When He Li returned to the central battlefield, the fight was already nearing its end. The two荒主s battling Xun He were, as expected, unharmed.
The battle between Xun He and the two 荒主s had been pushed to the edge of the battlefield. Seizing an opportunity, Xun He exchanged a glance with Shentu. Shentu narrowed his eyes and looked towards He Li, who was approaching from afar.
After catching the attacks of the two 荒主s with his hands, Xun He shifted his body and moved towards He Li. Seeing the two 荒主s launch a combined attack again, Xun He sidestepped, evading the blow while redirecting it towards He Li.
He Li saw this clearly and sneered inwardly. He paid no mind to the attack and casually drew his saber, slashing out. After splitting the combined attack of the two 荒主s, his saber momentum did not decrease, and he charged directly at Xun He.
Xun He was stunned, then threw a punch, shattering the saber's energy.
RUMBLE!!!
On either side of the massive explosion's light ring, He Li and Xun He faced each other from a distance.
Xun He looked up, his brow twitching, and gazed at He Li. In his vision, the halo of the divine power explosion had not yet dispersed. He Li seemed to stand within a golden divine light, the light resembling wisps of flowing ribbons, exceptionally brilliant.
He Li had already sheathed his saber, standing steadily in mid-air, looking down at Xun He, his sleeves fluttering.
A distant explosion broke the calm of their mutual gaze. It was the sound of Xia Yeqi revealing his divine form and clashing with the life-bound bone blade of an 荒主.
The ripples of the impact traveled over, passing through their bodies.
He Li remained unmoved, but the hand gripping his saber tightened. He pondered whether to kill Xun He at this very moment.
However, the arrival of a disruptor dispelled He Li's impulsive thought.
Those two 荒主s had once again launched a combined attack, then turned back into the 荒族 army formation, commanding the 荒族 army to retreat.
He Li drew his saber with one hand. The saber was not fully unsheathed, and its body emitted a halo of divine power, counteracting the residual force of the attack.
The battlefield quieted down.
Xun He continued to stare at He Li with a blank expression, subtly showing signs of preparing for an attack.
He Li sheathed his saber with a soft clang. Then, He Li smiled.
"Hahaha... Divine Lord Xun He, you truly live up to your reputation. Facing the assaults of two Divine Lords, you remain so composed and at ease. It truly commands admiration."
Divine Lord Xun He paused for a moment, his imposing aura slowly receding. He relaxed, and a hint of a smile appeared on his expressionless face. He did not deny He Li's compliment and said with a smile, "It's been a long time since I've fought, my body is practically rusting. In terms of combat strength alone, whether it's the peerless Divine Lord Xia Hu Chu, or the guardians of their regions, Yu Qiang and Si An, they are all stronger than me. Compared to them, I merely have the advantage of being older and having cultivated for a longer time."
He Li walked towards Xun He, speaking with a smile as he walked, "Divine Lord Xun He, why be so modest? In my opinion, among the 荒族, apart from a select few 荒主s, the rest are no match for you, not even for a single exchange."
"Heh heh..." Xun He looked at He Li, whose left hand remained on his saber hilt, and chuckled, "Unfortunately, they are all close to death. Xi Ming was killed by Divine King Ku Du, Xi Ling died by your hand, Xi Hong is currently in the central battlefield fighting Divine Lord Shentu, and the other two are on the eastern and western battlefields, being dealt with by Divine Lord Yi Shu and Divine Lord Yu Qiang respectively."
The Divine Army began to retreat to the Divine camp.
Outside the heavens,
Xia Yeqi stood holding his spear, looking at He Li. Behind him stood Xia Min'ao and Huai Xi, leading five demon kings.
Divine Lord Shentu stood with his hands behind his back, his back to He Li and Xun He, but his attention was constantly on the two of them.
Divine Lord Yi Yao was quietly leading his troops to collect the divinity of the fallen Divine Army soldiers, but he also kept glancing at He Li and Xun He.
"According to Divine Lord Xun He's view, in the myriad universes, across the Divine and Desolate realms, there are only a handful who can be considered worthy opponents."
He Li finished speaking and let out a low laugh. He looked down at the saber in his hand, "In that case, my hands are itching for a fight. Since I emerged into the world, I first fought in the lower realm's divine war, then campaigned in the divine realm across the four battlefields outside the north. Regardless of the merit, I have indeed cultivated a potent divine power. If Divine Lord Xun He doesn't mind, perhaps we could have a match sometime. It is said that our Divine Lord Hu Chu's strength is unparalleled among the He Yu realm Divine Lords, and Divine Lord Xun He is not far behind Hu Chu, which has made me yearn for a match for a long time."
The entire battlefield fell silent at He Li's words. Even the Divine Army soldiers with the lowest divine power cultivation stopped and stared at He Li, awaiting Divine Lord Xun He's answer.
Divine Lord Shentu remained silent, not turning around. The hands clasped behind his back clenched tightly, showing that he was not as calm as he appeared.
Xia Yeqi exchanged a glance with Xia Min'ao. Xia Min'ao gently shook his head.
The five demon kings grinned silently, seeming eager to know what realm He Li had reached now.
Under the gaze of all the gods, Xun He took a step forward. The hearts of the assembled gods tightened.
A great battle was about to begin!
Was this a challenge accepted?
But to everyone's surprise, Xun He took a step back and said with a smile, "Since there is a challenge, how can I not accept? If I step forward, it means I accept the challenge and uphold the dignity of a Divine Lord. If I step back, it means I concede. Divine Lord He Li has mastered the law of time, and even Xia Hu Chu might not be able to defeat him. Why should I bring trouble upon myself?"
He Li looked at Xun He, the veins on his hand gripping the saber bulging. Xun He's step forward and then back was like a large stone forcefully jammed into He Li's chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.
One need not fear a fool's rage, but rather the blade poised at the throat.
He Li was now in a state of "ashamed to sheathe his saber." Xun He had accepted the challenge and also admitted defeat. Furthermore, he had stated it clearly: he was not admitting defeat to He Li, a Divine Lord, but to the law of time.
He Li looked at Xun He's increasingly smiling face, his own expression turning ashen, and he gritted his teeth.
"Hahaha..."
At this moment, Shentu burst into laughter and walked towards them, "Our juniors are showing their brilliance, this is excellent. We old ones are past our prime; it is time for the juniors to shine. However, there's no need to rush. Let us old ones pave the way first, and then it will be easier for you young ones to follow."
He Li turned to look at Divine Lord Shentu. Despite the surging killing intent within him, he revealed a gentle smile on his face.
"Divine Lord Shentu, what are you saying? It is thanks to the predecessors paving the way that we juniors can walk smoothly and securely."
...
"Hahaha..."
Cheng Xilin burst into laughter and said, "This He Li, he's so much like me. Tata, don't you think He Li is a bit like Xiao You?"
Tata did not laugh but asked seriously, "Where is your son, Cheng You? I've never heard you mention him, and I didn't want to ask. Now that you've brought it up yourself, I'd like to know where Cheng You went."
Cheng Xilin suppressed his laughter, turned to look at the bamboo grove, and after a long while, let out a soft laugh, a laugh filled with bitterness and sorrow. He shook his head and did not reply.
...