After the mass dispersed, Li Qiye gazed towards the horizon, seemingly recalling something.
He treated events across the years as trivialities. Only very few things could linger on his mind.
“Immortal Demon System is no longer at the peak like it was before but with your Longevity Hall around, the sect still has hope of staying relatively strong. It doesn’t need to rely on your progenitor to guard you for generations.” Eventually, he told the hall king who was standing next to him.
“Thank you for your praise.” The king bowed deeply: “Our ancestor sends his regards to you with the highest reverence.”
“His grand dao is exceptional, perhaps a miracle is possible if he keeps going.” Li Qiye smiled.
“Thank you, Young Noble.” She bowed again.
The king knew nothing about his background and identity. His cultivation and characters remained a mystery too. However, she didn’t need to pry nor discuss these matters.
They weren’t even on her mind. She just needed to serve Li Qiye well since it was her duty.
“Go, time to rest for a bit. This is a good place so I’ll stay here for a while.” Li Qiye ordered.
The king had no objection and pushed Li Qiye into the ancestral shrine…
***
Fear permeated across the Immortal Demon System at first because of the great battle. Silence came next.
The death of two Everlastings has firmly established Li Qiye’s supremacy.
Dread, confusion, disbelief… some even felt as if their parents have just died.
The latter were members from sects like Eight Trigrams and Central Royal Sacred Ground. Ominous clouds loomed in the sky.
Ordinary and ancestors lived in fear, thinking that Li Qiye might annihilate them at any moment. Their allies were afraid as well.
They didn’t announce their identity after adding their marks into the Longevity Plate. However, the plate only had eighteen marks. It would be too easy to figure out who chose to help Eight Trigrams.
The hopeless days weighed heavily on them. One sect finally sent their ancestors and fellow disciples to confess outside of the ancestral shrine.
The rest took note of this and realized that they couldn’t hide their involvement forever. Thus, they also came to prostrate outside, hoping for a light punishment.
Lastly, ancestors from Eight Trigrams and Central also came to beg for forgiveness.
It became an ocean of kneelers outside the ancestral shrine in no time at all. This was a scene of gray because the majority of the strongest ancestors in Immortal Demon was present.
Li Qiye had no interest in dealing with them. He told the hall king to deal with them instead.
He didn’t see anyone else and focused on dealing with the supreme existence locked in his dao heart.
At this moment, the existence has weakened due to the continuous refinement. The dark evil energy has been erased, revealing its true form.
A creature that has never been seen before, even for Li Qiye. Some ancient scrolls contained brief descriptions of it before but they were considered legends.
It had a pair of golden horns with a violet glow, looking quite delicate and ancient. The horns seemed to be polished by the breath of the ages, brimming with temporal power. Anyone could tell at a glance the might of these horns. No other weapon could compare.
It had three eyes. The left and right decided the yin and yang and the third was in charge of the samsara.
“If I was in my prime and my eternal life wasn’t destroyed by them, you wouldn’t have done anything to me! Your body would have been mine!” The ancient sounds coming from the creature might not belong to any modern language but listeners still understood.
“If.” Li Qiye was the lord of all in his dao heart. No one could resist his wish or escape from the fate of demise especially under the suppression of the primordial will.
This particular being was powerful beyond imagination. Unfortunately, it had fallen into Li Qiye’s trap.
“It doesn’t matter how you all hide and fight, only destruction awaits. Terror is coming! We will not miss this delicious feast!” The being threatened.
“I’ll be waiting.” Li Qiye remained calm, completely unaffected.
“Have you never thought about eternal life? True immortality.” Its third eye stared at Li Qiye.
“I have eternal life right now.” Li Qiye smiled.
“No, our definition is different.” The being shook his head: “Your so-called eternal life is restricted to your own world. You’re nothing more than a speck of dust or a blade of grass, just one that can last a bit longer than the rest. But, what if one day, you will cease to be grass? Right now, it doesn’t matter how healthy you look and how strong you grow, you can’t outrun fate. An ox will still devour you one day. Why not jump out of it and become something greater? You will not only be in charge of your life and this plain but also everything else…”
“... After reaching this next point, all mysteries and profundities will be insignificant, just one glance and you will grasp them all. Yes, nothing is more beautiful and tempting than eternal life.” The being tried to tempt him.
“Yet you’re still stuck in my trap.” Li Qiye laughed: “You said that everything else is only a delicious feast to your kind. Well, you’re a sumptuous meal right now.”
“You don’t understand and I don’t blame you because you are stuck in this mortal world. Your intelligence and vision are restrained.” The being didn’t become angry: “Eternal life will grant you boundless accomplishments. Only when you have it will you realize how wondrous it is and that you must always have it. Everything else can’t reach the apex.”
“And?” Li Qiye remained unmoved.
“I know that you will sooner or later destroy me, I don’t question this intent of yours in devouring my everything. But, certain things must be passed by words, such as the mysteries of life. I can divulge them to you.” It continued.
“Not interested.” The mini Li Qiye in his dao heart chuckled and closed his eyes.
“You have toiled your entire life in order to save your world.” The being seemed bored despite suffering great pain due to the suppression.
“Unfortunately, I’ll have you know that no one can save it, not in the past, present, or the future. People will never abandon the joy of eternal life. My death, no, even the demise of everything up above won’t stop anything. Trust me, someone else will walk on the same path and repeat the same thing again.”
Li Qiye ignored the being this time around.