Dominator Emperor

Normally, such a sight would have been hilarious, but at this moment, no one dared to laugh.

Nan Huairun was a smooth operator, but he was also reverent at heart. The mere mention of gods was enough to make him shiver. This time, he was sincerely apologizing to the giant tree.

Just as Nan Huairun finished kowtowing, an object suddenly drifted down from the sky and landed before him. The object was golden and pulsed with rays of light like golden threads. It was a lotus seedpod, one that looked as if it were cast from gold. Though it wasn’t solid, each of the holes within the seedpod glittered with a crystalline brilliance.

”Not bad, kid. You really are sincere.” Li Qiye couldn’t help but nod in praise. ”The Osmanthus Lotus Tree has truly forgiven your transgression and bestowed upon you a Six Paths Lotus Seedpod. This is an incredible treasure with immense potential—it can be refined into a Divine Artifact! Hurry and thank the Osmanthus Lotus Tree. You should know, items like this are exceedingly rare.”

Hearing Li Qiye’s words, everyone was stirred. It could be refined into a Divine Artifact! At this point, even someone with no knowledge of treasures could tell that the golden, cast-like seedpod was an incredible find.

Nan Huairun shuddered and hastily kowtowed respectfully to the giant tree once more. Finally, overjoyed, he put away the Six Paths Lotus Seedpod, not daring to show the slightest hint of disrespect.

Many of the Xiyan Ancient Sect disciples watched Nan Huairun with envy, not having expected him to receive such a Divine Object. As his master, Guardian Mo was also happy for his disciple. He hadn’t thought such a sincere gesture would actually be rewarded with a Divine Object from the Divine Tree. It seemed that every action, no matter how small, was predestined.

At this, some disciples couldn’t resist copying Nan Huairun, hoping the Divine Tree might bestow a Divine Object upon them as well.

”Don’t waste your efforts,” Li Qiye said, shaking his head. ”A heart must be pure and untainted. Even the slightest hint of ulterior motive will not work. This kid, Huairun, has quite the fortuitous destiny. This kind of fortune can’t be forced.”

Hearing this, the other disciples gave a dry laugh. Although they hadn’t received any Divine Objects, everyone from the disciples to the Guardian Hall Masters was filled with awe. They were now all convinced that the giant tree before them was a Divine Tree.

Li Qiye paid them no mind and said to Gu Tieshou, ”Elder Gu, I’m taking a trip to the Eastern Division. You and the other disciples are to remain here. Remember, do not leave this spot under any circumstances, or you could invite a cataclysmic disaster.”

”I’ll be careful,” Gu Tieshou said gravely, not daring to take the warning lightly.

Li Qiye left the Holy Land with Li Shuangyan and Niu Fen. Along the way, he gave each of them a portion of the Holy Water and Lotus Ash. ”If you encounter a Pumo Root, you must sever it,” he instructed. ”If you see a Pumo Flower, retreat immediately. If you get trapped and can’t fight your way out, use the Lotus Ash to repel them. If a flower lands on you or a Demon Root pierces your body, douse yourself with the Holy Water. Otherwise, it will suck you dry.”

Li Shuangyan and Niu Fen carefully stored the Holy Water and Lotus Ash, taking Li Qiye’s words to heart and not daring to be the least bit careless.

”What are we going there to do?” Li Shuangyan asked after putting away the Holy Water and Lotus Ash.

”We’ll see—” Li Qiye gazed toward the Eastern Division. ”I don’t know what the situation is like right now. In any case, we need to take care of that damn thing before it gets any worse. If it’s allowed to grow again, we’ll have a real catastrophe on our hands.”

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM! However, just as Li Qiye finished speaking, the entire Eastern Division began to shake. Then, dirt shot into the sky. Across the lands of the Eastern Division, within the Uninhabited Area, enormous bone spikes suddenly jutted up from beneath the earth. Each massive spike was tens of thousands of feet long. More terrifying still, each one was pitch-black and wreathed in black energy.

In an instant, the once-lush Eastern Division began to emit wisps of black energy. The wisps rose and swirled through the Uninhabited Area until, in just a short time, the entire region resembled a zone from Hell.

Anyone who witnessed this scene couldn’t help but shudder, a feeling of foreboding rising in their hearts.

”ROAR—” At that moment, a colossal roar echoed as the Celestial-Destroying Demon Ape burst from its lair, its terrifying aura flooding the entire Uninhabited Area.

”The Celestial-Destroying Demon Ape—” Everyone shuddered at the sight of the million-year-old Celestial Beast. Even a personage like Celestial Emperor Qingxuan’s expression changed drastically.

”SCREEE—” However, just as the Celestial-Destroying Demon Ape emerged, a long cry came from a deep valley in another direction. A Longevity Spirit had also taken flight.

”Oh my god, a million-year-old Longevity Spirit—” Everyone was scared stiff. A million-year-old Celestial Beast and a million-year-old Longevity Spirit! Their auras swept across the Eastern Division like a terrifying tidal wave. All the cultivators turned pale with fright. Countless cultivators with weaker Dao Practice were so terrified they fell right on their asses.

”We’re done for, we’re done for—” one cultivator muttered, dazed and scared out of his wits.

It was too late for anyone to escape. In fact, when faced with a million-year-old Celestial Beast and a million-year-old Longevity Spirit, not even a True Master could get away.

However, the Celestial-Destroying Demon Ape and the million-year-old Longevity Spirit completely ignored the cultivators who had entered the Uninhabited Area. They let out a final, wild roar, a hint of reluctance in the sound, before abandoning their lairs and fleeing the Eastern Division. The Longevity Spirit shot to the north while the Celestial-Destroying Demon Ape bolted to the west, both eventually disappearing into the vast wilderness.

Li Qiye, who had just set out, narrowed his eyes, staring from afar at the colossal, sky-piercing bones. He remained silent for a long time.

”What is that?” Even Niu Fen was shaken. He had an ominous premonition and muttered the question.

”A skeleton from a bygone era.” Li Qiye chuckled, his smile turning brilliant. ”It’s something that died millions of years ago, and it still wants to use its bones to be reborn.”

”What kind of demonic creature is it? A five-million-year-old Celestial Beast? Or a five-million-year-old Longevity Spirit?” Niu Fen was stunned. Each bone spike was tens of thousands of feet tall. One could only imagine how gigantic the creature must have been.

Li Qiye smiled calmly and said, ”Neither a Celestial Beast nor a Longevity Spirit, but far more terrifying than either. You can kill a Celestial Beast or a Longevity Spirit. This damn thing is incredibly hard to kill. Its tenacity is unbelievable. As long as even a tiny piece of its root survives, it can stay alive, plotting its eventual rebirth.”

Niu Fen and Li Shuangyan were both deeply stirred. For such a thing to exist in the world was truly terrifying.

”Come on, let’s go have a look,” Li Qiye said with a grin. ”Maybe we can extinguish its last hope and dig up some treasures while we’re at it.”

As Li Qiye rode his snail toward the Eastern Division, the cultivators from the Great Teachings Territory and Holy Land Secret Sects back in the Uninhabited Area looked at each other in dismay. A sense of unease and foreboding settled in many of their hearts.

”Is... is this really the appearance of the Treasure of the Gods? I... I think it looks more like the birth of a demon,” a Sect Leader said, his face paling as he stared at the giant bones.

”This place is ominous,” Elder Guan said to Celestial Emperor Qingxuan, his expression grave.

Celestial Emperor Qingxuan’s gaze sharpened, as if it could pierce through to the very depths of the Uninhabited Area. Finally, he said slowly, ”So what if it’s ominous? A place of great evil is bound to hold a Divine Object! That is precisely what we need. What terrible omen in this world would dare to act so presumptuously before the Divine Power of our ancestors?”

Hearing this, Elder Guan found it reasonable. Their Qingxuan Ancient Country had produced two Immortal Emperors; that was enough for them to look down upon the Eight Desolations. They had come fully prepared this time. Even if they encountered immense danger, they were confident they could retreat unscathed.

Without hesitation, Celestial Emperor Qingxuan continued to lead his followers deeper into the Uninhabited Area. Now that the Celestial-Destroying Demon Ape had fled, they no longer needed to be so cautious and could advance directly, their pace quickening significantly.

”We’re going in as well.” Seeing Celestial Emperor Qingxuan advance, the Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist was not to be outdone and spoke in a low voice.

Master Situ, the National Preceptor, said with some concern, ”Young Master, I fear there are great dangers ahead.”

”I know,” the Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist said. ”Having entered a Treasure Mountain, we cannot return empty-handed. Besides, if there truly is a Treasure of the Gods, it’s bound to be fraught with peril. Where in this world can a Divine Object be obtained so easily? If there’s a Divine King’s Artifact, I need it to achieve my supreme ambition!” As he spoke, a terrifying, resolute light gleamed in his eyes.

”The Young Master’s ambition is magnificent,” Master Situ agreed. To achieve great things, to walk the path of an Immortal Emperor, one must possess such ambition and such a resolute Dao Heart.

With Celestial Emperor Qingxuan and the Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist leading their people deeper into the Uninhabited Area one after another, many of the hesitant cultivators from the Great Teachings Territory were stirred. After all, if even juniors like them were going in, how could they not be tempted? Besides, the Great Teachings Territory present were all formidable powers. Some were even led by Princes—and some by Princes of the older generation!

”We’re going in too! With the Qingxuan Ancient Country and the Holy Heaven Sect clearing the way, what do we have to fear?” one Sect Leader said grimly. ”Even if we can’t get the Divine King’s Artifact, obtaining one or two Divine Artifacts would make this trip worthwhile.”

In the end, a good number of the Great Ancient Sects followed Celestial Emperor Qingxuan and the Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist into the deepest parts of the Uninhabited Area.

Most of the Great Teachings Territory hadn’t given up on the legendary Treasure of the Gods. After Celestial Emperor Qingxuan and the Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist went in, they too jumped on the bandwagon and entered the deeper parts of the Uninhabited Area.

A small number of inheritances and cultivators, however, abandoned the idea of going any further. The sudden appearance of the giant bone spikes, wreathed in black energy, was unnerving and made their hair stand on end. Thus, a minority of the Inheritance Sects decided to give up on venturing deeper.

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