Chapter 569: Outsmarting the Opponent

Not just the West Seating area where the Yun family was, but the entire venue erupted with demands for Yun Che to immediately forfeit. Hui Ran’s terrifying reputation was known worldwide; his strength was horrifyingly immense, and his attacks were exceptionally brutal. Those who fell at his hands either died or were permanently crippled; even severe injuries were considered minor.

No one wanted to see such a prodigious talent ruined by Hui Ran.

Those who knew of Prince Huai’s ambitions were particularly certain that Hui Ran’s intervention would lead to Yun Che’s death in the arena. Yun Che, with his profound energy almost entirely depleted, was half-kneeling, unable to muster even the slightest resistance.

Prince Huai’s initial calm confidence and faint smile, reflecting his control over the situation, had long disappeared. His face had been grim since Yun Che won the third match, and now it was utterly contorted with displeasure. He had voluntarily proposed this match between the East and West seating areas to utterly expel the Yun family from the ranks of Guardian Families and completely trample the morale and dignity of the factions loyal to the Little Demon Empress.

He had inwardly rejoiced after Su Zhi’s defeat, as everything was proceeding exactly as he had envisioned. This complete subjugation of his opponents allowed him to already picture himself as the Demon Emperor.

But now, he found he could no longer smile.

The overwhelming advantage and the satisfaction of humiliating his opponents had been utterly shattered by Yun Che alone, in the blink of an eye.

His own young prince and the young prince from Prince Zhong’s manor had both unleashed their full power and every trump card. Yet, instead of fulfilling his wish to kill Yun Che, they had both suffered crushing defeats and severe injuries at his hands.

While the East Seating area would ultimately win the match with Hui Ran present, his goal of humiliating his opponents had utterly failed. Instead, he had significantly bolstered their morale, particularly that of the Yun family. Prince Huai, who had always maintained control of every situation, had completely lost his grip this time and even felt regret. Given another chance, he would never have initiated this confrontation.

As the entire arena clamored for Yun Che to abandon the final match, Prince Huai secretly gritted his teeth. If he failed to “legitimately” “accidentally” kill Yun Che in the arena today, Yun Che would undoubtedly be under the strongest protection of the Yun family, and even the Little Demon Empress, making his assassination incredibly difficult. This Yun Che, whose talent and potential even startled Prince Huai, would then become a poisonous thorn in his heart, leaving him restless until eliminated.

However, despite the uproar from the crowd, Yun Che showed no intention of forfeiting. After some moments of heavy breathing, he slowly stood up, gripping his sword hilt. He looked towards the East Seating area and, in an unhurried manner, asked, “Isn’t there one more person? Why haven’t they come out yet? Do you no longer have anyone presentable?”

Yun Che’s words sent a shockwave through the West Seating area. Su Xiangnan, dropping all pretense, shouted, “Yun Che, you’ve fought enough. Don’t fight the last match.”

Tianxia Xiongqu directly roared at Yun Qinghong, “Qinghong, get that boy off the stage now!”

Yun Qinghong said nothing.

The Little Demon Empress, her crescent brows slightly raised, suddenly spoke: “Yun Che, the last person on the other side who hasn’t yet entered the arena is far more powerful than you imagine. You’ve fought five consecutive matches, your profound energy is severely depleted, and you have almost no strength left to fight. Are you certain you still want to compete in this final match?”

Yun Che responded without hesitation, “Although I’ve expended a great deal of energy, I haven’t been defeated. Since I haven’t lost, naturally I’ll fight! I, Yun Che, have suffered defeats in my life, but I have never voluntarily conceded!”

The Little Demon Empress frowned deeply, her eyes flashing with a stern warning. “Do you believe your stubbornness is noble? Hmph! A true man knows when to bend and when to stand firm, when to advance and when to retreat. Valueless persistence, fueled only by reckless passion, is often merely a foolish way to invite death!”

The Little Demon Empress’s words were a clear enough warning, but Yun Che merely grinned. “I, Yun Che... have never considered myself foolish! Little Demon Empress, on what grounds do you assert that I will certainly lose this final match?”

Even under the Little Demon Empress’s scrutinizing gaze, he remained unyielding. The Little Demon Empress said no more, casting a silent glance at Yun Qinghong before calmly stating, “Since you insist, then you must face the consequences.”

Prince Huai, who had been consumed by hatred and anxiety, suddenly felt immense relief. He glared fiercely at Yun Che, then silently sneered to himself: “This boy’s talent and potential are astonishing, but he is ultimately young and reckless. He won’t take the sensible path to survival... but insists on courting his own death!”

“After all, he’s from outside Demon Imperial City, so he likely doesn’t comprehend the terrifying extent of Hui Ran’s power. He must be deluding himself, planning to use his last reserves for a final, desperate struggle...” At this thought, Prince Huai’s eyebrow twitched again... “Why hasn’t Yun Qinghong stepped in to forcibly remove Yun Che?”

Could Yun Che possibly have a hidden trump card?

Prince Huai frowned in contemplation. Considering Yun Che’s overall strength and aura fluctuations displayed over the five matches, and his current, undeniably genuine state of exhaustion, he pondered for a long time but could not envision any possibility of Yun Che defeating Hui Ran.

Unless a bolt of divine lightning suddenly struck Hui Ran dead during their battle.

Just then, he suddenly noticed Yun Qinghong’s tightly clenched left hand. Although Yun Qinghong had sealed his profound energy firmly within his palm, Prince Huai’s focused perception still clearly sensed an extremely dense profound lightning energy.

So that was it. This Yun Che was incredibly proud, and Yun Qinghong likely feared that forcibly pulling him from the match would wound his pride and lead to resentment. Thus, he planned to intervene instantly to rescue Yun Che should he fall into danger during his fight with Hui Ran.

Prince Huai immediately sneered. Now that he understood Yun Qinghong’s intentions, he was absolutely confident he could intercept him the moment he tried to intervene—and do so rightfully, on the grounds of preventing unauthorized interference in the match!

“Ran’er... kill him! Kill him! Kill him!!”

Prince Huai transmitted a message to County Prince Hui Ran, repeating “kill him” three times in a low, fervent tone, revealing the profound murderous intent he harbored for Yun Che. As Hui Ran’s father, he naturally understood his son’s temperament best. Hui Ran was inherently cruel and ruthless, finding his greatest pleasure in tormenting his opponents to death. Yet, he was also supremely arrogant, rarely truly acknowledging anyone. Due to this nature, when facing Yun Che, he might arrogantly allow him time to recover, deeming it beneath him to fight an exhausted opponent.

Therefore, he repeated “kill him” three times as a stern reminder.

Upon receiving Prince Huai’s transmission, Hui Ran’s eyelids twitched. He let out a faint, cold snort, then slowly rose to his feet, walking unhurriedly, step by step, towards the arena.

The moment he stood, he immediately drew all eyes, becoming the undeniable focal point of the entire venue. He didn't release a profound energy aura, yet those who watched him clearly felt an incredibly heavy, oppressive presence.

Everyone in the West Seating area who understood Hui Ran’s power immediately tensed. Yet, even when Hui Ran stood before him, Yun Che made no move to forfeit as they had hoped. Instead, he stood tall, his gaze meeting Hui Ran’s defiantly.

“Oh, please... don’t fall victim to his cruel hand,” several clan heads could only sigh heavily in their minds.

Hui Ran stood before Yun Che, his narrowed eyes glinting with extreme menace. His physique was already exceptionally towering, and with every muscle bulging, his sheer size alone exuded a daunting, oppressive presence. While he didn't project an outward aura, an invisible, crushing pressure already bore down heavily on Yun Che's spirit.

“This guy’s power is absolutely no weaker than the Elf Clan’s world-renowned strongest,” Jasmine stated coldly. “Your strength is far inferior to his; even at full power, you would certainly be defeated by him. And your profound energy and physical stamina are both down to ten percent.”

“I’m certainly not his match,” Yun Che replied, panting. “But that doesn’t mean... I can’t defeat him today!”

Jasmine scoffed lightly. “Under the rule that leaving the arena counts as a loss, it is indeed possible for you to defeat him... but you’ll need significant luck!”

“My luck has always been quite good.”

“Hmph.” With a faint, cold snort of disdainful nonchalance, Hui Ran folded his arms across his chest and looked at Yun Che with indifference. “To have defeated my royal brother, you are barely qualified to be my opponent. I have always disdained to compete in the arena with someone whose profound energy is almost entirely depleted. But you... are even less worth my time.”

He didn't draw a weapon; instead, he extended a single finger towards Yun Che and contemptuously beckoned, “You may attack.”

“Heh.” Yun Che sneered, his smile growing even more contemptuous. “Prince Huai’s manor, as expected, is filled with nothing but boastful talkers. Even with less than ten percent of my profound energy remaining, defeating trash like you is more than enough.”

Given Hui Ran’s strength and reputation, no one had ever spoken to him in such a manner since his birth; no one had ever possessed the ability or audacity to be so arrogant in his presence. County Prince Hui Ran’s eyes slowly narrowed; he wasn't angry, merely smiled faintly, a cruel, cold glint flickering deep within his pupils. “With just you?”

At that moment, Prince Huai’s transmitted message suddenly reached his ear: “Don’t waste words with him, kill him immediately!”

“Precisely! With just me!”

With a clang, Yun Che drew his heavy sword from the ground. A heavy and formidable aura immediately emanated, causing Hui Ran to raise an eyebrow slightly... but that was all; his lips still curled into a sneer of disdain.

Yun Che seemed utterly oblivious that his strength was completely insufficient to pose a threat to Hui Ran. He raised his heavy sword and roared, “Let’s see how long you can withstand my blade! Hmph!!”

Yun Che stomped his foot, swung his heavy sword, and shot towards Hui Ran like a swift arrow. His actions instantly put everyone in the West Seating area on edge. The various clan heads all rose, their faces etched with extreme tension. Though Yun Qinghong remained seated, his left hand was subtly positioned in front of him.

A fierce gust of wind assailed Hui Ran, causing his robes to whip wildly. Although Yun Che’s strength was greatly depleted, the might of his heavy sword remained ferociously unparalleled. Yet, Hui Ran showed not a hint of solemnity. He unhurriedly raised his right arm, fingers splayed, intending to catch Yun Che’s heavy sword with his bare palm. A faint, disdainful smile played on his lips as he muttered, “Heh, overestimating yourself.”

Everyone in the grand hall had clearly witnessed the terrifying power of Yun Che’s heavy sword, even feeling a deep sense of dread. Yet, concerning Hui Ran’s seemingly audacious and overconfident move, not a single person believed he was courting death... because someone as immensely powerful as Hui Ran genuinely possessed such capability.

Hui Ran’s action caused Yun Che’s brow to furrow slightly. As he moved at extreme speed, he drew closer and closer to Hui Ran, closing the distance to two *zhang* in an instant. Just then, Yun Che’s figure suddenly slowed slightly, and a wondrous cerulean light abruptly burst forth from his eyes. Behind him, a cerulean dragon’s image flickered into existence, accompanied by a majestic and domineering dragon’s roar descending from the sky, shaking the entire world.

“Dragon Soul Domain!!”

To minimize mental expenditure, the Dragon Soul Domain’s range was limited to only ten *zhang*. Yet, the roar of the Dragon God, echoing from the Primordial Azure Dragon, still reverberated throughout Demon Imperial City, violently shaking the hearts and souls of everyone in the grand hall.

Especially members of the Demon Clan with beast bloodlines; under the roar of the Dragon God, the supreme ruler of all beasts, their minds were profoundly shaken, and their souls trembled uncontrollably. The Chiyang family, a true dragon lineage, all looked terrified, their dragon souls agitated, even feeling an impulse to kneel in worship.

“Th-this... what is that?!”

“Is that... a dragon’s roar?!”

Three feet above Yun Che’s head, a pair of cerulean eyes, as deep as the sky and as dazzling as stars, opened. Under the heaven-shaking dragon’s roar and the overwhelming deterrence of the Dragon Soul power, County Prince Hui Ran’s entire body trembled. The expression on his face instantly stiffened, then gradually contorted into intense terror, his pupils rapidly constricting, and even his body visibly quivered slightly.

Even though Yun Che’s strength was far inferior to Hui Ran’s, and Yun Che was already utterly exhausted, this was a soul deterrence emanating from the Dragon God’s soul. Even someone as mighty as Hui Ran could not completely resist it, even with mental defenses, let alone being completely caught off guard!

“Purgatory!!”

Facing the formidable Hui Ran, even with his opponent caught within the Dragon Soul Domain, Yun Che could not afford to be careless. He surged with all his remaining strength, a phoenix image flickering around him, its cry echoing through the air, as he charged ferociously towards Hui Ran with several times his previous speed and power.

“Get out of here... Phoenix Wing Heaven’s Might!!”

In terms of sheer power, Hui Ran was ultimately vastly superior to Yun Che. As danger approached, he forcibly regained a fraction of his lucidity, extending his arms with difficulty to block in front of him. But that brief clarity was quickly overshadowed by overwhelming terror and crumbling conviction. His defensive power, less than thirty percent of his usual, lasted only a fleeting moment before he was violently sent flying by the furious impact of Phoenix Wing Heaven’s Might.

Yun Che flipped backward from the recoil, and before he even landed, the Heaven Smiting Sword struck out once more. A cerulean wolf, wreathed in crimson flames, tore through space and mercilessly slammed into Hui Ran as he flew backward.

“Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash!!”

Boom!!!!

Like a meteor streaking across the vast Demon Imperial Grand Hall, Phoenix Wing Heaven’s Might was immediately followed by the Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash. County Prince Hui Ran’s body was sent hurtling across half of the hall, flying over the seating area, and violently crashing into the eastern wall. As the grand hall intensely trembled, County Prince Hui Ran was completely embedded into the eastern wall, and countless cracks spread wildly across its surface.