Dominator Emperor

"What, you can't afford to lose with a lineup like this?" Li Qiye's gaze swept over the many Princes and Ancient Saints from the Tiger Roar Sect and Nu Xian Sacred Country. He spoke with nonchalant ease, "If you can't even stomach a loss like this, then you shouldn't have come out to play in the first place."

Li Qiye spoke lightly, but the expressions of those from the Tiger Roar Sect and Nu Xian Sacred Country were as dark as could be. The Princes and Ancient Saints who had surrounded him couldn't help but hesitate, wary of harming the hostages.

For the Tiger Roar Sect and Nu Xian Sacred Country, raising a successor was no easy matter. The two lineages had poured an immeasurable amount of effort and resources into Ba Xia and Hu Yue. Furthermore, their statuses within their respective sects were extraordinary. No matter what, they had to be rescued today.

"Fellow Daoist, making an enemy of our Nu Xian Sacred Country in the East Hundred Cities is not a wise move." Amid the standoff, a wily, older Ancient Saint swallowed his pride and tried to reason with him.

Such words made Li Qiye laugh. "A wise move?" he said. "Anyone who blocks my path dies, no exceptions. That includes the Nu Xian Sacred Country. If you wish to make an enemy of me, I would be more than happy to walk across a mountain of your corpses."

"What arrogance. Do you think the Nu Xian Sacred Country can be shaken by you alone?" Just then, a voice of supreme authority rang out as a middle-aged man strode forward.

As the middle-aged man appeared, a vast, dignified aura washed over the area. The Power of the Great Dao surged from him, immense and boundless, as if he were rooted in the Great Dao itself, channeling its might and borrowing the very power of heaven and earth. As he approached, even the Ancient Saints felt their hearts tremble. His presence exuded a suppressive force so potent that even they felt crushed by his boundless Power of the Great Dao.

The man was surrounded by Divine Rings. Nine of them arched around him, making him appear incomparably majestic, sacred, and solemn.

"Nine Rings... a Little Saint Venerable at Great Perfection." Seeing the man protected by nine rings, the Lion Roar Emperor gasped and cried out, "The Human Emperor of the Nu Xian Sacred Country!"

"So the rumors were true. The Human Emperor of the Nu Xian Sacred Country really did reach the Saint Venerable Realm a thousand years ago. He's protected by Nine Rings now, which means he's a Little Saint Venerable at Great Perfection!" An observing Ancient Saint was visibly shaken and murmured, "For the Angry Immortal Emperor to reach the Saint Venerable Realm during the Tough Dao Era... that's incredible. He might even have a chance to reach the Saint Emperor Realm and challenge for the rank of Great Sage in the future!"

The appearance of a Saint Venerable left many of the True Masters and Ancient Saints in the crowd shaken. In the current era, Saint Venerables rarely showed themselves, leaving Ancient Saints to reign supreme.

This was especially true during the preceding Tough Dao Era. To avoid the hardships of the suppressed Great Dao and the resulting drain on their lifespans, countless experts had gone into seclusion. It became nearly impossible to find a Saint Venerable in the world. Only in the last ten or twenty years, as the Celestial Mandate recovered its primordial energy, did the Tough Dao Era end and a new Great Era begin. Now, Saint Venerables were finally beginning to stir, preparing to emerge once more.

Yet the Angry Immortal Emperor had reached the Saint Venerable Realm during the Tough Dao Era, a whole millennium ago. Had he not been born during that time of the weakened Celestial Mandate, he likely would have reached the Great Sage Realm long ago.

"Even as a Little Saint Venerable, achieving this during the Tough Dao Era is stunning enough." Seeing the Angry Immortal Emperor's Nine Divine Rings—the symbol of Great Perfection—made many sigh with emotion.

In a Great Era, a Little Saint Venerable might not be considered exceptionally stunning, but during the Tough Dao Era, it was an absolutely peerless achievement.

The Saint Venerable Realm itself was divided into tiers of vastly different strength. From lowest to highest, they were: Little Saint Venerable, Great Saint Venerable, Baosheng Venerable, Realm Venerable, and World Venerable!

World Venerables, in particular, were said to be unimaginably terrifying. Rumor had it that an existence at that level could instantly kill any other Saint Venerable!

"A Little Saint Venerable." Li Qiye glanced at the Angry Immortal Emperor with his Nine Rings and smiled. "So, a Little Saint Venerable has personally come to back up these juniors. No wonder they were bold enough to bully and abduct whomever they please. It seems they had plenty of backing."

The Angry Immortal Emperor's eyes turned cold. Within their depths, the Great Dao itself seemed to manifest, profound and mysterious. As expected of a Saint Venerable, he had already touched upon the Heaven and Earth Dao, perceiving its mystical meanings.

"Release my son, and I will let you live," the Angry Immortal Emperor said coldly.

"That's right." An old man suddenly appeared, his Blood Qi roaring like a True Dragon. He took a single step, and his vital energy flooded the area. He, too, was encircled by Divine Rings, his Saint Venerable might surging like a tidal wave. His eyes, like divine torches, locked onto Li Qiye as he said coldly, "It is your only way out."

"That's Hu Yue's grandmaster... the legendary Tiger Emperor of the Tiger Roar Sect!" someone exclaimed, stunned at the sight of the old man. "He's still alive? Another Saint Venerable has appeared!"

Two Saint Venerables now dominated the scene, causing the expressions of cultivators young and old to change drastically. Everyone felt a sense of foreboding.

An Elder Ancient Saint couldn't help but murmur, "What is happening today? Two Saint Venerables have suddenly appeared. Even though the Tough Dao Era is over, most Saint Venerables are still in seclusion, waiting for the Celestial Mandate to reach its peak to avoid draining their Blood Qi! Yet today, two Saint Venerables have just shown up at once!"

In fact, at this moment, many people sensed that something was amiss. The great figures arriving at the Celestial Dao Academy this time... things were not so simple. They feared it wasn't just Saint Venerables who had come.

Everyone knew that even though the Tough Dao Era had ended, the Celestial Mandate had only just begun to recover; it was still far from its peak. The truly powerful experts were still hiding in their ancestral lands and sect territories, using their deep heritage to preserve their strength and avoid wasting Blood Qi before the world's energy reached its zenith.

Yet now, two Saint Venerables had appeared at once, even though the Celestial Mandate was still far from its peak. This meant something extraordinary was happening. It wasn't just Saint Venerables emerging—they feared even more terrifying figures were present, simply hiding in the background.

Everyone present held their breath, their eyes fixed on Li Qiye. Pinned down by two Saint Venerables and surrounded by thousands of Princes and Ancient Saints... no genius, no matter how monstrous, would dare claim they could escape unscathed.

A Saint Venerable was, after all, a Saint Venerable. Beyond their own terrifyingly powerful Dao Practice, who knew what other hidden reserves they possessed? They might have even brought Great Sage Treasures or, even worse, Great Sage True Artifacts with them!

"Unfortunately for you, I don't really take Saint Venerables seriously," Li Qiye said with a laugh. "Mere Little Saint Venerables are nothing. Now, if a World Venerable were to make a move, that might be interesting. But a Little Saint Venerable? There's nothing to see here."

"You insolent fool!" Laws manifested one after another in the Angry Immortal Emperor's eyes. His voice was imposing without a hint of anger. "Do you think you can leave this place alive? Even if you possessed heaven-defying power, if you dare harm my son today, you will not leave here alive!"

Li Qiye's eyes narrowed into a smile. "So, you're saying you're not the only Saint Venerable the Nu Xian Sacred Country brought? Did you bring a World Venerable? A Saint Emperor? Or maybe one of those coffin-dwelling Old Undying Elder Ancestors you keep as a trump card decided to come out in person?"

"Since you understand the stakes, release my son at once." The Angry Immortal Emperor pressed him, ignoring the question. He said coldly, "Even if you were a Saint Emperor today, you would not be leaving this place alive!"

The Angry Immortal Emperor didn't answer Li Qiye's question, but his words said it all. Many people's expressions changed, and the faces of the students from small sects, the loose cultivators, and the commoners instantly turned pale.

This meant that even more powerful experts from the Nu Xian Sacred Country were present. Perhaps it wasn't just them; maybe other Great Teaching Territories had also sent their top masters. Just a few days ago, the Nu Xian Sacred Country, Tiger Roar Sect, Yao Guang Ancient Country, and other behemoths of the East Hundred Cities had all formed a single faction. That alone spoke volumes. They intended to monopolize the Eternal Gate.

The prodigies from the Saint World Academy, however, read even more into the situation. This was especially true for those from the Great Teaching Territories of the Middle Grand Realm, the Western Wilderness, and the Southern Red Land. Though the main forces of their sects hadn't had time to arrive, they still had access to inside information.

'The Nu Xian Sacred Country and their allies brought so many great experts, even Saint Venerables... perhaps they didn't just come for the Eternal Gate. Maybe they have other plans... like the Celestial Dao Academy itself...'

For a moment, the minds of the prodigies from the Emperor Immortal Gates raced with speculation.

At this moment, everyone held their breath. Countless pairs of eyes were fixed on Li Qiye, waiting to see what he would choose.

The Angry Immortal Emperor's words had made it perfectly clear. It wasn't just him, a Saint Venerable, representing the Nu Xian Sacred Country today. There were even more powerful figures present.

In a situation like this, any sensible person knew what to do. He had already defeated Ba Xia and Hu Yue—a monumental achievement for anyone in the younger generation. This victory alone was enough for him to be considered peerless in the East Hundred Cities, to become the strongest young genius, reaping both fame and fortune. It was an incomparable honor.

Having come this far, it was more than enough for any member of the younger generation, regardless of their background. Why forge a life-and-death feud with the Nu Xian Sacred Country and the Tiger Roar Sect over it?

If he released Ba Xia and Hu Yue now, he would not only solidify his reputation but also escape unscathed and guarantee his safety. For most people, what was there to hesitate about?

"Young Master Li, take a step back! There's no need to push this further!" the Lion Roar Emperor couldn't help but shout, worried for Li Qiye.

Li Qiye had defeated Ba Xia and Hu Yue single-handedly, which was already an incredible feat of strength. But to insist on making mortal enemies of the Nu Xian Sacred Country and the Tiger Roar Sect in this situation was simply courting death.

Chi Xiaodie stopped her father from trying to persuade Li Qiye. She shook her head gently and whispered, "He won't back down. It would be the same even if a Saint Emperor were here in person."

"Senior Brother Li, he's right! Take a step back, you've already won!" some students from the Great World Academy couldn't help but call out, trying to help him.

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