Silence, terrible silence. Beihan Chu’s smile froze on his face, and everyone including the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign, the East Ruins Divine Sovereign, and so on… thought that their ears were playing tricks on them.

Did Nanhuang Chanyi just… reject Beihan Chu’s proposal?

Did she!?

The Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign was frozen on the spot too. Nanhuang Jian’s mouth fell open before he turned around to glare at his sibling, “Chanyi, what… what nonsense are you spouting!”

Nanhuang Mofeng rose to his feet and forced a smile on his face. Loudly, he declared, “Northern Chill Divine Sovereign, young palace master, Chanyi has always been a mild-tempered person. She only said what she said earlier because she’s naturally reserved. She absolutely didn’t mean to turn you down.”

“Chanyi.” His smile continued to hang unnaturally on his face, but his eyes were clearly narrowed into warning. “You seemed very happy when you heard that the young palace master was coming for you, weren’t you? There’s nothing to be embarra.s.sed about in this. Just tell the young palace master what you really think, hahahaha.”

Nanhuang Mofeng’s laugh quickly softened the atmosphere, and the people of Southern Phoenix Divine Country started laughing as well. Nanhuang Jian hurriedly agreed, “That’s right! Chanyi has never been to the Central Ruins Realm. The only reason she came today is to meet the young palace master.”

“...” The Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign didn’t say anything. There was a strange look in his solemn eyes that no one could discern or understand as he stared at Nanhuang Chanyi.

“Young Master Beihan,” Nanhuang Chanyi continued again, “Chanyi is very grateful for your feelings. However, my feelings don’t lie with you. The reason I came today is to tell you personally to cease this once and for all. I’m sure that your cultivation will improve once this is completely behind you.”

……

The atmosphere immediately became stiffer and colder than it ever was.

If what she said earlier could be still be amended and saved, then this statement was impossible to rescue!

Nanhuang Chanyi had rejected Beihan Chu!

She had done it right in front of millions of Five Nether Ruins profound pract.i.tioners, and her chosen words were about as blunt as it could get!

The one illogical choice that couldn’t happen no matter what had just happened right in front of them.

Beihan Chu’s expression changed… Although he was doing his best to keep a cool and relaxed smile, it was obvious that his facial muscles were twitching.

Beihan Chu had come as the young palace master of Nine Lights Heavenly Palace and a Divine Sovereign of the Northern Region Heavenly Sovereign Ranking. He was certain that Nanhuang Chanyi had no reason to turn him down this time.

But she did… and she did it right in front of everyone.

The reason he chose to propose to Nanhuang Chanyi in a public setting instead of a private one was because the possibility that she might reject him never crossed his mind, not even once.

“Hmph. To think that a mere middle realm woman would… what unbelievable foolishness.” Superior Unwhite let out a cold hmph as fury burned inside him.

Not only was Nanhuang Chanyi stupid beyond comprehension, she had hurt Beihan Chu’s face deeply. How could he not be angered by this?

“Chanyi, you… you…” Nanhuang Mofeng’s face spasmed unnaturally as his fury rose to hair raising levels. “Did a devil possess your mind!?"

“Uncle Feng,” Nanhuang Chanyi said indifferently, “please watch yourself.”

“...” Nanhuang Mofeng’s face became distorted.

The Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign let out a heavy sigh before cupping his hands together and facing toward the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign. “Brother Beihan, my daughter has always been a cold person. She’s not trying to displease your son on purpose, she just isn’t interested in relations.h.i.+ps, that’s all. Nanhuang is sad that things turned out this way, but the love of youngsters has never been easy to force. Let us leave this at that, shall we?”

“...You are most right, Nanhuang.” The Northern Chill Divine Sovereign nodded with a smile. Not one trace of anger could be spotted on his face.

However, even a r.e.t.a.r.d could tell that the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign was burning up on the inside.

It wasn’t exactly incomprehensible why Nanhuang Chanyi had rejected Beihan Chu the first time. He was just the Northern Chill Crown Prince at the time, and their statuses were almost even. But now Beihan Chu’s status was much higher than Chanyi’s, but she still turned him down in the end...

Anyone would’ve felt the same in his place.

“What’s going on?” The East Ruins Divine Sovereign frowned deeply in puzzlement.

Dong Xueci was speechless for a long time. Then, he clapped his hands and laughed loudly, “Interesting, how interesting! I wasn’t expecting such an interesting show today!”

“Hmph, number one beauty of the Nether Ruins? Did all her growth go to her body and not her brain?” Dong Xuekui sneered, “She turned a gift from heaven into a complete disaster! She’s the shame of all woman of the Nether Ruins!”

All Nanhuang Chanyi needed to do was nod, and Northern Chill City and Southern Phoenix Divine Country would be tied by marriage. After that, Nanhuang Chanyi and the Southern Phoenix Divine Country would be elevated to heights beyond imagination.

Of course, rejecting the proposal would anger Beihan Chu and Northern Chill City.

One choice led to heaven, and the other to h.e.l.l.

It was such a simple choice, but Nanhuang Chanyi chose to enter h.e.l.l of her own accord. Why!?

“The Central Ruins Battle is what’s important today. Chu’er…” The Northern Chill Divine Sovereign turned to look at his son and said, “There’s no need to force something that isn’t meant to be. You’re a proud child of heaven who entered the Northern Region Heavenly Sovereign Ranking, so you should elevate the quality of your judgment and desire appropriately! When one day the world is truly yours to look down upon, you’ll only be grateful for the decision made today.”

It sounded like the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign was consoling his son in a tactful manner, but the veiled insult in his words was impossible to ignore. The already ugly looks of the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s crowd turned even uglier, but no one could mount a retort.

They knew full well that Northern Chill City would’ve turned against them if this had taken place anywhere else.

When the waves of shock and puzzlement had pa.s.sed, the look in the onlooker’s eyes turned to pity. The East Ruins Realm and the West Ruins Realm especially were taking joy in their misfortune.

“Royal father’s lesson is correct. This child won’t forget what happened today,” Beihan Chu said with his eyes closed. When he opened them again, he declared loudly with a changed expression, “I, Beihan Chu will be supervising the Central Ruins Battle on behalf of my master. No partic.i.p.ant is allowed to break the battle rules, and no onlookers are allowed to interfere with the battle without good reason… all disobedience will be punished without question.”

It sounded like Beihan Chu was trying to wipe out everything that had happened by forcing everyone’s attention onto the Central Ruins Battle. “Nine Lights Heavenly Palace Beihan Chu, young palace master of the Hidden Sword Palace, hereby announces the start of the Central Ruins Battle!”

His aura abruptly burst into existence, sweeping everyone’s heart and soul with the might of a Divine Sovereign.

The ranking of the Central Ruins Battle was determined by whoever lost all their partic.i.p.ants first, so the first person to stand on the battlefield was without a doubt at a disadvantage. It was determined that the champion of the previous Central Ruins Battle would take the lead, and this year was no exception.

The only advantage of leading the Central Ruins Battle was the ability to challenge any side by force when no one was willing to step up.

There was a clank of metal, and a brawny figure leaped up from the north and landed at the center of the battlefield. Raising his arm and causing a pitch black hurricane to surge around him, the man declared in a voice that reached every corner of the Central Ruins Battlefield, “This one is Beihan Mingzhi of Northern Chill City. Is there anyone who’d like to meet me in battle?”

His roar was met by complete silence. No one from the other three realms had answered his call.

Not all level ten Divine Kings shared the same amount of profound energy. In fact, the gulf between a beginner level ten Divine King and a peak level ten Divine King could almost be seen as two separate realms.

Even if two people shared the exact same profound strength and mastery, the strength of one’s profound arts could still easily decide victory or defeat.

Unfortunately for the others, Northern Chill City was the king in both cases!

That was why no sects were willing to take the first fight, especially not against Northern Chill City!

Time pa.s.sed in silence, and ten breaths quickly pa.s.sed everyone by. When no one had stepped up to answer Beihan Mingzhi’s challenge, the Northern Chill Divine Sovereign stood up and declared, “Ten breaths had pa.s.sed. Mingzhi, you’re now allowed to choose your opponent! If the opponent refuses to accept, Northern Chill City will take the win automatically.”

Beihan Mingzhi smiled and suddenly turned toward the south side. His smile turned meaningful, and his voice quickly became uncaring and distracted, “I choose the Southern Phoenix Divine Country. Pleased to meet you in battle.”

While he was speaking, Beihan Mingzhi extended his palm and wiggled his fingers a bit… It was undoubtedly a gesture meant to taunt, or even humiliate the Southern Phoenix Divine Country.

Everyone on the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s side turned pale, and the crowd broke into small murmurs. The first fight of the Central Ruins Battle often went like this, but Northern Chill City had never chosen the Southern Phoenix Divine Country.

It was because the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s battle formation was too weak. It was simply beneath the ruler of the Nether Ruins to challenge the weakest realm of them all!

But things were different now!

No one really felt surprised by Northern Chill City’s decision. It was completely the Southern Phoenix Divine Country, or more accurately Nanhuang Chanyi’s, fault!

If she had accepted Beihan Chu’s proposal, forget Northern Chill City, even the East Ruins Sect and the West Ruins Sect had to take care not to humiliate the Southern Phoenix Divine Country. It was precisely why Beihan Chu had chosen to announce his proposal right before the battle began.

But the outcome of that proposal had surprised everyone, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going to befall the Southern Phoenix Divine Country… Northern Chill City was bound to terrorize the Southern Phoenix Divine Country until the end, and the East Ruins Sect and the West Ruins Sect would support them wholeheartedly to get into the good graces of Beihan Chu.

Meanwhile, everyone on the Southern Phoenix Divine Country’s side was wearing very ugly looks on their faces. Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, Nanhuang Mofeng said suddenly, “Chanyi… this is all your fault!!”

The outburst was minor and controlled only because they were in public. He would’ve exploded already if they were in a private setting!

Nanhuang Chanyi didn’t say anything.

“I’ll go!” Nanhuang Jian stepped forward. They couldn’t afford to lose this fight after such a taunt. Even if they did, he had to at least make sure that the Southern Phoenix Divine Country didn’t lose without dignity.

Nanhuang Mofeng raised an arm and stopped him. “Jian’er, you’re needed for the important matches. Canglang, you go!”

“Yes!”

A man in blue clothes leaped into the battlefield and faced Beihan Mingzhi directly, “I am Wei Canglang of the Southern Phoenix Divine Country. Pleased to meet you in battle.”

Wei Canglang was one of the reinforcements the Southern Phoenix Divine Country had recruited for the Central Ruins Battle. In fact, he was the strongest of all the reinforcements they had hired. He was one of the only four level ten Divine Kings in the Southern Phoenix battle formation, and they had no choice but to send him out because of Beihan Mingzhi’s brazen taunt.

There was one problem with this decision though. Nanhuang Chanyi was supposed to lead this battle!

But no one had asked for her opinion at all.

The level of treatment she received before and after her rejection was like heaven and earth.

Crown Princess? Everyone knew that the only reason the Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign had crowned her as the Crown Princess was because he thought that they and Northern Chill City were going to be tied by marriage. After that fiasco just now, it would be a miracle if the Southern Phoenix Divine Sovereign’s guts weren’t green with regret.

There was no way Nanhuang Chanyi would remain the Crown Princess after the Central Ruins Battle was over. Her status would be withdrawn even faster than Nanhuang Jian, and she would be punished severely for her terrible judgment today. She might not even remain a princess after this.