Dominator Emperor

Just two days ago, during the great battle, the conspirator alliance had been wiped out by the Celestial Dao Academy in a single stroke. All the men in black who had invaded the academy’s Ancestral Land and Sect Territory were trapped inside the All Heavens God Slaying Array and subsequently slaughtered. The entire force was annihilated; not one person escaped!

The identities of those who participated in the conspiracy were no longer a secret to the Celestial Dao Academy. The academy was perfectly clear on which sects, inheritances, and Jiang Countries had joined the war. After all, the bodies of the invaders had fallen into their hands, serving as ironclad evidence.

Now that the academy was retaliating against these sects, their actions were completely justified and righteous.

With such ironclad evidence in hand, it would be a miracle if the academy tolerated these enemies still attempting to enter the Eternal Gate. In fact, not dispatching an army to attack them was already an act of great mercy.

”If any sect has an objection to this list, the Celestial Dao Academy welcomes you to come and debate it at any time!” An elder from the academy declared with an extremely firm attitude. This time, the Celestial Dao Academy had changed its strategy; there would be no more retreat or compromise!

The Great Teaching Territories on the exclusion list, even if they still had disciples present, dared not utter a word. They chose silence.

The Celestial Dao Academy had the power to slaughter the conspiracy alliance, and they certainly had the power to slaughter them! Who would dare to provoke the academy’s wrath now?

Regarding this list, some of the other Great Teaching Territories couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. Yao Guang Ancient Country and its allies had formed a massive alliance, putting immense pressure on the Great Teaching Territories that hadn’t joined. If they could try to destroy the Celestial Dao Academy today, they could destroy other Great Teaching Territories tomorrow.

Now that the Celestial Dao Academy had dealt a heavy blow to this alliance, these neutral Great Teaching Territories were naturally happy to see it happen.

The academy’s decision directly impacted numerous Great Teaching Territories. The primary beneficiaries were the many weaker Inheritance Sects, and especially the Great World and Leisure World Academies within the Celestial Dao Academy itself. In contrast, many students from the Dingshi and Saint World Academies lost their eligibility to enter the Eternal Gate.

This decision from the Celestial Dao Academy made its intentions clear to the discerning. Besides excluding their enemies, the academy was deliberately trying to cultivate the students of the Great World Academy and the Leisure World Academy!

Everyone had clearly witnessed the turmoil of the past two days. Without a doubt, among the current generation of students, those from the Great World and Leisure World Academies had a much stronger sense of belonging to the Celestial Dao Academy than those from the Dingshi and Mixed World Academies! It was no surprise that the Celestial Dao Academy intended to leave opportunities for fortuitous encounters to the students of the Great World and Leisure World Academies.

”Charge! We’re going to become the next Hao Hai Immortal Emperor—!” When the gates of the Celestial Dao Academy opened once more to admit the qualified younger generation of cultivators, the group of youths was boiling with excitement. They surged forward, leading the charge inside.

”Eternal opportunities, here I come!” The students of the Great World Academy were also ecstatic. The group of youths roared like a pack of wolves and tigers, and at the elder’s command, they rushed in at the forefront of the crowd!

As for the cultivators barred from entry, they could only watch helplessly as the young crowd scrambled to get inside. Even if some were extremely dissatisfied with the Celestial Dao Academy, even to the point of going mad with rage, they had no choice but to swallow their anger. After the recent battle, everyone understood the academy’s terrifying power. Making an enemy of the Celestial Dao Academy at this time would be an extremely unwise move—it would be suicide.

「Two days after the ancient portal opened, Li Qiye emerged from the Domain God’s residence.」

”How did it go?” Elder Daoist Peng asked anxiously the moment he saw Li Qiye emerge. The other Elders of the Celestial Dao Academy present all turned to look at Li Qiye. They had been at their wits’ end and couldn’t help but pin all their hopes on him.

”You’ve all made a mistake. The Domain God isn’t going berserk from demonic influence,” Li Qiye said, shaking his head.

Li Qiye’s words stunned Elder Daoist Peng for a moment. ”If he’s not going berserk from demonic influence, then what is it?”

Li Qiye shot him a sideways glance and said, ”Do you know the Domain God’s true origin?”

Li Qiye’s question truly stumped Elder Daoist Peng. He exchanged a look with the other Elders, and finally, the oldest among them spoke up, ”Our predecessors told us that the Domain God was brought back from the Eternal Gate by an Ancient Ancestor.”

Although the Elders present were not the Seven Great Ancestors of the Celestial Dao Academy, they included some extremely ancient existences. They had all emerged from their seclusion this time to help deal with the Domain God’s rampage.

”That’s not wrong. To be precise, the Domain God has an inextricable connection to the World Tree,” Li Qiye said.

”The World Tree!” Upon hearing this, Elder Daoist Peng and the other Elders’ expressions changed drastically. Elder Daoist Peng was stunned for a long moment before finally murmuring, ”The World Tree... that’s just a legend. Some of us old bones have entered the portal before, but we’ve never seen a World Tree!”

”It isn’t a legend. It truly exists,” Li Qiye stated faintly. ”To be more accurate, even if the Domain God wasn’t born from the World Tree, his Origin is certainly related to it. He came from within the Eternal Gate—that much is absolutely true. The Domain God was brought out as a child and grew up in your Celestial Dao Academy. Besides being nurtured for millions of years by countless Elder Sages of your academy, he also absorbed the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi from your underground Ancestral Vein to cultivate his Dao!”

”And that’s where the problem lies. In the past, the Domain God was fine because the World Tree hadn’t reappeared. This time, however, the World Tree has emerged, and its Life Force instantly flooded the Domain God’s Origin. The problem is, the Domain God’s Great Dao was cultivated using your Celestial Dao Academy’s Blood Qi and the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi from its Ancestral Vein. Suddenly, the two forces came into conflict. For an ordinary clash, the Domain God could have suppressed it with his invincible Dao Practice. However, the World Tree’s Life Force is far too powerful. Even though the Domain God’s own Origin is a pale imitation of the World Tree’s, he still can’t suppress the Life Force that emanates from it. The two forces are clashing, causing a backlash against the Domain God. That is the true cause of his rampage!” Li Qiye explained patiently, full of confidence.

”What will happen if this continues?” The Elders’ expressions changed again, and one of them asked hastily.

Li Qiye replied, ”If this continues, the two forces will clash until the Domain God self-destructs. By my most conservative estimate, it would destroy more than half of the Emperor Foundation beneath your Celestial Dao Academy!”

These words made the faces of Elder Daoist Peng and the academy’s Elders turn pale. The Emperor Foundation was the very root of the Celestial Dao Academy. Without the Emperor Foundation, there would be no Celestial Dao Academy.

As far as the academy was concerned, even if the buildings were destroyed, as long as the Emperor Foundation remained, it could always be rebuilt!

”Is there no way to remedy this?” Elder Daoist Peng asked hurriedly. His intuition told him that Li Qiye definitely had a solution.

Li Qiye said with a wide smile, ”The simplest method would be to move the Domain God out of the Celestial Dao Academy. That’s the easiest way. Or, let him return to the Eternal Gate!”

”Who could possibly move him? Unless the Domain God moves by himself, no one can. And right now, it’s completely impossible to communicate with him,” an elder said with a wry smile.

An existence like the Domain God was rooted in the Celestial Dao Academy’s Ancestral Vein. Even an invincible person would be unable to move him. The only way would be if he left on his own, or if someone was powerful enough to uproot both the Ancestral Vein and the Domain God together! Such a person, it was feared, hardly existed in this world.

”There is another way,” Li Qiye said unhurriedly.

”My dear young ancestor, if you have a solution, just tell us! All this suspense is going to give us old bones a heart attack!” one of the Elders pleaded, seeing Li Qiye’s confident demeanor.

”It’s simple. Neutralize the two forces. I happen to have a formula for that,” Li Qiye said with a smile. ”However, two of the ingredients are rather difficult to obtain: Starry Universe Water and a tender leaf from the World Tree. One tender leaf, and one drop of Starry Universe Water!”

”Starry Universe Water?” Elder Daoist Peng couldn’t help but say with a bitter smile, ”That’s impossible. Starry Universe Water can’t be found in this world.”

”Indeed. Rumor has it that this item has appeared throughout the ages, and even Immortal Emperors have personally acted to obtain it. A single drop of Starry Universe Water is something that even an Immortal Emperor would covet greatly!” an Elder said, shaking his head and sighing.

”Well, as it happens, I have a drop of Starry Universe Water,” Li Qiye said with a broad grin.

Hearing this, the Elders and Elder Daoist Peng were immediately revitalized. Elder Daoist Peng quickly said, ”Young Ancestor, what do you want in exchange? Please don’t be too ruthless, or you’ll clean out our entire Celestial Dao Academy!”

”I can provide a drop of Starry Universe Water, and I don’t need anything from your Celestial Dao Academy in return! However, I want a promise from the Domain God. I can save him, and in return, I need a promise from him!” Li Qiye stated casually.

Elder Daoist Peng and the Elders were stunned for a moment. But, upon careful consideration, the request wasn’t excessive. After all, Starry Universe Water was a priceless treasure. The Domain God was indeed powerful enough to ascend the Nine Heavens and attack the Underworld, but trading a drop of Starry Universe Water for a promise wasn’t outrageous.

Finally, Elder Daoist Peng consulted with the Elders. It could be said that the most powerful old men of the Celestial Dao Academy were all gathered here. After a brief discussion, Elder Daoist Peng agreed to Li Qiye’s proposal, ”We, the Celestial Dao Academy, can accept your condition on the Domain God’s behalf!”

”That would be best,” Li Qiye said with a grin. ”One thing is certain: since your Eternal Gate has opened in this era, the World Tree will definitely appear. Trying to pluck a tender leaf from it is harder than ascending to the heavens! However, your Celestial Dao Academy has something that can do it. I want that item in your possession!”

”What item?” Elder Daoist Peng and the Elders exchanged glances and asked.

Li Qiye shot him a sideways glance and said, ”Old man, don’t play dumb with me. I know more about the Celestial Dao Academy’s secrets than you do. Don’t tell me that the Hao Hai Immortal Emperor didn’t bring something back from the World Tree all those years ago! And don’t tell me your Celestial Dao Academy didn’t make a deal with the Hao Hai Immortal Emperor! Without that item he brought back, it would be impossible to pluck a tender leaf from the World Tree!”