Chapter 1238: Heaven and Earth Apart

Yun Che landed on the Conferred God Stage, standing in close proximity to Luo Changsheng.

The spectator stands quieted, yet there was no tension in the air. Luo Changsheng showed no profound energy, but the invisible aura of a Divine King already declared everything. In the face of this aura, Yun Che's presence emanated an invisible humility that anyone could perceive.

Their last battle had been incredibly fierce, yet in just three days, a vast difference had emerged. Yun Che was still at the ninth level of the Divine Tribulation Realm, while Luo Changsheng had entered a completely different domain, no longer the same Luo Changsheng from three days prior.

Facing Yun Che, his expression remained as before, completely unperturbed, as if he hadn't even noticed Yun Che.

Yun Che took a deep breath.

"The rules require no further explanation," Revered Quhui declared with a wave of his arm. "Let the battle begin!"

The moment Revered Quhui's voice fell, Yun Che activated the "Heaven Smiting" realm. His profound energy erupted to its peak, and the Heaven Smiting Sword was already in his hand, exuding a heavy sword might.

Yet, Luo Changsheng remained completely still, releasing no profound energy. Only his expression finally changed, a faint smile curving his lips. "Yun Che, you truly haven't disappointed me. If you had lost your nerve and surrendered immediately, it would have been too uninteresting."

"Hmph," Yun Che narrowed his eyes. "Luo Changsheng, while your cultivation has advanced, so has your nonsense."

In their previous battle, under Revered Quhui's call, they had instantly engaged in a fierce exchange with no verbal communication.

"Heh," Luo Changsheng chuckled faintly. "That's because last time, I considered you an opponent. But as of today, you are no longer worthy."

"Oh, look at this kid, how arrogant he's become," Divine Emperor Shitian remarked with a sidelong glance.

"A person's nature doesn't suddenly change in a short time," Divine Emperor Brahma said. "Since he has already released the power he's been suppressing, why would he continue to suppress his true nature? Especially in front of Yun Che, who made him experience defeat and embarrassment for the first time."

"However, a Divine King at thirty, even if he's arrogant to the sky, has enough qualifications," Divine Emperor Star God stated.

Luo Changsheng's words, filled with arrogance and disdain, surprised all the profound practitioners in the spectator stands. Previously, in every battle of the Conferred God Battle, Luo Changsheng had never dealt heavy blows even against the weakest opponents, nor would he scorn or mock them. He would even try to ensure his opponents did not lose too embarrassingly.

Even in the last battle against Yun Che, although he adopted a condescending posture at first, there was no contempt or arrogance in his demeanor.

Today's Luo Changsheng had not only reached an astonishing new realm of power, but even his speech and demeanor seemed to have undergone a transformation.

Saint Universe Realm King Luo Shangchen frowned.

"Heh," Yun Che sneered. "It seems your face wasn't beaten swollen enough in the last battle!"

With that sneer, Yun Che's figure shot forth, transforming into a swift stream of light. He cleaved straight down at Luo Changsheng with his sword.

Luo Changsheng's entire aura, posture, and gaze had changed. Though it was still Luo Changsheng before him, Yun Che felt as if he were facing a completely different person.

The Luo Changsheng before him didn't move an inch of profound energy, yet he exuded an unfathomably terrifying sensation. This feeling choked him, but his mind remained clear. Luo Changsheng's arrogant disdain didn't anger him; instead, it revealed Luo Changsheng's flaw!

The moment the Heaven Smiting Sword was unleashed, golden flames erupted, their light soaring to the sky. Everyone had witnessed the terrifying might of this sword three days ago, causing many profound practitioners to feel a jolt in their hearts. But the next moment, their eyes widened, their faces filled with astonishment.

Because, facing the sword and flame might that suddenly slammed towards him, Luo Changsheng made an inexplicable move. He stood his ground, his right hand casually clasped behind his back, while his left hand slowly extended, meeting the directly incoming might of the Heaven Smiting Sword.

"Ah!? Luo Changsheng, what—what is he doing? Could it be that he's going to..."

"That's Yun Che's sword might, and Golden Crow Flame! Even if he's a Divine King, it's simply impossible for him to..."

The Heaven Smiting Sword collided with Luo Changsheng's palm in mid-air. The sound produced was not the massive roar of bursting sword might, but an exceptionally dull rumble. This rumble echoed above the Conferred God Stage and resonated deep within everyone's souls.

Yun Che's body froze, his movements halted, and his pupils violently contracted.

Luo Changsheng's body remained motionless. Only his extended left hand was slightly pushed back under pressure, and within his slightly open left hand, the heavy vermilion blade of the Heaven Smiting Sword was held firmly.

A sudden dead silence fell over the spectator stands. Countless pairs of eyes stared wide, utterly disbelieving the scene before them.

Yun Che's terrifying sword might, powerful enough to crack the Conferred God Stage, was actually received by Luo Changsheng with a bare hand—a single bare hand!

Moreover, he didn't even take half a step back!

Gazing at Yun Che's suddenly constricted pupils, Luo Changsheng's lips curved slightly. His five fingers slowly closed, gripping the blade. With his gentle movement, the Heaven Smiting Sword's might dissipated rapidly like flowing water, and the Golden Crow flames were extinguished layer by layer, burning weaker and weaker.

"Aaaah..." Huo Poyun leaned forward, his face pale with shock. Beside him, Huo Rulie had only a solemn expression, showing no surprise. As a mighty Divine Sovereign, how could he not understand the concept of a "Divine King," or the vast difference between the Divine King Realm and the Divine Spirit Realm?

Luo Changsheng's pressed-down arm slowly rose, his movements unhurried and seemingly casual. But Yun Che felt an immense, heaven-supporting force pressing down on his sword. No matter how he concentrated his strength, he couldn't create the slightest resistance; he was forced to retreat, and the Golden Crow flames on his sword completely extinguished at that moment.

"Decent power," Luo Changsheng said, half-closing his eyes as he looked at Yun Che. His gaze seemed to hold a hint of pity. "It actually made my hand feel a tiny bit of pain. That's commendable."

The tone was one of praise, yet it carried undisguised disdain and mockery. Luo Changsheng's lips tilted slightly, and his palm, holding the Heaven Smiting Sword, gently pressed forward.

An invisible, immense force transferred from the Heaven Smiting Sword. Yun Che's entire body trembled violently, and he frantically staggered backward, forced back dozens of steps before he could barely stop. His blood and energy churned violently throughout his body, and a deep dread surged within his heart.

The Heaven Smiting Sword had actually been received with a single hand...

Although Yun Che had never fought a Divine King before, he clearly understood what it meant to cross the bottleneck of a major realm. Thus, he absolutely dared not underestimate Luo Changsheng's power at this moment.

With that previous sword strike, although it was a probe, he had almost used his full strength. He was confident that with his sword might, even a Divine King wouldn't be able to handle it so easily...

He truly never dreamed that Luo Changsheng would receive it with a single bare hand, and moreover, with effortless grace, as if brushing away dust.

Yun Che's chest heaved violently, his breathing ragged. How could this be? Even if he had crossed a major realm, he had only just entered the Divine King Realm. How could there be such an immense gap between the Divine King Realm and the Divine Spirit Realm?!

Yun Che was horrified, and all the young profound practitioners were utterly dumbfounded. All the disciples of the Snow Song Flame God were utterly petrified, and Huo Poyun's gaze was blank, unable to comprehend.

Three days ago, they had fought until the sky was dark and the earth dim, almost battling to their last shred of strength, their last drop of blood. Yet, in just three days, the gap created by Luo Changsheng's single step of advancement had dramatically increased to this extent?!

Luo Changsheng did not launch an attack, remaining rooted in place. His right hand was still clasped behind his back, his face held a lazy smile, and his left hand gently lifted. "Come, continue. Let me see how much you can struggle. Please, don't disappoint me too much."

His demeanor was like that of a supreme deity, benevolently issuing a divine decree to a humble mortal.

Yun Che's breathing gradually stabilized. Golden flames reignited on the Heaven Smiting Sword, burning even more intensely than before. He leapt up, all his power condensed into his sword, and struck down upon Luo Changsheng's head.

He couldn't believe what had just happened. He couldn't believe that Luo Changsheng, who had only just broken through to the Divine King Realm, would be powerful enough to catch his Heaven Smiting Sword with bare hands.

Facing Yun Che's sword, whose might was clearly far greater than before, Luo Changsheng remained motionless, simply reaching out to grasp it.

The impact sound was still incredibly dull. The Heaven Smiting Sword was directly caught in Luo Changsheng's hand. Its formidable sword might, at that instant, seemed to be suddenly trapped in an inescapable cage; before it could erupt, it rapidly vanished, and the Golden Crow flames also extinguished layer by layer.

This time, Yun Che's shock reached an unprecedented level. He frantically retreated, then suddenly erupted again. The Heaven Smiting Sword swept out, stirring up overwhelming pressure with another horizontal strike.

*Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump...*

Each of Yun Che's sword strikes was more vicious and more violent than the last. The flickering flames ignited an increasingly large fiery domain around them. Yet, no matter how continuously the sword might slammed or how fiercely the golden flames burned, Luo Changsheng's body remained fixed in place, not shifting even half a step. Every one of Yun Che's sword strikes was met by his bare left hand; not a single trace of sword might or golden flame touched his body; only his long hair danced freely.

And his right hand remained clasped behind his back, not once retracting, not even for an instant.

All the disciples of the Snow Song Flame God were utterly petrified, completely frozen in place. For a long time, no one could utter a single word.

"This is the might of a Divine King," Huo Rulie sighed softly once more. "Yun'er, this is why, even though you are already in the late stage of the Divine Spirit Realm, I, your master, never hoped you could become a Divine King before you turned a hundred. Even if your talent allowed you to stay at the peak of the Divine Spirit Realm for a hundred years, I wouldn't be surprised. Because to become a Divine King, it is truly too difficult, too difficult."

"And once one can step into this domain, it's a transformation from 'mortal' to 'king'."

"Now, Yun Che himself has seen the enormous gap between him and Luo Changsheng; he should give up hope," Yan Juehai said slowly. "A not-so-large power gap can be overcome with strategy or certain extraordinary moves to seize victory, but this absolute gap cannot be bridged by any means."

*Bang!!*

Another sword strike was casually deflected by Luo Changsheng's single hand. Yun Che was sent flying far back, but he forcibly twisted his body in mid-air and slammed down with another sword. However, just as the Heaven Smiting Sword was about to strike, Yun Che's figure suddenly shattered and vanished, reappearing like a ghost behind Luo Changsheng.

"Annihilating Sky, Extinguishing Earth!"

The sword might violently surged in an instant, slamming towards Luo Changsheng's back with destructive power.

The sword might exploded, accompanied by an earth-shattering roar. However, this sword strike failed to land on Luo Changsheng's body. Instead, it struck a layer of faint yellow barrier, which slightly indented but completely blocked the Heaven Smiting Sword's might, not harming Luo Changsheng in the slightest.

At that instant, Yun Che's heart and soul seemed to plunge into an abyss.

Luo Changsheng slowly turned his head halfway, speaking unhurriedly. "There's something I should probably remind you of. As early as two years ago, I could have completed my breakthrough and become a Divine King."

"But my master feared I would be too dazzling and invite jealousy, so he placed a restriction on me, forcibly suppressing my profound energy at the peak of the Divine Spirit Realm. That's why you were able to luckily defeat me three days ago." Luo Changsheng's eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint of hatred flashing within them. "In other words, the only reason you could defeat me was because I couldn't use my full power then. From the very beginning, you were never worthy of being my opponent!"

As the last word fell, the yellow barrier suddenly exploded, and a terrifying, immense force swept over Yun Che's body.

Yun Che was struck as if by a heavy hammer, instantly sent flying sideways. When he landed, a sudden paleness appeared on his face. He forcibly suppressed the surging rebellious blood, but a streak of crimson blood still quickly seeped from the corner of his mouth.