nightfish and not refined jade like the outside. Only Nightsea had Yang Nightfish.
To be more accurate, Nightsea was more like a gigantic lake. Standing before Nightsea would give spectators quite a creepy feeling.
The water was pitch black, and it exuded a cold, dark air as if the sea was a devil opening its mouth so that it could swallow people at any moment.
However, after seeing Nightsea, the six youths were not afraid and instead became rather excited, especially Peng Zhuang: “Nightsea, I’m jumping in now!” All he wanted to do now was to dive in and catch some Yang Nightfish.
Qiurong Wanxue immediately shouted in a grave manner to stop them: “Don’t fool around! There will be no escape once you enter Nightsea, you will die without a burial.”
These words startled the young group, so they immediately paused in fear. One disciple asked: “Really?”
Qiurong Wanxue warned them again: “Nightsea is extremely treacherous. No one can leave once they enter, not even Virtuous Paragons.”
“Then how do we catch any Nightfish?” Peng Zhuang inquired.
“We have to find a ferry; it is the only way to enter Nightsea.” Qiurong Wanxue continued: “Entering Nightsea without one is suicidal.”
A disciple with good eyes saw a boat at the port and exclaimed: “Over there!”
However, before they could react, a dozen young men had already boarded the ship to enter the vast Nightsea.
Qiurong Wanxue took them to several ferries, but all of these boats were either already reserved or taken by others.
Each boat had a handler, but the strange thing that surprised the group of Peng Zhuang was that these handlers were different from the ghosts back at Necropolis. The handlers had a body that exuded a weak blood energy.
The youths were also quite scared as they looked at these handlers since they dressed like mummies who just came out of a tomb. Especially their eyes that were filled with ghastly energy, they caused others to shiver.
“Are these handlers ghosts or people?” Peng Zhuang had to ask.
“No one knows. The handlers are always here to row the boats since they are the only ones capable of using these ferries.”
The disciples noticed the faint blood energy on the handlers’ bodies and curiously asked: “Are they just like Necropolis’ ghosts? Can they not leave Necropolis either?”
“Not necessarily.” Li Qiye, who was behaving quite well and didn’t talk a lot, smiled and shook his head: “A legend claims that a handler left this place and achieved invincibility.”
“Left Necropolis?” Another disciple asked with surprise: “Is that true?”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye and said: “This is only a legend. The person is the patriarch of the Nether Crossing Swamp, but this is — of course — only limited to a legend.”
Peng Zhuang slapped his thigh and said: “I have heard of this legend!” He then excitedly continued: “He is Immortal Emperor Ming Du! It was said that he came from Necropolis and might have been a handler.” 2
“Yes, it is Immortal Emperor Ming Du.” Qiurong Wanxue added: “However, it’s only a rumor. The Nether Crossing Swamp had never accepted this hypothesis. Moreover, the handlers cannot leave this place. Such a thing is unheard of!”
Immortal Emperor Ming Du was the emperor before Immortal Emperor Qian Li. There were many theories regarding his origin, but there were two that were the most popular. First was that the emperor was a boat-rowing ghost of the Underworld River, and the other was that he came from Nightsea at Necropolis.
For the second theory, it was said that after he obtained a great fortune, he was able to return to life and finally escaped Nightsea and Necropolis to become an invincible emperor.
But of course, regardless of whether he came from the Underworld River or Nightsea, they were just unproven rumors. In addition, even Immortal Emperor Ming Du’s lineage, the Nether Crossing Swamp, denied these claims.
Future generations later on believed that Immortal Emperor Ming Du came from the Ghost Race — this was widely acknowledged by people from the same generation as him.
Qiurong Wanxue led the group of Li Qiye to find ferries, but they were always late and had their ferry taken by others.
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a moment before looking at Li Qiye to say: “Fellow Daoist Li, please watch over them, I will go and find a ferry.”
Compared to an energetic youth like Peng Zhuang, the well-behaved Li Qiye was more trustworthy, so Qiurong Wanxue temporarily left him in charge.
“Don’t worry, we will wait here until you return.” Li Qiye answered with a smile. This was his chance since he wanted to ask Peng Zhuang some more things regarding the Prime Ominous Grave.
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye then cautioned the group of Peng Zhuang before quickly leaving to find a ferry.
After she left, Li Qiye immediately asked Peng Zhuang: “Brother Peng, what do you think the gigantic hand that night was?”
Another disciple said with a smile: “Brother Li seems to be really interested in this matter.” They had no ill feelings towards Li Qiye, and to the contrary, quite liked him.
Li Qiye calmly smiled and replied: “That day, when the night suddenly came, it really frightened me to death, so I am very interested in hearing about the gigantic hand from Brother Peng.”
The five disciples became excited and quickly discussed: “I nearly lost my mind too. I heard right after that the chief and the elders all went to the ancestral ground since they thought it was a huge deal.”
“Right when the sky turned dark, I really did see a gigantic hand. Although it was fleeting, I am sure that it wasn’t due to my blurred vision or anything.”
In fact, very few believed Peng Zhuang since he was the only one who saw it. At that time, he was coincidentally looking towards the Prime Ominous Grave.
Li Qiye asked with great interest: “What kind of gigantic hand was it?”
Peng Zhuang thought about it carefully before answering: “Hmm… How should I put this… It was a really huge hand. It seemed as if it was its own separate heaven and earth. It was like the stars in the sky or another world entirely. It had stars, a moon, and a sun… It was as if this gigantic hand replaced our own sky.”
Chapter 425 - Ferry
Li Qiye became even more certain after hearing Peng Zhuang’s description. It was just as he had predicted. Now, he was completely assured; as long as he opened the Prime Ominous Grave, he would be able to find the lost mythical island.
Another disciple shook his head and said: “Haha, Brother Li, don’t listen to Peng Zhuang’s lies. At that time, the dark sky didn’t have anything else, let alone celestials. Everyone saw a pitch black sky. Elder Zhi and the other elders said that they couldn’t see through the sky even with their Heavenly Gazes, so how could there be any stars or a moon?”
“I speak the truth!” Peng Zhuang couldn’t help but loudly protest.
Li Qiye said with a smile: “I believe Peng Zhuang. Nothing is impossible in this world that is full of wonders and mysterious occurrences. It is not that strange for Peng Zhuang to see something different.”
Peng Zhuang found solace and said: “Right? Brother Li trusts me, unlike little children like you guys.”
The other five disciples burst out in laughter. The girl in the group said: “Brother Li just doesn’t want to embarrass you. Do you really think he is being serious?”
They were in the same tribe and grew up together so their relationships were quite good and they didn’t mind teasing each other.
“Are all of you purposely banding together against me?” Peng Zhuang glared with his bullish eyes and asked: “Is your skin itchy? Want a beating or something?”
Another disciple laughed and lightly said: “Pfft, you alone want to fight against the five of us? Do you have what it takes?”
Peng Zhuang put on a fierce look and laughed: “What is the big deal about one versus five? Today, I’m gonna show you your uncle’s amazingness!”
Li Qiye smirked while looking at the six of them bickering with each other. Having friends to grow up together with was a happy thing.
But suddenly, a sarcastic voice appeared: “Oh, if it isn’t the group of country bumpkins from the Snow-shadow Tribe? You guys dared to come here?”
A group with both males and females that numbered more than ten came by. They exuded a cold air and had dark clouds over their heads.
The expressions of Peng Zhuang’s group dimmed after seeing this group: “Hmph! So it is a bunch of kids from the Black Cloud Tribe. Don’t tell me Nightsea belongs to you!”
The atmosphere immediately became quite tense.
This group of young men came from the Black Cloud Tribe, a tribe right next to the Snow-shadow Tribe; however, their relationship was quite bad. The Black Cloud Tribe was a bit stronger than the Snow-shadow Tribe so every conflict resulted in minor losses for the Snow-shadow Tribe. This forced the Snow-shadow disciples to harbor repressed anger in their minds.
The leading young man was the young lord of the Black Cloud Tribe. He led his group forward and looked at Peng Zhuang’s group with disdain.
The Black Cloud Young Lord arrogantly said: “Nightsea does not belong to our tribe, but with your shoddy skills, you guys still dared to come to Necropolis? Haha, heed my kind advice, be good little children and go back to your den. Otherwise, you will die without a burial at Necropolis.”
“This is none of your business.” Peng Zhuang sneered and said: “We can go wherever we want. Haha, watch your own backs.”
Both groups were laughing and making provocative gestures. Meanwhile, the young lord looked at the six disciples and then Li Qiye, then he shook his head to say: “Peng Zhuang, we have more people. If we fight you guys now, people will make fun of us for bullying with numbers.”
“Sixteen or seventeen people aren’t that many.” Peng Zhuang snappily countered: “We seven can still fight you guys, one versus three isn’t an issue for us!”
“Seven?” A Black Cloud disciple looked at Li Qiye and laughed. He then pointed at Li Qiye and said: “Are you counting this human brat? Peng Zhuang, your Snow-shadow Tribe is becoming more and more unsightly. Mixing together with the weak human race… Truly causing our ghost race to lose face.”
“So what if he is human!” A Snow-shadow disciple angrily quipped: “If you think you are so amazing as a ghost, then go challenge the Distant Cloud’s Thousand Carp River or Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom.”
“Haha, you don’t like my words?” The Black Cloud Young Lord smirked and said: “You immediately defended this human brat so fast… Could it be that your Snow-shadow Tribe can’t handle living in the Nether Border and want to go to the Distant Cloud to join the human race?”
Li Qiye only smiled in the face of their provocation; he was too lazy to bicker with a bunch of juniors.
Peng Zhuang was a frank and outspoken fella, so he stated: “Bah, Little Black Ghost, come out here and fight me solo if you have the ability!”
The Black Cloud and Snow-shadow Tribes had been enemies for generations, so now with the young lord’s provocation, Peng Zhuang became very furious and wished to fight him.
With an oppressive aura, the Black Cloud Young Lord walked forward and sneered: “Haha, Peng Zhuang, you think I am afraid of you? We’ll fight then, I’m going to let you taste the ground in three moves!”
“This is not the place to settle the disputes between our two tribes.” A cold yet pleasing voice appeared. Qiurong Wanxue had returned.
The young lord’s expression quickly changed after seeing Qiurong Wanxue. Although she was still young, she was the chief of the Snow-shadow Tribe, and her power was about the same as an elder from their Black Cloud.
“If your Black Cloud Tribe wishes to fight, then my Snow-shadow Tribe will accept your challenge at any time.” Qiurong Wanxue slowly spoke with a dignified look: “I won’t bully you juniors, tell your chief to come here.”
Eventually, the Black Cloud Young Lord left this sentence behind: “Our chief will meet you once we leave Necropolis.” Then, he and the other disciples quickly escaped.
“Hmph! What a coward.” If the chief didn’t show up, then Peng Zhuang would have taught that pretty boy a good lesson.
Qiurong Wanxue then told the rest of them: “Come, I found a ferry.”
The group followed Qiurong Wanxue to a corner of the sea that had a parked ferry. A handler was sitting on the boat; he was tall and thin like a bamboo shoot and sat at the stern with a hat on his head.
The moment they got close, the handler stared at them with his ghastly eyes, causing the group of Peng Zhuang to shiver.
He then spoke: “One drop of Longevity Blood per person per day. We will go out to sea once there are five.” 1
The handler’s voice sounded like sand being ground. Along with it being ice-cold and ruthless, his voice sent fear into the hearts of listeners.
“Everyone take out a drop of Longevity Blood.” Qiurong Wanxue commanded the group. She also took out a drop of her own.
The group of Peng Zhuang followed suit. Cultivators greatly valued their Longevity Blood, but Peng Zhuang’s group was very young, so they could accumulate even more in the future, unlike older cultivators. At a certain age, they would find that their blood energy would weaken and their Longevity Blood would dry up.
One must pay the handler to go out to Nightsea with a ferry. The payment was in neither refined jades nor Yang Nightfish, but was Longevity Blood instead.
After everyone gave a drop to the handler, he opened his mouth and swallowed them. The group of youths shivered at the sight.
They then understood why the handlers seemed different from the ghosts back at Necropolis — the ones without any blood energy. So it turned out that these handlers drank the Longevity Blood of cultivators. No wonder they had a faint blood energy on their bodies.
After accepting the blood, the handler allowed for the group of Qiurong Wanxue to get on the boat.
The moment the group boarded, a different group that consisted of both men and women came from afar.
They arrived at the beach in just the blink of an eye. Their blood energy was quite vast so it was apparent that they were all experts. The one leading them was a young man that wore a draconic robe as his body exuded a faint moonlight, causing him to seem dazzlingly handsome. Moreover, his vitality was quite majestic; he was surely a great master.
The young man appeared to be quite happy to see Qiurong Wanxue.
“Miss Qiurong, long time no see.” He then clasped his hands together and smiled: “Is Miss Qiurong also going out to sea? What a coincidence, so are we. How about we share a boat?”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at him and shook her head: “Prince of Yin Moon, our small boat can only take seven or eight people. Prince should find a bigger boat instead.”
However, the Yin Moon Prince did not give up. He looked at Li Qiye and said with a smile: “Fellow Human Friend, I am in a rush to go out to sea to catch some Nightfish, how about you let me have your spot? I will pay you.”
Li Qiye looked at the Yin Moon Prince then Qiurong Wanxue, and while as nonchalant and relaxed as ever, he shook his head in denial: “Sorry, I am also in a rush to go out to sea.”
The answer annoyed the prince, but he didn’t immediately show his anger.
“Goodbye, prince of Yin Moon, we will go before you.” Qiurong Wanxue didn’t want to linger any longer and told the handler to start rowing.
The Yin Moon Prince was not happy, but he had to clasp his hands together to say goodbye.
The handler seated at the back gently rowed as the boat slowly shook back and forth into Nightsea.
Li Qiye, who was sitting next to Peng Zhuang, then glanced at Qiurong Wanxue who was seated at the bow and asked: “Who was that group earlier?”
“He is the prince of the Yin Moon Tribe. This tribe is considered a second-rate sect in the Nether Border — quite formidable.” Peng Zhuang took a glimpse at the chief seated at the front and whispered: “The Yin Moon Prince fancies our chief and has always been trying to court her.”
Chapter 426 - Nightsea
Before Peng Zhuang could finish, Qiurong Wanxue turned around so he quickly shut his mouth in fear.
Li Qiye smiled and met her gaze; this deadlock went on for a while, but Qiurong Wanxue didn’t say anything.
The boat slowly entered Nightsea. Qiurong Wanxue had come here before so she was fine, but the youths were quite creeped out.
Although there was nothing particularly scary about Nightsea besides its dark water, those on the boats going out to sea had the feeling as if they were descending into an unknown abyss. The jet-black water seemed to be able to swallow all things, causing people’s hair to stand on end.
It was true that Nightsea was a very dangerous place. Even Heavenly Kings and Virtuous Paragons would die a miserable death without a ferry in this sea. This sea was like a ferocious beast that could swallow all people; even their bones would not be spared. A Virtuous Paragon capable of obtaining the god title would still not be able to escape this fate if they forcefully tried to enter Nightsea.
There was a rumor stating that only Immortal Emperors could force their way into Nightsea, but there was no way to verify it.
Peng Zhuang was quite alarmed as he sat on the boat above Nightsea. If Qiurong Wanxue didn’t say anything, the young ones wouldn’t dare to step outside the boat at all. After all, if they fell, death would be the only outcome.
Li Qiye looked at this sea that was seemingly like a world of darkness and murmured: “Nightsea…”
Li Qiye knew that this sea hid many secrets just like Necropolis. In fact, there was one in particular that was unknown to all others, a very important one.
After they went further into Nightsea, the handler gave each person a net. This fishing net was very special; it was made from an unknown material and seemed like it was woven from light. There was no weight to it when held in one’s hand.
This was a fishing net designed to catch Yang Nightfish and was given to people by the handlers. However, the strange part was that the handlers themselves never caught these fish, and no one knew the reason why.
The group casted their nets for two days, but no one managed to catch any Yang Nightfish. Qiurong Wanxue continuously changed the boat’s direction and location to no avail.
After three days without any results, Peng Zhuang became a bit dejected: “Not a single Yang Nightfish… Don’t tell me all the fish in this sea have been caught already?” The impatient fella had this urge to jump down into the sea himself.
Compared to the six youths, Qiurong Wanxue was much calmer. She shook her head and said: “Catching Yang Nightfish isn’t easy. It is the common currency in Necropolis, so if you can catch them anytime you want, then you will be able to get many things in the city. A lot of people fish for several months before getting any harvest. If you lose your patience now, then you won’t get anything at Necropolis.”
She wished to train them so she was not in a rush at all despite not catching any fish.
After three days passed, not a single fish was caught, but Li Qiye’s group was not the only group suffering this lamentable fate. They met many groups recently; they were all young men from all over the world, riding these ferries in order to catch Yang Nightfish.
Qiurong Wanxue coincidentally encountered several familiar ghost sects and ghost members and said hello. From their conversations, they found out that several people who came here for a month only managed to catch three to five fish at best.
After hearing about the lackluster results from others, Peng Zhuang’s group of six felt a lot better. Since others took a month to catch around five fish, it was not surprising for them to not catch any in just a few days.
On the eighth day, Li Qiye’s group met a particularly powerful sect. They rented an extremely big ferry that carried many young men who had surging blood energies. The divine flames on their bodies made them even more unapproachable. These youths seemed to be the children of a divine race and they each had an oppressive aura.
The person who sat at the bow was the most amazing. The flames that danced on his body turned into divine rings right behind him; the rings made him seem as if he was protected by gods.
Qiurong Wanxue emotionally spoke after seeing this huge boat: “Even the Divine Spark Country is here. The Divine Spark Prince came in person as well.” She then told the handler to row the boat around them.
Walking the long way was not Li Qiye’s style, so he asked with a smile: “Why are we avoiding them?”
Peng Zhuang looked at him curiously and asked: “Brother Li came from the Thousand Carp River, but you don’t know about the Divine Spark Country?”
“What about the Divine Spark Country?” Li Qiye smiled and asked without a care.
Peng Zhuang tapped his forehead and replied: “Brother Li, your information is too outdated. The Divine Spark Country is one of the most powerful lineages in your southern Distant Cloud. Although they are not an emperor’s lineage, they are still a first-rate great power and only a bit weaker than an emperor’s lineage.”
Another disciple added: “Yep, I heard that they are a divine race. They call themselves descendants of a True God.”
Li Qiye was not surprised at all as he smirked: “Is that so.” He paid no mind to even emperor’s lineages, so a great power like the Divine Spark Country naturally couldn’t enter his sight.
“Not only that.” The only female disciple spoke: “I heard that the Divine Spark Princess is a famous and beautiful goddess of your southern Distant Cloud. She is getting married to Sir Di Zuo.” 1
“Who is Di Zuo?” Li Qiye looked at her and asked one more time; a smirk was still on his face. He was not doing this on purpose since he really didn’t know who Di Zuo was.
The six disciples acted as if they were about to faint and looked at Li Qiye as if he was a monster. Peng Zhuang patted his forehead one more time and painfully said: “Brother Li… No way. Brother Li doesn’t even know who Sir Di Zuo is? He is one of the three heroes in our Sacred Nether World.”
“Three heroes? Who are they?” Li Qiye remained oblivious.
Peng Zhuang quickly explained: “Chan Yang, Di Zuo, and Tian Lunhui are the three strongest geniuses in our Sacred Nether World. People say that these three have the greatest chance of shouldering the Heaven’s Will in this generation. Sir Di Zuo has the most terrifying background; he is the only descendant of the Myriad Bones Throne.” 2
Li Qiye suddenly smiled as if he was happy to recognize a name: “Ah, the Myriad Bones Throne — I have heard of this name. It is a lineage with three emperors, correct?”
“ ‘A lineage with three emperors, right?’ !” The six felt their minds sway; they felt that Li Qiye was too slow. Peng Zhuang shouted: “Brother, this is one sect, three emperors! Do you know how powerful Sir Di Zuo is? People say that even Heavenly Sovereigns from the previous generations have to treat him with reverence.”
“I see.” Li Qiye dully replied. It was not him looking down on others; one sect, three emperors was a very normal thing in his opinion.
The female disciple spoke: “The Divine Spark Princess — the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden is Sir Di Zuo’s fiancee. I heard that after the news of the engagement, the fame of the Divine Spark Country rose like a ship meeting the waves.”
“The person who sat at the bow earlier was the Divine Spark Prince, the little brother of the Phoenix Maiden.” Qiurong Wanxue asserted from the front: “The Divine Spark Country is a major power, so it is better for people like us to avoid them.”
It was reasonable for Qiurong Wanxue to show caution due to the nature of her small tribe that was completely incomparable to a great power like the Divine Spark Country. The country could lift a finger and easily destroy their tribe, so she naturally would avoid such a monstrous existence.
“I get it now.” Li Qiye revealed an enlightened appearance and nodded his head with a smile.
Qiurong Wanxue warned them: “If the southern Distant Cloud’s people are here as well, then Necropolis will become very lively in the upcoming times. We have to be extra careful and not cause trouble.”
As the chief of a small tribe living between great powers, she and her Snow-shadow Tribe had to be very careful.
***
Li Qiye’s group had been out on Nightsea for ten days and finally got some results. Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue’s nets were empty so the last disciple who was reining in his net initially didn’t have too much hope, but a bright light emanated inside his retrieved net. Everyone came to take a look and found that inside this net was a little fish the size of a thumb, emitting some sunlight. It seemed to be carved from fire jade as a flame burned strongly on its body.
“Yang Nightfish!” Qiurong Wanxue smiled after seeing this little fish; it was a beautiful smile that resembled a blooming peony flower.
“Yang Nightfish!” The disciple who caught it was extremely excited, especially since he was the first to catch one.
“We finally got something.” The six young ones jumped up and down happily.
Catching a fish motivated the young ones so they assumed that a great harvest was sure to follow. However, they didn’t catch any other fish for the next two days.
Qiurong Wanxue remained calm while the six became more impatient.
Before Peng Zhuang could finish, Qiurong Wanxue turned around so he quickly shut his mouth in fear.
Li Qiye smiled and met her gaze; this deadlock went on for a while, but Qiurong Wanxue didn’t say anything.
The boat slowly entered Nightsea. Qiurong Wanxue had come here before so she was fine, but the youths were quite creeped out.
Although there was nothing particularly scary about Nightsea outside of its dark water, those on the boats going out to sea had the feeling as if they were descending into an unknown abyss. The jet-black water seemed to be able to swallow all things, causing people’s hair to stand on end.
Chapter 427 - Catching Nightfish in Nightsea
The group of Peng Zhuang started to lament after failing to catch anything for two days. Peng Zhuang said: “Aizz, it is so difficult to catch these fish. If this goes on, then I’m afraid we won’t catch more than two fish in an entire month.”
Even though as long as they kept on paying with their Longevity Blood, they could keep renting the ferry, the young ones became more restless as the days passed by.
Li Qiye went to find Qiurong Wanxue. He looked at this mature and alluring woman and asked with a smile: “Is it alright if I guide the way today?”
Although Qiurong Wanxue was patient, Li Qiye didn’t have time to play around with them on Nightsea. There were many things he needed to do that required a large amount of Nightfish.
Qiurong Wanxue watched him for a while then nodded her head: “Very well, you can give it a try.”
After she agreed, Li Qiye told the handler who was sitting at the back of the boat: “We’ll go over there.”
The handler quietly rowed the boat towards the direction Li Qiye pointed to. It was as if the handler was invisible; he never said anything and only dealt with controlling the ferry, never participating in anything else.
As the small boat rocked back and forth, Li Qiye was secretly measuring Nightsea. He needed to calculate the time and the trajectory of the boat. In the last millions of years, this was not his first time catching Nightfish, so he knew more than the group of Qiurong Wanxue.
After riding the waves for half a day, Li Qiye said in a serious manner: “Stop right here.”
The handler stopped the boat as it paused on this pitch-black sea. Li Qiye held his breath while staring at the sea’s surface.
His solemn attitude also affected Qiurong Wanxue as she did the same thing along with the group of youths. However, they didn’t see anything. Nightsea was very mysterious, so even Heavenly Gazes couldn’t see through the dark water to assess the situation below no matter how powerful the person was.
Time continued to flow. Suddenly, Li Qiye’s pupils narrowed as he gravely shouted: “Now! Drop the nets!” Then, he immediately flung his net down into Nightsea.
Qiurong Wanxue and the group of six also did the same. One disciple intended to pull his net up right away, but he was stopped by Li Qiye’s serious tone: “Don’t move!”
The group didn’t dare to move and just stared at the sea like Li Qiye, but they didn’t see anything.
After a while, Li Qiye finally shouted: “Pull up your nets, now!” He then pulled his own net up.
“Whoosh!” The moment he pulled up his net, a blinding sunlight came forth, forcing everyone to close their eyes.
There was a Yang Nightfish inside the net, struggling to break free, but it was no use. Li Qiye quickly took the fish out of the net and threw it into a jar that was prepared beforehand so that it wouldn’t escape.
“Whoosh!” The group of Qiurong Wanxue also pulled up their nets and the same blinding sunlight appeared once more.
The light caused the group to be shocked and speechless. The jaws of the younger crowd were wide open for a very long time. Just a single release of their nets resulted in more Yang Nightfish than what others gained in an entire month.
Qiurong Wanxue was the fastest to react as she told the young ones: “Quickly, catch the fish!” She then took out a jar to place her fish inside.
The young ones regained their sanity and quickly placed their fish into their jars as well. They were quite jubilant as the great harvest from a single round left them in disbelief.
The moment Peng Zhuang’s group finally finished storing the fish away, another ferry happily pointed out Li Qiye’s successful catch: “There are fish over there!”
The people of Peng Zhuang’s group were no strangers to this ferry; it was their old enemies — the Black Cloud Young Lord and the other disciples.
“Release the nets!” The young lord noticed Li Qiye’s catch so he immediately ordered for the disciples on board to cast their nets into the sea as well.
All of the disciples did so and then pulled up their nets, but they didn’t catch anything. Seeing the empty nets, the young lord angrily stomped his foot and exclaimed: “Too late!”
“Haha, Little Black Ghost, you guys are too late!” Peng Zhuang was quite happy to see the lack of results on the other side: “The fish already ran away last night!”
The young lord didn’t believe in magic, so he shouted again: “Release the nets!” They wanted to catch a large amount of fish like how Li Qiye’s party did earlier, but every time they cast their nets, it ended with zero results.
Earlier, the young lord saw — with his own eyes — how the group of Peng Zhuang managed to catch Yang Nightfish right at this place. However, his continuous attempts all ended in failure.
Li Qiye was too lazy to look at the Black Cloud Tribe, so he said: “Let us go.” With his great understanding of Nightsea, he knew that the moment he stopped that school of fish, there wouldn’t be more coming for a long time.
The handler once again rowed under Li Qiye’s directions. Peng Zhuang happily waved goodbye to the Black Cloud Young Lord before leaving and shouted: “Little Black Ghost, you guys can take your time, your uncle is leaving now.”
The young lord shivered with anger as his eyes failed to hide his rage; he could only watch Peng Zhuang’s group leave.
Li Qiye told the handler to go to a certain area in the sea before stopping. He then told the group: “We’ll spend the night here and cast our nets around midnight.” He then sat down and closed his eyes to rest right afterward.
The young ones looked at each other with excitement as they gathered together. Peng Zhuang asked: “I caught ten Yang Nightfish, what about you guys?”
A disciple counted his fish and happily exclaimed: “Fifteen!”
Some people took a month to catch three to five while a single cast of their nets resulted in several dozen fish, so how could they not be incredibly excited?
The only female disciple in the group was the most joyous since she had the best catch: “I got eighteen!”
The six talked for a while in elation. Peng Zhuang then said: “Man, Brother Li is our lucky star. We got a really big harvest this time. Haha, Brother Li is truly amazing!”
Another one added: “Yep, yep, although we didn’t catch anything in the last ten days, we got so much this time. This is a month’s worth for other people.”
They felt so lucky after the great harvest that resulted from Li Qiye’s guidance.
Only Qiurong Wanxue was silent as she watched Li Qiye meditate. She definitely did not believe that this rich harvest came from luck alone. She had come to Nightsea several times before, but she had never heard of anyone catching several dozen fish in a single round. This harvest was too unreasonably great.
Moreover, the location was not chosen by chance since Li Qiye clearly chose it deliberately. Could it be that Li Qiye knew where the fish were within Nightsea?
Having thought to this point, she felt that it was an impossible matter. It was said that the Yang Nightfish were very unpredictable and no one could know where they would appear. Even Virtuous Paragons could not calculate the time or location of the fish.
However, if that was the case, then how did Li Qiye pick such a location? Qiurong Wanxue was quite perplexed.
She became even more cautious of Li Qiye. The group of Peng Zhuang was careless since they were young, but she clearly noticed that Li Qiye purposely followed them.
Along the way, Li Qiye was quite polite and obedient. She felt that he was a bit problematic, but he never did anything to them, so she slowly became at ease.
Although this release of their nets caused her doubts to resurface, she couldn’t see through him at all. She only knew that his name was Li Qiye and that he came from the southern Distant Cloud — nothing else.
During midnight, Li Qiye, who had been meditating, suddenly stood up and ordered the group: “Get ready!”
The group of youths who were meditating woke up and picked up their nets with excitement. Li Qiye looked at the sky’s shade then towards another direction before telling everyone: “We have to be fast this time; just a bit late and we’ll lose our chance.”
The young ones memorized his words as they gripped their nets tightly. Li Qiye stared at the sea without saying anything else.
The young ones held their breaths and copied his gaze. Qiurong Wanxue was also quite nervous as she looked out towards the sea.
Minutes began to pass by and, in just the blink of an eye, an hour had elapsed. Li Qiye remained immobile like a wooden statue, staring at Nightsea.
Chapter 428 - Abundant Harvest
Before anyone noticed, two hours had gone by and Li Qiye still didn’t move; he just stared at the sea. Throughout this time, they didn’t do anything, so the group of Peng Zhuang became impatient.
Peng Zhuang wanted to ask Li Qiye, but Qiurong Wanxue shook her head at them, signaling for them to not disturb him. The six calmed down and held their breaths while looking at the sea’s surface.
At this time, Li Qiye then shouted: “Release the nets!” Li Qiye released his net at the speed of lightning.
Qiurong Wanxue and the six didn’t dare to hesitate; they released their nets with their fastest speed.
However, the nets had only went down for a moment before Li Qiye shouted again: “Pull them up, fast!” Then, Li Qiye dragged up his own net.
“Whoosh!” The seven also pulled their nets up and found themselves dumbfounded. A light as bright as the sun illuminated the surroundings, turning the sea’s night into day; it was as if a sun was rising up from their nets.
Their hands were heavy since there were so many fish the size of a finger jumping around, wanting to escape from their confines.
They had never seen so many fish like this; this was enough to scare someone to death. Even Qiurong Wanxue was aghast until Li Qiye’s voice rang in her ears: “Catch them, quick!”
Her body shook once, then she hurriedly caught the fish. The six young ones also calmed down and busily caught their own fish. Their hands were shivering with excitement while they attempted to store them. As the chief, Qiurong Wanxue could be said to be the most composed, but right now, her cheeks were red with excitement. In her eyes, this was simply incredible.
After putting their fish away, one disciple began to count and then shouted out: “Oh heavens, I… I have a total of eighty-six!”
The only female disciple jumped up and exclaimed: “I… I have one hundred and seven!” She then kissed Li Qiye on the cheek and happily declared: “Brother Li! You are too amazing!”
Li Qiye smilingly shook his head and said: “You are molesting me.”
The embarrassed female disciple let go of Li Qiye, but she was still very excited.
“A kiss is nothing.” Peng Zhuang smiled and declared: “If Brother Li wants me to kiss you, I’ll be very happy to do so.”
The other disciples laughed and began to line up as if they were all going to kiss Li Qiye.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “No thanks to men, but girls can come for a kiss. How about Chief Qiurong? Will you give me a kiss? I don’t mind.”
The six young ones were not as bold as Li Qiye, so they didn’t dare to say anything. They turned around to face a different direction, pretending that they didn’t hear anything.
Qiurong Wanxue’s cheeks were red when she quickly shook her head in response: “No thanks!” She was a bit mad on the inside. Li Qiye, who had been very well-behaved so far, suddenly dared to tease her at this moment. This little brat is now too bold.
“Nevermind, you chose to give up on this chance.” Li Qiye smirked and said.
Li Qiye’s teasing agitated Qiurong Wanxue quite a bit. Keep in mind that she was a respected chief in the Snow-shadow Tribe, so how could she not become angry after being teased by a little brat?
Meanwhile, the young group of six were lost in excitement. Peng Zhuang couldn’t help but ask: “Brother Li, how did you know this place had Yang Nightfish to catch? It is too unbelievable.”
“Intuition, it is only intuition.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “I don’t know why, but after staying in Nightsea for ten days, I suddenly have this feeling that I could sense the fish in the sea.”
After hearing this response, the group of six half believed him: “Really?” Why did they not have such an intuition?
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Why would I lie to you guys? I have been very sensitive from a young age, so if I stayed at any place for a while, I would begin to sense a few things.”
“Oh, so it is natural.” The six felt that this explanation was trustworthy. Otherwise, how would one explain Li Qiye’s perception of the Yang Nightfish?
Compared to the younger six, Qiurong Wanxue didn’t trust Li Qiye so easily. In the end, a chief was a chief, so she had much more knowledge.
She didn’t believe his excuse of it being his intuition and felt that he had hidden secrets. She found it strange that Li Qiye would know the exact time and location of the Yang Nightfish.
She stared at him, hoping to find some clues, but there were none no matter how hard she tried.
Li Qiye looked at the moving sea and said: “We’ll go now.” The handler then followed Li Qiye’s directions as they disappeared further in Nightsea.
The following days, Li Qiye kept on changing the location, and they obtained great harvests each time. It was as if nothing in this mysterious sea could escape his sight.
The group of six was immersed in excitement; they felt that Li Qiye’s intuition was too magical. It was a shame that it was a natural characteristic; otherwise, they would really want to have it.
In contrast to the young ones, the rich harvests each day caused Qiurong Wanxue to become even more suspicious. She knew that it was something other than intuition, but she couldn’t pinpoint it at all.
Outside of excitement and disbelief at the quantity of Yang Nightfish, she became even more vigilant. She wondered what type of person Li Qiye was. Why did he want to go with the Snow-shadow Tribe? Since Li Qiye could catch so many fish by himself, there was no reason for him to go with them.
With this ability of being able to guess where the fish will appear, he would be quite a welcomed guest at any emperor’s lineage. However, he ultimately chose to go with them, so Qiurong Wanxue speculated for a long time about the reason why he decided to follow them.
In theory, there was nothing worthwhile at the Snow-shadow Tribe for Li Qiye. It was only a minor tribe; they didn’t have supreme treasures nor apex merit laws. If he channeled his skills to work for a great power or an emperor’s lineage, he would surely have better returns.
This was the other big question in her mind, next to Li Qiye’s fish-predicting ability.
“If it is this easy to catch Yang Nightfish, why don’t Necropolis’ inhabitants catch them themselves?”
Qiurong Wanxue answered in a serious manner: “These fish are not this easy to catch. It is all due to Young Noble Li, understand?” Despite her many questions and doubts, Li Qiye had brought a lot of benefits to them, so she would remember this kindness in her heart.
“Ah, I was just casually wondering.” Peng Zhuang quickly said: “Brother Li, how about you come to our Snow-shadow Tribe? Although we don’t have any human members, I’m sure that the chief and the elders will welcome you with open arms.”
Qiurong Wanxue said in a serious tone: “Peng Zhuang, don’t babble nonsense!” Despite being only thirty, Qiurong Wanxue was the chief and she had great prestige in the tribe.
Peng Zhuang didn’t dare to continue the topic after the interjection, so he quickly shut up after cheekily sticking out his tongue.
The only female disciple curiously asked: “If Nightsea is within Necropolis, how come the ghosts there don’t catch them?”
Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t answer the question. Instead, he then looked at Qiurong Wanxue.
Qiurong Wanxue shook her head to say: “I don’t know the specifics. A legend says that the sentiments in Necropolis cannot come to this place. They are not actual ghosts or living beings, they are only things without a body. If they come to Nightsea, then they would disappear right away.”
Peng Zhuang looked at the handler at the back and said: “No wonder why the handlers have a body.” After their stay together, the Snow-shadow Tribe understood that these handlers were different from the ghosts back in Necropolis. The ghosts didn’t have a body while the handlers did.
Under Li Qiye’s lead, the group had quite a frightening harvest after catching fish for a whole month. Today, Li Qiye looked at the sky and declared: “Tomorrow will be our last round. Then, we’ll leave Nightsea.”
“Okay!” The group of six excitedly replied. They had a lot of fish, so they were ready to go back to shore to trade with Necropolis’ inhabitants. Maybe they could even trade for some amazing treasures.
Unlike the happy youths, the calm chief, Qiurong Wanxue, looked at Li Qiye who was sitting peacefully at the bow. She then sat down next to him.
The six youths saw the chief sit next to Li Qiye, so they winked at each other and turned away, pretending to be deaf and mute.
Chapter 429 - Explaining
Li Qiye calmly sat at the bow of the boat and smiled at Qiurong Wanxue, who sat down beside him. In terms of beauty and allure, Qiurong Wanxue was far from Chen Baojiao’s level. However, Chen Baojiao didn’t have the mature charm nor the dignified elegance of Qiurong Wanxue.
Chen Baojiao was a calamitous and kingdom-toppling beauty, a supreme enchantress that took away the souls of others with a single glance.
Qiurong Wanxue was also movingly beautiful, especially her mature charm no different from a ripe peach that causes hearts to beat faster; people will love her more and more the more they’re exposed to her.
“Does Chief Qiurong have something to say?” Li Qiye looked at her amorous features and calmly asked.
Qiurong Wanxue’s heart was filled with emotions as she looked at this man who, despite being so much younger than her, seemed so mystical. Li Qiye was very ordinary when it came to his face and aura.
However, as one interacted with him more, they would find him to be full of mysteries. He would make others feel like they were being sucked in as if he was an inescapable black hole.
“What is Young Noble Li’s goal for coming to Necropolis this time?” Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a moment before asking the question that had been haunting her.
Qiurong Wanxue hoped to have a real talk with Li Qiye if they were to continue to stay together at Necropolis since they knew nothing about him!
Li Qiye didn’t answer her question but asked one instead: “What is Chief Qiurong’s goal at Necropolis?”
She stared at him while he met her gaze, right into her clear and bright eyes. They gazed at each other for a bit, and Qiurong Wanxue was the first to turn away.
She then took a deep breath and thought for a bit before resolutely saying: “If we are on the same side, then we need to work together. If you wish to know, then I’ll tell you. This time, I came to Necropolis to find something that my tribe had lost.” Since she wanted a sincere conversation with Li Qiye, she revealed the truth after contemplating for a bit.
“So that is the case.” Li Qiye smiled and replied. He understood her concerns, so he went on to say: “I don’t mind telling you; I came this time in order to find a certain something.”
“What are you searching for?” Qiurong Wanxue inquired further.
Li Qiye didn’t answer. He stared at her amorous snow-white face and asked: “Chief Qiurong, what item did your tribe lose?”
Qiurong Wanxue became silent. This matter was of grave importance to the tribe, so she couldn’t carelessly tell an outsider.
Li Qiye smirked at the sight of her careful contemplation. He then asked: “We won’t talk about this issue anymore, we can talk about the sudden eclipse instead. On that day, did you see anything strange?”
Li Qiye found out a lot of things from Peng Zhuang, but he was now asking Qiurong Wanxue to confirm it. The reason was very simple; whenever Peng Zhuang talked about the gigantic hand from the Prime Ominous Grave, Qiurong Wanxue would yell at him to stop. This made Li Qiye believe that she knew a thing or two about it.
Qiurong Wanxue turned around to look at the young group of six. They were sitting at the other end with their backs turned towards Li Qiye and didn’t seem to be paying attention to them.
“So Young Noble Li came because of this matter?” Qiurong Wanxue had speculated this possibility early on since Li Qiye had shown interest in this matter from the very start.
Li Qiye did not hide anything and smiled: “You can put it that way. I trust that you know a thing or two, so can you tell me?”
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a bit while looking at Li Qiye who was calmly waiting for an answer. She then took a deep breath and nodded her head in agreement.
Right afterward, she recalled: “The monstrous hand that Peng Zhuang talked about… It was indeed there. On the day of the eclipse, I was absorbing worldly energy while looking towards the Prime Ominous Grave.” She paused here for a moment.
“And then?” Li Qiye was not too anxious since he was quite sure about what had happened.
Qiurong Wanxue took a calming breath and eventually continued on: “Right when the sky was no longer dark, I saw… the Prime Ominous Grave open.”
Peng Zhuang was not certain of this matter for he was completely horrified after seeing the gigantic hand, but Qiurong Wanxue was staring at the grave the entire time.
When the eclipse was over, Qiurong Wanxue was astonished at the grave’s opening since it seemed impossible. The grave had not been opened for a long time, and she had heard that a key was required. Her ancestor had not heard of anyone obtaining this particular key.
This was the reason why she found the whole thing quite strange; this whole thing contained secrets unbeknownst to her. Each time Peng Zhuang brought it up, she quickly silenced it since she didn’t want to bring about any trouble to the Snow-shadow Tribe.
After listening to her recollection, Li Qiye smiled and said: “So that was the case.” Now, he was completely certain of the events that transpired. This meant that he absolutely had to obtain the key to enter the grave.
Qiurong Wanxue glanced in his direction and asked: “Since I have revealed the things Young Noble wanted to know, can you tell me one thing?”
“Please go ahead.” Li Qiye calmly said: “I’ll happily reveal what I know to Chief Qiurong.”
She then asked: “How did you know the locations of where the Yang Nightfish would appear?”
Their harvest was too shocking. There was once a descendant from an emperor’s lineage who brought along a supreme treasure to Nightsea, but this person’s harvest throughout an entire year was not comparable to the amount Li Qiye obtained in just a month. This matter had been hanging on Qiurong Wanxue’s mind.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “So Chief Qiurong didn’t believe me. I spoke the truth, my intuition had been very sensitive since a young age, especially when I stay in the same place for a long time. It is a natural gift from birth.”
Qiurong Wanxue angrily glared at him since she had been tricked. She didn’t believe his nonsense at all. If these fish in Nightsea could be caught by intuition, then they would have become extinct already.
Li Qiye only smirked in response to Qiurong Wanxue’s red and beautiful angry glare. He couldn’t tell this secret to someone else.
He spent countless efforts at Necropolis. In the past millions of years, at least half of the amount of times the grave had been opened contained traces of the Dark Crow, Li Qiye.
It was not easy to find the Prime Ominous Grave’s key since one needed to deal with Necropolis’ inhabitants. Although dealing with them was easy since one only needed sufficient Yang Nightfish to trade for the things they desired, the most essential requirement was finding the right person, no, the right ghost.
Li Qiye had opened the grave several times. Sometimes he was alone, sometimes he had companions; however, each time required a huge amount of Yang Nightfish. Because of these fish, Li Qiye had studied Nightsea for a long time. He had even stayed at Necropolis for a generation.
It could be said that currently, no one in this world understood Nightsea and Necropolis better than Li Qiye.
Qiurong Wanxue said in exasperation: “Young Noble Li, even if you don’t wish to speak the truth, you don’t need to come up with such an excuse to fool me.” As the chief, she had always been shrewd and careful, but this time, being tricked by Li Qiye had done quite a number on her.
“Oh, it seems that I have hurt Chief Qiurong’s feelings.” Li Qiye startlingly exclaimed: “If that is so, then I should try to compensate to further amend our relationship. It is my fault for not noticing your affection earlier.”
“You!” Qiurong Wanxue’s tender breasts swayed up and down like a powerful wave as she glared at Li Qiye. She couldn’t help but grip her fists; this little demon was too arrogant. He even dared to tease her! This was too much! Before, she felt that this little demon was very well-behaved. But now, it was clear that it was all an act, he was just a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
Li Qiye was carefree as always and was unafraid of her fury. He looked straight into her eyes while putting on an innocent appearance.
Li Qiye’s pretentiously pitiful appearance made Qiurong Wanxue helpless since it stopped her from acting out.
While they were speaking, Peng Zhuang and the other youths were whispering to each other about the two.
Peng Zhuang softly muttered: “Heh, I feel that Brother Li and our chief are quite a match.”
“No way!” The female disciple tilted her head and replied: “Brother Li is about our age, but our chief is a bit older.”
“The old saying goes: age is not a barrier.” Peng Zhuang mischievously went on: “I feel that our chief holds Brother Li in high regard, do you guys not see it? She had been lost in thought while looking at him.”
Li Qiye calmly sat at the bow of the boat and smiled at Qiurong Wanxue, who sat down beside him. In terms of beauty and allure, Qiurong Wanxue was far from Chen Baojiao’s level. However, Chen Baojiao didn’t have the mature charm nor the dignified elegance of Qiurong Wanxue.
Chen Baojiao was a calamitous and kingdom-toppling beauty, a supreme enchantress that took away the souls of others with a single glance.
Qiurong Wanxue was also movingly beautiful, especially her mature charm that was no different from a ripe peach; it would cause the hearts of others to beat faster and faster. People would love her more and more from further exposure.
“Does Chief Qiurong have something to say?” Li Qiye looked at her amorous features and calmly asked.
Chapter 430 - Scoundrel’s Plot
If Qiurong Wanxue knew that her focus on Li Qiye had been misunderstood by Peng Zhuang’s group, she would definitely go insane.
“I think that is true.” Another disciple added: “How about after we return to shore, we give them some time alone?”
The six of them deviously grinned. They wanted to encourage and match their chief and Li Qiye together.
How would Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue feel if they knew about this mischievous matter?
Today was the last time the group of Li Qiye released their nets.
“Pull them up!” After a month had elapsed, the group was quite in sync with each other. With his command, everyone pulled up their nets.
A golden light appeared together with the nets as jumping Yang Nightfish could be seen everywhere. This was not their first harvest; it could be said that during this month, they had caught an unbelievable amount of fish. Nevertheless, seeing the net full of fish still left them in amazement.
The group was already very familiar with storing the fish in jars. Everyone was satisfied and excited with such a grand harvest.
Peng Zhuang emotionally said: “I’m afraid we caught more in one month than others in three years.” He understood that this was all because of Li Qiye. Without him, they were no different from ordinary cultivators; there was no way they could be compared to the descendants from the great powers.
“Don’t move!” At this time, Li Qiye was gazing intensely at the sea. Suddenly, he then shot out a terrifying gleam.
Qiurong Wanxue’s group was startled by Li Qiye’s attitude as they held their breaths. As they were completely lost, no one dared to move.
Li Qiye suddenly released his net and then pulled it back up again with an incredible speed.
“Crash!” Before the net was retrieved, the sea was already setting off waves as if a giant monster had been captured.
The rest were scared out of their minds. They had captured a lot of Yang Nightfish, but there had never been such a commotion.
Qiurong Wanxue wanted to help Li Qiye pull his net up, but he suddenly cried loudly as the ferry shook back and forth. He mustered all of his energy and flexed his body to pull the net up.
The moment the net was successfully pulled up, waves of bright lights painfully pierced the group’s eyes. They then took a careful look and found that a turtle was inside the net.
The turtle was around the size of a palm and had fire blazing on its body. This fire was made from universal divine laws in the form of chains, and each chain was a very profound grand dao. The small turtle emitted dazzling rays of light that pierced the eyes of spectators like needles.
The group was astounded since they had been catching fish for more than a month, but they had never caught anything besides Yang Nightfish. Qiurong Wanxue had come to Nightsea several times, and she had heard that there were only Yang Nightfish in this sea, nothing else.
This was the truth and not something that was just limited to her alone. No one who had come to Nightsea had ever caught anything outside of fish.
So today, when Li Qiye caught a strange turtle, how could Qiurong Wanxue’s group not become shocked? They had never heard of such a thing before.
“Good stuff!” Li Qiye was pleased to see the turtle in the net. He moved as fast as lightning to grab this turtle that intended to break free from the net.
“There’s a treasure over there!” Right when Li Qiye grabbed the turtle, a voice came from the distance.
Qiurong Wanxue looked up and noticed two ferries swiftly approaching.
By the time they came closer, Li Qiye had already put the turtle away in a treasure jar. He gently patted it after closing the lid. This time was a very fruitful harvest; he didn’t expect to be able to catch such a thing.
Many generations ago when Li Qiye was staying at Nightsea, he had caught a turtle like this before. That time, it required a long period of calculation to catch one, so this meeting could only be described as him being super lucky.
Qiurong Wanxue’s heart sank the moment she saw the people on the two approaching ferries. Who else could it be besides the Black Cloud Tribe and the Yin Moon Tribe?
The fact that these two tribes were traveling together was not a good thing for the Snow-shadow Tribe.
The Yin Moon Prince was interested in Qiurong Wanxue, so after going out to Nightsea, he wanted to both catch fish and look for her, intending to go together.
The prince then coincidentally met the Black Cloud Young Lord. The Black Cloud Tribe was a lot weaker than the Yin Moon Tribe, so the young lord purposely made friends with the Yin Moon Tribe. He told the prince how he met the group of Qiurong Wanxue who managed to catch dozens of Yang Nightfish in just one session.
Compared to the idiotic young lord, the Yin Moon Prince was a descendant from a second-rate great power, someone who had vast knowledge. He immediately found it strange after hearing the story about this great catch.
People on the same boat all having such a great harvest had to be called a miracle. There was only one explanation, and that was that the group of Qiurong Wanxue had met a school of Yang Nightfish.
He had been thinking about this matter, but he didn’t expect to see Qiurong Wanxue’s group today. However, before he could greet her, he saw Li Qiye’s yield.
Catching the turtle caused his heart to tremble. He had never heard of anyone catching anything besides fish in Nightsea. He immediately understood that this turtle was amazing — an absolutely world-shocking item.
Necropolis always had legends about its amazing items. Even though the Yin Moon Prince didn’t know what this turtle was, an existence that lived in Nightsea amidst the Nightfish must be marvelous, so he immediately wanted it.
The Yin Moon Prince clapped his hands and smiled: “Congratulations to Miss Qiurong’s group for having such a great harvest.”
After seeing the Black Cloud Young Lord and the Yin Moon Prince traveling together, Peng Zhuang’s group of youths immediately became restless. Although they were not afraid of the Black Cloud Tribe, they couldn’t afford to mess with the Yin Moon Tribe.
With her heart beating fast, Qiurong Wanxue smiled in response: “Yin Moon Prince is too kind, it wasn’t anything great. We only caught a bit more than ten fish in one month, so it is only so-so.”
“That is already not bad.” The Yin Moon Prince responded with a smile. He then looked at Li Qiye and asked: “Earlier, I saw this little brother catch a turtle with a strange shape. I wonder if you could take it out so that I can have a look?”
If it wasn’t for Qiurong Wanxue’s presence, the prince would be too lazy to bother talking to Li Qiye. At the eastern Nether Border, a human junior was nothing; he could easily and directly seize the turtle from him.
“No.” Li Qiye was too lazy to look at the prince since he knew what was on the prince’s mind.
The smile on the prince’s face froze as he wryly spoke: “I like to collect strange things, and Little Brother’s turtle matches my taste quite nicely. How about selling it to me? I will pay two thousand pieces of Ancient Saint Refined Jades.”
His words annoyed the group of Peng Zhuang. Although two thousand Ancient Saint Refined Jades was indeed a very high price to a minor sect, even Yang Nightfish sold for an extremely sky-high price, let alone a mysterious turtle.
The prince’s price was clearly trying to take advantage of them.
“Let us go back to shore.” Li Qiye didn’t bother wasting time, so he told the handler to head back.
The Black Cloud Young Lord wanted to curry favor with the Yin Moon Prince so he shouted at Li Qiye: “Hey, Human Junior, did you hear what the prince asked just now?”
Li Qiye ignored the young lord as well, prompting an ugly expression from the Yin Moon Prince.
The prince then said in a grave tone: “Little Friend, don’t be so arrogant on the road. This place is the Nether Border, it’s not a place for you humans. In this place, you have to know propriety. If you see a ghost tribe, you have to call them sir, understand?”
Qiurong Wanxue’s heart sank. She knew that the Yin Moon Prince was only looking for an excuse. Although the Nether Border was the ghost race’s territory, unless there was a conflict of interest, they rarely bothered to care about human cultivators. With the prince bringing up the ghost race, one could easily guess his intentions.
Li Qiye didn’t bother to look at the prince as he calmly retorted: “So what if it is the Nether Border? Not to mention an insignificant Yin Moon Tribe, but even if the Myriad Bones Throne comes, I still wouldn’t bat an eye! Keep on buzzing in front me and I’ll throw you down into Nightsea!”
Although the group of Peng Zhuang wanted to cheer for Li Qiye’s words because the Yin Moon Prince had no respect, they couldn’t help but wryly smile when Li Qiye brought up the Myriad Bones Throne. They secretly shouted in their mind: ‘Little Ancestor! One can eat anything, but one can’t speak everything carelessly.’ Offending the Myriad Bones Throne in the Nether Border… Not to mention a little tribe like the Snow-shadow Tribe, even a great power would become ashes.
Myriad Bones Throne — what a terrifying existence. One sect, three emperors… It was invincible in the eastern Nether Border!
Chapter 431 - Plenty of Excuses To Frame Someone
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t know what to say and could only reveal a bitter smile. She hated the Yin Moon Prince’s group, but Li Qiye’s attitude was too arrogant. He even offended the Myriad Bones Throne! If the throne heard these words, it would bring about a disaster.
She wanted to stop him from speaking, but it was already too late. If his words were made known to the public, then having nine lives still wouldn’t be enough.
The Yin Moon Prince’s expression turned cold after hearing Li Qiye’s response. Although the Yin Moon Tribe was a second-rate sect at the Nether Border, they were still a monstrous existence compared to the human sects.
In the Sacred Nether World, outside of the southern Distant Cloud, human forces at the other regions were very weak. Second-rate human sects were already considered quite powerful at these places since first-rate human sects virtually didn’t exist.
In the Yin Moon Prince’s eyes, a human junior like Li Qiye was but an ant, so how could he not become furious in the face of such blustering?
The prince then angrily shouted: “Fool, the Nether Border isn’t a place for an ant like you to boast!” His blood energy surged like a tidal wave. He didn’t make a move and let his blood energy soar towards Li Qiye to turn him into a mist of blood.
An ant like Li Qiye could easily be crushed by a single finger of his.
The sudden attack from the prince left Qiurong Wanxue with a bad expression. Li Qiye also narrowed his eyes.
“Do not fight on my ferry!” At this time, the handler weakly stated.
Although his words were quiet, they carried quite a weight. The Yin Moon Prince’s expression greatly changed as he withdrew his blood energy that attacked Li Qiye.
No one wanted to oppose the handlers or the local inhabitants at Necropolis for it was not a wise decision. It was hard to leave with one’s life once a feud began.
“Hmph! Junior, I’ll temporarily spare your life.” The Yin Moon Prince snorted. It was hard for him to restrain this anger, but he didn’t want to offend the handler.
Li Qiye didn’t bother to look at the prince. The handler then rowed the boat as they disappeared above Nightsea while the prince coldly glared at their departure.
“Prince, wait until they come to shore. Then, we can punish them at any time.” The Black Cloud Young Lord quickly said to the prince.
The prince only scowled and showed a glare as cold as ice that overflowed with murderous intent.
The handler eventually brought Li Qiye’s group back to shore. The six youths took a sigh of relief the moment their feet touched the hard ground and immediately became excited.
Peng Zhuang patted his pocket and put on a look of a newly rich fella: “Hehe, we should go to the city to see if anyone is selling anything good.” His excitement made sense since each of them had a crazy amount of Yang Nightfish. Even emperor’s lineage descendants would not have as many fish as their group even if they spent three years straight on Nightsea.
At Necropolis, they were considered quite wealthy and could buy many things they wanted. Of course, in order to buy the real good stuff, good eyesight and luck were also essential.
Even after becoming rich, Qiurong Wanxue remained calm in contrast to Peng Zhuang’s attitude. She also had a huge amount of fish, but she was not excited and restless like the young ones. She looked at Li Qiye who was standing next to her and asked: “Where does Young Noble Li want to go now?”
Li Qiye looked at the mature and beautiful chief and asked: “Chief Qiurong wants to go with me? Very well. Necropolis is filled with ghastly energy so going alone will be very sad.”
His flirting caused her to become quite annoyed, but she restrained herself and put on an elegant and calm demeanor befitting of a leader. She then said: “We’ll see you off.”
Li Qiye smiled and said: “So Chief Qiurong is worried about my safety.” Li Qiye understood her thoughts. She was afraid that the Yin Moon Prince’s group was going to take care of him, so she wanted to go together for a while.
She looked at him and responded calmly: “Since Young Noble Li helped us catch so many fish, we should lend you our strength when you are in trouble.”
She knew that protecting Li Qiye would bring about trouble for the Snow-shadow Tribe, but she still wanted to escort him for some distance. She was someone who knew how to be grateful after being given so much, so naturally, she would lend him a hand.
Peng Zhuang looked at Nightsea then quickly spoke to the chief: “Chief, we should talk while walking or else the Yin Moon Prince’s group might catch up.”
The group of youths was worried for Li Qiye. They weren’t afraid of the Black Cloud Young Lord, but their tribe couldn’t afford to provoke the Yin Moon Tribe. Of course, should Li Qiye face trouble, everyone was willing to help him.
“We’ll get out of here.” Qiurong Wanxue spoke and immediately led Li Qiye away from Nightsea.
Seeing their enthusiastic goodwill, Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t deny their affection.
“You are in such a hurry to leave, do you have something to hide?” However, the moment they left Nightsea, a person led a team and blocked their path. This person was the Black Cloud Young Lord. He and a dozen disciples blocked Li Qiye’s path with very aggressive postures. The atmosphere became extremely tense.
“It is this Little Black Ghost again!” Peng Zhuang sneered and said: “So? You want to stop us with your group? Are you tired of living?” He then rubbed his palms together.
Snow-shadows and Black Clouds had been enemies throughout many generations, so now that the young lord himself came to their doorstep to cause trouble, it caused the group of six to become very angry. They would not show mercy to their enemies.
As the chief, Qiurong Wanxue was much calmer and stopped the six from rushing forward. She then spoke in a serious manner towards the young lord: “What is your intention for blocking our path?”
The young lord revealed a malicious smile: “Chief Qiurong, we don’t want to oppose your Snow-shadow Tribe, but our tribe had lost an extremely important item.”
Peng Zhuang coldly smiled and asked in anger: “What does your tribe losing an item have to do with us?”
The young lord showed a sinister smile: “It indeed has nothing to do with the Snow-shadow Tribe, but it has something to do with him!” He then pointed at Li Qiye.
“And then what?” Li Qiye asked without a care. He didn’t even bother to look at the young lord.
The young lord smiled insidiously and said: “Some time ago, a little human snuck into our tribe and stole a treasure. Although he hid his face, he couldn’t change his body shape. Ever since we met, I’ve felt that your figure was very familiar. Now I understand, you were that human who snuck into my tribe!”
The young lord caused the expressions of the group of six and Qiurong Wanxue to sour while only Li Qiye remained calm as if nothing had happened.
“One cannot speak like this without thinking it through.” Qiurong Wanxue resolutely spoke: “Black Cloud Young Lord, your claim requires evidence.”
The young lord smiled and said: “Chief Qiurong, our tribe has evidence, this is why we are calling out this human boy. If he is innocent, then he can come and prove his innocence at our tribe. If we are wrong, then we are willing to accept our blunder.”
Qiurong Wanxue’s expression sank. She knew that the young lord’s claim was only an excuse. Once Li Qiye entered the Black Cloud Tribe, there would be no exit. Even if Li Qiye stealing a treasure was a lie, once he steps into the tribe’s territory, it would become the truth.
The young lord’s words were merely excuses while his real intention was to bring Li Qiye back to the Black Cloud Tribe.
Qiurong Wanxue then exclaimed: “Black Cloud Young Lord, your words alone are insufficient. Young Noble Li will not go with you to the Black Cloud Tribe. If you have clear evidence, then you can present it at my Snow-shadow Tribe at any time. Right now, Young Noble Li is our tribe’s esteemed guest.”
The Black Cloud Young Lord’s expression turned cold as he responded: “So Chief Qiurong is determined to protect this human? Do you understand that once word of this gets out, it will have a negative impact on your tribe? A ghost race protecting a human thief — do you think the Sacred Nether World will tolerate your tribe in the future?”
“You do not need to concern yourself with this matter.” Qiurong Wanxue had firmly decided to protect Li Qiye and spoke frankly: “Please leave. As long as Young Noble Li is our Snow-shadow Tribe’s guest, don’t think about bringing him away in front of me.”
“Chief Qiurong is making it very difficult for me.” The Black Cloud Young Lord was not afraid at all: “All of my brothers are here, but if Chief Qiurong makes me go back empty handed, what am I going to tell my elders?”
The dozen disciples then surrounded Li Qiye’s group. They were ready to fight the moment their young lord gave the order.
Qiurong Wanxue suddenly gave him a sharp glare as the dignified aura of a ruler enveloped her, making her seem like an empress. She then dryly said: “If the Black Cloud Tribe must fight against us, then we shall entertain you anytime.”
The young lord knew that Qiurong Wanxue was stronger than him, but he still said without any apprehension: “It seems that we have to talk with our fists.”
“We are all members of the ghost race, there is no need to be so tense. We should be unified with each other and coexist in peace.” At this point, a voice suddenly appeared.
Chapter 432 - Massacre
The Yin Moon Prince led a group of Yin Moon disciples closer. Qiurong Wanxue immediately became alarmed after seeing this. His arrival was definitely not a coincidence; she finally understood why the Black Cloud Young Lord showed no fear.
Li Qiye smirked as he noticed the approaching Yin Moon Prince and his fellow disciples. He was not angry at all; trivial schemes and plots like these couldn’t enter his sight. Li Qiye had once plotted against this entire world, so this little play from the Yin Moon Prince was merely a trivial trick to him.
Qiurong Wanxue revealed a chilling flash in her eyes as she asked in a grave manner: “Yin Moon Prince, your Yin Moon Tribe wants to interfere with this matter as well?”
The Yin Moon Prince smiled with the confidence of a self-proclaimed cool romanticist and said: “Miss Qiurong, I am the descendant of the Yin Moon Tribe so I will not be biased towards either side. I have heard the conversation between you two. Although Miss Qiurong might think the accusation is merely a one-sided allegation from the Black Cloud Young Lord…
“If someone actually stole the Black Cloud Tribe’s treasure, then I cannot easily let this go. Right, Miss Qiurong?” The Yin Moon Prince confidently said: “It is also understandable that Miss Qiurong doesn’t want to let the Black Cloud Young Lord take him away since Young Noble Li is a guest of your tribe.”
At this point, he coughed and continued on: “However, this situation has conflicting claims from both sides, so it is very difficult to decide. How about this, I am willing to be the mediator. If Young Noble Li didn’t steal anything from the Black Cloud Tribe, then please take out something as assurance.”
“What do you mean take something out for assurance!?” A Snow-shadow disciple couldn’t help but interject. The situation was not favorable for Li Qiye with the sudden involvement of the Yin Moon Tribe.
The Yin Moon Prince smiled and said: “Since this is Necropolis, we should use something from Necropolis as assurance. Young Noble Li caught some Yang Nightfish and that turtle earlier, so we can use them as the items. If you are innocent, then the items will be returned to Young Noble Li. Of course, if you escape due to guilt, then they will be used as compensation for the Black Cloud Tribe while Miss Qiurong won’t have to shoulder the responsibility.”
He then smilingly asked Qiurong Wanxue: “Do you agree, Miss Qiurong?”
As a tribe chief, Qiurong Wanxue immediately understood that the whole notion of theft was only a trap set up by the prince and the young lord. After walking around a large circle, their ultimate goal was still Li Qiye’s turtle. There were only Yang Nightfish in Nightsea so this turtle had to be something amazing, inciting the Yin Moon Prince’s greed.
Qiurong Wanxue shook her head and said in a serious manner: “Yin Moon Prince, we can’t just take Young Noble Li’s precious possessions based on the Black Cloud Young Lord’s words alone. If you really want to be the mediator, then our Snow-shadow Tribe is ready to bear the consequences. Young Noble Li is our guest so the Black Cloud Tribe can come to our tribe to find him when they have iron-clad proof.”
“Miss Qiurong, you should not be doing this.” The Yin Moon Prince shook his head and said: “I trust you, but this doesn’t mean that I trust the human. If he doesn’t want to take out something as assurance, then he has to follow me.”
Peng Zhuang’s young group of six were outraged as they glared at the prince. The prince clearly wanted to frame Li Qiye.
Qiurong Wanxue then moved in front of Li Qiye with a firm attitude: “Yin Moon Prince, our tribe will take responsibility for our guest’s safety. We will not allow anyone to take him away!”
The Yin Moon Prince’s expression became more aggressive as he said: “Miss Qiurong, I like you and want to help, but this matter is not trivial. If you keep on wanting to protect a human thief, then even if my heart was willing, the elders of my tribe would question me. If your tribe keeps on opposing the entire ghost race, then there will be no place for it in the Sacred Nether World. At that point, it would be even more difficult to settle this matter, and you would have to pay an even greater price!”
“Are you threatening me?” Qiurong Wanxue angrily exclaimed. Although the Snow-shadow Tribe was weak, this didn’t mean that they didn’t have their own dignity.
Li Qiye looked at Qiurong Wanxue who was protecting him like a mother hen protecting her baby and smiled. He then tapped her shoulder and leisurely said: “Chief Qiurong, leave this small matter to me.”
“But…” Qiurong Wanxue worriedly said.
Li Qiye waved his hand to stop her, then he stepped forward and lazily stared at the Yin Moon Prince’s group. He began to slowly speak: “I give you two options, scram or I’ll personally kill you! Be smart and run away because if you truly anger me, I’ll massacre your entire tribe!”
Peng Zhuang’s group was astounded. Li Qiye was too arrogant and overbearing. Meanwhile, Qiurong Wanxue was also taken aback and started to worry. Li Qiye had completely dropped all formalities in front of the enemy.
To Qiurong Wanxue, the Black Cloud Tribe was nothing, but the Yin Moon Tribe was not easy to mess with. The prince didn’t only represent himself, behind him was a powerful tribe — the force of a country.
The Yin Moon Prince snapped after being provoked by a human junior: “Fool! You chose to ignore the path towards heaven and picked the unwelcoming gate of hell…” With that, his blood energy soared along with the aura of an expert.
But before he could finish his words, his neck was already gripped by Li Qiye and was propped up high.
Li Qiye’s speed was too fast and no one saw his actions clearly. They only noticed the prince being suspended by Li Qiye’s hand.
“Stop!” The Yin Moon disciples shouted in horror after seeing their prince in trouble. All the disciples took out their weapons and attacked Li Qiye.
Li Qiye didn’t bother to look at the vanguard and simply stretched out his palm. A sky-covering palm instantly caught all of the attacking disciples.
“Zzzhh!” The disciples who had their weapons ready didn’t even know what had happened before they and their treasures were rendered into a puddle of blood by Li Qiye.
This sudden development shocked everyone. The Yin Moon Prince was suspended by the neck and was deathly pale as he pissed in his pants.
“If you… you… oppose the ghost race, the Sacred Nether World will… not tolerate you…” The Yin Moon Prince’s heart was pumping with fear as he stuttered.
Li Qiye stared at him blandly and leisurely smiled: “Oppose the ghost race? A little tribe like your Yin Moon Tribe is not qualified to be my enemy. Moreover, so what if I oppose the ghost race? Not to mention mere ghosts, even if they were gods and immortals, I would still kill them without mercy if they blocked my path!”
“You—” The Yin Moon Prince was scared out of his wits, but the words couldn’t come out in time. “Poof!” Li Qiye’s five fingers came together and crushed him, leaving behind a bloody pool.
“Oh mother… We… need to run, now!” The Black Cloud Young Lord and the dozen Black Cloud disciples were scared out of their minds. They immediately ran the moment they understood the situation.
“Since you are already here, don’t leave.” Li Qiye lazily spoke with that same smile. He then flicked his finger, and the escaping group couldn’t make it further than two steps before they were turned into a bloody mist.
“Opposing me is not a wise decision.” After taking care of his opponents, Li Qiye patted his palms and smiled. To him, this was only a trivial matter.
Qiurong Wanxue and the group of youths were horrified. So many were instantly annihilated by Li Qiye in just the blink of an eye. The young lord and the prince did not have the power to resist Li Qiye’s might. They were mere ants, no, they weren’t even ants before him.
Even after a deep breath, Qiurong Wanxue still struggled to calm her shivering heart.
The Black Cloud Young Lord was one thing, but the prince was a real Royal Noble. He was a bit weaker than her, but not by a lot.
Such a powerful Royal Noble was not even an ant and was without the ability to resist before Li Qiye, who crushed him by hand.
How could Qiurong Wanxue not become shocked? They were with Li Qiye for more than a month. Although his Yang Nightfish catching ability was very magical and she indeed felt that he was very mysterious, this was limited to Nightsea. From multiple angles, he looked nothing like an invincible expert.
Li Qiye’s appearance was very ordinary and he seemed even younger than Peng Zhuang’s group. However, despite not looking like an expert, today, he easily crushed a Royal Noble, so one could easily imagine how formidable his cultivation was.
Chapter 433 - Follow Me
The young group of six were stunned for a long time. The Yin Moon Prince, a Royal Noble, was crushed to death. This was too terrifying. They stared at Li Qiye witlessly without being able to say a word.
“So it seems that I was being a busybody. With your abilities, Young Noble Li had no need for our tribe’s protection.” Qiurong Wanxue calmed down and wryly smiled. 1
“No, I appreciate your affection.” Li Qiye looked at the elegant and beautiful woman before him and smiled. 2
Qiurong Wanxue only smiled bitterly at his teasing, no longer becoming angry. She now understood that her caution towards Li Qiye was redundant because they didn’t have anything worthy of him plotting against.
With her most conservative estimate, Li Qiye should be an Ancient Saint. This was a power capable of instilling fear in all as opposed to the small Snow-shadow Tribe.
With his power, he could just directly seize whatever he wanted from the tribe. She then knew that he only followed them for one reason — the Prime Ominous Grave.
She then gently sighed; her initial caution towards Li Qiye was only self-imposed and unnecessary. Li Qiye had no malicious intents and moreover, their strength was insignificant even if they were wary of him.
The group of the Yin Moon Prince was the best example. The prince was the descendant of a second-rate sect, a powerful Royal Noble, but he became nothing in an instant in Li Qiye’s hands.
The group of six calmed down while still feeling a bit restless. Peng Zhuang stuttered to say: “This… Brother Li, no, Fellow Daoist Li…” To them, a Royal Noble was already very strong. One would definitely be an expert in the Snow-shadow Tribe, yet this was nothing before Li Qiye.
Before this, they were calling Li Qiye “brother.” Not to mention them, but even the elders and the chief of their tribe would respect a master of this magnitude.
There was only confusion left in their minds as the entire group was a chaotic mess.
“You can just act like before.” Li Qiye noticed Peng Zhuang’s stuttering and said.
“Well… Okay.” Peng Zhuang scratched his head and let out a silly smile. He thought that it was not a bad thing to befriend such an expert.
“Who on earth are you?” Qiurong Wanxue took a deep breath and asked Li Qiye.
The six also stared at Li Qiye. Before, they thought that he was only a vagrant cultivator with his home being the four directions. But now, this didn’t seem to be the case. How could a vagrant cultivator be so strong at such a young age?
“Me?” Li Qiye pointed at his nose and asked, then he answered with a smile: “I am a human cultivator from the southern Distant Cloud. The truth is that who I am is not important, the pertinent matter is that I have no ill will towards you guys.”
Qiurong Wanxue could only force a smile. Li Qiye was right, someone with his power definitely had a heaven-frightening origin. It was not important whether a small tribe like the Snow-shadow Tribe knew his identity or not. It could be said that the two sides were not on the same level; they were people from two different worlds.
She then solemnly said with her hands clasped together: “In that case, Young Noble Li, goodbye for now. We’ll cross paths again if it is meant to be.” She intended to escort him for a while, but now it seemed that it was completely unnecessary.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “Qiurong, you follow me.”
These words out of nowhere left everyone speechless, including Qiurong Wanxue. The group of six were completely stunned with their mouths wide open. The moment they calmed down, they started peeking at each other. This development was a little bit too fast! Suddenly telling the chief to follow him… Could this be a… happy event? 3
Qiurong staggered for a bit as her beautiful face blushed. After a while, she calmed down and replied in a serious manner: “Young Noble Li’s joke is a bit out of line.”
Li Qiye looked at their expressions and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. They misunderstood his intentions.
“Ah… You misunderstood.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “I didn’t mean it like that. It is fate that we have met, and you are trying to find the thing your tribe lost, correct? Right now, it is no longer important whether you find it or not. Follow me in Necropolis, and I shall give you a new creation. Your tribe will obtain great benefits from this.”
After leaving Nightsea, Li Qiye initially wanted to part ways with Qiurong Wanxue’s group. However, in order to protect him, she didn’t mind opposing the Yin Moon Prince — this act moved him. A member of the ghost race was willing to protect a human. He really liked her attitude so he suddenly had the urge to take her along.
“Of course, if you are willing to follow me forever, then I can think about it as well.” Li Qiye looked at her elegant figure and smiled.
The group of six winked at each other. Just before this, they wanted to bring the two together, and it seemed like this was becoming very promising.
In a temporary stupor, Qiurong Wanxue thought about many things. Outside of training the young ones and broadening their horizons, she did indeed come to Necropolis to find something that their tribe had lost.
They lost it a long time ago back in an undated era. Before Qiurong Wanxue, many chiefs had come to Necropolis to search to no avail since there were no clues at all.
She didn’t have a lot of hope coming to Necropolis because, after all, miracles rarely occur. However, after catching so many fish with Li Qiye’s lead, the sliver of hope began to increase. She thought that a lot of fish could be traded for a lot of information at Necropolis, and this could result in clues.
Despite this blooming hope, she was still not very confident or assured. This was Necropolis; everyone knew that there were a lot of treasures here, including divine weapons, but very few ever managed to bring this level of treasure out from the city.
Even experts from emperor’s lineages had to return empty-handed, let alone Qiurong Wanxue.
But now, Li Qiye confidently declared that he would give her a creation, making her hesitate. She knew that he would not do something without a goal.
“Chief should go with Brother Li.” Peng Zhuang urged: “Maybe Brother Li can help you find our lost item.”
The other disciples also started to encourage her: “Yeah, Chief, with Brother Li’s protection, you will be able to go to more places inside Necropolis. Maybe our lost item is inside a particularly dangerous area.”
The six young ones wanted to match Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue together.
Qiurong Wanxue then stared at them and asked: “What about you guys?” She was very tempted since she needed such an opportunity. The current state of the Snow-shadow Tribe was quite undesirable.
For a while now, the Snow-shadow Tribe and the Black Cloud Tribe had been in constant conflict regarding control over territory. In recent years, even the Yin Moon Tribe had been eyeing them from the sidelines.
The Yin Moon Tribe was a second-rate sect that wanted to join the ranks of the first-rate orders, so they wanted to swallow up the surrounding territory. However, as fellow ghost tribes, they had no pretext to deploy troops.
The Yin Moon Prince wanted to marry Qiurong Wanxue, but she knew that outside of liking her, he also wanted the Snow-shadow Tribe’s territory. If this marriage came to fruition, then the Snow-shadow Tribe would surely fall into the grasp of the Yin Moon Tribe.
Thus, if Li Qiye could actually give a great creation to the Snow-shadow Tribe, then Qiurong Wanxue would be willing to go with him.
Peng Zhuang immediately said: “Chief, you can rest assured, we will just go around the towns and look around to gain more experience and see if there is anything we can buy.”
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a bit and felt that this made sense. Although Necropolis had treasures, Peng Zhuang’s group of six were too weak and there were many places that they couldn’t go to. Walking around town was also an opportunity. Moreover, they had a lot of Yang Nightfish so maybe they would also meet a great fortune.
“Then you guys have to be careful. Make sure you don’t show off your wealth and let people know that you have Yang Nightfish.” Qiurong Wanxue warned: “Remember to send the help signal when in danger.”
“Chief, don’t worry and go with Brother Li, we will definitely not start any trouble.” The six of them spoke in unison.
Chapter 434 - Penta Realm Gate
Li Qiye looked at the group of six and said: “There are indeed a lot of opportunities to buy good stuff in Necropolis, but it requires luck and keen eyes. It was not easy for you guys to catch the fish so don’t spend them carelessly. I will introduce you all to a place. There is a small town on the east side. If you see a symbol like this, then pay up with some fish. Repeat this several times. Whether you get anything or not will depend on your own luck.” Li Qiye drew a symbol and then handed it to Peng Zhuang.
After accepting the symbol, Peng Zhuang cheerfully smiled and said: “Brother Li, we’ll go ahead then. We’ll leave our chief in your care.” He then winked at Li Qiye and revealed an ambiguous and mischievous expression.
Li Qiye only laughed at Peng Zhuang’s group’s encouragement. How could he not know what these kids were thinking?
They happily said goodbye and left in excitement. Qiurong Wanxue sighed while looking at them leave. These six were the young seeds of the Snow-shadow Tribe, so she was not without worries, letting them go off alone. However, under her constant protection, they would never become independent.
“Where are we going now?” She composed herself and asked Li Qiye.
Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and said: “We’ll go to the Penta Realm Gate to test our luck.”
“The Penta Realm Gate?” Qiurong Wanxue nervously said: “It is quite a dangerous place. Out of the five entrances, four of them are located in extremely ominous locations.”
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Without taking a risk at Necropolis and putting it all on the line, Chief Qiurong will never discover the fortunes that await you.”
Qiurong Wanxue nodded without objecting. Since she had decided to follow Li Qiye, she would go wherever he wanted to.
Although Necropolis was a city of ghosts and had wandering spirits everywhere, it was not disorderly at all. On the contrary, it was just like the outside with ghosts cultivating instead.
They were remnants of the dead, sentiments without memories of their previous life. It was a new life without assured immortality. If these sentiments did not grow stronger, then they would disappear as time went by.
Ever since an unknown era, these ghosts had started to cultivate in Necropolis. There were sects in Necropolis that were even more ancient than the ones in the Nine Worlds. Their origins were untraceable as well.
The sects that occupied the best locations in Necropolis were also considered the most dangerous places.
It was true that Necropolis had treasures, but these treasures for cultivators were not worth a coin in the eyes of these ghosts because they were only sentiments. They cultivated a certain power given to them by Necropolis itself; it was completely different from cultivators absorbing worldly energy.
Cultivation in Necropolis comes from having faith in the city itself. The more these ghosts harmonize with this land and take root, the longer these sentiments could survive and the more powerful they would become.
Because of this, cultivators’ treasures were useless to the ghosts. However, the ghosts occupied the areas with treasures and took ownership of them. Any cultivator who wanted treasures or adventures must pay Yang Nightfish to these ghosts before entering their sect.
Cultivators wanted treasures while Necropolis’ ghosts wanted Yang Nightfish; it was a beneficial relationship.
The Penta Realm Gate was a lineage in Necropolis, a very ancient lineage. It occupied five mountain passes in the northern area. Rumor has it that there were many amazing things in these passes, and the key to the Prime Ominous Grave was once found inside.
This was why many cultivators wanted to enter and see if they could find anything.
Once Li Qiye brought Qiurong Wanxue to the Penta Realm Gate, there were already two long lines right outside the mountain passes. They were all cultivators from outside of all sorts — guys and girls, ghosts, humans, demons, heavenly devils…
“Necropolis has been quite lively recently.” Qiurong Wanxue was slightly surprised after seeing the long line and told Li Qiye.
Li Qiye looked at the line, then the two also joined in.
The lines were filled with young people from many different races. Outside of the passes were two guardian ghosts, or two sentiments, rather. Anyone who wished to enter must pay Yang Nightfish.
While they were waiting in line, a sudden explosion could be heard as the earth shook with rumbling noises. Everyone saw the arrival of a giant. Despite his huge stature, he was not slow at all and quickly joined the line.
This was a young man three times the size of an ordinary person, someone with quite a healthy appearance. He exuded a fierce aura and had a three-colored halo above his head.
Despite being huge, he was not a brute and, on the contrary, was quite handsome. The three-colored halo above his head gave him a somewhat sacred atmosphere.
The huge young man came closer and looked around coldly before lining up. Those who recognized him obediently gave way, and this giant walked forward without any reservation.
A young cultivator from the Distant Cloud emotionally exclaimed: “Mo Lidao!”
Li Qiye glanced at the three-colored halo above the young man’s head and said with surprise: “The Sky-devil Tribe.”
The Sky-devil Tribe was a branch of the Heavenly Devil race. Meeting such a rare tribe was not easy in this place. 1
Qiurong Wanxue noticed that Li Qiye didn’t know who the giant was, so she reminded him: “He is Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate.”
She then whispered: “I heard that he has the reputation of being a ruthless man in the southern Distant Cloud.”
Despite being part of a small tribe, as the chief, Qiurong Wanxue had always paid attention to the news of the world, so she was quite knowledgeable about famous people in current times.
Li Qiye smiled. People also called him a ruthless man back at the Mortal Emperor World, so he wondered just how fierce this Mo Lidao was to be addressed as such.
After a long wait, it was finally their turn.
The guardian ghost looked at them and said without any trace of emotion on his face: “Fifty fish per person, two is one hundred. You can only pick one mountain pass each time.”
Necropolis’ ghosts really knew how to do business with the price of fifty fish per entry. It didn’t matter whether the person obtained a treasure or not, they had to pay fifty fish to enter.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue paid one hundred fish and were allowed to enter.
“Pick one mountain pass out of the five.” The ghost told them.
“We pick the Shifting Mountain Pass.” Li Qiye looked at the five entrances and responded with a smile.
Many people looked at him after they heard his choice. A young human cultivator kindly reminded him: “Brother, this is your first time here, right? Although the Shifting Mountain Pass is the safest one, it is also the most hopeless one. You two won’t be able to go through the entire mountain since even Heavenly Sovereigns cannot do so. How about you guys pick the first pass? It’s very low-risk and there are a lot of opportunities as well. Even if you don’t get anything, there will be very minimal losses, and if you are lucky, maybe you will get one or two amazing treasures.”
This young human cultivator was quite kind. After all, the human race was very weak here, so those away from home should help each other.
“Thank you, Dao Brother.” Li Qiye said with a wide smile: “I wish to obtain a great fortune, maybe we’ll be able to find one.”
“Great fortune? You guys? Forget it.” Another young cultivator shook their head and said: “Even if you make it through the entire pass, you wouldn’t necessarily be able to find anything.”
Li Qiye only smiled and led Qiurong Wanxue into the fifth pass, the Shifting Mountain Pass.
“These two wasted one hundred Yang Nightfish, what a shame.” A person said with pity after seeing the two enter the pass.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue were met with hot, dry air the moment they entered. Unknowing travelers would think that they made a wrong turn after seeing the scene ahead.
Before them was a vast desert. The strange part was that this desert was completely flat, and its dried land appeared to have been burnt.
If the entrance was not right behind them, anyone who saw this desert would think that they were lost. This place did not resemble Necropolis at all.
“Shifting Mountain Pass?” Qiurong Wanxue couldn’t prevent herself from being dazed after seeing the desert before her. She had never been here before, but she had heard of a few things about it.
“Can we actually do this?” She asked without confidence: “I heard that there are practically no treasures here, but it is also the pass with the highest requirements among the five passes.”
“It is a gamble.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “Although the other four passes indeed have a higher chance of obtaining treasures, they are all ordinary treasures. If you want to gamble, you have to bet something huge. If we are lucky, then it will be a true fortune.”
Chapter 435 - Shifting Mountain
Qiurong Wanxue had nothing to say after hearing his explanation. Ordinary treasures were already very good for the Snow-shadow Tribe, and she didn’t even dare to think about legendary divine weapons.
However, she believed in his choice and asked: “What should we do now?”
Li Qiye responded with a smile: “There are five mountains at the five corners of this desert. As long as you can push these mountains into the middle, you will be able to open up this desert. Then, it will be up to your own fortune whether you will get a treasure or not.”
His familiarity with the Shifting Mountain Pass caused Qiurong Wanxue to gaze at him: “Didn’t you say that you have never been to Necropolis before?”
Li Qiye answered with a smile: “If I had answered that I have been to this place before, would you have let me come along? If I am not mistaken, Chief Qiurong had always been suspicious that I bore ill will towards you guys.”
Being figured out by Li Qiye caused her to blush. This made her feminine and elegant aura to be even more alluring like a dripping ripe peach.
“Just kidding.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “Don’t take it seriously.” Li Qiye didn’t mind it at all since it was natural for her to be so cautious as the chief.
Qiurong Wanxue angrily glared at him: “Who would have been so paranoid if you didn’t act so suspiciously?” Her mature demeanor now had a youthful coquettish air mixed into it.
“Come, we have to go find the five mountains and push them together to see if we are lucky this time around.” Li Qiye smiled and said.
They began searching in the vast desert. Very quickly, they found a mountain. It wasn’t overly large nor small and looked very ordinary. The only distinctive feature was that it was completely black.
“We’ll push now.” Qiurong Wanxue quickly said after finding this mountain.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “You won’t be able to, just follow me for now. Be on the lookout in case someone comes with bad intentions.” With that, he placed his hands on the mountain.
It was not hard to overturn mountains and seas with Li Qiye’s cultivation, so a normal-sized mountain should be as light as a feather and would easily be lifted up with one hand by him.
However, this black mountain was extremely heavy. Despite his utmost efforts, the mountain only shifted slightly. If any other mountain was met by this same force, it would have already been blown flying across the sky.
“Roll—” Li Qiye pushed the entire mountain as it followed a strange path; it was as if this path was already predetermined.
Qiurong Wanxue hurriedly followed behind him. She didn’t dare to be careless and released her divine intent to look around in case someone else wanted to take advantage of the situation.
Fortunately, no one else picked the Shifting Mountain Pass so only the two of them were in this desert.
“Rolling—” Under Li Qiye’s constant pushing, the black mountain slowly followed the predetermined path to the center of the desert.
Now, Qiurong Wanxue understood why people didn’t pick this pass. She witnessed Li Qiye’s strength with her own eyes when he crushed a Royal Noble like crushing an ant. However, he was struggling to push this mountain, so she wouldn’t be able to make it budge at all.
“Rolling—” This black mountain was heavy beyond one’s imagination. Even someone with astonishing physical strength like Li Qiye found it to be a huge challenge.
It was halfway to the center, but Li Qiye’s entire body was drenched in sweat.
“Take a rest for now.” Qiurong Wanxue noticed his fatigued panting and worriedly said.
Li Qiye kept on pushing and shook his head: “No, if I let go, it will move back to the original location and all will be for naught. You have to push it to the center in one go or it will never work.”
Qiurong Wanxue was shocked; no wonder why no one else wanted to pick the Shifting Mountain Pass. She believed that even Ancient Saints would find this very difficult.
Li Qiye was quite mighty, so despite the heavy weight of the black mountain, he persevered until it reached the center in one setting.
After moving it to the center, he suddenly heard a cranking sound as if something had latched onto the mountain. At that point, he finally let go while being completely out of breath as he felt his legs giving out.
Qiurong Wanxue was scared and quickly came to embrace the staggering Li Qiye before asking: “Are you okay?”
The exhausted Li Qiye heaved a sigh and said: “Let me rest a bit. So tiring… This is indeed really hard.”
Qiurong Wanxue propped him against a safe place to sit. After a while, his blood energy began to recover.
After his blood energy rejuvenated like a receding tide, Qiurong Wanxue felt relieved and caringly asked: “How do you feel?”
Li Qiye smiled while basking in his enjoyment: “Very comfortable, sleeping in a beauty’s embrace is indeed very comfortable. Just a bit more then I’ll be fine.”
Qiurong Wanxue was startled and suddenly realized something as her face turned red. She was hugging him tightly as his head was resting on her chest, deep into the valley. He also had a very comfortable and joyful expression.
“You!” She wanted to push him away due to the embarrassment.
Li Qiye lightly waved his hand to stop her and smiled: “Don’t be angry, Qiurong. If I really wanted to take advantage of you, using these kinds of means would be a disgrace to me. If I wanted to enjoy such affection, then I would directly take you in and taste you completely in addition to earning your willingness to be my woman. I have confidence and complete certainty in this. Don’t worry, this is just for fun and I have zero intent of treating you licentiously.”
Li Qiye’s head remained on her high bosom with a relaxed look. Despite this suggestive pose, Li Qiye still had a calm and natural air with no lustful thoughts.
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t know how to reply. After a while, she asked: “Are you always so full of yourself? Do you not feel that you are too arrogant and outrageous?”
“There are always those who tell me that.” Li Qiye answered with a smile: “But if I pretend to be humble, then I will either become a hypocrite or the most sacred sage throughout history. Unfortunately, I don’t belong in either category. I have the power as well as the qualifications, so this is only to be expected of me. Of course, to others, I am full of hubris.”
“A lot of confidence.” Qiurong Wanxue snappily said: “The Nine Worlds is huge and has countless experts — hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Being overconfident is not a good thing.”
“That is for other people.” Li Qiye contentedly enjoyed his current situation and said: “The nine heavens and ten earths indeed have countless experts and invincible existences, but that does not affect me. I am Li Qiye, that alone is enough.”
Qiurong Wanxue was stunned for a while. I am Li Qiye, that alone is enough — such an ordinary phrase, but when uttered by Li Qiye, it was painted with a domineering attitude that could reign over the nine heavens and ten earths throughout the eons.
This sentence alone said it all. After a while, Qiurong Wanxue calmed down to look at this young man lying in her bosom. His eyes were closed and he had a calm smile on his face. It was as if, to him, everything in the world right now was just like the gentle flow of a river.
The stare lasted for a long while since Li Qiye was an unsolved mystery that others would never tire of trying to figure out.
Confident, calm, ordinary yet profound — these were his greatest charms. Just like the path towards the grand dao, they were both filled with temptation and attraction.
She then slowly stroked his hair and caressed his face before slowly speaking: “Just who are you?”
Li Qiye’s eyes remained closed and he only answered with a smile.
***
He spent a lot of effort before finally pushing all five mountains to the middle of the desert. Once all five mountains joined together…
“Clack!”
The empty ground that was surrounded by the five mountains suddenly opened like a treasure box. Li Qiye quickly took a look, but there was nothing inside.
“Unfortunately, that thing isn’t here.” He lamented with a disappointed sigh.
Qiurong Wanxue was also disappointed. She then remembered what Li Qiye said before and curiously asked: “What are you looking for?”
He clearly came to the desert for a certain something, so this piqued her curiosity. Just what kind of item could garner Li Qiye’s interest?
“Do you really want to know?” Li Qiye smiled at her and asked.
“Come on and tell me.” She glared at him with a mature charm that could swoon all beholders.
“It is no big deal to let you know. The thing I’m searching for is the key to opening the Prime Ominous Grave.”
“The key to the Prime Ominous Grave!” Qiurong Wanxue was shaken as she stared at Li Qiye for a long time.
Chapter 436 - Ghost River
Of course, Qiurong Wanxue understood the significance of this key, but since time immemorial, the number of times this key had appeared could be counted on one’s fingers.
Amidst her astonishment, Li Qiye gently raised her chin to close her cherry lips and said: “My Chief Qiurong, don’t be so alarmed. Your saliva almost dripped onto me. I already believe that your lady-like looks are charming enough.”
Qiurong Wanxue composed herself and then glared at Li Qiye with flushed cheeks. She then said: “So the rumors about the key appearing at the Penta Realm Gate are true.”
Li Qiye smilingly said: “To be more exact, the key had once appeared in this place.” But then he shook his head: “Unfortunately, the key is not here this time.”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at the empty center and asked: “Was it here before?”
Li Qiye replied: “There is no set rule about where the key will appear; it could be said that there is a chance for any location in Necropolis. One needs great luck to obtain the key, not just anyone can find it. A few places indeed have higher chances for its appearance, but the possibilities remain very low.”
“How do you know that there are a few places with a certain chance?” Qiurong Wanxue asked. An outsider shouldn’t know such a big secret.
Li Qiye explained: “This has a lot to do with Necropolis and its relationship with the Prime Ominous Grave. Both have secrets that are not known to outsiders.”
“Then how do you know about it?” Qiurong Wanxue emotionally asked. Even great powers wouldn’t know such a thing, but Li Qiye was privy to it as if it was written on the palm of his hand.
“This is a secret.” Li Qiye looked at the mature woman before him and shook his head: “There are a few things you shouldn’t know because it is not good for you.”
Qiurong Wanxue was sensible enough to stop prying further. Instead, she said: “The Prime Ominous Grave had not been opened by anyone for a long time. The chance of finding the key is minuscule and only a few people across the eons had been able to find it.”
“Believe in me.” Li Qiye calmly said: “I will find the key! The Prime Ominous Grave shall be opened in this generation even if I have to flip Necropolis over to find it.”
Qiurong Wanxue was taken aback by this high-handed tone. Since the ages, how many young people would dare claim that they would flip Necropolis over? The many people who came here were very reluctant to antagonize Necropolis.
“Where do we go now?” Qiurong Wanxue looked at the young man and asked: “Do you want to try the other four passes?”
“Although the other passes have treasures, they will absolutely not have the key.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “We’ll go somewhere else, perhaps the Ghost River, to test our luck.”
“The Ghost River?” Qiurong Wanxue movingly said: “That is a famous yet dangerous place in Necropolis. I heard that people die there every day.”
“Don’t worry, I am here.” Li Qiye nonchalantly said: “Although the Ghost River is fierce, it is not able to take me.”
Qiurong Wanxue pondered for a moment then handed all of her Yang Nightfish to Li Qiye and said: “You decide, I believe that you will bring about a creation for us.”
There were a lot of dangerous locations at Necropolis that Qiurong Wanxue could not go to, like the Ghost River, so she handed her fish to Li Qiye and let him decide.
They then left the Penta Realm Gate and immediately went to the Ghost River.
Just like Qiurong Wanxue had said, the Ghost River was indeed a dangerous place. They arrived to find a much smaller line compared to the Penta Realm Gate.
The Ghost River was occupied by the Ghost Fate Sect. In order to obtain the treasures in the Ghost River, people must pay the sect Yang Nightfish.
The river was underground; once someone entered a cave, they would find a ferry right before them with a deep river quietly flowing below it.
Legend states that whoever dies inside Necropolis, whether by accident or willingly, would have their corpse sink into the Ghost River. Because of this, many people believed that this place was the gathering spot of evil spirits. 1
Of course, this was just a legend. It was difficult to verify whether the corpses of the dead would actually sink down to this river or not.
The two of them stood before the ferry and felt the cold air of the Ghost River rushing into their face — a ghastly and evil energy.
The river was not large, but even with a Heavenly Gaze, people were not able to glance at its depths.
While looking up from in front of the ferry, one would only see a vast and empty expanse. Below was a bottomless river that flowed towards an unknown destination with no end in sight.
Rumor has it that powerful characters had once tried to go upstream to find the river’s source as well as downstream to see its final destination. But either way, none had ever come back alive, including powerful existences like Virtuous Paragons.
“One Ghost Algae Trunk is thirty Yang Nightfish. You must salvage them while bearing all the dangers. The moment you pull one up, you must hand over the fish. Regardless of whether you obtain any harvest or not, you will have to risk yourselves.” A disciple from the Ghost Fate Sect told the two upon the moment of their arrival.
Ghost Algae Trunks flowed down from upstream. Anyone could pull them up as long as they had the power to do so or had no fear of dying.
A Ghost Algae Trunk was not a container at all, it was a mass formed by thick ghost algae. These masses tangled together as if there was something inside, but it was hard to tell what it was.
The inside of these trunks could contain a treasure or rubbish. No one knew the origin of these Ghost Algae Trunks; some people said that after someone dies in Necropolis, they would sink down into this river and their possessions would go upstream to be stuck at some place. Then, the possessions would be covered with countless ghost algae. After many years, these things would begin to float down the Ghost River.
Other said that these trunks came from a treasure grove inside Necropolis. This grove contained many things, such as divine weapons or immortal stones, or even items that date back to the Legendary Era. Of course, there were also lost scraps from those who died in Necropolis.
This particular legend believed that the treasure grove lied upstream of the Ghost River, so a plethora of things inside floated down the river from time to time.
Either way, the origin of these trunks remained a mystery. The one thing for certain, however, was that the chance for even ordinary treasures inside these trunks was not large. Legendary divine weapons were even rarer; it was to the point of being close to zero.
The story that was talked about the most was of Immortal Emperor Ju Tian. The tale was about how the young emperor came to the Ghost River to test his luck and eventually obtained an unparalleled treasure. Because of this treasure, the emperor who was but a vagrant ghost race cultivator became an invincible Immortal Emperor for a generation. 2
Because of the emperor’s luck, later on, many powerful young cultivators were willing to risk their lives here at the Ghost River.
Of course, many young people died here at the river each year since it was much more dangerous than the Shifting Mountain Pass. There were only a dozen people here so there was no need for a line.
The two stood there, waiting at the ferry for a bit. Amongst the dozen young cultivators gazing upstream, a person suddenly shouted: “Another batch of Ghost Algae Trunks is about to drift down!”
Everyone then looked upstream and confirmed that it was indeed the case. Each trunk had different shapes and sizes. The algae seemed to be like vines that intertwined like small snakes, causing others to feel a chill. The algae also emitted a black smoke that encompassed the group completely.
Even Heavenly Gazes were not capable of seeing the things inside these trunks. Li Qiye gazed at each trunk to see if there was one worthy of him taking action.
Once a trunk floated near the ferry, someone immediately took the chance. Five young cultivators soared out and tried to scoop up the trunk from the river.
All five were powerful experts from the ghost race. They were as fast as lightning and they immediately picked the trunks that they wanted.
“Crash!” However, once the trunks left the water’s surface, waves began to form.
Along with the sound of crashing water, several ferocious things rushed out from below the Ghost River. A huge snake formed by nether smoke coiled around the river and opened its mouth to bite. Another thing that resembled a tongue quickly pierced through the water’s surface to catch a young cultivator. Then, a white skeletal hand stretched out towards another young person…
Anyone who tried to take out these trunks from the river would be attacked by something fierce from beneath the surface. Some people said that these were the corpses below the river that would claim possession of all the items in the river, so naturally, they would attack anyone who tried to take their trunks.
Chapter 437 - Finding Treasures At The Ghost River
“Ah!!!” A miserable scream resounded as a young cultivator’s chest was pierced by a white hand. “Crash.” His body was then dragged into the Ghost River by this skeletal hand.
“Die!” Another cultivator let out a battle cry as he revealed his most powerful technique, causing waves to swell up.
These four cultivators were prodigies of the ghost race. After utilizing their most powerful techniques, they were able to escape the attacks from these evil creatures and rushed out from the river.
As each had their own trunk, they immediately paid the fish fee to the Ghost Fate Sect.
After doing so, they then took care of the ghost algae that surrounded the trunks. Two young men obtained useless items; one of them got an old and tattered helmet while the other got a broken shield. They were both cast from the lowest ranking metals — not worth a coin.
The other two were a bit luckier. One obtained an ancient medal with unknown usage, but its trace of divinity showed that it was a treasure.
The last young man was the luckiest as he obtained a Vermillion Stone. It was around the size of a fist and dancing flames were on the surface as if a small fiery bird was about to fly out. 1
“Hahaha, this time was pretty profitable!” The young man with the Vermillion Stone happily exclaimed. This stone was indeed valuable, so he quickly stored it.
The other people also exclaimed in admiration. One of them said: “Pretty lucky. I have been waiting here for ten days, and this Vermillion Stone was the best thing to be salvaged in the last ten days.”
After a while, some of them abandoned testing their luck. In the end, the Ghost River was too dangerous. Every attempt ended with one or two of them dying. However, a few of them were unwilling to give up and decided to stay.
“Although the Ghost River is dangerous, it is one of the fierce grounds in Necropolis that produces the most treasures. In fact, some divine weapons even came out from this place.” A young cultivator that wished to stay said.
This did make sense since a lot of treasures came out of this dangerous river. For example, the supreme treasure taken by Immortal Emperor Ju Tian. It was said to be an extremely ancient artifact.
There were no patterns to the trunks floating down from the river; sometimes there would be a lot and the time it took for the next batch to come was random. All the young cultivators were standing by the ferry to wait for them.
Some even stayed here for several months in order to see if there were any particular techniques to obtaining these trunks.
Whenever these trunks floated down, some people would take action and some would die. The corpses of the dead would disappear as they would sink all the way down to the bottom of the river.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue continued to stay by the ferry. He did not take action and instead only watched over the batches of floating trunks. They had stayed at the ferry for more than ten days; people came to test their luck and others left due of fear.
Within these ten days, no one found anything. Some obtained one or two decent items, but there was nothing too earthshaking.
Today, Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue continued to watch the Ghost River. A gloomy voice suddenly came out like the murmuring of ghosts: “Ghost River, it is time to test my luck.”
These words reverberated throughout the ferry, but no one saw the speaker. No one was weak amongst the young cultivators present, but their hearts thumped since although they couldn’t see the speaker, they understood that it was a very powerful expert.
As they looked around to find the source of the voice, a soft sound rang. “Poof.” Curling smoke eventually aggregated into a figure that resembled a ghostly shadow in an instant.
People focused their eyes to find that the person condensed from smoke was a very handsome young man, but his face was completely white as if he had never seen the sun all year round. He was just like a ghost that lived in the darkness.
“Ye Sha!” All the young cultivators lost their colors the moment they saw this young man appear amidst the crowd. They quickly took several steps back to avoid this man.
The name “Ye Sha” changed Qiurong Wanxue’s expression as well. Many cultivators were very wary of Ye Sha. 2
Ye Sha was a famous character in the southern Distant Cloud and even in the entire Sacred Nether World. He was the descendant of the prestigious Nightwalker Sect in the Distant Cloud that consisted of the Nightwalker Tribe.
The Nightwalker Tribe was a branch of blood sucking ghosts; their members came and went silently without a trace, especially during the night. It was as if the darkness was their paradise.
Ye Sha was an assassin, but he was not for hire. He only killed people who opposed him. In recent years, he had been very famous since he assassinated several grand characters, including geniuses, a few sect masters, and royal lords who had once offended him.
Even powerful sect masters from the previous generation died miserably to his assassinations.
He never clashed against his opponents fair and square. Once offended, he would shadow them like a thorn behind one’s back. He would continue to haunt them until their death.
For cultivators, grievances and grudges were common things. The easiest way to settle a dispute was to fight solo or participate in team battles.
In particular, geniuses especially liked to use their own power to deal with their enemies. This was a form of training to them; only when they swept through all of their enemies would they be able to reach the peak.
However, assassinations were frowned upon not only by geniuses, but any disciple from the great powers who had a bit of fame. They would rather choose to fight in a group; at the very least, it would show their sect’s power.
However, Ye Sha, who came from the Nightwalker Sect, did not care for such trivial things. He was an assassin and he only knew how to destroy his enemies regardless of the method.
Because of this, Ye Sha was not included in the list of the current top geniuses in the Sacred Nether World, but many people still feared him. A few young geniuses were stronger than him, but they still showed apprehension in his presence.
Ye Sha smiled at the sight of the other cultivators retreating before him; he enjoyed the fear displayed by others. He then said: “Fellow Daoists, I bear no ill will towards anyone. Why the need to look at me as if I am a monster?”
“Brother Ye Sha’s fame is like thunder next to one’s ear, so we were thunderstruck by your presence.” No one wanted to offend him. Although he was not the strongest amongst the younger generation, no one wanted to be haunted by him.
Ye Sha let out a gloomy and creepy laugh. He then noticed that Li Qiye was the only one who didn’t move, so he asked with a smile: “Human Junior, are you not afraid of me?”
Li Qiye looked at him and lightly replied: “I don’t know you so why should I be afraid of you?”
Many young cultivators started to sweat in Li Qiye’s stead. If one offended Ye Sha, then they wouldn’t know how they died before it was too late.
Ye Sha looked at Li Qiye and noticed his ordinary looks. He then thought that this made sense. He nodded his head and said: “I guess, an ant like you is probably not qualified to hear my name.”
Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t bother to care, nor did he glance at Ye Sha any longer. As for Ye Sha, a human junior was less than an insect, so Li Qiye was not worthy for him to take action.
Despite being so conceited, he really did have the strength to be like this. After standing by the ferry for one day, Ye Sha finally picked a batch of trunks floating down from the river. In just the blink of an eye, he entered the river with a gasp-inducing speed and took four trunks from the flow.
Four ferocious monsters also came out the moment Ye Sha dragged these four trunks out from the surface. Sporting a gloomy smirk, he was not afraid at all. He suddenly turned into four wisps of smoke and, with a slashing sound, a cold saber glint cut downward.
Just a moment later, the four monsters were killed by Ye Sha as he landed safely on the ferry. He threw down the Yang Nightfish then disappeared. No one knew whether his trunks contained treasure or not.
“So strong!” After his departure, the young cultivators finally became relieved and exclaimed. No one wanted to be close to an assassin, it was way too dangerous.
“He is indeed very strong. I heard that he recently assassinated the Demon King of the Iron Ox Country. Rumor has it that the Demon King was a Little Sovereign, but he still died in Ye Sha’s hands.” A young cultivator recalled.
The young cultivators present felt their hearts thumping fast. Even for geniuses, a Little Sovereign was still a very powerful existence, especially those from the previous generation. Ye Sha being able to assassinate a Little Sovereign spoke plenty of his might.
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue had been at the ferry for twenty-one days. On the twenty-second day, a group of trunks floated down. Li Qiye, who had been watching these trunks, suddenly put on a serious expression as his eyes narrowed due to a particular trunk.
Chapter 438 - Immortal Moon Margin
In just a moment, Li Qiye dashed forward and dragged out a trunk from the river.
“Crash!” A skeletal scorpion flew out from the river with its extremely sharp tail stabbing at Li Qiye with lightning speed.
Li Qiye smiled and met the skeleton as both of his hands grabbed onto its tail.
“Snap!” Before the stinger could reach Li Qiye, it had already been torn in half by him.
“Such strength!” Many cultivators were shocked at how easy it was for Li Qiye to subdue the skeleton.
Li Qiye effortlessly threw the skeleton back into the river then landed on the shore and handed the fish over to the ghost representative. In the end, he gave the trunk to Qiurong Wanxue.
“For you.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “It is a shame that this is not the thing I want, but it is perfect for you.”
Qiurong Wanxue accepted the Ghost Algae Trunk with some surprise. Judging by Li Qiye’s attitude, this seemed to be an amazing treasure. Someone close by urged her due to their curiosity: “Open it, let’s see what is inside.”
It was a fun event to open these trunks, so many young cultivators hastily opened them right away to see if they were lucky or not. However, Qiurong Wanxue knew not to show off her wealth, so she looked at Li Qiye instead.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “Open it and see, a bit of fun isn’t bad.” Li Qiye wasn’t afraid of others seeing the treasure. Qiurong Wanxue no longer hesitated after hearing this and quickly took care of the algae to reveal an old box.
Finding a box was a very rare occurrence. The moment this box was opened, a bright moonlight appeared like multi-colored fireworks.
Before seeing the treasure, this dazzling moonlight was already amazing enough.
Qiurong Wanxue noticed that this box contained a crescent moon around the size of a palm, emitting moonlight just like the actual moon in the sky. The shocking thing was that there seemed to be a shadow sitting on the moon; it exuded an ethereal presence like an immortal.
Before anyone could see what was actually inside, Qiurong Wanxue had already closed the box. Her heart was beating very quickly despite her not knowing what it was. However, she was certain that it was an incredible treasure.
Nevertheless, the spectators knew that it was a treasure just from the moonlight.
“It must be a decent treasure.” A young cultivator said in admiration: “So lucky, he only attempted once and already obtained a treasure.”
“Let us go.” In contrast to the cautious Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye freely smiled and said.
She obediently followed right after him and they left the ferry. Once they were outside, she quickly asked: “Are you not picking up a trunk for yourself?”
Li Qiye’s first choice already contained a treasure so she knew that it was another scenario like with the Yang Nightfish, where Li Qiye understood a few secrets about Necropolis. Otherwise, his actions wouldn’t have been so precise.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and continued: “The Ghost River is a very special place. Once an earth-shattering treasure appears, don’t even think about finding another one for several dozen years. I’m certain that the key is not in the Ghost River.”
“Earth-shattering treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue felt a rush as her spirit was shaken. An earth-shattering treasure was something she would never have dreamed of, but now this crescent moon seemed to be one of them.
At first, she simply thought that it was a good treasure, not an earth-shattering one.
“Are you… saying that this crescent moon is such a treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue couldn’t stay calm, quivering as she spoke.
“Half-moon Immortal.” Li Qiye nodded his head and explained: “A very long time ago, the Half-moon Immortal appeared once again, but it disappeared later on. I didn’t expect for it to be at the Ghost River.”
“Half-moon Immortal? Not Half-immortal Moon?” Qiurong Wanxue was struck into a daze: “This… This thing is alive?”
“It is a Half-moon Immortal, a foreign dao treasure with a great origin; you can call it the Immortal Moon Margin.” Li Qiye continued with a smile: “The last time it appeared, numerous battles took place for it. Later on, its owner took it away and it disappeared. Luckily, we found it this time.” 1
Qiurong Wanxue was quite emotional. This treasure was wondrous, but it was also a thing that could bring about a calamity since anyone would be tempted by its greatness.
She restrained her emotions and asked: “What kind of treasure is this Immortal Moon Margin?”
Li Qiye looked at her quivering self and replied: “That depends on you. This foreign dao treasure is from the Legendary Era, so its level is dependent on you and your fortune. As long as you keep trying, one day, this Half-moon Immortal will be no less than an Immortal Emperor Life Treasure and you will greatly benefit from it.”
Despite mentally preparing herself and knowing that what Li Qiye called “earth-shattering” would absolutely not be bad, hearing the words “Immortal Emperor Life Treasure” still left her heart beating rapidly.
An emperor’s Life Treasure was something outside of the Snow-shadow Tribe’s reach. Even great powers did not necessarily have one, let alone a small tribe like theirs. It could be considered a supreme and priceless treasure.
She didn’t dare to accept such a treasure: “This… It is too valuable.” An Immortal Emperor Life Treasure could cause fellow brothers to turn on each other and force master and disciple to slay each other.
“Take it.” Li Qiye calmly smiled: “This is your reward for catching the Yang Nightfish.”
Li Qiye could give a real Immortal Emperor Life Treasure to someone else, let alone the Half-moon Immortal.
Qiurong Wanxue couldn’t help but stand there in a daze. Just what kind of person would be so carefree about an emperor’s Life Treasure? Not to mention her, even the descendants from emperor’s lineages would not be so nonchalant when dealing with items of this magnitude.
All the geniuses and experts from the previous generation greatly valued emperor’s Life Treasures and considered them a lifeline. Li Qiye, on the other hand, couldn’t care less and immediately gifted it away like it was nothing.
Suddenly, before they could put some distance between them and the Ghost Fate Sect, tendrils of smoke suddenly condensed before them as a figure appeared to block their path.
“Ye Sha!” Qiurong Wanxue exclaimed after seeing the person that suddenly arrived. She took a step back and knew that the matter was not good after seeing his expression.
Ye Sha gazed at them as if they were mere lambs: “I heard you guys obtained a decent treasure?”
Qiurong Wanxue was panicking while Li Qiye remained calm. Li Qiye then slowly spoke: “Your information gathering is pretty fast.”
Ye Sha had just come back to the ferry in order to test his luck again, but after hearing that Li Qiye’s group found a treasure, he quickly gave chase.
“Hahaha, it seems that this treasure was meant for me.” Ye Sha deviously smiled: “I’ll pay three Yang Nightfish for the treasure in your hand.”
Qiurong Wanxue’s expression greatly soured. What kind of exchange was this? This was clearly robbery!
Li Qiye remained unperturbed and grinned: “What if I don’t want to sell?”
Ye Sha coldly glared at him: “Human Junior, maybe you don’t know who I am, but I’ll give you some advice anyway. Be smart and sell it. At the very least, you will get three fish. If not, your corpses will be lost in the wilderness.”
“You are right.” Li Qiye nodded his head in agreement: “Someone’s corpse will definitely be lost in the wilderness, but it will be your corpse, not ours.”
“Foolish Thing, you’re only making this hard for yourself!” Ye Sha’s eyes revealed a murderous glint as his expression darkened: “Very well, I will just save three fish. It is not a small amount.”
“Is that so?” Li Qiye responded with a relaxed air: “Be smart and hand over all of your treasures, or else I will flay your flesh piece by piece.”
“You’re courting death!” Ye Sha angrily exclaimed. Today, a human junior dared to humiliate him and incited his murderous intent.
Ye Sha wanted to attack, but suddenly, buddhist chants appeared: “Amitabha, oh merciful Buddha.” A monk descended from the sky and said: “No wonder why the murderous air is so dense here. Benefactor Ye Sha, I am here.” 2
The moment Ye Sha saw this monk, his expression quickly changed. A dense fog surrounded him as he wanted to quickly escape.
The monk didn’t give chase and merely warned him with a smile: “Benefactor Ye Sha, you can escape from the monk but not from the temple.” 3
However, Ye Sha didn’t dare to stop. He ran quite a distance away as if he had seen his nemesis.
In just a moment, Li Qiye dashed forward and dragged out a trunk from the river.
“Crash!” A skeletal scorpion flew out from the river with its extremely sharp tail stabbing at Li Qiye with lightning speed.
Li Qiye smiled and met the skeleton as both of his hands grabbed onto its tail.
“Snap!” Before the stinger could reach Li Qiye, it had already been torn in half by him.
“Such strength!” Many cultivators were shocked at how easy it was for Li Qiye to subdue the skeleton.
Chapter 439 - Monk Dazhi Is Afraid Of His Wife
A bald monk with unique ordination markings on his head appeared. A string of large and round buddhist beads hung by his neck as he stood there with his palms placed together. His amiable smiling face would fool others into thinking that he was an accomplished monk.
Li Qiye looked at the monk before him and shook his head to say: “Monk Dazhi.” 1
Monk Dazhi met his gaze and performed a buddhist chant before saying: “Amitabha, Benefactor Li, it seems that we are connected by fate. I didn’t expect to see you here in the far Nether Border.”
“Stop!” Li Qiye waved his hand and said: “I don’t like monks. You came here and ruined my fun. I was going to make mincemeat out of that brat, but you scared him away.”
Monk Dazhi didn’t care about Li Qiye’s distaste for him and smiled: “How could it be hard for Benefactor Li to take care of him? As the saying goes, a monk might be able to flee, but the temple cannot. If you really don’t want to spare him, then just directly rush into the Nightwalker Sect, annihilate it, and massacre his entire tribe!” 2
Qiurong Wanxue was taken aback by the monk’s words. The Nightwalker Sect was a great power, yet this monk was talking about annihilating it — way too arrogant.
Li Qiye glanced at him and responded: “Are you trying to trick me? Monk, don’t use me as a tool, or else I’ll break your temple and pull out all your hair.”
“Amitabha, amitabha. Benefactor Li’s hostile tendencies are through the roof. You should purify yourself.” Monk Dazhi placed his hands together and put on the appearance of a wise monk.
Li Qiye shrugged then narrowed his eyes at the monk: “So you want to enlighten me? I was waiting for someone to come and teach me the way. Why don’t you try?”
Monk Dazhi jumped from fear and quickly took several heavy steps back before motioning with his hands: “Joking, I was just joking. This little monk is but one who starts the fire for cooking and bathing. How could my trivial buddhist knowledge be enough to enlighten a god like Benefactor Li?”
“It is good that you are aware of this. Remember, you owe me one since you scared my prey away.” Li Qiye nonchalantly gazed at the monk and said.
“Oh… Then let me go and catch Ye Sha for you.” Monk Dazhi immediately said.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “It is too late, one has to pay attention to the process while hunting. Even if you bring him back now, the enjoyment is already gone. In short, you just owe me a favor, understand?”
Monk Dazhi frowned and wryly smiled: “This is Benefactor Li forcing me into a hole. You are making it difficult for me on purpose.”
“You’re wrong, this is because you tried to be cool earlier. It has nothing to do with me. If you didn’t try to be cool, then nothing would have happened.” Li Qiye leisurely smiled.
Monk Dazhi tapped his own head in resignation. However, the monk was also an optimist. A bit later, he noticed Qiurong Wanxue standing next to Li Qiye and revealed a mischievous smile.
“Amitabha.” The monk chanted and smilingly said: “How is Benefactor Li’s progress with the little girl from the Soaring Remembrance Village?”
“What does it have to do with you?” Li Qiye glanced at him with one eye and asked: “You are a monk so why are you asking about mundane matters?”
“Hahaha, Benefactor Li, it is because I care for you.” He smiled and added: “You should know that the little girl is famous for being difficult in the southern Distant Cloud. If she becomes furious, then everyone will get a headache due to her wrath. You, as her fiance, ran here to the Nether Border all alone with another lady… If the little girl finds out, then you won’t have an easy time.”
Qiurong Wanxue blushed and understood that this monk was not a proper monk at all!
“Oh? You’re threatening me?” Li Qiye glared at him and inquired.
This was met with a composed countenance as Monk Dazhi replied: “Benefactor Li, as the saying goes, a bribe is required to keep someone’s mouth shut, am I right? I’m afraid my mouth is a bit loose, unless I get a little something that is.”
Li Qiye smiled and leisurely retorted: “When it comes to sealing one’s mouth, I know the best way. In this world, to keep something a secret, do you know what the best method is? … Dead people do not talk, so it is meaningless how much they know.”
“What is going on?” Qiurong Wanxue became quite annoyed. They were speaking as if she had a shady relationship with Li Qiye. Clearly, the two of them had nothing going on at all.
Monk Dazhi was startled by Li Qiye, so he took several steps back again and forced a dry smile: “Amitabha, amitabha. Benefactor Li is too serious, I was just kidding.”
Li Qiye waved his hand and said: “Okay, you meat-and-wine fiend, stop pretending to be a respected monk in front of me. Even if you tell that girl, it is useless. It is normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Plus, there is no woman that I cannot handle.” 3
Qiurong Wanxue glared at him. This young man not only had a big tone against his enemies, he was also quite boastful about this kind of matter.
“Amazing, truly amazing!” Monk Dazhi gave him a thumbs up and admiringly praised. He then rubbed his hands in a lowly manner and said: “Hahaha, Benefactor Li, no, Brother Li, can you teach this little brother a thing or two? I respect your wife-handling skills very much. My respect for you is like the unrelenting torrent of the three rivers…”
Monk Dazhi unleashed a wave of praises towards Li Qiye.
This sudden change made Qiurong Wanxue speechless. What does a monk want to learn wife-handling skills for?
Li Qiye laughed at him and asked: “So? You don’t want to be a monk anymore and suddenly want to return to a secular lifestyle?”
Monk Dazhi was a little embarrassed as he replied: “I won’t hide it from you, Brother Li. I am only a monk due to necessity.”
“So you are a fake monk.” Li Qiye laughed and added: “It is one thing to be a meat-and-wine monk, but you are actually a fake one!”
Li Qiye then squinted his eyes and continued: “Wife-handling skills? Techniques? Very well, I shall teach you. Just directly push her onto a bed, then all will be well.”
“Pervert!” Qiurong Wanxue angrily exclaimed while blushing. This little guy really dared to say just about anything.
“Well…” Monk Dazhi also choked while giving a wry smile.
Li Qiye shook his head then smilingly asked: “Nevermind, each household has their own troubles; you have to take care of it yourself. However, Fake Monk, why did you run to the Nether Border?”
“The same reason as Brother Li.” Monk Dazhi replied: “After the lost mythical island disappeared, a piece of news suddenly erupted in the Distant Cloud. A few people in the Nether Border saw a gigantic hand stretching out from the Prime Ominous Grave, so many great powers came running over here. Now, many old men calculated that the grave will open in this generation, so a lot of people came here to add to the fun. This is the same with me.”
Li Qiye was not too surprised about this news. Paper cannot wrap fire, so Qiurong Wanxue’s group were not the only ones who saw the gigantic hand. The eclipse, the disappearance of the island, and the gigantic hand were quite easy to link together.
However, Li Qiye speculated further than others and was one step ahead.
Li Qiye looked at the monk and said: “So you came to Necropolis to find the key as well?”
The monk shook his head and answered: “It is not easy to obtain the key. The key is a great creation! To me, it doesn’t matter who obtains the key because anyone can enter the Prime Ominous Grave after it is opened. The only thing that matters is that the key owner will open the grave right after they obtain it.”
“Well put.” Li Qiye smiled. However, he must obtain the key because, to him, the key was not simply just a method to open the grave.
The monk then continued: “However, I heard about a certain something. There is an auction at Midtown called the Coffin-tapping Imp auction. I wonder if you are interested in going together?”
Li Qiye’s heart started to beat faster. He became serious and asked for confirmation: “The Coffin-tapping Imp?” He remembered a particular existence that had not appeared for a long time. He even thought that this existence was dead.
“Very well, I’m free anyway so I might as well go and see.” If it was truly the Coffin-tapping Imp, then it was worth a trip.
The group then proceeded towards Midtown. However, they didn’t make it very far before a red cloud floating in the horizon flew towards them at an extremely swift speed.
Monk Dazhi became shocked when he saw this red cloud and quickly told Li Qiye: “Brother Li, something suddenly came up. I gotta go.” With that, he escaped so fast that it seemed as if a plague was approaching.
A fierce voice came from the horizon: “Jian Xuan, I will capture you even if you run to the corners of the world!” The red cloud in the horizon was actually a girl in a red outfit. With an extreme speed, she quickly chased after Monk Dazhi.
Monk Dazhi didn’t dare to linger even a bit longer and disappeared in the distance in just the blink of an eye. He looked like a mouse that had just seen a cat.
“So it turns out that he is afraid of his wife.” Li Qiye smiled and said after watching the fleeing monk. He also understood why the monk asked him for some wife-handling techniques.
Chapter 440 - Divine Spark Prince
Qiurong Wanxue tilted her head while contemplating, then she suddenly exclaimed: “Jian Xuan… Could he be the descendant of the Nether Crossing Swamp? I heard that he is a really amazing genius. So it turns out that he is a monk!”
Li Qiye smiled in response: “Maybe.”
Perhaps the monk didn’t just run to the Soaring Remembrance Village to unravel the mystery of the village, it was to hide from someone as well.
Qiurong Wanxue recalled the monk’s words and asked while looking at Li Qiye: “Young Noble has a fiancee?”
Li Qiye looked at this mature and alluring woman in a carefree manner and replied: “Why? Are you jealous?”
Qiurong Wanxue glared at him with frustration and snappily retorted: “Don’t you feel that you are a bit too narcissistic? As if I would like you. Plus, your fiancee should be the one that’s jealous, not me!”
Despite being angry, her charming elegance did not lessen at all.
“You don’t have to worry about that.” Li Qiye smiled and continued: “There has not been a woman that I could not deal with. If I wanted to marry you, there would be no such thing as jealousy.”
Qiurong Wanxue glared at him and retorted: “Has no one ever told you about your ego?” Her mature charm juxtaposed her current coquettish and youthful attitude and made her even more alluring.
“People have mentioned it before.” Li Qiye slowly said: “But this is not being egotistic, it is called strength. I, Li Qiye, have never met anything that I couldn’t deal with.”
Qiurong Wanxue had nothing else to say and could only gently sigh. Li Qiye was correct about this.
***
“Midtown” wasn’t the real name of this particular location in Necropolis. However, because this city was located in the center, cultivators from the outside called it Midtown.
It was a very old and lively city. Midtown could be said to be one of the biggest cities inside Necropolis. There was an ocean of people in this city consisting of both people and ghosts. The distinction between the two was blurred and people would eventually get accustomed to living together with ghosts. Moreover, they were not real ghosts but sentiments, so they easily got along with outside cultivators.
The two of them entered Midtown and easily found out the location and time of the Coffin-tapping Imp auction. They discovered that it was taking place in the afternoon.
Qiurong Wanxue curiously asked after entering Midtown: “Auctions take place in this city? I have never heard about it before.”
Although there were visiting cultivators all year round, the majority of them didn’t want to stay for a long time at Necropolis. Even frequent visitors did not stay for long so one can forget about establishing a sect or an auction house.
The auction houses were just temporarily buildings. Despite visiting this place several times before, this was Qiurong Wanxue’s first time hearing about an auction.
“Occasionally.” Li Qiye said: “If it is an Imp auction, then it will be amazing. It will be a very high quality auction with great goods.”
“Imp?” Qiurong Wanxue curiously inquired: “Is it a Necropolis ghost?”
Li Qiye’s eyes narrowed as he answered: “This… I’m afraid no one knows. Whether Imp is a ghost or a regular being is a mystery. Some say that he is a ghost while others believe that he is just a normal existence.”
Qiurong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye. She felt that he knew more about this matter but didn’t want to reveal it, so she didn’t pry any further.
The Coffin-tapping Imp auction was taking place in an old courtyard in Midtown. However, rather than calling it a courtyard, it was more accurate to call it an abandoned yard. This was a big yet abandoned mansion. The house itself had collapsed a long time ago, leaving behind only a yard big enough to house one thousand visitors.
The two entered the premises around the time the auction began. A large crowd that nearly consisted entirely of cultivators from the outside gathered here.
The news about the auction had been spread in the last few days by an unknown source. There had never been an auction organization at Necropolis, so the news of the Coffin-tapping Imp auction attracted many curious cultivators.
Whether it was for the auction itself or just for the fun, many young cultivators came running here after hearing the news.
Everyone was able to participate in this auction as it was without any restrictions.
However, this auction did not truly resemble an authentic auction. There was no reception for participants, so everyone had to choose their own seat. Some sat on the ground while others hovered in the sky. Some even took out their treasure pavilions…
Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue noticed that several hundred people were already waiting in the yard, including Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate whom they met back at the Penta Realm Gate.
Mo Lidao’s tall stature stood out amongst the crowd like a crane amongst chickens. In fact, his height was not his only exceptional characteristic, his identity and strength were quite notable as well.
“Many are disciples from the great powers.” Seeing the young crowd, Qiurong Wanxue emotionally added: “A lot of people came to Necropolis recently…”
Li Qiye replied: “There will be even more later on.” If the world knew that the Prime Ominous Grave was about to open, countless great powers and emperor’s lineages in the Sacred Nether World would come running. Anyone would feel an irresistible temptation for the grave — there was no exception!
Qiurong Wanxue leered around a bit more and asked with surprise: “Why are there no inhabitants of Necropolis? Is this just limited to cultivators?”
This surprise auction only had visitors from the outside. Necropolis’ inhabitants and ghost cultivators from the sects in the city did not come.
Li Qiye stopped looking around and answered her question: “If you are a ghost from Necropolis and know about Imp, then you would not take part in this auction.”
Qiurong Wanxue heard the underlying tone in his words and asked: “Is Imp that scary?”
“Imp…” Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and continued: “That depends on how you define the word ‘scary.’ If you say that he is scary, then he is indeed very dreadful. However, if you say that he isn’t scary, then he isn’t scary at all.”
Qiurong Wanxue gave him a stern look and angrily retorted: “Just don’t tell me then, keep on beating around the bush.”
He smiled in response: “All in all, just don’t try to find out Imp’s identity. Attempting to learn his identity is not a good thing for anyone, no matter who they may be.”
Li Qiye’s warning caused her heart to beat faster. Li Qiye, who was always carefree about everything, was now being serious. She naturally understood that this matter was not ordinary.
“Hahaha! It seems that I am not late.” Suddenly, a sepulchral voice appeared along with an amalgamation of smoke. Afterward, a person appeared.
“Ye Sha!” Many young cultivators were alarmed when they saw this person and immediately retreated.
Ye Sha enjoyed the fear from others and said with a devious smile: “Don’t be so alarmed, I am not a man-eating monster.” Despite saying this, his appearance was that of someone basking in the limelight.
“Ye Sha, don’t gloat around here.” An arrogant voice appeared: “The southern Distant Cloud doesn’t only have you as a hero.” A young man led a group of disciples to this place. The flame burning on his body gave him a sacred aura as if he was the child of gods.
“Divine Spark Prince.” Many young cultivators went to greet this person who just arrived.
He was the prince of the Divine Spark Country, the little brother of the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden. He brought along the Divine Spark disciples with an overbearing momentum that loomed over everyone else.
Ye Sha looked at the prince and coldly smiled: “So it is the Divine Spark Prince, excuse me.” Ye Sha then added in an awe-inspiring manner: “However, you are also showing off here.”
“So? If you think that you can act arrogantly, then do so in front of my sister!” These words were very domineering. Many cultivators on the sideline just watched and didn’t dare to interfere.
These blustering words caused Ye Sha’s expression to change. He was very arrogant, but even an assassin like him was extremely wary of the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden.
Not only was the maiden an extremely powerful heaven’s proud daughter, it was also because of her fiance, Di Zuo!
Anyone in the Sacred Nether World would be very careful when talking about Di Zuo, one of the three heroes. He was the descendant of the Myriad Bones Throne, a terrifying sect that had three emperors!
No matter how formidable one’s talent was, they would not dare to oppose Di Zuo in the Sacred Nether World.
Ye Sha could only restrain his anger. He was confident that his cultivation was not inferior to that of the Divine Spark Prince and was certain that he could assassinate him. But now, the prince had the upper hand in this vocal exchange.
“Divine Spark Prince, only one’s own strength carries true significance.” Ye Sha coldly proclaimed. He called out that the prince was only using his big sister’s prestige to bully others.
Chapter 441 - Golden Prince
The Divine Spark Prince only sneered at Ye Sha’s sarcastic remark and stared at him in disdain before saying: “Ye Sha, the power of my Divine Spark Country is enough to destroy you. Do you think that you can still escape like last time?”
He paused here then sneered: “The reason why I’m not taking action against you is because my sister wants to do it herself. She will personally arrive this time, so you better prepare yourself.”
After being struck by the prince in his sore spot, Ye Sha’s expression became very difficult to look at. This was his gravest threat — the possibility of the Divine Spark Divine Maiden maneuvering against him. More importantly, who would dare to oppose Sir Di Zuo in the Sacred Nether World?
Many young cultivators shivered after hearing the prince’s words; the arrival of the Phoenix Maiden was a huge deal. She was a famous heaven’s proud daughter of the southern Distant Cloud, someone with exceedingly high talents and a powerful cultivation. What was more astonishing was that her fiance was the dreadful Di Zuo.
Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate, came out to smooth things over: “Ah, Prince and Brother Ye Sha. Ye Sha indeed has many offenses, but Prince and the Phoenix Maiden are benevolent like the vast sea; we ordinary people naturally cannot compare to you both. Ye Sha should be apologizing to the Divine Spark Country; what do you think, Brother Ye Sha?”
The Divine Spark Country, the Sky-devil Gate, and the Nightwalker Sect were all great powers in the southern Distant Cloud. Mo Lidao had good relations with both the Divine Spark Prince and Ye Sha, so it was understandable that he would play the role of a mediator at this moment.
“Ye Sha was indeed in the wrong this time.” Another voice appeared. With some clicking sounds, another person entered the ancient yard.
This person garnered quite a bit of attention because it was more accurate to refer to him as a skeleton rather than a person.
It was a walking golden skeleton without any flesh; he was simply bones. Standing there was a complete skeleton seemingly crafted from pure gold — extremely fortified. In its eye sockets were burning golden flames as if it was his soul or pupils.
“Golden Child!” Many people exclaimed after seeing the arrival of this golden skeleton.
“A member of the Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe.” Qiurong Wanxue, who was standing next to Li Qiye, was also surprised to see this person.
The Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe was an extremely powerful ghost tribe at the eastern Nether Border. They were born with only bones and no flesh, unlike the other ghost tribes. With its very unique characteristics, this tribe was a major branch of the ghost race.
Their greatest characteristic was their extremely fortified bones that were capable of blocking attacks from Life Treasures. The stronger the disciple was in this tribe, the deeper the color of their bones.
For example, the bones of the descendant of the Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe, Golden Child, were of a golden color and he had soul flames in his eyes. This meant that his cultivation was very formidable.
Golden Child went closer to Ye Sha and said: “Ye Sha, you should apologize to the Divine Spark Prince. He is a very compassionate man so he will surely let go of this matter.”
Golden Child’s words made it hard for Ye Sha to act. Despite being a very powerful assassin, existences like Golden Child and the Phoenix Maiden weren’t people he could mess with.
Golden Child was very powerful; rumor has it that his bones could withstand an attack from a Heavenly King True Treasure. Even other Heavenly Kings could not proudly pat their chest and proclaim that their bodies could withstand such an attack. Golden Prince’s cultivation was far from this level, but he was capable of blocking such an attack, indicating the hardness of his bones.
Mo Lidao also tried to mediate: “Brother Ye Sha, the knot of a feud should be let loose instead of tightened. Everyone should take a step back and bask in the vastness of the sky and ocean…”
Ye Sha was tempted by Golden Child and Mo Lidao’s intermediation.
“Hmph! Apologizing is not hard, you just have to personally bow your head to my sister!” The Divine Spark Prince lightly smirked and arrogantly spoke.
Despite Ye Sha losing some face from this, it was fortunate that the Divine Spark Prince didn’t keep going.
Golden Child then politely greeted the Divine Spark Prince: “Divine Spark Prince, I heard that the Phoenix Maiden will come, I wonder if Di Zuo will be there as well?”
Regarding fame, status, and power, the Divine Spark Prince was not qualified for such a polite gesture from Golden Child. The Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe was a major branch and was much more powerful than the Divine Spark Country.
The reason for this politeness along with persuading Ye Sha to apologize was to form a connection with Di Zuo of the Myriad Bones Throne.
In the end, Di Zuo’s prestige was like thunder in the Sacred Nether World, causing all young cultivators to tremble.
Coming from the Myriad Bones Throne was already notable enough, but being the descendant of a sect with three emperors guaranteed his extraordinariness.
This was the reason why when people talked about Di Zuo, they would add the word “sir” to clearly show his status.
“If the Prime Ominous Grave opens, then my brother-in-law will come. He is the only person qualified to possess the immortal technique for immortality!” The Divine Spark Prince proudly said.
He was indeed always full of pride and arrogance when talking about his brother-in-law, who was the most famous youth in the current Sacred Nether World. After all, this was the person people thought was most likely to become an Immortal Emperor.
“Sir Di Zuo will come in person.” Many people gasped and no one dared to call the prince out for his arrogance. To many people, having a brother-in-law like Di Zuo was indeed something to be proud of. The prince was indeed too arrogant and put no one in his sight, but Di Zuo was enough to shut up all the other geniuses. If there was really a method for immortality in the Prime Ominous Grave, then Di Zuo was a qualified candidate for it.
“If Sir Di Zuo comes himself, then I will definitely go greet him to hear about his grand dao.” Golden Child followed with a smile.
Golden Child was not a weakling. There were rumors stating that he had entered the Heavenly Sovereign realm; he was much stronger than Ye Sha or Mo Lidao. However, his modesty right now was illustrative of Di Zuo’s strength and notoriety.
“I will definitely let Brother Golden know after my brother-in-law arrives.” The Divine Spark Prince replied with a smile as well.
Many people glanced at each other and quietly discussed Di Zuo’s arrival. Others were also talking about whether the Prime Ominous Grave would open or not.
“Will it really open?” A young person itched from the excitement about the grave.
Others were dejected and someone lamented with a sigh: “Di Zuo’s personal arrival will outshine so many people.” This made a lot of sense since many people would retreat before his sight, not daring to compete.
While others were talking, Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue sat in a corner and meditated while waiting for Imp’s arrival.
“Ye Sha is staring at us.” After a while, Qiurong Wanxue whispered.
At this point, Ye Sha’s gloomy eyes were fixated on the two of them; these eyes were filled with murderous intent. Before this, Ye Sha had already wanted to kill the two to steal their treasure, but he was interrupted by Monk Dazhi.
This chance meeting incited Ye Sha’s murderous intent, but there were too many people here and he didn’t want to recklessly make a move.
Li Qiye still had his eyes closed after hearing Qiurong Wanxue. Without batting an eye, he then slowly said: “Ignore the fly. If he wants to die, then I’ll gladly help him.”
Qiurong Wanxue stayed silent. She didn’t question Li Qiye’s confidence, but it would be troublesome if Ye Sha were to hear it.
Coming from a small tribe, as the chief, she more often than not chose to retreat. She was very different from the fierce Li Qiye who put no one in his sight.
The sky became darker as more people came to participate in the auction. Among them were many disciples from the great powers. Some of their descendants even came. They arrived and sat in the corners in the courtyard, waiting for the auction to start.
Once night fell, a person suddenly appeared in the middle of the courtyard. No one saw how he got there. It was as if he had always been there. This sudden appearance shocked a lot of people as everyone stared at him.
The person smiled and declared: “Friends, I am very happy to see all of you coming to participate in the Coffin-tapping Imp’s auction. We won’t waste time, the coffin tapping will begin now!”
Chapter 442 - Telling A Story
“You… are Imp?” A person asked with uncertainty after seeing this person who had just arrived.
The man replied with a wide smile: “I guarantee that I am Imp and Imp is me.”
The young cultivators looked around at each other after seeing this man and felt quite confused. After hearing about the Coffin-tapping Imp’s auction, many of them thought that the auctioneer would be a ghost inhabitant from Necropolis.
This person did not match their imagination at all! This was an old man with a stout stature. His hair was completely white and he had a very long beard. His face was kind like that of a benevolent grandfather.
No one would be able to put this old man and Imp together. He was clearly just an ordinary kind old man.
Many of them opened their Heavenly Gaze in order to see if this old man was a living being or a ghost, but no one could see through him.
“Are you a man or a ghost?” Someone curiously asked.
“That’s a secret!” Imp smiled in response. His mysterious nature caused the young cultivators present to be even more curious.
Although the Heavenly Gaze couldn’t discern whether he was alive or dead, no matter how you looked at it, he didn’t seem to be a ghost. However, what was he if not a ghost? Cultivators from the previous generations would absolutely not enter Necropolis no matter how powerful they were unless they were tired of living.
If the old man was alive, then why did he come to Necropolis? Anyone could tell that Necropolis was not affecting him. Those with dried up blood energy would be affected, especially older cultivators, but not Imp.
This made a lot of people have questions. Qiurong Wanxue, who was seated next to Li Qiye, quietly whispered: “Is he really a ghost?”
In the beginning, she thought that Imp would be a tiny, young ghost; she didn’t expect for Imp to be a kind, old man.
“Him?” Li Qiye looked at Imp and smiled, then he shook his head and said: “This… I’m afraid no one knows.”
However, Qiurong Wanxue believed that Li Qiye had to know something more than he let out.
“Very well, no more talking, the auction begins now! The rule is very simple. There is no need for weapons or refined jades, and there is no need for Yang Nightfish either. I will take out one item and anyone can trade with me as long as it is something that I like. Then, I will trade with that person.”
Everyone glanced at each other — what kind of auction was this? This was more like a simple trading post.
Imp then took out a small coffin about the size of a box. It seemed to be carved from a piece of jade that exuded a cold air, something that was naturally formed by the heavens.
Imp then gently opened the little coffin. A jade-light illuminated the premises while a clear sound rang out as if a golden jewel was rolling around on a jade plate.
Everyone then noticed that the little coffin contained a cocoon around the size of a fist. It was green like jade — very magical-looking.
Imp then spoke with a smile: “This is the cocoon of a Heavenly Jade Cicada! When it hatches, the Heavenly Jade Cicada will come out.” He then closed the little coffin and said: “Now, take out your treasures.”
Many people were quite perplexed. Some of them had never heard of a Heavenly Jade Cicada so there was no way they would take out their treasures to trade for it.
However, a young cultivator that hailed from an ancient clan emotionally blurted: “Heavenly Jade Cicada — a legendary creature that lives in the Ancient Immortal Ground!”
Upon hearing this, many people were instantly moved. Anyone who could enter an Ancient Immortal Ground would obtain a miracle, a great fortune. Regardless of which of the six Ancient Immortal Grounds it was, those who could enter one would surely benefit greatly.
This Heavenly Jade Cicada grew up in an Ancient Immortal Ground, so how could it not shock the present spectators?
A young cultivator took out a bell and said: “I have a foreign dao treasure named the Fallen Star Bell—”
However, before this youth could finish his sentence, Imp already grabbed him and threw him out of Midtown.
“I said I don’t need weapons.” Him effortlessly throwing that young cultivator out of Midtown caused many people to tremble for they knew that he was unfathomable.
Another youth took out a treasure box and said: “I have a gem to trade.” The box exuded waves of divine lights. The youth showed it to Imp and then immediately closed the lid so that others would not see the gem inside.
Imp took a glance before shaking his head and saying: “No need.”
“I have an ancient bone.” Golden Child from the Hundred Bones Sacred Tribe took out a bone around the size of a palm. It was a skull that was entirely black. The moment he took it out, shrill ghostly screams resounded, sending chills to the listeners.
“A bit interesting.” Imp looked at the old bone and nodded his head approvingly.
Golden Child couldn’t help but become happy. He had a chance of exchanging this for the Heavenly Jade Cicada from Imp.
“How about I tell you a story?” At this time, Li Qiye slowly spoke.
Qiurong Wanxue was startled and felt that this was a bit too much. Others were using treasures to barter, but Li Qiye was going to tell a story?
After seeing that Li Qiye was part of the human race, Golden Child snorted and said: “Hmph! If you don’t have any treasures, then don’t cause trouble. Stand to the side.”
“Sure.” Imp quickly nodded his head and said: “But you have to be careful. If you tell a randomly made-up story, then I’ll throw you out. Of course, if I like the story, then the Heavenly Jade Cicada will belong to you.”
Everyone was in disbelief. Telling a story to trade for a treasure — this was too outrageous. They had never seen such a thing before.
Li Qiye smiled and said: “You can rest assured that this is a good story.” He then cleared his throat and spoke: “A very long time ago, there was a crow that could speak. An even longer time before then, there was a person named Gongyang from the underworld. One day, the crow met Gongyang and said: ‘There is a place named the Immortal Grotto with an immortal presiding within. This immortal had everlasting life. Moreover, this immortal was growing an immortal grass. If one ate this immortal grass, then they would also have everlasting life…’ ”
Having listened to this point, the Divine Spark Prince sneered: “What kind of story is this? Nonsense…”
“Shut up!” Imp, who was lost in the story, interrupted the Divine Spark Prince. The prince obediently kept his mouth shut.
“However, it was very difficult to obtain this immortal grass from the immortal. The crow told Gongyang that it had come up with a method for him to take this grass, as long as Gongyang followed its instructions. Gongyang truly believed the crow’s words…”
Li Qiye slowly told this very boring tale. Many people started to fall asleep and had no desire to listen any further. This was such a silly tale, not even children would want to hear it. To cultivators like them, magical things happened every day so such an absurd and boring story like this was a waste of time.
Qiurong Wanxue also felt that this tale was not good. Any legend about an Immortal Emperor would have been much better. A story like this could only coax the children of the mortal worlds, not cultivators like them.
“… Gongyang followed the crow’s proposal and went to meet the immortal to find the immortal grass root. Gongyang then asked the immortal for the immortal grass, but the immortal…” Li Qiye temporarily paused at this point.
“And then what?” Compared to the other bored listeners, Imp excitedly listened. Many people were quite confused as to why he was enjoying such a silly tale.
“And then Gongyang’s clan faced genocide.” Li Qiye smiled and finished.
The first to be speechless was Qiurong Wanxue who was sitting next to Li Qiye. What kind of story was this? A completely incoherent story suddenly ended with clan extermination — how silly was this?
“Bullshit ramblings, completely disjointed.” Some people thought that Li Qiye’s story was too abrupt. Although the beginning was very boring and dull, at least it was still organized. The sudden blurt at the end ruined the story completely with Gongyang’s clan getting exterminated. It was just a complete mess of a story.
However, Imp closed his eyes and mumbled while nodding his head. No one knew what he was murmuring.
“Good story, good story, amazing, truly amazing, a miracle across the ages, unique in this world…” After a while, Imp praised and emotionally clapped.
Everyone became dumbfounded at such praises, including Qiurong Wanxue. This had gone too far! How could such a cluttered and disjointed story that was told in a completely incoherent manner be praised like this?
“This little coffin is yours.” Imp seemed to be very excited and threw the jade coffin that contained the Heavenly Jade Cicada to Li Qiye.
Chapter 443 - Not Everyone Is A Storyteller
Everyone’s mouths were wide open. Such a mess of a story was able to be traded for a treasure? Simply too unbelievable. Qiurong Wanxue also found this hard to believe. Everyone else would think the same if they were told of this event.
“For you.” Li Qiye placed the jade coffin into Qiurong Wanxue’s hand. Only then did she become certain that this was not just a dream.
“This…” Qiurong Wanxue was sent into a daze. Li Qiye gave another precious treasure to her?
Li Qiye jokingly added: “Don’t misunderstand, this is not a token of affection.”
Qiurong Wanxue was very reserved but also touched. Although he made it a joke, Qiurong Wanxue still found the gesture to be warm and sweet.
“Okay, this auction consists of a total of nine coffins. This is the second one, a silver coffin.” Imp continued with a smile: “This is good stuff, especially for the ghost race. Nightsoul Aqua — ghost tribe cultivators who use this water would surely be able to strengthen their True Fate.”
Imp opened the silver coffin. Inside was a pale greenish water that exuded nether energy. The ghost race cultivators felt this atmosphere and noticed that their True Fate was becoming even more spirited.
It made them realize that this Nightsoul Aqua was an extremely beneficial and sacred water to the ghost race.
“I want to tell a story, I want to tell a story!” People began to compete for the chance to tell a story.
Li Qiye only smiled before he closed his eyes. The Nightsoul Aqua had no use to him.
Imp randomly pointed at a young cultivator and said: “Okay, you try.”
The youth chosen by Imp was ecstatic. He cleared his throat in preparation and began: “There was once a child who fell into an immortal grotto. There was an immortal grass growing inside this grotto…”
“Nonsense!” He only said a few words before he got flung out of Midtown by Imp.
“I have a story, I have one!” Others did not give up. They raised their hands and loudly shouted.
Imp then randomly picked another person. This person cheerfully began: “During the Desolate Era, a Golden Phoenix appeared in the Sacred Nether World. On its back was an immortal citadel…”
“Nonsense!” The youth’s story was quite wonderful, but he didn’t get too far before being thrown out of Midtown by Imp.
A dozen stories followed suit; some were very well told, but all of them were flung away regardless.
Qiurong Wanxue had a hard time containing her excitement while holding the jade coffin. She listened to all of the stories so far and found it very strange. Some of the tales were colorful. One was even comparable to Immortal Emperor legends, but all the storytellers were thrown out by Imp.
In fact, she was not the only one since many others were confused as well. Why was Imp so unreceptive towards these other tales?
“Young Noble, why was Imp interested in your story?” The perplexed Qiurong Wanxue whispered softly in Li Qiye’s ear.
Li Qiye looked at her and smilingly replied: “The crux of the matter is not the story itself but the information contained within. It has to be valuable and useful!”
“Useful and valuable information?” Qiurong Wanxue uttered in surprise. She didn’t feel that her Young Noble’s story contained any valuable information at all.
“This is not something you guys can understand.” Li Qiye said with a smile: “If one does not know the immemorial past and the Immortal Demon, then how could they know about the thing hidden in the tale?”
Qiurong Wanxue then recalled the story told by her Young Noble. If he said so, then this story must be hiding a big secret, but she didn’t feel anything too amazing about this particular story.
“Don’t worry about it, you lack the necessary experience to understand.” Li Qiye said with a smile.
Qiurong Wanxue softly sighed and gave up on the matter. Just like Li Qiye had said, understanding the essence of the story was beyond her means.
After dozens of people were thrown out, the participants began to understand that storytelling wouldn’t do and so they started to take out items to trade.
Eventually, the second coffin was traded to a young cultivator from an ancient clan for an old calligraphy painting.
Many people found Imp’s preferences to be very strange. Other cultivators would consider merit laws as number one and treasure number two. Stuff like calligraphy paintings had no real use and was not worth a coin, but Imp just had to love these kinds of things.
Many young cultivators were full of regrets. If they knew that Imp liked these strange stuff, then they would have bought a bunch in the mortal world since these calligraphy paintings were not worth anything at all; they could buy as many as they wanted.
While others felt that the painting was worthless, Li Qiye opened his eyes and quietly praised: “A good item.”
“What is it?” Qiurong Wanxue also couldn’t see how this painting was useful. To ordinary people, this was art, but art was useless to cultivators. Cultivators simply aimed for power!
Li Qiye smiled and explained: “This is something from an ancient dynasty. The average person will not be able to see through its profoundness; it contains a few things worth desiring.”
Li Qiye didn’t reveal the entire secret, but Qiurong Wanxue now knew that this painting was not so simple. She wondered why Li Qiye knew so many things; it was as if he was privy to many secrets.
And as if he knew what she was thinking, he continued: “Because I read a lot. This is why I know so many things.”
Qiurong Wanxue gave him a glance full of doubt. If everything in this world was written down, then there would be no secrets.
Imp continued to auction off six more coffins, including a golden coffin and divine wood coffins with all kinds of things inside, such as treasures and strange items that no one knew about.
The items that he wanted were also very special. Items that belonged to the great powers were not to his liking. During the auction, Golden Child and the Divine Spark Prince took out treasures from their sects, but they were all declined.
People found that Imp liked items that were excavated from Necropolis. Including the jade coffin won by Li Qiye, Imp had auctioned off seven items. Amongst the six coffins, four successful trades included four items found in Necropolis.
The young cultivators then understood that Imp was looking for certain things in Necropolis, so they acted accordingly when presenting their possessions.
“The last two coffins are truly amazing. They’re very rare in this world.” After the seventh coffin was auctioned, Imp smiled and then kindly said: “As long as you obtain one of these two treasures, then on the day that you understand them, you will be free to do as you please with their usefulness.”
The young ones became very lively after hearing this. The previous seven coffins all contained incredible items, and now only two were left. It seemed that the last two were even better than the previous seven. He even said that they were very rare in this world, so they had to be extremely wondrous.
At this point, Imp slowly took out a bronze coffin. This bronze coffin was very large; it was twice the size of an ordinary coffin and it contained something huge inside.
Imp slightly tapped it and then narrowed his eyes before speaking with a grin: “Now, let me see your items. If I see something that I like, then this coffin will belong to you.”
“Why don’t you open the coffin so that everyone can take a look?” Someone couldn’t help but ask.
Imp cheerfully replied: “There is no rush, my item is definitely something good. Wait until I look at your offers first. I can open the coffin later.”
Having heard this, people quickly took out their items so that they wouldn’t lag behind.
“I have a Green Ivory Stone found inside the Penta Realm Gate.” A young cultivator took out his item and introduced it to Imp.
“I have a Profound River Lock. This was inside a Ghost Algae Trunk at the Ghost River.” People hurriedly took out their items.
Meanwhile, Imp was looking at the thing the Divine Spark Prince took out. The prince noticed that Imp was interested in his item so he energetically recommended: “I obtained this in Necropolis. When it was unearthed, a scintillating nether light shot everywhere. Although I don’t know what kind of treasure it is, it is definitely one-of-a-kind.”
“Kind of interesting.” Imp glanced at the prince’s item and nodded his head.
Golden Child took out a gray eye and said: “This is an ancient eye left behind by a wise sage from my tribe. Its origin is unclear, but it is surely wondrous.”
“Yes, that is indeed very rare.” Imp looked at the eye and nodded approvingly.
Chapter 444 - Heaven Sealing Pentagate
While Imp was looking at all the items presented, Li Qiye was gazing at the bronze coffin. The moment Imp took it out, Li Qiye focused his gaze upon it as a profound light flashed from the depths of his eyes, seemingly wanting to see what was inside the coffin.
He looked at the coffin meticulously without missing a single detail. He did so again and again.
Imp finally got through everyone’s items. There were only two that he was slightly interested in. One belonged to the Divine Spark Prince and the other was Golden Child’s eye.
The prince and the Golden Child were secretly happy since their chances were very high.
“Aizz, you guys don’t have many good things.” Little Imp looked at the item from the prince again. He was a bit tempted, but not by much. After all, the item in the bronze coffin was very valuable.
The prince was ecstatic. If Imp wished to trade, then he was the most promising client.
“If Senior doesn’t mind, I can take out a few more things from Necropolis.” The Divine Spark Prince hastily added.
“It’ll depend on what they are.” Imp nodded.
“Would you like to make a bet?” However, before the prince could take out his items, Li Qiye suddenly spoke to Imp.
The prince was not pleased, so he coldly spoke: “Human Junior, scram to the side. Do you not see that I’m doing business with Senior?”
Li Qiye ignored the prince and continued on: “This junk is not worth mentioning. Don’t you feel that this transaction is quite unfair for you? How about we make a bet; I’m sure that you will be satisfied.”
Li Qiye’s words not only offended the prince, but even Golden Child’s group. He suddenly became public enemy number one.
The eyes of Golden Child and the Divine Spark Prince became sharp. Golden Child then coldly smiled and said: “A human ant still dares to act so presumptuously?”
A murderous glint appeared in the Divine Spark Prince’s eyes as he coldly uttered: “Wait until I’m done trading with Senior before speaking, do not bother us!”
Naturally, the prince wanted the bronze coffin really badly, and clearly, Imp was a bit inclined to trade it to him. At such an important moment, Li Qiye suddenly decided to interfere, so how could the prince not become outraged?
Li Qiye ignored them and asked Imp again: “Will you bet or not!?”
Imp stared at Li Qiye while gesturing for everyone else to quiet down. The enraged prince’s urge to kill rose higher and higher. The common proverb was right — cutting someone’s road to riches was the same as killing their parents.
“What kind of bet?” Imp said with great interest. He was indeed tempted by the Divine Spark Prince’s item, but he also thought that it wasn’t valuable enough alone.
Li Qiye continued with a smile: “I will guess what is in your coffin. If I am correct, then the coffin will belong to me. If I’m wrong, then I will compensate you with an item.”
“Hmph! What kind of treasure can a human junior possibly have? Don’t waste Senior’s time.” The Divine Spark Prince sneered: “Senior, I still have several other good items that were taken from Necropolis, how about you take a look?”
Imp waved his sleeve, signaling for the prince to shut up. This caused him to become very angry and he wished to kill Li Qiye on the spot. A meal was right in front of him, yet it flew away. 1
Imp enthusiastically asked: “What will you take out to bet with me?”
Li Qiye handed a bottle to Imp and smiled: “Take a look, I’m sure you will accept the bet.”
Imp opened the bottle and was immediately shocked. He instantly closed it, took a deep breath, then said: “You’re on!”
Li Qiye only smiled because this was within his expectations. The bottle contained Myriad Star Water, something that even Immortal Emperors lusted for, so how could Imp possibly resist? In fact, it wasn’t just the water itself, even the bottle alone was already an amazing treasure. How could a bottle capable of containing Myriad Star Water not be wondrous?
The bottle was the War God Temple’s greeting gift to Li Qiye!
No one knew what Li Qiye’s bottle contained. Qiurong Wanxue was also very curious, but she was more curious as to what the bronze coffin contained.
Earlier, Imp traded seven items away to others. With the exception of the first item, the other six did not interest Li Qiye, but the eighth caused him to act. She was curious about the item that could tempt even Li Qiye in such a manner.
Imp gave the Myriad Star Water back to Li Qiye and impatiently urged: “Okay, you can guess now.”
The Divine Spark Prince hated Li Qiye even more after seeing this turn of events. Such a sale was undermined by this fool!
Li Qiye put away the water and smiled: “Slow down, let me look at your bronze coffin first.”
Imp immediately agreed: “As long as you can guess correctly, it will belong to you.”
Imp really wanted Li Qiye’s water. A bottle of such water was enough to tempt anyone without exception.
Li Qiye stood before the bronze coffin and gently caressed it as if he was feeling his lover. He then eventually closed his eyes to feel the coffin.
Moments began to pass and Li Qiye remained still with his eyes closed. His thoughts were fixated on the coffin.
The prince coldly shouted: “Do you know what is inside or not! If you don’t, then just give up, don’t waste everyone’s time!” The prince had lost all of his patience. He didn’t want Li Qiye to guess correctly so that he would still have a chance.
“Shut the hell up!” Imp interrupted the Divine Spark Prince without any consideration to his face.
Being yelled at by Imp left the prince with an ugly expression, but he didn’t dare to act out. Earlier, Imp easily threw dozens of people out of Midtown. Everyone knew that the old man had an unfathomable power and could easily crush them, so they didn’t dare to offend him.
The prince couldn’t afford to provoke Imp, but he didn’t care for Li Qiye. This was why he placed all of his frustration onto Li Qiye. Sooner or later, he would destroy this human ant.
After a while, Li Qiye finally opened his eyes and revealed a subtle smile. Imp then quickly urged him: “Tell me your guess. If you are right, then the coffin will be yours.” He was even afraid that Li Qiye might change his mind because he really needed the Myriad Star Water.
Qiurong Wanxue held her breath in anticipation out of worry for her Young Noble. If he guessed incorrectly, then it would be a huge loss.
Li Qiye gently tapped on the bronze coffin and leisurely said: “If my guess is correct, then this thing has an ancient origin and once sealed an entire realm.” Li Qiye paused here before continuing on: “Its name is… the Heaven Sealing Pentagate!”
Imp was taken aback and could only bitterly smile: “I didn’t think someone in this world would still be able to recognize it.” He took a deep breath and then looked at Li Qiye: “One must be able to concede elegantly. The bronze coffin belongs to you.” Although he was unwilling, he still went out in style.
“Thank you.” Li Qiye smiled and took the bronze coffin away. He didn’t expect to see it here; the Heaven Sealing Pentagate — what an old legend!
Everyone wanted to see the thing inside, but Li Qiye didn’t look like he was going to open it since he had already put it away. Many people gritted their teeth with hostility while gazing at Li Qiye.
Although they had never heard of the name “Heaven Sealing Pentagate,” the fact that it once sealed a realm meant that it must be something incredible.
Imp heaved out a sigh. He was very dejected at not being able to obtain the Myriad Star Water.
“Very well, this will be the last item for auction.” Imp then gravely said: “The last coffin is absolutely worth the most precious item in your entire life. Take out the things you found in Necropolis.”
This time, Imp bluntly said that he wanted Necropolis’ items. This was his initial goal.
Everyone took out their items from Necropolis without any hesitation. In just a split second, colorful treasures appeared and displayed their multi-faceted lights.
“This is the last coffin.” Imp took out the final item. This was a small wooden coffin that was not eye-catching at all. It was around the size of one’s palm and was of a purple color. Despite its humble size, it was a delicate work of art. Runes were carved atop of it, but rather than being hand-carved, they felt natural as if they had always been there.
Everyone was disappointed to see this small wooden coffin as the final item. They all assumed that the last item would — at the very least — be contained in a treasure coffin and not such an ordinary wooden coffin.
“Don’t judge it based on its external appearance.” Imp slowly said: “Even if all of you took out all the things in Necropolis, it still might not be enough to trade for my small coffin.”
The eight treasures prior to this were already wondrous, so Imp’s sentence just now woke everyone up to this small wooden coffin’s greatness.
“Senior, please have a look, this is everything I obtained from Necropolis.” The Divine Spark Prince quickly took out all of his items.
“No, there is more than just this!” The prince then told the disciples by his side to take out everything they had and displayed them in front of Imp.
He then went on to say: “Senior, this is everything I have. As long as you are willing, they will all be yours.”
While Imp was looking at all the items presented, Li Qiye was gazing at the bronze coffin. The moment Imp took it out, Li Qiye focused his gaze upon it as a profound light flashed from the depths of his eyes, seemingly wanting to see what was inside the coffin.
He looked at the coffin meticulously without missing a single detail. He did so again and again.
Imp finally got through everyone’s items. There were only two that he was slightly interested in. One belonged to the Divine Spark Prince and the other was Golden Child’s eye.
The prince and Golden Child were secretly happy since their chances were very high.
Chapter 445 - Mysterious Little Coffin
Golden Child’s group also took out all their items from Necropolis, but they didn’t have as many as the Divine Spark Prince. This was because the Divine Spark Prince brought many Divine Spark disciples and had been here for a very long time to catch a lot of fish to trade with.
Li Qiye’s expression changed after seeing Imp take out the little wooden coffin and said: “How did this thing fall into your hands?” Li Qiye glared at the coffin and was certain of its authenticity.
“Fate.” Imp looked at Li Qiye and hurriedly said with a smile: “Do you want it? Do you want to trade? For the thing in your bottle.”
Li Qiye gently shook his head and said: “You should know that I won’t exchange the item in my bottle, but I must have this wooden coffin.”
“Hmph! How many treasures from Necropolis can you possibly have?” The prince grunted and coldly said: “Do you have enough to trade for Senior’s little coffin?”
It was no surprise that the prince was livid. Amongst the group, he had the most treasures from Necropolis while Imp wanted exactly this. In this crowd, he had the highest chance of getting the wooden coffin, but now, Li Qiye wanted to interfere once again.
His last trade was already ruined by Li Qiye, and now the fella was joining in once again. The prince almost went insane from anger; he wanted to kill this foolish thing right away.
Li Qiye ignored the prince and told Imp: “Although I cannot trade that item with you, I have something else that you would surely want.”
Li Qiye then gave another treasure box to Imp. Imp opened the box and a bright golden brilliance appeared. He was astonished and quickly closed the box before he calmed himself down.
“This is indeed one of the things that I want.” Imp then handed the little wooden coffin to Li Qiye and said: “This belongs to you as well.”
No one knew what was inside Li Qiye’s box that could move Imp to this extent. Of course Imp would be tempted! That box contained the World Tree’s young leaf, the very last one.
Something like this was basically extinct in this world. Only Li Qiye, alone, had one. Imp really wanted it so naturally he was happy to make this trade.
“May we meet again if fate allows.” Imp took Li Qiye’s box and left instantly.
Li Qiye watched Imp’s departure while gently touching this ancient coffin and sighed. This item finally came into being, who would have guessed?
On the other hand, Qiurong Wanxue was wondering about the item inside the coffin that warranted such solemness from her Young Noble.
Despite their short stay together, she knew that not many things could move him. Li Qiye could casually give her the Immortal Moon Margin, but this ordinary wooden coffin made him extremely serious. Just what was inside?
After Imp left, the party was officially over so everyone went on their separate ways, including the group of Golden Child.
When Ye Sha was leaving, he gave a devious smile towards Li Qiye and Qiurong Wanxue. He would not make a move at this location.
“Boy, watch yourself!” The Divine Spark Prince glared at Li Qiye and snorted.
There was another person who gave Li Qiye special attention before leaving — Mo Lidao. He stood pretty far away from Li Qiye while watching him with a frightening stare. He then smirked and left as well.
Qiurong Wanxue could feel this special atmosphere; although no one had taken action, she could feel the underlying current moving against them: “I’m afraid someone will act against us for the treasures. We should leave Midtown during the night. Maybe we will be able to lose them.”
“Leave?” Li Qiye smiled and replied in a laid-back manner: “Why do we need to leave? If some people wish to die, it is a good thing.”
Qiurong Wanxue could only smile. If her Young Noble said so, then she was not in the position to advise him further. She remained even more vigilant since she was not a match for Ye Sha or the Divine Spark Prince’s group.
Not only did Li Qiye not leave, he also stayed at an inn in Midtown. Of course, the inns at Necropolis were operated by sentiments.
It took a little courage to stay in such an inn, but the benefits included being able to find out some information from these ghosts. New arrivals who wanted to find places or the situations of the fierce grounds would find it very appropriate to ask these ghosts.
“Why are we staying here?” Qiurong Wanxue asked. Not many outsiders would stay at these inns. The majority of them carried mobile mansions or pavilions so they could camp just about anywhere.
“We will stay here for a few days.” Li Qiye answered with a smile. “Since we are at Midtown, I have to look for someone, no, a ghost. I wonder if he is in Midtown or not.” 1
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t question his words. At this moment, she followed all of Li Qiye’s arrangements.
She then noticed Li Qiye playing around with the wooden coffin, so she curiously asked: “What does the wooden coffin contain?”
Ever since they started staying at the inn, Li Qiye kept on playing with the coffin as if he couldn’t get bored of it. However, the strange part was that he didn’t open it to take a look.
“Well, you won’t be able to understand what’s inside. Moreover, this wooden coffin is natural.” Li Qiye smilingly replied.
“Natural? What does that mean?” Qiurong Wanxue inquired further.
“Natural refers to the fact that this is its original shape.” Li Qiye explained: “The first eight coffins were all containers from Imp. For example, the Heavenly Jade Cicada requires Blue Heart Jade for its cocoon to hatch, so Imp carved this Blue Heart Jade into a coffin to store the cocoon till the day it hatches.”
Qiurong Wanxue immediately understood: “So Young Noble’s little coffin was always in this shape.”
Li Qiye nodded lightly and said: “No one can put the thing inside into something else; at least, Imp couldn’t. The thing inside has been there for a very long time and had once drifted throughout the vast three thousand worlds.”
“Is it a treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue looked at the coffin. If her Young Noble didn’t place such importance on it, she wouldn’t have been able to see its preciousness.
“Treasure?” Li Qiye replied: “I’m afraid there are no other treasures in this world that are comparable to it. It is not a treasure, but it is better than all the other treasures. If Imp wasn’t in such a rush, then he would have been very reluctant to trade.”
“You know Imp?” Qiurong Wanxue asked. She felt that even if he didn’t, he was privy to Imp’s identity.
Li Qiye smiled mysteriously without answering. He then went on: “Although you can’t see the thing inside for now, I can let you take a look at the bronze coffin.” Having said that, he took out the bronze coffin.
This bronze coffin was very heavy. He pushed the lid off. Inside were five bronze doors that were placed on top of each other.
The five doors were of the same size and when they lined up with each other, they would make a huge gate.
Each of the doors had different patterns engraved on them, and many runic outlines were around them.
Qiurong Wanxue didn’t understand these patterns and runes, but as she was staring at it, she was sent into a daze. She felt that an ancient portal was opening and was sucking in her soul.
Right when she felt her soul leave her body, Li Qiye covered her eyes and muttered in her ear: “Don’t look for too long!”
Li Qiye’s voice was like thunder and it immediately woke up Qiurong Wanxue. She shivered as her soul returned to her body. With her strength sapped from her body, she limply collapsed into the arms of Li Qiye.
It took her some time to calm down before asking while still being somewhat in shock: “Just… what kind of Life Treasure is this?”
Li Qiye replied with a smile: “To be more exact, it is not a Life Treasure. You can think of it as a foreign dao treasure.”
She recalled the feeling of her soul leaving her body, aghast. She then couldn’t help but ask: “How is the power of this treasure? Is it comparable to an emperor’s Life Treasure or emperor’s True Treasure?”
“Hmm…” Li Qiye smiled then shook his head gently in response: “It is difficult to gauge. It depends on the situation. If used correctly, then it is quite invincible. The Heaven Sealing Pentagate had once sealed an entire realm. Of course, it is not easy to exert its ultimate power; not just anyone can perform such a feat.”
Golden Child’s group also took out all their items from Necropolis, but they didn’t have as many as the Divine Spark Prince. This was because the Divine Spark Prince brought many Divine Spark disciples and had been here for a very long time to catch a lot of fish to trade with.
Li Qiye’s expression changed after seeing Imp take out the little wooden coffin and said: “How did this thing fall into your hands?” Li Qiye glared at the coffin and was certain of its authenticity.
“Fate.” Imp looked at Li Qiye and hurriedly said with a smile: “Do you want it? Do you want to trade? For the thing in your bottle.”
Chapter 446 - Distant Legend
“Did an Immortal Emperor leave behind this treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue emotionally asked. A treasure capable of sealing an entire realm — truly frightening and untouchable. It was absolutely comparable to an Immortal Emperor True Treasure.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and replied: “It’s not something left behind by an Immortal Emperor. At the very least, no one in this world knows who left behind this Heaven Sealing Pentagate. Its origin dates back to a very ancient era, perhaps the Legendary Era or even before that.”
“No way!” Qiurong Wanxue gaspingly replied: “The Legendary Era is just a rumor and isn’t real. How could there be an era even older than the Legendary Era?”
The inhabitants of the Nine Worlds believed that there were four eras in the following order: the Desolate Era, the Desolate Expansion Era, the Ancient Ming Era, and the Emperors Era.
The Emperors Era lasted until just recently when people determined that it ended with Immortal Emperor Ta Kong. The reason was very simple; it was due to the battle between the Black Dragon King and the emperor. The dragon king tearing apart the Heaven’s Will caused the Nine Worlds to fall into the Difficult Dao Era, but some still believed that the Emperors Era was still ongoing since the Difficult Dao Era was too short and couldn’t be considered an era of its own.
In fact, the only era with complete records was the Emperors Era. Although the Ancient Ming Era still had many written records and they were quite complete as well, there were still gaps in this era. There were events that had forever become secrets unknown to future generations.
Now, when it came to the Desolate Expansion Era, documents became scarce. This was the era where the races in the Nine Worlds established their foundation with designated locations chosen by the respective wise sages. For example, whether the human race originated from the Mortal Emperor World or not, this was hard to say. However, the only certainty was that humans took root at this world during the Desolate Expansion Era, and it became the ancestral ground for them.
The Desolate Era was even more distant and arduous to trace. The races in the Nine Worlds were quite weak at that time and there were very few written records. This was the reason why most believed that the Desolate Era was the most ancient time period.
There was another era before the Desolace Era, and it was called the Legendary Era. There were no written annals about this era, only a few incomplete legends. Future descendants could not confirm whether this era had actually existed or if it was only a “legend.”
And now, Li Qiye was talking about an era that predates even the Legendary Era. How could this not shock Qiurong Wanxue? The Legendary Era was but hearsay, so what kind of era was before this one?
“It exists.” Li Qiye nonchalantly said: “But there are a few untraceable events because it happened too long ago, so they became mere myths instead. However, as long as you have enough time and patience, you will be able to find the marks left behind by these the inhabitants of these eras despite the marks disappearing in the river of time.”
Qiurong Wanxue was dumbfounded as she tried to process all of this new information about the ancient eras. She eventually asked: “What kind of era was it?”
“No one knows.” Li Qiye smiled and said. Li Qiye knew a few things and was uncertain about others, but if he could obtain items like the Nine Heavenly Treasures, then he would be able to solve some of the immemorial secrets.
At this time, he reached out and gently touched the bronze doors. The runes appeared to come to life like fishes in the river. A faint light would appear wherever he touched as if he could summon this treasure.
“The Heaven Sealing Pentagate… It seems that Imp was in a rush to obtain a few items. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have traded an item of this magnitude away.” Li Qiye said while being visibly moved.
Qiurong Wanxue only dared to take a quick glimpse at the lively runes. This thing was too frightening, it was capable of sucking out people’s souls.
Li Qiye looked at the gate for a long time and simply shook his head gently without saying anything.
Meanwhile, Qiurong Wanxue closed her eyes out of fear of the gate. After a while, she heard Li Qiye’s teasing voice: “My dear chief, would you like to sleep in the same bed with me tonight?”
She jumped up from these words and opened her eyes to find Li Qiye’s face an inch away from her own. She became frozen because she suddenly remembered that she was still within Li Qiye’s embrace due to the pentagate earlier.
Their postures were extremely intimate as the atmosphere suggested of lasciviousness. In other words, their bodies were tightly pressed against each other.
“It seems that our beloved chief is willing to sleep with me.” Li Qiye smiled and continued.
Qiurong Wanxue became bright red as her body felt hot. This was the first time she had such an intimate physical encounter with someone else. She was embarrassed beyond control as she struggled to jump up. Her evening-shade face didn’t dare to look straight at Li Qiye as she denied: “Nonsense, I don’t want such a thing.”
Her usual mature look combined with this shy expression was charming to the bones yet gentle like the softly flowing aurora in her eyes.
She was too embarrassed to remain calm due to the heat that surged throughout her body. This strange thought remained in her mind without dissipating, causing her body to feel numb. She didn’t dare to stay around any longer since the sultry atmosphere was too unbearable, so she quickly left the room.
“Take care of the Heavenly Jade Cicada.” When she reached the door, she heard Li Qiye’s voice from behind: “This item is superb and will greatly benefit your Snow-shadow Tribe in the future. Maybe your tribe can rise because of it.”
Her heart felt warm from such words. It was hard to describe this feeling that coiled around inside her chest and eventually turned into something sweet that melted her heart…
After she left, Li Qiye only smiled and gently shook his head. Then, he quietly put away the Heaven Sealing Pentagate.
He then took out the small wooden coffin and placed it in front of him. He meticulously gazed at it as if it was a source of enjoyment. After a while, he couldn’t help but utter: “Such a thing has come into being so anything else could as well. Not to mention, the wooden coffin at the Heavenly Ancient Corpse Burial Ground came out as well… Nothing can surprise me anymore.”
Eventually, he put it away and sat in a meditative pose on his bed to channel his merit law to begin cultivating.
A primordial breath surrounded his body. The Yin Yang Sea of Blood appeared and began to refine his blood energy into drops of Longevity Blood. This sea of blood had an incredible origin; if he could actually use its full potential, then it would be absolutely frightening. Unfortunately, Li Qiye’s current cultivation could not excavate the sea of blood’s true profundities.
When Li Qiye’s Fate Palaces opened, seven of them hovered around him. Li Qiye had successfully opened his seventh and he could almost open the eighth.
With Li Qiye’s current foundation, opening eight or nine palaces was not difficult, not even the tenth would be hard. The eleventh would not necessarily be a challenge either, the hard part was the twelfth while the thirteenth would be Li Qiye’s toughest challenge.
Li Qiye was aiming for twelve and, given the chance, he would challenge the thirteenth. The truth was that, for cultivators, having twelve palaces was already an impossible matter. In the written legends, not more than three people had twelve palaces. Moreover, they were only rumors so no one knew whether people actually had twelve palaces or not.
As for the thirteenth, it simply did not exist in this world. Having twelve palaces was already an unreachable limit for cultivators.
However, Li Qiye’s ambition was not limited to someone with dual physiques; this was not a challenge at all. Li Qiye had once trained the Black Dragon King who had invincible dual physiques, thus he would not stop there.
Li Qiye’s blood circulated and his True Fate floated up and down. At times, it would turn into a Kun Peng, at others, it would turn into a vast grand dao or an endless starry sky…
Some amount of time passed by. It was late at night when Li Qiye suddenly opened his eyes with a frightening murderous intent.
Qiurong Wanxue was in the other room. They were separated by one wall. She was very cautious and prepared a line of defense in order to protect herself against people with malicious intents.
However, a fog suddenly condensed as a shadow quietly appeared in her room like a ghost.
This was Ye Sha, the one who stealthly appeared in Qiurong Wanxue’s room. He had been drooling over the two’s treasures for a long time now. Forget about the item from the Ghost River, the coffins from Imp alone were more than enough to incite his greed.
Ye Sha was not in the position to take action with so many people around at the yard. This was why he tailed them and prepared to take action under the cloak of the night.
He assumed that a human junior like Li Qiye was not worth worrying about, so as long as he could take care of Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye would be a fish on a platter.
Once he got close to the bed, the sleeping Qiurong Wanxue suddenly opened her eyes. She was quite aghast after seeing Ye Sha standing right there.
“Did an Immortal Emperor leave behind this treasure?” Qiurong Wanxue emotionally asked. A treasure capable of sealing an entire realm — truly frightening and untouchable. It was absolutely comparable to an Immortal Emperor True Treasure.
“No.” Li Qiye shook his head and replied: “It’s not something left behind by an Immortal Emperor. At the very least, no one in this world knows who left behind this Heaven Sealing Pentagate. Its origin dates back to a very ancient era, perhaps the Legendary Era or even before that.”
“No way!” Qiurong Wanxue gaspingly replied: “The Legendary Era is just a rumor and isn’t real. How could there be an era even older than the Legendary Era?”
Chapter 447 - Night Attack
Ye Sha was an assassin so, in a split second, he aimed to grip Qiurong Wanxue by the neck in order to finish her in one blow.
His cultivation was also much stronger than Qiurong’s so the moment he reached out, she couldn’t block it even if she wanted to.
However, before his palm could reach her neck, it suddenly stopped in midair. Another hand quietly clasped his wrist.
Li Qiye was standing by the bed as if he had always been there. Suddenly being gripped by the wrist caused even an assassin like Ye Sha to jump. After seeing Li Qiye, his expression greatly changed. Someone of his level knew the significance of being grabbed by the wrist after just one move.
“Crack!” Li Qiye easily crushed Ye Sha’s wrist.
“Snap!” He then pulled on it. Ye Sha’s hand was severed from his arm, causing blood to spurt everywhere as he miserably screamed: “Ahh!!”
Nevertheless, his killer’s instinct allowed him to run away instantly. After his hand was ripped off by Li Qiye, he immediately turned into smoke and escaped.
Li Qiye threw away the hand and looked at the pale and frightened Qiurong Wanxue. He then asked: “Are you alright?”
Qiurong Wanxue regained her composure and nodded her head. He then grabbed her waist and said: “We’ll catch him.” They then instantly vanished.
Ye Sha escaped to the east of Midtown right after he left the room. As an assassin, his speed and stealth were both top notch; those of the same cultivation level were not his match.
Ye Sha only had one foot into the Little Sovereign’s realm and didn’t actually possess a sovereign’s power, but due to his mastery of assassination, he had killed a Heavenly Sovereign before.
But tonight, he had met his match. He understood that his opponent was formidable, so he ran away with all his might.
The moment when he thought he was safe, Li Qiye’s lazy voice suddenly rang from behind him: “You think you could escape?”
With one hand holding Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye easily traversed the sky under the moonlight as if distance was not a hindrance to him. With one step, he easily caught up to Ye Sha.
Although Ye Sha was very fast, he was far too lacking compared to Li Qiye. Without taking into consideration Li Qiye’s cultivation of the Soaring Immortal Physique, the fastest physique in this world, he would still easily catch Ye Sha.
His Fate Law was the Kun Peng’s Six Variants, an emperor law with terrorizing speed. Although it could not completely make up for the Hell Suppressing Godly Physique’s lack of speed like the Soaring Immortal Physique, it was still much swifter than Ye Sha.
Ye Sha was scared out of his wits when he saw Li Qiye get right behind him with such ease. He unleashed a slash as fast as lightning towards Li Qiye, but Li Qiye easily evaded it.
The Kun Peng suddenly leapt into the air and the Dark Space Transformation came out. With an unbelievable speed, Li Qiye easily closed the distance between the two of them and appeared right behind Ye Sha.
He then stomped on Ye Sha’s back without having to use the Hell Suppressing Godly Physique. His normal strength and speed were more than sufficient.
“Rumble!”
With a deafening bang, Ye Sha was stomped down hard into the ground, creating a deep pit on the street.
The crisp sounds of bones breaking appeared. This kick destroyed numerous bones in his body as his back caved in, leaving him with only a thread of life. Nevertheless, Ye Sha did not dare to stop. He gritted his teeth and turned into smoke yet again to escape with his top speed.
“What happened?” Ye Sha slamming into the street had alarmed many young cultivators in Midtown. They came out to see what was going on and noticed the chase.
Seeing the drifting smoke, someone instantly recognized Ye Sha: “That… is Ye Sha, right?”
Many young cultivators were in disbelief while watching such a scene. Ye Sha was an expert assassin, a famous killer amongst the younger generation. Today, he was running for his life while being hunted down by someone. Who would believe such a tale?
After seeing Li Qiye, someone who had participated in the auction recognized him: “Isn’t that… the human brat?”
Many people became astonished. At that time, they didn’t respect Li Qiye at all; these young geniuses felt that a human brat like Li Qiye was just a weakling. In the eastern Nether Border, the human race was a weak ethnic group so the ghost race didn’t put them in their sight.
“Truly… unbelievable.” But now, watching Ye Sha running away from Li Qiye like a stray dog left them stunned.
With one hand hugging Qiurong Wanxue, Li Qiye easily chased after Ye Sha like a cat hunting a mouse.
“How far do you think you’ll get?” Li Qiye asked with a smile. He then shot out a finger beam.
“Pluff!” Ye Sha never had the chance to dodge. “Ahh!!” With a cry, blood spurted out after Li Qiye pierced Ye Sha’s chest with his finger strike.
Ye Sha screamed out in pain, but he still didn’t dare to stop dragging his bloodied body while trying to escape.
Qiurong Wanxue was frozen and forgot that she was being hugged by Li Qiye. Ye Sha was a famous assassin in the Sacred Nether World; he alone could easily massacre the entire Snow-shadow Tribe while no one could stop him.
But now, against Li Qiye, Ye Sha had become a stray dog without the strength to resist.
“This… Just what is the identity of this human brat? How could he be so domineering?” The spectating young cultivators all changed their expressions. They then followed them to witness the outcome.
In fact, such surprise was quite normal. Ye Sha’s cultivation was really strong, at least amongst the younger generation. Unfortunately for him, Li Qiye was someone who could kill Heavenly Sovereigns. Moreover, Ye Sha lacked emperor laws and Immortal Emperor Life Treasures. No matter how strong he was, he still couldn’t compete against Li Qiye.
Within the same realm, cultivators who cultivated emperor laws and possessed Immortal Emperor Life Treasures would easily suppress their opponents. Even opponents one level higher would not be able to escape this fate.
“Bang!” Eventually, Ye Sha dragged his battered body into a pavilion and exclaimed: “Brother Mo, save me!” He then collapsed after uttering these words.
Someone helped him up. This was Mo Lidao, the descendant of the Sky-devil Gate. They had a deep friendship so at the moment of life and death, Ye Sha ran to find him.
After propping up Ye Sha, Mo Lidao noticed that Li Qiye had already reached this place, so his expression turned sour.
Mo Lidao let Ye Sha into the room and then immediately blocked the entrance. Li Qiye laughed and stood in the sky while gazing down at Mo Lidao before declaring: “Hand Ye Sha over!”
Mo Lidao replied with a deep tone: “Junior, dying is only having one’s head fall to the ground — not a big deal. If you want to resolve your grievances with Brother Ye Sha, then wait for another day. Brother Ye Sha can’t see you tonight!” 1
Ye Sha was part of the Blood Race while Mo Lidao came from the Heavenly Devil Race; these two races had always maintained good relations, especially with the alliance between the Nightwalker Sect and the Sky-devil Gate in the southern Distant Cloud. This alliance was essential because the demon race and human race were very powerful in this region. Emperor’s lineages such as the Thousand Carp River and the Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom were all heritages that consisted of humans, demons, and charming spirits.
Because of this, the Blood Race, the Stone Golems, and the Heavenly Devils had to form an alliance in this region. Now that Ye Sha came running for help, Mo Lidao couldn’t just let him be.
Li Qiye laughed and shook his head in response: “That is impossible. Once someone provokes me, there is only one path for them — death. However, he does have two choices. He can either die in a swift and painless manner or die an agonizing death!”
“Such a big tone!” Mo Lidao’s expression sank as he coldly declared with a sharp gaze: “Junior, take a step back and appreciate the boundless open vistas! You should know that this is not the southern Distant Cloud, it is the Nether Border! The world of the ghost race!”
Mo Lidao made a blatant threat. He was a genius of the younger generation and had quite a few friends from the ghost race.
Li Qiye leisurely smiled and said: “So what if it is the Nether Border? Although the Nine Worlds are vast, I am free to tread where I please. I will come and go as I wish no matter the location!”
“Such blustering!” The Divine Spark Prince had also arrived at this time. He was antagonistic towards Ye Sha so he would not aid a foe. However, Li Qiye’s words annoyed the prince, not to mention that Li Qiye ruined his business earlier — this had been clearly engraved in his mind. Now, the prince couldn’t help but sneer after hearing such an arrogant proclamation.
Golden Child had arrived as well along with many other young geniuses who were attracted by the commotion.
Under the watchful eyes of so many, Qiurong Wanxue, being held by Li Qiye, felt her body becoming hot as her cheeks started to blush. Li Qiye ignored the prince. He looked at Mo Lidao and demanded: “My patience is limited. Quickly hand over Ye Sha to avoid making a mistake.”
“A mistake?” Mo Lidao proudly laughed and then stepped forward with a bold aura.
“Buzzz!” His body then released two divine rings.
“He really is a Little Sovereign!” Seeing the two divine rings shoot out from Mo Lidao’s body, many youths became alarmed. Mo Lidao being able to reach the Little Sovereign realm at such a young age meant that he was definitely an amazing genius.
Ye Sha was an assassin so, in a split second, he aimed to grip Qiurong Wanxue by the neck in order to finish her in one blow.
His cultivation was also much stronger than Qiurong’s so the moment he reached out, she couldn’t block it even if she wanted to.
However, before his palm could reach her neck, it suddenly stopped in mid air. Another hand quietly clasped his wrist.
Li Qiye was standing by the bed as if he had always been there.
Chapter 448 - Crushed With One Hand
Since it required nine divine rings to reach grand accomplishment Little Sovereign, Mo Lidao having two divine rings at such a young age was already quite amazing.
The Sky-devil Tribe was a branch of the Heavenly Devil Race; they had burly physiques like giants. With two rings around his body and a tri-colored halo above his head, Mo Lidao’s blood energy spewed forth like a flood. He was like a fierce rhino capable of crushing a mountain and pulling this earth with his aggressive atmosphere!
“Mo Lidao is indeed ferocious!” Many people exclaimed after seeing his powerful momentum. Mo Lidao’s current prestige was not due to assassinations like Ye Sha.
He arrogantly looked at Li Qiye and sneered: “You could have left earlier. Now, it is too late.”
“Oh? So you want me to stay?” Li Qiye smiled back at him.
“If you apologize to Brother Ye Sha, then I shall spare your life. If not… Today will be your funeral! In the Nether Border, humans are mere insects!” Mo Lidao coldly proclaimed.
Li Qiye laughed and said: “You’re a Heavenly Devil yet you keep on licking the asses of ghosts all day. If the indigenous Heavenly Devils were to hear these words, they would cower in shame.”
Mo Lidao became livid. He let out a loud roar as a huge tablet appeared from his Fate Palace. It soared up high into the sky and then turned into a giant mountain. This was Mo Lidao’s fate weapon, the Sky-devil Tablet.
“Bang!” The sacred mountain formed by the tablet appeared to be inhabited by a god as multiple divine rings floated around it.
“The Sky-devil Divine Mountain!” A person emotionally uttered after seeing Mo Lidao’s fate weapon: “This is Mo Lidao’s fate weapon, it contains the heavenly dao! Some people say that this mountain can crush a Grand Sovereign!”
“Junior, die!” Mo Lidao snarled. The tablet in the form of a mountain loomed over all of Midtown like a gigantic palm. It came crashing down with the might of a thousand mountains towards Li Qiye.
Explosions resounded nonstop as the sky broke apart from such a domineering fate weapon. Midtown would have been torn asunder if there wasn’t a power protecting it.
“So powerful!” Many felt this way when they saw this attack from Mo Lidao. They quickly retreated to avoid being accidental victims.
“Whoosh!” When the tablet was on the verge of slamming into Li Qiye’s head, a blob of smoke appeared; Ye Sha suddenly turned up right behind Li Qiye. With a cold glint, a knife pierced straight towards Li Qiye’s back.
Qiurong Wanxue was scared out of her wits and cried out: “Watch out!”
This stab was too fast; she couldn’t help Li Qiye even if she wanted to.
“This kid is dead for sure!” Everyone assumed that Li Qiye’s fate was sealed when they saw the joint attack from Mo Lidao and Ye Sha.
At this moment, Ye Sha was ecstatic to see his knife connect along with the incoming mountain.
Everyone thought Li Qiye was going to die and the pale Qiurong Wanxue almost fainted.
However, time seemed to freeze as everyone became dumbfounded at the unraveling scene. They no longer dared to believe their own eyes.
Li Qiye, with one hand still holding Qiurong Wanxue, used his other to effortlessly block the Sky-devil Tablet. The extremely heavy tablet was leisurely stopped by Li Qiye. The knife stabbed his back, but he didn’t even bat an eye.
“Your knife is too soft, is it made out of tofu?” Li Qiye turned around and smilingly asked Ye Sha.
The initially ecstatic Ye Sha was now completely frightened due to Li Qiye. At this time, he recognized that the knife did not pierce through Li Qiye’s flesh, it only slightly pricked his skin.
Li Qiye’s Hell Suppressing Godly Physique was noted for its toughness. Although it was not comparable to the Indestructible Diamond Physique, once trained to his current level, stopping Ye Sha’s knife would not be difficult at all.
The aghast Ye Sha turned around to run, but Li Qiye grabbed the tablet from Mo Lidao’s hands and violently swung it towards the door, the direction where Ye Sha was escaping to.
“Boom!” Ye Sha was swatted by the tablet like a fly. His blood stained the ground as he was beaten into the earth.
“Return!” Mo Lidao chanted a mantra to recall the Sky-devil Tablet.
“Buzzz!” The tablet vibrated in Li Qiye’s hand, but the Hell Suppressing Godly Physique suddenly activated. The force of his hand was enough to suppress the tablet!
“Impossible!” Mo Lidao’s heart sank from fear. The Sky-devil Tablet was his fate weapon so others could not steal it unless they were several realms higher than him.
Li Qiye casually glanced at Mo Lidao and said: “You are insufficient to compete with me regarding weight.”
The Sky-devil Tablet was a very heavy True Treasure; it had the weight of a divine mountain. However, it was far from enough compared to Li Qiye’s godly physique. Once fallen into Li Qiye’s hands, even this True Treasure had to suffer complete suppression.
“Eat this!” Li Qiye smilingly uttered. Li Qiye fiercely slammed the Sky-devil Tablet forward. The tablet flew with the force of the godly physique, causing the grand dao to scream. Countless universal laws in Midtown flew up to protect the town because it was in grave danger should this strike successfully connect with the town.
Mo Lidao felt that this devastating power from the tablet could annihilate the earth itself. Even the strongest attack from himself with the tablet was not comparable to Li Qiye’s current attack.
This blow from Li Qiye seemingly carried the weight of countless divine mountains, something that was capable of crushing even gods and devils! Mo Lidao’s soul nearly flew away from fear.
But nevertheless, he roared and immediately took out all of his strongest weapons, regardless of whether they were Life Treasures, True Treasures, or foreign dao treasures. Everything came out and formed an arc to protect his body.
“Bang!” This was a deafening blast that shook even the stars in the nine heavens. This attack could have plucked the stars in the sky! The tablet destroyed all of Mo Lidao’s treasures. The combined weight of the tablet and the godly physique was of an unimaginable magnitude. This weight crushed and collapsed all things. Mo Lidao’s treasures could not withstand this single blow.
However, Mo Lidao himself was only blown away; he vomited blood with a pale expression. The multitude of treasures protecting him saved him from becoming a bloody mist.
His legs shivered from fear while his heart thumpingly told him to escape. Mo Lidao knew that he had provoked a grim reaper. He didn’t dare to waste time thinking and immediately tried to run as far away as possible.
But right at this moment, a Kun Peng soared and the Dark Space Transformation came out. Li Qiye traversed the spatial distance with just one step and immediately appeared before Mo Lidao, blocking his path.
Li Qiye then leisurely smiled: “Trying to escape now? Too late. Just earlier, you were quite awe-inspiring, no?”
“Dao Friend, listen to me…” Mo Lidao’s face was as white as paper as he urgently shouted.
Li Qiye was too lazy to listen to his drivel. He slammed the tablet down. This time, he didn’t use the godly physique but the Kun Peng’s Six Variants instead. Under its catalytic push, the tablet had an extremely swift speed and turned into a light that rushed downward.
Mo Lidao tried to escape. He didn’t mind burning off his Longevity Blood to increase his speed, but how could it match the Kun Peng’s Six Variants?
“Pop!” When the tablet slammed down, Mo Lidao was worse off than a fly. It slammed onto his body and crushed him into nothingness. This strike didn’t even leave a fragment of a bone behind.
All became pale with horror after seeing this scene, including the Divine Spark Prince and Golden Child. The prince’s cultivation was not stronger than Ye Sha’s or Mo Lidao’s. The fate of those two was enough to show how violent Li Qiye was.
Golden Child, on the other hand, was much stronger than Mo Lidao and Ye Sha. However, those two were killed by Li Qiye like flies. Even with all of his strength, Golden Child wouldn’t necessarily be able to dispatch Mo Lidao as easily.
Other people gasped and felt a cold chill running down their spines. This guy was too brutish and aggressive! To kill Mo Lidao in such a manner…
“Who is he? Could he be from the Thousand Carp River or the Simple Mountain Immortal Kingdom?” Someone murmured. Such a young yet fierce person couldn’t possibly be unknown.
A young man from the southern Distant Cloud shook his head in response: “I have never heard of such a character in the Distant Cloud. He’s not from the Simple Mountain either. The strongest person in the Thousand Carp River is probably Fairy Zhu.”
“Such a person is considered ferocious? If he is a ferocious person, then am I not a prehistoric beast?” Li Qiye nonchalantly threw the Sky-devil Tablet to the ground and smirked.
These words were quite aggressive, but no one dared to call Li Qiye out. He easily killed Mo Lidao, a famous monster in the Distant Cloud. It was just like Li Qiye said, if Mo Lidao was a fierce monster, then he was a prehistoric beast!
Since grand accomplishment Little Sovereign required nine divine rings, Mo Lidao having two divine rings at such a young age was already quite amazing.
The Sky-devil Tribe was a branch of the Heavenly Devil Race; they had burly physiques like giants. With two rings around his body and a tri-colored halo above his head, Mo Lidao’s blood energy spewed forth like a flood. He was like a fierce rhino capable of crushing a mountain and pulling this earth with his aggressive atmosphere!
“Mo Lidao is indeed ferocious!” Many people exclaimed after seeing his powerful momentum. Mo Lidao’s current prestige was not due to assassinations like Ye Sha.
Chapter 449 - Who The Hell Is Your Brother-In-Law?
Ye Sha, who was lying on the ground, watched as Li Qiye approached. He really wanted to run away, but his body was unwilling. Li Qiye casually swatting away the tablet was not enough to kill Ye Sha, but it injured him to the point where he couldn’t lift a finger.
Li Qiye came closer and looked down at Ye Sha. Ye Sha was terrified, but he still put on a strong act: “What… What do you want to do!? Don’t forget… I am the descendant of the Nightwalker Sect. If… If you dare to kill me… then the Nightwalker Sect will not let you off! Even if you run to the corners of the world, the sect will still come for you!”
“Nightwalker Sect? What is that?” Li Qiye leisurely replied to Ye Sha’s threat. He then stomped down.
“No—” Ye Sha unwillingly screamed out, but it was too late. Li Qiye killed him with a stomp.
Seeing Li Qiye trample Ye Sha to death forced those who were present to draw a cold breath. In the blink of an eye, this person killed off two descendants from two great powers, offending both the Nightwalker Sect and the Sky-devil Gate.
However, Li Qiye was still as carefree as ever. Just how domineering must this person be to not care about two great powers? How fierce does one have to be to maintain such a carefree posture after offending two great sects?
“This is a dangerous man.” A person whispered and shivered. Mo Lidao and Ye Sha were both quite notorious, but they were easily slain by Li Qiye.
After finishing off Ye Sha with a stomp, Li Qiye smiled and looked around at everyone before fixing his gaze upon the Divine Spark Prince. He then slowly asked: “Anyone else have a problem with me? I am someone who can accept criticism, so feel free to comment.”
The Divine Spark Prince’s expression changed after being fixated upon by Li Qiye’s gaze; the person was provoking him. This was a great humiliation to the arrogant prince, but now understood that Li Qiye was very powerful.
Nevertheless, the prince didn’t want to back down in front of so many people since he couldn’t bear such shame. He snorted and said: “There are countless masters in this world…”
Li Qiye leisurely smiled while looking at the Divine Spark Prince and asked: “Are you one of those masters?”
The prince was greatly alarmed and instinctively took a step back. Showing such weakness in front of everyone was very aggravating; he felt like Li Qiye was humiliating him. He took a deep breath and decided to play till the very end as his pride surged.
The prince then coldly spoke: “I admit that you are very strong, but you are nothing compared to my brother-in-law. Anyone who opposes my brother-in-law will not have a good end! No matter how strong you are, you are but an ant before him…”
The prince knew that he was not a match for Li Qiye so he showed his backing instead — his brother-in-law, Sir Di Zuo!
Many people were annoyed at the prince’s arrogance, but everyone obediently shut up when his brother-in-law was mentioned. They could only swallow their anger no matter how displeased they were with the prince.
“PA!” However, before the prince could finish, Li Qiye slapped him flying away!
The prince’s mouth was full of blood after he got slapped as he lividly glared at Li Qiye.
Li Qiye freely said: “You and I have no grievances, and I am not the type to massacre the innocent. However, if someone wants to act up in front of me, then sorry, sometimes my hand gets real itchy and likes to slap people. Don’t take it to heart.”
“You!” The Divine Spark Prince wanted to vomit blood from anger and had an extremely ugly expression at the moment. He wished that he could rush forward and kill Li Qiye, but reason told him that he was not a match. He had no choice but to hold back.
Li Qiye nonchalantly glanced at the prince and cheerfully smiled: “You were talking about your brother-in-law, but I must apologize, I do not know who your brother-in-law is. Who the hell is he?”
Everyone gasped when they heard this. Li Qiye’s words were too overbearing. Any experienced cultivator in the Sacred Nether World would have heard of Di Zuo’s name.
Di Zuo, the Myriad Bones Throne’s descendant, was rumored to cultivate the emperor laws of three Immortal Emperors. He was one of the three heroes of the Sacred Nether World. Legend states that Di Zuo could speak to the heavens; he was unparalleled in this world, so many people called him “Sir”.
But now, Li Qiye actually said “Who the hell is your brother-in-law?” This was clearly provoking Di Zuo, and it caused many hearts to beat faster. If this kid was not tired of living, then he could only be said to be super domineering.
Li Qiye ignored the prince. He then hugged Qiurong Wanxue and shifted his body to disappear under the night’s curtain.
After Li Qiye left, a person murmured: “A true ruthless person has been born.”
The Divine Spark Prince couldn’t swallow this anger. After Li Qiye left, he spat towards the direction of his departure and said through his gritted teeth: “Blind Little Animal! Just wait, you will experience a fate worse than death soon enough!”
Golden Child came closer and consoled: “Brother Divine Spark, just bear it for a bit. This human junior will not be arrogant for long. When Sir Di Zuo comes, he will definitely end that brat with his blade.”
Golden Child was also a genius of the generation and was very conceited. However, after seeing Li Qiye quickly dispatching Mo Lidao like killing a fly, his heart also sank. He knew that he was not Li Qiye’s match, so he didn’t dare to say anything when Li Qiye slapped the Divine Spark Prince. At that key moment, if he rushed in by himself, then that would be completely suicidal. He didn’t want to lose his life for the Divine Spark Prince.
Today, the Divine Spark Prince had lost all face. He was the prince of the Divine Spark Country and was always arrogant with his noble identity. Ever since his sister was betrothed to Di Zuo, the country’s status soared in the Sacred Nether World. No matter where he went, young cultivators and even geniuses would be very polite towards him.
Today, being humiliated by a human brat in front of so many people was the biggest shame of his life.
His gaze became extremely cruel as he spoke with a twisted expression: “Just wait, Little Animal, there is no need to wait for my brother-in-law just for an ant like you. My sister alone will be enough to deal with you! At that time, I will make you prostrate and lick my shoes!”
The prince would absolutely never forgive Li Qiye for giving him the biggest setback of his life. Once Li Qiye fell into his hands, he would take his time and slowly torture Li Qiye.
Many young cultivators did not agree with his words. He was clearly the first to provoke Li Qiye, but of course, no one would say it out loud.
The prince didn’t have the talent to join the elites of the younger generation; he wasn’t even equal to Golden Child, but many people were still wary of him. Whose fault was it that he had such a good sister and an amazing brother-in-law?
In fact, many people shivered after thinking about his sister, the Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden. She was not only a kingdom-toppling beauty, she also had a strong cultivation. In fact, she was even stronger than Golden Child!
Some had praised her as the prettiest beauty and the number one expert amongst the younger generation in the Distant Cloud. Part of this was flattery, but it was not only directed towards her, it was also for Di Zuo.
Whether she was the prettiest or not would depend on each person’s subjective view. However, she was definitely not the number one expert amongst the younger generation in the Distant Cloud. Nevertheless, no one dared to show contempt towards her. Her cultivation was indeed very deep and her strength was formidable — this was the reason for many young geniuses to dread her.
She was not just a beautiful flower vase since both her talents and cultivation were quite immense. Otherwise, how could she be a match for a character like Di Zuo?
This was the reason why many people showed dread when her name was brought up.
“Just wait, Little Animal, my sister is almost here!” The Divine Spark Prince vented his resentment.
Though many people disliked his bullying ways, their hearts shivered after hearing about the Phoenix Maiden who was about to arrive. If the Phoenix Maiden was coming, then didn’t that mean that Di Zuo — as her fiance — was coming as well?
Di Zuo was an existence high in the clouds, someone who would cause everyone to feel dejected. The younger generation didn’t want to see Di Zuo at all.
As long as Di Zuo was there, every genius, regardless of how talented or excellent they were, would not be able to shine. Before Di Zuo’s brilliance, all geniuses were eclipsed and were not worth a single coin.
Di Zuo was an insurmountable mountain that always pressured the young cultivators. They could not surpass him and could only continue to be suppressed by him!
***
Li Qiye embraced Qiurong Wanxue all the way back to their housing. She was still in a daze when he put her down. He then tapped her shoulder and smiled: “Qiurong, are you afraid, or are you recalling the feeling of being in my embrace and thinking that you don’t want to leave?”
Qiurong Wanxue’s mind returned to her hot body as she blushed while looking at him with a pair of eyes filled with limpid autumn water that was about to spill. 1
Ye Sha, who was lying on the ground, watched as Li Qiye approached. He really wanted to run away, but his body was unwilling. Li Qiye casually swatting away the tablet was not enough to kill Ye Sha, but it injured him to the point where he couldn’t lift a finger.
Li Qiye came closer and looked down at Ye Sha. Ye Sha was terrified, but he still put on a strong act: “What… what do you want to do!? Don’t forget… I am the descendant of the Nightwalker Sect. If… If you dare to kill me… then the Nightwalker Sect will not let you off! Even if you run to the corners of the world, the sect will still come for you!”
“Nightwalker Sect? What is that?” Li Qiye leisurely replied to Ye Sha’s threat. He then stomped down.
“No—” Ye Sha unwillingly screamed out, but it was too late. Li Qiye killed him with a stomp.
Chapter 450 - Nightsea Becomes Clear
She looked up at Li Qiye to find a slight smirk and his always-nonchalant attitude; all of these things were imprinted in her heart before she knew it. A flame enkindled deep within her when she looked at this young man right before her.
Qiurong Wanxue took a deep breath and suddenly mustered her courage. She approached and stretched out her jade-like hands to embrace his neck and couldn’t resist the urge to kiss his lips.
When their lips touched, her heart pounded hard as she lost control of her body. Despite her nervous state, she still decisively chose to kiss him longer.
This elegant woman was blushing like the evening sun. The kiss revealed her inexperience, but she remained persistent.
Li Qiye was surprised as he felt her soft, sweet lips. He then lifted this mature beauty’s face and resolutely tasted her lips. He showed no mercy as he pried his way in to cherish her fragrant tongue and didn’t allow for her to escape.
Qiurong Wanxue’s soul almost left her body from Li Qiye’s overbearing kiss as she felt her strength being sapped from her body. Her unskilled self let it all go; she slightly pushed out her tongue to let the man do as he pleased, she was like a moth drawn to the flame.
The passionate kiss led to Li Qiye’s hand caressing her voluptuous buttocks. With a pinch, she became weak and fell into his embrace. He then patted it and teased: “My beloved chief, do you want to warm my bed tonight?”
This suddenly caused her entire body to feel hot as her skin became dyed with an alluring shade; she was unable to remain calm from the embarrassment and quickly pushed him away. She couldn’t lift her head to look at him when she bashfully said: “In your dreams, I would never warm your bed!” Having said that, she ran away with her fastest speed.
She still felt the rush after having left Li Qiye behind. She gently bit her lips while recalling the embarrassing scene from earlier. It was as if she had been possessed by the young man’s charm and couldn’t help but to offer her first kiss. She didn’t know where she found the courage to do such a thing.
Eventually, the ripe beauty coquettishly scowled and didn’t dare to remember the event that just transpired.
***
The next morning, her face felt hot after she saw Li Qiye. He then playfully asked: “So? Did you not sleep well last night?” Li Qiye then winked in an innocent yet suggestive manner.
While being both ashamed and angry, she took in a deep breath to pacify her chaotic thoughts before glaring at him to say: “Less nonsensical babble. Where are we going today?”
Qiurong Wanxue was a mature and elegant lady so her flirty yet shy eyes had a completely different charm to it. The combination of these two things made her even more attractive.
Li Qiye smiled and freely responded: “We’ll be looking for someone. I don’t know whether we can find the person or not, though. If successful, then maybe we’ll be able to get some news.”
They then left the inn and went around Midtown. He specifically looked for alleys and noted certain markings around them. They went to several small alleys but they couldn’t find the person.
After walking through many alleys, Qiurong Wanxue curiously asked: “Who are we trying to find?”
“A guy in hiding who doesn’t want to meet others.” Li Qiye answered with a smile.
“Boom, boom!” However, as they continued on with their search, all of Midtown, no, all of Necropolis suddenly shook.
The shaking town scared Qiurong Wanxue as she asked: “What happened?”
Li Qiye felt the heaven and earth shake as he pulled Qiurong Wanxue up to the sky with a changed expression. He then gazed towards Nightsea and exclaimed: “It’s coming from Nightsea!”
“Rumble!” Nightsea was not that far away from where Li Qiye was. Everyone saw a terrifying scene. The splashing sounds of water contributed to an astonishing sight as a pillar of tides shot up straight to the sky, nearly piercing the nine heavens. This wave seemingly wanted to sweep through all the stars that hung above.
After reaching an unbelievable altitude, it started to descend while creating monstrous splashing sounds that were heard by everyone in Necropolis.
All were in fear, including the young cultivators from the outside as well as the local residents.
Long after the tide fell down, many people were still shaken since no one knew what was going on with this sudden development.
“It has to be Nightsea.” Li Qiye murmured. His expression changed after remembering a certain thing.
Qiurong Wanxue was stunned by this new development. She had never heard of a similar occurrence before. A tidal wave suddenly shot to the sky — this was too frightening. Just what on earth had occurred?
“What now? Do we go to Nightsea to take a look?” The frightened Qiurong Wanxue asked Li Qiye.
However, they didn’t need to go to Nightsea. In a short amount of time, new information spread across Necropolis. The messengers were cultivators from the outside along with the local ghosts.
“Nightsea is now clear!” A dazzling piece of news shocked all of Necropolis.
“Nightsea is clear? Impossible!” The first reaction to this news was disbelief.
The local inhabitants didn’t believe it either. Even as ghosts, they didn’t believe such an unimaginable thing.
For the past millions of years, Nightsea had always been as dark as ink. Even the longest living sentiment in Necropolis had never heard of Nightsea turning translucent.
“This cannot be any truer. Not only has it turned clear, it is no longer an ominous ground anymore. Anyone can enter without facing any dangers, and the handlers disappeared as well. I have a friend who was catching fish in Nightsea. He was sent into the sky by the tidal wave and thought that he would be dead for sure once he fell into Nightsea, but the water turned clear and it didn’t drown him!”
“How could this be…” Many people quickly went to check. When this sudden change occurred at Nightsea, many people were still fishing and were blown into the sky. They thought that they would be doomed for sure, but Nightsea was no longer dangerous by the time they fell into the water. All of the handlers disappeared as well.
Despite the new risk-free environment, these young cultivators all ran away from Nightsea in fear.
After confirming, many people headed towards Nightsea, including its ghostly inhabitants.
“What is going on?” Many people flocked to the shore and looked at the clear ocean water in astonishment. They rubbed their eyes repeatedly since they thought that it was merely an illusion.
However, this was not the case, this was reality. The previously pitch-black water was now as clear as crystal. One cultivator couldn’t help but jump into the water: “Come, we’ll go explore!”
In the beginning, the young ones were very cautious and only dipped one foot into the water. Once they found that nothing was wrong, they all traveled into Nightsea.
“It really is fine now, Nightsea is not drowning people anymore!” After discovering the lack of danger, many young cultivators excitedly rushed into the sea and swam around like flood dragons.
Before this, Nightsea was notorious for its dangers; once one fell into its waters, their only fate would be death. Thus, everyone was extremely careful at this place.
But now, Nightsea was not dangerous at all, so how could people not become excited?
Compared to the happy outsiders, Necropolis’ local ghosts were very cautious. These ghosts were still very afraid of Nightsea despite it being clear. They then went away; they were too reluctant to stay close to the shore.
“I wonder what actually happened.” Momentarily, many speculations formed around Necropolis to explain Nightsea’s change.
“Why did Nightsea suddenly become clear?” Qiurong Wanxue also found it hard to believe.
Li Qiye became quiet after hearing the news. He had several speculations to explain this change, but he could not be certain until he personally confirmed it.
“What should we do now? Do we still need to find that person?” Qiurong Wanxue asked her Young Noble.
“No, we have to go to the Ancestral Flow so I can meet someone.” Li Qiye pondered for a moment before replying.
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