Free Web NovelChapter 70: Chapter 70: Devising Strategies (Part 2)
Chapter 70: Mastermind (Part 2)
Seeing the other elders remain silent, Cao Xiong struck while the iron was hot. "Since it was all a misunderstanding, a heavy punishment isn’t necessary," he said. "Let’s sentence Li Qiye to six months of reflection in the Ghost Tower. This will be his penalty for acting so recklessly and handling matters so poorly!"
"The Ghost Tower?" Hearing Cao Xiong’s words, Elder Sun frowned.
Cao Xiong said, "The Ghost Tower is gloomy, but it’s not dangerous. First Brother has experienced it firsthand, so I don’t need to elaborate. If we punish Li Qiye by sending him to reflect elsewhere, the other disciples will laugh at us for being too lenient! I personally think the Ghost Tower is the perfect place."
At this, Cao Xiong looked at Li Qiye and continued, "Besides, since Li Qiye has the Ancestor Master’s protection, there’s no more suitable place for him than the Ghost Tower. The Ghost Tower is where the Ancestor Master suppressed demons and heretics. It’s the perfect chance to use the Ancestor Master’s Divine Power to suppress the Ghost Tower once more!"
"This... This isn’t appropriate," Elder Sun, Li Qiye’s staunchest supporter among the elders, said with a frown.
Before Gu Tieshou could make a decision, Li Qiye looked at Cao Xiong, smiled, and said calmly, "Since I have the Ancestor Master’s protection, what do I have to fear? The Ghost Tower it is. This disciple is willing to accept the punishment!"
After watching Li Qiye for a long moment, Gu Tieshou finally nodded. "Very well. Since you are willing to go, the Ghost Tower it is. You are sentenced to six months of reflection in the Ghost Tower. Guardian Mo will oversee the punishment!"
Gu Tieshou’s arrangement was, in fact, excellent. Rather than having Guardian Mo supervise Li Qiye, it was more like having him protect Li Qiye.
With the verdict passed, Gu Tieshou declared in a grave voice, "Qiye acted recklessly and indeed deserves punishment. But as the instigator of this whole affair, Master Zhou should also be heavily punished. If not for Master Zhou’s ignorance and foolishness, Guardian Hu and the others would not have met their tragic deaths! Therefore, I strip Master Zhou of his position as Hall Master. He will no longer hold any office in the sect."
Hearing this decision, Cao Xiong’s heart bled. He had lost two disciples and three loyal Hall Masters. The number of sycophants willing to pledge their loyalty to him had dwindled to almost none. Now, with Master Zhou also being stripped of his position, the losses were devastating. But for now, he could only endure it. ’Patience is a virtue; a moment of impatience can ruin a great plan.’
"I agree with First Brother’s decision. Master Zhou was ignorant and foolish," Cao Xiong said, forcing himself to agree with Gu Tieshou’s judgment as he inwardly gritted his teeth.
Since even Cao Xiong had agreed to the decision, it went without saying for the other elders. The verdict was passed unanimously.
The elders’ decision was announced swiftly, and soon, every disciple in the Xiyan Ancient Sect had heard the news. Upon hearing it, many of the disciples were left dumbfounded. It was simply too incredible.
When Li Qiye first joined the Xiyan Ancient Sect, how many disciples had mocked him? How many had scorned him? And now, Li Qiye had actually killed three Hall Masters and a Guardian. Even He Yingjian, whom all the disciples considered the number one genius of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, had died at Li Qiye’s hands. It was simply unbelievable.
What was even more shocking was that after committing such a grave error, Li Qiye only received a light punishment. How could this not stir the disciples and Hall Masters? At that moment, many disciples, especially those at the Hall Master level, sensed that something unusual was in the air.
As for the elite disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, they received warnings from their masters or Guardians to not discuss the matter lightly. The elders had issued a gag order regarding Li Qiye receiving a dream from the Ancestor Master. Besides the elders and Guardians, no one else was authorized to ask about or know of this matter!
The elders and Guardians of the Xiyan Ancient Sect took this matter extremely seriously. Li Qiye receiving a dream from the Ancestor Master meant there was hope for the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s revival. Through Li Qiye, it might be possible to recover the sect’s lost Emperor Techniques.
In fact, five of the elders had also discussed this matter privately. This discussion took place after the decision to punish Li Qiye was made, and Cao Xiong was excluded.
It was not a formal meeting, just a private discussion that all five elders secretly attended.
"We should let Li Qiye cultivate the Day Heaven Technique!" Elder Sun suggested during the private discussion.
Elder Qian, who ranked third among the Six Great Elders, couldn’t help but nod in agreement. "That’s a possibility. The Ancestor Master is protecting Li Qiye and taught him in a dream. If we have him cultivate the Day Heaven Technique, we might be able to recover the Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill!"
Mingren Immortal Emperor shouldered the Celestial Mandate and created the peerless Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill. A Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill is the highest achievement of an Immortal Emperor, its power far surpassing other Emperor Techniques. One could say it carries the Divine Power of the Celestial Mandate itself!
Mingren Immortal Emperor once left his Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill in the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Unfortunately, this heaven-defying, invincible Secret Skill was later lost by the sect.
Now that Li Qiye was able to receive teachings from the Ancestor Master in a dream, Elder Qian and the others all hoped to recover the Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill through him. If they could retrieve the Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill, it would undoubtedly be a shot in the arm for the declining Xiyan Ancient Sect!
"I believe that Qiye is now the treasure of all treasures for our Xiyan Ancient Sect," Elder Wu couldn’t help but add. "We should let him learn anything and everything related to Emperor Techniques. If he can continue to receive teachings from the Ancestor Master in his dreams, our Xiyan Ancient Sect will be able to recover all of our lost Emperor Techniques!"
"We can indeed let Qiye cultivate the Day Heaven Technique. Perhaps we really can recover the Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill." As the Great Elder, Gu Tieshou nodded and said thoughtfully, "However, we cannot be too hasty. As the saying goes, if you bite off more than you can chew, you won’t be able to digest it. If we force Li Qiye to cultivate the Day Heaven Technique now, he might not be able to comprehend it. If he can’t comprehend it, he might not be able to call upon the Ancestor Master. Therefore, let’s have Li Qiye cultivate the Purple Sun Ten Days Technique first. Once he’s stable, he can then practice the Day Heaven Technique."
In reality, Great Elder Gu Tieshou had no idea that Li Qiye hadn’t cultivated the Purple Sun Ten Days Technique at all. He had already cultivated the Pengkun Six Transformations and the Moon Vortex Sun Wheel Technique, so there was absolutely no need for him to practice the Purple Sun Ten Days Technique.
"First Brother is right. Qiye is a treasure of our Xiyan Ancient Sect. We must excavate his Potential Energy slowly. If we are too impatient, what if we force him into a state of Misfire? Wouldn’t that destroy the future of our Xiyan Ancient Sect?" Elder Sun agreed, seeing the logic.
After the five elders’ private discussion, they finally reached a conclusion. They would have Li Qiye systematically cultivate all of the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Cultivation Techniques that were related to Emperor Techniques.
On another main peak of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, Cao Xiong secretly met with Dong Shenglong. Only the two of them were in the Grand Hall. Today’s Cao Xiong was no longer as composed as he had been during their last meeting.
"Brother Dong, the plan is in motion. This time, there can be no mistakes!" At this point, Cao Xiong could no longer contain himself and spoke in a cold voice.
His losses from the last plan were too devastating. Two of his disciples were killed, and three loyal Hall Masters died tragically. He wanted nothing more than to tear Li Qiye limb from limb.
"Brother Cao, you can rest assured on this point. From now on, you and I are in the same boat. There will be absolutely no mistakes this time. In less than three days, Marquis Liezhan will arrive. I have already submitted a request to His Majesty. When the time comes, the situation will be greatly in Brother Cao’s favor," Dong Shenglong said with a smile, looking as if victory were already in his grasp.
Hearing this, Cao Xiong’s heart shook. Marquis Liezhan! He was a great and fierce general of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country, personally ennobled by the Treasure Sacred Upper Country’s Human Emperor!
"Brother Cao, if His Majesty issues a Pardon Order, this will be your chance to ascend to the position of Sect Leader of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. You must seize this opportunity," Dong Shenglong said with a wide grin.
Cao Xiong fell silent. Becoming the Sect Leader of the Xiyan Ancient Sect had always been his ambition, but he had never wanted to ascend to the position in this manner. Today, however, he had no choice. He Yingjian, the one in whom he had placed all his hopes, had died a tragic death at Li Qiye’s hands. This was a heavy blow to him, and it shattered his dream of making He Yingjian the Sect Leader.
"I need your guarantee that after this is done, Marquis Liezhan will withdraw his troops and the Human Emperor will no longer trouble my Xiyan Ancient Sect," Cao Xiong said in a grave voice.
Dong Shenglong laughed and said, "Brother Cao, you can rest easy on that point. Think about it, Brother Cao. With the current power of the Holy Heaven Sect and the Treasure Sacred Upper Country, annihilating your Xiyan Ancient Sect would be as easy as lifting a finger, wouldn’t you agree? But His Majesty is benevolent and has never taken action. What does that tell you? All His Majesty wants is the Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill. As long as you, Brother Cao, can get your hands on it, nothing else will be a problem."
"Brother Dong, rest assured. As for the Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill, you can leave it to me," Cao Xiong said gravely. He didn’t actually want to sell out the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill. This made Cao Xiong consider many things. ’If I can seize control of the situation, and if I have the Ancestor Master’s Portrait in my hands, then even if Marquis Liezhan doesn’t withdraw his troops, I will have nothing to fear!’
’As for Li Qiye...’ Hmph. A terrifying killing intent flickered in Cao Xiong’s eyes.
Of course, Dong Shenglong didn’t know what Cao Xiong was thinking, nor did he know about the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Ancestor Master’s Portrait. But with the Holy Heaven Sect at his back and the Treasure Sacred Upper Country for support, he had nothing to fear either. Even if Cao Xiong managed to stir up some trouble, it would be insignificant in the face of a behemoth like the Holy Heaven Sect.
Meanwhile, Nan Huairun was astonished when he heard the news.
"Senior Brother, are you really going to the Ghost Tower for six months of reflection?" Nan Huairun’s expression changed as he asked Li Qiye loudly.
"Could the news be fake?" Li Qiye said with a small laugh. "Since the elders have already decided, what else can I do?"
Seeing Li Qiye’s relaxed appearance, Nan Huairun couldn’t help but ask, "Senior Brother, do you even know what kind of place the Ghost Tower is?"
"Didn’t you mention it before? It used to be the Qin Pavilion," Li Qiye replied, still perfectly at ease.
Nan Huairun practically jumped to his feet. "That was ages ago! It was indeed called the Qin Pavilion in the past, but its name was changed more than ten thousand years ago! Everyone calls it the Ghost Tower! The timid would be scared out of their wits. Never mind the Ghost Tower itself—nowadays, no one even dares to set foot on the entire main peak where it’s located!"
