Chapter 1013: The Hat Wearing Youth's Identity
"Leave life and death to fate!" She coldly said: "Let's get started."
With that, more splashing sounds came about. The tides rose again as she became ethereal, as if she was standing on a vast and endless sea.
"Good, let's go." The Mortal King didn't waste time either.
"Buzz!" His Hell Suppressing Physique erupted. As he slowly floated off the ground, cracking sounds could be heard. The void itself shattered beneath him.
Many people shivered after seeing this. An older character took a deep breath and murmured: "So powerful! Immortal Physiques are indeed unique. Even time and space was crushed."
"Rawrr!" A loud cry resounded. Wo Longxuan casually unleashed an attack. A gigantic monster came down from the sky, creating great explosions. The entire sky shook in response.
"Draconic Whale! A primeval existence of the legends!" A spectator cried out after seeing the monstrous creature diving down from the sky.
It was gigantic and spanned for miles, instilling fear in the hearts of the spectators. It resembled both a dragon and a whale; its body was that of a whale's, but it had the head of a true dragon.
Its attack carried a world-destroying power that was sent towards the Mortal King. However, the Mortal King didn't take a single step back against such tyrannical might. He fiercely punched to meet the Draconic Whale.
"Boom!" The impact shook the entire Buddhist Funeral Plateau. The gigantic creature instantly shattered against his punch. Its size was not enough to stop the fist from his Immortal Physique.
Only one drop of seawater was left behind after the monster disappeared. This shocked many people as well. Turning one drop of water into a Draconic Whale — this was quite a heaven-defying technique.
"My turn!" The king shouted after his swift dispatch of the whale. He spread out his palm and the sky suddenly turned dark. The entire location plunged into darkness.
With the power of his physique, his palm immediately suppressed the heavens. Even paragons would tremble before its might. Ordinary paragons would be crushed underneath its power.
Wu Longxuan shifted her body with the movement of a dragon and then the agility of a fish in the sky. She instantly dodged the palm and appeared outside of the firmament.
At this time among the vast expanse above, she casually made her move and a great ocean appeared behind her. Fortunately, she was standing out in space at this moment. Otherwise, this great ocean could drown the entire plateau.
"My thoughts exactly. Let's fight in space so that we don't have to hold back." The Mortal King shouted and leaped into the sky with one stomp. He headed for space then instantly sent another punch towards Wo Longxuan.
"Come, let us go watch." The spectators couldn't see them when they were out in space. The more powerful cultivators all ascended to the firmament.
"The outcome is already decided." Li Qiye only chuckled while shaking his head after taking a quick glance. He didn't fly out into space and instead turned around to leave.
"Brother, where are you going?" The youth with the flat hat immediately followed behind him.
"Going to take a stroll around. There are too many places at the plateau to check out." Li Qiye slowly walked while speaking.
"Haha, I don't have anything else to do either, I'll just go with you then." The youth followed Li Qiye.
Li Qiye paused and turned around to look at the youth before speaking leisurely: "What do you want to do? Trying to figure me out?"
"A…" The youth quickly stood up straight and cried out indignantly: "Brother, you are falsely accusing me. I just want to befriend you, yet you are mistaking it as having an ulterior motive."
Li Qiye shook his head and smilingly said: "Sikong Toutian, others might not recognize you, but you cannot wash away that profiteer's smell of yours."
The youth immediately took several steps back with a shocked expression. He cautiously glared at Li Qiye: "Who are you?!"
Li Qiye smirked and said: "Who do you think?"
"Is, is it really you?" The youth was not completely certain and cried out: "Young Noble Li, no, Boss, is it really you?"
Li Qiye turned back into his true form before assuming Chu Yuntian again a second later. He smiled: "Sikong Toutian, having mischievous ideas about me is not a clever move."
The youth quickly transformed as well. It was indeed that scoundrel Sikong Toutian. However, he looked around real quick then turned back into the youth wearing the hat.
"Ohhh. Boss, it really is you. No wonder why I couldn't see through it." He rubbed his palms together and tried to curry favor: "I should have guessed earlier that it was you, but I couldn't confirm it. The only person in this world with a transformation technique that I can't see through has to be you, Boss."
He was very adept at transformation arts. It would be difficult to find someone as skillful as him in this regard. When Li Qiye came, he couldn't see through him so he became suspicious and approached. He didn't expect for the guy to actually be Li Qiye.
He beamingly smiled and said: "I heard Boss wanted to go to the Sacred Nether World, so I didn't expect you to come back and immediately flex your might. Under a furious rage, you massacred a grand army until rivers were overwhelmed with the Blood-devil Tribe's blood…"
"Okay, don't pretend to be so obsequious." Li Qiye interrupted him while smiling: "Are you up to no good again?"
"Boss, what are you saying?" Sikong Toutian immediately swore: "This lowly one is your biggest fan, I heard about your conquest of the nine heavens and viewed you as my pride and glory…"
"Okay, I accept your sentiment." Li Qiye smiled: "If you didn't do anything bad, then why do you need to change your face at the Buddhist Funeral Plateau? Why the need to hide if you have no enemies here?"
"Ohh, Boss, you have the wrong idea." Sikong Toutian laughed out loud: "This lowly one has retired, I have changed completely. I want to be a virtuous and kind person with love, justice, and continuous self-betterment…"
He continued to flaunt excessively while Li Qiye only smiled and looked at him without interrupting.
After he was finished with his long spiel, he couldn't brag any longer as he became tired. He knew full well that he could hide from others, but definitely not from Li Qiye.
"Ah, Boss, here's how it is." He coughed and explained: "I only want to go visit a few temples. Nothing much really, maybe picking up a few souvenirs here and there to take back home."
Li Qiye naturally knew what these "souvenirs" were. He looked at the guy again and said: "You already have too many treasures to count. And as for you lying and scheming all day, this is an affront to your Heaven's Mystery Valley's prestige."
Sikong Toutian didn't know how to reply. He smiled wryly: "Boss, I don't want to do this either, but, but this is my chronic illness. If I don't steal something each day or swindle anyone, I will feel incredibly uncomfortable all around."
"This is a disease with no cure." Li Qiye didn't know whether to laugh or cry and could only shake his head.
Sikong Toutian laughed in response as well: "Boss, recently, that Mortal King has been acting very bullish. When will boss take him down a notch and let him know that you are the only invincible person in the nine heavens and ten earths?"
"Why, have you done something that warrants his attention?" Li Qiye glanced at him and smirked. How could he not know that this guy was thinking?
Sikong Toutian said: "Haha, I cannot be blamed for this. It can only be said that he was acting too bullish and claimed to have the number one Immortal Physique. Moreover, his school's disciples have been acting very arrogant as well, causing trouble everywhere as if they were the number one sect in the Mortal Emperor World. And so, my hands suddenly became itchy and I stole from his ancestral graves!"
"This is a very good thing. Wait until he captures you and grinds you to dust." Li Qiye smiled. It would be strange if the Mortal King didn't want to destroy someone who dug out his ancestral graves.
"I only stole a few treasures from there, does he need to act so crazily?" Sikong Toutian didn't seem to mind at all and laughed.
Although the guy was not famous in the current generation and what little fame he had was not of the good kind either, this didn't mean that he was weak. He actually wasn't afraid of the Mortal King since he came from the mysterious Heaven's Mystery Valley and had great resources!
"Alas, Boss, it is not me trying to cause trouble, but I don't know if I should say it or not." He told Li Qiye.
Li Qiye chuckled: "Let me be the judge of that. Say it."
"The Jade Pillar School wants to take Miss Chen back. They are thinking that since she came from the school and her family is also there, they hope that she would go back." He explained.
The Miss Chen he referred to was Chen Baojiao.
Li Qiye only smiled in response. It was no wonder for the school to have this idea. Chen Baojiao has become powerful, so it would only be natural for them to want her back.
Chapter 1014: Nameless Little Temple
"The school is different from back then." Sikong Toutian explained: "Who knows how? But in these last couple of years, it suddenly became a lot stronger. Maybe the king really has a way with ruling. They have great hidden resources and strength. As for that Mortal King, he was still wasting time on his Saint Physique, but later on, it turned into an Immortal Physique out of nowhere."
"Boss, I'm not just making assumptions right now." Sikong Toutian went on: "The school is claiming that the Mortal King made their Hell Suppressing Jewel Law complete. To tell the truth, I don't believe this at all. Heh, with the skill of the saint child back then, if he could fix this physique law, then both Jikong Wudi and Mei Suyao would have become Immortal Emperors already."
He paused for a bit here: "Although the saint child was a bit talented with a commendable calm demeanor, I feel that he alone absolutely cannot complete an Immortal Physique Law!"
Li Qiye listened with a smile. Nothing could elude his eyes. The Mortal King was not cultivating the jewel law from their school — he knew this very well.
"Boss, there is another thing I need to tell you." Sikong Toutian looked at Li Qiye with a relaxed expression and revealed: "I have found out some news, the saint child wants to marry Miss Chen. However, there are some reasons for apprehension, so he hasn't made a move yet."
"With just him alone?" Li Qiye chuckled without saying anything.
The guy quickly grinned and said: "Of course, only Boss is deserving of Miss Chen."
Li Qiye leered at him and leisurely spoke: "Does your master know that you came here to steal? Did you tell the Mortal Monarch as well?"
The guy was startled after hearing this. His neck shrunk from fear as he wryly coughed: "Haha, Boss, I am sucking up… no, Boss is really incredibly wise, number one across the eons. Me running errands for you with all of my heart is something that my master and the Mortal Monarch would be proud of."
"What about the stealing matter?" Li Qiye asked while looking at the guy.
He coughed in response: "Oh, oh, Boss, you should know this too, not everyone is a saint. No one is always right and perfect, right? I am only stealing some little things, I'm sure the seniors won't really mind."
"Sikong Toutian oh Sikong Toutian, you can only be described as an incurable little brat." Li Qiye smilingly stated.
"I am honored to be praised by Boss." Sikong Toutian didn't give a damn and grinned happily.
Li Qiye smiled too and understood that this Sikong Toutian couldn't be changed. He was a prodigal son that runs around all over the world, completely different from others who were hellbent on cultivation to reach the top or even rule the world.
In fact, Sikong Toutian's talents were not lesser than that of any other genius. However, he didn't care about it. He only wanted to roam the world as his ambition was not for domination.
"Everyone has their own wishes, it cannot be forced." In the end, this was all Li Qiye could say.
Sikong Toutian looked at him and said: "Does Boss want to go anywhere or have anything you want me to do?"
Li Qiye looked at him with one eye and said: "No need. I don't want to hunt for any treasures right now. I just want to meditate with the Buddhist faith in peace, read all the scriptures and visit the three thousand temples. Of course, if you want to be a monk, I can also convert you and help you get there."
"A monk? Hah, Boss, this lowly one is full of vulgarity, I cannot become a monk." Sikong Toutian was scared after hearing this and immediately refused.
Of course, he also found it strange and had to ask: "Why does Boss want to cultivate Buddhism?"
He naturally didn't believe Li Qiye ran here to become a monk. He knew that Li Qiye was definitely not the type who would want to be one!
Li Qiye revealed a mysterious smile and slowly said: "It's a secret."
Sikong Toutian didn't dare to ask for more and smiled: "If that's the case, then this lowly one will not disturb your meditation any longer. If you ever need someone to run some errands, just call for me. I will come running."
After he left, Li Qiye continued on. After several days, he finally made it to a temple.
This temple was situated along a desolate ridge. Very few people came to this modest-sized temple. It seemed to only be a small square-shaped courtyard.
From the peeling red walls, one could tell that it had been built a very long time ago. Moreover, it was not a popular place since there were no pilgrims visiting here at all.
There were too many temples at the plateau. Some were very prosperous, so naturally, the other extreme existed as well.
Although this temple had no visitors offering incense, it was still open and welcomed visitors.
Li Qiye went before it and became quiet for a moment before he eventually entered. It was a bit dark inside with a very simple yet elegant design. Despite the lack of guests, there was still incense burning inside. This meant that there were still monks worshipping Buddha in this temple.
In the main hall, Li Qiye saw a statue across the wafting smoke. To be exact, it was a statue of a Bodhisattva.
One could faintly see it through all the smoke. It was a woman with her left hand forming a lotus mudra while her right hand formed an unidentifiable mudra. She sat on a lotus flower with a leaned posture so no one could really see her face. From her figure, she should be quite beautiful, to a transcendent level in fact. It was very rare to find a statue of this caliber. Perhaps out of all the temples in this plain, only this temple worshiped the Bodhisattva.
Li Qiye slowly sat down in a meditative pose on a futon and quietly stared at this Bodhisattva.
Suddenly, he became overwhelmed and lost track of time as if he had forgotten everything else. He continued to stare at it.
It was a relic of the unrecallable past, but Li Qiye couldn't help but remember bits and pieces at this moment.
"Enchantress or goddess… this doesn't matter. In the end, it was as ephemeral as a wisp of smoke." Li Qiye was lost in a daze and murmured: "There are too many unforgettable things back then. I, I don't really know what to say. All along, I really do not like conversion, but if it gave you peace and freedom, then I am glad of it."
Having said that, he sighed softly and felt a bit lost. There had been countless passengers of all shapes and forms in his life. Immortal Emperors, true gods, mortals… Some were more unforgettable than others.
He had many followers once. They were willing to contribute everything for him and would even sacrifice their own lives for his sake! This Bodhisattva ahead was one of them. There were dangerous moments back then when she was the first to stand in front of him!
The years went by and during a peaceful era, she chose to convert to Buddhism and passed away here in peace!
Li Qiye's heart quivered while looking at her statue and felt his emotions running amok. His heart of stone had been polished so many times that there was no shaking it. However, this was one of those exceptions. Time was the cruelest thing in this world. Even if it couldn't take away an immortal being, it could take away other things… Those who stood by your side, family, friendship…
An old nun came by while he was dazed. She had a cold demeanor and was as calm as the water in a well. She asked: "Offering incense or seeking shelter?"
Li Qiye didn't answer right away. He stood up and quietly lit some incense then bowed once. After putting the incense sticks on the altar, he looked deeply at the Bodhisattva for a bit before turning around.
He looked at the old nun and flatly said: "Just shelter for one."
The nun was indifferent. She took out a key and handed it over to Li Qiye before coldly saying: "The room on the west side, take care of your own meals." With that, she turned away.
Li Qiye didn't say anything else. He took the key and entered the room on the west side. Judging from the dust that had built up, there hadn't been a need for one to stay here for a very long time.
He was not in a hurry and silently meditated to embrace this rare moment of tranquility. Before anyone knew it, he felt isolated and solitary. This was a type of serene peace that allowed one to be without distraught.
Perhaps when she came here that year, she was also pursuing this kind of tranquility.
No one came to bother his meditation in the temple. There was only an old nun in this place. She was both the abbess and the caretaker.
She didn't care about anything and didn't ask Li Qiye anything either. Outside of meditation, she usually chanted scriptures. She passed her time in this manner for what seemed to be an unchanging eternity, as if there was no time here, no sun or moon. Everything was forgotten in this place — mundane matters, time, fame, fortune… they all lapsed into oblivion, leaving only peace behind.
Chapter 1015: Sutra Room
He meditated for several days in this nameless temple before coming out from the guest room.
The old nun was still sitting in the main hall. Even when Li Qiye came, she didn't bother looking as if nothing could bother her from her state of zen.
Li Qiye told the nun: "I want to read the buddhist scrolls at the Sutra Room."
The nun finally opened her pair of heavy and listless eyes that seemingly resulted from old age.
"The Sutra Room is only for fateful ones." She calmly answered in an indifferent manner after taking a quick glance at Li Qiye.
"I am a fateful one." He responded softly. With that, he didn't say anything else. He didn't wait for her permission before going straight to the Bodhisattva statue. He took out a wooden key beneath it and left.
From start to finish, the old nun didn't move at all from her futon. Even when Li Qiye took the key, she remained quiet. However, her aged eyes instantly lit up like the sun and moon in a profound and unfathomable manner.
Still, she didn't say or take any action and eventually closed her eyes to meditate again.
Li Qiye went to the very end of the temple. There was a hallway that led to a small room without any signs or plaques.
However, this was the Sutra Room that Li Qiye was looking for. When he reached the room, he inserted the wooden key. Despite the lock issuing a click, the old wooden door still didn't open.
He placed his palm on the old door that had experienced countless years. Nevertheless, the runes on the door were still very clear.
After his touch, these runes began to change. They slowly intertwined to form a lotus flower. It appeared very sacred and gave others a feeling of ataraxia.
"Clakk!" The wooden door slowly opened and Li Qiye entered the Sutra Room. It closed behind him right afterward.
It was a room with many levels of bookshelves and numerous scriptures as far as the eyes could see. This room was not as small as it looked from the outside. There was a heavenly grotto within. Before actually entering, no one would be able to realize it.
Just like its name, the Sutra Room contained Buddhist scriptures. If others were to assume that it contained martial scriptures or supreme techniques, then they would be completely mistaken.
Only Buddhist scriptures were here. Moreover, the majority were the original copy as well, all hand-written by venerable monks. Thus, one was met with a majestic and serene Buddhist aura that permeated throughout the entire room.
Li Qiye walked and browsed these scriptures that came from all over the world. This was an accumulation of books throughout the long years. He, his generals, and the lineages that worked for him all stored scriptures in this place.
This place had to be the location with the most complete collection of Buddhist scriptures in this world. What was even more astonishing was that some of the scriptures here came from Nalanda. They were the original version so outsiders shouldn't have been able to obtain them.
Li Qiye selected quite a few scriptures from the vast collection. The majority of the ones he chose came from the Buddhist Funeral Plateau and Nalanda.
Li Qiye had read through these scriptures before back during the long and arduous years. However, he had an entirely new strategy this time around, so he needed to read these scriptures as preparation to enter the Nihility Temple.
This wouldn't be their first confrontation. This time, he would have a new approach.
Afterwards, he began to chant the sutras and became immersed in the dharma. This was not an attempt at comprehension but a process of transformation. I am Buddha, I am the law — this was the effect that Li Qiye desired.
With his recitation and assuming the Buddhist doctrine, visual phenomena began to emerge. Each of his words came out as lotuses while a Buddhist radiance shrouded his body. This made him resemble a Buddhist Lord.
The old abbess of the temple remained indifferent towards Li Qiye and didn't even bother to look at him. She treated him as if he wasn't staying inside this temple.
"Bang!" One day during his meditation, a heavy crash resounded outside as if something had slammed into the ground. This prompted his eyes to open.
He went outside and saw that a woman had fallen into the courtyard. She was dressed in a loose black attire that hid her identity. Her body was spotted with blood marks and she had difficulty standing up at this moment.
"Clank—" When Li Qiye got close, the woman in black suddenly unsheathed her sword and coldly glared at him with her pretty eyes.
Li Qiye looked at her and smiled calmly before speaking: "Escaping with a heaven-defying void shattering technique has left you devoid of blood energy. You are no different than an ordinary girl at this time, no, you're even weaker than one. Even a mortal can kill you right now."
She continued to glare at him and didn't speak as if she wanted to read something from his expression.
Li Qiye slowly reached out to this woman. She looked at him once more and hesitated a bit before taking his hand so that he could help her up.
He supported her into the room and let her sit down. Meanwhile, the old abbess in the main hall continued to ignore the whole situation. She meditated with her eyes closed as if she didn't notice the woman in black.
Inside the room, Li Qiye brought over clean water and spoke insipidly towards the woman: "Clean yourself of this bloody stench, it's ruining my vibe."
The woman silently looked at him and didn't want to clean her face. Without a doubt, she didn't want to reveal her face to him.
"Okay, show your true face. Your outfit and transformation might fool others, but not me." Li Qiye looked at her and spoke: "A disciple of the Sleeping Dragon Cliff will always have the stench of the sea no matter where they go. I already know who you are without needing to look!"
"Who are you!" The woman was startled and raised her voice. Despite her grave injury and powerlessness, there was still an unchanging imposing force. Just her words alone had a deterrent effect.
Li Qiye chuckled: "The person who saved your life. Of course, you can call me by another name, Chu Yuntian!"
The woman felt anxious and doubtful. She looked at him but failed to truly understand him. The man was quite handsome. Despite seeming normal, he was full of mysteries.
"Okay, don't be so paranoid of me. If I harbored bad intentions towards you, I would destroy you even when you are at your prime." Li Qiye said with a smile.
She looked at him once more. Eventually, her body slightly changed as she revealed her true form. It was Wo Longxuan, the Sleeping Dragon Cliff's sect master!
Li Qiye calmly looked at her revealed face while she only washed her face in silence.
"Mmm, much better. Although it cannot wash away the natural sea smell from your people, at least it washed away that smell of blood." Li Qiye chuckled.
After she finished washing up, the entire room was lit up from her brilliance. Despite being pale from the wounds, it didn't affect her style. She almost vomited blood from anger after hearing his remark. Even if he saved her, she still glared at him angrily and said: "I don't have a sea stench!"
He looked at her and smiled: "If you are the cliff's descendant, then you should know of your origin."
"Hmph, what origin?" She coldly responded while being very annoyed at him.
He leisurely spoke: "Although your dragon cliff is not an imperial lineage, it is one of the oldest lineages. A non-imperial sect standing strong for millions of years in the northern Grand Sea, why do you think that is?"
She didn't answer his question and only stared at him.
He sat down and nonchalantly continued: "A long time ago at the bottom of the northern sea, there once existed a particular race. They dwelled in the depths, isolated from the rest of the world. It was not until later that someone from this race exited the sea. From that point on, the world slowly came to know of the race's existence…"
Wo Longxuan's eyes turned serious when Li Qiye reached this point. Very few people knew about this story these days. Even the cliff's disciples weren't aware of it.
Li Qiye smilingly revealed: "… Gradually, this race disappeared while the northern sea received a new lineage named the Sleeping Dragon Cliff. No one knew of its exact identity as it rose to prominence overnight."