Sage Monarch

A thousand years passed within the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart, during which time Yang Qi honed his energy arts to an incredible level. He didn't focus on his cultivation base, but rather his psyche. Eventually, it was at the perfect level, yet he still wasn't ready to become a Grand Emperor. Earlier, he had considered doing so as a way to deal with the Wretch-God Apostle. But after the way things had turned out, he decided to wait, and use the tribulation that would result at a critical moment.

For now, he was certain that even if he ascended the final stairs and became a Grand Emperor, he still wouldn't be able to break through to the Terrifying level. There was only one way he would succeed at that: by getting the Mahātmā Jade.

Although a thousand years had passed inside the Myriad Worlds Monarch Chart, only a few days went by in the outside world. After Yang Qi and his companions were all finished with their sessions of cultivation, they finally returned to the Will Manifestation Heaven Sect.

Ding. Dong. Ding. Dong.

As soon as they arrived, bells tolled, calling the chief elders to assemble. The scale of the meeting was much bigger than anything from before, as many entities who were normally in seclusion all arrived.

And that was because something very important was going to happen.

Of course, many people were wondering why exactly the sectlord was calling a meeting like this. However, the most important bells were being sounded, making it clear that everyone had to attend. Even Peaklords Grand Might, Spiritwall, and Nāropa, who had all been told they were confined to their various mountain peaks, were instructed to attend.

As everyone gathered, they saw the sectlord sitting there, and instantly realized that something seemed different about him, as though he had made a breakthrough of some sort.

"Congratulations, Sectlord!" one of the chief elders said. "You finally succeeded in cultivating the ultimate defensive art of our sect, the Will-Manifestation Nine-Cauldrons Alchemy-Dao Grand Energy! You've reached the seventh division of that art, haven't you?"

"That's right. My recent days of contemplation have allowed me to reach the seventh division. In the days to come, I'll eventually reach the eighth and ninth division, and begin to walk the path of the gods."

"Congratulations, Sectlord," the peaklords all said, rising to their feet in respect.

As Yang Qi had long since come to realize, the sectlord cultivated a technique in which he formed cauldron furnaces within him. In fact, they were very much like his own Heaven and Earth Furnace, the only difference being that, instead of there being only one, there would ultimately be nine. Reaching the level of nine would lead to incredible power and would allow him to concoct a Will Manifestation Golden Pill, which was something very similar to true godhood.

"Everyone, please, be seated," the sectlord said. "I called this meeting today to announce something very important. The position of junior sectlord has long since been empty in our sect. Although many elite young ones have risen up, and many of them have struggled to win the title, none have been worthy. But today, that problem ends."

Almost immediately, discussions were breaking out because of his words.

The position of junior sectlord was extremely important, and could be likened to that of a crown prince in the mortal world. Except the junior sectlord was vastly more powerful. The Will Manifestation Heaven Sect was home to countless nations with huge populations, and the junior sectlord would essentially have power over all of them.

"Sir, who exactly have you picked to be the junior sectlord?" one of the chief elders said. "This seems to be something of a hasty decision. Shouldn't we at least have a martial arts competition among the young ones to determine who's the strongest among them?"

"I've already made the decision," the sectlord said, "and you'll accept him wholeheartedly. There's no need for any competition. Yang Qi, please, step forward!"

Yang Qi walked out from behind the sectlord, pulsing with energy.

"Him? Yang Qi? Wasn't he taken captive? Don't tell me he escaped from the Executors of the Ancient Road! Or did you rescue him, Sectlord?"

"So, he's back...."

"Incredible. I can't believe he actually escaped alive from the Executors of the Ancient Road."

"His energy arts are so profound that even their junior superintendent lost to him...."

"Well, he's strong enough to be the junior sectlord. Except...."

There was no doubt that Yang Qi's return was causing widespread shock.

One of the chief elders, who normally spent his time in seclusion, shook his head and said, "Sectlord, we don't know much about where this kid is from. I heard about how he defeated that junior superintendent, but how do you know his escape from the Executors of the Ancient Road isn't a part of some larger plot? Remember, the executors had Chief Elder Coolwind as a spy. Although you uncovered the truth and purged the sect, what if you're mistaken in this decision? It could really lead to a huge disaster."

Peaklord Grand Might looked around and saw that many of the chief elders seemed to be nodding in agreement. Raising his voice, he said, "That's right, Sectlord. I know you don't want to hear it, but I have something that needs to be said."

After all, Yang Qi had been missing for a year. For him to suddenly show up right now was somewhat suspicious.

"Oh?" the sectlord replied amiably. "What exactly do you have to say?"

"That this kid is definitely working for the Executors of the Ancient Road! He's just trying to undermine our power!" Giving a meaningful look to the other two peaklords he knew were on his side, he said, "He definitely has some ulterior motives for wanting to be the junior sectlord. Villainous motives! I suggest he be arrested! Crush him, interrogate him about his background, then execute him!"

Peaklord Grand Might had hated Yang Qi for a long time, and obviously wasn't willing to let go of the grudge.

The other two peaklords also rose to their feet with vicious smiles.

"I agree! He absolutely, positively cannot be allowed to be the junior sectlord!"

"I also agree! We can't allow this brat to run free. He must be arrested and interrogated to reveal the truth. Peaklords, we are in a moment where life and death are on the line, and there's no way we can allow a shifty character of unknown origin to steal the title of junior sectlord. That position is a fundamentally important part of our sect that cannot be held by the wrong person."

The other peaklords shifted restlessly.

"So there are people who object to me being the junior sectlord?" Yang Qi said in a voice that was very casual, yet somehow seemed anything but casual. "In that case, I suppose I can only—"

"You can only die, you dirty little swine!" Peaklord Spiritwall shouted. "Get on your knees right now."

"What I was going to say was that I can only crush my opposition with no mercy!" Yang Qi said, his eyes flashing. "Anyone who stands against me will die!"

RUMBLE!

Yang Qi suddenly vanished, then reappeared right in front of Peaklord Spiritwall, his fist shooting toward him with deadly force!

"How dare you attack me, swine!" Peaklord Spiritwall wasn't the kind of person who could easily be trifled with, and had been on guard the entire time. Now that he saw Yang Qi making a move, he thrust his hand out, and his five fingers almost looked like mountains. "Spiritwall Mountain-Shifting Grand Magic!"

Vital energy erupted in the shape of a mountain, then descended in crushing fashion toward Yang Qi.

However, Yang Qi simply punched his way through it, then crushed Peaklord Spiritwall's defensive empyrean energy and landed a blow onto his abdomen.

SPLAT!

Peaklord Spiritwall didn't even have a chance to scream. A massive conglomeration of blood erupted from his mouth and his face turned as gray as death as he was flung backward through the air. Nearly unconscious, he slammed into the ground in the middle of the square in the shape of the character 大, unable to even crawl to his feet.

Having used only one move to defeat Peaklord Spiritwall, Yang Qi moved with an enigmatic quickness as he went on to deal with Peaklords Grand Might and Nāropa. In the blink of an eye, a massive palm energy locked on to them, and looks of alarm appeared on their faces as they tried to defend themselves.

Unfortunately for them, Yang Qi was simply too fierce, and his moves were impossible to defend against. In the time it takes a spark to fly off of a piece of flint, their true energy was destroyed and they were struck, ripping their tendons to shreds and causing blood to spray from their mouths.

Two more peaklords were tossed in a heap in the middle of the square. It happened with such unimaginable speed that no one had a chance to even react. Three peaklords were defeated in vicious fashion, then tossed into a pile with injuries so bad they were left gasping for breath.

"How dare you commit such a violent crime, you evil creature!"

Several chief elders quickly joined forces to unleash a combined fiery palm strike in retaliation.

Meanwhile, Yang Qi burst into motion, launching a fist strike so powerful that its mere passage through the air caused the entire area to lurch so violently that many people lost their footing.

The fist slammed into the flame and sent it back toward its source. The chief elders were sent staggering backward, looks of shock on their face. How could they ever have guessed that Yang Qi would be this strong? At a minimum, he was obviously thousands of times stronger than when he had fought the junior superintendent.

Even more shocking, he still wasn't even in the Terrifying level! It was completely heaven-defying for someone in the Destabilizing level to push their cultivation to such heights.

"Surround him! The brat has gone mad!" Some of the chief elders were still planning to press the attack on Yang Qi.

However, that was when the sectlord said, "Stay your hand!"

Looking at Yang Qi, he said, "You're being a bit too merciless. Those peaklords aren't spies, after all. They're just narrow-minded and petty, nothing more."

"Narrow-minded and petty people inevitably cause big disasters," Yang Qi said. "Besides, I wasn't trying to kill them, just teach them a lesson. As long as they agree to accept me wholeheartedly, I can heal them. You're well aware of what I can do, Sectlord."

"That's right," Peaklord Celestial said, stepping forward and clasping Yang Qi's shoulder. "Stay your hands, Chief Elders. Yang Qi has performed amazing services for our sect. In fact, the reason the sectlord reached the seventh division is all because of him. Furthermore, he helped Peaklord Memory and myself to advance our energy arts. As you all know, one of the reasons our Will Manifestation Heaven Sect had grown so powerful is because of the psychic scaling systems. But Yang Qi has the Engine of the One God! With enough power to fuel it, we'll experience even more explosive growth than before!"

"What? The Engine of the One God? The driving force behind the Cruiser of Civilization?" The shocked eyes of everyone present shifted to Yang Qi.