Chapter 22: Holy Cave (Part 2)
That was right. The Nine Saints Great Sage was indeed a mountain chicken who had attained cultivation. He became one of the most powerful Great Sages of his era, once sweeping through the Eight Desolations with ostentatious fame. In the end, however, he fell at Li Qiye's hands and agreed to come out of seclusion to act as a Guardian for Mingren Immortal Emperor!
"Celestial Demon, Only I" was the slogan of the Nine Saints Great Sage, while "a floor full of chicken feathers" was Li Qiye's taunt back then. The world had no idea about the secret behind this!
This outrageous scene was difficult for the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate to believe. For generations, the Sect Leaders and geniuses of the Nine Saints Demon Gate had pondered the ultimate mystical meaning behind the four words "Celestial Demon, Only I." Yet, who would have thought that the ultimate meaning was "a floor full of chicken feathers"!
Li Qiye calling their Primordial Ancestor a "Chicken Spirit" was a great disrespect. However, now that the Elders thought about it carefully, there was indeed some logic to it. Their Primordial Ancestor, the Nine Saints Great Sage, was truly a mountain chicken who had achieved the Dao!
"Let's see what goodies your ancestor left for you." Li Qiye gave a carefree smile, ignoring the reactions of the Nine Saints Demon Gate's Elders as he walked into the Holy Cave.
The Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate snapped back to their senses and immediately followed him into the Holy Cave!
Inside the Holy Cave was a single Treasure Room. The moment they stepped inside, divine lights pulsed and immortal rays surged, illuminating the room with a brilliance that was dazzling to the eyes.
Within the Treasure Room, Treasure Artifacts hung in the air, Immortal Iron was hidden away, and Divine Stones were left behind. There were also Ancient Boxes containing Treasure Manuals... For a moment, the multicolored lights within the room were so overwhelming it felt dreamlike.
'This old Chicken Spirit had quite a lot of treasures,' Li Qiye murmured, his gaze sweeping across the room. The Nine Saints Great Sage truly lived up to his name as one of the strongest Great Sages of his time; the collection of treasures he had amassed in his life was indeed astonishing.
"What did you say?" The Great Elder, who was closest to Li Qiye, heard him and couldn't help but ask.
Li Qiye shook his head and said, "Nothing. I was just talking to myself." His words, however, made the Great Elder watch him with suspicion. He felt that this thirteen-year-old boy before him was simply too uncanny!
"The Purple Dragon Twin Swords—" An elder stared at the Treasure Artifacts floating in the Treasure Room, momentarily lost in a daze. "The Demon-Slaying Tower, the Nine-Star River Ladle, the Holy Heaven Wooden Ship... Th-these are all treasures recorded in the sect's annals!"
"Th-this is the Cyan Wood Ancient Secret..." another elder said in astonishment, spotting the Secret Manuals on a shelf in the Treasure Room.
At this moment, the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were all momentarily lost in a daze. It seemed their Primordial Ancestor had only passed down half of his treasures and Cultivation Techniques back then!
In truth, the Nine Saints Great Sage did have a great many treasures. In addition to what he had acquired over his lifetime, after Mingren Immortal Emperor shouldered the Celestial Mandate, he also bestowed many treasures upon him in recognition of his hard work and great merit as a Guardian along the path.
"An... an Immortal Emperor's Treasure!" At this moment, the Great Elder's gaze fell upon a jade case in the very center of the Treasure Room. Inside the jade case was an incomparably ancient box. Although the box was sealed, the seal still couldn't contain the wisps of Emperor's Qi pulsing from within.
Although the Immortal Emperor's Treasure inside only revealed a single wisp of Emperor's Qi, that wisp was loftier than the heavens. As it escaped, it felt as if the Nine Heavens were crashing down, the Celestial Mandate was in flux, the Ten Thousand Realms were paying homage, and all living beings in the world had to prostrate themselves before this single wisp of Emperor's Qi!
"An Immortal Emperor's Treasure—" At this point, the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate couldn't help but tremble inwardly, deeply excited. An Immortal Emperor's Treasure! This was an item left behind by an Immortal Emperor, personally forged by Mingren Immortal Emperor himself!
"Don't forget, I get to pick one treasure first." Just as the Nine Saints Demon Gate's Elders were getting excited, Li Qiye's leisurely words fell like a bucket of cold water over their heads.
The Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate couldn't help but stare at Li Qiye with blazing eyes. If Li Qiye really chose the Immortal Emperor's Treasure, wouldn't all their hopes have been for nothing?
Faced with the Elders' blazing gazes, Li Qiye remained calm and composed. He wasn't the least bit afraid that the Nine Saints Demon Gate would go back on their word. Even with all the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate present, he was still completely at ease.
Finally, the Great Elder took a deep breath and spoke. "My Nine Saints Demon Gate keeps its word. Since His Majesty made a promise, the Nine Saints Demon Gate will absolutely not go back on it!" As he said this, his words were filled with bitterness. This was an Immortal Emperor's Treasure, but the Sun Demon Emperor had given his word first, so they couldn't renege!
"I suppose you have some backbone after all." Li Qiye's expression was as placid as an ancient well, still completely composed. He spoke slowly, "I'm starting to appreciate your Sun Demon Emperor a little."
Li Qiye's arrogant words left the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate speechless. Their Demon Emperor was a hegemon of his generation, a man of immense talent. Not to mention the Middle Grand Realm, even in the entire Emperor's Domain, their Sun Demon Emperor was an extraordinary figure.
Today, a mere thirteen-year-old boy was spouting nonsense, claiming to 'appreciate' their Demon Emperor, His Majesty. If outsiders heard this, they would laugh their heads off.
This wasn't the first time the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate had witnessed Li Qiye's arrogance. Faced with such brazen words, what could they do but remain speechless?
CLAP—CLAP—CLAP— As the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate stood there speechless, Li Qiye clapped three times. As the sound of his applause faded, an Ancient Box from within the Treasure Room flew out and landed in his hand.
Without a second glance, Li Qiye stuffed the Ancient Box into his robes and said nonchalantly, "It's just an Immortal Emperor's Treasure. Is there any need to be so tense?" With that, he turned and left.
For a moment, the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were too stunned to react. There were two reasons for their shock. First, Li Qiye had clapped three times and the Ancient Box had flown into his hand—this was simply too uncanny. At the same time, they were curious about what was actually inside that box. Second, in Li Qiye's mouth, an Immortal Emperor's Treasure seemed to have become something unimportant. Anyone with a shred of common sense knew what an Immortal Emperor's Treasure signified, yet Li Qiye spoke of it so casually. He was just too arrogant!
By the time the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate came to their senses, Li Qiye was already gone. After recovering, the Elders busied themselves with cataloging the treasures and Ancient Secrets in the Treasure Room, moving each Treasure Artifact and piece of Divine Gold into the Nine Saints Demon Gate's treasury...
By the time the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate finished with everything, three days had already passed. During these three days, the Nine Saints Demon Gate could be said to have entertained Li Qiye and his two companions with the highest possible courtesy.
「Three days later.」
Yu He came to invite Li Qiye once more. As the Chief Guardian, Yu He again carried Li Qiye up to the Celestial Hall. A man of his stature, who was worthy of being enfeoffed as a Prince, had been reduced to a groom and a coolie, yet he had no complaints. By now, he understood Li Qiye's importance to the Nine Saints Demon Gate.
In the Celestial Hall, all the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were present, but the Sun Demon Emperor still did not show his face. Today, the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate looked at Li Qiye with strange expressions. They could only say one thing about him: 'Too uncanny!'
After Li Qiye was seated, the Sun Demon Emperor's voice rang out once again. "I have not yet emerged from my seclusion and am unable to meet Young Master Li in person. This is truly a pity."
The Sun Demon Emperor was an incredible figure, an Overlord of his generation who could look down upon the entire Middle Grand Realm. Yet today, he was speaking so politely to a thirteen-year-old boy. If word of this got out, it would absolutely shake the entire Emperor's Domain!
"There will be plenty of time in the future. There's no rush." Even facing a Demon Emperor of this generation, Li Qiye remained composed and at ease, sitting there leisurely without a trace of stage fright.
The Sun Demon Emperor was silent for a long time before his voice rang out again. "Young Master Li, what do you think about staying with my Nine Saints Demon Gate? Whatever the Xiyan Ancient Sect can give you, my Nine Saints Demon Gate can give you as well!"
When the Sun Demon Emperor said this, the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate remained very calm. Without a doubt, the Sun Demon Emperor had already discussed this matter with them.
The Sun Demon Emperor's words made Li Qiye fall silent for a moment. Without a doubt, the Nine Saints Demon Gate held a greater advantage compared to the Xiyan Ancient Sect. The Nine Saints Demon Gate of today was countless times stronger than the Xiyan Ancient Sect! For any cultivator, especially a disciple of the younger generation, if forced to choose between the two, they would definitely choose the Nine Saints Demon Gate.
In the end, Li Qiye smiled and gently shook his head. "I thank the Demon Emperor for his kind intentions. I have a karmic connection with the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Since I am the Chief Disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, I will be a disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect for my entire life!"
He had too many feelings for the Xiyan Ancient Sect. 'Although I later grew to dislike the successive Sect Leaders who ran the Xiyan Ancient Sect, especially Mingren Immortal Emperor's chief disciple, and I never returned after Mingren Immortal Emperor left, it was, in the end, a sect that I built with my own hands!'
'Although the Nine Saints Demon Gate is far stronger than the Xiyan Ancient Sect today, there are pros and cons to both. What's more, I don't mind rebuilding the Xiyan Ancient Sect!'
'I didn't choose to stay in Heavenly Sea City, so it's even more impossible for me to stay in the Nine Saints Demon Gate. I have my reasons for choosing the Xiyan Ancient Sect.'
"Hmph, the mere Xiyan Ancient Sect, how can it possibly compare to our Nine Saints Demon Gate!" an elder snorted in dissatisfaction.
It was no wonder the elder from the Nine Saints Demon Gate was dissatisfied. Today, their Nine Saints Demon Gate ruled the Ancient Ox Territory, commanded a hundred other sects, and enfeoffed kings within their domain. Countless people wished to join them. Yet today, their Sun Demon Emperor had personally asked Li Qiye to stay, and he had refused. This was a great loss of face.
In response to the elder's words, Li Qiye simply curled the corner of his lip and said calmly, "A true expert does not care if their sect is strong or weak. A truly invincible person does not care if they come from royalty or from the weeds!"
These words made the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate gasp. With a calm and even tone, he had spoken the most domineering and confident words imaginable!
Yet, such words came from a thirteen-year-old boy. However, Li Qiye's composure, his tranquility, was nothing like that of an arrogant and ignorant person spouting empty boasts.
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