Sage Monarch (Sage Emperor)

Yang Qi had a place in the Dao Defense League now as an official disciple. In fact, he actually had a higher position than the average disciple.

Considering how strong he was, plus the fact that he had the enticing powers of both a Fraudulent One and an Inspiring One, it was easy for him to gain supporters. In only about half a month, he had quite a few low-level disciples who were loyal to him, and even several Godmyth patriarchs that he knew would be useful later, including the one who had originally assessed him.

The truth was that he was strong enough to recruit even Incarnated Gods if he wanted to, but for now he had decided to hold back in the interests of keeping a low profile.

Slowly but surely, he was asking around to find out the full situation in the Dao Defense League. Its core was made up of several hundred immortal worlds that were all twenty-fifth ranked or higher. There was even a thirtieth-ranked immortal world that was a member, the Śakra Heaven. [1]

None of the thirty-third ranked immortal worlds had joined. Perhaps they were waiting to see how things played out with the future world, or perhaps they had already secretly sent agents to provide support behind the scenes.

As for how many lower-ranked immortal worlds supported the alliance, it was impossible to say for sure. There were definitely billions. Experts and heroes abounded, and there were always battles being fought and dramatic events occurring.

Yang Qi was also interested in information about Young Master Leaf. After paying out plenty of magical treasures and power stones, he learned that Young Master Leaf had become one of the top elder kings in the alliance. As for his seventy-one brethren, they were all prime paragon elders. Apparently, they had even formed a new sect.

They were all important and respected people, and fought with particular savagery against the future world. Of course, they still hated the Mechfolk, who refused to show their faces nowadays and avoided contact with the Dao Defense League.

After getting his finger on the pulse of things, Yang Qi began taking missions to earn service credit and slowly climb through the ranks of leadership. His initial goal was to see if he could find an opportunity to get some of King Immortal-Slayer’s legacy medallions from Young Master Leaf. After all, without those medallions he couldn’t risk going to the future world.

The power available in the Dao Defense League was vastly superior to anything from the old Brahman Immortal World, and it didn’t attract any attention when Yang Qi absorbed it.

**

Far from the front lines in the Dao Defense League, in a remote, mysterious location, a group of a few dozen disciples from the Nine Yangs God Sect traveled along. Most of them were ninth stage Dao-Demolishers, led by Yang Qi, who they treated with the utmost respect.

“Boss, how come all we do is go out on patrol?” one of the other disciples asked. “When are we going to stick out and make an impression?” This particular disciple was a burly, bare-chested man who carried an ax in each hand. He was a powerful person who pulsed with baleful energy, and was clearly going to become a Godmyth one day.

Of course, the ‘boss’ he had just referred to was Yang Qi.

“Just wait for a bit longer,” Yang Qi replied. “I'm fairly certain the future world isn’t going to stand for just being boxed in the way they are. Pretty soon, they’ll try to break through the blockade. And when the future warriors lead the offensive, that will be the time for us to jump in and help.”

Eventually, they reached a sizeable asteroid and landed to rest for a time. This particular asteroid had been crafted by immortal hands, and was something of a marketplace. Immortals from the Dao Defense League would often stop here on journeys to do a bit of buying or selling.

As soon as Yang Qi and his team landed, they headed toward one of the tea houses. Everyone scurried to get out of their way; it was well-known that disciples from the Dao Defense League were very strong, and not to be provoked. Inside the restaurant, a buzz of conversation could be heard as people ate and drank to their hearts’ content. Before they could even find seats, a cold snort echoed out.

“Hmph! Scum!”

The other disciples with Yang Qi looked over in the direction of the voice.

“Boss, look!” the burly disciple said. “We were just cursed by that girl! What do we do? Her cultivation base isn't bad, she’s at least in the first division of the Godmyth level. I don’t think we could beat her in a fight, but as members of the Nine Yangs God Sect and the Dao Defense League, we can’t just take such insults standing!”

“That's right, we can’t stand for this! Let’s go call for some backup, then return and take her captive. What's she going to do to one of our Godmyth patriarchs? People who insult the Dao Defense League and the Nine Yangs God Sect all deserve to die!”

All of Yang Qi’s men were itching to take action.

He looked over to find a young woman dressed in emerald green staring at them with cold derision. She seemed to be about twenty, and radiated the aura of a first division Seer God.

Suddenly, she slapped the surface of the table and shouted, “Manager!”

The manager, an immortal, hurried over with head bowed. “Matriarch, what can I do for you?”

Pointing directly at Yang Qi and his men, she said, “Go search those people and take their tea money. I'm worried they won’t pay later! I've seen a lot of disciples from the Dao Defense League acting like tyrants and bullying the common people. What's the deal with this Dao Defense League anyway? They're supposed to be defending the dao and executing devils. They’re supposed to be holding the line against the future world. But now they’re turning into the fiends!”

“Er….” The manager looked over at Yang Qi and his companions, and clearly had no desire to offend them. He operated a place of business, and if he had a falling out with the disciples of the Dao Defense League it would be hard to stay afloat. And here this girl wanted him to take their money up front and settle accounts later. The manager was seriously worried that it would turn into a deadly confrontation.

“Damn you!” the Nine Yangs God Sect disciples shouted. Clearly they wanted to just attack her outright.

“Calm down, all of you,” Yang Qi said to them via divine will. “I’ll handle things. This girl obviously knows that we're from the Dao Defense League, yet she isn’t afraid of offending us. She must have a powerful backer, perhaps even someone from the Dao Defense League. For now, don’t make her an enemy.”

Beckoning, he said, “Manager, please come over.”

The manager bustled over. “Exalted customers,” he said apologetically, “please, don’t take offense, I apologize for this….”

Yang Qi waved his hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. Paying for what you consume is heaven’s law and earth’s principle. Here, take this magical treasure, which was forged by a Godmyth expert. It should cover the cost of our visit, plus any Dao Defense League disciples who skipped out on their bills recently.”

The manager accepted the magical treasure, which resembled a sextant but was covered with magical symbols engraved with primeval vital quintessence. It also pulsed with an aura of virtual godhood that caused projections of sextants to fill the air around it. It was not only a powerful defensive treasure, but was also ridiculously valuable.

The manager bobbed his head as he offered thanks over and over again.

Upon seeing Yang Qi meekly hand over such an expensive magical treasure, the young woman in green laughed coldly and said, “You’re smart. If you hadn’t done that, you would have found yourself in real trouble.”

“Let’s go!” Yang Qi said. Worried that his followers would cause a scene, he turned and began herding them out. Of course, they weren’t very pleased at all with how things had played out, but Yang Qi had established his authority to such an extent that they wouldn't disobey his orders.

Upon leaving the teahouse, the group felt so much pent up frustration that they really wanted to vent.

“Boss, why did you act so patient in there?” the burly disciple asked. “Considering how strong you are, and the fact that we were there to back you up with a spell formation, there was no need to eat crow. It’s hard to accept that we just have to back down without putting up a fight.”

“That girl is crafty,” Yang Qi said, “and I like to know what I'm getting into before laying a trap. You see, I locked a tracking device onto her that I originally got from one of the Incarnated Gods in my clan. She’s only a first division Seer God, so she might think she can push us around, but she definitely won’t notice that I’m tracking her movements. Before long, I’ll get information from the device telling me exactly who, and where, she is. Then I’ll let you vent your frustration.”

“That’s why you’re the boss. Awesome!”

“You’re vicious, Boss!”

“Boss, once you become a Godmyth, there won’t be any limits to what you can do.” The Nine Yangs God Sect disciples were virtually cheering with admiration for Yang Qi.

He could secretly track a Godmyth, which was something that these Demolisher disciples couldn’t imagine being able to do.

POP!

Even as they murmured amongst themselves, discussing how to get their revenge, an intense rumbling sound filled the area. Heart thumping, Yang Qi looked off and saw what looked like an endless power tempest rolling in their direction, destroying everything in their path.

“Something big is happening!” Yang Qi’s initial thought was that it must be the very event he had predicted: the future world was trying to break open a path to freedom, allowing the future warriors free reign to wreak havoc throughout the universe.

If the future warriors scattered and became like elusive bandits, it would be very difficult for the Dao Defense League to deal with them.

After the initial eruption of power, a host of shadowy figures appeared, which was none other than billions of trillions of future warriors charging forth into battle. Yang Qi had never seen such a spectacular sight.

All of a sudden, a booming voice echoed out from the center of the Dao Defense League and reached the deepest corners of the universe.

“All disciples of the Dao Defense League, prepare for action. The villains from the future world have broken through our blockade and are about to scatter among the immortal worlds. If we want to maintain order, we have to kill them. Any disciple who kills a future warrior will be gifted with a magical treasure, as well as a promotion. And you can keep any loot you find.”

“Alright!” Yang Qi said, delighted. “It’s time to earn some service credit!”

Already, a group of a few hundred future warriors was heading in their direction.

However, before he could take action, he saw a green blur shooting forward, heading directly toward the advancing enemy. It was the girl in green who they had just met.

Even as she flew out, she waved her hand and sent out an emerald-green net that swept out and covered Yang Qi and his men, completely immobilizing them.

1. Śakra is a deity from Buddhism. Info here.