A while later, Li Qiye finished his second piece and reached for the third but the old man immediately swatted his hand away and grabbed the pan.
“Is this really necessary?” Li Qiye couldn’t help but smile: “It was only two potatoes.”
“Yes, they’re my meals for the next two days.” The old man didn’t show any mercy at all and held onto the pan as if Li Qiye was about to rob him. His miser appearance was quite amusing.
“So you still care about something, such as a meal. If you don’t do at least this much, it’ll be really waiting for death without a care in the world.” Li Qiye smiled.
“Waiting for death isn’t the same as starving to death.” The old man peeled another potato and ate it slowly. He was very respectful towards his food, not wanting to waste the smallest crumb.
“That’s true.” Li Qiye became quiet.
A person waiting to die didn’t need to starve. Moreover, starvation wouldn’t kill this man. It was a duality of wanting to live and die, resulting in sad days ahead.
“Nothing is more painful than waiting for the unreachable death.” Li Qiye gently sighed.
“You don’t feel the same way?” The old man looked at him and said: “Burying those who love and care for you, the ones you love… Or when everyone is still alive yet unable to ever meet again. I am only waiting to bury myself, but you? You have buried too many people.”
The old man was apt about Li Qiye’s pain. Li Qiye eventually replied with a sigh: “You have also done so like all the other emperors, unless they were to die early. This is inevitable even if they were to hide at Exploration Ground. Isn’t this the reason why you chose this path?”
The old man denied completely: “No. I simply wanted to. Everything suddenly felt insignificant, the only salvation became death.”
“Being able to let go is also a good thing. Come, give me another one.” Li Qiye sighed and reached out for another potato.
“No.” The old man decisively refused.
“You must.” Li Qiye didn’t waste words and lunged forward like a robber. Meanwhile, the old man protected the pan with his life.
In a short time, both of them relied on brute strength like mortals rolling around on the ground. Li Qiye must have the potato while the old man tried to stop him with all of his might.
Outsiders would be astounded if they were to see the two of them fighting for a piece of potato. One was the dark hand behind the curtain, the ruler of the nine worlds. The other side was an imperious Immortal Emperor.
“Did you throw your morality away? This old man toiled for these potatoes just to stay alive yet you would go as far as to rob me? Are you worthy as your title of being the teacher of Immortal Emperors?!” The old man didn’t yield and shouted in a pitiful manner.
In the end, Li Qiye was still young and vigorous. He grabbed the potato and kicked away the old man without any mercy then laughed: “My ass, I climbed up dozens of peaks just to get to this place where the birds don’t even want to shit. There’s no tea, no, not even water here for a guest. So what if I rob your potatoes?!”
“Old bastard!” The old man clutched his pan while glaring at Li Qiye, muttering under his breath.
“That’s right.” Li Qiye peeled the potato and leisurely took a bite: “You’re a young bastard, I’m an old bastard.”
“You owe me money for a funeral!” The old man murmured: “I’m old beyond description yet I still have to work all day long just to eat but you still robbed me anyway!”
“You’re waiting to die anyway, starvation isn’t that bad of a death.” Li Qiye instantly finished the potato and retorted.
“Asshole.” The old man cursed.
“Sigh, be more cultured, please, since you’re still an Immortal Emperor. Is this uproar really necessary over a few potatoes?” Li Qiye smiled: “Don’t you remember your youth? How prodigal and extravagant you were, throwing money away without a care.”
“The past is the past, this is the present.” The old man said flatly: “If you have one million gold ingots and only one piece of ration, would you rather give the gold away or your only meal, given that you can’t buy anymore?”
“How deep.” Li Qiye smiled and reached out again: “I’m not quite full yet, one more.”
“In your dream.” The old man tightened his grip on the pan.
Li Qiye didn’t really care for his permission. The old man lost another potato to Li Qiye after a brief struggle.
Li Qiye ate and tapped his stomach satisfyingly: “I guess this is okay, no immortal tea but at least I got a few potatoes. Not an empty-handed trip.”
“I didn’t invite you though.” The old man unhappily said.
Li Qiye replied: “I know I’m uninvited but all of Pure can smell your accursed stench. The moment I got up here, I got a taste too so I came running to steal your food~!”
“Teacher of Immortal Emperors? More like a hoodlum thug.” The old man muttered under his breath.
Li Qiye laughed and said: “That’s true, I’m a thug, robbing from the nine to the tenth world. Refuse to give me something and I’ll just take it by force.”
The old man stared at Li Qiye with disdain. No one could do anything about this problematic fella, not even the emperors.
Li Qiye stopped robbing the old man after getting his fill and smiled: “No need to be unhappy, I only come to see you once every millions of years so even if I were to steal your potatoes, it’s not a common occurrence. I’ll scram again after this time.”
“Scram right now then.” The old man had no intention of keeping the guest around.
Li Qiye leisurely said: “No rush, no rush. Wow, I still remember back in the nine worlds when you were so gallant and dashing, a man with countless fans ranging from young ladies to mature wives. You might be an old man now but don’t act so miserly.”
The old man didn’t answer. All of his focus was on protecting what was left of his meals.
“If it wasn’t for your accursed stench, I wouldn’t have recognized you at all, an emperor who used to smile proudly.” Li Qiye sentimentally said.
This old man was an invincible emperor who used to be quite handsome and heroic when he was younger. After his ascension, he stole the heart of many goddesses and fairies. The guy even married the prettiest woman in the world.
After coming to the tenth world, his imperial and haughty style didn’t diminish at all. He even took the prettiest devil during that generation as his wife.
Alas, after the long years, this peerless emperor became an old man seemingly weak and dispirited through illness, unable to have full meals.
“This bag of skin can’t handle the passage of time.” The old man feebly said as if still malnourished.
Of course this wasn’t the case. As an invincible existence, he could show his unstoppable aura and style in any location. However, he had abandoned his own body.
“I only have one thing to say to you - it’s nice to be alive.” Li Qiye looked at the old man and said slowly.
The old man looked up with a serious stare and replied: “Do you actually think that?”
Li Qiye contemplated in silence before nodding solemnly: “There are pain and helplessness among the long years but ultimately, I’m still alive. I won’t die until I obtain my obsessive goal and will never give up. That’s why I’ll keep on living.”
“Fight to the end.” The old man said.
Li Qiye agreed: “That’s right, fight to the end. I will not fall before the final battle, regardless of who wants to kill me and how painful it is to live!”
“Having a goal and dream is good, necessary for a colorful life.” The old man stared at the horizon with his muddled eyes. Who knows if he could see clearly or not?
“Everyone can dream.” Li Qiye said.
“You’re trying to persuade me to join the final battle?” The old man looked back and said: “Unfortunately, you will return empty-handed. I am cursed so that door to the battlefield won’t open for me. Anyone who looks at me will run away. Otherwise, I would join that battle.”
“Forget it, with you along, all the troops will lose their morale.” Li Qiye shook his head and said: “I’m not here to get you to fight since you can’t do it anyway.”