Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Ziyang 10-Day Technique (Part 1)
Chapter 67: Purple Sun Ten Days Technique (Part One)
"The Kunpeng Six Transformations—" Seeing this, the expressions of all the Elders and Guardians present changed drastically!
In the entire Xiyan Ancient Sect, only the Great Elder, Gu Tieshou, had completely cultivated the Kunpeng Six Transformations. Back when Gu Tieshou cultivated this technique, it had been personally approved by the previous Sect Leader and agreed upon by the Supreme Elders.
Besides Great Elder Gu Tieshou, who had cultivated the complete Kunpeng Six Transformations, the Fifth Elder of the Six Great Elders, Elder Zhou, had also cultivated the first three transformations.
Years ago, Elder Zhou had rendered a great service to the Xiyan Ancient Sect at the risk of his own life. Thus, with the unanimous agreement of the Guardian Elders, he was allowed to cultivate the first three transformations of the Kunpeng Six Transformations.
For the current Xiyan Ancient Sect, the Kunpeng Six Transformations was a core secret. Even Elders were forbidden from approaching the Secret Manuals without the unanimous consent of all Guardian Elders.
The Kunpeng Six Transformations was stored in the most secure and secret location within the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Aside from the Six Great Elders, no one else knew its location.
Upon seeing this technique, Great Elder Gu Tieshou was visibly shaken. As someone who had cultivated the complete Kunpeng Six Transformations, he understood it better than anyone. The moment he saw the swaying motion of the Kunpeng floating above Li Qiye’s head, he was utterly shocked. This was because Li Qiye’s version of the Kunpeng Six Transformations was even more profound than his own. It meant that Li Qiye had progressed further in this particular cultivation technique than he had—a simply unbelievable notion.
One had to understand that the Kunpeng Six Transformations was one of the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s most powerful Emperor Techniques. It was vast and profound. He had immersed himself in this technique for several hundred years before he managed to master all Six Transformations, and even then, he wouldn’t dare claim to have grasped its true mystical meaning! And yet, a disciple who had just joined the sect was already an expert in its profound mysteries.
"How did you cultivate the Kunpeng Six Transformations?" Gu Tieshou stared at Li Qiye, his gaze suddenly turning terrifying, even revealing a hint of killing intent.
Before this, Gu Tieshou had intended to protect Li Qiye no matter what. But now, Li Qiye had actually cultivated the Kunpeng Six Transformations. If he had stolen the technique, it would be a major taboo within the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Without waiting for the other Guardian Elders to decide, he himself would eliminate Li Qiye!
For Gu Tieshou, stealing other cultivation techniques might have been negotiable, but the Kunpeng Six Transformations was different. It was far too important to the Xiyan Ancient Sect.
"Stealing a Core Emperor Technique is punishable by death without mercy—" Cao Xiong, inwardly delighted at this reversal, said to Elder Gu, "Senior Brother, this boy cannot be allowed to live. Every moment he remains is another moment of danger for our Xiyan Ancient Sect!"
"Qiye, how did you come to learn this technique?" Gu Tieshou ignored Cao Xiong, his gaze fixed firmly on Li Qiye as he spoke in a low voice.
Li Qiye smiled and said leisurely, "Is this technique the Elder speaks of the ’Kunpeng Six Transformations’?"
"Still playing dumb! Senior Brother, let’s capture him first and torture the truth out of him!" Cao Xiong immediately fanned the flames.
"Shut up—" Gu Tieshou suddenly roared at Cao Xiong. At that moment, he was like a great lion, his aura domineering and his divine power overwhelming. As the most senior brother, he possessed an authority that could not be challenged.
At Gu Tieshou’s sudden outburst, Cao Xiong’s expression changed. Even the other Guardian Elders present felt the Great Elder’s unchallengeable authority.
"Qiye, tell me, how did you cultivate the Kunpeng Six Transformations?" Gu Tieshou demanded in a low voice. This was the first time he had shown true anger, and his tone was exceptionally grave.
"Well, this story starts with the ’Kunpeng Six Forms’," Li Qiye began slowly, unafraid of Gu Tieshou’s divine power. He paused for a moment before continuing, "That day, the Elder agreed to let me cultivate the ’Kunpeng Six Forms’. After I chose the secret manual, I began to read and comprehend it seriously. As I was naturally getting a feel for the technique, I inadvertently fell asleep..."
"...And at that moment, I had a strange dream. I dreamed of an old man. He said that I was fated to meet him, so he taught me a cultivation technique similar to the ’Kunpeng Six Forms.’ Afterward, the old man imparted this technique to me. I didn’t even know what it was called. It’s only now, hearing the Elder mention it, that I know its name..."
Li Qiye spun his tale, making it sound completely real. The Guardian Elders present found it all too ridiculous.
"Utter nonsense! Where in this world could such a ridiculous thing happen? Taught in a dream? That’s a story for a three-year-old!" Cao Xiong snapped.
But Gu Tieshou ignored Cao Xiong, staring at Li Qiye and asking in a low voice, "What did this old man look like?"
"Well, since it was in a dream, I don’t remember it very clearly." Li Qiye tilted his head, pretending to think for a good while, before finally describing the appearance of Mingren Immortal Emperor.
In this current age, no one knew Mingren Immortal Emperor’s appearance better than he did. With just a few simple sentences, he was able to sketch a perfect portrait of the man.
Hearing Li Qiye’s description, the Great Elder and the others were shaken. Although there was a statue of Mingren Immortal Emperor in the Xiyan Ancient Sect, it had ultimately been crafted by another’s hand and failed to capture his true spirit.
However, the Xiyan Ancient Sect secretly possessed a portrait of Mingren Immortal Emperor, one he had painted himself. This was no simple portrait; it was imbued with Mingren Immortal Emperor’s powerful Emperor’s Immortal Intent. It was the sect-protecting treasure of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. If the portrait were to be brought out, it could shelter the sect and repel even the strongest of foes.
The Emperor’s Immortal Intent within this portrait could not be used lightly. With each use, its power would diminish, and the Emperor’s Immortal Intent would eventually fade away. Therefore, unless the Xiyan Ancient Sect was facing utter annihilation, they would never use it.
As members of the Six Great Elders, they had all seen this portrait before. The founder’s imperial bearing and immortal grace had left an indelible impression on them. Now, Li Qiye, with just a few words, had described that very same bearing and grace. Unless he had seen the portrait, it would be impossible to describe the founder’s presence so vividly.
Hearing Li Qiye describe Mingren Immortal Emperor’s imperial bearing and immortal grace so vividly sent a shock through the hearts of Gu Tieshou and the other elders. ’Could the founder have truly appeared in Li Qiye’s dreams?’
"All other disciples, withdraw. Guardian Elders will remain. Without my order, no disciple is to enter." In the end, Great Elder Gu Tieshou gave the command.
After the disciples withdrew, only the Elders and Guardians of the Xiyan Ancient Sect remained. The entire upper echelon of the sect was present, and the atmosphere in the courtyard grew heavy.
To secure the area, Great Elder Gu Tieshou even sealed off the location, forbidding anyone from approaching.
"Write down the ’Kunpeng Six Transformations’ you remember from your dream. Let me and Elder Zhou have a look," Great Elder Gu Tieshou finally said in a low voice.
"Senior Brother, you can’t possibly believe such a ridiculous story." Cao Xiong was extremely displeased. "This little monster must have stolen our ’Kunpeng Six Transformations’!"
Gu Tieshou glanced at Cao Xiong and said grimly, "Who else besides the six of us knows where the secret manual is kept? To open that place—Junior Brother Cao, you should know the procedure—is it possible for anyone else to open it without our consent? Unless a Great Sage came in person and broke through by force, who could possibly retrieve the manual? We all know perfectly well whether the manual is still there or not!"
"Exactly. If that place had been breached, our Xiyan Ancient Sect would already be in peril, but it remains perfectly intact. Senior Brother Cao, do you really think it’s possible for Li Qiye to have stolen the ’Kunpeng Six Transformations’ from there?" Elder Sun also chimed in gravely. "Unless you’re implying that our Senior Brother secretly taught the technique to Li Qiye!"
"This junior brother wouldn’t dare!" Cao Xiong said resentfully. Even if he wanted to make such an implication, it was impossible. None of the other Elders or Guardians would believe it.
In the end, Li Qiye wrote out the Heart Technique for the "Kunpeng Six Transformations," and he even added many of his own insights into its mystical meanings.
Only the Great Elder and Elder Zhou were allowed to see the transcribed Heart Technique; Elder Zhou was only permitted to see the first three transformations. Upon reading it, both Great Elder Gu Tieshou and Elder Zhou were deeply moved. Not only was this the complete "Kunpeng Six Transformations" Heart Technique, but the annotated mystical meanings were far more vast and profound than anything they had ever comprehended!
To have achieved such a level of mastery... forget them, even the Grand Elders before them probably couldn’t have managed it! To comprehend things to such a degree, to have such an accumulation of insights—this was likely the level of a Great Sage!
At this, the Great Elder and Elder Zhou were stunned. ’Could it be true? Did the founder really impart this to Li Qiye in a dream? Otherwise, how could this be explained?’
The Great Elder and Elder Zhou said nothing, but the other Guardian Elders present understood what was happening.
The Guardian Elders couldn’t help but exchange glances. Could such a thing as being taught in a dream really exist? It was so outrageous that they found it hard to believe.
"What else did the old man in your dream say?" Gu Tieshou finally asked, looking at Li Qiye.
Li Qiye thought seriously for a moment, then said, "Oh, right. The old man also said that I shoulder a great responsibility, that the future revival of the Xiyan Ancient Sect rests on my shoulders. He said that if I want to learn other, more profound cultivation techniques in the future, I should use a similar, related technique to call out to him, and he might appear in my dream again..."
"Absurd! Such shameless boasting! You think someone like you can speak of reviving the Xiyan Ancient Sect..." Cao Xiong scoffed.
"Continue," Gu Tieshou said to Li Qiye in a low voice, cutting Cao Xiong off.
Li Qiye scratched his head and said earnestly, "As for what ’similar, related technique’ means, I don’t really understand it. It’s been troubling me lately, since I haven’t been able to call the old man."
"He must mean an Emperor’s Ultimate Technique!" Elder Sun interjected hurriedly. "You cultivated the ’Kunpeng Six Forms,’ and he taught you the ’Kunpeng Six Transformations.’ If you cultivate another Emperor’s Ultimate Technique, maybe he’ll teach you its Core Emperor Technique!"
"This is utterly preposterous," Cao Xiong snapped coldly. "Junior Brother Sun, you believe this ridiculous story? It’s something you tell a three-year-old! Hmph, it’s a claim with no proof. He can just say whatever he wants."