Dominator Emperor

No grand speeches or theatrics were necessary. The Emperor’s Divine Force and Immortal Force swept out, as if an Immortal Emperor had personally arrived. The Nine Heavens and Ten Lands bowed before it. Even the distant Heaven-Devouring Fish King and the colossal black shadow couldn’t help but glance in this direction.

”An Immortal Emperor’s Treasure!” The countless powerful cultivators present were shaken, instinctively retreating a great distance.

”Emperor’s Soldiers!” The Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que’s expressions flickered, turning grim.

Master Dazhi chuckled slyly. ”What’s this? As successors of Emperor Immortal Gates, are you telling me you didn’t even bring one or two Immortal Emperor’s Treasures with you? That’s beyond embarrassing. It’s just an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure. Are your Elders really that stingy?”

Master Dazhi’s words were caustic, making the faces of the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que turn livid. All three were successors of Emperor Immortal Gates. In a one-on-one fight, it would be difficult to say who would come out on top.

However, Master Dazhi was carrying an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure. No matter how powerful the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que were, they were bound to be defeated. Their strengths were comparable, but the moment the Immortal Emperor’s Treasure appeared, all suspense vanished.

Facing Master Dazhi and his Immortal Emperor’s Treasure, even if the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que joined forces, they likely wouldn’t gain the slightest advantage. Although they possessed Heaven-Defying Emperor Techniques, neither of them was willing to take such a risk. If they were struck by the Immortal Emperor’s Treasure, despite their powerful physical bodies, destruction would likely be their only fate.

Many people in the crowd were left speechless by Master Dazhi’s words. That was an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure, not some ordinary item. Even an Emperor Immortal Gate would typically only possess one or two. How could a member of the younger generation possibly run around the world with an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure like he was?

”Winning with an Emperor’s Soldier doesn’t make you a hero!” the Ghost Insect Demon Child said coldly. Of course, he was unwilling to clash head-on with an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure, not unless he had cultivated an Immortal Body.

Master Dazhi shot him a sideways glance. ”So what if I’m using an Immortal Soldier to crush you? You got a problem with that? If you’re not happy about it, come and fight me. You can’t even produce an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure, and you have the nerve to call yourself a successor of an Emperor Immortal Gate!”

He looked every bit the part of a spoiled young master, without a shred of a monk’s dignified bearing. Then again, he wasn’t a real monk to begin with.

Mocked so relentlessly by Master Dazhi, both the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que trembled with rage. Their trip to Fengdu City had been a hasty one. Although they had applied to their sects for an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure, the Elders had not yet approved the request.

Master Dazhi, however, was a different story. He had been qualified to take over as the leader of Mingdu Marsh for some time, so naturally, he had long since been granted the authority to wield its Immortal Emperor’s Treasure.

”Fine, Jian! If you’ve got the guts, just you wait!” The Ghost Insect Demon Child couldn’t swallow his anger. ”Don’t think Mingdu Marsh is the only one with an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure!”

Master Dazhi gave him another sidelong glance. ”Wait? I’ll wait. You think this monk is afraid of some creature that’s neither insect nor ghost?”

Fuming, the Ghost Insect Demon Child turned and stormed off. As much as he wanted to get vicious, clashing with Master Dazhi without an Immortal Emperor’s Treasure was clearly a losing proposition.

”Brother Jian Xuan, you can protect him for a time, but you can’t protect him for a lifetime.” After the Ghost Insect Demon Child left, Saint Child Ji Que glanced at Li Qiye before speaking coldly to Master Dazhi.

Saint Child Ji Que had come for Li Qiye’s method of crossing the sea, but he never expected Master Dazhi to interfere and ruin his plans.

Master Dazhi burst out laughing and fixed Saint Child Ji Que with a cold stare. ”Ji Que, you think far too highly of yourself. Do you really believe you’re invincible among the younger generation? You think Brother Li needs my protection? Heh, I only stepped in because I can’t stand the sight of you two. I just wanted to knock you down a peg. Or do you honestly believe you’re the strongest genius in the entire North Marsh?”

Ju Que Holy Land and Mingdu Marsh were both Emperor Immortal Gates located in the North Marsh, and were two of the most powerful lineages in the region. It was inevitable that the two sects would be competitive with one another.

Master Dazhi and Saint Child Ji Que were both among the strongest and most talented geniuses of their generation in the North Marsh. Since Master Dazhi rarely made public appearances there, Saint Child Ji Que had come to consider himself the number one talent of the North Marsh’s younger generation.

Master Dazhi’s arrogant and high-profile provocation this time was a deliberate attempt to cut them down to size.

Faced with such a blatant provocation, Saint Child Ji Que just snorted coldly, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

The other young cultivators certainly didn’t dare to comment on the matter. Even geniuses like Qing Jinzi and the Hundred Schools’ Sons kept their mouths shut. This was a power struggle between Emperor Immortal Gates. Though their own sects were powerful, they couldn’t compare to an Emperor’s Lineage. They were unwilling to offend either Saint Child Ji Que or Master Dazhi.

The crowd dispersed, each returning to their own business. Master Dazhi grinned, put his palms together, and said to Li Qiye, ”How virtuous, how virtuous. Mr. Li, we are truly bound by fate.”

”What, not hiding from your wife anymore?” Li Qiye asked irritably. Every time Master Dazhi showed up, he seemed to ruin Li Qiye’s plans, which was starting to get on his nerves.

”Er...” Master Dazhi gave a hollow laugh, unconsciously rubbing his bald head.

Seeing him act like this, Li Qiye couldn’t help but crack a smile before leading Qiu Rong Wanxue onward.

Master Dazhi quickly caught up. Gazing at the spectacular scene ahead—the standoff between the Heaven-Devouring Fish King and the colossal black shadow—he asked Li Qiye curiously, ”What are your thoughts on beings like these, Mr. Li?”

Li Qiye gave him a slow look. ”Trying to pry information from me, fake monk? Your ancestor, the Immortal Emperor, ought to have left a few words about this.”

”This monk was just asking casually.” Master Dazhi laughed dryly. In truth, he already knew quite a lot.

After all, the founder of Mingdu Marsh, Immortal Emperor Mingdu, was said to have come from Fengdu City itself. His understanding of the city was far beyond what any outsider could hope to match.

Master Dazhi himself wasn’t sure if their founder, Immortal Emperor Mingdu, had truly come from Fengdu City; it was merely a persistent rumor. However, Mingdu Marsh did possess certain records concerning the city’s secrets that other Emperor Immortal Gates lacked.

Master Dazhi was deliberately trying to sound out Li Qiye. Since Li Qiye had managed to figure out the secrets of Feihuai Manor, he must know something about this as well.

Li Qiye smiled. ”What do you want to know, fake monk? If it’s something I know, I suppose I can tell you a little.”

Master Dazhi’s eyes lit up. He grinned and said, ”Some of my sect’s secret records mention a great Creation here—an absolutely incredible one. For us of the Ghost Race, it’s said that whoever obtains this Creation would find it easy to even become an Immortal Emperor!”

’To make becoming an Immortal Emperor easy... just what kind of heaven-defying, invincible Creation would that be?’ Qiu Rong Wanxue’s expression flickered at his words. If such a thing truly existed, anyone would covet it madly and go crazy for it.

”A Creation capable of shouldering the Celestial Mandate,” Li Qiye said, his eyes narrowing. ”Such a Creation... it does exist. I can tell you this much: your Mingdu Marsh possesses a few items. If you truly seek such a great Creation, they might be able to help you.”

”Really—” Master Dazhi’s eyes began to shine like a miser who’d just spotted a Golden Yuanbao. He quickly rubbed his hands together and said with a toothy grin, ”What kind of Creation is it? Please, enlighten me, Mr. Li.”

Li Qiye gave him a long, leisurely look. ”As a member of the Ghost Race, you might actually have a chance of obtaining it. However, I have some bad news for you. This Creation isn’t necessarily a good thing. It might just bring you a lifetime of misfortune.”

”How do you know that, Mr. Li?” Master Dazhi’s expression changed as he stared at Li Qiye in alarm.

Li Qiye looked at him. ”It seems you’ve seen your ancestor’s secret manuscript. You know quite a lot for a monk, don’t you?”

Master Dazhi couldn’t help but take a deep breath. The manuscript was a closely guarded secret within Mingdu Marsh; very few disciples even knew of its existence.

”Our ancestor’s records do mention it. He warned that this Creation must never be obtained, or it would bring about the annihilation of our entire sect!” Master Dazhi was shaken. ’When I first read the secret manuscript, I never understood why even our ancestor, Immortal Emperor Mingdu, would issue such a grave warning to his descendants. What in the world could make our invincible Immortal Emperor Ancestor Master so wary?’

Master Dazhi nervously rubbed his hands together and asked, ”I wonder, what is your esteemed opinion on this matter, Mr. Li?”

”My opinion?” Li Qiye chuckled leisurely. ”If you want to live a long life, stay far away from it. Otherwise, even if you do obtain that Creation, Mingdu Marsh will not escape annihilation—not unless your ancestor is reborn.”

Master Dazhi’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t think Li Qiye was just being alarmist; after all, his own ancestor had issued the very same warning in the secret manuscript.

”So, do you still want this Creation?” Li Qiye asked nonchalantly.

”How virtuous, how virtuous.” Master Dazhi shook his head with a laugh. ”This humble monk is a man of extraordinary, heaven-sent talent. Even without such a Creation, I can still reach the apex and shoulder the Celestial Mandate. The True Destiny Emperor of this generation is none other than this monk, Dazhi!”

Though he was clearly boasting, it was also undeniable that Master Dazhi’s talent was truly outstanding. Otherwise, he never would have become the successor of Mingdu Marsh.

Li Qiye led Qiu Rong Wanxue toward the battlefield where the two behemoths were locked in a standoff. As they walked, he smiled at Master Dazhi. ”Monk, can you cross the Black Sea up ahead?”

”Heh, Mr. Li, you think too highly of this humble monk.” Master Dazhi shook his head like a rattle-drum. ”Haven’t you noticed that no one here can cross? If so many people are helpless, what could this humble monk possibly do?”

”Is that so?” Li Qiye gave him a faint, knowing smile. ”If I remember correctly,” he said leisurely, ”your ancestor, Immortal Emperor Mingdu, left behind a Treasure Ship, one capable of crossing any sea in the world. For a vessel like that, crossing the Night Sea or this Black Sea right here would be a trivial matter!”

At these words, the color drained from Master Dazhi’s face.