Chapter 21: The Holy Cave (Part 1)
The next day, the elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were ready, so they invited Li Qiye to proceed. Chief Guardian Yu He personally acted as Li Qiye's charioteer, taking him to the very depths of the Nine Saints Demon Gate's Sect Territory!
Yu He's strength had reached the Prince Level. His Dao Practice made him a great figure who could dominate a region, not just within the Nine Saints Demon Gate, but throughout the entire Ancient Ox Territory. A figure of the Prince Level; a single stomp of his foot could make the earth tremble.
But today, a great figure like Yu He could only act as Li Qiye's charioteer. If word of this got out, no one would believe it.
The Nine Saints Demon Gate was founded by the Nine Saints Great Sage. After generations of management by its ancestors, the Nine Saints Demon Gate of today was extremely powerful. The sect's overall strength was considered absolutely first-rate in the Middle Grand Realm!
The Nine Saints Demon Gate's Earth Vein was vast and majestic. The Heaven and Earth Essence Qi was so dense and pervasive it shrouded the sect like a fog that would not disperse. Within the Sect Territory, this was even more pronounced; the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi was so thick it was almost impossible to dissipate.
In the deepest reaches of the Nine Saints Demon Gate's Sect Territory stood a Lonely Mountain, and atop this mountain was an Ancient Cave. The Ancient Cave was sealed, and no one knew for how many ages it had remained so. Beside the entrance, old vines coiled like horned dragons, and purple lingzhi mushrooms grew to the size of umbrellas. The cave mouth itself was mottled and ancient, eroded by the ceaseless passage of Time.
This was a Forbidden Land of the Nine Saints Demon Gate. Only those at the Elder Level or above were permitted to come here.
The Holy Cave. It was a place that had tantalized the Nine Saints Demon Gate since its founding, because the cave was said to hide a heaven-shocking treasure. The cave was left behind by the sect's Primordial Ancestor, the Nine Saints Great Sage. For millions of years, generations of Sect Leaders and experts from the Nine Saints Demon Gate had all failed to open it.
Legend had it that although the Nine Saints Great Sage established his Daoist Lineage and passed on his life's numerous Cultivation Techniques and Secret Techniques to his descendants, he still sealed certain things within the Holy Cave.
One legend claimed that the Nine Saints Great Sage, fearing his descendants might prove unworthy, left behind a final reserve. Should the Nine Saints Demon Gate ever fall into decline, as long as the Holy Cave remained, the sect would have a chance to rise again.
What treasures were left inside the Holy Cave was one of the greatest riddles for generations of disciples at the Nine Saints Demon Gate. However, the successive Sect Leaders and Elders all believed that inside the Holy Cave, there was absolutely an Immortal Emperor's Treasure.
This was because, according to legend, after Mingren Immortal Emperor shouldered the Celestial Mandate and began Ruling the World, he bestowed an Immortal Emperor's Treasure upon the Nine Saints Great Sage as a reward for his great service in protecting the Dao. However, the Nine Saints Great Sage never passed this Immortal Emperor's Treasure down to his disciples. Therefore, generations of disciples from the Nine Saints Demon Gate guessed that the Immortal Emperor's Treasure was definitely sealed within the Holy Cave!
An Immortal Emperor's Treasure! This was an invincible Treasure Soldier personally forged by Mingren Immortal Emperor himself, a weapon that had followed him into battle across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands. An Immortal Emperor's Treasure like this was far, far more powerful than a Great Sage True Artifact.
Although it wasn't an Immortal Emperor True Artifact, the mere prospect of an Immortal Emperor's Treasure was enough to fill everyone with longing.
Before the Holy Cave, all the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate held their breath. The cave mouth was mottled and incomparably ancient. Outside, an old tree grew so tall it seemed to prop up the heavens, its cracked bark resembling Dragon Scales.
Surprisingly, to the left of the ancient Holy Cave's entrance was a line of text. And while the cave itself was mottled and old, this line of characters still shone with a brilliant light.
"Only I, the Celestial Demon!" These five words were carved to the left of the Holy Cave. The calligraphy was majestic and grand, flowing and powerful. Each stroke and character seemed capable of piercing the Celestial Universe. Despite being eroded by the endless passage of Time, the words still emanated the aura of a Great Sage.
These five words had been personally carved by the Nine Saints Great Sage, and generations of disciples from the Nine Saints Demon Gate believed that they were the key to opening the Holy Cave.
The left side of the Holy Cave read, "Only I, the Celestial Demon," while the right side was blank. Therefore, generations of disciples from the Nine Saints Demon Gate believed it to be the first line of a couplet. If they could just write the matching line, the Holy Cave would open.
However, others believed that the five words, "Only I, the Celestial Demon," concealed a supreme Daoist Technique. Because every stroke of every character was in harmony with the Great Dao, they thought that if one could just comprehend the true Mystical Meaning of these words, they could open the Holy Cave.
Regardless of the theory, generations of disciples from the Nine Saints Demon Gate had tried both approaches. The most talented disciples had meditated here, attempting to comprehend the ultimate Mystical Meaning of the five words. Sect Leaders had even entered the mortal world to invite the most gifted scholars, hoping to complete the couplet on the right.
But no matter the method, for millions of years, no one had ever been able to open the Holy Cave!
"Only I, the Celestial Demon." Seeing these five words, Li Qiye couldn't help but break into a smile as a memory from long ago surfaced in his mind. In those days, he had invited the Nine Saints Great Sage to come out of seclusion and act as a protector for the Mingren Immortal Emperor.
At the time, the Nine Saints Great Sage wasn't yet called the Nine Saints Great Sage. He called himself the Nine Saints Celestial Demon, and he was both domineering and arrogant. When Li Qiye, as the Yin Ya, extended his invitation, the Nine Saints Great Sage flatly refused him. His slogan was also incredibly arrogant, proclaiming: "Only I, the Celestial Demon!"
So, seeing this phrase again today, Li Qiye couldn't help but smile. After the Mingren Immortal Emperor shouldered the Celestial Mandate, his own condition had become unstable, and he prepared to enter a deep slumber and seal himself away.
At the time he was sealing himself away, the Nine Saints Great Sage, hoping his Nine Saints Demon Gate would endure, left behind the Holy Cave. He told Li Qiye that he hoped, for old times' sake, Li Qiye would look after the Nine Saints Demon Gate in the future.
The moment he saw those five words, Li Qiye knew exactly how to open the Holy Cave. However, under the watchful gaze of the Nine Saints Demon Gate's Elders, he certainly couldn't open it right away.
Li Qiye approached the Holy Cave, touching it here and knocking on it there, putting on a great show of serious investigation. He fussed about for a long time, then shook his head. Finally, with an incomparably earnest expression, he began to ponder the five words, "Only I, the Celestial Demon."
Seeing Li Qiye fuss about for so long without any reaction from the Holy Cave, the elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were starting to lose their patience. Still, they remained silent, holding their breath and watching Li Qiye's every move.
Finally, Li Qiye simply sat down cross-legged before the Holy Cave, appearing to enter a state of deep Meditation. Time ticked by, from morning until afternoon. At last, the sun began to set, dyeing the sky red.
Li Qiye remained seated for the entire day. Finally, even great figures like the elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate could no longer contain their impatience.
"Is this going to work or not?" an elder couldn't help but mutter. "This kid... he's not just putting on an act, is he?"
Seeing that Li Qiye remained motionless, the other elders began to feel uncertain. However, they couldn't help but admit how bizarrely capable Li Qiye was. First, he had passed through fourteen levels of the Chaotic Heart Forest, and then he was able to communicate with the Guardian God. It made no sense at all; it was freakish to the extreme.
"Hmph. Maybe he just got lucky," an elder said with dissatisfaction. After all, the Holy Cave was a Forbidden Land of the Nine Saints Demon Gate. Letting an outsider attempt to unlock its secrets had already left a bad taste in some of the elders' mouths.
"Bring me a brush and ink!" Finally, just as the elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were growing restless, Li Qiye suddenly stood up and spoke with unhurried calm. 'My ass hurts from sitting here all day,' he thought.
An elder immediately brought him a brush and ink. Putting on a mysterious air, Li Qiye shook his head and said, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is! The Nine Saints Great Sage was truly incredible." Saying this, he dipped the brush in ink and began to write grandly on the right side of the entrance.
"A floor of chicken feathers!" Li Qiye's calligraphy could hardly be called a master's work. He wrote casually, and it couldn't compare to the powerful, flowing momentum of the Nine Saints Great Sage's characters.
"Only I, the Celestial Demon; a floor of chicken feathers!" An utterly mismatched couplet, two completely incompatible styles of calligraphy—it was beyond comical. In the eyes of others, it was a complete mockery!
When Li Qiye wrote out the five words, "a floor of chicken feathers," an elder's expression changed drastically. Those words were a direct insult to their Nine Saints Demon Gate. They were vulgar, an affront to refinement, and completely unworthy of being paired with the five words, "Only I, the Celestial Demon," on the Holy Cave's entrance.
"Insolence! How dare you humiliate the Nine Saints Demon Gate!" an elder with a dark expression roared.
Li Qiye shot him a sidelong glance and said calmly, "You're just a martial brute. What the hell do you know about literary subtleties? You don't even understand the painstaking effort of your own ancestor, so what the hell are you shouting about?"
"You—" Li Qiye's sheer arrogance made the elder's face flush red. His gaze turned sharp, and he looked ready to erupt with rage.
GRIND—GRIND—GRIND—Just as the elder was about to erupt, a heavy, grinding sound echoed out. The Holy Cave was slowly opening.
Instantly, the eyes of every elder from the Nine Saints Demon Gate went wide. They couldn't believe what they were seeing. For generations, their Sect Leaders and Elders had the most talented disciples attempt to comprehend the Mystical Meaning of the five words "Only I, the Celestial Demon." They had also invited the most brilliant scholars to try and complete the couplet. Yet, neither method had ever worked!
And yet, today, the crookedly written "a floor of chicken feathers" had somehow opened the Holy Cave. It was completely unbelievable! Those five words were an unworthy match for "Only I, the Celestial Demon" in every conceivable way. And yet, the impossible had happened, and the Holy Cave was open.
For a moment, all the elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were completely dumbfounded.
"Th-th-this... how is this possible!" one elder stammered. He couldn't believe his own eyes. This was just too ridiculous.
Li Qiye smirked and said nonchalantly, "That's because your Primordial Ancestor was a Chicken Spirit. Hence, a floor of chicken feathers!"
Of course, Li Qiye wasn't about to tell them the real secret. Back in the day, the Nine Saints Great Sage had been proud and arrogant, flatly refusing Li Qiye's invitation. However, this arrogant and powerful Great Sage ultimately fell at the hands of Li Qiye, who had taken the form of the Yin Ya. Li Qiye suppressed him, forced him to reveal his true form, stripped him of all his feathers, and laughingly dubbed the scene "a floor of chicken feathers"!