<b>Chapter 1065: Sacrosanct Moontree</b>
The girls didn't expect that dark cultivators weren't protecting the spirit vegetations to eat, but rather to sacrifice them to the heavens.
“This is called Devil Imploration. Others also call it praying to the devil as well.” Li Qiye lightly explained: “Using spirit medicines to trade for evil energy allows them to become stronger. The longer they guard the sacrifice, the more precious these medicines will be and the more evil energy they will receive.”
Mei Suyao finally turned her gaze away from the sky and asked Li Qiye: “What lies behind that portal?”
Even her Immortal Bone couldn't comprehend that portal earlier. The runes were too mysterious and profound, not to mention the sheer number of them. It was a vast and mystical sea.
“Well…” Li Qiye's eyes slightly peered at the sky: “It is a secret, a secret that no one knows.”
Mei Suyao knew that Li Qiye must know at least a little, but he was unwilling to divulge any more.
At this time, Li Qiye looked at Chen Baojiao and smiled: “You should now know why these dark cultivators aren't willing to trade with you. Our spirit medicines are refined with the flames inside a cauldron. Evil energy would only defile them. However, the vegetation here is different. Growing up in this place, evil energy has no effect on them.”
“I still don't understand.” Li Shuangyan spoke: “These dark cultivators already have eternal life, why do they want more evil energy? What's the point of having more?”
“You are mistaken there. In the Devil World, one's rank is very strict. The more powerful you are, the higher the rank.” Li Qiye gently shook his head.
“What's the point of becoming stronger? They can't leave the Devil World anyway. Don't tell me that after becoming powerful, they would work together to break the seal from Spirit Mountain?” Bai Jianzhen asked with an indifferent tone.
“Incorrect again. They aren't doing it to break the seal from Spirit Mountain. The suppression placed in the lesser world is for a different reason.” Li Qiye said.
Chen Baojiao inquired: “For what reason do they not leave? Even though the Devil World is big, it is still too tiny compared to the nine worlds.”
Li Qiye chuckled and responded with his own questions: “Have you ever seen a monk from the plateau leave? Or a sacred monk leaving Spirit Mountain?”
“The Buddhist sea is boundless.” Mei Suyao murmured in a daze: “I heard that after entering Spirit Mountain, there is no leaving. Well, they wouldn't want to leave either. In their eyes, Nalanda and the Buddhist Kingdom are their final destinations. Once they ascend, they will be able to have true eternal life.”
“That statement is both right and wrong.” Li Qiye explained: “Your words are correct for Spirit Mountain, but not for the Lesser Imperial Devil World. In fact, these are two different issues.” He looked at the group and went on: “The monks and dark cultivators as well as the imperial soldiers here have different reasons for not leaving. In fact, dark cultivators and imperial soldiers will leave, or rather, with respect to this conversation, they can choose to leave.”
Having said that, he gazed at the horizon and spoke: “Their departure is different from the departure you all think of. If you think that leaving the Lesser Imperial Devil World is departure, then that would be wrong. They are departing to another place.”
“Where will they go afterward? I have never heard of dark cultivators and imperial soldiers in the nine worlds.” Mei Suyao found her vast education insufficient.
“I don't know.” Li Qiye pondered for a bit when this question was brought up. After a long time, he slowly spoke: “The expedition of imperial soldiers and evil slaying of the Devil World, both will have an end, but who knows what this end really is?” [2. I know this is confusing. I'm translating as literally as possible because I don't know the answer either because the author is being vague on purpose. Evil slaying here might be cutting their ties to evil energy to ascend. Who knows?]
The girls didn't know what Li Qiye was talking about. Only Mei Suyao tilted her head and contemplated his words. Her Eternal River School had three emperors, so she was aware of more secrets.
“Okay, let us move on.” Li Qiye stood up and the group went on their way.
Many cultivators had entered both the Imperial Border and the Devil World. The Devil World had more intruders for a very simple reason — the spirit vegetation here was coveted by cultivators since they were quite precious. On the other hand, the royal metals on the other side weren't particularly useful.
Therefore, cultivators who came to the Lesser Imperial Devil World would come for the Devil World's spirit vegetation. At this time, one could see their presence everywhere in the Devil World.
The vegetation protected by dark cultivators seemed to be even more precious, inciting the greed of regular cultivators. This resulted in many skirmishes between the two sides.
The consequences could be easily imagined. Not to mention that these dark cultivators were quite powerful, they were also unkillable. Thus, the losers of these battles were regular cultivators. Many of them were torn apart alive or sucked dry of their blood energy and became a dried corpses.
Some strong existences did manage to steal some medicinal materials from these dark cultivators. However, when they met the truly powerful ones, they could only run for their lives. Immortality combined with raw power was quite frightening!
In the end, most cultivators couldn't beat the dark ones and had to find grasses without an owner. There was no lack of spirit vegetation in the Devil World. Alas, the more valuable ones all had an owner already.
Along the way, Li Qiye's group also saw many precious plants and flowers. When they passed by a dark valley, there was a golden tree growing in this place. A fruit that resembled a round moon hung on this tree, emitting faint rays.
“Sacrosanct Moontree…” Even Mei Suyao was moved by this golden tree. It only existed in records. Very few people had actually seen it in person.
At this time, many experts could be found standing right outside of the valley, but no one dared to enter. This was because a large group had died already. The entrance of the valley was laden with corpses and quietly flowing blood.
An old man was meditating beneath the golden tree. Evil energy was floating around him, so no one could see his face. A divine sword was lying on top of his knees and could be unsheathed at any time.
“Fiercest is here.” Many people made way for his group.
Some actually hoped for him to do something after seeing his arrival. One person whispered: “If Fiercest attacks together with the ladies, maybe they will be able to obtain it.”
Li Qiye stood at the entrance and shook his head to say: “That is indeed a good item, but a good item is only good if one stays alive to enjoy it. Even if a Godking comes here, they wouldn't be able to break through.”
Having said that, he turned around and left.
Others were disappointed to see him unwilling to take action. Of course, they didn't dare to taunt him and quickly left as well after hearing the comment.
“That was a divine tree of the legends.” Even Bai Jianzhen was in awe.
“It is indeed a divine tree.” Li Qiye glanced at her and chuckled: “But that tree is not very useful for you.”
“Can Young Noble actually take it?” Chen Baojiao had to ask. In her eyes, there was nothing that her omnipotent Young Noble couldn't do.
“Taking it is not difficult.” Li Qiye glanced back at the divine tree and spoke: “But everything is a matter of fate and fortune. Sometimes, one can't be too greedy.”
Li Qiye didn't stop here and continued on the road. They saw even more precious plants along the way and even an immortal grass on the same level as the Sacrosanct Moontree. However, Li Qiye didn't give it too much thought and kept on going.
Eventually, they reached a barren hill. It was desolate, devoid of both people and vegetation. Li Qiye looked around before standing up straight.
Li Qiye smiled and told the girls: “Stand a bit further back, I want to transform.”
The group quickly retreated and maintained a far enough distance. He then opened his mind and stomped on the ground while shouting: “Open!”
“Zzz—” With that, the earth seemed to crack. Runic lines emerged and intertwined to form a grand formation.
At this point, he quickly transformed into someone else. The runic patterns on the ground weaved into his body and became a devil robe while his dao heart turned into a devil heart.
“Boom!” An evil energy engulfed the sky along with demonic plumes of flame. These plumes slowly came together and turned into a pair of gigantic wings on his back.
Once Li Qiye turned into a devil, even powerful existences like the girls trembled a bit inside. They felt a pressure that caused them to have the impulse to kneel down.
Li Qiye stood there like a supreme Devil King capable of controlling the rest of his kin in this world in an unstoppable manner. Anyone would lose their mind to fear after seeing him.
It was a shocking transformation. No one would be able to connect the dots between this form engulfed in demonic flames and his previous usual self. His eyes were especially terrifying. They drilled into the world and devoured the souls of others.
Even Bai Jianzhen was astounded to see his new form and murmured: “What is that…” She could feel his power. Even though it was not as strong as when he was a Buddha, its strength was still of a dreadful magnitude.
“One thought to become Buddha, another to become Devil.” Li Qiye slowly spoke while looking at the rest of the world in disdain: “This is me, the Heaven Relinquish Devil King, the supreme of the Devil World!”
“Is this a title that you have chosen for yourself?” Chen Baojiao curiously gazed at his new form.