Emperor’s Domination

Li Qiye walked to the tree after the duo’s departure. This tree was impressive in that it had fused with a dao heart.

In the past, Golden Immortal ignited his dao heart after realizing the hopeless situation. He couldn’t save this world but didn’t want to give up.

His light erupted and illuminated this region, preventing the spread of darkness for epochs. Alas, this flame weakened with time and assaults from Devouring Alliance.

It took Immortal Emperor Min Ren’s sacrifice to slow the deterioration. Later on, a fairy descended and ignited her own dao heart to increase the flame. The next major event was Li Baye’s dao proliferation, resulting in a primordial tree growing here. It became one with the dao heart.

As long as Golden Lamp existed, there was still hope for Stygian.

“Only the dao heart can do this.” Li Qiye sighed while looking at the tree.

He raised his hand and the flame became stronger as if firewood was added. Of course, he wasn’t here to ignite the dao heart.

He touched the temporal affinity flowing around the tree. Normally, time would remove vitality and lifespan upon a careless touch. The affinity here didn’t do so and was separated from anything else.

Thus, even the most powerful immortal using various techniques couldn’t harm the flow. Li Qiye, on the other hand, weaved time into runes.

The runes then turned into a temporal portal right beneath the tree. A woman could be seen sitting cross-legged before the tree, shrouded by a dao heart halo.

Looking at her gave a feeling of eternity. She appeared to be past twenty, looking serene with her eyes closed.

She dressed in plain white and had ordinary features, yet one could never grow tired of looking at her. The ordinary face was heaven’s most exquisite masterpiece, flawless in any angle and devoid of imperfection.

Her strange beauty didn’t take breaths away at first sight but invited a closer appreciation.

Li Qiye noticed her hands posed before her abdomen with a temporal eye between them. Strands of time from worlds and epochs flowed through lives and then ended up in the eye.

Despite the countless sources, they became orderly upon reaching their destination. This meant one could see the past, present, and future through the eye.

He never woke her up and waited patiently. When she opened her eyes and saw him, she was ecstatic.

He gently pressed down on her shoulder, calming her excitement. She took a deep breath and channeled the eye into her dao heart.

Her chest emitted a crystal glow with the fusion. Her dao heart always remained pure and luminous regardless of the passage of time. In fact, time only made it brighter.

When the light faded, she returned to her normal state. She stood up and called out happily: “Teacher.”

“Long time no see.” Li Qiye smiled and brushed her hair.

“I feel as if I had just seen you. Time is so short.” She leaned into his chest with joy.

“It’s a nice part of controlling time.” He sat down.

She took a closer look at him and smiled joyously.

“What is it?” He asked.

“You’re at grand completion, Teacher.” She said.

“You’ve achieved quite a lot. How can anyone else catch up to you now?” He said.

“I owe it to you, Teacher. I would have struggled even after making it here in Heavenrealm.” She said.

“I do not claim credit for this. I saw your journey from start to finish, every step you took was your own.” He shook his head.

“We all owe it to you.” She said: “We wouldn’t have survived Heaven Pit without your protection. Everyone knows what you have done for us, flattening the way for us to become immortals.”

“Karma starts innately.” Li Qiye said: “I am just an external factor, the true cause came from within. You couldn’t have reached Heavenrealm without ample perseverance and would have faltered long ago. I paved the way but you all walked it.”

“So many of us couldn’t have made it this far without you.” She leaned against his shoulder.

“My reputation would have been ruined if you all had fared worse.” He joked: “It must have been relatively easy cultivating in Heavenrealm, giving room for greed. I’m glad my disciples didn’t end up consumed by the darkness, I wouldn’t have been able to show myself in public then.”