Chapter 1632: Invitation from the Witch

A finger collided with the Sky Sovereign Sword. There was a faint hum, barely audible, but the sword's black aura instantly dissipated. The fierce and rampant lightning quickly retracted, like a venomous snake struck at its vital point, disappearing without a trace in an instant.

In its place, a burst of blood mist violently erupted along Tian Guhu's sword-wielding arm.

Following the faint hum of the finger meeting the sword, the sound of cracking bones echoed with chilling clarity, sharp enough to send shivers down one's spine.

Amidst the suddenly erupting blood mist, Tian Guhu's arm bones instantly shattered into dozens of pieces, his flesh turned inside out. The terrifying power, instead of dissipating after breaking his arm, surged through his entire body. Similar blood mist exploded simultaneously from his chest and limbs, savagely breaking all his chest, rib, arm, and leg bones in an instant. Each was fractured into dozens of fragments.

"Ahhh—" A horrific shriek suddenly erupted. Tian Guhu's body didn't retreat, nor did the Sky Sovereign Sword fall from his grasp. The man who had been so awe-inspiring just a moment ago suddenly crumpled like a rag doll and collapsed.

The scream lasted only half a breath before Tian Guhu suppressed it with immense willpower. His face turned ashen, his features completely distorted in extreme agony. His entire body twitched and trembled violently, his limbs dragging. Blood mixed with sweat quickly spread beneath him.

In his largely faded eyes, terror and disbelief outweighed the pain, along with a sudden surge of intense fear.

An indescribable horror filled the entire Sky Sovereign Temple. Everyone stood up, their eyes and hearts struck as if by a massive blow, astonished to the point of nearly bursting.

Although it was only for a few short moments, the profound energy released by "Ling Yun" was indeed undoubtedly at the seventh level of the Divine Sovereign Realm. However, the power that erupted in that instant sent shivers down the spines of the assembled Divine Masters.

And Tian Guhu, the universally known leader of the Heavenly Monarchs in the Northern Divine Region, a child of miracles capable of crushing peers, was actually gravely injured and defeated by a single finger from his opponent—just one finger!?

Tian Mu stood stunned, as if his soul had been nailed in place. As the First Realm King of the Northern Divine Region, an immensely powerful Divine Master at the eighth level, he simply couldn't believe the scene unfolding before him. This stupefaction lasted for several breaths before he let out a trembling growl: "Gu...hu!"

This low growl finally awakened countless dazed minds, and the Sky Sovereign Temple erupted in a chaotic uproar. "This... this... this is..." "Ah... Young Master Guhu... actually..." "Guhu..." Sky Sovereign Grand Elder Tian Muhe murmured, his gaze suddenly changing. His figure shot out like a great bird, heading straight for Tian Guhu and Yun Che, unleashing an enraged roar: "You beast, prepare to die!"

The horrifying blood mist and the soul-piercing sound of shattering bones made it clear just how severely Tian Guhu was injured. As the son of the First Realm King and the greatest pride of the Sky Sovereign Realm, if an outsider dared to harm him even slightly, the Sky Sovereign Realm would never forgive them, let alone when he was so critically wounded. Amidst his shock, Tian Mu's fury was undoubtedly no less than Tian Muhe's. But seeing Tian Muhe lunging forward, his expression shifted slightly: "Stop!"

His command came a moment too late. Tian Muhe was already close to the battlefield, his outstretched arm aiming directly for Yun Che. In his rage, he clearly disregarded his status, determined to kill the person who had gravely wounded Tian Guhu on the spot.

It was no surprise that someone from the Sky Sovereign Realm lashed out in fury. As the Grand Elder of the Sky Sovereign Realm, Tian Muhe's cultivation might be far inferior to Tian Mu's, but he was still a powerful Divine Master. His enraged attack unleashed a power as vast as the sea.

Yun Che remained completely still. To outsiders, it seemed as if he was immobilized under the Divine Master's pressure. However, if one looked closely, they would notice that his expression showed no change whatsoever in the face of approaching danger, nor did his robes stir in the slightest.

Everything happened in an instant. Most people had not yet recovered when Tian Muhe plunged directly into the center of the battlefield, capable of annihilating Yun Che in the next moment... But at that instant, Tian Muhe's vision suddenly went dark. The world in his sight vanished, leaving only the fleeting silhouette of a light-colored butterfly.

*Thud—* His body and power suddenly crashed against an invisible energy wall. The wall was exceptionally soft, feeling like a gentle breeze upon contact, yet it caused dozens of fine cracks to appear in his internal organs in an instant. With a muffled thud, Tian Muhe's body plummeted back down several times faster than he had lunged, slamming hard into the Sky Sovereign Realm's seating area.

Even his own power was strangely repelled, violently exploding at his landing spot. *Boom!* Tian Mu acted with lightning speed, but still couldn't completely suppress Tian Muhe's force. Hundreds of Sky Sovereign Sect members were sent flying, screaming in agony, blood spattering everywhere.

Disaster Star and Viper Saint Monarch also acted simultaneously, finally neutralizing the residual power.

Tian Muhe knelt, collapsing to the ground and spitting out over a dozen mouthfuls of dark blood. Tian Mu didn't check his injuries; his gaze sharply turned to the Devilish Maiden Yaodie. She had already stood up, slowly retracting her three outstretched fingers, and spoke coolly: "No one is allowed to interfere in this wagered battle. Does your Sky Sovereign Sect consider my words mere wind?"

"No, I wouldn't dare!" Tian Mu clenched his fists, his heart convulsing, and his soul trembling with unprecedented spasms. He didn't even dare to look at Tian Guhu's miserable state. However, as the Realm King of the Sky Sovereign Realm, even in this situation, he had to remain extremely calm and absolutely could not offend a Devilish Maiden.

"Your Highness Yaodie," Tian Mu said hurriedly, raising his hand in a deep bow, "Muhe acted rashly out of concern upon seeing Guhu injured. He brought your Highness's punishment upon himself. The wagered battle has now concluded, please allow me to check Guhu's injuries."

Although separated by the butterfly-wing mask, Tian Mu perceived that the Devilish Maiden before him was very calm, seemingly not at all surprised by the outcome. This caused his heart to sink.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Yan San'geng, the leader of the Yama Devils from the Yama Devil Realm, had stood up straight, his eyes fixed intently on Yun Che. Though his eyes were like those of a dead man, they now betrayed a profound shock.

It was likely that no one from the Yama Devil Realm had ever seen him display such astonishment.

The Burning Moon Imperial Son, Fen Jieran, fared even worse. Previously appearing nonchalant, clearly there for entertainment, he now sat in an unsightly posture, yet was oblivious to it. His eyes were also fixated on Yun Che, bulging tremendously as if he had seen a ghost or a god.

"Concluded?" Yaodie said softly, "Tian Guhu claimed that if Ling Yun could defeat him within three moves, Ling Yun would win. Of course, that was just a joke, not even worth mentioning."

Tian Mu's already grim expression twitched violently.

"However, Ling Yun's condition was that if Tian Guhu could stand up after three moves, then Ling Yun would win." Her gaze shifted to Tian Guhu. "The rules for this wagered battle will be determined by Yun Che's words. Because the weak have no right to dictate the rules."

"Tian Guhu, if you can still stand up now, you win."

The weak have no right to dictate the rules... This casual remark from the Devilish Maiden was undoubtedly the greatest irony Tian Guhu had ever heard in his life. The phrase, "if you can still stand up, you win," sounded so much like pity for the weak.

"Urgh... ah..." Tian Guhu, who had been desperately suppressing his screams, now let out piercing cries, whether from pain or humiliation, it was unclear.

His body twitched and struggled, but he was utterly unable to stand, his limbs savagely shattered by Yun Che, his profound energy completely in disarray. As he struggled, he resembled a worm squirming under Yun Che's condescending gaze. Every breath, every moment, brought an unprecedented level of humiliation.

Everyone stared blankly at the center of the battle. The Heavenly Monarchs, previously arrogant and filled with indignation towards Yun Che, were now utterly dumbfounded. No one had expected such an outcome; it was beyond imagination.

The Sky Sovereign Sect members felt their scalps tingle and their limbs grow cold. In any other situation, Tian Mu would have rushed forward long ago. But the Devilish Maiden Yaodie, the Devil Queen's shadow, was present! Her earlier strong stance and her recent words were like venomous thorns at their throats, preventing them from taking even half a step forward.

"I concede on Guhu's behalf," Tian Mu said.

"I said that as the supervisor of this battle, no one is allowed to interfere, including you, Realm King of Sky Sovereign!" Yaodie's words remained cold and firm. "If he is to concede, it must come from him... Or perhaps, he can still stand up?"

Tian Mu's internal organs twitched as if tearing apart, yet he dared not show a hint of anger. He spun around abruptly and whispered, "Guhu, you've lost... concede!"

Tian Mu had undoubtedly experienced countless storms and upheavals in his life to become the First Realm King of the Northern Divine Region. But the two words, "concede defeat," were exceptionally difficult for him to utter. He knew that his proudest son had never lost, nor conceded, in his entire life.

The sound of grinding teeth echoed from the center of the battlefield, and streaks of blood appeared at the corners of Tian Guhu's mouth. Despite his utterly unsightly struggles, he still seemed to cling to the desperate hope of standing up... Concede? He couldn't say it, nor would he ever be able to. Because he was Tian Guhu!

"Tian Guhu," Yun Che said, looking down at him with cold eyes, "You previously claimed that my not saving those people was no different from personally killing them."

"By your logic, I had the power to kill you, but I didn't. Doesn't that make me your savior? A person as benevolent and righteous as you must surely understand the principle of repaying even the smallest kindness with a gushing spring, let alone a life-saving grace." "So, how will you repay me, your savior?"

The words in his ears seemed to come from a dream, or rather, Tian Guhu still felt as if he were trapped in a nightmare from which he hadn't yet awakened.

He, who had always crushed peers and thus made a name for himself throughout the Northern Divine Region, was defeated by a profound practitioner of the same realm in three moves... No, to be precise, he was utterly defeated in one move, collapsing to the ground like a dead dog, unable even to stand. How could he possibly accept or endure this?

Slowly, he raised his head to look at Yun Che. The moment their gazes met, his struggles abruptly ceased.

From Yun Che's expression and gaze, he saw no cold smirk or triumphant pleasure, not even a trace. There was only indifference, and a hint of disdainful mockery that seemed almost too trivial to show.

Indeed, there was none of the arrogance and triumph one might expect from a proud opponent who had just overwhelmed and shocked the entire audience. Instead, there was only coldness and apathy. It was as if... he had merely crushed a pathetic ant on the roadside.

His gaze remained fixed for several breaths. Suddenly, all his dignity, resentment, terror, humiliation, and anger crumbled in an instant. All that remained was pitiful self-mockery.

He had viewed "Ling Yun" as a mad clown, but now he realized that in the other's eyes, he himself was the truly pathetic clown.

Even his most determined struggles and perseverance at this moment were nothing more than pathetic squirming, not even worthy of the other's ridicule.

"I...con...cede..."

He uttered those three words, and it wasn't as difficult as he had imagined. His struggles completely ceased. He lay motionless on the ground; though not unconscious, he seemed utterly drained of all life force, unwilling to move even an inch.

Though they were words of extreme humiliation, to Tian Mu, they sounded like heavenly music. Without wasting another second, he grabbed Tian Guhu's body, drawing it directly before him, enveloping it in profound energy. At the same time, he roared, "Quick! Go get the Devil Sky Powder!"

The members of the Sky Sovereign Sect immediately surrounded Tian Guhu, rapidly and carefully channeling profound energy into his body to stabilize his injuries. But Tian Guhu lay there, eyes vacant and staring upwards, as if his soul had been lost.

Outside the Sky Sovereign Sect's immediate vicinity, the surroundings were silent, with barely any murmurs. All eyes remained fixed on Yun Che, and they firmly remembered the name "Ling Yun." A Divine Sovereign at the seventh level, yet capable of severely wounding Tian Guhu in a single move—it was clear that after today, the profound realm of the Northern Divine Region would experience a massive upheaval.

"So-called leader of the Heavenly Monarchs, nothing more than this." Yun Che turned his back, a faint cold chuckle escaping him. "Heavenly Monarchs? Heh, calling them a pile of garbage would be flattering."

The Heavenly Monarchs' faces showed immense anger, and their bodies trembled... But unlike before, this time, none of them uttered a sound, nor did they show contempt or mockery.

A Divine Sovereign who defeated Tian Guhu in one move... he truly had the right to utter such insulting words, words that would typically enrage all Divine Sovereigns in the world.

"This so-called Heavenly Monarchs' Grand Assembly is nothing but a joke; what a waste of my time." Yun Che floated into the air, and in front of countless Northern Region powerhouses, he spoke with an icy tone, uttering disdainful words that even a God Emperor from a King Realm would never dare to say: "Qianying, let's go."

Qianye Ying'er rose and followed behind him.

"Wait."

A deathly silent voice, seemingly capable of freezing souls, rang out. It was Yan San'geng. He looked at Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er and said blandly, "Who exactly are you, and where do you come from?"

When the Yama Ghost King spoke, everyone else immediately fell silent, an eerie quiet descending, for fear of drawing even a shred of his attention.

A faint, intangible aura also enveloped the space where Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er stood.

However, once again, to everyone's surprise, Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er did not turn back or stop in response to the Yama Ghost King's question. Instead, they continued to float upwards, gradually moving away. They simply ignored him!

The Sky Sovereign Temple was instantly enveloped in an extraordinarily eerie silence. Everyone held their breath.

That was Yan San'geng, the leader of the thirty-six Yama Ghosts of the Yama Devil Realm! Who would dare disregard his question?!

Yan San'geng's brow furrowed slightly, and this minuscule change in his expression caused the entire Sky Sovereign Temple to suddenly grow colder.

Just as everyone thought Yan San'geng was about to act, another voice rang out. "Please, hold your steps, both of you."

Beneath the soft voice, a butterfly shadow flickered, appearing before Yun Che. It was the Devilish Maiden Yaodie.

Yan San'geng stopped in his tracks.

Yun Che glanced at her and said, "What is it?"

Facing a Devilish Maiden, his tone remained as cold and aloof as before, making everyone's hearts skip a beat again.

Yaodie, however, showed no anger. She said, "In the name of a Devilish Maiden, I sincerely invite you both as guests to my Soul Stealing Realm. Please do us the honor."

Her voice was gentle and soft as the wind, a stark contrast to how she had spoken with Tian Mu. Her words astonished everyone present; Yan San'geng and Fen Jieran both visibly changed color.

A Yama Devil King and a Burning Moon Imperial Son, both acutely aware of what Yaodie's personal invitation signified. How many "distinguished guests" in all the world could prompt a Devilish Maiden of the Soul Stealing Realm to personally and actively invite them?

Their shock had barely subsided when Yun Che's response echoed in their ears like world-shattering devilish thunder...

"Enter the Soul Stealing Realm as a guest? Possible," Yun Che said. His gaze swept over Yaodie's figure, but it was merely a fleeting glance before he withdrew it, not looking at her again. "However, for you to invite me is not enough. Go back and have your master, Chi Wuyao, invite me personally."