Emperor’s Domination

This was the end of the dao - as unreachable as it was enigmatic. Li Qiye focused his gaze in order to see everything clearly.

He saw an old man meditating beneath a waterfall within a spring. His white hair flowed down his shoulders as he searched for the dao. His mere gaze alone could cause emperors and monarchs to tremble in awe.

At a different location, he saw someone strolling through a chaotic expanse and leaving behind an ethereal path - a unique mark belonging to him alone. This seemed to be an attempt at rebuilding order amidst the chaos.

Within a marvelous area was an ordinary man with a notable smirk filled with optimism and a carefree attitude to everything in this world. He seemed to be holding a package wrapped in oily paper. The content was unclear but some mortals would guess that they were salted duck eggs from a market.

He observed everything around him with anticipation. The subtle mysteries and transformations were all interesting and worthy of ponderance. After a moment of contemplation, he muttered something to himself and then dismissed it, continuing on his journey.

In a dao expanse of water was a man with lotus flowers sprouting beneath his step. His presence exuded life and vitality. As long as he was around, a collapsed world could sprout again from a single leaf. [1]

Countless figures roamed this world. Some had companions while others preferred solitude. Nonetheless, all had a clear goal and dream in mind while possessing ample self-awareness. They relied solely on themselves to reach the fabled other shore, forging their own path via cultivation with great optimism.

Li Qiye saw all these details clearly - whether it be the person with the ethereal path, the man with the nature affinity, or the guy with the duck eggs… In that split second, they temporarily paused their task and gazed upward, seemingly noticing him.

However, what he wanted to see was not them so he closed his eyes. Everything disappeared - the vast world, its mysteries, and the inhabitants disappeared from thin air. It was as if they were mere illusions.

“Must I make a trip myself? I just might uproot everything then.” Li Qiye smiled, seemingly talking to nobody.

“Buzz.” Suddenly, all realms vanished including Eight Desolaces, the six continents, and those beyond…

Heaven and earth became an egg with nothing inside. All affinities reverted to stillness.

Li Qiye took one step forward and added motion to the stillness. Feeble rays appeared, seemingly wanting to manifest into reality but couldn’t. Only death awaited in the case of failure.

“Primordial light.” Li Qiye sat down and knew what these rays were.

“You’ve touched them.” A voice came from afar. However, how could this be when there was no concept of time and space in this void? Moreover, it didn’t resemble human speech either, not communicated through the ears but rather through resonation.

“Yes, I possessed them before.” Li Qiye said with a smile.

“You shouldn’t have come.” The voice came again.

“Yet I am here and we shall have a meeting.” Li Qiye insisted.

“Is that so?” It was unclear when this response came since measuring time became impossible in its absolute absence.

“I believe in myself and in its existence.” Li Qiye nodded.

“It does not.” The voice resembled something coming from a dao law instead of a living being.

“I disagree.” Li Qiye said confidently.

“Based on what?” The voice responded in his mind.

“On the fact that I have a primordial will.” Li Qiye smiled.

The voice didn’t answer this time, seemingly taking its time in predicting the future.

“It has turned into a tree but is still under my control, so what are you trying to see?” Li Qiye continued.

“You should not.” The voice concluded, capable of seeing a primordial tree growing within Li Qiye.

“The reason being?” Li Qiye asked.

“You know of the legend.” The voice responded.

“Which one?” Li Qiye spoke slowly in order to implicate something.

“The primordial devourment.” It took a long time before the voice popped up again.

“Unfortunately, I am not. The reason why I possess it is because I am just a living being, another mortal.” Li Qiye said.

The voice contemplated the issue again.

“There’s a saying from long, long ago.” Li Qiye started the conversation again.

“Which saying?” The voice asked.

“The cosmo is an egg, the grand beginning gave birth to the Nine Words, the Nine Words created the Nine Treasures, and from the Nine Treasures came the Nine Scriptures.” Li Qiye said with a serious tone; each word echoed in the void.

Although nothing truly existed in this domain, Li Qiye could will himself into existence.

“Boom!” Suddenly, something detonated and it was as if an egg was being cracked open.

1. Yi Ye is single leaf so it’s a reference to the immortal monarch ☜