Chapter 232: Contention for the Underworld Boats (2)
Li Qiye remained silent while focusing his gaze on each boat as they came out. Just a moment later, the last gate master of the Thousand Emperors Gate finally made his move. He quickly stepped on top of an Underworld Boat. The moment he took action, everyone could clearly hear the crisp and clear sounds of bones breaking. Everyone who competed with him for the boat was grinded into mince-meat. Such a domineering scene caused everyone’s hearts to shiver.
“Truly worthy of coming from the Thousand Emperors Gate!” Even the ancestor of the War God Temple murmured in astonishment.
As the boats floated out, there were more and more people who aimed for them. However, there were too many Earth Corpses; even when more than ten thousand boats came out, each one was still highly contested.
The truth was that it was a huge gamble to climb up on an Underworld Boat. More than ten thousand boats flew out in every generation, but they were essentially death-boats. The legendary life-boats numbered at no more than three. Moreover, each of them prolonged one’s life for a different amount of time. A few gave dozens of years while others gave several hundred or even several thousand years. There was even a legendary one that flew out from hell and granted an entire lifetime!
“That one!” Finally, Li Qiye selected a boat for the War God Temple’s Forefather and immediately shouted towards the person inside the ancient coffin.
After Li Qiye’s words came out, with a “whoosh,” the wooden coffin rushed out and soared towards that Underworld Boat. This Underworld Boat was also contested by hundreds of people with the majority being Earth Corpses.
“Zhangggg--” The person inside the wooden coffin did not climb out. Instead, he only slashed a sword light outward. This sword light illuminated the nine spheres with a “phoosh” sound. The brilliance of this single sweep of the sword annihilated all undyings, Treasure Lords, and Earth Corpses as the wooden coffin flew towards the boat.
“Stars in the Sky Sword!” A grand character recognized the origin of this one sword after seeing the sword light. This Sacred Lord — with a shocked expression — exclaimed: “It’s the War God Temple!”
Upon hearing the words “War God Temple,” everyone felt a shiver inside. The War God Temple! This could be said to be one of the oldest existences in the Mortal Emperor World for its inception was during the Desolate Era. It still stood strong and had secret ties with many Immortal Emperors. It was both mysterious and powerful and had an unshakable foundation in this world!
Around this time, numerous people looked at the group of men dressed in black who were standing behind Li Qiye. They finally understood that Li Qiye was working for the War God Temple and helping their matter of burial! At the same time, many intelligent men were interested in the low-profile attitude of the War God Temple. Just who was the person being buried from the War God Temple?
As the boats gently floated downstream, Li Qiye finally told Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao: “This is my time to board. Both of you, along with the Nine Saint Demon Gate, should go back with these old men. No one will dare to cause trouble with them around. If I don’t come back in half a month, go back to the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect with Niu Fen’s group. You don’t need to worry about me.”
“What...” There were ten thousand words and questions in the minds of Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao, waiting to be spoken. They naturally didn’t want their young noble to board the Underworld Boat, but there was no way to persuade him.
“You want to go on the Underworld Boat?” At this time, even the ancestors of the War God Temple had their mouths wide open. Was this brat going insane? Only people near their death — with no other choice — would board the Underworld Boats. Everyone was aware that going on the Underworld Boat was akin to dying. The chance for life prolongment was truly miniscule; it was one out of ten thousand! However, this brat at such a young age actually wanted to board a ship — this was truly insanity.
“I should go now.” After seeing the last Underworld Boat fly out, Li Qiye spoke.
Meanwhile, Chen Baojiao and Li Shuangyan did not want to leave. They completely wanted to change Li Qiye’s mind, but the words would not come out. They were aware that no piece of advice would deter their young noble.
“If I die, then you guys are free. The sky will be high and the earth will be vast again; feel free to remarry.” Seeing the two girls’ reluctance to leave, Li Qiye made a joke. [1. This is a joke. Remarriage is really frowned upon in ancient China]
“Mouth of a black crow!” Chen Baojiao couldn’t stop herself from exclaiming: “You will surely come back alive!” Having said this, her eyes became teary. [2. She is saying that he is saying ominous words, so he is a black crow. I find this amusing because he is actually a Dark Crow]
Li Shuangyan showed her cold-as-ice demeanor. The thousands of words waiting to be spoken in her mind only came out as one phrase: “I will wait for you to come back!”
“Go, wait for my triumphant return!” Compared to the two girls’ dejected sad states, Li Qiye — on the other hand — was quite lively. He shouted and commanded the Tetra-War Bronze Chariot to fly towards the last Underworld Boat.
At this point, even the last boat was being competed for by others. However, with the leaping Tetra-War Bronze Chariot and its neighing, Li Qiye thunderously shouted: “Scram!”
The four bronze horses rushed forward while kicking with their hooves. All contesters were kicked flying away as Li Qiye rode the chariot to the front of the boat’s bow.
“Go back, I will return.” On the bow, Li Qiye waved towards Li Shuangyan and the others as he smiled out loud.
“Have a good trip.” In the end, the beautiful eyes of Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao were filled with mist as their noses were feeling sore. They then waved back towards Li QIye.
With a gallant laugh, Li Qiye drove the chariot into the boat as its doors slowly closed.
After he embarked on the Underworld Boat, everyone became stunned. This was an unthinkable matter because everyone who went on these boats were near death. These people had all taken a large amount of longevity drugs and treasures along with immortal medicines and true dan. These people were no longer able to be cured and could only wait for their death. If they had any other options, who would be willing to go on these boats? One had to know that going on the boat was not much different from going to their demise!
However, Li Qiye was still young; he was only around fifteen to sixteen years old. The world was still beautiful to him, and his adventure had only just begun. However, this brat chose to go on the Underworld Boat; he had truly become insane.
“Is this kid out of his mind? He’s alive and well like this, yet he’s running to his death!” Many people became dumbfounded seeing the last boat drifting into the foggy layers down the river.
A few people found this to be unfathomable as they murmured: “This kid must be haunted by a suicidal Longevity Spirit. Only people who are tired of living would board the Underworld Boat!”
At this moment, no one understood the reason. It was understandable for the dead to board the ship, but a young person? Truly suicidal.
Jewel Pillar Saint Child, with bright flashes in his eyes, was very excited. Li Qiye simply sought his own death by boarding the ship! If Li Qiye didn’t come back, then that would be one less powerful enemy for him. What was regrettable was that this brat carried the supreme Immortal Physique to die!
Bai Jianzhen, the descendant of the Sword God Sacred Ground, was still cold and emotionless as always. She stared at the last ship floating down the river and couldn’t help but contemplate. This matter was really strange.
Meanwhile, Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao dejectedly sighed. They silently prayed for their young noble and hoped that he could return safely. They believed that he would be able to work a miracle and come back alive.
In fact, they were just as lost as the others. No one knew where the end of the Underworld River was. Once one boarded an Underworld Boat, only the people on the life-boats would come back alive; the rest will never return.
People began to evacuate after the end of the Underworld Boats because the Heavenly Ancient Corpse Burial Ground will soon recover its energy. If they did not leave now, then maybe they would die inside the burial ground.
Of course, many experts at their time of withdrawal started treasure hunting one last time before the burial ground recovered its strength. Naturally, many of them still died at this time for the burial ground was still a dangerous location even when all the Earth Corpses had not returned.
A great power was unlucky for they looted treasures on a Treasure Lord’s territory. One could only imagine the outcome; a Treasure Lord climbed up from the ground and annihilated everyone, causing heavy losses to this great power.
As for Li Shuangyan and Chen Baojiao, they went along with the Nine Saint Demon Gate and the War God Temple’s elders to leave the burial ground, to return to Ancient Sky City to wait for Li Qiye.
The Underworld Boats floated silently, and they were completely soundless inside as well. One did not know where they were floating; even if they opened the door, they couldn’t see the scenery outside. It was a vast nothingness with no visuals. Even the other boats were nowhere in sight.
It was as if there was only one boat gliding above this endless river and all the other ones had disappeared!
Inside the Underworld Boat, there was nothing else besides a bed. Li Qiye sat on it with a calm demeanor as if it was his own home. Li Qiye then took out an item from his Fate Palace. This was a stone tablet that was not too large; however, it was extremely heavy. The tablet had many holes and complicated runic lines were carved on top; these were completely undecipherable by others.
This stone tablet was taken by Li Qiye from the Treasure Armory of the Cleansing Incense Ancient Sect. Its elders did not know the usage nor effects of this stone tablet. The truth was that no one knew what it did, where it came from, or who took it. Everything was unknown ever since the historical annals of the sect were created.
The moment he obtained it, Li Qiye immediately knew that this stone tablet’s origin was frightening! Afterwards, he had always been researching this stone tablet.
One had to know that he had lived for an endless amount of time and had even trained Immortal Emperors. He had trod on the twelve Burial Grounds and six Great Immortal Former Earths — the places that humans didn’t dare to intrude! What had he not seen in this world? However, he had never seen this stone tablet before.
Recently, he had a little breakthrough while researching this stone tablet, so he came up with an idea.