It was natural that Yu He could not see through an object like the Serpent Punishing Stick. Since ancient times, the number of people that had seen it with their own eyes was few. Without his knowledge from traversing the ominous grounds, he too would not have known the secret and magical properties of the Serpent Punishing Stick.
If one could not discern its characteristics, then it would only be a wooden stick in their eyes.
"I'll kill you!" Although his body was tattered with wounds, his Silver Eagle Physique activated automatically. Below Xu Hui's ribs, two sharp claws came out and went for Li Qiye's heart.
Xu Hui had the Silver Eagle Physique because his father was a Silver Eagle that transformed into a human from having an accomplished cultivation. The pair of claws were always hiding inside his body in case he ever needed to suddenly surprise his enemies.
"Phanh!" The wooden stick easily stopped the silver eagle claws, forcing them back into Xu Hui's body.
Li Qiye coldly proclaimed: "You seek your own death!"
"Whoosh whoosh." Two blades immediately pierce through Xu Hui's shoulders and pinched him into the ground, immobilizing his body.
"Do you think it is that easy to kill me? Today, I'm going to hit you without mercy." Li Qiye continued to hit Xu Hui with the wooden stick. He felt cheated by the event that had just transpired.
At this moment, Protector Hua could no longer keep watching. He jumped into the battle stage and yelled: "That is enough!"
Li Qiye glanced at him and said: "What now? If the child can't win, the old man wants to join in as well?"
"Young one, don't be so delusional!" His eyes contained anger and hatred as he gravely said: "Let him go, or I will personally kill you today."
"I was going to spare him, but…" After finishing, Li Qiye sliced the two blades across Xu Hui's body, severing him into multiple pieces. The blades that struck through to the floor created a rain of blood and sparks.
"Hui'er! You little bastard, accept your death!" Protector Hua lost all restraint and his blood force punctured the sky. A magical sword, towering twenty thousand meters, flew towards Li Qiye.
Protector Mo couldn't react in time, his mind was full of panic.
"Bang!" As the sky-piercing sword appeared, a gigantic foot from the heavens suddenly stomped down with an unstoppable force. No one could stop this blow. Not a Named Hero, not a Royal Noble, not even an Enlightened Being or a Heavenly King would have been able to. All living beings were just ants in the face of the might of this foot.
"Noooo!" Protector Hua only managed to let out a pitiful scream. His body, under the giant foot, became meat paste; he couldn't be any more dead.
Everyone was shocked because the foot did not belong to Li Qiye; it was from one of the four gigantic statues situated at the four corners of this battle stage. It was unbelievable that a Royal Noble like Protector Hua was killed in one stomp.
"You can't…" Everything happened too fast. Grand Protector Yu He had ignited his blood force and flung it towards the foot in order to save Protector Hua.
However, the foot that stomped down did not take any damage and performed another stomp instead.
"Bang!" Yu He was smashed straight into the main mountain. His blood wouldn't stop flowing.
"Don't you dare!" A thunderous cry roared up in the sky; it was as if it was encompassing all of the mysterious truths of the heaven and earth. Heavenly auras illuminated the sky. A person suddenly appeared in the distance, floating in the air. Behind his head was a heavenly blinding aura that could burn the world.
All of the Nine Saint Demon Gate disciples yelled out in bewilderment: "First Elder!" The first elder raised his palm and immediately flipped it towards the statue. This palm technique that carried incomparable might flew towards the statue.
"Bang!" Another deafening sound blasted into the air. This time, the statue used its hand to meet the palm strike. It annihilated the technique; the first elder's blood painted the sky's color. Even someone as formidable as he could not handle a single strike from the statue.
Everyone was at a loss for words. The statues at the battle stage suddenly made a move, killing Protector Hua, kicking Yu He away, and used one punch to defeat the first elder.
Afterward, the statue remained still like nothing had happened.
Li Qiye, in the middle of the arena, casually opened his mouth: "Like I said, if the Nine Saint Demon Gate does not follow the rules, I have no qualms in flipping your sect upside down."
"Hmmmph…" The first elder, although wounded, had his blood force that was still going strong. He immediately flew to the sky, wanting to use all of his might against the statues. He was afraid inside because he did not know why their own statues would rebel against the sect.
"Elder, don't make any more moves. These four statues are the Heavenly Guardians of the Nine Saint Demon Gate."
A commanding voice filled with nobility rang from the deepest part of the Nine Saint Demon Gate.
"Sect Master!"
Hearing this voice, everyone from the Nine Saint Demon Gate knew who it belonged to. This was the sect master, Demon King Lun Ri, the leader of a whole generation of geniuses in the Grand Middle Territory.
The first elder stopped immediately. He kept staring at the four statues while pondering many questions.
All of the disciples were surprised as well. They have never heard anyone talk about the sect having Heavenly Guardians, let alone Heavenly Guardians that could harm their own sect.
"Elder, Protector Yu He, please invite Young Master Li into the sky chamber to talk."
After hearing the invitation, Li Qiye smirked and answered: "Finally, someone who can see with their eyes. A little talk won't hurt."
Grand Protector Yu He quickly came to Li Qiye and respectfully gestured him towards the sky chamber. The more he stared at Li Qiye, the more afraid he became. This thirteen-year-old was too frightening.
***
The sky chamber was an important location in the Nine Saint Demon Gate. All major decisions were discussed and made there, and only elders had the qualifications to enter.
Of course, Protector Mo and Nan Huairen could not enter. Since the sky chamber was situated in the deepest part of the sect and Li QI Ye could not fly, a grand Royal Noble like Yu He had to bend down to fly him over on his back.
Right now, all of the elders were present in the chamber. Heavenly auras came from all of their bodies and their Life Wheels bounced up and down. Mysterious patterns of laws that resembled the creation of a new world crossed their bodies. They had all reached the stage of Enlightened Being and were definitely not Royal Nobles.
One Royal Noble could destroy the entire Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect, so one can imagine just how strong an Enlightened Being was. The hidden strength of the Nine Saint Demon Gate was truly staggering when seen; it was no wonder they were the rulers of Old Ox Country.
Despite all of this, Li Qiye was not surprised one bit and sat down gracefully in the sky chamber.
"Since the ancient times, no one had ever connected with our Heavenly Guardians."
The Demon King's voice appeared, but no one could see him.
Li Qiye shook his head and said: "I don't like talking to people who hide their face behind a veil."
The elders were not pleased with his words. Demon King Lun Ri was a monstrous man, and all of the elders here deeply respected and feared him. However, this Li Qiye wasn't minding his words towards the King at all.
Demon King Lun Ri patiently explained: "It is not that I don't want to see Young Master Li. Unfortunately, I am still in the middle of closed cultivation, so I can't personally meet you."
Li Qiye nodded his head and smiled: "Fine, I won't make it hard for you. At the very least, I am a very reasonable man."
Lun Ri politely inquired: "I want to hear how you were able to connect with our Heavenly Guardians."
All the elders were surprised as well. They never knew that their sect had Heavenly Guardians.
At this moment, Lun Ri started to explain: "The Nine Saint Demon Gate has four Heavenly Guardians which are the four statues at the battle stage. They were invited by the patriarch to protect our sect. Not only that, they also guard the heaven vein and earth vein between the battle stage, the bloodline of our sect. However, they have never made a move until today."
His voice grew serious as he went on during his explanation. Once finished, all the elders' eyes were on Li Qiye. They didn't understand why the forever-immobile Heavenly Guardians helped Li Qiye today.