However, to the disciples, they missed out on the best cultivation period, and, without wise masters to teach them, their cultivation was dragged even slower!
The Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect was without an alternative course of action. The lack of Emperor merit laws made it so these Virtuous Paragon and Heavenly King merit laws were the most prized internal secrets of the sect. If they were revealed to the outside, then it would be an even greater blow to the sect.
“Emperor merit laws, we will get them back again.”
In the end, these words of Li Qi Ye persuaded the five elders.
Regarding Li Qi Ye’s suggestion, the five elders ultimately unanimously agreed. Currently, the sect’s only road was to rise up. Without rising up, then being destroyed by the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom and Heavenly God Sect was only a matter of time.
Wanting to rise up meant great changes. Otherwise, with the current conservative rules, saying they want to rise would only be empty words.
The moment the sect decided to reform themselves, at the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom, a piece of news was spread. Old Ox Country, the Nine Saint Demon Gate went on an expedition to meet the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom! The Nine Saint Demon Gate’s Demon King Lun Ri personally met with the Mortal King.
This news brought about many large waves of commotion. Not long before this, the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect had just executed Dong Sheng Long and Lie Zhan Hou as well as destroying the Mortal King’s will. At this moment, the descendant and princess of Old Ox Country were present. Now Demon King Lun Ri was visiting the Mortal King? This was too much of a coincidence, ah!
No one knew the content of the two king’s meeting, but, after Demon King Lun Ri’s departure, the royal city of the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom released news that the conflict of Lie Zhan Hou and Dong Sheng Long with the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect was only a personal matter.
The Heavenly God Sect did not use an official method to announce this news; they instead used a secret channel, and it was still enough to say everything clearly.
Hearing this rumor, many of the sects within the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom couldn’t help but glance at each other. They realized that the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect had successfully joined with the Nine Saint Demon Gate.
At this moment, many people understood why the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect dared to provoke the Heavenly God Sect; it was because they had the backing of the Nine Saint Demon Gate! Otherwise, with the declining state of their sect, where would they find the power to challenge the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom?
“The Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect and the Nine Saint Demon Gate collaborating; I’m afraid they would still not flip the waves or winds.”
A sect master couldn’t help but say:
“Imagine that year; the Progenitor of the Nine Saint Demon Gate was the number one personal general of Immortal Emperor Min Ren, ah! The Nine Saint Demon Gate used to be under the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. Even though the Nine Saint Demon Gate is powerful now and the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect is declining, these two still worked together for hundreds of thousands of years.”
“Water in the distance cannot extinguish the close fire.”
Someone else also said:
“Even if they work together, the Nine Saint Demon Gate is too far from the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. With how weak they are, the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect will be destroyed sooner or later.”
This news set out many waves in the Heavenly Jewel Kingdom. The majority of sects were loudly clamoring with others regarding the new development.
As one of the main characters, the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, led by Li Qi Ye, was unconcerned about the news.
In reality, in the beginning, when the five elders heard this message, they were quite surprised. The Nine Saint Demon Gate supporting them — this was completely outside of their expectations. However, seeing Li Qi Ye’s calm demeanor, they understood that the support of the Nine Saint Demon Gate was not for them; it was for Li Qi Ye.
Inside the sect, Li Qi Ye, with the support of the five elders, began to aggressively reform the sect. He began by giving merit laws to new disciples. After examinations, the disciples with talents were given Virtuous Paragon and Heavenly King merit laws regardless of whether it was a Life law, Fate merit, or Physique technique…[2]
In order to groom a group of disciples with potential, Li Qi Ye could be said to personally wield the blade as he selected his disciples. The distribution of the merit laws were all planned by him. His actions were to create a new central power for the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, and this new group of central power would be the future hope of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect.
He divided this central power into four parts. The second generation, including sectional leaders and protectors, were led by Protector Mo. Li Qi Ye chose Protector Mo because he was a loyal follower.