Emperor’s Domination

The result of the battle surprised everyone. However, this was still ongoing between the various factions. If anything, the scale intensified.

Remember, the Li and Zhang had a firm grip on both branches in Vajra with numerous positions.

The commander and chancellor's mistake resulted in losing everything. They immediately lost more than half of their influence.

Furthermore, these newly available positions were highly coveted. Not only the officials in Vajra wanted to move up in ranks but other powers in the holy ground joined the fun.

Most didn't care for joining the court or the personal benefits. It was a matter of widening their reach just like the Li and the Zhang.

As long as Vajra was still in charge, they might earn more influence in the future at the holy ground.

Numerous discussions arose as a result. The biggest question still centered around Li Qiye, or more specifically - his background.

"Isn't he just a woodchopper from Myriad Beast Mountains?" Someone asked.

This was widely known. No one doubted this despite the miracles that he pulled off later on.

By this point, some skepticism surfaced.

"Yes, he really relied on this to survive, he picked fruits and vegetables too. Many saw it." One expert had a first-hand account.

Many saw Li Qiye's way of life back at the temple. He didn't have a prestigious background.

"Then why does he have the ancestral saber from Vajra? He's the messenger now." One big shot wondered.

This was the main focus for numerous cultivators and ancestors.

"Maybe he obtained a fortune in the mountains?" One youth had a rich imagination: "He fell into a mysterious cave or cliff and found the resting place of a Vajra ancestor and got the saber there?"

"Ridiculous, there's no such fortune." A senior slapped him in the back of the head and woke him up from his vivid imagination.

The senior went on: "Do you think Vajra Dynasty will just let any guy who finds this saber from a random cave do whatever he wants in their territory? Even their king would obey this person? Vajra would cease to exist long ago in that case."

"Yes, the ancestral saber isn't an invincible weapon or anything." Another senior smilingly added: "If it's a patrimony weapon, then one can use that to order a clan. After all, being recognized by such a weapon meant limitless potential. On the other hand, the ancestral saber from Vajra is only a symbol of authority. Finding the saber randomly doesn't give one the right to kill anyone in Vajra. Being bestowed this authority is what matters. Thus, the Ancestral Temple is what matters here."

"Hmm, maybe there's some truth to it." One expert pondered: "Li Qiye might actually be a woodchopper. It's just that a powerful ancestor from the temple found him and chose to give him the saber."

"That's one possibility, albeit extremely unlikely." An ancestor familiar with the temple shook his head: "Why would they give it to an outsider? It's enough power to shake the foundation of Vajra."

Others agreed with this ancestor. Even Archaic Sun King feared the saber. Wantonly giving the saber to anyone was destructive to their dynasty.

"Don't forget, who's the one who gained the most from this?" A clan high elder joined in.

The big shots present were shaken because they all had the same answer - Vajra.

The Li and Zhang lost two influential positions at the capital and tens of thousands of disciples. Most importantly, they lost their grasp on the civic and military branches as well.

"Maybe Li Qiye has always been a member of Vajra, a secret genius groomed by the temple. This is all a plan to weaken the Li and Zhang?" The previous ancestor boldly speculated.

"I think so too, that's why they gave the saber to him. Remember, the guardian is also trained by the temple, maybe he'll be the next guardian." Another agreed.

The current guardian of Vajra was one of the four grandmasters. Nonetheless, his true identity remained a mystery.

"I thought the successor is clear already, Hu Ben?" One guy brought this up.

"I heard this too before." Someone else said.

"Li Qiye being a member of Vajra is plausible, but a genius secretly groomed by the temple? Does he resemble a genius in the slightest?"

The group exchanged glances. All their questions would be answered if Li Qiye was trained by the temple.

However, he was far from a genius since he was still in the conqueror level. In fact, even if he was an Enlightened Being, he was still ten thousand miles away from being called a genius.

All in all, everyone had different opinions of Li Qiye but there was one consensus - that he was a member of Vajra.

***

Of course, Li Qiye didn't pay attention to these rumors.

After the group returned to the courtyard, Yang Ling and her father smartly left, leaving behind Li Qiye and the Snow-shadow survivor.

Yang Ling was very curious about Li Qiye's risky choice to save her. Was it because they met once back at the restaurant? Nonetheless, she didn't dare to prey.

The survivor felt the same way. No matter how she looked at it, there was no reason for the guy to save her.