Chapter 11: My Arrogance, My Domineering Ways (Part 1)
Nan Huairun was no genius, but his aptitude was still decent; otherwise, he wouldn't have become a Hall Envoy. He had once skimmed through the "Qimen Saber" manual. In his opinion, the saber technique within was nothing more than an ordinary Martial Technique. Today, however, in Li Qiye's hands, it possessed a power that could turn the mundane into the miraculous.
Nan Huairun didn't entirely believe what Li Qiye was saying, but seeing was believing. He couldn't help but say, "No matter how strong a Martial Technique is, it can't be compared to a Daoist Technique. Martial Techniques are merely a peripheral branch."
In fact, even now, he found it hard to believe that the mere Qimen Saber Technique could kill a Cultivator of Du Yuanguang's level. And yet, he had witnessed it with his own eyes!
Li Qiye didn't bother to explain further in the face of Nan Huairun's disbelief. He simply said in a slow, leisurely manner, "That depends on whose Martial Technique, and whose Daoist Technique, we're talking about!"
Of course, Nan Huairun didn't know that although the Qimen Saber Technique originated from the mortal world, it had later been polished by the Mingren Immortal Emperor. This Swordsmanship couldn't compare to an Emperor Technique, but it was more than a match for any ordinary Daoist Technique.
Nan Huairun was riddled with shock and doubt. Before this, he would have definitely thought Li Qiye was arrogant and ignorant. Now, however, it seemed Li Qiye was anything but. His casual actions were enough to show he was completely confident, with victory already in his grasp.
This made Nan Huairun look at Li Qiye strangely. He, Nan Huairun, was worldly and adept at navigating social situations; one could say he had a knack for reading people and guessing their thoughts. But this thirteen-year-old Li Qiye before him was someone he couldn't figure out at all.
A thirteen-year-old like Li Qiye would normally be a disciple who had just recently joined the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Such disciples were usually green and excitable. Yet, this thirteen-year-old Li Qiye was as deep as an abyss and as still as stagnant water, giving off an indescribable and profound feeling.
A few days ago, Li Qiye had used the Xiyan Ancient Order from Three Ghosts Master to become the Chief Disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. With his Mortal Life, Mortal Wheel, and Mortal Body, let alone the Six Great Elders, even Nan Huairun himself felt that Li Qiye was someone with no future.
When he first met Li Qiye, he even thought Li Qiye was a bit of a lunatic—perhaps even arrogantly conceited, ignorant, and fearless. But now, reflecting on his interactions with Li Qiye over the past few days, he realized that what he considered arrogant and ignorant acts were, in Li Qiye's eyes, perfectly natural and to be expected!
While Nan Huairun was lost in shock and doubt, his master, Guardian Mo, was completely overwhelmed with worry. They had killed a disciple of the Nine Saints Demon Gate, and Du Yuanguang was a disciple highly valued by Guardian Xu. This was practically inviting a cataclysmic disaster upon the Xiyan Ancient Sect!
"Catastrophe is upon us!" Guardian Mo felt helpless. "Forget about the assessment. We're returning to the sect!" Right now, the three of them were in the Nine Saints Demon Gate's territory—it was like being in a dragon's lake or a tiger's den!
The three of them stood no chance against a behemoth like the Nine Saints Demon Gate. Guardian Mo had only one thought now: 'Flee! Flee the Nine Saints Demon Gate and get back to the Xiyan Ancient Sect.'
"This is a trivial matter. Why the need to flee?" However, Li Qiye, the one at the center of it all, remained perfectly calm. Lounging on the Grandmaster's Throne with a certain air about him, he said slowly, "In my opinion, there's no place safer than the Nine Saints Demon Gate."
Guardian Mo shot Li Qiye a fierce glare. He wanted to slap the boy's arrogant and ignorant face a few times, but with disaster looming, he had neither the mood nor the interest to teach Li Qiye a lesson!
"What the hell do you know!" Even a man of few words like Guardian Mo couldn't stop himself from swearing. "You think you're invincible just because you got lucky and killed one Du Yuanguang? You have no idea how powerful the Nine Saints Demon Gate is! Forget their elders or the Demon Emperor; even one of their Guardians is enough to take on all Six Great Elders of our Xiyan Ancient Sect! For the Nine Saints Demon Gate, killing us would be easier than crushing an ant!"
What Guardian Mo said was the truth. If the Six Great Elders of the Xiyan Ancient Sect were in an Upper Country, they would only be considered figures at the Heroic Hero level. However, the Hall Masters of the Nine Saints Demon Gate had the power to be ranked as Heroic Heroes, and as for their elders, it went without saying. And as for the Demon Emperor of the Nine Saints Demon Gate, he had created an unparalleled miracle in the last thirty thousand years! Legend had it that the Sun Demon Emperor of the Nine Saints Demon Gate was already unfathomably powerful!
"Guardian Mo, there's no need to worry." Li Qiye spoke with the same unperturbed calm. "It's merely the Nine Saints Demon Gate. If we were outside, I might actually be a little nervous. But here, inside the Nine Saints Demon Gate, it remains to be seen who will be crushing whom! Heroic Heroes and Princes? They are nothing worth mentioning!"
Li Qiye's arrogant words made Guardian Mo tremble with rage. The Six Great Elders of their Xiyan Ancient Sect were merely at the Heroic Hero level, yet now, a disciple who had just joined and knew nothing about Daoist Techniques dared to claim that Heroic Heroes and Princes were nothing worth mentioning.
"You—" Guardian Mo truly wanted to give this arrogant, ignorant brat a good slapping!
However, at that very moment, a commotion erupted outside! Nan Huairun's expression changed, and he rushed out to see what was happening. But he quickly rushed back in, his face pale, and cried out, "This is bad! Disciples from the Nine Saints Demon Gate have sealed off our courtyard!"
Guardian Mo's expression changed drastically. He shot to his feet just as several people walked in from outside. The one in the lead was none other than Hall Lord Fu, whose expression was currently as grim as it could be.
"Brother Fu, there's been a small misunderstanding between our two sects!" Seeing Hall Lord Fu enter with a cold expression, Guardian Mo knew there was no escape. He took a deep breath and forced himself to step forward.
"Misunderstanding? If it's a misunderstanding, take it up with our Nephew Xu!" Hall Lord Fu snorted coldly and stepped aside, revealing a young man standing beside him.
This young man was dressed in a Golden Robe. His Blood Qi surged, and a faint golden light emanated from behind his head. He looked to be only about twenty years old, yet he already possessed an astonishing aura.
Upon seeing this young man, Guardian Mo's heart grew cold. 'This young man... I'm afraid he's at the True Fate Realm!' To reach such a realm at this age was truly remarkable. Back in the day, it had taken him fifty or sixty years to reach the same level!
"This is Guardian Xu's chief disciple, Nephew Xu Hui! Du Yuanguang was about to become a disciple under Guardian Xu. Now that he has died a tragic death, Nephew Xu is here to demand justice!" Hall Lord Fu said coldly.
The moment Xu Hui stepped forward, golden light flickered in his eyes. His entire being exuded an oppressive aura, like a Divine Sword drawn from its sheath. A fierce energy surrounded him, as if he was ready to choose a victim and devour them.
Xu Hui was, of course, much stronger than Du Yuanguang. While he couldn't be called a peerless genius within the Nine Saints Demon Gate, he was still a highly accomplished disciple who could already stand on his own.
"A life for a life, a debt of blood paid in blood. There is nothing more to say!" Xu Hui said grimly, his gaze like that of a Fierce Beast. He stared at Li Qiye as if he wanted to tear him to shreds on the spot.
Guardian Mo hastily tried to smooth things over, saying, "Fellow Daoist Xu, there's a misunderstanding here. My sect's disciple did not kill Nephew Du intentionally; it was an accident."
"A life for a life!" Xu Hui said grimly. "There is nothing to negotiate. The Xiyan Ancient Sect will hand over the culprit immediately. Don't make a fatal mistake. Otherwise, your Xiyan Ancient Sect is courting its own destruction. Be careful not to invite the calamity of annihilation upon your sect!"
Xu Hui was merely a third-generation disciple. Guardian Mo was, at the very least, on the same level as Hall Lord Fu. In terms of position, he was even on par with Xu Hui's master, Master Xu. Yet a third-generation disciple was being this aggressive.
More importantly, as a Guardian, Guardian Mo could not possibly hand over a disciple from his own sect to be slaughtered by others! Therefore, Guardian Mo's expression changed, and he said in a low voice, "Nephew Xu, right and wrong should be determined by a fair judgment!"
"Judgment?" Xu Hui's expression turned cold. He laughed grimly and said, "In my Nine Saints Demon Gate, there is no judgment! Those who kill a disciple of my Nine Saints Demon Gate can only atone with their lives!"
"No wonder..." At this moment, Li Qiye slowly rose to his feet. Composed and unhurried, he walked forward, glanced once at Xu Hui, and said, "No wonder the Nine Saints Demon Gate is such a cesspool. It's because it's full of idiots like you!"
Li Qiye's words left both Nan Huairun and Guardian Mo speechless. Nan Huairun screamed internally, 'My great ancestor, it wouldn't kill you to say a few less words! Pointing at Xu Hui's nose and calling him an idiot? Isn't that just adding fuel to the fire?'
"For those words alone, you deserve to die a thousand times!" Xu Hui's anger surged to the heavens, his killing intent a raging tide. Before his words had even faded, a large hand shot out to grab Li Qiye!
As a Guardian of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, Guardian Mo naturally couldn't let Xu Hui succeed. He took a single stride forward, intercepting Xu Hui's large hand with one of his own.
"Guardian Mo, you are making a mistake!" At this moment, Hall Lord Fu, who had been standing to the side, spoke coldly. Light pulsed around his body as he stepped forward, blocking Guardian Mo. His terrifying aura pressed down on Guardian Mo, making it hard for him to breathe.
Guardian Mo's expression changed drastically. Hall Lord Fu's strength was at the Heroic Hero level, far greater than his own. Unless an elder was present, no one from the Xiyan Ancient Sect was his match! But at this moment, Guardian Mo had no path of retreat.
"Hall Lord Fu, is this how your Nine Saints Demon Gate treats its guests?" Guardian Mo could not back down! No matter what kind of person he was, he would absolutely protect his own in front of an enemy!
Hall Lord Fu said grimly, "If you hand over the culprit, Guardian Mo, you will still be an honored guest of my Nine Saints Demon Gate! But if you, Guardian Mo, believe your Xiyan Ancient Sect can make an enemy of my Nine Saints Demon Gate and continue to shelter this criminal, then I fear it won't just be you who is in danger. I'm afraid you will bring the calamity of annihilation upon your Xiyan Ancient Sect!"
"Calamity of annihilation?" At this moment, Li Qiye, who had been left standing on the side, gave a faint smile. "The Nine Saints Demon Gate thinks too highly of itself. If any sect is going to be annihilated, it will be yours!"
Both Guardian Mo and Nan Huairun couldn't help but shoot Li Qiye a fierce glare. A life-threatening disaster was imminent, yet he was still spouting such arrogant nonsense.
Li Qiye's arrogant and domineering life has only just begun. It needs everyone's voting support. Please cast your precious votes ^－^