Chapter 1851: Fairness

“Heheheh.” Facing Yun Che’s suddenly chilling words, Long Bai also smiled faintly. “Yun Che, I heard that when you led the Northern Region devils in their invasion a few months ago, your cultivation was at the peak of the Divine Sovereign Realm. You single-handedly defeated the heavily injured Honored Elder Taiyu and, in conjunction with Qianye Ying’er, defeated the Moon God Emperor.”

Long Bai’s eyelids lowered slightly, a hint of disappointment appearing in his judging gaze. “I assumed that since you emerged from the Cosmic Heaven Pearl, your cultivation would have advanced. Alas… Despite possessing the powers of both the Heretic God and the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, you still haven’t managed to break through the Divine Sovereign Realm. It’s uninteresting, and frankly, disappointing.” He added, “After all, my dragon claws would disdain to even engage with a mere Divine Sovereign.”

Yun Che’s gaze remained unchanged as he said expressionlessly, “You want to duel me?”

“While it is somewhat uninteresting and ridiculous, still…” Long Bai raised a hand. No dragon energy was visibly released, yet an inexplicably terrifying pressure descended. “You must die by my hand!”

“Pah!” Yan San spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm fiercely, stepping forward and cursing, “If you want to harm my master, you’ll have to—”

“Get back,” Yun Che said calmly.

Yan San’s neck and steps instantly recoiled.

“Very good.” Yun Che’s fingers slowly curled. His expression remained cold and calm, but only he knew that the rage in his soul was already like thousands of snarling, howling devils, on the verge of complete loss of control. “Indeed, some things in this world are uninteresting and ridiculous, yet must be done.”

Yun Che stepped forward, slowly approaching Long Bai amidst the alarmed and worried gazes of the Northern Region profound practitioners. “Since you are so eager to fight me alone, I, Yun Che, the Devil Master of the Northern Region, shall grant you this opportunity!”

“Grant… him? Hahahaha…” The Dragon Gods, Dragon Monarchs, and Western Region God Emperors were all stunned, then burst into roaring laughter. Although he was the Devil Master of the Northern Region, whom the Northern Region devils would fight to the death to protect, for him, with a cultivation of Divine Sovereign Realm Level 10 and a group of desolate, withered devils behind him, to utter such words to Long Bai? It was beyond ridiculous; they couldn’t help but wonder if Yun Che had finally succumbed to the overwhelming pressure and despair of his dire situation and gone completely mad.

“Hmph,” Long Bai breathed out faintly. “This is the grace I bestow upon you. The longer you endure, the longer these devil beasts under your command can breathe. Consider this, for now, a reward for your past deeds.”

As he spoke, he took a step forward, fully releasing his dragon might. Instantly, almost all profound practitioners, both from the Northern and Western Regions, trembled violently. Many involuntarily recoiled a step, while some severely injured ones were knocked to the ground, their internal organs bleeding.

“Listen,” Long Bai stated calmly, “In my battle with Yun Che, no matter the situation, none of you are to interfere…”

The profound practitioners of both the Northern and Western Regions were utterly astonished. The Dragon God Biluo blurted out, “Your Highness Dragon Emperor, how could a mere drowning dog be worthy of your personal—” Before he finished speaking, his arm was firmly grasped by the Dragon God Su Xin, who hissed, “Shut up.”

“Anyone… who… dares… to… interfere… no… matter… who… you… are… will… face… my… merciless… wrath!” Long Bai’s words were spoken incredibly slowly and intimidatingly. Each word served as a warning to all Western Region profound practitioners: this seemingly absurd and ridiculous command was, in fact, a supreme imperial decree that no one could defy in the slightest! The Dragon God Biluo instantly fell silent, cold sweat pouring down his body.

At this point, even the dullest person clearly realized that Long Bai’s feelings toward Yun Che were not merely those of a Dragon Emperor towards a Devil Master, but harbored a profound personal grudge. Coupled with the Devil Empress’s earlier words… A conjecture that made everyone’s hearts pound suddenly flashed through their minds, but they immediately suppressed it, not daring to utter a single word or even show a hint of an unusual expression.

That Long Bai wanted to personally attack Yun Che was no surprise at all to Yun Che, or to Chu Yuechan and Qianye Ying’er, who were aware of the true situation. Only by confronting Yun Che could he release the extreme resentment, jealousy, and malevolence that had accumulated in his heart for years. And only by personally, thoroughly crushing Yun Che in every aspect, could he find a pitiful semblance of dignity and psychological balance. Earlier, when the Western Divine Region completely overwhelmed the Northern Divine Region, Long Bai had remained cold and indifferent. At that time, there was no joy in his heart, only unwillingness and agitation. Now, finally… finally… His expression was perfectly calm, and there was no fluctuation of dragon energy around him. Yet, in his seemingly naturally hanging hand, every finger was tensed as if about to snap.

“Everyone, retreat.” Yun Che commanded coldly at that moment. “In this battle between the Devil Master and Long Bai, no one is to interfere, or face severe punishment!” Yun Che’s words undoubtedly startled all the Northern Region profound practitioners. Except for the three Yama Ancestors, who never defied orders, the others were filled with doubt. After all, their greatest desire at this moment, arguably their last purpose in life, was to fully protect Yun Che and help him escape. How could they let him face the terrifying Long Bai alone?

Chu Yuechan took a deep look at Yun Che, offering no dissuasion or even a single question. Instead, she raised a hand and gently pushed out a wave of dark energy. “The Devil Master’s command cannot be defied. This is the Devil Master’s own battlefield; we must not interfere. Retreat.”

Qianye Ying’er staggered, lunging to Chu Yuechan’s side, her weak, snow-white hand clutching Chu Yuechan’s arm tightly as she said in a deep voice, “What are you… doing…”

“Trust him,” Chu Yuechan said.

“It’s not a matter of trust…” Qianye Ying’er’s expression was pained, her teeth gritting as if they would shatter. “With you and Mu Xuanyin here, he could… escape… He cannot be allowed to take any more risks!” “Even if not for him… do you want everyone… to die in vain?!”

Chu Yuechan’s lips parted, her fingers unconsciously curled tight. Always decisive, she now experienced painful hesitation. She had never seen Yun Che’s gaze like this before. She couldn’t confirm how much rationality or irrationality lay beneath Yun Che’s seemingly confident demeanor. But his profound energy at Divine Sovereign Realm Level 10 was an undeniable fact.

“He won’t…” A very soft, light, girlish voice came. Shui Meiyin, using her profound energy to support her sister, Shui Yingyue, who could no longer stand steadily, murmured softly, “Big Brother Yun Che will definitely not let them sacrifice themselves in vain… He definitely won’t.” With that, she moved lightly, retreating far back.

Chu Yuechan no longer hesitated. Her dark profound energy carried some heavily injured Northern Region profound practitioners as she said in a deep voice, “Obey the Devil Master’s command. Everyone, retreat!”

Both sides retreated, leaving only Yun Che and Long Bai facing each other from a distance in the center of the shattered Canglan Divine Region.

“Begin,” Long Bai said. Facing Yun Che, his hands were actually clasped behind his back. In his heart, evil spirits were snarling and howling, wishing he could tear Yun Che to shreds immediately. But his dignity, his lofty pride, his unwillingness, his identity, and his prestige as Dragon Emperor would not allow him to make the first move.

A black light flashed before Yun Che, revealing the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Sword. His hand touched the sword’s body as he said, “Bring out your weapon.”

“I never deign to use weapons,” Long Bai said coldly.

“Is that so?” With a flick of his palm, Yun Che immediately put away the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Sword. At that moment, his gaze landed on Long Bai’s chest. “Oh? Are you injured?”

The moment he spoke, Yun Che’s eyes suddenly darkened, and his profound energy erupted. He swung his right arm, a terrifying fiery glow condensing on his fist, and then, in everyone’s suddenly widened pupils… he slammed it fiercely into his own chest.

*Boom!*

The power unleashed by this blow was terrifyingly immense, striking directly at his chest and piercing through to his internal organs. A large amount of bloody foam spewed simultaneously from Yun Che’s chest, back, and mouth, a shocking sight.

“De… Devil Master!?”

“Yun Che!!”

Chaotic cries of alarm came from behind. Yun Che’s action caused all profound practitioners to blanch in astonishment. They could never have dreamed… nor could they ever understand how Yun Che, facing the terrifying Long Bai alone, would suddenly commit such an act of self-harm. And such brutal self-harm!

Long Bai’s heart wound was small and had nearly half-healed over a long period. But Yun Che’s self-inflicted injury was clearly more severe than Long Bai’s to anyone who saw it. A fresh wound, it would undoubtedly severely deplete his vital and profound energy.

“He’s… he’s gone mad, hasn’t he?” said the Myriad Forms God Emperor.

“Heh, he truly has gone mad,” sneered the Dragon Emperor Hui. “Or perhaps, knowing he’ll be miserably defeated, he’s trying to forcibly gain some dignity this way? Heh heh heh, the so-called Devil Master is still just a mere thirty-year-old whelp, truly childish and utterly ridiculous.”

The five Withered Dragon Venerables, however, all frowned at this moment. When Yun Che had just struck himself, his profound energy at Divine Sovereign Realm Level 10 had actually released the might of a Divine Master Realm Level 10! Although they had already heard Long Bai and the Dragon Gods mention it, witnessing this scene, which completely defied their understanding, caused their soul seas, silent for countless years, to stir up immense waves.

Long Bai was indifferently silent, a hint of mockery at his lips. A punch straight to the heart—the pain was imaginable. Yet, there wasn’t a single twitch of pain on Yun Che’s face. His rapidly bloodied chest straightened. He looked calmly at Long Bai and slowly said, “Now it’s fairly even… Let’s begin.”

Yun Che shot forward, all his profound energy surging into his right fist, a storm surrounding him as he directly blasted towards Long Bai. The Dragon God lineage possessed incredibly powerful and domineering strength and physique, disdaining and having no need for external weapons. Indeed, their dragon claws were their most suitable and potent weapons; forcing external objects upon themselves would only add a burden. Yet, Yun Che had not only severely injured himself but had also abandoned his weapon. Even more outrageously, his attack on Long Bai was not his most proficient darkness or flame, but rather a straightforward, unadorned frontal assault with his bare fist. All his actions were, fundamentally, digging his own grave.

All seven Dragon Gods wore expressions of mockery. The profound energy Yun Che carried was indeed as powerful as rumored, having definitely entered the realm of Divine Master Level 10. However, to directly assault the Dragon Emperor’s body with such pure force… the subsequent scene was already pre-imaged in their minds.

Facing Yun Che’s furious attack, Long Bai remained utterly motionless, even his hands still clasped behind his back, allowing Yun Che’s fist to strike his face.

*Boom—* Yun Che’s fist slammed heavily into Long Bai’s forehead. There was no darkness, no firelight. But this was, after all, the power of a peak Divine Master; the heavens and earth trembled the moment the power erupted. Yet, as dust flew and space cracked, Long Bai’s body remained completely still. Only his head tilted back by less than three inches. A faint white glow silently shimmered around Long Bai’s body, between his forehead and Yun Che’s fist.

The Western Region profound practitioners showed expressions of sarcasm and pity, while the Northern Region profound practitioners’ hearts all stopped abruptly. For them, this was undoubtedly a scene of utter despair.

“It’s that abnormal white light again!” Chu Yuechan murmured.

Long Bai’s expression remained utterly unchanged, as if the heavy strike to his forehead was not from the Northern Region Devil Master, but from a powerless child. His gaze was deep and cold, his indifferent light like that of someone looking down on a dying, struggling larva. “Do you understand now how ridiculous you are?” he asked.

As he spoke, however, he saw no expression of shock or panic on Yun Che’s face. Instead, a strange, cold smile slowly spread across Yun Che’s lips.

“Good question.”

*Boom!!!*

Amidst that strange, cold smile, Yun Che’s seemingly exhausted power suddenly erupted again, defying all logic, and the eruption was even more violent than before! A slightly pale profound light exploded on Long Bai’s forehead! In that instant, the white glow around Long Bai suddenly disintegrated, and even his protective dragon energy strangely recoiled.

*Rumble!* Amidst a thunderous roar, Long Bai’s forehead violently caved in like a balloon. His body spun backward under the terrifyingly immense force and was sent flying, then slammed fiercely into the ground as he flew.

*Rumble, rumble, rumble…* As the ground split apart and sand and shattered rock flew everywhere, a deep trench over thirty miles long was cut into the earth before Long Bai’s body finally came to a halt.