Hell Emperor.

Chapter 567 Ye Jie - Di Yuan
Ye Jie carefully sensed that beneath the abyss behind Xuanwu lay a sword intent colder than a blade, and the one who left all this behind was the true owner of the Guiming Sword, the legendary Fairy Beichen.

This discovery, instead of solving the mystery in Ye Jie's heart, only made him more confused:
"I had heard from the elders of the Sword Sect that Fairy Beichen had clashed with Xuanwu, but I never expected that this battle would be related to the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal..."

Shen Qingge took a deep breath. As the group arrived at this place, through the memories passed down through generations, she also saw the various events that had happened in the past:
"The reason why Fairy Beichen fought so fiercely with Xuanwu was precisely to seize the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal! After the fall of the Underworld Emperor, the divine artifacts and treasures he left behind caused countless immortals to fight each other. Among them, the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal was the symbol of the Underworld Emperor's identity. Whoever obtained it was the chosen one, the symbol of legitimacy. Not only that, with the Ghost Seal, one could also issue the Underworld Emperor's edict, commanding billions of ghosts and the Ten Kings of Hell..."

After a pause, Shen Qingge continued, "That battle resulted in both sides being severely injured. Fairy Beichen used her supreme swordsmanship to severely wound Xuanwu, but she herself was also critically injured and on the verge of death. She is still hiding somewhere in the world, secretly rebuilding her cultivation. Xuanwu did not fare much better. The Ghost Seal and other evil spirits used their power to completely corrode Xuanwu's body through the cracks in its shell, causing it to lose its mind and become a wild beast. It has not regained its senses to this day."

Ye Jie's gaze sharpened: "I never imagined that a once-sacred beast would end up as a wild animal that only obeys its instincts because of the Ghost Seal. It seems that the Ghost Seal also contains extremely dangerous power, so we must be careful."

Su Miao pondered for a moment: "So that's why the descendants of Xuanwu are causing chaos on the continent, plundering lifespans and resurrecting demon gods, while it, as a sacred beast, remains indifferent. It turns out it has long lost its mind and is now just a walking corpse, unable to intervene even if it wanted to. Can a sacred beast without its mind still be considered a sacred beast?"

Li Feie nodded vigorously: "That's right. Xuanwu has become such a miserable state. Where is the majesty of a sacred beast? It's truly lamentable. Of course, we can't just sit idly by. Let us go and retrieve the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal so that Xuanwu can wake up and properly discipline its offspring!"

Ye Jie's lips twitched. Li Feie was indeed from a major immortal sect. Even when she took the Ghost Seal, she spoke of it so naturally, as if it were a matter of course.

"Huh? What is that?"

As everyone was discussing, Ye Jie suddenly caught sight of something and his gaze sharpened.

But from the depths of the abyss, several twisted black figures sensed the presence of the newcomer and rose up.

Upon closer inspection, their bodies appeared to be formed from black mist, dull and devoid of any color. Even the light was completely swallowed up by their forms. Their faces were featureless, as if covered by a black cloth. At first glance, one would exclaim that they were evil creatures that did not belong to the human world.

Countless dark shadows covered the walls on both sides of the abyss, constantly crawling out of them; their number was unknown, perhaps in the millions.

Shen Qingge seemed to remember something, her expression turning serious: "Those are the ghost soldiers summoned by the Ghost Seal. The ghost soldiers are fearless and will block anyone who tries to get close to the Ghost Seal. If you want to continue getting closer, you'll probably have to clear the obstacles first."

Li Feie's lips curled up, and lightning crackled at her fingertips. A bolt of lightning shot out and struck the ghost soldier at the forefront who was crawling out of the abyss. Then, the lightning surged and split and spread backward, engulfing a large number of ghost soldiers.

Any ghost soldiers caught in the lightning strike were unable to put up any resistance and were all turned into black smoke and vanished. This single strike cleared up a large area.

Li Feie said smugly, "I thought the ghost soldiers were so strong, but their realm is only at the first or second level, they don't even have the immortal position. If it weren't for the fact that this place is the back of Xuanwu, I could level the entire abyss with just one strike."

At the peak of the sixth level, her strength was at the pinnacle of the continent. Killing all the ghost soldiers in one blow was not a difficult task for Li Feie. Her only worry was that her actions were too big and would anger Xuanwu, which would be a loss.

Shen Qingge glanced at her: "Don't be careless. This is only the outermost edge of the abyss. The power of the Ghost Seal is definitely not limited to this."

The group flew rapidly toward the bottom of the abyss, and sure enough, the level of the ghost soldiers along the way kept rising. Before they had flown far, ghost soldiers at the level of ghost immortals had already appeared.

"How dare a mere novice ghost immortal block our path?"

Li Feie's gaze darkened slightly, and she used blazing lightning to blast the ghost immortal blocking her path into ashes.

Along the way, Ye Jie also tried it out. Even with the power of the Asura, he could not obtain any merit from the ghost soldiers. These ghost soldiers were not transformed from souls, and there were no records of them in the Book of Life and Death. Instead, they were condensed from the Netherworld Mist summoned by the Ghost Seal.

Su Miao took a deep breath: "So, a first-stage Ghost Immortal has already appeared here? If we continue to go deeper, who knows what else awaits us ahead? There might even be groups of fourth- or fifth-stage Ghost Immortals appearing. My cultivation level is not high enough, so I'll stay here and keep an eye on Xuanwu's movements for you."

"Then it's up to you. If Xuanwu intends to leave this sea area, you must inform us immediately."

Ye Jie nodded, entrusting the task of monitoring Xuanwu's movements—an equally crucial step—to Su Miaohao, who possessed the lowest strength.

Speaking of which, when they first met Su Miao, none of them had yet become immortals, while she was a renowned ghost immortal whose strength far surpassed theirs. Unexpectedly, the situation has now completely reversed, and Su Miao's strength has become the lowest among them.

As they ventured deeper, the ghost soldiers' cultivation levels continued to rise, with groups of third and fourth-level ghost immortals appearing. Fortunately, everyone's strength was also far greater than before, and with a few moves, they swept away all the obstacles in front of them.

"Damn it, these ghost soldiers just keep coming back no matter how hard I try to kill them..."

Li Feie was indignant. The Ghost Seal was right in front of her, but she was blocked by endless ghost soldiers. She was furious and unleashed a barrage of splitting lightning bolts, intending to annihilate all the ghost soldiers in front of her.

However, this time, her technique failed to achieve the desired effect. As the lightning split and spread, its power gradually decreased. Except for the ghost soldiers at the very front, who were all annihilated on the spot, the ghost soldiers behind blocked all her lightning.

"Fifth-Rank Ghost Soldier..."

Ye Jie's gaze sharpened. When a ghost soldier reaches the fifth level of cultivation, he is no longer someone who can be easily defeated. Even Li Feie would have to take it seriously and use all his strength.

With a flash of sword light, the ghost soldiers blocking her path were cleaved in two without any hindrance. Shen Qingge stood in front, sword in hand, showing no joy at the progress she had made. Her cold eyes revealed a hint of solemnity. In her perception, the fifth-rank ghost soldiers were far from the limit. If she continued forward, she would even face groups of sixth-rank ghost soldiers, some of whom were even seventh-rank ghost soldiers.

If Fairy Beichen were here, she wouldn't be afraid of these ghost soldiers, but Shen Qingge's cultivation level is not high enough to withstand such a large number of ghost soldiers.

"If this continues, we will be overwhelmed by endless ghost soldiers. At that time, let alone taking the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal, even escaping will become a problem."

Looking around, Shen Qingge made a decisive decision without hesitation: "I will go and hold back the nearby ghost soldiers to clear the way for you. You can take this opportunity to seize the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal!"

"What?" Ye Jie was slightly taken aback. Seventh-rank ghost soldiers had already appeared in the distance, and there was more than one. The pressure Shen Qingge would face in simultaneously restraining so many seventh-rank ghost soldiers would be no less than that of her battle against the Lord of the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave; she might even perish here. Shen Qingge had already made up her mind, and said coldly, "What are you still hesitating for? Don't let my efforts be in vain!"

Ye Jie gritted his teeth. If he didn't want to give up halfway, this was indeed the only way. Among the crowd, only Shen Qingge, who had received the inheritance of Fairy Beichen, had a way to contend with the seventh-level ghost soldier.

Before Ye Jie could answer, Shen Qingge rushed forward first. The Guiming Sword unleashed a thousand layers of sword light, and even the space was torn apart by the incomparably sharp sword energy. In an instant, countless ghost soldiers turned into black smoke and dissipated, forcibly breaking a gap in the sealed formation.

Seizing the opportunity, Ye Jie and Li Feie stepped forward together, and through the gap opened by Shen Qingge, they sped deeper into the abyss. A few unaffected seventh-rank ghost soldiers nearby tried to stop them, but were immediately interrupted by the incoming sword light.

Shen Qingge's actions attracted the attention of countless enemies, and layers of ghost soldiers surrounded her, including many seventh-rank ghost soldiers, determined to kill her here. She gazed into the distance, where the backs of Ye Jie and Li Feie were also obscured by the layers of ghost soldiers.

A dazzling sword light pierced through the encircling ghost soldiers. Shen Qingge burned her essence blood, unleashing power far exceeding her previous strength, repelling all the surrounding ghost soldiers. However, it was unknown how long her immortal energy could withstand such intense consumption.

Ahead, Ye Jie flew at breakneck speed, his movements incredibly fast, not daring to waste a single moment. Behind him, Shen Qingge was still in danger; if he were even a moment late, the consequences would be unimaginable.

After a long journey, the two finally reached the bottom of the abyss. Unlike the path they had come from, which was filled with ghost soldiers, there were no ghost soldiers here at all, making it seem like a vast emptiness.

The ghost soldiers born from the Netherworld Mist dared not approach this place even a step. They were filled with awe and fear, as if some immense terror existed in the center of the area.

"Look! That's the Seal of the Underworld Emperor!"

Soon, a faint light coming from ahead caught Li Feie's attention.

Following Li Feie's direction, Ye Jie also saw the dark, gleaming, thick and wide Ghost Seal. The Ghost Seal was embedded in the flesh of Xuanwu, as if it were rooted there, and was surrounded by bluish-purple tendons like tree roots, looking quite ferocious.

"Is that the Ghost Seal...?"

Upon seeing the Ghost Seal, Ye Jie felt a surge of restlessness in his chest. The eight sewn pages he kept close to his body vibrated the moment they sensed the Ghost Seal's aura, radiating endless heat as if they were being ignited, revealing an intense yearning.

"As expected of the Ghost Seal left behind by the Netherworld Emperor, even the sewn pages of the main tent seemed to come alive when they sensed the aura of the Netherworld Emperor..." Ye Jie said with great emotion.

As Ye Jie approached the Ghost Seal, he did not feel any relief; instead, his expression became even more solemn.

There's a reason why the ghost soldiers dare not approach this place. The oppressive aura here is far more terrifying than any ghost soldiers they've encountered along the way. Even the majestic aura of Xuanwu himself is insignificant in the face of that oppressive aura.

As if to confirm Ye Jie's thoughts, a black shadow slowly emerged. It was the same as the ghost soldiers he had seen on the road, faceless and without a face. However, the aura emanating from its body was far more terrifying than those ghost soldiers. It was something Ye Jie had never seen before. Even breathing required all his strength.

"What... what exactly is that aura?"

Li Fei'e was horrified. The aura emanating from that black shadow was on the same level as the Xuan Nu incarnation she had seen before, or even stronger!

Ye Jie's gaze paused. In the dark figure's hands was a book without a dictionary. The style of the book gave Ye Jie a vague sense of familiarity, as if he had seen it before.

Not long ago, the statue enshrined outside the ancestral hall on the island kept overlapping with the figure in front of him. This discovery made Ye Jie gasp: "The Great Emperor of the Underworld?!"

"What?" Li Feie exclaimed in disbelief. "Wasn't the Underworld Emperor supposed to have perished long ago? How could he appear here, and in such a state?"

Ye Jie struggled to calm his inner shock and carefully observed: "No, it's not the real Netherworld Emperor, but the strongest ghost soldier that Ghost Seal has condensed using traces of the past. This is troublesome..."

The power of the Ghost Seal is truly terrifying. It can even condense the Netherworld Emperor from the past using Netherworld Mist, and it even has a certain divine charm.

To obtain the Ghost Seal, Ye Jie must overcome the obstruction of the Shadow of the Underworld Emperor. However, with his strength, he would be doomed to die if he tried to deal with the Shadow of the Underworld Emperor formed by the Ghost Seal, with no chance of survival!
Now Ye Jie understood why the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal had remained firmly rooted behind Xuanwu for hundreds of years, never being taken by other immortals. Even if other immortals came to this place, they would all be defeated before the shadow of the Underworld Emperor.

Just how powerful a realm would be needed to defeat the Shadow of the Underworld Emperor? Seventh level? Or eighth level? But neither is something Ye Jie can accomplish at his current level.

Li Feie looked utterly despairing. After overcoming numerous obstacles and hardships to finally locate the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal, she was still just one step short and could only sigh in vain.

"With the shadow of the Underworld Emperor guarding this place, I'm afraid no one can take the Ghost Seal. All our efforts have ultimately failed..."

Ye Jie was filled with resentment. The Ghost Seal was right in front of him, yet he couldn't obtain it. This feeling was truly unbearable. However, defeating the Shadow of the Underworld Emperor was a pipe dream. If he tried to seize it by force, the only outcome would be death.

"Our master is still struggling to hold on in the rear, and his life is in danger at any moment. Since we cannot obtain the Ghost Seal, we should leave this place quickly. If we are too late to return, our master's life will be in danger!"

Li Feie made a decision: since the Ghost Seal could not be obtained, she would not hesitate to return to aid her master who was struggling to hold on in the rear.

"Wait a moment……"

Just as Li Feie was about to leave, Ye Jie suddenly called out to her. Looking in the direction of the voice, she saw Ye Jie's eyes narrowed as he carefully gazed at the shadow of the Underworld Emperor in front of him, seemingly having made a discovery.

(End of this chapter)