Emperor’s Domination

The one constant in this desert was its unbearable heat and sandstorms.

The old man continued to be in a drowsy state, curling up in the corner as if nothing in the world could interest him. This was his position for millions of years, seemingly wanting to die and become sands.

His decision to stay here was truly puzzling. Nonetheless, he outlasted the rise and fall of sects outside. Geniuses came and went yet he remained in this place.

Of course, no one paid that much attention to the old man outside of mere curiosity. They didn't have time to linger around. Plus, they couldn't figure out his mysteries anyway.

This trend stopped today. A traveler walked on the scorching desert. Sand had gotten through his dirty robe but he trod onward, undeterred.

It's not that he didn't notice the high temperature and the danger looming there. His eyes were muddled as if the soul was no longer there.

He was none other than Li Qiye, still in his ethereal state. When his mind left the body, he could see everything in the world including the myriad dao.

The abandoned body appeared to be a helpless mortal without dao knowledge. However, this state was even more dangerous and destructive. He somehow made his way into the shop and sat down on the creaking bench.

The old man was alert and knew who was entering the desert at the first second. Thus, he also noticed Li Qiye but wasn't too interested at first.

As time passed, Li Qiye still sat there without uttering a single word. His existence didn't affect the shop in the slightest. The only audible noise was the cloth piece in front of the entrance fluttering to the wind.

After an unknown trek of time, the old man finally looked up and stared at Li Qiye. This was rather surprising because he wouldn't even look up at the sky falling down.

The moment he got a better look at Li Qiye, his eyes widened as he became emotional. They flashed with an eternal light capable of dissecting heaven and earth.

This man was immensely strong. The current lords in this era couldn't withstand a single move from him. However, Li Qiye didn't react to the uninvited gaze.

"Want a drink?" The old man asked.

Previous visitors would be shocked to see this. Some big shots had been curious enough to visit several times. Alas, they were all ignored. Today, he took the initiative to speak?

"Sure." Li Qiye answered without thinking, still being stuck in a dazed state.

This was only possible since the old man was capable of channeling his voice and intent through to Li Qiye – a testament to his power.

In Li Qiye's state, the rest of the world became mute to him. He couldn't see or hear them at all but the old man successfully communicated.

The latter searched the corner for a long time before finding a bottle of wine. He opened it and out came a salivating aroma.

This was absolutely the finest of wine, unlike what he had given to other guests – the difference between the heavenly nectar and horse's piss.

He poured a full bowl for Li Qiye. The latter took a drink instinctively without looking at the bowl.

In his current state, even the most precious wine was nothing more than water. The old man didn't know this and poured another full cup for Li Qiye, wanting to satisfy his customer.

One man drank while the other poured. This scene was bizarre due to the circumstances. Nonetheless, it still felt natural between these two.

Who knows how many drinks Li Qiye had gotten but he wasn't close to getting drunk. His stomach didn't fill up either.

This time around, the old man poured another cup but Li Qiye opened his eyes and regained his sentience and soul.

"Why did you turn into this abomination?" Li Qiye asked, clearly aware of who the old man was.

The old man responded: "The path ended, I couldn't accept and chose a new one."

"This dao Yu Zhengfeng passed down to you will do nothing except await death. Even if you grow stronger, you're nothing more than a walking corpse." Li Qiye said flatly.

The old man didn't respond. When he was younger, he was a peerless and handsome genius. He dominated the entire world and was loved by numerous ladies. His golden age was rather resplendent.