Chapter 954: Entering Holy City
The old Holy City resided next to the Hidden-dragon Mountains. Before this gigantic mountain range, even the huge city appeared to be tiny.
One could feel its prosperity after entering. It was full of people and tall pavilions. Its vibrance would make people forget the way home.
The city could be said to be the largest citadel in the Barren Earth. This place was filled with both mortals and cultivators! Moreover, the mortals here were used to the flying cultivators. Even if a cultivator rode a serpent through this place, the mortals here wouldn't be surprised at all.
Although the Barren Earth was not the origin land of the human race records state that it was one of the cities with the highest population of humans, and while the Holy City was not humanity’s first establishment it was one of its most ancient enclaves.
There were too many hidden clans in this land to count. Generation after generation, the city continued to produce countless big characters. There were even many Immortal Emperors that were related to the city in one way or another.
At the beginning of the Emperors Era, the city was mainly occupied by humans. As time passed, other races like the Blood Race and Demon Race started to slowly gather at the Holy City as well.
Li Qiye and Si Yuanyuan walked inside the city. The prosperity of this place gave people different feelings. Looking at the streets full of pedestrians was exciting. The temptations of the stimulating mundane world permeated the area.
Li Qiye would become a bit emotional each time he came here. He murmured: "This is a city full of life. It makes people feel younger every time."
This was also not Si Yuanyuan's first time here, but alas, each visit left people in awe of this city's charm and vitality. There were also too many secrets for people to figure out!
This city didn't only have buildings and pavilions for mortals to dwell in, there were many old courtyards for the ancient clans. Some of these clans were as old as the city itself. These courtyards and mansions had existed since the city's establishment.
There were even floating mountains and magical temples in the city. A city like this was definitely established on a treasure ground.
Because of its magical properties, many lineages wanted to occupy the Holy City. However, very few sects and imperial lineages were able to establish themselves in the city, even after millions of years. It was even more difficult for non-human sects to build a stronghold in this place.
Experience showed that to a large extent, the Holy City was presided over by its ancient and reclusive clans. Other lineages found it very difficult to enter.
"We'll go to Tiger Hill." Li Qiye told Si Yuanyuan.
She was a bit surprised and asked: "Tiger Hill? Does Young Noble want to test your luck?"
Li Qiye was very mysterious in her eyes; it seemed that there was nothing he couldn't do.
"No, just seeing a friend there." Li Qiye smiled: "Of course, there is no harm in testing our luck there while we're at it."
She stopped asking questions and only quietly followed right behind him. A bit later, Li Qiye turned back to ask: "Have you been to the Thunder Tower before?"
"Just once." Si Yuanyuan nodded: "I went with an ancestor, but I didn't climb to the top of the tower."
Li Qiye smiled: "The Thunder Tower is truly a good location. I must say, Immortal Emperor Chi Ye was quite smart back then. His descendant, Immortal Emperor Chen Xue, also inherited his ancestor's good qualities. He spent countless efforts so that your Crimson Night Kingdom could have a foothold in the form of the Thunder Tower in the Holy City."
He paused for a bit at this point before continuing: "If you want to take a look at the top of the tower, I can take you there to show you the ancient magicalness of the heaven and earth."
She hesitated from speaking her mind. After a while, she finally answered: "I don't want to climb to the top. Just entering is more than enough for me."
Li Qiye smiled in response: "I understand what you are thinking. You simply do not want me to fight Crimson Night, or rather, you don't want its disciples to die at my hands."
She looked at Li Qiye and spoke with some reservation: "My Crimson Night is a dual emperor lineage renowned in the Barren Earth."
Li Qiye shook his head gently: "I know that you think I am just boasting, but dual emperor sects are nothing. I have destroyed many sects like that, too many to count, in fact."
In her view, his attitude held no semblance to that of a braggart. This made her quite confused. How was it that someone who could speak about destroying dual emperor lineages was so unknown?
The two headed for Tiger Hill. There were many people heading there, including groups of cultivators and even mortals.
The Dragon Platform on top of Tiger Hill was a popular landscape in the Holy City. It could even be considered a sacred ground that many cultivators wanted to visit.
There was a particular belief passed down in the city — the two best treasure grounds in this place were the Dragon Platform and the Thunder Tower.
The Dragon Platform had no owner at this moment. It belonged to the Holy City, so anyone could climb it. On the other hand, the Thunder Tower belonged to the Crimson Night Kingdom! Moreover, not just any disciple could enter.
In the past, the tower used to belong to an old clan in the city. Later on, when Immortal Emperor Chi Ye was still in this world, he paid a sky-high price for the tower. Later on, after many generations of business and effort, the kingdom was finally able to use the tower to expand its foothold in the city.
There were many legends about the Dragon Platform at Tiger Hill. One stated that the end of the dragon vein from the Hidden-dragon Mountains was at this platform. Another one stated that during an ancient era, a Golden Dragon fought against an Immortal Tiger in this place. In the end, the tiger bit the dragon's neck while the dragon coiled around the tiger.
Ultimately, both creatures died and their bodies turned into the two places eventually known to future descendants as Tiger Hill and the Dragon Platform.
None of these legends could be verified. Nevertheless, many people believed the legend of the two mythical beasts because the geographical shapes of this location were too fitting for the story.
Tiger Hill was a mountain inside the Holy City. From the base to the peak, it truly resembled the image of a dragon fighting a tiger, ending in their deaths.
Stone stairways reached all the way to the top. They circled around the peak, making the mountain look even more like a dragon coiling itself around a tiger. As for the peak, it looked like a dragon's head. It had its mouth open and was screaming from being bit in the neck by the tiger.
As a result, this location was divided into two parts. Everything below the summit was considered Tiger Hill while the very top was called the Dragon Platform.
Li Qiye took Si Yuanyuan to the mountain, but they were stopped at the base. Only certain cultivators were allowed to climb.
It was not just Li Qiye's duo that was stopped. Many cultivators weren't happy, but after seeing the clothing of those cultivators, they didn't dare to voice their dissatisfaction. This was because all those cultivators guarding the mountain base belonged to the great sects of the Blood-devil Tribe, such as the Half-moon Blood Tribe, the Grand Palm Ancient Court, the Pureblood School…
The cultivators who were stopped, unhappy as they may be, didn't want to offend the Blood-devil Tribe. In the southern Barren Earth, Blood-devil was the strongest tribe among the Blood Race. Outside of the human race, no other tribes were stronger than them. They were also very united; offending this tribe was the same as offending the thirty-five great lineages behind them. This even included some imperial lineages!
"Today, we have booked the place. Our sect masters are debating the dao on the Dragon Platform. Please return." A disciple immediately stopped Li Qiye and Si Yuanyuan.
Li Qiye glanced at the disciples here and asked: "Since when did Tiger Hill and the Dragon Platform become the Blood-devil Tribe's property?"
"This dao discussion taking place at the Dragon Platform was agreed to by the Bai Clan from the Holy City." The disciple coldly leered at Li Qiye and uttered: "Even if this place is not our property, if we Blood-devils want to use this place for one day, who would dare to show dissent?!"
This declaration greatly annoyed the cultivators who wanted to climb to the Dragon Platform. However, they didn't say anything. In the end, the tribe had the power to be this arrogant.
Li Qiye didn't bat an eye at this threat. He declared: "There is no place that I can't go. A good dog does not block the way, scram for me!"
"Ignorant fool! Who do you think you are?! You dare to bluster in front of our Blood-devil Tribe?!" The disciples guarding the path were enraged. The rest of them were about to surround him for a beating!
Li Qiye acted as if it was no big deal to face off against the aggressive crowd forming around him. He smiled and asked Si Yuanyuan sarcastically: "Yuanyuan, how do you think I feel about the Blood-devil Tribe?"
953 TeaserThe old Holy City resided next to the Hidden-dragon Mountains. Before this gigantic mountain range, even the huge city appeared to be tiny in comparison.
One could feel its prosperity after entering. It was full of people and tall pavilions. Its vibrance would make people forget the way home.
The city could be said to be the largest citadel in the Barren Earth. There were both mortals and cultivators in this place! Moreover, the mortals here were used to the flying cultivators. Even if a cultivator rode a serpent through this place, the mortals here wouldn't be surprised at all.
Although the Barren Earth was not the origin land of the human race, and the Holy City was not their first establishment, records state that it was one of the cities with the highest population of humans on top of being one of its most ancient enclaves.
There were too many hidden clans in this land to count. For generations, the city produced countless big characters. There were even many Immortal Emperors that were related to the city in one way or another.
[collapse]Chapter 955: Tiger Hill
Li Qiye's words attracted the attention of many bystanders. The cultivators who were annoyed at the Blood-devil Tribe for stopping them but didn't dare to do anything were secretly cheering Li Qiye on. They felt that his retort was way too cool and they secretly gave him a thumbs up.
Some also stared at him in astonishment. This ordinary-looking junior had such a big tone! To dare to provoke the Blood-devils like this… They wondered whether he was a hidden master or just didn't know the immensity of the heaven and earth.
Si Yuanyuan, on the other hand, smiled wryly. She hadn't known Li Qiye for too long, but it seemed that he wasn't afraid of offending people. He didn't put anyone in his eyes, so now he provoked the Blood-devils right away.
The guarding disciples were enraged. In their eyes, this public audacity from a junior was shaming their tribe. They must teach this brat a lesson to protect the prestige of their tribe!
"So presumptuous!" A cold laughter sounded right after. A young man came forward while shouldering a sword that had a soaring sharp aura!
He glared at Li Qiye and uttered: "This marquis also wants to see who you are, daring to humiliate our Blood-devil Tribe like this! Junior, reveal your name! I will not kill a nobody!"
"Marquis…" The disciples guarding the entrance immediately bowed respectfully to the newcomer.
"Pureblood School's Swiftsword Marquis!" A cultivator at the base quivered after seeing the young man.
Another murmured: "If the Swiftsword Marquis is here, then Chi Tianyu is most likely at the platform right now."
This young man was called the Swiftsword Marquis. He came from the Pureblood School and was Chi Tianyu's junior brother. People say that his quick draw was extremely fast. The moment his sword left its scabbard, would be the same moment someone's head would fly.
"Li Qiye." Li Qiye slowly uttered his name.
The Swiftsword Marquis wondered for a moment before sneering: "I thought it would be someone cool, but it is just Schoolmaster Ye's errand boy! No wonder your tone is so haughty!"
"Errand boy?" Li Qiye couldn't help but chuckle after hearing this. It was indeed refreshing.
"So it's that Li Qiye! I heard he has been following Schoolmaster Ye all the time. No wonder why he is so arrogant, he has the schoolmaster as his backing." The cultivators here pointed at him and commented.
However, Li Qiye was completely indifferent to the whispers. He leisurely stood there and didn't bother dispelling the misunderstanding of him being an errand boy.
The Swiftsword Marquis coldly spoke: "Schoolmaster Ye is worthy of admiration, but this isn’t a place where an errand boy like you can come and run wild!"
"I'll run wild wherever I feel like." Li Qiye lazily told the marquis: "Come if you aren't convinced."
With that, he didn't bother taking another glimpse at the marquis. He turned and headed for the hill.
The guarding disciples immediately blocked his path while the marquis' eyes flashed with a murderous glint!
"Schoolmaster Ye is an invited honored guest. If Young Noble Li is together with Schoolmaster Ye, he can also come to the Dragon Platform." A pleasant voice appeared at this time.
A sweet fragrance traveled with the wind. A woman appeared and the disciples from the Blood-devil Tribe, including the marquis, all bowed to greet her.
"Half-moon Princess!" A spectator shuddered. Another murmured: "If the princess is here as well, then it seems like all the geniuses of the Blood-devil Tribe have gathered here today."
Since the princess spoke on Li Qiye's behalf, even the marquis didn't dare to say anything. In terms of status and position, the princess was on the same level as his senior brother, Chi Tianyu!
However, she didn't help Li Qiye because she was a nice person or wanted to befriend him. It was because of Ye Chuyun!
In her view, the enemy of an enemy is a friend. For this dao discussion taking place on the Dragon Platform, both Chi Tianyu and Ye Chuyun were invited. Naturally, the princess didn't want Chi Tianyu and Ye Chuyun to have a chance of being together.
If a rival like Li Qiye was stuck between these two, then Chi Tianyu wouldn't have an opportunity to get closer to Ye Chuyun.
Li Qiye naturally knew what the princess was thinking. He didn't even bother saying thanks and climbed the stairs with Si Yuanyuan.
"Your Highness, this uncouth ignorant brat should be taught a lesson." The Swiftsword Marquis was indignant for the princess since Li Qiye didn't show any gratitude.
The princess only smiled and asked: "Is Dao Brother Chi here as well?"
"Princess, Senior Brother is already at the platform. He is the host this time and is waiting for everyone else to arrive." The marquis quickly answered: "Please go ahead, Princess. I will be here to wait for Brother Bai Jian's group."
"Sounds good, I will go speak with Dao Brother Chi." The princess was visibly happy hearing that Chi Tianyu was already there. She quickly flew to the top of the platform.
Li Qiye didn't fly to the top like the princess. He walked slowly on the stairway while gently touching the wall along the steps.
These steps went on and on as if a dragon was coiling around this mountain. Moreover, they were not man-made but were formed through a natural process.
While touching the wall, he climbed the steps one by one in a very slow manner. It was as if he was trying to fuse with the beat of this world. However, no one could see what was so special about this manner of travel. It seemed that it was just another fella climbing the flight of stairs.
"Young Noble is trying to comprehend the dao of Tiger Hill?" Si Yuanyuan curiously asked while walking right behind him.
Enlightenment at Tiger Hill, treasures on the Dragon Platform — this was a saying that had been passed down for a very long time. For millions of years now, many had come to this location in search for the dao and fortunes.
However, very few were able to obtain anything of value. In later ages, a regrettably few number of people were truly enlightened here. Thus, this saying became more of a folktale, nothing more.
Li Qiye gently shook his head while continuing his business: "It is not so easy to be enlightened at Tiger Hill. One can't comprehend the grand dao here in just one or two days."
"Young Noble is aware of something here?" Even though Li Qiye denied desiring the grand dao, a smart girl like Si Yuanyuan was still able to see some clues.
"Well, perhaps, just a little bit." Li Qiye smiled and continued forward: "However, the grand dao here isn't something that I want. It is not important to me."
"However, rumor has it that Immortal Emperor Jiao Heng comprehended the dao in this place. Furthermore, they even say that his supreme dao came from here." Si Yuanyuan couldn't help but speak after hearing Li Qiye's refusal.
Who was Immortal Emperor Jiao Heng? He was someone who was undefeated throughout his entire life. Some even called him the greatest emperor across all the eons. Even if this claim was not true, he was the only person among the emperors that was undefeated!
Due to the legend that his invincible supreme dao came from this place, Tiger Hill and the Dragon Platform became all the rage for many generations. During the Desolate Era and even the Desolate Expansion Era, many cultivators came running here to learn the dao.
However, very few yielded any notable harvest. This caused fewer and fewer people to come here since it was a fruitless endeavor.
"That's just a baseless assertion. Who is Jiao Heng? He was invincible for a lifetime. Do you think he came here and sat down then immediately found the unbeatable grand dao? This is just a path already trod by the ancient people. To be as untouchable as Immortal Emperor Jiao Heng requires endless torturous training, not something you can comprehend right away…"
Li Qiye leaned on the wall and shook his head: "However, it is true that Immortal Emperor Jiao Heng did come here and obtained some benefits. There are items beyond your imagination here, but the time is not yet ripe!"
He continued forward while feeling the pulse of this place. In the beginning, Si Yuanyuan suspected that Li Qiye was searching for a dao. However, as she maintained the same pace as he did right behind him, she came to find that dao searching was not his intention. He was knocking as if wanting to wake something up.
There was a kind of rhythm, a pulse with his steps, but she couldn't pinpoint any further details. Nevertheless, she had an indescribable feeling that she was hearing a heartbeat along with his pace.
It seemed as if a heart existed in this location. With each knock, this stopped heart suddenly jumped again!
She was not completely certain of this and even felt that it was only an illusion.
After a long time, she finally asked with some doubts: "This, is this a type of pulse?"
"Not bad." Li Qiye smiled and nodded: "No wonder you could cultivate the Sunset Glow Scripture to such a level. Just your awareness alone is beyond the reach of many geniuses. Only someone with a pure dao heart like you would be able to sense this pulse."
"This has nothing to do with the level of cultivation or concentration." Li Qiye slowly preached: "Many people are charmed by the supreme grand dao or emperor laws, so they are no longer able to use their mind to purely listen to the origin of the grand dao. This in turn makes them miss out on many things."
Chapter 956: Dragon Platform
Li Qiye was trying to steer Si Yuanyuan on the right path. Of course, she couldn't feel the true pulse here because this was a secret relating to the hill, the Hidden-dragon Mountains, and even the Holy City!
She curiously asked again: "If Young Noble's knocking isn't for enlightenment, then what is it for?"
Li Qiye smiled: "Enlightenment at Tiger Hill, treasures on the Dragon Platform — these are indeed not just empty words. To be precise, they are not two separate events. Without climbing Tiger Hill, how could one reach the Dragon Platform?!"
"Young Noble is saying that in order to obtain the treasures, one must climb Tiger Hill? That it is impossible to obtain the treasures by forcefully climbing up to the Dragon Platform?" She quickly replied.
"That's one way to put it. Of course, climbing Tiger Hill does not guarantee treasures at the end." Li Qiye shook his head: "The items here cannot be obtained overnight through comprehension."
"So is it true that people have obtained treasures on the platform?" Si Yuanyuan inquired again with great interest. Everyone knew about the popular phrase, but no one knew whether someone had actually obtained treasure or not.
"Treasures. The Dragon Platform doesn't only have one or two treasures; some of them are quite unfathomable. In fact, a small yet exceptional group was able to obtain a few treasures." He stood to the side and elaborated: "Among them, the most incredible treasure was won by Immortal Emperor Xue Xi! Because he obtained the treasure from this place, he was able to escape from several mortal dangers along his arduous path!" 1
Immortal Emperor Xue Xi was one of the two emperors that were not an Ancient Ming during the Ancient Ming Era. Back then, this entire land was in the Ancient Ming's grasp. Li Qiye tried very hard to bring the emperor to this place. They mixed in with the Ancient Ming and searched for enlightenment. Ultimately, they obtained quite an extraordinary item!
Of course, he didn’t come here for the treasures on the platform. He was walking these stairs in order to feel the land. Outsiders did not know, but Tiger Hill and the Dragon Platform had a lot to do with the Hidden-dragon Mountains. With the Dracofruit on him, he was able to confirm a few conjectures!
Si Yuanyuan stopped her questioning and continued to follow him quietly.
They walked one slow step at a time. During their trip, many people flew to the top of the Dragon Platform. They consisted of young experts invited by the Blood-devil Tribe, many of whom were geniuses.
Among these newcomers, Bai Jian — as one of the five saints — was just as famous as the Half-moon Princess. He only needed one step to climb the hill as ancient symbols floated around him. He seemed to have come from an archaic world while accompanied by a timeworn aura. A sword still sheathed; once released, it would be able to slash the sun and moon.
Both Bai Jian and the Half-moon Princess were part of the five saints. However, his background was even more frightening than the princess'. He came from an imperial lineage, the Grand Palm Ancient Court, an existence that the Half-moon Tribe couldn't compare to.
"Will all five saints from the Blood Race be here this time?" After seeing Bai Jian, some cultivators down below wondered with a tinge of emotion.
"It is not only the older generation of the Blood Race that is full of solidarity, even the younger generation is united. If the five saints join together, geniuses from the other races in the southern region will not have an easy time." A human cultivator lamented with a sigh.
In the Barren Earth, humans were definitely not weaker than the Blood Race and could even be considered stronger. Although the Blood Race had the Blood Primal Ground, the humans had an existence like Heavenguard as well as the Holy City!
However, over the years, Heavenguard had been indifferent to worldly matters and rarely interacted with others. The Holy City was even more distant and quiet. Because of this, humans lacked the same cohesive force compared to the unified Blood Race. Its momentum became stronger than the human race's.
Si Yuanyuan saw Bai Jian flying up with his floating symbols and emotionally said: "The rune art from the Grand Palm Ancient Court is indeed worthy of its fame."
Li Qiye only smiled and commented: "No need to be envious of others. As long as you go down this road, you will surpass them and go much further. Perhaps the responsibility of ruling over the Blood Race will fall onto your shoulders in the future."
"I am only a little girl, how could I shoulder the Blood Race?" Si Yuanyuan gently shook her head. She was not looking down on herself but merely telling the truth. Not to mention lineages like the Crimson Night Kingdom and Blood-devil Tribe, just the Blood Primal Ground alone that had stood strong for ages made it unnecessary for her to do anything.
"Don't belittle yourself. As long as you can cultivate the law I gave you, it will be possible." Li Qiye smiled: "One day when the responsibility actually falls upon you, you will come to understand just how right I am. I didn't just pick a random person to give this primordial law to."
She sighed softly and didn't want to respond. She had chosen to follow him so she shall do so without regrets.
They continued forward with their climb. Keep in mind that this stairway had several thousand steps; climbing it all was not something that could be accomplished in a short amount of time.
"Ay!" After reaching the halfway point, a sneer came out. The Swiftsword Marquis was floating in the air with many other young and famous experts from the Blood Race.
He coldly glanced at Li Qiye and mocked: "An errand boy wanting to be enlightened in Tiger Hill's path! I'm afraid this is just an idiot's dream."
In his eyes, whether Li Qiye was Ye Chuyun's errand boy or not didn't matter. He just wanted to mock him because his senior brother, Chi Tianyu, liked Ye Chuyun while Li Qiye and her were always together. This was something his brother was very bitter about.
"Brother Swiftsword, he is only a mortal. Even if he lives till one hundred, he still wouldn't be able to learn anything from Tiger Hill's path." A Blood expert next to the marquis burst into laughter.
However, Li Qiye was too lazy to even glance at these insects. He continued forward and simply ignored them. Si Yuanyuan behind him didn't reply either. She was very obedient at this moment. If he didn't speak, she wouldn't take charge either.
"Haha, a lowly mortal trying to understand Tiger Hill, he doesn't know his own limits. I suppose an ignorant fool can't be scared of anything." The marquis guffawed as well before bringing the group to the top.
As Li Qiye continued his ascent, the sensation that only he could feel became stronger. He couldn't help but stare at the Hidden-dragon Mountains in the distance. Its dragon-like contours gave an indescribable and suppressive feeling, as if it was a sleeping dragon.
"Just like I thought. What is causing this?" He murmured with his gaze still on the mountains. He understood why the guru talked about the natal beat in that place. The truth was that it was not a real heartbeat, but the guru didn't know about this particular secret.
As the Dark Crow, Li Qiye had studied the mountains before. However, this change exceeded his calculations; it was happening much sooner than he had estimated.
This puzzled him. What brought about this particular change?
Eventually, they finally made it past all the stone steps and reached the Dragon Platform!
The platform was at the summit of the hill. From a quick glance, it resembled a dragon head roaring at the sky. Another section paved with stone appeared to be very flat as if it was a training field.
There was a big cave along this flat peak with many sharp stone pillars jutting out from within. Looking downward at it, it seemed to be bottomless, reaching all the way down to the deepest depths of the earth. This was the part that resembled a dragon's mouth.
It had a great origin story. Legend states that there was an incredible treasure trove down there, but only the fated ones were able to obtain them. No one dared to go straight down despite the rumors. This was out of fear due to past examples. Many had gone down before, including Godkings. However, no one made it out alive.
No one knew why, but in short, those who fell down wouldn't be able to come back out. They would disappear completely, as if they had vanished into thin air. Later on, only the well-known phrase about the treasures here was left. People seldom heard about those in generations long passed who actually obtained something from this place.
Li Qiye couldn't help but smile after stepping onto the platform since he had mastered the beat of this area. It was just like back then when he brought Immortal Emperor Xue Xi to this place. He could definitely take another treasure, but as for which one… that was up to fate.
Si Yuanyuan glanced around and saw many people gathering on the platform. All of them were young experts of the southern regions, many of whom were considered geniuses. The Blood-devil Tribe was the leader here.
There were also experts from the demon and human races. However, they were scarce in number.
I think everyone knows Xue Xi = Blood Seal by now. However, I forgot to add that "seal" here is an imperial seal used by emperors to endorse edicts. Thus, this name is even grander than previously. ↩Chapter 957: The Provocative Crowd
"Oh, our little errand boy finally crawled up." A derisive comment came out the moment Li Qiye set foot on the platform. The Swiftsword Marquis sneered sarcastically: "I wonder if our little boy gained any magical arts from his struggle to climb up?"
He was full of malice with his deliberate attempts to mock Li Qiye. He wanted Li Qiye to become angry so that he would have an excuse to teach Li Qiye a lesson. Daring to steal his senior brother's woman? There would be no good end for Li Qiye.
Li Qiye paid him no mind. His eyes fell on the huge cave that resembled a ferocious dragon's mouth. For millions of years after being battered by rain and wind, it remained the same.
The Swiftsword Marquis continued: "Yo, this little errand boy doesn't have any skill, but his self-restraint is definitely first rate. Definitely a good characteristic for a turtle."
At this time, many people glanced over at Li Qiye. The majority of the young experts here were from the Blood Race. From the marquis' taunting, they more or less knew about the matter between Li Qiye and Ye Chuyun. Of course, not everyone believed that Li Qiye was her errand boy.
They could easily see that the marquis was purposely ridiculing him in order to force a fight. With that, the marquis could destroy his brother's rival in love.
Li Qiye ignored him and continued to stare at the giant cave. He walked towards it step by step with a strange peculiarity. Each step had an indescribable rhythm. Others didn't pay any attention to his steps; Si Yuanyuan was the only one who was completely focused on him walking since she could sense the fluctuations. She tried to realize the meaning behind his actions.
As Li Qiye was fast approaching the seating area of their gathering, a young man stood up and coldly uttered: "This is the place where I discuss the dao with the other capable people. Not any random dog or cat can come here."
His long hair was fluttering with the wind to accentuate his slender and tall figure. Although he was not the muscular type, his physical seemed to be full of power and radiated a solar aura. He was the Pureblood School's descendant, Chi Tianyu. He inherited the purest bloodline of the school, so his body had a faint violet aura.
As the host, he had invited many youths to the Dragon Platform. Outside of the discussions, they wanted to build friendships and talk about the treasures in this place. His ambition was quite great since he aimed to use the group to comprehend Tiger Hill and the Dragon Platform to earn an achievement no less than those before him.
The group was standing around the cave while Li Qiye walked straight towards him. Chi Tianyu was naturally not happy with this new intruder. Moreover, Li Qiye was his rival in love!
After hearing Chi Tianyu, the Swiftsword Marquis immediately knew what to do. He was just waiting for his senior brother's order before cutting Li Qiye down. He blocked Li Qiye's path and coldly said: "An errand boy should know where he stands. This is the place of masters, scram to the side and serve. If you overstep your boundaries, I will break your dog legs!"
Li Qiye's eyes narrowed after he felt the pulse of this location. A murderous glint bloomed instantly. At this moment, the Swiftsword Marquis was no different from a dead man in his eyes.
Prior to this, he simply didn't care for the marquis' taunts. Who would actually care about an insect parading before them? But this time, the marquis was interfering with his business. No matter who they might be, those who block his path shall be killed without mercy!
"Swiftsword Marquis, who are you referring to?" At this time, a pleasant yet commanding voice appeared. A woman arrived from the sky like a lotus blossoming in a river. She was both charming and elegant.
"Schoolmaster Ye is here…" Someone uttered in surprise. Everyone quickly stood up to come and greet her. Even the marquis was startled and went through the formalities as well.
Ye Chuyun drifted through the sky with grace beyond words, as pretty as always.
Despite her young age, her status was half a generation higher than the people here since she made her debut earlier than Chi Tianyu and Bai Jian. Among the five saints of the Blood Race, only the Skybearing Duke was from the same generation as her.
She was the first among the younger generation to become a Virtuous Paragon. Thus, she had a pivotal position among her peers and even the rest of the Barren Earth.
Those who came forward to greet her were mostly her suitors and admirers. This was especially true for Chi Tianyu. He became very spirited after seeing her. He straightened his back and confidently showed off his most charming side.
"It is an honor to have Schoolmaster Ye personally come to our little get-together. Tianyu has many questions on the road of cultivation, I hope that Schoolmaster Ye will be able to give me some pointers." Chi Tianyu smiled and greeted Ye Chuyun.
Even Bai Jian, who hailed from an imperial lineage, didn't dare to show any slight. He personally came forward with a friendly smile: "If even Brother Tianyu has to ask you for help, then the rest of us will have to listen to the side as your students. In this place, Schoolmaster Ye is indeed the best in terms of cultivation. Please sit in the master seat."
The other young geniuses quickly came to say their part along with many praises. For some of them, meeting her once was already a blessing. Those who adored her were truly excited and even intoxicated.
She stepped onto the Dragon Platform and gently nodded her head: "Everyone is too kind." Having said that, she didn't stop at all and instantly went next to Li Qiye with a smooth shift.
"I had too many things to deal with beforehand so this little sister arrived late, please excuse me, Brother Li." Ye Chuyun spoke softly while standing next to Li Qiye. She spoke with the manner not of an extraordinary paragon or an untouchable schoolmaster, but a gentle and virtuous woman.
"Good to see you here." Li Qiye gently nodded and continued to walk towards the hole in the ground while feeling the fluctuations of the platform. Ye Chuyun, on the other hand, followed right behind him.
This prompted many geniuses to glance at each other. Chi Tianyu's smile was frozen stiff at the moment, so the atmosphere became quite strange.
The Swiftsword Marquis who wanted to act in his brother's stead earlier didn't dare to act presumptuously. He was only a junior before Ye Chuyun.
Bai Jian only smiled and shook his head. It was hard to diffuse this situation, so everyone felt a bit embarrassed and awkward.
Among the crowd, only the Half-moon Princess was secretly glad. This was what she wanted to see the most. If Li Qiye and Ye Chuyun were really going to be a pair, then Chi Tianyu would have to give up sooner or later. This meant that there was a chance for her to get together with him.
In her opinion, no one else was a better match for Chi Tianyu than her. They both came from the Blood-devil Tribe and their two great sects were equals! Moreover, the seniors in their sects also wanted the two of them to become dao companions.
Puzzled glances were shot across the crowd. Those who admired Ye Chuyun were at a bigger loss. They and even Chi Tianyu thought that she was here to participate in their get-together, they didn't expect Li Qiye to be her reason for coming. This made them quite uncomfortable and caused them to view Li Qiye as their enemy in love.
Li Qiye had taken several laps around the hole at this time with a particular rhythm. Meanwhile, both Ye Chuyun and Si Yuanyuan followed right after him. The difference between the two was that Ye Chuyun seemed to be much more caring and considerate towards him.
This scene left Chi Tianyu very upset as a storm of jealousy erupted in his heart. This only grew stronger after seeing Ye Chuyun's gentle eyes glossing over Li Qiye's back. Jealousy was gnawing his heart to pieces.
"Haha, do you actually think you can obtain some treasures?" He coldly snorted in order to put down Li Qiye.
Li Qiye stopped and glanced at him before smiling and responded dismissively: "So what? Enlightenment from Tiger Hill and treasures from the Dragon Platform! This is an ordinary matter."
"Hahahaha…" Chi Tianyu couldn't help but laugh: "Enlightenment from Tiger Hill and treasures from the Dragon Platform! That depends on the person. It is only a fool's dream unless they are as brilliant as an Immortal Emperor."
"Haha, brother, a fool does not know that he is dreaming. He actually thinks that he is brilliant enough to be the future Immortal Emperor." The Swiftsword Marquis naturally came to his brother's aid and spoke sarcastically: "But he doesn't know that his actions only make him a laughingstock to the world. Just a clown, that's all."
The other young geniuses stood there watching. They didn't know or recognize Li Qiye. Those who liked Ye Chuyun were also very happy to see Chi Tianyu teach Li Qiye a lesson.
Ye Chuyun looked at them and slightly grimaced. A few people were suicidal; nothing could stop these types of people from rushing to their deaths.
Li Qiye raised his brows and coldly said: "Watch your mouth or you won't even know the reason for your death!"
"Is that so?" Chi Tianyu answered before the marquis: "I also want to see who dares to threaten my Pureblood School at the Barren Earth. Who is courageous enough to antagonize my school?! Only death awaits those who dare to do so. Be smart and return from whence you came!"