Chapter 43: First Elders Plan (1) (2/2)

Not bad. Such mastery at pus.h.i.+ng and pulling; as expected from a one thousand year old fox. Li Qiye was impressed with the sly conducts of Tu Buyu. If the disciple was like this, then what would the master, Su Yonghuang, be like? [1]

Li Qiye only smiled after he finished speaking. Right now, he didn’t want to cause a commotion in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect; once his cultivation reached an acceptable height, he would take action and deal with everything.

Leaving Tu Buyu to the side, Li Qiye directly commanded Nan Huairen: “Huairen, go bring all the information regarding the merit laws that are currently being practiced by the disciples at the Cleansing Jade Peak to my place; I want to see what they are playing with.”

Nan Huairen quickly affirmed and turned around to take care of it without neglect.

However, before Nan Huairen had returned, Li Qiye was invited to meet the First Elder via his disciple.

***

The Cleaning Ancient Incense Sect used to have over one thousand primary peaks; however, right now, there were only seventy-three peaks, and even these seventy-three were withering; the natural world energy within them had slowly been depleted.

As the First Elder, Elder Gu was qualified to own the tallest peak containing the highest amount of natural world energy in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect.

As a third generation disciple like Li Qiye, being invited to a private conversation with the First Elder would be considered a tremendous honor in the eyes of the other young disciples.

Li Qiye comfortably sat in the hall, facing the First Elder, without any worries or nervousness.

The two of them stared at each other for a long, yet, as they examined each other’s att.i.tude, no one was willing to make the first move.

Eventually, the First Elder couldn’t wait any longer; he sighed and opened his mouth: “Li Qiye, this seat does not understand you. If others say that you are from the Nine Saint Demon Gate, then you are too irrationally arrogant.” [2]

The First Elder was quite blatant with his words; then, he too might as well open the sky for a truly clear and direct conversation. Li Qiye smiled indifferently and said: “What is the First Elder’s implication? That I am a spy from the Nine Saint Demon Gate?”

“This isn’t something that can be confirmed or denied on my own.” The First Elder wittily responded.

Li Qiye smiled after hearing these words; this answer was not outside the realm of his expectation. He stared at the First Elder for a moment, he then inquired: “How others look at it doesn’t matter. The most essential thing, here, is your opinion. What does the First Elder think about my teaching of the Dao at the Cleansing Jade Peak?”

The First Elder stood up and went to a window. He silently stood there, without saying a word, akin to a statue. After a while, he turned around, stared at Li Qiye, and then said: “I, alone, cannot administrate everything in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, especially during this time.”

“It seems like the four Elders att.i.tudes has been shaken!” Li Qiye smiled and thought about the words of Tu Buyu. He understood the thoughts of the First Elder. Although the four Elders had always supported Elder Gu, a long period of time could whither or shake their att.i.tudes; Cao Xiong’s ambition for the Sect Master’s seat had been apparent for a long time. It would be strange if they didn’t reconsider their att.i.tudes.

“I was born and raised in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, and my master was my benefactor; his kindness, to me, was as heavy as a mountain.” The First Elder’s tone became heavy and continued: “I do not want to see the day where the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect suffers a great calamity befallen from the heavens.”

Li Qiye was silently listening. A moment later, the voice of the First Elder rang again: “Our enemy isn’t the people in our sect; they are from external forces such as the Heavenly G.o.d Sect.”

“Elder, please guide me through this maze.” Li Qiye nodded, accompanied by a rare serious att.i.tude, and he inquired. [3]

The First Elder sat down, gently sighed, and then he said: “Thirty thousand years ago, our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect fought a battle with the Heavenly G.o.d Sect. We suffered a crus.h.i.+ng defeat in our national capital, and we had to run back to the sect’s territory, losing complete control of the kingdom. Thirty thousand years ago, till now, all of our great predecessors from the older generations had met their origins; our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect’s decline was inevitable and irrevocable. Although we had fallen, we still possess certain things that the Heavenly G.o.d Sect coveted. The Heavenly G.o.d Sect has not made any moves; it is because they still have some reservations. If one day, the Heavenly G.o.d Sect finds out that we do not have any hidden aces, that would be the day of our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect’s demise!”

The war between the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect and the Heavenly G.o.d Sect – Nan Huairen had talked about this before. In reality, when Li Qiye was still the Dark Crow, he knew some information regarding the Heavenly G.o.d Sect; however, his disposition at the time was not ideal. Thus, he naturally did not bother with such trivial matters!

[1] The first raw sentence is using Tai Chi’s ideologies to describe someone dodging a question completely.

[2] Certain people in powerful positions refer to themselves as “this seat”.

[3] Li Qiye here used a respectful idiom to ask the Elder to elaborate.