Chapter 1544: One Finger Commands the Heavens

Beside Yun Che, Dongfang Hanwei, who was already pale, became even whiter.

"This..." The Eastern Han Kingdom Lord looked at Yun Che, momentarily at a loss.

A gaze filled with dark oppression and endless malevolence fixated on Yun Che. However, he found Yun Che's expression surprisingly indifferent, without the slightest ripple of emotion. This made him suspicious, and his gaze shifted back, "Fang Zhou, are you sure it's him?"

Fang Zhou's expression was calm as he said, "Of course, how could I dare to fool Clan Chief Ming? Although I didn't witness this personally,..."

He looked at Yun Che, a faint sneer playing on his lips. "This man is called Yun Che. Although he has the cultivation of a nascent Divine King, he is completely unknown and his origins are highly suspicious. He was brought back to the Royal City by the Nineteenth Princess, and she said something... she said this man was her lifesaver. Many people present, including the Kingdom Lord, can attest to this statement."

"During the previous fierce battle, the Kingdom Lord, concerned for the Nineteenth Princess's safety, ordered Qin Jian, the Eastern Han Guard Commander, to escort the Nineteenth Princess away from the Royal City. Young Master Ming Yang had come for the Nineteenth Princess, so naturally, upon seeing her leave, he would follow."

"As Young Master Ming Yang's personal bodyguards, their cultivation must be extraordinary; they wouldn't have been unable to catch up to Qin Jian and the Nineteenth Princess. This means Young Master Ming Yang must have seen the Nineteenth Princess. However, Young Master Ming Yang was murdered during this period. When the Nineteenth Princess returned, she didn't mention Young Master Ming Yang at all, yet she claimed this Yun Che was her lifesaver. So, from whose hands did he save the Nineteenth Princess's life?"

Ming Xiao's gaze returned to Yun Che, his expression and voice several times more sinister. "Was it you... who killed my son!?"

Young Master Ming Yang's four personal bodyguards were all at the Divine Spirit Realm, but Yun Che's aura was that of a Level One Divine King! He certainly had the ability to kill Ming Yang.

Before Yun Che could respond, Fang Zhou spoke again, "Facing Clan Chief Ming, he naturally wouldn't admit it. However, it would be easier to get an answer by asking someone else about this matter."

He slowly stepped forward, walking towards Dongfang Hanwei, a seemingly calm and benevolent smile on his face. "Nineteenth Princess, when you left the city, Young Master Ming Yang had just arrived for you. I believe you must have met him. So, tell us, did Yun Che kill Young Master Ming Yang?"

All eyes focused on Princess Hanwei. Her body swayed slightly, and she instinctively shook her head, "No... no..."

"Nineteenth Princess," Fang Zhou's voice rang out again, softer this time, "You must think carefully before you answer. This Yun Che has an unknown background and inscrutable intentions; at the very least, he is certainly not from Eastern Han. Young Master Ming Yang was murdered by him, and this has no relation to the Eastern Han Kingdom! Even if the cause truly lies with you, as long as you speak frankly and explain the full reasons, I believe Clan Chief Ming's heart is as vast as the heavens, and he will certainly not hold you accountable, but only severely punish the villain who committed the deed."

"But if you deliberately harbor him... incurring the wrath of a great figure like Clan Chief Ming Peng, no one will be able to protect you, and you will implicate the entire royal family, and even the Eastern Han Kingdom! This is such a simple truth; I believe the Nineteenth Princess understands it."

"Hanwei..." the Eastern Han Kingdom Lord softly murmured. Dongfang Hanwei had previously publicly declared that Yun Che had saved her life, in an attempt to help him. At the time, he had expressed his deep gratitude, but during the grand banquet, he hadn't asked Yun Che from whose hands he had rescued her.

Now, after hearing Fang Zhou's words, he suddenly understood. It was highly possible... that Yun Che truly had killed Ming Yang!

Dongfang Hanwei, after all, was too young and inexperienced, and too kind-hearted. She must have thought that if no outsiders saw it, the secret wouldn't be revealed... and she even dared to bring Yun Che back to the Royal City!

That was the Young Master of the Ming Peng Clan!

Dongfang Hanwei had just turned twenty. To cultivate to the Divine Soul Realm at that age was truly exceptional in the Middle Star Realm. However, what she faced now was the peril of her nation's demise, the precipice of despair, and the coercion and oppressive might of several Divine Kings...

How could she possibly endure this!

Her body trembled like duckweed in a chaotic wind, and her face was ashen like fine snow. She shook her head, shaking it frantically and forcefully... These Divine Kings were incredibly experienced; her reaction was, in fact, the most undeniable answer.

Yet, even as fear and despair pushed her to the brink of a mental breakdown, the words from her lips were still a humble and trembling denial: "No... it wasn't Senior Yun... it wasn't... it wasn't..."

Yun Che slightly turned his head and glanced at her.

It was the first time Yun Che truly looked at her, and he finally saw her clearly.

What a person cares about most changes at different stages of life.

For Yun Che now, one of the things he cared about most was betrayal.

Because, as a savior, he had been brutally betrayed by countless people he had saved...

Both instances involved a life-saving grace. Some people, in times of peace, sought to bury him, while others, in adversity... even utter despair, chose to stand firm.

Dongfang Hanwei could not have known at that moment that her few words, spoken under extreme pressure and fear, and seemingly so powerless, had nonetheless completely altered her own destiny and that of the entire Eastern Han Kingdom.

"Hmph," Ming Xiao let out an incredibly sinister low laugh. "Dongfang Zhuo, you truly raised a fine daughter! Good... very good! Today, after I slaughter the one who killed my son, Ming Yang, I will certainly massacre your wretched Royal City!"

"Clan Chief Ming!" The Eastern Han Kingdom Lord exclaimed in horror, his voice trembling. "My daughter is young and ignorant, and Eastern Han certainly had no intention of offending the Ming Peng Clan in the slightest. I beg Clan Chief Ming to show mercy... Regarding Young Master Ming Yang's matter, this king will certainly investigate everything thoroughly and give Clan Chief Ming a full account."

"An account? Isn't burial with him the best account!?" Ming Xiao's voice was like that of a vengeful spirit, filled with overflowing killing intent.

"Hmph, they've truly brought this upon themselves; they won't survive," Fairy Zixuan scoffed with disdain. "It seems it won't be the Lunar Divine Palace's turn to act today."

Amidst the terror of everyone from Eastern Han, Ming Xiao took a step forward. Instantly, it felt as if a colossal mountain, ten thousand zhang high, was collapsing towards them from the front. Just one step caused the Eastern Han profound practitioners to stumble back in panic, some even falling to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.

In the Eastern Region of the Eastern Ruins, where the Nine Great Sects were supreme, who dared to be so presumptuous and arrogant before the Sect Master of one of them?

Ming Xiao, laughing in his extreme rage, declared, "Very well! Yun Che... no matter your origin, today, I will personally... make you pay for my son with your life!"

"Clan Chief," Ming Ao, however, raised a hand and said, "A mere Level One Divine King is not worthy of your personal intervention."

He stepped forward, extending his arm. "Yun Che, you killed my Young Master, you offended my Ming Peng Clan; your crime is unforgivable! It's too late for you even if you were to kneel and beg for mercy now!"

Boom—

His body shot into the air, profound energy erupting. A terrifying wave of air swept forth, startling the profound practitioners until their faces turned ashen. A black streak plunged down; Ming Ao had already lunged straight towards Yun Che. His five fingers spread wide, pointing directly at Yun Che's throat, gleaming with a chilling light more fearsome than a demonic eagle's talons.

The Ming Peng Clan's power centered on darkness and storms, making them incredibly swift. Ming Ao, a Level Five Divine King, facing a Level One Divine King, meant that once he locked on, the opponent had no possibility of escape.

The instant Ming Ao's figure shot up, all the guards, profound practitioners, the Eastern Han Kingdom Lord, Dongfang Hanwei, Qin Jian, and even Fang Zhou within a several-mile radius in front were violently swept away. What was originally a dense battle formation instantly turned into a vacuum.

In this vacuum, only Yun Che remained.

He was clearly suppressed there by Ming Ao's aura, unable to even take a single step to escape.

The distance closed in an instant, yet Yun Che remained motionless. In everyone's eyes, the next moment, Yun Che's head would be directly torn off by that terrifying peng claw.

It wasn't until Ming Ao was less than a zhang away that Yun Che finally moved. He raised his arm, and facing the diving Ming Ao, slowly extended a single finger to meet the approaching peng claw.

There was no burst of profound energy, no splashing blood, not even a single scream. What should have been a horrifying scene suddenly became eerily silent.

Ming Ao was right in front of Yun Che, his right hand still in a terrifying clawing posture, while a single finger touched his palm... In that very instant, the chilling gleam on his claw, the storm around his body, and even the profound energy circulating throughout him, all vanished without a trace.

The scene was incredibly quiet and eerie. Besides Ming Ao, no one knew what had happened... No, not even Ming Ao himself knew what had happened.

In his suddenly ashen eyes, Yun Che slightly raised his head and murmured faintly, "Is that all you've got?"

As his words fell, his finger flicked lightly.

CRACK!!

An ear-splitting tearing sound resonated in everyone's minds. In that instant, Ming Ao's entire right arm was violently ripped apart, bursting into countless gushing fountains of blood, which then exploded into countless fragments amidst the wildly scattering blood.

Having instantly lost his right arm, Ming Ao was sent flying amidst heart-wrenching screams, crashing directly back in front of Ming Xiao, where he writhed in agony on the ground.