With Li Qiye's constitution, to reach this stage within a year; the only explanation was that Li Qiye practiced the Revolving Crescent Sun Merit Law.
This was not a secret within the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, and Li Qiye also didn't have anything to hide; thus, he calmly acknowledged: "That's right."
Having heard this, the first elder went silent for a moment. If this was another disciple, he certainly would ask him to not practice this merit law; however, did Li Qiye still have another choice? Mortal Physique, Mortal Life Wheel, Mortal Fate Palace. With this constitution, no matter which merit law was chosen, the end result would not be any different.
Eventually, the first elder said: "This King Physique paste, the sect has finished preparing. However, you need to be mentally prepared. The medicinal parts of this physique paste, outside of the leading beast marrow, were spirit medicines of around one hundred thousand years old, and the better ones are one hundred and ten thousand or one hundred and twenty thousand years old. The leading beast marrow was only lacking a little since it is slightly off from one hundred thousand years. Therefore, when you use this physique paste, you need to be mentally prepared."
In reality, regarding this physique paste matter, the first elder had tried his best and exerted his whole hard-earned savings. Just so that Li Qiye could marry Li Shuangyan, it could be said that he was willing to give up everything!
"In this matter, elder can rest assured." Li Qiye maintained his grin.
In reality, Li Qiye was already prepared. Today, the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect had declined. To be able to gather the medicinal materials for a King Physique paste, this was already very difficult.
First Elder paused for a moment, and then he continued: "There is another thing that is considerably hard to deal with; this is the alchemy matter. In our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, regarding alchemy skills, there are two people at the top: Elder Cao and Elder Sun, respectively."
Here, the first elder stared at Li Qiye, and he said: "Regarding the alchemy creation skill, Elder Cao is better than Elder Sun by one part. For Elder Sun to refine the physique paste, six times wouldn't be a problem; seven refinements, I'm afraid that is out of his reach. Elder Cao refining seven times, this is no problem." [1]
"Elder Cao isn't necessarily willing to refine the physique paste for me." Li Qiye was confident.
First Elder wasn't willing to speak further on this matter, so he only said: "Regarding the matter of the physique paste, Elder Sun is very willing to refine it for you; however, the only thing is, he is not too certain of the medicinal strength."
"This physique paste matter, First Elder doesn't need to worry about it. How about this? First Elder can prepare the medicinal materials; this physique paste matter, I will take care of it."
Li Qiye already knew that Cao Xiong wouldn't be willing to refine the physique paste for him; this was a matter well within his expectations. However, he wouldn't need to go beg Cao Xiong either.
"This should be fine." After First Elder saw Li Qiye's complete confidence, he could only affirm by nodding his head. A moment later, he said: "I will let a disciple guard the medicinal materials for you. When you want to refine them, just say one word; I'll send a disciple to bring the materials to you."
Li Qiye thanked the elder, then left for Lonely Peak.
Li Qiye didn't yet make it back to Lonely Peak when he saw that Nan Huairen's expression wasn't good. Nan Huairen quickly went up to him and urgently said: "Older brother, this is not good! Not good!"
Following Nan Huairen were the people from the Cleansing Jade Peak such as Xu Pei; their expressions did not look good.
Li Qiye stared at Nan Huairen, and he asked: "Did the sky fall down?"
Nan Huairen hastily replied: "Older brother, the sky didn't fall down; however, your courtyard is being destroyed by others."
"Destroying my courtyard?" Having heard this, Li Qiye's eyes couldn't help but squint, and then he beamingly smiled: "Who has the sudden interest in coming to destroy my courtyard like this?"
Seeing Li Qiye's squinted eyes made Nan Huairen and even the Xu Pei crowd's hearts to panic; this smiling demeanor of Li Qiye, in their eyes, when compared to the visage of a demon, made their hearts even colder.
Xu Pei quietly whispered to Li Qiye: "It was, was older brother Leng Shizhi."
A bold disciple spoke: "First brother, I heard that older brother Leng was court-courting goddess Li."
Even though the disciples of the Cleansing Jade Peak were all from the Cleansing Jade Mountain, currently, all three hundred disciples were on the side of Li Qiye; they were in the same faction.
"I had also heard that older brother Leng had given goddess Li treasures…"
A disciple, not without worries, said: "First brother, older brother Leng is a genius of our Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. He, he is a powerful love rival of yours."
At this moment, even though these disciples were all saying different things, all of them had the same feelings of anger against a common enemy of Li Qiye. However, they were not without worries, for Li Qiye, because in the end, Leng Shizhi was the genius of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect – a direct disciple of Elder Cao.
It could be said that regarding the appearance, Leng Shizhi had it; regarding talents, he had it as well; regarding a backing, he was not without; regarding his origin, he has the origin. Personally, they wanted Li Qiye to marry Li Shuangyan. After all, Li Shuangyan and Li Qiye had been together in the recent days, and they would be glad to see it happen.
However, with a powerful love rival like Leng Shizhi, the disciples, like Xu Pei, were not without worries for Li Qiye.
"A powerful love rival?" Having heard this sentence, Li Qiye found it really ridiculous, and the corner of his lips couldn't help but become angled. His smiling expression rippled uncontrollably.
Nan Huairen reminded him: "First brother, this thing, Leng Shizhi had been granted tacit permission from Cao Xiong; maybe even strong support from him. It is easier to hide from a bright spear than it is to guard from a hidden arrow. First brother might as well be careful; just in case."
Nan Huairen, too, knew about Li Qiye's situation – a powerful love rival? Nan Huairen, of course, wouldn't consider Leng Shizhi being qualified as a love rival of Li Qiye; Leng Shizhi was worth how much? Even at the Nine Saint Demon Gate, Li Qiye was still roaring; let alone Leng Shizhi?
Why did Li Shuangyan come to the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect? Simply put; it was because of Li Qiye. No matter how excellent Leng Shizhi was, he wouldn't be comparable to Li Qiye. These two essentially weren't at the same level? What qualifications did Leng Shizhi have to become a rival in love of Li Qiye?
"Come, we will go to see how my strongest love rival is destroying my courtyard." Li Qiye leisurely said these words as if the courtyard being destroyed wasn't his.
When Li Qiye, along with Nan Huairen, climbed to the top of Lonely Peak, many rumbling sounds occurred. "Boom Boom." At this moment, Leng Shizhi was commanding some disciples to destroy the courtyard of Li Qiye; seven or eight parts were destroyed.
However, standing in front of her pavilion adjacent to the courtyard, Li Shuangyan was only coldly observing, without saying a word.
"Li Qiye, you came back at the perfect time." Seeing Li Qiye along with the Nan Huairen's group returning, Leng Shizhi arrogantly raised his chin, and he said: "Starting from today, you will move to Small Spring Peak to live!"
Leng Shizhi used a commanding tone towards Li Qiye; it was as if he believed Li Qiye would definitely listen to him.
"Why should I move to Small Spring Peak?" Li Qiye looked at the destroyed courtyard, still smiling wholeheartedly; it was as if there was not even a hint of anger within him.
Leng Shizhi became a bit impatient, and he coldly said: "If I tell you to go, then go; why is there so much chatter?! Starting from today, I will live at Lonely Peak! The little courtyard here was in the way, so, after it is destroyed, I will build a spirit pavilion here!"
Here, Leng Shizhi started to ignore Li Qiye; he put on the expression that he considered the most handsome and charming, and he smiled at Li Shuangyan in the far distance: "Lonely Peak overlooks the entirety of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, and the view is very good. Goddess Li choosing to stay at this place, it could be considered as having an incomparable insight. I, fortunately, have the honor to be next to Goddess Li, discussing the Dao, investigating the profound mysteries – this would be a beautiful story!" [2]
After Li Shuangyan's arrival at the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, this was not Leng Shizhi's first time courting her. However, each time, he was met with a locked door; Li Shuangyan essentially was too lazy to care for him at all.
Pursuing without an entrance, Leng Shizhi decisively chose to move to Lonely Peak; he wanted to be closer to Li Shuangyan and use this opportunity to earn her favor. As the proverb dictates; the pavilion closest to the water enjoys the moonlight first! [3]
Leng Shizhi publicly revealed this particular attitude, and this caused the hearts of Nan Huairen's crowd to be annoyed. Goddess Li and first brother were engaged – this was a matter the entire Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect was aware of. Currently, Leng Shizhi, in front of Li Qiye, was courting Li Shuangyan; this was basically not placing Li Qiye in his eyes.
As for Li Shuangyan, she only stared at Leng Shizhi. This was the type of person that, after death, wouldn't know how they had died. With only abilities like his, yet he still dared to stroke the tiger's whiskers and provoke Li Qiye? This was simply being tired of living! Back when Li Qiye was at the Nine Saint Demon Gate, even her master, Demon King Lun Ri, was three parts restrained; an insignificant person like Leng Shizhi would be worth what?
Leng Shizhi, in front of Li Qiye's presence, selling flirtatious behavior, rendered Li Qiye unable to withhold his laughter. The matter of Leng Shizhi courting Li Shuangyan was, of course, something he knew about! With the women around him, Li Qiye had absolute confidence! This sort of insignificant trifling matter; he didn't want to bother to intervene with. [4]
Now, Leng Shizhi actually went to offend him. Li Qiye couldn't help but smile and pitifully glance at Leng Shizhi, and, afterward, he said to Li Shuangyan: "You stood here and watched the small courtyard being demolished?"
"Isn't this an internal affair of your Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect?" Li Shuangyan let off a slight smile; this smiling expression was capable of causing the downfall of a nation.
Li Shuangyan slight smile was enough to cause Leng Shizhi's spirit and soul to be flipped upside down. Once his mind came around, his heart was encompassed with jealousy. He intended to be closer to Li Shuangyan many times, but Li Shuangyan, until now, still didn't sell him any colors, much less a laugh; this matter suddenly made him hate Li Qiye even more. [5]
At this point, Leng Shizhi's expression became cold as he loudly reprimanded: "Why are you still foolishly dawdling here, quickly take your leave! Is Lonely Peak is an area that you can be foolish around? In the future, Lonely Peak will be the place where I cultivate the heart and nurture the character; if you dare to rush in and cause a commotion here, we will use the sect's rules to deal with you."
With Leng Shizhi acting like this, Li Qiye still wasn't angry, but the group of Nan Huairen was indignant, especially Nan Huairen. Lonely Peak was assigned to Li Qiye by the elders; however, now, Leng Shizhi was seizing Li Qiye's peak, and he even destroyed his place. Even worse, he even used the sect's rules to threaten him. This was too arrogant! This was not giving anyone face!
[1] Out of his reach original idiom = The heart was willing but the capability wasn't.
[2] Beautiful story here has the connotation that it is a legendary event that captures the imagination and will be spread far and wide.
[3] This idiom also means to benefit from being close/intimate with an influential person.
[4] Flirtatious behavior also have the meaning of using excellent/charming literary words – This is funny because the Shi in Leng Shizhi's name has the meaning of literary excellence.
[5] Spirit and soul upside down – meaning felt clear enough so I kept this idiom in – to be in a daze. Not selling any colors – to ignore completely without emotions.