At this moment, the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate all looked at Li Qiye with stifled resentment. Li Qiye—a mortal with a Mortal Physique, Mortal Meridians, and Mortal Fate—had actually been able to communicate with the guardian deity of their Nine Sacred Demon Gate. It simply defied all reason.
If Li Qiye had been a disciple of their Nine Sacred Demon Gate, that would have been one thing. But Li Qiye had refused to become a disciple of their Nine Sacred Demon Gate! Their own guardian deity had protected an outsider, first trampling Protector Xu to death, then severely wounding Yu He and the Grand Elder. How could the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate not be boiling with pent-up anger?
"Young Master Li, could you share the trick to communicating with our sect's guardian deity?" The voice of the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor rang out.
Li Qiye could not help smiling. Shaking his head, he said, "A trick to communication? I do not have any such trick. Since they are your guardian deities, you should know better than I do."
Naturally, Li Qiye could not tell the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor and the others the real secret. In the Desolate Era, he had transformed into a Shadow Crow and, only after expending countless efforts to lay down a heaven-shaking scheme, escaped the Immortal-Demon Cave. Yet through those millions upon millions of years, he had suffered endless hardships and lived through innumerable ages. He had come to understand one truth: if he wanted to control his own fate, he had to become sufficiently powerful!
Back when his soul had been trapped within the Shadow Crow and he had been unable to cultivate, he could only protect himself through other means. Fortunately, he had entered many places that others would not even dare imagine, and he knew countless earthshaking secrets. Thus, he had advanced step by step, scheming across the ages to protect himself.
The four guardian deities of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had once been one of his methods. The Four Symbols Stone Men had been something he had dug out of the old soil after spending who knew how much painstaking effort. For a long stretch of time, the Four Symbols Stone Men had escorted and protected him.
Later, the ancestor of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, the Nine Sacred Great Sage, had protected Immortal Emperor Mingren's path and rendered innumerable merits in helping Immortal Emperor Mingren bear the Heaven's Will. Back then, the Nine Sacred Great Sage had long coveted Li Qiye's Four Symbols Stone Men, pestering Li Qiye time and again to ask for them. After Immortal Emperor Mingren bore the Heaven's Will and ruled over the eight desolations, Li Qiye, mindful of the Nine Sacred Great Sage's unswerving loyalty, illustrious achievements, and repeated merit in saving his sovereign, lent the Four Symbols Stone Men to the Nine Sacred Great Sage to guard the sect and shelter his descendants.
After obtaining the Four Symbols Stone Men, the Nine Sacred Great Sage stationed them atop the earth vein of the Heaven and Earth Essence within the Nine Sacred Demon Gate. The Four Symbols Stone Men also used that earth vein to nourish themselves.
However, the Nine Sacred Great Sage and Li Qiye had made an agreement back then: unless the Nine Sacred Demon Gate faced the calamity of sect-wide annihilation, the Four Symbols Stone Men would not emerge into the world! The Four Symbols Stone Men were not the Nine Sacred Demon Gate's private enforcers and would not escort and protect the descendants of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate!
The Nine Sacred Demon Gate had developed quite well. At first, it had been sheltered by the colossal Washing Yan Ancient Sect. Later, after the Washing Yan Ancient Sect declined, the Nine Sacred Demon Gate established itself independently and did not fall into ruin because of it. Thus, although the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had its rises and falls, it had never attracted a calamity of extermination. That was why the Four Symbols Stone Men had always guarded the Nine Sacred Demon Gate's earth vein and had never displayed their divine powers.
The Four Symbols Stone Men had been personally brought out of the old soil by Li Qiye, so of course he knew how to communicate with them. That was why, when Li Qiye had climbed onto the stone man's shoulder and sat there chatting, he had been communicating with the Four Symbols Stone Men.
Naturally, outsiders knew nothing at all of the heaven-shaking secrets within.
"If Young Master Li is willing to tell us the key to communicating with them, our Nine Sacred Demon Gate will certainly not treat you poorly. Whatever Young Master Li needs, just say the word. Our Nine Sacred Demon Gate will absolutely not be vague about it." The Sun-Turning Demon Emperor was unwilling to give up. He knew the value of the four guardian deities. If they could communicate with all four guardian deities, that would be truly extraordinary!
At this moment, all the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate watched Li Qiye. One stone statue had casually sent Elder Yun flying with a single hand. If there were four of them, it would be unimaginable. If the Nine Sacred Demon Gate could truly communicate with all four guardian deities, it would be utterly incredible!
"There is no particular key. You just chat a little, talk about household matters, discuss the past—that is all." Li Qiye said with a smile. Of course, what he said was not untrue; he simply had not revealed the truth behind it.
Naturally, the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate and the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor could not possibly believe Li Qiye's words. Yet they had no choice. They could not force Li Qiye, or the consequences would be difficult to imagine.
"However, there is one matter I should mention to you. I need to give blood to the four guardian deities." While the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor was silent, Li Qiye spoke blandly.
The moment Li Qiye said this, both the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor and the elders present were shaken inwardly. Giving blood to the guardian deities carried an entirely different meaning!
"These are the guardian deities of our Nine Sacred Demon Gate." The Sun-Turning Demon Emperor said thoughtfully.
Li Qiye waved his hand and said calmly, "They will still be the guardian deities of your Nine Sacred Demon Gate. They will continue guarding the earth vein of your Nine Sacred Demon Gate. It is only that, at times, I may need to borrow them."
"The four divine statues are the guardian deities of our Nine Sacred Demon Gate. Other than disciples of our Nine Sacred Demon Gate, outsiders are not permitted!" An elder could not help saying. Letting someone else borrow their guardian deities was simply intolerable.
Li Qiye glanced at him and said with unhurried ease, "That is not for you to decide. If you are unhappy about it, you may go speak with your guardian deities." If it had not been for the promise he had made with the Nine Sacred Great Sage back then, he would have taken the Four Symbols Stone Men away now. The Nine Sacred Demon Gate would not have been able to stop him!
"You—" Anger surged in this elder's chest, and he felt particularly displeased.
"Since Young Master Li can communicate with our guardian deities and awaken them to emerge into the world, this is not necessarily a bad thing." At this moment, the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor said thoughtfully.
In truth, the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor had no choice at this point. It was obvious that the four divine statues were protecting Li Qiye, and this was not something they could change! Though the Nine Sacred Demon Gate was powerful enough and possessed sufficient foundations!
Yet one divine statue had effortlessly sent the Grand Elder flying with a single palm. Even someone as gifted as the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor had no confidence in his heart.
"This is what a smart person does." Li Qiye smiled faintly and said, "Do not think that merely because I can communicate with your guardian deities, I will act against your Nine Sacred Demon Gate. If I truly intended to harm your Nine Sacred Demon Gate, you would not have the chance to sit here! If I truly wished to flatten your Nine Sacred Demon Gate today, unless your ancestor were reborn, who could stop my steps!"
How powerful was the Nine Sacred Demon Gate? It controlled the Ancient Ox Territory, and within the Ancient Ox Territory, countless sects bowed before it! How powerful were the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate? With a stomp of their feet, heaven and earth would tremble three times! There was even less need to mention the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor. Since the great change of thirty thousand years ago, becoming a True Person had been exceedingly difficult, yet the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor had risen against adversity and ascended to a realm that left people aghast!
Yet before the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, before the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor, Li Qiye spoke such overbearing words. This was simply too tyrannical and domineering.
Naturally, Li Qiye's words displeased the Nine Sacred Demon Gate. The elders all glared at him furiously, while Li Qiye remained seated there calmly, smiling as lightly as wind and clouds, completely confident.
"Since that is so, Young Master Li may give blood." The Sun-Turning Demon Emperor agreed. He was a man of extraordinary talent, and he vaguely felt that if he did not agree to Li Qiye's request, the guardian deities of their Nine Sacred Demon Gate might follow Li Qiye away. Although he did not know why the guardian deities had chosen a junior with a Mortal Physique, there was certainly nothing simple about it.
"You conduct matters according to your rules, and I will conduct matters according to mine." Li Qiye smiled and said, "The four guardian deities will still be your guardian deities!"
This outcome left the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate with stifled resentment, but they could not change anything unless they turned against Li Qiye. Yet none of them had any confidence when it came to the four guardian deities. Was not their Grand Elder powerful enough? Yet a guardian deity could send him flying with a single palm. What if all four guardian deities struck at once?
They did not dare imagine the consequences. If the four guardian deities attacked together, no one in their Nine Sacred Demon Gate would likely be able to withstand them!
"Young Master Li—" At this moment, after pondering for a long time, the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor finally said, "Our Nine Sacred Demon Gate has a sacred land that we have never been able to open. I wonder whether Young Master Li has any interest in taking a look."
"Your Majesty, you must not." As soon as the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor said this, an elder hurriedly spoke.
"There is no harm in letting Young Master Li take a look." The Sun-Turning Demon Emperor interrupted the elder, his voice filled with majesty.
Upon hearing this, Li Qiye's eyes lit up. He said, "The Sacred Cave, then? It was left behind by your ancestor, the Nine Sacred Great Sage?" At this moment, he could not help recalling something.
Old Chicken Head had mentioned this matter back then, after Immortal Emperor Mingren had borne the Heaven's Will. At the time, Li Qiye's state had been highly unstable and he was about to enter slumber. Old Chicken Head had mentioned something half-jokingly, but at the time, Li Qiye could even cultivate an Immortal Emperor, so he had little interest in this matter and had never clearly agreed to it.
At this moment, all the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate stared at Li Qiye, for very, very few people knew of this matter.
"That is right—" Li Qiye's words greatly lifted the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor's spirits. He said, "If Young Master Li can open the Sacred Cave, our Nine Sacred Demon Gate will reward you handsomely."
Li Qiye tilted his head and thought for a moment. He carefully recalled what Old Chicken Head had said back then, then finally nodded. "As for opening the Sacred Cave, I can give it a try. However, if it opens, I have one condition: one item inside must belong to me. Everything else will belong to your Nine Sacred Demon Gate."
"This..." At Li Qiye's words, even the Sun-Turning Demon Emperor could not help pondering. An elder could not help saying, "Your Majesty, perhaps this matter requires further discussion."
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