Chapter 1578: Hell Has No Gate

Bei Hanchu entered with the prestige of being on the "Northern Region Heavenly Sovereign Ranking," yet Yun Che never truly looked at him.

Luo Changsheng, the Eastern Divine Region's most prodigious profound practitioner in history, had been crushed by Yun Che on the Conferred God Stage, begging for death. That lingering trauma would likely haunt him for a lifetime.

The Northern Region Heavenly Sovereign Ranking? What even was that?

Yet, at this very moment, Yun Che had to concede that Bei Hanchu was indeed a notable individual.

For he actually dared to point his sword qi at Qianye Ying'er!

"Yun Che," Lu Bubai gasped, the murderous intent in his eyes having largely faded, replaced by profound shock and fear. "My Nine Lights Heavenly Palace has no desire to be your enemy, nor to let this scene escalate further. Hand her over to me, and both sides can remain unharmed. Why should we utterly destroy each other for the sake of a criminal's daughter?"

He was afraid, truly afraid.

That Yun Che could withstand his power had already inexplicably stunned him. But then, Yun Che's power had surged, multiplying several times, almost crippling the arm of a Level Four Divine Sovereign with a single strike!

What kind of monster was this... This startled thought had echoed in his mind countless times throughout the day.

Yun Che remained silent, his palm resting on the shoulder of the white-robed girl.

Below, beneath the dark mask, Qianye Ying'er's eyes subtly changed.

A soft murmur, audible only to herself, escaped her lips: "If that is the case... then let us be thorough."

Her finger lightly brushed her waist.

A faint hum suddenly resonated in everyone's ears—very soft, yet it lingered and permeated their very souls.

Amidst that soft hum, a long, slender golden streak, tinged with black, abruptly appeared on the somber, silent battlefield.

At the center of that golden streak was Bei Hanchu's head.

Bei Hanchu’s sword qi was pointed directly at Qianye Ying'er, his aura firmly locked onto her, his eyes filled with grim determination. He felt Lu Bubai’s approving gaze and a surge of excitement within him.

He was certain that the relationship between Yun Che and this woman was extraordinary. If he could force Yun Che's hand and exchange her for the girl who could unleash purple "devil qi," then this great achievement might fully atone for the sin of losing the Sky Vault Sword.

He could even gain a tactical advantage over Yun Che!

Although this tactic was indeed despicable, Yun Che had initiated the despicable act of forceful theft. Therefore, no one could criticize him.

But... for some inexplicable reason, the sounds around him abruptly vanished, leaving only a faint buzzing from an unknown source.

His vision suddenly blurred, his connection to profound energy weakened, and then... it completely vanished in an instant.

The world before him began to ascend... No, his vision was descending on its own, growing dim, then flipping... Suddenly, he saw a figure with his exact build, his exact clothing, even the same crippled right hand.

In its left hand, a black sword qi was still clutched.

Only, this figure had only half a head.

Its head was emblazoned with a golden streak from an unknown source, as if that very streak had sliced its head perfectly in two.

In that instant, boundless terror and despair flooded his final conscious thoughts. He wanted to shriek, yet not a sound escaped. Then, his last vestige of awareness, carrying the most extreme horror and desperation he had ever known, plunged into eternal darkness.

Lu Bubai froze, Northern Cold Divine Sovereign froze... Everyone stood there, dumbfounded, their minds buzzing as if countless swarms of locusts had invaded their thoughts.

"Chu... Chu'er..."

Northern Cold Divine Sovereign murmured, his vision blurring... Yet, before his trembling hand could reach for Bei Hanchu's still-standing remnants, a golden flash swept past him.

Qianye Ying'er now valued her life dearly.

Her once-hopeless profound veins were recovering, she had obtained the Devil Emperor's blood, and she had Yun Che, a monster with whom she could engage in mutual exploitation. As long as she lived, the day would surely come when she could exact her revenge herself.

Therefore, she had repeatedly warned Yun Che never to take unnecessary risks before his strength was sufficient.

However, if her killing intent was ignited, she would become utterly brutal!

With one swift strike, she decapitated Bei Hanchu, and her second sword immediately thrust toward Northern Cold Divine Sovereign, aiming for his life without a shred of hesitation or reservation.

As the Northern Cold Divine Sovereign, death was a common sight, so he shouldn't have lost composure. But Bei Hanchu... he was not only his proudest son but also the very future of both himself and the entire Northern Cold City!

He had become the Nine Lights Heavenly Palace's foremost disciple, earned a place on the Northern Region Heavenly Sovereign Ranking, and emerged as the greatest marvel and pride of the Five Ghost Ruins. All this was so sublime and brilliant, yet now, he had suddenly met his end right before his eyes.

The sheer impact on him was akin to the sky collapsing and the earth being buried.

His soul was sent reeling, and coupled with Qianye Ying'er’s sudden burst of speed—a sword strike swift as a fleeting phantom—Northern Cold Divine Sovereign had no time to circulate profound energy when he finally regained his wits. He could only manage to slightly shift his body.

*Rip!*

The second golden light ripped through space, striking Northern Cold Divine Sovereign from his left ribs straight to his left arm, severing his left rib bones and more than half of his left arm clean off. Crimson blood sprayed into the sky.

Bei Hanchu's half-head dropped to the ground, its light thud seeming to land on everyone’s hearts, silencing all other sounds in the world.

Northern Cold Divine Sovereign’s arm landed at almost the exact same moment as Bei Hanchu’s head.

Everything transpired in a flash... And Qianye Ying'er's profound energy aura was only at Level Five Divine King. Furthermore, she was a woman. How could Bei Hanchu, Lu Bubai, or Northern Cold Divine Sovereign have held even the slightest guard against her?

"Ah... ahhh!" Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's agonizing scream finally erupted, and Bei Hanchu’s body, too, began to topple backward. Having lost both his son and his arm, a piercing wail, one that should never have originated from a Divine Sovereign, echoed across the battlefield.

Yet, that fatal golden light, in the very next instant, stabbed directly forward.

"Ah... ughhh!!" Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's roar verged on despair. He let the gushing blood from his left arm spray, then swung his right arm, summoning a dark green greatsword into his hand. Concentrating his chaotic, violent Divine Sovereign power, he brought it crashing down.

"Divine Sovereign!!" Lu Bubai's pupils contracted sharply from above, as he let out a startled shout.

Yun Che's profound cultivation was indeed Level Five Divine King; there was no deception.

Qianye Ying'er, however, was concealed by the Reverse Abyss Stone. When her profound energy erupted, she would be fully exposed.

The Reverse Abyss Stone originated from the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor. As long as she did not intentionally reveal herself, even ancient gods and devils would struggle to perceive her, let alone those present.

For a Level Five Divine King to unleash Divine Sovereign power at such close range, this level of surprise was utterly lethal!

Though Northern Cold Divine Sovereign wielded his sword with a single arm, the greatsword’s might remained terrifyingly formidable. In contrast, Qianye Ying'er's slender golden sword appeared quite fragile and diminutive.

Yet, just as the two swords were about to clash, the slender golden sword transformed into a whip. Like a spiritual serpent, it instantly pierced through Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's sword might and power, striking his heart... A sharp explosion reverberated as it passed clean through his body.

Under the Northern Cold sword's might, Qianye Ying'er used the recoil to retreat, gracefully flying away. The soft sword in her hand detached in a golden stream of light, coiling back around her slender waist, appearing merely as an ordinary golden sash.

Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's chest now bore a fist-sized, transparent hole.

"Sect... Sect Master!?"

"Father King!!"

Everything happened too quickly, too suddenly. From Bei Hanchu's decapitation to Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's severed arm and pierced heart, it all transpired in an extremely brief instant. The terrified shouts from Northern Cold City only erupted frantically at this moment.

The Eastern, Western, and Southern Ruins were all wide-eyed with horror. Every corner of the Central Ruin battlefield erupted in chaotic shouts at that moment.

People from Northern Cold City surged forward, rushing to Northern Cold Divine Sovereign. His greatsword struck the ground, and he stood there rigidly, eyes wide and unseeing, as if his soul had departed.

"Father King, are you... alright?" Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's eldest son stammered, his voice trembling.

Although Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's arm was severed and his heart pierced, for a Divine Sovereign, an arm could be reattached, and a pierced heart would not be fatal. After all, powerful Divine Sovereigns do not fall so easily.

But...

The greatsword slipped from his grasp at that moment, plummeting and hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

"Chu... 'er..." he murmured faintly, his voice as weak as a dying breeze. Then, like a wooden stake, he toppled straight backward.

"Sect... Sect Master!!"

Everyone from Northern Cold City was utterly aghast. The Northern Cold Grand Elder stepped forward and caught Northern Cold Divine Sovereign. In that instant, he felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer, his entire body trembling violently.

For Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's internal organs had been utterly reduced to a pulpy mess, as if ruthlessly and savagely torn apart and pulverized by millions of demonic claws and countless sharp swords, leaving no trace of even the smallest fragment.

The Northern Cold Grand Elder stood there, stunned, as Northern Cold Divine Sovereign's aura rapidly faded from everyone's spiritual perception until it completely vanished.

"D-dead...?" The Eastern, Western, and Southern Ruins all echoed the same murmur, two short words laden with a tremor more intense than ever before.

Qianye Ying'er's current cultivation was still Level Three Divine Sovereign. With the advantage of the Devil Emperor's source blood, she could avoid defeat against the Level Four Divine Sovereign, Northern Cold Divine Sovereign, but it was almost impossible for her to truly defeat him.

Yet, she was, after all, the former Brahma Emperor Goddess, possessing profound knowledge at the Divine Emperor level and employing cruel, decisive methods that would make even Divine Emperors shudder.

Moreover, she still wielded the Brahma Golden Soft Sword, known as "Divine Edict," which had always been wrapped around her waist during her time as the Brahma Emperor Goddess.

To instantly kill a Level One Divine Sovereign and a Level Four Divine Sovereign using only the power of a Level Three Divine Sovereign—perhaps only Qianye Ying'er in the entire God Realm could accomplish such a feat.

"Ah... ahh..." Lu Bubai stretched out his hand, fingers splayed, trembling and terrified as if a demon had seized his throat and soul.

Bei Hanchu was dead... the first disciple in the history of Nine Lights Heavenly Palace to ever enter the Northern Region Heavenly Sovereign Ranking, the pride and even the future of the Nine Lights Heavenly Palace... dead!!

His father, Northern Cold Divine Sovereign, whose strength was most comparable to his own, was also dead!

How could... such a thing... possibly happen in this world...?

Bei Hanchu's gruesome death was, in Yun Che's eyes, an inevitable outcome. Simply for pointing his sword qi at Qianye Ying'er, a thousand lives wouldn't have been enough for him to die. However, that Northern Cold Divine Sovereign was also instantly slain by her was entirely beyond Yun Che's expectations.

Yun Che grabbed the white-robed girl, descended swiftly, and tossed her toward Qianye Ying'er from a distance. "Protect her," he commanded.

Qianye Ying'er caught her with one hand and coldly stated, "Since it's come to this, then let's kill them all... After that, you'd better give me a perfectly satisfactory explanation!"

Yun Che scoffed, then charged directly at Lu Bubai.

Having eliminated two Divine Sovereigns for Yun Che, Qianye Ying'er refrained from further action. She unceremoniously took the white-robed girl and returned into the Southern Phoenix barrier.

Their division of labor was clear.

As she returned, the Southern Phoenix battle formation erupted in panicked shouts. Everyone recoiled in fear, and Nanhuang Jian stumbled, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Even Nanhuang Mofeng sharply retreated several steps.

Recalling her silent presence within the Southern Phoenix battle formation throughout the Central Ruin war, the Southern Phoenix cultivators were all drenched in cold sweat. At this moment, their entire bodies were tense, and they dared not even draw a full breath.