Sage Monarch

"I won't personally be able to benefit from the Mahātmā Jade. However, I'm acquainted with a Paramount God from the dao of devils who's willing to trade it for something extremely valuable to me." Yang Qi was so adept and spinning yarns such as this that he hardly needed to think about it.

Of course, even if he had told the truth and said that he planned to assimilate the Mahātmā Jade, there was no way Summer Soundfyre would have believed him.

"Are you from the dao of devils?" Summer Soundfyre asked, suddenly on guard.

Yang Qi laughed. "Look at me. Do I seem like I am?"

"You're obviously a scholar from a confucian college, who cultivates pure confucian techniques. So it's surprising that you're friends with a Paramount God from the dao of devils. People like that are unreasonable, villainous backstabbers. They would kill, sell, or even eat their own wife or child if it benefited them. Maybe you made a deal with a Paramount God like that, but that's like asking a tiger for its skin. Definitely far more dangerous than working out a deal with me." Summer Soundfyre was obviously wording things vaguely in the hopes of getting Yang Qi to reveal more information.

"I have things planned out well," Yang Qi said. "Besides, I don't intend to just hand the Mahātmā Jade over to that Paramount God. I'm going to make sure that, in the end, he ends up completely empty-handed."

"Which Paramount God is it?"

"You know I can't tell you that. Let's cut to the chase. Are you going to help me get that piece of jade, or not?"

"It's a difficult request. Although nobody in the sect can use the Mahātmā Jade, it is an extremely valuable treasure, created long ago by the True Devil himself, and filled with profound secrets. Not even I can just waltz into the treasure storehouse. The only people who have that right are Paramount Gods, in other words, the housemother and chief eldresses. That said, considering it's not a signature treasure that we actually use for the protection of the sect, it's not impossible to acquire it. Of course, the chances of success will be very small. Perhaps one in ten thousand."

She thought for a moment. "I'll try to find an opportunity to get into the treasure storehouse and find exactly where the Mahātmā Jade is. But that's all I can do. Once I have Unbounded will convergence, and along with it, a higher position in the sect, I'll have the authority to help you take the jade."

"Fine. In that case, I'm going to place two bets. One on you, and one on Summer Vastcold. Hopefully the cooperation between the two of us works out well. For now, gather all the items you need for the ceremony, and I'll start putting together the cash."

"Excellent. You help me reach the Unbounded level, and I'll help you get the Mahātmā Jade. It's a deal."

"Deal."

Yang Qi knew that he couldn't truly trust or rely on either Summer Soundfyre or Summer Vastcold. And that was why he had other motives for helping them reach the Unbounded level. He had already infected them both with devil embryos, which he could activate when they attempted their breakthroughs, forcing them to fail. It hadn't been easy, but he had figured out a way to do it.

Having been in the Nacrelight Sageland for some time, he was familiar with the techniques its disciples used, and the vital energy in the area. By using his Sage Monarch Grand Magic in combination with the quintessence of this heaven and earth, he was able to do the impossible. And even though the legacy of the High Priestess was very impressive, it couldn't separate itself from the influence of the God Legion Seal.

When the two women attempted their breakthroughs, they would fail, and all the power they were using would be transmitted to him. Because of that, it was entirely possible he could achieve his desired breakthrough even without using the Mahātmā Jade.

In any case, Summer Vastcold and Summer Soundfyre were lucky that the 'help' he was giving them wouldn't kill them. He really was dragging them into a big plot.

As he had just agreed, Yang Qi went on to explain various daoist techniques and energy arts to Summer Soundfyre, including some of his imperial-heaven pre-beginning powers. During the process, he learned more about the quintessence of the Nacrelight Sageland.

The High Priestess had been skilled in all sorts of arts of sacrifice, and in fact, they closely resembled his own Sagely Sacrifice. Therefore, as he learned about the techniques of the Nacrelight Sageland, he was able to quickly devise methods to counter them if necessary.

Soon, the sun was rising. They had spent the entire night talking and exchanging information.

"We both benefited a lot tonight," Summer Soundfyre said. "I hope we can do this again soon. In the future, you can visit me in my mansion grotto, the Fyre Zither Hall. Take this medallion; it'll let you in whenever you want. This is the first time I've ever given a medallion like this to a man."

"Many thanks," Yang Qi said, accepting it. "Now I'll go see Summer Vastcold. Don't worry, I won't tell her anything about your ceremony."

She laughed. "No, that's fine. Tell her. If you don't, how will you earn her trust? I know you want things to go smoothly. Just remember, if you try to stand with a foot in two different boats, you'll eventually fall. At some point, you'll need to pick one of us, or the other."

Yang Qi laughed. "I will, eventually. It'll be easy. Whichever of you reaches the Unbounded level first will be my choice."

"Alright!"

With a swoosh, Summer Soundfyre vanished.

Yang Qi stood there thinking for a moment, then left himself. A short time later, he was in a heavenly palace that resembled a shining moon. It was Vastcold Palace, which was Summer Vastcold's mansion grotto. She was a Consummate God, so she had a high position in the sect, similar to Dragon Floret's position as leader of the Dragon Society. She and the others like her vied for leadership of the entire sect, and were beyond the influence of most other people.

When Yang Qi arrived, the disciples didn't dare to bar his path, but in fact, led the way. "Young Sir Void Qi, Elder Sister Vastcold is in the depths of the palace working on her cultivation. There's no need to announce your presence, we can take you right to her."

"Many thanks."

Yang Qi was led into a wide hall that was filled with the darkness of night. However, there were also a thousand moons rising overhead, casting beautiful, cold light everywhere.

This was where Summer Vastcold practiced cultivation.

Yang Qi didn't interrupt her. He simply sat down quietly and waited. An hour passed before she finally opened her eyes, whereupon the numerous moons slowly sank back down into her body. Looking at Yang Qi, she smiled. "Well? How did your evening discussion with Summer Soundfyre go? Did you find out what she's planning to do?"

He nodded. "I know everything she's planning. She found an ancient sacrificial technique that she plans to use in the Supplication God Temple. She believes the noble spirit of the High Priestess will bless her with the power of prayer, which she can use to reach the Unbounded level."

"What?!" Summer Vastcold said. "An ancient sacrificial technique? What a stupid idea. Wait, did you find out what specific technique it is?"

"She didn't say. It's obviously a big secret, and she's not stupid enough to just tell me all the details. In fact, I suspect that she might have told me this knowing that I would reveal it to you, hoping it would affect your thinking. Maybe she wants you to experience cultivation deviation when you take the Wisdom and Knowledge God Pill. Furthermore, I have no way to determine if she was telling the truth or not."

"You're right," Summer Vastcold said. "She's full of craft and cunning, and absolutely must not be trusted. Did she ask for your help?"

"Yes. She said that to complete the ceremony, she needs innumerable precious materials, and that she can't afford all of them. So she proposed a cooperation." He smiled coldly. "But I'm no fool. It's not as if I'll just hand over money without getting something in return."

"She actually asked for a loan from you to perform her ceremony? Hmph! I can already see what's going on here. It must be a very expensive ceremony. How much did she ask for?"

"Two hundred billion," Yang Qi said.

"What?!" she blurted. "Say that again? Did I hear clearly? How much?!"

"Two hundred billion!" he repeated.

Summer Vastcold's face went slack for a moment, but then she sneered and rose to her feet. Pacing back and forth, she said, "Two hundred billion... two hundred billion.... Not even a host of sects in the Nacrelight Sageland could come up with that much money, at least not quickly. She's like a lion opening its jaws wide. Incredible. This Summer Soundfyre really doesn't know the height of the heavens and the breadth of the earth. So what did you say? Did you agree?"

"Of course not! I said I could probably come up with that much money, but that it would take time. Furthermore, I knew that even if I wanted to come up with some plot against her, I'd still need to come back here and discuss the matter with you first."

"Can you really produce two hundred billion?" she asked quizzically.

"Not easily. But given enough time, I could. Maybe in six months or a year." In this regard, he wasn't lying. He could make godnotes, but it took effort.

"Incredible. Simply incredible. Two hundred billion godnotes is an incredible amount. I think you and I need to talk things over again. It seems to me that if Summer Vastcold really needs that much money to perform her ceremony, then without your help, she'll never succeed."

"That's exactly the situation," Yang Qi said. "So there's no way I'm going to give her the money."

"No. You have to help her. It's an opportunity provided by heaven itself. Remember, there are dangers involved in using the Wisdom and Knowledge Pill. I might not necessarily reach the Unbounded level. But if I could use that sacrificial technique at the same time, it would increase my chances of success to seventy or eighty percent. That's the safest bet. In other words, I need you to work with Summer Vastcold, but in the end, after she's collected all of the materials, we'll steal them from her!"