Li Qiye remained stoic: “Tell me about the Longevity Gra.s.s and I will tell you my real thoughts.”

“Ah… haggling with me? That’s just like me… fine, fine, it’s okay to tell you. The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds didn’t get the Longevity Gra.s.s. Ah… it’s impossible to take the Longevity Gra.s.s, unless, unless I allow it.” The old man’s chest was rising up and down from laughing but this made it harder for him to breathe.

Li Qiye heaved a sigh of relief. It would be a devastating blow if the Ancient Ming had obtained that heavenly treasure. Now he could finally relax.

“However, brat, don’t be excited just yet. The Ancient Ming b.a.s.t.a.r.ds are, are nothing compared to what you will face in the future, the villainous heaven… they’re only ants and lackeys… If you really want to go for it, you, you still have a long way to go.” 

“I’ll always head for the finis.h.i.+ng line no matter how long it is.” Li Qiye said flatly.

“Ah… I do like your, your tenacity, just like when I was younger, the stubbornness and fearlessness…” The old man still laughed heartily despite being on his last leg.

Li Qiye waited for him to regain his breath before speaking: “You are you and I am me, simply enemies.”

“That’s fine too, enemy or family. Plus, even if we are enemies, where, where else can you find one that has lasted for several tens of million years?” The old man smiled.

Li Qiye didn’t answer.

After a long while, the old man pointed his quivering finger at Li Qiye and said: “Brat, if, if you want to win, you have to find that item, or you will never win. This is my conclusion after the endless years. You, you don’t know how many epochs have pa.s.sed. All methods have been exhausted… including refining an entire world, the nine heavenly scriptures, shouldering even more Heaven’s Wills, using the heavenly treasures… but no one has been successful.” He gasped for breath after the long sentence.

Li Qiye sent more energy and said: “No need for you to worry. I have found it and have an even deeper understanding of it than you.”

“Ah… brat, no need to brag. Though I have never seen it and only heard of its legends, but, but I didn’t waste my life for nothing…” The old man was unhappy.

Li Qiye chuckled without bothering to explain himself.

“Brat, I might not be able to witness your triumphant return, but if there is… h.e.l.l in this world, I’ll be smiling down there. That, that villainous and wretched heaven… someone will kill it eventually!” His last sentence was sonorous and powerful despite his current struggle.

“Talk about the Longevity Gra.s.s now.” Li Qiye changed the topic.

“Ah… brat, I know you have always wanted it.” The old man laughed: “Don’t worry, it is still in my possession, in this world, I, I am the only one who knows where it is.”

“Since you are about to die, reveal its location.” Li Qiye said slowly.

The old man eventually replied: “Brat, I, I can give you the gra.s.s. Just ask and it will be yours.”

“Of course, you have conditions.” Li Qiye understood.

“Right.” The old man laughed: “I have two conditions. One, you will accept me as your father. Second, find a girl to have several sons. One of them must take my last name. Agree with these two things and I will tell you where the gra.s.s is.”

Li Qiye immediately rejected and said flatly: “That’s impossible. I will not acknowledge an enemy as a father.”

“Brat, we’re more alike than you think. I have done many bad things but the same applies to you.” The old man chuckled.

“Other things are negotiable, not this.” Li Qiye said: “Change it and I shall do it regardless of the difficulty.”

“Ah… brat, you think, I, I can have any other wishes? Hah, after living for so long, I have seen everything there is to see. These are the only two things I want and it’s not hard for you at all. Bow and call me father then give me a grandchild. That’s, that’s all it takes, quite easy.”

“Unfortunately, I won’t be entertaining this.” Li QIye leisurely shook his head and was unmoved.

“Brat, you are just like me. If you won’t agree, I won’t help, help you either.” The old man laughed.

Li Qiye replied: “You can reconsider because I can prolong your life.”

The old man said: “Prolong my life? It’s not possible, I know my condition more than you. Ah… the truth is that living longer is meaningless now. At the very least, I have groomed someone like you, someone that can take the fight against the villainous heaven. Ah… brat, if you want to win, you better have the Longevity Gra.s.s.”

“I know. That’s why you should change your conditions. I can help you with your other unfinished wishes.”

“I don’t want anything else besides these two things.” 

“Then I can’t help you.” Li Qiye shook his head.

“You stubborn brat, my, my, only regret is not, not having a son like you, otherwise… I, I…” The hand pointing at Li Qiye fell down quietly.

“Old geezer, old geezer!” The anxious Li Qiye hurriedly shook the old man’s body while pouring in more energy but it was useless. The old man was truly dead this time.

A once untouchable existence that had ruled the upper realm and wors.h.i.+ped by the G.o.ds died a quiet death today. No one else knew about it.

Li Qiye gently sighed while hugging the old man. He couldn’t escape death even with the Longevity Gra.s.s. Nevertheless, he hid it in the last second at a location only he knew.

Of course, it was definitely not inside the grotto. It must have been a perilous situation and the old man was on his last leg. Not wanting the Ancient Ming to have it, he let go of the gra.s.s and used a special method to sent it away!

Li Qiye buried him and reshaped the throne into a divine memorial tablet. He stood before the grave and eventually started carving on the tablet with his finger - Grave of Everlasting Xiao s.h.i.+. 

He said: “Old geezer, rest well. Our past feuds and grievances have disappeared with your death. I will return one day after destroying the high heaven. Like you have said, if h.e.l.l exists in this world, you shall be smiling down there.”

With that, he bowed deeply towards the grave and took one last look around at this broken grotto. The world he knew so well no longer existed.

When he made it outside near the entrance, he glanced back again with all kind of emotions. Everything began at the Immortal Demon Grotto but this place was still destroyed. The geezer had fallen and the gra.s.s had disappeared.

He was now the ruler of the nine worlds, no longer a young shepherd.