Chapter 1183: Divine Son Battle
The Feng Shen Platform was deathly silent, dumbfounded expressions frozen on every face for a long time.
"Yun... Yun'er!!"
In the midst of the quiet, a thunderous roar erupted. Huo Rulie, disregarding everything else, rushed forward and charged to Huo Poyun's side, quickly and carefully lifting him up.
Huo Poyun's chest and back were stained with blood. Though his external wounds were minor, his internal injuries were extremely severe. Fortunately, they were not irreversible damage. Huo Rulie's mind relaxed slightly, but when he suddenly saw Huo Poyun's eyes, his just-relaxed heartstrings tightened several times over.
Huo Poyun had not lost consciousness. Despite his severe injuries, he did not cry out in pain, nor did he guide his profound energy to suppress his wounds. Instead, he lay there eerily still, his eyes wide open but as if covered in a thick layer of mist—utterly devoid of color, utterly devoid of focus.
As if trapped in a dream.
As his master, who had watched Huo Poyun grow up, how could he not know his temperament? He was gentle and sincere in his dealings with others, but he had an extremely strong sense of dignity in the way of the profound. His Golden Crow inheritance and Golden Crow Flame, in particular, were his greatest lifelong pride and his inverse scale.
When his Golden Crow Flame power had erupted fully, only to be defeated in an instant by his opponent, the blow was devastating beyond imagination.
Even he himself had never imagined such an outcome.
"Yun'er, it's fine, it's fine." Huo Rulie comforted him in the calmest voice he could manage. "She is the Sword Lord's successor. Losing to her is not shameful in the least. You've done well enough. You are your master's pride, and the pride of the Yan Shen Realm."
Huo Poyun remained dazed, completely unresponsive. At that moment, Jun Xilei's cold and disdainful voice reached his ears: "Hmph, so this is the so-called supreme divine flame? Turns out it's nothing more than this!"
"You!" Huo Rulie turned back in fury, but no matter how raging his anger, he could not release it.
The Feng Shen Platform remained eerily quiet. A single glance revealed stunned, wide-eyed expressions everywhere. The power Huo Poyun had displayed was so breathtaking that it had earned praise from the various Realm Kings, from Zhou Tian Shen Di, and even from Long Huang.
But Jun Xilei had only needed a single sword...
Huo Poyun's flames, along with his battle spirit and pride, had been shattered like a bubble in an instant.
Everyone from the Yan Shen Realm had risen to their feet, their pupils trembling. They simply could not believe or accept this outcome.
Yun Che's pupils also constricted slightly, a storm surging within him.
So this is... the strength of the Sword Lord's successor...
So this is the strength of the Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain!?
That single sword that had instantly defeated Huo Poyun—its might had far, far exceeded Yun Che's expectations. It also meant that Jun Xilei's strength was far greater than he had estimated.
Such an outcome had clearly caught even Quhui Zunzhe off guard. He finally reacted, casting a deep glance at Jun Xilei before announcing loudly: "Huo Poyun has left the Feng Shen Platform area and falls into the loser's bracket, entering the fourth round of tomorrow's loser's bracket matches. Jun Xilei wins, entering the third round of the day after tomorrow's divine seal bracket!"
Everyone was certain that Huo Poyun stood no chance against Jun Xilei, yet they had also eagerly anticipated seeing how well Huo Poyun, this absolute dark horse of the Divine Seal Battle, would perform when he unleashed his full strength. They never imagined it would end this way.
It was not that Huo Poyun was too weak. When he released his flame power, he had truly amazed everyone. It was that Jun Xilei was simply too strong. In her previous matches, she had won easily, never revealing her true power. But that one sword strike that had instantly defeated Huo Poyun—that sword light that seemed to freeze the world—was still deeply imprinted in their minds, impossible to shake off.
Huo Poyun was severely injured. Huo Rulie, ignoring everything else, lifted him and quickly departed. The elders of the Golden Crow Sect all rose and left as well. Yan Juehai stood for a moment, not following, but his face was filled with agitation and unease.
Yun Che frowned deeply. From Huo Poyun's abnormal aura, he could clearly sense something was wrong. After hesitating for a moment, he was about to follow and check, but Mu Bingyun reached out and pulled him back: "Don't get distracted!"
"..." Yun Che slowly sat down, but his heart was unusually heavy. He had thought that Jun Xilei would surely vent her anger and hatred in her fight with Huo Poyun, but he never expected it to be like this.
In the form of absolute power.
And that one sword only made Jun Xilei's already brilliant radiance even more dazzling. As she floated away from the Feng Shen Platform like a celestial being with her ancient sword on her back, the young profound practitioners felt as if they were looking up at a god... If Jun Xilei was in the heavens, then they were nothing but mud and dust.
From the very first day she became the Sword Lord's successor, the name Jun Xilei had resounded throughout the Eastern Divine Region, but it had also been accompanied by countless doubts—because she was a woman. Later, when she was ranked among the Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain, it undeniably proved the Sword Lord's judgment and her own talent. Today, the entire Eastern Divine Region witnessed once again, and understood anew, what kind of existence this generation's Sword Lord successor was.
And that was just a single sword—clearly far from being Jun Xilei's true strength.
"Jun Xilei's sword dao attainment has already reached such a level." Mu Bingyun sighed softly. "Perhaps, today's Jun Xilei is not far from Luo Changsheng."
Yun Che's brows twitched. "Perhaps... not far? Could it be that even a Jun Xilei like this still cannot be Luo Changsheng's opponent?"
"In the younger generation of the Eastern Divine Region, aside from the king realms, Luo Changsheng is an absolutely undefeatable existence." Mu Bingyun said. "Many of the legends about him are almost mythical. Next is Luo Changsheng's match. You should see with your own eyes what it means to be the number one of the younger generation in the Eastern Divine Region."
"Divine Seal Bracket, second match of the second round. Shengyu Realm's Luo Changsheng versus Futian Realm's Lu Lengchuan!"
Luo Changsheng and Lu Lengchuan were both among the "Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain." This was the first Divine Son battle of the Divine Seal Battle. As Quhui Zunzhe announced it, all eyes locked firmly onto the Feng Shen Platform.
One was the foremost of the Four Divine Sons.
The other was the last of the Four Divine Sons.
Although they were both "Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain" and both at Divine Spirit Realm Level 10, there was still a gap in strength between them—in fact, in many people's eyes, it was a gap that "could never be crossed."
On the Feng Shen Platform, two figures appeared simultaneously, standing opposite each other.
Lu Lengchuan was extremely tall, nearly nine feet in height, and his build was as burly as Xia Yuanba's in his youth. Even before he released his profound energy, a heavy aura flooded forth, as if a mountain were standing before him.
In contrast, Luo Changsheng was dressed in white robes, with black hair lightly tied. His aura was faint, barely perceptible. His face and neck were as fair and flawless as a young girl's. Coupled with his handsome features, he gave the impression of a fragile, bookish scholar unversed in the way of the profound.
Both Divine Sons were quite calm. Their expressions and eyes were composed, devoid of any tension before a fierce battle.
And their composure came from different sources: one from absolute strength, the other from the certainty of defeat.
After hearing Mu Bingyun's words earlier, Yun Che was already surprised. Now, seeing Lu Lengchuan's expression, he was even more shocked. As one of the Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain, even if Lu Lengchuan was the weakest, he shouldn't be too far from Jun Xilei. Yet, facing Luo Changsheng, he already bore an air of "certain defeat" before the battle had even begun.
Just how strong was Luo Changsheng?
Why did Mu Bingyun say that the rumors about him were almost "mythical"?!
Earlier, he had no interest in how powerful the Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain truly were. But as his goals changed, the Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain became four great mountains standing in his way—mountains he had to surmount! Yet until now, he still didn't truly know how strong these "Four Divine Sons" really were.
"Begin!"
With Quhui Zunzhe's cold command, the Feng Shen Platform fell utterly silent.
Sizzle!!
With the crackling of thunder, a blade appeared in Luo Changsheng's hand—a broad, heavy sword, its body wreathed in purple lightning.
"The Holy Thunder Sword!" Mu Bingyun murmured.
"Luo Changsheng actually cultivates thunder-type profound arts," Yun Che remarked.
"Yes and no." Mu Bingyun's somewhat cryptic response made Yun Che pause.
"Brother Lengchuan, please!" Luo Changsheng extended his free hand. Unlike Luo Chang'an's arrogance and domineering nature, Luo Changsheng was polite and courteous. Though he let Lu Lengchuan make the first move, there was no trace of pride in his demeanor. Instead, his words and expression carried a respect befitting an elder brother.
"Good!"
Lu Lengchuan did not stand on ceremony. With a low roar, a yellow light burst from his body. When the light solidified, it formed a defensive barrier encircling him.
"Ha!"
Lu Lengchuan roared again. Strands of yellow profound energy coiled and danced like swimming dragons. After a few breaths, a second defensive layer formed around him.
But throughout this process, Luo Changsheng did not interrupt with an attack. Instead, he watched calmly, or rather waited, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his lips.
"HA!!"
ROOOAR!!
With Lu Lengchuan's final roar, a earth-shaking dragon cry resounded through the sky.
A third defensive barrier formed around Lu Lengchuan's body. But this layer was not a pale barrier—it was a bright yellow dragon phantom circling and dancing around him.
The heavy aura suddenly multiplied severalfold. Everyone could even feel a dense, true dragon aura.
"This is..." Surprise flickered across Yun Che's face.
"The 'Huanglong Holy Domain' of the Lu Clan of the Futian Realm," Mu Bingyun said softly. "They inherited divine blood from ancient true dragons and cultivate earth-type profound arts, giving them extremely powerful defensive capabilities. Their bodies are as tough as mystic steel. And the 'Huanglong Holy Domain' that Lu Lengchuan has just empowered is a defensive force of unparalleled strength. Once the three layers are fully formed, even against two opponents of the same level, he can stand undefeated."
Yun Che: "..."
"To allow Lu Lengchuan to set up the three-layer 'Huanglong Holy Domain' right in front of him... Of all the Divine Seal sons, only Luo Changsheng has the strength and audacity to do so."
"Indeed." On the eastern dais, Long Huang nodded slightly. As the Dragon God, he would naturally take interest in Lu Lengchuan, who inherited the bloodline of ancient true dragons.
The three-layer "Huanglong Holy Domain" was complete. Lu Lengchuan's entire aura had transformed. His whole body was bathed in a brilliant yellow glow, and his skin, in particular, reflected a metallic sheen like bronze.
Lu Lengchuan extended both hands, grabbing a long silver spear from the void. This spear was called "Lieqiong," and it sealed the soul of a true dragon. It was one of the most famous profound artifacts of the Futian Realm.
"Brother Luo, I know I am no match for you." Even with the three-layer "Huanglong Holy Domain" cloaking him, Lu Lengchuan still bore the same calm acceptance of defeat. "But I am very curious: is the 'Young Master Changsheng' of today truly as the legends say... Fifty breaths. If Brother Luo can shatter my three-layer 'Huanglong Holy Domain' within fifty breaths, then I will concede with utmost sincerity and admiration."
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[From today until the end of the month, I should not miss updates. Should... try for two chapters a day, should...]
[Also, let me recommend one of my older books, my first urban story—yes, it's "Warm Moon, Cold Star." That's right, I'm going to pick up this abandoned pit again! Starting tomorrow on... You can look forward to it a little. After all, you've been pestering me for a century. I've long known I was guilty ┭┮﹏┭┮]