I Reborn on the Night I Divorced the Sword Deity, My Childhood Friend - Chapter 27

Meng Xingyan’s punch was incredibly powerful. The three elemental spiritual energies of green, white, and black intertwined with his demonic energy, radiating a light as piercing and scorching as a small sun.

The crowd below the arena was pale with shock, certain that the match would be decided at this very moment. In that instant, many felt a surge of bitter regret for their bets.

However, just as the fierce wind of the punch reached Qin Huaique’s face and ruffled his black hair, a sharp glint flashed in the eyes of the supposedly slumped and blood-spitting Qin Huaique. His form flickered and transformed into a mist of demonic energy, scattering in all directions and narrowly avoiding the strike.

Meng Xingyan seemed to have anticipated this. Without a change in expression, he turned and gave chase once more.

For a time, two streaks of demonic energy intertwined and danced across the massive arena, occasionally manifesting as human figures before scattering again. Dust billowed and demonic energy vibrated as their exchanges opened and closed with grand, brilliant power. It made the initial dozen moves look like mere child’s play.

The situation was now clear; Qin Huaique’s previous weakness had been an act, a calculated move to draw out Meng Xingyan’s trump cards. Now, he was finally exerting his full strength. The demonic cultivators below grew spirited once more, cheering loudly for Qin Huaique.

Inside the precious carriage, Shen Junyu watched the battle. “Qin Huaique’s cultivation is high, yet he knows how to remain calm and patient, suppressing himself before exploding. This man is not to be underestimated.”

Wen Su added, “Meng Xingyan has also been hiding his depth.”

“The Little Marquis’s acting skills are quite good,” Shen Junyu remarked. “I never noticed it before.”

“No one who can stand on this stage today is a true fool,” Wen Su replied. “Especially as the sons of Demon Sovereigns, who among them does not have a couple of hidden trump cards?”

As he finished speaking, Meng Xingyan was struck head-on by a blast of Qin Huaique’s demonic energy and sent flying. Qin Huaique had shown no mercy. Meng Xingyan’s back smashed through over a dozen white jade railings before he finally skidded to a halt.

Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Meng Xingyan used a broken railing to pull himself up. He brushed the dust off his clothes with a careless air and shouted to the hovering Qin Huaique, “Come again!”

Qin Huaique hung in the air, his white robes fluttering. He stared at the undamaged spiritual array patterns on Meng Xingyan’s body, his brow furrowed and his gaze icy and heavy. The crowd realized the problem as well; if those arrays did not break, Qin Huaique would surely lose once his energy was exhausted. The cheering stopped, replaced by a tense, heavy silence as everyone watched the stage with bated breath.

Although Meng Xingyan appeared lazy and disheveled, every muscle in his body was taut, waiting for the next strike. Qin Huaique hovered in silence for a long moment before speaking coldly. “To force me to use this move, Brother Meng, you have earned honor even in defeat.”

Qin Huaique’s hands flew into a series of seals. Demonic energy surged around him, and his entire body erupted in a blazing red light like a raging fire. Countless wisps of energy spiraled out, transforming into burning red lotuses that blanketed the sky, rolling toward Meng Xingyan.

“The Demonic Energy Red Lotuses! Brother Qin has actually mastered the Red Lotus technique!”

“That is an ancient secret method of the Demon Emperor! Every petal of those lotuses can summon demonic fire. With so many lotuses exploding at once, even if Meng Xingyan turns to ash, he will not escape!”

As the crowd whispered excitedly, the arena was completely covered by the burning lotuses. Meng Xingyan turned into a streak of light, darting between the gaps to hide. However, the number of lotuses continued to grow.

Qin Huaique’s face turned increasingly pale. To ensure a guaranteed hit, he had to spread the lotuses without limit. This technique was powerful enough to kill a Spirit Severing stage cultivator, let alone someone like Meng Xingyan.

Finally, the lotuses occupied every corner of the arena. Standing at the highest point above the sea of crimson, Qin Huaique uttered a single word.

“Release.”

In an instant, every lotus bud bloomed wildly. Countless petals swirled and fell like a cascading waterfall, turning the arena into a rolling sea of demonic fire. The explosions were deafening. Flames roared and red light reflected against the sky as the entire stage was swallowed by an endless inferno.

Meng Xingyan’s streak of demonic energy was instantly submerged. It happened so fast that by the time the Tian-tong Demon Sovereign reacted and prepared to intervene, he could no longer find any trace of his son in the fire. The Sovereign was furious. Above the lotuses, Qin Huaique allowed a faint, satisfied smile to touch his lips.

However, in the next second, a brilliant, dazzling green light shot up from the boundless flames. It was Meng Xingyan.

Of his spiritual arrays, the White Tiger and Black Tortoise arrays were shattered, leaving only the Azure Dragon array wrapped around his body. He was covered in broken spiritual lines and blood, yet his eyes shone with a radiant light.

With the phantom of the Azure Dragon coiled around his arm, he gave a cold laugh amidst the crowd’s extreme astonishment and threw a heavy punch toward the pale, exhausted Qin Huaique.

This time, having depleted his demonic energy, Qin Huaique wavered and failed to dodge. He fell straight from the sky, tumbling out of the arena. The crowd screamed in surprise.

Meng Xingyan’s gaze was heavy as he prepared to dive after him, but a cool voice suddenly rang in his ear.

“Do not pursue a desperate foe.”

It was Shen Junyu’s warning. Meng Xingyan snapped out of it, realizing the danger, and tried to turn back to the stage.

At that moment, the aura of the falling Qin Huaique suddenly exploded. His cultivation base climbed rapidly; within three breaths, his realm restored from the suppressed late Nascent Soul stage to the early Void Refinement stage. His cloak unfurled as a massive pressure poured down.

A flash of murderous intent crossed Qin Huaique’s cold eyes. He flipped his palm, and a black light emerged, manifesting as the Black Dragon Overlord Spear. Without a moment of hesitation, he gripped the spear and lunged toward Meng Xingyan’s heart.

Meng Xingyan felt a chill of terror as he scrambled to escape. The Tian-tong Demon Sovereign roared, “Shameless brat!” He activated his Spiritual Eye, and a beam of brilliant white light shot from his throne toward Qin Huaique’s back.

However, an even sharper and colder demonic light shot out from the throne of the silent Tian-huang Demon Sovereign, instantly shattering Tian-tong’s attack.

Qin Huaique’s spear reached Meng Xingyan’s chest, slowly grinding away the final layer of the Azure Dragon array. At the ultimate moment of peril, a cyan-gold rainbow shot silently from the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign’s throne. With a thunderous boom, it struck Qin Huaique square in the chest.

Qin Huaique had no power to resist. He coughed up blood and flew backward, smashing through a high wall before crashing to the ground. This time, every bone in his body was shattered by that inconspicuous wisp of cyan-gold energy; he did not even have the strength to stand.

The plaza fell into a deathly silence. Seeing this, Meng Xingyan, drenched in sweat, felt the profound relief of a survivor. Ignoring his injuries, he flew back into the safety of his father’s throne.

Finally, the Tian-huang Demon Sovereign spoke with fury. “Ninth Brother, your strike was far too heavy.”

After a moment, a lazy, leisurely voice drifted from the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign’s throne. “Is that so? I shall be lighter next time. After all, I could not let Nephew Qin carry the infamy of murdering his own kinsman at such a young age, could I?”

That single sentence left the Tian-huang Demon Sovereign speechless.

Then, from another throne, the Tian-tong Demon Sovereign’s cold voice rang out. “Restoring your realm to kill when you cannot win in a fair fight? You have raised a fine son, Second Brother.”

The Tian-huang Demon Sovereign regained his composure. “Huaique has a fiery temper. He simply failed to restrain himself in the heat of the moment. I apologize to Nephew Xingyan on his behalf.”

The Tian-tong Demon Sovereign gave a cold snort. As the dispute between the two Sovereigns threatened to spiral out of control, the Yunmeng Demon Sovereign, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally spoke. “Brothers, this is our Eighth Sister’s competition. Give her some face and do not let a small matter between nephews cause a rift.”

With her intervention, the Sovereigns fell silent, though the atmosphere remained heavy. Having suffered such a crushing defeat, the Tian-huang Demon Sovereign had no face to stay. He ordered his men to take the heavily injured Qin Huaique and prepared to depart.

Suddenly, Meng Xingyan spoke up. “Uncle Qin, wait a moment.”

The Tian-huang Demon Sovereign’s brow twitched. “Nephew Xingyan, what else is there?”

Meng Xingyan, now in fresh clothes, stepped out from behind the curtain and smiled. “Brother Qin made a bet with me earlier. The winner has been decided, but he has yet to give me my stakes.”

The Tian-huang Demon Sovereign was silent. He had heard the wager; the Black Dragon Overlord Spear, a semi-spiritual Houtian treasure. Under the watchful eyes of the other Sovereigns, he could not openly deny the debt. “Huaique is currently unconscious. When he wakes…”

Before he could finish, Meng Xingyan turned into a streak of light and landed before the unconscious Qin Huaique. In front of everyone, he punched open Qin Huaique’s shattered hand and snatched the spear. He looked up at the Tian-huang Demon Sovereign with a smirk. “I would not want to trouble you, Uncle. I will just take it myself.”

The Tian-huang Demon Sovereign’s face contorted with rage, but he could say nothing. The plaza remained silent as Meng Xingyan’s grin brightened in the sunlight. Finally, the Tian-huang Demon Sovereign departed in a cold, grim silence.

After they left, the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign’s throne floated up, and a cyan-gold light towed the precious carriage along as they made their exit. The Tian-tong Demon Sovereign followed suit.

The young demons below felt a surge of relief, thinking Meng Xingyan only cared about the spear and not their bets. However, Meng Xingyan’s lazy voice drifted down from the departing throne.

“To those who bet with me, please ensure your stakes are delivered to my residence within three days. Otherwise, the backlash of a Heavenly Demon Blood Oath is no laughing matter.”

The demons turned ashen but could only accept their fate, comforting themselves that at least they had not lost as badly as Qin Huaique.

When the carriage carrying Shen Junyu and Wen Su finally stopped in front of the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign’s temporary palace on Mount Yuhuang, the Sovereign himself was nowhere to be seen.

Shen Junyu and Wen Su exchanged a look. “Let us disembark,” Wen Su said. “A Demon Sovereign would not break his word.”

“I expect so,” Shen Junyu agreed.

As they stepped down, Manager Wen, dressed in green, appeared with a smile. He bowed to Shen Junyu. “Military Advisor Wen, this way, please.”

The title had changed already. Shen Junyu’s heart stirred, but he remained composed. After returning the greeting, he followed Manager Wen into the palace. Wen Su followed close behind.

But this time, Manager Wen stepped forward to intervene. “Please stop, young master. Our Demon Sovereign has invited Military Advisor Wen alone. I must ask you to wait in the side hall.”

Hearing this, Shen Junyu could not help but look back at Wen Su.

As their eyes met, Shen Junyu transmitted his voice mentally. “Brother Wen, there is no need to worry. I will be fine on my own.”

Wen Su seemed to hesitate for a moment, but he eventually nodded and stepped back.

Seeing this, Shen Junyu felt a bit more at ease. With no further concerns, he turned and followed Manager Wen into the inner hall.

The Inner Hall

Inside the inner hall, countless pale silver curtains swayed and drifted like mist and wind.

This time, the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign was not seated upon the high dais. Instead, he sat at a long white jade table, his back turned toward Shen Junyu.

His ink-black hair spilled out like a waterfall, winding across the floor. Only several gold chains inlaid with peacock-green gemstones passed through his temples and adorned the strands. He wore a solemn, pure black ceremonial robe, its hem and sleeve cuffs embroidered with incredibly complex and magnificent patterns of cyan-gold peacock feathers.

When he sat still, the robe appeared as a deep, silent, and cold obsidian black. But with the slightest stir of the wind, the peacock feathers would shimmer with a dreamlike, brilliant cyan-gold light, capturing the eye completely.

Witnessing such a gorgeous and dazzling scene, Shen Junyu dazed for a moment. He recalled some rumors he had heard in his past life regarding the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign. It was said that the current Demon Venerable had taken him in as an adoptive brother specifically because of his peerless beauty, teaching him personally and doting on him to the extreme. He was the undisputed number one beauty of the Demon Race.

Others claimed that the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign practiced a cultivation technique centered on charm and was actually hideous, but his technique made everyone perceive him as the most beautiful being in existence. Many human cultivators from the Central Plains had allegedly fallen victim to this spell.

Thinking about it now, while the rumors might not be entirely true, the part about his peerless beauty was likely not an exaggeration. However, Shen Junyu was never one to be lost in aesthetic beauty. These thoughts merely flickered through his mind before vanishing into nothingness.

He stepped forward, bowed, and said, “I, Wen, greet the Demon Sovereign.”

The Nine Nether Demon Sovereign remained silent for a moment before speaking in a neutral tone. “You won the bet.”

Shen Junyu straightened up, neither humble nor arrogant. “I merely employed a few minor tricks. It does not compare to the Sovereign’s overwhelming strength that stunned the entire audience earlier.”

The Nine Nether Demon Sovereign gave a soft, dry laugh. “That tongue of yours truly has the talent of a sycophant.”

Shen Junyu remained composed. “If the Sovereign wishes me to be a sycophant, I am not incapable of it.”

The Nine Nether Demon Sovereign said nothing but flicked his sleeve, tossing out a streak of green light. Shen Junyu reacted quickly and caught it. When he looked at what was in his hand, even someone as steady as him felt a slight shock.

What the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign had given him was a green Military Advisor medallion. It shimmered with spiritual light and bore bold, gilded characters. It was truly an imposing piece.

How could such a critical token be given to him so easily? Shen Junyu had originally thought the Sovereign would only grant him an empty title, which would still allow him to slowly draw closer and execute his plans. He had not expected the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign to be so generous, and he could not help but wonder about the Sovereign’s true goal.

“Well? This Sovereign never breaks a word,” the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign said suddenly.

Shen Junyu snapped out of his thoughts and tucked the medallion into his sleeve. He cupped his hands and said, “The Sovereign is truly magnanimous and peerless. This subordinate is filled with admiration.”

He immediately changed his form of address to show respect. Unexpectedly, this gesture did not please the Sovereign. After a moment of silence, the Sovereign said coldly, “There is no need for such glibness in my presence.”

By now, Shen Junyu was used to the Sovereign’s fickle moods. He paused for a heartbeat and simply replied, “Yes.”

The atmosphere fell into silence. As Shen Junyu stood there, quietly trying to fathom the Sovereign’s motives, his thumb instinctively brushed over the Military Advisor medallion in his palm. Suddenly, he felt something was wrong.

His brow twitched slightly, and he subtly felt the medallion again. Having practiced divination and star-tracking, he was extremely sensitive to time. Upon closer inspection, he realized the medallion had been newly crafted today.

Furthermore, it had been finished for nearly half a day. This meant that the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign had prepared this token before the match even began.

Did he know Shen Junyu would win, or did he have another purpose altogether? A chill ran through Shen Junyu’s heart, and his guard rose to its peak, though he dared not show a trace of it.

Just then, the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign said tonelessly, “Why have you become a mute?”

Shen Junyu snapped back to his senses. His suspicion had not lessened, and for a moment, he did not know how to respond. The Nine Nether Demon Sovereign seemed to sense something and turned his head slightly, preparing to look over.

In that flash of inspiration, Shen Junyu looked at the Sovereign’s perfect profile and came up with an excellent excuse. Just as the Sovereign turned his head, Shen Junyu lowered his eyes and bowed. “I beg the Sovereign’s pardon for my boldness.”

The Sovereign frowned. “Hm?”

Having regained his composure, Shen Junyu used his prepared words, speaking at a leisurely pace. “I had previously heard that the Sovereign possessed a grace that defined the age. Seeing you today, those reports are indeed well-founded. I wonder if I might be fortunate enough to witness the Sovereign’s true face?”

After speaking, he bowed slowly again. The atmosphere in the vast hall became deathly still. After a long while, the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign suddenly gave a subtle, faint laugh. “I did not expect you to be someone who is swayed by physical beauty as well.”

Shen Junyu replied calmly, “The love of beauty is common to all.”

After a brief silence, the Sovereign said, “Lift your head.”

Shen Junyu paused for a moment and looked up. As the wind blew through the silver curtains and the room floated with cyan-gold shadows, the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign turned around.

Their eyes met.

A pair of lazy eyes, hiding cyan-gold peacock feather totems, rippled with endless waves as they reflected in Shen Junyu’s clear, bright, glassy eyes. For an instant, the entire room was silent. Shen Junyu’s mind felt like those curtains—drifting, swaying, and slightly turbulent.

It was a long time before Shen Junyu finally snapped out of it. His mind had already returned to its usual calm, but he offered a sincere compliment nonetheless. “The Sovereign truly possesses a celestial countenance that is unrivaled in this world.”

The Nine Nether Demon Sovereign glanced at him, but after seeing Shen Junyu’s excessively calm expression, he seemed somewhat displeased, though he said nothing. Not knowing what the Sovereign wanted, Shen Junyu did not speak again. The silence returned.

Eventually, Manager Wen appeared, finally breaking the strange stillness.

“In one hour, the Yunmeng Demon Sovereign will host a private banquet at Yunlai Palace for the Sovereigns who have arrived. Will your Lordship attend?” Manager Wen asked.

The Nine Nether Demon Sovereign turned to look at him. After a moment, a subtle smile touched his lips. “Of course I shall go. I want them to have a good look at my newly appointed Military Advisor.”

Shen Junyu’s heart skipped a beat. He paused for a moment and could only cup his hands to thank the Sovereign again. He was increasingly uncertain about what the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign was planning.

Manager Wen was also stunned, but he quickly offered Shen Junyu a polite smile of congratulations before bowing and withdrawing. Once again, only the Sovereign and Shen Junyu remained.

The Nine Nether Demon Sovereign’s gaze shifted as if he were about to speak, but Shen Junyu took a step forward and bowed. “Sovereign, my brother accompanied me here and is currently waiting in the side hall. May I have permission to inform him before accompanying you to the banquet?”

The Sovereign’s gaze narrowed, showing a hint of displeasure. Shen Junyu remained with his head bowed, waiting, and did not notice anything amiss.

After a long while, the Sovereign said coldly, “Go.”

Shen Junyu felt a sense of relief. “Thank you, Sovereign. This subordinate takes his leave.”

He turned and left. He did not know that behind him, a pair of profound cyan-gold eyes watched his retreating figure intently until he had completely vanished from the main hall.

When Shen Junyu returned to the side hall, Wen Su was reading a jade slip. Seeing Shen Junyu, he put it away and asked, “How was it?”

Shen Junyu was speechless for a moment. He shook his head and said, “Quickly, pour me a cup of tea to calm my nerves.”

Wen Su looked puzzled.

White mist rose, and the room was filled with fragrance. Shen Junyu held the tea set in his hands, used the lid to gently brush away the floating leaves, and took a slow sip. He set the lid back down and narrowed his eyes, falling into a contemplative state.

Seeing this, Wen Su’s expression became subtle. He asked casually, “Did the Nine Nether Demon Sovereign make things difficult for you?”

Shen Junyu snapped out of his daze and slowly shook his head. “I wouldn’t say he made things difficult. It is just…”

“Just what?”

Shen Junyu pondered for a moment. Ultimately, he decided not to tell Wen Su about the medallion. He stayed silent for a while, then gave a faint smile. “I often hear that beautiful people are prone to being fickle. I used to think that was nonsense, but today I have truly experienced it.”

Wen Su was silent.