Chapter 1259: Dragon Emperor's Warning

The Profound God Convention had concluded, but the shockwaves it created lingered, far surpassing those of any previous convention in history.

Especially Yun Che, who took first place in the Conferred God Battle. His name echoed throughout every corner of the Eastern Divine Region and quickly spread to the Southern and Western Divine Regions.

He defeated a Divine Spirit while still in the Divine Tribulation Realm, and a Divine Spirit defeated a Divine King. He possessed three divine powers—Ice Phoenix, Phoenix, and Golden Crow—and could even fuse two divine flames to produce the crimson fire that defied all understanding. He had an exceptionally high-level Dragon Soul and could unleash the "Phantom God Art," which astonished even Divine Masters. During his breakthrough to the Divine Tribulation Realm, dark clouds enveloped the sky, summoning a terrifying nine-stage lightning tribulation. He emerged unscathed from the nine-stage lightning tribulation and even manipulated its divine lightning to severely wound the Lone Empress Fairy.

Any one of these feats would have been astonishing. Yet, none of them were mere rumors; countless people had witnessed them firsthand on the Conferred God Stage and through the Star Tablet!

Meanwhile, Luo Changsheng, once the foremost of the Eastern Region's Four God Children and widely expected to win the Conferred God Battle, briefly shone brightly after becoming the youngest Divine Master. However, he then tragically became a stepping stone for Yun Che's rise to fame across the myriad worlds, and his long-standing reputation utterly crumbled.

Compared to Luo Changsheng's former "mythical" status, Yun Che didn't merely replace him; he became a genuine legend in the eyes of the world. His impact wasn't limited to the younger generation of profound practitioners; he repeatedly astonished even veteran profound experts and Realm Kings.

Especially the "True God" prophecy from the Heavenly Mystery Realm caused even the Royal Realms to lose their composure. The Eternal Heaven Divine Emperor was eager to take him as a direct disciple, the Brahma Heaven Divine Emperor wished to marry his Divine Daughter to him, and the Shitian Divine Emperor wanted to bring him back to the Southern Divine Region. Even more astonishing, the Dragon Monarch, the supreme being of the Primal Chaos, publicly intended to adopt him.

Without a doubt, for a long time to come, "Yun Che" would be the most frequently mentioned name in the Eastern Divine Region, and indeed the entire God Realm. He was truly a figure deserving of the word "myth."

The Profound God Convention had ended, but the various star realms had not yet departed. In half a month, it would be the Moon God Emperor's wedding ceremony. The perimeters of the four Royal Realms were connected by spatial profound formations, allowing direct passage from the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm to the Moon God Realm after a half-month wait.

The Snow Song Realm was already abuzz with excitement. An unprecedented fervent atmosphere seemed to warm even the perpetually falling snow. For the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect in particular, most members still felt as if they were dreaming, unable to fully believe that all of this was real.

Ironically, Yun Che was the calmest person in the entire Ice Phoenix Divine Sect.

Yet, his outward calm didn't reflect inner tranquility. He had never dreamed that his nine-stage lightning tribulation would cause such a world-shaking phenomenon. He had defeated Luo Changsheng after the tribulation and achieved his goal of ranking first in the Conferred God Battle, but in doing so, he had profoundly shaken the entire God Realm.

The Royal Realms' almost undignified attempts to win him over, which would have been a divine blessing beyond the wildest dreams of others, were for him an immense burden.

Yun Che sat alone by a pool, quietly lost in thought. No one dared to disturb him. Not only did the accompanying Snow Song disciples maintain a respectful distance, but even the Ice Phoenix Palace Mistress and the elders immediately suppressed their breathing and auras when near him, fearing they might cause him the slightest disturbance.

Previously, Yun Che was merely the Sect Master's direct disciple, respected by all other disciples and held in significant regard by the elders and palace masters. But now... with just a nod, he could become the Eternal Heaven Divine Emperor's direct disciple, the Brahma Heaven Divine Emperor's son-in-law, or the Dragon Monarch's adopted son. Any one of these identities would elevate him far above the entire Snow Song Realm.

However, there was one exception.

"What are you thinking about?" Mu Bingyun's snow-like figure drifted silently toward him. "You're about to see her; shouldn't you be happy?"

Yun Che's gaze shifted; he snapped out of his thoughts and sighed. "Of course I'd be happy to see her. It's just that I didn't expect such a serious situation to arise. From now on, until I find a way to leave, I'm destined to remain in the God Realm, unable to return. And if one day I do find a way to go back, then I'll be destined never to return here."

Mu Bingyun looked at him deeply and said softly, "Yun Che, you truly are a very special person. To become the Eternal Heaven Divine Emperor's direct disciple, the Brahma Heaven Divine Emperor's son-in-law, or the Dragon Monarch's adopted son—any one of these identities would be enough for even a resolute profound practitioner to pay any price, perhaps even abandoning their ancestors, wives, concubines, parents, and children with almost no hesitation."

"And you, you show no hesitation, but it's in refusing without hesitation. What you're thinking about now is how to return to your original world without anyone noticing. Your actions and thoughts might be completely incomprehensible to others." Mu Bingyun sighed softly.

Yun Che stared ahead, slightly dazed. "In these years at the sect, I've been cultivating every day. To others in the sect, my hard work must seem like a great pursuit and ambition in the profound way... like Brother Poyun. Actually... perhaps even Palace Mistress Bingyun wouldn't believe it, but when I first started cultivating the profound way, I never had any ambition. I merely wanted to protect the people I cared about, to prevent them from being bullied. That's why I was compelled, almost unknowingly, to surpass one person after another."

"When I came to the God Realm, I never thought of making a name for myself in this higher plane. I simply wanted to see her. I never imagined things would turn out this way."

"..." Mu Bingyun looked at him, muttering softly to herself, "No wonder you have so many confidantes... even my sister..."

"Huh?" Yun Che looked up. "What did you say, Palace Mistress Bingyun?"

Mu Bingyun instinctively averted her gaze. "Just talking to myself. I'm not too surprised that you refused the Eternal Heaven Divine Emperor and the Brahma Heaven Divine Emperor. But why did you refuse the Dragon Monarch? He personally, and publicly, stated that adopting you was merely to give you an identity, and he would never force you to do anything. That's precisely what you need most right now. Why did you refuse? Is it truly as you think, that you're afraid of letting your own father down?"

Yun Che shook his head. "In this world, no 'favor' is given for free, without expecting anything in return."

"But I can sense that the Dragon Monarch has no ulterior motives towards you," Mu Bingyun said.

"Just because he doesn't now doesn't mean he won't in the future," Yun Che said, his eyes flickering as he lowered his voice. "Dragons are inherently proud, far less greedy than humans. But... Master once taught me that greed is a fundamental nature imprinted in the very bones of all living beings. One must never drop their guard around those they don't fully understand... even if it's the Dragon Monarch."

Mu Bingyun fell silent.

"To outsiders, the Dragon Monarch wanting to adopt me must seem to be because of that so-called 'True God' prophecy, but that's not the real reason," Yun Che stated frankly. "The true reason is that the Dragon Soul within me is extremely special."

"Are you worried... that the Dragon Monarch might want to seize your Dragon Soul?" Mu Bingyun frowned slightly. "But a true dragon's soul can only be willingly bestowed, never forcibly seized."

"I know," Yun Che said, his gaze slightly narrowed. "Like Palace Mistress Bingyun, I can sense that the Dragon Monarch has no complex intentions towards me; he simply wants to protect me—because of the special Dragon Soul I possess. But while the Dragon Soul itself won't make him greedy... there's something else in me that he might very well want to seize."

"What?" Mu Bingyun asked, looking surprised.

The Dragon God's Marrow!

The Dragon God's Marrow not only made Yun Che's bones incredibly tough but also continuously generated Dragon God's blood, strengthening his Dragon God bloodline day by day.

The Dragon God's Soul cannot be seized, but the Dragon God's Marrow can!

If the True Dragon Clan of the Western Divine Region were to learn of the Ancient Dragon God's Marrow, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Yun Che did not elaborate, and Mu Bingyun did not press further. After a brief silence, Mu Bingyun suddenly asked, "Yun Che, have you already figured out how you'll 'go back'?"

Yun Che was momentarily startled, thought for a moment, and finally nodded. Then he whispered, "The Dragon Monarch is here."

"...!?" Mu Bingyun's crescent eyebrows furrowed. Just then, a vast, world-shaking pressure suddenly descended from the sky. In an instant, all of Mu Bingyun's spiritual senses vanished, as if she had been submerged by an endless ocean.

A tall figure silently appeared before Yun Che.

It was none other than the Dragon Monarch.

Mu Bingyun turned around in shock, and the members of the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect were collectively terrified. They stared blankly at the foremost being of the Primal Chaos who had just appeared before them; for a moment, it felt like a dream.

"Mu Bingyun of the Snow Song Realm greets Senior Dragon Monarch," Mu Bingyun said, quickly pulling Yun Che down into a bow. Her voice instantly roused everyone from their terror, and they all hastily bowed, though their minds remained in a daze.

What kind of person was the Dragon Monarch? He was the supreme ruler of myriad worlds, before whom even the four Divine Emperors of the Eastern Divine Region had to bow. The Snow Song Realm was truly as insignificant as dust before him. Yet now, he had personally descended upon the Snow Song Realm's temporary lodging. Without a doubt, it could only be because of Yun Che.

If not for Yun Che, with the Dragon Monarch's esteemed status, he might not even have remembered the name of the Snow Song Realm.

"You may withdraw."

These four words, spoken gently and calmly, were like a divine decree from heaven. They made everyone's hearts clench, and their bodies almost retreated instinctively before their wills could even react. Mu Bingyun glanced at Yun Che, not daring to offer any reminder, and drifted away.

The Dragon Monarch flipped his palm with a soft sound, and a soundproof barrier instantly enveloped him and Yun Che.

"Junior Yun Che greets Senior Dragon Monarch," Yun Che bowed again.

The Dragon Monarch lowered his gaze slightly and looked deeply at Yun Che. His dragon eyes, as profound as the dark night sky, asked, "Why did you refuse?"

As his voice faded, the Dragon Monarch suddenly frowned slightly.

He had suddenly realized that Yun Che, bowing before him, was breathing steadily.

The Dragon Monarch didn't need to deliberately release any aura; he merely needed to stand there, and all beings would bow before his irresistible dragon might.

The only exception was perhaps the Dragon Queen.

But now, there was another: Yun Che.

At the Divine Master level, even a slight release of pressure from someone like Mu Xuanyin would make his entire body tense and unable to breathe.

Among all beings, dragon might was supreme. At the same level, the pressure exerted by a dragon would absolutely, and far, surpass that of any other living being.

Yet, it was precisely dragon might that Yun Che feared the least.

Yun Che did not rise, but bowed his head and replied, "Senior Dragon Monarch is the supreme ruler of this era; this junior... truly dares not accept."

"Dare not?" the Dragon Monarch said. "Dare not accept, yet dare to refuse? I've forgotten when I was last defied like this."

Yun Che remained silent.

"You may rise. I am not here to force you."

Without any visible movement from the Dragon Monarch, a strange aura lifted Yun Che. Yun Che took the opportunity to rise, standing upright before the Dragon Monarch. Although he didn't fear dragon might, it didn't mean he wasn't nervous. Before him stood the most terrifying figure in the world, one who could erase him from existence with a mere breath.

"You should be very clear why I want to adopt you and why I've been so eager to seek you out," the Dragon Monarch said slowly. "Is the Dragon Soul you possess from the world of your origin?"

"Yes," Yun Che replied very briefly.

"Besides the Dragon Soul, you were also bestowed with a 'bloodline,' weren't you?" the Dragon Monarch said, seemingly asking, yet with an incredibly certain tone.

"Yes."

"You don't need to be nervous." The Dragon Monarch's tone softened further as he sighed, "The Ancient Dragon God... it actually left its inheritance in a world outside the God Realm. It seems that, for the Ancient Dragon God, that must have been an extremely important world."

Yun Che remained silent.

"Rest assured, I won't inquire about your world of origin," the Dragon Monarch said, as if seeing through Yun Che's worry, then deeply sighed with emotion. "My Dragon God Clan, due to inheriting the Dragon God bloodline, became the supreme rulers of myriad worlds, unrivaled, yet none of us were fortunate enough to inherit the Dragon God's Divine Soul. We thought the Dragon God's Divine Soul had perished with the Ancient Dragon God. Unexpectedly, a wisp of the Dragon God's Divine Soul still remains in the world. For my Dragon God Clan, this is perhaps the best news in countless years."

The Dragon Monarch's sentiments were heartfelt; there was little in this world that could move him so deeply. "I wish to adopt you, both to protect you and, more importantly, to protect this last wisp of the Dragon God's Divine Soul. I will not force you to enter the Dragon God Realm, nor will I compel you to do anything... Are you truly unwilling?"

"Senior Dragon Monarch's kindness, this junior will remember it in his heart," Yun Che said.

The Dragon Monarch frowned slightly and sighed softly. "So be it. Without sufficient will, how could one be bestowed the last Divine Soul by a Dragon God Spirit? Since you have chosen complete freedom, you must be prepared to bear all consequences yourself... After all, you are too young; it's the age of innocence."

"I'll repeat what I said earlier," the Dragon Monarch said gravely. "If one day you feel you don't belong here, then come to my Dragon God Realm. With the Dragon God bloodline and Divine Soul you possess, the Dragon God Realm will be the safest place for you in this world!"

"This junior will remember... In fact, the Dragon God Mark bestowed by Senior Dragon Monarch, and your stated intention to adopt this junior, are already a tremendous protection for me," Yun Che said.

"Then you underestimate the people of the Eastern Divine Region far too much!" the Dragon Monarch's voice grew slightly colder. "Yun Che, I ask you: based on what you've seen, heard, known, and felt during your years in the Eastern Divine Region and your time in the Eternal Heaven Realm, who do you think is the most dangerous person in the Eastern Divine Region, the one you should fear the most?"

Yun Che looked up, thought for a moment, and truthfully replied, "The Brahma Emperor Divine Daughter."

"Oh?" The Dragon Monarch showed clear surprise, then smiled faintly. "As expected of one who possesses the Ancient Dragon God's Divine Soul. You shouldn't have had any contact with Qianye Ying'er, yet you have such insight... Indeed, Qianye Ying'er is a very dangerous individual, even more so than her father. But she is one; there is another you must guard against, absolutely must guard against..."

"That is the Star God Emperor, Xing Juekong, who will soon take you to the Star God Realm!"