Challenging Chan Kongzi!

As the words left his mouth, six streaks of flowing light shot up from the tallest mountain peak! Seeing this, Ye Feng slowly took a step forward! Immediately after him came Meng Wanshu, Cao Yan, Xiao Chen, Gu Li, and Tang Ru! The seven of them stood side by side in a row! Boom! Without coordination, each of them erupted with their own strength to help Li Guanqi shoulder the crushing pressure. His calves trembling, Tang Ru sent a hushed voice transmission. "Brothers... we don't actually have to fight, do we? I really can't out-divine my master..." At the thought of Wu Mian's godlike assassination arts, a chill ran down Gu Li's spine as well. Yet he gritted his teeth and cursed under his breath, "What's there to be afraid of? If worst comes to worst, we fight!" Hearing their transmissions, Ye Feng couldn't help chiming in, "What are you two thinking? This is the boss's own business. We're just here to back him up." Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Several piercing whistles tore through the air, followed closely by Hong Zhi, Chan Kongzi, Nangong Xuandu, Xiang Huaizhi, Ji Yuchuan, and Wu Mian. The seven remaining generals lined up one after another. Nangong Xuandu wore his usual serene, untroubled expression. The corners of Xiang Huaizhi's mouth curled upward slightly, his gaze sharpening a bit as he looked at the youngsters. "Tsk. Good lads. You've made quite a lot of progress, haven't you?" Chan Kongzi tilted his head and clenched his fists, murmuring, "Heh heh. Since we took up the mantle of the Eight Generals, you seem to be the very first kid to challenge all of us! Come on, then—as your senior, I'll be sure to loosen up those bones of yours." Li Guanqi smiled faintly at his words. Stepping forward, he looked toward Long Hou and the others, speaking in a calm voice. "This junior did not come to provoke you seniors, nor do I covet the positions of the Eight Generals. I simply wish to test my current strength, and perhaps find a way to make further breakthroughs!" Nangong Xuandu was dressed in green robes with a longsword strapped across his back. He cast a calm glance at Li Guanqi and said softly, "So you want to use us as your whetstone?" Li Guanqi smiled faintly, not denying it. Long Hou looked at Li Guanqi, his eyes narrowing slightly. He could sense how powerful Li Guanqi was now. They were all aware of what had taken place in the Second Domain not long ago. That scar-faced man had even brought out an immortal gu. Judging from the shadow stone recordings of the power the scar-faced man had displayed, even the generals would have found him troublesome to deal with. Yet in the end, that man had still died by Li Guanqi's hand. And it was not just Li Guanqi alone, but Meng Wanshu and Ye Feng as well—even Cao Yan and Xiao Chen. Every enemy they had faced had been exceedingly formidable. In fact, those figures had originally been meant to descend onto the Fourth Domain battlefield. It was only through special methods that they had breached the barriers between the Fourth and Third Domains and appeared in the Second Domain instead. Had Li Guanqi and his companions not stepped in to stop them, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Which meant... These youngsters they had watched grow up truly possessed the qualifications to step onto the Fourth Domain's battlefield! This struck Long Hou especially hard as he looked upon Li Guanqi. Back when he had first received the Realm Lord's order to pacify the Nether River region, that was the first time he had seen Li Guanqi, who was only at the Soul Formation Realm back then. Faced with the mighty Nether King, Su Xuan had had no choice but to send someone to intervene. At that time, Long Hou had not even spared Li Guanqi a second glance. In his eyes, Li Guanqi was merely a youngster whom the Realm Lord happened to care about or hold in some regard. Whether the boy could one day reach the Seventh Domain to stand before him had been entirely unknown. He had even thought there was nothing particularly special about Li Guanqi, and that even if he could ever reach the Seventh Domain, it would probably take several thousand years. Yet fortunes were fickle. No one could have predicted that in a mere dozen or so years, Li Guanqi would rise to such heights. In fact... this youngster now had the strength and the right to stand before him and utter the word "challenge"! For a moment, Long Hou's gaze grew complicated. Not just Long Hou—Li Guanqi was staring back at him as well. That peerlessly powerful man in golden armor from back then, an unmatched powerhouse whom he had deeply admired. An aloof demeanor, an awe-inspiring suit of golden armor. With a single thrust of his spear, he had cleaved the entire Nether River region in two, wiping it out. Powerful—so powerful that it had exceeded Li Guanqi's comprehension at the time. Back then, a thought had taken root in Li Guanqi's heart: one day, he too would become a cultivator as mighty as Long Hou. And now, at last. Li Guanqi took a deep breath, looked at the crowd, and spoke in a deep voice. "This junior humbly asks all seniors for your guidance!" Everything happening here was also witnessed by many cultivators in the Fourth Domain. There were not many cultivators in the Fourth Domain—even including the Eight Generals, there were barely thirty people in all. On ordinary days, these people rarely showed themselves in the Realm of Celestial Spirits in the First Domain. Perhaps once in a while someone would descend to buy wine, giving others a brief glimpse of them. The Fourth Domain could be considered the primary battlefield against the descending immortals. Every one of them was a battle-hardened, top-tier cultivator. Now, many of them stood in the void; some had even brought out tables and chairs, pouring wine and settling in to watch the spectacle. There was a gap in strength between them and the Eight Generals, but it was not vast. "Tsk, tsk. These youngsters really are something, having the guts to challenge the Eight Generals!" A gray-haired old man popped peanuts into his mouth, marveling in admiration. Beside him, a scrawny old man with thinning gray hair raised an eyebrow, lifting his cup to take a sip of wine. His cloudy, yellowish eyes stared at the group as he murmured, "The students surpass the master. These youngsters haven't even cultivated for forty years, yet look at that terrifying talent!" "Hey, why bother thinking so much about it? As long as there's a show to watch, that's enough, isn't it?" With a foot propped on a bench, the man lounged in a completely uncouth posture. Yet even though they spoke so lightly, an unnameable gleam sparkled in the eyes of many! In the outside world, they had all once been illustrious figures who held sway over entire regions. But with their lifespans nearing their limits, many of them even felt they wouldn't survive their next samsara heavenly tribulation. Seeing the chosen prodigies of the younger generation appear here, they couldn't help feeling a trace of envy—envy of their vitality, envy of their youth. At the same time... some cultivators were even pondering whether any among Li Guanqi's group might be suitable to inherit their mantles! More and more onlookers gathered, even disturbing many who were in closed-door cultivation, prompting them to break out early. Closed-door cultivation could be done anytime, but excitement like this didn't come every day! In the Fifth Domain. Four figures sat cross-legged inside a grand hall. Suddenly! Wen Guyan opened his eyes, and as his divine sense pulsed, the corners of his lips curved upward slightly. "Well, well. Those youngsters are going to challenge the Eight Generals?" Bai Su opened his eyes as well, sneering disdainfully, "Heh. Only the Realm Lord's grandson is any good." The Vermilion Bird, Bie Ruxue, let a sharp light gleam in her beautiful eyes as she whispered, "They... have made tremendous progress. Perhaps before long, they will grasp the laws. Still... aside from Li Guanqi, the others probably aren't enough." Just then, Xuan Yue, who had remained silent all along, slowly stood up. "I want to go watch." As his words fell, the eyes of the other three flickered, and while keeping up their aloof facades, they all stood up one after another. "Mm... just going to take a look." "Taking a look wouldn't hurt." "Let's see." Long Hou stood in place, golden spear in hand, his burning gaze fixed on Li Guanqi as he spoke in a heavy voice. "Then... who do you want to challenge first?" At these words, the expressions of the Eight Generals turned solemn, not even excepting Hong Zhi. After all, as the challenger, the first person Li Guanqi chose would inevitably be the one he considered the weakest. Chan Kongzi crossed his arms and lifted his chin slightly, putting on an aloof air. Yet internally, he was chanting desperately, *Don't pick me! Don't pick me! Last time I got thrashed by Nangong, and not long ago I got beaten by Xiang Huaizhi... If a junior topples me today, won't I become the laughingstock of the Fourth Domain from now on?* Right as his thoughts ran wild, Li Guanqi smiled faintly, his gaze locking onto Chan Kongzi. "I would like to challenge Senior Chan Kongzi first!" Chan Kongzi rolled his eyes, while Nangong Xuandu beside him pressed his lips together to stifle a chuckle.