Dominator Emperor

Chapter 146: Chapter 145: The 8 Directions Are Silent (Part 1)

In the Desolate Era, Li Qiye, as the Yin Ya, was the one who guided the Pharmacist. They had braved life and death together, traveled the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, and journeyed throughout the Nine Realms. They emerged from Burial Grounds and delved into ancient lands. Along the path of the Medicine Dao, they tasted a hundred herbs and refined ten thousand pills. In the end, they established the rules of the Medicine Dao for the Human Race and standardized all alchemy techniques and criteria!

For ages, there has been a saying: without the Medicine God, there would be no Medicine Dao for the Human Race, nor would there be standards for the pharmacists of the Ten Thousand Races!

One could say the Medicine God was the founder of the Medicine Dao not just for the Human Race, but for all Ten Thousand Races.

Of course, the world knows of the Medicine God, but not of Li Qiye, who intentionally remained hidden in the shadows. Later generations never knew that when the Medicine God wrote the Medicine God’s Grand Canon, he was not alone. There was also a Yin Ya, unknown to the world!

Later on, stories of the Medicine God’s Alchemy Dao and his Alchemy Skills were passed down. In truth, only Li Qiye knew that the true essence of the Medicine God’s Alchemy Dao had never been transmitted. The so-called Medicine God’s Grand Canon circulating in the world was merely a set of alchemy principles and a comprehensive system for pharmacists. Of course, future generations of pharmacists would come to revere these as their unbreakable rules, their gold standard.

The truth was, the Medicine God’s real essence was never passed down. Li Qiye knew at the time that the Medicine Madman had done it intentionally. To make matters worse, there came a time when his own suppressed memories became corrupted. After that, he could no longer recall the contents of the Medicine God’s Grand Canon.

But Li Qiye knew there was still one hope: the toad. This was the Ten Thousand Furnace God they had raised all those years ago! Back then, as the Yin Ya, he and the Medicine God had sealed the Medicine God’s Grand Canon inside it.

Back then, the Medicine Madman had even joked that whoever got the toad would get his true teachings and his Daoist Lineage! But, damn it all, they never expected the toad to run away! And so, the joke never came true.

For ages after, Li Qiye had searched for the Ten Thousand Furnace God, wanting to retrieve the Medicine God’s Grand Canon, but he never found it. Yet now, in this life, having reclaimed his own flesh and blood, Li Qiye had finally found the Ten Thousand Furnace God and recovered the Medicine God’s Grand Canon.

Holding the Ten Thousand Furnace God, which looked just like a toad, Li Qiye murmured with a grin, "Medicine Madman, I’m afraid I’m going to eclipse your brilliance in this lifetime." He chuckled at the thought, but behind his smile lay a deep-seated sorrow and melancholy.

It was a past worth reminiscing over. He had endured for millions of years, his journey marked by blood and slaughter. During the Desolate Era, he had stumbled along, hunted and captured, until he finally found his footing. Then he struck back, scheming against the entire world in a struggle of kill or be killed. The Ancient Nether Era was even worse, a time when a rain of blood flooded the heavens; he slaughtered the gods above and annihilated the demons below. The age of the Tian Tu Immortal Emperor was especially arduous for him. Finally, the Age of Emperors arrived, and with it, his chance to counterattack the Immortal Demon Cave. Era after era, he rose and fell, nurturing one Elder Sage after another, even raising up Immortal Emperors. He poured out countless drops of his heart’s blood and exhausted endless resources, all for the day he would finally breach the Immortal Demon Cave!

Whether it was his first stumbling steps, his slaughter of gods and annihilation of demons, or his counterattack against the Immortal Demon Cave, every step was drenched in endless blood and marked by innumerable battles.

Only the brief era he spent with the Medicine God was different. For him, the Yin Ya, it was the purest of times—an age of seeking knowledge, of tasting a hundred herbs and refining ten thousand pills. During that short time, both he and the Medicine God had been like men dying of thirst, fumbling their way forward on the Medicine Dao, ultimately laying its foundation for the Human Race and for the entire Nine Realms!

Finally, Li Qiye sighed softly and pulled back from his memories. He presented the toad in his hand and commanded, "OPEN—"

As the toad landed, it transformed into a gigantic Treasure Furnace. The massive toad squatted on the ground, its wide mouth gaping open as if it were breathing in the essence qi of the heavens.

A wave of heat washed over Li Qiye, forcing him to close his eyes. He took a deep sniff, catching the faint, almost unnoticeable medicinal aroma wafting from the Treasure Furnace, and murmured, "Ten Thousand Furnace God, truly the number one furnace in all of history. My efforts weren’t in vain—chasing you across the Nine Realms, feeding you countless worldly treasures. With this furnace, what’s a little lifespan decay or a Fate Calamity? Changing fate and extending one’s life will be a piece of cake."

The Ten Thousand Furnace God... it was likely no one in the world had ever heard of such a Furnace God. The only person in this current age who truly understood all its mysteries was Li Qiye alone.

This furnace was for far more than just simple alchemy. When this furnace was paired with the Supreme Medicine Dao from the Medicine God’s Treasure Manual, it possessed heaven-shattering power, even the ability to change fate!

In Li Qiye’s eyes, the Ten Thousand Furnace God was the greatest furnace in history! It was unlike other Furnace Gods. Once other Furnace Gods were born from the heavens and earth, they were essentially immobile, forever bound to their birthplace, able only to absorb the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi of that one location to sustain their furnace fire.

The Ten Thousand Furnace God, however, was different. It could move on its own, like a toad, and wander the world. What’s more, it could actively seek out and consume fire seeds and Spiritual Elixirs and Herbs. The older it grew, the more precious its diet became. Common fire seeds and ordinary Spiritual Elixirs and Herbs were completely beneath its notice!

Precisely for this reason, the Ten Thousand Furnace God possessed a peerless furnace flame and an unparalleled Medicine Treasure!

Furthermore, the Ten Thousand Furnace God was incredibly fast; for ages, no one had ever managed to catch it. In truth, even if people saw it, they paid it no mind. Who would ever look twice at an ordinary toad squatting on the ground?

Finally, Li Qiye withdrew the toad, then sat down on the ground and slowly began his cultivation.

When the Xiyan Ancient Sect returned triumphantly, the news finally began to spread to the other powers. Instantly, wails of grief echoed through countless Great Teaching Territories and Ancient Sect Secret Sects. Their expedition to Demon’s Back Ridge had ended in complete annihilation. The news shocked countless Great Teaching Territories and left innumerable Ancient Sect Secret Sects utterly dumbfounded.

Within the Qingxuan Ancient Country, inside an incomparably ancient hall, Celestial Emperor Qingxuan, still shrouded in cyan light, was reporting on the expedition to Demon’s Back Ridge. He spoke to an Emperor seated high on a throne, a ruler who seemed like a Saint Emperor reigning over the Eight Desolations. The Emperor’s Qi he exuded was so chilling that even an Ancient Saint would find their knees buckling in his presence.

"Xiyan Ancient Sect..." the enthroned Emperor said slowly, his voice resonant and filled with divine power. "A centipede dies but never falls," he finally stated in a low voice. "Mingren Immortal Emperor truly was worthy of his title as the pioneer of the Age of Emperors. To think they still have a few tricks left after being in decline for so long!"

Celestial Emperor Qingxuan stood below, listening in silence.

"There is no hurry. We need not rush to settle accounts with the Xiyan Ancient Sect," the Emperor on the throne finally said. "Just send some people to light a few fires. There will always be someone willing to cause trouble for the Xiyan Ancient Sect. We can simply watch the flames from across the river. Though you failed to acquire the Divine Object this time, it is no great loss. Our Ancient Country has no shortage of treasures of that level! For now, focus on your cultivation. If you can carry the Celestial Mandate in this generation, our Ancient Country will give rise to its third Immortal Emperor!"

Celestial Emperor Qingxuan assented and departed.

"Hao!" In the Nantian Country, an old man shrieked after receiving the news. He was a powerful expert, yet he nearly fainted on the spot.

In the end, the old man gathered himself and set off, saying through gritted teeth, "If I do not avenge this, I of the Nantian Family am unworthy of being called a man!" He traveled to the Imperial City of the Nantian Country and sought an audience with its Emperor, begging him to dispatch troops to crush the Xiyan Ancient Sect and avenge his son, Nan Tianhao.

In response to the old man’s plea, the enthroned Emperor mused, "The Xiyan Ancient Sect is within the territory of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country. The Holy Heaven Sect would not be pleased if we sent troops into their domain. The current Elder Ancestor of the Holy Heaven Sect is still alive; we cannot afford to offend them lightly. I will dispatch an Envoy to contact the Holy Heaven Sect. As for your son’s killer, they will not be forgiven. When my son, the prince, emerges from his seclusion, I will have him make a trip to avenge Nan Tianhao!"

The old man was reluctant to accept the Emperor’s decision, but he had no other choice.

Meanwhile, within the Treasure Sacred Upper Country, the Baosheng Human Emperor was listening to a report from the Sheng Tian Heaven Daoist. He sat upon his dragon throne, his expression as dark as a stagnant pool. "An Emperor’s Treasure!" he finally said, his voice cold. "Another Emperor’s Treasure!"

In the past, the Xiyan Ancient Sect had used an Emperor’s power to shatter a projection of his will. For a peerlessly arrogant Human Emperor such as himself, it was the ultimate humiliation! Yet, he had been helpless to do anything about it. Even someone as powerful as him would never rashly confront an Emperor’s Treasure without absolute confidence, unless left with no other choice.

"Our Elder Ancestor has yet to emerge. We will swallow this insult for now!" the Baosheng Human Emperor finally declared in a low voice. "You gained much from this trip. The fact that you could advance and retreat alongside the Cyan Saint Emperor is a good thing. For now, pay no mind to the Xiyan Ancient Sect. I want you to go as an envoy to the Qingxuan Ancient Country and see if you can forge an alliance! If we can ally with the Qingxuan Ancient Country... with their backing, what would we have to fear in the Great Middle Realm? Hmph! Even if the Nine Saints Demon Gate tries to prop up the Xiyan Ancient Sect, they’ll just be courting their own doom!" As he finished, a sharp glint erupted in his eyes, revealing a terrifying killing intent.

"My son!" Within the Jiangzuo Family, a wretched scream tore through the air. After the news arrived, a pall of sorrow fell over the entire Jiangzuo Family.

The Jiangzuo Family hadn’t just lost Marquis Jiangzuo; they had also lost a powerful expert in Jiangzuo Iron Armor, not to mention over a thousand of their elite disciples. The loss was catastrophic. With their younger generation completely wiped out, it would be difficult for the Jiangzuo Family to regain its vitality anytime soon.

"Xiyan Ancient Sect, one day, my Jiangzuo Family will exterminate you!" the patriarch of the Jiangzuo Family swore, his voice filled with hatred.

For the Jiangzuo Family, this was a bitter feud, one that could even be called a generational grudge. Years ago, the Jiangzuo Prince—their family’s greatest hope of producing an Immortal Emperor—had been utterly defeated by Mingren Immortal Emperor. From that day forward, he had lost all qualifications to ever carry the Celestial Mandate.