Chapter 416: Approaching Battle
Daoist Bao Gui returned and convened a meeting at night. All the elders and high elders were present at this meeting that had a particularly solemn atmosphere.
During this meeting, the daoist clearly explained the details and his personal concerns.
Elder Lin, who was the first to dislike Li Qiye, sneered: “Since he does not want to cooperate, then he cannot blame us for not giving him a chance. Catch him and begin the interrogation.”
Another elder nodded his head and said: “Sect Master, a junior like him has the nerve to act like this in our Thousand River Sect as if we are nothing. If we don’t give him a taste of our strength, then he’ll actually think that we were only bluffing.”
Prior to this, a few elders who had yet to come to a conclusion did not want to use force and hoped that this could be resolved peacefully. But now, Li Qiye’s attitude had angered these elders. They felt that Li Qiye refused a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!
The high elders were especially strict regarding this behavior. Venerable Wang said in a grave manner: “Sect Master, a little junior is stomping on our heads like this... What are we waiting for? Capture him right now!”
Venerable Yang, on the other hand, assuaged the rest of the elders: “Let Li Qiye think about it some more, give him one last chance. Let’s make the deadline tomorrow.”
Although Venerable Yang wished to lend Li Qiye a hand in this matter, he was also powerless since Li Qiye’s attitude had offended the entire Thousand Carp River. He did not know what Li Qiye wanted to do. Did he want to oppose the entire river sect by himself? Even Virtuous Paragons would not be able to do so, let alone someone from the younger generation.
He understood that the Dream Wishing Tree chose Li Qiye for a reason, but his arrogant attitude left him speechless and made it impossible to protect him.
“We’ll do as Venerable Yang said. We’ll give Li Qiye one last chance, and I’ll go talk to him again tomorrow.” Daoist Bao Gui formally declared. He agreed to this plan; this was all that he could do.
Compared to the other angry elders, Daoist Bao Gui was quite apprehensive. The other elders didn’t speak to Li Qiye so they didn’t share such a feeling. Apprehension from the sect's possible decline due to opposing Li Qiye loomed over the daoist’s mind.
But now, even he could not appease the angry elders in the sect, nor could he change the final outcome. Without the support of Venerable Yang’s group by his side, the other elders would have already taken action.
“Only one day.” In the end, under the sect master’s assertion, the other elders eventually agreed to a one-day extension. They gave the daoist one day to persuade Li Qiye; afterward, the sect would go and capture him.
The group of Elder Lin wanted to get rid of Li Qiye immediately since they were both anxious and annoyed due to Daoist Bao Gui’s attempt at protecting him.
The daoist let out a long sigh. He managed to gain one day for Li Qiye, but deep in his mind, he knew that Li Qiye would absolutely not acquiesce. However, there was nothing else that he could do since he failed to convince the elders.
The two sides were at an impasse where neither side was willing to back down. If it was someone else, then Daoist Bao Gui would have complete confidence in capturing them. After all, being called an emperor’s lineage was not just an empty title.
However, Daoist Bao Gui had no confidence against an unknown junior like Li Qiye. He found the whole thing to be quite mysterious. How could the Thousand Carp disciples, and even its descendants, not enter the foundation of the sect while an outsider like Li Qiye easily entered?
What was the connection between Li Qiye and the river sect? Li Qiye even said that the Golden Divine Willow belonged to him and that it would happily go with him... Why? These mysteries caused Daoist Bao Gui to be lost in thought.
If Li Qiye’s words were right, then once the conflict began, what would happen to the river sect if the divine tree chose to follow him?
Daoist Bao Gui shivered at the mere thought. Without the Golden Divine Willow, the Thousand Carp Lake would no longer be a paradise. It would become an ordinary lake from then on as countless medicines would perish while numerous demons won’t be able to become enlightened with the dao!
Daoist Bao Gui felt that the burden on his shoulders was too heavy to bear. He could not convince the elders, so at the moment, the only way was to invite an ancestor to come into being.
However, he knew that his idea alone was insufficient to convince an ancestor, let alone invite the ancestor to appear and protect Li Qiye.
Tonight was a sleepless night for the daoist; an endlessly long night.
On this night, Lan Yunzhu hurriedly rushed to Li Qiye’s place. She was normally a proud woman who never panicked in front of adversity, but she seemed quite alarmed at this moment.
The moment she saw him, she urged: “Hurry and escape tonight!”
Compared to her panicked state, Li Qiye was much calmer and relaxed. He looked at her and lightly inquired: “Why escape?”
The worrying Lan Yunzhu hurriedly replied: “The elders have decided to capture you. Although the sect master bought you an extra day, if you choose not to talk, then you will be captured. Now, the elders want to capture you, especially the branch of High Elder Wang. They all want to do so as soon as possible. If it wasn’t for the sect master, they would have already come.”
Li Qiye leisurely smiled and said: “If they want to do it the hard way, then I will gladly welcome it and will happily meet them anytime. I’m a bit itchy from the lack of fighting recently. If you don’t mind, I should really consider commencing a massacre.”
Lan Yunzhu glowered at him and snappily exclaimed: “Are you crazy? I know that you are very strong, but this is not the time to rely on it. Not to mention, all of our elders are Heavenly Sovereigns, and there is even a peak Heavenly Sovereign. Once a fight breaks out, even the high elders will not hesitate to join. Some of our reclusive high elders are peak Heavenly Kings. If they take action, it would still not be enough even if you had ten lives.”
“Girl, your words are mistaken. If it was a different location, then I would be a bit wary of peak Heavenly Kings. However, this is the Thousand Carp River, so even if Virtuous Paragons came, I will continue to sit safely on my throne above the nine heavens.”
Lan Yunzhu became so angry that she gave him a stern look before saying: “Don’t be too arrogant! This is the Thousand Carp River, an emperor’s lineage! Even Virtuous Paragons cannot shake our sect. Do you think that you alone can do anything? Even if you have the fabled six palaces and nine stars, it is still nothing to them. Do you get it?”
She was quite worried for Li Qiye. Otherwise, she would not have rushed here to persuade him to escape.
Li Qiye calmly smiled and slowly spoke: “You are right, this is the Thousand Carp River — my territory. In this place, I am the sole ruler, do you get it now?”
“Do you think you can fight against the elders? Hmph, even if you do have the ability to oppose the elders, once you threaten our river sect, the sealed ancestors will come out and quell all resistance. You should understand the significance of a Thousand Carp Ancestor coming into being.” Lan Yunzhu bitterly said. She really wanted to open Li Qiye’s head to see what could possibly be inside to make him as arrogant as this.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: “You have it backwards. I am simply staying here to give the river sect another chance. If it wasn’t for your Immortal Emperor patriarch, then I would have already flipped over the river sect…
“... Heavenly Kings? Virtuous Paragons? So what. As long as it is my whim, I could slay them like nothing. But for now, I do not wish to stain my hands with the blood of Immortal Emperor Qian Li’s descendants. Otherwise, do you really think that I would have accepted the Thousand Carp River’s trial over such an insignificant matter?”
Lan Yunzhu stared at him as if she was staring at a freak and angrily exclaimed: “Uncle, your thick skin is unreal. You are speaking as if you knew our Immortal Emperor and are being considerate towards the emperor.”
“Your words, this time, are correct.” Li Qiye replied with a smile: “If your Immortal Emperor Qian Li was still in this world, then he would have to give me a little face.”
Of course he would not say that he actually knew the Immortal Emperor.
“Stop!” Lan Yunzhu snappily said: “You really have no shame about bragging. Go look at yourself in a mirror. Our Patriarch, Immortal Emperor Qian Li, is invincible in this world, do you think a nobody junior like you would be given any face by the Patriarch? Your ego has no bounds.”
“Although I am a nobody… this does not mean your Patriarch cannot recognize true quality, unlike you guys.” Li Qiye said in a very matter-of-fact manner.
“I don’t care anymore. If you want to die, then die.” Lan Yunzhu was fed up and said: “Do as you please you egomaniac, just don’t regret it when you no longer have a chance to run!” Lan Yunzhu ruthlessly stomped her foot on the ground because this egomaniac truly infuriated her.