Chapter 612 - The Last Hope
Blue Wind Nation, Frozen Cloud Asgard.
“What a bunch of naive women! Do you think that mere Heavenly Firm Jade is enough to stop us?! Obediently open the door right now and hand Xia Qingyue over to us and I will still be able to spare your lives. After all, if our Young Master finds out we have killed so many beautiful women, his heart would surely ache… But if all of you remain stubborn and pigheaded and wait until I have blasted this great door apart, then all of you… will have to die!”
Bang!!
The green-clothed man viciously smashed his fist into the great door in front of him and a huge ear-splitting ring followed his attack. The explosive profound energy caused the space around him to violently tremble, but the great door that he had attacked was left without a blemish.
“Dammit!” The green-clothed man retreated a step his entire right arm was shaking and his wrist was filled with an incessant pain. He said with a sinister and gloomy expression, “Not only does this Frozen Cloud Asgard have that bizarre protective formation… they actually have an entire great hall constructed of Heavenly Firm Jade! This is simply absurd! This amount of Heavenly Firm Jade, even if it was the Divine Phoenix Empire’s Divine Phoenix Sect, they also might not able to produce it!”
A half-step Overlord who was only twenty-two years of age, a protective profound formation that persisted for seven days and refused to break despite all their efforts… These were already things that they had never imagined possible. With much difficulty, they had waited for that protective profound formation to vanish, and when they thought that the lives of all the people in Frozen Cloud Asgard would easily drop into the palms of their hands… who would have thought that they would all take refuge in a great hall that was hidden beneath the ground…. And this great hall was actually completely constructed with the incomparably hard and firm Heavenly Firm Jade that even Overlords such as them would have extreme difficulty destroying!
And the great doors which sealed this great hall shut were at least two feet thick… Heavenly Firm Jade that was two feet in thickness, even if the twenty of them labored day and night and attacked this door in concert, there was no way they would be able to blast it apart within a short period of time.
“I reckon that even Young Master did not know that Frozen Cloud Asgard actually had an entire great hall that was built solely out of Heavenly Firm Jade.” The purple-clothed senior said solemnly, “Give the strength of the twenty of us, we definitely will not be able to blast this door apart within a short period of time. So it looks like we will have to send a sound transmission to inform the Young Master to send a Monarch Elder!”
“That’s out of the question!!”
The green-clothed man fiercely gesticulated, “If we, two Overlords along with ten other Thrones, cannot go to this tiny Blue Wind Nation and accomplish our mission of catching one girl and instead request for the help of an Elder… what face will we have left to go back! Hmph, those people who normally dislike us will mock us until we become dogs!”
“The Young Master’s current confinement will still last for at least half a year. Within that half a year’s time, I don’t believe… that I am unable to blast apart this Heavenly Firm Jade!!”
The sound of the hall’s doors being heavily smashed ceaselessly echoed throughout the great hall and each hit was punctuated by a loud and exasperated roar of fury. All the disciples belonging to the Frozen Cloud Asgard were trapped within the Frozen End Divine Hall. However, the Frozen End Divine Hall was exceptionally vast, so the two thousand disciples did not have to squeeze together. Instead, the hall felt rather spacious… and desolate.
Within the interior of the Frozen End Divine Hall lay a transparent ice coffin. And within this ice coffin, laid the still body of a white-haired old lady and it was clear that she had already passed on. However, her expression was not quite so serene, it was instead an expression that was filled with a heavy and murky resentment and hatred.
She was no ordinary disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard. She was the previous Asgard Mistress of Frozen Cloud Asgard and the current Grand Asgard Mistress… Feng Qianhui.
Several Frozen Cloud disciples knelt beside the ice coffin as ice spirits hovered all around them. They hung their hands and sobbed quietly and the entire atmosphere within the Frozen End Divine Hall was one of profound mourning.
“The Thousand Year Calamity prophesied by our Frozen Cloud Ancestor… In the end we were not able to hide from it… Cough… cough, cough….” Gong Yuxian’s eyes lifelessly stared at the ceiling
“Asgard Mistress!”
“Asgard Mistress!!”
The Frozen Asgard disciples cried out in alarm and the two people who were supporting Gong Yuxian, Murong Qianxue and Mu Lanyi, hurriedly circulated their profound energy and used all their might to suppress her injuries. Gong Yuxian’s injuries were extremely severe and even if she used all of her power as a level six Throne to support herself, she would only be able to live for a few more months.
“In order to allow Frozen Cloud Asgard to survive this current crisis, the Grand Asgard Mistress did not hesitate to break a thousand year sect rule and allowed Yun Che to join us as the first male disciple…. But in the end…. The calculations of heaven are beyond that of the calculations of man….”
“Asgard Mistress….” Jun Lianqie pressed both hands on her chest as she, Murong Qianxue and Mu Lanyu suppressed her injuries together. After all their profound entrances had been opened by Yun Che, their profound strength cultivation advanced at a tremendous pace. The Frozen Cloud Seven Fairies had all broken through to the Emperor Profound Realm and the cultivation levels of all three of them had just managed to surpass the cultivation of the Asgard Mistress Gong Yuxian, “Asgard Mistress, please do not be too pessimistic, we are still under the protection of the Frozen End Divine Hall, they cannot break in… and there will definitely be a person who will come and save us…. We will definitely have a way….”
And as they said these things, these Frozen Cloud’s Fairies, who were regarded as celestial beings by the people of Blue Wind Nation, had their vision completely blurred with tears. Because, inside their hearts, they were all very clear that now that things have reached this stage, there was no way that anyone would come and save them. This Frozen End Divine Hall was their last place of refuge…. and once those great doors were blasted apart, they would truly be backed into a corner.
“They… are Overlords… the Frozen End Divine Hall… can only stop them for a while… Cough… cough, cough…. Qingyue, come over here….” Gong Yuxian extended her pale arm.
“Asgard Mistress.” Xia Qingyue walked over and gently knelt in front of Gong Yuxian.
“Qingyue….” Gong Yuxian looked at her and a glimmer of hope finally brightened her slackened eyes, “My selfishness is completely to blame for this, because I did not agree to your request to proceed to Blue Wind Imperial City… If not… You could… have escaped this calamity…”
“No….” Xia Qingyue shook her head, “It is not Asgard Mistress’ fault. These past few years, Frozen Cloud Asgard has already transferred most of its resources to Blue Wind Imperial City. So this disciple only has extreme gratitude in her heart….”
“Ah.” Gong Yuxian let out a long sigh, “Our Frozen Cloud Asgard has prospered for a thousand years. Who would have thought that it would fall into such dire straits during my generation… I have let down Grand Asgard Mistress, let down our forebearers and let down the Frozen Cloud Ancestor… But, Qingyue, you are the most outstanding disciple in the history of our Frozen Cloud Asgard. You are only twenty-two years of age yet your profound strength cultivation has already exceeded that of our Frozen Cloud Ancestor… As long as you still live… as long as you are around… our Frozen Cloud Asgard will never truly die… and the Frozen Cloud Arts and the Frozen End Divine Arts… will not fall into obscurity… and maybe there will even be… the revival of the Frozen Cloud once more….”
Xia Qingyue’s head jerked up and a sense of disquiet could be heard in her voice, “Asgard Mistress….”
“Use the profound formation the Frozen Cloud Ancestor left behind for the purpose of escape…. and leave immediately!!” Gong Yuxian said in an urgent tone, “Only you… are the most qualified to use this profound formation…. As long as you escape, our Frozen Cloud Asgard will have the hope of reviving one day! Go!!”
The “escape profound formation” Gong Yuxian was talking about was the profound formation Yun Che asked Xia Qingyue about when he had first entered the Frozen End Divine Hall. It was something that the Frozen Cloud Ancestor had left behind before passing on. No one knew where it led to and it could only be used to flee in times of great peril. Moreover, every time it was used, it could only accommodate one person and after the profound formation was activated, it would disappear, and would only reappear after a whole one hundred years have passed.
So only one person amongst the two thousand Frozen Cloud disciples trapped in the Frozen End Divine Hall could use this escape profound formation to leave this place.
All eyes fell on Xia Qingyue but not a single one of the women were envious or dissatisfied. This was because if only one person could escape from this place, no matter who it was, in their hearts, everyone felt that Xia Qingyue was the only choice. Because she was Frozen Cloud Asgard’s brightest hope, and it was only if she escaped from this place that Frozen Cloud Asgard would have a chance of rising up again once more to avenge the calamity that had befallen Frozen Cloud Asgard today.
“No….” Xia Qingyue vigorously shook her head, “I am a disciple of Frozen Cloud and I should live and die with Frozen Cloud Asgard. How can I disregard the lives and the safety of the Asgard Mistress, my master, my seniors and all my fellow sisters, and flee this place alone….”
“Now is not the time to let your emotions affect your decisions….” Gong Yuxian yelled in a loud voice, “If you still regard yourself as a disciple of Frozen Cloud Asgard, then you will immediately leave this place, and allow yourself… to become the last hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard…. Your life…. will be the last hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard….”
“But….”
“There are no buts!!” Gong Yuxian’s voice quavered as she spoke, “This is the Asgard Mistress’ order. And you, as a Frozen Cloud disciple… are not allowed to disobey!! If you do not go… do you want the Grand Asgard Mistress to die in vain…. Do you want to personally destroy the last hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard?!!”
“Qingyue….” Chu Yueli strode over to support Xia Qingyue’s shoulders, “Use the escape profound formation to leave this place. This is not only the order of the Asgard Mistress, it is also the desire of all everyone here….” She closed her eyes and her voice gradually became softer, “As your master, what I hope for even more…. Is that you do not let yourself be burdened with the task of rebuilding the Frozen Cloud and avenging us. As long as you live a good life…. and continue to pass on Frozen Cloud Arts and Frozen End Divine Arts…. That will be all that I would want for you…..”
“Qingyue, listen to the words of the Asgard Mistress and your master, activate the profound formation left behind by our ancestor.” Murong Qianxue said gently.
“Qingyue, you must live a good life, you definitely must not return… just think of us every now and then, ok?” Feng Hanyue and Feng Hanxue said with tears dancing in their eyes.
“Junior Sister Xia, leave this place and never come back….”
“Senior Sister Xia… please take care of yourself, we will all pray for you….”
A bunch of crystal and diamond-like gazes focused on Xia Qingyue, heavily vibrating the chord of her emotions. She bit her lips and still shook her head, “No… their objective is me… as long as I stride out those door, I can save yo….”
“Silence!!” Gong Yuxian’s voice fiercely quavered and her face became red due to agitation, “Qingyue, given your exceptional intelligence, how can you… believe the words of those villains?! Moreover… even if what they said is true… Even if the rest of our Frozen Cloud Asgard gets exterminated, you definitely must not die!!”
“Quick, leave…. If you still do not leave… I will severe my lifeline… and die right in front of you!!”
“Asgard Mistress!” Xia Qingyue paled in shock.
“Why are you still here?!” Gong Yuxian’s voice began to grow hoarse, “Those villains are only separated from us by one wall, and they can break it and charge into this place at any time… By that time, even if you wanted to leave… you would no longer be able to… Every second you delay only adds to your danger and reduces the hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard… Since you still have not left… is it that you want to witness my death before your very eyes?!!”
Bang!!
Gong Yuxian vigorously rose up and sent a palm exploding outwards. It landed on Xia Qingyue’s chest and sent her flying. And she just happened to land on the escape profound formation which was flashing with a weak profound light.
Xia Qingyue stood up and her eyes were filled with tears. She knew that she no longer had any leeway to choose for herself. If she still refused to depart, Gong Yuxian would really severe her own lifeline. She turned her face and her faintly trembling eyes drank in all of these familiar faces as she carved the appearance of every single person in the depths of her heart. After a long while, she softly said, “Asgard Mistress, Master, seniors and my fellow sisters…. All of you…. must definitely take care of yourselves! I… Frozen Cloud disciple Xia Qingyue… will definitely not disappoint you….”
“Qingyue, go.” Chu Yueli turned around and looked away from her, to not let Qingyue see the tears that streamed down her face, “No one knows where the escape profound formation leads, whether it is still within Blue Wind Nation or some faraway place…. The further the better. Do not let those villains find you… You are your master’s pride and joy and also the smartest girl in the world, so you should know the consequences of impulsiveness…. Promise your master this, that before your power breaks through to the Sovereign Profound Realm…. Never return here!”
The Sovereign Profound Realm was truly a mythological realm of power within this Blue Wind Nation. But for Xia Qingyue, it was definitely not something that could be ruled out. Because she was only twenty-two this year, yet she was already a half-step Overlord.
The people who forced Frozen Cloud Asgard into such desperate straits had the terrifying power of the Tyrant Profound Realm, but as strong as they were, they still answered to their so-called “Young Master.” To have Overlords as servants, one could well imagine just how terrifyingly strong this force was.
Thus, she only desired that if Xia Qingyue wanted revenge or if she wanted to rebuild the Frozen Cloud Asgard… she had to become a Monarch first.
“…Your disciple so vows. Before I step into the Sovereign Profound, I shall never return.” Xia Qingyue closed her icy eyes and sobbed out each word. And at this time, with much difficulty, she dragged her feet into the teleportation profound formation… She knew that once she left this place, her life would no longer belong solely to herself; she would inherit the hopes of all the people of Frozen Cloud Asgard, so no matter what, she could not allow herself to simply just die.
The light of the escape profound formation flared up and an icy blue light engulfed the body of Xia Qingyue, and she vanished along with it in the middle of the Frozen End Divine Hall.
Gong Yuxian arm fell, pain and serenity appearing on her face at the same time.
Chapter 613 - Illusory Demon’s New Sovereign
Illusory Demon Realm, north of Demon Imperial City, entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
At this time, the long-silent protective profound formation suddenly flashed with a scarlet-golden light, and following that, it started to slowly and gently rotate as two human figures appeared under the light of the Golden Crow profound formation.
“We’re finally out.” Yun Che deeply inhaled the air that was no longer scorching. It had only been three short months, but it seemed like a lifetime had past.
By his side stood a exquisite and petite girl, who only came up to his shoulder and was swathed in grey robes. She looked only twelve or thirteen years old and had an extremely beautiful face which could overshadow the beauty of the heaven and earth and the luster of the sun and moon. But her look and gaze was completely covered with a limitless cold detachment and it was nearly impossible to detect any trace of emotion that a living being ought to possess. And what was most eye-catching, was a mark of scarlet-golden flames glowing in the middle of her brows.
A Demon Emperor who had awakened his Golden Crow bloodline would have the Golden Crow Imprint appear in between his eyebrows to signify his status. All the former Demon Emperor’s Golden Crow Imprint was a dull golden color and it could be hidden at any time… But the imprint that was in the middle of her eyebrows was an eye-scorching scarlet-golden color that could never concealed.
Because this mark was burning her very life. The moment this mark faded away, it would mean that her life energy had been exhausted.
Her entire aura had undergone an earth-shaking transformation. Originally, her aura made Yun Che felt an unbearably heavy feeling of pressure. But right now, even though she was by his side, just half a step away, when Yun Che tried to use his spiritual perception to sense her, he could not detect her presence at all…
Yun Che vaguely knew what this feeling meant. It meant that the Little Demon Empress by his side had become so strong that she might have already broken through the boundaries of this world… becoming so strong that her strength became illusory.
“To think that not even a single person came here, that’s rather odd.” Yun Che surveyed his surroundings but he did not see the figure of a single person nor did he feel the presence of any living creatures. He gave a heavy sigh and said, “Could it be that something big is happening in Demon Imperial City?”
“Also… Little Demon Empress, which level have you attained in your cultivation of the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World?” Yun Che turned his body and asked. Even though the relationship between him and the Little Demon Empress had become completely different from what it used to be, her aura that was nearly non-existent caused him to feel an uncontrollable sense of suffocation when he faced her.
“Third level.” The Little Demon Empress looked straight ahead, her voice as apathetic as still water, and not a single ripple could be detected.
“Oh… I reached the seventh level half a month ago.” Yun Che said in all seriousness, with a dull expression… At the same time, he quickly shot a glance at the Little Demon Empress as he waited for shock and surprise to appear on her face… Mn, or even an expression of admiration.
However, he was left disappointed as there was not even a slight change in the Little Demon Empress’ expression. Her dark and gloomy eyes were still fixed in the direction of Demon Imperial City, unperturbed and emotionless… he did not even receive any form of reply.
Although taking into account the fact that he possessed the super cheat code that was the Evil God’s bloodline, cultivating to the seventh level of the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World within two months was not such a big deal.
“….” After the Little Demon Empress bloodline had been completely awakened and they had exited the Golden Crow Secret Realm, he felt her aura undergo a huge change…. No, this change might have come even earlier than that… Perhaps, it was during the moment she forcefully pushed him to the ground….
For the sake of achieving her vengeance and her desire for power, she seemed to have annihilated herself completely… including her own feelings and life.
The power that she had desired for had been attained, however, her emotions had also been sealed and even her life was quickly slipping away… She silently stood there, without making a single sound or taking a single breath, as though she was the most beautiful and life-like doll in the world.
Just as Yun Che was about to make a desperate attempt to provoke her, he saw a grey figure flash by in the corner of his eyes. In an instant, the Little Demon Empress had traveled three hundred and fifty meters from their location.
“Ah…. Wait for me!!”
Yun Che hurriedly activated Extreme Mirage Lightning and desperately chased after her. After obtaining the Golden Crow’s bloodline, the Evil God’s Lightning seed, cultivating the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World and absorbing the powerful flame energy from the Sea of Death continuously for several months, Yun Che’s current profound strength had undergone a tremendous change from what it was four months ago.
He opened the gate of Purgatory at this instant, and the aura of the Emperor Profound Realm surged and roiled as his maximum speed increased by several times…. But he was still trailing further and further behind the Little Demon Empress. Fortunately for him, after a short while, the Little Demon Empress slowed down and Yun Che finally managed to catch up to her. Looking at her delicate back, Yun Che silently sighed in his heart. From the moment he had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley till now, four months had passed. Too many things could have happened in the span of these four months, so she was definitely incomparably worried about what the situation was like in Demon Imperial City right now…
Just like how he had been constantly worried about whether his parents, Xiao Yun, the entire Yun Family and the Mu Family were still safe and sound….
She had only three years left to live….
Three years….
Just as Yun Che had guessed, there was indeed something big happening today in Demon Imperial City.
Because today was the day that Duke Huai… would ascend the emperor’s throne!
Four months ago, the heroes of the realm who had gathered in Demon Imperial City to attend the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony were all still in the city and had yet to depart. Because after the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony was abruptly stopped, before they received news that the ceremony was going to reconvene, they received the world-shaking news that the Little Demon Empress had died within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. They bitterly waited for a month, but there was still no further news of the Little Demon Empress and this had extinguished the last embers of hope within the hearts of those who were simply unwilling to believe it.
For a period, the entire Imperial City was greatly shaken and everyone descended into mourning. Even though they had not yet seen the Little Demon Empress’ body, but for the Demon Emperor… the very last Monarch of Illusory Demon Realm, the funeral processions had to go on. The Little Demon Empress’ funeral lasted for an entire month, but after that, one question hung in the air. After the Little Demon Empress, who would take up the reins and become the Emperor of the Illusory Demon Realm?
After all, if there was no Emperor, then the land would definitely descend into chaos before long.
But following the Little Demon Empress’ ‘death’, there was no one from the Demon Emperor’s bloodline in the world. There was only the Illusory Demon Royal Family whose bloodline was the closest to the Demon Emperor’s. Amongst the Illusory Demon Royal Family, the one who held the most prestige, power and qualifications… was undoubtedly Duke Huai of Duke Huai Palace.
Moreover, in the months after the Little Demon Empress’ “death”, Duke Huai Palace had taken charge of all the major and minor events within Demon Imperial City. Even the Little Demon Empress’ entire funeral proceedings had been arranged by Duke Huai Palace.
Within four months, Duke Huai Palace’s influence had spread at a voracious pace as they sank their claws into the entire Demon Imperial City at an alarming rate. Nearly all the territories had been brought under the complete control of Duke Huai Palace. Many years ago, the denizens of Demon Imperial City were deeply aware that the power of Duke Huai Palace had already surpassed that of the Little Demon Empress. But it was only when Duke Huai Palace truly bared their fangs that the people truly knew just how strong Duke Huai Palace had already become….
Following the news of the Little Demon Empress’ death, those factions who were originally undecided now strove tooth and nail to capitulate to Duke Huai Palace as only the fear of being one step too late dominated their thoughts. A few of the factions who were originally loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan chose to defect towards the Duke Huai Palace in order to protect themselves. And those who had previously thrown their lot in with the Duke Huai Palace were now filled with pride and rejoicing.
The factions who were still loyal to the “extinct” line of the Demon Emperor had shrunk down to a pitiful few…. And more and more powers continued to distance themselves, isolate them, or even view them as enemies.
From two months ago, the words ‘The Illusory Demon Realm cannot be left rudderless for a day” had been resonating throughout the entire Demon Imperial City. These words spread with blazing speed throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm as the loyalty and reputation of Duke Huai was praised across the land, and these phrases were so effulgent that they flooded the entire realm. More than ninety percent of the powers within Demon Imperial City announced their support one after the other for Duke Huai to be named the next emperor, and for a time, all praise for Duke Huai spread across all four corners of the Illusory Demon Realm; the praise was so extravagant that he had not only been named the most eminent sage within the realm, but was also the only choice for the title of the Illusory Demon Realm’s new sovereign. Furthermore, he was praised as a great sovereign who could usher in a period of prosperity that would exceed that of the Demon Emperor… while at the same time, he was still the person who had the closest blood relation the line of the Demon Emperor.
Now that it had reached this point, if anyone still objected to Duke Huai being made emperor, that person was practically begging for universal condemnation.
Presently the Demon Imperial Hall was at maximum capacity and the splendor of the occasion even eclipsed that of the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony. All the various mayors, regional lords, sect masters and various other heroes of the realm had never in their wildest dreams imagined that after merely having come to participate in the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony; that they would still stay here for four more months and bear witness to these momentous events, from the passing of the Little Demon Empress to the ascension of the new Emperor.
All the heroes of the realm were squeezed together in the Demon Imperial Hall and every single one of them were cornerstones of the realm; well qualified to represent the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Right now, the time had come for the coronation of the new emperor, the ascension of Duke Huai to the seat of the emperor, and there was only less than fifteen minutes left before this event would begin. The coronation ceremony was almost at hand.
The Guardian Families and the various Duke Palaces occupied the core seats within the Demon Imperial Hall and the seating arrangements were exactly the same as four months ago. The Yun Family and the Mu Family were shockingly in attendance as well.
Yun Qinghong was seated in the seat designated for the head of the Yun Family and his face was fixed with an unnatural calm. Mu Yurou sat by his side and both of them tightly held each other’s hands without loosening their grip. In contrast to the enduring and ceaseless noise within the Demon Imperial Hall, the place where the Yun Family and the neighboring Mu Family were seated was filled with a lifeless and heavy atmosphere. For a full hour, no one spoke.
“Duke Huai Palace… has arrived!”
Following the sharp and long proclamation, the Demon Imperial Hall instantly descended into silence as all eyes turned towards the doors of the great hall.
The great scarlet-golden doors were slowly pushed apart. Duke Huai, dressed in golden finery, as the members of Duke Huai Palace orbited him like stars orbiting the sun, slowly stepped into the Demon Imperial Hall. His expression was calm and he wore an easy smile as his clearly smoothed out brows seemed to be filled with a formless dignity…. He was astonishingly already exuding an emperor’s majesty from every pore of his body.
Without the Little Demon Empress around, he had impressively assumed the role of the Illusory Demon Realm’s Emperor.
“We respectfully welcome Emperor Huai!!”
A resoundingly loud yell rang out from the location of the core seats as the Helian Family’s Patriarch, Helian Kuang left his seat and knelt down on the ground. He prostrated himself completely on the ground and his posture was deferential and humble in the extreme…. Even when the previous Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress were in power, he had never completely prostrated himself like this before.
This loud yell had roused the audience from their slumber and in the next instant, they were scrambling to leave their seats and kneel on the ground, to welcome and pay their respects to Duke Huai:
“We respectfully welcome Emperor Huai!!”
Nearly one hundred thousand of the top-notch powerhouses of the Illusory Demon Realm yelled these words out in unison and the sound was so loud that it caused the entire Demon Imperial Hall to shake for a long period of time. Duke Huai unhurriedly swept his gaze across the great hall and he committed to memory those people and forces who had not knelt to welcome him. After that, he slowly raised his head and said in a polite and modest manner, “Everyone, please rise. Even though this duke has received your undeserved kindness and has been elected to be the new sovereign of the Illusory Demon Realm, the coronation ceremony has not yet taken place, so I am still undeserving of the appellation ‘Emperor Huai.’ And this manner of obeisance is something that I cannot accept as well.”
“Allow this humble duke to be so bold as to say this… Emperor Huai, your words are in error!” Duke Zhong loudly said as he cupped his hands, “Emperor Huai, you assuming the seat of the emperor is something approved by all those present and something desired by all under heaven. So how can you label it as ‘undeserving kindness?!’ After the demise of the Little Demon Empress, Emperor Huai has held the realm together, pacified the chaos within the realm and ensured peace reigned in the heart of all its citizens. If not for the sagacious wisdom and high virtues of Emperor Huai, Demon Imperial City and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm would definitely still be in chaos. So in our hearts, even though the coronation ceremony has yet to begin, you have long ago become the Emperor that we will follow and pledge our loyalty to till the end of our days. Today’s coronation… pardon this humble duke for speaking nonsense, is merely a formality to announce your exaltation to the rest of the world!”
“That is right! Duke Zhong’s words are simply spot on!”
“What Duke Zhong just expressed were the thoughts that this humble duke harbored in his heart all along!”
“Emperor Huai unifies the Illusory Demon Realm, may he reign for as long as heaven stands!!”
“We pledge our lives and loyalty to Emperor Huai!!”
The coronation ceremony for the new emperor had yet to begin and Duke Huai had merely made his appearance, yet pledges of loyalty flooded the entire Demon Imperial Hall as everyone strove to outdo one another. This was undoubtedly a manifestation of how astonishing the power and coercion displayed by Duke Huai after the demise of the Little Demon Empress really was…. Not a single person suspected that there was nothing in the Illusory Demon Realm that could impede Duke Huai from taking the throne. The wisest decision that one could take would be to declare loyalty to Duke Huai; some may even argue that it was actually the only option left.
If not, it was no different from digging one’s own grave.
“Hahahaha.” Duke Huai let his arm drop and a great smile was plastered on his face, he did not need to say anything else, so he boldly strode towards the seat of the emperor that was at the end of the great hall, and as he passed by the area where the Yun Family was seated, he carelessly swept his eyes over Yun Qinghong, the corner of his mouth faintly curving upwards.
In these past four months, before he officially became emperor, it was naturally not good to extend his wicked hands towards the Yun Family as they were one of the Guardian Families.
But from today onwards, anyone could come to the conclusion that Duke Huai would deal with the Yun Family first! When the time came, the best outcome for the Yun Family would be that they would once more fall into great decline and the worst outcome was complete and total destruction!
Yun Qinghong did not pay his respects to Duke Huai and neither did the entire Yun Family. He coldly observed the events in the great hall unfold. His expression and gaze were so cold and detached that not a single ripple could be seen. From the moment Duke Huai entered to the moment he took the emperor’s seat, the only action he took was to tighten his grip on Mu Yurou’s hand.
Mu Yurou’s hand also tightened around his, the hearts and minds of this couple had long ago become tightly entangled together.
It was now impossible to stop Duke Huai from ascending the throne… even if they bet the lives of all the members of the Yun Family in one desperate gamble, they still would not be able to prevent it. But, the one who had killed the Little Demon Empress and who had killed their son stood before their very eyes…. So how could they let him do as he pleased?
The married couple had not attended today for the Demon Emperor’s clan nor was it for the dignity and determination of the Yun Family…. It was as parents, for they prepared to use their own lives to recover what had previously been lost. To allow the son that filled them with love, pride, gratitude, joy and sorrow… recover the debt of blood that was owed!
Chapter 614 - Blood Calls for Blood
The ones who accompanied Duke Huai into the great hall were all members of Duke Huai Palace, and even though there were only one hundred of them, if one counted merely the Sovereigns alone, there were already twenty of them. This extravagant display of power caused even the strong Guardian Families to tremble in fear. In the past few years, the power that Duke Huai Palace displayed was enough to shock anyone, but only in the recent months did everyone realize that the power Duke Huai Palace had displayed before was only the tip of the iceberg.
Moreover, in these recent months, even more powers and strong individuals had thrown their lot in with Duke Huai Palace, so no one could truly imagine just how great their power was this day.
Following Duke Huai’s ascension to Emperor Huai, Duke Huai Palace had naturally become to the “Emperor Palace”, and the aura of every single member of Duke Huai Palace underwent a massive change. Hui Ran and Hui Ye followed along as well; their gazes were as arrogant as those of lone eagles who considered themselves above all others. Because their current status was a world apart from what it had been before. From today onwards they would be royal princes of the Illusory Demon Realm! The entire Illusory Demon Realm would come under the subordination of their clan!
Duke Huai stood in front of the emperor’s throne, and under the gazes of the gathered Guardian Families, Duke Palaces, and heroes of the realm, he slowly sat down. Though he had already predicted that this day would eventually come a hundred years ago, at this moment, when he had finally ascended to the seat of the emperor, he received the attention of all who were gathered and witnessed the heroes of the realm crawling at his feet. He could decide the life and death of everyone gathered here and beyond this great hall, the fate of the entire Illusory Demon Realm was firmly within his grasp…. So he could not help but breath a little heavily as blood rushed through his entire body.
The time of the Demon Emperor’s clan had come to an end. From today onwards, this Illusory Demon Realm would be ruled by my Duke Huai Clan!!
By his side, four luxuriously dressed royal maids carried a set of golden clothes and a golden crown as they leisurely drew near, taking their place at his sides. The royal family’s supreme master of ceremonies slowly strode out, holding his head up high as he announced in a loud voice,
“The first Demon Emperor united all under heaven and led the Illusory Demon Realm to ten thousand years of peace and prosperity. However, a calamity descended from the heavens; the late Demon Emperor passed away and the Demon Emperor and Demon Empress met with calamity as well. So the line of the Demon Emperor will henceforth be consigned to the five elements, leaving behind no will, having no successor to take up the mantle, causing great sorrow throughout the realm. If the heroes of the realm remain leaderless, then chaos is sure to follow. But fortunately, Duke Huai had a heart for the people, displaying talent that is as high as the heavens and as broad as the earth, possessing the ability to pull out mountains and exceed the oceans, pacifying the chaos, settling the hearts of the people, causing the panic which covered the sky to vanish into thin air, convincing the people, and turning all their hearts to him. He has the disposition of a ruler, and he is unmatched under heaven. For him to be the new sovereign, the four seas bow in agreement!”
“All the dukes worked together with a singleness of purpose and unity, supporting the new sovereign together; thanks to support and protection of all the clans, he received the mandate of heaven; all the officials put their heart and soul into assisting the new ruler, supporting the Illusory Demon Realm….”
Boom….
The timely and drawn-out drumbeat rang out from outside the hall; the master of ceremonies abruptly broke off his speech, and as he leaned to one side, his voice rose by several octaves, “The time has come! For the coronation of our new sovereign!”
The time had come for the coronation which would be followed by a ceremony to honor the gods and the heavens. And after this process, Duke Huai would officially become the new ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm.
Duke Huai rose to his feet in a lofty manner and spread both his arms wide, taking in the sights and sounds. The maids beside him took off his embroidered clothes which signified his status as a duke, draping over his shoulders the pure golden royal robes which were embroidered with the images of the sacred and divine Golden Crow, clothes which were a token of the Illusory Demon Emperor. The time had come for the coronation, which would then be followed by a ceremony to honor the gods and the heavens. And after this process, Duke Huai would officially become the new ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm.
All the people gathered in the Demon Imperial Hall left their seats and knelt down. “We greet Emperor Huai! May Emperor Huai live as long as the heavens and the earth, shining as bright as the sun and moon!”
The ones who had the privilege to be present in the Demon Imperial Hall were all without a doubt members of the highest echelon of society in Illusory Demon Realm. Looking at them bowing their heads and pledging their allegiance was the same as having the entire Illusory Demon Realm at one’s feet. Duke Huai, who had waited for this day for a whole hundred years, faintly raised his head as he drank in the moment, enjoying his current status as emperor! As his gaze leisurely wandered, he saw the only place that was disharmonious with the rest of the great hall…. In the entire Demon Imperial Hall, only two groups of people did not kneel down. One was the Yun Family, and the other was the Mu Family.
“How dare you, Mu Feiyan and Yun Qinghong!” the master of ceremonies’ angry rebuke rang out at this time. “The new emperor is about to be crowned, what are you waiting for?! Kneel!”
Even though this master of ceremonies also belonged to the Illusory Demon Royal Family, under normal circumstances, even if you gave him one hundred times the guts he had, he still would not dare to raise his voice against Yun Qinghong or Mu Feiyan. But today, the circumstances were completely different from what it had been…. The Yun Family and Mu Family had always been at ends with Duke Huai Palace, and in the few months after the burial of the Little Demon Empress, the Yun Family and the Mu Family had “slandered” Duke Huai by claiming that he had killed the Little Demon Empress. And today, even a fool would understand that after the ascension of Duke Huai, he would definitely not continue to tolerate the two families. Moreover, given Duke Huai’s current power, how could the Yun Family and Mu Family hope to be his opponent. So this master of ceremonies yelled with one hundred percent confidence. In fact, he was extremely afraid that he had yelled too softly and had dissatisfied Duke Huai with his weak aura.
The atmosphere had quickly froze as all eyes were immediately directed towards the seats of the Yun Family and the Mu Family. The Under Heaven Family, Su Family, and Yan Family all became anxious as they gasped secretly in their hearts.
“Why must I kneel?!!” Yun Qinghong leaped off his seat, and his voice was like a thunderclap that exploded in everyone’s ears, causing them great fright. And how could a lowly master of ceremonies be able to withstand Yun Qinghong’s aura as he let it explode out of him. His entire body trembled, and he involuntarily took a step backwards. His lips trembled uncontrollably, but not a single word proceeded from his mouth.
“Yun Qinghong!” Helian Kuang roared in a loud voice as he pointed at Yun Qinghong, his expression filled with fury while his pupils were filled with mockery and cold laughter. “The new emperor is about to be crowned, yet you have performed such actions that clearly look down on our new emperor…. Does this mean you want to rebel?!”
“Rebel?” Yun Qinghong gave a cold laugh. “To think that you still have the face to say such a thing in this Imperial Demon Hall, before all the heroes of the realm! Rebel…. Just who is actually rebelling?!”
“Of course, you are the one who is rebelling!” Jiufang Kui roared as he rose from his seat and pointed accusingly at Yun Qinghong. After the burial of the Little Demon Empress and the ascension of Duke Huai, it would be Emperor Huai’s world from now on. The Yun Family had originally gained the upper hand at the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony four months ago, but today, they were nothing to worry about at all, and indeed, they had always been “courting their own destruction.” So right now, it was naturally the time to kick a man when he was down while at the same time expressing loyalty to Emperor Huai. “Yun Qinghong, as the Patriarch of the Guardian Families’ Yun Family, your sacred duty is to protect the Illusory Demon Emperor! But on the day that the new emperor is about to ascend to the throne, in this great hall, you are actually….”
“Shut up!” Before Jiufang Kui could finish what he was saying, he was furiously cut off by Yun Qinghong. “I, Yun Qinghong, am not yet someone a shameless traitor like you can lecture! My Yun Family followed the the first Demon Emperor from the very beginning and unified the Illusory Demon Realm together with him. If the first Demon Emperor did not exist, then there would be no Yun Family who has flourished for ten thousand years! My Yun Family, from the start to end, has treated the protection of the Demon Emperor’s clan as our duty, and we have treated it as our glory as well! And during these ten thousand years, we have never shown the slightest moment of infidelity! Hmph… what does this Duke Huai amount to?! What qualifications does he have to demand the loyal guardianship of my Yun Family?! All of you are fellow Guardian Families, yet you have elevated this bandit who has murdered the Little Demon Empress to the highest seat of power…. You have simply caused all your blessed ancestors and forefathers in the afterlife to be filled with the greatest shame!!”
“Yun Qinghong! What nerve you have!!” Duke Zhong leapt out of his seat, his face twisted in grief and indignation as his entire body trembled. “After the Little Demon Empress met with calamity, you have continuously slandered our new emperor by claiming that he was the one who murdered the Little Demon Empress! But the Little Demon Empress had clearly met with misfortune in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and when Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal opened, the new emperor was clearly in the Demon Imperial City. That was a fact witnessed by countless people! And all the people of the realm know that once you enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, there is definitely no method of getting out except for sealing and closing it once more! This slander of yours discredits itself, and it is laughable in the extreme!”
“The new emperor has been extremely magnanimous; he has chosen not to enter into a dispute with you and even wanted to cover up the matter of how the shameless slander of your Yun Family took root in Demon Imperial City! Yet you, Yun Qinghong, fail to recognize this great kindness that has been shown to you and still remain recalcitrant and obstinate, not knowing what is good for you! And during this sacred and solemn Divine Imperial Ascension Ceremony, not only did you hurl abuse at the new emperor, you actually dared to say spit out such laughable and unbelievable slander in front of all those present! This is not only the great crime of rebelling against your ruler, but it also clear that you are making light of the rest of us!”
As Duke Zhong continued to speak, he had become so furious that his face turned deathly pale. He cupped his hands towards Duke Huai and said, “Emperor Huai, you have been extremely lenient towards the Yun Family, but to no avail, as there are still those who would take advantage of your kindness! As your subject, this humble duke cannot bear to witness this any longer! Emperor Huai, please give the order so we can swiftly arrest this plotter!”
Instead, Duke Huai slowly raised his hand and shook his head. He gave a brief sigh and displayed a rather helpless look on his face. “Patriarch Yun, you have many prejudices against and misunderstandings with this emperor, and this emperor is well aware of it. You have also slandered this emperor with the crime of murdering the Little Demon Empress, and that is the world’s biggest joke in and of itself. I didn’t mind. But today is the day of this emperor’s ascension, and normally, I should be granting a general amnesty to all under heaven, not being so easily angered. I of course still did not want to quarrel with you. But after this emperor has finished honoring the heavens and the gods and is officially declared emperor, if you dare to say such offensive things again…. Even if you are the Yun Family Patriarch, covered in achievements and glory, and the son of Demon King Yun Canghai, this emperor will still definitely not let you off lightly!!”
Yun Qinghong refused to kneel, hurled vituperation at the new emperor, and even “slandered” him as the person who murdered the Little Demon Empress…. Every offense was one that was enough to get the person executed. Yet Duke Huai handled it with extreme magnanimity and generosity. This was of course not because he was really this magnanimous, nor was it because he did not wish to put Yun Qinghong and the entire Yun Family to death. But the Yun Family had just restored their reputation four months ago due to Yun Che while also winning the hearts of the people. Not only that, but the Yun Family’s reputation was now flourishing in the Illusory Demon Realm like never before, and it far exceeded any other period during the ten thousand year history of the Yun Family. He had just risen to the seat of the throne, so before he had completely stabilized his power, it would be extremely unwise to take any overt actions against the Yun Family —— Even if the Yun Family took the initiative to be offensive.
Moreover, his current actions would prominently display his magnanimous bearing while also “exposing” the Yun Family as disgraceful and unfilial rebels.
But how could Yun Qinghong pay on his account. He gave a long laugh and suddenly leaped into the air, landing in the middle of the great hall. A purple light flashed in his hand and a seven foot longsword appeared in his grasp as he pointed it directly at Duke Huai,.“We do not need to wait until that day. The purpose for I, Yun Qinghong, to come here today is to baptize this Demon Imperial Hall in blood!”
Yun Qinghong’s actions caused the color to drain from everyone’s face as the entire Demon Imperial Hall immediately broke out into a state of panic. With Duke Huai among them, no one have even dreamt that the always calm, extremely wise, and farsighted Yun Qinghong would actually do such a thing. Helian Kuang and his flunkies roared in unison, “Yun Qinghong! You…. What do you plan on doing?!!”
“Patriarch Yun, do not be impulsive!!” Su Xiangnan and Yan Zijing yelled out in a fluster. Su Xiangnan quickly sent a profound energy sound conversion to Yun Qinghong as he persistently advised him, “Patriarch Yun! Sheath your sword! Even if the Little Demon Empress and your son were truly harmed by Duke Huai… you must preserve your life in order to witness the day of your vengeance! This kind of unwise action… is not something that you, Yun Qinghong, should do!!”
Yun Qinghong turned a deaf ear to Su Xiangnan’s sound transmission and did not display any reaction. By his side, Mu Yurou already stood shoulder to shoulder with him as cold air surged along her entire body. The coldness of her gaze was even more chilling and bone-piercing, her voice filled with the deepest, soul-boring hatred she had ever experienced in her lifetime, “Duke Huai! It is you who murdered my son…. Even if my husband and I lay down our lives today, we will still take your blood to repay his!!”
Chapter 615 - Life and Death Struggle
“Patriarch Yun, put down the sword in your hand… you cannot be rash!!” the Sky Demon Region Lord Qin Zheng rushed forward and yelled at the same time. Anybody could tell from the words the Yun Qinghong couple had just said not only harbored anger and resentment, they also clearly harbored a decisive will to die!
Today… they wanted their lives and blood to stain the Demon Imperial Hall!
“Rash?” Yun Qinghong pointed his sword towards Duke Huai. His face was cold and composed. “I, Yun Qinghong, have never been this calm in my entire life! My Yun clan started ten thousand years ago, and we existed to protect the Demon Emperor. However… in a short hundred years, the former Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor were, one after another, harmed by a traitorous bastard, and today, even the Little Demon Empress has fallen to evil schemes… We are one of the Guardian Families, yet we have been unable to fulfill our protective duty, allowing the bloodline of the Demon Emperor completely end. Not only that, but today, I have to watch with my own two eyes as the traitorous dog who harmed the Demon Emperor and my own son become Emperor! As the Patriarch of the Yun Family, I, Yun Qinghong, what face do I have to continue drifting through life!”
“Duke Huai, if you wish to become Emperor today, you have to cross my, Yun Qinghong’s blood and corpse!”
“Patriarch Yun!!” Within the hall, a voice rang out. No one would have expected that such a scene would actually occur in the succession hall.
“Yun Qinghong… you are seeking your own death!!” Chiyang Bailie yelled. The patriarchs of the large families had already left their seats and formed a circle surrounding the Yun Qinghong couple. With tens of strong, oppressive auras, they quietly guarded the surroundings of Duke Huai.
“Patriarch!!” Everyone in the Yun family shouted in fear. Even they were not aware of the actions Yun Qinghong had planned to take today.
“Don’t come over!!” Yun Qinghong suddenly raised his hand, preventing them from nearing. “This is a matter of my wife’s and mine, it has nothing to do with the Yun Family! Yun Waitian, the ring which I passed to you this morning contains the Yun Family’s Patriarch Crest! From this point onward, you will be the new Patriarch of the Yun Family! My wife and I will leave the Yun Family, everything we do has nothing to do with the Yun family! My only wish is from this day on, the Yun Family will keep far away from Demon Imperial City, will entirely retreat from current affairs, and will never pledge allegiance to this traitorous dog!”
“No!!” Yun Waitian shook his head instead, then flew upwards and shouted in rage. “You are our Yun Family’s Patriarch! Your will is thus the will of the entire Yun Family! Even if the entire world says that the Patriarch has falsely accused Duke Huai, our Yun Family disciples will not suspect a single word the Patriarch says! If the Patriarch says that it was Duke Huai Palace which caused the death of the Little Demon Empress, then it definitely is not wrong! This kind of traitorous thief, not to mention our status as a Guardian Family, even as ordinary Illusory Demon citizens, we will use our lives to bring this criminal to justice…”
Yun Waitian landed beside Yun Qinghong and looked at Duke Huai with anger. “Duke Huai! You poisoned the Demon Emperor, and that was a huge sin! My son was also killed by your Duke Huai Palace… Today, one of us has to die!”
“That’s right! The Patriarch’s life is the most irrefutable ironclad evidence in this world! If the Patriarch wants blood to be spilled in the Demon Imperial Hall, how could we Yun Family disciples be left out!!”
“Duke Huai! You caused the death of my Yun Family’s Young Patriarch and the Little Demon Empress… My Yun Family and you cannot exist under the same sky!”
“Today, my Yun Family will use fresh blood and your doggy life to offer as sacrifice for the Young Patriarch and Little Demon Empress!”
After the initial shock and confusion, the Yun Family disciples, along with the few elders, all stood behind Yun Qinghong without hesitation. Their blood boiled, and they were prepared to die. There were barely a hundred people who belonged to the Yun Family present, but their hate had been ignited. Standing behind Yun Qinghong, not a single one retreated or left.
“Hahahahahaha!” Mu Feiyan laughed loudly. “That is indeed the Yun Family! Even if they were suppressed for a hundred years, the character in your bones haven’t been extinguished! Good… good!! Then today, let us have a great bloodbath!! Sons and daughters of the Mu Family listen carefully!!” Mu Feiyan turned around, a roar like thunder shook the entire hall, causing it to shiver faintly. “The Duke Huai in front of your eyes, who is about to ascend the throne to become our next Illusory Demon Emperor, actually caused the death of the Little Demon Empress and slaughtered the Demon Emperor Clan! This kind of traitorous bastard ought to have been hated by the people and heavens, punished by the heavens, and destroyed by the earth, but today, he is receiving worship in the Demon Imperial Hall… this is simply preposterous!”
“Mu Feiyan!!” The Xiao Family Patriarch, Xiao Xifeng, shouted indignantly. “Within the twelve families, you are known as the most moral one! Who would think that you would also slander the new Emperor! Since you said that it was the new emperor who caused the death of the Little Demon Empress… what evidence do you have!”
“Your daddy’s words are evidence!!” Mu Feiyan’s voice was as loud as thunder, “You have not deserved the name of one of the Guardian Families for a long time! Now you have become a traitorous dog too! Bunch of dogs who have long lost their dignity and honor, what kind of right do you have to hoot in front of this daddy here?!”
“You!!” The scoldings of Mu Feiyan caused the lungs of Patriarchs who surrounded Yun Qinghong to want to explode.
Mu Feiyan waved his arm, then flew up and yelled, “Sons and daughters of the Mu Family! We will fulfill our duty as one of the Guardian Families, the time to show our loyalty to the Demon Emperor Clan has come… follow me to kill these traitorous bastards heartily. Let us splatter their blood in this hall which represents the glory of the Demon Emperor, then let us go to the next world to beg for the forgiveness of the Demon Emperor Clan… those who are afraid of dying, get lost to the back! The further you run the better!”
“Hahahaha!” The three brothers Mu Yubai, Mu Yuqing, and Mu Yukong laughed together, their faces without a trace of fear for their lives. Instead, they were thoroughly liberated, a happiness had emerged from no longer having to endure silently. “Old man, today, let us kill happily as a family!!”
“Duke Huai! What makes you think you have the qualifications to become Emperor in the Demon Imperial Hall? What qualifications do you have to wear the Emperor’s clothes? And you bunch of traitorous dogs have long lost your right to live! Your sins and ugly faces, the heavens and the Sacred Golden Crow have seen it all clearly! The blood we will spill today is only the beginning… You will soon receive punishment from the heavens and earth; you will not die a proper death!!”
After shaking the entire Demon Imperial with his roars, Mu Yubai flew up and then released his oppressive Monarch’s pressure without retraint. He roared loudly and waved his arm, and a white rope ten feet long smashed horizontally across those who surrounded the Yun Qinghong couple.
Mu Yubai made the first move, moreover, with all his strength and without any restraint… it was evident that the Mu and Yun Families were the same. Both were prepared and determined that this was going to be a struggle for life and death!
Facing the Yun and Mu Families’ preparedness to die, Duke Huai did not feel a single bit that this was “all according to plan.” His facial expression twisted rapidly, his anger was absolutely genuine, and he was very clear that the kind of crazed actions of Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan was not a counter-attack because they had lost all reason, but it was… the outcome which he was most afraid of.
It was because he absolutely could not touch the Yun and Mu Families. Otherwise, in the past few months, he would have already made his move… especially the Yun Family! The return of the son of the Yun Family, the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and Demon King’s corpse not only caused the Yun Family’s prestige to rise, it had also caused the heroes of the world to be moved and feel guilty, so all of them stood with the Yun Family! Although they were not in Demon Imperial City, they still represented the wills of every region loyal to the Demon Emperor. In the past few months, the loyal name of the Yun Family spread across the entire Illusory Demon Realm. If he touched the Yun Family just as he ascended the throne, the world would question him, and he would even incur their wrath.
In the present situation, the Yun Family had decided to make this into a life or death scenario… although the Yun Family did not have any concrete evidence to link him to the Little Demon Empress’s death and he had “evidence of not being at the scene,” the Yun Family would still spill blood in the Demon Imperial Hall over this matter… The Yun Family had been a huge Guardian Family for tens of thousands of years. If they were not so sure that the Little Demon Empress was harmed by Duke Huai, how would such a situation take place! If it were not for their devotion to the Demon Emperor Clan, how would this have happened!
Based on the power of Duke Huai Palace, even if the Yun and Mu Families used all their strength, they still could not kill Duke Huai. Instead they would be destroyed by Duke Huai’s power. However, this was the first day of his ascension! One could imagine the gossip and rumors if he exterminated the two most loyal Guardian Families! And the issue of “the evil scheme behind the killing of the Little Demon Empress” would deeply insert itself within the souls of the Illusory Demon citizens following the extermination of the Yun and Mu Families.
The Yun and Mu Families could not provide concrete evidence, yet using such methods, they could make everyone question Duke Huai’s intentions in their hearts, causing him to never have a peaceful moment as the Emperor.
When the Little Demon Empress was present, they could patiently endure. However, after the funeral of the Little Demon Empress, the Yun and Mu Families were full of sorrow, and with no way out, they too no longer had anything to stop them!
It was not that they had not anticipated the aftermath, but it was going to be their last moment of glory as Guardian Families! Also as parents… their self-blame and guilt for once again not protecting their child properly.
“Yun Qinghong… you have let this emperor down too much.” Duke Huai’s entire body trembled. However, now that things had reached such a stage, he did not have any other options. “Take down… this bunch of traitorous bastards, kill without discrimination!”
BOOM!!!
Following Mu Yubai’s attack, a ball of extremely tyrannical and profound energy exploded in the middle of the Demon Imperial Hall. It was of the Monarch level, and it was the highest level of strength present. Under this kind of strength, those from outside Demon Imperial City were blown away by the violent commotion. They were blown far away, and their blood boiled, almost fainting.
And this was simply the aftermath of a Monarch exercising his profound energy!!
Explosive streams of air flowed out of the Demon Imperial Hall, and the sound of an oppressive explosion could be heard from the entire Demon Imperial City
Alarmed cries rang out from the Demon Imperial Hall, this level of strength was not something that they could bear, and even more so not something they could withstand.
There were extremely few battles between Monarchs in the Illusory Demon Realm. No one would have thought that such a disaster-level battle would actually take place in the Demon Imperial Hall… moreover, a fight to the death! No one would have suspected that in a Monarch-level deathmatch, even with how solid the Demon Imperial Hall was, that it would be completely wrecked so quickly. Even the massive Demon Imperial City simply could not handle the terrifying power of tens of Monarchs.
There were seven Guardian Families on Duke Huai’s side along with several tens of Duke Palaces and a large numbers of hidden exceptional experts. On the side side, there were only the Yun and Mu Families. The difference in strength was incomparably wide. The experts from the seven Guardian Families and Duke Palaces surrounded them from different positions, their profound energy rushing forward like a tsunami. However, the Yun and Mu families burned with hatred and with a will to die; even if they were weaker, the energy and aura erupting from each person made those who were neutral in the battle to tremble with fear.
An ear-splitting wild roar, like a wild beast roaring in anger, practically pressed down the heaven-shaking explosions. There were only two hundred people from the Yun and Mu Families, each of them fighting for their lives, yet they forcibly caused the surrounding members of the seven Guardian Families to separate.
“You traitorous dogs! Go to hell and seek forgiveness from the Demon Emperor!!”
From inside the ruckus, Mu Feiyan’s entire body transformed into a blue shadow, flying like a blue ray amongst the experts from the seven Guardian Families, and in a split second, a wave of extremely cold and oppressive profound energy suddenly exploded out.
This was the wrath of a level seven Monarch, its terrifying strength was enough to destroy half of Demon Imperial City. In the heaven-shaking noise, Jiufang Kui, Xiao Xifeng, and Lin Guiyan were all caught off guard and blown away by the explosion. The corners of their mouths were stained with blood, and the corpses of several tens of Tyrant and lower leveled disciples were blown to pieces on the spot.
A gigantic gap was torn from the perimeter formed by the seven Guardian Families, and looking out of this gap, it was pointing directly to where Duke Huai was. Yun Qinghong’s gaze turned cold, and his body suddenly flickered with lightning. His entire body was like a lightning bolt soaring towards where Duke Huai was… and as if they were telepathic, Mu Yurou too suddenly bolted out at the same time. The couple headed straight for Duke Huai!
Duke Huai stood there and did not move, his gaze downcast. In front of him, two deathly pale figures suddenly appeared like demons, and following the shuddering of air, two waves of icy profound energy, which were practically identical, blasted towards the Yun Qinghong couple.
Bang!!
An incomparably oppressive explosion sounded out. A ripple so powerful it almost formed a substantial body blasted Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou far away. Yun Qinghong reached out to support Mu Yurou’s body, and looking at the two who blocked them, he revealed a cold smile. “Even the two of you have become the lackeys of Duke Huai!”
The two people wore white, and their faces were pale and looked exactly the same. They were evidently twin brothers. To be able to obstruct the Yun Qinghong couple only meant that they were at least mid-stage Monarchs. How could they be nameless in the Illusory Demon Realm with that kind of power? Within this pair of twin brothers, one was named Bai Guiming, and the other was Bai Guihun. They were the Illusory Demon Realm’s unbeatable experts of the Northern Region. Being like gods in the Northern Region, there was almost no one who did not know of them even in Demon Imperial City.
“Respective masters, why do you call us lackeys?” Bai Guiming said expressionlessly.
“Duke Huai is capable and strong, more suitable to be Emperor than the Little Demon Empress. Furthermore, the Little Demon Empress could not have successors, it was only a matter of time,” Bai Guihun stated.
“If it were that simple, the two of you could be excused! But Duke Huai Palace caused the death of the Little Demon Empress. Even the former Demon Emperor could have fallen to their evil schemes. If you continue to do so, you are simply lackeys without honor or humanity!” Yun Qinghong said with sunken brows.
Bai Guiming said coldly, “Duke Huai may be ambitious, but he would never do such malicious things.”
“Hahahaha!” Yun Qinghong laughed loudly. “There’s nothing more to be said! No matter who blocks this Yun today, I will spill his blood on the spot!!”
SHRRRNG!!
Yun Qinghong pulled out his purple sword, and two deep purple fatal sword silhouettes cut through space, directly attacking Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun. Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun became downcast as they blasted their icy profound energy. Following the impact of the three profound energies, a purple screen of light, tens of meters long was formed, and within the light, lightning profound energy and ice profound energy blasted against each other wildly.
Yun Qinghong shouted loudly. His cyan profound handle flew from his left arm, forming into a purple lightning sword, rushed towards the light screen and endlessly attacked Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun’s ice profound energy.
Yun Qinghong’s profound strength was originally higher than Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun’s, so along with the strength of the profound handle, Yun Qinghong’s strength alone was able to directly suppress his opponents, even forcing them to be flustered momentarily. The movements of Mu Yurou, who originally wanted to act, slowed. Seeing Duke Huai, who was not more than a hundred meters away from her, her gaze suddenly congealed.
“Duke Huai… return my son’s life!!”
Mu Yurou’s figure turned, directly rushing to Duke Huai. Her gaze contained deep-seated hatred, and the ice profound energy contained hatred within which even Yun Qinghong was completely unfamiliar with. The ice shaft in her hand was like the teeth of a poisonous snake, targeting Duke Huai’s throat.
Mu Yurou’s actions caused Yun Qinghong to be alarmed, shouting urgently, “Don’t go there!”
Chapter 616 - Return of the Little Demon Empress
Facing Mu Yurou’s attack, Duke Huai still did not move as a cold gloom which would make people palpitate flashed in his eyes. In front of him, two pitch-black figures suddenly shot down, and a raging profound energy storm bringing about an ear-splitting tearing sound attacked Mu Yurou from two sides.
The aura of the two people clothed in black was strong, it was impressively another two mid-stage Monarchs! And simply based on the suppressive power, they were even faintly stronger than Yun Qinghong!
Mu Yurou’s profound strength was at second level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. Any one of the two men in black could easily defeat her; moreover, both of them combined their strength! With four consecutive banging and rupturing sounds, her ice chain was broken into countless of pieces.
Mu Yurou was stopped dead in her tracks. Then, with a groan, she heavily flew backwards. The two men in black chased swiftly, six streaks of scarlet profound energy bringing along its hell-like cold aura, shot towards Mu Yurou with the intent to harm.
The two men in black showed no mercy, if the six scarlet streaks of profound energy hit their target, though Mu Yurou had the body of a Monarch, if she did not die, she would at least be severely injured.
“Yurou!!”
The Yun Qinghong who was in the midst of a fierce battle with Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun was alarmed, he forcefully pulled himself free, and for a moment he was ruthlessly hit in the back by Bai Guihun. Yun Qinghong spit out a mouthful of blood, but still forcefully used all his strength to fly towards Mu Yurou, safely receiving her into his chest.
Pfft!!
The six scarlet streaks of profound energy hit Yun Qinghong squarely in his back, causing six shocking bloody holes, blood flying in all directions.
“Hahahaha!” Duke Huai laughed recklessly, his voice dark: “Yun Qinghong, you too will have such a day! If you had been a little smarter and helped this emperor rule the lands, this emperor guarantees you and your Yun Family an even higher position! However you just had to choose to be this emperor’s enemy, you’re simply digging your own grave!”
“Since you want to die that much, this emperor will grant you…”
Duke Huai’s voice suddenly stopped at this point, even his wanton laughing was completely rigid on his face. Because what he saw was that the purple profound energy on Yun Qinghong was actually rapidly transforming to be… blood red!
The Yun Family’s purple cloud profound art was the strongest lightning profound art, and the color of lightning profound energy was purple; the deeper the purple, the stronger it would be. But no matter what, the colour of lightning profound energy would never be blood red.
The abnormal profound energy on Yun Qinghong made Duke Huai to be startled for a moment, after that, what he revealed was actually fear! He was fearful as though he suddenly saw a death god from hell… That was because he instinctively thought of the Yun Family’s incomparably scary… taboo domain that would even change the expression of Duke Ming, his father’s face when talking about it!
The two men in black who were originally attacking, along with the Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun who were chasing from behind, all stopped in their tracks. The pupils of all four people shrunk, they even involuntarily retreated.
In the tens of thousands of years of the Yun Family, they had always been the head of the twelve Guardian Families, their status was only second to that of the Demon Emperor in the Illusory Demon Realm! How could the experts of the Illusory Demon Realm not know about the myths of the Yun family’s purple cloud arts.
“Yun Qinghong, you…”
Yun Qinghong slowly turned around, the wound on his back was gushing blood, yet the expression on his face was eerily calm as the red profound energy on his body was getting deeper and deeper. He then raged in a crazed manner: “Duke Huai! For the past few months I have been in seclusion, in order for… this very moment!”
Duke Huai pulled back and said with a downcast look: “Could it be that for the past few months… you have been comprehending… the taboo domain of legends?”
S…ss…sssssss…
The profound energy around Yun Qinghong’s body started to hiss, streaks of red colored lightning danced wildly around his body. He threw the purple sword in his hand, then slowly reached out with his palm: “Even though I am disobeying father’s orders, I will still have you die without a proper burial!”
Following the ebullition of the scarlet lightning on Yun Qinghong’s body, the entire Demon Imperial Hall… no, the aura of the entire Demon Imperial City rapidly changed. It was obviously above the hall, yet every one felt as if there was a clump of dark clouds pressed horizontally against the blue skies that could collapse anytime. Everyone turned their attention to Yun Qinghong’s body. Everyone from the Yun Family stared at the scarlet lightning, none of their expressions did not change, all of them roared in despair: “Patriarch… Patriarch!!”
Mu Feiyan exploded with profound energy, shaking off the experts who were surrounding him, he looked at Yun Qinghong and revealed his alarm: “This is…”
“Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation!!” Mu Yubai cried out in alarm.
“He actually… could use the Yun Family’s taboo domain!” Mu Yuqing’s voice was also full of shock.
“Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation… the Yun Family’s taboo domain, it requires all of the body’s vital energy to activate, moreover, it harms the user before harming others… The moment it is activated, it will destroy the heavens and exterminate the earth! However the user… will undoubtedly die!” Mu Yukong’s pupils shrunk: “Little sister said before, when the Demon King was alive, he sternly ordered brother-in-law to never comprehend the Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation in his lifetime. Brother-in-law is loyal and filial and would never defy the Demon King’s will… he must have had forcefully comprehended it in the past four months, just to take Duke Huai down with himself!”
“Quick, retreat!!” Mu Feiyan waved both his arms, releasing a wave of tyrannical profound energy, expelling the people from the Mu Family far away. He did not try to stop Yun Qinghong; he already knew that there was nobody who could stop him already.
“Yun Qinghong… You think that just based on your Yun Family’s taboo domain, you are able to kill this emperor?! This emperor has countless of experts behind him, and even has the mandate of heaven, protection from the heavens! Just with you, how could you kill this emperor?!”
Duke Huai’s words were arrogant and full of disdain, yet he continuously retreated, because the myths regarding the Yun Family’s taboo domain was simply too frightening, frightening to the point that even though he had over ten powerful Monarchs defending him, he was still afraid.
“Newly-crowned Emperor, quickly retreat!!”
Behind him, tens of Sovereign Profound Realm level experts released their profound energy, conjuring an extremely strong protective wall.
The lightning on Yun Qinghong’s body had become as deep as blood from purgatory; his entire body was wrapped within, his four limbs and face could not be seen already. Mu Yurou quietly leaned on his body, her eyes were hazy like mist. Being bathed in the blood red lightning with him, she was the closest to him, yet amongst everyone gathered, she was the only one without fear on her face. She was instead completely calm, her lips carrying an indistinct, mournful, yet satisfied smile.
Around Duke Huai, sixteen Monarchs showed themselves, covering Duke Huai, releasing all of their strength; none of them attacked the current Yun Qinghong. Yet the speed at which they escaped was incomparably slow, that was because Yun Qinghong’s aura had locked firmly onto them. As if their bodies were twisted in a formless net, every movement consumed their entire bodies’ strength…
The strength of seventeen Monarchs could not escape from this pressure!
One could only imagine how oppressive the taboo power which came from Yun Qinghong was.
However in order the use such a power, the price needed to be paid was incomparably huge… because it was the life of a mid-stage Monarch! The reason why the deep purple lightning would turn scarlet was because each lightning was imbued with Yun Qinghong’s blood essence!
A doomsday aura enveloped half of Demon Imperial City, and even the highest level monarchs standing at the peak of this world felt their souls trembling. The blood colored lightning around Yun Qinghong’s body inflated again, on the verge of exploding. And once the lump of lightning exploded, the surrounding hundred kilometers would turn into a blood colored lightning purgatory.
Just when the Demon Imperial Hall sunk into chaos, a cold voice rang from above. The voice was not loud, an incomprehensible penetrating power was carried within, easily cutting across the sky-shaking clamors, distinctly transmitting to every single person’s ears.
“Patriarch Yun, you do not need to do this.”
Following the arrival of the voice was a ball of light gold flames, this ball of flames descended from the skies, landing in front of Yun Qinghong’s body, in an instant, screening off the incomparably terrifying aura. Following that, the flaring blood colored lightning was rapidly suppressed by the light gold flames, being engulfed, and after three breaths, all of the blood colored lightning had completely disappeared.
The flames extinguished. The Yun Qinghong who had consumed his blood essence looked deathly pale, like paper, and fell paralyzed on the ground. But immediately afterwards, he overturned his body without any consideration, and looked up into the air, his mouth revealed his excitement, shouting with shock: “Little… Little Demon Empress? It is the voice of the Little Demon Empress!!”
The entire hall was deathly still, and the same astonishment covered every single person’s face. Everybody had clearly heard the voice from before… it was definitely the voice of the Little Demon Empress!!
Following Yun Qinghong’s shout, everybody’s gazes all turned upwards… it was not known when, but on the roof of the hall, an enormous gap had appeared. Every brick and tile of the Demon Imperial Hall was constructed with incomparably tough profound jade; to even destroy a small piece would cause an immense sound. But the appearance of the gap above which was at least ten feet wide was not noticed by a single person, it was as if… it had disappeared without a trace.
Beyond the gap in the hall not too high above floated two figures. The figure on the right was small and petite, a body dressed in grey with a drilling gaze with absolutely no ripple; perfect like exquisite gems, yet cold without any expression… above her eyebrows, a pure gold imprint in the shape of flames flicked. When their gazes came into contact with the fire imprint, the souls were suddenly pressured by an irresistible force.
“Little… Little… Little Demon Empress!!”
“It’s the Little Demon Empress!!”
“Ah, ah… Little… Little Demon Empress!!”
“Th-th-this… what is this?”
“Old man… look… quick, look!” Mu Yubai was excited to the point of incoherence: “It’s the Little Demon Empress… She’s not dead!!”
“The mark between the Little Demon Empress’ eyebrows…” Mu Feiyan’s voice too was extremely excited: “That is the Golden Crow Flame imprint! It is the imprint awakened by the Golden Crow’s blood!”
The Little Demon Empress who had originally died months ago, who even had a funeral procession, actually appeared alive in front of them on the day of the new emperor’s ascension. A wave of voices exploded, practically causing the hall to explode, they were either astonished, or terrified, or at a loss, or pleasantly surprised, or even in disbelief… The significance of the blazing imprint between the eyebrows of the Little Demon Empress was known by every citizen of the Illusory Demon Realm.
“This is impossible… impossible!!” Duke Huai glared, his eyeballs almost exploding. Four months before, he had personally witnessed the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che get forced into dire situations, then fall into the Sea of Death. Once in the Sea of Death, within a few breaths, one would die without doubts. He and his father, Duke Ming, in order to confirm the death of the Little Demon Empress, had even specially stayed there for a whole hour.
An hour in the Sea of Death… even if there were a thousand Little Demon Empresses, her death was confirmed! Not a single piece of ash would be left behind.
How could she still be alive!!
Moreover the person behind the Little Demon Empress… was shockingly Yun Che!!
Both of them actually did not die!!
The imprint between the Little Demon Empress’ eyebrows… what was going on? Royal father had clearly said, females basically could not awaken the Golden Crow bloodline! To forcefully awaken it would only bring a single outcome, which was death!
What on earth was going on?!!
Chapter 617 - Flames of Vengeance (1)
Amongst the chaos within the Demon Imperial Hall, the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che had finally arrived. It could be said that they had arrived just in time, yet it was extremely thrilling. That was because if they had arrived just a moment later, as soon as Yun Qinghong’s blood colored lightning exploded, he would undoubtedly die.
On their return trip to the Demon Imperial Hall, Yun Che had thought of tens of different kinds of dazzling entrances, along with a similar number of sufficiently tyrannical and mighty scripts. After all, he had the Little Demon Empress beside him as backup, so even facing Duke Ming, he could show off to his heart’s content.
The chaos in the Demon Imperial Hall made him scrunch his eyebrows, and the moment he saw the state in which Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were in, all of his plans were immediately tossed out the window. He shouted startledly, without care for anything else, he rushed down with his fastest speed.
“Father, Mother!!”
“Che… Che’er!!”
Looking at Yun Che who was nearing closer and closer, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s eyes started to get hazy, and they became absent-minded as if they had started dreaming. Yun Che flew down, throwing himself in front of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou and saying urgently, “Father, Mother, how are you… are you seriously injured?!”
Based on Yun Che’s abilities, he could tell with a single glance that even though Mu Yurou was injured, she was not in dire straits. However, Yun Qinghong’s face was white and lips were purple; his shirt was mostly stained red with blood, and not only was he seriously injured, his vital energy had been mostly used up, so Yun Che did not even spend even a moment thinking He immediately pressed his right palm onto Yun Qinghong’s chest and channeled the Great Way of the Buddha at full power, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth and imbuing it into his body.
“Che’er… you’re still alive… my Che’er is not dead… very good… very good…” Mu Yurou did not care where she was, and currently, nothing else mattered to her anymore. She simply threw herself and tightly hugged her son; her tears fell like rain, sobbing without sound.
Yun Che said lightly, “Your child has not been filial to his father and mother, how could I let myself die… Father, Mother, I have made you worry and hurt you in this time…”
With Yun Che channeling of the essence of heaven and earth, Yun Qinghong’s injuries rapidly eased, even his five senses became clearer. He looked at Yun Che, even this steel-like male was pouring with tears, “It’s good that you’re back… it’s good that you’re back… you’re still alive… that is all the filial piety that we need… this life of mine, even if it is forfeit… I will have no regrets.”
“Father, don’t say such silly things!” Yun Che said resolutely, “Don’t forget, your son is a genius doctor! Your injuries… this small loss of blood essence, is nothing! Father, Mother, you can be reassured, I will definitely heal Father… completely heal him!”
“Good… “ Yun Qinghong shut his eyes, and it was only a single, short word, yet it carried an enormous amount of gratification. At that moment, his body was heavily injured and had lost an enormous amount of blood essence. Although the Little Demon Empress had returned, they were still surrounded by powerful enemies, and based on the strength which Duke Huai possessed, they still had not escaped the crisis. Yet at the moment, he still smiled in tears; he was not a single bit anxious, resentful, or wrathful, only gratified and satisfied… Their whole family had finally been reunited, and this was an extravagant wish which he thought he would never achieve in his lifetime ever again.
The Little Demon Empress swept her gaze slowly across the entire field. Her tender lips, however, let out a cold and bone-piercing voice, “Who will come explain to this empress what exactly has transpired here!”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice brought along a wave of extremely heavy pressure… heavier by who knew how many times it was in the past. Even if one did not look at her, just by hearing her voice, one would not be able to breathe and feel their whole body go stiff.
The Little Demon Empress, who originally was thought dead, appeared on the day of the new Emperor’s ascension, even bringing along the Golden Crow’s imprint and returning with the awakened Golden Crow’s bloodline! This was undoubtedly the Illusory Demon Realm’s most shocking and most embarrassing sight.
The leader of the Demon Emperor’s imperial bodyguards walked forward. His voice trembled slightly and he said, “Little Demon Empress, four months ago there were absolutely no traces of you and Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was forcefully opened, but when the seal was closed, you never emerged from it… everybody thought that you had met misfortune in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. That’s why… that’s why… today is… is… the new emperor’s ascension ceremony…”
“Ascension ceremony?” The Little Demon Empress slowly turned her gaze, and she pointed her icicle like icy gaze towards Duke Huai, along with everyone standing behind him. “Duke Huai. You sure are impressive. How are you worthy of donning the emperor’s clothing!”
The Demon Empress’ fury, that wave of shocking pressure, caused everyone to choke for a moment. Several of those who had hurriedly defected to Duke Huai over the last few months were in a confused state of mind. They were scared witless, completely at a loss. However, even more of the powerhouses… especially those who had belonged to Duke Huai Palace since long ago, looked at each other’s expressions, and gradually, their initial confusion faded away So what if the Little Demon Empress had risen from the grave? The strength of Duke Huai’s side had long surpassed that of the Little Demon Empress’. Within the past few short months, it had once again inflated by a large degree… Apart from the tens of thousands of years of prestige and might the Demon Emperor’s clan possessed, what did the Little Demon Empress have to compete with Duke Huai!!
The appearance of the Little Demon Empress was simply another inconvenience in this ascension ceremony! Today, not to even mention the Little Demon Empress, even if the former Demon Emperor was revived… they had no intentions of stopping Duke Huai’s ascension!
After rapidly exchanging glances, all the experts on Duke Huai’s side calmed down. Now that things had come to this stage, they had nowhere to retreat, so there was also no need to! Duke Zhong walked forward, welcoming the Little Demon Empress’ gaze and said, “Little Demon Empress! Four months ago you cut short the great ceremony, then abandoned the heroes of the realm who attended the great ceremony, leaving without returning. For four whole months, there was no sign of you. All of us had thought that you had encountered some misfortune in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“In these past few months, if it were not for Duke Huai… no! If it were not for the new emperor taking charge of the situation, the Illusory Demon Realm who have been in complete chaos! The ascension of the new emperor is supported by the whole world, meeting everybody’s expectations… you, for what reason do you berate the new emperor?!”
Facing the Little Demon Empress, Duke Zhong words were fierce with no trace of politeness, criticising loudly with absolutely no apprehension. Evidently he did not take her to be the emperor of the Illusory Demon any longer.
“Duke Zhong, what guts you have!” Mu Yubai snarled, “You have the cheek to be disrespectful to the Little Demon Empress, to be this rude while speaking. It seems that you people are ready to rebel openly already!!”
“How has Duke Zhong wrongly spoken?!” Helian Kuang roared, forcefully suppressing Mu Yubai’s voice, “Little Demon Empress, you are still alive, and that is obviously a pleasant surprise, but you disappeared for four whole months without a trace, so the Illusory Demon Realm had thought that you had died. Then, the ‘Little Demon Empress’ would naturally become history! Now that the new emperor has donned the emperor’s clothes, what is done cannot be undone. It is only reasonable that the real emperor of the Illusory Demon is now Duke Huai! And not the Little Demon Empress!”
“Ah!” Mu Feiyan laughed coldly. “As the Patriarch of a Guardian Family of the Demon Emperor’s clan, you have actually said such outrageous words! The hundred generations of the Helian ancestors’ faces have been completely thrown away by this generation!”
“Hmph!” Helian Kuang’s expression did not change. “Our Helian Family guards the real emperor of Illusory Demon! What we guard is the peace of the Illusory Demon Realm! Not mentioning that the Little Demon Empress is female, simply based on ability, the new emperor surpasses the Little Demon Empress! Based on public opinion, the new emperor surpasses the Little Demon Empress! The new emperor is more suitable to the the Illusory Demon Emperor than the Little Demon Empress! The reason why the Little Demon Empress managed to become the Illusory Demon Emperor a hundred years ago was simply because of the Demon Emperor bloodline! She abandoned the wavering Illusory Demon Realm without care, suddenly disappearing for four months, which caused great chaos… and now that she is back, what prestige, what face does she have to continue leading the Illusory Demon Realm?!”
Under Yun Che’s power of the heaven and earth, Yun Qinghong’s injuries were more or less stabilized, looking much better. Yun Che inwardly heaved a sigh of relief, turned his head, and stared at Duke Huai, sneering faintly, “You have the mission of protecting the Demon Emperor Clan, and you even professed your unparalleled loyalty, unchanging even in the face of death, yet now you are actually scolding the Little Demon Empress with your head held high… how impressive! You really have no sense of shame! I really want to ask Patriarch Helian, who exactly was it that united the endlessly chaotic Illusory Demon Realm? Who was it that gave the Illusory Demon Real tens of thousands of years of peace, allowing both man and demon to peacefully coexist! Who was it that lead your Guardian Families to rule the lands under the heavens, allowing you to stand at the peak of the Illusory Demon for tens of thousands of years! And who was it that let some certain ingrates, dukes without any sense of shame, to live in glory and splendor since birth?! Was the Demon Emperor Clan… or was it this ‘new emperor’ whom you people cannot wait to grovel under?!”
“You…” The moment Yun Che spoke, Helian Kuang’s heart violently bulged. The shadows from four months ago suddenly awakened, causing him to not dare to talk back for a moment.
“You actually dared to grandiosely exclaim that this Duke Huai is more suitable to become the Illusory Demon Emperor than the Little Demon Empress, hahahaha! That is the heaven’s biggest joke. Without the Demon Emperor Clan, Duke Huai is not even worth a fart. What qualifications does he have to contend with the Little Demon Empress!” Yun Che’s gaze became stern, and then he said seriously, “You people keep blaming the Little Demon Empress for disappearing for four months… then why don’t you people ask your new emperor why the Little Demon Empress disappeared for four months? He knows… that quite clearly!!”
“Young Patriarch Yun, why exactly happened?” Sky Demon Region Lord Qin Zheng asked eagerly, “Four months ago, what exactly happened? Could it really be that Duke Huai…”
Yun Che shifted his gaze, and facing the attention of the entire arena, he said faintly, “Ladies and gentlemen who have stopped by Demon Imperial City for several months, perhaps you have heard more or less about rumors of Duke Huai Palace’s ambitions! However, Duke Huai Palace not only harbored rebellious intentions, they are ten thousand times more evil and scheming than you think! Four months earlier, it was him, Duke Huai… along with his long thought to be missing father, Duke Ming, who took advantage of the fact that the Little Demon Empress had used the Demon Emperor Seal to forcefully open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to maliciously strike her down inside! At that time, I had, by chance, discovered that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had opened and thus entered! In the end, I coincidentally encountered them attempting assassinating the Little Demon Empress! The Little Demon Empress and I were forced into dire straits, forced into the Sea of Death!”
“Wh… What!!” A ruckus broke out in the hall. Su Xiangnan said, “Once in the Sea of Death, one would undoubtedly die, then how are you…”
“Of course it was due to the Golden Crow Spirit’s protection!” Yun Che then said with a calm expression, “The Demon Emperor Clan is the sole inheritor of the Divine Golden Crow’s legacy. How would it be willing to see its last legacy bloodline be severed. Thus, it saved us from within the Sea of Death… if not, the Little Demon Empress and I would have long been buried within! This kind of regicidal traitor is simply too outrageous, one which the heavens and earth cannot tolerate… today, he would actually be crowned as the new emperor… this is simply the Illusory Demon Realm’s greatest disgrace!”
Yun Che’s words silenced the entire hall for a moment. Duke Huai gave a cold laugh and said darkly, “Yun Che, you have said enough! This emperor originally had some respect for your Yun family, however… today, you have greatly disappointed this Emperor! Yun Qinghong belittled this emperor, this emperor could tolerate. Now that you, Yun Che, have appeared, this emperor already knew that you would also say the same things as Yun Qinghong… just as expected! Your Yun Family has spared no effort to frame this emperor!
Yun Che looked at him coldly with his eyes expressing his playfulness as if watching a clown striving to give a good performance.
“But what a pity, within your trap lies a laughable hole,” Duke Huai sneered. “Once in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, unless the seal is released, there would be no other way to exit; everybody is aware of this point. However, four months ago, after the Yun, Mu, and Su Families entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, until the seal was released, this emperor was always in Demon Imperial City! Countless people present, including many from your Yun Family witnessed this! You say that this emperor schemed against the Little Demon Empress… could it be that this emperor can split his body?! That day, after the great ceremony abruptly ended, this emperor did not see the Little Demon Empress again. Your slander is just full of loopholes and is simply making your Yun Family into laughingstocks!”
Duke Huai’s expression became even darker. “Your Yun Family is doing your utmost to frame this emperor Even though it is shameless to the extreme, it could be considered a type of loyalty to the Demon Emperor bloodline, thus this emperor can tolerate it! However… Little Yun Che, you could have simply stopped at slandering this emperor, you actually went as far as to slander my royal father’s reputation!
“My royal father was indifferent to fame and fortune, standing apart from worldly affairs. Taking leave from the former Demon Emperor a hundred years ago, he wandered the Illusory Demon Realm and lived his life in the wild… everybody knows this! In the past hundred years, not to mention people, even this emperor has not seen royal father, and you, a twerp from the Yun Family…” Duke Huai entire body trembled in fury, “actually dare to slander this Emperor’s royal father; this has pushed this Emperor’s bottom line… your Yun Family needs to give this emperor an explanation today! Or else, don’t blame this emperor for not leaving any compassion!”
“You want an explanation?” Just as Yun Che wanted to speak, the Little Demon Empress’ cold voice rang out from above, “Then this empress will personally give you an explanation!!”
The Little Demon Empress’ grey clothes swept out as she suddenly stretched out her hand, and the imprint on her palm instantly radiated a pure gold brilliance.
“Be careful, your highness!!”
Duke Huai’s bodyguards flashed, wanting to rush in front of him. However, in the very next instant, though nobody could see any other movements from the Little Demon Empress, a flame glowed on Duke Huai’s body, and after that, an ear-piercing “ping” of something shattering could be heard.
Duke Huai’s personal space was directly shattered, releasing a jade seal with the glow of a scarlet flame, and under the gaze of everyone present, it flew out of Duke Huai’s shattered personal space, then flew straight into the Little Demon Empress’ hand under a wave of irresistible suction force, leaving a scarlet trace.
“That is… the Demon Emperor’s Seal!!”
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal!!”
“Demon Emperor’s Seal… this…”
That shape, radiance, and aura… it was the one and only Demon Emperor’s Seal in this world! To be able to directly shatter a mid-stage Monarch’s personal space, that was world-shaking, terrifying strength. Yet nobody had the heart to care about such an issue; that was because they had,with their own eyes, witnessed it flying out of Duke Huai’s shattered personal space…
The hall was completely silent for a moment, and even the faces of the experts on Duke Huai’s side had completely changed. Their expressions were full of fear, and Duke Huai’s expression was even more stiff.
“Duke Huai!!” Mu Feiyan roared in anger. “You actually said that after the great ceremony, you did not see the Little Demon Empress again… then that Demon Emperor Seal, why would it be with you?!!”
Chapter 618 - Flames of Vengeance (2)
“In this Illusory Demon Realm, those who know about Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will know that apart from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley lifting or closing the seal itself, there is absolutely no other way that one could enter or leave… that has been what Duke Huai has been trying so hard to cunningly count on.” Yun Che looked at the chaotic spectacle, along with the unsightly look on Duke Huai’s face and said unhurriedly, “However four months ago after the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal was forcefully lifted, everyone must have wondered why that was so… the reason is very simple! There has always existed a method to forcefully enter and exit Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… and that is with the help of the Demon Emperor Clan’s Demon Emperor Seal!”
“Four months ago, the Little Demon Empress used the returned Demon Emperor Seal to forcefully enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, wanting to enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land at the first moment to awaken the Golden Crow bloodline! However this secret which originally belonged to the Demon Emperor Clan was made known to those in Duke Huai Palace! Duke Huai along with the supposedly hundred year long gone Duke Ming who has actually been hiding in Demon Imperial City, hurriedly entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and attempted to murder the Little Demon Empress. They had thought that the Little Demon Empress and I had been buried within the Sea of Death, they then made use of the Demon Emperor’s Seal stolen from the Little Demon Empress to leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… That would be why, the Demon Emperor’s Seal is on his body!”
“Duke Huai, this time. You have to explain clearly… oh, no, what kind of excuses do you have?” Yun Che sneered lightly, “Your next few excuses should be more entertaining, please do not be so vulgar as to insult our intelligence!”
Yun Che’s words caused the entire hall to fall into a tumult, the subsequent clamor was like a pot of boiling water. Everybody looked toward Duke Huai, the look in their eyes changing quickly. The Demon Emperor’s Seal which flew from within Duke Huai’s personal space was seen clearly by everyone; absolutely no excuses could be given to deny it.
Everyone was aware of Duke Huai Palace’s ambitions. However this kind of ambition, to plot evil schemes against the Illusory Demon Emperor and the Demon Emperor Clan’s last inheritor were two totally different ideas! The former was to have the power of influence and support then appending oneself, and the former… that was simply regicide, something simply too outrageous!! Based on the prestige of the Demon Emperor Clan in the Illusory Demon Realm, it was enough to trigger the anger and wrath of all the citizens of Illusory Demon Realm, something the entire Illusory Demon Realm cannot tolerate!
“Could it be, that Duke Huai really…”
“Th-th-this… this is… a plot as big as the heavens!”
“No matter how bad Duke Huai is, he would not do such a thing… Duke Ming too… this should not have happened!”
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal was with Duke Huai… how could that be fake!”
“Your highness, could it be that you really…” the one who asked, was a middle aged Monarch who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, while speaking, both his hands were shivering. The situation was absolutely not normal because it was a situation being witnessed by all the heroes of the realm; it could have been the huge crime of regicide! Although the Demon Emperor bloodline would end soon, in the Illusory Demon Realm, the prestige the Demon Emperor’s clan that possessed the Golden Crow bloodline held was incomparable!
Most of the forces who had defected to Duke Huai Palace had done so because the Little Demon Empress had gradually weakened, and Duke Huai Palace was becoming stronger and stronger. After the Little Demon Empress, the Demon Emperor bloodline would be severed, and it would be Duke Huai who ruled the lands. In order for their own family’s or forces’ future, although defecting to Duke Huai Palace was an act of disloyalty to the Demon Emperor Clan, based on the situation at that point, they could accept it and make a conscious decision.
The assassination of the Little Demon Empress was an act which would not be tolerated in the lands of the Illusory Demon Realm. If it had been a perfect assassination without anyone’s knowledge, it would have be fine. However, if it was leaked… then spread throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm, Duke Huai would definitely lose his standing; even if he had ten times his power, he still could not take on the anger and hostility of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. And the forces who followed Duke Huai would also become targets of ridicule…
“Duke Huai!!” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had a face full of anger, “You actually dared to do such unscrupulous deed, something which would be looked down upon by man and gods! As part of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, the blood of the Demon Emperor Clan still flows within your body. You actually…”
“Silence!! This is a bunch of nonsense!!” Duke Zhong used all his might to roar, “Even though the Demon Emperor’s Seal was on the new Emperor’s body, what does that prove! Based on what? Just based on a Demon Emperor’s Seal, you guys accuse the new Emperor of assassinating the Little Demon Empress!! Even though the new Emperor has always had great ambition, he has always thought for the world, thinking for the peace and future of Illusory Demon! Even more, he has always revered the Demon Emperor Clan. He could not have done such a thing, and does not have a reason to assassinate the Little Demon Empress! There is something strange in this… who knows if this could have been a meticulously planned scheme!!”
Even though Duke Zhong was using all his effort to justify it, his voice was evidently trembling.
“That’s right!!” Duke Hui Ran roared in a low voice, “In this short amount of time the Demon Emperor’s Seal was indeed with royal father. However it was not from the Little Demon Empress, but four months ago, this duke had picked it up from the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley! In order to not cause panic, royal father did not announce it to the public. For fear that it would be coveted, only then did he carry it with him… Today, it unfathomably has become evidence for the assassination of the Little Demon Empress!! There has to be a conspiracy… and it is not simply just to set up royal father, it even brought up this duke’s hundred year long gone grandfather! This is just… simply aiming against our entire Duke Huai Palace! This could just have been some meticulously plotted evil scheme!!”
This speech shook the minds of those in Duke Huai’s faction, and the expressions of the Patriarchs of the Seven Guardian Families rapidly eased. Yun Che faintly glanced at Hui Ran, sneering secretly. Based on Hui Ran’s abilities, it was impossible for him to say words of such caliber. They were evidently words which Duke Huai had sound transmitted to him.
Indeed, just based on the Demon Emperor’s Seal being on Duke Huai’s body was not enough to assert that Duke Huai was behind the Little Demon Empress’ assassination. The forces on Duke Huai’s side just had to harp on this point. On top of that, with their overwhelming strength, the Little Demon Empress could not do anything with them. They could even counter by just harping on “shifting the blame.”
If it had been the Little Demon Empress from four months before, it would indeed have been like that.
However, how could the current Little Demon Empress be compared to before!
The Little Demon Empress looked down; no matter how bad the ruckus in the palace was, no matter how the situation changed, her expression did not change a single bit. At this point, she suddenly said, her voice was incomparably cold, “Yun Jiang, Yun He, Yun Xi!”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice carried an oppressive strength which could practically freeze one’s blood, causing the hall which was a ruckus to quieten down. The three Grand Elders of the Yun Family walked forward, then said respectfully, “What instructions does the Little Demon Empress have?”
“Take down Duke Huai, conduct a Profound Handle Soul Search!”
Duke Huai’s expression changed slightly, but consequently, he did not panic. His lips moved slightly, a vicious look flashed in his eyes.
Under the Profound Handle Soul Search, everything Duke Huai knew would be spilled; all of his secrets, all of his crimes would be completely dug out. It would be presented in front of everybody. Yun Jiang, Yun He and Yun Xi all stared blankly… That was because they were incomparably clear that Duke Huai would absolutely not allow the Profound Handle Soul Search. With the enormous amount of strength behind Duke Huai, they would not allow anyone near Duke Huai. However as Grand Elders of the Yun Family, they naturally would not go against the orders of the Little Demon Empress. Together, they complied, “Yes!”
Yun He shouted, “Duke Huai, if you wish to prove your innocence, then sincerely accept our Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search! If not, you are harboring evil intentions! The crime of regicide will be witnessed by everyone here!”
The three Grand Elders pounced onto Duke Huai together. Before they could approach, a wave of incomparably tyrannical profound strength flooded, stopping them, as ten whole auras coming from different directions locked onto them, causing the three incomparably strong Yun Family Grand Elders to stiffen up. For a moment they did not dare to move recklessly.
The Little Demon Empress squinted, her voice was bone-piercingly cold, “You dare to disobey this empress’ orders!”
Duke Zhong clenched his teeth and said in a low voice, “Little Demon Empress, you’ve gotten something wrong! Today, the Illusory Demon Emperor is Emperor Huai! And it is not you, the Little Demon Empress…”
Before Duke Zhong had even finished his sentence, the Little Demon Empress who was midair suddenly attacked, and a pure gold flame abruptly shot down… the flame was extremely quick. There were countless of experts present yet they could only see a flash of flames. Not a single person could do anything to react as that flame hit Duke Zhong squarely in his chest.
BOOM!!!
The world’s most tyrannical flames exploded. In an instant, Duke Zhong’s body split into pieces like a ragdoll, splitting into countless of flaming pieces. When these pieces landed on the ground, they had burned into nothingness… Forget about a charred corpse, not even a piece of ash was left.
The unextinguished Golden Crow flames landed on the ground, causing the incomparably durable profound jade flooring to burn with sores and holes which looked like bubbles.
Everyone in the hall went silent collectively. All of them stared rigidly, as shock and astonishment abruptly exploded in their eyes.
The Little Demon Empress’ temper was cold and cruel. This was not her first time suddenly killing someone; that was something that she had done too many times. However this time, there was a huge difference as compared to the other times. That was because Duke Zhong… no matter his identity, he was not an ordinary person. He possessed a world shocking strength, a mighty Monarch standing at the peak of the profound world!
Yet the Little Demon Empress lifted her hand… and killed him in an instant!
A Monarch’s body which was ten thousand times more durable than a boulder, could not even resist a single bit. He didn’t even have the chance to scream… in an instant, forget about a corpse, not even a scar was left!
The Golden Crow’s flames exhausted silently, but everyone shuddered inwardly, not able to say anything for a long time. To kill a Tyrant in an instant was indeed shocking, however, a high leveled Monarch did indeed have the power to do that.
However, to kill one who was truly in the Sovereign Profound Realm, a Monarch possessing the power to look down upon the whole world…
That was something even these experts standing at the peak of the Illusory Demon Realm had not ever seen or heard before… It was simply a kind of power which exceeded their comprehension and imagination!
The change in color of the imprint between the Little Demon Empress’ eyebrows signified that she had awakened the Golden Crow bloodline! Her strength had naturally leaped by an enormous amount… However, the ability to kill a level three Monarch in an instant, was something that even the former Demon Emperor who had similarly awakened the Golden Crow bloodline could not do at all!
Chapter 619 - Flames of Vengeance (3)
“Du… Duke!!”
Amidst the shocked silence that pervaded the air, a tragic cry rang out. Following that, an old man whose hair was half-white rushed out and stood at the spot where Duke Zhong had lost his life, his whole body shivering. This person was not a stranger to all who were present. He was also from the Illusory Demon Royal Family and he was known as Duke Han. He held the position of the highest seniority in Duke Zhong Palace and he was its strongest exponent; besides that, he was also Duke Zhong’s uncle. He was at the sixth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, the cornerstone of the entire Duke Zhong Palace. In Demon Imperial City, both his power and his position carried great weight. After Duke Zhong had taken over the management of the Duke Palace, he had supported Duke Zhong from the shadows and had become his guardian. With him around, even in Demon Imperial City where experts were as numerous as clouds, there was hardly anyone who could harm Duke Zhong.
But today, he could only look on helplessly as Duke Zhong was instantly incinerated into ashes. He couldn’t even think about going forward to protect him as he was not even able to react until Duke Zhong had met his violent end.
“Little Demon Empress!” Duke Han cried out as sadness and anger intermingled in his voice, “Even though my house’s royal duke may have spoken out of turn… his crime was not worthy of death, yet you… you were actually so cruel….”
“A crime not worthy of death?” The Little Demon Empress said in a ice-cold voice, “Duke Huai sought to commit regicide and every root of his clan deserves to be dug up and burned! As Duke Huai’s willing lackey, Duke Zhong deserves to die ten thousand times over! And showing disrespect to this Empress? Even death would not be a sufficient punishment!”
“Duke Han! On account of the loyalty that you showed this empress’ royal father, for the time being, I will not implicate you in his guilt! But if you dare to even speak one word in favor of Duke Zhong or Duke Huai again, this empress will kill you as well!”
Duke Han’s face twitched but he suddenly let out a loud roar, “You killed my royal duke…. If you have the guts, then you can kill this duke as well!”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes which were as black as night faintly narrowed as she replied in a voice that carried an icy coldness and the promise of death which did not hesitate to spread into everyone’s soul, “Since you want to die, then this empress will help you accomplish your goal! You indulged Duke Zhong in his perfidy, so you are also worthy of death!!”
Before the Little Demon Empress’ voice fell, a bone-piercingly cold sensation had already spread through Duke Han’s entire body. He was a dignified level six Monarch, but he, in this very instant, suddenly felt impending doom falling on his head. A dread that he had never felt before in his life frantically grew and swell like an awakened devil gnawing on his soul.
He had never thought that the Little Demon Empress would actually send a killing blow at him, and without a single shred of hesitation at that. He had definitely never dreamed that, given his own strength, he would actually feel such acute dread after the Little Demon Empress’ mere killing intent locked in on him.
The others naturally did not know that under the cold and cruel pronouncement of the Little Demon Empress, Duke Han’s self-belief had nearly collapsed. He fiercely ground his teeth and recklessly launched himself into the air. He let out a strangled cry as he frantically concentrated all the profound energy in his body and exploded towards the Little Demon Empress.
“Little Demon Empress, be careful!!” Su Xiangnan cried in alarm. Duke Han was considered an expert even amongst the Monarchs, and the Little Demon Empress of four months ago was absolutely not his opponent.
But as Su Xiangnan’s cry had just fallen, a shrill and miserable cry that resembled a pig being slaughtered ripped through the air of nearly the entire Demon Imperial City. After a jerking contortion, Duke Han, who had just launched his body into the air, fell back down to the ground in a wretched heap… a completely hoarse cry ripped through the air, as if it was enduring the world’s most cruel torture.
All the audience widened their eyes in alarm and fear… they could clearly see that Duke Han’s hands were being burned by two clusters of scarlet gold flames!!
Golden Crow Flames!!
These two clusters of Golden Crow Flames were not vigorous or frantic, not slow or fast, not warm or hot; they merely continued to burn, and in the blink of an eye, they had scorched nearly all the flesh on this level six Monarch’s hands, exposing the white bone beneath. Following that, even the white bones began to glow luminously as they were being burned up, and both of Duke Han’s hands had completely vanished from the top of his arms….
“ARRRGGGGHHHHH….”
Duke Han yelled as if his life depended on it and rolled around frantically as he desperately tried to use his profound energy to resist these voracious flames. But the two clusters of scarlet gold flames which looked very mild continued to burn in steady fashion, without being impeded in anyway. Following his frantic rolling and slapping, the scarlet gold flame had even spread to his chest, his waist and his thighs…. In the blink of an eye, there were more than ten clusters of scarlet gold flames burning on his body, and his arms had already been burnt to half their former length.
Duke Han’s wretched cries were as sad and shrill as the wailing of a demon from the bowels of hell. His whole body spasmodically writhed and contorted, his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets from the sheer pain and the blue veins on his forehead clearly bulged and writhed on his forehead like an earthworm!
The scarlet gold flames still maintained its initial speed as it soundlessly burned; it was so mild that it almost seemed graceful, yet it devoured a Monarch’s body inch by inch. All of Duke Han’s struggles, and his powerful profound strength of a level six Monarch, was actually unable to do anything to impede or obstruct these flames at all.
Boundless shock and fear appeared on the faces of all those present. Duke Han was a member of the Illusory Demon Royal Family; his body contained a thin amount of the Golden Crow bloodline and he also cultivated a fire-based profound art. In regards to fire, his body had an extremely strong resistance to it…. Moreover, as a level six Monarch, he had a profound strength that was viewed as godly by most profound practitioners!
But under these two small cluster of flames…. Within the span of a dozen breaths… an entire one-third of his body had vanished….
“Duke… Duke… Duke Han….” One member of Duke Zhong Palace extended a violently shaking arm as he took one step forward, as if he wanted to think of a way to extinguish the flames on Duke Han’s body.
“Do not go any further!!” One person doggedly held on to him and desperately retreated after that…. If they came into contact with a flame that was strong enough to burn a level six Monarch’s body into ashes, they were simply courting death!
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock and horror and their mouths gaped open. Watching Duke Han frantically twist and contort his body while he burned and listening to his miserable and wretched wails had caused the bodies of all the onlookers to go completely cold. In that instant, they even felt that they had been plunged into hell’s purgatory, where they were watching a sinner get baptized in the flames of purgatory as his “just rewards”….
“Little Demon Empress… spare me…. Little… Demon Empress… spare me…. Ah…. UWAAAAHHHHH….”
No one could imagine just how great the pain must have been to cause a level six Monarch to let out such a miserable scream, to cause a level six Monarch to beg in such an extremely unsightly manner, unbefitting of his status…. The scarlet gold flames had spread to his entire body and gradually, all of his struggles and screams were completely devoured by the flames.
When these scarlet gold flames had finally extinguished themselves, Duke Han’s body had completely vanished from that spot; the same as Duke Zhong who had recently died, not a single trace of his remains were left.
Throughout the entire process, looks of shock and horror appeared on the faces and eyes of the entire audience, and it did not dissipate in the slightest. In the entire great hall, only the Little Demon Empress was completely expressionless from start to finish; it was as if she was witnessing a spectacle that was simply too common.
Thud….
Among the group of people closest to where Duke Han was, a level nine Overlord from Duke Huai Palace was so paralyzed with fear that his body knelt to the ground. The other profound practitioners, the lowest being Thrones and the highest being Monarchs, all had horror etched full in their pupils.
As unparalleled and matchless existences in the eyes of the common folk, this was the first time in their lives that they felt that they were truly so tiny….
“This… this isn’t possible….” Duke Huai’s pupils kept contracting as he refused to believe what he was witnessing, refused to believe that such a power existed in this world…. and especially refused to believe that this power actually belonged to the Little Demon Empress.
“What…. What…. What kind of strength is that?” Mu Yubai desperately sucked in cold air. As someone who was fiercely loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan, watching the returning Little Demon Empress become so strong should have caused him to go wild with joy. But the scene he had just witnessed… a level six Monarch’s painful and terrifying death… actually caused the shock and fear in his heart to far exceed the astonishment and joy. Because this was basically a kind of… terrifying power which should not exist in this world.
“Even if her bloodline is awakened, it still should not be… terrifying to this extent….” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s eyes were wide open as he muttered to himself in a rather dazed manner.
“This strength…. Could it be some sort of special favor shown by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit?” Yun Qinghong’s eyes had become slightly dull…. The power he had just witnessed far surpassed all of his knowledge or understanding. This was no longer a power that could be categorized as “strong,” it could be said to be termed “heaven-defying.”
Yun Che shook his head instead and replied, “This can be regarded as her secret.”
Everyone had been astounded by the strength shown by the Little Demon Empress, but no one knew that her current power had come from her thirst for vengeance and she had given her very life in exchange for it…. and if one really wanted to include that as well, it also came at the price of her virginity.
“Yun He, Yun Jiang, Yun Xi.” The Little Demon Empress said once more and these short six words were like six icy needles boring through the hearts and souls of all who were present, causing their entire bodies to freeze up in cold, “Quickly apprehend Duke Huai! If anyone dares to interfere… this empress will kill that person!”
“If one person blocks me, this empress will kill one person! If one hundred people block me, this empress will kill one hundred people. If the entire world blocks me, this empress will baptize this world in its blood!!”
This detached and cold-blooded voice mightily shook the souls of all who were present. At this moment, everyone was met with the incomparably clear realization that… the Little Demon Empress who had returned after four months was definitely not the Little Demon Empress that they were familiar with!
“…Yes!!”
The same response was given but the tone had become completely different from what it was before. The auras of these three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, who had been through countless trials and tribulations, immediately underwent a great a change. Three old hands filled with a thick and robust lightning profound energy directly extended toward Duke Huai. Before, when they had rushed towards Duke Huai, whether it was movement of power, they were still thirty percent conservative and seventy percent apprehensive. But now, they were extremely fierce and severe, their profound energy quickly surged around them and it even carried the ear-splitting sound of thunder.
“Who dares to touch his highness?!”
The number of experts Duke Huai had under him far surpassed the imagination of the common man. Without exaggerating in the slightest, it could be said that more than seventy percent of the Monarchs in Demon Imperial City had thrown their lot in with Duke Huai’s faction! Today was Duke Huai’s grand ascension ceremony, so he had a large number of experts at his side…. Duke Huai himself was also a mid-stage Monarch, so the each and every one of the people who were qualified to be his bodyguards were the strongest of the strong within Illusory Demon Realm! The one with the lowest power was a mid-stage Monarch as well!!
These kind of ultimate powerhouses whom common folk might not see once in their lives, whom were viewed as fairy tales in their eyes… just today alone, in this Demon Imperial Hall, Duke Huai had seventeen such people by his side!!
This was only counting his personal bodyguards who were fiercely loyal to Duke Huai Palace…. It categorically did not take into account the peak powers that were the Guardian Families and the other Duke Palaces which had already rallied to his side.
When the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family took action, four differently garbed people appeared from the empty air behind Duke Huai and blocked their advance as they abruptly clashed with the three Grand Elders. Every single one of these people was awash with an extremely robust and thick aura…. It was actually an aura that was so strong that it completely matched the auras of Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi.
“Lu Zhanfeng, Bai Jinghong, Tang Luanli, Xiao Qingshan, the ‘Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky’ who shook the southern border seven hundred years ago!!” In the corner of the great hall, an old person cried out in alarm, and the four names that he uttered were like four thunderclaps in everyone’s ears.
In this world, if someone becomes a monarch, his name would shake the heavens! Especially the profound practitioners outside Demon Imperial City, if they could become Monarchs, they would become outstandingly famous, and even after many generations, they still would not be forgotten.
“The ‘Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky’….” Astonishment colored the face of Yun Qinghong, “These were world-shaking people that your grandfather used to mention often all those years ago. Seven hundred years ago, they had already become Monarchs and after that there was little news of them, I had thought that they had already gone back to their homeland to live in seclusion…. But who would have thought that they had already long ago come under Duke Huai Palace!”
“…It looks like the ambitions of Duke Huai Palace were birthed far earlier than even what we had guessed.” Yun Che said with sunken brows.
“All these years, we had never dared to underestimate the power of Duke Huai Palace.” Yun Qinghong said as his brows knit tightly together, “But it was only in these four months that we became truly aware that Duke Huai Palace’s true power had already far exceeded our previous estimates! In less than three days after the news of the Little Demon Empress’ death at Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had spread, the entire Demon Imperial City had already completely fallen under the control of Duke Huai Palace, we did not even have the chance to react. Sigh….”
Yun Che shook his head, “Father, you don’t need to feel so defeated. If it is just Duke Huai alone, he definitely won’t have this kind of capability. It’s that Duke Ming, he is simply too scary…. In these few hundred years, the entire Illusory Demon Realm has been dancing in the palm of his hand, but no one was aware of it! Everything that has happened has all happened according to the plans that he has orchestrated…. However, the calculations of man can never ever exceed the whims of heaven!” Yun Che raised his head, looked at the Little Demon Empress and said in a low voice, “Yet the epilogue of his perfect plan has forced out a half-god…”
“Half-god?” Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou stared blankly as they replied.
“Now I would very much like to see if the great power that Duke Ming has carefully and methodically gathered over all these years… can stand up to the wrath and the fire of an angry god!!”
Chapter 620 - Endless Deterrence
The Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky faced off against the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, but before the seven Monarchs could clash together, a distortion in the air had twisted into a gigantic vortex.
The movement of the three Grand Elders immediately slowed and at this time, the air above warped once more as three more people appeared from the empty air. As they explosively descended to the ground, their aura… practically did not lose in any way to those of the Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky.
Ten great Monarchs, and all of them were mid or late stage Monarchs at that… their auras intermingled with one another, and like the billows of a vast ocean, they hid the sky and covered the earth.
The combined power of seven Monarchs working together… this was a power that normal people didn’t even dare imagine! Besides Demon Imperial City, the rest of the regions within the Illusory Demon Realm, even if it was the biggest Sky Demon City, would not be able to present seven Monarchs. Even though the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family were strong, they were definitely not going to be able to come near Duke Huai if he was under the protection of seven mid to late stage Monarchs.
At this time, an aura that was exceedingly scorching hot suddenly enveloped the air and descended… This was clearly an aura of blazing heat, but the moment it descended, the entire audience to felt a sudden chill run through their body.
Following the distortion of the air, under the stunned gaze of all those present, the Little Demon Empress’ figure appeared between the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family and the seven great Monarchs. On her body, a scarlet gold figure of the Golden Crow materialized for an instant, and following that, it released an endlessly blazing splendor….
In a split second, the entire great hall, and even all the space that lay within the audience’s line of sight became covered in a red glow.
“This is….” Yun Che couldn’t help but yell in a low voice, “Golden Crow Third Realm —— Burning Sun Rupture!”
In the air that had turned a scarlet red, the endless and boundless Golden Crow Flames swiftly agglomerated as it became a blazing hot, eye-scorching but divine and sacred figure of the Golden Crow. It tore apart the scarlet red world, penetrated through space and flew towards the seven Monarchs who stood in front of Duke Huai….
In an instant, the gathered power of those seven great Monarchs, which was strong enough to destroy a city, disappeared into thin air. The world around them began fracturing into countless small pieces, and this was followed by the space completely collapsing. In that instant, their sight and their thoughts were not occupied with any other existences, there was only that endless scarlet red flame sea….
The messages that their powerful mental energy relayed to him… was that these flames had already invaded their bodies and had even invaded their very souls. Under these flames, their Monarch level physical and spiritual resistance were completely useless, and did not provide even a shred of resistance.
Bang!!!
Amidst the explosive fracturing sound, the fire light which filled the sky contracted and dispersed completely and the seven Monarchs flew out into the distance like seven broken sacks; their heads, body and four limbs were completely enshrouded by the scarlet-gold flames… Even the souls inside their bodies were being mercilessly burned away by these flames.
The seven Monarchs crazily rolled about on the ground as they wailed in anguished pain… They finally knew why exactly Duke Han had let out such miserable and wretched screams. The sensation of being burned by the Golden Crow Flames were like countless blades cutting and gouging every inch of flesh and every nerve in their body. Despite their mental fortitude which was far greater than that of a normal person, they could only endure it for a few breaths before wishing for instant death.
A Monarch’s last-ditch attack when he or she had descended into despair was originally something that was extremely terrifying, but these seven Monarchs only cried out and wailed, and not a single one of them had launched an attack in despair which would release all their profound strength…. Because if they even tried to activate their profound energy, it would instantly be incinerated.
As for those experts belonging to Duke Huai Palace who were waiting in the shadows and preparing to rush forward to protect Duke Huai, they felt their bodies come to a rigid standstill, their entire bodies shaking like a sieve as they did not dare to take another step forward…. Ten breaths later, the crying and the wailing stilled, the Little Demon Empress slowly raised her hand and she casually squashed the flame in the palm of her hand.
Bang!!
The Golden Crow flames that were burning on the seven Monarch’s bodies exploded at the same time and dispersed into flame fragments which filled the sky. The bodies within that conflagration also followed the fate of those free-flying fragments of Golden Crow flames, and disappeared completely.
Duke Zhong… Duke Han… The seven experts from Duke Huai Palace….
These nine people died terrible deaths under the hands of the Little Demon Empress… and they could not even put up a single shred of resistance, and none of them were some random side character… they were all nine genuine, tried and tested Monarchs!!
Even in Demon Imperial City, Monarchs were as rare as phoenix feathers. The death of any Monarch, even one of the lowest level, was enough to send the entire Illusory Demon Realm into a tizzy!
But today, in the blink of an eye, nine Monarchs…. and eight of these Monarchs had even been mid to late stage Monarchs, had all died horribly under the hands of the Little Demon Empress… The entire process did not consist of any earth-shaking collisions or world-shaking explosions. The Little Demon Empress only waved her dainty little hands a few times and caused a few beams of fire to appear… and nine great Monarchs were now ashes scattered to the wind.
The process was so simple that it was akin to stepping on nine tiny little ants.
“This empress has said, no matter who it is, if they dare to obstruct or impede me, only one fate awaits them…. Death!!” The Little Demon Empress slowly turned around. She had the most exceedingly beautiful features in the world and her figure was far more fragile and delicate looking than most normal girls. If any man saw this kind of girl, his breath should be taken away and he should be overcome by a fierce desire to protect and possess this girl. But not a single person present right now dared to use those kind of eyes to look at her anymore; anyone who was raked over by her cold and detached gaze would feel their entire body instantly stiffen up. It was as if they were plunged into the coldest ice in the world, and even their blood felt like it was going to completely freeze over.
This was a kind of frightful suppressive power that they had never experienced before in their lives… They even felt that if the Little Demon Empress was willing, she could use this suppressive power alone to smash their bodies into little pieces.
The heavy suppressive feeling aside, there was an even heavier feeling of fear. Because the Little Demon Empress was simply too merciless in her actions…. No, her actions were simply too cruel and malicious. Nine Monarchs, every one of them possessing great fame and status in the Illusory Demon Realm, and Duke Zhong and Duke Han had even belonged to the Illusory Demon Royal Family. But she struck out at every single one of them, without any warning and without a hint of hesitation or mercy. Once she made her move, she condemned them to death immediately…. Before they could die, these nine Monarchs had to suffer unbearable pain, and after they died… not even a trace of ash was left of them.
She was so decisive in dealing with Dukes and Monarchs…. that there was no need to talk about others!!
The present Little Demon Empress had seemed to morph into a terrifying death god…. A grim reaper who with a touch would condemn a person to certain death!!
Duke Huai’s pupils had long ago contracted into pinholes and the calm that he possessed before had completely given away to abject terror. The Little Demon Empress’ sudden return may have caused him to startled and astonished but it was not enough to cause him to feel helpless, because even if he faced the Little Demon Empress, he had the overwhelming advantage in power… But, after this short span of time, the scenario had been completely overturned, and the Little Demon Empress displayed power played out like a nightmare before his very eyes.
He had always thought that his own father, Duke Ming, was unrivaled under heaven. Even though he had never seen the true limits of Duke Ming’s power, he could definitely confirm that his own father, Duke Ming… definitely could not send seven mid to late stage Monarchs to their deaths in one move!!
This was a strength that was not supposed to exist in this world, a strength that had never before appeared in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm!!
The Duke Palaces who had thrown their lot in with Duke Huai had become completely flabbergasted. The Helian, Chiyang, Jiufang, Nangong, Lin, Xiao and Bai clans had completely lost their voice and only their throats moved in agitation. These seven impressive and awe-inspiring Patriarchs of these Families, were completely drenched in cold sweat and for a few of them, even their legs began shaking in fear…. Even those Duke Palaces and Guardian Families that had been devoted to the Demon Emperor’s clan had fallen completely silent due to fear, and no one dared to breathe.
Duke Zhong died, Duke Han died… and seven Monarchs were exterminated in one move!
This was the heaviest and most terrifying show of deterrence in the history of the entire Illusory Demon Realm!!
“What are you waiting for?! Swiftly capture Duke Huai!!”
The cold shout of the Little Demon Empress roused the three Grand Elders from their dreamlike daze, and they once again rushed towards the dispirited Duke Huai. This time, even though many auras appeared in the space behind Duke Huai, nobody rushed in front of Duke Huai to block the way.
Becoming a Monarch was the highest goal that every profound practitioner sought to attain. Every single Monarch was the product of countless amount of time, effort and resources spent attaining that goal in addition to having opportunities that could only be given and not begged for. After reaching this level, they had thought that they no longer needed to fear anything, because they had reached the peak of heaven and earth and nothing would be able to crush them anymore.
But today, to their boundless shock and horror, they discovered that… in front of the Little Demon Empress, they were as small as dust, and that in front of her, there was practically no difference between them and a newborn infant.
They could die…. but if a Monarch were to die, he wanted to die in a desperate struggle and leave in a world-shaking manner. But those nine Monarchs who had died at the hands of the Little Demon Empress, they had died deaths that were incomparably pitiful and pathetic. With these nine as leading examples… any person who rushed forward to protect Duke Huai would also meet a similar end.
So why would they willingly use the body of a Monarch which had given them a lifetime of glory to bear that weight… it would only be vainly going up to be incinerated.
“Duke Huai, surrender yourself without any further resistance!!”
Amidst the refuse rebuke, the profound handles of the three Grand Elders appeared and tightly locked in on Duke Huai, who had completely lost his wits. Three strong streams of lightning profound energy firmly sealed off Duke Huai’s movement from all directions. Duke Huai seemed to have lost all his courage and he just stood there in a daze, with completely hollow eyes. He actually did not put up a struggle and he was easily suppressed by the onrushing Yun He.
“Duke… Duke Huai….”
Within Duke Huai Palace, those previously excessively arrogant directly related dukes as well as those core experts, all of their pupils were dilated and their bodies shrank back in fear. They helplessly watched Duke Huai be captured by the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family but not one of them dared to advance. The Little Demon Empress’ back was to them, yet they all felt like there was an icy-cold knife pressed to their necks, and if they dared to make any reckless movements, they would die without a place to be buried.
“Royal Father…. Save my Royal Father…. Hurry up and save my Royal Father!!” Duke Hui Ye hoarsely yelled as his lips shook uncontrollably, “Royal Father is the new emperor of the Illusory Demon Realm… why aren’t you protecting him… protect him!!”
Duke Hui Ye shouted himself hoarse but it was clear that despite the incomparably great power that Duke Huai held and the countless peak experts who flocked to his side, no a single one of them dared to move. At this time, the Little Demon Empress slowly turned her body around and her gloomy and cold gaze fell on Duke Hui Ye’s person.
“AHHHH….” In that instant, it was as if a venomous snake had fastened itself onto Duke Hui Ye, his whole body quivered as strangled cries filled with fear and alarm proceeded from his mouth and he scrambled backwards in a most unsightly manner, tripping over himself along the way, “Do not kill this duke… do not kill this duke… this duke didn’t do anything… do not kill this duke….”
Under the terror of facing true danger to his life, the Hui Ye who normally considered himself above the rest of the world gave an appearance that was no different from a commoner who was scared for his life… no, in fact it was even more pathetic than that. His whole body laid paralyzed on the ground, he was basically unable to stand up; his entire body fiercely trembled and his face was completely pale as all the blood had drained from it… and the members of Duke Huai Palace that surrounded him, retreated away from him swiftly, as if they had smelled a bad smell that was quickly expanding….
This Duke Hui Ye had actually been so frightened that he had pissed his own pants.
The Little Demon Empress retracted her gaze… this kind of trash was not worthy of being dealt with by her personally. Merely continuing to look at him was staining her own eyes.
Despite the situation at hand, no one even thought to laugh. Looking at the current Duke Hui Ye, no one could feel even a hint of reverence for him, there was only pity and contempt. The expressions of the members of Duke Huai Palace were filled with shame and sorrow… to the point where even when Duke Hui Ye’s dirty bodily fluids had formed a puddle under him, no one had gone to support him off the ground.
Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi cooperated together and quickly locked away the profound energy of Duke Huai, who did not show the least bit of resistance. Yun He grabbed up Duke Huai and dragged him in front of the Little Demon Empress, bowing as he said, “Duke Huai has been captured, I invite the Little Demon Empress to deal with this offender.”
Given the terrifying power the Little Demon Empress had displayed thus far, killing Duke Huai was as easy as flipping her dainty little wrist. But she still had not made a move against Duke Huai and instead wanted them to capture him, so it was clear that she did not desire his death yet. Thus, the three Grand Elders had only shackled Duke Huai’s profound energy, but did not dare harm him.
It was at this time that Duke Huai’s gloomy eyes suddenly shone with a fiercely sinister and crazy scarlet light. His profound energy had clearly been shackled but his body suddenly burst out with crimson-black Fallen Devil Flames! The abruptly ignited Fallen Devil Flames were incomparably berserk, and they directly spread out over tens of meters, blasting away Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi, who had all been caught unprepared…. and the Duke Huai who was wreathed in Fallen Devil Flames reared his head up like a wild beast, and with a hoarse howl, he tore towards the position of Yun Che, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou!
Yun Qinghong was being healed by the energy Yun Che was infusing into his body and as he was heavily wounded, he could not recklessly use his profound energy. Mu Yurou was also nursing her wounds… Duke Huai’s action had caught everyone off guard… the Little Demon Empress bore witness to Duke Huai’s flight with slanted eyes but she did not make a single movement.
“Be careful!!” Mu Feiyan, Mu Yubai, Su Xiangnan, Yun Waitian and the others had all paled in alarm and yelled out hoarsely. But no one had thought that the Duke Huai, who had clearly had his profound strength shackled, would be able to instantly break that lock. Even if they wanted to help now, it was already far too late.
From the very first moment that Duke Huai Fallen Devil Flames had ignited themselves, an imperceptible change had appeared in Yun Che’s eyes. When Duke Huai suddenly rushed towards them, Yun Che’s palm had unhurriedly moved away from Yun Qinghong’s body… His face did not have any trace of panic and loss.
“Hong’er!!”
With the Heaven Smiting Sword in hand, he activated Star God’s Broken Shadow. The rest of the people only saw the afterimage blur in front of their eyes and Yun Che had already went to meet Duke Huai. Both his hands tightly grasped that vermilion giant sword as a thick and nearly pure golden flame had ignited along its length.
“Che’er!!” Mu Feiyan and the others were greatly alarmed… Duke Huai, in his madness, would clearly release all of his power! The strength of a berserking level five Monarch was not something that Yun Che could block! In a direct clash… even if Yun Che was ten times stronger, he would still die a certain death.
As the figure of Yun Che appeared in Duke Huai’s pupils, they fiercely dilated and the devil flames running along his entire body swelled to an even greater degree. He yelled in a hoarse voice that either expressed excitement or pain, “Yun Che… Die!!!”
Yun Che’s brows pinched together and his gaze was icy-cold, the Heaven Smiting Sword that was burning with pure golden flames welcome Duke Huai’s power as he did not retreat in the slightest and went in for the direct collision… because if he tried to avoid it in any way, it would be possible for Duke Huai’s power to harm Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou who were behind him.
“Golden Crow Burning World Fifth Realm —— Golden Annihilation!!”
Chapter 621 - Golden Annihilation
The enormous crimson-black Fallen Devil Flame was like the devil’s mouth, pouncing and biting at Yun Che, who only had a single weak layer of flame profound energy, but on his sword, there was a pure gold blaze which was luminous to the point that it was hard to look at.
“Che’er, quick, retreat!!”
“Young Patriarch!!”
This was Duke Huai’s crazed, full-powered attack from losing control of his emotions. Even the Little Demon Empress from four months ago would have tried to avoid a head-on collision at all costs. Based on Yun Che’s strength, this kind of power would destroy him to the point that even a dismembered corpse would not be left, without any chance of escape. Mu Feiyan and Yun Waitian shouted themselves hoarse, desperately rushing forward, but they could not reach in time… they could only watch with their own eyes as a Fallen Devil Flame of at least ten feet completely engulfed Yun Che.
However, even though he was completely engulfed by the Fallen Devil Flame, that pure gold flame continued to radiate resplendently, as if it was not obstructed a single bit. Instead, the Fallen Devil Flame was actually outshined by the pure gold flames until it was dulled considerably.
What was even more shocking was that after being engulfed by the Fallen Devil Flames, the golden flame did not get extinguished like what people had imagined, it instead continued to move forward. It actually… cut the frantic flame originating from Duke Huai right in the middle!
Apart from the two foundation stages of the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, every stage would have a corresponding Golden Crow Flame skill. Cultivating the seventh stage would enable one to comprehend an incomparably strong destructive domain.
Amongst the Golden Crow Flame skills of the seven former stages of the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World, based on the individual destructive power, it was not the sixth stage’s 【Red Purgatory Lotus】 or the seventh stage’s 【Yellow Springs Ashes】, but the fifth stage’s 【Golden Annihilation】, which was the strongest!
Pure gold flames was the Golden Crow Flames final form. Yun Che had only nine drops of the Golden Crow’s blood, even with the Fire Spirit Evil Body, his Golden Crow Flames would never reach that form. However under 【Golden Annihilation】, the Golden Crow bloodline and Golden Crow Flame’s strength would undergo an enormous amount of congealing; the Golden Crow Flames being ignited would be fundamentally different, achieving a destructive power which surpassed the body’s boundaries and limits!
Based on the purity of his Golden Crow bloodline and the stage of his Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World, the color of the Golden Crow Flame which he ignited should be scarlet gold. Yet under the Golden Annihilation, the flames which he ignited were actually pure gold without a hint of scarlet!
The limits of the legendary might of the 【Golden Annihilation】could melt anything in the world! There was nothing it could not destroy!
Duke Huai had released a level five Sovereign Profound Realm Fallen Devil Flame! However based on the level of the flame, how could the Fallen Devil Flame compare to the Golden Crow Flames! After Yun Che brandished the Heaven Smiting Sword, a golden sword blast easily split apart the sinister and terrifying Fallen Devil Flame, dividing it into two… just like a current being split into two, it was dispelled in two directions.
One of them blasted towards Mu Feiyan who was flying over, and the other blasted towards Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui who were flying over two; not one bit rippled towards Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou who were behind Yun Che.
Mu Feiyan stared blankly for a moment, then rapidly stopped his body and roared. Releasing an icy profound energy, casting it into a gigantic profound energy barrier, he locked down the entire Fallen Devil Flame which was rushing ahead. How thick was the profound strength of Mu Feiyan, a level eight Monarch. Within the short period of a few breaths, the Fallen Devil Flame was completely dispelled. On the other side, Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui combined their strength, firmly resisting the Fallen Devil Flame; the Elders of the Yun family very quickly managed to eliminate the crimson-black flames.
The golden sword blast which had split apart the Fallen Devil Flame continued forward, ruthlessly blasting Duke Huai in the chest while his eyes widened by several times, almost exploding. In a split second, the golden blast frantically discharged; the body of the Heaven Smiting Sword was embedded close to an inch, through Duke Huai’s left shoulder till his right ribs.
“Im… poss… ible…”
Duke Huai’s eyes were wide and completely blank. He mumbled incoherently as if he could not accept the scene in front of his eyes. His body reacted instinctively, exploding with an abrupt strength, blasting Yun Che in his chest.
Yun Che turned pale, blood rushed towards his mouth. Just as it reached his throat, he forcefully swallowed it. His gaze became dark as his entire body ignited with Phoenix flames. His body, which had been struck away, suddenly descended at an even quicker speed. An Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing blasted Duke Huai at his heart, causing the wound caused by the Golden Annihilation to tear to an even greater degree.
The scarlet flames exploded, causing the profound stone in a thousand feet radius to tremble. Duke Huai moaned as blood violently spurted from his body. Yun Che backflipped far away. The Heaven Smiting Sword touched the ground and he landed stably; the ends of his lips and his nose were flowing with blood, yet he had a satisfied smile on his face.
“Your highness!!”
Duke Huai was blasted away, the blood spurting out was a horrifying scene. More than a dozen Duke Huai Palace experts moved forward at the same time, wanting to receive him. Yet at the same moment, the Little Demon Empress suddenly intervened. A dazzling, blazing flame soared into the skies; like an irritable flaming snake, it firmly twisted around Duke Huai. With a flick of her wrist, the fire snake hissed, then abruptly moved downwards, smashing Duke Huai viciously into the ground, then tumbling over to the Little Demon Empress; the strong smell of intensely burnt skin permeated through the entire Demon Imperial Palace.
All of those from Duke Huai Palace who wanted to save Duke Huai all shivered, retreating as if they felt an electric shock, not daring to budge again.
“Che’er, are you alright!”
“Young Patriarch, are you alright?!”
“Relax, it’s just a light injury… at least it’s lighter than Duke Huai’s injury.” Yun Che rubbed away the bloodstain at the corner of his mouth, saying a little proudly without a single bit of weakness in his voice.
Mu Feiyan, Mu Yubai and all the Elders of the Yun Family rushed forward at this point. After all of them heaved a sigh of relief, they became astonished, yet pleasantly surprised. Mu Feiyen reached out to grab Yun Che’s shoulder. Feeling that his aura was not too disordered, he said excitedly, “Che’er, Duke Huai is a level five Monarch, his strength is not too far from your father’s… Yet you were able to resist his full-powered attack and even injured him instead! If it were your father, even he may not have been able to do that! We have not seen each other in four months, yet not only are you safe and sound… your strength has practically surpassed your father’s! This.. this… is simply…”
Yun Qinghong smiled, his face was was full of satisfaction and pride… At this point, how could he still remember about his injuries, how could he still remember that he had lost nearly half his blood essence…
Yun Che laughed and said, “Grandfather is flattering me. My current strength is still much inferior to my father’s, just now was just me pulling a fast one.”
What Yun Che had said was the truth. He had obtained the Golden Crow bloodline, the Evil God’s Lightning Seed and even absorbed a huge amount of fire profound energy within the Sea of Death, shedding his old body anew, yet it was still impossible for him to be a match for a mid stage Monarch. The instantaneous clash between him and Duke Huai was indeed a cheap trick… He didn’t actually meet Duke Huai’s full-powered Fallen Devil Flame head on. Instead, he used Golden Annihilation to slice Duke Huai’s power, then heavily damaged him. The ones who really received Duke Huai’s strength was Mu Feiyan and Yun Waitian.
“Hohoho, the Young Patriarch shouldn’t be so modest.” Yun Duanshui said beamingly, “The scene of the Young Patriarch heavily injuring Duke Huai just now, everyone present witnessed it clearly. Back then the Patriarch was known as the Illusory Demon Realm’s history’s youngest Monarch, now, the Young Patriarch is only twenty-two years old, and isn’t weaker than the Patriarch… as a part of the Yun Family, this is simply good fortune!”
Everyone from the Yun Family who were crowded at the back nodded their heads with excitement. Their eyes were full of pride; the looks which they casted upon Yun Che were incomparably scorching.
“Che’er, what you used just now… was it the Golden Crow flame?” Mu Yubai moved forward and asked. The golden flame that Yun Che had ignited was filled with an incomparably thick Golden Crow aura. As members of the Guardian Families, how could they not be familiar with it?!
“Yes!” Yun Che nodded, “When the Little Demon Empress and I were forced into the Sea of Death, the Divine Golden Crow Spirit saved us. Heh… the Demon Emperor clan is after all, the Divine Golden Crow Spirit’s only inheritors this world, how would the Divine Golden Crow Spirit allow the Demon Emperor Clan to be exterminated! After the Golden Crow Spirit saved us, not only did it awaken the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow bloodline, she was also bestowed unparalleled divine strength! Also, in remembrance of our Yun Clan’s unparalleled loyalty towards the Demon Emperor Clan, I was bestowed the Golden Crow bloodline and also allowed to cultivate the 【Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World】!”
Yun Che raised his head, then said, “Although the Divine Golden Crow Spirit has never intervened in the business of our Illusory Demon Realm, everything that has happened in the recent years in Demon Imperial City has been witnessed by it! It is perfectly clear as to who are loyal and who are not! Even though the Divine Golden Crow Spirit has bestowed upon me the Golden Crow bloodline as an individual, however, it is in fact a reward for our entire Yun Family! As for those so called Guardians, those who have forgotten their ancestors and turned back of their clans, despicable and crafty, the Divine Golden Crow Spirit will lay down divine punishment sooner or later!”
“…Good!” Mu Feiyan gripped onto Yun Che’s shoulder tightly, “Your Yun Family deserves such a favor! You, my good grandson, within the Yun Family, is the most worthy! The Divine Golden Crow Spirit surely is omniscient!”
Mu Feiyan said that as he raised his head to laugh heartily. Everyone from the Yun Family had expressions of unrestrained elatedness; several of the Yun Family Elders were excited to the point that their whole bodies were trembling. Looking up to the skies, as though they couldn’t help but kneel down, “I thank the Divine Golden Crow Spirit for this favor… Old Patriarch, do you see this…”
Yun Che did not suppress his voice a single bit. Everyone in the hall had heard what he said clearly; the words which he had said was originally meant for everyone to hear. His aim was to tell this to everyone: The Demon Emperor Clan has always been under the protection of the Divine Golden Crow Spirit!
The Golden Crow was the Illusory Demon Realm’s sacred divine beast and the Demon Emperor Clan were the inheritors of the Golden Crow bloodline. It was just that the Golden Crow Spirit always existed within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, never intervening in the business of the outside for tens of thousands of years. Up till today, in their daily lives, people still payed their respects and conducted ceremonial rites to the Golden Crow. However, subconsciously, they did not consider that the Demon Emperor Clan was under the protection of the Golden Crow Spirit, so even their reverence had gradually weakened over the years…
Yun Che’s words however, left a deep mark in everyone’s hearts… that the Divine Golden Crow Spirit was all along protecting the Demon Emperor Clan. The sudden rise in the Little Demon Empress’ heaven-opposing strength was irrefutable evidence! So much so that the entire Demon Imperial City, and even the Illusory Demon Realm, has always been watched by it.
Once that psychological mark was left, the reverence towards the Demon Emperor Clan of the Illusory Demon Realm would multiply by countless of times; it would be hard to find someone who would dare think of rebelling.
The ambience within the Demon Imperial Hall experienced a subtle change for a moment. Those who had long since defected to Duke Huai Palace suddenly withdrew, their faces filled with a deep terror. The seven Patriarchs and the Dukes present all started to sweat profusely. Looking at the devastated state that Duke Huai was in, on the ground, along with the members of the Duke Huai Palace who were frightened stiff, Jiufang Kui and Chiyang Bailie who had slightly weaker psychological resilience started to sway. Both their legs became soft, almost falling flat on the ground many times.
Also, the looks at which people viewed the Yun Family had changed drastically. Everyone present had very clearly witnessed the Golden Crow flames that Yun Che had ignited. And it was not simply the case of a bestowal of bloodline! That was because after the Demon Emperor Clan, a second Family which inherited the Golden Crow bloodline was born!
Also, because the Little Demon Empress was the last remaining person from the Demon Emperor Clan, moreover was a female, the Demon Emperor clan was fated to perish. Instead, Yun Che who also possessed the Golden Crow bloodline could continue to pass on the bloodline, that was to say, after the Little Demon Empress, the ones who possessed the Golden Crow’s bloodline and strength would be the Yun Family!
That would mean, the Yun Family would be the ones who would receive the protection of the Divine Golden Crow Spirit!!
Anyone would know what that signified!
The Little Demon Empress glanced at Yun Che indifferently. Not even looking at Duke Huai who was by the side of her feet, emotionless words spilled from her lips, “Profound Handle Soul Search!”
Although Duke Huai’s injuries were not light, he was not at the state where he could not even stand. However he was silently suppressed by the Little Demon Empress’ profound energy, as if his whole body was pressed down by the heavens. Nevermind standing, he couldn’t even gasp for breath or speak. Hearing the Little Demon Empress’ voice, the only thing he could do was to open his eyes as wide as he possibly could.
“Wait… wait a moment…” an elder whose whole body emitted the aura of a Monarch from Duke Huai Palace stood out. As a mediator for Duke Huai Palace, he knew clearly the consequences if Duke Huai underwent the Profound Handle Soul Search in front of the heroes of the realm…
However the moment he spoke up, the Little Demon Empress suddenly shot her icy gaze over. He did not even finish his words, and a blaze shot over, transforming into a flaming python, twisting firmly around his body. Following that….
BOOM!!
The flaming python exploded, causing the elder’s body to transform into flaming bits, scattering in the air.
The speed at which the Little Demon Empress had attacked was incomparably terrifying. The moment the elder from Duke Huai Palace had opened his mouth, his entire body was burnt into bits. When people finally reacted, the previous terrors which they had only just calmed themselves from had presented itself in front of them again. Those around the elder had fallen, paralyzed on the ground; their terror-stricken eyes were practically split open.
“You may begin.”
Those three cold words knocked icily on everyone’s minds. She had absolutely no emotions on her face, absolutely no fluctuations, as if she had not just killed an immensely powerful Monarch, but just burnt a tiny little insect.
This time, no one from Duke Huai Palace made a sound. Everybody trembled, having their guts destroyed again and again from the fear and terror. The entire hall was silent to the point that one could hear a pin drop; even the sounds of breathing could not be heard. Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi moved forward… They were extremely careful when walking, afraid to even make the slightest sound.
The Little Demon Empress of today was simply too terrifying.
And amongst everyone present, the only person who truly understood why the Little Demon Empress had become so cruel and heartless was Yun Che. He looked at Duke Huai on the ground and said in a low voice to Mu Feiyan and Mu Yubai, “Grandfather, Uncle, I beg you to protect my father and mother… Duke Ming is currently hiding! Sooner or later, when he becomes impatient… he will be the biggest threat!”
Mu Feiyan and Mu Yubai were inwardly shocked. Not asking much, they nodding slightly. Behind them, the various elders of the Yun Family who had heard Yun Che’s voice all tensed up, becoming vigilant, storing up their profound energy and waiting to take action.
Chapter 622 - The Illusory Demon Realm Awakening from its Nightmare
To perform the Profound Handle Soul Search on a Monarch, even it was just a Monarch who was in the initial stages, would still be extremely hard to accomplish. But Duke Huai had been heavily wounded, seared by the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow flames, and his heart and soul had descended into complete chaos, so he was entirely suppressed by her. Neither his body nor soul had any power to resist anymore. In addition to this, Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi had assaulted him with their Profound Handles, and it only took a single attempt before a Profound Handle penetrated into Duke Huai’s soul.
The pain and fierce expression that Duke Huai had on his face gradually disappeared, giving way to a dazed and slack look. His eyes had also become dull and lifeless as well, like two empty holes.
“Little Demon Empress, Duke Huai has already been submitted to the Profound Handle Soul Search. If you have any questions, please ask them. He will say everything that he knows without the ability to lie.” As Yun He spoke, he had slightly bowed and had unconsciously moderated his breathing. Being only a few steps away from the Little Demon Empress, that kind of extremely oppressive aura made him feel like all the blood in his body had stopped flowing. Initially, when he had met the Little Demon Empress, or even met with the previous Emperor, he had never felt this kind of sensation.
As Yun He finished, he cautiously withdrew. The hundred thousand people gathered in the Demon Imperial Hall had fallen completely silent, and all eyes were focused on the Little Demon Empress. Before she opened her mouth, no one would dare to utter a single sound.
She had already been the Little Demon Empress for a hundred years, and her status should already have been elevated to the ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm, but today, it was the first time that she had truly become its master. Gender, age, qualifications, none of it mattered anymore. Whether she was the final descendant the Demon Emperor or not mattered even less. Because right now, she held absolute strength!
Regardless of the world, it was only if one held absolute strength that one could become an absolute ruler, and it was only then that one could become a true Emperor. This principle was something that she had been clear about ever since she was young. The hundred years she had ruled as the Little Demon Empress had also confirmed the truth of this principle for her time and time again.
The Little Demon Empress did not approach Duke Huai. Instead, she turned around and said in an apathetic voice, “Yun Che, come and perform the interrogation.”
“Yes!” Yun Che had seemed to guess that the Little Demon Empress would do this, so he answered without being the least bit surprised.
Yun Che kept the Heaven Smiting Sword and walked towards Duke Huai. He bent his head and looked at the person who was, just two hours ago, causing the world to tremble as he was about to ascend to the throne of the Demon Emperor. But now, he knelt there like a dead dog, his entire body covered in blood, his eyes dull and lifeless. Even an unarmed and defenseless commoner would take pity on the current Duke Huai.
There were still many of the peak powerhouses and enormous forces that his Duke Huai Palace had bribed that were still in the vicinity, but not a single person came forward to save him. In fact, not a single person even came forward to speak a word in his favor… Because any who would dare to do such a thing had already died terrible deaths.
The focus of all those gazes swivelled to Yun Che as he strode forward. Yun Che surveyed his surroundings and met all those gazes boldly. After that, his brows faintly sunk and he declared in a loud voice, “All those who are in attendance here today should know that my Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search will cause the mind of the person who has been submitted to it to wander, so that person will definitely not be in control of himself! Any words that he says will come from his own memory, and it definitely will not be false… So all of you need to prick up your ears to have a good listen to what this Duke Huai is going to say… and see just what kind of trash this person whom you nearly made the new sovereign of the Illusory Demon Realm really is, this person whom countless of people were willing to abandon the Little Demon Emperor for and fought tooth and nail to serve!!”
Yun Che turned his body and gazed at Duke Huai as he coldly exclaimed, “Duke Huai, let me ask you! All those years ago, how exactly did the those people from the Profound Sky Continent manage to suddenly invade our Illusory Demon Realm?!”
The gathered crowd originally thought that Yun Che would ask whether he had tried to harm the Little Demon Empress so as to establish his villainy. But who would have thought that he actually asked a question that everyone knew the answer to. Because of this, the faces of the audience were immediately filled with astonishment.
Duke Huai opened his lips and slowly uttered a reply, “It was my royal father… with a dimension transmission art… he informed the Profound Sky Continent… that the Mirror of Samsara which belonged to the Demon Emperor’s clan hid the secret of advancing to the Divine Profound Realm… and with that, he managed to entice them to come over…”
Because he could not consciously control it, Duke Huai’s voice was a bit hoarse, but it was clear enough for everyone to hear what he was saying. Every word that he said was like profound lightning that flashed across a clear sky; they were so shocking that they caused everyone’s face to lose color in extreme horror.
“This… this… this… this isn’t possible!” An old man tottered to his feet, his face filled with alarm, and no matter what, he could not bring himself to believe the words that he had just heard. The “royal father” that Duke Huai spoke of was naturally none other than Duke Ming, who had disappeared more than a hundred years ago. That Duke Ming who had an extremely high profound cultivation and extremely good reputation, who was always smiling…
“What is going on…”
“The invasion on the Profound Sky Continent was actually… this… what exactly…”
The Demon Imperial Hall immediately flew into an uproar, and the expression of every person present had undergone a huge change. Especially the Guardian Families and various Duke Palaces, they were all so shocked that their eyes were wide open and their mouths had grown slack while their very souls began to tremble… Every single one of them began to detect that something was not normal — This was the Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search, so anything said by Duke Huai could not be false!
Perhaps, his crime was not so simple as merely attempting to commit regicide against the Little Demon Empress. In the shadows of Duke Huai Palace… there was perhaps an even more terrifying scheme that was still hidden away.
The reactions of all who were present was naturally more than normal to Yun Che. He stared directly at Duke Huai and continued, “I will ask you something else. The fact that the invaders from the Profound Sky Continent knew our Demon Imperial City like the back of their hands and were able to come and go as they pleased, was this due to the secret support of your Duke Huai Palace?”
“Yes.” Duke Huai opened his mouth and sluggishly uttered one word. That simple, short word was undoubtedly a bomb that was thrown into the Demon Imperial Hall.
Yun Che ignored the cries of shock that entered his ears and continued with a wooden face, “Now, honestly and sincerely tell everyone this, the previous Demon Emperor… just how did he die?!”
When Yun Che suddenly asked this question, he caused everyone to immediately hold their breaths. The previous Demon Emperor had personally pursued the invaders from the Profound Sky Continent and, in his rage, he had impulsively rushed into the teleportation formation to the Profound Sky Continent. After that, all communication had been lost… this was the “truth” that the people of the Illusory Demon Realm all knew. But Yun Che’s question clearly implied certain things, and coupled with Duke Huai’s previous replies, both of these things caused a feeling of dread to cover the hearts and souls of all who were present.
The answer to this question was a secret that Duke Huai could never disclose to anyone else. But under the compulsion of the Profound Handle Soul Search, he could only blindly obey, “It was my royal father… he took advantage of the Demon Emperor’s lack of precaution towards him… and smashed him into the teleportation profound formation that would send him to the Profound Sky Continent… causing him to travel directly to the other side of the spatial tunnel… into the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that was already lying in wait for him…”
Clamor————
The entire great hall immediately exploded into noise. Shock, fury, sorrow, and disbelief filled every nook and cranny, and even the people from Duke Huai Palace had expressions that were completely dumbfounded as they did not dare believe any of the words that they had just heard… and the forces who had sworn loyalty to Duke Huai started to tremble all over; there were a fair amount of people that directly swooned to the ground, their entire body soaked in cold sweat.
“Abomination… abomination!!” Mu Feiyan fists were so tight that every joint on his hand had turned white. The horrifying guess that Yun Che had brought up four months ago… was in the end still a guess. But after personally hearing the answer from Duke Huai’s mouth, his heart nearly exploded on the spot out of anger. And if he, a person who had already been mentally prepared for such an answer, reacted thus, how do you think the others fared?
It had been more than a hundred years since the previous Demon Emperor had met with calamity, and the truth that everyone knew was that he was harmed by the people of the Profound Sky Continent… But no one, even in their wildest dreams, had imagined that the true perpetrator behind the previous Demon Emperor’s death was actually Duke Huai Palace! Furthermore, it was clearly a scheme that had been meticulously hatched and premeditated!
“My grandfather brought along ten martyrs of the Yun Family to advance to the Profound Sky Continent, but when they had just arrived, they were immediately ensnared in the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that had lain in wait for them… Was it also a wicked deed that was caused by your Duke Huai Palace?!” Yun Che coldly exclaimed.
“Yes… it was my royal father… who told those of the Profound Sky Continent… when and where the Demon King would make his entrance…” Duke Huai muttered.
Bang!!
Tens of seats, along with a large swathe of ground, were instantly destroyed where the Yun Family was located. The three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, along with the various elders who had followed Yun Canghai all those years ago, all stood there, gnashing their teeth as their faces became flushed with blood, and they could barely hold themselves back from rushing up and tearing Duke Huai to shreds with their bare hands.
“And the Little Demon Emperor, just who killed him? How did he die?!” Yun Che pressed on relentlessly.
“On the wedding night of the Little Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress… he went alone to pay his respects to the previous Demon Emperor… and he was killed by my royal father… and before he died, my royal father used a soul invading technique to plunder all of the Little Demon Emperor’s memories… after that, he tossed the Little Demon Emperor’s corpse… into the spatial profound formation… and sent him to the Profound Sky Continent as well…”
“Four months ago, in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, who was it that wanted to force the Little Demon Empress into the Sea of Death?!”
“It was my royal father… and I…”
“What was your true purpose for enticing the people of the Profound Sky Continent into invading the Illusory Demon Realm?!”
“We wanted to use the people of the Profound Sky Continent… to plunge Demon Imperial City into chaos… so that we could murder both the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor and then pin all the crimes on them as well…”
“You are dukes of the Illusory Demon Royal Family! Why did you do such heinous things to the house of the Demon Emperor?!”
“My royal father was not content to serve… so he wanted to rise up above them instead…”
“Then, when did your royal father, Duke Ming, harbor such an ambition?!” Yun Che faintly narrowed his eyes.
Duke Huai opened his mouth but nothing proceeded from it… it was clear that it was something even he did not know.
Yun Che’s questions and Duke Huai’s answers, every single one of them shook the souls and shocked the hearts of those present. Every single word was like a huge sledgehammer pounding away at their hearts and souls. Gradually, after their fury and shock had reached its zenith, what was birthed was astonishingly an icy-cold dread…
For the past hundred years, all the people of the Illusory Demon Realm had thought that it was those of the Profound Sky Continent that had caused the deaths of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. It was the inhabitants of Profound Sky Continent that had left the Demon Emperor’s clan bereft of a heir and had caused the Yun Family to fall into decline. It was the evil villains of the Profound Sky Continent who had brought about the greatest calamity to befall the Illusory Demon Realm since its formation ten thousand years ago… With that, all the living beings of the Illusory Demon Realm became filled with hate and resentment towards the beings of the Profound Sky Continent. It was to the extent that the first thing most newborn children learned was that the residents of the Profound Sky Continent were the Illusory Demon Realm’s eternally detested enemies!
And it was only now that they found out, to their shock and horror, that everything that they had held as truth was actually a lie… The entire Illusory Demon Realm and all of those present had been dancing in the palm of the true villain all this while!
And the devil who had caused the deaths of the previous Demon Emperor, the Little Demon Emperor, and the Demon King and had caused great suffering to the entire Illusory Demon Realm… was no less than the person that they had worshipped in this divine and sacred Demon Imperial Hall. They had even planned to make this person… the new emperor!
If not for the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che’s return… besides the Yun and Mu Families, who were prepared to engage in a life-or-death struggle, all of those present would become the most tragic objects of ridicule in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm.
Shock, horror, and fury filled the hearts and minds of every single person as sweat drenched their backs. It was as if they had been trapped in a nightmare that had lasted a hundred years, and it was only today that someone had finally rescued them from it…
“Your Duke Huai Palace has done so many scandalous things that has infuriated both the gods and men. But those families who should have remained loyal to the house of the Demon Emperor and yet turned to you, they are plentiful indeed.” Yun Che said with a cold smirk, “Duke Huai, I am going to have to trouble you to recite the names of every power and family that had thrown their lots in with you… say them one by one, and don’t leave out a single faction!”
Yun Che’s words caused many of those who were present to tremble in shock and alarm. But Duke Huai had already begun to earnestly and sincerely recite. “Duke Zhong Palace… Helian Family… Chiyang Family… Jiufang Family… Duke Zi Palace… Great General Zheng Bei… Bai Family…”
Thud!!
Helian Kuang practically scrambled over on all fours, and he knelt in front of the Little Demon Empress as his entire body trembled and sounded like he was on the verge of sobbing. “Little Demon Empress… I was hoodwinked and led astray by the crafty scoundrel Duke Huai… if I had truly known that he had done such wicked things, even if I died tens of thousands of times over, I still would not have thrown my lot in with him… I… I… I was truly kept in the dark… I beg that the Little Demon Empress will perceive this clearly… I beg the Little Demon Empress to show me grace…”
“My Helian clan has been a Guardian Family for ten thousand years… I, Helian Kuang, will swear eternal loyalty to the Little Demon Empress alone from this day forth… if I dare to go back on my words… may I receive the scourge of heaven… may I be struck by lightning… Please believe me Little Demon Empress… those things done by Duke Huai Palace… I truly knew nothing about them…”
Helian Kuang’s voice grew hoarse, and he began to break down into complete incoherence. The Helian Patriarch who looked down on all under heaven had clearly been reduced to a blubbering mess by the Little Demon Empress’ oppressive might and the crimes of Duke Huai Palace. The crimes that Duke Huai had confessed to, any one of them was enough to make one’s hair stand on end. Any one of them was enough to earn the eternal enmity of the Illusory Demon Realm, and even the complete extermination of a clan to the ninth degree would not be enough to expiate the sins of these crimes! In addition, the powers and families who had stood with Duke Huai would also be painted with the same broad brush; their names would be a repugnant stench for ten thousand years, and they would never be able to emancipate themselves from this guilt.
Chapter 623 - Duke Ming Appears
Helian Kuang bitterly cried as tears fell down his face like a rainstorm. At this moment, his stomach was so filled with regret that it had turned completely green. The other families and forces, especially the ones who had been named by Duke Huai, were not just sitting there sedately either. They scrambled over themselves only to fall to the ground and begin swearing venomous oaths, declaring their loyalty, repenting, and begging for their lives in front of the Little Demon Empress amidst their shock and terror.
The Little Demon Empress’ power and might were indeed incomparably terrifying, but the crimes committed by Duke Huai Palace were far more shocking than that. Perhaps they need not fear death, but who would not fear being a hallmark of shame and rebuke, with their name being trodden on and despised for countless generations hereafter…
“Little Demon Empress, the things that Duke Huai Palace committed, we truly did not know of them… we did not know of them in the slightest…”
“If we really knew… even if we had ten thousand more guts, we still would never have associated with Duke Huai Palace whatsoever… and even that Duke Ming, I have never even seen him before…”
“Duke Huai… You… You… How could the lot of you actually be so utterly perverse and lacking in morals?! Not only did you assassinate the Demon Emperor, you also brought calamity to the entirety of the Illusory Demon Realm… These crimes, even if all of you received the condemnation of both heaven and earth and your roots were completely plucked out and burned, these punishments would still not offset your heinous deeds! If we had known… our Jiufang Family would have personally ripped you to shreds, no matter the cost…”
“Little Demon Empress, although both of us… prioritized our benefits, we… are truly ignorant regarding the matters of Duke Huai Palace. Otherwise, even if we were going to be killed, we would definitely not interact with Duke Huai Palace one bit… If any of what we have said is false, we are willing to be struck by lightning… We plead Little Demon Empress to forgive us for our ignorance… From now onwards, both of us are willing to die for the Little Demon Empress…” The ones who spoke were the two that had attacked Yun Qinghong previously, the two brothers, Bai Guihun and Bai Guiming. After they had heard Duke Huai coming out and confessing his crimes, their souls nearly dispersed in shock.
“This humble subject has always been devoted to the Demon Emperor’s clan and the Little Demon Empress… So the only reason that I threw in with Duke Huai Palace is because I thought that the Little Demon Empress had met with calamity, and I was only protecting myself… the crimes of Duke Huai Palace, this humble subject was completely unaware of them… the words of this humble subject and this humble subject’s loyalty, the sun and moon, and even the heaven and earth can attest to it…” A general who was dressed in golden armor had completely prostrated himself on the ground and was going to soon bash his head open against it.
The great hall was a field of grieving sobs, and none of those crawling on the ground were not unrivaled experts or part of prideful families. Just a mere two hours ago, they were all excessively arrogant beyond limits, but now, they wailed like the lowliest of convicts, desperately begging for forgiveness in their terror and remorse…
As for the members of Duke Huai Palace, they had all sunk to the ground, and their eyes were either filled with shock and horror or they were completely hollow. No one was able to utter even a single sound. They knew, that from today onwards, Duke Huai Palace would have no hope of reprieve. As members of Duke Huai Palace, they had been shocked and scared witless by the crimes that had been revealed.
One could still die a good death.
But, if a lifetime of prestige were to change into infamy overnight, whether they lived or died, from today onwards, they would be cursed by countless people. Even their descendants and all who were related to them would receive the contempt and rejection of the public… their ancestors too would be shamed forever because of this. This was many times more humiliating and terrifying than a simple death.
And they were currently right on the border to this hell. The crimes that Duke Huai Palace had committed were things that the Illusory Demon Realm had never witnessed before, crimes that were heinous enough to infuriate both god and man. They had indeed forsaken the Demon Emperor’s clan and sworn their loyalty to Duke Huai Palace. Once the Little Demon Empress had presided over their crimes, all their glory and honor would sink into the filthiest sludge.
Even if they had truly not known of the crimes committed by Duke Huai Palace… and even if they had never seen the long-disappeared Duke Ming.
The Little Demon Empress slowly lifted her eyes and coldly declared, “This empress is willing to believe that all of you had no knowledge whatsoever regarding the crimes committed by Duke Huai Palace.”
The words of the Little Demon Empress caused them to break out into joy immediately, but her following words were like a basin of ice-cold water thrown over their heads, piercing them to the bone. “But Duke Huai has been both openly and covertly defiant towards this empress countless of times. He has unscrupulously suppressed the powers that are loyal to this empress. So his ambition has long ago been made clear! Even if all of you were blind, you should still have been exceedingly clear on that! But all of you would rather abandon this empress and throw your lots in with Duke Huai Palace! So what you have done has been no different from open rebellion for the longest time… so do the lot of you have no sense of shame, that you are begging for mercy from this empress right now!!”
The words of the Little Demon Empress had undoubtedly fiercely pierced the weak spot of every single person here. They were exceedingly clear regarding what their actions meant and what intentions they had harbored in the depths of their heart. The Seven Families, the various Duke Palaces, and all those people who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, every single one of them was shivering uncontrollably. The only thing left for them to do was to desperately beg for mercy, declare their loyalty, and swear the most vicious of oaths.
The Little Demon Empress slowly extended her hand, her movement immediately causing everyone to hold their breaths… that tender and delicate hand which was as white as driven snow was, in their eyes, undoubtedly the hand of a death god that could instantly steal away all life.
Clang!
Following a flip of the Little Demon Empress’ hand, a short blade which radiated cold light flew out from Bai Guiming and fell in front of Duke Huai with half of the blade burying itself into the ground. The Little Demon Empress’ low voice swelled up following that, “Since you want to express loyalty… very good. Whoever amongst you personally kills Duke Huai, this empress will pardon his crimes!”
A dead silence engulfed the great hall for an instant, but following that, a surging of wave of energy exploded outwards, and it was as if the Demon Imperial Hall was being shaken by an earthquake. The people who had originally been kneeling on the ground all frantically rushed at Duke Huai, their speed and their panic surging profound energy nearly exceeding the limits of their life.
Helian Kuang was the closest, and his reaction speed was the fastest as well. He scooped up the knife that had been thrust into the ground, and with scarlet eyes, he rushed towards Duke Huai while howling with evident hatred, “Duke Huai… die!!”
His hate was without a doubt the real deal. He would naturally not blame himself for the situation he found himself in right now; rather than blaming himself for betraying the righteousness of his ancestors, he would rather push the blame entirely onto Duke Huai… All of his strength was concentrated in the short blade within his hand, and it directly lunged towards Duke Huai’s vitals. Helian Kuang resented that he could not directly cleave his body in two.
At this time, an explosion rang out in the air above them, and the rooftop of the Imperial Demon Hall had largely collapsed. A crimson black conflagration, which covered the sky and the earth, brought a scorching and tyrannically sinister energy wave along with it as it exploded downwards… before the flames had even arrived, that incomparably berserk energy wave had already caused all those who rushed towards Duke Huai to collapse to the ground, and the floor of the great hall swiftly sank before everyone’s eyes.
“It’s Duke Ming… Be careful!” Yun Che yelled in a low voice as he grabbed the Heaven Smiting Sword and rushed in front of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou.
The Little Demon Empress swung a long sleeve. Golden Crow flames surged towards the sky, and in the blink of an eye, the devilish fire that filled the sky was blown apart by the impact. Following the dissipation of the Fallen Devil flames, a figure clothed in silver robes could be seen floating in the sky far above.
“Duke… Ming!!” The people who had seen Duke Ming before let out startled cries. Even though Duke Ming had disappeared for more than one hundred years, his appearance remained completely the same as before. It was only that the “smiling appearance” that he used to display, that warmth and courtesy and that lack of princely airs, had all dissolved into thin air. At this moment, only a devilish smile was displayed on his face.
The Little Demon Empress floated in the air and came face to face with Duke Ming, her eyes giving off a bone-piercingly cold killing intent. “Duke Ming, this empress was beginning to think that you would not have the guts to show up.”
“Sigh.” Duke Ming observed the dreadful state of Duke Huai Palace below and let out a short sigh. “The victors rule the world while the losers become bandits. When this duke had initially thought of my day of victory, I had also naturally thought of the consequences of failure… It is only that this duke did not lose to any man, but has lost to the Golden Crow Divine Spirit… The strength of man, in the end, cannot compete with the strength of gods. If not, this Illusory Demon Realm would belong to this duke’s clan.”
“Duke Ming… So it really was you!!” Mu Feiyan pointed a finger at Duke Ming, and he was furious that his entire body was trembling. “The previous Demon Emperor placed such great trust in you, and all those years ago, when you desired to leave Demon Imperial City, the previous Demon Emperor and I had done our utmost to dissuade you… In those days, the Demon King told me to be wary of you, but from the beginning to the very end, I disapproved of what he had said… However, who would have thought that you were really such an ungrateful, despicable, and poisonous villain!”
“Hehe…” Duke Ming gave an apathetic bark, “The lifespan of a man, if it is short, it will last decades; if it is long, it will last millennia. But in the end, all becomes dust and is scattered to the heavens and earth; all is transient. In this short life, if one is ambitious, why would one be willing to be beneath another and become another person’s servant. If the Demon Emperor’s clan could establish themselves as the emperors of the entire realm, then why couldn’t this duke’s clan do so as well?! This duke has merely done what many average people have desired to do but had not the nerve to. I have done things that these plebeians have never even dared to dream of! So what wrong did this duke commit?! Even though I have suffered defeat today, this duke only feels dissatisfied. I have absolutely no regrets!”
“The words of Duke Ming are absolutely wrong.” Yun Che gave a dull laugh as he replied languorously.
“Oh?” Duke Ming inclined his eyes to look at Yun Che. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what this duke said that was wrong.”
“It was not anything you said explicitly. Your entire premise is wrong to being with.” Yun Che shook his head as he smiled faintly but contemptuously. “What is a human? Humans can afford to not be invincible, can afford to not have any glorious achievements, and can afford to live a life of complete mediocrity. What makes someone human is not their shape or their independent will. The most important defining and most basic characteristic of what defines humanity is our human nature, our intrinsic sense of honor and our innate sense of what is right and wrong. Duke Ming, these characteristics, do you possess them? Oh… it seems like you are nearly completely void of them. If that is the case, then what qualifications do you have to call yourself a man? In the end, you are merely a malicious beast at best.
“Since even your premise that you were a human being is completely wrong, then whatever you have said after that is merely a big pile of rubbish.
“Furthermore, you compared yourself to the clan of the Demon Emperor, that is simply the biggest joke that I’ve ever heard. Why could the Demon Emperor’s clan reign supreme for ten thousand years? It had nothing to do with the fact that they inherited the bloodline of the Golden Crow! In those years, it was the first Demon Emperor who pacified the chaos within the Illusory Demon Realm, ended the strife between humans and demons, and unified the entire Illusory Demon Realm, bringing ten thousand years of peace, prosperity, and lack of strife to the entire realm! So the Demon Emperor’s clan does possess the qualifications to rule all under heaven and to receive the obeisance of all the citizens of the realm. But you, Duke Ming … What qualifications do you have?!
“As a member of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, you have received the favor of the Demon Emperor’s clan. From birth, you had a noble status, and you enjoyed the best that the Illusory Demon Realm could offer. But not only did you not feel grateful and loyal, you actually harbored such evil intentions in your heart! You even invited wolves into the very heart of the realm and caused the Illusory Demon Realm to suffer a great crisis. You caused Demon Imperial City to descend into chaos, and even despicably and maliciously murdered the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. The Little Demon Empress had very nearly been consigned to death by you in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley as well… Not only did you not render a single service to the Illusory Demon Realm, you actually created crisis after crisis! While the Demon Emperor’s clan has the great merit of uniting the realm, you, Duke Ming, only have heinous and malevolent acts left to your name! So on what basis can you compare yourself to the Demon Emperor’s clan? How do you even possess the shamelessness to attempt to make that comparison in the first place?!
“The Demon Emperor’s clan could rule over ten thousand years and all under heaven was at peace. But you, even if your nefarious plot had succeeded, on the day where all truths come to light, you will also be destroyed under the hatred of all the people of the realm, and you will definitely not last!
“Moreover, your royal father, your grandfather, all the ancestors of your clan, what view do you think they will take towards your so-called ‘ambition?’ Do you think they will feel gratified and proud?! No! What they will feel is only pain, sadness, disgust, and anger! Yes, anger! That they could not descend from the heavens to personally throttle you to death! Because you have turned all their glory into shame, causing your clan to forever become a black stain upon history…”
“Silence!!!”
Duke Ming, who still carried a calm expression on his face despite his utter defeat, at this moment, could not help but to let out a hoarse cry filled with anger and hatred. His face distorted, and intense emotions started to ripple in those previously calm eyes. In this world, the sharpest blades were words which cut to the heart! Every sentence Yun Che uttered, every word he said, was like the sharpest of needles which fiercely drove into his most vulnerable points. This caused his originally unyielding and resolute demeanor, which allowed him to disregard everything, to be completely perforated.
He had finally personally tasted the sharpness of Yun Che’s words… and he finally understood why his own son, Duke Huai, would not only be angered to distraction by this person but would even have the shadow of this person lingering in his heart.
“Oh! Has your shame driven you to anger?” The aura that Duke Ming released in his rage was incomparably shocking, but how could Yun Che be scared because of that? He gave a gleeful smile and continued, “The victors as kings and the losers as bandits? No, no, no. That is something that can be appended to ambitious and ruthless people, it completely doesn’t suit you. Because the current you is at the very best someone who is about to endure universal scorn and abuse. A mere stray dog!”
Duke Ming’s body started to tremble, “This duke… will kill you!!”
Chapter 624 - Reign of Terror
Duke Ming roared loudly. His whole body burst into flames, and a Giant Flame Devil that was more than thirty meters tall fell from the sky as it opened its big, ferocious mouth and stormed towards Yun Che.
The pressure from the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm completely suffocated Mu Feiyan, even with his power. However, the Giant Flame Devil had only flown for less than thirty meters when a streak of scarlet-gold flames burned across the sky, and as soon as it touched the Giant Flame Devil, it was as if fierce flames touched rotten wood, and the Giant Flame Devil instantly burst into flames. In the blink of an eye, the crimson-black Giant Flame Devil became the color of scarlet-gold. Its figure twisted, and it roared in deep agony… Before long, it was burned to ashes, and became sparks that shattered to bits in the sky.
Even though everyone had already experienced the extremely terrifying powers of the Little Demon Empress again and again, a scene like this still trembled everyone’s heart and soul in fear. Duke Ming’s pupils shrunk, and his chest was heaving violently. He looked at the Little Demon Empress, and said in an intricate voice, “Could it be… that your profound energy… has already… achieved the Divine Profound Realm!?”
The four words “achieved Divine Profound Realm” were so shocking that everyone was stunned, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Divine Profound Realm… the legendary Realm of Divinity! The people who stepped into this realm would no longer be normal; instead, they would become a god amongst men! However, the reason it was a legend was because it had never appeared before; it was even generally acknowledged as impossible for a mortal being to achieve, and it merely existed within the records and imagination of humans.
The Little Demon Empress’ extremely ridiculous strength… the bestowment from the Golden Crow Divine Soul…
Could the Little Demon Empress, who had awakened her bloodline and received the Golden Crow Divine Soul’s unparalleled divine power, truly have stepped into the legendary realm that no one could achieve…
Everyone’s hearts were trembling violently, and the respect and fear in their eyes that gazed upon the Little Demon Empress increased several times… Of course, it was mostly fear. The remaining resistance in their hearts was all shaken by the two words “Divine Profound” and ceased to exist.
“No, that is impossible.” Duke Ming shook his head slowly, and the crimson-black flames on his body swayed madly. In the span of a few breaths, the flames had already risen up to more than three hundred meters high. “How is it possible… for someone to be stronger than this duke in this world! Absolutely impossible!!”
Duke Ming’s eyes widened as he roared, and the three hundred meter tall Devil Flames burning on his body made a devilish howl and charged abruptly towards the Little Demon Empress.
In an instant, the space collapsed and the blue sky changed color. This was the strength of a practitioner at the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, that used to be the strongest in the Illusory Demon Realm, giving his all. If this Fallen Devil Flame were to fall, it would be enough to burn half of Demon Imperial City to ashes.
An apocalyptic pressure caused the crowd beneath to yell in terror.
The Little Demon Empress focused her gaze as the Golden Crow’s flames burned silently on her body. She raised her arms, and her tender, snowy arms dazzling under her wide, gray sleeves. But it was the simple, light wave of the young girl’s flawless, fine arms, that instantly planted an enormous Fire Cage, and shrouded Duke Ming and his three hundred meters of Devil Flames all within.
When the Fallen Devil Flame touched the Fire Cage, no matter how violent it was, it wasn’t able to advance even half an inch. The Fire Cage started shrinking rapidly. Every inch that it shrunk, the Fallen Devil Flame then backed off an inch. Gradually, the Fire Cage shrunk until it was less than three hundred meters, but it was still shrinking in speed, and the Fallen Devil Flame that had nowhere to escape was being compressed, swallowed, and dissipated little by little, like a desperate beast trapped in a cage; no matter how it struggled or cried, it was unable to escape and could only wait to perish completely in lament.
The Fire Cage shrunk until it was only ten meters, and only then did it finally stop shrinking. The Fallen Devil Flame that was originally three hundred meters tall had been burned until there were only scattered flames left, and not a single trace could escape the cage. Duke Ming was trapped in the center of the cage and couldn’t move at all… because during this process, he tried to escape more than ten times, but every time he touched the Golden Crow Flame on the Fire Cage, he was burned and overwhelmed by the pain.
The difference between his strength and the Little Demon Empress’ was evident from this.
Solely based on the profound energy levels, the difference between the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm and half a step into the Divine Profound Realm was less than half a small realm, but the difference between them was half a plane. Whether it was the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow bloodline or the Golden Crow Flame, it all completely suppressed Duke Ming.
The Duke Ming that the Little Demon Empress of four months ago was definitely unable to oppose now was unfit to even be her opponent.
“Duke Ming…” The Little Demon Empress reached out her palms, but they weren’t facing towards Duke Ming; instead, they faced downwards, and above her arms, the ascending Golden Crow Flames scorched more and more. Each of her words was filled with hatred, “You killed my father, killed my brother, harmed my whole clan, and drove my Illusory Demon Realm into chaos! Your crimes must be paid with the blood of your whole clan!!”
“This empress gave up everything and crawled back from the abyss of death… to make your whole clan… fall into infinite hell!!”
The voice of the Little Demon Empress seemed to be from outside the heavens and clearly spread to all of the corners of Demon Imperial City. After the last word was spoken, she waved her arms that were burning with the Golden Crow Flames. The surging scarlet flames became an enormous Golden Crow Flame Silhouette and flew towards the west side of the Demon Imperial City…
In the time of a few breaths, the large Golden Crow Flame Silhouette had already flown away more than ten miles, temporarily circled in the air above, and abruptly dropped down…
The loud explosion shook the whole Demon Imperial City, and a scarlet-gold fire pillar shot up and spread towards the sky. Even from more than hundred miles away, they could see the flames shooting up into the sky. Under the ruthless Golden Crow Flame… and it was the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow Flame; there was no question that everything would be burned into ashes.
“That’s… that’s…”
“That’s Duke Huai Palace!!”
The sound of yelling came from everywhere, and there was even the sound of those sucking in a cold breath. The Little Demon Empress actually sent her Golden Crow Flame to Duke Huai Palace over ten miles away! Even with such a distance, the flames and smoke filling the air, and the power of the flames that still startled and frightened people’s hearts, even from more than ten miles away, all showed that the great Duke Huai Palace had been completely demolished… The entirety Duke Huai Palace, including the living people within, were all buried within… and none of them would be able to survive!
Yun Che opened his mouth and said to himself in surprise, “Half a step into the Divine Profound Realm… is actually so strong to this extent…”
“You think?” Jasmine said in disdain, “Even though the Divine Profound Realm is merely one rank above the Sovereign Profound Realm in terms of level, the disparity between it is in fact an incredibly large watershed! In this world, there are countless profound practitioners that have broken through to the Emperor Profound Realm and the Tyrant Profound Realm, but no one has ever broken through to the Sovereign Profound Realm, and they can’t even step halfway into the Divine Profound Realm! Because of this, the Sovereign Profound Realm was called the limitation of a mortal being. Just from the fact that no one has ever broken through this reality, you can imagine the how large the difference between Divine Profound Realm and Sovereign Profound Realm is!”
“Or, I could tell you in a even more straightforward way!” Jasmine said softly, “If the Elementary Profound Realm and the Sovereign Profound Realm are categorized as large realms, then the Divine Profound Realm would be another large realm! A completely different realm! And the Little Demon Empress has her foot in halfway into this large realm. Even though on the surface, it looks like she and Duke Ming only have a slight difference between them, the laws that she could touch now, even her understanding of this world, are already different from Duke Ming and all other living beings on a fundamental level.”
“Using the rest of their life in exchange for three years of divine power; it is an especially good deal for the living creatures of this world.”
Yun Che, “…”
The endlessly burning flames and the raging, dense smoke wavered in Duke Ming’s pupils. In order to cut off the Demon Emperor’s clan, he plotted deliberately for a hundred years, yet the Little Demon Empress only used a torch of fire and destroyed his clan’s thousands of years of foundation.
But the nightmare of Duke Huai Palace has only just begun. The Little Demon Empress waved her arms, and Duke Huai’s body was sucked up into the air in sparks of flames. He was still under the effects of Profound Handle Soul Search. His eyes were dull and his face was expressionless. He wasn’t the only one who was sucked up into the air; there were also his sons, Duke Hui Ye and Duke Hui Ran.
“Duke Ming, you caused the deaths of my father and my brother… so this empress will slaughter the people of your clan, exterminate all of your offspring, burn them, and kill them in the most painful way in the world!!”
“This is what your clan… deserves.”
“You…” Duke Ming’s face was pale, and his body was also trembling slightly. The Fire Cage shrouding over him was something that was not supposed to belong to this world. He wasn’t able to escape using any of his methods and could only watch his own son and grandsons be thrown high up into the air…
“Little Demon Empress… spare me… I don’t know anything… I really don’t know anything… ahhhh!!!!”
Hui Ye begged desperately, but his begging would never trigger any of the Little Demon Empress’ mercy. She ignited flames from out of thin air and veiled the three of them. The sound of his begging immediately became horrific screaming.
Being burned by the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow Flame, they were destined to be burned to ashes, and no one could possibly save them. But how would the Little Demon Empress just let them die that easily? The Golden Crow on their bodies followed their limbs and burned slowly, swallowing their bodies and blood bit by bit, torturing them with flames that seemed to be from hell itself.
“Waaahhh… Little Demon Empress… spare me… Grandfather… save me… save me… ahhhhh…”
The three bodies were burning in mid-air until their flesh and blood were all horribly mangled, and their limbs were all gone, but the sound of their screaming was still horrific. They were in extreme pain and could neither live nor die. All the people below were shivering with pale faces as their teeth chattered away. Just looking at a scene like this, listening to sounds like this, they were so in fear they almost couldn’t stand straight.
“Shut up! Don’t beg her for mercy!” Duke Ming roared harshly. Watching his only son and grandsons ending up like this, his eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale like a ferocious ghost. He reached out his palm and pointed at the Little Demon Empress while trembling, declaring, “Little Demon Empress… this is not over… don’t think that this duke has lost completely… the strength you have, is not usual… In a short four months, and to have your profound energy increase so fiercely… it is impossible for it to not have side effects… perhaps… your cost, is death… die before this duke!!”
The Little Demon Empress locked her eyebrows, and said coldly, “You’re about to die and still dare to speak of such nonsense! This empress will now put you to a graveless death!!”
“You alone… are not enough to kill this duke!!” Duke Ming gnashed his teeth in seeming madness. A dark bloodstream dropped speedily from the corner of his mouth. “Little Demon Empress… you just wait! This duke will one day… obtain revenge, revenge that will repay this ten thousand times over!!”
Pff!!
Duke Ming spat out a large sheet of blood mist, and color of the blood mist was a ghastly sight of crimson-black. Under the shrouding of the crimson-black blood mist, Duke Ming’s body gradually faded, and then completely disappeared.
“Blood escape!” Jasmine yelled aloud, and followed with a soft sneer, “Even if he escaped, he lost a large amount of his life vitality and blood. But for the Illusory Demon Realm, it will certainly be big trouble.”
The Fire Cage was put away. The Little Demon Empress became a flash and appeared where Duke Ming had been before. She looked at the dissipated crimson-black blood mist. Her eyes were filled with endless chill, and her chest was heaving.
This was the blood escape that used blood and vitality as a cost to activate. Even with the Little Demon Empress’ strength now, she could not trace the direction in which he escaped.
Behind her, the screaming of Hui Ye and Hui Ran had stopped. The three bodies of the father and sons had been burned completely into ashes and were floating in the air. Duke Huai, who used to look prestigious when wearing the emperor’s clothing just earlier today and was elected as the new emperor, along with his two sons that were extraordinarily proud, had come to their miserable ends on the day that was supposed to be their most proud day.
The Little Demon Empress slowly turned around, and her sight swept below. In the wrecked Demon Emperor Hall, those sinners who surrendered to Duke Huai Palace were still kneeling on the ground, and no one dared to stand up at all. Under the gaze of the Little Demon Empress, their bodies were trembling, and every pore from head to toe was shivering.
“This empress will give you a chance to compensate for your crimes!” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was like the judgement of the reaper, sounded coldly in their ears, “I will give you ten days. Within these ten days, this empress wants you all to wipe out Duke Huai Palace’s whole clan! Father, mother, wife… exterminate their whole family! Even women and children cannot be excluded! And bring their corpses and pile them up in front of the gate of Demon Imperial City and burn them all; not even a single hair can remain!”
“After ten days, if there is anyone left of Duke Huai’s clan, this empress will condemn and kill a hundred of you! If there are ten people left, then this empress will kill a thousand of you!”
The ruthless command of the Little Demon Empress set off the most terrifying reign of terror in the history of the Demon Imperial City. A baptism of blood with the Little Demon Empress’ endless hatred, with Duke Huai Palace at the center, had fallen onto the Illusory Demon Realm’s holy Imperial City…
Chapter 625 - Primordial Seal of Life and Death?
The New Emperor’s Ascension Ceremony that captured everyone’s attention was ended in a way that no one could have imagined, and it was replaced with a baptism by the fresh blood of the rebels and Duke Huai Palace.
Because of the cruel command to exterminate the whole Duke Huai Palace, everyone who originally surrendered to Duke Huai Palace raised their butcher knives towards the people of Duke Huai Palace madly. Those who used to earnestly wish to lick the feet of Duke Huai Palace now could not wait to disassociate themselves from it completely. Each of them were striving to be first, fearful of being last and killing fewer people than the others… Especially the seven great Guardian Families and the many Duke Palaces, they knew clearly in their heart that if they wanted to save themselves and protect their families, they needed to do whatever they could to show their loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, even if they needed to give up their dignity, shake their tails, and beg for it…
Because the Little Demon Empress now absolutely had the power to make their ten thousand year old family perish overnight, and she could use a few words to have all their clans be remembered by history as a byword for infamy!
Duke Huai Palace was Duke Huai Palace after all, they had many strong practitioners within, but it was impossible for them to endure against the joint forces of all of these peerless, strong practitioners, and they were eventually enclosed upon by them. The time limit the Little Demon Empress gave was ten days, but only a short three days passed before Duke Huai Palace was already completely ravaged, and the whole family was exterminated… not even a single survivor was left. Even those of Duke Huai’s family that were thousands of miles away were slaughtered.
The once extraordinary and prosperous Duke Huai Palace had already became a charred ruin. The thick smell of blood was stirring within and didn’t disperse for a long time. No one dared to go within ten miles of it. At that time, in Demon Imperial City, every force was trembling with fear, everyone was feeling insecure, and even while walking they were careful, not daring to speak too loudly.
All the heroes of the realm who came from all around to participate in the Demon Empress Reign Ceremony and the New Emperor’s Ascension Ceremony were still unable to leave, because in seven days, the Reign Ceremony that was interrupted would once again be reassembled… This was also a command from the Little Demon Empress herself. No one dared to disobey the Little Demon Empress’ commands now.
On the contrary, the Yun Family had been filled with an atmosphere of excitement these couple of days.
Even though Yun Qinghong’s taboo formation was forcefully stopped by the Little Demon Empress and didn’t trigger the most serious consequence, half of it had already been initiated. The wounds on his body were only secondary to the severity of him losing too much blood essence. Losing blood essence not only would make his profound energy fall, but the most awful thing was that it would make his aptitude decrease permanently; it was so severe that it might even be impossible for him to have any breakthroughs in the future… Once the blood essence was damaged, it was almost impossible to use any method to restore it.
But to Yun Che who bore the power (su) of (per) Rage (game) God (hack), it was not impossible for him to repair damaged blood essence.
Yun Che sat behind Yun Qinghong, and placed his palms on his back where his heart was and continuously inserted the force of nature absorbed with the Great Way of the Buddha into his body.
This movement continued for more than two hours. After that, Yun Che withdrew his palms, and Yun Qinghong opened his eyes. His face was rosy, his eyes were clear, and his breaths were vigorous; people couldn’t even notice any trace of him having just loss a huge amount of blood essence.
“Phew!” Yun Che slightly took a breath, and said relievedly, “Father’s vitality was already particularly vigorous, restoring it was easier than I thought. Two hours like this every day, and father’s damaged blood essence will be fully restored in three months at most.”
“Che’er, you’ve worked hard.” Mu Yurou reached out and wipe off the sweat off of Yun Che’s forehead softly, and her face was filled with love and satisfaction.
“This is just… a miracle!” Yun Waitian said excitedly.
“With the Young Patriarch’s words, we are completely at ease.” Yun Duanshui nodded delightfully, and then said in a disconsolate manner, “Thank the heavens for returning to us our Young Patriarch. Young Patriarch, our whole clan has shamed you for more than twenty years. When you returned, you saved our whole clan from fire and water… Please accept Yun Duanshui’s salute!”
After saying so, he quickly bent his knee in obeisance and deeply saluted… Even though he was stirred up while talking, it was not exaggerated at all. Anyone could see clearly that it was the return of Yun Che that saved the Yun Family that was on the verge of life and death, and with his and the Little Demon Empress’ aggressive return, the Yun Family had even been placed at a height that had never been achieved before.
Yun Waitian also bent down before him in haste. Yun Che immediately came before them and held them up, “Elders, please get up, this is too much for this junior to accept. In terms of the disbursement, you are the ones that have really worked hard and performed a valuable service, how can this junior be qualified to accept your kneeling…”
At this moment, the sound of rapid footsteps came from outside, followed by the sound of Xiao Yun’s anxious yell, “Father, Mother… I’m back!!”
The door was pushed open, and Xiao Yun was standing there shaken up with his face all red, “Father, Mother… Big Brother!”
He rushed in front of Yun Che, so excited that his eyes were filled with tears, and he didn’t know what to do, “Big Brother, to be able to see you again… it really is… it really is great…”
While talking, Xiao Yun was almost choked with sobs. The thirteen elders slowly walked close from outside, and said cheerfully, “When Young Master found out that Young Patriarch was back, he was so excited that he almost cried… the Little Demon Empress was safe and sound, and our Yun Family was also safe… Heaven really didn’t disappoint our Yun Family.”
Three days ago, when Yun Qinghong was determined to have a life and death struggle with Duke Huai, he knocked Xiao Yun out and had the thirteen elders take him to somewhere thousands of miles away. After all, he had already decided to meet his death, and his whole clan would possibly follow him, but he definitely couldn’t involve the descendant of Xiao Ying.
And now that everything was heading towards a direction that could not have been imagined in the beginning, Xiao Yun and the thirteen elders naturally came back.
“Xiao’er, father has disappointed.” Yun Qinghong smiled and said, “I forcefully sent you ten thousand miles away without your consent…”
“No no no!” Xiao Yun waved his hand in panic, “I know father and mother did this to protect me, why would you have disappointed me… Originally, I was especially afraid, I wanted to come back and face it with father and mother, but was afraid to come back, afraid that my return would waste Father and Mother’s effort… Now I see that Father and Mother was fine and Big Brother is also safe. Our family is reunited as a whole, it’s just … too great!”
“Xiao’er…” Looking at her two sons, Mu Yurou’s eyes misted up, and felt once again that she couldn’t ask for any more in her life.
Yun Che said with a smile, “If we could have Seventh Sister here in our family, then it would be even more perfect.”
“Hahahaha!” Everyone in the house laughed loudly. Xiao Yun’s face became red, lowered his head, and laughed in embarrassment.
Yun Che took out the Overlord Pellet from his Sky Poison Pearl and said, “”At first I told you I would split the Overlord Pellet into two, and give you two each half of it. I did not expect that the time has passed this long. Wait until father’s health is stable. I will take care of the issue of the Overlord Pellet, and then you’ll take this Overlord Pellet to Seventh Sister. I guarantee you that your future father-in-law will come out and welcome you personally.”
“Hehehe,” Xiao Yun giggled while blushing.
Yun Qinghong’s body was heavily injured, his blood essence was severely harmed, and he needed a large amount of time to rest. Yun Che went back to his residence, remembered everything that happened to him after he came to Illusory Demon Realm, and couldn’t help to feel a sense of sadness. His arrival actually completely changed Illusory Demon Realm’s destiny. If he didn’t appear, the Yun Family would have completely collapsed, the Demon Emperor’s clan would have disappeared forever, and Illusory Demon Realm would have been dominated by Duke Huai Palace. Even Duke Ming’s malicious plan would never have been revealed to the world.
By today, everything counted as settled. The faint, bloody smell coming from outside was the evidence of Duke Huai Palace being completely destroyed. The only unsettling factor left was Duke Ming who blood escaped… and the Little Demon Empress’ remaining three years of life.
“When are you preparing to return to Profound Sky Continent?” Jasmine suddenly asked.
“…If Father needs to heal, I still need three months. For at least these three months, I still can’t return.” Yun Che said slightly absentmindedly, “And there is still something important that I must do in this Illusory Demon Realm.”
“Important thing?” Jasmine rarely wasn’t able to see through what Yun Che was thinking.
Yun Che was silent for a while, then he said in a low voice, “There’s really only three years left of the Little Demon Empress’ life… is there no other way?”
“What? Can’t bear for her to die?” Jasmine’s voice was filled with the most obvious disdain.
“At least, the originally chaotic situation was able to be settled that fast, the main reason being the Little Demon Empress’ absolute power, but three years is really too short. Once she falls after three years… it is very possible that the Illusory Demon Realm will be in chaos again.” Yun Che said slowly, “Besides… she is my woman in any case!”
“Hmph! Seems like the last sentence is the main point!” Jasmine said in disdain, “What you care about most is always a woman!”
“…Thank you for your compliment,” Yun Che said powerlessly. His mind flashed back to the scene in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. The Little Demon Empress blocked Duke Ming’s attack for him when she was severely injured herself. Her pale face and soulless eyes when she held him down on the ground… And when the Golden Crow Spirit told her she would only have three years of life remaining, she didn’t hesitate at all… And how she treated Duke Huai Palace after she returned with cruel, relentlessness…
There was a sting in his heart that he couldn’t control.
Right now what people saw was only her inviolable dignity and indomitable power, but no one knew what she had to suffer, bear, sacrifice, and everything she had to disburse all this time… Without her closest family, she had to endure everything that happened by herself. Now, it was also her alone that was avenging the Demon Emperor’s clan, reforming Demon Imperial City, and bearing the debt of blood of the whole Duke Huai Palace…
She was only a woman after all.
If it was another woman, even if she had a thousand times as much willpower, she would have already collapsed.
Without the title of the Little Demon Empress, she had it even harder and more wretched than a common woman.
“The Little Demon Empress’ profound energy now is relying on burning and overdrafting her own life to sustain! At most, she could live for another three years, this is what the Divine Beast Golden Crow’s soul had said! Even the soul of a Divine Beast had said so; in this world, what kind of people do you think would have the strength to reverse this!”
“With your knowledge… it is really completely impossible?” Yun Che asked without giving up.
“Hmph, I knew you would ask this.” Jasmine scoffed slightly, “If you are determined to know, I actually know two ways… but if I tell you, you will only be even more disappointed.”
“What way?” Yun Che’s spirit lifted and said, “Hurry and say it. If there really is a way… no matter what, it is better than being completely without hope!”
“Then listen closely.” Jasmine scoffed softly, “The first way is to cultivate your Great Way of the Buddha to above stage ten! By then, not only would you have the body similar to a True God, you could absorb the most primitive, pure primordial essence from the space in the universe! If you give her enough primordial essence every day, over time, a qualitative change would take place of her physique, and she could possibly live for another hundred years.”
“But, forget about you having the body of a human which can only reach stage six of the Great Way of the Buddha, even if you could really achieve the tenth stage… she only has three years of life remaining! It was already a miracle that you only used five years to break through from stage one to stage four. It is unknown if you could breakthrough to stage five using just three years of time… stage ten is a fantasy. Even if the Rage God were alive, it is impossible to break through the Great Way of the Buddha from stage four to stage ten in three years.”
“…Then what is the second way?” Yun Che gnashed his teeth slightly. Even though he knew the way Jasmine told him was extremely hard to achieve, this rain on his parade was just too thorough. Jasmine had said before too that her brother used all of his vital energy just to cultivate to the sixth stage of the Great Way of the Buddha. For him to cultivate to stage ten within three years… this was something that was impossible no matter what.
“The second way,” Jasmine’s voice trembled slightly, and said faintly, “Is to find the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasure’s rank three… the ‘Primordial Seal of Life and Death’ that has the power of ‘eternity!’”
———————————————
Resentful civilian, “What is so fun about you, a pay-to-win player, bullying us losers who doesn’t have the dough!!”
Yun Che, “You are all mistakened, I am not a simple pay-to-win player.”
Resentful civilian, “Stop quibbling! You are just a pay-to-win player!”
Yun Che, “No… Actually, I am just a pay-to-win player… with game hacks.
Resentful civilian, “…” (spits three hundred liters of blood)
Chapter 626 - The Revived Primordial Profound Ark
“The Primordial Seal of Life and Death… Heavenly Profound Treasure?” Yun Che immediately became dazed.
“Among the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasures, the Primordial Seal of Life and Death is ranked only below the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword and the Evil Embryo Eternal Tribulation Wheel. It is said that it was birthed in the center of the primordial universe, and its energy is also connected with that of the primordial universe. As long as the primordial universe does not die, it will never be destroyed!” Jasmine said in an unhurried tone.
“When you mentioned the power of ‘eternity,’ what did you mean by that?”
“If you wear it on your person, your lifespan will never decline. In other words… the person who possesses it will have eternal life!”
“…Ah?” Yun Che was completely dumbfounded, and for a moment, he felt like he was listening to a non-existent fairy tale, “Eternal life… So you will never die? How is that possible?!”
“You’re overthinking this!” Jasmine let out a light sniff of disdain, “Eternal life does not mean that the person becomes immortal and indestructible! With the Primordial Seal of Life and Death on your person, even though it means that you will never die of old age, you can still be killed by an external force! But if a person really possessed unrivaled strength and other living beings and natural forces are unable to consign him to the grave. If that person obtained the Primordial Seal of Life and Death, then he would truly possess an indestructible, undying body!”
“If one can obtain the Primordial Seal of Life and Death and the Little Demon Empress wore it, then as long as she does not get killed by any external force, she can live for as long as she wants! Not only will she not die, but she will never grow old either!”
“The Primordial Seal of Life and Death is the only artifact that grants ‘eternal life’ in the entire primordial universe! In the ancient past, even those true gods went crazy over it, because even if a true god had an extremely long lifespan, it was not boundless. And the stronger a god grew, the more frantically that god desired it.”
“Eternal life, that is a temptation that no living being can resist! And that is why it is qualified to be ranked third amongst the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasures!”
Yun Che silently listened and after that, he did not speak for a long time. The Heavenly Profound Treasures, every single one of them possessed a heaven-defying ability. The Sky Poison Pearl’s had the heaven-defying abilities in regards to poison, refinement and purification. The Mirror of Samsara possessed the ability of reincarnation… But the Great Heavenly Profound Treasure that Jasmine was talking about actually had the fantastical ability of ‘eternity’… That was to say the power of ‘eternal life’!
An eternal lifespan, a never ending life…
It was just that this artifact sounded way too fantastical. It was fantastical to the point where Yun Che was nearly unable to fathom its existence.
“Then this Primordial Seal of Life and Death… Do you know where it is?” Yun Che asked in a very low voice.
“What do you think?!” Jasmine’s four short words expressed her contempt for Yun Che’s stupid question. “I don’t mind telling you this. Among the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasures, the Eternal Sky Pearl that is ranked fourth, the Sky Poison Pearl that is ranked fifth, the World Needles that is ranked sixth, and the Mirror of Samsara that is ranked seventh, all of these artifacts have surfaced in history countless of times and provoked the same amount of strife and turmoil as people fought over them. And among them, the Eternal Sky Pearl had long ago been acquired by someone and become the exclusive treasure of a powerful Star Realm… but, the three highest ranking treasures, the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword, the Evil Embryo Eternal Tribulation Wheel, and the Primordial Seal of Life and Death, after the fall of the divine gods, have completely vanished without a trace and have yet to reappear since then! Even though countless people have searched for them, sparing no cost, in the end, these people could not even find find a single trace of them.”
“Moreover, given the Primordial Seal of Life and Death’s ability of ‘eternity,’ even if it was found, the person who found it would never divulge it. Because if he did, there would be an endless amount of peerless individuals who would try to snatch it away from him. Furthermore, there is no need to activate it, you only need to wear it on your person, so it is extremely easy to conceal its existence. So, there is possibility that it might have already been found, but one can’t say for sure.”
“Why? Do you want to try to find it?” Jasmine said said mockingly.
“…” The corner of Yun Che’s brows twitched, and he tightened his hands into fists as he gnashed his teeth. “I simply don’t believe that, besides this, there is no other way!”
“I have the medical arts passed to me by my teacher, I have the power of the Rage God, the blood of the Dragon God and the Sky Poison Pearl… I simply don’t believe I can’t save the Little Demon Empress!!”
As Yun Che spoke, he raised his left hand and the image of the Sky Poison Pearl immediately appeared within his palm. He extended his hand to wipe the Sky Poison Pearl, and suddenly, his expression became blank. Following that. it changed greatly as he directly jumped into the air. “My Jade of the Nine Suns… where did my Jade of the Nine Suns go?! How come my Jade of the Nine Suns suddenly disappeared?!!”
Things that had been put into the Sky Poison Pearl should not, in any circumstances, go missing. But the Jade of the Nine Suns that had been given to him by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit had actually disappeared!
“Idiot, you’re only discovering it right now? Have you forgotten how your Purple Veined Heaven Crystals and Purple Crystal Jade Marrow went missing in the first place?!” Jasmine said in a huffy tone.
Yun Che’s eyes widened, and his face turned green. His mind spun, and he roared, “Hong’er… get out here right now!!”
A red light flashed in front of Yun Che, and Hong’er floated daintily in front of him. But she looked drowsy-eyed and half-asleep, as if she had been woken up from her dreams. A pair of small hands rubbed sleepy eyes, and with a voice that sounded rather dazed, Hong’er replied, “Master, why did you suddenly yell for me? You disturbed my sleep.”
Hong’er’s half-opened eyes were four parts sleepy, three parts dazed, and three parts innocent. Along with her small, cute face, all that forcefully caused Yun Che’s burgeoning anger to die down once more. His mouth twitched as he asked in a trembling voice, “You, you, you… You ate the Jade of the Nine Suns?”
“Oo? Jade of the Nine Suns? What is that? Is it nice to eat?” Hong’er’s scarlet pupils blinked.
“It was a golden-colored… rock that was about this big!” Yun Che drew a comparison as he grit his teeth.
“Oo… Oh!!” Hong’er’s eyes lit up, she suddenly grew excited, and her drowsiness immediately flew away. “Oh, so that’s what it was! When Master sent it in, I immediately ate it up! That thing was so nice to eat, it was especially delicious… much nicer than that ‘farmer faulty’! Oh, I haven’t thanked Master for giving me something so nice to eat! Thank you Master! Hehe.”
When it had just arrived… that is to say, two months ago, on the day that the Golden Crow had given him the Jade of the Nine Suns, she had eaten it!!
Wait! Why did you think it was specifically something for you to eat?! Ah!!!! Thank your sister!!!
“You… really ate it all? And during the process of eating it… did you feel unwell anywhere… or did you feel there was anything wrong at all?” Yun Che’s voice trembled even harder. The Jade of the Nine Suns… A divine artifact, which in Jasmine’s own words, would destroy the entire Illusory Demon Realm if the energy within it was released! When he had held it in his hands initially, his hands and his heart had trembled a fair bit. But Hong’er… actually ate it… she ate it!
“Eh? Not well? Why would I feel unwell?”” Hong’er tilted her head, and her face filled with doubt, but she suddenly opened her mouth and said, “Oh right! When I ate that thing called… uh, that thing called the Jade of the Nine Suns, my body suddenly felt really nice, and I really wanted to go to sleep after that. What is even stranger, is that after that, for a very very long time, I did not feel hungry at all. Master, Master, that delicious Jade of the Nine Suns, do you still have anymore? I still wanna eat it!”
“~！#￥%…” Only Jasmine’s profound strength was abnormal. But this Hong’er… everything about her was abnormal! Even her existence was something that was abnormal!
Still want to eat… eat your sister!!
You think the Jade of the Nine Suns is candy?!
“Hmph, high quality swords and profound jade are Hong’er’s food. The first becomes part of her spirit energy, and the second becomes part of the Primordial Profound Ark’s profound energy. You threw the Jade of the Nine Suns into the Sky Poison Pearl yourself. It is no different from bringing it to her mouth yourself, so who’s fault is it?”
Yun Che was speechless… Why would the thought that Hong’er would eat that even cross his mind?!
“However, the greatest use the Jade of the Nine Suns would be of to you right now is to power the Primordial Profound Ark. So it should have been given to Hong’er to eat anyways because this is the only way for the Primordial Profound Ark to obtain profound energy.”
Jasmine floated into existence, and she stood next to Hong’er. One of them was crowned with bewitching blood-red hair while the other had light and buoyant vermillion hair. “Summon the Primordial Profound Ark now. With the profound energy supplied by the Jade of the Nine Suns, it should have undergone a monumental change.”
Yun Che extended his hand, and following his mental summons, the Primordial Profound Ark, that had been thrown inside the Sky Poison Pearl for a long time, appeared in the palm of his hand. Only now, its outer appearance was no longer the initial deep red color, but the same vermillion of Hong’er’s hair and eyes. At the same time, the body of the ark was vibrating with a mysterious and robust aura.
“This is…” Yun Che was momentarily stumped for words, but following that, he felt an incomparably clear spiritual connection with the Primordial Profound Ark. He tried to focus mentally and control the ark with his mind…
Immediately, the Primordial Profound Ark rose in the air and instantly moved to the location that he had mentally indicated, rapidly becoming bigger thereafter. And once it had expanded to the size that he desired, it just as swiftly shrank and returned to the palm of his hand.
Yun Che gave a mental command again, and his entire body instantly vanished. Even Jasmine and Hong’er, who were in front of him, vanished along with him. And only the Primordial Profound Ark was left there silently floating in its initial position.
Following Yun Che’s mental command to enter the Primordial Profound Ark, the world in front of him swiftly changed, and in the blink of an eye, he was located in the middle of a large stone hall. Surrounding him were walls so high that he could not see the top of them, and the sky above was so high that he could not see its limit. Beneath him, there was a tall, circular stone dais… The end of the stone dais looked like it could barely fit a person.
Astonishingly, this was the towering ancient fortress which he had entered when he had first entered the Primordial Profound Ark, and below his feet was the place he had rescued Hong’er from.
Yun Che stared blankly into space for a while before carefully making another mental command. Immediately, the outside world… which was also the surroundings around the Primordial Profound Ark, was projected into his brain with incomparable clarity. He made another mental command yet again, and these images were immediately transformed into a substantial image which unfurled right before his eyes.
“This is indeed a divine artifact that came from the Ancient Era, it is indeed out of the ordinary.” Jasmine appeared by his side, surveying her surroundings, and even she had a look of faint astonishment on her face.
“This is simply too… wondrous!” Yun Che sucked in his breath. That spiritual connection that suddenly appeared, and his continuous tests succeeded one after another. He could freely control the movement of the Primordial Profound Ark, could freely change its size, and could freely use his thoughts to enter and exit it at will. Furthermore, when he was inside the Primordial Profound Ark, he could at any time clearly survey the outside world.
It was not that Yun Che had never seen a profound ark… but a profound ark that was as mysterious and wondrous as this, he had never even heard of it before!
Moreover, within the spiritual connection, there clearly existed a “dimensional travel” option. Which is to say that Yun Che only needed to give the mental command “jump one thousand five hundred kilometers east” and the Primordial Profound Ark would instantly rip open space and carry him one thousand five hundred kilometers east!
It only needed an instant!
And within this spiritual connection, the thing that was most clear of all was that… he only had secondary control authority of this Primordial Profound Ark! Which is to say, that in regards to this extremely mysterious Primordial Profound Ark, which was almost comparable with the Heavenly Profound Treasures, he was not the main controller.
The main control authority astonishingly lay in the hands of Hong’er!!
That means that, if Yun Che and Hong’er simultaneously gave commands to the Primordial Profound Ark… Hong’er wanting it to go east, while Yun Che wanting it to go west, the Primordial Profound Ark would completely ignore Yun Che’s commands and obediently head east.
Another example would be that if Hong’er was angry that day and wanted to kick Yun Che out of the Primordial Profound Ark, Yun Che would have no choice but to obediently get kicked out. And if Yun Che wanted to throw Hong’er out of the Primordial Profound Ark… that was simply not possible.
The conclusion was that… even though the Primordial Profound Ark had been revived by the powerful profound energy of the Jade of the Nine Suns, if Yun Che wanted to comfortably use it, he had to first curry favor with this “Big Boss” Hong’er and serve her well.
And if he wanted to comfortably use the “Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword,” he also had to first curry favor with this “Big Boss” Hong’er and serve her well.
In short… of these two girls who “followed him,” Jasmine was not only his master, but she also carried the difficult job of being his guide, whereas Hong’er… was a super big boss who did not need to do anything and had to be waited on hand and foot!!
Chapter 627 - How Are Other People Supposed to Live?
“Given the power of the Jade of the Nine Suns, it can definitely allow the Primordial Profound Ark to complete its dimensional jump from the Illusory Demon Realm to the Profound Sky Continent! As to how many times this could be done, it is currently impossible to calculate. After all, the inner world of the Profound Primordial Ark is larger than the Profound Sky Continent and the Illusory Demon Realm, so the principles behind how it operates and the amount of profound energy it requires to complete a dimensional jump are hard for even me to fathom,” Jasmine said in a bland voice. “However, before you go back, you must first figure out the relative location of the Profound Sky Continent to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“That should be quite simple,” Yun Che said with confidence. “My parents had previously used a forbidden tool of our Yun Family to travel to the Profound Sky Continent, so they definitely know its relative location. All I have to do is ask them to find out.”
During the time the Primordial Profound Ark was hibernating, he could only faintly feel a trace of the spiritual connection he had with it. But the current Primordial Profound Ark had been resuscitated by the Jade of the Nine Suns, so the spiritual connection had become clear and complete, and the abilities it had surfaced in his brain in an incomparably clear manner. And when he focused his will, this profound ark, which would cause a huge commotion every time it appeared in the Profound Sky Continent, would be his to freely control. It was as easy as controlling his own arm.
…But the proviso for that is that Hong’er did not come out and mess things up.
During all this time he had spent in the Illusory Demon Realm, Yun Che had been deeply concerned with everything going on in the Profound Sky Continent. And now that he finally had a method to return, his desire to return had dieddown somewhat. Yun Qinghong’s lost blood essence could only be replenished by him, and it would take a period of at least three months, without a single interruption. For this reason alone, he could not afford to be distracted. After all, he was unable to calculate how many times the Primordial Profound Ark could shuttle between the Illusory Demon Realm and the Profound Sky Continent after it had been provided with the profound energy of the Jade of the Nine Suns. So he absolutely did not dare to act impulsively during this three month period, so he wouldn’t recklessly exhaust the energy of the Primordial Profound Ark by continuously using its abilities which consumed a large amount of energy.
He withdrew the Primordial Profound Ark and threw Hong’er back into the Sky Poison Pearl. After that, Yun Che took out the Overlord Pellet.
Given the Sky Poison Pearl’s refining ability , he only needed an instant to perfectly divide it into two pills, and it would not lose any effectiveness in the process. However, Yun Che did not immediately split it in half. Instead, he closed his palm around it and surrounded it with profound energy, after which he painstakingly investigated the composition and medicinal strength of the pellet. After a short period of time, he opened his eyes, and a look of disappointment actually appeared on his face. He muttered to himself in a low voice, “To think it was actually this simple… Furthermore, the purity of this Overlord Pellet is simply so lousy that I can’t even look at it.”
If Duke Bao Qing, who spent his entire lifetime refining Overlord Pellets, heard what Yun Che said, he would definitely be so infuriated that he would hover between the border of life and death for a good long while; he would chop Yun Che up into little pieces with a vegetable knife/cleaver if he could.
Even though the materials required to make the Overlord Pellet were precious and rare, they were not rare to degree of being incomparably precious treasures. While these materials were valuable treasures that were hard to buy with money for the common man, for the powers that were on the level of a Guardian Family or a Duke Palace, they could be said to be a dime a dozen. Their greater than ten thousand year foundation was not just for show.
But the reason the Overlord Pellet was so valuable, that even the Guardian Families and the Duke Palaces would covet it, was because its refinement method was simply too difficult. Refining each and every single pellet consumed an unfathomable amount of effort and time. In addition, the refinement period of each Overlord Pellet could be as long as fifty years! Not only that, but during these fifty years, one had to cautiously and carefully control the heat, the amount of ingredients added, and the timing at which the ingredients are added. Everything had to be extremely precise. On top of that, morning dew and evening dew would have to be used every day to purify it, and the most suitable profound energy had to be used to guide its medicinal strength…
And in this fifty year period, a single misstep would cause all prior efforts to go to waste.
Within Duke Bao Qing Palace, and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm, there were only currently two people who had the ability to refine an Overlord Pellet. These two people had to exhaust all of their energy to refine just one. Even though they labored at it with the most meticulous care for fifty years, the success rate of refining an Overlord Pellet was only at fifty percent.
So in one hundred years, Duke Bao Qing Palace could at most produce two Overlord Pellets.
It was not exaggerated in the least to say that every single Overlord Pellet was refined using the lives of Duke Bao Qing Palace’s members.
But to the Sky Poison Pearl, this extremely difficult refinement process was…
Yun Che flippantly tossed the Overlord Pellet to one side; he could not even be bothered to put it in the Sky Poison Pearl. After that, he strode out of his courtyard and went straight to the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion.
The Yun Family had endured for ten thousand years, so their accumulation of various spirit medicines was naturally rich without compare. This Medicine Pavilion was not considered large among the Twelve Guardian Families, but it was still three stories high. Every single story was far larger than those of the Xiao Clan’s that he had lived in for sixteen years. A family’s Medicine Pavilion was the pillar and the core foundation of the entire family’s might, so it could be said to be the most important place for a family. This means that it would always be protected by strong individuals or powerful barriers.
Of course, guarding the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion was an old man whose hair and eyebrows had completely turned white. His name was Yun Yaozi, and he was nearly two thousand years old; he was also one of the Yun Family members who held the highest status within the family, and his life’s duty was to guard the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion. When he saw Yun Che approaching, he took the initiative to welcome him and inquired in a merry voice, “Young Patriarch, do you want to enter the Medicine Pavilion?”
Facing this old senior of the Yun Family, Yun Che respectfully genuflected in respect for his seniority and replied, “Yes. I am sorry to trouble you, senior… But can this junior freely use the medicinal ingredients within the Medicine Pavilion?”
Yun Yaozi gave a gentle smile, and his eyes were filled with admiration and appreciation as he looked at Yun Che. “You are our Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, and anything within the Yun Family is free for you to use. Let this old man open the barrier for you.”
As Yun Yaozi’s voice fell, the protective barrier in front of the Medicine Pavilion disappeared. He moved aside and gave a bow as he said, “Young Patriarch, please enter. If you have any further instructions or requests, you can call for this old man whenever you so desire it.”
“Thank you for your trouble.”
After Yun Che entered the Medicine Pavilion, the barrier appeared behind him once more.
The heavy smell of medicine wafted in the air. Yun Che gave a faint sniff, and he could already sniff out tens of various extremely precious medicinal ingredients. He strode forward and looked left and right, and before two hours were up, Yun Che had already traversed the entirety of the Medicine Pavilion’s first floor. Just with that, he had already memorized all the medicinal ingredients that were stored here in addition to their location, their quantity, and even their age. After that, he went to the second floor… and the third… He finally stopped in the middle of the third.
The third floor of the Medicine Pavilion stored the highest grade spirit medicine and profound jade the Yun Family possessed. And just based on the extremely thick spirit energy that saturated this place, if an Elementary Profound Realm or Nascent Profound Realm profound practitioner cultivated here, they would easily break through their bottleneck in no time at all.
Yun Che sat down with legs crossed in the center of the Medicine Pavilion’s third floor. After that, he put all the spirit medicine and spirit jade that he had gathered together, and the dark green refining light of the Sky Poison pearl flashed from the top of his left hand.
With just a second of effort, a whole thirty Overlord Pellets… that’s right, Overlord Pellets, were in front of Yun Che. And surrounding them was a circle of waste products left behind by the refinement process.
If anyone from Duke Bao Qing Palace had witnessed this scene, they would have been so shocked that their jaws would hit the floor.
Yun Che randomly picked up one pellet and gave it a cursory glance… all the medicinal pellets refined by the Sky Poison Pearl were of the highest quality. Just the luster and aura alone were several grades purer than that of the pellet refined by Duke Bao Qing Palace. As for the effectiveness and the mildness of the medicine, it was far, far superior.
Not only that, the amount of materials consumed was only one quarter of the materials Duke Bao Qing Palace had used. After all, the refinement methods of ordinary folk will unavoidably cause a large portion of the medicinal effectiveness to be lost in the process. But with the Sky Poison Pearl refining it, no medicinal effectiveness would be lost.
Yun Che picked up these Overlord Pellets and murmured to himself in a low voice, “Ah, how are other people supposed to live…”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, I’ll just casually refine a few hundred pellets.”
With that, Yun Che stayed in the Medicine Pavilion, and from afternoon all the way till night fell, he did not come out.
The space in Yun Qinghong’s courtyard distorted, and the figure of the Little Demon Empress slowly appeared. After witnessing the Little Demon Empress’ unexpected arrival, Yun Qinghong and his wife moved forward and said, “We greet the Little Demon Empress.”
“Patriarch Yun, you are still nursing an injury, there is no need for any further formality.” The Little Demon Empress casually lifted a hand, and an irresistible force immediately stopped Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s bow. “This Empress has come today to check on Patriarch Yun’s injury. And from Patriarch Yun’s face, I can see that you have been steadily recovering .”
Yun Qinghong cupped his hands and said, “The concern and favor shown by the Little Demon Empress, this Yun is sincerely grateful for it. Che’er’s medical skills are extraordinary, so there is nothing serious about this Yun’s injury anymore. And according to Che’er, I will fully recover from it within three months’ time.”
“Fully recover?” An astounded look flashed across the Little Demon Empress’s face, but she slowly nodded her head after. “That is simply fantastic. So it looks like Patriarch Yun should have no issues attending the grand ceremony five days from now.”
Yun Qinghong said without any hesitation whatsoever, “Little Demon Empress, do not worry. My wife and I will definitely not miss the grand ceremony five days from now.”
“Mn.” The Little Demon Empress lightly nodded her head, then looked askance as she inquired in a disinterested voice, “Is Yun Che at home?”
Yun Qinghong replied, “When the Sixth Elder came by not too long ago, he said that he saw Yun Che enter the Medicine Pavilion. He might still be in the Medicine Pavilion now. I will immediately get someone to call him.”
“There’s no need.” The Little Demon Empress raised her hand. “He must have entered the Medicine Pavilion to prepare spirit medicine to improve Patriarch Yun’s recovery process, so this Empress will not disturb you any further.”
As her voice fell, the space around the Little Demon Empress distorted, and she completely disappeared from where she had been floating.
“The Little Demon Empress specifically asked about Yun Che. It looks like she views Yun Che with great importance.” Mu Yurou said while smiling.
“Hehe, that is natural. After all, in these four months, Yun Che braved danger together with the Little Demon Empress… and perhaps, it was Yun Che who saved the Little Demon Empress as well.” Yun Qinghong faintly smiled, but a trace of doubt flashed in the depths of his eyes. Because, when the Little Demon Empress turned around a final time, it gave him the impression that she… was trying to avoid meeting his gaze… but in all the years that he had known the Little Demon Empress, she had never once tried to avoid someone’s gaze before.
It should be… only a misconception? Or perhaps he was thinking into it too much?
Yun Family Medicine Pavilion, Third Story.
Yun Che was still sitting there with his legs crossed; from the last time he had gone to retrieve more spirit medicine and profound jade, it had already been an hour. As of now, his hand held a dull red medicinal pellet. The medicinal pellet held a dull luster, but it released an extremely unique aura. Yun Che gazed at it wordlessly and just sat there in deep thought.
Suddenly, Jasmine’s voice rang out in his mind, “Watch your back.”
Yun Che was taken aback, but he immediately turned his body around as swiftly as lightning… and not five steps from him, a small and delicate grey figure silently stood there. A pair of eyes which resembled the silent and starry night coldly stared at him.
“Little… Demon Empress!?” Yun Che’s mouth dropped open, and it was a good long while before he managed to close it. “You, you… when did you come?! No! Why are you here?!”
Yun Che possessed the Great Way of the Buddha, so the strength of his spiritual perception was abnormal. In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, the only person who could come within five steps of him without him noticing was the Little Demon Empress!
Chapter 628 - The Heartless Little Demon Empress
“What are you doing?” The Little Demon Empress ignored his question and coldly asked… The icy coldness in her voice was heart wrenching; however, she had not done it on purpose and had been like this all along.
Yun Che stood up and replied, “I’m refining pellets, why are you…”
“Refining pellets? Without a cauldron, a furnace, or an artifact, how are you refining the pellets?” The Little Demon Empress asked expressionlessly.
“Even though others are unable to, that does not mean that I’m unable to.” Other than the rather abrupt shock initially, Yun Che’s expression had already returned to normal. Currently, within the entire Illusory Demon Realm, the only person that was not afraid of the Little Demon Empress was probably Yun Che alone. He stretched his hand out, and between his fingers was the pale red pellet that he had been looking at for some time. “Little Demon Empress, you arrived at just the right time. This pellet is something I refined for you.”
“For this empress?” The Little Demon Empress frowned slightly. “Why would this empress require any pellet!”
“…This pellet contains all the elixirs and profound jade that I could find in this Medicine Pavilion that can increase longevity.” Before a dejected expression flashed across his face, Yun Che slowly said,, “I’m uncertain whether it can actually increase your lifespan, but at the very least… its medicinal powers are gentle, and consuming it would not bring you any harm.”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes were ice cold. She was unmoved, and her expression did not change in the slightest. With the swing of her long sleeve, the pellet in Yun Che’s hands had already fallen into her hands. Without looking at it, she just threw it into her space. “Seeing your hard work, this empress shall accept it this time. However, you don’t have to do such meaningless things for this empress anymore. This empress’ fate is something that the Golden Crow Divine God has proclaimed. Since even the Golden Crow Divine God has said so, what existence in this world can possibly change it! The condition of this body is something this empress knows much better than you. Even if you were to use up all the spiritual herbs the Yun Family had accumulated for the past ten thousand years and even all the Purple Veined Divine Crystal within this Illusory Demon Realm, you cannot possibly extend this empress’ lifespan by even one breath… It will just be a waste!”
“All that you have to do is to just help this empress guard this secret and not tell anyone! As for the other matters that you don’t need to concern yourself with, you don’t have to be nosy!”
“No.” Yun Che looked straight into the Little Demon Empress’ eyes and shook his head with considerable determination. “If you were only the Little Demon Empress, as long as you don’t interfere with my Yun Family’s interests, I wouldn’t even bother whether you were dead or alive. However… this matter is something I cannot disregard. I also won’t allow your life to end three years later… Because, you are still my, Yun Che’s, woman!”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ look changed, and it suddenly turned cold. “Despicable! Yun Che, do you know that from what you’ve just said to this Empress, this Empress can put you to death!”
The Little Demon Empress’ frightening pressure was enough to make a high level Monarch tremble, but Yun Che was not afraid one bit and instead raised the corners of his lips, casually saying, “Even if I believe ghosts exist in this world, I would not believe that you’d kill me. You are the Little Demon Empress… and I, Yun Che, am your, the Little Demon Empress’ man! And strictly speaking, you’re the one that forced me into it…”
Sss…
A sharp gust of wind violently tore apart the space, and a grey figure flashed past Yun Che before a small pair of petite hands grabbed hold of his neck… Her grip was tight, and it nearly suffocated him and crushed his hyoid bone. If it were not for the Little Demon Empress’ Petite stature, he would have already been lifted off the ground by her.
“Do you really think this Empress does not dare to kill you!” The Little Demon Empress’ face was within close proximity; her eyes were boundless like the starry sky. Closing her heart off like an icy prison, she exclaimed, “These last three years of this Empress’ life shall be used to cleanse the Illusory Demon Realm with blood. As long as this Empress wishes for it, there’s no one that cannot be killed! As for you, you know too much of this Empress’ secret and are no doubt someone that needs to die! You still dare to act with such insolence in front of this empress!”
A tinge of the stench of blood floated into the Little Demon Empress’ senses, and she suddenly saw that on the sleeve of Yun Che’s right arm, there was a five centimeter long wound. Judging from the stench of blood in the air, it was easy to tell that the wound had not been inflicted for long. Her eyes sunk, and she instantly shifted her gaze away.
Yun Che could not breathe; his entire body seemed as though it was being pressured by a mountain, unable to struggle one bit. His face soon turned pale, and yet, his eyes did not show any signs of fear. With much difficulty, he said in a clear voice, “I… don’t believe… you will… kill me….”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze turned even icier, and her voice became more frigid. “Then, do you want to try!”
“Sure…” The petite hand that surrounded his neck tightened, causing him great pain, but instead, he laughed. “Let me see… what method you’re going to use… to kill me…”
As he spoke, Yun Che, who had gathered all the profound energy he could muster into his right hand, stretched it forward at lightning speed and grabbed onto the Little Demon Empress’ slightly protruding right chest.
In an instant, a lump of soft jade was in the grasp of Yun Che’s right hand. The Little Demon Empress’ grey robe and inner garment was very thin which meant that Yun Che could clearly feel the shape and softness of the snowy bosom…
BANG!!!
A thunderous bang resounded, and Yun Che’s body flew out like a missile. After a “boom,” he smashed into the Medicine Pavilion’s walls, directly smashing a ten meter large hole in the ten thousand year old profound jade. The fragmented jade clattered as they fell.
Yun Che laid on the ground for a good while before barely managing to stand by relying on the shattered jade. As he covered his throat with his hand, he coughed with a pleased smile. “Cough cough… what are you showing off for… you obviously can’t kill me.”
The Little Empress’ chest heaved as she shook with cold bloodlust. She turned around, then said icily, “This empress won’t kill you because you had previously saved this empress’ life, and this empress is not willing to let down the Yun Family! As for what happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, this empress merely used your Phoenix and Dragon God constitution to obtain power for revenge. You think that this empress has feelings for you? Too absurd!”
Yun Che, “…”
“This empress not killing you today can be considered to repay this empress’ life that you saved back them! But after today, if you dare offend this empress or dare to mention even half of what happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, this empress will definitely…”
The Little Demon Empress’ words suddenly cut off. Then, with a cold snort, the space around her distorted, and her entire person completely disappeared before Yun Che’s eyes.
“Phew…” Yun Che slowly slipped down, then heavily sat on the ground. Even though the Little Demon Empress didn’t use a killing blow on him earlier, it was absolutely not light, causing the energy and blood in his body to go into turmoil. If she was perhaps a little bit heavy-handed, blood would’ve gushed out from the seven orifices of his face.
“This woman’s… pretty fierce.” Yun Che massaged his throat with one hand and pressed on his chest with the other. He raised his head to the place where the Little Demon Empress had left and absentmindedly questioned, “Jasmine, tell me, do I have to concoct some ‘Heavenly Jade Dew’ for the Little Demon Empress?”
“Heavenly Jade Dew? What’s that? Is it something that can be used to prolong life?”
“Can’t prolong life. But if a woman has a dose every day, their bosom would become more developed. The effects are superb, and there wouldn’t be any side effects. Everywhere on the Little Demon Empress is good, it’s just that her chest is a bit flat… It’s as flat as yours. Tch…” Yun Che exhaled painfully.
“…” A burst of ice-cold killing intent covered Yun Che’s entire body as Jasmine quietly laughed. “I originally had a bit sympathy for you… but now I wished the Little Demon Empress had broken all of your bones!!”
The Little Demon Empress didn’t leave too far and appeared three hundred meters above Yun Family’s Medicine Hall.
Her petite little jade hands extended, and Yun Che’s faint red pellet appeared in the hollow of her palm. She picked up the pellet and slowly put it near her lips, then, she suddenly stopped… From the pellet before her eyes, she smelled an extremely slight trace of… blood energy.
The bloody scar on Yun Che’s sleeves suddenly flashed before her… This blood energy, reeked of the energy on his sleeve; they were exactly the same.
Stunned, the Little Demon Empress’ hands drooped. Following the sway of her figure, she disappeared in place.
Yun Che finally calmed his energy and blood and then stood up. Seeing the wall he had been smashed into, his face became gloomy. These ten thousand year old profound jade were all priceless treasures! At this moment, a heavy aura came from behind. He turned and saw that the Little Demon Empress had returned. On her face, was a distinct shaking… wrath.
“You used your own blood to refine this pellet?” The Little Demon Empress took out the faint red pellet and asked with an incomparably downcast tone of voice.
Without waiting for Yun Che’s reply, the Little Demon Empress’ voice radiated fury, “You think your Dragon God blood is omnipotent?! You think that you have a way to alter a life that even the Golden Crow Divine God cannot save?!”
“…I don’t know. It might only have a small effect…”
“You’re willing to constantly use your own blood to refine pellets for this empress?!” The Little Demon Empress’ ice-cold eyes radiated with a faint sneer. “Do you think that if you were to do this, this empress would be grateful and be moved to tears?
“Hmph! There are times when you are smart, but sometimes you are impossibly stupid! You think that this can help you win this empress’ favor…” The Little Demon Empress lifted her hand and the faint red pellet sat between her fingers. “But to this empress, if I ingested this without being cautious, I would’ve just been contaminated by your blood!”
As her voice fell, a scarlet gold blaze burned within the palm of her hand, instantly burning the pellet Yun Che had used his blood to refine into ashes.
Yun Che, “…”
“Hmph!” With a wave of her hand, the Little Demon Empress turned around and once more disappeared before his eyes like mist.
“Sigh…” Yun Che shook his head and sighed, muttering to himself, “Why do you need to be like that… I understand women… more than you…”
Above Yun Family’s Medicine Hall, the Little Demon Empress extended her hand and slowly brought the faint red pellet between her lips and lightly swallowed… A soft aura immediately spread, filling her entire body. Whilst flying in the air, she handed toward the center of Demon Imperial City. She was a solitary figure in the vast space up above. In these hundred years, she had always been alone, so perhaps she had long since gotten used to it.
But today, a feeling of a faint mix of loneliness and bitterness she had never felt before was mixed in with her solitude…
Chapter 629 - Unforgivable Crime
Seven days after the Little Demon Empress’ return, the Reign Ceremony, which had been cut short four months ago, was scheduled to continue. The Demon Imperial Great Hall, which was mostly destroyed, also received sufficient repairs during the seven days.
Compared to the endless murmurs in the great hall four months ago, amidst the two powers vying for control, today, the number of people in the great hall was much greater. However, it was deathly still, silent to the point where even breathing could not be heard. The core seating arrangement had also received a very noticeable change. A large “Yun” character was written at the head position of the Guardian Families, and the Helian clan which held the position of the head clan… headed by Helian Kuang, all of the top members of the clan were kneeling in the middle of the great hall. They did not even have seats. The experts who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, regardless of whether they were from Guardian Families, Duke Palaces, other forces, or were peerless experts, all kneeled there obediently while trembling in fear, bearing the Little Demon Empress’ icy might.
“How has the preparation of Xiao Yun’s Kingship Bestowment Ceremony been proceeding?”
“Reporting to the Little Demon Empress, everything has been appropriately prepared. The Kingship Bestowment Ceremony can proceed tomorrow. Only… the Little Demon Empress has to choose the location of King Xiao Palace.”
“Of course as close to the Yun Family as possible.”
“Yes… your humble subject understands.”
“King Xiao, Xiao Yun, is twenty-two this year and has yet to be married. After becoming a King, the issue of a Queen should be considered soon.” The Little Demon Empress’ gaze turned towards the Under Heaven Clan. “The Under Heaven Patriarch’s beloved daughter, Number Seven Under Heaven, will turn twenty this year. She is beautiful, has exceptional talent, and has yet to marry. This empress has heard that she and King Xiao have an affinity for each other, both reciprocate each other’s feelings, and are a match made in heaven. Due to this, this empress intends to marry Number Seven Under Heaven to King Xiao, what are Patriarch Under Heaven’s thoughts on this?”
The Little Demon Empress’ words made Xiao Yun’s jaws drop, unable to recover for a long time. Number Seven Under Heaven, in similar shock, made an “ah” sound, her hands tightly covering her lips, her face red with excitement and happiness. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven hurriedly left his seat. “The Little Demon Empress personally matchmaking is the greatest fortune in my daughter’s life. Greatest Ambition naturally has absolutely no objections… Greatest Ambition thanks the Little Demon Empress for her grace on his daughter’s behalf.”
“Number Seven Under Heaven thanks the Little Demon Empress for her grace.” Number Seven Under Heaven kneeled and bowed, the redness on her face, which did not disperse for a long time, revealed the immense joy in her heart.
“Hey… Old Seven, be more reserved… reserved!” Number Five Under Heaven pulled on the edge of Number Seven Under Heaven’s shirt, saying powerlessly.
“Reserved your sister!” Number Seven Under Heaven said in a low voice, viciously saying, “I have paid you guys back for bullying my Brother Yun in the past, hmph!”
“Aren’t you my sister,” Number Five Under Heaven whispered carefully, his heart even more confused… Who would have thought that the one who was initially humiliated by everyone in Demon Imperial City as the “Profound Sky Bastard” would become… Sigh, the world was really fickle… but based on the punk Xiao Yun’s personality, he would not go as far as to bear a grudge for how we treated him in the past… Uh, most likely he will not… after all, ignoring his past identity, his personality as well as how he treats Old Seven is very good.
Xiao Yun also promptly left his seat and excitedly responded, “Xiao Yun thanks the Little Demon Empress ten thousand times for granting this marriage, Xiao Yun will not let Seventh Sister down in this lifetime.”
Saying that, he could not help but to look towards Number Seven Under Heaven. Their gazes met, and Number Seven Under Heaven stuck her tongue out at him, making a comical face. Even under everyone’s gazes, her smiling face was as brilliant as a hundred blooming flowers.
The Little Demon Empress slightly nodded. “The situation cannot be any better. Patriarch Yun, Number Seven Under Heaven is the Under Heaven family’s most precious pearl, your Yun Family’s betrothal gift cannot be small.”
Yun Qinghong stood up and replied with a smile, “Naturally. This Yun has always been fond of the Under Heaven family’s princess. Now that the task has been accomplished, there are two simultaneous happy event in the Yun family. When we have picked an auspicious date, this Yun will bring a heavy gift and personally propose on Xiao’er’s behalf.”
Pairs of envious looks landed on Greatest Ambition Under Heaven. Although Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was sitting upright and properly, he could not hide his happiness. His heart was churning… initially, when he thought about the matter of his daughter and Yun Xiao, his brain almost exploded, yet today, his daughter was to be married to Xiao Yun, and it was good luck for all of the Under Heaven family. That was because the current Xiao Yun could not be compared to the him of the past. Even moreso, the current Yun Family even more could not be compared to how they were in the past.
Four hours passed by very quickly in the palace. The bunch of people in cahoots with Duke Huai knelt there for four hours, kneeling there without a single movement. Not to even mention interrupting, they did not even dare to let out a fart, as if they were criminals awaiting their sentence… no, they were exactly criminals!
At this moment, the Little Demon Empress’ gaze turned towards the center of the great hall. Her originally gentle look became cold in a split second.
Even though the people who were kneeling there did not raise their heads, the Little Demon Empress’ pressure was like the coldest knife blade pressing against their throats, causing their whole bodies to quiver. This pressure forced them to lower their heads even more, not even daring to take a deep breath.
“This empress wanted you to put Duke Huai’s nine clans to death within ten days! Seven days have passed, how is the progress?”
The tone which the Little Demon Empress used to speak to them compared to when she spoke to the Yun family and the Under Heaven family was completely different; it was downcast to the point that it suffocated them.
The Little Demon Empress did not ask anybody in particular, and the few Patriarchs who were kneeling at the front fought to be first to reply. “Re… reporting to the Little Demon Empress. Of the four clans under Duke Huai’s father, three clans under his mother and two clans under his wife, they have all been put to death, not a single one was left…”
“Those who were stationed outside the capital have all been eliminated, may… may the Little Demon Empress be at ease.”
“The corpses, as the Little Demon Empress has instructed, have all been publicly burned in front of the city gates… not even an inch of grass was left.”
“The Little Demon Empress’ orders, we naturally would not dare to dally…”
Helian Kuang flusteredly took out a bundle of jade strips, raising both hands. “Underneath Duke Huai Palace was a secret room which has yet to be destroyed, this jade strip was found inside… Duke Huai Palace’s ‘Fallen Flame Devil Art’ is inscribed in it… the Little Demon Empress bears divine powers, so this Fallen Flame Devil Art naturally does not have the qualifications to be in your eyes. Only, it records some kind of blood escaping technique… most likely, Duke Ming used it to escape that day.”
The Little Demon Empress’ brows twitched, and when she reached out, the jade strip in Helian Kuang’s hands flew into hers. Yun Che, who was sitting beside Yun Qinghong, also cast his gaze towards that bundle of jade strips which contained ominous energy. The blood escaping technique that Duke Ming used that day was extremely strange, and based on the Little Demon Empress’ capabilities, she could not tell where he had escaped to. However, if the blood escaping technique that Duke Ming had used was figured out, the next time he landed in the Little Demon Empress’ hands, he would not be able to escape.
The Little Demon Empress immediately spread open the jade strip, and surely enough, a strange blood escaping technique was displayed. She glanced through it indifferently, then closed it.
“Little Demon Empress, this Bai made a discovery while cleaning up Duke Huai’s surviving members,” Bai Yi hurried forward, raising an even larger jade strip in his hands, “this jade strip was obtained from a secret room beneath Duke Huai’s palace. On it is engraved all… all…” speaking till this point, Bai Yi resolutely swallowed his saliva, then continued, “all of the names of those who defected to Duke Huai Palace. May… may the Little Demon Empress take a look.”
The hearts of many people present shuddered, cold sweat pouring from their entire bodies.
“No need to look at it!” The Little Demon Empress, however, did not even take a look at the jade strip and said with a low voice, “Hand the name list to Duke Xing Palace. Then, send a command down, within three days, for all those whose names are on the list to use their own blood to write a letter pleading guilty. Then, put it up at the northern city wall to be publicly displayed for three years! If so, this Empress will let them off just this once and not pursue the matter. However, if after three days, anyone on the list who has not displayed their blood letter on the city wall will be treated like Duke Huai’s kin… to be exterminated without mercy!”
Another bloody asura-like order was issued from the Little Demon Empress’ mouth, it made the entire great hall suddenly become cold.
Yun Che’s eyes suddenly brightened. That was because the Little Demon Empress’ order was very brilliant. Apart from Bai Yi, no one else ought to have seen whose names were really on the list. Although the jade strip was very big, it could not be complete. However, the order to “kill without any mercy” would end all wishful thinking that anyone who had been in cahoots with Duke Huai Palace had. They would obediently plead guilty, using their own blood to confess on the city walls.
That way, those who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, but were still unknown, would all be clearly exposed.
However, those from the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces sighed a huge breath of relief. To be pardoned with just a blood letter was simply a joyous turn of events. But just when they sighed a huge breath, the Little Demon Empress’ next sentence made their hearts jump ferociously.
“As for those from the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces on the list, forget about writing a blood letter.” The Little Demon Empress suddenly became severe. “Other people following Duke Huai’s orders can be seen as just blindly following the crowd. Yet as the pillars and beams of the Illusory Demon Realm, for you to rebel against the Demon Emperor, that is simply traitorous! It is simply an unpardonable crime! If you were to be forgiven so easily, how would this Empress be worthy of the Illusory Demon citizens! How would she be worthy of the ancestors who brought the peace of today’s Illusory Demon Realm!”
As if having water from an icy purgatory poured on them, the seven Patriarchs and Dukes became ice-cold from their heads all the way to their toes. An aged Monarch yelled in tears, “Little Demon Empress, this little duke knows his sins, but these accumulated crimes of Duke Huai Palace, this duke was not aware…”
“No need to say anymore.” The Little Demon Empress coldly cut off his words, stood up, and slapped her hand on her imperial chair. Suddenly, with a rumbling sound, the imperial chair moved to the right, and a concealed stone door slowly opened. Behind the stone door was a spacious but dark stone room.
This stone room was seldom opened; it was only occasionally utilized when discussing major secrets.
“The great ceremony shall come to an end, this empress has nothing else.” The Little Demon Empress turned to the side and expressionlessly said, “Everyone may disperse, the guests from afar can return this afternoon.” After a momentary pause, her voice became icy cold. “Guilty Guardian Families and Dukes stay behind!”
When her speech ended, the Little Demon Empress turned around and walked into the stone room with a breeze of cold air.
The Little Demon Empress announced the end of the great ceremony as abruptly as last time. Some people still had things to say, but when they heard the Little Demon Empress’ last sentence, they all immediately shut their mouths, not daring to say another word. Carefully, they left their seats, moved their bodies, and departed from the Demon Imperial Great Hall in a tidy manner.
“Big brother, aren’t you preparing to… leave?” Looking at Yun Che, who was sitting upright and not moving for half a day, Xiao Yun inquisitively asked.
“Oh, I still have some small matters to discuss with the Little Demon Empress in private, no need to care about me.” Yun Che propped his chin up with his hand and said that with a mysterious expression.
“But…” thinking about the three words “Little Demon Empress” just now, Xiao Yun, like most people, would involuntarily shiver. The Little Demon Empress evidently did not want other people to stay behind, wanting to specifically deal with the issue of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces. He was afraid that if Yun Che provocated the Little Demon Empress…
“I’ve already said to not care about me. Hurry and go find your Seventh Sister!” Yun Che waved his arms. “When she left, she at least looked in your direction about seven or eight times. If you do not chase after her, she may become angry and not marry you.”
“Hoho,” Yun Qinghong laughed faintly. “Xiao’er, let’s leave. Your big brother would definitely have his reasons for staying behind, no need to worry. Take care of yourself first. Many people are waiting around precisely to talk to this new king.”
“Ah?” Xiao Yun turned around, and surely enough, he saw that, at the entrance of the great hall, many people were deliberately moving slowly, constantly looking in his direction.
“Go.” Yun Qinghong pulled Xiao Yun along, then smiled faintly towards Yun Che, not asking anything as he slowly left.
Very quickly, the crowd dispersed. Only the Guardian Families and Dukes kneeling on the ground were left. Without the Little Demon Empress’ orders, nobody dared to rise. All of their foreheads were filled with cold sweat, and they constantly used their shivering hands to wipe it away, but just as they had wiped some away, more quickly flowed out to replace it.
Yun Che swept his gaze across them, not a single bit of pity in his eyes. He then rose and walked towards the stone room which the Little Demon Empress had entered, neither slowly nor with haste.
Chapter 630 - Punishment!
“Patriarch Under Heaven, congratulations. Your daughter and King Xiao are a match made in heaven. Even the Little Demon Empress matched their marriage herself. What a joyous event!”
“This humble one will await for the great news. When the time comes, I will have to attend the wedding feast no matter what.”
“The wife of this humble duke happens to be good at making wedding garments, so leave this humble duke to take care of the wedding garments. I will make sure to satisfy Patriarch Under Heaven and your daughter…”
Once Greatest Ambition Under Heaven left the Demon Imperial Hall, he was escorted by big crowds in front and behind congratulating and trying to curry favor with him. Their expressions even showed obvious respect and ingratiation, and their eyes were filled with envy. Even though Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had been the Under Heaven Patriarch for many years, it was the first time in his life that he felt like his steps were floating even when he was walking.
All these years, because of Number Seven Under Heaven and Xiao Yun, their Under Heaven Clan had to bear much sarcasm and snideness from outsiders. Whenever anyone mentioned about the couple, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven would be enraged. But now, the situation was completely reversed. Because Number Seven Under Heaven and Xiao Yun were now envied and getting apple-polished by those people who were sarcastic and snide to them before, and even their recently recessive position in the Twelve Families rose rapidly.
At first, everyone thought Xiao Yun was only a “bastard child.” If the Under Heaven Clan married their only princess to him, then it would be a big joke… and the Under Heaven Family would also see it as a humiliation themselves.
But now, not to mention as a first wife, even if Xiao Yun were to publicly take a concubine, these dukes and royals would definitely bring their own daughters personally to their door and compete for it…
“Brother Yun, congratulations,” Su Xiangnan smiled and said to Yun Qinghong.
Yun Qinghong returned the favor and said, “Thank you Big Brother Su. Tomorrow is our family Xiao’er’s Kingship Bestowment Ceremony; I hope Big Brother Su would do me the honor and come.”
“Hahaha,” Su Xiangnan laughed loudly. “Of course! Speaking of which, originally I was worried that Brother Yun might be absent from this great ceremony because of the serious injury that you had suffered seven days ago, even losing a large amount of blood essence. To my surprise, not only did Brother Yun make it in time, your complexion is so healthy, it is unbelievable.”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou laughed at the same time. Yun Qinghong smiled and said, “Che’er knows some medical skills, and after these days of recuperation, I am no longer in jeopardy. After some more time, I will be healed. Big Brother Su doesn’t have to be worried.”
“Heal?” Su Xiangnan’s was surprised, “That was a damage on your blood essence. Such extraordinary medical skills exist in this world?” He then seemed to have thought of something, and said with a shocked expression, “Some time ago, there was a rumor saying that the injuries of Brother Yun and your wife were all healed by good Nephew Yun, and he only used a short two months. Was that actually true?”
“Hahaha!” Yun Qinghong gave a long laugh, between his eyebrows was pride that he was unwilling to hide, “Compared to his study in profound energy, Yun Che might be even better in the art of medicine.”
Su Family’s Patriarch’s mouth was opened wide. He stood there and was stunned for a long time… Four months ago, Yun Che defeated six great strong practitioners from the other party and shocked the whole Demon Illusory Realm. Seven days ago when Yun Che was facing Duke Huai, who was using his full power, Yun Che injured him with a sword attack… These days, many people had already guessed that after Yun Che received the blessing of the Golden Crow Divine Soul; his study in profound energy has probably already exceeded Yun Qinghong!
And what Yun Qinghong was saying now… Yun Che’s realm in the art of medicine, actually surpassed his level in the way of the profound!?
In the time of two months, he cured the Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou from their severe injuries and hypertoxin while the top doctors in the whole Illusory Demon Realm weren’t able to do anything about it… Yun Qinghong’s blood essence was severely damaged, and within a short seven days, his face was already glowing, and he could even heal…
This level of medical skill was truly never heard of before, it was shocking to hear about it!
Moreover, this was said by Yun Qinghong himself, how would it be fake!
The Reign Ceremony just ended, and many people gathered outside of the Demon Imperial Hall. There was a large crowd of people surrounding the Yun Family as they wanted to seize the opportunity and butter them up. The conversation between Yun Qinghong and Su Xiangnan wasn’t whispered, how would these strong practitioners with extraordinary ears not hear it clearly…
Suddenly, in only half a day, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s injuries were healed by Yun Che… Yun Che healed Yun Qinghong who suffered a large amount of blood essence loss… The news of Yun Che having a transcendent medical skill was like a fierce wind that swept across all of Demon Imperial City.
Without knowing that he was being glorified irresponsibly by his father, Yun Che headed straight towards the stone room where the Little Demon Empress was after everyone left. Even though the stone door was opened, there was a layer of opaque barrier that the Little Demon Empress had just planted. The aura of the barrier not only made people unable to clearly see the inside the stone room, it also completely isolated all sounds. Behind the barrier, there was a clear chill of murderous atmosphere that would even make a Monarch shiver in fear.
Yun Che couldn’t completely ignore this murderous atmosphere, so he stepped through the barrier and entered the stone room.
This secret chamber could be considered spacious. There was a pure gold silhouette of the Golden Crow embedded on the top, a throne in the middle, and twelve stone tables and stone chair divided to two sides; it was exactly the number of the Twelve Families.
The Little Demon Empress stood in front of her throne with her back to Yun Che, and the ice-cold in her voice had fury hidden within, “What are you doing here… Who told you that you could come in here?”
Yun Che took out a small, white jade bottle, and said slowly, “I didn’t think that the medicine that I refined for you last time would anger you that much. These days, my heart is also pretty unsettled. With the power of the Golden Crow Flame, it is already easy for you to ignite your wrath. If you lose your temper too much, it would damage your blood and energy, so recently, I formulated some medicine to relieve your mental stress and calm your energy.
“Is that all?” The Little Demon Empress turned her head slightly and said in an incredibly indifferent tone.
“Uh, this medicine is called the ‘Heavenly Jade Dew.’ Not only can it relieve your mental stress and calm your energy, it also has benefits to… a woman’s body. Little Demon Empress just needs to take a drop a day, and in less than one month, you will certainly…”
There was a sharp, windy sound. Little Demon Empress waved her gray sleeves before Yun Che was done talking, sucked the jade bottle from his hand into her palms and threw it into her portable space, “This empress has accepted this ‘Heavenly Jade Dew,’ you can leave now.”
“Despicable, shameless, perverted, dirty, beast, sex fiend…” Jasmine was as if she was chanting a curse inside of Yun Che’s mind… As a result of the time of her and Yun Che being together getting longer, her vocabulary in cursing had increased by many large realms!
“Remember, you must take a drop a day. Do not stop, and it’s best to take it before your sleep!” Yun Che stressed as he reminded her, but he didn’t leave. Instead, he suddenly said, “By the way, how do you prepare to deal with those who are kneeling outside?”
“You don’t have to worry about that!”
“Sigh, it’s hard for me to not worry about it!” Yun Che said with a helpless expression. Not only was he not leaving, he stepped forward, facing the Little Demon Empress’ murderous atmosphere, walked to her side, and then sat down on the stone chair closest to the throne. At the same time, he talked in his own world, “The Guardian Families and the many Duke Palaces are different from the other forces after all. They are the backbone and the foundation of the Illusory Demon Realm, especially the Guardian Families. Removing any one of them would be an incredible loss to Illusory Demon Realm, and it would be extremely difficult to bring up a Guardian Family onto the same level.
“But the crimes they committed was a serious crime of betrayal, it definitely cannot be forgiven easily. The scale on which they were involved was too, too great, with more than half of the Guardian Families and nearly a seventh of the Royal Clans. How they are punished will greatly influence the destiny and peace of Illusory Demon Realm for many years in the future…” Yun Che lifted his head and said in a very serious tone, “And such a heavy responsibility has fallen onto my, Yun Che’s, woman… How could I not worry!”
The Little Demon Empress turned her head abruptly, and a chill cropped up, “You…”
“Oh! I know, I know…” Yun Che lifted his hand immediately, “You must want to kill me again. It’s okay, I am almost used to it. If you like, kill all you want, but after you finish killing let us continue to talk about how to deal with that group of people.”
“You…” There was not a single trace of fear in Yun Che’s expression; it was obvious that he was absolutely confident she wouldn’t kill him. At this moment, the Little Demon Empress, who could shock and frighten all heroes under heaven to not dare to even breathe with just a gaze and an instant of breath, actually felt a deep helplessness. Even the murderous atmosphere and chill that she forced out appeared to fluctuate slightly.
Silence suddenly appeared between the two of them for several breaths of time. The Little Demon Empress had the feeling of “gnashing her teeth in anger” for the first time in her life. She looked away and said coldly, “This empress had already thought clearly about how to punish them. I don’t need to you to tell me what to do here… Leave immediately!”
“Oh? Really?” Yun Che was pleasantly surprised, as he said cheerfully, “You are indeed my, Yun Che’s, woman. This kind of difficult problem was not challenging for you at all.”
The Little Demon Empress couldn’t stand it any more, “If you dare to speak of any more nonsense…”
“Oh, kill however you like.”
“!#$%… &” The Little Demon Empress turned around slowly, her small face that was ten thousand times more delicate than a porcelain doll was covered with gloom like the reaper, “You really just have to learn things the hard way!”
Looking straight into the Little Demon Empress’ eyes, Yun Che suddenly said slowly, “If you really have only three years of life remaining… wouldn’t you wish to have someone that you didn’t hate, and you never wanted to kill to accompany you for the rest of it… Are you really that used to being alone?”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes became focused, and no one could guess what she was thinking through her deep, boundless eyes. She said coldly, “The Little Demon Emperor that you knew of was this empress’ brother, and was also this empress’ husband. Since I am the empress, so what if I’m alone? This empress has been like this for a hundred years, let alone merely three years!”
Yun Che, “…”
“If you want to stay, that is fine too. Then watch closely how this empress punishes these traitors!” The Little Demon Empress had already sat still on her throne in between her swaying grey clothing. She gazed forward and said indifferently, “Yun Che, this empress ask you now, if among these people, only one could live, who would you choose? And if one must die, who would you choose?”
Yun Che didn’t stop to think at all. He opened his mouth immediately, as if he had already considered this question, “If only one can qualify to live, then it should be Duke Xuan. Four months ago, Duke Xuan had been loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan. At the Reign Ceremony, he even scolded those seven Guardian Families harshly. The reason he surrendered to Duke Huai later on was mainly because he thought you died in Golden Crow Lightning Valley, and had to make a choice to protect his Duke Palace out of helplessness.”
“If one of them must die… If it was me, I would choose the Patriarch of the Helian Family, Helian Kuang!” Yun Che narrowed his eyes slightly, “The Helian Family was one of the first to betray the Demon Emperor’s clan out of all of the Guardian Families, and surrendered to Duke Huai Palace! As a patriarch, Helian Kuang, of course, had a crucial role. And towards the plotting of Duke Huai Palace, not only did he lean towards them explicitly, he suppressed those forces that were loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan multiple times, and even set up many schemes. At first, to alienate my Yun Family and the Under Heaven Family, it was someone from the Helian Family who was sent to assassinate Number Seven Under Heaven… If it weren’t for my coincidental appearance, it is extremely possible that they could’ve succeeded, and the consequences would be even more unimaginable!”
“He deserves to die for the crimes he committed and the evil in his heart!”
The Little Demon Empress listened to what Yun Che said silently. Once he was finished, her eyes flickered, and her deep voice sounded through the barrier and resounded outside in the Demon Imperial Hall, “Duke Xuan, come in to see this empress!”
Chapter 631 - Mercy and Death
The Little Demon Empress’ icy voice reverberated in the Demon Imperial Hall, causing everyone’s face to become extreme ugly. The Little Demon Empress had only mentioned Duke Xuan… and that also meant that she was not going to handle all these sinners who were kneeling here at the same time. Instead, she was going to have a private chat with each and every one of them.
All those present felt their hearts beat violently in their chests. They faced the Little Demon Empress together so they felt a slight sense of camaraderie from one another, but if it was a private summons… then everyone would do their utmost to try to make amends for their crimes and reveal everything they knew about everyone else’s sin. In order to live, they would do whatever it took prove their loyalty at all costs…
And besides the Little Demon Empress, no one else would know what the other person said or vowed, so they would not even know who betrayed whom.
Not only that, if anyone left anything out or did not prove their loyalty enough, it was extremely likely that they would be made into examples by the Little Demon Empress.
In addition, given the Little Demon Empress’ current power, killing anyone present would be as simple as squashing a bug.
With that, in an instant, these people, who were already soaked in sweat, started to sweat even more as they desperately tried to think of what they ought to say. Moreover, in this seven day period, the plan they had come up with to present a united front and cover up each other’s ugly deeds quietly collapsed amidst the desolate and terrifying atmosphere.
Duke Xuan, who had been first to be summoned, trembled with fear as he rose, and under the gazes of all who were present, he made his way, step by step, towards the stone room. With only the intervening space of less than two hundred paces, he nearly collapsed to the floor on at least three different occasions. Each and every step he took made it seem as if he was approaching an endless abyss.
The Duke Xuan in Yun Che’s memory was short and fat man with a sincere smile. But in just these short seven days, he had actually shrunk considerably. Once Duke Xuan entered the stone room, he collapsed to his knees and his entire body shook like a leaf. “This insignificant duke… gree… greets the Little Demon Empress… this insignificant duke knows that he has sinned… but it was only this insignificant duke who had sinned… and even this insignificant duke’s wife had advised him to never ever become involved with Duke Huai. But this insignificant duke lost his mind… and the rest of my Duke Palace was really not involved at all.”
“I beg the Little Demon Empress to kill this insignificant duke alone. The others in my Duke Palace, they really do not know anything. They were only dragged down by this insignificant duke… I beg the Little Demon Empress to show mercy and let off this insignificant duke’s family… after this insignificant duke has been executed, I will definitely be deeply grateful to you… I just beg that the Little Demon Empress will show mercy regarding…”
Duke Xuan’s entire body kept shaking, and he was weeping violently as his face was filled with a mixture of extreme regret and terror. As he continued to desperately beg the Little Demon Empress, he had already kowtowed many times to her and had bashed his head against the floor with such force that his forehead was covered in blood.
“Did this empress say that she wanted to kill you? Do you really desire death that much?” coldly asked the Little Demon Empress.
Duke Xuan lifted his head, and his expression turned blank as he could scarcely believe the words that he had just heard.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress gave a cold snort and continued in a solemn voice, “Even though your Duke Xuan Palace has not made any major contributions in these hundred years, you have not committed any errors either. What was truly rare was that when this empress’ power had waned and a good majority of the Duke Palaces secretly defected over to Duke Huai, your Duke Xuan Palace had never betrayed or abandoned this empress before. In addition, even if you had thrown your lot in with Duke Huai, it was only because you thought that this empress had died, and it was the only way to ensure the safety of your Duke Palace.”
“Duke Xuan, you are at fault. But this empress is also at fault. My fault lay in the fact that I was too weak, so weak that those who were loyal to this empress were subjected to continuous abuse and humiliation by those traitors and renegades. Furthermore, in the hundred years of this empress’ decline, you had never once thought to betray or abandon me. Instead, you remained faithful, and that in and of itself is enough to cover the greater than four months of wrongdoing… so you may rise.”
Duke Xuan’s expression was sluggish and tears filled his eyes as he did not dare believe each and every word that he had just heard. Ever since the Little Demon Empress had returned, every gaze from her was like being dropped into an icy abyss. Every word was filled with a chilling/imposing killing intent, every order seemed like it would cause rivers of blood to run through the streets of the Demon Imperial City… As a sinner, he could not sleep for a whole seven days. Not only that, every single day was filled with fear and trepidation, and he had already prepared his own coffin. His greatest desire was to preserve his wife and his Duke Palace… But who would have thought that when it was his turn to be judged by the Little Demon Empress, not only was there not a single hint of killing intent, he was not even condemned but praised instead.
It was as if he had instantly flown from the borders of hell straight up to heaven. Duke Xuan’s eyes instantly overflowed with tears, and he did not rise up. Instead, he collapsed onto the ground and prostrated himself. He wept loudly as he spoke, “This insignificant duke… thanks the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy! This insignificant duke had received royal favor, but he instead repaid it with perfidy. This in and of itself is enough for me to die a thousand times over… but the Little Demon Empress’ divine mercy is like that of the heavens. This insignificant duke is unable to repay this in any way. So the only thing this insignificant duke can do is to swear my eternal loyalty and devotion to you. It will be constant even in death… If I ever dare to even show a hint of betrayal again, may the heavens smite me…”
“There is no need for further words, rise.” The Little Demon Empress casually waved her hand “Your wife and children are definitely worried sick for you back at your palace. So quickly return to them and allay their worries. Withdraw.”
“I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy… I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy…” Duke Xuan once more rose while trembling… but this time, he was trembling due to gratitude. He remained bowed as he retreated and could not stop giving thanks. Even after his feet had stepped out of the barrier, he still had not stopped.
“I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy… I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy…”
The people kneeling in the great hall saw Duke Xuan make a quick exit, without a single wound on his body and with a face that was flushed red with excitement and gratitude, his mouth uttering ceaseless thanks.
“Duke Xuan…”
A few people tried to talk to him, but Duke Xuan did not pay attention to anyone. Instead, he turned around and quickly left the place. But everyone could see clearly that, while his expression was clearly one of relief… there was some joy hidden there as well.
“This…”
“Could it be that the Little Demon Empress actually pardoned him?”
Everyone looked at one another in dismay, but Duke Xuan came out unscathed and his face was filled with joy and astonishment, so that caused the pressure in everyone’s heart to lessen several times. The miserable fate of the Duke Huai Palace had caused them to be so anxious that they could scarcely carry on. Moreover, every single moment spent in the presence of the Little Demon Empress filled them with boundless terror, and their minds could not help but illustrate various terrible scenarios. But Duke Xuan had only gone in for a few moments, and he had clearly been pardoned at the end of it.
They began to feel that, perhaps their sheer terror had been overblown… That was right, after all, they all belonged to Guardian Families and Duke Palaces, and they were the pillars supporting the Illusory Demon Realm! The Illusory Demon Realm had just gone through such a big change, so the foundations and supports were even more inviolate at this time!
Among all the Duke Palaces, Duke Xuan was already among the weakest, and his palace could not even compare to the Guardian Families, but he was safe and sound… As long as they gave all their effort to repent and prove their loyalty, the Little Demon Empress would definitely go with the flow and absolve them. They would receive a warning at most…
At this thought, everyone’s hearts immediately calmed down a great deal, and even the atmosphere of the great hall did not seem so stifling and oppressive anymore.
“Helian Kuang, enter.”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice pierced the barrier as it rang out from the stone room, and this time, her voice summoned the Helian Family Patriarch, Helian Kuang.
“Patriarch…” A few of the core elders in the Helian Family looked at Helian Kuang with worried expressions on their faces.
“Don’t worry. After all, I am the Patriarch of a Guardian Family, so nothing will happen to me.” Helian Kuang sucked in a heavy breath as he strode towards the stone room.
Once he entered the stone room, a heart-piercing icy sensation assaulted him and caused him to feel chills all over, so he involuntarily shivered. Helian Kuang did not dare to meet the Little Demon Empress’ eyes, instead he hurriedly kneeled and said, “This sinner Helian Kuang greets the Little Demon Empress.”
“You may rise.” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was incomparably calm, and there was not single fluctuation in her emotions. She gazed at a stone seat to her right and said, “Be seated.”
There was no killing intent, no fury, not even a feeling of oppression, and he did not even need to kneel. All of this caused Helian Kuang’s heart to be steadied. He slowly rose to his feet and carefully shifted into the stone seat.
The Little Demon Empress extended her hand and a delicate white jade teacup appeared in her palm. With a flip of her hand, the teacup rose in the air as if it was being guided by a light wind and it floated across to the land on the stone table in front of Helian Kuang, “Patriarch Helian, please have some tea.”
The white jade of the teacup was flawless, but its contents were empty and there was not even a drop of tea inside of it. But how would Helian Kuang dare to show even the slightest bit of dissent. Even if the Little Demon Empress were to declare that he was a dog right now, he would respond by barking a few times. He lifted up the teacup with both hands and brought it to his mouth. He carefully raised his head and made the appearance of slowly savoring his tea, and it was only after a good long while that he set the teacup down with the utmost care.
“Have you finished drinking?” The Little Demon Empress’ eyes slightly narrowed, but her words were bland.
Helian Kuang hurriedly cupped his hands and said, “Yes… the rich and mellow fragrance of this tea belongs only in the heavens… I thank the Little Demon Empress for this drink.”
“Since the tea has already been drunk,” The Little Demon Empress’ eyes shone faintly, “then you can leave on your journey with your mind at ease!”
As her final word fell, the Little Demon Empress had already stepped through space, and she suddenly appeared in front of Helian Kuang as if she were a demon out of hell. A small snow-jade delicate hand held flames that seemed to emanate from the fiery pits of hell, and it heavily smashed into Helian Kuang’s chest. The wild and violent Golden Crow Flames crazily surged into his body, and in a single instant, all his internal organs had been completely incinerated.
“Urgh…” Helian Kuang’s eyes widened rigidly as the world spun around him.
Boom!!
An ear-shattering explosion rang out, and Helian Kuang’s body flew out of the stone room and violently smashed into the crowd of people that were kneeling there. When he landed on the ground, his eyes had widened into circles as he stared at the ceiling. There was no sound coming from him at all. Not only that, on his chest, there was a ghastly, black scorch mark.
“Patriarch… Patriarch!!” The gathered core elders of the Helian Family screamed in alarm as they rushed forward, but there was not even a sliver of life left in Helian Kuang’s body. A thick and acrid smell of burnt flesh wafted from his entire body, and his death could not be anymore complete.
“Patriarch…” Staring at the body in front of them, the core elders of the Helian Family had been scared out of their minds, and they just stood there trembling all over. At this time, the Little Demon Empress’ low and cold voice rang out from the stone room, “Despite being the Patriarch of a Guardian Family, Helian Kuang colluded with Duke Huai and conspired to rebel against the throne, so his death was richly deserved. Furthermore, this punishment was originally to be extended to the entire Helian Family. But on account of the Helian Clan having faithfully served and protected the clan of the Demon Emperor for the past ten thousand years, this empress has decided to give you a chance and grant your Helian Family an opportunity to turn over a new leaf… Helian Tu!”
The Second Elder of the Helian Family, whose name had just been called, jerked up with a start as he frantically turned around and sank to his knees.
“From today onward, you will be the new Patriarch of the Helian Family! this empress orders you to drag Helian Kuang’s carcass over to the North Gate in two hours time and suspend it there! Leave it exposed to the public for seven days, and within these seven days, if anyone dares to retrieve his corpse, plead for mercy, or publicly mourn for him, execute that person on the spot!”
“Moreover, if anyone in your Helian Family shows even the slightest bit of dissent, if this empress is aware of it, I will kill that person! If any of you have the audacity to put your clan first and defy my order or if any one of you show even the slightest hint of perfidy again, this empress will ensure that this world will no longer have a Helian Family!”
Every word that the Little Demon Empress uttered caused the dread within the hearts of the core elders of the Helian Family to escalate exponentially. But if the death of one person could be exchanged for the safety of the entire Helian Family, then no one would be stupid enough to be indignant over his death. Helian Tu said in a shaky voice, “We will obey the commands of the Little Demon Empress… I thank the Little Demon Empress for her mercy. Our Helian Family will remain steadfastly loyal to the Little Demon Empress from this day forth, and we will gladly give our lives for you…”
“Also, the Purple Veined Divine Crystals that you owe the Yun Family, definitely do not forget about them.”
“Yes… Yes…” Helian Tu dragged Helian Kuang’s body away as his head jerked up and down in fear. He scrambled to leave, his steps teetering as if he was walking on the edge of a blade.
Terror wildly swept across the Demon Imperial Hall like an epidemic. The slight relief that they had felt after seeing Duke Xuan come out unscathed completely disappeared in an instant, and everyone’s faces were so pale that it seemed all the blood had been drained out of them… For ten thousand years, the Helian Family’s status as a Guardian Family had been second only to the Yun Family, but the Helian Patriarch, Helian Kuang, had been personally executed by the Little Demon Empress… So if that could happen to him, what lay in store for the other Guardian Families and Duke Palaces.
“Jiufang Kui, enter.”
All eyes turned towards the Jiufang Family. Jiufang Kui rose with much trembling, but just as he managed to stand up, his legs went soft, and he sank to his knees once more. His wide and bulging eyes clearly displayed the boundless dread that had welled up in his heart. The horrific death of Helian Kuang had planted a devil in his heart… because he was extremely clear that among the Twelve Guardian Families, even though the Helian Family may have been the first to switch their loyalties over to the Duke Huai Palace, his Jiufang Family was a close second! In addition, his Jiufang Clan and the Helian Clan had originally been close because of their shared race.They had also intermarried over the generations…
She had just killed Helian Kuang and then called for him, Jiufang Kui… how could he not be terrified?
Chapter 632 - Cruel Slave Imprint
“Sinner Jiufang Kui… greets the Little Demon Empress.”
Once he entered the stone room, Jiufang Kui dropped to his knees. Even though he was trying extremely hard to keep his calm, his voice was still trembling in fear.
“Patriarch Jiufang,” the Little Demon Empress’ gaze focused coldly, “Helian Kuang was the Patriarch of the Helian Family, but this empress killed him. As a Guardian Family’s Patriarch, what is your opinion on this? Was this empress right to kill him or not?”
Jiufang Kui gasped cold air harshly and said in panic, “Helian Kuang was a Guardian Family Patriarch, but he colluded with traitors, plotted to rebel, and abandoned the Demon Emperor’s clan’s grace and his family’s responsibility as guardians… This type of traitor should have been hacked into ten thousand of pieces a long time ago. Little Demon Empress was right to kill him… and it was good to kill him.”
“Very good.” The Little Demon Empress nodded slowly. Jiufang Kui’s answer seemed to please her. Then, her voice suddenly became cold, “If so, are you prepared to kill yourself, or do you want this empress to handle this personally!”
Her cold voice and murderous spirit made all the hair on Jiufang Kui’s body stand up. He fell on the floor, screamed and begged, “Little Demon Empress mercy, Little Demon Empress mercy! Back then, I was bewitched by Helian Kuang and was under an obsession for a moment, that’s why… that’s why I committed such disloyal action. But I really didn’t know about those shameless things that would make both humans and gods indignant those people at Duke Huai Palace did… The reason I yielded to Duke Huai Palace was really for self-preservation… for the Jiufang Family getting peace in the future… I… I swear right here, after today I will definitely be loyal to the Little Demon Empress, and see the words of the Little Demon Empress as commands from heaven, ab…absolutely would not have the heart of betrayal… or else, I, Jiufang Kui, will be struck by lightning and split into two halves, and let my whole Jiufang Clan die without peace…”
Considering the barrier keeping any possible outsider from seeing or hearing, for the sake of survival, how could Jiufang Kui still care about the honor as a Patriarch? He desperately cried and begged, cursed himself with the most vicious words. He was no different than any normal living creature that was scared of dying… maybe even more petty.
“Looks like the Jiufang Patriarch has the guts to revolt but doesn’t have the guts to die!” The Little Demon Empress mocked in disdain, “If you are that afraid of dying, this empress could give you a chance to live! Tell me everything you know about Duke Huai Palace and all the shameless things your Jiufang Family has done over this past hundred years, especially the things that this empress doesn’t know about; tell it to this empress completely! There cannot be any falsehoods or omissions!”
“If your confession does not satisfy this empress…” the Little Demon Empress looked sideways at Yun Che, “the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch is right here. This empress could just seal your profound energy and have the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch use the Profound Handle Soul Search on you! By then, if we discover that there is anything false in what you said or if you missed out anything, you would end up in ten times worse condition than Helian Kuang!”
Jiufang Kui shivered, and there was a little more hope in his fear. Helian Kuang’s body was just dragged out. There was nothing worse than dying. For the “chance to live” that the Little Demon Empress mentioned, he wouldn’t dare to hide anything. At that moment, he wracked his brain to think back and told to her everything that he knew about Duke Huai Palace and the shameless things that his family did over the years, whether it was done explicitly or secretly. To “make up for his error,” he even told her in extreme detail of the shameless things that the other Guardian Families and Duke Palaces had done, especially what the Helian Family had done these years, including the agreement between them this past couple of days to cover up each other’s crimes.
When he was all done, his whole body almost collapsed from exhaustion. Even though each thing he confessed was even more shocking than the next, some even rendering Yun Che speechless, there was no commotion in Little Demon Empress’ breath and in her eyes. She stared at Jiufang Kui and said in a deep voice, “The Guardian Family that had honor for ten thousands of years is now corrupted to this extent… Jiufang Kui, as a patriarch, even if you died ten thousand times you could hardly absolve yourself from the blame!”
Jiufang Kui got down on the ground and didn’t dare to speak anymore.
“This empress will now give you two choices.” The Little Demon Empress slowly stood up and walked towards Jiufang Kui. For each step she took, Jiufang Kui’s body curled up tighter, “Option one, you, Jiufang Kui, die! Your body will by hung on the city gate in display for seven days! Your name will also be recorded into the Illusory Demon chronicle, become a disgrace to the Jiufang Family, and you will go down in history as a byword to infamy! Your wife and concubine, your sons and grandsons, will all be sentenced to death immediately!”
Jiufang Kui lifted his head abruptly and begged in a trembling voice, “Little Demon Empress, mercy please…”
“Option two!!” The Little Demon Empress had already walked before Jiufang Kui. She looked at him from above with her cold eyes, pointed at the top of his head, and a ball of scarlet-gold flames was burning in the center of her palm, “Be abiding and accept the ‘slave imprint’ from this empress! If so, you will still be the patriarch of the Jiufang Family! Your wife, concubine, sons, grandsons and the whole Jiufang Clan would all be safe and sound!”
Jiufang Kui’s whole body shook violently, his eyes widened rigidly, and his pupils that were shrinking intensely were filled with fear and desperation.
A slave imprint was the cruelest mental imprint in the world. If a person was implanted with a slave imprint in their heart and soul, then they would have to obey to the person who gave them the slave imprint no matter what, and could never disobey any commands. Even if the command was for him to die, he would go die without any hesitation… There wouldn’t even be any trace of resistance or rebellious awareness. It would be equal to being the slave and puppet of the other party forever.
Once the slave imprint was planted, it was almost impossible for it to be removed. Even if the person who imprinted the slave imprint died, the person who got imprinted with the slave imprint would still remember the their mission and serve loyally for their whole life.
The slave imprint was too cruel; once planted, the implantee’s own life and will would be controlled by someone else. To many people, it was something more terrifying than death. In the law of the Illusory Demon Realm, the “slave imprint” was strictly prohibited. Even the largest family absolutely could not plant a slave imprint on the most inferior servant. At the same time, planting a “slave imprint” not only consumed a great amount of mental power, but it also had an extremely low success rate. With the Little Demon Empress’ current strength, to plant a slave imprint on Jiufang Kui, if he struggled even a little bit, there would be no possibility to succeeding at all. Even when facing an Overlord, it was almost impossible to succeed.
If one wants to successfully plant a slave imprint, usually the other party must be fully willing, and cannot struggle at all.
But, with the options in front of Jiufang Kui, he either was implanted with a slave imprint, or he died… and it’d even bring disgrace and ruin upon himself, and his wife and sons died with him.
“There are only these two choices, there is absolutely not a third choice for you to choose from!” The Little Demon Empress said coldly, “This is the result of your own transgressions. You cannot blame this empress, and cannot blame anyone else! This empress gives you the time for five breaths to consider, to die, or to live… After five breaths, if you still haven’t made your decision, then this empress will directly send you to your grave!”
Jiufang Kui was stunned, emptiness filled his eyes, and there was no sign of life in his eyes… After three breaths, he lowered his head heavily, and said in a trembling voice, “May… Little Demon Empress… grant me the slave imprint…”
If it was between the slave imprint and a simple death, he might have chosen death. But followed by his death, it was a consequence ten thousand times more cruel than a simple death. slave imprint was his only choice. At least, he could live; at least, he didn’t have to carry a bad name for ten thousand of years; at least, when he faced people other than the Little Demon Empress, his soul still belonged to himself.
“Very good.” The Little Demon Empress covered with her palm, using her soul profound energy with the aura of the Golden Crow, and immediately loaded it into Jiufang Kui’s heart and soul… Jiufang Kui’s whole body was trembling, but he didn’t dare to struggle or defend at all. In the time of a few short breaths, the slave imprint from the Little Demon Empress was planted firmly into his heart and soul.
The Golden Crow Flame went out as the Little Demon Empress closed her palm. There was a little more color in Jiufang Kui’s eyes which were gray and dark before. Facing the Little Demon Empress, his body was even more underlying, his eyes and his expression were filled with respect, fear, fawning, flattering, and he was just like a loyal dog shaking its tail in front of its master.
“Scram!” The Little Demon Empress turned around and said in a cold voice. Jiufang Kui’s petty, poor attitude didn’t make the Little Demon Empress felt sorry at all. The hatred from her clan and her family was as deep as the sea… If she wasn’t the Little Demon Empress, if she wouldn’t have to consider the peace and future of Illusory Demon Realm; she would slaughter all of these people in the cruelest way possible… How would she go through all the trouble to let them live.
“Yes yes… I will scram immediately, scram immediately.” Jiufang Kui was as if he heard the irrefutable command of the gods, his whole body shivered, and he immediately threw himself on the ground, rolled… and literally “rolled” out.
It’s not that Yun Che had never heard of the “slave imprint” before, but he had never really seen it. Looking at Jiufang Kui, his whole body quivered.
Mercy in one hand, and death in the other; the former gave hope and the latter gave intimidation, and the slave imprint under the name of hope and intimidation was the Little Demon Empress’ true goal.
Jiufang Kui also left alive. This undoubtedly gave the people behind him even more hope. The process afterwards was a lot simpler. Basically it was same as dealing with Jiufang Kui, letting them choose between “death” and the “slave imprint,” but this “death” would involve the whole family and clan, and be disgraced for ten thousands of years, so the “slave imprint” became their only choice.
But not everyone had these two choices. Helian Kuang died; Jiufang Kui, Bai Yi, Nangong Zhi, Lin Guiyan, Chiyang Bailie, Xiao Xifeng were all planted with a slave imprint; and among the many dukes, a third of the dukes who only turned for self-preservation received amnesty like Duke Xuan.
The patriarchs and dukes who received a slave imprint would never betray for the rest of their lives, their Families and Duke Palaces would be completely in the Little Demon Empress’ control. And those who received amnesty would also be completely loyal with grace and shame.
Until sunset, the Little Demon Empress’ punishments for all of the Guardian Families and the Duke Palaces were then all completed. After the last Duke Palace left in a hurry, the Demon Imperial Hall became empty, and in the silent there was suppression and loneliness.
Planting slave imprints consumed a lot of profound energy, and it consumed even more mental power. Even the Little Demon Empress was exhausted from planting to close to more than fifty slave imprints in an afternoon. But with her extremely stubborn personality, of course she wouldn’t reveal her exhaustion… especially in front of Yun Che.
“This empress has already done what you wished. Now, you can leave.” The Little Demon Empress left her throne said coldly with her back turned to Yun Che.
The figure of her back was delicate and petite, like a little girl who hadn’t grown up yet, but she was carrying the heaviest responsibility in the whole Demon Illusory Realm all by herself… She didn’t have any family left, and there were only three remaining years of her life left.
Everyone respected and feared her; only in Yun Che, when he faced her, there was only a deep, tender protectiveness… and a trace of stabbing pain that could not be relieved.
Yun Che stayed behind alone in hope of helping her in some way; at least she didn’t have to always face all the pressure alone. But, the Little Demon Empress was an unusual woman after all. She had unparalleled profound power in the world, have perseverance that no one could compare to, she even had enough wisdom, a calculating mind, and boldness, and didn’t need him to do anything at all.
The whole afternoon, he felt like him sitting there was completely unnecessary… instead he was even somewhat in the way.
“Um…” Yun Che walked close to the Little Demon Empress for a few steps and said slowly, “Before you became the Little Demon Empress, you were ‘Princess Caiyi.’ All these years you were dressed in gray, it should have been for the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor who had passed away. Now it has been a hundred years, and only Duke Ming who had lost a lot of blood essence is left of the up and down of Duke Huai Palace. Unless he could escape Illusory Demon Realm, he would fall into your hands sooner or later. You have avenged them… so this gray clothing, you shouldn’t have to continue to wear it.”
“…” The Little Demon Empress had her back turned, didn’t move, and didn’t respond at all.
“Besides your identity as the Little Demon Empress, you are also the publicly acknowledged number one beauty in the Demon Illusory Realm. Even though this ugly clothing cannot cover your beauty, if you wear something slightly more… normal, you would look so good that even the heavens would be jealous.” Yun Che said really seriously. It was true that he didn’t like the Little Demon Empress always wearing the gray, wide clothes. Those gray clothes were like a layer of a dim cage, and the Little Demon Empress couldn’t escape from the pressure and shadow of it.
The Little Demon Empress turned to her side slightly, and said indifferently, “Then, what do you think this empress should wear?”
“Um…” Yun Che thought about it closely and said, “Even though I have known you for this long, I have never seen you in any other outfits. Oh, if I really need to say… you look very good without any clothes on.”
【Hypothesis: The Little Demon Empress’ profound energy value is 60000, aggressive value is 99999, Yun Che’s profound energy value is 260, defense value is 500. Question: Which number window should Yun Che report to at the Palace of Hell?】
crushanapple note: the literal meaning of ‘scram’ (滾) is ‘roll’.
Chapter 633 - Purple Cloud Art
Duke Xu was the last duke summoned by the Little Demon Empress. Because he had only turned to Duke Huai after the news of the Little Demon Empress’ demise in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley came, he was pardoned by her. The final result caused him to rejoice, but the Little Demon Empress’ terrifying majesty and icy gaze still made his heart tremble.
He hurriedly left along with the members of his palace, but not long after he left the Demon Imperial Hall, a loud, ear-shattering explosion rang out behind him.
Boom!!
Amidst that roar, the figure of a person could be seen flying, and the speed of that figure was akin to a meteor… it flew all the way past the roofs of the heads of the members of Duke Xu Palace before fiercely slamming itself into the ground not far in front of them, causing a rather huge crater to be gouged into the ground.
Duke Xu and his men stood there with stunned looks on their faces, blankly staring at the person who laid in the center of that huge crater… if they were not mistaken, this person… had clearly flown from the direction of the Demon Imperial Hall.
Yun Che emerged from the pit covered in dust with his clothes completely shredded. He dusted off the dirt on his body and muttered to himself, “This woman… is still really vicious when she wants to be. Tch…”
After he climbed out of the crater, he raised his head and his eyes widened when he saw the members of Duke Xu Palace. They stared at him with fixed eyes, and their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost during the day. The corner of Yun Che’s mouth fiercely twitched and, he said in a calm and unperturbed manner, “Ahem, so it’s Duke Xu. Oh… the Little Demon Empress had told me that the ground around her had fallen into disrepair, so it would break apart easily and it was in need of a good fixing up, so I personally came to test it out. It looks like it was indeed as she said. After all, this place is near the Demon Imperial Hall, so the profound jade used should be of a higher quality. If it is so easily broken, it will harm the image of the Demon Imperial Hall.”
Duke Xu was dumbstruck for a good long while before finally coming back to his senses. He hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes, yes. Young Patriarch Yun is indeed correct, the Little Demon Empress indeed has a fine eye for detail. This humble duke will give instructions for this to be repaired with yellow profound jade which is of a higher quality.”
“Then I will have to trouble Duke Xu in this regard. I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll have to bid you farewell.” Yun Che nodded sharply his head and turned around as he casually walked away.
“Your highness, he was not… smashed all the way out here by the Little Demon Empress, right?” The person on Duke Xu’s right whispered to him after Yun Che had travelled a sufficiently far distance away,
“…You know too much,” Duke Xu said in an extremely quiet voice.
“Cough…”
“…Which part of her body haven’t I seen or touched before, to think that because I said the bold truth… Tch, it’s simply beyond the bounds of reason!” Yun Che grumbled to himself discontentedly as he strolled along. He found a place to change his clothes and then he returned home to the Yun Family.
Yun Che did not conceal anything from Yun Qinghong. He told him how the Little Demon Empress dealt with the seven Guardian Families and the rest of the duke palaces. This caused Yun Qinghong to gasp in shock. Because of how things were currently configured, the end result and the foreseeable future had undoubtedly been arranged in the most perfect way possible.
“Che’er, I have ‘carelessly’ disclosed your medical skills to the public, so you need to be mentally prepared for what is coming up next,” Yun Qinghong said as he laughed merrily.
Of course, Yun Che knew that Yun Qinghong had definitely not been “careless.” Rather, it was a deliberate thing. He lapsed into thought for a while and then he said, “Father, you are hoping that I can build my own reputation and connections?”
Yun Qinghong gave a light nod and said, “Even though you have built up a huge reputation, it is mainly due to amazement and a little reverence. If you really want to make this Illusory Demon City your home, the medical skills that you have is an extremely good thing to rely on. Ten portions of admiration or amazement is not even equivalent to one portion of gratitude… much less, the gratitude of saving a life.”
“I understand.” Yun Che nodded his head, retrieved a white jade box from the Sky Poison Pearl, and put it into Yun Qinghong’s hand. “Father, inside this box are one hundred Overlord Pellets. Give Xiao Yun eleven pellets. Tell him to save one for himself to eat and let the other ten be given to the Under Heaven Family as a betrothal gift. You can give the remaining eighty-nine pellets to the best young disciples within our family.”
“One hundred Overlord Pellets.” These four words caused Yun Qinghong’s brain to completely shut down. Even with the incomparably sensitive hearing that had come with entering the Sovereign Profound Realm, he was still undoubtedly sure that there was something wrong with his ears. It was only after Yun Che had finished speaking that he said in a rather dazed tone, “You just said that… there was what inside of this box?”
“Overlord Pellets. One hundred, no more, no less.”
“…” Yun Qinghong opened the jade box, and immediately, the extremely pure and thick aroma of potent medicine assaulted him. Given his knowledge and experience, he instantly deduced that this was the aroma of medicine of the highest quality. Moreover, he, who had come into contact with the Overlord Pellet many times, also instantly thought “Overlord Pellet” when he was hit by the smell.
Yun Qinghong stood there in a complete daze for a good long while before carefully picking up one pellet… the medicinal pellet in his hand was extremely similar to the Overlord Pellet that he recognized in both appearance and aura. But because it was similar, he could tell that this pellet was rounder than the Overlord Pellet he was familiar with. The aura was also far purer and thicker than any Overlord Pellet he had ever come in contact with before. He carefully released a bit of profound energy into the Overlord Pellet, and his expression immediately became one of alarm for a very long period of time. That was right, this was undoubtedly an Overlord Pellet, but it was not only similar in appearance or aura. It was actually an Overlord Pellet of nearly perfect quality!
He picked up a second pellet… a third pellet… a fifth pellet… and every time he picked one up, his expression grew even more and more amazed. After putting down the tenth pellet, he did not continue. He sealed the jade box and stared straight at Yun Che, but he was unable to say anything for a long, long time.
Yun Che gave a chuckle and continued, “Compared to my medical arts, my ability to refine medicine is much better. No matter what kind of medicine it is, as long as I know the quality and composition and I have the required ingredients, I can perfectly refine the ingredients in a short amount of time. Furthermore, I definitely will not fail. So use these hundred Overlord Pellets without reservation. Given the ten thousand year foundation built up in our Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion, we have more than enough ingredients to refine several thousand of these pellets.”
Yun Qinghong once again felt like he had been submerged into a fantastical dream. Duke Bao Qing Palace had to spend fifty years and painstaking effort to refine just one Overlord Pellet. But in the hands of Yun Che, it became like a mass production line! In addition, from the way he described it, it sounded as if it was as simple to Yun Che as flipping his hand!
If he was not holding a whole hundred Overlord Pellets in his hand right now… Even if Yun Che had told him this in an incomparably sincere manner, he would not have been able to bring himself to believe it. He gave a light laugh and kept the jade box. “Che’er, you have once again caused your father to barely be able to believe what he is seeing or hearing… To call you a little monster is not the least bit absurd at all.”
“Heh, if I’m a little monster, then wouldn’t Father become a big monster? And it seems we’ve even gotten Mother implicated in this,” laughed Yun Che as he replied.
“Hahahaha.” Yun Qinghong gave a great laugh. The shock in his heart still remained, but his expression and emotions had returned to normal. After all, the more “monstrous” Yun Che became, the more he would naturally be overcome with pride and joy and the more he would feel secure and content about his future. One hundred Overlord Pellets, he was incomparably clear on what this meant. It could allow an average force to become a top force in the space of a few short decades. It could cause the Yun Family, whose power had greatly waned, to return to the peak of their power within a hundred years’ time, even without special treatment from the Little Demon Empress.
After he finished laughing, Yun Qinghong suddenly said in a grateful voice, “Che’er, if not for you, the current Yun Family and the current Illusory Demon Realm would not have become like this. Your grandfather in heaven… is definitely extremely happy.”
“My grandfather used his own life to buy my own.” Yun Che said in a soft voice, “Grandfather’s will and his wishes, I will definitely inherit them, no matter what. Moreover, I am also a son of the Yun Family, so these are things that I should do and must do.”
“Good!” Yun Qinghong heavily nodded his head. “You are indeed my, Yun Qinghong’s, son!”
“What about Xiao Yun?” Yun Che asked.
“At this time, he should be cultivating.” Yun Qinghong gave a faint smile. “Even though his talent isn’t otherworldly and even though he had far less resources to work with than the other Young Patriarchs, he has always been extremely hardworking. For him to have the power that he has today required him to exert several times the amount of effort that other people had to put in.”
Yun Che gave a rather heavy sigh and suddenly said, “Father, I want to experience our Yun Family’s Purple Cloud Art.”
Yun Qinghong was faintly surprised, but he nodded his head and replied with a smile, “You are a child of the Yun Family, so you are definitely more qualified than anyone to learn the Purple Cloud Art. But you already have the double elemental profound powers of ice and fire. Different elemental profound energies will cause fluctuations to easily occur. If you add yet another lightning element, it should not bring you any benefits. Moreover, your ice profound art can freeze profound energy and your fire profound art is bestowed by the Golden Crow itself. Their quality is top-notch. So your father feels that you shouldn’t be too interested in the Purple Cloud Art.”
“I am the scion of the Yun Family. No matter what, I should learn the profound art that is passed down within our family. Moreover… I just happen to need a kind of lightning profound art right now. As for the conflicts and limitations that will normally occur between differing elements, they should not occur within my body.”
He had obtained the Evil God Lightning Seed in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, so he really needed a lightning profound art to utilize his lightning profound energy.
Those last words would have caused anyone who heard it to be completely flummoxed, but the way Yun Che said it was brimming with confidence. This tremendously amazed Yun Qinghong, and a dull and forced laugh came out of his mouth… His own son had far too many unimaginable qualities about him, and it happened so often that he had already become numb to it.
“Follow me.”
Yun Che followed Yun Qinghong and entered a hidden room under the Yun Family Ancestral Monument.
The hidden room was pitch black, and it was incomparably spacious. In the darkness, Yun Che’s eyes could not detect anything other than the walls around him. As Yun Qinghong strode forward and extended his left hand, a cyan profound handle flew out and came into contact with the right wall in front of him.
Rumble!!
Immediately, a purple light flashed, and a wide expanse of purple-colored profound writing appeared on the originally mirror-smooth wall. This profound writing was scrawled across the wall that was tens of meters long, and the lightning element in the hidden room came alive as crackling lightning unceasingly sparked in the air.
“This is our Yun Family’s Purple Cloud Art.” Yun Qinghong withdrew his profound handle, but the purple profound formula on the wall did not disappear. “Only the profound handle of our Yun Family can cause this profound formula to appear.”
Yun Che did not reply because he had already started to study the Purple Cloud Art’s profound formula that was written on the wall. Yun Qinghong gave him a look and gently said, “Among the profound elements, fire has an extremely strong destructive ability and ice can freeze things, but a lightning profound power that is of similar strength, in terms of pure power, will exceed the power of ice or fire and even the rest of the profound elements. But the practitioners who cultivate lightning profound power number the least. This is of course not without reason. Even though lightning profound energy is extremely strong, it is too volatile and is the hardest to control and manipulate amongst all the profound elements. It is also easy to harm oneself in the process of cultivation… to the point where you can damage your own profound veins. The higher a level you reach, the more this concept applies to you.”
“Even though the ’Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation’ I used seven days ago was incredibly strong, it required an extremely large amount of blood essence as its cost. Before injuring another, it would also injure oneself first. If it wasn’t forcibly stopped by the Little Demon Empress, even with my profound cultivation realm and Purple Cloud Arts, I would’ve lost my life. That is also the taboo profound technique your late grandfather has repeatedly warned me to never cultivate… You should also not bother to comprehend it.”
Not receiving a response from Yun Che after he finished speaking, Yun Qinghong tilted his head and then was stunned in place.
Yun Che stood there motionless, his expression and gaze was calm and placid, and the aura surrounding his body was as still and quiet as a lake in the dark of night. There was not a single ripple of movement… he had actually entered an enlightened state where his six senses had been sealed off, where his spirit was empty!
Yun Qinghong’s face was masked by thick astonishment. The Purple Cloud Art was the strongest lightning profound art in the Illusory Demon Realm; even though it was not as high-class as the 【Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World】, its might was also enormous, and it embodied incomparably profound lightning profound laws, so it was extremely hard to comprehend. Even though he had extremely outstanding talent, he still had to stay inside the secret room for an entire month before he started to even grasp the basic concepts.
Furthermore, from the time the Purple Cloud Art had appeared until now, it had only been about one hundred breaths… Yun Che had actually entered into a state of enlightenment!
Could it be that the extremely complex and mysterious laws of lightning encapsulated in the Purple Cloud Art was seen through by him in a single glance and had been fully comprehended?
Chapter 634 - Purple Veined Divine Crystal
Yun Qinghong concealed his aura, lightened his steps, and prepared to leave the secret room. When he reached the exit of the secret room, a blazing purple light suddenly flickered, accompanied by a sharp, ear-piercing hissing sound.
Yun Qinghong subconsciously looked back, and shockingly saw more than ten streaks of twisted, flickering purple lightning surrounding Yun Che’s body. This lightning was increasing with rapid speed. Shortly after, it had increased to a hundred streaks… to hundreds of streaks… to a thousand streaks, and Yun Che’s whole body was bathing in the chaotic, raging lightning.
At this moment, Yun Che slowly reached out his palms with them facing upwards… A ball of lightning started growing quickly in the center of his palms, until it grew into the size of a fist. It appeared to be an extremely deep purple, and the aura it released was irascible but brisk. The feeling it gave wasn’t that of a pure energy ball, but of a lively creature.
“Lightning… spirit!?” Yun Qinghong was so shocked that he lost his voice on the spot.
Lightning spirits were the spiritual bodies of lightning that could only be developed when the person’s own profound veins and lightning element reached an extremely high affinity. Once one was able to develop lightning spirits, it meant that the great attainments of his lightning profound energy had reached a whole new realm, whether it was the cohesion of the lightning profound energy, the speed of release, or its power, it would all be completely different. It was an extremely obvious watershed in the attainments of lightning profound energy.
Yun Qinghong cultivated the Purple Cloud Art for a whole thirty years before he used his own profound energy to successfully birth his first lightning spirit. It shocked the entire Yun Family… and even the entire Demon Imperial City, because looking at the Yun Family’s history, thirty years, was a miracle that had never happened before.
But Yun Che had just contacted the Purple Cloud Art today. Not to mention thirty years… it hadn’t even been forty-five minutes!
This was not a miracle… this was simply a fantasy story!
Could he have cultivated another lightning type profound art, so his profound veins already had an extremely high affinity towards the lightning element? But… there was not a trace of lightning aura in the profound energy that he used when he fought with others before! He also said himself that he had never cultivated lightning type profound arts before; on top of that, the main attribute of his profound energy was fire. Lightning and fire conflicted with each other, so he should instinctively reject the power of lightning… In any case, even if he really had cultivated it before, and he started cultivating since he was in his mother’s womb… at the very most, it would only be a little more than twenty years…
Yun Qinghong’s heart rose and fell like the waves. He stood there blankly for a long time before he snapped out of it, left the secret room, and planted a barrier in front of the door of the secret room that only allowed people to exit but not enter.
With the collapse of Duke Huai Palace, the reign of terror in Demon Imperial City was finally over. The city wall was covered with blood letters, and each of the signatures on the blood letters were names that were once well-known, and even greatly reputed in the Illusory Demon Realm. And the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces that were punished by the Little Demon Empress all became honest and straight-laced. Especially the patriarchs and dukes with whom the Little Demon Empress implanted a slave imprint. Pledging loyalty to the Little Demon Empress and the Demon Emperor’s clan became everything to them for the rest of their lives.
Demon Imperial City finally settled down. Under the command of the Little Demon Empress, each major force, city and domain in the Illusory Demon Realm started searching for Duke Ming’s whereabouts. Yun Che treated Yun Qinghong’s body regularly during the day, and pondered the Purple Cloud Art in the secret room during the night… Aside from that, the thing he had to do every day was to “provoke” the Little Demon Empress… Even though he would get thrown out in all kinds of ways every time, he would definitely show up, rain or shine.
On this day, when Yun Che came out of the secret room, the sun was already riding high. Once he stepped out of the large door of the secret room, he suddenly felt a high level, incredibly thick spiritual aura. Simply by contacting this spiritual aura, the slight tiredness in his body was all gone, his five senses became extraordinarily clear, and even the profound energy in his profound veins woke up from its sleep and became excited.
“It’s the aura of Purple Veined Divine Crystal,” Jasmine said, “and it’s an extremely large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal.”
Extremely large amount of… Purple Veined Divine Crystal?!
Yun Che had been to the Medicine Pavilion many times, but he never found the existence of Purple Veined Divine Crystal in any of those times. After all, in the past hundred years, the Yun Family ran behind on their high grade profound crystal expenses. But today, the thick aura of divine crystals suddenly appeared. Could it be…
Yun Che followed the aura and arrived at his family’s Great Assembly Hall. Yun Qinghong and all of the elders were there, and more than ten Black Profound Jade boxes were placed neatly in the center of the hall. Even with the best-quality Black Profound Jade, it wasn’t able to cover that incredibly thick aura of power.
“Che’er, you came just in time.” Yun Qinghong said with a smile, “These are the Purple Veined Divine Crystals from the seven families. Two and a half kilograms from each family. There are exactly seventeen and a half kilograms here, no more and no less. Also, there are twelve and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal seized from Duke Huai Palace’s secret room. The Little Demon Empress granted all of them to our Yun Family. In total, there are thirty kilograms.”
“Thirty kilograms… that is a lot of Purple Veined Divine Crystal! Even if our Yun Family only gained and didn’t spend any… it would take hundreds of years to accumulate, or even close to one thousand years!” exclaimed a Yun Family elder.
“This is just like a dream.” The hands of one of the elders who was slightly closer to it kept on trembling.
In the great hall, everyone’s faces were red and their excited emotions couldn’t calm down for a long time. They belonged to the top families in the Illusory Demon Realm, and were the highest existence of the Illusory Demon Realm, but even they had never seen this much Purple Veined Divine Crystal in their lives.
Thirty kilograms. This was not a great number in weight, but when it was in reference to “Purple Veined Divine Crystal,” it was extremely exaggerated; it was an astronomical number that could stun an expert of the profound way! In the whole Illusory Demon Realm, to more than ninety-nine percent of profound practitioners, the Purple Veined Divine Crystal was a divine item that existed within the legends, and to even see it in their lifetime would be an extravagant hope.
It was also the first time that Yun Che had seen this legendary Purple Veined Divine Crystal. Black Profound Jade had an extremely strong isolation ability; when carrying the Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, it wouldn’t reveal any of its aura. But when it was holding the Purple Veined Divine Crystal, it was still able to reveal a spiritual energy with such thickness, so it went without saying how enormous and dense the power it held was. Especially at this moment, when he was close, it was so thick that he felt like he was almost in a sea of spiritual energy… He didn’t doubt at all that this spiritual energy had already shrouded over the whole Yun Family.
And this was while the Purple Veined Divine Crystal was still sealed in the Black Profound Jade!
“Those seven families had already delayed for a few months, we are already treating them well by not asking them to pay an interest rate. But… this much Purple Veined Divine Crystal, why wasn’t it stored in the Medicine Pavilion immediately? Leaving it here with the spiritual energy leaking is kind of a waste,” Yun Che said.
“Hohoho.” Yun Duanshui laughed faintly and said, “Young Patriarch, our Yun Family was only able to receive this much Purple Veined Divine Crystal all of a sudden because of you. If it weren’t for Young Patriarch, forget about divine crystals, we wouldn’t know whether or not our family would still exist in Demon Imperial City. So, including the Patriarch, all of us believe that only Young Patriarch has the qualification to handle these Purple Veined Divine Crystals. If Young Patriarch doesn’t say anything, none of us have the right to move it ourselves.”
“That’s right,” The other elders all nodded their heads in agreement, and their expressions showed that they were in deep thought.
It wasn’t random when Yun Che proposed to use the Purple Veined Divine Crystal as a wager at first; it was because he originally needed a large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal. He stepped forward and said, “If so, then I will be straightforward. Because of a certain important reason of mine, I do indeed need a large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal. Then… this thirty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, I want to take fifteen kilograms of it, and the other fifteen kilograms will belong to the family. Not sure if everyone… will agree to this?”
“Hahahaha,” Yun Waitian laughed loudly. “Young Patriarch, what are you talking about? Even if you take all thirty kilograms of it, it would be right and proper. From the top to bottom of our whole clan, none of us would disagree. Young Patriarch only took fifteen kilograms, and left an entire half to the family… This is already a generous gift to our whole clan, how would we have a reason to disagree?”
“What the Great Elder had said was what we were thinking in our minds,” The other elders all laughed… To them, what Yun Waitian had said was absolutely correct. Even if Yun Che took all of it, it would be natural and right. And leaving a whole half, this was already a boldness that no one would be unimpressed by.
“Then I will accept it with respect.” Yun Che stepped forward directly, and took exactly fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal… To prevent it from it being eaten by Hong’er, he first stored the fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal into the spatial ring, and then placed it inside the Sky Poison Pearl.
“Also, I have a suggestion for these fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal.” Yun Che faced everyone and said, “Take ten kilograms of it and divide it in four portions. Each portions will be two and a half kilograms, and give it to the Mu Family, the Under Heaven Family, the Su Family, and the Yan Family.”
“Ah? This…” Yun Che’s suggestion stunned all of the elders. They all showed inconvenience in their faces, and the Fourth Elder said in a subtle tone, “Young Patriarch, we have no right to interfere with how the Purple Veined Divine Crystal will be handled, but, giving an entire ten kilograms to other people for nothing, this is a little…”
“I agree with Che’er’s suggestion.” In contrast to the elders’ shock, Yun Qinghong laughed instead after a short moment of thought, “That day when we were fighting with Duke Huai Palace’s forces, the Mu Family, Under Heaven Family, Su Family, and the Yan Family stood by our side, and they all sent their best from the young generation in their family. That battle concerned our Yun Family’s honor and fate of going or staying, so in a way, they fought for our Yun Family. These Purple Veined Divine Crystals were the wager from that battle, so even though at that time, it was said that it would belong to the Yun Family, but it is logical and natural for us to share some of it with them.”
“And this, of course is not the main reason.” Yun Qinghong continued, “After this period of ups and downs, in the eyes of the people, our Yun Family’s status has already surpassed the other Guardian Families, and no one can compare to us. Especially now that we received thirty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, I believe that the entire Demon Imperial City would be discussing this. With these Purple Veined Divine Crystals and the favor of the Little Demon Empress, anyone can predict that not for long, our Yun Family would be high above all the other Guardian Families in prestige, strength, and position. However, being too outstanding would instead form faults and invisible gaps between the families with which we once breathed the same air.”
All of the elders seemed to have understood all of a sudden, “Could Patriarch and Young Patriarch mean…”
“That’s right. Purple Veined Divine Crystal is the highest divine item in the world. Anyone received it would treat it like their own life. If we shared it with them, it will be enough to show them that even though our Yun Family has returned to our glorious state, we would not be proud and arrogant, and would still value our relationship with them. At the same time, these two and a half kilos of Purple Veined Divine Crystal is too valuable. They will receive our good will, but will firmly reject it, and in the end, it will still return to our Yun Family.”
Yun Qinghong smiled slightly and said, “As a result, not only will we not lose any Purple Veined Divine Crystal, we also showed them our attitude. What we need to do is only make a few visits, but it will be extremely important to the future of our Yun Family.”
Yun Che nodded lightly. The father and son pair gave each other a look and smiled.
Yun Qinghong’s words enlightened all of the elders. Yun Waitian was convinced and said, “Patriarch and Young Patriarch are most considerate. This is indeed necessary. We will head over there personally at this moment.”
This concerned Purple Veined Divine Crystals, so of course they could not be at ease having someone else deliver it.
The four elders immediately started moving. Each of them carried two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, and each went to the Under Heaven Family, the Yan Family, the Su Family, and the Mu Family. It was as Yun Che predicted; for the Under Heaven Family, the Su Family, and the Yan Family was reluctant of receiving the gift despite being grateful. But at the Mu Family, there was an unexpected result…
“Hahahaha! Since it is my son-in-law and grandson being filial, of course I can’t reject it.” Mu Feiyan was beaming with joy, laughed loudly, and waved his hand, “Old Three, accept the gift and deliver it to my courtyard. Two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, this is the largest gift that this old man has ever received. Wait until this old man warms it with my hands and then store it into the Medicine Pavilion… It was not all in vain when this old man married his daughter to the Yun Family, and gave birth to the Yun Family’s phenomenal Young Patriarch, hahahaha!”
Mu Feiyan accepted it cleanly and efficiently. The Second Elder of the Yun Family, Yun Duanshui, who went there to give them the “present” was stunned on the spot…
Chapter 635 - Su Family’s Request
Fifteen kilograms… Ah, no, twelve and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal went into the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion, and the entire Yun Family rejoiced in jubilation for a long time. As for those hundred Overlord Pellets, Yun Qinghong had not made it known yet because it was a landmine that was even scarier than fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal. Even he himself had still not gotten over the shock and awe brought about by the revelation of those hundred Overlord Pellets.
Originally, the thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal that Jasmine required was a far-fetched and exceedingly remote target for Yun Che. In addition, before today, he had not even seen any Purple Veined Divine Crystal before, much less owned any. He didn’t even know what it looked like. But today, he had come away with fifteen kilograms just like that.
“So as it stands, we are still lacking twenty kilograms.” Yun Che said in a satisfied voice, “Six years ago, when you mentioned the thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, I was scared stiff. But who would have thought that in a mere six years I would attain so much of it all at once… After all, nominally I am still the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, so I had to leave half of it to them. But don’t worry, the remaining twenty kilograms… it definitely will not take too long.”
“…You mean that these fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal are reserved for me?” Jasmine asked in a strange tone.
“Of course. Thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, this was something that I had solemnly promised you from the beginning.”
Jasmine flatly replied, “Do you even know what fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal entails? It is enough to create one hundred of this world’s highest grade grand profound formations! It can allow a huge profound ark to fly continuously for several hundred years! It is enough to refine countless spiritual medicines of the highest grade. Moreover… you have the body of the Dragon God, the protection provided by the power of the Rage God, so you can directly and completely absorb the spirit energy within! Even if you do not continue cultivating, just by absorbing this energy alone, your profound strength can, within the span of several decades, break through the peak of the Sovereign Profound Realm, and even surpassing the Little Demon Empress isn’t out of the question.
“Are you sure you want to leave all of it for me?”
Jasmine was far, far clearer than Yun Che was on what fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal really entailed, especially in regards to Yun Che, a mysterious being among all the mysterious beings. Because the energy of the Purple Veined Divine Crystal was simply of too a high a grade and strength to be absorbed directly, if one tried to forcefully absorb it, the best case scenario would be the harming of one’s profound veins. The worse case scenario, on the other hand, would be for that person’s body to implode! In addition, most profound practitioners could only absorb the energy of the Purple Veined Divine Crystal after it had been refined several times, and it still required to help of several Sovereign Profound Realm powerhouses to assist in the process. Moreover, the entire process had to be done with extreme caution, and the energy that one really absorbed was not even a tenth of what it originally was… and that energy, that was not even a tenth of the original, was equivalent to a century or even several centuries worth of painstaking cultivation.
Not only that, but Yun Che was different. He had the body of the Dragon God, the bloodline of the Phoenix and the Golden Crow, and the protection bestowed by the Great Way of the Buddha, so he could directly absorb the energy of the Purple Veined Divine Crystals… In several decades, he could directly enter into the latter stages of the Sovereign Profound Realm and reach the peak of power in his current world without needing to cultivate any further or go through any more tribulation. This was an irresistible lure for any profound practitioner.
But Yun Che slowly and resolutely shook his head. “Before I procure the thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal for you, unless it is to save a life, I will definitely not lay a single finger on it.”
Jasmine fell silent for a while before letting out a faint and tepid snort. “Hmph, looks like you’re still human after all.”
“~！#￥%… what the hell did ‘you’re still human after all’ mean? Does that mean that I was previously a beast in your eyes?” Yun Che shouted as his eyes widened.
“You mean you aren’t? From other people’s point of view, you are surrounded by halos of light. But your beastly, lecherous, perverted, despicable, and shameless conduct… Do you think you can hide it from me?!” Jasmine yelled as she coldly and disdainfully laughed.
“…” Yun Che’s face had gone completely red, and he was unable to utter a single word for a good long while as his face scrunched up as if he wanted to cry. Jasmine’s soul was fused with his lifeline, so she was completely inseparable from him. Furthermore, now that it had been a whole six years, she could even guess what his thoughts were, much less see what he had done.
In this world, other than Yun Che himself, Jasmine was undoubtedly the person who understood him the most… Whether it was his good side or his dark side.
However, after all these years, this was the first time Yun Che had heard Jasmine pay him a compliment, so that was the greatest comfort… if the words “you’re still human after all” can be counted as a compliment that is.
On the second day, after Yun Che had just finished infusing Yun Qinghong with the energy of heaven and earth, he received news that Su Xiangnan and Su Zhizhan had come to pay him a visit.
The Patriarch of the Su Family had even brought along the Young Patriarch to come for a visit, so Yun Qinghong naturally went to receive them. But right after they had finished greeting one another, Su Xiangnan said in a rather cautious fashion, “May I inquire… if your noble son is present today?”
“Che’er? What is Brother Su looking for Che’er for?”
“It’s like this… One hundred years ago, due to a moment of rashness and anxiety, my father tried to forcefully open his Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate. He failed and heavily harmed them instead. Not only was he forced to go into perpetual isolation, if he does not carefully control the circulation of his profound energy and if it comes into contact with those three profound entrances, it is extremely likely to cause his profound energy to go berserk… the pain he experiences in that case is actually secondary. What we really fear is that his internal organs would get injured again and again. Our Su Family has tried countless methods to try to cure his condition in the last hundred years, and we have gotten over one hundred famous and highly skilled doctors to help him… But the Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate are located in the core of one’s profound veins. If they did not have complete confidence or if their attention wandered for even a fraction of a second, it would cause harm to the profound veins, so all these so-called genius doctors did not dare to attempt it… Brother Yun should also have heard of what happened to my father. It has already been a full one hundred years, and we are well and truly at a loss over what to do.”
Su Xiangnan’s father, Su Hongbo, was the old Patriarch of the Su Family. One hundred years ago, he was ranked amongst the ten supreme individuals in the Illusory Demon Realm. So the matter of his profound entrances being harmed was something that Yun Qinghong naturally knew. Not only that, it was something that was basically known by everyone in the Demon Imperial City because this was the most famous case-study on the negative side-effects of forcefully trying to open one’s profound entrances. Unfortunately, it just had to be that these three profound entrances were located at the core of his profound veins.
Yun Qinghong nodded his head thoughtfully and replied in a measured voice, “Seeing how anxious Brother Su is, could it be that Senior Su’s condition has worsened yet again?”
“Sigh.” Su Xiangnan let out a low sigh. “Father found out about Duke Huai Palace’s evil schemes just a few days ago. He also found out the truth behind the tragic deaths of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. He was filled with sorrow and self-recrimination, hating himself for being dragged down by the injury to his profound entrances, hating that he had been completely oblivious to the fact that the Demon Emperor’s clan had faced such a great crisis and the fact that he had not done anything to help. In a fit of rage and impulsiveness, the profound energy that he had kept suppressed for several decades forcefully broke out and ran wild… in the end, this resulted in that energy coming into contact with those injured profound entrances, causing his profound energy to go berserk and rebound on himself which resulted in extremely serious internal injuries… His other injuries are secondary because he can always recover from them, but the injuries to his profound entrance has caused great pain and weariness to my father, and now it is even more… Sigh.”
“Senior Su’s injuries are indeed a great tragedy.” Yun Qinghong also let out a sigh. “So could it be that the purpose of Brother Su’s visit was to…?”
Su Zhizhan took a step forward and bowed as he said, “Uncle Yun, we have heard that Young Patriarch Yun has outstanding and uncommon medical skills. Your profound veins had withered, and all the famous miracle doctors could only wring their hands at the cold poison that ate away at your body for twenty years. But Young Patriarch Yun, in the span of two short months, completely cured you. Uncle Yun had personally said himself that he could even completely cure the loss of blood essence… Such medical skill just might be able to solve the issue of my grandfather’s injuries to his profound entrances.”
Su Xiangnan cupped his hands as well and entreated him, “When we heard Brother Yun mention his noble son’s medical skills that day, it truly astounded us. My father has suffered from his profound entrance injuries for a whole hundred years. To allow my father to get rid of this suffering has been the greatest wish of our Su Family in these last hundred years. With the passage of a hundred years, it turned into a pipe-dream long ago… if your noble son has a way to cure my father, I, Su Xiangnan… will be eternally grateful.”
When they mentioned Su Hongbo’s injury, Yun Qinghong immediately knew the purpose of their visit. After all, the fact that Yun Che had exceedingly outstanding medical skills was purposely disclosed by him. He replied, “Brother Su’s words are too serious. I’ll just call Che’er over. However, Che’er has just finished treating my injuries, so he might be a little tired…”
“It’s fine, I’m not tired at all.”
Before Yun Qinghong’s words had completely fallen, Yun Che’s voice rang out from beyond the room. He strode into the room boldly and directly replied the Su Family father and son, “Patriarch Su, Brother Su, I indeed have some medical ability. If I am able to cure old Senior Su’s old injury, then I feel compelled to assist in any way I can. Allow me to go along with you to pay a visit to the Su Family right now.”
Yun Che had made a timely entrance, and not only did he not show any signs of rejecting them, he even accepted the request right away. Furthermore, his expression was exceptionally calm and confident. If he did not have great enough medical skill or confidence, then why would he behave in this manner… the Su Family father and son, who had come with the hope that this would occur, felt that hope immediately soar. Su Xiangnan said in a grateful tone, “Young Patriarch Yun, no matter what happens, this Su thanks you first.”
“Patriarch Su is being far too polite, please just call me Yun Che…”
After that, Yun Che followed Su Xiangnan and Su Zhizhan to the Su Family.
The Su Family was a flourishing clan that was ranked in the top three among the Twelve Guardian Families. Due to this, it was natural that their foundation was thick and robust and their aura was uncommon. Even before nearing the Su Family’s gate, a potent and severe sword wind assaulted him, and he could faintly hear the low murmuring and whistles of the wind. The Su Family used a sword as their weapon, and they cultivated an extremely strong wind element profound art. In addition, the “Divine Wind Sword” that Su Zhizhan used to defeat Helian Ba four months ago had not only shocked the entire crowd, but it had also made a deep impression on Yun Che.
After entering the Su Family gates, Yun Che undoubtedly received the rapt attention of all the members of the Su Family. After all, in this period of time, “Yun Che” was the name that resounded the loudest in the Illusory Demon Realm, and his reputation was so great that it had nearly surpassed all of the Guardian Families.
“Father, this person is the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, Yun Che.”
“Junior Yun Che greets Senior Su,” Yun Che said as he strode forward to pay his respects.
Su Hongbo slowly lowered himself into a sitting position, and as an incomparably strong late stage Monarch, his face did not show a trace of old age. His face was pale, and his aura was extremely weak and hollow. But when he measured Yun Che, his originally dull eyes regained much of their color. He slowly nodded his head and, with much admiration, said, “What an outstanding youth. In recent times, this old man has heard your name being mentioned the most. But alas, my body has failed me, and I was not able to attend either grand ceremony. Not being able to witness your brilliance was a great loss indeed.”
“Senior’s words are too extravagant,” replied Yun Che as he took a step forward. “This junior has some skill in the medical arts, so I have come at the request of Patriarch Su. So, if it is alright, may this junior check the condition of Senior Su’s profound entrances?”
“Haha, sigh.” Su Hongbo let out a laugh first but it was followed by a muted sigh. “It was all the fault of this old man that, when I was full of vim and vigor, I overestimated myself and had to eat this bitter fruit. Now that a whole hundred years have passed, the heavy injuries to my three great profound entrances have caused them to be completely destroyed. I am afraid there is nothing that can be done about it… That you would come for the sake of this old man already fills this old man’s heart with gratitude. If there is nothing that can be done, please do not blame yourself for it.”
From Su Hongbo’s expression and words, it was clear that he had long ago lost most of his hope in regards to the recovery of his three great profound entrances. Yun Che gave a faint smile and said, “Senior Su, you do not need to be so pessimistic. Let this junior first take a look at the state of your profound entrances.”
Yun Che arrived at the head of Su Hongbo’s bed and stood at his back. He extended his left hand and gathered profound energy there. At this time, Su Xiangnan’s voice rang out as he asked, “Nephew Yun, is it not necessary for him to take off his outer garment?”
“Oh… there is no need, he can remain as he is,” Yun Che said without a hint of hesitation as apprehension raced through his heart… Tricking his wife Qingyue and those ice beauties from Frozen Cloud Asgard was one thing, but what the heck would he want an old man taking off his clothes for?!
Chapter 636 - Title of Genius Doctor
Yun Che extended three fingers and pointed at Su Hongbo’s back, precisely on the locations of his Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate. Profound energy entered, and then, the condition of these three profound entrances quickly appeared in Yun Che’s mind.
Su Hongbo’s three great profound entrances had indeed been seriously injured long ago, but they had not been completely crippled. After all, the Su Hongbo of a hundred years ago was still a late stage Monarch. How could his profound entrances be that easily destroyed? The injury could be described as “extremely serious,” however, and since it had been like that for such a long time, these three profound entrances were already completely blocked. Simply repairing his injuries was harder than hard. As for opening them… that was as difficult as ascending to the heavens itself.
With Yun Che’s medical skills, if he poured in all his effort, then he could completely heal these three profound entrances. Furthermore, the risk of accidentally harming the profound veins was minuscule. However, it would take an extremely long time. Even if he incessantly healed him everyday, it would still take at least half a year.
But if Yun Che opened them first, then healed his injuries, restoring the injuries would become extremely simple due to profound energy being able to spread on its own. So simple that it wouldn’t even need any external help; his body could recover on its own… But back then, when these three profound entrances had loosened, Su Hongbo’s attempts to forcefully open them had all ended in complete failure. Now, not only were they completely blocked, they were also in a seriously injured state. To any profound practitioner, even if they were to obtain the assistance of a famed genius doctor, wanting to open them was fundamentally impossible.
If Yun Che were to merely use his medical skills, it would also be impossible for him to accomplish this.
However… Yun Che possessed the heaven defying power of the Sky Poison Pearl, a Heavenly Profound Treasure.
Beneath the Sky Poison Pearl’s impeccably strong purification, this kind of medical violation that defied common sense was as easy as pie.
“Brother Yun, how are my grandfather’s profound entrance injuries? Is there anything you can do?” Su Zhizhan nervously asked, hopeful after seeing Yun Che’s actions.
Yun Che smiled lightly. “Don’t worry, Senior Su’s profound entrance injury isn’t as serious as you think it is… Senior Su, relax as much as you can, and don’t use profound energy. Later on, when an aura enters your profound energy, please do not resist in any way.”
Yun Che’s words caused the Su father and son pair to reveal expressions of pleasant surprise. Su Hongbo chuckled. “Do as you will.”
Yun Che focused his mind, and a green lightly flickered from the palm of his hand. Three strands of a purifying aura that came from the Sky Poison Pearl followed Yun Che’s profound energy and entered Su Hongbo’s profound veins, making contact with the three damaged profound entrances with incomparable precision.
Su Hongbo’s expression was always extremely flat, so flat that it was even somewhat glum. This was because he himself knew better than anyone how grave his injuries were. He had long since given up that there would be a day in which his profound entrance injuries could be completely healed. Otherwise, why else would he be able to suffer through a full hundred years of pain? It was just at this moment that his entire body suddenly jolted and both his eyes abruptly widened. His eyes radiated extreme shock and incredulity; even his entire body was violently trembling.
Su Hongbo’s appearance shocked Su Xiangnan. Throughout his entire life, he had rarely ever seen his father express such a great deal of emotion. “Father, what’s wrong?”
Su Hongbo turned his head as his lips trembled excitedly. “Opened… My Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate… have all opened!”
“WHAT??” Su Xiangnan and Su Zhizhan were all stunned in place, not daring to believe their own ears. Su Xiangnan quickly advanced forward, held out a hand to press it on Su Hongbo’s body, and carefully inserted his profound energy… Subsequently, his face revealed the exact same expression Su Hongbo had… complete disbelief.
“How… How… How is this possible…” Su Xiangnan cried out.
Being able to completely heal wounded profound entrances was already their greatest desire for the past hundred years. As for opening these three profound entrances… forget about even hoping for it, that thought never even crossed their minds because that was simply something that could never happen.
But this impossibility had actually happened before their very eyes.
Yun Che withdrew his hand and casually stated, “Even though the profound entrances have been opened, the injuries are still present. However, with this, the injuries to these three profound entrances should be able to naturally heal under the nourishment of profound energy. Still, it’s best if Senior Su does not use more than seventy percent of his profound energy in the next two months, or else it may worsen. It should be more or less completely healed after two months.
“Two months…” Su Zhizhan gaped.
“Oh, if you want to heal a bit faster, there’s a way for that too.” Yun Che continued, “I will immediately prescribe some medicine for Senior Su when I get back. Dispatch someone to come to our Yun Family to fetch it early tomorrow. When that time comes, take one every day and put it near your injured profound entrances. Use profound energy to guide the medicinal energy inside the profound entrances, and continue doing that for around one hundred breaths. In at most fifteen days, you should make a full recovery.”
“Fifteen… days?!” Su Zhizhan gulped down his saliva, and his mouth gaped open even further. When he had said “two months” earlier, it was because he felt that it was simply too short of a time period since Su Hongbo’s profound entrance injuries had already gone without any cure for more than a hundred years. Yun Che, who seemed to think that this period of time was a bit long… had directly cut it down to fifteen days.
“Nephew Yun…” The shock in Su Xiangnan’s heart had greatly surpassed his excitement. “Even though I have heard from your father that you had extraordinary medical skills, I never expected that it would actually be… this world shocking, this mind blowing! All of the genius doctors in Demon Imperial City cannot even match up to a single hair on your head.”
Even though Su Xiangnan’s words felt extremely exaggerated, they had actually come from the very bottom of his heart. As a Guardian Family, the doctors he was able to invite were naturally the best genius doctors in all of Illusory Demon Realm that were fully worthy of their titles. However, the innumerable doctors they had invited in these hundred years, along with the numerous types of medicine and profound jade used were all useless. Yet Yun Che had directly opened the injured profound entrances… this was more than a million times more difficult than simply healing it. The results as well, were as different as day and night.
And he had merely used more than ten breaths of time to do all this.
He had absolutely no idea how Yun Che had done it, nor would he thoughtlessly ask about it. But just based on this outcome alone, he knew that the level of attainment Yun Che possessed about medicine… had perhaps transcended what both his imagination and comprehension. It was no wonder why Yun Qinghong had previously said that his medical skills had surpassed his profound strength.
“Patriarch Su is flattering me.” Yun Che said politely, “Senior Su is fine now, and this junior was just lucky that he didn’t fail. I won’t disturb you any more and will now take my leave.”
“Wait!!” Hearing that Yun Che wanted to leave, Su Hongbo leapt off the bed with a “whoosh” and grabbed Yun Che. His previously pale complexion was now flushed red with excitement. With his three injured profound entrances completely unobstructed, not only had his hundred years of pain completely ended, his cultivation speed would also be faster than before… This was not merely healing his injuries, it was essentially giving him a new lease on life. The feeling of his profound veins being open to this extent nearly moved him to tears.
“Little brother, how can you leave just like that after you have done such a great favor for me? At the very least, let our Su Family express our gratitude.”
“No need.” Yun Che waved a hand and casually said, “Being able to heal Senior’s injuries is this junior’s honor. Besides, to me, this is nothing much. It’s not worthy of being a ‘great favor.’ This junior will be quite busy with some affairs soon, so I won’t stay any longer. I’ll pay a visit some other day… Farewell.”
Yun Che executed a junior’s salute and cleanly turned around and left.
Seeing Yun Che’s clean departure, even though the tides in Su Hongbo’s heart rocked violently, he didn’t feel that it was right to urge him to stay. He earnestly roared at Yun Che’s departing figure. “You have not simply healed this old man’s injuries, you have also saved this old man’s life, allowing this old man to finally live his second half freely! Listen here, just based on you saving this old man’s life… if anyone in Demon Imperial City dares to bully you, tell me, and I’ll eliminate their entire family myself!”
Su Xiangnan wryly smiled on the side. “Father, he managed to injure Duke Huai before, so his profound cultivation is probably not lower than Yun Qinghong’s. The Little Demon Empress also treats him differently compared to others. He’s shrewd, and the way he thinks is frightening and even more incomparable. Adding on his heaven defying medical skills… in this Demon Imperial City, no one should be able to bully him.”
Su Hongbo turned his head, glared, and snarled. “What are you standing here for? Why haven’t you gone to send him off?”
“Yes, yes…” The Su Family’s father regained their senses and hurriedly chased after Yun Che.
The next day, Su Hongbo, who had rarely ever left the Su Family over the last hundred years, strutted around in Demon Imperial City, continuously paying visits to seven or eight of his old friends. His face flushed with spirit, and it was as though he was several hundred years younger. That clear and hearty laughter nearly rang throughout all of Demon Imperial City. At the same time, the news of him no longer being restricted by his injured profound entrances and the fact that they were all opened due to Yun Che’s medical skills had spread through the entire Demon Imperial City… combined with the many previous rumors of Yun Che’s medical skills. Yun Che’s title of “genius doctor” had fiercely swept through the entire city like a storm.
It was obvious what would happen next. On the third day he had come back from the Su Family, many people had went to the Yun Family to seek treatment. And those who dared to ask this of the Yun Family were naturally duke rank nobility. Demon Imperial City was the Illusory Demon Realm’s highest existence, so the doctors it possessed were also Demon Illusory Realm’s best. If the genius doctors within Demon Imperial City were powerless, then it meant that the infliction was beyond help…
Like Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s withered profound veins and Su Hongbo’s seriously injured profound entrances.
And the majority of those who sought medical treatment also had those kinds of “beyond help” inflictions. After hearing those rumors, they quickly came over carrying a sliver of hope… Yun Che, who was somewhat prepared for this, had welcomed them all. Later on, no matter what “incurable illness,” “incurable injury,” or “incurable poison”… all of them had shockingly improved for the better at an even more astonishing rate.
Without exception!
Leaving the world’s most influential hegemons stunned one after the other, they all lost control of their emotions.
Towards Yun Che, their gratitude and the countless of thanks were all secondary… and they simply viewed him as a celestial being.
Following Yun Che’s perfect treatments, more and more “incurable patients” came. His medical skills had also started to almost become legendary, and reality was also like this… it was as though there was no illness he could not cure. At the very least, there were none among his patients who had claimed that he had failed to treat them. In addition, all these people, for the most part, had all been determined by Demon Imperial City’s “number one genius doctor” and “medicine kings” as incurable.
Strong power or force could allow others to owe one a debt, but incomparably great medical expertise could make others owe their lives!
What kind of place was Demon Imperial City? How many experts were gathered in Demon Imperial City? A portion of them owed Yun Che half their lives or even their entire lives; what kind of concept was that?
Furthermore, as people who cultivated the profound way, anyone could encounter severe injuries, toxic poison, and even fatal injuries. Anyone could encounter mishaps in cultivation and breakthroughs. If they were able to have a good relationship with the Yun Family, especially with Yun Che, then wouldn’t that be like having one more… even several more Exempt From Death talismans?!
This was an incomparably obvious truth that any profound practitioner was clear on.
This was also why Yun Qinghong had deliberately spread word of his medical skills.
Yun Che’s medical expertise was originally great, and he even had the additional heaven defying power of the Sky Poison Pearl. Even though Yun Qinghong originally thought that Yun Che’s medical skills were surprising, in these short days, he realized that he had still severely underestimated his own son… No matter which incurable disease it was or what serious injury had been incurred, they all made complete recoveries with ease. It was like he had actually attained the realm where nothing was incurable!
So much so that he had caused those so-called number one genius doctors of Illusory Demon Realm to feel ashamed to death.
Yun Che had the identity of the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch. In the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony, his stunning performance caused his name to spread through the world; he came back with the Little Demon Empress; he even seriously injured Duke Huai… and now, his title of genius doctor was widespread. Unwittingly, whether it was inside or outside Demon Imperial City, Yun Che’s prestige had surpassed that of the twelve Patriarchs. His name had also become the most frequently mentioned two words.
Even the Yun Family’s prestige had also been boosted once more by Yun Che’s legendary medical skills.
In the end, no matter where Yun Che went, even Guardian Family elder rank persons and Duke Palace dukes would immediately take the initiative to greet him, be overly friendly, and would not dare to slight or offend him in any way… because even though slighting those of the young generation was right and proper, slighting Yun Che… was making their own lives difficult.
Chapter 637 - “Sending in the Goods”
“Young Patriarch, this is a Nine Thousand Year Old Pure Yang Ginseng General Chu sent over to thank you for curing his right eye.”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion.”
“Young Patriarch, this one hundred fifty kilograms of Purple Yang Jade Zi Yi Duke Palace sent over to thank you for healing their third young master’s profound vein injury.”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion.”
“Young Patriarch, this is a ‘Nine Star Evil Warding Bead’ Xuan Duke Palace sent over. There are only three of these in the entire Illusory Demon Realm…”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion.”
“Uh… we’re sending this over to the Medicine Pavilion too?”
“Who cares what it is, just toss it in the Medicine Pavilion for now.”
“…Yes, yes.”
“Young Patriarch, Su Family’s Young Patriarch Su Zhizhan wishes to see you.”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion… hm? Su Zhizhan? Bring him over.” Yun Che yawned, finally properly sitting down for the first time in a while. Back then, when he was treading through the Azure Cloud Continent with his Master, the patients they’ve saved were innumerable. Under his Master’s influence, a huge sense of satisfaction would emerge in his heart every time he saved someone. After the death of his Master, however, his temperament greatly changed; not only had he not saved a single person in the Azure Cloud Continent, it was unknown how many more people he had ended up killing as opposed to saving…
Following his change in mentality, now that he was saving others with his medical skills, he no longer felt that sense of satisfaction he had back then.
Soon enough, Su Zhizhan walked in, but he didn’t walk in alone. A luxuriously dressed girl was at his side. She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen, with jade-white skin and ruby lips, an extremely charming girl. Her delicate head was bent, her footsteps graceful, and both her hands were nervously wrapped around the belt on her waist. From entering to arriving in front of Yun Che, she had only secretly glanced at Yun Che once and didn’t dare to raise her head to look again.
“Brother Yun.” Upon seeing Yun Che, Su Zhizhan quickly walked forward a few steps with a voice full of gratitude. “You have given my Su Family such a mountainous kindness, yet because of a few trivial delays, I have only come to thank you today. It really is my fault, and I hope Brother Yun can forgive us.”
“Whatever are you saying, Big Brother Su?” Yun Che got up to greet him and smiled. “It was nothing much, so Big Brother Su shouldn’t worry about it too much. How has Senior Su been these days?”
Su Zhizhan smiled and answered, “Recently, Grandfather has changed, completely unlike his old, lifeless self . He’s in great spirits every day, and it’s as if he has been born anew. Brother Yun’s medicine is even more miraculous than we had anticipated. In these short seven days, seventy to eighty percent of Grandfather’s profound entrance injuries have already healed. After a few more days, he’ll definitely make a full recovery. These past few days, Grandfather has been worrying about what kind of gift he should give you as thanks.”
“No need for a gift, being able to help Senior Su recover is my honor… Big Brother Su, you still haven’t introduced… who is this?” Yun Che’s gazed hinted at the girl by Su Zhizhan’s side. He had a slight impression of this girl, and he had a feeling she was a member of the Su Family. From what he recalled, when he was in the Su household, he sensed her aura from some corner… As a celebrity of Demon Imperial City, there were many people taking glances of him from every corner of the Su Family, and it seemed like she was one of them?
Seeing that Yun Che took the initiative to mention her, that girl lowered her head even more. Su Zhizhan hastily answered, “ This is my younger sister, Su Zhixi, she’s seventeen years old. Zhixi, why haven’t you greeted Young Patriarch Yun yet?”
The girl stepped forward and bowed lightly. “Little Sister Su Zhixi greets Big Brother Yun.”
After saying that, her delicate head quickly lowered again as a smear of red quietly flushed from her jade face to the edge of her ears.
“So it’s Little Sister Zhixi… didn’t expect that Big Brother Su, who has a tiger’s fierce aura, would have such a placid little sister. Hahahaha… Come, sit,” Yun Che said with a smile. Then he thought to himself: Hm? Su Zhizhan actually has a sister? It seems like they’re even direct siblings… but what did he bring his sister for?
“No thank you.” Su Zhizhan waved a hand, and then became embarrassed. “Brother Yun, actually, I came this time because of my little sister. Uh…”
Su Zhizhan stopped talking. Then, a concentrated profound sound transmission sounded beside Yun Che’s ears, “Uh… when Brother Yun was treating my grandfather that day, my sister was actually in the side room… When Brother Yun left, my sister was always absent-minded and had no appetite… Grandfather said that she has an ailment of the heart that only Brother Yun can cure. That’s why he said I had to bring my little sister to Brother Yun no matter what, and he even said that once I’ve brought her… I should immediately leave….”
Yun Che, “…”
“Ahem,” Su Zhishan lightly coughed once, then said with cusped hands, “My little sister is sick, but with Brother Yun’s medical skills that transcend the heavens, it shouldn’t be a problem… Oh, my father has just sent me a sound transmission saying that something huge has happened in our family. He wants me to come back immediately after bringing my sister here. Then… I’ll leave it all up to Brother Yun! Once she has completely recovered, I’ll definitely treat Brother Yun to some good wi… I’ll take… take my leave now.”
Before he had yet to finish his sentence, Su Zhizhan had already turned and left, instantly disappearing… not letting Yun Che have the chance to even speak.
“!#$%…” In Yun Che’s mind, several crows flew through in a straight line.
Shit! What the hell?! Your Su Family is still a Guardian Family alright?! This little girl is still a daughter of the Su Family Patriarch, you know?! You’re actually actively giving her out for free?! And it’s even Su Hongbo’s idea?
Where is your Su Family’s integrity?!
In actuality, Old Man Su definitely wasn’t someone without “integrity.” Instead, he was extremely shrewd. Back then, Yun Che had totally moved his heart, and several days after, he began to understand everything about Yun Che. His verdict: This is a man in a domain that none could reach, someone who has completely surpassed the Yun Qinghong of old! He has made an appearance at only twenty years of age, yet his name has already shaken the entire Illusory Demon. His future accomplishments were perhaps completely unimaginable. If one were to say he was to oversee the entire Illusory Demon Realm in the future, perhaps no one would doubt that at all.
Even though he had arrived at the Yun Family not so long ago, for the sake of his family, he did not hesitate to face off against Duke Huai, who possessed absolute power. In order to save the Little Demon Empress, he did not hesitate to brave danger and enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. That was sufficient enough to prove that he was not an evil person. Instead, he was one who valued relationships and righteousness.
There was another piece of information: He shouldn’t be married yet.
He was simply the world’s perfect candidate for a grandson-in-law!
Following the reveal of his shocking medical skills, his prestige had flourished even further, reaching as high as the sun at noon. The families that were well-matched in terms of social status had daughters, and as long as their brains were functioning, if they were to think of the number one candidate for a son-in-law, they would certainly think of Yun Che! Currently, Demon Imperial City was not at peace due to the aftermath of the chaos, so it didn’t seem like anyone had proposed marriage to the Yun Family, or perhaps they didn’t dare… Thus, Old Man Su promptly decided to have someone personally “send in the goods.” Su Zhixi was Su Family’s princess and was an appropriate match for Yun Che. Their ages were more suitable than ever, and her temperament was also one that men had a tender affection for. She was even an outstanding beauty… He didn’t believe that Yun Che would not “accept the delivery.”
If he worried too much about face and was late to take action, he’d probably have to make her line up to be a concubine.
And so, this kind of situation that left Yun Che completely stumped occurred.
Su Zhixi quietly stood in place and her blush did not recede for a very long time. Her delicate head hung low, not daring to take another glance at Yun Che… She was nervous and blushed in shyness, but it didn’t seem like she rejected Su Hongbo’s extremely absurd set up.
The two remained silent, and the atmosphere became extremely awkward. In these types of situations, it was obviously improper to make the girl speak first. Yun Che took a few steps forward. When he approached her… he could practically hear the nervous thumping sound of her heart.
“Where… on your body do you feel uncomfortable?”
“I…” Su Zhixi nervously clutched the belt of her dress tightly.
Seeing that the girl didn’t know how to respond, Yun Che smiled as he reached his hand out. “Give me your hand, let me check your pulse. Seventy to eighty percent of someone’s condition can be surmised just from checking their pulse.”
Seeing that Yun Che stuck out a hand, Su Zhixi opened her mouth and then slowly extended her little pure white hand… She had only extended it halfway before Yun Che grabbed onto it.
“Ah…” Su Zhixi cried lightly, subconsciously withdrawing her little hand. However, it was firmly held by Yun Che, causing the red blush on her face to spread all the way down to her snowy neck as she hung her head so low that it reached her chest. This was the first time her jade hands had ever been held by a man, and the blazing temperature of a man, as well as the sensation of Yun Che’s hands, nearly caused her heart to jump out of her chest.
Yun Che’s hands continued onward, going from her hands to her wrist, yet he didn’t test her pulse. Instead, he smiled as he watched her lovely bashfulness and said, “Little Sister Zhixi. You know, I actually have a secret that no one knows.”
Su Zhixi raised her head… and slowly looked at him with hazy eyes.
“This secret is…” Yun Che’s face neared as his smile became dangerous, “I’m… actually a huuuge pervert.”
“…” Su Zhixi’s beautiful eyes slightly shook. She opened her lips and stared blankly at the closeby Yun Che. Then, all of a sudden, a “pfft” sound was heard right before she started laughing.
The girl’s smile was bright and beautiful, warming to the heart. If not for Yun Che’s extremely strong immunity, he’d probably lose his head. After a short silence, he said feebly, “I just said that I’m a huge pervert, you’re not afraid? You’re even laughing…”
Su Zhixi used her hand to cover her lips, and her face was pink as she lightly said, “A real bad guy wouldn’t say that they’re bad… same with huge perverts.”
Yun Che gaped, then said helplessly, “Does no one listen anymore when a bad guy tells the truth these days?!”
“He…” Su Zhixi laughed lightly. Yun Che’s incomparably “frank” words didn’t achieve the anticipated result, but it greatly lessened her nervousness. “If you’re a bad guy, then there wouldn’t be any good guys in Demon Imperial City.”
“Uh, why do you think that? Do I look that much like a good guy?” Yun Che asked while pointing at himself. His hand still held Su Zhixi’s delicate smooth wrist, as though he had forgotten to release it.
“Grandfather said so,” answered the girl with a laugh.
“…” Yun Che nodded seriously. “Your grandfather is right. Since that’s the case, then how about I, this good person, invite Little Sister Zhixi… to have a chat about life?
Su Zhixi lowered her head and softly responded, “Grandfather and Father wants me to leave it all up to Big Brother Yun.”
“…” Yun Che lifted his head toward the sky… Are they really her biological father and grandfather?
Su Zhixi and Yun Che spent an entire afternoon together. It was only until night had arrived that Su Zhixi began to leave… and, it was Yun Che personally accompanying her back to the Su Family. For the entire afternoon, everyone in the Yun Family had a mutual understanding to not disturb them, which was why everyone who had come to visit Yun Che had all been declined.
When Yun Che went to send Su Zhixi back to the Su Family, everybody in the Yun Family talked about how they would soon have a Young Madam… even the auspicious date of their wedding was under intense discussion. Both the Su and Yun Family were Guardian Families, and the Su Family’s power was also incomparably powerful. The Su Family princess’ status, background, temperament, looks, and innate talent were impeccable. Judging from all angles, she was all the more suitable to be their Young Madam candidate.
Yun Che escorted Su Zhixi up to the Su Family’s doorsteps before returning. The instant he came through the door, he had already been dragged to the side by a beaming Mu Yurou. “Che’er, what do you think about the Su Family’s young lady?”
“Little Sister Zhixi?” Yun Che didn’t even think, and honestly answered, “A simple and elegant temperament which didn’t lose its noble air. Soft and graceful disposition yet not to the point of being weak. Also looks pretty, her figure is also… cough, in short, she is a very charming girl.”
Chapter 638 - Jealous?
Listening Yun Che’s comment, Mu Yurou started smiling in an ambiguous manner, “So, you like Zhixi very much?”
“Yeah,” Yun Che smiled and said, “so I adopted her as my little sister.”
“Little… sister?”
“Of course.” Yun Che chuckled, “Otherwise, did you want me to marry her so Mother can have a daughter-in-law?”
Mu Yurou was speechless all of a sudden, and said in puzzlement, “This child Zhixi is well-rounded, many gentlemen in Demon Imperial City all admire her. You don’t have any feelings for her?”
“Of course I have feelings for her,” Yun Che said frankly, “But, this type of ‘feeling’ is definitely not the type between men and women. It’s the simple admiration of a beautiful woman, and is merely a possessive desire… or to be called as the instinct of a man, or the most abominable barbarity. I can’t savage someone just because of this reason, right?”
But Mu Yurou laughed and said, “You two just met each other for the first time, of course it is impossible for you two to develop feelings between a man and a woman that soon. But you have this ‘admiring’ feeling, it at least means that you don’t reject her, and you even somewhat like her. This beginning is already enough, and you will develop a relationship with her very soon.”
“Mother, you seem to really like Zhixi. You want me to marry her into our family?” Yun Che said with a face of helplessness.
“Of course.” Mu Yurou smiled and said, “This child Zhixi, anyone who sees her would like her. Even if the Su Family didn’t take her to meet you themselves, I, your mother, had already prepared to bring up this matter with the Su Family. In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, there aren’t many girls who can suit my son, but Zhixi certainly counts as one. Everyone in the family thinks that you two are made for each other. If you keep hesitating and letting the other gentlemen from other families reach her first, it would be a shame.”
“Um…” Yun Che rubbed his forehead in frustration and said, “Mother, I will be honest with you, I am unsuitable for her… and incredibly unsuitable, even.”
“How are you two unsuitable?” Mu Yurou’s eyes seemed to be saying that the two of them were suitable in every way.
Yun Che slightly sighed in relief, and then said slowly, “I once owed a girl very, very deeply. She gave her everything for me, but me… From then on, I swore, I will not owe anyone anymore in this life. But… I couldn’t control myself, and under my mind and helplessness, I owed one person after another. So far as to…”
Yun Che’s voice stuttered. In his mind flashed by the beautiful image of Chu Yuechan. He didn’t tell his parent about Chu Yuechan, or else, if they knew that it was very possible that they had a grandson wandering away from home, they would worry about it every day.
And Cang Yue… they had been married for more than three years, but the time that they actually spent together was incredibly short. What was left for her was worriedness and heartbreak again and again.
“Mother, you should have seen and felt that there are a lot of unusual things about me during these times. And these, all decided that my life is destined to be impossible to be peaceful. Even if I pursue the most common life, different conflicts would still continuously be attracted to me.” Yun Che said peacefully, “And Zhixi, even though she is born to a Guardian Family, her personality is introverted, gentle as water, waiting to be betrothed before getting married, and after marriage she would settle in the home. To most men, she would be the perfect candidate for a wife… but she definitely doesn’t suit me. If she marries me, I might bring her life down.”
Seeing that Mu Yurou was still somewhat lost, Yun Che helplessly said, “Mother, besides, you’re not without a daughter-in-law, why do you want me to marry another Sister Zhixi so much…? Alright alright, I promise mother, your daughter-in-law is definitely not worse than Sister Zhixi.”
“Could her appearance also be not worse than Zhixi?” Mu Yurou asked with a forced smile on her face. It seemed like she cared a lot about the appearance of her daughter-in-law.
“Of course.” Yun Che said without hesitation. Seeing that Mu Yurou seemed to be doubtful in her eyes, he lifted his head and said with all seriousness, “Mother, I am telling you very responsibly. Your daughter-in-law, not mentioning other qualities, just solely her appearances, she would win against Sister Zhixi by a lot, a lot… a lot!”
“Oh?” Mu Yurou’s eyes slightly narrowed, “Mother doesn’t really believe this. Zhixi is not a usual beauty. In the entire Demon Imperial City, there’s only a few who could be compared to her. Could the appearance of the daughter-in-law that you found for mother be like the Little Demon Empress, like an angel fallen from heaven?”
“Hm, I can’t say that she could be compared to the Little Demon Empress, but they each have their strengths.” Yun Che nodded without hesitation. The Little Demon Empress’ appearance was indeed already extremely beautiful, but whether it was Chu Yuechan or Xia Qingyue, they both were not worse than her, “My first wife is after all, Blue Wind Nation’s number one…”
Just when the words slipped out of his mouth, Yun Che’s voice was instantly stuck, and he had a bad feeling. As expected, Mu Yurou turned and looked at him, “First wife? Could there be a second wife, third wife, and mistress?”
“Uh, this…” The corner of Yun Che’s eyebrows twitched. He drooped his face, and said honestly, “Alright, I will tell you the truth. Actually, you have two daughter-in-laws… The first one was the one that I’ve mentioned to you two before, Xia Qingyue, who had an arranged betrothal with Xiao Yun when they were still children, and we married six years ago. Her appearance could indeed be compared to the Little Demon Empress, and she was publicly known as the number one beauty of Blue Wind Nation. The other one is named Cang Yue. We married three years and a half ago, and she is the sole princess of Blue Wind Nation.”
Mu Yurou raised her brows, “One is the number one beauty of Blue Wind Nation, the other is the only princess of Blue Wind Nation… My son’s taste is indeed not bad. But only that kind of woman can be suitable for my son.”
Mu Yurou’s tone was delightful, and there was even more pride. But following after, her eyebrows lowered, and said sentimentally, “Che’er has already had two wives. Mother wasn’t there for either of the marriages, and now I haven’t even seen what my daughter-in-laws look like…”
Yun Che said immediately, “Mother, don’t worry. Two more months, when father’s injury is fully healed, I will use the profound ark that I have mentioned to you two before to return to Profound Sky Continent. At that time, I will definitely bring them back to see you two… Uh, but, while my princess wife will definitely be willing to come back with me, my wife Qingyue’s temperament is very different from usual women, so whether or not she will be willing to return with me… I can’t be sure.”
“Then mother will have to think about what kind of gift she should prepare when she meets them,” Mu Yurou smiled. Looking at her expression, she seemed to be somewhat nervous to meet her daughter-in-laws for the first time, “If you don’t want to marry Zhixi, Mother will tell the Su Family explicitly.”
“Speaking of which, what if the Little Demon Empress wants to marry Zhixi to you, what will you do then?”
“Marry her to me? Why would the Little Demon Empress marry Zhixi to me?” Yun Che said with confusion.
“Oh?” Looking at Yun Che’s reaction, Mu Yurou also became confused, “Shouldn’t the Little Demon Empress know about you two… Could you have not seen her in the afternoon?”
“The afternoon… the Little Demon Empress came by during the afternoon?” Yun Che was stunned.
“Mn.” Mu Yurou nodded, “The Little Demon Empress came to visit your father to see how his injury has been healing, and she asked specially about you. I told her that you could be in the backyard, and then she headed directly towards the backyard… Could it be that she didn’t come look for you, but she left immediately?”
“…What time did she come by?”
“Probably around a quarter to four or a quarter to five,” said Mu Yurou.
“…” Yun Che thought back to that time, and if he remembered correctly, he should have been in the backyard sitting side by side with Su Zhixi, feeding fishes in the lotus pond.
“Che’er, what’s wrong?” Mu Yurou asked when she saw Yun Che was suddenly in a daze.
“Oh… Usually I would go pay the Little Demon Empress a visit every day. I suddenly remembered that I haven’t been able to go yet for today. Mother, I will go to see the Little Demon Empress, I should be back very soon,” Yun Che stood up and said.
“Come home soon,” Even though Mu Yurou noticed something strange about Yun Che, she didn’t ask any more questions.
The sky had already darkened when Yun Che flew all the way to the Little Demon Empress’ palace. Outside of the palace, there were two female attendants guarding there quietly. Yun Che landed from the sky, and said politely, “Yun Family’s Yun Che requests to see the Little Demon Empress. May two big sisters please help me pass on the message.”
“Please wait a moment, Young Patriarch Yun.” Towards the arrival of Yun Che, the two female attendants both had smiles on their faces. The one on the right stepped lightly into the palace… After a short moment, she came out, but the expression on her face was unusual.
“Can I go in now?” Yun Che said with a smile.
“Young Patriarch Yun… Please wait.” That female attendant reached out and blocked him. Her expression was a little bit awkward as he said, “The Little Demon Empress is probably not in a good mood today. She heard that the Young Patriarch Yun had arrived… she told me to pass on… one word.”
“One word?” Yun Che narrowed his eyes, his body slightly leaned forward and said, “Is it… scram?”
That female attendant panicked, lowered her head, and only said in a small voice, “Yes.”
“Hahahaha!” To the surprise of the two female attendants, not only did Yun Che not get mad, he instead laughed loudly, and his loud laughter was not stiff at all. It doesn’t seem to be forced at all, and it even seemed to be somewhat carefree… and proud?
“If so, may I please trouble big sister to bring a message to the Little Demon Empress.” Yun Che smiled and said, “The first thing is, if the people from the Su Family ask the Little Demon Empress to marry Su Zhixi to me, she absolutely cannot agree to it, because Zhixi is already my adopted sister. The second thing… is that I already scrammed obediently. If the Little Demon Empress is already this annoyed, I will try to appear less before her… Two big sisters, thank you for your hard work guarding the night. Yun Che bids farewell.”
Yun Che flew up into the air, and quickly disappeared into the night.
“She told you to scram, but you laughed so satisfyingly? Is there something wrong with your brain?” Jasmine said in a low voice.
“If she didn’t tell me to scram and instead lets me go see her peacefully, I would probably be even more disappointed,” Yun Che laughed and said. Obviously, his mood was pretty good right now, “After all, no matter how powerful a woman is, she would have some kind of weakness in her personality. Being gentle to her was no use. Being forceful to her was even more impossible… Neither soft approach nor force worked on her, but she seems to be able to get jealous.”
Jasmine, “??”
Time passed day after day. With Duke Huai’s disturbance being calmed down, the harsh atmosphere in Demon Imperial City slowly disappeared. The only thing that didn’t grow faint was the Little Demon Empress’ invisible emperor’s prestige. Whether it was the Guardian Families or the many Duke Palaces, they all obeyed the Little Demon Empress’ commands with their lives with extreme respect and fear, and no one dared to disobey at all.
But another month passed by, and there still wasn’t any news about Duke Ming. He seemed to have found an extremely secluded place and hidden himself.
Even though Yun Che wanted to return to Profound Sky Continent day and night, he couldn’t leave Yun Qinghong with his injury. He treated Yun Qinghong every day regularly, and he used the rest of his time cultivating the Purple Cloud Art. Sometimes he would go to the Medicine Pavilion to refine some pellets, sometimes he would go to the Artifact Pavilion to find a few swords to feed to Hong’er, sometimes he would help people treat their injuries, sometimes he would exchange moves with the young disciples in the clan… Oh, it should be more appropriate to describe it as “giving pointers”… Every day he kept repeating the same things peacefully, but, since that night when he was denied entrance by the Little Demon Empress, he kept his word and stopped visiting the Little Demon Empress.
Under the treatment of Yun Che, Yun Qinghong’s body recovered extremely fast, and the feeling of weakness that he should have had did not exist anymore. Instead he was energetic every day. He did not forget the Little Demon Empress personally matched Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven. Yun Qinghong picked an auspicious day, brought betrothal presents, and paid a visit to propose the marriage personally… Even though Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had already acknowledged Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven, as the senior of the bride’s side, facing the Yun Family’s visit, he still appeared quite aloof. His expression was calm, and not only was there no joy, there was occasionally some bitterness and dismay…
However, when Yun Qinghong took out one of the betrothal presents… ten Overlord Pellets, the white jade chair underneath Greatest Ambition Under Heaven instantly blew up, and the entire Under Heaven Family also immediately blew up…
When Greatest Ambition Under Heaven took over the ten Overlord Pellets, the hair on his whole body was trembling. He even secretly calculated in his mind: even if someone wanted to buy his daughter with ten Overlord Pellets, he probably would spend a while considering it…
The date for Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s wedding was settled quickly. It would be one month later… which was also the date that Yun Che planned on leaving.
【Time to go back to the Profound Sky Continent. What was the saying… sharpen one’s knife to kill the divine phoenix?】
Chapter 639 - World Shaking Great Matter (1)
Even though Xiao Yun was made king and he had his own King Palace, he still usually stayed in the Yun Family household. His wedding was also naturally a big event within the Yun Family. After the date had been set, the Yun Family immediately bustled with activity, and invitations flew about like a snowstorm throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm.
In contrast to his bustling clan, Yun Che right now was exceptionally relaxed. Like before, he was surrounded by a large number of young clanswomen who flocked around him incessantly…. That was right, these were all young maidens in their prime.
“Young Patriarch, I heard your Purple Cloud Art is already at the seventh level. Is that true? You clearly only started cultivating it barely two months ago.”
“Of course not.” Yun Che said he smiled, looking like a cat that got the cream, “Last night, I just made another breakthrough, so I’m already at the eighth level now.”
As he spoke, he extended his palm and gently raised it. Immediately, a peal of thunder resonated in the air above, and in an instant, a large stretch of storm clouds had already gathered in the air above. Even separated by thousands of meters, they could feel a terrifying lightning energy.
“Uwaaahhhh!” The young girls all let out cries of surprise, and the girl who spoke previously verily screamed as her eyes widened, “Wah! That’s really the ‘Thundercloud of Extermination’ from the eighth level of the Purple Cloud Art! The Young Patriarch is simply too amazing!”
“Young Patriarch, Xiaowan said that when you instructed her in the Purple Cloud Art the other day, you released red lightning before. Is that really true?” A purple-clothed girl asked as her eyes twinkled.
Yun Che faintly smiled and flipped his hand, and in an instant, the piercing screech of thunder pierced the air. A ball of purple lightning gathered in the palm of his hand; then, that ball of purple lightning turned into red lightning extremely quickly. Not only did the aura of the red lightning strengthen considerably, the crackling of thunder grew more explosive. Just by looking at it, one would feel their heart start racing.
“Waaahh!!” Just as expected, the red-colored lightning caused all the girls to let out lovely cries. A small and delicate girl said in a timid voice, “Young Patriarch, for lightning profound energy to change to a red color, doesn’t it require blood essence to activate…. If the Young Patriarch does that, will he okay?”
“No, I didn’t even use a single bit of blood essence at all.” Yun Che shook his head. “Red-colored lightning is of a higher level of lightning profound energy than purple lightning, it is manifested at the peak of the Purple Cloud Art, and has nothing to with the intimacy your profound veins have with lightning energy. It instead requires you to have a greater understanding of the laws of lightning. Once you have grasped the concept behind these laws, then you can use your profound energy to produce the stronger red lightning. The only difference is that it will consume more energy, but there won’t be any negative side-effects. But if you do not have the understanding of those concepts and you try to forcefully use red lightning, then you will need to sacrifice blood essence in order to do so…. So releasing red lightning does not necessarily require blood essence to be sacrificed.”
“Oh, so it actually can be like that… But, there doesn’t seem to have ever been anyone in our Yun Family that can release red lightning without losing any blood essence. So could it be that the Young Patriarch is the first one in the history of our Yun Family to have reached such a level?”
“It has to be! Young Patriarch is indeed the number one genius publicly acknowledged in all of the Illusory Demon Realm, the most awesome genius around! Since the Young Patriarch can use red lightning anytime he wants, then the Young Patriarch can use our Yun Family’s forbidden domain ‘Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation’ without losing any blood essence?”
“This, I am also not sure about either. Because I have never tried it yet.” Yun Che said that he ‘had never tried it yet’ but it did not mean that he had never comprehended it before.
“Young Patriarch, the elders said that when you directly clashed with Duke Huai, he suffered heavy injuries. So your strength might already be on par with the Patriarch. And now that you also have the Purple Cloud Art, you might be even mightier than him. Isn’t that the case?” A girl said with a face filled with adoration.
“Hahaha, Duke Huai only got injured that day because I seized an opportunity and he wasn’t heavily injured either. I merely blasted him away. The one who heavily injured him was the Little Demon Empress. Right now, my power is still far inferior compared to Father.”
“Hee, the Young Patriarch is being modest again.”
“Young Patriarch’s talent is so outstanding, and so handsome as well. He has extremely awesome medical skills, and not only did he save the entire Yun Family, he even made a great contribution to the Illusory Demon Realm. In addition, he doesn’t even put on any airs… he still behaves in such an unpretentious manner… To think that in this world, there actually exists a person as perfect as our Young Patriarch.” A girl breathed lightly as her eyes shone.
Yun Che, “….”
In the distance, a bunch of Yun Family’s young men all looked like they were focused on training, but they kept looking in Yun Che’s direction and all of them had reddened eyes, but they could only look on from a distance… Not to mention his status as Young Patriarch, just his various exploits, any single one of would blind them to the point of not even able to birth the thought of jealousy.
What’s most resentful was that this Young Patriarch was really too amiable and didn’t have the slightest overbearing attitude even toward the lowest ranked clansmen. This caused the Yun Family’s female disciples… especially the females who were confident in their looks to encircle him as though a kaleidoscope of butterflies. Even their privately discussed topics were mostly about the “Young Patriarch.”
“Young Patriarch, yesterday you promised you would instruct me on how to cultivate the Purple Cloud Art one-on-one… Could it be that you’ve already forgotten?” A lovely girl donning a purple dress mentioned with a hopeful expression.
“Of course not, I even remember that the promised time is precisely three hours from now. Remember to come to my courtyard at that time.”
“O… Of course I will remember.” The purple attired girl flushed from excitement.
The surrounding young girls all revealed expressions of envy. A tall girl suddenly whispered with a shrewd expression, “Man’er, you gotta be careful okay. Little Wan had told me in secret the other day, that when Young Patriarch was instructing her to cultivate, he had ac-ci-den-ta-lly~ touched her butt and chest, you know! Your bosom is even bigger than little Wan’s, so watch out…”
“AH!!! DON’T SAY IT!!” That girl who was referred to as “Little Wan” rushed up with a reddened face as she covered that tall girl’s mouth with great effort.
“Cough cough.” Yun Che’s face was smooth and his heart was calm, as he said in a righteous and strict manner, “When it comes to one-on-one instruction, there will always be times where our bodies will touch. I will swear on the name of my master… that it was definitely unintentional!”
Jasmine: “Drop dead!”
“Yes, yes, yes! Young Patriarch definitely didn’t mean it… when you instruct Man’er, you must definitely be ‘careless’ more often… Hehehe!”
“You baddies! Don’t say… don’t speak about the Young Patriarch like that.” The purple-clothed girl known as ‘Man’er’ stamped her feet, and her face was flushed all the way to her neck. But her expression and her eyes did not seem panicked. Rather, they seemed to be more… in anticipation right now?
The girls tittered about again, but suddenly, their laughs cooled off. Indeed, the girls in front of Yun Che suddenly had faces that were filled with panic. His brows twitched and he was just about to turn around when a girl had already shouted out, “Little… Little Demon Empress.”
The moment Yun Che turned around, he saw that familiar petite, gray-colored silhouette, still quiet and silent as though a ghost without any presence at all, causing one to instinctively feel their heart jump… Yet that face of hers just had to be beautiful as though she were a goddess from the heavens.
The atmosphere that was originally ardent and ambiguous instantly froze with the Little Demon Empress’s sudden arrival.
“You all can withdraw, this empress have matters to discuss with Young Patriarch Yun in private,” Little Demon Empress said coldly, with no undulation of emotion in her pitch-black eyes.
“Yes…” No one dared to disobey the Little Demon Queen’s orders. All of the Yun Family’s girls carefully left after bowing down low. The Yun Family disciples not far away also all obediently withdrew.
In the blink of an eye, only Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress were left in the Yun Family’s huge training arena.
“Hmph, surrounded by the chattering of beauties, Young Patriarch Yun is sure living the good life!” The Little Demon Empress’s sarcastic voice carried sarcasm within.
“This is why there is a phrase that goes ‘live life to the fullest.’ I don’t know how long I’ll live in this lifetime, nor do I know how I’ll live in the next life, so taking full advantage of me still being alive in this lifetime, I’ll naturally live life happily… As if want to be like you, knowing that I only have three years left to live, yet still not loosening up even after taking revenge and resolving a great animosity…”
“Enough!” The Little Demon Empress shouted, “There is no need for you to speculate or interfere with what this empress thinks and wants to do… This empress has a question, you used to come to pay respects to this empress every day, but why haven’t you come in this past month? Is it… only because this empress told you to ‘scram’ a month ago?”
“Of course not.” Yun Che looked the Little Demon Empress in the eye and said with a laugh, “I was only wondering how long it was going to be before you can’t bear to visit me on your own accord.”
“You…” An instant of disorder suddenly appeared within the Little Demon Empress’ aura. It was unknown if it had happened because of anger or because a certain spot in her heart had been jabbed. She turned around, not meeting Yun Che’s gaze. “Ridiculous self-confidence! This empress is only here to visit Patriarch Yun and inadvertently saw that you were here, that’s all… Looks like this empress shouldn’t have come to the Yun Family today, hmph!”
The Little Demon Empress angrily snorted, and with a wave of her wide gray sleeves, she turned with the intention of leaving.
“Sigh.” Yun Che sighed lightly, and said quietly, “Maybe I really was delusional and believed myself infallible. That’s fine if you’re this unwilling to see me too… since after this month, even if you want to see me, it won’t be possible anymore.”
The Little Demon Empress’ departing footsteps immediately halted. She turned around and asked with knitted brows, “What do you mean?”
“Because after a month, my father will be fully recovered. It would also be time for me to return to the Profound Sky Continent.” Yun Che smiled and continued, “Even though I am a member of the Yun Family and my roots are here, I still grew up in the Profound Sky Continent. That place is where I truly belong. Since Illusory Demon Realm’s largest tumor has already been removed, there would no longer by anyone who can bully my family… but there are many people in the Profound Sky Continent who need my protection and many more matters I need to take care of. Adding in how hard it was for me to come back… I actually don’t know when I’ll be able to return after leaving for the Profound Sky Continent… and even if I return, I probably won’t stay for long before going back again.”
Yun Che slightly lifted his head and disappointedly said, “By that time, even if you want to see me, it may really be impossible.”
“…” The Little Demon Empress was silent, with a slightly stunned expression in her eyes. After a long while, she quietly asked, “You must go?”
“Mn, I must go. I have already left the Profound Sky Continent for almost three years. Not only that, they all probably think that I’m dead. I don’t know how much heartache I have caused them in these past three years. Furthermore, in these three years, I don’t even know how many unexpected events have occurred. If not because of my father’s injuries, I would’ve already have left two months ago.”
His tone of voice suddenly changed as he said with a beaming smile, “It can’t be that you can’t bear for me to leave, right?”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ chest slightly heaved before she turned around and said coldly, “You are naturally free to go wherever you want. What does that have to do with this empress?! What this empress said earlier… was only something I should say to detain a subject as the Little Demon Empress! If there was one less person like you, who always claims all the credit, who is disrespectful to this empress after today, this empress would actually revel in the peace… Even if you return within three years before this empress dies, it’s best if you never come to visit this empress!”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice was incomparably cold and heartless, causing Yun Che to be slightly stunned. Seeing that she was about to leave again, he silently shook his head, then suddenly shouted, “Little Demon Empress, are you planning on always saying these kinds of false words in front of me?”
“Don’t deny it yet!” Before waiting for the Little Demon Empress to answer him, Yun Che quickly neared with a few steps as his voice became incredibly calm. “If you actually remembered that I had saved your life in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and also helped you take revenge, then agree to a small request of mine… Which is, later on, whatever I say, whether it’s right or wrong, whether you approve or not, whether it moves or angers you, that you’ll listen until I’m done, without saying anything, without interrupting me, or leaving halfway.”
The Little Demon Empress stopped in her steps. She turned her head and looked at Yun Che. “Alright, since on you about to leave the Illusory Demon Realm and the possibility of us never seeing each other again, this empress will stand here and finish hearing what you have to say… Speak!”
Yun Che’s figure flashed, then stood three steps away from where the Little Demon Empress was. He slowly breathed in, looked at her eyes that were as tranquil as stagnant water, and enunciated loudly, “Little Demon Empress… Huan Caiyi! Do you really think that in everyone’s eyes, you are incredibly cold, heartless, cold-blooded, and nearly without emotion, so much that even you yourself think that as well? But too bad, in my eyes, you are not…”
“I have seen too many cold-blooded and heartless people, many more than you have ever seen in your entire life! In the eyes of a truly cold-blooded and heartless person, family is worthless. They would never sacrifice their own lives without hesitation to obtain power to achieve their revenge, and would never subconsciously block in front of me when I was about to be met a fatal blow, nor would they ever only eliminate only one Duke Huai Palace and only intimidate the rest of the rebels. Nor would they, at the cost of sacrificing their own lives, painstakingly take on the heaviest responsibility of shouldering the entire Illusory Demon Realm!”
“The cold-blood and heartlessness you show on the outside is merely a outer garment for others to see, and also merely a garment for you to deceive yourself! The you under that garment, I believe that I have seen it very thoroughly… Cough, I’m talking about your temperament, not your body, don’t misunderstand…”
Chapter 640 - World Shaking Great Matter (2)
“You’re not allowed to interrupt!” Yun Che’s expression was severe, but he quickly continued by saying, “Aren’t you oh so great?! Your power waned as the days flew by, many of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces betrayed you for their own selfish ambitions, and you contended against Duke Huai Palace for an entire hundred years… Even though it looked calm and tranquil on the outside, with Duke Ming pulling the strings all along, the fact that you could preserve the final dignity of the Demon Emperor’s clan for a whole hundred years was already the most impressive accomplishment in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm! And every single day that passed during this period must have been filled with difficulties, pressures, and nerve-wracking situations that are unfathomable by the common man…
“You managed to escape from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by a hair’s breadth. In addition, even though the first thing you did was complete your vengeance, you were also the one who took responsibility for the whole bloody affair of exterminating the entire Duke Huai Palace down to its very roots! Even though Duke Huai Palace could not be spared, in the process of burning up their very roots, a great deal of innocent people were killed as well. But there was no helping their deaths! For a truly ruthless and decisive ruler, he would slaughter them with no qualms at all. But for someone like you who basically can’t bring yourself to be so ruthless and cold-blooded, you will definitely confine yourself to a long period of gloomy darkness over the innocent servants that have died because of your command. This is also why I went to look for you every single day and even tried various ways to tease and provoke you… I am unable to share your burdens, so I can only use this method to distract you, in hopes that you leave that dark place as early as possible and forgive yourself.”
Little Demon Empress: “…”
“Do not think that this is merely my conjecture. I am extremely clear on what it means to implicate many innocent people and send them to an early grave! Because I have done similar things before. Countless of innocents have fallen beneath my poisonous hands! Even though after that, I repeated this action too many times and I have already grown numb to it, the first time I did it… that darkness, depression, and pain, I won’t be able to forget for the rest of my life! But you, in these one hundred years, even though you have personally killed many people, after my detailed investigation, I found that there was not one innocent among them. This extermination of the entire Duke Huai Palace is the first time you have ever done such a thing in your life… So what you will suffer after that, even though the entire Illusory Demon Realm may not know, I will!
“It’s not that they can’t comprehend it, but that their thoughts won’t even venture in that direction. Because what they are concerned about is the conclusion and their own prospects, but as for me, what I am concerned about is you!
“Before I had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, everything that I had done in your name, including directly clashing with Duke Huai and disregarding my own life to go and save you, they were done for my departed grandfather, my parents, and my clan! At that time, you were only a figure to me… and that was the Little Demon Empress! I confess that my pride is higher than the heavens and my bones are more stubborn than rock, so I definitely will not swear loyalty to any person, but for the sake of my grandfather’s will and my family’s safety, I showed you the greatest loyalty I could have at that time!
“But after we emerged from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, everything that I did for you had completely nothing to do with the three words ‘Little Demon Empress,’ but it was for you yourself! I was concerned with everything about you… I even hated your status as the ‘Little Demon Empress’! Because it causes you far too much pain and bitterness, and it makes it incredibly hard for me to care for you or even approach you in the first place!”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ lips lightly quivered, but not a single sound emerged from them.
“‘Little Demon Empress’ is your title, and it was also the fate forced upon you after the death of the Little Demon Emperor, giving you no choice but to bear the final dignity and glory of the Demon Emperor’s clan. So even though I hate this heavy burden that weighs down on you, no one, not even me, has the right to interfere with your decisions, sacrifice, or actions for the sake of the Demon Emperor’s clan… Even if there are only three years left for you, you still cannot live for yourself and have to live for the Demon Emperor’s clan.
“But the affair between you and I… when such a thing concerns me, I still have the right to be dissatisfied!” Yun Che exclaimed as his brows furrowed. “It is clear that I am on your mind as well, but why do you treat me with disdain, contempt, and sometimes even disgust! Do not try to deny it, or maybe you think that you have perfectly concealed everything… and perhaps if it was someone else, you would have driven him away a long time ago. But in my eyes, all your actions only make it more obvious to me!
“The medicine pellet you destroyed in front of me that day… was not even the one that I had given to you! I am a thousand times more clear than you on the composition of that pill. And my sense of smell when it comes to medicine is ten thousand times more sensitive than yours. Even though you did show me the pill that I had given to you, the pill that you destroyed was only a normal Heart Cleansing Pellet! All of your fury and berating, all the so-called dirtying of your blood and the destruction of the pill itself was merely you being distressed for my sake and you fearing that I would continue to harm myself for your sake.
“Furthermore, during that period, even though you acted cold and disinterested every time I came to see you, you had never brushed me aside without ever seeing me at all. Not only that, what you did last month, you did it because… because you saw me and Su Zhixi in the Yun Family’s household and you heard the rumors regarding me and Su Zhixi. So your heart felt stifled and frustrated! If I wasn’t on your mind, why would you do that?!
“At times you are so shrewd that it is scary, but when it comes to the affairs of the heart, you do not even match up to the average teenage girl!”
Yun Che’s chest heaved and his voice became several octaves deeper, “Don’t think that I don’t know what has been in your heart all along! Do you think that given your status and age, if our relationship is known to the world, it will greatly affect my reputation? Cause me to endure boundless questioning? Then you think far too little of me! From the moment I stepped into Demon Imperial City, I was willing to take on the huge power of Duke Huai without reservation, so do you think I will care about the questions and stares of these vulgar people?
“Do you think that because you only have three years left to live that you have no right to have such feelings… afraid that you will only draw me down?!” Yun Che suddenly strode forward and the Little Demon Empress allowed her shoulder to be grabbed by him as she looked lost while a look of helplessness flashed across her eyes. Yun Che continued to exclaim in a quiet voice, “Do you think that keeping me far away will cause me to stop thinking about you? So that after three years, I will not feel pain and heartbreak over your passing? If so, then you are far too naive…
“Little Demon Empress, let me tell you. From the day we left Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley together, I have determined that you would be my woman for the rest of your life! I do not care what status you have, because you are you! Also, I care about you. It has nothing to do with whether you pretend to care about me or not! If it was so easy to change my feelings for you, then I do not have the qualifications to be your man! If you can honestly face my feelings and allow me into your world… even if I am truly helpless after these three years… and I cannot save your life, at least, every time I think of you, it will be composed of short but everlasting happiness. But if you force yourself to continue to be cold towards me, even if I do not see you for the next three years… at that time, all that will be left for me will be a lifetime or frustration and regret! You think that you are holding yourself back for my sake, but what you are really doing is hurting the both of us! Do you understand?!”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes quivered and her body trembled. She shrugged off Yun Che’s grasp and stumbled backwards.
“Little Demon Empress…” Yun Che stared directly into her eyes, and from the chaos that lay therein, he knew that he had stepped into her heart. “I also know that you work so hard to reject me because you want to uphold the dignity of the Demon Emperor’s clan, especially the dignity and reputation of the Little Demon Emperor. Because you were after all, his empress… as long as you are unwilling, I will not let a single person know about the affair between the two of us. As long as we have time for ourselves and you let this love flourish, let me be your spiritual support. For the sake of the Demon Emperor’s clan, you have sacrificed far too much already. You have even given your own life for their sake. You have already paid your dues to your clan and ancestors, and upheld their name to the greatest extent… so can’t you, when your life’s flame is about to go out, just for that little bit, just live for yourself?!
“And am I… really truly unworthy of becoming the reason for you to become a little selfish?”
The Little Demon Empress: “…”
Yun Che had spoken a lot in just one breath, but in this period of time, he had poured out everything that was in his heart to the Little Demon Empress. After all, he was not like the Little Demon Empress, a white, spotless paper when it came to romantic relationships. And he was clear enough on whether the Little Demon Empress had any feelings for him, so because he knew that her coldness and her attempts to hide her feelings were just that, attempts, in his eyes they were… so clumsy that it was adorable.
But… in the end, she was still the Little Demon Empress. On her back was not only a clan, not only a nation, but an entire continent! Furthermore, she also bore the burden of upholding the Demon Emperor’s clan ten thousand years of dignity and prestige.
So his words ‘I hate your status as the Little Demon Empress’ came from the bottom of Yun Che’s heart.
Moreover, as Yun Che vented his feelings, the Little Demon Empress did not interrupt him even once. In the end, she did not even respond; she merely turned around and flew away… and she left in that soundless and quiet fashion.
“You are not even afraid of death, yet you keep running away from me time and time again… you still dare to say that you do not think of me?!”
Seeing the distant figure of the Little Demon Empress, Yun Che stamped his feet and a loud bang ensued, causing the floor tiles to crumble into pieces. He yelled loudly, “Little Demon Empress! If not for the fact that I cannot beat you, I would drag you with me to the Profound Sky Continent, even if the entire Illusory Demon Realm was hot in pursuit… so that you would never need to be the Little Demon Empress ever again!”
Yun Che’s yells showed his exasperation… At any time, strength was important, even between a man and a woman. Initially, because he was not Chu Yuechan’s match, he could not force her to stay behind. But now, there appeared the Little Demon Empress, who was even prouder and more fragile than Chu Yuechan… and the strength that she possessed was absolutely terrifying. Even if he wanted to force it, it would not be possible.
After Yun Che had finished yelling, the figure of Mu Yurou appeared in his field of view. She anxiously flew over and shouted in a worried voice, “Che’er, what happened? You just said that… you were going to be pursued by the entire Illusory Demon Realm… and that you were going to kidnap the Little Demon Empress? What… what happened? Please do not scare your mother.”
“Uh…” The corner of Yun Che’s mouth twitched and hurriedly replied, “Mother, you have heard wrongly. What I said was actually me swearing that I would be eternally loyal to the Little Demon Empress and even if the Little Demon Empress was being hunted by the entire Illusory Demon Realm, I would have no resentment or regrets… Yes, that was what I had said. Just now the wind was very loud, so Mother must have heard incorrectly. If I had really said such a thing, the Little Demon Empress would have sent me to an early grave. It wouldn’t be possible that I would be standing here unharmed, right… Haha…”
“…Then that’s good.” Even though her heart still had some doubts, Yun Che’s last few words dispelled most of her worries, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Che’er, your father said that he felt that the relationship between you and the Little Demon Empress wasn’t too good. And in addition to this, the situation in Demon Imperial City has not calmed down yet as well, so you must definitely not behave rudely to the Little Demon Empress just because you have made great contributions to her cause. After she awoke her bloodline, the Little Demon Empress’ power increased greatly, but her temperament has also become even colder and more severe than it was before. Not only that, she seems more fickle than she was before, so you must definitely not set her off.”
Mu Yurou said the word ‘definitely’ twice in one breath, so Yun Che nodded his head like an obedient child.
The next three days were all calm. In these three days, Yun Che did not exit his house; he just slept, trained, refined, and occasionally treated the injuries of other people and teased those girls who were in the spring of their first love… that was how he idled away his days.
Finally, when dawn broke on the fourth day, he was shaken awake by Yun Qinghong. “Che’er, today in the afternoon, the Little Demon Empress called for a lunch feast, and she requires for all the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces to be present… Moreover, the Little Demon Empress specified that you had to be there.”
“Eh?” Yun Che’s sleepiness was almost instantly dispelled as he replied, “Lunch feast… specifically requesting my presence? Did the Little Demon Empress mention anything else?”
“She didn’t make anything else clear.” Yun Qinghong shook his head. “The Little Demon Empress only said that it was a great matter concerning the future of our Illusory Demon Realm.”
Chapter 641 - World Shaking Great Matter (3)
Demon Imperial Great Hall.
It was already noon.The patriarchs of the Twelve Guardian Families and the dukes of Duke Zhu Palace were all in attendance; none dared to be absent. Accompanying them were also leader personalities. After all, the Little Demon Empress had personally ordered them to all be present and said that she had a “great matter” to announce.
With the start of the luncheon, drinks were handed over, and the originally somewhat nervous atmosphere became lively. The Yun Family had also somehow become the luncheon’s core as patriarchs and dukes all took the initiative to come over and toast them. However, after drinking the wine, everyone would immediately use profound energy to dissolve the wine energy, lest they forget their manners in front of the Little Demon Empress due to their inability to hold their drinks.
“Big Brother, what great matter is this luncheon held for?” Xiao Yun quietly asked Yun Che.
“I don’t know,” Yun Che answered. “But I feel like it seems to have something to do with me?”
“Ah? With big brother?” Xiao Yun’s eyes widened. “Father said that today’s announcement is a great matter concerning the future of Illusory Demon Realm… Why would big brother think that?”
“Two reasons.” Yun Che glanced at the Little Demon Empress and said, “One, when Father called me over this morning, he said that the Little Demon Empress specified that I had to attend. At that time, I already had a feeling about it, but this is only secondary.”
“What’s the main reason?” Xiao Yun immediately asked, completely believing Yun Che’s words.
Yun Che briefly touched his chin. “The more important reason is that from the start of the luncheon till now, the Little Demon Empress has not even glanced over at me once.”
“Huh?” Xiao Yun was momentarily stunned. “Just… Just for that reason?”
“Right!” Yun Che nodded with incomparable seriousness. “I’m not joking here. With my understanding of women… She definitely has something planned for me.”
“But the Little Demon Empress isn’t even an ordinary woman. Besides… she doesn’t seem to have looked at me either,” Xiao Yun weakly replied.
Yun Che looked at him in silence, then said, “Even if she isn’t ordinary, she’s still a woman. Her not looking at you is completely different from her not looking at me. It’s like… your Seventh Sister not looking at me from the start is merely a common thing. But if she hasn’t looked at you during the entire feast… then ‘something big’ is about to happen.”
“Ha?” Xiao Yun’s jaw fell, puzzled… clearly not understanding what Yun Che was talking about at all.
Unwittingly, more than half of the lunch feast had passed, yet the Little Demon Empress still sat upright on the emperor’s seat the entire time without barely saying anything. There was also no one who dared to ask about the announcement’s “great matter.” Yun Qinghong put down his wine cup, got up, and saluted. “Little Demon Empress, Duke Huai’s disturbance has now been settled, and even though Duke Ming has escaped, under our continued efforts in searching for him, it won’t be long before he is deemed guilty for execution. As your subject, I have actually done little to help and completely relied on the Little Demon Empress’ power to be saved. I am deeply ashamed. It must be a great matter that caused the Little Demon Empress to summon all of us here today… No matter the command, nothing will stop us from executing it!”
Within the great hall, there really was no better person suited than Yun Qinghong to come out and speak. The moment he spoke, everyone else promptly curbed their voices and expressions. Putting down their wine cups, they all saluted together, “Nothing will stop us from executing the Little Demon Empress’ order!”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze swept through the entire crowd and finally shot a glance in Yun Che’s direction… Everyone was bowing, yet only Yun Che was still sitting in place, sipping his tea. No ripples showed on her face as she slowly got up and dully replied, “This empress does indeed have a great matter to announce today. This matter is related to the future of our Illusory Demon Realm! It also is related to the continuation of our Demon Emperor bloodline!”
Continuation of the Demon Emperor bloodline? These words stunned everyone. Yun Che also furrowed his brows… Eh?
“Under the ambition and evil scheming of Duke Huai’s forces, this empress’ royal father and brother were killed one after the other. Even though this empress is a woman, this empress is still the Demon Emperor bloodline’s last successor. If the Demon Emperor bloodline were to be severed after this empress, chaos will definitely ensue in Illusory Demon Realm. Now that Duke Huai’s forces have all been eradicated, this empress has no other choice but to consider the great matter of how to continue the Demon Emperor bloodline.”
The Little Demon Empress’ words caused the crowd to look at each other in dismay. Since only the Little Demon Empress was left of the Demon Emperor bloodline, a true continuation of the bloodline was fundamentally impossible. If one were to speak about continuing the bloodline… then it would only be the children born from the Little Demon Empress. An old duke couldn’t help it any longer and carefully asked, “Little Demon Empress, are you meaning… to perhaps be intending… to accept a consort?”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes flashed with a cold radiance before returning to their tranquil state. She said coldly, “The Little Demon Emperor was unable to leave behind an heir to continue on our Demon Emperor bloodline, so this naturally can only be done by this empress! This empress wearing gray for a hundred years is to mourn for my royal father and brother. It is now time for this empress to choose another husband.”
Once the words “choose another husband” came out, they immediately left all those Guardian Families and Duke Palaces dumbstruck. Never in their lives would they expect that what the Little Demon Empress would announce today was this kind of matter. Even in their subconscious, they had never thought that this would happen. This wasn’t because the Little Demon Empress was the Little Demon Emperor’s empress, but that with her temperament… in this world, how could there possibly exist a man that she would find pleasing?! With her looks, identity, profound strength, and bloodline… In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, who could possibly be qualified to be her husband?
Everyone was incredibly clear that she said “husband” and not “consort”… There was a huge difference between the two; the two concepts were as different as the heavens and earth.
“Little Demon Empress, could… you already have chosen a candidate?” Even though Yun Qinghong was equally surprised, upon weighing the words, he faintly guessed something. “I wonder which god-like person has the fortune to receive the Little Demon Empress’ favor.”
The Little Demon Empress didn’t respond and instead suddenly uttered, “Duke Lang Xun, attend!”
A duke dressed in blue suddenly stepped forward and lowly bowed. “This humble duke is here.”
“Before dusk, announce to the entire Demon Imperial City, send a sound transmission to every great city lord and regional lord that in seven days, Yun Family’s Young Patriarch Yun shall join with my Demon Emperor bloodline and marry this empress in this Demon Imperial Hall…”
Pfft… The half mouthful of tea in Yun Che’s mouth was ferociously spat out, directly spurting onto Xiao Yun’s face… The latter was originally stunned, completely stupefied, but after being sprayed by Yun Che, he immediately fell off his chair onto the floor. Even Yun Qinghong next to him quaked with his entire body… If not for his formidable willpower, he might have also been stunned to the point where his bottom would have fallen onto Xiao Yun’s head.
The Demon Imperial Hall was deathly silent for a long time. After that, it was followed by a bubbling field of commotion. That excessiveness, that sound, and the expressions on everyone’s faces was as though they had seen ghosts in broad daylight… No one had expected that this would be what the Little Demon Empress was going to announce today, but never in their dreams would they think that the person the Little Demon Empress would pick was…
“Silence!” In front of the sudden explosive clamor, the Little Demon Empress slanted her brows. The sound of her cold reprimand instantly chilled everyone’s bodies as all sound immediately ceased. The Little Demon Empress’ gaze became cold. “What? Does anyone have any objections?”
Everyone’s faces twitched as their gazes all flickered. However, facing the Little Demon Empress’ sudden burst of power, no one dared to speak as they pleased. At this time, an old duke walked forth and spoke with a voice full of emotion, “Little Demon Empress, this… this… this is not unreasonable according to logic. After all, with the passing of the Little Demon Emperor, the only way to continue the Demon Emperor bloodline is this method, but Yun Family’s Young Patriarch… this… this kind of match is absolutely unsuitable!”
“What’s unsuitable about it?!” As soon as the old duke’s voice fell, Jiufang Kui was the first to jump out and scold him while pointing at his nose. “What the Little Demon Empress says, goes! Don’t tell me that you, a person with half a foot in their grave, have the right to question the Little Demon Empress’ decision?!”
Compared to how he had originally acted during the Demon Empress’ Reign Ceremony, Jiufang Kui’s behavior was as different as night and day. After being subjected as the Little Demon Empress’ loyal dog. If anyone dared to offend the Little Demon Empress, he definitely wouldn’t hesitate to openly use his life to bite the other party to death.
Another duke came forth and spoke, “Little Demon Empress, you must reconsider this! Even though Yun Che’s talent is shocking in every aspect, without equal in all of Illusory Demon Realm and most likely would have boundless accomplishments in the future, he… he’s only twenty-two of age, is the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, Yun Qinghong’s son, and Yun Canghai’s grandson! Back then, the Demon Emperor and Demon King Yun Canghai were even like brothers… Yun Che and you… this difference in seniority… we mustn’t! Or else, wouldn’t it confuse…”
“Silence!”
The Little Demon Empress angrily rebuked, immediately scaring the duke who spoke which caused him to shake all over. As the Little Demon Empress’ gaze darkened, the entire Demon Imperial Hall had also suddenly become overcast. “Good… how wonderful. Back then, when Duke Huai’s ambitions were clear as day, each and every one of you were scared witless, and none of you risked your life for this empress! All of you even went as far as to not hesitate to abandon and betray me in order to save yourselves! It was this empress herself who calmed Duke Huai’s chaos! It was this empress who had personally avenged the late Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor! The peace you all have in Demon Imperial City was also bestowed upon you by this empress! This empress could be considered to not have let down the heavens and Illusory Demon, to have not have let down all of you! But now, when this empress has already sat on the throne for a hundred years, now, when this empress has finally decided to do something for herself, each and every one of you jump out to criticize me!
“Why did this empress even bother with you filthy trash?!”
“This insignificant duke… this insignificant duke doesn’t dare… this insignificant duke doesn’t dare!” The two dukes who had previously came forth to object immediately trembled all over as they pounded their heads on the ground, because that bone-piercing coldness was not merely the Little Demon Empress’ fury, it also carried a distinctly cold killing intent. “It’s this insignificant duke’s stupidity and ignorance, I beg the Little Demon Empress for forgiveness… The Little Demon Empress and Young Patriarch Yun are… are… a golden couple, a… a match made in heaven… I beg the Little Demon Empress for forgiveness… I beg the Little Demon Empress for forgiveness…”
“Please calm your anger, Little Demon Empress.” Everyone also quickly bowed, and no one dared to speak in dissent.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress’ killing intent had not lessened, as she uttered with a bone-piercing coldness, “What this empress had told Duke Lang Xun to do earlier was an order to immediately inform the world, not a proposal for you to discuss! Yet there just has to be people who jump out in front of this empress’ eyes like houseflies. It seems like the amount of people this empress has killed is not enough. There are still plenty who do not listen at all!”
“Have mercy, Little Demon Empress… this insignificant duke… is slow-witted, and accidentally blurted it out… Have mercy, Little Demon Empress…” The two dukes kneeling on the floor shook all over like sieves. Everyone else within the great all also stood in place, not daring to move. Many were drenched in sweat, secretly glad that they did not come forth to speak out earlier.
Yun Qinghong quickly stepped in front of the two dukes and urgently said, “Please calm your anger, Little Demon Empress. Duke Shan Shan and Duke Zi Ying were only worried that the reputation of the Little Demon Empress and the Demon Emperor bloodline would be defiled, which is why they spoke such counsel. They definitely did not have any disrespectful intentions. I hope the Little Demon Empress would pardon their indiscretion.”
Duke Shan Shan and Duke Zi Ying slightly raised their heads with faces full of gratitude. Within the group of dukes and patriarchs, Yun Family’s Patriarch, Yun Qinghong’s words undoubtedly possessed the greatest weight. Since he had personally stepped forth to defend them, it should be enough to preserve their lives.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress turned around. With her back facing the crowd, she said lowly, “Are there any other objections?”
The Demon Imperial Hall was absolutely silent. Currently, forget about “objections,” no one even dared to release a fart. They all clearly saw that the Little Demon Empress regarded this matter with distinctively heavy importance. It was not simply “accepting a consort.” Based on the word “husband” that she mentioned instead of “accepting a consort,” they all should have noticed it… The two who didn’t think much beneath their emotions had been placed at gunpoint.
After a long period of silence, the Little Demon Empress continued, “This empress knows what you all are thinking. You must think that this empress marrying Yun Che would break order, disturb ethics? Hmph, have you all forgotten what kind of bloodline my Demon Emperor bloodline is?! Currently aside from this empress, isn’t there another with this bloodline?!”
The Little Demon Empress’ words immediately caused many to regain their senses. Su Xiangnan blurted, “That’s right! On the day Yun Che injured Duke Huai, he used the Golden Crow flames… he possesses the Golden Crow bloodline that the Golden Crow Divine Spirit personally bestowed!”
“Ah… this duke actually forgot such an important matter. Young Patriarch Yun also possesses the Golden Crow bloodline, huh.”
“If Young Patriarch Yun and the Little Demon Empress came together… the later generation would also be one who possesses a pure Golden Crow bloodline… which is also the Demon Emperor’s bloodline!
“This is the reason why the Little Demon Empress wants Young Patriarch Yun to join the Demon Emperor Clan?”
As everyone started discussing, under this “justification,” the matter that was previously extremely shocking seemed to have become somewhat reasonable.
Xiao Yun had been stunned since the start, and now, Yun Che’s voice suddenly traveled tohis ears, “Xiao Yun, quick, do as I say. Remember this!”
“Ah… Ah?”
“What are you ahing for?! Don’t worry about anything else, just listening to my instructions and do as I say! Remember this properly…”
“AHH!!” A huge exclamation of surprise suddenly rang out, forcefully attracting the gazes of everyone present. Xiao Yun’s expression was extremely exaggerated… but it wasn’t faked. He was indeed completely at a loss. He said with a stutter, “So, this is all true… Uh, Big Brother had told me a few days ago that the reason why the Golden Crow Divine Spirit granted him the Golden Crow bloodline was because it couldn’t bear to see the Demon Emperor bloodline be severed. It was so the Little Demon Empress could continue the Demon Emperor bloodline with Big Brother… At that time, I still didn’t believe it… so this is all true… Ah! This is… this is… the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s will!”
Little Demon Empress: “…”
“The Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s will”… That was no doubt the god’s wishes, and also the god’s gift! What worldly conventions of seniority? In front of a god’s will, even common ethics aren’t worth a fart. In front of this halo, no one in the entire Illusory Demon Realm would be against it. If there really was someone who opposed it, they would instead receive criticism and hostility… because that was going against a god!
“So it’s actually the Golden Crow Divine God’s will!”
“No wonder the Golden Crow Divine God bestowed the Golden Crow bloodline to Yun Che… so that’s how it is, so that’s how it is!”
“Seems like the Golden Crow Divine God had never abandoned the Demon Emperor Clan or had never abandoned the Illusory Demon Realm! Even though the Demon Emperor Clan has dwindled, a new bloodline has appeared on another person’s body… The Little Demon Empress and Young Patriarch Yun, this is a god’s will, a true match made in heaven.”
“Since it’s like this, the Demon Emperor bloodline would thus be able to continue on without issue. There would be no need to worry about it being severed again. The Demon Emperor Clan will once more be intact, and Illusory Demon Realm will thrive forever…”
The atmosphere in the Demon Imperial Hall completely changed. The previous shock and unspoken conflicting questions had all become exclamations of admiration and endless excitement. Under the radiance of the words “god’s will,” if there were anymore people who came out to oppose it, the Little Demon Empress didn’t even need to personally step forth. The others would strive to outdo the others and indignantly scold that person with pointed fingers.
Only the Little Demon Empress was left of the Demon Emperor Clan… Yun Che… Golden Crow bloodline… Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s personal bestowal… This combination had now completely swept away all the previous surprise. Everything had become reasonable, so much that it sounded perfect.
Yun Che still stayed in his own seat; his bottom hadn’t shifted an inch since the very beginning. The clamor beside his ears was incredible, yet the roaring in his heart had long surpassed that by several fold:
Even if you are to say that women are fickle creatures… isn’t this woman’s change too exaggerated?!
And the most important thing…
For such a huge matter, why didn’t she talk to me about this beforehand?!
I’m obviously here… why hasn’t anyone asked about what I think! I’m one of the involved parties, you know!”
Are you all pretending that I’m see-through?!
At least someone ask me if I agree… ask me how I am, or at least how I feel!
“Since no one has any objections, then it is decided. Duke Lang Xun, you must remember to do what this empress had commanded.” The Little Demon Empress turned to Duke Lang Xun… and still had yet to look at Yun Che.
“This humble duke has remembered everything, but…” Duke Lang Xun gulped down a mouthful of saliva, mustered up his courage, and said, “But deciding the wedding to be in seven days, this is simply too sudden. The honorable Little Demon Empress is Illusory Demon’s monarch, and it’s even the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s will… This kind of marriage should be universally celebrated, it should shake the world! Even if we were to use seven days to prepare it wouldn’t be eno…”
“This empress said seven days, so seven days!”
“Yes!” Duke Lang Xun quickly assented, his head drenched in cold sweat, no longer daring to say anymore. After taking two steps backwards, he hurriedly left. As he ran, he groaned in his mind: My god… only seven days… If the entire city were to use all their efforts to prepare, seven days might barely be enough. But those big shots in the Southern Border and Northern Domains… after receiving the sound transmission, they’ll probably be scared shitless and rush over with swallowed tears… they might not even make it in time.
The Little Demon Empress faced her subjects. “You may all put aside whatever you plan to do in the next seven days to prepare for this empress and Yun Che’s great wedding ceremony! Even if you only have seven days, you are not allowed to be careless or make any mistakes! It does not have to be world shaking, but it must be grand enough. You must not work half-heartedly… It must be no less grand than the one from a hundred years ago!”
“Begin preparations immediately! You may all withdraw!”
This event was no doubt greater than the heavens, so the various guardian families and duke palaces working together to prepare for it was not the least bit exaggerated. The seven day time frame was just too rushed. Their retreating footsteps were all hurried, and once they exited the Demon Imperial Hall, they had all swiftly flown away, fearing that their own preparations would be lesser than someone else’s… This was not just the Little Demon Empress’ great wedding, it was the “Golden Crow Divine God’s will”!
The only person who had not left the great hall… was one of the involved parties who had no parallel in all of Illusory Demon Realm’s history, yet was somehow completely forgotten, Yun Che.
Chapter 642 - A Man’s Dignity
After everyone left, only the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che were left in the Demon Imperial Hall. The Little Demon Empress stood by her throne the whole time with her back facing Yun Che. The two of them did not move nor speaking at all.
This awkward situation lasted for a while, when finally the Little Demon Empress turned around, stared at Yun Che indifferently, and then immediately looked away, “Are you satisfied now?”
“What do I have to be satisfied about!” Yun Che stood up and freaked out, “With something this big… something so big that it affects a lifetime! I can’t believe you didn’t discuss with me or even mention it to me beforehand!! Forget that you forced yourself onto me in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, you’re also going to force a great affair of marriage onto me! You-you-you-you… even if you’re the Little Demon Empress, you can’t be this imperious and unreasonable!”
“…Hmph! Isn’t this just as you wish?” The Little Demon Empress turned away and she was somewhat avoiding making eye contact with Yun Che.
The Little Demon Empress’ reaction made Yun Che smile slightly in his heart. The way the Little Demon Empress dealt with things was indeed imperious, but with this matter, she didn’t discuss with Yun Che and even neglected to tell him beforehand, and it wasn’t because she was “acting in an arbitrary fashion.” With her personality, her lack of experience with relationships between a man and a woman, and her “indifference” towards Yun Che that was maintained for a long time made her not able to be frank with Yun Che… Her sudden big change with how she was treating Yun Che was already an overly great surprise to him.
Even though it kind of caught him by surprise… even until now he was still a bit dazzled.
After all, from the indifference, coldness, and absolute refusal to reveal any emotions to him… to suddenly announcing to the world that they were going to be married, and the wedding was going to be seven days later… No matter how powerful Yun Che’s nerves were, he couldn’t wrap his head around it.
He was certain that it was impossible to find another woman like the Little Demon Empress all over the world.
The Little Demon Empress was obviously panicking in her heart, and she had already confessed her feelings towards him, but she still acted as a cold, indifferent emperor… Only from her dodging gaze, drifting eyes, and slightly disordered breathing, was Yun Che able to clearly see a sweet, tender appearance of a normal young woman. He smiled slightly, and then used a displeased expression and yelled, “You finally admit that you liked me with honesty. In this regard, as your future husband, of course I should praise you highly. But, between husband and wife, there should be at least be some respect, tolerance, conjugal love, inseparable love, intimacy…”
“…What are you trying to say!” What Yun Che had said made the Little Demon Empress’ breathing even more uneven, and she interrupted him immediately.
“What I’m saying is, after you marry me, you can’t be like before and now, pre~tend to be cold and distant towards me, instead you should…”
“You seemed to have mistaken something.” The Little Demon Empress interrupted Yun Che once again, and said in a solemn voice, “This empress is not marrying you, you… are marrying this empress!”
“Uh?” Yun Che was suddenly stunned.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress sided her face and said coldly, “This empress made it very clear just now. Seven days later, you will enter my Demon Emperor’s clan! After that, you will belong to my Demon Emperor’s clan. Henceforth… the children that we bear, must be surnamed ‘Huan.’ Did you really think that this empress and you being wed, is me marrying into your Yun Family?”
“…” Yun Che immediately filtered what the Little Demon Empress had said to Duke Lang Xun in his mind. His expression changed a little, stepped forward, and said with determination, “No!”
“What do you mean, ‘no?’” The Little Demon Empress gave a sideways glance.
“Because I am a man!” Yun Che kept his temper and said, “Even with the most common man who doesn’t have an indomitable spirit, how could he marry into the woman’s family! I, Yun Che, definitely cannot accept something like this! If you are to marry with me, it can only be you marry to me… marry into my Yun Family!”
“Ridiculous! My Demon Emperor’s clan is the emperor clan that commands the Illusory Demon Realm. How could you feel wronged marrying into my Demon Emperor’s clan!?” The Little Demon Empress said calmly.
“I am also the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch!” Yun Che said without giving in, “My Yun Family’s Patriarch’s bloodline was only passed onto one person for generations! My grandfather only had my father as his only son, and my father only has me as his only son! As the only successor to the Patriarch’s bloodline of this generation, if I marry into my wife’s family, my son cannot be named after the surname ‘Yun,’ and then wouldn’t my Yun Family become the laughingstock of the Illusory Demon Realm! How would I face my family, face my grandfather who had passed away…”
“Who dares to laugh at your Yun Family!” The Little Demon Empress interrupted him and said, “When the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch becomes the husband of the Demon Empress, the status of the Yun Family would completely override all of the forces in the Illusory Demon Realm! Not only is this not a shame to the Yun Family, but it will also be glory and splendor that your Yun Family has never had before! In your Yun Family, your son will be the future Yun Family’s Patriarch, but in my Demon Emperor’s bloodline… our son, will be the future Illusory Demon Emperor! This is ten thousand times more dignified!”
“It’s not the same!”
“How is it not the same!”
“…No matter what, the answer is no!” Yun Che shook his head hardly. He was an extremely proud and arrogant person… he himself knew this clearly too. All this time, in his consciousness, a man marrying into someone else’s family showed his weakness and incompetence. He always frowned upon this kind of matter. He never thought… and absolutely would not allow this kind of thing to happen to him.
Even if she was the Little Demon Empress of the Demon Emperor’s clan.
“I already have a wife in Profound Sky Continent! And she is the only imperial princess of her nation! If I marry into your Demon Emperor’s clan, when I return to Profound Sky Continent, how could I possibly explain it to her… In short, this has already exceeded my limit, and I absolutely cannot accept it!” Whether it was Yun Che’s voice, eyes, or expression, they were all incredibly determined.
The Little Demon Empress’ chest was moving up and down as she stared at Yun Che. The expression in her eyes kept on changing, and then silently, she looked away and said slowly, “This empress knows that with your personality, doing this indeed would be unbearable to you… but, behind this empress is the Demon Emperor’s clan after all, and this empress is the last of the Demon Emperor’s clan… This matter is beyond the control of this empress, and now that it has been announced to the world, it is beyond your control as well!”
Demon Imperial City appeared to be a lot more lively today than usual. There were crowds of people on the streets, and there were shadows of people flying across the sky with haste.
The news of the grand wedding between the Little Demon Empress and the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch seven days later made the recently-calmed Demon Imperial City completely boil up again.
The Yun Family was already preparing the wedding of Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven to be held a month later. But now, there was the wedding of the Young Patriarch… and it was with the Little Demon Empress! Everyone from the Yun Family was shocked by this surprising news… and they all became busy like mad. Everyone from the grandest elders of the Yun Family to the lowest servants dropped everything they were doing. The competition that was going to be held five days later was canceled immediately, and the preparations for Xiao Yun’s wedding were all postponed. Everyone put in all their time into the preparation of the Young Patriarch’s wedding, and they were all so crazily busy they were like a gyroscope that was being whipped and spinned.
Young Patriarch… Little Demon Empress… Just thinking about it was… too freaking exciting!!
When Yun Che returned to his home, as soon as he entered the door, he saw Yun Qinghong standing there with his back facing towards him.
“Che’er, you have returned,” Yun Qinghong said as he turned around. His expression was especially calm as he stood there, and he seemed to be waiting specifically for him.
“…My mother, she… what was her reaction?” Yun Che said, perturbed.
“Hehe.” Yun Qinghong smiled lightly and said, “Your mother just left to Duke Qing Palace to personally prepare the clothing and ornaments that you will be using seven days later.”
“She… isn’t mad?”
“Mad?” Yun Qinghong’s face showed strangeness, “Why would she be mad? The woman you are marrying is someone who has an unusual identity, outstanding appearance, and exceptional profound energy in this Illusory Demon Realm. As a mother, she doesn’t even have time to be glad, how would she be mad? If you think we would mind the age difference, then you’re thinking too much. In the Sovereign Profound Realm, a difference of one or two hundred years old is no different than a difference of one or two years old. Moreover, just based on appearances, the Little Demon Empress looks a lot younger than you.”
“That’s good. It’s just that this matter…” Yun Che hesitated a little and said, “The Little Demon Empress wants me to marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan, instead of her marrying into our Yun Family.”
Yun Qinghong, “…”
“But Father, don’t worry. I won’t allow something like this to happen.” Yun Che immediately said, “Even if she is the Little Demon Empress, whether it was to me or to our family, I will never accept this kind of arrangement. But the Little Demon Empress’ attitude was also very determined, and she already announced it to the world… Sigh, there is still seven days after all, maybe I will be able to find a perfect solution by then.”
Yun Qinghong didn’t react too much to what Yun Che had said. Because when the Little Demon Empress ordered Duke Lang Xun, she had already spoken the words “join with my Demon Emperor bloodline” very clearly. Even if she hadn’t said so, Yun Che entering the Demon Emperor’s clan was the only possibility, and there was absolutely no way the Little Demon Empress would marry into the Yun Family.
About this matter, he had also considered for a long time while he was waiting for Yun Che to come back.
“Che’er,” Yun Qinghong didn’t show approval or disapproval towards Yun Che’s decision, instead he was incredibly calm, “Tell Father, how long does the Little Demon Empress have left?”
Yun Che’s eyes shook in an instant, his voice gush up in his throat, but he pressed it down forcefully.
“If you promised the Little Demon Empress to keep it a secret, then don’t say anything,” Yun Qinghong smiled lightly, but he sighed heavily in his heart. He didn’t need Yun Che’s answer, but from his reaction, he was able to confirm what was in his mind.
“Father, why would you… ask this?” Yun Che said.
Yun Qinghong said in frustration, “Because the Little Demon Empress’ strength has increased too much in these few months. It increased so much that it was absolutely abnormal. Did you remember two months ago when Duke Ming appeared, he said to the Little Demon Empress that the change in her strength was too ridiculous, and it would be impossible to not have any side-effects… I kept all those words in mind at the time.
Yun Che, “…”
“A while ago, I suddenly remembered something that your grandfather had told me more than a hundred years ago. Back then, your mother and I had not been married yet. When he was giving me pointers on cultivating the Purple Cloud Art, he said that the Illusory Demon Realm had been at peace for too long, and being settled and calm for too long meant that it was slowly chipping away the Twelve Guardian Families’ loyalty and bonds, and it was not a good thing. But then he suddenly laughed loudly and said that even if the Demon Emperor’s clan didn’t have the Twelve Guardian Families, once they used their trump card, they could still rule the world with a single hand… it was just that the price would be too painful.”
“I tried to ask more about it back then, but your grandfather didn’t tell me in detail. Because that was a secret that he guarded with the previous Demon Emperor for the Demon Emperor’s clan.” Yun Qinghong looked at Yun Che deeply and said, “And this secret, when you met him in Profound Sky Continent, he should have passed it onto you along with the Patriarch’s Crest and the Demon Emperor’s Seal.”
“… Yes,” Yun Che nodded slowly.
“The Little Demon Empress’ extremely abnormal profound energy, what Duke Ming shouted that day… and the ‘painful price’ that your grandfather had mentioned back then, all made it impossible for me to not look for a downside. If it really is like that… then it has really been hard on her.” Yun Qinghong sighed softly.
“Father, is there something you want to say to me?” Yun Che suddenly had a feeling that Yun Qinghong waited for him here was definitely not only to confirm about this.
Yun Qinghong nodded slightly, looked straight at Yun Che as he nodded, and asked, “Che’er, with your temperament, father is not surprised at all that you would not accept marrying into the Demon Emperor’s clan. But I have a question that you must answer me in seriousness… Are you willing to marry the Little Demon Empress? Or, let me ask you in another way… Between you and the Little Demon Empress, has there already been relationship between a man and a woman? The two of you wanting to be married, is it a mutual feeling, and absolutely not because of the so-called ‘Golden Crow Divine God’s will?’”
Yun Che looked at Yun Qinghong in surprise, and the latter laughed softly and said, “You don’t have to think it’s strange. In the past two months, I have actually already sensed something, but I was just in denial this whole time… A month ago, you would almost go see the Little Demon Empress every single day. At first, when your mother and I returned from Profound Sky Continent bearing serious injury, the Little Demon Empress would visit us about each month personally. But now, while the injury of my blood essence was a lot less serious than the injury I had suffered back then and I could be cured, the frequency of the Little Demon Empress’ visits was much greater than before, and every time before she leaves, she would ask intentionally or unintentionally about your whereabouts… In the recent months, you seemed to have not taken the initiative to visit the Little Demon Empress, and every time I’ve seen her, she would always ask about you…”
“Just based on the Little Demon Empress’ beauty that almost no man in this world could resist, and my son being the most outstanding man in this Illusory Demon Realm. The two of you have suffered in hardness together for four whole months in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Thinking of it now, it is completely reasonable for you two to be attracted and develop feelings towards each other.”
Yun Che thought silently for a while and said, “She does have a spot that cannot be replaced In my heart. After coming out of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, I would miss everything about her every day. Only, I am too weak, but she, no matter in which aspect, is too strong. Even if I wanted to protect her, help her, or bear some of her burden, I wasn’t able to. So all this time, I didn’t know what I could do. Today she suddenly announced the wedding with me… I was just as surprised as you all were.”
“If you want to help her and bear some of the burden on her shoulders, isn’t this the best chance?” Yun Qinghong smiled and said.
Yun Che was stunned.
“If, you are only marrying her because it is the Little Demon Empress’ command, then Father will support the decision you’ve made just now. But if you really like her, and want her to become your wife… then, Father hopes that you will do as she wishes and enter the Demon Emperor’s clan.” Yun Qinghong said calmly, “And your mother thinks the same.”
Yun Che was surprised. A part of the reason why he couldn’t accept entering the Demon Emperor’s clan was because he was taking the feelings of his parents and his late grandfather into consideration. For parents, who would wish that their son… their only son to marry into someone else’s family, and they are the top Yun Family. But he didn’t expect his father would say something like this, “You and Mother… really don’t mind at all?”
“If it was some other woman, no matter who it is, at least Father wouldn’t be able to be completely okay with it. But only the Little Demon Empress… Father would absolutely not be against it.” Yun Qinghong said in an incredibly calm manner, “Even though she still goes by the name of the ‘Little Demon Empress’, but in reality, she is the highest emperor in this Illusory Demon Realm. If she were only the princess of the Demon Emperor’s clan, she may be able to marry to a Guardian Family underneath her, but she is the emperor who looks down upon the world… how could she marry underneath her, or else where is her dignity as an emperor. On top of that, she is the last person left of the Demon Emperor’s clan. Each day that she is still on the throne, the Demon Emperor’s clan would still be in honor and glory for another day. But if she marries into our Yun Family… then the Demon Emperor’s clan would be truly collapse, and disappear forever in the Illusory Demon Realm.
“But if you marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan and have children with her, at least they will be the descendants of the Demon Emperor’s clan in name, and the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan will be able to be passed down like this…”
“The latter would mean the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan would be able to be passed down in glory, while the former… would mean the collapse of the Demon Emperor bloodline! How could you make the Little Demon Empress choose?”
Yun Che, “!!!!”
“But Yun Che, you are in a completely different situation.” Yun Qinghong continued to speak, “Even though when you marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan, your children with the Little Demon Empress would be named after the surname ‘Huan’, but you still have two other wives, and you might even have other wives in the future. Your children with them will all be our Yun Family’s children. The bloodline of our Yun Family’s patriarchs would not break. The Little Demon Empress knew a long time ago that you are already married in Profound Sky Continent, but she should have never spoken of it with you before, and she didn’t want to kill your current wives just because she is marrying you.”
“She is using the name of Little Demon Empress, but is granting you the name of ‘husband’… this word is normal to common people, but to the Little Demon Empress, this means she values you extremely highly, and is telling the whole world that you will be the only one for her. After you, there will be no others. Moreover, she silently allows you having other wives… On this matter, almost any other woman from a slightly more powerful family wouldn’t be able to do so. She is the Little Demon Empress, but she go to this extent, even Father is moved… She used to be cold and indifferent, but this, is an expression even more precious than any sensational expression. Her feelings towards you may be even more serious than you imagined.”
“…” Yun Che’s breathing started to become uneven, and his eyes also showed excitement.
“If you truly like the Little Demon Empress, and want her to become your woman, then… can’t you just make a simple compromise to marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan to complete her long-cherished wish and not let her become a sinner of the Demon Emperor’s clan for eternity?” Yun Qinghong’s tone was slightly harsher, “Or, in your world, is the tiny dignity of a man far more important than the woman you like?”
“Of course not!!” Yun Che lifted his head abruptly, raised his hand and slammed it on his chest fiercely as he said bitterly, “I can’t believe I was triggered by the words ‘marrying into the woman’s family.’ It clouded my judgements and I walked into a ridiculous dead end… Father, don’t worry, I know now what to do!”
Yun Che cracked a smile at Yun Qinghong, turned around in quickly, became a flash of light with a “whoosh” and headed straight to the Demon Imperial Hall.
Chapter 643 - Wish Fulfilled
Yun Che returned as fast as possible, but by the time he got there, the Little Demon Empress was already nowhere to be found; only a few royal maids were quietly sweeping away. Seeing Yun Che come in, they hurriedly put aside what they were doing and dropped down on their knees for a courtesy. News of the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che’s upcoming marriage had already been announced to all in the realm, and it also completely changed Yun Che’s social status.
“Where’s the Little Demon Empress?” Yun Che asked in advance.
“Responding to Young Patriarch Yun, not long before you left, the Little Demon Empress had already returned to her chambers,” the frontmost maid respectfully replied.
Following an about face, Yun Che floated, then flew towards the Little Demon Empress’ chambers.
The Little Demon Empress’ chambers was without a sound. She silently stood alone in front of a window and was so quiet that she looked like an inanimate porcelain jade doll. Ever since coming back from the Demon Imperial Hall, she had always been standing there, continuously maintaining that posture for a long period of time.
An aura came from afar and quickly approached her chambers. Upon closing in, it did not carefully slow down one bit nor did it restrain itself. The Little Demon Empress’ brows bunched together, but she quickly recognized the master of this aura. The voice she wanted to utter just a moment ago was swallowed down, and she didn’t turn around either, making no movements; only that her crystal-like eyes tremored for a split second.
In all of the Illusory Demon Realm, only Yun Che would dare enter the Little Demon Empress’ chambers in such a direct way… If it were someone else, granted that they even dared, they would’ve already been burned to ashes by the Little Demon Empress before even getting close.
Yun Che didn’t deliberately lighten his footsteps as he straightforwardly entered. This was the Illusory Demon Monarch’s resting chambers, yet it was incredibly simple and could never be considered “luxurious”; it couldn’t even be compared to the chambers of a common wealthy family’s daughter. There was even a hint of deep coldness within, causing anyone who entered to subconsciously curb themselves.
This was not the first time Yun Che had charged in without announcing himself, but he was usually met with two consequences in his previous attempts: One was being blasted out by the Little Demon Empress before entering, and the other was being blasted out by the Little Demon Empress right after entering.
But this time, the Little Demon Empress, who stood in front of the window, was silent and only gave Yun Che a view of her delicate silhouette as though she never even realized he had come.
Yun Che stood at the door to her chamber, silently watching her figure. Yet before she uttered a single word or turned her head, he vaguely sensed a desolate, hurt aura in the air which faintly stung his heart. He started walking slowly toward the Little Demon Empress…
All the way until he reached behind her. Then, he opened his arms, looped them around her waist, and lightly hugged her against his chest…
The Little Demon Empress’ entire body violently trembled…
The gray colored gown was huge, but her body was incredibly thin, especially her delicate waist; it was as slim as a swaying willow. Forget about Yun Che’s arms, even if he used both hands, it was enough for him to easily wrap around her.
Only, before Yun Che could even feel the temperature of a young woman’s jade body, an enormous surge of power was blasted at his chest.
Bang!!
With a huge sound, Yun Che’s body immediately blasted out like a missile. His back firmly smashed into the wall, causing the entire chamber shake upon impact.
“Y-y-y-y-you… Can’t you be less ruthless when attacking?!” Yun Che brushed aside the dust and shattered jade on his body and then unsteadily stood up as he gasped in cold air.
Over these hundred years, had made the Little Demon Empress acquire an extremely powerful self-defense subconscious since a long time ago. Blasting Yun Che aside was completely an instinctive reaction… Even though she had regretted it the instant she blasted Yun Che away, the Little Demon Empress still forcibly held onto her cold expression and said lowly, “You asked for it! If it were another person who dared to offend this empress like that, they would’ve died ten thousand times over! Hmph!”
“Hey! Am I really the same as “another person”? I’m someone who’s about to be your husband, and you’re the one who announced that we’re marrying each other! Yet I can’t even hug you a little?!” Yun Che angrily stated.
Perhaps it was because she felt like she was a little guilty, the Little Demon Empress turned her head. She asked in a cold and stiff voice, “What are you coming back here to do!”
Yun Che finally patted off all the dust on his body and then answered with face full of innocence, “I only came back to tell you that I am willing to comply with your wishes, enter your Demon Emperor Clan after getting married with you.”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze immediately turned around, “Are… you serious?”
“Of course I’m serious.” Yun Che began to assume a wronged expression. “Before, when I was in the Demon Imperial Hall, I had instinctively rejected it without thinking too much about it. After I went back home and calmed down, I realized that, to me, you are above and beyond my so-called dignity of a man. If I don’t have the resolve to bear the heavy burden of your clan with you because of my ridiculous pride, then I wouldn’t be qualified… to be your husband either.”
“…” The Little Demon Empress looked at him for a long time without saying anything. Then, she quickly turned her head, looked outside the window, and said with misty eyes, “Thank you.”
If it were another man in the Illusory Demon Realm, as long as they were able to receive the Little Demon Empress’ favor, forget about joining the Demon Emperor’s clan, even if he had to change his entire clan surname to “Huan.” he would be delighted to do so and would be wild with joy… However, she knew that Yun Che was different. He was someone who did not cower or retreat even in the face of the Golden Crow Soul. How could he possibly covet the Illusory Demon Royal Family’s title?
This concession of his was beyond valuable.
“Hahaha.” Yun Che laughed heartily. “You’re the one who publicly announced to the world that I’m about to be your husband, what gratitude do you need to give me? Just that, in front of your future husband, your strikes are actually still as ruthless as before… It’s fine if my body hurts, but my heart hurts even more. Oww…”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ lips twitched. Even though she clearly knew that Yun Che’s tone, expression, and sucking of cold air were all an act, her ruthlessly blasting Yun Che away was still a fact, so she couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty at heart.
“I’m heart broken right now, so… if you want me to marry into your Demon Emperor Clan, you have to agree to an additional condition!”
“…What condition?”
Yun Che slightly narrowed his eyes and said with incomparable seriousness, “Very simple… Let me embrace you properly for a while—right now.”
“…” Normally, if Yun Che were to say these kinds of words, he would definitely be blasted away by the Little Demon Empress. However, since her public announcement of marrying Yun Che in seven days, their originally delicate relationship had already changed fundamentally due to this step that she took that exhausted all her courage and willpower. If they were husband and wife, hugging each other couldn’t be something that was any more ordinary, and besides…
“I’m… not used to being touched by others.” The gaze Little Demon Empress was shifting, and even her voice was already no longer stiff and cold.
“That’s others… but I’m not others.” Yun Che walked toward her. Following every step of his approach, he was able to sense that the Little Demon Empress’ breathing had become a bit more disordered. “I know that you’ve been bearing great pressure everyday for all these past years, and you had to be on guard of crisis that could come your way at any second. This is why your self-defense subconsciousness has long become instinctive. I also knew that you blasting me away a while ago… was not intentional.”
Yun Che’s understanding was not merely hot air, but was him completely understanding her. Because in those years back in Azure Cloud Continent, his situation was even more dangerous than the Little Demon Empress’ by who knew how many times. He also had this kind of defensive instinct, and to a certain extent, his was even more intense than hers… Even if he were in the Yun Family household which was the safest place, his sleep was still forever only seventy percent.
“But I’m about to be your husband, and from then on, I’ll be your… Huan Caiyi’s other half in life; a person willing to face and undertake everything together with you, who will always be good to you, will always strive to enter your world, and be the one who you’ll never need to be on guard with… And I will also be the only person in this world who is allowed to embrace you.”
“Just like back in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… At that time, when we faced Duke Ming side by side, I held you and we entered the Sea of Death together. At that time, you cuddled with me tightly and didn’t want to struggle free either, nor did you feel like breaking loose… because at that time, our fates were tightly linked. If we lived, we’ll live together. If we died, we’ll die together… This linked fate between us was not merely that short month within the Sea of Death. From now on… it’ll always be that way.”
Unwittingly, Yun Che’s voice had already closed in by her ears. Within the warm and gentle voice, two arms also slowly came together above her delicate waist. Snug on her back, was also a warm chest… this time, the Little Demon Empress didn’t struggle at all, nor did she freeze up for even an instant. Along with Yun Che’s voice, her train of thoughts also returned to the month in which she had been tightly embraced within the Sea of Death… Slowly, she realized that she was being gently embraced by Yun Che, yet her body didn’t instinctively reject it, and furthermore, neither did her heart… The only thing she felt was a warm sensation that slowly relaxed both her body and soul.
Embraced within his bosom was a young girl’s figure… it seemed as though it was even smaller than Jasmine’s. That heart-piercing cold intent no longer came from her body; a warm, yet somewhat frantic feeling of a young girl replaced it.
Even though they had copulated for who knows how many times within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, it was only until today… that his wish to just silently hug her like this was finally fulfilled.
Yun Che closed his eyes, smiled with satisfaction, and said, “Even though you suddenly announcing that you were going to marry me left me greatly shocked, it surprised me nicely even more. Looks like, it was fortunate for me to have ‘bawled’ at you that day… Otherwise, if you insisted on keeping me at a distance, I really might have regretted it all my life since I don’t have the power to forcibly take you away.”
The Little Demon Empress, “…”
“From now on, you will no longer be alone. I’ll bear all your responsibilities with you,“ softly said Yun Che. “Back in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, the reason why I risked my life to save you is for my family and to carry on my grandfather’s will. But from now on… I will do it because you’re my wife. Even though I’m too weak at the moment, I’ll strive to grow, grow to a point where you’ll feel at ease to rely on me and no longer have to bear any sort of pressure or danger… believe me, okay?”
“You’re… at… it… again… Why does there have to be so many idiotic women who will fall for this sex fiend’s tricks!” Jasmine hatefully muttered in Yun Che’s mind. Then, with a cold snort, she simply sealed off her own sense of hearing.
The Little Demon Empress had never heard such words in her entire life. An extremely strange, indescribable feeling permeated her heart and soul, and also spread out through her entire body… It was seemingly a feeling that melted both her mind and body. Slowly, she felt her own body grow increasingly soft until it lost all strength, as she completely put all her weight onto the man’s body she was nestling against behind her. A barely discernible low sound came from her lips, “Mn…”
“When you become my wife, I’ll call you Caiyi, okay?”
“…Mn…”
Yun Che drew in his arms, causing the girl’s body within his embrace to stick even closer. “From now on, you’ll let me embrace you like this everyday, okay?”
“…Mn…”
“Don’t worry, from now on, your life will be my life. That three year lifespan of yours… even if it was an assertion of god, I will still smash it at any cost. So, in these three years, you definitely can’t think that you really only have three years left to live. Instead, you have to believe that I will definitely find a miraculous way to break that three year fate… Just like how we were able to come out alive from the Sea of Death, got it…”
Yun Che softly uttered beside the Little Demon Empress’ ears. Even though they were soft, each and every word was resolute and decisive. He felt the jade body within his embrace becoming more pliable and his hands also slowly moved up, which at the same time, covered onto her slightly bulging chest. He immediately felt a lump of soft and suppleness. Even though they were separated by two layers of clothing, the tender smoothness was still like stroking the purest of spring water. Two tiny buds timidly pressed against his palms and he couldn’t help but fold his palms to softly knead them.
BOOM!!!
Three of the Demon Empress Chamber’s maids who were merrily talking and laughing just happened to walk by. Naturally, they were talking about the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che’s wedding. As the closest people to the Little Demon Empress, they had long since sensed and guessed the subtle feelings between the two. Before they had even neared her chambers, they suddenly heard a loud thunderous sound come from ahead. A person’s figure flew out with the loud noise and violently fell in front of them, startling them and causing them to cry out in shock.
Upon seeing the person who had landed in front of him, all three maids simultaneously laughed. The frontmost red-clothed maid stepped forward and said with a smile, “Young Patriarch Yun, how come you’ve been blasted out by the Little Demon Empress yet again?”
“Hehe…” The other two maids giggled covering their mouths. Even though they were only maids, Yun Che had never shown any kind of attitude toward them. Instead, he called them “sister,” which greatly improved their impression and respect of him, and also never needed to be cautious around him.
Yun Che got up from the ground. Wiping off the dust from his face, he responded with a serious expression, “Sisters, have you noticed that the Little Demon Empress blows that she strikes me with have become increasingly lighter?”
“It’s true! Back then, Young Patriarch Yun used to get blasted out several kilometers away, but this time…” the red-clothed maid’s eyes roamed as she did her best to not laugh, “it seems like it’s only a fourth of a kilometer.”
“It’s because Young Patriarch Yun is about to become the Little Demon Empress’ husband. The Little Demon Empress obviously couldn’t bear to be heavy-handed anymore,” the blue-clothed maid said with a gentle laugh.
“Cough, as a respectable man, I can’t be bothered get on the same level with women. Once she becomes my wife, if she dares to be this disobedient again, even if she’s the Little Demon Empress… she’ll still be disciplined by family law!” Yun Che stated with a grandeur manner. Once he finished his speech, he even glanced at the chambers somewhat lacking in confidence. Then, he said with a wave, “Sisters, I still have things to attend to at home, so I’ll have to leave first… Oh, Sister Yuyi, it seems like your chest has grown yet again!”
“Swish…”
Yun Che laughed lewdly, then disappeared like a wisp of smoke.
“Hmph… damn you!” The red-clothed girl lightly chided with a red face as her arms subconsciously covered her breasts. The other two maids had already laughed themselves into a curl… It was very evident that they had long since gotten used to Yun Che’s obscene teasings.
News of the wedding between the Little Demon Empress and the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, Yun Che, had been sent throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm within a short day via countless sound transmission talismans. In front of such huge news, the originally precious thousand mile and ten thousand mile sound transmission talismans seemed as though they were worth nothing. In this one day, the number of sound transmission talismans used probably numbered even more than the number used over the past several years combined.
Of course, under Yun Che’s prompting, what spread along with this heaven shocking news was the fact that Yun Che had been bestowed the pure Golden Crow bloodline by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit. The couple’s union was for the pure Golden Crow bloodline and the continuity of the Demon Emperor Family… and it was more so the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s decree!
Thus, the commotion, criticisms, and skepticisms that should’ve surfaced did not appear. Pervading throughout all of the Illusory Demon Realm was only all kinds of praise and exclamations of admiration.
However, to those hegemons, this news was simply the same as lighting their butts on fire.
“What… seven… in seven days?! You aren’t mistaken are you? Hurry… hurry and send a sound transmission to confirm that you haven’t heard wrongly!!”
“What… it’s really in seven days… F*ck!!”
“Mayor, what are we to do?”
“What do you mean what do we do? Prepare the highest quality profound ark and the highest quality profound crystals… two hours… no!! We’ll depart in an hour… quick!!! The Little Demon Empress… and even a grand wedding bestowed by the Golden Crow Divine God! If I’m not there in time, I won’t be able to hang around in the Illusory Demon Realm anymore!”
“This… the matter of preparing the congratulatory gift…”
“We still have a fart’s amount of time to prepare! Go into the treasury immediately and bring along the highest quality treasures and medicines… Bring as many as you can! Go!!”
The same scene played out in every part of the Illusory Demon Realm, and it was most frequently played out in the places far from Demon Imperial City. Along with the rapid spread of this news, the entire Illusory Demon Realm nearly boiled, and the rarely seen profound arks continuously hurled past in the skies above. Even those influential individuals who couldn’t be more stingy to use energy crystals to power them up, were eager to put all their savings into the profound arks in order to make them fly a bit faster.
Within Demon Imperial City, it was even more noisy around the clock. The Twelve Guardian Families and more than a hundred Duke Palaces were all frantically running about, practically without rest.
Unwittingly, seven days had already silently passed by. Demon Imperial City became even more clamorous by the day. Even its color had tremendously changed; the entire city was decorated with lanterns, banners, and red carpets. The golden flame symbolizing the Golden Crow filled every corner of the city as well. Seeing it from the distant skies, the originally pale Demon Imperial City had become a dazzling field of gold.
Chapter 644 - The Demon Empress’ Wedding Ceremony
It was the big day of the Little Demon Empress’ wedding, and even before the sun had risen, Demon Imperial City was already exceptionally lively. Numerous soldiers from the Demon Imperial Army were equipped with golden and red armour as they guarded every corner of the city. Numerous powerful profound beasts that were hardly ever seen and could be considered legendary were soaring in the skies. On the back of each of the profound beast stood a profound practitioner who was emitting an exceptionally strong aura. Any strange movements within Demon Imperial City would not escape their watch.
Standing beside the red carpets that had been laid throughout the city were young women in colorful dresses who were also holding flowers. They stood still beside the red carpets as the wind gently ruffled their dresses. It was a wondrously beautiful sight to behold.
Although there was still a few hours until the ceremony, the nobles and hegemons that had come to give their congratulations were already waiting outside the Demon Imperial Hall. The memory of the Little Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress’ wedding ceremony from a hundred years ago was still fresh in their minds. Now, a hundred years have passed, and through the workings of fate, the Little Demon Empress, relying on her unrivalled strength, single-handedly reigned over Illusory Demon Realm. No one dared to defy her, and the Twelve Guardian Families and all Duke Palaces served under her with the utmost loyalty. The bloodline of the Demon Emperor that everyone expected to have ended had been prolonged by the grace and divine powers of the Golden Crow Divine God… Anyone could feel that this grand marriage was a new page in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm.
Although Yun Che had already gone through two weddings, this one was going to be completely different. The traditions within Illusory Demon Realm and Sky Profound Continent were already vastly different. Furthermore, this was a royal wedding and Yun Che was marrying into the royal family… However, Yun Che would not feel nervous just because of this. For the past few days, the city had been sent into a busy frenzy, other than Yun Che who spent his time leisurely.
The night before the wedding, Yun Che had left the Yun Family for the Demon Imperial Palace. He slept there and even had eight beautiful woman serving him. The sun had barely risen when he was awoken by them.
“Demon Lord Highness, please allow this servant to help you wash up and change.”
After marrying the Little Demon Empress, Yun Che’s identity had also changed from “Young Patriarch Yun” to “Demon Lord.” However, even now, Yun Che still did not know whether this “Demon Lord” title was referring to “Lord of the Illusory Demon Realm,” or… “Little Demon Empress’ lord husband”?
These eight maids were all personally chosen by the Little Demon Empress, and each one of them was exceptionally beautiful. Even their demeanor was far superior to that of any young lady from a prominent family, and their profound strength was also at least within the Tyrant Profound Realm. They all only wore a thin white veil, and when they walked, their fragrant scent wafted in the air while their jade bodies could be vaguely seen, making it much more alluring than if they were naked.
They helped Yun Che off his bed, put on his robe and boots, and supported him all the way to the bathing pool. Every step the took, the young woman’s breast would softly press against his arm, making him feel a little light-headed.
The pool was large, and the area was misty. No matter whether it was the surroundings or the floor, it was made using the most luxurious Skypool Profound Jade. The milky whiteness of the jade was truly beautiful.
Yun Che took off his outer robe and slowly entered the pool. The eight beautiful maids also took off their veils as they revealed their snowy lumps and seductive figures. Four of the maid scattered flower petals within the pool while the other four surrounded Yun Che and cleansed his body using their snowy hands and jade bodies… Although it was the first time they had seen a male body, their crystal like eyes did not show any signs of fear or disgust, only revealing a pure sense of admiration and clouded curiosity.
When Yun Che had finished his bath, the sun had already risen. The maids led Yun Che to change into a luxurious golden robe and helped him wear a golden jade belt and a golden crown… The extremely elegant attire naturally brought out the prestige in Yun Che, and his overflowing charisma caused all the girls present to look at him with affection. In front of the Demon Imperial Hall, guests had already started to enter. The names that the master of ceremonies was shouting out were getting more and more frightening, and the gifts that they brought were also more and more shocking. Soon, the gifts stacked up like a small mountain, and every one of them was a rare treasure that a common man might never see.
However, the gifts that were presented to the Yun Family seemed to be more one dimensional… because of the fact that the Yun Family released news that their Young Patriarch liked to collect all sorts of weird swords and if they were to bring along gifts, high quality profound swords would be the best! The higher the quality… with heavy swords being the best.
Therefore, for the past seven days, nearly all the top powerhouses within Illusory Demon Realm had been seeking swords at all costs, and those sects that focused on swords had not hesitated to offer divines swords that were their family heirlooms…
More and more famous swords started to gather, and the sword aura naturally emitted by the swords caused all the experts that gathered to shudder.
The Little Demon Empress had appeared before Yun Che, and her arrival caused the originally boisterous Demon Imperial Hall to immediately fall silent… However, this time, what silenced them was not her overbearing aura, but a beauty that should not exist in the mortal realm.
She had used her gray robe to hide her radiance and her cold demeanor to lock away her feelings… and this had not happened only for a few days but for the past hundred years! Even the very old seniors had already forgotten the former allure of Princess Caiyi. For the Little Demon Empress today, she had shed away the gray robes that she wore for the past century and was dressed in an extremely elegant golden dress. The ends of the dress dragged on the floor, and the dress hugged her waist, revealing her slender figure. Her snow-white face wore light makeup, and her lips were reddened with rouge. Her star-like, watery eyes were still cold, but her overbearing demeanor and lack of expression that people thought was forever unbreakable had now disappeared… No one would question that if these eyes were to flirt, all living beings would be mesmerized, and nothing else in the world would seem to be appealing.
The silence within the hall lasted for a long time as everyone’s souls were undergoing the greatest shock that they were going to experience in this lifetime. They felt that they were no longer in the living world and had already transcended to the immortal realm only spoken of in legends… Because such a beauty should not exist in the mortal realm, and it should only exist on an untainted and pure immortal fairy.
She possessed beauty that could not be put into any words, possessed the prestigious status and bloodline that no man in this world can obtain, and also possessed the ability and strength to make the entire population within Illusory Demon Realm bow down to her… It seemed as though the world’s creator had bestowed upon her the best gifts in this world. Gradually, everyone seemed to feel as though tonight’s ceremony was becoming more mystical. Because in their hearts, the same thought resounded within all of them: For such a woman, such a Little Demon Empress, how could anyone in this world be worthy of her… Even the Young Patriarch Yun who had obtained a nearly legendary status for the past few months seemed inadequate for her.
For the elegant and radiant Little Demon Empress in the mortal realm… she could only be described as a fairy.
The time had arrived, the wedding began. Although today was Yun Che marrying into the Demon Imperial Family, in terms of procedures, he was still the lead. The male marries in and the female marries out; this was the Little Demon Empress’ wish and decision which also served to tell everyone, especially Yun Che, his position in the Little Demon Empress’ heart.
For this wedding, regardless whether it was the scale, the ceremony, or the excitement of the event, it far exceeded that of when the Little Demon Emperor married the Little Demon Empress. For this entire day, Demon Imperial City turned into the raging ocean, and only when night had fallen had it become slightly calmer.
Demon Imperial Palace. The candlelight wavered, the red bed curtain hung, and she wore a phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes.
The crescent moon appeared from behind the clouds, yet the sky was still dimly lit. Glimmers of light shone through the thin gaps of the bamboo windows, illuminating the person sitting on the bed. The Little Demon Empress had already been silently sitting on the soft bed for some time… Although, like a hundred years ago, this was her big night, her feelings now were completely different. At that time, her heart was calm like the still water. Her marriage with the Little Demon Emperor was her fate as a female of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, or perhaps it could be said that it was her mission. However, tonight, her heart was beating ferociously, and she could not calm down.
A hundred years before, on the night of her wedding, her waiting did not yield the arrival of the Little Demon Emperor, but instead, she received news that he went into the distant Sky Profound Continent… Following that, she received the news he had met his demise there, causing her fate to completely change.
However, on this night, such a tragedy would not happen, and also, this was a new start to her life. Because a hundred years ago, her marriage was for the sake of her family. Tonight however, it was partly for her family and partly for her own sake.
The door opened gently, and Yun Che walked in slowly. He did not speak and walked straight to the Little Demon Empress’ side before gently lifting his hands to remove the golden beaded phoenix coronet that she wore, revealing her jade white beautiful face.
Today’s Little Demon Empress was as beautiful as a mythical fairy, stunning Yun Che as he looked at her and swallowed the words he was about to say… Subconsciously, he felt as though this dream like situation would be shattered when he spoke.
The two of them, who usually argued with one another, were now facing each other in complete silence.
Yun Che sat down by her side, wrapping one hand around her slender waist while the other hand gently caressed her face. The Little Demon Empress’ figure trembled slightly, but she did not resist and merely closed her eyes. Following that, she felt the warmth of a man approaching her before she was strongly kissed on the lips.
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes widened as she pushed Yun Che away in panic. Although the contact had only been for an instant, it had clearly been felt by the depths of her soul which only caused her heartbeat to quicken and her body to soften in a way unfamiliar to her. When she became conscious of her over exaggerated action, she looked down to avoid Yun Che’s gaze and uttered softly, “I’m… still not used to it…”
The Little Demon Empress blinked gently, her cheeks still wearing a slight layer of makeup… Yun Che’s breathing cut off in an instant before it became exceptionally heavy. This was the first time he had seen the Little Demon Empress exude the charm of a girl… Although it was very slight, it was still sufficient to make Yun Che to completely lose himself right then and there.
Yun Che could feel his blood pumping and could no longer care about anything else. He even ignored the possibility of being blasted away by her subconsciously. Suddenly moving forward, he pounced onto her on the bed, pressing all of his weight onto the Little Demon Empress who reigned over the world and possess a beauty that was out of this world. He kissed her on the cheeks, lips, and neck with vigor, and his hands groped all over her smooth and petite body…
“Ahnn… W… Wait…”
The Little Demon Empress moaned softly, but that was enough to steal people’s hearts. When Yun Che heard it, his blood pumped, and even the Little Demon Empress dared not believe that she had just made such a lewd sound. Although Yun Che was not blasted away, a small hand frantically pressed onto his lips, pushing him away slightly. The Little Demon Empress now blinked slightly, her watery eyes looked clouded, and she was panicking. Not one bit of her usual composure and coldness could been found. Her eyes avoided his gaze as she breathed heavily and asked, “Your… Your medical skills are so outstanding, is there… is there anyway, to let me… have a child sooner?”
Yun Che’s heart was slightly stunned yet again. Following that, his eyes regained their fiery passion as he looked with infatuation at this Little Demon Empress who brought him so much shock, temptation, and surprise. “Such an important matter, of course we have to follow the laws of nature. Why would there be any special methods… Mn, the only way is for us to work hard every single day as husband and wife… Just like when we were at Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“…Not allowed… to mention what happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley…”
“Alright… No mentioning… Just doing!!”
The golden robe in front of the Little Demon Empress’ chest was violently torn apart by Yun Che whose passion had taken over. The skin that was revealed was tender as formed honey and soft as cashmere… The Little Demon Empress’ body trembled slightly, but she still did not make any form of retaliation. She just closed her eyes, knitted her eyebrows, and exhaled hastily. It was as though her body’s ability to reject had disappeared completely on this night when she was in front of Yun Che and had been replaced with a rose like redness that had spread throughout her body.
As the red bed curtain was let down, Little Demon Empress fought hard to maintain her silence as she had started to moan. Her moan sounded like she was half seducing and half resenting, and her soul, along with the guy on top of her, had flown to an unknown world.
“Marrying three times in the span of six years… Definitely worse than a beast!” Jasmine fiercely shut out her hearing, determined not to hear those disturbing noises before closing her eyes and muttering to herself, “The reason why this Little Demon Empress wanted to marry this huge pervert was indeed to make sure she gave birth before she died to extend the Demon Emperor’s bloodline… Such a pity that with the current condition of her body… there’s no way her wish would come true.”
Chapter 645 - Time of Departure
The wedding ceremony had ended, but Demon Imperial City’s liveliness still continued for a full seven days. Following Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress’ marriage, a never before seen “Demon Lord” had surfaced within the Illusory Demon Realm. Previously, when they had received the news, nearly everyone had believed that the only reason why Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress had married was because of his Golden Crow bloodline which would help the Demon Emperor line continue on.
However, everyone who had attended the wedding all felt that it wasn’t just that in these seven days. This was because after marrying Yun Che, the Little Demon Empress no longer wore gray, and her radiance was so beautiful that no one dared to look directly at her. The most important point, however, was that there was a subtle change in her aura and temperament. Even though it was still as dignified and ice-cold as before, the huge, violently-icy, imposing aura that caused them all to tremble with fear and not dare to breathe had disappeared, especially when she was at Yun Che’s side. A rippling splendor surfaced in her ice-cold eyes which had never wavered in a hundred years — and it was also probably due to Yun Che’s existence that her originally dull gray world had once again regained its color.
Yun Che being the host of the wedding ceremony had at first caused unrest in almost everyone’s hearts… Later on, they heard that on the day of the wedding, the Little Demon Empress followed Yun Che home to the Yun Family and undertook a daughter-in-law’s kneeling before Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou. She had even addressed them as “father” and “mother,” startling the couple senseless… Afterwards, she went with Yun Che to honor Yun Canghai and the Yun Family’s ancestors… and then went to honor the ancestors of the Demon Emperor line.
Perhaps, it wasn’t merely for the sake of continuing the bloodline, but true affection.
If that was the case… then, the words “Demon Lord” was in no way a simple title.
Furthermore, even though it was Yun Che joining the Demon Emperor’s clan and even though their child would be surnamed Huan, the child, in terms of bloodline… would still be of the Yun Family’s descent. This also meant that from now on, even though the Little Demon Empress was still the monarch of Illusory Demon Realm from the Demon Emperor bloodline… Illusory Demon Realm was now essentially the Yun Clan’s realm.
Even though the Yun Family was currently still one of the Twelve Guardian Families that protected the Demon Emperor Clan, their position was no longer the same as before in everyone’s eyes.
“Young Patriarch, as a result of the Young Patriarch’s wedding, we have received one thousand three hundred and ninety-one swords. Amongst those are two hundred twenty Emperor Profound swords and seven hundred thirty-seven Sky Profound swords of the highest grade. There are also some swords that, despite lacking a profound grade, due to being cast from rare crystals, have a value equivalent to that of several cities. In addition…”
The Sword Pavilion elder paused for a second, clearing his throat nervously before continuing with difficulty, “In addition… there are seven whole swords of the Tyrant Profound Realm!”
“…Seven swords?” Yun Che raised his eyebrow, secretly feeling startled in his heart. Seven swords… if they were just common swords, this would be a negligible amount, but seven Tyrant Profound swords, that was enough to cause the peak of the Illusory Demon Realm’s strongest members to turn pale from shock. Emperor Profound artifacts were already incomparably rare, but Tyrant Profound artifacts were far more precious. In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, every one hundred years, on average, only one new Tyrant Profound artifact would appear. Presently, if all the Illusory Demon Realm’s Tyrant Profound swords were added up, there might only be a dozen or so.
Now, unexpectedly there were seven sent to the Yun Family as his wedding gifts!
Just as astonishing, there was an incomparable sum of over two hundred Emperor Profound swords.
Thinking back to that time when he stood with Dragon Fault arrogantly laughing over Blue Wind, with no one who could hinder him… even in the mighty Divine Phoenix Empire, Dragon Fault would be awe-inspiring and incomparable because even for the vast majority of members of the Divine Phoenix Sect, obtaining an Emperor Profound artifact would just be the extravagant wish of a lifetime.
However, those Tyrant Profound swords of legends, he all of a sudden received seven. In addition, for Emperor Profound swords that could match Dragon Fault… He received a few hundred at no cost!
This is the benefit of power and prestige!
If he hadn’t married the Little Demon Empress, he would just be the Yun Family’s young patriarch. Obtaining an Emperor Profound sword wouldn’t be easy. If what he wanted was to obtain a Tyrant Profound sword, it would even be incredibly difficult.
“This Tyrant Profound sword’s name is ‘Star Breaker’; it is the Su Family Patriarch’s personal present, sent in order to congratulate the Young Patriarch’s wedding as well as thanks for the graciousness of treating the old Su Family Patriarch.
“This sword is named the ‘Rakshasa Nineteen Beheader.’ It is the sword of the Rakshasa Sect’s Tremor Sect. The entire sword weighs ninety-five thousand kilograms and can be considered the Illusory Demon Realm’s most overbearing sword. There are rumors that in the past nine hundred years, not a single person has been able to completely master it… after hearing that the Young Patriarch is fond of heavy swords, the Rakshasa Sect sent this sword to the Young Patriarch in order to convey their reverence. Sigh… They wish the Young Patriarch will be able to whisper a few beautiful words into the Little Demon Empress’ ears at night so that the crime of their defection to Duke Huai Palace will be forgotten.
“This sword’s name is ‘Scarlet Cloud Piercer.’ The year when it appeared, countless profound practitioners fought over it, leading to a storm of blood.”
Any of the Tyrant Profound artifacts were outstandingly famous throughout the Illusory Demon Realm. These seven Tyrant Profound swords were naturally not an exception. Since no Sovereign Profound artifact had ever appeared in the Illusory Demon Realm, these seven Tyrant Profound swords were rulers among swords and were any sword profound practitioner’s highest goal. Appearing all together in front of Yun Che, they produced such a majestic sword aura that any practitioner would feel somewhat weak and unable to breathe.
However, due to them being unpopular profound artifacts, there was only one that was a heavy sword out of the seven Tyrant Profound swords.
“These swords are not commonplace, especially the seven Tyrant Profound swords. All the sword’s old masters have ear-piercing reputations. It would be impossible, even in one’s wildest dreams, to think of a time where all these swords could be seen at once. Young Patriarch, these swords… You want to carry all of them with you?” The sword pavilion elder who introduced the seven Tyrant Profound swords asked with worrying eyes. He had never before seen Yun Che practice the sword and was at even more of a loss as to why Yun Che would to carry that many swords on his body instead of leaving them in the sword pavilion… could it be a hoarding habit?
“Yes, give them all to me,” Yun Che replied as he nodded his head. “No need to put the swords into containers, just put them directly into my spatial ring.”
The sword pavilion elder put all of the swords into a purple spatial ring and then carefully put it in Yun Che’s hand… He wouldn’t be able to imagine that all of the priceless profound swords he had took out would simply become…
A certain little monster’s food!!
The swords that Hong’er ate would be absorbed to become her power, and at the same time, they would cause the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword she transformed into to become stronger. Yun Che simply could not imagine what level the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword would reach if Hong’er ate all of these profound swords… However, right now he was just imagining it since he hadn’t tried it out yet. Firstly, he didn’t know if Hong’er would even be able to eat all of the swords in a short amount of time or if the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword would grow too quickly, possibly reaching a level where he would be unable to control it which would turn such a joyful event into a tragedy.
Moreover, these “delicacies” had to be fed to Hong’er slowly… If he were to give all of them to her all at once, the little devil wouldn’t listen to him at critical moments, and he wouldn’t be able to take out food to entice her.
Since he had entered the Demon Emperor Clan, he naturally had to begin living in the Imperial Demon Palace. Nonetheless, due to Yun Qinghong’s injury not being fully recovered and since the marriage had just happened, Yun Che would return to the Yun Family household everyday, but he wouldn’t be there for very long each visit. This was because he had to quickly return to the Little Demon Empress to make a child.
Yes, during this period, everyday he would spend two hours treating Yun Qinghong, four hours sleeping, four hours cultivating, and the rest of the time would simply be spent with the Little Demon Empress in bed… and some other strange places.
Even though they were newlyweds, they should have a bit more control… Yun Che said to himself. But the problem was… he was no match for the Little Demon Empress. Alright, this was just a secondary reason, the main reason was… every time the Little Demon Empress slightly showed her charm, all the blood in his body would be set aflame, making him completely unable to resist.
“In a few days, Father’s injury should be completely healed.”
In Demon Imperial Palace, Yun Che reclined on a huge lotus leaf in the lotus pond, softly thinking aloud. In front of him, Hong’er sat on his knee holding a longsword that glittered like frost, elatedly nibbling it. Hong’er’s lips were a light pink color and looked even more tender than flower petals, but with each bite, she cut away at the sword which could level a mountain. The Emperor sword was reduced to a mere flaky pastry which would crackle and break with each bite, her teeth leaving clear marks on the sword’s blade.
At this moment, any other person would fall down in alarm, but Yun Che had already gotten used to it and had no reaction whatsoever… This little monster was even able to swallow the Divine Jade of the Nine Suns, so in comparison, eating an Emperor Profound sword couldn’t even be considered minor matter!
“The Little Demon Empress is here, come back, Hong’er!” Jasmine all of a sudden exclaimed.
“Ah? Oh!” Hong’er listened to Jasmine, and upon hearing her summons, she fiercely took a bite of the shining, sharp point of the sword and transformed into a red light while chewing before returning to the Sky Poison Pearl.
Following Yun Che getting up, the Little Demon Empress’ figure appeared in his line of sight. She wore a light green dress, and due to her being very petite, the slightly large skirt curved behind her body, elegantly floating behind her. Her dark jade hair wasn’t draped over her shoulders; instead, they were strung together into a simple flying goddess topknot with smooth and round jade pearls adorning her hair. Lastly, her two pupils appeared to be like snow. Upon seeing Yun Che, her eyes overflowed with an absolutely beautiful radiance.
After marrying Yun Che, the Little Demon Empress hadn’t worn any of the dark gray gowns she used to. Moreover, this was a change that everyone could see. Her biggest change though, only Yun Che knew clearly. No longer wearing gray clothes, the Little Demon Empress gave off a radiance that made everything else pale in comparison. In her heart, she longed to give Yun Che a successor as soon as possible, and every day after their marriage, she, with Yun Che, spent the entire night… Even during the daytime, these feelings made her usual cold and dignified jade-like expression take on an unerasable charm…
It was an expression that could topple the world, a bearing that could frighten the world… Adding a little natural beauty and charm, all together it was enough to annihilate the defense of any male’s heart in a second… During official business, in the past, the court, under the heavy pressure she gave off, was unwilling to look straight at her. Today, they even more unwaveringly kept their heads down, not willing at all to raise them and look at the Little Demon Empress in fear that their hearts and souls would instantly lose their defenses.
“Caiyi,” Yun Che smilingly called out.
The Little Demon Empress jumped on the water, lightly arriving to the side of the lotus leaf Yun Che was on. She wrinkled her brows, seemingly worried about something and slowly saying, “Six days from now, after Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s wedding… At that time, are you still planning to head back to the Profound Sky Continent?”
When planning Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s wedding, Yun Che calculated that would be around the time Yun Qinghong would have fully recovered. After Xiao Yun’s wedding and Yun Qinghong had recovered, he would immediately return to the Profound Sky Continent.
“Mn.” Yun Che nodded his head. “If it wasn’t for my father’s health, I would have left earlier. Having already waited this long… I really can’t wait any longer.”
“No matter what, you must return?” The Little Demon Empress averted her gaze and softly said, trying her utmost to conceal the turbulent emotions, “Based on what you told me about your time in the Profound Sky Continent, your time there was anything but stable and you made many enemies. But in Illusory Demon Realm, although your profound strength isn’t the highest, you are the Yun Family’s young patriarch. Moreso, you are the universally accepted ‘Demon Lord’ of Illusory Demon Realm. Your status is the same as mine. No one will treat you disrespectfully, no one will deny you, and no one will bully you. Whatever you want, as long as Illusory Demon Realm has it, you can easily obtain. If my three years… if I pass away before you, the entire Illusory Demon Realm will be yours… Is this bad? Why are you so determined to return to that place where you have no influence and are constantly under the threat of danger?”
This was the first time the Little Demon Empress had said these type of words to him. The time that Yun Che had spent in Illusory Demon Realm wasn’t long at all; taking everything into account, it hadn’t even reached one year. However, this one year of experiences had been filled with more events and experiences than a person’s entire life.
During this period of time that was even shorter than a year… he had entered Illusory Demon Realm’s most respected royal clan, obtained an illustrious reputation, obtained Illusory Demon Realm’s most beautiful woman who was also the most powerful Little Demon Empress… He stood at the very summit of the Illusory Demon Realm.
His profound strength, because of the events in the Sea of Death and the Golden Crow Divine Spirit, had grown incredibly.
Presently, having the status of “Demon Lord,” he could accomplish whatever he wished for in Illusory Demon Realm. If he wanted something, all he needed to do was move his hand and no one would disagree or disobey. Nor would he experience the least bit of risk or hazard… Honestly speaking, although he was never willing to live under others, he never before thought that one day he would possess this level of power.
Although Yun Che had lived through two turbulent lives, he absolutely wasn’t a person who disliked a comfortable lifestyle. If there was no Profound Sky Continent to worry about, he would be undeniably willing to stay with the Little Demon Empress, his parents, and his family, standing at the peak while looking down over the entire Illusory Demon realm and contentedly enjoying a life of luxury and glory.
But since he had the Profound Sky Continent to worry about, he absolutely couldn’t, for the sake of a life of comfort and glory in the Illusory Demon Realm, forget about the Profound Sky Continent. If not for the Primordial Profound Ark, he wouldn’t be able to comfortably pass the time. He would not hesitate to drop everything to find a way to get back. Looking at the Little Demon Empress, he said, “Yes… no matter what, I must return. After all, the Profound Sky Continent is my birthplace. It is where I grew up for nineteen years. Everything else I can ignore, but it still has my grandpa, my little aunt, and also…”
“It also has women that you are unable to part with, right?” The Little Demon Empress said coldly, “If you love women that much, I’ve said I will never restrict you! Demon Imperial Palace’s maids, regardless of appearance or aptitude, are all one in a million. Whoever you want, you can have. The ladies of those duke palaces and aristocratic families, whoever you look at, including the Su family’s Su Zhixi or Duke Qing Palace’s Lan Zhi, I can all personally give to you as concubines…”
“Sigh…” Yun Che grabbed the Little Demon Empress’ small hand and laughingly said, “Caiyi my wife… You hate to part with me this much… It’s not that I don’t plan to return from the Profound Sky Continent. If there weren’t so many matters to take care of or if everything was peaceful, I might be back in just a few days. I might bring them here to meet my parents, as well as you, my wife.”
Yun Che had thought about it long before, that after returning to the Profound Sky Continent, he could bring Xiao Lie, Xiao Lingxi, and his princess wife back to the Illusory Demon Realm since here there wasn’t any danger or pressure. It would give them a peaceful life… The most perfect ending would be finding Chu Yuechan and taking her back as well. As for Xia Qingyue… she definitely wouldn’t follow him here.
“Them? Do they include your other wives?” The Little Demon Empress snorted coldly. “You aren’t afraid I’ll kill them if I don’t find them pleasing?”
“Not afraid at all!” Yun Che said as he pulled her arm, bringing the Litttle Demon Empress who did not have her guard up into his chest and immediately beginning to tear at her dress from bottom to top. In a second, two slender white legs were presented naked before Yun Che. In the entire world, only Yun Che knew the Little Demon Empress’ most attractive part were her legs… They were like milky white jade and shined with an incomparably attractiveness.
“You…” In the past dozen days since their wedding, the Little Demon Empresses’ garments had already been torn by Yun Che dozens of times. She hurriedly moved to obstruct the hands that were touching her snow white legs. “We’re outside…”
“They’ve already gotten used to it.” Yun Che directly picked up the Little Demon Empress and set her on his lap, saying with a serious face, “Caiyi my wife, you forgot the conversation we had. If you want to quickly have kids, we not only have to put forth effort every day, we need to try different positions and locations… In addition, our actions must be energetic, and the sound has to be a little loud…”
“Oh…” Hearing the word “children,” the Little Demon Empresses’ calmed down, and she stopped resisting in any way. She was expected to live for only three more years, and presently, her biggest wish was to have a child with Yun Che before then. But with regards to having children, she was completely unaware. She couldn’t ask anyone else questions. In addition, Yun Che was the entire Illusory Demon Realm’s “genius doctor,” so with regards to Yun Che’s “authoritative guidance,” no matter how shameful, she would comply.
No would would believe that the absolutely dignified and powerful Little Demon Empress, who could cause a crowd of monarchs to hold their breath and shudder, under Yun Che’s guidance, would adopt positions that would make even prostitutes, upon seeing them, cover their eyes. The moaning would also make the faces of all the Demon Imperial Palace’s maids flush with embarrassment.
Six days later, after Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s marriage rites had been completed. Number Seven Under Heaven joined the Yun Family, becoming the Yun Family’s daughter-in-law. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had six sons and only this one girl. The marriage day truly made his eyes red. But, luckily, the Yun and Under Heaven Families were very close distance-wise. If he wanted to see her, it was an easy matter. It wasn’t like completely losing his daughter.
With that, after two more days, it was finally the day Yun Che had decided to leave.
Chapter 646 - Returning to Profound Sky
Three years had passed by unwittingly since Yun Che left Profound Sky Continent. The memory of him saying goodbye to Cang Yue and Xiao Lingxi in Blue Wind Imperial City appeared in front of his eyes. He even promised that he would be back in a month… but the wheel of destiny once again spun against his will.
Because of the thought of being able to return to Profound Sky Continent and see the person that he missed every day and night, Yun Che’s heart naturally was unable to calm down, and he didn’t fall asleep at all. Early in the morning, as the sky was getting bright, he was pushed off the bed by the Little Demon Empress, saying, “You should leave.”
“Caiyi my wife…” Yun Che turned around and looked at the beautiful shadow behind the bed canopy with infatuation.
“If you’re leaving, leave quickly!” The Little Demon Empress said coldly.
“You… really don’t want to come with me to see Profound Sky Continent? My Profound Ark is very unique, absolutely wouldn’t alert the people of the Four Great Sacred Grounds,” Yun Che said quietly.
“…The peace in Illusory Demon Realm has just been restored; it is not time for me to leave. Duke Ming has not yet been executed, I can’t leave without worrying. When Duke Ming has been eliminated, and all troubles are wiped out…” The Little Demon Empress’ voice stuttered and lowered even more, “Maybe I will follow you to Profound Sky Continent.”
“Alright,” Yun Che nodded. He knew clearly in his heart that asking the Little Demon Empress to follow him back to Profound Sky Continent was indeed not very realistic.
The closer the return date was, the more eager he was to go home. Yun Che left the Demon Imperial Palace to go to the Mu Family and say goodbye to Mu Feiyan, Mu Yubai and the others. Then he went back to the Yun Family to say goodbye to his parents, and then he summoned his Primordial Profound Ark in front of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou.
“Che’er, even though Father very much wants to go to Profound Sky Realm again to pay respects to Brother Xiao Ying, it cannot be helped… I can only go after a while.” Mentioning “Xiao Ying,” Yun Qinghong showed deep sorrow on his face. Meeting Xiao Ying was his life’s greatest fortune, and was also the pain of his life, “Greet your Grandfather Xiao for me. If he does not have anything to worry behind, bring him back here. As long as I, Yun Qinghong, am still alive, I would not let him be bullied at all.
“Mn, I’ll remember,” Yun Che nodded heavily.
“Che’er, Mighty Heavenly Sword Region’s forces are strong, and even more powerful than our Yun Family. Do not think about avenging your grandfather when you go to Profound Sky Continent this time… When the time is right, we will make them pay their blood debts. When you are there, please take care of yourself, don’t make contact with anything dangerous. When you finish taking care of things, please come back as soon as possible… and bring back mother’s daughter-in-law.” While Mu Yurou was talking, her eyes were already filled with tears.
“Mother, don’t worry. I haven’t seen anyone whose life is tougher than mine,” Yun Che smiled as he said. As he waved his hand, the profound ark slowly floated, and gradually expanded until it was three meters large.
“Big Brother!!”
At this moment, rapid footsteps hurried over. Xiao Yun was dragging Number Seven Under Heaven as he rushed over. Before he could stand still, Xiao Yun said eagerly, “I have decided, I am going back to Profound Sky Continent with Big Brother.”
“Oh?” Yun Che smiled, “You’ve decided?”
“Mn!” Xiao Yun nodded seriously, “Even though I used to resent Profound Sky Continent a lot before, it is not the same now. It is my birthplace after all, and two of my family are there. My parents are also both buried there… There is no reason for me to not go back.”
Yun Che thought about taking Xiao Yun with him, but he had not mentioned it. After all, this was up to Xiao Yun’s will. Xiao Yun’s decision made his heart relaxed a lot… Before his eyes, it was like he could really see grandfather’s true, joyous smile. He nodded, and looked at Number Seven Under Heaven, “Then… what about Seventh Sister?”
Number Seven Under Heaven held onto Xiao Yun’s arms and said, “Of course I’m going with Brother Yun! I am Brother Yun’s wife now, whether it is Illusory Demon Realm, or the Profound Sky Continent… I will be wherever Brother Yun is.”
Looking at her, she seemed to be even excited.
Yun Che smiled from the bottom of his heart, patted Xiao Yun’s shoulders and said, “Grandfather’s greatest desire was to reunite with you. I was originally planning on bringing him here to meet with you and enjoy the later part of his life in peace. But if you come with me to see him together, that would be the best.”
“Hehe, then let’s go already. I can’t wait to see if Big Brother Yun’s profound ark was really as magical as Brother Yun had said,” Number Seven Under Heaven said energetically.
Another hasty voice came from afar, and the master of the voice suddenly appeared before them accompanied with a fierce wind. Looking at the person who had just arrived, Number Seven Under Heaven’s mouth opened wide, “Big Brother, why are you here?”
The person who had just arrived was Number One Under Heaven. He cupped his hands towards Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou, and he said, “Patriarch Yun, Madam Yun, junior is very worried, please forgive me for coming without notice… Old Seven, you just sent a sound transmission to Father saying that you will be following Xiao Yun and the Demon Lord to Profound Sky Continent… is that true?”
“Of course it’s true!” Number Seven Under Heaven said without hesitation, “Brother Yun’s birth parents are buried there. I already married Brother Yun, so of course I’ll follow him to pay respects to his parents.”
Number One Under Heaven lowered his eyebrows and said, “Profound Sky Continent is not Illusory Demon Realm! To us, that is the home of our enemies. And we heard that in Profound Sky Continent, they vilified the people of Illusory Demon Realm into devils! If you let the people there find out that you are from Illusory Demon Realm, and you belong to a Guardian Family, it is extremely possible that it would alert the Four Great Sacred Grounds there. If that happens, none of us would be with you, it would be too dangerous… This is not a small matter, it is no child’s play.”
“Oh come on! Big Brother, stop nagging already! The Profound Sky Continent is not as scary as you say it is. Besides, Big Brother Yun’s Profound Ark is very magical. It can directly cross the space, wouldn’t even alert the edge barrier set up by the Four Great Sacred Grounds, and it wouldn’t alert those people. Even if there was danger, Brother Yun and Big Brother Yun are here to protect me!”
“Big Brother, don’t worry. I’m just taking Seventh Sister to the Profound Sky Continent to unite with my biological family. We will be back very soon, there wouldn’t be any other incidents… and I would never let Seventh Sister encounter any danger. Even if there really is any danger, even if I have to risk my life, I would protect Seventh Sister,” Xiao Yun said decisively.
“Brother Under Heaven, don’t worry.” Yun Che said while smiling, “The place we are going is the smallest country in Profound Sky Continent, away from the location of the Four Great Sacred Grounds. The profound cultivation levels are very low there, the peak of their power is at the Emperor Profound Realm. Seventh Sister is now an Overlord, so she is essentially an unparalleled existence there. It would be hard even if she wants to encounter danger… it will be good as long as she doesn’t bully the others.”
“Hmph hmph, a beautiful young woman who is gentle, nice and cute like me does not bully people,” Number Seven Under Heaven stuck out her tongue towards Yun Che.
“Sigh,” Looking at Number Seven Under Heaven, Number One Under Heaven knew he couldn’t persuade her out of it, and listening to Yun Che’s description with the trust he had for him, he also started to feel like his worrying was probably unnecessary. But he didn’t dare to forget Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s order, “Brother Yun, to be honest, our father is very worried and feels unsettled when he heard that Seventh Sister was also going to Profound Sky Continent, and asked me to immediately come to stop her… On the way here, our father sent a sound transmission and said if I couldn’t stop her, he ordered me to accompany her no matter what.”
“Ah? Big Brother’s coming with us? Really really?” Number Seven Under Heaven’s eyes immediately brightened.
“If Big Brother comes with us, then it would be the best,” Xiao Yun also said immediately. Number One Under Heaven was a strong level eight Overlord, and he was wise and calm. With him here… it meant they had another super bodyguard—even though they probably wouldn’t need it.
Number One Under Heaven smiled bitterly, “This is our father’s wish. Or else, I’m afraid that he would be so unsettled that he wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep. This matter… sorry for the trouble Brother Yun.”
“Having Big Brother Under Heaven coming with us is a surprise, there is no trouble at all. There is a lot of space on my profound ark. Not mentioning only Big Brother Under Heaven, it can even carry the entire Under Heaven Clan.” Yun Che smiled and said, “With Big Brother Under Heaven by our side, I believe Father and Mother would be a lot less worried.”
Number One Under Heaven nodded and smiled. But underneath his consciousness, he was also somewhat curious about Profound Sky Continent, so he wasn’t too resistant to following them.
“Che’er, the location I told you was about in the middle of Blue Wind Nation in Profound Sky Continent. It is not accurate, but it would definitely not be far from the Blue Wind Nation’s realm. Even though it has been more than twenty years, but I have been thinking about it all these years, day and night, I would not remember it wrong. When you’re there, it would be too far for us to send sound transmissions to each other. When you finished handling things over there, you must come back soon… After all, you are still Illusory Demon Realm’s Demon Lord, and your family is also here.”
Even though Yun Qinghong seemed calm the entire time, his unsettlement was still revealed within the depth of his eyes and words. After all, Profound Sky Continent was the place that left him the heaviest shadow in his whole life. Even if his whole family had united, he would still feel danger, or even fear just thinking of the name “Profound Sky Continent.”
“Haha, I am just returning to my other home, not like when you went to a dangerous place twenty years ago. Your worry is completely unnecessary.” Yun Che laughed with relax and helplessness.
“Anyways… you must come back as soon as possible, and definitely don’t do anything dangerous,” Mu Yurou’s eyes were filled with tears as she reminded him again.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Yun Che nodded in response obediently.
A misty dark red light started flashing above the Primordial Profound Ark. Yun Che focused his mind, and said to Xiao Yun and the others, “This profound ark is controlled by my will, so you don’t need to enter from the entrance of the ark. In a bit, when you feel yourself entering, just don’t resist.”
They had never heard of this way of entering a Profound Ark. Followed with Yun Che’s consciousness, a faint dark red light shrouded them, and instantly disappeared them from where they were standing. The Primordial Profound Ark also slowly rose, and with the space violently trembled, it also completely disappeared from there.
In the clouds far in the sky, the Little Demon Empress stopped watching, and slowly turned away. Her body was among the clouds, and she quietly left.
She spent a whole hundred years without being used to loneliness, but in less than a month, she had gotten used to Yun Che’s existence. Watching Yun Che leave, even though he was only returning to his other home and would perhaps be back very soon, she still felt an emptiness that she had never felt before.
She was the Little Demon Empress, but essentially, she was also a woman…
Chapter 647 - Nothing Was the Same
Million of miles of space were traversed in an instant.
“Waaaah! So this is the inside of the profound ark… it’s so big! It’s even many times bigger than the biggest profound ark in our family!”
Standing at the center of the first layer of the ancient fortress inside the Primordial Profound Ark, Number Seven Under Heaven kept turning her head to look around. Her mouth was wide open, and kept yelling in amazement.
“This is only one of the ancient fortresses in the profound ark; outside of the ancient fortress there is still an incredibly large space… it is absolutely even larger than what you can imagine,” Yun Che said mysteriously. As the master of the Profound Ark, he knew the situation inside of this profound ark at any time. The profound ark had woken up from silence as the power of the Jade of the Nine Suns poured into it, and the law of its world also started to operate. Aside from the ancient fortress, the land that was originally dried up had become luxuriant with countless different kinds of profound beasts wandering around, and there were even more rare flowers and bizarre beasts were growing there.
“With such an enormous profound ark, it is surprising that I can’t even feel any vibration of energy, and I can’t even detect its movement at all.” Number One Under Heaven gasped in admiration, “The world is so large that even things as strange as this treasure actually exists.”
Even though Number One Under Heaven was very impressed and surprised, he didn’t ask Yun Che where it came from, because he understood that it would violate his privacy. But Yun Che said voluntarily, “This profound ark was supposedly passed down from the Primordial Era, and was accidentally acquired by me. It is not a normal profound ark. It has its own world, and it has a unique spiritual consciousness. Now it has identified me as its master, no one would be able to take it away from me… but, I still hope Brother Under Heaven will keep this secret for me. Even though it is impossible for it to be taken away by someone else, if it were targeted by greed, the flies that come and harass from time to time are still very annoying.”
“Haha, Brother Yun don’t worry. You were this honest to me, how could I be a thieving person,” Number One Under Heaven said heartily.
“Big Brother, how long would it take for us to get to Profound Sky Continent?” Xiao Yun asked in excitement.
“Oh, we’re already here,” Yun Che said.
“Huh? We’re already here?” The three of them were all stunned.
“Yeah… We have already arrived by the third breath after we entered the profound ark. We have stopped for a long time already,” Yun Che said calmly… but he was just actually enjoying their exaggerated reactions.
“So… so soon!?” Xiao Yun’s mouth was wide open, and he was even stuttering when he spoke, “Father said that Profound Sky Continent is million miles away from Illusory Demon Realm. Even for dimensional traveling… this speed is too exaggerated! It’s millions of miles!”
“Let’s go out,” Yun Che said. His chest moved up and down slightly: Profound Sky Continent… Blue Wind Nation, I am finally back… No matter what, you all must be safe and sound…
He released his will and scouted the energy consumption of the profound ark, and he was pleasantly surprised by the results. The consumption of the profound ark from instantly traveling through millions of space was less than a fifth! It was a lot less than when he had expected!!
With consumption like this, not to mention going back to Illusory Demon Realm… It should not even be a problem to go back and forth more than ten times!
It was definitely not because Primordial Profound Ark took very little consumption… but it was because the energy of the Jade of the Nine Suns was too enormous! Its capacity absolutely exceeded Yun Che’s knowledge. After all, that was the Divine Jade from the Golden Crow Divine Beast!
Red light shrouded the area, and the view before his eyes changed rapidly. A slightly dry and warm breeze swept by, mixed with dust. There was a vast land and mountains in the surroundings, but the vegetation was withered and all over the place. The trees that could be seen occasionally were all broken and lay fallen on the ground. The air was filled with heavy desolation and solitude.
Yun Che, “…”
“Here… are we in the Profound Sky Continent already?” Number Seven Under Heaven looked around, but there wasn’t anyone in the area; there didn’t even seem to be any trace of profound beasts.
“Seems like we have arrived to a very desolated place,” Xiao Yun was also sizing up the surrounding.
“The density of elements is very weak, so the profound energy level here should be very low.” Number One Under Heaven locked his eyebrows and said, “Brother Yun, is this the ‘Blue Wind Nation’ you were speaking of?”
“…It should be.” Yun Che’s eyebrows knit slightly. He looked at the surrounding, turned to Number One Under Heaven and Number Seven Under Heaven and said, “I am also not sure where this is in Blue Wind Nation. But… Brother Under Heaven, Seventh Sister, do you have any way that you can hide your elf ears and wings? Even though Profound Sky Continent has records of the Elven Clan, they seemed to have not appeared for more than thousand of years.”
Number One Under Heaven immediately understood Yun Che, nodded and said, “Not a problem.”
He circulated his profound energy, his transparent, delicate wings immediately folded and hid among his clothes. His pointy, long ears were shrouded by a green light, when the green light disappeared, they became like normal human ears… This wasn’t a true transformation, but it was a cover under profound energy. Without a profound energy higher than his and close inspection while focusing one’s mind, it usually wouldn’t be noticed.
Number Seven Under Heaven also used the same method to cover her delicate wings and her ears.
“Big Brother, your expression… seem very serious. Is there… a problem?” Xiao Yun asked in a probing manner. Recently, the thing that Yun Che looked forward the most was to return to Profound Sky Continent. When they were in the profound ark, he was able to feel the exciting emotion coming from Yun Che very clearly. Now that they were on the land of Profound Sky Continent, he should be so excited that he should be beaming with delight… but now, he had his eyebrows locked tightly, and there was no trace of joy on his face.
Yun Che looked ahead, his eyebrows moved and said, “Nothing… I just feel like there is something. Let me go up and confirm our location.”
When he was done talking, Yun Che jumped up with strength up into the air. Before his body touched the layer of clouds, a large-scale city appeared in his line of sight far in the west. He stopped in the air, looked at the figure of that city, and a name appeared in his mind.
That’s… New Moon City!!
Even though New Moon City was not a large city, it was one of Blue Wind Nation’s main cities. Especially since its location was right in the middle area of Blue Wind Nation’s domain; it was the hub of Blue Wind Nation. The flow of visitors every day was very large and extremely lively. It was in the morning now, when there was supposed to be a large amount of people who stayed at New Moon City leaving. From Yun Che’s location, whether it was east, west, south, north of the city, it should have all been filled with the shadows of people…
But glancing at it, he wasn’t able to see any sign of anyone there. Right now, the central city of Blue Wind Nation gave Yun Che a lifeless feeling… and looking from far away, it seemed to be covered within a dim mist.
Based on the location of New Moon City, Yun Che suddenly remembered where the place under his foot was. At first when he left the Floating Cloud City to New Moon City while cultivating on the way, he passed by this place, and had stayed overnight here… but in his memory, this place was supposed to be covered with green grass and trees, filled with life, and inhabited by a lot of low-level profound beasts. But now, it was uncultivated and messy, as if it was burned with a sea of flames and then stomped over by thousands and thousands of soldiers and horses.
What happened?
What exactly happened to New Moon City?
A strong unsettling feeling emerged from the bottom of Yun Che’s heart. He landed quickly, lowered his eyebrows and said, “Let’s go! Let us hurry to New Moon City… The situation here doesn’t seem right.”
“Ah, New Moon City?” Xiao Yun was just about to ask when Number Seven Under Heaven dragged him and said, “Don’t ask too much now, let’s hurry first!!”
They all saw Yun Che’s unusual expression. Even when he was facing the force of Duke Huai Palace single-handedly, he was in high spirits and laughed uproariously… But Yun Che’s expression now was so dark that it was scary. Once Yun Che finished speaking, he hurried towards the west, and the three of them followed immediately.
“The land here seemed to have suffered a large-scale destruction. And the atmosphere here seems to be to desolated.” Number One Under Heaven said calmly, “Brother Yun, is the New Moon City that you mentioned earlier your birth place?”
“No.” Yun Che locked his eyebrows tightly, and his flying speed was getting faster, “The time that I spent in New Moon City wasn’t long, but that was the place that changed my destiny. It is one of the most lively cities in Blue Wind Nation, aside from the imperial city. But now the feeling that it gives is lifeless. The place that we are at now was definitely not like this back then… What exactly happened here!”
Yun Che gnashed his teeth slightly, and tried not to make guesses that grew increasingly scarier. At this moment, he suddenly felt a wave of a weak profound energy from a few miles away in front of him. His eyes flickered, his speed decreased, and flew towards the location of the wave of the profound energy.
A few giant rocks that were as tall as a human appeared in his line of sight. Behind the shattered rocks, were seventeen auras of profound energy with different levels in strength. The strongest aura was at the seventh level of the Spirit Profound Realm, and the weakest one had just entered the True Profound Realm. They hid behind the giant rocks and tried really hard to suppress their aura… but how could they hide it from Yun Che’s spiritual sense?
Yun Che slowed down and approached the giant rock. When he was about ten steps away, a person in grayish-white clothes suddenly charged out from behind the giant rock. His profound energy exploded all over his body, and charged towards Yun Che holding a shimmering long sword while yelled in a tone filled with hatred, “Traitorous dog of Divine Phoenix, meet your death!!”
The person who rushed out first was the strongest of these seventeen people. But his profound energy was only at the seventh level of the Spirit Profound Realm, how could he be a threat to Yun Che. Yun Che didn’t move, and waved his palm at the person attacking him… but it was also at this moment when he saw the person’s face clearly. His expression changed, tried really hard to retrieve the profound energy that he had released, and at the same time he reached out his other arm to block Number One Under Heaven who had charged towards them, “Don’t attack!!”
Even though Yun Che’s palm only swung out in a casual manner and he had reduced over ninety percent of his profound energy, his profound energy now was overbearing. An attack that was not even worth mentioning to him was absolutely not an attack that the person on the other side could bear. The longsword in his hand instantly cracked and dropped from his hand, and his whole body flipped and crashed on a huge rock behind him… His face became pale, sat on the floor without moving, and his body was twitching violently from the pain, but the determination and hatred in his eyes did not reduce at all.
“Instructor!!”
“Instructor Sikong!!”
The people who were behind the giant rock waiting for a chance to attack all panicked, gathered beside the person, and checked his injuries anxiously. Yun Che walked forward a few steps, looked at the person who were on the ground from his attack, “Senior Brother… Sikong?”
The person in front of him was very different from in his memory. His dashing long hair was gone, replaced with scattered short hair. The robe on him was not luxurious at all, but it was worn, damaged, and there were light and deep blood stains on it. The face in his memory was bright and clean like a jade… but now it was covered with many scars that were hard to look at… there was even one scar that almost hit his eye.
The expression of his eyes had changed a lot… there was no gentleness in it, but only the vicious look of a desperate wolf.
But his contour… was obviously the person who had helped him when he first entered Blue Wind Profound Palace, and gave him a lot of guidance, Sikong Du!
When he yelled out “Senior Brother Sikong,” that person looked at him as well. At that instant, his body froze up, he couldn’t look away for a long time, and his pupils even enlarged intensely, “Yun… Yun Che?”
The name “Yun Che” made everyone surrounding him looked towards Yun Che with a stunned face.
“Senior Brother Sikong just called him… Yun Che? Which… which Yun Che?”
“He… he looks so much like the Yun Che in the painting in the Profound Palace… no, they look exactly the same!”
“Impossible! Yun Che died three years ago already, how could it be him! Besides, he’s wearing… uh? That seemed to… not be the Phoenix?” A young man looked at the Golden Crow pattern stitched on Yun Che’s chest and mumbled.
Yun Che had just entered the Demon Emperor’s clan, and he was newly wedded for not even a month, so his clothing were mostly printed with the patterns of the Golden Crow and flames. The reason they were ambushed by these people was because… from afar, they vaguely saw the Golden Crow and golden flames on Yun Che’s clothing, and thought it was the pattern of the Phoenix and the Phoenix’s flames.
Yun Che walked in front of Sikong Du quickly and said eagerly, “Senior Brother Sikong, it’s me! You all must have thought that I died three years ago… but I am back alive! Back then in Blue Wind Profound Palace, you were the one who took me to the Sky Weapon Pavilion, and watched me pick my Emperor Profound heavy sword! You were also the one who took me to the Supreme Profound Hall and the Inner Palace… Back then, when I wanted to go to the Burning Heaven Clan, you were also the one who directed me to its location!”
Yun Che’s words made the expression in Sikong Du’s eyes waver intensely. He grabbed Yun Che’s arms abruptly and his whole body was trembling in excitement, “Yun Che… it really is you… You didn’t die… I can’t believe you didn’t die!”
“Yes! I didn’t die!” Yun Che nodded his head heavily, “Senior Brother Sikong, what exactly happened? What happened to New Moon City? Weren’t you the instructor of New Moon Profound Palace? How did you become like this? What happened… tell me quickly!”
Chapter 648 - Calamity of a Country’s Destruction
“New Moon City…” While softly muttering the name of the city where he was born and grew up in, the name that he should have been the most familiar with, Sikong Du’s voice was instead filled with a sense of grief and desolation. “There’s no longer a New Moon City anywhere… New Moon City was destroyed a long time ago… The entire Blue Wind Nation will be destroyed soon as well!!”
“…” Yun Che’s breathing suddenly became labored, and he forced himself to calm down. He kneeled while clutching Sikong Du’s shoulder and asked, “What exactly happened? While I was gone for three years… What exactly happened in Blue Wind Nation?”
“It was the Divine Phoenix Empire!!” The youth standing to the right of Sikong Du ground his teeth in anger as he exclaimed, “Three years ago, the Divine Phoenix Empire suddenly brought their armies to our borders and succeeded in breaching Southern Sky City in a single night, conquering the entire Southern Sky Region in less than two weeks… They didn’t declare war, there was no warning, nor was there even an explanation! Any envoys we sent would be executed immediately… Subsequently, the Divine Phoenix Army increased their numbers endlessly, all the way into the millions… They invaded our Blue Wind Nation like a pack of rabid dogs… New Moon City fell to their assault already over one year ago…”
“Wh… at?” Yun Che tightly clenched his fists, and he shook his head with great force, trying to calm himself down. He then asked in a heavy voice, “Why would the Divine Phoenix Empire suddenly invade? Three years ago… That’s basically right when I left! The Divine Phoenix Imperial Family should know perfectly well that the incident at the Primordial Profound Ark had to do with me rescuing Princess Snow from their Divine Phoenix Sect! Princess Snow is not only a princess to the Divine Phoenix Empire, she’s also an existence that stands above all else, and I am the prince consort of Blue Wind Nation… Just based on this alone, even if they’re not grateful to my Blue Wind Imperial Family, did not thank me or return the favor, what’s their basis for invading!!”
Sikong Du laughed wretchedly. “Everyone soon learned after your incident that you ‘perished’ in the Primordial Profound Ark in order to save Princess Snow of the Divine Phoenix Empire. Anyone with even the slightest conscience should remember the kindness you’ve done them… But the Divine Phoenix Empire… They don’t even have a shred of basic human decency! Grateful? What a joke! Not only have they invaded Blue Wind Nation’s territory, they’ve also destroyed our lands and castles and massacred our inhabitants… They’re just a pack of rabid dogs, a band of demons!!”
Just listening to the misery and revenge-fueled anger in Sikong Du’s voice would deeply engrave it into one’s heart, and the sixteen youths around him all showed flames of anger in their eyes while they grinded their teeth. Yun Che remained calm and said in a cold voice, “Wars on the Profound Sky Continent… have always been waged without harming the regular citizens! This is basic humanity! If nothing else, the Divine Phoenix Empire is the largest country on the Profound Sky Continent, and they’ve inherited the power of the phoenix… Why would they do such a thing!”
“I don’t know… I don’t know!” Sikong Du sounded like he was howling, and he shakily pointed in front of him. “Yun Che… take a look, see for yourself! This place, it used to contain a hundred kilometers of New Moon’s forestry and the New Moon Profound Palace, and we used to assess people’s proficiency levels here. But now… Nothing exists here! In order to break through our defensive lines quicker, they used phoenix flames to burn down the entire one hundred kilometers of the New Moon’s forest… leaving nothing behind!”
Yun Che: “…”
“Also… Our New Moon City,” Sikong Du pointed west, as his eyes welled up with tears, “they broke down the city gates and got into the city… In order to capture New Moon City quickly, they even went so far as burning the city… burning… and it was their Divine Phoenix Empire phoenix flames! Forty percent of New Moon City was burned to nothing but ashes… Forty percent! There were at least one million New Moon City residents that died to their phoenix flames! There were even more countless citizens that died to their swords… Anyone that resisted was killed, anyone that wouldn’t surrender was killed, anyone with profound energy was killed… In just three years, several tens of millions of people from our Blue Wind Nation have been killed by those Divine Phoenix dogs… Several tens of millions!!”
The devastation in Sikong Du’s voice kept increasing in magnitude, and each word contained enough hatred to pierce one’s soul. With his misery and howling, tears had started trailing down the cheeks of the sixteen youths around him long ago. One youth to his left slowly said, “We, were all disciples of the New Moon Profound Palace… But now, New Moon City has been destroyed, and the New Moon Profound Palace is gone as well. Instructor Sikong’s father… To buy time for us to escape, Instructor Sikong Han personally… personally… Right now, we haven’t even been able to find his remains.”
“None of us have families, or even relatives anymore… Our only goal in life, is to follow Instructor Sikong, and kill all Divine Phoenix dogs!” The youth that spoke up only seemed seventeen or eighteen years old, but there was an adamant will and… hatred in his eyes that didn’t seem befitting of his age.
“The Divine Phoenix Army is too strong, and our cultivation is too weak. There’s no way for us to fight them head-on. We can only hang around New Moon City and ambush Divine Phoenix soldiers that happen to be alone… Killing even one is fine, we want to kill as many of them as possible… There was quite a distance between us, and we vaguely saw a golden flame emblem on you, so we thought you were from the Divine Phoenix Army and attacked you.”
Yun Che slowly released Sikong Du and felt his vision going blurry. He took a look at the people around Sikong Du… The oldest among them was probably no more than twenty, and the youngest was around sixteen or so. Their clothes were tattered beyond repair, filled with bloodstains, and there were even more injuries than bloodstains on their bodies. One person was even injured to the extent where a third of his body was covered in blood-soaked bandages.
During his time in the Illusory Demon Realm, even though he wanted to return home as soon as possible, in his subconscious, he wasn’t really that worried about the safety of the people he cared about. That’s because the royalty would protect them in the Blue Wind Nation, and even if an incident really occurred, he also happened to be a disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, so the Frozen Cloud Asgard would definitely defend them. Xia Qingyue wouldn’t ignore the relationship they had with each other.
The Divine Phoenix Sect that resented him should have only felt gratitude after he used his life to save Princess Snow, without wanting vengeance. As for Ye Xinghan, who he had angered so much… Ye Xinghan wanted him dead more than anything. Ye Xinghan didn’t have any reason to vent his anger out on other people after Yun Che was supposed to have died.
But he never dreamed that when he returned to the Blue Wind Nation, filled with joy after thinking about it for so long, what he witnessed was like an armageddon.
A burned city… Destruction… Massacre… Several tens of millions of Blue Wind citizens losing their lives…
Every word, every number, was as if they had been soaked in the bloody pools of hell, wriggling about with a vivid red.
Just why… did the Divine Phoenix Empire do this… This shouldn’t… This shouldn’t have happened!
His heart, was pounding fiercely. Even when he was forced into dire straits in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by Duke Ming, his emotions weren’t this chaotic. He took several deep breaths and said in as calm a voice as possible, “Senior Brother Sikong… What’s the current situation like in Blue Wind Nation? Is Blue Wind Imperial City alright?”
Sikong Du coughed violently, then said in a pained voice, “The invasion from those crazy Divine Phoenix dogs was so fearsome that they used such a large military force and would stoop to any tactics in order to conquer our Blue Wind Nation in the shortest amount of time possible… If it wasn’t for our empress, being so wise of judgement, placing seven ingenious lines of defense to allow us to defend against their numerical advantage with a force several times smaller, Blue Wind Nation might already have…”
“Empress? What do you mean by empress!!” Yun Che was suddenly shaken to his core, and his pupils dilated for an instant. He grabbed Sikong Du’s collar and growled, “Where’s my royal father, the emperor… Why is it empress?”
“The late emperor…” Sikong Du laughed bitterly. “The late emperor was assassinated, just two months after those Divine Phoenix dogs invaded.”
“~！#￥%…” Yun Che’s hands listlessly let go of Sikong Du, and his eyes went blank as his body shook and he fell over backwards.
“Big Brother!”
“Big Brother Yun!”
Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven hurriedly rushed to his support, and the moment they touched him, they clearly felt how icy cold Yun Che’s entire body was. They knew very little about the Profound Sky Continent, and of course they didn’t have any feelings towards it, but just Sikong Du’s description alone was enough to shock them deeply. And, to them, Yun Che was always the most reliable, to the extent of seeming capable of achieving the impossible. Even if the sky was crumbling, his expression wouldn’t change… It was obvious that these things have affected him immensely.
“I’m… fine.” Yun Che gently shook himself free from Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven, tilted his head backwards, and took deep breaths. However, his tightly clenched fists kept shaking uncontrollably, without stopping.
“Empress Cang Yue is really amazing!” The youth to the right of Sikong Du couldn’t help but speak up with a deep amount of yearning and respect in his eyes, “When the late emperor was assassinated, none of the garbage princes wanted to be the ruler of a dying kingdom. They were also all afraid of being assassinated, so none of them dared to inherit the throne. It’s our Empress Cang Yue that took it upon herself to assume these heavy responsibilities. At first, we thought that Blue Wind Nation would perish even quicker if a princess became our ruler. But, Empress Cang Yue is even more amazing than the previous emperor. Even though she remains in the imperial palace, she’s knows Blue Wind Nation like the palm of her hand, always able to use of the shape of the land to her advantage and complete the most perfect lines of defense… And she’s not as indecisive as most women. She’ll decisively give things up and concentrate on defense… Especially the battle at the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, Empress Cang Yue had prepared a large amount of beast attracting incense long ago, and she managed to cause a countless number of profound beasts to attack those Divine Phoenix dogs… They were stuck behind that line of defense for several months!”
“…Yue’er.” Yun Che gently murmured under his breath as his vision fogged up. Before he met Cang Yue, she had already been to many profound palaces and big cities. She had personally been to most of Blue Wind Nation’s regions before she met him at New Moon City. So it was only natural that she would understand the lay of the land and how to use it to her advantage so well. As for the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range… That was where they faced their first tribulation together; it was also where they confessed to each other. There were countless profound beasts there, and they also encountered an incredibly vicious bandit group… and that bandit group was only able to enter the central portion of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range due to the aid of an unique beast attracting incense. She must have gotten her inspiration from there and thought of it again…
It’s just that… My Yue’er, you’re actually using your frail and delicate body to shoulder the burden of defending against the Divine Phoenix Empire’s violent invasion… You’ve carried the weight of the entire Blue Wind Nation by yourself for three whole years…
These three years, just how much bitterness did you endure, how much fatigue did you incur, how much did your heart get broken, how many tears did you cry…
Yun Che felt like his heart was being pierced by a sword. Then, he forcefully closed his eyes and asked in a low voice, “My royal father… How was he assassinated… What about Heavenly Sword Villa? With the Divine Phoenix Empire invading us like this, according to their oaths to the ancestors, even if Heavenly Sword Villa doesn’t use all of its resources in assisting us, at the very least they should have protected my royal father’s life. After all, they have Mighty Heavenly Sword Region backing them up. If they were at his side, assassins from Divine Phoenix Empire shouldn’t have been able to rob my royal father of his life!”
“Heavenly Sword Villa?” Sikong Du scoffed in disgust with a faint smile. “That used to be a place I looked up to so much, but… This time, with the Divine Phoenix invasion, while they were trampling our soil and committing unspeakable crimes against both heaven and humanity, when the country is about to be destroyed, not only did Heavenly Sword Villa not take up the mantle of leadership in the Blue Wind Nation to resist against them, they’ve shut themselves in their villa and are ignoring everything that’s going on!!”
“It’s rumored that the imperial household has requested reinforcements from Heavenly Sword Villa a total of nine times, but Heavenly Sword Villa ignored them every time, even up to today! Hmph… It’s true, Heavenly Sword Villa does indeed have power and fame. Those rabid Divine Phoenix dogs haven’t gone anywhere near the Heavenly Sword Mountain Range. But have they forgotten that they’re also members of Blue Wind Nation, and that the earth beneath their feet belongs to Blue Wind Nation, and even the blood in their bodies is that of Blue Wind Nation’s! The most powerful existence in Blue Wind Nation, a presence that everyone could only look up to… They actually turned out to be a bunch of cowards afraid of death, weaklings that break their oaths! They’re nothing compared to us!”
Yun Che gnashed his teeth so much that he almost broke them all.
“The royalty also requested aid from the other five countries, but not even one of them responded… We learned later that, before those Divine Phoenix dogs invaded our Blue Wind Nation, they signed long term peace treaties with each of the other five countries.” A youth with a serious injury on his right arm ground his teeth as he spat that out.
“Right now, Blue Wind Imperial City is almost about to fall as well. I just hope… that Empress Cang Yue will be able to escape safely.”
“What did you say!?” In a flash, Yun Che instantly rushed in front of that person. “Blue Wind Imperial City… is about to fall?”
Yun Che’s current expression was so frightening, and combined with his loss of self control, it scared the youth in front of him so much that he hurriedly backed up without daring to take a breath. Then, he said with a panicked expression, “We got the news this morning… Just yesterday… Yesterday, around this time, seven hundred thousand troops from the Divine Phoenix Army have approached the imperial city, and the Divine Phoenix Army in other regions as well, are all gathering in the imperial city’s direction at full speed… It’s already been one full day, so it’s likely that the imperial city has already… already…”
It was as if something exploded within Yun Che’s brain. He clenched his teeth as hard as he possibly could, he had to calm down, cool down… calm down… He absolutely had to calm down!!
Yun Che reached for the Sky Poison Pearl, brought out a dozen or so light green medicine pills, and placed them on Sikong Du’s hand. “Senior Brother Sikong, this medicine, have everybody take one. It can quickly heal your injuries, as well as increase your profound energy by at least a great realm.”
The green medicine was tiny, but from its scent alone, Sikong Du and everyone else suddenly felt their bodies becoming lighter, as if their souls were instantly cleansed. Even the bottlenecks in cultivation that they hadn’t been able to breakthrough seemed to show evidence of loosening… If only the scent had such an effect, they instantly believed, with shock and awe, that the wondrous properties of this medicine has definitely surpassed any medicine that they’ve ever seen before. So much so that it well surpassed their knowledge of what medicine could do.
Sikong Du took the medicine in a bit of a daze and was about to say something when he discovered that Yun Che had already vanished before him… Not only that, but there was only a frenzied gust of wind, departing at great speed.
“Big Brother!”
“Let’s go!” Number One Under Heaven simultaneously grabbed Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven, and his profound energy surged throughout his entire body as he chased after Yun Che.
In just a moment, Yun Che had ran a distance of five kilometers. When he slowed down, summoned the Primordial Profound Ark, and took Number One Under Heaven and the others into the ark with him, he then calculated the approximate distance and direction to Blue Wind Imperial City. After some violent spacial distortions, the Primordial Profound Ark tore open a dimensional wall and vanished into the vacuums of space.
Chapter 649 - Young Master of Divine Hall
At the northmost land of the Profound Sky Continent.
This was a large stone door built from Dragon Suppressing Stone. The crescent moon was engraved on the left side while the scorching son was engraved on the right, and both of them were a gold that let out a blinding light. Sixteen people stood in front of the stone door, split into two rows on each side. All of them wore different things, but on their backs and chests were the emblem of the very same scorching sun and crescent moon.
The most surprising thing was that the swirling profound energy on them were beyond terrifying. Even the weakest person was of the Tyrant Profound Realm.
At this moment, the stone door that had been closed for a long time silently opened up, and from it, a long and thin figure slowly walked out. These sixteen of the peerless powerhouses that could look down upon the world actually kneeled and said, with extreme respect, “We respectfully welcome the Young Master out of seclusion.”
Ye Xinghan raised both of his hands raised his eyebrows, and had a look of pride, as if he was already the unparalleled ruler of this world. Lightly, he said, “Exactly six months, there is almost no difference between this and the time I predicted. Everyone has worked hard in guarding my seclusion, rise.”
The sixteen people stood up, and the one furthest away, with an expression full of surprise, responded , “Young Master’s profound strength has already broken into Tyrant Profound Realm level eight… This has only been a short six months! Truly, this is the joy of our entire divine hall, congratulations Young Master.”
“Young Master is truly a talented genius. I believe if the Heavenly Monarch knew, he would be beyond happy,” added another person on the side.
“Congratulations Young Master for the great completion of the divine arts. With the Young Master’s natural talent and progress, I believe that in another twenty years, you will definitely step into the realm of monarchs!”
“Protectorate Ao, you’re wrong! With the Young Master’s talent, how would he need a whole twenty years. He will become a Monarch in at most fifteen years.”
“Fifteen years…” The corner of Ye Xinghan’s mouth raised slightly. With his level right now, if he could step into the realm of monarchs fifteen years later, even within the Four Great Sacred Grounds, the progress would still be extremely quick. However, if he coud have a girl with a “Nine Profound Exquisite Body” as an incubator, how would he need fifteen years!
“Where is the Xia Qingyue that I wanted? Where is she?” Ye Xinghan’s gaze released scorching heat.
The sixteen people instantly went silent and looked at each other without saying a word. At the start, when he suddenly ordered them to go to Blue Wind Nation’s Frozen Cloud Asgard to bring someone called “Xia Qingyue,” all of them found it rather weird. Yet now, the moment he came out of seclusion, the first thing he asked about was “Xia Qingyue.” This showed just how much importance he placed on this woman, and it was far more than they had predicted.
Everyone’s reactions caused Ye Xinghan’s expression to instantly darken. “What is it? This matter… Did you all screw it up for me?”
“No, no, please don’t be angry Young Master!” The eldest of the sixteen quickly followed up, “Young Master had appointed Protectorate Qingsheng and Ziyi to go to the Blue Wind Nation three days after the Young Master went into seclusion. They have not yet returned.”
“Haven’t returned? What do you mean by haven’t returned?” Ye Xinghan’s gaze became even darker. “Could the two of them… have fallen to the mere Frozen Cloud Asgard of the Blue Wind Nation!!”
“It isn’t like that,” the elder quickly explained. “This old servant understands that the Young Master places a lot of importance on Xia Qingyue. Therefore, after seeing them not return for so long, I contacted them through a sound transmission, but their answer always avoided things or were unclear. Every time they would say that taking down Xia Qingyue is a very simple task, and that they would definitely bring Xia Qingyue back before the Young Master comes out of seclusion… This old servant had even asked about it again three days ago, yet they still replied the same way. I’m guessing Qingsheng and Ziyi had been bewitched by Frozen Cloud Asgard’s beauties, and… took advantage of the fact that Young Master was in seclusion to enjoy the pleasures of life… and forgot about home.”
“Heh, they’ve got guts!!” Ye Xinghan’s eyes narrowed into two snake-like slits, but after knowing that they couldn’t bring back Xia Qingyue, his anger actually decreased quite a bit. He picked up a Sound Transmission Profound Jade unique to Sun Moon Divine Hall and an icy voice sounded out from his mouth, “Qingsheng, Ziyi, you really brought this young master a large surprise!”
After quite a while, a slightly trembling voice passed out from the Sound Transmission Jade, “Young Master… Congratulations, Young Master, on successfully developing the Divine Art and coming out of seclusion. This subordinate… This subordinate knows that he has not done well… This subordinate will immediately bring Xia Qingyue back to the Divine Hall. Young Master, please be at ease!”
“Back to the Divine Hall?” Ye Xinghan laughed coldly. “You still want to come back? From what I see, you have completely ignored my orders and are just enjoying your lives there!”
“No, no, Young Master, please listen to this subordinate’s explanation!” The voice from the Sound Transmission Jade became more frantic. “According to the Young Master’s will, this subordinate will complete it as soon as possible and will not be laid back even in the slightest. It’s just… It’s just that this Frozen Could Asgard is not as simple as this subordinate had thought. There are weird situations everywhere. Not only is their overall ability not weak, it is powerful to the point that this subordinate was unable to break through their defensive formation. When this subordinate had finally broken through, they all hid within a place built from Heavenly Firm Jade. That Heavenly Firm Jade is beyond thick, and this subordinate and others could not break through it in short time, but we did not dare or have the face to ask elders for help. When we thought of how the Young Master would stay in seclusion for at least half a year, we thought that this period of time would be enough for us to break through the Heavenly Firm Jade, so… so it has dragged on till now.
“However! Be at ease Young Master! Perhaps it is due to the Young Master coming out of seclusion that this subordinate and others have finally succeeded today after continuously attacking for several months! In a few more hours, we will definitely break through this door of Heavenly Firm Jade, take it down, and then present her to the Young Master… This subordinate swears on his life that every sentence is the truth.”
“Heavenly Firm Jade?” Ye Xinghan frowned. Of course he know how strong and valuable the existence of Heavenly Firm Jade was. Even with his Sun Moon Divine Hall’s ability, it was almost impossible for them to craft a hall completely made of Heavenly Firm Jade. Although it was a bit unbelievable, he could be sure that Qingsheng and Ziyi did not have the courage to lie to him.
Ye Xinghan said sullenly, “That Heavenly Firm Jade better be as you said, unbreakable before today! Do you know how large of a cost I had to pay to know of the existence of Xia Qingyue?! To me, she is much more important than your life! It it wasn’t because I was at the bottleneck and needed to go into seclusion. I was prepared to go in person… I will give you ten more days. After getting Xia Qingyue, scramble back here through night and day! If I still don’t see Xia Qingyue ten days later, then you don’t ever need to come back!”
“Yes… Please don’t worry Young Master. This subordinate knows that he has not accomplished his task well, so I will let the Young Master punish me as he wishes after returning.” The voice from the Sound Transmission Jade clearly trembled even more.
“Hmph!” Ye Xinghan put away the Sound Transmission Jade and coldly commented, “Bunch of trash!”
“Please don’t be angry, Young Master. The two of them definitely would not dare to lie to the Young Master. Since they promised like that, I believe that within ten days they will definitely bring Xia Qingyue before Young Master,” the elder said.
Ye Xinghan squinted his eyes. “The puny Frozen Cloud Asgard actually has so much Heavenly Firm Jade! Heh, even if they really have it, with their ability that’s at most of the Emperor Profound Realm, how could they have crafted it into a complete hall… That is truly intriguing.
“Speaking of which…” Ye Xinghan looked to the side. “What’s the situation of Blue Wind Nation? Have they not been destroyed by the Divine Phoenix flames?”
“Even if they haven’t temporarily, it is only a matter of time. Why is Young Master concerned about the matters of such a minuscule nation?”
“Hmph, whether the Blue WInd Nation is a negligible matter, I just don’t understand why Divine Phoenix Nation invaded Blue Wind Nation and was in such hurry.” Ye Xinghan sullenly continued on, “Blue Wind Nation is not only small in territory, it also lacks resources, so there is pretty much no value in devouring it. Yet Divine Phoenix Nation did not mind using an army of several million. Even it they completely take down Blue Wind Nation and steal all of its resources, it probably would not even make up the cost of mobilizing their army of several million for three years. If you say there wasn’t more to it, there’s no way I’d believe it.”
“There are a lot of guesses these years for the reason of Divine Phoenix Nation invading Blue Wind Nation. Most people speculate that the prince escort, Yun Che, of Blue Wind Nation had completely defeated the Divine Phoenix Empire in the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament three years ago, causing them to lose all their face, which thus caused them to take revenge in anger.”
“What a joke,” Ye Xinghan said with disdain. “If Feng Hengkong was a trash with this level of tolerance, he would not have become the Sect Master of the Divine Phoenix Sect. They must be plotting something. Blue Wind Nation should be finished soon. Before they take down the royal capital, you have to keep good track of their movements… Especially illogically weird movements!”
“Speaking of weird movements… There is something really weird,” It was still the eldest person who said carefully. “Several months prior, the main army of the Divine Phoenix Nation was only several thousand miles away from the Blue Wind royal capital, but they suddenly sent an army of several hundred thousand to directly take down the Floating Cloud City at the southest part of Blue Wind Nation… Floating Cloud City is the smallest city in Blue Wind Nation, not much larger than a town. It is unremarkable, so Young Master should have never heard of it. That army of several hundred thousand quickly occupied Floating Cloud City, but didn’t kill anyone. The strangest part was that not even half of the Divine Phoenix Army entered into the city. Instead, several hundred thousand members of the Divine Phoenix army scattered around the city, and it has been like this for several months… as if, they are searching for something.”
“Mn?” Ye Xinghan’s eyes flashed. Then, he pondered a bit before softly saying, “Immediately send ten people to infiltrate into the Divine Phoenix Army… And find out what exactly they are doing!”
At this moment, the head protectorate’s expression suddenly changed. He took out a Sound Transmission Jade from his spatial ring, then his expression changed a little.
Seeing him act weirdly, Ye Xinghan looked towards him and asked, “Is it something important?”
“In response to Young Master, the spy in Absolute Monarch Sanctuary area reported… that the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark just flew out of the Absolute Monarch Sanctuary!”
“What? Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark?” All of the people showed an expression of shock. “Could it be, the Saint Emperor has mobilized?”
“No!” The head protectorate shook his head,” Not the Sacred Emperor… There is only one person on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark! It’s that Xia Yuanba!!”
“Xia Yuanba!?” Everyone looked askance. Three years ago, Xia Yuanba was a completely foreign name, but Ye Xinghan found out about the secret of his Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins on the Primordial Profound Ark three years ago, causing it to shock the entire Sun Moon Divine Hall… as well as Mighty Heavenly Sword Region and Supreme Ocean Palace! Ever since then, the name “Xia Yuanba” was unknown to no one in the Four Great Sacred Grounds, even though he hadn’t yet reached twenty.
It was because, as someone who had the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins, once the power of the vein awakens, they would definitely become the emperor of the world!!!
“The Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark has always been the Saint Emperor’s vessel… It was actually given to that Xia Yuanba!!” a bodyguard exclaimed.
“The Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark is not the main point, the most shocking news is that…” The head protectorate holding the Sound Transmission Jade took a deep breath. “Just now, our spy emphasized that Xia Yuanba went into seclusion for three years and had just came out of seclusion four hours ago… When he came out, it was clearly the profound energy of the Sovereign Profound Realm spiralling on his body!!”
“What!!?” The soundwaves of the shock shook the entire stone hall, and Ye Xinghan’s expression also changed greatly. With wide eyes, one protectorate exclaimed, “How… How is this possible! The age of Xia Yuanba right now, it should be only twenty-one… A twenty-one year old monarch, forget about the current Profound Sky Continent, it has never even been achieved before in the past! Even if he has the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins… It’s still impossible!”
Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins… Twenty-one years old… Monarch!!
Just now, they were shocked because the Saint Emperor allowed Xia Yuanba to board his private vessel… And now, after hearing this sky shattering news, they did not think that it was strange anymore. A twenty-one year old Monarch, it was someone that even ten thousand “talented geniuses” could not explain! Not even mentioning handing him the strongest profound ark, even if they crowned him as the Young Master of the Sanctuary, no one would think of it as too exaggerated.
The head protectorate eyed Ye Xinghan carefully and said, “Absolute Monarch Sanctuary is also very shocked. However from their discussion, it seems… it seems… the reason behind the drastic spike of Xia Yuanba’s profound energy is because… because of Young Master?”
“What do you mean?” Ye Xinghan’s expression darkened.
The head protectorate took a deep breath and answered, “Three years ago, after Xia Yuanba returned to Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, the only thing he would mutter about everyday, was… swearing to kill Young Master. And the awakening of the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins requires a heart that thirsts for power. The stronger the thirst for power, the quicker the awakening… Xia Yuanba went into seclusion with the wish to kill Young Master for three years… So… So…”
“Is Xia Yuanba truly the only person on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark? Do you know where Xia Yuanba is heading on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark to?” A protectorate roared. With his roar, everyone understood his meaning… A twenty-one year old Monarch… bearing the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins and possessing unlimited potential, just thinking about it was terrifying! What was more terrifying was that he had a deep seated hatred towards Sun Moon Divine Hall!!
For him to grow so fast… It could be seen what sort of hatred he had for Sun Moon Divine Hall!
For this kind of scourge, no matter what, they had to eliminate it as quickly as possible!! They could not let him continue growing.
“He is sure that there is only Xia Yuanba! Xia Yuanba is from Blue Wind Nation, and after hearing that Blue Wind Nation was about to be eliminated this morning, he became furious on spot! The direction he is heading in on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark is where Blue Wind Nation lies! At the ark’s maximum speed… he only needs eight to ten hours to reach the border of Blue Nation Nation! Young Master, how about we…”
“Do you think the people from Absolute Monarch Sanctuary are a bunch of idiots?!” Ye Xinghan exclaimed negatively. “The Saint Emperor had no son for thousands for years and only has a few godsons. There was never one that could touch the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark! Now there’s a Xia Yuanba… How could his godsons have a chance at the position of the future master of the sanctuary!
The bodyguards all dipped their head and did not dare to utter a sound.
“Immediately report this to my father. That Xia Yuanba… must die! However, his identity is no longer a normal disciple of the sanctuary. For how he should die… It can only be decided by my father!” Ye Xinghan said darkly.
“Yes! This subordinate will go and report it to the Heavenly Monarch now.”
Chapter 650 - Xue’er Awakens
Divine Phoenix Empire, Phoenix City.
In the Divine Phoenix Main Hall, Feng Hengkong was holding a large, wide map in his hands. The map depicted the domain of Blue Wind Nation. But there were many fire patterns marked on it… The places that were marked with a fire pattern were the areas that his Divine Phoenix Army had seized.
His eyes fell on the far right side of the map—where it said “Floating Cloud City,” and he didn’t move for a long while. He seemed to be in deep thought.
An extremely resonant long call came from outside and it made Feng Hengkong’s whole body trembled… This was not a normal call, but it was the call of the Phoenix! The Phoenix call was so prestigious and noble that it made the Phoenix’s blood in his body boil instantly, and a desire to worship it grew from within his heart and soul.
At the same time, he could vaguely see the golden color that appeared in the sky in a flash.
“The call of Phoenix God?” Feng Hengkong immediately dropped the map in his hand and yelled in surprise. He knew clearly that the Phoenix God had passed away… but this Phoenix’s call was definitely from the Phoenix God. It was impossible for humans, creatures, or even the strongest practitioner of the Divine Phoenix Sect to mimic it.
Feng Hengkong hurried forward. Just as he was about to rush out of the main hall, he saw Feng Ximing coming over with haste. As soon as he saw Feng Hengkong, he landed quickly, and without having the time salute, he said in excitement, “Father, it’s Xue’er… Xue’er has woken up!!”
“What?” Feng Hengkong was stunned, and then he revealed extreme excitement and joy. Without having the time to say another word, he transformed into a flash of flames and flew directly towards the Phoenix Divine Hall. Feng Ximing also followed immediately behind him.
Three years ago, when Feng Xue’er escaped from the Primordial Profound Ark and exposed the crimes of Ye Xinghan, she fell into a coma in tears… and she hadn’t woken up since.
Until today, she had been in a coma for a whole three years.
And her coma didn’t seemed to be a normal coma. After she fell into a coma, the scarlet-colored Phoenix flame automatically started burning on her body, and covered by the light of the flames, she was teleported to the Phoenix Divine Hall where the Phoenix God was when it was alive. And during that time, the remnant spirit of the Phoenix God also completely disappeared after terrorizing Ye Xinghan, Gu Cang, Ji Qianrou and the others.
After that, Feng Xue’er had been in a coma ever since, her body was burning in the flames of the Phoenix, and it hadn’t extinguished at all. The Phoenix’s flames were extremely fierce, and none of the people in the Divine Phoenix Sect would touch it. Even with Feng Hengkong’s powers, he couldn’t get to within fifteen meters.
During these three years, Feng Hengkong would go to the Phoenix Divine Hall personally to see if Feng Xue’er had woken up, and he had never stopped. Just two hours ago, he had been there… and now that he heard that she had woken up, the Divine Phoenix Emperor was so excited that his whole body was shaking. To him, Feng Xue’er was even more important than his life and the entire Divine Phoenix Sect. During these three years that she was in a coma, he was living in an extreme irritation every day.
Feng Hengkong rushed into the Divine Phoenix Hall like a violent storm and saw Feng Xue’er who was standing right there. Feng Hengkong stopped his steps, and rushed over while stumbling a little over his own feet. He said in a trembling voice, “Xue’er… Xue’er… you’re awake… You are finally awake.”
“Xue’er…” Feng Ximing also rushed in right after. Looking at the Feng Xue’er who had awaken, his eyes were filled with endless excitement… and a blazing glow.
Feng Xue’er lifted her eyes and looked at her father and brother. But, compared to their joy and excitement, there was no happiness on her face at all. She said in a soft, and perhaps even a soulless voice, “Royal Father, Big Brother Crown Prince…”
Feng Hengkong slowed down his steps. Half of his joy disappeared, and he felt a clenching in his heart. After three years of being in a coma, his daughter didn’t have any visual change. Her appearance was still more perfect than that of a female celestial; her eyes were still more pure than those of a fairy… but in these eyes, he saw an incredibly unfamiliar, colorless tone.
Whenever she saw him, his Xue’er would always have the purest, most beautiful smile on her face, and she would yell “Royal Father” happily. No matter how angry or impatient he was, once he saw her smiling face, all of his negative emotions would disappear, and he would be left with infinite warmth and satisfaction… The proudest thing in his life was not the position as the Divine Phoenix Emperor, nor the honor of being the Phoenix Sect Master, but the fact that he had the most perfect daughter in the world.
However, when she woke up, what she revealed was not a smile, but sadness… an incredibly unfamiliar, never-before-seen sadness.
This kind of darkness and sorrow filled Feng Hengkong’s heart with pain in an instant. He’d rather himself be shot by ten thousand arrows than see a sorrowful emotion appear on Feng Xue’er’s face. At this moment, the heart and mind of this Phoenix Sect Master, this Divine Phoenix Emperor who was looked up to by the people of the world, were in complete chaos. In his voice, there was a deep pain and panic in his heart, “Xue’er, what… what is the matter? Are you feeling discomfort because you just woke up? Hurry and tell Royal Father.”
The change in the aura Feng Xue’er released… was completely different. Around her, he felt a vast aura similar to the Phoenix God who had passed away… Even his grandfather, the strongest practitioner currently in the Divine Phoenix Sect, never emitted such a mysterious aura. Normally, he would definitely be in extreme shock and immediately make a detailed inquiry. But at this moment, he didn’t have time to worry about it at all.
Feng Xue’er’s eyes were blank, and in her trembling, starry eyes, there seemed to be a blurry light flickering from her tears. She moved her lips slightly, and made a soft sound that was like a dream or a breeze, “Big Brother Yun… I can never… see… Big Brother Yun again…”
The trickling tears from her starry eyes and the sound of it was enough to break the heart of the most vicious person in the world. Feng Hengkong’s chest suffocated in stabbing pain. He knew who the “Big Brother Yun” Feng Xue’er was speaking of was. Three years ago, she cried for him, fell in a coma because of him… After waking up from her coma three years later, she was still in sorrow for him…
Or maybe, when she woke up, her most recent memory was still three years ago before she fell into her coma…
“Sigh.” Feng Ximing walked forward, made a long sigh, and tried as gently as possible to comfort her, “Xue’er, I know your nature is too kind-hearted. But… you really don’t have to be sad, you are the princess of our Divine Phoenix Sect, and Yun Che was only an inferior life. He used his own life in exchange for your life, to him…”
“I don’t allow you to speak of Big Brother Yun in this way!!!”
Feng Ximing hadn’t finished speaking, and he was interrupted by Feng Xue’er’s sudden burst of fury. Feng Ximing was stunned on the spot, he and Feng Hengkong both looked at Feng Xue’er at the same time incredulously… The Feng Xue’er that they knew, her voice was as spiritual rain on a mountain, or like wind blowing against a willow tree. She had never spoken in a louder voice, let alone scolding angrily. But, the voice that came from Feng Xue’er just now was sharp, raging… and even hysterical! It was as if her most untouchable reverse scale was touched… On her snowy face was revealed an obvious anger… On her body, scarlet-colored Phoenix flames also rose at that instant, but weren’t burning in a warm, gentle manner; instead they were swaying back and forth, as if in a violent storm.
“Get out! Get out of here!!” Feng Hengkong slapped Feng Ximing on the face harshly… Feng Hengkong used almost all of his strength on this slap under his overwhelming feelings, and Feng Ximing flew out far away like a gyroscope. Feng Hengkong stepped forward, reached out his hands and comforted her in panic, “Xue’er… Xue’er… Don’t be mad, don’t be sad… Your Big Brother Yun saved your life. He is your savior, royal father’s savior, and even the savior of our entire Divine Phoenix Sect. We would never forget his grace… How about royal father goes to pay respect to him with you every year, what do you say?”
Feng Hengkong spoke while trying to get closer to Feng Xue’er, but once he reached the distance of fifteen meters, a scorching heat came onto him that he couldn’t endure. He was surprised, and the Phoenix God’s bloodline in his body also curdled violently in fear. He looked at the Phoenix flame on Feng Xue’er’s body, feeling the aura she was releasing, and he was incredibly shocked in his heart… This power… Could it be that in the three years in a coma, the power that the Phoenix God bestowed to Xue’er had awoken her onto another level?!
And, it was a very large degree of awakening!
Feng Ximing was slapped away, and Feng Hengkong’s words finally made Feng Xue’er’s uncontrollable emotions settle down a little. The flames on her body also calmed down slightly. She looked forward, and even though her eyes were facing Feng Hengkong, they weren’t focused, and she mumbled softly, “Royal Father, how… how long did I sleep for…”
“Three years, it has been three years.” Feng Hengkong said softly, stuttered, and continued to say, “Xue’er, if you still want to sleep, then continue to sleep. It’s alright.”
“Three years…” She mumbled as her eyes lost focus…
“I’m afraid of many things… Yet now… right in front of me, what I’m most afraid of is that I will really see you lose your life here.”
“In front of you, I am ashamed and tainted by filth and the guilt of countless crimes… your appearance was just as if a pearl had been inserted into my soul, one so precious that I don’t even have the courage to touch it.”
“That’s why, no matter what, I will not watch helplessly as you die… at least for now, I would rather die.”
“What I’ve promised Xue’er, I will definitely do… After three years, I will bring Xue’er to see the endless snow in Blue Wind Nation’s Snow Region of Extreme Ice. After three years, Xue’er, will you wait there for me?”
“Xue’er… Wait for me…”
Drip…
Drip…
Teardrops fell silently on her cheeks that were smoother than snow, and the tears dropped more and more, unable to stop. An extremely sorrowful aura was spreading, and filled the space that was originally incredibly searing with a thick desolation.
“Xue’er…” Feng Hengkong reached out his hand, but he didn’t know what he should do, or what he should say… At this moment, the Emperor of the Divine Phoenix was completely helpless. He could not imagine, and could not understand why his daughter would be this depressed because of Yun Che… Even if he saved her life, it shouldn’t have gone so far.
“Royal Father…” She spoke in a low voice as if she was still in her sleep, “I… want to go to Blue Wind Nation… Snow Region of Extreme Ice… Can I?”
Blue Wind… Snow Region of Extreme Ice?
Feng Hengkong stunned for a second, and then nodded without thinking at all, “Yes! Yes! If Xue’er wills it, we can go wherever you want. Wherever you want to go, royal father will accompany you personally… Royal Father will order for an arrangement of Profound Ark and schedule right away, at most fifteen days… Oh no, ten days, and we will leave, what do you say?”
“Mn… Thank you Royal Father. Royal Father, Xue’er has another request…” Feng Xue’er’s tears were still falling. Under the extreme protection of the Divine Phoenix Sect, under the extreme pampering of Feng Hengkong, she was always accompanied with a smile… She never knew that one day she would drop so many tears.
Almost all the tears in her life were given to Yun Che.
“Tell me… no matter what Xue’er asks for, royal father will agree,” Feng Hengkong said. Watching the tears on his daughter’s face, he felt so sorry that he couldn’t breathe.
“Xue’er asks Royal Father… to treat Blue Wind Nation nicer in the future… Because that… is Big Brother Yun’s homeland… Treat it as… Xue’er’s little repayment to Big Brother Yun… is that okay…”
Feng Hengkong’s whole body became stiff suddenly, but then he nodded right away, “No problem! Royal Father will treat the Blue Wind Nation nicely in the future, and will not collect any payment from Blue Wind Nation… and, and will absolutely not allow the other five nations to bully Blue Wind nation. Your Big Brother Yun in heaven would definitely be very happy to hear you say these words.”
“Thank you Royal Father… Xue’er is very confused right now, and worried Royal Father… Xue’er wants to go to Phoenix Perching Valley for a while…”
“No problem! Royal Father will accompany you right this moment.”
“Xue’er will be fine going alone…”
This place was surrounded by mountains, and to the south was the Absolute Phoenix Cliff that was over three thousand meters tall. Compared to the dry and hot weather in the region of the Divine Phoenix City, Phoenix Perching Valley was as if it gathered the spiritual energy from the whole Phoenix mountain range; everything was of the purest green color, and even each wind was especially soft and fresh, like a wonderland.
It seemed like she could still hear the laughter of her and Yun Che catching fish back then by the clear, small pond. Feng Xue’er leaned against Snow Phoenix, and the soft snow feathers were being wetted by the purest, most precious tear drops…
“Big Brother Yun… Why did I meet you… If I didn’t meet you… Xue’er wouldn’t be this sorrowful… and Big Brother Yun wouldn’t die…”
“Why did I meet you… Big Brother Yun…”
“Lord Sect Master, what is your order? I heard that Princess Snow…”
“Immediately pass down this order!!” Feng Hengkong’s face was extremely stiff, “No one can speak of us sending troops to attack Blue Wind Nation… “ Feng Hengkong focused his eyes and said, “No! Pass down the order to the whole Divine Phoenix City, no one can speak publicly of us attacking Blue Wind Nation! If anyone disobeys… Kill without question!! Especially within the sect, if anyone dare to mention it… This daddy’ll make him die without a grave!!”
The Phoenix Elder who was listening to Feng Hengkong’s order trembled… The murderous spirit coming from Feng Hengkong frightened him, and as the stately Great Phoenix Emperor, he even used the phrase “this daddy”; it was easy to understand how serious this matter was. He didn’t dare to ask more, and nodded his head immediately, “Yes.”
“Also, prepare the Divine Phoenix Ark, we will go to the extreme north of Blue Wind Nation in ten days personally… Now leave!”
“Yes, yes.” The aura of death made the Phoenix Elder not dare to stay for another second. He took two steps back and left in a hurry.
Feng Hengkong punched his fist into the wall violently, and his whole fist sunk into the wall. Thinking about the tears on Feng Xue’er’s face, he shook his head hard, and the annoyance in his heart was like a raging fire.
“The Phoenix God said before, for Xue’er’s power of Phoenix God to awaken completely, it will at least take three hundred years… Three hundred years is too long, they will definitely notice that the Phoenix God had passed away. By then, if we don’t have enough resources to defend ourselves, our Divine Phoenix Sect would be in great danger… We didn’t do… anything wrong!”
“Xue’er… Forgive royal father, Royal Father did what I did for the whole Divine Phoenix Empire!” Feng Hengkong said to himself as his face expressed pain and suffering.
Blue Wind Nation, Frozen Cloud Asgard.
“What a bunch of naive women! Do you think that mere Heavenly Firm Jade is enough to stop us?! Obediently open the door right now and hand Xia Qingyue over to us and I will still be able to spare your lives. After all, if our Young Master finds out we have killed so many beautiful women, his heart would surely ache… But if all of you remain stubborn and pigheaded and wait until I have blasted this great door apart, then all of you… will have to die!”
Bang!!
The green-clothed man viciously smashed his fist into the great door in front of him and a huge ear-splitting ring followed his attack. The explosive profound energy caused the space around him to violently tremble, but the great door that he had attacked was left without a blemish.
“Dammit!” The green-clothed man retreated a step his entire right arm was shaking and his wrist was filled with an incessant pain. He said with a sinister and gloomy expression, “Not only does this Frozen Cloud Asgard have that bizarre protective formation… they actually have an entire great hall constructed of Heavenly Firm Jade! This is simply absurd! This amount of Heavenly Firm Jade, even if it was the Divine Phoenix Empire’s Divine Phoenix Sect, they also might not able to produce it!”
A half-step Overlord who was only twenty-two years of age, a protective profound formation that persisted for seven days and refused to break despite all their efforts… These were already things that they had never imagined possible. With much difficulty, they had waited for that protective profound formation to vanish, and when they thought that the lives of all the people in Frozen Cloud Asgard would easily drop into the palms of their hands… who would have thought that they would all take refuge in a great hall that was hidden beneath the ground…. And this great hall was actually completely constructed with the incomparably hard and firm Heavenly Firm Jade that even Overlords such as them would have extreme difficulty destroying!
And the great doors which sealed this great hall shut were at least two feet thick… Heavenly Firm Jade that was two feet in thickness, even if the twenty of them labored day and night and attacked this door in concert, there was no way they would be able to blast it apart within a short period of time.
“I reckon that even Young Master did not know that Frozen Cloud Asgard actually had an entire great hall that was built solely out of Heavenly Firm Jade.” The purple-clothed senior said solemnly, “Give the strength of the twenty of us, we definitely will not be able to blast this door apart within a short period of time. So it looks like we will have to send a sound transmission to inform the Young Master to send a Monarch Elder!”
“That’s out of the question!!”
The green-clothed man fiercely gesticulated, “If we, two Overlords along with ten other Thrones, cannot go to this tiny Blue Wind Nation and accomplish our mission of catching one girl and instead request for the help of an Elder… what face will we have left to go back! Hmph, those people who normally dislike us will mock us until we become dogs!”
“The Young Master’s current confinement will still last for at least half a year. Within that half a year’s time, I don’t believe… that I am unable to blast apart this Heavenly Firm Jade!!”
The sound of the hall’s doors being heavily smashed ceaselessly echoed throughout the great hall and each hit was punctuated by a loud and exasperated roar of fury. All the disciples belonging to the Frozen Cloud Asgard were trapped within the Frozen End Divine Hall. However, the Frozen End Divine Hall was exceptionally vast, so the two thousand disciples did not have to squeeze together. Instead, the hall felt rather spacious… and desolate.
Within the interior of the Frozen End Divine Hall lay a transparent ice coffin. And within this ice coffin, laid the still body of a white-haired old lady and it was clear that she had already passed on. However, her expression was not quite so serene, it was instead an expression that was filled with a heavy and murky resentment and hatred.
She was no ordinary disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard. She was the previous Asgard Mistress of Frozen Cloud Asgard and the current Grand Asgard Mistress… Feng Qianhui.
Several Frozen Cloud disciples knelt beside the ice coffin as ice spirits hovered all around them. They hung their hands and sobbed quietly and the entire atmosphere within the Frozen End Divine Hall was one of profound mourning.
“The Thousand Year Calamity prophesied by our Frozen Cloud Ancestor… In the end we were not able to hide from it… Cough… cough, cough….” Gong Yuxian’s eyes lifelessly stared at the ceiling
“Asgard Mistress!”
“Asgard Mistress!!”
The Frozen Asgard disciples cried out in alarm and the two people who were supporting Gong Yuxian, Murong Qianxue and Mu Lanyi, hurriedly circulated their profound energy and used all their might to suppress her injuries. Gong Yuxian’s injuries were extremely severe and even if she used all of her power as a level six Throne to support herself, she would only be able to live for a few more months.
“In order to allow Frozen Cloud Asgard to survive this current crisis, the Grand Asgard Mistress did not hesitate to break a thousand year sect rule and allowed Yun Che to join us as the first male disciple…. But in the end…. The calculations of heaven are beyond that of the calculations of man….”
“Asgard Mistress….” Jun Lianqie pressed both hands on her chest as she, Murong Qianxue and Mu Lanyu suppressed her injuries together. After all their profound entrances had been opened by Yun Che, their profound strength cultivation advanced at a tremendous pace. The Frozen Cloud Seven Fairies had all broken through to the Emperor Profound Realm and the cultivation levels of all three of them had just managed to surpass the cultivation of the Asgard Mistress Gong Yuxian, “Asgard Mistress, please do not be too pessimistic, we are still under the protection of the Frozen End Divine Hall, they cannot break in… and there will definitely be a person who will come and save us…. We will definitely have a way….”
And as they said these things, these Frozen Cloud’s Fairies, who were regarded as celestial beings by the people of Blue Wind Nation, had their vision completely blurred with tears. Because, inside their hearts, they were all very clear that now that things have reached this stage, there was no way that anyone would come and save them. This Frozen End Divine Hall was their last place of refuge…. and once those great doors were blasted apart, they would truly be backed into a corner.
“They… are Overlords… the Frozen End Divine Hall… can only stop them for a while… Cough… cough, cough…. Qingyue, come over here….” Gong Yuxian extended her pale arm.
“Asgard Mistress.” Xia Qingyue walked over and gently knelt in front of Gong Yuxian.
“Qingyue….” Gong Yuxian looked at her and a glimmer of hope finally brightened her slackened eyes, “My selfishness is completely to blame for this, because I did not agree to your request to proceed to Blue Wind Imperial City… If not… You could… have escaped this calamity…”
“No….” Xia Qingyue shook her head, “It is not Asgard Mistress’ fault. These past few years, Frozen Cloud Asgard has already transferred most of its resources to Blue Wind Imperial City. So this disciple only has extreme gratitude in her heart….”
“Ah.” Gong Yuxian let out a long sigh, “Our Frozen Cloud Asgard has prospered for a thousand years. Who would have thought that it would fall into such dire straits during my generation… I have let down Grand Asgard Mistress, let down our forebearers and let down the Frozen Cloud Ancestor… But, Qingyue, you are the most outstanding disciple in the history of our Frozen Cloud Asgard. You are only twenty-two years of age yet your profound strength cultivation has already exceeded that of our Frozen Cloud Ancestor… As long as you still live… as long as you are around… our Frozen Cloud Asgard will never truly die… and the Frozen Cloud Arts and the Frozen End Divine Arts… will not fall into obscurity… and maybe there will even be… the revival of the Frozen Cloud once more….”
Xia Qingyue’s head jerked up and a sense of disquiet could be heard in her voice, “Asgard Mistress….”
“Use the profound formation the Frozen Cloud Ancestor left behind for the purpose of escape…. and leave immediately!!” Gong Yuxian said in an urgent tone, “Only you… are the most qualified to use this profound formation…. As long as you escape, our Frozen Cloud Asgard will have the hope of reviving one day! Go!!”
The “escape profound formation” Gong Yuxian was talking about was the profound formation Yun Che asked Xia Qingyue about when he had first entered the Frozen End Divine Hall. It was something that the Frozen Cloud Ancestor had left behind before passing on. No one knew where it led to and it could only be used to flee in times of great peril. Moreover, every time it was used, it could only accommodate one person and after the profound formation was activated, it would disappear, and would only reappear after a whole one hundred years have passed.
So only one person amongst the two thousand Frozen Cloud disciples trapped in the Frozen End Divine Hall could use this escape profound formation to leave this place.
All eyes fell on Xia Qingyue but not a single one of the women were envious or dissatisfied. This was because if only one person could escape from this place, no matter who it was, in their hearts, everyone felt that Xia Qingyue was the only choice. Because she was Frozen Cloud Asgard’s brightest hope, and it was only if she escaped from this place that Frozen Cloud Asgard would have a chance of rising up again once more to avenge the calamity that had befallen Frozen Cloud Asgard today.
“No….” Xia Qingyue vigorously shook her head, “I am a disciple of Frozen Cloud and I should live and die with Frozen Cloud Asgard. How can I disregard the lives and the safety of the Asgard Mistress, my master, my seniors and all my fellow sisters, and flee this place alone….”
“Now is not the time to let your emotions affect your decisions….” Gong Yuxian yelled in a loud voice, “If you still regard yourself as a disciple of Frozen Cloud Asgard, then you will immediately leave this place, and allow yourself… to become the last hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard…. Your life…. will be the last hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard….”
“But….”
“There are no buts!!” Gong Yuxian’s voice quavered as she spoke, “This is the Asgard Mistress’ order. And you, as a Frozen Cloud disciple… are not allowed to disobey!! If you do not go… do you want the Grand Asgard Mistress to die in vain…. Do you want to personally destroy the last hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard?!!”
“Qingyue….” Chu Yueli strode over to support Xia Qingyue’s shoulders, “Use the escape profound formation to leave this place. This is not only the order of the Asgard Mistress, it is also the desire of all everyone here….” She closed her eyes and her voice gradually became softer, “As your master, what I hope for even more…. Is that you do not let yourself be burdened with the task of rebuilding the Frozen Cloud and avenging us. As long as you live a good life…. and continue to pass on Frozen Cloud Arts and Frozen End Divine Arts…. That will be all that I would want for you…..”
“Qingyue, listen to the words of the Asgard Mistress and your master, activate the profound formation left behind by our ancestor.” Murong Qianxue said gently.
“Qingyue, you must live a good life, you definitely must not return… just think of us every now and then, ok?” Feng Hanyue and Feng Hanxue said with tears dancing in their eyes.
“Junior Sister Xia, leave this place and never come back….”
“Senior Sister Xia… please take care of yourself, we will all pray for you….”
A bunch of crystal and diamond-like gazes focused on Xia Qingyue, heavily vibrating the chord of her emotions. She bit her lips and still shook her head, “No… their objective is me… as long as I stride out those door, I can save yo….”
“Silence!!” Gong Yuxian’s voice fiercely quavered and her face became red due to agitation, “Qingyue, given your exceptional intelligence, how can you… believe the words of those villains?! Moreover… even if what they said is true… Even if the rest of our Frozen Cloud Asgard gets exterminated, you definitely must not die!!”
“Quick, leave…. If you still do not leave… I will severe my lifeline… and die right in front of you!!”
“Asgard Mistress!” Xia Qingyue paled in shock.
“Why are you still here?!” Gong Yuxian’s voice began to grow hoarse, “Those villains are only separated from us by one wall, and they can break it and charge into this place at any time… By that time, even if you wanted to leave… you would no longer be able to… Every second you delay only adds to your danger and reduces the hope of our Frozen Cloud Asgard… Since you still have not left… is it that you want to witness my death before your very eyes?!!”
Bang!!
Gong Yuxian vigorously rose up and sent a palm exploding outwards. It landed on Xia Qingyue’s chest and sent her flying. And she just happened to land on the escape profound formation which was flashing with a weak profound light.
Xia Qingyue stood up and her eyes were filled with tears. She knew that she no longer had any leeway to choose for herself. If she still refused to depart, Gong Yuxian would really severe her own lifeline. She turned her face and her faintly trembling eyes drank in all of these familiar faces as she carved the appearance of every single person in the depths of her heart. After a long while, she softly said, “Asgard Mistress, Master, seniors and my fellow sisters…. All of you…. must definitely take care of yourselves! I… Frozen Cloud disciple Xia Qingyue… will definitely not disappoint you….”
“Qingyue, go.” Chu Yueli turned around and looked away from her, to not let Qingyue see the tears that streamed down her face, “No one knows where the escape profound formation leads, whether it is still within Blue Wind Nation or some faraway place…. The further the better. Do not let those villains find you… You are your master’s pride and joy and also the smartest girl in the world, so you should know the consequences of impulsiveness…. Promise your master this, that before your power breaks through to the Sovereign Profound Realm…. Never return here!”
The Sovereign Profound Realm was truly a mythological realm of power within this Blue Wind Nation. But for Xia Qingyue, it was definitely not something that could be ruled out. Because she was only twenty-two this year, yet she was already a half-step Overlord.
The people who forced Frozen Cloud Asgard into such desperate straits had the terrifying power of the Tyrant Profound Realm, but as strong as they were, they still answered to their so-called “Young Master.” To have Overlords as servants, one could well imagine just how terrifyingly strong this force was.
Thus, she only desired that if Xia Qingyue wanted revenge or if she wanted to rebuild the Frozen Cloud Asgard… she had to become a Monarch first.
“…Your disciple so vows. Before I step into the Sovereign Profound, I shall never return.” Xia Qingyue closed her icy eyes and sobbed out each word. And at this time, with much difficulty, she dragged her feet into the teleportation profound formation… She knew that once she left this place, her life would no longer belong solely to herself; she would inherit the hopes of all the people of Frozen Cloud Asgard, so no matter what, she could not allow herself to simply just die.
The light of the escape profound formation flared up and an icy blue light engulfed the body of Xia Qingyue, and she vanished along with it in the middle of the Frozen End Divine Hall.
Gong Yuxian arm fell, pain and serenity appearing on her face at the same time.
Chapter 613 - Illusory Demon’s New Sovereign
Illusory Demon Realm, north of Demon Imperial City, entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
At this time, the long-silent protective profound formation suddenly flashed with a scarlet-golden light, and following that, it started to slowly and gently rotate as two human figures appeared under the light of the Golden Crow profound formation.
“We’re finally out.” Yun Che deeply inhaled the air that was no longer scorching. It had only been three short months, but it seemed like a lifetime had past.
By his side stood a exquisite and petite girl, who only came up to his shoulder and was swathed in grey robes. She looked only twelve or thirteen years old and had an extremely beautiful face which could overshadow the beauty of the heaven and earth and the luster of the sun and moon. But her look and gaze was completely covered with a limitless cold detachment and it was nearly impossible to detect any trace of emotion that a living being ought to possess. And what was most eye-catching, was a mark of scarlet-golden flames glowing in the middle of her brows.
A Demon Emperor who had awakened his Golden Crow bloodline would have the Golden Crow Imprint appear in between his eyebrows to signify his status. All the former Demon Emperor’s Golden Crow Imprint was a dull golden color and it could be hidden at any time… But the imprint that was in the middle of her eyebrows was an eye-scorching scarlet-golden color that could never concealed.
Because this mark was burning her very life. The moment this mark faded away, it would mean that her life energy had been exhausted.
Her entire aura had undergone an earth-shaking transformation. Originally, her aura made Yun Che felt an unbearably heavy feeling of pressure. But right now, even though she was by his side, just half a step away, when Yun Che tried to use his spiritual perception to sense her, he could not detect her presence at all…
Yun Che vaguely knew what this feeling meant. It meant that the Little Demon Empress by his side had become so strong that she might have already broken through the boundaries of this world… becoming so strong that her strength became illusory.
“To think that not even a single person came here, that’s rather odd.” Yun Che surveyed his surroundings but he did not see the figure of a single person nor did he feel the presence of any living creatures. He gave a heavy sigh and said, “Could it be that something big is happening in Demon Imperial City?”
“Also… Little Demon Empress, which level have you attained in your cultivation of the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World?” Yun Che turned his body and asked. Even though the relationship between him and the Little Demon Empress had become completely different from what it used to be, her aura that was nearly non-existent caused him to feel an uncontrollable sense of suffocation when he faced her.
“Third level.” The Little Demon Empress looked straight ahead, her voice as apathetic as still water, and not a single ripple could be detected.
“Oh… I reached the seventh level half a month ago.” Yun Che said in all seriousness, with a dull expression… At the same time, he quickly shot a glance at the Little Demon Empress as he waited for shock and surprise to appear on her face… Mn, or even an expression of admiration.
However, he was left disappointed as there was not even a slight change in the Little Demon Empress’ expression. Her dark and gloomy eyes were still fixed in the direction of Demon Imperial City, unperturbed and emotionless… he did not even receive any form of reply.
Although taking into account the fact that he possessed the super cheat code that was the Evil God’s bloodline, cultivating to the seventh level of the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World within two months was not such a big deal.
“….” After the Little Demon Empress bloodline had been completely awakened and they had exited the Golden Crow Secret Realm, he felt her aura undergo a huge change…. No, this change might have come even earlier than that… Perhaps, it was during the moment she forcefully pushed him to the ground….
For the sake of achieving her vengeance and her desire for power, she seemed to have annihilated herself completely… including her own feelings and life.
The power that she had desired for had been attained, however, her emotions had also been sealed and even her life was quickly slipping away… She silently stood there, without making a single sound or taking a single breath, as though she was the most beautiful and life-like doll in the world.
Just as Yun Che was about to make a desperate attempt to provoke her, he saw a grey figure flash by in the corner of his eyes. In an instant, the Little Demon Empress had traveled three hundred and fifty meters from their location.
“Ah…. Wait for me!!”
Yun Che hurriedly activated Extreme Mirage Lightning and desperately chased after her. After obtaining the Golden Crow’s bloodline, the Evil God’s Lightning seed, cultivating the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World and absorbing the powerful flame energy from the Sea of Death continuously for several months, Yun Che’s current profound strength had undergone a tremendous change from what it was four months ago.
He opened the gate of Purgatory at this instant, and the aura of the Emperor Profound Realm surged and roiled as his maximum speed increased by several times…. But he was still trailing further and further behind the Little Demon Empress. Fortunately for him, after a short while, the Little Demon Empress slowed down and Yun Che finally managed to catch up to her. Looking at her delicate back, Yun Che silently sighed in his heart. From the moment he had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley till now, four months had passed. Too many things could have happened in the span of these four months, so she was definitely incomparably worried about what the situation was like in Demon Imperial City right now…
Just like how he had been constantly worried about whether his parents, Xiao Yun, the entire Yun Family and the Mu Family were still safe and sound….
She had only three years left to live….
Three years….
Just as Yun Che had guessed, there was indeed something big happening today in Demon Imperial City.
Because today was the day that Duke Huai… would ascend the emperor’s throne!
Four months ago, the heroes of the realm who had gathered in Demon Imperial City to attend the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony were all still in the city and had yet to depart. Because after the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony was abruptly stopped, before they received news that the ceremony was going to reconvene, they received the world-shaking news that the Little Demon Empress had died within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. They bitterly waited for a month, but there was still no further news of the Little Demon Empress and this had extinguished the last embers of hope within the hearts of those who were simply unwilling to believe it.
For a period, the entire Imperial City was greatly shaken and everyone descended into mourning. Even though they had not yet seen the Little Demon Empress’ body, but for the Demon Emperor… the very last Monarch of Illusory Demon Realm, the funeral processions had to go on. The Little Demon Empress’ funeral lasted for an entire month, but after that, one question hung in the air. After the Little Demon Empress, who would take up the reins and become the Emperor of the Illusory Demon Realm?
After all, if there was no Emperor, then the land would definitely descend into chaos before long.
But following the Little Demon Empress’ ‘death’, there was no one from the Demon Emperor’s bloodline in the world. There was only the Illusory Demon Royal Family whose bloodline was the closest to the Demon Emperor’s. Amongst the Illusory Demon Royal Family, the one who held the most prestige, power and qualifications… was undoubtedly Duke Huai of Duke Huai Palace.
Moreover, in the months after the Little Demon Empress’ “death”, Duke Huai Palace had taken charge of all the major and minor events within Demon Imperial City. Even the Little Demon Empress’ entire funeral proceedings had been arranged by Duke Huai Palace.
Within four months, Duke Huai Palace’s influence had spread at a voracious pace as they sank their claws into the entire Demon Imperial City at an alarming rate. Nearly all the territories had been brought under the complete control of Duke Huai Palace. Many years ago, the denizens of Demon Imperial City were deeply aware that the power of Duke Huai Palace had already surpassed that of the Little Demon Empress. But it was only when Duke Huai Palace truly bared their fangs that the people truly knew just how strong Duke Huai Palace had already become….
Following the news of the Little Demon Empress’ death, those factions who were originally undecided now strove tooth and nail to capitulate to Duke Huai Palace as only the fear of being one step too late dominated their thoughts. A few of the factions who were originally loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan chose to defect towards the Duke Huai Palace in order to protect themselves. And those who had previously thrown their lot in with the Duke Huai Palace were now filled with pride and rejoicing.
The factions who were still loyal to the “extinct” line of the Demon Emperor had shrunk down to a pitiful few…. And more and more powers continued to distance themselves, isolate them, or even view them as enemies.
From two months ago, the words ‘The Illusory Demon Realm cannot be left rudderless for a day” had been resonating throughout the entire Demon Imperial City. These words spread with blazing speed throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm as the loyalty and reputation of Duke Huai was praised across the land, and these phrases were so effulgent that they flooded the entire realm. More than ninety percent of the powers within Demon Imperial City announced their support one after the other for Duke Huai to be named the next emperor, and for a time, all praise for Duke Huai spread across all four corners of the Illusory Demon Realm; the praise was so extravagant that he had not only been named the most eminent sage within the realm, but was also the only choice for the title of the Illusory Demon Realm’s new sovereign. Furthermore, he was praised as a great sovereign who could usher in a period of prosperity that would exceed that of the Demon Emperor… while at the same time, he was still the person who had the closest blood relation the line of the Demon Emperor.
Now that it had reached this point, if anyone still objected to Duke Huai being made emperor, that person was practically begging for universal condemnation.
Presently the Demon Imperial Hall was at maximum capacity and the splendor of the occasion even eclipsed that of the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony. All the various mayors, regional lords, sect masters and various other heroes of the realm had never in their wildest dreams imagined that after merely having come to participate in the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony; that they would still stay here for four more months and bear witness to these momentous events, from the passing of the Little Demon Empress to the ascension of the new Emperor.
All the heroes of the realm were squeezed together in the Demon Imperial Hall and every single one of them were cornerstones of the realm; well qualified to represent the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Right now, the time had come for the coronation of the new emperor, the ascension of Duke Huai to the seat of the emperor, and there was only less than fifteen minutes left before this event would begin. The coronation ceremony was almost at hand.
The Guardian Families and the various Duke Palaces occupied the core seats within the Demon Imperial Hall and the seating arrangements were exactly the same as four months ago. The Yun Family and the Mu Family were shockingly in attendance as well.
Yun Qinghong was seated in the seat designated for the head of the Yun Family and his face was fixed with an unnatural calm. Mu Yurou sat by his side and both of them tightly held each other’s hands without loosening their grip. In contrast to the enduring and ceaseless noise within the Demon Imperial Hall, the place where the Yun Family and the neighboring Mu Family were seated was filled with a lifeless and heavy atmosphere. For a full hour, no one spoke.
“Duke Huai Palace… has arrived!”
Following the sharp and long proclamation, the Demon Imperial Hall instantly descended into silence as all eyes turned towards the doors of the great hall.
The great scarlet-golden doors were slowly pushed apart. Duke Huai, dressed in golden finery, as the members of Duke Huai Palace orbited him like stars orbiting the sun, slowly stepped into the Demon Imperial Hall. His expression was calm and he wore an easy smile as his clearly smoothed out brows seemed to be filled with a formless dignity…. He was astonishingly already exuding an emperor’s majesty from every pore of his body.
Without the Little Demon Empress around, he had impressively assumed the role of the Illusory Demon Realm’s Emperor.
“We respectfully welcome Emperor Huai!!”
A resoundingly loud yell rang out from the location of the core seats as the Helian Family’s Patriarch, Helian Kuang left his seat and knelt down on the ground. He prostrated himself completely on the ground and his posture was deferential and humble in the extreme…. Even when the previous Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress were in power, he had never completely prostrated himself like this before.
This loud yell had roused the audience from their slumber and in the next instant, they were scrambling to leave their seats and kneel on the ground, to welcome and pay their respects to Duke Huai:
“We respectfully welcome Emperor Huai!!”
Nearly one hundred thousand of the top-notch powerhouses of the Illusory Demon Realm yelled these words out in unison and the sound was so loud that it caused the entire Demon Imperial Hall to shake for a long period of time. Duke Huai unhurriedly swept his gaze across the great hall and he committed to memory those people and forces who had not knelt to welcome him. After that, he slowly raised his head and said in a polite and modest manner, “Everyone, please rise. Even though this duke has received your undeserved kindness and has been elected to be the new sovereign of the Illusory Demon Realm, the coronation ceremony has not yet taken place, so I am still undeserving of the appellation ‘Emperor Huai.’ And this manner of obeisance is something that I cannot accept as well.”
“Allow this humble duke to be so bold as to say this… Emperor Huai, your words are in error!” Duke Zhong loudly said as he cupped his hands, “Emperor Huai, you assuming the seat of the emperor is something approved by all those present and something desired by all under heaven. So how can you label it as ‘undeserving kindness?!’ After the demise of the Little Demon Empress, Emperor Huai has held the realm together, pacified the chaos within the realm and ensured peace reigned in the heart of all its citizens. If not for the sagacious wisdom and high virtues of Emperor Huai, Demon Imperial City and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm would definitely still be in chaos. So in our hearts, even though the coronation ceremony has yet to begin, you have long ago become the Emperor that we will follow and pledge our loyalty to till the end of our days. Today’s coronation… pardon this humble duke for speaking nonsense, is merely a formality to announce your exaltation to the rest of the world!”
“That is right! Duke Zhong’s words are simply spot on!”
“What Duke Zhong just expressed were the thoughts that this humble duke harbored in his heart all along!”
“Emperor Huai unifies the Illusory Demon Realm, may he reign for as long as heaven stands!!”
“We pledge our lives and loyalty to Emperor Huai!!”
The coronation ceremony for the new emperor had yet to begin and Duke Huai had merely made his appearance, yet pledges of loyalty flooded the entire Demon Imperial Hall as everyone strove to outdo one another. This was undoubtedly a manifestation of how astonishing the power and coercion displayed by Duke Huai after the demise of the Little Demon Empress really was…. Not a single person suspected that there was nothing in the Illusory Demon Realm that could impede Duke Huai from taking the throne. The wisest decision that one could take would be to declare loyalty to Duke Huai; some may even argue that it was actually the only option left.
If not, it was no different from digging one’s own grave.
“Hahahaha.” Duke Huai let his arm drop and a great smile was plastered on his face, he did not need to say anything else, so he boldly strode towards the seat of the emperor that was at the end of the great hall, and as he passed by the area where the Yun Family was seated, he carelessly swept his eyes over Yun Qinghong, the corner of his mouth faintly curving upwards.
In these past four months, before he officially became emperor, it was naturally not good to extend his wicked hands towards the Yun Family as they were one of the Guardian Families.
But from today onwards, anyone could come to the conclusion that Duke Huai would deal with the Yun Family first! When the time came, the best outcome for the Yun Family would be that they would once more fall into great decline and the worst outcome was complete and total destruction!
Yun Qinghong did not pay his respects to Duke Huai and neither did the entire Yun Family. He coldly observed the events in the great hall unfold. His expression and gaze were so cold and detached that not a single ripple could be seen. From the moment Duke Huai entered to the moment he took the emperor’s seat, the only action he took was to tighten his grip on Mu Yurou’s hand.
Mu Yurou’s hand also tightened around his, the hearts and minds of this couple had long ago become tightly entangled together.
It was now impossible to stop Duke Huai from ascending the throne… even if they bet the lives of all the members of the Yun Family in one desperate gamble, they still would not be able to prevent it. But, the one who had killed the Little Demon Empress and who had killed their son stood before their very eyes…. So how could they let him do as he pleased?
The married couple had not attended today for the Demon Emperor’s clan nor was it for the dignity and determination of the Yun Family…. It was as parents, for they prepared to use their own lives to recover what had previously been lost. To allow the son that filled them with love, pride, gratitude, joy and sorrow… recover the debt of blood that was owed!
Chapter 614 - Blood Calls for Blood
The ones who accompanied Duke Huai into the great hall were all members of Duke Huai Palace, and even though there were only one hundred of them, if one counted merely the Sovereigns alone, there were already twenty of them. This extravagant display of power caused even the strong Guardian Families to tremble in fear. In the past few years, the power that Duke Huai Palace displayed was enough to shock anyone, but only in the recent months did everyone realize that the power Duke Huai Palace had displayed before was only the tip of the iceberg.
Moreover, in these recent months, even more powers and strong individuals had thrown their lot in with Duke Huai Palace, so no one could truly imagine just how great their power was this day.
Following Duke Huai’s ascension to Emperor Huai, Duke Huai Palace had naturally become to the “Emperor Palace”, and the aura of every single member of Duke Huai Palace underwent a massive change. Hui Ran and Hui Ye followed along as well; their gazes were as arrogant as those of lone eagles who considered themselves above all others. Because their current status was a world apart from what it had been before. From today onwards they would be royal princes of the Illusory Demon Realm! The entire Illusory Demon Realm would come under the subordination of their clan!
Duke Huai stood in front of the emperor’s throne, and under the gazes of the gathered Guardian Families, Duke Palaces, and heroes of the realm, he slowly sat down. Though he had already predicted that this day would eventually come a hundred years ago, at this moment, when he had finally ascended to the seat of the emperor, he received the attention of all who were gathered and witnessed the heroes of the realm crawling at his feet. He could decide the life and death of everyone gathered here and beyond this great hall, the fate of the entire Illusory Demon Realm was firmly within his grasp…. So he could not help but breath a little heavily as blood rushed through his entire body.
The time of the Demon Emperor’s clan had come to an end. From today onwards, this Illusory Demon Realm would be ruled by my Duke Huai Clan!!
By his side, four luxuriously dressed royal maids carried a set of golden clothes and a golden crown as they leisurely drew near, taking their place at his sides. The royal family’s supreme master of ceremonies slowly strode out, holding his head up high as he announced in a loud voice,
“The first Demon Emperor united all under heaven and led the Illusory Demon Realm to ten thousand years of peace and prosperity. However, a calamity descended from the heavens; the late Demon Emperor passed away and the Demon Emperor and Demon Empress met with calamity as well. So the line of the Demon Emperor will henceforth be consigned to the five elements, leaving behind no will, having no successor to take up the mantle, causing great sorrow throughout the realm. If the heroes of the realm remain leaderless, then chaos is sure to follow. But fortunately, Duke Huai had a heart for the people, displaying talent that is as high as the heavens and as broad as the earth, possessing the ability to pull out mountains and exceed the oceans, pacifying the chaos, settling the hearts of the people, causing the panic which covered the sky to vanish into thin air, convincing the people, and turning all their hearts to him. He has the disposition of a ruler, and he is unmatched under heaven. For him to be the new sovereign, the four seas bow in agreement!”
“All the dukes worked together with a singleness of purpose and unity, supporting the new sovereign together; thanks to support and protection of all the clans, he received the mandate of heaven; all the officials put their heart and soul into assisting the new ruler, supporting the Illusory Demon Realm….”
Boom….
The timely and drawn-out drumbeat rang out from outside the hall; the master of ceremonies abruptly broke off his speech, and as he leaned to one side, his voice rose by several octaves, “The time has come! For the coronation of our new sovereign!”
The time had come for the coronation which would be followed by a ceremony to honor the gods and the heavens. And after this process, Duke Huai would officially become the new ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm.
Duke Huai rose to his feet in a lofty manner and spread both his arms wide, taking in the sights and sounds. The maids beside him took off his embroidered clothes which signified his status as a duke, draping over his shoulders the pure golden royal robes which were embroidered with the images of the sacred and divine Golden Crow, clothes which were a token of the Illusory Demon Emperor. The time had come for the coronation, which would then be followed by a ceremony to honor the gods and the heavens. And after this process, Duke Huai would officially become the new ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm.
All the people gathered in the Demon Imperial Hall left their seats and knelt down. “We greet Emperor Huai! May Emperor Huai live as long as the heavens and the earth, shining as bright as the sun and moon!”
The ones who had the privilege to be present in the Demon Imperial Hall were all without a doubt members of the highest echelon of society in Illusory Demon Realm. Looking at them bowing their heads and pledging their allegiance was the same as having the entire Illusory Demon Realm at one’s feet. Duke Huai, who had waited for this day for a whole hundred years, faintly raised his head as he drank in the moment, enjoying his current status as emperor! As his gaze leisurely wandered, he saw the only place that was disharmonious with the rest of the great hall…. In the entire Demon Imperial Hall, only two groups of people did not kneel down. One was the Yun Family, and the other was the Mu Family.
“How dare you, Mu Feiyan and Yun Qinghong!” the master of ceremonies’ angry rebuke rang out at this time. “The new emperor is about to be crowned, what are you waiting for?! Kneel!”
Even though this master of ceremonies also belonged to the Illusory Demon Royal Family, under normal circumstances, even if you gave him one hundred times the guts he had, he still would not dare to raise his voice against Yun Qinghong or Mu Feiyan. But today, the circumstances were completely different from what it had been…. The Yun Family and Mu Family had always been at ends with Duke Huai Palace, and in the few months after the burial of the Little Demon Empress, the Yun Family and the Mu Family had “slandered” Duke Huai by claiming that he had killed the Little Demon Empress. And today, even a fool would understand that after the ascension of Duke Huai, he would definitely not continue to tolerate the two families. Moreover, given Duke Huai’s current power, how could the Yun Family and Mu Family hope to be his opponent. So this master of ceremonies yelled with one hundred percent confidence. In fact, he was extremely afraid that he had yelled too softly and had dissatisfied Duke Huai with his weak aura.
The atmosphere had quickly froze as all eyes were immediately directed towards the seats of the Yun Family and the Mu Family. The Under Heaven Family, Su Family, and Yan Family all became anxious as they gasped secretly in their hearts.
“Why must I kneel?!!” Yun Qinghong leaped off his seat, and his voice was like a thunderclap that exploded in everyone’s ears, causing them great fright. And how could a lowly master of ceremonies be able to withstand Yun Qinghong’s aura as he let it explode out of him. His entire body trembled, and he involuntarily took a step backwards. His lips trembled uncontrollably, but not a single word proceeded from his mouth.
“Yun Qinghong!” Helian Kuang roared in a loud voice as he pointed at Yun Qinghong, his expression filled with fury while his pupils were filled with mockery and cold laughter. “The new emperor is about to be crowned, yet you have performed such actions that clearly look down on our new emperor…. Does this mean you want to rebel?!”
“Rebel?” Yun Qinghong gave a cold laugh. “To think that you still have the face to say such a thing in this Imperial Demon Hall, before all the heroes of the realm! Rebel…. Just who is actually rebelling?!”
“Of course, you are the one who is rebelling!” Jiufang Kui roared as he rose from his seat and pointed accusingly at Yun Qinghong. After the burial of the Little Demon Empress and the ascension of Duke Huai, it would be Emperor Huai’s world from now on. The Yun Family had originally gained the upper hand at the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony four months ago, but today, they were nothing to worry about at all, and indeed, they had always been “courting their own destruction.” So right now, it was naturally the time to kick a man when he was down while at the same time expressing loyalty to Emperor Huai. “Yun Qinghong, as the Patriarch of the Guardian Families’ Yun Family, your sacred duty is to protect the Illusory Demon Emperor! But on the day that the new emperor is about to ascend to the throne, in this great hall, you are actually….”
“Shut up!” Before Jiufang Kui could finish what he was saying, he was furiously cut off by Yun Qinghong. “I, Yun Qinghong, am not yet someone a shameless traitor like you can lecture! My Yun Family followed the the first Demon Emperor from the very beginning and unified the Illusory Demon Realm together with him. If the first Demon Emperor did not exist, then there would be no Yun Family who has flourished for ten thousand years! My Yun Family, from the start to end, has treated the protection of the Demon Emperor’s clan as our duty, and we have treated it as our glory as well! And during these ten thousand years, we have never shown the slightest moment of infidelity! Hmph… what does this Duke Huai amount to?! What qualifications does he have to demand the loyal guardianship of my Yun Family?! All of you are fellow Guardian Families, yet you have elevated this bandit who has murdered the Little Demon Empress to the highest seat of power…. You have simply caused all your blessed ancestors and forefathers in the afterlife to be filled with the greatest shame!!”
“Yun Qinghong! What nerve you have!!” Duke Zhong leapt out of his seat, his face twisted in grief and indignation as his entire body trembled. “After the Little Demon Empress met with calamity, you have continuously slandered our new emperor by claiming that he was the one who murdered the Little Demon Empress! But the Little Demon Empress had clearly met with misfortune in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and when Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal opened, the new emperor was clearly in the Demon Imperial City. That was a fact witnessed by countless people! And all the people of the realm know that once you enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, there is definitely no method of getting out except for sealing and closing it once more! This slander of yours discredits itself, and it is laughable in the extreme!”
“The new emperor has been extremely magnanimous; he has chosen not to enter into a dispute with you and even wanted to cover up the matter of how the shameless slander of your Yun Family took root in Demon Imperial City! Yet you, Yun Qinghong, fail to recognize this great kindness that has been shown to you and still remain recalcitrant and obstinate, not knowing what is good for you! And during this sacred and solemn Divine Imperial Ascension Ceremony, not only did you hurl abuse at the new emperor, you actually dared to say spit out such laughable and unbelievable slander in front of all those present! This is not only the great crime of rebelling against your ruler, but it also clear that you are making light of the rest of us!”
As Duke Zhong continued to speak, he had become so furious that his face turned deathly pale. He cupped his hands towards Duke Huai and said, “Emperor Huai, you have been extremely lenient towards the Yun Family, but to no avail, as there are still those who would take advantage of your kindness! As your subject, this humble duke cannot bear to witness this any longer! Emperor Huai, please give the order so we can swiftly arrest this plotter!”
Instead, Duke Huai slowly raised his hand and shook his head. He gave a brief sigh and displayed a rather helpless look on his face. “Patriarch Yun, you have many prejudices against and misunderstandings with this emperor, and this emperor is well aware of it. You have also slandered this emperor with the crime of murdering the Little Demon Empress, and that is the world’s biggest joke in and of itself. I didn’t mind. But today is the day of this emperor’s ascension, and normally, I should be granting a general amnesty to all under heaven, not being so easily angered. I of course still did not want to quarrel with you. But after this emperor has finished honoring the heavens and the gods and is officially declared emperor, if you dare to say such offensive things again…. Even if you are the Yun Family Patriarch, covered in achievements and glory, and the son of Demon King Yun Canghai, this emperor will still definitely not let you off lightly!!”
Yun Qinghong refused to kneel, hurled vituperation at the new emperor, and even “slandered” him as the person who murdered the Little Demon Empress…. Every offense was one that was enough to get the person executed. Yet Duke Huai handled it with extreme magnanimity and generosity. This was of course not because he was really this magnanimous, nor was it because he did not wish to put Yun Qinghong and the entire Yun Family to death. But the Yun Family had just restored their reputation four months ago due to Yun Che while also winning the hearts of the people. Not only that, but the Yun Family’s reputation was now flourishing in the Illusory Demon Realm like never before, and it far exceeded any other period during the ten thousand year history of the Yun Family. He had just risen to the seat of the throne, so before he had completely stabilized his power, it would be extremely unwise to take any overt actions against the Yun Family —— Even if the Yun Family took the initiative to be offensive.
Moreover, his current actions would prominently display his magnanimous bearing while also “exposing” the Yun Family as disgraceful and unfilial rebels.
But how could Yun Qinghong pay on his account. He gave a long laugh and suddenly leaped into the air, landing in the middle of the great hall. A purple light flashed in his hand and a seven foot longsword appeared in his grasp as he pointed it directly at Duke Huai,.“We do not need to wait until that day. The purpose for I, Yun Qinghong, to come here today is to baptize this Demon Imperial Hall in blood!”
Yun Qinghong’s actions caused the color to drain from everyone’s face as the entire Demon Imperial Hall immediately broke out into a state of panic. With Duke Huai among them, no one have even dreamt that the always calm, extremely wise, and farsighted Yun Qinghong would actually do such a thing. Helian Kuang and his flunkies roared in unison, “Yun Qinghong! You…. What do you plan on doing?!!”
“Patriarch Yun, do not be impulsive!!” Su Xiangnan and Yan Zijing yelled out in a fluster. Su Xiangnan quickly sent a profound energy sound conversion to Yun Qinghong as he persistently advised him, “Patriarch Yun! Sheath your sword! Even if the Little Demon Empress and your son were truly harmed by Duke Huai… you must preserve your life in order to witness the day of your vengeance! This kind of unwise action… is not something that you, Yun Qinghong, should do!!”
Yun Qinghong turned a deaf ear to Su Xiangnan’s sound transmission and did not display any reaction. By his side, Mu Yurou already stood shoulder to shoulder with him as cold air surged along her entire body. The coldness of her gaze was even more chilling and bone-piercing, her voice filled with the deepest, soul-boring hatred she had ever experienced in her lifetime, “Duke Huai! It is you who murdered my son…. Even if my husband and I lay down our lives today, we will still take your blood to repay his!!”
Chapter 615 - Life and Death Struggle
“Patriarch Yun, put down the sword in your hand… you cannot be rash!!” the Sky Demon Region Lord Qin Zheng rushed forward and yelled at the same time. Anybody could tell from the words the Yun Qinghong couple had just said not only harbored anger and resentment, they also clearly harbored a decisive will to die!
Today… they wanted their lives and blood to stain the Demon Imperial Hall!
“Rash?” Yun Qinghong pointed his sword towards Duke Huai. His face was cold and composed. “I, Yun Qinghong, have never been this calm in my entire life! My Yun clan started ten thousand years ago, and we existed to protect the Demon Emperor. However… in a short hundred years, the former Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor were, one after another, harmed by a traitorous bastard, and today, even the Little Demon Empress has fallen to evil schemes… We are one of the Guardian Families, yet we have been unable to fulfill our protective duty, allowing the bloodline of the Demon Emperor completely end. Not only that, but today, I have to watch with my own two eyes as the traitorous dog who harmed the Demon Emperor and my own son become Emperor! As the Patriarch of the Yun Family, I, Yun Qinghong, what face do I have to continue drifting through life!”
“Duke Huai, if you wish to become Emperor today, you have to cross my, Yun Qinghong’s blood and corpse!”
“Patriarch Yun!!” Within the hall, a voice rang out. No one would have expected that such a scene would actually occur in the succession hall.
“Yun Qinghong… you are seeking your own death!!” Chiyang Bailie yelled. The patriarchs of the large families had already left their seats and formed a circle surrounding the Yun Qinghong couple. With tens of strong, oppressive auras, they quietly guarded the surroundings of Duke Huai.
“Patriarch!!” Everyone in the Yun family shouted in fear. Even they were not aware of the actions Yun Qinghong had planned to take today.
“Don’t come over!!” Yun Qinghong suddenly raised his hand, preventing them from nearing. “This is a matter of my wife’s and mine, it has nothing to do with the Yun Family! Yun Waitian, the ring which I passed to you this morning contains the Yun Family’s Patriarch Crest! From this point onward, you will be the new Patriarch of the Yun Family! My wife and I will leave the Yun Family, everything we do has nothing to do with the Yun family! My only wish is from this day on, the Yun Family will keep far away from Demon Imperial City, will entirely retreat from current affairs, and will never pledge allegiance to this traitorous dog!”
“No!!” Yun Waitian shook his head instead, then flew upwards and shouted in rage. “You are our Yun Family’s Patriarch! Your will is thus the will of the entire Yun Family! Even if the entire world says that the Patriarch has falsely accused Duke Huai, our Yun Family disciples will not suspect a single word the Patriarch says! If the Patriarch says that it was Duke Huai Palace which caused the death of the Little Demon Empress, then it definitely is not wrong! This kind of traitorous thief, not to mention our status as a Guardian Family, even as ordinary Illusory Demon citizens, we will use our lives to bring this criminal to justice…”
Yun Waitian landed beside Yun Qinghong and looked at Duke Huai with anger. “Duke Huai! You poisoned the Demon Emperor, and that was a huge sin! My son was also killed by your Duke Huai Palace… Today, one of us has to die!”
“That’s right! The Patriarch’s life is the most irrefutable ironclad evidence in this world! If the Patriarch wants blood to be spilled in the Demon Imperial Hall, how could we Yun Family disciples be left out!!”
“Duke Huai! You caused the death of my Yun Family’s Young Patriarch and the Little Demon Empress… My Yun Family and you cannot exist under the same sky!”
“Today, my Yun Family will use fresh blood and your doggy life to offer as sacrifice for the Young Patriarch and Little Demon Empress!”
After the initial shock and confusion, the Yun Family disciples, along with the few elders, all stood behind Yun Qinghong without hesitation. Their blood boiled, and they were prepared to die. There were barely a hundred people who belonged to the Yun Family present, but their hate had been ignited. Standing behind Yun Qinghong, not a single one retreated or left.
“Hahahahahaha!” Mu Feiyan laughed loudly. “That is indeed the Yun Family! Even if they were suppressed for a hundred years, the character in your bones haven’t been extinguished! Good… good!! Then today, let us have a great bloodbath!! Sons and daughters of the Mu Family listen carefully!!” Mu Feiyan turned around, a roar like thunder shook the entire hall, causing it to shiver faintly. “The Duke Huai in front of your eyes, who is about to ascend the throne to become our next Illusory Demon Emperor, actually caused the death of the Little Demon Empress and slaughtered the Demon Emperor Clan! This kind of traitorous bastard ought to have been hated by the people and heavens, punished by the heavens, and destroyed by the earth, but today, he is receiving worship in the Demon Imperial Hall… this is simply preposterous!”
“Mu Feiyan!!” The Xiao Family Patriarch, Xiao Xifeng, shouted indignantly. “Within the twelve families, you are known as the most moral one! Who would think that you would also slander the new Emperor! Since you said that it was the new emperor who caused the death of the Little Demon Empress… what evidence do you have!”
“Your daddy’s words are evidence!!” Mu Feiyan’s voice was as loud as thunder, “You have not deserved the name of one of the Guardian Families for a long time! Now you have become a traitorous dog too! Bunch of dogs who have long lost their dignity and honor, what kind of right do you have to hoot in front of this daddy here?!”
“You!!” The scoldings of Mu Feiyan caused the lungs of Patriarchs who surrounded Yun Qinghong to want to explode.
Mu Feiyan waved his arm, then flew up and yelled, “Sons and daughters of the Mu Family! We will fulfill our duty as one of the Guardian Families, the time to show our loyalty to the Demon Emperor Clan has come… follow me to kill these traitorous bastards heartily. Let us splatter their blood in this hall which represents the glory of the Demon Emperor, then let us go to the next world to beg for the forgiveness of the Demon Emperor Clan… those who are afraid of dying, get lost to the back! The further you run the better!”
“Hahahaha!” The three brothers Mu Yubai, Mu Yuqing, and Mu Yukong laughed together, their faces without a trace of fear for their lives. Instead, they were thoroughly liberated, a happiness had emerged from no longer having to endure silently. “Old man, today, let us kill happily as a family!!”
“Duke Huai! What makes you think you have the qualifications to become Emperor in the Demon Imperial Hall? What qualifications do you have to wear the Emperor’s clothes? And you bunch of traitorous dogs have long lost your right to live! Your sins and ugly faces, the heavens and the Sacred Golden Crow have seen it all clearly! The blood we will spill today is only the beginning… You will soon receive punishment from the heavens and earth; you will not die a proper death!!”
After shaking the entire Demon Imperial with his roars, Mu Yubai flew up and then released his oppressive Monarch’s pressure without retraint. He roared loudly and waved his arm, and a white rope ten feet long smashed horizontally across those who surrounded the Yun Qinghong couple.
Mu Yubai made the first move, moreover, with all his strength and without any restraint… it was evident that the Mu and Yun Families were the same. Both were prepared and determined that this was going to be a struggle for life and death!
Facing the Yun and Mu Families’ preparedness to die, Duke Huai did not feel a single bit that this was “all according to plan.” His facial expression twisted rapidly, his anger was absolutely genuine, and he was very clear that the kind of crazed actions of Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan was not a counter-attack because they had lost all reason, but it was… the outcome which he was most afraid of.
It was because he absolutely could not touch the Yun and Mu Families. Otherwise, in the past few months, he would have already made his move… especially the Yun Family! The return of the son of the Yun Family, the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and Demon King’s corpse not only caused the Yun Family’s prestige to rise, it had also caused the heroes of the world to be moved and feel guilty, so all of them stood with the Yun Family! Although they were not in Demon Imperial City, they still represented the wills of every region loyal to the Demon Emperor. In the past few months, the loyal name of the Yun Family spread across the entire Illusory Demon Realm. If he touched the Yun Family just as he ascended the throne, the world would question him, and he would even incur their wrath.
In the present situation, the Yun Family had decided to make this into a life or death scenario… although the Yun Family did not have any concrete evidence to link him to the Little Demon Empress’s death and he had “evidence of not being at the scene,” the Yun Family would still spill blood in the Demon Imperial Hall over this matter… The Yun Family had been a huge Guardian Family for tens of thousands of years. If they were not so sure that the Little Demon Empress was harmed by Duke Huai, how would such a situation take place! If it were not for their devotion to the Demon Emperor Clan, how would this have happened!
Based on the power of Duke Huai Palace, even if the Yun and Mu Families used all their strength, they still could not kill Duke Huai. Instead they would be destroyed by Duke Huai’s power. However, this was the first day of his ascension! One could imagine the gossip and rumors if he exterminated the two most loyal Guardian Families! And the issue of “the evil scheme behind the killing of the Little Demon Empress” would deeply insert itself within the souls of the Illusory Demon citizens following the extermination of the Yun and Mu Families.
The Yun and Mu Families could not provide concrete evidence, yet using such methods, they could make everyone question Duke Huai’s intentions in their hearts, causing him to never have a peaceful moment as the Emperor.
When the Little Demon Empress was present, they could patiently endure. However, after the funeral of the Little Demon Empress, the Yun and Mu Families were full of sorrow, and with no way out, they too no longer had anything to stop them!
It was not that they had not anticipated the aftermath, but it was going to be their last moment of glory as Guardian Families! Also as parents… their self-blame and guilt for once again not protecting their child properly.
“Yun Qinghong… you have let this emperor down too much.” Duke Huai’s entire body trembled. However, now that things had reached such a stage, he did not have any other options. “Take down… this bunch of traitorous bastards, kill without discrimination!”
BOOM!!!
Following Mu Yubai’s attack, a ball of extremely tyrannical and profound energy exploded in the middle of the Demon Imperial Hall. It was of the Monarch level, and it was the highest level of strength present. Under this kind of strength, those from outside Demon Imperial City were blown away by the violent commotion. They were blown far away, and their blood boiled, almost fainting.
And this was simply the aftermath of a Monarch exercising his profound energy!!
Explosive streams of air flowed out of the Demon Imperial Hall, and the sound of an oppressive explosion could be heard from the entire Demon Imperial City
Alarmed cries rang out from the Demon Imperial Hall, this level of strength was not something that they could bear, and even more so not something they could withstand.
There were extremely few battles between Monarchs in the Illusory Demon Realm. No one would have thought that such a disaster-level battle would actually take place in the Demon Imperial Hall… moreover, a fight to the death! No one would have suspected that in a Monarch-level deathmatch, even with how solid the Demon Imperial Hall was, that it would be completely wrecked so quickly. Even the massive Demon Imperial City simply could not handle the terrifying power of tens of Monarchs.
There were seven Guardian Families on Duke Huai’s side along with several tens of Duke Palaces and a large numbers of hidden exceptional experts. On the side side, there were only the Yun and Mu Families. The difference in strength was incomparably wide. The experts from the seven Guardian Families and Duke Palaces surrounded them from different positions, their profound energy rushing forward like a tsunami. However, the Yun and Mu families burned with hatred and with a will to die; even if they were weaker, the energy and aura erupting from each person made those who were neutral in the battle to tremble with fear.
An ear-splitting wild roar, like a wild beast roaring in anger, practically pressed down the heaven-shaking explosions. There were only two hundred people from the Yun and Mu Families, each of them fighting for their lives, yet they forcibly caused the surrounding members of the seven Guardian Families to separate.
“You traitorous dogs! Go to hell and seek forgiveness from the Demon Emperor!!”
From inside the ruckus, Mu Feiyan’s entire body transformed into a blue shadow, flying like a blue ray amongst the experts from the seven Guardian Families, and in a split second, a wave of extremely cold and oppressive profound energy suddenly exploded out.
This was the wrath of a level seven Monarch, its terrifying strength was enough to destroy half of Demon Imperial City. In the heaven-shaking noise, Jiufang Kui, Xiao Xifeng, and Lin Guiyan were all caught off guard and blown away by the explosion. The corners of their mouths were stained with blood, and the corpses of several tens of Tyrant and lower leveled disciples were blown to pieces on the spot.
A gigantic gap was torn from the perimeter formed by the seven Guardian Families, and looking out of this gap, it was pointing directly to where Duke Huai was. Yun Qinghong’s gaze turned cold, and his body suddenly flickered with lightning. His entire body was like a lightning bolt soaring towards where Duke Huai was… and as if they were telepathic, Mu Yurou too suddenly bolted out at the same time. The couple headed straight for Duke Huai!
Duke Huai stood there and did not move, his gaze downcast. In front of him, two deathly pale figures suddenly appeared like demons, and following the shuddering of air, two waves of icy profound energy, which were practically identical, blasted towards the Yun Qinghong couple.
Bang!!
An incomparably oppressive explosion sounded out. A ripple so powerful it almost formed a substantial body blasted Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou far away. Yun Qinghong reached out to support Mu Yurou’s body, and looking at the two who blocked them, he revealed a cold smile. “Even the two of you have become the lackeys of Duke Huai!”
The two people wore white, and their faces were pale and looked exactly the same. They were evidently twin brothers. To be able to obstruct the Yun Qinghong couple only meant that they were at least mid-stage Monarchs. How could they be nameless in the Illusory Demon Realm with that kind of power? Within this pair of twin brothers, one was named Bai Guiming, and the other was Bai Guihun. They were the Illusory Demon Realm’s unbeatable experts of the Northern Region. Being like gods in the Northern Region, there was almost no one who did not know of them even in Demon Imperial City.
“Respective masters, why do you call us lackeys?” Bai Guiming said expressionlessly.
“Duke Huai is capable and strong, more suitable to be Emperor than the Little Demon Empress. Furthermore, the Little Demon Empress could not have successors, it was only a matter of time,” Bai Guihun stated.
“If it were that simple, the two of you could be excused! But Duke Huai Palace caused the death of the Little Demon Empress. Even the former Demon Emperor could have fallen to their evil schemes. If you continue to do so, you are simply lackeys without honor or humanity!” Yun Qinghong said with sunken brows.
Bai Guiming said coldly, “Duke Huai may be ambitious, but he would never do such malicious things.”
“Hahahaha!” Yun Qinghong laughed loudly. “There’s nothing more to be said! No matter who blocks this Yun today, I will spill his blood on the spot!!”
SHRRRNG!!
Yun Qinghong pulled out his purple sword, and two deep purple fatal sword silhouettes cut through space, directly attacking Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun. Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun became downcast as they blasted their icy profound energy. Following the impact of the three profound energies, a purple screen of light, tens of meters long was formed, and within the light, lightning profound energy and ice profound energy blasted against each other wildly.
Yun Qinghong shouted loudly. His cyan profound handle flew from his left arm, forming into a purple lightning sword, rushed towards the light screen and endlessly attacked Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun’s ice profound energy.
Yun Qinghong’s profound strength was originally higher than Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun’s, so along with the strength of the profound handle, Yun Qinghong’s strength alone was able to directly suppress his opponents, even forcing them to be flustered momentarily. The movements of Mu Yurou, who originally wanted to act, slowed. Seeing Duke Huai, who was not more than a hundred meters away from her, her gaze suddenly congealed.
“Duke Huai… return my son’s life!!”
Mu Yurou’s figure turned, directly rushing to Duke Huai. Her gaze contained deep-seated hatred, and the ice profound energy contained hatred within which even Yun Qinghong was completely unfamiliar with. The ice shaft in her hand was like the teeth of a poisonous snake, targeting Duke Huai’s throat.
Mu Yurou’s actions caused Yun Qinghong to be alarmed, shouting urgently, “Don’t go there!”
Chapter 616 - Return of the Little Demon Empress
Facing Mu Yurou’s attack, Duke Huai still did not move as a cold gloom which would make people palpitate flashed in his eyes. In front of him, two pitch-black figures suddenly shot down, and a raging profound energy storm bringing about an ear-splitting tearing sound attacked Mu Yurou from two sides.
The aura of the two people clothed in black was strong, it was impressively another two mid-stage Monarchs! And simply based on the suppressive power, they were even faintly stronger than Yun Qinghong!
Mu Yurou’s profound strength was at second level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. Any one of the two men in black could easily defeat her; moreover, both of them combined their strength! With four consecutive banging and rupturing sounds, her ice chain was broken into countless of pieces.
Mu Yurou was stopped dead in her tracks. Then, with a groan, she heavily flew backwards. The two men in black chased swiftly, six streaks of scarlet profound energy bringing along its hell-like cold aura, shot towards Mu Yurou with the intent to harm.
The two men in black showed no mercy, if the six scarlet streaks of profound energy hit their target, though Mu Yurou had the body of a Monarch, if she did not die, she would at least be severely injured.
“Yurou!!”
The Yun Qinghong who was in the midst of a fierce battle with Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun was alarmed, he forcefully pulled himself free, and for a moment he was ruthlessly hit in the back by Bai Guihun. Yun Qinghong spit out a mouthful of blood, but still forcefully used all his strength to fly towards Mu Yurou, safely receiving her into his chest.
Pfft!!
The six scarlet streaks of profound energy hit Yun Qinghong squarely in his back, causing six shocking bloody holes, blood flying in all directions.
“Hahahaha!” Duke Huai laughed recklessly, his voice dark: “Yun Qinghong, you too will have such a day! If you had been a little smarter and helped this emperor rule the lands, this emperor guarantees you and your Yun Family an even higher position! However you just had to choose to be this emperor’s enemy, you’re simply digging your own grave!”
“Since you want to die that much, this emperor will grant you…”
Duke Huai’s voice suddenly stopped at this point, even his wanton laughing was completely rigid on his face. Because what he saw was that the purple profound energy on Yun Qinghong was actually rapidly transforming to be… blood red!
The Yun Family’s purple cloud profound art was the strongest lightning profound art, and the color of lightning profound energy was purple; the deeper the purple, the stronger it would be. But no matter what, the colour of lightning profound energy would never be blood red.
The abnormal profound energy on Yun Qinghong made Duke Huai to be startled for a moment, after that, what he revealed was actually fear! He was fearful as though he suddenly saw a death god from hell… That was because he instinctively thought of the Yun Family’s incomparably scary… taboo domain that would even change the expression of Duke Ming, his father’s face when talking about it!
The two men in black who were originally attacking, along with the Bai Guiming and Bai Guihun who were chasing from behind, all stopped in their tracks. The pupils of all four people shrunk, they even involuntarily retreated.
In the tens of thousands of years of the Yun Family, they had always been the head of the twelve Guardian Families, their status was only second to that of the Demon Emperor in the Illusory Demon Realm! How could the experts of the Illusory Demon Realm not know about the myths of the Yun family’s purple cloud arts.
“Yun Qinghong, you…”
Yun Qinghong slowly turned around, the wound on his back was gushing blood, yet the expression on his face was eerily calm as the red profound energy on his body was getting deeper and deeper. He then raged in a crazed manner: “Duke Huai! For the past few months I have been in seclusion, in order for… this very moment!”
Duke Huai pulled back and said with a downcast look: “Could it be that for the past few months… you have been comprehending… the taboo domain of legends?”
S…ss…sssssss…
The profound energy around Yun Qinghong’s body started to hiss, streaks of red colored lightning danced wildly around his body. He threw the purple sword in his hand, then slowly reached out with his palm: “Even though I am disobeying father’s orders, I will still have you die without a proper burial!”
Following the ebullition of the scarlet lightning on Yun Qinghong’s body, the entire Demon Imperial Hall… no, the aura of the entire Demon Imperial City rapidly changed. It was obviously above the hall, yet every one felt as if there was a clump of dark clouds pressed horizontally against the blue skies that could collapse anytime. Everyone turned their attention to Yun Qinghong’s body. Everyone from the Yun Family stared at the scarlet lightning, none of their expressions did not change, all of them roared in despair: “Patriarch… Patriarch!!”
Mu Feiyan exploded with profound energy, shaking off the experts who were surrounding him, he looked at Yun Qinghong and revealed his alarm: “This is…”
“Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation!!” Mu Yubai cried out in alarm.
“He actually… could use the Yun Family’s taboo domain!” Mu Yuqing’s voice was also full of shock.
“Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation… the Yun Family’s taboo domain, it requires all of the body’s vital energy to activate, moreover, it harms the user before harming others… The moment it is activated, it will destroy the heavens and exterminate the earth! However the user… will undoubtedly die!” Mu Yukong’s pupils shrunk: “Little sister said before, when the Demon King was alive, he sternly ordered brother-in-law to never comprehend the Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation in his lifetime. Brother-in-law is loyal and filial and would never defy the Demon King’s will… he must have had forcefully comprehended it in the past four months, just to take Duke Huai down with himself!”
“Quick, retreat!!” Mu Feiyan waved both his arms, releasing a wave of tyrannical profound energy, expelling the people from the Mu Family far away. He did not try to stop Yun Qinghong; he already knew that there was nobody who could stop him already.
“Yun Qinghong… You think that just based on your Yun Family’s taboo domain, you are able to kill this emperor?! This emperor has countless of experts behind him, and even has the mandate of heaven, protection from the heavens! Just with you, how could you kill this emperor?!”
Duke Huai’s words were arrogant and full of disdain, yet he continuously retreated, because the myths regarding the Yun Family’s taboo domain was simply too frightening, frightening to the point that even though he had over ten powerful Monarchs defending him, he was still afraid.
“Newly-crowned Emperor, quickly retreat!!”
Behind him, tens of Sovereign Profound Realm level experts released their profound energy, conjuring an extremely strong protective wall.
The lightning on Yun Qinghong’s body had become as deep as blood from purgatory; his entire body was wrapped within, his four limbs and face could not be seen already. Mu Yurou quietly leaned on his body, her eyes were hazy like mist. Being bathed in the blood red lightning with him, she was the closest to him, yet amongst everyone gathered, she was the only one without fear on her face. She was instead completely calm, her lips carrying an indistinct, mournful, yet satisfied smile.
Around Duke Huai, sixteen Monarchs showed themselves, covering Duke Huai, releasing all of their strength; none of them attacked the current Yun Qinghong. Yet the speed at which they escaped was incomparably slow, that was because Yun Qinghong’s aura had locked firmly onto them. As if their bodies were twisted in a formless net, every movement consumed their entire bodies’ strength…
The strength of seventeen Monarchs could not escape from this pressure!
One could only imagine how oppressive the taboo power which came from Yun Qinghong was.
However in order the use such a power, the price needed to be paid was incomparably huge… because it was the life of a mid-stage Monarch! The reason why the deep purple lightning would turn scarlet was because each lightning was imbued with Yun Qinghong’s blood essence!
A doomsday aura enveloped half of Demon Imperial City, and even the highest level monarchs standing at the peak of this world felt their souls trembling. The blood colored lightning around Yun Qinghong’s body inflated again, on the verge of exploding. And once the lump of lightning exploded, the surrounding hundred kilometers would turn into a blood colored lightning purgatory.
Just when the Demon Imperial Hall sunk into chaos, a cold voice rang from above. The voice was not loud, an incomprehensible penetrating power was carried within, easily cutting across the sky-shaking clamors, distinctly transmitting to every single person’s ears.
“Patriarch Yun, you do not need to do this.”
Following the arrival of the voice was a ball of light gold flames, this ball of flames descended from the skies, landing in front of Yun Qinghong’s body, in an instant, screening off the incomparably terrifying aura. Following that, the flaring blood colored lightning was rapidly suppressed by the light gold flames, being engulfed, and after three breaths, all of the blood colored lightning had completely disappeared.
The flames extinguished. The Yun Qinghong who had consumed his blood essence looked deathly pale, like paper, and fell paralyzed on the ground. But immediately afterwards, he overturned his body without any consideration, and looked up into the air, his mouth revealed his excitement, shouting with shock: “Little… Little Demon Empress? It is the voice of the Little Demon Empress!!”
The entire hall was deathly still, and the same astonishment covered every single person’s face. Everybody had clearly heard the voice from before… it was definitely the voice of the Little Demon Empress!!
Following Yun Qinghong’s shout, everybody’s gazes all turned upwards… it was not known when, but on the roof of the hall, an enormous gap had appeared. Every brick and tile of the Demon Imperial Hall was constructed with incomparably tough profound jade; to even destroy a small piece would cause an immense sound. But the appearance of the gap above which was at least ten feet wide was not noticed by a single person, it was as if… it had disappeared without a trace.
Beyond the gap in the hall not too high above floated two figures. The figure on the right was small and petite, a body dressed in grey with a drilling gaze with absolutely no ripple; perfect like exquisite gems, yet cold without any expression… above her eyebrows, a pure gold imprint in the shape of flames flicked. When their gazes came into contact with the fire imprint, the souls were suddenly pressured by an irresistible force.
“Little… Little… Little Demon Empress!!”
“It’s the Little Demon Empress!!”
“Ah, ah… Little… Little Demon Empress!!”
“Th-th-this… what is this?”
“Old man… look… quick, look!” Mu Yubai was excited to the point of incoherence: “It’s the Little Demon Empress… She’s not dead!!”
“The mark between the Little Demon Empress’ eyebrows…” Mu Feiyan’s voice too was extremely excited: “That is the Golden Crow Flame imprint! It is the imprint awakened by the Golden Crow’s blood!”
The Little Demon Empress who had originally died months ago, who even had a funeral procession, actually appeared alive in front of them on the day of the new emperor’s ascension. A wave of voices exploded, practically causing the hall to explode, they were either astonished, or terrified, or at a loss, or pleasantly surprised, or even in disbelief… The significance of the blazing imprint between the eyebrows of the Little Demon Empress was known by every citizen of the Illusory Demon Realm.
“This is impossible… impossible!!” Duke Huai glared, his eyeballs almost exploding. Four months before, he had personally witnessed the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che get forced into dire situations, then fall into the Sea of Death. Once in the Sea of Death, within a few breaths, one would die without doubts. He and his father, Duke Ming, in order to confirm the death of the Little Demon Empress, had even specially stayed there for a whole hour.
An hour in the Sea of Death… even if there were a thousand Little Demon Empresses, her death was confirmed! Not a single piece of ash would be left behind.
How could she still be alive!!
Moreover the person behind the Little Demon Empress… was shockingly Yun Che!!
Both of them actually did not die!!
The imprint between the Little Demon Empress’ eyebrows… what was going on? Royal father had clearly said, females basically could not awaken the Golden Crow bloodline! To forcefully awaken it would only bring a single outcome, which was death!
What on earth was going on?!!
Chapter 617 - Flames of Vengeance (1)
Amongst the chaos within the Demon Imperial Hall, the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che had finally arrived. It could be said that they had arrived just in time, yet it was extremely thrilling. That was because if they had arrived just a moment later, as soon as Yun Qinghong’s blood colored lightning exploded, he would undoubtedly die.
On their return trip to the Demon Imperial Hall, Yun Che had thought of tens of different kinds of dazzling entrances, along with a similar number of sufficiently tyrannical and mighty scripts. After all, he had the Little Demon Empress beside him as backup, so even facing Duke Ming, he could show off to his heart’s content.
The chaos in the Demon Imperial Hall made him scrunch his eyebrows, and the moment he saw the state in which Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou were in, all of his plans were immediately tossed out the window. He shouted startledly, without care for anything else, he rushed down with his fastest speed.
“Father, Mother!!”
“Che… Che’er!!”
Looking at Yun Che who was nearing closer and closer, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s eyes started to get hazy, and they became absent-minded as if they had started dreaming. Yun Che flew down, throwing himself in front of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou and saying urgently, “Father, Mother, how are you… are you seriously injured?!”
Based on Yun Che’s abilities, he could tell with a single glance that even though Mu Yurou was injured, she was not in dire straits. However, Yun Qinghong’s face was white and lips were purple; his shirt was mostly stained red with blood, and not only was he seriously injured, his vital energy had been mostly used up, so Yun Che did not even spend even a moment thinking He immediately pressed his right palm onto Yun Qinghong’s chest and channeled the Great Way of the Buddha at full power, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth and imbuing it into his body.
“Che’er… you’re still alive… my Che’er is not dead… very good… very good…” Mu Yurou did not care where she was, and currently, nothing else mattered to her anymore. She simply threw herself and tightly hugged her son; her tears fell like rain, sobbing without sound.
Yun Che said lightly, “Your child has not been filial to his father and mother, how could I let myself die… Father, Mother, I have made you worry and hurt you in this time…”
With Yun Che channeling of the essence of heaven and earth, Yun Qinghong’s injuries rapidly eased, even his five senses became clearer. He looked at Yun Che, even this steel-like male was pouring with tears, “It’s good that you’re back… it’s good that you’re back… you’re still alive… that is all the filial piety that we need… this life of mine, even if it is forfeit… I will have no regrets.”
“Father, don’t say such silly things!” Yun Che said resolutely, “Don’t forget, your son is a genius doctor! Your injuries… this small loss of blood essence, is nothing! Father, Mother, you can be reassured, I will definitely heal Father… completely heal him!”
“Good… “ Yun Qinghong shut his eyes, and it was only a single, short word, yet it carried an enormous amount of gratification. At that moment, his body was heavily injured and had lost an enormous amount of blood essence. Although the Little Demon Empress had returned, they were still surrounded by powerful enemies, and based on the strength which Duke Huai possessed, they still had not escaped the crisis. Yet at the moment, he still smiled in tears; he was not a single bit anxious, resentful, or wrathful, only gratified and satisfied… Their whole family had finally been reunited, and this was an extravagant wish which he thought he would never achieve in his lifetime ever again.
The Little Demon Empress swept her gaze slowly across the entire field. Her tender lips, however, let out a cold and bone-piercing voice, “Who will come explain to this empress what exactly has transpired here!”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice brought along a wave of extremely heavy pressure… heavier by who knew how many times it was in the past. Even if one did not look at her, just by hearing her voice, one would not be able to breathe and feel their whole body go stiff.
The Little Demon Empress, who originally was thought dead, appeared on the day of the new Emperor’s ascension, even bringing along the Golden Crow’s imprint and returning with the awakened Golden Crow’s bloodline! This was undoubtedly the Illusory Demon Realm’s most shocking and most embarrassing sight.
The leader of the Demon Emperor’s imperial bodyguards walked forward. His voice trembled slightly and he said, “Little Demon Empress, four months ago there were absolutely no traces of you and Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was forcefully opened, but when the seal was closed, you never emerged from it… everybody thought that you had met misfortune in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. That’s why… that’s why… today is… is… the new emperor’s ascension ceremony…”
“Ascension ceremony?” The Little Demon Empress slowly turned her gaze, and she pointed her icicle like icy gaze towards Duke Huai, along with everyone standing behind him. “Duke Huai. You sure are impressive. How are you worthy of donning the emperor’s clothing!”
The Demon Empress’ fury, that wave of shocking pressure, caused everyone to choke for a moment. Several of those who had hurriedly defected to Duke Huai over the last few months were in a confused state of mind. They were scared witless, completely at a loss. However, even more of the powerhouses… especially those who had belonged to Duke Huai Palace since long ago, looked at each other’s expressions, and gradually, their initial confusion faded away So what if the Little Demon Empress had risen from the grave? The strength of Duke Huai’s side had long surpassed that of the Little Demon Empress’. Within the past few short months, it had once again inflated by a large degree… Apart from the tens of thousands of years of prestige and might the Demon Emperor’s clan possessed, what did the Little Demon Empress have to compete with Duke Huai!!
The appearance of the Little Demon Empress was simply another inconvenience in this ascension ceremony! Today, not to even mention the Little Demon Empress, even if the former Demon Emperor was revived… they had no intentions of stopping Duke Huai’s ascension!
After rapidly exchanging glances, all the experts on Duke Huai’s side calmed down. Now that things had come to this stage, they had nowhere to retreat, so there was also no need to! Duke Zhong walked forward, welcoming the Little Demon Empress’ gaze and said, “Little Demon Empress! Four months ago you cut short the great ceremony, then abandoned the heroes of the realm who attended the great ceremony, leaving without returning. For four whole months, there was no sign of you. All of us had thought that you had encountered some misfortune in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“In these past few months, if it were not for Duke Huai… no! If it were not for the new emperor taking charge of the situation, the Illusory Demon Realm who have been in complete chaos! The ascension of the new emperor is supported by the whole world, meeting everybody’s expectations… you, for what reason do you berate the new emperor?!”
Facing the Little Demon Empress, Duke Zhong words were fierce with no trace of politeness, criticising loudly with absolutely no apprehension. Evidently he did not take her to be the emperor of the Illusory Demon any longer.
“Duke Zhong, what guts you have!” Mu Yubai snarled, “You have the cheek to be disrespectful to the Little Demon Empress, to be this rude while speaking. It seems that you people are ready to rebel openly already!!”
“How has Duke Zhong wrongly spoken?!” Helian Kuang roared, forcefully suppressing Mu Yubai’s voice, “Little Demon Empress, you are still alive, and that is obviously a pleasant surprise, but you disappeared for four whole months without a trace, so the Illusory Demon Realm had thought that you had died. Then, the ‘Little Demon Empress’ would naturally become history! Now that the new emperor has donned the emperor’s clothes, what is done cannot be undone. It is only reasonable that the real emperor of the Illusory Demon is now Duke Huai! And not the Little Demon Empress!”
“Ah!” Mu Feiyan laughed coldly. “As the Patriarch of a Guardian Family of the Demon Emperor’s clan, you have actually said such outrageous words! The hundred generations of the Helian ancestors’ faces have been completely thrown away by this generation!”
“Hmph!” Helian Kuang’s expression did not change. “Our Helian Family guards the real emperor of Illusory Demon! What we guard is the peace of the Illusory Demon Realm! Not mentioning that the Little Demon Empress is female, simply based on ability, the new emperor surpasses the Little Demon Empress! Based on public opinion, the new emperor surpasses the Little Demon Empress! The new emperor is more suitable to the the Illusory Demon Emperor than the Little Demon Empress! The reason why the Little Demon Empress managed to become the Illusory Demon Emperor a hundred years ago was simply because of the Demon Emperor bloodline! She abandoned the wavering Illusory Demon Realm without care, suddenly disappearing for four months, which caused great chaos… and now that she is back, what prestige, what face does she have to continue leading the Illusory Demon Realm?!”
Under Yun Che’s power of the heaven and earth, Yun Qinghong’s injuries were more or less stabilized, looking much better. Yun Che inwardly heaved a sigh of relief, turned his head, and stared at Duke Huai, sneering faintly, “You have the mission of protecting the Demon Emperor Clan, and you even professed your unparalleled loyalty, unchanging even in the face of death, yet now you are actually scolding the Little Demon Empress with your head held high… how impressive! You really have no sense of shame! I really want to ask Patriarch Helian, who exactly was it that united the endlessly chaotic Illusory Demon Realm? Who was it that gave the Illusory Demon Real tens of thousands of years of peace, allowing both man and demon to peacefully coexist! Who was it that lead your Guardian Families to rule the lands under the heavens, allowing you to stand at the peak of the Illusory Demon for tens of thousands of years! And who was it that let some certain ingrates, dukes without any sense of shame, to live in glory and splendor since birth?! Was the Demon Emperor Clan… or was it this ‘new emperor’ whom you people cannot wait to grovel under?!”
“You…” The moment Yun Che spoke, Helian Kuang’s heart violently bulged. The shadows from four months ago suddenly awakened, causing him to not dare to talk back for a moment.
“You actually dared to grandiosely exclaim that this Duke Huai is more suitable to become the Illusory Demon Emperor than the Little Demon Empress, hahahaha! That is the heaven’s biggest joke. Without the Demon Emperor Clan, Duke Huai is not even worth a fart. What qualifications does he have to contend with the Little Demon Empress!” Yun Che’s gaze became stern, and then he said seriously, “You people keep blaming the Little Demon Empress for disappearing for four months… then why don’t you people ask your new emperor why the Little Demon Empress disappeared for four months? He knows… that quite clearly!!”
“Young Patriarch Yun, why exactly happened?” Sky Demon Region Lord Qin Zheng asked eagerly, “Four months ago, what exactly happened? Could it really be that Duke Huai…”
Yun Che shifted his gaze, and facing the attention of the entire arena, he said faintly, “Ladies and gentlemen who have stopped by Demon Imperial City for several months, perhaps you have heard more or less about rumors of Duke Huai Palace’s ambitions! However, Duke Huai Palace not only harbored rebellious intentions, they are ten thousand times more evil and scheming than you think! Four months earlier, it was him, Duke Huai… along with his long thought to be missing father, Duke Ming, who took advantage of the fact that the Little Demon Empress had used the Demon Emperor Seal to forcefully open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to maliciously strike her down inside! At that time, I had, by chance, discovered that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had opened and thus entered! In the end, I coincidentally encountered them attempting assassinating the Little Demon Empress! The Little Demon Empress and I were forced into dire straits, forced into the Sea of Death!”
“Wh… What!!” A ruckus broke out in the hall. Su Xiangnan said, “Once in the Sea of Death, one would undoubtedly die, then how are you…”
“Of course it was due to the Golden Crow Spirit’s protection!” Yun Che then said with a calm expression, “The Demon Emperor Clan is the sole inheritor of the Divine Golden Crow’s legacy. How would it be willing to see its last legacy bloodline be severed. Thus, it saved us from within the Sea of Death… if not, the Little Demon Empress and I would have long been buried within! This kind of regicidal traitor is simply too outrageous, one which the heavens and earth cannot tolerate… today, he would actually be crowned as the new emperor… this is simply the Illusory Demon Realm’s greatest disgrace!”
Yun Che’s words silenced the entire hall for a moment. Duke Huai gave a cold laugh and said darkly, “Yun Che, you have said enough! This emperor originally had some respect for your Yun family, however… today, you have greatly disappointed this Emperor! Yun Qinghong belittled this emperor, this emperor could tolerate. Now that you, Yun Che, have appeared, this emperor already knew that you would also say the same things as Yun Qinghong… just as expected! Your Yun Family has spared no effort to frame this emperor!
Yun Che looked at him coldly with his eyes expressing his playfulness as if watching a clown striving to give a good performance.
“But what a pity, within your trap lies a laughable hole,” Duke Huai sneered. “Once in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, unless the seal is released, there would be no other way to exit; everybody is aware of this point. However, four months ago, after the Yun, Mu, and Su Families entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, until the seal was released, this emperor was always in Demon Imperial City! Countless people present, including many from your Yun Family witnessed this! You say that this emperor schemed against the Little Demon Empress… could it be that this emperor can split his body?! That day, after the great ceremony abruptly ended, this emperor did not see the Little Demon Empress again. Your slander is just full of loopholes and is simply making your Yun Family into laughingstocks!”
Duke Huai’s expression became even darker. “Your Yun Family is doing your utmost to frame this emperor Even though it is shameless to the extreme, it could be considered a type of loyalty to the Demon Emperor bloodline, thus this emperor can tolerate it! However… Little Yun Che, you could have simply stopped at slandering this emperor, you actually went as far as to slander my royal father’s reputation!
“My royal father was indifferent to fame and fortune, standing apart from worldly affairs. Taking leave from the former Demon Emperor a hundred years ago, he wandered the Illusory Demon Realm and lived his life in the wild… everybody knows this! In the past hundred years, not to mention people, even this emperor has not seen royal father, and you, a twerp from the Yun Family…” Duke Huai entire body trembled in fury, “actually dare to slander this Emperor’s royal father; this has pushed this Emperor’s bottom line… your Yun Family needs to give this emperor an explanation today! Or else, don’t blame this emperor for not leaving any compassion!”
“You want an explanation?” Just as Yun Che wanted to speak, the Little Demon Empress’ cold voice rang out from above, “Then this empress will personally give you an explanation!!”
The Little Demon Empress’ grey clothes swept out as she suddenly stretched out her hand, and the imprint on her palm instantly radiated a pure gold brilliance.
“Be careful, your highness!!”
Duke Huai’s bodyguards flashed, wanting to rush in front of him. However, in the very next instant, though nobody could see any other movements from the Little Demon Empress, a flame glowed on Duke Huai’s body, and after that, an ear-piercing “ping” of something shattering could be heard.
Duke Huai’s personal space was directly shattered, releasing a jade seal with the glow of a scarlet flame, and under the gaze of everyone present, it flew out of Duke Huai’s shattered personal space, then flew straight into the Little Demon Empress’ hand under a wave of irresistible suction force, leaving a scarlet trace.
“That is… the Demon Emperor’s Seal!!”
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal!!”
“Demon Emperor’s Seal… this…”
That shape, radiance, and aura… it was the one and only Demon Emperor’s Seal in this world! To be able to directly shatter a mid-stage Monarch’s personal space, that was world-shaking, terrifying strength. Yet nobody had the heart to care about such an issue; that was because they had,with their own eyes, witnessed it flying out of Duke Huai’s shattered personal space…
The hall was completely silent for a moment, and even the faces of the experts on Duke Huai’s side had completely changed. Their expressions were full of fear, and Duke Huai’s expression was even more stiff.
“Duke Huai!!” Mu Feiyan roared in anger. “You actually said that after the great ceremony, you did not see the Little Demon Empress again… then that Demon Emperor Seal, why would it be with you?!!”
Chapter 618 - Flames of Vengeance (2)
“In this Illusory Demon Realm, those who know about Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will know that apart from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley lifting or closing the seal itself, there is absolutely no other way that one could enter or leave… that has been what Duke Huai has been trying so hard to cunningly count on.” Yun Che looked at the chaotic spectacle, along with the unsightly look on Duke Huai’s face and said unhurriedly, “However four months ago after the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal was forcefully lifted, everyone must have wondered why that was so… the reason is very simple! There has always existed a method to forcefully enter and exit Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… and that is with the help of the Demon Emperor Clan’s Demon Emperor Seal!”
“Four months ago, the Little Demon Empress used the returned Demon Emperor Seal to forcefully enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, wanting to enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land at the first moment to awaken the Golden Crow bloodline! However this secret which originally belonged to the Demon Emperor Clan was made known to those in Duke Huai Palace! Duke Huai along with the supposedly hundred year long gone Duke Ming who has actually been hiding in Demon Imperial City, hurriedly entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and attempted to murder the Little Demon Empress. They had thought that the Little Demon Empress and I had been buried within the Sea of Death, they then made use of the Demon Emperor’s Seal stolen from the Little Demon Empress to leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… That would be why, the Demon Emperor’s Seal is on his body!”
“Duke Huai, this time. You have to explain clearly… oh, no, what kind of excuses do you have?” Yun Che sneered lightly, “Your next few excuses should be more entertaining, please do not be so vulgar as to insult our intelligence!”
Yun Che’s words caused the entire hall to fall into a tumult, the subsequent clamor was like a pot of boiling water. Everybody looked toward Duke Huai, the look in their eyes changing quickly. The Demon Emperor’s Seal which flew from within Duke Huai’s personal space was seen clearly by everyone; absolutely no excuses could be given to deny it.
Everyone was aware of Duke Huai Palace’s ambitions. However this kind of ambition, to plot evil schemes against the Illusory Demon Emperor and the Demon Emperor Clan’s last inheritor were two totally different ideas! The former was to have the power of influence and support then appending oneself, and the former… that was simply regicide, something simply too outrageous!! Based on the prestige of the Demon Emperor Clan in the Illusory Demon Realm, it was enough to trigger the anger and wrath of all the citizens of Illusory Demon Realm, something the entire Illusory Demon Realm cannot tolerate!
“Could it be, that Duke Huai really…”
“Th-th-this… this is… a plot as big as the heavens!”
“No matter how bad Duke Huai is, he would not do such a thing… Duke Ming too… this should not have happened!”
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal was with Duke Huai… how could that be fake!”
“Your highness, could it be that you really…” the one who asked, was a middle aged Monarch who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, while speaking, both his hands were shivering. The situation was absolutely not normal because it was a situation being witnessed by all the heroes of the realm; it could have been the huge crime of regicide! Although the Demon Emperor bloodline would end soon, in the Illusory Demon Realm, the prestige the Demon Emperor’s clan that possessed the Golden Crow bloodline held was incomparable!
Most of the forces who had defected to Duke Huai Palace had done so because the Little Demon Empress had gradually weakened, and Duke Huai Palace was becoming stronger and stronger. After the Little Demon Empress, the Demon Emperor bloodline would be severed, and it would be Duke Huai who ruled the lands. In order for their own family’s or forces’ future, although defecting to Duke Huai Palace was an act of disloyalty to the Demon Emperor Clan, based on the situation at that point, they could accept it and make a conscious decision.
The assassination of the Little Demon Empress was an act which would not be tolerated in the lands of the Illusory Demon Realm. If it had been a perfect assassination without anyone’s knowledge, it would have be fine. However, if it was leaked… then spread throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm, Duke Huai would definitely lose his standing; even if he had ten times his power, he still could not take on the anger and hostility of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. And the forces who followed Duke Huai would also become targets of ridicule…
“Duke Huai!!” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had a face full of anger, “You actually dared to do such unscrupulous deed, something which would be looked down upon by man and gods! As part of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, the blood of the Demon Emperor Clan still flows within your body. You actually…”
“Silence!! This is a bunch of nonsense!!” Duke Zhong used all his might to roar, “Even though the Demon Emperor’s Seal was on the new Emperor’s body, what does that prove! Based on what? Just based on a Demon Emperor’s Seal, you guys accuse the new Emperor of assassinating the Little Demon Empress!! Even though the new Emperor has always had great ambition, he has always thought for the world, thinking for the peace and future of Illusory Demon! Even more, he has always revered the Demon Emperor Clan. He could not have done such a thing, and does not have a reason to assassinate the Little Demon Empress! There is something strange in this… who knows if this could have been a meticulously planned scheme!!”
Even though Duke Zhong was using all his effort to justify it, his voice was evidently trembling.
“That’s right!!” Duke Hui Ran roared in a low voice, “In this short amount of time the Demon Emperor’s Seal was indeed with royal father. However it was not from the Little Demon Empress, but four months ago, this duke had picked it up from the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley! In order to not cause panic, royal father did not announce it to the public. For fear that it would be coveted, only then did he carry it with him… Today, it unfathomably has become evidence for the assassination of the Little Demon Empress!! There has to be a conspiracy… and it is not simply just to set up royal father, it even brought up this duke’s hundred year long gone grandfather! This is just… simply aiming against our entire Duke Huai Palace! This could just have been some meticulously plotted evil scheme!!”
This speech shook the minds of those in Duke Huai’s faction, and the expressions of the Patriarchs of the Seven Guardian Families rapidly eased. Yun Che faintly glanced at Hui Ran, sneering secretly. Based on Hui Ran’s abilities, it was impossible for him to say words of such caliber. They were evidently words which Duke Huai had sound transmitted to him.
Indeed, just based on the Demon Emperor’s Seal being on Duke Huai’s body was not enough to assert that Duke Huai was behind the Little Demon Empress’ assassination. The forces on Duke Huai’s side just had to harp on this point. On top of that, with their overwhelming strength, the Little Demon Empress could not do anything with them. They could even counter by just harping on “shifting the blame.”
If it had been the Little Demon Empress from four months before, it would indeed have been like that.
However, how could the current Little Demon Empress be compared to before!
The Little Demon Empress looked down; no matter how bad the ruckus in the palace was, no matter how the situation changed, her expression did not change a single bit. At this point, she suddenly said, her voice was incomparably cold, “Yun Jiang, Yun He, Yun Xi!”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice carried an oppressive strength which could practically freeze one’s blood, causing the hall which was a ruckus to quieten down. The three Grand Elders of the Yun Family walked forward, then said respectfully, “What instructions does the Little Demon Empress have?”
“Take down Duke Huai, conduct a Profound Handle Soul Search!”
Duke Huai’s expression changed slightly, but consequently, he did not panic. His lips moved slightly, a vicious look flashed in his eyes.
Under the Profound Handle Soul Search, everything Duke Huai knew would be spilled; all of his secrets, all of his crimes would be completely dug out. It would be presented in front of everybody. Yun Jiang, Yun He and Yun Xi all stared blankly… That was because they were incomparably clear that Duke Huai would absolutely not allow the Profound Handle Soul Search. With the enormous amount of strength behind Duke Huai, they would not allow anyone near Duke Huai. However as Grand Elders of the Yun Family, they naturally would not go against the orders of the Little Demon Empress. Together, they complied, “Yes!”
Yun He shouted, “Duke Huai, if you wish to prove your innocence, then sincerely accept our Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search! If not, you are harboring evil intentions! The crime of regicide will be witnessed by everyone here!”
The three Grand Elders pounced onto Duke Huai together. Before they could approach, a wave of incomparably tyrannical profound strength flooded, stopping them, as ten whole auras coming from different directions locked onto them, causing the three incomparably strong Yun Family Grand Elders to stiffen up. For a moment they did not dare to move recklessly.
The Little Demon Empress squinted, her voice was bone-piercingly cold, “You dare to disobey this empress’ orders!”
Duke Zhong clenched his teeth and said in a low voice, “Little Demon Empress, you’ve gotten something wrong! Today, the Illusory Demon Emperor is Emperor Huai! And it is not you, the Little Demon Empress…”
Before Duke Zhong had even finished his sentence, the Little Demon Empress who was midair suddenly attacked, and a pure gold flame abruptly shot down… the flame was extremely quick. There were countless of experts present yet they could only see a flash of flames. Not a single person could do anything to react as that flame hit Duke Zhong squarely in his chest.
BOOM!!!
The world’s most tyrannical flames exploded. In an instant, Duke Zhong’s body split into pieces like a ragdoll, splitting into countless of flaming pieces. When these pieces landed on the ground, they had burned into nothingness… Forget about a charred corpse, not even a piece of ash was left.
The unextinguished Golden Crow flames landed on the ground, causing the incomparably durable profound jade flooring to burn with sores and holes which looked like bubbles.
Everyone in the hall went silent collectively. All of them stared rigidly, as shock and astonishment abruptly exploded in their eyes.
The Little Demon Empress’ temper was cold and cruel. This was not her first time suddenly killing someone; that was something that she had done too many times. However this time, there was a huge difference as compared to the other times. That was because Duke Zhong… no matter his identity, he was not an ordinary person. He possessed a world shocking strength, a mighty Monarch standing at the peak of the profound world!
Yet the Little Demon Empress lifted her hand… and killed him in an instant!
A Monarch’s body which was ten thousand times more durable than a boulder, could not even resist a single bit. He didn’t even have the chance to scream… in an instant, forget about a corpse, not even a scar was left!
The Golden Crow’s flames exhausted silently, but everyone shuddered inwardly, not able to say anything for a long time. To kill a Tyrant in an instant was indeed shocking, however, a high leveled Monarch did indeed have the power to do that.
However, to kill one who was truly in the Sovereign Profound Realm, a Monarch possessing the power to look down upon the whole world…
That was something even these experts standing at the peak of the Illusory Demon Realm had not ever seen or heard before… It was simply a kind of power which exceeded their comprehension and imagination!
The change in color of the imprint between the Little Demon Empress’ eyebrows signified that she had awakened the Golden Crow bloodline! Her strength had naturally leaped by an enormous amount… However, the ability to kill a level three Monarch in an instant, was something that even the former Demon Emperor who had similarly awakened the Golden Crow bloodline could not do at all!
Chapter 619 - Flames of Vengeance (3)
“Du… Duke!!”
Amidst the shocked silence that pervaded the air, a tragic cry rang out. Following that, an old man whose hair was half-white rushed out and stood at the spot where Duke Zhong had lost his life, his whole body shivering. This person was not a stranger to all who were present. He was also from the Illusory Demon Royal Family and he was known as Duke Han. He held the position of the highest seniority in Duke Zhong Palace and he was its strongest exponent; besides that, he was also Duke Zhong’s uncle. He was at the sixth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, the cornerstone of the entire Duke Zhong Palace. In Demon Imperial City, both his power and his position carried great weight. After Duke Zhong had taken over the management of the Duke Palace, he had supported Duke Zhong from the shadows and had become his guardian. With him around, even in Demon Imperial City where experts were as numerous as clouds, there was hardly anyone who could harm Duke Zhong.
But today, he could only look on helplessly as Duke Zhong was instantly incinerated into ashes. He couldn’t even think about going forward to protect him as he was not even able to react until Duke Zhong had met his violent end.
“Little Demon Empress!” Duke Han cried out as sadness and anger intermingled in his voice, “Even though my house’s royal duke may have spoken out of turn… his crime was not worthy of death, yet you… you were actually so cruel….”
“A crime not worthy of death?” The Little Demon Empress said in a ice-cold voice, “Duke Huai sought to commit regicide and every root of his clan deserves to be dug up and burned! As Duke Huai’s willing lackey, Duke Zhong deserves to die ten thousand times over! And showing disrespect to this Empress? Even death would not be a sufficient punishment!”
“Duke Han! On account of the loyalty that you showed this empress’ royal father, for the time being, I will not implicate you in his guilt! But if you dare to even speak one word in favor of Duke Zhong or Duke Huai again, this empress will kill you as well!”
Duke Han’s face twitched but he suddenly let out a loud roar, “You killed my royal duke…. If you have the guts, then you can kill this duke as well!”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes which were as black as night faintly narrowed as she replied in a voice that carried an icy coldness and the promise of death which did not hesitate to spread into everyone’s soul, “Since you want to die, then this empress will help you accomplish your goal! You indulged Duke Zhong in his perfidy, so you are also worthy of death!!”
Before the Little Demon Empress’ voice fell, a bone-piercingly cold sensation had already spread through Duke Han’s entire body. He was a dignified level six Monarch, but he, in this very instant, suddenly felt impending doom falling on his head. A dread that he had never felt before in his life frantically grew and swell like an awakened devil gnawing on his soul.
He had never thought that the Little Demon Empress would actually send a killing blow at him, and without a single shred of hesitation at that. He had definitely never dreamed that, given his own strength, he would actually feel such acute dread after the Little Demon Empress’ mere killing intent locked in on him.
The others naturally did not know that under the cold and cruel pronouncement of the Little Demon Empress, Duke Han’s self-belief had nearly collapsed. He fiercely ground his teeth and recklessly launched himself into the air. He let out a strangled cry as he frantically concentrated all the profound energy in his body and exploded towards the Little Demon Empress.
“Little Demon Empress, be careful!!” Su Xiangnan cried in alarm. Duke Han was considered an expert even amongst the Monarchs, and the Little Demon Empress of four months ago was absolutely not his opponent.
But as Su Xiangnan’s cry had just fallen, a shrill and miserable cry that resembled a pig being slaughtered ripped through the air of nearly the entire Demon Imperial City. After a jerking contortion, Duke Han, who had just launched his body into the air, fell back down to the ground in a wretched heap… a completely hoarse cry ripped through the air, as if it was enduring the world’s most cruel torture.
All the audience widened their eyes in alarm and fear… they could clearly see that Duke Han’s hands were being burned by two clusters of scarlet gold flames!!
Golden Crow Flames!!
These two clusters of Golden Crow Flames were not vigorous or frantic, not slow or fast, not warm or hot; they merely continued to burn, and in the blink of an eye, they had scorched nearly all the flesh on this level six Monarch’s hands, exposing the white bone beneath. Following that, even the white bones began to glow luminously as they were being burned up, and both of Duke Han’s hands had completely vanished from the top of his arms….
“ARRRGGGGHHHHH….”
Duke Han yelled as if his life depended on it and rolled around frantically as he desperately tried to use his profound energy to resist these voracious flames. But the two clusters of scarlet gold flames which looked very mild continued to burn in steady fashion, without being impeded in anyway. Following his frantic rolling and slapping, the scarlet gold flame had even spread to his chest, his waist and his thighs…. In the blink of an eye, there were more than ten clusters of scarlet gold flames burning on his body, and his arms had already been burnt to half their former length.
Duke Han’s wretched cries were as sad and shrill as the wailing of a demon from the bowels of hell. His whole body spasmodically writhed and contorted, his eyes nearly popped out of his sockets from the sheer pain and the blue veins on his forehead clearly bulged and writhed on his forehead like an earthworm!
The scarlet gold flames still maintained its initial speed as it soundlessly burned; it was so mild that it almost seemed graceful, yet it devoured a Monarch’s body inch by inch. All of Duke Han’s struggles, and his powerful profound strength of a level six Monarch, was actually unable to do anything to impede or obstruct these flames at all.
Boundless shock and fear appeared on the faces of all those present. Duke Han was a member of the Illusory Demon Royal Family; his body contained a thin amount of the Golden Crow bloodline and he also cultivated a fire-based profound art. In regards to fire, his body had an extremely strong resistance to it…. Moreover, as a level six Monarch, he had a profound strength that was viewed as godly by most profound practitioners!
But under these two small cluster of flames…. Within the span of a dozen breaths… an entire one-third of his body had vanished….
“Duke… Duke… Duke Han….” One member of Duke Zhong Palace extended a violently shaking arm as he took one step forward, as if he wanted to think of a way to extinguish the flames on Duke Han’s body.
“Do not go any further!!” One person doggedly held on to him and desperately retreated after that…. If they came into contact with a flame that was strong enough to burn a level six Monarch’s body into ashes, they were simply courting death!
Everyone’s eyes widened in shock and horror and their mouths gaped open. Watching Duke Han frantically twist and contort his body while he burned and listening to his miserable and wretched wails had caused the bodies of all the onlookers to go completely cold. In that instant, they even felt that they had been plunged into hell’s purgatory, where they were watching a sinner get baptized in the flames of purgatory as his “just rewards”….
“Little Demon Empress… spare me…. Little… Demon Empress… spare me…. Ah…. UWAAAAHHHHH….”
No one could imagine just how great the pain must have been to cause a level six Monarch to let out such a miserable scream, to cause a level six Monarch to beg in such an extremely unsightly manner, unbefitting of his status…. The scarlet gold flames had spread to his entire body and gradually, all of his struggles and screams were completely devoured by the flames.
When these scarlet gold flames had finally extinguished themselves, Duke Han’s body had completely vanished from that spot; the same as Duke Zhong who had recently died, not a single trace of his remains were left.
Throughout the entire process, looks of shock and horror appeared on the faces and eyes of the entire audience, and it did not dissipate in the slightest. In the entire great hall, only the Little Demon Empress was completely expressionless from start to finish; it was as if she was witnessing a spectacle that was simply too common.
Thud….
Among the group of people closest to where Duke Han was, a level nine Overlord from Duke Huai Palace was so paralyzed with fear that his body knelt to the ground. The other profound practitioners, the lowest being Thrones and the highest being Monarchs, all had horror etched full in their pupils.
As unparalleled and matchless existences in the eyes of the common folk, this was the first time in their lives that they felt that they were truly so tiny….
“This… this isn’t possible….” Duke Huai’s pupils kept contracting as he refused to believe what he was witnessing, refused to believe that such a power existed in this world…. and especially refused to believe that this power actually belonged to the Little Demon Empress.
“What…. What…. What kind of strength is that?” Mu Yubai desperately sucked in cold air. As someone who was fiercely loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan, watching the returning Little Demon Empress become so strong should have caused him to go wild with joy. But the scene he had just witnessed… a level six Monarch’s painful and terrifying death… actually caused the shock and fear in his heart to far exceed the astonishment and joy. Because this was basically a kind of… terrifying power which should not exist in this world.
“Even if her bloodline is awakened, it still should not be… terrifying to this extent….” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s eyes were wide open as he muttered to himself in a rather dazed manner.
“This strength…. Could it be some sort of special favor shown by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit?” Yun Qinghong’s eyes had become slightly dull…. The power he had just witnessed far surpassed all of his knowledge or understanding. This was no longer a power that could be categorized as “strong,” it could be said to be termed “heaven-defying.”
Yun Che shook his head instead and replied, “This can be regarded as her secret.”
Everyone had been astounded by the strength shown by the Little Demon Empress, but no one knew that her current power had come from her thirst for vengeance and she had given her very life in exchange for it…. and if one really wanted to include that as well, it also came at the price of her virginity.
“Yun He, Yun Jiang, Yun Xi.” The Little Demon Empress said once more and these short six words were like six icy needles boring through the hearts and souls of all who were present, causing their entire bodies to freeze up in cold, “Quickly apprehend Duke Huai! If anyone dares to interfere… this empress will kill that person!”
“If one person blocks me, this empress will kill one person! If one hundred people block me, this empress will kill one hundred people. If the entire world blocks me, this empress will baptize this world in its blood!!”
This detached and cold-blooded voice mightily shook the souls of all who were present. At this moment, everyone was met with the incomparably clear realization that… the Little Demon Empress who had returned after four months was definitely not the Little Demon Empress that they were familiar with!
“…Yes!!”
The same response was given but the tone had become completely different from what it was before. The auras of these three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, who had been through countless trials and tribulations, immediately underwent a great a change. Three old hands filled with a thick and robust lightning profound energy directly extended toward Duke Huai. Before, when they had rushed towards Duke Huai, whether it was movement of power, they were still thirty percent conservative and seventy percent apprehensive. But now, they were extremely fierce and severe, their profound energy quickly surged around them and it even carried the ear-splitting sound of thunder.
“Who dares to touch his highness?!”
The number of experts Duke Huai had under him far surpassed the imagination of the common man. Without exaggerating in the slightest, it could be said that more than seventy percent of the Monarchs in Demon Imperial City had thrown their lot in with Duke Huai’s faction! Today was Duke Huai’s grand ascension ceremony, so he had a large number of experts at his side…. Duke Huai himself was also a mid-stage Monarch, so the each and every one of the people who were qualified to be his bodyguards were the strongest of the strong within Illusory Demon Realm! The one with the lowest power was a mid-stage Monarch as well!!
These kind of ultimate powerhouses whom common folk might not see once in their lives, whom were viewed as fairy tales in their eyes… just today alone, in this Demon Imperial Hall, Duke Huai had seventeen such people by his side!!
This was only counting his personal bodyguards who were fiercely loyal to Duke Huai Palace…. It categorically did not take into account the peak powers that were the Guardian Families and the other Duke Palaces which had already rallied to his side.
When the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family took action, four differently garbed people appeared from the empty air behind Duke Huai and blocked their advance as they abruptly clashed with the three Grand Elders. Every single one of these people was awash with an extremely robust and thick aura…. It was actually an aura that was so strong that it completely matched the auras of Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi.
“Lu Zhanfeng, Bai Jinghong, Tang Luanli, Xiao Qingshan, the ‘Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky’ who shook the southern border seven hundred years ago!!” In the corner of the great hall, an old person cried out in alarm, and the four names that he uttered were like four thunderclaps in everyone’s ears.
In this world, if someone becomes a monarch, his name would shake the heavens! Especially the profound practitioners outside Demon Imperial City, if they could become Monarchs, they would become outstandingly famous, and even after many generations, they still would not be forgotten.
“The ‘Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky’….” Astonishment colored the face of Yun Qinghong, “These were world-shaking people that your grandfather used to mention often all those years ago. Seven hundred years ago, they had already become Monarchs and after that there was little news of them, I had thought that they had already gone back to their homeland to live in seclusion…. But who would have thought that they had already long ago come under Duke Huai Palace!”
“…It looks like the ambitions of Duke Huai Palace were birthed far earlier than even what we had guessed.” Yun Che said with sunken brows.
“All these years, we had never dared to underestimate the power of Duke Huai Palace.” Yun Qinghong said as his brows knit tightly together, “But it was only in these four months that we became truly aware that Duke Huai Palace’s true power had already far exceeded our previous estimates! In less than three days after the news of the Little Demon Empress’ death at Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had spread, the entire Demon Imperial City had already completely fallen under the control of Duke Huai Palace, we did not even have the chance to react. Sigh….”
Yun Che shook his head, “Father, you don’t need to feel so defeated. If it is just Duke Huai alone, he definitely won’t have this kind of capability. It’s that Duke Ming, he is simply too scary…. In these few hundred years, the entire Illusory Demon Realm has been dancing in the palm of his hand, but no one was aware of it! Everything that has happened has all happened according to the plans that he has orchestrated…. However, the calculations of man can never ever exceed the whims of heaven!” Yun Che raised his head, looked at the Little Demon Empress and said in a low voice, “Yet the epilogue of his perfect plan has forced out a half-god…”
“Half-god?” Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou stared blankly as they replied.
“Now I would very much like to see if the great power that Duke Ming has carefully and methodically gathered over all these years… can stand up to the wrath and the fire of an angry god!!”
Chapter 620 - Endless Deterrence
The Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky faced off against the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, but before the seven Monarchs could clash together, a distortion in the air had twisted into a gigantic vortex.
The movement of the three Grand Elders immediately slowed and at this time, the air above warped once more as three more people appeared from the empty air. As they explosively descended to the ground, their aura… practically did not lose in any way to those of the Four Absolutes of the Southern Sky.
Ten great Monarchs, and all of them were mid or late stage Monarchs at that… their auras intermingled with one another, and like the billows of a vast ocean, they hid the sky and covered the earth.
The combined power of seven Monarchs working together… this was a power that normal people didn’t even dare imagine! Besides Demon Imperial City, the rest of the regions within the Illusory Demon Realm, even if it was the biggest Sky Demon City, would not be able to present seven Monarchs. Even though the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family were strong, they were definitely not going to be able to come near Duke Huai if he was under the protection of seven mid to late stage Monarchs.
At this time, an aura that was exceedingly scorching hot suddenly enveloped the air and descended… This was clearly an aura of blazing heat, but the moment it descended, the entire audience to felt a sudden chill run through their body.
Following the distortion of the air, under the stunned gaze of all those present, the Little Demon Empress’ figure appeared between the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family and the seven great Monarchs. On her body, a scarlet gold figure of the Golden Crow materialized for an instant, and following that, it released an endlessly blazing splendor….
In a split second, the entire great hall, and even all the space that lay within the audience’s line of sight became covered in a red glow.
“This is….” Yun Che couldn’t help but yell in a low voice, “Golden Crow Third Realm —— Burning Sun Rupture!”
In the air that had turned a scarlet red, the endless and boundless Golden Crow Flames swiftly agglomerated as it became a blazing hot, eye-scorching but divine and sacred figure of the Golden Crow. It tore apart the scarlet red world, penetrated through space and flew towards the seven Monarchs who stood in front of Duke Huai….
In an instant, the gathered power of those seven great Monarchs, which was strong enough to destroy a city, disappeared into thin air. The world around them began fracturing into countless small pieces, and this was followed by the space completely collapsing. In that instant, their sight and their thoughts were not occupied with any other existences, there was only that endless scarlet red flame sea….
The messages that their powerful mental energy relayed to him… was that these flames had already invaded their bodies and had even invaded their very souls. Under these flames, their Monarch level physical and spiritual resistance were completely useless, and did not provide even a shred of resistance.
Bang!!!
Amidst the explosive fracturing sound, the fire light which filled the sky contracted and dispersed completely and the seven Monarchs flew out into the distance like seven broken sacks; their heads, body and four limbs were completely enshrouded by the scarlet-gold flames… Even the souls inside their bodies were being mercilessly burned away by these flames.
The seven Monarchs crazily rolled about on the ground as they wailed in anguished pain… They finally knew why exactly Duke Han had let out such miserable and wretched screams. The sensation of being burned by the Golden Crow Flames were like countless blades cutting and gouging every inch of flesh and every nerve in their body. Despite their mental fortitude which was far greater than that of a normal person, they could only endure it for a few breaths before wishing for instant death.
A Monarch’s last-ditch attack when he or she had descended into despair was originally something that was extremely terrifying, but these seven Monarchs only cried out and wailed, and not a single one of them had launched an attack in despair which would release all their profound strength…. Because if they even tried to activate their profound energy, it would instantly be incinerated.
As for those experts belonging to Duke Huai Palace who were waiting in the shadows and preparing to rush forward to protect Duke Huai, they felt their bodies come to a rigid standstill, their entire bodies shaking like a sieve as they did not dare to take another step forward…. Ten breaths later, the crying and the wailing stilled, the Little Demon Empress slowly raised her hand and she casually squashed the flame in the palm of her hand.
Bang!!
The Golden Crow flames that were burning on the seven Monarch’s bodies exploded at the same time and dispersed into flame fragments which filled the sky. The bodies within that conflagration also followed the fate of those free-flying fragments of Golden Crow flames, and disappeared completely.
Duke Zhong… Duke Han… The seven experts from Duke Huai Palace….
These nine people died terrible deaths under the hands of the Little Demon Empress… and they could not even put up a single shred of resistance, and none of them were some random side character… they were all nine genuine, tried and tested Monarchs!!
Even in Demon Imperial City, Monarchs were as rare as phoenix feathers. The death of any Monarch, even one of the lowest level, was enough to send the entire Illusory Demon Realm into a tizzy!
But today, in the blink of an eye, nine Monarchs…. and eight of these Monarchs had even been mid to late stage Monarchs, had all died horribly under the hands of the Little Demon Empress… The entire process did not consist of any earth-shaking collisions or world-shaking explosions. The Little Demon Empress only waved her dainty little hands a few times and caused a few beams of fire to appear… and nine great Monarchs were now ashes scattered to the wind.
The process was so simple that it was akin to stepping on nine tiny little ants.
“This empress has said, no matter who it is, if they dare to obstruct or impede me, only one fate awaits them…. Death!!” The Little Demon Empress slowly turned around. She had the most exceedingly beautiful features in the world and her figure was far more fragile and delicate looking than most normal girls. If any man saw this kind of girl, his breath should be taken away and he should be overcome by a fierce desire to protect and possess this girl. But not a single person present right now dared to use those kind of eyes to look at her anymore; anyone who was raked over by her cold and detached gaze would feel their entire body instantly stiffen up. It was as if they were plunged into the coldest ice in the world, and even their blood felt like it was going to completely freeze over.
This was a kind of frightful suppressive power that they had never experienced before in their lives… They even felt that if the Little Demon Empress was willing, she could use this suppressive power alone to smash their bodies into little pieces.
The heavy suppressive feeling aside, there was an even heavier feeling of fear. Because the Little Demon Empress was simply too merciless in her actions…. No, her actions were simply too cruel and malicious. Nine Monarchs, every one of them possessing great fame and status in the Illusory Demon Realm, and Duke Zhong and Duke Han had even belonged to the Illusory Demon Royal Family. But she struck out at every single one of them, without any warning and without a hint of hesitation or mercy. Once she made her move, she condemned them to death immediately…. Before they could die, these nine Monarchs had to suffer unbearable pain, and after they died… not even a trace of ash was left of them.
She was so decisive in dealing with Dukes and Monarchs…. that there was no need to talk about others!!
The present Little Demon Empress had seemed to morph into a terrifying death god…. A grim reaper who with a touch would condemn a person to certain death!!
Duke Huai’s pupils had long ago contracted into pinholes and the calm that he possessed before had completely given away to abject terror. The Little Demon Empress’ sudden return may have caused him to startled and astonished but it was not enough to cause him to feel helpless, because even if he faced the Little Demon Empress, he had the overwhelming advantage in power… But, after this short span of time, the scenario had been completely overturned, and the Little Demon Empress displayed power played out like a nightmare before his very eyes.
He had always thought that his own father, Duke Ming, was unrivaled under heaven. Even though he had never seen the true limits of Duke Ming’s power, he could definitely confirm that his own father, Duke Ming… definitely could not send seven mid to late stage Monarchs to their deaths in one move!!
This was a strength that was not supposed to exist in this world, a strength that had never before appeared in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm!!
The Duke Palaces who had thrown their lot in with Duke Huai had become completely flabbergasted. The Helian, Chiyang, Jiufang, Nangong, Lin, Xiao and Bai clans had completely lost their voice and only their throats moved in agitation. These seven impressive and awe-inspiring Patriarchs of these Families, were completely drenched in cold sweat and for a few of them, even their legs began shaking in fear…. Even those Duke Palaces and Guardian Families that had been devoted to the Demon Emperor’s clan had fallen completely silent due to fear, and no one dared to breathe.
Duke Zhong died, Duke Han died… and seven Monarchs were exterminated in one move!
This was the heaviest and most terrifying show of deterrence in the history of the entire Illusory Demon Realm!!
“What are you waiting for?! Swiftly capture Duke Huai!!”
The cold shout of the Little Demon Empress roused the three Grand Elders from their dreamlike daze, and they once again rushed towards the dispirited Duke Huai. This time, even though many auras appeared in the space behind Duke Huai, nobody rushed in front of Duke Huai to block the way.
Becoming a Monarch was the highest goal that every profound practitioner sought to attain. Every single Monarch was the product of countless amount of time, effort and resources spent attaining that goal in addition to having opportunities that could only be given and not begged for. After reaching this level, they had thought that they no longer needed to fear anything, because they had reached the peak of heaven and earth and nothing would be able to crush them anymore.
But today, to their boundless shock and horror, they discovered that… in front of the Little Demon Empress, they were as small as dust, and that in front of her, there was practically no difference between them and a newborn infant.
They could die…. but if a Monarch were to die, he wanted to die in a desperate struggle and leave in a world-shaking manner. But those nine Monarchs who had died at the hands of the Little Demon Empress, they had died deaths that were incomparably pitiful and pathetic. With these nine as leading examples… any person who rushed forward to protect Duke Huai would also meet a similar end.
So why would they willingly use the body of a Monarch which had given them a lifetime of glory to bear that weight… it would only be vainly going up to be incinerated.
“Duke Huai, surrender yourself without any further resistance!!”
Amidst the refuse rebuke, the profound handles of the three Grand Elders appeared and tightly locked in on Duke Huai, who had completely lost his wits. Three strong streams of lightning profound energy firmly sealed off Duke Huai’s movement from all directions. Duke Huai seemed to have lost all his courage and he just stood there in a daze, with completely hollow eyes. He actually did not put up a struggle and he was easily suppressed by the onrushing Yun He.
“Duke… Duke Huai….”
Within Duke Huai Palace, those previously excessively arrogant directly related dukes as well as those core experts, all of their pupils were dilated and their bodies shrank back in fear. They helplessly watched Duke Huai be captured by the three Grand Elders of the Yun Family but not one of them dared to advance. The Little Demon Empress’ back was to them, yet they all felt like there was an icy-cold knife pressed to their necks, and if they dared to make any reckless movements, they would die without a place to be buried.
“Royal Father…. Save my Royal Father…. Hurry up and save my Royal Father!!” Duke Hui Ye hoarsely yelled as his lips shook uncontrollably, “Royal Father is the new emperor of the Illusory Demon Realm… why aren’t you protecting him… protect him!!”
Duke Hui Ye shouted himself hoarse but it was clear that despite the incomparably great power that Duke Huai held and the countless peak experts who flocked to his side, no a single one of them dared to move. At this time, the Little Demon Empress slowly turned her body around and her gloomy and cold gaze fell on Duke Hui Ye’s person.
“AHHHH….” In that instant, it was as if a venomous snake had fastened itself onto Duke Hui Ye, his whole body quivered as strangled cries filled with fear and alarm proceeded from his mouth and he scrambled backwards in a most unsightly manner, tripping over himself along the way, “Do not kill this duke… do not kill this duke… this duke didn’t do anything… do not kill this duke….”
Under the terror of facing true danger to his life, the Hui Ye who normally considered himself above the rest of the world gave an appearance that was no different from a commoner who was scared for his life… no, in fact it was even more pathetic than that. His whole body laid paralyzed on the ground, he was basically unable to stand up; his entire body fiercely trembled and his face was completely pale as all the blood had drained from it… and the members of Duke Huai Palace that surrounded him, retreated away from him swiftly, as if they had smelled a bad smell that was quickly expanding….
This Duke Hui Ye had actually been so frightened that he had pissed his own pants.
The Little Demon Empress retracted her gaze… this kind of trash was not worthy of being dealt with by her personally. Merely continuing to look at him was staining her own eyes.
Despite the situation at hand, no one even thought to laugh. Looking at the current Duke Hui Ye, no one could feel even a hint of reverence for him, there was only pity and contempt. The expressions of the members of Duke Huai Palace were filled with shame and sorrow… to the point where even when Duke Hui Ye’s dirty bodily fluids had formed a puddle under him, no one had gone to support him off the ground.
Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi cooperated together and quickly locked away the profound energy of Duke Huai, who did not show the least bit of resistance. Yun He grabbed up Duke Huai and dragged him in front of the Little Demon Empress, bowing as he said, “Duke Huai has been captured, I invite the Little Demon Empress to deal with this offender.”
Given the terrifying power the Little Demon Empress had displayed thus far, killing Duke Huai was as easy as flipping her dainty little wrist. But she still had not made a move against Duke Huai and instead wanted them to capture him, so it was clear that she did not desire his death yet. Thus, the three Grand Elders had only shackled Duke Huai’s profound energy, but did not dare harm him.
It was at this time that Duke Huai’s gloomy eyes suddenly shone with a fiercely sinister and crazy scarlet light. His profound energy had clearly been shackled but his body suddenly burst out with crimson-black Fallen Devil Flames! The abruptly ignited Fallen Devil Flames were incomparably berserk, and they directly spread out over tens of meters, blasting away Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi, who had all been caught unprepared…. and the Duke Huai who was wreathed in Fallen Devil Flames reared his head up like a wild beast, and with a hoarse howl, he tore towards the position of Yun Che, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou!
Yun Qinghong was being healed by the energy Yun Che was infusing into his body and as he was heavily wounded, he could not recklessly use his profound energy. Mu Yurou was also nursing her wounds… Duke Huai’s action had caught everyone off guard… the Little Demon Empress bore witness to Duke Huai’s flight with slanted eyes but she did not make a single movement.
“Be careful!!” Mu Feiyan, Mu Yubai, Su Xiangnan, Yun Waitian and the others had all paled in alarm and yelled out hoarsely. But no one had thought that the Duke Huai, who had clearly had his profound strength shackled, would be able to instantly break that lock. Even if they wanted to help now, it was already far too late.
From the very first moment that Duke Huai Fallen Devil Flames had ignited themselves, an imperceptible change had appeared in Yun Che’s eyes. When Duke Huai suddenly rushed towards them, Yun Che’s palm had unhurriedly moved away from Yun Qinghong’s body… His face did not have any trace of panic and loss.
“Hong’er!!”
With the Heaven Smiting Sword in hand, he activated Star God’s Broken Shadow. The rest of the people only saw the afterimage blur in front of their eyes and Yun Che had already went to meet Duke Huai. Both his hands tightly grasped that vermilion giant sword as a thick and nearly pure golden flame had ignited along its length.
“Che’er!!” Mu Feiyan and the others were greatly alarmed… Duke Huai, in his madness, would clearly release all of his power! The strength of a berserking level five Monarch was not something that Yun Che could block! In a direct clash… even if Yun Che was ten times stronger, he would still die a certain death.
As the figure of Yun Che appeared in Duke Huai’s pupils, they fiercely dilated and the devil flames running along his entire body swelled to an even greater degree. He yelled in a hoarse voice that either expressed excitement or pain, “Yun Che… Die!!!”
Yun Che’s brows pinched together and his gaze was icy-cold, the Heaven Smiting Sword that was burning with pure golden flames welcome Duke Huai’s power as he did not retreat in the slightest and went in for the direct collision… because if he tried to avoid it in any way, it would be possible for Duke Huai’s power to harm Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou who were behind him.
“Golden Crow Burning World Fifth Realm —— Golden Annihilation!!”
Chapter 621 - Golden Annihilation
The enormous crimson-black Fallen Devil Flame was like the devil’s mouth, pouncing and biting at Yun Che, who only had a single weak layer of flame profound energy, but on his sword, there was a pure gold blaze which was luminous to the point that it was hard to look at.
“Che’er, quick, retreat!!”
“Young Patriarch!!”
This was Duke Huai’s crazed, full-powered attack from losing control of his emotions. Even the Little Demon Empress from four months ago would have tried to avoid a head-on collision at all costs. Based on Yun Che’s strength, this kind of power would destroy him to the point that even a dismembered corpse would not be left, without any chance of escape. Mu Feiyan and Yun Waitian shouted themselves hoarse, desperately rushing forward, but they could not reach in time… they could only watch with their own eyes as a Fallen Devil Flame of at least ten feet completely engulfed Yun Che.
However, even though he was completely engulfed by the Fallen Devil Flame, that pure gold flame continued to radiate resplendently, as if it was not obstructed a single bit. Instead, the Fallen Devil Flame was actually outshined by the pure gold flames until it was dulled considerably.
What was even more shocking was that after being engulfed by the Fallen Devil Flames, the golden flame did not get extinguished like what people had imagined, it instead continued to move forward. It actually… cut the frantic flame originating from Duke Huai right in the middle!
Apart from the two foundation stages of the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, every stage would have a corresponding Golden Crow Flame skill. Cultivating the seventh stage would enable one to comprehend an incomparably strong destructive domain.
Amongst the Golden Crow Flame skills of the seven former stages of the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World, based on the individual destructive power, it was not the sixth stage’s 【Red Purgatory Lotus】 or the seventh stage’s 【Yellow Springs Ashes】, but the fifth stage’s 【Golden Annihilation】, which was the strongest!
Pure gold flames was the Golden Crow Flames final form. Yun Che had only nine drops of the Golden Crow’s blood, even with the Fire Spirit Evil Body, his Golden Crow Flames would never reach that form. However under 【Golden Annihilation】, the Golden Crow bloodline and Golden Crow Flame’s strength would undergo an enormous amount of congealing; the Golden Crow Flames being ignited would be fundamentally different, achieving a destructive power which surpassed the body’s boundaries and limits!
Based on the purity of his Golden Crow bloodline and the stage of his Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World, the color of the Golden Crow Flame which he ignited should be scarlet gold. Yet under the Golden Annihilation, the flames which he ignited were actually pure gold without a hint of scarlet!
The limits of the legendary might of the 【Golden Annihilation】could melt anything in the world! There was nothing it could not destroy!
Duke Huai had released a level five Sovereign Profound Realm Fallen Devil Flame! However based on the level of the flame, how could the Fallen Devil Flame compare to the Golden Crow Flames! After Yun Che brandished the Heaven Smiting Sword, a golden sword blast easily split apart the sinister and terrifying Fallen Devil Flame, dividing it into two… just like a current being split into two, it was dispelled in two directions.
One of them blasted towards Mu Feiyan who was flying over, and the other blasted towards Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui who were flying over two; not one bit rippled towards Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou who were behind Yun Che.
Mu Feiyan stared blankly for a moment, then rapidly stopped his body and roared. Releasing an icy profound energy, casting it into a gigantic profound energy barrier, he locked down the entire Fallen Devil Flame which was rushing ahead. How thick was the profound strength of Mu Feiyan, a level eight Monarch. Within the short period of a few breaths, the Fallen Devil Flame was completely dispelled. On the other side, Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui combined their strength, firmly resisting the Fallen Devil Flame; the Elders of the Yun family very quickly managed to eliminate the crimson-black flames.
The golden sword blast which had split apart the Fallen Devil Flame continued forward, ruthlessly blasting Duke Huai in the chest while his eyes widened by several times, almost exploding. In a split second, the golden blast frantically discharged; the body of the Heaven Smiting Sword was embedded close to an inch, through Duke Huai’s left shoulder till his right ribs.
“Im… poss… ible…”
Duke Huai’s eyes were wide and completely blank. He mumbled incoherently as if he could not accept the scene in front of his eyes. His body reacted instinctively, exploding with an abrupt strength, blasting Yun Che in his chest.
Yun Che turned pale, blood rushed towards his mouth. Just as it reached his throat, he forcefully swallowed it. His gaze became dark as his entire body ignited with Phoenix flames. His body, which had been struck away, suddenly descended at an even quicker speed. An Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing blasted Duke Huai at his heart, causing the wound caused by the Golden Annihilation to tear to an even greater degree.
The scarlet flames exploded, causing the profound stone in a thousand feet radius to tremble. Duke Huai moaned as blood violently spurted from his body. Yun Che backflipped far away. The Heaven Smiting Sword touched the ground and he landed stably; the ends of his lips and his nose were flowing with blood, yet he had a satisfied smile on his face.
“Your highness!!”
Duke Huai was blasted away, the blood spurting out was a horrifying scene. More than a dozen Duke Huai Palace experts moved forward at the same time, wanting to receive him. Yet at the same moment, the Little Demon Empress suddenly intervened. A dazzling, blazing flame soared into the skies; like an irritable flaming snake, it firmly twisted around Duke Huai. With a flick of her wrist, the fire snake hissed, then abruptly moved downwards, smashing Duke Huai viciously into the ground, then tumbling over to the Little Demon Empress; the strong smell of intensely burnt skin permeated through the entire Demon Imperial Palace.
All of those from Duke Huai Palace who wanted to save Duke Huai all shivered, retreating as if they felt an electric shock, not daring to budge again.
“Che’er, are you alright!”
“Young Patriarch, are you alright?!”
“Relax, it’s just a light injury… at least it’s lighter than Duke Huai’s injury.” Yun Che rubbed away the bloodstain at the corner of his mouth, saying a little proudly without a single bit of weakness in his voice.
Mu Feiyan, Mu Yubai and all the Elders of the Yun Family rushed forward at this point. After all of them heaved a sigh of relief, they became astonished, yet pleasantly surprised. Mu Feiyen reached out to grab Yun Che’s shoulder. Feeling that his aura was not too disordered, he said excitedly, “Che’er, Duke Huai is a level five Monarch, his strength is not too far from your father’s… Yet you were able to resist his full-powered attack and even injured him instead! If it were your father, even he may not have been able to do that! We have not seen each other in four months, yet not only are you safe and sound… your strength has practically surpassed your father’s! This.. this… is simply…”
Yun Qinghong smiled, his face was was full of satisfaction and pride… At this point, how could he still remember about his injuries, how could he still remember that he had lost nearly half his blood essence…
Yun Che laughed and said, “Grandfather is flattering me. My current strength is still much inferior to my father’s, just now was just me pulling a fast one.”
What Yun Che had said was the truth. He had obtained the Golden Crow bloodline, the Evil God’s Lightning Seed and even absorbed a huge amount of fire profound energy within the Sea of Death, shedding his old body anew, yet it was still impossible for him to be a match for a mid stage Monarch. The instantaneous clash between him and Duke Huai was indeed a cheap trick… He didn’t actually meet Duke Huai’s full-powered Fallen Devil Flame head on. Instead, he used Golden Annihilation to slice Duke Huai’s power, then heavily damaged him. The ones who really received Duke Huai’s strength was Mu Feiyan and Yun Waitian.
“Hohoho, the Young Patriarch shouldn’t be so modest.” Yun Duanshui said beamingly, “The scene of the Young Patriarch heavily injuring Duke Huai just now, everyone present witnessed it clearly. Back then the Patriarch was known as the Illusory Demon Realm’s history’s youngest Monarch, now, the Young Patriarch is only twenty-two years old, and isn’t weaker than the Patriarch… as a part of the Yun Family, this is simply good fortune!”
Everyone from the Yun Family who were crowded at the back nodded their heads with excitement. Their eyes were full of pride; the looks which they casted upon Yun Che were incomparably scorching.
“Che’er, what you used just now… was it the Golden Crow flame?” Mu Yubai moved forward and asked. The golden flame that Yun Che had ignited was filled with an incomparably thick Golden Crow aura. As members of the Guardian Families, how could they not be familiar with it?!
“Yes!” Yun Che nodded, “When the Little Demon Empress and I were forced into the Sea of Death, the Divine Golden Crow Spirit saved us. Heh… the Demon Emperor clan is after all, the Divine Golden Crow Spirit’s only inheritors this world, how would the Divine Golden Crow Spirit allow the Demon Emperor Clan to be exterminated! After the Golden Crow Spirit saved us, not only did it awaken the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow bloodline, she was also bestowed unparalleled divine strength! Also, in remembrance of our Yun Clan’s unparalleled loyalty towards the Demon Emperor Clan, I was bestowed the Golden Crow bloodline and also allowed to cultivate the 【Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World】!”
Yun Che raised his head, then said, “Although the Divine Golden Crow Spirit has never intervened in the business of our Illusory Demon Realm, everything that has happened in the recent years in Demon Imperial City has been witnessed by it! It is perfectly clear as to who are loyal and who are not! Even though the Divine Golden Crow Spirit has bestowed upon me the Golden Crow bloodline as an individual, however, it is in fact a reward for our entire Yun Family! As for those so called Guardians, those who have forgotten their ancestors and turned back of their clans, despicable and crafty, the Divine Golden Crow Spirit will lay down divine punishment sooner or later!”
“…Good!” Mu Feiyan gripped onto Yun Che’s shoulder tightly, “Your Yun Family deserves such a favor! You, my good grandson, within the Yun Family, is the most worthy! The Divine Golden Crow Spirit surely is omniscient!”
Mu Feiyan said that as he raised his head to laugh heartily. Everyone from the Yun Family had expressions of unrestrained elatedness; several of the Yun Family Elders were excited to the point that their whole bodies were trembling. Looking up to the skies, as though they couldn’t help but kneel down, “I thank the Divine Golden Crow Spirit for this favor… Old Patriarch, do you see this…”
Yun Che did not suppress his voice a single bit. Everyone in the hall had heard what he said clearly; the words which he had said was originally meant for everyone to hear. His aim was to tell this to everyone: The Demon Emperor Clan has always been under the protection of the Divine Golden Crow Spirit!
The Golden Crow was the Illusory Demon Realm’s sacred divine beast and the Demon Emperor Clan were the inheritors of the Golden Crow bloodline. It was just that the Golden Crow Spirit always existed within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, never intervening in the business of the outside for tens of thousands of years. Up till today, in their daily lives, people still payed their respects and conducted ceremonial rites to the Golden Crow. However, subconsciously, they did not consider that the Demon Emperor Clan was under the protection of the Golden Crow Spirit, so even their reverence had gradually weakened over the years…
Yun Che’s words however, left a deep mark in everyone’s hearts… that the Divine Golden Crow Spirit was all along protecting the Demon Emperor Clan. The sudden rise in the Little Demon Empress’ heaven-opposing strength was irrefutable evidence! So much so that the entire Demon Imperial City, and even the Illusory Demon Realm, has always been watched by it.
Once that psychological mark was left, the reverence towards the Demon Emperor Clan of the Illusory Demon Realm would multiply by countless of times; it would be hard to find someone who would dare think of rebelling.
The ambience within the Demon Imperial Hall experienced a subtle change for a moment. Those who had long since defected to Duke Huai Palace suddenly withdrew, their faces filled with a deep terror. The seven Patriarchs and the Dukes present all started to sweat profusely. Looking at the devastated state that Duke Huai was in, on the ground, along with the members of the Duke Huai Palace who were frightened stiff, Jiufang Kui and Chiyang Bailie who had slightly weaker psychological resilience started to sway. Both their legs became soft, almost falling flat on the ground many times.
Also, the looks at which people viewed the Yun Family had changed drastically. Everyone present had very clearly witnessed the Golden Crow flames that Yun Che had ignited. And it was not simply the case of a bestowal of bloodline! That was because after the Demon Emperor Clan, a second Family which inherited the Golden Crow bloodline was born!
Also, because the Little Demon Empress was the last remaining person from the Demon Emperor Clan, moreover was a female, the Demon Emperor clan was fated to perish. Instead, Yun Che who also possessed the Golden Crow bloodline could continue to pass on the bloodline, that was to say, after the Little Demon Empress, the ones who possessed the Golden Crow’s bloodline and strength would be the Yun Family!
That would mean, the Yun Family would be the ones who would receive the protection of the Divine Golden Crow Spirit!!
Anyone would know what that signified!
The Little Demon Empress glanced at Yun Che indifferently. Not even looking at Duke Huai who was by the side of her feet, emotionless words spilled from her lips, “Profound Handle Soul Search!”
Although Duke Huai’s injuries were not light, he was not at the state where he could not even stand. However he was silently suppressed by the Little Demon Empress’ profound energy, as if his whole body was pressed down by the heavens. Nevermind standing, he couldn’t even gasp for breath or speak. Hearing the Little Demon Empress’ voice, the only thing he could do was to open his eyes as wide as he possibly could.
“Wait… wait a moment…” an elder whose whole body emitted the aura of a Monarch from Duke Huai Palace stood out. As a mediator for Duke Huai Palace, he knew clearly the consequences if Duke Huai underwent the Profound Handle Soul Search in front of the heroes of the realm…
However the moment he spoke up, the Little Demon Empress suddenly shot her icy gaze over. He did not even finish his words, and a blaze shot over, transforming into a flaming python, twisting firmly around his body. Following that….
BOOM!!
The flaming python exploded, causing the elder’s body to transform into flaming bits, scattering in the air.
The speed at which the Little Demon Empress had attacked was incomparably terrifying. The moment the elder from Duke Huai Palace had opened his mouth, his entire body was burnt into bits. When people finally reacted, the previous terrors which they had only just calmed themselves from had presented itself in front of them again. Those around the elder had fallen, paralyzed on the ground; their terror-stricken eyes were practically split open.
“You may begin.”
Those three cold words knocked icily on everyone’s minds. She had absolutely no emotions on her face, absolutely no fluctuations, as if she had not just killed an immensely powerful Monarch, but just burnt a tiny little insect.
This time, no one from Duke Huai Palace made a sound. Everybody trembled, having their guts destroyed again and again from the fear and terror. The entire hall was silent to the point that one could hear a pin drop; even the sounds of breathing could not be heard. Yun He, Yun Jiang and Yun Xi moved forward… They were extremely careful when walking, afraid to even make the slightest sound.
The Little Demon Empress of today was simply too terrifying.
And amongst everyone present, the only person who truly understood why the Little Demon Empress had become so cruel and heartless was Yun Che. He looked at Duke Huai on the ground and said in a low voice to Mu Feiyan and Mu Yubai, “Grandfather, Uncle, I beg you to protect my father and mother… Duke Ming is currently hiding! Sooner or later, when he becomes impatient… he will be the biggest threat!”
Mu Feiyan and Mu Yubai were inwardly shocked. Not asking much, they nodding slightly. Behind them, the various elders of the Yun Family who had heard Yun Che’s voice all tensed up, becoming vigilant, storing up their profound energy and waiting to take action.
Chapter 622 - The Illusory Demon Realm Awakening from its Nightmare
To perform the Profound Handle Soul Search on a Monarch, even it was just a Monarch who was in the initial stages, would still be extremely hard to accomplish. But Duke Huai had been heavily wounded, seared by the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow flames, and his heart and soul had descended into complete chaos, so he was entirely suppressed by her. Neither his body nor soul had any power to resist anymore. In addition to this, Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi had assaulted him with their Profound Handles, and it only took a single attempt before a Profound Handle penetrated into Duke Huai’s soul.
The pain and fierce expression that Duke Huai had on his face gradually disappeared, giving way to a dazed and slack look. His eyes had also become dull and lifeless as well, like two empty holes.
“Little Demon Empress, Duke Huai has already been submitted to the Profound Handle Soul Search. If you have any questions, please ask them. He will say everything that he knows without the ability to lie.” As Yun He spoke, he had slightly bowed and had unconsciously moderated his breathing. Being only a few steps away from the Little Demon Empress, that kind of extremely oppressive aura made him feel like all the blood in his body had stopped flowing. Initially, when he had met the Little Demon Empress, or even met with the previous Emperor, he had never felt this kind of sensation.
As Yun He finished, he cautiously withdrew. The hundred thousand people gathered in the Demon Imperial Hall had fallen completely silent, and all eyes were focused on the Little Demon Empress. Before she opened her mouth, no one would dare to utter a single sound.
She had already been the Little Demon Empress for a hundred years, and her status should already have been elevated to the ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm, but today, it was the first time that she had truly become its master. Gender, age, qualifications, none of it mattered anymore. Whether she was the final descendant the Demon Emperor or not mattered even less. Because right now, she held absolute strength!
Regardless of the world, it was only if one held absolute strength that one could become an absolute ruler, and it was only then that one could become a true Emperor. This principle was something that she had been clear about ever since she was young. The hundred years she had ruled as the Little Demon Empress had also confirmed the truth of this principle for her time and time again.
The Little Demon Empress did not approach Duke Huai. Instead, she turned around and said in an apathetic voice, “Yun Che, come and perform the interrogation.”
“Yes!” Yun Che had seemed to guess that the Little Demon Empress would do this, so he answered without being the least bit surprised.
Yun Che kept the Heaven Smiting Sword and walked towards Duke Huai. He bent his head and looked at the person who was, just two hours ago, causing the world to tremble as he was about to ascend to the throne of the Demon Emperor. But now, he knelt there like a dead dog, his entire body covered in blood, his eyes dull and lifeless. Even an unarmed and defenseless commoner would take pity on the current Duke Huai.
There were still many of the peak powerhouses and enormous forces that his Duke Huai Palace had bribed that were still in the vicinity, but not a single person came forward to save him. In fact, not a single person even came forward to speak a word in his favor… Because any who would dare to do such a thing had already died terrible deaths.
The focus of all those gazes swivelled to Yun Che as he strode forward. Yun Che surveyed his surroundings and met all those gazes boldly. After that, his brows faintly sunk and he declared in a loud voice, “All those who are in attendance here today should know that my Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search will cause the mind of the person who has been submitted to it to wander, so that person will definitely not be in control of himself! Any words that he says will come from his own memory, and it definitely will not be false… So all of you need to prick up your ears to have a good listen to what this Duke Huai is going to say… and see just what kind of trash this person whom you nearly made the new sovereign of the Illusory Demon Realm really is, this person whom countless of people were willing to abandon the Little Demon Emperor for and fought tooth and nail to serve!!”
Yun Che turned his body and gazed at Duke Huai as he coldly exclaimed, “Duke Huai, let me ask you! All those years ago, how exactly did the those people from the Profound Sky Continent manage to suddenly invade our Illusory Demon Realm?!”
The gathered crowd originally thought that Yun Che would ask whether he had tried to harm the Little Demon Empress so as to establish his villainy. But who would have thought that he actually asked a question that everyone knew the answer to. Because of this, the faces of the audience were immediately filled with astonishment.
Duke Huai opened his lips and slowly uttered a reply, “It was my royal father… with a dimension transmission art… he informed the Profound Sky Continent… that the Mirror of Samsara which belonged to the Demon Emperor’s clan hid the secret of advancing to the Divine Profound Realm… and with that, he managed to entice them to come over…”
Because he could not consciously control it, Duke Huai’s voice was a bit hoarse, but it was clear enough for everyone to hear what he was saying. Every word that he said was like profound lightning that flashed across a clear sky; they were so shocking that they caused everyone’s face to lose color in extreme horror.
“This… this… this… this isn’t possible!” An old man tottered to his feet, his face filled with alarm, and no matter what, he could not bring himself to believe the words that he had just heard. The “royal father” that Duke Huai spoke of was naturally none other than Duke Ming, who had disappeared more than a hundred years ago. That Duke Ming who had an extremely high profound cultivation and extremely good reputation, who was always smiling…
“What is going on…”
“The invasion on the Profound Sky Continent was actually… this… what exactly…”
The Demon Imperial Hall immediately flew into an uproar, and the expression of every person present had undergone a huge change. Especially the Guardian Families and various Duke Palaces, they were all so shocked that their eyes were wide open and their mouths had grown slack while their very souls began to tremble… Every single one of them began to detect that something was not normal — This was the Yun Family’s Profound Handle Soul Search, so anything said by Duke Huai could not be false!
Perhaps, his crime was not so simple as merely attempting to commit regicide against the Little Demon Empress. In the shadows of Duke Huai Palace… there was perhaps an even more terrifying scheme that was still hidden away.
The reactions of all who were present was naturally more than normal to Yun Che. He stared directly at Duke Huai and continued, “I will ask you something else. The fact that the invaders from the Profound Sky Continent knew our Demon Imperial City like the back of their hands and were able to come and go as they pleased, was this due to the secret support of your Duke Huai Palace?”
“Yes.” Duke Huai opened his mouth and sluggishly uttered one word. That simple, short word was undoubtedly a bomb that was thrown into the Demon Imperial Hall.
Yun Che ignored the cries of shock that entered his ears and continued with a wooden face, “Now, honestly and sincerely tell everyone this, the previous Demon Emperor… just how did he die?!”
When Yun Che suddenly asked this question, he caused everyone to immediately hold their breaths. The previous Demon Emperor had personally pursued the invaders from the Profound Sky Continent and, in his rage, he had impulsively rushed into the teleportation formation to the Profound Sky Continent. After that, all communication had been lost… this was the “truth” that the people of the Illusory Demon Realm all knew. But Yun Che’s question clearly implied certain things, and coupled with Duke Huai’s previous replies, both of these things caused a feeling of dread to cover the hearts and souls of all who were present.
The answer to this question was a secret that Duke Huai could never disclose to anyone else. But under the compulsion of the Profound Handle Soul Search, he could only blindly obey, “It was my royal father… he took advantage of the Demon Emperor’s lack of precaution towards him… and smashed him into the teleportation profound formation that would send him to the Profound Sky Continent… causing him to travel directly to the other side of the spatial tunnel… into the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that was already lying in wait for him…”
Clamor————
The entire great hall immediately exploded into noise. Shock, fury, sorrow, and disbelief filled every nook and cranny, and even the people from Duke Huai Palace had expressions that were completely dumbfounded as they did not dare believe any of the words that they had just heard… and the forces who had sworn loyalty to Duke Huai started to tremble all over; there were a fair amount of people that directly swooned to the ground, their entire body soaked in cold sweat.
“Abomination… abomination!!” Mu Feiyan fists were so tight that every joint on his hand had turned white. The horrifying guess that Yun Che had brought up four months ago… was in the end still a guess. But after personally hearing the answer from Duke Huai’s mouth, his heart nearly exploded on the spot out of anger. And if he, a person who had already been mentally prepared for such an answer, reacted thus, how do you think the others fared?
It had been more than a hundred years since the previous Demon Emperor had met with calamity, and the truth that everyone knew was that he was harmed by the people of the Profound Sky Continent… But no one, even in their wildest dreams, had imagined that the true perpetrator behind the previous Demon Emperor’s death was actually Duke Huai Palace! Furthermore, it was clearly a scheme that had been meticulously hatched and premeditated!
“My grandfather brought along ten martyrs of the Yun Family to advance to the Profound Sky Continent, but when they had just arrived, they were immediately ensnared in the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that had lain in wait for them… Was it also a wicked deed that was caused by your Duke Huai Palace?!” Yun Che coldly exclaimed.
“Yes… it was my royal father… who told those of the Profound Sky Continent… when and where the Demon King would make his entrance…” Duke Huai muttered.
Bang!!
Tens of seats, along with a large swathe of ground, were instantly destroyed where the Yun Family was located. The three Grand Elders of the Yun Family, along with the various elders who had followed Yun Canghai all those years ago, all stood there, gnashing their teeth as their faces became flushed with blood, and they could barely hold themselves back from rushing up and tearing Duke Huai to shreds with their bare hands.
“And the Little Demon Emperor, just who killed him? How did he die?!” Yun Che pressed on relentlessly.
“On the wedding night of the Little Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress… he went alone to pay his respects to the previous Demon Emperor… and he was killed by my royal father… and before he died, my royal father used a soul invading technique to plunder all of the Little Demon Emperor’s memories… after that, he tossed the Little Demon Emperor’s corpse… into the spatial profound formation… and sent him to the Profound Sky Continent as well…”
“Four months ago, in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, who was it that wanted to force the Little Demon Empress into the Sea of Death?!”
“It was my royal father… and I…”
“What was your true purpose for enticing the people of the Profound Sky Continent into invading the Illusory Demon Realm?!”
“We wanted to use the people of the Profound Sky Continent… to plunge Demon Imperial City into chaos… so that we could murder both the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor and then pin all the crimes on them as well…”
“You are dukes of the Illusory Demon Royal Family! Why did you do such heinous things to the house of the Demon Emperor?!”
“My royal father was not content to serve… so he wanted to rise up above them instead…”
“Then, when did your royal father, Duke Ming, harbor such an ambition?!” Yun Che faintly narrowed his eyes.
Duke Huai opened his mouth but nothing proceeded from it… it was clear that it was something even he did not know.
Yun Che’s questions and Duke Huai’s answers, every single one of them shook the souls and shocked the hearts of those present. Every single word was like a huge sledgehammer pounding away at their hearts and souls. Gradually, after their fury and shock had reached its zenith, what was birthed was astonishingly an icy-cold dread…
For the past hundred years, all the people of the Illusory Demon Realm had thought that it was those of the Profound Sky Continent that had caused the deaths of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. It was the inhabitants of Profound Sky Continent that had left the Demon Emperor’s clan bereft of a heir and had caused the Yun Family to fall into decline. It was the evil villains of the Profound Sky Continent who had brought about the greatest calamity to befall the Illusory Demon Realm since its formation ten thousand years ago… With that, all the living beings of the Illusory Demon Realm became filled with hate and resentment towards the beings of the Profound Sky Continent. It was to the extent that the first thing most newborn children learned was that the residents of the Profound Sky Continent were the Illusory Demon Realm’s eternally detested enemies!
And it was only now that they found out, to their shock and horror, that everything that they had held as truth was actually a lie… The entire Illusory Demon Realm and all of those present had been dancing in the palm of the true villain all this while!
And the devil who had caused the deaths of the previous Demon Emperor, the Little Demon Emperor, and the Demon King and had caused great suffering to the entire Illusory Demon Realm… was no less than the person that they had worshipped in this divine and sacred Demon Imperial Hall. They had even planned to make this person… the new emperor!
If not for the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che’s return… besides the Yun and Mu Families, who were prepared to engage in a life-or-death struggle, all of those present would become the most tragic objects of ridicule in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm.
Shock, horror, and fury filled the hearts and minds of every single person as sweat drenched their backs. It was as if they had been trapped in a nightmare that had lasted a hundred years, and it was only today that someone had finally rescued them from it…
“Your Duke Huai Palace has done so many scandalous things that has infuriated both the gods and men. But those families who should have remained loyal to the house of the Demon Emperor and yet turned to you, they are plentiful indeed.” Yun Che said with a cold smirk, “Duke Huai, I am going to have to trouble you to recite the names of every power and family that had thrown their lots in with you… say them one by one, and don’t leave out a single faction!”
Yun Che’s words caused many of those who were present to tremble in shock and alarm. But Duke Huai had already begun to earnestly and sincerely recite. “Duke Zhong Palace… Helian Family… Chiyang Family… Jiufang Family… Duke Zi Palace… Great General Zheng Bei… Bai Family…”
Thud!!
Helian Kuang practically scrambled over on all fours, and he knelt in front of the Little Demon Empress as his entire body trembled and sounded like he was on the verge of sobbing. “Little Demon Empress… I was hoodwinked and led astray by the crafty scoundrel Duke Huai… if I had truly known that he had done such wicked things, even if I died tens of thousands of times over, I still would not have thrown my lot in with him… I… I… I was truly kept in the dark… I beg that the Little Demon Empress will perceive this clearly… I beg the Little Demon Empress to show me grace…”
“My Helian clan has been a Guardian Family for ten thousand years… I, Helian Kuang, will swear eternal loyalty to the Little Demon Empress alone from this day forth… if I dare to go back on my words… may I receive the scourge of heaven… may I be struck by lightning… Please believe me Little Demon Empress… those things done by Duke Huai Palace… I truly knew nothing about them…”
Helian Kuang’s voice grew hoarse, and he began to break down into complete incoherence. The Helian Patriarch who looked down on all under heaven had clearly been reduced to a blubbering mess by the Little Demon Empress’ oppressive might and the crimes of Duke Huai Palace. The crimes that Duke Huai had confessed to, any one of them was enough to make one’s hair stand on end. Any one of them was enough to earn the eternal enmity of the Illusory Demon Realm, and even the complete extermination of a clan to the ninth degree would not be enough to expiate the sins of these crimes! In addition, the powers and families who had stood with Duke Huai would also be painted with the same broad brush; their names would be a repugnant stench for ten thousand years, and they would never be able to emancipate themselves from this guilt.
Chapter 623 - Duke Ming Appears
Helian Kuang bitterly cried as tears fell down his face like a rainstorm. At this moment, his stomach was so filled with regret that it had turned completely green. The other families and forces, especially the ones who had been named by Duke Huai, were not just sitting there sedately either. They scrambled over themselves only to fall to the ground and begin swearing venomous oaths, declaring their loyalty, repenting, and begging for their lives in front of the Little Demon Empress amidst their shock and terror.
The Little Demon Empress’ power and might were indeed incomparably terrifying, but the crimes committed by Duke Huai Palace were far more shocking than that. Perhaps they need not fear death, but who would not fear being a hallmark of shame and rebuke, with their name being trodden on and despised for countless generations hereafter…
“Little Demon Empress, the things that Duke Huai Palace committed, we truly did not know of them… we did not know of them in the slightest…”
“If we really knew… even if we had ten thousand more guts, we still would never have associated with Duke Huai Palace whatsoever… and even that Duke Ming, I have never even seen him before…”
“Duke Huai… You… You… How could the lot of you actually be so utterly perverse and lacking in morals?! Not only did you assassinate the Demon Emperor, you also brought calamity to the entirety of the Illusory Demon Realm… These crimes, even if all of you received the condemnation of both heaven and earth and your roots were completely plucked out and burned, these punishments would still not offset your heinous deeds! If we had known… our Jiufang Family would have personally ripped you to shreds, no matter the cost…”
“Little Demon Empress, although both of us… prioritized our benefits, we… are truly ignorant regarding the matters of Duke Huai Palace. Otherwise, even if we were going to be killed, we would definitely not interact with Duke Huai Palace one bit… If any of what we have said is false, we are willing to be struck by lightning… We plead Little Demon Empress to forgive us for our ignorance… From now onwards, both of us are willing to die for the Little Demon Empress…” The ones who spoke were the two that had attacked Yun Qinghong previously, the two brothers, Bai Guihun and Bai Guiming. After they had heard Duke Huai coming out and confessing his crimes, their souls nearly dispersed in shock.
“This humble subject has always been devoted to the Demon Emperor’s clan and the Little Demon Empress… So the only reason that I threw in with Duke Huai Palace is because I thought that the Little Demon Empress had met with calamity, and I was only protecting myself… the crimes of Duke Huai Palace, this humble subject was completely unaware of them… the words of this humble subject and this humble subject’s loyalty, the sun and moon, and even the heaven and earth can attest to it…” A general who was dressed in golden armor had completely prostrated himself on the ground and was going to soon bash his head open against it.
The great hall was a field of grieving sobs, and none of those crawling on the ground were not unrivaled experts or part of prideful families. Just a mere two hours ago, they were all excessively arrogant beyond limits, but now, they wailed like the lowliest of convicts, desperately begging for forgiveness in their terror and remorse…
As for the members of Duke Huai Palace, they had all sunk to the ground, and their eyes were either filled with shock and horror or they were completely hollow. No one was able to utter even a single sound. They knew, that from today onwards, Duke Huai Palace would have no hope of reprieve. As members of Duke Huai Palace, they had been shocked and scared witless by the crimes that had been revealed.
One could still die a good death.
But, if a lifetime of prestige were to change into infamy overnight, whether they lived or died, from today onwards, they would be cursed by countless people. Even their descendants and all who were related to them would receive the contempt and rejection of the public… their ancestors too would be shamed forever because of this. This was many times more humiliating and terrifying than a simple death.
And they were currently right on the border to this hell. The crimes that Duke Huai Palace had committed were things that the Illusory Demon Realm had never witnessed before, crimes that were heinous enough to infuriate both god and man. They had indeed forsaken the Demon Emperor’s clan and sworn their loyalty to Duke Huai Palace. Once the Little Demon Empress had presided over their crimes, all their glory and honor would sink into the filthiest sludge.
Even if they had truly not known of the crimes committed by Duke Huai Palace… and even if they had never seen the long-disappeared Duke Ming.
The Little Demon Empress slowly lifted her eyes and coldly declared, “This empress is willing to believe that all of you had no knowledge whatsoever regarding the crimes committed by Duke Huai Palace.”
The words of the Little Demon Empress caused them to break out into joy immediately, but her following words were like a basin of ice-cold water thrown over their heads, piercing them to the bone. “But Duke Huai has been both openly and covertly defiant towards this empress countless of times. He has unscrupulously suppressed the powers that are loyal to this empress. So his ambition has long ago been made clear! Even if all of you were blind, you should still have been exceedingly clear on that! But all of you would rather abandon this empress and throw your lots in with Duke Huai Palace! So what you have done has been no different from open rebellion for the longest time… so do the lot of you have no sense of shame, that you are begging for mercy from this empress right now!!”
The words of the Little Demon Empress had undoubtedly fiercely pierced the weak spot of every single person here. They were exceedingly clear regarding what their actions meant and what intentions they had harbored in the depths of their heart. The Seven Families, the various Duke Palaces, and all those people who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, every single one of them was shivering uncontrollably. The only thing left for them to do was to desperately beg for mercy, declare their loyalty, and swear the most vicious of oaths.
The Little Demon Empress slowly extended her hand, her movement immediately causing everyone to hold their breaths… that tender and delicate hand which was as white as driven snow was, in their eyes, undoubtedly the hand of a death god that could instantly steal away all life.
Clang!
Following a flip of the Little Demon Empress’ hand, a short blade which radiated cold light flew out from Bai Guiming and fell in front of Duke Huai with half of the blade burying itself into the ground. The Little Demon Empress’ low voice swelled up following that, “Since you want to express loyalty… very good. Whoever amongst you personally kills Duke Huai, this empress will pardon his crimes!”
A dead silence engulfed the great hall for an instant, but following that, a surging of wave of energy exploded outwards, and it was as if the Demon Imperial Hall was being shaken by an earthquake. The people who had originally been kneeling on the ground all frantically rushed at Duke Huai, their speed and their panic surging profound energy nearly exceeding the limits of their life.
Helian Kuang was the closest, and his reaction speed was the fastest as well. He scooped up the knife that had been thrust into the ground, and with scarlet eyes, he rushed towards Duke Huai while howling with evident hatred, “Duke Huai… die!!”
His hate was without a doubt the real deal. He would naturally not blame himself for the situation he found himself in right now; rather than blaming himself for betraying the righteousness of his ancestors, he would rather push the blame entirely onto Duke Huai… All of his strength was concentrated in the short blade within his hand, and it directly lunged towards Duke Huai’s vitals. Helian Kuang resented that he could not directly cleave his body in two.
At this time, an explosion rang out in the air above them, and the rooftop of the Imperial Demon Hall had largely collapsed. A crimson black conflagration, which covered the sky and the earth, brought a scorching and tyrannically sinister energy wave along with it as it exploded downwards… before the flames had even arrived, that incomparably berserk energy wave had already caused all those who rushed towards Duke Huai to collapse to the ground, and the floor of the great hall swiftly sank before everyone’s eyes.
“It’s Duke Ming… Be careful!” Yun Che yelled in a low voice as he grabbed the Heaven Smiting Sword and rushed in front of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou.
The Little Demon Empress swung a long sleeve. Golden Crow flames surged towards the sky, and in the blink of an eye, the devilish fire that filled the sky was blown apart by the impact. Following the dissipation of the Fallen Devil flames, a figure clothed in silver robes could be seen floating in the sky far above.
“Duke… Ming!!” The people who had seen Duke Ming before let out startled cries. Even though Duke Ming had disappeared for more than one hundred years, his appearance remained completely the same as before. It was only that the “smiling appearance” that he used to display, that warmth and courtesy and that lack of princely airs, had all dissolved into thin air. At this moment, only a devilish smile was displayed on his face.
The Little Demon Empress floated in the air and came face to face with Duke Ming, her eyes giving off a bone-piercingly cold killing intent. “Duke Ming, this empress was beginning to think that you would not have the guts to show up.”
“Sigh.” Duke Ming observed the dreadful state of Duke Huai Palace below and let out a short sigh. “The victors rule the world while the losers become bandits. When this duke had initially thought of my day of victory, I had also naturally thought of the consequences of failure… It is only that this duke did not lose to any man, but has lost to the Golden Crow Divine Spirit… The strength of man, in the end, cannot compete with the strength of gods. If not, this Illusory Demon Realm would belong to this duke’s clan.”
“Duke Ming… So it really was you!!” Mu Feiyan pointed a finger at Duke Ming, and he was furious that his entire body was trembling. “The previous Demon Emperor placed such great trust in you, and all those years ago, when you desired to leave Demon Imperial City, the previous Demon Emperor and I had done our utmost to dissuade you… In those days, the Demon King told me to be wary of you, but from the beginning to the very end, I disapproved of what he had said… However, who would have thought that you were really such an ungrateful, despicable, and poisonous villain!”
“Hehe…” Duke Ming gave an apathetic bark, “The lifespan of a man, if it is short, it will last decades; if it is long, it will last millennia. But in the end, all becomes dust and is scattered to the heavens and earth; all is transient. In this short life, if one is ambitious, why would one be willing to be beneath another and become another person’s servant. If the Demon Emperor’s clan could establish themselves as the emperors of the entire realm, then why couldn’t this duke’s clan do so as well?! This duke has merely done what many average people have desired to do but had not the nerve to. I have done things that these plebeians have never even dared to dream of! So what wrong did this duke commit?! Even though I have suffered defeat today, this duke only feels dissatisfied. I have absolutely no regrets!”
“The words of Duke Ming are absolutely wrong.” Yun Che gave a dull laugh as he replied languorously.
“Oh?” Duke Ming inclined his eyes to look at Yun Che. “Why don’t you tell me exactly what this duke said that was wrong.”
“It was not anything you said explicitly. Your entire premise is wrong to being with.” Yun Che shook his head as he smiled faintly but contemptuously. “What is a human? Humans can afford to not be invincible, can afford to not have any glorious achievements, and can afford to live a life of complete mediocrity. What makes someone human is not their shape or their independent will. The most important defining and most basic characteristic of what defines humanity is our human nature, our intrinsic sense of honor and our innate sense of what is right and wrong. Duke Ming, these characteristics, do you possess them? Oh… it seems like you are nearly completely void of them. If that is the case, then what qualifications do you have to call yourself a man? In the end, you are merely a malicious beast at best.
“Since even your premise that you were a human being is completely wrong, then whatever you have said after that is merely a big pile of rubbish.
“Furthermore, you compared yourself to the clan of the Demon Emperor, that is simply the biggest joke that I’ve ever heard. Why could the Demon Emperor’s clan reign supreme for ten thousand years? It had nothing to do with the fact that they inherited the bloodline of the Golden Crow! In those years, it was the first Demon Emperor who pacified the chaos within the Illusory Demon Realm, ended the strife between humans and demons, and unified the entire Illusory Demon Realm, bringing ten thousand years of peace, prosperity, and lack of strife to the entire realm! So the Demon Emperor’s clan does possess the qualifications to rule all under heaven and to receive the obeisance of all the citizens of the realm. But you, Duke Ming … What qualifications do you have?!
“As a member of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, you have received the favor of the Demon Emperor’s clan. From birth, you had a noble status, and you enjoyed the best that the Illusory Demon Realm could offer. But not only did you not feel grateful and loyal, you actually harbored such evil intentions in your heart! You even invited wolves into the very heart of the realm and caused the Illusory Demon Realm to suffer a great crisis. You caused Demon Imperial City to descend into chaos, and even despicably and maliciously murdered the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. The Little Demon Empress had very nearly been consigned to death by you in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley as well… Not only did you not render a single service to the Illusory Demon Realm, you actually created crisis after crisis! While the Demon Emperor’s clan has the great merit of uniting the realm, you, Duke Ming, only have heinous and malevolent acts left to your name! So on what basis can you compare yourself to the Demon Emperor’s clan? How do you even possess the shamelessness to attempt to make that comparison in the first place?!
“The Demon Emperor’s clan could rule over ten thousand years and all under heaven was at peace. But you, even if your nefarious plot had succeeded, on the day where all truths come to light, you will also be destroyed under the hatred of all the people of the realm, and you will definitely not last!
“Moreover, your royal father, your grandfather, all the ancestors of your clan, what view do you think they will take towards your so-called ‘ambition?’ Do you think they will feel gratified and proud?! No! What they will feel is only pain, sadness, disgust, and anger! Yes, anger! That they could not descend from the heavens to personally throttle you to death! Because you have turned all their glory into shame, causing your clan to forever become a black stain upon history…”
“Silence!!!”
Duke Ming, who still carried a calm expression on his face despite his utter defeat, at this moment, could not help but to let out a hoarse cry filled with anger and hatred. His face distorted, and intense emotions started to ripple in those previously calm eyes. In this world, the sharpest blades were words which cut to the heart! Every sentence Yun Che uttered, every word he said, was like the sharpest of needles which fiercely drove into his most vulnerable points. This caused his originally unyielding and resolute demeanor, which allowed him to disregard everything, to be completely perforated.
He had finally personally tasted the sharpness of Yun Che’s words… and he finally understood why his own son, Duke Huai, would not only be angered to distraction by this person but would even have the shadow of this person lingering in his heart.
“Oh! Has your shame driven you to anger?” The aura that Duke Ming released in his rage was incomparably shocking, but how could Yun Che be scared because of that? He gave a gleeful smile and continued, “The victors as kings and the losers as bandits? No, no, no. That is something that can be appended to ambitious and ruthless people, it completely doesn’t suit you. Because the current you is at the very best someone who is about to endure universal scorn and abuse. A mere stray dog!”
Duke Ming’s body started to tremble, “This duke… will kill you!!”
Chapter 624 - Reign of Terror
Duke Ming roared loudly. His whole body burst into flames, and a Giant Flame Devil that was more than thirty meters tall fell from the sky as it opened its big, ferocious mouth and stormed towards Yun Che.
The pressure from the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm completely suffocated Mu Feiyan, even with his power. However, the Giant Flame Devil had only flown for less than thirty meters when a streak of scarlet-gold flames burned across the sky, and as soon as it touched the Giant Flame Devil, it was as if fierce flames touched rotten wood, and the Giant Flame Devil instantly burst into flames. In the blink of an eye, the crimson-black Giant Flame Devil became the color of scarlet-gold. Its figure twisted, and it roared in deep agony… Before long, it was burned to ashes, and became sparks that shattered to bits in the sky.
Even though everyone had already experienced the extremely terrifying powers of the Little Demon Empress again and again, a scene like this still trembled everyone’s heart and soul in fear. Duke Ming’s pupils shrunk, and his chest was heaving violently. He looked at the Little Demon Empress, and said in an intricate voice, “Could it be… that your profound energy… has already… achieved the Divine Profound Realm!?”
The four words “achieved Divine Profound Realm” were so shocking that everyone was stunned, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Divine Profound Realm… the legendary Realm of Divinity! The people who stepped into this realm would no longer be normal; instead, they would become a god amongst men! However, the reason it was a legend was because it had never appeared before; it was even generally acknowledged as impossible for a mortal being to achieve, and it merely existed within the records and imagination of humans.
The Little Demon Empress’ extremely ridiculous strength… the bestowment from the Golden Crow Divine Soul…
Could the Little Demon Empress, who had awakened her bloodline and received the Golden Crow Divine Soul’s unparalleled divine power, truly have stepped into the legendary realm that no one could achieve…
Everyone’s hearts were trembling violently, and the respect and fear in their eyes that gazed upon the Little Demon Empress increased several times… Of course, it was mostly fear. The remaining resistance in their hearts was all shaken by the two words “Divine Profound” and ceased to exist.
“No, that is impossible.” Duke Ming shook his head slowly, and the crimson-black flames on his body swayed madly. In the span of a few breaths, the flames had already risen up to more than three hundred meters high. “How is it possible… for someone to be stronger than this duke in this world! Absolutely impossible!!”
Duke Ming’s eyes widened as he roared, and the three hundred meter tall Devil Flames burning on his body made a devilish howl and charged abruptly towards the Little Demon Empress.
In an instant, the space collapsed and the blue sky changed color. This was the strength of a practitioner at the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, that used to be the strongest in the Illusory Demon Realm, giving his all. If this Fallen Devil Flame were to fall, it would be enough to burn half of Demon Imperial City to ashes.
An apocalyptic pressure caused the crowd beneath to yell in terror.
The Little Demon Empress focused her gaze as the Golden Crow’s flames burned silently on her body. She raised her arms, and her tender, snowy arms dazzling under her wide, gray sleeves. But it was the simple, light wave of the young girl’s flawless, fine arms, that instantly planted an enormous Fire Cage, and shrouded Duke Ming and his three hundred meters of Devil Flames all within.
When the Fallen Devil Flame touched the Fire Cage, no matter how violent it was, it wasn’t able to advance even half an inch. The Fire Cage started shrinking rapidly. Every inch that it shrunk, the Fallen Devil Flame then backed off an inch. Gradually, the Fire Cage shrunk until it was less than three hundred meters, but it was still shrinking in speed, and the Fallen Devil Flame that had nowhere to escape was being compressed, swallowed, and dissipated little by little, like a desperate beast trapped in a cage; no matter how it struggled or cried, it was unable to escape and could only wait to perish completely in lament.
The Fire Cage shrunk until it was only ten meters, and only then did it finally stop shrinking. The Fallen Devil Flame that was originally three hundred meters tall had been burned until there were only scattered flames left, and not a single trace could escape the cage. Duke Ming was trapped in the center of the cage and couldn’t move at all… because during this process, he tried to escape more than ten times, but every time he touched the Golden Crow Flame on the Fire Cage, he was burned and overwhelmed by the pain.
The difference between his strength and the Little Demon Empress’ was evident from this.
Solely based on the profound energy levels, the difference between the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm and half a step into the Divine Profound Realm was less than half a small realm, but the difference between them was half a plane. Whether it was the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow bloodline or the Golden Crow Flame, it all completely suppressed Duke Ming.
The Duke Ming that the Little Demon Empress of four months ago was definitely unable to oppose now was unfit to even be her opponent.
“Duke Ming…” The Little Demon Empress reached out her palms, but they weren’t facing towards Duke Ming; instead, they faced downwards, and above her arms, the ascending Golden Crow Flames scorched more and more. Each of her words was filled with hatred, “You killed my father, killed my brother, harmed my whole clan, and drove my Illusory Demon Realm into chaos! Your crimes must be paid with the blood of your whole clan!!”
“This empress gave up everything and crawled back from the abyss of death… to make your whole clan… fall into infinite hell!!”
The voice of the Little Demon Empress seemed to be from outside the heavens and clearly spread to all of the corners of Demon Imperial City. After the last word was spoken, she waved her arms that were burning with the Golden Crow Flames. The surging scarlet flames became an enormous Golden Crow Flame Silhouette and flew towards the west side of the Demon Imperial City…
In the time of a few breaths, the large Golden Crow Flame Silhouette had already flown away more than ten miles, temporarily circled in the air above, and abruptly dropped down…
The loud explosion shook the whole Demon Imperial City, and a scarlet-gold fire pillar shot up and spread towards the sky. Even from more than hundred miles away, they could see the flames shooting up into the sky. Under the ruthless Golden Crow Flame… and it was the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow Flame; there was no question that everything would be burned into ashes.
“That’s… that’s…”
“That’s Duke Huai Palace!!”
The sound of yelling came from everywhere, and there was even the sound of those sucking in a cold breath. The Little Demon Empress actually sent her Golden Crow Flame to Duke Huai Palace over ten miles away! Even with such a distance, the flames and smoke filling the air, and the power of the flames that still startled and frightened people’s hearts, even from more than ten miles away, all showed that the great Duke Huai Palace had been completely demolished… The entirety Duke Huai Palace, including the living people within, were all buried within… and none of them would be able to survive!
Yun Che opened his mouth and said to himself in surprise, “Half a step into the Divine Profound Realm… is actually so strong to this extent…”
“You think?” Jasmine said in disdain, “Even though the Divine Profound Realm is merely one rank above the Sovereign Profound Realm in terms of level, the disparity between it is in fact an incredibly large watershed! In this world, there are countless profound practitioners that have broken through to the Emperor Profound Realm and the Tyrant Profound Realm, but no one has ever broken through to the Sovereign Profound Realm, and they can’t even step halfway into the Divine Profound Realm! Because of this, the Sovereign Profound Realm was called the limitation of a mortal being. Just from the fact that no one has ever broken through this reality, you can imagine the how large the difference between Divine Profound Realm and Sovereign Profound Realm is!”
“Or, I could tell you in a even more straightforward way!” Jasmine said softly, “If the Elementary Profound Realm and the Sovereign Profound Realm are categorized as large realms, then the Divine Profound Realm would be another large realm! A completely different realm! And the Little Demon Empress has her foot in halfway into this large realm. Even though on the surface, it looks like she and Duke Ming only have a slight difference between them, the laws that she could touch now, even her understanding of this world, are already different from Duke Ming and all other living beings on a fundamental level.”
“Using the rest of their life in exchange for three years of divine power; it is an especially good deal for the living creatures of this world.”
Yun Che, “…”
The endlessly burning flames and the raging, dense smoke wavered in Duke Ming’s pupils. In order to cut off the Demon Emperor’s clan, he plotted deliberately for a hundred years, yet the Little Demon Empress only used a torch of fire and destroyed his clan’s thousands of years of foundation.
But the nightmare of Duke Huai Palace has only just begun. The Little Demon Empress waved her arms, and Duke Huai’s body was sucked up into the air in sparks of flames. He was still under the effects of Profound Handle Soul Search. His eyes were dull and his face was expressionless. He wasn’t the only one who was sucked up into the air; there were also his sons, Duke Hui Ye and Duke Hui Ran.
“Duke Ming, you caused the deaths of my father and my brother… so this empress will slaughter the people of your clan, exterminate all of your offspring, burn them, and kill them in the most painful way in the world!!”
“This is what your clan… deserves.”
“You…” Duke Ming’s face was pale, and his body was also trembling slightly. The Fire Cage shrouding over him was something that was not supposed to belong to this world. He wasn’t able to escape using any of his methods and could only watch his own son and grandsons be thrown high up into the air…
“Little Demon Empress… spare me… I don’t know anything… I really don’t know anything… ahhhh!!!!”
Hui Ye begged desperately, but his begging would never trigger any of the Little Demon Empress’ mercy. She ignited flames from out of thin air and veiled the three of them. The sound of his begging immediately became horrific screaming.
Being burned by the Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow Flame, they were destined to be burned to ashes, and no one could possibly save them. But how would the Little Demon Empress just let them die that easily? The Golden Crow on their bodies followed their limbs and burned slowly, swallowing their bodies and blood bit by bit, torturing them with flames that seemed to be from hell itself.
“Waaahhh… Little Demon Empress… spare me… Grandfather… save me… save me… ahhhhh…”
The three bodies were burning in mid-air until their flesh and blood were all horribly mangled, and their limbs were all gone, but the sound of their screaming was still horrific. They were in extreme pain and could neither live nor die. All the people below were shivering with pale faces as their teeth chattered away. Just looking at a scene like this, listening to sounds like this, they were so in fear they almost couldn’t stand straight.
“Shut up! Don’t beg her for mercy!” Duke Ming roared harshly. Watching his only son and grandsons ending up like this, his eyes were bloodshot and his face was pale like a ferocious ghost. He reached out his palm and pointed at the Little Demon Empress while trembling, declaring, “Little Demon Empress… this is not over… don’t think that this duke has lost completely… the strength you have, is not usual… In a short four months, and to have your profound energy increase so fiercely… it is impossible for it to not have side effects… perhaps… your cost, is death… die before this duke!!”
The Little Demon Empress locked her eyebrows, and said coldly, “You’re about to die and still dare to speak of such nonsense! This empress will now put you to a graveless death!!”
“You alone… are not enough to kill this duke!!” Duke Ming gnashed his teeth in seeming madness. A dark bloodstream dropped speedily from the corner of his mouth. “Little Demon Empress… you just wait! This duke will one day… obtain revenge, revenge that will repay this ten thousand times over!!”
Pff!!
Duke Ming spat out a large sheet of blood mist, and color of the blood mist was a ghastly sight of crimson-black. Under the shrouding of the crimson-black blood mist, Duke Ming’s body gradually faded, and then completely disappeared.
“Blood escape!” Jasmine yelled aloud, and followed with a soft sneer, “Even if he escaped, he lost a large amount of his life vitality and blood. But for the Illusory Demon Realm, it will certainly be big trouble.”
The Fire Cage was put away. The Little Demon Empress became a flash and appeared where Duke Ming had been before. She looked at the dissipated crimson-black blood mist. Her eyes were filled with endless chill, and her chest was heaving.
This was the blood escape that used blood and vitality as a cost to activate. Even with the Little Demon Empress’ strength now, she could not trace the direction in which he escaped.
Behind her, the screaming of Hui Ye and Hui Ran had stopped. The three bodies of the father and sons had been burned completely into ashes and were floating in the air. Duke Huai, who used to look prestigious when wearing the emperor’s clothing just earlier today and was elected as the new emperor, along with his two sons that were extraordinarily proud, had come to their miserable ends on the day that was supposed to be their most proud day.
The Little Demon Empress slowly turned around, and her sight swept below. In the wrecked Demon Emperor Hall, those sinners who surrendered to Duke Huai Palace were still kneeling on the ground, and no one dared to stand up at all. Under the gaze of the Little Demon Empress, their bodies were trembling, and every pore from head to toe was shivering.
“This empress will give you a chance to compensate for your crimes!” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was like the judgement of the reaper, sounded coldly in their ears, “I will give you ten days. Within these ten days, this empress wants you all to wipe out Duke Huai Palace’s whole clan! Father, mother, wife… exterminate their whole family! Even women and children cannot be excluded! And bring their corpses and pile them up in front of the gate of Demon Imperial City and burn them all; not even a single hair can remain!”
“After ten days, if there is anyone left of Duke Huai’s clan, this empress will condemn and kill a hundred of you! If there are ten people left, then this empress will kill a thousand of you!”
The ruthless command of the Little Demon Empress set off the most terrifying reign of terror in the history of the Demon Imperial City. A baptism of blood with the Little Demon Empress’ endless hatred, with Duke Huai Palace at the center, had fallen onto the Illusory Demon Realm’s holy Imperial City…
Chapter 625 - Primordial Seal of Life and Death?
The New Emperor’s Ascension Ceremony that captured everyone’s attention was ended in a way that no one could have imagined, and it was replaced with a baptism by the fresh blood of the rebels and Duke Huai Palace.
Because of the cruel command to exterminate the whole Duke Huai Palace, everyone who originally surrendered to Duke Huai Palace raised their butcher knives towards the people of Duke Huai Palace madly. Those who used to earnestly wish to lick the feet of Duke Huai Palace now could not wait to disassociate themselves from it completely. Each of them were striving to be first, fearful of being last and killing fewer people than the others… Especially the seven great Guardian Families and the many Duke Palaces, they knew clearly in their heart that if they wanted to save themselves and protect their families, they needed to do whatever they could to show their loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, even if they needed to give up their dignity, shake their tails, and beg for it…
Because the Little Demon Empress now absolutely had the power to make their ten thousand year old family perish overnight, and she could use a few words to have all their clans be remembered by history as a byword for infamy!
Duke Huai Palace was Duke Huai Palace after all, they had many strong practitioners within, but it was impossible for them to endure against the joint forces of all of these peerless, strong practitioners, and they were eventually enclosed upon by them. The time limit the Little Demon Empress gave was ten days, but only a short three days passed before Duke Huai Palace was already completely ravaged, and the whole family was exterminated… not even a single survivor was left. Even those of Duke Huai’s family that were thousands of miles away were slaughtered.
The once extraordinary and prosperous Duke Huai Palace had already became a charred ruin. The thick smell of blood was stirring within and didn’t disperse for a long time. No one dared to go within ten miles of it. At that time, in Demon Imperial City, every force was trembling with fear, everyone was feeling insecure, and even while walking they were careful, not daring to speak too loudly.
All the heroes of the realm who came from all around to participate in the Demon Empress Reign Ceremony and the New Emperor’s Ascension Ceremony were still unable to leave, because in seven days, the Reign Ceremony that was interrupted would once again be reassembled… This was also a command from the Little Demon Empress herself. No one dared to disobey the Little Demon Empress’ commands now.
On the contrary, the Yun Family had been filled with an atmosphere of excitement these couple of days.
Even though Yun Qinghong’s taboo formation was forcefully stopped by the Little Demon Empress and didn’t trigger the most serious consequence, half of it had already been initiated. The wounds on his body were only secondary to the severity of him losing too much blood essence. Losing blood essence not only would make his profound energy fall, but the most awful thing was that it would make his aptitude decrease permanently; it was so severe that it might even be impossible for him to have any breakthroughs in the future… Once the blood essence was damaged, it was almost impossible to use any method to restore it.
But to Yun Che who bore the power (su) of (per) Rage (game) God (hack), it was not impossible for him to repair damaged blood essence.
Yun Che sat behind Yun Qinghong, and placed his palms on his back where his heart was and continuously inserted the force of nature absorbed with the Great Way of the Buddha into his body.
This movement continued for more than two hours. After that, Yun Che withdrew his palms, and Yun Qinghong opened his eyes. His face was rosy, his eyes were clear, and his breaths were vigorous; people couldn’t even notice any trace of him having just loss a huge amount of blood essence.
“Phew!” Yun Che slightly took a breath, and said relievedly, “Father’s vitality was already particularly vigorous, restoring it was easier than I thought. Two hours like this every day, and father’s damaged blood essence will be fully restored in three months at most.”
“Che’er, you’ve worked hard.” Mu Yurou reached out and wipe off the sweat off of Yun Che’s forehead softly, and her face was filled with love and satisfaction.
“This is just… a miracle!” Yun Waitian said excitedly.
“With the Young Patriarch’s words, we are completely at ease.” Yun Duanshui nodded delightfully, and then said in a disconsolate manner, “Thank the heavens for returning to us our Young Patriarch. Young Patriarch, our whole clan has shamed you for more than twenty years. When you returned, you saved our whole clan from fire and water… Please accept Yun Duanshui’s salute!”
After saying so, he quickly bent his knee in obeisance and deeply saluted… Even though he was stirred up while talking, it was not exaggerated at all. Anyone could see clearly that it was the return of Yun Che that saved the Yun Family that was on the verge of life and death, and with his and the Little Demon Empress’ aggressive return, the Yun Family had even been placed at a height that had never been achieved before.
Yun Waitian also bent down before him in haste. Yun Che immediately came before them and held them up, “Elders, please get up, this is too much for this junior to accept. In terms of the disbursement, you are the ones that have really worked hard and performed a valuable service, how can this junior be qualified to accept your kneeling…”
At this moment, the sound of rapid footsteps came from outside, followed by the sound of Xiao Yun’s anxious yell, “Father, Mother… I’m back!!”
The door was pushed open, and Xiao Yun was standing there shaken up with his face all red, “Father, Mother… Big Brother!”
He rushed in front of Yun Che, so excited that his eyes were filled with tears, and he didn’t know what to do, “Big Brother, to be able to see you again… it really is… it really is great…”
While talking, Xiao Yun was almost choked with sobs. The thirteen elders slowly walked close from outside, and said cheerfully, “When Young Master found out that Young Patriarch was back, he was so excited that he almost cried… the Little Demon Empress was safe and sound, and our Yun Family was also safe… Heaven really didn’t disappoint our Yun Family.”
Three days ago, when Yun Qinghong was determined to have a life and death struggle with Duke Huai, he knocked Xiao Yun out and had the thirteen elders take him to somewhere thousands of miles away. After all, he had already decided to meet his death, and his whole clan would possibly follow him, but he definitely couldn’t involve the descendant of Xiao Ying.
And now that everything was heading towards a direction that could not have been imagined in the beginning, Xiao Yun and the thirteen elders naturally came back.
“Xiao’er, father has disappointed.” Yun Qinghong smiled and said, “I forcefully sent you ten thousand miles away without your consent…”
“No no no!” Xiao Yun waved his hand in panic, “I know father and mother did this to protect me, why would you have disappointed me… Originally, I was especially afraid, I wanted to come back and face it with father and mother, but was afraid to come back, afraid that my return would waste Father and Mother’s effort… Now I see that Father and Mother was fine and Big Brother is also safe. Our family is reunited as a whole, it’s just … too great!”
“Xiao’er…” Looking at her two sons, Mu Yurou’s eyes misted up, and felt once again that she couldn’t ask for any more in her life.
Yun Che said with a smile, “If we could have Seventh Sister here in our family, then it would be even more perfect.”
“Hahahaha!” Everyone in the house laughed loudly. Xiao Yun’s face became red, lowered his head, and laughed in embarrassment.
Yun Che took out the Overlord Pellet from his Sky Poison Pearl and said, “”At first I told you I would split the Overlord Pellet into two, and give you two each half of it. I did not expect that the time has passed this long. Wait until father’s health is stable. I will take care of the issue of the Overlord Pellet, and then you’ll take this Overlord Pellet to Seventh Sister. I guarantee you that your future father-in-law will come out and welcome you personally.”
“Hehehe,” Xiao Yun giggled while blushing.
Yun Qinghong’s body was heavily injured, his blood essence was severely harmed, and he needed a large amount of time to rest. Yun Che went back to his residence, remembered everything that happened to him after he came to Illusory Demon Realm, and couldn’t help to feel a sense of sadness. His arrival actually completely changed Illusory Demon Realm’s destiny. If he didn’t appear, the Yun Family would have completely collapsed, the Demon Emperor’s clan would have disappeared forever, and Illusory Demon Realm would have been dominated by Duke Huai Palace. Even Duke Ming’s malicious plan would never have been revealed to the world.
By today, everything counted as settled. The faint, bloody smell coming from outside was the evidence of Duke Huai Palace being completely destroyed. The only unsettling factor left was Duke Ming who blood escaped… and the Little Demon Empress’ remaining three years of life.
“When are you preparing to return to Profound Sky Continent?” Jasmine suddenly asked.
“…If Father needs to heal, I still need three months. For at least these three months, I still can’t return.” Yun Che said slightly absentmindedly, “And there is still something important that I must do in this Illusory Demon Realm.”
“Important thing?” Jasmine rarely wasn’t able to see through what Yun Che was thinking.
Yun Che was silent for a while, then he said in a low voice, “There’s really only three years left of the Little Demon Empress’ life… is there no other way?”
“What? Can’t bear for her to die?” Jasmine’s voice was filled with the most obvious disdain.
“At least, the originally chaotic situation was able to be settled that fast, the main reason being the Little Demon Empress’ absolute power, but three years is really too short. Once she falls after three years… it is very possible that the Illusory Demon Realm will be in chaos again.” Yun Che said slowly, “Besides… she is my woman in any case!”
“Hmph! Seems like the last sentence is the main point!” Jasmine said in disdain, “What you care about most is always a woman!”
“…Thank you for your compliment,” Yun Che said powerlessly. His mind flashed back to the scene in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. The Little Demon Empress blocked Duke Ming’s attack for him when she was severely injured herself. Her pale face and soulless eyes when she held him down on the ground… And when the Golden Crow Spirit told her she would only have three years of life remaining, she didn’t hesitate at all… And how she treated Duke Huai Palace after she returned with cruel, relentlessness…
There was a sting in his heart that he couldn’t control.
Right now what people saw was only her inviolable dignity and indomitable power, but no one knew what she had to suffer, bear, sacrifice, and everything she had to disburse all this time… Without her closest family, she had to endure everything that happened by herself. Now, it was also her alone that was avenging the Demon Emperor’s clan, reforming Demon Imperial City, and bearing the debt of blood of the whole Duke Huai Palace…
She was only a woman after all.
If it was another woman, even if she had a thousand times as much willpower, she would have already collapsed.
Without the title of the Little Demon Empress, she had it even harder and more wretched than a common woman.
“The Little Demon Empress’ profound energy now is relying on burning and overdrafting her own life to sustain! At most, she could live for another three years, this is what the Divine Beast Golden Crow’s soul had said! Even the soul of a Divine Beast had said so; in this world, what kind of people do you think would have the strength to reverse this!”
“With your knowledge… it is really completely impossible?” Yun Che asked without giving up.
“Hmph, I knew you would ask this.” Jasmine scoffed slightly, “If you are determined to know, I actually know two ways… but if I tell you, you will only be even more disappointed.”
“What way?” Yun Che’s spirit lifted and said, “Hurry and say it. If there really is a way… no matter what, it is better than being completely without hope!”
“Then listen closely.” Jasmine scoffed softly, “The first way is to cultivate your Great Way of the Buddha to above stage ten! By then, not only would you have the body similar to a True God, you could absorb the most primitive, pure primordial essence from the space in the universe! If you give her enough primordial essence every day, over time, a qualitative change would take place of her physique, and she could possibly live for another hundred years.”
“But, forget about you having the body of a human which can only reach stage six of the Great Way of the Buddha, even if you could really achieve the tenth stage… she only has three years of life remaining! It was already a miracle that you only used five years to break through from stage one to stage four. It is unknown if you could breakthrough to stage five using just three years of time… stage ten is a fantasy. Even if the Rage God were alive, it is impossible to break through the Great Way of the Buddha from stage four to stage ten in three years.”
“…Then what is the second way?” Yun Che gnashed his teeth slightly. Even though he knew the way Jasmine told him was extremely hard to achieve, this rain on his parade was just too thorough. Jasmine had said before too that her brother used all of his vital energy just to cultivate to the sixth stage of the Great Way of the Buddha. For him to cultivate to stage ten within three years… this was something that was impossible no matter what.
“The second way,” Jasmine’s voice trembled slightly, and said faintly, “Is to find the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasure’s rank three… the ‘Primordial Seal of Life and Death’ that has the power of ‘eternity!’”
———————————————
Resentful civilian, “What is so fun about you, a pay-to-win player, bullying us losers who doesn’t have the dough!!”
Yun Che, “You are all mistakened, I am not a simple pay-to-win player.”
Resentful civilian, “Stop quibbling! You are just a pay-to-win player!”
Yun Che, “No… Actually, I am just a pay-to-win player… with game hacks.
Resentful civilian, “…” (spits three hundred liters of blood)
Chapter 626 - The Revived Primordial Profound Ark
“The Primordial Seal of Life and Death… Heavenly Profound Treasure?” Yun Che immediately became dazed.
“Among the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasures, the Primordial Seal of Life and Death is ranked only below the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword and the Evil Embryo Eternal Tribulation Wheel. It is said that it was birthed in the center of the primordial universe, and its energy is also connected with that of the primordial universe. As long as the primordial universe does not die, it will never be destroyed!” Jasmine said in an unhurried tone.
“When you mentioned the power of ‘eternity,’ what did you mean by that?”
“If you wear it on your person, your lifespan will never decline. In other words… the person who possesses it will have eternal life!”
“…Ah?” Yun Che was completely dumbfounded, and for a moment, he felt like he was listening to a non-existent fairy tale, “Eternal life… So you will never die? How is that possible?!”
“You’re overthinking this!” Jasmine let out a light sniff of disdain, “Eternal life does not mean that the person becomes immortal and indestructible! With the Primordial Seal of Life and Death on your person, even though it means that you will never die of old age, you can still be killed by an external force! But if a person really possessed unrivaled strength and other living beings and natural forces are unable to consign him to the grave. If that person obtained the Primordial Seal of Life and Death, then he would truly possess an indestructible, undying body!”
“If one can obtain the Primordial Seal of Life and Death and the Little Demon Empress wore it, then as long as she does not get killed by any external force, she can live for as long as she wants! Not only will she not die, but she will never grow old either!”
“The Primordial Seal of Life and Death is the only artifact that grants ‘eternal life’ in the entire primordial universe! In the ancient past, even those true gods went crazy over it, because even if a true god had an extremely long lifespan, it was not boundless. And the stronger a god grew, the more frantically that god desired it.”
“Eternal life, that is a temptation that no living being can resist! And that is why it is qualified to be ranked third amongst the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasures!”
Yun Che silently listened and after that, he did not speak for a long time. The Heavenly Profound Treasures, every single one of them possessed a heaven-defying ability. The Sky Poison Pearl’s had the heaven-defying abilities in regards to poison, refinement and purification. The Mirror of Samsara possessed the ability of reincarnation… But the Great Heavenly Profound Treasure that Jasmine was talking about actually had the fantastical ability of ‘eternity’… That was to say the power of ‘eternal life’!
An eternal lifespan, a never ending life…
It was just that this artifact sounded way too fantastical. It was fantastical to the point where Yun Che was nearly unable to fathom its existence.
“Then this Primordial Seal of Life and Death… Do you know where it is?” Yun Che asked in a very low voice.
“What do you think?!” Jasmine’s four short words expressed her contempt for Yun Che’s stupid question. “I don’t mind telling you this. Among the Seven Great Heavenly Profound Treasures, the Eternal Sky Pearl that is ranked fourth, the Sky Poison Pearl that is ranked fifth, the World Needles that is ranked sixth, and the Mirror of Samsara that is ranked seventh, all of these artifacts have surfaced in history countless of times and provoked the same amount of strife and turmoil as people fought over them. And among them, the Eternal Sky Pearl had long ago been acquired by someone and become the exclusive treasure of a powerful Star Realm… but, the three highest ranking treasures, the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword, the Evil Embryo Eternal Tribulation Wheel, and the Primordial Seal of Life and Death, after the fall of the divine gods, have completely vanished without a trace and have yet to reappear since then! Even though countless people have searched for them, sparing no cost, in the end, these people could not even find find a single trace of them.”
“Moreover, given the Primordial Seal of Life and Death’s ability of ‘eternity,’ even if it was found, the person who found it would never divulge it. Because if he did, there would be an endless amount of peerless individuals who would try to snatch it away from him. Furthermore, there is no need to activate it, you only need to wear it on your person, so it is extremely easy to conceal its existence. So, there is possibility that it might have already been found, but one can’t say for sure.”
“Why? Do you want to try to find it?” Jasmine said said mockingly.
“…” The corner of Yun Che’s brows twitched, and he tightened his hands into fists as he gnashed his teeth. “I simply don’t believe that, besides this, there is no other way!”
“I have the medical arts passed to me by my teacher, I have the power of the Rage God, the blood of the Dragon God and the Sky Poison Pearl… I simply don’t believe I can’t save the Little Demon Empress!!”
As Yun Che spoke, he raised his left hand and the image of the Sky Poison Pearl immediately appeared within his palm. He extended his hand to wipe the Sky Poison Pearl, and suddenly, his expression became blank. Following that. it changed greatly as he directly jumped into the air. “My Jade of the Nine Suns… where did my Jade of the Nine Suns go?! How come my Jade of the Nine Suns suddenly disappeared?!!”
Things that had been put into the Sky Poison Pearl should not, in any circumstances, go missing. But the Jade of the Nine Suns that had been given to him by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit had actually disappeared!
“Idiot, you’re only discovering it right now? Have you forgotten how your Purple Veined Heaven Crystals and Purple Crystal Jade Marrow went missing in the first place?!” Jasmine said in a huffy tone.
Yun Che’s eyes widened, and his face turned green. His mind spun, and he roared, “Hong’er… get out here right now!!”
A red light flashed in front of Yun Che, and Hong’er floated daintily in front of him. But she looked drowsy-eyed and half-asleep, as if she had been woken up from her dreams. A pair of small hands rubbed sleepy eyes, and with a voice that sounded rather dazed, Hong’er replied, “Master, why did you suddenly yell for me? You disturbed my sleep.”
Hong’er’s half-opened eyes were four parts sleepy, three parts dazed, and three parts innocent. Along with her small, cute face, all that forcefully caused Yun Che’s burgeoning anger to die down once more. His mouth twitched as he asked in a trembling voice, “You, you, you… You ate the Jade of the Nine Suns?”
“Oo? Jade of the Nine Suns? What is that? Is it nice to eat?” Hong’er’s scarlet pupils blinked.
“It was a golden-colored… rock that was about this big!” Yun Che drew a comparison as he grit his teeth.
“Oo… Oh!!” Hong’er’s eyes lit up, she suddenly grew excited, and her drowsiness immediately flew away. “Oh, so that’s what it was! When Master sent it in, I immediately ate it up! That thing was so nice to eat, it was especially delicious… much nicer than that ‘farmer faulty’! Oh, I haven’t thanked Master for giving me something so nice to eat! Thank you Master! Hehe.”
When it had just arrived… that is to say, two months ago, on the day that the Golden Crow had given him the Jade of the Nine Suns, she had eaten it!!
Wait! Why did you think it was specifically something for you to eat?! Ah!!!! Thank your sister!!!
“You… really ate it all? And during the process of eating it… did you feel unwell anywhere… or did you feel there was anything wrong at all?” Yun Che’s voice trembled even harder. The Jade of the Nine Suns… A divine artifact, which in Jasmine’s own words, would destroy the entire Illusory Demon Realm if the energy within it was released! When he had held it in his hands initially, his hands and his heart had trembled a fair bit. But Hong’er… actually ate it… she ate it!
“Eh? Not well? Why would I feel unwell?”” Hong’er tilted her head, and her face filled with doubt, but she suddenly opened her mouth and said, “Oh right! When I ate that thing called… uh, that thing called the Jade of the Nine Suns, my body suddenly felt really nice, and I really wanted to go to sleep after that. What is even stranger, is that after that, for a very very long time, I did not feel hungry at all. Master, Master, that delicious Jade of the Nine Suns, do you still have anymore? I still wanna eat it!”
“~！#￥%…” Only Jasmine’s profound strength was abnormal. But this Hong’er… everything about her was abnormal! Even her existence was something that was abnormal!
Still want to eat… eat your sister!!
You think the Jade of the Nine Suns is candy?!
“Hmph, high quality swords and profound jade are Hong’er’s food. The first becomes part of her spirit energy, and the second becomes part of the Primordial Profound Ark’s profound energy. You threw the Jade of the Nine Suns into the Sky Poison Pearl yourself. It is no different from bringing it to her mouth yourself, so who’s fault is it?”
Yun Che was speechless… Why would the thought that Hong’er would eat that even cross his mind?!
“However, the greatest use the Jade of the Nine Suns would be of to you right now is to power the Primordial Profound Ark. So it should have been given to Hong’er to eat anyways because this is the only way for the Primordial Profound Ark to obtain profound energy.”
Jasmine floated into existence, and she stood next to Hong’er. One of them was crowned with bewitching blood-red hair while the other had light and buoyant vermillion hair. “Summon the Primordial Profound Ark now. With the profound energy supplied by the Jade of the Nine Suns, it should have undergone a monumental change.”
Yun Che extended his hand, and following his mental summons, the Primordial Profound Ark, that had been thrown inside the Sky Poison Pearl for a long time, appeared in the palm of his hand. Only now, its outer appearance was no longer the initial deep red color, but the same vermillion of Hong’er’s hair and eyes. At the same time, the body of the ark was vibrating with a mysterious and robust aura.
“This is…” Yun Che was momentarily stumped for words, but following that, he felt an incomparably clear spiritual connection with the Primordial Profound Ark. He tried to focus mentally and control the ark with his mind…
Immediately, the Primordial Profound Ark rose in the air and instantly moved to the location that he had mentally indicated, rapidly becoming bigger thereafter. And once it had expanded to the size that he desired, it just as swiftly shrank and returned to the palm of his hand.
Yun Che gave a mental command again, and his entire body instantly vanished. Even Jasmine and Hong’er, who were in front of him, vanished along with him. And only the Primordial Profound Ark was left there silently floating in its initial position.
Following Yun Che’s mental command to enter the Primordial Profound Ark, the world in front of him swiftly changed, and in the blink of an eye, he was located in the middle of a large stone hall. Surrounding him were walls so high that he could not see the top of them, and the sky above was so high that he could not see its limit. Beneath him, there was a tall, circular stone dais… The end of the stone dais looked like it could barely fit a person.
Astonishingly, this was the towering ancient fortress which he had entered when he had first entered the Primordial Profound Ark, and below his feet was the place he had rescued Hong’er from.
Yun Che stared blankly into space for a while before carefully making another mental command. Immediately, the outside world… which was also the surroundings around the Primordial Profound Ark, was projected into his brain with incomparable clarity. He made another mental command yet again, and these images were immediately transformed into a substantial image which unfurled right before his eyes.
“This is indeed a divine artifact that came from the Ancient Era, it is indeed out of the ordinary.” Jasmine appeared by his side, surveying her surroundings, and even she had a look of faint astonishment on her face.
“This is simply too… wondrous!” Yun Che sucked in his breath. That spiritual connection that suddenly appeared, and his continuous tests succeeded one after another. He could freely control the movement of the Primordial Profound Ark, could freely change its size, and could freely use his thoughts to enter and exit it at will. Furthermore, when he was inside the Primordial Profound Ark, he could at any time clearly survey the outside world.
It was not that Yun Che had never seen a profound ark… but a profound ark that was as mysterious and wondrous as this, he had never even heard of it before!
Moreover, within the spiritual connection, there clearly existed a “dimensional travel” option. Which is to say that Yun Che only needed to give the mental command “jump one thousand five hundred kilometers east” and the Primordial Profound Ark would instantly rip open space and carry him one thousand five hundred kilometers east!
It only needed an instant!
And within this spiritual connection, the thing that was most clear of all was that… he only had secondary control authority of this Primordial Profound Ark! Which is to say, that in regards to this extremely mysterious Primordial Profound Ark, which was almost comparable with the Heavenly Profound Treasures, he was not the main controller.
The main control authority astonishingly lay in the hands of Hong’er!!
That means that, if Yun Che and Hong’er simultaneously gave commands to the Primordial Profound Ark… Hong’er wanting it to go east, while Yun Che wanting it to go west, the Primordial Profound Ark would completely ignore Yun Che’s commands and obediently head east.
Another example would be that if Hong’er was angry that day and wanted to kick Yun Che out of the Primordial Profound Ark, Yun Che would have no choice but to obediently get kicked out. And if Yun Che wanted to throw Hong’er out of the Primordial Profound Ark… that was simply not possible.
The conclusion was that… even though the Primordial Profound Ark had been revived by the powerful profound energy of the Jade of the Nine Suns, if Yun Che wanted to comfortably use it, he had to first curry favor with this “Big Boss” Hong’er and serve her well.
And if he wanted to comfortably use the “Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword,” he also had to first curry favor with this “Big Boss” Hong’er and serve her well.
In short… of these two girls who “followed him,” Jasmine was not only his master, but she also carried the difficult job of being his guide, whereas Hong’er… was a super big boss who did not need to do anything and had to be waited on hand and foot!!
Chapter 627 - How Are Other People Supposed to Live?
“Given the power of the Jade of the Nine Suns, it can definitely allow the Primordial Profound Ark to complete its dimensional jump from the Illusory Demon Realm to the Profound Sky Continent! As to how many times this could be done, it is currently impossible to calculate. After all, the inner world of the Profound Primordial Ark is larger than the Profound Sky Continent and the Illusory Demon Realm, so the principles behind how it operates and the amount of profound energy it requires to complete a dimensional jump are hard for even me to fathom,” Jasmine said in a bland voice. “However, before you go back, you must first figure out the relative location of the Profound Sky Continent to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“That should be quite simple,” Yun Che said with confidence. “My parents had previously used a forbidden tool of our Yun Family to travel to the Profound Sky Continent, so they definitely know its relative location. All I have to do is ask them to find out.”
During the time the Primordial Profound Ark was hibernating, he could only faintly feel a trace of the spiritual connection he had with it. But the current Primordial Profound Ark had been resuscitated by the Jade of the Nine Suns, so the spiritual connection had become clear and complete, and the abilities it had surfaced in his brain in an incomparably clear manner. And when he focused his will, this profound ark, which would cause a huge commotion every time it appeared in the Profound Sky Continent, would be his to freely control. It was as easy as controlling his own arm.
…But the proviso for that is that Hong’er did not come out and mess things up.
During all this time he had spent in the Illusory Demon Realm, Yun Che had been deeply concerned with everything going on in the Profound Sky Continent. And now that he finally had a method to return, his desire to return had dieddown somewhat. Yun Qinghong’s lost blood essence could only be replenished by him, and it would take a period of at least three months, without a single interruption. For this reason alone, he could not afford to be distracted. After all, he was unable to calculate how many times the Primordial Profound Ark could shuttle between the Illusory Demon Realm and the Profound Sky Continent after it had been provided with the profound energy of the Jade of the Nine Suns. So he absolutely did not dare to act impulsively during this three month period, so he wouldn’t recklessly exhaust the energy of the Primordial Profound Ark by continuously using its abilities which consumed a large amount of energy.
He withdrew the Primordial Profound Ark and threw Hong’er back into the Sky Poison Pearl. After that, Yun Che took out the Overlord Pellet.
Given the Sky Poison Pearl’s refining ability , he only needed an instant to perfectly divide it into two pills, and it would not lose any effectiveness in the process. However, Yun Che did not immediately split it in half. Instead, he closed his palm around it and surrounded it with profound energy, after which he painstakingly investigated the composition and medicinal strength of the pellet. After a short period of time, he opened his eyes, and a look of disappointment actually appeared on his face. He muttered to himself in a low voice, “To think it was actually this simple… Furthermore, the purity of this Overlord Pellet is simply so lousy that I can’t even look at it.”
If Duke Bao Qing, who spent his entire lifetime refining Overlord Pellets, heard what Yun Che said, he would definitely be so infuriated that he would hover between the border of life and death for a good long while; he would chop Yun Che up into little pieces with a vegetable knife/cleaver if he could.
Even though the materials required to make the Overlord Pellet were precious and rare, they were not rare to degree of being incomparably precious treasures. While these materials were valuable treasures that were hard to buy with money for the common man, for the powers that were on the level of a Guardian Family or a Duke Palace, they could be said to be a dime a dozen. Their greater than ten thousand year foundation was not just for show.
But the reason the Overlord Pellet was so valuable, that even the Guardian Families and the Duke Palaces would covet it, was because its refinement method was simply too difficult. Refining each and every single pellet consumed an unfathomable amount of effort and time. In addition, the refinement period of each Overlord Pellet could be as long as fifty years! Not only that, but during these fifty years, one had to cautiously and carefully control the heat, the amount of ingredients added, and the timing at which the ingredients are added. Everything had to be extremely precise. On top of that, morning dew and evening dew would have to be used every day to purify it, and the most suitable profound energy had to be used to guide its medicinal strength…
And in this fifty year period, a single misstep would cause all prior efforts to go to waste.
Within Duke Bao Qing Palace, and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm, there were only currently two people who had the ability to refine an Overlord Pellet. These two people had to exhaust all of their energy to refine just one. Even though they labored at it with the most meticulous care for fifty years, the success rate of refining an Overlord Pellet was only at fifty percent.
So in one hundred years, Duke Bao Qing Palace could at most produce two Overlord Pellets.
It was not exaggerated in the least to say that every single Overlord Pellet was refined using the lives of Duke Bao Qing Palace’s members.
But to the Sky Poison Pearl, this extremely difficult refinement process was…
Yun Che flippantly tossed the Overlord Pellet to one side; he could not even be bothered to put it in the Sky Poison Pearl. After that, he strode out of his courtyard and went straight to the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion.
The Yun Family had endured for ten thousand years, so their accumulation of various spirit medicines was naturally rich without compare. This Medicine Pavilion was not considered large among the Twelve Guardian Families, but it was still three stories high. Every single story was far larger than those of the Xiao Clan’s that he had lived in for sixteen years. A family’s Medicine Pavilion was the pillar and the core foundation of the entire family’s might, so it could be said to be the most important place for a family. This means that it would always be protected by strong individuals or powerful barriers.
Of course, guarding the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion was an old man whose hair and eyebrows had completely turned white. His name was Yun Yaozi, and he was nearly two thousand years old; he was also one of the Yun Family members who held the highest status within the family, and his life’s duty was to guard the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion. When he saw Yun Che approaching, he took the initiative to welcome him and inquired in a merry voice, “Young Patriarch, do you want to enter the Medicine Pavilion?”
Facing this old senior of the Yun Family, Yun Che respectfully genuflected in respect for his seniority and replied, “Yes. I am sorry to trouble you, senior… But can this junior freely use the medicinal ingredients within the Medicine Pavilion?”
Yun Yaozi gave a gentle smile, and his eyes were filled with admiration and appreciation as he looked at Yun Che. “You are our Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, and anything within the Yun Family is free for you to use. Let this old man open the barrier for you.”
As Yun Yaozi’s voice fell, the protective barrier in front of the Medicine Pavilion disappeared. He moved aside and gave a bow as he said, “Young Patriarch, please enter. If you have any further instructions or requests, you can call for this old man whenever you so desire it.”
“Thank you for your trouble.”
After Yun Che entered the Medicine Pavilion, the barrier appeared behind him once more.
The heavy smell of medicine wafted in the air. Yun Che gave a faint sniff, and he could already sniff out tens of various extremely precious medicinal ingredients. He strode forward and looked left and right, and before two hours were up, Yun Che had already traversed the entirety of the Medicine Pavilion’s first floor. Just with that, he had already memorized all the medicinal ingredients that were stored here in addition to their location, their quantity, and even their age. After that, he went to the second floor… and the third… He finally stopped in the middle of the third.
The third floor of the Medicine Pavilion stored the highest grade spirit medicine and profound jade the Yun Family possessed. And just based on the extremely thick spirit energy that saturated this place, if an Elementary Profound Realm or Nascent Profound Realm profound practitioner cultivated here, they would easily break through their bottleneck in no time at all.
Yun Che sat down with legs crossed in the center of the Medicine Pavilion’s third floor. After that, he put all the spirit medicine and spirit jade that he had gathered together, and the dark green refining light of the Sky Poison pearl flashed from the top of his left hand.
With just a second of effort, a whole thirty Overlord Pellets… that’s right, Overlord Pellets, were in front of Yun Che. And surrounding them was a circle of waste products left behind by the refinement process.
If anyone from Duke Bao Qing Palace had witnessed this scene, they would have been so shocked that their jaws would hit the floor.
Yun Che randomly picked up one pellet and gave it a cursory glance… all the medicinal pellets refined by the Sky Poison Pearl were of the highest quality. Just the luster and aura alone were several grades purer than that of the pellet refined by Duke Bao Qing Palace. As for the effectiveness and the mildness of the medicine, it was far, far superior.
Not only that, the amount of materials consumed was only one quarter of the materials Duke Bao Qing Palace had used. After all, the refinement methods of ordinary folk will unavoidably cause a large portion of the medicinal effectiveness to be lost in the process. But with the Sky Poison Pearl refining it, no medicinal effectiveness would be lost.
Yun Che picked up these Overlord Pellets and murmured to himself in a low voice, “Ah, how are other people supposed to live…”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. First, I’ll just casually refine a few hundred pellets.”
With that, Yun Che stayed in the Medicine Pavilion, and from afternoon all the way till night fell, he did not come out.
The space in Yun Qinghong’s courtyard distorted, and the figure of the Little Demon Empress slowly appeared. After witnessing the Little Demon Empress’ unexpected arrival, Yun Qinghong and his wife moved forward and said, “We greet the Little Demon Empress.”
“Patriarch Yun, you are still nursing an injury, there is no need for any further formality.” The Little Demon Empress casually lifted a hand, and an irresistible force immediately stopped Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s bow. “This Empress has come today to check on Patriarch Yun’s injury. And from Patriarch Yun’s face, I can see that you have been steadily recovering .”
Yun Qinghong cupped his hands and said, “The concern and favor shown by the Little Demon Empress, this Yun is sincerely grateful for it. Che’er’s medical skills are extraordinary, so there is nothing serious about this Yun’s injury anymore. And according to Che’er, I will fully recover from it within three months’ time.”
“Fully recover?” An astounded look flashed across the Little Demon Empress’s face, but she slowly nodded her head after. “That is simply fantastic. So it looks like Patriarch Yun should have no issues attending the grand ceremony five days from now.”
Yun Qinghong said without any hesitation whatsoever, “Little Demon Empress, do not worry. My wife and I will definitely not miss the grand ceremony five days from now.”
“Mn.” The Little Demon Empress lightly nodded her head, then looked askance as she inquired in a disinterested voice, “Is Yun Che at home?”
Yun Qinghong replied, “When the Sixth Elder came by not too long ago, he said that he saw Yun Che enter the Medicine Pavilion. He might still be in the Medicine Pavilion now. I will immediately get someone to call him.”
“There’s no need.” The Little Demon Empress raised her hand. “He must have entered the Medicine Pavilion to prepare spirit medicine to improve Patriarch Yun’s recovery process, so this Empress will not disturb you any further.”
As her voice fell, the space around the Little Demon Empress distorted, and she completely disappeared from where she had been floating.
“The Little Demon Empress specifically asked about Yun Che. It looks like she views Yun Che with great importance.” Mu Yurou said while smiling.
“Hehe, that is natural. After all, in these four months, Yun Che braved danger together with the Little Demon Empress… and perhaps, it was Yun Che who saved the Little Demon Empress as well.” Yun Qinghong faintly smiled, but a trace of doubt flashed in the depths of his eyes. Because, when the Little Demon Empress turned around a final time, it gave him the impression that she… was trying to avoid meeting his gaze… but in all the years that he had known the Little Demon Empress, she had never once tried to avoid someone’s gaze before.
It should be… only a misconception? Or perhaps he was thinking into it too much?
Yun Family Medicine Pavilion, Third Story.
Yun Che was still sitting there with his legs crossed; from the last time he had gone to retrieve more spirit medicine and profound jade, it had already been an hour. As of now, his hand held a dull red medicinal pellet. The medicinal pellet held a dull luster, but it released an extremely unique aura. Yun Che gazed at it wordlessly and just sat there in deep thought.
Suddenly, Jasmine’s voice rang out in his mind, “Watch your back.”
Yun Che was taken aback, but he immediately turned his body around as swiftly as lightning… and not five steps from him, a small and delicate grey figure silently stood there. A pair of eyes which resembled the silent and starry night coldly stared at him.
“Little… Demon Empress!?” Yun Che’s mouth dropped open, and it was a good long while before he managed to close it. “You, you… when did you come?! No! Why are you here?!”
Yun Che possessed the Great Way of the Buddha, so the strength of his spiritual perception was abnormal. In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, the only person who could come within five steps of him without him noticing was the Little Demon Empress!
Chapter 628 - The Heartless Little Demon Empress
“What are you doing?” The Little Demon Empress ignored his question and coldly asked… The icy coldness in her voice was heart wrenching; however, she had not done it on purpose and had been like this all along.
Yun Che stood up and replied, “I’m refining pellets, why are you…”
“Refining pellets? Without a cauldron, a furnace, or an artifact, how are you refining the pellets?” The Little Demon Empress asked expressionlessly.
“Even though others are unable to, that does not mean that I’m unable to.” Other than the rather abrupt shock initially, Yun Che’s expression had already returned to normal. Currently, within the entire Illusory Demon Realm, the only person that was not afraid of the Little Demon Empress was probably Yun Che alone. He stretched his hand out, and between his fingers was the pale red pellet that he had been looking at for some time. “Little Demon Empress, you arrived at just the right time. This pellet is something I refined for you.”
“For this empress?” The Little Demon Empress frowned slightly. “Why would this empress require any pellet!”
“…This pellet contains all the elixirs and profound jade that I could find in this Medicine Pavilion that can increase longevity.” Before a dejected expression flashed across his face, Yun Che slowly said,, “I’m uncertain whether it can actually increase your lifespan, but at the very least… its medicinal powers are gentle, and consuming it would not bring you any harm.”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes were ice cold. She was unmoved, and her expression did not change in the slightest. With the swing of her long sleeve, the pellet in Yun Che’s hands had already fallen into her hands. Without looking at it, she just threw it into her space. “Seeing your hard work, this empress shall accept it this time. However, you don’t have to do such meaningless things for this empress anymore. This empress’ fate is something that the Golden Crow Divine God has proclaimed. Since even the Golden Crow Divine God has said so, what existence in this world can possibly change it! The condition of this body is something this empress knows much better than you. Even if you were to use up all the spiritual herbs the Yun Family had accumulated for the past ten thousand years and even all the Purple Veined Divine Crystal within this Illusory Demon Realm, you cannot possibly extend this empress’ lifespan by even one breath… It will just be a waste!”
“All that you have to do is to just help this empress guard this secret and not tell anyone! As for the other matters that you don’t need to concern yourself with, you don’t have to be nosy!”
“No.” Yun Che looked straight into the Little Demon Empress’ eyes and shook his head with considerable determination. “If you were only the Little Demon Empress, as long as you don’t interfere with my Yun Family’s interests, I wouldn’t even bother whether you were dead or alive. However… this matter is something I cannot disregard. I also won’t allow your life to end three years later… Because, you are still my, Yun Che’s, woman!”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ look changed, and it suddenly turned cold. “Despicable! Yun Che, do you know that from what you’ve just said to this Empress, this Empress can put you to death!”
The Little Demon Empress’ frightening pressure was enough to make a high level Monarch tremble, but Yun Che was not afraid one bit and instead raised the corners of his lips, casually saying, “Even if I believe ghosts exist in this world, I would not believe that you’d kill me. You are the Little Demon Empress… and I, Yun Che, am your, the Little Demon Empress’ man! And strictly speaking, you’re the one that forced me into it…”
Sss…
A sharp gust of wind violently tore apart the space, and a grey figure flashed past Yun Che before a small pair of petite hands grabbed hold of his neck… Her grip was tight, and it nearly suffocated him and crushed his hyoid bone. If it were not for the Little Demon Empress’ Petite stature, he would have already been lifted off the ground by her.
“Do you really think this Empress does not dare to kill you!” The Little Demon Empress’ face was within close proximity; her eyes were boundless like the starry sky. Closing her heart off like an icy prison, she exclaimed, “These last three years of this Empress’ life shall be used to cleanse the Illusory Demon Realm with blood. As long as this Empress wishes for it, there’s no one that cannot be killed! As for you, you know too much of this Empress’ secret and are no doubt someone that needs to die! You still dare to act with such insolence in front of this empress!”
A tinge of the stench of blood floated into the Little Demon Empress’ senses, and she suddenly saw that on the sleeve of Yun Che’s right arm, there was a five centimeter long wound. Judging from the stench of blood in the air, it was easy to tell that the wound had not been inflicted for long. Her eyes sunk, and she instantly shifted her gaze away.
Yun Che could not breathe; his entire body seemed as though it was being pressured by a mountain, unable to struggle one bit. His face soon turned pale, and yet, his eyes did not show any signs of fear. With much difficulty, he said in a clear voice, “I… don’t believe… you will… kill me….”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze turned even icier, and her voice became more frigid. “Then, do you want to try!”
“Sure…” The petite hand that surrounded his neck tightened, causing him great pain, but instead, he laughed. “Let me see… what method you’re going to use… to kill me…”
As he spoke, Yun Che, who had gathered all the profound energy he could muster into his right hand, stretched it forward at lightning speed and grabbed onto the Little Demon Empress’ slightly protruding right chest.
In an instant, a lump of soft jade was in the grasp of Yun Che’s right hand. The Little Demon Empress’ grey robe and inner garment was very thin which meant that Yun Che could clearly feel the shape and softness of the snowy bosom…
BANG!!!
A thunderous bang resounded, and Yun Che’s body flew out like a missile. After a “boom,” he smashed into the Medicine Pavilion’s walls, directly smashing a ten meter large hole in the ten thousand year old profound jade. The fragmented jade clattered as they fell.
Yun Che laid on the ground for a good while before barely managing to stand by relying on the shattered jade. As he covered his throat with his hand, he coughed with a pleased smile. “Cough cough… what are you showing off for… you obviously can’t kill me.”
The Little Empress’ chest heaved as she shook with cold bloodlust. She turned around, then said icily, “This empress won’t kill you because you had previously saved this empress’ life, and this empress is not willing to let down the Yun Family! As for what happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, this empress merely used your Phoenix and Dragon God constitution to obtain power for revenge. You think that this empress has feelings for you? Too absurd!”
Yun Che, “…”
“This empress not killing you today can be considered to repay this empress’ life that you saved back them! But after today, if you dare offend this empress or dare to mention even half of what happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, this empress will definitely…”
The Little Demon Empress’ words suddenly cut off. Then, with a cold snort, the space around her distorted, and her entire person completely disappeared before Yun Che’s eyes.
“Phew…” Yun Che slowly slipped down, then heavily sat on the ground. Even though the Little Demon Empress didn’t use a killing blow on him earlier, it was absolutely not light, causing the energy and blood in his body to go into turmoil. If she was perhaps a little bit heavy-handed, blood would’ve gushed out from the seven orifices of his face.
“This woman’s… pretty fierce.” Yun Che massaged his throat with one hand and pressed on his chest with the other. He raised his head to the place where the Little Demon Empress had left and absentmindedly questioned, “Jasmine, tell me, do I have to concoct some ‘Heavenly Jade Dew’ for the Little Demon Empress?”
“Heavenly Jade Dew? What’s that? Is it something that can be used to prolong life?”
“Can’t prolong life. But if a woman has a dose every day, their bosom would become more developed. The effects are superb, and there wouldn’t be any side effects. Everywhere on the Little Demon Empress is good, it’s just that her chest is a bit flat… It’s as flat as yours. Tch…” Yun Che exhaled painfully.
“…” A burst of ice-cold killing intent covered Yun Che’s entire body as Jasmine quietly laughed. “I originally had a bit sympathy for you… but now I wished the Little Demon Empress had broken all of your bones!!”
The Little Demon Empress didn’t leave too far and appeared three hundred meters above Yun Family’s Medicine Hall.
Her petite little jade hands extended, and Yun Che’s faint red pellet appeared in the hollow of her palm. She picked up the pellet and slowly put it near her lips, then, she suddenly stopped… From the pellet before her eyes, she smelled an extremely slight trace of… blood energy.
The bloody scar on Yun Che’s sleeves suddenly flashed before her… This blood energy, reeked of the energy on his sleeve; they were exactly the same.
Stunned, the Little Demon Empress’ hands drooped. Following the sway of her figure, she disappeared in place.
Yun Che finally calmed his energy and blood and then stood up. Seeing the wall he had been smashed into, his face became gloomy. These ten thousand year old profound jade were all priceless treasures! At this moment, a heavy aura came from behind. He turned and saw that the Little Demon Empress had returned. On her face, was a distinct shaking… wrath.
“You used your own blood to refine this pellet?” The Little Demon Empress took out the faint red pellet and asked with an incomparably downcast tone of voice.
Without waiting for Yun Che’s reply, the Little Demon Empress’ voice radiated fury, “You think your Dragon God blood is omnipotent?! You think that you have a way to alter a life that even the Golden Crow Divine God cannot save?!”
“…I don’t know. It might only have a small effect…”
“You’re willing to constantly use your own blood to refine pellets for this empress?!” The Little Demon Empress’ ice-cold eyes radiated with a faint sneer. “Do you think that if you were to do this, this empress would be grateful and be moved to tears?
“Hmph! There are times when you are smart, but sometimes you are impossibly stupid! You think that this can help you win this empress’ favor…” The Little Demon Empress lifted her hand and the faint red pellet sat between her fingers. “But to this empress, if I ingested this without being cautious, I would’ve just been contaminated by your blood!”
As her voice fell, a scarlet gold blaze burned within the palm of her hand, instantly burning the pellet Yun Che had used his blood to refine into ashes.
Yun Che, “…”
“Hmph!” With a wave of her hand, the Little Demon Empress turned around and once more disappeared before his eyes like mist.
“Sigh…” Yun Che shook his head and sighed, muttering to himself, “Why do you need to be like that… I understand women… more than you…”
Above Yun Family’s Medicine Hall, the Little Demon Empress extended her hand and slowly brought the faint red pellet between her lips and lightly swallowed… A soft aura immediately spread, filling her entire body. Whilst flying in the air, she handed toward the center of Demon Imperial City. She was a solitary figure in the vast space up above. In these hundred years, she had always been alone, so perhaps she had long since gotten used to it.
But today, a feeling of a faint mix of loneliness and bitterness she had never felt before was mixed in with her solitude…
Chapter 629 - Unforgivable Crime
Seven days after the Little Demon Empress’ return, the Reign Ceremony, which had been cut short four months ago, was scheduled to continue. The Demon Imperial Great Hall, which was mostly destroyed, also received sufficient repairs during the seven days.
Compared to the endless murmurs in the great hall four months ago, amidst the two powers vying for control, today, the number of people in the great hall was much greater. However, it was deathly still, silent to the point where even breathing could not be heard. The core seating arrangement had also received a very noticeable change. A large “Yun” character was written at the head position of the Guardian Families, and the Helian clan which held the position of the head clan… headed by Helian Kuang, all of the top members of the clan were kneeling in the middle of the great hall. They did not even have seats. The experts who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, regardless of whether they were from Guardian Families, Duke Palaces, other forces, or were peerless experts, all kneeled there obediently while trembling in fear, bearing the Little Demon Empress’ icy might.
“How has the preparation of Xiao Yun’s Kingship Bestowment Ceremony been proceeding?”
“Reporting to the Little Demon Empress, everything has been appropriately prepared. The Kingship Bestowment Ceremony can proceed tomorrow. Only… the Little Demon Empress has to choose the location of King Xiao Palace.”
“Of course as close to the Yun Family as possible.”
“Yes… your humble subject understands.”
“King Xiao, Xiao Yun, is twenty-two this year and has yet to be married. After becoming a King, the issue of a Queen should be considered soon.” The Little Demon Empress’ gaze turned towards the Under Heaven Clan. “The Under Heaven Patriarch’s beloved daughter, Number Seven Under Heaven, will turn twenty this year. She is beautiful, has exceptional talent, and has yet to marry. This empress has heard that she and King Xiao have an affinity for each other, both reciprocate each other’s feelings, and are a match made in heaven. Due to this, this empress intends to marry Number Seven Under Heaven to King Xiao, what are Patriarch Under Heaven’s thoughts on this?”
The Little Demon Empress’ words made Xiao Yun’s jaws drop, unable to recover for a long time. Number Seven Under Heaven, in similar shock, made an “ah” sound, her hands tightly covering her lips, her face red with excitement and happiness. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven hurriedly left his seat. “The Little Demon Empress personally matchmaking is the greatest fortune in my daughter’s life. Greatest Ambition naturally has absolutely no objections… Greatest Ambition thanks the Little Demon Empress for her grace on his daughter’s behalf.”
“Number Seven Under Heaven thanks the Little Demon Empress for her grace.” Number Seven Under Heaven kneeled and bowed, the redness on her face, which did not disperse for a long time, revealed the immense joy in her heart.
“Hey… Old Seven, be more reserved… reserved!” Number Five Under Heaven pulled on the edge of Number Seven Under Heaven’s shirt, saying powerlessly.
“Reserved your sister!” Number Seven Under Heaven said in a low voice, viciously saying, “I have paid you guys back for bullying my Brother Yun in the past, hmph!”
“Aren’t you my sister,” Number Five Under Heaven whispered carefully, his heart even more confused… Who would have thought that the one who was initially humiliated by everyone in Demon Imperial City as the “Profound Sky Bastard” would become… Sigh, the world was really fickle… but based on the punk Xiao Yun’s personality, he would not go as far as to bear a grudge for how we treated him in the past… Uh, most likely he will not… after all, ignoring his past identity, his personality as well as how he treats Old Seven is very good.
Xiao Yun also promptly left his seat and excitedly responded, “Xiao Yun thanks the Little Demon Empress ten thousand times for granting this marriage, Xiao Yun will not let Seventh Sister down in this lifetime.”
Saying that, he could not help but to look towards Number Seven Under Heaven. Their gazes met, and Number Seven Under Heaven stuck her tongue out at him, making a comical face. Even under everyone’s gazes, her smiling face was as brilliant as a hundred blooming flowers.
The Little Demon Empress slightly nodded. “The situation cannot be any better. Patriarch Yun, Number Seven Under Heaven is the Under Heaven family’s most precious pearl, your Yun Family’s betrothal gift cannot be small.”
Yun Qinghong stood up and replied with a smile, “Naturally. This Yun has always been fond of the Under Heaven family’s princess. Now that the task has been accomplished, there are two simultaneous happy event in the Yun family. When we have picked an auspicious date, this Yun will bring a heavy gift and personally propose on Xiao’er’s behalf.”
Pairs of envious looks landed on Greatest Ambition Under Heaven. Although Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was sitting upright and properly, he could not hide his happiness. His heart was churning… initially, when he thought about the matter of his daughter and Yun Xiao, his brain almost exploded, yet today, his daughter was to be married to Xiao Yun, and it was good luck for all of the Under Heaven family. That was because the current Xiao Yun could not be compared to the him of the past. Even moreso, the current Yun Family even more could not be compared to how they were in the past.
Four hours passed by very quickly in the palace. The bunch of people in cahoots with Duke Huai knelt there for four hours, kneeling there without a single movement. Not to even mention interrupting, they did not even dare to let out a fart, as if they were criminals awaiting their sentence… no, they were exactly criminals!
At this moment, the Little Demon Empress’ gaze turned towards the center of the great hall. Her originally gentle look became cold in a split second.
Even though the people who were kneeling there did not raise their heads, the Little Demon Empress’ pressure was like the coldest knife blade pressing against their throats, causing their whole bodies to quiver. This pressure forced them to lower their heads even more, not even daring to take a deep breath.
“This empress wanted you to put Duke Huai’s nine clans to death within ten days! Seven days have passed, how is the progress?”
The tone which the Little Demon Empress used to speak to them compared to when she spoke to the Yun family and the Under Heaven family was completely different; it was downcast to the point that it suffocated them.
The Little Demon Empress did not ask anybody in particular, and the few Patriarchs who were kneeling at the front fought to be first to reply. “Re… reporting to the Little Demon Empress. Of the four clans under Duke Huai’s father, three clans under his mother and two clans under his wife, they have all been put to death, not a single one was left…”
“Those who were stationed outside the capital have all been eliminated, may… may the Little Demon Empress be at ease.”
“The corpses, as the Little Demon Empress has instructed, have all been publicly burned in front of the city gates… not even an inch of grass was left.”
“The Little Demon Empress’ orders, we naturally would not dare to dally…”
Helian Kuang flusteredly took out a bundle of jade strips, raising both hands. “Underneath Duke Huai Palace was a secret room which has yet to be destroyed, this jade strip was found inside… Duke Huai Palace’s ‘Fallen Flame Devil Art’ is inscribed in it… the Little Demon Empress bears divine powers, so this Fallen Flame Devil Art naturally does not have the qualifications to be in your eyes. Only, it records some kind of blood escaping technique… most likely, Duke Ming used it to escape that day.”
The Little Demon Empress’ brows twitched, and when she reached out, the jade strip in Helian Kuang’s hands flew into hers. Yun Che, who was sitting beside Yun Qinghong, also cast his gaze towards that bundle of jade strips which contained ominous energy. The blood escaping technique that Duke Ming used that day was extremely strange, and based on the Little Demon Empress’ capabilities, she could not tell where he had escaped to. However, if the blood escaping technique that Duke Ming had used was figured out, the next time he landed in the Little Demon Empress’ hands, he would not be able to escape.
The Little Demon Empress immediately spread open the jade strip, and surely enough, a strange blood escaping technique was displayed. She glanced through it indifferently, then closed it.
“Little Demon Empress, this Bai made a discovery while cleaning up Duke Huai’s surviving members,” Bai Yi hurried forward, raising an even larger jade strip in his hands, “this jade strip was obtained from a secret room beneath Duke Huai’s palace. On it is engraved all… all…” speaking till this point, Bai Yi resolutely swallowed his saliva, then continued, “all of the names of those who defected to Duke Huai Palace. May… may the Little Demon Empress take a look.”
The hearts of many people present shuddered, cold sweat pouring from their entire bodies.
“No need to look at it!” The Little Demon Empress, however, did not even take a look at the jade strip and said with a low voice, “Hand the name list to Duke Xing Palace. Then, send a command down, within three days, for all those whose names are on the list to use their own blood to write a letter pleading guilty. Then, put it up at the northern city wall to be publicly displayed for three years! If so, this Empress will let them off just this once and not pursue the matter. However, if after three days, anyone on the list who has not displayed their blood letter on the city wall will be treated like Duke Huai’s kin… to be exterminated without mercy!”
Another bloody asura-like order was issued from the Little Demon Empress’ mouth, it made the entire great hall suddenly become cold.
Yun Che’s eyes suddenly brightened. That was because the Little Demon Empress’ order was very brilliant. Apart from Bai Yi, no one else ought to have seen whose names were really on the list. Although the jade strip was very big, it could not be complete. However, the order to “kill without any mercy” would end all wishful thinking that anyone who had been in cahoots with Duke Huai Palace had. They would obediently plead guilty, using their own blood to confess on the city walls.
That way, those who had defected to Duke Huai Palace, but were still unknown, would all be clearly exposed.
However, those from the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces sighed a huge breath of relief. To be pardoned with just a blood letter was simply a joyous turn of events. But just when they sighed a huge breath, the Little Demon Empress’ next sentence made their hearts jump ferociously.
“As for those from the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces on the list, forget about writing a blood letter.” The Little Demon Empress suddenly became severe. “Other people following Duke Huai’s orders can be seen as just blindly following the crowd. Yet as the pillars and beams of the Illusory Demon Realm, for you to rebel against the Demon Emperor, that is simply traitorous! It is simply an unpardonable crime! If you were to be forgiven so easily, how would this Empress be worthy of the Illusory Demon citizens! How would she be worthy of the ancestors who brought the peace of today’s Illusory Demon Realm!”
As if having water from an icy purgatory poured on them, the seven Patriarchs and Dukes became ice-cold from their heads all the way to their toes. An aged Monarch yelled in tears, “Little Demon Empress, this little duke knows his sins, but these accumulated crimes of Duke Huai Palace, this duke was not aware…”
“No need to say anymore.” The Little Demon Empress coldly cut off his words, stood up, and slapped her hand on her imperial chair. Suddenly, with a rumbling sound, the imperial chair moved to the right, and a concealed stone door slowly opened. Behind the stone door was a spacious but dark stone room.
This stone room was seldom opened; it was only occasionally utilized when discussing major secrets.
“The great ceremony shall come to an end, this empress has nothing else.” The Little Demon Empress turned to the side and expressionlessly said, “Everyone may disperse, the guests from afar can return this afternoon.” After a momentary pause, her voice became icy cold. “Guilty Guardian Families and Dukes stay behind!”
When her speech ended, the Little Demon Empress turned around and walked into the stone room with a breeze of cold air.
The Little Demon Empress announced the end of the great ceremony as abruptly as last time. Some people still had things to say, but when they heard the Little Demon Empress’ last sentence, they all immediately shut their mouths, not daring to say another word. Carefully, they left their seats, moved their bodies, and departed from the Demon Imperial Great Hall in a tidy manner.
“Big brother, aren’t you preparing to… leave?” Looking at Yun Che, who was sitting upright and not moving for half a day, Xiao Yun inquisitively asked.
“Oh, I still have some small matters to discuss with the Little Demon Empress in private, no need to care about me.” Yun Che propped his chin up with his hand and said that with a mysterious expression.
“But…” thinking about the three words “Little Demon Empress” just now, Xiao Yun, like most people, would involuntarily shiver. The Little Demon Empress evidently did not want other people to stay behind, wanting to specifically deal with the issue of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces. He was afraid that if Yun Che provocated the Little Demon Empress…
“I’ve already said to not care about me. Hurry and go find your Seventh Sister!” Yun Che waved his arms. “When she left, she at least looked in your direction about seven or eight times. If you do not chase after her, she may become angry and not marry you.”
“Hoho,” Yun Qinghong laughed faintly. “Xiao’er, let’s leave. Your big brother would definitely have his reasons for staying behind, no need to worry. Take care of yourself first. Many people are waiting around precisely to talk to this new king.”
“Ah?” Xiao Yun turned around, and surely enough, he saw that, at the entrance of the great hall, many people were deliberately moving slowly, constantly looking in his direction.
“Go.” Yun Qinghong pulled Xiao Yun along, then smiled faintly towards Yun Che, not asking anything as he slowly left.
Very quickly, the crowd dispersed. Only the Guardian Families and Dukes kneeling on the ground were left. Without the Little Demon Empress’ orders, nobody dared to rise. All of their foreheads were filled with cold sweat, and they constantly used their shivering hands to wipe it away, but just as they had wiped some away, more quickly flowed out to replace it.
Yun Che swept his gaze across them, not a single bit of pity in his eyes. He then rose and walked towards the stone room which the Little Demon Empress had entered, neither slowly nor with haste.
Chapter 630 - Punishment!
“Patriarch Under Heaven, congratulations. Your daughter and King Xiao are a match made in heaven. Even the Little Demon Empress matched their marriage herself. What a joyous event!”
“This humble one will await for the great news. When the time comes, I will have to attend the wedding feast no matter what.”
“The wife of this humble duke happens to be good at making wedding garments, so leave this humble duke to take care of the wedding garments. I will make sure to satisfy Patriarch Under Heaven and your daughter…”
Once Greatest Ambition Under Heaven left the Demon Imperial Hall, he was escorted by big crowds in front and behind congratulating and trying to curry favor with him. Their expressions even showed obvious respect and ingratiation, and their eyes were filled with envy. Even though Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had been the Under Heaven Patriarch for many years, it was the first time in his life that he felt like his steps were floating even when he was walking.
All these years, because of Number Seven Under Heaven and Xiao Yun, their Under Heaven Clan had to bear much sarcasm and snideness from outsiders. Whenever anyone mentioned about the couple, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven would be enraged. But now, the situation was completely reversed. Because Number Seven Under Heaven and Xiao Yun were now envied and getting apple-polished by those people who were sarcastic and snide to them before, and even their recently recessive position in the Twelve Families rose rapidly.
At first, everyone thought Xiao Yun was only a “bastard child.” If the Under Heaven Clan married their only princess to him, then it would be a big joke… and the Under Heaven Family would also see it as a humiliation themselves.
But now, not to mention as a first wife, even if Xiao Yun were to publicly take a concubine, these dukes and royals would definitely bring their own daughters personally to their door and compete for it…
“Brother Yun, congratulations,” Su Xiangnan smiled and said to Yun Qinghong.
Yun Qinghong returned the favor and said, “Thank you Big Brother Su. Tomorrow is our family Xiao’er’s Kingship Bestowment Ceremony; I hope Big Brother Su would do me the honor and come.”
“Hahaha,” Su Xiangnan laughed loudly. “Of course! Speaking of which, originally I was worried that Brother Yun might be absent from this great ceremony because of the serious injury that you had suffered seven days ago, even losing a large amount of blood essence. To my surprise, not only did Brother Yun make it in time, your complexion is so healthy, it is unbelievable.”
Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou laughed at the same time. Yun Qinghong smiled and said, “Che’er knows some medical skills, and after these days of recuperation, I am no longer in jeopardy. After some more time, I will be healed. Big Brother Su doesn’t have to be worried.”
“Heal?” Su Xiangnan’s was surprised, “That was a damage on your blood essence. Such extraordinary medical skills exist in this world?” He then seemed to have thought of something, and said with a shocked expression, “Some time ago, there was a rumor saying that the injuries of Brother Yun and your wife were all healed by good Nephew Yun, and he only used a short two months. Was that actually true?”
“Hahaha!” Yun Qinghong gave a long laugh, between his eyebrows was pride that he was unwilling to hide, “Compared to his study in profound energy, Yun Che might be even better in the art of medicine.”
Su Family’s Patriarch’s mouth was opened wide. He stood there and was stunned for a long time… Four months ago, Yun Che defeated six great strong practitioners from the other party and shocked the whole Demon Illusory Realm. Seven days ago when Yun Che was facing Duke Huai, who was using his full power, Yun Che injured him with a sword attack… These days, many people had already guessed that after Yun Che received the blessing of the Golden Crow Divine Soul; his study in profound energy has probably already exceeded Yun Qinghong!
And what Yun Qinghong was saying now… Yun Che’s realm in the art of medicine, actually surpassed his level in the way of the profound!?
In the time of two months, he cured the Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou from their severe injuries and hypertoxin while the top doctors in the whole Illusory Demon Realm weren’t able to do anything about it… Yun Qinghong’s blood essence was severely damaged, and within a short seven days, his face was already glowing, and he could even heal…
This level of medical skill was truly never heard of before, it was shocking to hear about it!
Moreover, this was said by Yun Qinghong himself, how would it be fake!
The Reign Ceremony just ended, and many people gathered outside of the Demon Imperial Hall. There was a large crowd of people surrounding the Yun Family as they wanted to seize the opportunity and butter them up. The conversation between Yun Qinghong and Su Xiangnan wasn’t whispered, how would these strong practitioners with extraordinary ears not hear it clearly…
Suddenly, in only half a day, Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s injuries were healed by Yun Che… Yun Che healed Yun Qinghong who suffered a large amount of blood essence loss… The news of Yun Che having a transcendent medical skill was like a fierce wind that swept across all of Demon Imperial City.
Without knowing that he was being glorified irresponsibly by his father, Yun Che headed straight towards the stone room where the Little Demon Empress was after everyone left. Even though the stone door was opened, there was a layer of opaque barrier that the Little Demon Empress had just planted. The aura of the barrier not only made people unable to clearly see the inside the stone room, it also completely isolated all sounds. Behind the barrier, there was a clear chill of murderous atmosphere that would even make a Monarch shiver in fear.
Yun Che couldn’t completely ignore this murderous atmosphere, so he stepped through the barrier and entered the stone room.
This secret chamber could be considered spacious. There was a pure gold silhouette of the Golden Crow embedded on the top, a throne in the middle, and twelve stone tables and stone chair divided to two sides; it was exactly the number of the Twelve Families.
The Little Demon Empress stood in front of her throne with her back to Yun Che, and the ice-cold in her voice had fury hidden within, “What are you doing here… Who told you that you could come in here?”
Yun Che took out a small, white jade bottle, and said slowly, “I didn’t think that the medicine that I refined for you last time would anger you that much. These days, my heart is also pretty unsettled. With the power of the Golden Crow Flame, it is already easy for you to ignite your wrath. If you lose your temper too much, it would damage your blood and energy, so recently, I formulated some medicine to relieve your mental stress and calm your energy.
“Is that all?” The Little Demon Empress turned her head slightly and said in an incredibly indifferent tone.
“Uh, this medicine is called the ‘Heavenly Jade Dew.’ Not only can it relieve your mental stress and calm your energy, it also has benefits to… a woman’s body. Little Demon Empress just needs to take a drop a day, and in less than one month, you will certainly…”
There was a sharp, windy sound. Little Demon Empress waved her gray sleeves before Yun Che was done talking, sucked the jade bottle from his hand into her palms and threw it into her portable space, “This empress has accepted this ‘Heavenly Jade Dew,’ you can leave now.”
“Despicable, shameless, perverted, dirty, beast, sex fiend…” Jasmine was as if she was chanting a curse inside of Yun Che’s mind… As a result of the time of her and Yun Che being together getting longer, her vocabulary in cursing had increased by many large realms!
“Remember, you must take a drop a day. Do not stop, and it’s best to take it before your sleep!” Yun Che stressed as he reminded her, but he didn’t leave. Instead, he suddenly said, “By the way, how do you prepare to deal with those who are kneeling outside?”
“You don’t have to worry about that!”
“Sigh, it’s hard for me to not worry about it!” Yun Che said with a helpless expression. Not only was he not leaving, he stepped forward, facing the Little Demon Empress’ murderous atmosphere, walked to her side, and then sat down on the stone chair closest to the throne. At the same time, he talked in his own world, “The Guardian Families and the many Duke Palaces are different from the other forces after all. They are the backbone and the foundation of the Illusory Demon Realm, especially the Guardian Families. Removing any one of them would be an incredible loss to Illusory Demon Realm, and it would be extremely difficult to bring up a Guardian Family onto the same level.
“But the crimes they committed was a serious crime of betrayal, it definitely cannot be forgiven easily. The scale on which they were involved was too, too great, with more than half of the Guardian Families and nearly a seventh of the Royal Clans. How they are punished will greatly influence the destiny and peace of Illusory Demon Realm for many years in the future…” Yun Che lifted his head and said in a very serious tone, “And such a heavy responsibility has fallen onto my, Yun Che’s, woman… How could I not worry!”
The Little Demon Empress turned her head abruptly, and a chill cropped up, “You…”
“Oh! I know, I know…” Yun Che lifted his hand immediately, “You must want to kill me again. It’s okay, I am almost used to it. If you like, kill all you want, but after you finish killing let us continue to talk about how to deal with that group of people.”
“You…” There was not a single trace of fear in Yun Che’s expression; it was obvious that he was absolutely confident she wouldn’t kill him. At this moment, the Little Demon Empress, who could shock and frighten all heroes under heaven to not dare to even breathe with just a gaze and an instant of breath, actually felt a deep helplessness. Even the murderous atmosphere and chill that she forced out appeared to fluctuate slightly.
Silence suddenly appeared between the two of them for several breaths of time. The Little Demon Empress had the feeling of “gnashing her teeth in anger” for the first time in her life. She looked away and said coldly, “This empress had already thought clearly about how to punish them. I don’t need to you to tell me what to do here… Leave immediately!”
“Oh? Really?” Yun Che was pleasantly surprised, as he said cheerfully, “You are indeed my, Yun Che’s, woman. This kind of difficult problem was not challenging for you at all.”
The Little Demon Empress couldn’t stand it any more, “If you dare to speak of any more nonsense…”
“Oh, kill however you like.”
“!#$%… &” The Little Demon Empress turned around slowly, her small face that was ten thousand times more delicate than a porcelain doll was covered with gloom like the reaper, “You really just have to learn things the hard way!”
Looking straight into the Little Demon Empress’ eyes, Yun Che suddenly said slowly, “If you really have only three years of life remaining… wouldn’t you wish to have someone that you didn’t hate, and you never wanted to kill to accompany you for the rest of it… Are you really that used to being alone?”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes became focused, and no one could guess what she was thinking through her deep, boundless eyes. She said coldly, “The Little Demon Emperor that you knew of was this empress’ brother, and was also this empress’ husband. Since I am the empress, so what if I’m alone? This empress has been like this for a hundred years, let alone merely three years!”
Yun Che, “…”
“If you want to stay, that is fine too. Then watch closely how this empress punishes these traitors!” The Little Demon Empress had already sat still on her throne in between her swaying grey clothing. She gazed forward and said indifferently, “Yun Che, this empress ask you now, if among these people, only one could live, who would you choose? And if one must die, who would you choose?”
Yun Che didn’t stop to think at all. He opened his mouth immediately, as if he had already considered this question, “If only one can qualify to live, then it should be Duke Xuan. Four months ago, Duke Xuan had been loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan. At the Reign Ceremony, he even scolded those seven Guardian Families harshly. The reason he surrendered to Duke Huai later on was mainly because he thought you died in Golden Crow Lightning Valley, and had to make a choice to protect his Duke Palace out of helplessness.”
“If one of them must die… If it was me, I would choose the Patriarch of the Helian Family, Helian Kuang!” Yun Che narrowed his eyes slightly, “The Helian Family was one of the first to betray the Demon Emperor’s clan out of all of the Guardian Families, and surrendered to Duke Huai Palace! As a patriarch, Helian Kuang, of course, had a crucial role. And towards the plotting of Duke Huai Palace, not only did he lean towards them explicitly, he suppressed those forces that were loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan multiple times, and even set up many schemes. At first, to alienate my Yun Family and the Under Heaven Family, it was someone from the Helian Family who was sent to assassinate Number Seven Under Heaven… If it weren’t for my coincidental appearance, it is extremely possible that they could’ve succeeded, and the consequences would be even more unimaginable!”
“He deserves to die for the crimes he committed and the evil in his heart!”
The Little Demon Empress listened to what Yun Che said silently. Once he was finished, her eyes flickered, and her deep voice sounded through the barrier and resounded outside in the Demon Imperial Hall, “Duke Xuan, come in to see this empress!”
Chapter 631 - Mercy and Death
The Little Demon Empress’ icy voice reverberated in the Demon Imperial Hall, causing everyone’s face to become extreme ugly. The Little Demon Empress had only mentioned Duke Xuan… and that also meant that she was not going to handle all these sinners who were kneeling here at the same time. Instead, she was going to have a private chat with each and every one of them.
All those present felt their hearts beat violently in their chests. They faced the Little Demon Empress together so they felt a slight sense of camaraderie from one another, but if it was a private summons… then everyone would do their utmost to try to make amends for their crimes and reveal everything they knew about everyone else’s sin. In order to live, they would do whatever it took prove their loyalty at all costs…
And besides the Little Demon Empress, no one else would know what the other person said or vowed, so they would not even know who betrayed whom.
Not only that, if anyone left anything out or did not prove their loyalty enough, it was extremely likely that they would be made into examples by the Little Demon Empress.
In addition, given the Little Demon Empress’ current power, killing anyone present would be as simple as squashing a bug.
With that, in an instant, these people, who were already soaked in sweat, started to sweat even more as they desperately tried to think of what they ought to say. Moreover, in this seven day period, the plan they had come up with to present a united front and cover up each other’s ugly deeds quietly collapsed amidst the desolate and terrifying atmosphere.
Duke Xuan, who had been first to be summoned, trembled with fear as he rose, and under the gazes of all who were present, he made his way, step by step, towards the stone room. With only the intervening space of less than two hundred paces, he nearly collapsed to the floor on at least three different occasions. Each and every step he took made it seem as if he was approaching an endless abyss.
The Duke Xuan in Yun Che’s memory was short and fat man with a sincere smile. But in just these short seven days, he had actually shrunk considerably. Once Duke Xuan entered the stone room, he collapsed to his knees and his entire body shook like a leaf. “This insignificant duke… gree… greets the Little Demon Empress… this insignificant duke knows that he has sinned… but it was only this insignificant duke who had sinned… and even this insignificant duke’s wife had advised him to never ever become involved with Duke Huai. But this insignificant duke lost his mind… and the rest of my Duke Palace was really not involved at all.”
“I beg the Little Demon Empress to kill this insignificant duke alone. The others in my Duke Palace, they really do not know anything. They were only dragged down by this insignificant duke… I beg the Little Demon Empress to show mercy and let off this insignificant duke’s family… after this insignificant duke has been executed, I will definitely be deeply grateful to you… I just beg that the Little Demon Empress will show mercy regarding…”
Duke Xuan’s entire body kept shaking, and he was weeping violently as his face was filled with a mixture of extreme regret and terror. As he continued to desperately beg the Little Demon Empress, he had already kowtowed many times to her and had bashed his head against the floor with such force that his forehead was covered in blood.
“Did this empress say that she wanted to kill you? Do you really desire death that much?” coldly asked the Little Demon Empress.
Duke Xuan lifted his head, and his expression turned blank as he could scarcely believe the words that he had just heard.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress gave a cold snort and continued in a solemn voice, “Even though your Duke Xuan Palace has not made any major contributions in these hundred years, you have not committed any errors either. What was truly rare was that when this empress’ power had waned and a good majority of the Duke Palaces secretly defected over to Duke Huai, your Duke Xuan Palace had never betrayed or abandoned this empress before. In addition, even if you had thrown your lot in with Duke Huai, it was only because you thought that this empress had died, and it was the only way to ensure the safety of your Duke Palace.”
“Duke Xuan, you are at fault. But this empress is also at fault. My fault lay in the fact that I was too weak, so weak that those who were loyal to this empress were subjected to continuous abuse and humiliation by those traitors and renegades. Furthermore, in the hundred years of this empress’ decline, you had never once thought to betray or abandon me. Instead, you remained faithful, and that in and of itself is enough to cover the greater than four months of wrongdoing… so you may rise.”
Duke Xuan’s expression was sluggish and tears filled his eyes as he did not dare believe each and every word that he had just heard. Ever since the Little Demon Empress had returned, every gaze from her was like being dropped into an icy abyss. Every word was filled with a chilling/imposing killing intent, every order seemed like it would cause rivers of blood to run through the streets of the Demon Imperial City… As a sinner, he could not sleep for a whole seven days. Not only that, every single day was filled with fear and trepidation, and he had already prepared his own coffin. His greatest desire was to preserve his wife and his Duke Palace… But who would have thought that when it was his turn to be judged by the Little Demon Empress, not only was there not a single hint of killing intent, he was not even condemned but praised instead.
It was as if he had instantly flown from the borders of hell straight up to heaven. Duke Xuan’s eyes instantly overflowed with tears, and he did not rise up. Instead, he collapsed onto the ground and prostrated himself. He wept loudly as he spoke, “This insignificant duke… thanks the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy! This insignificant duke had received royal favor, but he instead repaid it with perfidy. This in and of itself is enough for me to die a thousand times over… but the Little Demon Empress’ divine mercy is like that of the heavens. This insignificant duke is unable to repay this in any way. So the only thing this insignificant duke can do is to swear my eternal loyalty and devotion to you. It will be constant even in death… If I ever dare to even show a hint of betrayal again, may the heavens smite me…”
“There is no need for further words, rise.” The Little Demon Empress casually waved her hand “Your wife and children are definitely worried sick for you back at your palace. So quickly return to them and allay their worries. Withdraw.”
“I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy… I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy…” Duke Xuan once more rose while trembling… but this time, he was trembling due to gratitude. He remained bowed as he retreated and could not stop giving thanks. Even after his feet had stepped out of the barrier, he still had not stopped.
“I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy… I thank the Little Demon Empress for her divine mercy…”
The people kneeling in the great hall saw Duke Xuan make a quick exit, without a single wound on his body and with a face that was flushed red with excitement and gratitude, his mouth uttering ceaseless thanks.
“Duke Xuan…”
A few people tried to talk to him, but Duke Xuan did not pay attention to anyone. Instead, he turned around and quickly left the place. But everyone could see clearly that, while his expression was clearly one of relief… there was some joy hidden there as well.
“This…”
“Could it be that the Little Demon Empress actually pardoned him?”
Everyone looked at one another in dismay, but Duke Xuan came out unscathed and his face was filled with joy and astonishment, so that caused the pressure in everyone’s heart to lessen several times. The miserable fate of the Duke Huai Palace had caused them to be so anxious that they could scarcely carry on. Moreover, every single moment spent in the presence of the Little Demon Empress filled them with boundless terror, and their minds could not help but illustrate various terrible scenarios. But Duke Xuan had only gone in for a few moments, and he had clearly been pardoned at the end of it.
They began to feel that, perhaps their sheer terror had been overblown… That was right, after all, they all belonged to Guardian Families and Duke Palaces, and they were the pillars supporting the Illusory Demon Realm! The Illusory Demon Realm had just gone through such a big change, so the foundations and supports were even more inviolate at this time!
Among all the Duke Palaces, Duke Xuan was already among the weakest, and his palace could not even compare to the Guardian Families, but he was safe and sound… As long as they gave all their effort to repent and prove their loyalty, the Little Demon Empress would definitely go with the flow and absolve them. They would receive a warning at most…
At this thought, everyone’s hearts immediately calmed down a great deal, and even the atmosphere of the great hall did not seem so stifling and oppressive anymore.
“Helian Kuang, enter.”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice pierced the barrier as it rang out from the stone room, and this time, her voice summoned the Helian Family Patriarch, Helian Kuang.
“Patriarch…” A few of the core elders in the Helian Family looked at Helian Kuang with worried expressions on their faces.
“Don’t worry. After all, I am the Patriarch of a Guardian Family, so nothing will happen to me.” Helian Kuang sucked in a heavy breath as he strode towards the stone room.
Once he entered the stone room, a heart-piercing icy sensation assaulted him and caused him to feel chills all over, so he involuntarily shivered. Helian Kuang did not dare to meet the Little Demon Empress’ eyes, instead he hurriedly kneeled and said, “This sinner Helian Kuang greets the Little Demon Empress.”
“You may rise.” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was incomparably calm, and there was not single fluctuation in her emotions. She gazed at a stone seat to her right and said, “Be seated.”
There was no killing intent, no fury, not even a feeling of oppression, and he did not even need to kneel. All of this caused Helian Kuang’s heart to be steadied. He slowly rose to his feet and carefully shifted into the stone seat.
The Little Demon Empress extended her hand and a delicate white jade teacup appeared in her palm. With a flip of her hand, the teacup rose in the air as if it was being guided by a light wind and it floated across to the land on the stone table in front of Helian Kuang, “Patriarch Helian, please have some tea.”
The white jade of the teacup was flawless, but its contents were empty and there was not even a drop of tea inside of it. But how would Helian Kuang dare to show even the slightest bit of dissent. Even if the Little Demon Empress were to declare that he was a dog right now, he would respond by barking a few times. He lifted up the teacup with both hands and brought it to his mouth. He carefully raised his head and made the appearance of slowly savoring his tea, and it was only after a good long while that he set the teacup down with the utmost care.
“Have you finished drinking?” The Little Demon Empress’ eyes slightly narrowed, but her words were bland.
Helian Kuang hurriedly cupped his hands and said, “Yes… the rich and mellow fragrance of this tea belongs only in the heavens… I thank the Little Demon Empress for this drink.”
“Since the tea has already been drunk,” The Little Demon Empress’ eyes shone faintly, “then you can leave on your journey with your mind at ease!”
As her final word fell, the Little Demon Empress had already stepped through space, and she suddenly appeared in front of Helian Kuang as if she were a demon out of hell. A small snow-jade delicate hand held flames that seemed to emanate from the fiery pits of hell, and it heavily smashed into Helian Kuang’s chest. The wild and violent Golden Crow Flames crazily surged into his body, and in a single instant, all his internal organs had been completely incinerated.
“Urgh…” Helian Kuang’s eyes widened rigidly as the world spun around him.
Boom!!
An ear-shattering explosion rang out, and Helian Kuang’s body flew out of the stone room and violently smashed into the crowd of people that were kneeling there. When he landed on the ground, his eyes had widened into circles as he stared at the ceiling. There was no sound coming from him at all. Not only that, on his chest, there was a ghastly, black scorch mark.
“Patriarch… Patriarch!!” The gathered core elders of the Helian Family screamed in alarm as they rushed forward, but there was not even a sliver of life left in Helian Kuang’s body. A thick and acrid smell of burnt flesh wafted from his entire body, and his death could not be anymore complete.
“Patriarch…” Staring at the body in front of them, the core elders of the Helian Family had been scared out of their minds, and they just stood there trembling all over. At this time, the Little Demon Empress’ low and cold voice rang out from the stone room, “Despite being the Patriarch of a Guardian Family, Helian Kuang colluded with Duke Huai and conspired to rebel against the throne, so his death was richly deserved. Furthermore, this punishment was originally to be extended to the entire Helian Family. But on account of the Helian Clan having faithfully served and protected the clan of the Demon Emperor for the past ten thousand years, this empress has decided to give you a chance and grant your Helian Family an opportunity to turn over a new leaf… Helian Tu!”
The Second Elder of the Helian Family, whose name had just been called, jerked up with a start as he frantically turned around and sank to his knees.
“From today onward, you will be the new Patriarch of the Helian Family! this empress orders you to drag Helian Kuang’s carcass over to the North Gate in two hours time and suspend it there! Leave it exposed to the public for seven days, and within these seven days, if anyone dares to retrieve his corpse, plead for mercy, or publicly mourn for him, execute that person on the spot!”
“Moreover, if anyone in your Helian Family shows even the slightest bit of dissent, if this empress is aware of it, I will kill that person! If any of you have the audacity to put your clan first and defy my order or if any one of you show even the slightest hint of perfidy again, this empress will ensure that this world will no longer have a Helian Family!”
Every word that the Little Demon Empress uttered caused the dread within the hearts of the core elders of the Helian Family to escalate exponentially. But if the death of one person could be exchanged for the safety of the entire Helian Family, then no one would be stupid enough to be indignant over his death. Helian Tu said in a shaky voice, “We will obey the commands of the Little Demon Empress… I thank the Little Demon Empress for her mercy. Our Helian Family will remain steadfastly loyal to the Little Demon Empress from this day forth, and we will gladly give our lives for you…”
“Also, the Purple Veined Divine Crystals that you owe the Yun Family, definitely do not forget about them.”
“Yes… Yes…” Helian Tu dragged Helian Kuang’s body away as his head jerked up and down in fear. He scrambled to leave, his steps teetering as if he was walking on the edge of a blade.
Terror wildly swept across the Demon Imperial Hall like an epidemic. The slight relief that they had felt after seeing Duke Xuan come out unscathed completely disappeared in an instant, and everyone’s faces were so pale that it seemed all the blood had been drained out of them… For ten thousand years, the Helian Family’s status as a Guardian Family had been second only to the Yun Family, but the Helian Patriarch, Helian Kuang, had been personally executed by the Little Demon Empress… So if that could happen to him, what lay in store for the other Guardian Families and Duke Palaces.
“Jiufang Kui, enter.”
All eyes turned towards the Jiufang Family. Jiufang Kui rose with much trembling, but just as he managed to stand up, his legs went soft, and he sank to his knees once more. His wide and bulging eyes clearly displayed the boundless dread that had welled up in his heart. The horrific death of Helian Kuang had planted a devil in his heart… because he was extremely clear that among the Twelve Guardian Families, even though the Helian Family may have been the first to switch their loyalties over to the Duke Huai Palace, his Jiufang Family was a close second! In addition, his Jiufang Clan and the Helian Clan had originally been close because of their shared race.They had also intermarried over the generations…
She had just killed Helian Kuang and then called for him, Jiufang Kui… how could he not be terrified?
Chapter 632 - Cruel Slave Imprint
“Sinner Jiufang Kui… greets the Little Demon Empress.”
Once he entered the stone room, Jiufang Kui dropped to his knees. Even though he was trying extremely hard to keep his calm, his voice was still trembling in fear.
“Patriarch Jiufang,” the Little Demon Empress’ gaze focused coldly, “Helian Kuang was the Patriarch of the Helian Family, but this empress killed him. As a Guardian Family’s Patriarch, what is your opinion on this? Was this empress right to kill him or not?”
Jiufang Kui gasped cold air harshly and said in panic, “Helian Kuang was a Guardian Family Patriarch, but he colluded with traitors, plotted to rebel, and abandoned the Demon Emperor’s clan’s grace and his family’s responsibility as guardians… This type of traitor should have been hacked into ten thousand of pieces a long time ago. Little Demon Empress was right to kill him… and it was good to kill him.”
“Very good.” The Little Demon Empress nodded slowly. Jiufang Kui’s answer seemed to please her. Then, her voice suddenly became cold, “If so, are you prepared to kill yourself, or do you want this empress to handle this personally!”
Her cold voice and murderous spirit made all the hair on Jiufang Kui’s body stand up. He fell on the floor, screamed and begged, “Little Demon Empress mercy, Little Demon Empress mercy! Back then, I was bewitched by Helian Kuang and was under an obsession for a moment, that’s why… that’s why I committed such disloyal action. But I really didn’t know about those shameless things that would make both humans and gods indignant those people at Duke Huai Palace did… The reason I yielded to Duke Huai Palace was really for self-preservation… for the Jiufang Family getting peace in the future… I… I swear right here, after today I will definitely be loyal to the Little Demon Empress, and see the words of the Little Demon Empress as commands from heaven, ab…absolutely would not have the heart of betrayal… or else, I, Jiufang Kui, will be struck by lightning and split into two halves, and let my whole Jiufang Clan die without peace…”
Considering the barrier keeping any possible outsider from seeing or hearing, for the sake of survival, how could Jiufang Kui still care about the honor as a Patriarch? He desperately cried and begged, cursed himself with the most vicious words. He was no different than any normal living creature that was scared of dying… maybe even more petty.
“Looks like the Jiufang Patriarch has the guts to revolt but doesn’t have the guts to die!” The Little Demon Empress mocked in disdain, “If you are that afraid of dying, this empress could give you a chance to live! Tell me everything you know about Duke Huai Palace and all the shameless things your Jiufang Family has done over this past hundred years, especially the things that this empress doesn’t know about; tell it to this empress completely! There cannot be any falsehoods or omissions!”
“If your confession does not satisfy this empress…” the Little Demon Empress looked sideways at Yun Che, “the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch is right here. This empress could just seal your profound energy and have the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch use the Profound Handle Soul Search on you! By then, if we discover that there is anything false in what you said or if you missed out anything, you would end up in ten times worse condition than Helian Kuang!”
Jiufang Kui shivered, and there was a little more hope in his fear. Helian Kuang’s body was just dragged out. There was nothing worse than dying. For the “chance to live” that the Little Demon Empress mentioned, he wouldn’t dare to hide anything. At that moment, he wracked his brain to think back and told to her everything that he knew about Duke Huai Palace and the shameless things that his family did over the years, whether it was done explicitly or secretly. To “make up for his error,” he even told her in extreme detail of the shameless things that the other Guardian Families and Duke Palaces had done, especially what the Helian Family had done these years, including the agreement between them this past couple of days to cover up each other’s crimes.
When he was all done, his whole body almost collapsed from exhaustion. Even though each thing he confessed was even more shocking than the next, some even rendering Yun Che speechless, there was no commotion in Little Demon Empress’ breath and in her eyes. She stared at Jiufang Kui and said in a deep voice, “The Guardian Family that had honor for ten thousands of years is now corrupted to this extent… Jiufang Kui, as a patriarch, even if you died ten thousand times you could hardly absolve yourself from the blame!”
Jiufang Kui got down on the ground and didn’t dare to speak anymore.
“This empress will now give you two choices.” The Little Demon Empress slowly stood up and walked towards Jiufang Kui. For each step she took, Jiufang Kui’s body curled up tighter, “Option one, you, Jiufang Kui, die! Your body will by hung on the city gate in display for seven days! Your name will also be recorded into the Illusory Demon chronicle, become a disgrace to the Jiufang Family, and you will go down in history as a byword to infamy! Your wife and concubine, your sons and grandsons, will all be sentenced to death immediately!”
Jiufang Kui lifted his head abruptly and begged in a trembling voice, “Little Demon Empress, mercy please…”
“Option two!!” The Little Demon Empress had already walked before Jiufang Kui. She looked at him from above with her cold eyes, pointed at the top of his head, and a ball of scarlet-gold flames was burning in the center of her palm, “Be abiding and accept the ‘slave imprint’ from this empress! If so, you will still be the patriarch of the Jiufang Family! Your wife, concubine, sons, grandsons and the whole Jiufang Clan would all be safe and sound!”
Jiufang Kui’s whole body shook violently, his eyes widened rigidly, and his pupils that were shrinking intensely were filled with fear and desperation.
A slave imprint was the cruelest mental imprint in the world. If a person was implanted with a slave imprint in their heart and soul, then they would have to obey to the person who gave them the slave imprint no matter what, and could never disobey any commands. Even if the command was for him to die, he would go die without any hesitation… There wouldn’t even be any trace of resistance or rebellious awareness. It would be equal to being the slave and puppet of the other party forever.
Once the slave imprint was planted, it was almost impossible for it to be removed. Even if the person who imprinted the slave imprint died, the person who got imprinted with the slave imprint would still remember the their mission and serve loyally for their whole life.
The slave imprint was too cruel; once planted, the implantee’s own life and will would be controlled by someone else. To many people, it was something more terrifying than death. In the law of the Illusory Demon Realm, the “slave imprint” was strictly prohibited. Even the largest family absolutely could not plant a slave imprint on the most inferior servant. At the same time, planting a “slave imprint” not only consumed a great amount of mental power, but it also had an extremely low success rate. With the Little Demon Empress’ current strength, to plant a slave imprint on Jiufang Kui, if he struggled even a little bit, there would be no possibility to succeeding at all. Even when facing an Overlord, it was almost impossible to succeed.
If one wants to successfully plant a slave imprint, usually the other party must be fully willing, and cannot struggle at all.
But, with the options in front of Jiufang Kui, he either was implanted with a slave imprint, or he died… and it’d even bring disgrace and ruin upon himself, and his wife and sons died with him.
“There are only these two choices, there is absolutely not a third choice for you to choose from!” The Little Demon Empress said coldly, “This is the result of your own transgressions. You cannot blame this empress, and cannot blame anyone else! This empress gives you the time for five breaths to consider, to die, or to live… After five breaths, if you still haven’t made your decision, then this empress will directly send you to your grave!”
Jiufang Kui was stunned, emptiness filled his eyes, and there was no sign of life in his eyes… After three breaths, he lowered his head heavily, and said in a trembling voice, “May… Little Demon Empress… grant me the slave imprint…”
If it was between the slave imprint and a simple death, he might have chosen death. But followed by his death, it was a consequence ten thousand times more cruel than a simple death. slave imprint was his only choice. At least, he could live; at least, he didn’t have to carry a bad name for ten thousand of years; at least, when he faced people other than the Little Demon Empress, his soul still belonged to himself.
“Very good.” The Little Demon Empress covered with her palm, using her soul profound energy with the aura of the Golden Crow, and immediately loaded it into Jiufang Kui’s heart and soul… Jiufang Kui’s whole body was trembling, but he didn’t dare to struggle or defend at all. In the time of a few short breaths, the slave imprint from the Little Demon Empress was planted firmly into his heart and soul.
The Golden Crow Flame went out as the Little Demon Empress closed her palm. There was a little more color in Jiufang Kui’s eyes which were gray and dark before. Facing the Little Demon Empress, his body was even more underlying, his eyes and his expression were filled with respect, fear, fawning, flattering, and he was just like a loyal dog shaking its tail in front of its master.
“Scram!” The Little Demon Empress turned around and said in a cold voice. Jiufang Kui’s petty, poor attitude didn’t make the Little Demon Empress felt sorry at all. The hatred from her clan and her family was as deep as the sea… If she wasn’t the Little Demon Empress, if she wouldn’t have to consider the peace and future of Illusory Demon Realm; she would slaughter all of these people in the cruelest way possible… How would she go through all the trouble to let them live.
“Yes yes… I will scram immediately, scram immediately.” Jiufang Kui was as if he heard the irrefutable command of the gods, his whole body shivered, and he immediately threw himself on the ground, rolled… and literally “rolled” out.
It’s not that Yun Che had never heard of the “slave imprint” before, but he had never really seen it. Looking at Jiufang Kui, his whole body quivered.
Mercy in one hand, and death in the other; the former gave hope and the latter gave intimidation, and the slave imprint under the name of hope and intimidation was the Little Demon Empress’ true goal.
Jiufang Kui also left alive. This undoubtedly gave the people behind him even more hope. The process afterwards was a lot simpler. Basically it was same as dealing with Jiufang Kui, letting them choose between “death” and the “slave imprint,” but this “death” would involve the whole family and clan, and be disgraced for ten thousands of years, so the “slave imprint” became their only choice.
But not everyone had these two choices. Helian Kuang died; Jiufang Kui, Bai Yi, Nangong Zhi, Lin Guiyan, Chiyang Bailie, Xiao Xifeng were all planted with a slave imprint; and among the many dukes, a third of the dukes who only turned for self-preservation received amnesty like Duke Xuan.
The patriarchs and dukes who received a slave imprint would never betray for the rest of their lives, their Families and Duke Palaces would be completely in the Little Demon Empress’ control. And those who received amnesty would also be completely loyal with grace and shame.
Until sunset, the Little Demon Empress’ punishments for all of the Guardian Families and the Duke Palaces were then all completed. After the last Duke Palace left in a hurry, the Demon Imperial Hall became empty, and in the silent there was suppression and loneliness.
Planting slave imprints consumed a lot of profound energy, and it consumed even more mental power. Even the Little Demon Empress was exhausted from planting to close to more than fifty slave imprints in an afternoon. But with her extremely stubborn personality, of course she wouldn’t reveal her exhaustion… especially in front of Yun Che.
“This empress has already done what you wished. Now, you can leave.” The Little Demon Empress left her throne said coldly with her back turned to Yun Che.
The figure of her back was delicate and petite, like a little girl who hadn’t grown up yet, but she was carrying the heaviest responsibility in the whole Demon Illusory Realm all by herself… She didn’t have any family left, and there were only three remaining years of her life left.
Everyone respected and feared her; only in Yun Che, when he faced her, there was only a deep, tender protectiveness… and a trace of stabbing pain that could not be relieved.
Yun Che stayed behind alone in hope of helping her in some way; at least she didn’t have to always face all the pressure alone. But, the Little Demon Empress was an unusual woman after all. She had unparalleled profound power in the world, have perseverance that no one could compare to, she even had enough wisdom, a calculating mind, and boldness, and didn’t need him to do anything at all.
The whole afternoon, he felt like him sitting there was completely unnecessary… instead he was even somewhat in the way.
“Um…” Yun Che walked close to the Little Demon Empress for a few steps and said slowly, “Before you became the Little Demon Empress, you were ‘Princess Caiyi.’ All these years you were dressed in gray, it should have been for the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor who had passed away. Now it has been a hundred years, and only Duke Ming who had lost a lot of blood essence is left of the up and down of Duke Huai Palace. Unless he could escape Illusory Demon Realm, he would fall into your hands sooner or later. You have avenged them… so this gray clothing, you shouldn’t have to continue to wear it.”
“…” The Little Demon Empress had her back turned, didn’t move, and didn’t respond at all.
“Besides your identity as the Little Demon Empress, you are also the publicly acknowledged number one beauty in the Demon Illusory Realm. Even though this ugly clothing cannot cover your beauty, if you wear something slightly more… normal, you would look so good that even the heavens would be jealous.” Yun Che said really seriously. It was true that he didn’t like the Little Demon Empress always wearing the gray, wide clothes. Those gray clothes were like a layer of a dim cage, and the Little Demon Empress couldn’t escape from the pressure and shadow of it.
The Little Demon Empress turned to her side slightly, and said indifferently, “Then, what do you think this empress should wear?”
“Um…” Yun Che thought about it closely and said, “Even though I have known you for this long, I have never seen you in any other outfits. Oh, if I really need to say… you look very good without any clothes on.”
【Hypothesis: The Little Demon Empress’ profound energy value is 60000, aggressive value is 99999, Yun Che’s profound energy value is 260, defense value is 500. Question: Which number window should Yun Che report to at the Palace of Hell?】
crushanapple note: the literal meaning of ‘scram’ (滾) is ‘roll’.
Chapter 633 - Purple Cloud Art
Duke Xu was the last duke summoned by the Little Demon Empress. Because he had only turned to Duke Huai after the news of the Little Demon Empress’ demise in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley came, he was pardoned by her. The final result caused him to rejoice, but the Little Demon Empress’ terrifying majesty and icy gaze still made his heart tremble.
He hurriedly left along with the members of his palace, but not long after he left the Demon Imperial Hall, a loud, ear-shattering explosion rang out behind him.
Boom!!
Amidst that roar, the figure of a person could be seen flying, and the speed of that figure was akin to a meteor… it flew all the way past the roofs of the heads of the members of Duke Xu Palace before fiercely slamming itself into the ground not far in front of them, causing a rather huge crater to be gouged into the ground.
Duke Xu and his men stood there with stunned looks on their faces, blankly staring at the person who laid in the center of that huge crater… if they were not mistaken, this person… had clearly flown from the direction of the Demon Imperial Hall.
Yun Che emerged from the pit covered in dust with his clothes completely shredded. He dusted off the dirt on his body and muttered to himself, “This woman… is still really vicious when she wants to be. Tch…”
After he climbed out of the crater, he raised his head and his eyes widened when he saw the members of Duke Xu Palace. They stared at him with fixed eyes, and their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost during the day. The corner of Yun Che’s mouth fiercely twitched and, he said in a calm and unperturbed manner, “Ahem, so it’s Duke Xu. Oh… the Little Demon Empress had told me that the ground around her had fallen into disrepair, so it would break apart easily and it was in need of a good fixing up, so I personally came to test it out. It looks like it was indeed as she said. After all, this place is near the Demon Imperial Hall, so the profound jade used should be of a higher quality. If it is so easily broken, it will harm the image of the Demon Imperial Hall.”
Duke Xu was dumbstruck for a good long while before finally coming back to his senses. He hurriedly replied, “Yes, yes, yes. Young Patriarch Yun is indeed correct, the Little Demon Empress indeed has a fine eye for detail. This humble duke will give instructions for this to be repaired with yellow profound jade which is of a higher quality.”
“Then I will have to trouble Duke Xu in this regard. I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll have to bid you farewell.” Yun Che nodded sharply his head and turned around as he casually walked away.
“Your highness, he was not… smashed all the way out here by the Little Demon Empress, right?” The person on Duke Xu’s right whispered to him after Yun Che had travelled a sufficiently far distance away,
“…You know too much,” Duke Xu said in an extremely quiet voice.
“Cough…”
“…Which part of her body haven’t I seen or touched before, to think that because I said the bold truth… Tch, it’s simply beyond the bounds of reason!” Yun Che grumbled to himself discontentedly as he strolled along. He found a place to change his clothes and then he returned home to the Yun Family.
Yun Che did not conceal anything from Yun Qinghong. He told him how the Little Demon Empress dealt with the seven Guardian Families and the rest of the duke palaces. This caused Yun Qinghong to gasp in shock. Because of how things were currently configured, the end result and the foreseeable future had undoubtedly been arranged in the most perfect way possible.
“Che’er, I have ‘carelessly’ disclosed your medical skills to the public, so you need to be mentally prepared for what is coming up next,” Yun Qinghong said as he laughed merrily.
Of course, Yun Che knew that Yun Qinghong had definitely not been “careless.” Rather, it was a deliberate thing. He lapsed into thought for a while and then he said, “Father, you are hoping that I can build my own reputation and connections?”
Yun Qinghong gave a light nod and said, “Even though you have built up a huge reputation, it is mainly due to amazement and a little reverence. If you really want to make this Illusory Demon City your home, the medical skills that you have is an extremely good thing to rely on. Ten portions of admiration or amazement is not even equivalent to one portion of gratitude… much less, the gratitude of saving a life.”
“I understand.” Yun Che nodded his head, retrieved a white jade box from the Sky Poison Pearl, and put it into Yun Qinghong’s hand. “Father, inside this box are one hundred Overlord Pellets. Give Xiao Yun eleven pellets. Tell him to save one for himself to eat and let the other ten be given to the Under Heaven Family as a betrothal gift. You can give the remaining eighty-nine pellets to the best young disciples within our family.”
“One hundred Overlord Pellets.” These four words caused Yun Qinghong’s brain to completely shut down. Even with the incomparably sensitive hearing that had come with entering the Sovereign Profound Realm, he was still undoubtedly sure that there was something wrong with his ears. It was only after Yun Che had finished speaking that he said in a rather dazed tone, “You just said that… there was what inside of this box?”
“Overlord Pellets. One hundred, no more, no less.”
“…” Yun Qinghong opened the jade box, and immediately, the extremely pure and thick aroma of potent medicine assaulted him. Given his knowledge and experience, he instantly deduced that this was the aroma of medicine of the highest quality. Moreover, he, who had come into contact with the Overlord Pellet many times, also instantly thought “Overlord Pellet” when he was hit by the smell.
Yun Qinghong stood there in a complete daze for a good long while before carefully picking up one pellet… the medicinal pellet in his hand was extremely similar to the Overlord Pellet that he recognized in both appearance and aura. But because it was similar, he could tell that this pellet was rounder than the Overlord Pellet he was familiar with. The aura was also far purer and thicker than any Overlord Pellet he had ever come in contact with before. He carefully released a bit of profound energy into the Overlord Pellet, and his expression immediately became one of alarm for a very long period of time. That was right, this was undoubtedly an Overlord Pellet, but it was not only similar in appearance or aura. It was actually an Overlord Pellet of nearly perfect quality!
He picked up a second pellet… a third pellet… a fifth pellet… and every time he picked one up, his expression grew even more and more amazed. After putting down the tenth pellet, he did not continue. He sealed the jade box and stared straight at Yun Che, but he was unable to say anything for a long, long time.
Yun Che gave a chuckle and continued, “Compared to my medical arts, my ability to refine medicine is much better. No matter what kind of medicine it is, as long as I know the quality and composition and I have the required ingredients, I can perfectly refine the ingredients in a short amount of time. Furthermore, I definitely will not fail. So use these hundred Overlord Pellets without reservation. Given the ten thousand year foundation built up in our Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion, we have more than enough ingredients to refine several thousand of these pellets.”
Yun Qinghong once again felt like he had been submerged into a fantastical dream. Duke Bao Qing Palace had to spend fifty years and painstaking effort to refine just one Overlord Pellet. But in the hands of Yun Che, it became like a mass production line! In addition, from the way he described it, it sounded as if it was as simple to Yun Che as flipping his hand!
If he was not holding a whole hundred Overlord Pellets in his hand right now… Even if Yun Che had told him this in an incomparably sincere manner, he would not have been able to bring himself to believe it. He gave a light laugh and kept the jade box. “Che’er, you have once again caused your father to barely be able to believe what he is seeing or hearing… To call you a little monster is not the least bit absurd at all.”
“Heh, if I’m a little monster, then wouldn’t Father become a big monster? And it seems we’ve even gotten Mother implicated in this,” laughed Yun Che as he replied.
“Hahahaha.” Yun Qinghong gave a great laugh. The shock in his heart still remained, but his expression and emotions had returned to normal. After all, the more “monstrous” Yun Che became, the more he would naturally be overcome with pride and joy and the more he would feel secure and content about his future. One hundred Overlord Pellets, he was incomparably clear on what this meant. It could allow an average force to become a top force in the space of a few short decades. It could cause the Yun Family, whose power had greatly waned, to return to the peak of their power within a hundred years’ time, even without special treatment from the Little Demon Empress.
After he finished laughing, Yun Qinghong suddenly said in a grateful voice, “Che’er, if not for you, the current Yun Family and the current Illusory Demon Realm would not have become like this. Your grandfather in heaven… is definitely extremely happy.”
“My grandfather used his own life to buy my own.” Yun Che said in a soft voice, “Grandfather’s will and his wishes, I will definitely inherit them, no matter what. Moreover, I am also a son of the Yun Family, so these are things that I should do and must do.”
“Good!” Yun Qinghong heavily nodded his head. “You are indeed my, Yun Qinghong’s, son!”
“What about Xiao Yun?” Yun Che asked.
“At this time, he should be cultivating.” Yun Qinghong gave a faint smile. “Even though his talent isn’t otherworldly and even though he had far less resources to work with than the other Young Patriarchs, he has always been extremely hardworking. For him to have the power that he has today required him to exert several times the amount of effort that other people had to put in.”
Yun Che gave a rather heavy sigh and suddenly said, “Father, I want to experience our Yun Family’s Purple Cloud Art.”
Yun Qinghong was faintly surprised, but he nodded his head and replied with a smile, “You are a child of the Yun Family, so you are definitely more qualified than anyone to learn the Purple Cloud Art. But you already have the double elemental profound powers of ice and fire. Different elemental profound energies will cause fluctuations to easily occur. If you add yet another lightning element, it should not bring you any benefits. Moreover, your ice profound art can freeze profound energy and your fire profound art is bestowed by the Golden Crow itself. Their quality is top-notch. So your father feels that you shouldn’t be too interested in the Purple Cloud Art.”
“I am the scion of the Yun Family. No matter what, I should learn the profound art that is passed down within our family. Moreover… I just happen to need a kind of lightning profound art right now. As for the conflicts and limitations that will normally occur between differing elements, they should not occur within my body.”
He had obtained the Evil God Lightning Seed in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, so he really needed a lightning profound art to utilize his lightning profound energy.
Those last words would have caused anyone who heard it to be completely flummoxed, but the way Yun Che said it was brimming with confidence. This tremendously amazed Yun Qinghong, and a dull and forced laugh came out of his mouth… His own son had far too many unimaginable qualities about him, and it happened so often that he had already become numb to it.
“Follow me.”
Yun Che followed Yun Qinghong and entered a hidden room under the Yun Family Ancestral Monument.
The hidden room was pitch black, and it was incomparably spacious. In the darkness, Yun Che’s eyes could not detect anything other than the walls around him. As Yun Qinghong strode forward and extended his left hand, a cyan profound handle flew out and came into contact with the right wall in front of him.
Rumble!!
Immediately, a purple light flashed, and a wide expanse of purple-colored profound writing appeared on the originally mirror-smooth wall. This profound writing was scrawled across the wall that was tens of meters long, and the lightning element in the hidden room came alive as crackling lightning unceasingly sparked in the air.
“This is our Yun Family’s Purple Cloud Art.” Yun Qinghong withdrew his profound handle, but the purple profound formula on the wall did not disappear. “Only the profound handle of our Yun Family can cause this profound formula to appear.”
Yun Che did not reply because he had already started to study the Purple Cloud Art’s profound formula that was written on the wall. Yun Qinghong gave him a look and gently said, “Among the profound elements, fire has an extremely strong destructive ability and ice can freeze things, but a lightning profound power that is of similar strength, in terms of pure power, will exceed the power of ice or fire and even the rest of the profound elements. But the practitioners who cultivate lightning profound power number the least. This is of course not without reason. Even though lightning profound energy is extremely strong, it is too volatile and is the hardest to control and manipulate amongst all the profound elements. It is also easy to harm oneself in the process of cultivation… to the point where you can damage your own profound veins. The higher a level you reach, the more this concept applies to you.”
“Even though the ’Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation’ I used seven days ago was incredibly strong, it required an extremely large amount of blood essence as its cost. Before injuring another, it would also injure oneself first. If it wasn’t forcibly stopped by the Little Demon Empress, even with my profound cultivation realm and Purple Cloud Arts, I would’ve lost my life. That is also the taboo profound technique your late grandfather has repeatedly warned me to never cultivate… You should also not bother to comprehend it.”
Not receiving a response from Yun Che after he finished speaking, Yun Qinghong tilted his head and then was stunned in place.
Yun Che stood there motionless, his expression and gaze was calm and placid, and the aura surrounding his body was as still and quiet as a lake in the dark of night. There was not a single ripple of movement… he had actually entered an enlightened state where his six senses had been sealed off, where his spirit was empty!
Yun Qinghong’s face was masked by thick astonishment. The Purple Cloud Art was the strongest lightning profound art in the Illusory Demon Realm; even though it was not as high-class as the 【Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World】, its might was also enormous, and it embodied incomparably profound lightning profound laws, so it was extremely hard to comprehend. Even though he had extremely outstanding talent, he still had to stay inside the secret room for an entire month before he started to even grasp the basic concepts.
Furthermore, from the time the Purple Cloud Art had appeared until now, it had only been about one hundred breaths… Yun Che had actually entered into a state of enlightenment!
Could it be that the extremely complex and mysterious laws of lightning encapsulated in the Purple Cloud Art was seen through by him in a single glance and had been fully comprehended?
Chapter 634 - Purple Veined Divine Crystal
Yun Qinghong concealed his aura, lightened his steps, and prepared to leave the secret room. When he reached the exit of the secret room, a blazing purple light suddenly flickered, accompanied by a sharp, ear-piercing hissing sound.
Yun Qinghong subconsciously looked back, and shockingly saw more than ten streaks of twisted, flickering purple lightning surrounding Yun Che’s body. This lightning was increasing with rapid speed. Shortly after, it had increased to a hundred streaks… to hundreds of streaks… to a thousand streaks, and Yun Che’s whole body was bathing in the chaotic, raging lightning.
At this moment, Yun Che slowly reached out his palms with them facing upwards… A ball of lightning started growing quickly in the center of his palms, until it grew into the size of a fist. It appeared to be an extremely deep purple, and the aura it released was irascible but brisk. The feeling it gave wasn’t that of a pure energy ball, but of a lively creature.
“Lightning… spirit!?” Yun Qinghong was so shocked that he lost his voice on the spot.
Lightning spirits were the spiritual bodies of lightning that could only be developed when the person’s own profound veins and lightning element reached an extremely high affinity. Once one was able to develop lightning spirits, it meant that the great attainments of his lightning profound energy had reached a whole new realm, whether it was the cohesion of the lightning profound energy, the speed of release, or its power, it would all be completely different. It was an extremely obvious watershed in the attainments of lightning profound energy.
Yun Qinghong cultivated the Purple Cloud Art for a whole thirty years before he used his own profound energy to successfully birth his first lightning spirit. It shocked the entire Yun Family… and even the entire Demon Imperial City, because looking at the Yun Family’s history, thirty years, was a miracle that had never happened before.
But Yun Che had just contacted the Purple Cloud Art today. Not to mention thirty years… it hadn’t even been forty-five minutes!
This was not a miracle… this was simply a fantasy story!
Could he have cultivated another lightning type profound art, so his profound veins already had an extremely high affinity towards the lightning element? But… there was not a trace of lightning aura in the profound energy that he used when he fought with others before! He also said himself that he had never cultivated lightning type profound arts before; on top of that, the main attribute of his profound energy was fire. Lightning and fire conflicted with each other, so he should instinctively reject the power of lightning… In any case, even if he really had cultivated it before, and he started cultivating since he was in his mother’s womb… at the very most, it would only be a little more than twenty years…
Yun Qinghong’s heart rose and fell like the waves. He stood there blankly for a long time before he snapped out of it, left the secret room, and planted a barrier in front of the door of the secret room that only allowed people to exit but not enter.
With the collapse of Duke Huai Palace, the reign of terror in Demon Imperial City was finally over. The city wall was covered with blood letters, and each of the signatures on the blood letters were names that were once well-known, and even greatly reputed in the Illusory Demon Realm. And the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces that were punished by the Little Demon Empress all became honest and straight-laced. Especially the patriarchs and dukes with whom the Little Demon Empress implanted a slave imprint. Pledging loyalty to the Little Demon Empress and the Demon Emperor’s clan became everything to them for the rest of their lives.
Demon Imperial City finally settled down. Under the command of the Little Demon Empress, each major force, city and domain in the Illusory Demon Realm started searching for Duke Ming’s whereabouts. Yun Che treated Yun Qinghong’s body regularly during the day, and pondered the Purple Cloud Art in the secret room during the night… Aside from that, the thing he had to do every day was to “provoke” the Little Demon Empress… Even though he would get thrown out in all kinds of ways every time, he would definitely show up, rain or shine.
On this day, when Yun Che came out of the secret room, the sun was already riding high. Once he stepped out of the large door of the secret room, he suddenly felt a high level, incredibly thick spiritual aura. Simply by contacting this spiritual aura, the slight tiredness in his body was all gone, his five senses became extraordinarily clear, and even the profound energy in his profound veins woke up from its sleep and became excited.
“It’s the aura of Purple Veined Divine Crystal,” Jasmine said, “and it’s an extremely large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal.”
Extremely large amount of… Purple Veined Divine Crystal?!
Yun Che had been to the Medicine Pavilion many times, but he never found the existence of Purple Veined Divine Crystal in any of those times. After all, in the past hundred years, the Yun Family ran behind on their high grade profound crystal expenses. But today, the thick aura of divine crystals suddenly appeared. Could it be…
Yun Che followed the aura and arrived at his family’s Great Assembly Hall. Yun Qinghong and all of the elders were there, and more than ten Black Profound Jade boxes were placed neatly in the center of the hall. Even with the best-quality Black Profound Jade, it wasn’t able to cover that incredibly thick aura of power.
“Che’er, you came just in time.” Yun Qinghong said with a smile, “These are the Purple Veined Divine Crystals from the seven families. Two and a half kilograms from each family. There are exactly seventeen and a half kilograms here, no more and no less. Also, there are twelve and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal seized from Duke Huai Palace’s secret room. The Little Demon Empress granted all of them to our Yun Family. In total, there are thirty kilograms.”
“Thirty kilograms… that is a lot of Purple Veined Divine Crystal! Even if our Yun Family only gained and didn’t spend any… it would take hundreds of years to accumulate, or even close to one thousand years!” exclaimed a Yun Family elder.
“This is just like a dream.” The hands of one of the elders who was slightly closer to it kept on trembling.
In the great hall, everyone’s faces were red and their excited emotions couldn’t calm down for a long time. They belonged to the top families in the Illusory Demon Realm, and were the highest existence of the Illusory Demon Realm, but even they had never seen this much Purple Veined Divine Crystal in their lives.
Thirty kilograms. This was not a great number in weight, but when it was in reference to “Purple Veined Divine Crystal,” it was extremely exaggerated; it was an astronomical number that could stun an expert of the profound way! In the whole Illusory Demon Realm, to more than ninety-nine percent of profound practitioners, the Purple Veined Divine Crystal was a divine item that existed within the legends, and to even see it in their lifetime would be an extravagant hope.
It was also the first time that Yun Che had seen this legendary Purple Veined Divine Crystal. Black Profound Jade had an extremely strong isolation ability; when carrying the Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, it wouldn’t reveal any of its aura. But when it was holding the Purple Veined Divine Crystal, it was still able to reveal a spiritual energy with such thickness, so it went without saying how enormous and dense the power it held was. Especially at this moment, when he was close, it was so thick that he felt like he was almost in a sea of spiritual energy… He didn’t doubt at all that this spiritual energy had already shrouded over the whole Yun Family.
And this was while the Purple Veined Divine Crystal was still sealed in the Black Profound Jade!
“Those seven families had already delayed for a few months, we are already treating them well by not asking them to pay an interest rate. But… this much Purple Veined Divine Crystal, why wasn’t it stored in the Medicine Pavilion immediately? Leaving it here with the spiritual energy leaking is kind of a waste,” Yun Che said.
“Hohoho.” Yun Duanshui laughed faintly and said, “Young Patriarch, our Yun Family was only able to receive this much Purple Veined Divine Crystal all of a sudden because of you. If it weren’t for Young Patriarch, forget about divine crystals, we wouldn’t know whether or not our family would still exist in Demon Imperial City. So, including the Patriarch, all of us believe that only Young Patriarch has the qualification to handle these Purple Veined Divine Crystals. If Young Patriarch doesn’t say anything, none of us have the right to move it ourselves.”
“That’s right,” The other elders all nodded their heads in agreement, and their expressions showed that they were in deep thought.
It wasn’t random when Yun Che proposed to use the Purple Veined Divine Crystal as a wager at first; it was because he originally needed a large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal. He stepped forward and said, “If so, then I will be straightforward. Because of a certain important reason of mine, I do indeed need a large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal. Then… this thirty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, I want to take fifteen kilograms of it, and the other fifteen kilograms will belong to the family. Not sure if everyone… will agree to this?”
“Hahahaha,” Yun Waitian laughed loudly. “Young Patriarch, what are you talking about? Even if you take all thirty kilograms of it, it would be right and proper. From the top to bottom of our whole clan, none of us would disagree. Young Patriarch only took fifteen kilograms, and left an entire half to the family… This is already a generous gift to our whole clan, how would we have a reason to disagree?”
“What the Great Elder had said was what we were thinking in our minds,” The other elders all laughed… To them, what Yun Waitian had said was absolutely correct. Even if Yun Che took all of it, it would be natural and right. And leaving a whole half, this was already a boldness that no one would be unimpressed by.
“Then I will accept it with respect.” Yun Che stepped forward directly, and took exactly fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal… To prevent it from it being eaten by Hong’er, he first stored the fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal into the spatial ring, and then placed it inside the Sky Poison Pearl.
“Also, I have a suggestion for these fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal.” Yun Che faced everyone and said, “Take ten kilograms of it and divide it in four portions. Each portions will be two and a half kilograms, and give it to the Mu Family, the Under Heaven Family, the Su Family, and the Yan Family.”
“Ah? This…” Yun Che’s suggestion stunned all of the elders. They all showed inconvenience in their faces, and the Fourth Elder said in a subtle tone, “Young Patriarch, we have no right to interfere with how the Purple Veined Divine Crystal will be handled, but, giving an entire ten kilograms to other people for nothing, this is a little…”
“I agree with Che’er’s suggestion.” In contrast to the elders’ shock, Yun Qinghong laughed instead after a short moment of thought, “That day when we were fighting with Duke Huai Palace’s forces, the Mu Family, Under Heaven Family, Su Family, and the Yan Family stood by our side, and they all sent their best from the young generation in their family. That battle concerned our Yun Family’s honor and fate of going or staying, so in a way, they fought for our Yun Family. These Purple Veined Divine Crystals were the wager from that battle, so even though at that time, it was said that it would belong to the Yun Family, but it is logical and natural for us to share some of it with them.”
“And this, of course is not the main reason.” Yun Qinghong continued, “After this period of ups and downs, in the eyes of the people, our Yun Family’s status has already surpassed the other Guardian Families, and no one can compare to us. Especially now that we received thirty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, I believe that the entire Demon Imperial City would be discussing this. With these Purple Veined Divine Crystals and the favor of the Little Demon Empress, anyone can predict that not for long, our Yun Family would be high above all the other Guardian Families in prestige, strength, and position. However, being too outstanding would instead form faults and invisible gaps between the families with which we once breathed the same air.”
All of the elders seemed to have understood all of a sudden, “Could Patriarch and Young Patriarch mean…”
“That’s right. Purple Veined Divine Crystal is the highest divine item in the world. Anyone received it would treat it like their own life. If we shared it with them, it will be enough to show them that even though our Yun Family has returned to our glorious state, we would not be proud and arrogant, and would still value our relationship with them. At the same time, these two and a half kilos of Purple Veined Divine Crystal is too valuable. They will receive our good will, but will firmly reject it, and in the end, it will still return to our Yun Family.”
Yun Qinghong smiled slightly and said, “As a result, not only will we not lose any Purple Veined Divine Crystal, we also showed them our attitude. What we need to do is only make a few visits, but it will be extremely important to the future of our Yun Family.”
Yun Che nodded lightly. The father and son pair gave each other a look and smiled.
Yun Qinghong’s words enlightened all of the elders. Yun Waitian was convinced and said, “Patriarch and Young Patriarch are most considerate. This is indeed necessary. We will head over there personally at this moment.”
This concerned Purple Veined Divine Crystals, so of course they could not be at ease having someone else deliver it.
The four elders immediately started moving. Each of them carried two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, and each went to the Under Heaven Family, the Yan Family, the Su Family, and the Mu Family. It was as Yun Che predicted; for the Under Heaven Family, the Su Family, and the Yan Family was reluctant of receiving the gift despite being grateful. But at the Mu Family, there was an unexpected result…
“Hahahaha! Since it is my son-in-law and grandson being filial, of course I can’t reject it.” Mu Feiyan was beaming with joy, laughed loudly, and waved his hand, “Old Three, accept the gift and deliver it to my courtyard. Two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, this is the largest gift that this old man has ever received. Wait until this old man warms it with my hands and then store it into the Medicine Pavilion… It was not all in vain when this old man married his daughter to the Yun Family, and gave birth to the Yun Family’s phenomenal Young Patriarch, hahahaha!”
Mu Feiyan accepted it cleanly and efficiently. The Second Elder of the Yun Family, Yun Duanshui, who went there to give them the “present” was stunned on the spot…
Chapter 635 - Su Family’s Request
Fifteen kilograms… Ah, no, twelve and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal went into the Yun Family’s Medicine Pavilion, and the entire Yun Family rejoiced in jubilation for a long time. As for those hundred Overlord Pellets, Yun Qinghong had not made it known yet because it was a landmine that was even scarier than fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal. Even he himself had still not gotten over the shock and awe brought about by the revelation of those hundred Overlord Pellets.
Originally, the thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal that Jasmine required was a far-fetched and exceedingly remote target for Yun Che. In addition, before today, he had not even seen any Purple Veined Divine Crystal before, much less owned any. He didn’t even know what it looked like. But today, he had come away with fifteen kilograms just like that.
“So as it stands, we are still lacking twenty kilograms.” Yun Che said in a satisfied voice, “Six years ago, when you mentioned the thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, I was scared stiff. But who would have thought that in a mere six years I would attain so much of it all at once… After all, nominally I am still the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, so I had to leave half of it to them. But don’t worry, the remaining twenty kilograms… it definitely will not take too long.”
“…You mean that these fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal are reserved for me?” Jasmine asked in a strange tone.
“Of course. Thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, this was something that I had solemnly promised you from the beginning.”
Jasmine flatly replied, “Do you even know what fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal entails? It is enough to create one hundred of this world’s highest grade grand profound formations! It can allow a huge profound ark to fly continuously for several hundred years! It is enough to refine countless spiritual medicines of the highest grade. Moreover… you have the body of the Dragon God, the protection provided by the power of the Rage God, so you can directly and completely absorb the spirit energy within! Even if you do not continue cultivating, just by absorbing this energy alone, your profound strength can, within the span of several decades, break through the peak of the Sovereign Profound Realm, and even surpassing the Little Demon Empress isn’t out of the question.
“Are you sure you want to leave all of it for me?”
Jasmine was far, far clearer than Yun Che was on what fifteen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal really entailed, especially in regards to Yun Che, a mysterious being among all the mysterious beings. Because the energy of the Purple Veined Divine Crystal was simply of too a high a grade and strength to be absorbed directly, if one tried to forcefully absorb it, the best case scenario would be the harming of one’s profound veins. The worse case scenario, on the other hand, would be for that person’s body to implode! In addition, most profound practitioners could only absorb the energy of the Purple Veined Divine Crystal after it had been refined several times, and it still required to help of several Sovereign Profound Realm powerhouses to assist in the process. Moreover, the entire process had to be done with extreme caution, and the energy that one really absorbed was not even a tenth of what it originally was… and that energy, that was not even a tenth of the original, was equivalent to a century or even several centuries worth of painstaking cultivation.
Not only that, but Yun Che was different. He had the body of the Dragon God, the bloodline of the Phoenix and the Golden Crow, and the protection bestowed by the Great Way of the Buddha, so he could directly absorb the energy of the Purple Veined Divine Crystals… In several decades, he could directly enter into the latter stages of the Sovereign Profound Realm and reach the peak of power in his current world without needing to cultivate any further or go through any more tribulation. This was an irresistible lure for any profound practitioner.
But Yun Che slowly and resolutely shook his head. “Before I procure the thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal for you, unless it is to save a life, I will definitely not lay a single finger on it.”
Jasmine fell silent for a while before letting out a faint and tepid snort. “Hmph, looks like you’re still human after all.”
“~！#￥%… what the hell did ‘you’re still human after all’ mean? Does that mean that I was previously a beast in your eyes?” Yun Che shouted as his eyes widened.
“You mean you aren’t? From other people’s point of view, you are surrounded by halos of light. But your beastly, lecherous, perverted, despicable, and shameless conduct… Do you think you can hide it from me?!” Jasmine yelled as she coldly and disdainfully laughed.
“…” Yun Che’s face had gone completely red, and he was unable to utter a single word for a good long while as his face scrunched up as if he wanted to cry. Jasmine’s soul was fused with his lifeline, so she was completely inseparable from him. Furthermore, now that it had been a whole six years, she could even guess what his thoughts were, much less see what he had done.
In this world, other than Yun Che himself, Jasmine was undoubtedly the person who understood him the most… Whether it was his good side or his dark side.
However, after all these years, this was the first time Yun Che had heard Jasmine pay him a compliment, so that was the greatest comfort… if the words “you’re still human after all” can be counted as a compliment that is.
On the second day, after Yun Che had just finished infusing Yun Qinghong with the energy of heaven and earth, he received news that Su Xiangnan and Su Zhizhan had come to pay him a visit.
The Patriarch of the Su Family had even brought along the Young Patriarch to come for a visit, so Yun Qinghong naturally went to receive them. But right after they had finished greeting one another, Su Xiangnan said in a rather cautious fashion, “May I inquire… if your noble son is present today?”
“Che’er? What is Brother Su looking for Che’er for?”
“It’s like this… One hundred years ago, due to a moment of rashness and anxiety, my father tried to forcefully open his Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate. He failed and heavily harmed them instead. Not only was he forced to go into perpetual isolation, if he does not carefully control the circulation of his profound energy and if it comes into contact with those three profound entrances, it is extremely likely to cause his profound energy to go berserk… the pain he experiences in that case is actually secondary. What we really fear is that his internal organs would get injured again and again. Our Su Family has tried countless methods to try to cure his condition in the last hundred years, and we have gotten over one hundred famous and highly skilled doctors to help him… But the Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate are located in the core of one’s profound veins. If they did not have complete confidence or if their attention wandered for even a fraction of a second, it would cause harm to the profound veins, so all these so-called genius doctors did not dare to attempt it… Brother Yun should also have heard of what happened to my father. It has already been a full one hundred years, and we are well and truly at a loss over what to do.”
Su Xiangnan’s father, Su Hongbo, was the old Patriarch of the Su Family. One hundred years ago, he was ranked amongst the ten supreme individuals in the Illusory Demon Realm. So the matter of his profound entrances being harmed was something that Yun Qinghong naturally knew. Not only that, it was something that was basically known by everyone in the Demon Imperial City because this was the most famous case-study on the negative side-effects of forcefully trying to open one’s profound entrances. Unfortunately, it just had to be that these three profound entrances were located at the core of his profound veins.
Yun Qinghong nodded his head thoughtfully and replied in a measured voice, “Seeing how anxious Brother Su is, could it be that Senior Su’s condition has worsened yet again?”
“Sigh.” Su Xiangnan let out a low sigh. “Father found out about Duke Huai Palace’s evil schemes just a few days ago. He also found out the truth behind the tragic deaths of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. He was filled with sorrow and self-recrimination, hating himself for being dragged down by the injury to his profound entrances, hating that he had been completely oblivious to the fact that the Demon Emperor’s clan had faced such a great crisis and the fact that he had not done anything to help. In a fit of rage and impulsiveness, the profound energy that he had kept suppressed for several decades forcefully broke out and ran wild… in the end, this resulted in that energy coming into contact with those injured profound entrances, causing his profound energy to go berserk and rebound on himself which resulted in extremely serious internal injuries… His other injuries are secondary because he can always recover from them, but the injuries to his profound entrance has caused great pain and weariness to my father, and now it is even more… Sigh.”
“Senior Su’s injuries are indeed a great tragedy.” Yun Qinghong also let out a sigh. “So could it be that the purpose of Brother Su’s visit was to…?”
Su Zhizhan took a step forward and bowed as he said, “Uncle Yun, we have heard that Young Patriarch Yun has outstanding and uncommon medical skills. Your profound veins had withered, and all the famous miracle doctors could only wring their hands at the cold poison that ate away at your body for twenty years. But Young Patriarch Yun, in the span of two short months, completely cured you. Uncle Yun had personally said himself that he could even completely cure the loss of blood essence… Such medical skill just might be able to solve the issue of my grandfather’s injuries to his profound entrances.”
Su Xiangnan cupped his hands as well and entreated him, “When we heard Brother Yun mention his noble son’s medical skills that day, it truly astounded us. My father has suffered from his profound entrance injuries for a whole hundred years. To allow my father to get rid of this suffering has been the greatest wish of our Su Family in these last hundred years. With the passage of a hundred years, it turned into a pipe-dream long ago… if your noble son has a way to cure my father, I, Su Xiangnan… will be eternally grateful.”
When they mentioned Su Hongbo’s injury, Yun Qinghong immediately knew the purpose of their visit. After all, the fact that Yun Che had exceedingly outstanding medical skills was purposely disclosed by him. He replied, “Brother Su’s words are too serious. I’ll just call Che’er over. However, Che’er has just finished treating my injuries, so he might be a little tired…”
“It’s fine, I’m not tired at all.”
Before Yun Qinghong’s words had completely fallen, Yun Che’s voice rang out from beyond the room. He strode into the room boldly and directly replied the Su Family father and son, “Patriarch Su, Brother Su, I indeed have some medical ability. If I am able to cure old Senior Su’s old injury, then I feel compelled to assist in any way I can. Allow me to go along with you to pay a visit to the Su Family right now.”
Yun Che had made a timely entrance, and not only did he not show any signs of rejecting them, he even accepted the request right away. Furthermore, his expression was exceptionally calm and confident. If he did not have great enough medical skill or confidence, then why would he behave in this manner… the Su Family father and son, who had come with the hope that this would occur, felt that hope immediately soar. Su Xiangnan said in a grateful tone, “Young Patriarch Yun, no matter what happens, this Su thanks you first.”
“Patriarch Su is being far too polite, please just call me Yun Che…”
After that, Yun Che followed Su Xiangnan and Su Zhizhan to the Su Family.
The Su Family was a flourishing clan that was ranked in the top three among the Twelve Guardian Families. Due to this, it was natural that their foundation was thick and robust and their aura was uncommon. Even before nearing the Su Family’s gate, a potent and severe sword wind assaulted him, and he could faintly hear the low murmuring and whistles of the wind. The Su Family used a sword as their weapon, and they cultivated an extremely strong wind element profound art. In addition, the “Divine Wind Sword” that Su Zhizhan used to defeat Helian Ba four months ago had not only shocked the entire crowd, but it had also made a deep impression on Yun Che.
After entering the Su Family gates, Yun Che undoubtedly received the rapt attention of all the members of the Su Family. After all, in this period of time, “Yun Che” was the name that resounded the loudest in the Illusory Demon Realm, and his reputation was so great that it had nearly surpassed all of the Guardian Families.
“Father, this person is the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, Yun Che.”
“Junior Yun Che greets Senior Su,” Yun Che said as he strode forward to pay his respects.
Su Hongbo slowly lowered himself into a sitting position, and as an incomparably strong late stage Monarch, his face did not show a trace of old age. His face was pale, and his aura was extremely weak and hollow. But when he measured Yun Che, his originally dull eyes regained much of their color. He slowly nodded his head and, with much admiration, said, “What an outstanding youth. In recent times, this old man has heard your name being mentioned the most. But alas, my body has failed me, and I was not able to attend either grand ceremony. Not being able to witness your brilliance was a great loss indeed.”
“Senior’s words are too extravagant,” replied Yun Che as he took a step forward. “This junior has some skill in the medical arts, so I have come at the request of Patriarch Su. So, if it is alright, may this junior check the condition of Senior Su’s profound entrances?”
“Haha, sigh.” Su Hongbo let out a laugh first but it was followed by a muted sigh. “It was all the fault of this old man that, when I was full of vim and vigor, I overestimated myself and had to eat this bitter fruit. Now that a whole hundred years have passed, the heavy injuries to my three great profound entrances have caused them to be completely destroyed. I am afraid there is nothing that can be done about it… That you would come for the sake of this old man already fills this old man’s heart with gratitude. If there is nothing that can be done, please do not blame yourself for it.”
From Su Hongbo’s expression and words, it was clear that he had long ago lost most of his hope in regards to the recovery of his three great profound entrances. Yun Che gave a faint smile and said, “Senior Su, you do not need to be so pessimistic. Let this junior first take a look at the state of your profound entrances.”
Yun Che arrived at the head of Su Hongbo’s bed and stood at his back. He extended his left hand and gathered profound energy there. At this time, Su Xiangnan’s voice rang out as he asked, “Nephew Yun, is it not necessary for him to take off his outer garment?”
“Oh… there is no need, he can remain as he is,” Yun Che said without a hint of hesitation as apprehension raced through his heart… Tricking his wife Qingyue and those ice beauties from Frozen Cloud Asgard was one thing, but what the heck would he want an old man taking off his clothes for?!
Chapter 636 - Title of Genius Doctor
Yun Che extended three fingers and pointed at Su Hongbo’s back, precisely on the locations of his Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate. Profound energy entered, and then, the condition of these three profound entrances quickly appeared in Yun Che’s mind.
Su Hongbo’s three great profound entrances had indeed been seriously injured long ago, but they had not been completely crippled. After all, the Su Hongbo of a hundred years ago was still a late stage Monarch. How could his profound entrances be that easily destroyed? The injury could be described as “extremely serious,” however, and since it had been like that for such a long time, these three profound entrances were already completely blocked. Simply repairing his injuries was harder than hard. As for opening them… that was as difficult as ascending to the heavens itself.
With Yun Che’s medical skills, if he poured in all his effort, then he could completely heal these three profound entrances. Furthermore, the risk of accidentally harming the profound veins was minuscule. However, it would take an extremely long time. Even if he incessantly healed him everyday, it would still take at least half a year.
But if Yun Che opened them first, then healed his injuries, restoring the injuries would become extremely simple due to profound energy being able to spread on its own. So simple that it wouldn’t even need any external help; his body could recover on its own… But back then, when these three profound entrances had loosened, Su Hongbo’s attempts to forcefully open them had all ended in complete failure. Now, not only were they completely blocked, they were also in a seriously injured state. To any profound practitioner, even if they were to obtain the assistance of a famed genius doctor, wanting to open them was fundamentally impossible.
If Yun Che were to merely use his medical skills, it would also be impossible for him to accomplish this.
However… Yun Che possessed the heaven defying power of the Sky Poison Pearl, a Heavenly Profound Treasure.
Beneath the Sky Poison Pearl’s impeccably strong purification, this kind of medical violation that defied common sense was as easy as pie.
“Brother Yun, how are my grandfather’s profound entrance injuries? Is there anything you can do?” Su Zhizhan nervously asked, hopeful after seeing Yun Che’s actions.
Yun Che smiled lightly. “Don’t worry, Senior Su’s profound entrance injury isn’t as serious as you think it is… Senior Su, relax as much as you can, and don’t use profound energy. Later on, when an aura enters your profound energy, please do not resist in any way.”
Yun Che’s words caused the Su father and son pair to reveal expressions of pleasant surprise. Su Hongbo chuckled. “Do as you will.”
Yun Che focused his mind, and a green lightly flickered from the palm of his hand. Three strands of a purifying aura that came from the Sky Poison Pearl followed Yun Che’s profound energy and entered Su Hongbo’s profound veins, making contact with the three damaged profound entrances with incomparable precision.
Su Hongbo’s expression was always extremely flat, so flat that it was even somewhat glum. This was because he himself knew better than anyone how grave his injuries were. He had long since given up that there would be a day in which his profound entrance injuries could be completely healed. Otherwise, why else would he be able to suffer through a full hundred years of pain? It was just at this moment that his entire body suddenly jolted and both his eyes abruptly widened. His eyes radiated extreme shock and incredulity; even his entire body was violently trembling.
Su Hongbo’s appearance shocked Su Xiangnan. Throughout his entire life, he had rarely ever seen his father express such a great deal of emotion. “Father, what’s wrong?”
Su Hongbo turned his head as his lips trembled excitedly. “Opened… My Heaven Gate, Earth Gate, and Palace Gate… have all opened!”
“WHAT??” Su Xiangnan and Su Zhizhan were all stunned in place, not daring to believe their own ears. Su Xiangnan quickly advanced forward, held out a hand to press it on Su Hongbo’s body, and carefully inserted his profound energy… Subsequently, his face revealed the exact same expression Su Hongbo had… complete disbelief.
“How… How… How is this possible…” Su Xiangnan cried out.
Being able to completely heal wounded profound entrances was already their greatest desire for the past hundred years. As for opening these three profound entrances… forget about even hoping for it, that thought never even crossed their minds because that was simply something that could never happen.
But this impossibility had actually happened before their very eyes.
Yun Che withdrew his hand and casually stated, “Even though the profound entrances have been opened, the injuries are still present. However, with this, the injuries to these three profound entrances should be able to naturally heal under the nourishment of profound energy. Still, it’s best if Senior Su does not use more than seventy percent of his profound energy in the next two months, or else it may worsen. It should be more or less completely healed after two months.
“Two months…” Su Zhizhan gaped.
“Oh, if you want to heal a bit faster, there’s a way for that too.” Yun Che continued, “I will immediately prescribe some medicine for Senior Su when I get back. Dispatch someone to come to our Yun Family to fetch it early tomorrow. When that time comes, take one every day and put it near your injured profound entrances. Use profound energy to guide the medicinal energy inside the profound entrances, and continue doing that for around one hundred breaths. In at most fifteen days, you should make a full recovery.”
“Fifteen… days?!” Su Zhizhan gulped down his saliva, and his mouth gaped open even further. When he had said “two months” earlier, it was because he felt that it was simply too short of a time period since Su Hongbo’s profound entrance injuries had already gone without any cure for more than a hundred years. Yun Che, who seemed to think that this period of time was a bit long… had directly cut it down to fifteen days.
“Nephew Yun…” The shock in Su Xiangnan’s heart had greatly surpassed his excitement. “Even though I have heard from your father that you had extraordinary medical skills, I never expected that it would actually be… this world shocking, this mind blowing! All of the genius doctors in Demon Imperial City cannot even match up to a single hair on your head.”
Even though Su Xiangnan’s words felt extremely exaggerated, they had actually come from the very bottom of his heart. As a Guardian Family, the doctors he was able to invite were naturally the best genius doctors in all of Illusory Demon Realm that were fully worthy of their titles. However, the innumerable doctors they had invited in these hundred years, along with the numerous types of medicine and profound jade used were all useless. Yet Yun Che had directly opened the injured profound entrances… this was more than a million times more difficult than simply healing it. The results as well, were as different as day and night.
And he had merely used more than ten breaths of time to do all this.
He had absolutely no idea how Yun Che had done it, nor would he thoughtlessly ask about it. But just based on this outcome alone, he knew that the level of attainment Yun Che possessed about medicine… had perhaps transcended what both his imagination and comprehension. It was no wonder why Yun Qinghong had previously said that his medical skills had surpassed his profound strength.
“Patriarch Su is flattering me.” Yun Che said politely, “Senior Su is fine now, and this junior was just lucky that he didn’t fail. I won’t disturb you any more and will now take my leave.”
“Wait!!” Hearing that Yun Che wanted to leave, Su Hongbo leapt off the bed with a “whoosh” and grabbed Yun Che. His previously pale complexion was now flushed red with excitement. With his three injured profound entrances completely unobstructed, not only had his hundred years of pain completely ended, his cultivation speed would also be faster than before… This was not merely healing his injuries, it was essentially giving him a new lease on life. The feeling of his profound veins being open to this extent nearly moved him to tears.
“Little brother, how can you leave just like that after you have done such a great favor for me? At the very least, let our Su Family express our gratitude.”
“No need.” Yun Che waved a hand and casually said, “Being able to heal Senior’s injuries is this junior’s honor. Besides, to me, this is nothing much. It’s not worthy of being a ‘great favor.’ This junior will be quite busy with some affairs soon, so I won’t stay any longer. I’ll pay a visit some other day… Farewell.”
Yun Che executed a junior’s salute and cleanly turned around and left.
Seeing Yun Che’s clean departure, even though the tides in Su Hongbo’s heart rocked violently, he didn’t feel that it was right to urge him to stay. He earnestly roared at Yun Che’s departing figure. “You have not simply healed this old man’s injuries, you have also saved this old man’s life, allowing this old man to finally live his second half freely! Listen here, just based on you saving this old man’s life… if anyone in Demon Imperial City dares to bully you, tell me, and I’ll eliminate their entire family myself!”
Su Xiangnan wryly smiled on the side. “Father, he managed to injure Duke Huai before, so his profound cultivation is probably not lower than Yun Qinghong’s. The Little Demon Empress also treats him differently compared to others. He’s shrewd, and the way he thinks is frightening and even more incomparable. Adding on his heaven defying medical skills… in this Demon Imperial City, no one should be able to bully him.”
Su Hongbo turned his head, glared, and snarled. “What are you standing here for? Why haven’t you gone to send him off?”
“Yes, yes…” The Su Family’s father regained their senses and hurriedly chased after Yun Che.
The next day, Su Hongbo, who had rarely ever left the Su Family over the last hundred years, strutted around in Demon Imperial City, continuously paying visits to seven or eight of his old friends. His face flushed with spirit, and it was as though he was several hundred years younger. That clear and hearty laughter nearly rang throughout all of Demon Imperial City. At the same time, the news of him no longer being restricted by his injured profound entrances and the fact that they were all opened due to Yun Che’s medical skills had spread through the entire Demon Imperial City… combined with the many previous rumors of Yun Che’s medical skills. Yun Che’s title of “genius doctor” had fiercely swept through the entire city like a storm.
It was obvious what would happen next. On the third day he had come back from the Su Family, many people had went to the Yun Family to seek treatment. And those who dared to ask this of the Yun Family were naturally duke rank nobility. Demon Imperial City was the Illusory Demon Realm’s highest existence, so the doctors it possessed were also Demon Illusory Realm’s best. If the genius doctors within Demon Imperial City were powerless, then it meant that the infliction was beyond help…
Like Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s withered profound veins and Su Hongbo’s seriously injured profound entrances.
And the majority of those who sought medical treatment also had those kinds of “beyond help” inflictions. After hearing those rumors, they quickly came over carrying a sliver of hope… Yun Che, who was somewhat prepared for this, had welcomed them all. Later on, no matter what “incurable illness,” “incurable injury,” or “incurable poison”… all of them had shockingly improved for the better at an even more astonishing rate.
Without exception!
Leaving the world’s most influential hegemons stunned one after the other, they all lost control of their emotions.
Towards Yun Che, their gratitude and the countless of thanks were all secondary… and they simply viewed him as a celestial being.
Following Yun Che’s perfect treatments, more and more “incurable patients” came. His medical skills had also started to almost become legendary, and reality was also like this… it was as though there was no illness he could not cure. At the very least, there were none among his patients who had claimed that he had failed to treat them. In addition, all these people, for the most part, had all been determined by Demon Imperial City’s “number one genius doctor” and “medicine kings” as incurable.
Strong power or force could allow others to owe one a debt, but incomparably great medical expertise could make others owe their lives!
What kind of place was Demon Imperial City? How many experts were gathered in Demon Imperial City? A portion of them owed Yun Che half their lives or even their entire lives; what kind of concept was that?
Furthermore, as people who cultivated the profound way, anyone could encounter severe injuries, toxic poison, and even fatal injuries. Anyone could encounter mishaps in cultivation and breakthroughs. If they were able to have a good relationship with the Yun Family, especially with Yun Che, then wouldn’t that be like having one more… even several more Exempt From Death talismans?!
This was an incomparably obvious truth that any profound practitioner was clear on.
This was also why Yun Qinghong had deliberately spread word of his medical skills.
Yun Che’s medical expertise was originally great, and he even had the additional heaven defying power of the Sky Poison Pearl. Even though Yun Qinghong originally thought that Yun Che’s medical skills were surprising, in these short days, he realized that he had still severely underestimated his own son… No matter which incurable disease it was or what serious injury had been incurred, they all made complete recoveries with ease. It was like he had actually attained the realm where nothing was incurable!
So much so that he had caused those so-called number one genius doctors of Illusory Demon Realm to feel ashamed to death.
Yun Che had the identity of the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch. In the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony, his stunning performance caused his name to spread through the world; he came back with the Little Demon Empress; he even seriously injured Duke Huai… and now, his title of genius doctor was widespread. Unwittingly, whether it was inside or outside Demon Imperial City, Yun Che’s prestige had surpassed that of the twelve Patriarchs. His name had also become the most frequently mentioned two words.
Even the Yun Family’s prestige had also been boosted once more by Yun Che’s legendary medical skills.
In the end, no matter where Yun Che went, even Guardian Family elder rank persons and Duke Palace dukes would immediately take the initiative to greet him, be overly friendly, and would not dare to slight or offend him in any way… because even though slighting those of the young generation was right and proper, slighting Yun Che… was making their own lives difficult.
Chapter 637 - “Sending in the Goods”
“Young Patriarch, this is a Nine Thousand Year Old Pure Yang Ginseng General Chu sent over to thank you for curing his right eye.”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion.”
“Young Patriarch, this one hundred fifty kilograms of Purple Yang Jade Zi Yi Duke Palace sent over to thank you for healing their third young master’s profound vein injury.”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion.”
“Young Patriarch, this is a ‘Nine Star Evil Warding Bead’ Xuan Duke Palace sent over. There are only three of these in the entire Illusory Demon Realm…”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion.”
“Uh… we’re sending this over to the Medicine Pavilion too?”
“Who cares what it is, just toss it in the Medicine Pavilion for now.”
“…Yes, yes.”
“Young Patriarch, Su Family’s Young Patriarch Su Zhizhan wishes to see you.”
“Oh, send it to the Medicine Pavilion… hm? Su Zhizhan? Bring him over.” Yun Che yawned, finally properly sitting down for the first time in a while. Back then, when he was treading through the Azure Cloud Continent with his Master, the patients they’ve saved were innumerable. Under his Master’s influence, a huge sense of satisfaction would emerge in his heart every time he saved someone. After the death of his Master, however, his temperament greatly changed; not only had he not saved a single person in the Azure Cloud Continent, it was unknown how many more people he had ended up killing as opposed to saving…
Following his change in mentality, now that he was saving others with his medical skills, he no longer felt that sense of satisfaction he had back then.
Soon enough, Su Zhizhan walked in, but he didn’t walk in alone. A luxuriously dressed girl was at his side. She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen, with jade-white skin and ruby lips, an extremely charming girl. Her delicate head was bent, her footsteps graceful, and both her hands were nervously wrapped around the belt on her waist. From entering to arriving in front of Yun Che, she had only secretly glanced at Yun Che once and didn’t dare to raise her head to look again.
“Brother Yun.” Upon seeing Yun Che, Su Zhizhan quickly walked forward a few steps with a voice full of gratitude. “You have given my Su Family such a mountainous kindness, yet because of a few trivial delays, I have only come to thank you today. It really is my fault, and I hope Brother Yun can forgive us.”
“Whatever are you saying, Big Brother Su?” Yun Che got up to greet him and smiled. “It was nothing much, so Big Brother Su shouldn’t worry about it too much. How has Senior Su been these days?”
Su Zhizhan smiled and answered, “Recently, Grandfather has changed, completely unlike his old, lifeless self . He’s in great spirits every day, and it’s as if he has been born anew. Brother Yun’s medicine is even more miraculous than we had anticipated. In these short seven days, seventy to eighty percent of Grandfather’s profound entrance injuries have already healed. After a few more days, he’ll definitely make a full recovery. These past few days, Grandfather has been worrying about what kind of gift he should give you as thanks.”
“No need for a gift, being able to help Senior Su recover is my honor… Big Brother Su, you still haven’t introduced… who is this?” Yun Che’s gazed hinted at the girl by Su Zhizhan’s side. He had a slight impression of this girl, and he had a feeling she was a member of the Su Family. From what he recalled, when he was in the Su household, he sensed her aura from some corner… As a celebrity of Demon Imperial City, there were many people taking glances of him from every corner of the Su Family, and it seemed like she was one of them?
Seeing that Yun Che took the initiative to mention her, that girl lowered her head even more. Su Zhizhan hastily answered, “ This is my younger sister, Su Zhixi, she’s seventeen years old. Zhixi, why haven’t you greeted Young Patriarch Yun yet?”
The girl stepped forward and bowed lightly. “Little Sister Su Zhixi greets Big Brother Yun.”
After saying that, her delicate head quickly lowered again as a smear of red quietly flushed from her jade face to the edge of her ears.
“So it’s Little Sister Zhixi… didn’t expect that Big Brother Su, who has a tiger’s fierce aura, would have such a placid little sister. Hahahaha… Come, sit,” Yun Che said with a smile. Then he thought to himself: Hm? Su Zhizhan actually has a sister? It seems like they’re even direct siblings… but what did he bring his sister for?
“No thank you.” Su Zhizhan waved a hand, and then became embarrassed. “Brother Yun, actually, I came this time because of my little sister. Uh…”
Su Zhizhan stopped talking. Then, a concentrated profound sound transmission sounded beside Yun Che’s ears, “Uh… when Brother Yun was treating my grandfather that day, my sister was actually in the side room… When Brother Yun left, my sister was always absent-minded and had no appetite… Grandfather said that she has an ailment of the heart that only Brother Yun can cure. That’s why he said I had to bring my little sister to Brother Yun no matter what, and he even said that once I’ve brought her… I should immediately leave….”
Yun Che, “…”
“Ahem,” Su Zhishan lightly coughed once, then said with cusped hands, “My little sister is sick, but with Brother Yun’s medical skills that transcend the heavens, it shouldn’t be a problem… Oh, my father has just sent me a sound transmission saying that something huge has happened in our family. He wants me to come back immediately after bringing my sister here. Then… I’ll leave it all up to Brother Yun! Once she has completely recovered, I’ll definitely treat Brother Yun to some good wi… I’ll take… take my leave now.”
Before he had yet to finish his sentence, Su Zhizhan had already turned and left, instantly disappearing… not letting Yun Che have the chance to even speak.
“!#$%…” In Yun Che’s mind, several crows flew through in a straight line.
Shit! What the hell?! Your Su Family is still a Guardian Family alright?! This little girl is still a daughter of the Su Family Patriarch, you know?! You’re actually actively giving her out for free?! And it’s even Su Hongbo’s idea?
Where is your Su Family’s integrity?!
In actuality, Old Man Su definitely wasn’t someone without “integrity.” Instead, he was extremely shrewd. Back then, Yun Che had totally moved his heart, and several days after, he began to understand everything about Yun Che. His verdict: This is a man in a domain that none could reach, someone who has completely surpassed the Yun Qinghong of old! He has made an appearance at only twenty years of age, yet his name has already shaken the entire Illusory Demon. His future accomplishments were perhaps completely unimaginable. If one were to say he was to oversee the entire Illusory Demon Realm in the future, perhaps no one would doubt that at all.
Even though he had arrived at the Yun Family not so long ago, for the sake of his family, he did not hesitate to face off against Duke Huai, who possessed absolute power. In order to save the Little Demon Empress, he did not hesitate to brave danger and enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. That was sufficient enough to prove that he was not an evil person. Instead, he was one who valued relationships and righteousness.
There was another piece of information: He shouldn’t be married yet.
He was simply the world’s perfect candidate for a grandson-in-law!
Following the reveal of his shocking medical skills, his prestige had flourished even further, reaching as high as the sun at noon. The families that were well-matched in terms of social status had daughters, and as long as their brains were functioning, if they were to think of the number one candidate for a son-in-law, they would certainly think of Yun Che! Currently, Demon Imperial City was not at peace due to the aftermath of the chaos, so it didn’t seem like anyone had proposed marriage to the Yun Family, or perhaps they didn’t dare… Thus, Old Man Su promptly decided to have someone personally “send in the goods.” Su Zhixi was Su Family’s princess and was an appropriate match for Yun Che. Their ages were more suitable than ever, and her temperament was also one that men had a tender affection for. She was even an outstanding beauty… He didn’t believe that Yun Che would not “accept the delivery.”
If he worried too much about face and was late to take action, he’d probably have to make her line up to be a concubine.
And so, this kind of situation that left Yun Che completely stumped occurred.
Su Zhixi quietly stood in place and her blush did not recede for a very long time. Her delicate head hung low, not daring to take another glance at Yun Che… She was nervous and blushed in shyness, but it didn’t seem like she rejected Su Hongbo’s extremely absurd set up.
The two remained silent, and the atmosphere became extremely awkward. In these types of situations, it was obviously improper to make the girl speak first. Yun Che took a few steps forward. When he approached her… he could practically hear the nervous thumping sound of her heart.
“Where… on your body do you feel uncomfortable?”
“I…” Su Zhixi nervously clutched the belt of her dress tightly.
Seeing that the girl didn’t know how to respond, Yun Che smiled as he reached his hand out. “Give me your hand, let me check your pulse. Seventy to eighty percent of someone’s condition can be surmised just from checking their pulse.”
Seeing that Yun Che stuck out a hand, Su Zhixi opened her mouth and then slowly extended her little pure white hand… She had only extended it halfway before Yun Che grabbed onto it.
“Ah…” Su Zhixi cried lightly, subconsciously withdrawing her little hand. However, it was firmly held by Yun Che, causing the red blush on her face to spread all the way down to her snowy neck as she hung her head so low that it reached her chest. This was the first time her jade hands had ever been held by a man, and the blazing temperature of a man, as well as the sensation of Yun Che’s hands, nearly caused her heart to jump out of her chest.
Yun Che’s hands continued onward, going from her hands to her wrist, yet he didn’t test her pulse. Instead, he smiled as he watched her lovely bashfulness and said, “Little Sister Zhixi. You know, I actually have a secret that no one knows.”
Su Zhixi raised her head… and slowly looked at him with hazy eyes.
“This secret is…” Yun Che’s face neared as his smile became dangerous, “I’m… actually a huuuge pervert.”
“…” Su Zhixi’s beautiful eyes slightly shook. She opened her lips and stared blankly at the closeby Yun Che. Then, all of a sudden, a “pfft” sound was heard right before she started laughing.
The girl’s smile was bright and beautiful, warming to the heart. If not for Yun Che’s extremely strong immunity, he’d probably lose his head. After a short silence, he said feebly, “I just said that I’m a huge pervert, you’re not afraid? You’re even laughing…”
Su Zhixi used her hand to cover her lips, and her face was pink as she lightly said, “A real bad guy wouldn’t say that they’re bad… same with huge perverts.”
Yun Che gaped, then said helplessly, “Does no one listen anymore when a bad guy tells the truth these days?!”
“He…” Su Zhixi laughed lightly. Yun Che’s incomparably “frank” words didn’t achieve the anticipated result, but it greatly lessened her nervousness. “If you’re a bad guy, then there wouldn’t be any good guys in Demon Imperial City.”
“Uh, why do you think that? Do I look that much like a good guy?” Yun Che asked while pointing at himself. His hand still held Su Zhixi’s delicate smooth wrist, as though he had forgotten to release it.
“Grandfather said so,” answered the girl with a laugh.
“…” Yun Che nodded seriously. “Your grandfather is right. Since that’s the case, then how about I, this good person, invite Little Sister Zhixi… to have a chat about life?
Su Zhixi lowered her head and softly responded, “Grandfather and Father wants me to leave it all up to Big Brother Yun.”
“…” Yun Che lifted his head toward the sky… Are they really her biological father and grandfather?
Su Zhixi and Yun Che spent an entire afternoon together. It was only until night had arrived that Su Zhixi began to leave… and, it was Yun Che personally accompanying her back to the Su Family. For the entire afternoon, everyone in the Yun Family had a mutual understanding to not disturb them, which was why everyone who had come to visit Yun Che had all been declined.
When Yun Che went to send Su Zhixi back to the Su Family, everybody in the Yun Family talked about how they would soon have a Young Madam… even the auspicious date of their wedding was under intense discussion. Both the Su and Yun Family were Guardian Families, and the Su Family’s power was also incomparably powerful. The Su Family princess’ status, background, temperament, looks, and innate talent were impeccable. Judging from all angles, she was all the more suitable to be their Young Madam candidate.
Yun Che escorted Su Zhixi up to the Su Family’s doorsteps before returning. The instant he came through the door, he had already been dragged to the side by a beaming Mu Yurou. “Che’er, what do you think about the Su Family’s young lady?”
“Little Sister Zhixi?” Yun Che didn’t even think, and honestly answered, “A simple and elegant temperament which didn’t lose its noble air. Soft and graceful disposition yet not to the point of being weak. Also looks pretty, her figure is also… cough, in short, she is a very charming girl.”
Chapter 638 - Jealous?
Listening Yun Che’s comment, Mu Yurou started smiling in an ambiguous manner, “So, you like Zhixi very much?”
“Yeah,” Yun Che smiled and said, “so I adopted her as my little sister.”
“Little… sister?”
“Of course.” Yun Che chuckled, “Otherwise, did you want me to marry her so Mother can have a daughter-in-law?”
Mu Yurou was speechless all of a sudden, and said in puzzlement, “This child Zhixi is well-rounded, many gentlemen in Demon Imperial City all admire her. You don’t have any feelings for her?”
“Of course I have feelings for her,” Yun Che said frankly, “But, this type of ‘feeling’ is definitely not the type between men and women. It’s the simple admiration of a beautiful woman, and is merely a possessive desire… or to be called as the instinct of a man, or the most abominable barbarity. I can’t savage someone just because of this reason, right?”
But Mu Yurou laughed and said, “You two just met each other for the first time, of course it is impossible for you two to develop feelings between a man and a woman that soon. But you have this ‘admiring’ feeling, it at least means that you don’t reject her, and you even somewhat like her. This beginning is already enough, and you will develop a relationship with her very soon.”
“Mother, you seem to really like Zhixi. You want me to marry her into our family?” Yun Che said with a face of helplessness.
“Of course.” Mu Yurou smiled and said, “This child Zhixi, anyone who sees her would like her. Even if the Su Family didn’t take her to meet you themselves, I, your mother, had already prepared to bring up this matter with the Su Family. In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, there aren’t many girls who can suit my son, but Zhixi certainly counts as one. Everyone in the family thinks that you two are made for each other. If you keep hesitating and letting the other gentlemen from other families reach her first, it would be a shame.”
“Um…” Yun Che rubbed his forehead in frustration and said, “Mother, I will be honest with you, I am unsuitable for her… and incredibly unsuitable, even.”
“How are you two unsuitable?” Mu Yurou’s eyes seemed to be saying that the two of them were suitable in every way.
Yun Che slightly sighed in relief, and then said slowly, “I once owed a girl very, very deeply. She gave her everything for me, but me… From then on, I swore, I will not owe anyone anymore in this life. But… I couldn’t control myself, and under my mind and helplessness, I owed one person after another. So far as to…”
Yun Che’s voice stuttered. In his mind flashed by the beautiful image of Chu Yuechan. He didn’t tell his parent about Chu Yuechan, or else, if they knew that it was very possible that they had a grandson wandering away from home, they would worry about it every day.
And Cang Yue… they had been married for more than three years, but the time that they actually spent together was incredibly short. What was left for her was worriedness and heartbreak again and again.
“Mother, you should have seen and felt that there are a lot of unusual things about me during these times. And these, all decided that my life is destined to be impossible to be peaceful. Even if I pursue the most common life, different conflicts would still continuously be attracted to me.” Yun Che said peacefully, “And Zhixi, even though she is born to a Guardian Family, her personality is introverted, gentle as water, waiting to be betrothed before getting married, and after marriage she would settle in the home. To most men, she would be the perfect candidate for a wife… but she definitely doesn’t suit me. If she marries me, I might bring her life down.”
Seeing that Mu Yurou was still somewhat lost, Yun Che helplessly said, “Mother, besides, you’re not without a daughter-in-law, why do you want me to marry another Sister Zhixi so much…? Alright alright, I promise mother, your daughter-in-law is definitely not worse than Sister Zhixi.”
“Could her appearance also be not worse than Zhixi?” Mu Yurou asked with a forced smile on her face. It seemed like she cared a lot about the appearance of her daughter-in-law.
“Of course.” Yun Che said without hesitation. Seeing that Mu Yurou seemed to be doubtful in her eyes, he lifted his head and said with all seriousness, “Mother, I am telling you very responsibly. Your daughter-in-law, not mentioning other qualities, just solely her appearances, she would win against Sister Zhixi by a lot, a lot… a lot!”
“Oh?” Mu Yurou’s eyes slightly narrowed, “Mother doesn’t really believe this. Zhixi is not a usual beauty. In the entire Demon Imperial City, there’s only a few who could be compared to her. Could the appearance of the daughter-in-law that you found for mother be like the Little Demon Empress, like an angel fallen from heaven?”
“Hm, I can’t say that she could be compared to the Little Demon Empress, but they each have their strengths.” Yun Che nodded without hesitation. The Little Demon Empress’ appearance was indeed already extremely beautiful, but whether it was Chu Yuechan or Xia Qingyue, they both were not worse than her, “My first wife is after all, Blue Wind Nation’s number one…”
Just when the words slipped out of his mouth, Yun Che’s voice was instantly stuck, and he had a bad feeling. As expected, Mu Yurou turned and looked at him, “First wife? Could there be a second wife, third wife, and mistress?”
“Uh, this…” The corner of Yun Che’s eyebrows twitched. He drooped his face, and said honestly, “Alright, I will tell you the truth. Actually, you have two daughter-in-laws… The first one was the one that I’ve mentioned to you two before, Xia Qingyue, who had an arranged betrothal with Xiao Yun when they were still children, and we married six years ago. Her appearance could indeed be compared to the Little Demon Empress, and she was publicly known as the number one beauty of Blue Wind Nation. The other one is named Cang Yue. We married three years and a half ago, and she is the sole princess of Blue Wind Nation.”
Mu Yurou raised her brows, “One is the number one beauty of Blue Wind Nation, the other is the only princess of Blue Wind Nation… My son’s taste is indeed not bad. But only that kind of woman can be suitable for my son.”
Mu Yurou’s tone was delightful, and there was even more pride. But following after, her eyebrows lowered, and said sentimentally, “Che’er has already had two wives. Mother wasn’t there for either of the marriages, and now I haven’t even seen what my daughter-in-laws look like…”
Yun Che said immediately, “Mother, don’t worry. Two more months, when father’s injury is fully healed, I will use the profound ark that I have mentioned to you two before to return to Profound Sky Continent. At that time, I will definitely bring them back to see you two… Uh, but, while my princess wife will definitely be willing to come back with me, my wife Qingyue’s temperament is very different from usual women, so whether or not she will be willing to return with me… I can’t be sure.”
“Then mother will have to think about what kind of gift she should prepare when she meets them,” Mu Yurou smiled. Looking at her expression, she seemed to be somewhat nervous to meet her daughter-in-laws for the first time, “If you don’t want to marry Zhixi, Mother will tell the Su Family explicitly.”
“Speaking of which, what if the Little Demon Empress wants to marry Zhixi to you, what will you do then?”
“Marry her to me? Why would the Little Demon Empress marry Zhixi to me?” Yun Che said with confusion.
“Oh?” Looking at Yun Che’s reaction, Mu Yurou also became confused, “Shouldn’t the Little Demon Empress know about you two… Could you have not seen her in the afternoon?”
“The afternoon… the Little Demon Empress came by during the afternoon?” Yun Che was stunned.
“Mn.” Mu Yurou nodded, “The Little Demon Empress came to visit your father to see how his injury has been healing, and she asked specially about you. I told her that you could be in the backyard, and then she headed directly towards the backyard… Could it be that she didn’t come look for you, but she left immediately?”
“…What time did she come by?”
“Probably around a quarter to four or a quarter to five,” said Mu Yurou.
“…” Yun Che thought back to that time, and if he remembered correctly, he should have been in the backyard sitting side by side with Su Zhixi, feeding fishes in the lotus pond.
“Che’er, what’s wrong?” Mu Yurou asked when she saw Yun Che was suddenly in a daze.
“Oh… Usually I would go pay the Little Demon Empress a visit every day. I suddenly remembered that I haven’t been able to go yet for today. Mother, I will go to see the Little Demon Empress, I should be back very soon,” Yun Che stood up and said.
“Come home soon,” Even though Mu Yurou noticed something strange about Yun Che, she didn’t ask any more questions.
The sky had already darkened when Yun Che flew all the way to the Little Demon Empress’ palace. Outside of the palace, there were two female attendants guarding there quietly. Yun Che landed from the sky, and said politely, “Yun Family’s Yun Che requests to see the Little Demon Empress. May two big sisters please help me pass on the message.”
“Please wait a moment, Young Patriarch Yun.” Towards the arrival of Yun Che, the two female attendants both had smiles on their faces. The one on the right stepped lightly into the palace… After a short moment, she came out, but the expression on her face was unusual.
“Can I go in now?” Yun Che said with a smile.
“Young Patriarch Yun… Please wait.” That female attendant reached out and blocked him. Her expression was a little bit awkward as he said, “The Little Demon Empress is probably not in a good mood today. She heard that the Young Patriarch Yun had arrived… she told me to pass on… one word.”
“One word?” Yun Che narrowed his eyes, his body slightly leaned forward and said, “Is it… scram?”
That female attendant panicked, lowered her head, and only said in a small voice, “Yes.”
“Hahahaha!” To the surprise of the two female attendants, not only did Yun Che not get mad, he instead laughed loudly, and his loud laughter was not stiff at all. It doesn’t seem to be forced at all, and it even seemed to be somewhat carefree… and proud?
“If so, may I please trouble big sister to bring a message to the Little Demon Empress.” Yun Che smiled and said, “The first thing is, if the people from the Su Family ask the Little Demon Empress to marry Su Zhixi to me, she absolutely cannot agree to it, because Zhixi is already my adopted sister. The second thing… is that I already scrammed obediently. If the Little Demon Empress is already this annoyed, I will try to appear less before her… Two big sisters, thank you for your hard work guarding the night. Yun Che bids farewell.”
Yun Che flew up into the air, and quickly disappeared into the night.
“She told you to scram, but you laughed so satisfyingly? Is there something wrong with your brain?” Jasmine said in a low voice.
“If she didn’t tell me to scram and instead lets me go see her peacefully, I would probably be even more disappointed,” Yun Che laughed and said. Obviously, his mood was pretty good right now, “After all, no matter how powerful a woman is, she would have some kind of weakness in her personality. Being gentle to her was no use. Being forceful to her was even more impossible… Neither soft approach nor force worked on her, but she seems to be able to get jealous.”
Jasmine, “??”
Time passed day after day. With Duke Huai’s disturbance being calmed down, the harsh atmosphere in Demon Imperial City slowly disappeared. The only thing that didn’t grow faint was the Little Demon Empress’ invisible emperor’s prestige. Whether it was the Guardian Families or the many Duke Palaces, they all obeyed the Little Demon Empress’ commands with their lives with extreme respect and fear, and no one dared to disobey at all.
But another month passed by, and there still wasn’t any news about Duke Ming. He seemed to have found an extremely secluded place and hidden himself.
Even though Yun Che wanted to return to Profound Sky Continent day and night, he couldn’t leave Yun Qinghong with his injury. He treated Yun Qinghong every day regularly, and he used the rest of his time cultivating the Purple Cloud Art. Sometimes he would go to the Medicine Pavilion to refine some pellets, sometimes he would go to the Artifact Pavilion to find a few swords to feed to Hong’er, sometimes he would help people treat their injuries, sometimes he would exchange moves with the young disciples in the clan… Oh, it should be more appropriate to describe it as “giving pointers”… Every day he kept repeating the same things peacefully, but, since that night when he was denied entrance by the Little Demon Empress, he kept his word and stopped visiting the Little Demon Empress.
Under the treatment of Yun Che, Yun Qinghong’s body recovered extremely fast, and the feeling of weakness that he should have had did not exist anymore. Instead he was energetic every day. He did not forget the Little Demon Empress personally matched Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven. Yun Qinghong picked an auspicious day, brought betrothal presents, and paid a visit to propose the marriage personally… Even though Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had already acknowledged Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven, as the senior of the bride’s side, facing the Yun Family’s visit, he still appeared quite aloof. His expression was calm, and not only was there no joy, there was occasionally some bitterness and dismay…
However, when Yun Qinghong took out one of the betrothal presents… ten Overlord Pellets, the white jade chair underneath Greatest Ambition Under Heaven instantly blew up, and the entire Under Heaven Family also immediately blew up…
When Greatest Ambition Under Heaven took over the ten Overlord Pellets, the hair on his whole body was trembling. He even secretly calculated in his mind: even if someone wanted to buy his daughter with ten Overlord Pellets, he probably would spend a while considering it…
The date for Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s wedding was settled quickly. It would be one month later… which was also the date that Yun Che planned on leaving.
【Time to go back to the Profound Sky Continent. What was the saying… sharpen one’s knife to kill the divine phoenix?】
Chapter 639 - World Shaking Great Matter (1)
Even though Xiao Yun was made king and he had his own King Palace, he still usually stayed in the Yun Family household. His wedding was also naturally a big event within the Yun Family. After the date had been set, the Yun Family immediately bustled with activity, and invitations flew about like a snowstorm throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm.
In contrast to his bustling clan, Yun Che right now was exceptionally relaxed. Like before, he was surrounded by a large number of young clanswomen who flocked around him incessantly…. That was right, these were all young maidens in their prime.
“Young Patriarch, I heard your Purple Cloud Art is already at the seventh level. Is that true? You clearly only started cultivating it barely two months ago.”
“Of course not.” Yun Che said he smiled, looking like a cat that got the cream, “Last night, I just made another breakthrough, so I’m already at the eighth level now.”
As he spoke, he extended his palm and gently raised it. Immediately, a peal of thunder resonated in the air above, and in an instant, a large stretch of storm clouds had already gathered in the air above. Even separated by thousands of meters, they could feel a terrifying lightning energy.
“Uwaaahhhh!” The young girls all let out cries of surprise, and the girl who spoke previously verily screamed as her eyes widened, “Wah! That’s really the ‘Thundercloud of Extermination’ from the eighth level of the Purple Cloud Art! The Young Patriarch is simply too amazing!”
“Young Patriarch, Xiaowan said that when you instructed her in the Purple Cloud Art the other day, you released red lightning before. Is that really true?” A purple-clothed girl asked as her eyes twinkled.
Yun Che faintly smiled and flipped his hand, and in an instant, the piercing screech of thunder pierced the air. A ball of purple lightning gathered in the palm of his hand; then, that ball of purple lightning turned into red lightning extremely quickly. Not only did the aura of the red lightning strengthen considerably, the crackling of thunder grew more explosive. Just by looking at it, one would feel their heart start racing.
“Waaahh!!” Just as expected, the red-colored lightning caused all the girls to let out lovely cries. A small and delicate girl said in a timid voice, “Young Patriarch, for lightning profound energy to change to a red color, doesn’t it require blood essence to activate…. If the Young Patriarch does that, will he okay?”
“No, I didn’t even use a single bit of blood essence at all.” Yun Che shook his head. “Red-colored lightning is of a higher level of lightning profound energy than purple lightning, it is manifested at the peak of the Purple Cloud Art, and has nothing to with the intimacy your profound veins have with lightning energy. It instead requires you to have a greater understanding of the laws of lightning. Once you have grasped the concept behind these laws, then you can use your profound energy to produce the stronger red lightning. The only difference is that it will consume more energy, but there won’t be any negative side-effects. But if you do not have the understanding of those concepts and you try to forcefully use red lightning, then you will need to sacrifice blood essence in order to do so…. So releasing red lightning does not necessarily require blood essence to be sacrificed.”
“Oh, so it actually can be like that… But, there doesn’t seem to have ever been anyone in our Yun Family that can release red lightning without losing any blood essence. So could it be that the Young Patriarch is the first one in the history of our Yun Family to have reached such a level?”
“It has to be! Young Patriarch is indeed the number one genius publicly acknowledged in all of the Illusory Demon Realm, the most awesome genius around! Since the Young Patriarch can use red lightning anytime he wants, then the Young Patriarch can use our Yun Family’s forbidden domain ‘Netherprison Lightning Emperor Formation’ without losing any blood essence?”
“This, I am also not sure about either. Because I have never tried it yet.” Yun Che said that he ‘had never tried it yet’ but it did not mean that he had never comprehended it before.
“Young Patriarch, the elders said that when you directly clashed with Duke Huai, he suffered heavy injuries. So your strength might already be on par with the Patriarch. And now that you also have the Purple Cloud Art, you might be even mightier than him. Isn’t that the case?” A girl said with a face filled with adoration.
“Hahaha, Duke Huai only got injured that day because I seized an opportunity and he wasn’t heavily injured either. I merely blasted him away. The one who heavily injured him was the Little Demon Empress. Right now, my power is still far inferior compared to Father.”
“Hee, the Young Patriarch is being modest again.”
“Young Patriarch’s talent is so outstanding, and so handsome as well. He has extremely awesome medical skills, and not only did he save the entire Yun Family, he even made a great contribution to the Illusory Demon Realm. In addition, he doesn’t even put on any airs… he still behaves in such an unpretentious manner… To think that in this world, there actually exists a person as perfect as our Young Patriarch.” A girl breathed lightly as her eyes shone.
Yun Che, “….”
In the distance, a bunch of Yun Family’s young men all looked like they were focused on training, but they kept looking in Yun Che’s direction and all of them had reddened eyes, but they could only look on from a distance… Not to mention his status as Young Patriarch, just his various exploits, any single one of would blind them to the point of not even able to birth the thought of jealousy.
What’s most resentful was that this Young Patriarch was really too amiable and didn’t have the slightest overbearing attitude even toward the lowest ranked clansmen. This caused the Yun Family’s female disciples… especially the females who were confident in their looks to encircle him as though a kaleidoscope of butterflies. Even their privately discussed topics were mostly about the “Young Patriarch.”
“Young Patriarch, yesterday you promised you would instruct me on how to cultivate the Purple Cloud Art one-on-one… Could it be that you’ve already forgotten?” A lovely girl donning a purple dress mentioned with a hopeful expression.
“Of course not, I even remember that the promised time is precisely three hours from now. Remember to come to my courtyard at that time.”
“O… Of course I will remember.” The purple attired girl flushed from excitement.
The surrounding young girls all revealed expressions of envy. A tall girl suddenly whispered with a shrewd expression, “Man’er, you gotta be careful okay. Little Wan had told me in secret the other day, that when Young Patriarch was instructing her to cultivate, he had ac-ci-den-ta-lly~ touched her butt and chest, you know! Your bosom is even bigger than little Wan’s, so watch out…”
“AH!!! DON’T SAY IT!!” That girl who was referred to as “Little Wan” rushed up with a reddened face as she covered that tall girl’s mouth with great effort.
“Cough cough.” Yun Che’s face was smooth and his heart was calm, as he said in a righteous and strict manner, “When it comes to one-on-one instruction, there will always be times where our bodies will touch. I will swear on the name of my master… that it was definitely unintentional!”
Jasmine: “Drop dead!”
“Yes, yes, yes! Young Patriarch definitely didn’t mean it… when you instruct Man’er, you must definitely be ‘careless’ more often… Hehehe!”
“You baddies! Don’t say… don’t speak about the Young Patriarch like that.” The purple-clothed girl known as ‘Man’er’ stamped her feet, and her face was flushed all the way to her neck. But her expression and her eyes did not seem panicked. Rather, they seemed to be more… in anticipation right now?
The girls tittered about again, but suddenly, their laughs cooled off. Indeed, the girls in front of Yun Che suddenly had faces that were filled with panic. His brows twitched and he was just about to turn around when a girl had already shouted out, “Little… Little Demon Empress.”
The moment Yun Che turned around, he saw that familiar petite, gray-colored silhouette, still quiet and silent as though a ghost without any presence at all, causing one to instinctively feel their heart jump… Yet that face of hers just had to be beautiful as though she were a goddess from the heavens.
The atmosphere that was originally ardent and ambiguous instantly froze with the Little Demon Empress’s sudden arrival.
“You all can withdraw, this empress have matters to discuss with Young Patriarch Yun in private,” Little Demon Empress said coldly, with no undulation of emotion in her pitch-black eyes.
“Yes…” No one dared to disobey the Little Demon Queen’s orders. All of the Yun Family’s girls carefully left after bowing down low. The Yun Family disciples not far away also all obediently withdrew.
In the blink of an eye, only Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress were left in the Yun Family’s huge training arena.
“Hmph, surrounded by the chattering of beauties, Young Patriarch Yun is sure living the good life!” The Little Demon Empress’s sarcastic voice carried sarcasm within.
“This is why there is a phrase that goes ‘live life to the fullest.’ I don’t know how long I’ll live in this lifetime, nor do I know how I’ll live in the next life, so taking full advantage of me still being alive in this lifetime, I’ll naturally live life happily… As if want to be like you, knowing that I only have three years left to live, yet still not loosening up even after taking revenge and resolving a great animosity…”
“Enough!” The Little Demon Empress shouted, “There is no need for you to speculate or interfere with what this empress thinks and wants to do… This empress has a question, you used to come to pay respects to this empress every day, but why haven’t you come in this past month? Is it… only because this empress told you to ‘scram’ a month ago?”
“Of course not.” Yun Che looked the Little Demon Empress in the eye and said with a laugh, “I was only wondering how long it was going to be before you can’t bear to visit me on your own accord.”
“You…” An instant of disorder suddenly appeared within the Little Demon Empress’ aura. It was unknown if it had happened because of anger or because a certain spot in her heart had been jabbed. She turned around, not meeting Yun Che’s gaze. “Ridiculous self-confidence! This empress is only here to visit Patriarch Yun and inadvertently saw that you were here, that’s all… Looks like this empress shouldn’t have come to the Yun Family today, hmph!”
The Little Demon Empress angrily snorted, and with a wave of her wide gray sleeves, she turned with the intention of leaving.
“Sigh.” Yun Che sighed lightly, and said quietly, “Maybe I really was delusional and believed myself infallible. That’s fine if you’re this unwilling to see me too… since after this month, even if you want to see me, it won’t be possible anymore.”
The Little Demon Empress’ departing footsteps immediately halted. She turned around and asked with knitted brows, “What do you mean?”
“Because after a month, my father will be fully recovered. It would also be time for me to return to the Profound Sky Continent.” Yun Che smiled and continued, “Even though I am a member of the Yun Family and my roots are here, I still grew up in the Profound Sky Continent. That place is where I truly belong. Since Illusory Demon Realm’s largest tumor has already been removed, there would no longer by anyone who can bully my family… but there are many people in the Profound Sky Continent who need my protection and many more matters I need to take care of. Adding in how hard it was for me to come back… I actually don’t know when I’ll be able to return after leaving for the Profound Sky Continent… and even if I return, I probably won’t stay for long before going back again.”
Yun Che slightly lifted his head and disappointedly said, “By that time, even if you want to see me, it may really be impossible.”
“…” The Little Demon Empress was silent, with a slightly stunned expression in her eyes. After a long while, she quietly asked, “You must go?”
“Mn, I must go. I have already left the Profound Sky Continent for almost three years. Not only that, they all probably think that I’m dead. I don’t know how much heartache I have caused them in these past three years. Furthermore, in these three years, I don’t even know how many unexpected events have occurred. If not because of my father’s injuries, I would’ve already have left two months ago.”
His tone of voice suddenly changed as he said with a beaming smile, “It can’t be that you can’t bear for me to leave, right?”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ chest slightly heaved before she turned around and said coldly, “You are naturally free to go wherever you want. What does that have to do with this empress?! What this empress said earlier… was only something I should say to detain a subject as the Little Demon Empress! If there was one less person like you, who always claims all the credit, who is disrespectful to this empress after today, this empress would actually revel in the peace… Even if you return within three years before this empress dies, it’s best if you never come to visit this empress!”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice was incomparably cold and heartless, causing Yun Che to be slightly stunned. Seeing that she was about to leave again, he silently shook his head, then suddenly shouted, “Little Demon Empress, are you planning on always saying these kinds of false words in front of me?”
“Don’t deny it yet!” Before waiting for the Little Demon Empress to answer him, Yun Che quickly neared with a few steps as his voice became incredibly calm. “If you actually remembered that I had saved your life in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and also helped you take revenge, then agree to a small request of mine… Which is, later on, whatever I say, whether it’s right or wrong, whether you approve or not, whether it moves or angers you, that you’ll listen until I’m done, without saying anything, without interrupting me, or leaving halfway.”
The Little Demon Empress stopped in her steps. She turned her head and looked at Yun Che. “Alright, since on you about to leave the Illusory Demon Realm and the possibility of us never seeing each other again, this empress will stand here and finish hearing what you have to say… Speak!”
Yun Che’s figure flashed, then stood three steps away from where the Little Demon Empress was. He slowly breathed in, looked at her eyes that were as tranquil as stagnant water, and enunciated loudly, “Little Demon Empress… Huan Caiyi! Do you really think that in everyone’s eyes, you are incredibly cold, heartless, cold-blooded, and nearly without emotion, so much that even you yourself think that as well? But too bad, in my eyes, you are not…”
“I have seen too many cold-blooded and heartless people, many more than you have ever seen in your entire life! In the eyes of a truly cold-blooded and heartless person, family is worthless. They would never sacrifice their own lives without hesitation to obtain power to achieve their revenge, and would never subconsciously block in front of me when I was about to be met a fatal blow, nor would they ever only eliminate only one Duke Huai Palace and only intimidate the rest of the rebels. Nor would they, at the cost of sacrificing their own lives, painstakingly take on the heaviest responsibility of shouldering the entire Illusory Demon Realm!”
“The cold-blood and heartlessness you show on the outside is merely a outer garment for others to see, and also merely a garment for you to deceive yourself! The you under that garment, I believe that I have seen it very thoroughly… Cough, I’m talking about your temperament, not your body, don’t misunderstand…”
Chapter 640 - World Shaking Great Matter (2)
“You’re not allowed to interrupt!” Yun Che’s expression was severe, but he quickly continued by saying, “Aren’t you oh so great?! Your power waned as the days flew by, many of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces betrayed you for their own selfish ambitions, and you contended against Duke Huai Palace for an entire hundred years… Even though it looked calm and tranquil on the outside, with Duke Ming pulling the strings all along, the fact that you could preserve the final dignity of the Demon Emperor’s clan for a whole hundred years was already the most impressive accomplishment in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm! And every single day that passed during this period must have been filled with difficulties, pressures, and nerve-wracking situations that are unfathomable by the common man…
“You managed to escape from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by a hair’s breadth. In addition, even though the first thing you did was complete your vengeance, you were also the one who took responsibility for the whole bloody affair of exterminating the entire Duke Huai Palace down to its very roots! Even though Duke Huai Palace could not be spared, in the process of burning up their very roots, a great deal of innocent people were killed as well. But there was no helping their deaths! For a truly ruthless and decisive ruler, he would slaughter them with no qualms at all. But for someone like you who basically can’t bring yourself to be so ruthless and cold-blooded, you will definitely confine yourself to a long period of gloomy darkness over the innocent servants that have died because of your command. This is also why I went to look for you every single day and even tried various ways to tease and provoke you… I am unable to share your burdens, so I can only use this method to distract you, in hopes that you leave that dark place as early as possible and forgive yourself.”
Little Demon Empress: “…”
“Do not think that this is merely my conjecture. I am extremely clear on what it means to implicate many innocent people and send them to an early grave! Because I have done similar things before. Countless of innocents have fallen beneath my poisonous hands! Even though after that, I repeated this action too many times and I have already grown numb to it, the first time I did it… that darkness, depression, and pain, I won’t be able to forget for the rest of my life! But you, in these one hundred years, even though you have personally killed many people, after my detailed investigation, I found that there was not one innocent among them. This extermination of the entire Duke Huai Palace is the first time you have ever done such a thing in your life… So what you will suffer after that, even though the entire Illusory Demon Realm may not know, I will!
“It’s not that they can’t comprehend it, but that their thoughts won’t even venture in that direction. Because what they are concerned about is the conclusion and their own prospects, but as for me, what I am concerned about is you!
“Before I had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, everything that I had done in your name, including directly clashing with Duke Huai and disregarding my own life to go and save you, they were done for my departed grandfather, my parents, and my clan! At that time, you were only a figure to me… and that was the Little Demon Empress! I confess that my pride is higher than the heavens and my bones are more stubborn than rock, so I definitely will not swear loyalty to any person, but for the sake of my grandfather’s will and my family’s safety, I showed you the greatest loyalty I could have at that time!
“But after we emerged from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, everything that I did for you had completely nothing to do with the three words ‘Little Demon Empress,’ but it was for you yourself! I was concerned with everything about you… I even hated your status as the ‘Little Demon Empress’! Because it causes you far too much pain and bitterness, and it makes it incredibly hard for me to care for you or even approach you in the first place!”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ lips lightly quivered, but not a single sound emerged from them.
“‘Little Demon Empress’ is your title, and it was also the fate forced upon you after the death of the Little Demon Emperor, giving you no choice but to bear the final dignity and glory of the Demon Emperor’s clan. So even though I hate this heavy burden that weighs down on you, no one, not even me, has the right to interfere with your decisions, sacrifice, or actions for the sake of the Demon Emperor’s clan… Even if there are only three years left for you, you still cannot live for yourself and have to live for the Demon Emperor’s clan.
“But the affair between you and I… when such a thing concerns me, I still have the right to be dissatisfied!” Yun Che exclaimed as his brows furrowed. “It is clear that I am on your mind as well, but why do you treat me with disdain, contempt, and sometimes even disgust! Do not try to deny it, or maybe you think that you have perfectly concealed everything… and perhaps if it was someone else, you would have driven him away a long time ago. But in my eyes, all your actions only make it more obvious to me!
“The medicine pellet you destroyed in front of me that day… was not even the one that I had given to you! I am a thousand times more clear than you on the composition of that pill. And my sense of smell when it comes to medicine is ten thousand times more sensitive than yours. Even though you did show me the pill that I had given to you, the pill that you destroyed was only a normal Heart Cleansing Pellet! All of your fury and berating, all the so-called dirtying of your blood and the destruction of the pill itself was merely you being distressed for my sake and you fearing that I would continue to harm myself for your sake.
“Furthermore, during that period, even though you acted cold and disinterested every time I came to see you, you had never brushed me aside without ever seeing me at all. Not only that, what you did last month, you did it because… because you saw me and Su Zhixi in the Yun Family’s household and you heard the rumors regarding me and Su Zhixi. So your heart felt stifled and frustrated! If I wasn’t on your mind, why would you do that?!
“At times you are so shrewd that it is scary, but when it comes to the affairs of the heart, you do not even match up to the average teenage girl!”
Yun Che’s chest heaved and his voice became several octaves deeper, “Don’t think that I don’t know what has been in your heart all along! Do you think that given your status and age, if our relationship is known to the world, it will greatly affect my reputation? Cause me to endure boundless questioning? Then you think far too little of me! From the moment I stepped into Demon Imperial City, I was willing to take on the huge power of Duke Huai without reservation, so do you think I will care about the questions and stares of these vulgar people?
“Do you think that because you only have three years left to live that you have no right to have such feelings… afraid that you will only draw me down?!” Yun Che suddenly strode forward and the Little Demon Empress allowed her shoulder to be grabbed by him as she looked lost while a look of helplessness flashed across her eyes. Yun Che continued to exclaim in a quiet voice, “Do you think that keeping me far away will cause me to stop thinking about you? So that after three years, I will not feel pain and heartbreak over your passing? If so, then you are far too naive…
“Little Demon Empress, let me tell you. From the day we left Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley together, I have determined that you would be my woman for the rest of your life! I do not care what status you have, because you are you! Also, I care about you. It has nothing to do with whether you pretend to care about me or not! If it was so easy to change my feelings for you, then I do not have the qualifications to be your man! If you can honestly face my feelings and allow me into your world… even if I am truly helpless after these three years… and I cannot save your life, at least, every time I think of you, it will be composed of short but everlasting happiness. But if you force yourself to continue to be cold towards me, even if I do not see you for the next three years… at that time, all that will be left for me will be a lifetime or frustration and regret! You think that you are holding yourself back for my sake, but what you are really doing is hurting the both of us! Do you understand?!”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes quivered and her body trembled. She shrugged off Yun Che’s grasp and stumbled backwards.
“Little Demon Empress…” Yun Che stared directly into her eyes, and from the chaos that lay therein, he knew that he had stepped into her heart. “I also know that you work so hard to reject me because you want to uphold the dignity of the Demon Emperor’s clan, especially the dignity and reputation of the Little Demon Emperor. Because you were after all, his empress… as long as you are unwilling, I will not let a single person know about the affair between the two of us. As long as we have time for ourselves and you let this love flourish, let me be your spiritual support. For the sake of the Demon Emperor’s clan, you have sacrificed far too much already. You have even given your own life for their sake. You have already paid your dues to your clan and ancestors, and upheld their name to the greatest extent… so can’t you, when your life’s flame is about to go out, just for that little bit, just live for yourself?!
“And am I… really truly unworthy of becoming the reason for you to become a little selfish?”
The Little Demon Empress: “…”
Yun Che had spoken a lot in just one breath, but in this period of time, he had poured out everything that was in his heart to the Little Demon Empress. After all, he was not like the Little Demon Empress, a white, spotless paper when it came to romantic relationships. And he was clear enough on whether the Little Demon Empress had any feelings for him, so because he knew that her coldness and her attempts to hide her feelings were just that, attempts, in his eyes they were… so clumsy that it was adorable.
But… in the end, she was still the Little Demon Empress. On her back was not only a clan, not only a nation, but an entire continent! Furthermore, she also bore the burden of upholding the Demon Emperor’s clan ten thousand years of dignity and prestige.
So his words ‘I hate your status as the Little Demon Empress’ came from the bottom of Yun Che’s heart.
Moreover, as Yun Che vented his feelings, the Little Demon Empress did not interrupt him even once. In the end, she did not even respond; she merely turned around and flew away… and she left in that soundless and quiet fashion.
“You are not even afraid of death, yet you keep running away from me time and time again… you still dare to say that you do not think of me?!”
Seeing the distant figure of the Little Demon Empress, Yun Che stamped his feet and a loud bang ensued, causing the floor tiles to crumble into pieces. He yelled loudly, “Little Demon Empress! If not for the fact that I cannot beat you, I would drag you with me to the Profound Sky Continent, even if the entire Illusory Demon Realm was hot in pursuit… so that you would never need to be the Little Demon Empress ever again!”
Yun Che’s yells showed his exasperation… At any time, strength was important, even between a man and a woman. Initially, because he was not Chu Yuechan’s match, he could not force her to stay behind. But now, there appeared the Little Demon Empress, who was even prouder and more fragile than Chu Yuechan… and the strength that she possessed was absolutely terrifying. Even if he wanted to force it, it would not be possible.
After Yun Che had finished yelling, the figure of Mu Yurou appeared in his field of view. She anxiously flew over and shouted in a worried voice, “Che’er, what happened? You just said that… you were going to be pursued by the entire Illusory Demon Realm… and that you were going to kidnap the Little Demon Empress? What… what happened? Please do not scare your mother.”
“Uh…” The corner of Yun Che’s mouth twitched and hurriedly replied, “Mother, you have heard wrongly. What I said was actually me swearing that I would be eternally loyal to the Little Demon Empress and even if the Little Demon Empress was being hunted by the entire Illusory Demon Realm, I would have no resentment or regrets… Yes, that was what I had said. Just now the wind was very loud, so Mother must have heard incorrectly. If I had really said such a thing, the Little Demon Empress would have sent me to an early grave. It wouldn’t be possible that I would be standing here unharmed, right… Haha…”
“…Then that’s good.” Even though her heart still had some doubts, Yun Che’s last few words dispelled most of her worries, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Che’er, your father said that he felt that the relationship between you and the Little Demon Empress wasn’t too good. And in addition to this, the situation in Demon Imperial City has not calmed down yet as well, so you must definitely not behave rudely to the Little Demon Empress just because you have made great contributions to her cause. After she awoke her bloodline, the Little Demon Empress’ power increased greatly, but her temperament has also become even colder and more severe than it was before. Not only that, she seems more fickle than she was before, so you must definitely not set her off.”
Mu Yurou said the word ‘definitely’ twice in one breath, so Yun Che nodded his head like an obedient child.
The next three days were all calm. In these three days, Yun Che did not exit his house; he just slept, trained, refined, and occasionally treated the injuries of other people and teased those girls who were in the spring of their first love… that was how he idled away his days.
Finally, when dawn broke on the fourth day, he was shaken awake by Yun Qinghong. “Che’er, today in the afternoon, the Little Demon Empress called for a lunch feast, and she requires for all the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces to be present… Moreover, the Little Demon Empress specified that you had to be there.”
“Eh?” Yun Che’s sleepiness was almost instantly dispelled as he replied, “Lunch feast… specifically requesting my presence? Did the Little Demon Empress mention anything else?”
“She didn’t make anything else clear.” Yun Qinghong shook his head. “The Little Demon Empress only said that it was a great matter concerning the future of our Illusory Demon Realm.”
Chapter 641 - World Shaking Great Matter (3)
Demon Imperial Great Hall.
It was already noon.The patriarchs of the Twelve Guardian Families and the dukes of Duke Zhu Palace were all in attendance; none dared to be absent. Accompanying them were also leader personalities. After all, the Little Demon Empress had personally ordered them to all be present and said that she had a “great matter” to announce.
With the start of the luncheon, drinks were handed over, and the originally somewhat nervous atmosphere became lively. The Yun Family had also somehow become the luncheon’s core as patriarchs and dukes all took the initiative to come over and toast them. However, after drinking the wine, everyone would immediately use profound energy to dissolve the wine energy, lest they forget their manners in front of the Little Demon Empress due to their inability to hold their drinks.
“Big Brother, what great matter is this luncheon held for?” Xiao Yun quietly asked Yun Che.
“I don’t know,” Yun Che answered. “But I feel like it seems to have something to do with me?”
“Ah? With big brother?” Xiao Yun’s eyes widened. “Father said that today’s announcement is a great matter concerning the future of Illusory Demon Realm… Why would big brother think that?”
“Two reasons.” Yun Che glanced at the Little Demon Empress and said, “One, when Father called me over this morning, he said that the Little Demon Empress specified that I had to attend. At that time, I already had a feeling about it, but this is only secondary.”
“What’s the main reason?” Xiao Yun immediately asked, completely believing Yun Che’s words.
Yun Che briefly touched his chin. “The more important reason is that from the start of the luncheon till now, the Little Demon Empress has not even glanced over at me once.”
“Huh?” Xiao Yun was momentarily stunned. “Just… Just for that reason?”
“Right!” Yun Che nodded with incomparable seriousness. “I’m not joking here. With my understanding of women… She definitely has something planned for me.”
“But the Little Demon Empress isn’t even an ordinary woman. Besides… she doesn’t seem to have looked at me either,” Xiao Yun weakly replied.
Yun Che looked at him in silence, then said, “Even if she isn’t ordinary, she’s still a woman. Her not looking at you is completely different from her not looking at me. It’s like… your Seventh Sister not looking at me from the start is merely a common thing. But if she hasn’t looked at you during the entire feast… then ‘something big’ is about to happen.”
“Ha?” Xiao Yun’s jaw fell, puzzled… clearly not understanding what Yun Che was talking about at all.
Unwittingly, more than half of the lunch feast had passed, yet the Little Demon Empress still sat upright on the emperor’s seat the entire time without barely saying anything. There was also no one who dared to ask about the announcement’s “great matter.” Yun Qinghong put down his wine cup, got up, and saluted. “Little Demon Empress, Duke Huai’s disturbance has now been settled, and even though Duke Ming has escaped, under our continued efforts in searching for him, it won’t be long before he is deemed guilty for execution. As your subject, I have actually done little to help and completely relied on the Little Demon Empress’ power to be saved. I am deeply ashamed. It must be a great matter that caused the Little Demon Empress to summon all of us here today… No matter the command, nothing will stop us from executing it!”
Within the great hall, there really was no better person suited than Yun Qinghong to come out and speak. The moment he spoke, everyone else promptly curbed their voices and expressions. Putting down their wine cups, they all saluted together, “Nothing will stop us from executing the Little Demon Empress’ order!”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze swept through the entire crowd and finally shot a glance in Yun Che’s direction… Everyone was bowing, yet only Yun Che was still sitting in place, sipping his tea. No ripples showed on her face as she slowly got up and dully replied, “This empress does indeed have a great matter to announce today. This matter is related to the future of our Illusory Demon Realm! It also is related to the continuation of our Demon Emperor bloodline!”
Continuation of the Demon Emperor bloodline? These words stunned everyone. Yun Che also furrowed his brows… Eh?
“Under the ambition and evil scheming of Duke Huai’s forces, this empress’ royal father and brother were killed one after the other. Even though this empress is a woman, this empress is still the Demon Emperor bloodline’s last successor. If the Demon Emperor bloodline were to be severed after this empress, chaos will definitely ensue in Illusory Demon Realm. Now that Duke Huai’s forces have all been eradicated, this empress has no other choice but to consider the great matter of how to continue the Demon Emperor bloodline.”
The Little Demon Empress’ words caused the crowd to look at each other in dismay. Since only the Little Demon Empress was left of the Demon Emperor bloodline, a true continuation of the bloodline was fundamentally impossible. If one were to speak about continuing the bloodline… then it would only be the children born from the Little Demon Empress. An old duke couldn’t help it any longer and carefully asked, “Little Demon Empress, are you meaning… to perhaps be intending… to accept a consort?”
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes flashed with a cold radiance before returning to their tranquil state. She said coldly, “The Little Demon Emperor was unable to leave behind an heir to continue on our Demon Emperor bloodline, so this naturally can only be done by this empress! This empress wearing gray for a hundred years is to mourn for my royal father and brother. It is now time for this empress to choose another husband.”
Once the words “choose another husband” came out, they immediately left all those Guardian Families and Duke Palaces dumbstruck. Never in their lives would they expect that what the Little Demon Empress would announce today was this kind of matter. Even in their subconscious, they had never thought that this would happen. This wasn’t because the Little Demon Empress was the Little Demon Emperor’s empress, but that with her temperament… in this world, how could there possibly exist a man that she would find pleasing?! With her looks, identity, profound strength, and bloodline… In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, who could possibly be qualified to be her husband?
Everyone was incredibly clear that she said “husband” and not “consort”… There was a huge difference between the two; the two concepts were as different as the heavens and earth.
“Little Demon Empress, could… you already have chosen a candidate?” Even though Yun Qinghong was equally surprised, upon weighing the words, he faintly guessed something. “I wonder which god-like person has the fortune to receive the Little Demon Empress’ favor.”
The Little Demon Empress didn’t respond and instead suddenly uttered, “Duke Lang Xun, attend!”
A duke dressed in blue suddenly stepped forward and lowly bowed. “This humble duke is here.”
“Before dusk, announce to the entire Demon Imperial City, send a sound transmission to every great city lord and regional lord that in seven days, Yun Family’s Young Patriarch Yun shall join with my Demon Emperor bloodline and marry this empress in this Demon Imperial Hall…”
Pfft… The half mouthful of tea in Yun Che’s mouth was ferociously spat out, directly spurting onto Xiao Yun’s face… The latter was originally stunned, completely stupefied, but after being sprayed by Yun Che, he immediately fell off his chair onto the floor. Even Yun Qinghong next to him quaked with his entire body… If not for his formidable willpower, he might have also been stunned to the point where his bottom would have fallen onto Xiao Yun’s head.
The Demon Imperial Hall was deathly silent for a long time. After that, it was followed by a bubbling field of commotion. That excessiveness, that sound, and the expressions on everyone’s faces was as though they had seen ghosts in broad daylight… No one had expected that this would be what the Little Demon Empress was going to announce today, but never in their dreams would they think that the person the Little Demon Empress would pick was…
“Silence!” In front of the sudden explosive clamor, the Little Demon Empress slanted her brows. The sound of her cold reprimand instantly chilled everyone’s bodies as all sound immediately ceased. The Little Demon Empress’ gaze became cold. “What? Does anyone have any objections?”
Everyone’s faces twitched as their gazes all flickered. However, facing the Little Demon Empress’ sudden burst of power, no one dared to speak as they pleased. At this time, an old duke walked forth and spoke with a voice full of emotion, “Little Demon Empress, this… this… this is not unreasonable according to logic. After all, with the passing of the Little Demon Emperor, the only way to continue the Demon Emperor bloodline is this method, but Yun Family’s Young Patriarch… this… this kind of match is absolutely unsuitable!”
“What’s unsuitable about it?!” As soon as the old duke’s voice fell, Jiufang Kui was the first to jump out and scold him while pointing at his nose. “What the Little Demon Empress says, goes! Don’t tell me that you, a person with half a foot in their grave, have the right to question the Little Demon Empress’ decision?!”
Compared to how he had originally acted during the Demon Empress’ Reign Ceremony, Jiufang Kui’s behavior was as different as night and day. After being subjected as the Little Demon Empress’ loyal dog. If anyone dared to offend the Little Demon Empress, he definitely wouldn’t hesitate to openly use his life to bite the other party to death.
Another duke came forth and spoke, “Little Demon Empress, you must reconsider this! Even though Yun Che’s talent is shocking in every aspect, without equal in all of Illusory Demon Realm and most likely would have boundless accomplishments in the future, he… he’s only twenty-two of age, is the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, Yun Qinghong’s son, and Yun Canghai’s grandson! Back then, the Demon Emperor and Demon King Yun Canghai were even like brothers… Yun Che and you… this difference in seniority… we mustn’t! Or else, wouldn’t it confuse…”
“Silence!”
The Little Demon Empress angrily rebuked, immediately scaring the duke who spoke which caused him to shake all over. As the Little Demon Empress’ gaze darkened, the entire Demon Imperial Hall had also suddenly become overcast. “Good… how wonderful. Back then, when Duke Huai’s ambitions were clear as day, each and every one of you were scared witless, and none of you risked your life for this empress! All of you even went as far as to not hesitate to abandon and betray me in order to save yourselves! It was this empress herself who calmed Duke Huai’s chaos! It was this empress who had personally avenged the late Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor! The peace you all have in Demon Imperial City was also bestowed upon you by this empress! This empress could be considered to not have let down the heavens and Illusory Demon, to have not have let down all of you! But now, when this empress has already sat on the throne for a hundred years, now, when this empress has finally decided to do something for herself, each and every one of you jump out to criticize me!
“Why did this empress even bother with you filthy trash?!”
“This insignificant duke… this insignificant duke doesn’t dare… this insignificant duke doesn’t dare!” The two dukes who had previously came forth to object immediately trembled all over as they pounded their heads on the ground, because that bone-piercing coldness was not merely the Little Demon Empress’ fury, it also carried a distinctly cold killing intent. “It’s this insignificant duke’s stupidity and ignorance, I beg the Little Demon Empress for forgiveness… The Little Demon Empress and Young Patriarch Yun are… are… a golden couple, a… a match made in heaven… I beg the Little Demon Empress for forgiveness… I beg the Little Demon Empress for forgiveness…”
“Please calm your anger, Little Demon Empress.” Everyone also quickly bowed, and no one dared to speak in dissent.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress’ killing intent had not lessened, as she uttered with a bone-piercing coldness, “What this empress had told Duke Lang Xun to do earlier was an order to immediately inform the world, not a proposal for you to discuss! Yet there just has to be people who jump out in front of this empress’ eyes like houseflies. It seems like the amount of people this empress has killed is not enough. There are still plenty who do not listen at all!”
“Have mercy, Little Demon Empress… this insignificant duke… is slow-witted, and accidentally blurted it out… Have mercy, Little Demon Empress…” The two dukes kneeling on the floor shook all over like sieves. Everyone else within the great all also stood in place, not daring to move. Many were drenched in sweat, secretly glad that they did not come forth to speak out earlier.
Yun Qinghong quickly stepped in front of the two dukes and urgently said, “Please calm your anger, Little Demon Empress. Duke Shan Shan and Duke Zi Ying were only worried that the reputation of the Little Demon Empress and the Demon Emperor bloodline would be defiled, which is why they spoke such counsel. They definitely did not have any disrespectful intentions. I hope the Little Demon Empress would pardon their indiscretion.”
Duke Shan Shan and Duke Zi Ying slightly raised their heads with faces full of gratitude. Within the group of dukes and patriarchs, Yun Family’s Patriarch, Yun Qinghong’s words undoubtedly possessed the greatest weight. Since he had personally stepped forth to defend them, it should be enough to preserve their lives.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress turned around. With her back facing the crowd, she said lowly, “Are there any other objections?”
The Demon Imperial Hall was absolutely silent. Currently, forget about “objections,” no one even dared to release a fart. They all clearly saw that the Little Demon Empress regarded this matter with distinctively heavy importance. It was not simply “accepting a consort.” Based on the word “husband” that she mentioned instead of “accepting a consort,” they all should have noticed it… The two who didn’t think much beneath their emotions had been placed at gunpoint.
After a long period of silence, the Little Demon Empress continued, “This empress knows what you all are thinking. You must think that this empress marrying Yun Che would break order, disturb ethics? Hmph, have you all forgotten what kind of bloodline my Demon Emperor bloodline is?! Currently aside from this empress, isn’t there another with this bloodline?!”
The Little Demon Empress’ words immediately caused many to regain their senses. Su Xiangnan blurted, “That’s right! On the day Yun Che injured Duke Huai, he used the Golden Crow flames… he possesses the Golden Crow bloodline that the Golden Crow Divine Spirit personally bestowed!”
“Ah… this duke actually forgot such an important matter. Young Patriarch Yun also possesses the Golden Crow bloodline, huh.”
“If Young Patriarch Yun and the Little Demon Empress came together… the later generation would also be one who possesses a pure Golden Crow bloodline… which is also the Demon Emperor’s bloodline!
“This is the reason why the Little Demon Empress wants Young Patriarch Yun to join the Demon Emperor Clan?”
As everyone started discussing, under this “justification,” the matter that was previously extremely shocking seemed to have become somewhat reasonable.
Xiao Yun had been stunned since the start, and now, Yun Che’s voice suddenly traveled tohis ears, “Xiao Yun, quick, do as I say. Remember this!”
“Ah… Ah?”
“What are you ahing for?! Don’t worry about anything else, just listening to my instructions and do as I say! Remember this properly…”
“AHH!!” A huge exclamation of surprise suddenly rang out, forcefully attracting the gazes of everyone present. Xiao Yun’s expression was extremely exaggerated… but it wasn’t faked. He was indeed completely at a loss. He said with a stutter, “So, this is all true… Uh, Big Brother had told me a few days ago that the reason why the Golden Crow Divine Spirit granted him the Golden Crow bloodline was because it couldn’t bear to see the Demon Emperor bloodline be severed. It was so the Little Demon Empress could continue the Demon Emperor bloodline with Big Brother… At that time, I still didn’t believe it… so this is all true… Ah! This is… this is… the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s will!”
Little Demon Empress: “…”
“The Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s will”… That was no doubt the god’s wishes, and also the god’s gift! What worldly conventions of seniority? In front of a god’s will, even common ethics aren’t worth a fart. In front of this halo, no one in the entire Illusory Demon Realm would be against it. If there really was someone who opposed it, they would instead receive criticism and hostility… because that was going against a god!
“So it’s actually the Golden Crow Divine God’s will!”
“No wonder the Golden Crow Divine God bestowed the Golden Crow bloodline to Yun Che… so that’s how it is, so that’s how it is!”
“Seems like the Golden Crow Divine God had never abandoned the Demon Emperor Clan or had never abandoned the Illusory Demon Realm! Even though the Demon Emperor Clan has dwindled, a new bloodline has appeared on another person’s body… The Little Demon Empress and Young Patriarch Yun, this is a god’s will, a true match made in heaven.”
“Since it’s like this, the Demon Emperor bloodline would thus be able to continue on without issue. There would be no need to worry about it being severed again. The Demon Emperor Clan will once more be intact, and Illusory Demon Realm will thrive forever…”
The atmosphere in the Demon Imperial Hall completely changed. The previous shock and unspoken conflicting questions had all become exclamations of admiration and endless excitement. Under the radiance of the words “god’s will,” if there were anymore people who came out to oppose it, the Little Demon Empress didn’t even need to personally step forth. The others would strive to outdo the others and indignantly scold that person with pointed fingers.
Only the Little Demon Empress was left of the Demon Emperor Clan… Yun Che… Golden Crow bloodline… Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s personal bestowal… This combination had now completely swept away all the previous surprise. Everything had become reasonable, so much that it sounded perfect.
Yun Che still stayed in his own seat; his bottom hadn’t shifted an inch since the very beginning. The clamor beside his ears was incredible, yet the roaring in his heart had long surpassed that by several fold:
Even if you are to say that women are fickle creatures… isn’t this woman’s change too exaggerated?!
And the most important thing…
For such a huge matter, why didn’t she talk to me about this beforehand?!
I’m obviously here… why hasn’t anyone asked about what I think! I’m one of the involved parties, you know!”
Are you all pretending that I’m see-through?!
At least someone ask me if I agree… ask me how I am, or at least how I feel!
“Since no one has any objections, then it is decided. Duke Lang Xun, you must remember to do what this empress had commanded.” The Little Demon Empress turned to Duke Lang Xun… and still had yet to look at Yun Che.
“This humble duke has remembered everything, but…” Duke Lang Xun gulped down a mouthful of saliva, mustered up his courage, and said, “But deciding the wedding to be in seven days, this is simply too sudden. The honorable Little Demon Empress is Illusory Demon’s monarch, and it’s even the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s will… This kind of marriage should be universally celebrated, it should shake the world! Even if we were to use seven days to prepare it wouldn’t be eno…”
“This empress said seven days, so seven days!”
“Yes!” Duke Lang Xun quickly assented, his head drenched in cold sweat, no longer daring to say anymore. After taking two steps backwards, he hurriedly left. As he ran, he groaned in his mind: My god… only seven days… If the entire city were to use all their efforts to prepare, seven days might barely be enough. But those big shots in the Southern Border and Northern Domains… after receiving the sound transmission, they’ll probably be scared shitless and rush over with swallowed tears… they might not even make it in time.
The Little Demon Empress faced her subjects. “You may all put aside whatever you plan to do in the next seven days to prepare for this empress and Yun Che’s great wedding ceremony! Even if you only have seven days, you are not allowed to be careless or make any mistakes! It does not have to be world shaking, but it must be grand enough. You must not work half-heartedly… It must be no less grand than the one from a hundred years ago!”
“Begin preparations immediately! You may all withdraw!”
This event was no doubt greater than the heavens, so the various guardian families and duke palaces working together to prepare for it was not the least bit exaggerated. The seven day time frame was just too rushed. Their retreating footsteps were all hurried, and once they exited the Demon Imperial Hall, they had all swiftly flown away, fearing that their own preparations would be lesser than someone else’s… This was not just the Little Demon Empress’ great wedding, it was the “Golden Crow Divine God’s will”!
The only person who had not left the great hall… was one of the involved parties who had no parallel in all of Illusory Demon Realm’s history, yet was somehow completely forgotten, Yun Che.
Chapter 642 - A Man’s Dignity
After everyone left, only the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che were left in the Demon Imperial Hall. The Little Demon Empress stood by her throne the whole time with her back facing Yun Che. The two of them did not move nor speaking at all.
This awkward situation lasted for a while, when finally the Little Demon Empress turned around, stared at Yun Che indifferently, and then immediately looked away, “Are you satisfied now?”
“What do I have to be satisfied about!” Yun Che stood up and freaked out, “With something this big… something so big that it affects a lifetime! I can’t believe you didn’t discuss with me or even mention it to me beforehand!! Forget that you forced yourself onto me in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, you’re also going to force a great affair of marriage onto me! You-you-you-you… even if you’re the Little Demon Empress, you can’t be this imperious and unreasonable!”
“…Hmph! Isn’t this just as you wish?” The Little Demon Empress turned away and she was somewhat avoiding making eye contact with Yun Che.
The Little Demon Empress’ reaction made Yun Che smile slightly in his heart. The way the Little Demon Empress dealt with things was indeed imperious, but with this matter, she didn’t discuss with Yun Che and even neglected to tell him beforehand, and it wasn’t because she was “acting in an arbitrary fashion.” With her personality, her lack of experience with relationships between a man and a woman, and her “indifference” towards Yun Che that was maintained for a long time made her not able to be frank with Yun Che… Her sudden big change with how she was treating Yun Che was already an overly great surprise to him.
Even though it kind of caught him by surprise… even until now he was still a bit dazzled.
After all, from the indifference, coldness, and absolute refusal to reveal any emotions to him… to suddenly announcing to the world that they were going to be married, and the wedding was going to be seven days later… No matter how powerful Yun Che’s nerves were, he couldn’t wrap his head around it.
He was certain that it was impossible to find another woman like the Little Demon Empress all over the world.
The Little Demon Empress was obviously panicking in her heart, and she had already confessed her feelings towards him, but she still acted as a cold, indifferent emperor… Only from her dodging gaze, drifting eyes, and slightly disordered breathing, was Yun Che able to clearly see a sweet, tender appearance of a normal young woman. He smiled slightly, and then used a displeased expression and yelled, “You finally admit that you liked me with honesty. In this regard, as your future husband, of course I should praise you highly. But, between husband and wife, there should be at least be some respect, tolerance, conjugal love, inseparable love, intimacy…”
“…What are you trying to say!” What Yun Che had said made the Little Demon Empress’ breathing even more uneven, and she interrupted him immediately.
“What I’m saying is, after you marry me, you can’t be like before and now, pre~tend to be cold and distant towards me, instead you should…”
“You seemed to have mistaken something.” The Little Demon Empress interrupted Yun Che once again, and said in a solemn voice, “This empress is not marrying you, you… are marrying this empress!”
“Uh?” Yun Che was suddenly stunned.
“Hmph!” The Little Demon Empress sided her face and said coldly, “This empress made it very clear just now. Seven days later, you will enter my Demon Emperor’s clan! After that, you will belong to my Demon Emperor’s clan. Henceforth… the children that we bear, must be surnamed ‘Huan.’ Did you really think that this empress and you being wed, is me marrying into your Yun Family?”
“…” Yun Che immediately filtered what the Little Demon Empress had said to Duke Lang Xun in his mind. His expression changed a little, stepped forward, and said with determination, “No!”
“What do you mean, ‘no?’” The Little Demon Empress gave a sideways glance.
“Because I am a man!” Yun Che kept his temper and said, “Even with the most common man who doesn’t have an indomitable spirit, how could he marry into the woman’s family! I, Yun Che, definitely cannot accept something like this! If you are to marry with me, it can only be you marry to me… marry into my Yun Family!”
“Ridiculous! My Demon Emperor’s clan is the emperor clan that commands the Illusory Demon Realm. How could you feel wronged marrying into my Demon Emperor’s clan!?” The Little Demon Empress said calmly.
“I am also the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch!” Yun Che said without giving in, “My Yun Family’s Patriarch’s bloodline was only passed onto one person for generations! My grandfather only had my father as his only son, and my father only has me as his only son! As the only successor to the Patriarch’s bloodline of this generation, if I marry into my wife’s family, my son cannot be named after the surname ‘Yun,’ and then wouldn’t my Yun Family become the laughingstock of the Illusory Demon Realm! How would I face my family, face my grandfather who had passed away…”
“Who dares to laugh at your Yun Family!” The Little Demon Empress interrupted him and said, “When the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch becomes the husband of the Demon Empress, the status of the Yun Family would completely override all of the forces in the Illusory Demon Realm! Not only is this not a shame to the Yun Family, but it will also be glory and splendor that your Yun Family has never had before! In your Yun Family, your son will be the future Yun Family’s Patriarch, but in my Demon Emperor’s bloodline… our son, will be the future Illusory Demon Emperor! This is ten thousand times more dignified!”
“It’s not the same!”
“How is it not the same!”
“…No matter what, the answer is no!” Yun Che shook his head hardly. He was an extremely proud and arrogant person… he himself knew this clearly too. All this time, in his consciousness, a man marrying into someone else’s family showed his weakness and incompetence. He always frowned upon this kind of matter. He never thought… and absolutely would not allow this kind of thing to happen to him.
Even if she was the Little Demon Empress of the Demon Emperor’s clan.
“I already have a wife in Profound Sky Continent! And she is the only imperial princess of her nation! If I marry into your Demon Emperor’s clan, when I return to Profound Sky Continent, how could I possibly explain it to her… In short, this has already exceeded my limit, and I absolutely cannot accept it!” Whether it was Yun Che’s voice, eyes, or expression, they were all incredibly determined.
The Little Demon Empress’ chest was moving up and down as she stared at Yun Che. The expression in her eyes kept on changing, and then silently, she looked away and said slowly, “This empress knows that with your personality, doing this indeed would be unbearable to you… but, behind this empress is the Demon Emperor’s clan after all, and this empress is the last of the Demon Emperor’s clan… This matter is beyond the control of this empress, and now that it has been announced to the world, it is beyond your control as well!”
Demon Imperial City appeared to be a lot more lively today than usual. There were crowds of people on the streets, and there were shadows of people flying across the sky with haste.
The news of the grand wedding between the Little Demon Empress and the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch seven days later made the recently-calmed Demon Imperial City completely boil up again.
The Yun Family was already preparing the wedding of Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven to be held a month later. But now, there was the wedding of the Young Patriarch… and it was with the Little Demon Empress! Everyone from the Yun Family was shocked by this surprising news… and they all became busy like mad. Everyone from the grandest elders of the Yun Family to the lowest servants dropped everything they were doing. The competition that was going to be held five days later was canceled immediately, and the preparations for Xiao Yun’s wedding were all postponed. Everyone put in all their time into the preparation of the Young Patriarch’s wedding, and they were all so crazily busy they were like a gyroscope that was being whipped and spinned.
Young Patriarch… Little Demon Empress… Just thinking about it was… too freaking exciting!!
When Yun Che returned to his home, as soon as he entered the door, he saw Yun Qinghong standing there with his back facing towards him.
“Che’er, you have returned,” Yun Qinghong said as he turned around. His expression was especially calm as he stood there, and he seemed to be waiting specifically for him.
“…My mother, she… what was her reaction?” Yun Che said, perturbed.
“Hehe.” Yun Qinghong smiled lightly and said, “Your mother just left to Duke Qing Palace to personally prepare the clothing and ornaments that you will be using seven days later.”
“She… isn’t mad?”
“Mad?” Yun Qinghong’s face showed strangeness, “Why would she be mad? The woman you are marrying is someone who has an unusual identity, outstanding appearance, and exceptional profound energy in this Illusory Demon Realm. As a mother, she doesn’t even have time to be glad, how would she be mad? If you think we would mind the age difference, then you’re thinking too much. In the Sovereign Profound Realm, a difference of one or two hundred years old is no different than a difference of one or two years old. Moreover, just based on appearances, the Little Demon Empress looks a lot younger than you.”
“That’s good. It’s just that this matter…” Yun Che hesitated a little and said, “The Little Demon Empress wants me to marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan, instead of her marrying into our Yun Family.”
Yun Qinghong, “…”
“But Father, don’t worry. I won’t allow something like this to happen.” Yun Che immediately said, “Even if she is the Little Demon Empress, whether it was to me or to our family, I will never accept this kind of arrangement. But the Little Demon Empress’ attitude was also very determined, and she already announced it to the world… Sigh, there is still seven days after all, maybe I will be able to find a perfect solution by then.”
Yun Qinghong didn’t react too much to what Yun Che had said. Because when the Little Demon Empress ordered Duke Lang Xun, she had already spoken the words “join with my Demon Emperor bloodline” very clearly. Even if she hadn’t said so, Yun Che entering the Demon Emperor’s clan was the only possibility, and there was absolutely no way the Little Demon Empress would marry into the Yun Family.
About this matter, he had also considered for a long time while he was waiting for Yun Che to come back.
“Che’er,” Yun Qinghong didn’t show approval or disapproval towards Yun Che’s decision, instead he was incredibly calm, “Tell Father, how long does the Little Demon Empress have left?”
Yun Che’s eyes shook in an instant, his voice gush up in his throat, but he pressed it down forcefully.
“If you promised the Little Demon Empress to keep it a secret, then don’t say anything,” Yun Qinghong smiled lightly, but he sighed heavily in his heart. He didn’t need Yun Che’s answer, but from his reaction, he was able to confirm what was in his mind.
“Father, why would you… ask this?” Yun Che said.
Yun Qinghong said in frustration, “Because the Little Demon Empress’ strength has increased too much in these few months. It increased so much that it was absolutely abnormal. Did you remember two months ago when Duke Ming appeared, he said to the Little Demon Empress that the change in her strength was too ridiculous, and it would be impossible to not have any side-effects… I kept all those words in mind at the time.
Yun Che, “…”
“A while ago, I suddenly remembered something that your grandfather had told me more than a hundred years ago. Back then, your mother and I had not been married yet. When he was giving me pointers on cultivating the Purple Cloud Art, he said that the Illusory Demon Realm had been at peace for too long, and being settled and calm for too long meant that it was slowly chipping away the Twelve Guardian Families’ loyalty and bonds, and it was not a good thing. But then he suddenly laughed loudly and said that even if the Demon Emperor’s clan didn’t have the Twelve Guardian Families, once they used their trump card, they could still rule the world with a single hand… it was just that the price would be too painful.”
“I tried to ask more about it back then, but your grandfather didn’t tell me in detail. Because that was a secret that he guarded with the previous Demon Emperor for the Demon Emperor’s clan.” Yun Qinghong looked at Yun Che deeply and said, “And this secret, when you met him in Profound Sky Continent, he should have passed it onto you along with the Patriarch’s Crest and the Demon Emperor’s Seal.”
“… Yes,” Yun Che nodded slowly.
“The Little Demon Empress’ extremely abnormal profound energy, what Duke Ming shouted that day… and the ‘painful price’ that your grandfather had mentioned back then, all made it impossible for me to not look for a downside. If it really is like that… then it has really been hard on her.” Yun Qinghong sighed softly.
“Father, is there something you want to say to me?” Yun Che suddenly had a feeling that Yun Qinghong waited for him here was definitely not only to confirm about this.
Yun Qinghong nodded slightly, looked straight at Yun Che as he nodded, and asked, “Che’er, with your temperament, father is not surprised at all that you would not accept marrying into the Demon Emperor’s clan. But I have a question that you must answer me in seriousness… Are you willing to marry the Little Demon Empress? Or, let me ask you in another way… Between you and the Little Demon Empress, has there already been relationship between a man and a woman? The two of you wanting to be married, is it a mutual feeling, and absolutely not because of the so-called ‘Golden Crow Divine God’s will?’”
Yun Che looked at Yun Qinghong in surprise, and the latter laughed softly and said, “You don’t have to think it’s strange. In the past two months, I have actually already sensed something, but I was just in denial this whole time… A month ago, you would almost go see the Little Demon Empress every single day. At first, when your mother and I returned from Profound Sky Continent bearing serious injury, the Little Demon Empress would visit us about each month personally. But now, while the injury of my blood essence was a lot less serious than the injury I had suffered back then and I could be cured, the frequency of the Little Demon Empress’ visits was much greater than before, and every time before she leaves, she would ask intentionally or unintentionally about your whereabouts… In the recent months, you seemed to have not taken the initiative to visit the Little Demon Empress, and every time I’ve seen her, she would always ask about you…”
“Just based on the Little Demon Empress’ beauty that almost no man in this world could resist, and my son being the most outstanding man in this Illusory Demon Realm. The two of you have suffered in hardness together for four whole months in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Thinking of it now, it is completely reasonable for you two to be attracted and develop feelings towards each other.”
Yun Che thought silently for a while and said, “She does have a spot that cannot be replaced In my heart. After coming out of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, I would miss everything about her every day. Only, I am too weak, but she, no matter in which aspect, is too strong. Even if I wanted to protect her, help her, or bear some of her burden, I wasn’t able to. So all this time, I didn’t know what I could do. Today she suddenly announced the wedding with me… I was just as surprised as you all were.”
“If you want to help her and bear some of the burden on her shoulders, isn’t this the best chance?” Yun Qinghong smiled and said.
Yun Che was stunned.
“If, you are only marrying her because it is the Little Demon Empress’ command, then Father will support the decision you’ve made just now. But if you really like her, and want her to become your wife… then, Father hopes that you will do as she wishes and enter the Demon Emperor’s clan.” Yun Qinghong said calmly, “And your mother thinks the same.”
Yun Che was surprised. A part of the reason why he couldn’t accept entering the Demon Emperor’s clan was because he was taking the feelings of his parents and his late grandfather into consideration. For parents, who would wish that their son… their only son to marry into someone else’s family, and they are the top Yun Family. But he didn’t expect his father would say something like this, “You and Mother… really don’t mind at all?”
“If it was some other woman, no matter who it is, at least Father wouldn’t be able to be completely okay with it. But only the Little Demon Empress… Father would absolutely not be against it.” Yun Qinghong said in an incredibly calm manner, “Even though she still goes by the name of the ‘Little Demon Empress’, but in reality, she is the highest emperor in this Illusory Demon Realm. If she were only the princess of the Demon Emperor’s clan, she may be able to marry to a Guardian Family underneath her, but she is the emperor who looks down upon the world… how could she marry underneath her, or else where is her dignity as an emperor. On top of that, she is the last person left of the Demon Emperor’s clan. Each day that she is still on the throne, the Demon Emperor’s clan would still be in honor and glory for another day. But if she marries into our Yun Family… then the Demon Emperor’s clan would be truly collapse, and disappear forever in the Illusory Demon Realm.
“But if you marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan and have children with her, at least they will be the descendants of the Demon Emperor’s clan in name, and the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan will be able to be passed down like this…”
“The latter would mean the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan would be able to be passed down in glory, while the former… would mean the collapse of the Demon Emperor bloodline! How could you make the Little Demon Empress choose?”
Yun Che, “!!!!”
“But Yun Che, you are in a completely different situation.” Yun Qinghong continued to speak, “Even though when you marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan, your children with the Little Demon Empress would be named after the surname ‘Huan’, but you still have two other wives, and you might even have other wives in the future. Your children with them will all be our Yun Family’s children. The bloodline of our Yun Family’s patriarchs would not break. The Little Demon Empress knew a long time ago that you are already married in Profound Sky Continent, but she should have never spoken of it with you before, and she didn’t want to kill your current wives just because she is marrying you.”
“She is using the name of Little Demon Empress, but is granting you the name of ‘husband’… this word is normal to common people, but to the Little Demon Empress, this means she values you extremely highly, and is telling the whole world that you will be the only one for her. After you, there will be no others. Moreover, she silently allows you having other wives… On this matter, almost any other woman from a slightly more powerful family wouldn’t be able to do so. She is the Little Demon Empress, but she go to this extent, even Father is moved… She used to be cold and indifferent, but this, is an expression even more precious than any sensational expression. Her feelings towards you may be even more serious than you imagined.”
“…” Yun Che’s breathing started to become uneven, and his eyes also showed excitement.
“If you truly like the Little Demon Empress, and want her to become your woman, then… can’t you just make a simple compromise to marry into the Demon Emperor’s clan to complete her long-cherished wish and not let her become a sinner of the Demon Emperor’s clan for eternity?” Yun Qinghong’s tone was slightly harsher, “Or, in your world, is the tiny dignity of a man far more important than the woman you like?”
“Of course not!!” Yun Che lifted his head abruptly, raised his hand and slammed it on his chest fiercely as he said bitterly, “I can’t believe I was triggered by the words ‘marrying into the woman’s family.’ It clouded my judgements and I walked into a ridiculous dead end… Father, don’t worry, I know now what to do!”
Yun Che cracked a smile at Yun Qinghong, turned around in quickly, became a flash of light with a “whoosh” and headed straight to the Demon Imperial Hall.
Chapter 643 - Wish Fulfilled
Yun Che returned as fast as possible, but by the time he got there, the Little Demon Empress was already nowhere to be found; only a few royal maids were quietly sweeping away. Seeing Yun Che come in, they hurriedly put aside what they were doing and dropped down on their knees for a courtesy. News of the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che’s upcoming marriage had already been announced to all in the realm, and it also completely changed Yun Che’s social status.
“Where’s the Little Demon Empress?” Yun Che asked in advance.
“Responding to Young Patriarch Yun, not long before you left, the Little Demon Empress had already returned to her chambers,” the frontmost maid respectfully replied.
Following an about face, Yun Che floated, then flew towards the Little Demon Empress’ chambers.
The Little Demon Empress’ chambers was without a sound. She silently stood alone in front of a window and was so quiet that she looked like an inanimate porcelain jade doll. Ever since coming back from the Demon Imperial Hall, she had always been standing there, continuously maintaining that posture for a long period of time.
An aura came from afar and quickly approached her chambers. Upon closing in, it did not carefully slow down one bit nor did it restrain itself. The Little Demon Empress’ brows bunched together, but she quickly recognized the master of this aura. The voice she wanted to utter just a moment ago was swallowed down, and she didn’t turn around either, making no movements; only that her crystal-like eyes tremored for a split second.
In all of the Illusory Demon Realm, only Yun Che would dare enter the Little Demon Empress’ chambers in such a direct way… If it were someone else, granted that they even dared, they would’ve already been burned to ashes by the Little Demon Empress before even getting close.
Yun Che didn’t deliberately lighten his footsteps as he straightforwardly entered. This was the Illusory Demon Monarch’s resting chambers, yet it was incredibly simple and could never be considered “luxurious”; it couldn’t even be compared to the chambers of a common wealthy family’s daughter. There was even a hint of deep coldness within, causing anyone who entered to subconsciously curb themselves.
This was not the first time Yun Che had charged in without announcing himself, but he was usually met with two consequences in his previous attempts: One was being blasted out by the Little Demon Empress before entering, and the other was being blasted out by the Little Demon Empress right after entering.
But this time, the Little Demon Empress, who stood in front of the window, was silent and only gave Yun Che a view of her delicate silhouette as though she never even realized he had come.
Yun Che stood at the door to her chamber, silently watching her figure. Yet before she uttered a single word or turned her head, he vaguely sensed a desolate, hurt aura in the air which faintly stung his heart. He started walking slowly toward the Little Demon Empress…
All the way until he reached behind her. Then, he opened his arms, looped them around her waist, and lightly hugged her against his chest…
The Little Demon Empress’ entire body violently trembled…
The gray colored gown was huge, but her body was incredibly thin, especially her delicate waist; it was as slim as a swaying willow. Forget about Yun Che’s arms, even if he used both hands, it was enough for him to easily wrap around her.
Only, before Yun Che could even feel the temperature of a young woman’s jade body, an enormous surge of power was blasted at his chest.
Bang!!
With a huge sound, Yun Che’s body immediately blasted out like a missile. His back firmly smashed into the wall, causing the entire chamber shake upon impact.
“Y-y-y-y-you… Can’t you be less ruthless when attacking?!” Yun Che brushed aside the dust and shattered jade on his body and then unsteadily stood up as he gasped in cold air.
Over these hundred years, had made the Little Demon Empress acquire an extremely powerful self-defense subconscious since a long time ago. Blasting Yun Che aside was completely an instinctive reaction… Even though she had regretted it the instant she blasted Yun Che away, the Little Demon Empress still forcibly held onto her cold expression and said lowly, “You asked for it! If it were another person who dared to offend this empress like that, they would’ve died ten thousand times over! Hmph!”
“Hey! Am I really the same as “another person”? I’m someone who’s about to be your husband, and you’re the one who announced that we’re marrying each other! Yet I can’t even hug you a little?!” Yun Che angrily stated.
Perhaps it was because she felt like she was a little guilty, the Little Demon Empress turned her head. She asked in a cold and stiff voice, “What are you coming back here to do!”
Yun Che finally patted off all the dust on his body and then answered with face full of innocence, “I only came back to tell you that I am willing to comply with your wishes, enter your Demon Emperor Clan after getting married with you.”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze immediately turned around, “Are… you serious?”
“Of course I’m serious.” Yun Che began to assume a wronged expression. “Before, when I was in the Demon Imperial Hall, I had instinctively rejected it without thinking too much about it. After I went back home and calmed down, I realized that, to me, you are above and beyond my so-called dignity of a man. If I don’t have the resolve to bear the heavy burden of your clan with you because of my ridiculous pride, then I wouldn’t be qualified… to be your husband either.”
“…” The Little Demon Empress looked at him for a long time without saying anything. Then, she quickly turned her head, looked outside the window, and said with misty eyes, “Thank you.”
If it were another man in the Illusory Demon Realm, as long as they were able to receive the Little Demon Empress’ favor, forget about joining the Demon Emperor’s clan, even if he had to change his entire clan surname to “Huan.” he would be delighted to do so and would be wild with joy… However, she knew that Yun Che was different. He was someone who did not cower or retreat even in the face of the Golden Crow Soul. How could he possibly covet the Illusory Demon Royal Family’s title?
This concession of his was beyond valuable.
“Hahaha.” Yun Che laughed heartily. “You’re the one who publicly announced to the world that I’m about to be your husband, what gratitude do you need to give me? Just that, in front of your future husband, your strikes are actually still as ruthless as before… It’s fine if my body hurts, but my heart hurts even more. Oww…”
“…” The Little Demon Empress’ lips twitched. Even though she clearly knew that Yun Che’s tone, expression, and sucking of cold air were all an act, her ruthlessly blasting Yun Che away was still a fact, so she couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty at heart.
“I’m heart broken right now, so… if you want me to marry into your Demon Emperor Clan, you have to agree to an additional condition!”
“…What condition?”
Yun Che slightly narrowed his eyes and said with incomparable seriousness, “Very simple… Let me embrace you properly for a while—right now.”
“…” Normally, if Yun Che were to say these kinds of words, he would definitely be blasted away by the Little Demon Empress. However, since her public announcement of marrying Yun Che in seven days, their originally delicate relationship had already changed fundamentally due to this step that she took that exhausted all her courage and willpower. If they were husband and wife, hugging each other couldn’t be something that was any more ordinary, and besides…
“I’m… not used to being touched by others.” The gaze Little Demon Empress was shifting, and even her voice was already no longer stiff and cold.
“That’s others… but I’m not others.” Yun Che walked toward her. Following every step of his approach, he was able to sense that the Little Demon Empress’ breathing had become a bit more disordered. “I know that you’ve been bearing great pressure everyday for all these past years, and you had to be on guard of crisis that could come your way at any second. This is why your self-defense subconsciousness has long become instinctive. I also knew that you blasting me away a while ago… was not intentional.”
Yun Che’s understanding was not merely hot air, but was him completely understanding her. Because in those years back in Azure Cloud Continent, his situation was even more dangerous than the Little Demon Empress’ by who knew how many times. He also had this kind of defensive instinct, and to a certain extent, his was even more intense than hers… Even if he were in the Yun Family household which was the safest place, his sleep was still forever only seventy percent.
“But I’m about to be your husband, and from then on, I’ll be your… Huan Caiyi’s other half in life; a person willing to face and undertake everything together with you, who will always be good to you, will always strive to enter your world, and be the one who you’ll never need to be on guard with… And I will also be the only person in this world who is allowed to embrace you.”
“Just like back in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… At that time, when we faced Duke Ming side by side, I held you and we entered the Sea of Death together. At that time, you cuddled with me tightly and didn’t want to struggle free either, nor did you feel like breaking loose… because at that time, our fates were tightly linked. If we lived, we’ll live together. If we died, we’ll die together… This linked fate between us was not merely that short month within the Sea of Death. From now on… it’ll always be that way.”
Unwittingly, Yun Che’s voice had already closed in by her ears. Within the warm and gentle voice, two arms also slowly came together above her delicate waist. Snug on her back, was also a warm chest… this time, the Little Demon Empress didn’t struggle at all, nor did she freeze up for even an instant. Along with Yun Che’s voice, her train of thoughts also returned to the month in which she had been tightly embraced within the Sea of Death… Slowly, she realized that she was being gently embraced by Yun Che, yet her body didn’t instinctively reject it, and furthermore, neither did her heart… The only thing she felt was a warm sensation that slowly relaxed both her body and soul.
Embraced within his bosom was a young girl’s figure… it seemed as though it was even smaller than Jasmine’s. That heart-piercing cold intent no longer came from her body; a warm, yet somewhat frantic feeling of a young girl replaced it.
Even though they had copulated for who knows how many times within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, it was only until today… that his wish to just silently hug her like this was finally fulfilled.
Yun Che closed his eyes, smiled with satisfaction, and said, “Even though you suddenly announcing that you were going to marry me left me greatly shocked, it surprised me nicely even more. Looks like, it was fortunate for me to have ‘bawled’ at you that day… Otherwise, if you insisted on keeping me at a distance, I really might have regretted it all my life since I don’t have the power to forcibly take you away.”
The Little Demon Empress, “…”
“From now on, you will no longer be alone. I’ll bear all your responsibilities with you,“ softly said Yun Che. “Back in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, the reason why I risked my life to save you is for my family and to carry on my grandfather’s will. But from now on… I will do it because you’re my wife. Even though I’m too weak at the moment, I’ll strive to grow, grow to a point where you’ll feel at ease to rely on me and no longer have to bear any sort of pressure or danger… believe me, okay?”
“You’re… at… it… again… Why does there have to be so many idiotic women who will fall for this sex fiend’s tricks!” Jasmine hatefully muttered in Yun Che’s mind. Then, with a cold snort, she simply sealed off her own sense of hearing.
The Little Demon Empress had never heard such words in her entire life. An extremely strange, indescribable feeling permeated her heart and soul, and also spread out through her entire body… It was seemingly a feeling that melted both her mind and body. Slowly, she felt her own body grow increasingly soft until it lost all strength, as she completely put all her weight onto the man’s body she was nestling against behind her. A barely discernible low sound came from her lips, “Mn…”
“When you become my wife, I’ll call you Caiyi, okay?”
“…Mn…”
Yun Che drew in his arms, causing the girl’s body within his embrace to stick even closer. “From now on, you’ll let me embrace you like this everyday, okay?”
“…Mn…”
“Don’t worry, from now on, your life will be my life. That three year lifespan of yours… even if it was an assertion of god, I will still smash it at any cost. So, in these three years, you definitely can’t think that you really only have three years left to live. Instead, you have to believe that I will definitely find a miraculous way to break that three year fate… Just like how we were able to come out alive from the Sea of Death, got it…”
Yun Che softly uttered beside the Little Demon Empress’ ears. Even though they were soft, each and every word was resolute and decisive. He felt the jade body within his embrace becoming more pliable and his hands also slowly moved up, which at the same time, covered onto her slightly bulging chest. He immediately felt a lump of soft and suppleness. Even though they were separated by two layers of clothing, the tender smoothness was still like stroking the purest of spring water. Two tiny buds timidly pressed against his palms and he couldn’t help but fold his palms to softly knead them.
BOOM!!!
Three of the Demon Empress Chamber’s maids who were merrily talking and laughing just happened to walk by. Naturally, they were talking about the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che’s wedding. As the closest people to the Little Demon Empress, they had long since sensed and guessed the subtle feelings between the two. Before they had even neared her chambers, they suddenly heard a loud thunderous sound come from ahead. A person’s figure flew out with the loud noise and violently fell in front of them, startling them and causing them to cry out in shock.
Upon seeing the person who had landed in front of him, all three maids simultaneously laughed. The frontmost red-clothed maid stepped forward and said with a smile, “Young Patriarch Yun, how come you’ve been blasted out by the Little Demon Empress yet again?”
“Hehe…” The other two maids giggled covering their mouths. Even though they were only maids, Yun Che had never shown any kind of attitude toward them. Instead, he called them “sister,” which greatly improved their impression and respect of him, and also never needed to be cautious around him.
Yun Che got up from the ground. Wiping off the dust from his face, he responded with a serious expression, “Sisters, have you noticed that the Little Demon Empress blows that she strikes me with have become increasingly lighter?”
“It’s true! Back then, Young Patriarch Yun used to get blasted out several kilometers away, but this time…” the red-clothed maid’s eyes roamed as she did her best to not laugh, “it seems like it’s only a fourth of a kilometer.”
“It’s because Young Patriarch Yun is about to become the Little Demon Empress’ husband. The Little Demon Empress obviously couldn’t bear to be heavy-handed anymore,” the blue-clothed maid said with a gentle laugh.
“Cough, as a respectable man, I can’t be bothered get on the same level with women. Once she becomes my wife, if she dares to be this disobedient again, even if she’s the Little Demon Empress… she’ll still be disciplined by family law!” Yun Che stated with a grandeur manner. Once he finished his speech, he even glanced at the chambers somewhat lacking in confidence. Then, he said with a wave, “Sisters, I still have things to attend to at home, so I’ll have to leave first… Oh, Sister Yuyi, it seems like your chest has grown yet again!”
“Swish…”
Yun Che laughed lewdly, then disappeared like a wisp of smoke.
“Hmph… damn you!” The red-clothed girl lightly chided with a red face as her arms subconsciously covered her breasts. The other two maids had already laughed themselves into a curl… It was very evident that they had long since gotten used to Yun Che’s obscene teasings.
News of the wedding between the Little Demon Empress and the Yun Family’s Young Patriarch, Yun Che, had been sent throughout the entire Illusory Demon Realm within a short day via countless sound transmission talismans. In front of such huge news, the originally precious thousand mile and ten thousand mile sound transmission talismans seemed as though they were worth nothing. In this one day, the number of sound transmission talismans used probably numbered even more than the number used over the past several years combined.
Of course, under Yun Che’s prompting, what spread along with this heaven shocking news was the fact that Yun Che had been bestowed the pure Golden Crow bloodline by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit. The couple’s union was for the pure Golden Crow bloodline and the continuity of the Demon Emperor Family… and it was more so the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s decree!
Thus, the commotion, criticisms, and skepticisms that should’ve surfaced did not appear. Pervading throughout all of the Illusory Demon Realm was only all kinds of praise and exclamations of admiration.
However, to those hegemons, this news was simply the same as lighting their butts on fire.
“What… seven… in seven days?! You aren’t mistaken are you? Hurry… hurry and send a sound transmission to confirm that you haven’t heard wrongly!!”
“What… it’s really in seven days… F*ck!!”
“Mayor, what are we to do?”
“What do you mean what do we do? Prepare the highest quality profound ark and the highest quality profound crystals… two hours… no!! We’ll depart in an hour… quick!!! The Little Demon Empress… and even a grand wedding bestowed by the Golden Crow Divine God! If I’m not there in time, I won’t be able to hang around in the Illusory Demon Realm anymore!”
“This… the matter of preparing the congratulatory gift…”
“We still have a fart’s amount of time to prepare! Go into the treasury immediately and bring along the highest quality treasures and medicines… Bring as many as you can! Go!!”
The same scene played out in every part of the Illusory Demon Realm, and it was most frequently played out in the places far from Demon Imperial City. Along with the rapid spread of this news, the entire Illusory Demon Realm nearly boiled, and the rarely seen profound arks continuously hurled past in the skies above. Even those influential individuals who couldn’t be more stingy to use energy crystals to power them up, were eager to put all their savings into the profound arks in order to make them fly a bit faster.
Within Demon Imperial City, it was even more noisy around the clock. The Twelve Guardian Families and more than a hundred Duke Palaces were all frantically running about, practically without rest.
Unwittingly, seven days had already silently passed by. Demon Imperial City became even more clamorous by the day. Even its color had tremendously changed; the entire city was decorated with lanterns, banners, and red carpets. The golden flame symbolizing the Golden Crow filled every corner of the city as well. Seeing it from the distant skies, the originally pale Demon Imperial City had become a dazzling field of gold.
Chapter 644 - The Demon Empress’ Wedding Ceremony
It was the big day of the Little Demon Empress’ wedding, and even before the sun had risen, Demon Imperial City was already exceptionally lively. Numerous soldiers from the Demon Imperial Army were equipped with golden and red armour as they guarded every corner of the city. Numerous powerful profound beasts that were hardly ever seen and could be considered legendary were soaring in the skies. On the back of each of the profound beast stood a profound practitioner who was emitting an exceptionally strong aura. Any strange movements within Demon Imperial City would not escape their watch.
Standing beside the red carpets that had been laid throughout the city were young women in colorful dresses who were also holding flowers. They stood still beside the red carpets as the wind gently ruffled their dresses. It was a wondrously beautiful sight to behold.
Although there was still a few hours until the ceremony, the nobles and hegemons that had come to give their congratulations were already waiting outside the Demon Imperial Hall. The memory of the Little Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress’ wedding ceremony from a hundred years ago was still fresh in their minds. Now, a hundred years have passed, and through the workings of fate, the Little Demon Empress, relying on her unrivalled strength, single-handedly reigned over Illusory Demon Realm. No one dared to defy her, and the Twelve Guardian Families and all Duke Palaces served under her with the utmost loyalty. The bloodline of the Demon Emperor that everyone expected to have ended had been prolonged by the grace and divine powers of the Golden Crow Divine God… Anyone could feel that this grand marriage was a new page in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm.
Although Yun Che had already gone through two weddings, this one was going to be completely different. The traditions within Illusory Demon Realm and Sky Profound Continent were already vastly different. Furthermore, this was a royal wedding and Yun Che was marrying into the royal family… However, Yun Che would not feel nervous just because of this. For the past few days, the city had been sent into a busy frenzy, other than Yun Che who spent his time leisurely.
The night before the wedding, Yun Che had left the Yun Family for the Demon Imperial Palace. He slept there and even had eight beautiful woman serving him. The sun had barely risen when he was awoken by them.
“Demon Lord Highness, please allow this servant to help you wash up and change.”
After marrying the Little Demon Empress, Yun Che’s identity had also changed from “Young Patriarch Yun” to “Demon Lord.” However, even now, Yun Che still did not know whether this “Demon Lord” title was referring to “Lord of the Illusory Demon Realm,” or… “Little Demon Empress’ lord husband”?
These eight maids were all personally chosen by the Little Demon Empress, and each one of them was exceptionally beautiful. Even their demeanor was far superior to that of any young lady from a prominent family, and their profound strength was also at least within the Tyrant Profound Realm. They all only wore a thin white veil, and when they walked, their fragrant scent wafted in the air while their jade bodies could be vaguely seen, making it much more alluring than if they were naked.
They helped Yun Che off his bed, put on his robe and boots, and supported him all the way to the bathing pool. Every step the took, the young woman’s breast would softly press against his arm, making him feel a little light-headed.
The pool was large, and the area was misty. No matter whether it was the surroundings or the floor, it was made using the most luxurious Skypool Profound Jade. The milky whiteness of the jade was truly beautiful.
Yun Che took off his outer robe and slowly entered the pool. The eight beautiful maids also took off their veils as they revealed their snowy lumps and seductive figures. Four of the maid scattered flower petals within the pool while the other four surrounded Yun Che and cleansed his body using their snowy hands and jade bodies… Although it was the first time they had seen a male body, their crystal like eyes did not show any signs of fear or disgust, only revealing a pure sense of admiration and clouded curiosity.
When Yun Che had finished his bath, the sun had already risen. The maids led Yun Che to change into a luxurious golden robe and helped him wear a golden jade belt and a golden crown… The extremely elegant attire naturally brought out the prestige in Yun Che, and his overflowing charisma caused all the girls present to look at him with affection. In front of the Demon Imperial Hall, guests had already started to enter. The names that the master of ceremonies was shouting out were getting more and more frightening, and the gifts that they brought were also more and more shocking. Soon, the gifts stacked up like a small mountain, and every one of them was a rare treasure that a common man might never see.
However, the gifts that were presented to the Yun Family seemed to be more one dimensional… because of the fact that the Yun Family released news that their Young Patriarch liked to collect all sorts of weird swords and if they were to bring along gifts, high quality profound swords would be the best! The higher the quality… with heavy swords being the best.
Therefore, for the past seven days, nearly all the top powerhouses within Illusory Demon Realm had been seeking swords at all costs, and those sects that focused on swords had not hesitated to offer divines swords that were their family heirlooms…
More and more famous swords started to gather, and the sword aura naturally emitted by the swords caused all the experts that gathered to shudder.
The Little Demon Empress had appeared before Yun Che, and her arrival caused the originally boisterous Demon Imperial Hall to immediately fall silent… However, this time, what silenced them was not her overbearing aura, but a beauty that should not exist in the mortal realm.
She had used her gray robe to hide her radiance and her cold demeanor to lock away her feelings… and this had not happened only for a few days but for the past hundred years! Even the very old seniors had already forgotten the former allure of Princess Caiyi. For the Little Demon Empress today, she had shed away the gray robes that she wore for the past century and was dressed in an extremely elegant golden dress. The ends of the dress dragged on the floor, and the dress hugged her waist, revealing her slender figure. Her snow-white face wore light makeup, and her lips were reddened with rouge. Her star-like, watery eyes were still cold, but her overbearing demeanor and lack of expression that people thought was forever unbreakable had now disappeared… No one would question that if these eyes were to flirt, all living beings would be mesmerized, and nothing else in the world would seem to be appealing.
The silence within the hall lasted for a long time as everyone’s souls were undergoing the greatest shock that they were going to experience in this lifetime. They felt that they were no longer in the living world and had already transcended to the immortal realm only spoken of in legends… Because such a beauty should not exist in the mortal realm, and it should only exist on an untainted and pure immortal fairy.
She possessed beauty that could not be put into any words, possessed the prestigious status and bloodline that no man in this world can obtain, and also possessed the ability and strength to make the entire population within Illusory Demon Realm bow down to her… It seemed as though the world’s creator had bestowed upon her the best gifts in this world. Gradually, everyone seemed to feel as though tonight’s ceremony was becoming more mystical. Because in their hearts, the same thought resounded within all of them: For such a woman, such a Little Demon Empress, how could anyone in this world be worthy of her… Even the Young Patriarch Yun who had obtained a nearly legendary status for the past few months seemed inadequate for her.
For the elegant and radiant Little Demon Empress in the mortal realm… she could only be described as a fairy.
The time had arrived, the wedding began. Although today was Yun Che marrying into the Demon Imperial Family, in terms of procedures, he was still the lead. The male marries in and the female marries out; this was the Little Demon Empress’ wish and decision which also served to tell everyone, especially Yun Che, his position in the Little Demon Empress’ heart.
For this wedding, regardless whether it was the scale, the ceremony, or the excitement of the event, it far exceeded that of when the Little Demon Emperor married the Little Demon Empress. For this entire day, Demon Imperial City turned into the raging ocean, and only when night had fallen had it become slightly calmer.
Demon Imperial Palace. The candlelight wavered, the red bed curtain hung, and she wore a phoenix coronet and ceremonial robes.
The crescent moon appeared from behind the clouds, yet the sky was still dimly lit. Glimmers of light shone through the thin gaps of the bamboo windows, illuminating the person sitting on the bed. The Little Demon Empress had already been silently sitting on the soft bed for some time… Although, like a hundred years ago, this was her big night, her feelings now were completely different. At that time, her heart was calm like the still water. Her marriage with the Little Demon Emperor was her fate as a female of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, or perhaps it could be said that it was her mission. However, tonight, her heart was beating ferociously, and she could not calm down.
A hundred years before, on the night of her wedding, her waiting did not yield the arrival of the Little Demon Emperor, but instead, she received news that he went into the distant Sky Profound Continent… Following that, she received the news he had met his demise there, causing her fate to completely change.
However, on this night, such a tragedy would not happen, and also, this was a new start to her life. Because a hundred years ago, her marriage was for the sake of her family. Tonight however, it was partly for her family and partly for her own sake.
The door opened gently, and Yun Che walked in slowly. He did not speak and walked straight to the Little Demon Empress’ side before gently lifting his hands to remove the golden beaded phoenix coronet that she wore, revealing her jade white beautiful face.
Today’s Little Demon Empress was as beautiful as a mythical fairy, stunning Yun Che as he looked at her and swallowed the words he was about to say… Subconsciously, he felt as though this dream like situation would be shattered when he spoke.
The two of them, who usually argued with one another, were now facing each other in complete silence.
Yun Che sat down by her side, wrapping one hand around her slender waist while the other hand gently caressed her face. The Little Demon Empress’ figure trembled slightly, but she did not resist and merely closed her eyes. Following that, she felt the warmth of a man approaching her before she was strongly kissed on the lips.
The Little Demon Empress’ eyes widened as she pushed Yun Che away in panic. Although the contact had only been for an instant, it had clearly been felt by the depths of her soul which only caused her heartbeat to quicken and her body to soften in a way unfamiliar to her. When she became conscious of her over exaggerated action, she looked down to avoid Yun Che’s gaze and uttered softly, “I’m… still not used to it…”
The Little Demon Empress blinked gently, her cheeks still wearing a slight layer of makeup… Yun Che’s breathing cut off in an instant before it became exceptionally heavy. This was the first time he had seen the Little Demon Empress exude the charm of a girl… Although it was very slight, it was still sufficient to make Yun Che to completely lose himself right then and there.
Yun Che could feel his blood pumping and could no longer care about anything else. He even ignored the possibility of being blasted away by her subconsciously. Suddenly moving forward, he pounced onto her on the bed, pressing all of his weight onto the Little Demon Empress who reigned over the world and possess a beauty that was out of this world. He kissed her on the cheeks, lips, and neck with vigor, and his hands groped all over her smooth and petite body…
“Ahnn… W… Wait…”
The Little Demon Empress moaned softly, but that was enough to steal people’s hearts. When Yun Che heard it, his blood pumped, and even the Little Demon Empress dared not believe that she had just made such a lewd sound. Although Yun Che was not blasted away, a small hand frantically pressed onto his lips, pushing him away slightly. The Little Demon Empress now blinked slightly, her watery eyes looked clouded, and she was panicking. Not one bit of her usual composure and coldness could been found. Her eyes avoided his gaze as she breathed heavily and asked, “Your… Your medical skills are so outstanding, is there… is there anyway, to let me… have a child sooner?”
Yun Che’s heart was slightly stunned yet again. Following that, his eyes regained their fiery passion as he looked with infatuation at this Little Demon Empress who brought him so much shock, temptation, and surprise. “Such an important matter, of course we have to follow the laws of nature. Why would there be any special methods… Mn, the only way is for us to work hard every single day as husband and wife… Just like when we were at Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“…Not allowed… to mention what happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley…”
“Alright… No mentioning… Just doing!!”
The golden robe in front of the Little Demon Empress’ chest was violently torn apart by Yun Che whose passion had taken over. The skin that was revealed was tender as formed honey and soft as cashmere… The Little Demon Empress’ body trembled slightly, but she still did not make any form of retaliation. She just closed her eyes, knitted her eyebrows, and exhaled hastily. It was as though her body’s ability to reject had disappeared completely on this night when she was in front of Yun Che and had been replaced with a rose like redness that had spread throughout her body.
As the red bed curtain was let down, Little Demon Empress fought hard to maintain her silence as she had started to moan. Her moan sounded like she was half seducing and half resenting, and her soul, along with the guy on top of her, had flown to an unknown world.
“Marrying three times in the span of six years… Definitely worse than a beast!” Jasmine fiercely shut out her hearing, determined not to hear those disturbing noises before closing her eyes and muttering to herself, “The reason why this Little Demon Empress wanted to marry this huge pervert was indeed to make sure she gave birth before she died to extend the Demon Emperor’s bloodline… Such a pity that with the current condition of her body… there’s no way her wish would come true.”
Chapter 645 - Time of Departure
The wedding ceremony had ended, but Demon Imperial City’s liveliness still continued for a full seven days. Following Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress’ marriage, a never before seen “Demon Lord” had surfaced within the Illusory Demon Realm. Previously, when they had received the news, nearly everyone had believed that the only reason why Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress had married was because of his Golden Crow bloodline which would help the Demon Emperor line continue on.
However, everyone who had attended the wedding all felt that it wasn’t just that in these seven days. This was because after marrying Yun Che, the Little Demon Empress no longer wore gray, and her radiance was so beautiful that no one dared to look directly at her. The most important point, however, was that there was a subtle change in her aura and temperament. Even though it was still as dignified and ice-cold as before, the huge, violently-icy, imposing aura that caused them all to tremble with fear and not dare to breathe had disappeared, especially when she was at Yun Che’s side. A rippling splendor surfaced in her ice-cold eyes which had never wavered in a hundred years — and it was also probably due to Yun Che’s existence that her originally dull gray world had once again regained its color.
Yun Che being the host of the wedding ceremony had at first caused unrest in almost everyone’s hearts… Later on, they heard that on the day of the wedding, the Little Demon Empress followed Yun Che home to the Yun Family and undertook a daughter-in-law’s kneeling before Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou. She had even addressed them as “father” and “mother,” startling the couple senseless… Afterwards, she went with Yun Che to honor Yun Canghai and the Yun Family’s ancestors… and then went to honor the ancestors of the Demon Emperor line.
Perhaps, it wasn’t merely for the sake of continuing the bloodline, but true affection.
If that was the case… then, the words “Demon Lord” was in no way a simple title.
Furthermore, even though it was Yun Che joining the Demon Emperor’s clan and even though their child would be surnamed Huan, the child, in terms of bloodline… would still be of the Yun Family’s descent. This also meant that from now on, even though the Little Demon Empress was still the monarch of Illusory Demon Realm from the Demon Emperor bloodline… Illusory Demon Realm was now essentially the Yun Clan’s realm.
Even though the Yun Family was currently still one of the Twelve Guardian Families that protected the Demon Emperor Clan, their position was no longer the same as before in everyone’s eyes.
“Young Patriarch, as a result of the Young Patriarch’s wedding, we have received one thousand three hundred and ninety-one swords. Amongst those are two hundred twenty Emperor Profound swords and seven hundred thirty-seven Sky Profound swords of the highest grade. There are also some swords that, despite lacking a profound grade, due to being cast from rare crystals, have a value equivalent to that of several cities. In addition…”
The Sword Pavilion elder paused for a second, clearing his throat nervously before continuing with difficulty, “In addition… there are seven whole swords of the Tyrant Profound Realm!”
“…Seven swords?” Yun Che raised his eyebrow, secretly feeling startled in his heart. Seven swords… if they were just common swords, this would be a negligible amount, but seven Tyrant Profound swords, that was enough to cause the peak of the Illusory Demon Realm’s strongest members to turn pale from shock. Emperor Profound artifacts were already incomparably rare, but Tyrant Profound artifacts were far more precious. In the entire Illusory Demon Realm, every one hundred years, on average, only one new Tyrant Profound artifact would appear. Presently, if all the Illusory Demon Realm’s Tyrant Profound swords were added up, there might only be a dozen or so.
Now, unexpectedly there were seven sent to the Yun Family as his wedding gifts!
Just as astonishing, there was an incomparable sum of over two hundred Emperor Profound swords.
Thinking back to that time when he stood with Dragon Fault arrogantly laughing over Blue Wind, with no one who could hinder him… even in the mighty Divine Phoenix Empire, Dragon Fault would be awe-inspiring and incomparable because even for the vast majority of members of the Divine Phoenix Sect, obtaining an Emperor Profound artifact would just be the extravagant wish of a lifetime.
However, those Tyrant Profound swords of legends, he all of a sudden received seven. In addition, for Emperor Profound swords that could match Dragon Fault… He received a few hundred at no cost!
This is the benefit of power and prestige!
If he hadn’t married the Little Demon Empress, he would just be the Yun Family’s young patriarch. Obtaining an Emperor Profound sword wouldn’t be easy. If what he wanted was to obtain a Tyrant Profound sword, it would even be incredibly difficult.
“This Tyrant Profound sword’s name is ‘Star Breaker’; it is the Su Family Patriarch’s personal present, sent in order to congratulate the Young Patriarch’s wedding as well as thanks for the graciousness of treating the old Su Family Patriarch.
“This sword is named the ‘Rakshasa Nineteen Beheader.’ It is the sword of the Rakshasa Sect’s Tremor Sect. The entire sword weighs ninety-five thousand kilograms and can be considered the Illusory Demon Realm’s most overbearing sword. There are rumors that in the past nine hundred years, not a single person has been able to completely master it… after hearing that the Young Patriarch is fond of heavy swords, the Rakshasa Sect sent this sword to the Young Patriarch in order to convey their reverence. Sigh… They wish the Young Patriarch will be able to whisper a few beautiful words into the Little Demon Empress’ ears at night so that the crime of their defection to Duke Huai Palace will be forgotten.
“This sword’s name is ‘Scarlet Cloud Piercer.’ The year when it appeared, countless profound practitioners fought over it, leading to a storm of blood.”
Any of the Tyrant Profound artifacts were outstandingly famous throughout the Illusory Demon Realm. These seven Tyrant Profound swords were naturally not an exception. Since no Sovereign Profound artifact had ever appeared in the Illusory Demon Realm, these seven Tyrant Profound swords were rulers among swords and were any sword profound practitioner’s highest goal. Appearing all together in front of Yun Che, they produced such a majestic sword aura that any practitioner would feel somewhat weak and unable to breathe.
However, due to them being unpopular profound artifacts, there was only one that was a heavy sword out of the seven Tyrant Profound swords.
“These swords are not commonplace, especially the seven Tyrant Profound swords. All the sword’s old masters have ear-piercing reputations. It would be impossible, even in one’s wildest dreams, to think of a time where all these swords could be seen at once. Young Patriarch, these swords… You want to carry all of them with you?” The sword pavilion elder who introduced the seven Tyrant Profound swords asked with worrying eyes. He had never before seen Yun Che practice the sword and was at even more of a loss as to why Yun Che would to carry that many swords on his body instead of leaving them in the sword pavilion… could it be a hoarding habit?
“Yes, give them all to me,” Yun Che replied as he nodded his head. “No need to put the swords into containers, just put them directly into my spatial ring.”
The sword pavilion elder put all of the swords into a purple spatial ring and then carefully put it in Yun Che’s hand… He wouldn’t be able to imagine that all of the priceless profound swords he had took out would simply become…
A certain little monster’s food!!
The swords that Hong’er ate would be absorbed to become her power, and at the same time, they would cause the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword she transformed into to become stronger. Yun Che simply could not imagine what level the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword would reach if Hong’er ate all of these profound swords… However, right now he was just imagining it since he hadn’t tried it out yet. Firstly, he didn’t know if Hong’er would even be able to eat all of the swords in a short amount of time or if the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword would grow too quickly, possibly reaching a level where he would be unable to control it which would turn such a joyful event into a tragedy.
Moreover, these “delicacies” had to be fed to Hong’er slowly… If he were to give all of them to her all at once, the little devil wouldn’t listen to him at critical moments, and he wouldn’t be able to take out food to entice her.
Since he had entered the Demon Emperor Clan, he naturally had to begin living in the Imperial Demon Palace. Nonetheless, due to Yun Qinghong’s injury not being fully recovered and since the marriage had just happened, Yun Che would return to the Yun Family household everyday, but he wouldn’t be there for very long each visit. This was because he had to quickly return to the Little Demon Empress to make a child.
Yes, during this period, everyday he would spend two hours treating Yun Qinghong, four hours sleeping, four hours cultivating, and the rest of the time would simply be spent with the Little Demon Empress in bed… and some other strange places.
Even though they were newlyweds, they should have a bit more control… Yun Che said to himself. But the problem was… he was no match for the Little Demon Empress. Alright, this was just a secondary reason, the main reason was… every time the Little Demon Empress slightly showed her charm, all the blood in his body would be set aflame, making him completely unable to resist.
“In a few days, Father’s injury should be completely healed.”
In Demon Imperial Palace, Yun Che reclined on a huge lotus leaf in the lotus pond, softly thinking aloud. In front of him, Hong’er sat on his knee holding a longsword that glittered like frost, elatedly nibbling it. Hong’er’s lips were a light pink color and looked even more tender than flower petals, but with each bite, she cut away at the sword which could level a mountain. The Emperor sword was reduced to a mere flaky pastry which would crackle and break with each bite, her teeth leaving clear marks on the sword’s blade.
At this moment, any other person would fall down in alarm, but Yun Che had already gotten used to it and had no reaction whatsoever… This little monster was even able to swallow the Divine Jade of the Nine Suns, so in comparison, eating an Emperor Profound sword couldn’t even be considered minor matter!
“The Little Demon Empress is here, come back, Hong’er!” Jasmine all of a sudden exclaimed.
“Ah? Oh!” Hong’er listened to Jasmine, and upon hearing her summons, she fiercely took a bite of the shining, sharp point of the sword and transformed into a red light while chewing before returning to the Sky Poison Pearl.
Following Yun Che getting up, the Little Demon Empress’ figure appeared in his line of sight. She wore a light green dress, and due to her being very petite, the slightly large skirt curved behind her body, elegantly floating behind her. Her dark jade hair wasn’t draped over her shoulders; instead, they were strung together into a simple flying goddess topknot with smooth and round jade pearls adorning her hair. Lastly, her two pupils appeared to be like snow. Upon seeing Yun Che, her eyes overflowed with an absolutely beautiful radiance.
After marrying Yun Che, the Little Demon Empress hadn’t worn any of the dark gray gowns she used to. Moreover, this was a change that everyone could see. Her biggest change though, only Yun Che knew clearly. No longer wearing gray clothes, the Little Demon Empress gave off a radiance that made everything else pale in comparison. In her heart, she longed to give Yun Che a successor as soon as possible, and every day after their marriage, she, with Yun Che, spent the entire night… Even during the daytime, these feelings made her usual cold and dignified jade-like expression take on an unerasable charm…
It was an expression that could topple the world, a bearing that could frighten the world… Adding a little natural beauty and charm, all together it was enough to annihilate the defense of any male’s heart in a second… During official business, in the past, the court, under the heavy pressure she gave off, was unwilling to look straight at her. Today, they even more unwaveringly kept their heads down, not willing at all to raise them and look at the Little Demon Empress in fear that their hearts and souls would instantly lose their defenses.
“Caiyi,” Yun Che smilingly called out.
The Little Demon Empress jumped on the water, lightly arriving to the side of the lotus leaf Yun Che was on. She wrinkled her brows, seemingly worried about something and slowly saying, “Six days from now, after Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s wedding… At that time, are you still planning to head back to the Profound Sky Continent?”
When planning Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s wedding, Yun Che calculated that would be around the time Yun Qinghong would have fully recovered. After Xiao Yun’s wedding and Yun Qinghong had recovered, he would immediately return to the Profound Sky Continent.
“Mn.” Yun Che nodded his head. “If it wasn’t for my father’s health, I would have left earlier. Having already waited this long… I really can’t wait any longer.”
“No matter what, you must return?” The Little Demon Empress averted her gaze and softly said, trying her utmost to conceal the turbulent emotions, “Based on what you told me about your time in the Profound Sky Continent, your time there was anything but stable and you made many enemies. But in Illusory Demon Realm, although your profound strength isn’t the highest, you are the Yun Family’s young patriarch. Moreso, you are the universally accepted ‘Demon Lord’ of Illusory Demon Realm. Your status is the same as mine. No one will treat you disrespectfully, no one will deny you, and no one will bully you. Whatever you want, as long as Illusory Demon Realm has it, you can easily obtain. If my three years… if I pass away before you, the entire Illusory Demon Realm will be yours… Is this bad? Why are you so determined to return to that place where you have no influence and are constantly under the threat of danger?”
This was the first time the Little Demon Empress had said these type of words to him. The time that Yun Che had spent in Illusory Demon Realm wasn’t long at all; taking everything into account, it hadn’t even reached one year. However, this one year of experiences had been filled with more events and experiences than a person’s entire life.
During this period of time that was even shorter than a year… he had entered Illusory Demon Realm’s most respected royal clan, obtained an illustrious reputation, obtained Illusory Demon Realm’s most beautiful woman who was also the most powerful Little Demon Empress… He stood at the very summit of the Illusory Demon Realm.
His profound strength, because of the events in the Sea of Death and the Golden Crow Divine Spirit, had grown incredibly.
Presently, having the status of “Demon Lord,” he could accomplish whatever he wished for in Illusory Demon Realm. If he wanted something, all he needed to do was move his hand and no one would disagree or disobey. Nor would he experience the least bit of risk or hazard… Honestly speaking, although he was never willing to live under others, he never before thought that one day he would possess this level of power.
Although Yun Che had lived through two turbulent lives, he absolutely wasn’t a person who disliked a comfortable lifestyle. If there was no Profound Sky Continent to worry about, he would be undeniably willing to stay with the Little Demon Empress, his parents, and his family, standing at the peak while looking down over the entire Illusory Demon realm and contentedly enjoying a life of luxury and glory.
But since he had the Profound Sky Continent to worry about, he absolutely couldn’t, for the sake of a life of comfort and glory in the Illusory Demon Realm, forget about the Profound Sky Continent. If not for the Primordial Profound Ark, he wouldn’t be able to comfortably pass the time. He would not hesitate to drop everything to find a way to get back. Looking at the Little Demon Empress, he said, “Yes… no matter what, I must return. After all, the Profound Sky Continent is my birthplace. It is where I grew up for nineteen years. Everything else I can ignore, but it still has my grandpa, my little aunt, and also…”
“It also has women that you are unable to part with, right?” The Little Demon Empress said coldly, “If you love women that much, I’ve said I will never restrict you! Demon Imperial Palace’s maids, regardless of appearance or aptitude, are all one in a million. Whoever you want, you can have. The ladies of those duke palaces and aristocratic families, whoever you look at, including the Su family’s Su Zhixi or Duke Qing Palace’s Lan Zhi, I can all personally give to you as concubines…”
“Sigh…” Yun Che grabbed the Little Demon Empress’ small hand and laughingly said, “Caiyi my wife… You hate to part with me this much… It’s not that I don’t plan to return from the Profound Sky Continent. If there weren’t so many matters to take care of or if everything was peaceful, I might be back in just a few days. I might bring them here to meet my parents, as well as you, my wife.”
Yun Che had thought about it long before, that after returning to the Profound Sky Continent, he could bring Xiao Lie, Xiao Lingxi, and his princess wife back to the Illusory Demon Realm since here there wasn’t any danger or pressure. It would give them a peaceful life… The most perfect ending would be finding Chu Yuechan and taking her back as well. As for Xia Qingyue… she definitely wouldn’t follow him here.
“Them? Do they include your other wives?” The Little Demon Empress snorted coldly. “You aren’t afraid I’ll kill them if I don’t find them pleasing?”
“Not afraid at all!” Yun Che said as he pulled her arm, bringing the Litttle Demon Empress who did not have her guard up into his chest and immediately beginning to tear at her dress from bottom to top. In a second, two slender white legs were presented naked before Yun Che. In the entire world, only Yun Che knew the Little Demon Empress’ most attractive part were her legs… They were like milky white jade and shined with an incomparably attractiveness.
“You…” In the past dozen days since their wedding, the Little Demon Empresses’ garments had already been torn by Yun Che dozens of times. She hurriedly moved to obstruct the hands that were touching her snow white legs. “We’re outside…”
“They’ve already gotten used to it.” Yun Che directly picked up the Little Demon Empress and set her on his lap, saying with a serious face, “Caiyi my wife, you forgot the conversation we had. If you want to quickly have kids, we not only have to put forth effort every day, we need to try different positions and locations… In addition, our actions must be energetic, and the sound has to be a little loud…”
“Oh…” Hearing the word “children,” the Little Demon Empresses’ calmed down, and she stopped resisting in any way. She was expected to live for only three more years, and presently, her biggest wish was to have a child with Yun Che before then. But with regards to having children, she was completely unaware. She couldn’t ask anyone else questions. In addition, Yun Che was the entire Illusory Demon Realm’s “genius doctor,” so with regards to Yun Che’s “authoritative guidance,” no matter how shameful, she would comply.
No would would believe that the absolutely dignified and powerful Little Demon Empress, who could cause a crowd of monarchs to hold their breath and shudder, under Yun Che’s guidance, would adopt positions that would make even prostitutes, upon seeing them, cover their eyes. The moaning would also make the faces of all the Demon Imperial Palace’s maids flush with embarrassment.
Six days later, after Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven’s marriage rites had been completed. Number Seven Under Heaven joined the Yun Family, becoming the Yun Family’s daughter-in-law. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven had six sons and only this one girl. The marriage day truly made his eyes red. But, luckily, the Yun and Under Heaven Families were very close distance-wise. If he wanted to see her, it was an easy matter. It wasn’t like completely losing his daughter.
With that, after two more days, it was finally the day Yun Che had decided to leave.
Chapter 646 - Returning to Profound Sky
Three years had passed by unwittingly since Yun Che left Profound Sky Continent. The memory of him saying goodbye to Cang Yue and Xiao Lingxi in Blue Wind Imperial City appeared in front of his eyes. He even promised that he would be back in a month… but the wheel of destiny once again spun against his will.
Because of the thought of being able to return to Profound Sky Continent and see the person that he missed every day and night, Yun Che’s heart naturally was unable to calm down, and he didn’t fall asleep at all. Early in the morning, as the sky was getting bright, he was pushed off the bed by the Little Demon Empress, saying, “You should leave.”
“Caiyi my wife…” Yun Che turned around and looked at the beautiful shadow behind the bed canopy with infatuation.
“If you’re leaving, leave quickly!” The Little Demon Empress said coldly.
“You… really don’t want to come with me to see Profound Sky Continent? My Profound Ark is very unique, absolutely wouldn’t alert the people of the Four Great Sacred Grounds,” Yun Che said quietly.
“…The peace in Illusory Demon Realm has just been restored; it is not time for me to leave. Duke Ming has not yet been executed, I can’t leave without worrying. When Duke Ming has been eliminated, and all troubles are wiped out…” The Little Demon Empress’ voice stuttered and lowered even more, “Maybe I will follow you to Profound Sky Continent.”
“Alright,” Yun Che nodded. He knew clearly in his heart that asking the Little Demon Empress to follow him back to Profound Sky Continent was indeed not very realistic.
The closer the return date was, the more eager he was to go home. Yun Che left the Demon Imperial Palace to go to the Mu Family and say goodbye to Mu Feiyan, Mu Yubai and the others. Then he went back to the Yun Family to say goodbye to his parents, and then he summoned his Primordial Profound Ark in front of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou.
“Che’er, even though Father very much wants to go to Profound Sky Realm again to pay respects to Brother Xiao Ying, it cannot be helped… I can only go after a while.” Mentioning “Xiao Ying,” Yun Qinghong showed deep sorrow on his face. Meeting Xiao Ying was his life’s greatest fortune, and was also the pain of his life, “Greet your Grandfather Xiao for me. If he does not have anything to worry behind, bring him back here. As long as I, Yun Qinghong, am still alive, I would not let him be bullied at all.
“Mn, I’ll remember,” Yun Che nodded heavily.
“Che’er, Mighty Heavenly Sword Region’s forces are strong, and even more powerful than our Yun Family. Do not think about avenging your grandfather when you go to Profound Sky Continent this time… When the time is right, we will make them pay their blood debts. When you are there, please take care of yourself, don’t make contact with anything dangerous. When you finish taking care of things, please come back as soon as possible… and bring back mother’s daughter-in-law.” While Mu Yurou was talking, her eyes were already filled with tears.
“Mother, don’t worry. I haven’t seen anyone whose life is tougher than mine,” Yun Che smiled as he said. As he waved his hand, the profound ark slowly floated, and gradually expanded until it was three meters large.
“Big Brother!!”
At this moment, rapid footsteps hurried over. Xiao Yun was dragging Number Seven Under Heaven as he rushed over. Before he could stand still, Xiao Yun said eagerly, “I have decided, I am going back to Profound Sky Continent with Big Brother.”
“Oh?” Yun Che smiled, “You’ve decided?”
“Mn!” Xiao Yun nodded seriously, “Even though I used to resent Profound Sky Continent a lot before, it is not the same now. It is my birthplace after all, and two of my family are there. My parents are also both buried there… There is no reason for me to not go back.”
Yun Che thought about taking Xiao Yun with him, but he had not mentioned it. After all, this was up to Xiao Yun’s will. Xiao Yun’s decision made his heart relaxed a lot… Before his eyes, it was like he could really see grandfather’s true, joyous smile. He nodded, and looked at Number Seven Under Heaven, “Then… what about Seventh Sister?”
Number Seven Under Heaven held onto Xiao Yun’s arms and said, “Of course I’m going with Brother Yun! I am Brother Yun’s wife now, whether it is Illusory Demon Realm, or the Profound Sky Continent… I will be wherever Brother Yun is.”
Looking at her, she seemed to be even excited.
Yun Che smiled from the bottom of his heart, patted Xiao Yun’s shoulders and said, “Grandfather’s greatest desire was to reunite with you. I was originally planning on bringing him here to meet with you and enjoy the later part of his life in peace. But if you come with me to see him together, that would be the best.”
“Hehe, then let’s go already. I can’t wait to see if Big Brother Yun’s profound ark was really as magical as Brother Yun had said,” Number Seven Under Heaven said energetically.
Another hasty voice came from afar, and the master of the voice suddenly appeared before them accompanied with a fierce wind. Looking at the person who had just arrived, Number Seven Under Heaven’s mouth opened wide, “Big Brother, why are you here?”
The person who had just arrived was Number One Under Heaven. He cupped his hands towards Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou, and he said, “Patriarch Yun, Madam Yun, junior is very worried, please forgive me for coming without notice… Old Seven, you just sent a sound transmission to Father saying that you will be following Xiao Yun and the Demon Lord to Profound Sky Continent… is that true?”
“Of course it’s true!” Number Seven Under Heaven said without hesitation, “Brother Yun’s birth parents are buried there. I already married Brother Yun, so of course I’ll follow him to pay respects to his parents.”
Number One Under Heaven lowered his eyebrows and said, “Profound Sky Continent is not Illusory Demon Realm! To us, that is the home of our enemies. And we heard that in Profound Sky Continent, they vilified the people of Illusory Demon Realm into devils! If you let the people there find out that you are from Illusory Demon Realm, and you belong to a Guardian Family, it is extremely possible that it would alert the Four Great Sacred Grounds there. If that happens, none of us would be with you, it would be too dangerous… This is not a small matter, it is no child’s play.”
“Oh come on! Big Brother, stop nagging already! The Profound Sky Continent is not as scary as you say it is. Besides, Big Brother Yun’s Profound Ark is very magical. It can directly cross the space, wouldn’t even alert the edge barrier set up by the Four Great Sacred Grounds, and it wouldn’t alert those people. Even if there was danger, Brother Yun and Big Brother Yun are here to protect me!”
“Big Brother, don’t worry. I’m just taking Seventh Sister to the Profound Sky Continent to unite with my biological family. We will be back very soon, there wouldn’t be any other incidents… and I would never let Seventh Sister encounter any danger. Even if there really is any danger, even if I have to risk my life, I would protect Seventh Sister,” Xiao Yun said decisively.
“Brother Under Heaven, don’t worry.” Yun Che said while smiling, “The place we are going is the smallest country in Profound Sky Continent, away from the location of the Four Great Sacred Grounds. The profound cultivation levels are very low there, the peak of their power is at the Emperor Profound Realm. Seventh Sister is now an Overlord, so she is essentially an unparalleled existence there. It would be hard even if she wants to encounter danger… it will be good as long as she doesn’t bully the others.”
“Hmph hmph, a beautiful young woman who is gentle, nice and cute like me does not bully people,” Number Seven Under Heaven stuck out her tongue towards Yun Che.
“Sigh,” Looking at Number Seven Under Heaven, Number One Under Heaven knew he couldn’t persuade her out of it, and listening to Yun Che’s description with the trust he had for him, he also started to feel like his worrying was probably unnecessary. But he didn’t dare to forget Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s order, “Brother Yun, to be honest, our father is very worried and feels unsettled when he heard that Seventh Sister was also going to Profound Sky Continent, and asked me to immediately come to stop her… On the way here, our father sent a sound transmission and said if I couldn’t stop her, he ordered me to accompany her no matter what.”
“Ah? Big Brother’s coming with us? Really really?” Number Seven Under Heaven’s eyes immediately brightened.
“If Big Brother comes with us, then it would be the best,” Xiao Yun also said immediately. Number One Under Heaven was a strong level eight Overlord, and he was wise and calm. With him here… it meant they had another super bodyguard—even though they probably wouldn’t need it.
Number One Under Heaven smiled bitterly, “This is our father’s wish. Or else, I’m afraid that he would be so unsettled that he wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep. This matter… sorry for the trouble Brother Yun.”
“Having Big Brother Under Heaven coming with us is a surprise, there is no trouble at all. There is a lot of space on my profound ark. Not mentioning only Big Brother Under Heaven, it can even carry the entire Under Heaven Clan.” Yun Che smiled and said, “With Big Brother Under Heaven by our side, I believe Father and Mother would be a lot less worried.”
Number One Under Heaven nodded and smiled. But underneath his consciousness, he was also somewhat curious about Profound Sky Continent, so he wasn’t too resistant to following them.
“Che’er, the location I told you was about in the middle of Blue Wind Nation in Profound Sky Continent. It is not accurate, but it would definitely not be far from the Blue Wind Nation’s realm. Even though it has been more than twenty years, but I have been thinking about it all these years, day and night, I would not remember it wrong. When you’re there, it would be too far for us to send sound transmissions to each other. When you finished handling things over there, you must come back soon… After all, you are still Illusory Demon Realm’s Demon Lord, and your family is also here.”
Even though Yun Qinghong seemed calm the entire time, his unsettlement was still revealed within the depth of his eyes and words. After all, Profound Sky Continent was the place that left him the heaviest shadow in his whole life. Even if his whole family had united, he would still feel danger, or even fear just thinking of the name “Profound Sky Continent.”
“Haha, I am just returning to my other home, not like when you went to a dangerous place twenty years ago. Your worry is completely unnecessary.” Yun Che laughed with relax and helplessness.
“Anyways… you must come back as soon as possible, and definitely don’t do anything dangerous,” Mu Yurou’s eyes were filled with tears as she reminded him again.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Yun Che nodded in response obediently.
A misty dark red light started flashing above the Primordial Profound Ark. Yun Che focused his mind, and said to Xiao Yun and the others, “This profound ark is controlled by my will, so you don’t need to enter from the entrance of the ark. In a bit, when you feel yourself entering, just don’t resist.”
They had never heard of this way of entering a Profound Ark. Followed with Yun Che’s consciousness, a faint dark red light shrouded them, and instantly disappeared them from where they were standing. The Primordial Profound Ark also slowly rose, and with the space violently trembled, it also completely disappeared from there.
In the clouds far in the sky, the Little Demon Empress stopped watching, and slowly turned away. Her body was among the clouds, and she quietly left.
She spent a whole hundred years without being used to loneliness, but in less than a month, she had gotten used to Yun Che’s existence. Watching Yun Che leave, even though he was only returning to his other home and would perhaps be back very soon, she still felt an emptiness that she had never felt before.
She was the Little Demon Empress, but essentially, she was also a woman…
Chapter 647 - Nothing Was the Same
Million of miles of space were traversed in an instant.
“Waaaah! So this is the inside of the profound ark… it’s so big! It’s even many times bigger than the biggest profound ark in our family!”
Standing at the center of the first layer of the ancient fortress inside the Primordial Profound Ark, Number Seven Under Heaven kept turning her head to look around. Her mouth was wide open, and kept yelling in amazement.
“This is only one of the ancient fortresses in the profound ark; outside of the ancient fortress there is still an incredibly large space… it is absolutely even larger than what you can imagine,” Yun Che said mysteriously. As the master of the Profound Ark, he knew the situation inside of this profound ark at any time. The profound ark had woken up from silence as the power of the Jade of the Nine Suns poured into it, and the law of its world also started to operate. Aside from the ancient fortress, the land that was originally dried up had become luxuriant with countless different kinds of profound beasts wandering around, and there were even more rare flowers and bizarre beasts were growing there.
“With such an enormous profound ark, it is surprising that I can’t even feel any vibration of energy, and I can’t even detect its movement at all.” Number One Under Heaven gasped in admiration, “The world is so large that even things as strange as this treasure actually exists.”
Even though Number One Under Heaven was very impressed and surprised, he didn’t ask Yun Che where it came from, because he understood that it would violate his privacy. But Yun Che said voluntarily, “This profound ark was supposedly passed down from the Primordial Era, and was accidentally acquired by me. It is not a normal profound ark. It has its own world, and it has a unique spiritual consciousness. Now it has identified me as its master, no one would be able to take it away from me… but, I still hope Brother Under Heaven will keep this secret for me. Even though it is impossible for it to be taken away by someone else, if it were targeted by greed, the flies that come and harass from time to time are still very annoying.”
“Haha, Brother Yun don’t worry. You were this honest to me, how could I be a thieving person,” Number One Under Heaven said heartily.
“Big Brother, how long would it take for us to get to Profound Sky Continent?” Xiao Yun asked in excitement.
“Oh, we’re already here,” Yun Che said.
“Huh? We’re already here?” The three of them were all stunned.
“Yeah… We have already arrived by the third breath after we entered the profound ark. We have stopped for a long time already,” Yun Che said calmly… but he was just actually enjoying their exaggerated reactions.
“So… so soon!?” Xiao Yun’s mouth was wide open, and he was even stuttering when he spoke, “Father said that Profound Sky Continent is million miles away from Illusory Demon Realm. Even for dimensional traveling… this speed is too exaggerated! It’s millions of miles!”
“Let’s go out,” Yun Che said. His chest moved up and down slightly: Profound Sky Continent… Blue Wind Nation, I am finally back… No matter what, you all must be safe and sound…
He released his will and scouted the energy consumption of the profound ark, and he was pleasantly surprised by the results. The consumption of the profound ark from instantly traveling through millions of space was less than a fifth! It was a lot less than when he had expected!!
With consumption like this, not to mention going back to Illusory Demon Realm… It should not even be a problem to go back and forth more than ten times!
It was definitely not because Primordial Profound Ark took very little consumption… but it was because the energy of the Jade of the Nine Suns was too enormous! Its capacity absolutely exceeded Yun Che’s knowledge. After all, that was the Divine Jade from the Golden Crow Divine Beast!
Red light shrouded the area, and the view before his eyes changed rapidly. A slightly dry and warm breeze swept by, mixed with dust. There was a vast land and mountains in the surroundings, but the vegetation was withered and all over the place. The trees that could be seen occasionally were all broken and lay fallen on the ground. The air was filled with heavy desolation and solitude.
Yun Che, “…”
“Here… are we in the Profound Sky Continent already?” Number Seven Under Heaven looked around, but there wasn’t anyone in the area; there didn’t even seem to be any trace of profound beasts.
“Seems like we have arrived to a very desolated place,” Xiao Yun was also sizing up the surrounding.
“The density of elements is very weak, so the profound energy level here should be very low.” Number One Under Heaven locked his eyebrows and said, “Brother Yun, is this the ‘Blue Wind Nation’ you were speaking of?”
“…It should be.” Yun Che’s eyebrows knit slightly. He looked at the surrounding, turned to Number One Under Heaven and Number Seven Under Heaven and said, “I am also not sure where this is in Blue Wind Nation. But… Brother Under Heaven, Seventh Sister, do you have any way that you can hide your elf ears and wings? Even though Profound Sky Continent has records of the Elven Clan, they seemed to have not appeared for more than thousand of years.”
Number One Under Heaven immediately understood Yun Che, nodded and said, “Not a problem.”
He circulated his profound energy, his transparent, delicate wings immediately folded and hid among his clothes. His pointy, long ears were shrouded by a green light, when the green light disappeared, they became like normal human ears… This wasn’t a true transformation, but it was a cover under profound energy. Without a profound energy higher than his and close inspection while focusing one’s mind, it usually wouldn’t be noticed.
Number Seven Under Heaven also used the same method to cover her delicate wings and her ears.
“Big Brother, your expression… seem very serious. Is there… a problem?” Xiao Yun asked in a probing manner. Recently, the thing that Yun Che looked forward the most was to return to Profound Sky Continent. When they were in the profound ark, he was able to feel the exciting emotion coming from Yun Che very clearly. Now that they were on the land of Profound Sky Continent, he should be so excited that he should be beaming with delight… but now, he had his eyebrows locked tightly, and there was no trace of joy on his face.
Yun Che looked ahead, his eyebrows moved and said, “Nothing… I just feel like there is something. Let me go up and confirm our location.”
When he was done talking, Yun Che jumped up with strength up into the air. Before his body touched the layer of clouds, a large-scale city appeared in his line of sight far in the west. He stopped in the air, looked at the figure of that city, and a name appeared in his mind.
That’s… New Moon City!!
Even though New Moon City was not a large city, it was one of Blue Wind Nation’s main cities. Especially since its location was right in the middle area of Blue Wind Nation’s domain; it was the hub of Blue Wind Nation. The flow of visitors every day was very large and extremely lively. It was in the morning now, when there was supposed to be a large amount of people who stayed at New Moon City leaving. From Yun Che’s location, whether it was east, west, south, north of the city, it should have all been filled with the shadows of people…
But glancing at it, he wasn’t able to see any sign of anyone there. Right now, the central city of Blue Wind Nation gave Yun Che a lifeless feeling… and looking from far away, it seemed to be covered within a dim mist.
Based on the location of New Moon City, Yun Che suddenly remembered where the place under his foot was. At first when he left the Floating Cloud City to New Moon City while cultivating on the way, he passed by this place, and had stayed overnight here… but in his memory, this place was supposed to be covered with green grass and trees, filled with life, and inhabited by a lot of low-level profound beasts. But now, it was uncultivated and messy, as if it was burned with a sea of flames and then stomped over by thousands and thousands of soldiers and horses.
What happened?
What exactly happened to New Moon City?
A strong unsettling feeling emerged from the bottom of Yun Che’s heart. He landed quickly, lowered his eyebrows and said, “Let’s go! Let us hurry to New Moon City… The situation here doesn’t seem right.”
“Ah, New Moon City?” Xiao Yun was just about to ask when Number Seven Under Heaven dragged him and said, “Don’t ask too much now, let’s hurry first!!”
They all saw Yun Che’s unusual expression. Even when he was facing the force of Duke Huai Palace single-handedly, he was in high spirits and laughed uproariously… But Yun Che’s expression now was so dark that it was scary. Once Yun Che finished speaking, he hurried towards the west, and the three of them followed immediately.
“The land here seemed to have suffered a large-scale destruction. And the atmosphere here seems to be to desolated.” Number One Under Heaven said calmly, “Brother Yun, is the New Moon City that you mentioned earlier your birth place?”
“No.” Yun Che locked his eyebrows tightly, and his flying speed was getting faster, “The time that I spent in New Moon City wasn’t long, but that was the place that changed my destiny. It is one of the most lively cities in Blue Wind Nation, aside from the imperial city. But now the feeling that it gives is lifeless. The place that we are at now was definitely not like this back then… What exactly happened here!”
Yun Che gnashed his teeth slightly, and tried not to make guesses that grew increasingly scarier. At this moment, he suddenly felt a wave of a weak profound energy from a few miles away in front of him. His eyes flickered, his speed decreased, and flew towards the location of the wave of the profound energy.
A few giant rocks that were as tall as a human appeared in his line of sight. Behind the shattered rocks, were seventeen auras of profound energy with different levels in strength. The strongest aura was at the seventh level of the Spirit Profound Realm, and the weakest one had just entered the True Profound Realm. They hid behind the giant rocks and tried really hard to suppress their aura… but how could they hide it from Yun Che’s spiritual sense?
Yun Che slowed down and approached the giant rock. When he was about ten steps away, a person in grayish-white clothes suddenly charged out from behind the giant rock. His profound energy exploded all over his body, and charged towards Yun Che holding a shimmering long sword while yelled in a tone filled with hatred, “Traitorous dog of Divine Phoenix, meet your death!!”
The person who rushed out first was the strongest of these seventeen people. But his profound energy was only at the seventh level of the Spirit Profound Realm, how could he be a threat to Yun Che. Yun Che didn’t move, and waved his palm at the person attacking him… but it was also at this moment when he saw the person’s face clearly. His expression changed, tried really hard to retrieve the profound energy that he had released, and at the same time he reached out his other arm to block Number One Under Heaven who had charged towards them, “Don’t attack!!”
Even though Yun Che’s palm only swung out in a casual manner and he had reduced over ninety percent of his profound energy, his profound energy now was overbearing. An attack that was not even worth mentioning to him was absolutely not an attack that the person on the other side could bear. The longsword in his hand instantly cracked and dropped from his hand, and his whole body flipped and crashed on a huge rock behind him… His face became pale, sat on the floor without moving, and his body was twitching violently from the pain, but the determination and hatred in his eyes did not reduce at all.
“Instructor!!”
“Instructor Sikong!!”
The people who were behind the giant rock waiting for a chance to attack all panicked, gathered beside the person, and checked his injuries anxiously. Yun Che walked forward a few steps, looked at the person who were on the ground from his attack, “Senior Brother… Sikong?”
The person in front of him was very different from in his memory. His dashing long hair was gone, replaced with scattered short hair. The robe on him was not luxurious at all, but it was worn, damaged, and there were light and deep blood stains on it. The face in his memory was bright and clean like a jade… but now it was covered with many scars that were hard to look at… there was even one scar that almost hit his eye.
The expression of his eyes had changed a lot… there was no gentleness in it, but only the vicious look of a desperate wolf.
But his contour… was obviously the person who had helped him when he first entered Blue Wind Profound Palace, and gave him a lot of guidance, Sikong Du!
When he yelled out “Senior Brother Sikong,” that person looked at him as well. At that instant, his body froze up, he couldn’t look away for a long time, and his pupils even enlarged intensely, “Yun… Yun Che?”
The name “Yun Che” made everyone surrounding him looked towards Yun Che with a stunned face.
“Senior Brother Sikong just called him… Yun Che? Which… which Yun Che?”
“He… he looks so much like the Yun Che in the painting in the Profound Palace… no, they look exactly the same!”
“Impossible! Yun Che died three years ago already, how could it be him! Besides, he’s wearing… uh? That seemed to… not be the Phoenix?” A young man looked at the Golden Crow pattern stitched on Yun Che’s chest and mumbled.
Yun Che had just entered the Demon Emperor’s clan, and he was newly wedded for not even a month, so his clothing were mostly printed with the patterns of the Golden Crow and flames. The reason they were ambushed by these people was because… from afar, they vaguely saw the Golden Crow and golden flames on Yun Che’s clothing, and thought it was the pattern of the Phoenix and the Phoenix’s flames.
Yun Che walked in front of Sikong Du quickly and said eagerly, “Senior Brother Sikong, it’s me! You all must have thought that I died three years ago… but I am back alive! Back then in Blue Wind Profound Palace, you were the one who took me to the Sky Weapon Pavilion, and watched me pick my Emperor Profound heavy sword! You were also the one who took me to the Supreme Profound Hall and the Inner Palace… Back then, when I wanted to go to the Burning Heaven Clan, you were also the one who directed me to its location!”
Yun Che’s words made the expression in Sikong Du’s eyes waver intensely. He grabbed Yun Che’s arms abruptly and his whole body was trembling in excitement, “Yun Che… it really is you… You didn’t die… I can’t believe you didn’t die!”
“Yes! I didn’t die!” Yun Che nodded his head heavily, “Senior Brother Sikong, what exactly happened? What happened to New Moon City? Weren’t you the instructor of New Moon Profound Palace? How did you become like this? What happened… tell me quickly!”
Chapter 648 - Calamity of a Country’s Destruction
“New Moon City…” While softly muttering the name of the city where he was born and grew up in, the name that he should have been the most familiar with, Sikong Du’s voice was instead filled with a sense of grief and desolation. “There’s no longer a New Moon City anywhere… New Moon City was destroyed a long time ago… The entire Blue Wind Nation will be destroyed soon as well!!”
“…” Yun Che’s breathing suddenly became labored, and he forced himself to calm down. He kneeled while clutching Sikong Du’s shoulder and asked, “What exactly happened? While I was gone for three years… What exactly happened in Blue Wind Nation?”
“It was the Divine Phoenix Empire!!” The youth standing to the right of Sikong Du ground his teeth in anger as he exclaimed, “Three years ago, the Divine Phoenix Empire suddenly brought their armies to our borders and succeeded in breaching Southern Sky City in a single night, conquering the entire Southern Sky Region in less than two weeks… They didn’t declare war, there was no warning, nor was there even an explanation! Any envoys we sent would be executed immediately… Subsequently, the Divine Phoenix Army increased their numbers endlessly, all the way into the millions… They invaded our Blue Wind Nation like a pack of rabid dogs… New Moon City fell to their assault already over one year ago…”
“Wh… at?” Yun Che tightly clenched his fists, and he shook his head with great force, trying to calm himself down. He then asked in a heavy voice, “Why would the Divine Phoenix Empire suddenly invade? Three years ago… That’s basically right when I left! The Divine Phoenix Imperial Family should know perfectly well that the incident at the Primordial Profound Ark had to do with me rescuing Princess Snow from their Divine Phoenix Sect! Princess Snow is not only a princess to the Divine Phoenix Empire, she’s also an existence that stands above all else, and I am the prince consort of Blue Wind Nation… Just based on this alone, even if they’re not grateful to my Blue Wind Imperial Family, did not thank me or return the favor, what’s their basis for invading!!”
Sikong Du laughed wretchedly. “Everyone soon learned after your incident that you ‘perished’ in the Primordial Profound Ark in order to save Princess Snow of the Divine Phoenix Empire. Anyone with even the slightest conscience should remember the kindness you’ve done them… But the Divine Phoenix Empire… They don’t even have a shred of basic human decency! Grateful? What a joke! Not only have they invaded Blue Wind Nation’s territory, they’ve also destroyed our lands and castles and massacred our inhabitants… They’re just a pack of rabid dogs, a band of demons!!”
Just listening to the misery and revenge-fueled anger in Sikong Du’s voice would deeply engrave it into one’s heart, and the sixteen youths around him all showed flames of anger in their eyes while they grinded their teeth. Yun Che remained calm and said in a cold voice, “Wars on the Profound Sky Continent… have always been waged without harming the regular citizens! This is basic humanity! If nothing else, the Divine Phoenix Empire is the largest country on the Profound Sky Continent, and they’ve inherited the power of the phoenix… Why would they do such a thing!”
“I don’t know… I don’t know!” Sikong Du sounded like he was howling, and he shakily pointed in front of him. “Yun Che… take a look, see for yourself! This place, it used to contain a hundred kilometers of New Moon’s forestry and the New Moon Profound Palace, and we used to assess people’s proficiency levels here. But now… Nothing exists here! In order to break through our defensive lines quicker, they used phoenix flames to burn down the entire one hundred kilometers of the New Moon’s forest… leaving nothing behind!”
Yun Che: “…”
“Also… Our New Moon City,” Sikong Du pointed west, as his eyes welled up with tears, “they broke down the city gates and got into the city… In order to capture New Moon City quickly, they even went so far as burning the city… burning… and it was their Divine Phoenix Empire phoenix flames! Forty percent of New Moon City was burned to nothing but ashes… Forty percent! There were at least one million New Moon City residents that died to their phoenix flames! There were even more countless citizens that died to their swords… Anyone that resisted was killed, anyone that wouldn’t surrender was killed, anyone with profound energy was killed… In just three years, several tens of millions of people from our Blue Wind Nation have been killed by those Divine Phoenix dogs… Several tens of millions!!”
The devastation in Sikong Du’s voice kept increasing in magnitude, and each word contained enough hatred to pierce one’s soul. With his misery and howling, tears had started trailing down the cheeks of the sixteen youths around him long ago. One youth to his left slowly said, “We, were all disciples of the New Moon Profound Palace… But now, New Moon City has been destroyed, and the New Moon Profound Palace is gone as well. Instructor Sikong’s father… To buy time for us to escape, Instructor Sikong Han personally… personally… Right now, we haven’t even been able to find his remains.”
“None of us have families, or even relatives anymore… Our only goal in life, is to follow Instructor Sikong, and kill all Divine Phoenix dogs!” The youth that spoke up only seemed seventeen or eighteen years old, but there was an adamant will and… hatred in his eyes that didn’t seem befitting of his age.
“The Divine Phoenix Army is too strong, and our cultivation is too weak. There’s no way for us to fight them head-on. We can only hang around New Moon City and ambush Divine Phoenix soldiers that happen to be alone… Killing even one is fine, we want to kill as many of them as possible… There was quite a distance between us, and we vaguely saw a golden flame emblem on you, so we thought you were from the Divine Phoenix Army and attacked you.”
Yun Che slowly released Sikong Du and felt his vision going blurry. He took a look at the people around Sikong Du… The oldest among them was probably no more than twenty, and the youngest was around sixteen or so. Their clothes were tattered beyond repair, filled with bloodstains, and there were even more injuries than bloodstains on their bodies. One person was even injured to the extent where a third of his body was covered in blood-soaked bandages.
During his time in the Illusory Demon Realm, even though he wanted to return home as soon as possible, in his subconscious, he wasn’t really that worried about the safety of the people he cared about. That’s because the royalty would protect them in the Blue Wind Nation, and even if an incident really occurred, he also happened to be a disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, so the Frozen Cloud Asgard would definitely defend them. Xia Qingyue wouldn’t ignore the relationship they had with each other.
The Divine Phoenix Sect that resented him should have only felt gratitude after he used his life to save Princess Snow, without wanting vengeance. As for Ye Xinghan, who he had angered so much… Ye Xinghan wanted him dead more than anything. Ye Xinghan didn’t have any reason to vent his anger out on other people after Yun Che was supposed to have died.
But he never dreamed that when he returned to the Blue Wind Nation, filled with joy after thinking about it for so long, what he witnessed was like an armageddon.
A burned city… Destruction… Massacre… Several tens of millions of Blue Wind citizens losing their lives…
Every word, every number, was as if they had been soaked in the bloody pools of hell, wriggling about with a vivid red.
Just why… did the Divine Phoenix Empire do this… This shouldn’t… This shouldn’t have happened!
His heart, was pounding fiercely. Even when he was forced into dire straits in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by Duke Ming, his emotions weren’t this chaotic. He took several deep breaths and said in as calm a voice as possible, “Senior Brother Sikong… What’s the current situation like in Blue Wind Nation? Is Blue Wind Imperial City alright?”
Sikong Du coughed violently, then said in a pained voice, “The invasion from those crazy Divine Phoenix dogs was so fearsome that they used such a large military force and would stoop to any tactics in order to conquer our Blue Wind Nation in the shortest amount of time possible… If it wasn’t for our empress, being so wise of judgement, placing seven ingenious lines of defense to allow us to defend against their numerical advantage with a force several times smaller, Blue Wind Nation might already have…”
“Empress? What do you mean by empress!!” Yun Che was suddenly shaken to his core, and his pupils dilated for an instant. He grabbed Sikong Du’s collar and growled, “Where’s my royal father, the emperor… Why is it empress?”
“The late emperor…” Sikong Du laughed bitterly. “The late emperor was assassinated, just two months after those Divine Phoenix dogs invaded.”
“~！#￥%…” Yun Che’s hands listlessly let go of Sikong Du, and his eyes went blank as his body shook and he fell over backwards.
“Big Brother!”
“Big Brother Yun!”
Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven hurriedly rushed to his support, and the moment they touched him, they clearly felt how icy cold Yun Che’s entire body was. They knew very little about the Profound Sky Continent, and of course they didn’t have any feelings towards it, but just Sikong Du’s description alone was enough to shock them deeply. And, to them, Yun Che was always the most reliable, to the extent of seeming capable of achieving the impossible. Even if the sky was crumbling, his expression wouldn’t change… It was obvious that these things have affected him immensely.
“I’m… fine.” Yun Che gently shook himself free from Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven, tilted his head backwards, and took deep breaths. However, his tightly clenched fists kept shaking uncontrollably, without stopping.
“Empress Cang Yue is really amazing!” The youth to the right of Sikong Du couldn’t help but speak up with a deep amount of yearning and respect in his eyes, “When the late emperor was assassinated, none of the garbage princes wanted to be the ruler of a dying kingdom. They were also all afraid of being assassinated, so none of them dared to inherit the throne. It’s our Empress Cang Yue that took it upon herself to assume these heavy responsibilities. At first, we thought that Blue Wind Nation would perish even quicker if a princess became our ruler. But, Empress Cang Yue is even more amazing than the previous emperor. Even though she remains in the imperial palace, she’s knows Blue Wind Nation like the palm of her hand, always able to use of the shape of the land to her advantage and complete the most perfect lines of defense… And she’s not as indecisive as most women. She’ll decisively give things up and concentrate on defense… Especially the battle at the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, Empress Cang Yue had prepared a large amount of beast attracting incense long ago, and she managed to cause a countless number of profound beasts to attack those Divine Phoenix dogs… They were stuck behind that line of defense for several months!”
“…Yue’er.” Yun Che gently murmured under his breath as his vision fogged up. Before he met Cang Yue, she had already been to many profound palaces and big cities. She had personally been to most of Blue Wind Nation’s regions before she met him at New Moon City. So it was only natural that she would understand the lay of the land and how to use it to her advantage so well. As for the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range… That was where they faced their first tribulation together; it was also where they confessed to each other. There were countless profound beasts there, and they also encountered an incredibly vicious bandit group… and that bandit group was only able to enter the central portion of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range due to the aid of an unique beast attracting incense. She must have gotten her inspiration from there and thought of it again…
It’s just that… My Yue’er, you’re actually using your frail and delicate body to shoulder the burden of defending against the Divine Phoenix Empire’s violent invasion… You’ve carried the weight of the entire Blue Wind Nation by yourself for three whole years…
These three years, just how much bitterness did you endure, how much fatigue did you incur, how much did your heart get broken, how many tears did you cry…
Yun Che felt like his heart was being pierced by a sword. Then, he forcefully closed his eyes and asked in a low voice, “My royal father… How was he assassinated… What about Heavenly Sword Villa? With the Divine Phoenix Empire invading us like this, according to their oaths to the ancestors, even if Heavenly Sword Villa doesn’t use all of its resources in assisting us, at the very least they should have protected my royal father’s life. After all, they have Mighty Heavenly Sword Region backing them up. If they were at his side, assassins from Divine Phoenix Empire shouldn’t have been able to rob my royal father of his life!”
“Heavenly Sword Villa?” Sikong Du scoffed in disgust with a faint smile. “That used to be a place I looked up to so much, but… This time, with the Divine Phoenix invasion, while they were trampling our soil and committing unspeakable crimes against both heaven and humanity, when the country is about to be destroyed, not only did Heavenly Sword Villa not take up the mantle of leadership in the Blue Wind Nation to resist against them, they’ve shut themselves in their villa and are ignoring everything that’s going on!!”
“It’s rumored that the imperial household has requested reinforcements from Heavenly Sword Villa a total of nine times, but Heavenly Sword Villa ignored them every time, even up to today! Hmph… It’s true, Heavenly Sword Villa does indeed have power and fame. Those rabid Divine Phoenix dogs haven’t gone anywhere near the Heavenly Sword Mountain Range. But have they forgotten that they’re also members of Blue Wind Nation, and that the earth beneath their feet belongs to Blue Wind Nation, and even the blood in their bodies is that of Blue Wind Nation’s! The most powerful existence in Blue Wind Nation, a presence that everyone could only look up to… They actually turned out to be a bunch of cowards afraid of death, weaklings that break their oaths! They’re nothing compared to us!”
Yun Che gnashed his teeth so much that he almost broke them all.
“The royalty also requested aid from the other five countries, but not even one of them responded… We learned later that, before those Divine Phoenix dogs invaded our Blue Wind Nation, they signed long term peace treaties with each of the other five countries.” A youth with a serious injury on his right arm ground his teeth as he spat that out.
“Right now, Blue Wind Imperial City is almost about to fall as well. I just hope… that Empress Cang Yue will be able to escape safely.”
“What did you say!?” In a flash, Yun Che instantly rushed in front of that person. “Blue Wind Imperial City… is about to fall?”
Yun Che’s current expression was so frightening, and combined with his loss of self control, it scared the youth in front of him so much that he hurriedly backed up without daring to take a breath. Then, he said with a panicked expression, “We got the news this morning… Just yesterday… Yesterday, around this time, seven hundred thousand troops from the Divine Phoenix Army have approached the imperial city, and the Divine Phoenix Army in other regions as well, are all gathering in the imperial city’s direction at full speed… It’s already been one full day, so it’s likely that the imperial city has already… already…”
It was as if something exploded within Yun Che’s brain. He clenched his teeth as hard as he possibly could, he had to calm down, cool down… calm down… He absolutely had to calm down!!
Yun Che reached for the Sky Poison Pearl, brought out a dozen or so light green medicine pills, and placed them on Sikong Du’s hand. “Senior Brother Sikong, this medicine, have everybody take one. It can quickly heal your injuries, as well as increase your profound energy by at least a great realm.”
The green medicine was tiny, but from its scent alone, Sikong Du and everyone else suddenly felt their bodies becoming lighter, as if their souls were instantly cleansed. Even the bottlenecks in cultivation that they hadn’t been able to breakthrough seemed to show evidence of loosening… If only the scent had such an effect, they instantly believed, with shock and awe, that the wondrous properties of this medicine has definitely surpassed any medicine that they’ve ever seen before. So much so that it well surpassed their knowledge of what medicine could do.
Sikong Du took the medicine in a bit of a daze and was about to say something when he discovered that Yun Che had already vanished before him… Not only that, but there was only a frenzied gust of wind, departing at great speed.
“Big Brother!”
“Let’s go!” Number One Under Heaven simultaneously grabbed Xiao Yun and Number Seven Under Heaven, and his profound energy surged throughout his entire body as he chased after Yun Che.
In just a moment, Yun Che had ran a distance of five kilometers. When he slowed down, summoned the Primordial Profound Ark, and took Number One Under Heaven and the others into the ark with him, he then calculated the approximate distance and direction to Blue Wind Imperial City. After some violent spacial distortions, the Primordial Profound Ark tore open a dimensional wall and vanished into the vacuums of space.
Chapter 649 - Young Master of Divine Hall
At the northmost land of the Profound Sky Continent.
This was a large stone door built from Dragon Suppressing Stone. The crescent moon was engraved on the left side while the scorching son was engraved on the right, and both of them were a gold that let out a blinding light. Sixteen people stood in front of the stone door, split into two rows on each side. All of them wore different things, but on their backs and chests were the emblem of the very same scorching sun and crescent moon.
The most surprising thing was that the swirling profound energy on them were beyond terrifying. Even the weakest person was of the Tyrant Profound Realm.
At this moment, the stone door that had been closed for a long time silently opened up, and from it, a long and thin figure slowly walked out. These sixteen of the peerless powerhouses that could look down upon the world actually kneeled and said, with extreme respect, “We respectfully welcome the Young Master out of seclusion.”
Ye Xinghan raised both of his hands raised his eyebrows, and had a look of pride, as if he was already the unparalleled ruler of this world. Lightly, he said, “Exactly six months, there is almost no difference between this and the time I predicted. Everyone has worked hard in guarding my seclusion, rise.”
The sixteen people stood up, and the one furthest away, with an expression full of surprise, responded , “Young Master’s profound strength has already broken into Tyrant Profound Realm level eight… This has only been a short six months! Truly, this is the joy of our entire divine hall, congratulations Young Master.”
“Young Master is truly a talented genius. I believe if the Heavenly Monarch knew, he would be beyond happy,” added another person on the side.
“Congratulations Young Master for the great completion of the divine arts. With the Young Master’s natural talent and progress, I believe that in another twenty years, you will definitely step into the realm of monarchs!”
“Protectorate Ao, you’re wrong! With the Young Master’s talent, how would he need a whole twenty years. He will become a Monarch in at most fifteen years.”
“Fifteen years…” The corner of Ye Xinghan’s mouth raised slightly. With his level right now, if he could step into the realm of monarchs fifteen years later, even within the Four Great Sacred Grounds, the progress would still be extremely quick. However, if he coud have a girl with a “Nine Profound Exquisite Body” as an incubator, how would he need fifteen years!
“Where is the Xia Qingyue that I wanted? Where is she?” Ye Xinghan’s gaze released scorching heat.
The sixteen people instantly went silent and looked at each other without saying a word. At the start, when he suddenly ordered them to go to Blue Wind Nation’s Frozen Cloud Asgard to bring someone called “Xia Qingyue,” all of them found it rather weird. Yet now, the moment he came out of seclusion, the first thing he asked about was “Xia Qingyue.” This showed just how much importance he placed on this woman, and it was far more than they had predicted.
Everyone’s reactions caused Ye Xinghan’s expression to instantly darken. “What is it? This matter… Did you all screw it up for me?”
“No, no, please don’t be angry Young Master!” The eldest of the sixteen quickly followed up, “Young Master had appointed Protectorate Qingsheng and Ziyi to go to the Blue Wind Nation three days after the Young Master went into seclusion. They have not yet returned.”
“Haven’t returned? What do you mean by haven’t returned?” Ye Xinghan’s gaze became even darker. “Could the two of them… have fallen to the mere Frozen Cloud Asgard of the Blue Wind Nation!!”
“It isn’t like that,” the elder quickly explained. “This old servant understands that the Young Master places a lot of importance on Xia Qingyue. Therefore, after seeing them not return for so long, I contacted them through a sound transmission, but their answer always avoided things or were unclear. Every time they would say that taking down Xia Qingyue is a very simple task, and that they would definitely bring Xia Qingyue back before the Young Master comes out of seclusion… This old servant had even asked about it again three days ago, yet they still replied the same way. I’m guessing Qingsheng and Ziyi had been bewitched by Frozen Cloud Asgard’s beauties, and… took advantage of the fact that Young Master was in seclusion to enjoy the pleasures of life… and forgot about home.”
“Heh, they’ve got guts!!” Ye Xinghan’s eyes narrowed into two snake-like slits, but after knowing that they couldn’t bring back Xia Qingyue, his anger actually decreased quite a bit. He picked up a Sound Transmission Profound Jade unique to Sun Moon Divine Hall and an icy voice sounded out from his mouth, “Qingsheng, Ziyi, you really brought this young master a large surprise!”
After quite a while, a slightly trembling voice passed out from the Sound Transmission Jade, “Young Master… Congratulations, Young Master, on successfully developing the Divine Art and coming out of seclusion. This subordinate… This subordinate knows that he has not done well… This subordinate will immediately bring Xia Qingyue back to the Divine Hall. Young Master, please be at ease!”
“Back to the Divine Hall?” Ye Xinghan laughed coldly. “You still want to come back? From what I see, you have completely ignored my orders and are just enjoying your lives there!”
“No, no, Young Master, please listen to this subordinate’s explanation!” The voice from the Sound Transmission Jade became more frantic. “According to the Young Master’s will, this subordinate will complete it as soon as possible and will not be laid back even in the slightest. It’s just… It’s just that this Frozen Could Asgard is not as simple as this subordinate had thought. There are weird situations everywhere. Not only is their overall ability not weak, it is powerful to the point that this subordinate was unable to break through their defensive formation. When this subordinate had finally broken through, they all hid within a place built from Heavenly Firm Jade. That Heavenly Firm Jade is beyond thick, and this subordinate and others could not break through it in short time, but we did not dare or have the face to ask elders for help. When we thought of how the Young Master would stay in seclusion for at least half a year, we thought that this period of time would be enough for us to break through the Heavenly Firm Jade, so… so it has dragged on till now.
“However! Be at ease Young Master! Perhaps it is due to the Young Master coming out of seclusion that this subordinate and others have finally succeeded today after continuously attacking for several months! In a few more hours, we will definitely break through this door of Heavenly Firm Jade, take it down, and then present her to the Young Master… This subordinate swears on his life that every sentence is the truth.”
“Heavenly Firm Jade?” Ye Xinghan frowned. Of course he know how strong and valuable the existence of Heavenly Firm Jade was. Even with his Sun Moon Divine Hall’s ability, it was almost impossible for them to craft a hall completely made of Heavenly Firm Jade. Although it was a bit unbelievable, he could be sure that Qingsheng and Ziyi did not have the courage to lie to him.
Ye Xinghan said sullenly, “That Heavenly Firm Jade better be as you said, unbreakable before today! Do you know how large of a cost I had to pay to know of the existence of Xia Qingyue?! To me, she is much more important than your life! It it wasn’t because I was at the bottleneck and needed to go into seclusion. I was prepared to go in person… I will give you ten more days. After getting Xia Qingyue, scramble back here through night and day! If I still don’t see Xia Qingyue ten days later, then you don’t ever need to come back!”
“Yes… Please don’t worry Young Master. This subordinate knows that he has not accomplished his task well, so I will let the Young Master punish me as he wishes after returning.” The voice from the Sound Transmission Jade clearly trembled even more.
“Hmph!” Ye Xinghan put away the Sound Transmission Jade and coldly commented, “Bunch of trash!”
“Please don’t be angry, Young Master. The two of them definitely would not dare to lie to the Young Master. Since they promised like that, I believe that within ten days they will definitely bring Xia Qingyue before Young Master,” the elder said.
Ye Xinghan squinted his eyes. “The puny Frozen Cloud Asgard actually has so much Heavenly Firm Jade! Heh, even if they really have it, with their ability that’s at most of the Emperor Profound Realm, how could they have crafted it into a complete hall… That is truly intriguing.
“Speaking of which…” Ye Xinghan looked to the side. “What’s the situation of Blue Wind Nation? Have they not been destroyed by the Divine Phoenix flames?”
“Even if they haven’t temporarily, it is only a matter of time. Why is Young Master concerned about the matters of such a minuscule nation?”
“Hmph, whether the Blue WInd Nation is a negligible matter, I just don’t understand why Divine Phoenix Nation invaded Blue Wind Nation and was in such hurry.” Ye Xinghan sullenly continued on, “Blue Wind Nation is not only small in territory, it also lacks resources, so there is pretty much no value in devouring it. Yet Divine Phoenix Nation did not mind using an army of several million. Even it they completely take down Blue Wind Nation and steal all of its resources, it probably would not even make up the cost of mobilizing their army of several million for three years. If you say there wasn’t more to it, there’s no way I’d believe it.”
“There are a lot of guesses these years for the reason of Divine Phoenix Nation invading Blue Wind Nation. Most people speculate that the prince escort, Yun Che, of Blue Wind Nation had completely defeated the Divine Phoenix Empire in the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament three years ago, causing them to lose all their face, which thus caused them to take revenge in anger.”
“What a joke,” Ye Xinghan said with disdain. “If Feng Hengkong was a trash with this level of tolerance, he would not have become the Sect Master of the Divine Phoenix Sect. They must be plotting something. Blue Wind Nation should be finished soon. Before they take down the royal capital, you have to keep good track of their movements… Especially illogically weird movements!”
“Speaking of weird movements… There is something really weird,” It was still the eldest person who said carefully. “Several months prior, the main army of the Divine Phoenix Nation was only several thousand miles away from the Blue Wind royal capital, but they suddenly sent an army of several hundred thousand to directly take down the Floating Cloud City at the southest part of Blue Wind Nation… Floating Cloud City is the smallest city in Blue Wind Nation, not much larger than a town. It is unremarkable, so Young Master should have never heard of it. That army of several hundred thousand quickly occupied Floating Cloud City, but didn’t kill anyone. The strangest part was that not even half of the Divine Phoenix Army entered into the city. Instead, several hundred thousand members of the Divine Phoenix army scattered around the city, and it has been like this for several months… as if, they are searching for something.”
“Mn?” Ye Xinghan’s eyes flashed. Then, he pondered a bit before softly saying, “Immediately send ten people to infiltrate into the Divine Phoenix Army… And find out what exactly they are doing!”
At this moment, the head protectorate’s expression suddenly changed. He took out a Sound Transmission Jade from his spatial ring, then his expression changed a little.
Seeing him act weirdly, Ye Xinghan looked towards him and asked, “Is it something important?”
“In response to Young Master, the spy in Absolute Monarch Sanctuary area reported… that the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark just flew out of the Absolute Monarch Sanctuary!”
“What? Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark?” All of the people showed an expression of shock. “Could it be, the Saint Emperor has mobilized?”
“No!” The head protectorate shook his head,” Not the Sacred Emperor… There is only one person on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark! It’s that Xia Yuanba!!”
“Xia Yuanba!?” Everyone looked askance. Three years ago, Xia Yuanba was a completely foreign name, but Ye Xinghan found out about the secret of his Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins on the Primordial Profound Ark three years ago, causing it to shock the entire Sun Moon Divine Hall… as well as Mighty Heavenly Sword Region and Supreme Ocean Palace! Ever since then, the name “Xia Yuanba” was unknown to no one in the Four Great Sacred Grounds, even though he hadn’t yet reached twenty.
It was because, as someone who had the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins, once the power of the vein awakens, they would definitely become the emperor of the world!!!
“The Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark has always been the Saint Emperor’s vessel… It was actually given to that Xia Yuanba!!” a bodyguard exclaimed.
“The Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark is not the main point, the most shocking news is that…” The head protectorate holding the Sound Transmission Jade took a deep breath. “Just now, our spy emphasized that Xia Yuanba went into seclusion for three years and had just came out of seclusion four hours ago… When he came out, it was clearly the profound energy of the Sovereign Profound Realm spiralling on his body!!”
“What!!?” The soundwaves of the shock shook the entire stone hall, and Ye Xinghan’s expression also changed greatly. With wide eyes, one protectorate exclaimed, “How… How is this possible! The age of Xia Yuanba right now, it should be only twenty-one… A twenty-one year old monarch, forget about the current Profound Sky Continent, it has never even been achieved before in the past! Even if he has the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins… It’s still impossible!”
Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins… Twenty-one years old… Monarch!!
Just now, they were shocked because the Saint Emperor allowed Xia Yuanba to board his private vessel… And now, after hearing this sky shattering news, they did not think that it was strange anymore. A twenty-one year old Monarch, it was someone that even ten thousand “talented geniuses” could not explain! Not even mentioning handing him the strongest profound ark, even if they crowned him as the Young Master of the Sanctuary, no one would think of it as too exaggerated.
The head protectorate eyed Ye Xinghan carefully and said, “Absolute Monarch Sanctuary is also very shocked. However from their discussion, it seems… it seems… the reason behind the drastic spike of Xia Yuanba’s profound energy is because… because of Young Master?”
“What do you mean?” Ye Xinghan’s expression darkened.
The head protectorate took a deep breath and answered, “Three years ago, after Xia Yuanba returned to Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, the only thing he would mutter about everyday, was… swearing to kill Young Master. And the awakening of the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins requires a heart that thirsts for power. The stronger the thirst for power, the quicker the awakening… Xia Yuanba went into seclusion with the wish to kill Young Master for three years… So… So…”
“Is Xia Yuanba truly the only person on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark? Do you know where Xia Yuanba is heading on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark to?” A protectorate roared. With his roar, everyone understood his meaning… A twenty-one year old Monarch… bearing the Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins and possessing unlimited potential, just thinking about it was terrifying! What was more terrifying was that he had a deep seated hatred towards Sun Moon Divine Hall!!
For him to grow so fast… It could be seen what sort of hatred he had for Sun Moon Divine Hall!
For this kind of scourge, no matter what, they had to eliminate it as quickly as possible!! They could not let him continue growing.
“He is sure that there is only Xia Yuanba! Xia Yuanba is from Blue Wind Nation, and after hearing that Blue Wind Nation was about to be eliminated this morning, he became furious on spot! The direction he is heading in on the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark is where Blue Wind Nation lies! At the ark’s maximum speed… he only needs eight to ten hours to reach the border of Blue Nation Nation! Young Master, how about we…”
“Do you think the people from Absolute Monarch Sanctuary are a bunch of idiots?!” Ye Xinghan exclaimed negatively. “The Saint Emperor had no son for thousands for years and only has a few godsons. There was never one that could touch the Heavenly Sacred Profound Ark! Now there’s a Xia Yuanba… How could his godsons have a chance at the position of the future master of the sanctuary!
The bodyguards all dipped their head and did not dare to utter a sound.
“Immediately report this to my father. That Xia Yuanba… must die! However, his identity is no longer a normal disciple of the sanctuary. For how he should die… It can only be decided by my father!” Ye Xinghan said darkly.
“Yes! This subordinate will go and report it to the Heavenly Monarch now.”
Chapter 650 - Xue’er Awakens
Divine Phoenix Empire, Phoenix City.
In the Divine Phoenix Main Hall, Feng Hengkong was holding a large, wide map in his hands. The map depicted the domain of Blue Wind Nation. But there were many fire patterns marked on it… The places that were marked with a fire pattern were the areas that his Divine Phoenix Army had seized.
His eyes fell on the far right side of the map—where it said “Floating Cloud City,” and he didn’t move for a long while. He seemed to be in deep thought.
An extremely resonant long call came from outside and it made Feng Hengkong’s whole body trembled… This was not a normal call, but it was the call of the Phoenix! The Phoenix call was so prestigious and noble that it made the Phoenix’s blood in his body boil instantly, and a desire to worship it grew from within his heart and soul.
At the same time, he could vaguely see the golden color that appeared in the sky in a flash.
“The call of Phoenix God?” Feng Hengkong immediately dropped the map in his hand and yelled in surprise. He knew clearly that the Phoenix God had passed away… but this Phoenix’s call was definitely from the Phoenix God. It was impossible for humans, creatures, or even the strongest practitioner of the Divine Phoenix Sect to mimic it.
Feng Hengkong hurried forward. Just as he was about to rush out of the main hall, he saw Feng Ximing coming over with haste. As soon as he saw Feng Hengkong, he landed quickly, and without having the time salute, he said in excitement, “Father, it’s Xue’er… Xue’er has woken up!!”
“What?” Feng Hengkong was stunned, and then he revealed extreme excitement and joy. Without having the time to say another word, he transformed into a flash of flames and flew directly towards the Phoenix Divine Hall. Feng Ximing also followed immediately behind him.
Three years ago, when Feng Xue’er escaped from the Primordial Profound Ark and exposed the crimes of Ye Xinghan, she fell into a coma in tears… and she hadn’t woken up since.
Until today, she had been in a coma for a whole three years.
And her coma didn’t seemed to be a normal coma. After she fell into a coma, the scarlet-colored Phoenix flame automatically started burning on her body, and covered by the light of the flames, she was teleported to the Phoenix Divine Hall where the Phoenix God was when it was alive. And during that time, the remnant spirit of the Phoenix God also completely disappeared after terrorizing Ye Xinghan, Gu Cang, Ji Qianrou and the others.
After that, Feng Xue’er had been in a coma ever since, her body was burning in the flames of the Phoenix, and it hadn’t extinguished at all. The Phoenix’s flames were extremely fierce, and none of the people in the Divine Phoenix Sect would touch it. Even with Feng Hengkong’s powers, he couldn’t get to within fifteen meters.
During these three years, Feng Hengkong would go to the Phoenix Divine Hall personally to see if Feng Xue’er had woken up, and he had never stopped. Just two hours ago, he had been there… and now that he heard that she had woken up, the Divine Phoenix Emperor was so excited that his whole body was shaking. To him, Feng Xue’er was even more important than his life and the entire Divine Phoenix Sect. During these three years that she was in a coma, he was living in an extreme irritation every day.
Feng Hengkong rushed into the Divine Phoenix Hall like a violent storm and saw Feng Xue’er who was standing right there. Feng Hengkong stopped his steps, and rushed over while stumbling a little over his own feet. He said in a trembling voice, “Xue’er… Xue’er… you’re awake… You are finally awake.”
“Xue’er…” Feng Ximing also rushed in right after. Looking at the Feng Xue’er who had awaken, his eyes were filled with endless excitement… and a blazing glow.
Feng Xue’er lifted her eyes and looked at her father and brother. But, compared to their joy and excitement, there was no happiness on her face at all. She said in a soft, and perhaps even a soulless voice, “Royal Father, Big Brother Crown Prince…”
Feng Hengkong slowed down his steps. Half of his joy disappeared, and he felt a clenching in his heart. After three years of being in a coma, his daughter didn’t have any visual change. Her appearance was still more perfect than that of a female celestial; her eyes were still more pure than those of a fairy… but in these eyes, he saw an incredibly unfamiliar, colorless tone.
Whenever she saw him, his Xue’er would always have the purest, most beautiful smile on her face, and she would yell “Royal Father” happily. No matter how angry or impatient he was, once he saw her smiling face, all of his negative emotions would disappear, and he would be left with infinite warmth and satisfaction… The proudest thing in his life was not the position as the Divine Phoenix Emperor, nor the honor of being the Phoenix Sect Master, but the fact that he had the most perfect daughter in the world.
However, when she woke up, what she revealed was not a smile, but sadness… an incredibly unfamiliar, never-before-seen sadness.
This kind of darkness and sorrow filled Feng Hengkong’s heart with pain in an instant. He’d rather himself be shot by ten thousand arrows than see a sorrowful emotion appear on Feng Xue’er’s face. At this moment, the heart and mind of this Phoenix Sect Master, this Divine Phoenix Emperor who was looked up to by the people of the world, were in complete chaos. In his voice, there was a deep pain and panic in his heart, “Xue’er, what… what is the matter? Are you feeling discomfort because you just woke up? Hurry and tell Royal Father.”
The change in the aura Feng Xue’er released… was completely different. Around her, he felt a vast aura similar to the Phoenix God who had passed away… Even his grandfather, the strongest practitioner currently in the Divine Phoenix Sect, never emitted such a mysterious aura. Normally, he would definitely be in extreme shock and immediately make a detailed inquiry. But at this moment, he didn’t have time to worry about it at all.
Feng Xue’er’s eyes were blank, and in her trembling, starry eyes, there seemed to be a blurry light flickering from her tears. She moved her lips slightly, and made a soft sound that was like a dream or a breeze, “Big Brother Yun… I can never… see… Big Brother Yun again…”
The trickling tears from her starry eyes and the sound of it was enough to break the heart of the most vicious person in the world. Feng Hengkong’s chest suffocated in stabbing pain. He knew who the “Big Brother Yun” Feng Xue’er was speaking of was. Three years ago, she cried for him, fell in a coma because of him… After waking up from her coma three years later, she was still in sorrow for him…
Or maybe, when she woke up, her most recent memory was still three years ago before she fell into her coma…
“Sigh.” Feng Ximing walked forward, made a long sigh, and tried as gently as possible to comfort her, “Xue’er, I know your nature is too kind-hearted. But… you really don’t have to be sad, you are the princess of our Divine Phoenix Sect, and Yun Che was only an inferior life. He used his own life in exchange for your life, to him…”
“I don’t allow you to speak of Big Brother Yun in this way!!!”
Feng Ximing hadn’t finished speaking, and he was interrupted by Feng Xue’er’s sudden burst of fury. Feng Ximing was stunned on the spot, he and Feng Hengkong both looked at Feng Xue’er at the same time incredulously… The Feng Xue’er that they knew, her voice was as spiritual rain on a mountain, or like wind blowing against a willow tree. She had never spoken in a louder voice, let alone scolding angrily. But, the voice that came from Feng Xue’er just now was sharp, raging… and even hysterical! It was as if her most untouchable reverse scale was touched… On her snowy face was revealed an obvious anger… On her body, scarlet-colored Phoenix flames also rose at that instant, but weren’t burning in a warm, gentle manner; instead they were swaying back and forth, as if in a violent storm.
“Get out! Get out of here!!” Feng Hengkong slapped Feng Ximing on the face harshly… Feng Hengkong used almost all of his strength on this slap under his overwhelming feelings, and Feng Ximing flew out far away like a gyroscope. Feng Hengkong stepped forward, reached out his hands and comforted her in panic, “Xue’er… Xue’er… Don’t be mad, don’t be sad… Your Big Brother Yun saved your life. He is your savior, royal father’s savior, and even the savior of our entire Divine Phoenix Sect. We would never forget his grace… How about royal father goes to pay respect to him with you every year, what do you say?”
Feng Hengkong spoke while trying to get closer to Feng Xue’er, but once he reached the distance of fifteen meters, a scorching heat came onto him that he couldn’t endure. He was surprised, and the Phoenix God’s bloodline in his body also curdled violently in fear. He looked at the Phoenix flame on Feng Xue’er’s body, feeling the aura she was releasing, and he was incredibly shocked in his heart… This power… Could it be that in the three years in a coma, the power that the Phoenix God bestowed to Xue’er had awoken her onto another level?!
And, it was a very large degree of awakening!
Feng Ximing was slapped away, and Feng Hengkong’s words finally made Feng Xue’er’s uncontrollable emotions settle down a little. The flames on her body also calmed down slightly. She looked forward, and even though her eyes were facing Feng Hengkong, they weren’t focused, and she mumbled softly, “Royal Father, how… how long did I sleep for…”
“Three years, it has been three years.” Feng Hengkong said softly, stuttered, and continued to say, “Xue’er, if you still want to sleep, then continue to sleep. It’s alright.”
“Three years…” She mumbled as her eyes lost focus…
“I’m afraid of many things… Yet now… right in front of me, what I’m most afraid of is that I will really see you lose your life here.”
“In front of you, I am ashamed and tainted by filth and the guilt of countless crimes… your appearance was just as if a pearl had been inserted into my soul, one so precious that I don’t even have the courage to touch it.”
“That’s why, no matter what, I will not watch helplessly as you die… at least for now, I would rather die.”
“What I’ve promised Xue’er, I will definitely do… After three years, I will bring Xue’er to see the endless snow in Blue Wind Nation’s Snow Region of Extreme Ice. After three years, Xue’er, will you wait there for me?”
“Xue’er… Wait for me…”
Drip…
Drip…
Teardrops fell silently on her cheeks that were smoother than snow, and the tears dropped more and more, unable to stop. An extremely sorrowful aura was spreading, and filled the space that was originally incredibly searing with a thick desolation.
“Xue’er…” Feng Hengkong reached out his hand, but he didn’t know what he should do, or what he should say… At this moment, the Emperor of the Divine Phoenix was completely helpless. He could not imagine, and could not understand why his daughter would be this depressed because of Yun Che… Even if he saved her life, it shouldn’t have gone so far.
“Royal Father…” She spoke in a low voice as if she was still in her sleep, “I… want to go to Blue Wind Nation… Snow Region of Extreme Ice… Can I?”
Blue Wind… Snow Region of Extreme Ice?
Feng Hengkong stunned for a second, and then nodded without thinking at all, “Yes! Yes! If Xue’er wills it, we can go wherever you want. Wherever you want to go, royal father will accompany you personally… Royal Father will order for an arrangement of Profound Ark and schedule right away, at most fifteen days… Oh no, ten days, and we will leave, what do you say?”
“Mn… Thank you Royal Father. Royal Father, Xue’er has another request…” Feng Xue’er’s tears were still falling. Under the extreme protection of the Divine Phoenix Sect, under the extreme pampering of Feng Hengkong, she was always accompanied with a smile… She never knew that one day she would drop so many tears.
Almost all the tears in her life were given to Yun Che.
“Tell me… no matter what Xue’er asks for, royal father will agree,” Feng Hengkong said. Watching the tears on his daughter’s face, he felt so sorry that he couldn’t breathe.
“Xue’er asks Royal Father… to treat Blue Wind Nation nicer in the future… Because that… is Big Brother Yun’s homeland… Treat it as… Xue’er’s little repayment to Big Brother Yun… is that okay…”
Feng Hengkong’s whole body became stiff suddenly, but then he nodded right away, “No problem! Royal Father will treat the Blue Wind Nation nicely in the future, and will not collect any payment from Blue Wind Nation… and, and will absolutely not allow the other five nations to bully Blue Wind nation. Your Big Brother Yun in heaven would definitely be very happy to hear you say these words.”
“Thank you Royal Father… Xue’er is very confused right now, and worried Royal Father… Xue’er wants to go to Phoenix Perching Valley for a while…”
“No problem! Royal Father will accompany you right this moment.”
“Xue’er will be fine going alone…”
This place was surrounded by mountains, and to the south was the Absolute Phoenix Cliff that was over three thousand meters tall. Compared to the dry and hot weather in the region of the Divine Phoenix City, Phoenix Perching Valley was as if it gathered the spiritual energy from the whole Phoenix mountain range; everything was of the purest green color, and even each wind was especially soft and fresh, like a wonderland.
It seemed like she could still hear the laughter of her and Yun Che catching fish back then by the clear, small pond. Feng Xue’er leaned against Snow Phoenix, and the soft snow feathers were being wetted by the purest, most precious tear drops…
“Big Brother Yun… Why did I meet you… If I didn’t meet you… Xue’er wouldn’t be this sorrowful… and Big Brother Yun wouldn’t die…”
“Why did I meet you… Big Brother Yun…”
“Lord Sect Master, what is your order? I heard that Princess Snow…”
“Immediately pass down this order!!” Feng Hengkong’s face was extremely stiff, “No one can speak of us sending troops to attack Blue Wind Nation… “ Feng Hengkong focused his eyes and said, “No! Pass down the order to the whole Divine Phoenix City, no one can speak publicly of us attacking Blue Wind Nation! If anyone disobeys… Kill without question!! Especially within the sect, if anyone dare to mention it… This daddy’ll make him die without a grave!!”
The Phoenix Elder who was listening to Feng Hengkong’s order trembled… The murderous spirit coming from Feng Hengkong frightened him, and as the stately Great Phoenix Emperor, he even used the phrase “this daddy”; it was easy to understand how serious this matter was. He didn’t dare to ask more, and nodded his head immediately, “Yes.”
“Also, prepare the Divine Phoenix Ark, we will go to the extreme north of Blue Wind Nation in ten days personally… Now leave!”
“Yes, yes.” The aura of death made the Phoenix Elder not dare to stay for another second. He took two steps back and left in a hurry.
Feng Hengkong punched his fist into the wall violently, and his whole fist sunk into the wall. Thinking about the tears on Feng Xue’er’s face, he shook his head hard, and the annoyance in his heart was like a raging fire.
“The Phoenix God said before, for Xue’er’s power of Phoenix God to awaken completely, it will at least take three hundred years… Three hundred years is too long, they will definitely notice that the Phoenix God had passed away. By then, if we don’t have enough resources to defend ourselves, our Divine Phoenix Sect would be in great danger… We didn’t do… anything wrong!”
“Xue’er… Forgive royal father, Royal Father did what I did for the whole Divine Phoenix Empire!” Feng Hengkong said to himself as his face expressed pain and suffering.
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