“Don’t look at me like that, everyone, I’m shy.” Li Qiye chuckled and said.

His allies nearly burst out in laughter because of the contrast between the joke and the solemn atmosphere. Jing’er standing behind Qingxuan gave Li Qiye the side-eye.

Meanwhile, the progenitors weren’t laughing.

Fire Ancestor had seen Li Qiye’s power before. The trio started staring intensely at him with bright flashes in their eyes, wanting to see his depth.

“I didn’t wish to get involved in the matter of the old generation since an eighteen-year-old teen like me don’t know enough about the world, too inexperienced for my own good. Acting cavalier might result in throwing my life away.” Li Qiye ignored their invasive stare and said: “Your feud has lasted for millions of years and it continues even after death. What if I join in and all of you will start haunting me later?”

Zither Empress and her peers grimaced after hearing this. They had the urge to kick the guy flying for being so audacious.

Li Qiye paused for a bit before smiling again: “However, I think that the thing in this palace should be kept by the living? As for your feud, do as you please.”

The progenitors became more intense after hearing about his intention. Fire Ancestor clearly wouldn’t let him have this, perhaps the same for the other side. After all, they have lost their lives just to protect it. Why would they let a stranger have it?

“Fellow Daoist, you wish to implicate yourself into this mess?” Fire Ancestor said. Addressing Li Qiye as “Fellow Daoist” meant that he recognized the guy’s power.

Li Qiye shrugged in response: “Nothing like that, I’m just a passerby so I don’t care about killing the darkness or ridding Three Immortals of traitors or whatever. That’s your master’s job because he’s responsible for his disciple’s lackings. And yes, your master is not doing great in this matter, not taking you down completely.”

“Master naturally has his reasons with his boundless wisdom. The criticism is unwarranted.” Fire Ancestor said. He was still as respectful as before despite falling into the darkness.

“Interesting.” Li Qiye smiled: “He destroyed you yet you still don’t hate him. Quite rare.”

Supreme and the others took a deep breath after hearing this shocking news.

First, leaving aside the identity of this master, just the fact that this person destroyed Fire Ancestor, a member of the Decemvirate, was shocking enough.

Even this group of progenitors here couldn’t take him down, albeit partly due to the unfavorable circumstances.

However, his master still managed to destroy him. This person’s power must be at an unfathomable level.

Fire Ancestor didn’t respond to Li Qiye’s taunt.

“Everyone says, pity the love of parents in this world. I would add masters to this line as well.” Li Qiye smiled and shook his head: “He didn’t kill you completely back then and didn’t take care of these messes, perhaps he still held some optimistic delusions about you in his heart.”

“I do not dare to speculate on Master’s wishes. However, our dao and choices are different, no right or wrong here.” Fire Ancestor responded.

“No right or wrong? You chose the wrong path and didn’t repent! You’re nothing more than a scourge to all living beings.” Zither Empress interjected.

“Perhaps you’re right.” Fire Ancestor calmly said: “In case of success, I would have been the savior of Three Immortals. There are no eggs beneath a broken nest, my method is simply different. On that day, all worlds would have been destroyed but our Three Immortals will still stand.”

“You chose to fall.” She said: “Calamities have always been around yet Three Immortals remain standing after so many epochs. Master has been watching and guarding.”

“I’m afraid you lack information here.” Fire Ancestor said: “The darkness descent is beyond your imagination, no one and no world will survive. Not a single soul can do a thing about it.”

Supreme and the others became afraid. It sounded like Fire Ancestor was trying to intimidate them but there was no need for him to do so.

He has experienced so many things in life. How could he be so pessimistic about facing the future back then? Just who did he meet? It seemed so hopeless if Fire Ancestor himself felt powerless.

“Enough talking.” The empress shook her head and turned towards Li Qiye: “Fellow Daoist, please lend us a hand. All living beings will owe you a debt.”

“That’s too much.” Li Qiye chuckled: “I don’t care for such flowery words. However, it seems like the old geezers will owe me even more, I suppose it’s fine to take care of this little problem for them then extract double.”

Sword Saint and his allies heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this.

“Fellow Daoist, I might not be able to stop you even if I were alive. However, killing me won’t do anything. I’m eternal as long as the spark survives. I’ll just be reborn one day.” Fire Ancestor wasn’t afraid in the slightest.

This influx of information naturally startled the listeners.

“True.” Li Qiye nodded: “You’re no longer you, no longer a simple obsession. This power is from the darkness but that’s fine. I don’t have to destroy you myself, someone else can do it.”

“Clank, clank.” He then took out a long iron chain.

It didn’t look special at first sight outside of having a crimson hue. However, upon closer inspection, one would find that it was made from millions of tiny laws weaving together. They were refining the most precious immortal metals. Their value was incalculable.

Fire Ancestor staggered backward after seeing the chain, akin to a traveler spotting a venomous serpent.

The spectators naturally saw his trepidation. How could this great progenitor fear this crimson chain?

Just what was this treasure?

“I’m sure you’re familiar with this thing.” Li Qiye smiled.

It was taken from Great Desolate Heavenly Prison, chained around a skeleton. Its prisoner used the greatest true fire to burn it before to no avail.

“Master’s kindness is as immense as a mountain.” Fire Ancestor eventually said.

“So you knew how to open this chain?” Li Qiye said.

“Just the dao heart, but unfortunately, that’s too difficult.” Fire Ancestor sighed.

“Haha, I do feel bad for the old geezer, going through so much effort and clinging onto a sliver of hope.” Li Qiye shook his head.

“It’s a shame that our paths are different.” Fire Ancestor paused for a bit before nodding with a respectful expression.

Only the dao heart can unlock this iron chain. The two of them knew exactly what was going on here.