Chapter 1574: Forced Suicide

"None?" Beihan Chu smiled faintly. "Yun Che, I am here today on behalf of my master, and the Nine Heavens Palace, to supervise and witness the Battle of the Middle Ruins. The battle that just concluded was well within its scope."

"As a supervisor and witness, I will not tolerate any rule-breaking!" Beihan Chu's tone remained even, but his gaze subtly sharpened. "Especially when you are standing before me, it would be wise not to lie."

"Is that so?" Yun Che replied, a faint, unreadable smile on his face. "Then tell me, what demonic artifact did I supposedly use?"

"Heh," Beihan Chu chuckled, knowing Yun Che would respond precisely this way. "The demonic artifact you employed must be a 'container' type, capable of instantly unleashing a massive amount of stored dark energy. As it's released, the darkness permeates the area, completely cutting off both visual and spiritual perception, making it impossible to see anything, naturally."

"For dark power to suppress and devour peak Divine Kings to such a degree, and given your cultivation, the only demonic artifact of that caliber you could possibly wield would be a 'container' type. Am I not correct?"

As Beihan Chu spoke unhurriedly, the profound practitioners were drawn in by his words, their understanding growing, and a sense of admiration taking root.

No one from the Southern Phoenix side uttered a word, their expressions showing a clear struggle. It was evident that even they fully believed Yun Che had to have used an exceptionally powerful demonic artifact. That all-encompassing darkness must have been unleashed by the artifact. Otherwise, how could Yun Che, by himself, have defeated ten peak Divine Kings?

And all of them severely wounded within mere seconds!

Furthermore, even if, by some incredible stretch of the imagination, he truly possessed the power to defeat ten Divine Kings, why would he suddenly unleash dark profound energy that isolated the entire world right at the start? It clearly suggested he was hiding something.

"So, all of this is merely your speculation," Yun Che said, maintaining a cool, aloof demeanor that would irritate anyone. "Does your Nine Heavens Palace conduct its affairs based purely on conjecture?"

"Insolent fool!" As Yun Che's words left his mouth, Divine Monarch Beihan immediately erupted in fury. "How dare you speak such disrespectfully of the Nine Heavens Palace! Are you tired of living?!"

"Father, there's no need to be upset." Beihan Chu raised a hand, completely unperturbed. In fact, his smile deepened. "It is true that none of us personally witnessed Yun Che using a demonic artifact, so his denial is perfectly reasonable. Anyone who had finally achieved such a result would cling to it tightly."

"However," Beihan Chu's gaze took on a peculiar glint, "as the supervisor and witness, it is my duty to determine the fairest outcome."

He rose from his honored seat and slowly descended, a faint yet palpable Divine Monarch's pressure emanating from him, enveloping the entire battlefield. His voice also gained a chilling, authoritative edge. "Since you so adamantly claim you did not use any forbidden demonic artifacts beyond the scope of this battlefield, it means you defeated and severely wounded these ten peak Divine Kings in just three breaths, relying solely on your own strength."

"While such an utterly preposterous feat is something no one in this world could possibly believe, I will give you the opportunity to prove yourself... and you *must* prove yourself!"

He stepped onto the Middle Ruins battlefield, stopping before Yun Che. With his hands clasped behind his back, he spoke dispassionately, "As the supervisor, I will personally spar with you. If you can demonstrate such strength against me, then no one will be able to dispute it. The battle just now will also be counted as your victory, and for the next five hundred years, the Middle Ruins Realm will belong entirely to the Southern Phoenix Divine Kingdom."

A collective gasp rippled through the air. The battlefield erupted into a buzzing commotion, as if countless hornets had suddenly swarmed it.

The Battle of the Middle Ruins was a conflict within the middle star realms. And Beihan Chu? He was remarkably young, yet already one of the Nine Heavens Palace's Young Palace Masters. Furthermore, he had earned a place on the Northern Region Heavenly Monarch List, making him a transcendent figure whose every move was watched even in the upper star realms!

Such a distinguished Beihan Chu was actually going to personally spar with Yun Che, all for the sake of "proof"?!

Divine Monarch Xixu swiftly interjected, "No! Absolutely not! Proving such a minor matter is simple enough. What is the Young Palace Master's esteemed status? How can he condescend to such a degree?"

"Precisely! A mere Southern Phoenix profound practitioner, trying to be mysterious, is hardly worthy of the Young Palace Master's personal intervention! If the Young Palace Master fears a lack of fairness, this king can act on your behalf; you merely need to supervise," Divine Monarch Dongxu added, seconding the motion.

Divine Monarch Beihan, however, did not intervene. A father knows his son best, and he understood that Beihan Chu's sudden decision surely had an underlying purpose.

"Oh," Southern Phoenix Chan Yi sighed softly to herself. She then subtly turned to Qianye Ying'er and remarked, "Your young master is truly quite troublesome."

She knew this was Yun Che's way of retaliating against her. Provoking Beihan Chu meant stirring up the Nine Heavens Palace. And since Yun Che was currently representing Southern Phoenix, any repercussions would fall upon them. If they couldn't endure it, the consequences could even be the destruction of their kingdom.

This was a form of revenge, and also a... test for her.

"You acted on your own initiative first," Qianye Ying'er finally said to Southern Phoenix Chan Yi, though her gaze remained fixed elsewhere. "Not everyone in this world is someone you're fit to scheme against!"

"..." Unhurried and unperturbed, her pearly lips beneath the colorful veil curved into a subtle, shimmering arc. "Interesting."

More interesting than the rumors suggested.

"There's no need," Beihan Chu said, calmly dismissing the flattering remarks of the two Divine Monarchs as he kept his gaze on Yun Che. "Today, since I am the one supervising, it is only fitting that I personally handle this."

"However, if you cannot prove it," Beihan Chu continued, "then I will be forced to address your malicious deception of a supervisor and your insulting words towards my Nine Heavens Palace! The repercussions will be far greater than a mere defeat... I will have to escort you back to the Nine Heavens Palace and hand you over to my master for judgment!"

"Furthermore, as this matter directly affects the final outcome of the Battle of the Middle Ruins, you have no right to refuse!"

The atmosphere subtly congealed, and immediately, every gaze directed at Yun Che was filled with increasing pity.

This was the consequence of overplaying one's hand, especially when stubbornly lying and deceiving in front of the Nine Heavens Palace.

Of course, a shrewd few immediately recognized that Beihan Chu's actions were very likely driven by his interest in the mysterious demonic artifact Yun Che had supposedly used.

As the saying goes, 'one's treasure is one's undoing,' and for the weak to possess such a treasure is an even greater offense!

With Beihan Chu personally entering the battlefield and the overwhelming prestige of the Nine Heavens Palace looming, Yun Che had no choice but to accept, whether he wished to or not.

As for the onlookers, they dared not even take a deep breath, let alone interfere or offer advice.

"...Very well." After a brief silence, Yun Che spoke. "Then, what if I prove I didn't use a demonic artifact?"

"Oh?" Beihan Chu's lips curled into a slight smile.

"The outcome of the previous battle has already been determined. This 'proof' you demand is simply an arbitrary imposition. If I fail to prove myself, I will not only be declared defeated but also fall into the hands of the Nine Heavens Palace. Yet, if I succeed in proving myself... will I simply have endured this slander for nothing?!"

"Hahahaha," Beihan Chu threw his head back and laughed. "Well said, exactly what a clever person should utter. Had you not spoken those words, I might have been quite disappointed."

With a flick of Beihan Chu's finger, a sudden flash of white light appeared, and a nearly eight-foot-long sword materialized in his hand. The sword's body was long and straight, its blade grayish-white, yet an ethereal layer of faint black energy eerily coiled around it.

"The Heaven-Concealing Sword!"

The moment the sword appeared, Divine Monarch Beihan gasped in astonishment.

The mere three-character name of the sword made everyone's hearts skip a beat, and the eyes of those who wielded swords burned with extreme fervor.

"This sword is called Heaven-Concealing, and my Hidden Sword Palace is named after it. My master graciously bestowed it upon me just three months ago."

With a turn of his palm, the Heaven-Concealing Sword vanished, and the dazzling light it cast upon the world instantly faded. Beihan Chu calmly stated, "This is the Nine Heavens Palace's guardian sword, worth a hundred Southern Phoenixes! If you can prove yourself, I will not only personally apologize to you, but I will also present you with this Heaven-Concealing Sword to compensate for the injustice you have endured."

"With that offer, do you have anything further to say?"

The crowd stared, wide-eyed and breathless, for a long moment.

The Heaven-Concealing Sword! It was the Heaven-Concealing Sword! Within the Nine Heavens Palace, it was considered a foundational treasure! No one was particularly surprised that it had been bestowed upon Beihan Chu so early, especially since he was the first person in the Nine Heavens Palace's history to enter the Northern Region Heavenly Monarch List.

And with the Heaven-Concealing Sword as a "bargaining chip," what more could Yun Che possibly say? What escape route did he have left?

This move undoubtedly sealed off all of Yun Che's escape routes. At the same time, it clearly demonstrated Beihan Chu's absolute certainty that Yun Che could never truly "prove" himself.

"..." Southern Phoenix Chan Yi's eyes shimmered. She, who had previously held the predominant voice for Southern Phoenix, had remained silent ever since Beihan Chu descended from his honored position and stood before Yun Che.

Beihan Chu was a truly peerless genius; his ability to enter the Northern Region Heavenly Monarch List despite originating from a middle star realm was undeniable proof. Such a figure, in any realm, was worthy of praise and admiration, and possessed every right to be arrogant before any profound practitioner of his generation.

Yet, while everyone else looked at Yun Che with pity, Southern Phoenix Chan Yi's gaze was filled with pity for Beihan Chu. He currently had no idea what kind of monster he was truly facing.

"Good! Don't you dare regret this," Yun Che said, nodding. His face betrayed no tension, no apprehension—not a single flicker of emotion.

He had maintained this composure ever since entering the battlefield, giving the impression that he was incapable of emotional fluctuation.

"In my life, the word 'regret' has never existed. You should keep such pointless advice for yourself."

Finding Yun Che's bluster and feigned composure utterly laughable, Beihan Chu narrowed his eyes and slowly advanced, stopping only when he was less than a hundred feet from Yun Che.

"Rest assured, I wouldn't stoop to bullying a mid-stage Divine King," Beihan Chu said with a faint smile, his hands still casually clasped behind his back, showing no signs of surging profound energy. "I will allow you three moves... no, let's make it seven. Within these seven moves, I will not retaliate, I will not dodge, nor will I even recoil. I'll give you completely ample space to demonstrate your power. Are you satisfied with that?"

"Satisfied, extremely satisfied!" Yun Che nodded, then raised his arm and casually flexed his wrist.

"Then, make your move," Beihan Chu said, still with his hands clasped behind his back, his stance relaxed. "Let me, and everyone here, truly witness the strength you used to defeat ten peak Divine Kings!"

Yun Che said nothing further. With a swift shift of his feet, his figure blurred as he charged directly at Beihan Chu, a not-so-dense wisp of black energy gathering on his raised right hand.

His speed was not remarkable, and the black energy on his hand appeared unusually faint. He lunged at Beihan Chu, aiming a direct punch at his chest.

Even as Yun Che approached, Beihan Chu remained utterly still. It was a joke, really; as a Divine Monarch, how could he possibly take a Divine King's power seriously?

In Yun Che's two previous battles, he had momentarily unleashed power nearing that of a Half-Step Divine Monarch. While a Half-Step Divine Monarch is indeed the closest realm to a true Divine Monarch, there remains an unbridgeable chasm between them. Even if Yun Che unleashed that level of power again, Beihan Chu wouldn't even bat an eye.

This weak, unimpressive strike before him only made him want to laugh.

Yun Che's right hand, wreathed in black light, struck Beihan Chu's chest directly, producing a remarkably quiet thud.

Divine Monarch Beihan, Divine Monarch Dongxu, Divine Monarch Xixu, Elder Bubai... At that instant, expressions of disdain and cold smiles simultaneously flickered across their faces. Such paltry power, before a true Divine Monarch, was not even worthy of a jest.

Were it not for Beihan Chu's keen interest in the mysterious demonic artifact he believed Yun Che possessed, he would never have deigned to personally engage him.

But... the faint, authoritative smile on Beihan Chu's face froze in an instant.

The instant Yun Che's palm made contact with his chest, it felt as if a thousand, no, ten thousand volcanoes erupted and collapsed simultaneously within his mind and body.

BOOM!

"Agh!"

A scream that sounded as if his throat had been ripped apart echoed through the air. Beihan Chu, who a moment ago had stood as proud and immovable as a mountain, was sent hurtling backward like a kicked ball, tumbling through the air for several miles before crashing heavily to the ground.

Whether by accident or design, Beihan Chu's body, propelled by that terrifying force, struck the ground face-first. His face plowed through the earth for thousands of feet before he finally came to a grinding halt, leaving a trail of shattered teeth and bloody foam in his wake.