Emperor’s Domination

“Splash!” The giant machine stood up, causing another tsunami.

“Buzz.” Energy vectors engulfed it, resembling self-immolation. However, the cracks on the plates melted and fused together. None could see any damage now - a stark contrast to its beaten former prior.

“Just like that?” Many cultivators found this astonishing.

“Auto self-healing.” An ancestor murmured.

This wasn’t rare for powerful cultivators. Emperors and monarchs were resilient and could heal after being reduced to ashes, provided that their dao fruits or heaven’s wills along with the true fate were still available. The rebuilding process wouldn’t take long as long as these key items weren’t damaged as well.

Nonetheless, seeing a machine regenerating automatically was new and magical to them.

“Looks like you have mastered this art from the Machine Epoch.” Li Qiye said with a smile.

“Overlord!” The machine had a serious tone.

Those controlling the machine were overwhelmed emotionally since they had access to key secrets. They understood that an overlord stood before them.

They had seen overlords from a distance but never fought one previously. The mysterious guest of Celestial Court was an overlord - or so they speculated for a long period.

However, this guest rarely showed up and kept to himself deeper into Celestial Court. Only a few members had the privilege to see him - the founder of Celestial Court or the three immortals.

Rumor has it that he came back from above with grievous injuries necessitating recuperation. It wasn’t until he made a move that they realized his actual cultivation realm.

The palm descended from the sky during Grand Dao War still frightened them to this very day. This also stirred their desire to break the dao limit and become an overlord - one of the main reasons for Nine-wheel and Armament to join Celestial Court.

They believed that by joining Celestial Court, they would have a higher chance of breaking through. The founder and the three immortals have done so, possessing experience and potentially repeatable methods.

Attempting to do so alone on the thirteen continents was prohibitively difficult. None was known to have found success. This drove top cultivators to Celestial Court - perhaps the only path to the next step.

Furthermore, some believed that Celestial Court had more reclusive overlords available. How could one ever resist the temptation of success?

When comparing the power of the mysterious guest to Li Qiye, War and his allies realized the gravity of the situation.

“Anything else to try?” Li Qiye smiled.

Meanwhile, spectators failed to regain their composure. Some had watched Grand Dao War and saw the heavenly palm.

Alas, regular cultivators had no means to get close. Only Empress Hong Tian and her allies could survive with the help of High Heaven Aegis.

Those strong enough were occupied on the outer battlefield, either on the side of Imperial Field or Celestial Court. They didn’t have the fortune of seeing the entire fight.

Today, another overlord was so close to them and they could watch him in action.

“It is an honor to fight you, Sacred Teacher, worthy of losing our lives.” The machine said loudly.

These apex cultivators returned to being hot-blooded youths. The desire to challenge this powerful being ignited, longing for a battle of life and death.

Ever since they reached this level, they haven’t felt this way before. Fighting other apex cultivators became commonplace and numbing.

Seeing a supreme overlord was different. Perhaps this was the rarest opportunity in their lifetime. If they could somehow survive, they would find a chance to break the limit. Given the potential reward, they had no regrets about risking their lives.

“How courageous.” Li Qiye smiled.

“This is how the dao journey should be! Sacred Teacher, please give us pointers.” The machine laughed and expressed the heroic ambition of the controllers.

Back during their dao debut, they diligently sought the dao due to the limitless potential. Each battle made their blood boil.

They were broad-minded and optimistic, always sprouting the same phrase - learning the dao in the morning and dying in the morning is just fine.

They lost this feeling in time, only wanting to survive instead. Having the privilege of facing an overlord today rekindled their passion for cultivation.