Li Qiye emotionlessly stated: “What else do you think I’m going to do outside of chopping your head? As if I would show mercy and let you go.”

“Are, are you forgetting that I’m the National Tutor of Everlasting?! A generational ally with Longevity Valley, you will be breaking this friendship and declaring war!” The scared tutor decided to change his rhetoric in order to survive.

“A generational ally, huh?” Li Qiye smiled: “How convenient for you. Coming for a marriage proposal right after our valley lord is recovering from an ambush, wanting to marry our great doctor. Then at the point of conflict, you showed up quite fast too, were you hanging around right outside?”

The experts outside glanced at each other; this was the first time they have heard about the valley lord’s injuries. They understood right away- Everlasting wanted to use this opportunity to spy on Longevity Valley’s true power.

“It’s just a coincidence, yes, a coincidence.” Hongjian didn’t give a damn about face and reputation right now. These things were worthless before death.

“I see.” Li Qiye chuckled: “So if my hand slip and chop off your head by accident, that’s another coincidence, right? I guess I wouldn’t mind such a coincidence then.”

The tutor knew that begging and conceding were useless right now.

“Kill me and you will bring about a disaster to Longevity.” He took a deep breath and decided to make a threat: “There are people behind this beyond your level, beyond Longevity Valley. You can’t afford to provoke them.”

“There are?” Li Qiye grinned.

“That’s right.” Hongjian thought he had a breakthrough and said coldly: “They are from above, not to mention killing you, destroying Longevity Valley will be all too ea-”

Li Qiye casually swung his hand before the guy could finish and lob off his head. Blood gushed out from the neck and stained the ground.

His head rolled far away; his eyes still wide open. Dying in this manner was a complete surprise since his threat was useless.

“People I can’t afford to provoke?” Li Qiye laughed: “My mood determines everything, whether it be sunshine for all or a tempest that can make the gods tremble! There is no one I can’t afford to provoke.”

The statement was uttered rather casually but the content astounded the crowd.

Eventually, the valley captured the surviving disciples who came with the monarch and took them to Li Qiye.

They kneeled, shivering and pale. Just a while ago, they came with their chest arched forward and their head held high. Now, they were fish on the chopping board.

Li Qiye glanced at them and swung his hand again. One head fell after another; a shade of red filled the soil palette.

The last survivor was paralyzed with fear and had pissed his pants.

“Will you kindly send a message for me? Tell Everlasting that when I have time, I’ll pay a visit and annihilate them.” Li Qiye said softly.

Having said that, he threw the disciple away.

A while after landing on the ground, the scared disciple ran, wanting nothing more than to grow two more legs to flee even faster.

Meanwhile, the crowd and the disciples of Longevity Valley were speechless.

The disciples were slightly indisposed but a sense of excitement overtook this. All along, their sect has been keeping a low-profile and didn’t compete with outsiders.

Despite being in charge of the system, they were forgotten by the rest of the world, unlike the other systems’ leaders. These leaders were supreme sects, capable of ruling and commanding their neighbors. 

This wasn’t the case here since Longevity Valley didn’t impose on anyone’s sovereignty.

Thus, when their disciples walked outside, they weren’t special and scary at all. Some were even bullied by other members, for example, those from Everlasting.

Now, Li Qiye’s style was the complete opposite - aggressive, domineering, unreasonable, and even tyrannical. These attitudes were missing from the valley.

He didn’t mind killing an Ascender and destroy the pretentious facade of a relationship between the two powers by declaring war.

The ancestors from the valley wouldn’t necessarily be able to do this since they had a rather conservative policy, contrary to Li Qiye who always went all out, leaving both him and the opponents no room to back off.

This was the reason why the disciples here were having mixed feelings. Some of them were annoyed with Everlasting, wanting to teach it a lesson about who is the real master of Longevity System.

His actions right now certainly made them feel good and proud, despite the potential implications of war.

“Is Longevity Valley about to break out of its shell?” An outsider from the last generation speculated after seeing the First Disciple’s different style.

Li Qiye ignored all of the gossips and returned to Hundred-flowers. In his eyes, killing an Ascender was no different from crushing an ant.

“Everlasting had found a strong backing.” Miaozhen, on the contrary, was very worried.

From what the monarch and Hongjian’s last words, they could tell that Everlasting didn’t only want to take over. Someone else was adding oil to the fire.

“That’s good, just makes the killing more interesting.” Li Qiye chuckled.

“You’re having a good time after dragging us into war.” She glared at him and pouted.

“So you prefer Longevity Valley conceding time and time again, and that will make Everlasting stop? That’s your way of avoiding war? The only thing you’re accomplishing by doing so is adding to their ego.” He retorted.

She had no response since she understood he was telling the truth. Everlasting wasn’t doing anything right now but they certainly coveted the system. This stalemate wouldn't last forever.

Everlasting needed to defeat or even destroy Longevity Valley in order to carry out their ambition. That’s the only way to take over the system and its power completely.

Thus, it didn’t matter how much Longevity Valley compromised, war was inevitable - only a matter of time.

“I need to know who is actually behind this plot.” She sighed and said.

All of the events in the last several days were part of a plan by someone.

“It doesn’t matter.” He said: “Before absolute power, schemes and plans are meaningless.”

“That’s easier said than done.” Miaozhen didn’t know what to do before this confident man.

She felt that he would stay true to his words which was strange because he was only a junior right now and didn’t deserve her blind confidence.

“How’s the valley lord?” He asked.

She shook her head: “I don’t know since I haven’t seen her yet. I hope that she’ll be fine with the help of the ancestral cauldron.”

Perhaps she was comforting herself by being so optimistic. Ultimately, the fact that they had to resort to using the ancestral cauldron was indicative of her master’s grievous injuries. This made all the disciples in the valley restless, not just her alone.