Emperor’s Domination

“A son.” Light God’s mind became frozen as if weighed down by a large boulder.

“He was the first to be taught by them, no different from guiding a child from infancy until adulthood. They protected and gave him High Heaven Dao Sigil. This was not their strongest merit law but if perfected, it could surpass theirs…” Li Qiye said.

“Senior, you’re implying that I’m Bao Pu.” He interrupted: “I’m not calling you a liar, but I’m sure I am me, not Bao Pu. My memories are mind alone and contain nothing of someone else.”

“Yes, each day and each walk, your life.” Li Qiye sighed sentimentally.

“Thus, I’m afraid you’re mistaken, Senior.” He concluded.

Li Qiye took another sip and stared at him. He met the gaze directly.

“Looking at you brings back some of my memories.” Li Qiye said.

“Do tell, Senior.” He said.

“A long time ago, I couldn’t find a group of villains in hiding.” Li Qiye said: “I came up with a method to find and destroy them all eventually.”

“What was it?” He asked.

“I captured a pivotal figure among them and employed everything to obliterate his memories. Next and no less impressive, I sculpted my own will and connected it to the body. He no longer existed while my separated consciousness believed itself to be him. I later released him and he had no idea, changing his appearance and returning to their hiding spot.” Li Qiye sighed.

The tone was calm and delivered like a boring narration. However, Light God still shuddered.

“It must have been excruciating.” He said.

“Yes, more than physical, changing one’s wisp of consciousness into believing something different.” Li Qiye said.

“How cruel.” He said.

“Cruel indeed.” Li Qiye said.

“So you imply I am Bao Pu’s intent?” He took a deep breath before shaking his head: “No, then were those around me fake as well? Lovers and friends? No, they were real, humans and cultivators leaving their marks in this world.”

“Your origin was fake but not your life.” Li Qiye said: “A part of Bao Pu’s soul, light and kindness, the blessing from the three immortals.”

“The notion is absurd, Bao Pu has never appeared in my life before.” He refused to believe it.

“Life creation is the high heaven’s business alone.” Li Qiye said: “If you have your own life, then you are no different from the rest.”

“Of course, my life was no different, I had total agency.” He said.

“Buzz.” Li Qiye conjured primordial light around his palm, this time with an infusion of runic light strands.

They looked coarse like patterns carved into a rock and potentially painful to the touch.

“What is this?” Li Qiye smiled.

“High Heaven Dao Sigil.” He answered.

“Is that so?” Li Qiye recalled his primordial light and the coarse runes released an ancient power. It represented the will of the high heaven.

He trembled as he became suppressed. Despite cultivating in this dao, it seemed so foreign to him.

The hand pulsing with the light shone golden as if forged from this metal. He observed and thought that with this dao, the hand became comparable to an immortal’s hand.

“This is its true appearance.” Li Qiye said: “It is not the light you imagined it to be. These runes are blessed by the three immortals for one person alone.”

“Bao Pu.” He said.

“When you made your dao debut, the three immortals were no longer around. Even if you had found their artifact and legacy, how did you obtain the sigil blessing?” Li Qiye asked.

“I cultivated it later.” He said.

“This type of blessing must be done by the living immortals.” Li Qiye said.

He slumped into his chair, unable to regain his composure. The truth struck him mercilessly since his life turned out not to be his.

“I… am not me.” He muttered with a bitter laugh.

Li Qiye sipped tea and didn’t respond.

He eventually stabilized his mind. After all, he was at the peak of the primal realm, capable of becoming an overlord. His dao heart remained exceptionally firm.

“Regardless of whether I am sculpted by Bao Pu or just a blessing from the three immortals, I am still me. The experiences culminating my life belong to no one else. I am Light God!” He declared.

“There’s nothing wrong with what you said because you forged your life from the beginning and this made who you are today.” Li Qiye said.

“Senior, I am Light God, not Bao Pu.” He affirmed once more.

“What if your life was stripped away?” Li Qiye asked.