Chapter 26: Divine Crow Peak (Part 2)
As Nan Huairun described Divine Crow Peak and told its story, Li Qiye couldn't help but smile faintly. The so-called Divine Crow Peak was nothing more than a name chosen by a few of Mingren Immortal Emperor's Divine Generals to commemorate him, the Yin Ya.
The Triangular Ancient Courtyard atop Divine Crow Peak wasn't large, but the entire structure was pitch-black. It looked as if it had been forged from Profound Iron, exuding a sense of immense weight. In truth, generations of Xiyan Ancient Sect disciples had no idea what kind of Divine Materials were used in its construction.
As Li Qiye and Nan Huairun stood before the Triangular Ancient Courtyard, Li Qiye gazed at the dark structure and felt a wave of emotion. 'Countless years have passed, yet this Ancient Courtyard still stands.' Of course, the mystery surrounding it was far beyond the imagination of ordinary people. The world could never guess the true origin of this Triangular Ancient Courtyard!
Just as Li Qiye was lost in his feelings, his gaze was drawn to a massive Divine Shrine in front of the Triangular Ancient Courtyard. He remembered that when this courtyard was first built, there had been no such shrine.
Li Qiye's eyes fell upon the Divine Shrine. Seated cross-legged inside was a man, a man with an incredibly burly build. It was impossible to tell his age. His hair was a disheveled mess, and his long hair and beard completely obscured his face. This man sat within the Divine Shrine, and one could only guess how many years he had remained motionless, for weeds were actually growing on his body.
The man's eyes were closed. If not for his steady breathing, anyone would have mistaken him for a corpse.
But that wasn't the most shocking part. What was truly astonishing was that his hands and feet were bound by thick iron chains! Others might not recognize them, but Li Qiye was an expert. He knew that these thick chains were forged from Black Spider Cold Iron, an extremely rare and precious Divine Iron!
'What kind of person would be worthy of being shackled with Black Spider Cold Iron?' Moreover, the man before him seemed to be chained here willingly, not by force.
Seeing Li Qiye notice the man in the Divine Shrine, Nan Huairun whispered to him, "This is the Guardian of the Triangular Ancient Courtyard. No one knows his specific origins."
"Why is he chained up here?" Li Qiye asked, looking at the man who sat cross-legged in the Divine Shrine with his eyes perpetually closed.
Nan Huairun shook his head and said, "No one knows. I'm afraid no one in the entire Xiyan Ancient Sect knows. I heard he's been chained here for a very, very long time. Even my master doesn't know how long. Some say he was a disciple of the sect, a sinner who committed a monstrous crime, and that's why he's been imprisoned here ever since."
Li Qiye nodded lightly but said nothing more, and walked into the Triangular Ancient Courtyard with Nan Huairun.
After Li Qiye and Nan Huairun entered the Triangular Ancient Courtyard, the chained man in the Divine Shrine suddenly opened his eyes. In that instant, his gaze was terrifying to the extreme, as if it could pierce through the ages and split open primordial chaos. A single glance from him would likely make even a King and Marquis True Master tremble. However, just as quickly as he opened them, he closed his eyes again, as if nothing had happened.
From the outside, the Triangular Ancient Courtyard didn't look large. But once inside, one would find a whole other world—a Grotto Heaven. The space within the Triangular Ancient Courtyard was vast, covering ten thousand mu, with three incomparably majestic ancient towers joined together to form the triangular structure.
Without a doubt, the reason the ten-thousand-mu Triangular Ancient Courtyard looked like a small yard from the outside was because it contained a Grotto Heaven, created through the Refinement of a supreme Divine Technique!
Stepping into the Triangular Ancient Courtyard, Nan Huairun began his introduction. "This is the Scripture Pavilion, that one is the Armory Pavilion, and the last one is the Treasure Pavilion." The three ancient towers of the Triangular Ancient Courtyard housed the Xiyan Ancient Sect's Secret Manuals, Treasure Artifacts, and Divine Materials, respectively.
Nan Huairun said, "Each tower is personally overseen by a Guardian. No matter which disciple wishes to borrow Secret Manuals, Treasure Artifacts, or Divine Materials, they must get the Guardian's personal approval." At this point, Nan Huairun asked Li Qiye, "Senior Brother, what would you like to choose first?"
"Let's go to the Scripture Pavilion first." Li Qiye gave the three towers a casual glance and said nonchalantly, not offering any further comment.
Nan Huairun and Li Qiye entered the Scripture Pavilion. Inside, eight powerful disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect stood guard, along with a Guardian who was personally in charge. Only after Li Qiye and Nan Huairun presented an elder's Hand Order did the Guardian of the Scripture Pavilion grant them entry.
The moment they entered the Scripture Pavilion, they felt as if they had stepped into a vast library. The interior was immense, so expansive that one couldn't see its end. The sheer size of the Scripture Pavilion alone was enough to make one imagine the glorious past the Xiyan Ancient Sect once had!
As Li Qiye and Nan Huairun stepped into the Scripture Pavilion, they realized they were far from alone. There were quite a few other disciples inside, browsing for Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals that they were eligible to choose.
Nan Huairun, on the other hand, was in his element. He was naturally sociable and tactful, and had excellent relationships within the Xiyan Ancient Sect. He greeted all his fellow disciples one by one.
Li Qiye was not so lucky. In fact, not long after joining the sect, he was already disliked by the other disciples. Although the Xiyan Ancient Sect had declined, it was still an Emperor Immortal Gate. For a mere Mortal to be able to join was already an incredible feat.
What made it worse was that this piece of trash with a Mortal Body, Mortal Wheel, and Mortal Life had become the Chief Disciple. One had to understand that the position of Chief Disciple was extremely prominent; it meant being the lead senior brother of all third-generation disciples. Within the Xiyan Ancient Sect, countless third-generation disciples with outstanding talent, some of whom had even made great contributions, had always vied for the position of Chief Disciple, but none had ever received the Sect Leader's approval.
But now, a piece of trash had shown up with an Ancient Order and become the Chief Disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. How could this not infuriate many of the disciples?
Even if the disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect didn't dare to question the elders' decision, they certainly didn't look at Li Qiye with any kindness.
"So that's Li Qiye." One disciple looked Li Qiye up and down as if he were some kind of freak. In truth, many people, even within the Xiyan Ancient Sect itself, had tried to get their hands on the Xiyan Ancient Order, but no one had ever succeeded. And yet, all of a sudden, that old lecher Three Ghosts Master had given the treasured Ancient Order to Li Qiye. It was just too strange.
"That's him. I heard he treated Three Ghosts Master to ten days and ten nights with the prostitutes at Cuihong House," a disciple said with disdain.
Another disciple, acting like a well-informed gossip, shook his head and said, "You're wrong. It was more than just ten days and ten nights. I heard he paid for a pair of twin sisters for that old lecher Three Ghosts Master at Cuihong House. And those sisters were new, untouched courtesans. He paid to have them reserved for three whole years. That's the only reason the old lecher was willing to give him the Ancient Order."
The story grew more and more outrageous as it spread. Some said Li Qiye treated Three Ghosts Master to prostitutes at Cuihong House. This later evolved into the much wilder rumor that Li Qiye had reserved a pair of twin sisters for Three Ghosts Master. Then there were those who claimed Li Qiye had booked out the entire Cuihong House for ten years, letting Three Ghosts Master indulge himself as he pleased... In short, all sorts of rumors were flying around. But no matter the version, the core of the story was always the same: Li Qiye had used some despicable and shameless method to get Three Ghosts Master to willingly hand over the Xiyan Ancient Order!