Chapter 539: The Mysterious Ancient Pool

The Bishui Empress stared at the Ancient Pool before her. After a long moment, she took a deep breath and stepped inside. The moment she entered the Ancient Pool, she vanished completely.

“I wonder how many steps the Bishui Empress can take,” someone murmured, watching her step into the Ancient Pool.

“Two days ago, Saint Child Ji Que took eight steps, and the Ghost Insect Demon Child managed nine. They’re already considered geniuses of the younger generation. One of the Great Sect Ancestors secretly calculated that reaching the center of this Ancient Pool would require at least three hundred steps,” a Ghost Race cultivator remarked.

At this moment, countless pairs of eyes were fixed on the Ancient Pool, including those of the big shots from the Emperor Immortal Gates. Everyone had activated their Celestial Eyes; without them, it was impossible to see the Bishui Empress.

In fact, over the past few days, many powerful figures had exhausted their strength trying to probe the Ancient Pool with their Celestial Eyes, but none could see through it. An Emperor Immortal Gate even used a Supreme Treasure Mirror to illuminate the pool, but to no avail.

Even geniuses like Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child held their breaths and stared at the Ancient Pool. After all, even peerless talents like them had only managed to take eight or nine steps.

Before long, however, the expressions of Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child changed. With their Celestial Eyes, they watched the Bishui Empress easily take her ninth step, and then her tenth.

“Incredible. Truly worthy of being a Charm Spirit, worthy of being the Bishui Empress. It’s long been rumored that her power is unfathomable. It seems fifteen steps will be no problem for her,” said an Emperor from a Jiang Country.

However, in just a short while, the Bishui Empress had surpassed fifteen steps. Soon after, she had already taken twenty.

“Twenty steps!” Even the Great Sect Ancestors were stirred upon seeing the Bishui Empress take her twentieth step. One of them murmured, “Two days ago, the Elder Ancestor of the Kiri Tree Ghost Race disappeared after his twentieth step and never came back.”

After the Bishui Empress took her twentieth step, others could no longer see any trace of her. Even many powerful figures, straining their abilities to the limit, couldn’t spot her. Only those reclusive Great Sect Ancestors were still able to watch her.

However, after the twentieth step, the Bishui Empress also began to show signs of strain. She finally stopped after reaching thirty steps, as those reclusive Great Sect Ancestors watched her every move.

In the end, the Bishui Empress chose to stop at thirty steps and retreated from the pool. When everyone saw her emerge completely unharmed, many grew curious. Someone couldn’t help but ask, “How many steps did the Bishui Empress take?”

When a Great Sect Ancestor finally revealed the number—thirty steps—everyone, including the big shots from the Emperor Immortal Gates, was stunned.

“That’s on par with a Great Sect Ancestor! To take thirty steps and retreat unharmed, one could even say she’s more formidable than most Great Sect Ancestors. A Charm Spirit is a Charm Spirit, after all. Their Divine Radiance is enough to shatter any illusion.” Upon hearing this, everyone was deeply moved.

No matter how Defying Heaven her Dao Practice was, the Bishui Empress couldn’t possibly have reached the Great Sage Realm. One might even say her fame doesn’t match that of Emperor’s Throne or Tian Lunhui, yet she managed to walk thirty steps—what an incredible feat. The Divine Radiance of the Charm Spirits was truly something countless people envied and admired. Charm Spirits were indeed the darlings of the heavens.

Seeing that the Bishui Empress could take thirty steps and return unharmed made the numerous Great Teaching Territories stationed by the pool extremely curious. They wanted to know what she had learned about this Ancient Pool.

Finally, a Great Sect on good terms with the Bishui Country managed to inquire for information. The Bishui Empress told their Sect Leader, “This pool is mystical. One step is one world; to take a single step is to cross into another realm. If one were to reach the center, I fear it would be akin to crossing the Three Thousand Worlds.”

Everyone was stirred by her words. Crossing the Three Thousand Worlds—what a terrifying concept. It was feared that aside from an Immortal Emperor, no one could easily accomplish such a feat.

“Are there treasures in this pool?” the Sect Leader couldn’t help but ask. In truth, this was his greatest concern, and the question on everyone’s mind.

The Qianli River had tracked down the Vajra Carp’s lair and swept away most of its treasures, leaving only this pool behind. In truth, even the Qianli River had been unable to fathom the pool’s mysteries and had hastily retreated.

Everyone knew that the Qianli River had made off with a massive haul of treasures, but they hadn’t obtained a heaven-shaking Unparalleled Immortal Object.

Everyone knew that each of the Five Realms held a grand fortuitous opportunity; it was just a matter of finding the right place. The Water Realm had been explored by many, but with no results. No one had encountered its ultimate opportunity.

Then, when the Qianli River tracked down the Vajra Carp’s lair, the vast majority of people came to believe that if the Water Realm truly held a grand opportunity, it had to be here!

For this very reason, not only had many Great Teaching Territories of the Ghost Race set up camp here, but even powers like the Ju Que Holy Land and the Insect Emperor Dynasty, both Emperor Immortal Gates, had lingered. They all hoped to obtain this unparalleled opportunity.

“Yes, there are absolutely treasures,” the Bishui Empress replied with certainty. “From twenty steps onward, there are bound to be treasures under the water. From thirty steps, there will be rare valuables. If you want to obtain the ultimate opportunity, I fear it will require at least one hundred steps. Within this pool, there is definitely an object of unparalleled, world-shaking significance, an Immortal Treasure that could overturn the world. As for what it is, I cannot say for sure.”

‘An object of unparalleled significance!’ The Sect Leader was shaken to his core. Throughout history, anyone who obtained a grand opportunity from the First Evil Tomb went on to achieve greatness, either becoming an Immortal Emperor or an invincible being.

Word of the Bishui Empress’s statement spread quickly. Everyone had originally camped by the pool in hopes of a grand opportunity. Before, this had only been speculation—a guess that the Water Realm’s ultimate prize might be here. Now, it was confirmed. How could this not send all the cultivators and Great Teaching Territories into an uproar?

For a while, no one had been able to comprehend the pool, causing many to waver and consider leaving. But now, upon hearing this news, they were all excited once more. No one was willing to leave.

“One hundred steps!” Yet, upon hearing the Empress’s words, many were left dumbstruck. No matter how powerful their Great Teaching Territory, the hearts of the Ghost Race cultivators sank, and they couldn’t help but draw a sharp, cold breath.

“What kind of person could possibly walk one hundred steps?” This question was a heavy blow to many. The Elder Ancestor of the Kiri Tree Ghost Race had disappeared after only twenty steps, never to be seen again. To walk one hundred steps… what kind of being would that require?

“Perhaps not even the legendary powerhouses could make it to one hundred steps. To do so, one would have to be an Immortal Being or a Supreme Being,” someone estimated.

“Or it would take a personal attempt from one of the ancient Elder Ancestors of the Ten Thousand Bones Throne,” another high-ranking member of the Ghost Race speculated. They calculated that to reach one hundred steps, only an Immortal Being could succeed. Even the legendary powerhouses would likely fail.

Although the Bishui Empress’s words had brought a surge of excitement to the Ghost Race, many fell silent afterward. For everyone present, one hundred steps seemed utterly impossible.

In reality, many Great Sect Ancestors had come to the First Evil Tomb. For the sake of the legendary grand opportunity, these Old Undyings sealed within Time Blood Stones had paid a heavy price, consuming their Lifespan to emerge from their slumber. They all hoped to obtain the opportunity, extend their lives, and strengthen their sects.

However, after the failure of the Kiri Tree Ghost Race’s Elder Ancestor, many of these Great Sect Ancestors began to hesitate. They had lived for so long, even sealing themselves in Time Blood Stones at any cost just to survive. Faced with the prospect of simply throwing their lives away, these Old Undyings became incredibly cautious.

These Old Undyings feared death more than anyone else. They cherished their lives more than anyone else. They had no desire to die here before even obtaining the grand opportunity.

Thus, even after hearing the news from the Bishui Empress, the Great Sect Ancestors hiding in the shadows were in no rush to act. They were biding their time, waiting to see if another method to enter the pool would present itself.

‘Perhaps it’s not just about having powerful Dao Practice. The Elder Ancestor of the Kiri Tree Ghost Race only made it twenty steps, but the Bishui Empress reached thirty and returned unscathed,’ someone theorized while the Great Teaching Territories hesitated.

But despite this theory, no one was willing to be the first to test it. Everyone adopted a wait-and-see attitude, hoping someone else would try first. After all, several famous figures had already failed in recent days. The thought of dying without a trace, with no body left behind, was enough to make any cultivator’s blood run cold.

Just as the many Great Teaching Territories were watching and waiting, Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu arrived.

Upon his arrival, Li Qiye glanced at the pool before him. His eyes narrowed slightly as he became lost in thought, staring at the water. Though countless Great Teaching Territories of the Ghost Race were camped by the shore, Li Qiye didn’t spare them a single glance.

“The Fierce Li Qiye and the Blue Fairy are here.” Li Qiye’s arrival drew the attention of many, who turned to look at the two of them.

“The Qianli River still hasn’t given up!” a high-ranking member of the Ghost Race snorted, clearly displeased.

The vast majority of those camped by the pool were from the Ghost Race. It was difficult for the Human Race or any other race to find a place here. One could say the Ghost Race had practically cordoned off the entire area.

The arrival of Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu now stirred dissatisfaction among some of the Ghost Race, and someone let out a cold snort.

It was no surprise that so many of the Ghost Race were displeased. The Qianli River had swept away the vast majority of treasures from the Vajra Carp’s lair, leaving only scraps for those who arrived later. How could the other Great Teaching Territories not be green with envy?

Back then, some Great Teaching Territories had even attacked the Qianli River, trying to plunder their treasures. If the Qianli River hadn’t been powerful enough to slaughter several major figures in retaliation, they would never have inspired such fear. Any other Great Teaching Territory would have been annihilated on the spot.