Dominator Emperor

Li Shuangyan shot him a cold glance but said nothing. Li Qiye, however, narrowed his eyes at Marquis Jiangzuo and drawled, ”As the saying goes, a good dog doesn’t block the way. Don’t spoil my good mood. Scram!”

Upon hearing Li Qiye’s words, even someone as composed as Master Jiangzuo’s expression turned cold. He looked down at Li Qiye and said frigidly, ”Little Ghost, don’t be so arrogant. I will not lower myself to your level! But if you don’t know when to back down, if you remain ignorant of your own insignificance, hmph, not even Gu Tieshou could save you, even with an Emperor’s Treasure!”

”You can rest assured about that. Elder Gu isn’t here,” Li Qiye said with a grin upon hearing Master Jiangzuo. ”Besides, why use an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken? You think far too highly of your Jiangzuo Family. Aren’t you just wary of the Emperor’s Treasure? Don’t get ahead of yourself. What makes you think the Zuo Family is so special? Without an Emperor’s Treasure, slaughtering your Jiangzuo Family would be as easy as butchering dogs!”

Li Qiye’s words made Marquis Jiangzuo tremble with rage, his face flushing crimson. He glared furiously at Li Qiye; even a man made of clay would have coughed up blood after hearing such insolence.

”That kid is just plain vicious!” Even some of the observing cultivators felt he was going too far.

Another cultivator sneered, ”Vicious? He’s simply courting death. An ignorant brat who doesn’t know his place, spouting such nonsense. He should take a good look at how far the Xiyan Ancient Sect has fallen, yet he still dares to provoke the Jiangzuo Family. With a death-courting little bastard like him, it’s only a matter of time before the Xiyan Ancient Sect faces complete annihilation!”

Marquis Jiangzuo’s eyes glinted as he said grimly, ”Such big words. I’d like to see just what impressive Cultivation Techniques your Xiyan Ancient Sect has left! But even if the Xiyan Ancient Sect has one or two Emperor Techniques remaining, an ignorant brat like you is hardly qualified to practice them!”

”Ah, I see!” Li Qiye looked at Marquis Jiangzuo and broke into a smile. He said leisurely, ”So you’re trying to bait me. In this day and age, fists do the talking, so let’s not be coy. If you want to be a robber, then stop pretending to be a saint. You’re like a whore demanding a monument to her chastity! You’re here for my Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Emperor Technique, aren’t you!”

Marquis Jiangzuo’s face flushed crimson. He had his iron cavalry suddenly make a move and surround Li Qiye, precisely because he wanted to provoke him and find an excuse to seize him on the spot.

He had never imagined that Li Qiye, who looked no older than fifteen or sixteen, would see right through his intentions. It left him feeling rather awkward in front of the crowd.

That day at the precipice, Marquis Jiangzuo had personally witnessed the power of the Kunpeng Six Transformations, and it had instantly set his heart racing with greed. An Emperor Technique was truly peerless, after all.

As far as Marquis Jiangzuo was concerned, his Jiangzuo Family currently possessed immense strength and a shocking foundation. The only thing they lacked was an Emperor Technique capable of letting them vie for world domination!

Back then, Gu Tieshou had used the Kunpeng Six Transformations to slaughter Marquis Zhenwei, and Li Qiye had pointed out the flaws in the technique from the sidelines. This immediately made Marquis Jiangzuo realize that Li Qiye himself must practice the Kunpeng Six Transformations. Perhaps his version was even better than Gu Tieshou’s. It might even be from the personal manuscript of the Mingren Immortal Emperor himself! Otherwise, how could someone so young possibly comprehend such a profound Emperor Technique?

Instantly, Li Qiye became a fat sheep in Marquis Jiangzuo’s eyes. However, he was wary of the Emperor’s Treasure in Gu Tieshou’s possession and didn’t dare to act. After they entered Demon’s Back Ridge, Li Qiye hadn’t shown his face, giving the Marquis no opportunity to make a move.

Today, Li Qiye had suddenly appeared in the eastern part of Demon’s Back Ridge, accompanied only by Li Shuangyan. The moment Marquis Jiangzuo heard the news, he immediately led his troops over. To ensure he could seize the Emperor Technique, the marquis had even brought a powerhouse from his family.

For Marquis Jiangzuo, obtaining the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Emperor Technique this time was an absolute must!

Now that Li Qiye had laid the truth bare with a single sentence, many of the observing cultivators couldn’t help but look at each other. Many were visibly stirred, and some even thought to themselves, ’How did I not think of that! If this kid really practices an Emperor Technique, then he truly is a fat sheep!’

”That’s right. I am here for your Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Emperor Technique. Your sect has declined; it’s time for the Emperor Technique to change masters!” Since he had been exposed, Marquis Jiangzuo snorted coldly and stopped beating around the bush, laying his cards on the table.

Li Qiye narrowed his eyes at Marquis Jiangzuo and said with unhurried composure, ”Your Jiangzuo Family has always been a bunch of hypocrites, especially that Jiangzuo Prince. What a shameless bastard. You might be despicable, but at least you dare to own up to your actions. A true villain is far better than your ancestor, the Jiangzuo Prince.”

”Little Ghost, you dare insult my ancestor—” Marquis Jiangzuo’s expression changed drastically. With a furious roar, he reached out a large hand toward Li Qiye, intending to capture him alive.

BANG! Without Li Qiye having to lift a finger, Li Shuangyan made her move. She struck his large hand with a single fingertip, forcing Marquis Jiangzuo to hastily retreat. His face paled as he stumbled back several steps.

”Li Fairy, don’t court disaster. The Nine Saints Demon Gate has a bright future. Don’t drag it into these muddy waters over some nobody junior!” Marquis Jiangzuo’s eyes grew cold as he spoke grimly.

Li Shuangyan shot him a cold glare and said icily, ”The Nine Saints Demon Gate is not for the likes of your Jiangzuo Family to lecture!”

”If Miss Li insists on protecting this Little Ghost, then I’m afraid this old man won’t be able to hold back.” At that moment, a cold, sinister voice spoke up as an old man emerged from behind Marquis Jiangzuo. The old man was gaunt, with a pair of chilling eyes, but the Iron Armor he wore seemed to weigh a ton. It made him look like an iron mountain, yet his movements were completely unhindered.

”Jiangzuo Iron Armor!” Upon seeing the old man, a Great Demon in the crowd cried out in shock. ”The senior brother of the Jiangzuo Family’s Patriarch!”

Seeing this old man appear and hearing the name ’Jiangzuo Iron Armor,’ the expressions of many cultivators present changed.

Jiangzuo Iron Armor was not only the senior brother of the Jiangzuo Family’s Patriarch, but also a cruel and ruthless Prince. His hands were drenched in blood. Legend had it that for the last millennium, he had personally suppressed and slaughtered every cultivator and sect that dared to oppose the Jiangzuo Family.

Jiangzuo Iron Armor had become a Prince a thousand years ago. Unfortunately, having been born in the Tough Dao Era, his Great Dao stagnated after he reached the Prince realm. It wasn’t until the end of the Tough Dao Era that he finally began to make progress. In recent years, he had even stepped one foot into the True Realm, making his strength truly fearsome!

”Jiangzuo Iron Armor—” Li Shuangyan’s gaze sharpened as she stared coldly at the old man. She had heard of his vicious reputation. Even among the elders of her Nine Saints Demon Gate, few could be considered his match!

”Little Ghost, if you know what’s good for you, hand over the Emperor Technique,” Jiangzuo Iron Armor said, staring coldly at Li Qiye. ”Otherwise, I’ll make you wish you were dead!”

At this point, most of the observing cultivators in the distance fell silent. Robbery and plunder were all too common in the Cultivator Realm. An act like the Jiangzuo Family tearing away all pretense to seize an Emperor Technique was hardly a rare sight.

Some cultivators even felt a pang of regret. ’I should have struck first,’ they thought. ’Seizing an Emperor Technique would have been immensely beneficial for my cultivation.’

Now that the Jiangzuo Family had beaten them to the punch, many cultivators were secretly kicking themselves.

”If I’d known that arrogant brat had an Emperor Technique, I would’ve struck first. Now the Jiangzuo Family gets the fat sheep,” a cultivator muttered under his breath.

Li Qiye narrowed his eyes and said with a grin, ”It seems you really think I’m just a fish on the chopping block for you to carve up as you please! Fine. Since your Jiangzuo Family has delivered itself to my doorstep, don’t blame me for what comes next!”

Li Qiye’s complete and utter calm, however, made Marquis Jiangzuo’s heart skip a beat. ’Would the Xiyan Ancient Sect really let a junior like Li Qiye wander around on his own?’

’Or is Gu Tieshou of the Xiyan Ancient Sect protecting him in secret?’ The thought of the Emperor’s Treasure in Gu Tieshou’s hands sent a chill down the marquis’s spine. Anyone would be wary of such a weapon. A single strike from its Emperor Essence would mean certain death, even for a True Master.

”The weak are prey to the strong. This is an unchanging principle of the ages,” Marquis Jiangzuo said with a cold laugh. ”However, the Jiangzuo Family is a renowned Noble Family; we won’t just forcibly seize your Emperor Technique. Since you’re so fond of making bold claims, how about a wager?”

Marquis Jiangzuo’s sudden change in tone stunned many onlookers. The Jiangzuo Family’s iron cavalry already had Li Qiye completely surrounded; he couldn’t escape even if he grew wings. So why was the marquis suddenly changing his tune?

At this, some of the older-generation cultivators felt a chill. Many of them were old foxes, after all. For a junior like Li Qiye to be so brazen, he must have a powerful backer protecting him.

”A wager? What’s the bet?” When it came to cunning, who could possibly compare to Li Qiye, a being who had lived for countless ages? The moment Marquis Jiangzuo changed his tune, Li Qiye understood his scheme. He couldn’t help but laugh. The marquis thought he was being clever, but he’d only outsmarted himself.

”You threatened to slaughter my Jiangzuo Family!” Marquis Jiangzuo said coldly. ”Then I shall see just how capable you are. Do you dare to fight me? If you lose, you will obediently hand over the Kunpeng Six Transformations. I won’t make things difficult for you. I’ll even let you leave safely!”

Switching from open robbery to a duel was, in his mind, a stroke of genius. First, it addressed his fear that Gu Tieshou and the Emperor’s Treasure were nearby. Second, it would silence any public criticism.

In a one-on-one duel between cultivators, life and death were decided by fate. If one was killed or lost, they could only blame their own lack of skill. If Li Qiye lost, it would be his own fault for being weak, and Marquis Jiangzuo would obtain the Kunpeng Six Transformations fair and square, leaving no room for gossip.

Of course, everyone knew it was unfair. Marquis Jiangzuo was already on the cusp of the Prince realm. Anyone could see that Li Qiye’s defeat was a certainty.

”And if you’re too scared to fight after insulting my family,” Marquis Jiangzuo continued coldly, ”the Jiangzuo Family will be merciful and spare your life. However, while we can forgive the death sentence, you can’t escape punishment. You will sever one of your own arms and a leg!”

With this statement, Marquis Jiangzuo completely cut off any path of retreat, leaving Li Qiye with no other choice!