Chapter 439: Intensification

“P-Phoenix Flame!?”

“Yes! That’s definitely the aura of the Phoenix Flame. No other profound fire could imitate it.”

“Why can Yun Che ignite Phoenix Flame? Doesn’t Phoenix Flame require Phoenix bloodline to burn? Could it be… Yun Che also possesses the Phoenix bloodline?”

“Yun Che can’t be from the Divine Phoenix Sect. Otherwise, there’s no way he’d represent the Blue Wind Nation or dare to provoke the Divine Phoenix Empire… Could he be a Phoenix bloodline descendant who strayed from the Divine Phoenix Sect?”

“But the Divine Phoenix Sect absolutely forbids any Phoenix bloodline from flowing outside…”

Yun Che’s ignited Phoenix Flame stunned everyone. No one had expected such an unforeseen sight just as the final battle was about to begin.

Not only the spectators, but even the people from the Four Sacred Lands showed surprise.

“Heh, it seems like quite a show is about to unfold.” Ye Xinghan squinted, looking amused. He glanced at Elder Ling Kun and said casually, “Elder Ling, you don’t seem surprised at all.”

“Because I’ve known this boy possesses the Phoenix bloodline for two years already,” Ling Kun replied.

“Oh?”

“My guess was correct. He came to participate in this Seven Nations Ranking Tournament under pressure from the Divine Phoenix Sect to resolve the issue of his Phoenix bloodline. However, his method of resolution is quite intriguing… I’ll join the Young Palace Master in watching what unfolds next. Still, I don’t believe this boy Yun Che is simply looking for death.” Ling Kun leaned back in his seat, also appearing to enjoy the spectacle.

Feng Feiyan was closest to Yun Che. He, too, was utterly surprised that Yun Che would publicly ignite Phoenix Flame and expose his Phoenix bloodline. Since this had happened, he naturally couldn't remain silent. Frowning deeply, he sternly declared, “Yun Che! Regarding your possession of my Divine Phoenix Sect’s bloodline, our sect originally intended to settle it with you after the ranking tournament to avoid disrupting its progress. But it seems you couldn’t restrain yourself!”

“Yes, I truly couldn’t restrain myself.” Yun Che turned sideways, his expression stern but completely fearless. “Because your Divine Phoenix Sect owes me an explanation!!”

Yun Che’s words exploded like a clap of thunder in a clear sky, leaving everyone in the audience wide-eyed and stunned.

The Divine Phoenix Sect, paramount over the seven nations, unshakable… owed *him*… an explanation?

A mere profound practitioner from the Blue Wind Nation, demanding an explanation from the Divine Phoenix Sect?

Feng Feiyan froze, then wasn’t sure whether to be angry or amused. “The Divine Phoenix Sect owes you an explanation? Hahahahaha… In my entire life, I’ve never heard such a ridiculous joke.”

Yun Che remained expressionless, speaking each word clearly: “Half a year ago, in the Blue Wind Imperial City, my wife Cang Yue and I were holding our wedding in the imperial palace. That day was supposed to be a national celebration, overflowing with joy, but…” Yun Che’s gaze shifted, precisely fixing on the Thirteenth Prince Feng Xichen in the Divine Phoenix Empire’s seating area: “Your Divine Phoenix Sect’s Thirteenth Prince Feng Xichen, along with two others, came uninvited. Not only did he ruin my wedding without reason, he also threatened to kill me on the spot. If your Thirteenth Prince hadn’t been a bit too weak, suffering severe injuries and being driven away by me, I might have died in vain on my wedding day…”

“I have no past grudges or recent enmities with your Divine Phoenix Sect, yet you wanted to take my life based on the laughable excuse of ‘bloodline.’ Is this how your Divine Phoenix Sect operates?! If you have any shame left, shouldn’t you give me an explanation in front of everyone here?!”

Yun Che spoke righteously, each word resounding in their hearts. Alone in Divine Phoenix City, within the main headquarters of the Divine Phoenix Sect, facing its core elders and three million profound practitioners, he showed no fear, fiercely questioning this immensely powerful, preeminent sect of the Profound Sky Continent.

Everyone’s reaction was nothing but shock. They had never imagined that someone—and merely a young profound practitioner under twenty from the Blue Wind Nation—could so fearlessly and publicly challenge the entire Divine Phoenix Sect. Such boldness, courage, and intrepidity were truly astonishing.

Yun Che’s words also gave those present a general understanding of the basic situation regarding his grievances with the Divine Phoenix Sect. Clearly, after learning that Yun Che possessed the Phoenix bloodline, the Divine Phoenix Sect had instructed Feng Xichen to deal with him when he delivered the ranking tournament invitations half a year ago… because that was when the six nations received their invitations.

The bloodline was the Divine Phoenix Sect’s greatest taboo, a fact known and even considered justifiable by all. For any sect, core cultivation methods must never be leaked, let alone the Phoenix bloodline, which was the very soul of the Divine Phoenix Sect.

But apparently, the Thirteenth Prince Feng Xichen had failed to intimidate Yun Che, a tough opponent, and instead suffered a major humiliation.

Feng Xichen’s face flushed crimson, and the stares from the entire audience made him feel as if he were sitting on pins and needles. Yun Che had publicly revealed the events of that day, stripping the Divine Phoenix Prince of his dignity and destroying his reputation. The lies he had told Feng Ximing and Feng Hengkong were now unequivocally exposed… He clenched his fists tightly, his head swam, and he felt so suffocated he nearly passed out. Most of the other princes looked at him with schadenfreude.

Feng Ximing shot up from his seat and roared, “Impudent! For five thousand years, my Divine Phoenix Sect has fully guarded its bloodline, never allowing even a shred of Phoenix bloodline to leave, and this is known throughout the world! Yet you are a wild seed, a mongrel, inadvertently leaked from our sect! According to our Divine Phoenix Sect’s rules, you either return to our sect and never leave, or you face our sect’s punishment of death! How honorable is my Thirteenth Brother’s status? His personal handling of your matter was already a tremendous show of respect and opportunity for you! If you don’t return to the Divine Phoenix Sect, your death is only natural and just! How dare you shout here?!”

“Hahahahaha!” Yun Che burst out laughing and retorted, “Natural and just? Bah! I, Yun Che, was born and raised in the Blue Wind Nation. I’ve never used a single resource from your Divine Phoenix Sect, received a single favor, or even drunk a sip of your sect’s water! Yet you demand that I either submit or die… And you still have the audacity to call it ‘natural and just’? On what grounds?!”

“On the grounds that you possess my Divine Phoenix Sect’s bloodline! On the grounds that you are a wild seed that leaked from my Divine Phoenix Sect!” Feng Ximing declared fiercely.

“What a joke!” Yun Che sneered dismissively. “Then on what grounds do you assume the Phoenix bloodline in me comes from *your* Divine Phoenix Sect?!”

“Does that even need proof?” Feng Ximing countered with a sneer. “Our sect’s Phoenix bloodline is a gift from the Phoenix God, which allowed us to proliferate and establish the Divine Phoenix Sect of today. Throughout the entire Profound Sky Continent, only my Divine Phoenix Sect possesses the Phoenix bloodline!”

“Is that so?” Yun Che said slowly. “Then how do you know that my Phoenix bloodline isn’t from the legacy of another Phoenix God? The true Phoenix divine beasts vanished in ancient times. The ‘Phoenix God’ you speak of is merely a fragmented soul body, dispersed by the divine beast to preserve its bloodline, scattered across various corners of the world. Even on the same continent, there could be multiple such legacies, not just one. If you can obtain a legacy, why do you think others cannot?!”

At Yun Che’s words, the faces of the Divine Phoenix Sect members all changed. Feng Feiyan’s face instantly darkened, and he growled, “Audacious junior! How dare you defame our sect’s Phoenix God… Do you believe I won’t kill you right now?!”

“Heh, arguing with you is a waste of effort.” Yun Che sneered. With a whoosh, he brandished the Dragon Fault, pointing it at Feng Xiluo, Phoenix Flame blazing fiercely along its blade. “Didn’t you say I, Yun Che, am a mongrel leaked from your Divine Phoenix Sect? Fine… Then I’d like to see if anyone among the Divine Phoenix Sect’s members of similar age can make me fall! If your Divine Phoenix Sect’s younger generation, supposedly with pure bloodline, can’t even produce someone to defeat me, wouldn’t that just prove… *you* are the true mongrels!”

“This is outrageous!” If not for the public scrutiny, the presence of the Sacred Lands, and the fact that they were at the Seven Nations Ranking Tournament, Feng Feiyan would have loved to disregard his status as Grand Elder and personally slap Yun Che to death. Given the Divine Phoenix Sect’s dominant power over the world, who wouldn’t tremble and show utmost respect in their presence? No one had ever dared to challenge the Divine Phoenix Sect’s authority like this.

He pointed at Yun Che, his face grim. “Good, very good… A mongrel, flowing with my Phoenix blood, yet daring to be so arrogant and presumptuous… Very good! Fourteenth Prince, spare no effort! Let this mongrel know what pure Phoenix bloodline truly is!”

“Don’t worry, Grand Elder.” Feng Xiluo replied calmly, his eyes narrowing as he stared directly at Yun Che. In a low voice, he said, “Heh, originally, I just wanted you to get off the Phoenix Stage quickly and painlessly. But now, I’ve changed my mind. If I accidentally cripple your limbs or bloodline later, don’t blame me.”

“I’m more afraid it’ll be you who gets crippled,” Yun Che said coldly.

“Still so arrogant even at death’s door. Truly laughable and pathetic!” Feng Xiluo raised his arms, Phoenix Flames igniting simultaneously in his palms. Just as he was about to advance, Feng Hengkong’s profound energy transmission suddenly reached his ear:

“Don’t underestimate him! Go all out… Kill him directly!”

Feng Xiluo paused, then his hand gestures changed. A crimson lightning bolt screeched between his hands, then transformed into a spear, roughly eight feet long and glowing red like molten iron.

“It’s a King Profound Tool… the Phoenix God Spear!! The Fourteenth Prince actually used the Phoenix God Spear right from the start!”

“It seems His Highness the Prince is thoroughly enraged. He probably wants to make Yun Che suffer a crushing defeat as quickly as possible, leaving him speechless.”

“With the Phoenix God Spear out… how many moves do you think His Highness will need to defeat him?” a Phoenix disciple asked leisurely.

“Seven moves,” another Phoenix disciple said casually.

“Seven moves? You’re giving that Blue Wind boy too much credit.” The Phoenix disciple in front of him curled his lip, then sneered, “Five moves at most, and that boy will be burned so badly even his own father wouldn’t recognize him!”