Dominator Emperor

The dense patterns on the Qin Tower’s surface emerged, transforming into endless runes.

”BOOM—” At that moment, Li Qiye activated the Emperor’s Immortal Power contained within the Zither Charm. In an instant, the Emperor’s Immortal Power erupted, crushing the heavens. The legs of the Four Great Elders trembled so violently they could no longer stand. Utterly suppressed, they were forced to prostrate themselves on the ground.

”The Ancestor Master’s spirit has descended!” Sensing that ancient and vast Emperor’s Immortal Power, the Four Great Elders were incomparably excited, their faces streaming with tears of joy! After so many years, they were finally a witness to the Ancestor Master’s Emperor’s Immortal Power.

Outside the Xiyan Ancient Sect, many powerful cultivators were still watching the battle between Gu Tieshou and Marquis Liezhan. Although Gu Tieshou had yet to break out of the Yangshou Mountain and River Painting, he remained standing under the combined suppression of the marquis and the Array Map. This resilience moved and impressed many of the watching cultivators.

This caused many powerful cultivators to sigh in admiration. A centipede dies but never falls down. The Xiyan Ancient Sect was, after all, an Emperor Immortal Gate. Even after declining for thirty thousand years, it still had some reserves!

As for the eight hundred War Generals who came with Marquis Liezhan, they were sneering internally. ’Even if Gu Tieshou holds on for dear life, he won’t last past tomorrow. Once tomorrow comes, the Xiyan Ancient Sect will have a new master. Gu Tieshou’s efforts are nothing more than a final, desperate struggle.’

”BOOM—” Just as many powerful cultivators were speculating on how this conflict would end, a brilliant light suddenly shot up from within the Xiyan Ancient Sect. In an instant, this column of light tore through the Celestial Vault, rushed into the Celestial Universe, and struck down the very stars.

Instantly, everyone within the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s territory felt an invincible Emperor Essence. Countless living beings trembled before its might.

”What’s happening?!” In that moment, all the cultivators watching from outside the Xiyan Ancient Sect trembled with a deep, instinctual awe. In the face of this aura, they felt as insignificant as ants, completely inconsequential.

”Emperor’s Immortal Power! Don’t tell me the Xiyan Ancient Sect is going all out and has unleashed an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure!” Feeling this aura, everyone shuddered. One Sect Leader cried out in shock.

”Oh no—” Sensing this Immortal Power, the eight hundred War Generals on the warship were horrified, but it was too late.

The soaring column of light suddenly transformed into a beam of Sword Radiance. The Sword Radiance swept across the world, carrying an eternal Immortal Power. As it slashed down, nothing could stand in its way.

”PSH—” Waves of blood sprayed into the air. The Sword Radiance swept past, and eight hundred heads flew high. Their eyes were wide open; as their heads soared, they could still see the blood fountaining from their own severed necks.

The momentum of the Sword Radiance was unstoppable. It swept through and slashed into the endless mountains and rivers. With a ”SHRRRIP,” the endless landscape of the Array Map instantly turned to dust. The Array Map, refined with the immeasurable effort of an Ancient Saint, was unable to withstand a single blow from this Sword Radiance. It was cleaved in two and fell to the ground, and Gu Tieshou tumbled out from within.

”No—” Marquis Liezhan, who was inside the Array Map, let out a wretched scream as the Sword Radiance pierced through his chest, pinning him to the ground.

The Sword Radiance then vanished, leaving only the quiet flow of blood. Pinned to the ground, Marquis Liezhan could still twitch his limbs. He wasn’t dead; Li Qiye had simply intended to spare his life.

This sudden turn of events left everyone stunned—not just the observing cultivators or the disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, but even Gu Tieshou himself. The change was simply too shocking.

Gu Tieshou was dumbfounded, unable to come to his senses for a long time. All the spectators were in the same state. The eight hundred War Generals, Marquis Liezhan, the Yangshou Mountain and River Painting—all of it was reduced to nothing by that single sword strike. Whether it was a Prince or an Ancient Saint Array Painting, they were all inconsequential, swept away like dust before that one attack.

After the sword swept past, in the Capital City of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country, a Human Emperor suddenly opened his eyes. Within their profound depths, the sun and moon seemed to rise and fall, and star rivers churned. It was a terrifying sight. He murmured in a grave voice, ”Could the Xiyan Ancient Sect still possess an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure—” As he finished, a brilliant Divine Light erupted from his eyes, as if seeking to pierce through the very firmament!

This scene left everyone shaken, including the disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. For a long, long time, they could not recover their wits.

”Emperor’s Immortal Power...” After an unknown amount of time, a cultivator couldn’t help but mutter the words. Emperor’s Immortal Power. Countless cultivators had heard the name, but none had ever witnessed its true might. Today, a single beam of Sword Radiance had swept through, turning everything to dust. This was the Emperor’s Immortal Power!

Only then did everyone realize the terror of an Immortal Emperor. Mingren Immortal Emperor had passed away so long ago, yet the Emperor’s Immortal Power he left behind was still enough to make even Divine Spirits tremble!

”Tie him up. In three days, he will be beheaded outside the main gate.” While countless people were still lost in a daze, Li Qiye’s voice drifted out from within the Xiyan Ancient Sect.

After another long while, everyone finally came back to their senses. The observing powerful cultivators shivered, while the disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, upon snapping out of it, erupted in cheers. A few disciples bound Marquis Liezhan and hauled him off to the dungeon.

Eventually, a still-dazed Gu Tieshou returned to the sect. Inside the Qin Tower, after learning the full story behind what had happened, he was stunned into a daze all over again.

After a very long time, Gu Tieshou looked at Li Qiye and finally murmured, ”The Ancestor Master’s spirit truly protects our sect.” He then took a deep breath and said to Li Qiye, ”The Ancestor Master has chosen you as the Revival Lord. I hope you can lead the Xiyan Ancient Sect back to its former glory!”

Gu Tieshou was, for all intents and purposes, the helmsman of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. For him to say such words was to establish Li Qiye’s status within the sect. Overnight, Li Qiye’s position in the Xiyan Ancient Sect had become completely unshakable!

When Marquis Liezhan personally led his forces against the Xiyan Ancient Sect, many in the Treasure Sacred Upper Country believed the sect was facing certain annihilation. No one expected the situation to reverse so dramatically overnight. Eight hundred of the Marquis’s War Generals were killed, and the marquis himself was grievously wounded and captured. Everything that had happened sounded fantastical, but it was all undeniably true.

Within the Xiyan Ancient Sect, however, there was jubilation from top to bottom. For all the disciples, this was an incredibly inspiring event. Repelling Marquis Liezhan’s invasion was a massive shot in the arm for the declining Xiyan Ancient Sect. At the very least, it gave all the disciples a glimmer of hope.

After the battle concluded, the Xiyan Ancient Sect convened a high-level meeting. The elders and Guardians all attended. Gu Tieshou took the lead, revealing the conspiracy between Cao Xiong, Dong Shenglong, and Marquis Liezhan. Now, Cao Xiong had been executed, while Dong Shenglong and Marquis Liezhan were prisoners.

The Guardians were filled with a bone-deep hatred for Cao Xiong’s actions. The Xiyan Ancient Sect had come dangerously close to becoming a puppet of the Holy Heaven Sect!

When Gu Tieshou and the four other elders informed the Guardians that Li Qiye had personally orchestrated everything, they were all completely stunned. They had heard rumors about the Ancestor Master imparting teachings in a dream, but they never imagined the Ancestor Master would actually choose Li Qiye!

During the meeting, Gu Tieshou and the Four Great Elders cemented Li Qiye’s status as the Revival Lord of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. None of the Guardians had any objection to this decision.

As the meeting drew to a close, the discussion turned to the matter of how to deal with Dong Shenglong and Marquis Liezhan.

Regarding this question, Li Qiye had only one thing to say. He smiled and said, ”In three days, they will be beheaded outside the main gate. Invite all the sects and clans of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country to come and watch!”

These words from Li Qiye sent a shock through the hearts of the Guardians and elders present. Such audacity!

”If we do that, I’m afraid we will be tearing away all pretenses with the Holy Heaven Sect,” one Guardian said with concern.

Li Qiye replied calmly, ”We are already mortal enemies. What pretense is there to tear away?”

”What if the Holy Heaven Sect declares war on us?” another Guardian worriedly asked. After all, the Holy Heaven Sect was a behemoth that had founded the Treasure Sacred Upper Country and ruled for thirty thousand years; their position was not easily shaken.

”Declare war?” Li Qiye laughed. His gaze sharpened as he continued leisurely, ”I hear the Human Emperor of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country is a generational Overlord, a man of great ambition and vision, no less impressive than the Nine Saints Demon Gate’s Sun Demon Emperor! I’m not afraid of him starting a war. In fact, it would be best if he led the campaign himself. I could wipe out all the Princes and True Masters of the Holy Heaven Sect in one fell swoop.”

”That’s not a bad idea!” Gu Tieshou mused for a moment before speaking. ”The Emperor’s Immortal Power in the Qin Tower should be able to last for a few major battles. If the Treasure Sacred Upper Country really dares to invade, we can wipe out their Princes and True Masters in one go. While we don’t have the power to destroy the Holy Heaven Sect or the Treasure Sacred Upper Country, just taking out their Princes and True Masters would be enough to keep them from recovering their strength for several thousand years! This would give our Xiyan Ancient Sect a chance to develop.”

Hearing the Great Elder say this, the Guardians present could only look at one another in stunned silence.

”The Holy Heaven Sect’s desire to destroy our Xiyan Ancient Sect is Undying. We can’t just keep compromising and retreating. This time, if the Treasure Sacred Upper Country wants a war, then we’ll give them a heavy blow and maximize the use of the Qin Tower’s Emperor’s Immortal Power,” Elder Sun added.

The Qin Tower and the Ancestor Master’s Portrait were both Emperor’s Treasures of a similar nature. Their power was immense, but they were consumable items. This was a point where they could not compare to an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure or an Immortal Emperor True Artifact.

An Immortal Emperor’s Treasure, for example, could be used countless times, though it placed high demands on the cultivator wielding it. An Emperor’s Treasure that carried Emperor’s Immortal Power, on the other hand, would have its power diminished with each use. As the Emperor’s Immortal Power was consumed, the item would eventually become an ordinary object.

Thus, Gu Tieshou and the others also wanted to use the Qin Tower’s Emperor’s Immortal Power to wipe out their enemies in one decisive blow.

”Speaking of which, I’d like to ask,” Li Qiye said, looking at Gu Tieshou, ”where is our Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Immortal Emperor’s Treasure? What about the Ancestor Master’s Immortal Emperor True Artifact?”

”Well...” Gu Tieshou laughed awkwardly. At the same time, the Four Great Elders couldn’t help but exchange an embarrassed glance.