Chapter 549: Change Of Mind
At this point, Long Zuntian came back to the phoenix maiden’s side and said in a serious tone: “Young Miss, it is not too late if you want to leave now. I will escort you out.”
His sudden advice caused the maiden’s heart to sink. She asked: “What is senior trying to say?”
Long Zuntian didn’t look at her but rather stare intensely at Li Qiye and said: “I am old and wish to live in seclusion. I’m afraid I won’t be able to help virtuous nephew Di Zuo any longer. But before leaving, I can escort you safely away from here.”
Long Zuntian was extremely cautious of Li Qiye. After the exchange, he immediately knew he had met a terrible opponent because he couldn’t tell which physique Li Qiye had.
Long Zuntian’s retreating caused the maiden to change her expression and she quickly tried to retain him: “Senior Long is too humble, you are a supreme genius of a generation…”
Long Zuntian hastily interrupted her and said: “Young Miss, you should leave.”
His attitude perplexed many. The victor had yet to be decided between him and Li Qiye. Many were more optimistic about him and felt that he would surely defeat Li Qiye.
But now, Long Zuntian chose to withdraw, no longer bearing the usual proud attitude causing everyone to feel something was amiss. No one thought that he was afraid of Li Qiye. In the past, he even declined the Myriad Bones Throne right away. A proud person like Long Zuntian would not be afraid of Li Qiye. Moreover, he had a great advantage by being stronger than Li Qiye.
However, he still wanted to pull out to the astonishment of others. This was akin to lowering his own prestige and leaving a stain on his illustrious reputation.
Why was he determined to leave despite the marring on his reputation? No one understood why, not even the phoenix maiden. He was Di Zuo’s dao mentor and she knew that he was not afraid of anyone, but now he wanted to leave.
She took a deep breath and shook her head in response: “Senior Long, if you want to leave then I won’t hold you back, but I will not retreat. No matter how strong this human might be, I will not let the human race’s scheme comes into fruition. I will not let Li Qiye massacre our young ones, not only because I am from the Myriad Bones Throne, but also for the sake of the Ghost Race!”
Long Zuntian shook his head as he listened to her righteous words. He understood what she was trying to do. He sighed in response and repeated the same phrase: “I am old… this is the world of the young people now. Admirable courage.”
No one knew what he was lamenting about; her courage or something else. He then left behind his last words: “Take care, Young Miss.” He then flew away and disappeared in the horizon in an instant.
A lot of the crowd couldn’t help from becoming dumbstruck as they watch him fly away. From the start to finish, no one understood why he left. He was absolutely not weaker than Li Qiye so he couldn’t be afraid of him.
Then for what reason? All were lost at the reason why, including the maiden.
In fact, it was a spur of the moment’s thought resulting him in no longer being optimistic about Di Zuo! He was a peerless talent of his own generation. When he was young, he was not much weaker than Di Zuo or Tian Lunhui.
He agreed to left his seclusion to help Di Zuo because he valued Di Zuo’s talents. Seeing Di Zuo’s confidence reminded him of his past self.
He regretted the fact that he was born during the Difficult Dao Era when one couldn’t become an Immortal Emperor, so he placed his hope into Di ZUo. When facing an opponent like TIan Lunhui or Chan Yang, he trust that Di Zuo would come out victoriously all the way to the imperial throne.
But today, his trust was shaken, especially after the one blow with Li Qiye. He understood one thing immediately – that Li Qiye was more terrible than his imagination. Although he couldn’t tell Li Qiye’s physique at that moment, but his intuition told him that it was more than just a simple Immortal Physique.
He felt an illusion that Li Qiye had two Immortal Physiques, but anyone with a sliver of common sense knew that this was impossible. Nevertheless, this striking intuition resonated powerfully in his mind.
What if Li Qiye had two Immortal Physiques then? Long Zuntian didn’t dare to think about this any longer. Li Qiye was already heaven defying enough to the point where he could compete against any of the three heroes. But what if his ace card was not the nine stars and ten palaces, not an invincible merit law, but something else?
For example, an impossible thing like one body with two Immortal Physiques? He began to believe that this was the most plausible explanation and knew that Di Zuo would suffer a terrible defeat, thus resulting in his retreat. He didn’t want to see the moment of Di Zuo’s utter defeat!
After he left, Li Qiye looked straight at the phoenix maiden and said: “Now who else is willing to fight for you?”
“Even if I am alone, I will not retreat nor compromise!” The maiden took a deep breath and spoke in a dignified manner: “Even if my own power is insignificant, I will still stand before you to stop your evil plan stretching its cruel grasp towards the ghost race! If my death can wake up the ghost race… then my death is so light!”
The maiden spoke with dignity while slowly uttering each words with a heroic attitude resonating with the crowd.
She spoke as if Li Qiye was an unpardonable and sinful devil while her current actions won the admiration and support of many spectators!
Li Qiye shook his head while looking at her dignified appearance and smilingly said: “To tell the truth, I do admire your courage a little bit. You know that it is impossible yet you still try… truly excellent.”
“For the ghost race, my own life is nothing.” The maiden proudly proclaimed: “Even if I have to sacrifice my life, I will never let you get away with…”
Li Qiye interrupted her and said: “Yes, I know, I am the most heinous villain. Whether it is for Di Zuo or the ghost race, I will give you a meaningful death.”
The maiden watched Li Qiye coming closer. She took a deep breath and showed no sign of escaping before drily speaking: “I know you are very strong, but I will still try despite my weakness! Let the rise of the ghost race start with me!”
Many ghost cultivators watched this scene. Once Li Qiye came even closer, many people couldn’t help but to take a step forward. One ghost cultivator with his blood boiling exclaimed with emotions: “Li! If you want to touch even a hair of the maiden, you have to walk over our corpses first!”
“Disciples of the ghost race will not let you massacre as you please!” Many Royal Lords and Sect Masters were moved and wanted to group up and kill Li Qiye.
At this point, two men suddenly descended from the sky and shielded in front of the maiden. Their blood energies were like the divine tsunamis since they were much stronger than the group of ghost cultivators who were in front of her just now.
Although the Sect Masters and Royal Lords were moved, but none of them at this moment wanted to step out. On the other hand, the younger cultivators were standing by her side.
These two men from the sky with their surging energy were like two young True Gods. They were the Titanic Crescent Saint Child and Ghost Insect Evil Child. Although the saint child’s stature was humbled, but with his spewing blood energy, he appeared so tall and powerful.
“We are all responsible for the rise and fall of the ghost race. As a man, how could we let a weak girl take the vanguard?” The saint child spoke with gravity: “Li Qiye, don’t think you can start your brutality here!”
Li Qiye looked at the saint child and evil child and laughed: “Oh? The two of you still haven’t left? Does the Titanic Crescent Sacred Ground and Insect King Lineage want to renege on the deal?”
These two imperial lineage still haven’t left; they were like tigers eyeing its prey, wishing to push Li Qiye to his demise. But because of the deal, these lineages didn’t make a move yet.
“The deal is one thing.” The evil child smiled with a dark shade and said: “We will not touch the treasure at this place and can leave at any moment. But if anyone wishes to kill ghost disciples and the seeds of the ghosts, then I, as a member of the ghost race, and the Insect King Lineage as a great power of the ghost race has the responsibility to protect the ghost race’s safety!”
The Titanic Crescent Saint Child also spoke awe-inspiringly: “Our Titanic Crescent Sacred Ground will also not let anyone harm the ghost race! The Divine Spark Phoenix Maiden is a woman with a heroic heart and doesn’t even mind sacrificing herself for the sake of the ghost race. Men like us should contribute to the ghost race. In my eyes, the honor of oneself is a trivial matter, but the well being of the ghost race is a much bigger matter!”
“Li Qiye, you wish to harm ghost disciples. Although we had a deal before, but so what if I lose my own honor for the ghost race? For the ghost race’s safety, I will not leave this place and allow you to massacre any more ghost disciples! I will stop your brutality!” The saint child continued on in a resounding manner: “You can say that I have renege my promise, and the world can curse me for going back on the deal. I am willing to bear this eternal infamy all to kill you today to rid the ghost race of your evil and bring back peace!