Chapter 19: Arrogance Needs No Occasion (Part 1)
The Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate watched Li Qiye, their hearts filled with stifled anger. A mere Mortal with a Mortal Body, Mortal Wheel, and Mortal Life could actually communicate with their sect's Guardian God. It was simply outrageous.
If Li Qiye were a disciple of their Nine Saints Demon Gate, it would be one thing. But he had explicitly refused to become one! Their own Guardian God was protecting an outsider, first trampling Guardian Xu to death, then severely injuring Yu He and the Great Elder. How could this not fill the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate with stifled anger?
"Young Master Li, would you be willing to share the secret to communicating with our sect's Guardian God?" the Sun Demon Emperor's voice rang out.
Li Qiye couldn't help but smile. He shook his head and said, "A secret to communicating? I don't have one. Since they're your Guardian Gods, you should know them better than I do."
Of course, Li Qiye couldn't tell the Sun Demon Emperor the real secret. Back in the Desolate Era, he had been the Yin Ya. After spending immeasurable effort to lay a monumental scheme, he finally managed to escape the Immortal Demon Cave. But across those millions of years, he had endured countless hardships and weathered the endless passage of Time. He came to understand one truth: 'If I want to control my own destiny, I must become powerful enough!'
Back then, his soul was trapped within the Yin Ya, unable to cultivate. Therefore, he could only rely on other methods to protect himself. Fortunately, he had been to many places others couldn't even dream of and knew countless shocking secrets. And so, he planned every step meticulously, plotting across the eons, all to protect himself.
The four Guardian Gods of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were once among his assets. He had spent an unknown amount of effort to unearth the Four Symbols Stone Men from an ancient land. For a long stretch of Time, the Four Symbols Stone Men had served as his protectors.
Later, the Primordial Ancestor of the Nine Saints Demon Gate, the Nine Saints Great Sage, served as a Protector for Mingren Immortal Emperor. He rendered countless meritorious services in helping the emperor bear the Celestial Mandate. At that time, the Nine Saints Great Sage had always coveted Li Qiye's Four Symbols Stone Men. He pestered Li Qiye countless times, begging for them. Afterward, once Mingren Immortal Emperor shouldered the Celestial Mandate and reigned over the Eight Desolations, Li Qiye took into account the Nine Saints Great Sage's unwavering loyalty, his monumental achievements, and his success in saving him on several occasions. Thus, he lent the Four Symbols Stone Men to the Nine Saints Great Sage to guard the sect and shelter his descendants.
After the Nine Saints Great Sage successfully obtained the Four Symbols Stone Men, he had them stand guard over the Nine Saints Demon Gate's Earth Vein, a place rich in Heaven and Earth Essence Qi. The Four Symbols Stone Men, in turn, used this Earth Vein to nourish themselves.
However, the Nine Saints Great Sage and Li Qiye had an agreement: unless the Nine Saints Demon Gate faced a sect-destroying calamity, the Four Symbols Stone Men would not emerge. The Four Symbols Stone Men were not the Nine Saints Demon Gate's personal thugs; they would not act as bodyguards for its descendants!
The Nine Saints Demon Gate developed quite well. At first, it was sheltered by the behemoth that was the Xiyan Ancient Sect. After the Xiyan Ancient Sect's decline, the Nine Saints Demon Gate became independent, and far from declining itself, it thrived. Thus, while the Nine Saints Demon Gate had its ups and downs, it never faced a sect-destroying calamity. For this very reason, the Four Symbols Stone Men had always remained stationed atop the sect's Earth Vein, never once revealing their Divine Techniques.
Li Qiye himself had brought the Four Symbols Stone Men out of that ancient land, so of course he knew how to communicate with them. That was why, last time, he had climbed onto the stone man's shoulder and sat there chatting—he was communicating with the Four Symbols Stone Men.
Of course, no outsider could possibly know the monumental secret behind all of this.
"If Young Master Li is willing to tell us the secret to communicating with them, our Nine Saints Demon Gate will absolutely reward you generously. Whatever you need, just say the word. Our Nine Saints Demon Gate will not hesitate," the Sun Demon Emperor persisted, unwilling to give up. He knew the value of the four Guardian Gods; if they could communicate with them, it would be a game-changer!
At this moment, all the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate were staring at Li Qiye. A single stone elephant had casually swatted Elder Yun away with one hand. If all four were to act, it would be unimaginable. If the Nine Saints Demon Gate could truly communicate with the four Guardian Gods, the implications would be absolutely astounding!
"There's no real secret. We just chat, talk about everyday things, reminisce about old times. That's all," Li Qiye said with a smile. In a way, his words were true; he just hadn't revealed the whole story behind them.
Of course, neither the Sun Demon Emperor nor the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate believed him. But what could they do? They couldn't possibly force Li Qiye; otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"However, there is one thing I should inform you of," Li Qiye said nonchalantly while the Sun Demon Emperor was silent. "I need to perform a blood offering with the four Guardian Gods."
The moment Li Qiye said this, everyone from the Sun Demon Emperor to the Elders present was inwardly shocked. A blood offering with the Guardian Gods carried a completely different meaning!
"Those are the Guardian Gods of our Nine Saints Demon Gate," the Sun Demon Emperor said gravely.
Li Qiye waved his hand dismissively. "They will still be your Nine Saints Demon Gate's Guardian Gods," he said calmly. "They will continue to stand guard over your Nine Saints Demon Vein's Earth Vein. It's just that, from time to time, I may need to borrow them."
"The four Divine Statues are the Guardian Gods of our Nine Saints Demon Gate! No one but our own disciples may command them. No outsiders!" an elder blurted out, unable to contain himself. To have their own Guardian Gods borrowed by someone else was simply intolerable.
Li Qiye glanced at him, perfectly calm and composed. "This isn't for you to decide," he said. "If you're not happy about it, you can take it up with your Guardian Gods." 'If it weren't for the promise I made to the Nine Saints Great Sage, I'd take the Four Symbols Stone Men with me right now, and the Nine Saints Demon Gate wouldn't be able to stop me!'
"You—!" The elder's anger flared, and he felt utterly infuriated.
"Since Young Master Li can communicate with our Guardian Gods, their awakening is not necessarily a bad thing," the Sun Demon Emperor said thoughtfully.
In truth, the Sun Demon Emperor had no choice. It was obvious the four Divine Statues were protecting Li Qiye, and that was something they couldn't change. Even though the Nine Saints Demon Gate was powerful and possessed a profound heritage, it made no difference.
But a single Divine Statue had casually swatted the Great Elder away with one hand. Even a prodigy of the Sun Demon Emperor's caliber felt no confidence in facing it.
"Now that's what a smart person would do." Li Qiye gave a faint smile. "Don't assume that me communicating with your Guardian Gods is a bad thing for the Nine Saints Demon Gate. If I truly meant you harm, you wouldn't even have the chance to be sitting here! If I decided to flatten the Nine Saints Demon Gate today, unless your Primordial Ancestor was reborn, who could possibly stand in my way!"
The Nine Saints Demon Gate was an immense power, ruler of the Ancient Ox Territory. Countless sects within that territory bowed before it! Its Elders were so mighty that a single stomp of their foot could make the world tremble! And the Sun Demon Emperor was even more exceptional. Ever since the Celestial Transformation thirty thousand years ago, achieving the level of True Master had become incredibly difficult, yet the Sun Demon Emperor had defied the odds and ascended to a terrifying realm!
And yet, right in front of these very Elders, right before the Sun Demon Emperor himself, Li Qiye had uttered such insolent words. It was an act of supreme arrogance.
Naturally, Li Qiye's words infuriated the members of the Nine Saints Demon Gate. The Elders all glared at him, but Li Qiye simply remained seated, offering a placid smile, the picture of confidence.
"In that case, Young Master Li, you may perform the blood offering." The Sun Demon Emperor acquiesced. As a man of immense talent, he had a nagging feeling that if he refused, the Nine Saints Demon Gate's Guardian Gods might just leave with Li Qiye. He didn't know why the Guardian Gods would choose a junior with a mere Mortal Body, but he was certain there was far more to this than met the eye.
"You play by the rules, and so will I," Li Qiye said with a smile. "The four Guardian Gods will remain your Guardian Gods."
This outcome left the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate feeling deeply resentful, but there was nothing they could do to change it unless they were prepared to have a complete falling out with Li Qiye. When it came to the four Guardian Gods, however, the Elders had no confidence whatsoever. Their Great Elder was powerful, wasn't he? Yet a single Guardian God had sent him flying with one palm strike. What would happen if all four attacked at once?
They dared not imagine the consequences. If all four Guardian Gods attacked simultaneously, they feared no one in the Nine Saints Demon Gate could withstand them!
"Young Master Li…" After a long, thoughtful silence, the Sun Demon Emperor finally spoke. "Our Nine Saints Demon Gate possesses a Holy Land that we have never been able to open. I wonder if you would be interested in taking a look?"
"Your Majesty, no!" one of the elders exclaimed hastily when the Sun Demon Emperor made his offer.
"It does no harm to let Young Master Li have a look," the Sun Demon Emperor interrupted, his voice filled with unquestionable authority.
Hearing this, Li Qiye's eyes lit up. "The Holy Cave, you mean? The one left behind by your Primordial Ancestor, the Nine Saints Great Sage." At that moment, he recalled something else.
'Old Chicken Head mentioned this once. It was after Mingren Immortal Emperor had shouldered the Celestial Mandate. My state was very unstable back then, and I was about to enter a long slumber. Old Chicken Head had brought it up half-jokingly, but I was capable of grooming even an Immortal Emperor at the time. I had little interest in such matters, so I never explicitly agreed to help!'
At this, all the Elders of the Nine Saints Demon Gate stared at Li Qiye. Very, very few people knew about the Holy Cave.
"That's right—" Li Qiye's words invigorated the Sun Demon Emperor. "If you can open the Holy Cave, Young Master Li, the Nine Saints Demon Gate will reward you handsomely."
Li Qiye tilted his head, thinking. He carefully recalled what Old Chicken Head had said all those years ago before finally nodding. "Open the Holy Cave? I can give it a try. But if I succeed, I have one condition: one item inside must be mine. The rest will belong to the Nine Saints Demon Gate."
"This…" Even the Sun Demon Emperor hesitated at Li Qiye's words. One of the elders couldn't help but chime in, "Your Majesty, perhaps this is a matter we need to discuss further."
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Every one of the author's achievements is built on the support of our readers. Please bookmark, vote for, and support the novel. Every little bit helps build it up! ^_^