Emperor’s Domination

One theory noted that Seal Ancestor's true form must be rather unsightly with countless tentacles. This contributed to the auction house's peace because few dared to cause trouble here.

Jian Ming had heard about Seal Ancestor's tales before. Today, he finally got to meet the being, albeit not in his true form.

The daoist was utterly surprised because he was one of the few who saw Seal Ancestor's true form. Though he only saw a small part of the gigantic being and only briefly, he still noticed the different auras.

There was nothing threatening coming from the auctioneer, the opposite of the great octopus.

"Since my offer was a fortune, pick while I'm still here." Li Qiye said.

The auctioneer bowed and said: "I actually have a request but I'm afraid it might be out of line…"

"Speak, don't worry." Li Qiye said.

The auctioneer took a deep breath and said: "Our lake is from an immemorial period, tracing back to the previous epoch. The sages were sure that it must have something to do with our roots. After generations of research and rumination, we have understood a thing or two."

"That's why you all built the sect here, hoping to use the magical lake to control an independent domain. Unfortunately, this is just the result of greed." Li Qiye chuckled and said.

"Right. I myself was arrogant and wanted to use my own power to control this magical force. I absorbed it into my body in order to call on the dao." The auctioneer had a sad smile.

"You would have been reduced to ashes if it wasn't for your bloodline. It's also unfortunate that your branch isn't the orthodox one." Li Qiye added.

"That I am aware of." He respectfully said: "We have never dared to act as the main branch since that would be disrespectful to the ancestors."

The grotto actually had an impressive origin dating back to the previous epoch. Rumor has it that their progenitor was a follower of a supreme existence and had numerous contributions. As time passed, their clan prospered and declined. One notable period was during the leadership of the two saints.

Once the two saints left, their primary branch was no longer active. They, the side branch, eventually built the auction house on the ancestral lake.

This lake contained an unknown power with a mysterious seal. This helped them last for so many eras now.

"Your request is to open the seal in order to escape." Li Qiye already knew the answer.

"That is indeed my request, please help me, Young Noble." The auctioneer got on his knees.

Previous sages of the auction house successfully borrowed the power of the immemorial lake. During the auctioneer's generation, he became ambitious and wanted to channel this power into his own body for better control. Alas, he nearly lost his life in the process.

Nonetheless, he did gain something from the reckless endeavor. He was able to control part of this power. The negative side effect included being trapped in the seal, unable to leave. Therefore, he wished for a miracle from Li Qiye.

"To carry out my end of the bargain, the fortune I can grant only includes freeing you." Li Qiye said flatly: "What you will learn and the blessings obtained by the spirits depend on your own comprehension and luck."

"I understand. This is more than enough." The auctioneer kowtowed.

"Very well, prepare yourself. I will help you find the temple of the spirits and its mysteries." Li Qiye said.

The man then sat down in a meditative posture, entering a state of zen and channeling his energy to harmonize with the world around him.

Li Qiye raised one finger and utilized a mystical dao technique to follow a natural path leading to the door beneath.

Golden particles oozed from the tip of his fingers as if they were stars. They traveled and left behind a temporal trail.

This trail seemed to be indelible and created a divide in time and space. While standing in this divide, one could turn back and see the past or look forward and see the future. The starry beam eventually touched the old man's forehead and created a tsunami within his mind.

"Boom!" His true body started shaking violently.

He felt an explosion finally opening the gate inside his mind. In the past, he has tried countless times only to fail. Alas, Li Qiye was able to do so in just a few seconds.

With the opening of the gate, he found himself to be standing in a massive dimension and heard deafening battle cries.

He looked forward and saw heroic spirits marching. They resembled the great gods - gigantic and wielding divine weapons.

Banners fluttered everywhere, each large enough to blot out the sky. The symbol engraved on them was none other than an animated silver fox.

He then heard battle horns and suddenly, he returned to an ancient carnage where his godlike ancestors fought to the death. Their blood rained down as they faltered.

Keep in mind that the auctioneer was in his true form. Nonetheless, he felt tiny compared to the combatants participating in this hopeless battle. Alas, his ancestors marched forward for the sake of the land and the future of their race.

Though he wasn't from the same time and space, he could still smell the stench of blood. The horns made his blood boil, wanting nothing more than to join the battle to fight with his ancestors.

"Focus up, feel the grand dao." Suddenly, he heard Li Qiye's whispers. The words resonated like bells and woke him up from his rage.

He was drenched in a cold sweat, realizing that he had almost lost his way. He sat back down again and meditated to learn the mysteries of the dao.