Dominator Emperor

As they raced along on the snail, Li Shuangyan couldn’t help but ask, ”How did you know Wu’s Ancestor would see the flaw in your plan and chase after us? As an Earth Immortal, isn’t he just like the Treasure Lords? Don’t they rarely emerge into the world?”

”That was misdirection,” Li Qiye said. ”Our ancestor worship ceremony was virtually flawless, so Wu’s Ancestor wouldn’t have discovered we were impostors. However, the ’lion’s pounce’ I performed as I left was a different story. If he has a moment to reflect on it, he’ll become suspicious. And once he realizes we’re fleeing toward the Overlord Immortal Lion King’s burial site, he’ll be certain we have a major connection to him!”

”Wu’s Ancestor will never be able to stomach the loss of the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades. Even if, for the sake of argument, he could swallow that indignity, the moment he suspects we have a connection to the Overlord Immortal Lion King, he absolutely won’t be able to let it go,” Li Qiye explained. ”Wu’s Ancestor and the Overlord Immortal Lion King are from the same era. More importantly, they’re mortal enemies who fought each other their entire lives! Once he concludes we were sent by the Overlord Immortal Lion King to swindle him out of the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades, he’ll fly into a rage and hunt us down for sure.”

Hearing Li Qiye’s explanation, Niu Fen and the others broke out in a cold sweat. ’Isn’t this just playing with fire and courting disaster?!’

”What about the Su Yin Family?” Chen Baojiao asked. ”Is that Su Yin Medicine Elder really from the Su Yin Family?”

”You’ve hit the nail on the head. Mentioning the Su Yin Family was a deliberate provocation. Wu’s Ancestor isn’t like the Saint Ancestor, who could be moved with just a word or two. Wu’s Ancestor is different. The Su Yin Family and the Qi Shengwu Family are mortal enemies—or more accurately, they’re destined rivals. Before the Qi Shengwu Family was even established, the Su Yin Family was already a renowned Pharmacist Family. In his youth, the Martial Saint Ancestor desperately wanted to marry one of the Su Yin daughters, but he failed. He has held a grudge about it ever since. That’s precisely why the Qi Shengwu Family was established at West River, to face the Su Yin Family from across the water.”

At this, Li Qiye couldn’t help but laugh. ”During his lifetime, Wu’s Ancestor constantly opposed the Su Yin Family, never able to let that incident go. However, that’s all ancient history now. In later generations, the Su Yin Family and the Qi Shengwu Family began to unite through marriage, and have done so for generations!”

”Mere words probably wouldn’t have provoked Wu’s Ancestor enough to make him part with the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades. But bringing the Su Yin Family into it? That changed everything. It’s an obsession Wu’s Ancestor has been unable to let go of his entire life,” Li Qiye said. ”The moment he heard the Su Yin Family was bullying the Wu Family, there was no way he could stomach the insult!”

Li Shuangyan and the others were deeply shaken. Swindling an Earth Immortal was the height of recklessness, an act of courting one’s own destruction. Yet Li Qiye pulled it off with masterful ease, as if it were nothing more than a leisurely stroll.

”Young Master, how did you know that both the Wu’s Ancestor and the Overlord Immortal Lion King are buried in the Ancient Sky Corpse Land?” Shi Gandang couldn’t help but ask. The Wu Family’s ancestral secrets, the location of their Dragon Vein Acupoint—these were things no one from a later generation should know. Yet, Li Qiye listed them off as if they were common knowledge. It was simply incredible.

But as soon as he asked, Shi Gandang felt his question was pointless. This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened; at this point, Li Qiye’s impossible knowledge no longer required an explanation.

In response to such a question, Li Qiye just smiled without answering Shi Gandang.

’How could I not be familiar with the Ancient Sky Corpse Land? Over millennia, I’ve entered this place time and time again.’ In truth, this sort of scheme was nothing new for him. It was just that in past eras, as the Yin Ya, he hadn’t always acted so openly.

Riding the snail, they crossed one Dragon Vein after another in the blink of an eye. Niu Fen’s speed was incredible. Finally, Li Qiye led Li Shuangyan and the others to a stop in a desolate wasteland.

This stretch of wasteland was utterly desolate. There were no great mountains or Giant Peaks here, only scattered boulders and low hills everywhere. The place looked thoroughly unremarkable.

However, Li Qiye now stood amidst crumbling ruins. It seemed a grand hall once stood on this spot, for the ground was littered with broken bricks and shattered tiles.

Li Qiye had Li Shuangyan hold the Wadang Emperor’s Throne aloft while he himself raised the secret manual for the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades with both hands. He called out in a loud voice, ”A descendant of the six hundred and thirty-seventh generation of the Qi Shengwu Family, acting on the orders of our ancestor, the Martial God, seeks an audience with the Master of Heaven Desolate Domain!”

RUMBLE—RUMBLE—RUMBLE— At that moment, the earth began to shake as an ancient palace erupted from the ground. The palace was extremely old. Crouched before it were two stone lions, incredibly majestic and lifelike, resembling Divine Lions with a powerful, intimidating aura.

Li Qiye and Li Shuangyan exchanged a glance, and then Li Qiye led the others into the palace. The hall was vast, but there wasn’t a single person inside.

At the head of the hall rested an Ancient Coffin. It was carved with Divine Lions so vivid they looked as if they were about to spring forth.

”What is Wu the Ghost doing, sending living people here?” A hoary voice finally echoed from within the Ancient Coffin. It was majestic and powerful, like the roar of an awakening Lion King.

Li Qiye held the secret manual high, while Li Shuangyan also raised the throne. He declared, ”Descendants of the Wu Family, on the order of our Primordial Ancestor, we have come to seek an audience with the Master of Heaven Desolate Domain and pay our respects to the Tyrant Immortal Ancestor!”

”Hmph. If you have something to say, spit it out!” a domineering voice boomed from within the Ancient Coffin. ”If I wasn’t above bullying juniors, I’d have already crushed you just for being descendants of Wu the Ghost!”

At this, Li Shuangyan and the others felt a chill in their hearts, remembering that the Overlord Immortal Lion King and Wu’s Ancestor were enemies unto death.

”The Nether River has appeared, and the Netherworld Ship will soon arrive!” Li Qiye said with great solemnity. ”Being interred in a Buried Dragon Cave for countless eons only exchanges for three to five more years of life. With this, I’m afraid true rebirth is hopeless! My ancestor wishes to live again for another generation, and thus desires to board the Netherworld Ship!”

Here, Li Qiye paused before continuing, ”My ancestor believes that the Tyrant Immortal Ancestor’s Divine Saber is peerless. If they could join forces, it would be a union of heaven and earth—together, they would surely be invincible! Therefore, my ancestor sent this junior, bearing the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades, in the hopes of forming an alliance with you, Elder Ancestor!”

”Heh, heh, heh... So even Old Man Wu has his moments of weakness.” The Overlord Immortal Lion King’s boisterous laughter erupted from the Ancient Coffin. ”Hahaha! Satisfying! So satisfying! Who cares how stubborn Old Man Wu was his entire life? In the end, didn’t he still have to yield to me? Hahaha!”

Waves of laughter echoed through the hall, causing Li Shuangyan and the others to hold their breath. Once the Overlord Immortal Lion King’s laughter subsided, the Ancient Coffin fell silent once more.

”My ancestor sent this junior with the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades to form an alliance with you, Elder Ancestor. He proposes to exchange the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades for your Overlord Immortal Saber. The two treasures will serve as tokens of our pact. Once the alliance is cemented, the tokens will be returned!” As he spoke, Li Qiye held the secret manual for the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades high.

Li Shuangyan did the same with the Wadang Emperor’s Throne to confirm their identity.

”Heh, heh. To think Old Man Wu would actually part with his Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades,” the Overlord Immortal Lion King sneered. ”Doesn’t he always treat it like his most precious treasure?”

At this moment, Li Shuangyan and the others held their breath, not daring to even breathe too loudly. This was an extremely risky maneuver. Trading the secret manual for the Divine Saber... one wrong step and they would lose both treasures—and perhaps even their lives.

Li Qiye showed no sign of panic, but spoke slowly and deliberately, ”To my ancestor, the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades is a priceless treasure. To our Wu Family, it is our Clan Guardian Treasure! However, if it can be exchanged for my ancestor’s rebirth, for another lifetime, then no price is too great. What’s more, this is merely a token of trust. The Tyrant Immortal Ancestor is a man who strode across the Nine Heavens, unmatched in all the lands, a person of unbending integrity. How could he possibly covet the mere Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades! Although my ancestor is your enemy, Elder Ancestor, he has always spoken of your character with endless praise and firmly believes you would never break your word to anyone!”

”Heh, heh, heh... Good lad. No wonder Old Man Wu sent a living person like you,” the Overlord Immortal Lion King’s laughter echoed from the Ancient Coffin. ”You’ve got a silver tongue. The moment you open your mouth, you can talk the heavens into falling!”

”This junior is merely speaking the truth. I would not dare to exaggerate in the slightest,” Li Qiye said, lowering his head respectfully.

The Overlord Immortal Lion King within the Ancient Coffin fell silent. Li Shuangyan and the others grew tense; if Li Qiye’s calculations were correct, Wu’s Ancestor would be catching up to them at any moment. Among them all, only Li Qiye remained calm and unruffled.

CREAK—CREAK—CREAK— At last, the Ancient Coffin opened, and a figure stepped out. Just like the other Earth Immortal Treasure Masters, his eyes were closed.

As the old man emerged from the Ancient Coffin, Li Shuangyan and the others gasped in amazement. It was no wonder this man was called the Overlord Immortal Lion King. He had a head of golden hair, just like a Golden Lion, and the domineering aura that radiated from him was that of the King of Ten Thousand Beasts!

CLANG! Before Li Shuangyan and the others could even react, a sheathed Treasure Saber embedded itself in the ground right before Li Qiye’s toes, not off by a single inch.

”I’m actually somewhat interested in Old Man Wu’s proposal,” the Overlord Immortal Lion King said. He then extended a large hand. ”Give me the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades!”

However, Li Qiye didn’t hand it over. Instead, he took a step back.

”What’s wrong, boy? Having second thoughts?” Although the Overlord Immortal Lion King’s eyes weren’t open, it felt as if he were staring right at Li Qiye.

Li Qiye licked his lips, speaking with a cautious and respectful tone. ”Elder Ancestor, this junior has never seen the Divine Saber before. This matter... this matter is of grave importance. This junior... this junior would like to inspect the Divine Saber first!”

Li Qiye’s cautious yet respectful demeanor was perfectly suited for his role. His performance was flawless, making it almost impossible for anyone to grow suspicious.

”Hmph. Take it and look,” the Overlord Immortal Lion King finally snorted.

Li Qiye withdrew the secret manual for the Heaven-Spanning Eight Blades. He then offered a bow and said, ”This junior has been presumptuous.” Then, with both hands, he respectfully lifted the Divine Saber and began to examine it meticulously.

Rather than appraising the saber’s authenticity, it would be more accurate to say Li Qiye was stalling for time. As he earnestly ”inspected” the Divine Saber, he was mentally counting down, calculating the time until Wu’s Ancestor would arrive to kill them.