Emperor’s Domination

The apex monarch nearly fell into the darkness after a single wrong move.

“You were rather confident in your dao heart.” Li Qiye gave him the side eye.

South Emperor smiled wryly and said: “I thought that it already had been severed, just a discarded entity to give me a chance to comprehend its mysteries. I didn’t expect to still be infiltrated by it over time, especially in my very dao heart. When I realized it, I immediately sealed it off but there was no escaping this predicament.”

After the darkness was taken down during Grand Dao War, it left behind something - one of only two in existence.

He eventually found it, prompting his research despite being aware of the danger. There was a chance of being infected and succumbing to the darkness.

However, he was confident in his ability and thought that nothing could shake his dao heart. Thus, he firmly sealed his dao heart, preventing any chance of infection.

With this, he started the quest to learn this dao. Unfortunately, it was too late once he realized his failure. Nonetheless, he still used everything to stop himself from falling into the abyss. The result was becoming the kelp man. His sanity remained but he was trapped in the dark expanse.

Resolute Conqueror’s arrival infuriated him, causing him to loosen the seal just for a second. This gave room for the dark power to infiltrate his mind, causing him to go berserk until Li Qiye came.

“Dead, yes, but he was still a supreme epoch lord. Any legacy is too much for the mortal world, let alone the venerable fate palace. You thought too highly of yourself, at least wait until you have become an Ancestor.” Li Qiye said.

“You’re completely right, Sacred Teacher. I was too arrogant, I don’t know what I would have done if it wasn’t for you coming to save me.” South Emperor bowed in shame.

“Forget it, it’s good that you’re still alive. This is your fortune.” Li Qiye waved his hand and stopped scolding the youth.

South Emperor was impressive for lasting this long. Other apex cultivators might not have shown the same resilience.

Li Qiye turned his focus to the dark expanse. This affinity was omnipresent and all-invasive in this place, flowing silently and infiltrating everything. Any lack of vigilance and it would seep into one’s very being.

A visitor could be strong enough to use their power to prevent this darkness. Alas, infiltration and damnation were a matter of time.

Fortunately, this darkness wasn’t quite evil and could co-exist with the light. This was an enigmatic and indescribable phenomenon - darkness yet didn’t possess the commonly seen dark attributes and affinity.

On the other hand, this neutral presence made people drop their guard. Regular darkness was repulsive and evil so cultivators always remained vigilant in its presence.

As for this dark expanse, one might relax for a split second and that would be the time of infiltration. It would grow slowly over time in the body, even the dao heart, without being noticed.

“Buzz.” Li Qiye’s primordial light began illuminating the expanse, burning any darkness it came in contact with.

Thus, the darkness receded like the tides, unwilling to confront his light. This was a strategic retreat, seemingly gathering strength to come back with renewed vigor.

Alas, this world had been infected entirely. Every inch of space still had darkness lurking within it despite looking normal.

A towering gate appeared before Li Qiye. It appeared to be made from gold yet not gold, like stone yet not stone, as bone yet not bone. There was no texture like it in the mortal world.

It didn’t have statues or any decorations, only delicate and indelible dao runes on the surface that had been refined countless times.

Alas, no imperial-level character could ever break it down. This resembled the gate of heaven, not allowing anyone to get through.

Li Qiye touched the gate and felt the dao runes. He became slightly emotional and said: “Polished by the originating dao of an epoch, only a pure power such as this can become eternal.”

“Yes, it is a supreme chapter, the dao origin of an entire epoch. This is enough to last me a lifetime.” South Emperor commented.

“So you still want to enter?” Li Qiye said.

“I thought that once I understand the runes, I’ll be able to open the gate. Whatever happened was certainly unexpected.” South Emperor became embarrassed.

“Easier said than done, wait until you are an Ancestor.” Li Qiye said.

“I’m still lacking refinement in the imperial realm, so I can’t start the ancestral path yet.” South Emperor couldn’t help but sigh, lamenting his insufficiencies.

“Buzz.” Li Qiye infused his primordial light and activated the dao runes on the gate.

“Clank! Clank! Clank!” South Emperor’s dao laws manifested into reality around him and harmonized with the runes.

“This is the feeling.” He said happily while his twelve Heaven’s Wills appeared as well.

They seemed animated and harmonized with the gate. His dao and cultivation must have come from these runes.

Thus, as the runes started to flow, his cultivation shared the same harmonization and was activated as well. This was beyond his control.