If news of today's events gets out, how many people would even know who Venerable Mei is? Very few across the entire continent recognize that name, but the names of the Four Supremes are known throughout the world!

Where would they go now without being pointed at and scorned? Look, here is the man whose reputation is entirely unearned. He usually acts so arrogant and looks down on everyone, yet the four of them combined were defeated by some nobody...

...

Thinking of this, the three Supremes almost wanted to dig a hole and immediately hide inside.

They could not afford to lose this face! "For today's battle, our side concedes. Venerable Mei's profound technique is unmatched; we are utterly convinced!"

Silence hung in the air for a long time. Lei Baoyu finally took a deep breath, breaking the awkward stillness. "Concede? No problem, but don't forget my three conditions! From now on, the Heaven's Punishment Forest is forbidden territory for all of you!" Venerable Mei stretched out his hand, pointing remotely at everyone from the great families, clans, and various powers of the continent, snorting heavily: "Let one step inside, and I will annihilate their entire nine generations, plus another ten thousand men! I’d like to see who dares to have such gall!"

"Since we lost, the three conditions Venerable Mei previously proposed must naturally be fulfilled." Lei Baoyu smiled, giving the impression that this guardian figure from the Hidden World Immortal Palace hadn't taken the victory or defeat to heart. He continued: "However, since the outcome is decided, there is one more matter to inform Venerable Mei."

"What is it?" Venerable Mei asked coldly.

"Three years from now, on the night of the full moon in the seventh month, will be the scheduled Ranking Battle between the Three Great Sacred Lands and a Fierce Land! Our Palace Master is eagerly anticipating the presence of His Majesty, the Heaven's Punishment Saint King, at the assembly!"

Lei Baoyu chuckled, "For five hundred years, the Heaven's Punishment Forest has consistently ranked last, and the Saint King has also been in seclusion for five hundred years... Heh heh, it should be time for him to emerge... Please convey this to Venerable Mei. Furthermore, our Palace Master asked me to give Venerable Mei a message: If His Majesty, the Heaven's Punishment Saint King, does not appear this time, and the Heaven's Punishment Forest is defeated again, then from this day forward, the title of Fierce Land will be revoked from the Heaven's Punishment Forest. From then on, among the powers in the clouds across the world, there will only be the Three Great Sacred Lands! No more Heaven's Punishment Forest!"

Venerable Mei trembled, gritting his teeth: "So this was your true purpose for coming today? Observing the contest and acting as an arbitrator were all just excuses! Is your Palace Master, that hypocrite, finally impatient? Don't forget, the Battle to Seize Heaven is approaching. At that time, if the Heaven's Punishment Forest is missing... can your Palace Branch bear the responsibility?"

"That is for the Palace Master to decide!" Bu Kuangfeng narrowed his eyes, sharp, cold glints shooting out: "Venerable Mei, do you think, with the current strength of the Heaven's Punishment faction, if the Saint King is absent, what impact can you truly have even when the Battle to Seize Heaven arrives?"

"Even at our worst, we’d still be better than you two good-for-nothings who can't even get on the field!" Venerable Mei's agitation made him somewhat unstable. No longer wishing to waste words on them, he waved his hand: "Let's collect some interest first!"

A clear crane cry rang out in the mid-air, and a black shadow descended rapidly at a speed exceeding the sound barrier, shooting like lightning into the ranks of the Blood Soul Manor!

From his vantage point, he must have been lurking at a high altitude for a long time. Jun Moxie suddenly understood; no wonder he hadn't seen He Chongxiao appear since the battle began. So that was it.

Li Tengyun was squatting before his father, weeping and sniveling, completely at a loss as to what to do. He had always relied on his father's prestige to run wild. Seeing his father so gravely wounded today, it was as if the sky itself had collapsed, and for a moment, he truly did not know how to react! Li Juetian, being severely injured, could no longer move, but his life was not in danger, though his breath was faint as he rested with his eyes slightly closed. Since his reputation was already ruined, preserving his life and quickly regaining his strength naturally became the immediate priority.

But a powerful tearing sound of the wind suddenly echoed, and a black shadow slashed down. The remaining experts guarding Li Juetian among the Blood Soul Manor guards cried out in alarm and simultaneously attacked. However, the shadow did not dodge or evade; it took the full force of their blows, grabbed Li Tengyun with two massive talons, and shot upward without pause, instantly soaring dozens of feet into the high sky. A few iron-like feathers drifted down.

Li Juetian's eyes snapped open wide. Suddenly, ignoring his severe injuries, he forcefully sat up and roared: "Yun'er—!" The crowd gasped in alarm: "The Crane King!" It was indeed the third King of the Heaven's Punishment Forest, the Crane King, He Chongxiao!

At this moment, he had reverted to his true form, his sharp talons grasping Li Tengyun, hovering in mid-air. Although Li Tengyun's name was quite auspicious since birth, he had never truly "soared through the clouds" before. Today, he lived up to his name, genuinely "soaring through the clouds"...

However, being accustomed to luxury, indulgence, and arrogance, when had he ever experienced such peril? Despite this genuinely cloud-soaring experience, he was so terrified that his lower body involuntarily gave way both front and back... He could only shriek: "Daddy, save me..." and then completely lost control. A spray shot forward, and something else... also sprayed out behind...

The entire sky instantly reeked of foul odor.

People scrambled to cover their noses and evade the spray.

Li Juetian's heart went cold. He suddenly recalled the pact with the Heaven's Punishment Forest. Casting aside his severe injuries and his reputation, he shouted toward Lei Baoyu: "Brother Lei, for the sake of Li someone, and also for the years Li someone has worked tirelessly for the Immortal Palace, please, Brother Lei, make a move and save my child!"

For someone of his status as the Second Supreme to utter such words was tantamount to kneeling and begging.

Lei Baoyu hesitated slightly, glancing at Venerable Mei, but ultimately remained silent. He had thought the matter was concluded, and in his previous words, he had deeply offended Venerable Mei. How could he now swallow his pride and intercede? If he spoke, he would inevitably be publicly humiliated. How could Lei Baoyu endure such disgrace in front of all the world's heroes? Especially since he represented the supremely exalted Hidden World Immortal Palace—that was utterly impossible...

Li Juetian's gaze slowly turned to despair, and his whole person seemed to age decades in an instant. This once formidable Second Supreme, when struck a devastating blow by Venerable Mei, had only shown grief and indignation, not such utter despondency. But now, with his only son's life hanging by a thread and himself powerless, this cruel reality caused Li Juetian, already injured, to completely collapse!

"Lei Baoyu, you are breaking your word! You promised my son would be safe," Li Juetian called out softly, sounding like a moan. He suddenly opened his eyes, glaring fiercely: "If my son meets a tragic fate today, I, Li Juetian, swear to the heavens that I will slaughter everyone present and annihilate their nine generations!"

A long cry echoed from the high sky. He Chongxiao laughed heartily, "The wish of three months is finally fulfilled today!" Suddenly, he waved his right wing. Li Tengyun screamed miserably, and blood rained down in mid-air. Li Tengyun’s two legs were severed clean off at the thighs, dropping down with a wet thud. "Yun'er!" Li Juetian let out a heart-wrenching cry. He suddenly found strength from somewhere and managed to flip over, actually standing up! "My Yun'er!" Li Juetian's old eyes streamed with tears.

But who was to blame for this? If Li Juetian hadn't doted on his late-in-life son to such an excessive degree, how could Li Tengyun have been able to act so tyrannically and arrogantly? Even trying to steal another man's wife—was that behavior appropriate for a young master of a noble house? Even more excessive was that Li Juetian clearly knew about his son's various despicable acts, yet not only did he fail to stop them, he actively aided the evil, determined to fulfill all of his son's desires!

Ultimately, Li Juetian bore the greatest responsibility for Li Tengyun's current wretched fate. Is the Second Supreme so formidable? Is there truly no one in this world daring to provoke him?

Li Tengyun's two bloody thighs torn from his body served as a testament to Li Juetian’s gravest error.

Suddenly, just at that moment, a bizarre change occurred—

A golden light suddenly shimmered, and two small, exquisite throwing knives instantly appeared before Li Juetian, one aimed at his throat, the second plunging toward his heart!

Among the many experts present, absolutely no one detected where these two throwing knives came from, nor who released them. But in that moment, everyone understood the intent of the attacker: Kill Li Juetian!

The throwing knives appeared, and in less time than the blink of an eye, they were upon Li Juetian.

Li Juetian roared in anger and reached out to block; one knife was sent flying by his strike, but the other was deeply embedded in the muscle of his arm!

The renowned Supreme of the world, always possessing skin like bronze and bones of iron, previously invincible and unstoppable, could not evade a mere small throwing knife with the remnant power within his body at this moment!

"Who?" Li Juetian roared to the heavens: "Who wants to kill me? Have the guts to show yourself!"

This was the question everyone present also wanted to ask: Who wants to kill Li Juetian? Who threw the knives?

It was undeniable that among those present, there were absolutely quite a few who wished to use this opportunity to kill Li Juetian. Just based on his last outburst—"If my son meets a tragic fate today, I, Li Juetian, swear to the heavens that I will slaughter everyone present and annihilate their nine generations!"—he had threatened everyone present. It was likely that everyone there harbored the intent to kill him; but no one dared to act openly and kill Li Juetian under the full gaze of all onlookers.

After all, the remaining strength of the Blood Soul Manor, though diminished, was still far more substantial than that of ordinary factions. Not many would dare to so recklessly stir up such a hornet's nest. Even if they intended to strike, they would have to do so covertly.

But the one who openly threw the knives was clearly impatient, or perhaps... he held the heroes of the world in utter contempt.

Following this, an astonishing pressure, deep and heavy as a mountain, suddenly descended, shaking the hearts of everyone present.

High in the sky, a figure suddenly materialized without any warning. Dressed in black clothes and a black robe, this attire bore a striking resemblance to that of Venerable Mei, the Lord of Heaven's Punishment. If the crowd hadn't clearly seen that he hadn't moved from his original spot, they would almost have mistaken him for Venerable Mei...

[Ti: Dear 3Z readers, the current chapter has reached the last page of this book]