Chapter 503: Xian Fan

Everyone knew that Shen Ran Phoenix Lady was the Emperor’s fiancée. With Shen Ran Phoenix Lady defeated and forced to flee, the Emperor, as her fiancé, was bound to stand up for her. However, no one expected things to escalate to a life-or-death duel.

But on second thought, it wasn’t surprising that the Emperor would demand a life-or-death duel right from the start. Li Qiye hadn’t just defeated Shen Ran Phoenix Lady; he had also killed Prince Shen Ran. Since all pretenses were dropped and reconciliation was impossible, the Emperor would certainly avenge his brother-in-law!

At this moment, many people held their breath watching this scene, eager to see if Li Qiye would accept the challenge. In fact, many were looking forward to this battle.

“Fellow Daoist Emperor, our Defender of the Faith is still in seclusion,” Treasure Turtle Daoist said, shaking his head. “I’m afraid we can’t fulfill your wish right now. If you want a duel, you’ll have to wait until our Defender of the Faith emerges.”

Treasure Turtle Daoist’s words caused quite a stir, and many cultivators from the Ghost Race were displeased.

“Hmph, that Li fellow must be too afraid to show his face. He definitely doesn’t dare to accept the challenge!” a Ghost Race cultivator snorted, particularly disgruntled.

Another Ghost Race cultivator sneered, “That’s just how you Human Race ants are—bullying the weak and fearing the strong. Hmph, what does a junior like Li amount to? The Emperor could kill him with ease! I bet he’s already scared out of his wits, hiding somewhere.”

“I’m afraid it’s not up to him!” the Emperor’s voice was domineering. He said coldly, “He’d better come out of seclusion at once, or he’ll face the consequences!”

“What kind of consequences?” At that moment, a lazy voice drifted over. “What, are you going to turn into a mad dog and bite me?”

Just then, Li Qiye strolled out leisurely, accompanied by Lan Yunzhu. He lifted his eyelids slightly, glanced at the Emperor, and asked, “You want to fight?”

Li Qiye’s appearance immediately shut the mouths of the Ghost Race members. The Human Race cultivators, on the other hand, grew excited. One of them sneered, glancing at the Ghost Race cultivator who had just spoken, and said derisively, “What’s so great about the Emperor? Li Qiye is our Human Race’s Young Immortal Emperor! How could a mere Emperor stand in the way of our Young Immortal Emperor’s path?”

In the Ghost Sacred Realm, the relationship between the Human Race and the Ghost Race had never been good. In particular, some Ghosts, relying on their power and numbers, looked down on humans, which left many Human Race cultivators feeling resentful.

Now, with Li Qiye’s sudden rise and his bloody slaughter of the Ghost Race, many Human Race cultivators felt proud and vindicated.

These words instantly annoyed the Ghost Race cultivators, who immediately retorted with a sneer, “What’s a junior like Li? Just watch, our Emperor will cut him down within three moves.”

“Is the Emperor so amazing? Compared to our Human Race’s Young Immortal Emperor, he’s nothing! Our Young Immortal Emperor will be the one to kill him in three moves,” a Human Race cultivator immediately fired back.

For a moment, many of the spectating cultivators were locked in a war of words. People began to take sides; the Ghost Race looked down on the Human Race, and the Human Race couldn’t stand the Ghost Race.

Meanwhile, at the Qianli River encampment, the Emperor sat high above, as if enthroned beneath the Nine Heavens. He looked down upon Li Qiye and said in a deep voice, “My only fear is that you won’t fight!”

“You want a fight? I’m ready anytime!” Li Qiye couldn’t help but crack his knuckles, eager for a taste of action. He had recently comprehended a new cultivation technique and wanted to test its power. Without a doubt, the Emperor was the perfect whetstone for him!

“Good! You pick the time!” the Emperor declared with immense arrogance. In a deep voice, he said, “I claim your worthless life. From this moment on, only I am permitted to take it! I will use your head to show all the Human Race ants that anyone who dares to oppose me will be killed without mercy!” As his words fell, he took out his Command Banner and threw it toward the Qianli River encampment.

The Emperor’s Command Banner was an item of considerable power. Once planted, it marked the location as his enemy’s territory, a place where outsiders were absolutely forbidden from interfering.

CLANG! Before the Emperor’s Command Banner could land in the Qianli River encampment, it was struck in mid-air by a streak of cold light. This light, like a golden feather, instantly shattered the banner upon impact.

Someone had actually dared to destroy the Emperor’s Command Banner. This came as a huge shock to everyone. To destroy his banner was to declare oneself his enemy. In the Ghost Sacred Realm, very few people dared to oppose the Emperor.

It was only then that everyone noticed a figure standing in the air, someone clad entirely in Divine Armor. After the golden feather-like light shattered the banner, it flew back to the armor’s arm, revealing itself to be a golden plate from the armor itself.

No one had seen when this person had appeared in the Void. They were completely encased in the Divine Armor, their face, build, and even gender impossible to discern.

The Divine Armor was massive, half a head taller than an average man. It pulsed with five-colored light, and within this light, five great phenomena manifested: a Divine Tree holding up the heavens, Celestial Fire incinerating all, the immense weight of the great earth, a boundless ocean, and the opening of a Divine Treasure. These five phenomena ebbed and flowed, creating a magnificent spectacle.

In fact, it was more than magnificent; it was utterly breathtaking. As these five phenomena shifted, it was as if the Immortal Realm itself was opening up. It seemed this Immortal Armor had come from the Immortal Realm, or perhaps it could even serve as a gateway to it.

“Who… who is that?” The sudden appearance of this person completely encased in Divine Armor left many people staring at each other in bewilderment, muttering to themselves.

Among the many cultivators present, most didn’t recognize this person. Yet, this complete unknown had dared to destroy the Emperor’s Command Banner. Wasn’t that just too arrogant?

“Xian Fan—” Seeing this sudden interloper, the Emperor’s eyes blazed like Divine Lamps. Two beams of Divine Light shot from his eyes and fell upon the Divine Armor, as if he intended to see through it to the person within.

“What’s so great about the Ghost Race!” A crisp, metallic voice rang out from within the armor. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female, and the voice had a rhythmic, melodic quality, like the chiming of metal.

“You dare to look upon my Human Race as ants!” the person in the armor declared. “Then let me first experience for myself what’s so remarkable about the so-called geniuses of the Ghost Race!”

“Xian Fan, do you really think you are a match for me?” the Emperor stared at the Divine Armor and said in a deep voice.

The voice from within the armor replied, “Emperor, wait until you become a true Immortal Emperor before you say that. You are far from being an Immortal Emperor, yet you dare to boast before me!”

“Xian Fan, if you wish to fight, it won’t be difficult. Once I’ve settled matters here, I will be ready for you anytime!” the Emperor said deeply, his aura surging and aggressive.

The one in the armor, called Xian Fan, said, “Why wait? There’s no time like the present. Let’s do it now!”

Someone named Xian Fan had appeared out of nowhere—a person completely encased in Divine Armor, their identity a mystery—and was suddenly provoking the Emperor. For such a domineering and arrogant person, it was strange that so many had never even heard their name.

“Xian Fan—” Lan Yunzhu, standing beside Li Qiye, couldn’t help but say in surprise, “He’s finally come out. That guy is truly Defying Heaven.”

As for everyone else, they didn’t know Xian Fan at all; most had never even heard the name.

“Xian Fan? Who’s that? What’s their background? I’ve never even heard the name, yet they dare to challenge the Emperor?” Many of the Ghost Race cultivators looked at each other, finding it strange.

“Is this a Human Race expert?” Even the Human Race cultivators were baffled. It was obvious this person named Xian Fan was standing up for the Human Race, but they couldn’t recall hearing such a name among their own.

“Xian Fan—” A great personage from Yao Yun clapped his hands together. “I remember now! More than ten years ago, the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom had a successor named Xian Fan. They disappeared afterward and were never seen again.”

“The successor of the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom?” Hearing this, many people were stirred. Even the Ghost Race cultivators didn’t dare to underestimate them.

The Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom was a lineage with Twin Emperors. In terms of Emperor Essence, Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom might have one less Immortal Emperor than the Ten Thousand Bones Throne, but that didn’t mean the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom was weaker than the Ten Thousand Bones Throne.

It was said that in his youth, the Earth Fool Immortal Emperor had obtained a great Creation from the First Evil Tomb. Some later generations even believed that he had unlocked a Supreme Treasure within the First Evil Tomb. Because of this, many believed the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom possessed an astonishingly deep foundation!

“The successor of the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom?” someone muttered. In truth, not many had heard of their successor.

For a very long time, although the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom’s might awed the world, it seemed to have become low-key and rarely involved itself in outside affairs.

Many people didn’t even know who the Sect Leader of the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom was, let alone its next successor! Since the kingdom had adopted a low profile, it had slowly faded from most people’s view.

“I remember now, too,” said a sect leader from Yao Yun, who also recalled the event. “The Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom did indeed appoint a successor. I heard they invited a few lineages to the ceremony, but only Emperor Immortal Gates from Yao Yun, including Qianli River, were invited.”

Xian Fan, the successor of the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom, was virtually unknown in the Ghost Sacred Realm. They were incredibly mysterious; their origins were unknown, and no one even knew if they were male or female.

When the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom appointed them as successor, they did not announce it to the world. Instead, they only invited a very small number of people to witness the ceremony. Only Emperor Immortal Gates like Qianli River were invited, and the Ghost Race was explicitly excluded!

At this moment, the Emperor and Xian Fan were facing off in the sky. The Emperor stared coldly at the Divine Armor. As for Xian Fan, they were completely encased within it, their expression hidden from all.

“This person is incredible. What’s their background in the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom?” As the main character of this storm, Li Qiye found himself sidelined. He, too, was surprised as he looked at the Divine Armor with its five phenomena, and he asked Lan Yunzhu beside him.

Lan Yunzhu glanced at her master; Treasure Turtle Daoist had attended the succession ceremony back then and knew some secrets. She then said, “Their specific origins are unclear. I heard they are of the Human Race, but the Yu Shan Old Immortal Kingdom is very secretive about their identity, and they themselves are extremely low-key. However, one thing is for sure: after being appointed successor, they did something truly incredible.”