# Chapter 1188: Po Yun Abandons Battle
Huo Rulie stepped forward, laughing heartily: "Well said, Yun boy! Yun'er, don't be discouraged. That girl Jun Xilei was able to defeat you not because the Golden Crow Flame is inferior to the Sword Way. Setting aside other factors, that girl's 'Mist Light' sword is unreasonably strong! Although the Flame God Demon-Breaking Sword is powerful, it truly cannot compare to 'Mist Light'. If you could obtain the 'Golden Crow Holy Sword', you'd definitely beat that girl... Huh?"
As Huo Rulie spoke, Yun Che hurriedly signaled him with his eyes. If a knot in one's heart were so easily untied, it wouldn't be a knot. Moreover, what Huo Poyun had collapsed was a belief that had supported his entire life. Though his words had somewhat alleviated it, it was absolutely impossible for him to let go so easily. It would take a long time, and the worst thing was to be too hasty.
Unless there was a similar, or even stronger, counter-stimulus.
Under Yun Che's gaze, Huo Rulie obediently shut his mouth.
But... what was this "Golden Crow Holy Sword" that Huo Rulie mentioned? From his meaning, it was even superior to Jun Xilei's "Mist Light"?
"Master, to help your disciple achieve the Divine Spirit Realm, you didn't hesitate to greatly diminish your talent and profound force. And your disciple... has brought you shame instead." Huo Poyun said guiltily.
"You are the greatest pride of your master's life. In the past, and even more so now." Huo Rulie looked at his beloved disciple and said with unwavering determination.
"Brother Poyun, Sect Master Huo just mentioned the 'Golden Crow Holy Sword'? It sounds like an extraordinary existence." Yun Che suddenly asked, intending to distract Huo Poyun's mind.
Huo Poyun raised his head, a look of longing in his eyes: "Back when the Golden Crow Divine Spirit was alive, it said that within the Burial God Fire Prison rested a 'Golden Crow Holy Sword' that had been preserved since the Age of the Gods. Although as the Primordial Chaos aura faded, the power of the Golden Crow Holy Sword has grown increasingly weak, in the current chaos, it remains a supreme artifact. However, to this day in the Yan Shen Realm, no one has ever been able to touch it."
"The Golden Crow Holy Sword is one of my highest pursuits in life. If I could fulfill that wish before death, I would have no regrets even in a thousand deaths."
"If it's Brother Poyun, it's by no means hopeless." Yun Che said with a smile.
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When Yun Che returned to his residence, Mu Bingyun and the others had just arrived as well.
"Today's match is over?" Yun Che's brows moved: "Ice Cloud Palace Master, who is my opponent tomorrow?"
Tomorrow would only have the Loser's Bracket matches—the fourth round of the Loser's Bracket!
The winner would advance directly to the top eight!
"Huo Poyun." Mu Bingyun said slowly.
"Eh?" Yun Che was startled.
After today's battles, there were eight remaining in the Loser's Bracket.
Among these eight, the one he least wanted to face was either Huo Poyun or Lu Lengchuan.
But fate had chosen one of them.
"In terms of profound force cultivation, Huo Poyun is inferior to Wu Guike. And the Golden Crow Flame he specializes in should pose little threat to you. So even if his overall strength surpasses Wu Guike's, defeating him would be easier for you." Mu Bingyun said.
"It's not about whether I can defeat him." Yun Che said: "Huo Poyun has always been proud of the Golden Crow Flame, but today he was struck down by Jun Xilei's single sword, suffering a great blow. He has even begun to waver in his belief that the Golden Crow Flame is as powerful as he always thought. It will be difficult for him to let go in a short time. So, in tomorrow's battle, it's very likely he will abandon the match... especially when he learns his opponent is me."
Mu Bingyun's brows moved slightly: "Huo Poyun is ultimately too young, and he has probably never suffered such a heavy setback. It's not surprising that he would react this way... Jun Xilei may have done it intentionally as well."
Yun Che furrowed his brows, lost in thought.
"Are you planning to talk to Huo Poyun?" Mu Bingyun asked.
After a brief hesitation, Yun Che shook his head: "No, let Brother Poyun decide for himself. If he chooses to fight me, that would be the best result. I will face him with all my strength, upright and without holding back!"
"If he chooses to abandon the match..." Yun Che paused, then said: "It means the blow he received is far greater than I imagined. After all, he not only possesses a high degree of dignity in the profound path, but only he himself knows how strong his original faith in the 'Golden Crow Flame' truly was."
"He has his own choices. Yun Che, now is not the time for you to be distracted." Mu Bingyun's gaze at Yun Che was still gentle, but it had lost some of its usual calm, replaced by a complexity she couldn't shake off: "Although I don't know what you're thinking right now, your performance today has been utterly shocking. Countless people will want to know everything about you. You... must be more cautious than ever!"
"I know." Yun Che nodded.
The night was quiet.
The next day at Feng Shen Platform, the fourth round of the Loser's Bracket began fiercely.
Yun Che arrived early, but on the adjacent seat, Huo Poyun still hadn't appeared by the time the first match began.
Yun Che didn't ask the Yan Shen Realm; he waited quietly.
The first match: Lu Lengchuan easily defeated his opponent and advanced to the top eight battle.
The second and third matches: Meng Duanxi and Chao Feng, who had just been knocked down from the Feng Shen Bracket, also displayed their exceptional strength, defeating their opponents and advancing to the top eight.
The fourth match...
"Loser's Bracket, fourth round, fourth match: Yan Shen Realm's Huo Poyun versus Yin Xue Realm's Yun Che!"
In an instant, the entire venue fell silent. All eyes, as if drawn by a magnet, focused on Yun Che.
On the eastern platform, the Divine Emperors also turned their gazes. Cang Shitian, who had been dozing off, shot up like a spring, his body jerking upright.
Even Luo Changsheng had never received such treatment.
Yun Che stood up but let out a sigh.
Because Huo Poyun still hadn't appeared, nor was his aura present around him.
Yun Che soared into the air and landed on Feng Shen Platform. For a long time, everyone realized that Yun Che's opponent had not appeared in the Yan Shen Realm's seating area.
Then, Yan Juehai stood up and said in a calm voice: "Venerable Quhui, the Yan Shen disciple Huo Poyun has exhausted his Time Wheel Pearls prematurely, and his wounds from yesterday have not yet healed, making him unable to fight. Yan hereby abandons the match on behalf of his disciple Huo Poyun."
Yun Che: "..."
A wave of boos rose from the audience.
Venerable Quhui's gaze sharpened, and he said in a heavy voice: "The Feng Shen Battle, no one may represent a Feng Shen son in any decision!"
"Yan Shen Realm's Huo Poyun: report to Feng Shen Platform within fifteen breaths, or be considered as abandoning the match!"
Venerable Quhui's voice shook the surrounding area. But... five breaths... ten breaths... time passed quickly, until finally, after fifteen breaths, Huo Poyun still hadn't appeared.
"Huo Poyun did not arrive at Feng Shen Platform. Considered as abandoning the match, his journey in the Xuan Shen Conference ends here!"
"Yun Che wins, advances to tomorrow's fifth round of the Loser's Bracket!"
The audience wore varied expressions, murmuring among themselves, some sighing, some showing confusion.
Huo Poyun was defeated in a single blow by Jun Xilei, but that was because he faced Jun Xilei. It wasn't that Huo Poyun was too weak; on the contrary, in this Xuan Shen Conference, he had already received countless praise and recognition. In fact, a large number of people, including Mu Bingyun, believed that Huo Poyun's overall strength surpassed Wu Guike's.
Everyone had high expectations for his battle with Yun Che.
But unexpectedly, Huo Poyun collapsed after a single battle. As for Yan Juehai's explanation about prematurely exhausting his Time Wheel Pearls and being unable to heal in time, no one believed it.
The dark horse that had been so highly anticipated ended his Xuan Shen Conference in such a manner. It was undoubtedly lamentable.
Returning to the viewing platform, Yun Che finally asked: "Sect Master Huo, Brother Poyun..."
Yan Juehai shook his head and only said: "It's not because of you."
"So my persuasion yesterday only worked temporarily." Yun Che thought to himself: "Ah, come to think of it, Huo Poyun's life has been too smooth sailing, and this heavy blow is far too severe. That girl Jun Xilei, she's really too ruthless!"
Hmm? Speaking of which, Jun Xilei isn't much better than Huo Poyun. So much time has passed, yet every time she sees me, her murderous intent, anger, and resentment only increase, never decrease. She wishes she could devour me alive.
These pampered young people, sigh... Yun Che shook his head and sighed.
This result meant that Yun Che had advanced to the top eight without a fight.
Cheating in the qualifiers, abandoning his first match and losing—Yun Che had been the biggest joke of this Xuan Shen Conference. If it weren't for Shitian Shen Di's bizarre intervention meddling, Yun Che would have been kicked out of Zhou Tian Realm long ago.
Shitian Shen Di's original actions were to annoy Dong Shen Domain and to watch them make fools of themselves. But unexpectedly, Yun Che had repeatedly shocked them, going from the biggest joke to the biggest focus, and today, he had entered the top eight battle.
This was definitely the most bizarre storyline in the history of the Feng Shen Battle.
The top eight of the Feng Shen Battle—what did that mean? It meant that among the countless young profound practitioners across the entire Dong Shen Domain, he had ranked in the top eight!
And Yun Che was from Yin Xue Realm, the only Feng Shen participant among the top eight battle who hailed from a mid-rank star realm.
A young profound practitioner from a mid-rank star realm had trampled over countless young geniuses from upper-rank star realms. Without a doubt, with Yun Che's super upset, his name had shaken the entire Dong Shen Domain, and the name of Yin Xue Realm had reached an unprecedented peak. At least during this Feng Shen Battle, the name Yin Xue Realm even surpassed many upper-rank star realms.
In distant Yin Xue Realm, the entire realm had been celebrating for days. This was the Feng Shen Battle—a level that Yin Xue Realm had never even dreamed of touching. And Shengyu Realm and Shenwu Realm were existences they could only look up to. Yet Yun Che not only stepped onto Feng Shen Platform but also soundly defeated the son of the Shengyu Realm King, swept away the son of the Shenwu Realm King, and now advanced directly to the top eight. This immense joy and honor made them feel as if they were in a dream.
On the viewing platform, the people of Yin Xue Realm were also flushed with excitement, all too moved to control themselves. Luo Changsheng, Jun Xilei, Shui Yingyue... those who entered the top eight battle were all famous monsters. Yet Yun Che, a disciple of their Yin Xue Realm, was ranked among them!
But Yun Che himself showed no joy, because his goal was far from just the top eight.
Mu Bingyun also had eyes like cold crystals. Looking at the sky above Feng Shen Platform, she whispered to Yun Che: "Now in the Loser's Bracket, besides you, the other three are Lu Lengchuan, Meng Duanxi, and Chao Feng. As long as you don't have the bad luck to encounter Lu Lengchuan, the other two are strong, but with your current strength, you should have a fighting chance against either."
The fourth round of the Loser's Bracket ended. The murmurs in the audience had just begun to subside when they suddenly erupted into several times more uproar.
On the light screen of Feng Shen Platform, tomorrow's battle list appeared:
**Feng Shen Bracket, Third Round:**
First match: Shengyu Realm [Luo Changsheng] — versus — Yaoxin Sword Pavilion [Jun Xilei]
Second match: Liuguang Realm [Shui Yingyue] — versus — Liuguang Realm [Shui Meiyin]
**Loser's Bracket, Fifth Round:**
First match: Feixing Realm [Meng Duanxi] — versus — Shengyang Saint Realm [Chao Feng]
Second match: Futian Realm [Lu Lengchuan] — versus — Yin Xue Realm [Yun Che]