Chapter 1289: Rootless Duckweed
Li Qiye left the dragon mountains for the Bonesea. He wasn't in a hurry, so he opened his portals randomly while crossing through the countries.
He stopped multiple times along the way to bask in the beautiful sceneries of the Dragon Demon Sea. After all, these majestic scenes were unique to Heaven Spirit.
He had heard of the immortal artifact that came out of the Bonesea and only smiled in response.
Seeing people anxiously running there didn't affect his pace because he knew that the time was not ripe. Only when it was would he finally be able to reach his desired destination. Otherwise, it would all be in vain.
Because of this, he relaxed and took his time traveling across this beautiful sea region. However, he would occasionally become absent-minded in front of this beauty. While standing on a cliff and gazing at the vast sea, his mind seemed to be drifting away.
In those distant years, there was a period of time when he had a taste of the happiness of being an ordinary man. During an evening on this very cliff, there was someone who held hands with him to watch the sunset.
He continued to look at the sun slowly sinking into the sea in a stupor. After a long time, he withdrew his gaze and gave a carefree smile: "Yueli, I'll let you know that someone named Li Qiye is back. I don't mind even if you kill me. All debts must be repaid before I go to the final world."
With that, he laughed with an open mind before coolly leaving. Sometimes he would fly or ride the waves.
Among the billowing clouds were a few mountains and old pavilions. This scene looked just like an immortal paradise. Among these hidden mountains were lush, ancient pines and gurgling streams.
In the pavilions were cultivators absorbing and releasing the elements as if they were immortals.
When standing in these clouds, one could often see other cultivators traveling. When they met, it was a time to be cheerful and enthusiastic. Honorifics were thrown and greetings were exchanged. They would explore the arts of the elements.
These scenes looked particularly beautiful, but the truth was far from this. Behind these dream-like images was an unimaginable cruelty.
These cultivators hiding in the clouds belonged to the human race. Moreover, their situation was one of helplessness.
In the Heaven Spirit World, continents were few in between; most landmasses already had masters. Cultivators didn't mind being in oceans. At a certain level, there was virtually no difference between land and water. However, humans were land creatures. More often than not, they wouldn't be used to the sea, unlike the sea tribes who had a love for the oceans and were born there.
Some human cultivators had no territory, so they had to stay in the sky and hide in the clouds. These mountains and pavilions weren't personally refined by them but instead were left behind by their ancestors. Of course, the lucky ones could come across places without an owner.
The abandoned mountains and pavilions were often lineages that failed to be passed down. Their final generation must have died from old age. Thus, the structures could only float in the clouds across the vast firmament. The lucky ones could then claim these as their own.
When human cultivators reached a certain power level and didn't have a landmass, they would dig out mud and soil from the ocean or move a mountain in order to refine them. This process would eventually turn into these artificial creations floating among the clouds in the sky.
The truth was that it wasn't their choice. Who would want to drift endlessly in the sky if they had their own land?
For some people, this style of life was very interesting and fun at the start. However, as time passed, they would come to find that they were not masters of their own destiny.
Given the choice between a home or this, no one would want to be rootless duckweed. Moreover, it was dangerous to drift around like this. Once they met an enemy who was more powerful than themselves, they could be destroyed at any time.
This dreamy life was the result of a lack of choice. In this kind of rootless drifting, one wouldn't have a way of establishing an ancestral ground, mining resources, or planting precious elixirs and plants.
Being poor was a fatal disadvantage for cultivators. A wealth of resources was crucial for cultivators and sects to grow stronger.
However, having an abundance of these resources relied on having one's own territory in order to keep them safe. It was often meaningless to have too many resources while participating in this vagabond lifestyle. Having a pavilion in the air was simply a fool's dream.
Li Qiye gently shook his head while looking at a few cultivators visiting and talking to each other among these mountains and pavilions in the middle of this sea of clouds.
In this helpless situation, these humans could only rely on each other for support. Otherwise, they would be easily washed away by the flood.
"This simply cannot be a place for humans to live." This was Li Qiye's only comment.
How many could be lucky enough to have their own landmass like the Exquisite Valley or Dongting Lake? Very few could enjoy being born into such a great background. To be able to join those sects was also a type of fortune.
Nevertheless, he didn't feel too sad about it. In his eyes, everyone had their own path. Even a savior couldn't save everyone.
He went on his way, riding the ocean waves without a care.
"Young Noble, where are you going? Do you want my company?" A pleasant voice rang with a hint of allurement that could stir the heart.
Li Qiye glanced over and saw Liu Ruyan standing on a boat. She was basking in the breeze with her slender figure like a willow leaf, making others truly get a sense for the fluttering wind.
She was riding a gigantic ship with the symbol of the Void Imperfection Three Schools on it. In Heaven Spirit, everyone would show some respect for this symbol.
Li Qiye smiled and got on the ship instead of refusing.
She showed warm hospitality by moving a table over and then proceeded to light some sandalwood scents. Next, she boiled tea and personally handed it to him.
He didn't seem to mind the gesture and casually lied down by the table, looking quite comfortable.
She smiled and handed him a teacup while saying: "Young Noble, my craft is not as good as my sister's, please don't laugh."
Though her face was hidden behind a thin veil, each of her frowns and smiles exuded a special and comforting charm.
Gongsun Meiyu was also an enchanting person, but her charm was different. Meiyu had the mature allurement of a married woman. Her charm relied on her beauty and her beauty relied on a sense of lust.
Meanwhile, Ruyan's charm was much more refined. It seeped into the heart with a touch of elegance and youthfulness. Such a woman was to be adored by all men.
He accepted the tea and slowly took a sip while staring at her without saying anything.
"Young Noble, are you going to the Bonesea?" She showed a smile that would make hearts flutter: "I'm also going to the Bonesea, may I accompany you?"
He responded while faintly grinning: "You are well-informed."
She frankly said: "Young Noble, you are a dragon among men, a supreme prodigy. Many eyes are on you regardless of the time and place as you're just like a swan among a flock of chicken. Your location can easily be found by asking around a bit."
"Little beauty, I don't care what your plan is, but don't provoke me or I might just avail myself of your charm." Li Qiye was in a particularly good mood while looking at this attractive woman.
"Do you actually dare?" Ruyan responded with a teasing chuckle: "There's no need for you to do so. If you want, I am more than willing to join you in bed. Of course, if you have some unusual tastes, I can also entertain you in that manner."
Such words truly pulled on one's heartstrings and made blood boil, especially when they came from someone as devilishly lovely as Liu Ruyan.
"Well said!" Li Qiye's eyes widened as he suddenly pulled her closer in an overbearing manner. She couldn't respond in time for he was too fast in taking her into his embrace.
"Pa! Pa! Pa!" A series of slaps resounded. Liu Ruyan cried out in surprise as Li Qiye slapped her sweet buttocks repeatedly.
He showed no signs of mercy for the fairer sex and used great force on her soft and pretty behinds. She was definitely feeling a burning pain!
Chapter 1290: Martial Sisters
"You!" Liu Ruyan resembled a cat that had its tail stepped on, instantly jumping back. She glared at Li Qiye with both fear and embarrassment. Even though her speech was bold, innocence was still part of her nature.
What frustrated her even more was that Li Qiye showed no mercy at all. Her butts were burning with pain, especially if she sat down.
Li Qiye sat back and glanced at the girl to say: "I'm not someone you can tease as you please. I'll even strip you for a public display, what do you say about that?"
She gave him a fierce look and angrily replied: "Do you not know how to be a gentleman at all?"
As the Evil Devourer Schoolmaster, she enjoyed a high position in the Heaven Spirit World. Moreover, she herself was enchantingly beautiful and enough to sway the soul of any man. It could be said that she was a demoness of the calamity level, a moon surrounded by the stars in the eyes of men.
No man had ever been this rude to her, but today, Li Qiye was both rude and unmerciful.
"Gentleman?" He smiled, revealing his perfectly white teeth: "Of course I know how to be a gentleman, but that depends on who I'm dealing with."
Despite her frustration, there was nothing she could do about it. She was aware of his notoriety from having killed beauties like Gongsun Meiyu and Shangguan Feiyan without any mercy at all. It was no longer surprising for this fierce man to do what he wished.
She sat back down but felt a stinging pain, causing her to frown.
Li Qiye couldn't help but smile after seeing her expression: "It looks like I was a bit too rough."
The remark sounded quite sarcastic.
"It's good that you are aware." She glared at him again without losing any of her charm.
He seemed to be enjoying her presence, evident by his smile. This, in turn, made her embarrassed as shown by her giving him the side-eye.
Li Qiye ignored her stare and took his time enjoying the tea before speaking: "This tea from your Evil Devourer School is quite good, but to be honest, your charming demeanor is even better than this tea."
Who knows if this remark was meant to be a praise or mockery. Meanwhile, she elegantly poured a full cup of tea for him, rendering a very pleasurable scene.
She sat there quietly as he drank the tea. Although she was still, she exuded a different style of attractiveness.
After finishing the cup, he looked at her and cheerfully asked: "What do you want?"
She poured another cup for him in a very comforting style and revealed a smile that would cause the body to go soft: "To steal my senior sister's man, is that alright? All the elders in the sect want her to bear your child in order to spread your bloodline."
"All because of the imperial bloodline?" He couldn't help but chuckle.
She playfully smirked and blinked her eyes: "I heard that outside of our progenitor, no one else from our school was able to become a true whale rider. If your bloodline is passed down, maybe we will gain a new rider."
Li Qiye chuckled in response. He understood this very well since their schools didn't only want an imperial bloodline, these ancestors sought another whale rider.
After a while, Li Qiye changed the topic: "I heard your sister had married."
She replied: "I am different from her. She always placed the school first to the point of sacrificing herself. However, she is also the ideal wife in the minds of men. Elegant, noble, sensible, understanding, wise but not overbearing… which man wouldn't like her?"
Li Qiye teased: "Aren't you jealous?"
She chuckled in response: "Why would I be? She has her path and I have mine. Instead of being a virtuous wife like her, I prefer to be rebellious. The path of the grand dao is arduous. It isn't easy being a cultivator, so why should anyone burden themselves with so many responsibilities? Be free and true to your desires, that's how it should be."
He was amused by the answer as he looked at her. She felt no apprehension under his stare and instead met it directly.
"Be free and true to your desires, well said." Li Qiye nodded approvingly.
"I might not be a proper schoolmaster, but I'm definitely a proper cultivator." She smiled.
"Of course, you can reconsider." She playfully winked: "I heard some men have a particular penchant for married women. The more powerful they are, the more unimaginable their tastes are. Even though my sister was a married woman, she is still a virgin and absolutely suitable for you."
"I'm fully aware of what kind of woman is suitable for me." He smiled in response: "Your so-called competing against your sister is only a facade for you to help her."
"Is that so?" She winked once more and provocatively smiled while lightheartedly saying: "Not necessarily, a man like you is very attractive and enough to fascinate young girls. It isn't strange for me to compete against her."
"Oh?" He leisurely replied: "If the old men from your schools want something from me, fine, I'll fulfill their wish. If both your sister and yourself warm my bed, I will consider it."
"Wow, Young Noble, you have quite an appetite, wanting to hit two swans with one arrow… Holding beauties from both sides to fully enjoy the pleasure of men." She smiled: "That's quite an ambition you have there."
Li Qiye faintly smiled: "I said I'm only reconsidering since the one losing out in this deal is me."
She took another glance at this nonchalant man ahead of her and sentimentally sighed: "A confident man is so attractive, you're truly swaying my heart."
"Alright little beauty, there's no need to goad me." Li Qiye said: "Let your senior sister come out, your tricks aren't fooling anyone."
Sure enough, Zhuo Jianshi came out from within the boat. She bowed before him and sincerely said: "Excuse us again. If we have done anything foolish, please punish us."
Her attitude was very sincere as she maintained a very low posture. Nevertheless, she was still incredibly elegant and had a hint of sexiness. It was quite difficult to not like someone such as her, especially when her soft and silky voice entered one's ears; they would feel quite comfortable upon hearing her voice.
"Well, I'm not from your school, so there's no need for this type of formality and punishment." He gently waved his sleeve.
"Young Noble, you are discerning with matchless wisdom, nothing can elude you." Liu Ruyan smiled: "But this isn't my sister's fault. It was my idea, so if you want to blame someone, blame me."
Li Qiye only looked at the two of them since he didn't really mind: "Even your three schools do not make exceptions for you two?"
Zhuo Jianshi was hesitant to respond as she was unsure how to phrase it. In the end, she chose to stay silent.
Liu Ruyan movingly smiled instead: "It can't be helped. At times, cultivators won't be able to escape their responsibilities. If you don't mind, how about leaving your bloodline with us? It will be a meritorious deed."
Li Qiye looked at the two and smiled: "Who will be waiting first? Or will both of you come together?"
Such directness left Jianshi feeling hot. Even though the upper echelons of the schools wished for this, she was still a girl, so she inevitably became embarrassed when faced with this problem.
Ruyan fared better as she was still smiling: "It is okay if you want to have both of us."
Li Qiye lightly laughed before answering: "Forget it, there's no need to talk about this matter. Go back and tell the old geezers to give up on this idea. I won't casually have children or leave behind my bloodline for your schools."
With that, he stood up, intending to leave.
Jianshi softly sighed after hearing this response. What could she do about it? She understood that a man like Li Qiye wasn't so easily tempted by women.
"If you are going to the Bonesea, why don't we go together?" Ruyan chuckled: "Or are you afraid of being seduced by our charm so you don't dare being close to us?"
"Really now?" He looked at her and actually sat back down: "Fine, I want to see just what kind of charm the two of you possess."
He naturally knew that this was her way of goading him, but he still stayed in the end.
She boldly told Jianshi: "Big Sis, since Young Noble is staying, shouldn't we be offering our service like giving him a massage?"
Jianshi instantly turned red. Even though she had agreed with the ancestors in the sect and was prepared to sacrifice herself, this was still her first time serving a man.