“Everything is prepared, just missing the east wind.” [1. It's usually to say all the preparation is done, now just waiting for the opportunity and timing. It came from a story in The Romance of Three Kingdoms, where an army, across the river from the enemy, anxiously waited for the right wind conditions to start the attack]
Li Qiye brushed off his hands, then told Li Shuangyan and Niu Fen:
“You guys get out of this place. It's best to be more than one thousand miles away. Your auras and cultivations are too high. No matter how much you try to hide it, the frog will notice. I will stay here and wait for the right opportunity.”
Li Shuangyan and Niu Fen noticed Li Qiye's seriousness, so they didn't dare to neglect their duties and quickly relocated themselves more than one thousand miles from this place..
After they left, Li Qiye hid himself and held his breath. Staring intensely at the mud cave, he waited for the frog to come.
Hiding in the swamp while suppressing all of his presence, he didn't dare to even have a bit of his aura reveal itself. He knew this frog too well. With a the slightest hint of suspicion, he would immediately leave no matter how good the nest was.
To Li Qiye, this frog was too important. Not only because of how much effort he spent on this frog with the Alchemy God that year, but because there was a heaven shattering secret hidden on this frog that only the two of them knew about!
Time had passed. Hours after hours, Li Qiye was still hiding by the swamp, and four days and four nights have quickly elapsed. On the fifth night, Li Qiye suddenly felt something.
“It is here…”
Li Qiye thought in his mind while not averting his gaze from the swamp.
Sure enough, there was suddenly a flashing light that fell into the swamp. The speed of this light was too fast, it was capable of rendering others in disbelief.
The light that fell on top of the swamp finally showed its appearance. It was a frog. The truth was that this frog was no different from an ordinary frog. The only discernible difference was that its stomach was especially big, as if it had eaten too much.
Li Qiye was too familiar with this frog. Millions of years have passed, yet Li Qiye was still moved when he saw this frog again. That year, after having an extremely hard time, he and the Alchemy God wasted so many materials on it after they captured it. They used a large amount of spirit medicines and even immortal medicines, that were exceedingly rare in this world, to feed it.
If others knew that they used the illustrious immortal medicines to feed a frog, the whole world would have considered them to be crazy. However, Li Qiye and the Alchemy God were not crazy. They knew how valuable this frog was.
That year, as the Dark Crow, him and the Alchemy God knew the preciousness of this frog. In this whole world, there was only a single one of this kind of frog!
In fact, there were very few people in this world that knew that this perfectly ordinary toad was not only unique, but also hid a great secret.
This was why, in many future generations, Li Qiye — as the Dark Crow — had, on more than just one occasion, flew all over the mountains and oceans to find this frog. However, in the end, he couldn't find it.
No one would ever take note of such an ordinary frog, so Li Qiye couldn't find any news relating to it.
After falling into the swamp, it carefully looked in all directions. Without a doubt, it was very cautious at this moment. Even the slightest sign of trouble would immediately frighten it away.
Li Qiye didn't dare to be careless, so he stopped breathing entirely.
Finally, it felt that there was no danger around, so it slowly headed towards the hole made by Li Qiye. However, it still remained prudent.
Eventually, as it drew closer to the entrance and found that there really was no danger, it jumped into the mud hole that was prepared by Li Qiye. Just as Li Qiye had said, it had eaten too many good things and needed to hibernate in order to absorb the consumed spirit medicines and treasure plants.
Even after it had went inside, Li Qiye was still reluctant to take action and remained waiting. He knew that only when it was actually in deep slumber would the chance of capture present itself. Otherwise, once awakened, it would escape with an incredible speed.
An unknown amount of time had passed, and Li Qiye calculated with his fingers. This frog should pretty much be asleep by now. At this time, Li Qiye came out from his hiding place.
Even so, Li Qiye was still meticulously cautious as he approached the cave inside the swamp.
However, when he was still at some distance from it, there were thunderous sounds in the horizon. Many chariots arrived on top of the swamp with surging waves of unstoppable momentum.
Seeing the chariots out of nowhere, Li Qiye's expression suddenly sank.
“Little demon, you were also here? Have you seen a frog or not?”
On the chariot, Nantian Hao yelled at Li Qiye from above.
Li Qiye was still gazing at the mud hole. He simply didn't give Nantian Hao a glance as he coldly said:
“Scram for me.”
Finished speaking, he slowly approached the mud hole. He was still afraid of disturbing the frog inside.
Hearing Li Qiye's words made Nantian Hao's expression become bleak and his eyes had intentions to kill. Seeing the expression of Li Qiye, he coldly snorted and said:
“So the frog is right here!”
Then, he jumped down with a group of disciples.
Nantian Hao joining the fray made Li Qiye lose his colors! His appearance will surely destroy his plans.
“I have been chasing this frog for a long time. Besides myself, no one can take it.”
At this point, Nantian Hao coldly exclaimed.
With one command, the disciples that followed him immediately surrounded Li Qiye. This made Li Qiye greatly change his expression, and his eyes emitted icy chills.
“The frog is over here.”
At this moment, many cultivators were running over from afar. They were from the relatively weaker countries. They followed Nantian Hao to take advantage of the situation if the opportunity presented itself.
It was just like Li Qiye's prediction. Nantian Hao had a particular treasure that would point him towards the direction of other treasures. This was no longer a secret in the Evil Infested Ridge.
So, the weaker sects and heritages with poor harvests all followed him. As he was finding the treasures, they would pick up the leftovers. Like this, they were not in danger and could even have some acceptable results.
“Scram for me, right now.”
Li Qiye was still staring at the mud hole. He didn't want to alarm the frog so he didn't go on the offensive first.
Nantian Hao coldly glared at Li Qiye and said:
“This thing that can't comprehend life from death, do you really think that, with the Nine Saint Demon Gate's protection, that you can prance around arrogantly? Opposing my Heavenly Southern Kingdom will only result in death. Even if you want to scram right now, there is no longer a chance.”
Li Qiye's eyes solidified. He stared at Nantian Hao and emotionlessly said:
“The Heavenly Southern Kingdom is nothing. Before you ruin my good matter, immediately scram. Otherwise, I will kill you!”
“With just you?”
Hearing Li Qiye, Nantian Hao bursted out in laughter. With a condescending manner, he looked at Li Qiye and smiled:
“Not to mention just you, but even for your Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, if my Heavenly Southern Kingdom wanted to destroy all of you, it would be as simple as crushing ants and insects!”
Many cultivators that were watching from the distance really felt that Li Qiye's words were too outrageous. The Heavenly Southern Kingdom was an existence that could be considered an Ancient Kingdom. From the legends, they had existed since the Desolate Era all the way till now. Destroying the Heavenly Southern Kingdom was only wishful thinking.
“This little demon is really arrogant and no longer wants to live. He didn't stop to see who his opponent is. To oppose the Heavenly Southern Kingdom when the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect is in its current decline… He is seeking the path towards death.”
Hearing Li Qiye's insane speech, a cultivator shook his head and said.
“Teach him well, don't kill him too fast.”
At this time, Nantian Hao revealed a cruel smile and coldly said:
“First, torture him slowly so that he would know the final consequence of making an enemy out of my Heavenly Southern Kingdom!”
The disciples who encircled Li Qiye also laughed. One of them viciously smiled and said:
“Little demon, only you with your Physique Accumulation realm… if we all take action at the same time, then it would be too unfair towards you. I, alone, will teach you a lesson. How do you want to die? Maybe I can lower your pain before your death.”
At this moment, Nantian Hao stepped forward while accompanied by two old men. They were both Royal Nobles and were the Dao Protectors of Nantian Hao.
To have two Royal Nobles as his Dao Protectors, this was enough to show the power of the Heavenly Southern Kingdom.
Now, Nantian Hao and the two old men headed towards the mud hole, wanting to capture the frog. In reality, he didn't know what the frog was, but the treasure in his hand had always been tracking this frog so he knew that this frog had a remarkable value!
Seeing Nantian Hao reaching his hand towards the mud hole, Li Qiye lost his calm and shouted:
“You must not…!”
In a flash, his shadow disappeared and he swooped towards Nantian Hao to strike.
“Little demon, where are you running!”
The Heavenly Southern Kingdom's disciples that entrapped Li Qiye took action, wanting to stop him, but the Kun Peng leapt upward. Under the Heaven Transformation, the disciples simply couldn't block him. His shadow flashed and, in the blink of an eye, he pounced on Nantian Hao.
“Scram…”
Li Qiye's speed was so fast that it shocked the two Royal Nobles next to Nantian Hao. They instantly changed their palms into giant mountains and grabbed over towards Li Qiye.
He originally wanted to attack Nantian Hao, but with the two Royal Nobles suddenly attacking, he could only desperately block — with both hands — the incoming palms of the two Royal Nobles.
They were Royal Nobles. The two giant palms could even break through mountains, let alone a junior with shallow cultivation.
“Bang”
A loud explosion occurred. The two giant palms cutting down knocked Li Qiye flying into the forest. He broke through tree after tree.
At this point, the cultivators in the far distance couldn't bear to look. Under the attack of two Royal Nobles, even a body made out of steel would be shattered into little pieces.
“Seeking your own death. With such a shallow cultivation yet still dared to oppose Regional Monarch Nantian — truly arrogant!”
A cultivator shook his head and said with pity.
“This thing that doesn't know life from death.”
Nantian Hao sneered with disdain and dipped his hand into the mud hole to catch the frog.