"We'll be too late if we don't leave now," Ye Tian said.
The two bowed hastily to Ye Tian and turned to leave.
Kang Qian rushed to stop them, but the two Taoist priests had already vanished. He was left stunned. After a moment, he realized, Earth Immortals?
He turned to look at Ye Tian, fear gradually appearing in his eyes. "Are you an Earth Immortal?" he asked.
Zhang Longsheng sneered, "Kang Qian, why aren't you kneeling?"
Kang Qian gritted his teeth and said sternly, "So what if you're an Earth Immortal! Half the people in the Witch Cave listen to me. Guards, attack!"
But at this moment, the people behind him, and those who were seated, all lowered their heads. Not a single one moved. What a joke. Two powerful Human Immortals had been scared away, so what were they? Standing out now would be suicidal.
Seeing that no one would obey him, Kang Qian knew the tide had turned. He sighed and said, "Kill me or flay me, do as you please!"
Ye Tian said, "Please let the Saintess decide!"
The Saintess looked at Kang Qian and said coldly, "Kang Qian, you are rebellious. According to the rules of the Witch Cave, you shall be executed by fire!"
Kang Qian showed no fear. "If I die, I die. Just give me a quick end!"
Zhang Longsheng said, "Saintess, Kang Qian is a wealthy merchant from Miao Jiang. His ancestors followed Zhang Xianzhong in rebellion and amassed a great fortune. Later, he acquired a large amount of land in two provinces, becoming the largest landowner in the Southwest at the time. The Kang family has managed their affairs for generations and possesses immense wealth. I believe we can let him contribute a large portion of this wealth and spare his life."
Kang Qian sneered, "You want to confiscate my property? No way! Kill me if you want, but even if I die, the foundation of my Kang family will not be shaken!"
Ye Tian walked up to Kang Qian and placed a hand on him. Kang Qian's eyes became dazed. Ye Tian recited an incantation and then pricked him with a few needles. Kang Qian's gaze then cleared.
It turned out that Ye Tian had used his medical skills to control Kang Qian's consciousness. He said calmly, "Kang Qian, I won't kill you today, but you must obey me from now on."
Kang Qian knelt on the ground. "Yes."
The Saintess was somewhat surprised and asked, "Chief Protector, will Kang Qian obey you from now on? Will he betray the Witch Cave again?"
Ye Tian replied, "Saintess, rest assured, he will not."
The Saintess nodded slightly. "Thank you for your trouble, Chief Protector."
Ye Tian suddenly said, "Saintess, Kang Qian mentioned earlier that becoming Chief Protector requires the recognition of the Witch Ancestor. Where is the Witch Ancestor?"
The Saintess froze and looked at Zhang Longsheng, who quickly said, "Chief Protector, there's no need. The Saintess's appointment is sufficient."
Ye Tian said, "Since there are rules, they must be followed. I cannot be an exception."
The Saintess did not know Ye Tian very well. Hearing him say this, she immediately replied, "Very well. The Witch Ancestor is a statue located within the Witch Cave. As long as the Chief Protector can stand before the statue for more than fifteen minutes without being affected, he will be considered recognized by the Witch Ancestor."
Ye Tian was very interested. Led by the Saintess and Zhang Longsheng, he went to the entrance of the Witch Cave. After walking a distance inside, they entered a large space, like a palace, with a ceiling over five meters high.
In the center of this space stood a three-meter-tall statue. In front of the statue was a long table, on which were placed incense, candles, and offerings. It appeared that people had been making offerings to the statue year-round.
Upon arriving before the statue, Zhang Longsheng and the Saintess both bowed.
Ye Tian asked, "Is this the statue of the Witch Ancestor?"
The Saintess nodded. "Yes. The Witch Ancestor was the first person to discover the Witch Cave and achieved the greatest accomplishments. When the Witch Ancestor reached the age of eight hundred, he transformed into this statue, standing here forever to guard the Witch Cave."
Ye Tian raised an eyebrow. The first person to enter the Witch Cave, and he transformed into a statue?
Just as he was about to observe it closely, the Saintess and Zhang Longsheng had already retreated, seemingly afraid to linger too close to the statue.
Ye Tian's heart stirred. He looked up at the statue's eyes. They were lifelike and extraordinarily vivid, emitting a faint yellowish light in the dim space.
Seeing these eyes, Ye Tian felt they were very similar to the eyes of that toad. His heart moved, and he took a step forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Greetings, Mountain God!"