Chapter 358: A Difficult Meeting

At this point, the Realm God paused for a bit before continuing: “The Black Dragon King’s battle against Immortal Emperor Ta Kong from back then destroyed the paths that connected the Nine Worlds. Now, the Difficult Dao Era has ended, and the Heaven’s Will will be aggregating in this world once more. However, the paths between the Nine Worlds still haven’t recovered, so these walls are impregnable. I can take you to the Sacred Nether World, but I cannot guarantee where you will land. The only thing I’m certain of will be that you will arrive somewhere in that world.”

“This is not a problem, as long as you can send me to the Sacred Nether World.” Li Qiye nodded his head and said.

“Then all is fine. But first, I have to let you know something. I can take you to the Sacred Nether World, but I cannot bring you back. In order to do so, my true body also needs to go to the Sacred Nether World, but that means I would have to leave the ancestral vein and the academy. Even if I agreed to this, the academy would want you to change the conditions.” The Realm God elaborated.

“You don’t have to personally come, I can solve this issue myself.” Li Qiye smiled then shook his head to say: “These old men from the academy would naturally be unwilling. Leaving the ancestral vein is an extremely difficult matter, not to mention that those old men are treating you as their treasured baby.”

The Realm God burst out in laughter and said: “Don’t blame them, it is I who is unwilling to leave this place. They are my little children that I have watched grow up.” At this point, it finished with a gentle sigh.

Li Qiye was silent. The longer the Realm God lived, the heavier its burden would become. It once wanted to leave, but in the end, it couldn’t let it all go.

To the Realm God, the academy was its home, and its disciples were his children; some of them were even taught by it. Just like it said, many ancestors were watched over by it, so it couldn’t bear to leave the academy.

A long time ago, Li Qiye once said that the Realm God’s success was due to the academy, but its undoing was also because of the academy.

Ultimately, the academy was its burden. Otherwise, it would have become an Immortal Emperor a long time ago, something that would shoulder the Heaven’s Will!

“How is the Void Gate?” The Realm God inquired.

Rumor has it that the Realm God and the Void Gate had a lot to do with each other. A high ancestor of the academy brought the mysterious Realm God back from the timeless portal, so some believed that it came from the Void Gate!

“One day, it will open again.” Li Qiye spoke with confidence: “Nine Grand Heavenly Treasures — who on earth could actually control them? However, the gate shall open once more in this generation, just wait and see.”

The Realm God nodded and finally lamented: “Nine Grand Heavenly Treasures… Oh how many people have yearned for them since the beginning of time, and how many Immortal Emperors dreamed for them to no avail. Maybe I will one day go and see it for it shall be my final destination.”

Li Qiye was not surprised to hear these words. To the Realm God, perhaps this was its best ending — returning to its roots!

“When do you want to go to the Sacred Nether World?” The Realm God finally asked.

“Very soon. When I am prepared, I will let you know.” Li Qiye answered.

This trip to the Sacred Nether World was not on a whim since there were a few things he wanted to make clear!

“Well, when you are ready, let me know any time.” The Realm God was a straightforward being and instantly agreed.

Li Qiye then left the Realm God’s dwelling. The moment Old Daoist Peng saw him, he said: “I will take you to the Matriarch.” His attitude indicated that he was afraid Li Qiye would change his mind.

Li Qiye gently sighed and nodded his head. Certain things were just inevitable, so the two of them headed to the Elegant Peak.

This peak was solitary amongst the vast territory of the academy. It was not the most grand or majestic mountain, but it was indeed beautiful, giving others the sensation that it was separated from the rest of the world.

A waterfall descended from the sky as if it was a path to the nine heavens. Above the peak and the waterfall, an ancient pavilion was floating without a care for the mundane world.

Its doors were closed and sealed by the grand dao. No one would dare to approach the doors that were locked with such a grand seal; they could only watch from afar in fear that they would disturb the tranquility.

Even the academy itself respected this tranquility. Within a radius of one hundred miles around this peak, all was very quiet. All the ancestors from the academy cultivated far away from this place since they didn’t want to bother the slumbering Matriarch. Other people definitely wouldn't even come close to this horizon.

Standing below the Elegant Peak, Li Qiye told the old daoist: “I will go alone. There are some matters, some conversations that need to be resolved in private.”

The old daoist was startled and his heart rate started to rise. He didn’t know Li Qiye’s true origin, but he hoped that it had nothing to do with grudges or resentment. The academy did not wish to become enemies with someone like Li Qiye!

“Don’t worry, my ancestor is not antagonistic towards Magu.” Li Qiye saw through this thought and smilingly shook his head.

“Please send the Matriarch my best regards.” Old Daoist Peng sighed in relief and said as he quietly left.

Glancing at the peak with a heavy heart, Li Qiye began his ascent.

After reaching the top and standing before the old pavilion, he became a bit overwhelmed with memories. Many years had passed, but this place still contained those memories!

There was no physical lock on the door. It was, instead, sealed by the grand dao. Time, worldly affairs, and the heaven and earth were all sealed! All steps were paused, only an eternity of persistence remained. Perhaps this grand dao seal locked Magu’s dao heart so that it would forever remain peaceful and firm!

“You saved the Realm God. I have seen your methods.” In the end, a voice came from inside the ancient pavilion. It was an extremely transcendent voice, like the tone of a fairy who had successfully ascended from the mortal world. This voice was capable of soothing the hearts of all listeners.

“It was merely luck. There are a plethora of techniques in this world, so one of them would surely be the right one.” Li Qiye paused in silence for a bit before answering.

“The Kun Peng around your body with its countless dao... It is very rare.” The immortal voice emanated from the ancient pavilion again.

Li Qiye was speechless for he didn’t know how to properly respond. After a long silence, he put on an unfearful expression and answered: “I am a disciple of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, and I cultivate the Kun Peng’s Six Variants with the blessing of my ancestor. The countless dao surrounding my Kun Peng is my ancestor’s will.”

“So that is the case.” The ethereal voice spoke once more: “But your mastery of the Perimeter of the Wise Sages was quite amazing and worthy of admiration. The elders of the academy had never seen someone so adept.”

This made Li Qiye’s heart jump. He could only sigh helplessly before finally answering: “I have read about it once from the wise sages’ records. I did a lot of research, thus I was proficient at it.”

The ancient pavilion became silent for a long time. Eventually, Li Qiye took a deep breath and said with a bow: “If Predecessor has no other questions, then this young one shall leave.” With that, he turned away and began to depart.

“Teacher—” However, before he could take two steps, a gentle voice called from inside.

Li Qiye, who intended to leave, became frozen. This word “teacher” was too familiar; it caused him to think about the young girl of that year.

Li Qiye took a deep breath before slowly turning around and saying: “Maybe Predecessor has the wrong person.”

“Teacher, I know it is you.” The ethereal voice appeared: “I cultivate the Eternal Physique that was taught to me by Teacher. Teacher’s Immortal Physique has reached minor completion, so the moment you stood here, I knew this Immortal Physique came from the Physique Scripture. You also once used a myriad of dao to seal your memories in the deepest parts of your mind. When I followed you back then, I felt the power of this seal; I know that besides you, no one else in this world could use the dao of Immortal Emperors to seal your sea of memories.”

Li Qiye stayed silent. Although he could hide his identity from others, he couldn’t hide it from this foolish Magu, someone who had always followed his teachings in an exemplary manner!

“That year when the Black Dragon King tore apart the heavens, I immediately knew something happened to Teacher. Unfortunately, my Eternal Physique cultivation was at a key moment and I couldn’t come into being from my hibernation to help the Black Dragon King sweep through all of Teacher’s hindrances!” A voice filled with emotions rang from inside.

“Meeting Teacher today shows me that the Black Dragon King was successful.” The clear voice continued on: “I am foolish and know that I cannot compare to the Black Dragon King, the other emperors, or many of your heavenly-blessed students. I understand and do not blame you for not wanting to meet me.”

Emotions ran rampant in Li Qiye’s heart. After so many years, this little girl still remembered such matters.

“You are mistaken.” Li Qiye gently shook his head and said: “I have always been proud of you from the depths of my heart. It is true that you are not comparable to that group like the Black Dragon King, who were capable of suppressing all eras, but you have an unrivaled dao heart that is capable of enduring the endless passage of time. This is something that they could not hope to have.”

“I should be thanking you.” Li Qiye softly sighed and said: “I had trained many Eternal Physiques, but you are the only one who was successful. A grand completion Eternal Physique is even harder to train than an Immortal Emperor.”

“Teacher, it really is you!” The ethereal voice exclaimed with excitement and surprise.

“So you tricked me.” Li Qiye let out a wry smile and shook his head to say: “So you were not certain.”

“I believed that it was Teacher.” The ethereal voice inside said with joy: “But I didn’t know whether you still had memories of me or not.”