Chapter 658: Forcing An Abdication
After hearing about the eventual appearance of the Pill King, even the Eagle Demon Monarch who was friends with the Qing Clan was enraged. Normally, he would say a nice word or two for them or try to win them some advantages, but in the end, he still came from the court and was one of its disciple as well as a loyal subject! Thus, during this critical juncture, he was on the side of the court.
"What is the Qing Clan trying to do? Are they intending to force the king to abdicate?!" One monarch angrily exclaimed: "I hope they didn’t forget that it is not up to their clan to do as it pleases with the country."
The Eagle Demon Monarch was quite worried as well as he spoke: "If the Pill King comes to the capital, I'm afraid we will be in danger. We will have no choice other than to invite the ancestor to come out in the face of two Virtuous Paragons!"
At this time, a disciple rushed over and reported: "Young Noble, the Qing Clan wants to have an audience with Her Majesty!"
The monarchs couldn't help but turn to look at Li Qiye who was leisurely sitting on the throne that originally belonged to Madam Zi Yan. However, at this moment, he was half-sitting there in a completely relaxed fashion as if nothing was happening.
As for the madam, she was sitting on the other side. With a calm demeanor, she didn't say anything; at best, she would only reveal a smile.
Eventually, Li Qiye came back to reality and lazily said: "Since they are already here, how could we not see them? Go tell the Qing Clan and the Huangfu Clan… In fact, tell this to all the people in the capital, all the lineages, that have something to say or are demanding an answer."
Li Qiye didn't make a single move in the last two days; he was still nonchalant towards all the new developments. Now, he finally took action, allowing the monarchs to heave a sigh of relief.
At this moment, for the monarchs, it didn't matter whether Li Qiye's actions were right or wrong, it was still better than his attitude of indifference. At least he was doing something.
This disciple immediately acknowledged Li Qiye's command and quickly carried it out.
"Young Noble, we should have a discussion with the Qing Clan and the Huangfu Clan about this matter tomorrow. This is only a misunderstanding, so as long as Young Noble shows sincerity and relies on the reputation the Giant Bamboo Country that has already been established, erasing this animosity shouldn't be a problem." The Ancient Pine Demon Monarch busily said.
He thought very highly of Li Qiye, so he didn't hope for Li Qiye to ascend to the throne in a state of war before consolidating his power.
The Eagle Demon Monarch also pondered for a moment before speaking to Li Qiye: "Young Noble, I volunteer to talk to the Qing Clan. We have some time and with my mediation, resolving this conflict shouldn't be a problem." The Eagle Demon Monarch also didn’t want to see the country fall into disarray, so he was willing to solve this side of the issue.
"Mediation and erasing this animosity with me showing sincerity?" Li Qiye couldn't help but chuckle after hearing these two and slowly replied: "Who said I wanted to mediate? Who said I wanted to resolve this conflict?"
This answer took the monarchs by surprise. Ancient Pine had to interject: "Young Noble, before we lose all sense of pretense, it is not too late to reconcile so that we can spare the country from war."
Li Qiye laughed and lazily said: "Spare from war? Demon Monarchs, there will be war wherever I stand. Why should I try to reconcile? Very well, if you want peace, then I will think about it.
"… Actually, my demand will be very simple. Tell the Huangfu Ancestor and that whatever Pill King to prostrate and beg for forgiveness. Then, I will think about not bringing war to their door."
The moment these words came out, all the monarchs were stunned and took passing glances at each other in order to read the situation. If Madam Zi Yan handing this matter over to Li Qiye was crazy, then at this moment, Li Qiye's decision was truly insane!
The Ancient Pine Demon Monarch hesitated for a bit and had to speak: "Young Noble… Ah… This will make it so that we will face the enemy from all sides. That… would be bad."
Li Qiye lazily said: "Demon Monarchs, now that all of you are here, I will let you know my creed. First, I will not negotiate. At least, not with my enemies, unless they prostrate before me. Second, the words 'admitting defeat' are not in my vocabulary. Third, I will not let go of past grievances unless my enemies beg for forgiveness and accept their sentence. If their attitude is good, then I can think about it. Fourth, a very simple phrase — those who dare to halt my path shall be killed without mercy! Even Immortal Emperors are no exceptions!"
Li Qiye's lazy remark didn't carry an aggressive tone or oppressive momentum, but the contents were the most arrogant and overbearing words in the world! However, they came out of his mouth in such a nonchalant and confident manner as if all was within his grasp.
The eighteen monarchs were dumbfounded by this declaration. They looked at each other and felt that Li Qiye had turned mad. At the very least, he was the most insane person they had ever seen.
"Well, Young Noble, what will you do tomorrow then?" One monarch couldn't help but ask.
Li Qiye didn't even bat an eye as he slowly uttered: "What else is there to do? If they do not prostrate before me, then I will kill all of them! The stone-paved path before the imperial palace had not been washed with blood in a very long time, so it is high time that some people learn that the imperial court is not something they can provoke!"
Speaking up to this point, Li Qiye paused for a moment. He had an indescribable air of gentleness as he softly continued: "I adore peace and also wish for this place to be a tranquil paradise, but when the time comes, I don't mind washing this land with the blood of the enemies; even the gods won't be able to escape. Let the people of the Nine Worlds and myriad realms know that those who offend the Giant Bamboo Country, no matter their background or race, will be massacred by me!" His eyes turned fierce at this point.
The gentle expression was replaced by this fierce gaze. It wasn't only the madam, the eighteen monarchs all quivered as an illusion appeared in their minds. At this moment, Li Qiye had become a fierce prehistoric beast. The moment he woke up would be when an ocean of blood forms and when corpses pile up into mountains. It was as if he was sharpening his fangs at the nine heavens and ten earths! Behind him was a scene of carnage where even the gods would wail! The people in the room had to shake off this creepy feeling. After finally calming down, they all took deep breaths. Inadvertently, they would feel a cold chill whenever they looked at Li Qiye.
However, they found Li Qiye lazily seated in a leisurely posture. At this moment, he was but an ordinary and carefree young man, so where was the aura of a prehistoric beast devouring the world from earlier? This disparity, this contrast was hard to accept for the monarchs.
"However, we are about to face two Virtuous Paragons…" The Eagle Demon Monarch paused for a bit before speaking after finally calming down: "Essentially, we alone cannot deal with two Virtuous Paragons. Just one of them is more than enough to slay all of us. If we don't invite our ancestor, we simply can't resist their might."
"We?" At this time, Li Qiye glanced at the Eagle Demon Monarch and slightly shook his head to say: "Eagle Demon Monarch, you are mistaken, it is not we, but I. You all have no part in this, I alone shall deal with them."
This development silenced all the monarchs. Even Ancient Pine was quite skeptical as he repeated: "Just Young Noble alone?"
How could he not be skeptical? The enemy camp had two Virtuous Paragons, so how could Li Qiye do anything by himself? Even if he was a Virtuous Paragon, it would still be impossible.
"Demon Monarch, what else must I say? If I say I want to do it alone, then that is that, there is no need to waste more breaths." Li Qiye slightly raised his brows and added: "Also, spread this news. Tomorrow when I see them, those who want to spectate can come. This is something that I'm encouraging so there is no need for an entrance fee. Of course, if people want to join the enemy, then I welcome that too. Killing one hundred with one hand is not as shocking as killing tens of thousands!"
At this point, the monarchs had no words left for Li Qiye. Under such circumstances, others would be afraid of having too many enemies to handle, yet he was actually afraid of having too little enemies. What could the eighteen monarchs say to a person who desired to have even more foes such as him?
They became a bit helpless and had to look at Madam Zi Yan. They hoped that she would come out and try to console him because Li Qiye's approach was too crazy. However, the madam didn't say anything and only sat there quietly with a smile on her face; it was obvious that she had faith in Li Qiye.
Seeing as how even the madam was supporting Li Qiye, the eighteen monarchs didn't have anything else to say. They had no choice but to do as he said.
Sure enough, the imperial court released a certain message overnight: "Tomorrow, the court will meet the Huangfu Clan, the Qing Clan, and any other lineage or sect that wants to support them." This news spread across the capital very quickly.
After this news came out, all types of reactions ensued.
"Her Majesty has finally decided to show up?" After hearing this news, there were those who were excited since they were confident in Madam Zi Yan. They trusted that, with her appearance, she would be able to solve this problem.
In fact, her popularity was very high in the country. Even though there were two Virtuous Paragons challenging them, there was still quite a lot of people who believed that the madam was capable of quelling this storm.
However, there were also those who were shaken by this stormy situation. A few gazed towards the imperial court and murmured: "Will the court survive this disaster?"
658 TeaserAfter hearing the eventual appearance of the Pill King, even the Eagle Demon Monarch who was friends with the Qing Clan became enraged. Normally, he would say a nice word or two for them or try to win them some advantages, but in the end, he still came from the court and was one of its disciple as well as a loyal subject! Thus, during this critical juncture, he was on the side of the court.
"What is the Qing Clan trying to do? Are they intending to force the king to abdicate?!" One monarch angrily exclaimed: "I hope they didn’t forget that it is not up to their clan to do as it pleases with the country."
The Eagle Demon Monarch was quite worried as well as he spoke: "If the Pill King comes to the capital, I'm afraid we will be in danger. We will have no choice other than to invite the ancestor to come out in the face of two Virtuous Paragons!"
At this time, a disciple rushed over and reported: "Young Noble, the Qing Clan wants to have an audience with Her Majesty!"
[collapse]Chapter 659: Opening The Gates To Welcome The Enemy
"I'm afraid both the Qing Clan and Huangfu Clan will not easily halt their troops." Any wise man was able to see this. The turmoil in the last two days and the rumors that spread everywhere allowed them to conclude that the Qing Clan didn't just want justice, they wanted to force an abdication.
A cultivator from the previous generation murmured: "If this isn't dealt with correctly, then the Giant Bamboo Country will change. I think the Qing Clan had the ambition to rule the court for a long time now."
The sudden upheaval from the Qing Clan was not strange at all. The Qing Clan had been in the country for millions of years. Although they were not considered a great power and could only be considered a first-rate sect at best, they were deeply rooted in the country. Although the clan's biggest weakness was their lack of invincible experts since it was hard for them to produce a Virtuous Paragon, this was also their strength. The Qing Clan was an alchemy clan that was famous for its medicines. For millions of years, many sects had asked for their medicines, and because of this, they had accumulated a great amount of wealth and had extensive connections.
It was no exaggeration to say that the Qing Clan had great relationships with many neighboring sects. Any sect would be happy to become friends with an alchemy clan.
The Qing Clan's descendant died a terrible death in the imperial court, so many of the sects outside either publicly or secretly showed their support for the Qing Clan. Some even sent their disciples to help their cause.
Therefore, this was ostensibly a cry for vengeance, but the truth was that this was a call for abdication. Any knowledgeable cultivator knew that the Qing Clan had coveted the throne of the country for a long time now. This had always been the case, but until now, the imperial court had always held a firm grasp of the country's territories. Moreover, there was very little fighting in the country, so on top of having wise rulers, the Qing Clan never had the chance despite its ambition.
Thus, the current development was a god-sent opportunity for them. The death of Qing Yu along with the uprising caused by the Huangfu Clan, especially the arrival of its ancestor, allowed for a circumstance where they could suppress the imperial court.
In such a situation, the Qing Clan and the Huangfu Clan were hitting it off quite well. The Huangfu Clan wanted to cause a storm in the country while the Qing Clan wanted the royal power. Moreover, the Qing Clan's Pill King, who had always been in seclusion, finally decided to show himself. This move could only be described as quite menacing.
In fact, they were very optimistic about this situation. The imperial court was not very favored against the Huangfu Clan, so now with the uprising from their Qing Clan, this was definitely the best time to make a move.
If they are successful, then they would seize control of the Giant Bamboo Country. Even if we take a step back and assume that they couldn't seize it instantly, the imperial court would be too busy dealing with the Huangfu Clan. At that time, the Qing Clan would still be able to gain the greatest benefit.
Moreover, the appearance of the Huangfu Clan made even more sects decide to voice their support for the Qing Clan. With their help, the Qing Clan's momentum became quite strong and seemingly flooded the country. If Madam Zi Yan made one wrong move, then the country would be sent into a state of separation.
"Will the court survive this disaster? Could it be that the court, which had ruled the country for millions of years, will finally come to an end?" Some of the older generation couldn't help but worry.
A great character looked into the night sky and slowly spoke: "Morning will soon come. At that time, we will quickly find out the outcome."
For many sects in the country and cultivators in the capitals, this night was very long and boring. It was nearly torture for many of them. They all knew that tonight would be peaceful, but this was merely the calm before the storm. With a single misstep, the entire country would undergo a massive change tomorrow.
A ray of sunlight finally shone into the capital, waking up many people. At this time, many decided to withdraw, others wanted to watch, and some wanted to offer their support. As for which side they supported, only they themselves knew…
The sun slowly rose and the capital became rowdy with people coming and going. However, compared to the usual bustling scene, the atmosphere was much more somber. Both the pedestrians on the ground and cultivators flying in the sky wore a heavy expression.
At daylight, many cultivators attentively watched for any movement from the imperial court. As the sun was rising, cultivators could already be found standing outside the court in anticipation for the meeting between the two sides.
"Boom!" Finally, it was time. The grand aura of a Virtuous Paragon instantly shot into the sky as if a deity was arriving at this moment.
Under such an overbearing momentum, the entire capital seemed to shake. It was as if the person could crush the entire city with one stomp. The capital was just a tiny boat among the storm that was his aura and could be toppled at any time.
This was the Huangfu Ancestor. Although his hair was completely gray and his once-monstrous blood energy had withered like a sun descending to the west, he still emitted a thunderous aura as if he was riding the storm. This was a power capable of controlling myriad realms.
The Huangfu Ancestor was an extremely powerful existence and was absolutely capable of causing cultivators to tremble. It was as if a slight gesture from him could burn the sky and split the sea. Meanwhile, behind him was a group of experts that included Heavenly Kings, Heavenly Sovereigns, and Ancient Saints. Their blood energies soared to the sky as groups of divine rings pulsed around them. They came with their ancestor and held no one in their eyes as they traveled without any hesitation.
They didn't bother hiding their auras at all. On the contrary, they released them without any scruple and in an extremely arrogant manner without any respect for the capital.
"Does the Huangfu Clan want to go all out? An ancestor alone is one thing, but there are even three high elders and five elders as well, not to mention the other experts." Many experts took deep breaths and shuddered after seeing the Huangfu Clan's lineup.
It was apparent to them that the Huangfu Clan didn't come for reconciliation. It was apparent that they had no intentions of sitting down for a talk. Even random passersby knew that they wanted to fight.
After the Huangfu people entered the city, the people from the Qing Clan was next. This group was led by the Qing Clan Master, and it was made up of quite a few people, including high elders. Besides the people from the Qing Clan, there were also a few accompanying experts from the other lineages that wanted to assist the Qing Clan.
Although this group was not as powerful as the Huangfu Clan, they made up for it with numbers. They entered the capital one after another with an aggressive momentum as well.
In an instant, the groups from the two clans were right outside of the palace. They were together and created a very powerful aura, causing many spectators to shiver nervously.
At this time, a squeaking sound appeared as the two heavy gates in front of the palace eventually opened. Above the palace on top of a series of steps was a wooden armchair with a very ordinary looking youth sitting on it.
Behind this youth were eighteen Demon Monarchs standing in a line while Madam Zi Yan, the Royal Lord, was standing next to this ordinary youth.
"Who is that guy?" When the cultivators standing far away from the palace saw this scene, they were startled by this unimaginable image.
The eighteen monarchs could be described as lords of their own domains, individuals with great prestige. Moreover, they were all Heavenly Sovereigns! But now, they were lining up behind this young man.
It was even more astonishing for Madam Zi Yan. A Royal Lord and a Heavenly King like her could only stand beside this young man.
A single glance could tell that this young man was the person in charge at the moment and Madam Zi Yan was only standing there to keep him company.
This frightened and confused many cultivators as they tried to uncover the identity of the young man ahead. Just who was he to be able to command the eighteen monarchs and even Madam Zi Yan?
"He is an alchemist that recently appeared in the capital. I think his name is Li Qiye, the one who spent some scary amount at the Golem Square." A cultivator knew who about Li Qiye told the person next to him.
At this point, many onlookers held their breaths while watching the confrontation between the two sides. It seemed that both sides had shown up with all their forces. All eighteen Demon Monarchs of the Giant Bamboo Country were here, so everyone knew that with one wrong turn, both sides would fight until the very end and bathe the palace in blood.
At this time, the Huangfu Ancestor stepped forward. At this level, each of his steps created an oppressive and terrifying aura. Anyone would have to shudder before this force.
The eighteen monarchs were intimidated and had to take a step back with shocked expressions plastered on their faces. Frankly, this was not shameful at all since the disparity between the two sides was too great. The monarchs were only sovereigns while the Huangfu Ancestor was a true Virtuous Paragon!
Even a Heavenly King like the madam was in awe and unable to withstand the aura of a paragon, leaving her with a shaken expression.
Only Li Qiye remained as calm as water in a well. He remained leisurely seated in his chair as if he was at home and nothing was happening. It could even be said that the Huangfu Ancestor before him was only a passerby — not enough to cause any trouble.
Bao: “A rare author's note in the chapter itself, which I think is at the right timing after reading some comments. I, of course, share the same sentiment as well for the long parts before the killing, but it is still demotivating to read the negative comments. However, I'm sure some Chinese readers were complaining at this time as well.”
Yanbi: "After the big battle in the Ancestral Realm, the first part of the Stone Medicine World starts at a low point. As an author, I, of course, wish that it could always be exciting, but this is a very difficult thing to do. Each story must have their ups and downs.
In short, the plot afterward will become even more brilliant and I will try to refine it even more in the future.
Good night, sweet dreams."