legend of the great sage
“Li Qingshan, you just said that if I yield to you, I’ll retain my promise of godhood. Does that still count?”
Li Liehuo was extremely stern. They were currently under the watch of the heavenly emperor and the other monarchs. The heavenly emperor could launch a bolt of lightning at any moment and finish off a traitorous general like him.
At that moment, the pressure from the sky peaked, even if the sky seemed exactly the same as before.
Li Qingshan raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at him in surprise. That had merely been a joke with a mocking tone to it. Even though it was a kind of humour that only he understood, he never thought that Li Liehuo would take it seriously and actually plan on surrendering!
Since when did something as great as that happen!?
Sigh, have my charms really reached that level?
An absolutely beaming smile suddenly appeared on his face. He brought his arm around Li Liehuo’s shoulder. “Of course! Liehuo, the Demon domain is currently in need of talents like you. With me watching over you, even Merging the Void with the Dao might be possible, let alone attaining godhood!”
Even the Elder of Heavenly Tomes on the side began to smile uncontrollably at a promise like that. Kid, even you’re nowhere close to Merging the Void with the Dao, yet you’re promising it to others?
Li Liehuo shifted his shoulder rather uncomfortably, extremely unaccustomed to Li Qingshan’s enthusiasm. Suddenly, he felt like he had boarded a ship that he should not have.
However, as he stared at Li Qingshan’s smile that beamed so brightly that it almost seemed fake, the pressure in his heart vanished before he knew it.
When he fought, he was like a supernatural being, but most of the time, he really was not a person that gave off an oppressive aura.
“C’mon! Liehuo, I’ll send you to the Demon domain right now!” Afraid that Li Liehuo would change his mind, Li Qingshan grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him towards a demon cavern, secretly using the strength of the ox demon.
That was because even he was unable to think of any benefits that Li Liehuo could gain from joining him. His ship of rebellion was one that could capsize at any time!
“Hold on…” Li Liehuo had no idea how to respond to such “good graces”. The feeling that he had just joined a hopeless cause grew stronger. He used the power of his Origin Soul to forcefully stabilise himself after quite some difficulty. He bowed deeply towards the Elder of Heavenly Tomes. “Master, I-”
For a moment, he had no idea how to explain himself, giving up on the great future that the Elder of Heavenly Tomes had arranged for him and stubbornly going off with Li Qingshan to die.
The Elder of Heavenly Tomes waved his hand. “You fool, there’s no need to pose around. Since you’ve already chosen your path, all you have to do is advance forwards. Even if you perish in the future, don’t regret it!”
“I will never regret it!”
With that, Li Liehuo’s Origin Soul shone brightly. The fire immediately broke free from the invisible restraints, burning and rising suddenly, scorching away hotter than ever before. His cultivation had climbed to a new level too.
He felt invigorated inside, becoming even more certain about his choice, but he also felt some lingering fear. If he had not managed to take this step, his cultivation would have stagnated there forever, never to progress again.
The hearts of people were unfathomable, while the heart of the path was subtle. Within those gaps lurked the most terrifying of enemies.
If he could conquer them, they would serve as support. If he could not, they would become haunts.
Chao Tianjiao could not help but interrupt them. “Master, there’s something I’m confused about!”
“What is it?”
“Who exactly are you speaking and recruiting for?” Chao Tianjiao’s eyes were filled with doubt.
“Erm…” The Elder of Heavenly Tomes seemed to be stumped. He abruptly laughed aloud and shrugged. “I don’t know either! Whatever. It doesn’t matter who’s fighting who. It’s none of my business.”
Li Liehuo fed the flames and broke free from Li Qingshan’s embrace, making his way towards the demon cavern alone. His mind was as clear as fire. Before he stepped into the demon cavern, he turned around and clasped his fist towards Li Qingshan. “My lord, if you feel like you stand no chance once you meet the heavenly emperor, just accept the demand of enlistment!”
“Lord? That’s not a bad title!” Li Qingshan said, “Sigh, didn’t you say you want to rebel with me? Why are you convincing me to surrender instead?”
Li Liehuo smiled. “If you accept the demand for enlistment, I’ll be able to serve as your divine general and help you construct a heavenly palace. Wouldn’t that save me a lot of trouble?”
Li Qingshan patted Li Liehuo’s shoulder with a great smile. “So that’s what you were after! Though, your calculations are probably going to fall through. I’m not really good at anything. All I know is how to rebel. You better not desert me in the midst of battle!”
“You’re the lord. Everything you say counts.” Li Liehuo looked at the sky and said firmly, “If even Li Qingshan yields, then why can’t I yield? If even Li Qingshan doesn’t yield, how can I yield?”
With that, he leapt into the demon cavern.
“Tianjiao.” After sending off Li Liehuo, Li Qingshan maintained the demon cavern and turned towards Chao Tianjiao. He smiled extremely brightly, secretly unleashing his powerful charms. He winked. “Merging the Void with the Dao.”
Chao Tianjiao smiled. “Keep dreaming.”
Li Qingshan immediately stopped smiling and shut the demon cavern. He waved his hand. “C’mon, let’s go to the Lingxiao hall and check out the old heavenly emperor!”
The Elder of Heavenly Tomes conjured the colourful auspicious cloud again. They stepped onto it, restarting their journey towards the east.
It was currently dusk. The entire world was coated in a faint layer of gold, while the eastern sky had already become a dark-blue. The afterglow in the sky resembled burning fire, conjuring a myriad of colours in an extremely gorgeous manner.
The colourful cloud entered the glowing clouds of the setting sun, immediately becoming an indistinguishable part of it.
For a moment, Li Qingshan’s vision became clouded. Even with his cultivation, he struggled to see through the clouds here.
He could not help but sigh inside. Sure enough, everything from beyond the Nine Heavens was extraordinary, possessing a nature of tremendous genuity. Before this kind of reality, all techniques and abilities became no different from illusions.
“Hey…”
At this moment, Li Qingshan suddenly heard someone greet him from behind. Their voice was filled with hesitance.
Standing on the cloud, Li Qingshan was taken aback. He glanced back at the Elder of Heavenly Tomes, the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance, and Chao Tianjiao. It was not their voice; even more strangely, they did not seem to hear it at all. The Elder of Heavenly Tomes even smiled at him, ready to listen to anything that he had to say.
Was it an illusion?
Li Qingshan slowly turned around again.
“Hey.” The voice rang out again, much closer this time and much more firmly.
Li Qingshan abruptly looked back. The Elder of Heavenly Tomes, the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance, and Chao Tianjiao were all puzzled, looking at one another in confusion.
Chao Tianjiao said, “Li Qingshan, what are you trying now?”
Li Qingshan turned back around doubtfully. He wondered whether there were ghosts beyond the Nine Heavens too.
“Hey!” The voice rang out again, already inches away now. It was filled with surprise and joy.
Li Qingshan was prepared this time. He basically turned as soon as the voice appeared, but he was immediately dumbfounded.
The clouds had all vanished. Before his eyes was a wide, straight asphalt road with several advertisements hanging on the two sides. There were even buildings currently under construction in the open country in the distance.
Li Qingshan stood on the sidewalk. In front of him was a middle-aged man in a white shirt with a pair of black-framed glasses.
The man parked a shabby electric scooter on the side of the road and made his way towards Li Qingshan. His face shook subconsciously as his face twisted uncontrollably. His expression constantly changed, sometimes filled with surprise and joy, yet also sometimes filled with confusion. It reeked with eeriness within the hilarity.
Li Qingshan was tongue-tied as he looked around. His expression was rather funny too. He tried his best to observe this illusion—the hazy sky, the speeding cars, the faded smiles on the advertisements, the numb passersby…
Everything was indistinguishable from reality, like the suburbs of a certain city.
“W- what the fuck is going on!?”