Chapter 667: Befriending

Even his own father and the Great Elder were kneeling beside them, looking stupefied. They remained on the ground obediently, not daring to utter a single word of complaint.

Only then did Duojade realize what a huge disaster he had caused—and a very serious one at that. All the experts of Duolong Prefecture had charged out, yet it had been utterly pointless. They were all completely suppressed by this young man, who looked to be about his own age, unable to move an inch.

“Whimper… whimper…”

Duojade cried out in terror, but he found that was the only sound he could make. He couldn’t form any other words, only pathetic whimpers.

“I was originally just going to punish you a little, but who knew your entire family would be so unbearably arrogant? Just because you have some power, you think you can bully whomever you please?”

“It’s true that the strong prey on the weak. So, now it’s my turn to prey on *you*. Are you ready?” Yi Tianyun’s expression was impassive. He detested those who used their power to oppress others.

‘It’s true that power belongs to the capable. But for those who are this arrogant, who threaten to break legs at a moment’s notice… I have no reason to be polite.’

‘If they want to play by the law of the jungle, then I’m more than happy to oblige. One punch usually solves the problem. If not, two will. It’s simple, really.’

“Whimper… whimper…” Duojade whimpered again, as if begging for mercy.

“That’s enough. All of you, get out. Don’t spill blood here,” Yi Tianyun said with a wave of his hand. Duo Jiayuan and the Great Elder immediately stood up, grabbing Duojade and the others to drag them out.

There was no doubt they were being taken outside to be “dealt with.” And what’s more, Duo Jiayuan and the others were being forced to do it themselves. Nothing could be more ruthless.

This was the price—the price for their actions!

The area instantly became quiet. Duo Jiayuan dragging out his own son was an unimaginable scene, and no one knew what was truly happening. But regardless of what was going on, no one dared to say a word. They all kept their mouths shut.

As for the powerful Divine Country Powers present, they wouldn’t go out of their way to provoke an expert. Even with their own formidable strength, no one wanted to make a powerful enemy for no reason.

“I am a Patrol Envoy from the Zuoqiu Divine Kingdom. I’ve brought a jug of fine wine and was wondering if I might sit down and share a cup with you?” A Spirit King Stage expert approached, holding a jug of wine.

“Of course. All visitors are welcome. Please, have a seat.” Yi Tianyun gestured for him to sit. As long as they didn’t cause him any trouble, he was more than happy to be on good terms with them.

“My thanks, friend.” The Divine Envoy from the Zuoqiu Divine Kingdom personally poured him a cup of wine and asked, “If I may ask, friend, which Divine Kingdom do you hail from?”

“I have no sect or faction. You don’t need to investigate my background. I’m unaffiliated—at least, I am in the Celestial Realm,” Yi Tianyun said calmly.

The eyes of the Divine Envoy from the Zuoqiu Divine Kingdom lit up. That single sentence told him a great deal. It meant Yi Tianyun didn’t have a power base here, which implied he had one in the Netherworld! They didn’t even consider the Mortal Realm. The Mortal Realm was far too ordinary. How could it produce such a powerful expert, or a force that strong?

“It seems you are not from the Celestial Realm, friend. I wonder if you would be willing to visit our Zuoqiu Divine Kingdom as a guest?” he immediately invited. The smaller powers might be afraid of this veritable god of destruction, but their Divine Kingdom was not. If they could get such a divine figure to join their side, their strength would surely soar.

“I am the Divine Envoy of the Rain Autumn Divine Kingdom. This is a specialty of our kingdom, a Rain Autumn Divine Pill. You can dissolve it in water or wine to enhance the flavor. It imparts a refreshing taste that I guarantee you’ll enjoy.” As he spoke, he dropped it into the wine cup. The wine immediately transformed, becoming incredibly aromatic. Just the scent alone was invigorating; drinking it would surely taste even better!

“I am the Divine Envoy of the Mengyun Divine Kingdom, and this is our…”

One after another, Divine Envoys from various Divine Kingdoms and Empires came forward to offer treasures. As envoys, they were skilled in diplomacy and had all sensed the presence of immense power. They didn’t need anyone’s approval to immediately come and try to build a relationship.

‘Someone who can effortlessly suppress so many Spirit King Stage experts can’t possibly be weak, right? They had to win him over, no matter what. It would be a huge boon to their respective powers.’

Wei Feizhou, sitting beside Yi Tianyun, also received quite a few benefits. Some envoys slipped him Elixir Pills, while others offered weapons. Since Wei Feizhou was seated next to Yi Tianyun, they assumed he must have some connection to him and eagerly tried to curry favor.

Wei Feizhou was completely stunned. ‘I’m getting this kind of treatment?’ Before him were numerous Divine Envoys, every single one with a higher cultivation than his own, yet they were all fawning over him. It was something he could have never imagined, not even in his wildest dreams.

But this wasn’t a dream; it was reality!

Yi Tianyun didn’t stand on ceremony and accepted their gifts one by one. Being on good terms with a few Divine Country Powers was not a bad thing.

“Yes, you’re all too kind. When I have the time, I will pay each of you a visit,” Yi Tianyun said with a faint smile, signifying his acceptance of their goodwill.

Each Divine Envoy wore a smile. Although it was a shame he couldn’t visit immediately, they had at least given him a gift. Now, he would at least have some impression of them in the future.

Besides, the gifts they offered weren’t anything particularly valuable; they were all just average items. To a Cultivator with a lower cultivation level, however, they were treasures.

That was certainly the case for Wei Feizhou. He was dazzled by the gifts and didn’t dare to accept them, planning to give everything to Yi Tianyun later.

By this point, the stair-climbing trial was nearing its end. Soon, He Rongkun successfully reached the summit in third place, proving himself to be quite a formidable talent. The talent of the top two was even more astonishing, earning a second glance from even Yi Tianyun. The first-place finisher’s results were particularly conspicuous.

He only gave them a passing glance, however; it didn’t mean much to him. ‘These are all disciples nurtured by Divine Country Powers. If they didn’t at least have this much talent, there would be no point in cultivating them in the first place.’

“It’s about time. Let’s get ready for the next round.” Yi Tianyun stood up and put away the table and chairs.

By now, nearly thirty people were standing at the top. After the thirtieth Trial Taker ascended, this stage of the trial officially ended. The remaining Cultivators who were still climbing were immediately ejected, unable to continue their ascent.

The rest of them could only wait below. They couldn’t go up to watch, as they were completely blocked. The rules here were much stricter than in the Netherworld. The next time they would meet would be after the final trial was over, when everyone was teleported out.

“Let’s go. We’re going up to see the results,” Yi Tianyun said, clasping his hands behind his back as he started walking forward.

“But… we can’t go up there. We’ll be stopped if we try…”

Wei Feizhou hadn’t even finished speaking when he saw Yi Tianyun was already walking up the stairs without any obstruction. The sight stunned everyone. Weren’t they told no one could go up?

“Aren’t you all coming up? Don’t you want to see how the people you brought are doing?” Yi Tianyun said to the Divine Envoys from the other Divine Country Powers.

‘Sometimes, you have to show off a little. Otherwise, it’s impossible to truly command their respect.’