Chapter 1449: Zhoutian Conference

The Dragon Monarch’s suppressive power was truly awe-inspiring, capable of shaking heaven and earth. Not only all living beings in the world, but even other God Emperors could in no way compare to him.

Yun Che and Shui Meiyin had very little direct contact with the Dragon Monarch. Yet, the supreme pressure, clearly belonging to a Sovereign of the Primal Chaos, made the name "Dragon Monarch" flash in their minds the instant they felt it.

As the Dragon Monarch stood before them, all elements in the space momentarily fell silent. Yun Che and Shui Meiyin promptly halted, composing themselves.

"Junior Yun Che, a disciple from the Snow Song Realm of the Eastern Divine Region, greets the Dragon Monarch," Yun Che stated respectfully, bowing swiftly.

Shui Meiyin, releasing her arm that had just been wrapped around Yun Che, gracefully bowed with him. "Shui Meiyin of the Glazed Light Realm, Eastern Divine Region, greets Senior Dragon Monarch."

The Dragon Monarch slowly turned, his indifferent yet authoritative gaze sweeping over Shui Meiyin before settling on Yun Che. He nodded slowly. "I heard you are still alive. Very good, very good."

Yun Che's brow twitched slightly. He quickly responded, "Thank you, Senior Dragon Monarch, for your concern. Although my life has been fraught with difficulties, I am ultimately unharmed. This junior would never forget the kindness of the Dragon God Realm in taking me in back then."

The Dragon Monarch offered no reply.

Just then, Shui Meiyin suddenly extended her hand and gripped Yun Che's wrist, her slender, pale fingers slowly tightening, becoming very, very firm.

Shui Meiyin's action surprised Yun Che. He glanced sideways and saw her head bowed, her lips seemingly pressed tightly together. The grip on his wrist was excessively tight, to the point of causing him pain.

All of this indicated that she was intensely nervous.

While surprised, Yun Che also found it somewhat amusing. Although he and Shui Meiyin hadn't spent much time together, he remembered her as a spoiled and fearless little princess from the Glazed Light Realm, who dared to cheerfully call the Heaven Smiting God Emperor "Grandpa Zhou Tian" to his face. Yet, facing the Dragon Monarch, she was this nervous.

Was she truly still just a child?

No, she wasn't a child at all!

He secretly chuckled, then flipped his wrist, holding her small hand in his palm and giving it a comforting squeeze.

This was the first time Yun Che had actively held Shui Meiyin's hand. Yet, her lips pressed even tighter, and her hand subtly trembled.

At that moment, two more immense pressures descended from above. While neither matched the Dragon Monarch's, they felt like two impossibly tall mountains abruptly pressing down, causing Yun Che's body to sink and his breath to catch.

As the foremost talent of the younger generation, Yun Che himself was already a Divine King, and he had encountered far more Divine Masters than any other Divine King. These two pressures, however, clearly surpassed ordinary Divine Master levels, suggesting they were...

God Emperors?!

And two of them?!

Yet, they weren't any of the four God Emperors from the Eastern Divine Region with whom he had interacted.

He looked up in astonishment. Two additional figures now stood beside the Dragon Monarch.

To the right was a woman in green, her age indiscernible. Her face was beautiful and coolly imposing, and her figure was remarkably tall and graceful, standing half a foot taller than Yun Che. Her green attire appeared exceptionally simple and elegant, yet as it swayed gently in the breeze, it gleamed with a shimmering, almost watery light.

Most strikingly, her long hair was also an aquamarine color, reflecting an unusually magnificent radiance under the bright light.

To the right was an old man dressed in black. Unlike other supreme experts Yun Che had encountered—even the nearly ageless Jun Wuming had a smooth, pale face—this old man’s face was deeply lined with ancient wrinkles, and his hair and beard were a somewhat "heavy" gray-white.

However, his eyes were terrifyingly bright. The moment their gazes met, his expression was remarkably gentle and calm, yet Yun Che suddenly felt as if a radiant light from beyond the heavens had shone deep into his soul.

Both stood half a step behind the Dragon Monarch, clearly holding him in high regard.

However, that was only in comparison to the Dragon Monarch! The aura emanating from both of them was undeniably that of a powerful God Emperor!

Could it be...

Yun Che took a hurried glance, then quickly averted his eyes, his heart trembling for a long time.

The two figures, however, scrutinized Yun Che and Shui Meiyin for a long time, their eyes revealing peculiar expressions.

"If this old man is not mistaken," the black-clad elder chuckled, "this young man is the one who drew the Nine-Layered Heavenly Tribulation and received the True God's prophecy from the Heaven Mystery Realm, correct? And this young woman, is she the fabled daughter of Glazed Light, said to have become a Level Seven Divine Master in three thousand years and possess an immaculate divine soul?"

"Precisely," the Dragon Monarch nodded slightly.

"This generation of the Eastern Divine Region truly has a wealth of exceptional talents," the woman in green remarked, glancing eastward. "Adding Luo Changsheng, who also cultivated to a Level Seven Divine Master in three thousand years—such prodigies, one appearing in an era is already a miracle, yet now they are appearing consecutively in the Eastern Divine Region. It seems the saying 'born in response to a calamity' is not entirely an unfounded rumor."

"Since you are here, let us first speak with Heaven Smiting," the Dragon Monarch said, turning around. With a single step, he was already several miles away.

The two figures took another deep look at Yun Che and Shui Meiyin before following the Dragon Monarch.

Yun Che stood up, seemingly forgetting to release Shui Meiyin's hand. He gazed in the direction the Dragon Monarch had departed, feeling that something wasn't quite right. Frowning, he whispered thoughtfully, "Those two..."

"They are the Qilin Emperor and the Azure Dragon Emperor, two of the Five Emperors under the One Emperor of the Western Divine Region," Shui Meiyin replied softly.

"The Qilin Emperor... the Azure Dragon Emperor!" Yun Che's brows jumped. So that's what it was!

They were indeed two God Emperor level figures!

Including the Dragon Monarch, three God Emperor level figures from the Western Divine Region had arrived at once!

Although the recent Crimson Disaster hadn't directly affected the Western Divine Region, it was clear they had sensed something significant. They hadn't taken it lightly; half of their God Emperors had arrived, and the Dragon Monarch himself had personally come.

The Azure Dragon Emperor...

Azure Dragon?!

Yun Che recalled that in ancient times, the Azure Dragon, Ice Phoenix, and Ice Qilin were the three great water-element supremes, holding status equal to the three fire-element supremes: Vermilion Bird, Phoenix, and Golden Crow.

The Snow Song Realm, which inherited the power of the Ice Phoenix, was merely a Mid-Rank Star Realm in the Eastern Divine Region. Yet, those who inherited the power of the Azure Dragon were a King Realm in the Western Divine Region!

What a vast difference.

As for the other, the Qilin Emperor—the Qilin clan, which was extinct in the Eastern Divine Region, was actually a King Realm in the Western Divine Region. He wondered what status the Ice Qilin clan held among the Qilin clan of the Western Region.

Oh, right—Shen Xi!

Yun Che suddenly recalled something. He sharply looked up, then quickly hurried in the direction the Dragon Monarch had gone.

The moment he moved, Shui Meiyin grabbed his arm, her grip very firm. "Brother Yun Che, where are you going?"

"There's something I want to ask Senior Dragon Monarch," Yun Che said, looking at her with a puzzled expression.

"Don't go!" Shui Meiyin insisted, her grip tightening further. "You absolutely must not go."

"Why not?" Yun Che's brow furrowed slightly. Ever since the Dragon Monarch appeared, Shui Meiyin's reactions had been unusual.

"I don't know, but please, absolutely do not go," Shui Meiyin pleaded. The joyful, spirited look she had moments ago had vanished from her cheeks, replaced by an indescribable sense of trepidation. "When Senior Dragon Monarch looked at you just now, for some reason, I felt extremely afraid. My instincts are always very, very accurate, Brother Yun Che, you must believe me."

Yun Che's brow gradually tightened in thought, then slowly relaxed completely. He smiled faintly. "All right, I'll listen to you then."

He wasn't entirely complying with Shui Meiyin's wishes; under the Dragon Monarch's gaze just moments before, he too had experienced a peculiar sense of unease.

Shui Meiyin's elfin smile reappeared. She turned, her slender arm re-wrapping around Yun Che's, and she leaned slightly against him. "Brother Yun Che is so good. You must also obediently marry me later, okay?"

Yun Che: "..."

"Let's go, let's go! I'll take you to meet Sister Yuexian first! She's Grandpa Heaven Smiting's youngest great-granddaughter, and her cooking is super delicious. Every time I come to the Heaven Smiting Realm, I ask her for lots of yummy food! Oh, by the way, Sister Yuexian isn't married yet! If you could marry her too, that would be absolutely wonderful!"

"Wow, this is a great opportunity! Brother Yun Che, you must make a good impression!"

Yun Che: (resigned expression/sigh)

A Dream.

"Little Che, wake up! It's time to get up!" A young woman called out to him, her voice in his ear.

"Mmm, it's still so early. Let me sleep a bit longer," Xiao Che mumbled drowsily, pulling the blanket over his head.

"Today is the big day of your wedding with Miss Situ! The auspicious hour is almost here, hurry and get up!"

Xiao Che's eyes snapped open, and he shot up.

The curtains hanging above the bed were now a vibrant red, and the room was already filled with red tables and red candles. As his mind cleared, he remembered that today was his wedding day to the daughter of City Lord Situ.

He quickly got up, got out of bed, washed, and then Xiao Lingxi personally helped him into his vibrant red wedding attire.

"Little Che, this is the porridge I just made for you. You're weak, and the morning is so long, so you must drink it all," Xiao Lingxi said, carrying a very large, steaming bowl of fragrant porridge.

"Alright, alright," Xiao Che said obediently, picking up the bowl. Without a spoon, he directly gulped it down.

"Oh, there's no need to rush so much. You still have some time," Xiao Lingxi said, reaching out, afraid he might choke.

"Phew, all done," Xiao Che said, setting down the bowl and wiping his mouth. He looked at Xiao Lingxi, his eyes suddenly unfocused, and he couldn't help but say, "In the future, I wonder if I'll still get to eat Auntie's cooking often."

City Lord Situ's daughter was undoubtedly pampered. It would be strange if she knew how to cook.

"Hehe, you're marrying the City Lord's daughter, not being married off. As long as you wish, I'll still cook for you every day, just like before."

As she spoke, her smile slowly faded, and she softly said, "But Little Che, after you start your own family, the time you spend with me will definitely become less and less."

"How could that be!" Yun Che immediately raised a hand in an oath. "I just promised Auntie yesterday: after marrying Situ Xuan, I won't forget Auntie just because I have a wife, I won't reduce the time I spend with Auntie, and I'll still come whenever Auntie calls, just like before!"

Yun Che hadn't missed a single word of his promise from yesterday. Xiao Lingxi finally smiled, beaming, "That's my obedient Little Che!"

She walked to Xiao Che, reaching out to straighten a slightly wrinkled part of his attire. Looking at him closely, her gaze and voice grew distant. "It's just that, without me even realizing, my Little Che has already grown so big."

"Brother! Big Brother!!"

Accompanied by an excited shout, a figure burst in impetuously and somewhat recklessly.

"Yuanba, you actually woke up this early?" Xiao Che chuckled.

"Hehe! Today's your wedding day, of course I had to come help!" Xia Yuanba exclaimed, his face brimming with excitement, as if it were his own wedding.

"I'll go call Father. Yuanba, you keep Little Che company for a bit."

As Xiao Lingxi left, Xia Yuanba swiftly appeared before Xiao Che, examining his vibrant red wedding attire. "Big Brother, you actually look pretty good in this outfit," he said gleefully.

"The key is that I'm naturally handsome and dashing, so of course any attire looks good," he said, twisting his mouth wryly. "Too bad, this isn't an era that values appearance."

"Uh, so, what does it feel like to get married? You don't seem very excited," Xia Yuanba asked.

"Indeed, I don't feel much, so there's no real excitement. After all, this marriage was arranged by our parents long ago, and I've only met Situ Xuan a few times. I can barely remember what she looks like." Xiao Che stared at Xia Yuanba intently for a moment, then suddenly asked, "So excited this early in the morning—it's not just because of my wedding, is it?"

"Hehe," Xia Yuanba's eyes gleamed. "Actually, there's some good news! My father invited a good friend of his, a mentor at the New Moon Profound Palace, the day before yesterday. He originally intended for him to get me into the New Moon Profound Palace. But unexpectedly, that senior mentor said that with my aptitude, I could directly enter the Cyan Wind Profound Palace!"

"Oh, that's wonderful! That's fantastic news for our entire Floating Cloud City!" Xiao Che said sincerely. Even as he expressed joy, a deep envy and melancholy settled in his heart.

The Cyan Wind Profound Palace was a sacred place he had never dared to dream of entering in his lifetime. Yet, for Xia Yuanba, with his extraordinary talent, it was merely a starting point.

"Hehehe," Xia Yuanba laughed, unable to contain his excitement. "I've been so thrilled I haven't slept properly for two days! Once I enter the Cyan Wind Profound Palace and become stronger and stronger, I'll see who dares to bully you!"

"This is still a secret for now; Father said to keep it quiet to avoid any complications. Only you know about it," Xia Yuanba added. Having grown up with Xiao Che, he never concealed anything from him. "Oh, by the way, speaking of which, for the past two years, I've heard many unpleasant rumors. They all said that City Lord Situ would surely annul the engagement and re-marry Situ Xuan to Xiao Yulong, the son of your Xiao Clan's Sect Master."

Xiao Che: "..."

"When I heard those rumors, I got really angry, but I didn't dare tell you. But now, those rumors have disproven themselves," Xia Yuanba said with a hearty laugh. "The faces of those who spread them must be swollen several times over now!"

"Where there's smoke, there's fire," Xiao Che said with a seemingly carefree smile. "But it's fine; I've long grown accustomed to it. For a useless person like me to have a friend like you, and to be able to marry the City Lord's daughter, is already a gift from heaven."

"Compared to that, your news is the true joyous occasion," Xiao Che said, smiling. "When you officially enter the Cyan Wind Profound Palace, I bet the entire city will... will..."

Xiao Che's voice suddenly became soft and distant, his pupils rapidly dimming further and further...

Then his entire body fell stiffly backward.

"Brother? Ah! Big Brother!" Xia Yuanba frantically rushed forward, catching his falling body. "Brother? What's wrong, Big Brother??"

His pupils slowly vanished, the world rapidly receding. He could hear Xia Yuanba's voice, but he couldn't reply.

"Little Che? Little Che, wake up, don't scare me, Little Che!!"

His consciousness grew increasingly hazy. He seemed to hear his Auntie's cries.

The last sound he heard seemed to be a young woman's heartbroken sobs.

"Che'er!?"

Yun Che jolted, abruptly waking up.

He was sitting on a stone chair in the courtyard. Before him stood the graceful figure of Mu Xuanyin, her icy brows slightly furrowed.

"Master," he said, quickly standing. *Strange, when did I fall asleep?*

"What's wrong?" Mu Xuanyin asked.

"Your disciple is fine. Perhaps the aura of the Heaven Smiting Realm is too gentle; I must have fallen asleep without realizing it and had a strange dream," Yun Che recounted truthfully.

And that strange dream...

Mu Xuanyin didn't ask further, her gaze shifting from him. "The Heaven Smiting Assembly will begin in half an hour. Let's go."

"Yes," Yun Che replied, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, and followed behind Mu Xuanyin.

The time for the Heaven Smiting Assembly had finally arrived.

The Heaven Smiting God Emperor would surely reveal the truth he knew today, wouldn't he? Yun Che wondered what kind of reaction that would provoke, and what countermeasures the Heaven Smiting God Emperor would have in place.