Chapter 558: Encountering the Vajra Carp Again

Li Qiye led Lan Yunzhu into the vast Void. With their current cultivation, they were more than capable of traversing the Void, especially since this wasn’t the Celestial Universe of the Nine Realms.

Lan Yunzhu followed Li Qiye across the Void for an unknown amount of time before she finally saw a resplendent, brilliant light. It was a silvery, sparkling glow—dazzling and alluring.

When Lan Yunzhu arrived and took in the scene before her, she was completely stunned. Countless star rivers poured down like celestial waterfalls, converging here into a single, boundless Star Sea. It stretched out endlessly, with no end in sight.

The Star Sea rippled with silvery waves, creating a dreamlike spectacle. It looked like an ocean of silver, yet it also resembled a gathering of endless starlight. Its shimmering glow seemed unreal, casting a surreal, illusory feeling over everything.

“What is this place?” Lan Yunzhu asked, deeply moved as she watched the silvery light ripple across the Star Sea. The existence of such a place in the world was truly unbelievable.

“I don’t know either,” Li Qiye said, his gaze profound as he stared at the rippling Star Sea. Whether this vast, endless sea was a natural creation of heaven and earth or the work of another’s hand was impossible to tell.

“Where should we go now?” Lan Yunzhu asked, gazing at the Star Sea. She had no idea which way to go. The boundless star river before them seemed to be the entire Celestial Universe, with no end in sight.

SPLASH— Just as Lan Yunzhu asked, a sound like rushing water echoed out. A giant carp leaped from the sea, its massive body kicking up huge waves. Starlight scattered everywhere, and for a moment, it was as if one could hear the crisp, tinkling sound of the stars themselves.

“The Vajra Carp—” Lan Yunzhu exclaimed, her expression shifting as she saw the leaping fish. She never expected to encounter the Vajra Carp here.

The Elders of the Qianli River had found the Vajra Carp in the Water Realm, but it had vanished after entering its lair. Even the Qianli River Elders couldn’t find a trace of it. To think it would be here, in the deepest secret of the tomb!

SPLASH— The Vajra Carp swam joyfully through the Star Sea, leaping high before diving deep again. It then swam toward the far reaches of the Star Sea at an incredible speed.

“Follow it!” Li Qiye immediately summoned the Four-Battle Copper Vehicle. With Lan Yunzhu aboard, they sped off in the direction the Vajra Carp had gone.

In this star river, the Vajra Carp was extremely fast. However, Li Qiye’s Four-Battle Copper Vehicle was no slower. In the blink of an eye, they had caught up to it!

“Stay right on it!” Li Qiye commanded the vehicle. The four Copper Horses galloped onward, staying close behind the Vajra Carp. No matter if it leaped or dived, the carp couldn’t shake the Four-Battle Copper Vehicle.

“Can the Vajra Carp lead us to where we need to go?” Lan Yunzhu asked, watching it swim at top speed.

Li Qiye nodded. “Absolutely. It’s not just a simple carp. Although it rarely attacks anyone, you should never underestimate it!”

And so, the chase continued across the Star Sea. The thundering of hooves echoed as the four Copper Horses relentlessly pursued the massive Vajra Carp. The carp swam at extreme speeds, sometimes leaping high above the Star Sea in a beautiful and spectacular display, and other times diving deep, remaining submerged for long periods. But no matter how it moved, it couldn’t escape the Four-Battle Copper Vehicle.

While Li Qiye and Lan Yunzhu were chasing the Vajra Carp across the Star Sea, countless people back at the water pool were going mad with rage.

“You little bastard! Unless you never come out, we’ll never let you go!” A furious roar echoed from the pool. In the end, even the Elder Ancestor from the Ju Que Holy Land had to give up. He couldn’t reach the center of the pool, even with an Emperor Artifact.

In fact, the Elder Ancestor of the Ju Que Holy Land was far from the only one to give up. Countless Cultivator Strongmen could not proceed and had no choice but to quit. One could even say that those who managed to take a hundred steps could be counted on one hand.

Even the Great Sect Ancestors hiding in the shadows had risked it all, yet they still couldn’t manage a hundred steps. Those who made it fifty or sixty steps were already considered incredible.

This situation not only highlighted how uncanny Li Qiye was but also showcased Tian Lunhui’s peerless talent. A genius was a genius, especially a monstrous one. Even the Great Sect Ancestors had to admit their admiration.

“Unless one of the legendary experts makes a move, there’s no hope for anyone,” someone murmured with a soft sigh, staring at the whirlpool in the pool.

But how could such legendary experts appear so easily? Even Great Sect Ancestors were unwilling to emerge from their seclusion, to say nothing of the legendary figures who had once dominated an entire era.

“That school of water fish and that water turtle definitely hold a massive secret!” Watching the large group of fish swarm around the turtle carrying the Water Stele, many people began to get ideas.

Although it was difficult for anyone to venture deep into the pool, the turtle with the Water Stele on its back roamed about. So, whenever the turtle drew near, someone would use their Divine Techniques to try and capture it.

However, the turtle was truly like it was made of water. No matter who tried to grab it, there would be a SPLASH, and the turtle would dissolve into the pool, becoming one with its waters. A moment later, it would reappear in another location, still carrying the Water Stele and roaming around, completely unaffected.

“These aren’t aquatic creatures, nor are they fish or turtles. They’re merely a part of the pool itself.” An old Clan Leader from a Hidden Race that had once produced an Immortal Emperor saw the turtle roaming about and recalled some legends from his clan’s records. “Perhaps they are simply the key to opening this pool. And to open it, we might need the key to the First Evil Tomb!”

Although this was only speculation, many Great Teaching Territories felt it was a strong possibility. The Emperor Immortal Gates, in particular, knew more than most and considered the guess highly reliable.

But even if the guess was reliable, it was useless, because the key to the First Evil Tomb was in Li Qiye’s hands.

The thought of Li Qiye holding the key made even more people gnash their teeth in frustration, especially the Emperor Immortal Gates. The Holy Master Lord of the Ju Que Holy Land, for example, practically bit through his teeth as he said venomously, “That bastard Li—this isn’t over—”

The Ju Que Holy Land had suffered a double loss this time. They had painstakingly nurtured a successor only to have him die tragically at Li Qiye’s hands. What made their hearts bleed even more was that their Tuo Mountain Bell had been stolen by him! It was supposed to be impossible—not even a Great Sage could sever the connection between the Tuo Mountain Bell and the Ju Que Holy Land, yet Li Qiye had done just that. Now they couldn’t recall the bell at all. How could they not be driven mad with rage?

Everyone knew there had to be treasure in the pool, but without going deeper, it was impossible to get any. To get the real treasures, one had to get close to the center. But now, even the Great Sect Ancestors couldn’t make it, let alone anyone else.

However, there was still one person who might be able to get close: Tian Lunhui. He had dueled Li Qiye before, and everyone had witnessed his performance. Although he gave up later, everyone knew he could go deeper than anyone else present.

And as it happened, Tian Lunhui had not left yet; he was merely observing from a distance. This led some prominent figures from the Ghost Race to try and persuade him.

“Virtuous Nephew, you are divinely brave and peerless. Why not take a walk into the pool? Perhaps you can be the one to open it?” an elder from the previous generation goaded.

Tian Lunhui, completely shrouded in a mysterious aura, simply gave a cryptic smile in response to the elder’s words. He said slowly, “Brother Li and I have an agreement. This pool no longer concerns me.”

“My virtuous nephew, you are mistaken,” the elder quickly said. “After what happened with the Shen Ran Phoenix Lady, that kind of agreement is void. Li Qiye is a menace to our Ghost Race, plotting against all of us. As the greatest prodigy of our Ghost Race, the leader of the younger generation, with your abilities…”

“Apologies—” the mysterious Tian Lunhui interrupted the elder. “Whether other people’s agreements are valid has nothing to do with me. But a word from my mouth cannot be taken back, even by a team of four horses! My word is my bond!”

Tian Lunhui’s words were resolute and extremely domineering. Even the elder felt a sense of dread and dared not say anything more.

Just as the elder was feeling disappointed, Tian Lunhui gave another mysterious smile and said, “However, Emperor’s Throne has already left the Celestial Tomb. I’m afraid the Ancestor Mountain of the Ten Thousand Bones Throne will be appearing here soon.” Upon hearing this, the elder’s spirits were instantly lifted. The Ghost Race cultivators who hated Li Qiye to the bone were especially invigorated.

Li Qiye had brought great shame upon their Ghost Race, and many of them couldn’t swallow this insult. If Emperor’s Throne and the Ten Thousand Bones Throne were to arrive, then in many people’s eyes, Li Qiye would be a dead man walking, no matter how powerful he was.

After the elder left, Tian Lunhui gazed at the pool from afar. A mysterious smile touched his lips. ‘I’m not willing to be Li Qiye’s direct enemy,’ he thought, ‘but if someone else is going to take care of him, I’d be happy to watch. Besides, he and Emperor’s Throne are mortal enemies—it’s a matter of kill or be killed!’

“The tree that stands tallest in the forest will be the first to be toppled by the wind,” Tian Lunhui murmured with a cryptic smile. However, his expression darkened when he thought of the Great Dao Li Qiye had displayed when entering the pool. ‘I comprehended my Great Dao at the Other Shore, and I am extremely confident in it. The Great Dao I have comprehended will surely allow me to walk the Azure Heaven Dao and will one day be acknowledged by the Celestial Mandate!’

‘But Li Qiye’s Dao… it makes it impossible for me to smile. In fact, it feels like a thorn in my side! If the Celestial Mandate will only acknowledge one Great Dao in the future, then I understand that it definitely won’t be mine. It will be Li Qiye’s!’

By now, many of the Cultivator Strongmen who had rushed into the pool after everyone else were retreating. If even the Elder Ancestors had no hope, what chance did they have? They decided to retreat to the shore and wait, hoping someone else would manage to open the pool so they could at least get some of the scraps.

A great many cultivators had charged into the pool this time. As they retreated, some noticed that a few of the experts who had recklessly pushed forward had vanished. The result was the same as before: no corpse if dead, no person if alive. They were simply gone.