Here, the First Elder glanced at Li Qiye, and he said: “Do you understand why I am telling you all of this?”

“This disciple is all ears.” [1]

Li Qiye nonchalantly smiled with a calm and dull expression; it made the First Elder unable to understand Li Qiye.

“We need an ally like the Nine Saint Demon Gate.” At this point, the First Elder gently sighed, and, with some hesitation, he lowered his tone: “This is why I hope that you can marry Princess Li! As long as you are able to marry Princess Li, regardless of what happens, I will support you!”

“Elder, are you are not afraid of bringing the wolf to chase the tiger? Then being eaten by the wolf in the end?” Li Qiye smilingly said.

The First Elder bitterly smiled, gently shook his head, and he replied: “There are some things, that aren’t up to a little character like me to control.”

At this point, he deeply stared at Li Qiye, and he said: “This is why I will bet on you! Hoping that it will be a miracle!”

Here, the First Elder’s demeanor became strange; he looked at Li Qiye, and he said: “Until now, many people had wanted to take the Cleansing Incense Ancient Order from Old Devil, yet no one had succeeded! However, Old Devil is willing to give the Cleansing Incense Ancient Order to you!”

Speaking of Old Devil and the matter of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Order, Li Qiye couldn’t help but smirk. However, he did not say more about it; there were secrets behind this event that other people naturally couldn’t see through it.

Staring at the First Elder, Li Qiye smiled: “Elder is betting money on me, why not bet it on the Sect Master? I heard Sect Master was appointed by the previous Sect Master to be the successor.”

Regarding this problem, the First Elder closed his mouth and remained silent. The First Elder’s attitude piqued Li Qiye’s interest; Su Yonghuang, the current Sect Master of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, was what type of person in the end? What was the secret in this matter?

“This time, I proposed for you to be a dao instructor; I am hoping that you could earn some merit points and eventually be able to join the upper echelon’s meeting in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect.”

The First Elder didn’t speak about the matter of the Sect Master, Su Yonghuang. He instead switched to a different subject.

Li Qiye smiled, and he said: “Elder hopes that I can have great contributions so that I could join the upper echelons. Eventually, I would become a Protector or an Elder, so that I would be more worthy to be with the Nine Saint Demon Gate’s successor; the princess of the Old Ox Country.”

Li Qiye easily pointed out the intricacies, and this made the First Elder stunned for a moment. In reality, since the beginning, he was not optimistic about Li Qiye; however, Li Qiye mysteriously passed the Nine Saint Demon Gate’s trials, and this caused the Six Elders to suspect that he was a spy from the Nine Saint Demon Gate.

However, since Li Shuangyan’s arrival and the attitude of Yu He, the First Elder couldn’t help but contemplate this situation. If one was to say that Li Qiye was a spy from the Nine Saint Demon Gate, then his method would be too arrogant and too obvious! The most important thing, however, was that Yu He’s attitude did not seem like it was an act!

This made the First Elder rethink; if Li Qiye truly wanted the Emperor merit laws or Immortal Emperor True Treasures of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, with the Cleansing Incense Ancient Order, he simply didn’t need to be a spy! This Order was given to him willingly by Old Devil; if Li Qiye had used this Order to demand an Emperor merit law or an Immortal Emperor True Treasure, the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect wouldn’t have an alternative unless they wanted to disobey the teachings of their ancestors!

In reality, whether the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect still had Immortal Emperor True Treasures or not, as well as its Emperor merit laws, the First Elder knew best in his heart!

“Within the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, I am considered the oldest person. Unfortunately, my talents are limited, and I had no way to stop our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect’s irreparable decline.” The First Elder looked at Li Qiye, and he said: “I don’t believe in miracles; however, I hope that you are a miracle, or that the Patriarch was not willing for the high heavens to destroy my Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. I am not hoping for you to revive the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, but I hope that you could use your good relations with the Nine Saint Demon Gate to protect the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect!”

Li Qiye couldn’t help but laughed a little, and he said: “The First Elder values me so greatly, this truly makes me scared from receiving too much affection.” [2]

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Of course, the First Elder didn’t believe Li Qiye; he simply didn’t appear like he was scared from receiving too much affection, but this wasn’t important.

Li Qiye smiled, and he said: “The First Elder places all of his betting money on me and not the Sect Master; why is this the case? This truly leaves me curious.”

It was obvious that Elder Ge being the First Elder was very reluctant to mention the Sect Master Su Yonghuang, but in the end, he looked at Li Qiye and deepened his voice: “Li Qiye, if one was to say that your identity is not clear, then, the identity of the Sect Master is not one that I am willing to see!”

It was but one short sentence from the First Elder, yet it contained many hidden implications! Su Yonghuang was the current Sect Master and was also his master’s appointed successor; why was it that the First Elder was so unwelcoming of Su Yonghuang?

“Currently, for our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, whomever sits on the Sect Master’s seat is no longer important. We are about to be chased from our home, so why is there the need to dispute for the Sect Master’s position?” The First Elder clearly didn’t want to elaborate much on Su Yonghuang, so he said in a serious manner: “However, I do not wish for the second elder to be the Sect Master!”

The First Elder suddenly told him this; thus, raising Li Qiye’s interest. These words, if it wasn’t a close confidant, would not easily be said; however, the First Elder told him this.

“Second Elder isn’t bad; I heard the Second Elder, when he was young, his aptitude wasn’t bad. Within the Elders, his cultivation is only below yours.” Li Qiye leisurely said.

“If Cao Xiong...If he was persistent with his own principles.” The First Elder paused for a second, and he then finally spoke: “Him being the Sect Master isn’t a big deal! However, he reached out to Dong Shenglong! This is akin to pushing our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect down into an abyss of destruction; he, because of his thirst for power, had lost his reasoning!”

“Dong Shenglong?” Li Qiye was slightly surprised, and he asked: “The guest advisor of our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect?”

Regarding this topic, Nan Huairen had mentioned it before; Li Qiye still had some impression.

The First Elder stared at Li Qiye, and he then seriously said: “As the Prime Disciple, hopefully, you will take up the responsibility of shouldering the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. This matter, I can tell you. That year, when Dong Shenglong became our guest advisor, this was not my will! However, this came from the will of the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom; I didn’t have a choice!”

“Strictly speaking, Dong Shenglong did not come from the Heavenly God Sect, but he is a Royal Noble bestowed by the Heavenly God Sect!” The First Elder deepened his tone: “For the other matters, I don’t need to say more.”

The First Elder finished speaking here. Li Qiye was clear on the reason; he smiled, looked at the First Elder, and, in the end, he said: “The First Elder wants to borrow my hand to eliminate Dong Shenglong?”

“I know that, with your cultivation, you can’t eliminate Dong Shenglong.” The First Elder was silent for a long time, then finally made his decision, looked at Li Qiye, and he said: “However, Yu He can; you can borrow Yu He’s hand to remove him!”

“Elder, this is a dangerous matter.” Li Qiye laughed because he knew what the First Elder was thinking.

The First Elder contemplated for a while; in the end, he sighed heavily, and he then said: “Bringing in the wolf to chase the lion, I know! However, in terms of the level of danger, the Heavenly God Sect is much higher than the Nine Saint Demon Gate. Thirty thousand years ago, our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect fought with the Heavenly God Sect once; we lost our Kingdom, and the Heavenly God Sect used our old territory to form the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom. Although the Heavenly God Sect didn’t kill to the very last person, that was only because they had certain reservations. In this country, one of these days, the Heavenly God Sect will not tolerate our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect anymore. The Nine Saint Demon Gate rules the Old Ox country. If they want to destroy us, it is not an impossible thing; however, they definitely have to declare war on the Heavenly God Sect!”

Comparing the two, no doubt, the First Elder made a choice, and he wanted to use the Nine Saint Demon Gate against the Heavenly God Sect!

Li Qiye smiled, and he finally said in a leisurely way: “Elder’s thoughts, I understand. These are not the important things to me right now. The more pressing matter is the Physique paste. You Elders had promised, before, to reward me a piece of King Physique paste; I’m wondering when the sect will be able to accomplish this?”

“This...” With Li Qiye suddenly bringing this matter up, the First Elder was stunned for a moment.

Li Qiye continued: “Elder, my Physique paste; the leading beast marrow, I want it to be the beast marrow of a Hell Iron Bull. Do you have any objections to this?”

“This... this will require some time.” The First Elder was embarrassed, and he hollowly laughed.

Li Qiye stared at the First Elder, and he seriously said: “Elder is regretting this, ah?”

“Li Qiye, what the sect promised for you will not change!” The First Elder immediately raised his voice: “However, you want the beast marrow of a Hell Iron Bull. You should be aware, that, with our current power, taking the bones of a one hundred thousand year beast, not an easy matter! Our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, does indeed, have a King Physique paste; however, the beast marrow isn’t from a Hell Iron Bull!”

“I require the beast marrow of a Hell Iron Bull!” Li Qiye coldly said.

The First Elder took a deep breath, stared intently at Li Qiye, and then said: “The beast marrow of a Hell Iron Bull, I can give to you. I will convince the other Elders but, the condition is that you must marry Princess Li!”

Looking at the First Elder, Li Qiye couldn’t help but exhale a long sigh. Finally, he stood up, and he calmly said: “Elder, my woman, I can control; a princess is fine, a Saintess is fine – this isn’t an issue. As for the matter that you are worried about, I can give you one sentence: In my hands, whoever wants to destroy the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, I will slaughter them all! Also, I will add another sentence for the First Elder; whoever tries to stop my pace of reviving the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, whoever tries to stop my steps, kill without mercy! Gods and Devils are no exceptions!”

After he had finished speaking, he turned around and left.

The First Elder was suddenly stunned on the exact spot; a thirteen-year-old boy just said those arrogant words, but, at this moment, he didn’t think that Li Qiye was arrogantly ignorant. In this midst of everything, he completely couldn’t see through Li Qiye, and he didn’t know where his confidence was coming from; a thirteen-year-old boy... What means did he possess to say such big words?

Eventually, the First Elder gently sighed. Since in all these years, he had carefully held the administration of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, he knew, that, the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect’s decline was irreparable, but, he still wanted a miracle to happen!

Maybe, Li Qiye’s arrival was a miracle!

Whether he believed it or not, currently, he still has to gamble on this! Because he was running out of time, the other four Elders, regarding his not wanting to be the Sect Master, had become dissatisfied. If this continued, without the support of the other four Elders, the overall situation of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect will worsen!

[1] The raw idiom is “Cleans ears carefully listening”, another respectful idiom.

[2] Another four words idiom: Receive Favor Becomes Frightened.