After Yun Che's final words, a deep, unsettling silence hung in the air. Then, without warning, his aura exploded into the surroundings, an overwhelming surge of power that ripped through the tension like a thunderclap.
BOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!
The very foundation of the Divine Kingdom trembled as Yun Che unleashed his full power, his presence so immense that the sky itself seemed to quiver with the force. The air grew thick with energy, and the heavens above seemed to rattle as the roar of thunder rolled across the sky.
The weaker cultivators, feeling the immense pressure and fear rising in their hearts, quickly retreated behind their gods, who swiftly raised barriers to shield them from the devastating force. The ground beneath their feet shuddered, as if it, too, feared the raw intensity emanating from Yun Che's body.
"Divine Extinction... with power... almost a Lesser God." A cold gulp echoed through the crowd, and murmurs spread like wildfire, fear and awe mixing in their voices. The sheer magnitude of his power was undeniable, and yet...
"Still, this won't be enough to change anything today." Pan Buwang's thoughts were clouded with grim realization. His eyes, sharp with experience, scanned the battlefield, taking in the overwhelming presence of the True Gods and Ancient True Gods surrounding them. Even the Abyssal Monarch, standing in their midst, radiated an authority that shook the very air. "Yun Che, the Fog Monarch... his master... no matter how heaven-defying he may seem, it won't be enough to change the outcome today."
The weight of the truth settled heavily in Pan Buwang's chest. No matter how much power Yun Che wielded, no matter how much of a threat he appeared, the odds were stacked too high against him. This was a battle he could not win, nor could he run away from.
Afterall, Lesser God is incomparable to Greater God. Beyond that, there are Perfect God and beyond that are the Ancient True God, Yun Che burst of power mean nothing.
Oddly enough, despite the overwhelming power radiating from Yun Che, no Gods rushed forward to subdue him. The air was thick with tension, but still, none of the gods made a move.
Minutes passed—one, then two, then three—yet no one acted. The people, along with the gods themselves, all exchanged confused glances, unable to understand why no one had stepped forward to end this threat.
"Master... why don't you and the other Divine Regents go and attack him?" A voice echoed from the crowd, the Moon God Divine Child turning to look at his Divine Regent with uncertainty.
The Moon God Divine Regent took a slow, steady breath before responding, his voice filled with a rare note of hesitation. ".... it's because of that Gray Flame..."
The crowd fell silent, leaning in as the Moon God Divine Regent continued, his gaze never leaving Yun Che. "Sure, Yun Che's strength is not comparable to us Gods, but that flame... it's terrifying beyond all reason."
His words seemed to bring sudden enlightenment to the crowd. A collective intake of breath echoed throughout the area as realization set in. Looking at the strange gray flame still swirling in Yun Che's hand, a chill crept deep into their bones. It wasn't just the force of the flame, but the pure, unexplainable terror that it radiated. Even the Gods, especially those who had witnessed its destructive power firsthand, froze.
The ones who had been so eager to rush forward and end Yun Che's life now hesitated, their steps faltering as they gazed upon the ominous gray flame. It seemed to command the very air itself, a force of nature that none dared to approach recklessly.
It was true that Yun Che, the Fog Monarch, had relied on the suppression of the dense abyssal dust to overpower his enemies in the Endless Fog Sea. Out here, without the abyssal dust's support, his combat strength was weaker, far below that of even a True God. But this gray flame... it was something entirely different. It was a force that defied comprehension, a power so pure and destructive that even the Ancient True Gods had fallen to its wrath.
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Mo Su's gaze locked onto the strange gray flame, his eyes narrowing with disbelief. This was the first time he had witnessed it in person. "Even in the Primordial Era, this flame had not existed" Not even for his Big Brother. For someone like Yun Che, who had inherited his Big Brother's power, to wield a flame that even his Big Brother could not...what was going on?
This power was something beyond the realm of what he had ever known. It defied logic, and yet it was undeniably real. There were more secrets to Yun Che than even he had anticipated.
Yun Che's words from earlier echoed in his mind as he contemplates for a moment before he nodded toward Big Rage, who was holding back Liu Xiao.
"Don't kill him," the Monarch's voice rang out clearly in Liu Xiao's mind, sending a chill through the Ancient True God's being. Mo Su's posture shifted as he sat back on his seat, his gaze never leaving Yun Che.
It was true that he could end Yun Che's life with a mere flick of his hand, that crushing him would be as easy as breathing. But there was no need to do so. After all, he was the Abyssal Monarch. It was beneath him to deal with someone so much weaker than himself—someone who had not even reached the realm of True Gods.
The True Gods were afraid of that flame, and so were the Ancient True Gods, yet there were still those who would step forward. Some, like Liu Xiao, harbored a hatred for Yun Che so deep it rivaled the heavens themselves. That hate would drive them to do what others feared. But for now, Mo Su remained in control, his cold eyes studying Yun Che, a quiet resolve building within him.
High Priest Liu Xiao, who had been held back by the Chief Priest, was finally released.
"Get away!" The roar of the gods rang out, and in an instant, the surrounding crowd fled with the greatest speed, scattering like leaves before a storm. True Gods and Ancient True Gods alike raised protective barriers, isolating the area where Yun Che and Liu Xiao stood, as if to contain the inevitable clash between these two powerful forces.
"..." Flickers of emotion flashed in Pan Buwang's eyes as he watched the scene unfold, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on him.
Soon, amidst the suffocating atmosphere, Liu Xiao arrived before Yun Che. The young man's body was already shrouded in the ominous Gray Flame—the very same flame that had taken Ling Xian's life, the flame that marked the end of an era.
"..." Liu Xiao's old, weathered face remained inscrutable as his gaze locked onto Yun Che. Gone were his gentle eyes and smiles. For a moment, the world around him seemed to fade, the sounds of the battlefield drowned out by the flood of memories rushing through his mind. The past played out before his eyes, each scene more painful than the last, all leading to the haunting image of Ling Xian's face.
She, who had given everything, even her life, to this very man—the man who had taken her life yet somehow continued on. His heart clenched with a complex mixture of fury, sorrow, and disbelief. Even in death, Ling Xian had offered her power to Yun Che.
More and more memories flash his mind as for a moment, his eyes cast toward Hua Caili in the distant.
Liu Xiao's eyes narrowed, the weight of this irony gnawing at his soul.
"Hahaha..."
Liu Xiao's light, almost mocking laugh rang out, his eyes returned to Yun Che. The sound was devoid of warmth, as if it carried a deeper meaning—an expression of something far darker.
"Put all your energy into blocking, or else, you'll die!" Li Suo's voice thundered through Yun Che's mind, urgency and fear lacing his every word. Without hesitation, powerful barriers materialized around Yun Che, shimmering with protective energy, as the pressure of the impending clash grew unbearable.
"Sealing Cloud Locking Sun!" Yun Che's roar echoed across the battlefield, a declaration of his resolve. No longer concealing his technique, he summoned the full force of his powers, his body tense, bracing for the Ancient True God's might.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!"
The explosion of power that followed shook the very foundations of the world. Liu Xiao's fury, pent up for so long, erupted in a storm of godly might. His eyes, bloodshot with rage, were now filled with an unstoppable force as his aura surged, dark and consuming.
The very air trembled with the raw, unleashed power of an Ancient True God.
The entire Divine Kingdom—no, the entire Abyss—shook with fear as the ancient power was released. Unlike before, where the Ancient True Gods had been suppressed within the Endless Fog Sea, here, there were no restraints. No chains. No limits. The full scope of their godly power was unleashed without mercy, and the entire realm quivered under the weight of it. It was the purest form of divine might, the kind that could bend the very fabric of reality itself!
Everyone behind the barriers watched in stunned silence, their eyes wide with disbelief as they stared at the chaotic destruction unfolding before them. The very area where Liu Xiao had unleashed his power had been torn apart, reduced to pure, uncontrollable destruction. Space itself seemed to crack and crumble, and the very fabric of the void was torn asunder. The sky, once whole, was now shattered, ripped apart by the intensity of the godly force.
If it hadn't been for the barriers set up by the True Gods and Ancient True Gods, those witnessing the scene would have been reduced to nothing more than ashes, obliterated by the sheer force of that energy. Even with the barriers, the pressure from the unleashed power was overwhelming—so great that it sent shivers down their spines, as if their very existence had been threatened.
The land around them was left in complete devastation, a barren wasteland where nothing remained untouched. Liu Xiao stood tall amidst the chaos, his presence towering over the broken world like a Monarch—unfazed, unyielding, and supreme. His eyes burned with the fire of hatred, his power radiating as the very ground trembled beneath his feet.
As for Yun Che? His barriers didn't even last a moment. They shattered like glass, unable to withstand the overwhelming might of Liu Xiao's unleashed godly force. Yun Che's body was blasted backward, not by profound energy, but by the sheer raw force of Liu Xiao's divine power.
"BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"BOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"
The impact was deafening, the sound of destruction echoing across the battlefield.
"Argh.....!!!!"
Yun Che's bloodied body collided with the protective barriers surrounding them, the force of the crash sending shockwaves through the air. The shockwaves were so powerful that they reverberated across the entire area, leaving every onlooker frozen in terror. The force of it was unimaginable, as if even the heavens themselves had been shaken by the clash between godly power and mortal resolve.
Yun Che couldn't even withstand the overwhelming power of the Ancient True God. His body was broken in so many places that it seemed as if he had been shattered, each of his bones crushed under the immense force. His body slid down from the shattered barrier before crashing violently into the ground.
"PUKEEEEE!!!!"
Blood poured from his mouth as his already bloodied robe became even darker, soaked with the crimson stain of his life's essence. Yun Che, struggling to breathe, coughed violently, each breath a battle in itself. His vision blurred as the weight of his injuries pressed down on him like a mountain.
In the sky, Liu Xiao cast his gaze down upon him, his eyes cold and unfeeling as he observed Yun Che's pitiful struggle to rise.
"It's different, isn't it?" Liu Xiao's voice rang out, calm yet piercing, like a blade slicing through the silence.
"In the Endless Fog Sea, because of the suppression on us Gods, you, Yun Che, the Fog Monarch, were the king. But here, where there is no suppression, we Gods are the Lords of all. And you... can't even withstand our power."
His words rang like the toll of a death bell.
"Don't die just yet," Liu Xiao continued, his tone devoid of emotion, yet it held an undeniable chill that seemed to freeze the air around them. "We still have many things to talk about."
His voice wasn't a roar or a yell, but something far colder—an icy declaration. And yet, within that calmness was a seething, unrelenting hatred that pierced through the hearts of everyone present. It was as though the very essence of his being was laced with venom, his loathing for Yun Che seeping into every syllable.
Soon, Liu Xiao descended from the sky, his presence casting a shadow over the battlefield. He landed gracefully just a few kilometers away from Yun Che, his eyes never leaving the bloodied figure before him. He stood still, watching Yun Che with a cold, unwavering gaze, as the distance between them seemed to stretch, both physically and in the weight of the tension hanging in the air.
"Cough... cough...."
Yun Che, battered and broken from the sheer force of the godly power unleashed by Liu Xiao, finally managed to stabilize himself. His body trembled with pain, each movement an agonizing effort, but he glared upward, his cold, abyss-black eyes locking onto Liu Xiao. Despite the blood staining his lips and the overwhelming weight of his injuries, there was a flicker of unyielding defiance in his gaze.
The gray flame that had once burned fiercely around Yun Che's body was now completely extinguished. The immense power of the Ancient True God's attack had shattered his control over the flame, causing it to fade away like smoke in the wind. Now, Yun Che stood before Liu Xiao, his body trembling, barely able to remain upright. His strength had been drained, and without the protection of the flame, he seemed more vulnerable than ever before.
Even without a direct strike, the raw force of the Ancient True God's power had pushed Yun Che to his absolute limits, each wave of energy relentlessly wearing him down. His body, battered and broken, could barely hold itself together. The once unyielding spirit seemed to be faltering, and now, it felt as though even standing was an impossible feat.
Suddenly, a sword slowly materialized before Yun Che, its presence felt as though it had been summoned from the very depths of his soul. Yun Che gripped it tightly, the familiar weight grounding him as he used it to push himself back onto his feet. His body screamed in protest, but he stood—slowly, painfully, but resolutely.
"Heaven... Smithing... Devil Emperor...?"
Mo Su's voice murmured through the tension as he sat up from his seat, his eyes narrowing. This wasn't the first time he had seen the sword, but it was the first time he had noticed the name engraved upon it.
"Just...what..."
"..."
Hua Caili's eyes trembled in Hua Qingying's embrace as she saw the name carved into the sword in Yun Che's hand. The sight seemed to shatter something deep within her, the realization crashing down like a wave.
"Nothing you said... was ever real..." Her voice, though silent, echoed within her heart.
In stark contrast to Hua Caili's reaction, the Abyssal Monarch Mo Su was trembling with confusion. His eyes were fixed on the name engraved on Yun Che's sword, and it sent ripples of unease through him. Even Liu Xiao was momentarily stunned, his brows furrowing in disbelief. The other Ancient True Gods shared the same confusion, their once-calm composure now shaken.
"Yun Che! What... what is that sword of yours?!" Suddenly, the Abyssal Monarch Mo Su shot up from his seat, his voice filled with an uncharacteristic urgency. He had originally planned to let Liu Xiao vent his anger on Yun Che, hoping to see his enemy broken before he could extract any secrets. But the moment Yun Che's sword materialized, with that name engraved upon it, it shook the Monarch to his very core.
The reactions of the Ancient True Gods and the Monarch left the rest of the onlookers stunned and confused.
Amidst the chaos and confusion, Yun Che didn't even bother to answer the question that had been posed to him. His entire focus was on Liu Xiao, the Ancient True God above him. His gaze was intense, unwavering, as if he had already chosen his path, knowing what would come next.
As he wipes the last blood out of his lip, he suddenly smiles and roar out.
"Heh... Is that all you can do?!"
His remark brought Liu Xiao back from his stupor as Liu Xiao's mouth twitch.
"You, the Ancient True God, can easily crush me, yet instead of doing so, you choose to enjoy this little game?!!!" Yun Che's voice grew louder, a fierce defiance burning in his words. "You didn't even release your entire strength!!! What are you afraid of?!! Or is that your mercy?!!!!"
"Hahaha... look at you!" Yun Che mocked, despite the bloodied state of his body, his laughter full of bitterness and scorn. "The high and mighty Ancient True God is showing me mercy!"
"Hahahaha! Remember what happened last time when you showed mercy to me?!!!!"
Yun Che's devilish laugh echoed through the tense air, his words dripping with venom and mockery. The sound was like a crack in the stillness, a taunt that sent a shiver through the crowd.
"You...!" Liu Xiao, who had carefully restrained himself, suddenly trembled with a mix of fury and disbelief. His composure cracked under the weight of Yun Che's words. Yet, it was Yun Che's next sentence that shattered whatever remained of his restraint.
"Because of your mercy, that dumb bird died. Hahaha!" Yun Che's voice was like a blade, cutting through the last threads of Liu Xiao's control. Each word, each syllable, seemed to pierce directly into Liu Xiao's heart, deeper than any physical wound could. The mention of Ling Xian's death struck like a mortal blow, and the grief, rage, and guilt within Liu Xiao erupted in a storm of pure fury.
In an instant, the air around them thickened with rising power, as Liu Xiao's anger consumed him entirely. The sky seemed to tremble as six divine worlds materialized behind Liu Xiao, their sheer presence warping the space around them.
The force of the Ancient True God's power surged forth like a tidal wave, its intensity immeasurable. Every inch of the battlefield seemed to vibrate under the pressure of the power Liu Xiao unleashed in full. The air crackled with energy, and the ground trembled as if the very earth itself was in pain from the raw power that Liu Xiao had unleashed.
It was clear—Liu Xiao had gone mad. His reason had been consumed by the unrelenting pain of loss and the desire for vengeance.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!"
The very ground shook with an earth-shattering roar as the full force of Liu Xiao's unleashed power ripped through the air. The barriers surrounding the weaker cultivators trembled violently, and many of them dropped to their knees, their bodies convulsing as they felt the immense pressure from the energy. Even those safely hidden within the barriers, shielded from the battle, grew pale with fear, their hearts pounding in terror at the raw, destructive force that Liu Xiao had summoned.
This was the power of an Ancient True God at its peak—the power that came from a being who had mastered the heavenly laws and manifested Six Divine Worlds. It was a power beyond comprehension, a force so overwhelming that it left nothing but dread in its wake.
In the blink of an eye, Liu Xiao figure rushed toward Yun Che as his palm form claws from his godly power. The energy within it was unfathomable, a devastating release of power that could obliterate anything in its path. Every particle of Liu Xiao's fury and divine essence had been poured into this strike! An attack that carried with it the full force of an Ancient True God's wrath.
The divine figure surged toward Yun Che, a force of nature so powerful that it seemed as though even time itself was being bent by its might.