Chaotic Heart Forest (Part One)

Chaotic Heart Forest (Part One)

This time, the younger generation disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had gathered together, their emotions surging like a tidal wave. Who knew how many young disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate were blazing with fury? Especially when they saw Li Qiye appear, flames seemed to spurt from their eyes.

"Kill him! That thing that doesn't know life from death dares to run wild in our Nine Sacred Demon Gate!" a disciple roared.

Another disciple shouted sternly, "Killing him would be letting him off too easily! Cripple his hands and feet, then use him as a sky lantern! He insulted our Nine Sacred Demon Gate—dying ten thousand times would not be enough!"

"A sky lantern? Too merciful! Our Nine Sacred Demon Gate rules the Ancient Niu Jiang Kingdom and intimidates the Central Region. A mere ant dares to babble nonsense and insult our princess! He should be trapped on Eagle-Releasing Cliff and pecked by flying eagles for a hundred years! Let him howl on Eagle-Releasing Cliff for a hundred years, suffer on Eagle-Releasing Cliff for a hundred years, and use his blood to wash Eagle-Releasing Cliff for a hundred years!" another disciple bellowed furiously.

"Not only must we kill that little bastard, we must also trample the Washing Yan Ancient Sect into extinction!" a disciple screamed wildly.

For a time, cries for slaughter rang across the area. The crowd was boiling with outrage, and some disciples wished they could rush forward and tear Li Qiye to pieces! Li Qiye had insulted the princess of their Nine Sacred Demon Gate and had even declared that he would destroy their Nine Sacred Demon Gate. They hated him to the bone, wishing they could smash his corpse into ten thousand pieces. They wanted the world to know that the divine might of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate could not be provoked!

Whether it was Protector Mo or Nan Huairen, both shuddered inwardly. If a protector of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate gave the word, the disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate would probably tear Li Qiye apart.

The cries for slaughter filled the air, and the rage of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate's disciples seemed ready to drown the place. Yet Li Qiye strolled out as though riding in a carriage, utterly unconcerned. He moved as if taking a leisurely walk through a courtyard. He was truly arrogant and wild!

Although Protector Mo and Nan Huairen both thought Li Qiye was insane, hopelessly ignorant and arrogant, they could not help admiring his courage at this moment. Faced with such a scene of wave-like fury and the anger of so many Nine Sacred Demon Gate disciples, anyone else would likely have been frightened limp long ago, let alone walk out so calmly.

"Cough—" At that moment, Chief Protector Yu He coughed once. That soft cough exploded like divine thunder, instantly suppressing every cry for slaughter! An endless, rolling aura of a noble lord pressed down upon everyone until they could barely breathe.

Once the chief protector spoke, none of the disciples dared act presumptuously, and they all fell silent. Yet countless gazes capable of spitting fire remained fixed on Li Qiye, enough to drown him. If looks could kill, Li Qiye would not know how many times he had already died!

"For this examination, if you pass, the marriage alliance between our two sects shall follow the ancestral precepts! If you fail, or lose your life, you can only blame your own lack of skill!" Protector Xu said coldly, his eyes like icy blades as he stared at Li Qiye.

Protector Xu was naturally extremely dissatisfied with Li Qiye. As a protector, he was unwilling to personally act against him, but if possible, he would not mind crushing this arrogant, ignorant ant to death!

Li Qiye sat down grandly in his seat. Then he slowly glanced at Protector Xu, smiled, and shook his head. "All that can be said is that your Nine Sacred Demon Gate has declined greatly from what it once was! Why did your Nine Sacred Great Sage make that promise back then? Why did your Nine Sacred Demon Gate seek a marriage alliance with the Washing Yan Ancient Sect? Back then, the Washing Yan Ancient Sect was worshipped by all under heaven, and the nine worlds bowed their heads. Your Nine Sacred Demon Gate merely wished to shelter beneath the Washing Yan Ancient Sect's shade and seek a better future."

Li Qiye could not even be bothered to investigate the affairs of those days. His condition had not been particularly stable at the time, and the Nine Sacred Demon Gate's intention to form a marriage alliance with the Washing Yan Ancient Sect had not entirely been the will of the Nine Sacred Great Sage and Immortal Emperor Mingren. It had been advocated by the disciples of both sides.

At this point, Li Qiye glanced at Protector Xu and said, "Times have changed now, so you are reneging on the promise of old. It seems your generation is worse than the last!"

"Hmph—" Protector Xu snorted coldly. "You said it yourself: times have changed! If we are speaking of each generation being worse than the last, then that would be your Washing Yan Ancient Sect! Today, the Nine Sacred Demon Gate rules a kingdom. More than one or two imperial lineages and upper kingdoms wish to form marriage alliances with us. The princess of our Nine Sacred Demon Gate is not someone some worthless fool can match!"

To insult the Washing Yan Ancient Sect before all these disciples made Protector Mo and Nan Huairen feel awful. However, the situation was stronger than they were, and what Protector Xu said was indeed the truth. The Washing Yan Ancient Sect of today could not compare to the Nine Sacred Demon Gate!

"Let bygones be bygones. Winning with your tongue changes nothing!" Chief Protector Yu He said coldly. "Our Nine Sacred Demon Gate is giving the Washing Yan Ancient Sect an opportunity precisely because we are honoring the promise of that year! If you are afraid and wish to withdraw now, our Nine Sacred Demon Gate will not make things difficult for you. The promise of old will then be voided!"

"Since I have already come, then let the challenge begin." Li Qiye said leisurely. "I just wonder how you intend to examine me. Bring it on. I will accompany you to the end!"

"You don't know the immensity of heaven and earth!" Protector Xu snorted coldly. The Nine Sacred Demon Gate disciples present all glared at Li Qiye.

"A useless wretch who only cultivates martial techniques dares to babble so shamelessly? What a thing that does not know life from death!" a disciple said indignantly. If the protectors had not been present, they would have wished to beat Li Qiye half to death.

"Your cultivation is still shallow. His Highness has also instructed us to give you an opportunity. The first round will be a literary examination, and only the second will be a martial examination! As for the third round..." Chief Protector Yu He began.

"Two rounds are enough." Li Qiye cut Yu He off. "How will the literary examination be conducted, and how will the martial examination be conducted? Let me hear it."

"Presumptuous—" Li Qiye was so arrogant that Protector Xu shouted loudly. His aura rolled forth, crushing toward Li Qiye like towering waves.

"What, you want to act before the examination even begins?" Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and stared at Protector Xu.

At that moment, Chief Protector Yu He coughed, interrupting Protector Xu's wave-like aura. Protector Xu glared furiously at Li Qiye. He could crush such an arrogant and ignorant brat with a single finger—since when had it become this ant's turn to leap about before him?

"The literary examination is simple. Enter Chaotic Heart Forest; whoever walks the farthest wins. As for the martial examination, it is even simpler: determine victory and defeat in one battle! There are three rounds in total. So long as you win two, the two sects may form a marriage alliance!" Yu He said slowly, his gaze intimidating.

"Good, straightforward enough. If we are testing, then let us test." Li Qiye rose without ceremony. "Whether it is the literary examination or the martial examination, let me see just how capable your princess is!"

"Pah—" Xu Hui said disdainfully. "You? You are not even qualified to have Senior Sister Li personally take action! To deal with trash like you, I alone am enough!"

Yu He nodded as well. "I heard that you joined the Washing Yan Ancient Sect not long ago, so our Nine Sacred Demon Gate will not bully you too much! If His Highness were to personally act in our Nine Sacred Demon Gate, I fear you would not even have the chance to step onto the field! Within our Nine Sacred Demon Gate, His Highness has the greatest talent. Among the younger generation, Senior Nephew Leng possesses the greatest strength. No matter which of them examined you, you would likely refuse to accept your defeat. Senior Nephew Xu is considered to have above-average talent in our Nine Sacred Demon Gate. With his strength, examining the Chief Disciple of the Washing Yan Ancient Sect would not disgrace your status!"

The Nine Sacred Demon Gate had not sent out its strongest disciple to stand guard, which could be considered leaving the Washing Yan Ancient Sect a sliver of hope. If Li Shuangyan personally acted, or if the strongest chief disciple of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate personally acted, then let alone the Chief Disciple of the Washing Yan Ancient Sect—even if the Elder or sect master of the Washing Yan Ancient Sect acted personally, they would certainly be defeated!

Li Qiye could not even be bothered to glance at Xu Hui's taunts. He merely looked at Yu He, then nodded earnestly and said unhurriedly, "So it seems your Nine Sacred Demon Gate still has some hope. Though you have reneged on the promise of old, at least you have not become so shameless as to discard even your face. You still retain a little grace. Fine, since you leave me an inch, I will leave you a foot, lest you say that I bullied your Nine Sacred Demon Gate!"

Li Qiye had once again uttered wild words, making Protector Mo and Nan Huairen's old faces burn. They wished they could dig a hole and crawl into it. They both wanted to beg Li Qiye, Lord Li, saying two fewer boastful lines will not kill you!

"To be ignorant to such an extent is truly pathetic!" The enraged Nine Sacred Demon Gate disciples were both furious and amused.

Some Nine Sacred Demon Gate disciples were both angry and enraged. One of them sneered, "The Washing Yan Ancient Sect has not only declined, it has gone insane. They actually let a lunatic serve as Chief Disciple. Heh, and this is an immortal sect with an imperial lineage? They have truly disgraced eighteen generations of ancestors!"

Many of the enraged Nine Sacred Demon Gate disciples burst into laughter. Li Qiye's blind arrogance was not merely ignorance—it was madness!

The mockery of all the Nine Sacred Demon Gate disciples left Protector Mo and Nan Huairen unable to raise their heads. They did not even dare look anyone in the eye.

Protector Xu sneered. Such an ignorant ant was truly pitiful. A figure like Yu He had weathered countless storms, yet when he looked at Li Qiye now, he felt as if he were looking at some freak. He could not imagine a person being ignorant to such a degree. What kind of worthless fool was this? Even a worthless fool could not possibly be this ignorant.

Did Li Qiye before him not know just how powerful the Nine Sacred Demon Gate was? Did he not have even the slightest clear concept of strength? Yu He could not help finding it amusing. Today, he had truly encountered an unparalleled specimen of ignorance.

Only after some time did Yu He come back to his senses. He coughed and said, "Let us begin with the literary examination. Enter Chaotic Heart Forest; whoever walks the farthest wins!"

As the examination began, everyone moved toward Chaotic Heart Forest. In an instant, countless Nine Sacred Demon Gate disciples crowded around the forest's perimeter.