Dominator Emperor

Li Qiye put away the Wooden Ruler and said to Chi Xiaodie and her brother, ”Let’s head back.” Having obtained the ruler, he didn’t want to draw any unnecessary attention and decided it was best to leave.

Li Qiye and his group set off immediately, but they were stopped before they could even make it back to the Lion Roar Sect.

Immortal flowers rained down amidst drifting immortal music as beautiful women descended from the heavens. Ice flowers bloomed beneath their feet, and then, Bing Yuxia appeared before them.

The sudden appearance of Bing Yuxia with her Bingyu Palace disciples sent a chill through Chi Xiaodie and the others. Sikong Toutian’s expression changed as he said, ”This troublesome girl has her sights set on us.”

The expressions of both Chi Xiaodie and Chi Xiaodao changed. They knew that the Bingyu Palace was an absolute behemoth, not an existence their Lion Roar Sect could afford to provoke.

”How about the two of us have a little chat?” Bing Yuxia sauntered over, asking Li Qiye with a radiant smile.

Li Qiye narrowed his eyes at the unconventional woman before him, then broke into a smile. ”If you want to talk, then let’s talk. I, for one, love nothing more than having a nice, close chat with a beautiful girl.”

”See? You’d better be careful, young lady. Your man is quite the playboy.” Bing Yuxia said to Chi Xiaodie with a teasing grin. ”Instead of sticking with a heartless rogue like him, why don’t you come with me?”

”He’s not my man!” Chi Xiaodie snapped. ”I have nothing to do with him!”

Li Qiye, however, was completely unfazed. ”Girlie,” he said with a dismissive wave, ”don’t waste time on this nonsense. If you want to talk, then get to it. Otherwise, I’m not sticking around.”

Li Qiye’s arrogant attitude made even Chi Xiaodao gasp. This was the successor of the Bingyu Palace, a future titan. In all of the East Hundred Cities, there were probably very few among the younger generation who dared to be so insolent toward Bing Yuxia.

”Fine, let’s talk,” Bing Yuxia said with a smile. At that moment, a Bingyu Palace disciple produced a treasure, and in the blink of an eye, they all found themselves standing in a large courtyard.

The Bingyu Palace disciples attended to Chi Xiaodie and the others while Li Qiye and Bing Yuxia entered a building together.

Inside, it was just Bing Yuxia and Li Qiye. Bing Yuxia, still in her men’s attire, took the seat of honor, cutting a uniquely charming figure. She smiled radiantly at Li Qiye and asked, ”Who are you?”

”Li Qiye, a disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect.” Li Qiye smiled, stating his identity calmly and without any attempt to hide it.

Bing Yuxia’s lovely eyes narrowed. She studied Li Qiye, then said, ”Not long ago, I believe I heard of someone like that. They say you’re the most arrogant Little Ghost in the Middle Grand Realm!”

”It seems your Bingyu Palace is quite interested in the Middle Grand Realm. You’re certainly well-informed.” Li Qiye wasn’t surprised in the least.

Indeed, the Middle Grand Realm was a great distance from the East Hundred Cities. Any sect in Donggu City capable of keeping tabs on all the happenings in the Middle Grand Realm was undoubtedly a formidable power.

Bing Yuxia laughed. Even in her men’s clothes, her laugh was seventy percent delicate beauty, thirty percent bright sunshine, with an added trace of feminine allure. Such charisma was truly captivating.

Li Qiye watched her captivating display, then shook his head. ”As a girl, of all the things you could have learned, you just had to copy your Primordial Ancestor’s habit of dressing up as a man. Don’t you think that’s a bit affected?”

At his words, Bing Yuxia’s smile vanished. Her beautiful eyes narrowed as she said, ”So, you’re saying you know our Primordial Ancestor very well.”

The Primordial Ancestor of the Bingyu Palace, the Bingyu Immortal Emperor, had been an invincible existence who swept across the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, shouldered the Celestial Mandate, and was peerless in her time.

Thinking of the Bingyu Immortal Emperor, he couldn’t help but smile. Shaking his head, he said, ”’Know her’ is a strong word, but I’ve heard a thing or two about her deeds. Word is, she was one arrogant, cold chick! You’ve got a certain charm in your men’s clothes, but you can’t copy your ancestor. That arrogance of hers... I hear it really rubbed people the wrong way!”

In this world, perhaps only someone like Li Qiye would dare to speak of an Immortal Emperor in such a manner.

”What arrogance!” Even Bing Yuxia snorted coldly. She stared at Li Qiye for a moment before finally saying, ”I didn’t come here to discuss trivialities. Let’s talk about the Heaven-Cutting Stele!”

”The Heaven-Cutting Stele?” Li Qiye laughed and shook his head. ”It seems that besides that chick, the Bingyu Immortal Emperor, no one else in your Bingyu Palace has ever truly understood it.”

”So you’re saying you understand the Heaven-Cutting Stele very well!” Bing Yuxia’s eyes narrowed, and her tone suddenly turned serious.

Li Qiye, on the other hand, gave a leisurely smile. He glanced at the serious-faced Bing Yuxia, still perfectly composed, and said, ”It’s nothing much. It was never something that belonged to your Bingyu Palace in the first place. Although your ancestor, that arrogant and cold chick Bingyu Immortal Emperor, was quite something, she was certainly no fool. Her methods were incredible—to think she actually managed to move the Heaven-Cutting Stele out.”

”Just who are you!” Bing Yuxia stared at Li Qiye, her lovely eyes turning cold.

Li Qiye remained completely composed. He glanced at Bing Yuxia and said leisurely, ”A disciple of the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Frankly, who I am isn’t important to you. What’s important to you is the Heaven-Cutting Stele, don’t you think?”

”So you do know a lot about the Heaven-Cutting Stele!” Bing Yuxia said, her voice grave.

Li Qiye laughed. ”This is what happens when you don’t do your reading. A girl like you should stay home and study. Read a few more books; it’ll do you good! Who knows, you might even find the answer.”

”I’d rather hear the answer from you personally,” Bing Yuxia said slowly. All traces of her earlier playfulness were gone, her expression now cold and stern. She exuded an intimidating aura without any sign of anger; she was, after all, the heir to an Emperor Immortal Gate and immensely powerful.

Bing Yuxia’s imposing aura had no effect on Li Qiye. He remained as unfazed as ever, asking, ”And why should I tell you the answer?”

A cold glint flashed through Bing Yuxia’s eyes. Like a proud plum blossom in the frost, she exuded a bone-chilling coldness. ”You wouldn’t want me to have to ’invite’ you back to the Bingyu Palace as a guest, would you?”

Glancing at Bing Yuxia, Li Qiye couldn’t help but laugh. He shook his head and said, ”Girlie, you’re certainly skilled, but don’t spout such nonsense in front of me. Unless you brought that Bingyu Immortal Emperor chick’s Immortal Emperor True Artifact with you, you’d best not try anything funny. Otherwise, be careful I don’t tie you up and take you home to be my Bed Warmer Girl!”

As the successor to the Bingyu Palace, Bing Yuxia’s strength had always been unfathomable. Though a woman, she insisted on dressing as a man and carried herself with a rather devil-may-care attitude. In the East Hundred Cities, she had long enjoyed a prestigious reputation and was a figure others deeply feared.

And yet, this Little Ghost before her today didn’t take her seriously in the slightest. Even when faced with her threat, he remained utterly composed and unhurried, as if he already held all the cards.

”You’re certainly confident,” Bing Yuxia said slowly. It was rare for anyone to dare speak so brazenly in her presence. Even the heirs of Ancient Countries wouldn’t necessarily dare make such outrageous boasts.

Li Qiye shot her a glance and smiled. ”Because I am Li Qiye!” A simple phrase, yet it resounded with majestic, heaven-piercing momentum.

Because I am Li Qiye! With just one sentence, he looked down upon the entire world, casually speaking of the Eight Desolations. What sort of confidence was this? It was the bearing of one who, in all the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, was the sole supreme existence.

”What a line... ’Because I am Li Qiye’.” After a long moment, Bing Yuxia finally broke into a laugh. Her heroic, dashing posture, combined with her sunny disposition and that hint of feminine charm, was truly heart-stirring.

Bing Yuxia finally smiled radiantly at Li Qiye. ”What will it take for you to tell me about the Heaven-Cutting Stele? How about this? I could play matchmaker for you. I know quite a few ladies in the East Hundred Cities—Ancient Kingdom Princesses, Great Sect Saintesses, Holy Gate Fairies... Shall I pull some strings for you?”

Li Qiye laughed and shook his head. ”The women who can catch my eye are no ordinary lot. Those women you know, while decent, still fall a bit short. How about this instead? You stay by my side and become my maidservant, and I’ll tell you the ultimate secret—the secret of your Bingyu Palace’s Heaven-Cutting Stele! I have to admit, that ancestor of yours, the Bingyu Immortal Emperor chick, she was just too arrogant and cold. Otherwise, what she brought back all those years ago would have been more than just the Heaven-Cutting Stele...”

”...However, your Primordial Ancestor was truly peerless, with heaven-defying wisdom. She was able to extrapolate the whole picture from a single clue, comprehending a world-shaking Profound Secret! That’s how she became an Invincible Immortal Emperor. If you stay by my side as my maidservant, I’ll tell you the true origin of the Heaven-Cutting Stele. When that time comes, what you’ll gain will be far more than just the stele itself.” Having said his piece, Li Qiye stared at Bing Yuxia.

Bing Yuxia’s gaze flickered. She stared intently at Li Qiye and said, ”You knew our Primordial Ancestor.”

”I wish I could have known her. Unfortunately, I was born millions of years too late. Otherwise, with my own peerless grace, had we been born in the same era, I would have been her ideal Dao companion.” Li Qiye chuckled and shook his head.

It was impossible to tell if Li Qiye’s words were true or false.

”Talk about narcissistic. You, a mere Little Ghost, think our Primordial Ancestor would have taken a liking to you? In her life, our Primordial Ancestor was a peerless beauty who regarded all men in the world as dirt! A Little Ghost like you? I’m afraid she wouldn’t have even given you a second glance.” Bing Yuxia eyed Li Qiye and shook her head.

In response to her words, Li Qiye simply laughed and said nothing more.

”What will it take for you to talk about the Heaven-Cutting Stele?” Bing Yuxia asked gravely after a moment.

Li Qiye looked at the cross-dressing Bing Yuxia and couldn’t help but smile. ’Though her appearance isn’t much like the little Bingyu I knew back then, her bearing is certainly similar, especially when they’re both dressed as men. Still, this Bing Yuxia can’t compare to the Bingyu Immortal Emperor of the past—a girl who was arrogant to the extreme. Haughty and cold, but she certainly had the right to be!’

”Fine, fine. I’m a helpful person by nature. When you’ve read as many books as I have... well, with great knowledge comes great responsibility, wouldn’t you agree?” Li Qiye smiled and finally said, ”I’ll give you a little hint. Don’t worry about the meaning of the inscription. The meaning of the inscription is, fundamentally, that it is meaningless!”