Dominator Emperor

Peeking through the gaps between countless old roots, she saw Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist and his group in a distant tunnel. Chen Baojiao had no choice but to shout, ”Long Xiangtian—”

”Kill—” The old servant desperately protected Chen Baojiao, his True Master’s Divine Power erupting once more. Severed roots had already pierced his body, but he could only make one last stand.

Far away in another tunnel, Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist’s expression changed the moment he heard Chen Baojiao’s cry. He couldn’t help but take a step forward.

”Young Master, think twice! Even the Chen Family’s Zhenren Shi can’t hold on. If we charge in, I’m afraid it’s just suicide. We should take this chance while the Demon Roots are occupied and rush to the deepest part to find the treasure!” Master Situ said.

ZZZT—ZZZT—ZZZT— At that moment, countless roots and tendrils flooded the dead-end tunnel like a tidal wave, sealing it completely.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM— Just then, in that very instant, the heavens shook and the earth quaked. The entire ground seemed to sink, and everyone’s expression changed drastically.

At this moment, everyone saw a figure sprinting over, charging forward with unparalleled speed. Under his assault, the earthen tunnels were like tofu, easily smashed through one after another. He could even charge straight up from the depths of the earth, rampaging wildly with nothing able to stand in his way.

He charged forth in an instant, breaking through more than a dozen tunnels and even punching through the earth itself.

BOOM! With a deafening roar, he smashed through from the other side. His momentum was unstoppable. Charging in like a raging dragon, he instantly broke through the wall of the dead-end tunnel.

”Go—” Li Qiye burst in and instantly grabbed Chen Baojiao and her old servant, pulling them out through the hole. WHOOSH—WHOOSH—WHOOSH! In that same instant, all the old roots went berserk, surging forward like a million venomous snakes in mad pursuit of the fleeing Li Qiye and Chen Baojiao.

Seeing Chen Baojiao being taken away by Li Qiye, Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist’s expression darkened, but he remained silent.

”Young Master, the Demon Roots are chasing them. If we don’t leave now, when will we?” Master Situ said in a low voice.

”Let’s go.” Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist’s face turned cold. He barked the order and led his men deeper. They wouldn’t give up until they saw the Treasure of the Gods.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM— Like a raging dragon, Li Qiye smashed his way through the Underworld, punching through one tunnel after another. Behind him, countless roots and tendrils gave chase.

Its delicious meal had been snatched away. The old roots of the Pumo Tree went completely berserk. In an instant, not only the roots from behind but also roots from all directions charged crazily toward Li Qiye.

SHHH—SHHH—SHHH... The rustling sound was enough to make one’s skin crawl. The tunnels that had been smashed open in every direction were now flooded with innumerable roots, and all the Demon Roots converged on Li Qiye to surround him.

”Now!” Finally, Li Qiye led Chen Baojiao and her old servant into the trap they had set up in advance.

Li Shuangyan and Niu Fen, who had long been in hiding, saw the flood of roots and tendrils surging forward. They immediately sprang into action, appearing in a flash. With a loud shout, ash filled the sky as countless handfuls of Lotus Ash were thrown out, blanketing all the oncoming roots. The sudden change happened so fast that the roots chasing Li Qiye like a flood had no time to escape.

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM— In that instant, all the roots thrashed on the ground like vipers whose weak spots had been struck. The violent rolling shook the earth, causing one tunnel after another to collapse. The cultivators who were rushing deeper were startled, thinking the whole world was about to fall apart.

In just a short while, all the roots lay dead on the ground, resembling dried-up snakes.

When the roots of the Pumo Tree encountered Lotus Ash, they had met their nemesis. Once touched by it, death was certain.

All the roots died there, and then silence fell. What Li Qiye had expected to happen did not.

”It still won’t come out? It really has become a crafty spirit,” Li Qiye muttered, looking at the field of dead Demon Roots.

He had taken Li Shuangyan and Niu Fen to another tunnel, but they still hadn’t found the main root. This led Li Qiye to guess that the main root was constantly moving to avoid being hunted. That was why Li Qiye had set this trap: to slaughter a massive number of Demon Roots, enrage the Pumo Tree’s main root, and lure it out.

However, even though Li Qiye had killed a huge number of the Pumo Tree’s roots, the main root still hadn’t appeared.

’What a creature, to endure even this.’ Li Qiye was disappointed that the Pumo Tree’s main root didn’t show. This subterranean world was vast; hunting a main root that could move freely down here would not be easy.

Chen Baojiao was stunned. She never imagined that the one who would ultimately save her would be Li Qiye. Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist, the man she was engaged to, hadn’t lifted a finger to help her, yet Li Qiye had!

”AHH—” Just then, the old servant cried out in pain and fell to the ground, his whole body convulsing. The roots that had pierced him were now bulging under his skin.

Several Demon Roots had stabbed into the old servant’s body. Although he had severed them on the outside, the parts inside had burrowed into his flesh and started to grow. He couldn’t suppress them no matter how he tried.

”Elder Shi—” Chen Baojiao cried out in alarm, rushing to help the fallen servant.

”Don’t touch him! Be careful the Demon Root doesn’t burrow into you,” Li Qiye barked. He immediately blocked Chen Baojiao and ordered Niu Fen, ”Tear open his wounds!”

Niu Fen immediately tore open the old servant’s wounds. Li Qiye took out the Holy Water and poured it onto each one. The old servant instantly began to twitch violently, screaming in agony.

”How is Elder Shi?” Chen Baojiao’s face paled as she asked anxiously.

But at that very moment, the Demon Roots inside the old servant’s body writhed out of the wounds like leeches doused in salt. They fell to the ground, dead and motionless.

The Holy Water came from the Six Paths Lotus. When pierced by the Pumo Tree’s roots, the only way to save someone was to pour Holy Water into the wounds to force the roots out. Otherwise, they would take root inside the body and drain all of a person’s Essence Blood.

Only after Niu Fen applied Antiseptic Medicine to his wounds did the old servant finally catch his breath. He slowly opened his eyes.

”Elder Shi, are you okay?” Seeing the old servant come back from the brink of death, Chen Baojiao was both shocked and overjoyed. She called out hurriedly.

With Chen Baojiao’s help, the old servant managed to sit up. He took a difficult breath and said, ”Miss, I’m not going to die just yet!”

”The old man’s Dao Practice is quite impressive. A True Master of such profound skill, yet so deeply hidden,” Niu Fen remarked. ”His Dao Practice will recover after a short rest.”

”Young Master Li, for you to save my Miss and this old servant, I am endlessly grateful.” The old servant finally got to his feet and bowed his thanks to Li Qiye.

Li Qiye nodded and glanced at Chen Baojiao. ”Even though you haven’t made your decision yet, I wasn’t about to let you become food for the Demon Roots.”

Chen Baojiao lowered her head, remaining silent. She didn’t say a word. This time, certain events had shaken her heart. Unconsciously, she had already made a choice.

”What do we do now?” Not having lured out the main root, Li Shuangyan was worried. She said, ”After this first attempt, I’m afraid it won’t fall for the same trick twice.”

Li Qiye narrowed his eyes. ”This damn thing has gotten crafty, but I have another method. Even if it’s as cunning as a ghost, it will still have to drink my foot-washing water. Let’s go. We’ll head to another tunnel. I refuse to believe it won’t come out!”

Since he couldn’t lure out the main root, Li Qiye was forced to use another trump card. Back when the Pumo Tree was exterminated, the Blood Seal Immortal Emperor had left a fail-safe here. Later, after Demon’s Back Ridge was made the private property of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, the Mingren Immortal Emperor reinforced this fail-safe, which was designed specifically to sweep away any living roots.

In the end, Li Qiye led Li Shuangyan and the others to a different location. Chen Baojiao and her old servant had no choice but to follow.

As Li Qiye’s group headed to the new location, not a single Demon Root appeared. In fact, it wasn’t just them; cultivators in other tunnels also discovered that the terrifying Demon Roots had suddenly vanished as if they had never been there.

In truth, the main root hiding underground had sensed the danger. Realizing it was being hunted, it lay dormant like a ghost, no longer attacking rashly but waiting for an opportunity.

Finally, Li Qiye led Li Shuangyan and the others into a massive stone cavern. This cavern was so huge that if Li Qiye hadn’t led the way, Li Shuangyan’s group would never have found it.

Inside the cavern was something that looked like both a giant box and a Dao Platform. It was unknown what kind of Divine Stone this object was made from. It emitted a faint glow, with wisps of blood-red light radiating from within, beautiful like the glimmer of a blood diamond.

However, a sword was floating above this Dao Platform. But upon closer inspection, this sword was not forged from Divine Gold, nor was it crafted from Treasure Iron.

A Black and White Sword floated above the Dao Platform. A closer look revealed that the sword was actually made of wood. The entire blade was formed by two intertwined wooden roots, one black and one white, twisted together into a sword shape. Half was black, the other half white. The black part was like obsidian, the white part like lustrous jade. Looking at this black and white blade, one might mistake it for a sword carved from jade.

However, Li Qiye was not drawn to the sword. His gaze was fixed firmly on a toad resting on the Dao Platform.

It was an ordinary toad, just with a slightly larger belly. This ordinary-looking toad was crouched on the Dao Platform, completely motionless.

Li Qiye’s eyes burned with intensity as he stared at the toad. He couldn’t help but mutter, ’To think I’d find this here after searching high and low for it, and without any effort at all.’

The great battle has raged on. Tonight is destined to be a sleepless one for us all. As a new author, this is my, Xiao Sheng’s, first time participating in the monthly ticket competition, so I know I have many shortcomings.

No matter my shortcomings, no matter my faults, all you readers have continued to follow my story, never abandoning it. You’ve enthusiastically cast your precious monthly tickets and generously supported me. For that, I, Xiao Sheng, am extremely grateful!

In short, let’s work together and push for the top three!!!!!!!!!!!