Sage Monarch

"What mission?" Yang Qi said. He had known all along that the incident with the purrling would attract the attention of the Crown Prince Society, and they would want his help in trying to recruit Jadefall.

Sure enough, Dream Daylily said, "You need to recruit Jadefall. She absolutely must be a member of the Crown Prince Society, or at the very least, offer backing. There's no doubt that this incident will soon be a hot topic in the Eternal-Life God-Dynasty, and that the crown prince's enemies will be trying to recruit her. You need to keep your eyes and ears open! Pay attention to who comes to visit Jadefall, and report that information to me immediately."

"Understood. Not long ago, I was at a banquet attended by various princesses, imperial ladies, vice princes, and heirs apparent. Unfortunately, the banquet didn't end well, and I left on bad terms with all those people. Afterward, not a single one ever reached out to me."

"I'll make this simple: report all information to me. And keep an eye on Jadefall."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Incidentally, your Sage Monarch Consortium has been rapidly growing as of late. Assuming you can successfully recruit Jadefall, it'll count as a major meritorious service. And in that case, we'll help you with your business. With our help, you can expand it into a major force."

"I understand."

"You're dismissed," she said, waving her hand.

Dream Daylily watched Yang Qi leave and thought, 'It's a good thing we have someone so close to Jadefall. That said, his cultivation base is still a bit too low. We need to help him advance his energy arts before he can truly be useful. Now, as for this purrling... I almost can't believe it was strong enough to deal with a talisman from Patriarch Deva. Its true level of strength is still a mystery. I wonder if it'll play a decisive role in the struggles taking place in the Eternal-Life God-Dynasty.'

After Yang Qi left, he didn't go back to the god kingdom of the House of God Ordainment. Instead, he flew out of the city and over the open ocean.

He had just sensed Dragon Floret leave the god kingdom and head out toward some unknown location, presumably to meet with Patriarch Deva.

Yang Qi planned to intercept and kill him. If he didn't strike quickly and eliminate the man, and Patriarch Deva were pulled into the situation with the purrling, the consequences would be too horrible to contemplate.

WOOOOSH!

Locking on to his quarry, Yang Qi shot across the water at top speed. Things had changed a lot since the time he left the Lightningbolt Continent and headed to the House of God Ordainment. The distance it had taken him half a year to traverse back then could now be covered in an hour.

And if he hadn't been concerned about conserving vital energy, he could have slipped through the spatial tempests and covered the distance in the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

He flew for three days and nights across the boundless ocean as he chased after Dragon Floret. He had no idea where the man was heading, but he had a feeling that the destination was approaching.

Eventually, he found himself in an area where the water was covered with thick fog, making it almost impossible to see. However, it was certain that there were powerful sea beasts lurking below the water's surface. The god world was a dangerous place, so it was entirely likely that patriarch-level beasts could appear, the type that could destroy the heavens and extinguish the earth.

Rocky reefs soon became visible everywhere, and Yang Qi caught sight of sea dragons within them, all of them in the Quasi-God level.

The sea dragons didn't even notice Yang Qi, and before long, he reached a reef that Dragon Floret had just passed through.

It was pitch black, and stretched for about five kilometers from end to end. There were no signs of life, whether sea dragon or any other kind, as Dragon Floret's aura was strong enough to drive away any such creatures.

"Damn you, Jadefall," Dragon Floret murmured as he popped a medicinal pill into his mouth. "I can't believe you hurt me so bad I had to run out looking for Patriarch Deva. It's going to take another two months before I reach my destination. And I'm going to drain a lot of energy and life force to get there. When I reach the spatial nexus, I'll have to send my report in and wait another month before I get a response. Only then will I know if I can get into the god kingdom and see Patriarch Deva. Who knows if I'll be given an audience, but I have to try. I have to make sure that Jadefall and her purrling get what they deserve. That Yang Qi, too. That arrogant amateur is nothing but a dog relying on the influence of its master."

Dragon Floret rose to his feet and prepared to fly away.

However, that was when he realized that there was someone else standing on the reef with him, someone who had arrived without him detecting them.

"Who are you?!" Dragon Floret said. He could sense that this person's psyche had locked on to him, which meant that no matter where he ran, the person would be able to track him down. It was obviously a top expert!

"It's me," Yang Qi said, flicking his sleeve to dispel the nearby fog. Instantly, the entire area for dozens of kilometers in every direction was completely bright and clear. "Did I just hear you call me an arrogant amateur, Dragon Floret? And a dog relying on the influence of its master?"

"It's you?!" Dragon Floret's pupils constricted as he realized it was Yang Qi. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to kill you!" Yang Qi replied, his hands clasped behind his back. A quick assessment confirmed that Dragon Floret's godhood was still fractured, and he had not recovered from his injuries. He could only fight at about thirty percent of his normal strength, which meant that right now was the best opportunity to attack him.

Back when Yang Qi took the Ten-Directions Many-Heavens Pills from the White-Haired Boxer King, it had given him a strong foundation for his monarch godhood. And the White-Haired Boxer King was inferior to Dragon Floret. If he could get Dragon Floret's medicinal pills, Yang Qi was fairly certain that he could reach the mid Lesser God level, or perhaps even the late or peak level.

"Is Jadefall here? And the purrling?" From the way Dragon Floret was looking around, it seemed he wasn't worried at all about Yang Qi specifically.

"No, they're not here," Yang Qi said. "They're safe back in the god kingdom. I'm going to kill you myself."

"You came alone?" Dragon Floret said, and he visibly relaxed as an expression of scorn appeared on his face. "You're going to kill me? And how exactly are you, a mere Lesser God, going to do that? The sect rules prohibit killing amongst disciples, but you're a nobody. I could kill you and no one would care at all. Besides, your lunatic ravings about trying to kill me are inherently a violation of sect rules."

Yang Qi sighed. "Ai. Why do so many people look down on me? Although, I suppose it makes sense, considering I've been keeping a low profile. The purrling has been attracting all the attention, and I've been trying to refrain from making any waves. Don't worry, though. No one will suspect me of being the one who killed you."

"Prepare to die!" Dragon Floret shouted, and a streak of silver light shot rapidly toward Yang Qi's forehead. It was a silver needle; not a concealed weapon, but a crystallized form of godpower used as a deadly assassination technique.

However, the silver needle stopped about three inches away from Yang Qi's forehead, whereupon he reached out and grabbed it with two fingers. The needle instantly burst into flames and melted into nothing.

"A Dragon Whisker Needle?" Yang Qi said. "Not bad at all, Dragon Floret. You just said I'm a nobody, right? So why exactly did you resort to something as ruthless as a Dragon Whisker Needle?"

"You actually stopped my Dragon Whisker Needle?" Dragon Floret said, his expression turning serious. "Who exactly are you? I used a lot of power in that move, so there's no way a measly Lesser God could deal with it. You're obviously hiding your true strength. So what exactly are you here to accomplish?"

"Didn't I already make that clear? I'm here to kill you. And you're right, the reason I'm so confident is that I've been hiding my strength. Considering you're about to die, I guess I might as well tell you that I'm with the Crown Prince Society."

Of course, the entire goal here was to cast guilt on the Crown Prince Society.

"The Crown Prince Society?!" Dragon Floret said, his expression hardening further. "So, you and Jadefall have been getting help from the crown prince? No wonder she became a princess of the Eternal-Life God-Dynasty. So what's your goal? Overthrow the House of God Ordainment?"

"It's hard to say whether we'll overthrow it or not. Regardless, the time has come for you to die. Now that you know we're from the Crown Prince Society, there's no way I'll let you get away with your life. Incidentally, seeking help from Patriarch Deva isn't going to do any good. He might be strong, but he won't go up against the Eternal-Life God-Dynasty for your sake. To him, you're nothing but an ant."

Dragon Floret suddenly burst out laughing. "You really like to monologue, don't you? Look, are you going to try to kill me, or not. I've been in more fights than you can imagine, and I always come out on top. I have killer instincts, so in the end, there's no way you'll ever kill me. Now that I know Jadefall's secret, I'm even more certain I can have her expelled from the sect."

"Enough jibber-jabber," Yang Qi, clenching his hand into a fist.

RUMBLE!

Heaven and earth crumbled, and the sun and moon sank as Yang Qi resorted to a killing move. It was the most powerful of the stances in the Hand of the One God: Immortality. Everything around him crumbled as he grew physically larger, his godhood pulsing to the limit.

As soon as the attack was unleashed, Dragon Floret suddenly realized that all he could see was the incoming fist. Nothing else was visible. And he could tell that there was no way to dodge the move. Within the approaching fist-wind were holy hymns, buddhist chants, prayers, the sighs of gods, and the pleas of all living beings. It was almost as if he were looking at a scripture that was both devilish and not devilish, which described the profundities of predestination and tribulations.

"This...." he said, his heart pounding. "How could your fist technique be so powerful? So enigmatic? This can't be the fist technique of a Lesser God! This is invincible! Not even I can match up to this!"