Dominator Emperor

”He’s back, First Brother is back—” When Li Qiye stepped onto the Holy Land, a disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect saw him from afar and shouted.

Hearing the shout, Gu Tieshou and the others rushed over. Upon seeing Li Qiye return safely, everyone from Gu Tieshou to Tu Buyu was overjoyed. Even the perpetually ice-cold Li Shuangyan revealed a smile.

Surrounded by the crowd, Li Qiye arrived beneath the trunk of the Osmanthus Lotus Tree. Everyone was ecstatic. After the disciples had all taken their seats, Gu Tieshou and the others remained by Li Qiye’s side.

”What were the gains?” Li Qiye asked. ”How did the disciples fare in their training?”

Speaking of gains, many disciples looked delighted. Nan Huairun eagerly reported to Li Qiye, ”First Brother, our haul this time was huge! We were a little short on high-grade Beast Marrow and Dao Bones, but we gathered a ton of Spiritual Elixirs and Herbs and Dao Treasure Gold. We dug up a lot of one-wen and two-wen Dao Treasure Gold, and the best piece was a five-wen one that Senior Brother Qu Daoli found. Elder Gu even found a Six Transformations Soul Grass...”

Nan Huairun reported this excitedly to Li Qiye. Even a composed man like Gu Tieshou couldn’t hide his excitement. A Six Transformations Soul Grass! This was something the Xiyan Ancient Sect couldn’t have even dreamed of before. If sold, a Soul Grass like this would fetch a heavenly price.

All the disciples present beamed with joy. This was truly a great harvest for the Xiyan Ancient Sect. This training expedition could be said to have massively restocked the sect’s treasury.

”Are the disciples of the sect alright?” Li Qiye was also infected by their joy and revealed a smile, asking with concern.

”We conducted several large-scale hunts,” Gu Tieshou said. ”There were casualties, but nothing too severe. The worst incident was when we pursued a Longevity Spirit past the boundary. Three disciples died in battle. Fortunately, Xu Pei was quick-witted. She put on a bluff and lured it away, saving the disciples in danger. You could say Xu Pei’s intelligence saved the day. Otherwise, by the time we arrived, I’m afraid the Longevity Spirit would have killed even more disciples.”

”Xu Pei earned great merit this time,” even the taciturn Guardian Mo praised. ”If not for her, I would have lost my own life.”

As the First Senior Sister of Washing Stone Valley, Xu Pei was a bit shy receiving praise from all the elders. With her large eyes, she never liked to steal the spotlight, but she truly had a delicate and perceptive heart. Although Xu Pei was usually a bit timid, when a major crisis occurred, she could face it with a calm head.

For cultivators, injuries and death were normal. Losing three disciples in battle was already considered a minimal loss. Though it was a misstep, it was still within an acceptable range.

After Nan Huairun and the others finished reporting the specific details of the past few days, Nan Huairun couldn’t help but ask excitedly, ”First Brother, how was your training?”

In fact, even if Nan Huairun hadn’t asked, Gu Tieshou and the others were all looking at Li Qiye. Seeing everyone’s gazes on him, Li Qiye chuckled, tossed his Qiankun Pouch on the ground, and said with a smile, ”See for yourselves.”

The others were too embarrassed to open Li Qiye’s Qiankun Pouch, but Nan Huairun, ever the lackey, eagerly opened it for him and dumped all its contents out.

When the contents of the Qiankun Pouch poured out, a brilliant radiance blinded everyone and a treasure aura shot to the heavens. For a moment, everyone was completely dumbfounded.

”Th-th-so much Longevity Blood...” Seeing the numerous vials of Longevity Blood, Guardian Mo couldn’t help but gulp. As the apprentice of the Pharmacist, Elder Sun, he found himself practically drooling at the sight.

”My heavens! Th-th-this is a hundred-thousand-year Annual Ring! No, wait, th-th-these are the Dao Bone and Beast Marrow of a two-hundred-thousand-year Heaven-Carrying Ape! I, I, I... oh my god, i-i-isn’t this a three-hundred-thousand-year Annual Ring?” Nan Huairun didn’t hold back, immediately scooping the items into his arms. He’d see a two-hundred-thousand-year item and drop the hundred-thousand-year one. The sight was so dazzling he wished he could hug every single treasure to his chest.

At this moment, everyone present was stunned. Even Li Shuangyan, who had her own bountiful harvest, was visibly moved. A three-hundred-thousand-year Annual Ring! This came from a three-hundred-thousand-year Longevity Spirit. Even a True Master would give it a wide berth, let alone other cultivators.

Gu Tieshou couldn’t believe his own eyes. With his strength, it would be impossible to hunt a two-hundred-thousand-year Celestial Beast, yet it had fallen into Li Qiye’s hands. This was simply too incredible.

As for the other Hall Masters and Guardians present, they were speechless for a long time, completely at a loss for words.

”There’s one more good thing here,” Li Qiye said with a smile, taking out the million-year Annual Ring from his Main Destiny Palace and tossing it on the ground.

”I, I, I... MY HEAVENS—” Nan Huairun’s reaction might have seemed exaggerated, but he was utterly shocked. Forget Nan Huairun; even Niu Fen was stunned!

”A million-year Annual Ring!” Niu Fen couldn’t help but take a deep breath, a cold chill running down his spine.

A million-year Longevity Spirit was feared by men and dreaded by ghosts! Such a creature was practically a phantom; if a Saint Venerable encountered one, they would likely have their blood sucked dry!

As for Gu Tieshou and the others, their entire bodies shuddered. They felt a chill, horrified to their core. This was simply unimaginable. A million-year Longevity Spirit!

”Sir, you were the one who hunted this down?” Niu Fen asked, sucking in a cold breath.

”It just didn’t know what was good for it and targeted me.” Li Qiye shrugged, nonchalantly saying, ”Since it delivered itself to my doorstep, I had no choice but to accept its Annual Ring and Longevity Blood.”

At this moment, forget Gu Tieshou; even Niu Fen was looking at Li Qiye as if he’d seen a ghost. Li Qiye’s Dao Practice was still far from the Celestial Essence realm, let alone the level of a Heroic Hero or a Prince. And yet, he had slaughtered a million-year Longevity Spirit. If word of this got out, no one would believe it. It was simply impossible.

But Niu Fen’s heart jolted. He suddenly recalled the Immortal Emperor’s blessing in Li Qiye’s Sea of Consciousness. That day, when he had foolishly tried to probe Li Qiye’s Sea of Consciousness, he had been instantly crushed by that blessing. If Li Qiye hadn’t spared his life, he would have been annihilated! What kind of person could receive an Immortal Emperor’s blessing? One had to know, the most recent Immortal Emperor, Ta Kong, had already vanished thirty thousand years ago!

And yet, Li Qiye, who was barely fourteen or fifteen years old, had received an Immortal Emperor’s blessing. Just imagine how terrifying, how utterly unbelievable that was.

At that moment, Nan Huairun snapped back to his senses. He tossed aside all the treasures in his arms and immediately hugged the million-year Annual Ring, drooling as he said, ”Senior Brother, you’re too extravagant! This is a million-year Annual Ring, and you just tossed it aside like a piece of scrap metal!”

Nan Huairun’s reaction seemed a bit exaggerated, but at this moment, to everyone else, it wasn’t exaggerated at all.

”Heh, Senior Brother is still the most amazing. When Senior Brother makes a move, he’s invincible, slaying Buddhas and gods alike! Heh, who is our First Brother? He is the Revival Lord of our Xiyan Ancient Sect, the prized disciple of an Immortal Emperor! Who can possibly stand against him...?” Nan Huairun hugged the Annual Ring and shamelessly flattered Li Qiye.

Li Qiye shot him a sideways glance and said leisurely, ”Don’t even think about this Annual Ring. One, it’s not suitable for you. Two, your merits aren’t great enough. Since Xu Pei saved the lives of so many disciples this time, her contribution is the greatest. Let’s award this Annual Ring to Xu Pei.”

Hearing Li Qiye’s command, Nan Huairun’s face fell. Nevertheless, he handed the Annual Ring he was hugging to Xu Pei and said fawningly, ”Junior Sister Xu, you are wise and without equal. This Annual Ring is most suitable for you.”

Xu Pei couldn’t believe her ears. Even as she held the Annual Ring in her arms, she asked in a daze, ”Th-th-this is for me?”

A million-year Annual Ring! This was something even a Guardian Hall Master wouldn’t dare to dream of, yet it was being awarded to a third-generation disciple!

”Hee, hee, Senior Brother, how about one for me?” Nan Huairun looked at the pile of treasures, practically drooling. But without Li Qiye’s permission, he didn’t dare to act on his own.

”Fine. You’ve been following me all this time. Even if you have no great merits, you’ve worked hard. Pick one for yourself.” Li Qiye was never stingy with those loyal to him and nodded.

Hearing Li Qiye’s permission, Nan Huairun’s spirits immediately soared. He instantly grabbed the three-hundred-thousand-year Annual Ring, hugged it tight, and said with a grin, ”Heh, Senior Brother, I’ll take this one!”

Seeing his greedy appearance, forget Li Qiye, even his own master, Guardian Mo, shot him a glare. However, Guardian Mo was also happy in his heart. Nan Huairun was his apprentice and had a great future ahead of him; as his master, he was pleased.

Finally, Li Qiye said to Gu Tieshou, ”Elder, put the Longevity Blood and Beast Marrow into the treasury. As for the other treasures, put half into the treasury, and reward the other half to the meritorious disciples from this trip. Let the rewards be based on their contributions!”

”All hail First Brother—” Hearing Li Qiye’s words, all the disciples present cheered. Even the Hall Masters and Guardians broke into smiles. The items Li Qiye brought back were all exceptional treasures.

Gu Tieshou agreed to Li Qiye’s words and began to preside over the distribution of rewards. Li Qiye and Li Shuangyan, meanwhile, stood off to the side.

”Did your trip not go well?” Li Shuangyan looked at Li Qiye and, in a rare moment of gentleness, asked. Although Li Qiye had been smiling the whole time, Li Shuangyan, who had been by his side, could see the loneliness in him.

Li Qiye gently shook his head and sighed without saying anything. ’This is something that even Li Shuangyan, or even the Nine Saints Demon Gate, can’t help me with. I have to rely on myself.’

Since Li Qiye didn’t speak, Li Shuangyan didn’t press. Finally, she said, ”A lot has been happening at Demon’s Back Ridge recently. You could call it a storm of blood and gore.”

”You went out?” Li Qiye asked, a bit surprised.

Li Shuangyan nodded. ”I went out to train. I’ve had a few small ideas about Arrays recently and wanted to test them out, hoping to increase my destructive power.”

Li Shuangyan’s talent was arguably impeccable, but her weakness was in direct combat; her killing power was insufficient. She had immersed her mind in Arrays, constantly calculating them, and this had weakened her cultivation of Ritual Techniques.