Dominator Emperor

The doors of the simple, timeworn Ancient Pavilion were tightly sealed, daring anyone to approach. None would cross the line even by a single step. The very wind seemed to slow as it passed by, and birds flying overhead dared not chirp, as if afraid of disturbing the one slumbering within.

This Xiu Peak stood proudly in this land. Although it was surrounded by countless Divine Peaks, giant mountains, and innumerable ancient halls and sacred temples, its presence made the entire region exceptionally quiet, like a silent night. Even the Elders of the Celestial Dao Academy avoided this land, and as for the academy’s disciples, they were utterly unqualified to set foot here.

The Elders of the Celestial Dao Academy were all afraid of disturbing the being slumbering on this Xiu Peak. For the academy, this peak was incomparably important; perhaps it even represented their greatest hope for the future.

Li Qiye gazed at the Ancient Pavilion, momentarily lost in a daze. He was all too familiar with it. Simple and timeworn... ’So many years have passed, yet this Ancient Pavilion remains unchanged!’

A long, long time ago, he had lived in that very pavilion. For him, however, it was merely a place for occasional rest, a temporary stop on his journey.

Later, the Ancient Pavilion was moved into the Celestial Dao Academy. After that, he rarely returned to the East Hundred Cities. Even when he did, he would stay elsewhere, his visits always brief and hurried.

"That is where the ancestor of our Longevity Academy slumbers. We call it the Longevity Pavilion," Elder Daoist Peng explained, noticing Li Qiye’s gaze fixed silently upon the Ancient Pavilion.

In truth, the Celestial Dao Academy didn’t always have a Longevity Academy branch. It was only established after Ma Gu’s time. And although the Longevity Academy only accepts a single disciple each generation, it is still one of the most powerful branches in the Celestial Dao Academy. Moreover, its ancestor is still alive to this day!

Li Qiye gazed at the Ancient Pavilion and finally sighed inwardly with a mix of emotions. "How is Ma Gu?" he asked.

Elder Daoist Peng gently shook his head. "To be frank, I don’t know either. I saw the ancestor only once, when I was very young. It was when I first joined the Longevity Academy; my master brought me to pay my respects. As far as I can remember, that was the only time she has ever woken up." He continued, "Very, very few people in the Celestial Dao Academy have ever seen her awaken. Even among the Seven Great Ancestors, not many who are older than me have witnessed it. People were saying, even before my master’s time, that it’s no easy feat to have the ancestor awaken and emerge. It would only happen if someone could actually destroy the Celestial Dao Academy and breach this very place."

The ancestor of the Longevity Academy was Xu Chong Immortal. Few, if any, knew of her existence. And even if someone had known her name, they likely wouldn’t still be alive today.

Throughout the ages, many have sealed themselves away since ancient times to survive to the present day. However, they all relied on vast quantities of Time Blood Stones, burying themselves in a state of suspended animation. This type of sealing was akin to death. The only difference was that the sealed person could one day revive—what the world calls "emerging."

Yet, Xu Chong Immortal, the ancestor of the Longevity Academy, was someone who could live to this day without needing to be sealed. All she had to do was enter a deep, prolonged slumber; she had no need for Time Blood Stones to resist the passage of Time. This was because she cultivated the Longevity Body—the most difficult Immortal Body to master in this world, requiring more time and perseverance than any other!

In fact, even many of the Celestial Dao Academy’s Elder Guardians knew very little about the Longevity Academy’s ancestor. Some didn’t even know her Daoist title. As far as the academy’s upper echelons were concerned, they only knew that their most powerful ancestor was slumbering here.

Some among the Celestial Dao Academy’s Elders once believed that Xu Chong Immortal and the Domain God were the academy’s two deities. As for which of them was stronger, no one knew.

"Would you like to see the ancestor?" Elder Daoist Peng finally asked, testing the waters. He found it very strange. Forget outsiders—even within the Celestial Dao Academy, very few knew the Longevity Academy ancestor’s Daoist title, let alone her personal name.

Yet Li Qiye knew, and he seemed to know her very well! This made Elder Daoist Peng extremely curious. ’What exactly is Li Qiye’s background?’

Li Qiye finally pulled his gaze away, shook his head gently, and said, "There’s no need." ’For us, it’s better not to meet.’ He thought to himself. ’Ma Gu has finally walked her own path. She’s no longer that little girl from all those years ago. She doesn’t need me, her teacher, to guide her anymore. My own responsibility has been fulfilled.’

Finally, Li Qiye asked, "What stage has your ancestor’s Longevity Body cultivation reached?" He had been researching the Longevity Body for ages. Over millions of years, he had tried to cultivate someone to the Great Success stage of the Longevity Body, but he had never succeeded. Ma Gu was the only one who had.

Strictly speaking, however, Ma Gu wasn’t someone he had chosen to cultivate. Her success had been a happy accident.

"I’m not clear on the specifics," Peng Kang said. "I heard from my master that she is likely just a tiny step away from Great Success. Once she takes that step, she may become truly immortal. In fact, the ancestor is the only one in our Longevity Academy who truly persevered. In that regard, none of us can compare to her." At this, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh of shame.

The Longevity Academy had passed through seven generations to reach Peng Kang. Yet, while the heirs of the previous generations had all long since passed away and returned to the earth, the academy’s founder was still alive.

The reason was simple: in the end, none of the Longevity Academy’s heirs had managed to persevere. Although cultivating the Longevity Body granted them incredibly long lives, this very fact made it impossible for them to hold on. When one possessed a vast lifespan and powerful Dao Practice, who could truly endure an eternity of silence and solitude?

"The mortal world is full of temptations, while the Great Dao is a lonely path," Li Qiye said, glancing at Elder Daoist Peng. "When you have the power to sweep through the world, who would be willing to quietly guard a small courtyard through endless loneliness?"

He knew this all too well. He had tried to cultivate others with the Longevity Body before, but all had ended in failure. The reason was painfully simple: almost no one could endure to the end.

Elder Daoist Peng gave a wry smile and sighed. "That is indeed the truth. When you can sweep across the world, who would be willing to remain in silent obscurity! While I may be an old man with no ambition to conquer the world and no worldly heart that yearns for vanity, for me... the greatest temptation is food. Whenever I can’t bear the prolonged silence, I roam the world, catching Divine Fish and hunting Immortal Chickens to satisfy my palate. At the end of the day, it just means I couldn’t hold out."

Li Qiye didn’t say anything more about it, nor did he blame Elder Daoist Peng. Over millions of years, he had seen even the most determined individuals ultimately fail. It was only natural that Elder Daoist Peng couldn’t hold out.

Finally, Li Qiye and Elder Daoist Peng stepped into the deepest region of the academy—the place where the Celestial Dao Academy’s Domain God resided.

It wouldn’t be surprising if no one in the world knew of the Celestial Dao Academy’s Xu Chong Immortal. However, the Domain God’s fame was renowned throughout the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands.

In the Human Emperor Realm, there were once two Great Gods: the Snail God of the Xiyan Ancient Sect and the Domain God of the Celestial Dao Academy! Although these two had never been officially deified, the world had long since acknowledged them as divine beings. They were True Gods, not the so-called Pseudo-Gods who merely proclaimed themselves divine!

The Domain God had weathered countless storms with the Celestial Dao Academy, protecting it through the long ages. It was said by later generations that the Domain God once had the opportunity to bear the Celestial Mandate and become an Immortal Emperor. In the end, however, he couldn’t bear to leave the academy and chose to stay behind as its protector. This decision prevented him from breaking free of the mortal realm and ascending to the throne of Immortal Emperor.

Even before entering the Domain God’s residence, one could see a dozen or so white-haired old men presiding over an immense Dao Platform, which in turn formed a Grand Array.

The dozen-odd, white-haired elders were chanting True Words and reciting Immortal Scriptures, causing the Grand Array to rain down Sweet Dew. As the dew fell, waves of Immortal Sound emanated from the array. Each note was enough to soothe one’s Divine Soul. Even a bloodthirsty butcher, placed within this array, would lay down his cleaver and have the malice in his heart cleansed.

Something had gone wrong with the Domain God, and he was on the verge of a rampage. The Elders of the Celestial Dao Academy were doing everything in their power to pacify him, hoping to cleanse the Demonic Qi from his heart, but their efforts were having little effect.

Elder Daoist Peng had already spoken with the other Elders. "I’ll go in with you to see the Domain God," he said finally. "But I’m afraid we won’t be able to communicate with him."

"No," Li Qiye said, his voice low. "I’ll go in alone."

After consulting with the other Elders, Elder Daoist Peng nodded. "Very well, but you must be careful. Given the Domain God’s current state, I can’t guarantee what might happen. If things take a bad turn, get out immediately."

The Domain God’s residence spanned hundreds of miles. In truth, it hadn’t always been so vast. It was only after his condition worsened recently—his rampages and demonic possession affecting an ever-wider area—that the Celestial Dao Academy had no choice but to vacate this entire region. They sealed it off to minimize the damage he caused.

Containing such a situation was extremely difficult for the Celestial Dao Academy. A being at the Domain God’s level could destroy heaven and earth with a single gesture. The academy had only managed to endure because the Domain God himself was fighting to suppress his demonic rampage, combined with the tireless efforts of the academy.

Many of the Celestial Dao Academy’s long-sealed Elders had emerged from their seclusion. They formed a Grand Array and used a Supreme Heart Method to exorcise the Domain God’s demons and pacify his spirit, all in an attempt to stabilize him.

The moment Li Qiye stepped into this land, a wave of scorching heat washed over him. A dry, searing aura permeated the entire sky.

One must understand that the deepest part of the Celestial Dao Academy was an Ancestral Land, a place that gathered the Essence of Heaven and Earth. It was supposed to be a Marvelous Land, a Holy Land rarely seen in this world. However, the scene before Li Qiye’s eyes couldn’t be further from that description. As far as the eye could see, there was only a Red Land stretching for hundreds of miles. Yellow dust filled the sky, the earth was cracked and barren, and not a single blade of grass grew. The world before him had become a Land of Death, devoid of any trace of life.

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