Sage Monarch

“Excellent. Now that you’re a Legendary, Yang Qi, your potential is limitless. As long as you manage to stay alive, you’ll definitely reach the peaks of glory.” Hua Tianxiong made no effort to keep the tone of praise out of his voice.

“Many thanks, Uncle, you truly flatter me,” Yang Qi replied humbly. “Really, it was just a fluke that I managed to reach the Legendary level.” He knew that he had earned Hua Tianxiong’s respect, and also the right to talk with him as an equal. Without that, there was no way he would agree to back Yang Qi up in the upcoming negotiations, not even if he was a sworn brother of Hua Fengfeng.

“You have the Grand Emperor's Pagoda?” Hua Tianxiong asked.

“Indeed, Uncle. Take a look.” A moment later, a bronze pagoda appeared on his palm, which he unhesitatingly handed to Hua Tianxiong.

He had no fear of Hua Tianxiong attempting to take the item. The man was a Never-Dying Legendary, and would be a powerful and important ally. Besides, Yang Qi had long since become one with the pagoda, and had created a special connection with it. In fact, it was likely his main path to becoming a Great Sage. Furthermore, the pagoda was also marked by the God Legion Seal. Not only did the God Legion Seal represent the legion of gods, it represented He who existed on an even higher level, the Lord. 

Anyone who tried to forcibly unseal the pagoda and take it would feel the wrath of the God Legion Seal, which had decimated even Ghost Emperor Yama. Even if Hua Tianxiong were stronger than he already was, he was like nothing compared to the ghost emperor.

In fact, if the chancellor of the Demi-Immortal Institute tried to forcibly take the pagoda, it would be nothing but wishful thinking on his part. And even if Grand Emperor Rich-Lush himself tried to do so, he would fail. None of them qualified to challenge the legion of gods.

The horde of devils from hell were millions of times more powerful than Grand Emperor Rich-Lush, and even they would be crushed if they directly challenged the legion of gods.

“Oh?” Hua Tianxiong said. Not even he could have guessed that Yang Qi would simply take out the Grand Emperor's Pagoda and let him inspect it. Accepting it, he looked it over and sighed at the power he sensed in it. After a moment, he handed it back. “You know, considering our disparity in level, if I wanted to, I could just kill you, wipe your life force seal from the pagoda, and take it for my own. It could be of great use to me. Presumably, you understand how helpful it could be to any living being born in the Rich-Lush Continent.”

“Hua Fengfeng and I are sworn siblings,” Yang Qi replied calmly, “and we've promised to live and die together. Her father is just like my father.”

“Very well….” Hua Tianxiong was coming to find that he liked Yang Qi more and more. Obviously, he valued loyalty and friendship, and would pursue justice with no second thoughts to protect his sworn siblings.

Such rumors about Yang Qi had quickly spread after the incident with the Crown Prince. Everyone knew that he was totally devoted to his sworn siblings, and most people admired him deeply because of that quality.

“So, you’re sure you know where the Crown Prince is hiding? And you want to make a deal with the Shroud-Heaven Alliance? Presumably you want me to back you up, but have you considered that the Sun Moon Institute is a righteous, orthodox organization, and the Shroud-Heaven Alliance is full of heretical wretch-devils? If word spread, it could harm our reputation.”

“The Crown Prince is the most heretical wretch-devil there is,” Yang Qi replied. “You have no idea the extent of it, Uncle. What I'm trying to do is get the tiger and the wolf to kill each other. It would benefit all of us if the Shroud-Heaven Alliance and the Crown Prince fought to the death. After all, if he succeeds in becoming a Great Sage, it will be a disaster for the entire continent. Of that, Uncle, I'm sure you’re aware.”

“Yes, I know. Getting the tiger and the wolf to kill each other. Not a bad idea.” Hua Tianxiong was himself on the cusp of being a Great Sage, and knew exactly what type of person the Crown Prince was. He had actually expended many resources to determine his personality and moral standings. Therefore, he was actually a bit intrigued by Yang Qi’s idea.

“For now, consider me a behind-the-scenes supporter. Let’s see how your deal with the Shroud-Heaven Alliance goes. Of course, my support must be kept a strict secret. If word leaked, things could get dangerous for me in the Sun Moon Institute. For now, I’ll stay hidden. If Old Man Superdestruction or even Young Master Shroud-Heaven attacks you, then I’ll come to your support.”

Yang Qi nodded. “That sounds perfect.”

** 

The sky was pitch black, and a harsh wind swept across the lands several hundred kilometers away from the Sun Moon Institute. In a certain valley in the mountains was an enormous waterfall that looked like something out of a painting. Yang Qi sat quietly in a cave behind the waterfall, protected by numerous warding magics.

A short time passed, and then his ears caught a strange, dreary noise that seemed to tug at his soul. Opening his eyes, he said, “Honored guest, why not step inside for a chat?”

A strange chuckle could be heard, and the air seemed to rip open as an old man stepped out.

He actually had Patriarch Frost-Drake held by the scruff of the neck, who he then tossed off to the side.

Glaring at Yang Qi malevolently, the old man said, “You’re Yang Qi? The one with the Grand Emperor's Pagoda?” 

The man’s glittering eyes almost seemed capable of ripping one’s soul out of one’s body.

“Your soulsnatching devilwords and devil-eye won’t do anything to me,” Yang Qi said. “You must be Young Master Shroud-Heaven’s most trusted subordinate, Old Man Superdestruction.”

“That’s right, I'm Old Man Superdestruction. You want to make a deal with me? What do you want in exchange for the Crown Prince’s whereabouts? I know about your grudge with him, but how could a nobody like you figure out where he's hiding? It all sounds a bit suspicious.”

“Suspicious?” Yang Qi said. He waved his hand, and Huang Hou appeared.

“Do you recognize who this is? He’s one of the key leaders of the Crown Prince Society, Huang Hou, a Space-Void Legendary. He’s switched loyalties to me, and he knows all of the Crown Prince’s secrets.”

“What? Huang Hou?” Old Man Superdestruction stared at Huang Hou for a long moment. “He's a holy neophyte in the Demi-Immortal Institute, and a pillar of the Crown Prince Society. How did you win him over? Alright, punk. Give me Huang Hou and the Grand Emperor's Pagoda. If you do, I’ll spare your life.”

Before waiting for an answer, he lunged toward Yang Qi.

Instantly, all of the light in the area seemed to vanish, as if everything were being destroyed. This was an imperial-class energy art, the Superdestruction Heart Sutra.

Black scriptural text flowed out, becoming an enormous hand which closed in around Yang Qi, and the air began to twist and crack.

It was a palm attack filled with the transformations of yin and yang, and the five phases. It could crush all sorts of spell formations, and would easily vanquish anyone in the first or second Legendary transformation.

It moved as fast as a meteor, and yet before it could reach Yang Qi, an enormous pagoda appeared around him. On the surface of the bell was an asura equipped for battle, which roared and thrust its hands out to meet Old Man Superdestruction’s attack.

POP!

The Superdestruction Palm shattered.

Old Man Superdestruction looked at Yang Qi with an expression of disbelief, and Yang Qi looked back with an enigmatic smile. Yin-Yang Legendaries were powerful, but considering some of the people Yang Qi had killed recently, he had advanced by leaps and bounds. Furthermore, he had taken elements of Blightczar Manyshadows’ soul and magical laws and imbued them into the Grand Emperor's Pagoda, combining them with the flesh and blood of the asura.

Because of that, the Grand Emperor's Pagoda now had its own soul.

And with Blightczar Manyrivers and Huang Hou as slaves in the pagoda, bolstering all of its spell formations, the pagoda was far stronger than before.

Because of all that, Yang Qi easily negated Old Man Superdestruction’s attack.

On a nearby mountain, Hua Fengfeng stood with Hua Tianxiong. “Father, why didn’t you do something just now? Old Man Superdestruction is in the fifth Legendary transformation! What if something happened to my Little Bro Qi?”

“I’m testing Yang Qi’s cultivation base,” he replied, a look of surprise on his face. “Now I can see that he's even more mysterious than I realized. He’s so strong! The difference between the first Legendary transformation and the fifth far surpasses the difference between heaven and earth. Even with the Grand Emperor's Pagoda, he shouldn’t be able to fight back like that. It’s too bad I can’t fully assess Yang Qi’s cultivation base. Well, he definitely deserves to be the one opposing the Crown Prince. Let’s see how his negotiation with Old Man Superdestruction goes.”

Back in the cave, Yang Qi looked at the shocked Old Man Superdestruction and said, “You run the Shroud-Heaven Alliance, correct? I asked you here to negotiate a deal, and instead, you attacked me. I'm having a hard time believing you’ve come in good faith.”

“Very well,” Old Man Superdestruction said, his eyes flashing. “I admit you’re strong, so let’s get back to the main point. What do you want in exchange for information about the Crown Prince?”