Chapter 551: Reneging

At that moment, Long Zun Tian retreated to Shen Ran Phoenix Lady’s side and said in a deep voice, “Young Madam, it’s not too late if you wish to leave now. I will escort you away.”

“What do you mean by this, Elder Long?” Shen Ran Phoenix Lady asked, her heart sinking at his sudden attempt to persuade her to leave.

Long Zun Tian didn’t look at her. He stared at Li Qiye and said, “I’ve grown old and wish to retire from the world. I’m afraid I can no longer assist my worthy nephew, Emperor’s Throne. However, before I go, I can escort you to safety.”

Long Zun Tian was extremely wary of Li Qiye. From a single exchange, he knew he had encountered a terrifying enemy, for not even he could discern the nature of Li Qiye’s physique!

Shen Ran Phoenix Lady’s expression changed drastically at his words. She quickly tried to make him stay. “You’re being too modest, Elder Long. You are a peerless talent…”

“Young Madam, it is time to leave,” Long Zun Tian said, cutting her off.

Long Zun Tian’s attitude left many people scratching their heads in confusion. The match between him and Li Qiye hadn’t even been decided. In fact, most people favored Long Zun Tian, believing he would absolutely defeat Li Qiye.

But now, Long Zun Tian was choosing to withdraw. This was completely out of character for the proud and arrogant man, leaving everyone baffled. Of course, no one believed that Long Zun Tian was afraid of Li Qiye. After all, he had flatly refused an invitation from the Ten Thousand Bones Throne itself back in the day! A man as proud as him would never fear Li Qiye, especially since he still held a significant advantage in strength!

And yet, Long Zun Tian was still determined to back down. This was what so many people failed to understand. His actions would tarnish his own reputation, leaving a stain on his illustrious name.

Why would Long Zun Tian choose to withdraw, even at the cost of staining his own reputation? It wasn’t just the crowd who was mystified; Shen Ran Phoenix Lady didn’t understand either. Long Zun Tian was the mentor of Emperor’s Throne, and she knew he was a man who feared no one. Yet now, of all times, he was insisting on backing out!

Shen Ran Phoenix Lady took a deep breath and shook her head. “Elder Long, if you must go, I won’t stop you. But I will not retreat. No matter how powerful the Human Race is, no matter how formidable my opponent, I will never allow their schemes to succeed. I will absolutely not stand by and let Li Qiye wantonly slaughter the younger generation of our Ghost Race! This isn’t just because I am a member of the Ten Thousand Bones Throne—this is for the Ghost Race!”

Long Zun Tian simply shook his head at her resounding declaration. He understood her methods; he knew what she was trying to do.

“I’ve grown old. This is a world for you young people. The new generation is truly formidable, and your courage is commendable.” Long Zun Tian sighed softly, though it was unclear if he was remarking on Shen Ran Phoenix Lady’s courage or something else entirely.

“Young Madam, take care,” Long Zun Tian said one last time before gracefully floating away, vanishing over the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Long Zun Tian’s graceful departure left many people dumbfounded. From start to finish, no one could figure out why he had withdrawn. He couldn’t possibly be weaker than Li Qiye! And it was certain that he wasn’t afraid of him, either.

So why did he withdraw? It was a mystery to many, including Shen Ran Phoenix Lady.

In truth, there was only one reason for Long Zun Tian’s sudden decision to retreat: he had lost faith in Emperor’s Throne. He himself had been a peerless prodigy of his generation. In his youth, he had been on par with other supreme talents like Emperor’s Throne and Tian Lunhui.

He had been willing to come out of seclusion to guide Emperor’s Throne because he valued the young man’s talent and saw his confidence, as if he were looking at a reflection of his younger self.

Long Zun Tian had always regretted being born in the Tough Dao Era, which prevented him from reaching the apex and becoming an Immortal Emperor. Therefore, he believed Emperor’s Throne had a real chance. Even with rivals like Tian Lunhui and Chan Yang, Long Zun Tian remained confident in Emperor’s Throne. He was certain he could guide him to shoulder the Celestial Mandate and achieve the rank of Immortal Emperor.

But today, his confidence was shaken. Especially after that single exchange with Li Qiye, he understood one thing: Li Qiye was far more terrifying than he had ever imagined. During that one clash, although he couldn’t clearly see what kind of physique Li Qiye possessed, his intuition told him that Li Qiye had an Immortal Body—and that things were not so simple.

Long Zun Tian had a strange feeling—an intuition that Li Qiye possessed two Immortal Bodies. ‘Of course, anyone with common sense knew such a thing was impossible, yet his intuition is screaming at me!’

‘What if Li Qiye really did have two Immortal Bodies?’ Long Zun Tian didn’t dare to imagine it. ‘Li Qiye’s methods are already Heaven-Defying. He already has the qualifications to contend with any of the Three Heroes of the Netherworld. What if his true trump card isn’t the Nine Stars and Ten Palaces, or an Invincible Technique, but something else entirely?’

‘For instance… the utterly impossible Dual Immortal Body? That’s it. My intuition tells me this guess is very likely correct!’

‘In that moment, I realized that Emperor’s Throne is headed for a disastrous defeat.’ And it was for this very reason that the thought of retreating took root in Long Zun Tian’s mind. ‘Perhaps I just don’t want to be there to witness it.’

“Now who’s left to fight for you?” Li Qiye asked, looking at Shen Ran Phoenix Lady after Long Zun Tian’s departure.

“Even if I am the only one left, I will not retreat, and I will not compromise!” Shen Ran Phoenix Lady declared, taking a deep breath, her expression solemn. “My own strength may be meager and insignificant, but I will still stand up to stop your evil deeds and foil your schemes! Even if it costs me my life, I must prevent your Demon Hand from reaching our Ghost Race! If my death can awaken the Ghost Race to this danger, then what is my life in comparison!”

Shen Ran Phoenix Lady’s righteous aura was overwhelming. Every word was delivered with conviction, and her willingness to face death for her cause moved many who watched.

From the way Shen Ran Phoenix Lady spoke, Li Qiye might as well have been an unforgivable Demon. Her plight and her posturing were winning her the admiration and support of many in the crowd.

Watching her righteous display, Li Qiye couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle. “To be honest, I actually admire your courage,” he said. “Attempting the impossible… that’s truly something.”

“What am I as an individual compared to the Ghost Race?” Shen Ran Phoenix Lady declared forcefully. “Even if I have to sacrifice my life, I will never let you succeed—”

“Alright, alright, I get it. I’m the big, bad, unforgivable villain,” Li Qiye said with a smile, cutting her off. “Whether it’s for the Ghost Race or for Emperor’s Throne, I’ll grant you a death worthy of your cause.” With that, he began to walk slowly toward her.

Seeing Li Qiye approach, Shen Ran Phoenix Lady took a deep breath. This time, surprisingly, she didn’t flee. Instead, she said coldly, “I know you are powerful. But no matter how weak I am, I will use my meager strength to stop you! Let the fate of the Ghost Race begin with me!”

Countless Ghost Race cultivators were watching this scene unfold. As Li Qiye drew closer, many of them could no longer hold back. All at once, a large number of Ghost Race cultivators stepped forward.

“Li, if you want to touch a single hair on the Phoenix Lady’s head, you’ll have to step over our dead bodies first!” a hot-blooded Ghost Race cultivator shouted, his voice filled with agitation.

“How can we, the disciples of the Ghost Race, allow you, Li Qiye, to slaughter us at will!” At the same time, numerous Sect Leaders and Emperors from various Great Teaching Territories began to stir up the crowd, hoping to incite a mob to overwhelm and kill Li Qiye.

Just then, two figures descended from the sky, landing directly in front of Shen Ran Phoenix Lady. Their Blood Qi surged to the heavens like a tidal wave, making them countless times more powerful than the Ghost Race cultivators who had just stepped forward.

Although many Sect Leaders and Emperors from the Great Teaching Territories were stirring the pot, none of them had actually stepped forward yet. Instead, it was the younger-generation cultivators with relatively low Dao Practice who had come out to defend Shen Ran Phoenix Lady.

The Blood Qi of the two youths who had just descended from the sky billowed like great waves. As they stood before Shen Ran Phoenix Lady, they looked like a pair of young True Gods.

These two were none other than the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que. Although Saint Child Ji Que was a man of short stature, when his Blood Qi erupted, he seemed to grow incomparably tall, looking mighty and invincible.

“The fate of the Ghost Race is everyone’s responsibility. As men, how can we let a lone woman lead the charge?” Saint Child Ji Que declared in a deep voice. “Li Qiye, don’t even think about harming her!”

Li Qiye looked at the Ghost Insect Demon Child and Saint Child Ji Que and began to laugh. “What’s this? You two haven’t left yet? Does the Ju Que Holy Land and the Insect Emperor Dynasty plan to go back on your word?”

Neither the Ju Que Holy Land nor the Insect Emperor Dynasty had withdrawn. In fact, it could be said that these two Emperor Immortal Gates were eyeing Li Qiye like tigers stalking their prey, eager to kill him. They had only been held back by their prior agreement.

“An agreement is an agreement,” the Ghost Insect Demon Child said with a sinister smile. “We have no intention of touching the treasures here and can withdraw at any moment. However, if someone is slaughtering the disciples of our Ghost Race, intending to exterminate the promising youths of our younger generation, then as a member of the Ghost Race, and with my Insect Emperor Dynasty being a major power within the Ghost Race, I have a responsibility to ensure our race’s safety!”

“If someone seeks to harm our Ghost Race, the Ju Que Holy Land will absolutely not permit it!” Saint Child Ji Que added, his voice filled with righteous indignation. “The Shen Ran Phoenix Lady, a woman, is willing to sacrifice herself for the great cause and fate of our race. We men of the Ghost Race should be contributing even more to our people’s safety! For me, personal honor or shame is a trivial matter; the fate of the Ghost Race is what’s truly important!”

“Li Qiye, you seek to murder the disciples of our Ghost Race! We may have had an agreement, but what are my personal gains or losses compared to the Ghost Race? For the sake of our race’s fate and safety, I will not leave this place! I will not let you slaughter our disciples here! I will stop your rampage!” Saint Child Ji Que declared, his voice ringing with conviction. “You can say I’m breaking our agreement, and the world can curse me for going back on my word—I will bear those accusations! I would rather be reviled for all eternity than fail to slay you here and now, eliminating a scourge to protect the peace of the Ghost Race!”