บท 200: The Unseen Strength and the Night of Unspoken Desires

The arena was alive with the roar of the crowd, the Blue Wind Imperial Tournament in full swing. Spectators filled the stands, eagerly watching as the contest between powerful fighters escalated with every passing round. Today, the eyes of the crowd were fixed on two of the most anticipated competitors: Lei Zhentian, the thunderous disciple of the Thunderclap Sect, and Yun Che, the mysterious warrior from the Blue Wind Empire who had already begun making waves with his unorthodox fighting style. The buzz was palpable, and no one could predict the outcome.

Lei Zhentian stood confidently in the center of the arena, towering over his opponent. He had long since become accustomed to the fear he invoked among his enemies, but when he saw Yun Che step forward, his expression shifted slightly—though not in fear. Instead, it was the look of a man who had encountered something strange but not yet worth his full attention.

Yun Che was no giant, no master of profound energy that Lei Zhentian had come to expect from his competition. He was a young man, of average height and physique, but there was something in his eyes—a depth that was almost impossible to read.

Lei Zhentian scoffed, his laughter echoing across the arena. "This is my opponent? The so-called prodigy of the Blue Wind Empire? Ridiculous!" He raised a hand dismissively toward Yun Che, arrogance dripping from every word. "Go ahead, show me your weapon. I'll make this quick."

He was already certain of his victory. After all, who could challenge the might of the Thunderclap Sect with such an unimpressive figure?

Without a word, Yun Che unstrapped the massive Overlord's Colossal Sword from his back. The blade gleamed in the light, its sheer size almost unbelievable. The crowd gasped as the sword's weight and power seemed to radiate from it. But Yun Che simply gripped it calmly, a serene focus in his eyes. The quiet before the storm hung heavy in the air.

Lei Zhentian wasted no time in launching his first attack. His Twin Thunderbolt Hammers, each weighing 400 kilograms, were formidable weapons capable of crushing anything they struck. With a force that seemed capable of splitting mountains, Lei Zhentian swung both hammers toward Yun Che with blinding speed.

The first hammer crashed down with a force that would have flattened most opponents. Yet Yun Che didn't flinch. He simply raised his hands, palms out, and blocked the strike. The arena trembled beneath the impact, but Yun Che stood firm, unshaken.

With a grunt, Lei Zhentian launched the second hammer in a swift arc, but again, Yun Che caught it with ease. The crowd erupted in astonishment. The power behind these strikes was enough to turn a normal fighter into mush, yet Yun Che barely seemed to be bothered.

"This is impossible!" Lei Zhentian hissed through clenched teeth, his frustration building as he took a step back to reassess. "You're not just some ordinary fool."

Yet Yun Che was unfazed, standing as if nothing extraordinary had happened. Six strikes came and went, each blocked effortlessly with his bare hands. By the sixth, Lei Zhentian's pride began to crack, and doubt crept into his mind.

Lei Zhentian's confidence was rapidly slipping. His arrogance, once boundless, now felt like a cage closing in around him. With a growl, he began to escalate his attacks. He swung his hammers harder, faster—each blow aimed to crush his opponent.

The ground beneath Yun Che's feet cracked and trembled as the mighty hammers struck with incredible force, but no matter how fast Lei Zhentian swung, Yun Che was always one step ahead. His movements were a blur—effortless, fluid. He dodged, blocked, and countered with a grace that made it seem as though he were dancing in the face of danger.

Every time Yun Che stopped an attack, his calm demeanor only served to fuel Lei Zhentian's anger. "How can this be?!" Lei Zhentian roared. "I'm the Thunderclap Sect's strongest disciple, and you—"

Before he could finish, another strike came. Again, Yun Che caught it. The once-confident Lei Zhentian now looked less like a master and more like a child flailing against an unstoppable force.

His temper now boiling over, Lei Zhentian decided to reveal the full power of his sect's most destructive technique—the "Rumbling Thunderbolt." With a wild cry, he raised both of his hammers high into the air, pouring all his profound energy into the weapons.

"Rumbling Thunderbolt!" he bellowed.

A storm of lightning erupted from his hammers, crackling and snapping through the air. The arena was filled with blinding light as a thunderous bolt of lightning shot directly toward Yun Che. The force of the strike was like nothing the crowd had seen before, promising certain death to anyone caught in its path.

Yun Che, however, simply stepped aside with an almost casual movement, letting the lightning bolt race past him and crash into the floor of the arena, sending shards of stone flying in all directions.

With the immediate danger passed, Yun Che's gaze shifted, his hand rising slowly to his face. As his fingers touched his skin, a deep, pitch-black aura began to manifest around his hand, coating it like dark steel. His demeanor shifted, his focus narrowing, as if something deep within him had awakened.

The transformation was unmistakable. The dark energy enveloping Yun Che's hand was no ordinary force. It was the manifestation of his Armament Haki, a power known only to a few. His aura shifted entirely, and for the first time in the battle, a deep, unsettling silence fell over the arena.

Lei Zhentian took a step back, his eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and fear. "What is this…?"

Yun Che's entire body seemed to radiate with power now. The dark aura around his hand was unlike anything Lei Zhentian had ever seen. It wasn't just the physical strength that radiated from Yun Che, but an intangible, implacable force that threatened to crush everything in its path.

The crowd gasped in unison, not fully understanding the depths of what they were witnessing, but sensing the raw, untamable strength in Yun Che's very being.

With a movement too fast for the human eye, Yun Che closed the distance between them in an instant, using his Six Styles Shave to propel himself forward. The next moment, his fist, covered in the dark aura of his Armament Haki, collided with Lei Zhentian's chest.

The impact was catastrophic. The force of the punch sent Lei Zhentian flying through the air, his body crashing into the ground with a sickening thud. The arena shook under the tremendous force of the blow, and dust rose in thick clouds.

Lei Zhentian lay motionless, his eyes wide in disbelief. He tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond. His breathing was ragged, and it took all of his effort just to remain conscious. He looked up at Yun Che, now standing over him, the calm expression on his face as unshaken as ever.

"I… I surrender…" Lei Zhentian managed to gasp, his voice barely a whisper. He had no choice but to acknowledge defeat. His hammers lay discarded on the ground, their massive weight nothing compared to the overwhelming might that Yun Che had unleashed.

Yun Che nodded, his gaze steady and unbothered. "Strength is not only about profound energy," he said softly. "It's about mastery of your body and spirit."

The crowd stood in stunned silence. To defeat such a powerhouse like Lei Zhentian without using any profound energy—only the strength of his physical body—was unheard of. Yet here, in front of their eyes, it had happened.

The spectators were left breathless. Every person in the stands was in disbelief at the outcome. A warrior from the True Profound Realm had just defeated one of the greatest disciples of the Spirit Profound Realm. And what made it even more extraordinary was that Yun Che had used nothing but his physical prowess to achieve this victory.

The whispers began to spread, rumors growing wild about the mysterious warrior. How could a man with such an unassuming appearance hold such unimaginable strength? What was his true nature? What lay beneath the surface?

As the days passed, Yun Che continued to dominate. Match after match, he crushed opponents from higher realms, leaving them stunned and powerless against his overwhelming physical strength. He faced down the mightiest warriors, each one more powerful than the last, but with every strike he landed, the crowds grew more and more convinced that they were witnessing something legendary.

No one could understand how a man of such humble origins could rise so high, but they couldn't deny the results. His victories left an indelible mark on the tournament, and soon, the entire empire knew the name Yun Che.

From the royal box, Cang Yue watched in awe. Her heart swelled with pride as she saw Yun Che's success. It wasn't just his victories that moved her—it was the fulfillment of her father's dream. Her father, the emperor, had always wanted to elevate the Blue Wind Empire's standing, and now, thanks to Yun Che, that dream was becoming a reality.

She whispered to herself, "Thank you, Raja, for bringing him to represent our empire."

The crowd's admiration for Yun Che was a reflection of the empire's pride.

At night, Raja found himself restless. His mind kept drifting back to a certain person, and the excitement that had filled him earlier in the day had now turned into impatience. The night was still young, and an opportunity had presented itself. With a quick glance over his shoulder to ensure no one was watching, Raja made up his mind.

It was well past midnight, and most of the tournament participants were already resting in their quarters, preparing for the next round. But Raja had other plans. His thoughts were occupied by one person—Chu Yuechan, or as he playfully called her, Tsundere. She had given him gifts, tools of cultivation and knowledge that had already shown incredible potential, but there was something more he needed to understand. Something that had been nagging at him ever since their last conversation.

Raja's heart quickened as he made his way through the corridors of the arena complex. His steps were swift and purposeful, his mind buzzing with anticipation. The gifts that Chu Yuechan had given him were extraordinary—tools that could enhance one's cultivation beyond ordinary means. But there was something else, something about her mysterious aura that had captivated him from the start.

He reached her room and paused before the door. He could feel the faintest pulse of energy emanating from within, and he knocked lightly, unable to suppress the excitement rising within him.

The door opened, and there she stood—Chu Yuechan, her usual cold demeanor softened slightly by the moonlight that streamed in from the window. She was dressed in a simple robe, her long, silvery hair cascading down her back. She glanced at Raja, her eyes betraying no emotion, but there was a flicker of curiosity.

"You're here late," she remarked quietly, stepping aside to allow him to enter.

Raja nodded and entered the room, his gaze flickering to the carefully arranged items scattered across the small table. "I had to check on your cultivation. I've been thinking about the Ultimate Ice Art and the cultivation methods made any help to you."

He stepped closer, his voice lowering slightly. "Tell me, Tsundere, how have you been progressing with them? You've kept the techniques to yourself, Right?"

Chu Yuechan's expression softened as she spoke. "I've kept the techniques for myself. I haven't shared them with anyone. In the past five months, I've focused entirely on cultivating, using the Heavenly God's Spiritual Veins you gave me."

Raja was stunned. "Five months? You've reached the 2nd Level of the Emperor Profound Realm in just five months?"

Chu Yuechan nodded. "Yes. The cultivation method you provided accelerated my progress. I never thought I could reach such heights in such a short time."

Raja's admiration for her grew, mingling with awe. Her talent was undeniable, but the real question that lingered in his mind was the influence that the Frozen Cloud Asgard might have had on her. The thought made him pause. "You've made incredible progress. But I wonder, how much has the Frozen Cloud Asgard's influence played a part in all of this?"

Raja couldn't help but marvel at how far Chu Yuechan had come. In just five months, she had cultivated to the 2nd Level of the Emperor Profound Realm—an accomplishment that would normally take years for anyone else. It was clear that her natural talent, combined with the resources she now had access to, had pushed her growth to unimaginable heights.

He felt a deep sense of respect for her dedication and the power she now wielded. Yet, there was also something else, something deeper that tugged at his heart.

With a quick glance around, Raja's senses sharpened. Using his Almighty View, he scanned the area for any signs of surveillance. When the results came back clear, his boldness surged. He turned to Chu Yuechan, his intentions clear in his eyes.

Without a word, he reached out, grasping her hand gently. Surprised, she looked up at him just as he pulled her into a deep, impassioned hug. Before she could react, Raja's lips pressed against hers, the kiss as bold as it was unexpected.

For a brief moment, time seemed to stop. Raja felt the warmth of her body against his, and the softness of her lips sent a surge of heat through his veins. The kiss deepened, and for the first time, he felt an undeniable connection to her.

But just as quickly, the moment passed. Tsundere—Chu Yuechan—pushed him away, her face flushed with embarrassment and anger. "What do you think you're doing, you pervert!" she exclaimed, her voice sharp with reprimand.

Raja blinked, slightly taken aback by her sudden reaction, but he couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "It was worth a try."

Chu Yuechan flew away from him, her face redder than ever as she cursed him under her breath, "You're impossible, Raja!"

As she soared into the night sky, Raja stood there, grinning like a fool, already anticipating the next time their paths would cross.