Sacred Cave (Part 1)

The next day, the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had made their preparations and invited Li Qiye to proceed. The Chief Protector, Yu He, served as Li Qiye's charioteer, escorting him to the deepest part of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate's territory!

Yu He, a cultivator at the Marquis level, possessed a cultivation that, let alone within the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, was considered a paramount figure capable of suppressing one side throughout the entire Ancient Niu Jiang Kingdom. At the Marquis level, a single stomp of his foot could shake the very earth.

However, today, a paramount figure like Yu He could only act as Li Qiye's charioteer. If such a matter were to be spoken of, it was likely that no one would believe it.

The Nine Sacred Demon Gate was founded by the Nine Sacred Great Sage. Through the diligent efforts of its ancestors over generations, the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had become incredibly powerful. Its overall strength was undoubtedly top-tier within the Central Great Region!

The Nine Sacred Demon Gate's land veins were vast and magnificent, permeated by Heaven and Earth Essence that was exceptionally dense. It enveloped the Nine Sacred Demon Gate like mist, lingering for a long time and refusing to dissipate. Especially within the core territory of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, the density of Heaven and Earth Essence was even more profound and unyielding.

In the deepest part of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate's territory stood a solitary mountain. Upon this solitary mountain was an ancient cave, sealed. The age of this sealing was unknown. Beside the ancient cave, old vines coiled like dragons, and purple ganoderma mushrooms grew as large as umbrellas. The cave entrance itself was mottled and ancient, having endured the erosion of countless years.

This was a forbidden area of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate. Within the sect, only individuals of Elder rank or higher were permitted to enter this place.

The Sacred Cave was a place that had piqued the curiosity of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate since its inception, for it was rumored to contain astonishing treasures. This cave was left behind by the founder of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, the Nine Sacred Great Sage. For millions of years, successive sect masters and powerful figures of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had been unable to open it.

Legend had it that after establishing the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, the Nine Sacred Great Sage had left behind his lineage and passed down numerous cultivation techniques and secret arts to his disciples. However, he had also sealed certain items within the Sacred Cave.

One legend suggested that the Nine Sacred Great Sage, fearing his descendants might not be filial, had left behind a final trump card. If the Nine Sacred Demon Gate were ever to decline, as long as the Sacred Cave remained, there would be a chance for its resurgence.

What treasures were hidden within the Sacred Cave was one of the many "mysteries" speculated upon by disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate throughout the ages. However, successive sect masters and elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate firmly believed that the Sacred Cave definitely housed an Immortal Emperor Artifact.

This was because, according to legend, after Immortal Emperor Mingren shouldered the Mandate of Heaven and ruled the world, he specially bestowed an Immortal Emperor Artifact as a reward for the Nine Sacred Great Sage's great merit in protecting the Dao. However, later, the Nine Sacred Great Sage never passed this Immortal Emperor Artifact down to his disciples or descendants. Therefore, disciples of Immortal Emperor Mingren across generations speculated that the Sacred Cave absolutely contained an Immortal Emperor Artifact!

An Immortal Emperor Artifact was an unparalleled weapon personally forged by Immortal Emperor Mingren. It had once accompanied Immortal Emperor Mingren in his battles across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. Such an Immortal Emperor Artifact was far more powerful than a Great Sage True Artifact.

Although it was not an Immortal Emperor True Artifact, even an Immortal Emperor Artifact alone was enough to ignite the desire of everyone.

Before the Sacred Cave, the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate held their breath. The Sacred Cave was mottled and incredibly ancient. The old trees outside the cave had grown to touch the sky, immensely tall, their cracked bark resembling dragon scales.

To the left of the incredibly ancient Sacred Cave, a line of text was carved. Despite the cave's mottled and ancient appearance, this line of text still shone brilliantly.

"Heavenly Demon, Only I!" These four characters were inscribed on the left side of the Sacred Cave. They were grand and majestic, with strokes like soaring dragons and coiling snakes. Each stroke and character seemed capable of piercing the heavens. Despite the erosion of countless years, they still exuded the aura of a Great Sage.

These four characters were personally left by the Nine Sacred Great Sage. Disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate throughout the generations believed that these four characters were the key to opening the Sacred Cave.

While "Heavenly Demon, Only I" was on the left side of the Sacred Cave, the right side was blank. Therefore, disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate over the ages believed this might be a couplet, and if one could match it, the Sacred Cave could be opened.

However, some also believed that the four characters "Heavenly Demon, Only I" contained supreme Daoist principles. This was because each stroke and character resonated with the Great Dao. If one could comprehend the true profound meaning of these four characters, the Sacred Cave could be opened.

Regardless of which conjecture was correct, disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate throughout the ages had tried. The most talented disciples of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had meditated here, attempting to comprehend the ultimate meaning of these four characters. Sect masters of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate had also ventured into the mortal world, inviting the most talented scholars to compose a matching couplet for the right side.

Regardless of the method, for millions of years, no one had managed to open the Sacred Cave!

"Heavenly Demon, Only I." Upon seeing these four characters, Li Qiye couldn't help but smile. The scene from back then surfaced in his mind. At that time, he had invited the Nine Sacred Great Sage to emerge from seclusion and protect the Dao for Immortal Emperor Mingren.

Back then, the Nine Sacred Great Sage was not yet known as the Nine Sacred Great Sage; he called himself the Nine Sacred Heavenly Demon and was arrogant and domineering. To the invitation from Li Qiye, who had transformed into a Shadow Crow, the Nine Sacred Great Sage had flatly refused at the time, his slogan being extremely arrogant: "Heavenly Demon, Only I!"

Therefore, seeing this again today, Li Qiye couldn't help but smile. After Immortal Emperor Mingren shouldered the Mandate of Heaven, his state was unstable, and he prepared to enter hibernation, sealing himself.

When he was in seclusion, the Nine Sacred Great Sage had hoped that his Nine Sacred Demon Gate would continue to flourish. Thus, he left behind the Sacred Cave and told Li Qiye that he hoped Li Qiye, in the future, would remember their past connection and offer some assistance to the Nine Sacred Demon Gate.

Upon seeing these four characters, Li Qiye immediately knew how to open the Sacred Cave. However, under the watchful eyes of the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, he naturally couldn't open it right away.

Li Qiye approached the Sacred Cave, touching here and tapping there, feigning a serious demeanor. Li Qiye fussed around for a long time, shook his head, and finally, with an extremely serious expression, pondered the four characters "Heavenly Demon, Only I."

Seeing that Li Qiye had been fiddling with it for so long without any reaction from the Sacred Cave, the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate began to lose their patience. However, they still remained silent, holding their breath and watching Li Qiye's every move.

Eventually, Li Qiye simply sat down in front of the Sacred Cave, appearing to be in deep meditation. Time ticked by, from morning to afternoon, until finally, the sun began to set, painting the sky with the colors of dusk.

Li Qiye sat there for a full day. Finally, even paramount figures like the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate could no longer remain patient.

"Will this work?" an elder couldn't help but mutter. "This kid, isn't he just putting on a show?"

Seeing that Li Qiye showed no sign of activity, the other elders felt uncertain. However, they had to admit Li Qiye's strangeness. First, he had passed through the fourteen layers of the Chaotic Heart Forest, and then he could communicate with the guardian spirit. This was truly inexplicable and extremely bizarre.

"Hmph, perhaps he was just lucky," an elder said with dissatisfaction. After all, the Sacred Cave was a forbidden area of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate, and allowing an outsider to decipher it already displeased some elders.

"Bring me ink and brush!" Finally, as the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate grew restless, Li Qiye stood up, saying calmly and leisurely. After sitting here for a day, his backside was sore.

An elder immediately brought him ink and brush. Li Qiye, with a look of putting on a show, shook his head and said, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is! The Nine Sacred Great Sage is truly remarkable." Saying this, he dipped his brush in ink and began to write on the right pillar.

"A Mess of Feathers!" Li Qiye's calligraphy could not be considered the work of a master. He wrote casually, unable to match the majestic momentum of the Nine Sacred Great Sage's strokes.

"Heavenly Demon, Only I, A Mess of Feathers!" A completely mismatched couplet, two entirely incompatible styles of calligraphy. It was as comical as it could get. To others, it looked like a complete mockery!

When Li Qiye wrote the four characters "A Mess of Feathers," an elder's face immediately changed drastically. These four characters were simply an insult to their Nine Sacred Demon Gate. These characters were a disgrace to scholarly conduct and were utterly unworthy of the four characters "Heavenly Demon, Only I" before the Sacred Cave.

"Presumptuous! You dare to insult my Nine Sacred Demon Gate!" an elder exclaimed, his face contorted with displeasure.

Li Qiye glanced at him and said calmly, "You, a mere martial man, understand nothing of the profundity of words. You don't even know the painstaking efforts of your ancestors, so why are you shouting here!"

"You—" Li Qiye's arrogance made this elder's face turn red. His gaze sharpened, and he was about to lash out.

"Caw—caw—caw—" Just as this elder was about to erupt, a heavy sound echoed, and the Sacred Cave slowly began to open.

In an instant, the eyes of all the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate present widened. They couldn't believe their own eyes. Their successive sect masters and elders, who had made the most talented disciples attempt to comprehend the profound meaning of "Heavenly Demon, Only I," and who had invited the most talented scholars to compose a matching couplet for "Heavenly Demon, Only I." However, none of these methods had worked!

Yet today, the crooked four characters "A Mess of Feathers" had managed to open the Sacred Cave. This was utterly unbelievable! In every aspect, the four characters "A Mess of Feathers" were completely mismatched with the four characters "Heavenly Demon, Only I," but something entirely impossible had actually opened the Sacred Cave.

In that moment, all the elders of the Nine Sacred Demon Gate were stunned into silence.

"This, this, how is this possible!" one elder murmured, unable to believe his own eyes. This matter was too outrageous.

Li Qiye curled his lips and smiled, saying leisurely, "That's because your ancestor was a chicken spirit, hence 'A Mess of Feathers'!"

Li Qiye, of course, couldn't reveal the secret. Back then, the Nine Sacred Great Sage was arrogant and high-minded. He had flatly refused Li Qiye's invitation. However, this arrogant and powerful Nine Sacred Great Sage had ultimately fallen into the hands of Li Qiye, who had transformed into a Shadow Crow. Li Qiye had suppressed him and forced him to reveal his true form, plucking all his chicken feathers and jokingly calling it "A Mess of Feathers"!

This is the second update of the day.

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