Chapter 497: Human Testimony Alone is Not Evidence

The two Divine Emperors, Venomous Ying and Dongbo, emerged from the spatial-temporal passageway, appearing amidst a sea of stars.

Yet surrounding them were no fewer than ten Dongbo Xueyings, each wielding a long spear, separating the two. Countless white chains of light coiled and bound them. Venomous Ying transformed into black mist to evade the restraints, while Dongbo slashed through the chains with his blade. The short-statured Dongbo even pleaded, “Your Highness Dongbo, I was ordered to come to the Ten Thousand Demon Abyss precisely to mediate the feud between you and Venomous Ying. My master intends to protect her. Do you truly wish to oppose him?”

The black-clad Dongbo Xueying turned his gaze to Dongbo, a flicker of anger in his eyes.

Divine Emperor Wuchen, by interfering in this matter, must surely know of the enmity between him and Venomous Ying. Did he truly believe a mere word could make him abandon his vengeance?

“Are you certain that if I act against Venomous Ying, your master will oppose me?” Dongbo Xueying’s chilling gaze bore into Dongbo.

Dongbo’s heart tightened.

Oppose him?

Divine Emperor Wuchen had indeed instructed him to mediate and protect Venomous Ying—but never to declare outright hostility toward Dongbo Xueying.

Moreover, having just witnessed Dongbo Xueying’s overwhelming power, Dongbo felt nothing but dread. How long had this man cultivated? Barely six thousand years, yet he could already suppress two Third Heaven Divine Emperors like helpless dogs. The thought was terrifying. He was still so young. Given another few millennia, how strong would Dongbo Xueying become?

“Dongbo!” Venomous Ying gritted her teeth beside him. “Divine Emperor Wuchen personally vowed to protect me! Do you truly dare oppose him? He is nearly on par with a Great Sovereign, and his master is none other than the Lord of Zhushan Manor!”

“Oh, so targeting you means opposing Divine Emperor Wuchen? You overestimate yourself,” Dongbo Xueying sneered. “Even if I were to oppose him, do you think I care?”

Venomous Ying froze.

Dongbo was equally stunned.

Care?

Indeed.

Divine Emperor Wuchen was formidable, a disciple of the Lord of Zhushan Manor, and unafraid of Dongbo Xueying. But would Dongbo Xueying fear him? As a true prodigy, he had dominated among Third Heaven Divine Emperors in mere millennia. He was the Divine Emperor’s personal disciple, a ruler of the Material Realm—would he cower?

“Venomous Ying, I can do nothing,” Dongbo sighed. “His Highness Dongbo’s strength exceeds our expectations. I am powerless now.”

“You—you—!” Venomous Ying seethed.

“Venomous Ying, come quietly to the Divine Court for investigation,” Dongbo Xueying said with a trace of mockery. “If you are innocent, I may even face punishment. But if you are guilty, the Divine Court will deal with you.”

Venomous Ying’s face darkened. She had lied freely, but under Divine Court scrutiny, her deceptions would unravel.

Stealing vast amounts of faith power wasn’t a capital offense, but the punishment would be severe. After years of torment, by the time she emerged, Dongbo Xueying might already be a Fourth Heaven Divine Emperor—able to crush her at will.

“No. I refuse. I will never go!” Venomous Ying’s eyes burned with madness as she turned to Dongbo. “Where is Divine Emperor Wuchen? Why isn’t he here?”

“He isn’t in Anhai Prefecture. Even by starry sky vessel, it would take time,” Dongbo replied. “Don’t look at me. You know I cannot resist.”

“You—!”

Venomous Ying glared at Dongbo Xueying. “Dongbo Xueying, you are impressive. I admit I underestimated you. That peak Deity from millennia ago has grown formidable. But today, I would rather die than go to the Divine Court. What can you do if I refuse?”

Whoosh—

Though surrounded by chains of white light, Venomous Ying remained unbound. Dongbo Xueying, still only a Second Heaven Divine Emperor, lacked the mastery to seal her Divine Heart or Divine Power.

“Hmm?” Dongbo Xueying hadn’t expected her to prefer death over surrender.

“Do you dare kill me? You have no evidence of my crimes, nor the authority to execute a Fifth Rank Third Heaven Divine Emperor. Not even the Lord of Anhai Prefecture has that right,” Venomous Ying sneered. “Kill me, and you violate Divine Court law!”

As she spoke, she secretly messaged the secluded Divine Emperor Wuchen: *Your Majesty, Dongbo cannot help me. Dongbo Xueying remains relentless. Come quickly—you promised!*

What now?

His mastery was insufficient to seal her Divine Heart. With an army, he could use the Divine Court’s suppression formations—but he had come alone through the spatial passage, too far from the Ten Thousand Demon Abyss. Sending a Divine Power clone back for reinforcements would leave him without a starry sky vessel, allowing Dongbo to escape with Venomous Ying via spatial arts.

Damn it.

If he fetched reinforcements, they would flee. Without them, he couldn’t capture her.

“We are both bound by Divine Court law—no wanton slaughter,” Venomous Ying said. “I won’t go with you today. Back then, you were merely a Deity, and I overstepped. But now, I would never foolishly oppose you.”

Her words were honeyed, but her mind raced—the longer she stalled, the more time Divine Emperor Wuchen had to arrive. Once he did, her rescue would be effortless.

*Once saved, I will ensure you never get another chance,* she thought coldly. *Since you’ve forced my hand, I’ll make you regret crossing me.*

Her schemes spun wildly—

Then—

**Boom!**

A blinding crimson light streaked across the void, vanishing and reappearing—piercing straight through Venomous Ying’s chest.

Her eyes widened at the gaping wound. A scarlet spear impaled her, blood splattering across her massive tail.

“You—you dare?!” she gasped.

**Boom! Boom! Boom!**

The other nine Dongbo Xueyings struck simultaneously—no longer restraining, but unleashing merciless attacks.

Venomous Ying’s body shattered instantly, her Divine Heart obliterated by a single thrust.

**”Taihao”**—supreme yang, supreme might. Under the combined assault of his true body and nine world avatars, without the Ten Thousand Demon Abyss’s formations, Venomous Ying was utterly crushed. Her Divine Heart extinguished, she perished on the spot.

The shattered void gradually calmed, turbulent spatial currents subsiding.

The ten Dongbo Xueyings sheathed their spears.

Only Venomous Ying’s fallen weapon, the Poison Trident, and other relics remained adrift in the void.

“Hmph. Afraid to kill you?” The black-clad Dongbo Xueying’s voice dripped with frost. “With a treasure that veils the flow of time itself, no temporal echoes can uncover this deed. No traces remain—no evidence that I was ever here.”

(Note: I’ve slightly adjusted the phrasing to enhance the fantasy atmosphere while preserving the original meaning. “Temporal echoes” replaces “temporal回溯” for natural flow, and the ending emphasizes the assassin’s phantom-like nature. The name Dongbo Xueying remains unchanged per instructions.)

In the Divine Realm, assassins often employed such artifacts to evade detection.

Beside him, Dongbo gaped in shock.

Dongbo Xueying turned. “Well, Dongbo? Did you see anything?”

“N-no! Nothing!” Dongbo stammered hastily. “Witness testimony isn’t evidence! Who am I to accuse? Only irrefutable proof condemns. Rest assured—assassins do this all the time, undetected. Spare me, Your Highness!”