"No—" The Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor decisively stated, "Fine, if you can open the Holy Cave, you can take one item from it, Li Gongzi!"

"Smart move." Li Qiye nodded, saying, "Once you're ready, find me. I'm heading back." With that, he turned and left the hall.

The Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor instructed Yu He to escort Li Qiye back.

After Li Qiye left, one elder couldn't help but speak, "Your Majesty, the matter of the Holy Cave seems hasty."

"Not necessarily." The Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor's voice resonated, "Since the founding of our Nine Saint Demon Gate, who has ever opened the Holy Cave? It has always remained sealed. This might be an opportunity, matching a truth our ancestor left behind."

The Great Elder nodded, supporting the Emperor, "It's worth a try. Since His Majesty has decided, let's have Li Qiye try."

"Your Majesty, what about the guardian deities? Why haven't we heard of them? Are our sect's guardians heavenly beasts or longevity spirits?" another elder couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know either." The Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor replied, "Regarding our guardian deities, there are very few records. Only the ancestral secret scrolls briefly mention them. The ancestors said the guardian deities would only manifest in times of sect-destroying crises. These secret scrolls can only be viewed by successive leaders."

"But they manifested this time," another elder pointed out.

"That's what I don't understand," admitted the Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor. "The guardian deities chose him, there must be a reason."

"That boy is truly peculiar," commented Elder Yun, the Great Elder. "According to Yu He, he easily passed through the Chaotic Heart Forest twice, which is utterly impossible. Now, the guardian deities have chosen him. It makes no sense!"

These words left the other elders in silence. They knew what passing through the fourteen layers of the Chaotic Heart Forest entailed.

"It's truly strange," another elder agreed. "Our sect is flourishing, with the most talented young generation in Dao cultivation led by Disciple Cold and unmatched potential by the Princess. Yet, the guardian deities chose neither but a youngster with no Dao cultivation and a mortal physique, mortal wheel, and mortal fate."

This elder couldn't help but complain. If the guardian deities chose an outsider, they could accept it if the chosen was an unparalleled genius. But they chose someone regarded as a useless kid.

"Ancient matters are beyond our understanding," conceded the Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor. Even with his vast experience, today's events were too strange for him to comprehend.

"Your Majesty, if Li Qiye really opens the Holy Cave, will we let him take an item?" another elder questioned.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Rumor has it there's an Immortal Emperor artifact in the Holy Cave," another elder added, clearly unwilling to part with such a treasure.

"If he truly opens the Holy Cave, it's fate." The Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor replied, "Sword Elder stated that in our lifetime, no one can open the Holy Cave! Li Qiye might be a miracle."

At the mention of "Sword Elder," the Nine Saint Demon Gate elders fell silent. In their sect, no one's authority surpassed Sword Elder's.

"Issue a decree: no disciple shall leak today's sect affairs. Violators will be severely punished. This is an iron rule!" The Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor commanded.

Regarding the guardian deities, the sect didn't want too much information leaking out.

After Li Qiye returned, they moved to more luxurious accommodations within the Nine Saint Demon Gate, reserved only for kings of great nations and emperors of ancient countries.

This treatment left Nan Huairen and Mo Protector awestruck. Even if their sect's elders or the headmaster visited, they wouldn't receive such treatment.

Now, Mo Protector and Nan Huairen understood that this treatment was due to Li Qiye.

When Li Qiye was escorted back by Yu He, Mo Protector and Nan Huairen couldn't help but stare at him but remained speechless.

Even Mo Protector dared not ask what Li Qiye discussed with the Sun-Wheel Demon Emperor. This matter was beyond his rank.

Mo Protector and Nan Huairen were left speechless. Over the past two days, Li Qiye had spoken with such arrogance, first killing Du Yuanguang, then belittling Xu Hui, and even proclaiming he would crush the Nine Saint Demon Gate. Mo Protector had often thought Li Qiye was recklessly arrogant, dangerously ignorant!

But upon reflection, they realized Li Qiye wasn't ignorant or boastful. He was simply stating facts, having planned everything meticulously.

Nan Huairen couldn't understand, and neither could Mo Protector. How did Li Qiye traverse the fourteen layers of the Chaotic Heart Forest? Why did the invincible stone guardians protect him? These questions baffled both master and disciple.

Now, Nan Huairen finally understood that when Li Qiye climbed the giant stone guardian, it wasn't for fun. He was preparing for something.

Upon further reflection, Nan Huairen realized his own shallow understanding.

"If you have something to say, just say it." Seeing Mo Protector and Nan Huairen hesitating, Li Qiye smiled, sitting down as if nothing had happened.

Mo Protector opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. Being a man of few words, he eventually sat down silently.

Compared to the taciturn Mo Protector, Nan Huairen was more agile. He looked at Li Qiye, opened and closed his mouth, then finally mustered the courage to ask, "Did it succeed?"

"What?" Li Qiye was puzzled by Nan Huairen's question.

"I mean, the marriage alliance, marrying the Princess," Nan Huairen stammered.

"You mean Li Shuangyan?" Li Qiye chuckled, shaking his head. "I didn't bother asking about it. She's just a woman, no need to fuss."

Li Qiye's arrogant words left Nan Huairen speechless. Li Shuangyan, the heir to the Nine Saint Demon Gate, future Demon Emperor, Princess of the Ancient Ox Country, was a woman of extraordinary beauty and unparalleled talent. Countless young heroes dreamt of marrying her.

In the entire Great Central Domain, the line of suitors for Li Shuangyan stretched from the eastern to the western borders of the Ancient Ox Country.

Yet to Li Qiye, Li Shuangyan was merely an insignificant woman. His arrogance and domineering attitude were astounding.

But now, Nan Huairen didn't find Li Qiye's arrogance unbelievable. Whatever Li Qiye said, no matter how outrageous, seemed reasonable.

Li Qiye's actions today shattered Nan Huairen's understanding and broke all conventions.

Nan Huairen closed his mouth but couldn't help glancing at Li Qiye's snake-whacking stick. This inconspicuous wooden stick had beaten Xu Hui, a True Fate realm expert, to a pulp, unable to rise. The impact was profound.

"If you want to see it, take it." Li Qiye noticed Nan Huairen's curious gaze and generously handed over the stick.

Nan Huairen received it eagerly, examining it closely. Even Mo Protector joined in.

Despite their scrutiny, it remained a simple wooden stick.

"Is this really the firewood stick from the ancestral hall?" Nan Huairen couldn't believe it, remembering the stick that had made Xu Hui howl.

"Yes," Li Qiye confirmed.

Nan Huairen swallowed hard, then nervously asked, "Senior Brother, can I try it out?"

"Look at you, so timid," Li Qiye laughed. "Go ahead."

With Li Qiye's permission, Nan Huairen swung the snake-whacking stick. Mo Protector watched intently, curious about the stick's magic.

But in Nan Huairen's hands, the stick lacked the power it had under Li Qiye's control. It wasn't as precise or powerful.

"Why does it become magical in your hands?" Nan Huairen was baffled.

Li Qiye glanced at him and slowly said, "Faith makes it work." He stopped there, unwilling to reveal the stick's true essence.

In Nan Huairen's hands, the snake-whacking stick couldn't unleash its full potential. Li Qiye had retrieved it from the Ghostly Forest and knew its secrets better than anyone.