Su Yonghuang gave Li Qiye a strange look and asked when she heard him trying to speak: “What are you talking about?”
Li Qiye closed his mouth and shook his head: “It's nothing.”
Earlier, he almost blurted out that she and her ancestral grandmother, Su Ru, was very similar. Not only because her eyes were just like Su Ru's, but because her self-sacrificing dedication was also the same.
A thirteen-year-old little girl born in the Heaven's Edge Su Clan becoming the sect master of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect… This was such a difficult matter. One has to know that the sect was in decline and the Heaven's Edge Su Clan was countless times better than it was today!
That year, when the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect's imposing presence ruled over the nine heavens and ten earths, this type of brilliant prestige and power had nothing to do with the Su Clan. They were only a hidden family in one corner of the world.
But today, when the sect is now in decline, as the descendant of the Su Clan, she was willing to step up in order to revitalize the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. A thirteen-year-old girl that was not welcomed by the elders of the sect still chose to come.
This was all simply because the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect was created in the hands of her ancestor, Immortal Emperor Min Ren!
Li Qiye's heart couldn't help but heavily sigh. Remembering the past made his mind weary. This matter… He was reluctant to mention.
“I will make it clear with Elder Gu's group. Tomorrow, I will pass the seat to you.” Su Yonghuang was direct and straightforward from her heart. Regarding the sect master position of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, she didn't covet it.
Tu Buyu stood silently behind her and only lightly sighed without saying anything.
Li Qiye smiled and shook his head: “You are wrong regarding this matter. You are the descendant of Immortal Emperor Min Ren; there is no one more suitable than you for this position. Moreover, if you are the descendant of Min Ren, revitalizing the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, to be exact, is your responsibility, not mine. Don't you think so? So to speak, you are still the sect master and I am still the disciple. As for Elder Gu's group, I believe that sooner or later, they will start to trust you.”
Su Yonghuang stared at Li Qiye for a while. In the end, she didn't say anything. She stood up and left, but without a doubt, she has agreed to stay.
When Su Yonghuang was about to leave, Li Qiye couldn't help but ask one question: “On the Dragon Heads Raising Day, does your Su Clan still hold a great honoring ceremony?”
Su Yonghuang, who was about to leave, heard this question and her body visibly shook. She turned around and gazed at Li Qiye: “How did you know of this matter?”
“I calculated with my fingers!” Li Qiye lamented with a sigh. Even though Su Yonghuang didn't answer, he already knew.
The Dragon Heads Raising Day was the birthday of Immortal Emperor Min Ren, but even the children of the Su Clan didn't know this. Although Su Ru left Min Ren's camp in the end and went far away and never saw Min Ren again, she still was very much in love with him.
This matter always left Li Qiye ashamed because he persuaded Su Ru to follow Min Ren that year. Unfortunately, there was such a result in the end.
Su Yonghuang turned around and left, but before exiting the door, Su Yonghuang suddenly turned around and said: “I don't know where you are from, but since you made me stay behind, do not forget one thing: you are my disciple!”
She then gently flew away.
After Su Yonghuang's departure, Li Qiye couldn't help but smile. At least, regarding this part, she was not like her ancestral grandmother, Su Ru!
Tu Buyu kindly asked: “Older Brother, may I leave as well?” He, this more than one thousand year old monster, kept on calling Li Qiye “older brother” time and time again, yet there wasn't even a hint of awkwardness — this was truly impressive.
Li Qiye gave him a stern glance and said: “You created such a mess of a situation and wanted me to fix it for you in the end. You, as my little brother, in the future will go where I point you to. If I say east, you wouldn't dare to go west, right?!”
Tu Buyu was not a bit angry, and he amiably smiled and said: “Older Brother, you cannot blame me for this matter. The truth is that the group of the previous sect master brought on this messy situation. I am only a disciple and was merely an errand boy. Doing all of this was hard work.”
Li Qiye glared at him, but he had no way of controlling this old fox.
Tu Buyu had just left. Soon after, the group of Gu Tieshou couldn't wait any longer and ran inside. Seeing Li Qiye, Elder Sun immediately asked: “How was it? What did you negotiate about?”
“What negotiation?” Li Qiye slowly spoke: “The Evil Infested Ridge, we will carefully discuss it again.”
“The Evil Infested Ridge can wait.” Elder Qian gravely said: “In my opinion, we should be talking about the sect master's seat. My opinion is that you should now take over and become the sect master of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. At the moment of the reformation, we will first stabilize the trust of the disciples and then build a stronger morale!”
“I feel that this makes a lot of sense.” Elder Wu added: “The sect master was always outside of the sect and does not have high prestige within the sect. She is not the person the public wants. Our grand reformation requires a stable morale. At this moment, if the sect master's seat was passed onto you, nothing could be better. You becoming the sect master is completely justified.”
“Although the sect master will have to abdicate, she can still become an elder. We are just short of one at this moment.” Elder Zhou also tried to persuade Li Qiye and said: “There really isn't any other way. If the sect master was willing to abdicate, then let her become a supreme elder. Currently, our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect doesn't have any supreme elders.”
This was not to say that the group of Elder Wu wanted to seize power. The current situation of the sect could be described as internally chaotic and externally surrounded by enemies. In order to reform and revitalize the sect, there absolutely must be someone that could perform miracles and lead them. Without a doubt, Li Qiye was the most appropriate candidate.
Even though Su Yonghuang had been the sect master for a long period, she was always outside; her presence within the sect was very weak.
Li Qiye calmly looked at Gu Tieshou and asked: “What is Elder Gu's opinion?”
Gu Tieshou looked at them for a moment, then he bitterly said: “What can I do? That year, I helped the sect master take the position. Now, wanting the sect master to abdicate is also me. Am I not always used as a blade? That year, Master used me as a blade, and now, all of you are also using me as a blade. It truly feels like I'm always playing the bad guy's role.”
“Brother Gu, there is no other way. Inside the sect, regarding prestige and status, only you could personally wield the blade.” Elder Sun could only say this.
Gu Tieshou was silent for a long time, but he eventually spoke with exasperation: “If it is truly for the sect, then I can only bear the infamy once again.”
Here, he looked at Li Qiye and said: “Qiye, what is your opinion on this?”
“Let us do this, all of your elders should go back. Tomorrow, we will talk about this in the ancestral chamber.” Li Qiye continued: “Elders said before that we still have a portrait of the Patriarch in the sect? Tomorrow, bring it there as well.”
Li Qiye perplexed the elders for a moment. Eventually, they all nodded their heads and said their goodbyes. Only, First Elder Gu Tieshou was the last to leave.
“How was the Ancient Land?” Gu Tieshou was concerned more than anyone else about the rise and fall of the sect. After Li Qiye's return, he didn't get the chance to ask about this matter.
Li Qiye replied: “For the time being, it is difficult. We need more time. With our current situation, we can only let the Ancient Land matter slide. We need to deal with the Evil Infested Ridge first. This is extremely important to us.”
Gu Tieshou paused for a moment before he finally said: “However, the Evil Infested Ridge no longer belongs to our sect. One could say that the Evil Infested Ridge belongs to the whole world. Once it is opened, I'm afraid all of the famous sects in the Grand Middle Territory will come. At that time, will we still have the opportunity to enter the ridge?”
As an elder, how could Gu Tieshou not want to recover the Evil Infested Ridge? However, the sect of today no longer had this power.
“In my perspective, the moment the ridge is opened, the Heavenly God Sect — the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom will definitely come. And don't forget the different clans and powerful heritages, such as the Southern Heavenly Kingdom. Maybe, there is a chance that an invincible colossus such as the Azure Mysterious Ancient Kingdom would also arrive.”
Gu Tieshou was not without anxiety: “What do we have to compete against them?”
“Rest assured, Elder.” Li Qiye calmly said: “This time, I will personally lead the troops and go to the Evil Infested Ridge. Since it belonged to our sect, recovering it would only be a matter of time. Regarding this trip to the ridge… Anyone who blocks my path will be killed without mercy!”
Gu Tieshou knew that Li Qiye was not being arrogant and mindless. However, he didn't exactly know Li Qiye's secret cards to compete with the Jiang Zuo Clan, the Southern Heavenly Kingdom, and even the monstrous Azure Mysterious Ancient Kingdom.
“Very well, we have decided on going to the Evil Infested Ridge. The moment it opens, we of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect will absolutely enter!” Finally, Gu Tieshou also agreed with Li Qiye's approach.
The next day, all five elders were gathered inside the ancestral chamber. There was also Li Qiye, Su Yonghuang, and Tu Buyu.
The gathering of all the people made the atmosphere feel heavy, so Li Qiye was the first to speak: “Today, we will talk about the sect master's position.”
Under such a situation, the group of Elder Zhou was all silent. They were not eager to speak because forcing an abdication was not a glorious matter. Even though Su Yonghuang — as the sect master — was not something everyone welcomed, her sect master's seat was indeed legitimate.
“I know all of the elders and even the protectors and sectional leaders had some qualms towards the sect master.” Li Qiye slowly spoke: “However, today, this is the time when the sect master needs to accept her ancestry.”
“The acceptance of ancestry?” The elders were stunned for a moment. They thought that it would be a discussion of the sect master's position as well as forcing Su Yonghuang to abdicate.
“Correct. This is the moment when the sect master should accept her ancestry.” Li Qiye stood up and solemnly said: “Our sect master, Su Yonghuang, is the descendant of the Patriarch, Immortal Emperor Min Ren!”
“What…” The news had just come out, but it shocked all of the elders.