Chapter 975: Bloodbull Godfiend
Li Qiye chuckled while looking at the old palanquin. He straightened his posture and said: "So it appears that you have personally come. Your primal ground is indeed acting in good faith."
The existence inside replied: "You know who I am?" Its voice was feeble, yet carried an awe-inspiring prestige.
Li Qiye couldn't help but laugh at this response: "Others might not know who you are, but who else has the stench of cattle at the primal ground besides you?"
"How dare you!" Even the Winter Matron scowled and glared at Li Qiye.
Li Qiye met her glare and gently waved his sleeve to say: "Girl, I've always been presumptuous throughout the nine worlds! Moreover, it is you who wants to ask me for a favor, not the other way around!"
He paused for a bit and smiled: "I am actually a very amiable person. Otherwise, regardless of whether I feel like being presumptuous or not, none of you would be able to stand in front of me!"
Such words made the tower lord sweat a bit. He simply couldn't imagine how Li Qiye was still talking in such an overbearing manner despite knowing who was in the palanquin.
Anyone else would be stricken with fear and fall to their knees after knowing who it was.
"Young Noble Li, confidence is a virtue. However, too much ego can lead to ruin." The master inside spoke flatly.
"You are mistaken there." Li Qiye gently shook his head: "I have never been egotistical. Bloodbull Godfiend, do you really think that I have been overstepping my bounds?"
The tower lord jumped from shock again. No one had ever dared to call out the title of the existence in the palanquin like this, but Li Qiye didn't give a damn! Such arrogance couldn't be described with words.
Even Ye Chuyun's heart skipped a beat. Si Yuanyuan, on the other hand, didn't know who the Bloodbull Godfiend was. Ye Chuyun — as the schoolmaster of the Pure Lotus School — had heard the legends before!
The Bloodbull Godfiend was the oldest existence in the Blood Race and was rumored to be a real godfiend, not a false, self-titled god!
Not to mention the younger generation in the Blood Race, not many experts knew of his existence even within the tribe. Only real masters like the Thunder Tower Lord knew of him.
He was said to have complete control and supreme authority within the Blood Race. As for how powerful he was, even the Thunder Tower Lord wouldn't be able to answer this question clearly. This was because the godfiend had taught Immortal Emperor Chen Xue before.
"Domineering enough." The godfiend inside did not become angry. He slowly retorted: "But you should know that you are not invincible even though you have obtained the legacy within the blood pond."
The tower lord lost his voice as he exclaimed: "Legacy of the blood pond…"
He stared at Li Qiye in amazement then glanced over at the Winter Matron. After seeing their expressions, he realized that this was the truth. He took a deep breath to calm down. If Li Qiye had obtained that legacy, didn't it mean that he had become the Blood Forefather?!
A human becoming the Blood Forefather of the Blood Race was simply unfathomable! The tower lord did not understand why the blood pond would pick a human to become the new forefather!
Li Qiye smiled and shook his head in response: "You're greatly underestimating me. Within the bounds of the Thunder Tower, I am the true ruler. Even without your legacy, I can still slay both gods and fiends. Do you want to try, Bloodbull Godfiend?!"
The Winter Matron coldly stated: "Do you think you are an Immortal Emperor?"
He countered: "Even if I'm not one, an Immortal Emperor would still have to take the long way around me inside the Holy City!"
The tower lord became slack-jawed. The more Li Qiye talked, the more outrageous he became. To even look down on Immortal Emperors, could there be anyone more insane than him in this world? Although the tower lord didn't view Li Qiye with any disdain, he still felt that these words were too arrogant. To be frank, it was just boasting.
"I haven't heard such words in a long time." The godfiend only murmured to himself.
"Since Your Bullhead is here in person, it clearly shows that you came in goodwill." Li Qiye was very satisfied with the godfiend's attitude. He gently nodded: "Very well, we can talk alone."
The godfiend contemplated for a moment before ordering: "Carry me in."
With that, the men carried out an old coffin from the palanquin. It was completely blood-red, as if the coffin was sealing immortal blood.
A bloody gloss cloaked the coffin and created many strange images. There were flying phoenixes and humming dragons. Stars were also falling from the sky…
One could faintly see a figure inside this coffin. This figure was lying inside quietly, but no one could see their true appearance.
"An amazing immortal coffin." Li Qiye had to praise after seeing the coffin: "If it wasn't out of consideration for providence, I would have seized this coffin already!"
"It isn't easy to meet someone who has such discerning taste." Li Qiye's words were very rude, but the godfiend didn't mind at all. On the contrary, he seemed to have taken it as a compliment.
His appreciation was not unfounded. This immortal coffin had a heaven-shattering origin. It was the reason why he was able to sleep here from one generation to another; this coffin weakened the erosion of time to its lowest level!
The godfiend commanded: "All of you, leave."
The tower lord naturally wouldn't dare to say no and immediately left along with the palanquin bearers. Even Immortal Emperor Chen Xue was only a junior before the godfiend, let alone him. The Winter Matron only glared at Li Qiye one last time before leaving as well.
Li Qiye gently waved his sleeve. Both Si Yuanyuan and Ye Chuyun went out right afterward.
A private conversation between the two of them meant that this was not a trivial matter. It involved secrets that others weren't allowed to know.
"If you are willing, I can let you rule the Blood Race and have its full support. I trust that you will definitely become a brilliant Immortal Emperor." The godfiend spoke when it was only the two of them left.
Li Qiye shook his head: "No, you misunderstood my intentions. Even without the Blood Race, I will still become the most brilliant Immortal Emperor across all the eons! I want to talk to you alone, but not about the matter of the Blood Forefather."
Li Qiye paused for a bit before continuing: "Of course, if you or the Blood Race deem it necessary, I can still become your Blood Forefather. It would still be convenient and easy, but I do not wish to command the Blood Race."
The godfiend pondered for a moment before asking: "Then what do you want?"
Li Qiye smiled and answered slowly: "What I want is very simple. When necessary, I want you to come into being! Take that item from your Blood Race and exert your power to fight for me!"
"That's impossible." The godfiend smiled: "Even when Immortal Emperor Chen Xue vied for the Heaven's Will that year, I still didn't come out to protect him; there's no way I will come into being for you. I can lend you a hand, but I won't come into being."
The godfiend was too important to the Blood Race. He was their soul. Outside of the legendary progenitor, no one had a greater importance to the Blood Race than him.
"I know your reason to live on!" Li Qiye smiled: "You have kept on struggling with your last breath till now to prevent the fallen from seeing the sunlight again. You are afraid that the Blood Race will descend to their doom and become void of sunlight!"
"Who are you!" The godfiend raised his voice after hearing this.
"This private conversation should show my goodwill in discussing this matter." Li Qiye solemnly said: "In the Blood Race, you are known as the Immortal Emperor's dao teacher because Immortal Emperor Chen Xue was your disciple. However, I'll be frank, you are not qualified for this title."
He continued on slowly: "You should have heard as well. Across all the eons, only one person is qualified to be called the teacher of Immortal Emperors! And that person is me!"
The moment Li Qiye finished speaking, the immortal coffin loudly shook. There was no doubt that even an existence like the godfiend was shocked by this.
Others might not know what Li Qiye was referring to, but the godfiend was privy to such information and understood Li Qiye's intent!
"I should have thought of this much earlier…" The godfiend murmured: "I should have realized this when the Black Dragon King tore apart Immortal Emperor Ta Kong's Heaven's Will. He didn't wish to compete for the Heaven's Will with the emperor, he did it for you, Your Excellency Dark Crow!"
Since the ancient ages, even the great ancestors who knew of the existence behind the curtains would have to call him "Your Excellency". On the other hand, those who would dare to call Li Qiye "damned crow" were all eternal existences!
Chapter 976: Deal
After a while, the godfiend finally returned from his bewilderment and spoke: "Your Excellency has not revealed yourself for a generation now. It is an honor to see you today."
Although the godfiend was the soul of the Blood Race — an extremely incredible existence, he was only a junior before the real teacher of Immortal Emperors, the Dark Crow. Even older emperors were only Li Qiye's juniors, let alone him.
"I don't appear every single generation." Li Qiye shook his head and said: "Sometimes, I disappear for several."
The godfiend let out an emotional sigh and said: "I didn't think that I would be able to meet Your Excellency in this situation. I have long heard of your thunderous fame before. I especially didn't think that our legacy would be obtained by you."
Li Qiye said: "Although your legacy is indeed incredible, it is not to the level where I must have it. Fate is what brought me to your Blood Race's legacy."
The godfiend had no response to this because he had heard of many legends regarding the Dark Crow. If the Dark Crow truly wanted something, very few items could elude him.
Li Qiye stared at the coffin and spoke: "Of course, since I have taken your legacy, I can do a few things for your race when necessary."
"However…" Li Qiye paused for a bit: "We won't talk about trivial matters like ruling the Blood Race. I have no interest in this, it is only a waste of my time."
The godfiend didn't deny this opinion. Ruling the Blood Race was the dream of many Blood geniuses. It was a supreme glory that would make their ancestors proud. However, the godfiend knew that the Dark Crow had even ruled the nine worlds. For an existence like him, ruling the Blood Race was no big deal.
Such overbearing words were said, but they seemed so natural when it came from Li Qiye.
The godfiend asked: "What will Your Excellency bring to my Blood Race if I am willing to come out to fight for you?"
This time, the godfiend's words had no semblance of doubt or posturing. His tone was full of compliance.
He knew very well of his own strength. He was strong enough to be described as heaven-defying. However, this was not enough to act foolishly before the Dark Crow. For millions of years, many heaven-defying existences had pledged loyalty to the Dark Crow. Even Immortal Emperors were willing to work for him.
"We won't talk about some stuff like glory or dominating the world, these are meaningless and I don't have time or the mood to lead your Blood Race to such things." Li Qiye answered: "If you take out that item and come into being for me to fight with all your might, I can give you something that no one else can!"
"I'm all ears." Despite living for so many years, the godfiend's heart still jumped just now. Very few things could leave him with such eager anticipation.
"Blood Forefather!" Li Qiye slowly said: "I can give you a true Blood Forefather!"
The godfiend's heart was stirred: "Your Excellency is saying…"
Li Qiye clarified: "Your progenitor! The thing, or rather, the existence that all of you have been waiting for!"
"No way!" The godfiend lost his voice, something that was very unbecoming of a character of his level. He was quite shaken by this.
"That is impossible because our progenitor is dead! That is why we have the Sky Dome and the blood pond as well as our legacy!"
"Perhaps, but perhaps not." Li Qiye smiled: "Many things have remained a mystery until now, things that are quite difficult to trace. One of them is the origin of your Blood Race. Was your progenitor a drop of immortal blood or an evil existence, or a mythical devil?"
Out of all the theories, the primal ground supported the one about the immortal blood! However, as the soul of his race, the godfiend knew that there was another branch of their Blood Race!
"If, say, I give you a true Blood Progenitor to finalize your Blood origin, how would you feel about that?" Li Qiye leisurely continued: "With a progenitor and a real origin, will you still be afraid of the fallen under the abyss?"
"I still don't quite understand a few things. Please enlighten me." The godfiend spoke after careful contemplation.
Li Qiye smiled and said: "Very well, ask."
The godfiend inquired: "Your Excellency is a character that has been around for eras and ruled this world. Others might be unaware, but I know full well that it would be difficult to find an existence capable of threatening you in the nine worlds. With your abilities, why do you need some old bones like me to fight for you?"
Li Qiye said: "You are right about that. I'm not afraid of anyone in the nine worlds or even what is outside of them!"
"However." He paused for a bit: "I still need people to fight for me in addition to guarding certain territories! I don't need you to fight in the nine worlds, but in that place, I need a lot of people to explore and create bases for me!"
"Your Excellency is talking about that place…" The godfiend was intrigued since he knew of this legend as well. A legend that weaklings wouldn't know.
Li Qiye said: "You have taught Immortal Emperor Chen Xue before, so after he obtained the Heaven's Will, he should have told you some things that only emperors know about."
"Your Excellency is talking about the place where the Heaven's Will returns to?" The godfiend spoke with emotions.
"Yes, that place! The place that only Immortal Emperors know about." Li Qiye responded.
The godfiend mused for a second before adding: "Your Excellency, as far as I know, only one person in each generation can go to that place. And they have to be an Immortal Emperor!"
"That was the past." Li Qiye revealed a mysterious smile: "This generation is different, everything has changed. Moreover, you should know that there is nothing I can't do. If I say it is possible, then it can be done!"
"Can I really go to that place?" The godfiend hesitated for a moment. His dao heart that had been calm for so many years suddenly grew hot with anticipation and excitement.
"Yes, I don't need to trick you and ruin my own reputation, right?" Li Qiye said.
The godfiend took a deep breath and finally solemnly spoke: "As long as Your Excellency needs me, I am willing to take the vanguard and be of service. I am willing to go to the very end for glory!"
"Very wise." Li Qiye said: "This is killing two birds with one stone for you. Not only is it beneficial for your Blood Race, you will also be able to see a different world, a world of deities and emperors!"
"May I ask when Your Excellency will prove our origin?" The godfiend asked with a solemn tone: "Where is this progenitor Your Excellency is referring to?"
"I can't tell you right now." Li Qiye gently shook his head: "But if you go to that place, I will give your race a progenitor."
The godfiend's expression changed as he asked: "You mean our progenitor really came from that place?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Li Qiye smiled: "A few things are not as simple as they appear on the surface. Like I said earlier, solving this type of mystery is not an easy task."
"I should have guessed that this was the case." The godfiend murmured. If this was the case, then their progenitor didn't come from the nine worlds, but rather that place where others couldn't go to. That legendary location, the destination of the Heaven's Will!
Li Qiye continued: "I can assure you that as long as you come out and fight for me, I won't only take you to that location, I will also help you find your Blood Progenitor. Of course, I won't force you. I will only give you and your race an opportunity. I'm not interested or in need of anything else."
"I am willing!" The godfiend agreed: "Your words are the truth. With your assurance, there is no need to question anything! When will Your Excellency depart?"
"The time is not yet ripe. I will let you know when the time is right." Li Qiye said.