Dominator Emperor

Chapter 172: Chapter 171: The Unopenable Stone Box (Part 1)

Amidst countless gazes filled with murderous jealousy, Li Qiye paid them no mind. He remained perfectly composed, strolling leisurely along the Ancient Street as if he hadn’t a care in the world.

The Ancient Street truly was a fine place, lined with waterside pavilions and terraces. It was more than just a marketplace; it was a place where friends could meet and gather in small groups.

The Ancient Street was extraordinarily lively and covered a vast area, far too large to be taken in at a glance. As Li Qiye walked along, his gaze was drawn to numerous treasures.

An Elder Cultivator sat in the corner of a pavilion, a large sign propped up beside him. It read: "Buying Silver Divine Leaves and Iron River Spring!"

Another Cultivator had a large box in front of him, with bold characters written on it: "Holy Medicine for sale! Trading for one Fire Spirit Longevity Technique!"

Li Qiye led Li Shuangyan and the others along the Ancient Street. Even those like Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao, who hailed from Great Teaching Territories, couldn’t help but marvel. The items brought here for sale were truly extraordinary!

Before they had gone far, an item being sold by a Cultivator on a street corner suddenly caught Li Qiye’s eye. This Cultivator was an aged Old Flood Dragon; a single glance at the twin horns on his head revealed that he had lived for over ten thousand years.

The item the Old Flood Dragon was selling was held within a Crystal Vat. It was a fish. The fish wasn’t large and actually looked rather cute. It was round and plump like a small ball, and its body shimmered with five brilliant colors, making it look quite beautiful.

It was the kind of fish that didn’t particularly stand out. Amidst the bustling crowds of the Ancient Street, not many people paid it any mind, giving it at most an occasional glance. Those who did look longer were likely more interested in the seller, the Old Flood Dragon. After all, an Old Flood Dragon who had cultivated for over ten thousand years was an absolutely extraordinary figure.

TING—TING—TING— Li Qiye stepped forward and tapped the Crystal Vat with his finger. His taps were rhythmic, each one landing like a precise sword strike.

As Li Qiye’s sword-like taps struck the Crystal Vat, the plump fish was startled. Its round body suddenly swelled as a red light erupted from it. In an instant, the entire fish was engulfed in blazing flames, and it opened its mouth to let out a draconic roar!

The sudden transformation stunned not only Li Shuangyan and her group but also the Cultivators passing by. Shocked, they couldn’t help but crowd around.

"What kind of Divine Object is this?" Seeing the fish let out a draconic roar while wreathed in blazing True Fire, one of the Elder Cultivators in the crowd said, his voice filled with awe.

"A Fire Dragon Fish!" Li Qiye said, looking at the flaming creature. He felt a stir of interest and considered buying it.

The Old Flood Dragon raised his head, a terrifying light flashing in his eyes. He then nodded and said, "That’s right. A Fire Dragon Fish of pure dragon lineage. Though it is but a juvenile, it is absolutely peerless."

A creature of pure dragon lineage, be it a Celestial Beast or an Exotic Beast, was exceedingly rare. A specimen like this could one day evolve into a True Dragon and become a Divine Beast!

"A Fire Dragon Fish..." an Elder Cultivator said, his voice filled with emotion. "Legend has it they only exist in the Northern Fire Sea! You might not see a single one in ten thousand years!"

In an instant, the hearts of many gathered Cultivators began to pound with desire. Who wouldn’t be tempted by such a treasure? To raise a True Dragon... that would be an incredible achievement.

"What’s your price for the Fire Dragon Fish?" an important-looking figure asked, unable to restrain himself.

The Old Flood Dragon slowly raised his head. His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept over the crowd before he slowly said, "I’ll trade for a Nine-Life Fish!"

Hearing the Old Flood Dragon’s price, the crowd was stunned into silence, trading glances of dismay. A Fire Dragon Fish was precious, but a Nine-Life Fish was every bit its equal in rarity!

Li Qiye simply shook his head and walked away without another word. Li Shuangyan and the others followed. Once they were a good distance away, Li Shuangyan asked softly, "Did you want that Fire Dragon Fish?"

"The fish is decent, but unfortunately, it’s not worth that price," Li Qiye said with a small smile.

"Why?" Shi Gandang, trailing behind them, couldn’t help but ask. "Young Master, I’ve heard that Fire Dragon Fish and Nine-Life Fish are equally precious. Both are exceedingly rare Spiritual Objects."

"That’s true enough," Li Qiye chuckled. "But that Fire Dragon Fish has a congenital flaw. Trying to raise it into a True Dragon would be harder than ascending to the heavens. Trading a Nine-Life Fish for it would be a clear loss. Catching a Fire Dragon Fish is no simple feat; otherwise, that Old Flood Dragon wouldn’t be in such a rush to get rid of it."

It wasn’t just the two women, Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao; even Shi Gandang was deeply shaken. It was his first time seeing a Fire Dragon Fish, and as a True Master, he couldn’t detect anything wrong with it. Yet, Li Qiye knew it was flawed with just a single glance. It was simply unbelievable.

Li Qiye continued strolling down the Ancient Street with the two women. While the goods for sale were undoubtedly treasures, very few were worthy of his attention.

For someone like Li Qiye, who would casually give away a Great Sage’s Treasure, there was precious little that could truly catch his eye.

"A Great Sage True Artifact—!" Just as Li Qiye’s group reached the base of a Stone Mountain, a cry of shock rang out from the crowd ahead. The exclamation stirred countless onlookers, and a mob of people instantly swarmed forward.

"If anyone can do one thing for me, I will give this treasure away," a wizened voice declared from within the crowd.

Li Qiye, who happened to be passing by, was genuinely surprised. To offer up a Great Sage True Artifact from the start was truly incredible. He quickly led the two women forward, pushing into the crowd to get a better look.

Seated at the foot of the Stone Mountain was an old man. He was dressed in gray robes and wore a peculiar paper hat. The hat was a dingy gray, stained with a greasy sheen, and looked as if it had been worn for countless years. With his head bowed and eyes downcast, the old man seemed completely unremarkable.

The old man slowly took out a True Artifact. It looked like something salvaged from a garbage heap, wrapped haphazardly in a scrap of torn paper. However, a faint wisp of Dao light emanating from it made everyone tremble. Bathed in this light, even an Ancient Saint would feel a shiver of dread creep into their heart.

"To be precise, this is a Virtuous Lord True Artifact, formed from an exceedingly rare Eight Dao Divine Stone," the old man said slowly, placing the Treasure Artifact on the ground.

Virtuous Lord was a title for a type of Great Sage. There were ranks among Great Sages, and the Worthy Ancestor was the strongest! Legend had it that so long as an Immortal Emperor did not appear, a Worthy Ancestor was Wudi—invincible!

Producing a Virtuous Lord True Artifact right off the bat drew an even larger crowd. After setting down the True Artifact, the old man slowly took out a Longevity Treasure. This, too, looked like it had been pulled from a trash heap, wrapped in another scrap of torn paper with a degree of carelessness that was almost comical.

As the Longevity Treasure was set on the ground, a corner of it peeked out from the torn paper. A wisp of Blood Qi leaked out, instantly erupting into a滔天 presence that felt like a vast sea. The faces of every Cultivator present changed drastically.

"This is a Great Sage Longevity Treasure, forged from the Annual Ring of a four-million-year-old True Flame Beast Longevity Spirit," the old man stated, his voice still slow and measured.

Everyone who heard this couldn’t help but draw in a sharp, cold breath. A four-million-year-old True Flame Beast Longevity Spirit—what a terrifying existence that must have been! Even a Great Sage attacking it would likely have their Blood Qi drained in a single gulp!

For a moment, all the onlookers could do was stare at each other in disbelief. This old man was too heaven-defying! A Great Sage True Artifact and a Great Sage Longevity Treasure, brought out one after the other. Either one of those treasures held enough power to shatter an entire sect, to wipe out a whole heritage. What were the origins of this old man?!

What drove everyone mad was the fact that he treated these incomparably precious treasures—a Great Sage True Artifact and a Great Sage Longevity Treasure—like garbage, wrapping them in scraps of torn paper as if he’d just fished them out of a dumpster.

After producing the two items, the old man reached into his robes and began fumbling around again, as if searching for yet another treasure. The crowd held its breath, their hearts itching with curiosity, wondering what incredible item he would reveal next.

"Old man, if you have another treasure, then hurry up and take it out! What are you dawdling for?!" one of the bigwigs shouted, unable to stand the suspense as the old man fumbled in his robes without producing anything.

"Don’t bother me while I’m looking!" The old man didn’t even raise his head. With a dismissive wave of his hand, as if shooing a fly, there was a loud BANG. The important figure who had spoken was sent flying out of the Ancient Street before he could even react, spewing a mouthful of blood.

Everyone present sucked in a sharp breath. The bigwig who spoke just now had been radiating the aura of a True Master, yet he was swatted away like a fly. This caused the crowd of spectators to take a collective step back, a chill gripping their hearts.

At that moment, everyone understood that this old man was not to be trifled with. He wouldn’t have so brazenly displayed a Great Sage True Artifact and a Great Sage Longevity Treasure otherwise. As the saying goes, one should not openly display their wealth. The fact that he dared to reveal two such coveted treasures meant he had no fear of robbers.

After that little incident, none of the onlookers dared to make a peep. They all held their breath and watched the old man continue his search.

At long last, the old man pulled a very old-looking Ancient Scroll from his robes. It was bound with a simple cord of straw. He placed it on the ground and said slowly, "This is a Six Beasts Array Painting."

Hearing this, many in the crowd exchanged glances. None of them had ever heard of a Six Beasts Array Painting. However, considering the old man’s other offerings were a Great Sage True Artifact and a Great Sage Longevity Treasure, this so-called "Six Beasts Array Painting" must also have an extraordinary origin.

Then, like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, the old man produced a Stone Box from out of nowhere. The box was neither large nor small, and its plain, unadorned appearance would hardly attract any attention.

Li Qiye, watching from the crowd, felt his eyes narrow the moment he saw the Stone Box. His heart stirred. He never expected to see this item again. His gaze was now fixed intently on the old man.