Chapter 522 - 520: Playful Flirting

And now Li Qiye had done the impossible, taking away a massive number of Heavenly Destiny True Stones in one go. Such a miracle shattered the common sense of every cultivator.

"Th-th-this... how can this be!" At that moment, an unknown person let out a piercing shriek, unable to face the scene before them. It was a sight that would drive countless cultivators mad!

The whole world knew that Heavenly Destiny True Stones chose their masters, not the other way around! But Li Qiye was acting as if he were picking out cabbages. It was like he was standing before a market stall, carefully selecting his produce, and a whole batch of Heavenly Destiny True Stones was taken away by him just like that.

This should have been impossible! For one person to take so many Spirit Level and above Heavenly Destiny True Stones in one fell swoop—it simply couldn’t happen!

"Oh my god, what in the world is happening? Has the Thief Old Heaven gone mad today? To actually let a guy like him take away so many Heavenly Destiny True Stones. Does the Thief Old Heaven even have eyes!" one cultivator, his heart unable to take the shock, screamed out.

At that moment, it wasn’t just one cultivator who felt their heart couldn’t take it, but a whole crowd. Countless cultivators were reeling from the shock.

It was as if everyone else was sipping plain congee while Li Qiye feasted on an endless supply of Dragon Liver and Phoenix Gall. How could anyone not be driven mad with jealousy?

The scene before them completely defied all common sense. Many couldn’t believe their eyes, thinking they must be dreaming. But this was no dream; it was happening, as real as could be.

"How could this be?" Even Lan Yunzhu, who was on such good terms with Li Qiye, found it hard to believe. The phrase ’defying common sense’ wasn’t enough to describe this. The whole thing was just too bizarre. If it weren’t broad daylight, she would have thought she was seeing a ghost.

"Because I’m handsome," Li Qiye said with a grin. Of course, he wouldn’t reveal the real reason; he was the only one who knew the truth.

"Handsome, my foot!" Lan Yunzhu rolled her eyes at him in exasperation. ’At this point,’ she thought, ’I shouldn’t be surprised by any of the weird things that happen around him. Could anything be weirder than this?’

Just then, Li Qiye picked out one of the many Heavenly Destiny True Stones and tossed it to Lan Yunzhu. He smiled and said, "You’re in luck. The Heavenly Destiny True Stone I told you about is still here. It’s yours."

When Lan Yunzhu caught the Heavenly Destiny True Stone as it pulsed with Divine Light, she was left speechless. He was giving away such a precious stone as if it were a common cabbage.

But what rendered Lan Yunzhu even more speechless was that the Heavenly Destiny True Stone seemed unwilling to stay with her, instead trying to dart back toward Li Qiye.

This instantly made Lan Yunzhu grind her teeth in frustration. Pointing at the Heavenly Destiny True Stone, she snapped, "You little thing! I, at the very least, am a Heavenly Pride Girl with Dual Saint aptitude! How dare you look down on me? Careful, or I’ll peel you!" At this point, she had completely forgotten her ladylike demeanor. It was a huge blow to her pride. Even a Heavenly Destiny True Stone was trying to cozy up to Li Qiye, as if he were some ridiculously handsome man that everyone and everything adored!

Li Qiye couldn’t help but chuckle. He patted the Heavenly Destiny True Stone and said with a smile, "This girl is quite a catch. Dual Saint aptitude, and she used a Heavenly Destiny Secret Skill for her Foundation Establishment. Don’t worry, she’ll be under my protection from now on. You definitely won’t get a bad deal."

In the end, the Heavenly Destiny True Stone reluctantly settled into Lan Yunzhu’s hands, leaving her completely exasperated. ’This guy is just too weird,’ she thought. ’Utterly and completely uncanny.’

"Why are you so popular with all these Heavenly Destiny True Stones?" Lan Yunzhu asked, completely baffled. "It just doesn’t make any sense."

"Because I’m handsome. So charming that people love me and flowers bloom for me—they’re talking about me," Li Qiye said with a laugh.

"BLECH—" Lan Yunzhu mimed gagging and said huffily, "If you’re handsome, then every man in the world must be a peerless Adonis, handsome beyond measure."

Li Qiye couldn’t help but laugh. "Want to hear a more serious reason? It’s simple. Because across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, I alone am supreme! Throughout all ages, past and present, I alone am invincible!"

"Oh, give me a break, old man. You don’t even think before you brag," Lan Yunzhu said, rolling her eyes at him. "If you said you’ll be supreme in the future, I might believe you a little. But saying you’ve been invincible for all ages? That’s just a load of hot air. How old are you, really? You’re just a little brat."

Li Qiye just smiled at her words. "Fine, the real reason. It’s because I’m planning to form a ’Stone Gang.’ In the future, these Heavenly Destiny True Stones will be my Celestial Soldiers and Generals. With me watching over them, they’ll roam the world unchallenged, absorbing the finest essence of heaven and earth, gathering the quintessence of the Nine Realms, and enjoying prosperity for all eternity!"

"Hmph, as if anyone would believe that," Lan Yunzhu said, rolling her eyes. She ground her teeth and shook her delicate fists in a mock-threatening gesture. "Old man, if you want me to believe you, then say something that actually makes sense. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with me."

Seeing her act this way, Li Qiye couldn’t help but chuckle. He held up his hands and said in a measured tone, "Something serious? Alright, let’s talk about serious business. Girl, don’t forget our bet. Remember to get naked for me tonight so I can have a good, long look and see if your figure is truly top-notch."

"You damn pervert!" Hearing his words, Lan Yunzhu’s face turned bright red with a mixture of shame and anger. "In your dreams—" she spat, then turned and fled.

"Hey, a promise is a promise!" Li Qiye called after her casually, strolling along behind her. "Remember, a noble’s word is as weighty as a Divine Mountain!"

"Pfft! I’m no noble, I’m just a girl!" Lan Yunzhu called back, her face beet red as she fled in a flash. Li Qiye laughed and gave chase.

On Divine Dragon Mountain, everyone silently watched Li Qiye depart. Not a single person made a sound; they were all dumbfounded. In the eyes of many, the man was a monster—uncanny to the extreme.

"Damn it all! My Heavenly Destiny True Stone! I was hoping to get a Nine Dao Celestial Essence Heavenly Destiny True Stone!" Long after Li Qiye had left, someone finally let out a wretched wail.

Looking at the now-barren mountaintop, countless members of the older generation began to pity the youngsters who had come here to try their luck. It was truly tragic to be born in the same era as a monster like Li Qiye.

The news of someone picking Heavenly Destiny True Stones like they were cabbages swept through the entire First Evil Tomb like a tempest. It spread across the Five Great Realms in an instant, exploding like a bombshell among all cultivators and lineages and shaking everyone to their core.

"Impossible—" Upon hearing the news, countless great figures from the Great Teaching Territories were stunned. Even the Great Sect Ancestors refused to believe it.

"Elder Ancestor, this disciple saw it with my own eyes, and my master was there as well," a disciple reported to his sect’s ancestor, swearing to the truth of his words.

"Th-th-that kid is too damned uncanny! How is something like that even possible? This... this simply defies all logic!" Once the news was confirmed, countless great figures were left dazed, and innumerable cultivators were driven to frenzy.

News of this heaven-defying event also reached the ears of other geniuses. Talents like Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child were utterly demoralized. A maddening hatred grew in their hearts. They felt that if Li Qiye wasn’t eliminated, they would never have a chance to shine.

In the Earth Realm, upon hearing the news, Emperor’s Throne shot to his feet. His Blood Qi erupted in an instant, its terrifying power causing the world to dim and the sun and moon to tremble.

"Good. I need a peerless chosen one like him as a stepping stone on my path to becoming the Immortal Emperor!" Emperor’s Throne declared. He stood, his fierce gaze sweeping across the world, his voice slow and filled with domineering power. "I had originally planned to slay Tian Lunhui to pave my way to becoming the Immortal Emperor. But now, it seems I have found better prey."

As another one of the Ghost Race’s peak geniuses, Tian Lunhui, who was perpetually shrouded in a mysterious aura, actually gave a faint, enigmatic smile upon hearing the news. His eyes took on a demonic glint as he mused, "When the snipe and the clam grapple, it is the fisherman who profits."

After saying this, Tian Lunhui closed his eyes, adopting a look of transcendent detachment as if none of this concerned him. Or perhaps, it was not that it didn’t concern him, but that he was already confident of his victory.

Meanwhile, Xian Fan, another peak genius of the Human Race’s younger generation, was visibly moved by the news. "So he actually succeeded," he murmured. "I was able to earn the acknowledgment of the Five Elements Immortal Armor, but I failed to gain that stone’s approval. For him to actually have it recognize him as its master... that’s just too uncanny."

Even Xian Fan was lost in a daze for a moment. When he recovered, he sighed with emotion. "Incredible. There is always a taller mountain. It seems the future path to the Immortal Emperor’s throne will not be a lonely one."

Such shocking news left everyone stunned, whether they were from the Human Race, the Ghost Race, or any other race. For a time, countless geniuses found their own light dimmed by comparison.

As the news spread, countless people were left beating their chests and stamping their feet in frustration.

Li Qiye had single-handedly taken away so many eight and Nine Dao Celestial Essence Heavenly Destiny True Stones. How could people not tear their hair out? This was especially true for the younger generation. Many young cultivators had not yet forged their own Heavenly Destiny True Stones, and even among those who had, many hoped to find a better one.

For cultivators, it was still possible to switch Heavenly Destiny True Stones in their youth. It was a different story in old age, as no one was willing to expend vast amounts of their Life Force on refining a new Lifebound True Artifact.

Countless young cultivators had been dreaming of going to Divine Dragon Mountain to obtain a Nine Dao Celestial Essence Heavenly Destiny True Stone. Now, Li Qiye had taken so many of them, shattering their dreams. How could they not be frustrated to the point of madness?

But when it came to sheer frustration, none could compare to the Ghost Race. They had been feeling utterly vexed lately. The Three Heroes of the Netherworld had always been their pride, their future. Then, as if a wild card like Li Qiye wasn’t enough, a Xian Fan had also appeared. And now, Li Qiye’s prestige had eclipsed even that of Emperor’s Throne and Tian Lunhui, completely overshadowing the Ghost Race’s younger generation! If this kept up, the Human Race would suppress their young talents so thoroughly they wouldn’t be able to breathe. How could the Ghost Race not be utterly exasperated?