Dominator Emperor

Li Qiye’s party had just returned to the Xiyan Ancient Sect, where Elder Sun was already waiting anxiously outside the main gate. When he saw them returning from a distance, riding a giant snail, Elder Sun was dumbfounded. ’Running around on a snail... That’s just too ridiculous,’ he thought.

However, Elder Sun had no time to dwell on such matters. Seeing Li Qiye, he rushed over and said, ”Thank heavens, you’re finally back.” With that, he unceremoniously yanked Li Qiye off the snail.

”You need to get to the Ancestral Hall, quickly! They’re about to come to blows in there!” Elder Sun urged Li Qiye anxiously.

Li Qiye noted Elder Sun’s frantic expression and asked, ”Has an enemy invaded? Or has the Treasure Sacred Upper Country come knocking?”

Seeing Li Qiye’s unhurried demeanor, Elder Sun felt a wave of exasperation. ”Neither! The Sect Leader is back and in the Ancestral Hall. Elder Gu and the others are on the verge of a complete falling out with her! You have to go take a look.”

”The Sect Leader.” Li Qiye was surprised to hear this. He had no impression of Sect Leader Su Yonghuang whatsoever. In fact, he had never bothered to care about or even ask after this nominal master of his.

Her return was certainly unexpected. Composed, Li Qiye said, ”Very well. I suppose it’s time I met this master of mine.” With that, he began walking toward the sect.

Niu Fen transformed, reverting to his elderly form to follow beside Li Qiye. Seeing the giant snail turn into an old man stunned Elder Sun for a moment, but he had no time to ask questions.

Meanwhile, inside the Ancestral Hall, the elders were on the verge of flipping the tables. As the highest ruling body of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, the elders were expected to maintain their decorum. At this moment, however, Elder Zhou and the others were glaring daggers. The target of their fury was none other than the current Sect Leader of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, Su Yonghuang.

Elder Gu’s attitude was slightly better, by comparison. He simply sat in silence, not uttering a single word.

As the Sect Leader of the Xiyan Ancient Sect, Su Yonghuang had, in truth, never been welcomed by the sect’s upper echelon. The reason was simple: she had no seniority, no proven experience within the sect. In fact, she wasn’t even a disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect to begin with!

Su Yonghuang had appeared out of nowhere to become the Sect Leader. Her appointment was so sudden that the entire Xiyan Ancient Sect, from top to bottom, was caught completely off guard. Before that day, no one had even heard of her.

Su Yonghuang was only able to become the Sect Leader because the previous Sect Leader was still alive at the time, as were two or three Supreme Elders. There was even one Supreme Elder of a much more ancient vintage who was rumored to have participated in a great battle thirty thousand years ago and had been in secluded cultivation to recover from his grievous wounds ever since.

No one knew the full details of the matter, except perhaps for Great Elder Gu Tieshou. In short, Su Yonghuang suddenly appeared in the Xiyan Ancient Sect and was appointed as the successor by the previous Sect Leader. This decision received the unanimous approval of the surviving Supreme Elders—even the most ancient one assented. Some elders heard that this particular Supreme Elder, the veteran of the war thirty thousand years ago, had personally summoned Great Elder Gu Tieshou to persuade him.

Ultimately, overnight, Gu Tieshou agreed to Su Yonghuang becoming the Sect Leader. The entire Xiyan Ancient Sect was in an uproar. The matter was simply too monumental. For an unknown nobody to suddenly take the helm of the Xiyan Ancient Sect was something the members, from top to bottom, found difficult to accept.

At the time, Gu Tieshou, who held the highest status and had the most support to become Sect Leader himself, persuaded Elder Zhou and the others. He also suppressed some of the disciples who were most vehemently opposed to Su Yonghuang’s appointment. It took several years for the matter to finally die down.

However, Su Yonghuang seemed to be self-aware enough to understand the situation. As Sect Leader, she didn’t remain at the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Instead, she took a small number of disciples, including several Hall Masters, and left. From then on, she resided on the fringes of the sect’s territory and largely refrained from interfering in its internal affairs, though she maintained contact.

It was a good thing she did, as this allowed the Xiyan Ancient Sect to finally quiet down. It also led to a situation where most of the sect’s major decisions were made by the Six Great Elders of that time.

One could say that Great Elder Gu Tieshou was the key figure responsible for Su Yonghuang’s successful appointment. Before her arrival, Gu Tieshou had been the most likely successor, the number one candidate in line for the Sect Leader position. He was, by all rights, the most qualified.

Gu Tieshou was not only the previous Sect Leader’s Direct Disciple, but he also had the most seniority among the first-generation disciples, having been with the sect the longest. Furthermore, he had always been diligent and dedicated, contributing greatly to the Xiyan Ancient Sect.

If Gu Tieshou hadn’t personally stepped in to persuade Elder Zhou and the others, it’s unlikely anyone else could have convinced the sect’s upper echelon.

With even Gu Tieshou willing to relinquish his claim to the position, Su Yonghuang’s ascension to Sect Leader was finally secured, all under his personal guidance.

But today, Su Yonghuang, who had always remained outside, had returned. As Sect Leader, she rarely came back. After the sect’s Grand Elders and, eventually, the previous Sect Leader passed away, she hadn’t returned even once.

Her return this time was for Demon’s Back Ridge. She intended to lead disciples into the ridge, a proposal that was immediately met with opposition from Elder Zhou and the others.

In the eyes of high-ranking elders like Elder Zhou, Li Qiye was the Revival Lord, the true helmsman of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Her sudden return naturally triggered a backlash from them. Besides, since they didn’t trust Su Yonghuang, how could they possibly entrust the sect’s disciples to her care?

The two sides had nearly come to blows over the issue. To put it bluntly, Elder Zhou and the others would never agree to let Su Yonghuang wield real power in the Xiyan Ancient Sect.

”Alright, alright, Qiye is back. Let’s all discuss this calmly,” Elder Sun said hastily after leading Li Qiye into the hall.

Seeing that Li Qiye had returned, Elder Zhou and the others let out a collective sigh of relief. The tense atmosphere in the hall eased noticeably.

”Senior Brother, this is our master, the Sect Leader,” Tu Buyu, standing behind Su Yonghuang, said to Li Qiye with a kind and beaming smile.

At the title ”Sect Leader,” Elder Zhou and the others snorted in clear dissatisfaction.

Li Qiye’s eyes fell upon Su Yonghuang, and he froze. The person before him was a woman—a very young woman, at that!

The woman before him was in her mid-twenties. Her bearing was graceful, noble, and elegant. A goose-yellow dress further accentuated her aristocratic status. She had a moon-like forehead and star-like eyes, but her most captivating feature was her eyebrows. They were shaped like swords, adding a touch of imperial authority to her refined grace. It was as if she were a born princess, a peerless royal, elegant and dignified.

In terms of pure beauty, Li Shuangyan, who was with Li Qiye, was by no means inferior. However, she lacked this woman’s peerless royal bearing and noble grace.

Gazing at the woman, at the contours of Su Yonghuang’s face, Li Qiye felt a jolt in his heart. Even he, who was always composed, found himself momentarily lost in a daze. ’She looks so much like her,’ he thought, ’The resemblance is uncanny!’

As Li Qiye stared at Su Yonghuang, she, in turn, was sizing him up. The ”master and disciple” pair were mutually appraising each other.

Li Qiye snapped out of it and shot a sidelong glance at Nan Huairun. ”You never mentioned the Sect Leader was a woman.”

”Er...” Nan Huairun froze, then gave a dry chuckle. ”Senior Brother never asked,” he whispered. ”I just assumed you knew.”

Li Qiye was speechless. He had always assumed Su Yonghuang was a man. ’After all,’ he thought, ’my junior brother, Tu Buyu, is over a thousand years old. His master must be some white-haired old man of six or seven thousand years.’ He never would have imagined that Su Yonghuang was a peerless beauty of only twenty-five or twenty-six.

”Qiye, the Sect Leader intends to lead disciples into Demon’s Back Ridge,” Gu Tieshou said, stepping in to mediate.

Su Yonghuang looked at Li Qiye and spoke. ”For the Xiyan Ancient Sect in its current state, Demon’s Back Ridge is the best possible training ground. It is also time for our sect to reap a harvest. According to my calculations, the ridge will open in three to six months at the latest. This is an opportunity that comes only once a century; we cannot afford to miss it.”

”I’m aware,” Li Qiye said with a slight nod. ”It will open in precisely sixty-three days.” He had known when Demon’s Back Ridge would open since he was buried underground.

”What are your thoughts on the matter?” Gu Tieshou asked Li Qiye.

All the elders present turned to look at Li Qiye. In their hearts, Elder Zhou and the others much preferred the idea of him becoming the Sect Leader of the Xiyan Ancient Sect.

”Let me have a talk with the Sect Leader,” Li Qiye finally said to Gu Tieshou and the others.

Gu Tieshou and the other elders exchanged a glance before the five of them agreed to Li Qiye’s request.

Li Qiye returned to Solitary Peak. Li Shuangyan and the others took their leave, leaving only Li Qiye, Su Yonghuang, and Tu Buyu in the small courtyard. Tu Buyu remained standing faithfully behind Su Yonghuang.

Li Qiye gazed at Su Yonghuang, remaining silent for a long time as memories surfaced in his mind. After a long while, he finally spoke. ”Is the Tianya Su Family doing well?”

Li Qiye’s words instantly caused the elegant Su Yonghuang’s expression to shift. Even Tu Buyu was stunned. Visibly moved, Su Yonghuang stared at Li Qiye. ”How do you know of Tianya? Within the Xiyan Ancient Sect, no one besides Elder Tu knows of the Tianya Su Family!”

With a single sentence, Li Qiye had revealed her origins. How could she not be shaken? The Tianya Su Family was unknown to the mortal world; no one in the Nine Realms should know of them.

”The Patriarch simply entrusted the knowledge to me in a dream,” Li Qiye replied, his composure restored, a faint smile on his lips.