“First Brother, you said it, not me.” Her cute eyes looked quite pitiful as if she was innocent.

He was completely immune to this cute act of her and smiled: “Don’t make me hit your butt on the first day.”

She was scared and took one step back, looking for some sympathy: “Even if you’re the First Brother, you can’t pick on a weak little girl.”

Li Qiye only smiled and didn’t respond. The playful girl had another idea and tilted her head to look adorable: “I’ve never heard about Master taking in a First Disciple, may I ask where have you been all this time?”

“Still trying? Or are you questioning me in your master’s stead?” Li Qiye asked.

“Of course not, I do not dare to do so. You misunderstood my intention, First Brother. If Master heard this, she’ll definitely yell at me but I’m only curious right now.” She pouted and said.

“What a little girl, only learned wily stuff.” Li Qiye shook his head: “It’s fine to tell you. In the past, I was a monster, nothing was too evil for me and lives were trash, but I’ve grown old and it is time to retire, that’s why I will be your First Disciple at Longevity Valley.”

“Wow, so you had such a glorious past, First Brother.” She wasn’t afraid at all but had the expression of a fan. Her eyes wanted to learn more: “So you reigned across Myriad Lineage at one point?” This fangirl nearly salivated from the fandom, only one point short of hugging his thigh and worshipping him. [1]

“Myriad Lineage is nothing, only another spot in the wide world.” Li Qiye nonchalantly said something that would be considered a boast by most people: “The moment I join the fray, I can sweep through the myriad worlds, completely invincible for an eternity. True Emperors and progenitors can’t reach the apex in comparison.”

“First Brother, if you’re really that amazing, doesn’t that mean I can parade around like a crab, if anyone dares to touch a hair of mine, I’ll just say your name and they’ll piss their pants?” The excited girl made lively gestures.

“Pop!” He interrupted her by slapping her well-rounded buttocks.

“What are you doing?!” She leaped back, dropped the act, and stared at him with caution. She was still a grown-up girl so it would be strange if she didn’t react in this manner.

“Not really an idiot, I see.” Li Qiye smiled while rubbing his hands: “You got some meat on your bones, quite soft.”

“You’re the idiot!” She glared at him with a red complexion, feeling quite annoyed.

“If you have kept up the act, I would have stripped you naked on top and see how long you can keep it up.” Li Qiye smiled.

She retorted: “No wonder why the sisters said that you were a big pervert, they’re completely right! How shameless!”

“Yes, and you should be afraid of me too like the rest.” Li Qiye chuckled.

The facade stopped as she changed her expression again and smiled: “First Brother, please excuse my rudeness earlier.”

Having said that, she bowed as an apology. She indeed came to figure him out, especially his origin. This was her responsibility as the First Sister of Hundred-flowers.

Miaozhen was confident in her master’s abilities, and that she wouldn’t let just anyone be the First Disciple of their sect. That’s why Miaozhen became curious about what Li Qiye could do to win her master over.

Li Qiye sat there calmly and accepted the apology.

“First Brother, we’re all very curious about you, wanting to see your display of heroism and impeccable techniques…” She quickly became casual again.

“I’m a bit tired, another day.” He closed his eyes and waved his sleeve.

He had given the command so she bowed again: “Please rest well, First Brother, I’ll be back to see you later.”

She left saying this. Despite her playful nature, she was smart enough to know when to back off on top of being very attentive and considerate.

Li Qiye seemed to be sleeping, lost in meditation. He absorbed energy in this seemingly vast expanse not located in Longevity Valley or Hundred-flowers. Everything seemed to have disappeared.

His primordial tree was growing quite well, not to a sky-piercing level just yet but it was full of leaves now. The rustling of leaves would be everywhere with a breeze.

Of course, it could eventually reach the sky. A particular flower was growing on it now, a nameless type of a fair size. It didn’t look special in any way at first, but upon closer inspection, one would see its stamen absorbing faint dao light. It was made out of the tiniest laws of the grand dao.

Nevertheless, there were so many of these laws. They were profound, just one alone encompassed many different types of dao. Just one could make someone spend an entire lifetime and still wouldn’t be able to understand it completely.

The blooming process was only the beginning, part of him creating a new dao. This won’t be the only grand dao so Li Qiye still had a long way to go before creating a new system.

The blooming flower contained a massive amount of primordial energy. All laws and dao seemed to be born in this place. Once it bloomed fully, this grand dao would ripe.

Li Qiye continued his breathing and became one with heaven and earth. No, it looked as if he was the one creating everything; he was the source of space and time and even the myriad realms.

***

Longevity Valley always enjoyed quiet and peace. The majority of its disciple loved alchemy so it didn’t have a violent nature.

This was doubly true for Hundred-flowers. The girls here either went outside to learn more about the dao, or spent their time reading medicinal and alchemy texts…

Li Qiye’s stay was a peaceful one. Though Fan Miaozhen often came to see him, she kept the perfect amount of propriety and didn’t interrupt his meditation. She even ordered disciples to not come close.

Today, he finally returned from his mental pilgrimage and came out for a walk.

The female disciples here have accepted his presence, but some still smiled and blushed upon seeing him. The bold ones still gossiped among themselves.

There was no lack of curiosity about him. However, they couldn’t find out anything before the valley lord returned.

Li Qiye didn’t act like a stranger during his stroll, treating the place like his own courtyard.

Hundred-flowers, like the rest of the sect, had plenty of rare herbs and grasses. Some extremely precious ones were left growing among the crevices and gaps.

He was now in a deeper location with a lake, a very unique one. It was almost a hectare of space - one half was ice with a chilling energy while the other half was surging lava and smoke.

This was indeed a rare sight - a combination of yin and yang, ice and fire.

In the very center where the two affinities joined together was a spring.

1. Latter part is weird, but that’s an imagery thing in China. When you want to beg someone, you hold them by the thigh. Fandom works as well