Back at his lonely peak, Li Qiye immediately called for Nan Huairen, as well as his master, Protector Mo. Once the master and disciple had arrived, Li Qiye asked: “What is the Sect Master’s origin, in the end?”
This matter interested Li Qiye. This First Elder truly wasn’t one to be jealous of talents. On top of that, he also didn’t have the ambition for the Sect Master’s position. Why was it that he was so unwelcoming for Su Yonghuang?
The master and disciple looked at each other. Nan Huairen knew even less; he shook his head, and he said: “This matter... This matter, I do not know. Before I had joined the sect, Sect Master was already the Sect Master. I can only count the times I’ve met the Sect Master with my ten fingers.”
Li Qiye turned to Protector Mo; Protector Mo, too, gently shook his head, and he said: “The origin of the Sect Master, I am not certain. In reality, within our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, very few people know the true origin of the Sect Master. One could say that the Sect Master suddenly appeared overnight.”
“Suddenly appeared overnight? A person who suddenly appeared overnight became the Sect Master?” Li Qiye, hearing this statement, couldn’t help but become puzzled.
Protector Mo pondered for a moment, wanting to think carefully, and he said: “When the former Sect Master was still in this world, I heard the Supreme Elder still hadn’t met his origin. I don’t know the exact details, but, during that time, I heard that within the span of one night, the former Sect Master only called for Elder Ge. The Sect Master first appeared. Then, one could speculate that, in this moment, the previous Sect Master and the Supreme Elder, before meeting their origins, entrusted Elder Ge to help the Sect Master take charge of the Cleansing Ancient Incense Sect.”
After hearing the words of Protector Mo, Li Qiye felt that it was outside of his expectation. He had thought that his master, Su Yonghuang, was always a disciple of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect; it seemed, now, that this was not the case.
“Are you saying that this master of mine was a person that the previous Sect Master and the Supreme Elder secretly groomed?" Li Qiye inquired.
Protector Mo shook his head: “We do not know the specific circumstances. We only know that, after Elder Ge was summoned, a new Sect Master was announced. In reality, at that time, not only Cao Xiong, but even the other four Elders were strongly opposed to it; however, I heard that the First Elder did a lot to persuade the other four Elders. Afterward, the First Elder personally took action to suppress some disciples, certain high ranking Protectors, and sectional leaders in the opposition party...
“At that point, the previous Sect Master was still there. The Supreme Elder hadn’t met his origin
, Elder Ge had the support of the previous Sect Master and the Supreme Elder. Elder Ge’s status, in the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, had always been high. In reality, most people, then, would have assumed that Elder Ge would accept the Sect Master’s position, but suddenly, a new Sect Master appeared; it was outside of everyone’s expectations. However, even Elder Ge, himself, supported the new Sect Master and he didn’t try to compete for it. In the end, the other four Elders also agreed with this decision.” [1]
Protector Mo paused at this point and turned silent for a moment.
“The new Sect Master was not well-received...” Li Qiye could imagine the scene, then; suddenly, a new Sect Master appeared, and even with the support of the previous Sect Master and the Supreme Elder – along with Elder Ge’s suppression – still was afraid that the hearts of the people of Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect were not happy.
Protector Mo gently nodded, and he said: “Sect Master was in her new position for a short time; she then took a small group of disciples, became the overseer of the Desolate Wasteland, and she rarely returned. Sect Master had never returned to the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect with the exception of the time the previous Sect Master and the Supreme Elder met their origins.”
Li Qiye couldn’t help but stroke his chin; the whole thing made him feel confused. What was the Sect Master’s origin, in the end?
Eventually, Protector Mo whispered: “In terms of truly understanding the Sect Master, I’m afraid that, outside of Tu Bu Yu, there is no one else.”
Li Qiye smiled, and he then shook his head. Tu Bu Yu speaking on this, that would truly be strange. Clearly, Tu Bu Yu was a trusted confidant of the Sect Master, Su Yonghuang. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be sent back here.
Regarding Sect Master Su Yonghuang’s origin, Protector Mo couldn’t explain why, so Li Qiye also stopped asking. He slowly cultivated, and he thought about how to instruct the Dao to the Cleansing Jade Peak’s martial hall.
If one was to discuss teaching conducts, then no one was more fitting to be an instructor than Li Qiye. He rose and he fell through innumerable moons, and he improved himself over millions of years. What type of person had he not seen? He had met many ambitious overlords, and he suppressed countless outstanding emperors.
Not to mention that Immortal Emperor Min Ren was groomed by his own hands. Even the Black Dragon King and three generations of Immortal Emperors, as well as many peerless supremes – all rose from his teaching.
Teaching a group of feather-haired youngsters, for Li Qiye, was a matter as easy as turning his palm. However, with this matter, Li Qiye was seriously contemplating.
The reason was simple: every time a person was flung from his hands, not one of them were weak. He didn’t want the life that he had finally obtained, with his body, with his own hands, to ruin his reputation.
Regarding cultivation, Li Qiye had many profound insights. In Li Qiye’s eyes, talents weren’t important, Physiques weren’t important, and even merit laws weren’t important.
The most important thing... was to have an unshakable Dao willpower; a willpower that thirsts for knowledge! A willpower that understands that the truth of all rivers flow into the same sea! A willpower that was diligent and assiduous! This was the most important thing! [2]
For insufficient talents, hard work would suffice as long as the mind was willing; for insufficient talents, others take one day to awaken, and you take one hundred days to awaken. There would always be a fruitful harvest. With a Dao willpower that could accept that all rivers lead into the sea, one could see the entirety of the eight directions and not be blinded by their own shortsightedness!
Insufficient merit laws? Just be thirsty for knowledge! Even if it was a common merit law, as long as one was tirelessly diligent, one of these days, one could take this common merit law to the apex of its cultivation; they could traverse an entirely new heaven and earth with it!
Since the ancient times, countless supremes, from their common merit laws, had created a new heaven and earth, became enlightened with their own Dao merit law that belonged to just them, and walked on the road of Dao that only belonged to them!
Dao willpower, this was the foundation of cultivation! Countless eons, countless kingdoms, countless holy churches groomed many geniuses, but, in the end, only a few became Immortal Emperors; there weren’t many.
Li Qiye carefully read through the short introductions for the three hundred students at the Cleansing Jade Peak and their current cultivating circumstances. He had memorized them all, and, at the same time, he also carefully read the merit laws of the martial hall.
In reality, the three hundred disciples at the martial hall did not cultivate that many different types of merit laws because the longest disciple had only been there for five years; they, technically, were not considered official disciples of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. They needed to pass the final assessment before they became official disciples of the sect.
Martial hall, with its three hundred disciples, half male and half female, didn’t practice that many merit laws. The merit laws of the martial hall only numbered in the dozens.
Amongst these merit laws, some were created by the heavenly sages of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect to be used as entry merit laws, and some of the older entry merit laws were left behind by Immortal Emperor Min Ren. The oldest merit law was left behind by Li Qiye in his Dark Crow form.
These were all entry-level merit laws, and they were not considered to be heaven shaking methods; however, these merit laws were all chosen because they were necessary for a solid foundation.
Although, with the exception of a few common merit laws left behind by Li Qiye for the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, Li Qiye had never seen the other merit laws; however, after a million years, he had researched many merit laws. Even if all of his memories regarding merit laws were erased, from a certain perspective – regarding the understanding of merit laws – no one could compare to him! For any merit laws talked about, Li Qiye’s explanations could be considered exact truths!
On top of looking over the merit laws of the martial hall, Li Qiye also went to the first and second level of the Scripture Library. Li Qiye himself wouldn’t practice these merit laws; he was only finding appropriate merit laws for the martial hall disciples.
The First Elder was hoping that Li Qiye could contribute to the sect, so he specifically gave Li Qiye a license to read these merit laws.
With regard to being an instructor, Li Qiye was truly responsible; he was not only using the three hundred disciples to earn contribution points, then be finished.
As a senior instructing the Dao, he would surely uphold a high standard of responsibility, and he would absolutely not ruin his reputation with his own hands.
For the instruction of Dao, Li Qiye had made full preparations. He had complete confidence in teaching these disciples, and he wanted to see the day of the final assessment. None of the disciples would fail the assessment and not become a disciple in the sect.
The Cleansing Jade Peak’s main branch; one could say that Cao Xiong, in this main branch, had the highest influence. For example, Sectional Leader Zhou was on Cao Xiong’s side.
However, this type of challenge, for Li Qiye, was far from what he would consider a challenge! Even if Cao Xiong’s influence in this branch was greater, Li Qiye still had the utmost confidence that he could grasp this Cleansing Jade Peak in his hand. For him, this was not a problem!
The Cleansing Jade Peak martial hall, built on top of the Cleansing Jade Peak; Cleansing Jade Peak was huge, and there were many buildings and staggered courtyards. The disciples that haven’t been here for longer than five years numbered in the three hundreds. Counting the servants responsible for daily activities, the Cleansing Jade Peak had a total of four hundred people.
Li Qiye, early in the morning, had entered the Cleansing Jade Peak. Naturally, Sectional Leader Zhou would not give him a hand; however, Nan Huairen was meticulous and attentive because this was the first day of Li Qiye’s Dao instruction. After Li Qiye had arrived, he, in place of Li Qiye, gathered the three hundred disciples to the martial hall.
Three hundred male and female disciples were all gathered at the martial hall practice ground, and, at this moment, all three hundred pair of eyes were on Li Qiye.
Li Qiye looked around at the surrounding disciples. Within the three hundred disciples, almost evenly divided between male and female, the oldest was not eighteen and the youngest was around thirteen years old.
Li Qiye only appeared to be thirteen to fourteen years old. He had to face the three hundred disciples and instruct the Dao; this caused Nan Huairen to worry that Li Qiye wouldn’t be able to suppress these disciples.
However, looking at Li Qiye sitting there with a calm-sky clear-wind expression high above, he, a thirteen year to fourteen year old, appeared like a great master; seeing Li Qiye’s confidence, Nan Huairen breathed a sigh of relief. [3]
Sure enough, when the three hundred disciples had gathered, trouble did as well. Within these three hundred, immediately, there was a disciple who was not satisfied with Li Qiye, ignoring the fact that Li Qiye was currently adorning the status of the Prime Disciple.
[1] Met the origin means death. Don’t confuse this with the other use of origin, which means the beginning.
[2] All rivers flow into the same sea = tolerance for the Dao and all existences.
[3] Calm-sky clear-wind meaning = calm, nonchalant.