Dominator Emperor

As the days passed, the Celestial Dao Academy was not only suffering from cataclysmic fissures, but the tremors also grew more violent with each passing day. At the same time, however, the earth beneath the academy actually began to glow. This light grew brighter and brighter until, eventually, one could see wisps of Immortal Light floating in the sky above the Celestial Dao Academy at night. It was an absolutely spectacular sight.

”The gate is about to open, isn’t it?” Seeing such a miracle, the students who had remained at the Celestial Dao Academy couldn’t help but grow excited. It seemed they had all forgotten about the academy’s cataclysm.

Meanwhile, outside the Celestial Dao Academy, an untold number of eyes were fixed on its changes. In a distant Ancestral Land somewhere in the East Hundred Cities, a pair of profound eyes stared at the academy. In the even more distant Central Realm, terrifying eyes were also locked onto it. And even in the unreachable Western Wilderness, unfathomable eyes were watching the Celestial Dao Academy...

A great catastrophe was about to befall the Celestial Dao Academy. Let alone the Old Undyings and Great Sect Ancestors of the East Hundred Cities, even their counterparts across the Five Desolations were awakening from their dust-sealed slumbers. Some legendary experts who hadn’t stirred for countless years were also waking up. Pair after pair of eyes watched the Celestial Dao Academy from the shadows, like vipers in the dark stalking their prey!

In the towns and cities outside the Celestial Dao Academy, sects and inheritances even began to gather their forces, secretly moving their masters and experts to locations closest to the academy.

This time, for many Great Teaching Territories and Emperor Immortal Gates, their goal wasn’t just the fortuitous encounter of the academy’s gate, but the Celestial Dao Academy itself. Whether it was the academy’s foundation or the Heaven and Earth Ancestor Vein beneath its grounds, both were enough to make anyone drool with greed!

For a time, it felt like a storm was brewing. Even some of the weaker sects in the East Hundred Cities could sense that something was in the air. All the sects began to make their own plans; some intended to fish in troubled waters, while others sealed their gates to stay far away from the turmoil.

”The Celestial Dao Academy’s Eternal Gate is about to open! The academy wishes to share this gate with all the sects in the world. The miracles within belong to all Cultivators, regardless of their background or origin! When the Eternal Gate opens, the Celestial Dao Academy will open its mountain gates and welcome all the world’s Cultivators to enter!” Just as countless people were plotting against the Celestial Dao Academy, it suddenly issued this proclamation. In a single night, the announcement spread throughout the many sects and clans of the East Hundred Cities.

The Celestial Dao Academy’s sudden worldwide announcement stunned many people. For some unfathomable Great Teaching Territories and Emperor Immortal Gates, there had long been secret plots to seize the academy during its moment of crisis. Some well-informed great sects had also caught wind of this. Both groups were restless and ready to act. Not only had they sent their young geniuses to join the Celestial Dao Academy, but they had also secretly gathered their forces and hidden them in the closest possible locations!

Now that the Celestial Dao Academy had suddenly announced it would share the gate with the world, many Great Teaching Territories and Emperor Immortal Gates were taken aback. Some of the scheming Old Undyings were even caught completely off guard. They had concocted many pretexts, but no matter the excuse, they needed a justifiable reason to enter the Celestial Dao Academy! Or rather, a justifiable reason to attack it.

But with this sudden announcement to share the gate with the world, the Celestial Dao Academy had essentially summoned everyone under the heavens overnight, completely shattering the plans of some of the scheming Old Undyings!

As for the Inheritance Sects who were not privy to the inside story, they were in an uproar upon hearing the news. Instantly, countless sects and countless Cultivators began to surge toward the Celestial Dao Academy in a single night.

”The legendary ancient gate of the Celestial Dao Academy is opening! Let’s go! The academy said everyone gets a share!” In that moment, countless people flooded in the direction of the Celestial Dao Academy.

”What’s this ancient gate?” Some Cultivators, ignorant and clueless, didn’t even know what the ancient gate was. But seeing so many people rushing toward the Celestial Dao Academy, they joined the stampede. In an instant, the roads leading to the academy were choked with one torrent of people after another.

”You don’t even know about the ancient gate?” an Elder Cultivator said. ”Legend says it’s a path to a Divine Country, or maybe even to the Immortal Realm. You know of Hao Hai Immortal Emperor, right? He had a fortuitous encounter inside the ancient gate back in the day, which led to him becoming invincible and establishing the Thousand Emperors Sect, the most terrifying miracle since the beginning of time!”

”I heard that inside the ancient gate, there are peerless Secret Manuals left behind from the Mythical Era. If you cultivate just one of them, you can become invincible, shoulder the Celestial Mandate, and become an Immortal Emperor! Hao Hai Immortal Emperor is a perfect example!” the Sect Leader of a Minor Sect exclaimed with immense excitement.

”I heard that inside the ancient gate, ancient Medicine Kings tens of millions of years old are more common than weeds! They grow crop after crop, you can never harvest them all! If you practice in there, one hour of Cultivation is better than a hundred years of Cultivation outside!”

”It’s more than just that! I heard there are legendary Immortal Soldiers inside. With one of those in hand, you could sweep through the Eight Desolations!”

For a while, rumors flew everywhere. They became more and more outrageous as they spread, until finally, it sounded as if one could instantly become an Immortal Emperor just by stepping into this ancient gate!

Overnight, heaven and earth rumbled. The entire East Hundred Cities descended into a chaotic frenzy. Countless Cultivators charged toward the Celestial Dao Academy. Some rode Divine Swords across the sky, some traveled on Divine Ships, and some arrived on ferocious birds. Those with shallow Dao Practice even went on foot, desperately rushing toward the academy!

In a single night, it seemed as though every sect and inheritance in the East Hundred Cities had mobilized their entire force, all of them charging toward the Celestial Dao Academy. Whether it was Great Ancient Sects or minor sects and clans, and even down to the Junior Cultivators and Little Loose Cultivators, everyone wanted a piece of the pie. They all rushed toward the Celestial Dao Academy as if possessed!

Amid this massive torrent, very few sects or Cultivators were able to remain calm and rational. Only a handful managed to keep their composure. These few sealed their gates and went into seclusion, unwilling to get involved in the turmoil.

”The ancient gate is opening, and the world’s great sects are eyeing it like tigers. How could they possibly spare a bite of such a fat piece of meat for us? I fear that if we fail to get a bite, we might bring a calamity down upon ourselves instead!” said one of the few calm sects as they sealed their gates.

BOOM— BOOM— BOOM— Overnight, a thousand cavalry crossed the sky and ten thousand horses trampled the heavens. During this night, the Tiger Roar Sect, the Thousand Peaks Holy Land, the Nu Xian Sacred Country... one after another, these powerful and ancient inheritances activated their Dao Platforms, opened their Daoist Doors, and teleported entire armies toward the Celestial Dao Academy.

As for the troops that had long been secretly gathered in the towns near the Celestial Dao Academy, they now brazenly revealed their banners and emblems, appearing openly outside the academy’s mountain gates!

In a short period, a sea of people had formed outside the Celestial Dao Academy. Hundreds of sects and thousands of clans had gathered. Countless experts arrived—King and Marquis True Masters with Blood Qi as vast as the ocean, and Ancient Saints who arrived looking down on the world. It was even rumored that Saint Venerables and Saint Emperors were present, though they remained hidden from view!

The sudden appearance of so many sects left many students inside the Celestial Dao Academy feeling uneasy. For students from commoner backgrounds, they had hoped to enter the gate and obtain a fortuitous encounter. Now that the gate was being shared with the world, it meant more rivals and greater risk.

Even before the gate had appeared, a bloody storm was already brewing across the East Hundred Cities. On the way to the Celestial Dao Academy, countless sects and Cultivators had already clashed, and some had even been completely annihilated!

For the time being, most of the powers gathered outside the Celestial Dao Academy were the Great Teaching Territories of the East Hundred Cities. After all, the other regions of the Middle Grand Realm were too far away. By the time they received the news, a considerable amount of time had already passed. As for the behemoths who got the news first, they certainly weren’t going to share it with others.

”My father, the Emperor, has also come with the sect’s disciples. They’re outside the mountain gates.” While Li Qiye was calmly cultivating inside the Celestial Dao Academy, Chi Xiaodie suddenly brought him this news.

Hearing this, Li Qiye couldn’t help but frown. ”What is your Lion Roar Sect doing trying to wade into these muddy waters? With your level of strength, you’re not even enough to get caught in your enemies’ teeth.” He was just settling in to fish, waiting for the big ones to take the bait.

Chi Xiaodie gently shook her head. ”I’m not sure either. I just received the news myself.” In truth, she was worried too. Anyone could see that a bloodbath was about to begin. The slightest misstep could lead to annihilation. At a time like this, by staying at Li Qiye’s side, she had managed to avoid having her head turned by the so-called Divine Artifact Immortal Treasures.

”I’ll meet with your father,” Li Qiye finally said with a shake of his head. Though he didn’t want to meddle in such affairs, he didn’t wish for the Chi Family to be destroyed. For the sake of the Hundred Battles Divine Emperor, he supposed he had to make an appearance.

Without another word, Chi Xiaodie immediately made the arrangements for Li Qiye. In her heart, she also didn’t want her father to lead the Lion Roar Sect into these muddy waters. Their Lion Roar Sect was simply no match for those behemoths.

The Lion Roar Sect had arrived, and one could even say they had mobilized their entire sect. The sect’s Elders, including the most senior ones, had personally arrived. They were camped in a valley five hundred li east of the Celestial Dao Academy’s mountain gates.

Under Chi Xiaodie’s arrangement, Li Qiye soon met with the Emperor of the Lion Roar Country—Chi Xiaodie’s father.

”Young Master Li, thank you for taking care of my little girl all this time.” Upon seeing Li Qiye, the Emperor of Lion Roar Country didn’t dare put on airs or act high and mighty. He hurriedly bowed to Li Qiye.

In truth, after Chi Xiaodie had left with Li Qiye, he, as a father, had been constantly worried that his daughter would be taken advantage of. This time, seeing the look on Chi Xiaodie’s face, he felt much more at ease.

Chi Xiaodie had mentioned a few things to her father, though of course, she wouldn’t say anything she wasn’t supposed to, not wanting to incur Li Qiye’s displeasure. At the same time, Chi Xiaodie had also secretly reminded her father that Li Qiye was more dependable than anyone.

It was for this very reason that the Emperor of Lion Roar Country adopted such a humble posture the moment he saw Li Qiye.