Chapter 542: Competition

The Bishui Empress was currently the one who had walked the farthest, so her words were considered highly credible.

“It’s just as I suspected! Entering the pool has nothing to do with the depth of one’s Dao Practice.” Upon hearing the Bishui Empress’s words, someone couldn’t help but slap their thigh and exclaim excitedly.

Meanwhile, in response to the Shen Ran Phoenix Lady’s challenge, Li Qiye gave a dismissive laugh and said slowly, “What’s so difficult about this? I could casually walk a few dozen steps. If you want a challenge, then bring it on. The loser will get lost. Their entire clan will get lost with them, go wherever you please! If I lose, I’ll give them the Key of the First Evil Tomb!”

Since his enemies had come knocking at his door with a challenge, how could Li Qiye possibly refuse?

Li Qiye’s words immediately sent the countless Ghost Race cultivators into an uproar. The Ghost Race cultivators, in particular, all stared at Li Qiye. At this moment, he was like a juicy piece of meat that everyone wanted a bite of.

“So, who’s challenging me first?” Li Qiye looked at the Shen Ran Phoenix Lady and asked slowly, “Is it you?”

“How about I challenge you?” At that moment, a cold sneer rang out. The Ghost Insect Demon Child stepped forward with a sinister smile and said, “If you lose, hand over the Key of the First Evil Tomb! And you’ll get lost immediately. All the treasures here will belong to our Ghost Race.”

“Count me in.” Another person stepped out at the same time, standing with the Ghost Insect Demon Child. This was the Saint Child Ji Que of the Ju Que Holy Land.

“You want to challenge me when you can only manage eight or nine steps?” Li Qiye couldn’t be bothered to even look at them, saying with a smile, “Aren’t you a little too overconfident?”

“It’s still unknown who will emerge victorious. Don’t be so shameless!” Saint Child Ji Que sneered, full of confidence.

Everyone knew that Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child had only managed eight or nine steps. Yet, Saint Child Ji Que was now brimming with confidence. This made many people’s hearts skip a beat, as they realized the two had been holding back and hadn’t used their full strength.

“Are you representing your sects, or are you representing the Ghost Race?” Li Qiye asked them with a placid smile.

“If I lose, my sect will withdraw,” Saint Child Ji Que said slowly. “If any Great Teaching Territories of the Ghost Race choose to follow our sect, they will be handsomely rewarded should we obtain the treasures here!”

“That’s right. The same goes for our Insect Emperor Dynasty,” the Ghost Insect Demon Child stated slowly.

Without a doubt, their actions had already been approved by the elders of the two Emperor Immortal Gates. There was a reason why the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que dared to make such a bold declaration.

For geniuses like the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que to be in the same generation as the Three Heroes of the Netherworld was indeed a case of being born at the wrong time. This was especially true because of Emperor’s Throne, whom many Great Teaching Territories of the Ghost Race favored. As a result, many of these powers leaned toward Emperor’s Throne.

Now, the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que wanted to use Li Qiye to build their own prestige and polish their sects’ reputations, thereby establishing their sects’ status in Xishuicang and North Marsh!

“We are willing to stand with the Insect Emperor Dynasty,” a Great Teaching Territory from the Ghost Race declared.

“We are also willing to stand with the Ju Que Holy Land.” Many cultivators from the Ghost Race’s Great Teaching Territories also voiced their support.

The Insect Emperor Dynasty held a high status in Xishuicang, as did the Ju Que Holy Land in North Marsh. However, due to the recent impact of figures like Emperor’s Throne and Li Qiye, many people had nearly forgotten about geniuses like Saint Child Ji Que.

Now that Saint Child Ji Que and the others had stepped forward, many Great Teaching Territories from Xishuicang and Ze Di also declared their support. For sects like the Ju Que Holy Land, this was killing two birds with one stone.

This move by Saint Child Ji Que and his counterpart not only gave them a chance to win the Key of the First Evil Tomb from Li Qiye, but also allowed them to test how many Great Teaching Territories within their Great Desolation were willing to stand with Emperor Immortal Gates like theirs.

Many of the Sect Leaders and Sovereigns from the Great Teaching Territories present were no idiots. These old foxes all understood that they would get no share from this decisive battle. In the end, the ones who would obtain the Key of the First Evil Tomb would almost certainly be the Emperor Immortal Gates. Therefore, they also understood that now was the time to show their allegiance to these Emperor Immortal Gates.

“Interesting!” Seeing this, even the Bishui Empress of Bishui Country couldn’t help but murmur.

The challenge was no longer a simple grudge between Li Qiye and the Ghost Race; it was showing signs of a power struggle within the Ghost Race itself. Of course, the person who had created this situation was none other than the Shen Ran Phoenix Lady!

At this moment, many people were watching Li Qiye and the others. As the successors of Emperor Immortal Gates, the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que had always been called geniuses with extremely high talent. It was just that they were outshone by peerless geniuses like Emperor’s Throne.

Now that the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que had stepped up to challenge Li Qiye, many among the Ghost Race were optimistic about their chances.

“Since you want a challenge, fine. Both of you can come at once. Competing one by one is just too tiring.” Li Qiye glanced at the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que, then said, “You go first. If I go first, I’m afraid it would be too much of a blow to your confidence.”

“Arrogant fool—” Someone from the Ghost Race snorted coldly. To the many Great Teaching Territories of the Ghost Race, Li Qiye was an eyesore no matter how they looked at him.

The Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que both snorted coldly. They exchanged a glance, then stepped into the pool. The moment they entered, the two of them vanished.

Everyone quickly activated their Celestial Eyes to watch the every move of the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que. Both of them easily took five steps, but starting from the fifth step, their speed began to slow.

However, they still persisted until they completed the eighth step. By the time they reached the eighth step, it was as if they were carrying Mount Tai on their shoulders. Every single step was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

At this moment, everyone held their breath, watching the duo’s every move, because they had previously only managed eight or nine steps.

Many of the big shots from the Ghost Race couldn’t help but worry for the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que. If they could only manage eight or nine steps, they likely wouldn’t have much of an advantage over Li Qiye.

However, the Ju Que Saint Master, who was camped here, was completely at ease. He seemed to have great confidence in his disciple. He smiled and said, “It’ll be no problem for my disciple to walk twenty or thirty steps.”

Sure enough, just as the Ju Que Saint Master had said, upon taking the eighth step, the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que, who had seemed to be carrying Mount Tai, suddenly relaxed.

A law as fine as a silk thread flashed on the Ghost Insect Demon Child’s body, seemingly guiding his path. Instantly, his steps became much lighter.

It was the same for Saint Child Ji Que. In that instant, a halo of light materialized around his body, as if he were being sheltered by gods. Once this halo appeared, his pace quickened as well. It was as if he was no longer taking a single step into a new world, but simply walking on the surface of ordinary water.

“Eleven… twelve… thirteen…” As the two of them began to walk quickly, some members of the Ghost Race started counting their steps. More and more people joined in, their voices becoming uniform. The members of the Insect Emperor Dynasty and Ju Que Holy Land, in particular, counted out their steps the loudest, causing the atmosphere and morale to soar.

“How did they suddenly get so strong?” Seeing the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que suddenly surpass ten steps astonished everyone.

Before this, Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child had only managed eight or nine steps, and even then, it had become extremely difficult for them. Taking even one more step seemed like an arduous task.

But now, after passing the tenth step, they walked with incredible ease. Their steps were light, as if they were walking on a normal water surface. The change was too drastic. How could it not be shocking?

An expert from the older generation saw what was happening and said slowly, “They both have Heaven-Defying treasures on them. I’m afraid those are at the Immortal Emperor Treasure Level!”

In fact, more than just one or two people saw the truth. Seeing Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child walking with such light steps, many of those present understood that they were carrying incredible treasures. Everyone immediately realized that these incredible treasures must be Immortal Emperor’s Treasures!

Of the many Great Teaching Territories that had come to the Ghost Sacred Realm this time, more than just one or two Emperor Immortal Gates had brought Emperor Artifacts. Now that both Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child had Immortal Emperor’s Treasures, it meant that the Ju Que Holy Land and the Insect Emperor Dynasty had each brought more than one Emperor Artifact.

This speculation sent a chill through the hearts of many big shots from the Great Teaching Territories, including those from the Ghost Race. If the Ju Que Holy Land and the Insect Emperor Dynasty had truly brought more than one Emperor Artifact each, then their power was absolutely immense!

An Emperor Artifact was a treasure that absolutely inspired dread. This was especially true for Great Teaching Territories that did not possess one. To them, an Emperor Artifact was a devastating weapon. Even with the same cultivation realm and strength, if they encountered an opponent with an Emperor Artifact, they were fated to be slain!

In the blink of an eye, both Saint Child Ji Que and the Ghost Insect Demon Child had reached twenty steps. Starting from the twentieth step, their pace began to slow again. Even with Emperor Artifacts, they were still affected by the pool.

“It’s a pity they still haven’t comprehended even a fraction of the profound secrets within. Otherwise, with the power of their Emperor Artifacts, they would surely be able to walk more than forty steps if they could grasp just a bit of the mystery,” the Bishui Empress remarked slowly from the side.

“Twenty… twenty-one… twenty-two…” As the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que reached the twentieth step, a loud, unified chant echoed through the area. The Insect Emperor Dynasty and the Ju Que Holy Land led many of the Ghost Race’s Great Teaching Territories in cheering for their champions, simultaneously putting pressure on Li Qiye.

The loud shouts of these big shots, in particular, created an oppressive atmosphere. The sound of their cries shook one’s mind. Without a doubt, these Great Teaching Territories of the Ghost Race intended to pressure Li Qiye, creating a suppressive mood to strike at his state of mind.