Dominator Emperor

Li Qiye dripped four drops of Starry Universe Water onto the Copper Vehicle. ”This is your reward,” he said. The moment the four drops of Starry Universe Water touched the Copper Vehicle, they were instantly absorbed.

NEIGH— ROAR— In an instant, the four Copper Horses reared up, their fatigue completely gone. A brazen light flared, as brilliant as a meteor. The four Divine Beasts also let out long cries and soared into the air. The entire Copper Vehicle began to glow, absorbing the four drops of Starry Universe Water as if it were alive.

”Th-th-this is Starry Universe Water!” The one who recognized its value most was Bing Yuxia. She was completely stunned, her beautiful eyes wide with incredulity as she stared at the scene before her.

After a good while, Bing Yuxia came back to her senses. She stared at Li Qiye with an exaggerated expression and cried out, ”Are, are you insane?! Th-this is Starry Universe Water! A single drop is enough to tempt even an Immortal Emperor! And you’re using it to feed a carriage!”

”So what?” Li Qiye said nonchalantly. ”This is my treasure.” As he spoke, he gently stroked the Four-Battle Copper Vehicle.

At this, everyone else was stunned. Even those who didn’t know what Starry Universe Water was were astounded. Something that could tempt even an Immortal Emperor—how priceless must it be?

”Damn it, what a waste!” Bing Yuxia couldn’t help but curse.

SMACK! Li Qiye landed a firm slap on her rear and grumbled, ”Hey, girlie, watch your language. Otherwise, I’ll have to teach you a proper lesson!”

However, at this moment, Bing Yuxia had forgotten to be angry. She had the urge to bang her head against a wall. Starry Universe Water... anyone would covet it. Never mind the Old Undying; even legendary paragons, Immortal Beings, or even eternal titans and world-spanning Wudis would drool over it.

Such a priceless treasure, and Li Qiye was using it to feed horses. He was simply the world’s number one spendthrift! Of course, Bing Yuxia didn’t understand the significance of the Four-Battle Copper Vehicle to Li Qiye.

”Starry Universe Water...” Sikong Toutian shivered as he came to his senses. Looking like he was about to latch onto Li Qiye’s thigh, he said, ”Young Noble, if you grant me one drop of Starry Universe Water, I’ll be your slave for life.”

Li Qiye glanced sideways at him and said leisurely, ”Are you saying that if I don’t give you Starry Universe Water, you won’t follow me anymore?”

”No, absolutely not.” Sikong Toutian was quick-witted and immediately shook his head. ”My loyalty to you, Young Noble, is absolute.”

”Tch, get out of the way.” Xiao Niqiu, who had no shame whatsoever, immediately rushed forward to hug Li Qiye’s thigh. ”Young Noble,” it said pitifully, ”don’t listen to this thief! I’m the one who’s truly loyal to you. I’d go through hell and high water for you and never shy away from death. Young Noble, please be merciful and grant me one drop of Starry Universe Water!”

Li Qiye kicked it away and said nonchalantly, ”Stop trying to gross me out. If you can’t achieve a complete transformation this time, I’ll personally dismantle your bones, let alone give you any Starry Universe Water.”

”Young Noble, you’re too heartless!” Xiao Niqiu didn’t seem to care at all, maintaining its pitiful act. Its antics were laughable.

”Alright, a great opportunity is before you. Cherish it.” At this point, Li Qiye put away the Four-Battle Copper Vehicle. Everyone snapped back to reality and immediately looked around.

When they saw the scene before them, they were all utterly shaken! Only when standing at the very peak of the World Tree could one feel how small the world truly was.

In the distance, the Azure Heaven was endless, with countless stars being born within. Looking down, there was no bottom to be seen. The sheer size of the World Tree was unimaginable. A single branch was impossibly large; a single leaf, like a vast continent. Some leaves held up stars, others nurtured the sun and moon. Cascading Star Rivers coiled around the World Tree.

In this moment, it seemed as if the World Tree had given rise to the Nine Realms and birthed all of creation. It seemed that even the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands were merely a part of the World Tree itself.

By now, Li Qiye and the others were standing at the very tip of the highest branch. Even so, this ”tip” was like a gigantic mountain peak.

Standing here, anyone would feel unimaginably small. On this World Tree, even the most powerful expert would feel utterly insignificant.

”To have climbed the World Tree... I have no regrets in this life.” Even the dignified and graceful Ye Chuyun couldn’t help but sigh with emotion.

”What is that?” Li Shuangyan hurriedly tugged on Li Qiye, pointing below their feet. Standing on the edge of the branch’s tip and looking down was like peering over the edge of a towering mountain.

Everyone now saw three young leaves growing beneath their feet. The leaves were only the size of a palm, as green as jewels, and looked incredibly tender. Golden Lightning coiled around each one.

At this moment, anyone standing so close to these three young leaves could feel an incredibly abundant Life Force. It was as if the world was newly born!

”The World Tree’s Young Leaves. Only three in a generation!” Li Qiye couldn’t help but remark with feeling.

”A treasure.” Sikong Toutian couldn’t help but be tempted. He reached out to pick one, but with a CRACKLE, the Golden Lightning instantly zapped him, turning him into a charred husk.

Li Qiye glanced at him nonchalantly and said, ”Even if you used all the treasures you own, you still wouldn’t be able to get this young leaf. Besides, no one but me should even think about these leaves.”

”Heh, I was just trying to pick it for you, Young Noble,” Sikong Toutian shamelessly flattered.

Nan Huairun shot him a look and said with a grin, ”You’re even better at sucking up than I am. Too bad it backfired.”

This earned him a glare from Sikong Toutian. For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other. When it came to reading people’s expressions, they had truly met their match.

”Sigh, what amazing things.” Bing Yuxia was also moved when she saw the three young leaves, but she didn’t try to pick them. Li Qiye had already done them a huge favor by bringing them up here.

”Alright, opportunity is before you. Seize it for yourselves,” Li Qiye said nonchalantly.

Hearing these words, everyone’s heart tensed. They all took a deep breath and looked around. They were at the very summit; there was nowhere higher to go. Now, they had to find the leaf, the branch, that was most suitable for their own path.

”I’ll go first.” The first to make a choice was Nan Huairun. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and leaped down onto a leaf closest to the peak. The instant he landed, he was engulfed by a surging green radiance and vanished into the enormous leaf.

”I choose this branch.” Sikong Toutian picked a branch beneath him that was thicker than a mountain range. As he stepped onto it, a flash of Dao Radiance appeared and teleported him away, to which leaf no one knew.

”I’ll take this little world here.” Bing Yuxia chose a cluster of leaves below that was shrouded by a Star River. She jumped straight down, was immediately submerged in the Star River, and disappeared into the vast starlight.

Next, Ye Chuyun of the Qinglian Sect prepared to leave. Before she left, she bowed to Li Qiye, her bearing dignified and graceful. ”Many thanks for your help, Brother Li. I will take my leave.”

”We’ll have a chance to meet again,” Li Qiye said with a friendly smile and a slight nod.

Ye Chuyun chose a leaf crackling with lightning. She leaped into it and was instantly enveloped by the arcs of lightning, sinking into them and vanishing without a trace.

”That girl was quite nice. Why didn’t you take her for yourself, Young Master?” Chen Baojiao couldn’t help but purse her lips into a smile, an expression of bone-deep, captivating charm.

Li Qiye just smiled nonchalantly and said, ”Everything depends on fate. If we’re fated, we will meet again.”

”I’ll go this way! No, I’ll go that way! No, I should still go this way.” Xiao Niqiu was the most conflicted, choosing one thing one moment and another the next, looking left and right, seemingly unable to decide.

”Xiao Niqiu.” Li Qiye beckoned. Xiao Niqiu immediately came hopping over eagerly. ”Is Young Noble going to show me the way?” it asked with a silly grin.

”You guessed it,” Li Qiye said, then suddenly threw it far, far away. WHOOSH! He tossed it into a green leaf where time flowed rapidly, and it was instantly enveloped by time.

”Young Noble, you can’t do this to me!” Xiao Niqiu let out a miserable shriek as it sank into the river of time and vanished.

”That works too?” Chen Baojiao said, dumbfounded. ”It didn’t look very willing.”

”It was hesitating out of fear,” Li Shuangyan, who was more observant, said in her cool voice. ”Ever since it got up here, it kept glancing at that place. It clearly wanted to go but didn’t dare to.”

”That’s my Shuangyan, always the most observant,” Li Qiye said with a smile, lightly wrapping his arm around Li Shuangyan’s slender waist. ”That little slippery fellow has been burned once before and doesn’t want to face its destiny. Time and space are its best choice.”

Li Shuangyan’s face flushed red. She slapped his hand away and said with feigned anger, ”Who said you could call me ’girl’? I’m older than you!”

Li Qiye didn’t mind at all, just smiling and shrugging.

Chi Xiaodie, who had been following beside them all this time, sighed softly to herself. Then she said quietly, ”I’ll choose this branch.” As she spoke, she picked a branch that was a faint golden yellow.

”Stay with Shuangyan and the others,” Li Qiye said with a nod.

The moment he said this, Chi Xiaodie was stunned. When she came back to her senses, her heart was filled with an indescribable feeling. It was sweet, it was wonderful, as if she were floating on a cloud. At this moment, she felt completely weightless, like nothing could be more blissful than this.

Chi Xiaodie was dazed for a long time. When she finally came to, she saw Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao both smiling at her. This immediately made her face turn beet red. She hurriedly lowered her head and silently stood behind Li Qiye. For her, this was more than enough.

Chi Xiaodie’s face was burning, and her heart felt incredibly shy. After a moment, she couldn’t help but raise her head to glance at Li Qiye. However, he was gazing into the distance, his thoughts unknown. But she didn’t dwell on it. Her heart was filled with sweetness and joy.