Chapter 1288: Southern Ghost Emperor

“So? Who’s next?”

Ye Qing did not care for their opinions. After Yan Wuxie was gone, he called out for the next challenger to step on stage.

“Already? Is he mad?”

The crowd received another shock after hearing this. It was bad enough that he rejected Yan Wuxie’s olive branch, but to call for the next challenger already without even bothering to change out of his tattered clothes?

Was he actually in a hurry to depart to the next life or something?

Although Ye Qing managed to defeat Yan Wuxie, anyone could tell that it wasn’t an easy fight. Logically speaking, now was the time to catch at least a small break. However, the person who should be most aware of this had chosen to resume the fight instead. The only word they knew to describe his decision-making was insanity. Pure insanity.

“Hahaha... you truly are a hero of the ages, Mad Lord. There is no one I admire more than a hero.”

Ye Qing had just finished when a loud, long laugh suddenly came from the sky. Yin wind blew, dark clouds churned, and an exquisite, noble-looking carriage rode out into the open.

The carriage was absolutely massive. Over three hundred meters tall, the compartment was made from bones, the curtains from silky black hair, the wheels from skulls the size of houses, and shafts from dragons and serpents. The animals drawing the carriage were nine house-sized ghost tigers.

Dark red, ghastly flames were burning above the compartment and the ghost tigers and blending into all sorts of mysterious patterns and profound cloud scripts. Although the carriage gave off a scary first impression, it was really more regal than horrifying.

Ghost generals wielding banners and sabers, and yin soldiers bearing armor and spears surrounded the carriage. As the banners fluttered in the sky, ghastly flames blotted out the sky and created mirages of many nine-headed Nether Phoenixes, screeching and howling like ghouls.

As soon as the carriage and the yin soldiers appeared, the temperature of the entire Unbounded Platform plummeted instantly. The regal, divine pressure washing over heaven and earth made many people feel like throwing themselves on the ground in submission as well.

Ye Qing could not seem to feel it though. He looked up at the carriage and asked, “Oh? And you are?”

“How dare you! It is customary to kneel before the ghost emperor!”

A blue-faced, sharp-fanged ghost general sporting a tremendous aura rebuked Ye Qing immediately for his impoliteness. He looked rather scary considering that he was over ten meters tall and clad in savage-looking black armor. When he took a step forward and gave his large saber a wave, the black wind and clouds immediately howled like crazy.

“Calm yourself!”

It was at this moment a regal voice came from inside the carriage, and the terrible phenomena disappeared like a smoothened piece of paper. The screeching noises were gone as well.

The ghost general dropped to one knee and apologized, “I apologize for my recklessness, Your Majesty!”

The voice inside the horse carriage responded, “You were impudent toward my guest. You should apologize to him.”

“At once!” The ghost general turned to face Ye Qing before apologizing, “I beg your forgiveness for my recklessness and impudence, Mad Lord.”

Ye Qing did not respond. He simply eyed the carriage with a playful look in his eyes.

“He made a mistake. Feel free to decide what his fate will be,” the person inside the carriage seemingly sensed his question and said.

“Is that so?” Ye Qing rubbed his nose. “Then I want him executed. That fine with you?”

There was a momentary silence as if the person inside the carriage was caught by surprise. The ghost general himself abruptly looked up and glared at Ye Qing. There were green flames bubbling inside his eye sockets as if they were overflowing with anger.

“Very well then.”

A few breaths later, the person in the carriage finally responded. The next moment, a dark red flame abruptly appeared above the ghost general’s head and spread to his whole body in the blink of an eye.

“Ahhhh! Ahhhhhhhh!”

The ghost general screamed in pain. So shrill, twisted, and eerie was his voice that just listening to it was enough to elicit spine-tingling chills in everyone’s body. There was no doubt that the ghost general was enduring some of the most unspeakable pain in the world.

The screams lasted an entire teatime. It wasn’t until he dissolved into a pile of ash that they finally stopped.

“Are you satisfied now, Mad Lord?” The person in the carriage finally spoke up again.

“It was just a joke. You didn’t need to take it seriously,” Ye Qing said smilingly.

“Is that so?” The person in the carriage said emotionlessly, “I do not like making jokes. In fact, I have never made a joke in my life.”

“Is that so? I apologize then.”

Ye Qing apologized without an ounce of sincerity whatsoever before asking, “May I know your name?”

“I am Du Xiaoan,” the person in the carriage replied simply.

“Ah, you’re the Southern Ghost Emperor of Fengdu. Well met,” Ye Qing responded with a salute.

“Fengdu? Southern Ghost Emperor?”

“Is he one of the Five Ghost Emperors of Fengdu, the Southern Ghost Emperor?”

“A carriage drawn by ghost tigers, and banners carrying Nether Phoenixes. It has to be him!”

“Is Fengdu plotting to lay claim to the Earthly Sovereign Bell as well?”

The ruler of Fengdu was the Great Emperor of Fengdu, and he was supported by the Six Ghosts and Gods. Beneath the Six Ghosts and Gods were the Five Ghost Emperors. Each Ghost Emperor commanded an entire cardinal direction of yin soldiers and yin generals, and their job was to conquer new territories and suppress foreign threats.

Considering their monumental responsibilities, it was only natural that they ranked below the Great Emperor of Fengdu and the Six Ghosts and Gods only. To make a comparison, the Five Ghost Emperors was the equivalent of a Regional Magnate in the human world.

Of the Five Ghost Emperors, the Central Ghost Emperor was the most important of them all. He alone was a Sage while the other four Ghost Emperors were Half-Sages.

Of course, this was only one of the reasons the crowd was so stunned. The other reason was the fact there was a rule forbidding Fengdu from interfering with human matters. They could do whatever they wanted with ghosts and spirits, but they must stay their hands away from the living.

This was obviously not the case here. Not only had they crossed into the human world and set foot in the East Radiance Mountain, they were led by a ghost emperor. They obviously weren’t here to watch the battle, so they must be plotting something else.

Unless they were sorely mistaken, Fengdu could only be gunning for the Earthly Sovereign Bell!

“You too, Mad Lord.”

As the voice answered, the hair acting as curtains split into two. Then, a tall, massive figure about one hundred meters tall stepped out of it.

The figure was wearing an emperor’s crown and dark red imperial robes. He stood on patches of dark red flames and was surrounded by nine Nether Phoenixes.

As soon as the figure emerged, his already vast imperial presence instantly grew oppressive like it was tangible, stirring the clouds and suffocating everyone in the vicinity.

“Why have you come today, ghost emperor?” Ye Qing asked.

“I have come for you, Mad Lord.”

While looking down on Ye Qing from above, the Southern Ghost Emperor asked in a regal voice, “Are you willing to join Fengdu, Mad Lord?”

“Oh? You want me to join Fengdu?”

Ye Qing lifted an eyebrow before asking curiously, “I’m alive and well though. How can I possibly join you?”

“If you are willing, his Imperial Majesty will personally purify your body into a ghost body and take you in as his disciple.”

The Southern Ghost Emperor said slowly, “Just so you know, his Imperial Majesty has no children, so by becoming his disciple, you are becoming the Yin Son of Heaven of Fengdu as well. You will become the ruler of all ghosts and spirits and answer to one person only.”

“Great Emperor of Fengdu?”

“Yin Son of Heaven?”

“What a luxurious offer!”

The crowd immediately broke into an uproar when they heard this.

“The impudence! Since when did we allow Fengdu to interfere with human matters?”

It was at this moment a powerful, grandiose voice rang from somewhere. The next moment, bright golden light chased away all of the yin wind and clouds and illuminated everything as if a sun had risen into the sky.

Night turned into day in an instant, and three people slowly emerged from the sun. They were two men and one woman.

The woman was obviously the leader of the group. She wore a golden crown and a golden robe. Her countenance was exquisite, and her bearing was regal. Every inch of her skin, every pore, and every strand of hair was shining faintly with golden light and making her look like a divine being who had descended from the sky. She looked noble, mysterious, and untouchable.

In terms of appearance alone, even the Southern Ghost Emperor was a tad inferior to her.

The two men paled in comparison to the woman, but that by no means meant that they should be underestimated.