Chapter 1622: Destiny's Sword Energy

The battlefield became deathly silent. Moments ago, they had just witnessed Slaughter's overwhelming strength. She had annihilated a Divine Realm individual with a single strike. Yet now, that same invincible figure was effortlessly suppressed and forced back by a single blow... by the black-robed man?

Who in the world was he?

All eyes turned toward the black-robed figure, and a mix of shock, awe, and deep curiosity reflected in their gazes.

Gu Hao and Xi Zhong turned pale at the sight. They believed the battle had tilted decisively in their favor; Slaughter had obliterated a Divine Realm elite with a single strike, and the sight made them think that victory was within reach.

However, the black-robed man was clearly on a whole new level.

Why were there so many elites here?

The two of them were on the brink of a mental breakdown.

Meanwhile, Ye Guan remained surprisingly calm, and his eyes were fixed on the black-robed man.

After delivering that attack to Slaughter, the black-robed man silently returned to Jun You's side.

Jun You looked down at Ye Guan.

"Young Lord Ye," she said softly, "you're very calm... as if this turn of events didn't catch you off guard."

Ye Guan shifted his gaze to her and smiled faintly. "Still a little surprised."

"Is that so?"

Jun You looked down at Ye Guan from above. Her expression was calm, and a serene and composed smile tugged at her lips. "From the very beginning until now, I imagine that in your heart, you've always seen me as a joke, someone utterly unworthy of being your opponent.

"Why? Because behind you stand countless elites... Like that woman. And she's just one of your many aunts, isn't she?

"Any one of them could step out and shake the heavens. Not to mention your father, your grandfather, your uncle... and your legendary Plain-Skirt Aunt, the one whose name cannot be uttered lightly.

"With so many backers, anyone who opposes you is just a clown in your eyes. Just an insect. Right?"

Ye Guan looked at her and suddenly let out a laugh. "Are you trying to paint me as some spoiled brat? First of all, ever since our conflict began, you've been the one scheming behind the scenes, sending elites of higher realms after me to do your dirty work.

"So what? You're allowed to play dirty, but I'm not allowed to call in backup? And if I really wanted to rely on my family's power, you lowly little punk would have been reduced to ashes long ago.

"You really think you'd still be standing there acting tough in front of me?"

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Jun You's eyes narrowed. "Young Master Ye, you—"

"Shut up!" Ye Guan snapped before she could finish.

The more Ye Guan thought about it, the angrier he became. He opened his palm, and a thin thread of sword energy appeared over his palm.

It was Destiny's sword energy!

With his left hand, Ye Guan pointed at the black-robed man standing beside Jun You. "All right, I'm going to depend on my family now. C'mere! Aren't you acting all high and mighty?

"Well, here I am, standing wide open. I'm begging you to come and kill me!"

A strange air swept through the crowd.

The sword energy hovering above Ye Guan's palm looked utterly mundane, but no one dared to believe that it was just an ordinary strand of sword energy.

Everyone turned toward the black-robed man, who had just displayed awe-inspiring power. To their surprise, he remained utterly silent, offering no response.

A ripple of confusion and unease spread through the crowd.

"Come here!" Ye Guan pointed at Jun You and the black-robed man, shouting with unrestrained fury, "Why don't you damned people just come and kill me?!

"Yeah, I'm going to depend on my family's power, so what? If you've got a problem with that, then come here and kill me!"

The elites of Divine Continent boiled with anger upon hearing that.

He was just too damn arrogant!

An elder from the Divine Continent civilization stepped forward and pointed at Ye Guan. "Ye Guan, what are you being so arrogant for?! Is it just because of a strand of sword energy?"

Just as everyone thought he was about to attack, he changed his tone, saying, "This black-robed senior is peerlessly powerful. Why would he be afraid of some unknown strand of sword energy? He could kill you with a single slap!"

The black-robed man suddenly raised his hand and delivered a slap.

However, it wasn't aimed at Ye Guan. It was aimed at the elder who had spoken just now. Before the elder could even react, he was reduced to a mist of blood, killed in an instant!

Everyone was stumped.

"If you're going to try and stir the pot with petty tricks, you'd better make sure you have the strength to back it up," the black-robed man said hoarsely.

All the elites of the Divine Continent looked at the black-robed man with wariness. His strength was simply terrifying.

The black-robed man then turned his gaze to Ye Guan, but said nothing.

Jun You suddenly said, "Young Master Ye, today's matter is between you and the Divine Civilization. We won't interfere, carry on."

With that, the two of them withdrew into the depths of the void.

Ye Guan glanced into that deep void, and then he walked over to Slaughter.

"That man is not simple," said Slaughter.

Ye Guan nodded. "I know."

Slaughter looked at the strand of sword energy in Ye Guan's hand. "She left that for you?"

Ye Guan nodded.

"She once said you had grown up. And now, it seems... you truly have."

Ye Guan looked at the strand of sword energy in his hand, complex emotions flashing through his eyes. "Why does Aunt still feel the need to test me?"

"This isn't a test," Slaughter remarked.

Ye Guan looked at her.

Slaughter explained, "It's a way to hone you through hardships. Of course, it's a very cruel form of training. However, it's because you've grown up that she's chosen this way to sharpen you..."

Ye Guan still looked a bit puzzled.

Slaughter said no more. She looked up toward the approaching Nun Rake, who was also looking at her.

Nun Rake had her right hand behind her back. Just by standing there, she radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure.

More and more Divine Continent elites gathered around.

In the distance, Xuan Jun's soul looked up.

"Shen Fu, are you still just going to watch?"

"Sigh!" A sigh echoed softly across the heavens and the earth.

Under the crowd's scrutiny, an elder slowly descended from the sky. He wore a flowing ceremonial robe that shimmered faintly in the light. His head full of white hair, though stark against his timeworn features, was meticulously combed; there wasn't even a strand of hair that was out of place.

His face was etched with deep wrinkles, but there was a profound gentleness in his expression, a compassion that seemed to radiate from his very being.

At first glance, anyone would be struck by the sense that he was a kind and benevolent elder, a man whose heart carried the weight of mercy and sorrow for the world's sake.

He was none other than Shen Fu!

All eyes turned to him.

In the Divine Civilization, Shen Fu was deeply respected. H was there from the very start, even before they established the Divine Order.

He was a true elder of the highest rank!

Shen Fu looked at Ye Guan, and he studied the young man for a quiet moment. "I have served the Divine for many years. If She had truly chosen to manifest Her will in the mortal world... I believe She would not have done so without informing me first."

Ye Guan smiled. "So you think I'm a fraud?"

Shen Fu shook his head. "Whether real or fake... perhaps it no longer matters so much."

Ye Guan said nothing, his eyes locked on the old man, silently waiting for what would come next.

Shen Fu's voice was solemn and deliberate. "Young Master Ye, you are an order establisher. You are meant to build Order. Indeed, you have already forged one of your own. But your recent actions—"

"No need to go on," Ye Guan interrupted, his tone calm but cutting. "Let's not waste time beating about the bush. All you want is a righteous excuse to justify killing me."

Ye Guan's gaze swept over the gathered Divine Continent elites. "You're all the same. I know the truth of the matter, and deep down, so do you. This was never about truth or falsehood. This is about power. It's about interests. My existence threatens the balance of your influence; it's that simple.

"Let's not pretend otherwise. Even if the Divinity returned, unless She came back with the same invincible might she once had, you would still label her as a fake if she dared to disrupt your grip on power."

Shen Fu said nothing, simply watching Ye Guan in silence.

The faces of the high-ranking figures among the crowd darkened, and their faces were stiff with discomfort.

Nun Sickle asked, confused. "Why... are they... afraid... of the Divinity's return?"

Ye Guan turned to the innocent Nun Sickle beside him and smiled. "Because they are guilty."

Nun Sickle tilted her head, still puzzled.

Ye Guan looked up at the Divine Continent Elites standing loftily above the crowd. "Look at them, each one filled with wealth and power, sitting high atop their thrones. They have all the money and power they desire, and they see the common people as little more than cattle and beasts of burden.

"Now tell me, if the Divinity were to truly return, would they be afraid? Of course they would. Afraid of Divinity, yes, but even more afraid of losing everything they now possess. They're not foolish, no... they're far too clever."

Nun Sickle turned her gaze to the Divine Continent elites, falling into deep contemplation.

Ye Guan sighed softly.

History was a mirror for the present.

He knew that one day, the Guanxuan Universe would fall into the same pattern. This was the way of the world; the nature of things, it was human nature. No law, no decree, no divine will could ever completely change it. And yet, he did not despair. Seeing the truth early was always better than being blinded by illusions.

Suddenly, Shen Fu let out a deep sigh.

"Xuan Jun said you were from the East Desolates," he murmured. "At first, I didn't believe it. But now I see... it's true. The East Desolates' desire to destroy our Divine Civilization clearly still burns bright!"

As the final word fell from Shen Fu's lips, a tremor suddenly rippled through the entire Divine Continent. Without warning, blinding pillars of light erupted from deep beneath the land, piercing the heavens like divine spears.

Within those pillars, countless tiny characters that were dense and unending, numbering in the billions, spiraled upward in a complex, rhythmic flow.

Each symbol shimmered with ancient power, rotating in harmonious precision. From within that surging tide of text, a vast, mysterious energy began to rise, spreading outward like a tide, wrapping the entire Divine Continent in its overwhelming embrace.

"The Divine Laws Array!"

Xi Zhong's face darkened, and his face was graver than ever before.

The Divines Law Array wasn't a defensive array; it was a weapon. The most fearsome array in all of the Divine Continent. Once activated, even a Divine Realm elite could be effortlessly annihilated by its might.

The Divine Continent had decided to go all in.

Beside Ye Guan, Slaughter raised her head, eyes narrowing as she gazed at the towering columns of light erupting into the sky. Her sword trembled slightly in her grip. She was just about to strike when a divine sense locked onto her with pinpoint precision.

Her gaze snapped to the distance, toward Nun Rake, who was standing still with eyes fixed on Slaughter.

"Come," Nun Rake calmly said, "Let me see how strong your sword truly is."

As she spoke, her palm opened slowly. From the far reaches of the heavens, a jet-black bolt of lightning descended like a divine decree, and it landed steadily in her hand.

It was a saber made from a bolt of black lightning!

She was a saber cultivator!