Chapter 1190: Frustration

"This... this... this..."

"How could... how could this happen!"

"Am I dreaming? Yun Che... defeated Wu Guike?"

"Hiss... not just defeated, it was a complete crushing, a direct crushing!"

"Is Yun Che's profound strength really only at Divine Tribulation Realm Level 8? No... that can't be, can it? How is that possible!"

Everyone who witnessed the battle, from the Conferred God Stage to the entire Eastern Divine Region, was utterly stunned. Yesterday, Yun Che's brutal defeat of Luo Changsheng had already left countless jaws agape, but the visual and spiritual impact of this battle surpassed yesterday's by countless times. Even the supreme powerhouses who looked down upon the world were too shocked to believe their own eyes.

Because, in the understanding of these powerhouses who had lived for tens of thousands of years, such an event was simply impossible.

"No wonder he was so confident," Mu Bingyun whispered softly, her lips pursed. But then, a hint of concern appeared on her snow-white face.

Yun Che went all out from the start, sweeping Wu Guike with seven swords and effortlessly breaking his Divine Martial Domain. While this was astonishing, Mu Bingyun also keenly sensed that he seemed to be venting something. And one only vents when provoked by something.

"His profound strength cultivation is indeed unequivocally Divine Tribulation Realm Level 8; there's no hidden illusion," the Moon God Emperor said, slightly frowning. "And that's what makes it so astounding."

"Your Majesty Dragon Monarch, have you ever encountered anyone similar in your Western Divine Region?" the Brahma Heaven God Emperor asked. This God Emperor, who stood at the pinnacle of profound strength, status, and prestige in the Eastern Divine Region, had smiled in admiration at Luo Changsheng and Shui Meiyin, but now his eyes held nothing but shock.

The Dragon Monarch slowly shook his head. "There have been instances of someone in the Divine Soul Realm defeating a Divine Tribulation Realm practitioner by crossing an entire major realm. But for someone in the late Divine Tribulation Realm to defeat someone in the late Divine Spirit Realm—at least in my Western Divine Region—it has never happened throughout history!"

Moreover, it wasn't just a defeat; it was a crushing defeat. What's more... Wu Guike was not an ordinary Divine Spirit Realm Level 8 practitioner; he was the son of the Divine Martial Realm King. Among those of the same level, he was practically unrivaled, if not entirely so.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Cang Shitian stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming with an unprecedented brilliance. "Before, I said it wouldn't be bad to take him on as a disciple just for fun; most of that was a joke. But now... Brahma Heaven God Emperor, you previously showed all sorts of disapproval towards this young man. I intend to take him back to the Southern Divine Region; you surely won't object, will you?"

"Heh," the Brahma Heaven God Emperor chuckled faintly. "Though he originates from the lower realms, he now belongs to the Snow Song Realm of my Eastern Divine Region. It wouldn't be appropriate for you to take him away, would it?"

"Hahaha, how can a mere Snow Song Realm compare to me? As long as I say the word, how could he refuse?" Shitian God Emperor laughed heartily.

"Hmph!" The Brahma Heaven God Emperor's expression darkened. "Since he has entered a star realm of my Eastern Divine Region, he is already a person of the Eastern Divine Region. If you wish to take him, even if I were to agree, I fear the Eastern Divine Region would not."

"Heh." Shitian God Emperor gave a strange chuckle and fell silent, but his eyes slowly narrowed.

The Dragon Monarch's gaze shifted slightly, and for some reason, he smiled faintly.

In the distant sky, a venerable old man's calm voice drifted down.

"For someone in the late Divine Tribulation Realm to directly defeat someone in the late Divine Spirit Realm—this old man has lived in vain for 120,000 years, only to witness such an otherworldly marvel today."

The old man's voice was dry and flat, yet anyone who knew of his existence understood the immense weight of his evaluation. And his remark about "living in vain for 120,000 years" would be taken as a joke by anyone who heard it.

"Then can you discern how he accomplished such a feat?" Qianye Ying'er asked, her reaction far calmer than the old man's.

"I do not know. But it seems Miss has long had a plan."

"Keep watching," Qianye Ying'er said, her golden hair fluttering and her voice like drifting floss. "My interest in him now is no less than in the Heaven Punishing Ancient God Record!"

The old man fell silent. After a long pause, he murmured, "His sword... its aura seems strange?"

"His sword?" Qianye Ying'er's golden brows furrowed slightly. "On the Conferred God Stage, there are countless divine weapons and heavenly blades. His sword's aura is almost at the bottom; what's so unusual about it?"

"I don't know, it just feels inexplicably strange," the old man said, his gaze fixed on Yun Che. "Although Wu Guike's Divine Martial Domain was hastily released while injured, it was shattered by Yun Che in just two breaths. This alone indicates that Yun Che is far superior to Wu Guike. His aura was only slightly disturbed after the battle, which means his true strength is even greater."

"Uncle Gu, in your opinion, what level can his limit reach?" Qianye Ying'er asked.

"Above Meng Duanxi, below Lu Lengchuan," the old man slowly replied. "Perhaps he's already close to Lu Lengchuan."

The old man's few words precisely pinpointed Yun Che's limit.

"Close to Lu Lengchuan?" Qianye Ying'er's gaze narrowed slightly, clearly finding it hard to believe.

"If he can compensate for his weapon's disadvantage and has other extraordinary moves, he might be able to fight Lu Lengchuan. But to win... that is absolutely impossible. If he encounters other opponents in the loser's bracket, he can win them all. If he faces Lu Lengchuan, he will only be able to go so far in the Profound God Convention."

Uncle Gu's words were hoarse and ethereal, like a judgment from the Heavenly Dao itself.

Wu Guike, severely injured and unconscious, was hastily taken away by the Divine Martial Realm. The two elders who carried him, instead of looking at Yun Che with anger or coldness, clearly showed an unconcealable astonishment.

"Meiyin, you were indeed right," Shui Yingyue said slowly. "After this battle, he has become the greatest focus of this Profound God Convention."

"Not really," Shui Meiyin replied, her eyes sparkling like stars. "Even I didn't expect him to be so formidable."

Amidst everyone's dazed or astonished gazes, Yun Che left the Conferred God Stage, but instead of returning to the Snow Song Realm seating area, he flew away through the air.

"Palace Master Bingyun, I'm going to check on Huo Poyun. Please help me retrieve the Temporal Wheel Orb."

He had no interest in watching the remaining three matches in the loser's bracket; there was essentially no need to.

After leaving the Conferred God Stage, Yun Che increased his speed, heading directly for the Flame God Realm's residence.

Because Huo Poyun had shone brilliantly at the Profound God Convention, the atmosphere in the Flame God Realm's courtyard had always been exceptionally lively. But today, as Yun Che approached, he felt a stifling silence.

Although Huo Poyun looked pale, his injuries had healed, indicating that Huo Rulie had previously treated him within the Temporal Wheel Orb. However, far more severe than his physical wounds was his mental state. He sat leaning against a thick tree in a corner of the courtyard, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost his soul.

Around him, Huo Rulie and a group of Golden Crow Sect elders and disciples all wore looks of deep worry.

Seeing Yun Che, Huo Rulie's eyes lit up. He quickly rushed over, grabbed Yun Che's arm, and whispered, "Young Yun, you've come at just the right time. Perhaps you can comfort him better... Sigh."

Yun Che nodded and walked to Huo Poyun's side.

Sensing Yun Che's presence, Huo Poyun looked up and forced a difficult smile. "Brother Yun... I'm sorry you had to see me like this. Don't worry, I'm fine."

As Yun Che drew closer, he distinctly felt a thick layer of gloom enveloping Huo Poyun.

It was as if a heavy, dark mist had firmly settled over his spirit, refusing to dissipate.

Yun Che squatted down. After a long moment, he slowly said, "Brother Poyun, do you remember what I told you this morning? Jun Xilei would vent her resentment towards me onto you because of our friendship. That sword strike of hers was absolutely not a casual swing; she deliberately used a very high-level sword intent... It's highly likely she unleashed her utmost power from the start, and that was precisely the result she aimed for."

"Does it make any difference if that's true?" Huo Poyun gave a bitter laugh. "She only used one sword... one sword..."

"I knew I would lose. So, I prepared to hold nothing back; I wanted to fully display the true power of Golden Crow Flames to the Eastern Divine Region... I thought I could at least hold out for twenty exchanges, or even ten if it went really badly..."

"But... but..." Huo Poyun clenched his hands, his knuckles turning white, unable to continue speaking.

Huo Poyun was by no means unable to accept defeat; he had even fully prepared for it. However, Jun Xilei's single sword strike utterly defeated him. That one sword not only shattered his flames and severely wounded his body, but also completely crushed his belief and pride.

"...Brother Poyun," Yun Che frowned slightly. "Are you starting to question... whether the Golden Crow Flames you once took such pride in are not as powerful as you always believed?"

Not far away, Huo Rulie abruptly turned, his gaze wavering at Yun Che's words.

Yun Che's words struck Huo Poyun's soul heavily. He lowered his head and took a deep breath. "I was born in the Flame God Realm, with fire talent far surpassing theirs. My life has been accompanied by countless praises; I was fortunate enough to be accepted as a direct disciple by my master... I even received a blessing from the Golden Crow Divine Spirit, which bestowed upon me... the most extreme Golden Crow bloodline."

Yun Che: "..."

"I took immense pride in all of this. From childhood, I always believed that Golden Crow Flames were the most powerful force in this world. After receiving the blessing of the Golden Crow Divine Spirit, my conviction grew even stronger... My master also told me that I possessed the purest and most extreme Golden Crow flame power in the history of the Flame God Realm."

"But before Jun Xilei, I was so utterly vulnerable, unable to even block a single one of her sword strikes."

The profound pride in his power and bloodline had long been as firm as a belief in Huo Poyun's life. What struck Huo Poyun so heavily was not the defeat itself, but the collapse of his conviction.

"Jun Xilei is not an ordinary person," Yun Che said softly. "After all, her profound strength surpasses yours by three minor realms. Profound strength suppression usually isn't something powerful profound arts can compensate for. Moreover, you rarely leave the Flame God Realm; you've likely never fought a true master of the sword, and that's the most crucial reason."

Huo Poyun shook his head and forced another smile. "Brother Yun, you don't need to comfort me. I know I've fallen into a slump, it's pathetic. Don't worry, I just can't convince myself right now... Give me time, I'll recover."

"I've actually never worried," Yun Che smiled. "Brother Poyun, you really don't need to blame yourself for your current state, nor should you feel ashamed. We aren't those old men who have lived for thousands or tens of thousands of years, having seen through countless changes. We've only been in this world for twenty or thirty years at most. We haven't even had time to fully understand the world, so how could we not have moments of confusion?"

Huo Poyun gently looked up. "Brother Yun, have you ever... felt this way too?"

"Of course," Yun Che nodded, his gaze deepening. "And not just once. The last time was just a few years ago."

"At that time, I was still in the lower realms. I encountered someone I could not possibly defeat, no matter what. And he wasn't an opponent like Jun Xilei; he was a mortal enemy. If I couldn't defeat him, not only I, but my wife, my family, and everyone close to me would fall into the most terrible calamity."

Yun Che was, of course, referring to Xuanyuan Wentian.

"During that period, I fell into a profound gloom. Every day, I was dazed and muddled, every thought filled with darkness and despair, far worse than your current state. However, in less than half a month, I successfully emerged from it," Yun Che said with a relaxed smile. "If I could do it, Brother Poyun can certainly do it too."

"Moreover, for us, this isn't a bad thing at all. Because every time we overcome a shadow, it's a moment of growth, even rebirth. If we hadn't experienced this kind of confusion at our age, I would actually feel it's a deficiency in life."

"So, Brother Poyun, you truly don't need to worry about your current state, nor do you need to rush to force yourself out of it. Just listen to and follow your heart."

Huo Poyun's eyes trembled. Silently, the knot of gloom between his brows subtly began to loosen.

"Brother Yun, thank you," he said, smiling. This time, it wasn't a forced smile; beneath it, a hint of tears appeared. "Being able to know you in this life is truly... wonderful."

"The same for me," Yun Che smiled back. "But there's no need for thanks; we're friends, after all."

"Yes, friends," Huo Poyun nodded emphatically.

Huo Rulie watched the two steadily. Although Huo Poyun's gloom hadn't fully dissipated, his mental state showed a noticeable improvement. The heavy stone in Huo Rulie's heart also lifted considerably, and he once again felt endless gratitude towards Yun Che.