Chapter 501: Earth Fool Treasure Tree

“Get lost—” Li Qiye didn’t even bother to spare him a glance, saying flatly, “While you’re still a guest, get the hell out. Piss me off, and even if you’re a Great Sage, I’ll still take your head and use it as a chamber pot! What is the Ancestral Realm? Just a bunch of ghostly things buried underground. I, your granddaddy, don’t give a damn about them. Go back and tell those old geezers, threatening me? I’ll tear down their entire nest!”

Such domineering words left everyone stunned. Even Treasure Turtle Daoist and his group were utterly dumbfounded. ‘This is just too overbearing!’ This was the Ancestral Realm they were talking about. Since time immemorial, few had ever dared to speak of dismantling it. Even an Immortal Emperor would think twice before making such a declaration.

But now, Li Qiye had casually threatened to tear down the Ancestral Realm’s nest. His words weren’t just domineering; they were absurdly so.

“Master of Yin Yang Sect, please leave,” Treasure Turtle Daoist said, stepping forward amidst the stalemate. “We, the Defenders of the Faith, will not hand over the Key of the First Evil Tomb. Since we were the ones who obtained the key, it now belongs to our Qianli River! We will not hand it over for nothing.”

The Yin Yang Immortal Master’s face flushed red then pale; his expression was ugly to the extreme. To be berated like this by a junior was the greatest humiliation he had ever suffered.

“When the Ancestral Realm passes its judgment, you can deal with the consequences yourselves.” Finally, the Yin Yang Immortal Master let out a cold snort, turned, and walked away.

Li Qiye said with unruffled composure, “Wait until that bunch of old geezers can crawl down from on high to back you up. Then you can come back and act arrogant. But I’m afraid you won’t live to see that day!”

The Yin Yang Immortal Master’s expression was incredibly foul. He stalked away, not even waiting for his Soft Palanquin. To stay any longer would be to invite further humiliation.

“Was it really necessary to make things so hostile? We could have just refused him,” Treasure Turtle Daoist said with a wry smile after the Yin Yang Immortal Master had left.

Forcing their Qianli River to hand over the Key of the First Evil Tomb was out of the question, but there was no need for such an open break. A tactful refusal would have sufficed.

“It’s nothing. A falling-out was inevitable,” Li Qiye said with a light, carefree smile. “The Ancestral Realm’s nest will have to be dismantled sooner or later anyway.”

“But that’s the Ancestral Realm!” Li Qiye’s words left the Elders, including Elder Yang, completely dumbstruck.

“So what if it’s the Ancestral Realm?” Li Qiye chuckled dismissively. “Even Immortal Emperors eventually vanish, to say nothing of the Ancestral Realm. If I decide to do it, what’s to stop me from tearing it down?”

This drew another round of wry smiles from Treasure Turtle Daoist and the others. Such a claim was utter madness. Since the dawn of time, not even an Immortal Emperor would dare claim they could dismantle the Ancestral Realm. Yet here was Li Qiye, casually declaring his intent to do just that. Anyone else who heard him would assume he was insane.

“Are we going to open the First Evil Tomb now?” Lan Yunzhu asked, seeing that Li Qiye had emerged from his seclusion.

Li Qiye shook his head. “No rush. I comprehended a new Cultivation Technique these past few days, and I want to practice it. In the future, this technique of mine is destined to be an Emperor Technique, perhaps even something greater.”

Treasure Turtle Daoist and the others were inwardly shaken. They knew Li Qiye wasn’t merely boasting. To have created his own Cultivation Technique at such a young age and with his level of Dao Practice—a technique that paved the way to becoming an Immortal Emperor—was a truly Heaven-Defying feat.

Lan Yunzhu was also intrigued. Her own talent was peerless; she possessed a dual-saint aptitude. In any era, in any place, she would be a figure who commanded attention. And yet, even she had not yet reached such a stage.

The Ten Thousand Bones Throne had come. The Yin Yang Sect had come. Even the Bronze Beetle Race from the distant Ze Di had made an appearance. And so, the other Ghost Race tribes of the Ghost Sacred Realm began to flock to the site, a group that included even some secret sects of the Ancient Races.

Among the many Ghost Race sects making their appearance, the Ten Thousand Ancient Country had the grandest entrance. A colossal landmass flew in from the horizon, hanging suspended in the sky. It was incomparably vast, like the territory of an entire nation.

Atop this landmass, tall buildings soared and Ancient Pavilions seemed to drift, exuding an air of mystery and power. The sight of such a colossal continent flying through the air was truly shocking; anyone who didn’t know better would assume an entire country had been uprooted and moved here.

The great landmass descended outside the First Evil Tomb, and Tian Lunhui went to greet it personally. He walked up into the air, his mysterious aura spanning a hundred thousand li, as if an endless Great Dao was unfurling beneath his feet.

Such an elegant display was captivating. As one of the Three Heroes of the Netherworld, and even hailed as the reincarnation of an Immortal Emperor, Tian Lunhui’s bearing was truly second to none.

With the arrival of one Great Teaching Territory after another, the area outside the First Evil Tomb became packed with people. Many were craning their necks in anticipation, hoping Li Qiye would open the tomb soon.

In the past, countless people would have been scheming to get their hands on Li Qiye’s Key of the First Evil Tomb. Now, however, anyone with such ideas had to think twice.

Li Qiye had slaughtered over ten thousand enemies in a single battle—a fact that would make anyone’s blood run cold. Furthermore, the Elders of the Qianli River had arrived to back him completely. Not even an Emperor Immortal Gate was willing to start a war with the Qianli River over the key. Now, everyone was simply hoping Li Qiye would hurry up and open the First Evil Tomb.

“The Earth Concealment Ghost Race, the Hundred Saints Family, Nine Dragon Peak…” Watching one Great Teaching Territory after another arrive left the smaller sects completely shaken. One Sect Leader, counting the arriving cultivators and their lineages, drew in a sharp breath and muttered, “Even the War Race is here. That’s a reclusive great clan that once produced an Immortal Emperor!”

“It’s not just the War Race. Even an ancient Ghost Race tribe like the Iron Ghosts has shown up,” someone else added.

The opening of the First Evil Tomb, with plenty of time for all to prepare, had shaken the world. Even some reclusive and Heaven-Defying ancient Ghost Race tribes had emerged from seclusion. The sheer scale of the gathering made the hearts of those from smaller sects pound in their chests. This was the grandest event in ten thousand years; it was safe to say that all the most powerful races and sects of the Ghost Sacred Realm were gathered here.

RUMBLE—RUMBLE—RUMBLE— Just as many were still reeling in shock, the earth suddenly began to tremble. Outside the First Evil Tomb, a colossal tree burst forth from the ground. In the blink of an eye, it pierced the heavens, obscuring half the sky.

The massive tree was wreathed in mist, making it impossible to see what was on it clearly. However, one could faintly make out the flickering silhouettes of people moving among its branches.

“The Earth Fool Treasure Tree!” Seeing the colossal tree erupt from the ground and reach for the sky in the blink of an eye, many onlookers were visibly shaken. Some even gasped.

“The Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom is here.” At the sight of the giant tree, countless people were stirred. Even the great figures within the Ten Thousand Bones Throne’s Ancestor Mountain and the Elders atop the Ten Thousand Ancient Country’s floating continent were stunned by the sight.

“They even brought the Earth Fool Treasure Tree… What is the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom up to?” a great personage within the Ancestor Mountain muttered.

“The Earth Fool Treasure Tree… Legend says it was left behind by the Earth Fool Immortal Emperor.” Countless cultivators gazed up at the massive tree in awe.

Like the Qianli River, the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom was founded in Yao Yun. Yu Shan could even be considered the preeminent power in Yao Yun, as it was a lineage that had produced Twin Emperors.

In Yao Yun, both the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom and the Qianli River represented the Human Race to a certain extent.

The Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom boasted Twin Emperors. The first, the Earth Fool Immortal Emperor, was from the Charm Spirit race and was the kingdom’s founder. Their second emperor was the Fan Chen Immortal Emperor, and he was from the Human Race!

It was for this reason that the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom produced many incredible experts from the Human Race, and at one point, it had been on the verge of reaching the absolute apex of power.

In Yao Yun, Human Race cultivators viewed the Qianli River and the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom as the two great Daoist Lineages of their people. Indeed, it was only because of the existence of powers like these that the Human Race had any foothold at all in the Ghost Sacred Realm.

The Earth Fool Treasure Tree. Its appearance shocked everyone, from the already-present Ten Thousand Bones Throne and Ten Thousand Ancient Country to the various other Ancient Families and Hidden Races!

The Earth Fool Treasure Tree was a creation of the Earth Fool Immortal Emperor. There were many speculations about its origins. Some believed the emperor had personally nurtured it with his own Blood Qi. However, the more common belief in later eras was that it was a treasure tree the emperor had obtained from within the First Evil Tomb during his youth.

The Earth Fool Treasure Tree had always been one of the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom’s most incredible treasures, and it rarely left the kingdom’s borders. Within the Ghost Sacred Realm, some even called it their nation-protecting treasure. Its profound mysteries were said to be in no way inferior to those of an Immortal Emperor True Artifact—and perhaps even surpassed them.

And yet, here it was, outside the First Evil Tomb. The Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom had brought the Earth Fool Treasure Tree for the tomb’s opening. How could this not be a shocking development?

“What is the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom playing at? Bringing an Immortal Emperor True Artifact would be one thing, but the Earth Fool Treasure Tree… Are they really after the legendary secret to immortality?!” Atop the Ten Thousand Ancient Country’s floating continent, an Elder Ancestor was similarly stirred by the sight.

For this opening of the First Evil Tomb, every Emperor Immortal Gate had brought an Emperor Artifact. The Ten Thousand Bones Throne, the Ten Thousand Ancient Country, the Ju Que Holy Land, the Insect Emperor Dynasty, and all the other Ancient Families and Hidden Races that had once produced an Immortal Emperor—they had all come armed with their ultimate weapons.

In truth, the fact that they were bringing Emperor Artifacts was no secret; everyone was aware of the dangers lurking within the First Evil Tomb. But for the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom to bring the Earth Fool Treasure Tree, their so-called nation-protecting treasure, was what truly shocked everyone!

“This opening of the First Evil Tomb is truly a gathering of storms.” This was how most people summarized the situation. All the powerful Great Teaching Territories of the Ghost Sacred Realm had arrived, and the Emperor Immortal Gates had brought their Emperor Artifacts. If a war were to break out now, it would surely shatter the heavens and sunder the earth.

RUMBLE—RUMBLE—RUMBLE— A series of roars echoed as crimson flames surged to engulf the sky. The rolling inferno seemed to incinerate the very heavens and earth, sending countless people fleeing in terror. After a moment, however, the shaken onlookers realized that the sky-rending flames were perfectly contained, not a single person having been harmed.

When the roiling crimson flames subsided, everyone saw a Divine Beast standing proudly in the Nine Heavens. It was a Qilin, its entire body the color of Red Gold and wreathed in fire. Peerlessly majestic, it stood upon the very air as if it had just descended from a higher realm.