Emperor’s Domination

Li Qiye ignored the bull and took out the Sword of Repentance then handed it to Du Wenrui: "Take it back, this is still your institution's defining treasure."

"You should give it to me instead." The greedy bull's eyes lit up and reached for it.

"Boom!" The moment it touched the sword, it got blown away with all four hooves pointing upward.

The sword didn't accept it, perhaps it hated this creature resulting in an instant attack.

"Bah! Just a broken sword, nothing's special about you. You used to be impressive when Desolate Saint was around but he's dead now, we'll see how long you stay cool for. Come, get out of your sheathe and I'll teach you a good lesson by stomping you into pieces! No, I'll refine you into molten metal too then pour the rest down the abyss so that you will never see the sun again!" The bull jumped up and angrily shouted.

"Why bother arguing so much with a broken sword?" Li Qiye gave it the side-eye.

"Right…" The bull found this logical and stood up straight to look down at the sword: "Yeah, I won't stoop down to its level, it can't get into my sight at all. Go ahead and stay at a crappy place like Repentance, no one wants you anyway."

"Clank!" The sword hummed back in an imperious manner, seemingly looking down on the bull too.

These two must have had a prior feud unknown to outsiders.

Li Qiye chuckled and told Wenrui: "Leave it to a fateful one in the future."

"..." Wenrui hesitated for a moment: "Student Li, since the sword has accepted you as a master, it is yours now."

He could tell that the sword was very happy to follow Li Qiye if he were to bring it along.

"I was only testing. It is a good sword though and a gentleman doesn't take someone else's treasure. A gentleman I'm not but I still won't take your academy's treasure." Li Qiye smiled.

"Then I'll have to shamelessly accept it, thank you." Wenrui pondered for a bit before bowing and accepting the sword.

"Clank!" The sword quietly hummed this time, expressing its unwillingness.

"Go now, this world will be changing soon. Academy of Light is your real home and you will meet a suitable master eventually." Li Qiye stroked it and said.

The sword calmed down after hearing this, allowing Wenrui to put it away. He bowed towards Li Qiye once more.

This sword was the defining treasure of their academy and extremely precious. Of course, Wenrui had no problem with Li Qiye taking it away.

This didn't mean that he didn't appreciate Li Qiye's generosity by giving it back. This was a kindness similar to Desolate Saint leaving it there.

This sword was powerful but not to the level of absolute necessity. Li Qiye had several similar weapons, some even more powerful.

He only took it along out of sheer curiosity and boredom, not to take it away from Repentance.

"Students, let's thank Young Noble Li for taking care of us on this trip." Wenrui told the students.

They bowed respectfully towards him with utmost sincerity. Li Qiye had indeed taken care of them along the way and gave them many fortunes.

"I pray for your success in the future, Student Li." Wenrui became slightly emotional and told Li Qiye.

"Yes, and I'm sure the light will shine on Repentance one day too." Li Qiye chuckled.

Wenrui then took the students away. They waved nonstop at him until they disappeared past the valley entrance.

"Hehe, Sir, where are we going now?" The bull was ready for more fun: "Should we go on a rampage and defeat everyone?"

"No, we'll head deeper inside for a look." Li Qiye glanced at the far reach of Sacred Mountain.

"Shit, really going to that place?" The bull was slightly afraid: "The truth is the area past Beast Garden is not under the jurisdiction of Sacred Mountain. I believe it is a prison, a terrible place for all intruders. The praises about the light and conversion are all lies, it will put shackles on people to strengthen the dao foundation."

"I thought you were fearless." Li Qiye said.

"He…hehe… I just don't know that much about that place, you know? It's not that comfortable there either." The bull had an awkward smile.

"I know you're afraid of that tree demon." Li Qiye casually revealed.

"Nonsense!" The bull jumped up and put on a haughty posture: "How can I be afraid of that old geezer? Hmph! I simply respect elders enough to go easy on him. In a real contest…"

"Yes, you will win if the contest is about boasting." Li Qiye chuckled.

"Sir, it's really not like that. The truth is that… we only have a minor misunderstanding between us." The bull said.

"Minor understanding? I'm sure you've done something despicable." Li Qiye looked at the bull with contempt.

"Hehe… it's nothing, I only ate a few leaves of his." The bull seemed to be bragging.

Judging by its past, it must have done more than just eating a few leaves.

"Hmph! He's just too stingy, you know? What's the point of getting angry at a neighbor over nothing?" The bull's expression quickly shifted to one of annoyance. It must have suffered quite a bit to be looking like this.

"What's in there?" Li Qiye ignored its rambling and got to the point.

"I don't know since I've never really cared." The bull shrugged: "To put it simply, I avoid having anything to do with Desolate Saint and what he's trying to do. Hehe, I only want Sacred Mountain. But, the old demon should know. I believe that he will go all out very soon, he has been waiting for a long time now."

"Let's go so I can end this trip." Li Qiye concluded.

"Then I won't be accompanying you, Sir, I just remembered that I got other stuff to do, see ya later." The bull ran out of the valley before finishing the sentence.

"Oh right, if Desolate Saint left some crappy stuff in there, please stomp on them for me, that hypocrite definitely didn't leave anything good." The bull blabbered on after being so far away.

Li Qiye started leaving too with the crab and the two birds sending him off. The latter didn't want him to leave since he had saved them twice.

"Can't follow me forever, we're about to leave the ancient courtyard now, go back." Li Qiye eventually told them.

The three bowed towards him and returned to the valley.

"Creak-" A while after he left the courtyard, it started to close. The seniors told the students to leave.

The place closed entirely and disappeared from sight after all the students have left.