Chapter 1256: Long Huang's Warning
The Mystic Divine Convention had concluded, but the shock it brought showed no sign of subsiding, far surpassing any previous event in history.
In particular, Yun Che, who ranked first in the God-Sealing rankings, had his name resound through every corner of the Eastern Divine Region, and it rapidly radiated out to the Southern Divine Region and Western Divine Region.
He defeated Divine Spirits while at the Divine Tribulation Realm, and Divine Kings as a Divine Spirit...
Possessing the divine powers of Ice Phoenix, Phoenix, and Golden Crow simultaneously, and able to fuse two types of divine flames to create a crimson fire that shattered everyone's understanding...
He bore a dragon soul of an extremely high level within him, and could even execute "Illusion Divine Art" that left a host of Divine Lords stunned...
When he broke through the Divine Tribulation Realm, black clouds filled the sky, summoning a heaven-shaking Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation...
He emerged unscathed from the Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation, and even guided the Heavenly Tribulation's divine lightning to heavily wound Guxie Xianzi...
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Any single one of these feats would be enough to shock the world. But these were not mere rumors; countless people had witnessed them with their own eyes on the Feng Shen Platform and through the Star Monument.
And Luo Changsheng, the former head of the Four Divine Sons of the Eastern Domain, whom everyone had been certain would be first in the God-Sealing rankings, had flashed with a moment of brilliance after becoming the youngest Divine Lord, only to tragically become the stepping stone for Yun Che's name to shake the myriad realms. Even his long-standing image had completely collapsed.
Compared to Luo Changsheng's former "mythical" status, Yun Che hadn't just replaced him; he was a true myth in the eyes of the world. The shock wasn't limited to the younger generation of profound practitioners; even senior profound cultivators and Realm Kings were repeatedly astonished.
In particular, the "True God" prophecy from the Tianji Realm had caused even the King Realms to lose composure... The Zhou Tian Shen Di eagerly wanted to accept him as a personal disciple, the Fan Tian Shen Di wanted to marry his divine daughter to him, the Shi Tian Shen Di wanted to bring him back to the Southern Divine Region, and most terrifyingly, Long Huang, the number one figure of the Chaos, publicly wanted to adopt him as his adopted son...
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Without a doubt, for a long time to come, "Yun Che" would be the most frequently mentioned name in the Eastern Divine Region, and even the entire God Realm. He could also be called the figure most befitting the term "myth".
The Mystic Divine Convention had ended, but the various star realms did not leave immediately. There was still half a month until the Yue Shen Di's wedding ceremony. The outer perimeters of the four King Realms were all connected by dimensional profound formations. Half a month later, they could directly enter the Yue Shen Realm from the Zhou Tian God Realm through these formations.
The Yin Xue Realm was already boiling over, with an unprecedented fervor that gave the falling snow a different temperature. In particular, the Bing Huang God Sect—even now, most of its members felt as if they had experienced a dream, still unable to believe it was real.
If there was one person in the entire Bing Huang God Sect who was calmest, it was Yun Che.
But calmness didn't mean he was at ease in his heart... The Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation—even he had never dreamed he would provoke such a world-shaking phenomenon. After the tribulation, he had defeated Luo Changsheng and obtained first place in the God-Sealing rankings, but as a result... he had thoroughly shaken the entire God Realm.
The almost shameless courtship from the King Realms—to others, it was a gift they wouldn't dare dream of. To him, however, it was an immense burden.
Yun Che sat alone by a pond, quietly pondering something. No one disturbed him. Not only the Yin Xue disciples who had accompanied him, but even the Ice Cloud Palace Master and the various elders, when approaching him, would immediately restrain their breath and aura, for fear of causing him the slightest distraction.
Previously, Yun Che was the sect master's personal disciple, so all disciples had to respect him, and the elders and palace master had to take him seriously. But now, Yun Che... with just a nod, he could be the personal disciple of Zhou Tian Shen Di... the son-in-law of Fan Tian Shen Di... the adopted son of Long Huang... any one of these identities would overshadow the entire Yin Xue Realm by countless levels.
However, there was one exception.
"What are you thinking about?" Mu Bingyun's snowy figure approached silently, her footsteps making no sound. "You're about to see her. Shouldn't you be happy?"
Yun Che's gaze shifted as he snapped back to reality. He sighed and said, "If I could see her, of course I'd be happy. I just didn't expect such serious things to happen. In the future, until I find a way to leave, I'm destined to remain in the God Realm and not dare to go back. If one day I find a way to return, it will mean I can never come back."
Mu Bingyun gave him a deep look and said softly, "Yun Che, you truly are a very special person. Being the personal disciple of Zhou Tian Shen Di... the son-in-law of Fan Tian Shen Di... the adopted son of Long Huang... any one of these identities would be enough to make a determined profound practitioner pay any price, even betray their ancestors or abandon all their wives, concubines, parents, and children, almost without hesitation."
"And you, also without hesitation, but without any hesitation, you refuse. Now all you think about is how to avoid everyone's detection and return to the world you came from. I suppose others might find your actions and thoughts utterly incomprehensible." Mu Bingyun sighed softly.
Yun Che looked ahead, slightly dazed:
"In the sect these past few years, I've cultivated every day. To others in the sect, my hard work must seem like I have great ambition and desire for the profound path... just like Brother Poyun. Actually... maybe even the Ice Cloud Palace Master wouldn't believe it, but from the very beginning, I never had any ambition in cultivating the profound path. It was only to protect the people I care about, to stop them from being bullied. So I was forced, and unknowingly, I surpassed one person after another."
"When I came to the God Realm, I never thought about making a name for myself on this higher plane. I only wanted to see her. I never imagined it would lead to today's situation."
"..." Mu Bingyun looked at him and murmured in a very soft voice, "No wonder you have so many close female friends, even my sister..."
"Huh?" Yun Che looked up. "Ice Cloud Palace Master, what did you say?"
Mu Bingyun unconsciously averted her gaze. "Just talking to myself. I wasn't too surprised that you refused Zhou Tian Shen Di and Fan Tian Shen Di, but why did you refuse Long Huang? He said personally, and in public, that adopting you as his son was only to give you a status, and he would never force you to do anything. And that's exactly what you need most right now. So why did you refuse? Is it really just because you think it would betray your own father?"
Yun Che shook his head. "In this world, no 'gift' comes for no reason and demands no return."
"But I can sense that Long Huang has no ill intentions toward you," Mu Bingyun said.
"Not now doesn't mean not in the future." Yun Che's eyes flickered. He lowered his voice and said, "Dragons are proud by nature, far less greedy than humans. But... my master once taught me that greed is a nature engraved in the bones of all living beings. Towards someone I don't fully understand, I must never let down my guard... even if it's Long Huang."
Mu Bingyun: "..."
"To outsiders, Long Huang's desire to adopt me as his son must be because of the so-called 'True God' prophecy. But that's not the case." Yun Che said frankly. "The real reason is that the dragon soul I possess is extremely special."
"Are you worried... that Long Huang might want to seize your dragon soul?" Mu Bingyun frowned slightly. "But a true dragon's soul can only be given willingly; it cannot be forcibly taken."
"I know." Yun Che's gaze hardened. "Like the Ice Cloud Palace Master, I can also sense that Long Huang has no complicated intentions toward me. He simply wants to protect me because of the special dragon soul I have. But even though the dragon soul won't provoke his greed... there is something else on me that he might very well want to take."
"What?" Mu Bingyun was taken aback.
The Dragon God's Marrow!
The existence of the Dragon God's Marrow not only made Yun Che's bones extremely hard, but also continuously generated Dragon God's Blood, making Yun Che's Dragon God Bloodline richer day by day.
The Dragon God's Soul could not be seized, but the Dragon God's Marrow could!
If the true dragon clan of the Western Divine Region learned of the existence of this primordial Dragon God's Marrow... the consequences were unimaginable.
"..." Yun Che didn't explain, and Mu Bingyun didn't press. They were silent for a moment, then Mu Bingyun suddenly said, "Yun Che, have you already figured out how to 'go back'?"
Yun Che was startled. After thinking for a while, he finally nodded, and then said in a low voice, "Long Huang is coming."
"!?" Mu Bingyun's brows furrowed. At that moment, a tremendous pressure descended from the sky. In an instant, Mu Bingyun's spiritual perception vanished completely... as if submerged by an endless ocean.
A tall figure appeared silently in front of Yun Che.
It was Long Huang.
Mu Bingyun turned in shock, and the entire Bing Huang God Sect was greatly alarmed. They stared at the figure who had appeared before them—the number one figure in the Chaos—and for a moment, it felt like a dream.
"Mu Bingyun of Yin Xue Realm pays respects to Senior Long Huang." Mu Bingyun quickly pulled Yun Che into a bow. Her voice jolted everyone out of their panic, and they all hastily bowed, but their minds remained blank.
Who was Long Huang? The honored sovereign of myriad realms, before whom even the four Divine Emperors of the Eastern Divine Region bowed. The Yin Xue Realm was as insignificant as dust before him. And now, he had personally descended to the Yin Xue Realm's lodging... without a doubt, it could only be because of Yun Che.
Without Yun Che, given Long Huang's status, he might not even have remembered the name of the Yin Xue Realm.
"Withdraw."
Just two words, gentle and calm, yet like a divine decree from the heavens, it tightened everyone's heart and spirit. Their bodies, almost before their will, retreated far away. Mu Bingyun glanced at Yun Che, dared not remind him of anything, and drifted away.
Long Huang turned his palm, and with a soft sound, a soundproof barrier enveloped him and Yun Che.
"Junior Yun Che pays respects to Senior Long Huang." Yun Che bowed again.
Long Huang's gaze lowered slightly as he took a deep look at Yun Che. His dragon eyes were as deep as the night sky. "Why did you refuse?"
As his voice fell, Long Huang suddenly frowned slightly.
Because he suddenly noticed that Yun Che, who was bowing before him... his breathing was perfectly steady.
Long Huang didn't need to release any aura deliberately. He only had to stand there, to exist there, and all living beings would bow under his irresistible dragon might.
The only exception was probably the Dragon Empress.
But now, there was another one... Yun Che.
At the level of a Divine Lord, if Mu Xuanyin released even a slight bit of pressure, it would make Yun Che's whole body tense up, unable to breathe.
Among all living beings, dragon might was the greatest. At the same level, a dragon's pressure definitely surpassed—far surpassed—that of any other being.
But for some reason, Yun Che was least afraid of dragon might.
Yun Che did not rise. He bowed his head and replied, "Senior Long Huang is the honored sovereign of this era. Junior... truly does not dare."
"Not dare?" Long Huang said. "Not daring to accept, yet daring to refuse? I've already forgotten the last time I was so defied."
Yun Che: "..."
"Rise. I did not come to pressure you."
Without any visible movement from Long Huang, a strange aura lifted Yun Che up. Yun Che rose, standing straight in front of Long Huang. Though he was not afraid of dragon might, that didn't mean he wasn't nervous. Before him was the most terrifying figure of the present age. A mere breath from him could erase Yun Che from the world completely.
"You know very well why I wanted to adopt you as my son and why I am so eager to come find you in person." Long Huang said slowly. "The dragon soul you possess—does it come from the world where you were born?"
"Yes." Yun Che answered extremely briefly.
"Besides the dragon soul, you were also granted a 'bloodline,' right?" Long Huang said, as if asking, but his tone was absolutely certain.
"Yes."
"There's no need to be nervous." Long Huang's tone grew even gentler. He sighed with emotion. "The ancient Dragon God... it left its inheritance in a world outside the God Realm. It seems that, to the ancient Dragon God, that was an extremely important world."
Yun Che: "..."
"Rest assured, I will not ask about the world of your origin." Long Huang seemed to see through Yun Che's worry. Then he said with deep emotion, "My Dragon God clan inherited the Dragon God's Bloodline, becoming the honored sovereigns of myriad realms, unrivaled. Yet none have been fortunate enough to inherit the Dragon God's Soul. I thought the Dragon God's Soul had vanished with the ancient Dragon God. Who would have thought that a remnant of it still exists in this world. To my Dragon God clan, this is perhaps the best news in countless years."
Long Huang's emotion came from the heart; there were few things in the world that could move him so deeply. "I wished to adopt you as my son, both to protect you and to protect this last remnant of the Dragon God's Soul. I would not force you to enter the Dragon God Realm, nor would I force you to do anything... Are you truly unwilling?"
"Senior Long Huang's grace, this junior will always remember." Yun Che said.
Long Huang frowned slightly and sighed. "Enough. If you lacked sufficient will, the Dragon God's soul would not have granted you its final remnant. Since you have chosen complete freedom, you must have the resolve to bear everything yourself... You are still very young, after all, at that naive age."
"I will repeat what I said before." Long Huang said seriously. "If one day you feel that this place is no longer suitable for you, come to my Dragon God Realm. With the Dragon God's Bloodline and Soul you possess, the Dragon God Realm will be the safest place in this world for you!"
"This junior remembers well... In truth, with the Dragon God Seal that Senior Long Huang bestowed, and with your words of wanting to adopt me as your son, it is already a great protection for this junior." Yun Che said.
"Then you underestimate the people of the Eastern Divine Region!" Long Huang's voice turned slightly cold. "Yun Che, let me ask you: based on your years in the Eastern Divine Region and what you have seen, heard, and felt during this time in the Zhou Tian Realm, who do you think is the most dangerous person in the Eastern Divine Region, the one you should be most wary of?"
Yun Che looked up, thought for a moment, and answered honestly, "Fandi Shennü."
"Oh?" Long Huang showed obvious surprise, then smiled faintly. "Truly worthy of being one who possesses the ancient Dragon God's Soul. You have had no contact with Qianye Ying'er, yet you can have such insight... Correct. Qianye Ying'er is indeed a very dangerous person, even more so than her father. But she is only one. There is another person you must guard against, and you must guard against without fail..."
"And that is the Star God Emperor Xing Juekong, who will be taking you to the Star God Realm!"
This is a bit hard to write, so I'll slow down a bit...