Chapter 1833: Absolute Crisis Tidal Wave (∵∴)

Behind Long Bai stood the five Revered Elders of the Barren Dragons. These five terrifying entities, appearing out of thin air, each exhaled dragon breath as ancient and vast as that of primordial gods descending upon the world.

Their simultaneous appearance was like five fingers reaching out from ancient times, piercing through time and space, enveloping the entire world in an oppressive aura of unimaginable terror.

Following the Revered Elders of the Barren Dragons were the seven Dragon Gods, their faces grim and foreboding. Further behind them were the forty-three Dragon Sovereigns and a full three hundred and eight Master Dragons.

Soon, the five Divine Emperors of the Qilin Realm, Imperial Dragon Realm, Azure Dragon Realm, Horned Dragon Realm, and Myriad Manifestation Realm also stepped forward, slowly. Behind them trailed the auras of hundreds of Divine Masters.

The Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm trembled, and it seemed as though the entire Southern Divine Region was shaking... a tremor that lingered for a long time.

Had they not known the enemy's full lineup an hour in advance, the mere sight of these five Revered Elders of the Barren Dragons alone would have been enough to scare all profound practitioners of the Northern Region to death.

Having felt despair early on, and choosing to defend with their lives in that despair, the Northern Region profound practitioners, under unprecedented pressure, were no longer afraid. They only clenched their fists and gritted their teeth.

“Strange,” Dragon God Su Xin murmured, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, “They actually came prepared.”

The barrier was open, the Azure Sea profound practitioners were clearly dispersed, and the Northern Region devils were already standing ready for battle... None of this could have been accomplished in a short time.

Yet, an hour ago, they were still in the Dragon God Realm. The existence of the Heaven and Earth Dragon City was known only to successive Dragon Monarchs and Dragon Gods. There was no reason for these Northern Region devils to have predicted their sudden descent upon this place an hour later.

Such doubts, to varying degrees, appeared on the faces of all Western Region profound practitioners.

“The devil race’s formation is astonishingly strong,” Dragon One sighed, remarking on the stark difference from the Northern Region devils he knew.

“No wonder,” Dragon Two slowly added. He now understood why Long Bai had gone to such lengths to awaken them. With the Northern Divine Region’s current formation, defeating them might be easy, but to completely annihilate them and sever their lifeline, it was indeed best to use the power of all five of them.

“The situation is very different from what we anticipated, and there seems to be no trace of Yun Che’s aura?” Azure Dragon Emperor suddenly whispered.

“...No need to say more. Leave everything to the Dragon Monarch’s judgment,” Qilin Emperor reminded him. His old eyes, too, gathered an unusual divine light.

Because the Northern Region devils in his sight and perception did not reflect despair or fear in their pupils, but rather a chilling malevolence and ferocity.

The Azure Dragon Emperor said no more.

At the rear of the Northern Region forces, Chi Wuyao watched from a distance but did not advance.

“What are you thinking?” Qianye Ying’er asked.

“The first confrontation will be handled by Cang Shitian. I’ve already taught him what to say and how to act,” Chi Wuyao replied.

Qianye Ying’er frowned deeply. “What did you say!?”

“Don’t worry, he’ll do wonderfully,” Chi Wuyao said with a faint smile. “I can tell he’s enjoying himself now... and he’ll enjoy it even more later. After all, it’s a direct confrontation with the Dragon Monarch! Nothing could satisfy a true madman more than a scene like this.”

“Stall.” Her smile vanished instantly. Chi Wuyao uttered a single word in a low voice: “What we need to do now is to use every means necessary to buy time!”

At this moment, Cang Shitian’s booming laughter echoed above the Azure Sea Realm.

“Hahahahahahaha!”

Cang Shitian strode forward, his voice, though that of a Divine Emperor, still resonated, shaking souls even under the sky-crushing pressure. With a smile on his face and hands raised high, he declared, “Cang Shitian, Realm King of the Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm, has been awaiting His Majesty the Dragon Monarch’s esteemed presence for a long time. I never imagined His Majesty would be so eager for this visit, even stepping upon the Heaven and Earth Dragon City, which has been hidden for so many years. Shitian feels immensely honored and truly humbled.”

“Oh, and I also greet the five Venerable Elders of the Barren Dragons. For the five of you to not remain in the Dragon God Realm but instead honor us with your combined presence is an unprecedented privilege through the ages. It truly overwhelms my humble Azure Sea Realm! Hahahahaha!”

The expressions of everyone from the Dragon God Realm subtly changed, and even Long Bai showed a momentary flicker of emotion.

Heaven and Earth Dragon City, Revered Elders of the Barren Dragons... these were hidden existences completely unknown even to the five Divine Emperors of the Western Region. All of them had been certain that upon their descent into the Azure Sea Realm, their opponents would be caught off guard, as if seeing ghosts or gods, terrified out of their wits, collapsing before the battle even began.

However, the situation was precisely the opposite.

Not only were their opponents ready for battle, but they also immediately named the Heaven and Earth Dragon City and the Revered Elders of the Barren Dragons, as if they had long been privy to all the secrets of the Dragon God Realm.

Even more bizarre was that, despite knowing everything, they did not retreat but instead confronted them head-on!

Watching the shifting expressions of the Dragon Gods, and even Long Bai, Cang Shitian’s lips twitched... He searched his knowledge and couldn’t find a more satisfying way to turn the tables on his guests.

Long Bai gazed into the distance, ignoring Cang Shitian’s presence, and said indifferently, “Yun Che, come out.”

His reply, however, still came from Cang Shitian. With a low chuckle, he waved his arm, and the Azure Sea barrier in front of them immediately rippled with blue waves.

“Your Majesty, if you wish to see our Devil Master, shouldn’t you first ask permission from this Azure Sea barrier?”

“Pitiful and ridiculous,” the Azure Dragon God scoffed, his grayish-blue dragon pupils filled with deep disdain and pity. “To act as a dog for devils, and with such loyalty at that. For the Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm to have you as its Emperor is simply an insult to the Azure Sea’s reputation through the ages.”

Compared to Cang Shitian’s audacious defiance, the Azure Sea Gods and Divine Envoys were all increasingly restless... They had originally believed that Cang Shitian would open the barrier before the Dragon Monarch, using this opportune moment to atone for his sins and gain merit.

However, the situation was completely different. Every word Cang Shitian spoke sent their hearts racing. If he weren’t the Azure Sea Divine Emperor, they would have wished to pin him down and silence him.

Long Bai’s eyes finally darkened. He gave Cang Shitian a brief, indifferent glance: “Cang Shitian, you have one last chance... for the sake of my acquaintance with your grandfather.”

The gazes of the Sea Gods and Divine Envoys sharply fixed on Cang Shitian. But Cang Shitian merely twitched the corner of his mouth and slowly said, “This king does not need that chance.”

With that statement, there was no longer any room for maneuver or retreat.

“Your Majesty!” several Sea Gods cried out in alarm simultaneously.

“Your Majesty the Dragon Monarch!” Fu Lan Sea God, standing to Cang Shitian’s right, stepped forward and hastily said, “His Majesty certainly doesn’t mean that. He’s merely been misled by the devil race...”

Boom!!

A blue shadow flashed abruptly, space instantly fractured, and Cang Shitian’s palm, glowing blue, struck Fu Lan Sea God’s throat with the force of a hand-blade. A horrifying crash sounded, and Fu Lan Sea God’s throat bone shattered along with it.

This strike was as swift as a stream of light and utterly vicious; it was clearly not a sudden impulse, but rather an attack he had been waiting to unleash.

Fu Lan Sea God was caught off guard and severely injured by a single blow. The other Sea Gods and Divine Envoys were equally horrified, unable to even form the intention to intervene.

“Your... Your Majesty!?”

Just as several Sea Gods were about to step forward, a burst of blue light suddenly blossomed, reflecting in their suddenly constricted pupils.

The God-given Artifact of the Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm—the Azure Sea Divine Pearl! It flowed with blue light in Cang Shitian’s hand, as if it contained an endless, vast sea.

The same blue light was emitted from Fu Lan Sea God, who lay on the ground, twitching in agony.

As the God-given Artifact of the Azure Sea Realm, the Azure Sea Divine Pearl, besides being a vessel for divine power, also possessed an overbearing function similar to the Brahma Soul Bell of the Brahma Monarch God Realm—that is, the ability to forcefully seal or even reclaim the Azure Sea divine power from a Sea God.

This was also why Cang Shitian, despite his notorious reputation and being the first to submit to the devil race, was never doubted or defied by anyone in the Azure Sea Realm.

Sensing the rapid dissipation of his Azure Sea divine power, Fu Lan Sea God uttered a trembling plea for mercy from his shattered throat: “Your Majesty... please...”

Boom!!

Cang Shitian stomped down, completely burying Fu Lan Sea God’s head into the profound stone paving the Azure Sea Divine Region below, leaving only half of his body twitching and struggling outside.

Scarlet blood rapidly spread beneath his foot. Cang Shitian did not move, simply standing on Fu Lan Sea God’s head, a faint smile playing on his lips that sent shivers down the spines of all Sea Gods: “To think that even among this king’s subordinates, there would be such a traitor. What a pity.”

He turned his head and said to the pale-faced Sea Gods, “If there’s ever another one like this, just kill them directly. No need to ask for my permission, understand?”

“...Yes!” The Sea Gods’ throats seemed to have been shattered as well; their replies were more difficult than the last.

“My deepest apologies,” Cang Shitian said, looking up with a chuckle. “I merely took care of a disloyal fool on a whim. I hope His Majesty the Dragon Monarch and esteemed guests are not amused.”

“Divine Emperor Shitian,” Zhou Xuzi’s voice came, “By doing this, you are not only harming your subordinate Sea Gods but also destroying the Azure Sea lineage that has been passed down for hundreds of thousands of years. What exactly do you intend to gain?”

“Heh!” Cang Shitian chuckled softly. “Divine Emperor Zhoutian, I am a loyal hound, and you are a stray dog. Since we are both of a kind, we should appreciate each other. Why stand here barking senselessly?”

“...” Zhou Xuzi sighed. “It seems you are beyond saving. This old man will have no choice but to bury you along with these dark beasts today!”

“You, alone!?” Cang Shitian retorted.

Long Bai raised his head, no longer looking at Cang Shitian. His world-shaking voice, like a divine decree, repeated his earlier words: “Yun Che, come out.”

It finally arrived. The Dragon Monarch’s imperial decree was not an all-out assault, nor a breach of the barrier... but a direct call to Yun Che.

“It seems His Majesty the Dragon Monarch is finally getting old; his ears aren’t working too well,” Cang Shitian continued, speaking words that sent chills down the spines of the Sea Gods. “If you want to see the Devil Master, first ask permission from this Azure Sea barrier!”

“Come!” He raised a finger, pointing directly at the Dragon Gods behind: “Let this king see how long it takes you so-called Dragon Gods to break through this Azure Sea barrier! This king is truly looking forward to it.”

“Hmph!” The Scarlet Dragon God snorted disdainfully. “A mere barrier? Is it even worthy of our intervention?”

“Your Majesty?” he asked, looking at the Dragon Monarch.

The Dragon Monarch nodded slightly.

Boom—

At the Scarlet Dragon God’s command, the forty-three Dragon Sovereigns behind him attacked simultaneously. The dragon qi released and surged forth in that instant stirred up a terrifying cosmic storm.

Buzz—

In the Dragon God Realm, one must cultivate to the eighth level of the Divine Master Realm to become a Dragon Sovereign.

Among these forty-three Dragon Sovereigns, nineteen were Ninth-level Divine Masters, and twenty-four were Eighth-level Divine Masters. When their power simultaneously struck the barrier...

It was as if billions of heavenly bells resounded throughout most of the Southern Divine Region.

The Azure Sea barrier trembled, stirring dozens of distorted ripples.

After the Dragon Sovereigns, the three hundred and eight Master Dragons also surged forward. Three hundred and eight streams of Divine Master power followed closely, once again creating a soul-shattering collision sound.

Cang Shitian remained still, and Yan Tianxiao subtly raised his hand, preventing anyone from stepping forward... He himself didn't understand why the Devil Queen had ordered them not to reinforce or maintain the barrier's power when the opponents forcefully breached it.

Qingyang City.At the entrance of Huading Building.Lin Yun stood at the entrance with a smile on his face, holding two movie tickets.

Just then, a man and a woman walked out of the building. The man was wearing a suit, a Jaquet Droz watch on his wrist, and a BMW key clipped to his waist. The woman had a good figure and was quite attractive. The two were laughing and chatting.

“Feifei!”Upon seeing the girl, Lin Yun hurriedly walked up to her with a smile.

When the woman saw Lin Yun, her expression immediately changed.“You... why are you here? Didn’t I tell you not to come to my company? How embarrassing would it be if my colleagues saw you?” Feifei looked very displeased.

“Feifei, today is our two-year anniversary. I bought movie tickets. I wanted to surprise you,” Lin Yun said with a smile, handing the movie tickets to her.

The man in the suit beside them frowned. “Dating? Feifei, didn’t you say you don’t have a boyfriend?”“Young Master Wu, I...” Feifei was suddenly speechless.

The man in the suit then looked at Lin Yun, sizing him up and down, before sneering.“Feifei, what kind of taste do you have, finding such a bumpkin for a boyfriend? Look at his clothes; he must be a poor kid, right?”

Feifei’s expression changed. She felt Lin Yun was embarrassing her.Lin Yun’s expression also shifted slightly when he heard the man’s mockery, but he didn’t retort. Instead, he reached out to pull Feifei.

“Feifei, let’s go.”“Go where?” Feifei shoved Lin Yun’s hand away.“Young Master Wu is right; you’re just a poor kid. Have you ever bought me the phones and bags I like? Can you even afford them? You even have to wait for our anniversary to watch a movie. What can you give me for happiness?”Feifei’s tone was resolute and sharp.

“Feifei, even though I’m poor now, I... I’ll work hard,” Lin Yun said, gritting his teeth.“Work hard? Heh, that’s a huge joke. Your family is so poor, no money, no power, no background. Even if you work hard your whole life, you wouldn’t compare to a single strand of hair on Young Master Wu!” Feifei sneered.

“Kid, someone like you isn’t even fit to carry my shoes,” Young Master Wu, the man in the suit, scoffed.“Lin Yun, I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, you’re simply not good enough for me. I’m making it clear to you today: I’m breaking up with you now.” Feifei’s tone was firm.Then, Feifei turned to Young Master Wu and smiled alluringly:“Young Master Wu, let’s go.”With that, Feifei took Young Master Wu’s arm.

Young Master Wu looked at Lin Yun with a disdainful smile.“Poor kids don’t deserve love, understand?”After saying that, Young Master Wu pulled Feifei forward, and they got into a BMW parked nearby.

Watching Feifei’s retreating back, Lin Yun’s heart twisted.Grief, anger, indignation, yet also helplessness.“Just because I’m poor, our two-year relationship is over just like that?”Lin Yun lowered his head, clenching his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms, drawing blood.

Lin Yun and Feifei had known each other since high school. When they graduated from senior year, they confirmed their relationship. Back then, Feifei was very innocent.After graduation, Lin Yun was admitted to a local university, but Feifei didn’t get into her desired university, so she entered the workforce. From then on, Feifei slowly changed, becoming pragmatic and materialistic.

Lin Yun didn’t go after Feifei, nor did he try to hold her back. As a poor kid, what capital did he have to compete with Young Master Wu?Moreover, Lin Yun had seen through Feifei.To be honest, over the years, because his family was poor, Lin Yun didn’t know how many disdainful looks he had endured, how much grievance and unfair treatment he had suffered.“Feifei, you look down on me today, but in the future, I will make sure you can’t afford to reach for me,” Lin Yun’s eyes gleamed with sharp light.“And Young Master Wu, if I ever gain power, I’ll make sure you regret this.”

The shantytown of Qingyang City.Most of the residents here were the lowest-income people in society, and Lin Yun’s home was also here.On his way home, Lin Yun kept thinking about how to make money. He thought and thought, but came up with nothing. He was just a student from an ordinary undergraduate college, and his family was poor. Making a lot of money felt as hard as reaching the heavens.This society had no fairness to speak of; you could work hard your whole life and perhaps still not compare to a child from a wealthy family.

As soon as he reached his doorstep, Lin Yun saw a Bentley parked there, its license plate from the provincial capital.“Why would such a luxury car be parked outside my house?”Puzzled, Lin Yun quickened his pace and entered his home.

Upon entering, Lin Yun found an old man in a suit in the house, besides his mother. The old man had an extraordinary demeanor; he was clearly not an ordinary person.“Grandson!”The old man smiled at Lin Yun.These two words immediately stunned Lin Yun.“Mom, what... what’s going on?” Lin Yun looked at his mother with a bewildered expression.His mother had told him before that his grandparents had passed away before he was born, so Lin Yun had never met his maternal grandfather nor known anything about them.

His mother sighed. “Yun’er, for all these years, I... I’ve been lying to you. Your maternal grandfather isn’t actually dead. He is your biological grandfather. Back then, when I wanted to be with your father, your grandfather disapproved, so I eloped with your father.”This sudden news made Lin Yun dizzy. He had a grandfather? His parents had eloped for love?

“Oh, by the way, son, your maternal grandfather is Liu Zhizhong,” his mother added.“Liu... Liu Zhizhong?”Lin Yun’s facial muscles twitched abruptly. Of course, Lin Yun had heard that name before. Liu Zhizhong was the richest man in the three southwestern provinces, quite famous nationwide, not to mention within their own province.In the three southwestern provinces, Liu Zhizhong’s Huading Group was present in almost every city, and all its businesses were large-scale, including in Qingyang City.

“You... are you really Liu Zhizhong, the chairman of Huading Group?”Lin Yun stared at Liu Zhizhong with wide eyes.Lin Yun simply couldn’t believe that his biological maternal grandfather would be such a prominent figure!“That’s right, my dear grandson,” Liu Zhizhong said, stepping forward with a beaming smile, wanting to embrace Lin Yun.

“For so many years, why didn’t you come to acknowledge me? You’re so rich, so why did you let my mother live such a hard life?” Lin Yun questioned angrily.It didn’t matter if Lin Yun lived a hard life himself, but his father had died young, and his mother had raised him alone all these years. Lin Yun clearly knew how difficult his mother’s life had been.

“Grandson, I’ve sent your mother money many times, but she’s stubborn and refused it. She even wouldn’t let me acknowledge you. In truth, I’ve long wanted to acknowledge you, after all, you’re my only biological grandson,” Liu Zhizhong said helplessly.“Mom, is... is what he’s saying true?” Lin Yun looked at his mother.His mother nodded. “He’s right. I originally never wanted you to acknowledge him, but I’ve thought it through now. Our past grievances shouldn’t implicate you. For your sake, for you to live a better life, I think you should acknowledge him. I hope you can accept him.”

“My dear grandson,” Liu Zhizhong said with a smile, embracing Lin Yun.This time, Lin Yun didn’t dodge.“My dear grandson, you’ve suffered these past years. Don’t worry, your grandfather will definitely compensate you well,” Liu Zhizhong said.Immediately after, Liu Zhizhong took out a bank card and handed it to Lin Yun.“My dear grandson, there’s a hundred million in pocket money on this card. Use it first, and if it’s not enough, just ask your grandfather for more.”

“A... a hundred million?”Lin Yun’s hand trembled, nearly causing him to lose his footing in shock.For Lin Yun, this was simply an astronomical sum. He had never imagined having so much money, yet in Liu Zhizhong’s words, it was merely pocket money.“Haha, a hundred million is just a small sum to your grandfather, understand?”

Liu Zhizhong smiled and slipped the card into Lin Yun’s hand, then continued,“Furthermore, all my businesses in your Qingyang City will be handed over to you.”“Handed to me? But I’m still in college, and besides, I’ve never done business,” Lin Yun said, spreading his hands.“That’s fine. The businesses in Qingyang City are relatively stable and have management in place. You just need to be a hands-off chairman and continue with your studies. You can use the money earned by the Qingyang City branch as you please,” Liu Zhizhong said.

“Okay,” Lin Yun agreed.After what happened with Feifei today, Lin Yun deeply understood the importance of having money and status.Most importantly, Lin Yun suddenly remembered that Feifei, who had just broken up with him, worked as a receptionist at the Qingyang branch of Huading Group, and Young Master Wu was also from the Qingyang branch.And he himself was about to become the chairman of this company.Lin Yun couldn’t help but wonder what expressions Feifei and Young Master Wu would have when they found out he was their company’s new chairman. This thought filled Lin Yun with anticipation.