Chapter 52

Chapter 51: The Immortal King's Scripture is Unparalleled (Part 1)

As Li Qiyi was imparting the Dao in the Stone Washing Valley, the high-ranking officials of the Ancient Xiyan Sect convened a secret meeting. In fact, only the six elders were qualified to attend this meeting.

This meeting was personally convened by the Chief Elder, Elder Gu. The Chief Elder sat at the head of the table, looked around at the other five elders, and then said solemnly, "This time, we have gathered to discuss the matter of the Imperial Body Ointment."

When the Chief Elder spoke, the other five elders exchanged glances and then fell silent. Among the six elders, the Chief Elder was the most qualified and had the greatest contributions.

Moreover, the Chief Elder was a direct disciple of the previous sect leader, and his status in the Ancient Xiyan Sect was unmatched. Although there was a rumor within the sect that the current leader, Su Yonghuang, was the successor of the previous leader, who had secretly trained him as a direct disciple.

However, the six elders were well aware that this was not the case.

Among the six elders, apart from Cao Xiong, the other four had no ambition to become the leader. They knew very well that whether in terms of Dao cultivation, contributions, or status, they did not have the qualifications to compete for the leadership.

In fact, the other four elders believed that the only one fit to become the leader was the Chief Elder.

"We once promised Li Qiyi that if he could arrange the marriage alliance with the Nine Holy Demon Sect, we would grant him the Imperial Body Ointment," the Chief Elder said, looking at the five elders.

The other four elders remained silent, while Cao Xiong was particularly displeased. If Li Qiyi really succeeded in the marriage alliance with the Nine Holy Demon Sect, it would greatly impact the prospects of his disciple, He Yingjian, to become the next leader.

Cao Xiong had his own plans. Even if he himself had no chance to become the leader, he hoped his disciple, He Yingjian, could become the next leader. In fact, He Yingjian had not disappointed him. The problem was that now a mysterious Li Qiyi had appeared!

If Li Qiyi really married Li Shuangyan and, given his status as the chief disciple, it would be very difficult for anyone to challenge his position as the next leader, even the current leader, Su Yonghuang.

Elder Sun, the fourth-ranking elder among the six, stroked his long beard and nodded, saying, "We agreed to this. Since Li Qiyi has succeeded, it is only right to grant him the Imperial Body Ointment."

As the fourth-ranking elder, Elder Sun had already decided to support Li Qiyi. The reason was simple: his disciple, Mo Hufa!

Elder Sun had more than one disciple. In fact, Mo Hufa was not his most favored disciple. Mo Hufa's Dao cultivation was not the worst among his disciples, but his personality was completely different from his other disciple, Nan Huairen. Mo Hufa was quiet and not good at socializing, and his talent was not the best among his peers. Therefore, Elder Sun did not think Mo Hufa could inherit his legacy.

Elder Sun had planned to support another disciple to succeed him as an elder in the future. However, things changed recently. One word from Li Qiyi changed everything! Because of Li Qiyi, Mo Hufa and Nan Huairen became the messengers between the Ancient Xiyan Sect and the Nine Holy Demon Sect. The chief protector of the Nine Holy Demon Sect, Yu He, communicated everything through Mo Hufa and Nan Huairen.

Yu He, a noble in the Ancient Ox Border Region, was someone even the six elders rarely had the chance to meet. Now, he communicated everything through Mo Hufa and Nan Huairen, greatly improving their status in the Ancient Xiyan Sect.

Seeing his disciple and grand-disciple benefit, Elder Sun naturally supported Li Qiyi.

"You all know that we still have one more Imperial Body Ointment in the sect," the Chief Elder said.

This statement made the other elders silent, and Cao Xiong felt a pang of pain. The Imperial Body Ointment had been stored for a long time, since the previous leader's time, but it had never been used.

In fact, the Chief Elder had once made great contributions, and this Imperial Body Ointment could have been awarded to him long ago. However, the Chief Elder had always been reluctant to use it, believing that he was too old and that using it would be a waste due to his limited talent.

If even the Chief Elder was reluctant to use it, the other elders felt even more hesitant and had no reason to use it.

The six elders had planned to use this Imperial Body Ointment for a highly talented disciple in the future, who could stand on their own.

Now, this Imperial Body Ointment was to be granted to Li Qiyi, a decision the Chief Elder had made. The other four elders did not say much, but Cao Xiong felt a pang of pain, as he had planned to use it for his disciple, He Yingjian, in the future.

"However, Li Qiyi has requested to replace the main ingredient, the beast marrow, with the marrow of a Hell Iron Ox," the Chief Elder said solemnly.

Upon hearing this, the other four elders were visibly surprised. Elder Qian, the third-ranking elder, exclaimed, "Brother, the Hell Iron Ox is an extremely rare celestial beast. Everyone knows that the price of its marrow is astronomical! For the main ingredient of the Imperial Body Ointment, the lowest grade would be at least ten thousand years old. The price is terrifying!"

The Chief Elder nodded slightly and said, "I have contacted the auction house, and they have a Hell Iron Ox marrow that is about ninety thousand years old, which can be considered ten thousand years old. They are willing to exchange it with us, but we must add one thousand Ancient Sage Essence Stones."

"One thousand Ancient Sage Essence Stones?" Elder Zhou, the fifth-ranking elder, changed his expression and said, "This is an outrageous demand. With one thousand Ancient Sage Essence Stones, we could buy a two-hundred-thousand-year-old beast marrow!"

"Brother, Li Qiyi is being too greedy," Cao Xiong seized this rare opportunity and said solemnly, "When has it ever been his place to haggle over such important matters of the Ancient Xiyan Sect? He is just a third-generation disciple, yet he dares to bargain with us. This is a lack of respect for our elders and is too presumptuous."

Cao Xiong's words made the Chief Elder frown, but he did not say anything. Cao Xiong then addressed the other four elders, "All of you know how precious the Imperial Body Ointment is. Granting it to a third-generation disciple is already a great favor from the Ancient Xiyan Sect. A disciple who does not know gratitude is now daring to haggle..."

"Moreover, Li Qiyi's background is questionable. He might be a spy! If we use this precious Imperial Body Ointment on a traitor, it would be like throwing meat to a dog. If we add one thousand Ancient Sage Essence Stones, the Ancient Xiyan Sect will suffer a significant loss. One day, Li Qiyi might turn against us after receiving our benefits..."

This was a rare opportunity for Cao Xiong, and he tried his best to persuade the other four elders. He did not want Li Qiyi to get the Imperial Body Ointment.

Elder Wu, the sixth-ranking elder, also advised the Chief Elder, "Brother, granting the Imperial Body Ointment is already a great favor from the Ancient Xiyan Sect. As a third-generation disciple, Li Qiyi should be aware of this. Moreover, Brother, you know that our stock of Ancient Sage Essence Stones is already very limited. If we use one thousand this time, it will almost deplete our reserves. This is a serious matter, Brother."

The other elders looked at the Chief Elder, their expressions clear. Seeing this, Cao Xiong was secretly pleased, thinking he had already achieved half his goal. If he could stir up more trouble, Li Qiyi might not even get the Imperial Body Ointment.

"One thousand Essence Stones, it's not worth it," the third elder also said.

It was true that the four elders respected the Chief Elder, who held a very high status in their hearts and in the entire Ancient Xiyan Sect, which was hard to shake.

However, things had changed over the years. The elders had always hoped that the Chief Elder would lead the Ancient Xiyan Sect, and they had always been opposed to the current leader, Su Yonghuang. Their ideal leader was the Chief Elder.

However, the Chief Elder had never expressed any interest in the leadership position. As time passed, the other elders became disappointed. In recent years, the Chief Elder had shown signs of despair and no longer had the vigor of his youth, which further shook the elders' confidence.

In contrast, Cao Xiong, the second-ranking elder, had never given up on the leadership position. He had become too close to the guest scholar, Dong Shenglong, and the other elders did not consider him an ideal leader. However, if they had to choose between Su Yonghuang and Cao Xiong in the future, the elders would hesitate.

Especially recently, Cao Xiong's repeated overtures and hints had made the four elders waver to some extent.

When the Chief Elder brought up this matter today, and Cao Xiong pointed out the potential risks, the four elders were swayed.

Just as Cao Xiong was about to take advantage of the situation, the Chief Elder's eyes suddenly glowed with intense light. In an instant, his aura became overwhelming, and his body radiated with a brilliant light. In that moment, the Chief Elder seemed to transform, his demeanor and actions filled with a commanding presence, and a faint aura of nobility.

The Chief Elder was a formidable figure among the six elders, having been in the sect the longest and having the deepest cultivation. His sudden display of power made the other elders feel a shock, sensing the oppressive atmosphere.

At this moment, the Chief Elder spoke slowly, "Brothers, your objections are reasonable, but you also understand the current situation. The Nine Holy Demon Sect is crucial to the Ancient Xiyan Sect! Li Qiyi is equally crucial to us! Without him, there would be no Nine Holy Demon Sect! Therefore, I have called you here to hope that you will agree to this matter!"