Chapter 1216: Sword Master Must Not Be Humiliated

“Broken… it’s broken!?”

“The Heartless Sword Domain was completely shattered! And Yun Che wasn’t even scratched?”

“It must be because Jun Xilei was severely injured, right?”

Ten miles away, Jun Xilei crashed heavily to the ground, staggering back over ten steps before the flames on her body finally extinguished. Before she could steady herself, the Heaven Punishing Sword thundered down from the sky.

CLANG!!

Mist Light and the Heaven Punishing Sword collided head-on for the first time. As the two immense forces erupted, Yun Che was blasted far away, while Jun Xilei staggered back several steps, a stream of blood gushing from her mouth. Her face grew even paler, but before she could catch her breath for even a moment, the Golden Crow Illusion God suddenly descended from above, and the sky-filled Golden Crow flames mercilessly rained down.

Yun Che was the sole target of this terrifying sword formation. But unfortunately, the aura of the sword formation she forcibly activated in her current state offered him no threat at all. He simply sneered, and with a burst of fiery light from the Heaven Punishing Sword, unleashed a sweeping “Golden Annihilation.”

BANG!!

The sword formation was torn apart by the flaming sword before it could even fully form. Under the backlash, Jun Xilei’s entire body convulsed violently, her nascent profound energy and sword momentum wildly scattering. Yun Che shifted his sword, and a devastating force from the Heaven Punishing Sword mercilessly struck Jun Xilei.

BOOM!!

With a pained groan, Jun Xilei plummeted headfirst from the sky, crashing to the ground. The Mist Light sword flew from her grasp, arcing across the space in a pale streak before landing far, far away.

The soft "ding" as it landed seemed to echo in everyone’s souls.

Jun Xilei’s sword… had been knocked from her hand.

For the Sword Monarch lineage, the sword was as important as life itself—no, even more important than life. As Sword Monarchs, they dedicated their lives to their swords, considering them their very existence, their dignity, their faith.

To have one’s sword knocked away was the ultimate defeat and humiliation for a Sword Monarch. Even when Jun Xilei fought against Luo Changsheng, battered and exhausted, the Mist Light sword had never left her grasp.

Yun Che had only been in the God Realm for a short time and was unaware of this fact. However, the silent, eerie atmosphere among the spectators and the instant loss of color in Jun Xilei’s eyes when the Mist Light sword fell made him vaguely understand something.

Nevertheless, he certainly didn't take it to heart. He coldly turned, stating indifferently, “Surrender and concede. Or, you can knock yourself out; that might make your defeat look a bit better.”

“Oh, and by the way, there’s a phrase my master personally taught you last time, but you clearly haven’t learned it. I don’t mind teaching you again.”

“Those who humiliate others will be perpetually humiliated!”

Jun Xilei: “…”

Yun Che, with his back to her, delivered a chilling warning, “Don’t imagine you’ve suffered some great injustice. Whether it was in the Snow Song Realm or now, everything is your own fault! In the future, you had best not provoke me again, otherwise… even if you are a woman, I will show no mercy. I will make you look even worse than you do today!”

With that, Yun Che walked away without looking back.

Pfft…

Behind him, came the sound of blood being spat. But this time, it was not due to Jun Xilei’s injuries acting up, but rather a reversal of blood flow caused by extreme anger attacking her heart.

Jun Xilei’s face alternated between deathly pale and crimson, her entire body trembling uncontrollably, blood beads trickling from her lips, her jade teeth clenched so tightly they threatened to shatter. Humiliation, rage, resentment, killing intent… like the most terrifying nightmare in the world, they surged through every corner of her body and soul.

She was the Sword Monarch’s successor, a position of such glory and nobility that even Star Realm King Gods would bow before her, never daring to show the slightest disrespect. Her talent and strength fully matched this status, placing her among the “Four God Children” known throughout the Eastern Divine Region. Among the younger generation outside the Eastern Divine Region’s King Realms, only Luo Changsheng could defeat her.

She firmly believed that she could one day replace her master and become the Sword Monarch of the Eastern Divine Region, and no one in the world doubted this. In this Conferred God Battle, she had truly showcased her strength, astonishing the entire Eastern Divine Region.

But in this battle, all her dignity was utterly shattered by Yun Che in front of everyone. Her body was not covered in blood, but in an indelible humiliation.

In the Snow Song Realm, it was he who made her endure the greatest humiliation of her life.

She could lose.

But how could she lose to him… how could she lose so miserably!

“Sigh,” Shui Qianheng said with a look of regret, “Yun Che’s strength has skyrocketed, reaching Jun Xilei’s level. This battle should have been spectacular, perhaps even surpassing Yun Che’s fight with Lu Lengchuan. Who would have thought… what a pity, what a pity.”

Shui Yingyue frowned, “Jun Xilei is an extremely arrogant person who values her dignity immensely. Yet in this battle, she was utterly defeated without even showcasing ten percent of her strength; she has completely lost face… Moreover, Yun Che seemed to be deliberately humiliating her. There must be some enmity between them.”

Shui Qianheng mused for a moment, then said, “This Sword Monarch successor is still too young after all. Yingyue, your next opponent is this boy Yun Che… it might be a tough fight.”

Shui Yingyue nodded slightly, “Father King, don’t worry. Jun Xilei is a cautionary tale. In three days, when I face Yun Che, I will not be negligent or hold anything back!”

“Mm.” Shui Qianheng nodded, then his brow suddenly furrowed as he looked towards Jun Xilei, murmuring, “What is she doing?”

“Yun… Che… Stop!!”

Behind Yun Che, Jun Xilei’s blood-tinged, trembling voice could be heard, each word piercing with resentment.

Yun Che stopped, slowly turned his body, and met Jun Xilei’s gaze. The hatred within her eyes was as intense as an endless abyss, threatening to swallow him whole. Perhaps all the resentment she had ever accumulated in her life could not compare to that single moment. But to Yun Che, he had seen similar eyes far too many times; he remained completely unmoved, stating indifferently, “What, do you want to continue fighting me? Aren’t you afraid of looking even worse later? If you want revenge, then surrender obediently, go heal your injuries, and I’ll be ready whenever you are!”

“…” Jun Xilei’s chest rose and fell violently, her eyes exhibiting a terrifying darkness. She slowly straightened her upper body, then, little by little, struggled to stand.

“How… could… I… lose… to… you…”

“Heh!” Yun Che sneered, just about to mock her, when he suddenly frowned.

In his vision, Jun Xilei’s eyes were like a deep abyss. Her arm slowly rose, reaching behind her… reaching for the ancient sword that she always carried on her back, no matter the time or place, even during the Conferred God Battle. Her blood-stained hand grasped the bronze hilt.

Her action startled everyone. The powerful individuals from the Star Realms who knew what that ancient sword was, all subtly changed their expressions.

On the edge of the spectator stands, Jun Wuming, who had remained quite calm even through Jun Xilei’s crushing defeat, now drastically changed his expression. He roared out a shout like thunder, “Leier, stop!!”

Jun Wuming’s desperate roar was terrifying, causing many strong cultivators to nearly vomit blood from the shockwave. Jun Xilei’s entire body trembled violently, but her hand remained on the sword hilt, refusing to let go.

Yun Che’s face progressively darkened, a powerful sense of unease assailing his soul.

“Leier! Do you not want to live?!” Jun Wuming’s figure flashed, reaching the edge of the Conferred God Stage, his expression utterly severe. “You must not use the Nameless Sword… this is my master’s command!”

Countless profound practitioners in the Eastern Divine Region were collectively astonished, barely believing that the venerable Sword Monarch would react so intensely. And Exalted Quhui had already instinctively positioned himself in front of Jun Wuming, fearing he might suddenly intervene—even if he was the Sword Monarch.

“…” Jun Xilei’s chest heaved more and more violently, but her eyes remained like an abyss. She stared at Yun Che, blood beads dripping from her lips, articulating each word:

“Master’s… command… cannot… be… defied…”

“But a Sword Monarch… must… not… be… humiliated!!”

CLANG!!

Jun Xilei’s arm swept down, and with a heavy clang, “Nameless” was unsheathed.

An unparalleled sword might silently descended upon the world.

Under this sword might, Yun Che was swept back as if by a hurricane. With a muffled grunt, he retreated dozens of steps, his internal organs feeling as if crushed by a colossal weight, his heart filled with endless shock.

It was merely the instantaneous sword might upon its unsheathing!

In Yun Che’s ears, from every direction, came confused clanging sounds.

In the spectator stands, countless swords trembled and hummed. And the swords carried by profound practitioners who had reached this place were by no means ordinary, yet the moment “Nameless” was unsheathed, they hummed in awe and submission, like commoners suddenly beholding an emperor.