Dominator Emperor

Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Su Yuhe (Part 2)

So, Li Qiye had Mingren Immortal Emperor try to grant her Enlightenment, allowing her to pass on in peace. Unfortunately, this wisp of lingering attachment was unwilling to depart, and the soft-hearted Mingren Immortal Emperor couldn’t bring himself to force her Enlightenment. Because of this, she remained here, forever accompanying the Guqin, never able to leave!

Recalling the past, even Li Qiye, who had lived through countless years, couldn’t help but sigh softly.

At this thought, Li Qiye looked at the beautiful silhouette and said, "You said that after the Guqin sank into the earth, you fell asleep underground with it. Why are you out causing trouble now? From my perspective, this is more than a simple haunting. I can see the Heaven and Earth Essence Qi here has been tainted. You are just a wisp of lingering attachment; you couldn’t possibly possess such great Divine Techniques. Or perhaps... something unexpected has happened."

The wisp of Su Yuhe’s lingering attachment said, "After the Guqin entered the earth, I remained in a deep slumber underground. I don’t know how long I slept, but a sudden disturbance—an invasion of Evil Qi—startled me awake. I reside here and don’t wish to be disturbed, so I simply scared away the disciples."

"An invasion of Evil Qi?" Li Qiye’s gaze sharpened as he spoke.

"My Lord, in my opinion, it might be that mystery underground that’s causing this," the beautiful silhouette couldn’t help but say.

"Impossible!" Li Qiye’s expression changed upon hearing this. The ever-composed man’s eyes flared as he said in a deep voice, "Back then, I led the Mingren Kid and Grand Cockerel’s group in an assault that tore the heavens and earth asunder, forcefully crushing it. After the Mingren Kid shouldered the Celestial Mandate, he followed my orders and charged in again, using his supreme methods to seal that place. That mystery absolutely cannot break the Mingren Kid’s seal. Of this, I am confident."

"I’m afraid it’s the absolute truth. That Evil Qi... I... I am far too familiar with it," the beautiful silhouette said in alarm. "I couldn’t be more certain of that feeling. After I awoke, while living here, I have constantly felt uneasy, sensing that a minuscule amount of Evil Qi is still escaping from underground."

The beautiful silhouette’s words made Li Qiye’s heart sink. Although she was merely a wisp of Su Yuhe’s lingering attachment, this matter had affected her too profoundly. If she said so, then it must be true.

He had faith in Mingren Immortal Emperor. Moreover, this matter concerned the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s foundation for ten thousand generations, so Mingren Immortal Emperor would have certainly been extremely cautious. With the invincible methods Mingren Immortal Emperor possessed after becoming an Immortal Emperor, Li Qiye was confident in him. As long as he suppressed it and laid down a seal, the mystery within this land should never have been able to break Mingren Immortal Emperor’s seal.

’What on earth happened underground for such a strange event to occur?’ Li Qiye’s gaze hardened. After a long moment, he said to the beautiful silhouette, "It seems some things will force me to change my plans. When the time comes, I will open your coffin. If it is truly necessary, I will first bury you beneath the peach tree."

"Thank you, My Lord." The beautiful silhouette bowed lightly. She was only a wisp of lingering attachment, existing alongside the Guqin. Although she possessed some mysterious minor Divine Techniques, she was incapable of burying herself.

Li Qiye gently stroked the Guqin in his hands. He was incredibly familiar with this instrument. When Mingren Immortal Emperor first started practicing the zither, he had been the one to gift it to him. Although this Guqin wasn’t some peerless treasure, after being played countless times by Mingren Immortal Emperor—especially after he shouldered the Celestial Mandate and became an Immortal Emperor—it had become something extraordinary.

Li Qiye put away the Guqin and carefully examined the dense patterns covering the interior of the Ghost Tower.

"Does My Lord intend to borrow the Zither Charm?" she asked, seeing Li Qiye staring blankly at the patterns.

Li Qiye shook his head gently and said, "The descendants of the Xiyan Ancient Sect are all a bunch of useless fools. A Treasure Mountain is right before their eyes, yet they fail to recognize its value. The Zither Charm within this Ghost Tower contains a vast sea of Emperor’s Immortal Intent! Such Divine Power is enough to help the Xiyan Ancient Sect survive a difficult era. Yet this whole bunch of people only fixates on Immortal Emperor’s Treasures and Emperor Techniques!"

The Qin Tower... Although it was not Mingren Immortal Emperor’s residence, he had once played the zither here. Especially after he became an Immortal Emperor, the number of times he played here was by no means small.

As an Immortal Emperor who shouldered the Celestial Mandate and controlled heaven and earth, his Immortal Power was boundless. Anything touched by his Divine Power benefited immensely. Just imagine, after shouldering the Celestial Mandate, how much Divine Power must have been in the immortal melodies Mingren Immortal Emperor played? How astonishing were the mysteries of the Great Dao they contained?

This Qin Tower, having withstood Mingren Immortal Emperor’s playing time and time again, still stood tall. The Zither Charm within it not only concealed Mingren Immortal Emperor’s powerful Emperor’s Immortal Power but also held the Mystical Meaning of the Great Dao.

One could say that the dense patterns inside the Qin Tower concealed a supreme Zither Dao. If one were to enter the Dao through the zither, they could absolutely walk an astonishing path of Cultivation.

However, Li Qiye wasn’t interested in the Zither Dao. What he wanted to borrow was the Emperor’s Immortal Power hidden within the Zither Charm. With the Guqin in his hand, he couldn’t be more familiar with the melodies and rhythms Mingren Immortal Emperor used to play—he had taught them all. With the Guqin in his possession, the amount of Emperor’s Immortal Power he could unleash would be terrifying.

「While Li Qiye was being punished in the Ghost Tower, a heaven-shaking event occurred at the Xiyan Ancient Sect.」

On this day, a massive Ancient Ship flew toward the Xiyan Ancient Sect from the outside. The Ancient Ship was incomparably huge, several miles long, casting a staggering shadow on the ground as it flew in from the horizon.

The Ancient Ship resembled a gigantic mobile fortress, pulsing with a simple, ancient glow. The runic patterns carved onto its hull flowed ceaselessly, emitting the power of the Great Dao. Without a doubt, this Ancient Ship could not only fly but also withstand attacks from Cultivators.

Atop the Ancient Ship, Blood Qi surged like a rainbow. The might of a prince poured down, as the other party made no attempt to conceal it. The rolling princely might could be felt by the disciples of the Xiyan Ancient Sect from far away.

Such an approach was no friendly visit; it was a provocation aimed at the Xiyan Ancient Sect.

"HAAH—" As the Ancient Ship arrived outside the Xiyan Ancient Sect, eight hundred experts stood in formation on its deck. They shouted in unison, their voices a rolling wave of power that swept over the Xiyan Ancient Sect, deafening the disciples and making their Blood Qi churn!

Immediately, the sound of ringing bells echoed throughout the Xiyan Ancient Sect, warning the disciples of an enemy invasion!

However, although the Ancient Ship had arrived at the Xiyan Ancient Sect, it did not attack. The massive vessel simply stopped outside the sect’s grounds.

In an instant, everyone in the Xiyan Ancient Sect was alarmed. It wasn’t just the Hall Masters and Guardians; even the Six Great Elders couldn’t sit still.

When the Great Elder stepped out from the main peak and saw the character for "War" embroidered on the Ancient Ship’s flag, his expression darkened! In the Treasure Sacred Country, the number of nobles who could use "War" as their banner could be counted on one hand. Without even needing a closer look, he already knew who it was.

Marquis Liezhan! A Prince personally enfeoffed by the Human Emperor of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country. One could say he was also one of the most senior Princes in the entire country! Although Marquis Liezhan did not hail from the Holy Heaven Sect but from another great sect, he swore allegiance to the Human Emperor of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country. He had once achieved illustrious military merits for the nation. On the frontiers of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country, countless Minor Sects had been trampled and extinguished by his hand!

Marquis Liezhan was not only a fierce general of the Treasure Sacred Upper Country but also one of its most notorious figures!

Marquis Liezhan’s arrival with eight hundred War Generals outside the gates of the Xiyan Ancient Sect did more than just startle the sect itself; it also alarmed many other Sect Inheritances within the Treasure Sacred Upper Country. Those located near the Xiyan Ancient Sect were especially shocked to see the Ancient Ship appear.

"Marquis Liezhan’s warship... Could it be that he is leading a personal campaign?" Seeing the Ancient Ship, countless Cultivators from various sects were aghast.

One Sect Leader’s expression changed as he said, "After being granted his title, Marquis Liezhan rarely left the Upper Country Capital City. For him to suddenly appear this time, without any warning at all...!"

With the appearance of the Ancient Ship, many Cultivator Strongmen began to follow it in secret. When they saw the warship stop outside the Xiyan Ancient Sect, these trailing Cultivator Strongmen couldn’t help but exchange shocked glances.

"Is Marquis Liezhan going to personally lead a campaign against the Xiyan Ancient Sect?" a Sect Leader muttered, his face pale. In that moment, many important figures began to consider the numerous implications.

The Xiyan Ancient Sect and the Holy Heaven Sect were mortal enemies. The Treasure Sacred Upper Country, founded by the Holy Heaven Sect, stood upon the very territory the Xiyan Ancient Sect had once controlled. And back then, the Ancient Country established by the Xiyan Ancient Sect had been even more vast.

In the battle thirty thousand years ago, the Elder Ancestor of the Holy Heaven Sect personally took action. The Xiyan Ancient Sect was utterly defeated, losing the Ancient Country it had ruled for millions of years. The Xiyan Ancient Sect suffered a disastrous defeat and was ultimately forced to retreat to its old lair, its Ancestral Land and Sect Territory.

After defeating the Xiyan Ancient Sect, the Holy Heaven Sect did not press its advantage. Their Elder Ancestor did not move to annihilate the Xiyan Ancient Sect. Even later, when the Xiyan Ancient Sect declined, and though minor skirmishes still occurred between the two, the Holy Heaven Sect never made a move to wipe it out.

Regarding this situation, several different versions of the story circulated throughout the Treasure Sacred Upper Country and even the entire Great Middle Realm. One rumor suggested that the Holy Heaven Sect didn’t destroy the Xiyan Ancient Sect because the latter still had an incomparably powerful "old monster" alive, and the Holy Heaven Sect’s Elder Ancestor wasn’t confident he could eliminate the Xiyan Ancient Sect in one fell swoop.

Another rumor claimed the Holy Heaven Sect didn’t destroy the Xiyan Ancient Sect because its Elder Ancestor wasn’t confident in breaking the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s Emperor Foundation! Although the Xiyan Ancient Sect had declined, it was, after all, a sect founded by an Immortal Emperor. In this land, the Immortal Emperor had laid down an unshakeable Emperor Foundation, which the Holy Heaven Sect was not certain it could breach.

Yet another rumor said that the Holy Heaven Sect hadn’t destroyed the Xiyan Ancient Sect because the latter’s Immortal Emperor True Artifact still existed. As long as the Immortal Emperor True Artifact remained in the Xiyan Ancient Sect’s hands, the sect could not be destroyed!

Regardless of the rumors, the fact remained that after defeating the Xiyan Ancient Sect and establishing the Treasure Sacred Upper Country, the Holy Heaven Sect never attacked the Xiyan Ancient Sect again.

Tens of thousands of years passed in a flash. Now, Marquis Liezhan’s warship had suddenly appeared outside the Xiyan Ancient Sect. How could this not be a massive shock?