Chapter 1172: Unexpected Turn

A roar went up.

When the words "I forfeit" were spoken, a commotion swept across the Conferred God Stage and throughout the Eastern Divine Region. The Conferred God Battle, the most supreme profound way competition in the Eastern Divine Region, was a grand spectacle for all profound practitioners in the region, and a place for true geniuses to test and prove themselves. Therefore, anyone who entered the Conferred God Battle, even if they faced an insurmountable opponent, would always fight with all their might.

No one had ever conceded defeat without a fight. Yun Che's direct forfeiture was unprecedented in the history of the Conferred God Battle. After the initial uproar, considering Yun Che's profound strength and the "manner" in which he had entered the competition, people began to find it less surprising. Many even started chuckling to themselves.

"Heh, so this brat actually knows shame. I thought he was utterly shameless."

"After all, the Conferred God Battle is different from before. Previously, only we could see it, but this battle is broadcast to the entire Eastern Divine Region. It's better to forfeit directly than to go up there and make a fool of yourself."

"Forfeiting directly in the Conferred God Battle... what a disgrace to the profound way of the Eastern Divine Region! If the Western and Southern Divine Regions find out, they'll surely laugh their heads off!"

"Crucially, the Dragon Monarch of the Western Divine Region and the Brahma Heaven God Emperor of the Southern Divine Region are also present... the shame has already spread to the outer divine regions."

"Yun Che!" Reverend Quhui's brows furrowed deeply, and his voice dropped. "This is the Conferred God Battle, not child's play! How can you forfeit so easily? Even if you are destined to lose, a full-strength battle would at least preserve your dignity!"

"I said, I forfeit!" Yun Che repeated, his expression unchanged.

"Brother Yun..." Huo Poyun wanted to say something, but didn't know how. As for his profound way dignity, he would absolutely never do something like forfeiting directly.

"Trash!!" On the Conferred God Stage, Luo Chang'an narrowed his eyes. He was already extremely displeased with Yun Che, having been publicly reprimanded by Reverend Quhui because of him the previous day. Yun Che's direct forfeiture gave him an outlet for his frustration. "I went through hell and back to enter the Conferred God Battle to train myself, not to waste my time with trash like you! Heh, where's your arrogance from yesterday? Didn't you have some kind of... Vanishing Shadow technique? Come on, let me see it!"

Yun Che remained silent.

"Only the lowest of trash surrenders. If you're still a man, come up and fight me honorably! I'll teach you what true strength is!"

"Enough!" Reverend Quhui barked. "In the Conferred God Battle, opponents must not be insulted without cause."

Although he admonished Luo Chang'an, his tone wasn't severe, and he deliberately emphasized the words "without cause." He stared at Yun Che. "I ask you one last time..."

"I forfeit." Before Reverend Quhui could finish his question, Yun Che spoke for the third time. His tone was identical all three times, completely unaffected by the crowd's uproar.

Reverend Quhui's face darkened slightly, appearing angered. He then let out a cold snort. "If that's your decision, then it saves us time."

"Yun Che forfeits, entering the loser's bracket!"

"Luo Chang'an wins without a fight, entering the Conferred God group!"

With Reverend Quhui's pronouncement, the outcome was set. Even if Yun Che immediately regretted it, it could no longer be changed. This was perhaps the first time in the Conferred God Battle's history that someone lost without fighting.

Luo Chang'an curled his lip and leaped from the Conferred God Stage. Mid-air, he suddenly stretched out a hand towards Yun Che, pointing his pinky finger downwards, a sneer spreading across his face as if looking down on an ant. His gesture drew laughter from half the arena.

Yun Che stood with his arms crossed, his expression unchanged. But deep within his eyes, a glint of coldness suddenly flashed.

Given Mu Bingyun's Divine Sovereign realm cultivation, and her proximity to Yun Che, how could she not notice the sudden flash of killing intent from him? She arched a brow. "Yun Che!?"

"Don't worry," Yun Che said, smiling instead. "I won't be impulsive over such a small matter."

"...It seems the person you're waiting for still hasn't arrived," Mu Bingyun whispered. The King Realms all had special spatial profound formations connecting them, and there was no reason for them not to be open during the Profound God Convention. Moreover, with the power of a Star God, they could easily teleport; if they were coming... they should have been here already.

Yun Che's gaze quickly swept over the Star God Realm's seating area, then instantly retracted. He sighed inwardly, whispering, "Are those people around the Star God Emperor... all Star Gods?"

"Indeed," Mu Bingyun nodded slightly. "In previous Profound God Conventions, the Star God Realm would at most have one Star God personally attend. This time, because of a 'major event,' five Star Gods have come, including the Star God Emperor."

"To the Star God Emperor's right is the Star God Realm's Imperial Tutor, the Heavenly Origin Star God, Tu Mi... It's rumored that the Heavenly Slaughter Star God was also his disciple when she was young."

Yun Che's eyes widened slightly.

"Behind them, the one in pink is the Heavenly Demon Star God, Qiang Wei; the one in black is the Heavenly Might Star God, Shen Hu; and the one in green is the Heavenly Poison Star God..."

"Yue Luo," Yun Che murmured.

"Oh? You've heard of her?"

"...She met me four years ago," Yun Che said softly.

"What?" Mu Bingyun's face showed surprise. Four years ago... at that time, Yun Che hadn't even reached the God Realm.

"Don't worry," Yun Che, however, was completely unconcerned. "Although the name is the same and the appearance is similar, she won't mistake me for the 'Yun Che' she killed four years ago. My aura is completely different from back then, and besides, a Star God would never believe they couldn't kill a mere mortal from the lower realms."

Mu Bingyun's brows furrowed deeply. From Yun Che's words, she had faintly guessed what had transpired.

"Though... I just thought of something..."

"Conferred God Battle, first round, third match: Wei Hen, from the Startling Thunder Realm, versus Li Jianming!"

Yun Che said no more, quickly looking up at the Conferred God Stage.

Wei Hen... this person... what exactly is he doing here?

On the Conferred God Stage, both combatants had taken their positions. Wei Hen had a face completely unfamiliar to everyone, and his pale white hair was particularly striking. He stood motionlessly, his face rigid, his eyes fixed directly on Li Jianming before him.

Li Jianming had been frowning, as his body inexplicably kept feeling cold. It was a bone-chilling cold that seeped deep into his marrow. The man before him, named Wei Hen, was two minor realms weaker in profound strength, so Li Jianming had no reason to lose. Yet, for some reason, he couldn't relax at all. His heart pounded incessantly, especially under the gaze of those eyes fixed on him—they were almost the most terrifying eyes he had ever seen, giving him an inexplicable, yet intensely strong, sense of dread.

Who is this person...? Why does he look like he harbors a deep-seated hatred? He was certain he had never met this person, as he never remembered anyone with such ghastly white hair. Yet, vaguely, he felt a faint, unrecallable sense of familiarity.

"...Begin!!"

At Reverend Quhui's command, Wei Hen instantly grabbed his weapon—still the strangely shaped short blade with an edge like a serpent's bite. A two minor realm difference in the Divine Spirit realm was, by conventional standards, an irrecoverable gap. However, having learned from the previous match, Li Jianming naturally wouldn't underestimate his opponent. He held a brilliant blue longsword horizontally before him, its blade crackling with lightning. "Please enlighten me!"

Wei Hen launched a sudden attack. Still moments ago, he moved with lightning speed, his serpent blade a blur of cold light, striking directly at Li Jianming's throat. Li Jianming's brow furrowed. He pointed his sword forward, and a Thunder Charge formation instantly materialized. Dozens of lightning bolts slashed down horizontally, forcing Wei Hen back amidst a roar.

As soon as the two clashed, Wei Hen fought with extreme ferocity. Every blade thrust, every cold gleam, aimed directly at a vital point, as if he intended to instantly kill Li Jianming. Despite Li Jianming's considerable profound strength advantage, he remained composed, his sword dancing and thundering, profound energy surging like waves, neutralizing all of Wei Hen's attacks before easily suppressing him.

On the eastern platform, the Dragon Monarch suddenly frowned. "Strange, this person... his lifespan is probably less than ten years!"

"It seems I'm not the only one who noticed," the Heavenly Mystery God Emperor also nodded. "His lifespan reduction is extremely peculiar, almost as if..." The Heavenly Mystery God Emperor suddenly thought of something, his voice trailed off, and his brows instantly furrowed. At the same time, a strange profound energy flashed past. Though only for an instant, it made the Dragon Monarch and all the other God Emperors' expressions change drastically.

"What is this!?"

Clang!

Wei Hen was heavily blasted to the ground, his serpent blade flying from his hand. He knelt, head bowed deep, gasping for breath, his hands trembling unnaturally as they gripped the ground.

Li Jianming slowly stepped forward, retracting his sword, and politely said, "You are not my match. Since you've lost your weapon, you should surrender."

"Heh... Hehehehehehe..."

Wei Hen was laughing, a laughter so incredibly low. His entire body suddenly began to tremble unnaturally, especially his chest, which heaved so violently it seemed as if something would explode at any moment. Finally, he slowly raised his head, a pair of eyes emitting a chilling black light, like the suddenly awakened eyes of a demon.

At this instant, all the powerful individuals on the Conferred God Stage froze, their expressions changing abruptly. Mu Bingyun, Mu Huanzhi, Huo Rulie, Yan Juehai, and others all stood up abruptly as if struck by lightning. "This... this is..."

Under the gaze of those pitch-black eyes, Li Jianming's entire body turned ice cold, as if he had instantly fallen into an icy hell. His pupils constricted to their extreme as if pricked by needles, and the world before him rapidly darkened in a blur... In his ears, he heard his father's hoarse roar, "Jianming... retreat quickly!!!"

His father's roar jolted his consciousness clear, but a black shadow had already lunged forward, locking him tightly with its limbs and entire body. A dense black light, emerging from unknown depths, rapidly spread, using his body as a medium.

"You... you... Aaaah... uwaaaahhh!!" Li Jianming let out a heart-rending scream, as if instantly pierced by tens of thousands of icy venomous thorns in his body and soul.

"Li Jianming..." A hoarse whisper, as if from a demon, echoed in his ears. "Do you still remember... the Kui clan, whose family you annihilated... thirteen years ago?!"

"You... you are... Ugh, aaahhh..." Li Jianming's screams grew more horrific with each breath. Beneath the black qi, his body rapidly corroded from the inside out... He struggled desperately, shattering Wei Hen's bones bit by bit and piercing his chest, yet Wei Hen did not release him even for an instant.

"Dark... Dark profound energy!!"

"He's a devil person!!!!"

"Quhui!!"

A sudden thunderclap erupted over the Conferred God Stage. Reverend Quhui, who was closest, his face changing drastically, shot down like a great eagle, piercing through the barrier.

"The hatred of my annihilated clan... the hatred for my humiliated wife and murdered child... Even if I exhaust my lifespan and turn into a devil, I will drag you to hell!! Aaaahhhhh!" His voice was as ghastly as a ghost's, every word filled with endless hatred. "I'll be waiting... in hell!!"

Boom!!!!

Just as Reverend Quhui's power was about to envelop him, Wei Hen's body suddenly exploded, scattering black blood everywhere. Li Jianming, still screaming in terror, was instantly blasted into two halves. His screams turned into desperate whimpers... and then completely ceased.

"Jianming!!"

The Realm King of the Startling Thunder Realm rushed to the Conferred God Stage, but could only helplessly watch as Li Jianming's body exploded. The two severed halves of his corpse flew a great distance, landing scorched black and rapidly decaying with sizzling sounds. This horrific scene struck fear into the hearts of countless powerful individuals present.