Chapter 1157: Trial
“Yun… Brother Yun?”
Appearing on the Feng Shen Platform, Huo Poyun’s blood boiled throughout his body. Those legendary figures were right in front of him, scrutinizing him, and his excitement was unprecedented. How could he have the mind to notice anything else? Even though he was familiar with Yun Che’s aura, it took him until now to realize that Yun Che was actually not far to his right, separated by less than ten people.
Huo Poyun’s first reaction was undoubtedly disbelief that his own eyes could be trusted.
“Him?” It wasn’t just Huo Poyun who recognized Yun Che. There was also Jun Xilei, who bore a deep hatred for him. When she saw Yun Che, she was stunned for a full three breaths: “Impossible… How did he sneak in?”
“What’s going on? How can there be a person at only the Divine Tribulation Realm… Wait, this person is…” Shui Yingyue’s beautiful eyes narrowed, and she suddenly remembered where she had seen this person.
“Hehehe.” If there was anyone who wasn’t surprised at all, besides Wu Guike, it was only Shui Meiyin. Unlike the others, she had been secretly watching Yun Che from the very beginning. Now, he had suddenly become the focus of the entire Feng Shen Platform. Shui Meiyin’s starry eyes sparkled with light, and her young face was full of smiles: “The Xuan Shen Convention can be this fun after all.”
What should come will come. Wu Guike began to feel uneasy.
“Who is that person? What’s going on?”
“Divine Tribulation Realm… and first level!? There’s no way he could be a ‘Heaven’s Chosen,’ no matter what!”
“Not just Heaven’s Chosen—he wouldn’t even pass the first round of preliminaries!”
“Could it be… he used some special method?”
“Does that even need asking? Someone actually dared to cheat in the Xuan Shen Convention! And he forced his way into the top thousand—isn’t that asking for death!”
“How did he even manage it?”
“Who cares how? He’s dead for sure!”
The Feng Shen Platform buzzed with discussion. Everyone looked at each other in surprise. After discovering this anomaly named Yun Che, their gazes shifted from shock and disbelief to contempt and pity.
The top thousand in the Xuan Shen Convention—what a height that was. A first-level Divine Tribulation Realm cultivator making it into the top thousand? Not even a three-year-old would believe it. Cheating was one thing—after all, no matter the method, being able to cheat was a kind of ability in itself—but to cheat your way into a ranking was one thing; to actually dare to break into the top thousand of the overall list and blatantly expose yourself before the four Divine Emperors of the Eastern Domain and countless Star Realm Kings… Calling it reckless was an understatement. It was downright stupid.
In the eastern seats of the Feng Shen Platform, the expressions of the four Divine Emperors had darkened. Even Zhou Tian Shen Di, usually the most calm and composed, frowned deeply. Just as he was about to speak, a wild laugh rang in his ears.
“Hahahaha, hahahahaha…” Shitian Shendi leaned back, laughing heartily while clapping his hands: “Interesting, very interesting! A mere first-level Divine Tribulation Realm cultivator actually managed to break into the top thousand of the younger generation of the Eastern Domain. This king is truly enlightened. Hahahaha!”
Shitian Shendi’s laughter was undoubtedly a mockery of the Eastern Domain, causing the four Divine Emperors’ faces to darken further.
To have even a first-level Divine Tribulation Realm cultivator enter the top thousand meant that the threshold for the Eastern Domain’s top thousand had been dragged down to that level. How could it not be ridiculed?
Word would spread, and it would undoubtedly become a huge joke.
Zhou Tian Shen Di still maintained a calm expression, but his voice carried a noticeable chill: “Quhui!”
Those two simple words silenced the entire venue.
Quhui Zunzhe descended from above the Feng Shen Platform and stood before the group of “Heaven’s Chosen.” Without saying a word, his mere presence—like a force that could suppress heaven and earth—sent a chill through every cultivator, making them silent as cicadas in winter.
His eyes shifted slightly, and two gazes sharper than divine swords fell directly on Yun Che. A nameless coldness caused the young cultivators near Yun Che to shudder inwardly and quickly and carefully move away. The crowd around Yun Che suddenly formed a large open space.
“You, come out.”
Quhui spoke, his voice extremely cold. He didn’t release even a trace of profound energy, but an inexplicable pressure, like a ten-thousand-ton iron plate pressing down, made even the most outstanding young experts of the Eastern Domain hold their breath.
This should have been a ridiculous affair, something to gloat over or even find satisfying. But because of Quhui Zunzhe’s terrifying reputation, the atmosphere became incredibly tense. Their feelings toward Yun Che shifted from contempt and hatred to mostly pity.
Because when facing Quhui Zunzhe, no matter how great your background—even if you were the illegitimate son of the Jade Emperor—you were finished.
Without any hesitation or delay, Yun Che stepped forward and stood firmly before Quhui Zunzhe, not asking why.
He also stood under the gaze of the Dragon Emperor, the five Divine Emperors, and almost all the top experts of the Eastern Domain.
At that moment, the entire Feng Shen Platform centered on Yun Che… Even Luo Changsheng had not enjoyed such “honor.”
“What is your name, and where are you from?” Quhui Zunzhe asked, his voice utterly devoid of emotion.
“Yun Che, from the lower realms,” Yun Che replied calmly.
The words “from the lower realms” caused a slight stir on the Feng Shen Platform. All gazes shifted. In the God Realm, even the lowest-level lower star realms looked down on cultivators from the lower realms, regarding them as “lowly beings.”
Even if Yun Che were the son of some Upper Realm King, committing such a grave offense under these circumstances would inevitably result in merciless punishment. But if he truly came from the lower realms… then there was absolutely no room for leniency.
“Yun… Brother…” Huo Poyun shifted his feet uneasily, his whole body trembling with anxiety, but he dared not act rashly or speak.
“This… this, this… what do we do?” Mu Huanzhi’s hair stood on end, his panic reaching its peak. Yun Che was Mu Xuanyin’s personal disciple. If something happened to him, they would have no way to account to Mu Xuanyin when they returned. Moreover, this wasn’t just Yun Che’s problem alone… it could very well implicate the Yin Xue Realm.
After all, this was the Xuan Shen Convention, attended by the four Divine Emperors, the Dragon Emperor, and even Shitian Shendi!
“This kid… usually so shrewd, but now… has he gotten shit in his head all of a sudden!” Huo Rulie was also terrified and furious, jumping up and cursing.
“Oh?” In the Xing Shen Realm seating area, Tian Du Star God Yu Luo, who had been fiddling with her fingers and showing no interest in anything, narrowed her eyes and let out a soft moan from her seductive, alluring lips.
“What is it?” asked the Tian Gang Star God Shen Hu beside her, casting a sidelong glance.
“Nothing, I just suddenly remembered someone,” Yu Luo said, her voice soft and lazy, like a seductive enchantress whispering in one’s ear.
“I wonder which unfortunate soul is so short-lived as to be remembered by you, she-devil,” Tian Gang Star God Shen Hu said.
“Just a dead man.” Yu Luo stroked her slender fingers, which exuded a rich floral fragrance, and said with a charming smile: “This little brother who’s asking for death not only looks like him, but even has the same name. How amusing.”
Quhui Zunzhe’s face was harder than refined iron, as if it never showed expression. But as he looked directly at Yun Che, a strange glint flickered in the depths of his pupils.
It wasn’t just Quhui Zunzhe. The Dragon Emperor, Fantian Shen Di, Zhou Tian Shen Di, Xing Shendi, and Yue Shen Di all had subtle changes in their expressions. Especially Shitian Shendi, who had been laughing heartily for a long time, now showed an intrigued expression.
Because Yun Che was simply too calm.
In such a situation, facing a gathering of Divine Emperors and Realm Kings, with Quhui Zunzhe standing just five steps away—any ordinary person, even a Realm King who had committed a great transgression, would probably be too terrified to stand steady.
But Yun Che… stood there motionless, his expression unruffled, and even his aura was as calm as still water, without a single ripple. It was as if he were an uninvolved spectator… no, he was even calmer than a spectator.
Moreover, his gaze kept wandering… not a trembling, frightened darting, but a casual roving, as if his mind were elsewhere.
Indeed, Yun Che felt no fear whatsoever. On the contrary, he welcomed this. But internally, he was not as calm as he appeared on the surface. At the very least, his heart was in wild turmoil… though not because of the impending punishment.
Good… too good… like this, Mo Li is sure to see me…
Mo Li… where are you… you must be here…
Yun Che’s gaze and spiritual senses scanned rapidly. The eight years he had spent with Mo Li were not merely days and nights together, but “symbiotic coexistence.” He believed that if Mo Li were nearby, he would be able to sense her.
This Xuan Shen Convention had drawn all four king realms… The four auras in the east, like the majesty of heaven itself, marked their presence. Among them was the Xing Shen Realm…
But… he could not sense Mo Li’s aura. He had been searching for a while, yet still found nothing.
Could it be that Mo Li hadn’t come… No! With so many people here, and so many chaotic, powerful auras, it’s just that I haven’t found her yet. And if she is here, she must have already seen me by now.
Yun Che’s heart was filled with deep longing and agitation.
On the other side, high above.
Fandi Shennü withdrew her gaze and said flatly and coldly: “A pointless farce. Gu Bo, any findings?”
The gray-clad old man shook his head slightly: “None among those present, nor among these thousand ‘Heaven’s Chosen.’”
“Heaven’s Chosen? Hmph!” A contemptuous light snort. She showed no reaction to this result, as she hadn’t expected much to begin with.
“Young miss,” the old man suddenly spoke, “A dangerous individual is approaching from the east.”
“Oh?”
“It’s Tiansha Xingshen and Tianlangxing Shen,” Gu Bo said slowly. “Tiansha Xingshen bears a deep hatred for you, and with her extreme temperament, even though this is the Zhou Tian Realm, she will definitely attack. It’s best to avoid her for now.”
“…” Fandi Shennü was silent for a moment. “Very well. Staying here is useless now.”
But her figure did not move. She suddenly muttered in confusion: “Strange. Tianlangxing Shen still has some childishness; it’s barely understandable that she would come here. But why would Tiansha Xingshen be here?”
“Gu Bo, you and Fu Xian and the others leave first. I suddenly want to see if Tiansha Xingshen has made any decent progress over the years.”
Qianye Ying’er turned her gaze eastward, her aura slowly fading. Her golden hair fluttered, shimmering with extraordinarily brilliant light.
“Tiansha Xingshen’s spiritual perception is extremely sharp. Young miss must be careful.”
Gu Bo did not try to dissuade her, because no one could stop Qianye Ying’er’s decisions.
With his final words of caution, his old, withered figure flickered and quickly departed with the two silver-armored maids.
At the same time, Qianye Ying’er’s figure slowly faded until it completely disappeared.
Her aura vanished along with her.
Just like Yun Che’s perfect shadow concealment under Moon-Breaking Shadow Flick.
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[Recently, I have received many generous tips from wealthy patrons, and I am extremely grateful! Not only do I have enough for milk powder in the second half of the year, but I feel like I’m not far from becoming the world’s richest person!]