Chapter 710: Step by Step Encroachment

"What... what do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Can't you understand, Phoenix Sect Master?" Yun Che sneered. "I came with a benevolent heart, but you refused my goodwill. I gave you chance after chance, yet you chose to let your own sons die rather than take those opportunities. Are you still naive enough to think I'll be as merciful today as I was yesterday?!"

"You!!"

"Sect Master!" Feng Feilie quickly interjected, "He holds the lives of two princes! The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes have already met tragic ends. We absolutely cannot allow anything to happen to the Ninth and Eleventh Princes. Moreover, his speed is unfathomable; if we continue to oppose him forcefully, not only will the Ninth and Eleventh Princes' lives be in danger, but other princes might also..."

Veins pulsed on Feng Hengkong's forehead and arms, as if about to burst. He spoke in a low, piercing voice, "Then today... what will it take for you to release them?!"

"Oh?" Yun Che seemed rather surprised by Feng Hengkong's reaction, then let out a sarcastic sneer. "It seems your mind, Phoenix Sect Master, has finally gained a bit of wisdom. After all, though you're worse than a beast, you are still human in terms of species. There must be some difference between you and a pig or a mad dog."

Feng Hengkong's grudging compromise was met with Yun Che's utterly venomous insults. In just a few words, not only Feng Hengkong but even the most ordinary Phoenix disciples were so enraged their lungs felt like they would burst. Yun Che slowly extended a finger, a compassionate expression on his face, and said, "Then I will give your Divine Phoenix Sect a third chance. If you comply, these two princes will live, and I won't bother staying in this filthy place any longer. Of course, you can continue to refuse; I don't mind at all. To be frank, you caused rivers of blood and mountains of corpses in my Azure Cloud Nation, so killing a mere dozen or so of your people is far too lenient."

"First," Yun Che's face, which had just been sneering, instantly turned cold, his gaze like an ice blade piercing directly at Feng Hengkong: "Within twenty days, your Divine Phoenix Army must completely withdraw from my Azure Cloud Nation's borders! Not a single soldier shall remain, and you are forbidden from invading again for three hundred years!"

"Second, you, Feng Hengkong, shall personally draft an imperial decree, apologize to my Azure Cloud Nation, and announce it to the world! This decree must also be mounted above your Divine Phoenix City's main gate and displayed for at least ten years!"

"Third, compensate my Azure Cloud Nation with thirty billion Purple Profound Coins!!"

"Fourth, cede the Scarlet Jade Territory, located on the northeastern border of your Divine Phoenix Nation, to my Azure Cloud Nation!"

"Yun Che!! Don't push your luck!!" With each condition Yun Che stated, Feng Hengkong's face grew darker. By the time Yun Che reached the fourth condition, his chest felt like it would burst, and he roared aloud. The deadline for troop withdrawal had been shortened, the non-aggression period extended, the imperial decree not only had to be announced to the world but also hung on the city gate for an entire decade! The compensation sum had skyrocketed again. And the most unbearable demand... yesterday, he only asked the Divine Phoenix Nation to cede Scarlet Jade City; today, he demanded the entire Scarlet Jade Territory!

Although the Scarlet Jade Territory was on the periphery of Divine Phoenix, it was one of the largest territories in the Divine Phoenix Empire, equal in size to a quarter of the Azure Cloud Nation!

"Fifth!" Yun Che ignored Feng Hengkong's roar and coldly announced another condition. He extended a finger, pointing at Feng Ximing, who stood beside Feng Hengkong: "Your Divine Phoenix Nation's Crown Prince... I believe his name is Feng Ximing? This last condition is much simpler—cripple his profound strength, then have him accompany me to the Azure Cloud Imperial City as a guest for fifty years."

Yun Che's final words made the anger in the hearts of everyone in the Divine Phoenix Sect explode.

Troop withdrawal, apologies, compensation, land cession... and now, a hostage! And not just any hostage—the Crown Prince of their Divine Phoenix Empire!

Furthermore, they had to cripple his profound strength, cultivated over a century... and the hostage period was an astonishing fifty years!!

If their Divine Phoenix Nation truly complied, it would be an immense disgrace, shaming every ancestor of Divine Phoenix and its five-thousand-year history!

"Yun Che, you're delusional!!" Feng Ximing never imagined Yun Che's demands would suddenly target him. Already seething with hatred for Yun Che, he trembled with rage.

"Father Emperor, as your son, even if I were to die ten thousand deaths, I would never accept such humiliation! Because that would not only be *my* humiliation, but also yours, Father Emperor, and the humiliation of our Divine Phoenix Nation!! The Scarlet Jade Territory is not only a vital territory of our Divine Phoenix; it is also the birthplace of our Divine Phoenix Ancestor. Even if our Divine Phoenix were utterly destroyed, we absolutely cannot cede it to others!!" Feng Ximing's emotions grew more agitated, and his final words were roared with all his might.

"Sect Master, we absolutely cannot allow such a national humiliation that surrenders our power!"

"But the two princes..."

"This Yun Che is clearly humiliating our Divine Phoenix! No matter what, we absolutely cannot compromise with this boy!"

Feng Hengkong's face was crimson, and his breathing was heavy. His patience had reached the absolute breaking point. Two days prior, when Yun Che first took a prince hostage and declared his terms, Feng Hengkong had nearly burst a lung in fury.

But compared to today, Yun Che on that day seemed as benevolent as a living Buddha reincarnated!

Facing the collective wrath and glares of the entire Divine Phoenix Sect, Yun Che's expression remained unchanged. He spoke unhurriedly, "Feng Hengkong, I give you five breaths to consider. Either you comply obediently and begin execution immediately. Or, they die. Do not attempt to bargain, and do not attempt to delay. Only five breaths... I will not wait even a single instant longer."

"Five!" As soon as he finished speaking, Yun Che immediately called out the first count.

"Four..."

"Three..."

On one side were the lives of two princes; on the other, an unbearable national humiliation that they could never accept. Yet, they had only a fleeting five breaths of time. This was undoubtedly grilling everyone in the Divine Phoenix Sect over a fire.

"Sect Master..." All eyes were fixed on Feng Hengkong. With the lives of princes on one side and the disgrace of Divine Phoenix on the other, none dared to make a decision on their own, or even utter an extra word.

"Two..." Yun Che withdrew another finger from his outstretched hand.

"Father Emperor... Father Emperor!!" Feng Xilin and Feng Ximin screamed in terror and despair with all their might.

"One..."

Blood dripped from between Feng Hengkong's fingers, and his body trembled ceaselessly. Yesterday, Yun Che had already shown them that false compliance and pretense were utterly useless. Yet, if he were to accept Yun Che's five conditions, he would become an eternal sinner of the Divine Phoenix Empire. The once mighty Divine Phoenix, whose awe-inspiring power shook the world, would become a laughingstock among the Seven Nations... even after death, he would be too ashamed to face his ancestors.

If he refused, his two sons would surely die... and Yun Che would return. With his unfathomable abilities, he would kill even more of their people, and subsequent demands might be even crueler...

Three years ago, when he dispatched troops to invade Azure Cloud, annexing its territory seemed a trivial matter to him. He never dreamed it would provoke such retaliation.

"Yun Che..." Feng Hengkong uttered in a low voice, "If you dare..."

At that moment, Yun Che withdrew his last finger, a cruel smile spreading across his face: "Five breaths have passed. Frankly, Phoenix Sect Master, I very much appreciate your answer... My two esteemed princes, it seems your Father Emperor doesn't value your lives at all. My terms were so benevolent and generous, yet he still chose to watch you die... In that case, there's no need for you to remain alive."

Feng Hengkong and all the Phoenix elders turned pale with shock, roaring simultaneously, "Stop!!"

Boom!!!

Their answer was only two blinding flashes of fire. The Divine Phoenix Princes, possessing the most distinguished status, were like the lowliest ants in Yun Che's hands, crushed without the slightest hesitation. Within the bursting flames, Feng Xilin and Feng Ximin's bodies instantly shattered, then were incinerated into absolute nothingness.

"Liner... Miner!!" Feng Hengkong let out a gut-wrenching roar, charging at Yun Che like a madman. "Yun Che!! I, Feng Hengkong, will never rest until I've destroyed you!!!"

"You're not worthy!!" Yun Che sneered darkly, then burst into a wild laugh, soaring into the sky. "Feng Hengkong, four are dead, but you still have ten sons... Don't worry. Before you pay the price you owe, I will send them to the King of Hell one by one! Just you wait!!"

Yun Che turned around, his body like an arrow released from a bowstring, and flew away to the west.

"Kill him!! Kill him no matter what!!" Feng Feilie roared.

Amidst chaotic bursts of air, three Phoenix elders, positioned in Yun Che's escape path, all rose into the air and charged at him. Three longswords, ablaze with Phoenix flame, viciously thrust towards Yun Che's vital points...

Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly, emitting cold, dangerous glints. Facing the three charging Phoenix elders head-on, his speed did not slow; instead, it abruptly increased. A crimson light flashed in his hand, his profound energy erupted throughout his body, and the Heaven Smiting Sword slammed straight forward.

Previously, when faced with the Divine Phoenix Sect's attacks and encirclement, Yun Che had always dodged and fled. This time, the three Phoenix elders unleashed their full power, subconsciously believing that Yun Che would surely use his ghostly movement profound technique to evade their attacks and escape far away...

However, what they saw was a crimson sword glow surging directly towards them.

The three Phoenix elders were initially startled, then overjoyed. Their profound energy surged once more, and several-zhang-long fiery snakes writhed on their swords. If Yun Che intended to flee, they knew they would be helpless against his speed. But in a direct confrontation, with their combined strength, there was no reason they couldn't heavily wound Yun Che... or even kill him on the spot.

However, the joy on their faces lasted only a fleeting moment, replaced by growing dread... because the terrifying profound energy storm surging towards them surpassed their expectations by countless times. As the crimson greatsword descended upon them, the Phoenix flames they had ignited were completely extinguished, suppressed like flickering candles in the wind, not even a wisp of flame remained. A force akin to the heavens toppling down bore down on their bodies. Before this power, their bodies, tougher than fine steel, felt as fragile and insignificant as ants...

"Falling Moon Sinking Star!!"

Boom!!!

Like a mountain exploding mid-air, a tremendous roar echoed, causing large sections of the ground below to shatter. Everyone who had pursued witnessed clearly that the swords of the three Phoenix elders snapped and flew away simultaneously. Immediately after, their very bodies, in the instant the greatsword swept past... were cut in half at the waist!