Chapter 2142: Before the Storm

Meanwhile, as the Dragon Lord knelt, the entire hall was in turmoil.

Their thoughts raced wildly.

This wasn't just a simple submission—

This was a seismic shift in power.

To have the Dragon Lord as a slave was no different from having Hua Qingying, the Sword Fairy, at one's side.

They were the strongest existences beneath the True Gods.

Even though the Dragon Lord was defeated by Meng Kongchan, it was only because Meng Kongchan had fought with the full power of a True God.

That did not mean the Dragon Lord was weak—

Far from it.

In fact—

There were whispers that he might even be slightly stronger than Hua Qingying herself.

"To think that a Divine Master… a mere Divine Master…"

"Has taken control of such a powerful being…"

As all eyes fell upon him, the Dragon Lord took a deep breath.

Then, with his fate now sealed, he closed his eyes.

"I'm ready."

His voice was steady, but his hands clenched tightly into fists.

Because at this moment—

He was surrendering everything.

Yun Che turned toward the Monarch.

The Abyssal Monarch simply gave a light nod—a gesture of approval.

At the same time, the High Priests smiled faintly, and his father, Meng Kongchan, looked at him with pride in his eyes.

They had all approved of his decision.

With the Dragon Lord becoming Yun Che's slave, it wasn't just one person submitting—

The entire Dragon Clan was now his personal force.

This was not just protection.

This was a great turning point.

With such a powerful race under his command, Yun Che would now have even greater security for his growth.

Meanwhile, the dragons themselves—having wronged his daughter—would have an eternity to atone.

To many, this was a win-win situation.

Especially for the Dreamweaver Divine Kingdom and the Heaven Breaker Divine Kingdom.

The strongest beast race in the Abyss, once independent, was now bound to their strongest genius.

With Yun Che's unparalleled talent and growing power, the implications were immeasurable.

Of course…

Not everyone who smiled felt the same inwardly.

Particularly—

Dian Jiuzhi, whose expression was rigid, his fingers clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

It took every ounce of self-control for him to suppress the storm raging within him.

Meanwhile, Yun Che's attention remained on Long Xi.

His hand still rested upon her, his Light Profound Energy ensuring that her condition stabilized with each passing minute.

Then—

With his free hand, Yun Che extended his soul power.

It pierced into the Dragon Lord's soul like a blade—

Even though Yun Che's own soul strength was leagues below the Dragon Lord's,

There was no resistance.

The Dragon Lord willingly let Yun Che's power invade his soul, allowing the contract to form.

Under the watchful eyes of all present—

The Slave Contract was successfully forged.

"Return to your seat."

Yun Che's voice was calm, emotionless.

The Dragon Lord bowed his head.

"Yes, Master."

His reply rang with absolute submission.

It was done.

The strongest existence beneath the True Gods of the Divine Kingdoms…

Had now become Yun Che's slave.

"Since everything is settled here, there is no point in lingering any longer."

The Abyssal Monarch's voice echoed throughout the hall, calm yet absolute.

"Does anyone have anything else to discuss?"

His gaze swept across the room, pausing momentarily on Yun Che before continuing.

Today had been long—far longer than he had anticipated.

Because of Yun Che, many unexpected changes had occurred, and now, he would have to recalculate his plans for the boy's growth.

The faster Yun Che grew, the closer his dream would be to realization.

Just as the silence began to settle—

A voice rang out.

"Your Majesty, what about the Pure Land Meeting Tournament?"

The one who spoke was the Star Divine Regent.

His expression was composed, but those who knew him well could sense the subtle bitterness in his tone.

His Divine Son had lost terribly, humiliated beyond words.

To let the Pure Land Meeting end like this—without a proper conclusion—

Left a bitter taste in his mouth.

As soon as he spoke, murmurs of agreement spread throughout the hall.

One by one, other Divine Regents nodded.

Then—

"Your Majesty, we'd like to continue our battles!"

The Divine Children raised their voices, their gazes filled with burning determination.

Each of them had their own reasons to fight.

Some sought vengeance.

Some sought glory.

Some fought for the sake of proving their pride.

And some… fought for a woman.

Yun Che's overwhelming display of power had reduced them all—the so-called geniuses of their generation—

To mere stars dimmed beneath his radiance.

He stood like a full moon in the sky, casting his brilliance over everything.

Yet—

Even if the moon was full, the stars still wanted to shine.

They were the young prodigies of their Divine Kingdoms—

There was no way they would accept the Pure Land Meeting ending like this!

"But can any of you fight against Divine Son Yuan?"

The Abyssal Monarch's voice rang out, carrying an almost mocking calmness.

His words were like a bucket of cold water, dousing the flames of their fighting spirit.

One by one—

The Divine Children stiffened.

Their gazes, once burning with determination, began to waver.

Could they fight Yun Che?

Could they stand against him?

The scene of his battle played in their minds.

The devastation he wrought.

The impossible suppression.

The death of Long Huolie, a Divine Limited Realm expert.

And most of all—

The fear that had gripped them the moment Yun Che's power erupted.

Slowly—

One by one, heads began to lower.

Their silence was the only answer needed.

"Then there is no need to continue the..."

"Your Majesty, if I may."

Before the Monarch's voice could finish, a new voice interjected.

The entire hall turned.

It was Pan Buwang—the former Divine Son of the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom.

His expression was calm, but his mind was racing.

He hadn't forgotten his mission.

His Master's words echoed in his heart—

"No matter what, you must become the ruler of your father's Divine Kingdom."

He couldn't let the Pure Land Meeting end like this—

Not before he accomplished anything.

"What is it?" The Monarch asked.

Pan Buwang bowed slightly before speaking,

"It's true that we cannot compete against Divine Son Yuan, but we can still compete among ourselves.

How about letting us fight our previous opponents again? That way, we can still determine the rankings properly."

His words sparked something in the crowd.

One by one, the other geniuses nodded in agreement.

Yes, Meng Jianyuan's strength was undeniable.

As much as they loathed to admit it, he was the undisputed number one.

But—

There were still other rankings to claim.

Second place.

Third place.

Fourth.

Their pride wouldn't allow them to walk away without proving themselves.

Hearing the voices of agreement, the Monarch and the other Gods fell into silence, contemplating the suggestion.

A long pause.

Then—

The Monarch finally spoke.

"Then first place will be awarded to Divine Son Meng Jianyuan.

The second and third places will be determined after the match between Divine Son Dian Jiuzhi and Divine Daughter Shen Wuyi.

The fourth position will be awarded after the fight between…"

"Your Majesty, if I may."

Another interruption.

But this time—

The Monarch didn't seem to mind.

"What is it, Star Divine Regent?" he asked.

Once again, the attention shifted—this time to the Star Divine Regent.

The man rose from his seat, bowing slightly as he spoke.

"This humble self can see that Your Majesty wishes to maintain fairness in the rankings.

However—

Our Divine Sons practice techniques that can only display their true power when they act together.

Would it be possible for them to fight as a pair?"

His words sparked immediate discussion.

It was an undeniable fact.

The Star and Moon Divine Kingdoms had two Divine Sons.

Individually, they were powerful, but they weren't overwhelming.

Yet—

When they fought together, their strength surged to a whole new level.

A two-on-one fight, however, was clearly unfair.

As if sensing their concerns, the Star Divine Regent continued.

"How about allowing Divine Son Pan Buzhuo and former Divine Son Pan Buwang to fight together against our Divine Sons?

That way—it would be fair."

All eyes immediately turned to the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom.

"Father, I am not afraid of them!"

Pan Buzhuo's voice rang out.

He stood proudly, looking at his father with determination in his eyes.

"I can fight them alone!"

After all—

He had already defeated one of them.

He had no need for Pan Buwang.

Divine Regent Qi Heng narrowed his eyes slightly, about to respond—

But before he could—

Pan Buwang suddenly stepped forward.

"Lord Father, I know I am not worthy of being your Divine Son,"

His voice was steady—measured.

"But I would like to fight for our Kingdom's glory once more.

If Buzhuo does not wish for me to join the fight, that's fine.

But things should still be fair.

How about this—

If Buzhuo cannot defeat the Star and Moon Divine Sons, then I will step in to help.

If he is strong enough to win alone, I won't interfere."

"YOU…!!!"

Pan Buzhuo's face twisted in rage.

His brother's words might have sounded reasonable, but they veiled an insult.

He was basically saying that Pan Buzhuo might lose.

That was unacceptable.

"PAN BUWANG, YOU—!!"

His anger was about to erupt—

But before he could finish,

A powerful force pressed down on him.

Divine Regent Qi Heng's aura surged, locking Buzhuo in place.

His voice was cold.

"Silence.

We are in the presence of the Monarch.

Do not make me repeat myself."

Pan Buzhuo's body stiffened.

Sweat formed on his brow.

Then—

He lowered his head.

"Yes… Lord Father."

The Divine Regent sighed, shaking his head.

"Why do you keep disappointing me again and again, Buzhuo…?"

His words were not loud, but they stabbed deep.

Pan Buzhuo clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together—

But he didn't dare to argue further.

"I agree with the Star Divine Regent. For the sake of fairness, both Buzhuo and Buwang will fight against both Star and Moon Divine Sons for the fourth position. The loser will take fifth place," Divine Regent Qi Heng declared.

The Pure Land Meeting had always been unfair by nature.

Those born earlier, with more time to cultivate, naturally held an advantage.

But whose fault was it if one was born late?

The world did not wait for anyone.

In the Divine Kingdoms, there were many whose cultivation surpassed even the Divine Sons and Daughters—

Yet—

They had long aged out of the qualification to compete.

This was the way of the world.

"I'm glad we could agree on this," the Star Divine Regent said, turning toward the Abyssal Monarch.

The Monarch remained silent for a moment, his cold gaze sweeping across the room.

Then, he spoke.

"Then it shall be done.

The fourth and fifth positions will belong to the winner and loser, respectively."

His voice echoed through the hall.

With that—

The final matches were set.

But soon, everyone suddenly realized something.

With Meng Jianyuan taking first place without having to fight anyone, it left Hua Caili and Long Wangchu as the only remaining contestants for their ranking.

However—

This matchup would be completely unfair.

As all eyes turned toward Long Xi, still resting in Yun Che's arms, a silent understanding spread throughout the crowd.

"Long Xi won't be participating," Yun Che stated coldly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"I concede," Long Wangchu said without hesitation.

He knew he wasn't a match for Hua Caili anyway, so there was no point in humiliating himself further.

Their position was already secured, and after everything that had happened—the guilt, the disgrace, the endless weight of humiliation—there was no need to make themselves a bigger joke.

The dragons silently agreed with his decision.

"I also won't be fighting," Hua Caili said, shaking her head.

To her, there was no need.

After that long dream, her realization, her enlightenment, she understood.

It wasn't time to show the world just yet.

Her thoughts drifted back to a conversation from long ago—

A conversation with Yun Che.

He had spoken of something called the "Realm of Compatibility."

Back then, she hadn't understood.

But now—

She could only wonder…

Was this it?

Would she truly find out one day?

For now, it didn't matter.

She closed her eyes, letting the words from her dream echo through her soul, like a ringing bell shaking the heavens.

"The sword intent should grow from the heart, the body, and the sword."

Back then—

Those words had confused her.

She had not understood them.

But now—

She had found her answer.

With Hua Caili's and Long Wangchu's decision made, the Abyssal Monarch spoke,

"Then there shall be only two battles. There is no need for any more fights."

At his words, everyone bowed in acknowledgment.

No matter how much some might have wanted to object, they understood.

In the end—

The final fights would inevitably come down to the Divine Children.

There was no point in delaying.

Might as well skip directly to the battles that truly mattered and waste no more time.

Everything that had transpired in this Pure Land Meeting was beyond anyone's expectations.

But among the many shocking events, nothing stood out more than Meng Jianyuan's terrifying strength.

Even though many wished to challenge his right to first place, deep down, they knew—

They couldn't.

They had all seen it with their own eyes.

A Divine Master defeating a Divine Limited Realm Dragon—

Something that should have been impossible.

Yet—

Meng Jianyuan had done it.

Not only that, but in the midst of battle, he had broken through from the Fourth Level of the Divine Master Realm to the Sixth Level, his aura stable as if he had long suppressed his cultivation.

And that was the terrifying part.

If he had been deliberately suppressing his cultivation speed, then who was to say he wouldn't break through again?

And if he couldn't control his newfound power—

Wouldn't they all be obliterated the moment they fought him?

Of course, not everyone thought that way.

And so—

A voice rang out.

The Abyssal Monarch smiled faintly as his gaze fell on Dian Jiuzhi.

"What is it, Divine Son Jiuzhi?"

Dian Jiuzhi stepped forward, his eyes burning with determination.

"I know that with my strength, I am inferior to Divine Son Yuan," he admitted, his voice steady. "But if I win against Divine Daughter Wuyi, I want to fight against Divine Son Yuan—to test my might as well."

His words caused whispers to ripple through the gathered crowd.

It was true that Yun Che's strength was overwhelming.

But letting him claim victory without fighting still felt...

Unfair.

And Dian Jiuzhi had his reasons.

His father's voice transmission still echoed in his ears:

"Meng Jianyuan's strength is terrifying, and he was able to kill a Divine Limited Realm Dragon... but that was only because of his Dragon Bloodline and his Dragon Soul. His actual power alone is barely comparable to Divine Daughter Wuyi."

The words had stuck with him.

And the more he analyzed Yun Che's battle against Long Huolie, the more he realized—

His father was right.

Every attack Yun Che had launched, every display of power—it all came from his Dragon Bloodline, his Dragon Soul, and that final trump card that pushed his strength into the Divine Limited Realm.

But that final move...

That was his weakness.

The moment Yun Che used that desperate technique, his entire strength would be drained.

If I can dodge that attack... Dian Jiuzhi thought.

If I can outlast him...

Then once Meng Jianyuan exhausts himself, victory would be mine!

"Tsk."

A cold snort cut through the air.

The Lightless Divine Regent leaned back in her seat, her expression unreadable.

She no longer cared whether Shen Wuyi won or lost.

After all, the Boundless Divine Regent had promised to give her that thing when this was over.

Still—

A part of her, however small, wanted Shen Wuyi to win.

But after watching her Divine Daughter's first battle against Dian Jiuzhi, she already knew— Her Divine Daughter wasn't a match for him.

Even though the price of losing meant that Shen Wuyi would be forced into an engagement with Dian Jiuzhi, the Lightless Divine Regent remained unmoved.

To her, it was irrelevant.

Her true goal surpassed all earthly matters—including the fate of her own Divine Daughter.

For Yun Che, however, the moment he remembered what would happen if Xia Qingyue (Shen Wuyi) lost, his heart shook with an unbearable despair.

But—

He couldn't let it show.

Even as he poured all his strength into healing Long Xi, keeping his eyes fixed on her frail form, a storm raged deep within his soul.

This trip to the Pure Land had ripped open a truth he had been trying to deny.

He was still—too weak.

If not for Mo Su, he would have died today at the hands of the Dragon Lord.

And that wasn't even the worst of it.

Today, he had been forced to reveal almost all of his trump cards.

There was nothing left to hide.

The only thing keeping him safe was his identity as Meng Jianyuan.

But the moment—the very second—that secret was exposed...

The consequences would be unbearable.

His enemies would descend upon him.

He would be hunted.

And there would be nowhere left to run.

He had no illusions about what would happen when that day came.

Unless—

He grew stronger.

Fast.

He had to reach a power where no one—not even the Abyssal Monarch, not even the High Priests, not even the Gods—could stand against him.

For Xia Qingyue.

For his daughter.

For those still waiting for him.

As the Abyssal Monarch addressed Yun Che, every eye in the hall turned toward him, awaiting his response.

"Divine Son Yuan, what do you think of Divine Son Jiuzhi's request?"

His voice was calm, but the weight behind his words pressed upon the entire room.

Yun Che, who was still channeling his Light Profound Energy into Long Xi's frail body, barely lifted his gaze as he responded.

"I have no objections."

A simple answer.

But inside, his heart was storming.

Dian Jiuzhi's desire to fight him wasn't out of fairness.

It was out of hatred.

He had already seen through the calculations behind this request.

But he had no choice.

If he refused, it would shake his standing among the Divine Sons and Daughters.

And right now, he couldn't afford that.

"Good."

The Monarch gave a slow nod, as if he had expected nothing less.

"Then let it be as Divine Son Jiuzhi suggested. The winner between Divine Son Jiuzhi and Divine Daughter Wuyi shall have the right to fight Divine Son Yuan for the first place. Each match will take place one month apart."

The announcement rippled through the hall, but no one objected.

A month.

For Dian Jiuzhi, it was a chance to study Yun Che further and prepare his strategies.

For Shen Wuyi (Xia Qingyue), it was a lifeline—one last chance to find a way to avoid her fate.

And for Yun Che, it was not nearly enough.

He clenched his fist beneath his robes.

Only one month before he would have to stand on that battle stage once again.

Only one month to push himself closer to the power he truly needed.

No—

It wasn't enough.

But it would have to be.

"Today has been a long day for all of us," the Abyssal Monarch finally declared, his voice carrying the weight of finality.

"You may all retire."

The entire hall immediately lowered their heads, bowing in unison.

With a wave of the Monarch's hand, the space around them distorted, and in an instant—

Everyone was sent back to their respective accommodations.