Chapter 501 - Returning to One’s Roots
“That Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, can one enter it normally?” Yun Che asked.
“Of course not.” Yun Xiao decisively shook his head. “After every entry, the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley would be closed by the Illusory Demon Royal Family, and then, it would be given five years to replenish its resources. Although a span of five years is short, with the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s terrifying energy of flames and thunderclouds, the nurturation of various spiritual bodies and treasures are extremely quick. Usually, the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley can never be entered, and even the Illusory Demon Royal Family themselves are not able to either.”
“Flames… thunderclouds… Since the Golden Crow’s inheritance is situated there, it’s very natural for it to contain flames. But why does lightning exist there as well?” Yun Che asked skeptically.
“I don’t know about this either. It seems like this has also been an unsolved mystery of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. I heard from father that it might be possible that a certain formidable lightning profound beast is living in a certain place within the Golden Crow’s Lightning Flame Valley. Or, it might even be due to a lightning profound treasure. But, these are all mere speculations of his.”
Yun Che nodded. Then, he looked towards the north of Demon Imperial City. Although he did not know where this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was located, he possessed the power of a Phoenix, so he far surpassed ordinary people in sensing fire profound energy. In a certain place north of the Demon Imperial City, he could faintly sense the existence of an aura of flames. Most probably, that was the direction where Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was located.
The Profound Sky Continent was divided into seven countries. The Four Great Sacred Grounds were trandenscential existences which surpassed the seven countries, and though they proclaimed themselves as guardians, they were more like sanctioners. While, even though the domain of Illusory Demon Realm surpassed the Profound Sky Continent, it was not separated by territories, instead, the Illusory Demon Royal Family was the core of the continent. Just by power levels alone, the Demon Imperial City which Yun Che was currently located in, was comparable to the Four Great Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent.
Unquestionably, the moment they entered they entered the Demon Imperial City, the presence of profound energy had become incomparably dense. It was extremely rare to see a Throne in the seven countries of the Profound Sky Continent, however, this place was filled with them. Even the incomparably rare Overlords resided in large numbers. During the journey towards where the Yun Family was, the auras of Overlords he sensed did not number less than twenty.
It was evident in regards to how large the strength of Demon Imperial City was.
However, in the end, the Illusory Demon Royal Family were still the ones who got the short end of the stick in the confrontation between the Illusory Demon Royal Family and Profound Sky Continent. Furthermore, there had never been any movements to exact revenge… It seemed like, in overall strength, the Illusory Demon Royal Family was still a little inferior than the Four Great Sacred Lands.
“We’re almost there. The huge gate in front that’s shining with a purple radiance is the place.” Yun Xiao pointed downwards in front of him.
The Yun family was not as large as he had imagined. Putting aside comparing with the Divine Phoenix Sect, the size of the family’s territory was even smaller than the Burning Heaven Clan he had destroyed. This was definitely out of Yun Che’s predictions. However, when he recalled that his biological grandfather and biological father seemed to only have a single son, he once again subconsciously thought that… Could the existence of the Profound Handle have suffered the envy of the heavens, which thus caused their reproductive ability to be limited?
When they arrived at the sky above the Yun family’s main gate, Yun Che, along with Yun Xiao, slowly descended. Looking at the overly familiar family gate merely inches away from them, Yun Che however, saw a hint of hesitation flashing past Yun Xiao’s eyes.
“Brother Yun, umm…” Yun Xiao said hesitantly. “Even though I am the Young Patriarch of the Yun family in name… A large number of people seems to dislike me. So, if there’s anyone who is discourteous, there’s no need for Brother Yun to take it to heart.”
Yun Che’s heart stirred, and he nodded. “Mn, I understand. Don’t worry, my main reason here is to greet the Yun family’s Patriarch. Anything else doesn’t matter at all.”
Yun Che followed Yun Xiao as he entered the main gate of the Yun family. The moment he stepped through the main gate, Yun Che’s emotions uncontrollably fluctuated intensely for an instant. The ground underneath his feet, the air he was breathing, everything in his sight, were all so foreign. It was the first time he had stepped into this place in this life, however, this place was where his true family was. The bloodline that was flowing through his body, came from this exact place. His biological father, and biological mother… were both here as well…
I… have really… returned to this place…
The injuries on Yun Xiao were very severe, however, he evidently did not want the people of the family to realize he was wounded. When he entered the main gate, he forced himself to calm his expression, and straightened his back. However, just as they entered through the main gate, in front of them, a male youth who looked around twenty to thirty years old, walked over. The moment he saw Yun Xiao, his face instantly revealed a hateful smile. “Aiyo! Isn’t this the great Young Patriarch Yun Xiao? Why are you back so early today? Did you not find any fun outside, or have you… Oh?”
This youth immediately discovered Yun Xiao’s injuries. His eyes narrowed, and then, gloatingly, he laughed out loud. “Hahahaha! And I was wondering why, so you were actually injured! Just which family’s young master have you sparred with? Heheh, at the very least, you’re still the Young Patriarch of our Yun family in name, yet, you actually lost in a spar with someone else, and have actually been injured to such a miserable state. What a disgrace to our Yun family.”
The words this person directed at Yun Xiao were especially poisonous and piercing to the ears, and although he referred to Yun Xiao as “Young Patriarch”, his attitude did not show the slightest bit of respect at all. Even his expression was filled with ridicule and sarcasm. Yun Xiao’s hands tightly clenched, yet, he forced himself to ignore him, and directly spoke to Yun Che. “Brother Yun, ignore him. I shall bring you over to see father.”
After saying that, Yun Xiao pulled Yun Che, and directly walk past the male youth’s side. He had suffered too much of such similar encounters, to the point where he had seemingly grown numb and had gotten used to it. In these years, what he had trained the most in, was tolerance… Even if it was not for himself, he had to do it for his father and mother.
Yun Xiao left. However, the male youth did not let up his ridiculement. Turning around, with an incomparably scornful cold smile, he said. “Yo! Oh great Young Patriarch, just where did you find this little mistress? With such smooth and tender skin, even I wish to try touching it. It seems like the great Young Patriarch finally understands that he’s unable to lay his hands on that heavenly crane of the elf clan, and has switched to playing with a little bitch… Speaking of which, compared to dreaming daily of laying his hands on a heavenly crane, raising a little bitch is more realistic. Hahahaha!”
Yun Che’s footsteps suddenly stopped… This was no longer ridicule, but an incomparably venomous humiliation. After listening to Yun Xiao’s description and the attitude of the people of the Under Heaven Family towards him, Yun Che knew that although Yun Xiao carried the title of Young Patriarch, his life in the family wasn’t that pleasant. However, he never expected that it would actually be vile to such an extent.
Yun Xiao could tolerate it, but that did not mean he could! If he were to tolerate it like this, then he wouldn’t be Yun Che!
At the moment Yun Che was about to turn around, a clear berating voice came from behind. “Yun Hao! How can you be show such disrespect to the Young Patriarch! Hurry and apologize to the Young Patriarch!”
Yun Che’s attention shifted, as he looked towards the source of the voice. A male youth wearing cloud white clothes was walking over. He looked around twenty-five years old, and his expression was thriving with heroic spirit. Although he was young, the profound aura from his body was incomparably dense. At the very least, it had surpassed the half-step Overlord Yun Xiao by several times.
“Ah… Brother Xinyue!”
Seeing this person, Yun Hao instantly changed the vile expression he had when he was facing Yun Xiao earlier, and greeted him like a lapdog. “Brother Xinyue, are you heading out? This little brother rarely sees you head out at a time like this.”
“Hmph!” The male youth coldly stared at him, and berated. “Didn’t you hear what I had just said!? Hurry and apologize to the Young Patriarch!”
Yun Hao shrank his neck back, yet, he did not dare to disobey. Facing towards Yun Xiao, he gritted his teeth, and lowered his head. Yun Xiao hurriedly waved his hand and said. “Brother Xinyue, there’s no need. Yun Hao is simply joking around, it’s not a big deal.”
“That’s right, that’s right. I was just joking around.” Yun Hao hurriedly nodded while chuckling. Then, he gave Yun Xiao a dark glance, revealing an ‘at least you know what you’re doing’ expression.
Yun Che: “…”
“Hmph!” The male youth once again snorted coldly. “The Young Patriarch is gentle and generous, but everyday, you blind people constantly bully him so…If I were to see this again, I won’t be lenient!”
“I have learned my lesson, Brother Xin Yue. I definitely won’t dare to do it again next time.” Yun Hao agreed to it with a playful smile. After that, however, when he retreated behind the man, he gave Yun Xiao a cold smile with his teeth bared.
The male youth’s expression calmed, and his face revealed a gentle smile as he spoke to Yun Xiao. “Little brother Yun Xiao, if anyone dares to bully you again, there’s no need to endure it… Oh? Looking at your state… you’re injured? What happened?”
Yun Xiao hurriedly shook his head, and said. “Nothing, it’s not really a very serious injury. I will recover in ten to fifteen days. There’s no need for Brother Xinyue to put it to heart.”
The male youth did not continue with his questions either, as he said with concern. “Look at you. No matter how I see it, it doesn’t seem to be a light injury. Hurry and get yourself treated… Oh right.” He shifted his gaze towards Yun Che. “This person is?”
“This is a friend that I have just made, Yun Che.” Yun Xiao introduced. When he was facing this person, his expression was evidently very relaxed. “Brother Yun, this is my family senior, Brother Xinyue.”
Yun Che nodded, and greeted.
“Oh? This person is surnamed Yun as well? Now that’s really a coincidence.” Yun Xinyue cupped his fist towards Yun Che. “It’s rare for little brother Yun Xiao to bring a friend over. I believe brother Yun Che must be a dragon amongst men. If there’s time in the future, I hope that we can have a nice chat.”
“Of course, Brother Yun is really incredible!” Yun Xiao said with a prideful expression. He saw that several people were coming over from afar, and hurriedly said. “Brother Xinyue, there’s matters I have to meet my father for, so I will take my leave first. Thank you, Brother Xinyue, for helping me resolve this once again.”
“Go then.” Yun Xinyue lightly smiled.
Yun Che’s gaze lightly swept past Yun Xinyue, turned around, and followed after Yun Xiao as he sprinted towards where his father was. However, after he walked for a few steps, an ice-cold chill suddenly swept past for a moment from behind him.
Yun Che’s brows slightly twitched, however, he did not stop his footsteps.
Killing intent!!
This was something Yun Che definitely wouldn’t make a mistake in recognizing!
And, this killing intent wasn’t directed at Yun Xiao… but directed at himself!
Today was clearly the first day he had entered the Yun family. Before this, other than Yun Xiao, he had never met any other people from the Yun family. Furthermore, he had never come into the Demon Imperial City before this. The number of people he knew could not even number more than the fingers he had, so why would someone harbor the intent to kill him?
Before he arrived at Demon Imperial City today, the thing he did… seemed to only be that very incident…
Then, there was only one possibility!
“Yun Xiao, who is that Yun Xinyue? His prestige seemed to be much higher than yours as the Young Patriarch.” Yun Che suddenly spoke out to ask.
Yun Xiao scratched his head, and smiled a little helplessly and embarrassingly. “It’s natural for brother Xinyue’s prestige to be higher than mine. His father, is Seventh Elder Yun Waitian, the strongest among the thirty-six elders of the Yun family. While he himself, is also the strongest expert among this generation of the Yun family. At the age of twenty-seven, he is already at the fourth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm, and had even awakened the one and only Cyan Profound Handle in this generation. In addition to his Profound Handle, there has never been any opponents at the same level capable of defeating him, to the point where he has the ability to challenge someone at the fifth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm. He’s been referred to as the hope for Yun family to rise again, and within the family, it’s been spreading around that he is the most qualified to become the next…”
When he spoke till then, Yun Xiao’s voice suddenly stopped. However, it was sufficient for Yun Che to guess what he did not want to say.
“Your impression of him seem to be really good?” Yun Che asked a question that did not seem to be really important.
“Mn.” Yun Xiao nodded. “Not only is brother Xinyue’s aptitude extremely high, his personality is very gentle. Because of some bloodline matters, I have often suffered from various criticisms, ridicule and bullying. But, brother Xinyue has never ridiculed, instead, he often resolve the issues for me, to the point where he had even stepped in to lecture those people that bullied me. I have always been really thankful to him.”
“Because of some bloodline matters? What do you mean?” Yun Che looked to the side and asked.
Yun Xiao, who had unintentionally exposed himself, revealed a slight fluster. “No… Nothing much. It’s just a small matter.”
Yun Che did not continue with his questions, instead, he changed the subject. “Do you think that he’s really suitable to become the next Patriarch of the Yun family as well?”
Yun Xiao completely did not expect that Yun Che would actually such a direct question. He blanked for a moment, and voiced out with a bitter smile. “Although I hold the name of the Young Patriarch, you have seen it yourself. When I hold this name, it’s merely a joke. In regards to strength, persuasiveness, and the most important… In any case, I know that it’s impossible for me to become the next Patriarch. If it’s brother Xinyue, I think that I will be very supportive as well. After all, brother Xinyue might really be the hope for our Yun family to rise once again.”
Yun Che looked at him deeply, and said with an ambiguous smile. “This Yun Xinyue, really isn’t simple.”
“Of course he isn’t simple! In the Yun family, he’s the well-deserved number one person in our generation. Even the people from the Illusory Demon Royal Family are especially watching after him as well.” Yun Xiao said a little pridefully.
However, he did not know that the “isn’t simple” which Yun Che had said, and the “isn’t simple” he had said himself, were two completely different concepts.
Chapter 502 - Commiseration
“Yun Xiao, I’m about to ask you a question that might be a little rude.” Yun Che looked at Yun Xiao, and said with a stern expression. “Usually, when you’re meeting up with Seventh Sister, have you always been doing it secretly?”
“Ah…” Yun Xiao was caught off guard from the question. His face revealed an embarrassed expression, which then turned dejected in the next instant. With a low sigh, he said. “You saw it yourself. The Under Heaven family basically looks down on me, and Seventh Sister is also the one and only princess of the Under Heaven family, the most precious pearl of the entire elf clan. They feel that I’m basically not worthy of Seventh Sister, and that if I were to really be together with Seventh Sister, it will even destroy their entire family’s reputation. In the very beginning, they severely objected to it. However, Seventh Sister’s personality is very unyielding, so later on, they gave a strict order to forbid Seventh Sister and I from meeting each other. Thus, it became even more difficult for Seventh Sister and I to meet. In this entire past year, we have only managed to secretly meet up three times. Every single time, we had to leave at least twenty five kilometers from the city to prevent others from finding us… In less than three months, it will be Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony. The Twelve Guardian Families are all busy preparing for this occasion, which thus allowed Seventh Sister and I to finally manage to use this opportunity to meet up, but we never expected that…”
Yun Che held his chin with hand, and said as he pondered. “Regarding this matter about you meeting with Seventh Sister, other than the two of you, was there anyone else who knew of this… or had seen it?”
“No, definitely not.” Yun Xiao shook his head very decisively. “I definitely wouldn’t dare to allow anyone to know about it. Because not just the Under Heaven family, even my own family basically do not support the idea of me being with Seventh Sister, to the point where they would mock me behind my back. Even if I don’t care about myself, I have to take Seventh Sister into consideration. So I definitely wouldn’t allow anyone else to know about it. Seventh Sister definitely wouldn’t have told anyone else about this either.”
“You and Seventh Sister were assaulted, and not only did they do a perfect cover-up, their goal was especially clear as well. Evidently, they had made very sufficient preparations.” Yun Che slowly said. “If they hadn’t known that the both of you would meet at that place, they basically wouldn’t be able to prepare so adequately… Since you’re so sure that only the two of you know about this, then the biggest possibility is… when you were sending a voice transmission to Seventh Sister, it was overheard by someone nearby. Just like Seventh Sister; when she was sending you her voice transmission, she was overheard by her sixth brother.”
“Ah?” Yun Xiao was startled for a moment, and then shook his head even more forcefully. “That’s even more impossible. When I was sending the voice transmission, I was in my own courtyard, so it shouldn’t have been heard by anyone else. Even if someone really had somehow overheard it, it could only be someone from our Yun family… Our Yun family never had any sort of grudge with the Under Heaven family, and in our current declined state, we definitely aren’t willing to offend any other families, so how could something like this happen? And, even though those three black-clothed people were all concealing their profound arts, if they practiced our Yun family’s profound arts, I still would have been able to recognize it very easily.”
“…” Yun Che nodded, and went silent for a moment. After giving it a deep thought, he then said with a relaxed expression. “I guess so… Never mind, there’s no need to think about this for now. The Under Heaven family definitely has more things to worry about than us. Let’s just leave it to them to investigate.”
“But, what I’m even more doubtful of… Yun Xiao, although the Yun family is currently in a severe decline, at the very least, it had once stood at the peak, and currently, it still belongs to one of the Twelve Guardian Families. Not to mention that you’re still the Young Patriarch of the Yun family in name. With such a family history, based on identity alone, Seventh Sister and you clearly should be the perfect match. No, wait! Your status should still be a little higher than Seventh Sister. In any case, even if your father isn’t the Patriarch, but is instead a regular elder, they still shouldn’t be rejecting it this intensely… to the point where it could even elevate to a problem that would affect the family’s reputation.”
Yun Xiao’s expression instantly stiffened.
Yun Che glanced at Yun Xiao’s expression, and continued. “Not to mention, even the attitude of your Yun family members towards you is a little too abnormal. Take that Yun Hao earlier for example. He was utterly disrespectful towards you. His words were basically filled with sarcasm and humiliation, but from looking at you, you seemed to have already gotten used to such treatment… Putting aside the matter about you being the Young Patriarch, at the very least, your maternal grandfather is still the master of the Mu family. No matter how it is, you shouldn’t fallen to such circumstances in the Yun family… Is there some sort of hidden reason for this?”
Yun Xiao’s footsteps stopped for a moment. As he lowered his head, his face revealed a deep anguish.
Yun Che smiled apologetically. “I seemed to have asked a question that I shouldn’t have… I apologize, don’t take it to heart.”
“No.” Yun Xiao however, gently shook his head. When he raised his head, his expression was already sufficiently calm. “Even if it’s someone else, when they see my current circumstances, they will all feel that it’s really strange as well. Actually, in regards to the various rumors concerning me, seemingly everyone in Demon Imperial City knows about it. Brother Yun, you saved my life, and have even treated me as a friend, so there’s no need for me to hide anything from you. The reason why I’m not liked by people, is because… because ever since I was young, from the mouths of others, I have always been a ‘bastard child who had been picked up’.”
Yun Che glanced to the side. “What do you mean?”
Yun Xiao laughed out miserably. “What the Yun family is prideful of is the one and only power of the Profound Handle, which is also a core ability that ranks supreme among the Twelve Guardian Families. However I have always been unable to light up the Profound Handle Mark from my arm. When my profound strength reached the Sky Profound Realm, I was still unable to awaken a Profound Handle.”
“In the Yun family, as long it is guided by the power of bloodline, the Profound Handle Mark can be lighted up on the arm at the age of five, and then, according to the color of the Profound Handle Mark, it will be used to distinguish aptitudes and to see if there’s a need to pay more attention in raising. When our profound strength has reached the Sky Profound Realm, the Profound Handle will awaken, and from then on, it can be summoned out. This is Yun family’s bloodline power. As long as one has the Yun family’s bloodline, that person will definitely have the Profound Handle ability… with no exceptions.”
“I, however, never had it since the beginning. And this, has clearly proved that I do not possess the Yun family’s bloodline as well… In the knowledge of the Yun family, the entire Demon Imperial City, and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm, this is an ironclad proof.”
Yun Che: “…”
“About the news that I do not possess the Profound Handle Mark, on the year I was five years old, it had already been spread out by an unknown person, making it known to the entire city. And then, when I was unable to summon a Profound Handle after I broke through to the Sky Profound Realm, it was spread even more widely. During that time, the entire city was spreading rumors of how I wasn’t my father’s and mother’s son… And the most severe problem was, I was brought back from the Profound Sky Continent by my father and mother while I was a baby… The Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor both died in the hands of the people of Profound Sky Continent. The Demon Emperor’s Seal and Mirror of Samsara were also lost due to the infiltration into the Profound Sky Continent. The Demon Imperial City had always hated the Profound Sky Continent to the bone, hence, I, a ‘bastard child who came from the Profound Sky Continent’, would always receive cold glares, scorn, and even humiliation and hate wherever I go…”
Yun Xiao did not continue after that. Yun Che silently listened, and he could feel how Yun Xiao had walked in these past few years… Before he was sixteen, because of his crippled profound veins, he had always passed his days amidst other people’s scorn and ridicule. And Yun Xiao was even worse off than him. The things that Yun Xiao had endured, were much more heavier than his…
And because of this, he was able to clearly understand what kind of mentality Yun Xiao had these past few years… The two of them were both people who had been played by fate.
There wasn’t a reason for the Illusory Demon Realm to not hate the Profound Sky Continent. As Yun Xiao was most possibly someone who belonged to the Profound Sky Continent, even if he held the title of the Yun family’s Young Patriarch, how would he be liked here…? And how would the dignified Under Heaven family be willing to betroth their one and only princess to someone like him? That was indeed not merely a hierarchical problem of status; it truly involved a family’s reputation and pride…
Perhaps, if it wasn’t the Yun family, the matters regarding Yun Xiao’s bloodline could still be concealed, but, it just had to be the Yun family… The Profound Handle was the indisputable proof.
“Your father and mother… do they treat you well?” Yun Che slowly asked.
“Father and mother treat me really well.” Yun Xiao lightly nodded, as warmth flashed past his eyes. “Because of the Profound Handle, even I had deeply suspected my own bloodline. But, father and mother said that I’m their biological son. Even when they were facing colossal amount of suspicions, they have never admitted it. And, ever since I was young, they have treated me lovingly, and they were never willing to have me suffer the slightest of wrongs. Otherwise, with the Demon Imperial City’s hatred towards the Profound Sky Continent, I might not have lived till today.”
“So, because of your father and mother, you desperately cultivated, and had willingly endured all of the criticisms and unfair treatment, without retaliating in the slightest?” Yun Che said.
Number Seven Under Heaven had said before that ever since he was young, Yun Xiao had never received a large amount of resources. And, with his average aptitude and scarce resources, he was actually able to cultivate to half-step Tyrant Profound at the age of twenty-two! In the Profound Sky Continent, this was already an achievement at the very top level, and had even surpassed Feng Xiluo, who had once claimed himself to be number one in the younger generation of the Seven Nations!
Just by imagining, it could be known how hardworking he had been with his cultivation in these past few years… Or, it could be said to be desperate.
“Mn.” Yun Xiao lightly nodded, as he slightly gritted his teeth and said. “I’m the grandson of the Demon King, the son of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou… I definitely will not make them lose face, nor will I give them any trouble. In the future, if there really comes a time when we’re in a difficult situation, even if I have to risk my life, I will use all my strength to protect my father and mother well!”
After saying all that, he noticed that Yun Che’s eyes were a little strange. His expression stiffened, and said uneasily. “Brother Yun, will you look down on me… because of all these as well?”
“Of course not.” Yun Che shook his head without the slightest hesitation. “On the contrary, I admire you even more, and… I really should give you my proper thanks.”
“Ah? Thank me?” Yun Xiao blanked.
“Haha.” Yun Che lightly laughed, as he reached out and pressed his hand on Yun Xiao’s shoulder. “Yun Xiao, after meeting Senior Yun later, why don’t we become sworn brothers?”
“Ah… Aaaaaaah?” Yun Xiao opened his mouth wide, and his face was filled with complete disbelief. “Sworn… Sworn brothers? M-M-Me… Me and Brother Yun?”
“That’s right.” Yun Che said with a slight smile. “Alright, it is indeed a little abrupt for me to say something like this so suddenly. If you’re not willing, then forget it.”
“N-n-no, it’s not… It’s not that!” Yun Xiao hurriedly waved his hands. He was so excited that even his words began to stutter. “This, this… Brother Yun is so amazing, while I… You saw and heard it for yourself as well, I basically… How could someone like me be worthy of being with Brother Yun…”
“So you’re saying, you yourself think that you’re not worthy of Seventh Sister as well?” Yun Che interrupted him and said.
“I…”
“Don’t sell yourself short.” Yun Che patted on his shoulder with a firm and earnest expression. “You’re worthy of Seventh Sister, worthy of the identity of the Yun family’s Young Patriarch, and even more so, worthy of becoming sworn brothers with me. In these past few years, you have always been the only one silently enduring everything. After becoming sworn brothers, we will naturally have to overcome the difficulties together. I will shoulder everything with you. If you want to be together with Seventh Sister, then I will help you with everything I can. If you want to protect your father and mother well, then I will protect them together with you. If anyone were to bully you or your father and mother… Then, in your place, be it old or new debts, I will make them pay!”
Yun Xiao’s eyes stirred. Amidst his throbbing emotions, he was unable to calm down for a long while. In his days of growing up, every day, he was living in the odd gazes of everyone else. Although his identity sounded grand and honorable, forget about the young masters of the other families, even Yun family’s servants were unwilling to approach him. Yun Che’s speech, and his firm expression, undoubtedly dealt an overly huge blow to his soul. The moment he tried to speak, his voice was already choking. “Brother Yun, I…”
Yun Che understood that this was still the first day he and Yun Xiao had met. Suddenly speaking such words, even if it was someone else, it would still be hard for that person to digest everything in an instant. With a smile, he said. “Bring me over to see Senior Yun for now. We can talk about other matters later.”
Chapter 503 - Yun Qinghong
The Yun Family household wasn’t huge. After a short walk, Yun Xiao stopped at an elegant courtyard.
Yun Xiao turned around, and said. “This is my father’s residence. Because of his body, he rarely heads out. At this hour, he should be inside.”
The courtyard was not big, and as the residence of the family head, there wasn’t any evident difference between it and the surrounding courtyards that could be seen. Yun Che swept his eyes across the surroundings. The traces of footprints here were very sparse; clearly, not many people came to visit normally. And, the Family Head’s residence of a prominent family should be a place that was frequently visited.
“Let’s head in.”
Yun Xiao slowly adjusted his breath, allowing his own complexion to look a little better, and then, reached out his hand to touch his back in order to confirm that the new clothes he changed into did not have any traces of bloodstains. Only then did he have a peace of mind, and took two steps forward. Just as he was about to step into the courtyard, however, he realized that Yun Che did not follow after him. Turning his eyes to the side, he saw that Yun Che was currently staring straight to the front, as though he was already out of sorts.
“Brother Yun, what’s wrong?” Yun Xiao asked.
Yun Che looked back at him, and then, lightly shook his head. “Nothing much, let’s head in… Hopefully, we’re not interrupting your father from resting.”
“We won’t. My father doesn’t usually rest at this hour.” Yun Xiao said with a smile, and then, reminded with a soft voice. “You definitely cannot tell my father that my injuries are very severe. Otherwise, if father and mother know about it, they will definitely be unable to sleep in peace for several days.”
“Mn.” Yun Che promised, and took a step forward. Even Yun Xiao was able to see that he was a little spaced out.
A small courtyard. A short pavilion. A stone table. Four stone stools. A small field of emerald-green arbors. Next to the arbors, there was a rattan chair which looked a little old. Next to the chair was a weapon rack that looked even older. However, there weren’t any weapons hanging on it, rather, there didn’t seem to be any traces of weapons being hanged there before.
This was everything which Yun Che saw in the courtyard.
Yun Xiao stood in front of the main house, and said with light voice. “Father, are you inside? I brought a friend over, he wishes to meet you.”
A slight movement could be heard from inside the house. Right after, the voice of a middle-aged man sounded. “Oh? A friend? Hoho. This seems to be the first time Xiao’er has ever brought a friend over. Come in then.”
The voice was very gentle, but was completely un-energetic, revealing a trace of frailness. As a doctor, just by hearing this voice, Yun Che was able to confirm just how unbearable the state of the body of the voice’s owner was. His heart suddenly stirred uncontrollably… to the point where there was a needle-piercing pain in the depths of his heart. Unconsciously, he reached his hand, and pressed it on his own chest, the part where his heart was located…
He had always believed that the only people who were able to give him such feelings, were his grandfather, little aunt, and Cang Yue whom he had married. He was unable to understand why the frailness that could be heard from the voice of a person he had never met, and had even once hated in secret before, would cause him to feel this slight, yet incomparably heartbreaking pain…
Could this be… the connection of blood… that was stated in stories…?
Right now, the person who was only separated by a single wall away from him, whom he only had to take another few simple steps to meet… really was… was…
“Then we’re going in, Brother Yun… Ah? Brother Yun, Brother Yun?”
Yun Che looked dumbfoundedly at the front. His eyes had blanked, and his four limbs had stiffened, as though his soul had suddenly left his body. Yun Xiao had to call him continuously three times before he finally regained his senses… Possessing huge, heavenly-breaking guts, he, who dared to single-handedly exterminate an entire Burning Heaven Clan, who dared to break into the Divine Phoenix Sect by himself, when facing this unlatched door which was currently only three steps away from him, his heart was actually beating incomparably haphazardly… That was an incomparably foreign excitement and apprehension he had never felt before. These feelings, were something he couldn’t explain, nor describe…
He had experienced two lives. In his first life, it was his teacher who raised him up, and in his second life, it was Grandfather Xiao who raised him up… In both lives, he never had any parents; even the foster parents of this life had both left the world before he was consciously aware of his surroundings.
“Father” was a concept that could not be more familiar for normal people. However, to him, it had been incomparably foreign and distant. From his grandfather, Yun Canghai, he found out the names of his own biological father and mother, and found out the reason they had left him back then. At that time, the hatred he had towards them had completely disappeared, and in his subconsciousness, he was wishing that he could meet them as well.
However, right now, when he was just about to meet them… Currently his own state of mind that he had thought was as tough as steel was in a huge mess, and was at a complete loss.
“I’m fine.” Yun Che’s smile was very forced. He tightened his fists, and only then did he realize that his own palms were already completely drenched in sweat. “I have always longed to see Senior Yun, and now that I’m about to see him so suddenly, I’m a little… too excited… Let me calm down for a moment first.”
“Uh… Is it really this exaggerated?” Yun Xiao scratched his forehead, indicating that he did not really understand.
Yun Che pressed his hand on his chest. After continuously taking in a few breaths, he then let out a long exhale, and his expression had finally calmed down a little. He looked at the door in front of him for a short moment, and finally said. “Yun Xiao, let us go in.”
The door was pushed open. With Yun Xiao at the front and Yun Che in the rear, they slowly walked in. Right after, the door was closed. In front of the hardwood table, which was at the side of the door, a figure dressed in green clothes slowly turned around from the table.
This was a middle-aged man who looked about fifty years old. His face was white, but, even an ordinary person could see that this form of whiteness was paleness due to being ill. As a formidable profound practitioner, his body should have been maintained in an extremely young state in the first place. However, what was seen from his body was an heavily aged state, and even his hair was mixed with about thirty percent of white hair.
However, these factors were completely unable to conceal the extraordinary temperament which transcended a normal person’s. His forehead, was even more so revealing a very light form of grace and calm. Although his face was drawn with the traces of old age, his facial features still carried a refined look that could hardly be concealed. No matter who it was, they wouldn’t suspect that he was definitely a handsome man who was rarely seen when he was young.
“Xiao’er greets father… Father, are you currently drawing?” Yun Xiao asked when he saw the paper on the table.
After Yun Che entered, his gaze had been looking at the green-clothed man unblinkingly, and the green-clothed man was similarly sizing him up as well. He did not give Yun Xiao a direct reply, and instead gave a smiling nod. “Xiao’er, is this the friend you were talking about? His looks are unordinary, while his temperament and bearing are even more extraordinary… I wonder how I should address you?”
After Yun Che entered, he did not immediately give his greetings. Facing his question, he was startled and had entirely blanked for a few seconds. When he finally managed to calm himself down, he slightly arched his body, and politely said. “This junior is surnamed Yun, with the given name Che. This junior has always longed to meet the Yun Family of Demon Imperial City, so when I saw Senior Yun for the first time, I lost a little of my composure. I hope senior will forgive me for my disrespect.”
“Oh? Your surname is Yun as well?” Yun Qinghong’s forehead loosened, as he gave a slight smile. “Yun… Che. Hoho, a good name. What a really good name. When your parents gave you this name, they must have hoped that you would live a worriless life without experiencing any suffering or illness. Hoho… cough, cough… Cough, cough, cough…”
Yun Qinghong simply gave a light smile, but immediately after, he began to cough severely. Yun Xiao hurriedly stepped forward, and anxiously said. “Father, are you alright…? Have you drank the medicine today?”
Very quickly, Yun Qinghong recovered. Lightly waving his hands, he said with a smile. “Your father is fine. The medicine that I should have taken had naturally been taken as well. Otherwise, your mother wouldn’t forgive me… Oh?”
Yun Qinghong’s expression suddenly underwent a slight change, as he instantly grabbed onto Yun Xiao’s hand. “You’re injured. What happened?”
“Uh, it’s not really a huge injury…” Initially, Yun Xiao hesitated. However, knowing that he was unable to hide the matter till the very end, in an evasive manner, he gave a brief recount of the incident, where he encountered an assassination when he was meeting with Number Seven Under Heaven outside the city. “…The person they wanted to kill was Seventh Sister, and had even clearly specified that they wouldn’t harm me. But back then, the situation was really extremely dangerous. Fortunately…” Yun Xiao pointed at Yun Che. “Fortunately, Brother Yun lent a helping hand. Otherwise, the outcome would have been unimaginable. Their target was Seventh Sister, so I have only received a little small injury, it’s not that severe. Look, I’m still lively right now.”
Yun Xiao’s wounds were naturally not light. If his clothes were removed, it would still be possible to see a dripping red bloody hole on his back. However, looking from the outside, it was after all, merely an exterior wound. Not to mention, it had even stabilized, and it was sufficient to fully recover within a single month. What Yun Che was more worried about, was Yun Qinghong… He was actually only able to find out that Yun Xiao was injured at such a close distance, it could be imagined just how dull his spiritual sense had become… Yun Xiao was unable to see how severe and dire Yun Qinghong’s current situation was, and Yun Qinghong naturally wouldn’t allow Yun Xiao to find out either. However, it was impossible to escape from his eyes…
He was very sure that, if this continued, Yun Qinghong basically wouldn’t live past another three years.
Yun Qinghong himself, should be aware of this in his heart as well.
Hearing Yun Xiao’s words, Yun Qinghong’s brows tightly knitted, and did not say a word for a moment, as though he was pondering on something. After that, he gave Yun Che a light smile, and raised his own hands towards him. “Little brother, thank you for the kindness of saving my son’s life. My body is in an inconvenient state, so…”
The moment Yun Qinghong raised his hands, Yun Che jumped to the side out of shock. He definitely dared to accept respects from even the king of heavens himself, however, he definitely couldn’t bear to accept it from this person in front him. Before he could even finish, Yun Che hurriedly said. “Se… Senior, this won’t do. Saving Yun Xiao merely took a small effort on my part, it definitely isn’t worthy of having such great respects from senior. There’s completely no need for senior to take it into heart.”
Yin Qinghong slightly blanked for a moment. He was simply planning on giving a bow with his fist cupped, which was a concept so distant from the words “great respects”. And he had even saved his son’s life, so giving a hundred thankful bows wouldn’t even be exaggerated. Yun Che’s reaction had truly shocked and puzzled him.
Yun Xiao was also puzzled from Yun Che’s exaggerated reaction. However, after pondering for a moment, he suddenly realized something, and hurriedly explained to Yun Qinghong. “Father, it’s actually like this. On the way here, we have already agreed. After greeting you, Brother Yun and I will be becoming sworn brothers. If that’s the case, my parents, will also be Brother Yun’s parents… That’s why, Brother Yun definitely wouldn’t dare to accept father’s thanks.”
“Oh? Becoming sworn brothers?” Yun Qinghong looked towards Yun Che, and then nodded with a smile. “I see. Great… excellent… Xiao’er has a stubborn temper, so he usually spends his time alone. If he has a friend who he can mutually rely on, then things couldn’t be better. As his parents, we will be happy and feel at ease as well.”
Although Yin Qinghong’s expression showed approval and joy, Yun Che could clearly see doubts in his eyes. Indeed, as someone who had just suddenly appeared, whose identity and background were unknown, whom he had only met for a single day… being suspicious and vigilant was the most common reaction.
“Father, let me tell you this, Brother Yun is truly incredible! The three people who attacked us were all level one Overlords. Brother Yun simply used a single move, and easily killed one of them, causing the other two to wet their pants out of fright and run with their tails between their legs! Furthermore, Brother Yun is only twenty-two years old today, merely a few months older than me. Even if it’s Su Zhizhan of the Su Family, he definitely wasn’t as amazing as Brother Yun when he was twenty-two years old… Uhh, father? Father, what are you thinking about?”
When Yun Xiao was speaking excitedly, he realized that Yun Qinghong’s eyes were looking straight at Yun Che, and his expression was a little dazed. Under his call, Yun Qinghong retracted his gaze, and said with a smile. “Nothing much, I simply felt that little brother Yun is a little familiar all of a sudden.”
Yun Che: “…”
“Familiar? Uh, that’s impossible though… This is still the first time Brother Yun has left his sect to train, and it’s even more so his first time in Demon Imperial City. Father, you must have definitely remembered wrongly.” Yun Xiao said.
“Hoho, the familiarity father is speaking of, is that little brother Yun… looks a lot like me when I was young. After saying this out, he really looks even more similar.”
Yun Che: “…”
“Really?” Yun Xiao looked at Yun Qinghong, and then looked at Yun Che. Then suddenly, he broke into a grin and said. “Heh! Father, earlier, you even said that Brother Yun looked extraordinary, now, you even suddenly said that Brother Yun looks like you when you were young… You’re clearly trying to brag about yourself. Mother had said that you were very smug when you were young; as expected, she wasn’t the least bit wrong about you.”
“Hahahaha…” Yun Qinghong laughed out loud from Yun Xiao’s words. However, after he had only laughed for a few short moments, he was suddenly out of breath, and began to cough severely. “Cough… cough, cough… cough, cough, cough…”
“Ah! Father!” Yun Xiao was startled, and then, he pressed his palm on Yun Qinghong’s back. However, the moment he was about to circulate his profound energy, his back and internal organs began to ache in intense pain. His expression instantly paled, his body wobbled, and the wound on his back was even close to splurging out blood.
Fortunately, Yun Qinghong did not sense his abnormal behavior, as he said with a wave of his hand. “I’m fine. This is merely an old ailment. It’s not like you don’t know about it either… little brother Yun, this Yun’s body has been ill for many years. For providing you with such bad hospitality, it sure is embarrassing.”
Yun Che shook his head. “Senior, not at all…” Seeing Yun Qinghong’s currentstate, his hands trembled. In the end, he was no longer able to endure it, as he took a step forward, and said. “Senior Yun, do you mind letting me take a look at your injury? This junior has learned medical skills from my teacher, and can be said to have small achievements in it. There’s a possibility that I might be able to ease senior’s illness.”
Chapter 504 - Shadows in Illusory Demon
“Ah? Brother Yun, you know medical arts as well?” Yun Xiao said in astonishment.
Once again, Yun Qinghong seriously sized up Yun Che. With his hundred years of experience, he should have been able to easily see through the truths and lies of a youth, and, from Yun Che’s expression, what he saw was actually seriousness, sincerity, and even a hint of urgency. This was incomprehensible to him. When facing such extremely irregular circumstances, his initial reaction should have been to silently raise his guard. However, unknowingly, even though it was clearly the first time he had met this youth who was filled with mysteries, no matter what he did, he was actually unable to raise his guard nor feel averse. Instead, he felt a form of indescribable trust and intimacy towards him.
In his entire lifetime, this was the still the first time he had ever experienced this sort of strange feeling. He looked at Yun Che for a long while, and his heart was strangely throbbing. However, he was completely unable to discern the source of this throbbing. He lightly smiled, and said. “Little brother Yun is so young, yet, already has such accomplishments. I believe your medical skills are definitely extraordinary as well. It’s just… Haah. My body is not suffering from an average illness, but an old sickness that had worsened throughout the years. Back then, I sought all the famous doctors in the world, yet none of them could do anything. Now that twenty odd years have passed, it has long seeped deeply into my blood marrows. I’m afraid that even if the Great Shifting Golden Deity himself descends into the world, there would be nothing he could do either. You having such sincerity, already makes me exceptionally grateful. It’s best that you don’t waste your efforts.”
Yun Che, however, was unmoved, as he slowly and calmly said. “This junior does not agree with Senior Yun’s words. When this junior first began practicing medicine, my master has taught me before that, in this world, everything mutually reinforces and neutralizes each other; the countless matters of this world are constantly in a cycle of cause and effect, if a perfectly healthy person can become sick, then there’s definitely a way to treat a sick person back to perfect health. In this world, there definitely doesn’t exist any true terminal illness and injuries which cannot be healed. Even if it cannot be treated, that would simply mean that the treatment method has not been found for the time being. This junior’s teacher is the world’s greatest medical saint, and this junior’s medical skills all come from my teacher. Under my teacher’s tutelage, ever since this junior was young, I have never believed that an incurable illness exists in this world. So, I hope Senior Yun will give this junior a try.”
Yun Qinghong had made contact with countless famous doctors, yet, he had never heard such words from a confident and prideful doctor, to the point where he was unable to refute a single word. And, these words, had even been spoken by a youth who was merely a little over twenty years old. Yun Xiao’s mouth was wide open. Suddenly, he recalled the mysterious profound energy he received from Yun Che he was severely injured, and in an instant, he said excitedly. “Father! Let Brother Yun try it out. Earlier, I was injured by those three black-clothed men… Uh, even though my injuries weren’t very severe, they were still a little heavy. And, Brother Yun simply used a very short span of time to completely stabilize my injuries, to the point where I’m seemingly unable to feel any pain. It might be possible that Brother Yun has a way to treat father’s body as well.”
Since the two had already put it that way, Yun Qinghong naturally couldn’t refuse again. With a light smile, he said. “Fine then. But, do not strain yourself. In regards to the condition of my body, I myself know best.”
Yun Che did not speak further, as he took two steps forward. Standing in front of Yun Qinghong’s body, he then stretched out his left hand. “Senior Yun, first allow this junior to inspect the condition of your body using my profound energy, please do not resist it.”
Yun Qinghong gently nodded, and then, he slightly adjusted his sitting posture. His expression was very calm, and calmness, signified that he was not holding onto any hope. After all, just as he had said, in regards to the condition of his body, he himself was more clear than anyone else. Twenty odd years ago, not a single one out of all of the famous doctors in the world could heal him. Now that the illness had settled for twenty odd years, even more so, the possibility of healing it could no longer exist.
Yun Che reached out his palm, and carefully pressed at the place where Yun Qinghong’s heart was on chest, and then closed his eyes. Profound energy gently and slowly entered his body. At the side, Yun Xiao retreated a few steps back, and his two hands were tightly clutching onto his own chest… He wasn’t as calm as Yun Qinghong, instead, he was incomparably wishing for the appearance of a miracle.
In merely a second, Yun Che’s brows furrowed fiercely. This reaction caused Yun Xiao’s heart to skip a beat as well.
From Yun Qinghong’s complexion and superficial aura, he knew that the condition of his body was definitely extremely poor. And, only after the inspection did he shockingly realize that Yun Qinghong’s condition was much poorer than he had predicted. His internal organs were all failing to a large extent, it was seemingly impossible to find a complete internal organ. His heart, lungs, and profound veins… every single one of them was carved with scars which looked as though they were slashed by a sharp sword. And, when an expert’s internal organs were damaged, as long as sufficient time was given, they could be recovered with their own profound energy. However, these sword scars still existed even after twenty odd years… Evidently, the source of these internal injuries was definitely not ordinary, most likely caused by an extremely strong sword energy!
Sword energy… Mighty Heavenly Sword Region?!
The most frightening part wasn’t his internal injuries, but the failures of more than ninety percent of his tendons!
They were failures, not torn apart!
Even if all the tendons in a person’s body were to be completely torn apart, Yun Che would still have a way to reconnect and fix them. However, a failure like this, was even more terrifying than tears. If a regular person’s tendons were to be compared to the roots of life, then more than ninety percent of Yun Qinghong’s tendons had basically wilted. Seemingly, the existence of not even a hint of vitality could be sensed.
Similarly, his profound veins had failed as well. The damage received by his profound veins were not heavy, however, like a dried up quagmire, they were devoid of life.
It could be seen just to what extent he had overused his own profound energy and stamina back then to be able to cause his profound veins and tendons to fail to such a state.
Recalling Xiao Lie’s simple description back then, twenty-two years ago, when they fled to Floating Cloud City, their entire bodies had already been covered with injuries, and they were nearly burnt out… And after that, it was unknown just how long, and how dangerous of an escape they had experienced. Perhaps, from that moment on, their consumption at every second were all complete overusage of their energy. With such overuse of their strength, how would they still have the mental capability to care about their injuries… In their escape that made use of all of their strength and willpower, their injuries, had undoubtedly worsened with every step…
And for them to persist to such an extent, was most probably because of that child in their embrace back then…
If they were merely the failures of his profound veins and tendons, and the worsening of his internal injuries, after recuperating for more than twenty years, even if Yun Qinghong was unable to restore his profound energy, they shouldn’t be able to extinguish his flames of life to such extent… Veru quickly, Yun Che found the answer. In Yun Qinghong’s body, he discovered something that had already invaded every corner of his body… Cold poison!!
And the reason why he was frowning so heavily, was precisely because of what type of cold poison it was.
Because this cold poison, was exactly the same… as the cold poison Ru Xiaoya, Hua Minghai’s wife, had suffered from!!
Back then, bringing along Ru Xiaoya whose body had already been struck with the cold poison, Hua Minghai had stolen a large number of Purple Veined Heaven Crystals to extend her life, and had even constantly searched for various mysterious medicines, yet, he was only able to maintain a short few years of her lifespan. If he had not encountered Yun Che, Ru Xiaoya would have already passed away a year ago. While the cold poison in Yun Qinghong’s body, had existed for more than twenty years. This cold poison had long completely invaded his blood veins, bone marrows, and even his vitals. Compared to Xiaoya’s condition, it was countless times more dangerous.
Hua Minghai had once said that Ru Xiaoya’s cold poison was cast by the Sun Moon Divine Hall’s deadly hands.
Could it be that, those villains back then were not just the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region… but the Sun Moon Divine Hall as well?!
After a long while, Yun Che slowly shifted away his palm from Yun Qinghong’s chest. His pair of brows were kept tightly furrowed, not loosening in the slightest, and even his expression was a little heavy. With an anxious expression that was filled with expectations, Yun Xiao looked at him. However, even after waiting for a long while, Yun Che still did not speak up. Finally unable to bear it any longer, he voiced out. “Brother Yun, my father’s body… how is it?”
Yun Che did not reply immediately, instead, he lightly exhaled, before speaking up. “Senior Yun’s profound level back then must have been at the very pinnacle. If it was an average person, forget about living till now, I’m afraid that the person wouldn’t even live past three years.”
“I once heard from my mother that father’s accomplishments back then could be said to have shocked the entire Illusory Demon Realm. At just the age of thirty-six, he had already broken through to become a Monarch, and, he was the absolutely youngest Monarch in all of Illusory Demon Realm’s history. Adding the power of his Profound Handle, before father encountered this incident, in the entire Illusory Realm, among the people of the same age, not a single one of them was father’s match. Back then, although grandfather and the ten great Grand Elders were no longer in the family, and the family was even shouldering a grave sin, with father’s presence, no one dared to belittle our Yun family.”
Yun Xiao slowly explained. When he brought up Yun Qinghong’s glory back in the days, he wasn’t proud, but simply anguished. “Then, when father had successfully broken through to the middle stages of the Sovereign Profound Realm, he was no longer able to suppress his worry for grandfather. Along with mother who had just broken through to the Sovereign Profound Realm, they used the family’s secret device to enter the Sky Profound Continent. But… But, in the end…”
Thirty-six years old… Monarch…
To Yun Che, the realm of the Sovereign Profound, was simply too distant, and that’s exactly why the concept of a “thirty-six year old stepping into the Sovereign Profound Realm” had struck an incomparably immense blow to his heart and soul. He was the youngest Monarch in all of Illusory Demon Realm’s history… and most probably, even in the Sky Profound Continent, there still wouldn’t be anyone that could break this record.
If he had not encountered such a disaster, his future heights would have been unforeseeable!
However, the heavens just had to be envious of geniuses, causing such a catastrophe to befall upon him.
He was once a Monarch… and was even a middle-stage Monarch. His wife, was similarly a Monarch as well —— the realm at the very pinnacle, which even until now, he could only desperately look up to with his head raised.
The two of them… were actually so incredible, standing at a height which common people could only look up to.
“Hoho, there’s no point in bringing up matters of the past. Fate is determined by the heavens. No matter how strong a person is, it’s destined that he can never win against the heavens. And since such is fate, then the only choice is to calmly accept fate… It’s been more than twenty years, and I have long gotten used to it.”
Yun Qinghong’s voice was calm and gentle, and his every word was casual and light. His expression was even calmer, as though he had long accepted everything and resigned to his fate… However, from a single glance, Yun Che could see that, within his calm eyes, he was concealing a deep grievance. His words sounded as though he was calm and had resigned to his fate, however, what Yun Che heard even more was instead, anger and unwillingness.
That’s right. No matter how open-minded a person was, how could he possibly accept such a cruel arrangement of fate?
“Brother Yun, my father’s body, you… can’t do anything either?” Yun Xiao asked a little dejectedly. From Yun Che’s extremely heavy expression, he had actually obtained his answer.
Yun Qinghong chuckled, and said. “Little brother Yun, there’s no need to put it to heart. Earlier, you should have seen the condition of my body as well. It definitely isn’t because your medical skills are lacking, rather, it’s because my body is indeed incurable. In actuality, this way is fine as well. At the very least, my life is much stable than before…” Turning his head, he glanced outside the window, and lightly sighed. “In another two months, it should be time for my identity as the Patriarch to be transferred to someone else. When that time comes, I will be completely relaxed, and I will no longer have any worries.”
Even though he said that he would “no longer have any worries”, in the depths of his eyes, a deep pain… and eagerness flickered.
“Ah? Transferring the title of Patriarch to someone else?” Yun Xiao was stunned. “What’s going on? When is this going to happen? Why… Why have I never heard about it? Wa… Was this decided by the Great Elders?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head, and lightly smiled. “Xiao’er, do not mind it. I have sat on the position as the Patriarch virtually for a hundred years, it should have long been given to someone else. Although there hasn’t been anyone who brought up about the matter of having me giving up the Patriarch position, but… in three months, it will be Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony. During the grand ceremony, there would definitely be another battle between dragons and tigers of the Twelve Guardian Families, and, a big incident might even occur.”
“Big incident? What big incident?” Yun Xiao asked in shock.
“You will know when the time comes.” Yun Qinghong’s calm voice was filled with a deep helplessness. The glow in his eyes had slightly dimmed, however, it was still projecting out wisdom and farsightedness that could seemingly see through everything. But, with his weak constitution, even if he was able to see through everything, he was powerless to face it. He continued. “In the Hundred Year Ceremony, our Yun family will definitely have to face it with all we can as well. Otherwise, there’s a possibility that we might face the crisis of being expelled from the Twelve Guardian Families, and even from the Demon Imperial City.”
“Wh… What!?” Yun Xiao gasped out in shock.
“In times like this, we, father and son, should best be abandoned.” Yun Qinghong closed his eyes, his face was expressionless. “In order to face the Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, our Yun family will conduct a competition within the entire family in two months. During that time, it will also be the moment where I step down from my position… But Xiao’er, there’s no need for you to worry. After all, your maternal grandfather is still here, so the Yun family will not dare to mistreat us. Even if we really have to leave, it’s not like we have no place to go. To our family of three, leaving the Yun family which is currently a dusty land in a pile of mess, isn’t really a bad thing.”
Yun Qinghong said many words which Yun Xiao was unprepared for; he could only stare dumbfoundedly. Furthermore, he did not hide this topic from Yun Che.
And before this, he did not tell Yun Xiao even the slightest bit of this matter.
Evidently, the matter of Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven being assaulted during their meeting, had allowed him to clearly sniff out a certain odor.
In two months, the competition within the Yun family…
In three months, the Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony…
Yun Che’s chest slightly fluctuated, and following after, he gritted his teeth, as a strange clear glow flashed past his eyes. He looked at Yun Qinghong, and said with firm words. “Senior Yun, if your body is able to fully recover within two months, and is able to even restore all of the profound energy that you once had, will you still consider stepping down from the Patriarch position?”
Yun Che’s sudden question, stunned both Yun Qinghong and Yun Xiao at the same time. Yun Qinghong twitched his brows, and then, said with a bitter smile. “There’s no ‘if’. The existence of a full recovery is basically impossible. Restoring the profound energy that I once had back then, is even more of a myth.”
“Disregard the possibility for now.” Yun Che’s tone did not change, as his eyes faced Yun Qinghong’s in a straight line. “Senior Yun simply has to answer this junior. If in two months, your body and strength, returns to the ones Yun Qinghong had twenty-five years ago, then, will you still be willing to give up the Patriarch position… even if the people within your family were to force you with harsh measures!?”
Yun Qinghong looked firmly at Yun Che. In his eyes, he could see something that was causing his heart to fiercely tremble. He was silent for a short moment, and then, he shook his head slowly, with incomparable decisiveness. “No! This Patriarch position, has been passed down from generation to generation, from my great grandfather…to my grandfather… and to my father… It is the identity and responsibility my father had bestowed upon me! If I were to give up this position to someone else, even if there comes a day I will buried under the yellow earth, I still wouldn’t have the face to meet my father! And, the crisis of the Yun family is similar to thousands of kilograms of weight being held on by a strand of hair. A few lowly thieves are even plotting something secretly in their hearts. If I had sufficient strength, I definitely won’t be ignoring them with my eyes closed like I am right now… And only I, am able to revive the Yun family!”
Yun Qinghong’s final few words, were no longer the least bit calm like usual. What appeared, was a form of decisiveness and pride that was carved deep in his bones!
Chapter 505 - Treatment
“Good…” Yun Che slowly nodded. “Senior Yun, if you’re willing to believe and cooperate with me, I have a way to restore your body, and your profound strength, to their perfect state back then, in two months!”
“Ah… Ah!?” Yun Che’s words, had undoubtedly thundered in Yun Qinghong’s and Yun Xiao’s ears. Yun Xiao especially, had instantly cried out involuntarily. With quick steps, he charged over, and uncontrollably grabbed hold of Yun Che, as he said with incomparable excitement. “Brother Yun… Y-Y-You… Is what you said true? No matter if it’s father’s body or profound strength… do you really have a way… to… to… to restore them all!?”
Yun Xiao was a little incoherent with his words due to excitement, however, this demonstrated that he seemed to believe Yun Che’s words At the very least, he was filled with immense hope… As Yun Qinghong had been paralyzed for more than twenty years, if anyone else were to hear Yun Che’s words, they would simply feel that he was just making up stories. However, Yun Xiao had a strange form of indescribable trust towards Yun Che. Even if his words were as inconceivable as such, Yun Xiao would still involuntarily wish to trust him.
Yun Qinghong was dumbfounded. However, he naturally would not be as agitated as Yun Xiao. From Yun Che’s expression and his eyes, even with his lifetime worth of experience, he was unable to see a hint of false intent and pretense, but only resolution after a firm decision had been made. Facing such an expression, eyes, and tone, Yun Qinghong felt that his own suspicion had actually been shaken. Looking a little out of sorts, he stared at Yun Che, and said. “Little brother Yun, you really… have a way?”
Yun Che did not reply. Instead, he focused, reached out his hand, and once again pressed it on Yun Qinghong’s chest. Yun Qinghong’s body had been crippled for more than twenty years, and he had long completely resigned to his fate, as even he himself had long lost any belief that there was a method which could restore his body in this world… Restoring his profound strength, was even more of a dream that he did not dare to even think of. Hence, no matter how much he was guaranteed with mere words, it was impossible for him to really believe them. The only thing that could allow him to believe what Yun Che had said, was to have his own body experience the truth.
Yun Che closed his eyes. The Great Way of the Buddha began to circulate, and then, taking the absorbed nature energy, with profound energy as a medium, he slowly and carefully inserted it into Yun Qinghong’s body. Then, he carefully guided it to every corner of his body… The condition of Yun Qinghong’s body was incomparably severe. If it was allowed to recuperate with mere medical skills and medicine, even if his body could recover, it would still take at least several years. And, many of the spiritual herbs needed for this process were extremely rare and precious; there were even some, that could not be bought with mere money.
Yun Che naturally would not choose the method of treating with medical skills and medicine. To have Yun Qinghong, who was crippled for more than twenty years, recover in a short span of two months, his only choice was to use the nature energy brought by the Great Way of the Buddha!
His own body had suffered countless heavy injuries. There were even several times where his entire body was nearly destroyed and his organs were severely ruptured. However, as long as he still harbored a single breath, and a hint of will, he would be able to use the Great Way of the Buddha to speedily recover. With his current fourth level of the Great Way of the Buddha and his Dragon God’s physique, no matter how heavy his injuries were, he would be able to completely recover in less than forty-eight hours, with not a single scar left behind. At the same time, under the power of heaven and earth, the recovery speed of his profound energy was dozen times faster than an average person.
The nature energy brought upon by the Great Way of the Buddha could heal oneself, so naturally, it could heal others as well. Based on speed, it was much slower than healing himself, however, a month should be enough! After his body and profound veins were restored, there would still be a month worth of time which could be used to restore profound strength!
However, though using nature energy to undergo treatment for others sounded especially simple, reality was definitely not the case. Yun Che’s body held affinity with nature energy, however, Yun Qinghong did not possess the Great Way of the Buddha. If the nature energy that entered his body went out of Yun Che’s control, it would turn into a completely destructive force. At the same time, the medical knowledge which Yun Che possessed played a very important role in this process. He was familiar with the positions of every meridian, every acupuncture point, and even every muscle in the human body. Hence, the directions which the nature energy flowed under his control, was vividly circulating in his mind. If it was someone else, even if he possessed the same fourth level of the Great Way of the Buddha like Yun Che, it would be basically impossible for him to treat Yun Qinghong.
In the beginning, Yun Qinghong felt a warm flow of energy surge from his chest that was in contact with Yun Che’s palm. Then, the warm flow of energy spread throughout his entire body. Its aura was extremely calm, and was different from all the profound energy he had known about in his life, causing him to secretly feel astonished. Following after the constant surging of the calm aura, the warm flow of energy in his body became even denser, and the flowing began to slow down. At this moment, he felt the meridians of his limbs, which had been frozen for more than twenty years, suddenly warm up. And at the same time, his sternocostal, which had long become dormant, to the point where the dozens of veins that existed within it had almost been forgotten, experienced a piercing pain, as though it had been stabbed by a needle.
At that one moment, Yun Qinghong’s entire body stiffened, as his face revealed an expression of utter disbelief. Right after, his eyes stirred intensely, and his hands, had even began to tremble with incomparable intensity.
Ever since Yun Xiao was consciously aware of his surroundings, the father he had known of had always been as calm as water and non-competitive. He had never seen his father being enraged, and had rarely seen him laugh out loud either, as though everything in the world was unable to stir the waves in his heart. He had lived for nearly twenty-two years, yet, this was still the first time seeing his father losing control of his emotions like this all of a sudden. He worriedly said. “Father, what… what happened to you?”
“My senses…” Yun Qinghong’s eyes stirred, and his entire body was still uncontrollably trembling in excitement. “A part of my veins… have regained their senses!”
“Ah!”
Yun Qinghong’s words, to Yun Xiao, were like a heavenly message that came from the boundaries of the sky. Seeing Yun Qinghong’s body trembling in excitement, he was so joyous that it seemed as though he was about to collapse in tears right there and then. “Is that… Is that true…? Father… you really… really…”
“Do not speak for now!” Yun Qinghong forcefully suppressed his excitement. In front of him, Yun Che’s eyes had been closed the entire time. His brows were knitted tightly, and his forehead was drenched in sweat. His current state, showed that he was concentrating with all his might.
Yun Xiao hurriedly reached out his hand to cover his own mouth. He looked at Yun Che, then looked at Yun Qinghong, and no longer let out the slightest sound. However, the stirring in his eyes had clearly showed the tumbling in his inner heart.
However, the excitement in his heart, was naturally unable to compare to Yun Qinghong’s by a long margin.
The warm flow of energy continued to swim in his body. After passing through his sternocostal, those dormant veins were sending out senses one after another, as though they were awakened by a long, deep slumber. As for these veins which were completely wilted, and wouldn’t be exaggerated if they were deemed dead, he had initially thought that it would be impossible to restore them again forever. Those genius doctors whose names could shake the Illusory Demon Realm, had all told him that his meridians could never be restored. However, currently, he was clearly, and incomparably truly, sensing the existence of these veins once again.
Among these wilted veins, even if only one of them could be restored, it would be sufficient for him to believe that it was an incredible miracle. However, what he was sensing, was one vein after another being restored consecutively. The increasing painful sensations, that were either light or heavy, did not cause him to reject them in the slightest. Instead, they excited him, as though he was in a dream where he was stepping into the heavens…
Initially, he was merely someone whose body had been completely crippled more than twenty years ago, who had long lost all hope and was even calmly waiting for his death. In order to not worry his wife and son, what he expressed had always been an adaptable, breeze-like calm, as though he was seeing light of everything. However, no one could understand that was merely a form of displaying an unfathomable degree of helplessness, pain and despair. And no one could understand the degree of excitement and ecstasy he was currently feeling at this moment.
Yun Che maintained the same unmoving posture, and only sweat was flowing in streams from his head. Very quickly, his clothes were completely drenched as well. Yun Qinghong looked at this male youth in front of him who bestowed him this heavenly surprise and boundless hope. An overwhelming surge of feelings fluctuated in his inner heart.
This youth… Who is he…
Naturally, senses being restored to his veins did not represent a complete recovery. To completely restore them, even with the profound Great Way of the Buddha, it would still require a considerably long time. What Yun Che was currently doing, was to once again infuse these veins, which were initially completely wilted, back into the source of life. This was the first step he had to take in order to treat Yun Qinghong.
Having senses being restored to a few of his veins was enough to excite Yun Qinghong to think that it was all a dream. When he realized that this awakening was quickly spreading, and seemed to be awakening all of his wilted profound veins, even with his frame of mind, he felt a very heavy, heavy sense of surrealness. And this miracle, in two hours, had truly emerged within his body… Two hours later, following after the disappearance of that warm flow of energy in his body, all of his wilted veins had been completely awakened. Although it was still impossible to infuse energy into these veins which were just awakened, nor were they able to support his stamina, this was already a miracle among miracles. And, it had even lit up an incomparably bright and glaring hope within him.
Yun Che heaved a long sigh, and finally opened his eyes. He retracted his arm, and took a step back. Right after, he swiped away the beads of sweat from his forehead, on his fatigue-looking face, he revealed a light smile. “Senior Yun, now… are you able to believe this junior’s words?”
“Little brother… You…” Looking at Yun Che, he felt that foreign sensation all around his body. This was the first time in Yun Qinghong’s life that he was unable to say anything out of excitement.
“Brother Yun, you’re really… really too incredible!” Yun Xiao’s pair of eyes glowed. His fists were clenched, and he was so excited, even his limbs were not listening to his instructions somewhat. “Brother Yun, earlier, you said that… you’re able to have my father completely recover in two months… i-i-is… is that true?”
Yun Che nodded. “Of course it’s true.”
“How… How confident are you?” Yun Qinghong hurriedly spoke out right after. Currently, his face had long lost the calm and lightness he had earlier.
Yun Che said with a slight smile. “A hundred percent confident, of course! Senior Yun, don’t worry. Since this junior dares to say it, I will definitely make it possible!”
“…” Earlier, Yun Qinghong would definitely not believe these words from Yun Che. However, right now, after personally experiencing the awakening of all the veins in his body… and knowing that it even merely took an incredibly short time of two hours, his belief, had now far suppressed his suspicion.
Yun Che picked up a piece of paper from the table, speedily wrote down two rows of words, and passed it to Yun Xiao. “Your Yun family should have its own medicine storage. According to the amount listed here, go pick out these fourteen medicinal ingredients, and bring back at least a hundred and nine silver needles which are at least three inches long.”
“Ah… alright!” Currently, Yun Xiao was treating Yun Che’s words as a royal decree. He speedily glanced through it, and realized that all of the ingredients listed were very common medicinal ingredients. Thus, he could not help but ask. “Just by using these ingredients, it’s possible to heal my father’s body?”
“These are not used for Senior Yun, but for you!” Yun Che said while shifting his eyes over. “Your injuries are not light, and earlier, you were overly impulsive. Now that your blood flow is in a mess, if it’s not kept under control, I’m afraid it can’t be healed even after two months. Only the silver needles are used for Senior Yun… The cold poison in Senior Yun’s body had already invaded his entire body, and even his vitals have been completely invaded. The regular methods of expelling the poison would all have very huge risks, hence, the only choice is to use silver needles to slowly expel the poison from the various parts of his body. Hurry and go.”
When Yun Che said the words “cold poison”, and looked as though he actually had the confidence and method to expel the cold poison, the glow in Yun Qinghong’s eyes once again stirred intensely.
“Alright, I’m going now!”
Yun Xiao jogged out. Just as he reached the door, he once again stopped his steps in an instant, and turned around. “Oh, right! Mother… Where did mother go? Since Brother Yun is able to cure father, then he’s definitely able to cure mother as well!”
Yun Qinghong said: “Your uncle came over in the afternoon, so your mother followed him back to the Mu family. She should be back very soon. Hoho…”
Yun Qinghong’s final light laughter at the end, was a laughter filled with ease and comfort. Although his wife’s state was similarly severe, it should be a little lighter than his. Since the youth in front of him dared to say that he was hundred percent confident in healing him completely, then he would naturally be able to treat his wife…
Just as Yun Qinghong’s words fell, the voice of a rough man suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard. “Brother-in-law, we’re back… Mn? A guest?”
Chapter 506 - Mu Yubai, Mu Yurou
When Yun Xiao heard that voice, he turned around and shouted “Mother is back!” in a low voice. He did not care about the wounds on his body, and rushed out impatiently with steps as swift as an arrow.
Yun Che did not follow him out. Instead, his gaze shot past the door that had been pushed opened by Yun Xiao, and he looked at the two figures which had just entered the courtyard. His eyes turned hazy and something seemed to be caught in his throat; it was almost as though he had forgotten how to breathe, as his entire body started to gently tremble.
Yun Xiao’s voice quickly came from outside.
“Uncle…. Ah, Mother! You’re back!”
As Yun Xiao’s voice fell, a woman’s gentle yet anxious sounded out, “I heard that you were ambushed outside the city and had even gotten injured…. Quick, let Mother see. Where are you hurt? Are your injuries serious?”
“Eh… Mother, how did you know about my injuries?”
“Huh!” a somewhat boorish male voice rang out, the man said evenly, “This old man was helping your mother recuperate, when news suddenly came, saying that you and that girl from the Under Heaven Family were ambushed by someone. This almost scared your mother half to death, so she anxiously rushed back home. Kiddo, let me see to your injuries….”
“Big brother, How are Xiao’er’s injuries? Are they heavy? I heard that the ones who ambushed them were three Overlords. How could Xiao’er withstand any blows from them?” The woman’s voice trembled heavily and she was obviously beside herself with worry and anxiety.
“…These wounds are not light, but do not worry, they are all external injuries, as long as he rests for a while, he will make a full recovery.” The man’s rough voice rang out once more, and it carried with it a slight undertone of suspicion, “Kiddo, who helped to treat your injuries? Such serious external injuries, yet they were suppressed to this level in such a short amount of time.”
“My injuries are fine.” Yun Xiao’s heart was filled with joy, and he did not even care about his current state. He said in a hurried voice, “Mother! Come quickly! I have some extremely good news for you! Both your injuries and father’s injuries can be healed! I met this incredible big brother, and he has a way to help your bodies recover completely… it’s true!”
The voices of the three people crept closer and closer. When Yun Xiao’s voice fell, they had stepped into the room. Yun Che’s gaze regained its clarity at this moment, and his wildly-beating heart had been forced into a calm state. He looked at the two people who had followed Yun Xiao into the room… The man looked to be roughly around thirty years old. He was tall and broad, and his beard filled his face. He seemed to be a person who was unconcerned with his appearance, but his eyes were as fierce as a wild tiger’s; they were forcefully imposing. As his gaze swept across Yun Che, a kind of indescribable pressure suddenly assaulted over…
A Monarch level pressure!!
These supreme existences which had only existed in legends; in just one day, Yun Che had met them one after the other. This didn’t mean that the Illusory Demon Realm had numerous super powerful Sovereign Profound Realm practitioners. This was the Demon Imperial City, and it was the core of the Illusory Demon Realm, where the peak of its profound world was gathered. And when Yun Che had initially arrived at this place, the people he had met were all from the Demon Imperial City’s most illustrious families; Moreover they were all peak existences within their respective families…. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was the current patriarch of the elf clan; he was an individual who could cover the sky of the Illusory Demon Realm with one hand. And the tall and broad man in front of him… Was from the Twelve Guardian Families’ Mu family, Mu Yubai, the well-known Young Patriarch of the Mu family, and the future Patriarch of the Mu family. He was similarly a supreme existence who could shake the entire Illusory Demon Realm.
But what this clearly entailed was that within the short span of a few years, Yun Che had, under the instruction of Jasmine and his own desperation and hard work, begun to close in on the realm of the mightiest existences within both the Profound Sky Continent and the Illusory Demon Realm.
Mu Yubai snorted in contempt as he heard Yun Xiao’s words, “Allow your father and mother to fully recover? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”
“Uncle, Mother, what I said is completely true! If you do not believe me…. Ask Father!” Yun Xiao continued hurriedly. The miracle that had happened to Yun Qinghong caused him such joy that he felt like blood was rushing throughout his entire body. It could be said that in his entire lifetime, he had never been as excited as he was right now.
“And this… is?” The woman whom Yun Xiao supported did not seem to hear his words at all. After she entered the room, her gaze fell directly on Yun Che, and did not move at all after that. Yun Che also looked at her, his lips repeatedly closing and opening, yet he did not utter a single word.
The years did not leave many marks on her body, but it seemed to have left her with many scars. Anyone could see that in her youth, she had been a peerless beauty. Her appearance was gentle and elegant, her disposition, graceful and noble. Yet her disposition was not so much one of excessive nobility, it was more like she exuded an aura of melancholy… A deeply engraved melancholy that seemed to sit between her brows and in her soul. The melancholy was so deep that it seemed like even one thousand years would not be enough to clear it away. Even if an insensitive person saw her, he or she would clearly be able to feel her sorrow.
Her face showed the same kind of paleness as Yun Qinghong. Even though she could walk, each step showed a noticeable weakness; even her eyes seemed to be covered in with a layer of haziness.
Her current state might have been slightly better than Yun Qinghong’s… but it was not better by much.
She… is my… birth mother…
Mother…
“Could it be that you are the young man who saved this kid and the Under Heaven Family’s girl?” Mu Yubai measured Yun Che with his eyes. When he felt his profound strength level, his brows making an obvious movement.
“Mn, mn!” Yun Xiao nodded his head, his expression filled with excitement as he said, “Let me introduce him to you. Mother, Uncle, this person is Brother Yun. When Seventh Sister and I were ambushed by the men in black, he was the one who saved us…. Uh, Mother? Mother, are you alright? Why do you keep staring at Brother Yun?”
Yun Xiao waved his hand in front of Mu Yurou’s eyes a couple of times. It was only after this that she recovered from her stupor. After which, she gently laughed, “It’s nothing, I am just very grateful. This child seems to feel so close and familiar to me, it is as if…. I had seen him once very long ago. Yun Che… Ah, so your surname is also Yun. I am Yun Xiao’s mother, thank you for saving my Xiao’er.”
After saying this, Mu Yurou wanted to raise her body slightly, but Yun Che hurriedly stepped forward, “Au… Aunt Yun, please do not salute me. When I first saw Yun Xiao, it was like meeting an old friend. Also we have the same surname, and saving him was as simple as lifting a finger. Moreover, we are preparing to become sworn brothers, so please do not salute this junior in any way whatsoever.”
“This…” Mu Yurou was slightly startled.
“Hoho.” Yun Qinghong laughed, and looking at Yun Che, he said, “Yurou, you and I both share this same feeling, like we have seen him somewhere before. Just now, I even said that he looked like me in my youth, or perhaps he really does share some great affinity with our family… Yubai, how did the two of you find out about Xiao’er being ambushed?”
Mu Yubai sternly declared, “The precious daughter of the Under Heaven family was almost killed. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven would definitely go wild with anger, so this old man quickly learned about this matter, but unfortunately, Yurou also heard it. Hmph…” Mu Yubai’s expression became dark, “Looks like some people think that they’ve been living too comfortably, so they’re in a hurry to court death! This matter has already drawn my attention, and that old dog from the Under Heaven family is definitely even more focused on it. I believe that it will only be a short while before we ferret out these bastards who are clearly tired of living.”
“I’m just afraid that this current situation is a tad more complicated than what you think it is.” Yun Qinghong said while sighing.
Mu Yubai’s eyes flashed, “Brother-in-law, did you perceive something?”
“Let’s turn our minds to other things first.” Yun Qinghong did not want to continue on this topic. His gaze turned to Yun Che and he said, “Little brother, is it possible for you to examine my wife’s condition… If you can cure my wife, this Yun will definitely, in this life…”
“Senior Yun’s words are too serious!” Yun Che swiftly said, interrupting Yun Qinghong mid-speech, “Yun Xiao and I are as close as brothers, Senior Yun and Aunt Yun are like half my family. This junior will definitely put in all of his effort. As for words of politeness or gratefulness, you really don’t need say them.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Yun Xiao swiftly nodded his head, “Mother, hurry and sit, and let Brother Yun examine you. Brother Yun is extremely skilled in medical arts. Father’s dead… Pooh! Pooh! I mean Father’s meridians that had been in deep sleep for twenty odd years; Brother Yun woke them all up in less than two hours! Right now, Father is beginning to regain feeling in various parts of his body.”
“What!” Mu Yubai brows jumped violently, he surged forward and rested his extended hand on top of Yun Qinghong’s shoulder. Quickly, the expression on his face became awash with violent emotions.
“Big Brother, is it true?” Mu Yurou asked excitedly.
Mu Yubai released his grip, and slowly nodded his head, saying, “It’s true… His previously dead meridians have completely recovered their vitality. Even though they are still relatively weak, as long as he devotes all his attention to becoming well, in no more than a few years, he can make a full recovery… This is practically a miracle!”
“This is… true?” Mu Yurou body shook violently, and she was so excited that she nearly fainted on the spot.
“Hoho. Even though this is my own body, even I myself nearly thought that I was dreaming.” Yun Qinghong slowly lifted both his hands. Although he had calmed down from his previous excitement long ago, his ruddy face still bore traces of it, as it manifested the great waves in his heart, “Right now, I can clearly feel the existence of every single meridian in my body.”
“All of this is thanks to the efforts of Brother Yun!” Yun Xiao declared with great enthusiasm, “Brother Yun even said that he is confident that he can help father recover not only physically, but also help him recover his profound strength; all within the span of two months.”
“Complete recovery?” Mu YuBai gaze shot towards Yun Che, and he started to appraise him yet again, “Did you really say such a thing?”
“Yes.” Yun Che nodded his head.
Mu Yubai furrowed his brows as his gaze turned grave, “You used a mere two hours to help a completely crippled person’s veins make a full recovery, so you do needed have godly skills. In the two hundred years that I’ve lived thus far, I have not heard of such a thing before. But, before I question your medical ability, let me explain that what he suffered from was not a simple injury; it was a complete crippling due to him overdrawing on his own strength! Besides his meridians being crippled, his profound veins and internal organs are all on the brink of failure. Moreover, there is still an extremely terrifying and uncleansable cold poison in his system. Do you really have the ability to help him make a full recovery… And even help him recover his strength?”
Yun Che looked straight at him, his expression calm as he answered, “Doctors do not tell lies. I can resurrect Senior Yun’s from the grave in two hours. I also have the confidence that within seven days, I can help them fully recover. I will be able to completely cleanse the cold poison in Senior Yun’s body, in the following three days, with not a single trace remaining. As for the failure of his profound veins and five viscera, even though it is troublesome, I have confidence that I can help Senior Yun make a full recovery within one month… Give me another month, and I can help Senior Yun regain all his profound strength.”
Mu Yubai, “…”
“The more this junior speaks, the harder it will be for Senior Mu to be convinced. In two months time, everyone will naturally witness the results.” Yun Che declared with determination.
The gaze which Mu Yubai used to regard Yun Che grew more and more concentrated, while his heart was in a constant state of upheaval. The young man standing before him was only at the Sky Profound Realm, but under his imposing manner and his gaze, his gaze did not waver, nor did his face change color. Both his eyes were clear as clean water; he could not even detect a hint of falseness or inadequacy. Moreover, every word he said, to the ears of those who was familiar with Yun Qinghong’s condition, sounded too fantastic to be true. But somehow, they possessed the ability to cause people to unwittingly believe.
“Good!” Mu Yubai nodded his head, “If you can really do as you have said, and cure my little sister and brother-in-law, then at that time, whatever request you make of me, even if you want me give my life for you, I won’t even furrow a brow!”
This was the Young Patriarch of the Mu Family, yet he actually vowed to give his life to another. Yun Che was absolutely the first and only person he had ever made this vow to before. And this undoubtedly showed his deep concern for Mu Yurou. Yun Che looked at him with a few more degrees of respect… A kind of instinctive respect.
“This junior only has one tiny request.” Yun Che said, “In regards to the healing of Senior Yun and Aunt Yun, before I have succeeded, please do not speak of this to anyone.”
“Ah? Why?” Yun Xiao said in confusion, but he immediately saw that both Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou did not express any suspicion or surprise. Instead, both of them looked deep in thought.
Yun Che continued, “Even though this is junior’s first time coming to Demon Imperial City, after hearing about some things concerning the Yun Family and the Twelve Guardian Families from Yun Xiao, then witnessing the attack against Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven, I can faintly guess a few things. Coupled with the fact that in three months time, it will the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, and that the Yun Family Clan Competition will be held in two months. During this period, there won’t be any peace within the Yun Family, and there will also be an undercurrent of unlawful elements abounding as well. If this junior’s ability to heal both Senior Yun and Aunt Yun is leaked outside, forgive this junior for speaking frankly, what may come from the rest of the Yun Family might very well not be delight… And in two months time, if Senior Yun and Aunt Yun still present themselves as cripples at the Family Competition, you might perhaps be able to unearth even more truths.”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yubai stayed silent for a short period of time. Then, Mu Yubai nodded his head and said, “You are correct. This matter definitely cannot be discovered by anyone else. On my side, I will only tell this to my Father, to raise his spirits. Xiao’er, always bear this in mind, you definitely cannot let anyone else know of this matter. Do not reveal even a trace of information! Even if that girl from the Under Heaven Family who has got you wrapped around her little finger comes calling, you are not to reveal anything at all! Do you understand?!”
“I understand, I definitely won’t tell anyone else.” Yun Xiao nodded his head vigorously. Even though he did not fully understand Yun Che’s words, he knew what was important and what was not, and he also knew what he should and should not do, so he was very clear about this.
“Kid… Is this really your first time coming to the Demon Imperial City?” Mu Yubai stared at Yun Che as he spoke.
“It’s my first time. In fact, this very day is my first day within the Demon Imperial City.” Yun Che said with extreme steadfastness. Not a single one of the words he spoke was a lie.
“Kid… You’re not simple…” Mu Yubai said seriously, “The words that I have said to you just now, I definitely won’t go back on them! If you can really completely heal them both, not only this family, but even I, Mu Yubai, will owe you half my life!”
Yun Qinghong lightly nodded. He was exceedingly clear on the kind of shocking appraisal that would actually cause the words “not simple” to come out from Mu Yubai’s mouth.
Yun Che nodded his head, after which he turned to Mu Yurou, “Yun Xiao, bring Aunt Yun over here. I will help her awaken her meridians first.”
Mu Yubai’s eyes suddenly flashed, while Yun Qinghong gently said, “Just now, your act of awakening my meridians have already caused you to be drenched in sweat, and it must have consumed a lot of your strength. I think it would be better if you had a rest first.”
“No need.” Yun Che shook his head, “Because we must first unblock the veins before we can begin to cleanse the cold poison. Every breath the poison remains within the body increases the damage it does and the danger it poses. Senior Yun might have suffered more severe bodily harm than Aunt Yun, but Aunt Yun’s constitution is slightly weaker than Senior Yun. If Senior Yun’s condition is left unattended, he can still endure for roughly another three years. But, even though Aunt Yun can walk, the cold poison in her body can completely invade her life vein at any time… This also means that there is a chance the cold poison in her body could completely flare up at any time. Therefore… We cannot wait even another second!”
Yun Che did indeed wear himself out in order to treat Yun Qinghong earlier, but he had no exaggerated in the slightest about Mu Yurou’s condition. So even though he was dead tired, he would definitely not allow any more delays to occur, because she… was his birth mother!
“Ah!” Yun Che words frightened Yun Xiao greatly. He had never thought that his parent’s conditions had worsened to this degree. His voice practically shivered as he asked, “Is… Is… Is this really true?”
He himself was the most clear on the current status of his body, so after hearing what Yun Che had said, Yun Qinghong’s confidence in him suddenly rose by several degrees. He lightly said, “If that is the case, then we will have to trouble you.”
Yun Xiao helped Mu Yurou sit down. Yun Che stood in front of Mu Yurou, and his palms gently pressed down on the pit of her stomach… There was only a distance of half a step between the both of them, and Mu Yurou’s gaze was very close. And it was only this gaze that Yun Che did not dare meet, because he was afraid that the gentleness of that gaze would cause him to lose control there and then.
In the past, he was very certain that he was completely indifferent to blood ties which did not exist at first. Even if he met his birth parents, it would not cause a single ripple in his heart… But after seeing Yun Qinghong, and meeting Mu Yurou, he knew then that he was wrong, and what a great wrong it was. Or perhaps it was better to say that the bond of blood was not something that could be controlled by willpower or fear.
“Child, I have troubled you. Please do not feel too much pressure. Even if you cannot heal me, we will forever be grateful to you.” Mu Yurou said in a gentle voice. She viewed the man in front of her up close, and she found that it was hard for her to draw her gaze away from him. A strange feeling caused her heart to beat chaotically; it was only that she could not figure out the reason for such a bizarre feeling.
Yun Che nodded his head lightly. After that, the Great Way of the Buddha was completely active and he regulated his profound energy control until it was at its most gentle state. He used this profound energy to slowly and gently infuse the energy of heaven and earth into Mu Yurou’s body.
Mu Yubai’s eyes opened wide, and he stared unblinkingly at Yun Che’s movements and expression. Once Mu Yurou’s veins had been fully awoken, her body started to transmit signals of pain to her, and this caused the Young Patriarch of the Mu Family, who could shake the entire Illusory Demon Realm, to jump up and down excitedly like a little kid. He started to circle Yun Che and Mu Yurou excitedly while his two hands rubbed together so vigorously that they almost generated sparks.
Seeing the result and witnessing the process was naturally two completely different matters altogether. Mu Yubai viewed Yun Che with passion, but also as if he was some kind of monster. Yun Qinghong was extremely quiet throughout the process; the expression in his eyes switched from joy to wonder and back again. At the same time, he also mutely gazed at Yun Che as he sank into deep thought.
This time Yun Che only used one hour to successfully clear all of Mu Yurou’s veins. After he had accomplished his mission, he swayed once, then collapsed to sit on the floor, with his entire body soaked in sweat.
“Brother Yun!” Yun Xiao rushed over to support him.
“Yun Xiao, help me arrange for a quiet room… Senior Yun, Aunt Yun, Senior Mu, this junior has slightly exceeded the limits of his endurance, so I will have to excuse myself first…”
After he had finished speaking, the scenery in front of him became a blur, and he could not hear a single sound… Soon after, he descended into a deep sleep.
In the state where his mind was relaxed, he only wanted to have a good sleep. If he was in another place, even if he was not surrounded by enemies, he would never allow himself to descend into such deep slumber. But the ones around him, even though he had only known all of them for a day, were all people who had true blood ties to him… The indescribable bonds established by blood was not something he could defend against, or was willing to defend against with his great willpower.
Chapter 507 - Close Relatives
It would not be exaggerated in the least to state that below the Divine Profound Realm, Yun Che’s recovery rate had no equal. When Yun Che awoke, the sky had already turned dark, and he had roughly recovered all the mental and profound strength he had exhausted. After he woke up, he realized that he was lying on a small, fluffy bed. The surroundings were quiet and the room’s furnishing was simple yet elegant. He directed his gaze outside the window. Yun Che could tell with a glance that he was no longer in Yun Qinghong’s small courtyard, but he should be in one of the guestrooms that were to the side of the main hall.
Yun Che perked up his ears and he could faintly make out the conversation that Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were having on the other side of the wall. In order not to disturb his rest, the voices of the two were very quiet. Yun Che jumped off the bed and quickly organised his thoughts. After that, he picked up his Sound Transmission Jade and located the Sound Transmission Imprint left behind by Number One Under Heaven.
“Brother Under Heaven, there is one matter in which I require your help for.” Yun Che sent out his message via sound transmission.
In a few moments, the Sound Transmission Jade shone with a flash of profound light, the revolving profound formation emitting Number One Under Heaven’s good-humored voice, “Brother Yun, you just need to say what you want and it will be done.”
Yun Che said in a very frank and matter-of-fact tone, “In two months time, the Yun Family, in order to prepare for the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony that is coming in three months, will be holding a Family Competition, and at that time, I hope that Brother Under Heaven can also be present… As for the reason why, please forgive me for not being able to say it right now, but all will be revealed to Brother Under Heaven at that time.”
Without letting Yun Che wait for too long, Number One Under Heaven’s voice transmitted over once again, “You do not need to explain the reasons to me, because in comparison to the fact that Brother Yun saved my little sister’s life, this small matter is not even worth mentioning. When the time comes, I will be there. I definitely won’t go back on my words.”
Number One Under Heaven was an extremely straightforward person, so the entire process was much smoother than Yun Che had predicted. After all, he did save Number Seven Under Heaven’s life. And because Number One Under Heaven had a naturally proud personality, he was not willing to owe anyone favors. To top it all off, this arrangement had already been made previously, so even if Yun Che did not explain himself, he would absolutely not reject Yun Che.
The door was pushed open as Yun Xiao, who had heard the sound of voices, hurriedly rushed into the room. Looking at Yun Che, he joyfully cried, “Brother Yun, you’re awake!”
“Mn!” Yun Che nodded his head, “Yun Xiao, it’s good that you have come. Because now we can begin the ceremony.”
“Eh? Ceremony?”
Yun Che grabbed Yun Xiao and hauled him down into a kneeling position. After which, he pointed his fingers towards the sky and he began speaking methodically, “I, Yun Che, from this day forward will become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao. I will be the elder, Yun Xiao the younger. And from this day forward we will share both our joys and sorrows. Yun Xiao’s relatives will be my own, and my relatives will be Yun Xiao’s own as well. These words have been witnessed under the blue sky, if any of us violate them, may he be damned by both heaven and earth!”
Yun Xiao knelt there, dazed, and he had not regained his sense yet. After Yun Che had said his vows, he patted him on the shoulder, “Alright, now it is your turn.”
Yun Xiao turned his head, and his face was filled with bewilderment. He moved his lips and hurriedly said, “Brother Yun, I… I…”
“Why? You don’t want to be sworn brothers with me?” Yun Che asked with a laugh.
“No, of course not.” Yun Xiao shook his head, then he stared straight at Yun Che and said with sincerity, “Brother Yun’s talents reach the heavens and your medical expertise has reached a point where it startles everyone. Moreover, you have done so many things for me and my parents, but I… Even though I am the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch in name, you saw my true status today. I have only known you for a day, yet your light is so dazzling that I do not even dare to gaze upon it directly. In front of Brother Yun, I am practically a firefly to your bright moon, I don’t understand… why Brother Yun would be willing to become sworn brothers with me? And not only that, you even took the initiative…”
Yun Xiao’s temperament was warm and he always did things in a manner that was tolerant and circumspect, but he definitely was no fool. So Yun Che would definitely not blame Yun Xiao for having suspicions about him. He looked at Yun Xiao, and said in an even more sincere tone, “Yun Xiao, for you to have such suspicions is absolutely normal. And the misgivings your parents have towards me are definitely even greater than your own. Indeed, there is no such thing as free lunch in this world, and no benefits are given for no reason at all. It is the same with me as well. But Yun Xiao, please believe me. I do not have any schemes hatched against you or your family, nor do I have any ill intentions towards all of you. I will never bear any malice towards any of you, not now or ever. I sincerely want to become a real brother to you, and I am even more sincere in my desire to have your family become my own as well… As for the reason for all of this, I cannot divulge that at the present moment, but give me at most… At most six months, and I will clearly explain all my motivations to you. If any of the words I have said to you are false, then may I die a dog’s death!”
“Ah!” Yun Xiao heard the curse Yun Che directed at himself and it frightened him tremendously. If he still had some suspicions before, the resolute and decisive words uttered by Yun Che and his resolute sincere eyes had completely wiped it away, causing Yun Xiao to not be able to manifest even a shred of ill-feeling or guard against Yun Che. He nodded his head and faced forward; raising his fingers to the sky, he uttered the exact same words that Yun Che did, “I, Yun Xiao, from this day forward will become sworn brothers with Brother Yun Che. Brother Yun will be the elder, I the younger. And from this day forward we will share both our joys and sorrows. Brother Yun’s relatives will be my own, and my relatives will be Brother Yun’s own as well. These words have been witnessed under the blue sky, if any of us violate them, may he be damned by both heaven and earth!”
Yun Xiao’s feelings were way more agitated than Yun Che. Yun Che had told him there was really a reason for all of this, but what had given him much more clarity was Yun Che’s heartfelt sincerity. Moreover, there was also the urgency and concern with which he treated Mu Yurou’s condition when he helped her clear her veins, to the point where he finally fainted because he had exhausted his mental strength beyond his limits…
Even though he did not understand the reasons behind it, at the moment, he was extremely convinced that Yun Che would not hurt him or his family… Or maybe he was really a divine being sent by the heavens to save his family.
“Younger Brother Yun Xiao greets Elder Brother.” Yun Xiao knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Yun Che in a sincere and moved manner.
Yun Che accepted his kowtow, then lifted him up. After Yun Xiao got up, both of them laughed and nodded their heads. Yun Che said, “From now onwards we will be just like blood brothers. No matter what happens from now on, we will mutually rely on one another and no one is allowed to hold back.”
“Good! Hehe… I have a big brother now and what a powerful big brother he is. It’s as if I’m dreaming.” Yun Xiao’s face was red. It was still suffused with excitement, “It’s only that I am really not up to the mark to be your younger brother. I don’t know how much more I will owe Big Brother from now on.”
“Haha, since we are already brothers, don’t say such cold things.” Yun Che gave off a hearty laugh as he looked at Yun Xiao’s emotional appearance. He sighed in his heart and thought, Yun Xiao, you may think that you are the one who owes me. But the people I saved are my very own birth parents, whereas your birth parents, along with your grandmother, died because of me. Your grandfather had to endure intense pain akin to his flesh being torn apart as he raised me under the most bitter of circumstances. Your little aunt became my most gentle spiritual support in my youth. And even you, you had to bear such humiliation and indifference for twenty two years. All because of me…
If you want to talk about owing someone, it is I who owe you. What I owe your family… Can never ever be repaid… The only thing I can do is to make sure that you are no longer bullied or humiliated and to allow you, Grandfather and Little Aunt to reunite, while also finding the true culprit behind my foster father’s death… And that is all I can really do…
“Let’s go, your parent’s meridians have already been unobstructed, so we can begin to process of ridding their bodies of the cold poison.” Yun Che said as he strode towards the door.
“Ah? Now?” Yun Xiao said worriedly, “But Big Brother, you just fainted from over-exhaustion and you have only just awakened. What if you get hurt due to exhaustion? Why don’t you rest first and then begin again tomorrow? There’s no hurry really.”
“Do I look exhausted to you?” Yun Che stretched and twisted his neck, then sternly declared, “I already said this, but your parents are now my parents as well. And seeing that your mother’s condition is already precarious, even if you are willing to wait until tomorrow, I am not. Let’s go.”
“Ah… Ok.”
Both of them pushed open the door of the main hall together and strode in side by side. They saw Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou sitting there, smiling at the both of them. Yun Xiao wore a slightly embarrassed expression and said with a small laugh, “Father, Mother, did you hear everything Big Brother and I said a while ago?”
The only thing that separated the two rooms was a wall that was not thick at all. Moreover, the volume they used just now was not soft, so even if it was a normal person, he or she could have heard everything clearly.
“Hoho, we did not miss a single word.” Yun Qinghong said as he laughed gently, “Xiao’er, congratulations on gaining such a fine older brother. Even I can feel that Yun Che has not even a single iota of ill-intent towards our family. And as for the so-called reason, it actually isn’t even important anymore.”
Mu Yurou’s eyes were watery as she said softly, “Husband, since they have already become sworn brothers, what say we accept this child as our foster son?”
Yun Qinghong laughed heartily, “If we could have such an illustrious and exceptional son, it would of course be perfect. But as to this, why don’t we see what Yun Che has to say first.”
Yun Che’s chest swelled up violently. He took a step forward and immediately kneeled on the ground, “Your child Yun Che greets Foster Father and Foster Mother.”
Mu Yurou and Yun Qinghong shared a glance as a joyous and delighted smile appeared on both their faces. Yun Qinghong clasped both his hands lightly and he sighed in a clearly emotional manner, “Good… Good… I, Yun Qinghong, have resented the heavens for these past few decades. But today, today can be counted as some compensation towards our family, to allow us to have yet another son.”
“Child, stand up, the floor is cold. Mu Yurou stood up and gently raised Yun Che up. Looking at her warm gaze which seemed to melt everything, Yun Che nearly lost control of himself and said in an emotional voice, “Can I… not address you as Foster Father and Foster Mother, and call you Father and Mother instead, like Yun Xiao?”
Once he had said those words, Yun Che immediately regretted it… It was merely a day, but he had become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao and recognized them as foster parents. These actions in and of themselves were way too impulsive. And these words he had just uttered were impulsive beyond belief. He hurriedly explained, “Since a young age, my birth parents had left me. And the foster parents who had taken me in soon left the world not long after I had been born. I was too young to even remember their faces and it was always Grandfather who had raised me into adulthood. So I don’t even know the feeling of being able to call someone Father or Mother, so…”
Yun Che’s words inadvertently pierced Mu Yurou’s heart. Her eyes instantly became hazy as she answered, “You are truly such a pitiful child… Che’er, as long as you don’t mind, we will be your father and mother from now on. And we will love and cherish you as though you are our very own. You can call us whatever you like.”
Yun Qinghong also lightly nodded his head.
Yun Che’s heart violently jumped and he knelt down once again. He gazed at them as he shouted softly, “Father… Mother…”
Even though he tried his best to control his voice, when he called out those two words, they still carried a heavy tremble.
This was the first time in both of his lives, the first time he was yelling out these two words which were beyond familiar to most people… Moreover, the ones he were addressing them to were his very own birth parents.
I am finally someone who also has parents now… Yun Che closed his eyes, basking in the feeling of being able to greet his parents. At this moment, he felt like his life had instantly gotten closer to completion, and the hole that had always quietly existed in his heart, the feeling that he was lacked something, vanished as well. It was also in this moment that he truly understood what it was that he lacked all this while…
Chapter 508 - Twenty Five Years Ago…
“Good child…” Mu Yurou mumbled softly as she supported Yun Che. Her eyes were completely hazy and her tears instantly poured out.
“Ah!” After seeing his mother suddenly tear up, Yun Xiao was shocked, and he hurriedly rushed over, “Mother, what is the matter? This is a joyous occasion, why are you crying all of a sudden?”
Mu Yurou shook her head and she tried using her hand to wipe her tears, but the tears simply would not stop flowing as her eyes soon turned completely red. She said in a voice that was choked with emotion, “I am alright. Maybe it’s because I have another son now, so I am too happy…”
When Yun Che called her ‘Mother’, she could feel her heart fiercely shake, and her tears started streaming down uncontrollably; even she could not explain why this was so.
“Ah, your mother, her most unique characteristic is that she loves to cry. When she was young she used to cry once every two days and wail once every three. Even after she became a mother, she still retained her love for crying. Hoho.” Yun Qinghong laughed as he shook his head while giving Mu Yurou a look filled with affection and love. He guessed that it was from the moment Yun Che had uttered “since a young age, my birth parents had left me” that her heartstrings had been pulled… All these years, every time she thought of that child, she had shed a rainstorm of tears.
Mu Yurou wiped her tears and rolled her eyes at Yun Qinghong. She said with a small pout, “I have just become Yun Che’s mother but you chose to tease me right in front of him. Just wait for Xiao’er and Che’er to leave first and then you’ll see how I will take care of you… Che’er, don’t believe his words, I was just too overjoyed. Hurry, get up.”
Yun Qinghong straightened his shoulders and said in a merry voice, “We now have yet another son. This is a momentous happy occasion. No matter what, we should have a few drinks today. Che’er, you haven’t eaten anything today, so you should be starving. Let’s go, let this old man first drink his fill, hahahaha!”
Yun Qinghong laughed uninhibitedly, and it was obvious that he was in an extremely good mood. But Yun Che shook his head and replied, “As long as Father is willing, I will gladly accompany you. However, at the moment, we must attend to a more important manner, and that is the cold poison which is still within the both of you. Especially the cold poison that remains within Mother… this is the most pressing matter currently. Let me get rid of the cold poison within both your bodies first.”
“You were already so tired before. Don’t force yourself, I will be alright. Regarding getting rid of the poison, we can deal with it tomorrow.” Mu Yurou said in a gentle voice.
But Yun Che shook his head without hesitation, “This is a huge matter which concerns Mother’s health and safety. I am not willing to delay any treatment.”
Yun Qinghong nodded his head gently, “Che’er seems to have recovered most of his mental strength, and what he says is undeniable. Good! Let us follow Che’er’s suggestion.”
“Yun Xiao, why don’t you get some rest first. You’re still suffering from your injuries and you’ve been running around for the entire day. If you don’t get some rest soon, not only will your injuries not stabilize, they might even worsen.” Yun Che told him with a serious expression.
Yun Xiao had actually been enduring the stress that his wounds were giving his body all this while. He did not force the issue. Due to the fact that he also had extremely great confidence in Yun Che, he nodded matter-of-factly, and replied, “Okay, I will go rest first then. Big Brother, I leave Father and Mother in your capable hands.”
Once Yun Xiao left, Yun Che did not delay any further, and swiftly began the process of expelling the poison from Mu Yurou’s body. He asked Mu Yurou to sit up straight, then, he took out the box of long silver needles which Yun Xiao had brought along. He held ten of these silver needles in one hand and with a light flick of his fingers, all the needles flew out silently. They pierced Mu Yu Rou’s clothes easily, penetrating her body.
When Yun Che had lifted the hand with the needles, Yun Qinghong’s eyes jumped and he involuntarily opened his mouth and raised his hand. But before any sound emerged from his mouth, his entire body stiffened up as he stared in shock at the spots where the ten needles were inserted… Those were clearly the ten core acupoints located on the back of any profound practitioner.
Normal doctors would not only require their patients to disrobe so they could ascertain the locations of these acupoints before they could perform acupuncture, but they also needed to insert the needles one by one in a most careful and prudent manner. But Yun Che did this all with clothes covering the body. Not only that, he inserted all ten needles at the same time. And every single one of those needles unerringly hit their mark… This could only be described to be a god-like skill.
Yun Che kept switching his position. The five fingers on his right hand seemed to dance and weave in an illusory fashion. After a short period of time, one hundred silver needles had been inserted into Mu Yurou’s body. During this whole process, not only did she not hear a single thing, she didn’t even feel the slightest hint of pain.
The cold poison within Mu Yurou’s and Yun Qinghong’s body had settled in far too deeply, so Yun Che could not use the Sky Poison Pearl directly to cleanse it. Instead he had to use profound energy to direct it, using the silver needles as a medium, in order to draw the cold poison out of various parts of the body. It was only after this that he could swiftly cleanse the cold poison using the Sky Poison Pearl. Moreover, it was easy to use words to describe the method, but undertaking it was incomparably difficult and slow.
After inserting all the silver needles, Yun Che sat behind Mu Yurou. His palm pressed against the middle of her back, while he slowly and gently infused his profound energy into her.
Yun Qinghong did not leave, instead he witnessed every single movement that Yun Che made as well, as every slight change that was happening to Mu Yurou. He wanted to see just how Yun Che could expel the cold poison which various famous genius doctors thought was impossible to do so.
After a whole four hours passed in silence, a deep blue color slowly appeared on the inserted one hundred and nine silver needles… The deep blue color was dull, but when it was gazed upon, one’s entire body would filled with a kind of dread which made them shiver all over. Yun Qinghong’s gaze froze and he couldn’t help but let out a low sigh, “Could it be that this is actually…”
After he mumbled these few words to himself, he immediately quietened down, so as to not disturb Yun Che. It was at this moment that Yun Che opened his eyes and said, “That is right, this is the cold poison that is within Mother’s body.”
After he finished speaking, Yun Che removed his palm from Mu Yurou’s body. In the instant that he removed his palm, it flared with a flash of green light. All of a sudden, the deep blue color on the needles vanished completely. The poison had been cleansed so deeply that nothing remained. In contrast, Mu Yurou’s eyes closed as she descended into sleep.
“Does this mean that you have already succeeded?” Yun Qinghong said as he struggled to restrain his excitement.
Yun Che shook his head and replied, “Not yet, the cold poison that I drew out just now was only a tiny portion of what is in her body. The cold poison has circulated within Mother’s body for over twenty years and it has embedded itself too deeply. We cannot be greedy and advance rashly. Even though I only drew out a small portion, it was still unavoidable that it would also carry some part of Mother’s vitality with it. Because Mother lost some of her vitality, she grew tired and fell asleep. But do not worry Father, this loss of vitality was not heavy. As long as we proceed at a slow pace, there will be no lasting damage done to Mother’s body and she can quickly recover any vitality she has lost.”
Having suffered from the cold poison for over twenty years, both of them had long ago become intimately familiar with this deadly cold poison. And at this moment, Yun Qinghong could clearly tell that the cold yin energy in Mu Yurou’s body had lessened by twenty percent. Following this, his last suspicions regarding Yun Che vanished into thin air as well. What remained was only a heart filled with delight, hope, and admiration. In regards to Yun Che, Yun Qinghong was rendered speechless by his overwhelming gratitude and astonishment. He could only nod his head heavily while his eyes moistened.
“Father, allow me to regulate my breathing first. After that, I will begin to help you expel the cold poison.” Yun Che said with a relaxed expression.
“I am in no rush. Do not over-exhaust yourself because of us.” Yun Qinghong said in a light tone. Even though he was extremely suspicious over why Yun Che would treat his family of three in such a grand fashion, he could not detect the slightest bit of falseness in Yun Che’s sincerity and heartfelt concern towards them.
After staying quiet for a little while, Yun Che’s mental energy had recovered by more than half. He once again opened his eyes and hurriedly said, “Father, I can feel that within Mother’s heart, that there is some sort of great frustration. Her wounds and poison are not as deep as Father’s but her physical condition is way worse than yours. This emotional torment is one of the reasons for it… The thing that is troubling Mother… What is it? I want to know if there is any way… any way that I can help… share this burden.”
“Ah.” Yun Qinghong let out a lengthy sigh. “Now that’s a long story. She does indeed have a pent-up frustration in her heart. And in these past twenty odd years, she has never once truly smiled from her heart.”
Yun Qinghong did not continue after this. Yun Che unwittingly bit his lips. After that, he said in a gentle tone, “Even though I have just reached the Demon Imperial City, I have also heard rumors that Yun Xiao is actually not the biological son of you and Mother. Is this… really true? I am merely curious, and at the same time, I am indignant on behalf of Yun Xiao. If I have asked an inappropriate question, please do not be offended by it, Father.”
Yun Qinghong shook his head and laughed dully, “This matter is actually known by the entire Illusory Demon Realm. There is nothing inappropriate about saying it in front of me.” He stopped for a moment as he hesitated momentarily. He quickly came to a decision, and continued in frustrated voice, “Perhaps I should find someone whom I can pour out my heart to about this matter. Xiao’er is already an adult, but there are some things we have always been hiding from him. However, this concerns his life and his origins, he should know about it. It’s just that we have not found a suitable time to speak to him… You and Xiao’er have become sworn brothers, and in the future you will definitely be a huge help to him. Perhaps I should confide in you first, so this will be better for Xiao’er in the long run.”
Yun Che raised his head, “Father is saying…”
Yun Qinghong gently said, “It is as the rumors say. Xiao’er, he… truly is not our biological son.”
Yun Che, “…”
“I think that you have also heard the rumor that he actually comes from the Profound Sky Continent… This rumour is also true.” Yun Qinghong gave Yun Che a sidelong glance as he watched his reaction. For him to tell all of this to Yun Che was definitely not done in impetuousness. Those from the Illusory Demon Realm bore an extremely deep ill will towards the people of the Profound Sky Continent. The fact that Yun Xiao was actually from the Profound Sky Continent would also inevitably come to light one day… Besides there were already some people who had long uncovered most of the truth; it was only the final remnant which they doggedly guarded that was left to protect him. Yun Che and Yun Xiao had just become sworn brothers. If he also held malice towards people from the Profound Sky Continent, then to let him know about this matter right now was far and away better than letting him know that later.
But he immediately discovered that Yun Che did not seem to care about this revelation in the least. Instead, he asked in a straightforward manner, “Could it be that Yun Xiao is a child from the Profound Sky Continent that you took in?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head and directed his gaze outside the window as his gaze grew misty and distant, his memories bringing him back to that unforgettable time, “Twenty-five years ago, your mother and I decided to use the Yun Family secret device to travel to the Profound Sky Continent to rescue my missing father. We decided to stake all we had on this one throw and we entered the Profound Sky Continent.”
“In the Profound Sky Continent, we attempted to infiltrate a place called Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, but we were discovered by our opponents. Our power and influence was meager there, so we had no choice but to flee. In the midst of fleeing, I used my Profound Handle’s ability to invade the soul and I discovered that my father was not dead from one of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region’s members. Instead, he was secretly locked up in one of the seven nations of the Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation, in a place known as the Heavenly Sword Villa. So we evaded the pursuit of the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region and we traveled a huge distance before we finally reached that Blue Wind Nation.”
“And after we had just landed in Blue Wind Nation, I got to know… The best brother I have ever had in this life.”
Yun Che, “…”
“…It was in the eastern region of the Blue Wind Nation, in a place not far from a city known as Floating Cloud City.” Even though over twenty years had passed and ‘Floating Cloud City’ was a little-known name in the Profound Sky Continent, it was still engraved in his heart. “The way he and I met was a complete coincidence. At the time he seemed to have travelled outside to train and he encountered a bunch of villains who were roughing up a girl. He stood up for her with no hesitation but his profound cultivation was not high and he was heavily outnumbered, so it quickly turned into a situation where he was defeated by the bandits as well… Your mother and I treaded very carefully while we were in the Profound Sky Continent, and we never poked our nose into other people’s business. But when I witnessed the resolute and unyielding character of this man after he had been defeated and was being held under the blades of those bandits, I could not help but get myself involved and I routed those scoundrels.”
“And this… Senior, what was his name?” Yun Che did his utmost to say this in the calmest tone possible.
“He was called Xiao Ying.”
Yun Che “…”
“So that was how we met, and after interacting with him for a while, I discovered that even though his profound strength was poor, he was filled with righteousness and had a firm and unyielding character. It was impossible to not like such a man. Moreover, his temperament was highly compatible with my own. At first, I thought that I had only rescued a passerby, but once we struck up a conversation, we began feeling an immense regret that we did not meet sooner. At that time, Yurou had been injured and I reminded Xiao Ying that the two of us were being pursued, and we could meet great danger at any time. However, he did not display the slightest hint of rejection towards use, and instead, had even helped us find an extremely good place to hide away and recover.”
“In the period that Yurou was recovering from her injuries, Xiao Ying would visit us every single day. And without fail, he would bring along good wine and good food as well. He asked me to instruct him about the way of the profound, and I asked him regarding what was happening in the Profound Sky Continent. As time passed along, we increasingly felt that we were extremely compatible with each other, and not long after, we exchanged our vows under the moon and became sworn brothers.”
Yun Qinghong let out a long sigh, “I, Yun Qinghong, had never imagined that the closest and most intimate friend I would have in this life, whose heart intersected with mine, would actually hail from the most hated Profound Sky Continent.”
“We stayed at that place for three months. And it was during those three months that Yurou had unexpectedly become pregnant… At that time your mother and I did not know of this. After Yurou had fully recovered from her injuries, we bade farewell to Xiao Ying, took the map he had personally drawn for us, we headed towards that Heavenly Sword Villa, the place where my father was locked up.
“But what we did not expect was that there had already been a trap laid there long ago, merely waiting for us to appear so they could spring it. As we drew nearer to Heavenly Sword Villa, we were surrounded and attacked by strong individuals from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region. And all of those who attacked us were peak-level experts. Even though your mother and I had managed to escape somehow in the end, we both suffered injuries… And after that, we were relentlessly pursued by Mighty Heavenly Sword Region.”
“But of course, your mother and I were definitely not weak, and in the entire Profound Sky Continent there were very few individuals who could detain us. Even though the pursuit of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region put us in a difficult situation, it was not enough to kill us. However, after a few months, besides Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, another group of people began pursuing us as well. They caught us off guard and we fell into their poison formation, causing us to be inflicted. Both of our bodies were invaded by a deadly poison that we were unable to expel with profound energy… That deadly poison is the cold poison present in our bodies right now.”
“At that time, Yurou had already begun to appear pregnant, and she knew that she was indeed with child. In order to not allow the deadly poison to harm the child in her womb, she put in all her effort to drive the poison into her own organs, and for a whole six months, she endured heart-drilling pain night and day…”
Yun Che, “!!!!”
Chapter 509 - Secret Vow
“What happened after that?” Yun Che’s hands tightened quietly as he asked in an urgent tone.
“After that… Your mother and I were tolerably dealing with the pursuit from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region and had been continuously looking for a chance to return to Heavenly Sword Villa to find my father, but after another party suddenly joined in the pursuit and we were struck by the cold poison. All of this, in addition to Yurou’s pregnancy and the fact that she did not dare to use too much profound energy, caused our escape route to become incomparably difficult and treacherous. At that time, we didn’t even dare hope that we could return to the Heavenly Sword Villa because even preserving our own lives had become exceptionally difficult. I protected Yurou, while she protected the child inside her womb. Till the child’s birth half a year later, we doggedly resisted against all odds.”
“We had been married for several decades and now we finally had a child. But we could not feel any joy because our child was born in the midst of great danger. What pained your mother and I the most was that despite Yurou’s best efforts, the cold poison had invaded our child’s body. And the only comfort we had left to us was that the six months of pain Yurou had endured to protect this child did bear some fruit, the cold poison in our child was very shallow and it was not enough to take his life immediately…”
As he said this, Yun Qinghong’s face did not show the slightest hint that he was comforted. He closed his eyes and sighed sorrowfully, “But we were unable to force it outside the child’s body. As we were left with no other options, your mother and I were forced to make a most painful choice… We used profound energy to force that slight amount of cold poison into his immature profound veins. After which, we would use lightning profound energy to destroy the cold poison, but at the same time…. we also completely destroyed his profound veins.”
“…” Yun Che’s chest violently heaved. In this moment, he had found out that his crippled profound veins was not the result of someone’s attack but it was… because of the cold poison!
Even though more than twenty years had passed, every time he thought of it, Yun Qinghong’s expression would become clouded with pain. To personally destroy his own child’s profound veins was akin to destroying his child’s entire life, and the pain of doing so was ten million times worse than his own crippling. He sighed while continuing, “That child had just been born and his profound veins had not even grown yet. For them to be crippled at that age, he would’ve been condemned to be a cripple for his entire life… But, that was the only way for us to protect his life at that time. If not, once the cold poison had spread, he might not even have lasted seven days.”
“I know…” Yun Che said in a soft voice, “That after that child has grown up, he will definitely understand your difficult situation and he definitely will not blame you.”
Yun Qinghong shook his head in response, “It’s just a pity that though we managed to preserve his life, even to this day, we have never had the chance to see him again. Because twenty years ago, we had left him in the Profound Sky Continent.”
What happened afterwards, Yun Che already more or less knew. He quietly and attentively listened to Yun Qinghong recount his tale…
“We desperately fled with our child. We fled directionlessly, until one day we came across a very familiar place. We entered a small city, and unexpectedly met my sworn brother, Xiao Ying. It was then we found out that it was the Floating Cloud City he lived in. At that time, we were covered in blood, and we had used up our profound energy to its very last drop. We had already prepared ourselves for imminent death, but after meeting Brother Xiao Ying, he berated me. He said that if we didn’t want our child to grow up without any parents, we had to desperately protect our lives and escape from this place. After that, he arranged for a large amount of clothing, food, and medicine to be prepared for us in the shortest amount of time. He also drew a map for us, and instructed us on the best escape route and safest haven for us to conceal ourselves in…”
“We were extremely unfamiliar with the Profound Sky Continent, and when we had fled all those other times, it was as though we were headless chickens running amok. With the instruction and help of Brother Xiao Ying, we successfully shook off the people who were pursuing us and hid under a waterfall… If not for Brother Xiao Ying’s help and instruction, we wouldn’t have escaped and it was would’ve been impossible for us to continue surviving. Our lives were preserved entirely due to his efforts… Even to the point where, during the time he sheltered us, he secretly swapped his newborn son for our own when we were unaware. It was only after we put in all effort into fleeing and we found the safe haven that we discovered this…”
Yun Che, “…”
“Truth be told, after meeting Brother Xiao Ying, I had thought of leaving the child to him before Yurou and I went to meet our deaths, but I was deeply afraid that this would cause a calamity to engulf Xiao Ying’s entire family. However, I did not expect for Brother Xiao Ying, in an effort to preserve our family line, to secretly swap both our sons…” Yun Qinghong shut both his eyes as the corners of his eyes trembled uncontrollably, “For I, Yun Qinghong, to have such a brother in this life, is the greatest gift ever bestowed to me by the heavens.”
“So this means that your own child was left in the Profound Sky Continent, in that place called Floating Cloud City, and that Uncle Xiao’s child… is actually Yun Xiao?” Yun Che asked lightly.
‘Yes…” Yun Qinghong gently nodded as he replied, “This is the truth behind Xiao’er’s origins. After we had broken away from our pursuers, we did think of returning to Floating Cloud City, but at that time, both of us suffered great injuries while also suffering from the cold poison. As a result, we were on our last legs and left only with a sliver of our previous strength. If we had returned to Floating Cloud City hastily and exposed ourselves, not only would we die, we would also bring a huge calamity upon Xiao Ying and his family. So the only thing left for us to do would be to commit all of our energy to surviving… No matter what, we had to protect his child. At that time I understood very well that Brother Xiao Ying swapped our sons to not only protect our bloodline, but to also stimulate our will to life to the point where we would give it our all.”
“So how did you escape in the end?” Yun Che asked.
“Our Yun Family has a secret device which we can use to step across space, but every time we use it, we would need to wait for another three years before it can be used it again. Three months after we had successfully hidden ourselves from our pursuers, the secret device regained its strength and we were able to return to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“If you had a secret device which could directly transport you to the Profound Sky Continent, why didn’t you use it again to go back there and find your own child?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head and laughed lifelessly, “After being invaded multiple times by the people from the Illusory Demon Realm, the powers in the Profound Sky Continent had set up an extremely powerful net of defenses and alerts. We could indeed use the secret device again, but once we entered the Profound Sky Continent, we would have been found out immediately. We had already been crippled by then; if we had used the secret device, we would only be going to our deaths. As for the others… Why would they risk it all just for our child? Thus, we could only treat Xiao’er as our own flesh and blood in order to conceal the truth of his origins… But the descendents of the Yun Family all possess a profound handle which exists within their bloodline. As he grew up, more and more people came to doubt his status as our true son, and he had to grow up under the weight of unceasing reproach… We had long ago known that this would happen, but there was nothing that we could do.”
Yun Che had more or less figured out the truth of what happened all those years ago in these last few years. But after listening to Yun Qinghong give his own recount of those events, he felt as if a tidal wave of emotion had washed over him, and making it hard for him to keep calm. The ambitions of the Four Great Sacred Grounds had caused the Demon Emperor’s clan to suffer greatly, and at the same time these ambitions also caused great tragedy to befall both the Yun and Xiao families. The lives of both him and Yun Xiao had also been completely turned on its head due to these events.
“…For you to tell me all of this, is it in hopes of a future where Yun Xiao and I venture forth together to the Profound Sky Continent, so we can find his real family?” Yun Che asked in a low voice.
Yun Qinghong gently nodded his head and replied, “Even though I do not know why you have treated our family with such kindness, I can tell from the good things that you have done for Yun Xiao and the way you called us Father and Mother, that there isn’t a trace of falseness or hypocrisy within your heart. And while I still have too many suspicions about you myself, I can’t seem to reject you whatsoever in any way. Instead, there seems to be a kind of… indescribable intimacy and trust that I feel towards you.” He gave a small chuckle, as though he was enjoying this strange sensation, “Because Xiao’er is suspected of being from the Profound Sky Continent, he has been rejected and excluded by everyone else and he never had any friends since he was young. This year, he is going to be twenty-two, yet you are the only one who has ever been willing to be brothers with him… Even though I have said all of these things and have put you in a rather difficult position, Xiao’er’s talent is not first-rate, so the only one who can help him return to the Profound Sky Continent and reacquaint him with his ancestral lands is you. Because it is only fitting for him to return there one day, as that is where his home truly is, and Xiao Ying’s family is surely there, eagerly waiting for his return…”
“…Then do the two of you, miss your own child?” Yun Che asked in a voice so low it could barely be heard.
Yun Qinghong squeezed both of his eyes shut, answering in a voice that sounded as light as the wind, “As for myself, I can still cope. Because I fully trust that my brother Xiao Ying will definitely not mistreat my son, as long as Brother Xiao Ying is around, not only will he not suffer from any ill treatment, he will definitely be living an extremely happy life. On this matter I can be sure. But as for Yurou, she… All these years, she has been missing our son every day and night, and she has shed an ocean of tears over him. To the point where she sometimes cries in her sleep until she wakes up… She keeps thinking about whether our son is alright and because his profound veins were crippled, she keeps worrying over whether he is being bullied or mocked. At the same time, she also blames and hates herself… And even after all these years, not only did her worries not lessen, the frustrations in her heart grew heavier and heavier. As a result, she keeps falling ill these past few years. Other people all think it is because the cold poison keeps flaring up, but only I know the truth, that it is her grief which leaves her bedridden. The only thing supporting her right now is Xiao’er. She treats Xiao’er as her very own flesh and blood, and even better than that, all in the hopes that our own child will receive the very same treatment that Xiao’er receives.”
………………
………………
By the time he completed the process of expelling the poison within Yun Qinghong’s body, the sky had already turned dark. Under the aftereffects of the expulsion of the cold poison, Yun Qinghong and his wife had drifted off into a deep slumber. Yun Che exited the room and stood in the middle of the courtyard. He raised his head as he gazed at the incomplete moon which had long ago risen into the sky. The night breeze brushed past his face, rustling the hair which fell across his forehead.
“Why don’t you just tell them who you really are? You have so many ways to prove that you are actually their son… blood test, Profound Handle, the Mirror of Samsara, any of these things will do!” Jasmine asked in a bland voice.
“…Now is not the right time yet.” Yun Che silently gazed at the scenery in front of him, “At least, it is completely unfair to Yun Xiao.”
“The right time? Hmph, so what are you intend to do next?”
Yun Che raised his head once more and a cold light flashed in his eyes, “Since fate has seen fit to bring me to this place and has also allowed me to find my true family and my birth parents, then I must definitely do all that I can… All those years ago, Grandfather severed his own life vein in order to allow me to escape that place. My life was bought using Grandfather’s life, I will help him carry out his wishes and will!”
“Grandfather was left to rot and die for one hundred years, all for the sake of the Demon Royal Family, but all he got in return was recrimination, and even the rest of the Yun Family was implicated in his ‘crimes’… On what grounds do they have to do that?!” Yun Che gritted his teeth in anger, “Because of the Demon Royal Family, I lost Grandfather. Because of Grandfather, my father and mother became crippled for over twenty years and received the same disdain that I received all those years ago when I was crippled as well… I am the grandson of Yun Canghai, the son of Yun Qinghong, and while the both of them possess an unshakeable loyalty to the Illusory Demon Royal Family… I do not!! All I can see is the immense debt that they owe my family!! What the Illusory Demon Royal Family owes my grandfather, owes my parents and owes me… I want them… to pay back it a thousand times over!!”
Chapter 510 - Hidden Flowing Lightning, Extreme Mirage Lightning
Jasmine made a petulant noise, “Aren’t you getting into character rather quickly? Even though they are your parents, at the moment, they are essentially mere passersby who share a blood relationship with you! Before today, you did not even have any interaction with these people before, but now you want to risk your life for them?”
Yun Che calmly stated, “This family relationship thing turned out to be a lot greater than I had previously thought. Yesterday, I had never even seen their faces before and we were perfect strangers. But today, a desire to protect them at all costs has uncontrollably birthed within me… This should be how humans instinctively react to their own family… An instinct which is engraved within our very blood.”
“Hmph!” Jasmine’s voice was filled with disdain, “That is merely because you have good luck and you have parents who are worth protecting. In this world, not all familial relations are so perfect, and there are some which will cause you to hate them to the core.”
Jasmine’s voice was clearly mixed with threads of dark hatred. This caused Yun Che to be stumped for words. He furrowed his brows as he asked, “Jasmine, I remember you telling me that you dearly loved your big brother, and that you also dearly loved your mother. So the meaning of your words…”
“Hah…” Jasmine laughed coldly, “Big Brother and Mother are the most important people to me in my entire life, but both of them are already dead. And as for that person… The person that I am forced to call “Royal Father’, one day, there will be reckoning… and I will kill him!!”
As Jasmine said these words, a bone-chilling killing intent was released, and it caused Yun Che’s entire body to seize up in an instant. Royal Father… That should be referring to her father. But when she mentioned her father, what was revealed was shockingly deeply-rooted hate and killing intent.
“You hate your father? Why?” Yun Che asked as he tried to probe further.
“That is nothing you need to be concerned about.” Jasmine replied coldly.
However, Yun Che refused to give up and frankly asked, “Your Royal Father… sounds like he is the king of some place, and if you are already so powerful, then this Royal Father of yours must be even more powerful right?”
Jasmine’s voice did not contain the slightest bit of emotion as she replied, “Do you want to know just how powerful he is? I can tell you… It is a power that you cannot even imagine.”
Yun Che rubbed his jaw and asked softly, “Could it be… The Divine Profound Realm of legends?”
“Divine Profound Realm?” Jasmine sneered as she laughed dully, “Have you ever heard of the term… Realm King?”
“Realm King? What sort of title is that?” Yun Che asked.
“Since you don’t know, then stop wasting my time asking these useless questions! Once you truly understand what the two words “Realm King” represents, then you will naturally know just how powerful that person is… However, no matter how strong he is, one day, I will definitely kill him!!”
Yun Che, “…”
……………………………………
So Yun Che stayed with the Yun Family from that time onwards, and he poured all his efforts and energy into helping Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou recover. After just five days of treatment, the cold poison in their body had been completely expelled and no trace of it was left. This caused the couple, along with Yun Xiao, to rejoice in tears. After that, it was time help their meridians, profound veins and body make a complete recovery. Under the miraculous effect of the Great Way of the Buddha coupled with Yun Che’s absolutely perfect medical skills, the two of them, who were previously crippled, recovered at a miraculous pace. Within ten days, Yin Qinghong could walk about freely and on the fifteenth day, his profound veins began to recover, and it enabled him to use the Profound Floating Technique for a short period of time…
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s had been weathering great storms and huge waves their entire lives, and their very existence was filled with valleys and peaks. But for the past few days, they felt as if they were living in a dream.
The matter of letting Yun Che stay with the Yun Family did not incite much disturbance within the Yun Family. The fact that Yun Che and Yun Xiao had become sworn brothers and that Yun Che had been taken in by Yun Qinghong and his wife spread very quickly throughout the Yun Family, but once they found out that his profound level was only at the Sky Profound Realm, nobody could even be bothered to care about what happened after. In order to prepare for the Family Competition and the Little Demon Empress’ One Hundred Year Reign Ceremony which was to take place after, everyone was scurrying about as they anxiously prepared for both events. This was especially true for those young disciples who were eager to make a name for themselves.
So it was like this, that one month passed peacefully as Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s meridians, profound veins, and body made a full recovery. As they celebrated with great joy, they also quietly began to recover their profound strength as well. Back in their prime, the couple had a reached a level of profound strength that far exceeded Yun Che, but Yun Che’s Great Way of the Buddha still had a powerful supplementary effect in helping them to recover their power. He also did not need to be spent and weary the entire day like he was during the previous month. He requested for a training room from Yun Xiao, and he began to spend all his free time increasing his own power.
The sky slowly turned dark as night quietly descended.
Ding!
A ‘Frozen End Illusory Mirror’ that was sixteen and a half meters in diameter expanded in the center of the expansive training room and it isolated all the noise within this room from the outside world. After repeatedly confirming that there was nobody trying to observe him in secret, he retrieved a jade scroll which released a dull luster from the Sky Poison Pearl. Clearly carved on the jade scroll were the three words “Extreme Mirage Lightning”.
This was the Extreme Mirage Lightning that Hua Minghai had delivered to his doorstep on his own initiative. At that time, because of his own scruples, he had not opened the scroll, but now that he was in another world and he did not even know when he was able to return to the Profound Sky Continent, he no longer had any reason to reject this profound movement skill which had an extremely strong ability to preserve one’s life.
Yun Che slowly browsed the jade strips. Following the touch of his fingers, profound energy moved forth and the profound art engraved there slowly entered his mind. Only now did he realize that Extreme Mirage Lightning was not just a pure movement skill, it consisted of two parts:
The first part was named Hidden Flowing Lightning.
Only the second part was called Extreme Mirage Lightning.
Extreme Mirage Lightning. This was Hua Minghai’s movement skill, a skill that even gods and devils could not fathom. And this Hidden Flowing Lightning caused an even greater joy to be birthed in Yun Che’s heart… It was astonishingly an incomparably powerful profound concealment skill!
When Hidden Flowing Lightning was performed, it allowed to user to suppress his profound energy aura within a range determined by the user, and it also allowed the user to display a profound energy that would seem far weaker than it actually was. But the most important thing was that once Hidden Flowing Lightning had been cultivated to its peak, it would allow the user to perfectly conceal his presence, to the point where even individuals who were far stronger than him would have extreme difficulty detecting.
And the power of Hidden Flowing Lightning had been perfectly and eloquently expressed by Hua Minghai himself. His ability to escape from the pursuit of the Divine Phoenix Sect relied completely on Extreme Mirage Lightning. But his ability to quietly infiltrate the Divine Phoenix Sect, which was littered with Overlords and overflowing with Thrones, definitely relied completely on this Hidden Flowing Lightning skill! Hua Minghai’s profound strength was in the later stages of the Emperor Profound Realm, but Divine Phoenix Sect had so many Overlords, yet not a single one was able to detect him. He was even able to enter their treasure room whilst they were unaware, and if not for the fact that Hua Minghai had carelessly activated a profound formation, Divine Phoenix Sect would not even have known that anyone had infiltrated their premises.
Yun Che recalled that the first time he interacted with Hua Minghai, he could not even detect a trace of his presence. It was only relying on those instincts cultivated by many years of constant vigilance that he could feel that someone was watching him.
“To allow you to be able to cause people who surpass you by an entire realm to not be able to detect your presence, this is practically a divine skill for a thief!” Yun Che exclaimed in his heart. After that, he swiftly focused his mind and heart as one as he began to comprehend Hidden Flowing Lightning’s profound formula.
There was a key difference between Hidden Flowing Lightning and Frozen Cloud Wall, Frozen End Illusory Mirror. The difference laid in the fact that the effect of the Frozen Cloud Wall and Frozen End Illusory Mirror was isolation. It could isolate strength, presence and sound. But Hidden Flowing Lightning allowed the user to block off his own presence, or even make it disappear, so its effect was concealment. Yun Che originally possessed the basic foundation that he practiced in the Azure Cloud Continent. Coupled with his strong comprehension ability, it only took him less than four hours to achieve full mastery of this endlessly mysterious profound formula within his heart. Following a rotation of his internal energy, the profound energy aura that his body exuded began to slowly weaken.
In four hours, he had achieved initial mastery of Hidden Flowing Lightning!
Yun Che had confidence that he needed at most half a month to get to Hua Minghai’s level.
As the night grew deeper and deeper, Yun Che continued to practice in silence for slightly more than six hours. The profound strength aura he exuded had dropped to middle stage Earth Profound Realm, and even if others were to sense him, they would not even feel that anything was out of place. At this time, Yun Che opened his eyes and bounced to his feet. He stretched out his hand and shouted in a low voice, “Hong’er, come out!”
Following a flash emitted by the scarlet sword mark on his arm, a beam of blood-red lightning resounded in Yun Che’s hand, after which, it transformed into the huge Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword. Under its terrifying weight, Yun Che’s arm dropped with a fierce abruptness, and there was a rumbling sound emitted beneath his feet as both his legs sank deeply into the ground… The initial Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword was already exceptionally taxing for Yun Che to control, but after Hong’er had completely consumed Dragon Fault, its weight had clearly increased by quite a bit.
Yun Che regulated his breathing. After a long period of time, he managed to hold the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword with a steady grip, and his legs could steadily stand on the ground without wobbling. Following his low cry, the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword began to dance in his hands. Suddenly, a storm was released, and it battered the surrounding Frozen End Illusory Mirror to the point where it was on the verge of collapse.
The grand ceremony was approaching fast, he needed to get used to the weight of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword in the shortest amount of time in order for him to be able to release the greatest amount of power.
“Awuh! Master is so annoying. I was clearly having such a nice nap, but you chose to wake me up! Wuu…” Hong’er said in a voice full of dissatisfaction. Within the round pearl in the middle of the sword, a mini Hong’er could be seen rubbing her drowsy eyes and patting her cheeks; she seemed to be very moody.
“I’ll go find something delicious for you to eat tomorrow. That should make up for this right?” Yun Che said as he gasped for breath.
Once these words came out of Yun Che’s mouth, Hong’er’s weary and drowsy eyes instantly lit up and became shiny. She exclaimed, “Really? Waaah! Master you must mean what you say okay! Master is indeed the best! Master, you definitely mustn’t forget about this tomorrow!!”
Yun Che could clearly hear the sound of Hong’er gulping down her saliva without ceasing. He had found out from Yun Xiao that there was a place in the Demon Imperial City that sold Sky Profound and even Emperor Profound swords. But because both continents used different currencies, he could only use Yun Xiao’s money. And the money that Yun Xiao had stashed away… could probably buy a Sky Profound Sword at best, but this should be enough to temporarily sate the hunger of this mischievous girl who only knew how to eat, sleep and play.
……………………………………
Time passed quickly as Yun Qinghong and his wife made a full recovery while Yun Che also practiced the Extreme Mirage Lightning. In the blink of an eye, yet another month passed by.
Tonight, Yun Che was not practicing. Instead, he chose to have a good night’s rest. By the time he woke up, the sky had already begun to brighten. He leaped off his bed and lifted his arm as light flashed from the Profound Handle on his arm. He mutely gazed at the Profound Handle for a while as the image of Yun Canghai emerged in his mind.
“Grandfather, don’t you worry. I definitely will not allow the Yun Family to fall into decline! And I definitely will not allow your reputation to be tarnished in the slightest bit!” Yun Che declared to himself in a low voice.
Even though Yun Che had gotten up at an early enough time, the Yun Family had long ago started to bustle with action.
Because today was the day of the Yun Family’s Family Competition!
Chapter 511 - Yun Family Competition
Yun Che arrived at Yun Qinghong’s courtyard and saw that he was in front of the arbors which were awash in verdant green. He was sitting on that rather old-fashioned wheelchair, and this wheelchair was being pushed by Yun Xiao. After he saw Yun Che, Yun Xiao hurriedly ran over to welcome him and said in a fervent tone, “Big Brother, for you to wake up so early today, were you disturbed by the noise? Oh right, today is the day of our Yun Family’s Family Competition, and it will start at nine o’clock. Will Big Brother want to go over and take a look later?”
“Of course I want to go have a look, I am very interested in this event. By the way, where is Mother?” Yun Che asked.
“Mother is still in her room.” Yun Xiao replied.
Yun Che nodded his head and said in a mild tone, “Why don’t you go and call for Mother, there are already sounds of fighting coming from the Sacred Cloud Arena, so we should be going over soon. I also have some words I want to tell Father in private.”
After two months of living together, Yun Xiao had practically deified this sworn brother of his within his own heart, so even though he was intensely curious on what Yun Che wanted to tell Yun Qinghong, he did not ask any further as he let go of the wheelchair, “Okay, I’ll go straight away.”
After Yun Xiao left, Yun Che faced forward, took out a small delicate jade tablet, and placed it in front of Yun Qinghong. He said in a whisper, “Father, this is for you.”
“Oh?” Yun Qinghong inclined his head. But after Yun Che opened up his lightly clenched fist and showed that jade tablet that rested within, Yun Qinghong, who was normally as tranquil as water, looked like he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. His eyes instantly widened by several times and he practically grabbed that piece of jade in a fluster. He used both hands to clasp the tiny jade tablet, and felt the presence being emitted by it. His hands began to violently tremble as he stammered, “This… This… This is…”
His head jerked up abruptly, and he gazed straight at Yun Che, “Che’er, this thing… How could it be on your person?! Where did you get it from?!”
Yun Che was not taken aback at all by Yun Qinghong’s violent reaction. If it was anyone else, that person would have completely lost control of their emotions. He calmly told Yun Qinghong, “Father, in less than two hours, the Family Competition will begin. Now is not the time to discuss the origins of this item. If Father can preserve his own position as Patriarch and re-establish your reputation, I will tell you all about its origin, down to the smallest detail.”
Yun Qinghong stared straight at Yun Che, his expression full of unrest. It was only after a long period of time that he finally calmed down and gently nodded his head, “Alright… But when the time comes, you must tell me everything that I wish to know, without withholding anything.”
“I will.” Yun Che nodded his head without hesitation. He looked at Yun Qinghong’s wrist, and asked to confirm, “Father, can the ‘Profound Sealing Buckle’ that you and Mother have, trick everyone?”
“Even though we cannot guarantee that it will be one hundred percent effective, in the eyes of everyone present, I have been a cripple for over twenty years, so they should not deliberately or meticulously examine my current state.” Yun Qinghong replied. “But those years ago, for your mother and I to keep on escaping from our pursuers, the contributions of these two Profound Sealing Buckles cannot be overestimated.”
As Yun Qinghong said this, he pulled on the sleeves of his robe, concealing what he was wearing on his arm.
Today was the day of the Yun Family Competition. Such a huge family event was occurring, but up to this very moment, the courtyard where the family head, Yun Qinghong, was in, was still quiet and lonely, and not even a single junior came to notify them. It could be seen how empty Yun Qinghong’s position of Patriarch was to the rest of the Yun Family. From Yun Che’s expression, Yun Qinghong could tell what he was thinking, so he laughed dully and said, “It doesn’t matter what world it is, profound strength always comes first. Who else would even pay attention to a cripple who is not long for the world, besides his own family and intimate friend. I am cripple, yet I get continue to retain the title of Patriarch for these past twenty odd years. That is solely due to the support of the Mu Family, and even this should be the very limits of what they can do as well.”
“Don’t tell me that they have so easily forgotten who it was that established the Yun Family, and who it was that commanded and guided the Yun Family to the very peak of the Illusory Demon Realm? If not for the bloodline of you Patriarchs, these clan members, could they even possess their current positions and glory?!” Yun Che’s brows sank heavily as he spoke. In the time that he had stayed in the Yun Family, his understanding of the current situation grew all the more clear. All these years, the Yun Family succession has only ever been passed down from the line of the initial Patriarchs. And these initial Patriarchs, in order to eliminate all struggles for succession, six thousand years ago, they set down a rule of sole inheritance through the generations. Each current Patriarch could only have one son, Yun Canghai was the only son and Yun Qinghong was his only son, and at the moment, Yun Qinghong, only had one son as well.
In every generation, the Yun Family Patriarch had been outstanding beyond compare, and it was this line of Patriarchs that allowed the Yun Family to become head of the Twelve Guardian Families; the very same families which shocked and awed the entire Illusory Demon Realm, to the point where they were an otherworldly existence second only to the Illusory Demon Imperial Family for thousands of years.
But now, in Yun Qinghong’s generation, the title of Patriarch had come to such a frivolous and lowly state.
Yun Qinghong shook his head and gave self-deprecatory laugh, “They will not think of these things. What they will pay attention to are only the things that will be beneficial to their own future… This can be said to be the instincts of a human being.”
“In Yun Family’s ten thousand year tradition of inheritance, the succession of the next Patriarch has never been about profound strength; it has always been decided by blood lineage! Every single member of the Yun Family should be extremely clear that even if you have become a cripple, you are still the only person who has the qualification to assume the mantle of Patriarch. But it seems like everyone has subconsciously forgotten this particular point.” Yun Che gave a cold and faint laugh, “Moreover, not only do they disregard your position as Patriarch because of your crippling, they do not even accord you the most basic respect or the slightest bit of importance. Yun Xiao, as the scion of the current Patriarch, is easily bullied by even common disciples within the Yun Family. And in regards to this huge event that is the Family Competition, in this period of two months, not even one person came to you to discuss it… I do not believe that the Yun Family, which was at its peak for so many years, are such a bunch of selfish and immoral people.”
Yun Qinghong gently closed his eyes and replied in an airy voice, “Regarding this competition, there really wasn’t any need to discuss it with me. Because this so-called Family Competition is only a pretense, the real motive is to get this cripple to relinquish his position. Because in one month’s time, it is the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony and this grand ceremony is certainly not common in the least. It is extremely likely that it will decide the direction that the entire Illusory Demon Realm will move in from now on. And even more than that, it will definitely decide the fates of the Twelve Guardian Families. The fate of the Yun Family especially, hangs in the balance. So at this critical juncture, for them to want to remove my position as Patriarch due to my crippling, can be said to be within reason. At first, I had already silently accepted this inevitable and impending result, but I never thought that I would meet you.”
Yun Qinghong gave a quiet laugh as his face filled up with melancholy.
Once Yun Xiao and Mu Yurou came out, they did not linger much longer. Soon after, Yun Xiao began to push the wheelchair Yun Qinghong was seated on, and the four of them gradually strolled towards the center of the Yun Family household, which was the venue of the Family Competition.
The true center of the Yun Family was where their ancestral monument, which constantly released a purple profound light, was erected. This ancestral monument was more than one hundred meters tall and the names of the Patriarch belonging to every single generation was engraved on its surface. And amongst these names, the most eye-catching one was ‘Yun Canghai, because to the right of this name were two words, ‘Demon King’, engraved in a fiery scarlet color.
Among the all the Patriarchs of the Yun Family, only Yun Canghai was accorded the rare honor of being called ‘Demon King’. And this was not only the personal glory of Yun Canghai alone, it was also the glory of all the generations of the Yun Family. But this glorious light, which caused the rest of the Guardian Families to feel incomparable jealousy and admiration, had descended into darkness at the speed of a falling star.
In front of the ancestral monument was a giant plaza, and this plaza was filled with seats that were spread out over the entire area. And at the heart of these seats, was a hundred meter tall square dias. This was the Sacred Cloud Arena, which the Yun Family used for their internal competitions. By the time Yun Che’s party of four had arrived, there were two young Yun Family disciples currently battling in the Sacred Cloud Arena.
The Family Competition would only officially begin in slightly more than an hour’s time, but there were a few Yun Family disciples who were unable to contain themselves anymore so they had already began to compete with one another.
Yun Che’s party had actually arrived reasonably early. Even though this place was already full of noise and commotion, most of the crowd came from the young disciples. When these young disciples saw Yun Qinghong and his wife, there were some who would come forward and pay their respects, but there were also some who directly moved away or directed their gaze towards the Sacred Cloud Arena, as if they did not see them at all. Yun Che swept his eyes across these Yun Family disciples and took note of their clothes… Basically they were all the children of the the elders in the Yun Family who held real power. They had never experienced glory days of the Yun Family when they were being led by Yun Canghai, and they did not witness how Yun Qinghong’s formidable might in those days had shocked and awed an entire generation of the Illusory Demon Realm’s outstanding heroes. In their eyes, they only saw a crippled individual who held a hollow title, someone who could not even compare to their seniors… and someone who was about to be stripped of the title of Patriarch. So they naturally did not condescend to pay their respects to Yun Qinghong and his wife.
Yun Qinghong had long ago become accustomed to this type of behavior. At this moment, in the Sacred Cloud Arena, two young Yun Family disciples were dueling. Both of them looked to be a match for each other, the sounds of their swords ringing out while purple lightning roiled about. Two orange Profound Handles closely clashed with one another, and endless waves of shouts and heckling rang out from below. Finally, one of the two duelists grabbed an opportunity and used a beam of lightning to strike down the other. This was followed up by the furious advance of the disciple’s Profound Handle as he knocked his opponent off the Sacred Cloud Arena.
The two disciples that were in the arena were young, but amongst the Yun Family disciples of the same age, they were definitely considered excellent. After he had finished watching the both of them compete, Yun Qinghong covertly shook his head as disappointment flashed across his face. He furtively inclined his head and said, “Xiao’er, go up there.”
“Ah?” Yun Xiao was caught off guard but he nodded his head and replied, “Yes!”
After speaking, Yun Xiao jumped up in one crisp movement and as purple light flashed in midair, he landed on the stage, his hand gripping a long sword which had a purple light coiled around it. This was the Emperor Profound sword that Yun Qinghong had bequeathed to him when he was eleven years old —— Galloping Lightning, and from then on he kept using this sword and it never left his side. Combined with the Yun Family core Profound Art ‘Purple Cloud Art’, it could exhibit an enormous amount of power.
“Brother Yun Qiu, please instruct me!” Yun Xiao tightly gripped Galloping Lightning as his gaze focused on his opponent. His expression was grave and sincere as he blocked out all the chaos and noise from his ears. All these years, as he grew up, the pressure of public opinion he had to bear and the suspicious glances thrown his way had only grown heavier and heavier, more and more numerous. But he had silently endured through all of this. For the sake of trying to bring credit to his parents, for the sake of gaining the strength to protect his parents in the future, he desperately trained… Despite not having a Profound Handle, he made up for it with his effort. Despite not having any resources, he compensated with even more effort.
The result of this was half-step Overlord at the tender age of twenty-two! Among the people his age, even though all the opponents he faced were Yun Family disciples who were innately born with a Profound Handle, he was still among the best. And no one knew how much effort and hardship he had put himself through.
All this time, he had always had his parents’ safety at heart, so he was never willing to compete with anyone. Even if he was bullied and humiliated, he merely endured and swallowed his own words, but today… It was time for him to finally showcase himself before his parents and before everyone else.
Seeing that the person who had suddenly jumped onto the stage and issued a challenge was Yun Xiao, Yun Qiu was taken by surprise. Because normally Yun Xiao would keep such a low-profile that he was no different from dust, and he had never appeared at competition before. His face immediately started to grow grave. Even though Yun Xiao was younger than him and he did not have a Profound Handle, he had heard that Yun Xiao was already half a step into the Tyrant Profound Realm. Moreover, he, like many other Yun Family disciples, had secretly mocked Yun Xiao numerous times regarding the matter of his blood lineage. So if he was defeated in public by someone who, not only did not have a profound handle, but was also universally mocked as well, it would be something that he would find hard to live down.
He immediately let out a low cry and tried to grab the initiative to draw first blood. His arm flashed and a chain of lightning flew out from his sword. At the same time, his Profound Handle materialized as a yellow-colored sharp sword which descended sharply through the air to pierce straight through Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao’s expression never wavered. The tip of his sword thrust forward and a similar chain of lightning flew through the air. But the chain of lightning which he released was exceptionally solid and concentrated, and it looked like an actual chain. Its surface even released a dense, sparkling purple light. The entire chain looked like it was made of purple crystals.
Just from looking at that chain of lightning alone, anyone could tell with a glance who had a better grasp of the Purple Cloud Art!
Two lightning chains entangled with one another, but within the span of a few breaths, Yun Qiu’s lightning chain broke with a snap. Yun Xiao did not take the opportunity to attack Yun Qiu with his lightning chain. Instead, it soared into the sky and smashed into the Profound Handle with an explosive roar, blasting the Profound Handle far away, after which, it simply disappeared in midair.
Yun Qinghong slowly nodded his head and he wore a quiet smile on his face that displayed his happiness.
Yun Qiu staggered back and forth for a few moments before he plopped to the ground on his buttocks while falling into a daze. His profound strength was not up to par with Yun Xiao’s but it was not far off either. So he had originally believed that, with the advantage of his Profound Handle, he would definitely not be easily defeated. He never expected that the Yun Xiao, who was always timid and cautious, who never dared to offend anyone and was perceived as somewhat cowardly, had cultivated his profound strength and the Purple Cloud Art to such a deep level. In the span of a few breaths, he had been completely suppressed and wiped all over the floor.
Chapter 512 - Coming Uninvited
“Yun Xiao? He actually took the initiative to enter the Sacred Cloud Arena? That certainly is a rare sight.”
“Did this guy take the wrong medicine today?”
“Heh, it is clear that he knows that his so-called position of ‘Young Patriarch’ is about to be taken away, so he wants to at least display some prowess to gain back some prestige.”
“Yun Qiu was defeated so easily? This Yun Xiao normally does not display his talent, but to think that he was actually this strong?”
“This is definitely because Yun Qiu had already defeated quite a few challengers beforehand, so he had exhausted a large amount of his profound energy! Even though Yun Xiao’s profound strength is slightly greater, without a Profound Handle, how could he defeat Yun Qiu in such a straightforward manner under normal circumstances?”
In regards to Yun Xiao’s easy victory over Yun Qiu, the Yun Family disciples were not only extremely shocked, they were also extremely upset. This was because, in their eyes, Yun Xiao was not even a member of their clan; he was some bastard who was picked up from the Profound Sky Continent, and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm knew about it. In the past, Yun Xiao had never participated in anything involving direct combat, but this time, he took the initiative to enter the stage and even beat Yun Qiu… To them, this was basically equivalent to their clan member being beaten up by an outsider, so they were naturally upset.
“Despite what he said in the past, looks like he is still hanging on to the name of ‘Young Patriarch’. But after today, heh, let’s see who will still protect him. For him to be kicked out of our family is only a matter of time, but he actually dares to try to steal our thunder at this time… See how I’ll beat him down!”
Another Yun Family disciple immediately vaulted onto the stage and stood in front of Yun Xiao. With an arrogant expression, he said, “Come, let us exchange pointers with one another!”
As his words fell, he exploded into motion and swept up all the shadows in the sky as tens of lightning sword beams interweaved to form a net of purple swords which rushed straight at Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao’s expression was grave and he retreated half a step. With a single brandish of Galloping Lightning, seven lightning edges screamed forth. The sound of space tearing was akin to a knife cutting glass, it was extremely ear-piercing.
BANG BANG BANG BANG…
A succession of sounds that sounded like the shattering of crystals chaotically rang out together. At the same time, both Yun Xiao and his opponent were clashing together in the shadows cast by the lightning swords. And most of the Sacred Cloud Arena, which was several tens of meters in diameter, was immediately enveloped in a screen of lightning.
“The Great Elders have arrived!”
As the two people battled atop the stage, a shout rang out. Yun Che tilted his head to look and he saw more than thirty people flying towards them at a slow pace from different directions. Every single one of them exuded an indomitable and powerful aura from their body. None of them deliberately activated their profound energy aura, but because of their appearance, the surrounding space seemed to have been completely solidified.
Every single person in this group were all peak-level powerhouses who could shake the Illusory Demon World.
“These are the thirty six elders who comprise the core of our Yun Family’s Elder Council.” Yun Qinghong told Yun Che in a dry voice, “Among the thirty six core elders, the strongest is the Great Elder Yun Waitian. He is the head of the Elder Council, and for the past twenty odd years, his words have carried the highest weight.”
Yun Che slowly nodded his head. He also understood that the reason why Yun Waitian was the head of the Elder Council wasn’t just because his strength was the greatest or he had lived the longest, there was an even more important reason; his youngest son was Yun Xingyue, Yun Family’s greatest hope to rise to ascendancy once more!
He did not need Yun Qinghong to tell him; he could tell who was Great Elder Yun Waitian with a glance… because he had come together with Yun Xingyue.
The thirty six elders took their seats in proper succession. In regards to Yun Qinghong, some of them nodded their heads towards him. Others pretended not to see him and there were even those with complex emotions in their eyes. As the people who made up the Elder Council, they were the most clear on the events which were going to happen today… Because they were the ones who had come together to decide today’s events.
A elder who was ranked among the last of those in attendance passed by Yun Qinghong and whispered to him in a suppressed voice, “Qinghong, the real agenda behind today’s Family Competition, I believe you have already guessed it… the majority of the Elders have thrown their support behind Yun Waitian, even the three Grand Elders have also… Even though we are not content, we are powerless to change anything… Haah.”
Yun Qinghong laughed faintly and said just five words in a carefree manner, “Do not brood over it.”
That elder shook his head and didn’t speak any further. He sat down in his designated seat with a complex expression on his face.
At the very center of where all the Elders were seated, Yun Waitian had already taken his place, and Yun Xingyue was seated at his right hand side. A junior was actually seated with the rest of the Elders, but not a single person felt that it was inappropriate. Just from that, it could be seen how esteemed and important Yun Xingyue was to the Yun Family.
As the two people in the Sacred Cloud Arena continued to duel, they had reached a momentary deadlock, but Yun Xiao was beginning to steadily gain the advantage. After seeing Yun Xiao actually enter the Sacred Cloud Arena and exchange blows with the Yun Family disciples, the various elders displayed astonished and complicated expressions. Yun Waitian first flicked a glance at Yun Xiao, who was on stage, and then slanted his eyes towards Yun Qinghong. He gave a cold snort, expressing his contempt. He then turned his gaze to his own son and his face immediately swelled up with pride.
Over twenty years ago, Yun Qinghong was the most celebrated son of Demon Imperial City, and was the youngest ever Monarch in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm. His light was simply too dazzling, and even though Yun Waitian was more than fifty years his senior, he could only look up at Yun Qinghong… But who could have expected for there to be such a dramatic reversal of fortunes. The person who he could only look up at and envy in the past had become a cripple, and it was common knowledge that his ‘son’ was not even his own. He then thought of his current position and status within the Yun Family, and thought of his own son, and he felt a kind of superiority that was simply way too refreshing.
“Hahahaha!”
A burst of candid laughter suddenly rang out and in the sky. A huge figure appeared out of nowhere, and an earsplitting voice which carried a hint of brashness rang out, “Mu Family’s Mu Yubai has specially come to join this Yun Family gathering!”
None of the Yun Family thought that it was strange for Mu Yubai to pay them a visit at this time. They were well aware of the purpose for his visit, and they had also prepared well beforehand to deal with his intrusion. And after seeing that only Mu Yubai had come, the various elders all sighed silently in relief. All of them stood up one after another, because in a few decades, Mu Yubai would naturally succeed the position of Mu Family’s Patriarch, and his status would be greater than all those present, so they naturally got up to greet him. Yun Waitian stood up, clasped his hands, and said, “Young Patriarch Mu’s arrival is most delightful and welcome, please have a seat.”
“No need.” Mu Yubai waved his hand, “I’ll just choose a seat on my own.”
Having said that, his body flashed and he instantly appeared at Yun Qinghong’s side. After that he sat down in a grand and ostentatious manner and did not pay attention to any other people.
“Senior Mu.” Yun Che greeted.
Mu Yubai nodded his head, and he looked at Yun Xiao who had steadily gained the advantage. He rubbed his jaw and said, “Tsk! This kiddo ain’t too bad.”
“Big Brother, you came by yourself? I had thought Father would come as well.” Mu Yurou said in a soft voice.
Mu Yubai’s face grew grave and he said in a low, suppressed voice, “Dad originally wanted to come as well, but I talked him out of it.” Before he continued, his eyes suddenly shot in the direction of Yun Waitian and his voice dropped a further octave, “While Dad and I were investigating the attack on Xiao’er and the girl from the Under Heaven Clan, we managed to uncover an incredible clue… Today, some people from the Illusory Demon Royal Family may pay this competition a visit as well.”
Yun Qinghong’s brows jumped violently.
“Illusory Demon Royal Family?” Mu Yurou’s brows also sank, “Big Brother, what exactly did the both of you manage to find out? Who exactly were those people who wanted to harm Xiao’er that day?”
Mu Yubai gently shook his head, “We only manage to uncover a tiny clue, but we cannot confirm anything, nor do we have any concrete evidence… We will have to adopt a wait and see approach. If the situation spirals out of control, hmph, this position of the Yun Family Patriarch, it’s fine if you don’t have it. Bring your entire family to our Mu Family, it will be far more comfortable than staying in this wretched place!”
Mu Yurou took a look at Yun Qinghong, and let out a silent sigh. Mu Yubai could say it easily, but she knew that Yun Qinghong would definitely not be willing to leave the Yun Family. After all the Yun Family and its name carried the lives, efforts, pride and glory of his bloodline of Patriarchs. How could he be willing to leave the Yun Family and give his position away to another family branch within the Yun Family.
At this time, an even voice descended from far away,
“Unparalleled Under Heaven has come to pay a visit.”
These few words; the first word sounded like it came from five kilometers away, whereas the last word sounded as if the speaker was right next to you. The robust profound power contained within the voice stirred emotions within all the thirty six elders present. And this voice, as well as the name that accompanied it, caused all of them to stand up as one.
Two figures had suddenly appeared in the air. Yun Che recognized the person on the left, it was Number One Under Heaven! And to his right, stood a middle-aged man with a gentle countenance and a sincere smile. His position was even further forward than Number One Under Heaven, and the words that he had announced, ‘Unparallel Under Heaven’, was his very own name.
“Unparalleled Under Heaven? What is he doing here?” Yun Qinghong had a flabbergasted expression on his face. Following that, he gave Yun Che a thoughtful look, but he did not ask him anything. Instead he candidly explained, “Among these two people, you are already acquainted with Number One Under Heaven. The person beside him is called Unparalleled Under Heaven and he is around my age. He is the younger brother of the Elf Clan’s Patriarch, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven, and he is also the person in the Elf Clan whose power and position is second only to Greatest Ambition Under Heaven.”
“Oh!” Yun Che slowly nodded his head. Two months ago he had sent a sound transmission to Number One Under Heaven and invited him to the Yun Family Competition, but he did not expect that not only would he come, he would even bring such a heavyweight with him as well!
It was pretty obvious that Number One Under Heaven had guessed his true motive. The debt he owed Yun Che for saving his sister burned in his heart. His position, status and nature dictated that he would definitely be unwilling to owe anyone a favor. So not only did he come, he brought Yun Che a nice surprise as well.
However, this bunch from the Under Heaven Clan and the names that they were given, each one truly surpassed the last!
If it was only Number One Under Heaven who had come, any one of the elders could have welcomed him, because even though Number One Under Heaven was the Young Patriarch of the Under Heaven Family, he was still a junior. But with the arrival of Unparalleled Under Heaven, the entire situation changed. Yun Waitian hurriedly soared into the air and he solicitously greeted the new arrivals, “Ah so it is Elder Unparalleled and the Young Patriarch of the Under Heaven Family.”
“Heh heh,” Unparalleled Under Heaven gently smiled. His gentle demeanor and his complete lack of an imposing manner clashed with the grand name ‘Unparalleled Under Heaven’. “We have come uninvited and we hope that no one takes offence.”
“What are you saying Elder Unparalleled. Since the both of you have come, our Yun Family will definitely welcome you with open arms. Please, have a seat.”
As the two people took their seats, Number One Under Heaven crossed eyes with Yun Che, and they mutually nodded their heads inconspicuously. One used his gaze as greetings, the other used his gaze to express his thanks.
The Yun Family Competition that was taking place today was destined to be extraordinary. Because just as Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven had taken their seats, yet another voice came from above, “Tut, tut. Looks like the Yun Family has received quite a number of esteemed guests. This was a lot more lively than I expected.”
That haughty voice carried a shrill edge and if people heard it, they would feel unwell. That voice was followed by an aura, and the atmosphere immediately become sluggish. Yun Che clearly saw Yun Qinghong and Mu Yubai’s expression change at the same time.
A middle-aged man gently floated down from the air. This person was dressed all in green and his facial features seemed to have an unspeakable strangeness about them. His face seemed to be tinged in green but what caught Yun Che’s attention was this person’s eyes, as they were shaped like long and narrow triangles. And when their gazes met, Yun Che felt a cold sensation break out over his entire body… But this was definitely not the aura of a ice-based profound art, rather it was a kind of… Bone-piercing sinister aura which caused one’s hairs to stand on end.
For the Mu Family to send someone was extremely normal and while the Under Heaven Clan being in attendance shocked the Yun Family elders, it still was not anything out of the ordinary. But this person appearing, caused all the gathered Elders of the Yun Family to nearly be stunned into insensibility. He slowly floated downwards and spoke in a hoarse and unpleasant voice, “This time, I have come uninvited as well. I hope that all the present friends of the Yun Family will not take offence to my arrival.”
Yun Waitian stood up to welcome him, “Brother Helian, please do not say such a thing. Since you have come, you are naturally our honored guest… Please be seated.”
“Helian Peng, what is your motive for coming?” At this time, an unfriendly voice rang out, and the one who spoke was astonishingly Mu Yubai.
“Heh.” Helian Peng’s long and narrow triangular eyes narrowed even further, and he gave a cold and dull laugh, “Mu Yubai, you can come uninvited, but I cannot? The Yun Family was after all a great power all those years ago. I am naturally extremely interested in observing this family competition.”
“All those years ago”, those words had been emphasized heavily on purpose. Mu Yubai gave a cold snort and did not speak any further, but his brows began to furrow together… Because the appearance of this person was definitely far out of the ordinary.
“Helian Peng, the Helian Family Patriach generation’s rank three.” Yun Qinghong explained to Yun Che, “Their original form is that of a Nine-headed Demon Snake and their physiques possess an extremely high innate potential and an extremely strong power. But for the past ten thousand years, they have always been suppressed by our Yun Family, and they have always been the eternal number two. But after our Yun Family’s situation changed, they have become the head of the Twelve Guardian Families.”
Helian Family… Nine-headed Demon Snake Clan…
Yun Che silently marked this person called Helian Peng and noted down his appearance.
Chapter 513 - Rising Turbulence
The battle between the two on the stage also came to an end. With an ear-piercing ripping sound, the orange colored profound handle shattered. Along with a wretched scream, a silhouette was thrown from the Sacred Cloud Arena, smashing heavily onto the ground.
On the stage, Yun Xiao held the Galloping Lightning Sword and slowly walked to the edge of the Sacred Cloud Arena. Though he was panting a little, his expression still seemed calm, and his brows still contained some imposingness: “Brother Yun Han, you let me win.”
The Yun family disciple who had lost, clenched his teeth in an unreconciled manner, stood up, and left silently.
Now, beneath the stage was not just the younger disciples; the Elder Council and people from three families were beneath the stage too. These younger disciples, before taking part in the Family Competition, naturally had the intentions of exhibiting their skills in front of the elder generation, they did not think that the first to be in the limelight was actually Yun Xiao.
They even more did not expect that the Yun Xiao who never retaliated after getting bullied would actually be hiding such strength.
“Hmph! This fellow…” Beneath the stage, Yun Hao had an unsatisfied expression as he looked at the Yun Xiao, who always got mocked by himself, be in the limelight. His gaze swept across the area that the Elders were seated, then, he laughed coldly and pushed off the ground with both feet. His body rose into flight and landed on the Sacred Cloud Arena, where he crossed his arms and said calmly amidst the chaos: “Yun Xiao, your performance today isn’t bad. Come, let the two of us spar for a bit.”
Yun Xiao scrunched his eyebrows, his expression becoming heavy.
Yun Hao and Yun Xiao were both half-step Overlords, moreover, Yun Hao had stopped at the stage of a half-step Tyrant for four years whilst Yun Xiao had in only one. On top of that, Yun Hao possessed a profound handle, Yun Xiao had fought in two consecutive battles, and expended a large portion of his profound strength. If the two of them sparred, it would be a situation where one side had an obvious advantage… Yun Xiao simply had no chance of winning.
“Hehe, your third son, isn’t he simply bullying others.” At the elders’ seats, an elder sitting at the back row said to the person to his side.
Yun Hao’s father was one of the thirty-six core elders of the Yun family, his ranking was slightly towards the end. Yun Hao was a genuine heir of an Elder. After hearing those words, Yun Hao’s father sighed weakly and said: “They are all young. While mutually sparring, there is only the matter of being strong or weak, what is there to bully about. If their strength is not sufficient, no one can be blamed for being bullied. What’s more… “ He said in a soft voice: “Today is the day Yun Qinghong steps down, it’s better if this bastard of his goes down early too.”
Yun Xiao had never sparred with Yun Hao before. His heart too, was especially nervous, as a gentle voice arrived in his ears: “Yun Hao is frivolously using his strength to seek some glory. He is definitely seeking to defeat you in the shortest amount of time, that’s why he will probably use one of the strongest killing moves of the Purple Cloud Arts immediately. Use the Wrapping Lightning Arts which I have made you practice diligently… whether you will be able to come out victorious from behind, will depend on how well you can operate the Wrapping Lightning Arts!”
Yun Xiao’s gaze shifted and he look towards Yun Qinghong. His expression was calm, with a slight smile. From the start, no one had realized that this family head who was supposedly crippled for tens of years, had just employed an incomparably advanced profound energy sound transmission.
Yun Xiao’s nervousness disappeared as his gaze became cold and determined. His arms moved slowly, and the Galloping Lightning Sword tilted horizontally in front of his body.
Yun Hao took out his own weapon and said beamingly: “Yun Xiao, you have just fought two matches, I will also not be willing to take advantage of you. If I do not manage to defeat you within five moves, then just take it as my loss… if you are not even able to receive five moves of mine, hehe, then you can’t really blame me.”
Even a fool could clearly hear the disdain in Yun Hao’s words… and this was in a situation where Yun Qinghong was present. The surroundings of the Sacred Cloud Arena went into a fit of sniggers, as various gazes of amusement and pity landed on Yun Xiao.
Yet in contrast, Yun Xiao had a face full of calm. He stared straight at the sword in Yun Hao’s hand, as if he had not heard the words he just said.
Not achieving the results he had expected, Yun Hao was not satisfied. He clenched his teeth and sneered secretly: This good-for-nothing, he can sure act well. Let’s see how you can withstand my one move!
Yun Hao moved his arm. His body abruptly sprinted forward, instantly rushed up to Yun Xiao, as he released a lump of lightning profound energy he had secretly amassed on his body. It violently exploded, causing five terrifying and malevolent lightning and thunder pythons to appear.
“Wah! He used the Purple Fiend Lightning Handle immediately!!”
“Seems like Yun Hao wants to smack that fellow down with just one move.”
“If Yun Xiao deflects the blow, he will definitely be smacked off the stage. If he receives it head on… Heh, it’s possible that he’ll lose half his life.”
Facing Yun Hao’s sudden release of the Purple Fiend Lightning Handle, Yun Xiao did not dodge or run. Only his eyes opened wide for a moment, exploding with lightning profound energy that clearly shone within his pupils. He raised the Galloping Lightning Sword, bringing along with it a magnificent purple sword silhouette… After the five lightning profound powers which contained terrifying might touched his sword silhouette, they did not explode, and instead, drew away gently like the flow of water, following Yun Xiao’s body, scattering, as he flew backwards. Even Yun Hao’s sword was tugged on strongly by an indescribable force. The profound strength on the sword which was about to be released, was also scattered.
Yun Hao, who originally wanted to smash Yun Xiao away with a single move, momentarily turned pale with fright, but without even giving him enough time to fully react, the tip of Yun Xiao’s blade abruptly pierced forward, right at his chest.
“Sudden Lightning Sword!”
Yun Hao had immediately employed one of the Purple Cloud Arts’ strongest killing moves, and it was precisely then, when his profound defense was at its weakest, that his protective profound defense was immediately torn apart under the Sudden Lightning Sword move. Yun Hao let out a muffled groan and flew away, his head landing on the ground, smashing disastrously beneath the stage with a “crack” sound, smashing a wooden seat into pieces.
Yun Hao sprawled on the floor like a dead dog, stared blankly and did not stand up for a long time… This was in the presence of everyone; all the Elders were present, along with three other Guardian Families. It could even be said that he had disgraced himself to the extreme.
The surroundings immediately became silent. All of the Yun family disciples were thoroughly dumbfounded. Yun Hao’s profound strength was thicker than Yun Xiao’s, and he also had a profound handle. The opposing Yun Xiao had also wasted a big portion of his profound strength, and they had all thought that it was very possible that Yun Xiao would be defeated in one move by Yun Hao. They never thought that the one to be defeated in a single move would actually be Yun Hao!!
And after the shock had passed, the Elders who were seated, revealed unusual expressions one after another. Yun Xiao had just employed the Purple Cloud Art’s toughest skill, Wrapping Lightning Art. Comprehending and cultivating it was extremely difficult, and even if he succeeded, it was tough to use in the battlefield. As such, many Yun family disciples chose to totally give up on the Wrapping Lightning Art, and even some Elders did not recommend their children to practice it. However, they had just witnessed Yun Xiao use that move, and it was actually used so beautifully, giving him a miraculous victory over Yun Hao. They were totally caught unprepared.
Yun Qinghong nodded towards Yun Xiao, his face revealing a slight smile.
Yun Hao finally crawled up from the ground. His lips trembled and his face was already the color of a pig’s liver. Feeling all the strange looks from his surroundings, he clenched both his fists and suddenly roared explosively: “Yun Xiao, I was just testing the waters just now… Let us spar again from the start!!”
After his roar faded, just as he wanted to rush up onto the Sacred Cloud Arena again, his father snorted coldly: “Back down! You’ve already lost, moreover, it was a huge defeat!”
With his own father having just berated him, Yun Hao’s body immediately stopped. With a completely red face, he clenched his teeth and said: “Father, that was just a big mistake just now. I did not even use half of my strength, Yun Xiao doesn’t even have a profound handle, how could he be my opponent. He…”
“Shut up!” Yun Hao’s father was extremely angry. He said with a heavy face: “You yourself are aware that Yun Xiao does not have a profound handle. He is younger than you, and had already fought two matches, yet he smashed you down with a single move! Have you not lost enough face?! Hurry up and get off from there!”
Yun Hao quivered from head to toe. He slid his eyeballs over and stared hatefully at Yun Xiao. Then, he clenched his teeth and retreated. However, he had clearly felt Yun Xiao’s transformation. When he was glaring at Yun Xiao, he noticed that Yun Xiao was unexpectedly undisturbed. There was even some pressure from his eyes, he was absolutely not like before.
It was as if… he suddenly had absolutely no apprehension.
“What a beautiful Wrapping Lightning Art.” A praise could be heard, and the one to speak up was impressively Unparalleled Under Heaven. He nodded his head unhurriedly and said: “I have heard that the Yun family’s Wrapping Lightning Art is extremely difficult to cultivate. I did not think that a Yun family junior could use it so proficiently, he certainly lives up to the name of the Yun family’s Young Patriarch.”
“Of course, why don’t you see whose nephew he is, how could he possibly be bad?” Mu Yubai continued unrestrainedly.
“Ah…” Helian Peng’s triangular eyes slanted. He put on a false smile and said: “There is a junior disciple from the Yun family at such a level. Hehe, that’s still not too bad, a pity that it can’t be compared to our Helian family. It seems to be a little more inferior.”
The moment the words were spoken, the Elders present all revealed expressions of fury. For ten thousand years, the Yun family was the head of the twelve Guardian Families, Helian being second. The Helian family had been pressed down by the Yun family for ten thousand years and now that they could finally fight back, they would definitely be unusually proud. They did not lack in ridiculing and despising the Yun family in the past few years. Yun Waitian smiled faintly and said: “Brother Helian’s words are somewhat wrong. Although Yun Xiao’s strength is still considered not too bad, it is far from representative of our Yun family junior disciples’ strength. Even if he could wield the power of the profound handle, it is still impossible for him!”
“Xinyue, let everyone have a look at the strength of Yun family’s younger generation!”
“Yes, father.”
Yun Xinyue stood up from his seat, then flew up into the air. He did not land on the Sacred Cloud Arena; instead. he extended his arm while floating, and said in a gentle voice: “Young Patriarch, you have already fought multiple battles, so it will not be fair for us to battle. Let me use the profound handle to spar.”
Yun Xinyue pushed out his left arm, and cyan colored profound handle shot out like a meteor. As it neared Yun Xiao, it transformed into a ring with a diameter of one meter, at the same time, a ball of dazzling purple lightning brilliance radiated, causing the original cyan colour to be completely swallowed.
Unparalleled Under Heaven, Helian Peng and the rest all noticed the cyan profound handle originating from Yun Xinyue… Cyan. This was the gifted profound handle which only the top geniuses in the Yun family would possess. Back then, both Demon King Yun Canghai and Yun Qinghong, who shook the Demon Imperial City, had also possessed cyan profound handles.
Yun Xiao had always respected Yun Xinyue, he was even more aware that the difference in strength between himself and Yun Xinyue was extremely huge. Facing the attack from Yun Xinyue’s profound handle, he did not dare to be careless in the slightest, as he waved his sword and charged.
The profound handle which took the form of a purple electrical ring revolved rapidly, releasing circles of sinister and devastating electrical arcs Wherever one went, the ear-splitting sound of thunder could be heard, space was distorted, and even space was being ripped by concentrated, frightening lightning profound energy. Under such an oppressive profound strength, Yun Xiao could not even near it, and was swept away by the boundless and oppressive aura. Even the Galloping Lightning Sword was trembling from the attack, he almost could not hold it still.
After the brief rotation of the profound handle, it suddenly flew towards Yun Xiao, as tens of electric arcs were released from the profound handle… Only a “clang” sound could be heard as the Galloping Lightning Sword within Yun Xiao’s hand was easily disarmed. Yun Xiao’s arm was completely numb from shaking and the electric shock. His body also flew back from the attack, stumbling, as he landed on the edge of the Sacred Cloud Arena.
Yun Xinyue waved his arm, and the profound handle immediately flew back.
Without making a move himself, he simply used the profound handle to easily defeat Yun Xiao. Yun Xinyue did not reveal any hint of arrogance, and simply nodded towards Yun Xiao’s direction: “Young Patriarch, please excuse me.”
Yun Xiao immediately waved his hand and said sincerely: “As expected of Brother Xinyue, you’re truly too impressive.”
The Yun family disciples all started cheering and the name “Yun Xinyue” resonated within the Yun family compound. The glory which Yun Xiao had acquired from winning three matches in a row, was completely drowned by Yun Xinyue’s magnificence. All of the thirty-six Yun family core elders nodded their heads, their faces revealed expressions of approval and hope. Yet facing such cheers and praise, Yun Xinyue remained completely calm. Absolutely not proud or arrogant, as he calmly returned to his seat.
His talent, strength and personality was seriously perfect! It was no wonder that he was named the Yun family’s hope for re-emergence
Yun Che narrowed his eyes. Only until Yun Xinyue reached his seat, did he move his gaze away. Then, as if he had some thoughts, he looked towards Yun Qinghong, and coincidentally made eye contact with Yun Qinghong. From the look in each other’s eyes, it was like they knew something. After the short visual contact, they looked away at the same time… Without exchanging any words, they were extremely clear on what one another meant.
Or perhaps, this was some sort of chemistry between father and son.
Chapter 514 - Duke Hui Ye
“Good… Very good!” Helian Peng nodded strongly and even clapped: “I had long heard that dear nephew Xinyue’s talent is outstanding. Seeing it personally today, I must say that it is indeed true. You are even slightly stronger than my useless son, and it looks like as long as Xinyue dear nephew is here, the rumor that the Yun Family has fallen completely is but a joke.”
Seeing Yun Xinyue’s performance, Helian Peng revealed shocked, praised him greatly, and rated him even more highly. He even addressed him using the intimate phrase “dear nephew”. Although Yun Waitian found it weird, it could not hide the delight in his heart: “Brother Helian is too kind. My son Xinyue is still young and lacking, I hope Brother Helian can guide him in the future.”
“Brother Yun is too humble.” Helian Peng said laughingly.
“Hmph, although Yun Xinyue’s talent isn’t poor, the Yun Family has not been able to enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley for the past hundred years. The fact that they can produce such a young talent who possesses an innate cyan profound handle is admirable. However, Helian Peng is praising him a little too much.” Number One Under Heaven commented.
“Haha,” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed slightly and said looking forward: “You don’t have to think too much, we’re only here as guests today.”
The various Yun Family Elders enjoyed Helian Peng’s praise very much and felt that Yun Xinyue had helped the Yun Family, who were at their lowest, earn some face. All of them naturally looked upon him even more highly, and the younger members of the Yun Family looked at him with brightly lit eyes filled with admiration and envy.
Yun Xiao returned to Yun Qinghong’s side, his expression not showing much disappointment, because for him, losing to Yun Xinyue was not something unacceptable, but instead something very normal. Yun Qinghong looked at him and said: “Xiao’er, you must remember, no matter when, no matter who you’re facing, never think that you’re the weaker one, and even more so think that your defeat is a normal thing! That’s the mentality of a coward and trash!”
Yun Qinghong’s words were like thunder that struck beside Yun Xiao’s ears. He straightened his body and replied: “Yes, father! This child will remember it well.”
As the time neared the official start of the Yun Family Competition, the three grand elders that everyone was waiting for had finally arrived.
Above the Sacred Cloud Arena, three purplish clouds floated over silently. All members of the Yun Family, from the core elders to the junior generation. stood up and looked towards it respectfully. Then, the three clouds dispersed, which caused dense purple lightning to rain down. Among the purple lightning, the figures of three men floating in a straight line gradually appeared, and three strong auras that were stacked together slowly and silently filled the place. The auras did not pose any threat, yet they were as vast as the starry sky, as majestic as the ocean, and the people under the aura seemed as though they were basked under holy light. Some even knelt down, and acted like they were praying.
These three people seemed as though they were saints for another world, overlooking the entire Yun Family from midair.
Unparalleled Under Heaven, Mu Yubai, Helian Peng all stood up… because in terms of seniority, in front of the three from the Yun Family, they were just juniors.
The three of them looked middle-aged with black hair and black beards, but their auras were filled with the deep stability that came with age, allowing others to clearly feel their strong ancientness.
Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi, the only three remaining grand elders in the Yun Family. A hundred years ago, among the grand elders of the Yun Family, their strengths were but the weakest few. However, after the strongest ten members of the Yun Family and Demon King Yun Canghai passed on within the Profound Sky Continent, they became the three strongest of the Yun Family… and also became the strongest cornerstones of the Yun Family.
Yun Waitian slightly floated and bent over, respectfully saying: “Greetings, Grand Elders!”
“Greetings, Grand Elders!” The entire Yun family echoed in unison.
“Xiao’er, help me up.” Yun Qinghong said.
With the support of Yun Xiao, Yun Qinghong gradually stood up. From midair, the Grand Elder standing in the middle said: “Qinghong, your body is unwell. You don’t have to bother with these customs, sit down.”
However, Yun Qinghong shook his head, stood up straight, then bowed respectfully towards the three grand elders: “There is an order for elders and juniors, a difference between seniors and juniors. My Yun Family has flourished for ten thousands of years, the heavens and earth are witnesses! As Yun Family’s Patriarch, how can I not follow basic customs.”
Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi could faintly tell the hidden message in Yun Qinghong’s words and looked at each other while secretly sighing helplessly. Yun He raised his hand and said: “Qinghong, your nature is upright. It’s good, yet bad… Alright, everyone sit.”
“Esteemed guests, our Yun Family welcome you here. However, today’s matters are Yun Family’s personal affairs that might affect our family’s future. You’re welcome to observe, but please do not interfere.” Yun Xi said coolly. Obviously, the arrival of the Helian and the Under Heaven Family caused them to be cautious.
“Of course.” Helian Peng said matter-of-factly.
Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi descended and sat at the center of the sitting area. Among the three, Yun He was the eldest and also the strongest. After entering their seats, he nodded slightly and said: “Since everyone is already here, let’s begin.”
Yun Waitian stood up and was about to approach the Sacred Cloud Arena when a frivolous yet somewhat authoritative voice rang from midair: “The Yun Family seems lively today. Looks like this king didn’t waste a trip here by coming here in person.”
Yun Waitian stopped moving and looked towards the sky with a face of disbelief. A young man dressed fully in silver, wearing a silver crown and holding a fan gradually appeared. He looked scholarly and not any older than early twenties. However, his gaze was fierce and a sense of innate nobility came from his body. Even though he was facing the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, his fierce gaze was not one bit withheld.
Behind him, another figure appeared. This person was bent, with a small stature. His hair was withered and yellow and the greyish yellow clothes he wore was covered in dust. The most eye-catching thing was that his neck and arms… were actually covered in sallow yellow scale shaped patterns… No, they were indeed scales!
“Du… Duke Hui Ye! And the Venerable Stone Dragon!” Yun Waitian exclaimed in shock. All the elders of the Yun Family, including the three Grand Elders, were shocked as well.
“Hehe, I came here uninvited. You wouldn’t mind, right?” The young man said laughingly. His actions and tone of speech was mild, yet each of his words contained an indescribable sense of pressure, causing one to not dare to oppose to what he had said.
Another “uninvited” guest. Today’s Yun Family Competition had a little too many uninvited guests. The Mu Family’s arrival was considered normal, Under Heaven and Helian Family coming was already shocking… but, the arrival of the Duke of the Glorious Night something no one imagined.
By now, even a fool could tell that there was something wrong.
“Of… Of course not,” Yun Waitian’s voice started to tremble slightly and his shock and agitation could easily be seen: “Duke Hui Ye personally paying a visit to our Yun Family is our Yun Family’s good fortune. How would our Yun Family mind? I wonder… I wonder why Your Highness has come down personally? If you have anything you need help with, our Yun Family will definitely do our best.”
“Nothing much actually.” Duke Hui Ye laughed: “I just heard that today was the Yun Family’s Family Competition, and since I had some free time, I decided to come take a look. Looks like the competition has not started yet. That’s good. I wonder if you could arrange seats for me and company, so we can enjoy the competition?”
“Of course… Your Highness, please enter the seating area.” Yun Waitian hurriedly guided him to the seat personally.
“Who is that person?” Yun Che asked. Yun Waitian was still an elder of the Yun Family, yet he treated this person with so much respect, and even called him “Your Highness”. He was clearly not a normal person.
“Illusory Demon Royal Family’s Duke Hui Ye.” Yun Qinghong explained briefly: “Illusory Demon Royal Family does not have any grand princes, hence, the title of duke is simply only second to that of the Demon Emperor’s direct bloodline. If it was simply any duke, Yun Waitian wouldn’t act this way. However, that Duke Hui Ye is not from any normal family. He is part of the ‘Illusory Demon Seven Scions’ and is ranked third. His elder brother, is the strongest of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, and his father and grandfather are not normal as well. Currently, their faction’s combined strength and support within Illusory Demon Royal Family, might be able to suppress that of the Little Demon Empress! Even the Little Demon Empress would find it difficult to command them.”
Yun Che wrinkled his brows: “Illusory Demon Seven Scions?”
“I know that.” Yun Xiao replied: “The Illusory Demon Seven Scions are the seven strongest members of the Illusory Demon Royal Family’s young generation. Once a person is listed into the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, he would obtain an exceptional position within the Royal Family and be exclusively trained. Duke Hui Ye is ranked third, which means he’s super strong. I also heard that currently, in the entire Illusory Demon Realm, other than the Little Demon Empress, their bloodline is the purest remaining of the Illusory Demon bloodline.”
“That’s right.” Yun Qinghong nodded: “The person following him is called the ‘Venerable Stone Dragon’. Since ten years ago he became Duke Hui Ye’s personal bodyguard. His true form is a thirty meter long True Dragon which possesses the power of earth, and is very strong…” His eyes closed slowly as his gaze became downcast: “First it’s Helian Peng, now it’s actually Duke Hui Ye… Looks like it’s going to get lively here.”
Yun Che’s eyebrows raised as he slowly exhaled. In his two months within Demon Imperial City, he obviously could not completely learn all the details about Demon Imperial City. He did not even get to know much people outside of the Yun Family. All he knew was the predicament of the Yun Family and the Illusory Demon Royal Family, and basic knowledge of the other eleven guardian families.
He did not actually know just how strong the Illusory Demon Royal Family was. However, the appearance of Duke Hui Ye helped him understand that whatever he was going to face next would be far more complex and difficult; much more dangerous than what he had expected, but he would never change his decision because of that.
The Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony would be held in less than a month’s time and that would be the best stage to rebuild the Yun Family’s reputation. However, before that, he had to help Yun Qinghong keep his position as Patriarch no matter what, and not let anyone else steal it!
Chapter 515 - Forced Abdication
From the moment the Duke Hui Ye had arrived to the time he took his seat, Yun Waitian had been the one to take the lead and welcome him; Yun Qinghong did absolutely nothing. In this period, the Duke Hui Ye did not even take a glance in the direction where Yun Qinghong was seated; it was if he completely disregarded the existence of Yun Family’s true Patriarch.
It was time. Yun Waitian bounded onto the Sacred Cloud Arena and he faced the ancestral monument, declaring with his head held high, “Today, the Yun Family Competition is about to begin. And as the reason for convening this competition; I am sure all those who are present already know. In another month’s time, it will be the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony. This is a grand affair which involves the entire Illusory Demon Realm. As one of the Twelve Guardian Families who have guarded the Illusory Demon Royal Family for generations, our Yun Family will also be participating in this grand ceremony. At the appointed time, a royal banquet will be held, and guests will come from all over. Even though our Yun Family does not play the leading role, at that time, we will reveal our splendor to the Little Demon Empress, as well as all the outstanding heroes gathered there.”
“So in order for us to not lose our family’s might and prestige, only the most excellent individuals from the same generation will have the privilege of going to and participating in this grand ceremony. Because at that time, the ones who will be participating in the grand ceremony will be the strongest of each corresponding generation within our Yun Family… Especially our young generation, the weak will not be allowed to disgrace themselves at the grand ceremony for all to see; that will only bring shame to our Yun Family!”
Regardless of the place, the strength of the next generation would always be the most important factor for any great power. This was because the strength of the current generation had already been measured and settled. What heralded the winds of change was naturally the strength of the coming generation!
“This Family Competition will be the most direct and fairest method of selecting the cream of the crop of each generation. Who wins and who loses, who is strong and who is weak, that will all become apparent.”
“Alright. No more unnecessary words need to be said, let us address the main issue.” Grand Elder Yun He abruptly said, cutting of Yun Waitian’s words.
The arrival of the Duke Hui Ye had caused Yun Waitian to speak with extreme prudence. So when Grand Elder Yun He abruptly spoke, he actually breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded in the direction of the three Grand Elders and did not continue from his previous words. He instead said, “Since this is the case, I will not continue talking about unnecessary things, however…” He changed the topic and declared sternly, “Before the Family Competition begins, there is a grave matter that concerns the future of our entire family that has to be addressed right now. And the Elder Council has already begun discussing this matter many months ago.”
“Oh? A grave matter concerning the future of your entire clan? I wonder what such a huge affair this could be?” Helian Peng narrowed his eyes and said in a tone that was full of interest.
Once Yun Waitian had said these words, many people present immediately held their breath, and many gazes, whether direct or covert, were shot in Yun Qinghong’s direction. Practically everyone present knew what the ‘grave matter’ Yun Waitian spoke about concerned. And this day, at long last, had finally come.
Yun Waitian’s gaze swept across all who were present, before finally fixing itself on the location where Yun Qinghong was presently seated. He said with a solemn expression, “Our Yun Family has flourished for ten thousand years, and our might was known throughout the land. But due to the calamity that transpired one hundred years ago, eleven cornerstones of our Yun Family collapsed in one night, and that caused the total strength of our Yun Family to decrease drastically in an instant. And in these past hundred years, we have carried guilt on our backs, while our young generation went under the most extreme of restrictions. Twenty-two years ago, our Patriarch’s profound strength was crippled, and the guilt that we carried grew even heavier.”
“And now everyone knows that our Yun Family is on a quick decline. Our Patriarch has been crippled and barely has any strength left. If this situation continues, our Yun Family may not even have the qualifications to truly continue on as one of the Twelve Guardian Families. So the main event that our Yun Family needs to undertake is the choosing of a suitable new Patriarch to lead the Yun Family and rouse our Yun Clan once more…
“Wait!!”
Before Yun Waitian could finish, a rude and loud bellow cut his words off. Mu Yubai stood up and said with a steady expression, “Choosing a new Patriarch? Yun Waitian, what do you mean? Are you trying to force Yun Qinghong to abdicate his position?”
No one felt surprised that Mu Yubai would step in. Yun Waitian’s expression did not change and he replied calmly,”Young Patriarch Mu’s words are too heavy. How could we dare use the word ‘force’ in regards to our Patriarch? But our esteemed Patriarch entire body is disabled, and he scarcely has any mental, physical and emotional strength left. And I am sure Young Patriarch Mu will not be able to deny that. This period also happens to be a crisis of existence for our Yun Family. How can we burden our already powerless Patriarch with the responsibility of raising our Yun Family up once more? Thus, for the sake of the entire clan, and to preserve the health of our current Patriarch, the time has come for the our Yun Family to select a new Patriarch.”
Mu Yubai was after all, the future Patriarch of the Mu Family. Given the current declining power of the Yun Family, they were unwilling to offend any of the Twelve Guardian Families. So Yun Waitian still remained calm and prudent in the face of Mu Yubai’s lack of respect.
Mu Yubai instead responded with a cold laugh, “Your Yun Family, for the past ten thousands years, have had over seventy Patriarchs in succession, but every single Patriarch was from the line of your original Patriarch…” Mu Yubai pointed at the Yun Family ancestral monument and said, “Underneath your Yun Family’s ancestral monuments sleeps the spirits of all the heroes in the line of your first Patriarch! Yun Waitian! Why don’t you tell me, in the entire Yun Family, aside from Yun Qinghong, who else is a descendant of the bloodline of your Patriarchs?! You cannot seriously be telling me that all of you are prepared to force Yun Qinghong to abdicate his position and select someone who is not from the line of Patriarchs to be your new Patriarch… Heh! If I remember correctly, ten thousand years ago, your Yun Clan was just a tiny barbarian tribe from the Northern Passes. And the one who created the Purple Cloud Art, lead your entire clan from the north to dominate the entire realm, then established your position as head of the Twelve Guardian Families, was the very ancestor of the line of the Yun Family Patriarchs! And from then on, every single Patriarch, without exception, had been of the descendant of that first Patriarch! If not for the leadership and guidance of this line of Patriarchs, your entire clan would still be struggling to eke out a miserable existence somewhere out there!! And now, even though Yun Qinghong is crippled, he is not dead, and is still extremely young! And yet you want to force him to abdicate his position as Patriarch… Aren’t you lot worried about how you will face your ancestors after you have passed on?!”
Mu Yubai’s words were ruthless and relentless. He had basically scolded every single member of the Yun Family besides Yun Qinghong. Even though Yun Waitian was restraining himself with every single fiber of his being, his face had become faintly flushed. At this time, Helian Peng said in a loud voice, “Mu Yubai, it is not that I want to criticize you, but the words you have just spoken are ridiculous to the point where I can no longer take it. The Yun name belongs to everyone in the Yun Family, who was it that decreed that the Yun Family Patriarch must definitely be from Yun Qinghong’s line? Even if the Yun Family does have this tradition, heh… Yun Qinghong has already been crippled to the point where he can’t be crippled any further. To allow him to continue on as Patriarch, even if you ignore the ridicule of the rest of the world, will sooner or later lead to the complete crippling of the Yun Family as a whole. Moreover, besides in Yun Qinghong, there seems to be no one else in the Yun Family who comes from the bloodline of the first Patriarch… oh, and as for Yun Qinghong’s ‘son’, Hehe… Don’t tell me that after Yun Qinghong has passed on, that the Yun Family will never be allowed to have a Patriarch again? Or do you actually hope to see the Yun Family being led by someone who hails from the Profound Sky Continent, a basta…”
“Shut up!” Mu Yubai roared, not letting Helian Peng finish what he was saying. He said with a calm expression, “This is a matter concerning the Yun Family! The Yun Family Patriarch is our Mu Family’s son-in-law, so I have the right to speak, but you, Helian Peng, have no right to open your mouth! If you dare to continue to say words which are unpleasant to my ears, do you believe that I won’t force you to leave this place on your knees?!”
Mu Yubai’s temperament was upright and unyielding, and he was never willing to suppress his own emotions. If he said something, he would do it. Even though the other party was someone from the strongest Helian Clan, his words were still unyielding and strong to the point where it left no room for leeway or graciousness. In regards to strength, Helian Peng was categorically not even in the same zipcode as Mu Yubai, but he did not show any fear, and he gave a cold laugh instead, “Mu Yubai, do not think that I am afraid of you. If we truly fight, the one who will leave kneeling is not set in stone!”
“You are courting death!”
The words that Helian Peng said undoubtedly caused Mu Yubai’s temper to erupt completely. What’s more, Mu Yubai was also looking for an opportunity to turn this place upside down. He yelled in anger and profound light burst forth from his entire body as a thick and solid chain of ice soared into the sky…
“Everyone, be quiet. This is the Yun Family’s grand event, it is not a place for you to quarrel, much less exchange blows.”
With a voice as tranquil as water, yet still carrying a pressure and might that was hard to resist, Duke Hui Ye said his piece. By his side, the Venerable Stone Dragon’s eyes flashed and a beam of yellow shot out, colliding with Mu Yubai’s ice chain. With a gentle ring, the ice chain disappeared in midair.
After the Duke Hui Ye had spoken those words, Mu Yubai was unable to take further action. He coldly stared at Helian Peng, returned to Yun Qinghong’s side, and fixed his gaze on Yun Waitian.
“Big Brother, you are too impulsive.” Mu Yurou said in worry as she mildly rebuked her brother.
“Haha, Yubai may be impulsive, but he has never been one to act foolishly.” Yun Qinghong said with a mysterious smile.
“After all, it is brother-in-law who understands me best. Heh.” Mu Yubai said with a low bark.
“Uh, could it be that Uncle’s sudden flare of temper was done on purpose?” After hearing what they had said, Yun Xiao whispered this into Yun Che’s ear.
“Yes.” Yun Che nodded his head, “The more impulsive and irascible Senior Mu acts, the more they will be put at ease… It looks like Senior Mu is trying to test some of his theories.”
“Test his theories? Test what theories?” Yun Xiao was completely mystified.
Yun Che gave the faintly smiling Duke Hui Ye a sidelong glance and he whispered back, “In no time at all, his questions should have answers. Yun Xiao, no matter what happens after this, do not be alarmed.”
“Ah? Oh…” Yun Xiao had grown even more confused.
“Patriarch Yun.” Duke Hui Ye spoke once more, and this time, he faced Yun Qinghong directly. In terms of age, the Duke Hui Ye was one generation younger than Yun Qinghong, so for him to address Yun Qinghong as Patriarch Yun was no big deal, but his tone clearly did not contain a single drop of respect. After all, Yun Qinghong was a complete cripple, “In my humble opinion, because of your body’s condition, you have long ago become unsuitable to continue leading the huge Yun Clan. I very much endorse Elder Yun Waitian’s words. To choose a new Patriarch to lead the Yun Family would be a good thing, not only for the Yun Family but for Patriarch Yun himself as well. What is Patriarch Yun’s opinion on this?”
“Sigh.” Grand Elder Yun He gave a dull sigh, “For ten thousand years, the Yun Family has been lead by the bloodline of our Patriarch, but given the current circumstance that the Yun Family faces today, to change leaders has become an inevitable thing.”
Grand Elder Yun Xi said, “Qinghong, it is about to time for you to have a proper rest.”
Grand Elder Yun Jiang followed, “This is definitely not what we wish for, but given your current strength and physical condition, it has already become too hard for you to continue bearing the burden of leading the clan.”
The Grand Elders had spoken, and even Duke Hui Ye was in support of the Yun Family changing Patriarchs. It seemed that the case for a change of Patriarch had already been nailed shut. Everyone present was waiting for Yun Qinghong’s reaction, but they discovered that his expression was serene. He did not seem the least bit lost or disappointed, and he did not even sigh. Instead he gently and calmly said, “Since the Grand Elders and His Highness has already spoken, it would naturally be hard for I, Yun Qinghong, to have any objections. Since all the gathered elders have already begun discussing the matter of changing Patriarchs months ago, it must be that my successor has long ago been decided. Since that is so, please do tell me who it is. If it is someone who can instill sufficient confidence in those who are present, then I, Yun Qinghong, will gladly abdicate my position.”
“Hmph! Do you even need to ask?” Mu Yubai said with a cold laugh, “Of course it is the person who has gone through great pains to set up this so-called Family Competition, the one who is truly pushing for your abdication, Great Elder Yun Waitian!
“The matter of changing Patriarch is not a suggestion made by me personally, it is something the entire Elder Council has decided.” Yun Waitian said with an unchanging expression, “I, Yun Waitian, lack the virtue or the ability, and I have never once dared to covet the position of Patriarch!”
Chapter 516 - The Patriarch Position
“Great Elder’s words are incorrect.” Just as Yun Waitian had stopped speaking, a Yun Family elder quickly followed up and said: “Based on prestige, strength and contribution to our Yun Clan, you are definitely the most suitable to be our next Patriarch.”
“That’s right.” Another elder also hastily said: “In terms of rank, Great Elder is the leader of the Elder Council. In terms of strength, you’re also the strongest in our family. Furthermore, ever since the Patriarch became crippled all those years back, all the matters concerning the clan has been handled by Great Elder. Therefore, if we were to choose the most suitable candidate for Patriarch acknowledged by everyone, it would no doubt be Great Elder.”
“I think so as well.”
A few elders carried on, speaking one after another, recommending Great Elder Yun Waitian to be the next Yun Patriarch. Gradually, more and more people spoke for Yun Waitian. Only a minority of the elders did not speak up and sighed in secret. Following that, all the middle-aged and young generation of the Yun Family began echoing out the Great Elder’s name.
A hundred years ago, Yun Canghai left and never returned. Yun Qinghong had to succeed as the next Patriarch. At that time, in terms of prestige and influence within the family, ten Yun Waitian could not even match up to one Yun Qinghong. Within the family, any command by Yun Qinghong would be fulfilled immediately and no one dared to defy him. Although the Yun Family eleven strongest cornerstones disappeared overnight and their strength faltered massively, and they even carried the name of sinners, the entire family believed that with Yun Qinghong leading the family, the Yun Family would definitely rise once again. Outside of the Yun Family, there was no one that would dare belittle the strength of the weakened Yun Family… Because at that time, there was the unrivaled talent, Yun Qinghong.
However, twenty-two years ago, Yun Qinghong was crippled.
In a world where strength meant everything, even if a person whose strength was lower than that of dirt, who could never be strong again, possessed the title of Patriarch, he would not be really respected and feared by others. The reputation he had built up for himself quickly vanished within these twenty-two years. The high regard, respect, reverence, adoration, and fear others had toward him… turned into sighs, disregard and even insult and gloating after he was crippled. The Yun Family Elders, peers and junior who held him in high regard were all extremely disappointed and sighed. As the epitome of a profound cultivating family in Illusory Demon Realm, who would actually allow a crippled person to lead them?
Even among those who vowed to forever stay loyal to Yun Qinghong, had secretly went away. The others who still vowed to stay with him till death were chased away by Yun Qinghong… Because at that time, he knew the condition of his own body, and that those who stayed with him would have no future. How would he be willing to delay the prospects of those who were sincere toward him?
Until the end, he kept his status as “Patriarch”, but only his wife and son remained by his side.
Twenty odd years ago, who could imagine the Yun Qinghong, who was probably the brightest star within the entire Illusory Demon Realm, would be in such a pathetic state where no one would bother to look him in the eye.
Due to being crippled for twenty-two years until now, not one person in his own clan stood up to support this man, who used to lead the Yun Family, to continue as Patriarch.
However, even when facing such a reality, Yun Qinghong did not blame anyone. After all, he had been crippled. Whether it was the Elder Council or the Grand Elders, their main motive for doing so was for the future of the Yun Family. After all, letting a crippled person lead the Yun Family would invite ridicule and also bleaken the future of the family. When compared to the future of the Yun Family, the bloodline of the Patriarch did not seem as important.
The cheers supporting the Great Elder grew louder and louder. Yun Waitian found it hard to remain calm as he humbly said: “Towards everyone’s support, I’m truly humbled but with my weak strength, I’m not capable to take on the role as Patriarch… Instead, Seventh Elder whose strength is outstanding, is the most suitable person for this role.”
The “Seventh Elder” who was mentioned by Yun Waitian quickly waved it off: “Great Elder’s words are too kind. Pardon my honesty, but within the entire Yun Family, with Great Elder present, it would not please the masses if anyone else was Patriarch.”
“That’s right! We support Great Elder to succeed as Patriarch!”
“Great Elder don’t refuse anymore. The position of the next Patriarch is undoubtedly yours.”
The Yun Family cheers sounded once again and Yun Waitian cupped his fist together as his agitation had exploded… Since twenty-two years ago when Yun Qinghong was crippled, he had the thought of becoming Patriarch. For this twenty-two years, he had worked very hard for this goal while gaining more and more of a reputation for himself… If he were to become the Patriarch, the bloodline of the Patriarch that had existed for ten thousand years would change. A hundred years later, his son Yun Xinyue would become the next Patriarch, and after that, it would be his grandson and his descendants…
Facing the crippled Yun Qinghong and his son that was unable to use his Profound Handle, he knew that this day would come eventually… However, it had finally arrived today.
As the cheers of the Yun Family grew louder, a disharmonious cold laughter suddenly sounded: “Since Great Elder Yun knows that he’s not suitable for the position of Patriarch, why do you people have to make noise blindly and cause trouble for Great Elder Yun? If Great Elder Yun can’t resist it and choose to go back on his words and accept, when this spreads, won’t others gossip that the Yun Family Great Elder is actually eyeing for the position of Patriarch, and even hypocritically acted as though he did not want it? This vicious and cunning title does not sound particularly nice… Don’t you agree, Great Elder Yun?”
Mu Yubai’s words were actually quite vicious. The entire Yun Family supported Yun Waitian to be the next Patriarch, but since Yun Waitian kept pushing it away, this had been attacked by Mu Yubai. Using his own words, Mu Yubai made it such that if he were to accept the position of the Patriarch, he would become a vicious and ungentlemanly hypocrite. The corners of Yun Waitian’s lips twitched furiously. Just as he was about to say something, an insolent voice rang from the right side: “I agree with Young Patriarch Mu’s words.” The one who spoke was Helian Peng as he squinted his triangular eyes and spoke slowly: “I heard that after Yun Qinghong became crippled, Great Elder Yun took over all the affairs of the Yun Family. No matter how importance the matter was, he handled them by himself. Even though he’s only a Great Elder, he acted more like a Patriarch than the Patriarch himself… Tsk, tsk. From more than a decade ago, I have already heard rumors that the Great Elder of the Yun Family had been eyeing the position of Patriarch. After so long, the amount of such rumors only seemed to increase. If Great Elder were to suddenly take over the position of Patriarch, it would prove such rumors to be true. At that time, heh heh, the Patriarch name would be very respected within the family, but his reputation outside would be harshly tarnished.”
The Helian Peng, who had previously helped Yun Waitian speak and nearly fought with Mu Yubai, was now actually helping Mu Yubai, and the words he said towards Yun Waitian were even more vicious and straightforward than what Mu Yubai had said previously. The color of Yun Waitian’s face darkened, and all the core elders looked at each other. Mu Yubai frowned, glancing at Helian Peng… He would not naively believe that Helian Peng would happily go along with him.
Could this guy be here specifically to make trouble today?
Mu Yubai’s words made Yun Waitian seem as though he had swallowed a fly, but Helian Peng words made it seem as though he smeared shit on his face, causing his hatred and indignation to be unbearable. He thought that if he were to really attempt to become Patriarch, he would face resistance from Mu Yubai, but never had he ever expected that other than Mu Yubai, there was also a Helian Peng trying to stop him! The corners of his mouth twitched as he tried to suppress his feelings in order to look less awful. He forced himself to say: “I, Yun Waitian, did everything all these years for the Yun Family and have never ever fawned over the Patriarch position.”
“Sigh!” After remaining silent for a long time, Grand Elder Yun Jiang sighed and said: “Waitian, within the Yun Family now, you are indeed our most suitable candidate. Whether you’re willing or not, you becoming the next Patriarch would be the best result for the Yun Family. You don’t have to reject it. As for what others say, we simply don’t have to listen to it.”
A Grand Elder’s words naturally carried supreme weight. Yun Waitian was secretly overjoyed, and just as he was about to go along with the flow, he heard Duke Hui Ye speak up: “Concerning this matter of the Yun Patriarch, this duke has a small suggestion. I wonder if everyone from the Yun Family would like to hear it?”
Once Duke Hui Ye spoke, he caught everyone’s attention. Yun Waitian stopped his attempt to speak, turned to Duke Hui Ye, and respectfully replied: “What suggestion does Your Highness have? I’m sure everyone would like to know.”
Duke Hui Ye was calm as he smiled slightly, swung the fan in his hands, and spoke slowly: “In my opinion, what Young Patriarch Mu and Elder Helian had said isn’t unreasonable. Even though Great Elder Yun has done a lot for the family and no one can match his reputation within the family, he’s indeed not suitable for the position. Otherwise, going by what Young Patriarch Mu and Elder Helian had said, it would become the laughing stock of the others; the human tongue is powerful. If it only concerned Great Elder Yun, it could be overlooked. However, the current situation within the family is already dire. If the public starts to gossip even more because of this matter, it wouldn’t be beneficial to the Yun Family.”
Duke Hui Ye words caused Yun Waitian’s heart to clench. He looked down in an attempt to hide his ugly expression that looked worse than crying: “What Your Highness said is true. I’m truly unsuitable for the position of Patriarch.”
Duke Hui Ye quickly continued: “Judging from the Yun Family’s current predicament, there’s a need to change Patriarchs, and in my opinion, there’s an even better candidate.”
“I wonder who Your Highness is referring to?” Grand Elder Yun Xi asked.
Duke Hui Ye closed his fan, stood up and paced about: “Since Great Elder is not suitable, and there’s no one that can please everyone from this generation of elders, then, why not nominate the new Patriarch from another place?”
“You Highness is saying?”
Duke Hui Ye replied: “Back then, your family lost your Patriarch and the ten strongest Grand Elders. The strength of your family weakened drastically overnight and you all had to carry sins for hundred years. If the Yun Family were to rise again, it would undoubtedly require a long amount of time and an exceptional leader. An exceptional leader requires a long time to groom. From what this duke sees, since it’s difficult to make a choice from the older generation, why not choose one from a younger generation. It is known to the whole city that the eldest son of the Great Elder, Yun Xinyue, is a gifted talent who has strong aptitude, and possesses the same cyan colored profound handle as the Demon King. His personality is also humble and not arrogant; he is undoubtedly the pride of the Yun Family that heaven has bestowed. More than once, this duke has heard him being praised as the biggest hope of Yun Family’s future. If he were to become the next Patriarch and be guided by Great Elder and all the other Elders, this duke believes that within ten years, he would become an exceptional leader. The days of glory for the Yun Family won’t be long away.”
“Furthermore, although Yun Xinyue is young, his talent and personality is obvious to the entire Yun Family. If he were to become the next Patriarch, this duke believes that there would be less people dissatisfied with this as compared to Great Elder. What does everyone think?”
Chapter 517 - I Have An Objection!
The words said by the Duke Hui Ye immediately caused waves among the Yun Family members who were present. After most of them had recovered from their momentary surprise, their eyes suddenly began to shine with the light of emotion. Many of the core elders from the Elder Council began to look at each other in consternation, after which, they all began to slowly nod their heads simultaneously.
Even the three grand elders, Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi had sunk into deep thought, but they did not show any sign of rejecting his words.
“Mn?” Yun Che rested his hand under his chin as he looked thoughtfully at the completely relaxed Duke Hui Ye. He gave a faint chuckle, and then said in a low voice, “Ah, so it was like this after all… Before, I only had a grasp on about ninety percent of the situation, but now I can see the entire picture.”
Yun Che’s soft words were fully transmitted into Yun Qinghong’s ears. Yun Qinhong looked askance, giving him a deep, long look.
“If Father must truly abdicate his position… Letting Brother Xinyue take over as Patriarch doesn’t seem to be a bad idea.” Yun Xiao said softly.
“His Highness Hui Ye has truly presented an excellent proposal!!” After the noise had begin to die down, a core elder began to clap his hands while standing. He said with a voice filled with admiration, “For all these years, every time the occasion arises for one Patriarch to succeed the other, that person is almost always above one hundred years of age, so this has caused us to unwittingly overlook such an excellent candidate.”
“That is right!” Another elder also stood up, “Xinyue is the best amongst our young generation, and it can also be said that he is perfect in every way. Even though he is not the son of the Patriarch, he is still the son of the Great Elder. Whether it is regarding aptitude or background, you will not be able to find another candidate who can compare to him amongst his peers. As for his age, Xinyue is indeed still young, but why can’t we consider this a kind of advantage? In regards to his shallow qualifications, as long as we put in every effort to assist him, this shallowness can be completely compensated for.”
“Even people from outside the Yun Family has called Xinyue the great hope of our Yun Family. This is definitely not idle talk or lies. Letting Xinyue be the next Patriarch, may truly bring about an entirely new beginning for our Yun Family.”
“His Highness Hui Ye’s suggestion is truly sublime.”
In the current Yun Family which had greatly declined in strength, the halo surrounding Yun Xingyue was indeed dazzling without compare. Countless praises and the greatest hope and expectation for the Yun Family’s resurgence was gathered in that halo of light. And under such a light, even the problem of his age was easily covered up; the seniors of the Yun Family already did not feel that the suggestion for him to be the next Patriarch was too inappropriate, and following the approval of one elder after the other, they felt like it was more and more feasible, to the point where it could be said that he was an excellent choice.
As for the younger members of the Yun Family, it was natural that they exhibited a incomparably excited response. Yun Xingyue becoming the Yun Family Patriarch caused a fierce pride to well up in the hearts of all of those young disciples.
The present cheers were even louder than the ones given when Yun Waitian was presented as the successor of the title of Patriarch.
After the Grand Elders had given this matter careful consideration, they all slowly nodded their heads as well. Yun Jiang said in a gentle voice, “Our Yun Clan has never had the precedent of allowing someone from the younger generation to take the seat of Patriarch prematurely, but that does not mean that such a precedent cannot be set. Xinyue’s temperament and talent are enough to compensate for his lack of experience. After serious consideration and taking into account the present condition of the Yun Family, Xinyue seems to be even more suitable than Waitian to take over the position of Patriarch.”
“I also concur with what has been said.” Yun He nodded his head.
“I can expect no less of Duke Hui Ye. His suggestion has enlightened us, allowing us to see something that we had not been able to see before.” Yun Xi added as he nodded his head as well.
“To be able to attain the recognition from all three Grand Elders is this duke’s fortune.” Duke Hui Ye said as he gave a faint smile, “This duke merely gave a simple suggestion, I did not expect to receive such a vigorous response from your entire clan. It looks like all of you ladies and gentlemen of the Yun Family has an even greater appreciation and respect for Yun Xinyue than I had previously anticipated. Since this is the case, Great Elder, for your virtuous son to succeed the title of Patriarch seems to be the perfect conclusion to this matter.”
Duke Hui Ye’s words had undoubtedly speedily changed Yun Waitians previous melancholy into sheer joy. Letting Yun Xinyue become Patriarch naturally filled him with even more joy than his own appointment as Patriarch would have given him. He strongly restrained the ecstasy in his heart and said in a polite and modest tone, “Duke Hui Ye has such great love for my unworthy son. For that I, Yun Waitian, am eternally grateful. However… my unworthy son is simply too young, and the reality is that… His ability is still currently lacking…”
Yun Xinyue stood up, and it was clear that he was at a loss. He said in a deferential tone, “Everything that my father has said is true. For Duke Hui Ye to show me such great love, Xinyue is simply grateful beyond words. However, Xinyue is not even thirty years old yet and my power, ability and experience still fall far short of the required mark, so how can I be worthy of receiving the huge responsibility of becoming the new Patriarch. Xinyue is truly unbearably perplexed.”
“Oh?” Duke Hui Ye’s smile quickly receded and a displeased look soon appeared on his face. He gave a cold snort and said, “Hmph, looks like those rumors are after all, in the end, merely rumors. This duke had originally thought you, Yun Xingyue, is indeed an incomparable genius who was bestowed to the Yun Family by the heavens, but it looks like you are nothing more than this. The Yun Family currently exists in the boundary between life and death. The entire Yun Family is willing to entrust such a heavy burden to you, even the three Grand Elders have given given their approval. But alas, you do not even have the courage or the nerve to take on this task. Ah, it’s too bad that the so-called ‘Great Hope of the Yun Family’ is nothing more than a joke; this ‘hope’ is merely a fool to be despised by all.”
Duke Hui Ye’s words caused Yun Xingyue’s face to become stained a crimson red. He clenched his fists tightly and said through gritted teeth, “Xinyue does not recognize what Your Highness has just said. To bring about the revival of the Yun Family is my life’s greatest wish. If I am allowed to accomplish this wish, I will not hesitate to pay any price to make it come true….”
“This duke has never bothered listening to useless words that are beneath my notice.” Duke Hui Ye replied with a bland smile, “This duke only wants to know one thing, this position of Yun Family Patriarch, do you dare to take it?!”
“I dare! Why would I not dare!” As if he was severely jolted by Duke Hui Ye’s words, Yun Xingyue’s hesitation disappeared and he replied in a manner that was extremely resolute and decisive. He furrowed his brows and said with a solemn expression, “As long as all the seniors of the Yun Family, as well as my fellow brothers and sisters think highly of me, and is willing to let a junior like me be Patriarch of the Yun Family. Then I will dare to throw caution to the wind and say that I will cause the Yun Family to rise to ascendancy again within my lifetime!”
Once Yun Xinyue had uttered such strong words, all the Yun Family members present naturally went into a frenzy and they blanketed the arena with roars. Several core elders stood up one after the other and as they nodded their heads and laughed, they announced as one body, “Who would have thought that this major event concerning the Patriarch would reach such a resolution. Even though it was beyond our expectations, it is indeed a perfect ending. All of us will commit our greatest strength into supporting the new Patriarch!”
Yun Waitian drew in a long breath and said in an incomparably agitated voice, “Since this is the current state of affairs, if my unworthy son still chooses to decline, it would instead seem like a pretentious and cowardly act. And since today, this heavy burden has fallen upon the shoulders of my unworthy son, I as his father, will exert ten times my previous effort! In hopes that this father and son will not become guilty of perpetuating the decline of our Yun Family.”
The inner circle within the Yun Family all knew that the true motive of this Family Competition was to replace their Patriarch. And before this, everyone had assumed that the new Patriarch would be Yun Waitian. Who would have thought that, under the urging of Duke Hui Ye, they would reach a conclusion that seemed to be even more perfect.
Duke Hui Ye gave off a big laugh and said, “For a clan to change Patriarchs is originally a huge affair that is dealt with within that family. This duke did not expect that as a stranger giving a rather superficial proposal, that my proposal would receive recognition from all the members of the Yun Family present. This duke is overjoyed and extremely honored. And since this matter was precipitated by this duke, this duke also has a burning desire to see it through to completion. Since all those who are present feel that Yun Xinyue is the most suitable candidate to assume the role of Patriarch, and every single member of the Yun Family, including the Grand Elders and core Elders that are present, the esteemed guests who are visiting shall bear witness. The stars have truly aligned and people from every corner are gathered in witness. Since this is so, I do not see why we should not, on this very day, at this very time, proceed to complete the ceremony of succession for the new Patriarch. Everyone, do you have any objections?”
In this entire process, the current Patriarch Yun Qinghong had the least attention paid to him. No one asked him for his opinion and no one cared about his feelings… because even though he was the Patriarch, he had long ago become a useless cripple whom even a beggar could ignore… because at least a beggar could still move under his own power.
The suggestion that Yun Xinyue should become the new Patriarch was met with raucous approval from the entire Yun Clan, and there was not a word that was said in opposition. And the one who had given this suggestions, who had brought it to conclusion was Duke Hui Ye himself, so it was hard for anyone to feel that it was inappropriate. In fact, given the current situation, forget about shouting out one’s objections, those present would hardly even dare to express their objection in any way.
However, as everyone was on the verge of witnessing the fall of the old Patriarch and the beginning of the inauguration of the new Patriarch, there was one ‘unenlightened’ person who stood up.
“I have an objection!”
These four bland words utilized the power of profound energy to possess an extremely strong penetrating effect. And amidst the noisy environment, it was clearly transmitted into everyone’s ears, and even caused the great clamor to instantly die down. All eyes turned at the same time to the origin of that voice.
Yun Che stood up and unhurriedly strode forward five paces. He gave a faint smile to Duke Hui Ye and Yun Waitian, whom he faced, while he exposed himself to the gaze of the crowd at the same time.
Yun Che had, after all, stayed with the Yun Family for two months. Even though a large proportion of the Yun Family had never seen him, they had all heard that Yun Che had become Yun Qinghong’s godson… It was just that the godson of a crippled Patriarch was simply not enough to draw the attention of those within the Yun Family. For him to step out all of sudden and say those four earth-shattering words, ‘I have an objection’, caused everyone to be stunned in place. Following that however, the gazes filled with shock were increasingly replaced by gazes filled with mockery and no small amount of schadenfreude.
“Who the hell is this kid?”
“He has an objection? Heh, what does he mean? Who does he think he is? Who does he think the people who are standing in front of him are?”
“Oh, this seems to be the god-son of Yun Qinghong. Could it be that this person is some sort of retard?”
“Peh, perhaps he just wants to steal some of the limelight. Heh heh, speaking out is easy, but let’s see how you handle the fallout now… It’s time to watch a show!”
As for Duke Hui Ye, the branch of the Royal Family he was from was extremely formidable and it was public knowledge that it rivaled the power that the Little Demon Empress held. Even the stately Great Elder of the Yun Family had to be polite and respectful to young duke and would not dare show any sign of slighting him. Even those who had never heard of Duke Hui Ye before, would still understand what kind of background he had. So when he asked if ‘anyone had any objections’, no one thought that someone would actually really step forward. This was undoubtedly a rude slap delivered to Duke Hui Ye’s face.
“Big… Big Brother!” Yun Xiao cried in alarm has he moved forward to drag Yun Che back. Yun Qinghong extended his hand to block him, after which, he silently shook his head.
“Oh?” Duke Hui Ye had also naturally did not expect that there was someone who was willing to sing a different tune; moreover this was after the entire Yun Family had recognized the proposal that he made. He turned around and casually measured Yun Che with his eyes. In a voice that contained only amusement and no anger, he said, “And you are?”
Yun Waitian fixed his eyes upon Yun Che and his brows wrinkled up. Then, he continued by saying, “Your Highness Hui Ye, this person is actually not part of our Yun Family. Moreover, he is only a foster son who was taken in two months ago by Yun Qinghong. We also have no idea where this fellow came from, but Duke Hui Ye, please do not bother with what he is saying.”
At this point in time, Yun Waitian had abandoned even addressing Yun Qinghong as ‘Patriarch’ and directly called him ‘Yun Qinghong’.
“Foster son?” Duke Hui Ye faintly narrowed his eyes, “This is truly strange, this duke has never heard of someone from the Yun Family taking in a foster child. For Patriarch Yun to have set such a precedent, it seems that this foster son of Patriarch Yun must truly possess some exceedingly extraordinary qualities.”
“You flatter me.” Yun Che said laughingly. He stayed perfectly composed in the face of Duke Hui Ye’s mighty aura, as though he wasn’t even facing someone who stood at the peak of the Illusory Demon Realm, but rather a peer who couldn’t be any more ordinary: “I am only a nobody, so Duke Hui Ye obviously does not recognize me. Even though I am not a member of the Yun Family, my surname is also Yun, with my name being Che.”
“Yun Che!” Yun Waitian deeply uttered: “Today is a major event for our Yun Family. Whether or not your surname is Yun has no meaning, for you are still just an outsider who has no right to butt into our Yun Family affairs. Apologize to Duke Hui Ye immediately for your offense, then scram… Or else, even that godfather of yours would not be able to protect you!”
Yun Family’s Great Elder berated so angrily, and even caused the rest of the young generation to end up trembling with fear while drenched in sweat. However, Yun Che merely gave him an indifferent glance, and said without a change in expression: “I, Yun Che, am not a member of the Yun Family, nor am I a citizen of Demon Imperial City. I’ve only arrived at Demon Imperial City two months ago, and just happened to save Yun Xiao from ambush outside the city. Yun Xiao and I were compatible, so we became sworn brothers. Since I saved his son, the Yun Patriarch accepted me as his adoptive son… Since I have become the Patriarch’s godchild, then I can be considered to be a half member of the Yun Family. If you want to talk about outsiders, I believe that this Duke Hui Ye should be the true outsider, right? If an outsider could decide the Yun Family’s succession of Patriarch with a few words, then why do I, a half ‘insider’, not have the right to speak up?”
Once Yun Che’s words came out, Yun Xiao instantly broke into cold sweat, while those elder-class characters who were a few hundred years old were all struck dumb into speechlessness.
Chapter 518 - World-shaking
“Insolence!!!”
Yun Che’s words stunned everyone present. Yun Waitian became angry and bellowed: “Insolent brat, how dare you offend His Highness Hui Ye! If it were not for Yun Qinghong, based on those words you said, I would’ve personally give you a few tight slaps.”
Yun Ched willfully laughed, showing no signs of panic: “Great Elder’s anger is truly great, did I say anything wrong? This duke who is completely unrelated to the Yun Family can bother with your Yun Family affairs, but I, a half member of the Yun Family, cannot? Furthermore, the person who asked if there were any objections seemed to be that duke as well.”
Seeing that Yu Che did not back off, and instead continue, caused Yun Waitian to laugh in anger: “His Highness Hui Ye is a duke, and his words are like gold, enlightening us, the Yun Family about the matter of the next Patriarch. Who are you to compare to yourself to His Highness Hui Ye? If there were any objections, my Yun Family Elder Council would object. Since when was it your turn, you ridiculous little thing, hurry up and scram! If you are to say another word…”
“Ahh~” Duke Hui Ye lifted up his hand to stop Yun Waitian from speaking, his facing still maintaining its calm. He did not seem even a bit angry… However, a brat whose background was unknown, who was only at the Sky Profound Realm was indeed not even fit to cause him to become angry. If he were really to become angry, others would find it weird instead. He laughed and said: “Great Elder doesn’t have to get angry. Changing Patriarchs is a huge matter. Someone having an objection is just normal. Even though Yun Che is not a member of the Yun Family, he’s still the godson of the current Patriarch. Saying that he is half a Yun Family member is indeed not too much. Furthermore, his godfather would be the one that is giving up his position; for him to have something to say is normal. Why not let us listen to what he has to say.”
“Your Highness, I heard that this brat came from the Southern Borders to Demon Imperial City two months ago. There are not many people from the Yun Family that knows him. There is no need for a man with such high status as you to listen to rubbish from a brat.” Yun Waitian said.
“No, no,” Duke Hui Ye shook his head: “Letting Xinyue succeed as Patriarch is not something your Yun Family decided, but something this duke suggested, and what Yun Che said was not wrong. This duke is still an outsider and something an outsider suggested leading to objections is something normal. Furthermore, this Yun Che is the godson of the current Patriarch. If he were to be really chased away by you like this, wouldn’t it seem as though this duke is narrow-minded, bullying others with authority and cannot take ‘objections’?”
Clap, clap, clap…
A loud applause started, and as Yun Che clapped, he praised loudly: “No wonder you’re a duke. Such magnanimity and boldness is indeed commendable, unlike some others who lived a few hundred years for nothing, you’re much stronger.”
“YOU!” Yun Waitian instantly flew into a rage. Him offending Duke Hui Ye in public could be understood as being ignorant and rash, but his last phrase was obviously criticizing him. However, after he said “YOU”, he did not continue, but instead laughed coldly. He thought that with his status, flying into a rage because of a junior in public was just embarrassing himself. Furthermore, him offending Duke Hui Ye would obviously not do him any good.
This Duke Hui Ye was definitely not some kind and magnanimous person.
“Is he really the youth that saved Number Seven that day?” On his seat, Unparalleled Under Heaven looked at Yun Che and asked.
“Yes, it’s him.” Number One Under Heaven nodded.
“This youngster is a bit reckless.” Unparalleled Under Heaven said.
Number One Under Heaven thought for a while, before replying: “Even though I only met him once, he doesn’t seem to be a rash and thoughtless person.”
“Haha.” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed slightly as he turned his attention to Yun Qinghong, then thoughtfully said: “If he really is someone Yun Qinghong made godson, then he’s definitely not simple. Your father has more than once said that even though Yun Qinghong is completely crippled, he is not a person to be looked down upon. Even though the current Yun Family seems as though the control is with Yun Waitian, it’s only a superficial view. Your father and I strongly believe that it is not possible for Yun Qinghong to not have backups… If Yun Qinghong is willing to accept this child as his godson, this child is definitely not normal.”
Number One Under Heaven: “…”
“This duke has said before that this duke does not want to hear any useless rubbish.” Duke Hui Ye narrowed his eyes and looked at Yun Che with a playful glance. That glance was like someone getting interested in a toy: “You said that you had objections, that means you don’t agree on Yun Xinyue becoming the next Patriarch. Then, let us know the reason why, or you could suggest someone who is more suitable to become Patriarch. If your reason is reasonable or that everyone agrees with you, then it would be the best. Otherwise, if your words were merely objecting for the sake of objecting… Heh, for such a huge matter being treated as a farce by you, let’s not say the Yun Family, but even this duke would likely get angry.”
As Duke Hui Ye finished speaking, a sense of dismay was released, causing the younger disciples on the seats to shudder. Duke Hui Ye was a part of the “Illusory Demons Seven Scions”, and his strength didn’t need to be questioned. Being born in the royal family, his innate and acquired royal aura was not something that an ordinary person can withstand.
Yun Che was unfazed as he said: “I am half a Yun Family member. Naturally, everything I say and do is for the sake of the Yun Family. The Patriarch is the most important leader of the family, the choice of Patriarch affects the future of the entire family. It’s not a matter where even a little negligence can be allowed. When choosing the Patriarch, although strength is important, it is not the most important. Instead, the most important is personality and character… Duke Hui Ye, on this point, I’m sure you agree as well.”
Duke Hui Ye smiled slightly and said: “Of course. However, from what you said, are you questioning Yun Xinyue’s character? From what this duke knows, not only is Yun Xinyue a gifted talent, his character is flawless. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be no one disagreeing with the proposition of Yun Xinyue as the next Patriarch. Do you mean that the understanding of him from the clan members who stayed with him for tens of years is inferior to you, an outsider who has only been in Demon Imperial City for two months?”
Yun Che laughed strangely and said thoughtfully: “Everyone knows, that in this world, the hardest thing to see clearly is the human heart. I said before, the reason I had become Yun Qinghong’s godson was because when I first arrived in Demon Imperial City, I had saved his son Yun Xiao. That day, other than Yun Xiao, Under Heaven Clan’s princess, Number Seven Under Heaven, was attacked as well. Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven were both direct descendants of their Patriarch, the news of them being attacked together is not something trivial and I’m sure everyone present has heard of this news.”
“This duke has indeed heard of it, but does this have anything to do with whether Yun Xinyue can become the next Patriarch?” Duke Hui Ye asked with a slight smile.
“Yes, of course it does, and it’s even greatly related!” Yun Che did not stop and continued. His words caused the brows of Yun Qinghong, who was sitting on the wheelchair, to knit closely together. His gaze was cold… but it all dissipated quickly.
“Number Seven Under Heaven and Yun Xiao were attacked together, and the attacks were very vicious. It was obvious the motive was to kill them. That way, the Under Heaven Patriarch would undoubtedly rage and investigate his matter thoroughly. Yun Xiao’s Uncle, Senior Mu would also meddle in this matter, but Yun Family’s actions… Heh, it doesn’t matter if we don’t talk about it. However, the three black-clothed man who attacked Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven did not reveal their profound skills. Therefore, it was exceptionally difficult to track their identities. Now, two months have passed, and whether it’s the Under Heaven Family or Senior Mu, they did not uncover anything…”
“What exactly is your point!” Yun Waitian impatiently bellowed: “This is my Yun Family’s Great Assembly, we’re not here to listen to your rubbish!”
“Great Elder, calm down. The main point is coming.” Yun Che said neither quickly or slowly: “Yun Xiao is my sworn brother. Him being attacked, Yun Family can ignore it, treat as though nothing happened but I, as his big brother, cannot. In these two months, I kept trying to find out who was it that tried to assassinate Yun Xiao and the Under Heaven Family Princess. Lucky for him, a while back, I finally figured out the identity of one of the culprits.”
From the seats, the faces of Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven Changed instantly as their gaze became serious. Two months ago, Number Seven Under Heaven nearly lost her life to the black-clothed men and Greatest Ambition Under Heaven exploded with anger, but even though he personally investigated this matter, it did not come to any results. Yun Che’s words instantly captured their attentions. Number One Under Heaven immediately stood up and asked: “Brother Yun, are you serious? The person that you had found out, who is he?”
Mu Yubai stroked his chin as he muttered with a frown: “This brat, just what medicine is this brat concocting. Even that old man Under Heaven could not discover anything, but he did?”
“Ah? Big Brother really discovered who it was?” Yun Xiao had a face of confusion: “But, he has never stepped out of the house much in during these two months, this, this…”
“Husband, what is Che’er trying to do?” Mu Yurou was equally perplexed as well.
“No need to ask, let’s just watch on.” Yun Qinghong looked on with knitted brows as his grip on the handle of the wheelchair grew tighter.
Yun Che turned around and said while facing Number One Under Heaven: “Brother Under Heaven, with one of your family members nearly being assassinated, I believe that even if you and your family were to stab the culprit to death with a thousand swords, it would not quell your anger. But today, I have to ask Brother Under Heaven and our Under Heaven seniors to maintain your composure, since the identity of the culprit that I have figured out is shocking. When I say it, you might not even believe me.”
Yun Che shift his attention to Yun Xinyue and looked at him intently: “One of the culprits behind the assassination attempt of Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven is not anyone else, but the imposing and prestigious son of the Great Elder… Yun Xinyue!”
Once Yun Che mentioned the two words “Yun Xinyue”, it seemed as though someone randomly tossed out two bombs. The entire plaza became a field of silence, then, it was replaced with deafening, world-shaking noises.
However, this was not sound of shock, but rather… the sound of deafening laughter.
Chapter 519 - Evidence
“You scoundrel!” It came as no surprise to anyone that Yun Waitian burned with indignant fury right there and then, “You arrogant little kid, how dare you spout such absurd, laughable and presumptuous words. Do you really think that I would not dare to kill you!?”
“This is truly preposterous!” The Seventh Elder, who was normally on the best terms with Yun Waitian, stood up and rebuked Yun Che with fury, “In my life, I have never heard such ridiculous words being said before! This is simply absurd… Absurd!”
“Xinyue is the most illustrious disciple among all the young ones in our clan. Both his temperament and talent are unquestionable. And he has never even bullied any of our fellow clan members before. In fact, he is especially close with Yun Xiao… And even if there was really some kind of grievance that existed, how it could it be possible for him to actually try to murder a fellow clan member! To try to assassinate the princess of the Under Heaven Clan, this is easily the most absurd joke I have ever heard!”
“This is truly laughable and aggravating all at the same time. Ah, it really infuriates this old man.” A senior from the Yun Family, who was hundreds of years old, sighed.
“A bastard kid who came outta nowhere dares to slander our impending new Patriarch in public, this is just too much! The Disciplinary Elder needs to drag him down and subject him to a heavy punishment right now!” A young disciple roared in fury. His words immediately provoked a huge response and all sorts of mockery, abuse and cries of anger rang out. The sounds were so loud that they blanketed the entire area.
Yun Xiao had stared blankly into space for a good long while before saying in a quavering voice, “This… This… How can this be? How can it be Brother Xinyue? Big Brother must have gotten it wrong somehow….”
Even though Yun Xiao had a deep reverence and respect for Yun Che and despite their close relationship. Yes, even though it was Yun Che, Yun Xiao still had a hard time believing what Yun Che had just said. After all, he had only known Yun Che for two months, but he had known Yun Xinyue for over twenty years. And for all these years, Yun Xinyue had left an extremely perfect image within his heart. He simply could not believe that the assassination attempt he had met with the other day had anything to do with Yun Xinyue.
Yun Qinghong looked at him and gently said, “Xiao’er, remember what your big brother said to you before. In this world, the hardest thing to puzzle out is the human heart. And the hardest ability to cultivate is not profound strength; it is the ability to see through the hearts of other people. In this aspect, your big brother is simply much too superior to you. See with clear eyes the things that are about to unfold before you, and after that… Carve today’s lesson into your memory.”
“…” Yun Xiao opened his mouth but he could not make a sound; his mind had sunk into complete turmoil.
Yun Xinyue stood up, and it could be seen that he was greatly suppressing his rage. He managed to speak in a voice that was passably calm, “Yun Che. I, Yun Xinyue, have never had any enmity with you in the past, nor do I have any grievance with you at present. In fact we have hardly even spoken and when we have occasionally bumped into each other, I have always treated you with civility. So why do slander me in such a manner?! What exactly… are your intentions?!”
A universal chorus of taunts and criticism came flooding in from all sides, but two years ago, when Yun Che was in the territory of the Divine Phoenix Sect, he had already dared to take on the entire Divine Phoenix Sect by himself. This kind of situation was not even enough to make him flustered. Facing Yun Xinyue’s question, he looked sideways and sneeringly replied, “Whether what I am saying is true or false, you know better than anyone else. But I can’t help but admire your acting skills. Your expression, gaze, movements and words… They are all unassailable. No wonder you have been able to bluff all these years without getting caught out.”
“You!!” Yun Xinyue was so angry that his entire body trembled with rage, “Laughable, this is simply too laughable… Your coarse and despicable entrapment, I can expose it with a few simple words! You said that the one who planned the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao that day was me…” He pointed to Yun Xiao and said furiously, “But you can ask Yun Xiao yourself, when have I ever had any grievances with him? You can also ask him, if the ones who tried to assassinate him that day were from the Yun Family or not! If it was someone from the other families then if they hid their profound art, it would be hard to recognize. However, if it was a member of our Yun Family who did it, even if they put in their entire effort into hiding their profound art, as someone from the same clan who has cultivated the Purple Cloud Art for nearly twenty years, how could it be that Yun Xiao did not notice it?!”
“I don’t even need to ask.” Yun Che curled his lips and replied, “The ones who attacked Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven that day were naturally not from the Yun Family. Because it was a combined effort between you and members from other families who laid this trap for them.”
“Bullshit!” Yun Waitian was thoroughly infuriated, and he ground his foot into floor as he suddenly launched an attack at Yun Che. An incomparably robust and solid burst of lightning profound energy surged out violently, instantly forming into a roiling current of lightning which explosively sped towards Yun Che’s neck.
Yun Waitian had been standing close to Yun Che and he had made an abrupt attack out of extreme anger, so everyone else hardly had any time to react. On one side, there was a powerful Sovereign Profound Realm, on the other, was a mere Sky Profound Realm. Under Yun Waitian’s attack, Yun Che did not even need to think about surviving, because even having his body torn up and all his bones broken would be considered getting off lightly.
But Yun Che had made his preparations far in advance. Once he had stood up to oppose Yun Xinyue, his nerves had been on a razor’s edge and his profound energy had been actively circulating as well. So once he felt Yun Waitian’s profound energy surging, his profound energy exploded at the same time, and his body instantly shimmered.
Sssss!!
Yun Waitian’s lightning current shredded space and shredded Yun Che’s afterimage as well. Everyone was stared at the space, and even Yun Waitian himself was caught staring blankly because even he did not see clearly how Yun Che had dodged that strike.
A stately Monarch had suddenly struck out against a junior in the Sky Profound Realm but he did not even touch the corner of his robe. And this was witnessed by all who were present… Yun Waitian’s shame turned to anger and with a fierce turn, he attempted to grab the Yun Che who had appeared at his back, “You little liar, die!”
“Stop!”
A huge icy cold profound formation appeared instantly in front of Yun Che’s body, and as it activated, it completely reflected Yun Waitian lightning profound energy back at him. A figure appeared in the air in a flash, and Mu Yubai descended like a bolt of lightning, shielding Yun Che. He smirked coldly and said, “Yun Waitian, you are after all, a Great Elder of the Yun Clan but you actually launched a sneak attack against a junior. You have truly thrown your ancestor’s face all over the ground and used it as a dish rag.”
Yun Waitian said with a solemn expression, “This bastard slandered my son, and he actually wanted to frame him for the crime of collaborating with outsiders to kill someone from his own clan. This is not only insulting my son, this is impugning the honor of my entire family! If this can be tolerated, then what would not be permissible?! My family’s honor is one million times more precious than this mongrel’s life! Let’s not talk about killing him, even tearing his body apart would not be the least bit overboard!”
“The words that Great Elder Yun have said, this duke approves.” Duke Hui Ye gave a dry chuckle. “Honor. This is something far more precious than one’s life. The extent of Yun Che’s slander, heh, is such that if he dies, no one would regret it! If this duke was in a similar situation, this duke would also have struck out in anger.”
After saying his piece, Duke Hui Ye suddenly narrowed his eyes and said, “Young Patriarch Mu has protected Yun Che to such an extent. Could it be that you actually believe the words he has said?”
“Since he dared to say such a thing, he should have some basis to go upon.” Mu Yubai coldly eyed Yun Waitian, “Not waiting for him to finish but suddenly striking a vicious blow, ah, could it be that this is what you would call, acting on a guilty conscience?”
“Hahahahahaha!” A shrill and wanton laugh pierced the air, Helian Peng stood up and said between his guffaws, “Your Highness Hui Ye, Great Elder Yun, don’t tell me that you don’t see it already? It is obvious that this former Patriarch is obviously not willing to relinquish his seat. Because he saw that the new Patriarch enjoyed the people’s support and his ascension was imminent, he became anxious and pushed this so-called foster son forward to upset the apple cart… but this so-called foster son is truly too pitiful. He is only considered to be cannon-fodder to be used by other people. In order to prevent the new Patriarch from assuming the position, he actually spouted such patently ridiculous accusations. Hahahaha, truly it makes me laugh so hard that my teeth hurt.”
Helian Peng’s bout of mockery actually sounded reasonable and fair so immediately many people began voicing out their approval. Mu Yubai’s face turned dark and he coldly sneered, “Helian Peng, are you sincerely courting death?!”
“Oh? Is it because I have exposed you for all to see, so your shame has turned into wrath?” Helian Peng’s expression was filled with mockery, he turned to the seated Unparalleled Under Heaven and said, “Elder Unparalleled, your esteemed clan’s princess was also involved in the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao two months ago. I think it would be obvious that you, more than anyone else, would wish to know who the true man behind the curtain is. But to say that Yun Xinyue was the one who was pulling the strings, such preposterous words, even you would not be able to believe them, am I correct?”
Unparalleled Under Heaven said calmly, “Empty words naturally lack the power to persuade, I will only trust in concrete evidence. Yun Che, since you have said that Yun Xinyue is the scoundrel behind all of this, what evidence do you have to back yourself up?”
“Evidence? He is merely trying to blacken the name of the new Patriarch on the eve of his election, what evidence would he have? Elder Unparalleled, do you actually believe that he could take out some concrete evidence for us to see?” Helian Peng said in a voice which dripped with contempt.
Duke Hui Ye let out a cold snort and said, “Hmph, since Young Patriarch Mu has actually come forward to protect you, Yun Che, this duke will give you one chance. You said that Yun Xinyue was the scoundrel behind the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven two months ago, so why don’t you show this duke some real proof. If it is something that can convince all who are present, then the Yun Family will naturally deal with Yun Xinyue impartially. I believe even if it is the Great Elder, he will definitely not act unjustly due to selfish considerations. But… If you cannot show us any evidence and you are merely maliciously trying to smear Yun Xinyue’s reputation, hmph, much less the Yun Clan, even this duke will not let you off lightly! The celebrated son of the Twelve Guardian Families, how can we let an outsider humiliate him without good cause?!”
“If it is evidence you are talking about, I naturally have it. In fact, it is right before your very eyes.” Yun Che once again said something shocking in an unperturbed manner. He pointed at Yun Xinyue and said, “Yun Xinyue himself, isn’t he the best evidence?”
“What do you mean by that?” Duke Hui Ye said as he eyed Yun Che darkly.
Yun Che replied in a gentle tone, “The entire Illusory Demon World knows that the Yun Family possesses one completely unique special ability, the Profound Handle! And the Profound Handle can not only be used for attacking, it also has uses in regards to one’s mind. Even if it is someone who has just started cultivating the profound arts, the words Profound Handle Soul Search should reverberate in their hearts. As long as we use the Profound Handle Soul Search to seize his mind and force his consciousness to drift free, then no matter what you ask him, he will answer truthfully; there will not even be a hint of falsity or deception… By then, whether he has anything to do with the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven will be solved with a simple question! And at that time, everything he says can be counted as the most indisputable, ironclad evidence in this world!”
Chapter 520 - Angry Rebuke
“What did you say?!” Yun Waitian became enraged again, “You actually want my son to undergo ‘Soul Search’? Outrageous, absolutely outrageous!!”
The “Profound Handle Soul Search” was indeed a special ability exclusive to the Yun Family due to their Profound Handle. Normal soul searches were not only risky, if it backfired, the consequences were unimaginable. Even if it did work, the mind of the person whose soul was being searched would receive huge damage and he might even turn straight into an idiot. For the Profound Handle Soul Search, even if it failed due to the target’s mind being too strong, there would not be any side effects. Furthermore, when it succeeds, it would not cause mental damage to the target. When Yun Che was originally attacking Burning Heaven Clan, he had used his Profound Handle to forcefully obtain another person’s memories, hence, he was very clear about the strengths of the Profound Handle. Twenty years ago, the only reason Yun Qinghong and his wife knew about Yun Canghai being locked within Profound Sky Continent was also due to the Profound Handle Soul Search stealing another person’s memories.
“Hehe,” Duke Hui Ye laughed slightly, asking: “Yun Che, that is your so-called proof? Other than that, do you still have any other proof?”
“Just this one proof is already more than enough.” Yun Che replied.
“So that’s it, very good…” Duke Hui Ye nodded slowly and a smile that had a slight sense of ridicule appeared on his face for an instant before he turned to Yun Xinyue and said: “I have heard of the Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search more than once and I hear that it would not cause any harmful effects to the target. Now that someone is accusing you of harming a fellow clan member and the Princess of the Under Heaven Clan, and says that a Profound Handle would prove it… Yun Xinyue, do you dare to undergo the Soul Search in front of everyone to prove your innocence?”
Yun Xinyue stepped out, his face darkened and his whole body trembled. It was obvious he was enraged to his breaking point, but had been suppressing his rage with his willpower as he said: “Why wouldn’t I dare! I, Yun Xinyue, have a clear conscience, always treat my family honestly, and have never even had any thoughts of harming them. In my whole life, until now, the shame and anger I receive due to being accused and framed, I would rather die than carry the name of a traitor… Under the Profound Handle Soul Search, everything I say would be true and it would best prove my innocence! I plead the elders to allow me to undergo the Soul Search to prove my innocence!!”
The words of Yun Xinyue were said with anger, determination and without hesitation. The masses had not believed Yun Che’s words and after looking at Yun Xinyue’s attitude, which lacked retaliation against Yun Che’s suggestion of undergoing the Profound Handle Soul Search, even the slightest bit of doubt they originally possessed had disappeared, turning into anger and resentment against Yun Che.
“Good!” Duke Hui Ye nodded, as his voice seemed to have calmed down: “Being accused in public is not a good feeling. I can understand your anger and desire to clear your name. However, your reply has left me disappointed.”
Yun Xinyue was stunned: “This… I ask Your Highness to please enlighten me.”
“Hmph!” Duke Hui Ye sorted heavily and said seriously: “I had originally thought that Yun Che would be able to bring out some proof but all he had was only a Profound Handle Soul Search. This is such a joke! Without any evidence, his accusations are merely a joke and even an idiot would not believe them. With such accusations, he had wanted you to undergo Profound Handle Soul Search to prove yourself. How could there be such a ridiculous matter in this world! If such a thing were to happen, than I can also, without evidence, accuse the whole Yun Family of treason. Then would each and every one of you undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search to prove yourselves?”
“Furthermore, who are you? You’re the son of the Great Elder of the Yun Family and the person who’s going to be the next Patriarch. Your status is high and noble. And this Yun Che, he’s just a brat who nobody knows where he came from. If he wants you undergo Profound Handle Soul Search and you willing do it… Would you still have any bit of pride and respect as a child of the Yun Family? If you were to really undergo Soul Search and prove your innocence, from now onwards, the entire Illusory Demon Realm would know that the respectable new Patriarch of the Yun Family had to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search in front of everyone just to prove his innocence from some random brat’s accusation… Hahahaha! That would be a joke that would shame all of Yun Family, and don’t you think it would even cause the whole Illusory Demon Realm to look down upon the Yun Family? In the future, wouldn’t words from a child or some random beggar force the Yun Family Patriarch to use the Soul Search to prove himself?”
Duke Hui Ye words were shocking, and also caused all the disciples of the Yun Family to awaken and feel indignation. Numerous younger generation disciples instantly shouted out: “Duke Hui Ye is right, Yun Xinyue cannot undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search, otherwise our Yun Family would become a laughingstock.”
“The fact that Brother Xinyue was willing to step up to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search without hesitation is enough proof that he’s innocent! Who the heck is Yun Che? Hurry up and chase him out! To accuse Brother Xinyue like this, crippling him right here and now isn’t even too much!”
“We know that Brother Xinyue is definitely innocent. He doesn’t need to prove himself at all. This Yun Che is really too despicable.”
Yun Xinyue trembled. After being stunned for a while, he looked down and replied with guilt: “Your Highness has taught me well. I was only thinking of proving my innocence and did not think of the bigger picture; I nearly caused the entire Yun Family to become a laughingstock because of my selfishness.”
“Haha,” Duke Hui Ye faintly laughed: “I know how you feel. But the fact that you were willing to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search is enough proof of your innocence.”
The edges of Yun Che’s mouth twitched as he laughed coldly to himself: This two man show is truly flawless, even I was almost about to believe him.
Yun Waitian cupped his fists toward Duke Hui Ye and said agitatedly: “Duke Hui Ye had said everything that I wanted to say. How could my son’s innocence be placed on the same level as the prestige of the Yun Family. Even if he had to carry the name of a sinner who harmed his fellow clansman, this Profound Handle Soul Search cannot be allowed… I thank Your Highness for reminding my child about this. Although Your Highness is not much older than my child, you are much better than my child in handling such situations.”
Duke Hui Ye laughed slightly and said: “Great Elder is too kind. As the accused party, it is no wonder that anger clouded his mind, that he couldn’t think properly. I am an onlooker and can naturally see the bigger picture more clearly.”
“Hehehehe” Just as Duke Hui Ye finished talking, a sarcastic and inharmonious laughter rang out. Duke Hui Ye glanced at Helian Peng and asked: “Elder Helian, what are you laughing about?’
Helian Peng stood up and sarcastically said: “Your Highness, don’t you find this extremely laughable? Although the Yun Family has been in decline, they are still one of the twelve Guardian Families. But at the family gathering of a Guardian Family, a wild brat actually appeared to cause trouble. What’s even more laughable is that even now, he’s still standing there perfectly fine… Hahahaha, if this were to happen in my Helian Family, just the fact that he made such accusations, let’s not talk about the Patriarch but even if it were a normal disciple, if it was a light punishment, he would be crippled on the spot and if it was heavy, he would be put to death immediately. But this Yun Family… Hehehehe, is really appalling, laughable, yet pitiable. Where is there any bit of their Guardian Family aura and greatness? It’s hard for me even if I don’t want to laugh.”
Although Helian Peng’s words were sarcastic, they were straight to the point, instantly causing all the elders and disciples present to be embarrassed as they looked at Yun Che with rage. Yun Waitian instantly walked forward and commanded: “Enforcement Elder, hurry and capture this brat whose intentions are malicious!”
Hearing what was said, the Enforcement Elder flew and landed on the stage. Just as he was about to rush towards Yun Che, a calm yet slightly authoritative voice sounded: “Stop.”
Although the voice was not too serious and did not pack much feelings, it caused the Enforcement Elder to stop. That was because this voice had come from Yun Qinghong.
“Yun Qinghong, you’ve finally talked. I thought you were going to watch this show until the end!” Yun Waitian laughed and he even called “Yun Qinghong” by his name: “What is it, are you going to protect this audacious and reckless so-called godson of yours?! Or, are his actions really your wishes?”
“You’re right. I am indeed going to protect him.” Yun Qinghong said calmly as he looked directly at Yun Waitian. His calm gaze made Yun Waitian feel an authoritativeness that should not have existed, as his body uncontrollably tensed up.
“Enforcement Elder, step down.” Yun Qinghong said.
Hearing those words, the Enforcement Elder was stunned and looked at the Great Elder. Seeing that he did not moved, Yun Qinghong frowned and his voice instantly became deeper: “Step down!!”
This two words were not harsh but in the ears of the Yun Family disciples, they were as deafening as thunder, and all the Elders looked at Yun Qinghong in shock… After being crippled for more than twenty years, Yun Qinghong had led a reclusive life and rarely cared about family matters. He had also never scolded anyone, and this was the first time the disciples of the young generation had heard their crippled Patriarch give such an authoritative command.
The Enforcement Elder’s body trembled and he frantically uttered “yes”, before quickly retreating.
Yun Qinghong’s gaze turned and landed on Yun Xinyue, as he said in a calm yet undeniable tone: “Yun Xinyue, step on stage and be prepared to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search.”
Once Yun Qinghong’s words came out, everyone was stunned and the place grew restless. Duke Hui Ye’s brows twitched as he asked in a slightly angry tone: “Patriarch Yun, what is the meaning of this?”
“What do I mean? Who are you to care?” Yun Qinghong coolly replied: “This is my Yun Family’s matters and I don’t need you to be gesticulating here.”
The mutters of the entire arena immediately turned into dead silence and everyone stared in awe, wondering whether there was a problem with their ears. Yun Qinghong… actually scolded this Duke Hui Ye, and actually scolded him without leaving him face. Duke Hui Ye’s face immediately darkened as he coldly laughed: “Patriarch Yun, you… you dare act so disrespectful towards me!”
“Hmph!” Yun Qinghong laughed it off coolly: “So what if I’m disrespectful towards you? From the moment you stepped into my Yun Family grounds until now, have you given me, the Patriarch, any respect? I am from the same generation as your father, and my father is the reputable “Demon King”. His title of king is of the same seniority as your grandfather. In the past when your father saw me, he still had to obediently call me ‘Big Brother’. Me teaching you a lesson only natural and you, a junior, entered my Yun Family, yet did not pay respects to me, the Patriarch. Instead, you continuously interfered with my family matters in front of me. Your actions are wild and arrogant, and now you even question me for being disrespectful towards you?”
“Is this how your father usually teaches you? Hmph, you’re a disgrace to your father, grandfather, and the entire Illusory Demon Royal Family. In fact, you’ve lost all their face.”
Chapter 521 - Patriarch’s Crest
Yun Qinghong’s angry rebuke carried an incomparably shocking aura. Every word that came from his mouth was accompanied by an ostensible pressure which took the air out of the entire building. Every single person present could feel the weight of this oppressive aura and all the Yun Family members present, from the elders to the young disciples, every single one of them had been stunned into silence. Even Yun Xiao’s mouth was gaping open, and he looked at Yun Qinghong with a gaze which scarcely could contain his disbelief… The father he was familiar with was a courtly and peaceable man, and on most days he did not speak much, nor was he willing to interact with other people, to the point where he rarely even left his own courtyard. He had seemed to have reached a state where he was detached from all worldly affairs.
He could scarcely believe that his own father, facing the respected Duke Hui Ye, would utter such strong, unyielding words. And these words even carried such a tyrannical power.
Duke Hui Ye would never even dream that Yun Qinghong would deliver such a furious denunciation. Yun Qinghong was clearly a cripple, but facing his current gaze, even he as duke, felt his heart skip a beat. And he, as an esteemed duke, when had ever been lectured so harshly in the public eye? He pointed a finger at Yun Qinghong and in a voice which faintly trembled, “Yun Qinghong, you…”
“How impudent!” Yun Qinghong’s voice sank an octave further as he directly cut off Duke Hui Ye’s words, “The three words ‘Yun Qinghong’, are they for you to say?! I, Yun Qinghong, made a name for myself in the Demon Imperial City at the age of fourteen. At that time, your royal father was not even born yet! And even the Little Demon Emperor would address me as brother. Who do you think you are, to dare to address this Patriarch’s name so casually?! To have no regard for one’s seniors, to show such lack of courtesy, to be so utterly lacking in breeding and to be filled with such foolish conceit. To top it all off, you have such an exaggerated opinion of yourself that even when you have thrown your royal father’s face all over the ground, you do not even know it! The entire Illusory Demon Royal Family has truly been shamed to the ground because of you! Such an inferior child, even this patriarch can hardly even be bothered to correct you. Hmph.”
“You…” Duke Hui Ye entire body trembled. His eyes grew dark, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood. He, Duke Hui Ye, after arriving at the Yun Family holdings, had been welcomed with respect by the Great Elder himself, and the gazes directed towards him were filled with reverence. When he spoke, everyone echoed his words and not one had dared to put a foot wrong. What an impressive spectacle that had been. As for this patriarch, Yun Qinghong… a cripple, he had not even deigned to give him a single glance; he was currently being scolded miserably by this cripple for the entire world to see. And every single rebuke was impossible for him to refute.
The present scene had become blanketed in dead silence and everyone’s ears were still buzzing with the sound of Yun Qinghong berating Duke Hui Ye. His words had caused a some of the seniors to recall the memories they had of Yun Qinghong… He was the son of the Demon King, and his innate talent had been even higher than the Demon King at the same age. Amongst all those of his generation, including the Illusory Demon Royal Family, none were his equal. At the age of fourteen, he had caused shockwaves throughout the entire Demon Imperial City and all the seniors knew this fact intimately. And the fact that he and the Little Demon Emperor called each other brother was also an unimpeachable fact. At that time, no one would doubt that Yun Qinhong would succeed Yun Canghai as the second Demon King.
After a silence which lasted more than twenty years, people had nearly forgotten just what kind of figure Yun Qinghong used to be. But his sudden crippling could not wipe away his past glories. And his title as the youngest ever Monarch in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm was something that no one could take away. His splendor was so dazzling that it practically burned the eyes and up till this day, no one had surpassed it.
When Yun Qinghong was at the same age as Duke Hui Ye, his accomplishments were something that Duke Hui Ye did not even have the right to discuss.
Once these memories were jolted back to life, these seniors immediately felt that the wanton rudeness that Duke Hui Ye showed Yun Qinghong was just too ridiculous.
“Patriarch… This is truly our Patriarch!” An elder stood up excitedly, “Is the Patriarch… is he coming back?”
His excitement was not allowed to continue as the one who sat beside him restrained him and dragged him back into his seat. The other person, who bore a solemn expression, gave his head a heavy shake… The excited elder’s expression suddenly tightened and he swiftly curbed his exuberance as he settled down.
Among the core elders and normal elders, a large majority of them displayed looks of astonished joy and emotion on their faces, but they swiftly smothered their expressions. And amidst the raucous and rowdy environment, no one had noticed this particular point. But Yun Che just happened to be facing the direction where the elders were seated and he took note of the temporary change in expression amongst those seated there. His gaze grew concentrated and a deep astonishment emerged in the depths of his eyes.
Could it be…
After Yun Qinghong had finished his stern rebuke, he gave a cold snort, and no longer paid any attention to Duke Hui Ye. With sunken brows, he looked towards Yun Xinyue, who had an overcast and uncertain expression on his face. He said, “Yun Xinyue, what are you still standing there for? Come forward immediately and prepare yourself to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search.”
Yun Qinghong’s sudden explosion completely caught Yun Waitian by surprise. Once he heard Yun Qinghong’s words, his eyes narrowed and he swiftly said, “Yun Qinghong, you… do not go overboard!”
“Overboard? How am I going overboard?” Yun Qinghong replied in a sedate voice.
Yun Waitian in a tone that was unyielding and stubborn, “We already clarified before that Xinyue will definitely not be allowed to submit himself to the Profound Handle Soul Search, or else our Yun Family will become the laughingstock of the entire Illusory Demon Realm! Are you, for the sake of protecting your godson, willing to even disregard the sanctity of our Clan’s honor?”
Yun Qinghong’s gaze was calm and tranquil. Being held directly under that gaze, Yun Waitian suddenly felt like it was difficult to breathe… He faintly began to feel that the previous Yun Qinghong, the previous Yun Family Patriarch, after a long hibernation of twenty-two years, was finally back.
“If we go solely by the words of an outsider, there is indeed no real reason for us to subject Xinyue to a Profound Handle Soul Search.” Yun Qinghong’s voice suddenly grew more serious as he continued, “But now, it is this patriarch’s command! Has it come to this? That I, as a the head of this clan, cannot even order a junior in the family to do such a simple thing?”
“Urgh…” Yun Waitian’s throat violently contracted as he was left speechless.
“Yun Xinyue, come on stage to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search right now… This is an order!” Yun Qinghong commanded.
Yun Xinyue’s hands started to shake; his forehead was covered with a sheen of cold sweat. He threw a pleading gaze towards Duke Hui Ye, but he discovered instead that Duke Hui Ye’s expression was also extremely ugly. Even though he saw Xinyue’s silent cry for help, he could not force any words out of his mouth… Yun Qinghong’s fierce and cruel criticism had choked him up to the point where he felt like he was going to explode.
“Hahahaha! This is pathetic, it is simply too pathetic! Yun Qinghong, do you really still think that you are the Yun Qinghong of old? Right now, all that you truly are is a mere cripple!” Helian Peng once again let out his shrill, mocking laugh.
“Even if I am a cripple, I am still the Yun Family Patriarch!”
“Yun Family Patriarch? Hehe…” Helian Peng’s mocking laugh arose once again, “What evidence can you bring out to prove that you are the Yun Family Patriarch? What right do you have to call yourself the Yun Family Patriarch? Even an outsider like myself knows that the one symbol which proves the status of a Yun Family Patriarch is the Patriarch’s Crest that has been handed down since the time of your ancestor. Only if you have the Patriarch’s Crest, can you be the Yun Family Patriarch! It is just like how, within the Illusory Demon Royal Family, only the one who holds the Demon Emperor’s Seal is the true Demon Emperor! Yun Qinghong, since you call yourself a patriarch, then you must have the Patriarch’s Crest.”
“All those years ago, because he did not have the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Emperor did not dare to assume the title of Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Empress could only be called that very title. Even the Little Demon Emperor and Empress did it in such a way. So Yun Qinghong, if you do not have the Patriarch’s Crest, what right do you have to call yourself the Yun Family Patriarch? And what right do you have to order your clansmen around?!”
One hundred years ago, as the Demon King Yun Canghai left and never came back, the Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest disappeared along with him. And it was only after these events that Yun Qinghong succeeded him as Patriarch. The Yun Family’s ‘Patriarch’s Crest’ had been lost for one hundred years; this was something every single person in the Demon Imperial City knew. Because this Patriarch’s Crest could be said to be the most important artifact to the Yun Family, and within it contained the most original form of the Purple Cloud Art; it even held the power imprint and soul imprint of every single person who had ever held the title of Patriarch. Once it was lost, it was impossible to duplicate or replace it.
After Yun Qinghong had finally emerged from his silence of twenty-two years to once more forcefully proclaim his status as Patriarch, Helian Peng had deliberately chosen to mention the Patriarch’s Crest that had been lost for one hundred years. It was truly an insidious assault against Yun Qinghong’s weak point. But Yun Qinghong was not the least bit flustered, the corners of eyes slanted and he coldly laughed, “Helian Peng, you are rather attentive to the affairs of the Yun Family today, especially our Yun Family’s Yun Xinyue. You have been quite protective over him… Ah, but since you want to see my Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest, let me fulfill your desire.”
As Yun Qinghong’s voice fell, the arm that had always been pressed down on the armrest of wheelchair steadily rose up and within his palm, a purple jade tablet, that fit nicely into the hollow of his palm, released a clear purple radiance.
Once this purple-colored jade tablet had made an appearance, every single Yun Family disciple present clearly felt the Purple Cloud Art within their bodies start to throb involuntarily. Even the blood within their bodies began stirring restlessly. All the present Yun Family members who were older than one hundred years of age began to stand up one after the other. Even the three grand elders Yun Jiang, Yun He and Yun Xi stood up as one, their faces displaying an expression that was deeply moved and astonished at the same time.
“It… It is the Patriarch’s Crest! It is our Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest!” Grand Elder Yun Xi directly blurted these words out. A stately grand elder had actually lost control of his emotions, so one could imagine just how agitated he was.
“The Patriarch’s Crest… It is not possible! Wasn’t the Patriarch’s Crest lost those hundred years ago?! But, this aura…”
“We can’t be mistaken! This is without a doubt the Patriarch’s Crest! It is definitely not possible for another one to exist in this world!”
“The Heavens have had mercy on us, our Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest….. has finally returned to us!”
…………
The young generation did not truly understand the significance of the concept behind the ‘Patriarch’s Crest’. But for all of the seniors who were older than one hundred years of age, it was the one thing in the Yun Family that nothing could be compared to; a sacred artifact which was valued above all. And for the Patriarch’s Crest to see the light of day once more, and in Yun Qinghong’s hand no less, these Yun Family seniors were moved to the point where they were besides themselves as tears began to flow from some of their eyes.
The most shocked of all was undoubtedly the person beside Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou. But even though she extremely anxious to know the answer, she did not inquire. Because now was not the time for questions.
“Qinghong, just where did the Patriarch’s Crest pop out from? Or could it be that… In these hundred years that have gone by, the Patriarch’s Crest was actually never missing all along?” Yun Jiang asked as he stood up, his white beard shaking with every word he said.
Yun Qinghong calmly replied, “The Patriarch’s Crest is our Yun Famiy’s sacred artifact, I would definitely not dare to conceal or bluff regarding the matter of whether it had been lost or not. It has indeed been lost one hundred years ago, but due a trick of fate, it has been found once more. And as for how it came back, this is an internal matter for our Yun Family alone. Because there are so many outsiders present today, it is better if we postpone this discussion to a later date.”
The three grand elders nodded their heads in unison and did not pursue the matter any further. The return of the Patriarch’s Crest; this was the most blessed thing to ever happen to the Yun Family in these hundred years. Compared to that, the matter of how it was recovered was truly secondary.
“Helian Peng.” Yun Qinghong deliberately flashed the Patriarch’s Crest in Helian Peng’s direction, “Am I now allowed to call myself the Yun Family Patriarch?”
Helian Peng ground his teeth and his face had turned even greener. He had never ever thought that the Patriarch’s Crest, which had clearly been lost those hundred years ago, would once again see the light of day, and in the hands of Yun Qinghong no less! And even if he was not a member of the Yun Family, he could tell that it was the genuine article in a single glance, with absolutely no chicanery involved… this was simply much too strange of an occurrence!
The events which had happened today, the first half of the festivities all went according to expectations, but after that… the situation had morphed into something completely different from what had been arranged!
“Yun Xinyue, enter the Sacred Cloud Arena immediately and prepare yourself to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search! This is an order! If you are truly as innocent as you claim to be, then why should you be afraid of the Profound Handle Soul Search? If you continue to show signs of hesitance, then that can only be the product of your guilty mind!” Yun Qinghong harshly declared.
Chapter 522 - Profound Handle Soul Search
Yun Xinyue clenched both his fists tighter and tighter, to the point where it seemed like he was going to fracture the bones in his hands, and the sweat on his forehead began to stream down his face in little rivulets. He raised his head and said in a voice filled with willpower, “Patriarch… It is not that I do not dare, it is that I cannot accept this! I, Yun Xinyue, have always been devoted and sincere, on what basis do I have to submit to the Profound Handle Soul Search in public just because an outsider launched a baseless accusation against me?! Is it because… he is the Patriarch’s godson? If the Profound Handle Soul Search proves my innocence, will this matter be swept under the rug after that, and this foster son of yours, will he just be let off with a slap on the wrist…? Is that the way things are going to be? I cannot accept this… Patriarch, if you behave in this manner, you will only discourage our entire clan… I truly cannot accept it.”
“You cannot accept it?” Yun Qinghong gave a humorless laugh, “Since this is the case, this Patriarch will make it so that you can accept it… Che’er!”
“Godfather.” Yun Che responded.
Yun Qinghong declared solemnly, “The matter of Yun Xinyue having to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search is entirely due to you. After the Profound Handle Soul Search has been done, if he is truly involved in the assassination attempt on Xiao’er and Number Seven Under Heaven, then you have indeed helped our Yun Family deal with a phantom menace, and it will truly be a great merit that you have earned. And at that time the Elder Council will naturally reward you greatly, and you would have earned the approval of the entire Yun Family. However, if Yun Xinyue is truly innocent… Then you will have maliciously accused one of our Yun Family disciples. Even if you are my godson, I won’t let you off lightly! At that time, you must break all the meridians in your body in penance before all who are present here… Do you dare to give me that promise? If you do not dare, then this Profound Handle Soul Search also does not need to happen!”
To break all of his meridians… This extremely cruel conclusion caused all those who were present to feel a chill radiate throughout their entire body. Originally, many of the Yun Family members felt that Yun Qinghong’s sudden explosion was to protect Yun Che, but once he spoke those words, not even a single one still harbored that notion in their minds; they even felt that Yun Qinghong was being unusually cruel with his godson.
Even though Yun Qinghong nearly had one hundred percent confidence in Yun Che, he still left a way out for Yun Che… To break all of one’s meridians, in the eyes of any profound practitioner, even if it was a Monarch, it would still be an extremely terrifying thing. But, he and Mu Yurou had their meridians crippled for over twenty years and Yun Che could restore them to full health in the matter of two months. Even if he did end up having to break all of his meridians later, it should not take a great deal of effort for him to make a full recovery.
“Yes!” Yun Che nodded his head with no hesitation at all and he declared in a loud voice, “If Yun Xinyue is proven to be innocent under the examination of the Profound Handle Soul Search, I will, before all those who are present, break all the meridians in my body… If I show any signs of reneging, any person who is present can take action against me, and I will not resist!”
Yun Qinghong slowly nodded his head, “Yun Xinyue, now do you still have anything else to say?”
Now that the situation had progressed to such a stage, and Yun Qinghong had spoken at length, if Yun Xinyue continued to resist, then it would truly seem abnormal. Yun Xinyue’s chest fiercely convulsed and both of his legs started to tremble slightly. He ground his teeth as he took one step towards the arena, but he could not take the second step… because out of all those who were present, he was the most clear on what the result of the Profound Soul Search would be.
“Hmph!” Yun Qinghong expression morphed into one of fury and he said in a deep voice, “Enforcement Elder, in the situation where there no detrimental action is to be taken against the Yun Family, how should someone, who is determined to go against the order of the Patriarch, be dealt with?”
The Enforcement Elder was taken by surprise, but he hurriedly replied, “Reporting to Patriarch, if one is to defy the orders given by the Patriarch… A light punishment would be forced confinement, and a heavy punishment… A heavy punishment would be to purge that person’s body of his profound art and expel him from the family.”
“Yun Xinyue, do you want to become a cripple and then be expelled from the Family? Or do you want to enter the Sacred Cloud Arena and prove your innocence? If you can show hesitation even when being asked to make such a simple decision, it simply proves that everything Yun Che had said were not lies after all!”
Yun Xinyue still did not move. At this time, his entire spirit was on the verge of collapse, and amidst the chaos and fright which dominated his mind, he could scarcely hear what Yun Qinghong was saying.
“Since you still refuse to enter the Sacred Cloud Arena, then I can only get someone to help you up on stage.” Yun Qinghong faced the three grand elders and he said with a respectful look, “Our three Grand Elders, I regret that this current matter will require your assistance. Because it is only if the three Grand Elders took action personally, will everyone present will be satisfied.”
Yun Jiang, Yun Xi and Yun He were all people who had already experienced everything under the sun. So Yun Xinyue’s present condition had already clearly clued them in on what was happening. Once Yun Qinghong had finished speaking, Grand Elder Yun Xi took to the air and he instantly appeared in the space above Yun Xinyue. Before Yun Xinyue could even respond, a profound energy that was as boundless as the sea had enveloped his entire body. He was not even able to make the least bit of resistance before everything grew dark before his eyes, as his consciousness was completely buried.
Even his body appeared within the Sacred Cloud Arena in a kneeling position.
The grand elder’s profound energy was so thick and robust that before anyone could see what was happening, Yun Xinyue already appeared in the middle of the Sacred Cloud Arena. His whole body was frozen still and eyes were opened wide, but his gaze was completely unfocused; it was as if his soul had left his body.
With a flash, grand elder Yun Xi had reappeared in his seat. He dryly said, “His consciousness has already been subjected to the Profound Handle Soul Search, this will persist for the next fifteen minutes. Whatever the Patriarch wishes to inquire, go ahead and ask him.”
As he was forced to bear testament to how his son, the apple of his eye, was forced to kneel down like a criminal for all to see, and as he saw how the actions and words of the grand elders clearly showed that they were on the side of Yun Qinghong, Yun Waitian’s entire body trembled and he roared in fury, “Good… Good… Go ahead and ask, go ahead and ask!! My son’s innocence does not fear any false accusation! Yun Qinghong, remember your previous words! If my son is innocent, then this Yun Che… must break all of the meridians in his body!! And today’s insult… I will definitely not forget it!”
“Please keep calm Great Elder. Presently, are we not going to prove the innocence of your son? You should be even more at ease instead.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head towards Yun Che, “Che’er, push me up, I want to clearly hear every word that he is about to say.”
“Yes.” Yun Che replied, then jumped off the stage. After that, he carried Yun Qinghong’s wheelchair and returned to the Sacred Cloud Arena, landing right in front of Yun Xinyue.
“Your Highness, what should we do?” Behind Duke Hui Ye, the Venerable Stone Dragon whispered to him in the softest of voices.
Duke Hui Ye’s face was as inscrutable as still water, his fingers spread out like a fan and his index finger made a slight hook as it performed an obscure gesture.
“Great Elder, Yubai, please withdraw. And the various elders, will you please keep an eye on the Great Elder? Do not allow him to personally enter the Sacred Cloud Arena. As for Duke Hui Ye, please do whatever pleases you.” Yun Qinghong said in a steady voice as he looked at Yun Xinyue.
“Hmph.” Duke Hui Ye snorted lightly, but he did not leave the Sacred Cloud Arena. Instead, he fixed both his eyes on Yun Qinghong’s back as if he could pierce through it with his gaze.
Both Mu Yubai and Yun Waitian complied with those words and left the Sacred Cloud Arena. But Yun Waitian said in a furious voice, “I do not need anyone to look out for me! My son is definitely innocent! Yun Qinghong, I’ll make sure you regret this!”
“Heh heh.” Yun Qinghong laughed dryly, “Yun Waitian, do not ever think that just because you are his father, you understand everything about him. But I am more than willing to believe that whatever things that he has done, you have remained ignorant of it. Che’er, the one who accused Yun Xinyue of being involved in the assassination attempt of Xiao’er and Number Seven Under Heaven was you, so why don’t you personally lead the interrogation. Especially since you are the person who uncovered the clues in the first place, you would know best on what questions should be asked.”
“Understood.” Yun Che nodded his head and his gaze crossed with Yun Qinghong’s; both of them laughed involuntarily as they met each other’s gazes.
During today’s grand meeting, Yun Qinghong had initially maintained his silence and he was silent to the point that it was easy to forget that he was even present. But from the moment he had opened his mouth, the entire situation had fallen into the palm of his hand. He destroyed the grandeur of Duke Hui Ye and he rendered Helian Peng utterly speechless; he made every single person from the Yun Family hang on his every word and action; he made Yun Xinyue’s resentful cries for justice vanish completely; and just a few words from him caused the grand elders to personally take action to restrict Yun Xinyue…
Yun Che rarely admired anyone. He originally thought that he would be the star of the this Yun Family Great Assembly, but beyond all expectations, the true role of the protagonist was easily taken away by Yun Qinghong. He let out a silent sigh in his heart… No wonder I am so excellent, it’s because I actually have such a formidable father!
Oh, what he must’ve been like in his prime!
While the Yun Family members present were being led by the nose by the practically flawless scenario which unfolded before their eyes, Yun Qinghong had silently seen through it all. When all who were present began to question and ridicule Yun Che, he chose to believe instead… It had nothing to do with his trust in Yun Che, it had everything to do with Yun Qinghong being sufficiently wise and farsighted.
Yun Che strode forward, and once he was alongside Yun Qinghong. He wanted to remind Yun Qinghong to be careful of someone making a move to silence Yun Xinyue, but before the words came out of his mouth, he swallowed them instead. He believed that with Yun Qinghong’s wisdom and foresight, he basically did not need to remind him of this.
“What is your name?” Yun Che stood before Yun Xinyue and seemed to begin the interrogation in earnest.
“Yun Xinyue…” Yun Xinyue’s spoke in a manner which was slow and lifeless, but it was sufficiently clear for all to hear.
“How old are you this year?”
“Twenty seven years old…” As Yun Xinyue spoke, a trail of saliva spilled from the corner of his mouth, then dangled to the floor.
“What type of girls do you like the most?”
“Ones with… big… butts…”
“Oh! I really couldn’t tell that the both of us actually would have something in common.” Yun Che opened his eyes wide, “So who was the girl that you slept with most recently?”
“Drunken River House’s Lady Chrysanthemum…”
Pfft… The audience immediately spat their drinks at that answer.
“You bastard!!” Yun Waitian’s was practically standing straight on end and he pointed at Yun Che while he scolded vociferously, “What kind of rubbish questions are you asking? You… You… You are clearly afraid of being found false, and you are deliberately putting things off!”
Yun Che swiftly made a pacifying gesture, “Great Elder Yun, please do not be angry. This is the first time I have ever seen the legendary Profound Handle Soul Search being performed, so I just really wanted to test whether the legends were really true and that any question I asked would be answered… Yes, I think I’m about done with testing it out. This Profound Handle Soul Search is truly mystical, but it is time for us to truly start the interrogation. But, tsk tsk… to think that the respected son of a Yun Family great elder would actually visit a brothel when he wants the companionship of a woman… Oh! But at least he would rather visit a brothel, unlike the disciples of some other grand families who would go around raping and dominating innocent women; ah truly his actions fill me with admiration for him. It is just that this Lady Chrysanthemum… When I hear this name, I can’t help but think that the tastes of the Great Young Master Yun just seem to be a tad bit on the heavy side…”
“You!!” Yun Waitian’s entire body shook uncontrollably and his gaze filled with violence; he looked as if he hated that he could not rush up on stage and have it out with Yun Che there and then.
“Oh! Right away, right away!” Yun Che coughed heavily as he casually shot a glance at the expression of the silent Duke Hui Ye. After which, he proceeded to ask in a serious tone, “Yun Xinyue, let me ask you. Two months ago, how did you know that Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven would be meeting outside the city?”
Yun Che did not ask ‘whether you knew’, instead he asked ‘how did you know’. Yun Waitian gave a cold smirk and he said with utter contempt, “Under the effects of the Profound Handle Soul Search, all the words uttered come straight from the depths of the soul, so there can be no deception! Did you think that if you used this sort of guiding question, he would obediently spin a tale for you to hear?”
But as Yun Xinyue opened his mouth, Yun Waitian’s expression instantly froze in place.
“That day… I was strolling past Yun Xiao’s courtyard… And I just happened to hear the sound transmission that Yun Xiao had sent to Number Seven Under Heaven… To arrange to meet the next morning at ten in the morning… at the Rain Cloud Pavilion, which was thirty five kilometers away from the city…” Yun Xinyue replied in a slow but clear voice.
“Oh!” Yun Che nodded his head, “Indeed it was as I expected, you did eavesdrop on Yun Xiao’s sound transmission.”
“This… This… Ah…” Yun Xiao’s tongue seemed to have tied itself into a knot. He remembered that on the first day he met Yun Che, Yun Che asked him whether he had used sound transmission every time he asked Number Seven Under Heaven on a date, and he also asked if anyone had overheard that particular sound transmission…
The sound of tightly-packed whispers began to circulate among the crowd. Yun Che’s first legitimate question and Yun Xinyue’s subsequent reply had caused the people who had already began forming suspicions about Yun Xinyue to immediately smell something funny.
Yun Waitian’s expression had become ugly in a flash, but he swiftly yelled out, “So what if that is true?! Xinyue merely overheard those words by accident… Does it mean that because he unwittingly heard that sound transmission, he is the scoundrel who arranged for their assassination?!!”
Translator’s Note: Lady Chrysanthemum is Chinese wordplay on the word anus, because 菊花 which means Chrysanthemum is also slang for the word anus. If you wanna know why, google Chrysanthemum and draw your own conclusions, I shan’t be charged with corrupting young minds XD! Dnton out! o7
Chapter 523 - Silencing
“Great Elder Yun, don’t be impatient, I am merely asking my first real question. If he’s innocent, you’ll hear it for yourself soon enough.” Yun Che patiently said.
“Yun Xinyue, let me ask you, did you tell this matter to someone else and plot to assassinate Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven when they were together?” Yun Che asked in a stern manner.
Yun Che’s question was straight to the point. Yun Xinyue only had to give a very simple answer… “Yes” or “No”.
“Yes…” Yun Xinyue answered lifelessly.
WHOAAA——
Once the word “Yes” came out, the entire Yun Family was in an uproar and everyone was stunned. No matter what, they did not dare believe what they had heard with their ears.
That was a Profound Handle Soul Search… and it was a Profound Handle Soul Search personally administered by a Grand Elder. Under the effects of the Profound Handle Soul Search, anything they say would definitely be the truth. The Yun Family who possessed the Profound Handle all completely believed this.
The hope of the entire Clan, the strongest, most respected, the humble and kind Yun Xinyue of the younger generation… He was actually involved in the attempted assassination of Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven! The shock his reply caused for the Yun Family was earth shattering. If it were not because he said it personally under the effect of Profound Handle Soul Search, they would rather believe that ghosts existed in this world than this fact.
“How can this… How can this be…” Yun Xiao’s mouth was agape in shock and his eyes lost focus; he was unable to recompose himself for a long while. Yun Family’s most elite member of the same generation, his most respected person was actually just as Yun Che said, the person who tried to harm him and Number Seven Under Heaven two months ago. Furthermore, when Yun Che was picking on Yun Xinyue on stage before, he had even stepped out to defend him shouting that it was “impossible”…
“Bas… tard!” Number One Under Heaven shouted as he jumped up, his eyes were downcast as he cracked his knuckles. After investigating hard for two months, he couldn’t find any clues, which caused the anger and hate that had built up to be much more intense. Now that the actual culprit had appeared, he could no longer control it, as it was about to explode… understandable since his investigation had yielded no results. Because he never expected that the culprit behind the incident was from the Yun Family!
“Compose yourself.” Unparalleled Under Heaven patted his shoulder, looked at Yun Xinyue, and calmly said: “If it were Yun Xinyue alone, there is no reason for him to harm Number Seven, and even more so Yun Xiao. This incident isn’t so simple… Let’s continue watching!”
Number One Under Heaven gritted his teeth, as he controlled himself.
The moment Yun Xinyue said “Yes”, Yun Waitian’s entire body trembled, nearly collapsing to the ground, but he immediately shouted with a trembling voice: “Im… Impossible! There must be some reason behind this… It’s impossible that my son would do this without a reason… There must be a proper reason!”
All these years, Yun Waitian has always treated Yun Xinyue as his pride, and until now, he still would not believe that Yun Xinyue was someone that would harbor malicious intent. He was his birth father… clearly the person who understood him the most in this world!
“I believe that everyone present here would like to know the reason behind this.” Yun Che said as he looked at Yun Xinyue. Before this, he thought that both Yun Waitian and Yun Xinyue were involved, but looking at Yun Waitian’s reactions, he started to believe that he actually did not know anything at all. He could now see how scheming, well-planned… and how of good an actor Yun Xinyue was!
“Then Great Elder Yun, you’d better open up your ears and listen to the reason behind this.” Yun Che continued before asking: “Yun Xinyue, answer in detail why you worked together with people outside the family to harm your fellow clansman Yun Xiao and the innocent Number Seven Under Heaven!”
Yun Xinyue opened his mouth and replied robotically: “Yun Family… and the Under Heaven Clan… are both loyal to the Little Demon Empress… Killing Number Seven Under Heaven… while letting Yun Xiao go… Under Heaven Family would be enraged with the Yun Family… if the two families clash… even if it isn’t mutual destruction… they would not be on the same side together…”
Yun Family Plaza was dead silent as everyone listened attentively, afraid they would miss out on a single word. When Yun Xinyue had finished speaking, everyone revealed faces of shock and fear. The three Grand Elders stood up in unison as expressions of deep shock appeared on their aged faces.
Yun Waitian trembled, before weakly crashing onto the ground. His eyes stare wide opened, yet his gaze lifeless as incoherent speech escaped from his mouth: “Impossible… This is impossible… Impossible… This cannot be…”
The truth behind what Yun Xinyue was simply too appalling, his motive… More accurately speaking, the motive of the people behind this, was to reduce the power of the faction supporting the Little Demon Empress! Little Demon Empress was the highest monarch of the Illusory Demon Realm. Such actions… were blatant attempts to revolt!
In the face of such a frightening answer, no one in the Yun Family dared to utter a word. Never had they ever thought that Yun Xinyue would be the actual culprit who harmed a fellow clansman… what was even more unimaginable was that it actually implicated such a groundbreaking huge matter.
If it were not for Yun Che lending a hand to Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven that day, their plans would have succeeded and Under Heaven Family would be enraged with the Yun Family, resulting in a huge conflict and would even cause them to not be able to bear with one another… After all, Number Seven Under Heaven was not any ordinary member of the Under Heaven Clan, she was actually Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s only daughter. Yun Xiao asking her out was also an indisputable fact.
Even more frightening was that today, they were all supporting Yun Xinyue to be the next head of the Yun Family, and he almost succeeded the position… Whilst thinking about that, the entire family broke out in cold sweat.
Yun Che sternly said, “Yun Xinyue, harming a fellow clansman and finding an opportunity to reduce the power of the faction supporting the Little Demon Empress! This is a heinous crime! You are the son of the Great Elder, your status is good and your talent isn’t bad either. You are well praised and depended upon by the family who even pushed for you to be the next head of the family. Everything is yours for the taking! Why do you have to do this! Why exactly have you planned this… or were you forced by someone?”
As Yun Che finished speaking, everyone held their breath, especially all the Yun Family Elders, who stood up and stared at Yun Xinyue… An “accusation” that originally caused them to become enraged had suddenly turned into such a shocking truth.
Yun Xinyue’s face contorted. Facing these questions from Yun Che, his mind suddenly experienced pain. His voice became hoarse, yet he still narrated without hiding anything: “… Six years ago… Master poisoned me… with the ‘Heart Disabling Venom’… If I follow his instructions… After Master overthrows the Little Demon Empress… I, the new Patriarch, would be named with the title of a king… If I were to disobey… I would die without a burial… place…”
“Heart Disabling… Venom?!!”
Numerous shocked screams overlapped one another, and the lifeless Yun Waitian, upon hearing Yun Xinyue’s answer, lifted his head agitatedly as his whole body trembled.
Yun Che had never heard of “Heart Disabling Venom” before, but, the same venom, in different places, would often have different names. Him not hearing of it before did not mean he did not what venom it was. Just as he was about to use his profound energy on Yun Xinyue’s body to investigate what venom it was, an icy cold killing intent came from his rear right side.
Although the killing intent was hidden, how could it escape Yun Che’s sharp senses? He quickly gave up on investigating and walked forward to ask in a quick manner: “Tell me… Who are those that attempted to assassinate Yun Xiao and… who is the owner of yours!”
“The ones who attacked Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven is… from the Helian Family… Master… is Duke Huai Palace’s…”
Booom!!!
The stage below their feet was suddenly destroyed and an earth shard that was vibrating with a dirty yellow profound glow shot up from the ground. Yun Che’s first reaction was to instantly retreat. At the same time, he using his palm and pushed Yun Xinyue backwards a few steps… However, the energy within the earth shard was too overwhelming and because Yun Xinyue was not in control of his body whilst under the effects of Profound Handle Soul Search, he did not have any chance at avoiding the attack, and was completely pierced through by the shard. Because of that, he was then skewered in midair and large amounts of blood were sprayed around.
“Xinyue!!!”
“Yun Waitian screamed in horror, sprinting towards the Sacred Yun Stage like a madman. All the elders of the Yun Family were shocked as they ran towards the stage and the scene was instantly a mess.
“Duke Hui Ye… What is the meaning of this!!!” Yun Qinghong asked in anger. The one who mercilessly attacked Yun Xinyue was the Venerable Stone Dragon who stood behind Duke Hui Ye. Currently, the scales on his arms were still emitting a dull profound glow.
“This Yun Xinyue deserves death for maligning my royal father!” Duke Hui Ye laughed with a darkened face: “And Yun Che… the brat who spoiled my plans… must die as well! Kill him!”
BOOM!!!
The entire Sacred Cloud Arena exploded and dust filled the air. A thick dense yellow raiance shot straight towards Yun Che’s chest… There was only Yun Qinghong beside Yun Che, as the others were not on the stage yet, so they were unable to intervene at all.
Just as the yellow profound light was less than a meter away from Yun Che, Yun Qinghong, who was sitting on his wheelchair, stretched out his arm… The movement of his arm was very slow, so slow that even a person with no profound cultivation would be able to see the movement of his arm. And yet, with such a slow speed, it instantly appeared in front of Yun Che, blocking the attack.
Rippp!!
A huge lightning barrier appeared from Yun Qinghong’s palm, completely blocking the Venerable Stone Dragon’s attack. Afterwards, the figure of a person flashed, followed by an instant flash of lightning. Yun Qinghong appeared in front of the Venerable Stone Dragon and a right palm that was glowing purple struck violently against his chest, knocking the unprepared Venerable Stone Dragon far away.
“Wh… What!!!”
“Wh… at!!!”
“Ahhh… Ahhhhhhhhh!!”
The Yun Family’s grand elders, elders, disciples… Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven… and Helian Peng, who was about to strike; all of them were stunned. They looked at Yun Qinghong, who had suddenly attacked, with an expression of shock that almost became fear. That was due to the fluctuation caused by his majestic profound strength that was so strong that even the three Grand Elders were afraid.
Wh… what exactly was going on here?!
Yun Qinghong… wasn’t he already crippled twenty-two years ago!
Boom! Boom! Boom…
Yun Qinghong and the Venerable Stone Dragon exchanged moves in midair, and every time their attacks met, a deafening noise was produced. Everyone below watched on in their shock and no one actually went to help out.
A fight at the level of Monarchs, even within Demon Imperial City, was something rarely seen. The extremely strong profound fluctuations caused the entire Yun Family to tremble intensely. In midair, the mighty Venerable Stone Dragon had been suppressed into defeat by Yun Qinghong’s Purple Cloud Art, with barely any chances to retaliate. Spurts of dark colored dragon blood was spilt continuously and it nearly became a rain of blood.
“Urghhhh… Graah!!”
In the air, a yellow light flashed, and suddenly, dark clouds surged as deafening noises surrounded the area. A three hundred meter long huge dragon covered in stone scales bellowed and rushed towards Yun Qinghong. In an instant, rocks appeared in midair, covering the whole sky.
“That’s the true form of the Venerable Stone Dragon!!” One of the Yun Family Elders uttered in surprise.
“Hmph!”
Facing the huge dragon body of the Venerable Stone Dragon that caused others to be shocked, Yun Qinghong merely snorted slightly as his body flashed, and in the next instant, he was on the spinal part of the Venerable Stone Dragon’s back, punching down at it… the fist easily split apart the dragon scales, directly smashing against his body.
The dragon body of Venerable Stone Dragon began to writhe about in pain. A ball of dense purple lightning started to spread from his back, and in a mere two seconds completely engulfed the entire dragon’s body, turning the stone dragon into a purple colored “lightning dragon”.
“Scram!”
Following Yun Qinghong’s cold voice, countless rays of lightning on the Venerable Stone Dragon’s body exploded…
Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom…
Countless lightning profound energy crazily exploded; so dense that it seemed as though it was the anger of the Lightning God. The skies above the Yun family household were dyed purple by the lightning profound energy, and every time it exploded, the deafening sounds seem to nearly tear through the skies. In the midst of the thousands profound lightning explosions, the Venerable Stone Dragon let out cries of immense pain as his dragon blood rained down like torrential rain…
Bang!!!
Following the disappearance of the last bit of lightning, the relieved Venerable Stone Dragon heavily crashed onto the ground. The moment he landed, his dragon body disappeared, and he returned to his human form. He panted as he shakily attempted to stand up, and just as he was about to stand up straight, he vomited out more than ten mouthfuls of blood before collapsing back onto the ground, unable to stand again.
Yun Qinghong slowly descended from the skies as he coldly looked at him: “Venerable Stone Dragon, all these years, I’ve respected you as a senior and have never disrespected you before, yet you dare to come to my Yun Family’s grounds to act so wildly. I’m afraid you’re not qualified enough to do so!”
Chapter 524 - Return of the Patriarch
The Sovereign Profound Realm was the highest realm that could be reached in the Profound Sky Continent, and it was the same in the Illusory Demon Realm. In the Illusory Demon Realm, the strong who had reached Sovereign Profound Realm were mostly from Demon Imperial City. Outside of Demon Imperial City, it was hard to even have one in a few thousand years. And even in Demon Imperial City, very few reached Sovereign Profound Realm. The number of Monarchs was the most important factor in determining how strong a family was.
And, being at the top of the profound cultivating world, Monarchs were also divided into different levels… even though early stage and mid stage Monarchs were both in the Sovereign Profound Realm, their power levels were worlds apart.
In the reputed Demon Imperial City, the famous Venerable Stone Dragon was a level two Monarch… but twenty-five years ago, Yun Qinghong… was already a level five Monarch, a real mid stage monarch; how could the Venerable Stone Dragon compete with him?!
Watching the strong Venerable Stone Dragon being defeated so easily by Yun Qinghong until he couldn’t even stand up like he was a dead dog, the Yun family’s disciples were all shocked, as if they were in a dream, and the Yun Qinghong who was floating in the air right now, in their eyes, was just like a god coming down to the mortal world.
The Elders were all stunned. Those younger generations who called Yun Qinghong the “Useless Patriarch” to his back, never had respect, never even bowed when they saw him, who even treated him as a joke and the family’s shame, lost their voices, as if something choked their throats, as they couldn’t make a single sound. Compared to the power Yun Qinghong had released, they felt like they were minuscule, like dust in the ocean.
Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven were both stunned as well. Looking at the divinely shining Yun Qinghong, they were so shocked that they forgot about all the fury and outrage they had earlier.
Mu Yurou didn’t have to hide anymore either. She removed the Profound Sealing Buckle that was used to hide her profound energy aura, and a wave of invisible Sovereign Profound Realm profound energy was released. This made a few of the elders’ mouths widen even more. Mu Yurou flew into the air, and landed next to Yun Che, and asked, “Che’er, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Yun Che smiled and shook his head, while focusing on Duke Hui Ye the whole time.
Duke Hui Ye’s face darkened so much that it looked as though he had just crawled out from under a pot. He looked extremely horrible. At the same time, he was just as shocked as everyone because of Yun Qinghong’s sudden burst of mighty prowess… he kept thinking that everything that happened today, was a complete nightmare!
“Even though a Yun family disciple has made a huge mistake, how they will be punished will be decided by us, the Yun family. Others do not get a say in this!” Yun Qinghong lowered his eyebrows, looked down at the Venerable Stone Dragon from above, and said in a deep voice, “On behalf of you guarding the Little Demon Emperor for ten years, I will not kill you today! Take the master you serve now and get out of here before I change my mind!”
Duke Hui Ye had a noble position, and his background was extraordinary. But now knowing his plot and his conspiring against the Yun family, he didn’t have to save any face for Duke Hui Ye… after all, these two facts were more than enough to become a nemesis against the Yun family, so there was no point for Yun Qinghong to worry about it any longer.
The might and pressure coming from Yun Qinghong made the Venerable Stone Dragon’s heart have trouble even moving. He had no doubt that if he kept being presumptuous, even if he merely talked tough to keep up appearances, Yun Qinghong would actually kill him… as well as Duke Hui Ye. Duke Hui Ye didn’t know what Yun Qinghong was like before he became crippled, but he knew very clearly. A hundred years ago, he was enraged by a duke who was committing serious crimes, and he killed him right on the street… and it was while he knew exactly who that duke was.
“Your Highness, let’s… go…”
The Venerable Stone Dragon almost crawled under Duke Hui Ye’s feet, used his eyes to warn him to leave immediately, and to not attempt to try to use his position as a duke to try to fight Yun Qinghong here. Duke Hui Ye gnashed his teeth, and roared deeply, “Yun Qinghong… wait until you regret this… let’s go!”
“When you return, remember to tell your Father,” Yun Qinghong faced Duke Hui Ye’s back, and said softly, “For the sake of old times, I, Yun Qinghong, advise him to not throw away what he has today because of his greed and prejudice against women, and destroy himself! It’s not too late to stop now, the Little Demon Empress is much more powerful than what you imagined. As long as the Yun family is alive, we will forever be loyal to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline!”
Duke Hui Ye stopped his steps. His shoulders shook violently, as he turned around and said with a ferocious expression, “Yun Qinghong, this duke also has a word from my Father… It’s not too late for the Yun family to surrender! Don’t wait until… the family with ten thousand years of history is reduced to dust!”
Yun Qinghong crossed his arms in front of his chest, not mad at all, and instead smiled in contempt, “Are you done? Then get out of my sight.”
“You…” A mouthful of blood surged up from Duke Hui Ye’s chest, as he gnashed his teeth. His body trembled, and he flew away with haste.
At this moment, an angry voice yelled, “Helian Peng, where are you going! We haven’t set our debts straight yet!”
Helian Peng’s body stopped, turned around, and saw Unparalleled Under Heaven’s darkened face. He laughed coldly and said, “Unparalleled Under Heaven, since you already know, then I might as well be straight with you. The one our Twelve Guardian Families have been loyal for generations to, is Lord Demon Emperor! The Little Demon Empress is merely a woman, what gives her the right to make us obey her! But now, the Little Demon Empress’ rule is almost at its end, and I will tell you honestly. Within the Twelve Guardian Families, half of them are already leaning towards Duke Huai. I will give you a friendly word of advice…”
“Shut up!” Unparalleled Under Heaven said angrily, “You are hypocritical, deceitful, and two-faced, yet you still have the face to make such dignified remarks. Putting your disloyalty aside, your Helian Clan even tried to stab the daughter of our Patriarch in the back! You owe us an explanation for this!”
“Want an explanation?” Helian Peng laughed coldly, “At Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony a month later, I will take you on anytime!”
“Want to run? If I don’t break your arm today, then I am not called Unparalleled Under Heaven!” Watching Helian Peng leave, Unparalleled Under Heaven roared angrily, and chased him like the wind. Number One Under Heaven looked toward Yun Che’s direction, hesitated, then quickly followed.
——————————————
Once outside of Yun family’s territory, Duke Hui Ye wasn’t able to walk far before his body swayed, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood.
“Your Highness, are you alright?” The Venerable Stone Dragon asked hurriedly.
“Yun… Qing… hong!” Duke Hui Ye slowly wiped the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with the expression of hatred. Even though Yun Qinghong didn’t aim to hurt him, being pushed down by a mid stage Monarch, how could he endure that! Under Yun Qinghong’s gaze and aura, his intestines were almost ripped to shreds.
“Originally… today was the day we elect Xinyue as the Patriarch of the Yun family, so we could control the Yun family, and then use the Yun family to control the Mu family. This would clear two obstacles for Father… but we didn’t expect, didn’t expect…” Duke Hui Ye held his hands in fists, and suddenly widened his eyes, “It’s all that Yun Che’s fault! Two months ago, he disturbed my affairs, and today, it was because of him again! All because of him, we not only did not contain the Yun family and the Under Heaven family. Instead, we raised their alertness and hatred against us! If they tell everything to the Little Demon Empress, the Little Demon Empress might have even more defense and action…”
“Everything is screwed… if Father knew… all fault would definitely fall on this duke! Bastard… everything about this, is all that Yun Che’s fault!”
“When we return, investigate everything about that Yun Che… This duke wants his entire clan destroyed!”
————————————————
“Xinyue… Xinyue… Xinyue… ah! Why… why!!”
Yun Waitian held Yun Xinyue’s body in his arms and cried loudly. Under the Venerable Stone Dragon’s attack, Yun Xinyue’s body was pierced through directly, and on top of not having the protection of profound energy, he was as dead as he could be. Yun Waitian went through jubilation and sorrow in a single day. Originally, he was full of joy, preparing to see the son he was so proud get pushed for election by Duke Hui Ye, be approved by the Grand Elders with the whole clan’s support to become Patriarch, but he never thought that, not even an hour had passed, and they were separated by life and death.
Even if he made a horrible mistake, he was still his biological son.
Yun Qinghong floated down and stood beside Yun Waitian. Watching the Family’s Great Elder cry like a child, his mind flashed at the pain of losing a child for all these years. He made a long sigh, and said, “Great Elder, grieve. Even though Yun Xinyue was at fault, he was being forced by others, so it’s forgivable. I believe that the people of our clan would also forgive him. Three days later, we will bury him in Ancestor’s Ridge. I will give an order, and not let anyone speak a word of the fault he had in his life.”
Yun Waitian’s body shook slightly… a person who had committed a huge mistake had no right to enter Ancestor’s Ridge after death. Yun Xinyue conspired with others to betray his own clan, and almost put the whole Yun Family into a crisis that could not be averted. What he committed, was a fault that could be cursed and chastised for hundreds of generations. And Yun Qinghong gave him permission to enter Ancestor’s Ridge, and would conceal his guilt to the outsiders to protect his reputation. This could be seen as a merciful and magnanimous act.
“Thank you… Patriarch…” Yun Waitian lowered his head, and said with a choked throat. He thought about his ignorance and discourtesy against Yun Qinghong after his crippling, and felt ashamed.
“Even though Xinyue is gone, you still have your two sons, Xinwen and Xin’e, and they need your support. Even though Xinyue was at fault, it had nothing to do with you. After today, you are still the Yun Family’s Great Elder. If the Yun Family wants to rise, it must depend on you. So, for your family and for the entire Yun Family, you must not fall.”
Yun Waitian lifted his head, looked at Yun Qinghong with tears in his eyes, and couldn’t speak a word.
“Xiao’er, Che’er, let’s go.” Yun Qinghong turned around.
“Patriarch… Patriarch!” A lot of voices addressing him came from his back. Yun Qinghong paused his steps, lifted his hands and said, “Today’s Family Competition is canceled, tidy this place up first. I know you all have a lot of questions, but right now, there’s about to be a crisis in Demon Imperial City, and the Yun Family must be well-prepared. Tomorrow at ten in the morning, we will have the clan’s general assembly as usual. I will explain everything, and then discuss the family’s affairs… anyone above middle management cannot be absent.”
“Yes, Patriarch!”
The sound of their response was loud and clear, especially the word “Patriarch”; it made many of the elders’ eyes glisten with tears.
Yun Qinghong and his wife left. The whole Yun Family Plaza completely lost control, and couldn’t calm down for a long time.
“Patriarch… has returned! Our Patriarch has really returned!”
“The rise of the Yun Family… there’s hope!”
“I can’t believe we were all rooting for Yun Xinyue to be the next Patriarch… our eyes really were blind. If it wasn’t for Patriarch’s wisdom, the consequences would be unimaginable!”
“Besides Patriarch, we need to thank the godson the Patriarch has taken in, Yun Che! What’s ironic is that we were even mocking him before.”
The Yun Family Elders gathered in a circle, all talking at once without considering their image. Their faces were all red from being so rowdy.
At this moment, Yun Waitian had already stopped crying. He held onto Yun Xinyue’s body, and knelt there, staring blankly ahead. Second Elder Yun Duanshui walked over, after a moment of hesitation, he sighed and said, “Great Elder, did you think it was strange that when the Patriarch ‘returned’, there were so many people among us that were riled up like this?”
Yun Waitian’s eyes moved a little.
Yun Duanshui said slowly, “After Yun Canghai, Yun Qinghong became the Patriarch of our Yun Family. Even though he was crippled, he is still the Patriarch. We would never let anyone question his position and his power as the Patriarch because of his crippled state. But because of the Patriarch being crippled, and him knowing Yun Xiao wasn’t his biological son, he believed that he couldn’t take on the responsibilities of being Patriarch. He wanted us to give him up and make you the center, and in the future, make you our Yun Family Patriarch.”
Yun Waitian, “…”
“Patriarch said, even though you have ambitions, you also have absolute loyalty to the Yun Family, and want the clan to rise more than anyone else. His bloodline has ended, but handing the responsibility to the Great Elder’s bloodline is what sets his mind at ease the most. He told us to coordinate and listen to your orders, and help you bring up your prestige in the Yun Family. As for the Patriarch himself, he strictly commanded us that we cannot even visit him. When the time is right, we would make you the Patriarch.”
“Ah…” Yun Waitian opened his mouth, his whole body was trembling.
“To be honest, even after more than twenty years, as soon as the Patriarch gives his command, of us thirty-six main elders of the family, at least twenty people would stand by the Patriarch without any hesitation. Regarding the purpose of today’s general assembly, the Patriarch already knew. Fourth Elder and I told the Patriarch together. The Patriarch’s response was to let us elect you as the new Patriarch, and us agreeing later on for Yun Xinyue to be the new Patriarch was unexpected.”
“The isolation that Patriarch received after he was crippled was not because we wanted to isolate him, it was him who wanted us to do so. His silence, was not because he was giving up on himself, but was to wear down his reputation to raise up yours. Because to Patriarch, the clan’s future is far more important than his reputation and honor… he was a great, wise Patriarch. Though he was crippled, we cannot help but still respect him.”
“But, the heavens finally favored us, the Yun Family. Our Patriarch has returned, and we resolved a family disaster.” Yun Duanshui looked at the stunned Yun Waitian, and said, “You knew exactly how you treated Patriarch all these years, how serious your son Yun Xinyue’s mistake was, but you saw how Patriarch treated you just now… what I’m saying is, I hope that in the future, Great Elder would not disappoint Patriarch and the Yun Family.”
After Yun Duanshui left, Yun Waitian stood there blankly for a long time, as though he was petrified. After an eighth of an hour, his body trembled, and he dropped on the ground, crying loudly…
Chapter 525 - Confession
“Yurou, Brother-in-law, you’ve both recovered… truly, fully recovered?” He was the stately Mu Family’s future Patriarch, yet currently, he was excitedly dancing in joy like a child.
In regards to Mu Yubai’s temperament, Yun Che had roughly understood it today. He was someone who wore his emotions on his face, upright and outspoken, and was not one to suppress his feelings. At this moment, he was excited and pleasantly surprised, and this completely showed on his face.
“We’ve already fully recovered ten days ago. During those days, we’ve always worn the Profound Sealing Buckle to conceal our profound aura.” Mu Yurou said with a light laugh. Seeing the man who she had accompanied throughout her entire life stand up from the wheelchair to once more display the great might he possessed back then, after more than twenty years, she couldn’t help but want to cry tears of joy. No one else was more clear about these twenty-two years this prideful man spent whilst handicapped, and how much he suffered every day.
“Whether it is our body or profound strength, they have all fully recovered, and this is not something short-lived.” Yun Qinghong lifted his hand and said with a smile: “All this, is because of Che’er. He merely used not even two months of time. I, Yun Qinghong have seen and experienced quite a lot of things, but if this did not happen on my person, I still would never dare believe it. All of the genius doctors in the Illusory Demon Realm added up together could barely rival one finger on Che’er’s hand. I’m afraid that not even the Great Shifting Golden Deity of legends could even compare, hoho.”
This evaluation was no doubt the highest praise beyond limits, and this praise had even come from Yun Qinghong himself. However, Mu Yubai did not feel that it was exaggerated in the least. He was more clear than anyone else about how crippled Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were originally. Since twenty years ago, in the entire Illusory Demon Realm, not one person believed that they were able to recover… they weren’t even able to recover to an ordinary person’s state of health.
Now that this appeared before his eyes, it was no less than a miracle!
And, this merely took a short time of not even two months!
Mu Yubai grabbed Yun Che’s shoulders, widened his eyes, and said with great emotion: “Good kid… I, Mu Yubai has lived for more than one hundred eighty years, and the only person I have ever truly admired is my brother-in-law, Yun Qinghong. But now, I admire you ten times more than that! So much that I’d prostrate myself in admiration. You saving my brother-in-law means that you have saved the entire Yun Family. You saving my little sister Yurou, also means that you are our Mu Family’s benefactor. Mn…”
Mu Yubai’s eyes suddenly lit up, as the hands he used to grab at Yun Che tightened a bit more… This was a Monarch’s strength, and it immediately made Yun Che ache so hard that he gritted his teeth: “Boy… Oh, no, little brother Yun. How about we become sworn brothers? I’ll be your big brother in the future, and you’ll be my little brother. Your affairs would also become my affairs! If anyone dares to bully you, I’ll smash their brains apart!”
If this situation of the Mu Family’s Young Patriarch requesting to become sworn brothers were to spread out, the entire city would perhaps drop their jaws in shock. If this was in normal circumstances, Yun Che would definitely gladly agree… With such a great supporter, Yun Che could most probably walk sideways against the law if he wanted. But once Mu Yubai’s words came out, it actually scared Yun Che to the point where his entire body broke out in cold sweat. He incessantly waved panickedly: “S-S-S-Senior Mu, this cannot be done. My humble self is merely a junior, how could I dare become sworn brothers with Senior Mu?”
The difference in seniority wasn’t really much of a huge issue, the main point was that this Mu Yubai was his biological uncle! If he became sworn brothers just like that, once he revealed himself, Mu Yubai might even go look for a block of tofu to suicide himself into!
“Tch!” Mu Yubai swung an arm: “What junior, senior, that’s all rubbish. Even though you are a bit young and your profound strength is a bit low, just with your medical skills and the courage you displayed today would even make me willingly call you big brother! Mn… If you don’t want to be my little brother, then me calling you big brother in the future is fine too! That’s no problem at all!”
These few words that Mu Yubai had said truly were not forced out at all. Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were crippled to such a state, yet they were able to fully recover in two months. In Mu Yubai’s eyes, Yun Che could even be called god! If he could make this person into one of his own, no matter how great of a price he had to pay, it would still not be a loss. As a profound practitioner, there was no one who did not fall ill, encounter calamity, never get injured, and never be in danger. With Yun Che by his side, that would simply be countless numbers of lives under his belt. Even if one were to want to die, it would be hard. Even if one were to be crippled into a dog, they would still fully recover… If Mu Yubai had to pick between ten Monarchs and one Yun Che, Mu Yubai would definitely pick Yun Che without the slightest hesitation.
Yun Che grimaced: “Senior Mu, this junior is just…. just…”
Mu Yubai’s face immediately fell, as he said unhappily: “What? Am I, Mu Yubai, beneath your notice? Do you think that I am not worthy enough to become your sworn brother?”
“Of course not.” Yun Che waved: “This junior is naturally beside himself him delight knowing that Mu Yubai wants to become sworn brothers with this junior. But the problem is that this junior has already become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao. Your sister and brother-in-law are also junior’s godfather and godmother. If this junior becomes sworn brothers with you, then the seniority here would be completely messed up. This is not fair to junior, nor is it fair to my godparents.”
“So what? This and that are all not important. It’s not as though I don’t know you have become sworn brothers with that kiddo Yun Xiao.” Mu Yubai blurted without care as he waved his hand. His heart was just this wide.
“Alright, Big Brother, don’t make things difficult for Che’er anymore.” Mu Yurou said in amusement: “Even if you don’t care about seniority matters and want to become sworn brothers with Che’er no matter what, you’ll have to at least show your sincerity. Who would be as aggressive as you? It’ll be a wonder if you didn’t scare Che’er.”
Mu Yubai widened his eyes, then slapped his head, and said in annoyance: “You’re right! Look at this brain of mine, randomly telling someone to become my sworn brother. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way either… hey! Yun Che boyo… oh, no, little brother Yun, I was rude earlier. Come to my Mu Family for a visit someday. I’ll definitely let you see my sincerity. I, Mu Yubai, promise you that I am absolutely worthy of becoming your sworn brother!”
“Alright, alright, let’s talk about this when that time comes. Big Brother, go back home and tell Father about what happened today, let him prepare for it as well. Something huge is bound to happen during the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony. After two days, I’ll go back with Qinghong for a visit too.” Mu Yurou stated.
“Mn, if the old man knew that you and brother-in-law have recovered completely, I’d reckon he’ll be so happy that he wouldn’t be able to sleep for three days… Oh! When you come back with brother-in-law, make sure to bring this kid!” Mu Yubai said with great emphasis.
“Xiao’er, go send your uncle off with your mother,” said Yun Qinghong.
“Ah? Yes, Father.” Yun Xiao was still a bit stunned, it was evident that he had not completely taken in and digested everything that had happened today.
Mu Yubai glanced at Yun Qinghong. He knew why Yun Qinghong was letting Mu Yurou and Yun Xiao send him off; he probably had things he wanted to say to Yun Che alone, so he didn’t decline. With a wave of his hand, he left taking large strides.
“Father, do you have something you want to tell me?” Once they left, only Yun Qinghong and Yun Che remained within the courtyard.
“Mn.” Yun Qinghong nodded, then smiled and said: “Che’er, this is all thanks to you. If not for you, Yun Family’s ten thousand years of loyalty would be destroyed in one day. Even so much that we would be beyond redemption.”
Yun Che grinned: “Heh heh, Father’s too polite. I’m still considered to be half a member of the Yun Family. Besides, the one who suppressed everyone is you, Father. And with Father’s wisdom and foresight, even if I wasn’t here, you should’ve seen through everything a long time ago, right?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head, and said: “In these past years, due to my crippling, I knew that I did not have the power to support the Yun Family, so I had always closed my eyes and ears. Even though I was aware of Duke Huai’s disloyalty a long time ago and guessed that he might perhaps already be stretching out his hands into the Yun Family, I didn’t know where he had stretched in from. Furthermore, if not for the fact that you helped recover our health and profound strength for us, even if I knew everything, I wouldn’t have the power to turn it around.”
Yun Che thought for a while, then said: “Father, I have a speculation… I believe that among the elders of your generation, some have not left because of your crippling. All these years that you have been alone, that was something you did deliberately, right?”
Yun Qinghong laughed, and looked at him with praising eyes: “Yes, you’re right. Even though I really don’t want the Patriarch position of our Patriarchal line given to others, at that time, I was completely crippled, and Xiao’er was not my biological child. I’d rather given the head position to Yun Waitian than be a burden on the Yun Family. After all, even though the honor of our Patriarch bloodline is important, how could it possibly compare with our Yun Clan’s future. Che’er, if not for you helping me recover, I originally would’ve already prepared myself to watch Yun Waitian succeed my position as Patriarch. But now that I have recovered, and have enough strength to bear the heavy responsibility of the clan, this position of Patriarch absolutely cannot be given to others. Che’er, you have truly altered the fate of our entire Yun Family. This kind of great favor is enough to let our Yun Family remember it for over thousands of generations.”
“The reason why I wanted to be alone with you is to confess something to you.” Yun Qinghong sucked in a slight breath of air, and said somewhat sadly: “I deliberately allowed the Venerable Stone Dragon to kill Yun Xingyue.”
“I know.” Against Yun Qinghong’s expectations, Yun Che actually gave a direct reply which held no hesitation. He continued: “With Father’s strength, as well as the close distance back then, protecting Yun Xingyue against the Venerable Stone Dragon’s attack could be said to be as easy as turning one’s hand over.”
“…Then, do you think that I am too ruthless?”
“No!” Yun Che shook his head: “The complete opposite. I fully approve of Father’s decision. Since Yun Xinyue has already said ‘Helian’ and ‘Duke Huai’, there is no need to continue asking any further. Even though he had been poisoned and was forced, he still went as far as secretly backstabbing a fellow clansman for the promise of the Patriarch position and the title of a king. What’s even more despicable is the fact that he didn’t hesitate to harm the entire clan! Dying ten thousand times for such a serious crime would not be excessive at all! And if he were to be executed by the clan, even though Yun Waitian won’t say anything, he would still bear resentment over this. Him being “timely silenced” by Duke Hui Ye actually couldn’t be even better. On one hand, he would feel hatred toward Duke Huai’s clan for killing his son, on the other, he would be moved to tears by Father’s comfort and forgiveness. Furthermore, the guilt he’ll feel then would thereby make him unwaveringly loyal to Father and the Yun Family. After all, Yun Waitian is Yun Family’s Great Elder; excluding Father, he is one of the major pillars of Yun Family that must not be lost. This outcome is the most perfect one.”
Yun Qinghong looked deeply at Yun Che, then laughed heartily: “Hahahaha… Che’er, I am still underestimating you. It is hard for me to believe that you are only twenty-two this year. With your talent and temperament, I would not doubt it even if you say that you have a thousand years of experience.”
Yun Che also laughed along, and lightly sighed in his heart… What I have encountered, the life and death situations, as well as the dangers I’ve experienced, even if someone else were to pile up their thousand years of life experiences, they probably still can’t match mine…
Chapter 526 - Reunion
During the conversation between Yun Che and Yun Qinghong, two silhouettes flashed past before descending. It was then followed by mild laughter: “Hoho, Yun Qinghong, it’s been a long time.”
That person was Unparalleled Under Heaven and soon, Number One Under Heaven descended as well. The phrase “it’s been a long time” by Unparalleled Under Heaven contained various meanings… being in the same city, yet it had been “a long time since they last met”.
“Brother Under Heaven, it has indeed been a long time.” Yun Qinghong nodded, his expression revealed deep lament: “Where’s Helian Peng? Did you catch manage to catch up to him?”
“That bastard fled really quickly, but I still managed to give him a good kick on his ass, enough for him to feel pain from some days. That has at least quelled some of my anger. Hahahaha.” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed.
Number One Under Heaven stepped forward and paid respects as a junior: “Patriarch Yun returning to his former glory is a joyous event. With Patriarch Yun, Yun Family’s return to prominence is just around the corner.”
“I hope it is like what you have just said.” Yun Qinghong nodded with a smile. Then, he became serious again, and said: “Duke Huai’s ambition has already been exposed. The Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony would definitely not be peaceful. Please pass a message to Elder Brother Under Heaven, that within five days, I will personally be going over to visit and discuss some important matters.”
“Patriarch Yun is definitely most welcomed to visit. However, I’m afraid that our Patriarch will not be able to wait five days, and come visit you instead after hearing that you have recovered.” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed. His words were not lies, since all those years back, the person Great Ambition Under Heaven would submit to the most was Yun Qinghong. After Yun Qinghong became crippled, even if he did not sigh a thousand times, there must have at least been eight hundred times.
“Patriarch Yun, since a major event just happened within your family, you must be busy. We only returned to bid our farewell so we shall not stay any longer. I will deliver Patriarch Yun’s words in full. When you are free, do come to our Under Heaven Clan to visit.” Unparalleled Under Heaven clasped his hands together. Although he was very curious, he did not presumptuously ask Yun Qinghong and his wife just how and when they recovered.
“Definitely!” Yun Qinghong similarly returned his gesture.
“Brother Yun, there are no words to thank you for your kindness.” Number One Under Heaven nodded strongly towards Yun Che.
“Brother Under Heaven is too kind. We’ll meet again in one month.” Yun Che said with a smile: “Also, pardon me for saying this, but the Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony is near at hand. At that time, another storm would likely be swept up, therefore, I think that now is not the time to be distracted by the grudge with the Helian Family. Priorities must be placed correctly and personal grudges should be put aside for now as revenge is best served cold.”
Yun Che’s words did not make them unhappy. Number One Under Heaven nodded slightly and Unparalleled Under Heaven even revealed signs of admiration, uttering: “Patriarch Yun, your godson is really extraordinary.”
“Farewell.”
Unparalleled Under Heaven and Number One Heaven left. It would not be possible to keep whatever happened in the Yun Family today a secret, and perhaps by evening, it would’ve already spread throughout the city like wildfire. The ambition that Duke Huai had all this time would be largely made public. During this period, Demon Imperial City would certainly be tense and the Twelve Guardian Families would enter a very nervous state.
The Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony in one month’s time definitely would not be as simple as a celebration of the Demon Empress having reigned for a century, and would likely become a turning point for the future of the Illusory Demon Realm.
After the two left, Mu Yurou and Yun Xiao, who went to send Mu Yubai off, returned. Once Mu Yurou returned, she immediately sprinted beside Yun Qinghong, and asked nervously: “What happened with the Patriarch’s Crest? Where did you get it from?”
Yun Qinghong also would like to know where the Patriarch’s Crest came from. He looked towards Yun Che, and replied: “Che’er passed it to me.”
“Che’er?” Mu Yurou turned back in shock, revealing a face of disbelief.
“Che’er, isn’t it about time for you to tell us about this Patriarch’s Crest? This is your promise from earlier.” Yun Qinghong calmly spoke, but his gaze already revealed his anxiousness. Because when this Patriarch’s Crest was lost a hundred years ago, it was on his father, Yun Canghai… As Yun Family’s most important object, Yun Canghai would have never left it alone!
Yun Che’s lips moved for a little, as he calmed himself, and said: “Let’s go in… I will tell you everything you all want to know.”
“Good!” Yun Qinghong nodded. Looking at Yun Che’s expression, he knew that whatever he was going to say would definitely be overwhelming. He held Mu Yurou’s hand, and they walked towards their room.
Yun Xiao quickly walked beside Yun Che, asking with a face of shock: “Big Brother, that Patriarch’s Crest, did you really give it to Father?”
“Yup,” Yun Che nodded: “I will say in full how I obtained it. It is after all, a Yun Family object.”
As he finished, he looked at Yun Xiao, who looked a little out of sorts, and asked: “Yun Xiao, are you still thinking about what happened just now?”
Yun Xiao lowered his head, speaking half in regret and half self-deprecatingly: “Until now, I still could not accept that the Yun Xinyue, whom I respect the most, is actually… such a person… Just now, I still suspected Big Brother because of him. I’m really… too foolish!”
“All these years, I worked so hard in order to do something for Father and Mother, however, when the entire Yun Family was in a predicament, I was unable to do anything and foolishly supported a man who nearly caused the death of a fellow clansman… If it wasn’t for Big Brother, who knows what would happen to the Yun Family from now onwards… Me and Big Brother are of a similar age, but… I’m too far behind Big Brother… I’m totally useless, who knows when I’ll be able to be like Big Brother.”
Yun Che stopped walking, turned back, and patted Xiao Yun’s shoulders as he said seriously: “Don’t look down on yourself. You have worked hard in your cultivation for Father and Mother all these years, withstanding everything that came for them. Your filial piety is more important and precious than anything else. As for Yun Xinyue, weren’t those elders who lived for hundred of years, and some even close to a thousand years, in the dark as well? There’s really no need for you to diminish yourself. Oversensitive instincts, predictions, and insights are not something people your age will possess.”
“Uh, but Big Brother, you’re obviously the same age as me…”
“I’m different.” Yun Che shook his head: “Yun Xiao, I would rather you keep your personality forever and be as ‘useless’ as you said, than to experience what I have experienced.”
Yun Xiao looked at him perplexedly, unable to comprehend what he just said.
Although they talked softly, it was unable to escape Yun Qinghong’s ears. Hearing what Yun Che had said, he stopped for a moment as a complex expression appeared on his face… That’s right, being just twenty-two and already possessing a maturity and insight that was unlike anyone of the same age; he couldn’t comprehend just what had he been through.
“Yun Xiao, if you really want to mature more quickly, today will be an opportunity.” Yun Che suddenly said.
Yun Xiao was stunned: “Really? What opportunity? What opportunity!”
“Fate often plays all sorts of pranks on us; sometimes it is friendly, sometimes it is evil, and other times cruel, or even vicious. As a man, if you really want to be indomitable and independent, the first thing you must learn is to calmly face the changes that fate brings about! This requires one to be broad minded and have enough courage. If you are able to do this, then your life will improve and you will possess more strength for Father and Mother to rely on, more strength for Seventh Sister to rely on.”
“Calmly… face…” Yun Xiao was still a little shocked, and although he did not really understand the things Yun Che had said, he felt that it was very powerful!
“What’s going to happen next, will be a test of sorts for you.” Yun Che said in a positive manner: “Let me see whether or not my good brother of a lifetime will be an indomitable man who is not easily defeated by the twist of fate!”
Even though he still did not completely know what Yun Che was saying, his words still raised Yun Xiao’s morale as he strongly said: “I, Yun Xiao, do not have such a weak mind! Even if I cannot compare with Big Brother, I will not let Big Brother look down on me!”
“Alright, that’s what you said… let’s go in.”
After they entered the room, they closed the door. Yun Qinghong took out the Patriarch’s Crest that was glowing purple and felt the unique aura on it. Suppressing his agitation, he anxiously asked: “Che’er, tell me, where did you get this?”
When the question was asked, Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou, and Yun Xiao all looked straight at him, anxiously and nervously awaiting his reply. Under their gaze, Yun Che did not reply, but looked towards Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou and gradually knelt down… Furthermore, he had knelt down on both his knees.
“Che’er, what are you doing… hurry and stand up.” Mu Yurou panicked, and quickly went forward to try and help him up.
Yun Che did not rise, but raised his head and looked at them… his own birth parents. Slowly, he opened his palm…
“Father, Mother… Do you all still remember this thing?”
On Yun Che’s palm, was an old looking copper colored pendant.
The second they saw the pendant, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yunrou seemed as though they were struck by lightning as their entire bodies trembled violently. Mu Yurou suddenly rushed forward like a madman and snatched the pendant in Yun Che’s palm, raising it up to her eyes to look at it. Her hands continued to trembled madly: “Mirror of Samsara… it’s the Mirror of Samsara… It really is the Mirror of Samsara!!!”
Mu Yurou, who usually spoke gently, like water, was currently speaking in a frightening, trembling, hoarse voice. Yun Xiao was shocked as he anxiously asked: “Mother, what’s… what’s wrong…”
He turned towards Yun Qinghong, only to realize that his entire face had already distorted.
“This Mirror of Samsara… You… Where did you get it from…” For the intelligent and proud Yun Qinghong, this short sentence was extremely hard to say. However, a sudden thought flashed past his mind, and his body trembled even more violently: “Could it be… you…”
Yun Che did not answer. He only raised up his left arm, and on his arm, the mark of the Profound Handle shone vividly.
“Ahhh! Profound… Profound Handle!!!” Yun Xiao screamed in surprise. Even though he did not have the Profound Handle, being in the Yun Family for twenty odd years, how could he not recognize it?
Holding the Mirror of Samsara in her hand and looking at the glowing mark of the Profound Handle, Mu Yurou was stunned. Her hands trembled and even her lips trembled intensely, yet she could not utter a single sound. In an instant, her eyes were flooded with tears and her mind spun, before she directly fell backwards.
“Mother!!!” Yun Xiao rushed forward to support her: “Mother! What… What’s wrong? Don’t scare me!”
Yun Qinghong’s eyes were unfocused. His breathing completely stopped and he could no longer feel the existence of his body, which was burning hot. The instant the Profound Handle shone, blood rushed into his head, causing him to hallucinate. He nearly vomited blood and fainted…
Yun Che’s eyes were misty as he softly said: “Before I was sixteen, my surname was not Yun but instead Xiao. At that time, I was called Xiao Che… I’m not from the Illusory Demon Realm. The place I grew up in was one of the seven nations of the Profound Sky Continent, called Blue Wind Nation. The city I lived in was Floating Cloud City. My adopted father was called Xiao Ying and my grandfather is Xiao Lie.”
Chapter 527 - Family Reunion
Each and every one of Yun Che’s soft words reverberated in Yun Qinghong’s ears like a thunderclap, his upper body violently swayed and the scene before him became blurry. His brain felt like it was going to explode from the violent rushes of blood assaulting his head.
“Child… You are my child… My child!!”
Mu Yurou let out a cry that betrayed her immense heartache as she shrugged off Yun Xiao’s arm and threw herself violently onto Yun Che’s body. She hugged him as if her life itself depended on it and started bawling like a child. The arms wrapped around him began to tighten, and if this embrace grew any tighter…. It would be as though she wanted to draw him into herself. And the mournful and heartbroken sound of her wails seemed to cause the whole world to turn a darker shade of grey.
Yun Qinghong stepped forward to extend his arm, but he stopped midway. And the words he wanted to say seemed to be lodged inside his throat, as though something was stuck there, and once he opened his mouth, the tears which he were trying so hard to restrain threatened to burst out….
The Mirror of Samsara was what they had hung around their son’s neck when they were fleeing all those years ago. Because they prayed that this sacred artifact, which they had protected for generations on behalf of the Illusory Demon Royal Family and was coveted by the Profound Sky Continent, would show its divine might and protect their newborn son who had no choice but to become a fugitive because of them… And that profound imprint was even more iron-clad proof… and the words that he said… Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation, Floating Cloud City, and Xiao Ying were all names that they had repeated to themselves countless of times… And while he had mentioned these words to Yun Che when he told him of the origins of Yun Xiao, he had definitely never mentioned the name Xiao Lie…
Moreover, that appearance which closely matched his own when he was young, and that feeling of recognition despite having met for the first time… And that practically unreasonable and irresistible intimacy and trust that he felt towards him…
Ah, so it was because of this… because of this…
No wonder he wanted to come to the Yun Family… No wonder he spared no effort, even to the point of fainting due to exhaustion, to ensure that he healed their crippled bodies… No wonder he had treated him and Yurou so well… No wonder he did not hesitate to cross swords with such a strong enemy, just so the calamity awaiting the Yun Family could be averted… No wonder he wanted to become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao…. And finally, now that things have come full circle, he understood why Yun Che did not want to call them ‘Godfather and Godmother’ but ‘Father and Mother’ instead…
Because it turned out that he was their son… Their very own flesh and blood… The son that they had lost over twenty years ago… The heavens had sent him back to their side…
He should have realized this sooner… Because in this world, aside from one’s own direct relatives, there was no reason to treat another with such care and concern, to the point where he would not spare anything to treat them well… But, even though his heart held countless suspicions towards this situation, how could he have dared to dream of such an impossibly perfect conclusion…
“My child… My child…” Mu Yurou’s voice had become completely hoarse. She had wept to the point where her soul seemed to have left her body… and she was no simple woman; she was a strong Monarch who was looked up to by all; she was the wife of Yun Family Patriarch. Her talent was extraordinary, she was nobility, and she was possessed an iron will. In those years, she had ventured forth together with her husband to the Profound Sky Continent that caused everyone’s expression to change when it was even mentioned! It was hard to find another person with this kind of courage and determination in the entire Illusory Demon Realm.
But today, her tears had formed an ocean. All these years, she was always being tortured by her own thoughts, to the point where she had wept an immeasurable amount of tears… And in this entire world, there was only person who could make this woman, who had dared to brave the Profound Sky Continent without fear, so weak. There was only one person who could cause her to shed so many tears… It was her newborn son, whom she thought was lost to her forever.
The front of Yun Che’s shirt had quickly become drenched in tears, but this wetness was filled with a warmth that pierced him to the heart. It caused his heart to steadily tremble, as he slowly raised his hands, supporting her spasming shoulders. He gently said, “Father, Mother, this child is unfilial… Because for more than twenty years, I was unable to be by your side….”
“All is well now that you have returned… All is… well…”
After just saying these few words, Yun Qinghong already had to choke back his emotions, and he did not speak any further.
Yun Xiao just stood there in a daze and he was completely dumbstruck. In his mind, there was only once voice that kept circulating in his head… Big Brother is Father and Mother’s son… their real flesh and blood son…
So… what about me… I guess… I really wasn’t Father and Mother’s… flesh and blood after all…
He had already known about this fact long ago and even the entire Demon Imperial City knew as well. Being unable to wield the power of a Profound Handle, that was an inescapable truth… but because Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou had never admitted it before, this matter which everyone knew as fact, had, in his own heart, been covered with a hazy veil which he did not want to tear away…
But today, this final layer had been completely and utterly ripped away… His emotions were in complete chaos, he was at a loss of what to do, and he did not even know if he should still continue to stand in this place… And at this time, his mind suddenly recalled what Yun Che had just said to him…
“Ah, so this is the twist of fate… that Big Brother said that I was about to face.” He softly murmured.
Yun Che’s words had immediately provoked even louder weeping from Mu Yurou. All these years, what she endured was not only a sense of loss but also the torment of guilt. Because all those years ago, it was because of them that their son had to become a fugitive even though he was just born. Moreover, it was because she had been stricken by the cold poison when she was pregnant that they had to destroy his profound veins and make him a cripple for life to expel that poison from his body. At that time, she was already filled with so much grief that she wished she was dead as her guilt threatened to engulf her. And the only thing on her mind was that if she could escape from this situation, she would do all she could to make it up to him and protect him. But when they finally returned to the Illusory Demon Realm, her son had been left in the Profound Sky Continent, a place which they could not return to, and that denied her even of the opportunity to nurture and accompany her child…
But now, her child had come back, and his return to her side seemed like a dazzling dream. He harbored no resentment towards them and did not even utter a single complaint. Instead he healed her body, gave her a rebirth of sorts and even helped the Yun Family avert a calamity… And in the end, he still knelt before them, saying that he was ‘unfilial’…
Her own son had not only come back, but had become so excellent, and had also become so kindhearted…
In the past twenty-two years, she had lost count of how many times she had cursed the heavens, had lost count of all the times she had resented this cruel fate. But right now, she used all her heart and sincerity to piously thank the heavens…
Yun Che had thought that after he had given himself a two month cushion, he would be able to maintain his cool in this situation. But after he had been buried in his mother’s embrace, heard his mother’s heartfelt cries, and felt her hot tears which flooded over him, his eyes had completely moistened. She had engulfed him in an extremely tight yet oh-so-warm embrace. And amidst this warmth, the tears which had been dammed up at the corners of his eyes finally burst free; they trickled down his face, tracing little pathways, as a feeling of weakness slowly rose in his heart…
All these years, he had suffered too many hardships, had been through too many twist and turns, and even life and death situations. Thus, his will had long ago been hammered into something hard and unyielding. The amount of blood he had shed was a million times more than the tears he cried. He had single-handedly gone up against a huge clan and also an entire nation by himself. He had also gone up against an entire continent before… to the point where he was forced to skirt the border between life and death constantly, but he still held his head high with unyielding tenacity back then, and had worn a cold, blood-stained smile that expressed his defiance till the very end…
But at this moment, this feeling of weakness was so real and irresistible that it caused him to have the urge to just break down and cry…
He knew that this was because he was in his mother’s arms.
It was only after two lives, till this very day, that he knew what a mother’s embrace was like… He was finally not a parentless, rootless wanderer covered in sand and dried blood any longer…
————————————
Time seemed to have slowed down. No one came to disturb their family reunion, and nothing else seemed to have taken place that day.
But in the end, Yun Qinghong was still Yun Qinghong. After some time, he had finally been able to take hold of his emotions as he mutely stared at the mother and son who were still caught in their embrace. Sometimes he laughed, while at other times, he closed his eyes. Finally, Mu Yurou’s completely hoarse crying had stilled. He gave a small sigh of relief and said in the most relaxed tone he could muster, “Yurou, the heavens have given our son back to us and it is cause for great joy. But you see, your crying has frightened Che’er and Xiao’er silly.”
Mu Yurou raised her head; her entire face was stained with tears. She lightly sobbed and held Yun Che’s face in both her hands. Her motions were so gentle, it was thought she was holding a delicate treasure that would easily break. She peered at him through misty eyes and softly whispered, “Yes… This is my son… Che’er… my son…”
Her entire body gave a light quiver and she put her face on her son’s face. And even though she tried her best to restrain her weeping, the tears in her eyes still rolled down her cheeks. She was unable to stop… The hands which held her son refused to let go, as if she was afraid that once she did let go, he would disappear from her world once more.
Her current disheveled state did not even remotely resemble her usual noble and elegant comportment.
Yun Qinghong took a step forward and his hand pressed down on Yun Che’s shoulder. His face bore a faint smile, but when he opened his mouth, he seemed to choke on his words. It was only after a good period of time, with a smile that faintly trembled, he softly said, “Che’er, welcome home… We have already waited for you for a very long time in our dreams…”
Yun Che quietly wiped the corners of his eyes and raised his head, softly replying, “Father, Mother, I am sorry. This child has only come back now. And because of this, I have caused both Father and Mother so many years of pain.”
“You are not late at all.” Yun Qinghong laughed as he shook his head, “As long as you have come back to us, all is well.”
The person before him who was so excellent that it caused him to exclaim in admiration, who had caused Mu Yubai to disregard his status and seniority in order to become sworn brothers with, was actually his own flesh and blood. The kind of pride, joy and contentment he felt… was intense beyond description. He even felt that even if he had to use his own death to trade for this moment of truth, he would go with a smile on his face.
“Yurou, our son has already come back and he is even this big. He won’t run away again, so how long do you want to keep hugging him?” Yun Qinghong lovingly patted his wife’s back, “Can it be that you want our son, on the day of his return, to kneel there the entire afternoon?”
Yun Qinghong’s last words had an immediate effect. After she saw that Yun Che had knelt there motionlessly for nearly half a day, Mu Yurou instantly felt such self-reproach and regret that she almost cried once more. She hurriedly wiped her tears and extended her hand to lift Yun Che up, “Che’er, quickly get up, the floor is cold… Oh, this is all Mother’s fault, I had even forgotten that you were kneeling on the ground.”
Yun Che stood up as Mu Yurou lightly supported him. He shook his head and said, “This is nothing, Mother. I was unable to be by your side all these years, so the amount of kneeling I owe the both of you, even kneeling for three days and three nights wouldn’t make up for it.”
This kind of close intimacy was simply too precious and too warm. He was willing to present his best and most obedient side, in order to bring them comfort and joy. At their side, Yun Xiao hesitated for a good long while before coming forward in a rather timid manner, saying, “Father, Mother, Big Brother, Congra… Congratulations on finally being able to reunite as a family…”
“It is not ‘a family’, it is ‘our family‘ reunion!” Yun Che pulled Yun Xiao close, “The words you just said sounded like you weren’t part of the family at all.”
“But, I… I…” Yun Xiao softly bit on his lips and looked at a complete loss. He faced Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou, bowed his head, and said in a lifeless and dazed voice, “I… I… In the future, can I still… call the both of you… Father and Mother?”
His words caused Yun Qinghong and his wife to be slightly startled, but after that, they laughed at the same time. Mu Yurou said in a gentle tone, “You silly child, you have always been Father and Mother’s Xiao’er. The son we watched grow up, whom we loved the most. So why would we not let you address us as Father and Mother?”
“Hey, Yun Xiao! What are you saying? We are sworn brothers, you know!” Yun Che patted him on the head, “When we said our vows to each other when we became sworn brother, we swore that we would be brothers for life, that your parents would be my parents and my parents would be your parents. It was only two months ago, but now you don’t even recognize this big brother of yours anymore?”
“No, it’s not… I…” Yun Xiao waved his hand, and his eyes became misty for a short while. At this moment he suddenly realized why Yun Che wanted to become sworn brothers with him… Because his parents were actually Yun Che’s parents… This was a vow which they could not go back on, and the reason why Yun Che had waited two months before he had identified himself was because of him… Solely because of him…
A warm current which carried far too many emotions flooded over his entire body. Yun Xiao raised his head, his face revealing a dazzling smile, “Sorry, Father, Mother, Big Brother, I was just thinking too much. The parents who love me the most has found their other son. My most respected big brother has found his real parents. So the happiest person in the room should actually be me! Father, Mother, Big Brother… Congratulations on our family reunion!”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou looked at each other and laughed. Yun Che let out a huge laugh himself. After the tears and the sadness had gone away, all that was left on their faces were warm smiles which emanated from within.
Chapter 528 - Yun Xiao, Xiao Yun
“Che’er, quickly, take a seat…”
Mu Yurou gently pushed Yun Che into a wooden chair. Her pretty face looked as though a shower of rain had fallen upon it, and her hands still continued to gently tremble. She looked at her son, who was right in front of her, and her gaze clung to him; it did not waver for even a single moment.
In his hand, he held the Mirror of Samsara. On his arm, the imprint of the Profound Handle still faintly glimmered, and his face closely resembled the face of the young Yun Qinghong. All of this was accompanied by the throbbing of her blood vessels that was so clear that it almost had substance… This was her son… Her very own flesh and blood.
“Che’er… My child…” Mu Yurou softly murmured, and once again, she choked up while saying, “Am I really… not having a dream right now…”
They had already grown familiar with each other over the last two months, and Yun Che had normally addressed her as ‘Mother’. But right now, while facing Yun Che, her mental state and emotions had reached a completely different level. Yun Che opened his mouth and said softly, “Mother, I am sorry… When I had first seen the both of you, I already knew that you were my birth parents, but… I waited until this day to be reconciled with the both of you.”
Mu Yurou gently shook her head. All of these were not the least bit important to her. At this time and place, nothing else in the world truly mattered to her right now. And all the joy and happiness that she had felt in her life, even when added up together, could not compare to this moment. She softly replied, “Husband, look at this son of ours, he is so good-looking that he looks even better than you when you were young. I won’t even be able to count the number of girls who have already lost their hearts to him. And he is still so obedient, so sensible and so kindhearted… For over twenty years, not only have we not done anything for him as parents, we also caused him to suffer hardship and homelessness from the time he was born. But our son doesn’t even blame us at all… doesn’t blame us at all…”
“Moreover, his boldness and intelligence even exceeds my own when I was his age. His medical skills, are even unrivalled under heaven. He has only come back for two months, yet he helped us escape from this deep abyss, and even caused your big brother, who doesn’t admire anyone, to want to become sworn brothers with him. He caused Duke Huai’s deliberate and methodical plot to collapse in a single day and gave our Yun Family hope once again… This is our son.” Yun Qinhong said as he raised his head, his voice brimming with pride and excitement.
“Our son…” Mu Yurou caressed Yun Che’s face, while covering her lips in one hand. After she had finished crying, she wanted to toughen up, so as to not let her newly-returned son only see her tears, but every time she tried, she just couldn’t help herself. She said in a dream-like daze, “I had thought that in this entire life, I would never… never be able to see you again… The heavens have eyes…”
Yun Che stretched out his hand and gently wiped away the tears on his mother’s face, “Mother, do not cry, our family has finally come back together again. And the both of you have recovered all that you had lost, so all of those difficulties are now in the past.”
“Yes… Mother won’t cry… won’t cry… It is just that Mother is… far too happy…” Mu Yurou nodded her head. She diligently attempted to wipe away all the traces of her tears, but the amount of tears she had shed was simply too much, and even after attempting to wipe them away, her face was still wet with them.
“Che’er.” Yun Qinghong softly sighed, and said in a gentle voice, “All these years, how have you been? And how exactly did you come from the far-off Profound Sky Continent to make your way here?”
Yun Qinghong’s questions severely plucked at Mu Yurou’s heartstrings. She grabbed Yun Che’s hand and asked in an anxious tone, “Yes… Che’er, have these years been treating you well? Did you suffer a lot?”
Mu Yurou’s entire being was focused on her son right now, and she couldn’t think of much else. But Yun Qinghong knew that because Yun Che’s temperament completely did not fit his age, that what Yun Che had suffered, was not just simply ‘great suffering’; it must have been a torment that normal people would not even be able to endure. Or else, how would he possess such an extraordinary temperament, boldness, insight and ability?
Yun Che faintly smiled and replied, “All the events that I have lived through, I will definitely tell them to Father and Mother in detail. But before that…” He extended a hand, grabbed Yun Xiao, and said, “Father, Mother, now is the time to tell your other son of his origins. Yun Xiao isn’t a little kid anymore and he has long ago become a true man who is upright and filled with an indomitable spirit. He also has the right to know about the truth behind his birth.”
Yun Xiao went into a short daze, but then his eyes cleared up. He resolutely nodded his head, “Father, Mother, please tell me about my origins. I also want to know where I am actually from and who my birth parents are. And please do not worry Father and Mother, even though I am not your real flesh and blood, all these years of nurturing and love that you have given to me were definitely not false. In the future, even if I recognize my ancestors and return home to find my birth parents, the two of you will always be father and mother to me. For life.”
Before this, Yun Xiao still felt bewildered, hesitant and even slightly despondent. But now that he had said these words, He realized that all the apprehensiveness and bewilderment had melted away, and what replaced those feelings was calmness, relaxation and a happiness which came from the heart because his family had finally been reunited.
Even though he was not the flesh and blood of his parents, in all those years, they had regarded him as their own and had lavished him with care. Just this debt of love alone was already hard for him to repay in this life. His big brother had saved his life, had continually helped and instructed him time and time again. He was so conscientious of his feelings that he had delayed this family reunion by two whole months just for his sake…
So even though there was no blood relation, they had treated him with a goodness that was heartfelt, so why should he even feel a sense of loss or hopelessness? The parents he loved the most had finally found the son they had worried about for all these years, so he should naturally be happy for his parents. His most respected big brother was able to reunite with his parents, so naturally he should be happy for his big brother as well…
At this moment, he clearly felt that he had grown up quite a bit, and it felt like what Yun Che had described as…. An elevation of his spirit.
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou shared a look, and they laughed with joy and comfort. Yun Qinghong nodded his head, “Good! Good child! Xiao’er, your birth father and I were sworn brothers as well. Moreover, he is the only confidante I have ever had in my life. So the fathers of you and Che’er had always been closer than brothers, and our two families had long ago become as one.”
“Ah…” Yun Xiao’s mouth gaped open, “Father and my birth father… had known each other from the start?”
“Yes.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head and he pulled Yun Xiao’s arm, “Xiao’er, sit down. Today, your mother and I will tell you everything regarding your origins.”
In a room which was not spacious, the four sat facing each other. And no matter whether it was Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou or Yun Che, the feeling of family became even clearer than it had ever been before. Yun Qinghong told Yun Xiao in a sentimental and appreciative tone the story of the three years he and his wife had spent in the Profound Sky Continent. He especially recounted how he had met Xiao Ying, and how they had gotten to know each other, had hit off, and how they became sworn brothers…. Until the part where he had managed to save their lives by putting together an escape route for them, how he had even swapped his own son with theirs….
Yun Xiao just sat there and silently listened. Once Yun Qinghong had finished his tale, he sat there in a daze, but after that he said to himself in a lifeless voice, “Oh… So my homeland… really is the Profound Sky Continent…”
“The Profound Sky Continent is not as sinister as the Illusory Demon Realm has made it out to be. Only a portion of the people there are truly sinister and vicious. Comparatively, the biggest difference that the Illusory Demon World has with the Profound Sky continent is the composition of races. The Profound Sky Continent is a world where humans and beasts rule, there are very few demons there.” Yun Che said. In the Illusory Demon Realm, the Profound Sky Continent was a heavily-demonized place, and he did not wish for Yun Xiao to harbor such needless prejudice and internal conflict towards the Profound Sky Continent because of this.
“Right…” Yun Xiao gently nodded his head. His expression was still a bit dazed. He needed sufficient time to process and accept these things, “Xiao… So my surname was actually Xiao… No wonder… Father and Mother gave me the name Yun Xiao…”
“Hoho, because we had always thought of one day letting you go back to the Profound Sky Continent to recognize your ancestors.” Yun Qinghong told him while laughing.
“Big Brother, my birth parents… Are they still well now? And are they still living in that place called… called Floating Cloud City?” Yun Xiao asked with a hazy expression on his face.
Even though Yun Che had known that this question was unavoidable and made sufficient preparation for it, once Yun Xiao asked this question, his expression instantly froze, and he could not make a single sound for the longest of times.
Yun Che’s expression immediately caused Yun Qinghong’s expression to change as well. After he once again thought of all the tribulations that Yun Che must have suffered for all these years, his heart tightened even more. He grabbed Yun Che’s shoulder and looked at him directly while asking, “How is Xiao Ying right now? In Floating Cloud City, his Xiao Family was also amongst the elite, so he is definitely… living a carefree life now, right?”
Yun Che gave a heavy sigh. He did not answer Yun Qinghong’s question. Instead, he looked at Yun Xiao and declared in a solemn tone, “Yun Xiao, remember what I had said before. A true man must calmly face the trials of fate. And anything that has happened on this earth, whether they be happy or sad. But once they have happened, you can only accept and confront them…. How you accept and confront your fate will be a test of your character.”
Yun Xiao looked at Yun Che and both his hands quietly tightened. After a while, his eyes grew determined and he said, “Big Brother, go ahead and say it… No matter what the conclusion, I will face it with calm acceptance.”
Yun Che nodded his head, closed his eyes, and said in a gentle voice, “Uncle Xiao, he… he already passed away twenty-two years ago.”
Yun Qinghong stood up in a hurry, his face had instantly turned as white as a sheet of paper. In this world, there were very few things that would be able to provoke such a strong reaction from him… But Xiao Ying was the only sworn brother he had in his life, the only true confidante he had ever had. Not only that, Xiao Ying was a man he owed his life to, and it was a debt of gratitude that was as heavy as a mountain. All those years ago, if not for him, he and his wife would not have been able to make it back to the Illusory Demon Realm alive.
But he had never once thought that he was actually already… dead… That he had actually died… twenty-two years ago…
And at that time… Could it be… Could it be…
“He… He… He, how did he die? How did he die?” Yun Qinghong said in a quavering voice.
Yun Che did not hesitate or try to conceal anything, he said straightforwardly, “Twenty-two years ago, after Father and Mother had escaped from Floating Cloud City, the scoundrels who were chasing after the both of you somehow found out about your interactions with Uncle Xiao. They found Uncle Xiao and they tried to force him to reveal your whereabouts, but Uncle Xiao would rather die than tell them anything, so… As a result…”
Yun Qinghong’s entire body shook violently.
“After Uncle Xiao died, his wife very quickly passed away due to grief and loss. And my grandmother drowned in such sadness that her melancholy quickly turned into malady. After she had given birth to little aunt, who was one year younger than me, she passed away as well. I do not even remember how they looked like in life… It was grandfather alone who raised my little aunt and I together…”
“…” Yun Qinghong’s mouth violently trembled and both his eyes protruded. His entire body suddenly gave a violent heave as a spray of fresh blood violently spurted from his mouth. His entire body collapsed heavily to the ground.
“Ah… Husband!”
“Father!!”
Mu Yurou and Yun Che cried out in unison. They hurriedly went to support Yun Qinghong’s body. The corner of Yun Qinghong’s mouth twitched and the scarlet red blood trail was startlingly eye-catching. His gaze lifelessly drifted to the sky and two fierce streams of tears poured from his eyes, “It was I… It was I who caused Brother Xiao to die… It was I who caused the death of his family… It was me… It was me… The one who harmed them was me…”
“The debt of gratitude I owe to Brother Xiao is as heavy as a mountain… But what I repaid him with… was only… death, and destruction…”
Chapter 529 - False Alarm
Yun Qinghong’s reaction was even more intense than Yun Che had expected. For a person like Yun Qinghong, even if Mt. Tai fell in front of him, he would not flinch. However, the words “friendship” and “loyalty” were things that were more important to him than his life. How could he accept the fact that his best brother in this life, who had saved his family, died because of him. With even his own family having collapsed…
Mu Yurou went to hold Yun Qinghong. In this world, she was the person who understood him the most, and she clearly knew how big of an impact this would have dealt to him. She did not comfort him, and merely cried silently along with him.
Yun Che comforted: “Father, Uncle Xiao has already passed on for twenty-two years. He might have even reincarnated already and is leading a more perfect life than his previous one, so stop blaming yourself. You are the Patriarch of the Yun Family, the support of the whole clan, the father of me and Yun Xiao. In this world, there is nothing that can knock you down.”
“I’m alright… alright… alright… alright…”
Yun Qinghong uttered four “alrights” in a row. His eyes unfocused, his face was still pale white and he did not look one bit “alright”. Yun Xiao bit his lips, went forward and said loudly: “Father, don’t act like this. This isn’t your fault, furthermore… furthermore, you are good brothers with my birth father; even if he died while saving you, I’m sure he died without any hatred or unwillingness. I believe if the one escaping at that time was my birth father, even if you knew the consequences, you would still make the same choice… Therefore, Father, please don’t blame yourself anymore. This is the choice my birth father made. He won’t blame you, and neither would anyone else… Father, only if you live on properly and take care of yourself would you allow my birth father to rest in peace…”
Even though Xiao Ying was Yun Xiao’s birth father, he had never seen him before, nor had his name appeared in his memory before. It was only today that he had found out about his existence. Thus, other the blood relations, he did not hold any feelings towards his birth father. Hearing that he was no longer in the living world, other than feeling an intense pain and emptiness deep within his veins, he did not feel too much sadness; or, at least, it was not as overwhelming as what Yun Qinghong felt… and towards Yun Qinghong, there was the gratitude of bringing him up for more than twenty years.
Yun Che did not expect that Yun Xiao would be so calm and actually console Yun Qinghong. For Yun Qinghong, Yun Xiao’s consoling would triumph over any words others said to him, because Yun Xiao was Xiao Ying’s descendant, and was of his bloodline. His gratitude and remorse towards Xiao Ying could be repaid and placed onto Yun Xiao, and from his consoling, what he received was the same as Xiao Family’s forgiveness…
Focus slowly returned to Yun Qinghong’s eyes. He looked straight at Yun Xiao, then, his arms suddenly reached out, strongly clasping Yun Xiao’s shoulders: “Xiao’er, you really… don’t blame me? I was the one who caused you to lose your birth parents…”
“I don’t.” Yun Xiao shook his head without hesitation: “Even though I did lose my parents, the heavens were kind to me and gave me two loving parents… Towards Father and Mother, I only have respect and gratitude, why would I blame you two… My birth parents in heaven would also not blame the two of you either. Instead, using one’s own life to exchange for the life of a good brother could only bring about satisfaction and happiness. For instance… if one day, Big Brother encounters any danger and I am able to save him using my life, I would do so without hesitation…”
“Yun Xiao…” Yun Che mumbled.
“Good… Good child!” Yun Qinghong patted his shoulder heavily, raised his head, and suddenly laughed loudly: “Hahahaha… It’s no wonder you’re my son, no wonder you’re Xiao Ying’s son! Brother Xiao, if you can hear this from above, you must be laughing heartily as you look upon the son you had… Brother Xiao, your son is my son! Rest assured that as long as I, Yun Qinghong, still have one breath, I will not let anyone bully our son!”
“Xiao’er, thank you.” Mu Yurou’s gently said. She knew that if Yun Xiao had not said those words, Yun Qinghong, who viewed loyalty and friendship above his life, would not be able to accept it so quickly.
“Che’er, is the Grandfather Xiao who brought you up still fine?” Yun Qinghong asked.
“Grandfather is doing well, he’s still very healthy.” Sadness flashed past Yun Che’s eyes: “It’s just that he has been living bitterly all these years. The pain of losing his son, the sadness of losing his wife… He still needed to withstand all of this while bringing me and Little Aunt up. Furthermore, my profound veins were crippled since I was young. I was unable to cultivate the profound, and became the family, even the whole Floating Cloud City’s laughingstock. This caused Grandfather to be ridiculed as well, causing his position within the Xiao Family to drop drastically… However, even though he was burdened with all of this, Grandfather had never shown any bit of hatred towards me, ‘the culprit’ behind all of these, and instead showed me the same amount of love and care he showed Little Aunt. He brought me up, shielded me from rain and storm, taught me life lessons, and continuously consoled me, who was constantly ridiculed and bullied… All this time, he searched for the culprit who harmed Uncle Xiao while also constantly looking for famous doctors who could mend my profound veins…”
To be able to bring up a child like Xiao Ying, Yun Qinghong did not even think for an instant that Xiao Lie was not a great father. He sighed in deep regret: “Che’er, we must always remember Xiao Family’s kindness in our hearts and never forget it! The Grandfather Xiao who raised you… will forever be your grandfather! In the future, no matter how strong you become, how much achievements you obtain, you must never forget all of these!”
“Mn!” Yun Che nodded heavily. He turned towards Yun Xiao, and said: “Yun Xiao, even though your birth parents are no longer here with us, you still have Grandfather. He’s a very benevolent and noble grandfather. A few years back, when I obtained some achievements, he was finally relieved, and started having thoughts of passing on. However, when I told him that you were most likely to still be alive, he finally found hope, and all his negative thoughts disappeared. If I am able to find a way to return to the Profound Sky Continent one day, I must bring you along to let Grandfather see you. He’ll definitely be happy… You still have a little aunt who, even though is one year younger, is still your blood related aunt. She’s mischievous and kind, and when you see her, you’ll definitely be elated to have such a relative… Also, you still have a prenatal betrothal… Uh…”
“Prenatal betrothal?” Yun Xiao widened his eyes.
Yun Che was a little agitated, unconsciously blurting out the matter regarding Yun Xiao and Xiao Qingyue’s “child marriage”. Once he said it, he was perplexed, and upon seeing Yun Xiao’s innocent expression, he could only smile out of embarrassment, and said: “Erm, Father, Mother, I have something I forgot to tell you two. During my time in the Profound Sky Continent, I have already gotten married.”
Two times, in fact!
“Oh?” Yun Qinghong’s face revealed signs of a smile.
“Really?” Mu Yurou uttered in shock, her expression agitated yet at the same time nervous: “Does that mean I have a daughter-in-law already? Then… how old is she, who’s child is she? Is she pretty? How’s her temper, is she obedient? Is she nice to you?”
Mu Yurou’s string of questions caused Yun Che to scratch his head and reply with a little embarrassment: “When I was sixteen, I had already gotten married. Furthermore… actually… the person I married, her father and Uncle Xiao had decided on their marriage before she and Yun Xiao were even born, and in the end… she… married me.”
If it were not for what happened, the person who would have married Xia Qingyue should have been Yun Xiao. Even though Yun Che did not know of this back then, he still stole Yun Xiao fiancee. He asked, slightly perturbed: “Yun Xiao, you wouldn’t blame me for snatching your… er, child bride, right?”
Yun Xiao stared blankly for a while, before finally understanding what Yun Che said. He hurriedly waved it off, his face even revealing signs of panic: “No, no, no… I won’t, I won’t, I won’t! I definitely won’t! I already have Seventh Sister… It’s good that Big Brother married her, it’s good.”
Yun Xiao actually looked a bit relieved, and when his finished speaking, he even suppressed his voice to whisper to Yun Che: “Big Brother, the… the fact I actually had a fiancee, please don’t tell Seventh Sister about it. Otherwise… She might even get angry.”
“Ohh! Of course I won’t tell.” Yun Che hurriedly said… He was worried for nothing.
“Anyway… My child bride… Oh no, I meant sister-in-law, what’s her name? Is she pretty?” Yun Xiao asked carefully. Even though Yun Xiao was definitely not interested in any other woman, he was curious towards something like a “child bride”.
Yun Che rubbed his chin and replied: “She’s called Xia Qingyue. She’s the same age as us. She looks pretty but her personality is a bit cold. Her biggest desire is the pursuit of profound power and other than cultivating, she has no other interests. A few days after marrying me, she entered her sect, and after that, for the next few years, I did not see her much. She has most likely forgotten me by now.”
“Oh!” Yun Xiao nodded, his mind immediately conjuring up the image of a woman with lifeless eyes, a rigid face and a cold expression… As he thought about it, he secretly shrank away. His heart heaved a deep sigh of relief… Phew! Good thing Big Brother married her. If I really married such a woman, it would be so boring. Seventh Sister is still the best, with her cute voice, her cute eyes, her cute temper. She’s even cute when she’s angry…
Mn? Looks pretty? Even if she was, how could she compare in looks to my Seventh Sister… Yun Xiao resolutely thought.
“A person that was able to let Xiao Ying arrange a prenatal betrothal would definitely not be any bit lacking.” Tears welled in Mu Yurou’s eyes once more: “I never thought that my son has already made a family.”
Yun Che lips trembled, but he still did not say the fact that he already had two wifes. Furthermore, he also did not talk about having a child with a woman who was not his wife, because saying those would be causing them to be even more concerned.
“Che’er, what happened to your profound veins? Who cured them for you?” Yun Qinghong asked the question that had been in his mind for a long time.
Yun Che replied: “I have two masters. One of them taught me medical arts. The other, helped me reconstruct my profound veins and trained me when I was sixteen.”
Yun Qinghong was deeply moved: “At the age of twenty-two, your medical skills already far exceed the best doctor in Illusory Demon Realm… And if you reconstructed your profound veins at the age of sixteen, then you have only cultivated for six years. You reached the Sky Profound Realm with six years of cultivation, yet can easily defeat an early stage Overlord. Your teachers must be extraordinary geniuses.”
His Medical Saint Master was indeed an extraordinary genius.
But as for Jasmine…
She was simply an incomprehensible monster!
Chapter 530 - The Terrifying Little Demon Empress
“My two masters both changed my destiny. Without them, I might not even be alive now,” Yun Che sighed with emotion. After lamenting, he remembered the most important thing he should tell his parents, and he said promptly, “Father, Mother, didn’t you ask me where the Patriarch’s Crest came from… when I was in the Profound Sky Continent, I saw grandfather!”
Yun Che’s words gave Yun Qinghong a shock. He shuddered violently, and his voice cracked, “Grandfather? Which grandfather… which grandfather?!”
“My biological grandfather, your father, the Illusory Demon Realm’s Demon King… Yun Canghai!”
“Grandfather gave me the Patriarch’s Crest, and told me to bring it back to the Yun family one day.”
“Ah!” Mu Yurou gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.
Whoosh!!
The air in front of Yun Che shifted violently as Yun Qinghong rushed to him as though he had teleported. Yun Qinghong couldn’t take into consideration of his strength because of how on edge he was. He grabbed Yun Che’s arms so tightly that he almost snapped them, “You… you really saw your grandfather… where did you see him… where… where is he now… how is he doing…”
Xiao Ying’s death made his mind chaotic, and now he suddenly heard news about his father. Yun Qinghong’s soul had probably never had such extreme ups and downs in his life. A hundred years. For a hundred years, he had never seen his father again, he didn’t even know if his father was dead or alive…
Yun Che knew that Yun Qinghong must have wanted to know of his father’s whereabouts and well-being even in his dreams. When Yun Che thought about the sixteen months he spent under the Sword Management Terrace at Heavenly Sword Villa, he felt embittered in his heart, and he narrated slowly, “Not long after my profound veins were reborn and I started to cultivate profound energy, I joined Blue Wind Nation’s Blue Wind Profound Palace, and represented the Blue Wind Imperial Family for the ranking tournament among the large forces in the nation, and this Blue Wind Ranking Tournament was precisely held in Heavenly Sword Villa.”
“Heavenly Sword Villa”, this was a place Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou would never forget even if they die. Back then, they risked their lives, used the Profound Handle Soul Search on a person from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, and found out that Yun Canghai was not dead, but was actually being imprisoned. The location of where he was being held, was in Blue Wind Nation… Heavenly Sword Villa!
Yun Che immediately retold the whole story: how he joined the ranking tournament, how after it ended he was brought to “see” the “demon” sealing ritual by Ling Kun who was from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, how the “demon” went crazy because of Ling Kun’s provocation, how Xia Yuanba was in danger, and how he was sealed under the Sword Management Terrace with the “demon” because he wanted to save Xia Yuanba.
“Back then, I never would have imagined that the ‘demon’ was actually my grandfather. Grandfather’s body was bound by the Meteorite Chain, his profound strength was suppressed by the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation… under such harsh restrictions, he could only control his Profound Handle, and he was further sealed underground where there was no daylight at all by a sword called ‘Heaven’s Punishment’…”
“…I got beaten up by grandfather until I was half dead. After I healed, I kept training myself just so I could kill grandfather and get out of there… Until one day, grandfather recognized the Mirror of Samsara that I took out. Then, he forced out my Profound Handle, and we conducted the blood paternity test… that was when I knew he was my grandfather.”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou stared absentmindedly into space for a long time. More than twenty years ago, even though they found out where Yun Canghai was, they almost lost their lives without even being able to get close, let alone to see him. They could not imagine what Yun Che did to find him… and now, they heard the answer, the whole story. It was all so bizarre, so odd, that they couldn’t believe it.
“Heaven’s will, it must be heaven’s will! The heaven’s are not blind, they arranged the two of you to meet in a strange faraway realm!” Yun Qinghong was so excited that his eyes were full of tears. On one hand, there was the son who was drifting in the Profound Sky Continent, and on the other hand, there was the father who was imprisoned in the Profound Sky Continent. Neither of them knew about one another’s existence, but it was so coincidental and bizarre that they found each other. Destiny… it really was destiny!
Yun Che continued speaking, “After I met my grandfather, he told me my biological parents’ names and a lot of things about the Illusory Demon Realm. In the time that we spent together, he instructed me in my cultivation, and used his Profound Handle to fight with me day and night. In the end, he even risked using all of his strength to awaken my Profound Handle, and gave me the thing that he was protecting with his life for a hundred years, to bring back to the Illusory Demon Realm… ”
“What happened after that? If you escaped, did your grandfather escape with you? Where is he now?” Yun Qinghong asked impatiently.
Yun Che’s face grew dark. He looked down, and said softly, “The place where grandfather and I were held was suppressed by the Heaven’s Punishment Sword. We could not break out relying solely on my strength back then. The Meteorite Chain that was on grandfather, the Heaven’s Punishment Sword, and the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation were all bound to grandfather. After grandfather gave me the thing he was protecting with his life, he… killed himself… to set me free…”
Yun Qinghong was so shocked, he fell back a couple of steps as if he was struck by lightning.
Mu Yurou closed her eyes and covered her mouth as tears silently trickled down her face.
“Just as well… just as well…” Yun Qinghong murmured soullessly, “He was imprisoned in a place without daylight for a hundred years… He had suffered too much… Just as well… Now, he doesn’t have to suffer anymore. He is free. He can rest in peace. Before his death, he was able to find a trustworthy person to pass on his mission, see his own grandson, and he save his grandson’s life with his own life… when my father passed away… he must have been smiling…”
“Yes,” Yun Che nodded his head: “Grandfather died while smiling.”
“Mn…” Yun Qinghong closed his eyes as tears rolled down across his cheeks, leaving a watery trail. Died while smiling… this was the only thing that could ease his sorrow.
“I brought back grandfather’s body.”
Yun Che backed away a little. Following the Sky Poison Pearl’s flicker of light, the Coffin of Eternity appeared before them. After acquiring the Coffin of Eternity, where Hong’er was asleep for however many years, he put Yun Canghai’s body in it. Because he was laying in the Coffin of Eternity, even if thousands and millions of years passed by, nothing would be damaged or changed. The second it closed up, it was as though the time inside was eternally frozen.
For a long while, Yun Qinghong lost his focus as he stood beside the Coffin of Eternity. He pressed his hand on the cold body, and fell down slowly, until he kneeled on the ground heavily.
In his memory, his father was a prestigious Demon King of the Illusory Demon Realm. He was a vigorous spirit that shined so brightly. There was never evidence of him growing old, and he always liked to keep himself at his youngest state. When they stood together as father and son, they looked just like brothers around the same age.
But, inside the Coffin of Eternity, laid an old man… an old man who looked like he had one foot in the grave…
Skinny as a bag of bones, face was dry and withered; his hair, beard, and eyebrows were all messy and white. He looked just like a ferocious devil. If it weren’t for the contour of his face, he could never believe that this was his father… but what he couldn’t imagine more was how much suffering he had gone through for him to become like this…
“Fa… ther…” Yun Qinghong’s whole body was shivering as he said the word “father”; it was as painful as fresh blood. Yun Che looked up, and said quietly, “Bringing him back to his homeland must also be one of grandfather’s wishes… but, please endure your son’s stubbornness, and delay grandfather’s burial. I can’t let grandfather die for nothing… even more so, I can’t let grandfather die with ‘criminal accusations’ still on his back!”
Yun Qinghong kept his head low, as his entire body trembled. He bit his teeth together so clearly and loudly, it was hard to listen to.
“Sigh…” Yun Che’s chest felt heavy. “Father, if you want to cry, just cry. Only your family is here. You are my father, and Yun Xiao’s father, but also… Grandfather’s son…”
Yun Che’s words collapsed the front line defense Yun Qinghong had been trying to hold up. The extremely sorrowful grieving cry that came from the Yun Patriarch resounded loudly… from birth to now, this was the first time he cried so carelessly.
Yun Che grabbed Yun Xiao and walked outside. From walking in to walking out, it felt like a complete different world.
“Are you unsettled?” Yun Che looked at him and asked.
Yun Xiao just shook his head and said, “I knew from the beginning that this day would come eventually. I always thought that when this day came, I wouldn’t know what to do at all… but, now I feel like I’m even more safe and settled.”
“Me too.” Yun Che smiled and said, “The reason is simple. Even though we both used to have a home, our hearts do not belong there. But now, I feel like I found my home. And as for you, you found out about your background, and you didn’t lose the parents who raised you for over twenty years. Of course you feel more safe and settled.”
“The only thing that I didn’t think of, is that things would get so complicated. It feels like I’m listening to a bizarre story.” Yun Xiao sighed with emotion.
“Life, in many cases, is far more bizarre and remarkable than made up stories,” Yun Che looked at him, and suddenly said, “Yun Xiao, since you found out about your background, you should change your name. How about… Xiao Yun!”
“Ah?” Yun Xiao paused for a second, and agreed right away, “Alright! From now on, my name is Xiao Yun! Even when I’m in public, I will call myself Xiao Yun! Or else, my parents who are looking at me from above the heavens would scold me for being unfilial.”
“Hahaha!” Yun Che laughed loudly. After this entire day of fateful twists and mental breakdowns, he truly felt that Yun Xiao had matured a lot. Perhaps it was because after knowing where he came from, he released the stress, the worry, and the confusion that he always carried, and found a clear-cut life goal.
The two of them stood at the entrance of the backyard, just in case someone would get close and disturb Yun Qinghong. They stayed silent for a while. Suddenly, Yun Che asked, “Yun… um, Xiao Yun, have you ever seen the Little Demon Empress?”
“Yes, I have.” Xiao Yun nodded, “Actually, all these years, the Little Demon Empress came and visited father a lot of times, and she came alone and quietly every time. No one else knows about this.”
“It seems like the Little Demon Empress trusts and respects father greatly. And father also seems to be very loyal to the Little Demon Empress, or rather, the Demon Emperor Clan,” Yun Che muttered. “What kind of person is the Little Demon Empress?”
“Um… how should I put this… ” Xiao Yun thought seriously for a while, and said with hesitation, “Actually, I’ve only seen the Little Demon Empress for a few times, and I’ve never really looked at her directly, because everytime I face her, I feel… a bit scared.”
“Scared?” Yun Che’s eyebrow raised.
“The Little Demon Empress’ aura is really scary,” Yun Xiao described, “Even when I was far away from her, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Her eyes were even scarier. I never had the guts to look into her eyes directly. Even if she merely glanced at me, I would feel chills go through my entire body… her facial expression was also the same, no one seemed to have ever seen her smile. Her whole face was like… it was frozen.”
“Oh… that horrifying?” Yun Che’s eyes widened.
Xiao Yun tried very hard to think of more information about the Little Demon Empress and said, “The Little Demon Empress was always in gray clothing… not light gray, but the kind of gray that was very dark and dead. And… and… oh! When father and I talked about the Little Demon Empress, he mentioned that she was very cruel. Hundreds of years ago, when the Little Demon Empress got her position, a lot of people were against her because she was a female. Many of those people were killed, and a bunch of those people were killed by her. After that, everyone shivers when they see her, and no one dared to disobey her anymore.”
“…That does sound cruel,” Yun Che’s eyes slightly widened, and his brain was painting the image as Xiao Yun described the Little Demon Empress: her stares were like a knives, her terrifying appearance… she might even be ugly, with no emotions on her face, her aura was so cold that it could pierce your bones, and she was in a dead gray robe… a middle-aged woman.
After he finished imagining, Yun Che couldn’t help but shiver… because he thought about those reanimated ghouls of legends. They were so similar that they were almost ninety percent alike!
“That Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, can one enter it normally?” Yun Che asked.
“Of course not.” Yun Xiao decisively shook his head. “After every entry, the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley would be closed by the Illusory Demon Royal Family, and then, it would be given five years to replenish its resources. Although a span of five years is short, with the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s terrifying energy of flames and thunderclouds, the nurturation of various spiritual bodies and treasures are extremely quick. Usually, the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley can never be entered, and even the Illusory Demon Royal Family themselves are not able to either.”
“Flames… thunderclouds… Since the Golden Crow’s inheritance is situated there, it’s very natural for it to contain flames. But why does lightning exist there as well?” Yun Che asked skeptically.
“I don’t know about this either. It seems like this has also been an unsolved mystery of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. I heard from father that it might be possible that a certain formidable lightning profound beast is living in a certain place within the Golden Crow’s Lightning Flame Valley. Or, it might even be due to a lightning profound treasure. But, these are all mere speculations of his.”
Yun Che nodded. Then, he looked towards the north of Demon Imperial City. Although he did not know where this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was located, he possessed the power of a Phoenix, so he far surpassed ordinary people in sensing fire profound energy. In a certain place north of the Demon Imperial City, he could faintly sense the existence of an aura of flames. Most probably, that was the direction where Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was located.
The Profound Sky Continent was divided into seven countries. The Four Great Sacred Grounds were trandenscential existences which surpassed the seven countries, and though they proclaimed themselves as guardians, they were more like sanctioners. While, even though the domain of Illusory Demon Realm surpassed the Profound Sky Continent, it was not separated by territories, instead, the Illusory Demon Royal Family was the core of the continent. Just by power levels alone, the Demon Imperial City which Yun Che was currently located in, was comparable to the Four Great Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent.
Unquestionably, the moment they entered they entered the Demon Imperial City, the presence of profound energy had become incomparably dense. It was extremely rare to see a Throne in the seven countries of the Profound Sky Continent, however, this place was filled with them. Even the incomparably rare Overlords resided in large numbers. During the journey towards where the Yun Family was, the auras of Overlords he sensed did not number less than twenty.
It was evident in regards to how large the strength of Demon Imperial City was.
However, in the end, the Illusory Demon Royal Family were still the ones who got the short end of the stick in the confrontation between the Illusory Demon Royal Family and Profound Sky Continent. Furthermore, there had never been any movements to exact revenge… It seemed like, in overall strength, the Illusory Demon Royal Family was still a little inferior than the Four Great Sacred Lands.
“We’re almost there. The huge gate in front that’s shining with a purple radiance is the place.” Yun Xiao pointed downwards in front of him.
The Yun family was not as large as he had imagined. Putting aside comparing with the Divine Phoenix Sect, the size of the family’s territory was even smaller than the Burning Heaven Clan he had destroyed. This was definitely out of Yun Che’s predictions. However, when he recalled that his biological grandfather and biological father seemed to only have a single son, he once again subconsciously thought that… Could the existence of the Profound Handle have suffered the envy of the heavens, which thus caused their reproductive ability to be limited?
When they arrived at the sky above the Yun family’s main gate, Yun Che, along with Yun Xiao, slowly descended. Looking at the overly familiar family gate merely inches away from them, Yun Che however, saw a hint of hesitation flashing past Yun Xiao’s eyes.
“Brother Yun, umm…” Yun Xiao said hesitantly. “Even though I am the Young Patriarch of the Yun family in name… A large number of people seems to dislike me. So, if there’s anyone who is discourteous, there’s no need for Brother Yun to take it to heart.”
Yun Che’s heart stirred, and he nodded. “Mn, I understand. Don’t worry, my main reason here is to greet the Yun family’s Patriarch. Anything else doesn’t matter at all.”
Yun Che followed Yun Xiao as he entered the main gate of the Yun family. The moment he stepped through the main gate, Yun Che’s emotions uncontrollably fluctuated intensely for an instant. The ground underneath his feet, the air he was breathing, everything in his sight, were all so foreign. It was the first time he had stepped into this place in this life, however, this place was where his true family was. The bloodline that was flowing through his body, came from this exact place. His biological father, and biological mother… were both here as well…
I… have really… returned to this place…
The injuries on Yun Xiao were very severe, however, he evidently did not want the people of the family to realize he was wounded. When he entered the main gate, he forced himself to calm his expression, and straightened his back. However, just as they entered through the main gate, in front of them, a male youth who looked around twenty to thirty years old, walked over. The moment he saw Yun Xiao, his face instantly revealed a hateful smile. “Aiyo! Isn’t this the great Young Patriarch Yun Xiao? Why are you back so early today? Did you not find any fun outside, or have you… Oh?”
This youth immediately discovered Yun Xiao’s injuries. His eyes narrowed, and then, gloatingly, he laughed out loud. “Hahahaha! And I was wondering why, so you were actually injured! Just which family’s young master have you sparred with? Heheh, at the very least, you’re still the Young Patriarch of our Yun family in name, yet, you actually lost in a spar with someone else, and have actually been injured to such a miserable state. What a disgrace to our Yun family.”
The words this person directed at Yun Xiao were especially poisonous and piercing to the ears, and although he referred to Yun Xiao as “Young Patriarch”, his attitude did not show the slightest bit of respect at all. Even his expression was filled with ridicule and sarcasm. Yun Xiao’s hands tightly clenched, yet, he forced himself to ignore him, and directly spoke to Yun Che. “Brother Yun, ignore him. I shall bring you over to see father.”
After saying that, Yun Xiao pulled Yun Che, and directly walk past the male youth’s side. He had suffered too much of such similar encounters, to the point where he had seemingly grown numb and had gotten used to it. In these years, what he had trained the most in, was tolerance… Even if it was not for himself, he had to do it for his father and mother.
Yun Xiao left. However, the male youth did not let up his ridiculement. Turning around, with an incomparably scornful cold smile, he said. “Yo! Oh great Young Patriarch, just where did you find this little mistress? With such smooth and tender skin, even I wish to try touching it. It seems like the great Young Patriarch finally understands that he’s unable to lay his hands on that heavenly crane of the elf clan, and has switched to playing with a little bitch… Speaking of which, compared to dreaming daily of laying his hands on a heavenly crane, raising a little bitch is more realistic. Hahahaha!”
Yun Che’s footsteps suddenly stopped… This was no longer ridicule, but an incomparably venomous humiliation. After listening to Yun Xiao’s description and the attitude of the people of the Under Heaven Family towards him, Yun Che knew that although Yun Xiao carried the title of Young Patriarch, his life in the family wasn’t that pleasant. However, he never expected that it would actually be vile to such an extent.
Yun Xiao could tolerate it, but that did not mean he could! If he were to tolerate it like this, then he wouldn’t be Yun Che!
At the moment Yun Che was about to turn around, a clear berating voice came from behind. “Yun Hao! How can you be show such disrespect to the Young Patriarch! Hurry and apologize to the Young Patriarch!”
Yun Che’s attention shifted, as he looked towards the source of the voice. A male youth wearing cloud white clothes was walking over. He looked around twenty-five years old, and his expression was thriving with heroic spirit. Although he was young, the profound aura from his body was incomparably dense. At the very least, it had surpassed the half-step Overlord Yun Xiao by several times.
“Ah… Brother Xinyue!”
Seeing this person, Yun Hao instantly changed the vile expression he had when he was facing Yun Xiao earlier, and greeted him like a lapdog. “Brother Xinyue, are you heading out? This little brother rarely sees you head out at a time like this.”
“Hmph!” The male youth coldly stared at him, and berated. “Didn’t you hear what I had just said!? Hurry and apologize to the Young Patriarch!”
Yun Hao shrank his neck back, yet, he did not dare to disobey. Facing towards Yun Xiao, he gritted his teeth, and lowered his head. Yun Xiao hurriedly waved his hand and said. “Brother Xinyue, there’s no need. Yun Hao is simply joking around, it’s not a big deal.”
“That’s right, that’s right. I was just joking around.” Yun Hao hurriedly nodded while chuckling. Then, he gave Yun Xiao a dark glance, revealing an ‘at least you know what you’re doing’ expression.
Yun Che: “…”
“Hmph!” The male youth once again snorted coldly. “The Young Patriarch is gentle and generous, but everyday, you blind people constantly bully him so…If I were to see this again, I won’t be lenient!”
“I have learned my lesson, Brother Xin Yue. I definitely won’t dare to do it again next time.” Yun Hao agreed to it with a playful smile. After that, however, when he retreated behind the man, he gave Yun Xiao a cold smile with his teeth bared.
The male youth’s expression calmed, and his face revealed a gentle smile as he spoke to Yun Xiao. “Little brother Yun Xiao, if anyone dares to bully you again, there’s no need to endure it… Oh? Looking at your state… you’re injured? What happened?”
Yun Xiao hurriedly shook his head, and said. “Nothing, it’s not really a very serious injury. I will recover in ten to fifteen days. There’s no need for Brother Xinyue to put it to heart.”
The male youth did not continue with his questions either, as he said with concern. “Look at you. No matter how I see it, it doesn’t seem to be a light injury. Hurry and get yourself treated… Oh right.” He shifted his gaze towards Yun Che. “This person is?”
“This is a friend that I have just made, Yun Che.” Yun Xiao introduced. When he was facing this person, his expression was evidently very relaxed. “Brother Yun, this is my family senior, Brother Xinyue.”
Yun Che nodded, and greeted.
“Oh? This person is surnamed Yun as well? Now that’s really a coincidence.” Yun Xinyue cupped his fist towards Yun Che. “It’s rare for little brother Yun Xiao to bring a friend over. I believe brother Yun Che must be a dragon amongst men. If there’s time in the future, I hope that we can have a nice chat.”
“Of course, Brother Yun is really incredible!” Yun Xiao said with a prideful expression. He saw that several people were coming over from afar, and hurriedly said. “Brother Xinyue, there’s matters I have to meet my father for, so I will take my leave first. Thank you, Brother Xinyue, for helping me resolve this once again.”
“Go then.” Yun Xinyue lightly smiled.
Yun Che’s gaze lightly swept past Yun Xinyue, turned around, and followed after Yun Xiao as he sprinted towards where his father was. However, after he walked for a few steps, an ice-cold chill suddenly swept past for a moment from behind him.
Yun Che’s brows slightly twitched, however, he did not stop his footsteps.
Killing intent!!
This was something Yun Che definitely wouldn’t make a mistake in recognizing!
And, this killing intent wasn’t directed at Yun Xiao… but directed at himself!
Today was clearly the first day he had entered the Yun family. Before this, other than Yun Xiao, he had never met any other people from the Yun family. Furthermore, he had never come into the Demon Imperial City before this. The number of people he knew could not even number more than the fingers he had, so why would someone harbor the intent to kill him?
Before he arrived at Demon Imperial City today, the thing he did… seemed to only be that very incident…
Then, there was only one possibility!
“Yun Xiao, who is that Yun Xinyue? His prestige seemed to be much higher than yours as the Young Patriarch.” Yun Che suddenly spoke out to ask.
Yun Xiao scratched his head, and smiled a little helplessly and embarrassingly. “It’s natural for brother Xinyue’s prestige to be higher than mine. His father, is Seventh Elder Yun Waitian, the strongest among the thirty-six elders of the Yun family. While he himself, is also the strongest expert among this generation of the Yun family. At the age of twenty-seven, he is already at the fourth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm, and had even awakened the one and only Cyan Profound Handle in this generation. In addition to his Profound Handle, there has never been any opponents at the same level capable of defeating him, to the point where he has the ability to challenge someone at the fifth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm. He’s been referred to as the hope for Yun family to rise again, and within the family, it’s been spreading around that he is the most qualified to become the next…”
When he spoke till then, Yun Xiao’s voice suddenly stopped. However, it was sufficient for Yun Che to guess what he did not want to say.
“Your impression of him seem to be really good?” Yun Che asked a question that did not seem to be really important.
“Mn.” Yun Xiao nodded. “Not only is brother Xinyue’s aptitude extremely high, his personality is very gentle. Because of some bloodline matters, I have often suffered from various criticisms, ridicule and bullying. But, brother Xinyue has never ridiculed, instead, he often resolve the issues for me, to the point where he had even stepped in to lecture those people that bullied me. I have always been really thankful to him.”
“Because of some bloodline matters? What do you mean?” Yun Che looked to the side and asked.
Yun Xiao, who had unintentionally exposed himself, revealed a slight fluster. “No… Nothing much. It’s just a small matter.”
Yun Che did not continue with his questions, instead, he changed the subject. “Do you think that he’s really suitable to become the next Patriarch of the Yun family as well?”
Yun Xiao completely did not expect that Yun Che would actually such a direct question. He blanked for a moment, and voiced out with a bitter smile. “Although I hold the name of the Young Patriarch, you have seen it yourself. When I hold this name, it’s merely a joke. In regards to strength, persuasiveness, and the most important… In any case, I know that it’s impossible for me to become the next Patriarch. If it’s brother Xinyue, I think that I will be very supportive as well. After all, brother Xinyue might really be the hope for our Yun family to rise once again.”
Yun Che looked at him deeply, and said with an ambiguous smile. “This Yun Xinyue, really isn’t simple.”
“Of course he isn’t simple! In the Yun family, he’s the well-deserved number one person in our generation. Even the people from the Illusory Demon Royal Family are especially watching after him as well.” Yun Xiao said a little pridefully.
However, he did not know that the “isn’t simple” which Yun Che had said, and the “isn’t simple” he had said himself, were two completely different concepts.
Chapter 502 - Commiseration
“Yun Xiao, I’m about to ask you a question that might be a little rude.” Yun Che looked at Yun Xiao, and said with a stern expression. “Usually, when you’re meeting up with Seventh Sister, have you always been doing it secretly?”
“Ah…” Yun Xiao was caught off guard from the question. His face revealed an embarrassed expression, which then turned dejected in the next instant. With a low sigh, he said. “You saw it yourself. The Under Heaven family basically looks down on me, and Seventh Sister is also the one and only princess of the Under Heaven family, the most precious pearl of the entire elf clan. They feel that I’m basically not worthy of Seventh Sister, and that if I were to really be together with Seventh Sister, it will even destroy their entire family’s reputation. In the very beginning, they severely objected to it. However, Seventh Sister’s personality is very unyielding, so later on, they gave a strict order to forbid Seventh Sister and I from meeting each other. Thus, it became even more difficult for Seventh Sister and I to meet. In this entire past year, we have only managed to secretly meet up three times. Every single time, we had to leave at least twenty five kilometers from the city to prevent others from finding us… In less than three months, it will be Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony. The Twelve Guardian Families are all busy preparing for this occasion, which thus allowed Seventh Sister and I to finally manage to use this opportunity to meet up, but we never expected that…”
Yun Che held his chin with hand, and said as he pondered. “Regarding this matter about you meeting with Seventh Sister, other than the two of you, was there anyone else who knew of this… or had seen it?”
“No, definitely not.” Yun Xiao shook his head very decisively. “I definitely wouldn’t dare to allow anyone to know about it. Because not just the Under Heaven family, even my own family basically do not support the idea of me being with Seventh Sister, to the point where they would mock me behind my back. Even if I don’t care about myself, I have to take Seventh Sister into consideration. So I definitely wouldn’t allow anyone else to know about it. Seventh Sister definitely wouldn’t have told anyone else about this either.”
“You and Seventh Sister were assaulted, and not only did they do a perfect cover-up, their goal was especially clear as well. Evidently, they had made very sufficient preparations.” Yun Che slowly said. “If they hadn’t known that the both of you would meet at that place, they basically wouldn’t be able to prepare so adequately… Since you’re so sure that only the two of you know about this, then the biggest possibility is… when you were sending a voice transmission to Seventh Sister, it was overheard by someone nearby. Just like Seventh Sister; when she was sending you her voice transmission, she was overheard by her sixth brother.”
“Ah?” Yun Xiao was startled for a moment, and then shook his head even more forcefully. “That’s even more impossible. When I was sending the voice transmission, I was in my own courtyard, so it shouldn’t have been heard by anyone else. Even if someone really had somehow overheard it, it could only be someone from our Yun family… Our Yun family never had any sort of grudge with the Under Heaven family, and in our current declined state, we definitely aren’t willing to offend any other families, so how could something like this happen? And, even though those three black-clothed people were all concealing their profound arts, if they practiced our Yun family’s profound arts, I still would have been able to recognize it very easily.”
“…” Yun Che nodded, and went silent for a moment. After giving it a deep thought, he then said with a relaxed expression. “I guess so… Never mind, there’s no need to think about this for now. The Under Heaven family definitely has more things to worry about than us. Let’s just leave it to them to investigate.”
“But, what I’m even more doubtful of… Yun Xiao, although the Yun family is currently in a severe decline, at the very least, it had once stood at the peak, and currently, it still belongs to one of the Twelve Guardian Families. Not to mention that you’re still the Young Patriarch of the Yun family in name. With such a family history, based on identity alone, Seventh Sister and you clearly should be the perfect match. No, wait! Your status should still be a little higher than Seventh Sister. In any case, even if your father isn’t the Patriarch, but is instead a regular elder, they still shouldn’t be rejecting it this intensely… to the point where it could even elevate to a problem that would affect the family’s reputation.”
Yun Xiao’s expression instantly stiffened.
Yun Che glanced at Yun Xiao’s expression, and continued. “Not to mention, even the attitude of your Yun family members towards you is a little too abnormal. Take that Yun Hao earlier for example. He was utterly disrespectful towards you. His words were basically filled with sarcasm and humiliation, but from looking at you, you seemed to have already gotten used to such treatment… Putting aside the matter about you being the Young Patriarch, at the very least, your maternal grandfather is still the master of the Mu family. No matter how it is, you shouldn’t fallen to such circumstances in the Yun family… Is there some sort of hidden reason for this?”
Yun Xiao’s footsteps stopped for a moment. As he lowered his head, his face revealed a deep anguish.
Yun Che smiled apologetically. “I seemed to have asked a question that I shouldn’t have… I apologize, don’t take it to heart.”
“No.” Yun Xiao however, gently shook his head. When he raised his head, his expression was already sufficiently calm. “Even if it’s someone else, when they see my current circumstances, they will all feel that it’s really strange as well. Actually, in regards to the various rumors concerning me, seemingly everyone in Demon Imperial City knows about it. Brother Yun, you saved my life, and have even treated me as a friend, so there’s no need for me to hide anything from you. The reason why I’m not liked by people, is because… because ever since I was young, from the mouths of others, I have always been a ‘bastard child who had been picked up’.”
Yun Che glanced to the side. “What do you mean?”
Yun Xiao laughed out miserably. “What the Yun family is prideful of is the one and only power of the Profound Handle, which is also a core ability that ranks supreme among the Twelve Guardian Families. However I have always been unable to light up the Profound Handle Mark from my arm. When my profound strength reached the Sky Profound Realm, I was still unable to awaken a Profound Handle.”
“In the Yun family, as long it is guided by the power of bloodline, the Profound Handle Mark can be lighted up on the arm at the age of five, and then, according to the color of the Profound Handle Mark, it will be used to distinguish aptitudes and to see if there’s a need to pay more attention in raising. When our profound strength has reached the Sky Profound Realm, the Profound Handle will awaken, and from then on, it can be summoned out. This is Yun family’s bloodline power. As long as one has the Yun family’s bloodline, that person will definitely have the Profound Handle ability… with no exceptions.”
“I, however, never had it since the beginning. And this, has clearly proved that I do not possess the Yun family’s bloodline as well… In the knowledge of the Yun family, the entire Demon Imperial City, and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm, this is an ironclad proof.”
Yun Che: “…”
“About the news that I do not possess the Profound Handle Mark, on the year I was five years old, it had already been spread out by an unknown person, making it known to the entire city. And then, when I was unable to summon a Profound Handle after I broke through to the Sky Profound Realm, it was spread even more widely. During that time, the entire city was spreading rumors of how I wasn’t my father’s and mother’s son… And the most severe problem was, I was brought back from the Profound Sky Continent by my father and mother while I was a baby… The Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor both died in the hands of the people of Profound Sky Continent. The Demon Emperor’s Seal and Mirror of Samsara were also lost due to the infiltration into the Profound Sky Continent. The Demon Imperial City had always hated the Profound Sky Continent to the bone, hence, I, a ‘bastard child who came from the Profound Sky Continent’, would always receive cold glares, scorn, and even humiliation and hate wherever I go…”
Yun Xiao did not continue after that. Yun Che silently listened, and he could feel how Yun Xiao had walked in these past few years… Before he was sixteen, because of his crippled profound veins, he had always passed his days amidst other people’s scorn and ridicule. And Yun Xiao was even worse off than him. The things that Yun Xiao had endured, were much more heavier than his…
And because of this, he was able to clearly understand what kind of mentality Yun Xiao had these past few years… The two of them were both people who had been played by fate.
There wasn’t a reason for the Illusory Demon Realm to not hate the Profound Sky Continent. As Yun Xiao was most possibly someone who belonged to the Profound Sky Continent, even if he held the title of the Yun family’s Young Patriarch, how would he be liked here…? And how would the dignified Under Heaven family be willing to betroth their one and only princess to someone like him? That was indeed not merely a hierarchical problem of status; it truly involved a family’s reputation and pride…
Perhaps, if it wasn’t the Yun family, the matters regarding Yun Xiao’s bloodline could still be concealed, but, it just had to be the Yun family… The Profound Handle was the indisputable proof.
“Your father and mother… do they treat you well?” Yun Che slowly asked.
“Father and mother treat me really well.” Yun Xiao lightly nodded, as warmth flashed past his eyes. “Because of the Profound Handle, even I had deeply suspected my own bloodline. But, father and mother said that I’m their biological son. Even when they were facing colossal amount of suspicions, they have never admitted it. And, ever since I was young, they have treated me lovingly, and they were never willing to have me suffer the slightest of wrongs. Otherwise, with the Demon Imperial City’s hatred towards the Profound Sky Continent, I might not have lived till today.”
“So, because of your father and mother, you desperately cultivated, and had willingly endured all of the criticisms and unfair treatment, without retaliating in the slightest?” Yun Che said.
Number Seven Under Heaven had said before that ever since he was young, Yun Xiao had never received a large amount of resources. And, with his average aptitude and scarce resources, he was actually able to cultivate to half-step Tyrant Profound at the age of twenty-two! In the Profound Sky Continent, this was already an achievement at the very top level, and had even surpassed Feng Xiluo, who had once claimed himself to be number one in the younger generation of the Seven Nations!
Just by imagining, it could be known how hardworking he had been with his cultivation in these past few years… Or, it could be said to be desperate.
“Mn.” Yun Xiao lightly nodded, as he slightly gritted his teeth and said. “I’m the grandson of the Demon King, the son of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou… I definitely will not make them lose face, nor will I give them any trouble. In the future, if there really comes a time when we’re in a difficult situation, even if I have to risk my life, I will use all my strength to protect my father and mother well!”
After saying all that, he noticed that Yun Che’s eyes were a little strange. His expression stiffened, and said uneasily. “Brother Yun, will you look down on me… because of all these as well?”
“Of course not.” Yun Che shook his head without the slightest hesitation. “On the contrary, I admire you even more, and… I really should give you my proper thanks.”
“Ah? Thank me?” Yun Xiao blanked.
“Haha.” Yun Che lightly laughed, as he reached out and pressed his hand on Yun Xiao’s shoulder. “Yun Xiao, after meeting Senior Yun later, why don’t we become sworn brothers?”
“Ah… Aaaaaaah?” Yun Xiao opened his mouth wide, and his face was filled with complete disbelief. “Sworn… Sworn brothers? M-M-Me… Me and Brother Yun?”
“That’s right.” Yun Che said with a slight smile. “Alright, it is indeed a little abrupt for me to say something like this so suddenly. If you’re not willing, then forget it.”
“N-n-no, it’s not… It’s not that!” Yun Xiao hurriedly waved his hands. He was so excited that even his words began to stutter. “This, this… Brother Yun is so amazing, while I… You saw and heard it for yourself as well, I basically… How could someone like me be worthy of being with Brother Yun…”
“So you’re saying, you yourself think that you’re not worthy of Seventh Sister as well?” Yun Che interrupted him and said.
“I…”
“Don’t sell yourself short.” Yun Che patted on his shoulder with a firm and earnest expression. “You’re worthy of Seventh Sister, worthy of the identity of the Yun family’s Young Patriarch, and even more so, worthy of becoming sworn brothers with me. In these past few years, you have always been the only one silently enduring everything. After becoming sworn brothers, we will naturally have to overcome the difficulties together. I will shoulder everything with you. If you want to be together with Seventh Sister, then I will help you with everything I can. If you want to protect your father and mother well, then I will protect them together with you. If anyone were to bully you or your father and mother… Then, in your place, be it old or new debts, I will make them pay!”
Yun Xiao’s eyes stirred. Amidst his throbbing emotions, he was unable to calm down for a long while. In his days of growing up, every day, he was living in the odd gazes of everyone else. Although his identity sounded grand and honorable, forget about the young masters of the other families, even Yun family’s servants were unwilling to approach him. Yun Che’s speech, and his firm expression, undoubtedly dealt an overly huge blow to his soul. The moment he tried to speak, his voice was already choking. “Brother Yun, I…”
Yun Che understood that this was still the first day he and Yun Xiao had met. Suddenly speaking such words, even if it was someone else, it would still be hard for that person to digest everything in an instant. With a smile, he said. “Bring me over to see Senior Yun for now. We can talk about other matters later.”
Chapter 503 - Yun Qinghong
The Yun Family household wasn’t huge. After a short walk, Yun Xiao stopped at an elegant courtyard.
Yun Xiao turned around, and said. “This is my father’s residence. Because of his body, he rarely heads out. At this hour, he should be inside.”
The courtyard was not big, and as the residence of the family head, there wasn’t any evident difference between it and the surrounding courtyards that could be seen. Yun Che swept his eyes across the surroundings. The traces of footprints here were very sparse; clearly, not many people came to visit normally. And, the Family Head’s residence of a prominent family should be a place that was frequently visited.
“Let’s head in.”
Yun Xiao slowly adjusted his breath, allowing his own complexion to look a little better, and then, reached out his hand to touch his back in order to confirm that the new clothes he changed into did not have any traces of bloodstains. Only then did he have a peace of mind, and took two steps forward. Just as he was about to step into the courtyard, however, he realized that Yun Che did not follow after him. Turning his eyes to the side, he saw that Yun Che was currently staring straight to the front, as though he was already out of sorts.
“Brother Yun, what’s wrong?” Yun Xiao asked.
Yun Che looked back at him, and then, lightly shook his head. “Nothing much, let’s head in… Hopefully, we’re not interrupting your father from resting.”
“We won’t. My father doesn’t usually rest at this hour.” Yun Xiao said with a smile, and then, reminded with a soft voice. “You definitely cannot tell my father that my injuries are very severe. Otherwise, if father and mother know about it, they will definitely be unable to sleep in peace for several days.”
“Mn.” Yun Che promised, and took a step forward. Even Yun Xiao was able to see that he was a little spaced out.
A small courtyard. A short pavilion. A stone table. Four stone stools. A small field of emerald-green arbors. Next to the arbors, there was a rattan chair which looked a little old. Next to the chair was a weapon rack that looked even older. However, there weren’t any weapons hanging on it, rather, there didn’t seem to be any traces of weapons being hanged there before.
This was everything which Yun Che saw in the courtyard.
Yun Xiao stood in front of the main house, and said with light voice. “Father, are you inside? I brought a friend over, he wishes to meet you.”
A slight movement could be heard from inside the house. Right after, the voice of a middle-aged man sounded. “Oh? A friend? Hoho. This seems to be the first time Xiao’er has ever brought a friend over. Come in then.”
The voice was very gentle, but was completely un-energetic, revealing a trace of frailness. As a doctor, just by hearing this voice, Yun Che was able to confirm just how unbearable the state of the body of the voice’s owner was. His heart suddenly stirred uncontrollably… to the point where there was a needle-piercing pain in the depths of his heart. Unconsciously, he reached his hand, and pressed it on his own chest, the part where his heart was located…
He had always believed that the only people who were able to give him such feelings, were his grandfather, little aunt, and Cang Yue whom he had married. He was unable to understand why the frailness that could be heard from the voice of a person he had never met, and had even once hated in secret before, would cause him to feel this slight, yet incomparably heartbreaking pain…
Could this be… the connection of blood… that was stated in stories…?
Right now, the person who was only separated by a single wall away from him, whom he only had to take another few simple steps to meet… really was… was…
“Then we’re going in, Brother Yun… Ah? Brother Yun, Brother Yun?”
Yun Che looked dumbfoundedly at the front. His eyes had blanked, and his four limbs had stiffened, as though his soul had suddenly left his body. Yun Xiao had to call him continuously three times before he finally regained his senses… Possessing huge, heavenly-breaking guts, he, who dared to single-handedly exterminate an entire Burning Heaven Clan, who dared to break into the Divine Phoenix Sect by himself, when facing this unlatched door which was currently only three steps away from him, his heart was actually beating incomparably haphazardly… That was an incomparably foreign excitement and apprehension he had never felt before. These feelings, were something he couldn’t explain, nor describe…
He had experienced two lives. In his first life, it was his teacher who raised him up, and in his second life, it was Grandfather Xiao who raised him up… In both lives, he never had any parents; even the foster parents of this life had both left the world before he was consciously aware of his surroundings.
“Father” was a concept that could not be more familiar for normal people. However, to him, it had been incomparably foreign and distant. From his grandfather, Yun Canghai, he found out the names of his own biological father and mother, and found out the reason they had left him back then. At that time, the hatred he had towards them had completely disappeared, and in his subconsciousness, he was wishing that he could meet them as well.
However, right now, when he was just about to meet them… Currently his own state of mind that he had thought was as tough as steel was in a huge mess, and was at a complete loss.
“I’m fine.” Yun Che’s smile was very forced. He tightened his fists, and only then did he realize that his own palms were already completely drenched in sweat. “I have always longed to see Senior Yun, and now that I’m about to see him so suddenly, I’m a little… too excited… Let me calm down for a moment first.”
“Uh… Is it really this exaggerated?” Yun Xiao scratched his forehead, indicating that he did not really understand.
Yun Che pressed his hand on his chest. After continuously taking in a few breaths, he then let out a long exhale, and his expression had finally calmed down a little. He looked at the door in front of him for a short moment, and finally said. “Yun Xiao, let us go in.”
The door was pushed open. With Yun Xiao at the front and Yun Che in the rear, they slowly walked in. Right after, the door was closed. In front of the hardwood table, which was at the side of the door, a figure dressed in green clothes slowly turned around from the table.
This was a middle-aged man who looked about fifty years old. His face was white, but, even an ordinary person could see that this form of whiteness was paleness due to being ill. As a formidable profound practitioner, his body should have been maintained in an extremely young state in the first place. However, what was seen from his body was an heavily aged state, and even his hair was mixed with about thirty percent of white hair.
However, these factors were completely unable to conceal the extraordinary temperament which transcended a normal person’s. His forehead, was even more so revealing a very light form of grace and calm. Although his face was drawn with the traces of old age, his facial features still carried a refined look that could hardly be concealed. No matter who it was, they wouldn’t suspect that he was definitely a handsome man who was rarely seen when he was young.
“Xiao’er greets father… Father, are you currently drawing?” Yun Xiao asked when he saw the paper on the table.
After Yun Che entered, his gaze had been looking at the green-clothed man unblinkingly, and the green-clothed man was similarly sizing him up as well. He did not give Yun Xiao a direct reply, and instead gave a smiling nod. “Xiao’er, is this the friend you were talking about? His looks are unordinary, while his temperament and bearing are even more extraordinary… I wonder how I should address you?”
After Yun Che entered, he did not immediately give his greetings. Facing his question, he was startled and had entirely blanked for a few seconds. When he finally managed to calm himself down, he slightly arched his body, and politely said. “This junior is surnamed Yun, with the given name Che. This junior has always longed to meet the Yun Family of Demon Imperial City, so when I saw Senior Yun for the first time, I lost a little of my composure. I hope senior will forgive me for my disrespect.”
“Oh? Your surname is Yun as well?” Yun Qinghong’s forehead loosened, as he gave a slight smile. “Yun… Che. Hoho, a good name. What a really good name. When your parents gave you this name, they must have hoped that you would live a worriless life without experiencing any suffering or illness. Hoho… cough, cough… Cough, cough, cough…”
Yun Qinghong simply gave a light smile, but immediately after, he began to cough severely. Yun Xiao hurriedly stepped forward, and anxiously said. “Father, are you alright…? Have you drank the medicine today?”
Very quickly, Yun Qinghong recovered. Lightly waving his hands, he said with a smile. “Your father is fine. The medicine that I should have taken had naturally been taken as well. Otherwise, your mother wouldn’t forgive me… Oh?”
Yun Qinghong’s expression suddenly underwent a slight change, as he instantly grabbed onto Yun Xiao’s hand. “You’re injured. What happened?”
“Uh, it’s not really a huge injury…” Initially, Yun Xiao hesitated. However, knowing that he was unable to hide the matter till the very end, in an evasive manner, he gave a brief recount of the incident, where he encountered an assassination when he was meeting with Number Seven Under Heaven outside the city. “…The person they wanted to kill was Seventh Sister, and had even clearly specified that they wouldn’t harm me. But back then, the situation was really extremely dangerous. Fortunately…” Yun Xiao pointed at Yun Che. “Fortunately, Brother Yun lent a helping hand. Otherwise, the outcome would have been unimaginable. Their target was Seventh Sister, so I have only received a little small injury, it’s not that severe. Look, I’m still lively right now.”
Yun Xiao’s wounds were naturally not light. If his clothes were removed, it would still be possible to see a dripping red bloody hole on his back. However, looking from the outside, it was after all, merely an exterior wound. Not to mention, it had even stabilized, and it was sufficient to fully recover within a single month. What Yun Che was more worried about, was Yun Qinghong… He was actually only able to find out that Yun Xiao was injured at such a close distance, it could be imagined just how dull his spiritual sense had become… Yun Xiao was unable to see how severe and dire Yun Qinghong’s current situation was, and Yun Qinghong naturally wouldn’t allow Yun Xiao to find out either. However, it was impossible to escape from his eyes…
He was very sure that, if this continued, Yun Qinghong basically wouldn’t live past another three years.
Yun Qinghong himself, should be aware of this in his heart as well.
Hearing Yun Xiao’s words, Yun Qinghong’s brows tightly knitted, and did not say a word for a moment, as though he was pondering on something. After that, he gave Yun Che a light smile, and raised his own hands towards him. “Little brother, thank you for the kindness of saving my son’s life. My body is in an inconvenient state, so…”
The moment Yun Qinghong raised his hands, Yun Che jumped to the side out of shock. He definitely dared to accept respects from even the king of heavens himself, however, he definitely couldn’t bear to accept it from this person in front him. Before he could even finish, Yun Che hurriedly said. “Se… Senior, this won’t do. Saving Yun Xiao merely took a small effort on my part, it definitely isn’t worthy of having such great respects from senior. There’s completely no need for senior to take it into heart.”
Yin Qinghong slightly blanked for a moment. He was simply planning on giving a bow with his fist cupped, which was a concept so distant from the words “great respects”. And he had even saved his son’s life, so giving a hundred thankful bows wouldn’t even be exaggerated. Yun Che’s reaction had truly shocked and puzzled him.
Yun Xiao was also puzzled from Yun Che’s exaggerated reaction. However, after pondering for a moment, he suddenly realized something, and hurriedly explained to Yun Qinghong. “Father, it’s actually like this. On the way here, we have already agreed. After greeting you, Brother Yun and I will be becoming sworn brothers. If that’s the case, my parents, will also be Brother Yun’s parents… That’s why, Brother Yun definitely wouldn’t dare to accept father’s thanks.”
“Oh? Becoming sworn brothers?” Yun Qinghong looked towards Yun Che, and then nodded with a smile. “I see. Great… excellent… Xiao’er has a stubborn temper, so he usually spends his time alone. If he has a friend who he can mutually rely on, then things couldn’t be better. As his parents, we will be happy and feel at ease as well.”
Although Yin Qinghong’s expression showed approval and joy, Yun Che could clearly see doubts in his eyes. Indeed, as someone who had just suddenly appeared, whose identity and background were unknown, whom he had only met for a single day… being suspicious and vigilant was the most common reaction.
“Father, let me tell you this, Brother Yun is truly incredible! The three people who attacked us were all level one Overlords. Brother Yun simply used a single move, and easily killed one of them, causing the other two to wet their pants out of fright and run with their tails between their legs! Furthermore, Brother Yun is only twenty-two years old today, merely a few months older than me. Even if it’s Su Zhizhan of the Su Family, he definitely wasn’t as amazing as Brother Yun when he was twenty-two years old… Uhh, father? Father, what are you thinking about?”
When Yun Xiao was speaking excitedly, he realized that Yun Qinghong’s eyes were looking straight at Yun Che, and his expression was a little dazed. Under his call, Yun Qinghong retracted his gaze, and said with a smile. “Nothing much, I simply felt that little brother Yun is a little familiar all of a sudden.”
Yun Che: “…”
“Familiar? Uh, that’s impossible though… This is still the first time Brother Yun has left his sect to train, and it’s even more so his first time in Demon Imperial City. Father, you must have definitely remembered wrongly.” Yun Xiao said.
“Hoho, the familiarity father is speaking of, is that little brother Yun… looks a lot like me when I was young. After saying this out, he really looks even more similar.”
Yun Che: “…”
“Really?” Yun Xiao looked at Yun Qinghong, and then looked at Yun Che. Then suddenly, he broke into a grin and said. “Heh! Father, earlier, you even said that Brother Yun looked extraordinary, now, you even suddenly said that Brother Yun looks like you when you were young… You’re clearly trying to brag about yourself. Mother had said that you were very smug when you were young; as expected, she wasn’t the least bit wrong about you.”
“Hahahaha…” Yun Qinghong laughed out loud from Yun Xiao’s words. However, after he had only laughed for a few short moments, he was suddenly out of breath, and began to cough severely. “Cough… cough, cough… cough, cough, cough…”
“Ah! Father!” Yun Xiao was startled, and then, he pressed his palm on Yun Qinghong’s back. However, the moment he was about to circulate his profound energy, his back and internal organs began to ache in intense pain. His expression instantly paled, his body wobbled, and the wound on his back was even close to splurging out blood.
Fortunately, Yun Qinghong did not sense his abnormal behavior, as he said with a wave of his hand. “I’m fine. This is merely an old ailment. It’s not like you don’t know about it either… little brother Yun, this Yun’s body has been ill for many years. For providing you with such bad hospitality, it sure is embarrassing.”
Yun Che shook his head. “Senior, not at all…” Seeing Yun Qinghong’s currentstate, his hands trembled. In the end, he was no longer able to endure it, as he took a step forward, and said. “Senior Yun, do you mind letting me take a look at your injury? This junior has learned medical skills from my teacher, and can be said to have small achievements in it. There’s a possibility that I might be able to ease senior’s illness.”
Chapter 504 - Shadows in Illusory Demon
“Ah? Brother Yun, you know medical arts as well?” Yun Xiao said in astonishment.
Once again, Yun Qinghong seriously sized up Yun Che. With his hundred years of experience, he should have been able to easily see through the truths and lies of a youth, and, from Yun Che’s expression, what he saw was actually seriousness, sincerity, and even a hint of urgency. This was incomprehensible to him. When facing such extremely irregular circumstances, his initial reaction should have been to silently raise his guard. However, unknowingly, even though it was clearly the first time he had met this youth who was filled with mysteries, no matter what he did, he was actually unable to raise his guard nor feel averse. Instead, he felt a form of indescribable trust and intimacy towards him.
In his entire lifetime, this was the still the first time he had ever experienced this sort of strange feeling. He looked at Yun Che for a long while, and his heart was strangely throbbing. However, he was completely unable to discern the source of this throbbing. He lightly smiled, and said. “Little brother Yun is so young, yet, already has such accomplishments. I believe your medical skills are definitely extraordinary as well. It’s just… Haah. My body is not suffering from an average illness, but an old sickness that had worsened throughout the years. Back then, I sought all the famous doctors in the world, yet none of them could do anything. Now that twenty odd years have passed, it has long seeped deeply into my blood marrows. I’m afraid that even if the Great Shifting Golden Deity himself descends into the world, there would be nothing he could do either. You having such sincerity, already makes me exceptionally grateful. It’s best that you don’t waste your efforts.”
Yun Che, however, was unmoved, as he slowly and calmly said. “This junior does not agree with Senior Yun’s words. When this junior first began practicing medicine, my master has taught me before that, in this world, everything mutually reinforces and neutralizes each other; the countless matters of this world are constantly in a cycle of cause and effect, if a perfectly healthy person can become sick, then there’s definitely a way to treat a sick person back to perfect health. In this world, there definitely doesn’t exist any true terminal illness and injuries which cannot be healed. Even if it cannot be treated, that would simply mean that the treatment method has not been found for the time being. This junior’s teacher is the world’s greatest medical saint, and this junior’s medical skills all come from my teacher. Under my teacher’s tutelage, ever since this junior was young, I have never believed that an incurable illness exists in this world. So, I hope Senior Yun will give this junior a try.”
Yun Qinghong had made contact with countless famous doctors, yet, he had never heard such words from a confident and prideful doctor, to the point where he was unable to refute a single word. And, these words, had even been spoken by a youth who was merely a little over twenty years old. Yun Xiao’s mouth was wide open. Suddenly, he recalled the mysterious profound energy he received from Yun Che he was severely injured, and in an instant, he said excitedly. “Father! Let Brother Yun try it out. Earlier, I was injured by those three black-clothed men… Uh, even though my injuries weren’t very severe, they were still a little heavy. And, Brother Yun simply used a very short span of time to completely stabilize my injuries, to the point where I’m seemingly unable to feel any pain. It might be possible that Brother Yun has a way to treat father’s body as well.”
Since the two had already put it that way, Yun Qinghong naturally couldn’t refuse again. With a light smile, he said. “Fine then. But, do not strain yourself. In regards to the condition of my body, I myself know best.”
Yun Che did not speak further, as he took two steps forward. Standing in front of Yun Qinghong’s body, he then stretched out his left hand. “Senior Yun, first allow this junior to inspect the condition of your body using my profound energy, please do not resist it.”
Yun Qinghong gently nodded, and then, he slightly adjusted his sitting posture. His expression was very calm, and calmness, signified that he was not holding onto any hope. After all, just as he had said, in regards to the condition of his body, he himself was more clear than anyone else. Twenty odd years ago, not a single one out of all of the famous doctors in the world could heal him. Now that the illness had settled for twenty odd years, even more so, the possibility of healing it could no longer exist.
Yun Che reached out his palm, and carefully pressed at the place where Yun Qinghong’s heart was on chest, and then closed his eyes. Profound energy gently and slowly entered his body. At the side, Yun Xiao retreated a few steps back, and his two hands were tightly clutching onto his own chest… He wasn’t as calm as Yun Qinghong, instead, he was incomparably wishing for the appearance of a miracle.
In merely a second, Yun Che’s brows furrowed fiercely. This reaction caused Yun Xiao’s heart to skip a beat as well.
From Yun Qinghong’s complexion and superficial aura, he knew that the condition of his body was definitely extremely poor. And, only after the inspection did he shockingly realize that Yun Qinghong’s condition was much poorer than he had predicted. His internal organs were all failing to a large extent, it was seemingly impossible to find a complete internal organ. His heart, lungs, and profound veins… every single one of them was carved with scars which looked as though they were slashed by a sharp sword. And, when an expert’s internal organs were damaged, as long as sufficient time was given, they could be recovered with their own profound energy. However, these sword scars still existed even after twenty odd years… Evidently, the source of these internal injuries was definitely not ordinary, most likely caused by an extremely strong sword energy!
Sword energy… Mighty Heavenly Sword Region?!
The most frightening part wasn’t his internal injuries, but the failures of more than ninety percent of his tendons!
They were failures, not torn apart!
Even if all the tendons in a person’s body were to be completely torn apart, Yun Che would still have a way to reconnect and fix them. However, a failure like this, was even more terrifying than tears. If a regular person’s tendons were to be compared to the roots of life, then more than ninety percent of Yun Qinghong’s tendons had basically wilted. Seemingly, the existence of not even a hint of vitality could be sensed.
Similarly, his profound veins had failed as well. The damage received by his profound veins were not heavy, however, like a dried up quagmire, they were devoid of life.
It could be seen just to what extent he had overused his own profound energy and stamina back then to be able to cause his profound veins and tendons to fail to such a state.
Recalling Xiao Lie’s simple description back then, twenty-two years ago, when they fled to Floating Cloud City, their entire bodies had already been covered with injuries, and they were nearly burnt out… And after that, it was unknown just how long, and how dangerous of an escape they had experienced. Perhaps, from that moment on, their consumption at every second were all complete overusage of their energy. With such overuse of their strength, how would they still have the mental capability to care about their injuries… In their escape that made use of all of their strength and willpower, their injuries, had undoubtedly worsened with every step…
And for them to persist to such an extent, was most probably because of that child in their embrace back then…
If they were merely the failures of his profound veins and tendons, and the worsening of his internal injuries, after recuperating for more than twenty years, even if Yun Qinghong was unable to restore his profound energy, they shouldn’t be able to extinguish his flames of life to such extent… Veru quickly, Yun Che found the answer. In Yun Qinghong’s body, he discovered something that had already invaded every corner of his body… Cold poison!!
And the reason why he was frowning so heavily, was precisely because of what type of cold poison it was.
Because this cold poison, was exactly the same… as the cold poison Ru Xiaoya, Hua Minghai’s wife, had suffered from!!
Back then, bringing along Ru Xiaoya whose body had already been struck with the cold poison, Hua Minghai had stolen a large number of Purple Veined Heaven Crystals to extend her life, and had even constantly searched for various mysterious medicines, yet, he was only able to maintain a short few years of her lifespan. If he had not encountered Yun Che, Ru Xiaoya would have already passed away a year ago. While the cold poison in Yun Qinghong’s body, had existed for more than twenty years. This cold poison had long completely invaded his blood veins, bone marrows, and even his vitals. Compared to Xiaoya’s condition, it was countless times more dangerous.
Hua Minghai had once said that Ru Xiaoya’s cold poison was cast by the Sun Moon Divine Hall’s deadly hands.
Could it be that, those villains back then were not just the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region… but the Sun Moon Divine Hall as well?!
After a long while, Yun Che slowly shifted away his palm from Yun Qinghong’s chest. His pair of brows were kept tightly furrowed, not loosening in the slightest, and even his expression was a little heavy. With an anxious expression that was filled with expectations, Yun Xiao looked at him. However, even after waiting for a long while, Yun Che still did not speak up. Finally unable to bear it any longer, he voiced out. “Brother Yun, my father’s body… how is it?”
Yun Che did not reply immediately, instead, he lightly exhaled, before speaking up. “Senior Yun’s profound level back then must have been at the very pinnacle. If it was an average person, forget about living till now, I’m afraid that the person wouldn’t even live past three years.”
“I once heard from my mother that father’s accomplishments back then could be said to have shocked the entire Illusory Demon Realm. At just the age of thirty-six, he had already broken through to become a Monarch, and, he was the absolutely youngest Monarch in all of Illusory Demon Realm’s history. Adding the power of his Profound Handle, before father encountered this incident, in the entire Illusory Realm, among the people of the same age, not a single one of them was father’s match. Back then, although grandfather and the ten great Grand Elders were no longer in the family, and the family was even shouldering a grave sin, with father’s presence, no one dared to belittle our Yun family.”
Yun Xiao slowly explained. When he brought up Yun Qinghong’s glory back in the days, he wasn’t proud, but simply anguished. “Then, when father had successfully broken through to the middle stages of the Sovereign Profound Realm, he was no longer able to suppress his worry for grandfather. Along with mother who had just broken through to the Sovereign Profound Realm, they used the family’s secret device to enter the Sky Profound Continent. But… But, in the end…”
Thirty-six years old… Monarch…
To Yun Che, the realm of the Sovereign Profound, was simply too distant, and that’s exactly why the concept of a “thirty-six year old stepping into the Sovereign Profound Realm” had struck an incomparably immense blow to his heart and soul. He was the youngest Monarch in all of Illusory Demon Realm’s history… and most probably, even in the Sky Profound Continent, there still wouldn’t be anyone that could break this record.
If he had not encountered such a disaster, his future heights would have been unforeseeable!
However, the heavens just had to be envious of geniuses, causing such a catastrophe to befall upon him.
He was once a Monarch… and was even a middle-stage Monarch. His wife, was similarly a Monarch as well —— the realm at the very pinnacle, which even until now, he could only desperately look up to with his head raised.
The two of them… were actually so incredible, standing at a height which common people could only look up to.
“Hoho, there’s no point in bringing up matters of the past. Fate is determined by the heavens. No matter how strong a person is, it’s destined that he can never win against the heavens. And since such is fate, then the only choice is to calmly accept fate… It’s been more than twenty years, and I have long gotten used to it.”
Yun Qinghong’s voice was calm and gentle, and his every word was casual and light. His expression was even calmer, as though he had long accepted everything and resigned to his fate… However, from a single glance, Yun Che could see that, within his calm eyes, he was concealing a deep grievance. His words sounded as though he was calm and had resigned to his fate, however, what Yun Che heard even more was instead, anger and unwillingness.
That’s right. No matter how open-minded a person was, how could he possibly accept such a cruel arrangement of fate?
“Brother Yun, my father’s body, you… can’t do anything either?” Yun Xiao asked a little dejectedly. From Yun Che’s extremely heavy expression, he had actually obtained his answer.
Yun Qinghong chuckled, and said. “Little brother Yun, there’s no need to put it to heart. Earlier, you should have seen the condition of my body as well. It definitely isn’t because your medical skills are lacking, rather, it’s because my body is indeed incurable. In actuality, this way is fine as well. At the very least, my life is much stable than before…” Turning his head, he glanced outside the window, and lightly sighed. “In another two months, it should be time for my identity as the Patriarch to be transferred to someone else. When that time comes, I will be completely relaxed, and I will no longer have any worries.”
Even though he said that he would “no longer have any worries”, in the depths of his eyes, a deep pain… and eagerness flickered.
“Ah? Transferring the title of Patriarch to someone else?” Yun Xiao was stunned. “What’s going on? When is this going to happen? Why… Why have I never heard about it? Wa… Was this decided by the Great Elders?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head, and lightly smiled. “Xiao’er, do not mind it. I have sat on the position as the Patriarch virtually for a hundred years, it should have long been given to someone else. Although there hasn’t been anyone who brought up about the matter of having me giving up the Patriarch position, but… in three months, it will be Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony. During the grand ceremony, there would definitely be another battle between dragons and tigers of the Twelve Guardian Families, and, a big incident might even occur.”
“Big incident? What big incident?” Yun Xiao asked in shock.
“You will know when the time comes.” Yun Qinghong’s calm voice was filled with a deep helplessness. The glow in his eyes had slightly dimmed, however, it was still projecting out wisdom and farsightedness that could seemingly see through everything. But, with his weak constitution, even if he was able to see through everything, he was powerless to face it. He continued. “In the Hundred Year Ceremony, our Yun family will definitely have to face it with all we can as well. Otherwise, there’s a possibility that we might face the crisis of being expelled from the Twelve Guardian Families, and even from the Demon Imperial City.”
“Wh… What!?” Yun Xiao gasped out in shock.
“In times like this, we, father and son, should best be abandoned.” Yun Qinghong closed his eyes, his face was expressionless. “In order to face the Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, our Yun family will conduct a competition within the entire family in two months. During that time, it will also be the moment where I step down from my position… But Xiao’er, there’s no need for you to worry. After all, your maternal grandfather is still here, so the Yun family will not dare to mistreat us. Even if we really have to leave, it’s not like we have no place to go. To our family of three, leaving the Yun family which is currently a dusty land in a pile of mess, isn’t really a bad thing.”
Yun Qinghong said many words which Yun Xiao was unprepared for; he could only stare dumbfoundedly. Furthermore, he did not hide this topic from Yun Che.
And before this, he did not tell Yun Xiao even the slightest bit of this matter.
Evidently, the matter of Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven being assaulted during their meeting, had allowed him to clearly sniff out a certain odor.
In two months, the competition within the Yun family…
In three months, the Little Demon Empress’s Hundred Year Reign Ceremony…
Yun Che’s chest slightly fluctuated, and following after, he gritted his teeth, as a strange clear glow flashed past his eyes. He looked at Yun Qinghong, and said with firm words. “Senior Yun, if your body is able to fully recover within two months, and is able to even restore all of the profound energy that you once had, will you still consider stepping down from the Patriarch position?”
Yun Che’s sudden question, stunned both Yun Qinghong and Yun Xiao at the same time. Yun Qinghong twitched his brows, and then, said with a bitter smile. “There’s no ‘if’. The existence of a full recovery is basically impossible. Restoring the profound energy that I once had back then, is even more of a myth.”
“Disregard the possibility for now.” Yun Che’s tone did not change, as his eyes faced Yun Qinghong’s in a straight line. “Senior Yun simply has to answer this junior. If in two months, your body and strength, returns to the ones Yun Qinghong had twenty-five years ago, then, will you still be willing to give up the Patriarch position… even if the people within your family were to force you with harsh measures!?”
Yun Qinghong looked firmly at Yun Che. In his eyes, he could see something that was causing his heart to fiercely tremble. He was silent for a short moment, and then, he shook his head slowly, with incomparable decisiveness. “No! This Patriarch position, has been passed down from generation to generation, from my great grandfather…to my grandfather… and to my father… It is the identity and responsibility my father had bestowed upon me! If I were to give up this position to someone else, even if there comes a day I will buried under the yellow earth, I still wouldn’t have the face to meet my father! And, the crisis of the Yun family is similar to thousands of kilograms of weight being held on by a strand of hair. A few lowly thieves are even plotting something secretly in their hearts. If I had sufficient strength, I definitely won’t be ignoring them with my eyes closed like I am right now… And only I, am able to revive the Yun family!”
Yun Qinghong’s final few words, were no longer the least bit calm like usual. What appeared, was a form of decisiveness and pride that was carved deep in his bones!
Chapter 505 - Treatment
“Good…” Yun Che slowly nodded. “Senior Yun, if you’re willing to believe and cooperate with me, I have a way to restore your body, and your profound strength, to their perfect state back then, in two months!”
“Ah… Ah!?” Yun Che’s words, had undoubtedly thundered in Yun Qinghong’s and Yun Xiao’s ears. Yun Xiao especially, had instantly cried out involuntarily. With quick steps, he charged over, and uncontrollably grabbed hold of Yun Che, as he said with incomparable excitement. “Brother Yun… Y-Y-You… Is what you said true? No matter if it’s father’s body or profound strength… do you really have a way… to… to… to restore them all!?”
Yun Xiao was a little incoherent with his words due to excitement, however, this demonstrated that he seemed to believe Yun Che’s words At the very least, he was filled with immense hope… As Yun Qinghong had been paralyzed for more than twenty years, if anyone else were to hear Yun Che’s words, they would simply feel that he was just making up stories. However, Yun Xiao had a strange form of indescribable trust towards Yun Che. Even if his words were as inconceivable as such, Yun Xiao would still involuntarily wish to trust him.
Yun Qinghong was dumbfounded. However, he naturally would not be as agitated as Yun Xiao. From Yun Che’s expression and his eyes, even with his lifetime worth of experience, he was unable to see a hint of false intent and pretense, but only resolution after a firm decision had been made. Facing such an expression, eyes, and tone, Yun Qinghong felt that his own suspicion had actually been shaken. Looking a little out of sorts, he stared at Yun Che, and said. “Little brother Yun, you really… have a way?”
Yun Che did not reply. Instead, he focused, reached out his hand, and once again pressed it on Yun Qinghong’s chest. Yun Qinghong’s body had been crippled for more than twenty years, and he had long completely resigned to his fate, as even he himself had long lost any belief that there was a method which could restore his body in this world… Restoring his profound strength, was even more of a dream that he did not dare to even think of. Hence, no matter how much he was guaranteed with mere words, it was impossible for him to really believe them. The only thing that could allow him to believe what Yun Che had said, was to have his own body experience the truth.
Yun Che closed his eyes. The Great Way of the Buddha began to circulate, and then, taking the absorbed nature energy, with profound energy as a medium, he slowly and carefully inserted it into Yun Qinghong’s body. Then, he carefully guided it to every corner of his body… The condition of Yun Qinghong’s body was incomparably severe. If it was allowed to recuperate with mere medical skills and medicine, even if his body could recover, it would still take at least several years. And, many of the spiritual herbs needed for this process were extremely rare and precious; there were even some, that could not be bought with mere money.
Yun Che naturally would not choose the method of treating with medical skills and medicine. To have Yun Qinghong, who was crippled for more than twenty years, recover in a short span of two months, his only choice was to use the nature energy brought by the Great Way of the Buddha!
His own body had suffered countless heavy injuries. There were even several times where his entire body was nearly destroyed and his organs were severely ruptured. However, as long as he still harbored a single breath, and a hint of will, he would be able to use the Great Way of the Buddha to speedily recover. With his current fourth level of the Great Way of the Buddha and his Dragon God’s physique, no matter how heavy his injuries were, he would be able to completely recover in less than forty-eight hours, with not a single scar left behind. At the same time, under the power of heaven and earth, the recovery speed of his profound energy was dozen times faster than an average person.
The nature energy brought upon by the Great Way of the Buddha could heal oneself, so naturally, it could heal others as well. Based on speed, it was much slower than healing himself, however, a month should be enough! After his body and profound veins were restored, there would still be a month worth of time which could be used to restore profound strength!
However, though using nature energy to undergo treatment for others sounded especially simple, reality was definitely not the case. Yun Che’s body held affinity with nature energy, however, Yun Qinghong did not possess the Great Way of the Buddha. If the nature energy that entered his body went out of Yun Che’s control, it would turn into a completely destructive force. At the same time, the medical knowledge which Yun Che possessed played a very important role in this process. He was familiar with the positions of every meridian, every acupuncture point, and even every muscle in the human body. Hence, the directions which the nature energy flowed under his control, was vividly circulating in his mind. If it was someone else, even if he possessed the same fourth level of the Great Way of the Buddha like Yun Che, it would be basically impossible for him to treat Yun Qinghong.
In the beginning, Yun Qinghong felt a warm flow of energy surge from his chest that was in contact with Yun Che’s palm. Then, the warm flow of energy spread throughout his entire body. Its aura was extremely calm, and was different from all the profound energy he had known about in his life, causing him to secretly feel astonished. Following after the constant surging of the calm aura, the warm flow of energy in his body became even denser, and the flowing began to slow down. At this moment, he felt the meridians of his limbs, which had been frozen for more than twenty years, suddenly warm up. And at the same time, his sternocostal, which had long become dormant, to the point where the dozens of veins that existed within it had almost been forgotten, experienced a piercing pain, as though it had been stabbed by a needle.
At that one moment, Yun Qinghong’s entire body stiffened, as his face revealed an expression of utter disbelief. Right after, his eyes stirred intensely, and his hands, had even began to tremble with incomparable intensity.
Ever since Yun Xiao was consciously aware of his surroundings, the father he had known of had always been as calm as water and non-competitive. He had never seen his father being enraged, and had rarely seen him laugh out loud either, as though everything in the world was unable to stir the waves in his heart. He had lived for nearly twenty-two years, yet, this was still the first time seeing his father losing control of his emotions like this all of a sudden. He worriedly said. “Father, what… what happened to you?”
“My senses…” Yun Qinghong’s eyes stirred, and his entire body was still uncontrollably trembling in excitement. “A part of my veins… have regained their senses!”
“Ah!”
Yun Qinghong’s words, to Yun Xiao, were like a heavenly message that came from the boundaries of the sky. Seeing Yun Qinghong’s body trembling in excitement, he was so joyous that it seemed as though he was about to collapse in tears right there and then. “Is that… Is that true…? Father… you really… really…”
“Do not speak for now!” Yun Qinghong forcefully suppressed his excitement. In front of him, Yun Che’s eyes had been closed the entire time. His brows were knitted tightly, and his forehead was drenched in sweat. His current state, showed that he was concentrating with all his might.
Yun Xiao hurriedly reached out his hand to cover his own mouth. He looked at Yun Che, then looked at Yun Qinghong, and no longer let out the slightest sound. However, the stirring in his eyes had clearly showed the tumbling in his inner heart.
However, the excitement in his heart, was naturally unable to compare to Yun Qinghong’s by a long margin.
The warm flow of energy continued to swim in his body. After passing through his sternocostal, those dormant veins were sending out senses one after another, as though they were awakened by a long, deep slumber. As for these veins which were completely wilted, and wouldn’t be exaggerated if they were deemed dead, he had initially thought that it would be impossible to restore them again forever. Those genius doctors whose names could shake the Illusory Demon Realm, had all told him that his meridians could never be restored. However, currently, he was clearly, and incomparably truly, sensing the existence of these veins once again.
Among these wilted veins, even if only one of them could be restored, it would be sufficient for him to believe that it was an incredible miracle. However, what he was sensing, was one vein after another being restored consecutively. The increasing painful sensations, that were either light or heavy, did not cause him to reject them in the slightest. Instead, they excited him, as though he was in a dream where he was stepping into the heavens…
Initially, he was merely someone whose body had been completely crippled more than twenty years ago, who had long lost all hope and was even calmly waiting for his death. In order to not worry his wife and son, what he expressed had always been an adaptable, breeze-like calm, as though he was seeing light of everything. However, no one could understand that was merely a form of displaying an unfathomable degree of helplessness, pain and despair. And no one could understand the degree of excitement and ecstasy he was currently feeling at this moment.
Yun Che maintained the same unmoving posture, and only sweat was flowing in streams from his head. Very quickly, his clothes were completely drenched as well. Yun Qinghong looked at this male youth in front of him who bestowed him this heavenly surprise and boundless hope. An overwhelming surge of feelings fluctuated in his inner heart.
This youth… Who is he…
Naturally, senses being restored to his veins did not represent a complete recovery. To completely restore them, even with the profound Great Way of the Buddha, it would still require a considerably long time. What Yun Che was currently doing, was to once again infuse these veins, which were initially completely wilted, back into the source of life. This was the first step he had to take in order to treat Yun Qinghong.
Having senses being restored to a few of his veins was enough to excite Yun Qinghong to think that it was all a dream. When he realized that this awakening was quickly spreading, and seemed to be awakening all of his wilted profound veins, even with his frame of mind, he felt a very heavy, heavy sense of surrealness. And this miracle, in two hours, had truly emerged within his body… Two hours later, following after the disappearance of that warm flow of energy in his body, all of his wilted veins had been completely awakened. Although it was still impossible to infuse energy into these veins which were just awakened, nor were they able to support his stamina, this was already a miracle among miracles. And, it had even lit up an incomparably bright and glaring hope within him.
Yun Che heaved a long sigh, and finally opened his eyes. He retracted his arm, and took a step back. Right after, he swiped away the beads of sweat from his forehead, on his fatigue-looking face, he revealed a light smile. “Senior Yun, now… are you able to believe this junior’s words?”
“Little brother… You…” Looking at Yun Che, he felt that foreign sensation all around his body. This was the first time in Yun Qinghong’s life that he was unable to say anything out of excitement.
“Brother Yun, you’re really… really too incredible!” Yun Xiao’s pair of eyes glowed. His fists were clenched, and he was so excited, even his limbs were not listening to his instructions somewhat. “Brother Yun, earlier, you said that… you’re able to have my father completely recover in two months… i-i-is… is that true?”
Yun Che nodded. “Of course it’s true.”
“How… How confident are you?” Yun Qinghong hurriedly spoke out right after. Currently, his face had long lost the calm and lightness he had earlier.
Yun Che said with a slight smile. “A hundred percent confident, of course! Senior Yun, don’t worry. Since this junior dares to say it, I will definitely make it possible!”
“…” Earlier, Yun Qinghong would definitely not believe these words from Yun Che. However, right now, after personally experiencing the awakening of all the veins in his body… and knowing that it even merely took an incredibly short time of two hours, his belief, had now far suppressed his suspicion.
Yun Che picked up a piece of paper from the table, speedily wrote down two rows of words, and passed it to Yun Xiao. “Your Yun family should have its own medicine storage. According to the amount listed here, go pick out these fourteen medicinal ingredients, and bring back at least a hundred and nine silver needles which are at least three inches long.”
“Ah… alright!” Currently, Yun Xiao was treating Yun Che’s words as a royal decree. He speedily glanced through it, and realized that all of the ingredients listed were very common medicinal ingredients. Thus, he could not help but ask. “Just by using these ingredients, it’s possible to heal my father’s body?”
“These are not used for Senior Yun, but for you!” Yun Che said while shifting his eyes over. “Your injuries are not light, and earlier, you were overly impulsive. Now that your blood flow is in a mess, if it’s not kept under control, I’m afraid it can’t be healed even after two months. Only the silver needles are used for Senior Yun… The cold poison in Senior Yun’s body had already invaded his entire body, and even his vitals have been completely invaded. The regular methods of expelling the poison would all have very huge risks, hence, the only choice is to use silver needles to slowly expel the poison from the various parts of his body. Hurry and go.”
When Yun Che said the words “cold poison”, and looked as though he actually had the confidence and method to expel the cold poison, the glow in Yun Qinghong’s eyes once again stirred intensely.
“Alright, I’m going now!”
Yun Xiao jogged out. Just as he reached the door, he once again stopped his steps in an instant, and turned around. “Oh, right! Mother… Where did mother go? Since Brother Yun is able to cure father, then he’s definitely able to cure mother as well!”
Yun Qinghong said: “Your uncle came over in the afternoon, so your mother followed him back to the Mu family. She should be back very soon. Hoho…”
Yun Qinghong’s final light laughter at the end, was a laughter filled with ease and comfort. Although his wife’s state was similarly severe, it should be a little lighter than his. Since the youth in front of him dared to say that he was hundred percent confident in healing him completely, then he would naturally be able to treat his wife…
Just as Yun Qinghong’s words fell, the voice of a rough man suddenly sounded from outside the courtyard. “Brother-in-law, we’re back… Mn? A guest?”
Chapter 506 - Mu Yubai, Mu Yurou
When Yun Xiao heard that voice, he turned around and shouted “Mother is back!” in a low voice. He did not care about the wounds on his body, and rushed out impatiently with steps as swift as an arrow.
Yun Che did not follow him out. Instead, his gaze shot past the door that had been pushed opened by Yun Xiao, and he looked at the two figures which had just entered the courtyard. His eyes turned hazy and something seemed to be caught in his throat; it was almost as though he had forgotten how to breathe, as his entire body started to gently tremble.
Yun Xiao’s voice quickly came from outside.
“Uncle…. Ah, Mother! You’re back!”
As Yun Xiao’s voice fell, a woman’s gentle yet anxious sounded out, “I heard that you were ambushed outside the city and had even gotten injured…. Quick, let Mother see. Where are you hurt? Are your injuries serious?”
“Eh… Mother, how did you know about my injuries?”
“Huh!” a somewhat boorish male voice rang out, the man said evenly, “This old man was helping your mother recuperate, when news suddenly came, saying that you and that girl from the Under Heaven Family were ambushed by someone. This almost scared your mother half to death, so she anxiously rushed back home. Kiddo, let me see to your injuries….”
“Big brother, How are Xiao’er’s injuries? Are they heavy? I heard that the ones who ambushed them were three Overlords. How could Xiao’er withstand any blows from them?” The woman’s voice trembled heavily and she was obviously beside herself with worry and anxiety.
“…These wounds are not light, but do not worry, they are all external injuries, as long as he rests for a while, he will make a full recovery.” The man’s rough voice rang out once more, and it carried with it a slight undertone of suspicion, “Kiddo, who helped to treat your injuries? Such serious external injuries, yet they were suppressed to this level in such a short amount of time.”
“My injuries are fine.” Yun Xiao’s heart was filled with joy, and he did not even care about his current state. He said in a hurried voice, “Mother! Come quickly! I have some extremely good news for you! Both your injuries and father’s injuries can be healed! I met this incredible big brother, and he has a way to help your bodies recover completely… it’s true!”
The voices of the three people crept closer and closer. When Yun Xiao’s voice fell, they had stepped into the room. Yun Che’s gaze regained its clarity at this moment, and his wildly-beating heart had been forced into a calm state. He looked at the two people who had followed Yun Xiao into the room… The man looked to be roughly around thirty years old. He was tall and broad, and his beard filled his face. He seemed to be a person who was unconcerned with his appearance, but his eyes were as fierce as a wild tiger’s; they were forcefully imposing. As his gaze swept across Yun Che, a kind of indescribable pressure suddenly assaulted over…
A Monarch level pressure!!
These supreme existences which had only existed in legends; in just one day, Yun Che had met them one after the other. This didn’t mean that the Illusory Demon Realm had numerous super powerful Sovereign Profound Realm practitioners. This was the Demon Imperial City, and it was the core of the Illusory Demon Realm, where the peak of its profound world was gathered. And when Yun Che had initially arrived at this place, the people he had met were all from the Demon Imperial City’s most illustrious families; Moreover they were all peak existences within their respective families…. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was the current patriarch of the elf clan; he was an individual who could cover the sky of the Illusory Demon Realm with one hand. And the tall and broad man in front of him… Was from the Twelve Guardian Families’ Mu family, Mu Yubai, the well-known Young Patriarch of the Mu family, and the future Patriarch of the Mu family. He was similarly a supreme existence who could shake the entire Illusory Demon Realm.
But what this clearly entailed was that within the short span of a few years, Yun Che had, under the instruction of Jasmine and his own desperation and hard work, begun to close in on the realm of the mightiest existences within both the Profound Sky Continent and the Illusory Demon Realm.
Mu Yubai snorted in contempt as he heard Yun Xiao’s words, “Allow your father and mother to fully recover? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”
“Uncle, Mother, what I said is completely true! If you do not believe me…. Ask Father!” Yun Xiao continued hurriedly. The miracle that had happened to Yun Qinghong caused him such joy that he felt like blood was rushing throughout his entire body. It could be said that in his entire lifetime, he had never been as excited as he was right now.
“And this… is?” The woman whom Yun Xiao supported did not seem to hear his words at all. After she entered the room, her gaze fell directly on Yun Che, and did not move at all after that. Yun Che also looked at her, his lips repeatedly closing and opening, yet he did not utter a single word.
The years did not leave many marks on her body, but it seemed to have left her with many scars. Anyone could see that in her youth, she had been a peerless beauty. Her appearance was gentle and elegant, her disposition, graceful and noble. Yet her disposition was not so much one of excessive nobility, it was more like she exuded an aura of melancholy… A deeply engraved melancholy that seemed to sit between her brows and in her soul. The melancholy was so deep that it seemed like even one thousand years would not be enough to clear it away. Even if an insensitive person saw her, he or she would clearly be able to feel her sorrow.
Her face showed the same kind of paleness as Yun Qinghong. Even though she could walk, each step showed a noticeable weakness; even her eyes seemed to be covered in with a layer of haziness.
Her current state might have been slightly better than Yun Qinghong’s… but it was not better by much.
She… is my… birth mother…
Mother…
“Could it be that you are the young man who saved this kid and the Under Heaven Family’s girl?” Mu Yubai measured Yun Che with his eyes. When he felt his profound strength level, his brows making an obvious movement.
“Mn, mn!” Yun Xiao nodded his head, his expression filled with excitement as he said, “Let me introduce him to you. Mother, Uncle, this person is Brother Yun. When Seventh Sister and I were ambushed by the men in black, he was the one who saved us…. Uh, Mother? Mother, are you alright? Why do you keep staring at Brother Yun?”
Yun Xiao waved his hand in front of Mu Yurou’s eyes a couple of times. It was only after this that she recovered from her stupor. After which, she gently laughed, “It’s nothing, I am just very grateful. This child seems to feel so close and familiar to me, it is as if…. I had seen him once very long ago. Yun Che… Ah, so your surname is also Yun. I am Yun Xiao’s mother, thank you for saving my Xiao’er.”
After saying this, Mu Yurou wanted to raise her body slightly, but Yun Che hurriedly stepped forward, “Au… Aunt Yun, please do not salute me. When I first saw Yun Xiao, it was like meeting an old friend. Also we have the same surname, and saving him was as simple as lifting a finger. Moreover, we are preparing to become sworn brothers, so please do not salute this junior in any way whatsoever.”
“This…” Mu Yurou was slightly startled.
“Hoho.” Yun Qinghong laughed, and looking at Yun Che, he said, “Yurou, you and I both share this same feeling, like we have seen him somewhere before. Just now, I even said that he looked like me in my youth, or perhaps he really does share some great affinity with our family… Yubai, how did the two of you find out about Xiao’er being ambushed?”
Mu Yubai sternly declared, “The precious daughter of the Under Heaven family was almost killed. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven would definitely go wild with anger, so this old man quickly learned about this matter, but unfortunately, Yurou also heard it. Hmph…” Mu Yubai’s expression became dark, “Looks like some people think that they’ve been living too comfortably, so they’re in a hurry to court death! This matter has already drawn my attention, and that old dog from the Under Heaven family is definitely even more focused on it. I believe that it will only be a short while before we ferret out these bastards who are clearly tired of living.”
“I’m just afraid that this current situation is a tad more complicated than what you think it is.” Yun Qinghong said while sighing.
Mu Yubai’s eyes flashed, “Brother-in-law, did you perceive something?”
“Let’s turn our minds to other things first.” Yun Qinghong did not want to continue on this topic. His gaze turned to Yun Che and he said, “Little brother, is it possible for you to examine my wife’s condition… If you can cure my wife, this Yun will definitely, in this life…”
“Senior Yun’s words are too serious!” Yun Che swiftly said, interrupting Yun Qinghong mid-speech, “Yun Xiao and I are as close as brothers, Senior Yun and Aunt Yun are like half my family. This junior will definitely put in all of his effort. As for words of politeness or gratefulness, you really don’t need say them.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah!” Yun Xiao swiftly nodded his head, “Mother, hurry and sit, and let Brother Yun examine you. Brother Yun is extremely skilled in medical arts. Father’s dead… Pooh! Pooh! I mean Father’s meridians that had been in deep sleep for twenty odd years; Brother Yun woke them all up in less than two hours! Right now, Father is beginning to regain feeling in various parts of his body.”
“What!” Mu Yubai brows jumped violently, he surged forward and rested his extended hand on top of Yun Qinghong’s shoulder. Quickly, the expression on his face became awash with violent emotions.
“Big Brother, is it true?” Mu Yurou asked excitedly.
Mu Yubai released his grip, and slowly nodded his head, saying, “It’s true… His previously dead meridians have completely recovered their vitality. Even though they are still relatively weak, as long as he devotes all his attention to becoming well, in no more than a few years, he can make a full recovery… This is practically a miracle!”
“This is… true?” Mu Yurou body shook violently, and she was so excited that she nearly fainted on the spot.
“Hoho. Even though this is my own body, even I myself nearly thought that I was dreaming.” Yun Qinghong slowly lifted both his hands. Although he had calmed down from his previous excitement long ago, his ruddy face still bore traces of it, as it manifested the great waves in his heart, “Right now, I can clearly feel the existence of every single meridian in my body.”
“All of this is thanks to the efforts of Brother Yun!” Yun Xiao declared with great enthusiasm, “Brother Yun even said that he is confident that he can help father recover not only physically, but also help him recover his profound strength; all within the span of two months.”
“Complete recovery?” Mu YuBai gaze shot towards Yun Che, and he started to appraise him yet again, “Did you really say such a thing?”
“Yes.” Yun Che nodded his head.
Mu Yubai furrowed his brows as his gaze turned grave, “You used a mere two hours to help a completely crippled person’s veins make a full recovery, so you do needed have godly skills. In the two hundred years that I’ve lived thus far, I have not heard of such a thing before. But, before I question your medical ability, let me explain that what he suffered from was not a simple injury; it was a complete crippling due to him overdrawing on his own strength! Besides his meridians being crippled, his profound veins and internal organs are all on the brink of failure. Moreover, there is still an extremely terrifying and uncleansable cold poison in his system. Do you really have the ability to help him make a full recovery… And even help him recover his strength?”
Yun Che looked straight at him, his expression calm as he answered, “Doctors do not tell lies. I can resurrect Senior Yun’s from the grave in two hours. I also have the confidence that within seven days, I can help them fully recover. I will be able to completely cleanse the cold poison in Senior Yun’s body, in the following three days, with not a single trace remaining. As for the failure of his profound veins and five viscera, even though it is troublesome, I have confidence that I can help Senior Yun make a full recovery within one month… Give me another month, and I can help Senior Yun regain all his profound strength.”
Mu Yubai, “…”
“The more this junior speaks, the harder it will be for Senior Mu to be convinced. In two months time, everyone will naturally witness the results.” Yun Che declared with determination.
The gaze which Mu Yubai used to regard Yun Che grew more and more concentrated, while his heart was in a constant state of upheaval. The young man standing before him was only at the Sky Profound Realm, but under his imposing manner and his gaze, his gaze did not waver, nor did his face change color. Both his eyes were clear as clean water; he could not even detect a hint of falseness or inadequacy. Moreover, every word he said, to the ears of those who was familiar with Yun Qinghong’s condition, sounded too fantastic to be true. But somehow, they possessed the ability to cause people to unwittingly believe.
“Good!” Mu Yubai nodded his head, “If you can really do as you have said, and cure my little sister and brother-in-law, then at that time, whatever request you make of me, even if you want me give my life for you, I won’t even furrow a brow!”
This was the Young Patriarch of the Mu Family, yet he actually vowed to give his life to another. Yun Che was absolutely the first and only person he had ever made this vow to before. And this undoubtedly showed his deep concern for Mu Yurou. Yun Che looked at him with a few more degrees of respect… A kind of instinctive respect.
“This junior only has one tiny request.” Yun Che said, “In regards to the healing of Senior Yun and Aunt Yun, before I have succeeded, please do not speak of this to anyone.”
“Ah? Why?” Yun Xiao said in confusion, but he immediately saw that both Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou did not express any suspicion or surprise. Instead, both of them looked deep in thought.
Yun Che continued, “Even though this is junior’s first time coming to Demon Imperial City, after hearing about some things concerning the Yun Family and the Twelve Guardian Families from Yun Xiao, then witnessing the attack against Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven, I can faintly guess a few things. Coupled with the fact that in three months time, it will the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, and that the Yun Family Clan Competition will be held in two months. During this period, there won’t be any peace within the Yun Family, and there will also be an undercurrent of unlawful elements abounding as well. If this junior’s ability to heal both Senior Yun and Aunt Yun is leaked outside, forgive this junior for speaking frankly, what may come from the rest of the Yun Family might very well not be delight… And in two months time, if Senior Yun and Aunt Yun still present themselves as cripples at the Family Competition, you might perhaps be able to unearth even more truths.”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yubai stayed silent for a short period of time. Then, Mu Yubai nodded his head and said, “You are correct. This matter definitely cannot be discovered by anyone else. On my side, I will only tell this to my Father, to raise his spirits. Xiao’er, always bear this in mind, you definitely cannot let anyone else know of this matter. Do not reveal even a trace of information! Even if that girl from the Under Heaven Family who has got you wrapped around her little finger comes calling, you are not to reveal anything at all! Do you understand?!”
“I understand, I definitely won’t tell anyone else.” Yun Xiao nodded his head vigorously. Even though he did not fully understand Yun Che’s words, he knew what was important and what was not, and he also knew what he should and should not do, so he was very clear about this.
“Kid… Is this really your first time coming to the Demon Imperial City?” Mu Yubai stared at Yun Che as he spoke.
“It’s my first time. In fact, this very day is my first day within the Demon Imperial City.” Yun Che said with extreme steadfastness. Not a single one of the words he spoke was a lie.
“Kid… You’re not simple…” Mu Yubai said seriously, “The words that I have said to you just now, I definitely won’t go back on them! If you can really completely heal them both, not only this family, but even I, Mu Yubai, will owe you half my life!”
Yun Qinghong lightly nodded. He was exceedingly clear on the kind of shocking appraisal that would actually cause the words “not simple” to come out from Mu Yubai’s mouth.
Yun Che nodded his head, after which he turned to Mu Yurou, “Yun Xiao, bring Aunt Yun over here. I will help her awaken her meridians first.”
Mu Yubai’s eyes suddenly flashed, while Yun Qinghong gently said, “Just now, your act of awakening my meridians have already caused you to be drenched in sweat, and it must have consumed a lot of your strength. I think it would be better if you had a rest first.”
“No need.” Yun Che shook his head, “Because we must first unblock the veins before we can begin to cleanse the cold poison. Every breath the poison remains within the body increases the damage it does and the danger it poses. Senior Yun might have suffered more severe bodily harm than Aunt Yun, but Aunt Yun’s constitution is slightly weaker than Senior Yun. If Senior Yun’s condition is left unattended, he can still endure for roughly another three years. But, even though Aunt Yun can walk, the cold poison in her body can completely invade her life vein at any time… This also means that there is a chance the cold poison in her body could completely flare up at any time. Therefore… We cannot wait even another second!”
Yun Che did indeed wear himself out in order to treat Yun Qinghong earlier, but he had no exaggerated in the slightest about Mu Yurou’s condition. So even though he was dead tired, he would definitely not allow any more delays to occur, because she… was his birth mother!
“Ah!” Yun Che words frightened Yun Xiao greatly. He had never thought that his parent’s conditions had worsened to this degree. His voice practically shivered as he asked, “Is… Is… Is this really true?”
He himself was the most clear on the current status of his body, so after hearing what Yun Che had said, Yun Qinghong’s confidence in him suddenly rose by several degrees. He lightly said, “If that is the case, then we will have to trouble you.”
Yun Xiao helped Mu Yurou sit down. Yun Che stood in front of Mu Yurou, and his palms gently pressed down on the pit of her stomach… There was only a distance of half a step between the both of them, and Mu Yurou’s gaze was very close. And it was only this gaze that Yun Che did not dare meet, because he was afraid that the gentleness of that gaze would cause him to lose control there and then.
In the past, he was very certain that he was completely indifferent to blood ties which did not exist at first. Even if he met his birth parents, it would not cause a single ripple in his heart… But after seeing Yun Qinghong, and meeting Mu Yurou, he knew then that he was wrong, and what a great wrong it was. Or perhaps it was better to say that the bond of blood was not something that could be controlled by willpower or fear.
“Child, I have troubled you. Please do not feel too much pressure. Even if you cannot heal me, we will forever be grateful to you.” Mu Yurou said in a gentle voice. She viewed the man in front of her up close, and she found that it was hard for her to draw her gaze away from him. A strange feeling caused her heart to beat chaotically; it was only that she could not figure out the reason for such a bizarre feeling.
Yun Che nodded his head lightly. After that, the Great Way of the Buddha was completely active and he regulated his profound energy control until it was at its most gentle state. He used this profound energy to slowly and gently infuse the energy of heaven and earth into Mu Yurou’s body.
Mu Yubai’s eyes opened wide, and he stared unblinkingly at Yun Che’s movements and expression. Once Mu Yurou’s veins had been fully awoken, her body started to transmit signals of pain to her, and this caused the Young Patriarch of the Mu Family, who could shake the entire Illusory Demon Realm, to jump up and down excitedly like a little kid. He started to circle Yun Che and Mu Yurou excitedly while his two hands rubbed together so vigorously that they almost generated sparks.
Seeing the result and witnessing the process was naturally two completely different matters altogether. Mu Yubai viewed Yun Che with passion, but also as if he was some kind of monster. Yun Qinghong was extremely quiet throughout the process; the expression in his eyes switched from joy to wonder and back again. At the same time, he also mutely gazed at Yun Che as he sank into deep thought.
This time Yun Che only used one hour to successfully clear all of Mu Yurou’s veins. After he had accomplished his mission, he swayed once, then collapsed to sit on the floor, with his entire body soaked in sweat.
“Brother Yun!” Yun Xiao rushed over to support him.
“Yun Xiao, help me arrange for a quiet room… Senior Yun, Aunt Yun, Senior Mu, this junior has slightly exceeded the limits of his endurance, so I will have to excuse myself first…”
After he had finished speaking, the scenery in front of him became a blur, and he could not hear a single sound… Soon after, he descended into a deep sleep.
In the state where his mind was relaxed, he only wanted to have a good sleep. If he was in another place, even if he was not surrounded by enemies, he would never allow himself to descend into such deep slumber. But the ones around him, even though he had only known all of them for a day, were all people who had true blood ties to him… The indescribable bonds established by blood was not something he could defend against, or was willing to defend against with his great willpower.
Chapter 507 - Close Relatives
It would not be exaggerated in the least to state that below the Divine Profound Realm, Yun Che’s recovery rate had no equal. When Yun Che awoke, the sky had already turned dark, and he had roughly recovered all the mental and profound strength he had exhausted. After he woke up, he realized that he was lying on a small, fluffy bed. The surroundings were quiet and the room’s furnishing was simple yet elegant. He directed his gaze outside the window. Yun Che could tell with a glance that he was no longer in Yun Qinghong’s small courtyard, but he should be in one of the guestrooms that were to the side of the main hall.
Yun Che perked up his ears and he could faintly make out the conversation that Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were having on the other side of the wall. In order not to disturb his rest, the voices of the two were very quiet. Yun Che jumped off the bed and quickly organised his thoughts. After that, he picked up his Sound Transmission Jade and located the Sound Transmission Imprint left behind by Number One Under Heaven.
“Brother Under Heaven, there is one matter in which I require your help for.” Yun Che sent out his message via sound transmission.
In a few moments, the Sound Transmission Jade shone with a flash of profound light, the revolving profound formation emitting Number One Under Heaven’s good-humored voice, “Brother Yun, you just need to say what you want and it will be done.”
Yun Che said in a very frank and matter-of-fact tone, “In two months time, the Yun Family, in order to prepare for the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony that is coming in three months, will be holding a Family Competition, and at that time, I hope that Brother Under Heaven can also be present… As for the reason why, please forgive me for not being able to say it right now, but all will be revealed to Brother Under Heaven at that time.”
Without letting Yun Che wait for too long, Number One Under Heaven’s voice transmitted over once again, “You do not need to explain the reasons to me, because in comparison to the fact that Brother Yun saved my little sister’s life, this small matter is not even worth mentioning. When the time comes, I will be there. I definitely won’t go back on my words.”
Number One Under Heaven was an extremely straightforward person, so the entire process was much smoother than Yun Che had predicted. After all, he did save Number Seven Under Heaven’s life. And because Number One Under Heaven had a naturally proud personality, he was not willing to owe anyone favors. To top it all off, this arrangement had already been made previously, so even if Yun Che did not explain himself, he would absolutely not reject Yun Che.
The door was pushed open as Yun Xiao, who had heard the sound of voices, hurriedly rushed into the room. Looking at Yun Che, he joyfully cried, “Brother Yun, you’re awake!”
“Mn!” Yun Che nodded his head, “Yun Xiao, it’s good that you have come. Because now we can begin the ceremony.”
“Eh? Ceremony?”
Yun Che grabbed Yun Xiao and hauled him down into a kneeling position. After which, he pointed his fingers towards the sky and he began speaking methodically, “I, Yun Che, from this day forward will become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao. I will be the elder, Yun Xiao the younger. And from this day forward we will share both our joys and sorrows. Yun Xiao’s relatives will be my own, and my relatives will be Yun Xiao’s own as well. These words have been witnessed under the blue sky, if any of us violate them, may he be damned by both heaven and earth!”
Yun Xiao knelt there, dazed, and he had not regained his sense yet. After Yun Che had said his vows, he patted him on the shoulder, “Alright, now it is your turn.”
Yun Xiao turned his head, and his face was filled with bewilderment. He moved his lips and hurriedly said, “Brother Yun, I… I…”
“Why? You don’t want to be sworn brothers with me?” Yun Che asked with a laugh.
“No, of course not.” Yun Xiao shook his head, then he stared straight at Yun Che and said with sincerity, “Brother Yun’s talents reach the heavens and your medical expertise has reached a point where it startles everyone. Moreover, you have done so many things for me and my parents, but I… Even though I am the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch in name, you saw my true status today. I have only known you for a day, yet your light is so dazzling that I do not even dare to gaze upon it directly. In front of Brother Yun, I am practically a firefly to your bright moon, I don’t understand… why Brother Yun would be willing to become sworn brothers with me? And not only that, you even took the initiative…”
Yun Xiao’s temperament was warm and he always did things in a manner that was tolerant and circumspect, but he definitely was no fool. So Yun Che would definitely not blame Yun Xiao for having suspicions about him. He looked at Yun Xiao, and said in an even more sincere tone, “Yun Xiao, for you to have such suspicions is absolutely normal. And the misgivings your parents have towards me are definitely even greater than your own. Indeed, there is no such thing as free lunch in this world, and no benefits are given for no reason at all. It is the same with me as well. But Yun Xiao, please believe me. I do not have any schemes hatched against you or your family, nor do I have any ill intentions towards all of you. I will never bear any malice towards any of you, not now or ever. I sincerely want to become a real brother to you, and I am even more sincere in my desire to have your family become my own as well… As for the reason for all of this, I cannot divulge that at the present moment, but give me at most… At most six months, and I will clearly explain all my motivations to you. If any of the words I have said to you are false, then may I die a dog’s death!”
“Ah!” Yun Xiao heard the curse Yun Che directed at himself and it frightened him tremendously. If he still had some suspicions before, the resolute and decisive words uttered by Yun Che and his resolute sincere eyes had completely wiped it away, causing Yun Xiao to not be able to manifest even a shred of ill-feeling or guard against Yun Che. He nodded his head and faced forward; raising his fingers to the sky, he uttered the exact same words that Yun Che did, “I, Yun Xiao, from this day forward will become sworn brothers with Brother Yun Che. Brother Yun will be the elder, I the younger. And from this day forward we will share both our joys and sorrows. Brother Yun’s relatives will be my own, and my relatives will be Brother Yun’s own as well. These words have been witnessed under the blue sky, if any of us violate them, may he be damned by both heaven and earth!”
Yun Xiao’s feelings were way more agitated than Yun Che. Yun Che had told him there was really a reason for all of this, but what had given him much more clarity was Yun Che’s heartfelt sincerity. Moreover, there was also the urgency and concern with which he treated Mu Yurou’s condition when he helped her clear her veins, to the point where he finally fainted because he had exhausted his mental strength beyond his limits…
Even though he did not understand the reasons behind it, at the moment, he was extremely convinced that Yun Che would not hurt him or his family… Or maybe he was really a divine being sent by the heavens to save his family.
“Younger Brother Yun Xiao greets Elder Brother.” Yun Xiao knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Yun Che in a sincere and moved manner.
Yun Che accepted his kowtow, then lifted him up. After Yun Xiao got up, both of them laughed and nodded their heads. Yun Che said, “From now onwards we will be just like blood brothers. No matter what happens from now on, we will mutually rely on one another and no one is allowed to hold back.”
“Good! Hehe… I have a big brother now and what a powerful big brother he is. It’s as if I’m dreaming.” Yun Xiao’s face was red. It was still suffused with excitement, “It’s only that I am really not up to the mark to be your younger brother. I don’t know how much more I will owe Big Brother from now on.”
“Haha, since we are already brothers, don’t say such cold things.” Yun Che gave off a hearty laugh as he looked at Yun Xiao’s emotional appearance. He sighed in his heart and thought, Yun Xiao, you may think that you are the one who owes me. But the people I saved are my very own birth parents, whereas your birth parents, along with your grandmother, died because of me. Your grandfather had to endure intense pain akin to his flesh being torn apart as he raised me under the most bitter of circumstances. Your little aunt became my most gentle spiritual support in my youth. And even you, you had to bear such humiliation and indifference for twenty two years. All because of me…
If you want to talk about owing someone, it is I who owe you. What I owe your family… Can never ever be repaid… The only thing I can do is to make sure that you are no longer bullied or humiliated and to allow you, Grandfather and Little Aunt to reunite, while also finding the true culprit behind my foster father’s death… And that is all I can really do…
“Let’s go, your parent’s meridians have already been unobstructed, so we can begin to process of ridding their bodies of the cold poison.” Yun Che said as he strode towards the door.
“Ah? Now?” Yun Xiao said worriedly, “But Big Brother, you just fainted from over-exhaustion and you have only just awakened. What if you get hurt due to exhaustion? Why don’t you rest first and then begin again tomorrow? There’s no hurry really.”
“Do I look exhausted to you?” Yun Che stretched and twisted his neck, then sternly declared, “I already said this, but your parents are now my parents as well. And seeing that your mother’s condition is already precarious, even if you are willing to wait until tomorrow, I am not. Let’s go.”
“Ah… Ok.”
Both of them pushed open the door of the main hall together and strode in side by side. They saw Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou sitting there, smiling at the both of them. Yun Xiao wore a slightly embarrassed expression and said with a small laugh, “Father, Mother, did you hear everything Big Brother and I said a while ago?”
The only thing that separated the two rooms was a wall that was not thick at all. Moreover, the volume they used just now was not soft, so even if it was a normal person, he or she could have heard everything clearly.
“Hoho, we did not miss a single word.” Yun Qinghong said as he laughed gently, “Xiao’er, congratulations on gaining such a fine older brother. Even I can feel that Yun Che has not even a single iota of ill-intent towards our family. And as for the so-called reason, it actually isn’t even important anymore.”
Mu Yurou’s eyes were watery as she said softly, “Husband, since they have already become sworn brothers, what say we accept this child as our foster son?”
Yun Qinghong laughed heartily, “If we could have such an illustrious and exceptional son, it would of course be perfect. But as to this, why don’t we see what Yun Che has to say first.”
Yun Che’s chest swelled up violently. He took a step forward and immediately kneeled on the ground, “Your child Yun Che greets Foster Father and Foster Mother.”
Mu Yurou and Yun Qinghong shared a glance as a joyous and delighted smile appeared on both their faces. Yun Qinghong clasped both his hands lightly and he sighed in a clearly emotional manner, “Good… Good… I, Yun Qinghong, have resented the heavens for these past few decades. But today, today can be counted as some compensation towards our family, to allow us to have yet another son.”
“Child, stand up, the floor is cold. Mu Yurou stood up and gently raised Yun Che up. Looking at her warm gaze which seemed to melt everything, Yun Che nearly lost control of himself and said in an emotional voice, “Can I… not address you as Foster Father and Foster Mother, and call you Father and Mother instead, like Yun Xiao?”
Once he had said those words, Yun Che immediately regretted it… It was merely a day, but he had become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao and recognized them as foster parents. These actions in and of themselves were way too impulsive. And these words he had just uttered were impulsive beyond belief. He hurriedly explained, “Since a young age, my birth parents had left me. And the foster parents who had taken me in soon left the world not long after I had been born. I was too young to even remember their faces and it was always Grandfather who had raised me into adulthood. So I don’t even know the feeling of being able to call someone Father or Mother, so…”
Yun Che’s words inadvertently pierced Mu Yurou’s heart. Her eyes instantly became hazy as she answered, “You are truly such a pitiful child… Che’er, as long as you don’t mind, we will be your father and mother from now on. And we will love and cherish you as though you are our very own. You can call us whatever you like.”
Yun Qinghong also lightly nodded his head.
Yun Che’s heart violently jumped and he knelt down once again. He gazed at them as he shouted softly, “Father… Mother…”
Even though he tried his best to control his voice, when he called out those two words, they still carried a heavy tremble.
This was the first time in both of his lives, the first time he was yelling out these two words which were beyond familiar to most people… Moreover, the ones he were addressing them to were his very own birth parents.
I am finally someone who also has parents now… Yun Che closed his eyes, basking in the feeling of being able to greet his parents. At this moment, he felt like his life had instantly gotten closer to completion, and the hole that had always quietly existed in his heart, the feeling that he was lacked something, vanished as well. It was also in this moment that he truly understood what it was that he lacked all this while…
Chapter 508 - Twenty Five Years Ago…
“Good child…” Mu Yurou mumbled softly as she supported Yun Che. Her eyes were completely hazy and her tears instantly poured out.
“Ah!” After seeing his mother suddenly tear up, Yun Xiao was shocked, and he hurriedly rushed over, “Mother, what is the matter? This is a joyous occasion, why are you crying all of a sudden?”
Mu Yurou shook her head and she tried using her hand to wipe her tears, but the tears simply would not stop flowing as her eyes soon turned completely red. She said in a voice that was choked with emotion, “I am alright. Maybe it’s because I have another son now, so I am too happy…”
When Yun Che called her ‘Mother’, she could feel her heart fiercely shake, and her tears started streaming down uncontrollably; even she could not explain why this was so.
“Ah, your mother, her most unique characteristic is that she loves to cry. When she was young she used to cry once every two days and wail once every three. Even after she became a mother, she still retained her love for crying. Hoho.” Yun Qinghong laughed as he shook his head while giving Mu Yurou a look filled with affection and love. He guessed that it was from the moment Yun Che had uttered “since a young age, my birth parents had left me” that her heartstrings had been pulled… All these years, every time she thought of that child, she had shed a rainstorm of tears.
Mu Yurou wiped her tears and rolled her eyes at Yun Qinghong. She said with a small pout, “I have just become Yun Che’s mother but you chose to tease me right in front of him. Just wait for Xiao’er and Che’er to leave first and then you’ll see how I will take care of you… Che’er, don’t believe his words, I was just too overjoyed. Hurry, get up.”
Yun Qinghong straightened his shoulders and said in a merry voice, “We now have yet another son. This is a momentous happy occasion. No matter what, we should have a few drinks today. Che’er, you haven’t eaten anything today, so you should be starving. Let’s go, let this old man first drink his fill, hahahaha!”
Yun Qinghong laughed uninhibitedly, and it was obvious that he was in an extremely good mood. But Yun Che shook his head and replied, “As long as Father is willing, I will gladly accompany you. However, at the moment, we must attend to a more important manner, and that is the cold poison which is still within the both of you. Especially the cold poison that remains within Mother… this is the most pressing matter currently. Let me get rid of the cold poison within both your bodies first.”
“You were already so tired before. Don’t force yourself, I will be alright. Regarding getting rid of the poison, we can deal with it tomorrow.” Mu Yurou said in a gentle voice.
But Yun Che shook his head without hesitation, “This is a huge matter which concerns Mother’s health and safety. I am not willing to delay any treatment.”
Yun Qinghong nodded his head gently, “Che’er seems to have recovered most of his mental strength, and what he says is undeniable. Good! Let us follow Che’er’s suggestion.”
“Yun Xiao, why don’t you get some rest first. You’re still suffering from your injuries and you’ve been running around for the entire day. If you don’t get some rest soon, not only will your injuries not stabilize, they might even worsen.” Yun Che told him with a serious expression.
Yun Xiao had actually been enduring the stress that his wounds were giving his body all this while. He did not force the issue. Due to the fact that he also had extremely great confidence in Yun Che, he nodded matter-of-factly, and replied, “Okay, I will go rest first then. Big Brother, I leave Father and Mother in your capable hands.”
Once Yun Xiao left, Yun Che did not delay any further, and swiftly began the process of expelling the poison from Mu Yurou’s body. He asked Mu Yurou to sit up straight, then, he took out the box of long silver needles which Yun Xiao had brought along. He held ten of these silver needles in one hand and with a light flick of his fingers, all the needles flew out silently. They pierced Mu Yu Rou’s clothes easily, penetrating her body.
When Yun Che had lifted the hand with the needles, Yun Qinghong’s eyes jumped and he involuntarily opened his mouth and raised his hand. But before any sound emerged from his mouth, his entire body stiffened up as he stared in shock at the spots where the ten needles were inserted… Those were clearly the ten core acupoints located on the back of any profound practitioner.
Normal doctors would not only require their patients to disrobe so they could ascertain the locations of these acupoints before they could perform acupuncture, but they also needed to insert the needles one by one in a most careful and prudent manner. But Yun Che did this all with clothes covering the body. Not only that, he inserted all ten needles at the same time. And every single one of those needles unerringly hit their mark… This could only be described to be a god-like skill.
Yun Che kept switching his position. The five fingers on his right hand seemed to dance and weave in an illusory fashion. After a short period of time, one hundred silver needles had been inserted into Mu Yurou’s body. During this whole process, not only did she not hear a single thing, she didn’t even feel the slightest hint of pain.
The cold poison within Mu Yurou’s and Yun Qinghong’s body had settled in far too deeply, so Yun Che could not use the Sky Poison Pearl directly to cleanse it. Instead he had to use profound energy to direct it, using the silver needles as a medium, in order to draw the cold poison out of various parts of the body. It was only after this that he could swiftly cleanse the cold poison using the Sky Poison Pearl. Moreover, it was easy to use words to describe the method, but undertaking it was incomparably difficult and slow.
After inserting all the silver needles, Yun Che sat behind Mu Yurou. His palm pressed against the middle of her back, while he slowly and gently infused his profound energy into her.
Yun Qinghong did not leave, instead he witnessed every single movement that Yun Che made as well, as every slight change that was happening to Mu Yurou. He wanted to see just how Yun Che could expel the cold poison which various famous genius doctors thought was impossible to do so.
After a whole four hours passed in silence, a deep blue color slowly appeared on the inserted one hundred and nine silver needles… The deep blue color was dull, but when it was gazed upon, one’s entire body would filled with a kind of dread which made them shiver all over. Yun Qinghong’s gaze froze and he couldn’t help but let out a low sigh, “Could it be that this is actually…”
After he mumbled these few words to himself, he immediately quietened down, so as to not disturb Yun Che. It was at this moment that Yun Che opened his eyes and said, “That is right, this is the cold poison that is within Mother’s body.”
After he finished speaking, Yun Che removed his palm from Mu Yurou’s body. In the instant that he removed his palm, it flared with a flash of green light. All of a sudden, the deep blue color on the needles vanished completely. The poison had been cleansed so deeply that nothing remained. In contrast, Mu Yurou’s eyes closed as she descended into sleep.
“Does this mean that you have already succeeded?” Yun Qinghong said as he struggled to restrain his excitement.
Yun Che shook his head and replied, “Not yet, the cold poison that I drew out just now was only a tiny portion of what is in her body. The cold poison has circulated within Mother’s body for over twenty years and it has embedded itself too deeply. We cannot be greedy and advance rashly. Even though I only drew out a small portion, it was still unavoidable that it would also carry some part of Mother’s vitality with it. Because Mother lost some of her vitality, she grew tired and fell asleep. But do not worry Father, this loss of vitality was not heavy. As long as we proceed at a slow pace, there will be no lasting damage done to Mother’s body and she can quickly recover any vitality she has lost.”
Having suffered from the cold poison for over twenty years, both of them had long ago become intimately familiar with this deadly cold poison. And at this moment, Yun Qinghong could clearly tell that the cold yin energy in Mu Yurou’s body had lessened by twenty percent. Following this, his last suspicions regarding Yun Che vanished into thin air as well. What remained was only a heart filled with delight, hope, and admiration. In regards to Yun Che, Yun Qinghong was rendered speechless by his overwhelming gratitude and astonishment. He could only nod his head heavily while his eyes moistened.
“Father, allow me to regulate my breathing first. After that, I will begin to help you expel the cold poison.” Yun Che said with a relaxed expression.
“I am in no rush. Do not over-exhaust yourself because of us.” Yun Qinghong said in a light tone. Even though he was extremely suspicious over why Yun Che would treat his family of three in such a grand fashion, he could not detect the slightest bit of falseness in Yun Che’s sincerity and heartfelt concern towards them.
After staying quiet for a little while, Yun Che’s mental energy had recovered by more than half. He once again opened his eyes and hurriedly said, “Father, I can feel that within Mother’s heart, that there is some sort of great frustration. Her wounds and poison are not as deep as Father’s but her physical condition is way worse than yours. This emotional torment is one of the reasons for it… The thing that is troubling Mother… What is it? I want to know if there is any way… any way that I can help… share this burden.”
“Ah.” Yun Qinghong let out a lengthy sigh. “Now that’s a long story. She does indeed have a pent-up frustration in her heart. And in these past twenty odd years, she has never once truly smiled from her heart.”
Yun Qinghong did not continue after this. Yun Che unwittingly bit his lips. After that, he said in a gentle tone, “Even though I have just reached the Demon Imperial City, I have also heard rumors that Yun Xiao is actually not the biological son of you and Mother. Is this… really true? I am merely curious, and at the same time, I am indignant on behalf of Yun Xiao. If I have asked an inappropriate question, please do not be offended by it, Father.”
Yun Qinghong shook his head and laughed dully, “This matter is actually known by the entire Illusory Demon Realm. There is nothing inappropriate about saying it in front of me.” He stopped for a moment as he hesitated momentarily. He quickly came to a decision, and continued in frustrated voice, “Perhaps I should find someone whom I can pour out my heart to about this matter. Xiao’er is already an adult, but there are some things we have always been hiding from him. However, this concerns his life and his origins, he should know about it. It’s just that we have not found a suitable time to speak to him… You and Xiao’er have become sworn brothers, and in the future you will definitely be a huge help to him. Perhaps I should confide in you first, so this will be better for Xiao’er in the long run.”
Yun Che raised his head, “Father is saying…”
Yun Qinghong gently said, “It is as the rumors say. Xiao’er, he… truly is not our biological son.”
Yun Che, “…”
“I think that you have also heard the rumor that he actually comes from the Profound Sky Continent… This rumour is also true.” Yun Qinghong gave Yun Che a sidelong glance as he watched his reaction. For him to tell all of this to Yun Che was definitely not done in impetuousness. Those from the Illusory Demon Realm bore an extremely deep ill will towards the people of the Profound Sky Continent. The fact that Yun Xiao was actually from the Profound Sky Continent would also inevitably come to light one day… Besides there were already some people who had long uncovered most of the truth; it was only the final remnant which they doggedly guarded that was left to protect him. Yun Che and Yun Xiao had just become sworn brothers. If he also held malice towards people from the Profound Sky Continent, then to let him know about this matter right now was far and away better than letting him know that later.
But he immediately discovered that Yun Che did not seem to care about this revelation in the least. Instead, he asked in a straightforward manner, “Could it be that Yun Xiao is a child from the Profound Sky Continent that you took in?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head and directed his gaze outside the window as his gaze grew misty and distant, his memories bringing him back to that unforgettable time, “Twenty-five years ago, your mother and I decided to use the Yun Family secret device to travel to the Profound Sky Continent to rescue my missing father. We decided to stake all we had on this one throw and we entered the Profound Sky Continent.”
“In the Profound Sky Continent, we attempted to infiltrate a place called Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, but we were discovered by our opponents. Our power and influence was meager there, so we had no choice but to flee. In the midst of fleeing, I used my Profound Handle’s ability to invade the soul and I discovered that my father was not dead from one of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region’s members. Instead, he was secretly locked up in one of the seven nations of the Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation, in a place known as the Heavenly Sword Villa. So we evaded the pursuit of the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region and we traveled a huge distance before we finally reached that Blue Wind Nation.”
“And after we had just landed in Blue Wind Nation, I got to know… The best brother I have ever had in this life.”
Yun Che, “…”
“…It was in the eastern region of the Blue Wind Nation, in a place not far from a city known as Floating Cloud City.” Even though over twenty years had passed and ‘Floating Cloud City’ was a little-known name in the Profound Sky Continent, it was still engraved in his heart. “The way he and I met was a complete coincidence. At the time he seemed to have travelled outside to train and he encountered a bunch of villains who were roughing up a girl. He stood up for her with no hesitation but his profound cultivation was not high and he was heavily outnumbered, so it quickly turned into a situation where he was defeated by the bandits as well… Your mother and I treaded very carefully while we were in the Profound Sky Continent, and we never poked our nose into other people’s business. But when I witnessed the resolute and unyielding character of this man after he had been defeated and was being held under the blades of those bandits, I could not help but get myself involved and I routed those scoundrels.”
“And this… Senior, what was his name?” Yun Che did his utmost to say this in the calmest tone possible.
“He was called Xiao Ying.”
Yun Che “…”
“So that was how we met, and after interacting with him for a while, I discovered that even though his profound strength was poor, he was filled with righteousness and had a firm and unyielding character. It was impossible to not like such a man. Moreover, his temperament was highly compatible with my own. At first, I thought that I had only rescued a passerby, but once we struck up a conversation, we began feeling an immense regret that we did not meet sooner. At that time, Yurou had been injured and I reminded Xiao Ying that the two of us were being pursued, and we could meet great danger at any time. However, he did not display the slightest hint of rejection towards use, and instead, had even helped us find an extremely good place to hide away and recover.”
“In the period that Yurou was recovering from her injuries, Xiao Ying would visit us every single day. And without fail, he would bring along good wine and good food as well. He asked me to instruct him about the way of the profound, and I asked him regarding what was happening in the Profound Sky Continent. As time passed along, we increasingly felt that we were extremely compatible with each other, and not long after, we exchanged our vows under the moon and became sworn brothers.”
Yun Qinghong let out a long sigh, “I, Yun Qinghong, had never imagined that the closest and most intimate friend I would have in this life, whose heart intersected with mine, would actually hail from the most hated Profound Sky Continent.”
“We stayed at that place for three months. And it was during those three months that Yurou had unexpectedly become pregnant… At that time your mother and I did not know of this. After Yurou had fully recovered from her injuries, we bade farewell to Xiao Ying, took the map he had personally drawn for us, we headed towards that Heavenly Sword Villa, the place where my father was locked up.
“But what we did not expect was that there had already been a trap laid there long ago, merely waiting for us to appear so they could spring it. As we drew nearer to Heavenly Sword Villa, we were surrounded and attacked by strong individuals from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region. And all of those who attacked us were peak-level experts. Even though your mother and I had managed to escape somehow in the end, we both suffered injuries… And after that, we were relentlessly pursued by Mighty Heavenly Sword Region.”
“But of course, your mother and I were definitely not weak, and in the entire Profound Sky Continent there were very few individuals who could detain us. Even though the pursuit of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region put us in a difficult situation, it was not enough to kill us. However, after a few months, besides Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, another group of people began pursuing us as well. They caught us off guard and we fell into their poison formation, causing us to be inflicted. Both of our bodies were invaded by a deadly poison that we were unable to expel with profound energy… That deadly poison is the cold poison present in our bodies right now.”
“At that time, Yurou had already begun to appear pregnant, and she knew that she was indeed with child. In order to not allow the deadly poison to harm the child in her womb, she put in all her effort to drive the poison into her own organs, and for a whole six months, she endured heart-drilling pain night and day…”
Yun Che, “!!!!”
Chapter 509 - Secret Vow
“What happened after that?” Yun Che’s hands tightened quietly as he asked in an urgent tone.
“After that… Your mother and I were tolerably dealing with the pursuit from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region and had been continuously looking for a chance to return to Heavenly Sword Villa to find my father, but after another party suddenly joined in the pursuit and we were struck by the cold poison. All of this, in addition to Yurou’s pregnancy and the fact that she did not dare to use too much profound energy, caused our escape route to become incomparably difficult and treacherous. At that time, we didn’t even dare hope that we could return to the Heavenly Sword Villa because even preserving our own lives had become exceptionally difficult. I protected Yurou, while she protected the child inside her womb. Till the child’s birth half a year later, we doggedly resisted against all odds.”
“We had been married for several decades and now we finally had a child. But we could not feel any joy because our child was born in the midst of great danger. What pained your mother and I the most was that despite Yurou’s best efforts, the cold poison had invaded our child’s body. And the only comfort we had left to us was that the six months of pain Yurou had endured to protect this child did bear some fruit, the cold poison in our child was very shallow and it was not enough to take his life immediately…”
As he said this, Yun Qinghong’s face did not show the slightest hint that he was comforted. He closed his eyes and sighed sorrowfully, “But we were unable to force it outside the child’s body. As we were left with no other options, your mother and I were forced to make a most painful choice… We used profound energy to force that slight amount of cold poison into his immature profound veins. After which, we would use lightning profound energy to destroy the cold poison, but at the same time…. we also completely destroyed his profound veins.”
“…” Yun Che’s chest violently heaved. In this moment, he had found out that his crippled profound veins was not the result of someone’s attack but it was… because of the cold poison!
Even though more than twenty years had passed, every time he thought of it, Yun Qinghong’s expression would become clouded with pain. To personally destroy his own child’s profound veins was akin to destroying his child’s entire life, and the pain of doing so was ten million times worse than his own crippling. He sighed while continuing, “That child had just been born and his profound veins had not even grown yet. For them to be crippled at that age, he would’ve been condemned to be a cripple for his entire life… But, that was the only way for us to protect his life at that time. If not, once the cold poison had spread, he might not even have lasted seven days.”
“I know…” Yun Che said in a soft voice, “That after that child has grown up, he will definitely understand your difficult situation and he definitely will not blame you.”
Yun Qinghong shook his head in response, “It’s just a pity that though we managed to preserve his life, even to this day, we have never had the chance to see him again. Because twenty years ago, we had left him in the Profound Sky Continent.”
What happened afterwards, Yun Che already more or less knew. He quietly and attentively listened to Yun Qinghong recount his tale…
“We desperately fled with our child. We fled directionlessly, until one day we came across a very familiar place. We entered a small city, and unexpectedly met my sworn brother, Xiao Ying. It was then we found out that it was the Floating Cloud City he lived in. At that time, we were covered in blood, and we had used up our profound energy to its very last drop. We had already prepared ourselves for imminent death, but after meeting Brother Xiao Ying, he berated me. He said that if we didn’t want our child to grow up without any parents, we had to desperately protect our lives and escape from this place. After that, he arranged for a large amount of clothing, food, and medicine to be prepared for us in the shortest amount of time. He also drew a map for us, and instructed us on the best escape route and safest haven for us to conceal ourselves in…”
“We were extremely unfamiliar with the Profound Sky Continent, and when we had fled all those other times, it was as though we were headless chickens running amok. With the instruction and help of Brother Xiao Ying, we successfully shook off the people who were pursuing us and hid under a waterfall… If not for Brother Xiao Ying’s help and instruction, we wouldn’t have escaped and it was would’ve been impossible for us to continue surviving. Our lives were preserved entirely due to his efforts… Even to the point where, during the time he sheltered us, he secretly swapped his newborn son for our own when we were unaware. It was only after we put in all effort into fleeing and we found the safe haven that we discovered this…”
Yun Che, “…”
“Truth be told, after meeting Brother Xiao Ying, I had thought of leaving the child to him before Yurou and I went to meet our deaths, but I was deeply afraid that this would cause a calamity to engulf Xiao Ying’s entire family. However, I did not expect for Brother Xiao Ying, in an effort to preserve our family line, to secretly swap both our sons…” Yun Qinghong shut both his eyes as the corners of his eyes trembled uncontrollably, “For I, Yun Qinghong, to have such a brother in this life, is the greatest gift ever bestowed to me by the heavens.”
“So this means that your own child was left in the Profound Sky Continent, in that place called Floating Cloud City, and that Uncle Xiao’s child… is actually Yun Xiao?” Yun Che asked lightly.
‘Yes…” Yun Qinghong gently nodded as he replied, “This is the truth behind Xiao’er’s origins. After we had broken away from our pursuers, we did think of returning to Floating Cloud City, but at that time, both of us suffered great injuries while also suffering from the cold poison. As a result, we were on our last legs and left only with a sliver of our previous strength. If we had returned to Floating Cloud City hastily and exposed ourselves, not only would we die, we would also bring a huge calamity upon Xiao Ying and his family. So the only thing left for us to do would be to commit all of our energy to surviving… No matter what, we had to protect his child. At that time I understood very well that Brother Xiao Ying swapped our sons to not only protect our bloodline, but to also stimulate our will to life to the point where we would give it our all.”
“So how did you escape in the end?” Yun Che asked.
“Our Yun Family has a secret device which we can use to step across space, but every time we use it, we would need to wait for another three years before it can be used it again. Three months after we had successfully hidden ourselves from our pursuers, the secret device regained its strength and we were able to return to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“If you had a secret device which could directly transport you to the Profound Sky Continent, why didn’t you use it again to go back there and find your own child?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head and laughed lifelessly, “After being invaded multiple times by the people from the Illusory Demon Realm, the powers in the Profound Sky Continent had set up an extremely powerful net of defenses and alerts. We could indeed use the secret device again, but once we entered the Profound Sky Continent, we would have been found out immediately. We had already been crippled by then; if we had used the secret device, we would only be going to our deaths. As for the others… Why would they risk it all just for our child? Thus, we could only treat Xiao’er as our own flesh and blood in order to conceal the truth of his origins… But the descendents of the Yun Family all possess a profound handle which exists within their bloodline. As he grew up, more and more people came to doubt his status as our true son, and he had to grow up under the weight of unceasing reproach… We had long ago known that this would happen, but there was nothing that we could do.”
Yun Che had more or less figured out the truth of what happened all those years ago in these last few years. But after listening to Yun Qinghong give his own recount of those events, he felt as if a tidal wave of emotion had washed over him, and making it hard for him to keep calm. The ambitions of the Four Great Sacred Grounds had caused the Demon Emperor’s clan to suffer greatly, and at the same time these ambitions also caused great tragedy to befall both the Yun and Xiao families. The lives of both him and Yun Xiao had also been completely turned on its head due to these events.
“…For you to tell me all of this, is it in hopes of a future where Yun Xiao and I venture forth together to the Profound Sky Continent, so we can find his real family?” Yun Che asked in a low voice.
Yun Qinghong gently nodded his head and replied, “Even though I do not know why you have treated our family with such kindness, I can tell from the good things that you have done for Yun Xiao and the way you called us Father and Mother, that there isn’t a trace of falseness or hypocrisy within your heart. And while I still have too many suspicions about you myself, I can’t seem to reject you whatsoever in any way. Instead, there seems to be a kind of… indescribable intimacy and trust that I feel towards you.” He gave a small chuckle, as though he was enjoying this strange sensation, “Because Xiao’er is suspected of being from the Profound Sky Continent, he has been rejected and excluded by everyone else and he never had any friends since he was young. This year, he is going to be twenty-two, yet you are the only one who has ever been willing to be brothers with him… Even though I have said all of these things and have put you in a rather difficult position, Xiao’er’s talent is not first-rate, so the only one who can help him return to the Profound Sky Continent and reacquaint him with his ancestral lands is you. Because it is only fitting for him to return there one day, as that is where his home truly is, and Xiao Ying’s family is surely there, eagerly waiting for his return…”
“…Then do the two of you, miss your own child?” Yun Che asked in a voice so low it could barely be heard.
Yun Qinghong squeezed both of his eyes shut, answering in a voice that sounded as light as the wind, “As for myself, I can still cope. Because I fully trust that my brother Xiao Ying will definitely not mistreat my son, as long as Brother Xiao Ying is around, not only will he not suffer from any ill treatment, he will definitely be living an extremely happy life. On this matter I can be sure. But as for Yurou, she… All these years, she has been missing our son every day and night, and she has shed an ocean of tears over him. To the point where she sometimes cries in her sleep until she wakes up… She keeps thinking about whether our son is alright and because his profound veins were crippled, she keeps worrying over whether he is being bullied or mocked. At the same time, she also blames and hates herself… And even after all these years, not only did her worries not lessen, the frustrations in her heart grew heavier and heavier. As a result, she keeps falling ill these past few years. Other people all think it is because the cold poison keeps flaring up, but only I know the truth, that it is her grief which leaves her bedridden. The only thing supporting her right now is Xiao’er. She treats Xiao’er as her very own flesh and blood, and even better than that, all in the hopes that our own child will receive the very same treatment that Xiao’er receives.”
………………
………………
By the time he completed the process of expelling the poison within Yun Qinghong’s body, the sky had already turned dark. Under the aftereffects of the expulsion of the cold poison, Yun Qinghong and his wife had drifted off into a deep slumber. Yun Che exited the room and stood in the middle of the courtyard. He raised his head as he gazed at the incomplete moon which had long ago risen into the sky. The night breeze brushed past his face, rustling the hair which fell across his forehead.
“Why don’t you just tell them who you really are? You have so many ways to prove that you are actually their son… blood test, Profound Handle, the Mirror of Samsara, any of these things will do!” Jasmine asked in a bland voice.
“…Now is not the right time yet.” Yun Che silently gazed at the scenery in front of him, “At least, it is completely unfair to Yun Xiao.”
“The right time? Hmph, so what are you intend to do next?”
Yun Che raised his head once more and a cold light flashed in his eyes, “Since fate has seen fit to bring me to this place and has also allowed me to find my true family and my birth parents, then I must definitely do all that I can… All those years ago, Grandfather severed his own life vein in order to allow me to escape that place. My life was bought using Grandfather’s life, I will help him carry out his wishes and will!”
“Grandfather was left to rot and die for one hundred years, all for the sake of the Demon Royal Family, but all he got in return was recrimination, and even the rest of the Yun Family was implicated in his ‘crimes’… On what grounds do they have to do that?!” Yun Che gritted his teeth in anger, “Because of the Demon Royal Family, I lost Grandfather. Because of Grandfather, my father and mother became crippled for over twenty years and received the same disdain that I received all those years ago when I was crippled as well… I am the grandson of Yun Canghai, the son of Yun Qinghong, and while the both of them possess an unshakeable loyalty to the Illusory Demon Royal Family… I do not!! All I can see is the immense debt that they owe my family!! What the Illusory Demon Royal Family owes my grandfather, owes my parents and owes me… I want them… to pay back it a thousand times over!!”
Chapter 510 - Hidden Flowing Lightning, Extreme Mirage Lightning
Jasmine made a petulant noise, “Aren’t you getting into character rather quickly? Even though they are your parents, at the moment, they are essentially mere passersby who share a blood relationship with you! Before today, you did not even have any interaction with these people before, but now you want to risk your life for them?”
Yun Che calmly stated, “This family relationship thing turned out to be a lot greater than I had previously thought. Yesterday, I had never even seen their faces before and we were perfect strangers. But today, a desire to protect them at all costs has uncontrollably birthed within me… This should be how humans instinctively react to their own family… An instinct which is engraved within our very blood.”
“Hmph!” Jasmine’s voice was filled with disdain, “That is merely because you have good luck and you have parents who are worth protecting. In this world, not all familial relations are so perfect, and there are some which will cause you to hate them to the core.”
Jasmine’s voice was clearly mixed with threads of dark hatred. This caused Yun Che to be stumped for words. He furrowed his brows as he asked, “Jasmine, I remember you telling me that you dearly loved your big brother, and that you also dearly loved your mother. So the meaning of your words…”
“Hah…” Jasmine laughed coldly, “Big Brother and Mother are the most important people to me in my entire life, but both of them are already dead. And as for that person… The person that I am forced to call “Royal Father’, one day, there will be reckoning… and I will kill him!!”
As Jasmine said these words, a bone-chilling killing intent was released, and it caused Yun Che’s entire body to seize up in an instant. Royal Father… That should be referring to her father. But when she mentioned her father, what was revealed was shockingly deeply-rooted hate and killing intent.
“You hate your father? Why?” Yun Che asked as he tried to probe further.
“That is nothing you need to be concerned about.” Jasmine replied coldly.
However, Yun Che refused to give up and frankly asked, “Your Royal Father… sounds like he is the king of some place, and if you are already so powerful, then this Royal Father of yours must be even more powerful right?”
Jasmine’s voice did not contain the slightest bit of emotion as she replied, “Do you want to know just how powerful he is? I can tell you… It is a power that you cannot even imagine.”
Yun Che rubbed his jaw and asked softly, “Could it be… The Divine Profound Realm of legends?”
“Divine Profound Realm?” Jasmine sneered as she laughed dully, “Have you ever heard of the term… Realm King?”
“Realm King? What sort of title is that?” Yun Che asked.
“Since you don’t know, then stop wasting my time asking these useless questions! Once you truly understand what the two words “Realm King” represents, then you will naturally know just how powerful that person is… However, no matter how strong he is, one day, I will definitely kill him!!”
Yun Che, “…”
……………………………………
So Yun Che stayed with the Yun Family from that time onwards, and he poured all his efforts and energy into helping Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou recover. After just five days of treatment, the cold poison in their body had been completely expelled and no trace of it was left. This caused the couple, along with Yun Xiao, to rejoice in tears. After that, it was time help their meridians, profound veins and body make a complete recovery. Under the miraculous effect of the Great Way of the Buddha coupled with Yun Che’s absolutely perfect medical skills, the two of them, who were previously crippled, recovered at a miraculous pace. Within ten days, Yin Qinghong could walk about freely and on the fifteenth day, his profound veins began to recover, and it enabled him to use the Profound Floating Technique for a short period of time…
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s had been weathering great storms and huge waves their entire lives, and their very existence was filled with valleys and peaks. But for the past few days, they felt as if they were living in a dream.
The matter of letting Yun Che stay with the Yun Family did not incite much disturbance within the Yun Family. The fact that Yun Che and Yun Xiao had become sworn brothers and that Yun Che had been taken in by Yun Qinghong and his wife spread very quickly throughout the Yun Family, but once they found out that his profound level was only at the Sky Profound Realm, nobody could even be bothered to care about what happened after. In order to prepare for the Family Competition and the Little Demon Empress’ One Hundred Year Reign Ceremony which was to take place after, everyone was scurrying about as they anxiously prepared for both events. This was especially true for those young disciples who were eager to make a name for themselves.
So it was like this, that one month passed peacefully as Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s meridians, profound veins, and body made a full recovery. As they celebrated with great joy, they also quietly began to recover their profound strength as well. Back in their prime, the couple had a reached a level of profound strength that far exceeded Yun Che, but Yun Che’s Great Way of the Buddha still had a powerful supplementary effect in helping them to recover their power. He also did not need to be spent and weary the entire day like he was during the previous month. He requested for a training room from Yun Xiao, and he began to spend all his free time increasing his own power.
The sky slowly turned dark as night quietly descended.
Ding!
A ‘Frozen End Illusory Mirror’ that was sixteen and a half meters in diameter expanded in the center of the expansive training room and it isolated all the noise within this room from the outside world. After repeatedly confirming that there was nobody trying to observe him in secret, he retrieved a jade scroll which released a dull luster from the Sky Poison Pearl. Clearly carved on the jade scroll were the three words “Extreme Mirage Lightning”.
This was the Extreme Mirage Lightning that Hua Minghai had delivered to his doorstep on his own initiative. At that time, because of his own scruples, he had not opened the scroll, but now that he was in another world and he did not even know when he was able to return to the Profound Sky Continent, he no longer had any reason to reject this profound movement skill which had an extremely strong ability to preserve one’s life.
Yun Che slowly browsed the jade strips. Following the touch of his fingers, profound energy moved forth and the profound art engraved there slowly entered his mind. Only now did he realize that Extreme Mirage Lightning was not just a pure movement skill, it consisted of two parts:
The first part was named Hidden Flowing Lightning.
Only the second part was called Extreme Mirage Lightning.
Extreme Mirage Lightning. This was Hua Minghai’s movement skill, a skill that even gods and devils could not fathom. And this Hidden Flowing Lightning caused an even greater joy to be birthed in Yun Che’s heart… It was astonishingly an incomparably powerful profound concealment skill!
When Hidden Flowing Lightning was performed, it allowed to user to suppress his profound energy aura within a range determined by the user, and it also allowed the user to display a profound energy that would seem far weaker than it actually was. But the most important thing was that once Hidden Flowing Lightning had been cultivated to its peak, it would allow the user to perfectly conceal his presence, to the point where even individuals who were far stronger than him would have extreme difficulty detecting.
And the power of Hidden Flowing Lightning had been perfectly and eloquently expressed by Hua Minghai himself. His ability to escape from the pursuit of the Divine Phoenix Sect relied completely on Extreme Mirage Lightning. But his ability to quietly infiltrate the Divine Phoenix Sect, which was littered with Overlords and overflowing with Thrones, definitely relied completely on this Hidden Flowing Lightning skill! Hua Minghai’s profound strength was in the later stages of the Emperor Profound Realm, but Divine Phoenix Sect had so many Overlords, yet not a single one was able to detect him. He was even able to enter their treasure room whilst they were unaware, and if not for the fact that Hua Minghai had carelessly activated a profound formation, Divine Phoenix Sect would not even have known that anyone had infiltrated their premises.
Yun Che recalled that the first time he interacted with Hua Minghai, he could not even detect a trace of his presence. It was only relying on those instincts cultivated by many years of constant vigilance that he could feel that someone was watching him.
“To allow you to be able to cause people who surpass you by an entire realm to not be able to detect your presence, this is practically a divine skill for a thief!” Yun Che exclaimed in his heart. After that, he swiftly focused his mind and heart as one as he began to comprehend Hidden Flowing Lightning’s profound formula.
There was a key difference between Hidden Flowing Lightning and Frozen Cloud Wall, Frozen End Illusory Mirror. The difference laid in the fact that the effect of the Frozen Cloud Wall and Frozen End Illusory Mirror was isolation. It could isolate strength, presence and sound. But Hidden Flowing Lightning allowed the user to block off his own presence, or even make it disappear, so its effect was concealment. Yun Che originally possessed the basic foundation that he practiced in the Azure Cloud Continent. Coupled with his strong comprehension ability, it only took him less than four hours to achieve full mastery of this endlessly mysterious profound formula within his heart. Following a rotation of his internal energy, the profound energy aura that his body exuded began to slowly weaken.
In four hours, he had achieved initial mastery of Hidden Flowing Lightning!
Yun Che had confidence that he needed at most half a month to get to Hua Minghai’s level.
As the night grew deeper and deeper, Yun Che continued to practice in silence for slightly more than six hours. The profound strength aura he exuded had dropped to middle stage Earth Profound Realm, and even if others were to sense him, they would not even feel that anything was out of place. At this time, Yun Che opened his eyes and bounced to his feet. He stretched out his hand and shouted in a low voice, “Hong’er, come out!”
Following a flash emitted by the scarlet sword mark on his arm, a beam of blood-red lightning resounded in Yun Che’s hand, after which, it transformed into the huge Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword. Under its terrifying weight, Yun Che’s arm dropped with a fierce abruptness, and there was a rumbling sound emitted beneath his feet as both his legs sank deeply into the ground… The initial Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword was already exceptionally taxing for Yun Che to control, but after Hong’er had completely consumed Dragon Fault, its weight had clearly increased by quite a bit.
Yun Che regulated his breathing. After a long period of time, he managed to hold the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword with a steady grip, and his legs could steadily stand on the ground without wobbling. Following his low cry, the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword began to dance in his hands. Suddenly, a storm was released, and it battered the surrounding Frozen End Illusory Mirror to the point where it was on the verge of collapse.
The grand ceremony was approaching fast, he needed to get used to the weight of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword in the shortest amount of time in order for him to be able to release the greatest amount of power.
“Awuh! Master is so annoying. I was clearly having such a nice nap, but you chose to wake me up! Wuu…” Hong’er said in a voice full of dissatisfaction. Within the round pearl in the middle of the sword, a mini Hong’er could be seen rubbing her drowsy eyes and patting her cheeks; she seemed to be very moody.
“I’ll go find something delicious for you to eat tomorrow. That should make up for this right?” Yun Che said as he gasped for breath.
Once these words came out of Yun Che’s mouth, Hong’er’s weary and drowsy eyes instantly lit up and became shiny. She exclaimed, “Really? Waaah! Master you must mean what you say okay! Master is indeed the best! Master, you definitely mustn’t forget about this tomorrow!!”
Yun Che could clearly hear the sound of Hong’er gulping down her saliva without ceasing. He had found out from Yun Xiao that there was a place in the Demon Imperial City that sold Sky Profound and even Emperor Profound swords. But because both continents used different currencies, he could only use Yun Xiao’s money. And the money that Yun Xiao had stashed away… could probably buy a Sky Profound Sword at best, but this should be enough to temporarily sate the hunger of this mischievous girl who only knew how to eat, sleep and play.
……………………………………
Time passed quickly as Yun Qinghong and his wife made a full recovery while Yun Che also practiced the Extreme Mirage Lightning. In the blink of an eye, yet another month passed by.
Tonight, Yun Che was not practicing. Instead, he chose to have a good night’s rest. By the time he woke up, the sky had already begun to brighten. He leaped off his bed and lifted his arm as light flashed from the Profound Handle on his arm. He mutely gazed at the Profound Handle for a while as the image of Yun Canghai emerged in his mind.
“Grandfather, don’t you worry. I definitely will not allow the Yun Family to fall into decline! And I definitely will not allow your reputation to be tarnished in the slightest bit!” Yun Che declared to himself in a low voice.
Even though Yun Che had gotten up at an early enough time, the Yun Family had long ago started to bustle with action.
Because today was the day of the Yun Family’s Family Competition!
Chapter 511 - Yun Family Competition
Yun Che arrived at Yun Qinghong’s courtyard and saw that he was in front of the arbors which were awash in verdant green. He was sitting on that rather old-fashioned wheelchair, and this wheelchair was being pushed by Yun Xiao. After he saw Yun Che, Yun Xiao hurriedly ran over to welcome him and said in a fervent tone, “Big Brother, for you to wake up so early today, were you disturbed by the noise? Oh right, today is the day of our Yun Family’s Family Competition, and it will start at nine o’clock. Will Big Brother want to go over and take a look later?”
“Of course I want to go have a look, I am very interested in this event. By the way, where is Mother?” Yun Che asked.
“Mother is still in her room.” Yun Xiao replied.
Yun Che nodded his head and said in a mild tone, “Why don’t you go and call for Mother, there are already sounds of fighting coming from the Sacred Cloud Arena, so we should be going over soon. I also have some words I want to tell Father in private.”
After two months of living together, Yun Xiao had practically deified this sworn brother of his within his own heart, so even though he was intensely curious on what Yun Che wanted to tell Yun Qinghong, he did not ask any further as he let go of the wheelchair, “Okay, I’ll go straight away.”
After Yun Xiao left, Yun Che faced forward, took out a small delicate jade tablet, and placed it in front of Yun Qinghong. He said in a whisper, “Father, this is for you.”
“Oh?” Yun Qinghong inclined his head. But after Yun Che opened up his lightly clenched fist and showed that jade tablet that rested within, Yun Qinghong, who was normally as tranquil as water, looked like he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. His eyes instantly widened by several times and he practically grabbed that piece of jade in a fluster. He used both hands to clasp the tiny jade tablet, and felt the presence being emitted by it. His hands began to violently tremble as he stammered, “This… This… This is…”
His head jerked up abruptly, and he gazed straight at Yun Che, “Che’er, this thing… How could it be on your person?! Where did you get it from?!”
Yun Che was not taken aback at all by Yun Qinghong’s violent reaction. If it was anyone else, that person would have completely lost control of their emotions. He calmly told Yun Qinghong, “Father, in less than two hours, the Family Competition will begin. Now is not the time to discuss the origins of this item. If Father can preserve his own position as Patriarch and re-establish your reputation, I will tell you all about its origin, down to the smallest detail.”
Yun Qinghong stared straight at Yun Che, his expression full of unrest. It was only after a long period of time that he finally calmed down and gently nodded his head, “Alright… But when the time comes, you must tell me everything that I wish to know, without withholding anything.”
“I will.” Yun Che nodded his head without hesitation. He looked at Yun Qinghong’s wrist, and asked to confirm, “Father, can the ‘Profound Sealing Buckle’ that you and Mother have, trick everyone?”
“Even though we cannot guarantee that it will be one hundred percent effective, in the eyes of everyone present, I have been a cripple for over twenty years, so they should not deliberately or meticulously examine my current state.” Yun Qinghong replied. “But those years ago, for your mother and I to keep on escaping from our pursuers, the contributions of these two Profound Sealing Buckles cannot be overestimated.”
As Yun Qinghong said this, he pulled on the sleeves of his robe, concealing what he was wearing on his arm.
Today was the day of the Yun Family Competition. Such a huge family event was occurring, but up to this very moment, the courtyard where the family head, Yun Qinghong, was in, was still quiet and lonely, and not even a single junior came to notify them. It could be seen how empty Yun Qinghong’s position of Patriarch was to the rest of the Yun Family. From Yun Che’s expression, Yun Qinghong could tell what he was thinking, so he laughed dully and said, “It doesn’t matter what world it is, profound strength always comes first. Who else would even pay attention to a cripple who is not long for the world, besides his own family and intimate friend. I am cripple, yet I get continue to retain the title of Patriarch for these past twenty odd years. That is solely due to the support of the Mu Family, and even this should be the very limits of what they can do as well.”
“Don’t tell me that they have so easily forgotten who it was that established the Yun Family, and who it was that commanded and guided the Yun Family to the very peak of the Illusory Demon Realm? If not for the bloodline of you Patriarchs, these clan members, could they even possess their current positions and glory?!” Yun Che’s brows sank heavily as he spoke. In the time that he had stayed in the Yun Family, his understanding of the current situation grew all the more clear. All these years, the Yun Family succession has only ever been passed down from the line of the initial Patriarchs. And these initial Patriarchs, in order to eliminate all struggles for succession, six thousand years ago, they set down a rule of sole inheritance through the generations. Each current Patriarch could only have one son, Yun Canghai was the only son and Yun Qinghong was his only son, and at the moment, Yun Qinghong, only had one son as well.
In every generation, the Yun Family Patriarch had been outstanding beyond compare, and it was this line of Patriarchs that allowed the Yun Family to become head of the Twelve Guardian Families; the very same families which shocked and awed the entire Illusory Demon Realm, to the point where they were an otherworldly existence second only to the Illusory Demon Imperial Family for thousands of years.
But now, in Yun Qinghong’s generation, the title of Patriarch had come to such a frivolous and lowly state.
Yun Qinghong shook his head and gave self-deprecatory laugh, “They will not think of these things. What they will pay attention to are only the things that will be beneficial to their own future… This can be said to be the instincts of a human being.”
“In Yun Family’s ten thousand year tradition of inheritance, the succession of the next Patriarch has never been about profound strength; it has always been decided by blood lineage! Every single member of the Yun Family should be extremely clear that even if you have become a cripple, you are still the only person who has the qualification to assume the mantle of Patriarch. But it seems like everyone has subconsciously forgotten this particular point.” Yun Che gave a cold and faint laugh, “Moreover, not only do they disregard your position as Patriarch because of your crippling, they do not even accord you the most basic respect or the slightest bit of importance. Yun Xiao, as the scion of the current Patriarch, is easily bullied by even common disciples within the Yun Family. And in regards to this huge event that is the Family Competition, in this period of two months, not even one person came to you to discuss it… I do not believe that the Yun Family, which was at its peak for so many years, are such a bunch of selfish and immoral people.”
Yun Qinghong gently closed his eyes and replied in an airy voice, “Regarding this competition, there really wasn’t any need to discuss it with me. Because this so-called Family Competition is only a pretense, the real motive is to get this cripple to relinquish his position. Because in one month’s time, it is the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony and this grand ceremony is certainly not common in the least. It is extremely likely that it will decide the direction that the entire Illusory Demon Realm will move in from now on. And even more than that, it will definitely decide the fates of the Twelve Guardian Families. The fate of the Yun Family especially, hangs in the balance. So at this critical juncture, for them to want to remove my position as Patriarch due to my crippling, can be said to be within reason. At first, I had already silently accepted this inevitable and impending result, but I never thought that I would meet you.”
Yun Qinghong gave a quiet laugh as his face filled up with melancholy.
Once Yun Xiao and Mu Yurou came out, they did not linger much longer. Soon after, Yun Xiao began to push the wheelchair Yun Qinghong was seated on, and the four of them gradually strolled towards the center of the Yun Family household, which was the venue of the Family Competition.
The true center of the Yun Family was where their ancestral monument, which constantly released a purple profound light, was erected. This ancestral monument was more than one hundred meters tall and the names of the Patriarch belonging to every single generation was engraved on its surface. And amongst these names, the most eye-catching one was ‘Yun Canghai, because to the right of this name were two words, ‘Demon King’, engraved in a fiery scarlet color.
Among the all the Patriarchs of the Yun Family, only Yun Canghai was accorded the rare honor of being called ‘Demon King’. And this was not only the personal glory of Yun Canghai alone, it was also the glory of all the generations of the Yun Family. But this glorious light, which caused the rest of the Guardian Families to feel incomparable jealousy and admiration, had descended into darkness at the speed of a falling star.
In front of the ancestral monument was a giant plaza, and this plaza was filled with seats that were spread out over the entire area. And at the heart of these seats, was a hundred meter tall square dias. This was the Sacred Cloud Arena, which the Yun Family used for their internal competitions. By the time Yun Che’s party of four had arrived, there were two young Yun Family disciples currently battling in the Sacred Cloud Arena.
The Family Competition would only officially begin in slightly more than an hour’s time, but there were a few Yun Family disciples who were unable to contain themselves anymore so they had already began to compete with one another.
Yun Che’s party had actually arrived reasonably early. Even though this place was already full of noise and commotion, most of the crowd came from the young disciples. When these young disciples saw Yun Qinghong and his wife, there were some who would come forward and pay their respects, but there were also some who directly moved away or directed their gaze towards the Sacred Cloud Arena, as if they did not see them at all. Yun Che swept his eyes across these Yun Family disciples and took note of their clothes… Basically they were all the children of the the elders in the Yun Family who held real power. They had never experienced glory days of the Yun Family when they were being led by Yun Canghai, and they did not witness how Yun Qinghong’s formidable might in those days had shocked and awed an entire generation of the Illusory Demon Realm’s outstanding heroes. In their eyes, they only saw a crippled individual who held a hollow title, someone who could not even compare to their seniors… and someone who was about to be stripped of the title of Patriarch. So they naturally did not condescend to pay their respects to Yun Qinghong and his wife.
Yun Qinghong had long ago become accustomed to this type of behavior. At this moment, in the Sacred Cloud Arena, two young Yun Family disciples were dueling. Both of them looked to be a match for each other, the sounds of their swords ringing out while purple lightning roiled about. Two orange Profound Handles closely clashed with one another, and endless waves of shouts and heckling rang out from below. Finally, one of the two duelists grabbed an opportunity and used a beam of lightning to strike down the other. This was followed up by the furious advance of the disciple’s Profound Handle as he knocked his opponent off the Sacred Cloud Arena.
The two disciples that were in the arena were young, but amongst the Yun Family disciples of the same age, they were definitely considered excellent. After he had finished watching the both of them compete, Yun Qinghong covertly shook his head as disappointment flashed across his face. He furtively inclined his head and said, “Xiao’er, go up there.”
“Ah?” Yun Xiao was caught off guard but he nodded his head and replied, “Yes!”
After speaking, Yun Xiao jumped up in one crisp movement and as purple light flashed in midair, he landed on the stage, his hand gripping a long sword which had a purple light coiled around it. This was the Emperor Profound sword that Yun Qinghong had bequeathed to him when he was eleven years old —— Galloping Lightning, and from then on he kept using this sword and it never left his side. Combined with the Yun Family core Profound Art ‘Purple Cloud Art’, it could exhibit an enormous amount of power.
“Brother Yun Qiu, please instruct me!” Yun Xiao tightly gripped Galloping Lightning as his gaze focused on his opponent. His expression was grave and sincere as he blocked out all the chaos and noise from his ears. All these years, as he grew up, the pressure of public opinion he had to bear and the suspicious glances thrown his way had only grown heavier and heavier, more and more numerous. But he had silently endured through all of this. For the sake of trying to bring credit to his parents, for the sake of gaining the strength to protect his parents in the future, he desperately trained… Despite not having a Profound Handle, he made up for it with his effort. Despite not having any resources, he compensated with even more effort.
The result of this was half-step Overlord at the tender age of twenty-two! Among the people his age, even though all the opponents he faced were Yun Family disciples who were innately born with a Profound Handle, he was still among the best. And no one knew how much effort and hardship he had put himself through.
All this time, he had always had his parents’ safety at heart, so he was never willing to compete with anyone. Even if he was bullied and humiliated, he merely endured and swallowed his own words, but today… It was time for him to finally showcase himself before his parents and before everyone else.
Seeing that the person who had suddenly jumped onto the stage and issued a challenge was Yun Xiao, Yun Qiu was taken by surprise. Because normally Yun Xiao would keep such a low-profile that he was no different from dust, and he had never appeared at competition before. His face immediately started to grow grave. Even though Yun Xiao was younger than him and he did not have a Profound Handle, he had heard that Yun Xiao was already half a step into the Tyrant Profound Realm. Moreover, he, like many other Yun Family disciples, had secretly mocked Yun Xiao numerous times regarding the matter of his blood lineage. So if he was defeated in public by someone who, not only did not have a profound handle, but was also universally mocked as well, it would be something that he would find hard to live down.
He immediately let out a low cry and tried to grab the initiative to draw first blood. His arm flashed and a chain of lightning flew out from his sword. At the same time, his Profound Handle materialized as a yellow-colored sharp sword which descended sharply through the air to pierce straight through Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao’s expression never wavered. The tip of his sword thrust forward and a similar chain of lightning flew through the air. But the chain of lightning which he released was exceptionally solid and concentrated, and it looked like an actual chain. Its surface even released a dense, sparkling purple light. The entire chain looked like it was made of purple crystals.
Just from looking at that chain of lightning alone, anyone could tell with a glance who had a better grasp of the Purple Cloud Art!
Two lightning chains entangled with one another, but within the span of a few breaths, Yun Qiu’s lightning chain broke with a snap. Yun Xiao did not take the opportunity to attack Yun Qiu with his lightning chain. Instead, it soared into the sky and smashed into the Profound Handle with an explosive roar, blasting the Profound Handle far away, after which, it simply disappeared in midair.
Yun Qinghong slowly nodded his head and he wore a quiet smile on his face that displayed his happiness.
Yun Qiu staggered back and forth for a few moments before he plopped to the ground on his buttocks while falling into a daze. His profound strength was not up to par with Yun Xiao’s but it was not far off either. So he had originally believed that, with the advantage of his Profound Handle, he would definitely not be easily defeated. He never expected that the Yun Xiao, who was always timid and cautious, who never dared to offend anyone and was perceived as somewhat cowardly, had cultivated his profound strength and the Purple Cloud Art to such a deep level. In the span of a few breaths, he had been completely suppressed and wiped all over the floor.
Chapter 512 - Coming Uninvited
“Yun Xiao? He actually took the initiative to enter the Sacred Cloud Arena? That certainly is a rare sight.”
“Did this guy take the wrong medicine today?”
“Heh, it is clear that he knows that his so-called position of ‘Young Patriarch’ is about to be taken away, so he wants to at least display some prowess to gain back some prestige.”
“Yun Qiu was defeated so easily? This Yun Xiao normally does not display his talent, but to think that he was actually this strong?”
“This is definitely because Yun Qiu had already defeated quite a few challengers beforehand, so he had exhausted a large amount of his profound energy! Even though Yun Xiao’s profound strength is slightly greater, without a Profound Handle, how could he defeat Yun Qiu in such a straightforward manner under normal circumstances?”
In regards to Yun Xiao’s easy victory over Yun Qiu, the Yun Family disciples were not only extremely shocked, they were also extremely upset. This was because, in their eyes, Yun Xiao was not even a member of their clan; he was some bastard who was picked up from the Profound Sky Continent, and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm knew about it. In the past, Yun Xiao had never participated in anything involving direct combat, but this time, he took the initiative to enter the stage and even beat Yun Qiu… To them, this was basically equivalent to their clan member being beaten up by an outsider, so they were naturally upset.
“Despite what he said in the past, looks like he is still hanging on to the name of ‘Young Patriarch’. But after today, heh, let’s see who will still protect him. For him to be kicked out of our family is only a matter of time, but he actually dares to try to steal our thunder at this time… See how I’ll beat him down!”
Another Yun Family disciple immediately vaulted onto the stage and stood in front of Yun Xiao. With an arrogant expression, he said, “Come, let us exchange pointers with one another!”
As his words fell, he exploded into motion and swept up all the shadows in the sky as tens of lightning sword beams interweaved to form a net of purple swords which rushed straight at Yun Xiao.
Yun Xiao’s expression was grave and he retreated half a step. With a single brandish of Galloping Lightning, seven lightning edges screamed forth. The sound of space tearing was akin to a knife cutting glass, it was extremely ear-piercing.
BANG BANG BANG BANG…
A succession of sounds that sounded like the shattering of crystals chaotically rang out together. At the same time, both Yun Xiao and his opponent were clashing together in the shadows cast by the lightning swords. And most of the Sacred Cloud Arena, which was several tens of meters in diameter, was immediately enveloped in a screen of lightning.
“The Great Elders have arrived!”
As the two people battled atop the stage, a shout rang out. Yun Che tilted his head to look and he saw more than thirty people flying towards them at a slow pace from different directions. Every single one of them exuded an indomitable and powerful aura from their body. None of them deliberately activated their profound energy aura, but because of their appearance, the surrounding space seemed to have been completely solidified.
Every single person in this group were all peak-level powerhouses who could shake the Illusory Demon World.
“These are the thirty six elders who comprise the core of our Yun Family’s Elder Council.” Yun Qinghong told Yun Che in a dry voice, “Among the thirty six core elders, the strongest is the Great Elder Yun Waitian. He is the head of the Elder Council, and for the past twenty odd years, his words have carried the highest weight.”
Yun Che slowly nodded his head. He also understood that the reason why Yun Waitian was the head of the Elder Council wasn’t just because his strength was the greatest or he had lived the longest, there was an even more important reason; his youngest son was Yun Xingyue, Yun Family’s greatest hope to rise to ascendancy once more!
He did not need Yun Qinghong to tell him; he could tell who was Great Elder Yun Waitian with a glance… because he had come together with Yun Xingyue.
The thirty six elders took their seats in proper succession. In regards to Yun Qinghong, some of them nodded their heads towards him. Others pretended not to see him and there were even those with complex emotions in their eyes. As the people who made up the Elder Council, they were the most clear on the events which were going to happen today… Because they were the ones who had come together to decide today’s events.
A elder who was ranked among the last of those in attendance passed by Yun Qinghong and whispered to him in a suppressed voice, “Qinghong, the real agenda behind today’s Family Competition, I believe you have already guessed it… the majority of the Elders have thrown their support behind Yun Waitian, even the three Grand Elders have also… Even though we are not content, we are powerless to change anything… Haah.”
Yun Qinghong laughed faintly and said just five words in a carefree manner, “Do not brood over it.”
That elder shook his head and didn’t speak any further. He sat down in his designated seat with a complex expression on his face.
At the very center of where all the Elders were seated, Yun Waitian had already taken his place, and Yun Xingyue was seated at his right hand side. A junior was actually seated with the rest of the Elders, but not a single person felt that it was inappropriate. Just from that, it could be seen how esteemed and important Yun Xingyue was to the Yun Family.
As the two people in the Sacred Cloud Arena continued to duel, they had reached a momentary deadlock, but Yun Xiao was beginning to steadily gain the advantage. After seeing Yun Xiao actually enter the Sacred Cloud Arena and exchange blows with the Yun Family disciples, the various elders displayed astonished and complicated expressions. Yun Waitian first flicked a glance at Yun Xiao, who was on stage, and then slanted his eyes towards Yun Qinghong. He gave a cold snort, expressing his contempt. He then turned his gaze to his own son and his face immediately swelled up with pride.
Over twenty years ago, Yun Qinghong was the most celebrated son of Demon Imperial City, and was the youngest ever Monarch in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm. His light was simply too dazzling, and even though Yun Waitian was more than fifty years his senior, he could only look up at Yun Qinghong… But who could have expected for there to be such a dramatic reversal of fortunes. The person who he could only look up at and envy in the past had become a cripple, and it was common knowledge that his ‘son’ was not even his own. He then thought of his current position and status within the Yun Family, and thought of his own son, and he felt a kind of superiority that was simply way too refreshing.
“Hahahaha!”
A burst of candid laughter suddenly rang out and in the sky. A huge figure appeared out of nowhere, and an earsplitting voice which carried a hint of brashness rang out, “Mu Family’s Mu Yubai has specially come to join this Yun Family gathering!”
None of the Yun Family thought that it was strange for Mu Yubai to pay them a visit at this time. They were well aware of the purpose for his visit, and they had also prepared well beforehand to deal with his intrusion. And after seeing that only Mu Yubai had come, the various elders all sighed silently in relief. All of them stood up one after another, because in a few decades, Mu Yubai would naturally succeed the position of Mu Family’s Patriarch, and his status would be greater than all those present, so they naturally got up to greet him. Yun Waitian stood up, clasped his hands, and said, “Young Patriarch Mu’s arrival is most delightful and welcome, please have a seat.”
“No need.” Mu Yubai waved his hand, “I’ll just choose a seat on my own.”
Having said that, his body flashed and he instantly appeared at Yun Qinghong’s side. After that he sat down in a grand and ostentatious manner and did not pay attention to any other people.
“Senior Mu.” Yun Che greeted.
Mu Yubai nodded his head, and he looked at Yun Xiao who had steadily gained the advantage. He rubbed his jaw and said, “Tsk! This kiddo ain’t too bad.”
“Big Brother, you came by yourself? I had thought Father would come as well.” Mu Yurou said in a soft voice.
Mu Yubai’s face grew grave and he said in a low, suppressed voice, “Dad originally wanted to come as well, but I talked him out of it.” Before he continued, his eyes suddenly shot in the direction of Yun Waitian and his voice dropped a further octave, “While Dad and I were investigating the attack on Xiao’er and the girl from the Under Heaven Clan, we managed to uncover an incredible clue… Today, some people from the Illusory Demon Royal Family may pay this competition a visit as well.”
Yun Qinghong’s brows jumped violently.
“Illusory Demon Royal Family?” Mu Yurou’s brows also sank, “Big Brother, what exactly did the both of you manage to find out? Who exactly were those people who wanted to harm Xiao’er that day?”
Mu Yubai gently shook his head, “We only manage to uncover a tiny clue, but we cannot confirm anything, nor do we have any concrete evidence… We will have to adopt a wait and see approach. If the situation spirals out of control, hmph, this position of the Yun Family Patriarch, it’s fine if you don’t have it. Bring your entire family to our Mu Family, it will be far more comfortable than staying in this wretched place!”
Mu Yurou took a look at Yun Qinghong, and let out a silent sigh. Mu Yubai could say it easily, but she knew that Yun Qinghong would definitely not be willing to leave the Yun Family. After all the Yun Family and its name carried the lives, efforts, pride and glory of his bloodline of Patriarchs. How could he be willing to leave the Yun Family and give his position away to another family branch within the Yun Family.
At this time, an even voice descended from far away,
“Unparalleled Under Heaven has come to pay a visit.”
These few words; the first word sounded like it came from five kilometers away, whereas the last word sounded as if the speaker was right next to you. The robust profound power contained within the voice stirred emotions within all the thirty six elders present. And this voice, as well as the name that accompanied it, caused all of them to stand up as one.
Two figures had suddenly appeared in the air. Yun Che recognized the person on the left, it was Number One Under Heaven! And to his right, stood a middle-aged man with a gentle countenance and a sincere smile. His position was even further forward than Number One Under Heaven, and the words that he had announced, ‘Unparallel Under Heaven’, was his very own name.
“Unparalleled Under Heaven? What is he doing here?” Yun Qinghong had a flabbergasted expression on his face. Following that, he gave Yun Che a thoughtful look, but he did not ask him anything. Instead he candidly explained, “Among these two people, you are already acquainted with Number One Under Heaven. The person beside him is called Unparalleled Under Heaven and he is around my age. He is the younger brother of the Elf Clan’s Patriarch, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven, and he is also the person in the Elf Clan whose power and position is second only to Greatest Ambition Under Heaven.”
“Oh!” Yun Che slowly nodded his head. Two months ago he had sent a sound transmission to Number One Under Heaven and invited him to the Yun Family Competition, but he did not expect that not only would he come, he would even bring such a heavyweight with him as well!
It was pretty obvious that Number One Under Heaven had guessed his true motive. The debt he owed Yun Che for saving his sister burned in his heart. His position, status and nature dictated that he would definitely be unwilling to owe anyone a favor. So not only did he come, he brought Yun Che a nice surprise as well.
However, this bunch from the Under Heaven Clan and the names that they were given, each one truly surpassed the last!
If it was only Number One Under Heaven who had come, any one of the elders could have welcomed him, because even though Number One Under Heaven was the Young Patriarch of the Under Heaven Family, he was still a junior. But with the arrival of Unparalleled Under Heaven, the entire situation changed. Yun Waitian hurriedly soared into the air and he solicitously greeted the new arrivals, “Ah so it is Elder Unparalleled and the Young Patriarch of the Under Heaven Family.”
“Heh heh,” Unparalleled Under Heaven gently smiled. His gentle demeanor and his complete lack of an imposing manner clashed with the grand name ‘Unparalleled Under Heaven’. “We have come uninvited and we hope that no one takes offence.”
“What are you saying Elder Unparalleled. Since the both of you have come, our Yun Family will definitely welcome you with open arms. Please, have a seat.”
As the two people took their seats, Number One Under Heaven crossed eyes with Yun Che, and they mutually nodded their heads inconspicuously. One used his gaze as greetings, the other used his gaze to express his thanks.
The Yun Family Competition that was taking place today was destined to be extraordinary. Because just as Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven had taken their seats, yet another voice came from above, “Tut, tut. Looks like the Yun Family has received quite a number of esteemed guests. This was a lot more lively than I expected.”
That haughty voice carried a shrill edge and if people heard it, they would feel unwell. That voice was followed by an aura, and the atmosphere immediately become sluggish. Yun Che clearly saw Yun Qinghong and Mu Yubai’s expression change at the same time.
A middle-aged man gently floated down from the air. This person was dressed all in green and his facial features seemed to have an unspeakable strangeness about them. His face seemed to be tinged in green but what caught Yun Che’s attention was this person’s eyes, as they were shaped like long and narrow triangles. And when their gazes met, Yun Che felt a cold sensation break out over his entire body… But this was definitely not the aura of a ice-based profound art, rather it was a kind of… Bone-piercing sinister aura which caused one’s hairs to stand on end.
For the Mu Family to send someone was extremely normal and while the Under Heaven Clan being in attendance shocked the Yun Family elders, it still was not anything out of the ordinary. But this person appearing, caused all the gathered Elders of the Yun Family to nearly be stunned into insensibility. He slowly floated downwards and spoke in a hoarse and unpleasant voice, “This time, I have come uninvited as well. I hope that all the present friends of the Yun Family will not take offence to my arrival.”
Yun Waitian stood up to welcome him, “Brother Helian, please do not say such a thing. Since you have come, you are naturally our honored guest… Please be seated.”
“Helian Peng, what is your motive for coming?” At this time, an unfriendly voice rang out, and the one who spoke was astonishingly Mu Yubai.
“Heh.” Helian Peng’s long and narrow triangular eyes narrowed even further, and he gave a cold and dull laugh, “Mu Yubai, you can come uninvited, but I cannot? The Yun Family was after all a great power all those years ago. I am naturally extremely interested in observing this family competition.”
“All those years ago”, those words had been emphasized heavily on purpose. Mu Yubai gave a cold snort and did not speak any further, but his brows began to furrow together… Because the appearance of this person was definitely far out of the ordinary.
“Helian Peng, the Helian Family Patriach generation’s rank three.” Yun Qinghong explained to Yun Che, “Their original form is that of a Nine-headed Demon Snake and their physiques possess an extremely high innate potential and an extremely strong power. But for the past ten thousand years, they have always been suppressed by our Yun Family, and they have always been the eternal number two. But after our Yun Family’s situation changed, they have become the head of the Twelve Guardian Families.”
Helian Family… Nine-headed Demon Snake Clan…
Yun Che silently marked this person called Helian Peng and noted down his appearance.
Chapter 513 - Rising Turbulence
The battle between the two on the stage also came to an end. With an ear-piercing ripping sound, the orange colored profound handle shattered. Along with a wretched scream, a silhouette was thrown from the Sacred Cloud Arena, smashing heavily onto the ground.
On the stage, Yun Xiao held the Galloping Lightning Sword and slowly walked to the edge of the Sacred Cloud Arena. Though he was panting a little, his expression still seemed calm, and his brows still contained some imposingness: “Brother Yun Han, you let me win.”
The Yun family disciple who had lost, clenched his teeth in an unreconciled manner, stood up, and left silently.
Now, beneath the stage was not just the younger disciples; the Elder Council and people from three families were beneath the stage too. These younger disciples, before taking part in the Family Competition, naturally had the intentions of exhibiting their skills in front of the elder generation, they did not think that the first to be in the limelight was actually Yun Xiao.
They even more did not expect that the Yun Xiao who never retaliated after getting bullied would actually be hiding such strength.
“Hmph! This fellow…” Beneath the stage, Yun Hao had an unsatisfied expression as he looked at the Yun Xiao, who always got mocked by himself, be in the limelight. His gaze swept across the area that the Elders were seated, then, he laughed coldly and pushed off the ground with both feet. His body rose into flight and landed on the Sacred Cloud Arena, where he crossed his arms and said calmly amidst the chaos: “Yun Xiao, your performance today isn’t bad. Come, let the two of us spar for a bit.”
Yun Xiao scrunched his eyebrows, his expression becoming heavy.
Yun Hao and Yun Xiao were both half-step Overlords, moreover, Yun Hao had stopped at the stage of a half-step Tyrant for four years whilst Yun Xiao had in only one. On top of that, Yun Hao possessed a profound handle, Yun Xiao had fought in two consecutive battles, and expended a large portion of his profound strength. If the two of them sparred, it would be a situation where one side had an obvious advantage… Yun Xiao simply had no chance of winning.
“Hehe, your third son, isn’t he simply bullying others.” At the elders’ seats, an elder sitting at the back row said to the person to his side.
Yun Hao’s father was one of the thirty-six core elders of the Yun family, his ranking was slightly towards the end. Yun Hao was a genuine heir of an Elder. After hearing those words, Yun Hao’s father sighed weakly and said: “They are all young. While mutually sparring, there is only the matter of being strong or weak, what is there to bully about. If their strength is not sufficient, no one can be blamed for being bullied. What’s more… “ He said in a soft voice: “Today is the day Yun Qinghong steps down, it’s better if this bastard of his goes down early too.”
Yun Xiao had never sparred with Yun Hao before. His heart too, was especially nervous, as a gentle voice arrived in his ears: “Yun Hao is frivolously using his strength to seek some glory. He is definitely seeking to defeat you in the shortest amount of time, that’s why he will probably use one of the strongest killing moves of the Purple Cloud Arts immediately. Use the Wrapping Lightning Arts which I have made you practice diligently… whether you will be able to come out victorious from behind, will depend on how well you can operate the Wrapping Lightning Arts!”
Yun Xiao’s gaze shifted and he look towards Yun Qinghong. His expression was calm, with a slight smile. From the start, no one had realized that this family head who was supposedly crippled for tens of years, had just employed an incomparably advanced profound energy sound transmission.
Yun Xiao’s nervousness disappeared as his gaze became cold and determined. His arms moved slowly, and the Galloping Lightning Sword tilted horizontally in front of his body.
Yun Hao took out his own weapon and said beamingly: “Yun Xiao, you have just fought two matches, I will also not be willing to take advantage of you. If I do not manage to defeat you within five moves, then just take it as my loss… if you are not even able to receive five moves of mine, hehe, then you can’t really blame me.”
Even a fool could clearly hear the disdain in Yun Hao’s words… and this was in a situation where Yun Qinghong was present. The surroundings of the Sacred Cloud Arena went into a fit of sniggers, as various gazes of amusement and pity landed on Yun Xiao.
Yet in contrast, Yun Xiao had a face full of calm. He stared straight at the sword in Yun Hao’s hand, as if he had not heard the words he just said.
Not achieving the results he had expected, Yun Hao was not satisfied. He clenched his teeth and sneered secretly: This good-for-nothing, he can sure act well. Let’s see how you can withstand my one move!
Yun Hao moved his arm. His body abruptly sprinted forward, instantly rushed up to Yun Xiao, as he released a lump of lightning profound energy he had secretly amassed on his body. It violently exploded, causing five terrifying and malevolent lightning and thunder pythons to appear.
“Wah! He used the Purple Fiend Lightning Handle immediately!!”
“Seems like Yun Hao wants to smack that fellow down with just one move.”
“If Yun Xiao deflects the blow, he will definitely be smacked off the stage. If he receives it head on… Heh, it’s possible that he’ll lose half his life.”
Facing Yun Hao’s sudden release of the Purple Fiend Lightning Handle, Yun Xiao did not dodge or run. Only his eyes opened wide for a moment, exploding with lightning profound energy that clearly shone within his pupils. He raised the Galloping Lightning Sword, bringing along with it a magnificent purple sword silhouette… After the five lightning profound powers which contained terrifying might touched his sword silhouette, they did not explode, and instead, drew away gently like the flow of water, following Yun Xiao’s body, scattering, as he flew backwards. Even Yun Hao’s sword was tugged on strongly by an indescribable force. The profound strength on the sword which was about to be released, was also scattered.
Yun Hao, who originally wanted to smash Yun Xiao away with a single move, momentarily turned pale with fright, but without even giving him enough time to fully react, the tip of Yun Xiao’s blade abruptly pierced forward, right at his chest.
“Sudden Lightning Sword!”
Yun Hao had immediately employed one of the Purple Cloud Arts’ strongest killing moves, and it was precisely then, when his profound defense was at its weakest, that his protective profound defense was immediately torn apart under the Sudden Lightning Sword move. Yun Hao let out a muffled groan and flew away, his head landing on the ground, smashing disastrously beneath the stage with a “crack” sound, smashing a wooden seat into pieces.
Yun Hao sprawled on the floor like a dead dog, stared blankly and did not stand up for a long time… This was in the presence of everyone; all the Elders were present, along with three other Guardian Families. It could even be said that he had disgraced himself to the extreme.
The surroundings immediately became silent. All of the Yun family disciples were thoroughly dumbfounded. Yun Hao’s profound strength was thicker than Yun Xiao’s, and he also had a profound handle. The opposing Yun Xiao had also wasted a big portion of his profound strength, and they had all thought that it was very possible that Yun Xiao would be defeated in one move by Yun Hao. They never thought that the one to be defeated in a single move would actually be Yun Hao!!
And after the shock had passed, the Elders who were seated, revealed unusual expressions one after another. Yun Xiao had just employed the Purple Cloud Art’s toughest skill, Wrapping Lightning Art. Comprehending and cultivating it was extremely difficult, and even if he succeeded, it was tough to use in the battlefield. As such, many Yun family disciples chose to totally give up on the Wrapping Lightning Art, and even some Elders did not recommend their children to practice it. However, they had just witnessed Yun Xiao use that move, and it was actually used so beautifully, giving him a miraculous victory over Yun Hao. They were totally caught unprepared.
Yun Qinghong nodded towards Yun Xiao, his face revealing a slight smile.
Yun Hao finally crawled up from the ground. His lips trembled and his face was already the color of a pig’s liver. Feeling all the strange looks from his surroundings, he clenched both his fists and suddenly roared explosively: “Yun Xiao, I was just testing the waters just now… Let us spar again from the start!!”
After his roar faded, just as he wanted to rush up onto the Sacred Cloud Arena again, his father snorted coldly: “Back down! You’ve already lost, moreover, it was a huge defeat!”
With his own father having just berated him, Yun Hao’s body immediately stopped. With a completely red face, he clenched his teeth and said: “Father, that was just a big mistake just now. I did not even use half of my strength, Yun Xiao doesn’t even have a profound handle, how could he be my opponent. He…”
“Shut up!” Yun Hao’s father was extremely angry. He said with a heavy face: “You yourself are aware that Yun Xiao does not have a profound handle. He is younger than you, and had already fought two matches, yet he smashed you down with a single move! Have you not lost enough face?! Hurry up and get off from there!”
Yun Hao quivered from head to toe. He slid his eyeballs over and stared hatefully at Yun Xiao. Then, he clenched his teeth and retreated. However, he had clearly felt Yun Xiao’s transformation. When he was glaring at Yun Xiao, he noticed that Yun Xiao was unexpectedly undisturbed. There was even some pressure from his eyes, he was absolutely not like before.
It was as if… he suddenly had absolutely no apprehension.
“What a beautiful Wrapping Lightning Art.” A praise could be heard, and the one to speak up was impressively Unparalleled Under Heaven. He nodded his head unhurriedly and said: “I have heard that the Yun family’s Wrapping Lightning Art is extremely difficult to cultivate. I did not think that a Yun family junior could use it so proficiently, he certainly lives up to the name of the Yun family’s Young Patriarch.”
“Of course, why don’t you see whose nephew he is, how could he possibly be bad?” Mu Yubai continued unrestrainedly.
“Ah…” Helian Peng’s triangular eyes slanted. He put on a false smile and said: “There is a junior disciple from the Yun family at such a level. Hehe, that’s still not too bad, a pity that it can’t be compared to our Helian family. It seems to be a little more inferior.”
The moment the words were spoken, the Elders present all revealed expressions of fury. For ten thousand years, the Yun family was the head of the twelve Guardian Families, Helian being second. The Helian family had been pressed down by the Yun family for ten thousand years and now that they could finally fight back, they would definitely be unusually proud. They did not lack in ridiculing and despising the Yun family in the past few years. Yun Waitian smiled faintly and said: “Brother Helian’s words are somewhat wrong. Although Yun Xiao’s strength is still considered not too bad, it is far from representative of our Yun family junior disciples’ strength. Even if he could wield the power of the profound handle, it is still impossible for him!”
“Xinyue, let everyone have a look at the strength of Yun family’s younger generation!”
“Yes, father.”
Yun Xinyue stood up from his seat, then flew up into the air. He did not land on the Sacred Cloud Arena; instead. he extended his arm while floating, and said in a gentle voice: “Young Patriarch, you have already fought multiple battles, so it will not be fair for us to battle. Let me use the profound handle to spar.”
Yun Xinyue pushed out his left arm, and cyan colored profound handle shot out like a meteor. As it neared Yun Xiao, it transformed into a ring with a diameter of one meter, at the same time, a ball of dazzling purple lightning brilliance radiated, causing the original cyan colour to be completely swallowed.
Unparalleled Under Heaven, Helian Peng and the rest all noticed the cyan profound handle originating from Yun Xinyue… Cyan. This was the gifted profound handle which only the top geniuses in the Yun family would possess. Back then, both Demon King Yun Canghai and Yun Qinghong, who shook the Demon Imperial City, had also possessed cyan profound handles.
Yun Xiao had always respected Yun Xinyue, he was even more aware that the difference in strength between himself and Yun Xinyue was extremely huge. Facing the attack from Yun Xinyue’s profound handle, he did not dare to be careless in the slightest, as he waved his sword and charged.
The profound handle which took the form of a purple electrical ring revolved rapidly, releasing circles of sinister and devastating electrical arcs Wherever one went, the ear-splitting sound of thunder could be heard, space was distorted, and even space was being ripped by concentrated, frightening lightning profound energy. Under such an oppressive profound strength, Yun Xiao could not even near it, and was swept away by the boundless and oppressive aura. Even the Galloping Lightning Sword was trembling from the attack, he almost could not hold it still.
After the brief rotation of the profound handle, it suddenly flew towards Yun Xiao, as tens of electric arcs were released from the profound handle… Only a “clang” sound could be heard as the Galloping Lightning Sword within Yun Xiao’s hand was easily disarmed. Yun Xiao’s arm was completely numb from shaking and the electric shock. His body also flew back from the attack, stumbling, as he landed on the edge of the Sacred Cloud Arena.
Yun Xinyue waved his arm, and the profound handle immediately flew back.
Without making a move himself, he simply used the profound handle to easily defeat Yun Xiao. Yun Xinyue did not reveal any hint of arrogance, and simply nodded towards Yun Xiao’s direction: “Young Patriarch, please excuse me.”
Yun Xiao immediately waved his hand and said sincerely: “As expected of Brother Xinyue, you’re truly too impressive.”
The Yun family disciples all started cheering and the name “Yun Xinyue” resonated within the Yun family compound. The glory which Yun Xiao had acquired from winning three matches in a row, was completely drowned by Yun Xinyue’s magnificence. All of the thirty-six Yun family core elders nodded their heads, their faces revealed expressions of approval and hope. Yet facing such cheers and praise, Yun Xinyue remained completely calm. Absolutely not proud or arrogant, as he calmly returned to his seat.
His talent, strength and personality was seriously perfect! It was no wonder that he was named the Yun family’s hope for re-emergence
Yun Che narrowed his eyes. Only until Yun Xinyue reached his seat, did he move his gaze away. Then, as if he had some thoughts, he looked towards Yun Qinghong, and coincidentally made eye contact with Yun Qinghong. From the look in each other’s eyes, it was like they knew something. After the short visual contact, they looked away at the same time… Without exchanging any words, they were extremely clear on what one another meant.
Or perhaps, this was some sort of chemistry between father and son.
Chapter 514 - Duke Hui Ye
“Good… Very good!” Helian Peng nodded strongly and even clapped: “I had long heard that dear nephew Xinyue’s talent is outstanding. Seeing it personally today, I must say that it is indeed true. You are even slightly stronger than my useless son, and it looks like as long as Xinyue dear nephew is here, the rumor that the Yun Family has fallen completely is but a joke.”
Seeing Yun Xinyue’s performance, Helian Peng revealed shocked, praised him greatly, and rated him even more highly. He even addressed him using the intimate phrase “dear nephew”. Although Yun Waitian found it weird, it could not hide the delight in his heart: “Brother Helian is too kind. My son Xinyue is still young and lacking, I hope Brother Helian can guide him in the future.”
“Brother Yun is too humble.” Helian Peng said laughingly.
“Hmph, although Yun Xinyue’s talent isn’t poor, the Yun Family has not been able to enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley for the past hundred years. The fact that they can produce such a young talent who possesses an innate cyan profound handle is admirable. However, Helian Peng is praising him a little too much.” Number One Under Heaven commented.
“Haha,” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed slightly and said looking forward: “You don’t have to think too much, we’re only here as guests today.”
The various Yun Family Elders enjoyed Helian Peng’s praise very much and felt that Yun Xinyue had helped the Yun Family, who were at their lowest, earn some face. All of them naturally looked upon him even more highly, and the younger members of the Yun Family looked at him with brightly lit eyes filled with admiration and envy.
Yun Xiao returned to Yun Qinghong’s side, his expression not showing much disappointment, because for him, losing to Yun Xinyue was not something unacceptable, but instead something very normal. Yun Qinghong looked at him and said: “Xiao’er, you must remember, no matter when, no matter who you’re facing, never think that you’re the weaker one, and even more so think that your defeat is a normal thing! That’s the mentality of a coward and trash!”
Yun Qinghong’s words were like thunder that struck beside Yun Xiao’s ears. He straightened his body and replied: “Yes, father! This child will remember it well.”
As the time neared the official start of the Yun Family Competition, the three grand elders that everyone was waiting for had finally arrived.
Above the Sacred Cloud Arena, three purplish clouds floated over silently. All members of the Yun Family, from the core elders to the junior generation. stood up and looked towards it respectfully. Then, the three clouds dispersed, which caused dense purple lightning to rain down. Among the purple lightning, the figures of three men floating in a straight line gradually appeared, and three strong auras that were stacked together slowly and silently filled the place. The auras did not pose any threat, yet they were as vast as the starry sky, as majestic as the ocean, and the people under the aura seemed as though they were basked under holy light. Some even knelt down, and acted like they were praying.
These three people seemed as though they were saints for another world, overlooking the entire Yun Family from midair.
Unparalleled Under Heaven, Mu Yubai, Helian Peng all stood up… because in terms of seniority, in front of the three from the Yun Family, they were just juniors.
The three of them looked middle-aged with black hair and black beards, but their auras were filled with the deep stability that came with age, allowing others to clearly feel their strong ancientness.
Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi, the only three remaining grand elders in the Yun Family. A hundred years ago, among the grand elders of the Yun Family, their strengths were but the weakest few. However, after the strongest ten members of the Yun Family and Demon King Yun Canghai passed on within the Profound Sky Continent, they became the three strongest of the Yun Family… and also became the strongest cornerstones of the Yun Family.
Yun Waitian slightly floated and bent over, respectfully saying: “Greetings, Grand Elders!”
“Greetings, Grand Elders!” The entire Yun family echoed in unison.
“Xiao’er, help me up.” Yun Qinghong said.
With the support of Yun Xiao, Yun Qinghong gradually stood up. From midair, the Grand Elder standing in the middle said: “Qinghong, your body is unwell. You don’t have to bother with these customs, sit down.”
However, Yun Qinghong shook his head, stood up straight, then bowed respectfully towards the three grand elders: “There is an order for elders and juniors, a difference between seniors and juniors. My Yun Family has flourished for ten thousands of years, the heavens and earth are witnesses! As Yun Family’s Patriarch, how can I not follow basic customs.”
Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi could faintly tell the hidden message in Yun Qinghong’s words and looked at each other while secretly sighing helplessly. Yun He raised his hand and said: “Qinghong, your nature is upright. It’s good, yet bad… Alright, everyone sit.”
“Esteemed guests, our Yun Family welcome you here. However, today’s matters are Yun Family’s personal affairs that might affect our family’s future. You’re welcome to observe, but please do not interfere.” Yun Xi said coolly. Obviously, the arrival of the Helian and the Under Heaven Family caused them to be cautious.
“Of course.” Helian Peng said matter-of-factly.
Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi descended and sat at the center of the sitting area. Among the three, Yun He was the eldest and also the strongest. After entering their seats, he nodded slightly and said: “Since everyone is already here, let’s begin.”
Yun Waitian stood up and was about to approach the Sacred Cloud Arena when a frivolous yet somewhat authoritative voice rang from midair: “The Yun Family seems lively today. Looks like this king didn’t waste a trip here by coming here in person.”
Yun Waitian stopped moving and looked towards the sky with a face of disbelief. A young man dressed fully in silver, wearing a silver crown and holding a fan gradually appeared. He looked scholarly and not any older than early twenties. However, his gaze was fierce and a sense of innate nobility came from his body. Even though he was facing the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, his fierce gaze was not one bit withheld.
Behind him, another figure appeared. This person was bent, with a small stature. His hair was withered and yellow and the greyish yellow clothes he wore was covered in dust. The most eye-catching thing was that his neck and arms… were actually covered in sallow yellow scale shaped patterns… No, they were indeed scales!
“Du… Duke Hui Ye! And the Venerable Stone Dragon!” Yun Waitian exclaimed in shock. All the elders of the Yun Family, including the three Grand Elders, were shocked as well.
“Hehe, I came here uninvited. You wouldn’t mind, right?” The young man said laughingly. His actions and tone of speech was mild, yet each of his words contained an indescribable sense of pressure, causing one to not dare to oppose to what he had said.
Another “uninvited” guest. Today’s Yun Family Competition had a little too many uninvited guests. The Mu Family’s arrival was considered normal, Under Heaven and Helian Family coming was already shocking… but, the arrival of the Duke of the Glorious Night something no one imagined.
By now, even a fool could tell that there was something wrong.
“Of… Of course not,” Yun Waitian’s voice started to tremble slightly and his shock and agitation could easily be seen: “Duke Hui Ye personally paying a visit to our Yun Family is our Yun Family’s good fortune. How would our Yun Family mind? I wonder… I wonder why Your Highness has come down personally? If you have anything you need help with, our Yun Family will definitely do our best.”
“Nothing much actually.” Duke Hui Ye laughed: “I just heard that today was the Yun Family’s Family Competition, and since I had some free time, I decided to come take a look. Looks like the competition has not started yet. That’s good. I wonder if you could arrange seats for me and company, so we can enjoy the competition?”
“Of course… Your Highness, please enter the seating area.” Yun Waitian hurriedly guided him to the seat personally.
“Who is that person?” Yun Che asked. Yun Waitian was still an elder of the Yun Family, yet he treated this person with so much respect, and even called him “Your Highness”. He was clearly not a normal person.
“Illusory Demon Royal Family’s Duke Hui Ye.” Yun Qinghong explained briefly: “Illusory Demon Royal Family does not have any grand princes, hence, the title of duke is simply only second to that of the Demon Emperor’s direct bloodline. If it was simply any duke, Yun Waitian wouldn’t act this way. However, that Duke Hui Ye is not from any normal family. He is part of the ‘Illusory Demon Seven Scions’ and is ranked third. His elder brother, is the strongest of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, and his father and grandfather are not normal as well. Currently, their faction’s combined strength and support within Illusory Demon Royal Family, might be able to suppress that of the Little Demon Empress! Even the Little Demon Empress would find it difficult to command them.”
Yun Che wrinkled his brows: “Illusory Demon Seven Scions?”
“I know that.” Yun Xiao replied: “The Illusory Demon Seven Scions are the seven strongest members of the Illusory Demon Royal Family’s young generation. Once a person is listed into the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, he would obtain an exceptional position within the Royal Family and be exclusively trained. Duke Hui Ye is ranked third, which means he’s super strong. I also heard that currently, in the entire Illusory Demon Realm, other than the Little Demon Empress, their bloodline is the purest remaining of the Illusory Demon bloodline.”
“That’s right.” Yun Qinghong nodded: “The person following him is called the ‘Venerable Stone Dragon’. Since ten years ago he became Duke Hui Ye’s personal bodyguard. His true form is a thirty meter long True Dragon which possesses the power of earth, and is very strong…” His eyes closed slowly as his gaze became downcast: “First it’s Helian Peng, now it’s actually Duke Hui Ye… Looks like it’s going to get lively here.”
Yun Che’s eyebrows raised as he slowly exhaled. In his two months within Demon Imperial City, he obviously could not completely learn all the details about Demon Imperial City. He did not even get to know much people outside of the Yun Family. All he knew was the predicament of the Yun Family and the Illusory Demon Royal Family, and basic knowledge of the other eleven guardian families.
He did not actually know just how strong the Illusory Demon Royal Family was. However, the appearance of Duke Hui Ye helped him understand that whatever he was going to face next would be far more complex and difficult; much more dangerous than what he had expected, but he would never change his decision because of that.
The Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony would be held in less than a month’s time and that would be the best stage to rebuild the Yun Family’s reputation. However, before that, he had to help Yun Qinghong keep his position as Patriarch no matter what, and not let anyone else steal it!
Chapter 515 - Forced Abdication
From the moment the Duke Hui Ye had arrived to the time he took his seat, Yun Waitian had been the one to take the lead and welcome him; Yun Qinghong did absolutely nothing. In this period, the Duke Hui Ye did not even take a glance in the direction where Yun Qinghong was seated; it was if he completely disregarded the existence of Yun Family’s true Patriarch.
It was time. Yun Waitian bounded onto the Sacred Cloud Arena and he faced the ancestral monument, declaring with his head held high, “Today, the Yun Family Competition is about to begin. And as the reason for convening this competition; I am sure all those who are present already know. In another month’s time, it will be the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony. This is a grand affair which involves the entire Illusory Demon Realm. As one of the Twelve Guardian Families who have guarded the Illusory Demon Royal Family for generations, our Yun Family will also be participating in this grand ceremony. At the appointed time, a royal banquet will be held, and guests will come from all over. Even though our Yun Family does not play the leading role, at that time, we will reveal our splendor to the Little Demon Empress, as well as all the outstanding heroes gathered there.”
“So in order for us to not lose our family’s might and prestige, only the most excellent individuals from the same generation will have the privilege of going to and participating in this grand ceremony. Because at that time, the ones who will be participating in the grand ceremony will be the strongest of each corresponding generation within our Yun Family… Especially our young generation, the weak will not be allowed to disgrace themselves at the grand ceremony for all to see; that will only bring shame to our Yun Family!”
Regardless of the place, the strength of the next generation would always be the most important factor for any great power. This was because the strength of the current generation had already been measured and settled. What heralded the winds of change was naturally the strength of the coming generation!
“This Family Competition will be the most direct and fairest method of selecting the cream of the crop of each generation. Who wins and who loses, who is strong and who is weak, that will all become apparent.”
“Alright. No more unnecessary words need to be said, let us address the main issue.” Grand Elder Yun He abruptly said, cutting of Yun Waitian’s words.
The arrival of the Duke Hui Ye had caused Yun Waitian to speak with extreme prudence. So when Grand Elder Yun He abruptly spoke, he actually breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded in the direction of the three Grand Elders and did not continue from his previous words. He instead said, “Since this is the case, I will not continue talking about unnecessary things, however…” He changed the topic and declared sternly, “Before the Family Competition begins, there is a grave matter that concerns the future of our entire family that has to be addressed right now. And the Elder Council has already begun discussing this matter many months ago.”
“Oh? A grave matter concerning the future of your entire clan? I wonder what such a huge affair this could be?” Helian Peng narrowed his eyes and said in a tone that was full of interest.
Once Yun Waitian had said these words, many people present immediately held their breath, and many gazes, whether direct or covert, were shot in Yun Qinghong’s direction. Practically everyone present knew what the ‘grave matter’ Yun Waitian spoke about concerned. And this day, at long last, had finally come.
Yun Waitian’s gaze swept across all who were present, before finally fixing itself on the location where Yun Qinghong was presently seated. He said with a solemn expression, “Our Yun Family has flourished for ten thousand years, and our might was known throughout the land. But due to the calamity that transpired one hundred years ago, eleven cornerstones of our Yun Family collapsed in one night, and that caused the total strength of our Yun Family to decrease drastically in an instant. And in these past hundred years, we have carried guilt on our backs, while our young generation went under the most extreme of restrictions. Twenty-two years ago, our Patriarch’s profound strength was crippled, and the guilt that we carried grew even heavier.”
“And now everyone knows that our Yun Family is on a quick decline. Our Patriarch has been crippled and barely has any strength left. If this situation continues, our Yun Family may not even have the qualifications to truly continue on as one of the Twelve Guardian Families. So the main event that our Yun Family needs to undertake is the choosing of a suitable new Patriarch to lead the Yun Family and rouse our Yun Clan once more…
“Wait!!”
Before Yun Waitian could finish, a rude and loud bellow cut his words off. Mu Yubai stood up and said with a steady expression, “Choosing a new Patriarch? Yun Waitian, what do you mean? Are you trying to force Yun Qinghong to abdicate his position?”
No one felt surprised that Mu Yubai would step in. Yun Waitian’s expression did not change and he replied calmly,”Young Patriarch Mu’s words are too heavy. How could we dare use the word ‘force’ in regards to our Patriarch? But our esteemed Patriarch entire body is disabled, and he scarcely has any mental, physical and emotional strength left. And I am sure Young Patriarch Mu will not be able to deny that. This period also happens to be a crisis of existence for our Yun Family. How can we burden our already powerless Patriarch with the responsibility of raising our Yun Family up once more? Thus, for the sake of the entire clan, and to preserve the health of our current Patriarch, the time has come for the our Yun Family to select a new Patriarch.”
Mu Yubai was after all, the future Patriarch of the Mu Family. Given the current declining power of the Yun Family, they were unwilling to offend any of the Twelve Guardian Families. So Yun Waitian still remained calm and prudent in the face of Mu Yubai’s lack of respect.
Mu Yubai instead responded with a cold laugh, “Your Yun Family, for the past ten thousands years, have had over seventy Patriarchs in succession, but every single Patriarch was from the line of your original Patriarch…” Mu Yubai pointed at the Yun Family ancestral monument and said, “Underneath your Yun Family’s ancestral monuments sleeps the spirits of all the heroes in the line of your first Patriarch! Yun Waitian! Why don’t you tell me, in the entire Yun Family, aside from Yun Qinghong, who else is a descendant of the bloodline of your Patriarchs?! You cannot seriously be telling me that all of you are prepared to force Yun Qinghong to abdicate his position and select someone who is not from the line of Patriarchs to be your new Patriarch… Heh! If I remember correctly, ten thousand years ago, your Yun Clan was just a tiny barbarian tribe from the Northern Passes. And the one who created the Purple Cloud Art, lead your entire clan from the north to dominate the entire realm, then established your position as head of the Twelve Guardian Families, was the very ancestor of the line of the Yun Family Patriarchs! And from then on, every single Patriarch, without exception, had been of the descendant of that first Patriarch! If not for the leadership and guidance of this line of Patriarchs, your entire clan would still be struggling to eke out a miserable existence somewhere out there!! And now, even though Yun Qinghong is crippled, he is not dead, and is still extremely young! And yet you want to force him to abdicate his position as Patriarch… Aren’t you lot worried about how you will face your ancestors after you have passed on?!”
Mu Yubai’s words were ruthless and relentless. He had basically scolded every single member of the Yun Family besides Yun Qinghong. Even though Yun Waitian was restraining himself with every single fiber of his being, his face had become faintly flushed. At this time, Helian Peng said in a loud voice, “Mu Yubai, it is not that I want to criticize you, but the words you have just spoken are ridiculous to the point where I can no longer take it. The Yun name belongs to everyone in the Yun Family, who was it that decreed that the Yun Family Patriarch must definitely be from Yun Qinghong’s line? Even if the Yun Family does have this tradition, heh… Yun Qinghong has already been crippled to the point where he can’t be crippled any further. To allow him to continue on as Patriarch, even if you ignore the ridicule of the rest of the world, will sooner or later lead to the complete crippling of the Yun Family as a whole. Moreover, besides in Yun Qinghong, there seems to be no one else in the Yun Family who comes from the bloodline of the first Patriarch… oh, and as for Yun Qinghong’s ‘son’, Hehe… Don’t tell me that after Yun Qinghong has passed on, that the Yun Family will never be allowed to have a Patriarch again? Or do you actually hope to see the Yun Family being led by someone who hails from the Profound Sky Continent, a basta…”
“Shut up!” Mu Yubai roared, not letting Helian Peng finish what he was saying. He said with a calm expression, “This is a matter concerning the Yun Family! The Yun Family Patriarch is our Mu Family’s son-in-law, so I have the right to speak, but you, Helian Peng, have no right to open your mouth! If you dare to continue to say words which are unpleasant to my ears, do you believe that I won’t force you to leave this place on your knees?!”
Mu Yubai’s temperament was upright and unyielding, and he was never willing to suppress his own emotions. If he said something, he would do it. Even though the other party was someone from the strongest Helian Clan, his words were still unyielding and strong to the point where it left no room for leeway or graciousness. In regards to strength, Helian Peng was categorically not even in the same zipcode as Mu Yubai, but he did not show any fear, and he gave a cold laugh instead, “Mu Yubai, do not think that I am afraid of you. If we truly fight, the one who will leave kneeling is not set in stone!”
“You are courting death!”
The words that Helian Peng said undoubtedly caused Mu Yubai’s temper to erupt completely. What’s more, Mu Yubai was also looking for an opportunity to turn this place upside down. He yelled in anger and profound light burst forth from his entire body as a thick and solid chain of ice soared into the sky…
“Everyone, be quiet. This is the Yun Family’s grand event, it is not a place for you to quarrel, much less exchange blows.”
With a voice as tranquil as water, yet still carrying a pressure and might that was hard to resist, Duke Hui Ye said his piece. By his side, the Venerable Stone Dragon’s eyes flashed and a beam of yellow shot out, colliding with Mu Yubai’s ice chain. With a gentle ring, the ice chain disappeared in midair.
After the Duke Hui Ye had spoken those words, Mu Yubai was unable to take further action. He coldly stared at Helian Peng, returned to Yun Qinghong’s side, and fixed his gaze on Yun Waitian.
“Big Brother, you are too impulsive.” Mu Yurou said in worry as she mildly rebuked her brother.
“Haha, Yubai may be impulsive, but he has never been one to act foolishly.” Yun Qinghong said with a mysterious smile.
“After all, it is brother-in-law who understands me best. Heh.” Mu Yubai said with a low bark.
“Uh, could it be that Uncle’s sudden flare of temper was done on purpose?” After hearing what they had said, Yun Xiao whispered this into Yun Che’s ear.
“Yes.” Yun Che nodded his head, “The more impulsive and irascible Senior Mu acts, the more they will be put at ease… It looks like Senior Mu is trying to test some of his theories.”
“Test his theories? Test what theories?” Yun Xiao was completely mystified.
Yun Che gave the faintly smiling Duke Hui Ye a sidelong glance and he whispered back, “In no time at all, his questions should have answers. Yun Xiao, no matter what happens after this, do not be alarmed.”
“Ah? Oh…” Yun Xiao had grown even more confused.
“Patriarch Yun.” Duke Hui Ye spoke once more, and this time, he faced Yun Qinghong directly. In terms of age, the Duke Hui Ye was one generation younger than Yun Qinghong, so for him to address Yun Qinghong as Patriarch Yun was no big deal, but his tone clearly did not contain a single drop of respect. After all, Yun Qinghong was a complete cripple, “In my humble opinion, because of your body’s condition, you have long ago become unsuitable to continue leading the huge Yun Clan. I very much endorse Elder Yun Waitian’s words. To choose a new Patriarch to lead the Yun Family would be a good thing, not only for the Yun Family but for Patriarch Yun himself as well. What is Patriarch Yun’s opinion on this?”
“Sigh.” Grand Elder Yun He gave a dull sigh, “For ten thousand years, the Yun Family has been lead by the bloodline of our Patriarch, but given the current circumstance that the Yun Family faces today, to change leaders has become an inevitable thing.”
Grand Elder Yun Xi said, “Qinghong, it is about to time for you to have a proper rest.”
Grand Elder Yun Jiang followed, “This is definitely not what we wish for, but given your current strength and physical condition, it has already become too hard for you to continue bearing the burden of leading the clan.”
The Grand Elders had spoken, and even Duke Hui Ye was in support of the Yun Family changing Patriarchs. It seemed that the case for a change of Patriarch had already been nailed shut. Everyone present was waiting for Yun Qinghong’s reaction, but they discovered that his expression was serene. He did not seem the least bit lost or disappointed, and he did not even sigh. Instead he gently and calmly said, “Since the Grand Elders and His Highness has already spoken, it would naturally be hard for I, Yun Qinghong, to have any objections. Since all the gathered elders have already begun discussing the matter of changing Patriarchs months ago, it must be that my successor has long ago been decided. Since that is so, please do tell me who it is. If it is someone who can instill sufficient confidence in those who are present, then I, Yun Qinghong, will gladly abdicate my position.”
“Hmph! Do you even need to ask?” Mu Yubai said with a cold laugh, “Of course it is the person who has gone through great pains to set up this so-called Family Competition, the one who is truly pushing for your abdication, Great Elder Yun Waitian!
“The matter of changing Patriarch is not a suggestion made by me personally, it is something the entire Elder Council has decided.” Yun Waitian said with an unchanging expression, “I, Yun Waitian, lack the virtue or the ability, and I have never once dared to covet the position of Patriarch!”
Chapter 516 - The Patriarch Position
“Great Elder’s words are incorrect.” Just as Yun Waitian had stopped speaking, a Yun Family elder quickly followed up and said: “Based on prestige, strength and contribution to our Yun Clan, you are definitely the most suitable to be our next Patriarch.”
“That’s right.” Another elder also hastily said: “In terms of rank, Great Elder is the leader of the Elder Council. In terms of strength, you’re also the strongest in our family. Furthermore, ever since the Patriarch became crippled all those years back, all the matters concerning the clan has been handled by Great Elder. Therefore, if we were to choose the most suitable candidate for Patriarch acknowledged by everyone, it would no doubt be Great Elder.”
“I think so as well.”
A few elders carried on, speaking one after another, recommending Great Elder Yun Waitian to be the next Yun Patriarch. Gradually, more and more people spoke for Yun Waitian. Only a minority of the elders did not speak up and sighed in secret. Following that, all the middle-aged and young generation of the Yun Family began echoing out the Great Elder’s name.
A hundred years ago, Yun Canghai left and never returned. Yun Qinghong had to succeed as the next Patriarch. At that time, in terms of prestige and influence within the family, ten Yun Waitian could not even match up to one Yun Qinghong. Within the family, any command by Yun Qinghong would be fulfilled immediately and no one dared to defy him. Although the Yun Family eleven strongest cornerstones disappeared overnight and their strength faltered massively, and they even carried the name of sinners, the entire family believed that with Yun Qinghong leading the family, the Yun Family would definitely rise once again. Outside of the Yun Family, there was no one that would dare belittle the strength of the weakened Yun Family… Because at that time, there was the unrivaled talent, Yun Qinghong.
However, twenty-two years ago, Yun Qinghong was crippled.
In a world where strength meant everything, even if a person whose strength was lower than that of dirt, who could never be strong again, possessed the title of Patriarch, he would not be really respected and feared by others. The reputation he had built up for himself quickly vanished within these twenty-two years. The high regard, respect, reverence, adoration, and fear others had toward him… turned into sighs, disregard and even insult and gloating after he was crippled. The Yun Family Elders, peers and junior who held him in high regard were all extremely disappointed and sighed. As the epitome of a profound cultivating family in Illusory Demon Realm, who would actually allow a crippled person to lead them?
Even among those who vowed to forever stay loyal to Yun Qinghong, had secretly went away. The others who still vowed to stay with him till death were chased away by Yun Qinghong… Because at that time, he knew the condition of his own body, and that those who stayed with him would have no future. How would he be willing to delay the prospects of those who were sincere toward him?
Until the end, he kept his status as “Patriarch”, but only his wife and son remained by his side.
Twenty odd years ago, who could imagine the Yun Qinghong, who was probably the brightest star within the entire Illusory Demon Realm, would be in such a pathetic state where no one would bother to look him in the eye.
Due to being crippled for twenty-two years until now, not one person in his own clan stood up to support this man, who used to lead the Yun Family, to continue as Patriarch.
However, even when facing such a reality, Yun Qinghong did not blame anyone. After all, he had been crippled. Whether it was the Elder Council or the Grand Elders, their main motive for doing so was for the future of the Yun Family. After all, letting a crippled person lead the Yun Family would invite ridicule and also bleaken the future of the family. When compared to the future of the Yun Family, the bloodline of the Patriarch did not seem as important.
The cheers supporting the Great Elder grew louder and louder. Yun Waitian found it hard to remain calm as he humbly said: “Towards everyone’s support, I’m truly humbled but with my weak strength, I’m not capable to take on the role as Patriarch… Instead, Seventh Elder whose strength is outstanding, is the most suitable person for this role.”
The “Seventh Elder” who was mentioned by Yun Waitian quickly waved it off: “Great Elder’s words are too kind. Pardon my honesty, but within the entire Yun Family, with Great Elder present, it would not please the masses if anyone else was Patriarch.”
“That’s right! We support Great Elder to succeed as Patriarch!”
“Great Elder don’t refuse anymore. The position of the next Patriarch is undoubtedly yours.”
The Yun Family cheers sounded once again and Yun Waitian cupped his fist together as his agitation had exploded… Since twenty-two years ago when Yun Qinghong was crippled, he had the thought of becoming Patriarch. For this twenty-two years, he had worked very hard for this goal while gaining more and more of a reputation for himself… If he were to become the Patriarch, the bloodline of the Patriarch that had existed for ten thousand years would change. A hundred years later, his son Yun Xinyue would become the next Patriarch, and after that, it would be his grandson and his descendants…
Facing the crippled Yun Qinghong and his son that was unable to use his Profound Handle, he knew that this day would come eventually… However, it had finally arrived today.
As the cheers of the Yun Family grew louder, a disharmonious cold laughter suddenly sounded: “Since Great Elder Yun knows that he’s not suitable for the position of Patriarch, why do you people have to make noise blindly and cause trouble for Great Elder Yun? If Great Elder Yun can’t resist it and choose to go back on his words and accept, when this spreads, won’t others gossip that the Yun Family Great Elder is actually eyeing for the position of Patriarch, and even hypocritically acted as though he did not want it? This vicious and cunning title does not sound particularly nice… Don’t you agree, Great Elder Yun?”
Mu Yubai’s words were actually quite vicious. The entire Yun Family supported Yun Waitian to be the next Patriarch, but since Yun Waitian kept pushing it away, this had been attacked by Mu Yubai. Using his own words, Mu Yubai made it such that if he were to accept the position of the Patriarch, he would become a vicious and ungentlemanly hypocrite. The corners of Yun Waitian’s lips twitched furiously. Just as he was about to say something, an insolent voice rang from the right side: “I agree with Young Patriarch Mu’s words.” The one who spoke was Helian Peng as he squinted his triangular eyes and spoke slowly: “I heard that after Yun Qinghong became crippled, Great Elder Yun took over all the affairs of the Yun Family. No matter how importance the matter was, he handled them by himself. Even though he’s only a Great Elder, he acted more like a Patriarch than the Patriarch himself… Tsk, tsk. From more than a decade ago, I have already heard rumors that the Great Elder of the Yun Family had been eyeing the position of Patriarch. After so long, the amount of such rumors only seemed to increase. If Great Elder were to suddenly take over the position of Patriarch, it would prove such rumors to be true. At that time, heh heh, the Patriarch name would be very respected within the family, but his reputation outside would be harshly tarnished.”
The Helian Peng, who had previously helped Yun Waitian speak and nearly fought with Mu Yubai, was now actually helping Mu Yubai, and the words he said towards Yun Waitian were even more vicious and straightforward than what Mu Yubai had said previously. The color of Yun Waitian’s face darkened, and all the core elders looked at each other. Mu Yubai frowned, glancing at Helian Peng… He would not naively believe that Helian Peng would happily go along with him.
Could this guy be here specifically to make trouble today?
Mu Yubai’s words made Yun Waitian seem as though he had swallowed a fly, but Helian Peng words made it seem as though he smeared shit on his face, causing his hatred and indignation to be unbearable. He thought that if he were to really attempt to become Patriarch, he would face resistance from Mu Yubai, but never had he ever expected that other than Mu Yubai, there was also a Helian Peng trying to stop him! The corners of his mouth twitched as he tried to suppress his feelings in order to look less awful. He forced himself to say: “I, Yun Waitian, did everything all these years for the Yun Family and have never ever fawned over the Patriarch position.”
“Sigh!” After remaining silent for a long time, Grand Elder Yun Jiang sighed and said: “Waitian, within the Yun Family now, you are indeed our most suitable candidate. Whether you’re willing or not, you becoming the next Patriarch would be the best result for the Yun Family. You don’t have to reject it. As for what others say, we simply don’t have to listen to it.”
A Grand Elder’s words naturally carried supreme weight. Yun Waitian was secretly overjoyed, and just as he was about to go along with the flow, he heard Duke Hui Ye speak up: “Concerning this matter of the Yun Patriarch, this duke has a small suggestion. I wonder if everyone from the Yun Family would like to hear it?”
Once Duke Hui Ye spoke, he caught everyone’s attention. Yun Waitian stopped his attempt to speak, turned to Duke Hui Ye, and respectfully replied: “What suggestion does Your Highness have? I’m sure everyone would like to know.”
Duke Hui Ye was calm as he smiled slightly, swung the fan in his hands, and spoke slowly: “In my opinion, what Young Patriarch Mu and Elder Helian had said isn’t unreasonable. Even though Great Elder Yun has done a lot for the family and no one can match his reputation within the family, he’s indeed not suitable for the position. Otherwise, going by what Young Patriarch Mu and Elder Helian had said, it would become the laughing stock of the others; the human tongue is powerful. If it only concerned Great Elder Yun, it could be overlooked. However, the current situation within the family is already dire. If the public starts to gossip even more because of this matter, it wouldn’t be beneficial to the Yun Family.”
Duke Hui Ye words caused Yun Waitian’s heart to clench. He looked down in an attempt to hide his ugly expression that looked worse than crying: “What Your Highness said is true. I’m truly unsuitable for the position of Patriarch.”
Duke Hui Ye quickly continued: “Judging from the Yun Family’s current predicament, there’s a need to change Patriarchs, and in my opinion, there’s an even better candidate.”
“I wonder who Your Highness is referring to?” Grand Elder Yun Xi asked.
Duke Hui Ye closed his fan, stood up and paced about: “Since Great Elder is not suitable, and there’s no one that can please everyone from this generation of elders, then, why not nominate the new Patriarch from another place?”
“You Highness is saying?”
Duke Hui Ye replied: “Back then, your family lost your Patriarch and the ten strongest Grand Elders. The strength of your family weakened drastically overnight and you all had to carry sins for hundred years. If the Yun Family were to rise again, it would undoubtedly require a long amount of time and an exceptional leader. An exceptional leader requires a long time to groom. From what this duke sees, since it’s difficult to make a choice from the older generation, why not choose one from a younger generation. It is known to the whole city that the eldest son of the Great Elder, Yun Xinyue, is a gifted talent who has strong aptitude, and possesses the same cyan colored profound handle as the Demon King. His personality is also humble and not arrogant; he is undoubtedly the pride of the Yun Family that heaven has bestowed. More than once, this duke has heard him being praised as the biggest hope of Yun Family’s future. If he were to become the next Patriarch and be guided by Great Elder and all the other Elders, this duke believes that within ten years, he would become an exceptional leader. The days of glory for the Yun Family won’t be long away.”
“Furthermore, although Yun Xinyue is young, his talent and personality is obvious to the entire Yun Family. If he were to become the next Patriarch, this duke believes that there would be less people dissatisfied with this as compared to Great Elder. What does everyone think?”
Chapter 517 - I Have An Objection!
The words said by the Duke Hui Ye immediately caused waves among the Yun Family members who were present. After most of them had recovered from their momentary surprise, their eyes suddenly began to shine with the light of emotion. Many of the core elders from the Elder Council began to look at each other in consternation, after which, they all began to slowly nod their heads simultaneously.
Even the three grand elders, Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi had sunk into deep thought, but they did not show any sign of rejecting his words.
“Mn?” Yun Che rested his hand under his chin as he looked thoughtfully at the completely relaxed Duke Hui Ye. He gave a faint chuckle, and then said in a low voice, “Ah, so it was like this after all… Before, I only had a grasp on about ninety percent of the situation, but now I can see the entire picture.”
Yun Che’s soft words were fully transmitted into Yun Qinghong’s ears. Yun Qinhong looked askance, giving him a deep, long look.
“If Father must truly abdicate his position… Letting Brother Xinyue take over as Patriarch doesn’t seem to be a bad idea.” Yun Xiao said softly.
“His Highness Hui Ye has truly presented an excellent proposal!!” After the noise had begin to die down, a core elder began to clap his hands while standing. He said with a voice filled with admiration, “For all these years, every time the occasion arises for one Patriarch to succeed the other, that person is almost always above one hundred years of age, so this has caused us to unwittingly overlook such an excellent candidate.”
“That is right!” Another elder also stood up, “Xinyue is the best amongst our young generation, and it can also be said that he is perfect in every way. Even though he is not the son of the Patriarch, he is still the son of the Great Elder. Whether it is regarding aptitude or background, you will not be able to find another candidate who can compare to him amongst his peers. As for his age, Xinyue is indeed still young, but why can’t we consider this a kind of advantage? In regards to his shallow qualifications, as long as we put in every effort to assist him, this shallowness can be completely compensated for.”
“Even people from outside the Yun Family has called Xinyue the great hope of our Yun Family. This is definitely not idle talk or lies. Letting Xinyue be the next Patriarch, may truly bring about an entirely new beginning for our Yun Family.”
“His Highness Hui Ye’s suggestion is truly sublime.”
In the current Yun Family which had greatly declined in strength, the halo surrounding Yun Xingyue was indeed dazzling without compare. Countless praises and the greatest hope and expectation for the Yun Family’s resurgence was gathered in that halo of light. And under such a light, even the problem of his age was easily covered up; the seniors of the Yun Family already did not feel that the suggestion for him to be the next Patriarch was too inappropriate, and following the approval of one elder after the other, they felt like it was more and more feasible, to the point where it could be said that he was an excellent choice.
As for the younger members of the Yun Family, it was natural that they exhibited a incomparably excited response. Yun Xingyue becoming the Yun Family Patriarch caused a fierce pride to well up in the hearts of all of those young disciples.
The present cheers were even louder than the ones given when Yun Waitian was presented as the successor of the title of Patriarch.
After the Grand Elders had given this matter careful consideration, they all slowly nodded their heads as well. Yun Jiang said in a gentle voice, “Our Yun Clan has never had the precedent of allowing someone from the younger generation to take the seat of Patriarch prematurely, but that does not mean that such a precedent cannot be set. Xinyue’s temperament and talent are enough to compensate for his lack of experience. After serious consideration and taking into account the present condition of the Yun Family, Xinyue seems to be even more suitable than Waitian to take over the position of Patriarch.”
“I also concur with what has been said.” Yun He nodded his head.
“I can expect no less of Duke Hui Ye. His suggestion has enlightened us, allowing us to see something that we had not been able to see before.” Yun Xi added as he nodded his head as well.
“To be able to attain the recognition from all three Grand Elders is this duke’s fortune.” Duke Hui Ye said as he gave a faint smile, “This duke merely gave a simple suggestion, I did not expect to receive such a vigorous response from your entire clan. It looks like all of you ladies and gentlemen of the Yun Family has an even greater appreciation and respect for Yun Xinyue than I had previously anticipated. Since this is the case, Great Elder, for your virtuous son to succeed the title of Patriarch seems to be the perfect conclusion to this matter.”
Duke Hui Ye’s words had undoubtedly speedily changed Yun Waitians previous melancholy into sheer joy. Letting Yun Xinyue become Patriarch naturally filled him with even more joy than his own appointment as Patriarch would have given him. He strongly restrained the ecstasy in his heart and said in a polite and modest tone, “Duke Hui Ye has such great love for my unworthy son. For that I, Yun Waitian, am eternally grateful. However… my unworthy son is simply too young, and the reality is that… His ability is still currently lacking…”
Yun Xinyue stood up, and it was clear that he was at a loss. He said in a deferential tone, “Everything that my father has said is true. For Duke Hui Ye to show me such great love, Xinyue is simply grateful beyond words. However, Xinyue is not even thirty years old yet and my power, ability and experience still fall far short of the required mark, so how can I be worthy of receiving the huge responsibility of becoming the new Patriarch. Xinyue is truly unbearably perplexed.”
“Oh?” Duke Hui Ye’s smile quickly receded and a displeased look soon appeared on his face. He gave a cold snort and said, “Hmph, looks like those rumors are after all, in the end, merely rumors. This duke had originally thought you, Yun Xingyue, is indeed an incomparable genius who was bestowed to the Yun Family by the heavens, but it looks like you are nothing more than this. The Yun Family currently exists in the boundary between life and death. The entire Yun Family is willing to entrust such a heavy burden to you, even the three Grand Elders have given given their approval. But alas, you do not even have the courage or the nerve to take on this task. Ah, it’s too bad that the so-called ‘Great Hope of the Yun Family’ is nothing more than a joke; this ‘hope’ is merely a fool to be despised by all.”
Duke Hui Ye’s words caused Yun Xingyue’s face to become stained a crimson red. He clenched his fists tightly and said through gritted teeth, “Xinyue does not recognize what Your Highness has just said. To bring about the revival of the Yun Family is my life’s greatest wish. If I am allowed to accomplish this wish, I will not hesitate to pay any price to make it come true….”
“This duke has never bothered listening to useless words that are beneath my notice.” Duke Hui Ye replied with a bland smile, “This duke only wants to know one thing, this position of Yun Family Patriarch, do you dare to take it?!”
“I dare! Why would I not dare!” As if he was severely jolted by Duke Hui Ye’s words, Yun Xingyue’s hesitation disappeared and he replied in a manner that was extremely resolute and decisive. He furrowed his brows and said with a solemn expression, “As long as all the seniors of the Yun Family, as well as my fellow brothers and sisters think highly of me, and is willing to let a junior like me be Patriarch of the Yun Family. Then I will dare to throw caution to the wind and say that I will cause the Yun Family to rise to ascendancy again within my lifetime!”
Once Yun Xinyue had uttered such strong words, all the Yun Family members present naturally went into a frenzy and they blanketed the arena with roars. Several core elders stood up one after the other and as they nodded their heads and laughed, they announced as one body, “Who would have thought that this major event concerning the Patriarch would reach such a resolution. Even though it was beyond our expectations, it is indeed a perfect ending. All of us will commit our greatest strength into supporting the new Patriarch!”
Yun Waitian drew in a long breath and said in an incomparably agitated voice, “Since this is the current state of affairs, if my unworthy son still chooses to decline, it would instead seem like a pretentious and cowardly act. And since today, this heavy burden has fallen upon the shoulders of my unworthy son, I as his father, will exert ten times my previous effort! In hopes that this father and son will not become guilty of perpetuating the decline of our Yun Family.”
The inner circle within the Yun Family all knew that the true motive of this Family Competition was to replace their Patriarch. And before this, everyone had assumed that the new Patriarch would be Yun Waitian. Who would have thought that, under the urging of Duke Hui Ye, they would reach a conclusion that seemed to be even more perfect.
Duke Hui Ye gave off a big laugh and said, “For a clan to change Patriarchs is originally a huge affair that is dealt with within that family. This duke did not expect that as a stranger giving a rather superficial proposal, that my proposal would receive recognition from all the members of the Yun Family present. This duke is overjoyed and extremely honored. And since this matter was precipitated by this duke, this duke also has a burning desire to see it through to completion. Since all those who are present feel that Yun Xinyue is the most suitable candidate to assume the role of Patriarch, and every single member of the Yun Family, including the Grand Elders and core Elders that are present, the esteemed guests who are visiting shall bear witness. The stars have truly aligned and people from every corner are gathered in witness. Since this is so, I do not see why we should not, on this very day, at this very time, proceed to complete the ceremony of succession for the new Patriarch. Everyone, do you have any objections?”
In this entire process, the current Patriarch Yun Qinghong had the least attention paid to him. No one asked him for his opinion and no one cared about his feelings… because even though he was the Patriarch, he had long ago become a useless cripple whom even a beggar could ignore… because at least a beggar could still move under his own power.
The suggestion that Yun Xinyue should become the new Patriarch was met with raucous approval from the entire Yun Clan, and there was not a word that was said in opposition. And the one who had given this suggestions, who had brought it to conclusion was Duke Hui Ye himself, so it was hard for anyone to feel that it was inappropriate. In fact, given the current situation, forget about shouting out one’s objections, those present would hardly even dare to express their objection in any way.
However, as everyone was on the verge of witnessing the fall of the old Patriarch and the beginning of the inauguration of the new Patriarch, there was one ‘unenlightened’ person who stood up.
“I have an objection!”
These four bland words utilized the power of profound energy to possess an extremely strong penetrating effect. And amidst the noisy environment, it was clearly transmitted into everyone’s ears, and even caused the great clamor to instantly die down. All eyes turned at the same time to the origin of that voice.
Yun Che stood up and unhurriedly strode forward five paces. He gave a faint smile to Duke Hui Ye and Yun Waitian, whom he faced, while he exposed himself to the gaze of the crowd at the same time.
Yun Che had, after all, stayed with the Yun Family for two months. Even though a large proportion of the Yun Family had never seen him, they had all heard that Yun Che had become Yun Qinghong’s godson… It was just that the godson of a crippled Patriarch was simply not enough to draw the attention of those within the Yun Family. For him to step out all of sudden and say those four earth-shattering words, ‘I have an objection’, caused everyone to be stunned in place. Following that however, the gazes filled with shock were increasingly replaced by gazes filled with mockery and no small amount of schadenfreude.
“Who the hell is this kid?”
“He has an objection? Heh, what does he mean? Who does he think he is? Who does he think the people who are standing in front of him are?”
“Oh, this seems to be the god-son of Yun Qinghong. Could it be that this person is some sort of retard?”
“Peh, perhaps he just wants to steal some of the limelight. Heh heh, speaking out is easy, but let’s see how you handle the fallout now… It’s time to watch a show!”
As for Duke Hui Ye, the branch of the Royal Family he was from was extremely formidable and it was public knowledge that it rivaled the power that the Little Demon Empress held. Even the stately Great Elder of the Yun Family had to be polite and respectful to young duke and would not dare show any sign of slighting him. Even those who had never heard of Duke Hui Ye before, would still understand what kind of background he had. So when he asked if ‘anyone had any objections’, no one thought that someone would actually really step forward. This was undoubtedly a rude slap delivered to Duke Hui Ye’s face.
“Big… Big Brother!” Yun Xiao cried in alarm has he moved forward to drag Yun Che back. Yun Qinghong extended his hand to block him, after which, he silently shook his head.
“Oh?” Duke Hui Ye had also naturally did not expect that there was someone who was willing to sing a different tune; moreover this was after the entire Yun Family had recognized the proposal that he made. He turned around and casually measured Yun Che with his eyes. In a voice that contained only amusement and no anger, he said, “And you are?”
Yun Waitian fixed his eyes upon Yun Che and his brows wrinkled up. Then, he continued by saying, “Your Highness Hui Ye, this person is actually not part of our Yun Family. Moreover, he is only a foster son who was taken in two months ago by Yun Qinghong. We also have no idea where this fellow came from, but Duke Hui Ye, please do not bother with what he is saying.”
At this point in time, Yun Waitian had abandoned even addressing Yun Qinghong as ‘Patriarch’ and directly called him ‘Yun Qinghong’.
“Foster son?” Duke Hui Ye faintly narrowed his eyes, “This is truly strange, this duke has never heard of someone from the Yun Family taking in a foster child. For Patriarch Yun to have set such a precedent, it seems that this foster son of Patriarch Yun must truly possess some exceedingly extraordinary qualities.”
“You flatter me.” Yun Che said laughingly. He stayed perfectly composed in the face of Duke Hui Ye’s mighty aura, as though he wasn’t even facing someone who stood at the peak of the Illusory Demon Realm, but rather a peer who couldn’t be any more ordinary: “I am only a nobody, so Duke Hui Ye obviously does not recognize me. Even though I am not a member of the Yun Family, my surname is also Yun, with my name being Che.”
“Yun Che!” Yun Waitian deeply uttered: “Today is a major event for our Yun Family. Whether or not your surname is Yun has no meaning, for you are still just an outsider who has no right to butt into our Yun Family affairs. Apologize to Duke Hui Ye immediately for your offense, then scram… Or else, even that godfather of yours would not be able to protect you!”
Yun Family’s Great Elder berated so angrily, and even caused the rest of the young generation to end up trembling with fear while drenched in sweat. However, Yun Che merely gave him an indifferent glance, and said without a change in expression: “I, Yun Che, am not a member of the Yun Family, nor am I a citizen of Demon Imperial City. I’ve only arrived at Demon Imperial City two months ago, and just happened to save Yun Xiao from ambush outside the city. Yun Xiao and I were compatible, so we became sworn brothers. Since I saved his son, the Yun Patriarch accepted me as his adoptive son… Since I have become the Patriarch’s godchild, then I can be considered to be a half member of the Yun Family. If you want to talk about outsiders, I believe that this Duke Hui Ye should be the true outsider, right? If an outsider could decide the Yun Family’s succession of Patriarch with a few words, then why do I, a half ‘insider’, not have the right to speak up?”
Once Yun Che’s words came out, Yun Xiao instantly broke into cold sweat, while those elder-class characters who were a few hundred years old were all struck dumb into speechlessness.
Chapter 518 - World-shaking
“Insolence!!!”
Yun Che’s words stunned everyone present. Yun Waitian became angry and bellowed: “Insolent brat, how dare you offend His Highness Hui Ye! If it were not for Yun Qinghong, based on those words you said, I would’ve personally give you a few tight slaps.”
Yun Ched willfully laughed, showing no signs of panic: “Great Elder’s anger is truly great, did I say anything wrong? This duke who is completely unrelated to the Yun Family can bother with your Yun Family affairs, but I, a half member of the Yun Family, cannot? Furthermore, the person who asked if there were any objections seemed to be that duke as well.”
Seeing that Yu Che did not back off, and instead continue, caused Yun Waitian to laugh in anger: “His Highness Hui Ye is a duke, and his words are like gold, enlightening us, the Yun Family about the matter of the next Patriarch. Who are you to compare to yourself to His Highness Hui Ye? If there were any objections, my Yun Family Elder Council would object. Since when was it your turn, you ridiculous little thing, hurry up and scram! If you are to say another word…”
“Ahh~” Duke Hui Ye lifted up his hand to stop Yun Waitian from speaking, his facing still maintaining its calm. He did not seem even a bit angry… However, a brat whose background was unknown, who was only at the Sky Profound Realm was indeed not even fit to cause him to become angry. If he were really to become angry, others would find it weird instead. He laughed and said: “Great Elder doesn’t have to get angry. Changing Patriarchs is a huge matter. Someone having an objection is just normal. Even though Yun Che is not a member of the Yun Family, he’s still the godson of the current Patriarch. Saying that he is half a Yun Family member is indeed not too much. Furthermore, his godfather would be the one that is giving up his position; for him to have something to say is normal. Why not let us listen to what he has to say.”
“Your Highness, I heard that this brat came from the Southern Borders to Demon Imperial City two months ago. There are not many people from the Yun Family that knows him. There is no need for a man with such high status as you to listen to rubbish from a brat.” Yun Waitian said.
“No, no,” Duke Hui Ye shook his head: “Letting Xinyue succeed as Patriarch is not something your Yun Family decided, but something this duke suggested, and what Yun Che said was not wrong. This duke is still an outsider and something an outsider suggested leading to objections is something normal. Furthermore, this Yun Che is the godson of the current Patriarch. If he were to be really chased away by you like this, wouldn’t it seem as though this duke is narrow-minded, bullying others with authority and cannot take ‘objections’?”
Clap, clap, clap…
A loud applause started, and as Yun Che clapped, he praised loudly: “No wonder you’re a duke. Such magnanimity and boldness is indeed commendable, unlike some others who lived a few hundred years for nothing, you’re much stronger.”
“YOU!” Yun Waitian instantly flew into a rage. Him offending Duke Hui Ye in public could be understood as being ignorant and rash, but his last phrase was obviously criticizing him. However, after he said “YOU”, he did not continue, but instead laughed coldly. He thought that with his status, flying into a rage because of a junior in public was just embarrassing himself. Furthermore, him offending Duke Hui Ye would obviously not do him any good.
This Duke Hui Ye was definitely not some kind and magnanimous person.
“Is he really the youth that saved Number Seven that day?” On his seat, Unparalleled Under Heaven looked at Yun Che and asked.
“Yes, it’s him.” Number One Under Heaven nodded.
“This youngster is a bit reckless.” Unparalleled Under Heaven said.
Number One Under Heaven thought for a while, before replying: “Even though I only met him once, he doesn’t seem to be a rash and thoughtless person.”
“Haha.” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed slightly as he turned his attention to Yun Qinghong, then thoughtfully said: “If he really is someone Yun Qinghong made godson, then he’s definitely not simple. Your father has more than once said that even though Yun Qinghong is completely crippled, he is not a person to be looked down upon. Even though the current Yun Family seems as though the control is with Yun Waitian, it’s only a superficial view. Your father and I strongly believe that it is not possible for Yun Qinghong to not have backups… If Yun Qinghong is willing to accept this child as his godson, this child is definitely not normal.”
Number One Under Heaven: “…”
“This duke has said before that this duke does not want to hear any useless rubbish.” Duke Hui Ye narrowed his eyes and looked at Yun Che with a playful glance. That glance was like someone getting interested in a toy: “You said that you had objections, that means you don’t agree on Yun Xinyue becoming the next Patriarch. Then, let us know the reason why, or you could suggest someone who is more suitable to become Patriarch. If your reason is reasonable or that everyone agrees with you, then it would be the best. Otherwise, if your words were merely objecting for the sake of objecting… Heh, for such a huge matter being treated as a farce by you, let’s not say the Yun Family, but even this duke would likely get angry.”
As Duke Hui Ye finished speaking, a sense of dismay was released, causing the younger disciples on the seats to shudder. Duke Hui Ye was a part of the “Illusory Demons Seven Scions”, and his strength didn’t need to be questioned. Being born in the royal family, his innate and acquired royal aura was not something that an ordinary person can withstand.
Yun Che was unfazed as he said: “I am half a Yun Family member. Naturally, everything I say and do is for the sake of the Yun Family. The Patriarch is the most important leader of the family, the choice of Patriarch affects the future of the entire family. It’s not a matter where even a little negligence can be allowed. When choosing the Patriarch, although strength is important, it is not the most important. Instead, the most important is personality and character… Duke Hui Ye, on this point, I’m sure you agree as well.”
Duke Hui Ye smiled slightly and said: “Of course. However, from what you said, are you questioning Yun Xinyue’s character? From what this duke knows, not only is Yun Xinyue a gifted talent, his character is flawless. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be no one disagreeing with the proposition of Yun Xinyue as the next Patriarch. Do you mean that the understanding of him from the clan members who stayed with him for tens of years is inferior to you, an outsider who has only been in Demon Imperial City for two months?”
Yun Che laughed strangely and said thoughtfully: “Everyone knows, that in this world, the hardest thing to see clearly is the human heart. I said before, the reason I had become Yun Qinghong’s godson was because when I first arrived in Demon Imperial City, I had saved his son Yun Xiao. That day, other than Yun Xiao, Under Heaven Clan’s princess, Number Seven Under Heaven, was attacked as well. Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven were both direct descendants of their Patriarch, the news of them being attacked together is not something trivial and I’m sure everyone present has heard of this news.”
“This duke has indeed heard of it, but does this have anything to do with whether Yun Xinyue can become the next Patriarch?” Duke Hui Ye asked with a slight smile.
“Yes, of course it does, and it’s even greatly related!” Yun Che did not stop and continued. His words caused the brows of Yun Qinghong, who was sitting on the wheelchair, to knit closely together. His gaze was cold… but it all dissipated quickly.
“Number Seven Under Heaven and Yun Xiao were attacked together, and the attacks were very vicious. It was obvious the motive was to kill them. That way, the Under Heaven Patriarch would undoubtedly rage and investigate his matter thoroughly. Yun Xiao’s Uncle, Senior Mu would also meddle in this matter, but Yun Family’s actions… Heh, it doesn’t matter if we don’t talk about it. However, the three black-clothed man who attacked Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven did not reveal their profound skills. Therefore, it was exceptionally difficult to track their identities. Now, two months have passed, and whether it’s the Under Heaven Family or Senior Mu, they did not uncover anything…”
“What exactly is your point!” Yun Waitian impatiently bellowed: “This is my Yun Family’s Great Assembly, we’re not here to listen to your rubbish!”
“Great Elder, calm down. The main point is coming.” Yun Che said neither quickly or slowly: “Yun Xiao is my sworn brother. Him being attacked, Yun Family can ignore it, treat as though nothing happened but I, as his big brother, cannot. In these two months, I kept trying to find out who was it that tried to assassinate Yun Xiao and the Under Heaven Family Princess. Lucky for him, a while back, I finally figured out the identity of one of the culprits.”
From the seats, the faces of Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven Changed instantly as their gaze became serious. Two months ago, Number Seven Under Heaven nearly lost her life to the black-clothed men and Greatest Ambition Under Heaven exploded with anger, but even though he personally investigated this matter, it did not come to any results. Yun Che’s words instantly captured their attentions. Number One Under Heaven immediately stood up and asked: “Brother Yun, are you serious? The person that you had found out, who is he?”
Mu Yubai stroked his chin as he muttered with a frown: “This brat, just what medicine is this brat concocting. Even that old man Under Heaven could not discover anything, but he did?”
“Ah? Big Brother really discovered who it was?” Yun Xiao had a face of confusion: “But, he has never stepped out of the house much in during these two months, this, this…”
“Husband, what is Che’er trying to do?” Mu Yurou was equally perplexed as well.
“No need to ask, let’s just watch on.” Yun Qinghong looked on with knitted brows as his grip on the handle of the wheelchair grew tighter.
Yun Che turned around and said while facing Number One Under Heaven: “Brother Under Heaven, with one of your family members nearly being assassinated, I believe that even if you and your family were to stab the culprit to death with a thousand swords, it would not quell your anger. But today, I have to ask Brother Under Heaven and our Under Heaven seniors to maintain your composure, since the identity of the culprit that I have figured out is shocking. When I say it, you might not even believe me.”
Yun Che shift his attention to Yun Xinyue and looked at him intently: “One of the culprits behind the assassination attempt of Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven is not anyone else, but the imposing and prestigious son of the Great Elder… Yun Xinyue!”
Once Yun Che mentioned the two words “Yun Xinyue”, it seemed as though someone randomly tossed out two bombs. The entire plaza became a field of silence, then, it was replaced with deafening, world-shaking noises.
However, this was not sound of shock, but rather… the sound of deafening laughter.
Chapter 519 - Evidence
“You scoundrel!” It came as no surprise to anyone that Yun Waitian burned with indignant fury right there and then, “You arrogant little kid, how dare you spout such absurd, laughable and presumptuous words. Do you really think that I would not dare to kill you!?”
“This is truly preposterous!” The Seventh Elder, who was normally on the best terms with Yun Waitian, stood up and rebuked Yun Che with fury, “In my life, I have never heard such ridiculous words being said before! This is simply absurd… Absurd!”
“Xinyue is the most illustrious disciple among all the young ones in our clan. Both his temperament and talent are unquestionable. And he has never even bullied any of our fellow clan members before. In fact, he is especially close with Yun Xiao… And even if there was really some kind of grievance that existed, how it could it be possible for him to actually try to murder a fellow clan member! To try to assassinate the princess of the Under Heaven Clan, this is easily the most absurd joke I have ever heard!”
“This is truly laughable and aggravating all at the same time. Ah, it really infuriates this old man.” A senior from the Yun Family, who was hundreds of years old, sighed.
“A bastard kid who came outta nowhere dares to slander our impending new Patriarch in public, this is just too much! The Disciplinary Elder needs to drag him down and subject him to a heavy punishment right now!” A young disciple roared in fury. His words immediately provoked a huge response and all sorts of mockery, abuse and cries of anger rang out. The sounds were so loud that they blanketed the entire area.
Yun Xiao had stared blankly into space for a good long while before saying in a quavering voice, “This… This… How can this be? How can it be Brother Xinyue? Big Brother must have gotten it wrong somehow….”
Even though Yun Xiao had a deep reverence and respect for Yun Che and despite their close relationship. Yes, even though it was Yun Che, Yun Xiao still had a hard time believing what Yun Che had just said. After all, he had only known Yun Che for two months, but he had known Yun Xinyue for over twenty years. And for all these years, Yun Xinyue had left an extremely perfect image within his heart. He simply could not believe that the assassination attempt he had met with the other day had anything to do with Yun Xinyue.
Yun Qinghong looked at him and gently said, “Xiao’er, remember what your big brother said to you before. In this world, the hardest thing to puzzle out is the human heart. And the hardest ability to cultivate is not profound strength; it is the ability to see through the hearts of other people. In this aspect, your big brother is simply much too superior to you. See with clear eyes the things that are about to unfold before you, and after that… Carve today’s lesson into your memory.”
“…” Yun Xiao opened his mouth but he could not make a sound; his mind had sunk into complete turmoil.
Yun Xinyue stood up, and it could be seen that he was greatly suppressing his rage. He managed to speak in a voice that was passably calm, “Yun Che. I, Yun Xinyue, have never had any enmity with you in the past, nor do I have any grievance with you at present. In fact we have hardly even spoken and when we have occasionally bumped into each other, I have always treated you with civility. So why do slander me in such a manner?! What exactly… are your intentions?!”
A universal chorus of taunts and criticism came flooding in from all sides, but two years ago, when Yun Che was in the territory of the Divine Phoenix Sect, he had already dared to take on the entire Divine Phoenix Sect by himself. This kind of situation was not even enough to make him flustered. Facing Yun Xinyue’s question, he looked sideways and sneeringly replied, “Whether what I am saying is true or false, you know better than anyone else. But I can’t help but admire your acting skills. Your expression, gaze, movements and words… They are all unassailable. No wonder you have been able to bluff all these years without getting caught out.”
“You!!” Yun Xinyue was so angry that his entire body trembled with rage, “Laughable, this is simply too laughable… Your coarse and despicable entrapment, I can expose it with a few simple words! You said that the one who planned the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao that day was me…” He pointed to Yun Xiao and said furiously, “But you can ask Yun Xiao yourself, when have I ever had any grievances with him? You can also ask him, if the ones who tried to assassinate him that day were from the Yun Family or not! If it was someone from the other families then if they hid their profound art, it would be hard to recognize. However, if it was a member of our Yun Family who did it, even if they put in their entire effort into hiding their profound art, as someone from the same clan who has cultivated the Purple Cloud Art for nearly twenty years, how could it be that Yun Xiao did not notice it?!”
“I don’t even need to ask.” Yun Che curled his lips and replied, “The ones who attacked Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven that day were naturally not from the Yun Family. Because it was a combined effort between you and members from other families who laid this trap for them.”
“Bullshit!” Yun Waitian was thoroughly infuriated, and he ground his foot into floor as he suddenly launched an attack at Yun Che. An incomparably robust and solid burst of lightning profound energy surged out violently, instantly forming into a roiling current of lightning which explosively sped towards Yun Che’s neck.
Yun Waitian had been standing close to Yun Che and he had made an abrupt attack out of extreme anger, so everyone else hardly had any time to react. On one side, there was a powerful Sovereign Profound Realm, on the other, was a mere Sky Profound Realm. Under Yun Waitian’s attack, Yun Che did not even need to think about surviving, because even having his body torn up and all his bones broken would be considered getting off lightly.
But Yun Che had made his preparations far in advance. Once he had stood up to oppose Yun Xinyue, his nerves had been on a razor’s edge and his profound energy had been actively circulating as well. So once he felt Yun Waitian’s profound energy surging, his profound energy exploded at the same time, and his body instantly shimmered.
Sssss!!
Yun Waitian’s lightning current shredded space and shredded Yun Che’s afterimage as well. Everyone was stared at the space, and even Yun Waitian himself was caught staring blankly because even he did not see clearly how Yun Che had dodged that strike.
A stately Monarch had suddenly struck out against a junior in the Sky Profound Realm but he did not even touch the corner of his robe. And this was witnessed by all who were present… Yun Waitian’s shame turned to anger and with a fierce turn, he attempted to grab the Yun Che who had appeared at his back, “You little liar, die!”
“Stop!”
A huge icy cold profound formation appeared instantly in front of Yun Che’s body, and as it activated, it completely reflected Yun Waitian lightning profound energy back at him. A figure appeared in the air in a flash, and Mu Yubai descended like a bolt of lightning, shielding Yun Che. He smirked coldly and said, “Yun Waitian, you are after all, a Great Elder of the Yun Clan but you actually launched a sneak attack against a junior. You have truly thrown your ancestor’s face all over the ground and used it as a dish rag.”
Yun Waitian said with a solemn expression, “This bastard slandered my son, and he actually wanted to frame him for the crime of collaborating with outsiders to kill someone from his own clan. This is not only insulting my son, this is impugning the honor of my entire family! If this can be tolerated, then what would not be permissible?! My family’s honor is one million times more precious than this mongrel’s life! Let’s not talk about killing him, even tearing his body apart would not be the least bit overboard!”
“The words that Great Elder Yun have said, this duke approves.” Duke Hui Ye gave a dry chuckle. “Honor. This is something far more precious than one’s life. The extent of Yun Che’s slander, heh, is such that if he dies, no one would regret it! If this duke was in a similar situation, this duke would also have struck out in anger.”
After saying his piece, Duke Hui Ye suddenly narrowed his eyes and said, “Young Patriarch Mu has protected Yun Che to such an extent. Could it be that you actually believe the words he has said?”
“Since he dared to say such a thing, he should have some basis to go upon.” Mu Yubai coldly eyed Yun Waitian, “Not waiting for him to finish but suddenly striking a vicious blow, ah, could it be that this is what you would call, acting on a guilty conscience?”
“Hahahahahaha!” A shrill and wanton laugh pierced the air, Helian Peng stood up and said between his guffaws, “Your Highness Hui Ye, Great Elder Yun, don’t tell me that you don’t see it already? It is obvious that this former Patriarch is obviously not willing to relinquish his seat. Because he saw that the new Patriarch enjoyed the people’s support and his ascension was imminent, he became anxious and pushed this so-called foster son forward to upset the apple cart… but this so-called foster son is truly too pitiful. He is only considered to be cannon-fodder to be used by other people. In order to prevent the new Patriarch from assuming the position, he actually spouted such patently ridiculous accusations. Hahahaha, truly it makes me laugh so hard that my teeth hurt.”
Helian Peng’s bout of mockery actually sounded reasonable and fair so immediately many people began voicing out their approval. Mu Yubai’s face turned dark and he coldly sneered, “Helian Peng, are you sincerely courting death?!”
“Oh? Is it because I have exposed you for all to see, so your shame has turned into wrath?” Helian Peng’s expression was filled with mockery, he turned to the seated Unparalleled Under Heaven and said, “Elder Unparalleled, your esteemed clan’s princess was also involved in the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao two months ago. I think it would be obvious that you, more than anyone else, would wish to know who the true man behind the curtain is. But to say that Yun Xinyue was the one who was pulling the strings, such preposterous words, even you would not be able to believe them, am I correct?”
Unparalleled Under Heaven said calmly, “Empty words naturally lack the power to persuade, I will only trust in concrete evidence. Yun Che, since you have said that Yun Xinyue is the scoundrel behind all of this, what evidence do you have to back yourself up?”
“Evidence? He is merely trying to blacken the name of the new Patriarch on the eve of his election, what evidence would he have? Elder Unparalleled, do you actually believe that he could take out some concrete evidence for us to see?” Helian Peng said in a voice which dripped with contempt.
Duke Hui Ye let out a cold snort and said, “Hmph, since Young Patriarch Mu has actually come forward to protect you, Yun Che, this duke will give you one chance. You said that Yun Xinyue was the scoundrel behind the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven two months ago, so why don’t you show this duke some real proof. If it is something that can convince all who are present, then the Yun Family will naturally deal with Yun Xinyue impartially. I believe even if it is the Great Elder, he will definitely not act unjustly due to selfish considerations. But… If you cannot show us any evidence and you are merely maliciously trying to smear Yun Xinyue’s reputation, hmph, much less the Yun Clan, even this duke will not let you off lightly! The celebrated son of the Twelve Guardian Families, how can we let an outsider humiliate him without good cause?!”
“If it is evidence you are talking about, I naturally have it. In fact, it is right before your very eyes.” Yun Che once again said something shocking in an unperturbed manner. He pointed at Yun Xinyue and said, “Yun Xinyue himself, isn’t he the best evidence?”
“What do you mean by that?” Duke Hui Ye said as he eyed Yun Che darkly.
Yun Che replied in a gentle tone, “The entire Illusory Demon World knows that the Yun Family possesses one completely unique special ability, the Profound Handle! And the Profound Handle can not only be used for attacking, it also has uses in regards to one’s mind. Even if it is someone who has just started cultivating the profound arts, the words Profound Handle Soul Search should reverberate in their hearts. As long as we use the Profound Handle Soul Search to seize his mind and force his consciousness to drift free, then no matter what you ask him, he will answer truthfully; there will not even be a hint of falsity or deception… By then, whether he has anything to do with the assassination attempt on Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven will be solved with a simple question! And at that time, everything he says can be counted as the most indisputable, ironclad evidence in this world!”
Chapter 520 - Angry Rebuke
“What did you say?!” Yun Waitian became enraged again, “You actually want my son to undergo ‘Soul Search’? Outrageous, absolutely outrageous!!”
The “Profound Handle Soul Search” was indeed a special ability exclusive to the Yun Family due to their Profound Handle. Normal soul searches were not only risky, if it backfired, the consequences were unimaginable. Even if it did work, the mind of the person whose soul was being searched would receive huge damage and he might even turn straight into an idiot. For the Profound Handle Soul Search, even if it failed due to the target’s mind being too strong, there would not be any side effects. Furthermore, when it succeeds, it would not cause mental damage to the target. When Yun Che was originally attacking Burning Heaven Clan, he had used his Profound Handle to forcefully obtain another person’s memories, hence, he was very clear about the strengths of the Profound Handle. Twenty years ago, the only reason Yun Qinghong and his wife knew about Yun Canghai being locked within Profound Sky Continent was also due to the Profound Handle Soul Search stealing another person’s memories.
“Hehe,” Duke Hui Ye laughed slightly, asking: “Yun Che, that is your so-called proof? Other than that, do you still have any other proof?”
“Just this one proof is already more than enough.” Yun Che replied.
“So that’s it, very good…” Duke Hui Ye nodded slowly and a smile that had a slight sense of ridicule appeared on his face for an instant before he turned to Yun Xinyue and said: “I have heard of the Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search more than once and I hear that it would not cause any harmful effects to the target. Now that someone is accusing you of harming a fellow clan member and the Princess of the Under Heaven Clan, and says that a Profound Handle would prove it… Yun Xinyue, do you dare to undergo the Soul Search in front of everyone to prove your innocence?”
Yun Xinyue stepped out, his face darkened and his whole body trembled. It was obvious he was enraged to his breaking point, but had been suppressing his rage with his willpower as he said: “Why wouldn’t I dare! I, Yun Xinyue, have a clear conscience, always treat my family honestly, and have never even had any thoughts of harming them. In my whole life, until now, the shame and anger I receive due to being accused and framed, I would rather die than carry the name of a traitor… Under the Profound Handle Soul Search, everything I say would be true and it would best prove my innocence! I plead the elders to allow me to undergo the Soul Search to prove my innocence!!”
The words of Yun Xinyue were said with anger, determination and without hesitation. The masses had not believed Yun Che’s words and after looking at Yun Xinyue’s attitude, which lacked retaliation against Yun Che’s suggestion of undergoing the Profound Handle Soul Search, even the slightest bit of doubt they originally possessed had disappeared, turning into anger and resentment against Yun Che.
“Good!” Duke Hui Ye nodded, as his voice seemed to have calmed down: “Being accused in public is not a good feeling. I can understand your anger and desire to clear your name. However, your reply has left me disappointed.”
Yun Xinyue was stunned: “This… I ask Your Highness to please enlighten me.”
“Hmph!” Duke Hui Ye sorted heavily and said seriously: “I had originally thought that Yun Che would be able to bring out some proof but all he had was only a Profound Handle Soul Search. This is such a joke! Without any evidence, his accusations are merely a joke and even an idiot would not believe them. With such accusations, he had wanted you to undergo Profound Handle Soul Search to prove yourself. How could there be such a ridiculous matter in this world! If such a thing were to happen, than I can also, without evidence, accuse the whole Yun Family of treason. Then would each and every one of you undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search to prove yourselves?”
“Furthermore, who are you? You’re the son of the Great Elder of the Yun Family and the person who’s going to be the next Patriarch. Your status is high and noble. And this Yun Che, he’s just a brat who nobody knows where he came from. If he wants you undergo Profound Handle Soul Search and you willing do it… Would you still have any bit of pride and respect as a child of the Yun Family? If you were to really undergo Soul Search and prove your innocence, from now onwards, the entire Illusory Demon Realm would know that the respectable new Patriarch of the Yun Family had to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search in front of everyone just to prove his innocence from some random brat’s accusation… Hahahaha! That would be a joke that would shame all of Yun Family, and don’t you think it would even cause the whole Illusory Demon Realm to look down upon the Yun Family? In the future, wouldn’t words from a child or some random beggar force the Yun Family Patriarch to use the Soul Search to prove himself?”
Duke Hui Ye words were shocking, and also caused all the disciples of the Yun Family to awaken and feel indignation. Numerous younger generation disciples instantly shouted out: “Duke Hui Ye is right, Yun Xinyue cannot undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search, otherwise our Yun Family would become a laughingstock.”
“The fact that Brother Xinyue was willing to step up to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search without hesitation is enough proof that he’s innocent! Who the heck is Yun Che? Hurry up and chase him out! To accuse Brother Xinyue like this, crippling him right here and now isn’t even too much!”
“We know that Brother Xinyue is definitely innocent. He doesn’t need to prove himself at all. This Yun Che is really too despicable.”
Yun Xinyue trembled. After being stunned for a while, he looked down and replied with guilt: “Your Highness has taught me well. I was only thinking of proving my innocence and did not think of the bigger picture; I nearly caused the entire Yun Family to become a laughingstock because of my selfishness.”
“Haha,” Duke Hui Ye faintly laughed: “I know how you feel. But the fact that you were willing to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search is enough proof of your innocence.”
The edges of Yun Che’s mouth twitched as he laughed coldly to himself: This two man show is truly flawless, even I was almost about to believe him.
Yun Waitian cupped his fists toward Duke Hui Ye and said agitatedly: “Duke Hui Ye had said everything that I wanted to say. How could my son’s innocence be placed on the same level as the prestige of the Yun Family. Even if he had to carry the name of a sinner who harmed his fellow clansman, this Profound Handle Soul Search cannot be allowed… I thank Your Highness for reminding my child about this. Although Your Highness is not much older than my child, you are much better than my child in handling such situations.”
Duke Hui Ye laughed slightly and said: “Great Elder is too kind. As the accused party, it is no wonder that anger clouded his mind, that he couldn’t think properly. I am an onlooker and can naturally see the bigger picture more clearly.”
“Hehehehe” Just as Duke Hui Ye finished talking, a sarcastic and inharmonious laughter rang out. Duke Hui Ye glanced at Helian Peng and asked: “Elder Helian, what are you laughing about?’
Helian Peng stood up and sarcastically said: “Your Highness, don’t you find this extremely laughable? Although the Yun Family has been in decline, they are still one of the twelve Guardian Families. But at the family gathering of a Guardian Family, a wild brat actually appeared to cause trouble. What’s even more laughable is that even now, he’s still standing there perfectly fine… Hahahaha, if this were to happen in my Helian Family, just the fact that he made such accusations, let’s not talk about the Patriarch but even if it were a normal disciple, if it was a light punishment, he would be crippled on the spot and if it was heavy, he would be put to death immediately. But this Yun Family… Hehehehe, is really appalling, laughable, yet pitiable. Where is there any bit of their Guardian Family aura and greatness? It’s hard for me even if I don’t want to laugh.”
Although Helian Peng’s words were sarcastic, they were straight to the point, instantly causing all the elders and disciples present to be embarrassed as they looked at Yun Che with rage. Yun Waitian instantly walked forward and commanded: “Enforcement Elder, hurry and capture this brat whose intentions are malicious!”
Hearing what was said, the Enforcement Elder flew and landed on the stage. Just as he was about to rush towards Yun Che, a calm yet slightly authoritative voice sounded: “Stop.”
Although the voice was not too serious and did not pack much feelings, it caused the Enforcement Elder to stop. That was because this voice had come from Yun Qinghong.
“Yun Qinghong, you’ve finally talked. I thought you were going to watch this show until the end!” Yun Waitian laughed and he even called “Yun Qinghong” by his name: “What is it, are you going to protect this audacious and reckless so-called godson of yours?! Or, are his actions really your wishes?”
“You’re right. I am indeed going to protect him.” Yun Qinghong said calmly as he looked directly at Yun Waitian. His calm gaze made Yun Waitian feel an authoritativeness that should not have existed, as his body uncontrollably tensed up.
“Enforcement Elder, step down.” Yun Qinghong said.
Hearing those words, the Enforcement Elder was stunned and looked at the Great Elder. Seeing that he did not moved, Yun Qinghong frowned and his voice instantly became deeper: “Step down!!”
This two words were not harsh but in the ears of the Yun Family disciples, they were as deafening as thunder, and all the Elders looked at Yun Qinghong in shock… After being crippled for more than twenty years, Yun Qinghong had led a reclusive life and rarely cared about family matters. He had also never scolded anyone, and this was the first time the disciples of the young generation had heard their crippled Patriarch give such an authoritative command.
The Enforcement Elder’s body trembled and he frantically uttered “yes”, before quickly retreating.
Yun Qinghong’s gaze turned and landed on Yun Xinyue, as he said in a calm yet undeniable tone: “Yun Xinyue, step on stage and be prepared to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search.”
Once Yun Qinghong’s words came out, everyone was stunned and the place grew restless. Duke Hui Ye’s brows twitched as he asked in a slightly angry tone: “Patriarch Yun, what is the meaning of this?”
“What do I mean? Who are you to care?” Yun Qinghong coolly replied: “This is my Yun Family’s matters and I don’t need you to be gesticulating here.”
The mutters of the entire arena immediately turned into dead silence and everyone stared in awe, wondering whether there was a problem with their ears. Yun Qinghong… actually scolded this Duke Hui Ye, and actually scolded him without leaving him face. Duke Hui Ye’s face immediately darkened as he coldly laughed: “Patriarch Yun, you… you dare act so disrespectful towards me!”
“Hmph!” Yun Qinghong laughed it off coolly: “So what if I’m disrespectful towards you? From the moment you stepped into my Yun Family grounds until now, have you given me, the Patriarch, any respect? I am from the same generation as your father, and my father is the reputable “Demon King”. His title of king is of the same seniority as your grandfather. In the past when your father saw me, he still had to obediently call me ‘Big Brother’. Me teaching you a lesson only natural and you, a junior, entered my Yun Family, yet did not pay respects to me, the Patriarch. Instead, you continuously interfered with my family matters in front of me. Your actions are wild and arrogant, and now you even question me for being disrespectful towards you?”
“Is this how your father usually teaches you? Hmph, you’re a disgrace to your father, grandfather, and the entire Illusory Demon Royal Family. In fact, you’ve lost all their face.”
Chapter 521 - Patriarch’s Crest
Yun Qinghong’s angry rebuke carried an incomparably shocking aura. Every word that came from his mouth was accompanied by an ostensible pressure which took the air out of the entire building. Every single person present could feel the weight of this oppressive aura and all the Yun Family members present, from the elders to the young disciples, every single one of them had been stunned into silence. Even Yun Xiao’s mouth was gaping open, and he looked at Yun Qinghong with a gaze which scarcely could contain his disbelief… The father he was familiar with was a courtly and peaceable man, and on most days he did not speak much, nor was he willing to interact with other people, to the point where he rarely even left his own courtyard. He had seemed to have reached a state where he was detached from all worldly affairs.
He could scarcely believe that his own father, facing the respected Duke Hui Ye, would utter such strong, unyielding words. And these words even carried such a tyrannical power.
Duke Hui Ye would never even dream that Yun Qinghong would deliver such a furious denunciation. Yun Qinghong was clearly a cripple, but facing his current gaze, even he as duke, felt his heart skip a beat. And he, as an esteemed duke, when had ever been lectured so harshly in the public eye? He pointed a finger at Yun Qinghong and in a voice which faintly trembled, “Yun Qinghong, you…”
“How impudent!” Yun Qinghong’s voice sank an octave further as he directly cut off Duke Hui Ye’s words, “The three words ‘Yun Qinghong’, are they for you to say?! I, Yun Qinghong, made a name for myself in the Demon Imperial City at the age of fourteen. At that time, your royal father was not even born yet! And even the Little Demon Emperor would address me as brother. Who do you think you are, to dare to address this Patriarch’s name so casually?! To have no regard for one’s seniors, to show such lack of courtesy, to be so utterly lacking in breeding and to be filled with such foolish conceit. To top it all off, you have such an exaggerated opinion of yourself that even when you have thrown your royal father’s face all over the ground, you do not even know it! The entire Illusory Demon Royal Family has truly been shamed to the ground because of you! Such an inferior child, even this patriarch can hardly even be bothered to correct you. Hmph.”
“You…” Duke Hui Ye entire body trembled. His eyes grew dark, and he almost spat out a mouthful of blood. He, Duke Hui Ye, after arriving at the Yun Family holdings, had been welcomed with respect by the Great Elder himself, and the gazes directed towards him were filled with reverence. When he spoke, everyone echoed his words and not one had dared to put a foot wrong. What an impressive spectacle that had been. As for this patriarch, Yun Qinghong… a cripple, he had not even deigned to give him a single glance; he was currently being scolded miserably by this cripple for the entire world to see. And every single rebuke was impossible for him to refute.
The present scene had become blanketed in dead silence and everyone’s ears were still buzzing with the sound of Yun Qinghong berating Duke Hui Ye. His words had caused a some of the seniors to recall the memories they had of Yun Qinghong… He was the son of the Demon King, and his innate talent had been even higher than the Demon King at the same age. Amongst all those of his generation, including the Illusory Demon Royal Family, none were his equal. At the age of fourteen, he had caused shockwaves throughout the entire Demon Imperial City and all the seniors knew this fact intimately. And the fact that he and the Little Demon Emperor called each other brother was also an unimpeachable fact. At that time, no one would doubt that Yun Qinhong would succeed Yun Canghai as the second Demon King.
After a silence which lasted more than twenty years, people had nearly forgotten just what kind of figure Yun Qinghong used to be. But his sudden crippling could not wipe away his past glories. And his title as the youngest ever Monarch in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm was something that no one could take away. His splendor was so dazzling that it practically burned the eyes and up till this day, no one had surpassed it.
When Yun Qinghong was at the same age as Duke Hui Ye, his accomplishments were something that Duke Hui Ye did not even have the right to discuss.
Once these memories were jolted back to life, these seniors immediately felt that the wanton rudeness that Duke Hui Ye showed Yun Qinghong was just too ridiculous.
“Patriarch… This is truly our Patriarch!” An elder stood up excitedly, “Is the Patriarch… is he coming back?”
His excitement was not allowed to continue as the one who sat beside him restrained him and dragged him back into his seat. The other person, who bore a solemn expression, gave his head a heavy shake… The excited elder’s expression suddenly tightened and he swiftly curbed his exuberance as he settled down.
Among the core elders and normal elders, a large majority of them displayed looks of astonished joy and emotion on their faces, but they swiftly smothered their expressions. And amidst the raucous and rowdy environment, no one had noticed this particular point. But Yun Che just happened to be facing the direction where the elders were seated and he took note of the temporary change in expression amongst those seated there. His gaze grew concentrated and a deep astonishment emerged in the depths of his eyes.
Could it be…
After Yun Qinghong had finished his stern rebuke, he gave a cold snort, and no longer paid any attention to Duke Hui Ye. With sunken brows, he looked towards Yun Xinyue, who had an overcast and uncertain expression on his face. He said, “Yun Xinyue, what are you still standing there for? Come forward immediately and prepare yourself to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search.”
Yun Qinghong’s sudden explosion completely caught Yun Waitian by surprise. Once he heard Yun Qinghong’s words, his eyes narrowed and he swiftly said, “Yun Qinghong, you… do not go overboard!”
“Overboard? How am I going overboard?” Yun Qinghong replied in a sedate voice.
Yun Waitian in a tone that was unyielding and stubborn, “We already clarified before that Xinyue will definitely not be allowed to submit himself to the Profound Handle Soul Search, or else our Yun Family will become the laughingstock of the entire Illusory Demon Realm! Are you, for the sake of protecting your godson, willing to even disregard the sanctity of our Clan’s honor?”
Yun Qinghong’s gaze was calm and tranquil. Being held directly under that gaze, Yun Waitian suddenly felt like it was difficult to breathe… He faintly began to feel that the previous Yun Qinghong, the previous Yun Family Patriarch, after a long hibernation of twenty-two years, was finally back.
“If we go solely by the words of an outsider, there is indeed no real reason for us to subject Xinyue to a Profound Handle Soul Search.” Yun Qinghong’s voice suddenly grew more serious as he continued, “But now, it is this patriarch’s command! Has it come to this? That I, as a the head of this clan, cannot even order a junior in the family to do such a simple thing?”
“Urgh…” Yun Waitian’s throat violently contracted as he was left speechless.
“Yun Xinyue, come on stage to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search right now… This is an order!” Yun Qinghong commanded.
Yun Xinyue’s hands started to shake; his forehead was covered with a sheen of cold sweat. He threw a pleading gaze towards Duke Hui Ye, but he discovered instead that Duke Hui Ye’s expression was also extremely ugly. Even though he saw Xinyue’s silent cry for help, he could not force any words out of his mouth… Yun Qinghong’s fierce and cruel criticism had choked him up to the point where he felt like he was going to explode.
“Hahahaha! This is pathetic, it is simply too pathetic! Yun Qinghong, do you really still think that you are the Yun Qinghong of old? Right now, all that you truly are is a mere cripple!” Helian Peng once again let out his shrill, mocking laugh.
“Even if I am a cripple, I am still the Yun Family Patriarch!”
“Yun Family Patriarch? Hehe…” Helian Peng’s mocking laugh arose once again, “What evidence can you bring out to prove that you are the Yun Family Patriarch? What right do you have to call yourself the Yun Family Patriarch? Even an outsider like myself knows that the one symbol which proves the status of a Yun Family Patriarch is the Patriarch’s Crest that has been handed down since the time of your ancestor. Only if you have the Patriarch’s Crest, can you be the Yun Family Patriarch! It is just like how, within the Illusory Demon Royal Family, only the one who holds the Demon Emperor’s Seal is the true Demon Emperor! Yun Qinghong, since you call yourself a patriarch, then you must have the Patriarch’s Crest.”
“All those years ago, because he did not have the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Emperor did not dare to assume the title of Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Empress could only be called that very title. Even the Little Demon Emperor and Empress did it in such a way. So Yun Qinghong, if you do not have the Patriarch’s Crest, what right do you have to call yourself the Yun Family Patriarch? And what right do you have to order your clansmen around?!”
One hundred years ago, as the Demon King Yun Canghai left and never came back, the Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest disappeared along with him. And it was only after these events that Yun Qinghong succeeded him as Patriarch. The Yun Family’s ‘Patriarch’s Crest’ had been lost for one hundred years; this was something every single person in the Demon Imperial City knew. Because this Patriarch’s Crest could be said to be the most important artifact to the Yun Family, and within it contained the most original form of the Purple Cloud Art; it even held the power imprint and soul imprint of every single person who had ever held the title of Patriarch. Once it was lost, it was impossible to duplicate or replace it.
After Yun Qinghong had finally emerged from his silence of twenty-two years to once more forcefully proclaim his status as Patriarch, Helian Peng had deliberately chosen to mention the Patriarch’s Crest that had been lost for one hundred years. It was truly an insidious assault against Yun Qinghong’s weak point. But Yun Qinghong was not the least bit flustered, the corners of eyes slanted and he coldly laughed, “Helian Peng, you are rather attentive to the affairs of the Yun Family today, especially our Yun Family’s Yun Xinyue. You have been quite protective over him… Ah, but since you want to see my Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest, let me fulfill your desire.”
As Yun Qinghong’s voice fell, the arm that had always been pressed down on the armrest of wheelchair steadily rose up and within his palm, a purple jade tablet, that fit nicely into the hollow of his palm, released a clear purple radiance.
Once this purple-colored jade tablet had made an appearance, every single Yun Family disciple present clearly felt the Purple Cloud Art within their bodies start to throb involuntarily. Even the blood within their bodies began stirring restlessly. All the present Yun Family members who were older than one hundred years of age began to stand up one after the other. Even the three grand elders Yun Jiang, Yun He and Yun Xi stood up as one, their faces displaying an expression that was deeply moved and astonished at the same time.
“It… It is the Patriarch’s Crest! It is our Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest!” Grand Elder Yun Xi directly blurted these words out. A stately grand elder had actually lost control of his emotions, so one could imagine just how agitated he was.
“The Patriarch’s Crest… It is not possible! Wasn’t the Patriarch’s Crest lost those hundred years ago?! But, this aura…”
“We can’t be mistaken! This is without a doubt the Patriarch’s Crest! It is definitely not possible for another one to exist in this world!”
“The Heavens have had mercy on us, our Yun Family’s Patriarch’s Crest….. has finally returned to us!”
…………
The young generation did not truly understand the significance of the concept behind the ‘Patriarch’s Crest’. But for all of the seniors who were older than one hundred years of age, it was the one thing in the Yun Family that nothing could be compared to; a sacred artifact which was valued above all. And for the Patriarch’s Crest to see the light of day once more, and in Yun Qinghong’s hand no less, these Yun Family seniors were moved to the point where they were besides themselves as tears began to flow from some of their eyes.
The most shocked of all was undoubtedly the person beside Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou. But even though she extremely anxious to know the answer, she did not inquire. Because now was not the time for questions.
“Qinghong, just where did the Patriarch’s Crest pop out from? Or could it be that… In these hundred years that have gone by, the Patriarch’s Crest was actually never missing all along?” Yun Jiang asked as he stood up, his white beard shaking with every word he said.
Yun Qinghong calmly replied, “The Patriarch’s Crest is our Yun Famiy’s sacred artifact, I would definitely not dare to conceal or bluff regarding the matter of whether it had been lost or not. It has indeed been lost one hundred years ago, but due a trick of fate, it has been found once more. And as for how it came back, this is an internal matter for our Yun Family alone. Because there are so many outsiders present today, it is better if we postpone this discussion to a later date.”
The three grand elders nodded their heads in unison and did not pursue the matter any further. The return of the Patriarch’s Crest; this was the most blessed thing to ever happen to the Yun Family in these hundred years. Compared to that, the matter of how it was recovered was truly secondary.
“Helian Peng.” Yun Qinghong deliberately flashed the Patriarch’s Crest in Helian Peng’s direction, “Am I now allowed to call myself the Yun Family Patriarch?”
Helian Peng ground his teeth and his face had turned even greener. He had never ever thought that the Patriarch’s Crest, which had clearly been lost those hundred years ago, would once again see the light of day, and in the hands of Yun Qinghong no less! And even if he was not a member of the Yun Family, he could tell that it was the genuine article in a single glance, with absolutely no chicanery involved… this was simply much too strange of an occurrence!
The events which had happened today, the first half of the festivities all went according to expectations, but after that… the situation had morphed into something completely different from what had been arranged!
“Yun Xinyue, enter the Sacred Cloud Arena immediately and prepare yourself to receive the Profound Handle Soul Search! This is an order! If you are truly as innocent as you claim to be, then why should you be afraid of the Profound Handle Soul Search? If you continue to show signs of hesitance, then that can only be the product of your guilty mind!” Yun Qinghong harshly declared.
Chapter 522 - Profound Handle Soul Search
Yun Xinyue clenched both his fists tighter and tighter, to the point where it seemed like he was going to fracture the bones in his hands, and the sweat on his forehead began to stream down his face in little rivulets. He raised his head and said in a voice filled with willpower, “Patriarch… It is not that I do not dare, it is that I cannot accept this! I, Yun Xinyue, have always been devoted and sincere, on what basis do I have to submit to the Profound Handle Soul Search in public just because an outsider launched a baseless accusation against me?! Is it because… he is the Patriarch’s godson? If the Profound Handle Soul Search proves my innocence, will this matter be swept under the rug after that, and this foster son of yours, will he just be let off with a slap on the wrist…? Is that the way things are going to be? I cannot accept this… Patriarch, if you behave in this manner, you will only discourage our entire clan… I truly cannot accept it.”
“You cannot accept it?” Yun Qinghong gave a humorless laugh, “Since this is the case, this Patriarch will make it so that you can accept it… Che’er!”
“Godfather.” Yun Che responded.
Yun Qinghong declared solemnly, “The matter of Yun Xinyue having to undergo the Profound Handle Soul Search is entirely due to you. After the Profound Handle Soul Search has been done, if he is truly involved in the assassination attempt on Xiao’er and Number Seven Under Heaven, then you have indeed helped our Yun Family deal with a phantom menace, and it will truly be a great merit that you have earned. And at that time the Elder Council will naturally reward you greatly, and you would have earned the approval of the entire Yun Family. However, if Yun Xinyue is truly innocent… Then you will have maliciously accused one of our Yun Family disciples. Even if you are my godson, I won’t let you off lightly! At that time, you must break all the meridians in your body in penance before all who are present here… Do you dare to give me that promise? If you do not dare, then this Profound Handle Soul Search also does not need to happen!”
To break all of his meridians… This extremely cruel conclusion caused all those who were present to feel a chill radiate throughout their entire body. Originally, many of the Yun Family members felt that Yun Qinghong’s sudden explosion was to protect Yun Che, but once he spoke those words, not even a single one still harbored that notion in their minds; they even felt that Yun Qinghong was being unusually cruel with his godson.
Even though Yun Qinghong nearly had one hundred percent confidence in Yun Che, he still left a way out for Yun Che… To break all of one’s meridians, in the eyes of any profound practitioner, even if it was a Monarch, it would still be an extremely terrifying thing. But, he and Mu Yurou had their meridians crippled for over twenty years and Yun Che could restore them to full health in the matter of two months. Even if he did end up having to break all of his meridians later, it should not take a great deal of effort for him to make a full recovery.
“Yes!” Yun Che nodded his head with no hesitation at all and he declared in a loud voice, “If Yun Xinyue is proven to be innocent under the examination of the Profound Handle Soul Search, I will, before all those who are present, break all the meridians in my body… If I show any signs of reneging, any person who is present can take action against me, and I will not resist!”
Yun Qinghong slowly nodded his head, “Yun Xinyue, now do you still have anything else to say?”
Now that the situation had progressed to such a stage, and Yun Qinghong had spoken at length, if Yun Xinyue continued to resist, then it would truly seem abnormal. Yun Xinyue’s chest fiercely convulsed and both of his legs started to tremble slightly. He ground his teeth as he took one step towards the arena, but he could not take the second step… because out of all those who were present, he was the most clear on what the result of the Profound Soul Search would be.
“Hmph!” Yun Qinghong expression morphed into one of fury and he said in a deep voice, “Enforcement Elder, in the situation where there no detrimental action is to be taken against the Yun Family, how should someone, who is determined to go against the order of the Patriarch, be dealt with?”
The Enforcement Elder was taken by surprise, but he hurriedly replied, “Reporting to Patriarch, if one is to defy the orders given by the Patriarch… A light punishment would be forced confinement, and a heavy punishment… A heavy punishment would be to purge that person’s body of his profound art and expel him from the family.”
“Yun Xinyue, do you want to become a cripple and then be expelled from the Family? Or do you want to enter the Sacred Cloud Arena and prove your innocence? If you can show hesitation even when being asked to make such a simple decision, it simply proves that everything Yun Che had said were not lies after all!”
Yun Xinyue still did not move. At this time, his entire spirit was on the verge of collapse, and amidst the chaos and fright which dominated his mind, he could scarcely hear what Yun Qinghong was saying.
“Since you still refuse to enter the Sacred Cloud Arena, then I can only get someone to help you up on stage.” Yun Qinghong faced the three grand elders and he said with a respectful look, “Our three Grand Elders, I regret that this current matter will require your assistance. Because it is only if the three Grand Elders took action personally, will everyone present will be satisfied.”
Yun Jiang, Yun Xi and Yun He were all people who had already experienced everything under the sun. So Yun Xinyue’s present condition had already clearly clued them in on what was happening. Once Yun Qinghong had finished speaking, Grand Elder Yun Xi took to the air and he instantly appeared in the space above Yun Xinyue. Before Yun Xinyue could even respond, a profound energy that was as boundless as the sea had enveloped his entire body. He was not even able to make the least bit of resistance before everything grew dark before his eyes, as his consciousness was completely buried.
Even his body appeared within the Sacred Cloud Arena in a kneeling position.
The grand elder’s profound energy was so thick and robust that before anyone could see what was happening, Yun Xinyue already appeared in the middle of the Sacred Cloud Arena. His whole body was frozen still and eyes were opened wide, but his gaze was completely unfocused; it was as if his soul had left his body.
With a flash, grand elder Yun Xi had reappeared in his seat. He dryly said, “His consciousness has already been subjected to the Profound Handle Soul Search, this will persist for the next fifteen minutes. Whatever the Patriarch wishes to inquire, go ahead and ask him.”
As he was forced to bear testament to how his son, the apple of his eye, was forced to kneel down like a criminal for all to see, and as he saw how the actions and words of the grand elders clearly showed that they were on the side of Yun Qinghong, Yun Waitian’s entire body trembled and he roared in fury, “Good… Good… Go ahead and ask, go ahead and ask!! My son’s innocence does not fear any false accusation! Yun Qinghong, remember your previous words! If my son is innocent, then this Yun Che… must break all of the meridians in his body!! And today’s insult… I will definitely not forget it!”
“Please keep calm Great Elder. Presently, are we not going to prove the innocence of your son? You should be even more at ease instead.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head towards Yun Che, “Che’er, push me up, I want to clearly hear every word that he is about to say.”
“Yes.” Yun Che replied, then jumped off the stage. After that, he carried Yun Qinghong’s wheelchair and returned to the Sacred Cloud Arena, landing right in front of Yun Xinyue.
“Your Highness, what should we do?” Behind Duke Hui Ye, the Venerable Stone Dragon whispered to him in the softest of voices.
Duke Hui Ye’s face was as inscrutable as still water, his fingers spread out like a fan and his index finger made a slight hook as it performed an obscure gesture.
“Great Elder, Yubai, please withdraw. And the various elders, will you please keep an eye on the Great Elder? Do not allow him to personally enter the Sacred Cloud Arena. As for Duke Hui Ye, please do whatever pleases you.” Yun Qinghong said in a steady voice as he looked at Yun Xinyue.
“Hmph.” Duke Hui Ye snorted lightly, but he did not leave the Sacred Cloud Arena. Instead, he fixed both his eyes on Yun Qinghong’s back as if he could pierce through it with his gaze.
Both Mu Yubai and Yun Waitian complied with those words and left the Sacred Cloud Arena. But Yun Waitian said in a furious voice, “I do not need anyone to look out for me! My son is definitely innocent! Yun Qinghong, I’ll make sure you regret this!”
“Heh heh.” Yun Qinghong laughed dryly, “Yun Waitian, do not ever think that just because you are his father, you understand everything about him. But I am more than willing to believe that whatever things that he has done, you have remained ignorant of it. Che’er, the one who accused Yun Xinyue of being involved in the assassination attempt of Xiao’er and Number Seven Under Heaven was you, so why don’t you personally lead the interrogation. Especially since you are the person who uncovered the clues in the first place, you would know best on what questions should be asked.”
“Understood.” Yun Che nodded his head and his gaze crossed with Yun Qinghong’s; both of them laughed involuntarily as they met each other’s gazes.
During today’s grand meeting, Yun Qinghong had initially maintained his silence and he was silent to the point that it was easy to forget that he was even present. But from the moment he had opened his mouth, the entire situation had fallen into the palm of his hand. He destroyed the grandeur of Duke Hui Ye and he rendered Helian Peng utterly speechless; he made every single person from the Yun Family hang on his every word and action; he made Yun Xinyue’s resentful cries for justice vanish completely; and just a few words from him caused the grand elders to personally take action to restrict Yun Xinyue…
Yun Che rarely admired anyone. He originally thought that he would be the star of the this Yun Family Great Assembly, but beyond all expectations, the true role of the protagonist was easily taken away by Yun Qinghong. He let out a silent sigh in his heart… No wonder I am so excellent, it’s because I actually have such a formidable father!
Oh, what he must’ve been like in his prime!
While the Yun Family members present were being led by the nose by the practically flawless scenario which unfolded before their eyes, Yun Qinghong had silently seen through it all. When all who were present began to question and ridicule Yun Che, he chose to believe instead… It had nothing to do with his trust in Yun Che, it had everything to do with Yun Qinghong being sufficiently wise and farsighted.
Yun Che strode forward, and once he was alongside Yun Qinghong. He wanted to remind Yun Qinghong to be careful of someone making a move to silence Yun Xinyue, but before the words came out of his mouth, he swallowed them instead. He believed that with Yun Qinghong’s wisdom and foresight, he basically did not need to remind him of this.
“What is your name?” Yun Che stood before Yun Xinyue and seemed to begin the interrogation in earnest.
“Yun Xinyue…” Yun Xinyue’s spoke in a manner which was slow and lifeless, but it was sufficiently clear for all to hear.
“How old are you this year?”
“Twenty seven years old…” As Yun Xinyue spoke, a trail of saliva spilled from the corner of his mouth, then dangled to the floor.
“What type of girls do you like the most?”
“Ones with… big… butts…”
“Oh! I really couldn’t tell that the both of us actually would have something in common.” Yun Che opened his eyes wide, “So who was the girl that you slept with most recently?”
“Drunken River House’s Lady Chrysanthemum…”
Pfft… The audience immediately spat their drinks at that answer.
“You bastard!!” Yun Waitian’s was practically standing straight on end and he pointed at Yun Che while he scolded vociferously, “What kind of rubbish questions are you asking? You… You… You are clearly afraid of being found false, and you are deliberately putting things off!”
Yun Che swiftly made a pacifying gesture, “Great Elder Yun, please do not be angry. This is the first time I have ever seen the legendary Profound Handle Soul Search being performed, so I just really wanted to test whether the legends were really true and that any question I asked would be answered… Yes, I think I’m about done with testing it out. This Profound Handle Soul Search is truly mystical, but it is time for us to truly start the interrogation. But, tsk tsk… to think that the respected son of a Yun Family great elder would actually visit a brothel when he wants the companionship of a woman… Oh! But at least he would rather visit a brothel, unlike the disciples of some other grand families who would go around raping and dominating innocent women; ah truly his actions fill me with admiration for him. It is just that this Lady Chrysanthemum… When I hear this name, I can’t help but think that the tastes of the Great Young Master Yun just seem to be a tad bit on the heavy side…”
“You!!” Yun Waitian’s entire body shook uncontrollably and his gaze filled with violence; he looked as if he hated that he could not rush up on stage and have it out with Yun Che there and then.
“Oh! Right away, right away!” Yun Che coughed heavily as he casually shot a glance at the expression of the silent Duke Hui Ye. After which, he proceeded to ask in a serious tone, “Yun Xinyue, let me ask you. Two months ago, how did you know that Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven would be meeting outside the city?”
Yun Che did not ask ‘whether you knew’, instead he asked ‘how did you know’. Yun Waitian gave a cold smirk and he said with utter contempt, “Under the effects of the Profound Handle Soul Search, all the words uttered come straight from the depths of the soul, so there can be no deception! Did you think that if you used this sort of guiding question, he would obediently spin a tale for you to hear?”
But as Yun Xinyue opened his mouth, Yun Waitian’s expression instantly froze in place.
“That day… I was strolling past Yun Xiao’s courtyard… And I just happened to hear the sound transmission that Yun Xiao had sent to Number Seven Under Heaven… To arrange to meet the next morning at ten in the morning… at the Rain Cloud Pavilion, which was thirty five kilometers away from the city…” Yun Xinyue replied in a slow but clear voice.
“Oh!” Yun Che nodded his head, “Indeed it was as I expected, you did eavesdrop on Yun Xiao’s sound transmission.”
“This… This… Ah…” Yun Xiao’s tongue seemed to have tied itself into a knot. He remembered that on the first day he met Yun Che, Yun Che asked him whether he had used sound transmission every time he asked Number Seven Under Heaven on a date, and he also asked if anyone had overheard that particular sound transmission…
The sound of tightly-packed whispers began to circulate among the crowd. Yun Che’s first legitimate question and Yun Xinyue’s subsequent reply had caused the people who had already began forming suspicions about Yun Xinyue to immediately smell something funny.
Yun Waitian’s expression had become ugly in a flash, but he swiftly yelled out, “So what if that is true?! Xinyue merely overheard those words by accident… Does it mean that because he unwittingly heard that sound transmission, he is the scoundrel who arranged for their assassination?!!”
Translator’s Note: Lady Chrysanthemum is Chinese wordplay on the word anus, because 菊花 which means Chrysanthemum is also slang for the word anus. If you wanna know why, google Chrysanthemum and draw your own conclusions, I shan’t be charged with corrupting young minds XD! Dnton out! o7
Chapter 523 - Silencing
“Great Elder Yun, don’t be impatient, I am merely asking my first real question. If he’s innocent, you’ll hear it for yourself soon enough.” Yun Che patiently said.
“Yun Xinyue, let me ask you, did you tell this matter to someone else and plot to assassinate Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven when they were together?” Yun Che asked in a stern manner.
Yun Che’s question was straight to the point. Yun Xinyue only had to give a very simple answer… “Yes” or “No”.
“Yes…” Yun Xinyue answered lifelessly.
WHOAAA——
Once the word “Yes” came out, the entire Yun Family was in an uproar and everyone was stunned. No matter what, they did not dare believe what they had heard with their ears.
That was a Profound Handle Soul Search… and it was a Profound Handle Soul Search personally administered by a Grand Elder. Under the effects of the Profound Handle Soul Search, anything they say would definitely be the truth. The Yun Family who possessed the Profound Handle all completely believed this.
The hope of the entire Clan, the strongest, most respected, the humble and kind Yun Xinyue of the younger generation… He was actually involved in the attempted assassination of Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven! The shock his reply caused for the Yun Family was earth shattering. If it were not because he said it personally under the effect of Profound Handle Soul Search, they would rather believe that ghosts existed in this world than this fact.
“How can this… How can this be…” Yun Xiao’s mouth was agape in shock and his eyes lost focus; he was unable to recompose himself for a long while. Yun Family’s most elite member of the same generation, his most respected person was actually just as Yun Che said, the person who tried to harm him and Number Seven Under Heaven two months ago. Furthermore, when Yun Che was picking on Yun Xinyue on stage before, he had even stepped out to defend him shouting that it was “impossible”…
“Bas… tard!” Number One Under Heaven shouted as he jumped up, his eyes were downcast as he cracked his knuckles. After investigating hard for two months, he couldn’t find any clues, which caused the anger and hate that had built up to be much more intense. Now that the actual culprit had appeared, he could no longer control it, as it was about to explode… understandable since his investigation had yielded no results. Because he never expected that the culprit behind the incident was from the Yun Family!
“Compose yourself.” Unparalleled Under Heaven patted his shoulder, looked at Yun Xinyue, and calmly said: “If it were Yun Xinyue alone, there is no reason for him to harm Number Seven, and even more so Yun Xiao. This incident isn’t so simple… Let’s continue watching!”
Number One Under Heaven gritted his teeth, as he controlled himself.
The moment Yun Xinyue said “Yes”, Yun Waitian’s entire body trembled, nearly collapsing to the ground, but he immediately shouted with a trembling voice: “Im… Impossible! There must be some reason behind this… It’s impossible that my son would do this without a reason… There must be a proper reason!”
All these years, Yun Waitian has always treated Yun Xinyue as his pride, and until now, he still would not believe that Yun Xinyue was someone that would harbor malicious intent. He was his birth father… clearly the person who understood him the most in this world!
“I believe that everyone present here would like to know the reason behind this.” Yun Che said as he looked at Yun Xinyue. Before this, he thought that both Yun Waitian and Yun Xinyue were involved, but looking at Yun Waitian’s reactions, he started to believe that he actually did not know anything at all. He could now see how scheming, well-planned… and how of good an actor Yun Xinyue was!
“Then Great Elder Yun, you’d better open up your ears and listen to the reason behind this.” Yun Che continued before asking: “Yun Xinyue, answer in detail why you worked together with people outside the family to harm your fellow clansman Yun Xiao and the innocent Number Seven Under Heaven!”
Yun Xinyue opened his mouth and replied robotically: “Yun Family… and the Under Heaven Clan… are both loyal to the Little Demon Empress… Killing Number Seven Under Heaven… while letting Yun Xiao go… Under Heaven Family would be enraged with the Yun Family… if the two families clash… even if it isn’t mutual destruction… they would not be on the same side together…”
Yun Family Plaza was dead silent as everyone listened attentively, afraid they would miss out on a single word. When Yun Xinyue had finished speaking, everyone revealed faces of shock and fear. The three Grand Elders stood up in unison as expressions of deep shock appeared on their aged faces.
Yun Waitian trembled, before weakly crashing onto the ground. His eyes stare wide opened, yet his gaze lifeless as incoherent speech escaped from his mouth: “Impossible… This is impossible… Impossible… This cannot be…”
The truth behind what Yun Xinyue was simply too appalling, his motive… More accurately speaking, the motive of the people behind this, was to reduce the power of the faction supporting the Little Demon Empress! Little Demon Empress was the highest monarch of the Illusory Demon Realm. Such actions… were blatant attempts to revolt!
In the face of such a frightening answer, no one in the Yun Family dared to utter a word. Never had they ever thought that Yun Xinyue would be the actual culprit who harmed a fellow clansman… what was even more unimaginable was that it actually implicated such a groundbreaking huge matter.
If it were not for Yun Che lending a hand to Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven that day, their plans would have succeeded and Under Heaven Family would be enraged with the Yun Family, resulting in a huge conflict and would even cause them to not be able to bear with one another… After all, Number Seven Under Heaven was not any ordinary member of the Under Heaven Clan, she was actually Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s only daughter. Yun Xiao asking her out was also an indisputable fact.
Even more frightening was that today, they were all supporting Yun Xinyue to be the next head of the Yun Family, and he almost succeeded the position… Whilst thinking about that, the entire family broke out in cold sweat.
Yun Che sternly said, “Yun Xinyue, harming a fellow clansman and finding an opportunity to reduce the power of the faction supporting the Little Demon Empress! This is a heinous crime! You are the son of the Great Elder, your status is good and your talent isn’t bad either. You are well praised and depended upon by the family who even pushed for you to be the next head of the family. Everything is yours for the taking! Why do you have to do this! Why exactly have you planned this… or were you forced by someone?”
As Yun Che finished speaking, everyone held their breath, especially all the Yun Family Elders, who stood up and stared at Yun Xinyue… An “accusation” that originally caused them to become enraged had suddenly turned into such a shocking truth.
Yun Xinyue’s face contorted. Facing these questions from Yun Che, his mind suddenly experienced pain. His voice became hoarse, yet he still narrated without hiding anything: “… Six years ago… Master poisoned me… with the ‘Heart Disabling Venom’… If I follow his instructions… After Master overthrows the Little Demon Empress… I, the new Patriarch, would be named with the title of a king… If I were to disobey… I would die without a burial… place…”
“Heart Disabling… Venom?!!”
Numerous shocked screams overlapped one another, and the lifeless Yun Waitian, upon hearing Yun Xinyue’s answer, lifted his head agitatedly as his whole body trembled.
Yun Che had never heard of “Heart Disabling Venom” before, but, the same venom, in different places, would often have different names. Him not hearing of it before did not mean he did not what venom it was. Just as he was about to use his profound energy on Yun Xinyue’s body to investigate what venom it was, an icy cold killing intent came from his rear right side.
Although the killing intent was hidden, how could it escape Yun Che’s sharp senses? He quickly gave up on investigating and walked forward to ask in a quick manner: “Tell me… Who are those that attempted to assassinate Yun Xiao and… who is the owner of yours!”
“The ones who attacked Yun Xiao and Number Seven Under Heaven is… from the Helian Family… Master… is Duke Huai Palace’s…”
Booom!!!
The stage below their feet was suddenly destroyed and an earth shard that was vibrating with a dirty yellow profound glow shot up from the ground. Yun Che’s first reaction was to instantly retreat. At the same time, he using his palm and pushed Yun Xinyue backwards a few steps… However, the energy within the earth shard was too overwhelming and because Yun Xinyue was not in control of his body whilst under the effects of Profound Handle Soul Search, he did not have any chance at avoiding the attack, and was completely pierced through by the shard. Because of that, he was then skewered in midair and large amounts of blood were sprayed around.
“Xinyue!!!”
“Yun Waitian screamed in horror, sprinting towards the Sacred Yun Stage like a madman. All the elders of the Yun Family were shocked as they ran towards the stage and the scene was instantly a mess.
“Duke Hui Ye… What is the meaning of this!!!” Yun Qinghong asked in anger. The one who mercilessly attacked Yun Xinyue was the Venerable Stone Dragon who stood behind Duke Hui Ye. Currently, the scales on his arms were still emitting a dull profound glow.
“This Yun Xinyue deserves death for maligning my royal father!” Duke Hui Ye laughed with a darkened face: “And Yun Che… the brat who spoiled my plans… must die as well! Kill him!”
BOOM!!!
The entire Sacred Cloud Arena exploded and dust filled the air. A thick dense yellow raiance shot straight towards Yun Che’s chest… There was only Yun Qinghong beside Yun Che, as the others were not on the stage yet, so they were unable to intervene at all.
Just as the yellow profound light was less than a meter away from Yun Che, Yun Qinghong, who was sitting on his wheelchair, stretched out his arm… The movement of his arm was very slow, so slow that even a person with no profound cultivation would be able to see the movement of his arm. And yet, with such a slow speed, it instantly appeared in front of Yun Che, blocking the attack.
Rippp!!
A huge lightning barrier appeared from Yun Qinghong’s palm, completely blocking the Venerable Stone Dragon’s attack. Afterwards, the figure of a person flashed, followed by an instant flash of lightning. Yun Qinghong appeared in front of the Venerable Stone Dragon and a right palm that was glowing purple struck violently against his chest, knocking the unprepared Venerable Stone Dragon far away.
“Wh… What!!!”
“Wh… at!!!”
“Ahhh… Ahhhhhhhhh!!”
The Yun Family’s grand elders, elders, disciples… Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven… and Helian Peng, who was about to strike; all of them were stunned. They looked at Yun Qinghong, who had suddenly attacked, with an expression of shock that almost became fear. That was due to the fluctuation caused by his majestic profound strength that was so strong that even the three Grand Elders were afraid.
Wh… what exactly was going on here?!
Yun Qinghong… wasn’t he already crippled twenty-two years ago!
Boom! Boom! Boom…
Yun Qinghong and the Venerable Stone Dragon exchanged moves in midair, and every time their attacks met, a deafening noise was produced. Everyone below watched on in their shock and no one actually went to help out.
A fight at the level of Monarchs, even within Demon Imperial City, was something rarely seen. The extremely strong profound fluctuations caused the entire Yun Family to tremble intensely. In midair, the mighty Venerable Stone Dragon had been suppressed into defeat by Yun Qinghong’s Purple Cloud Art, with barely any chances to retaliate. Spurts of dark colored dragon blood was spilt continuously and it nearly became a rain of blood.
“Urghhhh… Graah!!”
In the air, a yellow light flashed, and suddenly, dark clouds surged as deafening noises surrounded the area. A three hundred meter long huge dragon covered in stone scales bellowed and rushed towards Yun Qinghong. In an instant, rocks appeared in midair, covering the whole sky.
“That’s the true form of the Venerable Stone Dragon!!” One of the Yun Family Elders uttered in surprise.
“Hmph!”
Facing the huge dragon body of the Venerable Stone Dragon that caused others to be shocked, Yun Qinghong merely snorted slightly as his body flashed, and in the next instant, he was on the spinal part of the Venerable Stone Dragon’s back, punching down at it… the fist easily split apart the dragon scales, directly smashing against his body.
The dragon body of Venerable Stone Dragon began to writhe about in pain. A ball of dense purple lightning started to spread from his back, and in a mere two seconds completely engulfed the entire dragon’s body, turning the stone dragon into a purple colored “lightning dragon”.
“Scram!”
Following Yun Qinghong’s cold voice, countless rays of lightning on the Venerable Stone Dragon’s body exploded…
Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom…
Countless lightning profound energy crazily exploded; so dense that it seemed as though it was the anger of the Lightning God. The skies above the Yun family household were dyed purple by the lightning profound energy, and every time it exploded, the deafening sounds seem to nearly tear through the skies. In the midst of the thousands profound lightning explosions, the Venerable Stone Dragon let out cries of immense pain as his dragon blood rained down like torrential rain…
Bang!!!
Following the disappearance of the last bit of lightning, the relieved Venerable Stone Dragon heavily crashed onto the ground. The moment he landed, his dragon body disappeared, and he returned to his human form. He panted as he shakily attempted to stand up, and just as he was about to stand up straight, he vomited out more than ten mouthfuls of blood before collapsing back onto the ground, unable to stand again.
Yun Qinghong slowly descended from the skies as he coldly looked at him: “Venerable Stone Dragon, all these years, I’ve respected you as a senior and have never disrespected you before, yet you dare to come to my Yun Family’s grounds to act so wildly. I’m afraid you’re not qualified enough to do so!”
Chapter 524 - Return of the Patriarch
The Sovereign Profound Realm was the highest realm that could be reached in the Profound Sky Continent, and it was the same in the Illusory Demon Realm. In the Illusory Demon Realm, the strong who had reached Sovereign Profound Realm were mostly from Demon Imperial City. Outside of Demon Imperial City, it was hard to even have one in a few thousand years. And even in Demon Imperial City, very few reached Sovereign Profound Realm. The number of Monarchs was the most important factor in determining how strong a family was.
And, being at the top of the profound cultivating world, Monarchs were also divided into different levels… even though early stage and mid stage Monarchs were both in the Sovereign Profound Realm, their power levels were worlds apart.
In the reputed Demon Imperial City, the famous Venerable Stone Dragon was a level two Monarch… but twenty-five years ago, Yun Qinghong… was already a level five Monarch, a real mid stage monarch; how could the Venerable Stone Dragon compete with him?!
Watching the strong Venerable Stone Dragon being defeated so easily by Yun Qinghong until he couldn’t even stand up like he was a dead dog, the Yun family’s disciples were all shocked, as if they were in a dream, and the Yun Qinghong who was floating in the air right now, in their eyes, was just like a god coming down to the mortal world.
The Elders were all stunned. Those younger generations who called Yun Qinghong the “Useless Patriarch” to his back, never had respect, never even bowed when they saw him, who even treated him as a joke and the family’s shame, lost their voices, as if something choked their throats, as they couldn’t make a single sound. Compared to the power Yun Qinghong had released, they felt like they were minuscule, like dust in the ocean.
Number One Under Heaven and Unparalleled Under Heaven were both stunned as well. Looking at the divinely shining Yun Qinghong, they were so shocked that they forgot about all the fury and outrage they had earlier.
Mu Yurou didn’t have to hide anymore either. She removed the Profound Sealing Buckle that was used to hide her profound energy aura, and a wave of invisible Sovereign Profound Realm profound energy was released. This made a few of the elders’ mouths widen even more. Mu Yurou flew into the air, and landed next to Yun Che, and asked, “Che’er, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Yun Che smiled and shook his head, while focusing on Duke Hui Ye the whole time.
Duke Hui Ye’s face darkened so much that it looked as though he had just crawled out from under a pot. He looked extremely horrible. At the same time, he was just as shocked as everyone because of Yun Qinghong’s sudden burst of mighty prowess… he kept thinking that everything that happened today, was a complete nightmare!
“Even though a Yun family disciple has made a huge mistake, how they will be punished will be decided by us, the Yun family. Others do not get a say in this!” Yun Qinghong lowered his eyebrows, looked down at the Venerable Stone Dragon from above, and said in a deep voice, “On behalf of you guarding the Little Demon Emperor for ten years, I will not kill you today! Take the master you serve now and get out of here before I change my mind!”
Duke Hui Ye had a noble position, and his background was extraordinary. But now knowing his plot and his conspiring against the Yun family, he didn’t have to save any face for Duke Hui Ye… after all, these two facts were more than enough to become a nemesis against the Yun family, so there was no point for Yun Qinghong to worry about it any longer.
The might and pressure coming from Yun Qinghong made the Venerable Stone Dragon’s heart have trouble even moving. He had no doubt that if he kept being presumptuous, even if he merely talked tough to keep up appearances, Yun Qinghong would actually kill him… as well as Duke Hui Ye. Duke Hui Ye didn’t know what Yun Qinghong was like before he became crippled, but he knew very clearly. A hundred years ago, he was enraged by a duke who was committing serious crimes, and he killed him right on the street… and it was while he knew exactly who that duke was.
“Your Highness, let’s… go…”
The Venerable Stone Dragon almost crawled under Duke Hui Ye’s feet, used his eyes to warn him to leave immediately, and to not attempt to try to use his position as a duke to try to fight Yun Qinghong here. Duke Hui Ye gnashed his teeth, and roared deeply, “Yun Qinghong… wait until you regret this… let’s go!”
“When you return, remember to tell your Father,” Yun Qinghong faced Duke Hui Ye’s back, and said softly, “For the sake of old times, I, Yun Qinghong, advise him to not throw away what he has today because of his greed and prejudice against women, and destroy himself! It’s not too late to stop now, the Little Demon Empress is much more powerful than what you imagined. As long as the Yun family is alive, we will forever be loyal to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline!”
Duke Hui Ye stopped his steps. His shoulders shook violently, as he turned around and said with a ferocious expression, “Yun Qinghong, this duke also has a word from my Father… It’s not too late for the Yun family to surrender! Don’t wait until… the family with ten thousand years of history is reduced to dust!”
Yun Qinghong crossed his arms in front of his chest, not mad at all, and instead smiled in contempt, “Are you done? Then get out of my sight.”
“You…” A mouthful of blood surged up from Duke Hui Ye’s chest, as he gnashed his teeth. His body trembled, and he flew away with haste.
At this moment, an angry voice yelled, “Helian Peng, where are you going! We haven’t set our debts straight yet!”
Helian Peng’s body stopped, turned around, and saw Unparalleled Under Heaven’s darkened face. He laughed coldly and said, “Unparalleled Under Heaven, since you already know, then I might as well be straight with you. The one our Twelve Guardian Families have been loyal for generations to, is Lord Demon Emperor! The Little Demon Empress is merely a woman, what gives her the right to make us obey her! But now, the Little Demon Empress’ rule is almost at its end, and I will tell you honestly. Within the Twelve Guardian Families, half of them are already leaning towards Duke Huai. I will give you a friendly word of advice…”
“Shut up!” Unparalleled Under Heaven said angrily, “You are hypocritical, deceitful, and two-faced, yet you still have the face to make such dignified remarks. Putting your disloyalty aside, your Helian Clan even tried to stab the daughter of our Patriarch in the back! You owe us an explanation for this!”
“Want an explanation?” Helian Peng laughed coldly, “At Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony a month later, I will take you on anytime!”
“Want to run? If I don’t break your arm today, then I am not called Unparalleled Under Heaven!” Watching Helian Peng leave, Unparalleled Under Heaven roared angrily, and chased him like the wind. Number One Under Heaven looked toward Yun Che’s direction, hesitated, then quickly followed.
——————————————
Once outside of Yun family’s territory, Duke Hui Ye wasn’t able to walk far before his body swayed, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood.
“Your Highness, are you alright?” The Venerable Stone Dragon asked hurriedly.
“Yun… Qing… hong!” Duke Hui Ye slowly wiped the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with the expression of hatred. Even though Yun Qinghong didn’t aim to hurt him, being pushed down by a mid stage Monarch, how could he endure that! Under Yun Qinghong’s gaze and aura, his intestines were almost ripped to shreds.
“Originally… today was the day we elect Xinyue as the Patriarch of the Yun family, so we could control the Yun family, and then use the Yun family to control the Mu family. This would clear two obstacles for Father… but we didn’t expect, didn’t expect…” Duke Hui Ye held his hands in fists, and suddenly widened his eyes, “It’s all that Yun Che’s fault! Two months ago, he disturbed my affairs, and today, it was because of him again! All because of him, we not only did not contain the Yun family and the Under Heaven family. Instead, we raised their alertness and hatred against us! If they tell everything to the Little Demon Empress, the Little Demon Empress might have even more defense and action…”
“Everything is screwed… if Father knew… all fault would definitely fall on this duke! Bastard… everything about this, is all that Yun Che’s fault!”
“When we return, investigate everything about that Yun Che… This duke wants his entire clan destroyed!”
————————————————
“Xinyue… Xinyue… Xinyue… ah! Why… why!!”
Yun Waitian held Yun Xinyue’s body in his arms and cried loudly. Under the Venerable Stone Dragon’s attack, Yun Xinyue’s body was pierced through directly, and on top of not having the protection of profound energy, he was as dead as he could be. Yun Waitian went through jubilation and sorrow in a single day. Originally, he was full of joy, preparing to see the son he was so proud get pushed for election by Duke Hui Ye, be approved by the Grand Elders with the whole clan’s support to become Patriarch, but he never thought that, not even an hour had passed, and they were separated by life and death.
Even if he made a horrible mistake, he was still his biological son.
Yun Qinghong floated down and stood beside Yun Waitian. Watching the Family’s Great Elder cry like a child, his mind flashed at the pain of losing a child for all these years. He made a long sigh, and said, “Great Elder, grieve. Even though Yun Xinyue was at fault, he was being forced by others, so it’s forgivable. I believe that the people of our clan would also forgive him. Three days later, we will bury him in Ancestor’s Ridge. I will give an order, and not let anyone speak a word of the fault he had in his life.”
Yun Waitian’s body shook slightly… a person who had committed a huge mistake had no right to enter Ancestor’s Ridge after death. Yun Xinyue conspired with others to betray his own clan, and almost put the whole Yun Family into a crisis that could not be averted. What he committed, was a fault that could be cursed and chastised for hundreds of generations. And Yun Qinghong gave him permission to enter Ancestor’s Ridge, and would conceal his guilt to the outsiders to protect his reputation. This could be seen as a merciful and magnanimous act.
“Thank you… Patriarch…” Yun Waitian lowered his head, and said with a choked throat. He thought about his ignorance and discourtesy against Yun Qinghong after his crippling, and felt ashamed.
“Even though Xinyue is gone, you still have your two sons, Xinwen and Xin’e, and they need your support. Even though Xinyue was at fault, it had nothing to do with you. After today, you are still the Yun Family’s Great Elder. If the Yun Family wants to rise, it must depend on you. So, for your family and for the entire Yun Family, you must not fall.”
Yun Waitian lifted his head, looked at Yun Qinghong with tears in his eyes, and couldn’t speak a word.
“Xiao’er, Che’er, let’s go.” Yun Qinghong turned around.
“Patriarch… Patriarch!” A lot of voices addressing him came from his back. Yun Qinghong paused his steps, lifted his hands and said, “Today’s Family Competition is canceled, tidy this place up first. I know you all have a lot of questions, but right now, there’s about to be a crisis in Demon Imperial City, and the Yun Family must be well-prepared. Tomorrow at ten in the morning, we will have the clan’s general assembly as usual. I will explain everything, and then discuss the family’s affairs… anyone above middle management cannot be absent.”
“Yes, Patriarch!”
The sound of their response was loud and clear, especially the word “Patriarch”; it made many of the elders’ eyes glisten with tears.
Yun Qinghong and his wife left. The whole Yun Family Plaza completely lost control, and couldn’t calm down for a long time.
“Patriarch… has returned! Our Patriarch has really returned!”
“The rise of the Yun Family… there’s hope!”
“I can’t believe we were all rooting for Yun Xinyue to be the next Patriarch… our eyes really were blind. If it wasn’t for Patriarch’s wisdom, the consequences would be unimaginable!”
“Besides Patriarch, we need to thank the godson the Patriarch has taken in, Yun Che! What’s ironic is that we were even mocking him before.”
The Yun Family Elders gathered in a circle, all talking at once without considering their image. Their faces were all red from being so rowdy.
At this moment, Yun Waitian had already stopped crying. He held onto Yun Xinyue’s body, and knelt there, staring blankly ahead. Second Elder Yun Duanshui walked over, after a moment of hesitation, he sighed and said, “Great Elder, did you think it was strange that when the Patriarch ‘returned’, there were so many people among us that were riled up like this?”
Yun Waitian’s eyes moved a little.
Yun Duanshui said slowly, “After Yun Canghai, Yun Qinghong became the Patriarch of our Yun Family. Even though he was crippled, he is still the Patriarch. We would never let anyone question his position and his power as the Patriarch because of his crippled state. But because of the Patriarch being crippled, and him knowing Yun Xiao wasn’t his biological son, he believed that he couldn’t take on the responsibilities of being Patriarch. He wanted us to give him up and make you the center, and in the future, make you our Yun Family Patriarch.”
Yun Waitian, “…”
“Patriarch said, even though you have ambitions, you also have absolute loyalty to the Yun Family, and want the clan to rise more than anyone else. His bloodline has ended, but handing the responsibility to the Great Elder’s bloodline is what sets his mind at ease the most. He told us to coordinate and listen to your orders, and help you bring up your prestige in the Yun Family. As for the Patriarch himself, he strictly commanded us that we cannot even visit him. When the time is right, we would make you the Patriarch.”
“Ah…” Yun Waitian opened his mouth, his whole body was trembling.
“To be honest, even after more than twenty years, as soon as the Patriarch gives his command, of us thirty-six main elders of the family, at least twenty people would stand by the Patriarch without any hesitation. Regarding the purpose of today’s general assembly, the Patriarch already knew. Fourth Elder and I told the Patriarch together. The Patriarch’s response was to let us elect you as the new Patriarch, and us agreeing later on for Yun Xinyue to be the new Patriarch was unexpected.”
“The isolation that Patriarch received after he was crippled was not because we wanted to isolate him, it was him who wanted us to do so. His silence, was not because he was giving up on himself, but was to wear down his reputation to raise up yours. Because to Patriarch, the clan’s future is far more important than his reputation and honor… he was a great, wise Patriarch. Though he was crippled, we cannot help but still respect him.”
“But, the heavens finally favored us, the Yun Family. Our Patriarch has returned, and we resolved a family disaster.” Yun Duanshui looked at the stunned Yun Waitian, and said, “You knew exactly how you treated Patriarch all these years, how serious your son Yun Xinyue’s mistake was, but you saw how Patriarch treated you just now… what I’m saying is, I hope that in the future, Great Elder would not disappoint Patriarch and the Yun Family.”
After Yun Duanshui left, Yun Waitian stood there blankly for a long time, as though he was petrified. After an eighth of an hour, his body trembled, and he dropped on the ground, crying loudly…
Chapter 525 - Confession
“Yurou, Brother-in-law, you’ve both recovered… truly, fully recovered?” He was the stately Mu Family’s future Patriarch, yet currently, he was excitedly dancing in joy like a child.
In regards to Mu Yubai’s temperament, Yun Che had roughly understood it today. He was someone who wore his emotions on his face, upright and outspoken, and was not one to suppress his feelings. At this moment, he was excited and pleasantly surprised, and this completely showed on his face.
“We’ve already fully recovered ten days ago. During those days, we’ve always worn the Profound Sealing Buckle to conceal our profound aura.” Mu Yurou said with a light laugh. Seeing the man who she had accompanied throughout her entire life stand up from the wheelchair to once more display the great might he possessed back then, after more than twenty years, she couldn’t help but want to cry tears of joy. No one else was more clear about these twenty-two years this prideful man spent whilst handicapped, and how much he suffered every day.
“Whether it is our body or profound strength, they have all fully recovered, and this is not something short-lived.” Yun Qinghong lifted his hand and said with a smile: “All this, is because of Che’er. He merely used not even two months of time. I, Yun Qinghong have seen and experienced quite a lot of things, but if this did not happen on my person, I still would never dare believe it. All of the genius doctors in the Illusory Demon Realm added up together could barely rival one finger on Che’er’s hand. I’m afraid that not even the Great Shifting Golden Deity of legends could even compare, hoho.”
This evaluation was no doubt the highest praise beyond limits, and this praise had even come from Yun Qinghong himself. However, Mu Yubai did not feel that it was exaggerated in the least. He was more clear than anyone else about how crippled Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were originally. Since twenty years ago, in the entire Illusory Demon Realm, not one person believed that they were able to recover… they weren’t even able to recover to an ordinary person’s state of health.
Now that this appeared before his eyes, it was no less than a miracle!
And, this merely took a short time of not even two months!
Mu Yubai grabbed Yun Che’s shoulders, widened his eyes, and said with great emotion: “Good kid… I, Mu Yubai has lived for more than one hundred eighty years, and the only person I have ever truly admired is my brother-in-law, Yun Qinghong. But now, I admire you ten times more than that! So much that I’d prostrate myself in admiration. You saving my brother-in-law means that you have saved the entire Yun Family. You saving my little sister Yurou, also means that you are our Mu Family’s benefactor. Mn…”
Mu Yubai’s eyes suddenly lit up, as the hands he used to grab at Yun Che tightened a bit more… This was a Monarch’s strength, and it immediately made Yun Che ache so hard that he gritted his teeth: “Boy… Oh, no, little brother Yun. How about we become sworn brothers? I’ll be your big brother in the future, and you’ll be my little brother. Your affairs would also become my affairs! If anyone dares to bully you, I’ll smash their brains apart!”
If this situation of the Mu Family’s Young Patriarch requesting to become sworn brothers were to spread out, the entire city would perhaps drop their jaws in shock. If this was in normal circumstances, Yun Che would definitely gladly agree… With such a great supporter, Yun Che could most probably walk sideways against the law if he wanted. But once Mu Yubai’s words came out, it actually scared Yun Che to the point where his entire body broke out in cold sweat. He incessantly waved panickedly: “S-S-S-Senior Mu, this cannot be done. My humble self is merely a junior, how could I dare become sworn brothers with Senior Mu?”
The difference in seniority wasn’t really much of a huge issue, the main point was that this Mu Yubai was his biological uncle! If he became sworn brothers just like that, once he revealed himself, Mu Yubai might even go look for a block of tofu to suicide himself into!
“Tch!” Mu Yubai swung an arm: “What junior, senior, that’s all rubbish. Even though you are a bit young and your profound strength is a bit low, just with your medical skills and the courage you displayed today would even make me willingly call you big brother! Mn… If you don’t want to be my little brother, then me calling you big brother in the future is fine too! That’s no problem at all!”
These few words that Mu Yubai had said truly were not forced out at all. Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were crippled to such a state, yet they were able to fully recover in two months. In Mu Yubai’s eyes, Yun Che could even be called god! If he could make this person into one of his own, no matter how great of a price he had to pay, it would still not be a loss. As a profound practitioner, there was no one who did not fall ill, encounter calamity, never get injured, and never be in danger. With Yun Che by his side, that would simply be countless numbers of lives under his belt. Even if one were to want to die, it would be hard. Even if one were to be crippled into a dog, they would still fully recover… If Mu Yubai had to pick between ten Monarchs and one Yun Che, Mu Yubai would definitely pick Yun Che without the slightest hesitation.
Yun Che grimaced: “Senior Mu, this junior is just…. just…”
Mu Yubai’s face immediately fell, as he said unhappily: “What? Am I, Mu Yubai, beneath your notice? Do you think that I am not worthy enough to become your sworn brother?”
“Of course not.” Yun Che waved: “This junior is naturally beside himself him delight knowing that Mu Yubai wants to become sworn brothers with this junior. But the problem is that this junior has already become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao. Your sister and brother-in-law are also junior’s godfather and godmother. If this junior becomes sworn brothers with you, then the seniority here would be completely messed up. This is not fair to junior, nor is it fair to my godparents.”
“So what? This and that are all not important. It’s not as though I don’t know you have become sworn brothers with that kiddo Yun Xiao.” Mu Yubai blurted without care as he waved his hand. His heart was just this wide.
“Alright, Big Brother, don’t make things difficult for Che’er anymore.” Mu Yurou said in amusement: “Even if you don’t care about seniority matters and want to become sworn brothers with Che’er no matter what, you’ll have to at least show your sincerity. Who would be as aggressive as you? It’ll be a wonder if you didn’t scare Che’er.”
Mu Yubai widened his eyes, then slapped his head, and said in annoyance: “You’re right! Look at this brain of mine, randomly telling someone to become my sworn brother. I didn’t mean for it to come out that way either… hey! Yun Che boyo… oh, no, little brother Yun, I was rude earlier. Come to my Mu Family for a visit someday. I’ll definitely let you see my sincerity. I, Mu Yubai, promise you that I am absolutely worthy of becoming your sworn brother!”
“Alright, alright, let’s talk about this when that time comes. Big Brother, go back home and tell Father about what happened today, let him prepare for it as well. Something huge is bound to happen during the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony. After two days, I’ll go back with Qinghong for a visit too.” Mu Yurou stated.
“Mn, if the old man knew that you and brother-in-law have recovered completely, I’d reckon he’ll be so happy that he wouldn’t be able to sleep for three days… Oh! When you come back with brother-in-law, make sure to bring this kid!” Mu Yubai said with great emphasis.
“Xiao’er, go send your uncle off with your mother,” said Yun Qinghong.
“Ah? Yes, Father.” Yun Xiao was still a bit stunned, it was evident that he had not completely taken in and digested everything that had happened today.
Mu Yubai glanced at Yun Qinghong. He knew why Yun Qinghong was letting Mu Yurou and Yun Xiao send him off; he probably had things he wanted to say to Yun Che alone, so he didn’t decline. With a wave of his hand, he left taking large strides.
“Father, do you have something you want to tell me?” Once they left, only Yun Qinghong and Yun Che remained within the courtyard.
“Mn.” Yun Qinghong nodded, then smiled and said: “Che’er, this is all thanks to you. If not for you, Yun Family’s ten thousand years of loyalty would be destroyed in one day. Even so much that we would be beyond redemption.”
Yun Che grinned: “Heh heh, Father’s too polite. I’m still considered to be half a member of the Yun Family. Besides, the one who suppressed everyone is you, Father. And with Father’s wisdom and foresight, even if I wasn’t here, you should’ve seen through everything a long time ago, right?”
Yun Qinghong shook his head, and said: “In these past years, due to my crippling, I knew that I did not have the power to support the Yun Family, so I had always closed my eyes and ears. Even though I was aware of Duke Huai’s disloyalty a long time ago and guessed that he might perhaps already be stretching out his hands into the Yun Family, I didn’t know where he had stretched in from. Furthermore, if not for the fact that you helped recover our health and profound strength for us, even if I knew everything, I wouldn’t have the power to turn it around.”
Yun Che thought for a while, then said: “Father, I have a speculation… I believe that among the elders of your generation, some have not left because of your crippling. All these years that you have been alone, that was something you did deliberately, right?”
Yun Qinghong laughed, and looked at him with praising eyes: “Yes, you’re right. Even though I really don’t want the Patriarch position of our Patriarchal line given to others, at that time, I was completely crippled, and Xiao’er was not my biological child. I’d rather given the head position to Yun Waitian than be a burden on the Yun Family. After all, even though the honor of our Patriarch bloodline is important, how could it possibly compare with our Yun Clan’s future. Che’er, if not for you helping me recover, I originally would’ve already prepared myself to watch Yun Waitian succeed my position as Patriarch. But now that I have recovered, and have enough strength to bear the heavy responsibility of the clan, this position of Patriarch absolutely cannot be given to others. Che’er, you have truly altered the fate of our entire Yun Family. This kind of great favor is enough to let our Yun Family remember it for over thousands of generations.”
“The reason why I wanted to be alone with you is to confess something to you.” Yun Qinghong sucked in a slight breath of air, and said somewhat sadly: “I deliberately allowed the Venerable Stone Dragon to kill Yun Xingyue.”
“I know.” Against Yun Qinghong’s expectations, Yun Che actually gave a direct reply which held no hesitation. He continued: “With Father’s strength, as well as the close distance back then, protecting Yun Xingyue against the Venerable Stone Dragon’s attack could be said to be as easy as turning one’s hand over.”
“…Then, do you think that I am too ruthless?”
“No!” Yun Che shook his head: “The complete opposite. I fully approve of Father’s decision. Since Yun Xinyue has already said ‘Helian’ and ‘Duke Huai’, there is no need to continue asking any further. Even though he had been poisoned and was forced, he still went as far as secretly backstabbing a fellow clansman for the promise of the Patriarch position and the title of a king. What’s even more despicable is the fact that he didn’t hesitate to harm the entire clan! Dying ten thousand times for such a serious crime would not be excessive at all! And if he were to be executed by the clan, even though Yun Waitian won’t say anything, he would still bear resentment over this. Him being “timely silenced” by Duke Hui Ye actually couldn’t be even better. On one hand, he would feel hatred toward Duke Huai’s clan for killing his son, on the other, he would be moved to tears by Father’s comfort and forgiveness. Furthermore, the guilt he’ll feel then would thereby make him unwaveringly loyal to Father and the Yun Family. After all, Yun Waitian is Yun Family’s Great Elder; excluding Father, he is one of the major pillars of Yun Family that must not be lost. This outcome is the most perfect one.”
Yun Qinghong looked deeply at Yun Che, then laughed heartily: “Hahahaha… Che’er, I am still underestimating you. It is hard for me to believe that you are only twenty-two this year. With your talent and temperament, I would not doubt it even if you say that you have a thousand years of experience.”
Yun Che also laughed along, and lightly sighed in his heart… What I have encountered, the life and death situations, as well as the dangers I’ve experienced, even if someone else were to pile up their thousand years of life experiences, they probably still can’t match mine…
Chapter 526 - Reunion
During the conversation between Yun Che and Yun Qinghong, two silhouettes flashed past before descending. It was then followed by mild laughter: “Hoho, Yun Qinghong, it’s been a long time.”
That person was Unparalleled Under Heaven and soon, Number One Under Heaven descended as well. The phrase “it’s been a long time” by Unparalleled Under Heaven contained various meanings… being in the same city, yet it had been “a long time since they last met”.
“Brother Under Heaven, it has indeed been a long time.” Yun Qinghong nodded, his expression revealed deep lament: “Where’s Helian Peng? Did you catch manage to catch up to him?”
“That bastard fled really quickly, but I still managed to give him a good kick on his ass, enough for him to feel pain from some days. That has at least quelled some of my anger. Hahahaha.” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed.
Number One Under Heaven stepped forward and paid respects as a junior: “Patriarch Yun returning to his former glory is a joyous event. With Patriarch Yun, Yun Family’s return to prominence is just around the corner.”
“I hope it is like what you have just said.” Yun Qinghong nodded with a smile. Then, he became serious again, and said: “Duke Huai’s ambition has already been exposed. The Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony would definitely not be peaceful. Please pass a message to Elder Brother Under Heaven, that within five days, I will personally be going over to visit and discuss some important matters.”
“Patriarch Yun is definitely most welcomed to visit. However, I’m afraid that our Patriarch will not be able to wait five days, and come visit you instead after hearing that you have recovered.” Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed. His words were not lies, since all those years back, the person Great Ambition Under Heaven would submit to the most was Yun Qinghong. After Yun Qinghong became crippled, even if he did not sigh a thousand times, there must have at least been eight hundred times.
“Patriarch Yun, since a major event just happened within your family, you must be busy. We only returned to bid our farewell so we shall not stay any longer. I will deliver Patriarch Yun’s words in full. When you are free, do come to our Under Heaven Clan to visit.” Unparalleled Under Heaven clasped his hands together. Although he was very curious, he did not presumptuously ask Yun Qinghong and his wife just how and when they recovered.
“Definitely!” Yun Qinghong similarly returned his gesture.
“Brother Yun, there are no words to thank you for your kindness.” Number One Under Heaven nodded strongly towards Yun Che.
“Brother Under Heaven is too kind. We’ll meet again in one month.” Yun Che said with a smile: “Also, pardon me for saying this, but the Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony is near at hand. At that time, another storm would likely be swept up, therefore, I think that now is not the time to be distracted by the grudge with the Helian Family. Priorities must be placed correctly and personal grudges should be put aside for now as revenge is best served cold.”
Yun Che’s words did not make them unhappy. Number One Under Heaven nodded slightly and Unparalleled Under Heaven even revealed signs of admiration, uttering: “Patriarch Yun, your godson is really extraordinary.”
“Farewell.”
Unparalleled Under Heaven and Number One Heaven left. It would not be possible to keep whatever happened in the Yun Family today a secret, and perhaps by evening, it would’ve already spread throughout the city like wildfire. The ambition that Duke Huai had all this time would be largely made public. During this period, Demon Imperial City would certainly be tense and the Twelve Guardian Families would enter a very nervous state.
The Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony in one month’s time definitely would not be as simple as a celebration of the Demon Empress having reigned for a century, and would likely become a turning point for the future of the Illusory Demon Realm.
After the two left, Mu Yurou and Yun Xiao, who went to send Mu Yubai off, returned. Once Mu Yurou returned, she immediately sprinted beside Yun Qinghong, and asked nervously: “What happened with the Patriarch’s Crest? Where did you get it from?”
Yun Qinghong also would like to know where the Patriarch’s Crest came from. He looked towards Yun Che, and replied: “Che’er passed it to me.”
“Che’er?” Mu Yurou turned back in shock, revealing a face of disbelief.
“Che’er, isn’t it about time for you to tell us about this Patriarch’s Crest? This is your promise from earlier.” Yun Qinghong calmly spoke, but his gaze already revealed his anxiousness. Because when this Patriarch’s Crest was lost a hundred years ago, it was on his father, Yun Canghai… As Yun Family’s most important object, Yun Canghai would have never left it alone!
Yun Che’s lips moved for a little, as he calmed himself, and said: “Let’s go in… I will tell you everything you all want to know.”
“Good!” Yun Qinghong nodded. Looking at Yun Che’s expression, he knew that whatever he was going to say would definitely be overwhelming. He held Mu Yurou’s hand, and they walked towards their room.
Yun Xiao quickly walked beside Yun Che, asking with a face of shock: “Big Brother, that Patriarch’s Crest, did you really give it to Father?”
“Yup,” Yun Che nodded: “I will say in full how I obtained it. It is after all, a Yun Family object.”
As he finished, he looked at Yun Xiao, who looked a little out of sorts, and asked: “Yun Xiao, are you still thinking about what happened just now?”
Yun Xiao lowered his head, speaking half in regret and half self-deprecatingly: “Until now, I still could not accept that the Yun Xinyue, whom I respect the most, is actually… such a person… Just now, I still suspected Big Brother because of him. I’m really… too foolish!”
“All these years, I worked so hard in order to do something for Father and Mother, however, when the entire Yun Family was in a predicament, I was unable to do anything and foolishly supported a man who nearly caused the death of a fellow clansman… If it wasn’t for Big Brother, who knows what would happen to the Yun Family from now onwards… Me and Big Brother are of a similar age, but… I’m too far behind Big Brother… I’m totally useless, who knows when I’ll be able to be like Big Brother.”
Yun Che stopped walking, turned back, and patted Xiao Yun’s shoulders as he said seriously: “Don’t look down on yourself. You have worked hard in your cultivation for Father and Mother all these years, withstanding everything that came for them. Your filial piety is more important and precious than anything else. As for Yun Xinyue, weren’t those elders who lived for hundred of years, and some even close to a thousand years, in the dark as well? There’s really no need for you to diminish yourself. Oversensitive instincts, predictions, and insights are not something people your age will possess.”
“Uh, but Big Brother, you’re obviously the same age as me…”
“I’m different.” Yun Che shook his head: “Yun Xiao, I would rather you keep your personality forever and be as ‘useless’ as you said, than to experience what I have experienced.”
Yun Xiao looked at him perplexedly, unable to comprehend what he just said.
Although they talked softly, it was unable to escape Yun Qinghong’s ears. Hearing what Yun Che had said, he stopped for a moment as a complex expression appeared on his face… That’s right, being just twenty-two and already possessing a maturity and insight that was unlike anyone of the same age; he couldn’t comprehend just what had he been through.
“Yun Xiao, if you really want to mature more quickly, today will be an opportunity.” Yun Che suddenly said.
Yun Xiao was stunned: “Really? What opportunity? What opportunity!”
“Fate often plays all sorts of pranks on us; sometimes it is friendly, sometimes it is evil, and other times cruel, or even vicious. As a man, if you really want to be indomitable and independent, the first thing you must learn is to calmly face the changes that fate brings about! This requires one to be broad minded and have enough courage. If you are able to do this, then your life will improve and you will possess more strength for Father and Mother to rely on, more strength for Seventh Sister to rely on.”
“Calmly… face…” Yun Xiao was still a little shocked, and although he did not really understand the things Yun Che had said, he felt that it was very powerful!
“What’s going to happen next, will be a test of sorts for you.” Yun Che said in a positive manner: “Let me see whether or not my good brother of a lifetime will be an indomitable man who is not easily defeated by the twist of fate!”
Even though he still did not completely know what Yun Che was saying, his words still raised Yun Xiao’s morale as he strongly said: “I, Yun Xiao, do not have such a weak mind! Even if I cannot compare with Big Brother, I will not let Big Brother look down on me!”
“Alright, that’s what you said… let’s go in.”
After they entered the room, they closed the door. Yun Qinghong took out the Patriarch’s Crest that was glowing purple and felt the unique aura on it. Suppressing his agitation, he anxiously asked: “Che’er, tell me, where did you get this?”
When the question was asked, Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou, and Yun Xiao all looked straight at him, anxiously and nervously awaiting his reply. Under their gaze, Yun Che did not reply, but looked towards Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou and gradually knelt down… Furthermore, he had knelt down on both his knees.
“Che’er, what are you doing… hurry and stand up.” Mu Yurou panicked, and quickly went forward to try and help him up.
Yun Che did not rise, but raised his head and looked at them… his own birth parents. Slowly, he opened his palm…
“Father, Mother… Do you all still remember this thing?”
On Yun Che’s palm, was an old looking copper colored pendant.
The second they saw the pendant, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yunrou seemed as though they were struck by lightning as their entire bodies trembled violently. Mu Yurou suddenly rushed forward like a madman and snatched the pendant in Yun Che’s palm, raising it up to her eyes to look at it. Her hands continued to trembled madly: “Mirror of Samsara… it’s the Mirror of Samsara… It really is the Mirror of Samsara!!!”
Mu Yurou, who usually spoke gently, like water, was currently speaking in a frightening, trembling, hoarse voice. Yun Xiao was shocked as he anxiously asked: “Mother, what’s… what’s wrong…”
He turned towards Yun Qinghong, only to realize that his entire face had already distorted.
“This Mirror of Samsara… You… Where did you get it from…” For the intelligent and proud Yun Qinghong, this short sentence was extremely hard to say. However, a sudden thought flashed past his mind, and his body trembled even more violently: “Could it be… you…”
Yun Che did not answer. He only raised up his left arm, and on his arm, the mark of the Profound Handle shone vividly.
“Ahhh! Profound… Profound Handle!!!” Yun Xiao screamed in surprise. Even though he did not have the Profound Handle, being in the Yun Family for twenty odd years, how could he not recognize it?
Holding the Mirror of Samsara in her hand and looking at the glowing mark of the Profound Handle, Mu Yurou was stunned. Her hands trembled and even her lips trembled intensely, yet she could not utter a single sound. In an instant, her eyes were flooded with tears and her mind spun, before she directly fell backwards.
“Mother!!!” Yun Xiao rushed forward to support her: “Mother! What… What’s wrong? Don’t scare me!”
Yun Qinghong’s eyes were unfocused. His breathing completely stopped and he could no longer feel the existence of his body, which was burning hot. The instant the Profound Handle shone, blood rushed into his head, causing him to hallucinate. He nearly vomited blood and fainted…
Yun Che’s eyes were misty as he softly said: “Before I was sixteen, my surname was not Yun but instead Xiao. At that time, I was called Xiao Che… I’m not from the Illusory Demon Realm. The place I grew up in was one of the seven nations of the Profound Sky Continent, called Blue Wind Nation. The city I lived in was Floating Cloud City. My adopted father was called Xiao Ying and my grandfather is Xiao Lie.”
Chapter 527 - Family Reunion
Each and every one of Yun Che’s soft words reverberated in Yun Qinghong’s ears like a thunderclap, his upper body violently swayed and the scene before him became blurry. His brain felt like it was going to explode from the violent rushes of blood assaulting his head.
“Child… You are my child… My child!!”
Mu Yurou let out a cry that betrayed her immense heartache as she shrugged off Yun Xiao’s arm and threw herself violently onto Yun Che’s body. She hugged him as if her life itself depended on it and started bawling like a child. The arms wrapped around him began to tighten, and if this embrace grew any tighter…. It would be as though she wanted to draw him into herself. And the mournful and heartbroken sound of her wails seemed to cause the whole world to turn a darker shade of grey.
Yun Qinghong stepped forward to extend his arm, but he stopped midway. And the words he wanted to say seemed to be lodged inside his throat, as though something was stuck there, and once he opened his mouth, the tears which he were trying so hard to restrain threatened to burst out….
The Mirror of Samsara was what they had hung around their son’s neck when they were fleeing all those years ago. Because they prayed that this sacred artifact, which they had protected for generations on behalf of the Illusory Demon Royal Family and was coveted by the Profound Sky Continent, would show its divine might and protect their newborn son who had no choice but to become a fugitive because of them… And that profound imprint was even more iron-clad proof… and the words that he said… Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation, Floating Cloud City, and Xiao Ying were all names that they had repeated to themselves countless of times… And while he had mentioned these words to Yun Che when he told him of the origins of Yun Xiao, he had definitely never mentioned the name Xiao Lie…
Moreover, that appearance which closely matched his own when he was young, and that feeling of recognition despite having met for the first time… And that practically unreasonable and irresistible intimacy and trust that he felt towards him…
Ah, so it was because of this… because of this…
No wonder he wanted to come to the Yun Family… No wonder he spared no effort, even to the point of fainting due to exhaustion, to ensure that he healed their crippled bodies… No wonder he had treated him and Yurou so well… No wonder he did not hesitate to cross swords with such a strong enemy, just so the calamity awaiting the Yun Family could be averted… No wonder he wanted to become sworn brothers with Yun Xiao…. And finally, now that things have come full circle, he understood why Yun Che did not want to call them ‘Godfather and Godmother’ but ‘Father and Mother’ instead…
Because it turned out that he was their son… Their very own flesh and blood… The son that they had lost over twenty years ago… The heavens had sent him back to their side…
He should have realized this sooner… Because in this world, aside from one’s own direct relatives, there was no reason to treat another with such care and concern, to the point where he would not spare anything to treat them well… But, even though his heart held countless suspicions towards this situation, how could he have dared to dream of such an impossibly perfect conclusion…
“My child… My child…” Mu Yurou’s voice had become completely hoarse. She had wept to the point where her soul seemed to have left her body… and she was no simple woman; she was a strong Monarch who was looked up to by all; she was the wife of Yun Family Patriarch. Her talent was extraordinary, she was nobility, and she was possessed an iron will. In those years, she had ventured forth together with her husband to the Profound Sky Continent that caused everyone’s expression to change when it was even mentioned! It was hard to find another person with this kind of courage and determination in the entire Illusory Demon Realm.
But today, her tears had formed an ocean. All these years, she was always being tortured by her own thoughts, to the point where she had wept an immeasurable amount of tears… And in this entire world, there was only person who could make this woman, who had dared to brave the Profound Sky Continent without fear, so weak. There was only one person who could cause her to shed so many tears… It was her newborn son, whom she thought was lost to her forever.
The front of Yun Che’s shirt had quickly become drenched in tears, but this wetness was filled with a warmth that pierced him to the heart. It caused his heart to steadily tremble, as he slowly raised his hands, supporting her spasming shoulders. He gently said, “Father, Mother, this child is unfilial… Because for more than twenty years, I was unable to be by your side….”
“All is well now that you have returned… All is… well…”
After just saying these few words, Yun Qinghong already had to choke back his emotions, and he did not speak any further.
Yun Xiao just stood there in a daze and he was completely dumbstruck. In his mind, there was only once voice that kept circulating in his head… Big Brother is Father and Mother’s son… their real flesh and blood son…
So… what about me… I guess… I really wasn’t Father and Mother’s… flesh and blood after all…
He had already known about this fact long ago and even the entire Demon Imperial City knew as well. Being unable to wield the power of a Profound Handle, that was an inescapable truth… but because Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou had never admitted it before, this matter which everyone knew as fact, had, in his own heart, been covered with a hazy veil which he did not want to tear away…
But today, this final layer had been completely and utterly ripped away… His emotions were in complete chaos, he was at a loss of what to do, and he did not even know if he should still continue to stand in this place… And at this time, his mind suddenly recalled what Yun Che had just said to him…
“Ah, so this is the twist of fate… that Big Brother said that I was about to face.” He softly murmured.
Yun Che’s words had immediately provoked even louder weeping from Mu Yurou. All these years, what she endured was not only a sense of loss but also the torment of guilt. Because all those years ago, it was because of them that their son had to become a fugitive even though he was just born. Moreover, it was because she had been stricken by the cold poison when she was pregnant that they had to destroy his profound veins and make him a cripple for life to expel that poison from his body. At that time, she was already filled with so much grief that she wished she was dead as her guilt threatened to engulf her. And the only thing on her mind was that if she could escape from this situation, she would do all she could to make it up to him and protect him. But when they finally returned to the Illusory Demon Realm, her son had been left in the Profound Sky Continent, a place which they could not return to, and that denied her even of the opportunity to nurture and accompany her child…
But now, her child had come back, and his return to her side seemed like a dazzling dream. He harbored no resentment towards them and did not even utter a single complaint. Instead he healed her body, gave her a rebirth of sorts and even helped the Yun Family avert a calamity… And in the end, he still knelt before them, saying that he was ‘unfilial’…
Her own son had not only come back, but had become so excellent, and had also become so kindhearted…
In the past twenty-two years, she had lost count of how many times she had cursed the heavens, had lost count of all the times she had resented this cruel fate. But right now, she used all her heart and sincerity to piously thank the heavens…
Yun Che had thought that after he had given himself a two month cushion, he would be able to maintain his cool in this situation. But after he had been buried in his mother’s embrace, heard his mother’s heartfelt cries, and felt her hot tears which flooded over him, his eyes had completely moistened. She had engulfed him in an extremely tight yet oh-so-warm embrace. And amidst this warmth, the tears which had been dammed up at the corners of his eyes finally burst free; they trickled down his face, tracing little pathways, as a feeling of weakness slowly rose in his heart…
All these years, he had suffered too many hardships, had been through too many twist and turns, and even life and death situations. Thus, his will had long ago been hammered into something hard and unyielding. The amount of blood he had shed was a million times more than the tears he cried. He had single-handedly gone up against a huge clan and also an entire nation by himself. He had also gone up against an entire continent before… to the point where he was forced to skirt the border between life and death constantly, but he still held his head high with unyielding tenacity back then, and had worn a cold, blood-stained smile that expressed his defiance till the very end…
But at this moment, this feeling of weakness was so real and irresistible that it caused him to have the urge to just break down and cry…
He knew that this was because he was in his mother’s arms.
It was only after two lives, till this very day, that he knew what a mother’s embrace was like… He was finally not a parentless, rootless wanderer covered in sand and dried blood any longer…
————————————
Time seemed to have slowed down. No one came to disturb their family reunion, and nothing else seemed to have taken place that day.
But in the end, Yun Qinghong was still Yun Qinghong. After some time, he had finally been able to take hold of his emotions as he mutely stared at the mother and son who were still caught in their embrace. Sometimes he laughed, while at other times, he closed his eyes. Finally, Mu Yurou’s completely hoarse crying had stilled. He gave a small sigh of relief and said in the most relaxed tone he could muster, “Yurou, the heavens have given our son back to us and it is cause for great joy. But you see, your crying has frightened Che’er and Xiao’er silly.”
Mu Yurou raised her head; her entire face was stained with tears. She lightly sobbed and held Yun Che’s face in both her hands. Her motions were so gentle, it was thought she was holding a delicate treasure that would easily break. She peered at him through misty eyes and softly whispered, “Yes… This is my son… Che’er… my son…”
Her entire body gave a light quiver and she put her face on her son’s face. And even though she tried her best to restrain her weeping, the tears in her eyes still rolled down her cheeks. She was unable to stop… The hands which held her son refused to let go, as if she was afraid that once she did let go, he would disappear from her world once more.
Her current disheveled state did not even remotely resemble her usual noble and elegant comportment.
Yun Qinghong took a step forward and his hand pressed down on Yun Che’s shoulder. His face bore a faint smile, but when he opened his mouth, he seemed to choke on his words. It was only after a good period of time, with a smile that faintly trembled, he softly said, “Che’er, welcome home… We have already waited for you for a very long time in our dreams…”
Yun Che quietly wiped the corners of his eyes and raised his head, softly replying, “Father, Mother, I am sorry. This child has only come back now. And because of this, I have caused both Father and Mother so many years of pain.”
“You are not late at all.” Yun Qinghong laughed as he shook his head, “As long as you have come back to us, all is well.”
The person before him who was so excellent that it caused him to exclaim in admiration, who had caused Mu Yubai to disregard his status and seniority in order to become sworn brothers with, was actually his own flesh and blood. The kind of pride, joy and contentment he felt… was intense beyond description. He even felt that even if he had to use his own death to trade for this moment of truth, he would go with a smile on his face.
“Yurou, our son has already come back and he is even this big. He won’t run away again, so how long do you want to keep hugging him?” Yun Qinghong lovingly patted his wife’s back, “Can it be that you want our son, on the day of his return, to kneel there the entire afternoon?”
Yun Qinghong’s last words had an immediate effect. After she saw that Yun Che had knelt there motionlessly for nearly half a day, Mu Yurou instantly felt such self-reproach and regret that she almost cried once more. She hurriedly wiped her tears and extended her hand to lift Yun Che up, “Che’er, quickly get up, the floor is cold… Oh, this is all Mother’s fault, I had even forgotten that you were kneeling on the ground.”
Yun Che stood up as Mu Yurou lightly supported him. He shook his head and said, “This is nothing, Mother. I was unable to be by your side all these years, so the amount of kneeling I owe the both of you, even kneeling for three days and three nights wouldn’t make up for it.”
This kind of close intimacy was simply too precious and too warm. He was willing to present his best and most obedient side, in order to bring them comfort and joy. At their side, Yun Xiao hesitated for a good long while before coming forward in a rather timid manner, saying, “Father, Mother, Big Brother, Congra… Congratulations on finally being able to reunite as a family…”
“It is not ‘a family’, it is ‘our family‘ reunion!” Yun Che pulled Yun Xiao close, “The words you just said sounded like you weren’t part of the family at all.”
“But, I… I…” Yun Xiao softly bit on his lips and looked at a complete loss. He faced Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou, bowed his head, and said in a lifeless and dazed voice, “I… I… In the future, can I still… call the both of you… Father and Mother?”
His words caused Yun Qinghong and his wife to be slightly startled, but after that, they laughed at the same time. Mu Yurou said in a gentle tone, “You silly child, you have always been Father and Mother’s Xiao’er. The son we watched grow up, whom we loved the most. So why would we not let you address us as Father and Mother?”
“Hey, Yun Xiao! What are you saying? We are sworn brothers, you know!” Yun Che patted him on the head, “When we said our vows to each other when we became sworn brother, we swore that we would be brothers for life, that your parents would be my parents and my parents would be your parents. It was only two months ago, but now you don’t even recognize this big brother of yours anymore?”
“No, it’s not… I…” Yun Xiao waved his hand, and his eyes became misty for a short while. At this moment he suddenly realized why Yun Che wanted to become sworn brothers with him… Because his parents were actually Yun Che’s parents… This was a vow which they could not go back on, and the reason why Yun Che had waited two months before he had identified himself was because of him… Solely because of him…
A warm current which carried far too many emotions flooded over his entire body. Yun Xiao raised his head, his face revealing a dazzling smile, “Sorry, Father, Mother, Big Brother, I was just thinking too much. The parents who love me the most has found their other son. My most respected big brother has found his real parents. So the happiest person in the room should actually be me! Father, Mother, Big Brother… Congratulations on our family reunion!”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou looked at each other and laughed. Yun Che let out a huge laugh himself. After the tears and the sadness had gone away, all that was left on their faces were warm smiles which emanated from within.
Chapter 528 - Yun Xiao, Xiao Yun
“Che’er, quickly, take a seat…”
Mu Yurou gently pushed Yun Che into a wooden chair. Her pretty face looked as though a shower of rain had fallen upon it, and her hands still continued to gently tremble. She looked at her son, who was right in front of her, and her gaze clung to him; it did not waver for even a single moment.
In his hand, he held the Mirror of Samsara. On his arm, the imprint of the Profound Handle still faintly glimmered, and his face closely resembled the face of the young Yun Qinghong. All of this was accompanied by the throbbing of her blood vessels that was so clear that it almost had substance… This was her son… Her very own flesh and blood.
“Che’er… My child…” Mu Yurou softly murmured, and once again, she choked up while saying, “Am I really… not having a dream right now…”
They had already grown familiar with each other over the last two months, and Yun Che had normally addressed her as ‘Mother’. But right now, while facing Yun Che, her mental state and emotions had reached a completely different level. Yun Che opened his mouth and said softly, “Mother, I am sorry… When I had first seen the both of you, I already knew that you were my birth parents, but… I waited until this day to be reconciled with the both of you.”
Mu Yurou gently shook her head. All of these were not the least bit important to her. At this time and place, nothing else in the world truly mattered to her right now. And all the joy and happiness that she had felt in her life, even when added up together, could not compare to this moment. She softly replied, “Husband, look at this son of ours, he is so good-looking that he looks even better than you when you were young. I won’t even be able to count the number of girls who have already lost their hearts to him. And he is still so obedient, so sensible and so kindhearted… For over twenty years, not only have we not done anything for him as parents, we also caused him to suffer hardship and homelessness from the time he was born. But our son doesn’t even blame us at all… doesn’t blame us at all…”
“Moreover, his boldness and intelligence even exceeds my own when I was his age. His medical skills, are even unrivalled under heaven. He has only come back for two months, yet he helped us escape from this deep abyss, and even caused your big brother, who doesn’t admire anyone, to want to become sworn brothers with him. He caused Duke Huai’s deliberate and methodical plot to collapse in a single day and gave our Yun Family hope once again… This is our son.” Yun Qinhong said as he raised his head, his voice brimming with pride and excitement.
“Our son…” Mu Yurou caressed Yun Che’s face, while covering her lips in one hand. After she had finished crying, she wanted to toughen up, so as to not let her newly-returned son only see her tears, but every time she tried, she just couldn’t help herself. She said in a dream-like daze, “I had thought that in this entire life, I would never… never be able to see you again… The heavens have eyes…”
Yun Che stretched out his hand and gently wiped away the tears on his mother’s face, “Mother, do not cry, our family has finally come back together again. And the both of you have recovered all that you had lost, so all of those difficulties are now in the past.”
“Yes… Mother won’t cry… won’t cry… It is just that Mother is… far too happy…” Mu Yurou nodded her head. She diligently attempted to wipe away all the traces of her tears, but the amount of tears she had shed was simply too much, and even after attempting to wipe them away, her face was still wet with them.
“Che’er.” Yun Qinghong softly sighed, and said in a gentle voice, “All these years, how have you been? And how exactly did you come from the far-off Profound Sky Continent to make your way here?”
Yun Qinghong’s questions severely plucked at Mu Yurou’s heartstrings. She grabbed Yun Che’s hand and asked in an anxious tone, “Yes… Che’er, have these years been treating you well? Did you suffer a lot?”
Mu Yurou’s entire being was focused on her son right now, and she couldn’t think of much else. But Yun Qinghong knew that because Yun Che’s temperament completely did not fit his age, that what Yun Che had suffered, was not just simply ‘great suffering’; it must have been a torment that normal people would not even be able to endure. Or else, how would he possess such an extraordinary temperament, boldness, insight and ability?
Yun Che faintly smiled and replied, “All the events that I have lived through, I will definitely tell them to Father and Mother in detail. But before that…” He extended a hand, grabbed Yun Xiao, and said, “Father, Mother, now is the time to tell your other son of his origins. Yun Xiao isn’t a little kid anymore and he has long ago become a true man who is upright and filled with an indomitable spirit. He also has the right to know about the truth behind his birth.”
Yun Xiao went into a short daze, but then his eyes cleared up. He resolutely nodded his head, “Father, Mother, please tell me about my origins. I also want to know where I am actually from and who my birth parents are. And please do not worry Father and Mother, even though I am not your real flesh and blood, all these years of nurturing and love that you have given to me were definitely not false. In the future, even if I recognize my ancestors and return home to find my birth parents, the two of you will always be father and mother to me. For life.”
Before this, Yun Xiao still felt bewildered, hesitant and even slightly despondent. But now that he had said these words, He realized that all the apprehensiveness and bewilderment had melted away, and what replaced those feelings was calmness, relaxation and a happiness which came from the heart because his family had finally been reunited.
Even though he was not the flesh and blood of his parents, in all those years, they had regarded him as their own and had lavished him with care. Just this debt of love alone was already hard for him to repay in this life. His big brother had saved his life, had continually helped and instructed him time and time again. He was so conscientious of his feelings that he had delayed this family reunion by two whole months just for his sake…
So even though there was no blood relation, they had treated him with a goodness that was heartfelt, so why should he even feel a sense of loss or hopelessness? The parents he loved the most had finally found the son they had worried about for all these years, so he should naturally be happy for his parents. His most respected big brother was able to reunite with his parents, so naturally he should be happy for his big brother as well…
At this moment, he clearly felt that he had grown up quite a bit, and it felt like what Yun Che had described as…. An elevation of his spirit.
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou shared a look, and they laughed with joy and comfort. Yun Qinghong nodded his head, “Good! Good child! Xiao’er, your birth father and I were sworn brothers as well. Moreover, he is the only confidante I have ever had in my life. So the fathers of you and Che’er had always been closer than brothers, and our two families had long ago become as one.”
“Ah…” Yun Xiao’s mouth gaped open, “Father and my birth father… had known each other from the start?”
“Yes.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head and he pulled Yun Xiao’s arm, “Xiao’er, sit down. Today, your mother and I will tell you everything regarding your origins.”
In a room which was not spacious, the four sat facing each other. And no matter whether it was Yun Qinghong, Mu Yurou or Yun Che, the feeling of family became even clearer than it had ever been before. Yun Qinghong told Yun Xiao in a sentimental and appreciative tone the story of the three years he and his wife had spent in the Profound Sky Continent. He especially recounted how he had met Xiao Ying, and how they had gotten to know each other, had hit off, and how they became sworn brothers…. Until the part where he had managed to save their lives by putting together an escape route for them, how he had even swapped his own son with theirs….
Yun Xiao just sat there and silently listened. Once Yun Qinghong had finished his tale, he sat there in a daze, but after that he said to himself in a lifeless voice, “Oh… So my homeland… really is the Profound Sky Continent…”
“The Profound Sky Continent is not as sinister as the Illusory Demon Realm has made it out to be. Only a portion of the people there are truly sinister and vicious. Comparatively, the biggest difference that the Illusory Demon World has with the Profound Sky continent is the composition of races. The Profound Sky Continent is a world where humans and beasts rule, there are very few demons there.” Yun Che said. In the Illusory Demon Realm, the Profound Sky Continent was a heavily-demonized place, and he did not wish for Yun Xiao to harbor such needless prejudice and internal conflict towards the Profound Sky Continent because of this.
“Right…” Yun Xiao gently nodded his head. His expression was still a bit dazed. He needed sufficient time to process and accept these things, “Xiao… So my surname was actually Xiao… No wonder… Father and Mother gave me the name Yun Xiao…”
“Hoho, because we had always thought of one day letting you go back to the Profound Sky Continent to recognize your ancestors.” Yun Qinghong told him while laughing.
“Big Brother, my birth parents… Are they still well now? And are they still living in that place called… called Floating Cloud City?” Yun Xiao asked with a hazy expression on his face.
Even though Yun Che had known that this question was unavoidable and made sufficient preparation for it, once Yun Xiao asked this question, his expression instantly froze, and he could not make a single sound for the longest of times.
Yun Che’s expression immediately caused Yun Qinghong’s expression to change as well. After he once again thought of all the tribulations that Yun Che must have suffered for all these years, his heart tightened even more. He grabbed Yun Che’s shoulder and looked at him directly while asking, “How is Xiao Ying right now? In Floating Cloud City, his Xiao Family was also amongst the elite, so he is definitely… living a carefree life now, right?”
Yun Che gave a heavy sigh. He did not answer Yun Qinghong’s question. Instead, he looked at Yun Xiao and declared in a solemn tone, “Yun Xiao, remember what I had said before. A true man must calmly face the trials of fate. And anything that has happened on this earth, whether they be happy or sad. But once they have happened, you can only accept and confront them…. How you accept and confront your fate will be a test of your character.”
Yun Xiao looked at Yun Che and both his hands quietly tightened. After a while, his eyes grew determined and he said, “Big Brother, go ahead and say it… No matter what the conclusion, I will face it with calm acceptance.”
Yun Che nodded his head, closed his eyes, and said in a gentle voice, “Uncle Xiao, he… he already passed away twenty-two years ago.”
Yun Qinghong stood up in a hurry, his face had instantly turned as white as a sheet of paper. In this world, there were very few things that would be able to provoke such a strong reaction from him… But Xiao Ying was the only sworn brother he had in his life, the only true confidante he had ever had. Not only that, Xiao Ying was a man he owed his life to, and it was a debt of gratitude that was as heavy as a mountain. All those years ago, if not for him, he and his wife would not have been able to make it back to the Illusory Demon Realm alive.
But he had never once thought that he was actually already… dead… That he had actually died… twenty-two years ago…
And at that time… Could it be… Could it be…
“He… He… He, how did he die? How did he die?” Yun Qinghong said in a quavering voice.
Yun Che did not hesitate or try to conceal anything, he said straightforwardly, “Twenty-two years ago, after Father and Mother had escaped from Floating Cloud City, the scoundrels who were chasing after the both of you somehow found out about your interactions with Uncle Xiao. They found Uncle Xiao and they tried to force him to reveal your whereabouts, but Uncle Xiao would rather die than tell them anything, so… As a result…”
Yun Qinghong’s entire body shook violently.
“After Uncle Xiao died, his wife very quickly passed away due to grief and loss. And my grandmother drowned in such sadness that her melancholy quickly turned into malady. After she had given birth to little aunt, who was one year younger than me, she passed away as well. I do not even remember how they looked like in life… It was grandfather alone who raised my little aunt and I together…”
“…” Yun Qinghong’s mouth violently trembled and both his eyes protruded. His entire body suddenly gave a violent heave as a spray of fresh blood violently spurted from his mouth. His entire body collapsed heavily to the ground.
“Ah… Husband!”
“Father!!”
Mu Yurou and Yun Che cried out in unison. They hurriedly went to support Yun Qinghong’s body. The corner of Yun Qinghong’s mouth twitched and the scarlet red blood trail was startlingly eye-catching. His gaze lifelessly drifted to the sky and two fierce streams of tears poured from his eyes, “It was I… It was I who caused Brother Xiao to die… It was I who caused the death of his family… It was me… It was me… The one who harmed them was me…”
“The debt of gratitude I owe to Brother Xiao is as heavy as a mountain… But what I repaid him with… was only… death, and destruction…”
Chapter 529 - False Alarm
Yun Qinghong’s reaction was even more intense than Yun Che had expected. For a person like Yun Qinghong, even if Mt. Tai fell in front of him, he would not flinch. However, the words “friendship” and “loyalty” were things that were more important to him than his life. How could he accept the fact that his best brother in this life, who had saved his family, died because of him. With even his own family having collapsed…
Mu Yurou went to hold Yun Qinghong. In this world, she was the person who understood him the most, and she clearly knew how big of an impact this would have dealt to him. She did not comfort him, and merely cried silently along with him.
Yun Che comforted: “Father, Uncle Xiao has already passed on for twenty-two years. He might have even reincarnated already and is leading a more perfect life than his previous one, so stop blaming yourself. You are the Patriarch of the Yun Family, the support of the whole clan, the father of me and Yun Xiao. In this world, there is nothing that can knock you down.”
“I’m alright… alright… alright… alright…”
Yun Qinghong uttered four “alrights” in a row. His eyes unfocused, his face was still pale white and he did not look one bit “alright”. Yun Xiao bit his lips, went forward and said loudly: “Father, don’t act like this. This isn’t your fault, furthermore… furthermore, you are good brothers with my birth father; even if he died while saving you, I’m sure he died without any hatred or unwillingness. I believe if the one escaping at that time was my birth father, even if you knew the consequences, you would still make the same choice… Therefore, Father, please don’t blame yourself anymore. This is the choice my birth father made. He won’t blame you, and neither would anyone else… Father, only if you live on properly and take care of yourself would you allow my birth father to rest in peace…”
Even though Xiao Ying was Yun Xiao’s birth father, he had never seen him before, nor had his name appeared in his memory before. It was only today that he had found out about his existence. Thus, other the blood relations, he did not hold any feelings towards his birth father. Hearing that he was no longer in the living world, other than feeling an intense pain and emptiness deep within his veins, he did not feel too much sadness; or, at least, it was not as overwhelming as what Yun Qinghong felt… and towards Yun Qinghong, there was the gratitude of bringing him up for more than twenty years.
Yun Che did not expect that Yun Xiao would be so calm and actually console Yun Qinghong. For Yun Qinghong, Yun Xiao’s consoling would triumph over any words others said to him, because Yun Xiao was Xiao Ying’s descendant, and was of his bloodline. His gratitude and remorse towards Xiao Ying could be repaid and placed onto Yun Xiao, and from his consoling, what he received was the same as Xiao Family’s forgiveness…
Focus slowly returned to Yun Qinghong’s eyes. He looked straight at Yun Xiao, then, his arms suddenly reached out, strongly clasping Yun Xiao’s shoulders: “Xiao’er, you really… don’t blame me? I was the one who caused you to lose your birth parents…”
“I don’t.” Yun Xiao shook his head without hesitation: “Even though I did lose my parents, the heavens were kind to me and gave me two loving parents… Towards Father and Mother, I only have respect and gratitude, why would I blame you two… My birth parents in heaven would also not blame the two of you either. Instead, using one’s own life to exchange for the life of a good brother could only bring about satisfaction and happiness. For instance… if one day, Big Brother encounters any danger and I am able to save him using my life, I would do so without hesitation…”
“Yun Xiao…” Yun Che mumbled.
“Good… Good child!” Yun Qinghong patted his shoulder heavily, raised his head, and suddenly laughed loudly: “Hahahaha… It’s no wonder you’re my son, no wonder you’re Xiao Ying’s son! Brother Xiao, if you can hear this from above, you must be laughing heartily as you look upon the son you had… Brother Xiao, your son is my son! Rest assured that as long as I, Yun Qinghong, still have one breath, I will not let anyone bully our son!”
“Xiao’er, thank you.” Mu Yurou’s gently said. She knew that if Yun Xiao had not said those words, Yun Qinghong, who viewed loyalty and friendship above his life, would not be able to accept it so quickly.
“Che’er, is the Grandfather Xiao who brought you up still fine?” Yun Qinghong asked.
“Grandfather is doing well, he’s still very healthy.” Sadness flashed past Yun Che’s eyes: “It’s just that he has been living bitterly all these years. The pain of losing his son, the sadness of losing his wife… He still needed to withstand all of this while bringing me and Little Aunt up. Furthermore, my profound veins were crippled since I was young. I was unable to cultivate the profound, and became the family, even the whole Floating Cloud City’s laughingstock. This caused Grandfather to be ridiculed as well, causing his position within the Xiao Family to drop drastically… However, even though he was burdened with all of this, Grandfather had never shown any bit of hatred towards me, ‘the culprit’ behind all of these, and instead showed me the same amount of love and care he showed Little Aunt. He brought me up, shielded me from rain and storm, taught me life lessons, and continuously consoled me, who was constantly ridiculed and bullied… All this time, he searched for the culprit who harmed Uncle Xiao while also constantly looking for famous doctors who could mend my profound veins…”
To be able to bring up a child like Xiao Ying, Yun Qinghong did not even think for an instant that Xiao Lie was not a great father. He sighed in deep regret: “Che’er, we must always remember Xiao Family’s kindness in our hearts and never forget it! The Grandfather Xiao who raised you… will forever be your grandfather! In the future, no matter how strong you become, how much achievements you obtain, you must never forget all of these!”
“Mn!” Yun Che nodded heavily. He turned towards Yun Xiao, and said: “Yun Xiao, even though your birth parents are no longer here with us, you still have Grandfather. He’s a very benevolent and noble grandfather. A few years back, when I obtained some achievements, he was finally relieved, and started having thoughts of passing on. However, when I told him that you were most likely to still be alive, he finally found hope, and all his negative thoughts disappeared. If I am able to find a way to return to the Profound Sky Continent one day, I must bring you along to let Grandfather see you. He’ll definitely be happy… You still have a little aunt who, even though is one year younger, is still your blood related aunt. She’s mischievous and kind, and when you see her, you’ll definitely be elated to have such a relative… Also, you still have a prenatal betrothal… Uh…”
“Prenatal betrothal?” Yun Xiao widened his eyes.
Yun Che was a little agitated, unconsciously blurting out the matter regarding Yun Xiao and Xiao Qingyue’s “child marriage”. Once he said it, he was perplexed, and upon seeing Yun Xiao’s innocent expression, he could only smile out of embarrassment, and said: “Erm, Father, Mother, I have something I forgot to tell you two. During my time in the Profound Sky Continent, I have already gotten married.”
Two times, in fact!
“Oh?” Yun Qinghong’s face revealed signs of a smile.
“Really?” Mu Yurou uttered in shock, her expression agitated yet at the same time nervous: “Does that mean I have a daughter-in-law already? Then… how old is she, who’s child is she? Is she pretty? How’s her temper, is she obedient? Is she nice to you?”
Mu Yurou’s string of questions caused Yun Che to scratch his head and reply with a little embarrassment: “When I was sixteen, I had already gotten married. Furthermore… actually… the person I married, her father and Uncle Xiao had decided on their marriage before she and Yun Xiao were even born, and in the end… she… married me.”
If it were not for what happened, the person who would have married Xia Qingyue should have been Yun Xiao. Even though Yun Che did not know of this back then, he still stole Yun Xiao fiancee. He asked, slightly perturbed: “Yun Xiao, you wouldn’t blame me for snatching your… er, child bride, right?”
Yun Xiao stared blankly for a while, before finally understanding what Yun Che said. He hurriedly waved it off, his face even revealing signs of panic: “No, no, no… I won’t, I won’t, I won’t! I definitely won’t! I already have Seventh Sister… It’s good that Big Brother married her, it’s good.”
Yun Xiao actually looked a bit relieved, and when his finished speaking, he even suppressed his voice to whisper to Yun Che: “Big Brother, the… the fact I actually had a fiancee, please don’t tell Seventh Sister about it. Otherwise… She might even get angry.”
“Ohh! Of course I won’t tell.” Yun Che hurriedly said… He was worried for nothing.
“Anyway… My child bride… Oh no, I meant sister-in-law, what’s her name? Is she pretty?” Yun Xiao asked carefully. Even though Yun Xiao was definitely not interested in any other woman, he was curious towards something like a “child bride”.
Yun Che rubbed his chin and replied: “She’s called Xia Qingyue. She’s the same age as us. She looks pretty but her personality is a bit cold. Her biggest desire is the pursuit of profound power and other than cultivating, she has no other interests. A few days after marrying me, she entered her sect, and after that, for the next few years, I did not see her much. She has most likely forgotten me by now.”
“Oh!” Yun Xiao nodded, his mind immediately conjuring up the image of a woman with lifeless eyes, a rigid face and a cold expression… As he thought about it, he secretly shrank away. His heart heaved a deep sigh of relief… Phew! Good thing Big Brother married her. If I really married such a woman, it would be so boring. Seventh Sister is still the best, with her cute voice, her cute eyes, her cute temper. She’s even cute when she’s angry…
Mn? Looks pretty? Even if she was, how could she compare in looks to my Seventh Sister… Yun Xiao resolutely thought.
“A person that was able to let Xiao Ying arrange a prenatal betrothal would definitely not be any bit lacking.” Tears welled in Mu Yurou’s eyes once more: “I never thought that my son has already made a family.”
Yun Che lips trembled, but he still did not say the fact that he already had two wifes. Furthermore, he also did not talk about having a child with a woman who was not his wife, because saying those would be causing them to be even more concerned.
“Che’er, what happened to your profound veins? Who cured them for you?” Yun Qinghong asked the question that had been in his mind for a long time.
Yun Che replied: “I have two masters. One of them taught me medical arts. The other, helped me reconstruct my profound veins and trained me when I was sixteen.”
Yun Qinghong was deeply moved: “At the age of twenty-two, your medical skills already far exceed the best doctor in Illusory Demon Realm… And if you reconstructed your profound veins at the age of sixteen, then you have only cultivated for six years. You reached the Sky Profound Realm with six years of cultivation, yet can easily defeat an early stage Overlord. Your teachers must be extraordinary geniuses.”
His Medical Saint Master was indeed an extraordinary genius.
But as for Jasmine…
She was simply an incomprehensible monster!
Chapter 530 - The Terrifying Little Demon Empress
“My two masters both changed my destiny. Without them, I might not even be alive now,” Yun Che sighed with emotion. After lamenting, he remembered the most important thing he should tell his parents, and he said promptly, “Father, Mother, didn’t you ask me where the Patriarch’s Crest came from… when I was in the Profound Sky Continent, I saw grandfather!”
Yun Che’s words gave Yun Qinghong a shock. He shuddered violently, and his voice cracked, “Grandfather? Which grandfather… which grandfather?!”
“My biological grandfather, your father, the Illusory Demon Realm’s Demon King… Yun Canghai!”
“Grandfather gave me the Patriarch’s Crest, and told me to bring it back to the Yun family one day.”
“Ah!” Mu Yurou gasped and covered her mouth with her hands.
Whoosh!!
The air in front of Yun Che shifted violently as Yun Qinghong rushed to him as though he had teleported. Yun Qinghong couldn’t take into consideration of his strength because of how on edge he was. He grabbed Yun Che’s arms so tightly that he almost snapped them, “You… you really saw your grandfather… where did you see him… where… where is he now… how is he doing…”
Xiao Ying’s death made his mind chaotic, and now he suddenly heard news about his father. Yun Qinghong’s soul had probably never had such extreme ups and downs in his life. A hundred years. For a hundred years, he had never seen his father again, he didn’t even know if his father was dead or alive…
Yun Che knew that Yun Qinghong must have wanted to know of his father’s whereabouts and well-being even in his dreams. When Yun Che thought about the sixteen months he spent under the Sword Management Terrace at Heavenly Sword Villa, he felt embittered in his heart, and he narrated slowly, “Not long after my profound veins were reborn and I started to cultivate profound energy, I joined Blue Wind Nation’s Blue Wind Profound Palace, and represented the Blue Wind Imperial Family for the ranking tournament among the large forces in the nation, and this Blue Wind Ranking Tournament was precisely held in Heavenly Sword Villa.”
“Heavenly Sword Villa”, this was a place Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou would never forget even if they die. Back then, they risked their lives, used the Profound Handle Soul Search on a person from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, and found out that Yun Canghai was not dead, but was actually being imprisoned. The location of where he was being held, was in Blue Wind Nation… Heavenly Sword Villa!
Yun Che immediately retold the whole story: how he joined the ranking tournament, how after it ended he was brought to “see” the “demon” sealing ritual by Ling Kun who was from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, how the “demon” went crazy because of Ling Kun’s provocation, how Xia Yuanba was in danger, and how he was sealed under the Sword Management Terrace with the “demon” because he wanted to save Xia Yuanba.
“Back then, I never would have imagined that the ‘demon’ was actually my grandfather. Grandfather’s body was bound by the Meteorite Chain, his profound strength was suppressed by the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation… under such harsh restrictions, he could only control his Profound Handle, and he was further sealed underground where there was no daylight at all by a sword called ‘Heaven’s Punishment’…”
“…I got beaten up by grandfather until I was half dead. After I healed, I kept training myself just so I could kill grandfather and get out of there… Until one day, grandfather recognized the Mirror of Samsara that I took out. Then, he forced out my Profound Handle, and we conducted the blood paternity test… that was when I knew he was my grandfather.”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou stared absentmindedly into space for a long time. More than twenty years ago, even though they found out where Yun Canghai was, they almost lost their lives without even being able to get close, let alone to see him. They could not imagine what Yun Che did to find him… and now, they heard the answer, the whole story. It was all so bizarre, so odd, that they couldn’t believe it.
“Heaven’s will, it must be heaven’s will! The heaven’s are not blind, they arranged the two of you to meet in a strange faraway realm!” Yun Qinghong was so excited that his eyes were full of tears. On one hand, there was the son who was drifting in the Profound Sky Continent, and on the other hand, there was the father who was imprisoned in the Profound Sky Continent. Neither of them knew about one another’s existence, but it was so coincidental and bizarre that they found each other. Destiny… it really was destiny!
Yun Che continued speaking, “After I met my grandfather, he told me my biological parents’ names and a lot of things about the Illusory Demon Realm. In the time that we spent together, he instructed me in my cultivation, and used his Profound Handle to fight with me day and night. In the end, he even risked using all of his strength to awaken my Profound Handle, and gave me the thing that he was protecting with his life for a hundred years, to bring back to the Illusory Demon Realm… ”
“What happened after that? If you escaped, did your grandfather escape with you? Where is he now?” Yun Qinghong asked impatiently.
Yun Che’s face grew dark. He looked down, and said softly, “The place where grandfather and I were held was suppressed by the Heaven’s Punishment Sword. We could not break out relying solely on my strength back then. The Meteorite Chain that was on grandfather, the Heaven’s Punishment Sword, and the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation were all bound to grandfather. After grandfather gave me the thing he was protecting with his life, he… killed himself… to set me free…”
Yun Qinghong was so shocked, he fell back a couple of steps as if he was struck by lightning.
Mu Yurou closed her eyes and covered her mouth as tears silently trickled down her face.
“Just as well… just as well…” Yun Qinghong murmured soullessly, “He was imprisoned in a place without daylight for a hundred years… He had suffered too much… Just as well… Now, he doesn’t have to suffer anymore. He is free. He can rest in peace. Before his death, he was able to find a trustworthy person to pass on his mission, see his own grandson, and he save his grandson’s life with his own life… when my father passed away… he must have been smiling…”
“Yes,” Yun Che nodded his head: “Grandfather died while smiling.”
“Mn…” Yun Qinghong closed his eyes as tears rolled down across his cheeks, leaving a watery trail. Died while smiling… this was the only thing that could ease his sorrow.
“I brought back grandfather’s body.”
Yun Che backed away a little. Following the Sky Poison Pearl’s flicker of light, the Coffin of Eternity appeared before them. After acquiring the Coffin of Eternity, where Hong’er was asleep for however many years, he put Yun Canghai’s body in it. Because he was laying in the Coffin of Eternity, even if thousands and millions of years passed by, nothing would be damaged or changed. The second it closed up, it was as though the time inside was eternally frozen.
For a long while, Yun Qinghong lost his focus as he stood beside the Coffin of Eternity. He pressed his hand on the cold body, and fell down slowly, until he kneeled on the ground heavily.
In his memory, his father was a prestigious Demon King of the Illusory Demon Realm. He was a vigorous spirit that shined so brightly. There was never evidence of him growing old, and he always liked to keep himself at his youngest state. When they stood together as father and son, they looked just like brothers around the same age.
But, inside the Coffin of Eternity, laid an old man… an old man who looked like he had one foot in the grave…
Skinny as a bag of bones, face was dry and withered; his hair, beard, and eyebrows were all messy and white. He looked just like a ferocious devil. If it weren’t for the contour of his face, he could never believe that this was his father… but what he couldn’t imagine more was how much suffering he had gone through for him to become like this…
“Fa… ther…” Yun Qinghong’s whole body was shivering as he said the word “father”; it was as painful as fresh blood. Yun Che looked up, and said quietly, “Bringing him back to his homeland must also be one of grandfather’s wishes… but, please endure your son’s stubbornness, and delay grandfather’s burial. I can’t let grandfather die for nothing… even more so, I can’t let grandfather die with ‘criminal accusations’ still on his back!”
Yun Qinghong kept his head low, as his entire body trembled. He bit his teeth together so clearly and loudly, it was hard to listen to.
“Sigh…” Yun Che’s chest felt heavy. “Father, if you want to cry, just cry. Only your family is here. You are my father, and Yun Xiao’s father, but also… Grandfather’s son…”
Yun Che’s words collapsed the front line defense Yun Qinghong had been trying to hold up. The extremely sorrowful grieving cry that came from the Yun Patriarch resounded loudly… from birth to now, this was the first time he cried so carelessly.
Yun Che grabbed Yun Xiao and walked outside. From walking in to walking out, it felt like a complete different world.
“Are you unsettled?” Yun Che looked at him and asked.
Yun Xiao just shook his head and said, “I knew from the beginning that this day would come eventually. I always thought that when this day came, I wouldn’t know what to do at all… but, now I feel like I’m even more safe and settled.”
“Me too.” Yun Che smiled and said, “The reason is simple. Even though we both used to have a home, our hearts do not belong there. But now, I feel like I found my home. And as for you, you found out about your background, and you didn’t lose the parents who raised you for over twenty years. Of course you feel more safe and settled.”
“The only thing that I didn’t think of, is that things would get so complicated. It feels like I’m listening to a bizarre story.” Yun Xiao sighed with emotion.
“Life, in many cases, is far more bizarre and remarkable than made up stories,” Yun Che looked at him, and suddenly said, “Yun Xiao, since you found out about your background, you should change your name. How about… Xiao Yun!”
“Ah?” Yun Xiao paused for a second, and agreed right away, “Alright! From now on, my name is Xiao Yun! Even when I’m in public, I will call myself Xiao Yun! Or else, my parents who are looking at me from above the heavens would scold me for being unfilial.”
“Hahaha!” Yun Che laughed loudly. After this entire day of fateful twists and mental breakdowns, he truly felt that Yun Xiao had matured a lot. Perhaps it was because after knowing where he came from, he released the stress, the worry, and the confusion that he always carried, and found a clear-cut life goal.
The two of them stood at the entrance of the backyard, just in case someone would get close and disturb Yun Qinghong. They stayed silent for a while. Suddenly, Yun Che asked, “Yun… um, Xiao Yun, have you ever seen the Little Demon Empress?”
“Yes, I have.” Xiao Yun nodded, “Actually, all these years, the Little Demon Empress came and visited father a lot of times, and she came alone and quietly every time. No one else knows about this.”
“It seems like the Little Demon Empress trusts and respects father greatly. And father also seems to be very loyal to the Little Demon Empress, or rather, the Demon Emperor Clan,” Yun Che muttered. “What kind of person is the Little Demon Empress?”
“Um… how should I put this… ” Xiao Yun thought seriously for a while, and said with hesitation, “Actually, I’ve only seen the Little Demon Empress for a few times, and I’ve never really looked at her directly, because everytime I face her, I feel… a bit scared.”
“Scared?” Yun Che’s eyebrow raised.
“The Little Demon Empress’ aura is really scary,” Yun Xiao described, “Even when I was far away from her, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Her eyes were even scarier. I never had the guts to look into her eyes directly. Even if she merely glanced at me, I would feel chills go through my entire body… her facial expression was also the same, no one seemed to have ever seen her smile. Her whole face was like… it was frozen.”
“Oh… that horrifying?” Yun Che’s eyes widened.
Xiao Yun tried very hard to think of more information about the Little Demon Empress and said, “The Little Demon Empress was always in gray clothing… not light gray, but the kind of gray that was very dark and dead. And… and… oh! When father and I talked about the Little Demon Empress, he mentioned that she was very cruel. Hundreds of years ago, when the Little Demon Empress got her position, a lot of people were against her because she was a female. Many of those people were killed, and a bunch of those people were killed by her. After that, everyone shivers when they see her, and no one dared to disobey her anymore.”
“…That does sound cruel,” Yun Che’s eyes slightly widened, and his brain was painting the image as Xiao Yun described the Little Demon Empress: her stares were like a knives, her terrifying appearance… she might even be ugly, with no emotions on her face, her aura was so cold that it could pierce your bones, and she was in a dead gray robe… a middle-aged woman.
After he finished imagining, Yun Che couldn’t help but shiver… because he thought about those reanimated ghouls of legends. They were so similar that they were almost ninety percent alike!
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