Chapter 561 - Hui Ye at Full Power
Just as the phoenix flame was two feet away, Duke Hui Ye’s expression suddenly changed… Being someone who possessed the bloodline of a fire-attribute divine beast and an Overlord who trained in fire profound arts, he would naturally possess strong resistance against fire. Needless to say, the lowly scarlet profound flame or even the normal purple profound flame would not be able to harm him one bit. However, when this scarlet flame approached, he felt a burning sensation that caused his heart to palpitate.
When he had realized this, the flame was already close to him and was no longer avoidable. Duke Hui Ye instantly gathered his profound energy at his right arm, igniting the devil flame on his palm and attacked the approaching scarlet flame with a smashing fist.
With a dull rumbling noise, the phoenix flame was deflected away hurriedly by Duke Hui Ye and landed on the ground to his right. When the flame extinguished, a one and a half meter radius of the ground sunk slightly due to being burnt. Although the expression of pain that flashed past Duke Hui Ye’s face was short, it was sufficient for the majority of the people to see it clearly. Among his five fingers, three of them had been burnt red.
Everybody had their mouth agape in shock as they stared dumbfoundedly at Duke Hui Ye’s slightly burnt fingers and the slightly sunken floor on his right… This was the Duke Hui Ye who possessed the bloodline of the Golden Crow and the floor was made of the resistant black profound jade that even a mid-stage Overlord would have trouble destroying.
“What… What happened? Wasn’t that the lowly scarlet profound flame, how can it have such a huge power!”
“Could it be that Yun Che’s flame is not actually a normal profound flame?”
“Duke Hui Ye’s hand seemed to be burnt as well… Duke Hui Ye’s flame is a mixture of the Golden Crow’s and the Fallen Devil Flame, and he actually got burnt by the scarlet profound flame that Yun Che casually released. This, this, this… Could it be possible that Yun Che’s flame was stronger than Duke Hui Ye’s Golden Crow Flame?”
The entire hall now was in a great commotion and even Yun Qinghong’s face revealed shock. There were also significant changes in Little Demon Empress’ expression as she sat on her throne, because in the instant Yun Che had released his flames, she felt the clear sensation of her own Golden Crow Flame intensely throbbing.
Scarlet color, abnormal strength, causing the Golden Crow Flame to throb…
Could it be that the flame he used was also some sort of primordial divine flame that was on the same level as the Golden Crow Flame?
Yun Che mocked, “You’re so pathetic even when receiving the scarlet flame that in your own words are not even considered a joke. Your ability to scold yourself indirectly is indeed high level!”
Duke Hui Ye looked at his hand as his expression darkened, laughing coldly, “With just you, you think you’re fit to mock me? Do you really think that with your lowly profound flame, you can challenge this duke!”
Duke Hui Ye took a step forward quickly, waving both his hands. Instantly, the crimson black devil flame ignited around him, turning the entire sky crimson black. An eerie aura that seemed as though it came straight from the depths of hell filled the entire hall. Following Duke Hui Ye’s hand sign, all the crimson-black devil flames rushed towards Yun Che as though they were a beast that had just been awakened.
Yun Che quickly retreated, ignited Phoenix Flames on his body, and attacked the sky filled with Devil Flames with a “Burning Field”.
Boom!
The crimson-black Devil Flame and the scarlet Phoenix Flame collided in midair, exploding at the same time. In that instant, the sparks nearly blinded most of the audience and the roof of the originally elegant hall was now completely covered in flames. The exploding crimson-black flames and scarlet flames were like two ferocious tigers and amidst the shocking roars of the flames, they were burning one another, devouring one another… The scarlet flame devoured the black flames, and the black flames burnt the scarlet flames. The scarlet flames were unable to overcome the seal of the black flames, and the black flames were unable to overcome the resistance of the scarlet flames… The two were at a counterbalance with one another.
“Wha… aaaatttttttt!”
Duke Hui Ye’s pupils contracted in an instant as he could never imagine, nor would he accept the flame that he claimed to be the strongest in the world was equal with the flames released by someone two entire profound realms below him.
“A piece of rubbish like you… How are you qualified to fight with this duke!!”
Duke Hui Ye roared out in near utter perturbation as he stared widely. The crimson-black flames on him suddenly soared and became more intense…
“Fallen Corruption Flames!!”
The crimson-black flames instantly became much more violent and quickly suppressed the scarlet Phoenix flames. Yun Che’s eyebrows knitted as the silhouette of a Phoenix appeared behind him for an instant…
“Phoenix Flames Sears the Heavens!!!”
Booom!!!
Like two huge waves violently colliding with each other, a sea of flames replaced all the air in the hall, which was exhausted in an instant. The patriarchs of the Twelve Families hastily went forward to confine the flames within the arena, and the entire arena was also transformed into a world of flames. The scarlet flames and the crimson-black flames collided against one another violently, and only after several breaths of time had passed did they gradually extinguish.
In the arena where the flames had extinguished, Duke Hui Ye and Yun Che stood at the east and west wings respectively. Yun Che’s clothes were torn apart at various spots and he was smiling slightly, whereas Duke Hui Ye looked obviously much more pathetic. Not only were most of his clothes burnt, even much of his hair had been burnt. Although he did not seem to suffer any obvious burns, his face was as black as charcoal.
Everyone held their breaths… The violent clash of flames between the two had turned out to be a draw!
However, behind the draw was the fact that —— Duke Hui Ye was in the sixth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm whereas Yun Che was only in the tenth level of the Sky Profound Realm. Duke Hui Ye’s flames were the Golden Crow Flames that had been mixed with the Fallen Flame Devil Arts…
Under the suppression of two great profound realm, the battle of their profound flames had actually been equal…
Wouldn’t that mean, that in terms of flames, Yun Che was far superior than Duke Hui Ye?!!
The level of the flames he used would be far superior than Duke Hui Ye’s Golden Crow Flames which had been mixed with the Fallen Flame Devil Arts!
“This… This is impossible…” Those powerhouses from the Demon Imperial City who knew how scary Duke Huai Palace’s flames all stared widely while uttered in complete shock.
Little Demon Empress’s petite body moved forward slightly as a curious glow flashed past the depths of her eyes. After staring at Yun Che for some time, she finally muttered to herself, “Phoenix Flames?”
Because she saw the instant flashing of a Phoenix’s silhouette when Yun Che released Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens.
“Your Duke Huai Palace’s flames… are only so-so!” Yun Che laughed.
This ridicule caused Duke Hui Ye’s face to contort, as he was unable to utter out even one phrase in retaliation. Previously, he had shouted that Duke Huai Palace’s flames were the strongest flames under the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World. But in the blink of an eye, he had slapped himself on the face and it was just as Yun Che had mentioned… he slapped his own mouth himself.
Even though Duke Hui Ye was about to explode with anger, his face had instead revealed a cold smile, “Yun Che, you really gave this duke a pleasant surprise. This duke admits that he has been looking down on you too much. But just now, that is probably your limit right? It’s such a pity that I have only used fifty percent of my strength just now!”
“In front of this duke, you are still just trash!”
Duke Hui Ye howled, the faint bloodline of the Golden Crow had been ignited to its maximum within him, as a two foot-long black shortsword appeared in his hands. When the shortsword appeared, the Golden Crow Flames swayed vigorously before quickly growing more intense until the color of the crimson-black flames became similar to that of freshly dried blood.
On the shortsword, there were also lines and lines of uniform flashing red markings.
Yun Che’s expression became serious as the frightening aura coming from Duke Hui Ye had… grown by at least double compared to just now!
“Is that sword… the legendary Obsidian Devil Sword?”
“That shape, that aura, is the same as the rumors. That must be it!”
“Duke Hui Ye’s aura had become so much stronger as compared to just now… Sss, Duke Huai Palace’s profound arts are more scary than what the rumors say! It looks like it’s over for Yun Che this time.”
“The fact that he was able to force Duke Hui Ye to use the Obsidian Devil Sword, Yun Che can definitely lose with pride… I’m just afraid that Duke Hui Ye might cripple Yun Che in his rage.”
Yun Qinghong’s voice suddenly rang in Yun Che’s ears, “The black shortsword in his hands is the Obsidian Devil Sword. It is a sword left behind by the founders of the ancient clan that created the Fallen Flame Devil Arts. It possesses a ton of strong fiendish powers and releasing the Fallen Flame Devil Art through this shortsword would largely increase the intensity of the flame… You must be careful! Duke Hui Ye obviously wants to kill you. If you’re not certain you can win, don’t act tough. Your life is the most important!”
Yun Che, “…”
The crimson-black flames on Duke Hui Ye burned intensely and the strong devil’s aura was accompanied by the cries of ghosts; it was as though there were countless souls being burnt in that moment. The strength of the flame’s aura was enough to move the strongest experts in Illusory Demon Realm… Being able to reach such a level even before he was thirty, Duke Hui Ye’s future was limitless.
“This is this duke’s true strength.”
Duke Hui Ye bathed in the flames, his hair flying and his face pitch-black due to the flame. He looked as though he was an evil god of devils that had walked out from the depths of hell. He looked at the flame in his hands, felt his aura, and had a satisfied expression. At this instant, he felt that he could now easily control everything… even Yun Che’s fate.
“Let this duke see how long you can struggle in the face of his full strength.”
Once he finished speaking, the Obsidian Devil Sword stabbed out suddenly… Obviously, Duke Hui Ye wanted to eliminate any chance where Yun Che could surrender. Even though he had the absolute confidence of defeating Yun Che, Duke Hui Ye was now completely enraged after being forced to use his full strength with his Obsidian Devil Sword, having suffered a disadvantage when competing with flames by this person, whom he was looking down previously. Even if Duke Huai had not instructed him earlier, he was still determined to kill Yun Che.
A crimson-black fire wave rushed towards Yun Che following the slash of the Obsidian Devil Sword, but Yun Che did not avoid nor retreat. A Phoenix Flame that was accompanied by the cry of the Phoenix attacked it head on.
“Phoenix Break!”
Phoenix Break was not a simple Phoenix Flame attack; it also had a strong destructive power. However, because it was not used with a heavy sword, its power was far weaker than it should have been. When it collided with the Devil Flame, it slowed down the rush of the Devil Flame, but following a nasty cry, the Devil Flame suddenly attacked and quickly consumed the Phoenix Flame. When the Phoenix Flame had completely disappeared, the Devil Flame was only weakened by thirty percent, and without any other obstruction, it rushed straight towards Yun Che, striking his body.
Boom!
When the Devil Flame exploded, the power of destruction and corrosion was frantically released. In the next instant, Yun Che’s figure flew far away from among the exploding Devil Flame. Duke Hui Ye locked onto Yun Che who was in midair and laughed a little playfully, “You’re not bad at escaping, but let this duke see how you’re going to escape this time!”
His hand sign changed and the markings on the Obsidian Devil Sword became even more eye-catching. Below Yun Che, the willfully burning crimson-black Devil Flame suddenly distorted intensely before turning into a tall flame giant that was howling while it rushed at Yun Che.
“This is… Duke Huai Palace’s killer move, Fallen Flame Devil! Duke Hui Ye could actually use this technique!!!”
“No! Duke Hui Ye must be relying on the strength of the Obsidian Devil Sword’s powers to use this technique! Although the Flame Devil was partly formed using those flames, the remaining strength is connected to that Obsidian Devil Sword. Once this frighteningly powerful Flame Devil comes out… Yun Che would not even be able to struggle.”
Chapter 562 - Heaven Smiting Sword Comes Out
The Giant Flame Devil’s height was dozens of meters, its body and four limbs were made of flames, and its facial features could be spotted clearly. It was condensed and formed from the Crimson Black Devil Flame released by Duke Hui Ye. Its aura was so thick and terrifying, it was clear that it was several times stronger than that ball of devil flames. When the Flame Devil approached him, Yun Che had a temporary feeling of suffocation.
Yun Che had extensive knowledge and experience, but it was the first time he had ever seen this kind of move… it was as strange as the Sword Spirit Doppelganger of Heavenly Sword Villa!
When both arms of the Flame Devil smashed down from the sky, the wind it swirled up sounded like ghosts crying and devils wailing.
“Falling Moon Sinking Star!!”
Yun Che already had no time to consider; his profound energy exploded, and his fist struck towards the Giant Flame Devil.
BOOM!
In the drumming sound of the explosion, an enormous profound vortex swept in the air. The Giant Flame Devil was struck and somersaulted backwards more than ten times; and Yun Che fell straight down like a cannonball, crashed severely on the ground, and bounced more than thirty meters away. When he finally landed, there was a dark red bloodstain on the corner of his mouth.
The horror of the Flame Devil was beyond Yun Che’s expectations. He wiped the corner of his mouth, and just as he was about to stand up, the sound of ghosts crying came from above his head. The Flame Devil had already reappeared in the air above Yun Che with its widened eyes and pupils like will o’ the wisps, and was dropping downwards to him.
Among the Yun Family’s seats, a roar loud like thunder sounded as Yun Qinghong flew out and tried to grab Yun Che from the arena. But before he was able to enter the area of the arena, Duke Huai, who had prepared for this already, instantly blocked himself in front of Yun Qinghong. Their bodies bumped into each other, and then separated.
“Yun Qinghong, you want to break the rules of the competition!?” Duke Huai spoke harshly while deep in his eyes, there was a trace of a sneer.
If it was merely a competition, then Yun Qinghong would definitely not do anything rash; however, Duke Huai and Hui Ye obviously fostered murderous intent towards Yun Che. Yun Che was injured on the ground from the Flame Devil’s heavy strike and at this moment, the Flame Devil went all-in onto him again; it was clear that it was trying to kill Yun Che! How could he not do anything about it? He understood clearly how terrifying that Flame Devil was… it was supported by the strength of the Obsidian Devil Sword, a devilish profound skill that was completely out of Hui Ye’s own abilities. Even though technically Hui Ye was basically cheating, the powerful weapon and armor was part of his own strength, and it happened to be one of the standards that was accepted by the profound world.
“Get out of my way!” Yun Qinghong was surrounded by the hissing sound of the thunder and lightning. Yun Che’s life was in danger, how could he have time to care about the competition rules? He had to do whatever it took to save Yun Che, and then surrendering would mean…
Just as Yun Qinghong wanted to forcefully blow Duke Huai away, a resonant phoenix cry suddenly sounded over the arena as a bright, red flame soared into the sky.
“Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing!!”
A pair of slightly golden phoenix wings was opening up, and a lifelike silhouette of a phoenix appeared on Yun Che’s body. The silhouette of the phoenix rushed Yun Che up into the sky, instantly across the vacuum, and severely struck the Flame Devil’s body.
Boom!!!!!!!
The Phoenix Flame blasted with rage, and a ring of sunlight suddenly appeared in the sky above the hall, and it shined upon the whole hall with a bright, red light. In the sunlight that was seemed to have come from the firmament, Yun Che and the Flame Devil were fiercely pushed away from each other in the incredibly violent profound energy storm.
The Flame Devil flew back upside-down, and it rolled speedily like a rubber ball. The flame surrounding its body splashed all over the place, but they didn’t completely scatter from the strike. Duke Hui Ye swung the Obsidian Devil Sword in his hand, and the upside-down Flame Devil stopped itself abruptly. It quickly flew back, and floated in the sky above of Duke Hui Ye.
Bang!
Yun Che landed on the ground, his body continuously sled backwards until he abruptly steadied himself with his hands. The clothes on his chest were burst open completely, and there were more than ten scars with different depths added on his chest.
Duke Huai’s eyebrows wrinkled greatly, and said coldly, “Yun Qinghong, you really did adopt a good son!”
He underestimated Yun Che again and again, and after he established a murderous intent towards Yun Che, he realized that he still underestimated him. He knew better than anyone how terrifying that Flame Devil was. He did not expect at all that Yun Che would actually be able to blow away the Flame Devil which was using its all-out attack in a head-on confrontation.
In his early twenties, with cultivation only at the Sky Profound Realm… yet his strength was terrifying to such an extent!
For such a young man like him, his future achievements were completely unimaginable. If he was their enemy, then they had to kill and eliminate him thoroughly before he could mature!
But now that he had blown away the Flame Devil, Yun Qinghong could let him surrender immediately… If that were to happen, then it would be impossible to kill Yun Che today!
Yun Qinghong’s movements stuttered. Watching the Flame Devil that was blown away, he couldn’t help but be impressed and say, “Good work!”
“Che’er, surrender immediately! He can summon three Flame Devils like this at the same time! He used his Obsidian Devil Sword, so it’s not shameful for you to surrender at all… or else, his next attack would surely be an all-out attack to put you to death.”
“…” Yun Qinghong’s sound transmission was sent towards Yun Che’s ears, but he didn’t respond. He slowly stood up, as if he didn’t hear it at all.
“Hmph, not bad. This duke knew that there must be some final move that you haven’t used yet. I didn’t expect you to bounce off this duke’s Flame Devil. This really surprised me nicely.”
Even though Duke Hui Ye was shocked in his heart, he didn’t panic at all. His face still had the expression of an adjudicator’s light smile, “Then, how about this?”
The Obsidian Devil Sword flickered in blood-colored light while Duke Hui Ye laughed deeply. The wave of flames surged in front of him. In the bursts of ghosts crying, he actually condensed and slowly formed two… two Flame Devils that looked exactly the same as the one from before!
Not only was their appearances the same, even their auras were also just as thick and terrifying.
Counting the one that was in the air, there was a total of three Flame Devils!!
“Three… three Flame Devils!” Exclamations sounded all over the place.
“If Yun Che is smart enough, he would surrender immediately. For things to get to this point, it is already enough for his name to be known by everyone. But, if at this moment, he still puts on a bold face to yell that so-called ‘fight until the last moment’… then he would just be courting death!”
All of the top, strong practitioners in Demon Imperial City could feel the murderous intent Duke Hui Ye had for Yun Che. If Yun Che wanted to live, then now was the only chance to surrender! Or else, as soon as the three Flame Devils moved, Yun Che would die for sure. Among the seats, there were also continuous yelling, telling Yun Che to surrender immediately.
But Yun Che pretended to not have heard anything. Facing the three Flame Devils, he slowly reached out his palm…
“Hong’er, come out!”
In a deep hum, a sword suddenly fell and appeared out of nowhere in front of Yun Che. With a loud “boom”, it fiercely stabbed into the black profound jade floor under his feet. In that instant, there were concentrated shattering sounds and countless cracks that crazily spreaded out from under Yun Che’s feet.
Deafening exclaims came from every direction. What shocked them, was not how large the sword was, but that it… simply dropped from the sky, and was able to stab into the black profound jade floor that was a thousand times tougher than firm stone!
“What… what an enormous sword!!”
“This sword… actually broke through the floor! This is the Demon Imperial Hall! How heavy is that sword?”
“This was the first time I have ever seen such an enormous sword. It actually directly stabbed into and cracked the Demon Imperial Hall’s floor… but, there didn’t seem to be any aura of a high level profound weapon from the sword. Out of all the profound weapons, there also didn’t seem to be a huge sword like this.”
“That’s Big Brother’s weapon? That’s… that’s too big.” Xiao Yun yelled in shock. He looked down at the tip of the sword that had sunk into the ground, and his eyes stared blankly.
“Tch, finally willing to show your weapon.” Duke Hui Ye said smilingly. He couldn’t help but be shocked in his heart about the crack under the tip of the sword, but the smile on his face became even more bantering, “Heh, no wonder you kept refusing to use your weapon before. This sword, you probably aren’t able to control it completely, right?!”
Yun Che didn’t speak. Both of his hands were holding on the handle of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword. Under an incredibly sharp, shrieking sound, he pulled out the sword slowly from the ground, and placed it horizontally in front of his body… At that instant, the noisy hall quieted down a lot. Everyone’s gaze focused onto Yun Che. Even some of the strong practitioners that were standing at the peak of Demon Illusory were stunned for a short period of time by the fierce change in Yun Che’s expression.
The aura on Yun Che’s body didn’t change, and there also wasn’t any aura on the vermilion greatsword, as though it was a dead sword. But when Yun Che held the vermilion greatsword in his hand, everyone clearly felt that Yun Che had changed completely: his aura, momentum, even his expression… had completely changed.
The vermilion greatsword was as long as nine feet, and the blade on the ground was two feet thick. Such a huge sword like this was even larger than Yun Che’s body. Even if a nine foot giant held the sword in its hand, there would be a strong uncoordinated feeling. However, when it was in Yun Che’s, the overall feeling was so in accordance that it didn’t make people feel any bit of disharmony; instead, it felt like the sword belonged in his hands. It was a perfect fit that couldn’t be described with words, as though this sword was made for Yun Che from the beginning, while Yun Che himself also existed because of this sword.
The profound energy aura didn’t change at all, but facing the Yun Che who was holding the heavy sword, everyone felt a pressure which seeped directly into their soul. Especially Duke Hui Ye, who was facing directly against Yun Che; the smile on his face had already became stiff. It was as if an iron board that weighed over a hundred and fifty thousand kilograms pressed on his chest, and almost suffocated him.
Standing on the edge of the arena, Yun Qinghong and Duke Huai stared straight at Yun Che. One had forgotten to send a sound transmission to tell Hui Ye to immediately kill off Yun Che, the other had forgotten to scold Yun Che to immediately surrender. These two peerless individuals within their own generation, now only had shock in their eyes.
An indescribable pressure caused Duke Hui Ye to feel extremely uneasy in his heart, but seeing the three Flame Devils in front of him, his uneasiness quickly went away, as he roared deeply, “You think taking out a ridiculous weapon could help you a comeback?! Go… to… hell!!”
Duke Hui Ye suddenly blasted out his sword. A large sea of flames tumbled like crimson-black smoke that covered the sky, and swept towards Yun Che. The three Flame Devils also moved at the same time, following the devil flames, bringing a frightening aura that even caused space to tremble as they both rushed towards Yun Che.
Facing the overwhelming devil flames and the three scary Flame Devils that struck at the same time, Yun Che didn’t step back at all. Instead, he held up his Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword without a hurry.
The reason he didn’t use the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword before was not because he was arrogant. It was just as Duke Hui Ye had guessed, to avoid too much exhaustion. When he first got this Heaven Smiting Sword, it already weighed a hundred thousand kilograms. After consuming Dragon Fault, its weight increased even more. In a span of three months, even though he managed to get used to its weight and he could control it perfectly, every time he swung it, an enormous amount of exhaustion would soon follow.
The next opponents in this fierce battle would only be stronger than the next, so he had to do his best to avoid exhausting himself.
His current opponent was Hui Ye, but just based on the thickness of their profound energy, he was completely suppressed by Hui Ye if he did not open the “Purgatory” gate. However, opening “Purgatory” would exhaust his strength even more, which was why it was now time for the Heaven Smiting Sword to come out.
Chapter 563 - Reversal
The crimson-black devil flame quickly approached Yun Che. It was as if there was a boundless sea of flames behind him. He quickly stepped forward and swung the Heaven Smiting Sword casually. The instant the sword was swung, a ferocious wave of air was swept up and the sound of the blast was shockingly deafening.
Riiip!
The air became heavily distorted and a sound like cloth ripping apart rang through the hall. The fire which had blanketed the entire area was easily torn apart, and a huge vacuum appeared amidst the flames. Yun Che started to move as he rushed straight into the sea of flames. His heavy sword danced in the air, resembling a flood dragon dancing in the waves. Wherever the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword landed, it completely blasted, broke and cut away those incomparably fearsome crimson-black devil flames as a huge heavy sword energy storm wreaked havoc in the inferno. In the span of a few short breaths, the sea of fire that had blanketed the entire arena had been blasted into smithereens.
“Wha… What?!!” Duke Hui Ye’s face paled in shock and both of his hands trembled as he swiftly raised up the Obsidian Devil Sword. Three flame devils howled in an unholy cacophony as they rushed towards Yun Che.
“Empyrean Dance… of the Phoenix Wing!!”
The image of a phoenix flashed into life as a phoenix cry split the air and Yun Che’s entire body morphed into the form of a phoenix composed of raging flames, as he explosively charged at the three Flame Devils.
Using the same Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens without any weapons, he had only knocked aside one flame devil!
But this Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens was performed with his heavy sword!
That instant of awesome might and pressure caused the entire Demon Imperial Hall to fall into complete silence.
Boom!!!
The silhouette of the phoenix smashed into the first flame devil and with a loud explosion, the phoenix directly tore through the flame devil, leaving countless flame devil fragments fluttering across the sky in its wake.
Boom!!
The second flame devil was also pierced through.
Boom!!
The third flame devil was sent flying in an instant and smashed against the roof of the hall violently. The entire great hall violently trembled and the flame devil had exploded as well, raining down large fragments of the crimson-black blaze.
In an instant, all three flame devils had been completely destroyed, and all of this had occurred at the speed of light. Even though all of this had happened, the power of Phoenix Flames Sears the Heavens had still not completely dissipated; it carried the might and pressure of a phoenix as it shot towards Duke Hui Ye. Duke Hui Ye was so shocked that his eyes were practically bulging out of his face as the phoenix violently smashed into his chest.
Boom!!!
The profound energy shielding Duke Hui Ye’s body was instantly shattered by the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword and the remaining power of Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens plowed into Duke Hui Ye’s body. Following the roaring explosion of phoenix flames, Duke Hui Ye’s body flew out like a kicked rubber ball as he miserably screamed while being sent flying into the distance.
Yun Che raised his head and looked in the direction Duke Hui Ye had flown. When he had smashed Duke Hui Ye’s chest just now, he had clearly felt his own strength being heavily obstructed by something… Duke Hui Ye seemed to be wearing some kind of profound armor with an extremely strong defense, and so Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens, which had been weakened due to the obstruction of the three flame devils, was unable to deal any heavy damage to him.
“Hmph!” The corner of Yun Che’s lips curled upward as he revealed a faintly cruel and cold smile. When facing an opponent who wanted to consign him to the cruel embrace of death, how was it possible that he would allow that opponent to suffer a comfortable defeat?
Yun Che’s figure blurred as he combined Extreme Mirage Lightning with Star God’s Broken Shadow. In the blink of an eye, he had appeared in the air above the still flying Duke Hui Ye. With a brandishing of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword, the image of a wolf flashed behind him as the body of the sword ignited with phoenix flames, and he explosively smashed his sword downwards.
“Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash!”
The image of the Sky Wolf pulled along phoenix flames as it split the air and rocketed downwards; it was as if it had grown a long phoenix tail. Amidst the keening hiss of broken air, the image of the Sky Wolf quickly combined together with the phoenix flames, morphing into the image of a blazing, furious sky wolf as it mercilessly exploded towards Duke Hui Ye.
Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash… It was a derivative move which combined the flames of the Phoenix with Sirius’ First Sword Style! It was also a masterpiece which Yun Che had just managed to complete fifteen days ago!
After the three flame devils had been demolished in a split second and Duke Hui Ye had been sent flying, Duke Huai’s heart had already been filled with alarm. Now that he saw Yun Che’s movement, he quickly flew out as his face paled in complete fright. His right arm burst into flames, but before the flames could even begin to rush towards Yun Che, a figure blurred in front of him and a cluster of deep purple lightning rushed towards his face, forcing him to backflip as he made a distant leap.
“Duke Huai, are you trying to break the rules of the tournament?!” Yun Qinghong coldly declared as he blocked Duke Huai’s advance. The words he had shouted out were exactly the same words Duke Huai had said before.
With Yun Qinghong’s obstruction, even if Duke Huai wanted to save Duke Hui Ye, he would not make it in time. Following a loud ringing sound, the burning image of the Sky Wolf heavily smashed into Duke Hui Ye’s body.
“Arghhhhh…”
A loud, miserable cry as shrill as the wailing of an evil spirit split the air and nearly suppressed the sound of the exploding profound energy. Under the immensely strong destructive power of Yun Che’s strike, Duke Hui Ye’s protective profound armor could only last for a mere instant before it was shattered like fragile glass. Duke Hui Ye’s body fell like a falling meteor. In the next moment, he crashed into the ground with an ear-piercing scream, then immediately bounced off the ground. When his body had impacted the ground a second time, he had landed outside the arena and many pockets of phoenix flames still burned on his body. Instead of dying down, the fires seemed to burn even hotter and harder, causing him to instantly become a human torch.
Surrounding him was the scattered fragments of his profound armor, littering the ground.
“Duke Hui Ye!!”
Many people from the east wing hurriedly surrounded him and several young disciples promptly released profound energy in an attempt to extinguish the flames on Duke Hui Ye’s body. But how could phoenix flames be so easily extinguished? Once their hands came into contact with phoenix fire, they screamed out in pain as they were scorched by the heat. Even after flailing about for a good long while, they had still not even come close to extinguishing the flames on Duke Hui Ye’s body.
“Out of the way!”
Duke Huai descended from the air and slapped his palm on Duke Hui Ye’s chest. Under the incomparably deep and thick profound energy, the flames on his body began to recede like a breaking tide and swiftly disappeared. After the phoenix flames had been completely extinguished, one-third of Duke Hui Ye’s body had been charred black and his hair and eyebrows had been completely burned away. His wounds were numerous beyond count and many of those wounds were deep enough to expose bone… and all of these were only external injuries. What caused Duke Huai to be truly enraged was that at least thirty percent of Hui Ye’s meridians had been ruined and at least half of his bones were broken. For him to make a complete recovery, even with the vast resources Duke Huai Palace had, it would still take many months.
The profound armor that Duke Hui Ye had always worn on his person had disappeared, and all that was left was the faint aura of the profound armor that had been scattered all around. Duke Huai himself was incomparably clear about how resilient this profound armor was, and he was even more clear that if not for the protection of this profound armor, even if Hui Ye had not died under that previous sword strike, he would still have been completely crippled.
“Too bad huh. This guy was actually wearing such an incredible life-preserving charm, or else I would have at the very least shaved off half his life,” Yun Che said softly to himself in regret, emoting a heavy and rough gasp.
Within the great hall, nearly everyone present had unwittingly rose to their feet with stunned expressions on every single one of their faces. The silence lasted for a long time and it was as if all the sound present in this world had been completely removed.
In a single instant, he had destroyed three flame devils and had followed that up by heavily injuring Duke Hui Ye with a single stroke of his sword. The conclusion that seemed to be foregone had been completely turned upon its head once that vermilion greatsword had appeared. In the span of a few short breaths, a complete reversal that no one had ever dreamed of had happened…
Duke Hui Ye laid on the ground with half his face charred black and the other half pale as a sheet. Even though he had been heavily injured, it was not to the point where he had lost consciousness. Both his eyes were opened and they had widened to an extreme degree; it was as though his soul had left his body due to the shock and trauma.
The reactions of everyone in Duke Huai Palace and all of those seated in the east wing were largely the same. They could scarcely believe their own eyes, because once Hui Ye had revealed the Obsidian Devil Sword, they were completely sure that Yun Che was going to admit defeat, or even die. No one had expected that this would actually be the result.
Shock and amazement was writ large on Yun Qinghong’s face and it was only after a while that he came to his senses. But he still was not able to fathom the commotion that was currently occurring in his mind. He looked toward the Yun Family’s seats and without exception, from the lowest of disciples to the grandest of elders, every single one of them had a dazed expression. Even the three Grand Elders, Yun Jiang, Yun He and Yun Xi had risen up from their seats and stood there for a good long while.
Yun Qinghong began to faintly laugh, and his gaze grew indistinct for a moment. He could hardly believe that this young man, who had time and again shocked the entire audience and stunned all the heroes of the realm, was actually his own biological son. His previous worries and interference had been completely unnecessary. When he recalled Yun Che’s confident demeanor and unwavering gaze, he lightly nodded his head and said to himself, “Che’er, your true limit, where exactly does it lie…”
The Yun Che who had not used his heavy sword was dominated by Duke Hui Ye but once that heavy sword had appeared, in the blink of an eye, it was Duke Hui Ye who had lost miserably and suffered serious wounds. For a profound practitioner, training in one type of weapon was a must, and once a practitioner held his or her preferred weapon, that person’s ability would also rise, but not to an overly exaggerated extent. Someone who was at the fifth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm could still easily defeat an opponent who was one level lower than him with bare fists, even if that opponent had a weapon equipped.
But Yun Che was definitely not the same. The Yun Che who had no heavy sword in his hand versus the Yun Che who did, it was not only a difference in strength at this point… it was practically a difference in entire levels! With Dragon Fault in Yun Che’s hands, he would have already surpassed Duke Hui Ye, so when he used the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword which was far stronger, the result was already predetermined.
But at the same time, the energy consumed in the process of wielding the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword was far greater than that of Dragon Fault. While he had heavily wounded Duke Hui Ye, Yun Che’s breathing had become noticeably rougher.
“Father, he… what sort of person is he?” Su Zhizhan exclaimed in astonishment. The scenario that unfolded in those few short breaths had fiercely impacted his very soul and completely overturned his world.
Su Xiangnan shook his head and replied in a voice that was also rather baffled, “Your father wants to know this answer even more than you do.” And when he thought of how Yun Qinghong almost forcibly intervened, he continued, “And I’m afraid that even Yun Qinghong did not know that he was actually this strong!”
Someone able to cause these peerless experts who came from all over the Illusory Demon Realm to experience shock and marvel time and again; Yun Che was definitely the first person who had ever done so. The kind of shock he created with a profound strength that was just at the Sky Profound Realm could not help but cause calamitous waves to rage about in the hearts of all these peerless experts, and the impact he created the moment he had heavily injured Duke Hui Ye far surpassed any of the previous shock he had caused.
“Who is next?!!”
His vermilion greatsword dug into the ground and Yun Che supported himself by leaning on the sword with one hand. His forehead was filled with sweat but his voice was still thunderous as it rang clear. At this point, not a single person dared to mock him or take him lightly and all eyes were glued to his figure. Even the Little Demon Empress, who was seated on her throne, had been reduced to a supporting role under his dazzling brilliance.
For the first time in his life, Duke Huai had been driven to vexation by a young person. Duke Hui Ye’s injuries were completely secondary, because even his confidence, dignity, and arrogance had been completely shattered by Yun Che. From this day forth, if Yun Che managed to survive, his name would shake all of Illusory Demon Realm while Duke Huai’s son would be reduced to a mere stepping stone on Yun Che’s path to glory!
This person, he definitely must die…
Duke Huai inclined his head and shot a fierce gaze towards Duke Zhong. Duke Zhong’s expression had long ago turned sour and he lowered his head. He sent a silent sound transmission to his own son, Duke Yuan Que, “Yun Che has already revealed an opening. It is clear that using that sword consumes a large amount of energy and he should not have too much strength left! Use any and all means that you have at your disposal to kill him…. no matter what the cost!”
Chapter 564 - Duke Yuan Que
He defeated Jiufang Yu, defeated Xiao Donglai, defeated Chiyang Yanwu… and now, he had won once again, defeating Duke Hui Ye. In every single match, all those who were present were convinced of Yun Che’s imminent defeat. To be able to enter this Demon Imperial Hall, every person present had to first be at the summit of Illusory Demon Realm and every single one of them had an extremely high status and authority, especially those seniors who had already lived for a few hundred years, or even a few thousand years. All of them possessed great discernment and all of them had been through extensive experiences. But in the end, they made the wrong judgement again and again, and each time this happened, they went pale with shock.
Perhaps, in the entire history of the Illusory Demon Realm, Yun Che was the first person to accomplish such a thing.
Duke Hui Ye had fallen in defeat, so the opponent Yun Che should face next was Duke Yuan Que; the person that no one thought would even have the opportunity to take the stage.
“Father, Big Brother looks like he has exhausted a large amount of energy. The Under Heaven Family has a special Profound Recovering Pellet. I will immediately go get one from them,” Xiao Yun said as he stood up.
Yun Qinghong extended his arm and grabbed him while gently shaking his head, “The competition that takes place during a Demon Imperial/Emperor Ceremony has historically never allowed the use of any medical pellets.”
“Then… then what can we do now?” Xiao Yun’s expression turned anxious. Even though Yun Che still stood up straight as an arrow, anyone could see the sweat drenching his face. Moreover, his face was flushed red and his breathing was exceptionally rough. He had just won a big victory over Duke Hui Ye, but it was clear that he exhausted a lot of energy as well.
Yun Qinghong furrowed his brows in concentration; he knew that Xiao Yun was worried that Yun Che’s remaining strength was insufficient and that he would unwittingly be ensnared by his next opponent’s evil scheme. He gently said, “Relax, even though your big brother’s words and actions appear extremely arrogant, he is definitely not a reckless person. This is especially so in matters concerning his own life and death. The fact that he has chosen to remain in the arena shows that he still has an ace up his sleeve.”
A person descended from the air in front of Yun Che. He was dressed in wine-red battle attire and his face contained seven parts arrogance and three parts dignity. Facing the Yun Che who had seriously injured Duke Hui Ye, his heart could not help but quicken slightly, even though Yun Che had clearly exhausted a large amount of profound energy.
“Duke Yuan Que?” Yun Che’s brows jumped, and even though he faced a member of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions whose ranking surpassed Duke Hui Ye, his face did not show a single trace of anxiety. It was almost as if he was not aware that his profound energy had been depleted.
“Indeed, it is this duke!” Duke Yuan Que’s finger brushed across the spatial ring he was wearing and a silver-colored long spear appeared in his hand. His arm swept out and fire began to spread on the body of his spear, “Prepare to die!”
If you were to compare the arrogance and haughtiness of Duke Hui Ye and Duke Yuan Que, as both of them were Dukes and ranked within the top three of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, Duke Yuan Que was definitely not inferior to Duke Hui Ye. In fact, if he had headed out to battle before Duke Hui Ye, he would likely have been even more arrogant in front of Yun Che than Duke Hui Ye had been. But after Hui Ye’s miserable defeat, it was impossible for him to not be deeply shocked, so there was no way he could still have the mood to display his arrogance.
But even more importantly, he did not dare waste any more time, as he did not want to give Yun Che time to recover… when comparing their strengths, even though he was superior to Duke Hui Ye, it was only by half a level. Duke Hui Ye’s miserable defeat and serious wounds made it so that he could not help but feel apprehensive now that he was facing Yun Che. Duke Hui Ye had already been reduced to Yun Che’s stepping stone on his path to glory… If, by chance, he was defeated as well, then he, too, would become yet another stepping stone for Yun Che.
As a duke of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, how could he tolerate such a thing happening to him?
Therefore, when Duke Yuan Que attacked, he did so with all of his might.
Duke Yuan Que let out a huge yell and flames flared up all around his body. An aura that felt as boundless as the ocean welled up and rushed forth without restraint. The fierceness of this aura caused countless powerful currents to form and surge violently within the great hall. These currents impacted the air and caused the space within the hall to violently reverberate.
All the profound practitioners within the great hall felt a dull pressure on their chests, as if a heavy iron plate had been laid on top of them, and they were unable to breathe for quite a while. Those who had a comparatively weaker profound strength had to hurriedly erect profound energy barriers as their eyes were filled shock and terror.
“What… What a fearsome aura.”
“He is indeed worthy to be ranked number two amongst the Illusory Demon Seven Scions. Just based on this profound energy aura alone, he is definitely superior to Duke Hui Ye.”
“Such a fearsome strength, Yun Che should… he should not be able to win again, right?”
The aura that Duke Yuan Que exuded as he unleashed his full power caused the hearts of all of the younger generation to tremble and be filled with fear. It caused the seniors who had great strength to be fiercely moved. However, not a single person dared to loudly assert that Yun Che was doomed to lose… Even in this case, where it was obvious that Yun Che had very clearly exhausted a lot of his profound strength.
Because Yun Che had caused them to be completely dumbfounded four times in a row, coupled with the two sword moves he had used to defeat Duke Hui Ye, this brought about a shock to their system which was simply too intense.
Yun Che was the one who was closest to Duke Yuan Que, so naturally he was the one who experienced the full weight of the pressure caused by Duke Yuan Que’s aura. However, the Yun Che that Duke Yuan Que was staring wore a calm expression on his face and he hardly seemed moved at all. Furthermore, the scarlet greatsword in front of Yun Che did not exude any aura at all, but it made Duke Yuan Que feel as if he was facing an unmoving and majestic mountain, whose peaks were too high to reach.
This feeling was caused an extremely unbearable feeling to manifest in Duke Yuan Que’s heart. He gave low yell and he took a step forward.
The incomparably hard and durable black profound stone was actually directly crushed underfoot. This single step seemed to step on the entire audience’s heart and it caused every single one of them to feel a jolt in their hearts.
“Purgatory Helix!”
Duke Yuan Que thrust his spear out and a column of spear energy that was thicker than three meters shot out, and it burned fiercely and carried a scorching hot storm which rent the air as it rushed towards Yun Che. Wherever this beam of spear energy passed, it would cause layer upon layer of cuts to appear on the black profound stone floor as it shaved off an inch of the black stone. If this were just ordinary earth, there would have been huge, deep trenches carved into the ground long ago .
Facing this spear thrust which exuded such a terrifying aura, Yun Che’s gaze grew concentrated and he grabbed up the Heaven Smiting Sword with both hands. The sword blade carried a tyrannical aura that it did not display before as it smashed down with a loud bang. This stroke of the sword, which did not look the least bit elegant, brought along a world-shaking energy explosion, and chaotic energy waves swept out and engulfed the arena as the floor beneath Yun Che’s feet instantly broke apart.
Booom…
The giant sword collided directly with the spear thrust and in an instant, all the sound in the world seemed to have been completely devoured and an extremely gigantic profound energy storm violently burst apart. A large area of the floor of Demon Imperial Hall broke apart and jade fragments swirled in the air.
Cries of alarm soon rang out and blanketed the area as the surrounding profound practitioners hurriedly shielded themselves with profound energy. There were a few people who received a heavy impact and were thrown out of their seats. There were also those who had weaker profound strengths, and this impact caused them internal injuries and they vomited blood on the spot.
The Little Demon Empress stood up as her brows sank, and with a flick of her voluminous grey sleeve, she immediately erected a wall of crimson flames taller than thirty-five meters that surrounded the arena. In the instance that the flames began to burn, the profound energy storm that was raging across the great hall was firmly confined within the circle of flames, and not even a trace of energy leaked out anymore.
The audience who were seated close to and around the arena recovered their calm, and once they turned back toward the arena, their gazes were filled with terror.
When Duke Yuan Que attacked, he had done so at full force. Even though his name had shaken the heavens for many years, the power that he displayed when he attacked was still beyond the imaginations of anyone who had witnessed it for the first time. This was especially so for the strong individuals from outside the Demon Imperial City, as they could scarcely believe this power had come from such a young person.
But even facing such an attack as this one… Yun Che could actually still met it!
Duke Yuan Que personally witnessed his own spear energy beam being destroyed with just one sword stroke from Yun Che… Only one sword stroke. Yun Che was still standing at his original position and his feet had not even retreated half a step. Before Duke Yuan Que even had the time to be shocked, a figure suddenly blurred into existence in front of him, and that vermillion greatsword had abruptly cleaved down right in front of him.
Duke Yuan Que’s pupils shrunk and the silver spear in his hand fiercely shot out, but before the spear could complete its movement, the spear slash had already collided with the Heaven Smiting Sword.
Scree!
To no one’s surprise, Duke Yuan Que’s spear beam was shattered by the Heaven Smiting Sword like so much thin glass, and it did not even create any resistance as the sword sailed through it with a loud explosion. Duke Yuan Que desperately poured all the profound energy in his body into the silver spear as he gritted his teeth and blocked the onrushing Heaving Smiting Sword.
Boom!!!
With a giant ring, the Heaven Smiting Sword heavily smashed into the horizontal section of the silver spear that was being held by Duke Yuan Que, and the silver spear immediately bent to a great degree. An incomparably violent heavy sword energy traveled from the silver spear directly into Duke Yuan Que’s body… In that instant, Duke Yuan Que’s gaze darkened, his entire body shook, and he felt as if all the bones in his body were going to shatter into fragments. He felt as if he was not receiving a blow from a sword, but instead a thirty thousand meter tall mountain had fiercely smashed into his body. He had been smashed with such force that he could only endure it for that instant and in the next moment, he fiercely shot through the air.
The boundaries of the arena had been set and once a competitor exceeded those boundaries, it would signal his defeat. The flying Duke Yuan Que widened his eyes and he let out a low roar that sounded like the howl of a wild beast. As he was flying, he thrust his spear towards the ground. The body of the spear sank deep into the ground and both his hands held onto the spear in a death grip while he forcibly slowed down the speed of his flying body. By the time his body had finally stopped, he was no further than one meter away from the boundary of the arena, and in front of him was an incomparably straight pitch black trench which stretched one hundred meters; the trench had been caused by his silver spear plowing into the ground.
That sword smash from Yun Che was so strong that he needed to fly at least five kilometers away before he could reduce the strength of that blow. Due to the fact that he could not leave the arena, he had to forcibly endure all of the energy of that attack, and it caused all the energy and blood in his body to fluctuate wildly. He calmed down his own agitated blood and energy flow, but his right hand, which held the silver spear, still trembled steadily, and his complexion looked incomparably awful.
Before this, he still had countless suspicions over how Yun Che had used a mere two sword moves to heavily injure Duke Hui Ye, given Duke Hui Ye’s power and his profound armor. Now that he had experienced the fearsomeness of Yun Che’s heavy sword, he had come to realize that Duke Hui Ye’s heavy injuries and crushing defeat were not the least bit unjustified. If not for the profound armor’s protection, it was highly possible that he could have just died miserably then and there.
Yun Che did not take advantage of the situation to pursue and attack his opponent; instead, his chest rose and fell violently. Today was the first day he had used truly used the Heaven Smiting Devil Slaying Sword in a real fight. The degree of strength it displayed had caused him to exclaim silently to himself in glee but the amount of physical and profound energy it took to handle this sword was more than ten times the amount he used to handle Dragon Fault. He came to the realization that even though he had shattered Duke Yuan Que’s spear energy with one slash and sent him flying with another, just these two slashes were enough to cause his body to experience a momentary feeling of emptiness… He was very clear that given his current physical and profound power, handling the Heaven Smiting Devil Slaying Sword was still a bit of a reach.
Even though it allowed him to display an incomparably huge and tyrannical might in the instant his sword struck, it also wore him down by a huge margin… it could completely be labeled as a form of disguised overdraft.
It looks like I still have to find a way to raise my profound strength as quickly as possible…. Yun Che thought silently.
Even though Yun Che was the clear winner of the last clash, he was also very aware that given his present condition, beating Duke Yuan Que would be no easy feat. After all, he was still at the peak of the sixth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm and his profound energy was extremely robust and solid. Even though he had been sent flying by Yun Che’s sword, the silver spear in his hand had resisted at least fifty percent of that blow’s strength, and that spear had never left his hand since the beginning.
Duke Yuan Que stood up and his complexion was extremely dark and gloomy. His eyes flashed for a moment, then, he suddenly grinded his teeth together. As if he had made some sort of resolution, he violently pulled the silver spear from the ground with his left hand while his right arm also made an abrupt flourish. Following a flash of black light, an entirely jet-black long spear appeared in his right hand.
“Ah? Two spears? Could it be that he wants to use two spears at the same time?”
Duke Yuan Que gave a huge roar and all the muscles in his body suddenly twitched strangely at the same time. The twitching began to increase in intensity, and following that, the sound of joints exploding rang through the air with a series of successive bangs and pops. At the same time, the already shocking aura that he exuded suddenly increased dramatically by several times.
An extremely intense profound energy flooded out to collide directly with him and this caused the charging Yun Che to take half a step backwards as his brows sank. The profound energy protecting his body began to make a series of chaotic popping and hissing noises… and it was just this explosive aura that nearly caused the profound energy protecting his body to be torn apart.
Duke Yuan Que’s aura still continued to rapidly strengthen, and at this moment, his forehead, the back of his hands, his arms, and his chest became layered with fine, dark gray scales; these scales looked like dragon scales.
Even though Duke Yuan Que had inherited a thin amount of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, his biological mother was the Chiyang Clan’s current Patriarch’s, Chiyang Bailie’s, own sister, so he had ninety percent of the Scorching Sunfire Dragon bloodline. Based on the thickness of his bloodline alone, Duke Yuan Que’s main bloodline was not that of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, but of the Scorching Sunfire Dragon’s instead!
Chapter 565 - Berserk
The silhouette of a huge flame dragon appeared behind Duke Yuan Que amidst the firelight. The image of the fire dragon that had appeared was wreathed in flames and its face was malevolent and twisted. It roared toward the sky and the cry it released contained endless wrath and despair, as if it was being tormented in the Nine Hells of Purgatory.
All the people who heard this dragon roar felt the energy and blood within their body uncontrollably dance in agitation, feeling like their blood was about to burst out of their pores. At this time, the rapidly-expanding aura around Duke Yuan Que finally came to a stop and the entire arena trembled under the weight of his terrifying aura.
“What… What… What is this strength? Duke Yuan Que’s aura actually doubled in power in this short span of time… No, it has more than doubled!” After looking at the current Duke Yuan Que, the entire audience was stunned into insensibility; at least ninety-nine percent of them had never heard of Duke Zhong Palace ever possessing this sort of ability.
“What… What is this?” Xiao Yun stood up as he exclaimed in shock. That terrible aura caused his heart to be filled with terror.
“This is a sort of special profound skill that can manifest when the Demon Emperor bloodline mixes with the Scorching Sunfire Dragon bloodline, and it has appeared many times in the history of the Demon Imperial City.” Yun Qinghong said with a grave expression on his face, “Using the power of the Golden Crow bloodline to ignite the Flame Dragon bloodline, all of one’s energy is gathered together and explosively rises for a short period of time. For a set period of time, the user can display a power that far exceeds the power he usually has. Duke Yuan Que’s current strength is more than double his normal strength when he is at full power. Moreover, he can now also use both of the Dragon Purgatory Double Spears at the same time; a pair of spears which can normally only be used one at a time.
“Then… then what can we do? Big Brother will be in danger,” Xiao Yun said anxiously.
Yun Qinghong remained silent and did not reply as his brows were tightly knit together.
This unique profound skill that was manifested from the mixing of the Golden Crow and Chiyang bloodlines, was known by extremely few people, even within Demon Imperial City itself. Because even though the amount of people in the Illusory Demon Royal Family who had both bloodlines mixed together was not considered few, the frequency with which this profound skill appeared was extremely low. Using the Golden Crow bloodline to ignite the Flame Dragon bloodline was originally a forbidden skill to begin with, because even though it allowed its user to have an explosive spike in power for a short period of time, this explosive spike would be followed by extremely serious consequences… For at least three months after the use of this skill, the user would be in an extremely weak state. It was also highly possible that irreversible damage would be done to the user because the profound veins and body of the user endured too heavy a burden from the usage of this skill.
Thus, this ability would only be activated in desperate situations.
As members of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, all of whom were immediately established at the summit of the Illusory Demon Realm from birth, whom possessed status and power that people of the realm would admire and look up to; what kind of desperate situations would they face in their life? So even though it was easy to use this skill, the majority of the people who had both the strength and ability to do so would have never use it even once in their lifetime.
But Duke Yuan Que had chosen to use this forbidden power, and even though it was clear that he was slightly deranged with anger, Yun Qinghong did not feel that it was too out of the norm. He had a high and noble status, was a duke who looked down on the entire realm, and he was a supreme genius who was ranked number two amongst the Illusory Demon Seven Scions. How could he tolerate losing in front of all the heroes of the realm, and how could he tolerate becoming the stepping stone of someone, who before this day, was a complete unknown?
“How can… this duke… lose to you?!!”
Duke Yuan Que held the silver spear in his right hand and the black spear in his left. All the dragons scales on his body rippled and all the muscles in his body bulged. The silhouette of the dragon behind him roared malevolently and the expression on his face looked like he was in an exceptional amount of pain. Duke Yuan Que lifted up both spears and gave a huge roar as he rushed towards Yun Che.
A scorching storm barrelled towards him but Yun Che met it with a slash of his sword…
“Overlord’s Fury!”
Boom!
Both of Duke Yuan Que’s spears added together still could not compare to the giant size of the Heaven Smiting Sword. When the Heaven Smiting Sword smashed against the dual silver and black spears, a loud ringing sound spread out across the arena. As the two opponents clashed together, the Black Profound Jade floor around them began to crack and break apart, forming a rapidly expanding spiderweb of cracks with them at the center.
The Duke Yuan Que that he was facing seemed to have become a completely different person. In the previous clash, his spear was bent with a single slash from Yun Che and even his body was sent flying. Right now, when he was wielding two spears at the same time, not only did the bodies of the spears refuse to bend in the slightest when they clashed with Yun Che’s sword, even his body did not retreat a single step. The vermilion Heaven Smiting Sword was being firmly pinned down and Yun Che’s feet sank deeply into the ground. As the black profound jade under his feet began to fracture completely, both his feet began sinking deeper and deeper into the ground…
This was the direct confrontation that favored Yun Che the most, but he was at present being firmly held back by Duke Yuan Que!
Bang!!
Both combatants abruptly separated and Yun Che’s body seemed like it was going to rise in the air when he suddenly barreled forward and smashed his sword towards Duke Yuan Que’s head. When both of Duke Yuan Que’s spears came out to meet that strike, Yun Che’s figure blurred, his true body appeared behind Duke Yuan Que as he used Star God’s Broken Shadow to get behind him, and he slashed heavily at Duke Yuan Que’s back.
Bang!!
The ground exploded and Duke Yuan Que was fiercely smashed into the floor, but he instantly bounced back up, thrusting his black spear forward while sweeping his silver spear across as he made his counterattack. Both his pupils revealed an ominous glint that was similar to the gaze of a vicious wolf.
Hm?
Yun Che’s heart faintly wavered because he was more than clear on the power of the attack he had just made. If an Overlord who was in the initial stage took this blow, even if that Overlord did not die, he would at least lose half his life. But it was clear that Duke Yuan Que did not suffer much injury and he could even immediately bounce back up and launch a counterattack… It was clear that even his energy and blood had not gone awry.
That explosive rise in profound strength… was clearly accompanied by the great bolstering of Duke Yuan Que’s defensive capabilities.
Yun Che swung his sword out to meet the attack.
Clang!!!
As both sword and spear collided, the extremely ear-piercing ring of metal practically tore through the roof. Yun Che’s body bent backwards and he was sent sliding across the ground for tens of meters. Then Duke Yuan Que, whose body had remained rooted throughout, let out a furious roar as he rushed forward, and the two spears which carried a ferocious aura swept forward together.
Bang! Boom! Clang! Boom…
The dual spears frenetically clashed with the heavy blade and as two tyrannical powers continued to crash against one another, the floor and the ceiling began to fracture, and fragmented jade fluttered in the air. The sound of gigantic forces crashing together was akin to the roar of the divine lightning from the ninth heaven crashing to the earth. The mere sound of this explosive and loud roar caused the blood and energy of all who were present to churn and surge.
Booooom….
As a profound energy storm began to rise up, the entire Demon Imperial Hall began to fiercely shake as the roof of the hall began to be covered with cracks which seemed to become longer and longer; it looked like it would cave in at any time.
The attribute of Yun Che’s profound energy was ‘Berserk’, and the weapon he used caused his attacks to be incomparably hard and fierce. After Duke Yuan Que had ignited his bloodline, his frantically swelling power urgently sought an outlet and every single one of his blows were as wild as a tsunami. So the combat between the people raged on and every clash of spear and sword was akin to two mountains colliding together.
The scene within the arena had rendered the entire audience completely dumbfounded and there were even some young disciples who had turned pale after receiving the impact from the soundwaves. They were completely convinced that if not for the barrier which the Little Demon Empress had set up, the overflowing energy would have instantly minced their insides, and they would have died on the spot with blood flowing from all seven facial orifices.
“This… Is this really a fight between two people of the younger generation?” A senior said with a face full of shock and terror. This fight was unfolding right before his very eyes, yet he just could not bring himself to believe what he was seeing. The person who said that was a grandmaster who reigned over one of the southeast regions of the Illusory Demon Realm.
“Duke Yuan Que’s profound strength suddenly increased by a huge amount so he most probably used some kind of secret art… But even so, Yun Che can actually still meet him blow for blow! This is simply too inconceivable!”
“Duke Yuan Que is at the sixth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm while Yun Che is only at the tenth level of the Sky Profound Realm. He is even lower than me by a whole realm, but the kind of might he is still displaying is so great that I wouldn’t even be able to meet a single one of his blows… Just where did his strength come from?!”
“However, it seems like Yun Che has been at a disadvantage from the start, and even though both of them appear to be in a deadlock, the one who has retreated has always been Yun Che. If Yun Che just gets a little careless, then it is possible that…”
Boom!!
Boom!!
Boom!!
In the blink of an eye, Yun Che and Duke Yuan Que had already clashed against each other for a more than one hundred exchanges. Sometimes they clashed in the air and sometimes they fought on the ground, and like two berserking savage vicious beasts, they clashed with incomparable intensity. Every single collision would shake the heavens and rend the earth as the power of these blows caused the world to tremble.
Duke Yuan Que derived all of his strength from the source that all profound practitioners did, profound power.
But no one would have thought that Yun Che only derived half of his strength from profound power… and it was a profound power that was heavily bolstered by the Evil God’s Profound Veins at that. The other half of his strength came from his own body and physical might!
After his profound power had gone wild, Duke Yuan Que was indeed fearsome, and when the two of them exchanged blows, Yun Che had become the one who was under constant pressure, though he did not fall behind. Yet, his expression still remained calm from start to finish, while Duke Yuan Que became more and more panicked with each successive strike.
He did not hesitate to activate his secret ability, having resolved himself to suffer from the extremely serious side effects, and it caused his strength to run wild. He had originally thought that with this, he would most definitely defeat Yun Che swiftly, and he also believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that killing Yun Che would be even easier. What was completely out of his calculations was that even though his strength had berserked to such an extent, he was only able to suppress Yun Che by a small margin. He resolutely grit his teeth and he attacked desperately, and every blow wildly released his full power as he intended to directly smash Yun Che into little fragments. Yet every single one of his blows had been blocked by Yun Che, and despite his finishing moves and his roars which shook the heavens, he simply could not blast aside that vermillion greatsword.
This kind of berserker state was caused by surging all of his profound energy in a concentrated burst and it was not something that could be maintained for too long.During this period, his body and profound veins had to endure an immense burden. The warping of his face and the pained expression were definitely not pretense.
At this point, he was beginning to feel his profound energy running empty as his entire body was wracked with pain and even his brain started to experience a faint but unending sensation of dizziness… But the Yun Che in front of him was still calm and unruffled, even though he had been suppressed throughout their exchange.
“Rarghhhh!” Duke Yuan Que’s eyes widened and all the blood vessels in his eyes popped out. He let out a roar that was filled with violence and pain, and both his spears swept forward at the same time, as if he wanted to ruthlessly smash Yun Che’s body into pieces. But along the howling of the wind brought by the sword, his spear force and energy were still firmly blocked. Yun Che’s heavy sword was locked with the two spears, and even though his chest rose and fell fiercely, his eyes were still as tranquil as still water. He looked at the Duke Yuan Que, who was gasping like a bull and had completely bloodshot eyes, and he suddenly gave a bland smile, “What’s the matter? Is that all you’ve got?”
Duke Yuan Que’s explosive increase in profound strength would most likely cause any profound practitioner to be filled with shock. However, it was not even something for which Yun Che would spare a glance. Berserking profound energy was a state with which Yun Che was all too familiar. From Evil Soul, to Burning Heart, and then to Purgatory.
An ability that caused one’s profound power to temporarily increase by two times was already something that was considered heaven-defying in the eyes of all the people.
But just from using the Evil God power’s lowest form, the Evil Soul state, Yun Che already increased his profound strength by two to three times.
Duke Yuan Que’s berserk status not only lasted for a short period of time, but it also brought along immense side-effects.
Yun Che, on the other hand, could now maintain the Burning Heart state at any and all times, and it did not even place any burden on him. Even the Purgatory state was something he could maintain for a relatively long period of time now, and as long as he did not overuse it, the only side-effect it brought about was accelerated exhaustion.
So for Duke Yuan Que to play his hand at causing his profound strength to go berserk in front of Yun Che… It was safe to say that Yun Che was not the least bit entertained.
At the same time, Yun Che was exceptionally clear about the consequences of causing one’s profound strength to go berserk. Initially when he had forcefully opened Evil Soul, Burning Heart, and Purgatory, the burden that his body and profound veins had to bear caused his body to feel like it was going to rip itself apart; that sensation was still fresh in his memory.
At the present time, he had the body of the Dragon God, the bloodline of the Phoenix, and he had been tempered by the energy of heaven and earth. Moreover, he had also survived the baptism of the spatial storm, so for him to bear the burden of a profound strength that was far beyond his current profound strength was something that did not create any pressure for him whatsoever. But if it were Duke Yuan Que… the most he could endure was one hundred breaths.
So right now, Duke Yuan Que’s strength and spirit seemed to have started collapsing.
“This cannot be… This cannot be! This duke’s current state… How can it not be enough to defeat you?!!”
Yun Che’s words and his confident expression were like one hundred thousand steel needles which pierced into Duke Yuan Que’s soul. He gave a wild howl and swept both of his spears across, sending Yun Che flying into the distance. His whole body ignited and the flames crazily swirled about, and the image of the dragon behind his back flickered into and out of existence before it let out a hoarse dragon roar filled with pain.
Bang, bang, bang…
All of the veins on Duke Yuan Que’s body swelled as parts of this dragon-scaled body bulged out grotesquely and parts of his skin cracked open, sending blood flying everywhere.
“Ah, he’s really going all out.” Looking at Duke Yuan Que’s present appearance, Yun Che grasped the Heaven Smiting Sword and positioned it in front of him. Even though his eyes were calm, his heart was definitely not relaxed. After having endured over a hundred of Duke Yuan Que’s explosive strikes, his energy consumption had been exceptionally enormous. Coupled with the fact that he had also used up quite a bit of energy over his last four fights, his present profound and physical strengths were not even at thirty percent of what they normally were.
Waiting after this was a far scarier opponent than Duke Yuan Que waiting for him, Hui Ran!
So it looked like he could not let this battle continue any longer and he needed to finish him as soon as possible.
Yun Che had originally planned to focus on defense, wait until Duke Yuan Que could no longer endure the burden on his body, and then defeat him. This method would consume a lot less energy and allow him to preserve more strength. But looking at Duke Yuan Que’s current state and seeing as how he continued to desperately fight with his life on the line, Yun Che had no choice but to once again reconsider.
“Ultimate… Sky Dragon Sunder!!”
All of Duke Yuan Que’s energy poured desperately into both of his spears and the black and silver long spears began to generate two profound energy storms. Both storms enfolded one another and they carried an aura which threatened to destroy the heavens and the earth. In an instant, the storm had engulfed the entire arena, and within the boundaries of the arena, which could only be described as ‘small and narrow,’ Yun Che was left with no way out.
This was simply Duke Yuan Que’s last stand, where he put everything on the line as he was about to fall into despair. Facing the all-out onslaught of the violently surging energy wave, a scarlet light flashed across Yun Che’s pupils.
“Pur… gatory!!”
Duke Yuan Que’s fearsome attack produced a change in everyone’s gaze and soul and all of the people in the audience strained their eyes wide as they prepared to see how Yun Che would deal with this attack. But at this time, everyone suddenly felt the aura around Yun Che’s body abruptly rise dramatically!
“Wha… What… Wha… What?!!” The dignified Patriarch of the Su Family, Su Xiangnan, looked at Yun Che and the cry that he inadvertently let out caused him to stumble over his words.
This match had been extremely intense and it had gone far beyond what anyone had anticipated. Even when Duke Yuan Que had used the forbidden ability and gained a massive power up, Yun Che was still able to hang on. From how everyone saw it, this was already a miracle that was beyond miracles. He was being suppressed by Duke Yuan Que with every move; everyone in the west wing was worried that Yun Che would suddenly be unable to withstand it and get smashed by a thrust of Duke Yuan Que’s spear.
But… what they would never ever have imagined was that under such conditions, Yun Che’s aura actually abruptly flared up tremendously… this was a pure and genuine spike in power! And the degree to which his power was increased far exceeded that of Duke Yuan Que. In just a short span of time, he completely covered the aura of power emitted by Duke Yuan Que after he had powered up.
Chapter 566 - Five Consecutive Victories
Duke Zhong, who was seated in the middle of the east wing, stood up suddenly and his face had become extremely warped with astonishment. In regards to Duke Yuan Que’s lack of hesitance in activating his forbidden art, he actually approved of it silently. As the young master of Duke Zhong Palace, if Duke Yuan Que was defeated, it also signified the defeat of the entire Duke Zhong Palace. Even though the side-effect of being weakened for three months as a result of using the forbidden bloodline art to completely crush Yun Che was serious, it was at least better than the consequence of falling in defeat.
Yet Duke Yuan Que, who had made his profound power go berserk, could not crush Yun Che under his feet, and this already caused Duke Zhong to feel ill at ease. At this moment, Yun Che’s aura suddenly expanded explosively and it shocked him to the point where he had nearly vomited blood on the spot.
This aura of power which explosively rose up and abruptly assaulted Duke Yuan Que caused the raging duke to suddenly grow sluggish, and even the spear aura he emitted grew gentler. Facing Duke Yuan Que’s all-out attack, Yun Che no longer went on the defensive; instead, he abruptly ran forward to face the attack head on and he sent a fierce ‘Falling Moon Sinking Star’ crashing forward.
Bang!!
The strength of the blow that came from Yun Che was much more tyrannical than that of his previous strike. The profound energy storm that had been raised by Duke Yuan Que’s dual spears crashed into it like a thousand foot wave crashing into a ten thousand foot tsunami, and in an instant, it was suppressed and devoured. An incomparably tyrannical and immense attack smashed into his dual spears before continuing onto his body.
An immense explosion ripped through the air as both his arms completely lost all sensation. His entire body was like a leaf fluttering in a storm as it flew over a great distance until he violently smashed into the roof of the Demon Imperial Hall. The Demon Imperial Hall shook greatly before his body smashed heavily into the floor, which caused the great hall to shake once again.
However, since he had been smashed high into the air, he was not sent flying out horizontally. When his body came to a standstill, it did not leave the boundary of the arena.
Duke Yuan Que looked incomparably pathetic as he propped himself up with both his spears and pulled himself upright amidst the shattered stones. All the energy and blood in his body were thrown into complete chaos, and the hands that gripped both spears were torn and dripping with blood. Because of the protection of his strong protective profound energy, this slash did not inflict much damage, but his already wavering belief had taken a huge hit.
While in the state of ‘Purgatory’, Yun Che had to bear an immense consumption of energy and burden on his body, so naturally he could not waste even half a second. Just as Duke Yuan Que stood up, he rushed in swiftly and sent his sword sweeping forward.
All the veins in Duke Yuan Que’s body were either swollen or torn, but a crazy, ominous glint suddenly flashed across his eyes. Every single dragon scale on his body swelled up greatly and ghastly blossoms of blood shot into the air…
“This duke… wants your life!!”
Both of Duke Yuan Que’s eyes had turned crimson and a few of his teeth were broken. He raised both his hands and with a low, pained roar, he unreservedly poured all the energy he had left into his spears. The silhouette of the dragon behind him shattered and the image of two fierce dragons appeared on the bodies of his spears; one of them silver, while the other, black.
“It is the finishing move of the Duke Zhong Palace, Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World!”
“Che’er, be careful!” Yun Qinghong swiftly shouted.
As one of the Duke Zhong Palace’s ultimate finishing moves, Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World was normally incredibly difficult for Duke Yuan Que to perform. For him to forcefully use this move when he was in such a state, one could well imagine the kind of burden he would have to endure. But at this moment, Duke Yuan Que’s spirit was on the verge of collapse, so why would he still care about the consequences?
After this move, if anything went wrong, there was even a possibility that his profound veins would be heavily injured.
But even with his current strength, it was still incomparably terrifying.
“Yun Che… go and die!! Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World!”
Both the silver and black fierce dragons flew from his spears and they fiercely snaked out as they intertwined and pierced the air. Before both dragons came close to Yun Che, he had already been pinned down by the impact of the assault, his clothes were swiftly torn into shreds, and he could barely even open his eyes.
This was truly a strong move… But this fellow had released this strength only after he had endured a heavy burden for a long period and his profound energy was nearly empty…
Was he tired of living?!
“Sealing Cloud Locking Sun!”
The Evil God barrier appeared for an instant, and the two fierce dragons were completely consumed by Yun Che’s barrier. The destructive power surged violently and erupted and the Evil God barrier was battered by the impact. A cutting sound filled Yun Che’s ears, and after three breaths, the Evil God barrier was finally broken, but ninety percent of the power of Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World had been reduced as well. Even though the remaining energy sent Yun Che flying for tens of meters, he had only sustained some light injuries.
“Ah, I can finally end it…” Yun Che wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, his figure blurred as it pierced through the sand that was flying all around, and he smashed his sword into the completely dazed Duke Yuan Que’s body.
Duke Yuan Que had already wagered all of his remaining energy in that single blow and there was not even a shred of profound energy left to protect his body. Yun Che’s sword at a mere two-tenths of its power caused his body to fly through the air like a sack of rotten meat.
Bang!
Duke Yuan Que’s body hit the floor heavily and his entire body was covered in blood. However, the injuries that Yun Che had caused were all internal injuries which either snapped muscle or fractured bone. The blood covering him was due to his body being unable to withstand the overbearing burden and rupturing.
A huge amount of fresh blood flowed from Duke Yuan Que’s head, body and the back of his hands. He lay still on the ground and his eyes were directed at the blurry ceiling of the great hall. They were dull and lifeless and it seemed as if he was in some extremely ephemeral dreamscape. He opened his mouth but no sound came out at all, and his consciousness completely flew away. His head rolled back as he thoroughly fainted dead away.
Duke Yuan Que had lost!
The entire hall had fallen into a dead silence and one could even hear the sound of a pin drop.
Not even Duke Zhong Palace made a move for a long time after seeing a bloodied and unconscious Duke Yuan Que lying on the ground… they had all been struck dumb.
“Big Brother… is simply too incredible! Big Brother, you are way too awesome!!”
A loud, emotional cry rang through the great hall, Xiao Yun was already dancing about excitedly as he wildly cheered until he lost his voice.
Xiao Yun’s cheers were like the spark that ignited the powder keg, and the entire Demon Emperor Hall exploded into sound.
“Yun Che won again… Yun Che actually won again!! My heavens! This is simply… simply… simply…”
“Duke Yuan Que used all of his power and displayed all of his finishing moves. He did not even hesitate to use a forbidden art. Even after Yun Che had fought four matches, and all four of his opponents were individuals who stood on the summit, whose names had shaken all of Illusory Demon Realm, Yun Che had still won each and every battle… he’s simply a monster!”
“I have personally witnessed the glorious ascension of a supreme genius today! For me to come to Demon Imperial City and see with my very eyes a genius that seems to have walked out of mythology, this competition… is enough to satisfy me for the rest of my life!”
“After his previous bouts, Yun Che’s name would definitely shake the heavens. But after this match, he has qualified himself to be recorded in the very annals of our Illusory Demon Realm’s history! Defeating five mid-stage Overlords with his strength only at the Sky Profound Realm has never been seen before in the history of Illusory Demon Realm, and it is likely that such a feat will never be seen again after.
“Good… Good!” Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou clasped their hands together and they were so moved that they could barely speak.
All the young disciples who were present had been stunned senseless. Any of them were peak existences amongst their peers, and normally, they were incomparably proud and arrogant. After witnessing that bitterly fierce battle, Yun Che’s extremely terrifying strength had caused every single one of them to be scared witless, even to the point where their courage had been completely torn to shreds. In front of such strength displayed by a person who was of a similar age, they felt that their power was not even at the standard where it could be displayed as a disgraceful sideshow.
When Su Zhizhan had fallen in defeat, the east wing still had a whole six competitors, while the west wing was only left with one. Furthermore, the strongest competitors left in the east wing consisted of Hui Ye, Yuan Que and Hui Ran, and any one of them could completely defeat Su Zhizhan. On the other hand, the west wing’s final combatant, Yun Che, had a profound strength that was so weak, everyone disregarded him.
All of those seated in the west wing thought that this match would end up exactly as they had originally predicted… either that or it would end up as a defeat that was even more miserable and humiliating than anticipated. But not a single one of them could have predicted that Yun Che would actually defeat Jiufang Yu, Xiao Donglai and Chiyang Yanwu…
To think that he would defeat the one who was ranked third amongst the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, the one who had both the bloodline of the Demon Emperor and the strongest profound art, Duke Hui Ye…
And to defeat yet another member of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, the second-ranked Duke Yuan Que, who had not even hesitated to use a forbidden profound skill!
Five consecutive victories!
Every single one of his matches had shaken the very soul of all who were watching. It was a string of five consecutive victories that had completely overturned all logic!
This was a series of five matches that would stir a huge commotion in the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Beside such a string of victories, all the previous defeats that had occurred on both sides had become woefully insignificant and all the previous victories were not worth mentioning. This series of matches looked like a competition but was actually a secret gamble between two large factions who were pitted against each other. It was a struggle between loyalty and ambition, but all of this had been overshadowed by Yun Che, who had become the sole protagonist as he drew all the attention and won the hearts of all those present.
When those seated in the west wing gazed toward Yun Che now, every single gaze was filled with a radiant splendor that had not existed before. The gathered elders of the Yun Family were filled with such emotion that they were either rendered speechless or they could not form coherent sentences. Regarding the matter of the ‘foster son’ that Yun Qinghong had taken in, originally everyone felt like it was inappropriate and they even despised him because his profound strength was too low. Only now did they realize that the Yun Family had actually picked up a huge treasure!
The unconscious Duke Yuan Que was carried out of the arena by the people from Duke Zhong Palace as they swiftly brought him out of the Demon Imperial Hall. If he did not receive medical attention soon, there was a very high chance that he would be crippled from then on. Duke Zhong did not leave with them, but the expressions on his and Duke Huai’s face had become grave and ugly… In each of Yun Che’s five matches, it was only after the match had concluded that they had realized how much they had underestimated Yun Che. This match was no exception!
From the conclusion of Yun Che’s third match onwards, Duke Huai had wanted to kill him. But right now, he had never ever felt such an intense desire for someone to immediately disappear from the face of the earth!
He had been shocked too many times by Yun Che and accompanying each shock carried with it an incomparably thick and heavy aura of danger.
He had no knowledge whatsoever of Yun Che’s true origins, the only thing that he did know was that Yun Che was only twenty-two years old… what was twenty-two years old? The son with whom he was most pleased, Hui Ran, the publicly acknowledged future number one in Illusory Demon Realm, definitely did not have such strength when he was twenty-two years old!
If he continued to mature, before long, he would even surpass Hui Ran! If he was allowed to completely develop in the future, he would completely transcend him.
Someone of this caliber was even a foster child of the Yun Family! Someone who stood on the side of his enemies!
Duke Zhong and Duke Huai exchanged glances, and they were both able to see the extremely intense killing intent in each other’s eyes.
Thump….
In the middle of the arena, Yun Che supported himself with his heavy sword as he gently knelt to the pockmarked ground. His entire body trembled faintly, and he continuously gasped for breath; the sound of each breath was extremely rough and heavy. His previous four battles, and especially the one with Hui Ye, had consumed a large amount of his energy. Furthermore, he had just crossed swords with Yuan Que for over one hundred rounds, and in the end, he had opened the gate of Purgatory. He had even activated ‘Sealing Cloud Locking Sun’ when he had activated Purgatory, so his energy consumption was incomparably immense. Now that he had relexed, he could feel a pressure that was as heavy as a mountain pressing down on his entire body. For him to even stand to his feet was an exceptionally difficult task.
“Ah? Big Brother!” After seeing Yun Che kneel on the ground, Yun Xiao’s heart tightened and he hurriedly exclaimed, “Father, hurry up and ask Big Brother to leave the stage! Big Brother has already fought five consecutive battles and it is simply not possible for him to continue fighting… Moreover, the only one left on the other side is the most fearsome Hui Ran!”
Hui Ran, the head of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, eighth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm. He was an existence that completely surpassed the rest of the young generation and he was the undisputed number one, described as ‘obscenely strong’ by those who lived in the Demon Imperial City.
Even though he, Hui Ye, and Yuan Que were grouped together in the top three ranks, his ability did not exceed Hui Ye and Yuan Que just by a little bit. Instead, it had surpassed theirs to the point where even if you added the strengths of Hui Ye and Yuan Que together, it would still be far behind the strength of Hui Ran.
Even though the strength that Yun Che had displayed in his five consecutive victories had shocked all who witnessed it, those who knew the true ability of Hui Ran would definitely not think that Yun Che was Hui Ran’s match.
More importantly, the Yun Che who had already fought five consecutive battles did not have much strength left.
“Patriarch, quickly… quickly get him to leave the stage!” The Yun Family great elder Yun Waitian said anxiously, “If Hui Ran takes the stage, given Duke Huai’s temperament, he will definitely get Hui Ran to deal a killing blow to Yun Che.”
“Patriarch, I have to concur! For Yun Che to be able to accomplish this much is already a great victory for our Yun Family! Right now, it is obvious that his strength is at an end and he needs to immediately leave the stage; if not, it will be too late. Given Hui Ran’s strength, if he wanted to kill the current Yun Che, he would only need the space of one breath! At that time, even if we were to try to intervene and save his life, it would be too late,” The second elder added hurriedly. Given the strength that Yun Che had displayed and his status as a foster child of the Yun Family, they had already realized that the fate of Yun Che was a huge matter that would likely concern the future of the entire Yun Family.
Yun Qinghong was naturally more worried than anyone else when it came to Yun Che’s safety. He swiftly sent a sound transmission to Yun Che, “Che’er, let Father represent you and renounce the final match of this competition.”
If he personally stepped in to renounce the match with Hui Ran, it would naturally protect Yun Che’s dignity to the greatest degree. But just as he had finished his sound transmission, he saw Yun Che tilting his head to look at him, and after that… Yun Che slowly shook his head. His entire face was covered in sweat and a fiery-red blush colored his face, but his eyes were as firm and resolute as iron.
Yun Qinghong’s heart felt like it been struck heavily. He did not stand up, nor did he make a sound. Even if all the elders stepped forward to urgently advise him, and even if all the Patriarchs and dukes seated in the west wing incessantly used their expressions and sound transmissions to implore him, he remained unmoving.
“Husband…” Mu Yurou grabbed Yun Qinghong’s arm, and the palm of her hand was deathly cold.
Instead, Yun Qinghong grasped her hand and whispered to her in a low and gentle, but resolute voice, “Yurou, this is Che’er’s own determination, we have no right to arbitrarily make a decision on his behalf… but do not worry, he is our son, and even if I have to put my life on the line, I will definitely not let him fall into some wicked scheme.”
But as he spoke, his other hand had already tightly clenched into a death grip, and a small cluster of frighteningly dense lightning was soundlessly gathering in the palm of his hand… if Hui Ran really attempted to murder Yun Che and Yun Che was not able to defend himself, even if he completely lost all of his standing and reputation, he would not hesitate to kill Hui Ran himself!
Chapter 567 - Original Win
Not only was it the west wing, where the Yun Family was located, the whole hall was filled with the sound of people yelling for Yun Che to immediately abandon the competition. The whole world knew how terrifying Hui Ran was. Not only was his skill abnormally high, he was also extremely brutal and violent. People who faced him in the past were either killed or crippled; even a serious injury was considered as getting off easy.
No one would be willing to see a genius getting crippled under the hands of Hui Ran.
Those who knew about Duke Huai’s ambitions were extremely sure that if Hui Ran fought, he would definitely kill Yun Che right in the arena… now that Yun Che had almost used up all of his profound energy, he was half-kneeling on the ground. It would be impossible for him to even have any means to struggle.
The attitude Duke Huai had earlier, as if he was in control of everything, and his slight smile had already long disappeared. Since Yun Che won the third round, his expression had begun to look uneasy, and now it was even worse. The reason he suggested the competition between the east wing and west wing was to expel the Yun Family completely from the lineup of the Guardian Families, and at the same time step all over the momentum and dignity of the forces that were loyal to the Little Demon Empress.
After Su Zhizhan lost, he was laughing loudly in his heart, because everything was going just as he planned. This scenario of stomping all over his opponent had already made him picture himself becoming the Demon Illusory Emperor.
But now, he could laugh no longer.
The scenario of them enjoying the pleasure of torturing the other party and dominating was crushed single-handedly by Yun Che in an instant.
His Duke Huai Palace’s young duke and Duke Zhong Palace’s young duke used all of their powers and played all of their trump cards. However, not only were they unable to kill Yun Che as they wished, they all lost miserably, and were seriously injured by Yun Che.
Even though with Hui Ran on their side, their east wing would still win in the end, their goal of completely demolishing their opponent had completely failed; instead, they increased the other party’s momentum, and they even increased the Yun Family’s momentum. Duke Huai, who always had everything under control, failed completely this time, and he even felt regretful. If he had another chance, he would absolutely not instigate this competition.
While the whole audience was shouting for Yun Che to give up the last round, Duke Huai secretly gnashed his teeth. If they didn’t “accidentally” kill Yun Che in the arena today, where it would be “perfectly justifiable”, then it would be even harder to kill Yun Che with him standing with the Yun Family’s and with the Little Demon Empress’s most solid protection come tomorrow. By then, this Yun Che, whose talent and potential struck fear into even himself, Duke Huai, would certainly become a poisonous thorn in his heart. He wouldn’t be able to eat, sleep, or be calm for each day it still existed.
But no matter how much the whole audience yelled, there wasn’t any sign of Yun Che surrendering. After he violently gasped for breath for a while, he grabbed onto the handle of his sword and stood up slowly. He looked at the east wing, and said without rush, “Isn’t there still another person? Why hasn’t he come out yet? Did you guys run out of people qualified to be sent out?”
Once Yun Che’s words were spoken, everyone in the west wing was shocked. Even Su Xiangnan couldn’t care about anything else and started yelling loudly, “Yun Che, you have fought enough, don’t take on the last round.”
Greatest Ambition Under Heaven yelled directly at Yun Qinghong, “Qinghong, why haven’t you pulled that boy down from there?!”
However, Yun Qinghong did not speak.
The Little Demon Empress’ crescent brows slightly slanted, then she suddenly opened her mouth and said, “Yun Che, the skill of the last person on the other side who has yet to come out yet is much stronger than you imagine. You have already fought for five rounds in a row, have exhausted most of your profound energy, and have almost no strength to go on. Are you sure you still want to fight the last battle?”
Yun Che said without any hesitation, “Even though my strength was greatly exhausted, I haven’t lost yet. And since I haven’t lost yet, of course I will keep fighting! I, Yun Che, have lost before in this life, but I have never voluntarily surrendered before!”
The Little Demon Empress’ crescent eyebrows locked tightly, and her eyes deeply showed a sign of warning, “You think your persistence is noble? Hmph! A true man knows when to resist and when to yield, when to advance and when to retreat. There is no value at all in depending only on a rash persistence. Most of the time, it is only an action of a foolish death wish!”
The reminder in the Little Demon Empress’ words were clear enough, but Yun Che grinned and said, “I, Yun Che… have never thought of myself as a foolish person! Little Demon Empress, who are you to say that I will definitely lose my last round?”
Even with facing the Little Demon Empress watching him intently, Yun Che wouldn’t back off at all. The Little Demon Empress stopped saying anything else, silently gave Yun Qinghong a look, and said softly, “If you insist, then go on ahead.”
Duke Huai, whose heart was originally filled with hatred and annoyance, was relieved. He stared at Yun Che viciously, and started laughing coldly in silence, “This boy’s gifts and potential are really shocking, but he’s young and reckless after all. He doesn’t give up when there’s a way out… and deliberately courts death!”
Yun Che is, after all, from outside of Demon Imperial City. It is very likely for him to be unaware of how scary Hui Ran’s strength was, so he dreamed of using the last of his energy to make one last-ditch effort… Having thought of this, Duke Huai’s eyebrow’s twitched again… Why didn’t Yun Qinghong come forward and forcefully pull Yun Che from the fight?
Was it possible, that Yun Che still has a trump card?
Duke Huai locked his eyebrows and thought deeply. From the overall strength Yun Che had displayed in these five matches, to the changes in his breathing, to his exhausted state for which it was absolutely impossible to be an act, he thought for a good while, but still couldn’t think of any possibility for Yun Che to beat Hui Ran.
Unless the sky suddenly dropped a fierce lightning while the two of them were fighting and killed Hui Ran.
At this moment, he suddenly noticed Yun Qinghong’s tightly held left fist. Even though Yun Qinghong had sealed his profound energy tightly in his palms, after Duke Huai scouted with his mind congealing, he was still able to clearly feel an extremely high density of lightning profound energy.
That explained it. This Yun Che was too proud and arrogant, Yun Qinghong was afraid that if he forcefully pulled him out of the competition, it would hurt his dignity, and he would resent him, so he wanted to take action and rescue Yun Che the instant he was in danger fighting against Hui Ran…
Duke Huai immediately started laughing coldly. Since he knew about Yun Qinghong’s actions, he had absolute confidence that he would be able to stop him before he rescued Yun Che… He would be stopping him from taking the liberty of interfering with the competition, and stopping him would be perfectly justifiable!
“Ran’er… Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!!”
Duke Huai sending three consecutive “kill him” sound transmissions to Duke Hui Ran in a deep voice showed how strong his murderous intent was. As Duke Hui Ran’s father, he naturally knew best of Hui Ran’s temper… he was naturally cruel and brutal, his greatest pleasure came from torturing his opponent, but at the same time, he was also extremely arrogant. He almost never truly took anyone seriously, and because of this personality, when he faced Yun Che, it was very possible that he would arrogantly give him time to regain his strength, and disdain fighting against someone who was exhausted.
Therefore, he reminded him by saying “kill him” three times.
Hui Ran’s eyelids twitched when he received Duke Huai’s sound transmission. He scoffed lightly between his nostrils, and stood up slowly. Step by step, he walked towards the arena without a hurry.
From the moment that he stood up, he attracted everyone’s attention, and became the center of attention. He didn’t release any profound energy aura, but the people who were watching him clearly felt an extremely heavy pressure.
The expression of the people in the west wing who knew well of Hui Ran’s strength had all become stiff… However, up to when Hui Ran was standing right in front of Yun Che, Yun Che still hadn’t made any sign of surrendering as they had hoped. Instead, he was standing straight, and he gazed right into Hui Ran’s eyes.
“Please… do not get killed.” The several great Patriarchs could only sigh heavily in their hearts.
Hui Ran stood in front of Yun Che. His slightly narrowed eyes were flickering with an extremely dangerous light. His body was already unusually tall, on top of that, every single one of his muscle were popping out. Just his figure alone already imposed a fearful pressure. Even though he didn’t release his aura, there was an invisible pressure, and it had already heavily pressured on Yun Che’s heart and soul.
“This guy’s strength is no weaker than than that Number One Under Heaven from the elven race,” Jasmine said coldly. “You are far weaker than him. Even if you were in your best condition, there is no question that you would lose fighting against him, let alone now when you only have ten percent of profound energy and strength left.”
“I am indeed not as strong as him,” Yun Che replied while gasping for his breath, “But that doesn’t mean… I can’t beat him today!”
Jasmine scoffed softly and said, “Under the rule of leaving the arena would count as a loss, it is indeed possible for you to beat him… but you will need enough luck!”
“My luck has never been bad.”
“Hmph.” Duke Hui Ran scoffed softly in contempt and arrogance. He crossed his arms over his chest, and looked at Yun Che indifferently, “Since you were able to beat this duke’s younger brother, you barely qualify to be this duke’s opponent. This duke had always disdained fighting against someone who had already almost used up all of their profound energy, but you… are even more not worthy for this duke to waste time on.”
He didn’t take out a weapon, pointed at Yun Che with one finger, and ticked his finger in contempt, “You can attack now.”
“Heh,” Yun Che laughed coldly, laughing with even more scorn, “As expected, you Duke Huai Palace people are only a bunch of trash who are just talk. Even though now I only have less than ten percent of my profound energy, it is enough to beat trash like you.”
With Hui Ran’s strength and prestige, he had never had anyone say anything like that to him from birth to now. No one ever had the ability or the guts to be so presumptuous in front of him. Duke Hui Ran’s eyes slowly narrowed. He didn’t get mad, he just smiled lightly, as a cold glare of brutality flashed deep in his eyes, “With just you?”
Suddenly, Duke Huai’s sound transmission was sent to his ears, “Stop chitchatting with him and kill him immediately!”
“Yes! With just me!”
Followed by a “clang”, Yun Che pulled out his heavy sword from the ground. A type of heavy yet insolent might was instantly released, and it made Hui Ran twitch his eyebrows slightly… but it merely made him twitch his eyebrows, it was still followed by a contempt wry smile.
Yun Che seemed to have not realized entirely that his strength was not enough to threaten Hui Ran at all. He raised his heavy sword and roared deeply, “Let me see how long you can stand under the attack of my sword! Haah!!”
Yun Che took a step, swung his heavy sword, and his whole person was as like an arrow shooting towards Hui Ran. His movement also made the expressions of everyone in the west wing extremely stiff. The several great Patriarchs had all stood up, and everyone’s expression was incredibly nervous. Even though Yun Qinghong didn’t stand up, his left hand had already been quietly placed in a horizontal pose before his body.
A wave of raging storm came head on, causing Hui Ran’s clothes to flutter and make noise. Even though Yun Che had exhausted most of his strength, the power of the heavy sword was still extremely fierce. However, this didn’t make Hui Ran show any expression of concern. He raised his right arm without hurry, and spread his fingers… he was actually going to catch Yun Che’s heavy sword in his palms. The corner of his mouth showed a disdainful light smile, “Heh, you’re overestimating yourself.”
Everyone in the hall clearly saw just how scary Yun Che’s heavy sword was before, and were even frightened by it. But no one thought that Hui Ran’s actions which seemed extremely careless were made because Hui Ran had a death wish… because with Hui Ran’s powers, he really had the ability to do so.
Hui Ran’s actions made Yun Che slightly locked his eyebrows. While he was shifting his position in extreme speed, he was closing in on Hui Ran. In a blink of eye, there was only six meters left of distance between them. At this moment, Yun Che’s figure suddenly slowed down slightly, and his eyes immediately released a mysterious, azure light. An azure dragon’s silhouette appeared and flashed behind Yun Che, followed by a prestigic, domineering dragon roar that shook the entire universe as it came from the sky.
“Dragon Soul Domain!!”
To keep his mind’s energy consumption to the minimum, this Dragon Soul Domain only cover up to thirty-three meters, but that dragon god cry which came from the Primordial Azure Dragon still sounded throughout the entire Demon Imperial City, and violently shook the heart and soul of everyone in this hall.
Especially the demon race who bore the bloodlines of beasts, under the dragon god cry of the king of all beasts, every one of them were shocked, and their souls involuntarily trembled. As a race of true dragons, everyone from the Chiyang Family expressed panic on their faces. Their dragon souls were agitated; they almost wanted to kneel on the ground and begin worshiping.
“This… This… What is that!!”
“It’s… a dragon cry?!”
A pair of azure eyes that were as deep as the sky and as bright as the stars opened up three feet above Yun Che’s head. Under the dragon cry which shook the skies and the terrorizing strength of the dragon soul, Duke Hui Ran’s whole body was trembling. His expression instantly became stiff, then was followed by a strong feeling of fear. His pupil showed rapid shrinking, and even his body appeared to be trembling slightly…
Even if Yun Che’s strength was far weaker than Hui Ran’s; even if Yun Che was already extremely exhausted, this soul deterrence came from the soul of the Dragon God… With Hui Ran’s powers, even if he had mental resistance, it was still impossible for him to defend at all, let alone now, when he wasn’t on guard at all!
“Purgatory!!”
Facing the powerful Hui Ran, even if he was sunk within the Dragon Soul Domain, Yun Che still had to be cautious. He gathered all of his powers, and the silhouette of the phoenix flickered and appeared on his body. The phoenix’s cry hissed in the sky as it used speed and power that was several times stronger than before, and violently attacked towards Hui Ran.
“Get down there… Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing!!”
In terms of strength, Hui Ran was hands down stronger than Yun Che, but when danger was approaching, he abruptly woken up a little as he reached out his arms difficulty, and blocked the front of his body… However, after thirty percent of him had woken up, the other seventy percents were of fear and the collapse of his faith. His defensive powers weren’t even at thirty percent of his usual. He was only able to brace himself for an instant, then got harshly knocked out under the violent shock of the Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing…
Yun Che was knocked backwards from the aftershock, but before he even landed, the Heaven Smiting Sword had already swung out once more. An azure wolf with scarlet flames tore through space, and ruthlessly attacked Hui Ran, who was still upside down in the air.
“Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash!!”
Like a meteor flying through the enormous Demon Imperial Hall, the Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing followed tightly by the Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash blew Duke Hui Ran’s whole body across half the Demon Imperial Hall, across the seats, causing him to crash severely into the eastern walls of the hall. Followed by a violent quake in the hall, Duke Hui Ran’s whole body was smashed into the east wall, as countless of cracks spread crazily.
Chapter 568 - Victory Round
Crack… crack…
In the enormous Demon Imperial Hall, there were more than ten thousand strong practitioners from all over the world, but besides the sound of the shattered jade falling from the wall, there weren’t any other traces of sound at all… not even the sound of breathing. Everyone in the Demon Imperial Hall had already stood up with their eyes widened, mouths opened, and it was uncertain just how many jaws had almost dropped onto the ground.
Even the Little Demon Empress had already stood up from her throne, and was staring blatantly at the Hui Ran who was smashed into the wall.
Closest to the arena, standing on its edge, the eyes of Duke Huai, who had already built up his power in preparation to stop Yun Qinghong from rescuing Yun Che, bulged out, and the corners of his mouth, eyebrows, and chin, were all twitching as if they were cramping… For someone who was able to make the Little Demon Empress hesitate to mobilize against, able to make more than sixty percent of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces abandon the Demon Emperor’s bloodline and turn to him, his manipulative manner and temperament were as imagined. But at this moment, his mind became completely chaotic and his face became crooked watching this scene.
The strength of this round of battle displayed an extreme disparity… the gap was even wider than in any of the other rounds. Hui Ran’s strength was already far stronger than Yun Che’s strength, and on top of that, Yun Che had fought five battles in a row, and his profound energy was greatly exhausted. The focus of the audience wasn’t on who would win the battle at all, but whether or not Yun Che could survive to the end…
The whole process of the two fighting hand to hand only lasted an instant…
That instant was so short that no one had been able to react yet…
And one of them was knocked away fiercely, flew directly out of the arena, and was smashed into the east wall of the Demon Imperial Hall.
According to the rules, falling outside the arena, also meant the end of this battle!
The one who was blown away instantly wasn’t Yun Che, but was the one whose strength was abnormally high, who could stomp Yun Che completely, the Hui Ran whom no one thought had any chance of losing!!
The scene that they saw, was no different from a dying little blade of grass suddenly knocking over a tall tree that had been rooted in the ground for ten thousand years… It was as mind blowing as the heavens and earth suddenly turning upside down.
“Big Brother… won…” Xiao Yun mumbled, as though he had lost his soul, then followed with an uncontrollably loud yell, “Big Brother won… Big Brother won!! Our Yun Family won!”
Xiao Yun’s loud, excited yelling brought everyone back from shock. At that instant, countless exclamations assembled into an earthshaking, loud soundwave.
“Yun Che won… It’s true… Yun Che won!!”
“Th-th-th… this is the most incredible thing that I have seen all my life!”
“Hui Ran lost… lost in only one move! Ahhhh… I cannot believe my own eyes, am I dreaming?!”
“This is impossible… Impossible! Who can tell me what happened, this is definitely impossible!!”
“Hui Ran was the last person from Duke Huai’s side. Yun Che won… that means, the end result is the Yun Family’s victory!!”
“Father… Hui Ran lost, and Yun Che won… We… actually… we won!” Su Zhizhan stuttered, his voice swayed, as if he was sleep talking.
“That’s… right.” Su Xiangnan nodded slowly, and his voice shivered heavily, “I believe no matter who it is, it would be impossible for anyone to expect this result. This Yun Che… what kind of god is he?”
The dignified Su Family Patriarch actually used the word “god” to describe Yun Che, but at this moment, it didn’t sound exaggerated or unsuitable at all to anyone in the Su Family.
“Unbelievable… unbelievable… it really is unbelievable.” Mu Feiyan said the word “unbelievable” three times in a row. This Mu Family Patriarch, who had lived for more than several hundred years, exhibited the emotion of “amazement” in his eyes, voice, and expression. He was just criticizing Yun Che earlier for being too young and rash, not knowing when to fight or yield, but he then realized that Yun Che knew exactly what he was doing. After he had reached a hundred years of age, he rarely misjudged anyone, but when it came to Yun Che, he kept underestimating over and over again…
Mu Yubai opened his mouth, and mumbled in a low voice, “This boy, where did this little monster come from…”
He had always been serious about being sworn brothers with Yun Che, but at this moment, he felt diffident in his heart. At first, he lowered himself at all costs and asked Yun Che himself to become sworn brothers. Half of it was because of his gratitude to him, and the other half was naturally because of his top medical skills which had cured Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou… If he got a brother like this, then it wouldn’t just be him getting a few more lives, it would benefit the entire Mu Family.
The reason why he was so adamant on getting what he wanted and was a bit forceful back then, was because he was, after all, the Mu Family’s young patriarch, and would soon become a true Patriarch of the Mu Family. He thought for sure that his background and ability was absolutely worthy enough. But now, after seeing Yun Che’s incredibly shocking skills, temperament, and boldness, on top of his medical skills that could amaze everyone under heaven… this Yun Che, who had all of these qualities, was only twenty-two years old!
Him at the same age would be beaten by Yun Che instantly by who knows how many city blocks.
Since he had accomplished this kind of achievement at the mere age of twenty-two, it made his future accomplishments even more unimaginable.
If someone said he would become the number one of the Illusory Demon Realm in the future, probably none of the people here who had witnessed everything today would doubt it.
Therefore, under Yun Che’s overly bright radiance, this dignified Mu Family’s young patriarch became unconfident about lowering himself and taking the initiative to ask to become sworn brothers…
“Such a character has actually appeared in our Demon Illusory Realm.” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven said in an impressed voice, “But unfortunately, he is Yun Qinghong’s adopted son. If he were their biological son, the Yun Family wouldn’t have any worries in the future… Firstly, Father originally thought that you overexaggerated, but in truth, Yun Che was even more impressive than you had described. This boy’s achievements in the future will definitely shake the heavens. On top of that, he is the savior of our Under Heaven Clan… You all should make friends with him more later on.”
All the brothers of the Under Heaven Clan were nodding their heads. Everyone’s eyes were still filled with deep shock and astonishment.
Yun Qinghong stood tall. The Yun Family’s elders who were behind him were already so riled up that they didn’t bother to take note of their image, and started yelling with the young disciples until they almost lost their voices. He didn’t yell, and didn’t rush into the arena. He gazed at Yun Che as tears welled up in his tiger eyes. He knew clearly… Everyone knew clearly, this result, wasn’t just as simple as an unimaginable miracle. He saved the Yun Family from its fate, saved all of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces who were loyal to the Little Demon Empress, and most importantly, he saved the momentum and dignity of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline.
He even gave Duke Huai’s people, who were originally incredibly cocky, a severe, heavy strike.
“Che’er, Father is proud of you!” Yun Qinghong said while smiling. He didn’t even look at Duke Huai… because there was no question that Duke Huai’s face must have looked extremely awful.
Duke Huai’s face awful-looking right then was not only awful, it was so crooked that it was hard to tell his facial features apart. The faces of Duke Zhong, other masters of various great Duke Palaces, and patriarchs from the east wing, all darkened to the color of a pot’s bottom. They stood there, gazing at each other, but none of them were able to say a word.
“Ahhhh!!”
Bang!!
The east wall of the hall suddenly exploded in a beast-like roar. Hui Ran jumped out with disheveled hair and a face full of blood, and rushed directly towards Yun Che with bloodshot eyes, “Bastard… this duke will kill you!!”
Even though Hui Ran looked extremely beaten down, his momentum was still incredibly shocking. After taking two sword attacks from Yun Che under the state of Dragon Soul Domain, not only did his profound energy not collapse, judging from the surface, he didn’t seem to have suffered from any serious injuries… Yun Che felt slightly cold in his heart. This Hui Ran’s strength was indeed unusual.
A profound storm with a raging aura struck. The Yun Family’s Great Elder Yun Waitian flew up, and immediately went in front of Yun Che to protect him. He roared furiously, “Hui Ran, what do you think you’re doing?!!”
At present, the entire Yun Family treated Yun Che like their precious treasure, how could they possibly let him get hurt?
No matter how strong Hui Ran was, it was impossible for him to be Yun Waitian’s match. Under the imposing aura of Yun Waitian, he was forced away immediately. Hui Ran was even angrier, as he roared furiously, “This bastard tricked me! With this duke’s ability, how is it possible for me to lose to this kind of trash… Yun Che, do you dare to fight this duke fairly?!”
Yun Family’s Second Elder Yun Duanshui also flew in front of Yun Che to protect him. He looked at Hui Ran, laughed coldly and said, “Hui Ran, a loss is a loss. No one here is blind. We all clearly saw everything. You are a dignified duke after all, and you can’t afford to lose? Hmph, aren’t you afraid of making your entire Duke Huai Palace the whole world’s laughingstock?”
“Shut up!” Hui Ran pointed his finger at Yun Che, and his whole body was shivering. This extremely arrogant person had never lost in his entire life. But today, under everyone’s eyes, he was blasted out of the arena by someone who was far weaker than himself, who had already exhausted most of his profound energy. He had never been humiliated like this ever in his whole life. “How could this duke possibly lose! Just now, it was clearly…”
“Enough!”
Duke Huai’s face was as calm as the surface of water. He scolded Hui Ran harshly, “Are you trying to humiliate our Duke Palace even more!? Back down immediately!”
“Father…” Duke Hui Ran’s face was cramping. Everyone’s gazes were like knives on his back. He held his fists tightly in reconciliation, looked at Yun Che viciously, and gnashed his teeth while he turned around to walk out of the arena. As soon as he got back to his seat, he spat out a mouthful of blood violently… Yun Che’s heavy sword wasn’t so easy to bear.
“Very well!” The Little Demon Empress walked down slowly. That face which seemed to always be cold revealed some relief in a moment of extreme rarity, “What a remarkable competition. Yun Che was only in the Sky Profound Realm, but he alone fought six battles in a row, and won consecutively against our Demon Imperial City’s six geniuses. It was eye-opening, even to this empress, very impressive!”
“According from the rules that were set before the competition, if the Yun Family loses, they will lose the title of Guardian Family. The Yun Family was originally on the edge of the cliff, but Yun Che turned the tide himself, and turned defeat into victory. Looks like even the heavens are on the Yun Family’s side!”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze slanted, swept across the east wing, and at last landed on Duke Huai, “Duke Huai, do you have anything else to say about this result?”
Before Duke Huai even spoken yet, Yun Che already said loudly, “Before Duke Huai says anything, may I remind Duke Huai… the wager that both of our sides had agreed to. Duke Huai, please don’t forget about it! If you win, our Yun Family leaves the Guardian Families. And if we win… heh! You all can shut up about our Yun Family’s business now. And… Helian, Chiyang, Nangong, Bai, Xiao, Lin, each of these families must submit two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family within a month! And you, Duke Huai, must turn in ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family within a month!”
The corners of Yun Che’s mouth arched, “Regarding this, we have the Little Demon Empress and everyone here as witnesses. You, Duke Huai, and the seven families agreed that easily… Duke Huai, I believe that you, as a dignified duke, wouldn’t go back on your words with everyone watching, right?”
After Yun Che finished speaking, the faces of everyone from the seven families all became the color of pig liver. This two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal was their lifeline, and even the Guardian Families that were on the peak of the Demon Illusory Realm would have to accumulate for hundreds of years to reach that amount. The reason that they followed Duke Huai’s lead and agreed to it, and let everyone witness, was because they were extremely sure that their side would absolutely not lose. This “bargaining chip” were merely there as a decoration.
And now, they lost…
If they really submitted two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, then it would be the same as destroying the hundred years of the family’s progress. As for the Yun Family who had gathered a few dozen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, it would be hard for them to not ascend. They absolutely could not accept this… but unfortunately this was the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony, where all the strong practitioners from the Illusory Demon Realm gathered. Ten thousand strong Illusory Demon practitioners were the most solid witnesses in the whole world. If they went back on their words, then it would essentially mean peeling off the skin of their faces in front of all the people under heaven, ruining the family’s prestige and reputation, and being despised and humiliated by everyone.
But at this moment, Duke Huai was not panicking at all; instead he smiled lightly, “Of course this duke did not forget. This competition was brought up originally by me. No matter win or loss, this duke would naturally accept calmly. We would definitely not be a sore loser, would definitely not go back on what we had promised, and shame our Duke Huai Palace. I believe all of the Guardian Families are like this as well.”
“But, you seemed to have completely misunderstood something.” Duke Huai’s eyes narrowed in half, and said without a hurry, “This competition was about the fate of the Yun Family. The people qualified to represent each side for the battle must be under the age of thirty-five, and they must also be from the Guardian Families and Illusory Demon Duke Palaces.”
After Duke Huai spoke, the expressions of the people in the west wing changed, and the eyes of the people in the east wing all brightened up. Duke Huai said with a smile, “Yun Qinghong, if this duke remembered correctly, this Yun Che is only a son that you adopted from somewhere else? Since he is only an adopted son, then that means he does not have the Yun Family’s bloodline… Since he does not have the Yun Family’s bloodline, then how is he qualified to represent the Yun Family for the battle!”
Chapter 569 - Moving a Boulder Only to Smash One’s Leg
“Duke Huai, what is the meaning of this!” Yan Zijing roared as he rose up.
“Could it be that this duke’s words weren’t clear enough?” Duke Huai laughed lightly, speaking in a carefree manner. “Yun Che is merely an adopted son who was taken in by Yun Qinghong, and is not an actual member of the Yun Family. I believe everyone present is very aware of this point. When all’s said and done, an adopted son is nothing but an outsider. How could he possess the qualifications to represent the Yun Family in this competition… especially in this Demon Imperial Hall, when it also concerns the huge matter of the fate of a Guardian Family!”
“Yun Che’s strength is indeed absolutely stunning, and everyone present has witnessed it for themselves. Although luck played an extremely large role when he defeated my son, Hui Ran, a loss is a loss, and our Duke Huai Palace will definitely not deny it. However, the one who defeated my son, Hui Ran, as well as the final six participants from our side, was Yun Che, not the Yun Family! Ultimately, he does not even qualify to participate in this competition! The six matches in which he participated were indeed splendid spars. However, they were merely spars. They were completely unrelated to this competition, which decides the fate of the Yun Family!!”
Duke Huai’s words were like pots of cold water pouring down, causing chills and silent hatred to simultaneously fill the bodies of everyone in the west wing seats. When Yun Che first stepped up for the match, a large number of them had thought of this point. Even several elders of the Yun Family had thought of using this reason to request for Yun Qinghong to replace Yun Che with the most talented disciple among the Yun Family’s youths. However, because of Yun Qinghong’s persistence, Yun Che still went up, and not a single person in the east wing seats voiced their objections… Someone whose strength was so weak to the point of being only at the Sky Profound Realm, was actually representing the Yun Family in battle; they couldn’t wait to see him make a fool out of himself, so why would they point out matters such as him not being a disciple of the Yun Family, and not having the qualifications to participate?
After that, with every subsequent match, everyone was given a ruthless shock by Yun Che. Seemingly everyone had unconsciously disregarded this problem.
Currently, when Duke Huai suddenly brought this up, it was as though the extremely excited and joyful people in the west wing seats, especially the members of the Yun Family, had their Achilles’ heels stepped on instantly… Although it was evident that Duke Huai was denying everything that just happened, the reasoning behind his denial was so substantial, it was basically impossible to refute. Even though Yun Che held the surname Yun, he wasn’t a disciple of the Yun Family. Moreover, he couldn’t be Yun Qinghong’s biological son, and was merely an “adopted son” whom he had just taken in. Indeed, he basically did not have the qualifications to represent the Yun Family in battle!
A session of the Demon Imperial Hall occurred every hundred years, and in every session, there would always be an exhibition competition held by the various Duke Palaces and the Twelve Guardian Families. Some of the troubles and ideological conflicts between the Families and Duke Palaces had always been settled through such competitions… This competition that concerned the Duke Palaces and Twelve Guardian Families could naturally only be entered by members of the Duke Palaces and the Twelve Guardian Families. Outsiders were definitely not allowed to step in, and given the level of strength the Duke Palaces and the Twelve Guardian Families possessed, outsiders basically did not have the abilities and the qualifications to intervene in the first place.
It was even more so when it came to an unprecedented huge matter that concerned the fate of the Yun Family.
Hence, Duke Huai’s words had truly stepped on their Achilles’ heel.
“Duke Huai, you’re clearly trying to deny it!” Su Xiangnan shouted out with a sharp voice. “Yun Che is Yun Qinghong’s adopted son. Since he is his adopted son, he is also considered a member of the Yun Family. Why can he not represent the Yun Family in battle?!”
Su Xiangnan’s words were deafening; however, his argument lacked confidence, no matter whose ears heard it. Sure enough, Duke Huai let out a bland laugh, “Heh, what a huge joke. Based on what Patriarch Su has said, in future competitions that are settled with displays of profound strength, this duke can casually find a few peerless experts, take them as my foster sons, and then have them represent my Duke Huai Palace in battle?! Hehe, what would be the point in the rankings of our various Duke Palaces and Twelve Guardian Families then? What would be the point in nurturing the next generation with all our might? We simply have to see who has the most godsons, and see whose godsons are more incredible, would that not be enough?”
“Patriarch Su, you actually approve to an outsider representing one of our Guardian Families or Duke Palaces in battle? Just how low do you place the dignity of our Duke Palaces and Guardian Families?!”
“You…” Su Xiangnan’s expression turned dark, but he was unable to refute in the slightest.
“Duke Huai, since you say that Yun Che does not have the qualifications, then why didn’t you say anything about it when he stepped into the arena? Why didn’t you prevent it then?!” Mu Yubai asked with a cold look.
“Why would this duke have to prevent it?” Duke Huai rebutted with a question. “To allow an outsider to represent the Yun Family in battle is such a laughable and foolish action. The Yun Family had made this decision, and it was the Yun Family’s foolishness for doing so, so they have to bear the consequences on their own. This duke wasn’t obligated to remind, nor prevent them from doing what they did.”
Mu Yubai’s face turned as dark as charcoal, and hatred silently filled his heart. However, he simply could not refute it. Every single person seated in the west wing gritted their teeth, as today, it could be said that they had experienced the feeling of ascending from hell to heaven, only to suddenly fall from the heavens back to hell. Now, there were merely sighs, resentment and desolation in their hearts. In comparison, the formerly ugly faces of the people seated in the east wing had completely disappeared. Every single one of their expressions were relaxed, and their scornful eyes even carried pity within them.
“Patriarch…” Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui turned around, and looked towards Yun Qinghong. Unconsciously, everyone in the west wing had looked towards Yun Qinghong as well.
Yun Qinghong had not spoken a single word the entire time, and at this moment, Yun Che, who had finally managed to stabilize his energy and blood flow after taking several deep breaths, held his Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword. Walking up between Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui who were protecting him, he faced Duke Huai, and said with an indifferent expression, “What Duke Huai has said is indeed correct. Without possessing the Yun Clan’s bloodline, and just based on the identity of an adopted son alone, that person indeed does not have the qualifications to represent the entirety of the one and only Yun Family in battle. However, Duke Huai, on what basis did you conclude that I’m not a son of the Yun Family?!”
Yun Che’s words caused Duke Huai to narrow his eyes, and laugh out loud right after. There were several people in the east wing who directly let out their laughter as well. When Yun Che voiced out these words, they were instantly able to guess Yun Che’s motive… Evidently, after landing in such a predicament, he was clearly being thick-skinned and trying to say that he was a member of the Yun Family. He might even make up a story in just a moment, and take out a few pieces of his so-called “evidence.”
If this was another family, such methods might have really caused them to feel uneasy; however, it just had to be the Yun Family he was talking about.
The Yun Family had a unique method to prove their own bloodline… the Profound Handle!
The Profound Handle was a bloodline power. Only people who possessed the Yun Family’s bloodline would have the power of the Profound Handle, with no exceptions! This type of bloodline power could only be passed on by males to the next generation, and it wouldn’t be inherited by females. Hence, sons of the Yun Family would definitely possess the Profound Handle.
Looking it from another way, people who could use the power of the Profound Handle would definitely be members of the Yun Family. This was common knowledge which everyone in the past ten thousand years of Demon Illusory Realm history knew.
Hence, to determine whether someone was actually a member of the Yun Family, there was only a need to see if that person could execute the power of the Profound Handle. If Yun Che could use the power of the Profound Handle, then he would definitely be a member of the Yun Family without question. If he couldn’t execute it, then he definitely wasn’t a member of the Yun Family, again without question!
Hence, in the eyes of Duke Huai, and the eyes of everyone else, if Yun Che wished to claim that he was a member of the Yun Family, it would simply be a joke.
“What? Could it be that you’re trying to tell this duke that you’re actually a member of the Yun Family? Hehehehe…” Duke Huai laughed with a very playful tone. “Then I wonder which elder of the Yun Family are you a son of? Or could it be that you’re actually an illegitimate child Yun Qinghong left behind somewhere outside, and this so-called ‘adopted son,’ is just a cover? Hahahaha!”
After saying that, Duke Huai had already begun to laugh out loud, and all of the Patriarchs in the east wing revealed mocking smiles as well.
Yun Che also began to laugh out loud, “Your highness, Duke Huai, you couldn’t be more correct. I am a son of the Yun Family, and I possess the truest and purest Yun Clan’s bloodline! Yun Qinghong is my biological father, exactly as you said!”
These words did not shock the entire audience, but they did still startle a few people. Mu Yubai slapped his forehead, and vexatiously said, “Haah, this little one is about to lose so much face this time. In this world, the hardest thing to fake is the Yun Family’s bloodline.”
The one with the most intense reaction was actually Mu Yurou. In the instant she heard Yun Che’s words, she grabbed onto Yun Qinghong’s hand, and tears began to uncontrollably well up in her eyes.
“Hahahaha…” Duke Huai wildly laughed for a long while, then was finally able to contain himself. Penetrating through his narrowed eye slits, his gaze landed on Yun Che, and a certain form of pleasure suddenly rose in his heart… Both of his sons were defeated by Yun Che, his plans completely crumbling was also because of Yun Che, and it brought about a huge backlash. Not only did he fail to humiliate and trample on the other party, he also boosted the other party’s morale greatly. His killing intent towards Yun Che rose; however, Hui Ye, Yuan Que, and Hui Ran were all unable to kill him. His hatred towards Yun Che was like a volcano which had seethed for a thousand years. At this moment, he finally found an opportunity to ruthlessly humiliate Yun Che, and Yun Che was actually the one who set up the opportunity on his own.
“Very well. Since you claim that you are a son of the Yun Family, and even the son of Yun Qinghong himself, why don’t you reveal your Profound Handle to this duke and to everyone present?”
“Profound Handle?” Yun Che’s brows slightly twitched.
“What? Looking at your expression, could it be that you don’t even know what a Profound Handle is? The Profound Handle is a bloodline power which is unique to the Yun Family. As long as one is a son of the Yun Family, he will definitely receive the inheritance of the Profound Handle. If you are able to reveal your Profound Handle, no one can deny your identity as a son of the Yun Family. As for the matter of you representing the Yun Family in battle, it will be perfectly justified as well. No matter if it is about banishing the Yun Family, or offering up the Purple Veined Divine Crystals, this duke will definitely not have the slightest bit of dissent. However, if you are unable to use the Profound Handle…”
Duke Huai’s eyes narrowed into a pair of even thinner slits, and both his gaze and voice turned especially cold, “If you’re unable to execute the Profound Handle, then, in the face of Little Demon Empress, and in the face of the heroes of the realm, posing as a member of a Guardian Family, and even moreso, the son of a Guardian Family’s Patriarch, do you know how large an offense that is?!”
“I have no interest in knowing that.” Yun Che took a step forward, and slowly stretched out his own arm. “I simply wish to remind Duke Huai that you had best not forget the words you have just said!”
Yun Che pulled up his sleeves, and revealed his left arm, “That’s right. The Profound Handle is the best way to prove our identities as members of the Yun Family. It can’t be faked, nor can it be imitated! Duke Huai, you’d best open your eyes wide… and watch carefully!!”
When Yun Che’s voice fell, under everyone’s attentive gaze, “Purgatory” silently activated, and on his arm, a cyan sword-shaped mark suddenly flashed.
The moment this mark appeared, everyone in the Yun Family suddenly trembled, “That… That is…”
Following after, Yun Che willed his thoughts. A ray of deep cyan light shot out from the mark, and floated next to him. Right after, it quickly turned into the shape of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword as he willed it. A unique aura that could only belong to a Profound Handle was spreading outwards at a quick rate as well, filling the entire Demon Imperial Hall.
“Profound… Profound Handle!!” Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui who were behind Yun Che, lost control of their voices at the same time and shouted.
At the moment the Profound Handle appeared, Duke Huai’s expression had turned incomparably stiff. His pupils severely shrank, as though they had suddenly been pierced by needles.
Chapter 570 - Son of the Yun Family
WHOAA——
The Demon Imperial Hall was completely thrown into an uproar. The many elders and disciples of the Yun Family all stood up, and every single one of their eyes were widened until they were round, seemingly thinking that an illusion had appeared in front of them. “Profound Handle, it’s the Profound Handle… It’s our Yun Family’s Profound Handle!”
“What’s… What’s going on here? Could it be that Yun Che is really our Yun Family’s…”
“It’s hard to believe, but that’s an actual Profound Handle! If he isn’t a member of our Yun Family, how could he possess the Profound Handle… And it’s even the powerful cyan Profound Handle!”
“He’s… he’s… he’s really a member of our Yun Family!” A Yun Family elder roared out loud out of excitement.
“That’s… That’s impossible!” The expressions of Duke Zhong, Helian Kuang, Jiufang Kui, Chiyang Bailie, and everyone else underwent a drastic change. They stared at the Profound Handle in front of Yun Che, and they could not believe their own eyes. Their assured and cold smiles earlier, had been replaced by shock, and fear that came right after. They deeply knew what kind of outcome would occur if Yun Che was truly a member of the Yun Family.
However, Yun Che… this adopted son whom Yun Qinghong had taken in, was someone who had clearly only arrived at Demon Imperial City for the first time three months ago, so how could he possibly be a son of the Yun Family?! Three months ago, no one had heard of this person’s existence, and even Duke Huai was unable to find any clues of his background. Even his profound arts and profound skills were all completely unrelated to the Yun Family. Not to mention, looking at the expressions of everyone in the Yun Family, they did not know that he was someone from their family either.
However, the Profound Handle Yun Che released, just had to be the most indisputable proof. The Yun Family’s Profound Handle was second to none, and even if its outer appearance could be imitated using profound energy, the bloodline aura and the power of the Profound Handle that belonged solely to the Yun Family could never be imitated, no matter what.
The entire hall was thrown into a complete uproar. This single day seemed to have the most ups and downs out of any day in their entire lives. Their nerves, which should have been incomparably resilient, were seemingly in a complete mess under the constant shocks they received. They felt that even if it were a dream, it wouldn’t be as unbelievable, and it wouldn’t have as many twists and turns as today.
Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui, who were behind Yun Che, had completely lost their usually calm demeanor. Out of excitement, they were unable to breathe properly, to the point that it seemed like they could burst into tears. Although it was a huge surprise that left some questions unanswered, the Profound Handle was the most solid proof in the world. As Elders of the Yun Family, they couldn’t mistake the Profound Handle, no matter what.
Facing Yun Che’s Profound Handle, they were unable to contain their excitement. This definitely did not merely signify a complete victory for the Yun Family today… Yun Che being Yun Qinghong’s adopted son and Yun Che being a pure and true member of the Yun Family, were two concepts as different as heaven and earth! The current generation of the Yun Family was in an unbearable state of decline. They were ranked the lowest out of the Twelve Guardian Families, and the decline in strength was even intensifying. But now that Yun Che was in the Yun Family, why would there still be a need to worry about being unable to flourish and prosper in the future?!
“Duke Huai, you can’t possibly not recognize our Yun Family’s Profound Handle, right?” The corner of Yun Che’s lips were raised as he looked straight at Duke Huai and said. Although his expression looked relaxed, in actual fact, he was struggling very hard to maintain his composure. Since he was going to reveal his own Profound Handle in front of the heroes of the realm, then naturally, he had to reveal his Profound Handle at its peak condition! His grandfather Yun Canghai held the cyan Profound Handle, and his father held the cyan Profound Handle as well. Then, as the grandson of Yun Canghai, and the son of Yun Qinghong, how could he allow others to shame him when he executed the Profound Handle, the soul of the Yun Family?
His current peak condition for his Profound Handle, was cyan. And to reach the cyan Profound Handle, he had to be in the “Purgatory” state.
Hence, with every second of maintaining the cyan Profound Handle, his body had to endure a gigantic burden. Thus, when he finished voicing his question, he lightly waved his arm, and his Profound Handle transformed into a ray of cyan flowing light which flew back into Yun Che’s arm.
Duke Huai’s expression could be still be considered calm; however, his lips were clearly quivering, if only a little. Facing Yun Che’s question, he, who usually had everything in the palm of his hand, was actually unable to utter anything for a moment.
Before this Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, he had done extensive planning and made sufficient preparations; he was even prepared to truly advance his ambitions on this day. Pointing his spearhead at the Yun Family in the beginning of the ceremony was the first step, causing a huge impact to all of the opposing Guardian Families and Duke Palaces was the second step…
He had initially thought that he was guiding and controlling everything stably. However, he suddenly realized at this moment that the situation had never been in his control. Everything, including Duke Huai himself, had clearly been guided by this youth in before his eyes!
From the moment he leapt out and shouted that he wanted to take part in the competition, to making use of his sharp tongue to coerce them into making a “wager”, to beating six people consecutively with just the power of a single man after everyone had believed that the west wing was about to suffer a terrible defeat… and again, to this moment, when he suddenly revealed his Profound Handle!!
Duke Huai was completely certain that he had foreseen that after defeating Hui Ran in battle, he himself would shout out that he did not possess the Profound Handle, and thus did not have the qualifications to represent the Yun Family. At the same time, he had even shouted that if he was a son of the Yun Family, then he would no longer have any qualms towards this “wager”.
In regards to sons of the Yun Family, the power of the Profound Handle was a huge form of support. However, in the six consecutive battles that he had fought, he basically did not make use of it. The reason why was clearly to lead him into saying these words, so that he would no longer have even the slightest of room to maneuver in.
Duke Huai was conceited ever since he was born. In his entire life, this was first time he felt that he was being treated like a monkey by someone else, and being played like one! And that someone was even a youth who was merely twenty-two years old!
This was first time he experienced the so-called “intestines turning green out of regret”, and “losing both his wife and soldiers”. For the matter of targeting the Yun Family, he had the support of seven Guardian Families and sixty Duke Palaces on his side. He was holding onto a stable upper hand in the first place; however, because of wanting to step on the opposing party’s morale and pride, he brought up the suggestion of a duel between both sides to decide the fate of the Yun Family… Only to result to such an outcome.
No matter whether it was about targeting the Yun Family or ruthlessly stepping on the opposing party’s morale, he should have succeeded in both of them. However, within his plans, a variable that was completely not included in his predictions had appeared… Yun Che.
Currently, facing Yun Che who was giving a light smile, an ice-cold intent actually rose in Duke Huai’s heart. Never would he have dreamt that the first person to ever cause his heart to skip a beat was actually a youth who was merely twenty-two years old.
To drive out the Yun Family… he had plotted and prepared for a long time, yet he suffered a terrible defeat in the first step he executed in the Hundred Year Reign Ceremony due to Yun Che, and his next plan to ruthlessly step on the opposing party’s morale had instead received several times the opposite effect… He aided in the rise of the opposing party, and had caused a backlash to his own side instead!
The seven Guardian Families had to each offer up two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, while he himself had to offer up exactly ten kilograms… It had even turned from a joke, to an encroaching nightmare!
Duke Huai gritted his teeth, and his chest swelled up as he forcefully calmed himself. Suddenly, he turned his head, looked towards Yun Qinghong, and sharply said, “Yun Qinghong, what’s going on here?!”
When these words of his fell, several people were startled. Following after, their expressions turned strange. Under this situation, he did not reply Yun Che, but instead, had suddenly gone to interrogate Yun Qinghong on “what was going on”. No matter who it was, he could clearly see that currently, Duke Huai had completely lost his cool and his mind was in a mess.
Yun Qinghong lightly smiled, and said in leisurely manner, “As you have seen for yourself, what he displayed earlier is the power of the Profound Handle of my Yun Family. Duke Huai, being so close to him, you couldn’t have not recognized it, right?”
“That’s impossible!” Duke Huai growled. “This person basically never once existed in your Yun Family! His first appearance in Demon Imperial City was even just three months ago… So how could he be someone from your Yun Family?!”
“I am not obligated to explain this to you,” Yun Qinghong lightly said. “Nor is there a need for me to argue with you. Earlier, you have said it yourself as well, the Profound Handle is the most indisputable proof to identify a member of the Yun Family. As to whether he is a member of our Yun Family or not, you should be extremely clear of that in your heart right now. But there’s one point, that I can tell you as an exception… Not only is Yun Che a son of my Yun Family, he is also the biological son of me, Yun Qinghong, and the future Patriarch of the Yun Family!”
When these words fell, it was as if a thunderclap had been thrown into the Demon Imperial Hall which had finally managed to quiet down, for it instantly sank under the surging waves of voices.
“Yun Che, is the son of the Yun Family Patriarch, th-th-this…”
“What kind of figure is the Yun Patriarch? He spoke these words in the face of Little Demon Empress, and in the face of the heroes of the realm, so how could it be false?!”
“Back then, everyone had suspicions in regards to the identity of Yun Xiao from the Yun Family. Patriarch Yun did not make any sort of response towards all of these suspicions. He did not admit, nor deny it. But when he said that Yun Che was his biological son in the face of the entire audience, his eyes were brightly lit, and his voice was absolutely resounding… No matter how you look at it, it doesn’t seem fake.”
“After a careful thought, it really isn’t hard to accept either. Although Yun Che had completely taken the spotlight today, he had completely offended Duke Huai, offended seven Guardian Families and sixty Duke Palaces! If he’s merely an adopted son, how could he possibly persist to such degree?! It’s because he is a son of the Yun Family, and even moreso, the son of Yun Qinghong… Other than Yun Canghai’s grandson and Yun Qinghong’s son, among the Yun Family, whose descendant would have such talent, strength, and boldness?!”
“Could it be that Yun Che is an illegitimate child Yun Qinghong conceived outside?”
“No, no! Yun Qinghong’s character is incomparably upright. Openly having a concubine might be a possibility, but it’s definitely impossible for him to conduct acts such as tainting other women in the dark. Twenty odd years ago, when Yun Qinghong and his wife returned from the Sky Profound Continent, because their bodies suffered from severe injuries, they invited many famous doctors in the entire world. According to the rumors of those famous doctors, Madam Yun was poisoned while pregnant. In order to protect the infant in her womb, she forcefully pushed the cold poison into her own five organs… which thus caused the cold poison to spread throughout her entire body, and was unable to be cured. In other words, back then, Madam Yun had indeed gave birth to a child for Yun Qinghong… And the matter of Yun Xiao not possessing the Profound Handle is known by everyone as well…”
“In other words… Because Patriarch Yun was worried of the Yun Family’s predicament back then, he purposefully hid his son, or perhaps searched for an incredible teacher for him… while the Yun Xiao he brought back was just a cover?”
“It’s extremely possible!!”
Countless exclamations, discussions and guesses filled every corner of the hall. The group which was the most shocked was undoubtedly the people from the Yun Family. The fact that Yun Che possessed the Yun Family bloodline and was a son of their Yun Family, was already enough to allow everyone to be overjoyed. But if he was the son of Yun Qinghong… Then that would even more so a joyous gift sent down by heavens for the Yun Family! Because this signified that the bloodline of the Yun Family’s Patriarch had not been severed!
The many Elders and Grand Elders of the Yun Family naturally deeply knew what kind of character Yun Qinghong had. In such an occasion, using such a tone, how could the words he shouted out be fake?!
“Huu… This scenario is really too bizarre,” Su Xiangnan heaved a long sigh, unable to voice out his emotions.
“Yun Canghai’s grandson, Yun Qinghong’s son… No wonder, no wonder…” Greatest Ambition Under Heavens nodded, a little startled. The role of the Yun Family’s Patriarch had been passed down from one generation to another, and in every generation, he would definitely be a dragon among men, an emperor among dragons, with no exceptions.
“The Yun Family is really going to once again rise into prominence,” Yan Zijin said with a sigh.
Old man Mu Feiyan had been sitting there with a blank look for a long while. As though he had been suddenly woken up from a dream, he stood up with a “whoosh”, and his beard wildly quivered from excitement. “Could it be… Could it be… he’s the child that Rou’er lost… in the Sky Profound Continent…?”
Back then, the encounters which Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou had in the Sky Profound Continent, especially the matter regarding the child, were not known by a single outsider. However, as Mu Yurou’s father, how could he not be aware of it?
“There’s definitely no mistake!” Mu Yuqing said out of excitement as well. “He possesses the Yun Family’s bloodline, brother-in-law has personally admitted it, and the eyes little sister is looking at him with… and most importantly, other than little sister’s son and our old man’s grandson, whose child could be this talented?!”
With Mu Feiyan’s several hundreds of years of age, he had always been dismissive towards his three sons’ boot-licking talk. However, Mu Yuqing’s flattery this time had actually made Mu Feiyan ecstatic. His upper body leaned forward, and his hands trembled. “That’s right… Rou’er’s child, my grandson… Ha… Hahahaha… This is my grandson… My biological grandson!!”
“So this kid is actually our nephew!” Even Mu Yukong was grinning from ear to ear in excitement. However, when he turned his head, he saw Mu Yubai was covering his face with both his hands, and his head was seemingly about to droop towards his crotch. With widened eyes, he gave him a slap. “Hey, big bro! Our little sis’ son is back. He’s our biological nephew, you know… What’s with this reaction of yours?”
“Heheh,” Mu Yuqing laughed gloatingly. “Before this, our big bro has been shouting and screaming about being sworn brothers with our nephew…”
“Shut up!” Mu Yubai landed a kick on Mu Yuqing’s buttocks. “Whoever dares to bring this matter up again will be beaten to a pulp by this daddy here!”
Chapter 571 - Great Condemnation of the Seven Families (1)
“Yun Qinghong, your so-called ‘son’… Where did he come from?!” Duke Huai roared out with a solemn tone.
Yun Qinghong lightly snorted. “This is my family matter, so there isn’t a need to explain to you, Duke Huai. It doesn’t matter even if you don’t believe that he’s my son either, but my son Yun Che has already clearly displayed the power of his Profound Handle, and has proven that he’s a true member of the Yun Family! He naturally, and absolutely has the qualifications to represent the Yun Family in battle!”
“The reason why you, Duke Huai, couldn’t accept your defeat no longer exists!”
“In this battle, the twelve participants from your side were defeated, while my side’s Yun Che stood till the very end. The victory of this duel which decides the fate of my Yun Family, belongs to our side! Though it was a close victory, we have won fair and square, staying true to our name!”
Though Yun Qinghong’s expression looked calm, his gaze was like that of a hawk, and his words could shake one’s heart. With every word he spoke, the expressions of the people from the various families and Duke Palaces of the opposite side would darken. Yun Qinghong’s gaze swept through the opposing party, and he said lightly, “According to the agreement made before the duel, if we come out victorious, the Yun Family would continue to keep the title of Guardian Family, and you, the seven great Families of the Helian Family, Jiufang Family, Chiyang Family, Nangong Family, Xiao Family, Bai Family and Lin Family, and sixty Duke Palaces will never bring up the matter of banishing our Yun Family again! In addition, the seven great families will each have to each submit two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family respectively within the span of one month.”
“While you, Duke Huai, within a span of a month, have to submit ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family!”
“This is the agreement that both sides made before the duel, and all of you have personally assured it!”
“The Little Demon Empress can testify to this, and the heroes of the realm can testify to this as well!”
“Do you people still have any objections regarding this result… and of course, they would have to be justified objections.”
Yun Qinghong’s words caused the expressions of the seven great families to turn incomparably ugly. Until now, they were still unable to accept the huge difference, from clearly being the side with greater absolute strength, to suddenly being stepped on by the opposing party’s feet. Duke Huai’s expression was ashen, and he did not speak for a long while. However, in the dark, with profound sound transmissions, he was currently transmitting his voice to several people at the same time.
The Little Demon Empress swept her eyes at the hall, and slowly said. “The Hundred Year Reign Ceremony is held every hundred years, and in every session, a duel between dragons and tigers will always take place. However, there had never been one as fantastic as this.”
The Little Demon Empress’ brows gently sank, and her voice carried a slight cold intent. “Regarding the removal the Yun Family’s title of a Guardian Family, this empress has never wished for it to occur in the first place! This result is the joy of the Yun Family, and follows the will of this empress as well. Though Yun Che is still of young age, he possesses peerless talent, astonishing strength, and extraordinary courage. His performance today was even more so stunning and matchless! His background and origin are of no importance. Since he is the son of Patriarch Yun, then that would be the joy of the Yun Family, and also the fortune of my Illusory Demon Royal Family! In the future, he will definitely become a pillar of my Illusory Demon Realm!”
“Duke Baoqing, where are you!”
From the western wing, a man with a bland expression and simple dress slowly came forward and respectfully said, “Little Demon Empress, please provide me your instructions.”
Although this Duke Baoqing was similarly a duke, his dress and demeanor did not display the slightest trace of extravagance. When he walked, a very thick medicinal scent was exuded by his body. Duke Baoqing Palace was a unique existence among the many Duke Palaces, because their ability and responsibility laid in refining pellets and medicine. As history told, they had listened solely to the Demon Emperor’s orders. Those wondrous pellets and medicine which could shake the Illusory Demon Realm had mostly come from the Duke Baoqing Palace. The resources that were distributed to the various Guardian Families and Duke Palaces every year had mostly come from the Duke Baoqing Palace as well.
The people of the Duke Baoqing Palace had always dedicated their lives wholeheartedly to refining medicine, while their profound strengths were a secondary priority. Because of this, they all possessed bland and clear hearts, without any greed or ambition. Hence, even though Duke Huai wished that he could have the Duke Baoqing Palace submit to him in his dreams, he had never rashly tried to rope them in.
“Has the Overlord Pellet been refined yet this time?” Little Demon Empress asked coldly.
“When the two words ‘Overlord Pellet’ were spoken, the expressions of even the people of the various great Guardian Families and Duke Palaces changed. As for the people that came from outside Demon Imperial City, all of their eyes had instantly rounded widely. Those expressions were as though they heard of the name of a heavenly divine pellet.
Duke Baoqing said with a bow, “In reply to the Little Demon Empress; three months ago, the Overlord Pellet this time had already been refined to completion. Its purity is of ninety percent, and will not cause the loss of life.”
“Very good,” the Little Demon Empress nodded. “The Overlord Pellet this time shall be bestowed to Yun Che of the Yun Family then. I believe no one has any objections to this decision.”
“Yes. The height of Yun Che’s talent is rarely seen in a thousand years, and as the son of Patriarch Yun, he will be the future Patriarch of the Yun Family. Though he has only just returned to the Yun Family, his stunning performance has even brought about admiration from this elder’s heart. In the future, he will definitely be a pillar of Illusory Demon Realm. Bestowing this Overlord Pellet to Yun Che cannot be more fitting,” Duke Baoqing respectfully replied. Evidently, his thoughts were completely alike those of the Little Demon Empress.
With Yun Che’s performance today, and Yun Qinghong personally admitting his identity, the bestowal of this Overlord Pellet could be said to be rightfully deserved. The hearts of everyone in the hall were incomparably envious, yet they knew that Yun Che was the person who definitely had the most qualification to receive it.
The Little Demon Empress’ words had caused the expressions of the people within the seven Great Families and the many Duke Palaces of the east wing to turn extremely ugly… The preciousness of the Overlord Pellet was known by the entire world. Its refinement process was extremely difficult, and the Duke Baoqing Palace had to spent fifty years on average to refine a single pellet. Not to mention, its effects were naturally incredible to an incomparable degree… Once a profound practitioner reached the peak of the Emperor Profound, as long as he took an Overlord Pellet, he could immediately break through the bottleneck of the Tyrant Profound Realm, and easily achieve the level of an Overlord!
This was also the reason it was called the “Overlord Pellet”.
When it came to Overlord themselves, as well as practitioners who possessed strength above the Tyrant Profound Realm, the effects of the Overlord Pellet would not be notable, simply bringing about a slight degree of improvement to their profound strength. However, to those who held strength below that of an Overlord, it was truly comparable to a “heavenly pellet”. Be it Profound Sky Continent or Illusory Demon Realm, the numbers of Emperor Profound experts were many, but ninety-nine percent of them could only reach as far as the peak of the Emperor Profound Realm and would not be able to break through to the Tyrant Profound Realm. However, if one had an Overlord Pellet, he could instantly traverse the clouds, and be reborn.
The plane of Demon Imperial City’s profound level was extremely high, and the numbers of experts were countless. This was especially true in the Guardian Families and the many Duke Palaces, in which Overlords were not the least bit rare. Despite this fact, that definitely did not signify that they could successfully make a breakthrough into the Tyrant Profound Realm after reaching the peak of the Emperor Profound. With the aid of many strong Monarchs, the bottlenecks of Sky Profound and Emperor Profound could be easily broken through. However, regarding the bottleneck of the Tyrant Profound Realm, Monarchs were powerless as well. Those with great talent could be stuck for several years; some might take more than ten, or several dozens… Some might not even make a breakthrough in their entire lifetime.
There would always be secret duels and rankings among the Guardian Families and various Duke Palaces. If they could obtain an Overlord Pellet, they would help the next generation that they carefully raised would be able to instantly break through into the Tyrant Profound Realm right after reaching the peak of Emperor Profound, allowing him or her to directly have a realm’s lead before others who had similar levels of talent… Concerning the reasons why the strength of Duke Hui Ran from the Duke Huai Palace was this terrifying, his extremely high level of talent was one of them, but the other, more important reason, was because he had taken an Overlord Pellet right after his profound level had reached the peak of Emperor Profound. He was the only one among the Guardian Families’ and Duke Palaces’ current generation of youths who had taken an Overlord Pellet… From then till now, he was unbeatable among the same generation.
Hence, even in the eyes of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces, the Overlord Pellet was a priceless treasure.
In every session of the Demon Imperial Hall, there would be an Overlord Pellet… and only one Overlord Pellet would be bestowed. No matter which party received it, there would definitely be a figure in the next generation that could overwhelm most or even all from the same generation.
Yun Che’s strength was already astonishing to the world even with this profound strength merely being at the peak of the Sky Profound Realm. If he were to obtain an Overlord Pellet, he would not have any obstructions breaking through to the Tyrant Profound Realm in the future, and it would basically be impossible to imagine the degree of strength he would possess then.
Not a single person from the Yun Family neglected to express their joy, and Mu Feiyan instantly let out a loud, hearty laugh. Mu Yurou joyfully said, “Che’er, hurry and thank the Little Demon Empress for her grace.”
“Yes,” Yun Che nodded with a smile. Just as he was about to turn around, a thundering roar suddenly resounded. “Wait a minute! This Overlord Pellet cannot be bestowed upon Yun Che no matter what! He is not qualified to receive such a reward at all.”
Everyone’s eyes instantly shifted towards the source of the voice. The person who spoke had already stood up with a stern expression, and it was actually the Patriarch of the Jiufang Family… Jiufang Kui!
“Jiufang Kui, what is the meaning of this?!” Yun Duanshui, who had already prepared to joyfully watch Yun Che receive the Overlord Pellet reward, was instantly filled with anger. He did not care if he was Patriarch Jiufang or whoever, as he immediately roared loudly with a furious glare.
“Hmph!” Jiufang Kui coldly snorted. “I said… your Yun Family’s child isn’t qualified to receive such a reward.”
“Rubbish!” Yun Duanshui replied furiously. “If my Yun Family’s Young Patriarch isn’t qualified… Could it be that your Jiufang Family’s Young Patriarch is qualified?”
The way Yun Duanshui addressed Yun Che had instantly been elevated to “Young Patriarch”. In regards to the Jiufang Family’s Young Patriarch to whom he was referring, it was naturally Jiufang Yu. When Jiufang Yu’s seven apertures bled with a single punch from Yun Che, everyone present had personally witnessed it. These words from Yun Duanshui were undoubtedly sarcasm which did not carry the slightest trace of mercy.
As expected, Jiufang Kui’s expression slightly twitched. He immediately ignored Yun Duanshui, faced the Little Demon Empress, and said with his hands clasped, “Only one Overlord Pellet is produced every fifty years, and it allows one to become an Overlord with a single step. How could such a treasured item be bestowed to the Yun Family… Little Demon Empress, please withdraw the order!”
The Little Demon Empress coldly glared, “Reason?”
Before Jiufang Kui could reply, the Patriarch of the Xiao Family, Xiao Xifeng, had already stood out, and loudly said, “My thoughts are completely in line with those of Patriarch Jiufang! The reason is all the more simple. The talent of this child, Yun Che, is indeed astonishing. His identity being Yun Qinghong’s son is a matter I do not have much suspicions about either. However, Yun Che still had only appeared in the Demon Imperial Capital three months ago. Where he came from, where he had been in the last twenty odd years, and why Yun Qinghong had to hide him for those twenty odd years, we basically know nothing! Ultimately, even if he possesses the bloodline of the Yun Family, he’s still a person whose background is completely unknown. How could we put aside the genius youths and highnesses who had been staying by Little Demon Empress’ side, simply because of the talent that he had revealed today?”
“And this is still a minor reason…” Xiao Xifeng said with a griefed look. “Little Demon Empress, could it be that you have completely forgotten about the Yun Family’s mortal sin?!”
“The Yun Family’s sin! It’s the Yun Family’s sin yet again!” Little Demon Empress’s crescent-like brows furrowed intensely. “In these hundred years, this empress has heard these words from your mouths countless times. Since that time, a hundred years have passed, yet you’re still not going to let it go?!”
“Little Demon Empress, it isn’t that we aren’t letting it go… The Yun Family’s sin is simply too severe… it’s basically unforgivable!” The Patriarch of the Bai Family, Bai Yi, leapt out as well, as he loudly said, “Because of our defeat this time, in the end, we were unable to banish the unforgivable Yun Family from the Guardian Families. This is due to our incapability, and there’s nothing we can say about it. Allowing the Yun Family to continue staying is already extremely unreasonable in the first place, and is also the Little Demon Empress’ heavenly grace towards the Yun Family. Rewarding the Overlord Pellet to such a heavily sinful family… This really can’t happen. Not only are we unable to accept it, but even the citizens of the world might not be able to accept it.”
“Patriarch Bai sure is mighty, to actually be able to represent all of the citizens in the world by himself!” Yun Waitian said with a cold smile. After his smile, his fury followed right after. “After enduring for so many years, today, all of your fox tails could no longer bear it and have completely revealed themselves! Ever since the start of the ceremony today, every single one of your words had been directed at our Yun Family, pushing our Yun Family to our deaths one step at a time! Now that our Young Patriarch has been graced by the Little Demon Empress, you people are not only clearly jealous at heart, but are actually so thick-skinned and shameless to make yourselves sound so righteous! Hmph… A hundred years ago, all of Illusory Demon Realm was filled with rumors of our Yun Family committing a heinous crime, having a lack of responsibility, and being unable to ensure the world’s peace. We had suspected that there must have been someone spreading them with ill intentions… Looking at it now, it must have been the actions of your seven great families… Do you dare to admit it?!”
“Why wouldn’t we dare?!” Chiyang Bailie stood out. With a straight and cold expression, he said. “That’s right! A hundred years ago, it was indeed us seven great families collaborating together to inform the world of the Yun Family’s crimes. Back then, because the Little Demon Empress had only just been instated, she was both indifferent and lenient, unable to bring herself to heavily blame the Yun Family. However, if such a heavy crime by the Yun Family goes unpunished, Illusory Demon citizens who are all loyal to the Demon Emperor will definitely feel indignant, and before long, chaos will ensue! Even the Little Demon Empress has been drawn into this vortex of public opinion. As Guardian Families, in order to preserve the Little Demon Empress’ mighty name and stabilize her imperial position, after bitterly attempting to persuade the Little Demon Empress to no avail, we had no choice but to adopt this plan.”
“The reason why we have done such a thing is all for the sake of the Little Demon Empress, and the peace and stability of all of Illusory Demon Realm! Even if we’re condemned by several people, we did it with a clear conscience, with no regrets! So why wouldn’t we dare to admit it?!” The Patriarch of the Nangong Family, Nangong Zhi, said with a stern look.
“What a well-said ‘clear conscience’, what a well-said ‘without regrets’, what a well-said ‘for the sake of Little Demon Empress and the Illusory Demon Realm!’” Yun Duanshui’s voice began to tremble from fury. “When saying such words, do none of you feel shame?!”
“Shame? Why do we have to feel shameful?” Helian Kuang stood up and said coldly. “The reason why we seven great Families, and many Duke Palaces, want to go against your Yun Family… do your hearts really not know? Ever since ten thousand years ago, our twelve families had always been of the same breath and branches. Even if we may have small injustices between us, we never had huge grudges. If not because of the grave severity of your Yun Family’s sin, why would we be willing to waste so many words, so much energy?!”
The Patriarch of the Lin Family, Lin Guiyan, roared right after, “Your Yun Family has lost the most important Demon Emperor’s Seal belonging to the Demon Emperor Clan, preventing the Little Demon Emperor from truly succeeding the Demon Emperor’s position. If not because of this, how would he have lost his reason amidst his grief and venture into the Profound Sky Continent alone? This led to him to his death, and has even severed the Demon Emperor’s bloodline right then and there! Currently, although the Little Demon Empress has succeeded the position, without the Demon Emperor’s Seal, her bloodline power is unable to truly awaken, and she even has to often suffer the rampage of the Golden Crow’s Flame Energy… And after the Little Demon Empress, there will no longer be another Demon Emperor! Everything, is because of your Yun Family!!”
“Since the beginning of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, it had been ten thousand years; however, it has been completely brought to an end by your Yun Family! Currently, for your Yun Family to still keep your name as a Guardian Family is already relying on the Little Demon Empress’ grace! How could you still have the face to lecture others about shame, and how could you still have the face to accept a reward such as the ‘Overlord Pellet’?!”
Chapter 572 - Great Condemnation of the Seven Families (2)
“You… You…” Yun Waitian’s and Yun Duanshui’s bodies trembled from their fury. Even though they knew that the seven Guardian Families were clearly going against them out of ill intentions, they had no words to refute them. The crime of losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal had been pressing down on the Yun Family like a mountain for all these years. Even if a hundred years had passed, it was still heavy to the point of causing them to be unable to breathe.
Compared to Yun Che’s identity earlier, this matter was truly the Yun Family’s Achilles’ heel. It was like a demon from a nightmare that could not be shaken off nor escape from, torturing them for a hundred years. Unless there came a day they could retrieve the Demon Emperor’s Seal, they would have to shoulder the shackles of this heavy crime from generation to generation.
No matter how mighty the Yun Family was today, no matter how great a genius they produced in this hundred years, and no matter what kind of merit they made… They would still be unable to escape from this Achilles’ heel that could be freely stepped on by the other families.
“Enough!” Little Demon Empress raised her sleeves, and said coldly, “The matter of Yun Family losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal was not on purpose in the first place. Now that they had already suffered a hundred years of severe punishment, even this empress has stopped taking this matter into account, so under whose authority do you denounce them time and time again!”
“Little Demon Empress, how could such a heavy crime of the Yun Family be cleared by merely a hundred years of punishment!” Helian Kuang shouted out with a face filled with anguish. “What the Yun Family had lost was the Demon Emperor’s Seal… the Demon Emperor’s Seal! What they have truncated is the future of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline! For such a grave sin, even exterminating their entire Family wouldn’t be going overboard. A mere hundred years of punishment basically isn’t worth even the slightest bit… And the punishment which the Yun Family had suffered was nothing but a restriction of resources, so how could it be referred to as a ‘severe punishment’!’”
Jiufang Kui said, “What Patriarch Helian has said is right! And it’s definitely the voices of the hearts of all the citizens in Demon Imperial City in these hundred years. The severity of the Yun Family’s sin is too enormous, and Little Demon Empress is also too lenient. In these hundred years, Little Demon Empress has been tolerant with the Yun Family. But to be this tolerant to such a huge crime, who in the world would accept it? Since Little Demon Empress is unwilling to truly deal a severe punishment, and is unwilling to banish the Yun Family, we have no choice but to obey. However, to bestow this ‘Overlord Pellet’ to the Yun Family… Forgive my Jiufang Family, but we are unable to accept it no matter what!”
The moment Jiufang Kui’s voice quieted, Nangong Zhi immediately said, “We are definitely not eyeing this Overlord Pellet, but ever since Little Demon Empress was instated a hundred years ago, there have been countless people who aided Little Demon Empress and gained merits. Yet, Little Demon Empress wishes to bestow this Overlord Pellet upon a family with such a mortal sin… As Guardian Families, we naturally have no choice but to obey Little Demon Empress’ orders. But even if we accept this, if this matter spreads, waves of public opinion will definitely be set off in Illusory Demon Realm, bringing about countless grievances and accusations. An extremely huge impact will also be dealt to Little Demon Empress’ holy and mighty name… Little Demon Empress, please reconsider.”
“Our actions are all for the sake of Little Demon Empress, and the mighty name which the entire Demon Emperor’s bloodline had carried till today!”
The Patriarchs of the seven Guardian Families from the east wing attempted to persuade one after another, their every word directed against the Yun Family, yet every single one of their words were shouted sonorously and righteously. In their words, the Yun Family had long been an extremely vile and unforgivable family, and if the Little Demon Empress were to bestow this Overlord Pellet to the Yun Family, then she would be a “fatuous ruler” who displeases the entire world.
If the objections had only come from a single family, then the Little Demon Empress could have easily suppressed it. However, these seven great families had evidently discussed this in secret, standing out together. Their words and attitude were incomparably tough. Even the people who were sitting at the corner of the Demon Imperial Hall and did not have the slightest inkling of Demon Imperial City’s political circumstances could clearly feel the heavy sense of pressure.
The Patriarch of the Xiao Family, Xiao Xifeng loudly said, “Our Twelve Guardian Families have guarded the Demon Emperor’s bloodline for ten thousand years in one heart, yet, it has been shortened by the Yun Family. No matter who the Overlord Pellet is bestowed upon, our Xiao Family will not have the slightest of objections. However, only by bestowing it upon the Yun Family, our Xiao Family will be disheartened with no end… Even countless citizens of the world will feel disheartened, thinking that as the ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm, Little Demon Empress still bestowed rewards regardless of one’s sin, allowing the sinners to be merry, and leaving the meritorious disheartened. This Overlord Pellet cannot be bestowed upon the Yun Family no matter what!”
“In addition, the person who lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal back then was the previous Patriarch of the Yun Family, Yun Canghai! The former Emperor had instated him as King, regarded him highly, and had even handed him the Demon Emperor’s Seal to safeguard it. However, Yun Canghai had instead gone against the former Emperor’s trust, forcefully infiltrated Sky Profound Continent, and in the end, lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal. This could be said to be reckless and foolish to the extreme, an utterly unforgivable action. He basically no longer deserves the honor of being ‘Demon King’! So…”
“Shut your mouth! You are not allowed to humiliate my father!!”
“Shut your mouth! You are not allowed to humiliate my grandfather!!”
Before Xiao Xifeng could finish his words, two thundering roars sounded at the same time. Xiao Xifeng, with the cultivation of a level three Monarch, had actually shuddered from the trembling caused by these two roars, and even his heart had fiercely shrunk for a moment. The moment he turned around, he was instantly met with Yun Qinghong’s frightening face which had already sunk from immense fury.
Among these two roaring voices, one came from Yun Qinghong, while the other came from Yun Che.
When the Little Demon Empress brought up the idea of bestowing the Overlord Pellet upon Yun Che, both Yun Qinghong and Yun Che had predicted that Duke Huai would definitely have the seven great families or the many Duke Palaces intervene, and the best reasoning would naturally be the Yun Family’s sin from a hundred years ago. Hence, with the seven great families collaborating together to go against them, they did not feel surprised in the slightest. They had both been simply watching with cold gazes without making a single comment.
However, Xiao Xifeng’s words, were clearly humiliating Yun Canghai… which had ruthlessly stepped on their bottom line!!
Yun Qinghong respected his father all his life, and had treated his father as his sky. Whenever he thought about that old and wilted corpse of his father which he saw a month ago, the guilt, remorse, hatred, and pain he felt were like countless arrows piercing his heart… Yun Canghai was Yun Che’s grandfather, and was even moreso a person who used his own life to save Yun Che from the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation. Using his own death, he explained to Yun Che what kin was.
They could face countless of matters calmly and collectedly; however, when it came words tarnishing Yun Canghai, how could they possibly endure them?!
Facing Yun Qinghong’s fury, Xi Xiaofeng slightly trembled in his heart, but how could he display such a weak demeanor under the eyes of everyone present? With a cold smile, he said, “Humiliate? The truth that everyone in the world knows has actually turned into humiliation? Could it be that I have actually misspoken somewhere? Back then, if it wasn’t for Yun Canghai…”
“Shut your mouth!!” Yun Qinghong’s expression turned livid. “My father possessed an indomitable spirit, he held a conscience that was clear to the heavens and earth, clear to the former Emperor, and clear to the Yun Family! A lowly person like you isn’t even worthy of saying my father’s name! If you dare to tarnish my father with another word, there will definitely come a day that I, Yun Qinghong… will personally take your life!!”
This overly agitated speech clearly displayed the wrath in Yun Qinghong’s heart. Evidently, from touching upon Yun Canghai’s matters, he had lost his calm to a certain extent. Yun Che furrowed his eyebrows, and called out, “Father, a lowly henchman with ulterior motives such as him isn’t even worthy to have Father personally deal with! Though I do have a few queries that I really wish to ask them about!”
Yun Che took a step forward, and with a cold expression, faced the Patriarchs of the seven families. With a light smile, he said, “You seven great families, in order to prevent our Yun Family from obtaining the Overlord Pellet, sure stand united as one, huh! That’s right… the grave sin of losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal, such a wonderful and perfect excuse! Then, let me make a guess. In regards to the Purple Veined Divine Crystals which you have all lost to our Yun Family earlier, that promise definitely wouldn’t be fulfilled either, right!”
What Yun Che used was an interrogative tone, rather than a doubtful one!
The faces of the seven great families slightly changed. Earlier, when they transmitted their voices between each other, they had already colluded, saying that they definitely would not truly hand over the Purple Veined Divine Crystals to the Yun Family… Forget about two and a half kilograms, they wouldn’t even give the slightest bit! After stopping the Little Demon Empress from handing the Overlord Pellet to the Yun Family, their next plan, was to work together to apply pressure, to welsh on the agreement of handing over two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals.
Now that it had been given away by Yun Che, not a single one of them revealed an expression of awkwardness, but instead, took advantage of this and said, “Yun Che, your guess is right! Those two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, my Chiyang Family will definitely not give to your Yun Family!”
“Our Jiufang Family, will definitely not hand it over either!!”
“Hahahaha, it seems like our thoughts were all alike! Even if my Nangong Family had to destroy these two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, we will definitely not hand them over to the Yun Family even the slightest bit!”
“My Lin Family is the same as well! Forget about two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, we wouldn’t even hand over five strands of hair!”
“Your Yun Family carry numerous sins, what face do you have to receive our Guardian Families’ Purple Veined Divine Crystals!!”
Even though they were clearly being thick-skinned and shamelessly denying what they had promised under everyone’s eyes, every single one of them were shouting with such exalted demeanors and soaring spirits… Evidently, the Yun Family’s “great sin” that was known to the entire world was what they were confidently relying on. Yun Che laughed coldly, “Two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals are what you people promised! The duel earlier had also ended in your defeat! Yet, currently, all of you are denying it in such a high-sounding fashion. You dignified Guardian Families who had stood at the top for ten thousand years are actually this shameless. It’s simply laughable and lamentable to the extreme! Aren’t you afraid that the mighty names you have kept for ten thousand years will thus become laughingstocks in the Illusory Demon Realm?!”
“”So what?!” The Patriarch of Bai Family, Bai Yi said. “We’d rather become the laughingstocks of the world than give your Yun Family the slightest amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystals!
“The Yun Family’s sin, is utterly unforgivable. Even banishment would be the lightest punishment, and cleansing the entire family wouldn’t even be enough either! However, in these hundred years, the fact that your family is still standing at an equal footing with our Guardian Families is already raising the suspicions of the entire world. If we hand our Purple Veined Divine Crystals to the Yun Family, the Yun Family will definitely rise into prominence, while ours will definitely weaken… The Yun Family is a sinful family that has shortened the Demon Emperor’s bloodline!! Not only have they not received the punishment they deserve, they will even be overriding the rest of the Guardian Families. If that’s the case, not only will chaos definitely ensue in Demon Imperial City, chaos will definitely ensue in all of Illusory Demon Realm! Even the former Demon Emperor will be unable to sleep in peace under the Nine Springs!”
“Compared to chaos within our Illusory Demon Realm and shame to the Demon Emperor’s name, even if we have to be ridiculed as faithless people, so what?!” Helian Kuang said with a solemn expression. “In these ten thousand years, we have been loyal to none other than the Demon Emperor, and if it’s for the Demon Emperor, we wouldn’t even fear death! So what if our name and reputation gets tarnished?!”
Even though they were clearly denying in such a shameless and despicable fashion, under the cover of Yun Family’s sin, their words had turned into “feats” which demonstrated loyalty to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline , and the degree of responsibility they had for the Illusory Demon Realm. This caused everyone in the Yun Family to seemingly explode in fury; however, Yun Che simply laughed out loud, “Hahahaha! What a well-said ‘loyal to none other’, and what a well-said ‘if it’s for the Demon Emperor, we wouldn’t even fear death’! You great families are so loyal, and for the sake of this ‘loyalty’, would even forsake your reputations! Then…”
The moment his laughter ended, Yun Che’s expression suddenly turned stone-cold. Taking a step forward, with a hawk-like gaze, he pointed towards the Patriarchs of the seven great families, and his voice thundered, “A hundred years ago, when the former Demon Emperor fell into the Sky Profound Continent, my grandfather stepped forward to save him without the slightest of hesitation… Then what about you people?! Where were you people? Why were the ones who disregarded their fears of death, who risked their lives to save the former Demon Emperor, my grandfather and our Yun Family?! Why was it not your so-called families who are ‘completely loyal, and for the sake of the Demon Emperor, wouldn’t even fear death’!!”
“At that time, where were you people?! And where was your so-called ‘loyalty’?!”
Yun Che’s furious interrogation rendered all these Patriarchs, who were giving various eloquent speeches earlier, utterly speechless.
Chapter 573 - Great Condemnation of the Seven Families (3)
Yun Che’s loud interrogation stunned the seven great Patriarchs who were initially displaying an overbearing might; it was as though they suddenly had a fishbone stuck in their throats. Only after a good while did Xiao Xifeng finally roar with widened eyes, “Yun Che! Your Yun Family still has the face to bring up the matters of back then?! At that time, if Yun Canghai had not hastily departed for the Profound Sky Continent, how would he have lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal?!”
Yun Che let out a cold laugh. “The reason my grandfather had to head to Profound Sky Continent is completely clear to all of the citizens of Illusory Demon Realm! It wasn’t for his own sake, wasn’t for the Yun Family, nor was it to lose the Demon Emperor’s Seal! It was instead in order to save the Demon Emperor who had fallen into Profound Sky Continent! Xiao Xifeng, why don’t you dare to answer my earlier question directly…? Back then, when the former Demon Emperor fell into the Profound Sky Continent, when my grandfather lead ten Grand Elders of the Yun Family to rescue him, what were your seven great families doing?! Why didn’t any of you head over to save him?! Answer me!!”
This question Yun Che had brought up caused the hearts of the seven Patriarchs to uncontrollably clench, because to them, this was an overly sharp question. Back then, when the former Demon Emperor fell into Profound Sky Continent, everyone had believed that the probability of him living through it was close to none. They had never gone to Profound Sky Continent before, so if they were to infiltrate hastily, there was a huge possibility that they would lose their lives. At the same time, the Twelve Guardian Families had prospered for ten thousand years, and they had been secretly competing in the dark. If their family’s experts were to lose their lives in Profound Sky Continent, the family’s forces would definitely decline. Hence, they didn’t dare, and in the depths of their hearts, they were basically unwilling to take such a huge risk… Only Yun Canghai insisted that he definitely wouldn’t believe the former Demon Emperor was already dead without seeing the corpse with his very own eyes! He decisively lead the ten strongest Grand Elders of the Family, and traveled to Profound Sky Continent…
Hence, due to this pinpoint interrogation from Yun Che, they could not help but feel guilty in their hearts.
Xiao Xifeng exhaled, then solemnly said, “Ignorant child! Back then, the former Demon Emperor landed in the hands of the Four Sacred Grounds of Profound Sky Continent. The strength of the Four Sacred Grounds was extremely formidable, and more importantly, Profound Sky Continent was the opposing party’s homeground. If we were to hastily infiltrate it, we would only be inviting casualties! Even if we had to save, there’s a need to make sufficient preparations, and make long, in-depth plans…”
“Long, in-depth plans? What a well-said ‘long, in-depth plans’!!” Yun Che began to laugh mockingly. “What’s the duty of a Guardian Family? It’s to guard the Demon Emperor’s bloodline! To guard the Demon Emperor’s bloodline well, the very first thing we must do, which is also our most basic duty, is guard the Demon Emperor well! Since you knew that the former Demon Emperor was in such a predicament, then you should have known that for every second that dragged on, the more danger the former Demon Emperor faced! As a Guardian Family, what should have been done was the immediate and unhesitant rescue of the former Demon Emperor… and while the former Demon Emperor was in such a time of crisis, you!! The Patriarch of the Xiao Family, one of the dignified Guardian Families, actually said the words ‘long, in-depth plans’!”
Yun Che pointed at Xiao Xifeng, his face filled with rage. “I’m simply unable to understand. As the Patriarch of a Guardian Family, when facing a crisis which concerned the Demon Emperor’s life, just where did you find the face to say these words! Heh… when you land in the hands of the enemy, and when your life is at stake, should you make long, in-depth plans as well?! When your son falls in the claws of a ferocious beast, do you have to make long, in-depth plans too? When you see your wife being stripped naked from her clothes, are you going to make long, in-depth plans as well?!”
“You!!” What kind of status did Xiao Xifeng have?! He was the Patriarch of one of the Guardian Families, the number of people to whom he would bow his head to in all of Illusory Demon Realm could even be counted by hand, let alone those who would scold him. Currently, he was actually being scolded with a finger pointed at his nose by a junior like Yun Che in front of all heroes of the realm. Furthermore, even though he was furious beyond his head, he was actually unable to refute a single word, and his chest looked as though it could explode.
“Heh!” Yun Che coldly laughed. “What long, in-depth plans? Such a laughable and shamelessly sad excuse! You were clearly afraid that you yourself would encounter danger in Profound Sky Continent, afraid that your family’s forces would suffer a setback, and thus decided to disregard the life and safety of the former Demon Emperor!! Illusory Demon Realm had peace and stability for ten thousand years, enjoying increasing prosperity every day. With no crisis and difficulty, it’s understandable that maintaining loyalty would be difficult! A hundred years ago, when crisis struck, it was exactly the time for the twelve Guardian Families to repay the Demon Emperor for the ten thousand years of prosperity, to perform the duties of a guardian! Yet, when the former Demon Emperor faced a crisis, the only ones who unhesitantly risked their lives to save him… were our Yun Family!! Only our Yun Family!!”
“While the lot of you!!!” Yun Che pointed forward, his voice trembling. “The same Guardian Families, yet, to protect your own lives, for the interests of your own families, the lot of you actually disregarded the life of the Demon Emperor! And still, you’re here, shouting the words ‘long, in-depth plans’ in such a superior manner! This alone is bad enough, but when the former Demon Emperor died, when my grandfather died, when ten Great Elders of our Yun Family died, not only did none of you feel shame and guilt or atone yourselves, the lot of you instead collaborated together to defame the heroics of our Yun Family! Furthermore, you lot have even spread lies throughout Illusory Demon Realm, destroyed the reputation of our Yun Family, and pressured the Little Demon Empress, who had just been instated back then, to bestow punishment upon our Yun Family! Causing my Yun Family, who had clearly been extremely loyal, and had just painfully lost their Patriarch, to instead suffer punishment and great decline for a hundred years… To the point where even today, the lot of you are collaborating together, wanting to banish our Yun Family from the Guardian Families! How could the lot of you, with vile and ugly actions and shameless faces, be worthy of the ‘Guardian Family’ title!!”
Every single word from Yun Che was like thunder, filled with indignation, fiercely shaking everyone’s souls. All of the voices in the hall had all quietened down, and every single person was watching Yun Che with dumbfounded expressions. Hearing his condemnations, their hearts stirred for a long time.
“Che’er… Well said!” Yun Qinghong clenched his fists tightly. He didn’t say a single word and quietly watched this son of his, who was making him feel even more proud, and even a little surreal.
The faces of the seven Patriarchs became incomparably ugly. Although Yun Che looked incomparably agitated, and seemed to have lost control of his emotions, every one of his sentences and words was like one poison needle after another, striking right at their weaknesses. The Patriarch of the Jiufang Family, Jiufang Kui, sharply said, “Shut your mouth! Yun Che, you sure have lots of guts to actually dare tarnish our Guardian Families! Back then, the place the former Demon Emperor had fallen to was the Profound Sky Continent! Not just any regular dangerous land! Not a single one of our Twelve Guardian Families had once gone to the Profound Sky Continent! Not only was it impossible for Yun Canghai’s hasty infiltration to save the former Demon Emperor, it had even caused his own death at that place. It was an extremely foolish action…”
“Shut your stinky mouth!!” Before even waiting for Jiufang Kui’s voice to fall, Yun Che had already voiced out in furious condemnation. “My grandfather was foolish? If my grandfather was foolish, how could he have been given the title of Demon King, and not you, Jiufang Kui? Could it be that the former Demon Emperor was a foolish person as well?!”
Jiufang Kui opened and closed his mouth a few times; however, he basically had no words with which he could refute.
“If my grandfather was foolish, why was the one prospering the most a hundred years ago, our Yun Family, and not your Jiufang Family!!”
“If my grandfather was foolish, why was he the number one expert among his generation back then? Why did his name shake the world, and receive the respect of all the experts in Demon Imperial City? Why was he the only Demon King in the history of Illusory Demon Realm?! While these achievements are completely unrelated to your Jiufang Family, your Grand Patriarch, and you, Jiufang Kui! If my grandfather was foolish, then you, Jiufang Kui, could not even be compared to the stupidest and lowliest of pigs!!”
“You… You…” Jiufang Kui’s face turned green for a moment, then white in the next.
“As to whether my grandfather was a foolish person, anyone who knew my grandfather, came into contact with my grandfather, or even heard of my grandfather through rumors, should be crystal clear about that!” Yun Che’s voice had calmed down, and his gaze slightly trembled. “My grandfather wasn’t foolish. He was more upright than anyone else, and smarter than anyone else. He was extremely clear about what the outcome would be if he were to bring along the family’s ten strongest Grand Elders to Profound Sky Continent… That was the Profound Sky Continent in which he and the ten Grand Elders could very possibly die. If that were to happen, then the Yun Family will lose their eleven strongest pillars, eleven of them… and all of the eleven late-stage Monarchs they had! This would cause the Yun Family’s strength, which was ranked first among the Twelve Guardian Families, to fall to the weakest in a span of one night.”
“However, my grandfather still decided to do it! Without any hesitation, without turning back! Not a single person in the Yun Family objected to it, and none of the ten Grand Elders retreated! Because our Yun Family is a Guardian Family, and guarding the Demon Emperor is our Yun Family’s greatest mission! In my grandfather’s beliefs, the life of the Demon Emperor was far more important than his own, and in our Yun Family’s beliefs, the safety of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline far surpasses the safety of our Yun Family’s bloodline! This is the mission of our Yun Family, and is also the loyalty and pride of our Yun Family!!”
“But how were we rewarded for our Yun Family’s display of loyalty?!” Yun Che’s eyes, which were looking straight at the seven families, were filled with hatred. “There was slander and pressure from you lot, families who had disregarded the crisis of the former Demon Emperor, and even today, the lot of you are still collaborating to banish our Yun Family! During such a huge crisis for the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, not a single one of your families had suffered a single loss of troops, not even the slightest bit of injury! The loyalty and sacrifice our Yun Family’s former Patriarch had made for the Demon Emperor’s bloodline was even dismissed as ‘foolish’!”
“Just which of the families here aren’t worthy of the name of ‘Guardian’?! Just which of the families here should be banished?! Heh… Could it be that the eyes of everyone in the world are all so blind that they can’t even see the obvious truth right before their eyes?!”
Yun Che’s words had fiercely struck every single one of their heartstrings… and every single pair of eyes that had been unconsciously blinded by the rumors.
“Well said… Well said… Well said, I say!!” The old man Mu Feiyan’s hands trembled. Raising his head, he said with a sigh, “Little brother Yun, this is your grandchild! With such a grandchild, you should be smiling even in death!”
“Young Patriarch…” The eyes of every single person in the Yun Family were reddened, and their faces were all completely flushed red. Yun Che’s words, had vented out all of the grievances, resentment, and indignation in these past hundred years. He had shouted out all of the voices they had bitterly suppressed, and were unable to cry out from within the depths of their hearts. Even moreso, he had proclaimed the pride and honor of their Yun Family. Every single one of them was tightly clasping their arms; even the blood in their bodies was seemingly about to boil, but their eyes were instead filled with the flickering of tears.
“Grand Patriarch… Are you hearing this? Young Patriarch is currently rectifying your name, rectifying the name of our Yun Family.” When the many elders recalled Yun Canghai who had died in the Profound Sky Continent, every single one of them grieved from the bottom of their hearts, and tears continued to flow without end.
Xiao Xifeng and Jiufang Kui, the two great Patriarchs, were instead condemned by Yun Che to the extent where it was as though dog blood had rained on their heads. Their expressions were as ugly as though they had eaten cow dung, and even after restraining themselves for a long while, they were still unable to blurt one a single word of rebuttal… Similarly, the expressions of the other five Patriarchs were extremely ugly to behold. Today, they weren’t facing Yun Che alone, as the heroes of the realm were surrounding them by the sides. If they were going to be completely suppressed by the Yun Family today, then the direction of public opinion, which they had controlled for a hundred years, might completely change…
In their eyes, Yun Che’s age could only be described as an ‘infant;’ however, the toxicity of his lips and the sharpness of his tongue had traumatized all of their hearts. This was the first time in their lives experiencing what was called “hearts being smashed with every single word”. The Patriarch of the Lin Family, Lin Guiyan, gritted his teeth, and sharply said, “Yun Che! You speak of praising loyalty, coming up with excuses for your Yun Family with your words! Hearing them sounds so laughable, one’s teeth could even drop from his laughter! Yun Canghai was indeed an outstanding person, but his actions a hundred years ago were foolish to the extreme, and were known by the entire world! If he weren’t foolish, why would he have brought the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Profound Sky Continent, and not hand it over to the Little Demon Emperor before his departure?! Otherwise, the Demon Emperor’s Seal wouldn’t have been lost!”
“Laughable! Just who is laughable here?!” Yun Che mocked with cold eyes. “The Demon Emperor’s Seal was handed to my grandfather by the former Demon Emperor for safekeeping! The reason such an important item was handed to my grandfather was because of the unlimited trust in my grandfather! My grandfather was loyal to the Demon Emperor his entire life, so how would he betray such trust in the slightest?! Without the former Demon Emperor’s order, my grandfather definitely would not hand it to anyone else! Although the former Demon Emperor had fallen to the Profound Sky Continent back then, my grandfather had firmly believed that the former Demon Emperor had yet to die. Even with the countless dangers, even if there was possibility of death because of his decision, my grandfather still wasn’t willing to hand over the Demon Emperor’s Seal without permission… That is trust and loyalty between a master and his subject! While you, Lin Guiyan, actually feel that this is laughable! Even if the former Demon Emperor were to live for another ten thousand years, he definitely wouldn’t leave the Demon Emperor’s Seal to a person like you for safekeeping! Just what qualifications do you have to criticize my grandfather?!”
Lin Guiyan’s face sank, but following after, he revealed an ugly cold smile. “This sort of blind loyalty is basically a joke!”
Yun Che’s eyes narrowed, as he stared frigidly at Lin Guiyan. “Lin Guiyan! Do you know what true loyalty is in this world? Let me tell you then… It is exactly the ‘blind loyalty’ of which you spoke! In this world, the clearest and purest form of loyalty, is blind loyalty! Just which, out of all the kings and emperors, wouldn’t wish for their own ministers to be blindly loyal! Just which, out of all the masters, wouldn’t wish for their own subordinates to be blindly loyal! You’re right, my grandfather was blindly loyal to the former Demon Emperor! In his eyes, the former Demon Emperor was heaven itself! In his eyes, the former Demon Emperor’s life surpassed his own! While you, Lin Guiyan, who hang the word ‘loyalty’ by your lips, are unable to do it… Not only are you unable to, but you don’t even feel shameful, and you actually call this a joke!”
“Everyone in the Lin Family, you’d best remember well the words your Patriarch had said earlier, you must definitely not be overly loyal to your Patriarch. Otherwise, in his eyes, you’re a joke… a joke, he says!”
“Yun… Che! You…” Lin Guiyan pointed at Yun Che, his body trembling.
“For someone who sees blind loyalty to the Demon Emperor as a joke, his identity is actually even the Patriarch of a Guardian Family. This is simply the shame of a Guardian Family! For my Yun Family to be one of the same Guardian Families as yours, even feels shameful in itself! Such a person actually has the face to criticize my grandfather… Heh, Lin Guiyan, excuse this junior for his straightforwardness… but you don’t even have the qualifications to lick my grandfather’s feet! Patriarch of the Lin Family? My ass!!”
Chapter 574 - Demon Emperor’s Seal (1)
The words Yun Che said did not have the slightest of scruple or respect for elders as a junior, or for the Patriarch of a Guardian Family. Instead, it was filled with deep scorn, disgust, and even hatred. Every single one of his condemnations were even moreso venomous to the extreme. Lin Guiyan had lived for nearly two hundred years, yet this was the first time in his entire life he had been condemned in such an unbearable manner. His lips turned purple, and his entire body was trembling. Under his heart-wrenching fury, he was even close to puking out a mouthful of blood.
Yun Che let out a cold laugh. Disdainfully, he moved his gaze away from Lin Guiyan, and stared straight at the Patriarch of the Bai Family, Bai Yi. “Bai Yi! A hundred years ago, when the former Demon Emperor was in a crisis, just what was your Bai Family doing?! Why didn’t you head over to rescue with the strength of your entire family?! And right after, just what basis did you have to pressure our Yun Family?! You’d best give our Yun Family, the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and the Illusory Demon Realm a convincing enough reason!”
When Yun Che’s eyes turned towards him, Bai Yi’s heart seemed to have uncontrollably shuddered for a moment. He clenched his teeth, and forced himself to calmly speak, “Yun Che! With every single one of your words, you desperately exaggerate the Yun Family’s loyalty, but you have yet to mention your Yun Family’s sin in the slightest! If not for your Yun Family having lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal, why would the Little Demon Emperor, under utter despair, rush towards Profound Sky Continent alone during the night of his great wedding, causing the severance of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline from that moment on?! This is all thanks to your Yun Family…”
“Hahahaha!!” As though he had heard some sort of huge joke, Yun Che willfully laughed out loud. The moment his laughter fell, his eyes instantly turned incomparably ice-cold. “Thanks to our Yun Family? Bai Yi, I must commend you for actually having the face to say such words! A hundred years ago, the Little Demon Emperor was indeed in utter despair… But the loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal was the reason for his despair?! According to my father’s description, though the Little Demon Emperor was a sentimental person, he was definitely not a man who acted on impulse. At a young age, he had already greatly possessed the demeanor of an emperor, so how could he ‘die due to despair’ because of the loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal?! If the Demon Emperor only possessed a disposition of such caliber, how could the Illusory Demon Realm be guided to prosperity till this day by the Demon Emperor’s bloodline?!”
“What caused the Little Demon Emperor’s despair was basically you so-called Guardian Families!” Yun Che sharply roared. “The former Demon Emperor fell into Profound Sky Continent, and his life was at stake. As the only successor to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, even if he were worried for his father, he definitely couldn’t risk the danger on his own, nor was there a need for him to take the risk… Because the Demon Emperor’s bloodline possessed the mighty and imposing Guardian Families! They should have departed for rescue without hesitating a single moment; however… among the Guardian Families who carried the mission to safeguard, only our Yun Family went to save with all our might! While the lot of you were unwilling to take the risk for the Demon Emperor, and had even spouted out countless excuses! Even when the former Demon Emperor’s corpse had yet to be seen, the lot of you had asserted that there was no way that the former Demon Emperor was still alive, and had even anxiously pushed the Little Demon Emperor to succeed the throne… At the same time, through quiet collaboration, you suppressed our Yun Family who had lost our pillars!”
“The most trusted Guardian Families were actually behaving in such an unbearable manner, completely revealing their selfish, despicable, and ugly selves! How could the Little Demon Emperor not despair from his disappointment?! The reason why the Little Demon Emperor rushed to the Profound Sky Continent all by his lonesome… was because not a single person from you Guardian Families stepped up to save the former Demon Emperor! Overwhelmed by grief and despair, the only choice he had was to save him himself! Because that person was his father!”
Yun Che slightly clenched his teeth, and his gaze was like daggers. “Just who caused the Little Demon Emperor’s despair? Just who forced the Little Demon Emperor to have no choice but to save his father on his own…? Just who forcefully severed the final bloodline of the Demon Emperor?! If back then, you had collaborated with the Yun Family, and we entered Profound Sky Continent as one, even if the former Demon Emperor still couldn’t be saved in the end, how could it have caused the Little Demon Emperor to harbor such despair?! Bai Yi, with your Bai Family being one of the main culprits, just where did you get the face to say your earlier words?! Just where did you get the face to lecture our Yun Family?! Our Yun Family holds a conscience clear to the heavens, clear to the earth, and clear to the Demon Emperor! Even if our Yun Family has currently been weakened due to your hundred years of despicable suppression, the hearts of the disciples of our Yun Family are magnanimous and unashamed, our spines are as straight as a mountain! While your Bai Family… even if you’re Bai Yi, Bai Family’s Patriarch, you’re basically unworthy of being looked in the eyes by our Yun Family disciples!”
The stir in the glow of the Little Demon Empress’ eyes, could not be calmed for a long while. The atmosphere in the hall constantly changed. Every single person’s expression and eyes were all gradually changing as well… In these hundred years, it was common knowledge to the citizens of the Illusory Demon Realm that the Yun Family had hastily gone to the Profound Sky Continent to save the Demon Emperor who had clearly already sent a death message. In the end, not only did they not save the Demon Emperor, they had instead all lost their lives in Profound Sky Continent, and had even lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal… Because of the loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Emperor’s heart was filled with grief and despair. After getting heavily drunk on his wedding night, under impulse, he headed towards Profound Sky Continent…
This was the version which everyone in the Illusory Demon Realm knew, making the Yun Family out to always have been a heavily sinned family in the hearts of all citizens in Illusory Demon Realm… Severing the Demon Emperor’s bloodline was an utterly unforgivable crime.
However, Yun Che’s words, Yun Che’s condemnation, and Yun Che’s speech that seemed impulsive, had words that were clear and resounding. Every one of them struck straight at their fatal points, causing their opinions toward the “Yun Family’s sin” to undergo a gradual earthshaking change with which they had been familiar for the past hundred years.
People that could enter the Demon Imperial Hall were all lords of their respective locations, unlike those common mortals who could only follow ignorantly and not think by themselves. In a hundred years, under the collaborative effort of the seven families to move public opinion, the eyes of the people of the world were like clear lakes tainted by cloudy oil. Yun Che’s voice was like a gigantic boulder which fell into the lake, clearing their vision one step at a time, allowing them to clearly think and ponder for themselves, making it easier for them to clearly see the truths and the lies.
“And there’s you two, Chiyang Bailie and Nangong Zhi!” Yun Che disdainfully glanced at Bai Yi once more, before shifting his gaze towards Chiyang Bailie and Nangong Zhi. “Ten thousand years ago, when your Chiyang Family and Nangong Family were in jeopardy, who was the one who save your entire families?! Who allowed your families to live to this day, and even hold such standings and prosperity?!”
“Not only did the Demon Emperor’s bloodline bestow the lot of you the heavenly grace of saving and restructuring your families, they had always thought highly of both of your families. The Fiend Dragon Solar Whip belonging to your Chiyang Family, was bestowed by the Demon Emperor! The Sky Splitting Sword belonging to your Nangong Family was bestowed by the Demon Emperor as well! Chiyang Bailie, a hundred and sixty years ago, when you were struck with the Lightning Source Poison while training in the outside world and your life was at stake, do you still remember who saved your life? Heh… It was my grandfather! In order to save you, not only was he unable to activate his Profound Handle for ten years, he had even lost a lightning spirit which he painstakingly refined!”
“Nangong Zhi, bustling with energy during your days of youth, you headed to the outskirts of the city without permission, and unfortunately encountered a vile beast. Who was it that saved you from the claws of that vile beast? It was also my grandfather, Yun Canghai!”
Yun Che’s expression slightly twisted, his every word was filled with thunderous fury. “Your two lives were both saved by my grandfather, saved by our Yun Family! Our Yun Family only had great kindness towards the both of you; when was there ever the slightest of scores to settle or the slightest bit of hatred? However, after my grandfather died, just how did the two of you treat our Yun Family, how did you show your loyalty to the Demon Emperor?!”
Chiyang Bailie and Nangong Zhi opened their mouths. Then, they coincidentally lowered their heads at the same time, not being able to even say a single word.
“Think of the heavenly kindness the Demon Emperor had given to the both of you! Think of the guardian mission that the both of you have adhered to for ten thousand years! Think of the number one family rule in your families’ lineages… And think of all the motives and schemes behind the actions the both of you have committed today! Can the both of you face the Demon Emperor?! Can the both of you face your titles as Guardian Families?! Can you even face all the ancestors of your families?!”
“Think of what will happen after your death, will you have the face to see your ancestors and the previous Demon Emperors in the Nine Springs?!”
Nangong Zhi and Chiyang Bailie’s bodies shook at the same time. Their expressions were ghastly pale, and their hands were ice-cold.
“And you… Helian Kuang!!” Yun Che shifted his gaze towards Helian Kuang… the Patriarch who was behind the deadly assassination attempt on Xiao Yun back then. Based on what Yun Qinghong had said, he was also the very first to submit to Duke Huai, and his greed was plain to see.
“Child of Yun, shut your mouth!!”
When Yun Che’s gaze shifted towards him, Helian Kuang’s heart fiercely skipped a beat for a moment. Under Yun Che’s furious lectures, it was as though plate after plate of dung had rained over Xiao Xifeng, Jiufang Kui, Lin Guiyan, Bai Yu, Chiyang Bailie, and Nangong Zhi… They were even powerless to resist and counterattack, so how could he not be afraid? Hence, without waiting for Yun Che to condemn him, Helian Kuang stole the first opportunity to speak, and roared out. “No matter how glib-tongued you are, no matter the hundreds of excuses you come up with, don’t even think about covering the fact that you people lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal!! A gargantuan sin such as this, no matter how many thousand times loyal your Yun Family is, even if your entire Family were to die, it would still be unable to redeem you! Us having the entire world know about your Yun Family’s sin and having Little Demon Empress punish your Yun Family for your crime are properly justified in the first place!”
“A heavenly sin?” Yun Che coldly laughed. “What sin? Because of your own selfishness, disregarding the safety of the former Demon Emperor is the actual sin! The lot of you forcing the Little Demon Emperor to die due to despair, is the actual sin! A bunch of people harboring malicious intentions is even moreso a huge sin! Because all these are not caused inadvertently, but by the ugliness and vileness the lot of you possess! If it weren’t just our Yun Family who headed to Profound Sky Continent back then but the entire Twelve Families working as one heart heading towards the Profound Sky together, what would there be to fear about the Four Great Sacred Grounds?! It might have even be possible to safely save the Demon Emperor, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal might not have been lost, and the Little Demon Emperor wouldn’t have to die… the Demon Emperor’s bloodline wouldn’t have withered since then!”
“Just who were the ones who caused everything? Just who were the actual ones who committed a gargantuan sin?!”
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal was indeed lost by our Yun Family, but my grandfather headed towards the Profound Sky Continent to save the former Demon Emperor! Losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal was never my grandfather’s intentions! Not only would he not hope to see the Demon Emperor’s Seal be lost, he would instead unhesitantly use his life to protect it… That wasn’t a crime, but merely a mistake! And it was a helpless mistake! The lot of you… are the ones who sinned!”
“No!” Yun Che’s voice suddenly stopped. He gently raised his head, and solemnly said, “My grandfather… basically didn’t make a single mistake either!!”
The moment his voice fell, he suddenly stretched out his hand, and a mass of gentle and white profound light appeared in the center of his palm. “Helian Kuang… You’d best widely open your doggy eyes, and clearly see what this is!!”
Chapter 575 - Demon Emperor’s Seal (2)
In Yun Che’s hand was a mass of dense and gentle protective profound light. Back then, when Yun Canghai handed this to Yun Che, he instructed him not to inspect the contents within, and to pass it personally to Little Demon Empress. After that, Yun Che had never checked the contents.
Even until he encountered the deathly tribulation in the Primordial Profound Ark, he still hadn’t checked the contents within the profound light… He wanted to know just what it was that his grandfather was willing to endure a hundred years of pain to desperately protect…
Following Yun Che’s stretched arm, everyone’s eyes concentrated on that mass of white protective profound light. Gently, the profound light soundlessly dispersed. A mass of blinding red light, accompanied by a fiery-hot aura, broke through its shackles and radiantly shot out.
It was a small jade seal. Its bottom was flat and smooth, while a delicate three-legged fiery bird was carved at the top, and it was this three-legged fiery bird that emitted the red light. Its entire body was small and crystal clear, yet it was releasing a faint aura of might as well. Its two eyes were scarlet and pierced the eyes of the beholder. They were like the cold stars in the dark night, which people seemingly did not dare to look at directly.
Looking at this jade seal that was glowing with a blinding red, the Little Demon Empress suddenly stood up as though she were electrocuted. Duke Huai, Duke Zhong, Yun Qinghong… the various Patriarchs and Dukes, all of their expressions drastically changed, and their overlapping exclamations turned into thundering waves of voices.
“De… De… Demon Emperor’s Seal!!”
The jade seal which Yun Che was holding onto, no matter its appearance or radiance, was exactly the same as the Demon Emperor’s Seal described in legends!
Its appearance and radiance could be imitated; however, what they sensed from the Demon Emperor’s Seal at the same time was also the unique aura of the Golden Crow! The people of the Illusory Demon Royal Family who possessed the Golden Crow’s bloodline especially felt their blood throb uncontrollably under this Golden Crow’s aura. That irrepressible spiritual pressure had even moreso heavily oppressed their souls…
No matter how impossible they thought it was, no matter how unbelievable and even fantastical they felt it was, that incomparably clear Golden Crow’s aura was telling everyone who had once seen the Demon Emperor’s Seal… that this was the Demon Emperor’s Seal that was said to be lost… Without any mistake! It definitely wasn’t fake!
The reactions of the Little Demon Empress, the various Patriarchs and Dukes, and those thundering three words gave a huge shock to all those who had never seen the Demon Emperor’s Seal as well, throwing the Demon Imperial Hall into an uproar once again. The loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal a hundred years ago, to Illusory Demon Realm, was a mortal crisis which everyone knew of, and the thought of retrieving it was basically impossible. No one would have thought that the Demon Emperor’s Seal which was lost a hundred years ago would all of a sudden… appear right in front of their eyes, catching all of them by surprise.
Among everyone in the hall, the most agitated was undoubtedly the Little Demon Empress. Although she had suppressed it with all her might, the most intense stirring that had occurred within these past hundred years appeared within her pair of eyes… Because to her, the significance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal far surpassed everyone in this world. This wasn’t merely an important item of the Demon Emperor Clan that was retrieved; with the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she could enter the Golden Crow Ancestral Realm within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and her own Golden Crow’s bloodline could be truly awakened, invoking a huge leap in her strength… from her current level of mid-stage Monarch, directly to a peak-level Monarch. Within Illusory Demon Realm, there would no longer be anyone else who could be her match.
The biggest key point was… after awakening her Golden Crow’s bloodline, she could easily release the spiritual pressure within the Demon Emperor’s Seal, bringing out an irrepressible pressure to all those who possessed the Golden Crow’s bloodline. If she had obtained this Demon Emperor’s Seal long ago, how could have those Duke Palaces and Guardian Families dared to act so arrogantly, and dared to show such treachery?!
Hence, the appearance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, to her, was undoubtedly a heaven-sent surprise! It would completely change her fate, allowing her to become the true ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm.
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal… Impossible… Impossible!” Although he exclaimed the word “impossible,” that pressure that was seemingly forcing him to kneel had told him with absolute clarity that this was the true Demon Emperor’s Seal, without doubt. Duke Huai’s expression changed again and again… If Yun Che’s appearance could be said to be similar to having him eat a housefly and be disgusted from head to toe, then the appearance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, was like a ten-ton hammer smashing down, completely shattering the plan that he had painstakingly orchestrated… It was no longer possible to proceed with it any further.
Without the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Empress was merely the “Little Demon Empress” who could not awaken her bloodline, whose strength, qualifications, and even gender could hardly convince anyone.
If she were to obtain the Demon Emperor’s Seal… then she could become unbeatable in the world in a blink of an eye. With her might encompassing the world, she would become the representative of the Golden Crow’s Divine Spirit, the complete successor of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline… a true Illusory Demon Empress! Her being a female would basically no longer be of importance.
The several Patriarchs were either shocked, surprised, or could not dare to believe their own eyes for a long while. They looked at Yun Qinghong, only to realize that he had the same astonished look as them… Evidently, even he did not know that the Demon Emperor’s Seal that was lost for a hundred years was actually with Yun Che.
“Could it be… Could father have…” Yun Qinghong muttered softly.
“Yun Che! The Demon Emperor’s Seal… Why is it in your hands?!” Helian Kuang loudly questioned. His eyes were roundly widened, and his voice was slightly trembling.
Everyone wanted to know the answer to this question.
Yun Che smiled coldly and said, “This Demon Emperor’s Seal was handed to my grandfather by the former Demon Emperor for protection back then. Since it was the former Demon Emperor’s request, unless my grandfather was dead, he definitely wouldn’t allow it to land in the hands of anyone else… Naturally, it was personally handed to me by my grandfather!”
“Nonsense!” Duke Zhong stood up. With a dark and uncertain voice, he sharply said, “Yun Canghai had already lost his life a hundred years ago, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal was thus lost ever since… You were far off from being born at that time, so how could he have handed it to you?! And the place where the Demon Emperor’s Seal had fallen to was the faraway Profound Sky Continent, how could it be possibly in your hands… Just how in the world did you obtain it?”
The return of the Demon Emperor’s Seal should have been a big celebratory matter for the Illusory Demon Realm. However, no matter how it was heard, Duke Zhong’s voice was filled with confusion and agitation. Yun Che smiled coldly. Retracting his arm, he leisurely withdrew the Demon Emperor’s Seal back into the Sky Poison Pearl.
To other people, this was the Demon Emperor’s Seal. But to Yun Che, this was his grandfather’s hundred years of faith, hundred years of pain, and undying loyalty…
Seeing that Yun Che was actually, openly keeping the Demon Emperor’s Seal, everyone looked at each other, while Helian Kuang’s expression changed, as he had finally found an extremely good excuse to denounce him, he stretched out his finger and loudly roared, “Yun Che! You sure have great guts! Instead of returning the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress, you’re actually keeping it for yourself… Is your Yun Family thinking of seizing the Demon Emperor’s Seal for yourselves?!”
The expressions of everyone in the west wing, including people of the Yun Family, all changed immediately after… The Demon Emperor’s Seal was an artifact belonging to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline from the start. Its significance to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline and to all of Illusory Demon Realm, was known to the entire world. If he hadn’t taken it out and no one knew about it, it would still be fine. However, he actually took out the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and was even in the presence of the Little Demon Empress, in the face of the heroes of the realm. Yet, not only did he not immediately present it to the Little Demon Empress, he instead kept it for himself. This was undoubtedly an extremely inappropriate course of action.
Facing Helian Kuang’s denouncement and everyone’s shifting gazes, Yun Che did not even make the slightest of movements. With a stiff expression, he said, “Didn’t you people want to know how this Demon Emperor’s Seal which had fallen into Profound Sky Continent came to my hands?! I will now tell you the answer…”
Yun Che took a step back. The moment he finished speaking,, a completely transparent, crystal coffin appeared in front of him following a flash of light from the Sky Poison Pearl. Within the crystal coffin laid an old man with pastel white hair, whose entire body was disheveled and whose face was withered and hideous.
“…” Yun Qinghong’s entire body tensed, and his chest intensely undulated. Mu Yurou had already stood up as well. They did not say a single word, nor did they want to stop any of Yun Che’s actions. Together with Yun Qinghong, she silently looked at the old man within the Coffin of Eternity.
Skinny as a bag of bones, a withered face, hair, beard, and brows which were disheveled and white. Looking at the person, he appeared to be a savage and terrifying devil. With just a few glances, a sense of discomfort welled up within the people. Everyone was completely baffled as to why Yun Che would suddenly display such a withered and ugly corpse of an old man. However, gradually, among the Yun Family, and the Guardian Families, countless people began to stand up. Some of their eyes began to stare widely, and some of their lips were trembling intensely…
Because, from this old man’s body, they caught the hint of a faint and familiar silhouette… and their spiritual perception began to stir deeply!
Yun Duanshui and Yun Waitian were the closest to the coffin. They blankly looked at the old man within the Coffin of Eternity for a long time, and their bodies began to tremble. Yun Duanshui opened his mouth, releasing a hoarse voice that was seemingly unclear, “Could he be… Could he be… Could he be… Could he be…”
“It’s… It’s… the Patriarch…”
Chapter 576 - Corpse of the Demon King
At first, no one could immediately recognize that the old man within the Coffin of Eternity was Yun Canghai, because compared to a hundred years ago, he was already completely unrecognizable. Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui were the closest to the coffin. As they and Yun Canghai had been in the same family for two hundred odd years, they vaguely sensed the hint of a familiar silhouette, the aura of a Patriarch of the Yun Family which was unique to Yun Canghai. However, even they had simply released a hazy voice, and were basically unable to make a confirmation.
“You people, can you recognize this person?” Yun Che stood at the side of Yun Canghai’s corpse. With straightened brows and cold eyes, he looked at the seven Patriarchs and everyone else in the east wing who had hesitant and uncertain expressions. This was why, even though he had brought back Yun Canghai’s corpse, he did not allow Yun Qinghong to hold a burial as soon as possible, nor did he allow the rest of the Yun family to know about it. He definitely would not allow his grandfather to be buried with accusations that were planted by the evil intentions of others… He wanted to clear his grandfather’s name, and more importantly, have those people apologize and confess to his grandfather in front of the entire world!
“Yes, it’s impossible for the lot of you to recognize him! Even if a Monarch could have sensed something with his extremely strong spiritual perception, he definitely wouldn’t even dare to believe it!” Yun Che gazed at the entire hall, and said coldly, “He’s the one and only Demon King in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm, my grandfather, and is also the so-called ‘sinner’ that you people have criticized for exactly a hundred years… Yun Canghai!!”
When Yun Che shouted out this name, the entire hall instantly boomed. Everyone stood up, and stared at the person within the Coffin of Eternity with wide eyes. Their faces were all filled with shock and utter disbelief to the point that they couldn’t believe their own ears.
“Yun… Yun Canghai?!”
“Impossible! This withered and bony old man… How could he possibly be the Demon King, Yun Canghai?!”
“Didn’t Yun Canghai fall in the Profound Sky Continent a hundred years ago… How could it possibly be him?!”
The name of the “Demon King” Yun Canghai was known to everyone in the Illusory Demon Realm. However, that withered old man within the crystal coffin next to Yun Che, no matter how they thought about it, he couldn’t be connected to the Demon King whose name had shaken the world. A hundred years ago, Yun Canghai’s appearance was extraordinary, within his graceful face carried a form of might which people revered. Back then, his appearance looked as though he had yet to reach his thirties, and it was unknown just how many women of the Illusory Demon adored him in their dreams.
With Yun Canghai’s cultivation, even if another thousand years were to pass, there shouldn’t have been the slightest change to his appearance.
However, the old man within the crystal coffin had hair that was messy and white, had a body as withered as a rotten tree, as though he was a pitiful beggar who had starved to death after suffering from thousands of torture. Most probably, even humans at the lowest level of the Illusory Demon Realm wouldn’t be willing to take more than a few glances… How could this person be the Illusory Demon Realm’s Demon King who was beneath only a single person, above billions of people, and received admiration from countless people?!
“Patriarch… It’s really the Patriarch!!”
Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui cried out in grief as they rushed forward and fiercely knelt in front of the Coffin of Eternity. Under their cries, they had already been overwhelmed with warm tears. Although they did not dare to believe it, and were unwilling to believe it, they had already placed all their trust in Yun Che… How could he possibly use the corpse of his own biological grandfather for a devious trick in front of Little Demon Empress, in front of the Twelve Guardian Families, and in front of everyone in the world?! Outsiders might not be able to discern him, but they were both people from the same family who were loyal to Yun Canghai back then. Even if he had died, even if his face was no longer recognizable, that indescribable subtle sense of familiarity which belonged to Yun Canghai truly existed so clearly.
The name “Yun Canghai” and the sorrowful cries of the two Great Elders caused the hearts of everyone in the Yun Family to tremble intensely. Yun Qinghong took a deep breath, raised his hand to stop the family members who had lost control of their emotions, and charged right out, saying, “That… is indeed father’s corpse. It was Yun Che who brought him back from the Profound Sky Continent… It’s enough for Great Elder and Second Great Elder to guard him. You people do not head over there any further, so as to prevent startling the elderly’s rest.”
Yun Qinghong’s words firmly proved the identity of the corpse. All of the people within the Yun Family felt as though something was bursting in their chests. Old tears were already flowing from the eyes of the three Grand Elders, Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi… Even in their dreams, they never thought that there would come a day they could see Yun Canghai once again…
“He’s… really the Demon King?” With a startled gaze, the Little Demon Empress asked with surprise and doubt. In this lifetime, there were only two people whom she truly respected. One was her royal father, while the other was Yun Canghai. In a flash, it had already been a hundred years. She no longer hoped that she could see the corpses of her royal father and little brother, and similarly, she did not dare to hope that she could see Yun Canghai once again… But at this moment, Yun Canghai’s corpse, like a miracle and a dream, had returned to this Illusory Demon Realm, appearing right in front of her…
However, his appearance had instead caused her soul to quiver intensely… without pause…
With a stiffened expression, Yun Che said. “Even if I were the most heinous and vile person, I definitely wouldn’t use the corpse of my late relative for a scheme!!”
“Impossible!!” Helian Kuang said with a slightly husky voice. “Yun Canghai died in the Profound Sky Continent a hundred years ago, so how could his corpse possibly appear here?! And Yun Canghai’s profound strength was at the peak of the eighth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, possessing a lifespan of many thousands of years… How could he possibly become like this?!”
“How could he possibly become like this?” Yun Che let out a bland laugh. His gaze carried a bone-piercing hatred, and his voice had turned incomparably cold as well. “A lowly person like you… naturally wouldn’t understand why my grandfather had become like this!!”
“You… Do you want to know why my grandfather currently looks this way?! Do you know want to know why his corpse could return here from the Profound Sky Continent?! Do you want to know why the Demon Emperor’s Seal is in my hands?!”
The three questions that Yun Che roared out were all questions that everyone present anxiously wanted to know the answer to, and it was even more so for the seven Patriarchs, who had an incomparable desire to find out. However, facing Yun Che’s frighteningly cold expression, eyes, and tone of speech head-on, even with their mighty Monarch cultivations, they clearly felt a deep sense of fear in their hearts… And, Yun Canghai’s corpse that was next to him… Although it was just a corpse, not a single one of them dared to face it directly, as though Yun Canghai’s heroic soul was there, staring at them.
Yun Che laughed. His smiling intent, in the eyes of the seven Patriarchs, were especially sinister and terrifying. “I shall now provide you people the answers to each one of them!!”
“A hundred years ago, my grandfather brought ten Grand Elders of the Yun Family towards the Sky Profound Continent to save the former Demon Emperor. However, they were struck with a scheme, falling into the enemy’s ‘Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation’ that was long well-prepared. The ten Grand Elders fell, while my grandfather was gravely injured… However, my grandfather did not die; instead, he was imprisoned, by the Profound Sky Continent’s Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, three hundred meters underground, in a place of complete darkness! With the Meteoric Chain locking his entire body, and with the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation sealing his profound energy… this single imprisonment, lasted exactly a hundred years!”
Other than Yun Che’s voice, the entire hall was so quiet, a needle dropping onto the ground could even be heard.
Clank clank clank!
A set of incomparably heavy chains was taken out by Yun Che, and thrown onto the ground. “This is the Meteoric Chain which had locked my grandfather! Helian Kuang, didn’t you ask why my grandfather became like this in a mere hundred years? Because my grandfather, for a hundred years, he could not see the sun nor the moon. For a hundred years, he could not eat. For a hundred years, he was in complete darkness. For a hundred years, he stayed in solitude within the darkness. For a hundred years, he had his entire body sealed. For a hundred years, he had his profound veins suppressed. For a hundred years, he had suffered the Soul Suppressing Formation’s devouring… For exactly a hundred years, he was suffering a living death!”
Yun Che’s words had caused the expressions of the people present in the hall to turn pale, and chills ran down their entire bodies. While having his body and profound energy shackled, he even had to face an endless darkness and solitude… Even without the pain of the formation’s devouring, it would still be an experience similar to hell. Because, in this world, the most frightening thing wasn’t the torture that came to one’s body, but facing an endless darkness in solitude… Even if it was an incomparably strong profound practitioner, when shackled to this dark abyss, his spirit and willpower would have been tortured to the point of complete collapse after a few years, even driving him insane.
That was a form of living death no one could possibly not fear, and no one could truly endure…
A hundred years… They were basically unable to imagine that there would actually be a person who could endure in this dark abyss for a hundred years…
“In that place, during every second, my grandfather was enduring a mental torture that you people can’t even dare to imagine. Every second of it felt like a living death… He could have committed suicide in the first place, directly releasing himself. However, my grandfather did not do it. Even if he had to endure the largest pain, no matter what, he didn’t allow himself to die. My grandfather wasn’t a person who feared death, and in that place, no matter how one isn’t afraid of death, right after a month, that person will still use everything he have to kill himself…”
“The reason why he desperately clung onto life, was all because of this… Demon Emperor’s Seal!” Yun Che once again took out the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and said while gritting his teeth.
“This… is impossible!” Jiufang Kui roared out. “Since Yun Canghai had fallen into the hands of the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, then how could the Demon Emperor’s Seal possibly still be on his body! Even if he opened a small dimensional space, it would definitely still be taken away. It’s definitely impossible for the Demon Emperor’s Seal to still be carried on his body!”
“Heh!” Yun Che let out a cold laugh. Right after, he closed his eyes, slowly moved the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the position of his own heart, and gently said. “In order to prevent the Demon Emperor’s Seal from being taken away by the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, my grandfather opened a small dimensional space in the center of his heart, and hid the Demon Emperor’s Seal within… for exactly a hundred years…”
“Wh… What?!”
The expressions of the seven Patriarchs stiffened, and they could no longer let out a single sound. The Little Demon Empress’ pair of clear eyes suddenly widened, and the light in her eyes intensely stirred. Countless exclaiming voices sounded in the hall. Seemingly everyone had unconsciously reached out their hands to where their hearts were. Their hands constantly trembled, and their inner hearts had stirred to the extreme.
“Patriarch… Patriarch… You… Why… Why go to such lengths…” The people of the Yun Family were either dumbfounded, or had their eyes closed, while dozens of the Elders had already thrown themselves onto the ground, breaking down into tears.
Yun Qinghong raised his head, and tightly closed his eyes shut. His clenched fists were constantly releasing out dull bone-crackling sounds.
Opening a small dimensional space in the center of one’s heart, was indeed extremely hard for anyone to perceive. Thinking about the pain brought by this action would make anyone shudder in fear, even if it were someone who was as strong as a Monarch. Because Yun Canghai was located in the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation, and his profound strength had been suppressed to a great degree, if it was taken out, the dimensional space would disappear right after, he would no longer have the energy to create another one, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal would thus be in a crisis of being exposed at any moment. Hence, in these hundred years, no matter how much pain he suffered, he had never taken out the Demon Emperor’s Seal. The small dimensional space where the Demon Emperor’s Seal was hiding had always been within Yun Canghai’s heart as well… for exactly a hundred years.
Earlier, they were unable to imagine just what kind of experience, what kind of pain and torture could cause a high-level Monarch to turn out like this in a mere hundred years… Now they knew. They now knew it all…
“Now, do you understand?” Yun Che looked at Jiufang Kui and said with an incomparably bland voice.
Jiufang Kui opened his mouth, yet, because of a dry throat, he could not speak out a single word.
Yun Che laughed coldly. Staring at the seven Patriarchs, his cold and bland words entered every one of their ears one after another. “The lot of you had best take a careful look at my grandfather. His entire body is withered, his hair is white, the gown on his body, had long scattered beyond recognition. In these hundred years, his every second had all been passed in purgatory. Only when he handed the Demon Emperor’s Seal that he had been desperately safeguarding to me, did he finally peacefully pass away…”
“Heh, then look at the lot of you… Similarly, a Patriarch of a Guardian Family, yet, every single one of you are so ruddy and high-spirited, wearing such expensive and glamorous clothes. In these hundred years, the lot of you lead your entire families, gazing arrogantly upon the world in such an awe-inspiring manner. What the lot of you ate were the finest delicacies, what you used were the finest spirit pellets and medicine. The lot of you have lived such a comfortable and unfettered lives!”
Yun Che’s voice changed, and his every word was as sharp as daggers. “Yet, carrying the name of loyalty, the lot of you still grandly collaborated together to suppress our Yun Family! The lot of you still wished to defame my grandfather, who had spent his time in purgatory bitterly protecting the Demon Emperor’s Seal, into an eternal sinner!! The lot of you still wanted our Yun family to endure a hundred years of sin, and had even wanted to banish us eternally!!”
“Do the lot of you still have any face?! Any conscience?! Any pride?!”
“Do you people even have the slightest bit of shame?!”
Chapter 577 - Heaven Pities the Yun Family
Yun Che’s furious condemnations came as resounding thunder, shaking the ears and souls of everyone present.
Earlier, the Helian, Jiufang, Nangong, Chiyang, Lin, Xiao, and Bai Families were all condemned by Yun Che to the point that their heads were being drenched in dog blood, and they had nothing to refute with. However, the fact that the Demon Emperor’s Seal was ultimately lost because of Yun Canghai still existed to everyone’s knowledge. This was like a set of chains binding the Yun Family; no matter what speech they made, what reasons they gave, or how much loyalty they displayed, they were unable to completely escape from it.
And now, the Demon Emperor’s Seal had returned. Yun Canghai’s corpse had returned as well.
The Demon Emperor’s Seal was completely unscathed, while Yun Canghai’s corpse was like a piece of withered deadwood. In the Demon Imperial Hall, even the person with a heart of the hardest stone could not stop the stirring in the depths of his heart at that moment. For the Demon Emperor, he unhesitantly brought the strongest forces from his family and rushed to the Profound Sky Continent… even though he was awfully clear that there was an extremely high possibility of causing a huge decline to his family’s strength.
In this past hundred years, he even suffered from unimaginable torture and pain. Enduring for exactly a hundred years, he used his own life, willpower, and all of his faith to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal which was entrusted to him by the former Demon Emperor.
Every scar on his body was deeply depicting the meaning of “loyalty” and “might”.
All of them asked their own hearts, but not a single one of them believed that they would be capable of doing it.
Yet in these hundred years, while he was giving his everything to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal… the Yun Family was suffering from heavy punishment, collaborative suppression, and even bullying, from the other Guardian Families. Even his title, under the constant waves of hidden insinuations, had turned from “Demon King” into “sinner”.
How could this Yun Canghai be a sinner?!
Even in the eyes of the heavens, Yun Canghai had determination, loyalty, and courage to a degree that would make them sigh out of grief. If there could only be a single person in all of Illusory Demon Realm who hadn’t sinned, that person would definitely be him, Yun Canghai…
In retrospect, the hundred years of accusatory slander against Yun Canghai, the hundred years of sin which the Yun Family had suffered were clearly the saddest jokes in the history of Illusory Demon Realm…
While holding onto the same title, those seven great families who had acted and spoken against the Yun Family at every turn, and had even personally admitted to collaborating together to suppress the Yun Family a hundred years ago, were unbearably hideous to behold. Their persistence in saying that all they had done was for the sake of the Illusory Demon Realm, flaunting their own righteousness and loyalty… at this moment, in front of Yun Canghai’s corpse, evidently looked incomparably petty and laughable. Their every word earlier had all turned into fans, slapping resoundingly on their faces.
“My grandfather’s willpower and loyalty were reflected by the sun and moon and witnessed by heaven and earth! He held a conscience clear to Illusory Demon Realm, clear to heaven, and clear to the title ‘Demon King’! The lot of you, use your own eyes and take a proper look at his corpse… Take a proper look at how much he had done for Illusory Demon Realm!! For the Demon Emperor, he was trapped in purgatory, but he had never resented it, and he had even desperately safeguarded the Demon Emperor’s Seal which was entrusted to him by the former Demon Emperor. For the Demon Emperor’s Seal, he suffered a living death for a hundred years. Yet, he still did not utter even a single word of resentment… Even at the moment right before his death, he was still concerned about the safety of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline…”
“Helian Kuang, Jiufang Kui, Chiyang Bailie, Nangong Zhi, Xiao Xifeng, Lin Guiyan, Bai Yi… This is the unforgivable ‘sinner’ you guys have spoken about! This is the ‘foolish person’ you have quipped about with your venomous words! The Demon Emperor’s bloodline encountered a great tribulation, but you seven families did not even lose a single soldier or general, nor did you earn the slightest bit of merit. What you seven families have done, however, was collaborate together to slander my grandfather, suppress my Yun Family, and spare no efforts to spread the ‘grave sin’ of our Yun Family to all of Illusory Demon Realm. Even today, when my Yun Family had already completely declined, you all still wish to collaborate together to oust my Yun Family from the Guardian Families, and even humiliate my grandfather with every single one of your words!!”
“If heaven had not pitied us, allowing me to reunite with my grandfather, my grandfather’s honorable name would have forever been tainted by you vile sinners! My entire Yun Family would have forever been unable to address our injustice!”
“Just where did the lot of you get the confidence, the nerve, the qualifications, and the face to criticize my grandfather and judge my Yun Family?!”
“You abandoned your master, acted on your selfish reasoning, betrayed your ancestors, framed innocents, and harbored ill motives… Compared to my grandfather, how are any of you worthy of becoming the Patriarch of a Guardian Family?! A beast acts based on thirty percent of conscience, and none of you are even worthy of being beasts!!”
Yun Che’s eyes had already quietly turned blurry. Yun Canghai severed his own lifeline to put an end to himself, and died with a smile, allowing him to escape alive. Today, he had finally did a little something for his grandfather, something that should be done as his grandchild.
Every single one of the expressions of the seven Patriarch was unsightly to the extreme. Some even had flush-red faces with crimson ears, and their facial features were distorted. Facing Yun Che’s furious condemnation, all seven of them, seven Guardian Family Patriarchs whose might could shake the world, were however unable to refute even a single word… They felt as though their clothes had been stripped off in front of the eyes of everyone present, and those eyes were filled with disdain… Even those people whom they had never even bothered to give a second glance were using the most disdainful eyes look coldly look at them.
The Yun Family which had declined yet still possessed the pride they once had, the Demon Emperor’s Seal which had miraculously returned, and Yun Canghai’s corpse which was engraved with the scars of purgatory… As long as their eyes were not blind, they would be able to see with absolute clarity which side was loyal and which side was scheming. A single glance… had won over the tens of thousands of rumors and hearsay.
Even the many elders and disciples of the seven families had deeply lowered their heads as well, as they did not dare to make eye contact with anyone. That feeling of shame caused them to feel as though they were sitting on pins and needles.
“Duke Huai… What should we do now?” Duke Zhong’s trembling voice transmitted over.
The current situation had already completely spiraled out of control. Everything had completely escaped Duke Huai’s control and predictions. Before today, he had predicted various types of accidents; however, never did he expect that the situation would actually develop to such an extent.
The Yun Family obtaining victory in the competition earlier was already enough to shock him to an incomparable degree, but he could still respond to it. At this moment, he could already feel that his head was soon about to explode. He understood that the plan he had initially set for today could no longer be fulfilled no matter what.
Hearing Duke Zhong’s voice transmission, Duke Huai fiercely took a deep breath, forced himself to calmly step forward, and said, “Demon King Yun Canghai’s loyalty was indeed enough to move the entire world… But, there’s one thing that is unclear to this duke! Since the Demon King was imprisoned by Profound Sky Continent’s Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, how were you able to meet him, and even bring back his corpse!” His voice sank by a small degree. “Since you’re a member of the Yun Family… Why were you in the Profound Sky Continent? And how did you come here from the Profound Sky Continent?”
Duke Huai’s questions mirrored the doubts in everyone’s hearts. However, his solemn tone was clearly hinting that the Yun Family had some hidden motives.
Yun Che’s gaze shifted. Just as he was about to speak, a heartbreaking cold female voice had already resounded, “In regards to these questions, this empress can give you the answers!”
The Little Demon Empress slowly walked down. The moment her voice resounded, it had attracted the eyes of everyone present. Her eyes were like cold stars, and she said frigidly, “Back then, both my imperial father and the Demon King were trapped in the Profound Sky Continent. Although there were no longer any messages, we had yet to see their corpses either. Hence, this empress was unwilling to completely believe that imperial father has already passed on, and Patriarch Yun had not given up on finding out news of the Demon King.”
“A hundred years ago, over at the Profound Sky Continent, they had constantly sent scattered messages, saying that the Demon King wasn’t dead, and wanted my Illusory Demon Realm to exchange our Mirror of Samsara for his life. Although a large number of patriarchs and dukes persisted that this was a scheme by the Profound Sky Continent, the matter concerned the Demon King’s life, and both this empress and Patriarch Yun chose to believe it rather than not! It’s known to the entire world that twenty-five years ago, Patriarch Yun and his wife had secretly gone to the Profound Sky Continent… And at that time, it was actually under this empress’ behest! Otherwise, with Patriarch Yun’s loyalty, he definitely wouldn’t have brought along the Mirror of Samsara he was safeguarding of his own will. Although the Mirror of Samsara was a treasured artifact of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, in the end, it was still a dead object. If it really could be used to exchange for the Demon King’s life, then this empress would definitely not be the slightest bit unwilling to do so.”
The eyes of everyone in the Yun Family were moist, and their expressions stirred. Even they, had only found out at this moment, that everything that happened twenty-five years ago was all facilitated by the Little Demon Empress, and she had even unhesitantly allowed Yun Qinghong to bring along the treasured artifact Mirror of Samsara, to win over that slightest bit of hope to retrieve the Demon King’s life. In these recent years, although she had punished the Yun Family out of pressure, in her heart, she hadn’t truly made light of the Yun Family.
“As for the matters that happened after, all of you should already be aware.” The Little Demon Empress coldly swept her gaze to the front. “Patriarch Yun and his wife returned three years later with heavy injuries, their profound strengths were crippled, and they had even brought back a son. When Patriarch Yun came to confess his sin of losing the Mirror of Samsara, he had told this empress everything that had occurred. At that time, this empress found out that Patriarch Yun and his wife did indeed bear a child in the Profound Sky Continent, but that child was not the Yun Xiao whom they had brought back!”
Yun Xiao was unable to execute the Profound Handle, and rumors concerning him not being Yun Qinghong’s son were already long known to the entire city many years ago. Even the Yun Family had never truly admitted his identity as Young Master. Hence, when the Little Demon Empress said that Yun Xiao was not the son of Yun Qinghong and his wife, although the expressions of the people present were a little odd, not a single person felt that it was shocking.
“Not long after Patriarch Yun and his wife bore their child in the Profound Sky Continent, they were then hunted down for a long period of time. When they were about to reach a dead end, they encountered a good friend they had made in the Profound Sky Continent. Not only did he guide Patriarch Yun and his wife to a path of escape, he was afraid that their child would encounter some uncertainties during the escape, and that they would lose their only descendant. Hence, quietly, he exchanged his own child with Patriarch Yun’s child.”
Exclamations and discussions broke out in the Demon Imperial Hall. Little Demon Express looked towards Yun Che, and slowly said, “Yun Che, you’re the child whom Patriarch Yun had left in the Profound Sky Continent back then, is that right?”
Although she was asking Yun Che, she had used a tone of certainty. Because other than this, there was no second possibility. Yun Che nodded and said, “Yes. I grew up in Profound Sky Continent, and only three months ago did I finally arrive in the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“Then how did you and the Demon King meet? Can you inform this Empress?” Little Demon Empress calmly asked.
Yun Che said, lightly, “In the Profound Sky Continent, when I was seventeen years old, I became the victor of a Ranking Tournament. As a result, I was invited to spectate a demon sealing ceremony by a low-ranked Elder of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region… And that ‘demon’, was my grandfather. However, back then, I didn’t even know of my own familial background, nor did I know that he was actually my relative. During that process, because of a sudden accident, I was swept into the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that was sealing my grandfather, heavily injured by my grandfather, and then sealed in the dark underground along with my grandfather… After that, my grandfather saw the Mirror of Samsara on my body, and then, used his profound energy to force out my Profound Handle Mark. Only then did I find out that he was actually my relative, and find out my true familial background.”
Although Yun Che had only spoke a few short sentences, they had already depicted clear and bizarre scenes in everyone’s minds. The Demon King of the Illusory Demon Realm, imprisoned deep within the enemy’s territory, had actually encountered and reunited with his own biological grandson in the Profound Sky Continent. This was truly an arrangement by the heavens. Truly, the heavens had taken pity on the Yun Family…
Yun Che reached out his hand, and following the opening of his palm, the pendant chain of the plain-looking Mirror of Samsara fell, swaying gently beneath his hand.
“Ah… It’s really the Mirror of Samsara!” Several people in the surroundings exclaimed in unison.
“This Mirror of Samsara was worn on my body since I was young. The grandfather who had raised me up said that this was my only lead to find out about my biological parents and my familial background in the future. It was also this which allowed me to reunite with my grandfather.” Yun Che then clenched the Mirror of Samsara in his hand again. Lowering his eyelids, he said gently, “My grandfather entrusted the Demon Emperor’s Seal and the Yun Family Patriarch’s Crest to me, and then, in order to allow me to escape from that place, he severed his own lifeline, to cancel the seal which was connected to his lifeline… That, was merely three years ago.”
Chapter 578 - How Could One Be Willing?
Everyone present sighed in their hearts. None of them expected that Yun Canghai did not actually die in the Profound Sky Continent a hundred years ago, but had only truly passed away three years ago. A hundred years had already passed since the Demon Emperor’s great tribulation, yet only today did they truly and clearly see the scenes behind this tragedy. The truths and facts which they had believed in and were familiar with back then had also been completely overturned in their hearts.
“I had always thought little brother Yun and I had already been separated by the heavens, but never did I expect that it’s only been three years since… Haah,” Mu Feiyan let out a long sigh, and for a moment, grief, and joy intersected. He felt sad for the experience Yun Canghai had in these hundred years, but he felt joyful for him to have such a descendant. To be able to see his own biological grandson at his last few moments, hand him the item which he had been safeguarding desperately, and personally witness his extraordinary prowess, Mu Feiyan believed that at the moment he left this world, he must had smiled with a peace of mind.
In the Demon Imperial Hall, every single pair of eyes that was looking at Yun Canghai’s remains, was filled with a heavy amount of yearning, admiration, respect, and a deep sense of guilt… The guilt of him actually labeling him as a “sinner” under the parroting of information in these hundred years.
All of the elders in the Yun Family had long been covered entirely in tears, while those young disciples of the Yun Family were even moreso, clenching their fists, as they looked straight at Yun Canghai… Their gazes were similar to looking up to a god. When they were born, the Yun Family had already declined. Demon Imperial City was forever filled with various types of rumors and slander against the Yun Family. When facing the rest of the Guardian Families, they had always felt that they were a level lower than them. Yet, at this moment, they were filled with such intense pride for being children of the Yun Family.
Duke Huai’s chest undulated, and with a tone that could still be considered calm, he said, “I see, then that is truly an arrangement made by the heavens. But, there’s still one matter that this duke doesn’t understand… and it’s also an extremely important matter.” He narrowed his eyes, and said, “How exactly did you come to Illusory Demon Realm from the Profound Sky Continent?!”
“The Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm are separated by a long distance, and even a peak-level Monarch is unable to cross it. The secret dimensional passage which Profound Sky Continent had used to infiltrate our Illusory Demon Realm back then had long been sealed by us, and around it, there’s even three great powers that’s safeguarding it day and night. If they dare to offend us once more, it will definitely be detected by us at the very first instance. Yet, you actually came from the Profound Sky Continent without being detected in any way! If you had not admitted it yourself, none of us would have known that you came from the Profound Sky Continent! Could it be that the Profound Sky Continent had actually opened up a dimensional passage of some sort once again? Or did you use some sort of artifact capable of crossing such distances? If that’s truly the case…”
“Wouldn’t that mean it’s possible for those vile people of Profound Sky Continent to silently infiltrate us at any moment? Then, wouldn’t that mean it’s possible for our Illusory Demon Realm, to once again encounter that huge crisis a hundred years ago at any moment?!”
Duke Huai’s words caused several people to hold their breaths, as they looked towards Yun Che one after another. Yun Che glanced at Duke Huai, and without any change to his expression, said, “Your highness, Duke Huai, your worries are unfounded. If the Profound Sky Continent really did have a way to silently infiltrate here, then, with their covet towards the Mirror of Samsara, they would have long taken action several times over in these hundred years. Why would they have unhesitantly gone through so much trouble to send their sound transmissions here, and wish to use my grandfather’s life to exchange for the Mirror of Samsara then?”
Yun Che slowly continued, “Three years ago, when I found out about my own background, and adding that I was holding onto the item which my grandfather handed to me, I naturally had an incomparable desire to return to the Illusory Demon Realm. Both to reunite with my family, and even moreso, to accomplish the task which my grandfather entrusted to me before his death. As expected, the heavens did not let me down. Due to a fortunate encounter, I found a treasured artifact that could transport me here, and ever since three months ago, I had returned to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
Naturally, Yun Che could not possibly tell the truth about him being sent here by the Primordial Profound Ark; however, what he described was not exactly nonsensical either. Because the “treasured artifact” he spoke of was exactly the Primordial Profound Ark. Duke Huai frowned, and just as he was about to speak, Yun Che, however, immediately continued, “In regards to what this treasured artifact is, it’s now a private item that belongs to me, Yun Che. Duke Huai shouldn’t be rude to the extent that he would even inquire about this, right?”
With Yun Che’s response, Duke Huai swallowed back the question which he was about to ask. He no longer spoke, and his brows secretly furrowed, while the depths of his eyes were shaking with a bone-piercing killing intent. Little Demon Empress glanced at Duke Huai, before shifting her gaze towards Yun Che. Raising her arm, beneath the grey-colored sleeves, a smooth snow-white hand of a girl stretched out. “Yun Che, for now, hand this empress the Demon Emperor’s Seal.”
Duke Huai’s expression stiffened, yet, he was completely helpless to stop this from happening. He deeply knew that the moment Little Demon Empress was to obtain the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the difficulty of achieving his own goal would be raised by several dozens of times, and at worst, he might even have to suffer the consequences of his vile actions. Yet, at this very Demon Empress Grand Ceremony, he was unable to prevent it. At the same time, the appearance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal had undoubtedly stirred the Little Demon Empress’ heart as well. Only by possessing the Demon Emperor’s Seal would she truly become the ruler of Illusory Demon Realm. Her strength, and her current predicament, would also undergo an earthshaking change from then on.
Hence, when Yun Che revealed the Demon Emperor’s Seal, but did not offer it to her and instead kept it, even the Little Demon Empress who had always been as quiet as a cold lake, was no longer able restrain herself as she took the initiative to face Yun Che at this moment.
However, when faced with the Little Demon Empress’ personal request, Yun Che did not take a step forward, nor did he even move to take out the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Instead, he stood at the same position, and said with an incomparably calm expression, “I refuse.”
Yun Che’s answer was out of everyone’s expectations. The Little Demon Empress’ brows rose slightly, and everyone in the imperial hall even looked at each other with shocked expressions.
“This…” Even all of the elders of the Yun Family were dumbfounded. Yun Qinghong’s brows twitched; however, he did not speak, and simply looked at Yun Che silently.
Duke Zhong, whose heart had been stuck in restlessness for a long time, finally grabbed onto this opportunity to attack Yun Che. Taking a step forward, he loudly said, “Yun Che! What great audacity you have! The Demon Emperor’s Seal is an item belonging to our Illusory Demon Royal Family, and carries great importance for our Illusory Demon Royal Family! Could it be that you’re trying to possess it yourself?!”
Yun Che’s eyes slanted, and coldly said, “Duke Zhong, you’ve made three mistakes. One, the Demon Emperor’s Seal is an item belonging to the generations of Demon Emperors, and not an item belonging to the Illusory Demon Royal Family! Only the generations of Demon Emperors themselves have the qualification to possess it. As for dukes and kings, naturally, they do not have this qualification.”
“You…” Duke Zhong’s body trembled. Duke Huai’s lips had even more so, turned purple in an instant. How could they not understand that the hidden meaning behind these words from Yun Che was blatantly ridiculing them? ‘How could a mere duke be qualified to touch the Demon Emperor’s Seal… be qualified to become the Emperor of Illusory Demon Realm?’
Yun Che did not care about their expressions in the slightest, and continued, “Two, this Demon Emperor’s Seal, to the Demon Emperor, is an important treasure. But to me, it’s nothing more than a piece of fiery-red jade. Other than looking at it, there’s no other use to it. I do not have the slightest of interest in making it my own.”
“Three…” Yun Che’s gaze turned cold. “Since you’re merely a duke, naturally, you do not have the rights to interfere or decide who it belongs to. While it was in the Profound Sky Continent for a hundred years, it was protected by my grandfather with his life, and it was then brought back here after I have faced many difficulties to do so. Now that it’s in my hands, I naturally have the freedom to decide who I hand this to! As for the matter of retrieving this Demon Emperor’s Seal, you did not make the effort and merit to do so. You’re not even related to it in the slightest, so you’re not in the place to point fingers and find faults with me!!”
Since the beginning of the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony till now, everyone had seen for themselves how sharp and venomous Yun Che’s tongue was. The seven Patriarchs who had rampantly displayed their arrogance earlier, were now all keeping mum, and not a single person from any of the various large duke palaces dared to challenge Yun Che in linguistics again. Duke Zhong had initially thought since Yun Che had disobeyed the Little Demon Empress in front of the masses, he could be seen to be courting death, so him being criticized was perfectly justified. Duke Zhong had never expected that he would instantly receive a retaliation similar to dogs’ blood being poured over his head. Duke Zhong’s chest raised, and his upright torso trembled. His vision darkened, as though he was seemingly about to puke blood.
The Little Demon Empress, however, wasn’t angry. Calmly, she said, “Since you know that it’s a treasured item belonging to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and adding that you were entrusted by your grandfather, the Demon King, to return to this empress, why now do you still refuse to do so? Could it be that you have a request? You have brought back the Demon Emperor’s Seal from the Profound Sky Continent, the merits earned are high enough to cover the sky. If you have any request, as long as it’s something this empress can do, then I will naturally agree to it.”
Yun Che let out a bland laugh, however, he shook his head. “Request? The moment I received this from my grandfather’s hands, for days and night, I had been thinking of ways to come to this Illusory Demon Realm in order to hand this to Little Demon Empress. It was merely to fulfill my grandfather’s dying wish, and I had never thought of receiving any rewards by relying on it. Because the Demon Emperor’s Seal in my hands, carried my grandfather’s life and his sincere loyalty.”
“But, when I came to the Illusory Demon Realm, what I saw was instead a Yun Family which had already declined to a miserable state. What I heard was the various types of rumors and scandals against the Yun Family, to the extent where even all of Illusory Demon Realm believed that my Yun Family and my grandfather were all sinners! Heh…” Yun Che laughed, laughing especially sarcastically. “When my grandfather told me about my family back then, his face was filled with pride. He said that our Yun Family was the strongest family in the Illusory Demon Realm, the toughest and mightest defensive barrier next to the Demon Emperor. He told me that even though he was no longer with the current Yun Family, it would still definitely be flourishing even more than before. Because the Yun Family had always been the top among the Twelve Guardian Families in all of history, and in all of history, it had always been the most highly regarded by the Demon Emperors.”
“But, in order to save the former Demon Emperor, my grandfather unhesitantly brought all of the supporting pillars in the family and rushed to the Profound Sky Continent… and while he was suffering a hundred years of torture to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal… What kind of repayment did my Yun Family receive instead? Just what sort of repayment did my grandfather receive instead?!”
“If my grandfather were to know of all these, how could he possibly rest in peace?!”
“In order to save the former Demon Emperor, ten great Grand Elders of my Yun Family fell in vain. In order to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal, my grandfather passed away after suffering a hundred years of torture. While my Yun Family, had instead carried the title of sinners for a hundred years, suffered punishments and suppression time and time again, received countless cold glares and ridicule, and now, it has even declined into such an indescribable miserable state… All of the sacrifices, my Yun Family suffered from them. All of the sins, my Yun Family carried them. All of the punishments, my Yun Family endured them all while gritting their teeth…
“Now that the Demon Emperor’s Seal has returned, you actually want me to hand it over just like that… Tell me, how will I be willing to hand this over to you?!”
Yun Che’s eyes glowed in fury, and his voice was like roaring thunder. “If I were to return this Demon Emperor’s Seal just like that, how would I be able to face the hundred years of injustice my Yun Family had suffered?! How would I be able to face the hundred years of infamy which my guiltless grandfather had carried?!”
“Little Demon Empress, if you were in my position instead, would you be willing?!” Yun Che looked straight at Little Demon Empress, and questioned with narrow eyes.
Little Demon Empress was stunned, and was speechless for a long while. Not a single sound could be heard from within the imperial hall… At the moment when Yun Che shouted out his refusal to hand over the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress, everyone had thought that Yun Che was simply being utterly audacious. However, after hearing Yun Che’s questions one after another, all of them sank into silence… All of the sacrifices, punishments, and infamy, were carried by the Yun Family alone. Now that the Demon Emperor’s Seal was brought back by a child of the Yun Family, if it was immediately handed back just like that… How could he be willing to do so?! Who would be willing to do so?!
Would everything which the Yun Family had suffered from for a hundred years be all for nothing?!
They questioned themselves in their hearts. If they were in his place, it was definitely impossible for them to be content and willing… It was definitely impossible.
Chapter 579 - Kingship Bestowed Upon Xiao Yun
The Little Demon Empress remained silent for a while, then lightly sighed, “Regarding this matter, it’s indeed true that this empress had mistreated the Yun Family. From today onward, this empress will give your Yun Family, and the senior Demon King, a fair explanation.”
However, Yun Che shook his head, “Little Demon Empress, although you’re the monarch of the Illusory Demon Realm, you’re still a female and it’s the first time you’ve assumed the position of the monarch. As such, you’re easily misled and forced by those with ulterior motives, resulting in trade-offs and compromises regarding some matters. You have never mistreated our Yun Family. The ones who had actually caused us to decline to such a miserable state, the ones who had utterly trashed the meaning of ‘loyalty, honesty, benevolence and righteousness’, the ones who really showed contempt to the authority of the Demon Emperor; I believe everyone present should have seen it clearly.”
Whoever Yun Che was speaking of, everyone present had indeed seen and heard clearly. The seven Patriarchs who stood not too far away from Yun Che had lost all of their usual pride and arrogance. All of their faces were ashen, and under the eyes of the masses, they felt as though they were criminals currently being judged. Feeling extremely unbearable, they continuously looked to Duke Huai to plead for help, but Duke Huai’s current expression was much worse than theirs. Facing Yun Che, he was now completely fearful and did not dare to speak arrogantly… Because even he was unable to handle it whenever Yun Che retaliated.
Yun Che’s words caused the glow in the Little Demon Empress’ eyes to stir slightly. Looking at Yun Che once again, she experienced a mysterious change and said, “This empress knows fully well the grievances and injustice your Yun Family has suffered all these years. The dissatisfaction and anger within your hearts is something this empress has felt as well. Sigh…” she sighed faintly and continued, “But, the Demon Emperor’s Seal is just too important for this empress. I hope you can hand it back to this empress. This empress assures you that from today onwards, as long as this empress still holds the throne, I would not allow the Yun Family to suffer one bit of bullying!!!”
The Little Demon Empress’ cold and ruthless personality was something well known by all. However, now, when facing the major matter regarding the Demon Emperor’s Seal, not only did she not become angry and forceful, her voice was calm and mild. She had even made such an huge promise to the Yun Family in front of everyone!
Everyone present was immensely moved. The members of the Yun Family were so agitated that their entire body trembled, wondering if they were dreaming.
This was a serious promise that the Little Demon Empress made to the Yun Family in front of the masses! Such words coming out undoubtedly meant that it was decided that the Yun Family would prosper once again in due time, and no one could stop them! Returning to the leader of the Twelve Families was imminent… no, their position would be higher than in the past!
However, thinking about what the Yun Family had suffered and sacrificed for the past century, no one actually thought that this was a gift that was too much in their favor… The Yun Family deserved such a promise… In all of Illusory Demon Realm, only the Yun Family had such a right.
Su Xiangnan stood up and said, “Given the Yun Family’s loyalty, righteousness, and merit, they deserve such kindness from Little Demon Empress.”
“Although we are also of the Guardian Families, my Under Heaven Family feels that only the Yun Family deserves such honor,” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven added on without hesitation.
Yun Qinghong gradually stood up, his heart a bundle of emotions. How would he not understand what such a promise the Little Demon Empress had made meant… Their Yun Family had shockingly won competition, following which the Yun Family’s and Yun Canghai’s name had been vindicated and the Demon Emperor’s Seal had been returned. Now, the masses had once again been acquainted with the Yun Family and the Yun Family had received a promise that was larger than heaven from the Little Demon Empress… Furthermore, even Duke Huai’s well thought-out scheme had been utterly destroyed…
All of this was because of Yun Che…
This feeling of satisfaction and pride as a father was far superior to the feeling of joy and agitation due to the promise the Little Demon Empress had made. Cupping his hands deeply towards the Little Demon Empress, he said, “Yun Family’s Patriarch Yun Qinghong represents the whole clan to thank Little Demon Empress for her kindness. We swear our allegiance to the Little Demon Empress and it will never waver, even in the face of death!”
“Hahahaha!” Old Man Mu laughed heartily and shouted towards Yun Che, “The Little Demon Empress personally made this promise, each word is like gold! The heavens are finally not blind. Good grandson, you can now hand the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
When he shouted the phrase “good grandson”, Old Man Mu’s face was radiantly glowing and filled with pride. At the same time, he couldn’t wait to remind everyone that this young man that caused such a stir was actually his, Mu Feiyan’s, own blood-related grandson.
Yun Che held up the Demon Emperor’s Seal but still did not immediately hand it to the Little Demon Empress, but instead calmly said, “To obtain such a promise from the Little Demon Empress to my Yun Family, Yun Che is grateful to the utmost. However, before I return the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress, Yun Che boldly asks for two minor requests.”
Little Demon Empress looked at him deeply, but not one bit angrily or impatiently, as she gradually nodded, “This empress has already said that you can ask for any request you want. Even though you are a child of the Yun Family, you’ve been brought up in the Profound Sky Continent and have never received one bit of kindness from this empress and the Illusory Demon Realm. However, you still went through all the trouble to bring the Demon Emperor’s Seal back here. To this empress, you’ve done a great favor to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline. Any requests that you may have would not be too much.”
From the Little Demon Empress’ words, anyone could tell that she had always held a deep sense of gratitude and guilt towards the Yun Family. Since the Little Demon Empress has already said this, Yun Che naturally would not be pretentious. He nodded slightly and turned around to face the Yun Family seats, “Xiao Yun, come over here.”
The agitated Xiao Yun was suddenly stunned. Stretching out his finger, he pointed to himself in shock and asked, “Ah? Me?”
Yun Qinghong said, “Xiao’er, your big brother is asking you to go over. Even though the fact that you’re not my birth child is already exposed, you do not need to be afraid because you have never owed or wronged anyone. Hold your head high, keep your chest out and go up.”
Yun Qinghong’s words quickly calmed down the stunned Xiao Yun. He inhaled deeply, nodded and said, “Mn, I understand… I will definitely not be an embarrassment to the family.”
Xiao Yun stood up, and under everyone’s gaze, he walked to Yun Che’s side. Yun Che nodded to him, held his arm, and told the Little Demon Empress, “This is my sworn brother, the foster son of my father —— Yun Xiao, but from today onwards, his name shall be Xiao Yun! The rumors within Illusory Demon Realm for the past ten-odd years were indeed true, he is indeed not the birth child of my parents and is also not a member of the Yun Family. This was something my parents have never denied before. I believe everyone present already knows his background… That’s right, he’s the child that was exchanged with me by my father’s sworn brother, my foster father, Uncle Xiao all those years ago within the Profound Sky Continent!”
More than ten years ago, rumors of Xiao Yun not being a member of the Yun Family had already spread. Many had also heard that he might have come from the Profound Sky Continent. Therefore, towards this revelation, people were not too surprised. However, they were shocked by the circumstances that caused this to happen. In order to ensure his brother that was being hunted had descendants, he had used his own child as an exchange… This was such a strong level of brotherhood!
To be able to make such a friend… undoubtedly made one’s life a fulfilling one.
“At that time, my parents were being chased by two Sacred Grounds from the Profound Sky Continent at the same time. Not only were they severely injured, their profound strengths had depleted, they were badly poisoned and they had to split their focus to protect the baby in their hands… The situation then was dire, and there was hardly any hope for escape. In order to protect me and to ensure that my parents had a descendant in the event they met with harm, Uncle Xiao secretly used his newborn child… which was Xiao Yun, and exchanged him with me… It was lucky that in the end, under Uncle Xiao’s guidance, my parents had eventually managed to escape, but I was left in the Profound Sky Continent and Xiao Yun came to Illusory Demon Realm.”
“This might have been fate. If it weren’t for the kindness Uncle Xiao showed at that time, I would have never been able to grow up in the Profound Sky Continent and would not get the lucky opportunity to reunite with my grandfather. I would also not have been able to bring his corpse and complete his dying wish. The Demon Emperor’s Seal might never have had the chance to return to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“Therefore, the fact that the Demon Emperor’s Seal was able to return to Illusory Demon Realm today is ultimately thanks to Uncle Xiao’s family. Although Uncle Xiao’s family members are in the Profound Sky Continent, they are actually my Yun Family’s great benefactors. They are also the benefactors of the Illusory Demon Royal Family and even all of Illusory Demon Realm… Does Little Demon Empress agree with me about this?”
The Little Demon Empress looked at Xiao Yun for some time before slowly nodding, “This empress will naturally bear this kindness in mind.”
Yun Che’s voice deepened as he continued, “However, you all do not know that at that time, not long after my parents left, Uncle Xiao, the birth father of Xiao Yun, was found by the people from the Sacred Grounds and… died under their vicious hands! Xiao Yun’s mother also passed on because of her longing, and his grandmother had grew ill due to sadness and eventually passed on as well… Even I did not get the chance to see their faces properly.”
Xiao Yun, “…”
Yun Che’s words caused the Little Demon Empress and everyone else to be moved.
“To my Yun Family, to the Little Demon Empress and even to all of Illusory Demon Realm, Xiao Yun will always be a descendant of our benefactor! However, for all his time in Illusory Demon Realm, he had always suffered criticism, ridicule, insult, and bullying. Three months ago, on the first day I arrived in Demon Imperial City, I had even seen for myself that someone tried to kill him… What kind of logic is this?!”
Yun Che’s last sentence came out as a shout and everyone now looked at Xiao Yun in an entirely different light. No one could have imagined that behind his birth, there were actually so many secrets. The Demon Emperor’s Seal could only have been returned to Illusory Demon Realm today because of his parents. The great act of kindness their family had shown towards the Illusory Demon Realm was definitely no exaggeration. They had even lost their lives because of it, leaving Xiao Yun, their sole descendant, behind…
Although he held the title of Young Patriarch of the Yun Family, he had suffered all sorts of insults and bullying… This was such a major irony.
The glint in the Little Demon Empress’ eyes turned slightly, and she said, “Yun Che, is your first request for this empress to reward Xiao Yun? To express our deep gratitude to his family?”
“That’s right!” Yun Che said while looking her in the eye, “However, this is not a request but something that needs to be done upon the return of the Demon Emperor’s Seal.”
“Alright!” Little Demon Empress nodded without hesitation and looked at Xiao Yun, “Xiao Yun, the fact that the Demon Emperor’s Seal could return to the Illusory Demon Realm is undoubtedly thanks to your father! Therefore, he is this empress’ benefactor. However, since he has passed on, I have no chance to repay him. Being his descendant, you shall receive my gratitude in his place.”
“From today onward, this empress shall confer upon you the title of “King Xiao”. Your status is the same as all the dukes present here. You can also freely enjoy all of the royal family’s resources. You shall also be awarded with a king palace, five kilograms of purple jade, one Demon Emperor Profound Seal Sword, thirty servants, as well as thirty guards… Are you willing to receive all this?”
Hearing the Little Demon Empress’ words, Xiao Yun stared widely, mouth agape and took a long while before regaining his senses. Everyone within the Demon Imperial Hall was dumbfounded, and even Yun Che was deeply shocked.
The only reason Yun Che had called upon Xiao Yun was to seek justice for him, giving him a better status within Illusory Demon Realm so that he no longer had to face everyone’s insults and bullying. As for Little Demon Empress’ rewards, those would only be secondary… However, he completely did not expect that the Little Demon Empress’ “compensation” would be so earth-shattering…
She had actually bestowed kingship upon Xiao Yun!!!
However, Yun Che had understood immediately. “Compensation” was only one of the reasons the Little Demon Empress was treating Xiao Yun with such exaggerated kindness. Another reason was definitely because of the Yun Family! Although Xiao Yun was not part of the Yun Family bloodline, he had still grown up within the Yun Family for the past twenty-two years and could be considered half a Yun Family member! When Yun Canghai was initially bestowed kingship, the entire Yun Family basked in glory! Now, when Xiao Yun was bestowed kingship… the glory again went to the Yun Family!
Chapter 580 - Command!
Although the other rewards were also incredibly generous, compared to being bestowed kingship, they basically were not worth mentioning. Yun Che immediately tugged Xiao Yun and said, “Hurry and thank the Little Demon Empress…” then he lowered his voice and said, “You shouldn’t reject this.”
“Ah…” It was as though Xiao Yun had just woken up from a dream; he stuttered in panic, “Xiao Yun… thanks the Little Demon Empress… for your… your grace.”
“Very good, it couldn’t be better that you are willing to accept.” The Little Demon Empress nodded delightfully.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that on the surface, the Little Demon Empress was heavily rewarding Xiao Yun, but in reality, she was actually helping the Yun Family. Helian Kuang’s face cramped up, until he finally lost his patience and said loudly, “Little Demon Empress, bestowing kingship is not a light matter, how can…”
“You can stop talking now!” the Little Demon Empress interrupted Helian Kuang with her ice-cold voice before he could even finish his sentence. She didn’t even look at Helian Kuang as she said coldly, “Didn’t you all keep yelling repeatedly that the matter concerning the Demon Emperor’s Seal is larger than the heavens, and because the Yun Family lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal, it wouldn’t be going overboard to even exterminate their entire family… If so, shouldn’t returning the Demon Emperor’s Seal be considered as a contribution larger than the heavens?! How is bestowing kingship and granting rewards unsuitable!”
“But…”
“What ‘but’?!” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was even colder and stricter. She scoffed, “Patriarch Helian, if you risked your life and went to the Profound Sky Continent to save my father back then, if you ruined and broke your family just to bring back the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and left your only son orphaned in this world, this empress would definitely bestow kingship upon your son and give him glory for life! Since you didn’t, then shut your mouth.”
Helian Kuang’s face immediately became burning red, and he couldn’t say another word. Those who were prepared to speak all swallowed their words, and at that moment, no one dared to make any objections.
The corner of Yun Che’s mouth raised slightly, and he smiled softly and said, “Yun Che thanks the Little Demon Empress for granting my wish… Also, may I ask the Little Demon Empress to give the Overlord Pellet to Xiao Yun as well? Currently, my profound strength is still low, and I am still far away from reaching the Tyrant Profound Realm. I won’t be needing the Overlord Pellet for a short while, but Xiao Yun has already been half-step from the Tyrant Profound Realm for a long time, and it couldn’t be more suitable than to grant him the Overlord Pellet.”
“Big Brother…” Xiao Yun turned over, and his whole face looked moved and grateful.
Everyone in the hall was stunned… the Overlord Pellet was something that even the Guardian Families saw as a precious item, and Yun Che just gave it away like that! What kind of a broad heart did he have?
The Little Demon Empress said, “It has already been decided that this Overlord Pellet is to be granted to you, and you naturally have the right to decide who should own it. If you are willing to give it to Xiao Yun, then you do as you wish.”
“Duke Baoqing, grant this Overlord Pellet to Xiao Yun now.”
Duke Baoqing stood up immediately and carried a black jade box towards Xiao Yun. As he moved forward, his eyes were stuck on the black jade box, and they were filled with strong envy that he couldn’t restrain, while many of the young people couldn’t stop from having to swallow their saliva. No one thought that this Overlord Pellet would ultimately belong to Yun Xiao, who had been seen as inconspicuous, and was nothing more than people’s gossip topic.
Compared to other people’s shock, one person’s joy could not be hidden… Number Seven Under Heaven. She yelled excitedly towards the family by her side, “Did you all hear that! Brother Yun was bestowed kingship… bestowed kingship! Waaaah! I knew… that Brother Yun is going to become the most amazing person ever!”
“Big Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother! You all kept looking down upon Brother Yun… but now Brother Yun has been bestowed kingship by the Little Demon Empress herself! He is a hundred times better than you all, what qualification do you all still have to look down upon him in the future!” Number Seven Under Heaven held her fists, blew her cheeks, and used her strongest rebuttal toward her elder brothers. Following after, her excitement cooled down, and she became dejected, as she mumbled to herself, “But, Brother Yun is really pitiful, his biological parents are already… already…”
“This guy, I can’t believe he had such a background.” Number Three Under Heaven scratched his chin, and said with a wry mouth, “Seventh Sister, don’t be so excited just yet. Now that this fellow’s identity is not like it used to be, in addition to the reversal of the Yun Family’s momentum, I’m afraid that there will be many Duke Palaces’ princesses going for him themselves. By then he wouldn’t even bother with you anymore.”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Number Seven Under Heaven strongly slapped Number Three Under Heaven, and said angrily, “Brother Yun is not someone like that. He will only like me for all his life. Hmph!”
“I can’t believe Yun Xiao’s past hid this kind of debt of gratitude, no wonder Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou treated him like their own all these years. Even though outsiders spoke a lot of rumors, they still love him and protected him a lot,” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven said with realization.
Unparalleled Under Heaven gave Number Seven Under Heaven a look, and said with a smile, “With someone like Yun Che in the future generation, and with the Little Demon Empress’ promise in front of everyone, the force of the Yun Family’s ascension will not be in question. Yun Xiao, who is being bestowed kingship now, has become the second king after the Demon King. Now, the question isn’t whether or not he is good enough for Seventh Treasure, but if Seventh Treasure is good enough for him, heheheheh.”
Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed in an incredibly mischievous manner. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven scoffed slightly, and didn’t speak.
When Xiao Yun received the black jade box holding the Overlord Pellet, his brain was still in a fog. Even after Duke Baoqing had stepped back and left, he was still stunned and couldn’t speak.
The Little Demon Empress said, “Xiao Yun, right now your profound strength is just half a step into the Tyrant Profound Realm. Taking this Overlord Pellet can help you make a breakthrough one day, and step into the realm of Overlords. The date of the ceremony of bestowing kingship will be picked and held after the Grand Ceremony. You can step down for now.”
“Yes…” Xiao Yun responded. He then raised his head, and asked suddenly, “May I ask… if I can give this Overlord Pellet to someone else?”
The Little Demon Empress said without any emotion, “Since it has been granted to you, whatever you want to do with it,: use it yourself, give it away, destroy it, throw it away, it’s all up to you.”
“Xiao Yun thanks the Little Demon Empress.” Xiao Yun’s expression seemed to be more relaxed and joyous. He carefully held the black jade box, and stepped away under the differently expressed gazes of everyone.
“Yun Che, are you satisfied like this?” The Little Demon Empress asked Yun Che.
“Of course I am satisfied. I thank Little Demon Empress for fulfilling my wish.” Yun Che sincerely nodded and said.
“If so, what is your second request?” The Little Demon Empress asked.
Yun Che expression became serious. He stood by Yun Canghai’s body, turned, and faced the seven patriarchs in the east wing who were unsettled… When he cast his sight towards them, the seven patriarchs’ hearts all tightened simultaneously. Before, they were continuously tossed around by Yun Che, and at this moment when they faced Yun Che’s suddenly darkened face, they almost became birds that were startled by the sight of an archer’s bow.
Without disappointing them, Yun Che raised his arm, pointed his finger straight at the seven of them, and said in a slow and determined voice, “Helian, Jiufang, Chiyang, Nangong, Xiao, Bai, and Lin… I want the Patriarchs of these seven families, at this hall today, in front of my grandfather’s body, with everyone under heaven watching… to kneel and repent to my grandfather… and swear to be loyal to the Little Demon Empress for their whole lives! Or else their descendants will be slaves and prostitutes for ten thousand generations!!”
The countless things that Yun Che had said today had already been extremely shocking, but when he spoke those words, it once again made everyone… especially the people from Demon Imperial City, heavily shocked. He pointed at the seven patriarchs, and every word was in an incredibly forceful commanding tone. Moreover, the ones he commanded… were the seven great Guardian Families’ patriarchs!
But referring to Yun Che’s actions and words from before, it wasn’t all too surprising to people that he would say something like this now. Everyone knew what the seven families did to the Yun Family and to Yun Canghai. They already confessed it themselves, so morally speaking, they should apologize and ask for forgiveness from Yun Canghai.
As for swearing loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, it was something even more unquestionable.
The seven patriarchs were all gritting their teeth inwardly, and they were extremely angry in their hearts. Everything Yun Che said and did, were enumerating their “heavy crimes”, stepping on their reputations, ripping off their disguises, ruthlessly reprimanding them as if they were stripped naked under everyone’s sight until they couldn’t rebut anymore, and there was no place for them to hide from their shame. They knew best about what they had been doing for these hundred years… but to make them kneel and repent to Yun Canghai in front of everyone, as the patriarchs of their respective Guardian Families, how could they be willing to do so!
Because this would be equal to their seven families bowing their heads to the Yun Family in front of everyone under heaven today!!
Helian Kuang’s face darkened, forced himself to laugh coldly and said, “Yun Che, as a little son from the the Yun Family, you do not have the qualifications to request us to do anything…”
“Patriarch Helian, you are mistaken!” Helian Kuang hadn’t finished talking, and he was interrupted by Yun Che unrestrainedly. He used an even stiffer and deeper voice than Helian Kuang and said, “I am not asking you, I am commanding you! Request? Heh, the dirty things that you all have done over these hundred years were without good intent to try to collapse our Yun Family, you all know clearly yourself. Who were the ones who degraded my grandfather’s honor? You all also know clearer than anyone else! You treat my Yun Family like this, and you still want my Yun Family to ‘ask’ you? Heh, my Yun Family’s people are not that cheap… it’s a command! Because this is what you owe our Yun Family, owe my grandfather!”
“Also!” Not waiting for them to speak, Yun Che had already raised up the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and roared deeply, “Don’t say that I don’t have the qualification to command you, because I have the Demon Emperor’s Seal in my hands now, and if you don’t obey today, I will never hand it to the Little Demon Empress!”
“Earlier, didn’t you call losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal a fault larger than the heavens, and that our Yun Family, who had lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal, had committed a sin so great that our whole family should be exterminated? You would crush all your bones if it were for the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and you could give up your own dignity and honor if it were for loyalty… and now, there is no need for you to risk dying to go to the Profound Sky Continent to retrieve the Demon Emperor’s Seal, no need for you to risk anything or use any resources. The only thing you need to do is the one thing that you should have done. Do the thing that the ones who have the littlest sense of honor should do to let the Demon Emperor’s Seal be returned into the hands of the Little Demon Empress, and let the whole Illusory Demon Realm be reborn… I think you seven great patriarchs of Guardian Families shouldn’t have any reason to reject, right? Unless all of the things you have said before, and the ‘loyalty’ and ‘honor’ from your mouths were just some meaningless fart!”
The faces of the seven patriarchs immediately became stiff and awful, like feces that were air-dried for several days. Not only did Yun Che want them to kneel before Yun Canghai and repent in front of everyone, he also completely sealed their way out… and what was used to seal their way out… were clearly the things that they said “righteously” when they were stating the Yun Family’s “sins” earlier.
Chapter 581 - Public Outrage
The seven Patriarchs’ faces all darkened, but even after some time, no one stepped forward, nor did anyone speak… They had been forced into such a state by Yun Che. If they knelt down in front of everyone and apologized, it would mean that they bowed down to the Yun Family. However, if they refused, they would have fallen into the trap that Yun Che had set and their reputations and even their Families’ reputations might crumble throughout Illusory Demon Realm. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and they all waited for someone to act. However, after some time had passed, not one person stepped forward, causing the entire scene to turn extremely awkward.
“Heheheh…” Yun Che looked at them and laughed mockingly, “So it’s true, my words have already been clear enough. Regarding the right and wrong in this matter, I think that I have stated it out clearly. Despite this, the seven Patriarchs of the Guardian Families are actually still indifferent! Everyone seated here is either a lord, hegemon, powerhouse or a star of the young generation, the pillars of the past, present and future. Demon Imperial City is the most crucial core of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. This Demon Empress Reign Ceremony is a valuable experience for all of you, as I believe that at this point, everyone has already clearly seen the true problems that lies within the core which is Demon Imperial City! All of you should be able to clearly differentiate the right from the wrong, the loyal from the traitorous, as well as who truly deserves the title of the ‘Guardian Family’ and who are the poison that needs to be eradicated!”
Yun Che’s words echoed loudly within the hall. His words were so straightforward that they were a thousand times sharper than knives. Such words, even the Little Demon Empress would not have put it so directly, as those he targeted were the seven strongest forces within Illusory Demon Realm and any one of them would be able shock Illusory Demon Realm, never mind all seven families.
If it were any other occasion, Yun Che would definitely not utter such words, as this was an extremely irrational action. However, right then and there, he shouted without regard. His voice was deafening, as though he wished that the entire populace in Illusory Demon Realm could hear him clearly.
Yun Che’s words caused numerous people to tremble in fear. Indeed, right now, everyone could already see things clearly. Even so, just how many people would dare give a reply in front of the power and influence of the seven great Guardian Families… However, just as Yun Che had finished speaking, an agitated and elderly voice rang from the back of the seats.
“Well said!”
This elderly voice that came from the back caused everyone to be shocked. The seven patriarchs’ gaze grew concentrated as they looked towards the source of the voice. And at this time, the elder who spoke flew forward and landed beside Yun Che.
The elder wore a simple gray robe, with both his hair and beard already snow-white. The signs of old age were carved all over his face, and even his back was slightly bent. Seeing this elder, a commotion broke out within the hall and many people called out his name in shock…
Among the heroes that were gathered within the Demon Imperial Hall, the hegemon of a region could only be considered average.
However, this elder could most definitely not!
Because he was the region lord of the biggest city in Illusory Demon Realm other than Demon Imperial City, —— Sky Demon Region’s Region Lord Qin Zheng. He was already a thousand four hundred years old, and in terms of seniority, he was even higher than the late Demon Emperor! When the late Demon Emperor ascended to the throne a thousand years ago, he was already the region chief of Sky Demon Region, and even now, he was still the region lord! Among everyone present, he was the only person to have served under three generations of Demon Emperors. In terms of seniority, no one in the Imperial Demon Hall could match him.
Qin Zheng’s temperament was famous for its righteousness. Serving as the region lord of Sky Demon Region for a thousand years, he was highly respected within the Sky Demon Region and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Even the late Demon Emperor treated him with great respect and naturally, the Little Demon Empress followed suit. He was one of the few people that existed outside of Demon Imperial City who had words that carried the same weight as those of someone from a Guardian Family.
However, Qin Zheng usually gave off the impression of someone who was calm and composed, and no one had expected his angry howl and step forward today.
“Region Lord Qin?” The Little Demon Empress looked at him in shock as she revealed her respect which she rarely showed.
Qin Zheng took a step forward, bowed respectfully and said, “I plead the Little Demon Empress to pardon this subject’s offense. However, as a subject of Illusory Demon Realm, this old subject has some things that he must do, as well as some things that he must say.”
When Qin Zheng had finished speaking, he suddenly turned around and knelt on one knee towards Yun Canghai’s body. He said in shame, “The old Qin Zheng is here specifically to ask the Demon King for forgiveness!”
Yun Che hurried forward, stretching a hand out to try to support him up, “Old senior, this is…”
Qin Zheng waved him off and remained kneeling, strongly refusing to stand up, “A century ago, a Guardian Family Patriarch personally traveled five thousand kilometers to seek this old one to talk about the Demon King’s sins, and wanted this old one to garner support from the entire Sky Demon Region to condemn the Demon King and force the Little Demon Empress to punish the Yun Family for their wrongdoings. Otherwise, the Illusory Demon Realm would be chaotic… The old one has lived in vain for more than a thousand years and was actually easily blinded and scolded the Demon King for an entire century. Not only had I destroyed the prestigious name of the Demon King within the Sky Demon Region, I nearly turned him into a sinner that destroyed Illusory Demon Realm…”
“This old one has failed the Demon King, failed the late Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress, failed the Yun Family, failed Sky Demon Region, failed everyone in the world!!”
Qin Zheng’s words were unaffectedly filled with sorrow and regret. Every word he said was filled with deep emotion and everyone that heard them felt their hearts trembling. When he finished, his aged eyes were already glinting with tears.
Yun Che lowered himself and replied in gratitude, “Old senior, you don’t have to blame yourself. After all, you did not know the complete truth then and were deluded by some villains…”
“No!” Qin Zheng shook his head, “A mistake is a mistake. Even if this old one were to kneel to the spirit of the Demon King for ten years, it would definitely be what is deserved.” He looked towards Yun Che and cupped his hands together and seriously bowed, “Child, this old one really needs to thank you. If it were not for you allowing this old one to see the truth, providing this old one with the chance to repent my sins, when I pass on, how would I even have the face to meet the Demon King, how would I even have the face to meet the Demon Emperor?!”
Yun Che hurriedly held onto Qin Zheng’s arm and said, “Old senior, you mustn’t do this. I am just a small junior and am not deserving of your great courtesy. Not only is senior righteous, you are as broad-minded as the ocean. Even if you had been wrong for a hundred years, I believe you did not mean any harm. The Demon Emperor and Grandfather in heaven would definitely not blame you one bit.”
Qin Zheng looked at Yun Che and nodded joyfully, “You are undoubtedly the Demon King’s grandson. This old one has seen many young and talents throughout life, yet, not one of them is comparable to you. Honestly speaking, this old one has been worried about the future of Illusory Demon Realm for the past century. However, now that the Demon Emperor’s Seal has been returned, and a junior that has even impressed this old one has appeared in Illusory Demon Realm, even if I were to pass on now, I would definitely rest assured.”
Yun Che shook his head and said, “This junior does not deserve such praise from senior…”
“No, you do deserve it.”
A thunderous voice came from midair and a burly man with a black beard landed beside Qin Zheng. He directly knelt down with one knee towards the body of Yun Canghai, “South Sun City Lord Lei Yunjian is here specifically to seek the Demon King’s forgiveness! I have firmly believed that I have never done anything wrong, but today, I found out that for the past century, I, Lei Yunjian, had been blind and am worse than a beast!!”
Just as Yun Che was about to speak, numerous figures appeared in midair at the same time and landed near Yun Canghai’s corpse, and all of them knelt down towards him…
“South Border Commander Zhao Zhenzhi is here to seek the Demon King’s forgiveness…”
“Yellow Wind Region Lord Ouyang Xian is here to seek senior Demon King’s forgiveness… Thinking back to my actions and words for the past hundred years, I deserve to die in shame…”
“North River Region Lord Dan Haokong has failed the Demon King… has failed the late Demon Emperor… For the past hundred years, I have been blinded in both my eyes and my heart!”
“…”
Ever since Sky Demon Region Lord Qin Zheng had moved, more and more people left their seats and knelt down in front of Yun Canghai, repenting their mistakes in front of his body. From one to tens to hundreds to thousands and finally ten thousand…
Within less than fifteen minutes, the previously filled seats of the Demon Imperial Hall were now nearly empty. The area designated by the Little Demon Empress as the battle arena was now filled by waves and waves of people, all in front Yun Canghai’s body, kneeling down on one knee…
Nobody had expected to see such a scene.
For the past century, the loyal and courageous Demon King who even gave up his life for Illusory Demon Realm had been treated as a sinner who had committed a heinous crime. Countless people had criticized, insulted, and even spread the bad rumors through their own regions… Now that the truth had been revealed, and seeing the Demon King’s body, anyone who knew shame and had even a little conscience would feel greatly ashamed of themselves.
But in front of the seven families who had clearly come out as the enemies of the Yun Family, who would dare step out in front of everyone and repent in front of Demon King’s body even if they were ashamed? However, when Qin Zheng became the first person to step out, the situation changed drastically. More and more people came forward, and towards the end, those who did not step forward to admit their crimes had become strangers. Sitting down, they felt uncomfortable as though they were being criticized and looked down upon from everywhere… In the end, not only were there city lords, region lords, and commanders, even the hegemons of great forces were all kneeling in front of the Demon King’s body, repenting.
The situation was completely out of control. As Duke Huai stood there, his face became stiffer than a corpse’s and his body trembled continuously. Before the Demon Empress’ Reign Ceremony, he had thought that everything would be under his control. However, because of a certain Yun Che, nothing went according to his plans and it started becoming extremely unfavorable. Even in his dreams, he had not expected that things would develop in such a way… Being the hegemons of an area, they had a chance to become the voice that caused the entire Illusory Demon Realm to condemn the Demon King and the Yun Family, and they could similarly cause the entire Illusory Demon Realm to praise the Demon King and the Yun Family. Furthermore, due to the guilt of the past century, Yun Canghai and the Yun Family’s good name would be restored quickly and it might even rebound several times. At that time, the support the Yun Family gained from the public would be sufficient to allow them to stand firmly.
Tears welled up in the eyes of everyone in the Yun Family. Yun Qinghong stood up and slowly gestured, “ Yun Qinghong… thanks everyone.”
Qin Zheng looked up and said with a sense of loss, “We were only admitting our mistakes and repenting over the major sin we committed. Even if Patriarch Yun were to blame and chide us, it is undoubtedly justifiable, so why do you need to thank us? Instead…”
Qin Zheng suddenly turned around and looked towards the seven Patriarchs who were standing there. His gaze immediately turned cold, “Heliang Kuang, it was you who personally came to find this old one all those years ago and it was also you who made me use the entire Sky Demon Region to apply pressure on the Little Demon Empress! The one who greatly incited the public’s opinion within Sky Demon Region was also your Helian Family! At that time, this old one had naively believed that your Helian Family had only wanted to punish the Yun Family to quell the public’s outrage and was only doing so with the big picture of Illusory Demon Realm in mind. However, from what I have learned today, all of this was obviously for your personal gain. You only wanted to slander the Yun Family and Demon King!”
“Now that the truth is out and the Demon King’s body lays here, your Helian Family are obviously the ones that needs to apologize to Demon King the most… Why are you still standing there indifferently?!”
“And the rest of you… You seven Patriarchs have already personally admitted that you’ve worked together and spread false rumors about the Demon King within Illusory Demon Realm a hundred years ago, which led to the Demon King being scolded by the masses. You all have caused a generation of heroes to be lowered to being grave sinners for an entire century. Why is it that when facing the Demon King’s body, you are all unwilling to admit your mistakes and repent! Even though all of us have made mistakes too, we knew how to admit our mistakes and repent. Is it that your prestigious Guardian Families do not have the demeanor to do so?!”
“You Guardian Families have power that is as vast as the sky and no one dares to offend you. However, today, if you do not apologize to Demon King, not only would this old one look down on you, I would clearly inform the entire Sky Demon Region how you all act! This old one is already half a step into his grave, I’m not afraid of your revenge!”
Qin Zheng’s words that were deafening and filled with rage were targeted straight at Helian Kuang and the six other Patriarchs. When he finished speaking, an elder beside Qin Zheng shouted as well, “This old man agrees with what Region Lord Qin has said! If you all do not apologize to the Demon King, it would be shaming your family’s ten-thousand year-old prestigious name!!!”
Chapter 582 - Cornered
“Yes! You seven families need to apologize to your senior, the Demon King!”
“Even Region Lord Qin, this venerated senior, has taken the initiative to step forward and apologize before all those present. So as the main perpetrators, in addition to the matter concerning the Demon Emperor’s Seal… what reason do you have to refuse?! Aren’t you afraid of becoming the laughingstocks of the realm?!”
“Patriarch Chiyang, back in the day, your Chiyang Family sent people to our Southern Sea Region to proclaim the sins of the Demon King… But now that the truth is out, it would not be seen as excessive if your entire clan were to kneel in front of the Yun Family and apologize. Could it be that right now, you are not even willing to acknowledge your mistakes to the remains of the Demon King?”
“Do you not feel the least bit ashamed or guilty when you are faced with the corpse of the Demon King?! If that is truly so, even though all of you are part of the Guardian Families, we will still look down on you!”
Not a single person who was able to gain admittance into this Demon Imperial Hall was a fool. What they had seen and heard today were two clearly divided factions, Duke Huai, who was deliberately trying to provoke dissent, and the exaggerated arrogance of the seven Patriarchs and their suffocatingly obvious allegiance to him. Furthermore, all of this was painstakingly exposed by Yun Che, piece by piece, so how was it possible that the crowd would not smell anything fishy by now?
The thing that stood out the most was that… the seven families had ganged up to fiercely oppose the Yun Family. This was coupled with the fact that the same seven families had also instigated and pushed for the Demon King and the Yun Family to be found guilty. It was definitely premeditated and it might even hide some kind of scheme that they did not dare think too deeply about.
Under the driving impetus of the seven families one hundred years ago, all the hegemons here became accomplices and chess pieces, even to the extent of becoming sinners who defiled the name loyalty and devotion. These hegemons had failed the descendants of the Demon King, so how could their hearts not be filled with anger and regret? However, the other party still consisted of the seven great Guardian Families, so they could not afford to offend them… But when someone raised his head, the rest corresponded as well, and the situation had naturally become completely different from before.
Qin Zheng’s words were just like a drop in the ocean, yet they generated a tsunami of waves. All the region lords, city lords, and hegemons stared at the seven families with undisguised outrage as they exchanged heated words with each other. For a period of time, the entire Demon Imperial Hall was filled with voices denouncing the seven families; the sound of this criticism grew more and more deafening and more and more ferocious.
The faces of all the seven Patriarchs twitched violently, a sheen of cold sweat appeared on their foreheads; their hearts felt like they were being weighed down by a thirty thousand kilogram boulder. Even if they were to be severely reprimanded and scolded by the Demon Emperor himself, they would not feel as much pressure as they were feeling now. If they were to pick any random person out of all of the people who were criticizing them right now, that person would have no choice but to bend his head to them. But if all the people whom they originally regarded as lesser mortals banded together, they represented the will of the entire Illusory Demon Realm and all the people in it!
“Duke Huai… What… What should we do right now?” The seven Patriarchs hurriedly sent sound transmissions to Duke Huai while each and every one of their bodies became matted with sweat. They were incomparably clear that given the current situation, making a single misstep today would cause the prestigious reputations that they had held for ten thousand years to drop like a rock. The situation was so severe that it was possible that they would be targeted by the entire Illusory Demon Realm if they made a mistake.
Duke Huai had practically ground two of his teeth into fragments. All these years of scheming had resulted in Duke Huai possessing a greater power base than that of the Little Demon Empress, but his movements had always been slow and restricted, mainly because the will of the people was something that he could only dream of having over the past few years.
Today’s Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, when all the heroes of the realm were gathered, was the excellent opportunity he had always been waiting for! He had genuinely staked all his ambitions on today, but who would have thought that before he could make a single move, Yun Che would smash his plan into the ground… But it did not stop here. In the instant that he was caught unawares, the will of the people had shifted to the Yun Family, and the seven Guardian Families that he had acquired at great expense had become the enemy of all those around them in the blink of an eye…
Regarding the Yun Family’s hundred years of vilification; not only were they unable to expel the Yun Family from the ranks of the Guardian Families, they had even evoked the guilt, remorse, and wrath of all the heroes of the realm. And not only did the hearts of the people, the one thing he wanted to grasp the most, not sway towards him, instead, they sided completely with the parties opposed to him.
His plan had just begun, but it had been completely ruined and even made him look extremely miserable and wretched. This was a result that he had not even dreamed would happen. He ground his teeth together and exclaimed in an incomparably deep voice, “What else can we do?! Hurry up and apologize to that corpse… or are you waiting to drown to death under the curses of everyone under heaven?!!”
Now that things have come this far, apologizing to Yun Canghai’s corpse was something they had to do no matter what. If not, the consequences would be so severe that even as a Guardian Family, they might not be able to bear it. So at this moment, the seven Patriarchs simultaneously gnashed their teeth and made their way through the multitudinous crowd as they flew towards Yun Canghai’s body… after which, they knelt down with incomparable difficulty.
The Demon Imperial Hall fell into a hush and the gazes of all the people were concentrated on the figures of these seven people. For Helian Kuang and his six compatriots, these gazes were akin to the looks given to criminals who were being judged, and it was extremely unbearable for them. The seven of them had never dreamed that they, as Patriarchs of Guardian Families, would actually fall into such a predicament one day.
Helian Kuang gnashed his teeth fiercely and after that, he gave a violent exhale, putting all his effort into portraying a calm and serene facade. He bent his head towards the body of Yun Canghai and declared, “Most revered Demon King, this junior was initially unable to see the forest for the trees, and in a moment of folly, this junior presumptuously thought that he was acting on behalf of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. But this junior would never have imagined that he would commit such a grave mistake instead, so this junior humbly seeks forgiveness from the most revered Demon King.”
Even though Helian Kuang had sought forgiveness, he had made his ‘sin’ sound extremely trivial. The words from his mouth muddled it to become something that was done for the sake of Illusory Demon Realm. Yun Che gave a cold, silent laugh but he did not speak. Chiyang Bailie, Jiufang Kui, Bai Yi, Nangong Yan, Xiao Xifeng and Lin Guiyan all followed suit and strode forward to seek forgiveness. The words that they shouted out were exactly the same as the words uttered by Helian Kuang.
When the seven Patriarchs had risen to their feet, their faces were so black that it looked like they had climbed out of the bottom of a pot. They shot glances at Yun Che through the corners of their eyes, as they all wished to tear him apart with their bare teeth.
Even though it was clear that the ‘admittance of guilt’ on the part of the seven Patriarchs lacked conviction, because they had bowed their heads towards the body of Yun Canghai for all to see despite their status as the Patriarchs of the Guardian Families, no one could utter any further condemnation against them. Yun Che silently looked at Yun Canghai’s peaceful corpse as a sour feeling invaded his calm heart… Grandfather, the rehabilitation of the Yun Family cannot be accredited to me. If not for the fact that you stubbornly defended the Demon Emperor’s Seal to your dying breath for a hundred years… if not for your loyalty and righteousness that is reflected by the sun and the moon, even though I have immense ability, I would still not be able to cause the Yun Family to gain the hearts of the people. It was Grandfather who used his own life to allow me to see the light of day again… yet what I can do for Grandfather is only this much… It is not even a fraction of the affection that Grandfather had showed to me.
“Haha, the seven Patriarchs have personally gone down on their knees to acknowledge their sin against the Demon King. Even though it was something that had to be done, it has clearly demonstrated the broadness of the hearts of these seven Patriarchs, as well as their noble bearing!” Duke Huai said as he stood up with a serene expression. He calmly praised the seven people who had clearly committed a grave mistake and who were blatantly despised by all those who were present here and his demeanor was like that of a person who was completely uninvolved in the current messy state of affairs. He looked towards Yun Che and said in a steady voice, “Yun Che, the seven Patriarchs have disregarded their own dignity and have gone down on their knees to acknowledge their sins against the Demon King. This has been in complete compliance of your wishes! So now, it is time for you to return the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
“It looks like Duke Huai’s memory is not that good!” Yun Che blandly said as he slanted his eyes, “I had said it before very clearly. If you want me to return the Demon Emperor’s Seal, these seven people must first kneel in repentance in front of my grandfather, and after they have done so, they still need to swear loyalty to the Little Demon Empress once more! I certainly did not see any of them swearing loyalty towards the Little Demon Empress!”
Duke Huai’s brows were pinched together as he declared in a low voice, “Yun Che, on the account that you are not only our junior but also the descendant of the Demon King, this duke and the seven Patriarchs have tried to be patient and accommodating with you in every possible way, so do not presume, lest you be too overbearing…”
Duke Huai and the seven Patriarchs were definitely being patient, accommodating and willing to compromise, but as long as one was not blind, you could tell that they were doing so under duress. It was only after Yun Che’s methodical coercion that they had no choice but to be accommodating and willing to compromise. In the eyes of everyone else, it was a small matter indeed to make the seven Patriarchs swear allegiance to the Little Demon Empress for all to see… Because as members of the Guardian Families, being loyal to the Little Demon Empress was their duty in the first place.
But Duke Huai was extremely aware of Yun Che’s true motive!
Yun Che wanted them to swear their loyalty once more… Furthermore the oath he wanted them to swear was the venomous oath, ‘If we were to rebel, then our descendants will be slaves and prostitutes for ten thousand generations’! If they swore such a venomous oath, it would undoubtedly pierce a poisoned needle through the heart of these seven Patriarchs, and if they continued to follow Duke Huai’s uprising, they would undoubtedly curse themselves and their descendents. And because all the heroes of the realm were present to bear witness, the entire Illusory Demon Realm would remember the venomous oath made by these seven Patriarchs.
This not only sickened the seven Patriarchs, it also sickened Duke Huai!
If the seven Patriarchs refused, then it undoubtedly announced to all the heroes of the realm that they had something to hide… At that point, it would not even have to be Yun Che, anybody who had a glib tongue could take the opportunity to smash an indestructible basin of shit on top of the heads of all the seven Patriarchs.
Yun Che’s move had put them in a position where if they advanced, it was sickening and if they retreated it was still sickening… It was even more malicious than the curse of a devil.
“I am being too overbearing?” Just as expected, the moment that Duke Huai opened his mouth, Yun Che’s counterstroke promptly followed, “May I venture to ask Duke Huai, in what way have I been too overbearing? As the Patriarchs who lead their respective Guardian Families, for them to swear loyalty to the Little Demon Empress is originally the only right and proper thing to do! They have been loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan for ten thousand years, and right now I am only asking them to swear an oath to reaffirm their loyalty! It is not only giving them an opportunity to once again express their loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, but it is also to allow the Demon Emperor’s Seal to return to its rightful owner. This is simply the most simple thing to do under heaven, it is not the least bit excessive or disagreeable!! So how can you say that I am being too overbearing?”
Duke Huai’s chest rose and fell violently. He was aware that Yun Che was going to say such a thing and he was also aware that in front of all the heroes of the realm, he could not refute a single word that he had said… The Guardian Families’ existence revolved around their loyalty to the Demon Emperor’s clan; this was common knowledge for all the people within the Illusory Demon Realm. If any of the Guardian Families betrayed the Demon Emperor’s clan, they would undoubtedly earn the condemnation and enmity of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Duke Huai’s mind whirled and he reluctantly said, “All the Guardian Families have been loyal to the Demon Emperor for a whole ten thousand years and the whole world knows that none of them have wavered! Yet you would force these seven Patriarchs to swear such a venomous oath! It is evident that you are slighting them and calling their loyalty into question! Hmph, all the so-called oaths that are sworn in this world will forever only be empty words. If they were truly perfidious, even if the oath they swore was one hundred times more venomous, what effect would it have?!”
“Duke Huai has indeed hit the nail on the head!” Yun Che said as he nodded his head and gave a dry laugh, “Since this venomous oath is only a string of empty words, then if just casually shouting out these empty words would not only profess one’s loyalty, but also cause the Demon Emperor’s Seal to return to the hands of the Little Demon Empress, I think that not a single person would have reason to reject, am I wrong? So why did Duke Huai just accuse me of being too overbearing then?”
“…” Duke Huai was left completely speechless.
“Hah…” Yun Che gave a cold laugh, “If I requested for them to represent their entire clan when they swore this oath, it would indeed have been rather forceful. After all, even though they are the Patriarchs of their families, they would be unable to represent and decide the will of every person within their clan. However, my request was merely that they themselves swore that oath! If these seven Patriarchs were truly loyal to the Little Demon Empress, even if this oath was ten thousand times more venomous, they would still remain calm and not a hint of hesitation or alarm would creep into their hearts! Instead, they would cheerfully use this as a pretext to express their undying loyalty towards the Little Demon Empress in front of all the heroes of the realm!”
“If even this simple request causes conflict and bewilderment… Hah, then isn’t it telling all of us present that you have something to hide?! Because if you swear such an oath, you would actually be cursing yourself!!”
“Not only that!” Without waiting for Duke Huai or the seven Patriarchs to respond, Yun Che suddenly extended his hand and pointed his finger towards Duke Huai as he said with tightly furrowed eyebrows, “Duke Huai, I simply cannot understand why you would speak out against this. An act which is not only mind-numbingly simple but also beneficial towards the Illusory Demon Royal Family. As an Illusory Demon Royal Duke, you should be rejoicing in such an act. Yet you keep speaking out against it, could it be that Duke Huai, you…”
Yun Che’s word stopped right there, but anyone who heard it would understand the meaning of his words. After a short pause, Yun Che’s expression and tone changed and he said, “Duke Huai, I may only be a lowly junior but there is something that I need to warn Duke Huai about… In Illusory Demon Realm, if anyone betrays the Demon Emperor, even if it is a member of the Guardian Families, he would at most be despised by all. But Duke Huai, you… and all of the members of the Royal Family who are present, if you have harbor any rebellious thoughts in your heart, even the heavens would not be able to overlook it!”
The expressions of all the members of the Royal Family seated in the east wing turned ashen, and Duke Zhong exclaimed in a deep voice, “Yun Che… what do you mean when you say such a thing?!”
“Duke Zhong, is it truly so hard to understand?!” Yun Che’s eyes narrowed slightly and he replied in an incomparably solemn tone, “Everyone here knows that in the beginning, the first Demon Emperor conquered the whole Illusory Demon Realm and brought it out of an era of endless chaos and ushered in an era of peace and calm that has lasted for ten thousand years! In the beginning, the ones who accompanied the first Demon Emperor though all his battles as he united the Illusory Demon Realm were the Twelve Guardian Families! Ten thousand years ago, the Twelve Guardian Families were the arms of the original Demon Emperor. In the ten thousand years that have passed, they have always been the protective walls surrounding the Demon Emperor. So it could indeed be said that they have covered themselves in glory. The position and prestige that the Twelve Guardian Families have today is indeed something that they deserve.”
“But all of you members of the Royal Family, it is only because you have inherited a portion of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline that you have been treated as the highest nobility since your birth. Possessing the grandest positions, having access to the best resources, and living in a lap of luxury that the common man would never hope to enjoy even once in his lifetime. Furthermore, none of you needed to contribute anything, and neither did you leave behind any legacy of blood and glory on the field of battle! All that you have is due to the fact that you have inherited the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan! Therefore, all that you have is due to the favor of the Demon Emperor’s clan!!
“You can enjoy all of this with a clear conscience, but none of you must ever forget who was the one that gave this to you! Furthermore, there cannot even be the slightest hint of treachery in your hearts. If not, you will simply be ungrateful and treacherous as you try to bite that hand that fed you! Even the heavens and earth will not be able to tolerate your actions!”
“Right now, the Demon Emperor’s clan is going through the greatest crisis it has faced in the last ten thousand years. The previous Demon Emperor has died, the Little Demon Emperor has died and now only the Little Demon Empress is left to prop up everything by herself… But because she is a woman, she was ceaselessly questioned. All of you who belong to the Illusory Demon Royal Family have enjoyed ten thousand years of favor from the line of the Demon Emperor, and now when the line of the Demon Emperor has sunk into an unprecedented predicament, isn’t it the best time for your to repay the line of the Demon Emperor?!”
“If at this time, any member of the Royal Family harbors treachery in his heart instead of committing his all to protect and assist the Little Demon Empress, then they truly have no conscience left in their hearts and they are even lower than dogs and pigs! Ugly and shameless wretches who will surely be struck by heavenly lightning!”
Chapter 583 - Suspension of Ceremony
“…” Duke Huai’s lips turned purple as both of his hands quivered slightly. His chest nearly burst open. This was the most malicious insult he had received in his entire lifetime, and what was even more painful than suffering this insult was the fact that he couldn’t even retort.
On the surface, it was a “reminder”, but in reality, it was a direct slap to Duke Huai, and a resounding slap of abuse to the faces of the east wing’s Duke Palaces, causing all the dukes and families on the west wing to become dumbstruck. As for those dukes in the east wing, every one of their faces was uglier than the next… and in this kind of situation, some Duke Palaces had even begun to regret attaching themselves to Duke Huai.
Not only were Yun Che’s words a huge scolding, they were also a set of incomparably heavy shackles, looping over their disloyal ducal bodies and causing them to feel so unwell to the point that they wished to die.
“Duke Huai, and all you various dukes, is there anything wrong with what I, Yun Che, said? If there’s anything wrong, please, point out my error.” Yun Che said in an extremely slow manner as his gaze swept the east wing.
Duke Huai, Duke Zhong… and all the most imposing dukes of the east wing were in absolute silence; not a single one of them spoke out to retort or berate. At this time, their current state of mind was as though they had been fed feces; not only could they not spit it out, they also could not resist, and had to unanimously nod and admit that it was right for them to be fed feces…
The Little Demon Empress had been silently watching Yun Che since the very start, with a complicated expression of confusion apparent in her eyes. In this Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, she was originally prepared to answer everything, but she didn’t expect that everything that she originally believed would happen did not occur. This grand ceremony had become Yun Che’s one man show. Even Duke Huai, who the Guardian Families were powerless against, who she herself would describe as “scary”, had been soundly defeated by the Yun Che who had “come out of nowhere”, while also cause seven world-shaking Guardian Families to nearly become fools.
Beneath her gaze, Yun Che suddenly turned around and faced her, then raised the Demon Emperor’s Seal in his hands once more, saying, “Little Demon Empress, please excuse Yun Che’s previous stubbornness. Yun Che shall now return this Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
After he finished speaking, he slowly advanced and offered the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.
The two’s gazes were relatively close, and the image of a naked young girl’s jade body within the water that night surfaced in Yun Che’s mind unconsciously. A strange expression immediately flashed through the depths of his eyes, and even the corners of his mouth twitched afterwards. The Little Demon Empress’ razor-sharp eyes caught that trace of lewdness in his eyes, and an ice-cold killing intent instantly appeared in hers, causing Yun Che to nearly shiver in coldness. She didn’t immediately take the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and instead asked calmly, “You’re not going to continue pursuing the request you put forth just a moment ago?”
“No need.” Yun Che shook his head and continued, “The Demon Emperor’s Seal is originally an object belonging to the Demon Emperor’s clan; returning something to its rightful owner is just something you do. It was just that this Demon Emperor’s Seal bore proof of my grandfather’s loyalty and life. What my grandfather paid in addition to how he had been treated just made me unable to let go so easily, so earlier, I used the help of the Demon Emperor’s Seal to make the seven Patriarchs apologize to my grandfather and at the same time, remind a few people to never forget their duty and never lose their sense of morality… As a descendant of the Demon King, I don’t want to see the thing my grandfather used his life to defend be met with the conspiracy of some wicked people!”
“Since I’ve already reminded these people, it’s already enough. Otherwise, if there were people who hesitated and were unwilling to pledge loyalty after the end of this ceremony, wouldn’t it disgust the Little Demon Empress and the entire world who is loyal to the Demon Empress?” Yun Che casually said a few words, but they were no doubt several knife stabs toward “some people”.
The Little Demon Empress extended her hand and gently took the Demon Emperor’s Seal with a tranquil face, her movements ever so careful and light as she clasped it in her hands. However, the Yun Che who was close to her still saw a slight turmoil in her eyes.
Since she was the only surviving member of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, no one truly understood what losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal meant to her, and no one knew how her heart throbbed at the moment. After sensing the burning temperature and pure Golden Crow aura of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she closed her eyes softly and then turned around, walking back to the imperial throne.
In front of the throne, the Little Demon Empress turned around, hands grasping the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Her white slender fingers and smooth wrists looked as beautiful as the world’s purest jade stone within the shine of the Demon Emperor Seal’s clear firelight… However, in the entire Demon Imperial Hall, only Yun Che would be the one to have the thought to admire the Little Demon Empress’ hands.
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal that has been lost for a century has finally returned. This is a hugely fortuitous event, largely accredited to the Yun Family, and no one can deny that! With regards to the Yun Family’s huge service, this empress will reward them greatly. As for the injustice the Yun Family had bore within these hundred years, this empress will also give them a proper compensation! As for all the rights and wrongs buried within this… this empress will also definitely investigate this thoroughly!”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze swept the great hall and the expressions of all those who had come in contact with it became sluggish; even their breathing had instantly stilled. With a shift of her arm, the Demon Emperor’s Seal disappeared within her hands, and she said, “This empress had previously made an oath in front of my royal father’s memorial tablet that I would use any and all means to retrieve the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and that once I retrieved it, I would hold a memorial service for the late emperor. This empress cannot violate the oath I promised to my royal father. This reign ceremony will be suspended for today. Everyone, please return to your residences, the ceremony will continue in three days!”
“Ah? This…” The Little Demon Empress’ sudden declaration to temporarily stop the ceremony caught everyone off guard, but it still seemed to be within reason. It seemed quite reasonable and fair that the Little Demon Empress immediately wanted to hold a memorial service to inform the late Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor that such an important item like the Demon Emperor’s Seal had returned. Moreover, the Little Demon Empress also needed time to digest and think about how to respond to everything that had happened today.
“For the time being, the Demon King’s remains shall be with the Yun Family. Once we’ve selected an auspicious date, we will hold a burial ceremony using the highest standard of the royal family. Furthermore, when the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will open again in fifteen days. At that time, the Yun Family will also be permitted to choose thirty people to enter. I’d assume the other families and duke palaces have already made preparations; the Yun Family must also make their preparations as soon as possible within these fifteen days. During these three days, this empress needs to meditate to pay homage to my royal father. No one is allowed to disturb me, even if it is the greatest of all matters!”
“Everyone may disperse. We’ll discuss these matters in three days!”
After the Little Demon Empress finished, she didn’t wait for anyone to respond before she enveloped her entire body in flames with a wave of her long, dark grey sleeve. When the flames totally scattered, her silhouette had already disappeared in place.
The Little Demon Empress’ clean, abrupt departure left everyone staring at one another, not knowing what to do. Yun Che was also stunned… He had already set up the prelude perfectly. The Demon Emperor’s Seal would thereby give the Little Demon Empress power when in her hands. She could now easily suppress the public disruption Duke Huai’s faction caused, and at least not allow them to blindly act with gusto for the time being. However, once she obtained the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she had actually chosen to suspend the Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, and even left so bluntly… just to pay homage to the late Demon Emperor.
With the Little Demon Empress’ disposition, this kind of action shouldn’t have been plausible.
Once the Little Demon Empress left, the great hall immediately broke into discussion. Yun Qinghong stood up and looked at his father’s body at the center of the hall with a sorrowful heart, “Everyone, let’s go… we should bring my father back home.”
Yun Qinghong’s soft sentence caused every elder to lose all control. As if they had gone mad, they charged to the heart of the great hall and fell down in front of Yun Canghai’s body one after the other.
“Patriarch!!”
“Oh, Patriarch!!”
Considering their endless emotions, how could they even bother to take care of their appearances and prestige? They shouted in sorrow and wailed… no longer able to control their bawling. It could be said that they had experienced the fiercest joy and sadness of their entire lives today. Thinking back to when they received the news of his death a hundred years ago and everything the Yun Family had suffered since then, even if they possessed the strongest willpower, they were unable to keep their emotions from rioting.
“Yun Duanshui… pays respect to the Young Patriarch!” Second Elder Yun Duanshui bowed deeply at Yun Che, his face revealing agitation and respect which he only revealed when facing Yun Qinghong and Yun Canghai, “Previously, we did not know that the Young Patriarch had returned and showed negligence and disrespect. Our actions were truly punishable by death.”
“What is Second Elder saying…”
Just as Yun Che was about to go forward to support Yun Duanshui up; he had already been surrounded by the Yun family elders and disciples who paid their respects in unison, “We pay our respects to Young Patriarch!”
Today, Yun Che had reversed the ominous fate that was originally destined for the Yun Family and also helped eradicate an incoming storm. Everyone among the people that were in the Demon Imperial Hall today was so shocked that they thought he was a deity, especially the Yun Family members. Although he was only in his twenties and had only returned to the Yun Family for three short months, everyone was paying their respects willingly and were completely convinced. A few elders and disciples who had treated him with disrespect usually were now filled with fright.
“You’re indeed the Demon King’s grandson, the son of the Yun Family Patriarch. Although this old one has lived for a thousand years, he has finally seen what a truly outstanding human is like today,” exclaimed Qin Zheng thoughtfully, standing by Yun Che’s side.
“Region Lord Qin is too kind.” Yun Qinghong bowed respectfully, “This junior thanks Region Lord Qin for your righteous speech. Region Lord Qin does not need to worry. If the seven families dare to take revenge on you, I will not sit back idly.”
“Hoho, this old one is only trying to repay his sins. If Patriarch Yun does not blame me, I’ll be of utmost gratitude already. I definitely do not deserve your thanks.” Qin Zheng waved it off as he replied with a smile, “As for Patriarch Yun’s concerns, there’s no need. This old one will probably enter his grave in a few more decades. There’s no need for them to do anything against this old one.”
“Congratulations to Patriarch Yun for reuniting with your beloved child… With such an heir, the Yun Family’s return to former glory is only a matter of time.” A region lord came forward to congratulate Yun Qinghong.
“I disagree with Region Lord Yue’s words. Young Patriarch Yun is only twenty-two and he filled us all with admiration. With Patriarch Yun and Yun Che in the Yun Family, and given the Little Demon Empress’ high regard and promise, the Yun family would definitely grow beyond its former glory, hahahaha!”
“Brother Lin’s words are true! Patriarch Yun, congratulations!”
The various heroes all congratulated Yun Qinghong in succession because all of them had realized that the Yun Family was now abruptly making a meteoric rise. Yun Xiao had been bestowed kingship; the Yun Family received Little Demon Empress’ promise; Yun Qinghong’s severely injured body miraculously recovered. Their lost glory was about to be restored and it would greatly increase as well… More importantly, the Yun Family had gained a Young Patriarch which had caused all of them to be in awe.
It would be difficult even if the Yun Family did not want to be back on the rise.
Even though the Yun Family’s strength was currently the weakest among the Twelve Families, at this point in time, no one dared to imagine how much the Yun Family would grow in the near future.
The Yun Family was being swarmed by all the heroes of the land, and behind them, many people were pushing frantically just to have a few words with Yun Qinghong and Yun Che. Duke Huai looked on coldly with a sullen look that seemed to have been permanently plastered on his face, causing him never be able to relax.
“Yun… Che…” Despite the grinding sound produced by his teeth, he had managed to utter out two words that were filled with hatred and coldness with much difficulty.
He had prepared and tolerated for so many years just for this one day!
But in an instant, it had all gone to waste.
He had only executed the first part of his plan… and yet with just this step, he had stumbled. Not only had he allowed Yun Che to gain all the limelight, but he had been disgraced shamefully and even had to pay a large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal.
“Duke Huai, what shall we… do now?” Duke Zhong walked over and asked softly. Looking at Yun Che, he was similarly grinding his teeth. They all knew fully well that today’s failure had only been because of Yun Che… just him alone.
“Tch…” Duke Huai gritted his teeth. As his chest rose, a breath of cool air seeped through his teeth, “Let’s go!”
Duke Huai turned his sullen face around. Ignoring everyone, he walked towards the exit of the hall rigidly. Seeing his actions, the seven Patriarchs who were initially distracted rose with the Duke Palaces and walked to the exit depressingly.
“I bid Duke Huai Palace and the seven Patriarchs farewell!”
Duke Huai had only taken a couple of steps when Yun Che’s loud voice had rang behind him. Yun Che stared at the back of Duke Huai’s figure, glanced at the seven Patriarchs, and laughed, “However, there is one matter of which I, Yun Che, need to remind you. Regarding the Purple Veined Divine Crystal you lost to my Yun Family, please deliver it to our Yun Family residence on time. The entire Illusory Demon Realm would probably know about this matter soon, so I think that the prestigious Duke Palaces and Guardian Families would not throw away their most basic trust and face in front of everyone just over a few kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, right?”
Duke Huai’s footsteps paused and his body remained frozen for three breaths of time before he forcefully suppressed his urge to immediately kill Yun Che without any regards for anything else, and continued to silently walk out of the Demon Imperial Hall.
“Hmph!” Looking coldly at the figure of Duke Huai leaving, Yun Che snorted coldly. The killing intent Duke Huai had emanated previously was something that he had felt clearly.
“In just one day, you have offended so many people! Furthermore, they are the top powerhouses of Illusory Demon Realm.” Jasmine laughed coldly, “It sure suits your personality that seeks death no matter where you go.”
“This matter concerns my Grandfather’s honor and will. Even if I have to dig my own grave, it not something that can be avoided.” Yun Che sighed before continuing, relaxed, “However, compared to the danger I faced two years ago within the Primordial Profound Ark, this is nothing.”
When he finished speaking, Yun Che frowned and muttered to himself, “Just why did the Little Demon Empress halt the ceremony immediately after she received the Demon Emperor’s Seal…”
Chapter 584 - Yun Che’s Suspicions
As the Yun Family strode out of the Demon Imperial Hall, four elders personally carried Yun Canghai’s body with slow and careful steps. The rest of the Yun Family crowded around them as they escorted the body out of the hall, with every one of their expressions respectful and solemn. When they had entered the Demon Imperial Hall, they had drawn the attention of everyone in the hall, and now that they strode out of the hall, even though all eyes were still fixed on them, those gazes carried something different from before.
“Brother Yun, tomorrow evening, this Su will come along with Patriarch Yan to pay you a visit,” Su Xiangnan sent a sound transmission to Yun Qinghong.
Yun Qinghong gave a faint nod of acknowledgement in the direction of Su Xiangnan and Yan Zijing; he was well aware of what they wanted to discuss.
“Che’er, what are you thinking about?” Yun Qinghong slanted his head and looked at Yun Che while asking. After they had left the Demon Imperial Hall, Yun Che’s brows had been faintly furrowed and it was clear that he was pondering something.
Yun Che briefly raised his head and replied, “I am thinking about why the Little Demon Empress suddenly stopped the ceremony and why she left right after. If it were only for the reason that she wanted to use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to pay homage to the previous Demon Emperor… it simply does not make much sense.”
Yun Qinghong blandly laughed, “Even I feel a little astonished, but the Little Demon Empress is definitely someone who does not deal with things frivolously. If she does something, there is definitely a reason for it. But since she does not want to let other people know, we do not need to think too deeply.”
Yun Che slowly nodded his head, but after that he suddenly asked, “Father, I heard from Xiao Yun that it is a rule that the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will only be opened once every five years. But is this opening decided by the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley itself, or is it decided by the Demon Emperor’s clan?
“Of course it is the former,” Yun Qinghong said, “There is an enormous flame seal at the entrance of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. This flame seal was not set up by the Illusory Demon Royal Family, but by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit after the original Demon Emperor had obtained the legacy of the Golden Crow. No one can forcibly break this seal and this seal disappears by itself for twenty-four hours at a fixed time every five years. This is also the time when the Illusory Demon Royal Family and the Guardian Families enter to grow stronger. Twenty-four hours later, the seal would reappear once more, and at the same time, all of the people within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley would be expelled from within… unless of course someone had died within it.
“Ah, so that is the case.” Yun Che nodded his head, but a thought flitted through his mind so he continued to ask, “So that is to say that, until the seal dissolves by itself at that set time and date, there is no other way to enter the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley? Including those who possess the bloodline of the Demon Emperor?”
Yun Qinghong nodded his head once more, “Yes, the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is home to fire spirits, lightning spirits, and mysterious treasures of heaven and earth. Anyone who enters the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will receive relatively enormous rewards, but if one tried to unrestrainedly gather resources, that person would be harmed by the origin energy of fire and lightning. The reason behind the five years of sealing of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley after opening is to allow the fire spirits, lightning spirits, and mysterious treasures to regenerate. No matter who it is, they will not be allowed to enter during the period that it is sealed. At least in these hundred plus years that I have been alive, I have never heard of anyone being able to enter the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley when it has been sealed.”
“Ah…” Yun Che rubbed his jaw with one hand for a while and the suspicion that was nestled in his brain grew even heavier. Before, in the Demon Imperial Hall, all the people had witnessed his unyielding posture and also witnessed his power which had swept through all of the young heroes. He had even uninhibitedly lambasted Duke Huai’s faction in front of them. But only he knew the truth; from the moment he had entered Demon Imperial City, he had been cautious and on his toes every step of the way. Especially now, since he had thoroughly offended many of the great powers and individuals of high status and ability today, he had to be even more cautious from here on out. He would not dare to leave even a single blind spot or suspicion uncovered.
Despite pondering on this matter for a long period of time, he still could not make any headway, so he decided to give it a rest. He patted Xiao Yun on the shoulder and laughed heartily, “Xiao Yun, from today onwards you will be the impressive and awe-inspiring King Xiao! In the history of the entire Illusory Demon Realm, after our grandfather, you are only the second person to have ever been made king. How does that feel?”
Ever since Xiao Yun had stepped out of the Imperial Demon Hall, his footsteps had become light and erratic and until now, he still felt like he was in some kind of dream. After hearing Yun Che’s words, his feet came to a halt and he replied in a rather lost voice, “This, this… this is actually all due to Big Brother’s efforts, I… I’m kind of at a loss for what to do right now.”
“Haha,” Yun Che laughed and replied, “You don’t need to worry about this, once you have completed the ceremony of bestowing kingship, you will naturally know what you will need to do.” After that he lowered his voice to a whisper and whispered merrily, “And after you have been made a king, your status will be even higher than that of Seventh Sister’s father, so the matter between you and her should no longer encounter any obstacles.”
“Hehe,” Xiao Yun gave an awkward laugh but his expression immediately clammed up after, and he continued in a worried voice, “Big Brother, Duke Huai is an extremely terrifying person, and after today, he definitely hates you from the bottom of his heart. Furthermore, I am afraid that the Helian Family and the rest of the seven families will look for an opportunity to harm you…”
“Brother Yun!”
At this moment, the clear and light voice of a young girl rang out from behind. With a ‘whoosh’, Xiao Yun spun around and he immediately saw Number Seven Under Heaven, who was scampering over to his side. Behind her was the heroes of the Under Heaven Family gathered together, all of whom had differing expressions on their faces, along with the six brothers of the Under Heaven Family.
“Seventh Sister!” Xiao Yun called out while he excitedly and nervously stood in place. Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou also halted their steps, and they wore faint smiles on their faces as they looked at them.
“Brother Yun, you’ve become King Xiao now! You’re simply too awesome… Congratulations!” Number Seven Under Heaven practically skipped all the way over to Xiao Yun’s side with a face filled with elation and joy. If it was like before, with her father present, she wouldn’t even dare to give her salutations to Xiao Yun —— and before the opening of the grand ceremony, every time the Under Heaven Family had strode past the Yun Family seats, she was not even able to exchange a word with Xiao Yun. But now, with the reputation and the fate of the Yun Family undergoing a complete reversal, coupled with the fact that Xiao Yun’s origins had been exposed and he had been made King Xiao, the situation had naturally become completely different.
“Cough, cough!” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s face stiffened like a board. He shot Xiao Yun a ferocious glare and decided to directly ignore him, but he did not drag Number Seven Under Heaven away from him. Instead, he let his eyes linger on Yun Che for a long while, and then he declared in a deep, lamenting voice, “Brother Yun, this son of yours is simply incredible… he is stronger than all six of my sons put together.”
Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s words caused the the six brothers of the Under Heaven Family to grimace. Yun Qinghong gave a light laugh and replied, “Brother Under Heaven, do not say such things.”
The reply was short but it was not too self-effacing. Because the greatest source of pride in his life came from his own son, why would he be willing to use his own words to modestly deny such praise?
After seeing Yun Che today, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was deeply and sincerely moved. Before, he had vehemently opposed his own daughter courting the Young Patriarch of the Yun Family, Yun Xiao, and a small part of the reason was the feebleness of the Yun Family, but his main objection was the possibility that Xiao Yun had come from the Profound Sky Continent. Now, the real Young Patriarch of the Yun Family had returned, and when he looked at Yun Che, the idea that had filled his thoughts was actually this… If Seventh Treasure was able to marry this kid, even if she were a concubine, I would still be willing! Ahhhhh!
“Brother Yun, pardon me for asking, your injuries and your wife’s injuries were suddenly healed, may I ask just which expert did this? My elf clan has always prided itself on being extremely skilled in the healing arts, but we were helpless in the face of your injuries and we were always under the impression that no one under heaven could treat them. But seeing that you have made a full recovery today, I am simply too curious as to which person could actually have such transcendent skills.”
He used the words “transcendent skills” to describe the person who had helped the Yun Qinghong and his wife make a full recovery, and these words came from the Patriarch of the Under Heaven Family of all people. But those who knew the severity of the injuries suffered by Yun Qinghong and his wife knew that it was not in the least bit exaggerated to use those words.
If it were before the Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, no matter who asked, Yun Qinghong would keep it hidden. But at this time, he gave a faint smile instead and his eyes turned towards Yun Che and he said in a calm and proud voice, “To tell you the truth, the poison and injuries that had plagued Yurou and me for so long were treated by Che’er.”
Before this, they had no choice but to conceal this matter, because they did not want anyone to notice Yun Che. Now, Yun Che’s profile was so high that it could not be any higher, and he had also completely and utterly offended Duke Huai’s faction, so there was no meaning in further concealing any information. Instead, if he just openly spoke the truth, it would possibly bring benefit to Yun Che.
As expected, once Yun Qinghong’s spoke those words, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s face showed unconcealable shock, and behind him, the jaws of the six brothers of the Under Heaven Family all gaped wide open; they were unable to close them for a good long while.
All of them were extremely clear on just how terrifying the poison that had invaded Yun Qinghong’s and Mu Yurou’s bodies was. If this were told to them by anyone else, they would all have refused to believe it. But these words had come straight from the horse’s mouth, so even if Greatest Ambition Under Heaven did not want to believe it, it was not possible… Once they thought back to all the information they had received lately, before Yun Qinghong made his recovery, he had not been in contact with other people, and the only change was that a foster son, Yun Che, had appeared by his side…
Greatest Ambition Under Heaven exhaled deeply, and it was only then that he could suppress the shock that had surged from the depths of his heart. He eyed his surroundings and did not pursue this matter any further, “Brother Yun, thank you for your honesty. But the walls have ears in this place, so we shouldn’t dally any longer. Even though Duke Huai suffered a complete and crushing defeat today, by no means will he back down. Now that Brother Yun has made a full recovery and the Demon Emperor’s Seal has been returned, the Little Demon Empress will have a much greater ability to stand against him… As for what will happen from today onwards, I will pay a visit to your house tomorrow so that we can further discuss things there.”
Yun Qinghong faintly nodded and did not speak any further.
“Seventh Treasure, let us be off.” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven glared at Xiao Yun and directly dragged Number Seven Under Heaven along as he prepared to leave.
“Ah! Seventh Sister!” All of a sudden, Xiao Yun remembered the most important thing and he hurriedly shouted after Number Seven Under Heaven to get her to stop. After that, he hurriedly rushed to her side and in his hand was a delicate white jade case… and once this white jade case had been taken out by him, it immediately attracted the gazes of all those around him. Because this was the white jade case bestowed upon him by the Little Demon Empress, and inside this case was the Overlord Pellet!!
“Seventh Sister, this is the Overlord Pellet that the Little Demon Empress bestowed upon me. I am giv… giving it to you.”
“Ah!” Number Seven Under Heaven’s eyes grew into saucers and with a light cry, she subconsciously covered her mouth with her hands. Behind her, her six brothers all wore incredulous expressions on their faces, and one could even see turmoil broiling about in Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s eyes.
This was not some common medicinal pellet; this was the Overlord Pellet that was a mythological existence to the masses. The Overlord Pellet that even the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces would drool over and covet!!
After taking this Overlord Pellet, Xiao Yun would immediately become an Overlord and his progress would be rapid! He would truly become supreme amongst all of his peers… But he actually gave this Overlord Pellet to Number Seven Under Heaven, with no hesitation whatsoever!
Yun Che stood there silently nodding his head, his face filled with approval… Given the insight he had into Xiao Yun’s character over this period of time, this kind of action that would be regarded as world-shaking by other people was actually something that was not unusual at all when it came to Xiao Yun. Or else, why would the little princess of the Under Heaven Family still be so dead-set on him despite the vehement objections…
“You want to give this Overlord Pellet… to our Seventh Sister?” Number Five Under Heaven asked as he stretched his neck, his face filled with disbelief.
Xiao Yun’s origins had already been exposed for all to see, and he had become the benefactor of the Illusory Demon Royal Family. Furthermore, he had been made king by the Little Demon Empress and his current status was completely different from before. He was no longer considered as ill-matched with Number Seven Under Heaven, but now he was actually high above her. Despite all that, he was still willing to take the initiative and give away the extremely valuable Overlord Pellet to Number Seven Under Heaven. And this Overlord Pellet was so valuable that it would even cause division between father and son, brother and brother…
So right now, unless one was blind, anyone with eyes would be one hundred percent certain on whether Xiao Yun’s feelings towards Number Seven Under Heaven were real or fake, whether they were light or heavy.
“Mn, mn.” Xiao Yun immediately nodded his head, “Seventh Sister’s profound strength is right now at the very pinnacle of the Emperor Profound Realm, and this Overlord Pellet would be most suitable for her. Seventh Sister, once you eat this Overlord Pellet, you can became a true Overlord. Then, no one will be able to bully you anymore.”
Number Three Under Heaven’s jaw hit the ground and no words came out of his mouth for a while. The other Under Heaven brothers were no different. They asked themselves, if they had obtained this Overlord Pellet before they had become Overlords, they would definitely not be willing to hand it over to someone else, even if that person was their own brother. But the newly-crowned king Xiao Yun actually…
Number Seven Under Heaven alternated between being moved and elated. She was more convinced than anyone else that even if he had been made a king, he would still be her ‘Brother Yun’. She shook her head and pushed the white jade case aside, “Brother Yun, this is something the Little Demon Empress bestowed upon you, I don’t want it.”
“But, the Little Demon Empress said herself, once it has been bestowed, it has become my property and I can give it to whomever I please.” After seeing Number Seven Under Heaven reject his gift, Xiao Yun replied in a rather anxious tone, “Seventh Sister, right now it is the most suitable time for you to use it, I… I am going to breakthrough very soon anyways, so even if I use it, it will be a waste.”
“Hmph, I don’t believe you.” Number Seven Under Heaven pushed the white jade case aside once more and she smiled merrily as she replied, “Brother Yun, even though you are older than me in age, you are at the same profound realm that I am at, so it is clear that you are a teensy weensy bit lousier than I am. If anyone is gonna make a breakthrough first, it’s gonna be me! So you should just behave yourself and eat it! I forbid you from pushing it to me again.”
“But… But…”
The Overlord Pellet that others could not even obtain in their dreams was now being pushed back and forth by these two people. Yun Che took a step forward, grabbed the case which held the Overlord Pellet, and said, “Both of you, stop pushing it to each other for a moment. Since Xiao Yun wants to give this Overlord Pellet to Seventh Sister and Seventh Sister also wants Xiao Yun to use it for himself… then I have a suggestion. Hand the Overlord Pellet to me first. When I go back, I will divide it into two perfect halves, with the same amount of medicine in each half. If the both of you each eat one half, wouldn’t that settle everything?”
Translator Note: Hi ATG readers, this is Dnton here. I’m 10% cute.
Chapter 585 - Returning to the Mu Family
“Split it in two?” Everyone’s faces revealed shock and Number One Under Heaven said, “Brother Yun, you might not know this but this Overlord Pellet is not an ordinary pellet. Although its ingredients are easily obtainable, it is extremely difficult to produce. Trapping the medicinal properties within the Overlord Pellet is even more difficult. Normally, when the pill is formed, it is quickly and carefully consumed to prevent the medicinal properties from dissipating in case something happens to it. Splitting the pellet into two… Would likely destroy the Overlord Pellet.”
The others also had a look of deep thought. However, Yun Che replied with certainty, “Brother Under Heaven does not have to worry. I have some mastery with regards to refining medicinal pellets and have absolute confidence that nothing would happen to this Overlord Pellet, nor would its medicinal properties dissipate one bit.”
Xiao Yun had long since possessed blind confidence in Yun Che and after what happened today, his blind confidence in Yun Che had only soared higher. He immediately nodded and replied, “If Big Brother says he can do it, it’s definitely not a problem. If I can share the pill with Seventh Sister, it would be the best… Big Brother, I’ll have to trouble you then.”
As he spoke, Xiao Yun handed over the white jade box to Yun Che.
For Yun Che to suggest such a thing, he must have his reason. After receiving the Overlord Pellet, he immediately kept it.
His confident demeanor caused the members of the Under Heaven Family to be immensely shocked; thinking of how he completely cured Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou in the short span of a few months, and thinking about his earth-shattering performance today, it seemed that anything extraordinary that happened around him was actually not that exaggerated. Number Seven Under Heaven’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Yun Che and said, “I believe that since Big Brother Yun dared to say it, he can definitely do it. Big Brother Yun, this young sister is full of admiration for you now. Next time, do tell me some stories about yourself, okay?”
Yun Che laughed heartily, “No problem. After you and my brother Xiao Yun tie the knot, we will be one family. At that time, there’s no reason why I wouldn’t agree to such a small request.”
His words were obviously targeted at Greatest Ambition Under Heaven, but when Number Seven Under Heaven heard it, she was elated and replied with a smile, “Big Brother Yun, this is something you personally said; it’s a promise!”
“Cough cough!” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was suddenly embarrassed as he pulled Number Seven Under Heaven over, “You’re a girl… Is this appropriate… Cough, Brother Yun, we shall take our leave. On the day of the Demon King’s burial, do inform us…”
When the Under Heaven Family left, an agitated shout came from a distance behind them.
“Grandson! Grandson… Aiyo, my grandson!”
Among the Twelve Patriarchs now, Mu Feiyan was the oldest, most senior, and most prestigious. He was usually stern which has caused people to fear him whenever they saw him. However, his face was currently flushed as he approached like an excited little child and he was even visibly flustered, as evidenced by his footsteps.
Yun Che turned around and knelt down without hesitation, “Yun Che pays his respects to Grandfather.”
“No, no, no… Good grandson, quickly, get up!” Hearing his words and seeing his actions, Old Man Mu was immediately ecstatic and even nearly cried. He hastily went forward to help Yun Che up and assessed him from up close. The redness in his face became deeper and deeper, “Good! Good! Good!” After saying “good” three times, Old Man Mu grabbed Yun Che’s hand and laughed heartily, “Hahahaha! My grandson is back, this is my, Mu Feiyan’s, blood related grandson, hahahaha.”
The three brothers Mu Yubai, Mu Yuqing, and Mu Yukong followed him at a normal pace… However, the eldest, Mu Yubai, who usually stood at the vanguard, was currently trailing behind for some reason. His face even revealed a mess of emotions.
“Father, looked how agitated you are. Aren’t you afraid you’ll be laughed at?” Mu Yurou asked with a smile, her eyes showing signs of tears welling up.
“Hahahaha! This old man is in a good mood today, whoever wants to laugh can laugh!” Old Man Mu waved it off and laughed once again, “That bunch of old fogies always liked to gloat about their grandsons in front of this old man. Now that this old man’s grandson is back, let’s see who still dares to talk about their grandson in front of this old man… Compared to this old man’s grandson, their grandsons are simply too inferior to be seen. Hahahaha.”
Even in his dreams, Mu Feiyan desired to quickly get grandchildren, but until now, his wish was unable to be fulfilled. Now that he had a grandson, he was obviously over the moon. Furthermore, this grandson of his was simply too outstanding. Among the young generation within Illusory Demon Realm, there was probably no one that could compare with him… It had been a few hundred years since he was so elated.
“Thank you, Grandfather, for your praise.” Yun Che said with a smile.
“Cough cough,” Mu Yuqing touched his chin and said with a grin, “Heh heh, good nephew. Your uncle has grown up under your grandfather’s black face since youth. This is the first time I’ve seen the old man praise someone like this. However, you do indeed deserve the old man’s praise.”
“It’s true, it’s true.” Mu Yukong nodded strongly, “You must see whose nephew he is. It’s always been said that the nephew follows the uncle. With such an outstanding uncle like me, our good nephew having such outstanding results today is only natural.”
“Piss off!” Mu Feiyan stared and waved them off. In an instant, a cold wind blew Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong some distance away, “Two good-for-nothing brats. When you were young, you two added up would not even be able to compare to my grandson’s toe! Stop embarrassing yourselves in front of my grandson, and go play with your sandcastles on the side!”
Mu Yuqing and Mu Yurou’s faces instantly turned bitter, as they stood there, not daring to reply. Mu Yurou laughed and said, “Father, with Che’er here, at least give some face to Second and Third Brother who are his uncles. Che’er, come and greet your uncles properly.”
“Mn.” Yun Che nodded, walking to the front of Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong, and bowed, “Nephew Yun Che greets his two uncles.”
“Mn.”
Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong revealed the demeanor of an elder and enjoyed it comfortably. Yun Che’s excellence was something they all witnessed today. To have their nephew reveal such a talent that shook the entire Illusory Demon Realm, they began to foster in their hearts a strong sense of pride.
Mu Yubai stood there without saying anything, but he finally could not bear with it anymore as he ran over and roared, “What two uncles! What do you mean by two uncles! Is this daddy here not your uncle! Or are you treating this daddy as a transparent person!!”
When Mu Yubai’s roar had just finished, Yun Che had not yet managed to react when Mu Feiyan appeared in front of him. He stared widely and with a thunderous voice, he scolded Mu Yubai, “MU YUBAI! My grandson has been lost for twenty-odd years and after many difficult experiences, he had only managed to return today. As a senior, not only did you not show signs of appreciation, you actually scolded him! Also, why do you keep using ‘this daddy’! You’re very imposing now, eh?!”
As he spoke, he turned to Yun Che and immediately became amiable once again, “Good grandson, you don’t have to be afraid. Since he was young, this brat did not know the limits of heaven. If he dares to roar at you like that again, grandfather will help you cripple his legs.”
When Mu Feiyan shouted the words “Mu Yubai”, all the hairs on Mu Yubai’s entire body stood on end. Hearing Old Man Mu’s scoldings which sounded like a tiger’s roar, he did not dare to utter a word and merely stood there with his head hung low, not daring to even breathe slightly louder.
Old Man Mu had always been absolutely strict within the Mu Family. He had been very thorough about it on these three young masters of the Mu Family especially.
Mu Yurou laughed secretly as she walked forward to appease the situation, “Alright Father, Big Brother is just agitated. How would he bear to scream at Che’er? Che’er, quick, come over to greet your First Uncle.”
Yun Che stepped forward and respectfully said, “Nephew greets First Uncle.”
Seeing Yun Che’s respectful face and the fact that he did not mention anything about the matter regarding “swearing brotherhood”, Mu Yubai’s expression calmed down immediately and a huge weight was lifted in his heart. The address of “First Uncle” was comforting and he instantly said seriously, “Mn, good nephew…”
Then, what was worse was that Yun Che had followed up by saying this, “First Uncle, regarding the matter about swearing brotherhood…”
“Pfft…” Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong could not control in an instant and burst out laughing while Mu Yurou covered her mouth as she laughed. The veins on Old Man Mu trembled and the corners on his mouth twitched.
Before this afternoon, he had steeled his resolve to make Yun Che his sworn brother and this matter was known by all within the Yun and Mu Families. When he found out that Yun Che was actually his nephew… He almost went to find a hole to hide himself.
Mu Yubai glanced carefully at Old Man Mu’s expression as he forcefully resisted the urge to send Yun Che flying. He tapped Yun Che on the shoulder and laughed dryly like a madman, “Ha… Haha… Hahahaha… Being nephew and uncle is definitely better than being sworn brothers… Ha… Hahaha… Nephew, the fact that you are able to return, as your uncle, I’m extremely glad!!!”
Although Mu Yubai appeared to be laughing dryly, he gritted his teeth in secret… If this was exposed, the heroic name of Mu Yubai would probably become a laughingstock!
“There are many people here and it’s unsuitable for a long conversation. Che’er, you’ve already been back for three months and have yet been to Grandpa’s house for a visit. No matter what, you must follow Grandpa back to the Mu household today and look at the place where your mother grew up, and also let Grandpa take a good look at my wonderful grandson,” Old Man Mu said.
As he spoke, he was already holding onto Yun Che’s arm, unwilling to let go. His usually strict and cold eyes were currently filled with anticipation and love which made it hard for Yun Che to refuse.
“Alright.” Yun Qinghong gave some thought and nodded, “Che’er has already been back for so long and it’s not right that he did not manage to return to his mother’s family for a visit. Yurou, let us follow Che’er and Xiao’er back for a good gathering.”
“That’s great.” Mu Yurou nodded happily. Although it was just the simple word “gathering”, it caused everyone’s heart to sadden. Yun Che was already twenty-two and this was his first proper gathering in his entire life.
“Good!” Old Man Mu’s voice trembled slightly as he held Yun Che’s hands and walked in great stride, “Come, let’s go home!”
“Great Elder, I shall trouble you to escort father’s body back first. We will return at dusk.” Yun Qinghong instructed Yun Waitian and the rest simply before bringing Mu Yurou and Xiao Yun along with the Mu Family.
North of the Demon Imperial City, in front of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
A massive flame profound formation was at the front, spinning slowly. In the middle, there was the golden image of the Golden Crow flashing, and each time it flashed, it released a golden flash of fire that no one could look into directly.
The profound formation was only thirty meters in diameter yet, it secured the only entrance to the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Even if all the high-leveled Monarchs in Illusory Demon Realm worked together, there was no way they could break through it. The high temperature it released caused ordinary profound practitioners to be unable to even get close to it.
To the Illusory Demon Realm, this was a forbidden ground. Other than once every five years, when the seal of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was released, no one typically dared to get close to it.
However, at this moment, there was a dark grey and petite figure that appeared quietly in front of the Golden Crow Profound Formation.
Chapter 586 - Golden Crow’s Soul
The person who had arrived at the entrance of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was precisely the Little Demon Empress.
She stood in front of the Golden Crow Profound Formation with her grey sleeves swaying gently. She lifted up her arms, then slowly held up the Demon Emperor’s Seal. At that moment, the light that the Demon Emperor’s Seal released became even deeper and hotter, and it started to flicker slowly. The frequency of the flickering was completely synchronized with the silhouette of the Golden Crow in the center of the profound formation, as if it developed some kind of resonance.
The Little Demon Empress reached out her left hand, and gently cut her long, delicate fingers. Instantly, a drop of bright, red blood flew out from the tip of her finger and fell on the Demon Emperor’s Seal. At that moment, the Demon Emperor’s Seal flickered in flames, and a reddish-gold flame ascended and surrounded the Demon Emperor’s Seal in raging fire and didn’t go out for a long time.
The Little Demon Empress stretched her fingers, danced lightly, and at that moment, another drop of blood flew out from in between her fingers, painting a red trail as it flew directly towards the Golden Crow Profound Formation. It landed on the silhouette of the golden crow in the center of the profound formation. A ball of the same reddish-gold flames started burning in the center of the profound formation.
The Little Demon Empress held the Demon Emperor’s Seal, flew up, and in the instant when the Demon Emperor’s Seal touched the center of the profound formation, the two balls of flames that were burning because of her Demon Emperor’s blood merged together. The Demon Emperor’s seal made a hissing noise, and the Golden Crow Profound Formation was also making hissing noises. Following, the two balls of merging flames suddenly flew out at the same time.
The profound formation sealing the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley also began to speedily dissolve at this moment, until it was gone completely.
The only entrance for the path to the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was completely revealed in front of the Little Demon Empress.
The eyes of the Little Demon Empress were calm like the surface of water. She put away the Demon Emperor’s Seal, her small body emerged as a gray shadow that normal people’s eyes couldn’t even detect, and she went into the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley without making a sound…
In another half of a month, it would be the opening period of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. In the time of five years, it had already replenished a large amount of fire spirit and lightning spirit within it. The ground in here was red, but the sky was purple. Within sight, countless flames were swaying, and countless thunderbolts were hissing. Occasionally, there would suddenly be sea of flames bursting up more than thirty meters high, or bolts of roaring thunder falling down… Even though there was only a Golden Crow Profound Formation between here and outside, it was like the laws and construction of the two worlds were completely different.
The Little Demon Empress moved at full speed, heading north in a straight line. She let the flames and lightning strikes entangle her, but no matter how the flames and lightning raged, they couldn’t harm her at all. Some of the fire spirit with mid-grade consciousness felt the aura around her would run away hastily, and didn’t dare to get close.
The Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was incredibly vast and broad. The Little Demon Empress focused all of her power on her speed without holding anything back. Her speed was so fast just like suddenly flickering lightning, but even so, after more than two hours, she was still in the world surrounded by lightning and flames, and couldn’t see the end of it.
After a full four hours, the wall of a hill that was covered completely by reddish-gold flames appeared in front of her. The Little Demon Empress’ body turned, and landed in front of the wall of the hill. In front of her was a Golden Crow Profound Formation extremely similar to the one sealing the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, except this profound formation was a third smaller, and the silhouette of the Golden Crow was even deeper.
The Little Demon Empress’ cold, lonely eyes finally appeared in an instant of commotion. This place… it was not the first time that she had been here, but this time, her state of mind was completely different than before. In the past, she only had helplessness and desire, but this time… in her hands, she held the Demon Emperor’s Seal that had returned.
Holding the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Empress stopped hesitating, slowly stepped forward, and just as her body touched the profound foundation, the Demon Emperor’s Seal flickered in flames, and a ball of fire burst and spread out, covered the Little Demon Empress, and brought her body slowly into the profound formation…
The world in front of the Little Demon Empress immediately changed. From the world of lightning and fire, she stepped into a world without edge filled with a golden color.
Holding the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Empress knelt on one knee, and said in great respect, “Illusory Demon Royal Family’s Twelfth Emperor, eleventh inheritor of the Golden Crow’s bloodline, Huai Caiyi, greets the Golden Crow Divine God.”
“Hahahahahaha…”
Just as the Little Demon Empress finished speaking, a reckless woman’s loud laughter sounded in this golden world. This sound was as if it was from in the sky, but it was also as if it was close by her ear. Even though the Little Demon Empress’ profound strength was high as level five in the Sovereign Profound Realm, her vital energy and blood shook under this sound.
“Your Illusory Demon Royal Family has been late for a hundred years. You finally arrived today, but it’s only a woman. Looks like this noble one’s fate with your clan has come to an end, why did you still come here for!”
The woman’s voice was like vicious flames; her words confused the Little Demon Empress, who raised her head and said, “Father and Brother were both in trouble back to back a hundred years ago, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal was also lost for a hundred years. It wasn’t found until recently, so we were late for a hundred years. Even though I am a woman, I am the only direct descendant of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and I inherited the pure Demon Emperor’s blood. May the Golden Crow Divine God please grant me the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》 and the ancestral bloodline to revive the Demon Emperor’s clan.”
“Grant you the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World and the ancestral bloodline? Hahahaha! You really are pitiful and naive. Didn’t you hear what I had said just now? As soon as you entered here, I knew that my fate with your clan was finished!”
“What is the meaning of Golden Crow Divine God’s words?” The Little Demon Empress locked her eyebrows and said without understanding.
“What do I mean? You really are completely naive! Your Demon Emperor’s clan has had ten generations of Demon Emperors for the past ten thousand years, and the ten generations of Demon Emperors were all men! There had never been a woman. Did you really think it was only a simple coincidence and the common customs of men being superior to women!? Hmph, looks like you didn’t know that with a mortal body like yours, only men can bear the Golden Crow ancestral blood!
The Little Demon Empress felt as if she were struck by lightning, her whole body was trembling slightly, and she said, “Why?! Even though I am a woman, my heritage is directly of the Demon Emperor’s clan…”
“It doesn’t matter if you are a descendant of the Demon Emperor’s clan! It is simply because you are a woman!” The flame-like woman’s voice said ruthlessly, “Men’s body is Yang and women’s body is Yin. With a mortal woman’s body, it is tolerable to control normal profound flames, even Phoenix’s flames or Vermilion Bird’s flames would be okay, but my Golden Crow’s flame is the world’s fiercest Yang fire! There cannot be any existence of Yin! You only have a thin trace of the Golden Crow’s bloodline at the moment and you are already suffering from the burn day and night. You are in pain, and your life has been shortened greatly. If you bear the ancestral bloodline, your internal blood flow would be completely messed up, and you will suffer in pain for all your life!”
“On top of that, you are still a virgin, so the vital Yin is still in your body. If you accept the ancestral blood, within three days, the flame energy of your bloodline will explode, and you would die in flames within five days!
Little Demon Empress, “!!!!”
It was true that the Illusory Demon Realm’s ten generations of Demon Emperors were all men, but no one thought that it was strange, because having a man as emperor was always normal. On the contrary, it was abnormal for a woman to be the emperor. All of the Illusory Demon Royal Family’s people knew that the Golden Crow’s bloodline would harm the body of women, especially the Demon Emperor’s empress who has the direct bloodline. The empress always pass away before the Demon Emperor, and none of their lives surpassed a thousand years… without exception.
The Little Demon Empress naturally knew all of these… but she absolutely did not think that, as a woman, even as a woman of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, she could not bear the ancestral blood… and could not even cultivate 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》.
All of the hopes were dashed, as if ice-cold water from a freezing fountain was poured ruthlessly on top of her heart and soul. She was stunned for a long while, thinking about the situation the Demon Emperor’s clan was in right now, and mumbled without giving up, “Could it be, is there really not any possibility… Golden Crow Divine God, you also have the body of a woman…”
“Hahahaha!” The flame-like voice laughed insolently, “How can a divine body be compared to your mortal body! The possibility… hmph, it’s not none at all, but that would mean getting the nourishment of a man’s vital Yang who has the Phoenix or Vermilion Bird’s bloodline! But in this Illusory Demon Realm, no one has the power of the Phoenix or Vermillion Bird; therefore, there wouldn’t exist a man like that. Give up and leave!”
When the Golden Crow mentioned “Phoenix” and “Vermillion Bird,” it was obvious that there was was in deep disdain.
The Little Demon Empress lowered her head and closed her eyes. She didn’t speak for a long time, and she was not willing to leave. The flame-like woman’s voice sounded again, “Don’t live in a fantasy. Do not wish for me to help you anymore! I am the isolated being of the Golden Crow’s bloodline and soul, under the will left by the Golden Crow; I can never leave this place! From ten thousand years ago, I have already granted your Neon Sparrows Clan ten thousand years of riches and honor, and made you the Demon Emperor’s Clan for ten thousand years! Since our fated relationship has reached an end, it is heaven’s will! Leave!”
“As for this Demon Emperor’s Seal, the day you die, when the Demon Emperor’s bloodline dies, it will naturally disappear!”
After the Golden Crow’s soul’s voice vanished, the golden world instantly collapsed. Surrounding, became the world of lightning and fire once again. The Little Demon Empress was still kneeling there, and she couldn’t move or speak for a long time, as if she had lost her soul…
The Mu Family had welcomed the most lively day in more than a hundred years.
When Yun Che agreed to go back to the Mu Family together, Mu Feiyan immediately sent a sound transmission back home, and the whole, large Mu Family from up to down had been busy. It was several dozen times busier than when the Little Demon Empress visited.
The Mu Clan’s location was larger than the Yun Family by more than one and a half times, and on top of the Yun Family’s recent descent, the Mu Family had more momentum than the Yun Family.
Old Man Mu led the way and dragged Yun Che through the door. The whole way, he was laughing loudly and he looked very energetic. The Mu Family’s disciples were all stunned and couldn’t speak, they even suspected that the Patriarch, who usually was calm and prestigious, had been possessed by some ghosts or spirits.
Mu Feiyan led Yun Che himself on a tour around the Mu Family. On the way, he couldn’t stop talking and laughing loudly, as his saliva flew everywhere like stars. It scared all of the disciples of the Mu Family, as if they had saw a ghost during daytime. After taking a tour of the Mu Family, it was almost evening. Mu Feiyan brought them into the courtyard, and without any hesitation, took out all of the Jade Ginseng Tea that he had been saving for several hundred years and couldn’t bear to drink himself… When the three Mu brothers were holding the teacups, all of their hands were shaking. A single ounce of this Jade Ginseng Tea was already invaluable. Normally, when the three brothers snuck a sniff, they would be scolded harshly by the old man. Today, thanks to their nephew… they were able to drink it!
“Come! Che’er, this is a greeting gift from grandfather. Hurry and see if you like it.” Mu Feiyan put an ice-jade box that released cold air into Yun Che’s hands while laughing.
“Thank you, Grandfather.” Yun Che received it, and directly opened the ice-jade box. In the box that was as big as his palms, there lay a small, narrow, long crystal that was only as large as his pinky. Just from looking at it, it seemed to be no difference from a normal icicle, only that the cold aura that it was releasing revealed an indescribable mysterious feeling.
When seeing this “icicle,” the eyes of the three brothers of the Mu Family all popped out, and they “pfft” and spat out the Jade Ginseng Tea that was in their mouths. It was followed by a hissing, roaring noise, as if pigs were being slaughtered…
“Ahh, Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven!!!”
Chapter 587 - Terrifying Deduction
Even though it only looked like a small icicle, it was evident from the reaction of Mu Yubai and the rest of them just how precious and powerful this ‘icicle’ was. Mu Feiyan disregarded the reactions of his three sons and he said with a full smile on his face, “This item is called the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, and it is one of the inherited treasures of my Mu Clan. Even though it looks fairly unremarkable, when you encounter a crisis, break it apart. The released energy will instantly congeal into an incomparably hard crystal ice barrier which will persist for six hours. Once you are within that crystal ice barrier, no one should even think about trying to harm you because even if that terrific grandfather of yours was still alive, even he would not be able to break it.”
“There used to be three of these Frost Crystals of Absolute Heaven, but now there is only one left. The other two were used to save two of my predecessors’ lives,” Mu Feiyan said in a rather proud tone.
This item would form into a protective barrier that even a high-level Sovereign would not be able to break apart, and it would even last for six hours… Yun Che’s heart leaped! This was a genuine and proper life-preserving artifact! As long as he had it on his person, it was like having one more life to spare! If this was during a matter of life or death, even if no one came to help, given his current physique, a protective barrier that lasted for six hours was more than sufficient for him to help him recover both his health and his profound energy.
This was truly a treasure that he could not reject!
Mu Yubai practically stammered as he exclaimed, “My venerated Father, this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, didn’t you say that you were… prepared… to give it to my eldest son?!”
But once these words left his mouth, Mu Yubai instantly regretted them… Sure enough, once those words had been spoken, Mu Feiyan’s eyes instantly narrowed as he glared at Mu Yubai, “Oh you still dare to mention the matter of grandsons to me! Where are my damn grandsons?! Where?! The frost wolf that this old man had reared one hundred years ago already has tens of offspring, but you three useless bums haven’t even produced a fart between the three of you in the same amount of time! Causing this old man to lose all face in front of that bunch of old fogeys for one hundred over years! This grandson of mine has now completely restored my dignity, so what objections do you have to me giving him a gift to celebrate our first meeting?!!”
Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong panickedly threw their hands in the air, “Venerated Father, those words were spoken by Big Brother just now, we didn’t even say anything. In fact giving this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven to Elder Sister’s son is simply way too appropriate! Our Venerated Father is truly wise!!”
The corner of Mu Yubai’s eyes violently twitched and he didn’t dare to say anything for a good long while. He knew that his venerated father had so desperately desired a grandson that it drove him into a tizzy just thinking about it, and now that he had that desired grandson, he would definitely spoil him immensely… but the way he spoiled this grandson was simply outrageous. On the very first day, he had brought out all of the good stuff that he had hid in his chest… In comparison, as the eldest son, he practically had no position to speak of.
However, given Yun Che’s illustriousness, the treatment shown to him by his venerated father… was not something that was hard to accept.
Mu Yurou’s pair of phoenix eyes had long ago become a pair of slender crescent moons as her smile covered her face. She was extremely clear on just how precious this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven was, and if Mu Feiyan were to give it to her, she would reject him with a fair amount of terror. After all, this was one of the inherited treasures of the Mu Family. But since it was being given to her son and it would give her son yet another life-saving treasure, she did not have any intention of rejecting it at all. Instead, she smiled brightly and said, “Che’er, hurry up and thank your grandfather.”
“Thank you very much, Grandfather!” Naturally Yun Che would not reject it either, so he accepted the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven. At the same time, his heart pulsed with gratitude… he knew why Mu Feiyan unhesitantly passed a treasure as valuable as the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven to him. Today, he had thoroughly offended Duke Huai and the seven Guardian Families, sowing hatred and also giving them a motive to kill. Given the strength held by Duke Huai, even the Yun and Mu Family together would not be able to guarantee that they would be able protect Yun Che from harm… So this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, could allow Yun Che to survive once he met any danger… An absolute protection for six whole hours, a simple sound transmission relaying his location would allow them to rush to his side and remove the danger.
“Hahaha!” Mu Feiyan guffawed loudly and did not looked pained in the least, “As long as you like it, that’s enough. We are amongst family here, you do not need to thank me.”
“However,” Mu Feiyan’s face grew somber and he said in a rather worried voice, “Che’er, there is something that Grandfather has to say. Today you were brave and you were smart. Your ability and charisma were undeniable. Not only did it revitalize the prestige of the Yun Family, it also handed a crushing defeat to Duke Huai whom even the Little Demon Empress was helpless against. But you pitted yourself against Duke Huai’s factions as well, and you even greatly rebuked and humiliated the Helian Family and the other six Guardian Families. Even though it was neatly done and felt extremely refreshing, it was also something you really shouldn’t have done.”
Once he mentioned today’s events, everyone’s faces grew grave. Mu Feiyan continued, “This man, Duke Huai, is someone who thinks deeply and has astonishing ability. The amount of power he has gathered is huge, far beyond what you have imagined. If not, given that the Little Demon Empress is well aware of his ambitions, why do you think she has never been able to expose him or tried to rush into things indiscriminately? Originally, you could have behaved in a tactful manner today, but instead you have thoroughly angered the other party. Right now, he must hate you from the bottom of his heart and also be filled with murderous intent towards you. Even though he might not go so far as to oppose you openly, he will definitely launch numerous attacks at you from the dark, sigh.”
Mu Yubai nodded his head sagely, “Che’er, your grandfather is right. Even though you covered yourself in greatness today, you attracted a huge amount of danger to yourself as well.”
Yun Che just blandly laughed instead and replied, “A blade hangs over the character of ‘tolerance’. It is only when you can tolerate what common man cannot, that the world can be at peace and that you can become a person above all other people… These are the words that the master who taught me my medical skills said to me often and it also used to be one of the creeds that guided my life. However, in the end, my master was killed by those that he had tolerated and accommodated all his life….”
Mu Feiyan, “…”
Yun Qinghong, “…”
“It was only then that I truly understood that the blade that hangs over the character of ‘tolerance’ was something that would not only cause me pain and suffering, but it might even cost me my life one day. So rather than being restrained by it, I’d rather force it onto my enemies!”
Even though Yun Che smiled, every person could hear from his voice an apathy and bitterness that could only come from one’s soul. They found it hard to believe that these words actually came from the mouth of someone who was merely a young man of twenty-two years. What they found even harder to fathom… was the amount of trials and tribulations that he had to undergo to have the mentality and the success that he had today.
For a period of time, everyone fell silent and not a single word was uttered in retort. Then Yun Che continued, “Duke Huai is extremely difficult to deal with, this is something that I understand. He is wild with ambition and he is definitely the man behind the present decline of our Yun Family. If it had been just the matter of whether he thought to kill me, I wouldn’t have had any reason to hold back! On the contrary, he is a person that is exceedingly cautious and these kinds of people are often excessively prudent and prone to overthinking. Today, I have not only completely offended him and the other seven families, but I have even humiliated them for all to see, without even leaving a shred of dignity for them to cling onto. Besides provoking him to kill me, he will also be thinking about whether my attitude is due to ignorant recklessness, whether I am courting my own doom, or whether it is because I have something to rely on… Moreover, he suffered a crushing defeat at my hands today and every attack he launched against me was met with multiple counters from me. In this case, he would naturally eliminate the possibility of it being the former and he would think that the reason for my unbridled behavior is because I have someone strong enough to back me up… And that it is a support so strong, I would not fear his reprisal.”
“Coupled with the ability that I have shown, my profound arts which far surpass what anyone else knows and my ability to sneak into Illusory Demon Realm from Profound Sky Continent without raising a single alarm. This will boundlessly magnify that probability in Duke Huai’s heart and even now, he must suspect that I have an extremely powerful master supporting me, someone who might surpass the boundaries of the mortal world. Because of these misgivings, Duke Huai will not jump the gun, and until he has completely ascertained my entire background, it is unlikely that he will take any action against me.”
Mu Feiyan eyed Yun Che with an extremely astonished gaze. He had clearly only met Duke Huai for the first time today, but he was able to have near-flawless understanding of Duke Huai’s temperament. Duke Huai was indeed someone who was excessively cautious and prudent, so unless he was absolutely certain, he would not make any rash moves. He was filled with ambition and the strength that he gathered had long ago exceeded that of the Little Demon Empress, but he had waited instead of taking action, all for this day… Originally, he had absolute confidence in how today’s events would play out, but in the end he had met Yun Che, and it had ended in utter defeat.
“That was well said!” Mu Yuqing exclaimed, “Truth be told, even this uncle of yours is quite certain that you have an extraordinary saint as a teacher! If not, you wouldn’t be so absurdly strong and you would not be so cocky in front of Duke Huai.”
Yun Qinghong did not speak, he faintly nodded his head instead.
“Che’er’s words are indeed correct.” Mu Yurou said, “Duke Huai will definitely have the same suspicions, so that will restrain him to some extent. Moreover, the majority of the people today will also think the same thing as well. But today, Duke Huai was heavily rebuked by Yun Che and he has definitely never suffered such disgrace in his life before. A cornered beast will do something desperate, I’m just afraid of that… So I think that it is best that we be extremely careful regardless.”
“In regards to this, I am not the least bit worried.” Yun Che said as he smiled instead, “If it was anyone else, there would indeed be a large possibility that the other party might do something out of desperation, but this is Duke Huai we are talking about! If he was easily provoked, he would not have the power he holds today. So let’s just let him merrily bear that blade that hangs above the word ‘tolerance’. From now on, I will not only not hide within the house, I will even swagger about ostentatiously, I have ninety-nine percent confidence… that he will not make a move against me, at least not in the short-term.”
Yun Qinghong nodded his head, “I approve of what Che’er has just said. Given Duke Huai’s temperament, even though he will have an extremely strong urge to kill Che’er, he will not make any moves in the foreseeable future. Moreover, Yun Che now has the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven protecting him; even if he is attacked from the shadows and faces mortal danger, he will be able to safely escape his predicament.”
“Yes… I just hope that it is so.” Mu Feiyan brows furrowed slightly as he gave a brief nod of his head.
“I have actually made a terrifying deduction regarding Duke Huai,” Yun Che suddenly said in a serious tone.
“Terrifying deduction?”
Yun Che’s brows sank and his voice dropped to a low whisper, “I suspect that Duke Huai’s ambition was not born only after the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor met an untimely end, but it had been something that had been in the works for a long time, even during the reign of the previous Demon Emperor! Furthermore… it was a scheme hatched together with the Profound Sky Continent!!”
“Ah!!” Yun Che’s words was like a thunderclap that descended from the heavens and it caused Xiao Yun to involuntarily cry out.
“What?!!” The expression of Mu Yubai and his two brothers abruptly changed.
Yun Qinghong stood up swiftly and his arms moved as fast as lightning as he released roiling electricity which surged in the air. In a split second, the surrounding area was covered in an incomparably strong soundproof barrier. Even though they were inside the Mu Family household, and they were even in Mu Feiyan’s own courtyard, but the matter which Yun Che was discussing was far too serious, so these words definitely could not be heard by anyone else.
“Continue!” After he had set up the soundproof barrier, Yun Qinghong looked at Yun Che and said in a low voice.
Yun Che found that even though Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan wore grave expressions on their face, they were not overly shocked, so it was clear that they had long ago formed their own suspicions. He inhaled lightly and continued, “There are four reasons for my suspicions.”
“The first reason is that when Profound Sky Continent suddenly invaded Illusory Demon Realm all those years ago, their objective was to steal the Demon Emperor’s family treasure, the Mirror of Samsara! However, before this, Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm had no dealings with each other; they merely knew about each other’s existence. So why would they suddenly know about the existence of the Mirror of Samsara? And what was even more strange is this. Even though the Mirror of Samsara was the inherited treasure of the Demon Emperor’s Clan, but no one knew what it could do. Since no one knew what it could do, it has been a ‘useless’ object for the last ten thousand years. Yet the people from Profound Sky Continent spared no expense in trying to steal it away! It’s as if… someone had told the people of the Profound Sky Continent of the existence of the Mirror of Samsara and then deliberately lied or exaggerated what it could do, for the purpose of inflaming their greed and ambition!”
“And this person can only be someone from Illusory Demon Realm!”
“The second reason is that this place is clearly the territory of Illusory Demon Realm, yet the invaders from the Profound Sky Continent could directly storm Demon Imperial City. Moreover, they could come and go as they pleased, even if Demon Imperial City had made abundant preparations, they were still able to escape with no casualties every single time. It was as if they knew the entire Demon Imperial City and even all the plans that had been laid out like the back of their hand! The greatest possibility is that they had a spy within Demon Imperial City!”
“And this spy not only lived in the Demon Imperial City, but was even someone who had an extremely extraordinary status!”
“The third reason. One hundred years ago, my grandfather brought ten grand elders of the Yun Family with him to rescue the previous Demon Emperor… Eleven high-level Sovereigns, this was a force that was sufficient to shake the entire world. Eleven high-level Sovereigns acting in concert, even if they were unable to rescue the previous Demon Emperor, they should still be able to retreat without a loss… Or at the very least, I do not believe that there is any power in this world that can detain eleven high-level Sovereigns acting in concert!”
“However… Grandfather told me that once they had entered Profound Sky Continent, they had immediately been entrapped in the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation! And the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation, which was powerful enough to seal the profound energy of eleven high-level Sovereigns, would definitely have a staggering rate of energy consumption, even if it was only set up for a single breath! So there was no way that it could have existed there all this while! Instead, they had already known where and when Grandfather and the others would arrive and so they simply set the formation up and idly waited… That is to say, that before Grandfather and the others had even left for Profound Sky Continent, someone used some sort of method to inform those people at what time and which location Grandfather would arrive at.”
“And only a power that is not inferior to that of the Yun Family would be able to know the precise movements of Grandfather and the rest and also be able to send a sound transmission that could cross such a vast amount of distance!!”
“The fourth reason is that the death of the Little Demon Emperor is simply too suspicious and fishy! During today’s grand ceremony, even though I claimed that he was extremely disappointed with the Guardian Families and so he personally left to save the previous Demon Emperor… But in fact, I definitely do not believe that the Little Demon Emperor would do something like losing control due to alcohol and personally rushing into the Profound Sky Continent! Even if he wanted to do so, he would have left behind a heir with the Little Demon Empress first. If not, he would personally destroy his own Demon Emperor’s bloodline! As the son of the Demon Emperor, how could he possibly do such a stupid thing?!”
“The Little Demon Emperor’s death… is very likely due to an assassination!”
Yun Che raised his head and enunciated each word slowly, “And all of this evidence points to only one place… Duke Huai Palace!”
Chapter 588 - The Mastermind
Even though Yun Che called it a “deduction”, if one combined the four reasons that he had established, it was clearly extremely close to the truth!
Regarding three of the points that Yun Che had raised, Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan had long ago harbored the same suspicions. All these years, they also could not understand just how eleven of the strongest members of the Yun Family acting in concert were all brought to ruin in the Profound Sky Continent… No matter how strong the Four Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent were, they might have at most defeated them and forced them to retreat, but it was not plausible for all of them to die in the first place…
It was only today that they found out that when Yun Canghai’s expedition entered the Profound Sky Continent, they were immediately ensnared by the “Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation” which sealed profound energy!
Yun Che’s words were one hundred percent correct! The Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation could suppress eleven high-level Sovereigns, but the amount of energy it consumed every second must have been incomparably huge, to the extent that it would be beyond the imagination of common people. So it was definitely not possible that the formation had been there all along… Rather, it was clear that they had been tipped off on when and where Yun Canghai’s group was arriving!
Just this point alone was enough to prove that there was definitely a traitor within Demon Imperial City!
And this “traitor” could only be from Duke Huai Palace!
“So that is to say that the ones who caused the deaths of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor… the main culprits behind the calamity that struck our Illusory Demon Realm were not those so-called Sacred Grounds of Profound Sky Continent, but… was Duke Huai Palace instead!!” Mu Yubai smashed the ground with his fist, and when he stood up, his entire body was quivering with anger.
“I had originally believed that the ambition of Duke Huai Palace had only been conceived once the Little Demon Emperor died and the line of the Demon Emperors was broken. But I never would have thought that it was actually…” Mu Yuqing gnashed his teeth in anger, “Their entire clan enjoyed the favor of the various Demon Emperors for several thousand years, but in the end they actually perpetrated such a heinous disaster against Illusory Demon Realm. A crime that cannot be tolerated by heaven or earth! If all of this is true, then Duke Huai Palace is… simply unforgivable!”
“Just from the four reasons that Che’er has established, it is already impossible for it to be false!” Mu Feiyan’s chest heaved violently and his tiger eyes flashed with fury, “Even though I had made similar conjectures on occasion in the past, I had always lived in self-denial. Because I was absolutely unwilling to believe that a Duke Palace would perform an act so heinous that it would anger both men and gods, an act so heinous that even the heaven and earth would not tolerate it! But I would never have thought… that they were actually truly such bastards all along! For the sake of their own ambition, they caused the death of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor, and even caused the death of Yun Canghai… caused the Demon Emperor’s bloodline to be broken… caused the entire Illusory Demon Realm to be plunged into terror for one hundred years…”
Mu Feiyan grew more and more agitated as he spoke, and his breathing grew more and more fraught due to the fury and sorrow in his heart… Once Yun Che had explained why Yun Canghai’s group had fallen, he then knew that those hazy conjectures he had made for the past one hundred years but was unwilling to believe were actually true.
All these years, they had hated the Four Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent to the bone, and the entire Illusory Demon Realm had viewed Profound Sky Continent as a land of devils… Only to realize today that the devil who had brought calamity to Illusory Demon Realm was actually someone from Demon Imperial City itself! It was actually someone from the Illusory Demon Royal Family!
Just who could have imagined this? Just who?
Even those powers who had aligned themselves with Duke Huai Palace would definitely not have thought that Duke Huai Palace was the main culprit behind that evil deed.
Xiao Yun’s eyes had widened into full moons and he was completely dumbfounded. The words that he had just heard, every single one of them resounded in his ears like heavenly thunder.
Yun Qinghong’s hands had tightened into rigid fists and a low cry came from his lips, “Causing the death of the Demon Emperor, causing the death of my father, causing the Yun Family to fall into such dire straits… This grudge and hatred… has made it so that we cannot live under under the same sky any longer!”
He raised his head and continued in a steady voice, “However, if that is the case, this ambition should not have been born within Duke Huai, but it should have been conceived in another person instead! When Profound Sky Continent had made its initial thrust into Illusory Demon Realm, Duke Huai was only thirty years of age, so it is impossible that he had that level of ambition or shrewdness, and it is even more impossible that using his own strength, he could collude with Profound Sky Continent without anyone noticing. So the one who had colluded with Profound Sky Continent was….”
Mu Feiyan and the others were jolted by those words and Mu Yukong exclaimed in alarm, “Could it be… Duke Huai’s father —— Duke Ming?!”
“But Duke Ming had always treated everyone with incomparable kindness, his behavior was low-key and even if he met commonfolk, he did not put on any airs of royalty. He had always been loyal and devoted to the previous Demon Emperor, and he had always been at the Demon Emperor’s beck and call… and he completely lacked any interest in fame and profit. Over one hundred years ago, when Duke Huai was thirty-seven years of age, he could barely wait to foist his position as the head of the Duke Palace onto his son, so he could travel the world and relax, and from then on, he showed no interest or concern regarding the state of the world… His casual nature and his simple life was well-known throughout the entire city. He kept such a low profile that many people have already forgotten this name… So how could it be him?!” Mu Yuqing said in disbelief.
Mu Feiyan had fallen into a daze but he suddenly spoke up, “Initially, I had always admired the temperament of Duke Ming and we were on extremely good terms with each other. But there was one time that I went drinking with Yun Canghai that he told me solemnly and in no uncertain terms that I should only maintain my friendship with Duke Ming, but I should absolutely never turn my heart towards him. I asked him for an explanation and he said that Duke Ming was simply too placid, that he was placid to the point where he had always made Yun Canghai feel like there was something off with him. He also pointed this out; that if Duke Ming truly did not care about the things of the world, then why did he cultivate his profound strength to such a high level….”
“Was Duke Ming extremely strong?” Yun Che asked hurriedly.
“That’s right!” Mu Yubai nodded his head and his face had turned green, “In that generation, the Demon Emperor was the strongest, Yun Canghai was second, and Duke Ming only lost to these two individuals in terms of profound strength. His current cultivation should already have surpassed the Demon King in his prime.”
“Ah.” Mu Feiyan gave a long sigh, “It was just that I simply could not approve of the warning that Yun Canghai had given me all those years ago… Even when Duke Huai had made his ambitions known, I had never placed any suspicion on him; at most I had only railed to the heavens that Duke Ming had left behind an unfilial son.”
Yun Che’s brows jumped, “Grandfather, do you mean that… all these years, you have never seen Duke Ming at all?”
“That is right.” Mu Feiyan nodded his head, “Before the previous Demon Emperor had met with disaster, Duke Ming had already passed the lordship of his Duke Palace over to Duke Huai. After that, he bid farewell to the previous Demon Emperor, claiming that he wanted to live a life free from care and worry, and that he wanted to travel all over Illusory Demon Realm and enjoy his retirement… He never appeared once since then, whether the line of the Demon Emperor had met misfortune or Duke Huai had shown his ambition. In order to get him to stop Duke Huai, the Little Demon Empress and I spared no efforts in trying to track him down, but it was all for naught… Indeed, with how big Illusory Demon Realm is, give his power, if he did not want anyone to find him, no one would be able to do so.”
“And now the previous Demon Emperor and the Demon King have already departed, and the Little Demon Empress Golden Crow bloodline has yet to be awakened, so given Duke Ming’s strength… He is already fully deserving of being called the strongest in Illusory Demon Realm, and none can compare!” After he said these words, Mu Feiyan’s breathing clearly became sluggish and the faces of everyone present had turned a lot uglier in an instant as a cold suddenly blanketed their entire bodies.
The clearer the truth was, the more terrifying it become.
Duke Huai’s power had already swelled to the extent that the Little Demon Empress was unable to fight him. But now, there was the incomparably shrewd and powerful Duke Ming who was added to the mix, causing the already untenable situation to teeter even closer to the abyss….
This shadow that enshrouded the Demon Emperor’s clan and even enshrouded the entire Illusory Demon Realm… Just what could they do to fight against it?!
The room had fallen into a solemn silence and the only sound left was the sound of breathing. After a long time, Mu Feiyan let out a long sigh and his brows furrowed deeply, “So it looks like the only hope we have left lies in the awakening of the bloodline of the Little Demon Empress!”
“If the bloodline of the Little Demon Empress awakens, what will her power rise to?” Yun Che asked.
Yun Qinghong said unhesitantly and calmly, “Every time a Demon Emperor awakens his bloodline, he would also learn the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, and after that his power would be unrivaled throughout the Illusory Demon Realm! One thousand years ago, the previous Demon Emperor awoke his bloodline when he was at the fourth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, and his profound strength directly jumped to the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. The Little Demon Empress’ current strength is at the Sovereign Profound Realm level five, so after her bloodline awakens, at the very least her profound strength should jump to the peak of the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm! Moreover, with the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, she would even be able to take on someone who was at the Sovereign Profound Realm level ten! At the same time, her awakened Golden Crow Flames will also have the property of greatly suppressing the members of the Royal Family who only have traces of the Golden Crow bloodline. At that time, even if it is Duke Ming, he won’t be the Little Demon Empress’ match either.”
“Ah, so that was how it is.” Yun Che showed faint surprise on his face. From his previous understanding, every time a Demon Emperor used the Demon Emperor’s Seal to enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, their profound power would soar into the heavens and they would become unrivaled under heaven… As it turned out, these words were not the least bit exaggerated after all.
Now that the Little Demon Empress had received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she could also enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, and it was just so happened that the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley would open in half a month’s time.
“Since the Little Demon Empress will receive such a massive boost in power once her bloodline awakens, then if…” Yun Che said as his brows sank, “If I were Duke Huai, I would think of every and all means to stop the Little Demon Empress from entering the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land that was within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!”
“That’s right!” Mu Feiyan nodded his head and his gaze grew dark and severe, “So, half a month from now, on the day that the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley opens up, I will gather up all those bunch of old fogeys and personally escort the Little Demon Empress to the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land!”
Demon Imperial City, Duke Huai Palace.
When Duke Huai had returned to his palace, his expression was as tranquil as water. But once anyone within the palace approached him, they would involuntarily break out into fierce trembling and it caused them to withdraw in fear as their heartbeat soared.
“Your Highness, the old master requested that you see him immediately after you have returned.” The moment Duke Huai stepped past the palace gates, a person, who had the complexion of yellow wax and had a short horn growing out of his head, stepped forward to greet him in a low voice. His appearance was extremely similar to the Venerable Stone Dragon whom Yun Qinghong had heavily wounded.
After hearing the two words “old master”, Duke Huai’s brows jumped and he faintly nodded his head and quickly strode inside. After he had taken a few stops, he suddenly stopped and inclined his head to ask, “How are Ye’er’s injuries like?”
The man with the complexion of yellow wax replied, “His Highness Hui Ye’s injuries were more serious than previously imagined. The energy that had smashed into his body was extremely tyrannical, and even now it has not fully dissipated yet… I am afraid that Duke Hui Ye will have to be in convalescence for a minimum of three months.”
Duke Huai’s brows faintly tightened; he did not say a word and silently worked into the middle of the courtyard.
Duke Huai opened the barrier and entered the secret passage, finally stopping at a wide, pitch-black pearl curtain. Behind the pearl curtain, one could vaguely make out the figure of a black figure.
Duke Huai knelt to the ground and closed his eyes as he said, “Royal father….”
“You do not need to say a single thing. I have already gotten a complete account of today’s events,” said a low and deep voice that came from behind the inky pearl curtain. This voice was of an indeterminate age, it seemed to float down from the heavens, but at the same time it possessed a gloomy coldness that seemed to emerge from the depths of hell.
“Yun Qinghong made a full and sudden recovery two months ago, and he recovered all of his profound strength. I had originally believed that it could only arise from a variable that we had never taken into account of before. But who would have thought that his son actually…” At the mention of Yun Che’s name, given Duke Huai’s temperament, he could barely stop his teeth from gnashing together in fury. Today’s humiliation, today’s disgrace, today’s defeat; they were all something he had never experienced before in his life!
“The outcome of today’s events cannot be blamed on you. Yun Qinghong’s son is incomparably brilliant. He even brought back the Demon Emperor’s Seal and the body of Yun Canghai. So even if I was present at the ceremony today, it would still have been tough to avoid a loss.” The voice behind the pearl curtain continued, “Failing to carry out the plans we had made for today is only a secondary concern. The most serious concern that we have right now is that the hearts of the people have turned towards the Yun Family. Since it has come to this, we will not be able to make any careless movements for the next twenty years at least.”
“….I want to personally take Yun Che and… rip him into a million pieces!” Duke Huai said in a voice filled with hate.
“Such careless words; I believe this is the first time I have ever heard you utter them. It looks like this time you were met with complete and utter defeat.” The voice behind the pearl curtain was as calm and cold as the boundless black night as it said, “He is exceedingly cunning, yet he dares to act in such an unbridled manner, so he definitely has something to back him up! In this world, the most fearsome enemies are the ones you cannot fully grasp. Before you have fully investigated his background, it would be extremely unwise to take any action against him, whether obvious or covert.”
“I fully understand.” Duke Huai said as he ground his teeth together, “I have already sent instruction… to mobilize all our spies and fully dig out all of his secrets! Especially the sect he belongs to… and also how he arrived from the Profound Sky Continent to this place!”
“No! Now is not the time to do such things.” The voice behind the curtain became even colder and sinister, and a cluster of crimson-black flames suddenly lit up the darkness; it seemed like a ghost flame that was gently swaying in the abyss. “I have summoned you for one purpose, and that is to kill someone.”
“Kill who?”
“The Little Demon Empress.”
“What?” Duke Huai fiercely raised his head.
“Right now is the best opportunity we will have to assassinate the Little Demon Empress.” A horrifyingly cold laugh rang out, “Furthermore, she will even personally deliver the opportunity to us herself. Right now not only is she alone, she is also within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley that no one will approach.”
“She thinks that just because she got the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she can awaken her bloodline… Naive…”
“You are not allowed to alert anyone else to this matter, the fewer people the better… To guarantee that there will be no slip-ups, I will personally accompany you, and I will make sure that she dies without a trace! Hahahahahaha….”
At the sound of that wild laughter, the crimson-black flame flickered frantically and a dark and sinister wind blew, causing the pearl curtain to rattle incessantly….
Chapter 589 - Premonition!
Demon Imperial City, Mu Family Residence.
“Even though the truth is far more terrifying than what we had previously known, based on our present circumstances, there is no need to be too pessimistic.” Mu Yubai said as he furrowed his brows, “For the past one hundred years, the main reason why Duke Huai Palace was able to gather so much power and allegiance is due to the Little Demon Empress. Firstly, it is because she is a woman. Secondly, it is because she did not have the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Because of that, there was no way to awaken her bloodline, so she did not possess the awe-inspiring power of a Demon Emperor that was able to oppress everyone. Furthermore, she had no qualified successors, so once Duke Huai Palace displayed sufficient power and presented them with the appropriate threats and temptations, the convictions of those Duke Palaces and Guardian Families would naturally be shaken…
“But now the world has witnessed the Little Demon Empress receiving the Demon Emperor’s Seal, so it won’t be too long before she awakens her bloodline to become unrivaled under heaven. At the moment, those powers who have aligned with Duke Huai Palace are already beginning to feel frightened and restless. Furthermore, during today’s events, Yun Che won over the hearts of all heroes of the realm, causing them to side with the Yun Family, while also hinting towards Duke Huai’s ambition… As a result, Duke Huai Palace will definitely not dare to act recklessly for at least the next twenty years! Unless they want to live with the wrath of the entire realm directed against them!”
“That is indeed the case.” Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong nodded their heads in agreement.
Yun Qinghong took one look at Yun Che’s expression and he said, “Che’er, it seems like you do not think that things will pan out this way.”
Yun Che raised his head slightly, then said in a bland voice, “However, if the Little Demon Empress were to suddenly die… Then the threat posed by the Demon Emperor’s Seal and any other worries that Duke Huai Palace had would instantly disappear!”
Yun Che’s words caused everyone to sit up straight. Yun Qinghong replied, “So you are worried… that Duke Huai Palace is going to try to assassinate the Little Demon Empress?”
“That’s absolutely impossible!” Mu Feiyan said with a large flourish of his hand, “Even if Duke Huai Palace possessed a strength that was ten times stronger, and even if you were to give Duke Huai himself ten times more guts, he will still definitely not dare to make a move against the Little Demon Empress! The Little Demon Empress is extremely strong herself and the number of experts she has at her side are like clouds in the sky. Even if it is Duke Huai Palace, assassinating the Little Demon Empress is a task that is harder than climbing to the heavens. On the contrary, the Little Demon Empress has long looked forward to the day that Duke Huai Palace attempted to assassinate her. Because once she is able to grab hold of some proof, she would be able to openly make public of Duke Huai Palace’s ambition and convict them of the crime of regicide, causing them to be ostracized by the whole realm… what Duke Huai wants is to become the Demon Emperor and rule all under heaven. He does not have the capability or the guts to do something that would arouse universal condemnation.”
“I understand the point you are making.” Yun Che’s brows still remained knit together, “What I am worried about is that if the Little Demon Empress is by herself… they might seize the opportunity and do the deed without leaving behind a single trace. That would be a complete disaster.”
“That will naturally not be possible.” Mu Feiyan waved his hand again, “Given the wisdom of the Little Demon Empress, she will definitely not present such an opportunity to Duke Huai Palace. The Little Demon Empress normally does not go beyond a one hundred and fifty kilometer radius of Demon Imperial City. Even if she does meet danger when she is alone and outside the city proper, the resulting profound energy vibrations will be sufficient to alert the entire Demon Imperial City.”
Yun Che was naturally extremely clear on this particular point… When he had seen the Little Demon Empress for the first time that night, just a simple wave of her hand caused an area that was five kilometers wide to be engulfed in a sea of fire. Given the strength of a Sovereign, an all-out fight between them would cause profound energy vibrations that would extend beyond five hundred kilometers.
But Mu Feiyan’s words still failed to reassure Yun Che regarding this matter. He pinched his eyebrows and he spoke as his mind continued to churn, “The first day I came to Demon Imperial City, I heard Xiao Yun tell me that lightning and fire within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was very thick and there were even many lightning spirits and fire spirits living within… Is it a world where the natural laws are different from the outside world?”
“That is right.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head, “The existence of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is something that goes beyond all historical records. The public explanation has always been: In ancient times, the Divine Beast Golden Crow descended on upon the Illusory Demon Realm, and the present Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, is its initial resting place. After it left, it also left behind a spark of its divine soul and its bloodline legacy. Using its incomparable divine strength, it created a semi-autonomous world where its resting place used to be, a world where the laws of fire are completely bent… As for why that place has lightning spirits as well, it has always been a mystery and the legends generally speak of there being a powerful mysterious treasure which contains the essence of lightning.”
“So that is how it is… since it is a semi-autonomous world which possesses different laws from the outside world, those fire and lightning spirits cannot escape from the world at their convenience. Any profound energy vibrations and explosions will also not affect the outside world and no one will be able to send any sound transmissions to the outside world from the inside as well… Are all of my assertions correct?”
“You are indeed correct.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head as he understood what Yun Che was thinking, “Che’er, are you worried… that the reason the Little Demon Empress suddenly called off the ceremony and left the premises is so that she could go to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by herself?”
“Yes!” Yun Che nodded heavily, “The Little Demon Empress has endured one hundred years of danger and pressure; her greatest desire is to awaken her own bloodline and attain unparalleled profound strength. Today was the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, all the heroes of the realm were gathered and the entire scenario had shifted in her favor due to my actions. Yet when she received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she immediately and abruptly announced that the ceremony was over… and she immediately left after that without any explanation. The reason that she gave, that she wanted to use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to present a sacrifice to the late Demon Emperor, is a reason that I am unable to accept. I have thought of many, many reasons but the only reason that I think is plausible is this one. In order to prevent any new problems from arising after she had received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she chose to waste no time and proceed to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley in order to awaken her bloodline!”
“Also, even though she had left in a hurried and decisive manner, she still mentioned that there was ‘still half a month to the opening of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’. These words were completely unnecessary, and rather it seemed like… she was deliberately reminding everyone that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was only opening in half a month’s time, in order to conceal the fact that she was now able to open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by herself.”
Yun Qinghong’s brows arched and now he finally understood why, after the ceremony had abruptly stopped, Yun Che would suddenly ask him whether Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley could be independently opened, and whether there were other ways to open it. He looked at Mu Feiyan and said, “Father-in-law, have you ever heard of a secret method that the Demon Emperor’s clan has which can forcibly open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley?”
Mu Feiyan furrowed his brows in thought but he slowly shook his head, “I have never heard of such a thing. Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley has always opened and closed autonomously, and the barrier sealing Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is something that no one would be able to break. During the ten thousand year reign of the line of the Demon Emperors, there hasn’t been a single Demon Emperor or anyone else for that matter who has been able to enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley while it is still closed. So this particular worry of yours should be a superfluous one.”
“There are no absolute things in this world!” Yun Che declared solemnly, “The reason why it has not happened in the past is because the line of the Demon Emperor had never been plunged into crisis like it has been today. So there was never any need for them to forcibly enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Furthermore, because of the respect they had towards the land of the Golden Crow, they would not barge in without a good reason… But that does not mean the Demon Emperor’s clan would not have any means of forcibly entering within. If there was really such a method… even if us Guardian Families do not know about it, it does not mean that none of the Duke Palaces are as clueless as us either. Because they are also part of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, so they will naturally know some secrets that pertain to the Royal Family itself.”
“And even if all the other Duke Palaces do not know of it… It does not mean that Duke Huai Palace would not know. When Duke Huai Palace first started their schemes, the first thing they would do is to use any and all methods to completely uncover all of the secrets and hidden cards possessed by the Demon Emperor Clan. In this period of time, they have been able to cause the deaths of the late Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. They have also divided the strength of the Guardian Families while causing the line of the Demon Emperor to be left with only the Little Demon Empress. Yet through all of this, they are still able to hoodwink the entire Illusory Demon Realm. I have to admit that even though the methods of Duke Huai Palace are extremely evil, they are also excellent at what they do. I definitely believe that they have the ability to ferret out the secrets of the Demon Emperor Clan that no one else would know.”
The strength of Duke Huai Palace was something that no one could deny. Especially after they had peeled back the truth today, everyone was alarmed to find out that Duke Huai Palace was far more terrifying than what they had anticipated. Yun Qinghong said with sunken brows, “So what you are worried about is that the Little Demon Empress may just know a method to forcibly enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, so she abruptly stopped the ceremony to immediately head over there. In order to not alert anyone to her plans, especially Duke Huai Palace, she went by herself… However, Duke Huai Palace may very well know this secret as well, and after guessing where the Little Demon Empress was headed to, they would follow in behind her in order to assassinate the Little Demon Empress?!”
“Yes.” Yun Che slowly nodded his head, “Even though it is only a guess, if by any chance… if by any chance that guess is correct, then the Little Demon Empress is in extreme danger!! Once the Little Demon Empress dies, the Demon Emperor’s bloodline will vanish forever. And once that happens, the strongest Duke Huai Palace can openly and uprightly assume the mantle of Demon Emperor!”
“Hahaha.” Even though Yun Che’s words were exceptionally solemn, Mu Feiyan laughed out loud instead, “You are truly worthy of being called my grandson, your intellect is simply brilliant, and you are even more meticulous and prudent than that Duke Huai. However, this worry of yours is still rather unfounded, no?”
Mu Feiyan continued in a carefree voice, “Che’er, even if your guesses are completely correct and the Little Demon Empress did indeed know a method to forcibly enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and went by herself, even if it turns out like what you have just said, that Duke Huai Palace also knows about this method, guessed her location, and sent experts to follow her into Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… The Little Demon Empress had left immediately, so no matter how fast Duke Huai Palace can react, they would only be able to enter after her. Given the power of the Little Demon Empress, she has definitely entered the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land before they would be able to catch up. The Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land is restricted to only those of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline who also carry with them the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Once the Little Demon Empress has entered that place, even if the people from Duke Huai Palace all grew three heads and six arms, they would still be helpless to do anything to her. If they tried to forcibly enter… it is even more likely that it would arouse the ire of the Golden Crow Soul; they would all be reduced to ashes.”
“Once the Little Demon Empress emerges from the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, she will have awakened her bloodline and she will also possess the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》. So even if the entire Duke Huai Palace was mobilized, they wouldn’t even be able to do a thing against her.”
“Therefore, there is no need to worry too much about this. The Little Demon Empress may not have stopped the ceremony because she wanted to pay her respects to the late Demon Emperor, but she definitely has a special reason for it and she also has her reasons for not telling us as well. If she really went to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to awaken her bloodline as soon as possible, in order to get rid of all the restlessness and uncertainty, then that is also an extremely good thing.”
Compared to the guesses of Yun Che, the words of Mu Feiyan were orderly and reasonable; there was not a single flaw to be found in his logic. If the Little Demon Empress had really wanted to go to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to awaken her bloodline as soon as she possibly could, then she definitely did so at the greatest speed possible, without pausing to take even a single breath….
Yun Che also silently considered Duke Huai’s reaction after the ceremony had ended… He had left in complete fury and his murderous intent towards Yun Che overflowed, but his footsteps were not hurried in the least when he had left. While his eyes were filled with murderous intent and hatred, they also did not have a trace of anxiousness within them. If Duke Huai was going to act as he had guessed, then he should have left with the greatest speed, since preparing his forces would definitely take some time.
Could it be that all of his guesses and worries were really just a product of an overactive imagination?
Since they were at the Mu Family household, they naturally could not avoid being fiercely detained by Mu Feiyan for a family dinner.
Once the time had come to leave the Mu Family residence, the curtain of night had already been draped across the sky. The streets of Demon Imperial City had begun to quiet down and it seemed to be even quieter than before.
Yun Che’s feet came to a sudden halt not even five hundred meters since they left the gates of the Mu Family residence, and he sincerely said, “Father, Mother, Xiao Yun, go back without me first… I want to make a trip to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley myself.”
“Ah? Why?” Xiao Yun said with a face filled with shock.
Yun Qinghong pinched his brows, “Are you still worried that your guesses will come to fruition?”
“Che’er, didn’t your grandfather already tell you that even if your guesses are all correct, the Little Demon Empress still wouldn’t be in any danger?” Mu Yurou said gently.
“Grandfather’s words are indeed absolutely correct. However, I just have this horrible premonition.” Yun Che said as he furrowed his brows.
“Pre… Premonition?” Xiao Yun asked.
“I have never suspected my instincts.” Yun Che solemnly declared, “Because it has saved my life countless times!”
“Uh….” Xiao Yun said with a clueless face.
Chapter 590 - At That Time, We Will Not Owe Each Other Anything nor Will We See Each Other Again
Yun Qinghong sighed heavily, but he did not stop Yun Che. He gave a brief nod of his head and said, “Since that is the case… Yurou, Xiao’er, go home first; I will accompany Che’er to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“No need!” Yun Che hurriedly raised his hands, “Father, I am only unable to hold myself back from verifying my own guesses and instincts, that is all. It’s not like I’m going to do anything dangerous or some urgent and important matter. So you should just let me go by myself. After today’s ceremony, the rest of the Yun Family are definitely still agitated and restless. Moreover, Grandfather’s body has only just been properly returned home and everyone must be waiting for Father to come home and organize things. It is definitely not the time for you to leave the city.”
“But right now, Duke Huai Palace hates you to the very bone, and the seven Guardian Families, along with many of the Duke Palace, harbor ill-will towards you as well. If you go all by yourself… it is simply too dangerous. How about letting Mother come with you as well?” Mu Yurou said in a voice full of worry.
Yun Che knew that they would definitely be worried over his safety and said with a relaxed expression, “Please do not worry, it isn’t so easy for others to follow or detect me.”
Once his voice fell, he withdrew his presence and quietly activated “Hidden Flowing Lightning”. In an instant, his profound energy aura was like smoke being dissipated by a breeze; it swiftly weakened, and within the span of two short breaths… his aura actually disappeared without a trace.
“Ah?” Xiao Yun’s mouth gaped open and he was unable to close it for a good long while. The gazes of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou also trembled as shock spread across their faces.
“Ah, ah… this… this… Big Brother’s profound energy aura actually… actually completely disappeared!” Xiao Yun yelled in a low voice as his eyes widened into saucers. Yun Che was clearly standing in front of him, yet he couldn’t feel a single wisp of profound energy coming from him… He closed his eyes but he actually could not even detect Yun Che’s existence. It was as if the Yun Che standing in front of him was only an illusionary shadow.
Despite Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s cultivations, they could only feel a faint sliver of energy that could only be described as a ‘silk thread’, and this was despite them focusing on detecting him. Furthermore, Yun Che was only three steps away from them… this degree of concealment, if it were in a normal situation, even if Yun Che was hidden within a thirty meter radius from them, they still might not be able to detect him… Even if they were mighty practitioners at the Sovereign Profound Realm.
Yun Che faintly laughed and said, “This profound art is called ‘Hidden Flowing Lightning’ and it can almost perfectly conceal one’s presence. Furthermore, activating it uses very little energy. After all, its method of profound energy concealment is not through forcible suppression; instead, it locks one’s energy within the body and does not interfere with your profound strength at all. So even when you are being concealed, you can always exert your full strength if you have to.”
“To think that this world actually had such a unfathomable divine skill!” Yun Qinghong could not help but exclaim. Despite the heights he had scaled and all that he had seen and heard, this was the first time he had seen such a powerful concealment technique in his life. At the same time, his concern over Yun Che’s safety had been reduced by a great deal.
“Since you are so insistent, go ahead with your plans. Just remember to prioritize your safety and go and come back swiftly.” Yun Qinghong did not try to restrain Yun Che any further. In these short three months that he had known him, he had come to understand that Yun Che was not someone who let others easily interfere with his decisions. Moreover, in regards to Yun Che, he had long ago already formed a confidence in him that even exceeded the confidence that he had in himself.
“Father, Mother, do not worry. Do not forget, I also have the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that was given to me by Grandfather, so even if I really encounter any danger, with it around, nothing will happen to me,” Yun Che said with a relaxed expression.
Mu Yurou’s face was still filled with worry, but she no longer tried to persuade Yun Che to do otherwise. She simply said in a soft voice, “With this concealment ability of yours, it would actually be safer for you to travel on your own… Ah, even though Mother believes that you will definitely not come to harm, but… I just can’t stop worrying…”
“Now, now. That’s enough. Che’er is far more incredible than we had ever imagined,” Yun Qinghong consoled Mu Yurou as he patted her shoulders. After that, he suddenly took a step forward and pressed his finger in the spot between Yun Che’s brows. Following a flash of dull purple profound light, he slowly retracted his hand and a clear image appeared in Yun Che’s mind.
“This is where Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is located and what its entrance looks like.” Yun Qinghong said, “Once you have reached that place, if the sealing profound formation is still there, then you should make haste and return. If the sealing profound formation has disappeared… you must definitely not make any reckless moves, and you must send a sound transmission to me at first notice.”
“Yes, I understand.” Yun Che nodded his head.
“Also…” Yun Qinghong hesitated for a moment but continued speaking anyways, “Even though I have absolute confidence in your ability to protect yourself… even if it is for the sake of not letting your mother worry, send a sound transmission back to us every hour. If I have not received your sound transmission for more than an hour, I will immediately make my way to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“Understood. I will definitely not forget Father’s words,” Yun Che nodded his head once more. He knew that even if he had full confidence in himself and even if he had just demonstrated the mighty Hidden Flowing Lightning ability, they would still worry about him regardless… because they were his father and mother.
“Then go,” Yun Qinghong said as he nodded with a faint smile. Those ordinary and light-hearted words pierced the depth of his heart and carried an inexplicable warmth, causing his heart to warm all over.
“Father, Mother, Xiao Yun, I’ll be back soon,” said Yun Che as he rose into the air and spun around, and before anyone could feel a trace of profound energy in the air, he was already thirty meters away.
“Che’er, you have to be careful!”
As she watched Yun Che’s figure swiftly vanish into the night, the hand that Mu Yurou used to hold Yun Qinghong’s hand involuntarily tightened, “Husband, Che’er, he will definitely be… okay, right…”
“Do not worry, he is only going to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to confirm his suspicions, he’s not going there to fight anyone. Besides, his ability is probably even stronger than what we have seen or imagined so far, so he definitely won’t be in any danger,” Yun Qinghong said as he comforted her.
“I know, it’s just that…” Mu Yurou raised her hand and pressed it against her chest while she said rather despondently, “It’s just that my heart is still beating really quickly and I just have this feeling that…”
“There, there. Don’t let your imagination run wild.” Yun Qinghong said while smiling, “Our child has already returned for three months. Now that he’s left for a short period of time, your heart has been reduced to a complete mess. Don’t worry, Che’er will return almost as soon as he went. All we need to do is go home and calmly wait for his return. You never know, he might even be back before midnight.”
In order to be as stealthy as possible, Yun Che only traveled at half of his maximum speed, but that was definitely not a slow speed. Under the cover of night and using the Hidden Mirage Lightning to conceal his figure, he traveled in towards the location that Yun Qinghong had detailed for him, and pressed westward.
“Why is your heart suddenly so set on that Little Demon Empress?” Jasmine asked all of the sudden, “Is it once again because she is a beauty? So it caused your base, lecherous instincts to stir once more?”
Jasmine’s words caused Yun Che’s body fiercely contort in midair. He yelled in a low voice, “Of course not! It’s because nothing must happen to the Little Demon Empress! If not, the current situation in Demon Imperial City will be thrown into complete upheaval. The Duke Palaces and Guardian Families aligned with Duke Huai Palace will be on cloud nine, whereas my Yun Family will definitely have to endure a miserable and heavy oppression. Before long, there may even be a possibility that the Yun Family will no longer exist… This thing must definitely never come to pass.”
“Even if it’s only a guess, it’s highly likely that it will concern the life and death of the Little Demon Empress. No matter what, I need to confirm it because I will not risk even the slightest chance of it happening!”
Even though Yun Che had explained it in an incomparably sincere manner, and his argument was sound and logical, Jasmine still replied with a disdainful cold laugh, “Hmph, and is the fact that you saw her naked body also one of those important reasons?”
Yun Che, “…”
Yun Che was clear that his status as a “lecher” in Jasmine’s heart was something that was impossible to erase. He chose not to bicker with her any further, and instead looked forward while thinking carefully to himself: Could it be… that “it” was also part of the reason… After all, he had certainly taken full advantage of her that night… Cough…
“There is a piece of good news that I want to tell you,” Jasmine said in a bland voice.
“What?”
“Half of the devilish poison within my soul has already been cleansed.”
“Half? Is that true?!” Yun Che’s spirit was shaken and joy involuntarily lit up on his face.
From Yun Che’s tone, Jasmine could tell that he was subconsciously happy about it. She let out a light sigh and continued, “From the time I have known you until now, it has already been six years. The devilish poison in my body is without a doubt the deadliest poison in the boundless universe, yet half of it was purged within a short six year period… The Sky Poison Pearl is indeed worthy of its name. Hmph, and if not for the fact that I was frequently and personally forced to act, it might have taken a lot shorter than that!”
“That’s great!” Yun Che said as he rejoiced, “The less the devilish poison there is left in your body, the easier it is for the Sky Poison Pearl to suppress and cleanse it. To go from the state of having the poison inundate your body to only half of it being left in your body in less than six years, the remaining half should only require about two to three years to be completely cleansed away.”
“No.” Jasmine gave a dry laugh as her eyes narrowed, “Given the speed at which the Sky Poison Pearl has cleansed the poison, the remaining half should only require about a year or so to be completely purged from my system… Of course, that is with the condition that I don’t use my profound energy at all during this period of time!”
“One year?” This was indeed good news. “So this means that you will be able to make a full recovery one year from now?”
“Far from it!” Jasmine replied with a cold laugh, “It will only mean that the devilish poison will be completely cleansed in a year’s time! Don’t forget, right now, I am only a spirit body that needs to be attached to your lifeline and your body in order to exist! If I want to make a full recovery, I need a profound core that is of the Tyrant Profound Realm or higher, thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal and also the Netherworld Udumbara Flower… Don’t tell me that you’ve forgotten all of this?!”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Yun Che said hurriedly. “What I meant was that once the devilish poison is purged from your system, does it mean that you can use your profound energy anytime you want?”
“…That is right,” Jasmine replied in a voice that was devoid of all emotion or color. “Are you preparing to borrow my power recklessly, without restraint when that time comes?”
“No, not really.” Yun Che said, “I am just thinking if you will be able to search for the Purple Veined Divine Crystal and the Netherworld Udumbara Flower by yourself when that time comes… After all, you are so powerful. If you searched for it yourself, you would definitely find it much faster than I would.”
“I cannot.” Jasmine said indifferently, “My soul is not attached to you in such a simple manner, but it is actually entangled with your lifeline. Before my body is reconstituted, I will not be able to stray too far away from you or leave you for too long! If not, the strength of my spirit will irreversibly weaken.”
“That’s good then,” Yun Che let out a small sigh of relief.
Jasmine, “??”
“I am just afraid that one year from now, I might wake up one day only to find that you have quietly left by yourself. If that were to happen… I would definitely be very lonely and sad,” Yun Che said gently as he looked forward.
Jasmine gave a cold laugh, “These kind of words that are used to coax girls, did you actually vainly think that it would have any effect on me?”
“Hmph, once I have made a complete recovery, I will indeed leave immediately. However, you do not need to worry; I won’t quietly slink away. Before I leave, I will do as I had promised you before and I will impart my Star God Profound Art to you… After all, I am your master, and it was also you who saved my life.”
“At that time, whether it is in Illusory Demon Realm or in Profound Sky Continent, no one will be able to be your opponent and you can live a completely carefree life. You can show off to your heart’s content and if you want anyone to bow their head towards you, they will have no choice but to comply. You will have as many women as your heart desires… But after that, we will naturally not owe each other a single thing and we will never meet again.”
“…”
The night breeze welcomed him as it brought faint refreshment. Jasmine’s words clearly told him: The day that she made a full recovery would also be the day that she would make him unrivaled under the heavens… These were four words that seemed to spring from the depths of pure fantasy. Since Jasmine was the one who said it, it was true beyond a shadow of a doubt. But this did not bring any joy to Yun Che, nor did it make a smile bloom on his face. He did not speak any further; instead, he welcomed the night breeze and headed directly westward, and before he knew it, he had already left the confines of Demon Imperial City.
Chapter 591 - Little Demon Empress’ Crisis
The sky grew darker and darker. The night was exceptionally dark today and no stars could be seen in the night sky. A dark cloud floated by, covering up the crescent moon. In an instant, the entire world became as dark as black ink, and when one stretched out his hand, he could not see his fingers. Even the air became exceptionally heavy… as though it was using the surrounding darkness to predict something.
“Tonight really is overwhelmingly dark,” Yun Che muttered to himself. As he looked into the sky, the cloud layer was not dense, which signified that there was also almost no chance of rain.
After some time, the clouds that shrouded the moon slowly floated away and dim moonlight shone down. In front of Yun Che, the figures of two towering peaks appeared vaguely in the distance. Under the darkness of the sky, they looked like two giants that depended on each other to stand.
The entrance to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley laid where the two towering peaks crossed paths. In the area fifty kilometers around it, there was no sign of humans, and only a few profound beasts were seen.
“I’m almost there!” Yun Che called out in a low voice. His body started to descend, his speed slowed down, his aura weakened greatly, and even his eyebrows knitted slightly.
From the message Yun Qinghong had sent to his mind, he learned that the seal at the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was personally set up by the soul of the Golden Crow. The profound formation was thirty meters tall and was constantly emitting a golden profound glow and a scorching aura.
In the darkness of the night, even if one was several kilometers away, the golden glow of the profound formation should be exceptionally eye-catching. However, from what Yun Che could see, there was only a patch of darkness between the two peaks and not one bit of the golden profound formation could be seen.
Which meant that… the profound formation that sealed Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had indeed been broken!!
“Looks like what I predicted had indeed come true. The Little Demon Empress had indeed come to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… And there was indeed a way to forcefully break the seal to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley,” Yun Che muttered.
It was also obvious that after the seal to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had been broken, it would not recover immediately, and people that came later could freely enter as well.
Yun Che took out a Sound Transmission Jade and was about to inform Yun Qinghong of the news that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s profound formation had been broken, but just as he was about to talk, he put down the Sound Transmission Jade and said to himself, “I better go closer to confirm things.”
Yun Che closed the distance quickly and soon, he could see the entrance to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley in front of him. He could clearly feel that the surrounding air was becoming hotter and hotter, and when he was one and a half kilometers away, the scorching heat had become unbearable for any normal human. Then, Jasmine suddenly said, “Quick, get down; there’s someone at the entrance.”
Hearing this, Yun Che quickly descended from midair and slowly walked to the entrance. Using Hidden Flowing Lightning, he became silent. Previously, even the Little Demon Empress could not detect his existence when he was close by, not to mention other people.
Every time his proficiency in the Great Way of the Buddha increased, the sensitivities of Yun Che’s five senses increased. Stopping one kilometer away, he stood behind a huge boulder as he looked across the darkness and indeed, at the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, he clearly saw the figure of a person.
Although he could not see the person’s face clearly, this person did not withhold his aura and from the profound aura, Yun Che felt a sense of familiarity.
This aura, this slight pressure, was not foreign. This person was…
Yun Che thought for a short while before his heart stirred fiercely——
Hui Ran!!!
Duke Huai’s eldest son, the strongest of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions… The one he beat miraculously during the ceremony by sending him flying with one swing of his sword!!!
Why would he be here….
Yun Che thought for a while before his heart sank… Hui Ran appearing here could only mean one thing. The members of Duke Huai Palace had, as he feared, learned of the actions of the Little Demon Empress and had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley after the Little Demon Empress had entered!
Their motive was obviously to kill the Little Demon Empress at such an excellent place like Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!!
To perform such an act, nothing could be leaked and there must be no signs of the act. Therefore, the ones who performed the act must be the ones Duke Huai trusted the most… As such, his immediate relatives would naturally be involved!
Father or son!
To ensure that the assassination was successful, it was definitely not possible with Duke Huai alone. Then, the person Duke Huai would most likely bring along would definitely be his father who had disappeared for a long time, but was most likely be hiding behind the scenes and was at the pinnacle of profound cultivation… Duke Ming!
Hui Ran was obviously here to act as a lookout! To prevent anyone from approaching and realizing that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal had been broken… If he could defeat this person, he would definitely silence him, and even if he couldn’t, he would clearly know who had approached.
Yun Che hid his body again, took out the Sound Transmission Jade and sent a sound transmission to Yun Qinghong, “Unfortunately, my guess was right… The profound formation to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley has been opened. Duke Huai Palace’s Hui Ran is guarding the entrance.”
When he finished speaking, Yun Che kept the Sound Transmission Jade… He believed that when Yun Qinghong heard this, he would definitely rush over immediately.
“What are you going to do?” Jasmine asked.
Yun Che thought for a while and said, “I’ll guard here for now. Even if I disregard Duke Ming and Duke Huai, I’m also unable to beat Hui Ran. The only thing I can do now is to observe and wait for Father and Grandfather to arrive.”
“However, what Grandfather said previously is true. The Little Demon Empress definitely won’t let down her guard so easily. After leaving the palace, she most definitely rushed towards Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land that is within the depths of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Even if the people from Duke Huai Palace reacted right away, it would not be possible for them to chase up to her. Within the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, the Little Demon Empress would not encounter any danger. When her bloodline has been awakened, even if Duke Ming personally attacked, it wouldn’t be possible to kill her.”
After saying these, Yun Che’s eyebrows did not relax but knitted even more tightly.
“Oh? Is it?” Jasmine snorted, “After saying all this, you don’t find anything wrong? How smart are Duke Huai and Duke Ming who are always behind the scenes. How would they not think of something your grandfather thought of! They’re able to predict the Little Demon Empress’ movement and chase her to this place, so isn’t it obvious that, just as you were afraid of, they had already learned numerous secrets about the Demon Emperor’s clan? What they know would definitely be much more than what your grandfather knows! If it were just like you had said, why would they chase to this place knowing fully well that it would be a waste of energy… and even leave one person to stand guard at the entrance!”
Jasmine’s words were also what Yun Che had been wondering about. She stopped for a moment, changing the tone in her voice, and she coldly laughed, “Regarding the bloodline of the Golden Crow, I just remembered something interesting.”
“Something interesting? What?” Yun Che was stunned.
“In the world that I was in, there’s an astral plane called ‘Flame God’s Realm.’ That place is dominated by flames and the people there all succeeded the bloodline and strength of fire beasts from the Primordial Era. There were flame qilins, azure divine birds, zhurongs, nine-tailed divine foxes, scarlet sables… Almost all the legacy of the flame-type divine beasts from the Primordial Era were concentrated in the ‘Flame God’s Realm.’ Above them were the three strongest flame forces which naturally were the races of the Vermillion Bird, Phoenix, and Golden Crow, which possessed the supreme flame divine powers and bloodline!”
Yun Che, “…”
“I’ve once said before, among the three flame supremes, although the Golden Crow is ranked last, if one were solely judging based on the might of the flames, the Golden Crow would be the strongest. However, within the Flame God’s Realm, the combined strength of the Golden Crows is far inferior to that of the Vermillion Bird and the Phoenix; not even half of theirs! Do you know why?”
“…Could it be that the Golden Crow flames are too intense? Not only is it intractable, it would harm one’s body?” Yun Che thought for a while and replied. Because Jasmine had once said similar words to him. Furthermore, within the Illusory Demon Realm, the purest heirs of the Golden Crow, the Demon Emperors, only had a very short lifespan. After their bloodline awakened, they could only live for more than a thousand years. In addition, no Demon Empress managed to live past a thousand years.
“Hmph, that’s right.” Jasmine said, “Within the Flame God’s Realm, men who cultivated the Golden Crow flames usually had lifespans that were half of those who cultivated the Vermillion Bird and the Phoenix Flames! Females who cultivated the Golden Crow flame had half the lifespan of males who did so. They were even often subjected to the pain of the flame burning their hearts!!!”
“This is because the Golden Crow Flame is the most supreme Yang flame and it does not allow the existence of even one bit of Yin energy! The more pure the Golden Crow bloodline, the more true this is! The vitality of women is innately Yin. If one bore the bloodline of the Golden Crow and cultivated the strength of the Golden Crow, wouldn’t the Golden Crow Flame harm their vitality?!”
Yun Che looked up vigorously, “Jasmine, what do you mean… by saying all this?”
Jasmine laughed coldly, “What I meant is that if that was the case for the women in Flame God’s Realm, for the Little Demon Empress who possessed an ordinary body, simply inheriting the Golden Crow’s bloodline would cause her excruciating pain. For them, the so-called awakening of the bloodline simply means obtaining a pure drop of blood from the soul of the Golden Crow. Heh, she’s merely a woman; if she were to obtain a pure drop of blood from the Golden Crow Ancestor, then, no matter how hard she tried to resist and withstand, her vitality would be burnt up within a year!”
“If she were still a virgin and still possessed her vital yin, she would not even survive past a month!”
“What!!” Jasmine’s words caused Yun Che to become deeply shocked and he nearly shouted out loud.
Jasmine then continued, “However, if the soul of the Golden Crow has some brains, it would not do the stupid thing of wasting the precious Golden Crow blood on a woman! Even if Little Demon Empress managed to see the soul of the Golden Crow, she would most likely be chased out.”
Yun Che, “!!”
Yun Che was greatly shocked… Jasmine’s words definitely wouldn’t be wrong! But if this were all true, then the Little Demon Empress’ attempt to awaken her bloodline would only end in failure! Even if she were to reach the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, the only result would be her being chased away by the soul of Golden Crow… Because even he would not believe that a divine beast which had its own will, such as the soul of the Golden Crow, would choose to waste its bloodline on a successor that would quickly perish after receiving it.
Then, unable to awaken her bloodline, she would soon encounter Duke Huai who entered after her…
Yun Che stood up immediately and did not hide his action one bit. Even his profound aura was released without restraint. He instantly swept up a storm and rushed straight to the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
“Who goes there!!” Yun Che’s action had undoubtedly caught the attention of Hui Ran who stood up intensely, releasing an aura of dismay which condensed the air within a radius of thirty meters.
“What do you want to do?!” Jasmine asked displeasingly.
“Obviously, I need to rush in!” Yun Che said as he gritted his teeth, “If all of this is real… the Little Demon Empress would be in great danger. There’s no time left to wait for Father and Grandfather! No matter what, the Little Demon Empress cannot perish. Otherwise, the Yun Family would be doomed!”
“With your strength now, what use is there even if you were to rush in? Regarding people who have the ability to kill the Little Demon Empress, I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to stop them for even a breath of time.”
“…If I can find her and she isn’t dead yet, then I’ll have a plan! Hong’er, come out!”
Yun Che howled as a red radiance flashed in his hand and the Heaven Smiting Sword appeared in his hand. Without even a word of greeting, the sword smashed straight at Hui Ran.
Chapter 592 - Duke Ming Appears
Boom!!
A loud noise suddenly exploded within the deathly silence of the night. A violent flow of air that was more ferocious than a storm swept all around, and scorching Phoenix Flames shot into the sky. The flames spread and clearly illuminated the two people’s faces.
“It’s… you!!!” Although Hui Ran immediately recovered and stood firmly after he was sent flying by a swing of Yun Che’s sword, his arms were still severely numb and his muscles shrieked in pain uncontrollably. Seeing that the person who suddenly appeared was Yun Che, he immediately swept around himself with a peculiar gaze before quickly searching behind Yun Che.
“Heh, don’t worry, there’s only me,” Yun Che relaxingly said, lifting the Heaven Smiting Sword. When he attacked Hui Ran just now, he also suffered the recoil due to Hui Ran’s strength. Although he looked to have gained the advantage… Hui Ran had blocked his blow with just one arm.
The profound strength of someone in the eighth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm, along with powerful profound arts and a shocking physique… His strength was truly frightening.
Yun Che’s words caused Hui Ran to be shocked for a moment, “What are you doing here?” Changing the tone of his voice, he shouted, “ You’re courting death!”
“Courting death? Hahahaha!” Yun Che laughed madly in disdain, “Is some trash who was beaten by me in three moves worthy of saying those two words in front of me?”
Hui Ran was someone who was extremely arrogant, and looked at everyone else in disdain. And for someone like that, he was easily angered as well. Expectedly, just one sentence of disregard caused the aura around Hui Ran to increase tremendously. His bloodshot eyes made him seemed as though he was a devil that came from hell, as he said angrily, “Yun… Che! This duke will personally turn you into minced meat!!!”
After the ceremony had ended, Duke Huai had personally said that no matter how much he had wanted Yun Che to die, he could not touch Yun Che. However, Yun Che had appeared at a place where no one was allowed to come on this night and even insulted him… No matter what, he was going to torture him to death tonight!
Yun Che wagged his finger in contempt, “Tsk, tsk. You really are useless, you so-called prince of a Duke Palace. Your father and grandfather had wanted you to stand guard to prevent any accidents. If you had really attacked, heh, aren’t you afraid that the commotion would spread to Illusory Demon Realm? At that time, when everyone gathered to figure out what happened, the plan to kill the Little Demon Empress might end in failure.
When the enraged Hui Ran that was about to attack had heard what Yun Che had said, his pupils shrunk in shock… He was shocked that Yun Che had figured out their Duke Palace’s plan and even more shocked that he had mentioned the word “grandfather!”
His grandfather, Duke Ming… was their Duke Palace’s biggest trump card and well-kept secret for the past hundred years! This was a secret that no one had managed to see through!
Tonight, the Yun Che in front of him… had figured it out in one go.
Never mind Hui Ran, if Duke Huai had heard these words, he would be greatly shocked as well.
Yun Che’s initial words were meant to cause Hui Ran to become angry, and his latter words were to test him while he was still enraged. From the change in Hui Ran’s expression and eyes, Yun Che was shocked as well… Because from Hui Ran’s reaction, it was proven that the frightening guess of “Duke Ming” being involved had become reality!
If Duke Ming was involved, then Little Demon Empress’ fate was… absolute demise!
He could not wait any longer.
Hui Ran, was now standing in front of him, letting out a strong killing intent which shot to the skies, “You know too much… You must die!”
Boom!!
The boulders surrounding Hui Ran were shattered and the ground cracked. Following the ignition of the crimson-black flames on his body, a thick, dark chain appeared in his hand, and at the ends of the chain were two huge, round hammers that were filled with spikes!
Meteor hammer… and it was a twin meteor hammer!
A meteor hammer was a very lethal weapon that was extremely difficult to handle. However, with Hui Ran’s physique and strength, the meteor hammer is his hand would undoubtedly be nightmarishly powerful.
“Be careful, this twin meteor hammer of his… each hammer weighs at least fifty thousand kilograms!” Jasmine warned.
Each hammer was no less than fifty thousand kilograms, and adding up the two, their weight was nearly that of the Heaven Smiting Sword in his hands!
“Don’t worry… I don’t have time to waste on him now!” Yun Che muttered, and just when he had finished speaking to Jasmine, Hui Ran swung his arm and a meteor hammer that carried crimson-black flames flew violently at Yun Che… Wherever it went, the air distorted vigorously and the ground below sunk madly. The surrounding boulders of numerous hundred kilograms all disappeared like bubbles being popped.
Even with Yun Che’s physique, if he were to be hit by the hammer, it would not be easy to bear.
Yun Che’s gaze focused as he retreated. However, he did not avoid or dodge, and instead swung his sword at the meteor hammer.
BOOOM!!!!
With a loud bang, Yun Che retreated in panic. His arms that held the Heaven Smiting Sword was feeling numb and yet, the corners of his mouth revealed a satisfied smile… Hui Ran, who wielded the frightening meteor hammer, was sent flying into the air when it collided with the sword. The meteor hammer’s surface seemed to have been branded with an indentation.
“Wha… What!” Hui Ran was extremely shocked. His meteor hammer had been forged with a lava core made of “Flame Devil Heart Shattering Steel” which possessed the strength to destroy mountains. Ever since he had started using it, nobody below the Sovereign Profound Realm dared to face it head on. This swing had been made out of rage, and he had used nearly eighty percent of his strength. He originally thought that he would see images of Yun Che’s arms shattering, yet, he had never imagined that when his meteor hammer collided with Yun Che’s great sword… he would be the one sent flying.
Besides being shocked, Hui Ran was furious. In front of his eyes, Yun Che’s heavy sword had already arrived instantly, bringing along blazing phoenix flames. He stared widely and howled. His Fallen Flame surged in an instant and the twin meteor hammers swung in unison, which made them seem like two Flame Devils that came from hell as they smashed forward.
“Go… and… die!!!”
BOOM!!
With a loud bang, all the dark clouds in the sky scattered, and within a three kilometer radius, the earth was completely overturned. Crimson-black flames filled the entire sky and the entire scene looked as though doomsday had arrived… Under such catastrophic strength, the greatsword that had infused with Phoenix Flame shattered into numerous tiny fragments right in front of Hui Ran’s eyes and disappeared from sight.
Yun Che’s figure disappeared with it.
Taking where Hui Ran stood as the center, a massive, deep pit that spanned farther than three kilometers appeared. In the air, there were shattered flaming rocks raining down. Grabbing his meteor hammer, Hui Ran had an extremely downcast expression, and after five breaths of time, he had finally reacted. What he had shattered just now was obviously just Yun Che’s profound handle!
And Yun Che had used that opportunity and snuck into Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s entrance!
He turned and looked towards the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley but did not give chase. His face revealed a cold smile as he laughed, “Idiot… With your speed, if you wanted to run, this duke might not be able to kill you! However, you chose to court death yourself…”
“Then, you shall become the Little Demon Empress’ companion in death!!”
Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, Core Region
“Princess Caiyi, it’s been a hundred and fifty years, how have you been. Oh no, I guess I should address you as… Little Demon Empress!”
The man was of medium stature, looked elegant and handsome, and his face was rather pale. Overall, he looked as though he was a weak scholar, yet he was emitting an extremely frightening pressure from his entire body.
The world of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was shrouded in exploding flames and the constant rumble of thunder. At every corner, a disastrous elemental storm was present. However, around him, it was frighteningly silent and there was no sign of any flames or lightning. There did not even seem to be any trace of airflow. His hair and sleeves were all still… just like his surroundings, where his frightening aura seemed to have condensed the air around him.
He was dressed in a red robe and looked to be only around thirty years old. Standing in front of Duke Huai, he seemed to be even younger than Duke Huai. Furthermore, the Duke Huai who usually treated everyone indifferently and was feared by many others not only stood upright behind him, but he also had a posture of respect.
The Little Demon Empress stared closely at this person, as her expression and gaze changed, revealing the shock and horror in her heart.
Within the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, she did not obtain a desirable result and was expelled by the soul of the Golden Crow. Without much hesitation, she swiftly returned because she could guess what Duke Huai would do if he had predicted her course of actions, and at the same time, she had a bad feeling… There was only an entrance to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and no exits. The only way to exit from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was to wait for one to be forcibly expelled a day later when the seal was reactivated.
However, since the Demon Emperor’s Seal had a way to allow her to enter forcefully, it must also have a way for her to leave as well… But, she had to get back to the place she entered from first.
When she was flying back to the core region of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, she saw Duke Huai… Regarding Duke Huai’s appearance, she was already well-prepared and was not surprised. However, she never expected the person that accompanied Duke Huai!
He was a person that has disappeared for a hundred and fifty years without a word!
“Duke… Ming!” The Little Demon Empress’ chest rose intensely. For this person to suddenly appear here today along with Duke Huai, she would not naively believe that he was here to welcome her. At that instant, in her shock, she had finally understood facts that she had previously dared not to believe.
“It’s been a hundred and fifty years, but your highness still looks the same,” Duke Ming spoke with a slight and gentle smile. If it were not for the frightening flow of air, anyone who saw that smile would feel that the smile was like a warm spring breeze, “It’s such a pity. Although your highness possessed the purest of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, even if you forcefully seal your vital Yin and maintained your body in a youth-like state, the feeling of the bloodline eating away at your body must be unbearable. It must be hard on you to bear it all these years. Although the Little Demon Emperor died early, there are many men within Illusory Demon Realm. You could have found any of them to release your vital yin and live comfortably for the past hundred years. Hahahahahaha!”
Duke Ming and Duke Huai both laughed hysterically. Their words of insult had caused any hope within the Little Demon Empress to shatter as she continued staring closely at Duke Ming… Staring at this person that her father used to trust and value; this person that she herself used to greatly respect. In her heart, her anger was like a volcano that was exploding crazily.
She also clearly knew how frightening Duke Ming’s profound strength actually was… Then, he was the third strongest person in the entire Illusory Demon Realm behind the Demon Emperor and Demon King.
However, now that both the Demon Emperor and Demon King had passed on, he had become the undisputed number one within Illusory Demon Realm! Within a hundred fifty years, his strength had obviously risen greatly. Under the effect of his profound energy, even at the Little Demon Empress’ level, her body was frozen cold and her chest felt a suffocating pressure.
“Duke Ming, you have hidden very well.” The Little Demon Empress’ gaze was like an ice cold sword and golden flames had already ignited on her hand which was holding the Demon Emperor’s Seal.
Chapter 593 - Life and Death Battle!
Yun Che shot like an arrow towards the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and suddenly the space in front of him distorted completely. Once the darkness had dissipated, what presented itself before his eyes was a world where scarlet fire and purple lightning wreaked complete havoc.
The outside world was completely enshrouded by the ink-black curtain of night, but there was not a hint of darkness here. Wherever he looked, he saw raging volcanoes and boiling lava. These volcanoes were grouped inconceivably tightly together, and while their heights differed wildly, each and every one of them burned with a bright red flame. There were some as tall as three thousand meters, and they seemed like huge flame devils which set the heavens ablaze.
The earth was so hot that it had turned red and every grain of sand released a shocking temperature. If a normal person came here, they would burn to cinders in the span of a few breaths. Yet the sky was a deep purple color, as storm clouds howled like furious devil gods, and every now and then the ground was struck with thunderbolts that shook the heavens and the earth.
Boom!!
A bolt of lightning that was several tens of meters thick exploded in front of Yun Che as it instantly cleaved a volcano in two. Countless volcanic rocks and magma flew through the air… This scene, which would terrify anyone who witnessed it, was instead extremely commonplace here.
“The degree of activity of the fire and lightning element in this place exceeds what I had anticipated. No wonder it was able to become the highest level training ground within Illusory Demon Realm,” Jasmine said in a bland voice as she observed the vibrations of the spirit energy around her. She let out a soft sigh and said in a seemingly disdainful, yet astonished voice, “The fire spirits and lightning spirits birthed in this place aren’t bad at all; at the very least, they are not of the lowest grade.”
Yun Che swept his eyes across the world in front of him and he did not let his guard down at all, but there was no indication that Hui Ran had run in after behind him. He turned around, and to his amazement, what he saw was the same boundless crimson world that he had seen in front of him… There was no trace of an exit, not even anything similar to a teleportation profound formation.
“What is going on?” Yun Che said as his brows furrowed, “Could it be that we can only enter from the entrance, but we cannot exit from the same place?”
“This place is the same as the Heaven Basin Secret Realm and the Primordial Profound Ark. It is a small world and its laws are not the same as those of the outside world, but neither of these laws interfere with each other. That entrance was only a spatial profound formation that was meant to send you into this world. As for exiting this place, if you do not have any special method, you can only wait for the energy field of this world to expel you from this place.”
“That is also the reason that Hui Ran person did not think of chasing you inside.”
After hearing Jasmine’s words, Yun Che suddenly recalled what Yun Qinghong had told him before. That one would be expelled from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley twenty-four hours after entering it, unless one died in this place… this condition was indeed exactly the same as the Heaven Basin Secret Realm and the Primordial Profound Ark.
The reason why Hui Ran did not follow him inside was because he was scared that even though it was easy to enter, he could not exit it as he pleased.
Yun Che did not let go of the energy that he had gathered. He soared into the sky and immediately pushed his speed to its limit as he rushed crazily towards the west amidst the interweaving gleam of fire and lightning…
A great number of fire and lightning spirits wandered and danced in front of him. Even though most of them were only as big as his palm, they released the aura of the Sky Profound Realm, and some even had an aura of the Emperor Profound Realm. Occasionally there would appear a high-grade spirit that would actually release the aura of the Tyrant Profound Realm.
If one were able to subdue and refine these fire and lightning spirits, then they could be directly converted into one’s own profound energy. Refining a low-grade Emperor profound fire spirit was equivalent to the result of many years of bitter cultivation for a normal Emperor Profound Realm practitioner!
In order for these spirits to be born, some extremely exacting conditions had to be met. It was only in an environment where an element was extremely active and pure did they have a possibility of appearing. An example of such an environment would be the heart of a glacier or the bottom of a lake of lava, and even then, the chance of a spirit appearing was extremely low. Thus, even a low-grade elemental spirit could be sold for an astronomical fortune.
But in this Golden Crow Lightning Valley, they appeared in groups and swarms.
No wonder the power levels of those who lived in Demon Imperial City were so shocking. It was not surprising that since the Yun Family had been barred entry to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley for one hundred years, its power had weakened to an astonishing degree.
However, Yun Che ignored all of these things and he tried his best to evade them instead, so he could avoid being attacked by them. Using the Extreme Mirage Lightning, before these lightning and fire spirits could approach, he was already long gone.
He needed to immediately find the Little Demon Empress!!
Before that happened… she must not die!
Rumble… rumble… rumble….
Yun Che had swiftly flown over hundreds of kilometers when he suddenly felt the air start to vibrate. This vibration did not happen every now and then; instead it steadily continued and it actually grew fiercer and fiercer as he pressed forward. His ears were barraged by the ceaseless explosions while thunderclouds above him stirred fiercely and in an agitated fashion.
Boom!!!
The sound came from an extremely distant location, yet an extremely heavy explosive sound reached all the way here. Yun Che focused his gaze towards the front… and in a faraway location of indeterminate distance, a scarlet-yellow cloud of smoke and a crimson-black cloud of smoke soared into the sky. Smoke filled the skies, and below the smoke were two clusters of unimaginably far but brilliant pinpricks of firelight which hurt the eyes.
That was….
Yun Che fiercely ground his teeth and his profound energy swelled as he pushed the Extreme Mirage Lightning to its limit. His whole person seemed to morph into a meteor which streaked across the horizon, and he was so fast that he barely even left any afterimages behind.
Boom!!
Two clusters of fire collided in midair, yet it made a terrifying sound, as if two mountains were colliding violently against each other. In an instant, heaven and earth turned dark and the ground frantically broke apart and was launched into the sky before being swiftly reduced into bits and specks of dust…. and the rocks here were definitely not normal rocks; they were high-grade profound stones which had not melted despite existing in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley for the last ten thousand years!
In the sky, the scarlet-yellow flames and crimson-black flames struggled to devour each other. Within the flames, two figures could be seen clashing against each other like two streaking bolts of lightning. Every collision caused the sky and the earth to howl.
The rocks below continued to break apart and volcanoes were being completely uprooted by the extremely terrifying energy that was being exerted. Fire and magma filled the sky as a bizarre red mist filled the sky and became thicker and thicker, to the point that a person would not even be able to see his own hand if he held out it in front of him.
On the ground, a huge crater that was over three hundred meters wide had long ago formed… and the surface of the crater was as sleek as a mirror.
This kind of power was much more fiercer than the explosion of any volcano.
Because this was a life and death battle between Monarchs!
Boom!!!
Yet another explosion ripped through the air.
The dazzling scarlet-yellow flames suddenly tore apart the seemingly demonic crimson-black flames and rushed forward explosively, instantly engulfing one of the figures and sending that flame-wreathed silhouette crashing into the ground.
For an instant, the earth trembled and the winds and clouds scattered as a fire pillar that was more than three hundred meters thick shot into the sky, traveling thousands of meters. In the distance, an immense mushroom cloud had risen into the sky and it did not dissipate for a long while.
Underneath the mushroom cloud, the Little Demon Empress calmly floated in midair. Her grey robes gently swayed in the air as her long hair splayed out behind her and her crystalline eyes were as dark and sinister as a death god’s.
In front of her, Duke Huai had flown up from the deep crater to meet her once more. Even though his expression was calm, and a faint cold smile still adorned his face, his appearance was extremely miserable. His embroidered clothes were riddled with thousands of holes and half of his hair had been completely scorched. His entire left hand had been severely burnt and two rivulets of blood flowed down the corners of his mouth.
In the sky far above, Duke Ming stood by idly, his eyes faintly open, his expression tranquil and content. It was as if he was simply enjoying some beautiful scenery.
“Duke Huai, if it were just you alone, you would still not be worthy of taking this empress’ life!” The Little Demon Empress voice was even deeper than the rumble of thunderclouds.
“Heh? Is that so?” Duke Huai wiped off the blood at the corners of his mouth and he flew even higher at an even pace. His expression was not the least bit resentful as he said, “Ah, the Little Demon Empress is indeed worthy of her reputation. Even though this duke had never believed that he was your opponent, I had never thought that you would actually be able to suppress me to such an extent! The late stages of the fifth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. You’re no longer any inferior to the Yun Qinghong of twenty-five years ago; it truly brings tears of joy to this duke’s eyes.”
“Heh, Little Demon Empress, you are after all the last remaining member of the line of the Demon Emperor. If you simply died like this, it would be such a waste. So before you die, why don’t you let this duke play with you for a while… the longer you amuse me, the longer you’ll live! Hahahahaha!”
The Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow bloodline was far purer than Duke Huai’s, so the Golden Crow flames that she released would have a great suppressive effect. Therefore, even though their profound strength was equal, if they went all out, Duke Huai would definitely not be the Little Demon Empress’ match… But the key qualifier was that the Little Demon Empress had to go all out!
As he laughed wildly, Duke Huai raised his hand and grasped a flaming longsword that had appeared out of nowhere. The flames that engulfed the body of the blade were definitely not the scarlet-yellow of the Golden Crow flames; instead the flames had the color of thick blood.
Devil Blood Sword!!
The blood flames spread over Duke Huai’s body, causing his aura to fluctuate violently, and even turning his face into something horrifying and sinister. He wildly brandished the Blood Demon Sword and every slash produced a huge swathe of crimson-black flames. These crimson-black flames congealed together in mid-air, finally forming a three hundred meter tall giant Flame Devil.
Duke Huai was the same as Hui Ye; he also cultivated the powerful Fallen Flame Devil Art. If Hui Ye could use the flame devils, then it was natural that Duke Huai could do so as well… and his flame devil was many, many times stronger than the flame devil of Hui Ye.
Duke Huai roared, and with a wave of his hand, the immense flame devil let out a gloomy and sinister wail that seemed to come from the depths of hell as it fiercely threw itself at the Little Demon Empress.
Just looking at that three hundred meter flame devil would cause one to be scared witless. But the Little Demon Empress expression was as cold and calm as a lake that had been sealed in ice, and not a single ripple appeared on her face. She raised her arm and her broad grey sleeves danced in the air, and in an instant all the fire, lava, and volcanic rocks in a three thousand kilometer radius seemed to come to life and converge together in front of her… In the next instant, it congealed into a three hundred meter tall, thirty meter wide fire greatsword. As more and more fire and rock congregated together, it grew bigger and bigger, and a majestic, blazing power seemed to completely envelop the sky and the earth.
Duke Ming had not yet made a single move; instead he wanted the ill-matched Duke Huai to exchange blows with her first. The Little Demon Empress was completely mystified by this… but at this late hour, she was finally alerted to Duke Ming’s terrifying intellect. As a person possessing such intellect, he naturally clearly understood the meaning of the phrase ‘a long delay gives rise to many hitches.’ He had come to take her life, an opportunity which would only come along once every blue moon. So the wisest thing to do would be for him to personally attack with all of his power, so that he could kill with her within the shortest amount of time….
He should have understood that the longer he delayed it, the more likely it was for an unforeseen event to occur! Once an accident occurred, not only would he lose this extremely rare opportunity, but he would also expose himself and be put on the defensive.
But Duke Ming was still doing what anyone would term as an extremely stupid action… He tasked Duke Huai with taking the Little Demon Empress life, while he just stood there idly watching, without even the slightest intention of taking action himself.
Even though the Little Demon Empress had her suspicions, she did not have any idle time to consider them. Because even though her power was greater than that of Duke Huai, she definitely could not relax. It was hard for her to devote her attention to anything else as she faced off against a Duke Huai who was going all-out.
Ssss!
The flame seal between the Little Demon Empress’ brows suddenly flashed with a golden-yellow light, and as she raised both her arms, the gigantic flame sword shot forward as it rent the sky apart… Even though it looked like it was moving at a slow speed, it had directly stepped across dimensions and bored into the body of the onrushing giant flame devil. The sword pierced through the Flame Devil’s body without the least bit of resistance as it bore the gigantic Fallen Flame Devil God aloft and drove it into the sky.
Boom…
The flaming greatsword which pierced the Fallen Flame Devil exploded and produced an extremely terrifying profound energy storm which descended with a huge explosion… The sound of the explosion was so huge that it sounded as if a star had exploded in mid-air.
The howls of the struggling Fallen Flame Devil echoed across the sky, but within the span of a few short breaths, the Fallen Flame Devil had been blown apart and was swiftly reduced to a countless number of fire fragments which filled the atmosphere.
The thunderclouds in the sky had disappeared… Or, it was more accurate to say that, one could no longer see the sky as it was completely filled with berserking Golden Crow Flames. Apprehension finally appeared on Duke Huai’s face as he retreated at the swiftest possible speed he could muster… Even though he had never thought that he was the Little Demon Empress’ match, he had also never thought that she would be quite this powerful.
At this time, Duke Ming, who had been standing by idly watching the show, revealed a sinister, cold smile as his eyes flashed. Before anyone could observe his movements, a wild gale blew and his entire person seemed to vanish from its original spot… An afterimage that moved so swiftly that the naked eye was unable to capture appeared behind the Little Demon Empress’ back.
Even though the Little Demon Empress had easily broken apart Duke Huai’s Flame Devil, she had put her all into that strike, not holding back in the slightest. Furthermore, Duke Ming’s profound strength was superior to hers by half a realm, so it was only when Duke Ming was within thirty meters of her that she detected his presence… But by then, it was far too late.
Bang!!!
An extremely ear-piercing shattering sound ripped through the air as the space around the Little Demon Empress fractured in an instant. The Demon Emperor’s Seal flew out, and under a strong attractive force, it instantly flew into Duke Ming’s hand… At the same time, an extremely violent windstorm smashed into the Little Demon Empress’ body. The Little Demon Empress gave a low groan as she was smashed a hundred meters away before finally coming to a halt.
Chapter 594 - Facing Duke Ming
“Heh!” As he raised the Demon Emperor’s Seal that he grasped in his hand, Duke Ming narrowed his eyes slightly and displayed a bland and placid smile that would cause discomfort to anyone who gazed upon it.
“It has gone perfectly according to my royal father’s plans,” said Duke Huai, no longer trying to attack the Little Demon Empress. Instead, he sidled over to Duke Ming’s side. Even though his body was covered in wounds, the smile he displayed was incomparably self-satisfied.
“Your goal was… the Demon Emperor’s Seal!” The Little Demon Empress held a hand to her chest. Her expression may have been calm, but she radiated a bone-piercing killing intent that caused the air around her to freeze solid.
Low-level profound practitioners used spatial rings as storage devices, but once one reached the rank of Monarch, one could open a personal dimensional pocket. One could store important objects in this dimensional pocket, so that these things would not be so easily lost or stolen like the objects in a dimensional ring.
Stealing something from someone’s dimensional pocket was far harder than killing that person… If one truly killed that person, his dimensional pocket would collapse as well, and the items inside that pocket would either be ripped apart by the spatial energies or fall into the cracks between dimensions. Either way, those items would never appear again.
The reason behind Duke Ming not personally taking action and letting Duke Huai attack was to take advantage of the instant when the Little Demon Empress would be powerless to defend herself once she had used her full force to deal with Duke Huai, and seize her dimensional pocket… stealing the Demon Emperor’s Seal that lay inside!
“You really need to thank this thing, because it has let you live until now,” said Duke Ming, dangling the Demon Emperor’s Seal in front of him. His voice was as tranquil as water, but it would cause the heart of anyone who heard it to palpitate, “This duke knows that as long as a member of the Demon Emperor’s clan has it on their person, once they encounter any life-threatening situations, it will automatically drink your Demon Emperor blood to help you use the blood escape technique, and it can even help you directly leave this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. The price would merely be the loss of some blood essence!”
“This duke has waited far too long for this day to come… so how could I give you such an opportunity?!!” Duke Ming grasped the Demon Emperor’s Seal tightly, and his normally placid smile finally turned rather sinister.
The Little Demon Empress’ face paled for an instant and she ground her teeth silently. She replied in a deep voice, “You… Why do you know the secrets of the Demon Emperor’s Seal?!”
“Hahahaha!” Duke Huai gave an unbridled laugh, “Little Demon Empress, the things that my royal father knows far exceeds what you have imagined! There are some secrets of the Demon Emperor’s clan that my royal father knows of that even you do not know!”
“This duke does not mind telling you that when the ceremony was suddenly stopped halfway, even though this duke suspected that you were going to do something, I did not have any clues to act upon. However, my royal father knew very clearly where you were headed all along… Because my royal father knew that you could use the Demon Emperor’s blood within you to activate the Demon Emperor’s Seal and forcibly open the sealing profound formation that sealed Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… and once you were inside Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, you could use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to force your way out as well.”
The Little Demon Empress, “…”
“But Little Demon Empress, it has to be said that your decision to halt the ceremony once you had received the Demon Emperor’s Seal so you could awaken your bloodline as soon as possible was truly a wise and brilliant choice. If not for the guidance of my royal father, this duke would not have even begun to guess it. Even if I had managed to deduce your actions, I would have arrived far too late… Because if you had truly awakened your bloodline, it would have caused a great hindrance to this duke.”
“But it’s just too bad…” Duke Huai let a mocking grin form on his face, “that in the end, you, the Little Demon Empress, are a mere woman! If a woman were to dare to awaken the Golden Crow bloodline, it would lead to only one result: death! From time immemorial, the Demon Emperor had always been a man, so no one had ever known about this particular detail. Even you direct inheritors of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline did not know… yet my royal father had complete knowledge of it! So not only were you unable to fulfill your wishes by coming here… you have even given us an incredible present!”
“You pitiful woman, how could you possibly think that you were my father’s adversary?!”
The Little Demon Empress tightly clenched her hands and both her small face and her lips had been drained of all color. But her eyes were filled with a nearly golden-colored firelight… in that moment, her fury and her profound energy were raised to their extremes.
“Without the Demon Emperor’s Seal, whether by the blood escape or the dimensional escape… heh, you no longer have any possibility of leaving this place alive,” Duke Ming said as his smile filled his face, and he extended his palm towards the Little Demon Empress. Within his palm, a small cluster of crimson-black flames swayed, “So now you can let go of everything and die… and when you reach the Yellow Springs, do not forget to help this duke send his regards to your pitiful royal father and royal brother… Oh?”
Duke Ming’s voice suddenly stopped and his head tilted and looked southward. A disdainful laugh escaped from his mouth after that, “Oh? It seems like a little rat has scampered inside. Princess Caiyi, looks like your luck isn’t so bad after all. Before you die, someone actually specially volunteered himself to be your burial partner.”
After Duke Ming had said those words, both Duke Huai and the Little Demon Empress felt an aura approaching fast… It was definitely traveling at the speed of a Sovereign Profound Realm practitioner, but the aura being emitted was abnormally low… it was only at the Sky Profound Realm! At most, it was only at the peak of the Sky Profound Realm.
An aura at the peak of the Sky Profound Realm, yet it displayed the speed of a low-level Monarch, and it was only one person… Whether it was the Little Demon Empress or Duke Huai, they had only seen this kind of person once in their life… Moreover, the rapidly approaching aura was not unfamiliar to them!
“Could it be…” Duke Huai violently swiveled his head and his face revealed a deeply incredulous expression.
The elements in this place were incomparably active, so the rate at which Yun Che’s Great Way of the Buddha absorbed the energy of heaven and earth was far faster than it was in the outside world. When Yun Che had flown from the starting point to the central region, he could maintain his maximum speed without exhausting too much energy or tiring out.
Once Duke Huai and the rest had discovered Yun Che, Yun Che had already firmly locked on to the Little Demon Empress’ position…
Whoosh!!
A fierce gale blew past, and as an afterimage faded away, Yun Che’s figure was standing in front of the Little Demon Empress. Once he saw that the Little Demon Empress was not dead and did not even seemed to be wounded, his heart instantly felt better.
“Yun… Che!” He was in disbelief before, but at this moment, Yun Che’s face had clearly appeared in his field of vision. Duke Huai’s pupils instantly dilated and his throat trembled with astonishment. A low and deep howl that carried a deep hatred and bloodlust rose from his throat.
For him to react as if he had met a great adversary proved that Yun Che had already formed a shadow in his heart and soul.
“Oh?” Duke Ming raised his eyebrows immediately. An unexpected appearance, a young face and a speed that was not matched at all with his profound strength. All of these already caused Duke Ming to take interest in the young man in front of him. And once Duke Huai had yelled out that name, it caused the interest in his gaze to immediately grow by several times, and he slowly swept his slightly narrowed eyes over Yun Che’s body thrice.
“Why did you come here?!” Yun Che’s sudden appearance undoubtedly caused the Little Demon Empress great shock and also caused a layer of dark clouds to descend on her heart… Because once he appeared at this place, Duke Ming and Duke Huai would definitely not let him leave this place alive!
“Oh, I just came out for a stroll, so I could take in the night breeze. But to my surprise, I saw that the seal over the entrance of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had disappeared, so out of curiosity, I decided to take a peek inside,” Yun Che said in a carefree and relaxed manner, as if he completely missed the danger that he was in. He said these words to relax the guards of both Duke Ming and Duke Huai… If they found out that he had already informed Yun Qinghong regarding the opening of the seal, they would definitely act in an incomparably decisive manner….
So given the current scenario, every second he dragged out increased their hope for survival… Since Yun Qinghong was already alerted to the fact that Duke Ming may be the real mastermind, he would definitely not come by himself. Instead, he would bring along a group of experts that could deal with Duke Ming as well!
It was only if he could drag it out until that time comes that they could dispel the danger surrounding the Little Demon Empress.
“Idiot!” The Little Demon Empress naturally did not believe Yun Che’s words, as his previous lightning speed had already betrayed his anxiety. She said in a low voice, “Leave this place right away! No matter what happens… you are not allowed to turn back!”
After saying that, the flames wreathing the Little Demon Empress rose ten of meters into the air. Yun Che gave the Little Demon Empress an astonished look… The Little Demon Empress who gave other people the impression that she was devoid of all emotions was actually planning to use her full strength to obstruct Duke Ming and Duke Huai in order to give him a chance to escape….
It looked like she was not as cold-hearted as she made herself out to be….
But it was clear that her plan was untenable. Yun Che shrugged his shoulders and said, “I think I’d rather not waste the energy… If it’s an opponent that even you cannot flee from, then it is even more impossible for me.”
“… Stupid! Why are you so stupid that you have come to die?!” The Little Demon Empress yelled fiercely. Her face, which looked like that of a young maiden, had fury and gloom written all over it, emotions that completely clashed with her young and tender childish face.
“Oh… So you are that Yun Che,” mused Duke Ming as he had finished measuring Yun Che, his face revealing a rather interested smile.
Yun Che turned around and looked at Duke Ming, and there was a smile that did not seem like a smile plastered on his face, he said, “Oh the renowned Duke Ming actually knows this humble one’s name, this humble one is completely overwhelmed by the favor you have shown to me.”
Duke Huai gave a cold snort and he wanted to step forward to say something, when his face suddenly froze over… Because when Yun Che had spoken just now, he clearly mentioned… the two words “Duke Ming!!”
What was going on… How could he know the name “Duke Ming?!” Even the people in Demon Imperial City had not seen him for over a hundred years, and his existence was practically forgotten. But this Yun Che who had only arrived in Demon Imperial City for three months… Why would he be able to yell out the two words “Duke Ming?!”
For an instant, astonishment flashed across the Little Demon Empress’ face.
“Oh?” Duke Ming’s eyes instantly narrowed into two long slits, and the gaze directed from those slits unerringly rested on Yun Che’s eyes, “Interesting, you actually recognized this duke.”
“Of course I would recognize you,” Yun Che said as he crossed his hands across his chest. In front of this terrifying character whose strength dominated Illusory Demon Realm, who could cover the sky with one hand and whose intellect and shrewdness were deep and unfathomable, Yun Che did not even seem the least bit nervous. Instead, he smiled merrily and replied, “I not only know that you are Duke Ming, I also know that….”
“It was you who colluded with Mighty Heavenly Sword Region one hundred years ago to kill the previous Demon Emperor… and it was also you… who personally killed the Little Demon Emperor!!”
Yun Che’s words were undoubtedly both astonishing and earth-shaking. The Little Demon Empress’ entire body shook dramatically and she fiercely and suddenly raised her head; she seemed to slip into a daze for an instant… while Duke Huai did not have enough time to conceal the look of pure astonishment which appeared in his eyes. Even Duke Ming, who had been staring straight at Yun Che all this while, had turmoil flash in his eyes for a moment.
Yun Che’s brows immediately sank… This guess turned out to be one hundred percent truth.
“Are you agitating him? This guy’s profound strength has actually reached the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm! If he wants to kill you, even using one finger would be enough!” Jasmine said in a solemn voice.
“…” In this world where Profound Gods were only a mythological existence, the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm was the very peak of all profound practitioners! No matter if it were in Profound Sky Continent or in Illusory Demon Realm, these existences were true monarchs who looked down on everything under heaven and could not be surpassed! An existence which humans would brand as God!
Yun Che had never dared to think that he would actually … face this kind of peak expert so quickly… A person who was truly unrivaled under the heavens!
Yun Che silently sucked in his breath and replied Jasmine, “I definitely do not want to agitate him… But you must know, curiosity is one of humanity’s great weaknesses! And in this world, there are very few things left that would make a kind of person like Duke Ming curious. But the words I have just said will definitely be enough to induce him to keep questioning me!!”
“Every additional word spoken will increase our chances of escaping!”
Chapter 595 - Main Culprit
“What… what did you say?!!” The Little Demon Empress’ tone was deep and stiff, and it revealed an incredible, violent confusion.
“Oh?” Duke Ming lifted his eyes, looked at Yun Che with some interest, and said, “This duke doesn’t seem to understand what you are saying all that well.”
“Hehe!” Yun Che’s face revealed a sneer, and his eyes even showed obvious disdain and mockery, “You, Duke Ming, have the ambition to take over the world, have unparalleled profound strength, a calculating mind that even ghosts and gods can’t predict, and a heart that is ten thousand times even more vicious than snakes and scorpions… I originally I thought that you were a formidable person that couldn’t be more qualified, but too bad… seeing you today, it seems that you are just a chicken who only dares to do but doesn’t dare to confess, it really disappoints me.”
“You have a death wish?!” Duke Huai instantly became furious, and abruptly reached and grabbed towards Yun Che. This was the first time in his whole life that he saw someone actually insult his own father.
However, Duke Ming reached out and stopped Duke Huai, following he lifted his head and laughed loudly, “Hahahahahaha! You are indeed the young man who had made my son fail miserably. Your mouth and devious mind are really sharp like knives, and your words are so harsh that this duke doesn’t even know how to respond.”
Duke Ming narrowed his eyes once again. The light coming from the narrowed, long slit of his eyes were even more frightening that those coming from a poisonous snake, “This duke knows that you are trying to drag out the time. However, there are very few things in this world that interests this duke, and very few things that I want to know the answer to that it’s sad, so this duke is going to grant you some more time to live. Here, tell this duke, what else do you know?”
The words that Duke Ming said was not a question, but rather an implied confession. The Little Demon Empress’ breath was completely messed up, and the flames on her body suddenly ascended high, and the flame burning in her eyes was not simply the Golden Crow’s flame anymore, but it was like gruesome hatred from hell’s purgatory.
Yun Che sneered softly, and said without hurry, “Back then, Profound Sky Continent suddenly invaded Illusory Demon Realm… that was because of you! You used some kind of method to let the Four Great Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent know the existence of Illusory Demon Realm’s ‘Mirror of Samsara’ that was treasured by the Demon Emperor, and falsified that the ‘Mirror of Samsara’ had some godly powers, triggered their ambition, and caused the people from Profound Sky Continent, with all their resources, to invade Illusory Demon Realm, just to seize the Mirror of Samsara… and the reason they were able to invade again and again, and be able to retreat unharmed, was because you were there their man on the inside!”
Yun Che pointed at Duke Huai and said coldly, “And the reason you did what you did was to replace the Demon Emperor, and become the owner of Illusory Demon Realm! The reason the previous Demon Emperor would chase to Profound Sky Continent personally, was absolutely not because of out of rage and recklessness… he must have fallen into your trap! The Little Demon Emperor’s death… was not because of acting rashly after drinking too much and forcefully barging into the Profound Sky Continent, but… he died in the hands of you, Duke Ming!!”
“Are you going to deny these things?”
Almost each sentence that Yun Che had said made Duke Huai’s face change each time. Deep inside, his eyes were filled with shock. He thought that the things that he had said, in the whole world, were secrets that only they, father and son knew, and it was absolutely impossible for the third person to know… even those people in Profound Sky Continent didn’t know the identity of their inside man back then.
Clap… clap… clap… clap…
“Hahahaha!” Duke Ming laughed loudly and clapped his hands, and his eyes were without any ripples, “Brilliant, you really are brilliant. Yun Che, looks like it wasn’t wrong for the son that I am proud of to lose face in front of you. This duke will generously admit it; what you said was absolutely correct. The reason those Sacred Grounds of Profound Sky Continent invaded Illusory Demon Realm was because of this duke. This duke merely told them back then that the Illusory Demon Realm’s Mirror of Samsara that was treasured by the Demon Emperor contained a divine profound mystery. If they could crack the secret of the Mirror of Samsara, then they could break through the limit of the Sovereign Profound Realm, step into the Divine Profound Realm, and become the legendary ‘Profound God.’”
“Those people were even greedier and stupider than this duke had expected. Not only did they believe it, but a year later, then already couldn’t wait and were preparing to step into Illusory Demon Realm. This duke naturally was happy to help them construct the spatial tunnel, and tell them what this duke wants them to know… These people from Profound Sky Continent really didn’t disappoint this duke. They brought Demon Imperial City into complete chaos, and made the deaths of the Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor go even more perfectly than this duke had planned!”
Duke Ming laughed wildly, “Hahahaha! What Profound Sky Sacred Grounds, they were only chess pieces that this duke used and played within my palms. As for that Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor, in the hands of this duke, they were only two pitiful little bug. This duke merely used a small trick and easily led the Demon Emperor to where the spatial tunnel was. Of course, no matter how stupid he was, he wouldn’t rashly chase into the spatial tunnel and suicide in Profound Sky Continent’s territory… it was this duke’s timely appearance that helped him. Princess Caiyi, your pitiful father was really surprised when he saw this duke’s appearance. Until this duke approached to a distance of just two steps away from him, he didn’t have any guard, and he was kicked lightly by this duke into the spatial tunnel…”
Little Demon Empress, “!!!!”
Yun Che, “…”
“On the other side of the spatial tunnel, there was the ‘Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation’ waiting for him. As soon as he entered the ‘Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation,’ even if he had the strongest profound strength, he wouldn’t be able to use it.” Duke Ming laughed lightly, his expression of boundless arrogance was as if everything in the world couldn’t escape his control, “As for the Little Demon Emperor who had just ascended the throne, it was even easier. On the night of your grand wedding, he was just like the you today; he generously gave this duke an absolutely great chance. He actually went to commemorate the previous Demon Emperor alone… But, this duke didn’t kill him. I merely crippled him, and threw him into the spatial tunnel that led to Profound Sky Continent. This way, there would be no trace of this duke left behind. This duke only randomly left some last words for him… The next day, the whole Illusory Demon Realm knew that the Little Demon Emperor who had just ascended the throne acted rashly after drinking too much at the wedding night with the Little Demon Empress, and barged into Profound Sky Continent alone… compared to grieving for the death of the Little Demon Emperor, there must be even more people cursing at his stupidity, hahahaha!”
“Duke… Ming!!!”
The flames on the Little Demon Empress were waving furiously, her small body was even trembling in an incredibly violent way. Yun Che, who was closest to her, could clearly felt that her anger, hatred, and murderous intent were bursting out so strongly that it was almost going to completely tear up the space. He gave a sideways glance at the Little Demon Empress, and found that even though she was covered in flames, under the reflection of the scarlet-gold flames, her face was still as pale as a white sheet of paper… and at the corner of her mouth, there was a bright, red blood slowly dripping down.
She wasn’t hurt when she was fighting against Duke Huai; that trace of blood… was from the internal injury caused by her rage and hatred that was too intense.
And at this moment, a deep respect rose in Yun Che’s heart for the Little Demon Empress.
Until today, she had not known that the culprit that got her father and brother killed wasn’t Profound Sky Continent, but was the Duke Ming in front of her! He killed the two people that were closest to her, caused the extinction of the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan, caused chaos in Demon Imperial City, and even harmed the whole Illusory Demon Realm. Yun Che could imagine how strong that hatred and murderous intent must be…
But even so, she was able to strictly kept her rationality, and didn’t drop everything under the influence of the hatred that pierced her bones to attack Duke Ming. Because not only was it impossible to kill the Duke Ming whose ability was incredibly terrifying, but she and Yun Che would only die even sooner… At this moment, this second, she must gain every breath of chance to live, so there would be a possibility for her revenge in the future!
Duke Ming rolled his eyes, then narrowed them and enjoyed the Little Demon Empress’ expression at this moment…That’s right, ‘enjoy.’ That hatred that so strongly wished to burn his bones to ashes, that hatred that so strongly wished to tear him into pieces, made him enjoy and gave him pleasure, “Knowing the truth, and still able to refrain from attacking this duke, you are indeed Princess Caiyi. It was worthwhile letting this duke not getting the perfect chance to kill you for this hundred years. You should thank this duke gracefully, letting you know who destroyed your clan before you died…Oh, that’s right, you know back then when the Little Demon Emperor clearly saw this duke’s face, how remarkable his expression was? Tsk-tsk, it was so remarkable that even when this duke thinks about it now, it gives me endless aftertastes.”
“Duke… Ming…”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice was so raucous and deep that it didn’t even sound like a human’s voice. The two short words were so cold it was as if it was from the hell’s purgatory, but it couldn’t be compared to a ten thousandth of the hatred in her heart. Even though Yun Che’s face was calm, the hatred in his heart was no less than that of the Little Demon Empress, because his grandfather’s, Yun Canghai’s death, was also because of Duke Ming! The Yun Family’s descent, the tragedy of Xiao Yun and his destiny… it was all because of this Duke Ming in front of him!
He took a deep breath, and said coldly, “Duke Ming, your clan was able to be a royal clan; that was all because of the Demon Emperor’s clan! You not only weren’t grateful and failed to serve loyally, but you grew your own ambitions, and were cruel to this point! Aren’t you afraid of getting struck by lightning because of your sins!”
“Such childish words.” Duke Ming smiled lightly, “The emperor of the world should naturally be someone with ability. From the moment this duke was born, I was determined to be the one to rule the people under heaven. The people who get in this duke’s way, no matter who it is, this duke will do anything to get rid of the person. These so-called ‘loyalty’ and ‘righteousness’ are things that belong to ridiculous weaklings!”
“What you want this duke to confess, this duke has all confessed. Now, tell this duke, about the information of this duke, how did you find out?” Duke Ming looked straight at Yun Che, the gaze from his eyes was like two sharp knives; it almost pierced through his heart and soul as Duke Ming continued, “This duke thought that no matter what I did, I wouldn’t leave any trace. Over this past century , the whole Illusory Demon Realm has never had anyone who suspected this duke. How did you, Yun Che, find out about it? Could it be that this duke made any mistakes on the way?”
“Very simple.” Yun Che casually stepped back, stood by the Little Demon Empress and said, “You should already know, that even though I am the son of the Yun Family, I am from the Profound Sky Continent. When I was in Profound Sky Continent, I was in contact with Mighty Heavenly Sword Region of the Four Sacred Grounds… these, were naturally heard from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region!”
“Mighty Heavenly Sword Region? Heh!” Duke Ming was obviously not satisfied with this answer, but he didn’t continue to ask; instead he made a sneer, and his eyes which were already revealing a dangerous light, immediately becoming even more chilly, “This duke will believe your answer for now. Then, your goal of dragging out the time is already perfect enough, but unfortunately, the back-up that you have been waiting for didn’t show up. Next, how are you going to save yours, and Princess Caiyi’s lives in front of this duke? Mn?”
Yun Che also sneered and said, “Then does Duke Ming think that the reason I came here despite knowing you were here was to die for nothing?”
“So this duke is curious; why do you think you could escape from the palm of this duke’s hand?” Duke Ming asked with a smile. His dangerous but calm expression was as if he was telling Yun Che that even if he had some great trick, it was absolutely impossible for him to escape from him, “Is it based on the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that you’ve been holding in your hand?”
Chapter 596 - That’s Ripping Off Your Grandson!
Duke Ming’s words triggered Yun Che’s heart, and evoked a strong, unsettling feeling; he then immediately crushed the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that was in his hand without any hesitation.
He would dare to rush in, and wanted to save the Little Demon Empress from Duke Ming, and what he counted on the most was indeed this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that Mu Feiyan had just gifted him! Because when Mu Feiyan gave him the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, his face was full of pride, and promised that as long as Yun Che had it on him, at a crucial moment, it could form a protective barrier that no one could break, and it could last for as long as six hours… in this amount of time, it would definitely be enough for Yun Qinghong to get here.
But…
Following a soft sound, the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven was crushed by Yun Che very easily. A wave of blue light spread in haste. In an instant, it formed an ice-blue barrier with a diameter of ten meters, enveloping Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress within, and cutting Duke Ming and Duke Huai out.
Even though the process was short, to an extremely strong practitioner, a short breath of time could allow him to do a lot of things. But Duke Ming only watched while smiling; there wasn’t even a sign of him trying to stop them. When the protection barrier appeared, his expression also didn’t change at all… except in his eyes, which held an additional trace of disdain.
When Duke Ming called out the “Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven” that was held tightly in his hand, Yun Che already had a bad feeling about it, and the expression on Duke Ming’s face right now magnified the unsettled feeling in his heart a dozen times more… For being able to open up the protective barrier at the first instant, Yun Che had held the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven in his hand from the very beginning. And to keep the aura from leaking out, he naturally used his profound energy to safely trap the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven’s aura, but Duke Ming called him out so easily!
Merely based on the aura, he knew that it was the Mu Family’s “Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven,” it was obvious that he was absolutely no stranger to it! Then he wouldn’t be unaware of the toughness of its released protective barrier! But, even though Duke Ming already knew that he was clearly holding the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, he didn’t look for a chance to seize it, didn’t stop him from crushing it, and wasn’t even surprised or panicking…
His reaction was all outside of Yun Che’s expectations!
“Hahahaha!” Looking at the protective barrier formed by the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, Duke Ming only laughed recklessly, “So that’s what it was. This duke was originally looking forward to what kind of clever way you would use to escape from this duke’s hands, but the result really disappointed this duke greatly.”
“It was only this mere Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven!”
Yun Che locked his eyebrows tightly, and his heart was suddenly alarmed. He said without weakening his momentum, “Mere? The Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven is the Mu Family’s most protective treasure. Since you look down on it so much… You can try breaking it!”
“Hahahaha,” Duke Ming laughed recklessly once again, as he slowly stepped forward. Even though there was a protective barrier in between them, every step Duke Ming got closer, the pressure on Yun Che multiplied. In front of the protective barrier, he reached out his palm and slightly recounted, “If it were a hundred years ago, it would be true that this duke wouldn’t have the powers to destroy it, and in the whole Illusory Demon Realm, no one could do so.”
“But, now this duke is no longer at the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, like a hundred years ago. I am at the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm! It is the peak realm in this world. Upon reaching this level, this duke’s palms can already almost touch the laws of this world, even this space under the palm of this duke, could in an instant… be shattered!”
Duke Ming suddenly twisted his wrist, and at that instant, a large swirl abruptly appeared and spread in speed… this wasn’t a swirl caused by airflow, not a swirl caused by profound energy… but it was a completely twisted space!!
The twisted space didn’t disappear in an instant, but it was spreading fiercely like sea waves, and in a blink of eye it spread onto the ice-blue barrier… The barrier that was originally thought to be tough and unbreakable, under the extremely horrifying space swirl, was instantly twisted like a fragile soap bubble, and it continued to twist even more violently, until it was twisted into an extremely exaggerated shape… Perhaps, in the next breath, it would be completely torn apart.
“!!!” Yun Che was solidly surprised. He subconsciously blocked in front the Little Demon Empress, his eyebrows locked tightly, blue veins popping out from both sides of his hands. The protective barrier that the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven formed was promised by Mu Feiyan that it could hold on for six hours, and even if his grandfather were alive it couldn’t be destroyed…
What kind of person was Mu Feiyan… Not only was he Yun Che’s grandfather, he was also the highly respectable Patriarch of the Mu Family. What he said was absolutely authoritative, and on top of that, the exaggerated reaction of Mu Yubai and the others when Mu Feiyan took out the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, and the joyous expression revealed by his father and mother… towards the strong protective ability of the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, he naturally had no reason to doubt it. Or else, he wouldn’t dare to just barge in and face the extremely strong Duke Ming.
Never mind six hours, even if it only supported him for two hours, it would be completely enough for Yun Che.
He never thought that the life-saving barrier of the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven was so vulnerable in front of Duke Ming.
That’s ripping off your grandson!
And it’s ripping off his little life!!
“This Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven is indeed a rare protective item in the Illusory Demon Realm,” Duke Ming stopped the movement of his palm, but the twisting space was still continuing, and the protective barrier was on the edge of collapsing. If Duke Ming continued his movement, it would completely shatter, “Because the profound energy level that it can resist, is only up to the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. But against a level exceeding that, it is no different from a thin layer of ice! In all of Illusory Demon Realm, only this duke can destroy it this easily. Yun Che, you miscalculated.”
Yun Che, “…”
Duke Ming’s eyebrows loosened up slightly, and the corner of his mouth raised a little. The face without any expression became a leisurely soft smile, “Yun Che, honestly, this duke would hate to kill you. You have an abnormal skill, and you are smart, and your potential is even more surprising. Under the gaze of this duke, you didn’t panic at all, and this means that your mental strength is also unusual. You dare to barge in knowing that this duke is here, your bravery and boldness is even more unusual… With your age, having this type of ability, even this duke cannot help but be impressed. If you just die like this, it would be such a waste.”
“So?” Yun Che narrowed his eyes, “Could Duke Ming be prepared to give me a chance to live?”
“Let this duke plant a soul imprint on your body, and from now on be loyal to this duke, then, not only can you life, when this duke rules the world, you can enjoy riches and honor in your life, and this duke can even spare your Yun Clan.” Duke Ming said softly, “This duke has never hesitated and became soft-hearted when it came to killing someone; you are the first. This is the utmost grace that this duke is giving you! Do not disappoint this duke.”
“Grace? Heh…” Yun Che sneered deeply, “Your so-called ‘grace’ doesn’t even amount to a penny to me! Even if I die, I will not let someone like you who cannot even be compared to an animal taint my own soul!”
“Very well.” Duke Ming nodded his head slowly, “Since you choose stupidity, then… die!!”
Rumble…
The space trembled crazily, and the enormous space swirl immediately swallowed the protective barrier that was built by the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, and it ripped it into countless of shattered pieces. At that instant, it was as if the whole heaven and earth was drawn into the horrifying spatial whirlpool.
Because of the extremely terrifying profound energy’s suppression, Yun Che almost suffocated, his legs couldn’t even move, and he couldn’t make a sound from his mouth. At this moment, a small, grayish-white shadow slightly swayed, and blocked in front of him. At the same time, the space swirl viciously collided onto the grayish-white shadow…
Ugh!
A deep, suffering moan swept across Yun Che’s ears. Afterwards, his arms were grabbed tightly by a small, delicate hand. On the wrist of the small hand, a dark scarlet bracelet instantly broke, and released a flame-like bright light…
“Clang!”
The instant that flame brightness flickered, the figures of Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress disappeared at the same time, and the spatial whirlpool swept across, crushing the layers of space. Under this extremely horrifying power, even a normal Monarch, not to mention a normal person, would be easily crushed into pieces.
Duke Huai was surprised and hurried forward, “Royal father, what happened? How did they disappear? Could they have…”
“Heh!” Duke Ming put down his palms without a hurry, there was not a trace of panic or an unsettled expression on his face, not even an expression of surprise; it seemed like this was also within his expectations, “It was only the crushing of the ‘Scarlet Blood Bracelet’ that launched a dimensional escape. There is such a thing existing in the Little Demon Emperor’s memory, and it was just as this duke expected, that the Little Demon Empress had equipped it. But too bad, Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is an independent world, the Demon Emperor’s Seal’s blood escape can help her escape to the world outside, but the Scarlet Blood Bracelet could never do that.”
“It is just a pitiful struggle before their death, how can they escape from this duke’s palms?” said Duke Ming as he slightly turned his body, narrowed his eyes and smiled. His eyes were directly focused on the northwest. The corner of his mouth slightly raised a smile, soft and gentle as a breeze… The light from the slits of his eyes were even more cold and bone-piercing than the world’s most vicious poisonous snake.
Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, northwest borderland.
The world was immediately several times hotter, and the air was so thin that it was almost impossible to breathe.
Yun Che was swung away by the Little Demon Empress, and landed on the ground roughly. After a short duration of being stunned, he suddenly understood what happened. He stood up, looked at the surroundings and asked, “Where… where is this place?”
“Northwest borderland,” the Little Demon Empress had her back turned against him, as she said coldly. As soon as she finished speaking, her body suddenly froze and an arrow of blood spat out from her mouth, landing several meters away. Her whole body lost all her strength, and she knelt down onto the ground.
“Little Demon Empress!”
Yun Che immediately stepped forward, wanting to held her up, but when his hand just touched her shoulder, he was pushed away hardly by her, “Don’t touch me!”
Yun Che stood there, and didn’t dare to move. The Little Demon Empress painstakingly struggled to breathe for a little while, finally stood up slowly and turned around… The young girl’s cheeks were without any color of blood, but the bloodstain at the corner of her mouth was still hard to look at.
Yun Che hurriedly in his calm mind, started to appear the scene from a few breathes ago… Duke Ming’s attack wasn’t pointed at the Little Demon Empress first, but it was him! At the pressure of a peak Monarch’s profound energy, how was it possible for him to avoid it? He was able to live, and not only was it because the Little Demon Empress escaped with him using the dimensional escape… but it was more because the Little Demon Empress used her own body, and endured Duke Ming’s deadly attack.
Yun Che’s chest was violently rising and falling, he said sincerely, “…Thank you for saving my life.”
Compared to this… his unreliable grandfather, arghh!!
The Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that Mu Feiyan gifted him not only failed to save his life at a crucial moment, it almost killed him… because if it wasn’t for the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, he wouldn’t just barge in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley like that.
“Save your life?” The Little Demon Empress held her chest, and said in a low, cold voice, “Ridiculous! You think you could live past today?! The Demon Emperor’s Seal has been seized by Duke Ming; we cannot leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley at all. With Duke Ming’s ability, it won’t be long before he would be able to find us again… you self-righteous idiot, why did you barge in here to suicide for nothing?!!”
Chapter 597 - Hatred Higher Than the Heavens
“I was just worried that Duke Ming and Duke Huai had gotten to you already,” Yun Che said with an innocent face.
The Little Demon Empress said angrily, “If you already knew it was Duke Ming… why did you still barge in! With your ability, not to mention Duke Ming, even in front of Duke Huai, you are no different than an ant… Do you really not cherish your own life one bit?!”
“…” If Yun Che was yelled at like this normally, he would have already returned it several times harder already, but at this moment, he couldn’t get angry at all. Each one of the Little Demon Empress’ words was filled with hatred, but none of that hatred was against him. Inside the Little Demon Empress’ voice that was yelling at him, what he heard more was unwillingness and self-blame.
“If you die today because of me… after I die, how will I still have the face to see the Demon King… ugh!!” the Little Demon Empress said as her body violently shook, and she spat out another large mouthful of blood, her already pale face becoming even paler. She clutched her chest, and her body slowly swayed, almost falling.
At this moment, she was like a young, weak girl who was seriously ill and on the verge of dying. Even her eyes, that were normally cold as an ice lake, that people couldn’t dare to even look into directly, had already darkened, continuously revealing a sense of absent-mindedness… Anyone seeing her at this moment couldn’t feel the majestic-feeling that belonged to the Little Demon Empress; they could only be deeply sympathetic.
“Are… are you okay?” Yun Che stepped forward a little in a probing manner, and asked worriedly.
“Her lifeline has been cut, she doesn’t have much longer to live,” Jasmine said softly.
“What!?” Yun Che was shocked in his heart, “How is that possible! She only suffered an attack from Duke Ming… Even though Duke Ming is strong, the Little Demon Empress also has mid-stage Monarch’s profound strength, how could it be possible…”
“Hmph, what did you think?” Jasmine scoffed in disdain, “When you reach the Sovereign Profound Realm, a small realm would mean all the difference in the world. That Duke Ming is an entire half a large realm stronger than the Little Demon Empress! On top of that, that Duke Ming’s attack was harsh, and even if that strike wasn’t a hundred percent of his strength, it was at least ninety percent! Also, the Little Demon Empress placed herself in front of you in a rush; not only did she not have the chance to defend with all of her strength, it hit her vitals… forget about being able to breathe and live for a little more, even if she died on the spot, it wouldn’t be strange!”
“…” Yun Che clenched his fists tightly, his heart and soul trembled uncontrollably.
Duke Ming’s ability was so terrifying to this extent. Even the powerful Little Demon Empress was seriously injured like this in one strike… Even the Little Demon Empress was like this, if it wasn’t for the Little Demon Empress taking the hit from Duke Ming, he would have already died!
Whoosh… Yun Che’s heart was twitching violently, somewhere deep inside his heart and soul, it was even touched harshly, and couldn’t stop under the violent trembling… Why block that strike for me… Yeah, you didn’t know that the one thing I, Yun Che, couldn’t stand in my whole life, is owing my life to a woman…
Because that was how Ling’er died in my arms… my promise to her, and my promise to my own soul…
If the Little Demon Empress died, and I was able to escape by myself in the end, then, in my heart and soul, there would be another layer of chains that I could never resolve in this lifetime… How would I be able to face Ling’er…
“What are you preparing to do after this? Wait for your death?”
“…I never knew what ‘waiting for my death’ meant.” Yun Che said with gritted teeth, “My Great Way of the Buddha is at the fourth stage… If we can escape from here, even if her lifeline has already been cut off, if she could hold on for ten days, I am sixty percent certain that I can save her life!”
“Yun Che, I ask you!” The Little Demon Empress suddenly spoken up. Her voice was already very weakened, but she still tried her best to support her deep vocal tone and the prestige of the Little Demon Empress, “Back then, when the Demon King and the Yun Family’s ten seniors died in Profound Sky Continent, was it also because of what Duke Ming had done?!”
“Yes.” Yun Che nodded in reply, “Back then, when my grandfather and the others left, the location of where the spatial tunnel pointed to and the timing of their arrival, were all clearly taught to the Profound Sky Continent’s side… As soon as they arrived in Profound Sky Continent, they directly fell into the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that was prepared beforehand… Or else, with the strength of my grandfather and the ten seniors of the Yun Family, how could they have all been completely annihilated?”
The Little Demon Empress’ body was releasing an extremely deep hatred, “What else did Mighty Heavenly Sword Region tell you? What else did Duke Ming do!”
“This…” Yun Che took a breath, and said, “All those things about Duke Ming weren’t actually heard from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region.”
“…Then how did you find out?” The Little Demon Empress locked her eyebrows.
“It was a guess… and these guesses have all become reality,” Yun Che sighed and said.
“Three months ago, when I first came to Illusory Demon Realm, based on: what I had seen and heard, the situation of Demon Imperial City, the reason and process of how Profound Sky Continent invaded, the illogical actions of the Little Demon Emperor, combined with everything my grandfather had told me about how once he entered the Profound Sky Continent, he walked into a trap, I logically thought that there must have been someone colluding with the Profound Sky Continent within Demon Imperial City, and it was most likely Duke Huai Palace.”
“After I told this to my father and grandfather, Father brought up that if these were all true, then Duke Huai Palace’s ambition didn’t grow after the previous Demon Emperor was killed, but before… and then, Father mentioned the name ‘Duke Ming.’ After thinning it out, everything suspicious pointed to him… When Illusory Demon Realm was in commotion all these years, and he had completely disappeared for all this time, it already made that an enormous suspicious point. And the truth was as so! Duke Huai’s ambition and some of his actions were only for show. The real conspiracy was ten thousand times scarier than what the people of Demon Imperial City had seen.”
What Demon Imperial City’s citizens had seen was that after the Demon Emperor’s bloodline was cut off by Profound Sky Continent, the Little Demon Empress, as a woman, was unable to awaken her bloodline, and there couldn’t be any more successors. As a result, Duke Huai emerged with his ambitions, pulled forces to his side, and wanted to replace her. Even though the nature of it was conspiring a treacherous act, in the eyes of the people, it didn’t count as something that “angered both human and god,” many strong practitioners had even agreed to Duke Huai’s actions ——The Demon Emperor’s bloodline had gone extinct, with only the Little Demon Empress left. For another clan to become the emperor was something that would happen sooner or later. Duke Huai had enough ambition and ability, and even enough forces. If he became emperor, it would be more acceptable than a woman being the emperor.
After the Little Demon Empress abdicates from the throne, the only force qualified to control Illusory Demon Realm would only be Duke Huai Palace… So Duke Huai’s actions, from another angle, was only an act with undue haste.
It was also because of this that more than half the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces which had been loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan for ten thousand of years favored Duke Huai.
But the truth was that Duke Huai Palace colluded with an outer force and murdered the Demon Emperor, murdered the Little Demon Emperor, cut off the united Illusory Demon Realm, and the Demon Emperor’s clan that had let the world be peaceful for ten thousand years! This was an action that was devoid of humanity, troubled the world, and angered both human and god!
If the truth were known by the world, then, even if the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces had ten thousand guts, they wouldn’t dare to fall on Duke Huai Palace’s side.
Duke Huai Palace, would become the target of public criticism, the enemy of everyone under heaven, being despised and punished by everyone.
But now, even if the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che knew the horrible truth, and even if they escaped from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley today, they couldn’t expose the truth to the world. Because Duke Ming’s measurements were incredibly brilliant, a series of conspiracy and murder didn’t leave a trace of mark. The Demon Emperor died in Profound Sky Continent, the Little Demon Emperor died in Profound Sky Continent, and the Demon King also died in Profound Sky Continent… Every single thing, all pointed to the Profound Sky Continent, and none of them pointed towards Duke Ming.
If the truth were exposed to the world like this now, they would instead be incriminated by Duke Huai Palace.
Duke Ming, was truly an extremely horrifying person.
If it weren’t for Yun Che meeting Yun Canghai under the coincidence of fate and the arrangement of the heavens, and found out about his grandfather being plotted against as he stepped into Profound Sky Continent, then until now, perhaps they wouldn’t have known the whole truth… and they would still have ignored this “Duke Ming” person’s existence.
The Little Demon Empress gazed at Yun Che as a peculiar light shone from deep within her eyes, “Then how did you know that Duke Ming, who was behind all of this, would appear here? Did you also guess that?”
“Mn, I guessed it.” Yun Che raised his head, “When you were at your best state, you suddenly cut the Grand Ceremony short after receiving the Demon Emperor’s Seal. The most reasonable explanation that I could think of was that after you received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, you would awaken your bloodline at the first moment. Subsequently, I thought that you might have had a way to force open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal, so I was worried that if Duke Huai Palace’s people also knew, and they would seize this extremely good chance of killing you.
I told all of this to my father and grandfather, but they weren’t worried, because even if this all became true, once you entered the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, even if Duke Ming attacked you personally, they couldn’t harm you… but I wasn’t able to relieve myself from the guesses and worries, so I came to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to confirm for myself. At the entrance, I didn’t see the seal, but I saw Hui Ran from Duke Huai Palace, so I knew that all of my worries had became true!”
“I confirmed from Hui Ran that Duke Huai and the Duke Ming that my father had spoken of had both entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and at the same time, I found out that even if you entered the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, you were doomed to not be able to awaken your bloodline… Today’s actions were only giving Duke Huai Palace a chance to kill you. Thus, I couldn’t wait for Father and the others to arrive, and came in here myself first.”
Yun Che lied a little bit, because he couldn’t say that he found out that the Little Demon Empress wouldn’t be able to awaken her bloodline from Jasmine.
“I didn’t know that your father was stabbed in the back by Duke Ming before. As for the Little Demon Emperor getting schemed upon by Duke Ming, I only thought of that after I entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.” Yun Che said with a steady face, “You were able to force yourself into Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. My father and grandfather didn’t know about it, and so it means that it is a secret of the Demon Emperor’s clan, but Duke Ming was very clear about it. Even you didn’t know that women could not bear the Golden Crow’s ancestral blood, but Duke Ming obviously knew.”
“The people in the world that knew your Demon Emperor’s clan’s secret better than you are possibly only the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. So I thought of the only possibility; that a hundred years ago, when the Little Demon Emperor was attacked by Duke Ming, on the verge of dying, and his consciousness was unfocused, Duke Ming searched his soul, and seized all of his memories… and what Duke Ming said before, proved it to be the truth without question.”
The Little Demon Empress’ heart trembled violently in her heart once again.
Today, Duke Ming seemed to clearly know about her coming to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and that she would gain nothing as a result. Also, he even knew clearly that the Demon Emperor’s Seal could launch the “blood escape” at a crucial moment…
This kind of savior trump card, was a secret that absolutely couldn’t be known by anybody of any race…
But Duke Ming knew clearly.
Yun Che’s words… the Little Demon Emperor back then was plotted against by Duke Ming and even his soul was searched… This guess pained her heart so much that it almost suffocated her… but it was the only explanation and possibility!
And once a person’s soul had been searched, the person would directly become a soulless shell… become a pitiful, living dead…
“Ugh…” A strain of almost black-colored blood flowed out from the corner of the Little Demon Empress’ mouth. That wasn’t the blood from her internal injuries, but the blood under her suffering and extreme anger… All these years, she was vigilant against Duke Huai Palace, but the extreme hatred in her heart, was always towards the Profound Sky Continent, and she even swore that for as long as she lived, when the time came, even if it would kill her, she had bathe the Profound Sky in a bloodbath, and get her absolutely irreconcilable vengeance.
Today she just found out, that all these years, she was hating the wrong person.
Her father was a worldly Demon Emperor who controlled Illusory Demon Realm in his palms, and the whole world bowed to him. But the real culprit that killed him wasn’t the Profound Sky Continent; he was plotted against by one of the people that he trusted the most! Her royal brother, who was also her husband, didn’t die tragically because he was trying to save their father, but was also plotted against… and died so tragically…
All these years, what she saw was all an illusion. What the whole Illusory Demon Realm thought of was also an illusion. Everyone, including her, the Little Demon Empress, were played in Duke Ming’s palms; even the Profound Sky Continent’s Four Great Sacred Grounds were still mere tools used by Duke Ming.
“Duke… Ming…” The Little Demon Empress’ hatred filled up her heart and soul. She grabbed tightly onto the grey clothes before her chest, and her trembling ten fingers were pale without any color of blood, “Duke… Ming… Duke… Ming… Even… if… I… become a ghost… I… will not… let… you… get… away… with… this…”
Chapter 598 - Desire in Peril
“Pfft…”
The Little Demon Empress spat out another large mouthful of black blood, and within the blood, were worrying pieces of blood clots. Following that, she gradually knelt onto the ground, her eyes occasionally losing focus and occasionally looking dull.
Seeing her vomit blood, Yun Che suddenly felt his heart clench as he rushed forward to support the Little Demon Empress’ thin shoulder. Just as his hand had touched the Little Demon Empress’ shoulder, she slapped it away heavily, “Let me tell you again… Don’t… touch me!”
The Little Demon Empress looked extremely weak, but her slap was not light. It had caused Yun Che to retreat several steps while her body trembled intensely and nearly collapsed. She then looked up, her tender face looking so weak that it caused one’s heart to ache, but her gaze still exhibited the coldness and stubbornness that could never dissipate, “Solely based on the fact that you visually violated my body that day… even if you’re the Demon King’s descendant, I should dig out your eyes… If you dare touch me again… I will kill you!”
Her lifeline had been severed and both her mind and body had been severely injured. Yet, she still cared about such things… The corners of Yun Che’s lips quivered as he rebutted with displeasure, “I already said that I did not peek at you on purpose that night… I had been there all along. It was you who did not detect me and stripped…”
Even before Yun Che had finished speaking, a scorching wave swept the area and the Little Demon Empress’ tender white hand grabbed onto his neck, “Do you really think that… I wouldn’t dare to kill you!”
Although the Little Demon Empress was weak, she still possessed the strength of a mid stage Monarch. Even in her current state, killing Yun Che was a simple task. Yun Che nodded and replied seriously, “Mn… Because you do not have any killing intent towards me.”
Immediately after he spoke, Yun Che was afraid the Little Demon Empress would storm off and he quickly continued, “We have already been forced to such a peril, so now we need to think of how to escape… Even if you want to kill me or dig out my eyes, at least wait until we have escaped.”
“Hmph!” Little Demon Empress flung her hand and pushed Yun Che far away, “Escape? Are you so naive to think that we can escape from Duke Ming’s vicious clutches?! Now is only the calm before the storm.”
Yun Che’s eyebrows knitted as he replied, “I have encountered situations more dire than this at least ten times! However, I’m still alive now… That’s because before I lose my breath, I will struggle with everything I have! Even if there were ten more Duke Mings, I would not sit still!”
“Little Demon Empress, you’re the monarch of Illusory Demon Realm. For the past century, you’ve suffered the pain of losing all your closest kin and have been bearing pressure far beyond anyone’s imagination. You had to face the judgment of the world, worry about the future of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and handle the wild ambition of Duke Huai Palace. Even so, you’ve still held the position of the monarch and protected the remaining pride of the Demon Emperor for the past hundred years. Duke Huai could not defeat you, and even the powerful Duke Ming, who harmed the late Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor, had been unable to realize his wishes all this while because of you…”
“Every time my father talks about you, he holds you in high regard, and after I realized the truth, I also came to respect you greatly. It can be said that among all the women I’ve seen in my life, other than my master, you’re the most outstanding one! You’re the powerful Little Demon Empress, the only female monarch in the entire history of Illusory Demon Realm… Such an outstanding person, would they be willing to accept fate?! I know that in order to save me, you were severely injured and your lifeline was severed… However, as long as we are able to escape today, even if your lifeline is broken, I have ways to let you live! Don’t forget, my parents had been severely injured for more than twenty years but were still completely cured by me!”
Little Demon Empress, “…”
Yun Che walked forward and stood in front of her, “Little Demon Empress, I would never believe there is anything ‘absolute’ in this world! Also, there is also no absolute peril! If you’re still unwilling to die… If you still want to personally exact revenge for your royal father and the Little Demon Emperor… then follow me. Make use of the short remaining time to come up with a plan and escape no matter what!”
The Little Demon Empress was stunned as she looked straight at Yun Che’s eyes… Within them, she saw concern, but no fear nor one bit of hopelessness! The look on his face did not change one bit… This was the first time in her life that someone’s look was so bright that she felt it was eye-catching. She lost focus for some time and even the darkness in her soul started to waver.
“Furthermore, and most importantly!” Yun Che said extremely seriously, “You should know that the Demon Emperor’s bloodline possesses a secret that only Demon Emperors and the Yun Family Patriarch know! Before, when the late Demon Emperor was harmed, he could not pass the secret on to the Little Demon Emperor in time, and my grandfather had also been harmed in Profound Sky Continent… However, when I met my grandfather, not only did he pass me the Demon Emperor’s Seal, he had also told me this secret which was crucial to the Demon Emperor’s Bloodline and told me to personally pass it on to you!”
Yun Che words caused the Little Demon Empress to be shocked once again! As the daughter of the Demon Emperor, she certainly knew the existence of this secret but did not understand why the Patriarch of the Yun Family could know this secret when the Demon Crown Prince could not until he succeeded the throne. No matter whether it was her or whether it was the Little Demon Emperor, they did not ask about this matter, despite their curiosity. Originally, she had thought that this secret was lost when the Demon Emperor and Demon King had met with harm, and would be buried forever. However, Yun Che had actually brought this secret of the Demon Emperor back.
She looked at Yun Che… When he spoke, his eyes did not show any signs of lying, “There’s naturally a reason why this secret was not imparted upon you earlier. It’s because this secret can only be used during the most dangerous and desperate of times… like the current situation with the Illusory Demon Royal Family! If this was mentioned earlier, once one did not have sufficient determination, something disastrous would happen!”
“Because, this was a… way to let the heir to the Demon Emperor… advance to a Half God Realm and let him possess the strength of someone half a step into the Divine Profound Realm!”
Half God Realm… Half-step Divine Profound!
This was something that only existed in the imagination and legends, and even to the Little Demon Empress, it sounded too much like a dream.
“What did… you say?” she uttered in disbelief.
“What I just said was something my grandfather personally told me. If I had said any lies, I would burn within the depths of hell when I die.” Yun Che looked at Little Demon Empress straight in the eye and said with absolute seriousness and uncertainty, “At that time, personally killing Duke Ming wouldn’t be any difficult task! Destroying Duke Huai Palace would also be simple! You can rebuild the entire Illusory Demon Realm and no one would dare disobey you! The people and families that had betrayed you would tremble below your feet and regret…”
“As long as you can survive today, all of it would come true!”
“Therefore, there’s no more reason for you to sit still and leave it to fate any more!”
Half-step Divine Profound… Avenge her father… Avenge her husband… Rebuild the might of the Demon Emperor… Reform the entire Illusory Demon Realm…
Each of Yun Che’s words was like lightning striking directly at her soul. Her eyes started to lose their dullness and lifelessness, and they started to tremble intensely as a strong desire started to frantically appear…
Crack!
Boom!
A thick bolt of purple lightning struck down from the skies, shattering the tough profound stones on the ground and causing a huge pit to appear. The strong shock wave traveled towards them and violently swept the weak Little Demon Empress away. Yun Che quickly flew up and caught the Little Demon Empress in midair, gently wrapping his right arm around her waist.
Although the Little Demon Empress’ clothes were big, her body was extremely thin. In particular, her slender waist was tender like the branches of a willow, allowing Yun Che’s arms to completely wrap around it easily.
The Little Demon Empress’ body froze slightly, but this time, she did not attack Yun Che and instead just said softly, “Go… I want to kill Duke Ming… to avenge my royal father and royal brother… I cannot die here… bring me away… no matter what… I cannot die here…”
Yun Che’s words had undoubtedly given the Little Demon Empress a large amount of hope and desire. Yun Che smiled and nodded firmly. The arm around her waist wrapped around even more tightly, “You are more familiar with Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley than I am… Which direction is the most advantageous for us to head toward?”
“To the east… the ancestral land is in that direction… Although we cannot enter without the Demon Emperor’s Seal… If we are able to reach that place before Duke Ming finds us… The Golden Crow Divine God… might not watch without interfering…”
“Okay!!” Yun Che replied strongly and activated the Extreme Mirage Lightning, shooting towards the east like a bolt of lightning. In actual fact, whether it was Yun Che or the Little Demon Empress, they clearly knew that it was near impossible to arrive at the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land before Duke Ming.
Even if they managed to arrive first… The answer as to whether the soul of the Golden Crow would intervene was already clear. Because, with the power of the soul of a true god, the situation within the entire Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was definitely clear to the soul of the Golden Crow. If it had wanted to intervene, it would have done so when the Little Demon Empress met Duke Huai and Duke Ming.
After all, it was the one that provided the bloodline of the Demon Emperor with the power of the Golden Crow. It was their entire clan’s benefactor, but not protector. It would not bother to meddle in such affairs!
The secret regarding the “half-step Divine Profound” that Yun Che had explained to the Little Demon Empress was not a lie. When the Demon Emperor’s clan faced the danger of being exterminated, they could use this secret of the Demon Emperor to obtain the strength of half-step into the Divine Profound Realm… becoming unbeatable in this world. This would cause the situation to change and allow the Demon Emperor’s bloodline to rebuild.
However, all that Yun Che had described was only half the entire truth.
The other half was… that although this secret way could indeed allow someone with the Demon Emperor’s bloodline to obtain the profound strength of half a step into the Divine Profound Realm, their longevity would in turn be left with only three years…
This was also the reason why Yun Che did not immediately tell Little Demon Empress the secret that Yun Canghai had passed on to him even though he had already been in Demon Imperial City for three months.
Using Extreme Mirage Lightning, Yun Che’s speed became faster and faster, to the extent that even Little Demon Empress was shocked. He only possessed the strength of the Sky Profound Realm, and there were no strong profound fluctuations coming for him, yet, he could raise his speed to the level of a low-level Monarch. Based on the understanding of any profound practitioner, this was something that was basically impossible.
Along the way, Yun Che had shook off numerous fire spirits and lightning spirits. His eyebrows knitted tightly, as his eyes scanned the road in front, searching for any possibility.
The Little Demon Empress had mentioned before, this was the north-western boundary of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and looking northward, there were no longer signs of the scorching earth and no signs of the volcanoes that were engulfed in flames. All that was seen was a frightening scene of redness that was boiling, as though it were a boundless purgatory of blood.
Yun Che could not help but ask, “What surrounds the borders of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley? A spatial barrier?”
“No! It’s one thousand, five hundred kilometers of lava! This lava is not made of any molten rocks, but comprised of the most scorching profound stone refined by the Golden Crow Flame! This one thousand, five hundred kilometers of lava surrounds the entire Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and is named the “Sea of Death!” If one dares to touch the Sea of Death, even at Duke Ming’s level, he would instantly be injured. If he’s submerged within the Sea of Death, just a few short breaths of time would be able to turn him into ashes! If we were to suffer at the hands of Duke Ming here, he would undoubtedly throw us into the Sea of Death to eliminate any evidence!”
Just as the Little Demon Empress had finished speaking, a very gentle voice that to them, was like a nightmare, sounded from the sky, “Heheheheh, Princess Caiyi is indeed as clever as I had expected. You had the same plan as this duke.”
Yun Che abruptly stopped moving, gritted his teeth and looked forward… About a hundred meters in front of him, the air distorted violently and the distorting space was torn apart violently. Duke Ming walked out slowly from within, his face revealing a casual smile. He was followed by Duke Huai, who was smiling coldly.
“Duke… Ming!!!” Little Demon Empress stared intensely at Duke Ming who appeared in front of them as she uttered the two words that filled her with deep pain… as well as the strongest hatred and killing intent that she had ever felt.
Chapter 599 - Sea of Death
“Oh? Little Demon Empress, you don’t seem too well. Your heart vessel has been severed and your internal organs are all damaged. You must be feeling quite miserable now, right?” Duke Huai laughed arrogantly, “This duke has been unable to do anything to you, but now that my royal father has personally acted, even if you’re the Little Demon Empress, you’re still vulnerable.”
“Oh, judging by the looks of the two of you, did you imagine that you could have escaped? Hahahaha…” Duke Huai started to laugh hysterically, “This duke had thought that you two would choose to honorably end yourselves so that we couldn’t get the chance to kill you ourselves. However, I did not imagine that there would be anyone in this world that would have such a laughable imagination. Since you want to escape, then run all you want. Let this duke see where you can escape to, hahahahaha!”
The speed at which Duke Ming had appeared was much faster than what Yun Che had imagined. His gaze turned cold and his breathing also became heavier. Duke Huai’s hysterical laughter and arrogant words caused his soul to fluctuate while he concentrated solely on Duke Ming.
“Hug me tightly…”
Within the Little Demon Empress’ mind, Yun Che’s voice suddenly rang, “Hug me tightly and no matter what happens later, don’t loosen up nor let go… As long as you have any consciousness, remember to not let go!”
“This is our… only hopes of escape! Believe me!”
The Little Demon Empress was stunned.
What they were facing now was the true definition of peril. Even without Duke Ming, Duke Huai alone could easily put them to death. Now, even if Yun Qinghong arrived, there was no possibility of survival.
As for Yun Che, in front of this frightening person from Illusory Demon Realm, no one would believe that he had any chance of escape… It would be impossible for even a slim chance of a struggle.
However, as though she did not have any control, the Little Demon Empress opened her arms and followed Yun Che’s instructions, hugging his waist tightly…
During the Demon Imperial Reign Ceremony, he had continuously defied what people thought to be impossible with earth-shattering results and repeatedly turned their laughter into shock… By himself, he rebuilt the reputation of the Yun Family and decimated Duke Huai’s foolproof plan… causing her to feel deep admiration for the first time in her life.
Now, she also could not help but to trust him.
Hugging this twenty-two year old man who was weak and yet ignored all danger to protect her suddenly made her feel more assured. She was immersed in this mysterious, foreign and incomprehensible feeling. In the depths of her head, a muffled voice seemed to be telling her, “This is… the feeling of relying on someone…”
Duke Ming raised both his hands and looked towards the sky saying, “Princess Caiyi, your Demon Emperor’s bloodline has already ruled over Illusory Demon Realm for ten thousand years. It’s time for this to end. From today onwards, there will no longer be any Demon Emperor within Illusory Demon Realm, and my son will no longer be Duke Huai. Instead, he will immediately ascend the throne and become Emperor Huai! As for your Demon Emperor’s clan, you’ll be soon be forgotten by the Illusory Demon Realm. And you, Princess Caiyi, will not only be the last ruler of the era of Demon Emperors, you’ll also become the shameful conclusion to that era of Demon Emperors. It’s such a pity you won’t live to see all this.”
“Royal father,” Duke Huai said, “let me deliver their ends to them. These two pathetic worms are too lowly for royal father to personally act. Especially Yun Che… let me kill him personally to quell the hatred in my heart.”
Duke Ming glanced and faintly said, “You’re a mid stage monarch and the person that is about to ascend the throne of Illusory Demon Realm. Yet, you actually took initiative and are so desperate to kill this person whose age and strength are far below you. In front of him, you have failed miserably.”
Duke Ming’s faint words caused Duke Huai’s body to stiffen as he hung his head in shame and say, “I am useless…”
“No, this duke did not say that you’re wrong.” Duke Ming slowly continued, “This was the first time in your life your plans were messed up; your emotions lost control, you were shamed, and all this was because of a mere youth older than twenty. This was something you could not comprehend. and perhaps you have not realized but in your heart, he has already planted a demon… The only way for you to completely exterminate the demon in your heart is to personally kill Yun Che.”
“Kill them!”
Duke Huai suddenly looked up and replied, “Yes!”
“Also! Facing someone you must kill, no matter how weak that person is, even if he’s like the meat below your knife, you must not toy with him! You must eradicate him in the shortest amount of time possible!”
“I will remember royal father’s teachings!”
Duke Huai immediately appeared in front of Yun Che, and locked onto him with a strong aura. Duke Huai smiled as his casual and arrogant gaze made it seem as though he was looking at two pathetic worms, “Yun Che, this duke has been thinking for the past few hours how he could tear your corpse to shreds personally to quell my hatred. However, it’s no longer important now. This duke going to be the ruler of Illusory Demon Realm soon, and you no longer have the qualifications for this duke to hate you. You don’t even deserve to be looked in the eye by this duke. Having the Little Demon Empress accompany you in death sure is a lucky thing.”
“Then, you shall continue protect the Little Demon Empress in hell!”
Duke Huai’s face revealed ferocity as he raised both his hands and laughed hysterically. A skull-shaped crimson-black flame then appeared above his head and grew more than thirty meters in size instantly. The sky was now darker, and the fire spirits and lightning spirits escaped frantically as though they were scared of something…
Duke Huai had always put Duke Ming’s words in his mind and this blow of his was nearly ninety percent of all his strength. This fallen flame that was used against a Sky Profound Realm profound practitioner was no longer simple overkill… this was strength that could even destroy the Little Demon Empress in one move in her current state.
There was an instant of darkness as the massive Fallen Flame Devil shot straight towards Yun Che with a devilish howl… Although their main motive coming to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley today was to kill the Little Demon Empress, both Duke Ming and Duke Huai targeted their attacks at Yun Che and not the Little Demon Empress.
Perhaps within their consciousness, Yun Che was the bigger threat, as compared to the Little Demon Empress.
Such a frightening attack would put even an Overlord to death, needless to say someone in the Sky Profound Realm.
The profound energy in the Little Demon Empress surged as she wanted to defend, ignoring the dangers to her heart vessel, when she heard Yun Che shout, “Don’t move!!!”
Yun Che retreated at full strength as his right hand supported the Little Demon Empress’ waist tightly. However, under the pressure emitted by Duke Huai, it was extremely difficult for him to move as he saw the Fallen Flame Devil approaching… At the instant the Fallen Flame Devil was about to hit him, he turned abruptly and allowed the Fallen Flame Devil to strike against his back…
“Sealing Cloud Locking Sun!!!”
BOOM!!!
Following a deafening blast, the Fallen Flame Devil that came from Duke Huai exploded and filled the air over tens of kilometers, which made the surroundings seem as though it was a world where the flames of doomsday had arrived. Yun Che had been swept several kilometers away, as though he was wind blown by a typhoon…
Seeing the figure that was a distance away, the smile on Duke Huai’s face stiffened and even Duke Ming’s expression darkened, “What?!”
A strike that was nearly full power from a mid stage Monarch. Even a hundred or ten thousand Sky Profound practitioners would be destroyed instantly without any trace.
However, Yun Che had only been sent several kilometers away and his body was still intact. Although his aura was extremely weak, he was still alive! Even his consciousness did not seem to dissipate… He was still carrying the Little Demon Empress and rushed towards the north with a speed that was not possible for his profound strength.
“He actually… didn’t die?!” Duke Huai’s eyes stared widely and did not revert for some time as he could not believe what he saw or felt.
However, how could he know that Yun Che had possessed the body of the Dragon God, was under the protection of the Great Way of the Buddha, and had undergone eighteen months of refinement within the spatial storm without using any profound strength. A normal tyrant was unable to harm him.
Furthermore, the protection of Sealing Cloud Locking Sun and his high resistance against flame profound arts… Even a blow at full strength by him, Duke Huai, was unable to take Yun Che’s life!
“Hmph, although he did not die, he’s severely injured. All his organs have been shifted and half of his meridians have been severed,” Duke Ming said calmly, but the shock in his eyes still did not dissipate. A Sky Profound Realm practitioner forcefully receiving a blow of a mid stage Monarch without dying, and still even possessed enough strength to escape… Even for someone as strong as Duke Ming, it was something that shocked the depths of his heart.
If this person did not die… When he matured, his strength would be frightening!
Luckily, he was bound to die today!
“Quickly give chase… and kill them!” Duke Ming said deeply.
Yun Che pushed his Extreme Mirage Lightning to its limits. While severely injured, his vision was sometimes clear and sometimes blurred. However, his speed did not drop one bit.
They were originally already at the borders of Golden Crow Lightning Crow Valley and now, just below them, was a bloody red scene —— That was the sea of lava which had been boiling for ten thousand years.
One thousand and five hundred kilometers of the Sea of Death!
A warm fluid gradually flowed onto the Little Demon Empress’ hand. She then turned and looked at her palms… Her two slender and snow white arms had now been completely dyed with blood. It was as though she had just been soaking in a sea of blood.
The Little Demon Empress’ body trembled slightly.
She looked up, her eyes meeting Yun Che’s at that instant. From Yun Che’s face, she could not see any signs of pain; instead, she saw a gradual smile, “Don’t worry, I’m alright.”
The warm voice and the gentle smile seemed to have its own indescribable magical powers as it strongly touched the depths of the Little Demon Empress’ soul, making her lose focus and forgetting how to speak.
“Do you feel that… I’m very outstanding, heheh!” Yun Che laughed. As they went closer and closer to the Sea of Death, the surrounding air had become ten times hotter than what a normal human being could bear.
Little Demon Empress, “…”
Behind them, Duke Ming and Duke Huai approached swiftly, and within a few breaths of time, they had already closed the distance by half. However, when they were finally above the Sea of Death, their speeds had clearly slowed down. Perhaps they had guessed what Yun Che had done, or maybe it was because the Sea of Death was too frightening and they did not dare to approach it.
“They actually entered the Sea of Death!” Duke Huai gritted his teeth. Before, he did not manage to kill Yun Che in one move and looked as though he still could not comprehend.
“Looks like you’ve chosen an honorable death!” Duke Ming replied faintly, “Hmph! Alright, it’ll save us the trouble. The eventual results of dying in our hands would also be being thrown into the Sea of Death.”
Yun Che’s speed had also slowed down until he completely stopped. He did not turn around to see how close Duke Ming and Duke Huai were, but instead, looked ahead at the blood-like sea that seemed boundless, “I do not know what your chances of survival are from me doing this… However, this was the only way that I imagined where we had any chances…”
“Hug me tightly… Close your eyes…”
Yun Che released his profound energy and Phoenix Flame. The scarlet flame wrapped around him and the Little Demon Empress and yet, it did not make Little Demon Empress feel any sensation of heat… Just the feeling of a warm breeze blowing around her.
Yun Che closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. His hands wrapped around the Little Demon Empress tightly as he removed his profound energy that was causing them to float and crashed down along with her… They fell straight into the Sea of Death below them and silently sunk into the seemingly boundless, blood-like sea.
Chapter 600 - Endless Molten Lava
The searing heat wave in the air above the Sea of Death was even scarier than the profound flames released by a normal Overlord. The fire spirits wandering above the air were all releasing the aura of the Tyrant Profound Realm. Furthermore, it was said that deep within the Sea of Death, fire spirits of the Sovereign Profound Realm were bred.
Duke Ming and Duke Huai’s bodies were frozen as they helplessly watched Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress fall into the Sea of Death. Duke Ming waved his long sleeves and took Duke Huai with him through space. Almost within the instant they traveled, backed away from above the Sea of Death to its edge. Because as strong as Duke Huai was, overstaying there would still be unbearable.
“Hmph! Letting them die just like that… It’s too easy for them!” Falling into the Sea of Death would certainly mean their deaths. There was not any possibility for them to survive it, because even if it was his royal father, Duke Ming, who fell within, he would be melt into ashes in the time of at most ten breaths. But Duke Huai didn’t get too much pleasure from it; instead he gnashed his teeth from feeling unhappy with the result!
Because Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress could be tortured and killed at his will, he used all of his strength, but he was extremely surprised that not only was he not able to kill them, but instead gave them a chance to kill themselves… especially Yun Che! Even though Yun Che died and completely perished right before his eyes, Duke Huai couldn’t fully release the anger that was bottled up in his chest the whole day, and this made him incredibly uncomfortable.
“When you couldn’t kill them just now, this duke already knew that they would choose this way to die,” Duke Ming said softly.
“It’s this child’s incapability,” Duke Huai lowered his head and said.
“Let it go.” Duke Ming looked at the Sea of Death that was forever boiling with indifference in his eyes, and followed with a slow, cold sneer, “Today’s Grand Ceremony was a complete mess, but it was a blessing in disguise! The return of the Demon Emperor’s Seal easily made the Little Demon Empress gave us a chance to kill her! And Yun Che barging in was another additional reward! Dying in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, perishing in the Sea of Death, not even half a trace of it would remain. Even if he really had a powerful master, or a strong force behind him, they will never be able to trace it back to us.”
“This is all heaven’s will… Heaven is favoring our clan!”
“That’s right, it is all heaven’s will!” Duke Huai laughed loudly, “The Little Demon Empress died. There is no longer a Demon Emperor’s bloodline in this world! After this, the Illusory Demon Realm will belong to us! Congratulations royal father… No, I should congratulate our clan finally following the heaven’s will and getting what we wished for, and will control the Illusory Demon Realm from now on!”
“Don’t celebrate so early yet.” Duke Ming said slowly, “The Little Demon Empress’ death was only the end of the generations of Demon Emperor’s rulings. There are still a lot of obstacles on your path of becoming the emperor! Those Guardian Families and Duke Palaces that will be loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan ‘til death are all great obstacles. Especially the Yun and Mu Families; according to what Yun Che had said earlier, they are already suspecting this duke’s existence.”
“Don’t worry, royal father,” Duke Huai said while seeming confident, “when the Little Demon Empress was alive, they were already suppressed to an extent that they didn’t even have the guts to do anything! Now that the Little Demon Empress is dead, they lost their backbone, and are more like a sheet of loose sand. Perhaps they would even rush to our Duke Huai Palace to surrender… Talk about an obstacle that’s worth considering, hmph, simply relying on a revived Yun Qinghong still cannot help them thrive in this environment!”
Duke Ming didn’t show any expression, and slowly nodded his head, “Royal father still cannot show his face in this short period of time. The path has already been paved successfully. It will be up to you to get rid of the last obstacles. If you can’t even do that…”
“I will definitely not disappoint royal father!” Duke Huai said in an arrogantly, definite tone before Duke Ming finished speaking.
At this moment, Duke Ming suddenly turned around, looked to the south indifferently, and said in a low voice, “People from the Yun Family and the Mu Family are here… There are twelve people in total. Hmph, their lineup is enough, but unfortunately it’s too late!”
“Then what should we do now? Avoid them?” Duke Huai said, his expression didn’t show any surprise or panic.
“No need.” Duke Ming raised his arm, and held up the Demon Emperor’s Seal, “Do you know why even though I still make the effort to seize this Demon Emperor’s Seal even when I have the absolute confidence in putting the Little Demon Empress to death?”
Duke Huai answered, “Royal father said, when the people of the Demon Emperor’s clan have the Demon Emperor’s Seal on them, if they are in danger of life, the Demon Emperor’s Seal will automatically drink the Demon Emperor’s blood in order to launch the blood escape, and the power of blood escape can help them escape out of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… Also, if the Little Demon Empress finds the chance to escape to the spot where she first entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, she could use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to directly leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley…”
Having spoken of that, Duke Huai was suddenly enlightened, “Royal father, could it be…”
“That’s right,” Duke Ming grabbed the Demon Emperor’s Seal, “In order to escape Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, it needs the Demon Emperor’s blood. But in the memory of the Little Demon Emperor, it clearly recorded that dukes with a thin Demon Emperor’s blood can also do so! It would only take more blood.”
“In the entire world, only the two of us know this secret. It is known to the common people that if you want to get out of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, you can only wait until the seal forms itself again, and then be forcefully discharged. Aside from this, there is no other way!”
“If so, when we use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to escape Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and after this you show yourself in the Demon Imperial City, then everyone would know that you couldn’t have been in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley! After the news of the Little Demon Empress disappearing in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley spreads out, if the Yun Family and the Mu Family go against you, you could use this to shut them up, and even accuse them!”
Duke Huai’s eyes immediately brightened up; he could almost see the incredibly awful look on Yun Qinghong’s face when that happened, “Royal father is wise!”
“Let us wait temporarily for an hour,” Duke Ming said softly as he looked at the Sea of Death once again.
Duke Huai stuttered, “Could royal father be worried that… but falling into the Sea of Death, there is no possibility for them to live. Even if it was royal father, you would also…”
“Hmph!” Duke Ming scoffed lightly, “This Yun Che reveals a lot of strangeness! You weren’t able to kill him with all your powers, making me feel like this person cannot be judged with normal reasoning… it even made me feel an instant of a sense of danger!”
“Even if the Little Demon Empress doesn’t die, he must die!” Duke Ming said coldly, “This Sea of Death is the molten lava of the Golden Crow that has been boiling for ten thousand years!”
“This can count as a reward for him making this duke feel an instant of the sense of danger!”
“Yes.” Even though Duke Huai thought Duke Ming’s cautiousness was too exaggerated and even ridiculous, he didn’t dare to disobey. And one hour was far from enough for the Yun Family and the Mu Family who had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to arrive here in time.
The only result of falling into the Sea of Death was becoming ashes, no matter who it was.
The Little Demon Empress closed her eyes… Disappearing into the Sea of Death was at least far better than dying in the hands of Duke Ming and Duke Huai. It was just that she was destined to not be able to take revenge and reconcile this hatred higher than the heavens. Even the truth would remain unknown forever. Even the whole Illusory Demon Realm would fall into the hands of Duke Huai Palace.
She had an infinite amount of unwillingness, but at this moment, she was incredibly calm. She didn’t know if it was because death was close within reach, or because… of this man by her side who was hugging with her tightly.
She felt her entire body sinking into the boiling lava, the sense of burning was flowing everywhere. What was even more scary than the burning feeling, was the sense of death. But the time passed by breath by breath, she still didn’t feel her life disappearing, didn’t lose her senses, but the sensation of sinking was particularly clear. The burning feeling around her still existed, but it didn’t become stronger. Even though her body had been seriously injured, she was still able to endure it completely.
The Little Demon Empress opened her eyes in confusion, and found a pair of bright eyes looking straight at her. Yun Che grinned and said, “Heh… did… you… think… that… you died… already?”
In her sight, besides Yun Che… everything else was dark red like the color of blood!
Whether it was front, back, up, or down… the slowly boiling lava was everywhere!!
They were in the world of molten lava right now, but somehow this molten lava didn’t touch their bodies. Surrounding them was a three meters thick layer of bright, red flames. This layer of bright, red flames was thin, but it completely isolated the endless molten lava around them… Even the burning temperature of the molten lava was significantly reduced!
The Little Demon Empress knew how scary the molten lava of the Sea of Death was. No one in the Illusory Demon Realm would disagree calling it the scariest thing in the world. Isolating the molten lava in the Sea of Death… not to mention her, even if her royal father were still alive, it would be absolutely impossible to do it.
But that layer of flames… the bright, red flames from Yun Che, was able to do it.
“This… What is going on?” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was as if she was in a dream; she still couldn’t believe her eyes.
Yun Che clenched his teeth tightly. He had the power of the Evil God; even if the molten lava of the Sea of Death was ten times scarier, it wouldn’t be able to harm him. But he must pour all of his powers into isolating the molten lava and the scary heat to protect the Little Demon Empress. Even though he had an incomparable fire controlling ability, this was the fire from the holy Golden Crow after all, and the molten lava surrounding them spread for a thousand miles endlessly. If wasn’t an easy task for him to completely isolate it.
It was incredibly difficult for Yun Che to say the few words to the Little Demon Empress. Facing the Little Demon Empress’ questions, he already didn’t have the strength to explain, instead he clenched his teeth, and said difficulty, “I don’t know… how long… I can last… Duke Ming’s temperament is even more cautious than Duke Huai… Right now… they must still be guarding outside… so we cannot… leave yet…”
“Right now… I cannot be distracted to attend to you… If you want to kill Duke Ming yourself for revenge… try your hardest to lock in your vitality… At least before I can’t hold on anymore… you absolutely cannot die!”
With a broken lifeline, normal people would have died instantly already. Even an Overlord could only struggle to survive for a couple hours at most before dying… Even though a Monarch with a broken lifeline would also die for sure, if they supported themselves with all of their strength, with the profound body and powerful profound strength they had that exceeds the common people, there was a possibility for them to live for another several days, even dozens of days!
“…” The Little Demon Empress stared at Yun Che for a while. When she closed her eyes, the word “death” had already completely disappeared from her mind, and it was replaced by a strong desire to survive with deep, complicated emotions. She stopped being aware of the environment around them, forgot where she was, channeled the rest of the profound energy left in her whole body, and used it all to lock up the last of her life vitality… She must live; even if it wasn’t for revenge, it was for the hope Yun Che gave her with his everything.
“You idiot, hurry up and channel the Great Way of the Buddha!” Jasmine said in an exasperating tone, “In this molten lava environment, the active rate of the elements are no less than the spatial storm of the Primordial Profound Ark! The force of nature you absorb in every breath using the Great Way of the Buddha will be several dozens of times greater than of the outside world! Not only can it heal the wound on your body fast, your healing ability will also far surpass the depletion… and here you are questioning how long you can hold on for!”
“Of course I can hold on for as long as I want to!”
Yun Che’s eyes widened… when he realized it, he almost wanted to slap himself on the face… He was overthinking it under the shadow of Duke Ming, he ignored the fact that the Sea of Death was in an extreme elemental environment!
When he was first in the extreme elemental environment in the Primordial Profound Ark, his Great Way of the Buddha could absorb several dozen times the force of nature compared to normal, and kept him alive while his body was being destroyed by the spatial storm… Of course he could do it here!!
Yun Che focused his mind shortly, and a dull golden pagoda appeared spinning above his head. Instantly, pure natural essence flowed into his body like a stream… In merely the time for one breath, this stream already surged and became a flood, flowing into his whole body in an almost crazy level… Yun Che’s brain immediately became clear, the tiredness of his body was speedily decreasing, his outside wounds were healing at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye, even his broken meridians were healing at a speed that normal people couldn’t even believe.
Chapter 601 - Frozen Cloud Crisis
To the knowledge of all profound practitioners, the place with the most extreme flames would undoubtedly be a volcano. Within the violent fiery mountain, there would be roiling lava and, from time to time, there’d even be a sea of fire that stretched as far as the eye could see. A place like this would occasionally yield precious fire-attribute spirit treasures while it was simultaneously acted as a favored cultivation spot for some high-level profound practitioners who specialized in fire elements.
The Illusory Demon Realm and Profound Sky Continent both had volcanoes of various sizes scattered all around, but it wouldn’t be the least bit exaggerated to say a corner of this Sea of Death held a much greater area than all of these volcanoes combined.
Even an almighty Monarch would immediately turn pale when a discussion arose regarding the Sea of Death; it was a place that none dared to approach.
The activity of the fire element in this place was far beyond the limit of any profound practitioner’s imagination.
After Yun Che checked up on the Little Demon Empress’ condition, he immediately heaved a huge relieved sigh. Under normal conditions, even if he activated the Great Way of the Buddha with his full strength, it would still be difficult for him to stop the Little Demon Empress’ life from slipping away. But right now, since nature energy was ten times richer in this place, not only could he swiftly heal her injuries, he could also safely ensure she’d preserve her life… Even though her lifeline had been broken, as long as he did not lose access to the energy of heaven and earth, the last remnants of her vital energy would not fade away.
Now, he no longer worried whether he and the Little Demon Empress could survive. However, they could not leave the Sea of Death for now as it was extremely likely that Duke Ming and Duke Huai were waiting for them just around the corner. Yun Che began to focus and observed his surroundings… It was as though he had entered a world that consisted solely of flames because there was nothing else here other than an extreme fire element blazing in his vicinity.
As he possessed the Evil God’s Profound Veins and the Evil God’s Fire Seed, Yun Che had a perfect affinity with the element of fire. No matter the strength of a flame, as long as it was composed of pure flame energy, it would not bring him the slightest bit of harm. Even if he faced an extremely abstruse fire-based profound art, he would be able to handle it easily within a short period of time… However, this was the first time he had come in contact with such an intense environment of fire ever since obtaining the Evil God’s Fire Seed.
To other people, this was truly the sea of death.
But to Yun Che, whose inclination with fire nearly reached perfection, this was instead a paradise.
Yun Che held out his hand and it passed through the protective barrier, disappearing within the sea of fire. Immediately, what rushed into his body was not only the energy of heaven and earth but also an extremely rich and thick fire energy. It responded to the affinity he had with fire and it quickly rushed into his arm. Before the inducement of the Evil God’s Profound Veins themselves, it automatically spread towards his profound veins.
This was an extremely wondrous sensation that words could barely describe.
But what caused Yun Che to be truly astonished was that the fire energy retained all of its concentration and potency as it spread towards his profound veins, and it seemed that it did not want to leave as it slowly entrenched itself in his profound veins. As the fire energy slowly merged with his body, it caused his profound strength to undergo a slight… but completely noticeable growth.
The fire energy in this place… could actually be absorbed… and directly converted into profound strength?!
Refining and absorbing a fire spirit could increase one’s profound strength. However, without even taking into account the rarity of fire spirits, if a profound practitioner wanted to refine even a single one, it would require a significant amount of resources and effort, and it would even come with a great amount of danger as well. But at present, Yun Che had only absorbed some fire energy from this place yet it actually caused his profound strength to increase… This was simply outrageous! This was definitely something profound practitioners of this world could not possibly comprehend.
Moreover, not only did this process come with no side effects or risks, there was not even a trace of pain or difficulty involved at all.
Yun Che placed the barrier solely around the Little Demon Empress’ body before he submerged half his body into the sea of flames. Immediately, the thick and rich fire energy seemed to be inexorably drawn towards him and multitudinous streams of fire energy arose all around him as they rushed towards his body. The fire energy flowed into every artery, vein and drop of blood in his body. He induced the fire energy to circulate through every nook and cranny of his being, and gradually, he felt his whole body and even his soul enveloped in a thick and extremely warm sensation, as if all his blood and cells were starting to burn.
It felt as though he had morphed into a spirit of flame.
In these years with the Evil God’s Fire Seed and the Phoenix flames in his possession, he had never experienced such a delicate sensation.
In the end, this fire energy obediently rushed into his profound veins and began to circulate and slowly merge with them…
Yun Che’s current feelings were undoubtedly that of extreme joy and astonishment. He divided ten percent of his concentration to maintain the barrier around the Little Demon Empress, another ten percent to infuse the energy of heaven and earth into her body, and used the remaining eighty percent to absorb and guide the blazing hot, boundless, thick and rich fire energy that originated from this Sea of Death…
Even to a strong profound practitioner who could look down on all mundane things, this extremely high-class fire energy was the essence of death for them. At this moment, however, it was being greedily absorbed by Yun Che as tonic of the highest grade… Streams of fire energy began to circulate in his body twice, then thrice… and after the third circulation, Yun Che’s profound energy had already increased by ten percent and he had become completely immersed in the process.
As his profound strength was in the process of being strengthened, Yun Che could vaguely sense that his understanding towards the laws of fire had undergone some sort of faint and indistinct change.
Jasmine naturally observed Yun Che’s activity and current status. She focused on him right now, and her eyes ceaselessly flashed with astonishment. After a long while, she muttered to herself in a low voice, “The legends were indeed correct… This Sea of Death is a place that isn’t even supposed to exist on this plane. It actually went as far as to trigger the heaven-defying ability of the Evil God’s Profound Veins…”
“It is simply the world’s most shameless cultivation method that draws the resentment and envy of all others.”
“And the reason why it had not been triggered before is because the levels of those flames he had come into contact with previously were simply not high enough…”
“If he one day arrives at the Flame God Realm, and enters the Ancient Inferno Burial Ground of Gods…”
Jasmine did not make a sound so as to avoid disturbing Yun Che. Instead, she simply wordlessly observed every single change that occurred to his body… The Evil God, the most unique god that had existed in the mythological era of the primordial gods, did not belong to any faction and was not controlled by any other god. He did not even respect the primordial God Emperor and he was even unwilling to comply with the laws of primal chaos. The power that the Evil God left behind had been extremely elusive and when it had finally surfaced once more, it had driven countless people to engage in a crazy struggle… until it finally landed in her hands.
At the same time, it had nearly cost her own life.
But in the end, it was Yun Che who had inherited it.
Moreover, in the span of just a few short years, the strength of the Evil God’s power and its ‘heaven-defying’ attribute that allowed it to ignore to laws of heaven and earth were beginning to show themselves… such as being able to grant complete elemental immunity, such as being able to combine the two completely polar energies of fire and ice, and also such as being able to directly absorb elemental energy and make it a part of one’s own strength.
Or perhaps, the way he could easily endure the legacies of all his various divine powers was also because of the Evil God’s unique ability to ignore all natural laws.
Profound Sky Continent, North of the Blue Wind Nation.
“This place is the Snow Region of Extreme Ice?” A middle-aged man who was robed in green and looked to be around fifty years of age spoke as he looked at the boundless icy world before him, “The scenery isn’t all that bad.”
“This should be your first time ever stepping foot into the Blue Wind Nation, correct?” A purple-clothed old man said placidly as he stood by the side of the green-clothed man.
“Hmph!” The green-clothed man gave a cold and dull snort and his eyes glinted with deep arrogance and contempt, “If not for the instructions of the Young Master, why would I even deign to step into this lowly space. However, with such scenery to admire, coming here wasn’t a complete waste of time after all.”
This was a party of twenty people and the ones leading it were the green-clothed man and the purple-clothed senior. They were dressed in tight clothes of a single color and no distinctive feature or symbol could be seen on their attire.
But what was truly shocking was that all twenty people released a profound aura that was undoubtedly incomparably frightening. Especially the green-clothed man and purple-clothed senior, their bodies clearly exuded the aura of the Tyrant Profound Realm… and it was an aura that approached the mid stages of the Tyrant Profound Realm. Even the weakest of their followers exuded the aura of a level eight Throne!
The strongest person in the Blue Wind Nation, Ling Tianni, was a level six Throne, yet any one of the twenty people present was greater than him! Any one of them had the qualifications to rivaled in the entire Blue Wind Nation. These two Overlords were terrifying existences that were akin to gods in the Blue Wind Nation, they could easily blot out the sky of Blue Wind’s profound cultivation world with one hand.
“If you want to admire the scenery, you will have more than enough time after we complete our mission.” The purple-clothed senior said in a bland voice, “Frozen Cloud Asgard is nestled within this icy region, after we have found that girl called Xia Qingyue, we can return to give the Young Master our report.”
The green-clothed man looked ahead and the direction in which he was looking so happened to be where the Frozen Cloud Asgard was located. This boundless snowy region showed few signs of human life but given the spiritual perception of a Tyrant Profound Realm Practitioner, directly locking on to the location of the Frozen Cloud Asgard within this spacious and empty place definitely was not a hard task. He smiled merrily as he said. “I heard that Frozen Cloud Asgard is one of the four great powers of the Blue Wind Nation and it is only inferior Heavenly Sword Villa. But it seems like the strongest individuals are only at the Emperor Profound Realm, and there aren’t even more than two or three of these Emperor Profound Realm combined. An inferior land is in the end, only an inferior land. I simply cannot fathom why the Young Master would want us to attend to such a trivial matter.”
“Stop complaining already.” The purple-clothed old man said solemnly, “The Young Master has clearly said that this girl, Xia Qingyue, is extremely important to him. If not for the fact that the bottleneck of his devil art had suddenly loosened and required him to go into confinement, the Young Master was even prepared to personally take action. So it should be clear just how important this matter is to the Young Master!”
“Moreover, this mission is far less easy than you seem to believe!” The purple-clothed senior’s expression grew grave, “The Young Master said that Xia Qingyue is twenty-two years of age, yet her appearance is only that of a sixteen or seventeen year old and that she was christened the number one beauty in all of Blue Wind. Besides this, we do not have any other clues. Frozen Cloud Asgard has two to three thousand disciples, and they are all reportedly outstanding beauties, if they insist on not pointing out who Xia Qingyue is, it will definitely not be an easy task to differentiate all of them.”
“Besides, the Young Master has strongly emphasized that we must take Xia Qingyue back alive, and it would be best if we did not harm a single hair on her head! If Xia Qingyue dies, then our heads will also roll once we return! So before we determine who Xia Qingyue is… we cannot be too heavy handed towards any of the female disciples and all our actions must be taken with the utmost caution.”
“Hahahaha!” The green-clothed man gave a great laugh, “When a savage tiger hunts wolves, there will still be an element of risk. But when a fierce tiger rampages among lambs, can there still be any possibility of us suffering a setback? We cannot lay our hands on any young disciples so we will start from the ones who are older and we will slowly kill their sect leader and all their elders, forcing Xia Qingyue to surrender herself, it is that simple. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll just knock out every single one of them and bring them all back. Three thousand ice beauties, the Young Master will definitely be delighted if he sees them.”
“Anyways, I’ve also heard that the armies of the Divine Phoenix Empire are less than five hundred kilometers away from Blue Wind Imperial City, so in the matter of a few months, this Blue Wind Nation will be completely done for. Heh, there must also be something wrong in the head of the Divine Phoenix Empire, for them to burn with such anxiety that they would actually mobilize their entire army in a bid to quickly conquer this inferior country which is lacking in resources. And they even signed a nonaggression pact with the other five nations. Could it be because they were humiliated by the Blue Wind Nation during the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, that they were driven into a frenzy of rage?”
“These are no matters which require our attention.” The purple-clothed senior swiped his hand across his face and immediately his face was covered with a layer of dense, white fog, “Frozen Cloud Asgard is two hundred and fifty kilometers, we can begin our operation. I will repeat myself again, do your utmost to not not expose your identities, these are the Young Master’s orders.”
“Yes!” Their followers all sounded out at the same time and they also swiped their hands across their face, using profound energy to hide their appearances.
The green-clothed man performed the same actions and said disdainfully, “I hope this Frozen Cloud Asgard can bring us some surprises, maybe they’ll even sacrifice some precious treasure and ruffle my clothes a little bit… if not, it’ll simply be too boring.”
Before he had even finished speaking, all twenty of them had taken flight and they darted towards the direction of Frozen Cloud Asgard, quickly disappearing into the boundless sea of snow.
Chapter 602 - The Mystery of the Frozen Cloud Ancestor
Ping!!!
A deafening shattering sound rang sharply through the air, nearly traversing the entirety of Heavenly Sword Villa. All of the Heavenly Sword disciples who were practicing their sword skills, and even a few elders, involuntarily covered their ears. As they sought desperately to suppress an uncomfortable sensation which seemed to seep into their souls, they also looked towards the origin of that sound with expressions of amazement.
Heavenly Sword Ancestral Hall, the most sacred place in Heavenly Sword Villa, located at its very core. Following the sound of urgent footsteps, the Ancestral Hall’s great doors were pushed upon and Ling Yuefeng stepped in. With a glance, he saw Ling Tianni, who had clearly been in seclusion, standing by the side of the jade platform situated at the right side of the Ancestral Hall.
“Yuefeng, you’ve come.” Ling Tianni did not turn around; instead, he stood there silently, staring at the jade platform in front of him.
“Father, what’s happened?” Ling Yuefeng asked as he quickly strode forward. That peculiar ringing sound was definitely not a normal occurrence and the origin of that sound was from this place. When he saw that his father, who had been in seclusion for over a year, had actually appeared in this place, he knew that this matter was even more complex than he had initially anticipated.
As his voice fell, his gaze also fell upon the jade platform that Ling Tianni faced… From his memory, there had always been a clear, icy-blue jade pearl a foot in length placed atop this jade platform. This jade pearl did not emanate any aura and its only distinguishing feature was its emission of faint, icy-blue light when nighttime arrived.
He had learned from Ling Tianni that this jade pearl’s name was “Jewel of Icy Song” and it was an item gifted to the founder of Heavenly Sword Villa when their sect had just been established one thousand years ago by the founder of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, Mu Bingyun. As for what it was used for, Ling Tianni had never told him and he had also never paid it any mind.
But right now, this “Jewel of Icy Song” was no longer there and what replaced it was a pile of cluttered fragments shaped like ice crystals on the jade platform.
“The recent noise… was because this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ fractured?” Ling Yuefeng asked. If a jade pearl had merely broken, even though it was something left behind by their ancestor, it wouldn’t be too significant of a matter. However, Ling Tianni didn’t hesitate to break out of his cultivation seclusion to come here. Furthermore, the grave expression on his face told Ling Yuefeng that this matter was definitely not simple.
“Ah.” Ling Tianni heaved a deep sigh and said, “Something has happened to Frozen Cloud Asgard… a calamity great enough to destroy their entire sect.”
“What?” Ling Yuefeng’s eyebrows jumped fiercely.
Ling Tianni slowly replied, “This ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ was an item gifted to our founding father by the ancestor of Frozen Cloud Asgard, Mu Bingyun. But it was not meant as a gift. Back then, when the Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun gifted this to our founder, she said this: ‘One thousand years from now, Frozen Cloud Asgard will be plunged into a great crisis. The moment this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ breaks is the moment the crisis will descend upon Frozen Cloud Asgard…’”
“So that is to say… the Frozen Cloud Ancestor hoped that when this day came, our Heavenly Sword Villa would lend a helping hand?” Ling Yuefeng asked.
Ling Tianni inclined his head and replied, “That is right, this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ is linked to the final forbidden protective formation of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, the ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil.’ The ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil’ is something the Frozen Cloud Ancestor had set up by herself all those years ago and it’s a forbidden protective formation that will only open when Frozen Cloud Asgard has been pushed into truly dire straits. Once this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ breaks, it will let out a loud ring. This means the ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil’ has already been activated. For the next seven days, Frozen Cloud Asgard will be under the protection of this ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil.’ All those years ago, Frozen Cloud Asgard had hoped that Heavenly Sword Villa would be able to help them within seven days’ time when the day of their doom were to arrive.”
“Seven days…” Ling Yuefeng had a very complicated expression on his face, “To be able to plunge Frozen Cloud Asgard into such a disaster, the other party must be immeasurably strong or they might even be individuals of the Overlord class. The Frozen Cloud Ancestor and our Heavenly Sword Ancestor were high-level Thrones back in their day, so the protective profound formation that she laid down could only be at the strength of the at best the Emperor Profound. If they truly fought against Overlord-calibre enemies, the formation shouldn’t even last a single blow, much less for seven days… So, even if we do extend our hand to help, it would be days before we’d reach Frozen Cloud Asgard… it’s not even possible that we can arrive in time, right? What’s more, the current situation in the Blue Wind Nation is…”
“No…” Without waiting for Ling Yuefeng to finish, Ling Tianni interrupted him and said, “If your words were true, why would I still be so hesitant?”
Ling Tianni quietened down and it was only after a long time that he turned around and faced Ling Yuefeng, “Yuefeng, I was originally only planning to tell you these matters regarding Frozen Cloud Asgard when I approached my twilight years. But the day of calamity for Frozen Cloud Asgard has come, and it also involves a request made by the Frozen Cloud Ancestor… As Heavenly Sword’s Villa Master, the decision of our next course of action lies with you. So, I need to tell you about all of these affairs right now.”
“… Could it be that Frozen Cloud Asgard… is still hiding a secret that’s been hidden from the rest of the world?” Ling Yuefeng asked solemnly as he observed Ling Tianni’s grave expression.
“The secret does not lie with the Frozen Cloud Asgard proper, but with its founder… Mu Bingyun.” Ling Tianni slowly said, “For the next seven days, Frozen Cloud Asgard will definitely be safe from all harm, because once the ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil’ has been activated, no one in this world will be able to break it. Even if it is Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, Supreme Ocean Palace, Sun Moon Divine Hall, and Mighty Heavenly Sword Region. Even if all these four Sacred Grounds join hands, there is no possibility that they would break through.
“What?” Ling Yuefeng was greatly shocked, “This… How is this possible? Even if the Saint Emperor, the Sovereign of the Seas, the Heavenly Monarch, and the Sword Master acted in concert and used all their might, it would still be impossible for them to erect such a formidable profound formation… As a high level Throne, how is it possible for the Frozen Cloud Ancestor to have such an ability… Could it be power borrowed from some kind of incomparably strong artifact?”
Ling Tianni shook his head once more and raised his head slightly. His expression was unexpectedly one of complete subconscious admiration, “Wrong… The power of the Frozen Cloud Ancestor, Mu Bingyun, was far beyond what you or anyone in this world knows.”
Ling Yuefeng, “…”
“A thousand years ago, before our Heavenly Sword Villa had been established, Frozen Cloud Asgard was already in existence. When our Heavenly Sword Ancestor roamed across Blue Wind, he challenged all of the experts within Blue Wind, and he did not lose a single match. After that, he came to know of the existence of Frozen Cloud Asgard and he went to challenge the Frozen Cloud Mistress Mu Bingyun… Our ancestor thought it’d be a fight with no suspense, yet he lost to her… Everyone back then who had heard of this duel knew that our ancestor had only lost after a long fight with Mu Bingyun, but the true story our ancestor left behind for us was that Mu Bingyun had defeated him in one move.”
“This…” Before such shock, Ling Yuefeng’s pupils uncontrollably contracted for an instant.
“The Snow Region of Extreme Ice was not always called by that name, because in the past, that place rarely rained or snowed. It was only a vast, bitterly cold land filled with shrubbery that stretched as far as the eye could see. But one thousand years ago, a great blizzard descended upon the land for seven days and seven nights, and ever since then, it’s been locked in snow and ice. And after that, the Frozen Cloud Asgard appeared… What our ancestor left behind was this: The blizzard that lasted for seven days and seven nights was caused by Mu Bingyun.”
Ling Yuefeng, “!!!!”
“Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun’s true strength was unfathomable. From the description left behind by our ancestor, Mu Bingyun’s strength was on an incomprehensible level. Our ancestor swore to Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun that he would keep all of this a secret and he would not divulge it to anyone else. Because the Frozen Cloud Ancestor established the Frozen Cloud Asgard with the intention of taking in some ill-fated girls who had nowhere else to go, she was not willing to let the world notice their existence.”
“…” Ling Yuefeng descended into a stupor. Heavenly Sword Villa was the strongest force that lorded over Blue Wind. One thousand years ago, the ancestor who established Heavenly Sword Villa dominated all under heaven with his sword and he was unrivalled; he was the publicly acknowledged strongest in Blue Wind. It was only the direct inheritors of the Villa who knew of his defeat to the Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun all those years ago… and they had been told that it was a narrow loss.
But no one would have imagined that Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun was actually such a terrifying existence.
Defeating the Heavenly Sword Ancestor in a single move… If she had the ambition, how then could Heavenly Sword Villa lord over the Blue Wind for the past thousand years?
“Just where did that Frozen Cloud Ancestor come from? Could it be that… she was also like our ancestor, and she came from one of the Four Great Sacred Grounds?” Ling Yuefeng asked with a face full of astonishment. This kind of strength could only come from the Four Great Sacred Grounds.
“No.” Ling Tianni shook his head yet again, “No one knows where her origins lie even our ancestor did not know. It was not only her background no one knew of but also the profound art she used back then… Frozen End Divine Art was incomparably strong, yet no one had ever heard of it. Putting aside our ancestor, even up till today and even within the Four Great Sacred Grounds, not a single person knows where Frozen End Divine Art actually originated from.”
“Our Heavenly Sword Villa’s ‘Heaven’s Might Sword Art’ comes from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, and our ancestor stated that the Frozen Cloud ancestor’s ‘Frozen End Divine Art’ was far superior to our ‘Heaven’s Might Sword Art’ and that it was in no way inferior to the core profound arts cultivated by those in the Four Great Sacred Grounds. For a profound art to reach that level, it would require at least a few thousand years or even more than ten thousand years of background and continued tradition. But Mu Bingyun’s ‘Frozen End Divine Art’ seemed to have descended from the heavens. Even if you scoured the previous thousands of years of history, you would not be able to find a single trace of it.”
“And because the level of the ‘Divine End Frozen Art’ was too high, even though the female disciples Mu Bingyun had taken in all had good innate talent, not a single one of them could learn it. So, Mu Bingyun created the ‘Frozen Cloud Arts’… and even though the ‘Frozen Cloud Arts’ were weaker than the ‘Frozen End Divine Art’, within Blue Wind, and even across the entire Profound Sky Continent, it would definitely be considered a profound art of the highest quality. Yet Mu Bingyun had only used seven days in its creation.”
“…” Ling Yuefeng remained silent for a long period of time, but following that, he continued in a mystified voice, “If the Frozen Cloud ancestor was truly so strong, and even approached the level of an elder of a Sacred Ground, then why was her life span so short? If she had reached that level, shouldn’t she have a lifespan of several thousand years?”
Ling Tianni closed his eyes and replied, “This is something that no one knows. What is passed down within the Frozen Cloud Asgard is that their ancestor had passed from this mortal coil in their Frozen End Divine Hall. When our ancestor, who knew the true power of Mu Bingyun, personally went to the Frozen Cloud Asgard to verify this matter, he found out that Mu Bingyun had scattered into an icy mist which filled the entire Frozen End Divine Hall whereupon it disappeared. There was no body left behind, and what was left behind were only several words.”
“Because he never saw the body, our ancestor had always suspected that Mu Bingyun had never passed away… However, she did leave the ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ with him, which indicated that she would not be able to protect the Frozen Cloud Asgard from then on, indicating the possibility that she would no longer be in this world… So, even to the point of his death, our ancestor could not gain complete closure as to whether Mu Bingyun was alive or dead.”
“But a thousand years have passed and there are no longer any traces of Mu Bingyun left in this world, so she should have indeed already passed on. The reason she passed this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ likely means that she too felt her life was coming to an end. If not, given her ability, why would she request assistance from our Heavenly Sword Villa on her own accord?”
“After the Frozen Cloud Ancestor passed on, the reason for Frozen Cloud Asgard’s existence also continued to change. When the Frozen Cloud Ancestor established the Frozen Cloud Asgard, she only took in a few girls who had suffered bitter hardships and were in hopeless situations. But even after the Frozen Cloud Asgard lost Mu Bingyun, the strength of the Frozen Cloud Art still caused its reputation to flourish. The newly accepted disciples were gradually no longer accepted on the sole basis that they were in bitter and hopeless situations. The qualifications also grew more and and more severe, where in the end, aptitude and appearance had become the most important factors…”
“A change like this is also reasonable.” Ling Yuefeng said, “Frozen Cloud Asgard consists solely of women, so it’s easy for them to be bullied, humiliated and lusted after. So what they needed to do was to increase their overall strength. It was only then would they be able to protect all the people within Asgard itself.”
“You are right.” Ling Tianni said slowly, “Endless change is what caused the present Frozen Cloud Asgard to no longer resemble the Frozen Cloud Asgard our ancestor knew a thousand years ago. But, before our ancestor left the world, he requested that this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ be preserved in this ancestral hall until the day it shattered. This showed that our ancestor regarded the promise he made as extremely important and showed his determination to keep it.”
“And now, when Blue Wind is reaching its end, it just so happens that a catastrophe of this magnitude befalls Frozen Cloud Asgard. Whether we continue closing our gates and ignore worldly affairs or we uphold the promise made by our ancestor and extend a helping hand towards Frozen Cloud Asgard… The first option is to ensure security upon our thousand-year foundation but instead, we will lose our honor and justice. The second option is to uphold our honor and justice, but we may possibly bring calamity down on our own heads…”
“Yuefeng, as Villa Master of Heavenly Sword Villa, what we do next is entirely up to you.”
Chapter 603 - Waking up within the Sea of Flames
“Honor and justice?” Ling Yuefeng gave a self-mocking laugh, “Today, in the eyes of every citizen within Blue Wind Nation, our Heavenly Sword Villa does not even have a shred of honor and justice to speak of. Especially the Blue Wind Imperial Family… they already hate us to the bone and see us as their enemy… so what justice and honor do we have left to speak of?”
Your faithlessness hath earned mine contempt, your disregard hath aroused mine spite, this empress shall always remember this! If the Blue Wind doth see the dawn and its gentle breeze chances upon the Heavenly Sword, there will be no reconciliation, for only hate and enmity remains, forevermore!
This was the letter personally written by Empress Cang Yue after the Blue Wind Imperial Family had requested for help nine times and had their pleas ignored for nine times. It was a silk letter that had been thrown at the gates of the Heavenly Sword Mountain.
Princess Cang Yue had attended the two previous Blue Wind Ranking Tournaments, so she had personally visited Heavenly Sword Villa twice. The impression that she had given others was that she was as gentle as water, as soft as wind… But now, the words that she had personally written were filled with hate and determination.
It was clear that the emotion that she felt towards them after they had repeatedly ignored her nine times was no longer disappointment but instead loathing.
Heavenly Sword Villa Master Ling Yuefeng had weathered countless storms in his lifetime but when he had personally held that piece of silk, his face had turned red while his heart was filled with bitter agony…. Heavenly Sword Villa and the Blue Wind Imperial Family had a shared oath which was laid down by their ancestors. If either one were to meet with a great calamity, the other would give their all to help. Now that the Blue Wind Imperial Family was facing the crisis of being exterminated, between preserving the safety of the villa or preserving the honor of the villa, he had chosen to preserve the safety of the villa.
Because Heavenly Sword Villa had the backing of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, as long as they did not interfere with the current state of affairs, Divine Phoenix Empire definitely wouldn’t provoke them. But if Heavenly Sword Villa did interfere… even though they could cover the entire sky with one hand in Blue Wind Nation, how could they be worth anything in the face of the mighty Divine Phoenix Empire?
However, selfishness was selfishness. No matter what reason, this was a characteristic that could not be covered up.
So when Ling Tianni had mentioned “honor and justice”, Ling Yuefeng’s heart was filled with bitter agony.
“So, your decision… is to pretend you don’t know about it?” Ling Tianni said in a completely tranquil voice without looking at him.
“To be able to push Frozen Cloud Asgard into such dire straits, the other party must have unfathomable strength. Even if our Heavenly Sword Villa fully mobilized, it’s extremely likely that we are unable to help the situation. Also, we would incur great losses and draw the ire and hatred of the other party.” Ling Yuefeng closed his eyes and a figure that was more dreamy and ethereal than a fairy flashed through his mind, “It took one thousand years for Heavenly Sword Villa to reach this point. Now, as the Villa Master, I regard the safety of our sect as paramount to all else… Not helping the Blue Wind Imperial Family is already a violation of our ancestor’s instructions and our own honor. Since it has already come to this, what is one more violation? I believe that our ancestors in heaven would certainly approve of our actions. After all, the current Heavenly Sword Villa is no longer what it was in the beginning, a small faction that only had a few hundred disciples. As the Villa Master now, how can I, for the sake of others, risk the lives of the tens of thousands of people who live in our villa.”
“…Ah.” Ling Tianni did not nod or shake his head, and only let out a long and drawn-out sigh.
“I approve of my husband’s decision.”
The great doors of the ancestral hall were pushed open and Xuanyuan Yufeng leisurely strolled in. She made a small curtsy to Ling Tianni and said, “Father, Husband, I have just received a fifty thousand kilometer sound transmission from Elder Ling Kun warning us that if we receive any sound transmission from Frozen Cloud Asgard requesting for help… we must definitely disregard them.”
Ling Tianni inclined his head while Ling Yuefeng said with furrowed brows, “Could it be that elder Ling Kun knows which person is attacking Frozen Cloud Asgard?”
Xuanyuan Yufeng extended her right arm and she made a small and soft gesture with her hand. This simple gesture, caused Ling Yuefeng’s expression to abruptly change and even cause Ling Tianni’s body to stiffen up for an instant.
“What is going on?” Ling Yuefeng said in astonishment, “Frozen Cloud Asgard is situated in the extreme north of Blue WInd, and they have nearly no grudges or gratitude to any powers situated outside of Blue Wind and they have never even come into contact with these people before, so why would they suddenly… take action against Frozen Cloud Asgard?!”
Xuanyuan Yufeng solemnly declared, “Elder Ling Kun has advised that he does not know the motives behind this action but he can guarantee that it is that faction. Moreover, it was something personally ordered by their young master! If we truly take action and spoil their party… Hmph, I’m sure you’re all aware of the temperament of that particular young master. At that time, even if my father were to personally come forward, he would also not be able to protect Heavenly Sword Villa.”
Xuanyuan Yufeng softly ground her teeth, her voice quietened down a bit and the depths of her eyes rippled with elation and masked jealous hatred, “That Frozen Cloud Asgard is filled with sluts and witches, so where do they get off calling themselves a fairy palace… Hmph, it would be far better if this group of scourges were wiped off the face of this earth!”
“….” Ling Yuefeng did not utter a word. With a sweep of his sleeve, he gathered up all the fragments of the “Jewel of Icy Song” and said with a sigh, “Father, this matter, we shall treat it as if it had never happened before.”
Ling Tianni slowly extended his hand and within his palm was a purple-colored Sound Transmission Jade. Numerous sound transmission imprints could be seen on the surface of this Sound Transmission Jade… He did not need to look at it to know that it was also cries of help from Frozen Cloud Asgard.
And the only person in the Frozen Cloud Asgard who could make sound transmissions to him was their Grand Mistress, Feng Qianhui.
Crack!
The Sound Transmission Jade immediately shattered in Ling Tianni’s hand and was reduced to nothing but fragments. He did not turn around and following a surge of sword wind, his entire person vanished in front of Ling Yuefeng and Xuanyuan Yufeng, without leaving behind a single word or sound.
Extreme North of Blue Wind, Snow Region of Extreme Ice.
A huge ice-blue barrier covered the entire Frozen Cloud Asgard and twelve people were gathered outside that barrier. Amongst them, a green-clothed man surged all the profound energy within him and smashed a palm on the barrier.
Bang!!
Blood scattered in the air and the green-clothed man stretched open his trembling palm… The web between his thumb and his index finger had been greatly torn and his entire arm was both in pain and numbed. He fiercely sucked in a breath and said in an enraged and exasperated manner, “What the hell is going on?! A mere Frozen Cloud Asgard, how could they possess a protective barrier of this magnitude… This isn’t possible!”
“Pavilion Master, should we request for an elder to come as well?” asked a black-clothed man behind him.
“Shut your mouth!” The green-clothed man roared, “We personally made our way to this lowly place, so if we request for aid from an elder… then what shred of dignity will I have left in the future, huh?!”
“There is no need to be anxious.” The purple-clothed old man advised in a rather calm voice, “While this protective barrier may be extremely unusual, it also will not be able to last for too long, and before long, it should vanish as well. At that time, Frozen Cloud Asgard will be at our complete mercy.”
“Hmph!” The green-clothed man waved his hand and said with a cold smile, “I had originally thought this would be an extremely boring mission. But who would have thought that this Frozen Cloud Asgard actually did manage to give us a big surprise! It was said that this place had only three Thrones at most, but in the end… they actually had a whole nine Thrones and the Xia Qingyue that Young Master desires is actually already a half-step Overlord… She could actually cause one of my fingers to experience frostbite… and now, such a protective barrier has actually appeared as well….”
“I have now changed my mind! After this barrier has vanished, besides Xia Qingyue… All the other women must die!”
These twenty people were completely unaware that in the air three thousands kilometers above them, there were a pair of clear and cold eyes silently observing them… and the Frozen Cloud Asgard that had been enshrouded in the protective barrier.
This woman was as lithe and graceful as a fairy and her entire body was enshrouded in cloud and mist. It was impossible to make out her features clearly, and one could only vaguely see a pair of eyes that were as tranquil as an ancient spring.
“This day had still come in the end.” She gave a faint sigh. Her voice was cold but graceful, as if it contained no joy or sorrow.
“Master, are… you going to take action?” Beside her was a young girl with an exquisite figure, completely clad in blue. The young girl asked with caution and respect as she looked at her face.
The white-clothed woman faintly closed her eyes, “When I left all those years ago, I vowed to severe all ties with this place, and no matter what happened henceforth, I would count it as destiny and not interfere any further… perhaps that is already enough for it to persist for a millennium.”
The blue-clothed girl bit her lips and gathered up her courage to ask, “Then why did Master … choose not to care about the cost today… and make her way to this place? Master is so kind and soft-hearted, surely you are still worried about them, right?”
“Humans are not devoid of emotion. So even though I have made an oath to myself, how can I be free of worry?” The white-clothed woman said in an ethereal voice, “After all, it had started because of me… So witnessing its end will also completely sever all yearning and karma that I have with it.”
“Master, this disciple is extremely curious. All those years ago, you had clearly recovered your profound strength and memories, so why did you still leave behind Frozen Cloud Asgard before departing?” The blue-clothed girl asked in an inquisitive tone.
“….At that time, my profound strength was completely crippled and my memories were lost. It was a member of Eternal Night Royal Family that rescued me from the claws of a profound beast. Not long after, the Eternal Night Royal Family were destroyed by a bunch of villains and scoundrels. After I had recovered my memories and profound strength, even though my heart was filled with hatred, I did not like killing nor did I belong to this world. So leaving behind Frozen Cloud Asgard could be considered as my small repayment for this world…”
After saying that, the white-clothed woman’s voice cut off abruptly. The blue-clothed girl was shocked for a while before she tried to sound out the situation, “Did Lord Realm King discover that we have left the Snow Song Realm?”
“Mn.” The white-clothed woman swept her eyes downward for the last time before turning around and leaving it all behind. “We should return. Don’t tell elder sister that we came here. She had always borne a bit of a grudge towards me for leaving the Divine End Frozen Art in such a place.”
“Yes, Master.” The blue-clothed girl immediately nodded, “If Lord Realm King asks, I’ll just say that we went to Cold Star Realm to play… Uuu, Master, are we really going to leave just like this? You clearly only need to lift one finger and all of these bad guys would completely disappear.”
The white-clothed woman raised her head slightly but in the end, she lightly shook it, “This is their fate. Even if I were to help them resolve the current calamity, what follows will only be a bigger one. Whether they live or die, depends entirely on their own fortune… Right now, Star God Realm and Moon God Realm are engaged in a long and fierce struggle, Brahma Emperor Realm is acting strangely, and Flame God Realm is looking at our Snow Song Realm with ravenous and greedy eyes… A great chaos is descending upon us, and even though I have the heart, I cannot cause any more trouble.”
“Let us return then.”
“Oh.” The blue-clothed girl voiced her obedience and followed behind the white-clothed lady. Illusory clouds waft past their bodies, as though it was a scene from paradise.
“Master, yesterday I heard rumors that Star God Realm’s Princess Jasmine is still alive… it seems like some Universe Devouring Beast saw her in between dimension cracks… Do you think it’s really true? The Star God Realm King’s ‘ritual’ is only lacking Princess Jasmine, if Princess Jasmine is truly still alive, then the Star God Realm King will be able to….”
“…Don’t believe whatever rumors and empty words you hear. Moreover, whatever happens on Star God Realm is not something that we should be concerned with.” The white-clothed lady said in a clear and cold voice.
“Oh, understood. Then Master, where does the teleportation formation that you left behind in Frozen Cloud Asgard lead to?” The blue-clothed girl asked once more.
“….” The white-clothed woman’s paused for a moment before softly replying, “Perhaps this teleportation formation will be used soon… As for the destination of transmission, that would depend on her fate… I too am unable decide that.”
Illusory Demon Realm, Sea of Death.
The warm currents that rushed into Yun Che’s body were boundless and infinite; they seemed to surge up more and more majestically as time went by. They swam through the entirety of Yun Che’s body before finally settling in his profound veins…. A whole hundred cycles later, Yun Che practically did not feel the existence of the sea of fire around him. It was as if his entire body had morphed into that of a pure fire spirit, and he had completely become immersed in this world of fire.
After these hundred cycles, the profound energy in his profound veins had thickened by three times! This increase in profound strength did not have any unstable elements and during the entire process, he did not even have to put in any effort, he only had to concentrate on guiding the flame energy which rushed into his body.
Right now, if he was willing, he could achieve a breakthrough and step directly into the Emperor Profound Realm at anytime.
This kind of cultivation method was entirely dream-like even to Yun Che.
After these hundred cycles, Yun Che regained his consciousness. He felt that only six to eight hours had passed since he had fallen into the Sea of Death… and by this time, Duke Ming and Duke Huai should have already confirmed his and the Little Demon Empress’ death, so they should have left the shores of the Sea of Death by now. Thus, it was time for him and the Little Demon Empress to leave this place.
When he had regained his consciousness, Jasmine’s voice rang out at the same time, “Hmph, so you’ve finally decided to wake up. And here I was, thinking that you never wanted to wake up from your daze.”
“Uh… How many hours has it been since then? Are Duke Ming and Duke Huai’s auras still in the vicinity?” Yun Che asked in his mind.
“How many hours?” Jasmine gave a cold laugh, “You have already been in this Sea of Death for an entire month.”
“…”
“What?!” Yun Che’s eyes flared open and he immediately exploded with a shout, “ONE MONTH?!!”
Chapter 604 - Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land
“In this one month, besides the two portions of will you used to keep the Little Demon Empress safe, the rest of your consciousness had sunk into a complete trance as you entered the state of deep cultivation, so it was impossible for you to clearly keep track of the flow of time.” Jasmine’s bland voice carried just that slightest bit of schadenfreude, “So what you felt was just a few hours was in actuality an entire thirty days. If not for those worries within your subconscious mind, it would not be strange for you to maintain that state of immersion for a few years, or even a few decades.”
“~！#￥%… Then why didn’t you wake me up?” Yun Che nearly blew his top.
“Why would I want to wake you up?” Jasmine asked disdainfully, “For such a rare state of cultivation, I would rather you have continue to be in this state perpetually.”
“….” If not for the fact that he simply could not win against Jasmine, Yun Che truly felt like grabbing her and giving her a good spanking. He hurriedly looked towards the Little Demon Empress… Even though it had been more than a month, the energy he used to obstruct the flames had never disappeared. So there was not a single scorch mark on the Little Demon Empress’ body. It was also at this time that the Little Demon Empress suddenly opened her eyes and looked directly at him.
“You have finally come to your senses.” The Little Demon Empress said in a cold and dull voice.
Even though her tone was not kind, but her voice and her face did not show a single sign of weakness. This led Yun Che to let out a huge sigh of relief. He replied in a rather embarrassed tone, “Such a long period of time has passed… why didn’t you wake me up?”
“You had clearly slipped into an enlightened state of cultivation where you entered the state of nothingness; this state is something that is rare for a profound practitioner to encounter even once in his life. Unless I reach the stage where I can no longer go on, I will definitely not disturb you.” The Little Demon Empress gave Yun Che a deep look, “The profound energy you infused into my body actually ensured that my life’s vital energy did not dissipate in the slightest for a whole thirty days… and within this Sea of Death, you could still actually reach a state of enlightenment… you are simply an unimaginable, freakish monster.”
“Little Demon Empress, I thank you for your praises.” Yun Che replied without much strength, “But now you should believe, that as long as we can leave this place, I will definitely have a method to restore your lifeline!”
The two people did not continue to speak but they eyed each other with complex looks on their faces as they each knew what the other was thinking about. They had unknowingly been in the Sea of Death for an entire month, so the news of the Little Demon Empress’ “death” should have spread through the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Demon Imperial City must have been plunged into a sea of chaos, and because it had just so happened to be the Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony, all the heroes of the realm would still be gathered in Demon Imperial City….
Right now, the scenario in Demon Imperial City had definitely undergone a drastic change. Even though Duke Huai Palace would not be able to take the throne in such a short period of time, given the power that he held in his hands, he would definitely be able to dominate the proceedings. Moreover, there would be an implosive increase the number of factions aligned with Duke Huai Palace now…. and those who were steadfastly loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan, especially the Yun Family and Mu Family who knew the true reason behind the Little Demon Empress’ death, would definitely be completely suppressed by Duke Huai Palace.
Furthermore, there was still the terrifying Duke Ming who was lurking behind the scenes….
“We need to leave this place right away!” The Little Demon Empress exclaimed.
“Yes!” Yun Che instantly replied. Since an entire month had passed, Duke Ming and Duke Huai would definitely not still be in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. He fiercely inhaled and then shot upwards… travelling through Golden Crow lava. Merely thinking about this kind of scenery would cause countless profound practitioners to tremble in fear, but when Yun Che travelled through it, it was even easier and simpler than flying through the air. Because even the thinnest of air would cause some obstacles for him, while the extremely concentrated fire element would instead endless assist him.
The Sea of Death stretched for one thousand five hundred kilometers; it was incomparably huge and no one knew how deep it went. Yun Che had been immersed in it for one month but he didn’t even know where in the Sea of Death he was right now. As fast as a bolt of lightning, he kept shooting upwards, but what he saw in front of him was still a vast purgatory of lava.
It was only after tens of breaths later that Yun Che finally felt the fire energy begin to get thinner. In the next instant, as their eyes were assaulted by a dazzling array of light, he and the Little Demon Empress finally broke through the lava and left the Sea of Death after staying inside for thirty days. It was the same Sea of Death that was strong enough to cause countless of strong Sovereigns to die within it.
The molten lava in the Sea of Death would continuously roll about and move, so their current location was naturally not where their previous location was when they had entered the Sea of Death. Yun Che gazed keenly at his surroundings, and even given his vision, he could only see scarlet lava wherever he looked. There was nothing else he could see besides the lava and even the sky was not the deep purple of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. It was the scarlet red of fire.
It was impossible to orientate oneself within the boundless Sea of Death. Yun Che stood in one spot and surveyed his surroundings for a long time before finally seeing an extremely faint purple color in the extreme south-east direction, at a place where the Sea of Death nearly touched the horizon.
The skies above the Sea of Death were a scarlet red but the skies above Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley were purple!
Yun Che locked on to that location and rushed south-east. Using Extreme Mirage Lightning, it was not before long that the faint purple color slowly became more and more obvious as it gradually became thicker.
Upon leaving the Sea of Death, the rate at which he absorbed the energy of heaven and earth decreased by several tens of times and Yun Che could suddenly feel the Little Demon Empress’ vital energy clearly slipping away as her breathing also became disorderly… After all, she was still in the state where her lifeline had been broken and her life had been cut short!
Yun Che gathered all the profound energy in his body and brought his speed to its maximum limit. One hour later, the borders of the Sea of Death was finally reflected in his vision. Bolts of purple lightning rained down from the sky, accompanied by the ear-splitting roar of thunder.
“We have nearly reached Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!” Yun Che yelled in a low voice as the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley in front of him grew nearer and nearer. Yun Che rolled into a somersault and the surrounding heat waves around his body were roughly dispelled. When his feet had touched the ground, following his descent from the air, Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was beneath his feet.
“Phew!” Yun Che exhaled a long breath, then looked towards the Little Demon Empress, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” The Little Demon Empress shoved him with the palm of her hand and struggled free from her grasp, “You personally said before that the greatest secret of my Demon Emperor’s clan was that I could take half a step into the Divine Profound Realm! That secret… just what is it? Demon Imperial City is definitely in great chaos now, so no matter what… I cannot allow Duke Huai Palace to have their way!”
One hour had elapsed from the time they had left the Sea of Death to now. The Little Demon Empress’ aura had already greatly weakened and even speaking caused her to gasp heavily.
Yun Che did not bother about the Little Demon Empress resistance and extended his hand to press it against her shoulder. He activated the Great Way of the Buddha and infused all of the energy of heaven and earth he had gathered into her body, doing his utmost to preserve her life’s vitality, “That is your Demon Emperor’s clan secret, so I am obligated to tell it to you, but before that, we must first leave this place and restore your lifeline… Don’t worry, I am at least seventy percent confident that I will be able to completely restore your lifeline, but not in this place! Because I require a large amount of Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, more than ten kinds of spirit jade and more than thirty kinds of spirit herbs, and it is impossible that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will have such things… If you have not even repaired your lifeline, don’t even bother thinking about some half step into the Divine Profound Realm.”
“Since you could forcibly open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s sealing profound formation to enter this place, then you should also be able to figure out a way to get out as well, right?” Yun Che asked in a voice filled with hope.
“….I was only able to enter because of the Demon Emperor’s Seal. If I used the Demon Emperor’s Seal, we could indeed force our way out of this place. But the Demon Emperor’s Seal has already been stolen away by Duke Ming… and he knows all the secrets of Demon Emperor’s Seal like the back of his hand.” The Little Demon Empress replied as she ground her teeth.
“Then… is there are any other way to get out?” Yun Che asked as his brows knit together.
“Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is an independent world, there isn’t any exits that exist. If we do not rely on the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the only way for us to leave this place is when the sealing profound formation reasserts itself once again, and the energy field generated from that event forcefully expels us, but….” The Little Demon Empress’ face had become pale and her voice was getting weaker and weaker, “But every time the sealing profound formation is opened, the next time it will open again is five years later, and even if one uses the Demon Emperor’s Seal, it can only be forcefully opened once every one hundred years and after that, it would be impossible to forcefully open it again within that period of time.”
Five years….
That would simply take too long…
Given the Little Demon Empress’ condition, it would be hard for her to hold on for even five days… But, if they spent the entire five years immersed in the Sea of Death, given the abundance of the energy of heaven and earth, he could indeed ensure that the Little Demon Empress would not die within these five years. But five years were not one month, and there were too many things that could change in this period of five years! It would give Duke Huai Palace enough time to consolidate their hold over the entire Illusory Demon Realm and it would be sufficient for the Yun Family to fall into complete decline… or even complete destruction….
It was even sufficient time to allow Illusory Demon Realm to gradually accept and begin to become accustomed to the extinction of the line of the Demon Emperor.
And in five years, there were too many things they would be unable to save. Whether it was for the Little Demon Empress or for Yun Che, it was something that they definitely could not accept.
“Is there really any other way?” Yun Che said as he also ground his teeth together.
The Little Demon Empress’ chest heaved and she said rather pensively, “Go to the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land… and beg the Golden Crow’s Divine Spirit to send us out of here. That is the only option we have left. Since I am still someone who bears the bloodline of the Golden Crow… it might perhaps work.”
“Alright!”
Yun Che carried the Little Demon Empress and flew into the air, speeding off in the direction the Little Demon Empress had indicated.
“Little Demon Empress, I recall that Duke Ming addressed you as “Princess Caiyi’, could it be that in the past, you enjoyed wearing colorful clothing… because the grey and stolid clothes you are wearing now are really ugly.”
The Little Demon Empress expression and eyes remained wooden, “ ‘Caiyi’ is only the name that I had previously. My Demon Emperor’s clan’s surname is ‘Huan’ so my surname is Huan and my name is Caiyi, it is merely a name, and it is a name that I myself have nearly forgotten.”
“I do not believe that it is merely as simple as it being a name.” Yun Che said as he looked forward, “If you did not wear beautiful, multi-colored clothes, then why would they call you ‘Princess Caiyi’? It is because you bear the a terrible burden and harbor vengeance in your heart that you are perpetually clothed in grey, isn’t it?”
Little Demon Empress, “….”
“Sigh.” Yun Che gave a light sigh and his voice contained a trace of melancholy and deep compassion, “After all, you are only a woman, there is no need to treat yourself in such a manner… To change your previously colorful life into an overcast and silent world of loneliness… For you to treat yourself in such a manner, that is far too cruel. I have heard from several people that long ago, you were the publicly acknowledged number one beauty in the entire Illusory Demon Realm. And even if you are covered in grey, your beauty is something that cannot be hidden. I really wish to know just how beautiful you would be if you were to wear a set of luxurious, multi hued clothes… that would truly be the number one beauty in the Illusory Demon Realm, so splendorous that it would dazzle the eyes.”
The Little Demon Empress’ icy-cold palm was pressed against Yun Che’s chest, “You are not allowed to spew nonsense anymore! Even if I am in this state, killing you… would be as easy as flipping my wrist!”
Yun Che did not look the least bit frightened. Instead, he curled his lips and laughed, “I am not afraid of your threats at all… On the contrary, I completely understand your thoughts and actions for the past hundred years, because for a period of time, I was exactly like you; hatred and vengeance were the only things that I had.”
“You?” The Little Demon Empress had been moved by his words and she swivelled her eyes to meet his, discovering that a clear pain flashed across his pupils for an instant.
Yun Che slowly said, “Hatred is a kind of terrifying poison; it had previously covered my eyes, nibbled away at my rationality and completely buried my emotions… I previously believed that what I had done was right, and it was something that I had to do, even if I was consigned to eternal damnation in the end. I believed that my unceasing relentless vengeance would comfort ‘his’ spirit in heaven. But when ‘she’ had perished, the words that she used the last of her life’s energy to say, was for me to forsake ‘vengeance’….”
“It was only in that moment that I understood. Their spirits in heaven did not desire me take revenge on their behalf, they only desired that I lived a good life. The better my life was, the more comforted they would be… If I buried myself in the deep abyss of pain and hatred, it would only cause them even more pain. It would also cause pain to those who were still alive and by my side… At the very end, I had reached an outcome which I could never ever recover from.”
The Little Demon Empress’ hand slowly moved away from Yun Che’s chest and her eyes had turned misty. After that, she slowly said, “We have arrived.”
In front of them was a mountain wall and in front of this wall was a slowly revolving profound formation which burned with golden fire.
This was the end of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, the place where the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Lands were!
Chinese 101 with alyschu: Huan Caiyi (幻彩衣) = Little Demon Empress’ name. 彩衣 means colorful clothes/attire.
Chapter 605 - The Only Choice
Yun Che landed with the Little Demon Empress before Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land’s sealing profound formation. There was only a mountain wall behind this sealing profound formation; evident that the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land should be another independent world… and even could be the Golden Crow Soul’s own little world. This flame profound formation was merely a teleportation entrance.
“How should we get in?” Facing this place that retained the Golden Crow Legacy and the Golden Crow’s Soul, Yun Che’s heart still only felt unsettled. Because Jasmine said that among the three Supreme Fire Attribute Beasts, the Golden Crow was the most incomparably fierce and explosive existence. The Golden Crow Soul came from the Golden Crow’s divine soul, inherited the Golden Crow’s will, and its temperament, was also supposed to be extremely irascible and hot-tempered… On top of that, the Vermillion Bird, the Phoenix, and the Golden Crow were incompatible, and they repulsed each other. If he really met with Golden Crow Soul, there was a great possibility he would be repugnant due to the Phoenix Bloodline within him.
“Sure enough, you two have come!”
A woman’s voice suddenly sounded in the air above him… a divine voice, but of course, this wasn’t the first time Yun Che had heard one. The Phoenix Spirit’s voice was calm and prestigious; the Evil God’s voice was faint and deep as if it was from the ancients; the Dragon God’s voice was vast and boundless, making people unable to help it but want to kneel and worship on the ground…
But the voice that sounded above the air at this moment made Yun Che’s body shiver, the blood in his whole body instantly turned violently… at that instant, Yun Che even felt like his own body almost exploded.
That was… the voice of the Golden Crow Soul?
This voice was even more explosive than the Sea of Death’s molten lava!
The Demon Emperor’s Seal was needed in order to enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land. The Little Demon Empress was originally worried about it, but when she heard the Golden Crow Spirit’s voice, she slowly kneeled down on the ground, “Golden Crow Divine God, your powers are boundless. Everything that happened in the valley couldn’t escape your spiritual senses. I am the Demon Emperor Clan’s Golden Crow’s descendant, but I was plotted against by traitors, and now I am the only one remaining. This vengeance and hatred is absolutely irreconcilable. Now I no longer seek to awaken my bloodline’s power, I only ask for Golden Crow Divine God to help the two of us leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, in order to take revenge for the blood of our clan’s people.”
“Revenge? You don’t have much time left of your life and are only supporting the last of your life’s vitality with your profound energy, what are you going to rely on to exact revenge?”
At that instant, a pair of scarlet-gold eyes suddenly opened up in the deep purple sky, and shed down a fire-like burning brightness. Under the illumination of the pair of eyes, all of the fire spirits stopped wandering, as if the space was sealed, and they did not dare to move at all. Even the falling lightning that were everywhere had all disappeared in an instant, and within the hundred miles, not even the sound of thunder clapping could be heard.
“Even if you can survive, the strength of your nemesis is far stronger than you, so just what are you going to rely on to exact revenge then? Relying on the so-called ‘Demon Emperor’s secret’ that fellow beside you told you?!”
Obviously, the Golden Crow Soul clearly knew of whatever had happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and even knew what they had said. After all, this was an independent world formed by the Golden Crow’s power.
“The greatest secret of your Demon Emperor’s clan can indeed let the direct descendent of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline achieve half a step into the Divine Profound Realm in a short amount of time! But do you know why he kept finding excuses and didn’t tell you exactly how it could be achieved? Because once you reached half-step into the Divine Profound, you would die for sure three years later! By that time, even if the Ancient Emperor of Gods was alive, he still wouldn’t be able to save you!”
Each word spoken by the Golden Crow Soul shocked their souls; the Little Demon Empress slightly lifted her head, her pale face not showing any signs of surprise, but instead was calm like the grayness of death, “I know. Stepping into half-step Divine Profound from being a Monarch is almost an action that defies the heaven’s way. If it really can be achieved… then there must be an extremely tragic punishment and consequence, otherwise, my Demon Emperor’s clan wouldn’t keep this secret from its direct descendants so tightly until their death.”
“But now all of my close family had passed away and I am the only one left from the Demon Emperor’s clan that had inherited for ten thousand of years. Even our clan’s honor of being emperor for the past ten thousand years is on the verge of being seized by traitors. I am alone in this world and there is no more going back. All that is left in my life is only an absolute irreconcilable blood vengeance that is deep as the sea! For revenge… I would do anything at any costs. If I can obtain the power of half-step Divine Profound, not mentioning three years, even if my life perishes and my soul disperses ten days later, I would be willing to do so without regrets, and absolutely would not hesitate!”
Yun Che opened his mouth, as his heart was immediately filled with a complicated emotion. He had been struggling on how he should describe that secret to the Little Demon Empress, and even unconsciously wished that the Little Demon Empress would not put herself in the position where she would only have three years of life before dying for the sake of revenge… Facing the Demon Emperor’s secret that Yun Che had revealed, even though the Little Demon Empress showed extremely deep desire, she did not question him closely… It turned out that she had already predicted the possible ending.
“Um… is there really no way to have it both ways?” Yun Che probed.
However, the Golden Crow’s Soul completely ignored him, and spoke with a voice that was like burning flames towards the Little Demon Empress, “Even though you are a woman, your intelligence is worthy of praise, and you are indeed worthy of being a descendant of the Golden Crow. Your hidden secret of the Demon Emperor’s clan is actually a promise that I gave to your ancestors back then! Back then, this noble one told them, ‘If your clan were to be on the verge of desperation and seek for the power for a comeback, then I will allow one request, and will grant nine drops of the Golden Crow’s blood! At the same time, with the guidance of that person’s life vitality, burn all of the power from their Golden Crow’s bloodline, and allow them to receive a strength that is as strong as half-step into the Divine Profound Realm!”
“But three years later, the bloodline’s power and life vitality would burn out at the same time! By that time there would only be death! And there would not be any remedy for it in the world!”
“Unfortunately, your clan was still too late after all. You are the only one left from the Demon Emperor’s bloodline; even if you receive this power, although it will help you exact revenge, eventually… it would extinct your clan even more quickly!”
The Little Demon Empress knelt and bowed deeply, there was only determination and desire on the face of the pale girl, but not any trace of hesitation and fear, “May the Golden Crow Divine God please grant my wish!”
“Because you are a woman, I rejected awakening your bloodline before. Originally it would be the same today as this method can only be used on men and using it on a women would cause her to instantly perish… But maybe the heavens took compassion on your Demon Emperor’s clan, and let a twist of fate appear for this event and your life for the next three years!”
“A twist of fate?” The Little Demon Empress was confused.
“It’s that person by your side! Do you remember that last time, I told you that the only way you, a woman, can awaken the Golden Crow’s bloodline safely is by receiving the vital Yang nourishment of a man with the Vermillion Bird or the Phoenix’s bloodline! If you want to achieve the half-step Divine Profound that is required for your revenge, that is the only way as well! And, that man standing beside you… is someone who possess the bloodline of the Phoenix!”
“…” The Little Demon Empress turned her head, and looked at Yun Che in shock.
Yun Che’s mouth opened widely, and his heart was a mess… receiving the vitial Yang nourishment from a man with the Vermillion Bird or the Phoenix’s bloodline…
Vital Yang… nourishment…
What… the hell… is this!!
“Yun Che!”
The Golden Crow Spirit’s voice seemed like a fierce ball of fire, shocking through Yun Che’s heart and soul from his ears. Nothing in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley could escape her spiritual senses. She naturally also knew Yun Che’s name clearly, “Did you inherit the Phoenix’s bloodline from Profound Sky Continent?”
“…Yes,” Yun Che nodded stiffly… as he kept repeating what the Golden Crow Soul had said in his heart.
“Hmph! No wonder the faint scent of the Phoenix kept coming from the North, it was indeed not an illusion!” There was suddenly a faint sense of disdain in tthe Golden Crow Soul’s voice, “You were gifted by the heavens, received the inheritance of the Evil God, and achieved the Fire Spirit Evil Body. You can control primordial flames and are fear none of the myraid flames in the world. However, you happen to choose the Phoenix’s flames which can only be called an inferior divine flame in front of the Golden Crow’s divine flame! It is simply a throwaway!”
“Uh…” (Damn! It was exactly as Jasmine had said… Oh, no! This was only a tiny part of the soul of the Golden Crow, and the attitude of discriminating the Phoenix’s flame was even more severe than what Jasmine had said. How is this discriminating, this is simply naked disdain and contempt.)
“But, your Phoenix’s bloodline is useful to me now!”
The scarlet-gold eyes suddenly flicked at this moment.
Ssss…
Yun Che’s brocade clothes and the Little Demon Empress’ grey clothing instantly became tiny pieces of scraps with a soft ripping sound, left their body, and was swept away by a searing storm.
“I! #$%… What are you doing!” Yun Che was surprised as he backed away in panic. The Little Demon Empress’ tender back which was even more delicate than white snow, and even more smooth than porcelain appeared right before his eyes.
The Little Demon Empress covered her chest with her arms, as panic flashed across her face.
“What is it? You have such strong will for revenge, and the sense of giving your all, yet you don’t have the courage to face a man’s ugly body?! Only by getting his Phoenix vital Yang can you receive the power of half-step Divine Profound for three years. Otherwise you would only perish instantly! Also, not only does he possess the Phoenix’s bloodline, he also possesses the extremely rich Dragon God’s bloodline! The Dragon God’s scent in his vital Yang could not only refine your body, it could allow your broken lifeline to be restored within a short amount of time! What reason do you have to be afraid!”
Yun Che was furious by what the Golden Crow Soul had said and nearly couldn’t resist jumping up and yelling… Who are you calling ugly! You’re ugly!! Your whole family’s ugly!! All eight generations of your ancestors were all ugly!!
A snowy, white silhouette suddenly swayed before his eyes, and before he could even react, he was pressed down tightly under a small, young and naked girl, who pressed both of her hands strongly on his chest.
“Little Demon Empress, you…” Yun Che cried out in a low voice, but then his voice was choked in his throat and he couldn’t make another sound.
The tender body of the young girl within his sight was white as snow. Her body was soft, delicate and weakened that it made one’s heartache. Her snowy shoulders were narrow, her slim waist was supple and her two snowy bosoms with two delicate red, jade beads were right before his eyes. Even his nose could smell a scent that could intoxicate his heart and make him lose his soul.
However, the young girl’s face was incredibly indifferent. There was no sadness, no tears, no joy, no embarrassment, no panic, nor any trace of emotions… the only emotion, was a hollow desire… for power, and the desire for revenge.
It was as though at that moment, she had ice-sealed all of her emotions, and became a doll without a soul.
“I have… a… wife,” Yun Che looked straight at the Little Demon Empress, and protested weakly.
The Little Demon Empress’ hands that were on his chest pushed down with more strength, and her long, snowy, dazzling legs also slowly split, until it became an “m” shape before she sat onto him… She would not know that her indecent action was enough for the purest soul to be willing to be doomed into the sinful abyssal…
Clang!
A ball of scarlet-gold flames fell from the sky, forming an enormous flame barrier, and shrouded the place where Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress were.
“Hahahaha!” The Golden Crow’s Soul laughed loudly, “If you want to repair your lifeline, and let your body become strong enough to receive my power, you at least need to take his vital Yang five hundred times! Since his noble one has decided to help you, then I’ll help you until the end! I will give you two months, and when you’ve completed it within these two months, this barrier will naturally disappear! If you cannot complete it, this barrier will exist forever, and you two should not even think of getting out! Hahahaha…”
Chapter 606 - Golden Crow Legacy
Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation.
“Your majesty, the reason why the five nations had been unwilling to send out troops to help us has been ascertained. It was just as rumored; before Divine Phoenix Empire invaded Blue Wind Nation, Navy Tide Nation, Black Fiend Nation, Sunflower Dew Nation, Divine Incense Nation, and Grand Asura Nation all signed the same peace treaty! And this treaty will last three hundred years! The contents of the treaty stated that when the Divine Phoenix Empire invades our Blue Wind Nation, as long as the five nations stay out of it and do not send help, then Divine Phoenix Empire promises that at least within the next three hundred years, they would absolutely not invade these five nations!”
A gracious looking woman in luxurious clothing was looking at a portrait silently for a long time. The portrait illustrated a young man and every hook and line was all drawn with her own hands.
Before receiving her response, the general in golden armor remained kneeling with his head down, unwilling to disturb her.
After a long time, she turned around, and spoke in a slow voice: “The teeth and jaw relies on one another, and the teeth turns cold without the lips; such an intrinsic law of living, they completely abandoned it just for three hundred years of tranquility, huh.”
“General Feng, then did you find out the actual reason for why Divine Phoenix Empire is invading our Blue Wind Nation?”
General Feng cupped his hands and said seriously, “Divine Phoenix Nation had signed a treaty with the five nations just so they could invade our Blue Wind Nation; this must mean they are plotting something! But this general hasn’t been able to find out the reason yet. There have been rumors spreading that Divine Phoenix Nation is invading us now because our Blue Wind Nation had embarrassed them at the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, and they want to take revenge out of anger… but this general doesn’t think that it is believable.”
“Revenge?” Empress Cang Yue’s snowy face showed fury, “Our husband, our Blue Wind Nation’s prince consort, saved their Divine Phoenix Nation’s Princess Snow, and perished in the Primordial Profound Ark himself! Not only did their Divine Phoenix Nation not say a word of thanks, they massively invaded us, violated our land, killed our father, and tormented our Blue Wind’s tens of thousands of citizens. What face and qualification does he have to talk about the word ‘revenge!’”
“Your majesty, calm down!” General Feng’s expression was determined, “This general lives as a citizen of Blue Wind, dies as a ghost of Blue Wind, and swears to live and die with Blue Wind! As long as I am still alive, I will kill all Divine Phoenix dogs!
A light wave of profound energy made Empress Cang Yue turn her gaze, “Are there any combat information from the front line? Go check it out immediately.”
“Yes!” General Feng took out the sound transmission jade with haste and listened to the sound imprint that was just received. His expression changed slightly, and he reported to Empress Cang Yue, “Your majesty, the reconnaissance from the front line sent a sound transmission, saying that the Divine Phoenix army is suddenly making abnormal movements.”
“Abnormal? What do they mean by abnormal?”
“The Divine Phoenix army is currently only eight hundred and fifty kilometers from our Imperial City. But just today, the Divine Phoenix main army suddenly sent a third of their forces straight to the east! According to the information acquired, their target is the Floating Cloud City in the east! And their troops are moving with great speed and would arrive at Floating Cloud City in less than twenty days!”
“What? Floating Cloud City? Why are they dispersing their military force to Floating Cloud City?” Empress Cang Yue’s voice immediately became frantic. The three words, Floating Cloud City, shook her heart and soul violently, because that was the hometown of Yun Che… and was also where Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi were currently living to avoid the chaos caused by wars.
Floating Cloud City was the smallest of Blue Wind Nation, the most inconspicuous, and also it was a city on the very bottom; even most of the citizens of Blue Wind Nation did not know the name “Floating Cloud City.” Because of this, the action of sending a part of their main army that had been coming straight for Blue Wind Imperial City to Floating Cloud City was exceptionally bizarre and incomprehensible… also, they even dispersed up to a third of their military force.
“This general is also baffled by this!” General Feng locked his eyebrows and said, “Floating Cloud City is located far away in some remote region, and is also extremely poor. It can be said that there was no worth in attacking Floating Cloud City at all, and it only increases the military’s work… Or, could this be the Divine Phoenix army’s distraction plan?”
Cang Yue Empress smiled in distress, “With the strength of Divine Phoenix Nation, it only took them two short years to conquer a sixth of our Blue Wind Nation’s land. Their main army is even in the momentum of crushing us, pressuring straight at our Blue Wind Imperial City… Why would they need a distraction plan! The sudden advancement of their army towards Floating Cloud City must be for some other reason.”
Empress Cang Yue started breathing rapidly, and she stroke her chest before saying bitterly, “…General Feng, send a sound transmission to Floating Cloud City’s Mayor Yuwen immediately. If Divine Phoenix’s army arrive at the city, do not resist, immediately open up the city door and surrender.”
“Why?” General Feng lifted his head abruptly, and looked puzzled.
Empress Cang Yue closed her eyes and said, “There are no garrisons within Floating Cloud City and its surroundings. Facing Divine Phoenix’s strong army, there are unable to put up any resistance at all. If they forcefully fight against them, it would only serve to increase the enemy’s ferociousity, and the citizens of Floating Cloud City would suffer…”
General Feng slowly lifted both of his hands, but then slowly lowered them, and dejectedly said “this general obeys” before slowly stepping away.
Empress Cang Yue’s eyes once again fell on the portrait that she drew with her own hands. She would look at this portrait with infatuation for many hours each day. Each time, she would look at it until it was as if she lost her soul, and each time she would look at it until her tears fell…
“Husband… wait for me a little more… After I finish protecting the last of Blue Wind’s dignity… I will come and accompany you…”
Illusory Demon Realm, Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
Bang!
The scarlet-gold barrier that was shrouding Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress suddenly shattered at this moment. At the same time, nine dots of golden light that was so bright that it could not be looked at directly descended from the sky, and landed on the body of the Little Demon Empress. Even before Yun Che could react, the Little Demon Empress’ body had already been wrapped up completely by the golden flames, and disappeared before his eyes.
“Hahahaha…” The loud laughter of the Golden Crow Soul came from the sky, “You are indeed worthy to be someone who owns the Dragon God’s bloodline, it only took you forty-seven days. But this girl of the Demon Emperor really opened this noble one’s eyes. Although she was a virgin, she was extremely wild. This noble one suddenly became somewhat curious whether she was giving it her all to achieve the power for revenge, or if this was her innate nature from the very beginning… Hahahaha!”
“Where did you take her?” Yun Che voice seemed to be somewhat anxious. Before when he cared about the life and death of the Little Demon Empress, and even risked to save her life, it was mainly because of the Yun Family. If the Little Demon Empress had died, the Yun Family would decline and perish. But now, it was already different. To him she was no longer just a Little Demon Empress, but was also his, Yun Che’s, woman… even though the process had been a little bit… strange…
“She has already lost her virgin Yin and her body was also nourished adequately by your vital Yang. Whether it was her body or her life’s vitality, it wouldn’t be burnt or destroyed by the Golden Crow’s flame power. Even her lifeline had been repaired completely, things were even smoother than what this noble one had expected. Just now, this noble one has already endowed nine drops of the most original Golden Crow’s blood into her bloodline. Now she is within the Golden Crow Secret Realm that is formed with my powers, slowly drawing from the power source within, and in the process of understanding the unparalleled profound art of my Golden Crow’s bloodline, 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》!”
“It only takes seven days to draw out all the power source, and by then she will be able to achieve half-step into the Divine Profound Realm! But if she wants to come out from the Secret Realm, then she must at least grasp the first three levels of the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》. If she is too slow and dim-witted, and couldn’t do it in three years time, then she might as well die within!”
“…” This Golden Crow’s soul’s temperament was completely unlike the Phoenix’s soul and the Dragon God’s souls which commanded respect but was still amiable. Not only was she violent, she frequently sealed of others by force and did not allow them to leave until her objective was achieved..
All according to her own likes, completely ignoring other people’s will… It was so overbearing that it was inhumane.
Yun Che was thinking of this in his heart… but of course, he did not dare to say it out loud.
Yun Che knew clearly of the consequence of the Little Demon Empress accepting the power of the Golden Crow. At this moment even though he felt incredibly strongly that he wanted to stop it, he knew even more clearly that he could not stop the Little Demon Empress at all… forcefully stopping her would in turn cause him to be hated by the Little Demon Empress for his whole life.
“Yun Che, do you know why I helped her?” The scarlet-gold eyes opened above the sky, shrouding Yun Che with infinite overbearing gaze.
“She is a successor of the Golden Crow’s bloodline, you helping her… is only something natural, right?” Yun Che said.
“This noble one helping her is only something natural? Hahahaha, ridiculous! Her ancestors received this noble one’s bloodline legacy, and used it to dominate the Illusory Demon Realm! This noble one’s grace towards them is already boundless and has never owed their clan anything, how could you say that this noble one helping her is something that is only natural? If this noble one wanted to help her, when she was forced into a hopeless situation that day, this noble one would have already helped… The reason that this noble one is helping her now has nothing to do with her bloodline and race, it was only because of you!”
“Because of… me?” Yun Che pointed at himself, and was stunned for a moment.
“You are only an ordinary mortal, and yet you possess the Evil God’s legacy that can make your profound energy go berserk, thereby releasing a divine might several times and even several dozen times greater than usual! You also received the Evil God’s Fire Seed and own the one and only Fire Spirit Evil Body in the world! So, in this world, you are the most suitable living being to inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline and control the Golden Crow’s flame! This noble one bears the Golden Crow’s will, and guarded this place for countless of years, now… I finally found the most perfect successor!”
Golden Crow Soul’s speech relaxed Yun Che’s tense mind, “What you mean is… you want me to… inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline?”
“That’s right! Your qualification is ten thousand times better than those of the Demon Emperor’s clan! In this world, it’s impossible for anyone more suitable than you to inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline! In your hands, the Golden Crow Flame released would be of infinite heat! Yun Che, are you willing to accept this noble one endowing you the Golden Crow’s legacy?!”
From Jasmine’s description, the power of the Golden Crow’s flame was the strongest divine flame that was even stronger than the Phoenix’s flame. When he had initially heard Xiao Yun talking about the existence of the Golden Crow’s legacy, he immediately gained the desire of obtaining the power of the Golden Crow’s flame, but was instantly discouraged by Jasmine.
However at this moment, the Golden Crow’s Soul before his eyes was actually offering to endow him with the Golden Crow’s bloodline!
Obviously, there was no reason for Yun Che to reject it, and he immediately said, “Obtaining a divine power’s legacy is naturally every profound practitioner’s dream. I thank the Golden Crow Divine God for fulfilling it.”
Right after Yun Che finished yelling, Jasmine’s sneer came from within his heart and soul, “You’re celebrating too early!”
“Very good!” There was finally a tinge of geniality in the voice of the Golden Crow Soul, “You did not disappoint me indeed. If so, then let me erase the Phoenix bloodline in your body first!”
Chapter 607 - Golden Crow Soul’s Compulsion
“Erase the Phoenix’s bloodline?” Yun Che was surprised, and following that, he realized something, “What do you mean?”
“The Golden Crow’s bloodline is a hundred times more honorable than the Phoenix’s bloodline, and the power of the Golden Crow’s flames is far superior to the Phoenix’s flames. If you inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline, then there is naturally no need for the Phoenix’s bloodline to remain.” The voice of the Golden Crow Soul was filled with arrogance.
Yun Che said loudly, “But, you also know that I have the Evil God’s Fire Seed, which gives me control over any flame; thus I am able to completely control the Phoenix’s flames and the Golden Crow’s flames at the same time. Since the Dragon God’s bloodline and the Phoenix’s bloodline can coexist in my body, the Golden Crow’s bloodline and the Phoenix’s bloodline must be able to do so as well.”
“Hmph, naive! You actually want my Golden Crow’s bloodline to coexist with that undignified Phoenix’s bloodline in the same body? What a huge joke. Where the Golden Crow is, there is be no room for the Phoenix! Upon receiving my Golden Crow’s powers, your bloodline will be even more noble, and the power of your flames would also increase several of times! There is no reason you would still need the Phoenix’s bloodline! Coexisting with it is simply an insult to my Golden Crow’s powers! This noble one will never let that happen.”
“If you wish to receive this noble one’s endowment of the Golden Crow’s powers,the Phoenix’s bloodline within your body must first be completely erased!”
The voice of the Golden Crow Soul was arrogant, determined, indisputable, and even contained an extreme disdain towards the Phoenix’s bloodline.
When Jasmine first mentioned that the Vermilion Bird, the Phoenix, and the Golden Crow were incompatible, Yun Che originally thought that it was only because they were each protecting their own bloodline, power, and dignity and wanted to become the sole Supreme Fire Attribute Beast. That was why they suddenly fought against each other, and none of them were willing to yield to the others. But now, he saw the Golden Crow’s attitude… which simply viewed the existence of the Phoenix as a nemesis.
“No!” Yun Che’s voice was even more determined… Even if the one he was facing was the Golden Crow’s Soul, “I can inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline, but I absolutely cannot allow my Phoenix’s bloodline to be erased! If the prerequisite for inheriting the Golden Crow’s bloodline is to erase my Phoenix’s bloodline… then, the power of the Golden Crow is not worth having!”
“Presumptuous!” Yun Che’s words undoubtedly infuriated the Golden Crow’s Soul greatly, “In your eyes, is the power of my Golden Crow not comparable to the mere power of the Phoenix?”
Yun Che’s personality had always been unyielding and even if he faced the soul of a god, he would not back down on an issue of principle. He replied without giving in, “I don’t know whether the Phoenix flames are stronger or the Golden Crow flames are stronger. But… the Phoenix’s legacy within me is now part of my own bloodline and power! It is also a part of my life, and only I can choose what I want to do with it! Even if you are the soul of god, I will not allow you to interfere!”
“When the Phoenix Divine Spirit endowed me with the Phoenix’s bloodline, it was a sign of its approval of me, and its grace. How could I throw this gift away completely for another bloodline and power? If I did so, it would not only disappoint the Phoenix Divine Spirit who had given me grace, but it would also be extremely disrespectful. If what I received first was the Golden Crow’s legacy, and the Phoenix Divine Spirit also wanted to forcefully erase the Golden Crow’s bloodline in me before granting me the Phoenix’s legacy, then I would reject it the same way! This has nothing to do with whether the Golden Crow’s power or the Phoenix’s power is stronger, but as a human… it is the most basic principle and bottomline!”
“You cannot endure coexisting with the Phoenix’s bloodline, and I also cannot endure my own strength being forcefully erased. Then… even though I yearn for the power of the Golden Crow, looks like it is not meant to be after all.”
Yun Che didn’t hesitate to say these words. After saying the final sentence, there was not any sign of unwillingness or lingering.
“Hahahahahaha!” The Golden Crow Soul laughed loudly, shaking the sky, but there was no anger in this laughter anymore, “What stubborn morals you have. Your stubborn temper happens to suit my taste exactly, and makes me unwilling to let you, the most perfect successor, go!”
“Even though you have a stubborn temper, real stubbornness always relies on powerful strengths! You don’t have the right to choose in front of me! Rejecting my Golden Crow’s inheritance just to keep that inferior Phoenix’s bloodline… I will not allow that!”
The scarlet-gold eyes in the sky widened, and the golden light that was blazing down suddenly intensified by several times. It was so bright that Yun Che was not able to look at it directly. At the same time, scarlet-gold flames also fell from the sky like a storm and became an endless sea of flames drowning Yun Che within.
Yun Che’s body would not be harmed even with flames that were even more scorching, but he couldn’t open his eyes because of the terrifying Golden Crow flames, the most terrifying in the world. He unconsciously placed his arms in front of his body and roared deeply, “What are you going to do…”
Just as he made a sound, his whole body suddenly shook violently, a loud bang went off in his brain, and his consciousness quickly collapsed…
He saw the endless golden sea of flames, but these golden flames were not within his sight, but they were burning deep in his heart, his mind… Slowly, the golden flames spread endlessly and burned his profound veins. The brightness of the flames changed the original red and blue colors of the profound veins into the color of pure gold, and then it spread to each of his tendons, each drop of his blood… until the cells of his whole body were burning.
What… is going… on…
All of the parts of his body and all of his organs were burning, but he did not feel anything at all… His consciousness already could not feel the existence of his body!
These flames had started to spread towards his soul, burning towards the depth of his soul…
“What… what… are… you… doing…”
Yun Che roared with all of his strength, but he couldn’t hear his own voice at all, and at this moment, his remaining consciousness had a surprising sudden realization… the Golden Crow flames that was burning all over his body were not only going to completely destroy the existence of the Phoenix’s bloodline, the Golden Crow’s flames that were spreading towards his soul… were clearly going to erase the imprint of the Phoenix and all of his memories of the Phoenix flames, including the 《World Ode of the Phoenix》!
The voice of the Golden Crow Divine Spirit sounded within the depth of his soul at this moment, and all of his guesses became reality, “There are merely three drops of the Phoenix’s ancestral blood in you! For this noble one to erase it all is simply too easy!”
“Only three drops of the Phoenix’s blood, but you were able to cultivate the sixth stage of the World Ode of the Phoenix easily! It is truly the power of the Evil God’s Fire Spirit Evil Body! But the mere World Ode of the Phoenix cannot be compared to the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World! Just wait till this noble one has erased everything in your body and mind about the Phoenix! Your unique body of the Evil God… is the only one worthy to carry the power of my Golden Crow!!”
BOOM!!
Yun Che’s heart and soul exploded as though lightning from the ninth heaven had struck it; endless golden flames came down like waves roaring under a storm and fiercely rushed into his mind. In an instant, there was only endless flame left in his mind, and nothing else. That remaining trace of clarity was like withered leaves blown by tornados, able to be crushed into tiny shreds at any moment.
The Golden Crow Soul was the Primordial Divine Beast, Golden Crow’s, isolated form, and it carried the will and power of a god. Based on it being able to grant the Little Demon Empress power of a half-step into the Divine Profound Realm, showed that its powers were far stronger than those of the Phoenix Divine Spirit of the Profound Sky Continent’s Divine Phoenix Empire.
Facing such power, even a high level Monarch would only kneel down in fear, and wouldn’t be able to resist at all. But Yun Che… even if he only had some wandering consciousness left, he would be determined to struggle at all costs.
“You… you are… in any case… the spirit of divine beast… I cannot believe… that you would… be so low… You… stop it… right now… I still have… the slightest amount of respect… and gratitude… from helping… the Little Demon Empress… towards you… or else… ugh…”
“Oh? You can still use your soul voice; this willpower has surprised me. Hmph! You can only blame yourself for being foolish, rejecting my Golden Crow’s inheritance just for the mere Phoenix’s bloodline! Or else this noble one wouldn’t have to do this!”
The suppressive feeling from the Golden Crow Soul increased once again, and it put Yun Che’s final trace of consciousness on the verge of completely collapsing. He still used all of his will and screamed, “The power of the Golden Crow… If… it is really that strong… why would you mind… whether or not… the Phoenix’s bloodline exists… Minding it that much… can only mean that… towards the Phoenix’s bloodline… not only was there no disdain… that you showed on the surface… instead… you have a sense of inferior… resentment!!”
“You… have already… lost… on this matter!”
Out of Yun Che’s expectations, the emotion of the Golden Crow Soul did not fluctuate because of what he said; rather, it sneered in contempt, “Hmph, such low-level, uninteresting resistance. You think you would be able to enrage me like this? Your sad struggle can only put you in a disadvantage, without giving you any benefit!”
“Even though this noble one is forcing you now, this noble one definitely has the qualification to force you! Because this noble one gifted the virgin body of the most noble, publicly acknowledged number one beauty of Illusory Demon Realm to you, let you fondle her with your own desire for all these days, and helped her achieve unmatched power! If you continue to not know how to appreciate a favor, believe it or not, this noble one will immediately cripple her veins!”
“You…” Yun Che’s mind trembled slightly… So this was the real reason and intent behind her helping the Little Demon Empress… It purely provided her a justification in forcing him!
When Yun Che’s mind appeared to have an instant of disorder, the golden flames immediately rushed in and instantly drowned the last of his will completely.
There was only blankness before his eyes; there was no sound in the whole world at all, even the Golden Crow’s golden flames could not be seen, could not be felt, and everything was drifting away… In the end, even the blankness was disappearing with speed, and everything was starting to be shrouded with darkness.
The instant before the world was filled with darkness, Yun Che made his final struggle.
Dragon… Soul… Domain…
ROAR!!
The fierce cry of a dragon resounded throughout Yun Che’s soul. As they were taking over Yun Che’s soul, the Golden Crow’s flames that were searching for the Phoenix’s imprint suddenly started shaking in chaos. Following that, an enormous, azure dragon tore apart the flames with a loud roar, and flew up in the sky… The divine spirit pressure from the Primordial Azure Dragon made the raging Golden Crow flames instantly stop spreading, and even tremble slightly in unsettlement.
“What!? The Dragon God Soul?” The Golden Crow Soul was so shocked at that instant that it lost its voice, “What is going on… It was already unusual for the Primordial Azure Dragon to have endowed him with such rich Dragon God’s Bloodline… Why did it even give him the origin of its soul!”
“Bloodline can be spread by inheritance… but the origin of the soul is the last will and trace of a divine spirit in this world! Each bit of it taken away means a slight disappearance of its last existence! Moreover, it is the Primordial Azure Dragon, the head of the Primordial Divine Beasts… What is worthy about this human, that it would go to such an extent!”
Chapter 608 - Divine Jade of the Nine Suns
“…Is that so! Then all the more reason for him to inherit my power of the Golden Crow! How could a person who has gained the acknowledgement of the Dragon God Soul be ordinary! He really is the person who deserves the legacy of the Golden Crow the most in this world!”
If faced with the complete might of the Dragon God, the Golden Crow would naturally not be a match. However, Yun Che’s strength was too weak; how could the amount of the Dragon God’s might that he could muster compare to the willpower of the Golden Crow Soul? In the next moment, the flames of the Golden Crow which were retreating under the pressure of the Dragon God’s might suddenly filled Yun Che’s entire soul domain like an erupting volcano… However, the Dragon God Soul was still the Dragon God Soul; although it only existed within the body of a Sky Profound Realm human, the Golden Crow Soul had to use the whole span of a hundred breaths. Only then was it able to fully keep it under control.
It could be said that in the entire Illusory Demon Realm and Profound Sky Continent, apart from Yun Che, there was nobody else who could possibly last this long under the Golden Crow Soul’s pressure.
“This kid is really making this noble one feel even more interested!”
Suppressing the Dragon God Soul, the flames of the Golden Crow had already occupied the entirety of Yun Che’s soul domain. Before erasing the Phoenix bloodline in his body, it was necessary to erase the Phoenix imprint on his soul first; this way, the Phoenix blood within his body would lose its roots, and thus could be easily obliterated in a fraction of a second.
In the blink of an eye, the Phoenix imprint within Yun Che’s soul domain appeared in front of consciousness of the Golden Crow Soul. For her to destroy the simplistic Phoenix imprint would be like batting an eyelid.
“Hmph! this noble one unexpectedly had to take the initiative and go through such great pains in order to pass on her bloodline! This is all because of you, an eyesore of a Phoenix, stole him first… get out of here!”
Following her thoughts, a column of golden flame shot from the sea of flames and rushed towards the Phoenix imprint.
Boom!!
A dull rumbling sounded from within Yun Che’s soul, and golden flames violently exploded… however, within the flames which lit up the entire soul domain, the Phoenix imprint was not destroyed; instead, it also glowed with a golden radiance… it was so intense, not a single bit weaker than the radiance of the Golden Crow’s flames.
Scree!!
An extremely resonant and sharp Phoenix cry sounded imposingly, and a golden Phoenix silhouette dragging along long phoenix feathers flew towards the sky. The surrounding Golden Crow flames, seemingly engulfed by violent winds, were all forced into a corner of the soul, incapable of approaching it.
“Wh… What!!”
“Phoenix… Soul Origin!!”
At this moment, the flames of the Golden Crow no longer approached it, and the consciousness of the Golden Crow Soul was in total shock.
“Why… even the Phoenix… has given him its soul origin!”
“This human… what’s going on… could it be, just because he carries the strength of the Evil God?!”
“Why on earth!”
The silhouette of the Phoenix Soul floated in the middle of Yun Che’s soul, staring arrogantly at the Golden Crow’s flames which surrounded it. The two extremely luminous golden radiances reflected upon each other… and the flames of the Golden Crow which previously vowed to wipe off the Phoenix imprint did not move forward for a long time. The shock and puzzlement of the Golden Crow Soul persisted for a long time. When her emotions finally stabilized, she did not choose to suppress the soul of the Phoenix, but looked away and started to look through all of Yun Che’s memories.
In a short thirty breaths, all of Yun Che’s memories emerged within the consciousness of the Golden Crow Soul. The sea of Yun Che’s soul was still bombarded by the Golden Crow’s flames, but the golden flames did not have any movement for a long time, and the Golden Crow Soul did not make a sound for a long while either…
It was as if within the silence, she was making a tough decision.
———————————
Yun Che’s consciousness gradually returned to him. When he awoke, the scene of him losing consciousness floated into his mind.
He sat up violently, opened his eyes and saw the pair of pure gold pupils gazing attentively at him from the skies. Yun Che said in shock, “You…”
After only saying the word “you,” Yun Che’s voice suddenly stopped, because he could clearly feel within his body the power of the Phoenix. The Phoenix imprint and the six volumes of the 《World Ode of the Phoenix》 clearly existed within his body, it did not feel even one bit indistinct… at the same time, within his body and soul, there was clearly another type of blazing energy.
Yun Che extended his two hands experimentally, two balls of flames ignited on his palms at the same time. They were both scarlet flames, moreover; both were similar shades of scarlet, and the difference in color was not very visible.
However, the difference was that the flames on his left palm ignited calmly, but the flames on his right palm… it was evident that wind was not present in the area, yet the flames danced and swayed violently, as if they were a fierce beast, moreover, they burned with a frantic aura which would make one palpitate.
Two balls of flame, one as calm as the boundless oceans, the other as fearsome as torrential waves.
The flame in his left hand was the Phoenix flame which Yun Che was familiar with.
In his right hand… was a flame which was even more scorching than the Phoenix flame, a flame which released a tyrannical aura.
Could it be…
“Hng, you woke up unexpectedly fast! When the blood of the Golden Crow enters the body of other living creatures, it should be as difficult to overcome as a ferocious beast; it could even cause the creature to burn directly, yet in your body, it becomes so meek! Just within several hours, and even when you were unconscious, you managed to absorb thirty percent! As expected of the Fire Spirit Evil Body which possessed the Dragon God Soul and the Phoenix Soul!”
The voice of the Golden Crow Soul was incomparably dull and downcast, and Yun Che was unsure if he misperceived when he heard some signs of weakness in her voice.
Yun Che raised his head and asked in an unconvinced manner, “You poured the Golden Crow’s bloodline into my body… but did not erase my Phoenix’s bloodline?”
“What else?” the Golden Crow’s soul said coldly, “Hmph! Don’t naively think that this noble one did not have the ability to erase your Phoenix bloodline; it’s just that this noble one suddenly felt merciful and changed her decision! What a joke… this noble one actually allowed the Golden Crow bloodline and Phoenix bloodline to coexist in a single body… hahahaha… this is the biggest joke ever…”
“…” Yun Che was speechless for a long while, he could clearly remember that under the soul attack from the Golden Crow Soul, he was virtually defenseless, his consciousness was defeated and he was completely unconscious. At that time, the Golden Crow’s soul was absolutely determined to erase his Phoenix bloodline, leaving no room for negotiation. He also did not suspect that with the power that the Golden Crow Soul displayed, she did not have the ability to easily erase his Phoenix bloodline.
While he was unconscious, he had thought that all he could do was allow the Golden Crow’s soul to freely take advantage of him, and awaken to find out that he had completely lost the power of the Phoenix… He did not expect to not only keep the power of the Phoenix, but also gain the power of the Golden Crow.
“Jasmine, what exactly happened?” Yun Che could not think of a reason. The Golden Crow Soul suddenly becoming merciful… he could not believe such a reason.
“She originally had almost erased the Phoenix imprint in your soul. However, at the last moment, she changed her mind. As for the reason why she changed her mind…” Jasmine laughed strangely, “It should have been because your experiences scared her.”
Lucky for her that she changed her mind at the last moment, or else, she would have been obliterated by this princess… this was from the depth of Jasmine’s heart.
“Scared by my… experiences?” Yun Che was baffled.
“This Golden Crow Soul character is so fickle; who knows what she’s thinking, you can just get an idea about why she changed her mind… you don’t need to know the reason!” Jasmine said irresponsibly, “This is not the time for you to meddle with such issues. Since you have retained the power of the Phoenix and gained the Golden Crow bloodline, this is really to your advantage! Now, the Golden Crow’s origin blood is flowing within your body. When you were unconscious, you only refined thirty percent of it! You should hurry and concentrate to refine it!”
“Oh!” Yun Che answered immediately as his mind shook. He concentrated and adjusted his breathing. He could feel that within his body, there existed nine additional scorching streams which were emitting pure gold radiances.
Nine drops of the Golden Crow’s origin blood.
Watching Yun Che go from a state of shock to a state where he could calmly refine, the voice of the Golden Crow Soul sounded out once again, “Although this noble one allowed the Golden Crow bloodline and Phoenix bloodline to coexist within your body, it absolutely does not mean that this noble one admits that the Phoenix bloodline is on par with the Golden Crow bloodline! The Golden Crow is a divine being borne from the core of the Sun. The Golden Crow’s flames are the strongest flames in this world, how can the Phoenix flames compare… when you have integrated the Golden Crow bloodline into your body and comprehended the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, you would not even think about using the inferior Phoenix flames!”
“That Phoenix soul merely gave you three drops of Phoenix blood… while this noble one has bestowed nine drops of Golden crow blood upon you!”
“The Phoenix Soul accorded you six volumes of the 《World Ode of the Phoenix》, this noble one will imprint your soul with seven volumes of the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》!
“That Phoenix soul gave you a huge gift… this noble one will bestow you with an even larger gift!!”
The words of the Golden Crow Soul targeted and belittled the Phoenix flames at every turn. She initially “disdained” allowing the Golden Crow bloodline and Phoenix bloodline to coexist, and now, she made each of her bestowals to Yun Che surpass that of the Phoenix Soul.
Peeling off her tyrannical, mighty and violent outside, how was she different from a competitive, ordinary woman unwilling to lose.
Yun Che opened his eyes at this point, he raised his head and asked with misgivings, “The Phoenix soul gave me… a huge gift? What huge gift?”
Such similar words, the Phoenix Soul had said before, and the Dragon God Soul had said before, but they did not state it explicitly. Jasmine wore a knowing expression, but no matter how many times he asked, she never answered seriously. Today, the Golden Crow Soul said the exact same words.
What exactly was the “huge gift” that the Phoenix soul had bestowed upon him before leaving the Phoenix Secret Realm?
“As expected, you don’t know. You do not need to know either.” The Golden Crow’s soul similarly did not answer him, “Although knowing it earlier would be a pleasant surprise for you, it would hinder your growth, and it would not be beneficial! It would be better for you not to know… Until the day you need to know, then you will find out.”
“!@#$…” (Damn! Why is it such an answer again! What on earth is it!)
“The big gift that the Phoenix Soul granted to you indeed caused this noble one to be shocked! However, this noble one’s gift to you is not worse than that of the Phoenix!”
At this moment, the pure gold pupils suddenly flashed, and for a moment, the entire sky was wrapped in gold light. The source of the light slowly floated down and landed in front of Yun Che. Yun Che stopped refining the Golden Crow’s blood, extended his arm, and carefully touched the source of the golden light… This was something which was granted by the Golden Crow Soul, something which was not inferior to the Phoenix Soul’s mysterious gift… it was not to be taken lightly!
After making contact with Yun Che’s hand, the glow slowly disappeared. Appearing in front of Yun Che’s eyes was an ordinary looking golden jade about the size of a fist. The jade could be considered translucent and dazzling, and nine irregular golden specks could be clearly seen; in fact, these nine specks were obviously linked by a golden thread.
“This is… the Jade of the Nine Suns!!” Jasmine cried out involuntarily from within Yun Che’s mind.
This was Yun Che’s first time hearing Jasmine lose her cool from seeing a piece of jade. He asked hurriedly, “Jade of the Nine Suns? What kind of jade is this? Is it really as incredible as the Golden Crow Soul says?”
“…It is quite unimaginable for something as divine as the Jade of the Nine Suns to appear in this plane!” Jasmine said with an abnormal voice, she then said in an overcast manner: “The Jade of the Nine Suns is one of the highest level divine jades of the Primordial World! Even in the world I was born, it is an extremely rare divine object! When all the power of a Jade of the Nine Suns is triggered… hmph, it is enough to obliterate the entire Illusory Demon Realm in an instant!”
Chapter 609 - Seed of the Evil God - Lightning
“Obliterate… the entire Illusory Demon Realm?” Yun Che’s hand trembled slightly, almost shouting it out loud. Holding on to the golden jade which did not even feel warm, his heart was beating out of control… it contained the power to obliterate the Illusory Demon Realm in an instant… how scary of an existence was this!
“Such a terrifying object…” Yun Che resolutely swallowed his saliva: “If the power inside could be absorbed and refined, would that not go against the heavens!”
“Absorb its innate power? To the current you, it is just a silly dream.” Jasmine laughed in disdain: “For such a small piece of jades to contain enough energy to destroy the entire Illusory Demon Realm, can you imagine how dense the energy it contains must be? The current you will not be able to comprehend the level of power, not to even mention bearing it. If you want to absorb it forcefully, the only ending is… death!”
Yun Che was not surprised by Jasmine’s reply. He asked doubtfully: “If that’s the case, why did the Golden Crow’s soul gift it to me?”
“It naturally has its uses. As for what it can be used for, you should ask her yourself.” Jasmine said: “While you were unconscious, she read through all of your memories, if she mentions any of your secrets, you do not need to be shocked.”
“…” Yun Che lifted the Divine Jade of the Nine Suns carefully: “Golden Crow Divine God, this Jade of the Nine Suns is far too precious and based on my strength, I do not have the capability to handle it, to leave it with me would be causing a divine object to become dirt, a waste of resources, why did you gift it to me?”
“To you, it naturally has its uses, and in fact, it is extremely useful.” The Golden Crow’s soul said mildly, as if she was not shocked that he knew the name “Jade of the Nine Suns”: “Don’t you have a profound ark from the Primordial Era? That Profound Ark has mystical abilities to shuttle between the void, however, to operate it, you need an incomparable amount of energy.”
“And this Jade of the Nine Suns is able to power the Primordial Profound Ark, able to help it travel between the void… it will at least be able to allow you to travel back to the Profound Sky Continent which you have been wanting to return to!”
If it was not for Jasmine’s reminder, he would have been totally shocked by the Golden Crow Soul’s words… Having his memories read by someone else was obviously an incomparably horrible experience; all of his experiences, relationships, secrets… even his unspeakable thoughts, all of it was made known to someone, it was simply even worse than being naked in front of everyone…
Thinking back that the one in front of him was the Golden Crow’s soul who granted him the Golden Crow bloodline and Jade of the Nine Suns, Yun Che clenched his teeth and tolerated it, his head pounding fiercely… Jasmine had said, it was hard for even Purple Veined Divine Crystal to power the Primordial Profound Ark, yet this Jade of the Nine Suns could do it!
That way, he could immediately use the Primordial Profound Ark to return to the Profound Sky Continent… Return to the side of those whom he dreamed of day and night!
As long as the Divine Jade of the Nine Suns’ power did not run out, he could even use the Primordial Profound Ark to freely travel between the Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm… and he would not be noticed by anyone! He could absolutely travel according to his whims and fancies!
Yun Che was definitely not an unreasonable person; he nimbly deposited the Jade of the Nine Suns into the Sky Poison Pearl. Yun Che’s heart felt much lighter once the Jade of the Nine Suns which contained such a horrifying amount of power left his hands. He then thanked the Golden Crow’s soul earnestly: “I thank the Golden Crow Divine God’s generosity… I hope the Golden Crow Divine God will forgive my discourteous words from earlier.”
“Hmph! Why would this noble one lower herself to a human’s level!” The Golden Crow’s soul said coldly. At this point, her pupils flashed. Yun Che’s body was instantly clothed in flames and started to float.
“This is…” Yun Che’s face was full of doubt.
“The Sea of Death is the best place for you to train! For the subsequent period, you will concentrate on refining the Golden Crow’s blood within the Sea of Death and comprehend the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》 that this noble one has bestowed upon you! This noble one will naturally let you return once your Little Demon Empress has broken out of the barrier! Before this, don’t even think of leaving the Sea of Death!”
“…” (Why is it like this again! This Golden Crow’s soul sure likes to impose her will on others!)
(But the words “your Little Demon Empress”, sounds really good!!)
“Alright!” Yun Che nodded, he did not have any reason to oppose the decision. The Sea of Death was indeed the most suitable place for him to cultivate.
“Also, once you have refined the Golden Crow’s blood, eat this!”
After speaking, a purple glow appeared from within her pupils which flew rapidly towards Yun Che…
As the purple glow neared, bursts of ear-piercing cries could be heard. Yun Che’s eyes opened wide… the purple glow within his line of sight grew closer and closer, its original form was small, but the purple glow surrounding it was extremely deep, twisting like a violent beast, and wherever it went, the space around it was distorted.
Above, the thunder clouds which were originally suppressed by the Golden Crow’s soul now pervaded the entire sky, and ear-splitting roars of thunder could be heard.
Yet it was not these changes which shocked Yun Che the most. What he felt excited for was that the moment the purple glow appeared, it was as if his profound veins were an awakened sleeping beast which had been agitated. This kind of agitated feeling was not unfamiliar at all…
The purple glow of devastating lightning could be seen within his line of sight, yet he did not feel a single bit of fear or rejection. Instead, he felt an extremely familiar feeling, down to his heart.
As the purple glow neared, Yun Che almost involuntarily reached out to grab it.
Immediately, all the lightning above dispersed, and even the aura became particularly gentle. Within Yun Che’s palm, it revealed its true form… An extremely tiny seed which exhibited a gentle, illusory purple glow.
This… could it be…
“Evil God’s Lightning Seed!?”
“That’s right! This indeed is the seed of lightning of the Evil God’s Seeds! Since you have inherited the Evil God’s power, this naturally belongs to you!” the Golden Crow’s soul continued, “It originally appeared in the Illusory Demon Realm and this noble one obtained it. The endless thunder clouds within this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley were borne because of its power! Now that it has been returned, this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will no longer have thunder clouds.”
“You now have the Fire and Water seeds to form the Fire Spirit Evil Body and Water Spirit Evil Body. When you have fused it into your Evil God’s Profound Veins, you will have formed the ‘Lightning Spirit Evil Body’, when that happens, even ten thousand kinds of lightning will not affect you. Not to mention lightning formed by profound energy, even lightning from the heavens will not affect you!”
Without waiting for Yun Che to say another word, the pure gold pupils both flashed and Yun Che disappeared from the air… directly thrown by the Golden Crow’s soul into the boundless Sea of Death.
Although Yun Che had left, the pair of pure gold pupils belonging to the Golden Crow’s soul did not vanish, and slowly, in front of the golden pupils, an exquisite body of a young lady wearing the Smoky Red Fairy Dress appeared.
She crossed her arms against her chest, appearing to be a young girl, yet her expression and attitude was incomparably arrogant… Even though she was facing the Golden Crow’s soul, she narrowed slightly her eyes and said expressionlessly: “This princess is quite curious, you suddenly retreated, and even benefited him so, is it because you realized about this princess’ existence and became fearful, or did you do it on your own accord?”
The Golden Crow’s soul said apathetically: “You do indeed have the power to destroy this noble one, however this noble one possesses the willpower of the Golden Crow. In this world, there still does not exist anything that can cause this noble one to experience fear!”
Jasmine laughed coldly: “A pity that this ‘willpower of the Golden Crow’ will disappear soon. You have given him your soul origin, you can only exist for ten years at most. A pity to this one thousand five hundred kilometer Sea of Death, after ten years, will also gradually disappear when you disappear.
“Now that this noble one has found the most perfect successor, disappearing immediately without any regrets would be natural. What’s more, this noble one still has ten more years… but you on the other hand, Star God from the Star God Realm who inherited the power of the Heaven Slaughter Star, may not even live as long as this noble one. Why would you need to pity this noble one!”
“What did you say!?” a dark expression appeared on Jasmine’s small, milk white face.
“We Golden Crow Souls are able to mutually transmit memories. Even though this noble one is now in the Illusory Demon Realm, this noble one is aware of everything which happens in your Realm of Gods. Although your Star God Realm is able to use the ‘Star Soul Reincarnation’ to pass on the strength of a Star God, each ‘Star Soul Reincarnation’ will cause the divine strength to be weakened by a portion. Thus, your Star God Realm has to use other methods which ‘compensates’ that to avoid the subsequent generations from getting weaker.”
“And since a hundred thousand years ago, the Heaven Slaughter Star God did not exist ‘alone’… Which is to say, you, who possesses the power of the Heaven Slaughter Star God are just a temporary vessel! And the outcome for a vessel would naturally to become an ‘offering’! For you to appear in this world would not simply just be due to being chased for obtaining the Evil God’s indestructible blood… the greater reason, would be because you are fleeing from the Star God Realm!”
“If not, why did you, who was being chased, flee in this direction… which is opposite from that of the Star God Realm!”
“Or perhaps, you went through such great dangers, putting aside all considerations to obtain the Evil God’s indestructible blood just to obtain enough strength to escape the fate of being an ‘offering’!”
“Shut up!!”
This space around Jasmine ruptured immediately. A cold and incomparably terrifying murderous intent was released uncontrollably, causing innumerable cracks to appear in the surrounding space.
“Hahahahaha…” the Golden Crow’s soul laughed: “Seems like what this noble one has said was spot on.”
“In this world, there is no one who can decide this princess’ fate, even ‘that person’ cannot!”
Jasmine’s face was filled with terrifying indifference, she pointed at the pair of pure gold pupils in front of her, a scarlet ray flashed on her fingertip: “If you dare to continue babbling such nonsense, this princess will cause to disappear forever immediately!”
“Even if you were really angry, you would not dare to kill this noble one. This place is not a spatial tunnel, if you really release energy on the level which is enough to kill this noble one, it will cause the Star God Realm to notice your presence. When that happens, you of all people should be aware of the consequences.”
Jasmine’s hand paused in the air. After a long time, she slowly lowered her arm, even the anger and murderous intent which she exploded with previously had calmed down a little, a look of indifference returned to her eyes. She said coldly: “As expected of the soul which houses the Golden Crow’s will and memories, the things you know are just too much! Hmph! This princess’ business is none of your concern! Since you know so much, this princess will ask you a question… since you have read through all of Yun Che’s memories, then you should know that the legacy of the Phoenix, Dragon God… and you, the Golden Crow, exists on this little Blue Pole Star! Even the Evil God’s seeds have appeared on this world…”
“In this boundless universe with countless stars, to have an inheritor of a divine legacy is one in a hundred billion, yet on this little Blue Pole Star, there exists so many… from the Primordial Era. What exactly happened on this star? To have the vestiges of so many divine beings?”
Jasmine’s sudden question caused the Golden Crow’s soul to become silent. The pair of pure gold pupils stopped moving for a long while. Then, she said with an intense voice: “Since you wish to know, this noble one will answer you… The reason why this star is called the Blue Pole Star is because it is divided into one percent of land and ninety nine percent water! From the outside, this star is azure.”
“However it was not called Blue Pole Star previously. Back then, it was forty percent land and sixty percent water. The reason is because during the calamity of the Primordial Gods, a large portion of the land was destroyed into nothingness, leaving the current one percent. What’s more, this star was located at the other end of the spatial chaos previously, not even a hundred Star Realms apart from the world in which you were born.”
“What?” Jasmine scrunched her eyebrows: “What you are saying, is that back then this star traveled across half of the spatial chaos?”
“That’s right! It continued to exist after experiencing such a force, and to just have ninety percent of its land to be destroyed, even in the Realm of Gods, this is an irreplicable miracle. The one who preserved this star was precisely the Evil God! Because this Blue Pole Star… was the first star that he created!”
Jasmine: “…”
“After the Evil God’s death, the only ones who knew of this world’s existence were the few divine beings who were on good terms with the Evil God! The Dragon God, Phoenix and Golden Crow were the three amongst them! That was the only reason why they would leave their legacies on this star with such inferior strength! At least, your Star Realm would not be aware of the existence of this star which travelled across half of the spatial chaos!”
“In other words, the reason why the Phoenix, Dragon God and you gave him your bloodline legacies and even soul origins, would be because he possesses the Evil God’s strength?” Jasmine squinted.
“Of course not!”
The Golden Crow’s soul denied and at this point, her voice became incomparably overcast: “Although we are just souls which have left a divine being’s body and our strength are countless times weaker than that, the realm which we souls are in is the that of a divine being… we are able to roughly detect auras which only those at a divine being’s level are able to.”
“What does that mean?”
“It is an aura which should have become extinct with all the gods back in the Primordial Era! Although it is incomparably faint and indistinct, it is clearly becoming stronger year by year… being souls which have left the body, we have to forever be loyal to the divine being’s will, never able to leave this world… but that terrifying aura keeps on getting closer to reality, the largest contribution we can make would be to give our all… including our soul origins to the most suitable person!”
“When this noble one saw the Dragon God’s and Phoenix’s soul origins within his soul, this noble one knew that they too had noticed the same aura! Although this noble one loathes the Phoenix’s strength, this noble one will not go as far as to kill her own will just because of hate!”
“…The aura ‘which should have become extinct’ that you spoke about, what is it?” Jasmine scrunched her eyebrows and asked.
“Pray that it was a misperception. If not, no matter how strong your Star God Realm is, it too will fall into endless fear!”
Following the last words of the Golden Crow’s soul, the pure gold pupils embedded in the sky slowly disappeared. In the sky, the dark purple thunder clouds rapidly dispersed. Bit by bit, the color of the sky transformed from a deep purple to scarlet.
Good Guy Dnton’s Note: With reference to chapter 603, you will realize that a lot of new realms are popping up all over the place. But these realms are either referring to different planets/stars or different planes of existence. Example: when Jasmine talked about how certain things shouldn’t exist on Yun Che’s world/plane but do exist on other “higher” planes. So a sort of cosmology is slowly being introduced in the ATG-verse and you can picture it as being like a D&D universe where there are various planes which exist together or you can think of it like a proper astronomical chart, where there is a universe and these realms are separated by space.
Chapter 610 - Forces Approaching Floating Cloud
Profound Sky Continent. Blue Wind Nation, Floating Cloud City, Xiao Clan.
An old rattan chair sat underneath an ancient tree with dried up leaves. An old man, his head filled with white hair sat quietly on the rattan chair with his eyes closed as the morning sun shined upon him.
A man dressed in black walked into the courtyard, his footsteps were silent, his silhouette was like a monster. With just a single step, he crossed the courtyard to arrive in front of the old man… The old man in front of him was actually not fit to be called an old man, he was only sixty-one years old this year. On top of that, he was a profound practitioner, signs of aging would not leave a huge mark on his body. However, in the past few years he had aged very quickly, his hair rapidly became white. The man dressed in black stood in front of him; what he felt was not a kind of peacefulness but rather a type of loneliness and apathy.
As if he was apathetic even to death.
As if he had detected that someone had neared, the old man opened his eyes, he glanced at the youth dressed in black silently, then shut his eyes: “Xi’er is not here.”
The youth in black did not say a word. He turned around as though intending to leave quietly. At that point, a tall figure walked through the entrance of the courtyard —— it was Xiao Clan’s Clan Master Xiao Yunhai. The Xiao Yunhai who walked in glanced at the youth in black who stood there, his entire body trembled violently. His bones shuddered and went limp, his eyes were filled with fear as if the one he saw was not a person but a devil that was baring its terrifying fangs.
Xiao Yunhai did not have the guts to leave. He summoned the courage to move forward. After taking several steps, he nearly fell because both his legs were shuddering and had become limp: “Gree… greetings… Young… Young Master Fen.”
“What are you doing here?” The youth in black spoke, his voice was cold and indifferent with absolutely no emotions as if the words were not spoken by a human but a cold, dead body.
“Your… your humble servant… specially… specially came… to… pay respects… to the Fifth Elder.”
Xiao Yunhai took such a long time stuttering over such a simple sentence, and the sound of his teeth chattering could be heard.
“Hmph!” The youth in black snorted coldly. He didn’t make any visible movements, but his body suddenly disappeared without a sound or breath leaving no traces behind.
Xiao Yunhai’s entire body loosened; like a pile of mud he fell paralyzed onto the ground. He sighed a huge breath of relief, his robes were entirely drenched in cold sweat.
In the past few years, his fate, and that of the entire Xiao Clan’s went up and down like the lone boat in a huge wave.
Six years ago, Xiao Sect granted enormous favors upon the Xiao Clan. Xiao Yunhai was wild with joy, thinking that they could transform from an earthworm in the soil to a dragon soaring in the clouds. In order to curry favor with Xiao Kuangyun and let his son Xiao Yulong enter Xiao Sect, he did not hesitate to use devious schemes to offer up Xia Qingyue and Xiao Lingxi to Xiao Kuangyun.
He did not think that Xia Qingyue would be a Frozen Cloud Asgard disciple… instead, the outcome of his devious scheme was to force Yun Che to leave in bitterness… That night, his son who was originally supposed to leave with Xiao Kuangyun to Xiao Sect on the second day got his four limbs and five senses destroyed… dying miserably not long after.
Three years ago, Yun Che returned to take revenge, causing them to experience a horrible nightmare.
After that, the entire Xiao Clan lived in constant fear, especially Xiao Yunhai and the rest, feeling as though they were awaiting a trial for a death sentence… Eight months later, Yun Che did not arrive, but the news of his death in the Primordial Profound Ark spread across the entire Profound Sky Continent.
The entire Xiao Clan sighed a breath of relief. However half a year ago, they had attracted another demon… one which was even more terrifying than Yun Che.
Fen Juechen!
Bearing an inexhaustible hatred, Fen Juechen wanted to exterminate the entire Xiao Clan… because this was Yun Che’s birthplace!
He arrived at the Xiao Clan and started to kill people… He flashed with each step, and each step brought ten people down. They had not even reacted to the situation and more than a hundred had died in his hands, with none of their corpses left intact.
Amongst them included the Grand Elder Xiao Li and Third Elder Xiao Ze.
Throughout the whole thing he did not say a word and did not have any expression, as if he came from hell, like a Grim Reaper who came to harvest lives.
The scariest thing was that those who died under him… their corpses rotted rapidly in a cloud of black gas, transforming into piles of char…
And the one who stopped this devil was Xiao Lingxi.
When Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi who had a face full of fear appeared, that devil stopped his massacre as undulating emotions which belonged to a human appeared on that emotionless face…
Thereafter, he stopped his massacre of the Xiao Clan and continued to stay in this place… the reason why he stayed was also because of Xiao Lingxi.
He became an existence like the devil to the Xiao Clan, any disciple of the Xiao Clan who saw him would shiver in terror, not even daring to take a breath. The good thing was that he listened to Xiao Lingxi and did not kill anymore members of the Xiao Clan. He did not even harm a single person since, and he practically only stayed within his courtyard… Everyday, the only time when he left his courtyard was to take a glance at Xiao Lingxi, even if he could only see her from afar.
Back then, to escape the chaos of war, Xiao Lie brought Xiao Lingxi back to Floating Cloud City where the war would not reach them. Because of a warning from the Imperial Palace, even without the threat of Yun Che, they would no longer be disrespected because of their current identities. Xiao Lie was the grandfather of the current Empress’ husband and when Fen Juechen arrived, everyone treated Xiao Lingxi and Xiao Lie like their ancestors, not daring to neglect them the slightest bit.
Because anybody could clearly saw that the terrifying devil would listen to Xiao Lingxi’s every word, so whoever Xiao Lingxi wanted him to kill would die immediately.
“Fifth Elder…” Fen Juechen had left but Xiao Yunhai was still frightened. Facing Xiao Lie, he said deferentially: “The forces of the Divine Phoenix Empire are approaching, the gates of Floating Cloud City are already… already wide open, Mayor Yuwen and Mayor Situ left two hours ago to personally lead the city soldiers thirty kilometers away from the city to wel… welcome… and after the Divine Phoenix Army enters the city, they warned our Xiao Clan… not to do anything disrespectful. Just now, the Divine Phoenix Army has already arrived… the Fifth Elder may be at ease, there was no resistance, so there should be no indiscriminate killing.
Xiao Lie opened his eyes. There was no grief, disappointment or unwillingness in his eyes, only an expanse of dead gray: “That’s good… since we are bound to be humiliated, at least we can avoid the deaths of innocent civilians.”
From afar, waves of clamors could be heard, as if it were getting closer. Xiao Yunhai hurriedly took out a Sound Transmission Jade and took a glance at it, then carefully said to Xiao Lie: “Fifth Elder, the Divine Phoenix Army did not enter the city, but… instead garrisoned outside the city, encircling the city tightly, I’m not sure what… what they want to do.”
“I will immediately notify the Clan disciples, that they have to be well-behaved during these days. Fifth Elder, I… I won’t disturb your rest any longer.”
Xiao Yunhai moved two steps back. Although Fen Juechen was not present, he was still deferential, not daring to show the slightest bit of neglect. That was because in his eyes, Fen Juechen was several hundred thousands of times scarier than the Divine Phoenix Army. After all, facing the Divine Phoenix Army, one just had to obediently surrender and listen; they would not massacre the entire city. However with Fen Juechen, just the slightest bit of inattentiveness could cause one to die without his corpse intact.
At this moment, a flustered voice came from outside…
“Big trouble! Fifth Elder… big trouble!!”
A young Xiao Clan disciple staggered in a hurry. When he saw Xiao Yunhai, he gasped: “Clan Master, it turns out that you are here… trouble… Xiao Lingxi she… she… she…”
The urgent speech and the name “Xiao Lingxi” caused Xiao Lie’s eyes to open wide. Xiao Yunhai’s heart also thumped, he shouted: “What happened to Xiao Lingxi… hurry and speak!”
“She… she…” The Xiao Clan disciple choked violently: “She was stopped by the Divine Phoenix Army… that Divine Phoenix General seems like… he wants to…”
Hiss!!
“What did you say!?”
A pitch-black silhouette abruptly streaked across in the air. The Fen Juechen who had left before suddenly appeared in front of the Xiao Clan disciple, as though a demon. He picked him up by his collar with a single hand, but immediately threw him aside. His body was brimming with murderous intent as his body flashed, his pitch-black figure rushing toward the northern direction with terrifying speed.
Less than one and a half kilometers before the Floating Cloud City’s city gates.
Feng Huwei, Divine Phoenix Empire’s mighty and brilliant General Huwei. He possessed the Phoenix bloodline and belonged to the Divine Phoenix Sect. Within the Divine Phoenix Army, he possessed extremely high prestige and rank… At the same time, he also had an extremely high level of profound cultivation —— level one Tyrant Profound Realm. Even within the sect, he could be an Elder.
He was one of the heads of the invasion of the Blue Wind Nation.
And the “important duty” of taking down Floating Cloud City this time was personally lead by him!
As he had expected, under the twenty five thousand strong army which he lead, Floating Cloud City did not even dare to show half a bit of resistance. The two mayors opened the gates wide and went on their own accord to welcome the army and fawned throughout the journey.
After allowing the army to surround the entire city, he entered Floating Cloud City riding on a huge ferocious Fire Mastiff with a five hundred cavalry behind him, along with Mayor Yuwen Tuo and Vice Mayor Situ Nan bowing and scraping. Even without his identity of General Huwei, he was very clear what an Overlord was like to Blue Wind Nation… not to even mention the tiny little Floating Cloud City. His eyes swept across Floating Cloud City… Everything here was in the palms of his hands, it was as easy as stepping on an ant.
In fact, the exaggeratingly large twenty five thousand strong army was not necessary, he alone could casually flatten the entire Floating Cloud City… forget about getting hurt, not even a speck of dust would get onto him.
After taking down Floating Cloud City, the mission would be completed after finding the enormous crystal mine in the vicinity of Floating Cloud City in the shortest time possible… that was not simply his task this time, it was the end goal of the Divine Phoenix Empire invading Blue Wind Nation… Eradicating the Blue Wind Nation was just a ploy to fool others!
Nobody would think that the reason why the Divine Phoenix Army invaded Blue Wind would be… because of Blue Wind Nation’s smallest, most barren city, Floating Cloud City!
He had originally thought that the task was pointless to the extreme and similarly boring… until a girl caught his eye.
The girl wore a flowy blue dress, from afar her figure was elegant, moving and extremely delicate. Following her slow steps, her dress would float behind her. Her exquisite figure could be seen intermittently. Even though the arcs of her waist, bosoms and bottom could only be seen for a split second, words could not describe this beauty which had a charm that cause men to lose themselves.
Although only a little could be seen, it was extremely beautiful. The skin of her slightly exposed neck was snow white and gem-like, as though it were slightly translucent to the point her bones could almost be seen…
As the stately General Huwei who was an Overlord, he had seen countless people yet he still was instantly dumbstruck… At that moment, he felt as if he had seen a beautiful fairy who had fallen among mankind.
The girl’s footsteps quickened, evidently wanting to avoid the scary invaders. Feng Huwei’s had a fiery gaze in his eyes. He pointed forward in an incomparably urgent manner: “Go! Stop the little lady, let this general take a good look!”
Following the startled cry of a young maiden, Xiao Lingxi was surrounded by a group of people riding flaming colts. She could neither move forward nor retreat, and her eyes were wide with terror: “Wh… what do you guys want…”
The civilians of Floating Cloud City all fled. They were filled with terror, so who would dare to rescue her?
“Hahahaha!” Feng Huwei rode in majestically on his Fire Mastiff without haste. He took a good look at Xiao Lingxi’s looks, and his gaze became even more fiery, as if his eyes were about to start burning. He even subconsciously licked the corner of his mouth: “In this tiny place, there is unexpectedly such a quality beauty… Sss, seems like this general has not wasted his time, hahahaha!”
Floating Cloud City’s mayor, Yuwen Tuo hurried forward. He bent his back, and said with a flattering smile: “This is the daughter of the Fifth Elder of the Xiao Clan, the largest family in our Floating Cloud City. Her name is Xiao Lingxi, twenty-one years old this year and is not married. General Huwei has such a good eye, she is definitely our Floating Cloud City’s number one beauty.”
“Yes, yes.” Situ Nan immediately nodded and smiled: “If General Huwei fancies her, that would be her biggest fortune in this lifetime… Oh, that’s right, there is something that this little one does not know if he should mention… She has another identity. That… that is Yun Che’s Little Aunt.”
“What?”
The two words “Yun Che” made General Huwei’s face change. He grinned suddenly, then laughed wildly: “That means this little beauty is actually Yun Che’s family… Good! Good! Good… hahahaha! This is simply wonderful! Since it is Yun Che’s family, even if I have to snatch, I will snatch it away! Bring her to this general’s sedan!”
He displayed such tyrannical deeds absolutely unrestrained. That was because in these barren lands, everything in front of him was petty and vulgar. No matter what he wanted to do, no one could stop him, no one could bring him to justice… The only thing they could do was obediently obey and tremble.
At least, that was what General Huwei thought.
Then, just when his voice landed, an icy cold voice… that seemed to have come from hell came over:
“Try… to… touch… her… if… you… dare…”
Chapter 611 - The Trembling Divine Phoenix General
Feng Huwei was not only a supreme practitioner in the Tyrant Profound Realm, he was also a seasoned general; the fresh blood in which he had bathed in was enough to form a boundless ocean of blood. He was unaware of when he had started to forget what “fear” felt like.
However, this voice coming from who knew where… simply a voice, made all the hairs on his entire body suddenly erect, causing a chill to run up his spine….
Sssss!!
An extremely ear-piercing sound resounded, and Feng Huwei’s eyes vaguely caught a glimpse of the space being roughly ripped by a pitch black scar… amongst everyone present, he was the only one who could see that moment where the space was ripped. A young man clothed entirely in black, whose face was cold and hard like a corpse, appeared in front of the girl like a demon. His lifeless eyes gazed indifferently at Feng Huwei who was mounted on the Fire Mastiff.
It was as if the whole world had completely congealed at this moment.
Under the gaze of this young man, the emotion of fear which had not surfaced for the past hundred years suddenly awoke like a devil breeding within General Huwei’s soul. It inflated till he could feel his chest being pressured by an extremely tall mountain. His heart completely stopped beating, even his blood stopped flowing; it was as though his entire body was in an ice cold hell, every cell violently trembled… That kind of fear even affected his five senses. He was clearly looking at the young man in front of him but what he saw was instead just a misty blur; he could not take a good look at his face.
Beneath his body, a wave of intense shuddering could be felt… it was the Fire Mastiff shuddering! His Fire Mastiff mount was an incomparably huge and powerful Emperor Profound Beast which had followed him for for a full hundred years, it had charged into wars countless of times, treaded upon countless of corpse-ridden fields. More than hundreds of thousands of men and beasts died under its claws; it had never known fear. Even encountering Tyrant Profound Beasts which it had no way to beat, it charged in without hesitation, it had never retreated a single bit.
However at this point, it was actually shuddering violently!
As an Overlord, and also the Divine Phoenix Empire’s famous General Huwei, Feng Huwei was obviously not a fool. Even though this area was the lowliest of places which could not have anyone who had the qualifications to rebel against him… to the point where there was no one who had the qualifications for him to even look at, he clearly knew that to cause fear in his Fire Mastiff with simply aura and the look in one’s eyes was quite the concept.
Even the pressure of the Divine Phoenix Empire’s Emperor Feng Hengkong had never made him tremble before.
“Aiyoh! This little Floating Cloud City unexpectedly has a Blue Wind scum who doesn’t know what’s good for him. To dare stop our general, it seems like you don’t want to live anymore!!”
While Feng Huwei’s mind was trembling, a voice full of contempt sounded out… the one who said that was not some other person, but instead was the first Vice General under him, Feng Qianjun, who also belonged to the Divine Phoenix Sect. Feng Huwei was greatly alarmed. Just when he wanted to say something to stop him, he instead saw the black clothed young man’s silhouette flash past, abruptly moving forward. The palm which was unnaturally deathly pale and seemingly shrouded in a black mist, clawed towards Feng Qianjun’s neck.
No matter what kind of movement, including his hand movement, to an ordinary person, it would be extremely quick. However to a strong practitioner, especially to Feng Qianjun, who was at the eighth level of the Emperor Profound Realm, it was particularly slow, slow to the point that he was too lazy to dodge, and allowed his palm to grab his own neck… When the black-clothed young man’s hand grabbed his neck, apart from traces of iciness, not to mention suffocation or pain, not even a bit of uncomfort could be felt. Soon after, even that icy feeling could not be felt anymore. And to him, this was extremely normal, because amongst the lowly profound cultivators within Floating Cloud City, even if they used hundred percent of their strength to strangle him, it would not cause a single bit of unease to a level eight Throne of the Divine Phoenix Sect.
“Hahahaha!” Feng Qianjun laughed wildly, his laughter was full of contempt and despise. He looked at the expression in Fen Juechen’s eyes and felt pity, as if he were looking at an ant overestimating itself: “There sure enough isn’t a lack of ignorant and laughable wretches in this world. This general was originally feeling merciful and did not plan to kill anybody today, but an insignificant Blue Wind scum would actually dare to make a move against this general, hahahaha! Come, come, come, show me all of your strength. Quick, strangle this general to death, this general will simply stand here. You can use your hands, a blade, a spear, if you can kill this general, this general will call you granddaddy in hell. Come, come, come, you have to use a little more strength, hahahaha….”
While Feng Qianjun was laughing wildly with disdain… nobody around him was laughing at all. No matter if it was the Divine Phoenix Army or citizens of Floating Cloud City, all of their eyes were wide till they almost burst, as endless terror filled their faces.
Feng Qianjun’s neck, which was locked onto by Fen Juechen’s hand, started to emit a faint black mist. Under the black mist, the flesh on Feng Qianjun’s neck started to rapidly rot and wither. In the blink of an eye, the white and dense larynx bone could be seen, and in the next moment, the white larynx bone had already turned black… it became as black as coal.
Yet Feng Qianjun was completely unaware and continued to laugh wildly in disdain… the rotting of flesh was rapidly spreading downwards, and within three short breaths, most of his upper body did not a single bit of flesh; from his sternum to his ribs, all of it was fully presented to everybody present.
Such a terrifying scene contrasted with his wild and wanton laugh… it was terrifying to the point that not a single person even dared to breathe a word.
A gust of wind blew past, and Qianjun’s Throne body caved in like a pyramid made of sand, dispersing powerlessly. The Feng Qianjun who was in the midst of laughing suddenly realized that his vision was suddenly moving downwards without control. He stopped laughing, then… he saw himself entirely rotted, only his pitch-black bones were left, and the pitch-black bones were currently dispersing… scattering into bits and pieces of powder.
“AARRRRGGGHH!!”
Feng Qianjun let out a heart-tearing, lung-bursting scream of fear. It sounded like a blood-curdling scream from hell; it barely lasted for a moment, then it ended… The instant his brain fell onto the floor, it became pitch-black powder.
The entire world was silent; endless fear pervaded the air within Floating Cloud City, the air had completely stopped moving. Some citizens of Floating Cloud City shuddered and their bodies became limp, losing the ability to stand. The only thing their bodies could do was to shudder intensely and uncontrollably.
The Fire Mastiff beneath Feng Huwei let out a hoarse roar that even Feng Huwei had never heard before. Thereafter, the Fire Mastiff which had never known fear started to retreat. Only after two steps, it immediately went limp and fell as its massive body shuddering like a sieve.
All of the fear that General Huwei experienced in his life added up could not even compare to a thousandth of what he felt today. His mouth went agape, but did not say a word for a long time. He had killed countless of people in his life; even if he killed a hundred thousand people a day, his face would still not show an expression. But in front of him just now, only a single person died, yet his entire soul was shuddering violently.
And the one who died under the hands of the young man clothed in black was not an ordinary Divine Phoenix General; it was a level eight Throne who was supposed to be unrivalled in Blue Wind!
He even absent-mindedly thought that the one standing in front of him… was actually a fiend from hell.
At this moment, Fen Juechen turned to face him. His voice was withered, like a fiend cursing, and iciness flowed through General Huwei’s ears: “All… of… you… need… to… die…”
The moment the voice landed, Fen Juechen slowly walked forward… just this simple step, made General Huwei feel as if his death was approaching.
The voice of a girl sounded out anxiously. Fen Juechen’s footsteps stopped the same moment the girl’s voice was heard.
Xiao Lingxi rushed over in a hurry. Even though her face was still full of fear, she still resolutely obstructed Fen Juechen: “Don’t… don’t kill anyone… if you kill them, they will kill all of Floating Cloud City… kill even more citizens of Blue Wind Nation. You… you have already killed one of them, warned them… It’s enough… don’t kill anymore… Floating Cloud City has already fallen into the hands of the enemy… however, the Divine Phoenix Army has already said they will not kill recklessly… I don’t want to see the fallen Floating Cloud City filled with blood…”
When Xiao Lingxi’s voice fell, Fen Juechen’s hand which was originally raised, slowly fell… At the same time, Feng Huwei felt the shadow of death which he was shrouded in, disappear just like that. He stared blankly at Xiao Lingxi… this girl who made the fiend’s killing intent fill the skies, had also ended his killing intent immediately.
Fen Juechen slowly turned around: “I will not kill you today. But if you dare to kill one person from Floating Cloud City, I will kill ten thousand of you! If you kill ten people of Floating Cloud City, I will kill a hundred thousand of you!” He looked towards Xiao Lingxi: “If you dare to touch a single hair on her head, I will let all of you… die in place!”
Fen Juechen suddenly raised his arm and attacked.
Boom!!!
The entire Floating Cloud City trembled, and an extremely oppressive explosion could be heard, causing everyone present to lose their hearing momentarily. Everyone subconsciously looked upwards, and were alarmed to see that in the distance, there was an enormous pitch-black whirlpool… but in the next moment, the pitch-black whirlpool disappeared. Feng Huwei, however, was alarmed to the point that his heart almost shattered. He cried out involuntarily:
“Mo… Monarch!!”
It was just that his voice was warped under his fear, so not a single person could clearly hear what he had shouted.
To use profound strength that could cause a crack in space, the Emperor Profound Realm could do that. Yet to casually cause such an enormous spatial black hole… this was clearly the strength of the Sovereign Profound Realm!!
Within their powerful Divine Phoenix Sect, there were only a few tens of people in the Sovereign Profound Realm. Yet these Monarchs were the cornerstones of the Divine Phoenix Sect; they were people whom even the Divine Phoenix Sect Master Feng Hengkong had to be respectful to. And in the Seven Nations of Profound Sky, only their Divine Phoenix Empire had Monarchs.
He did not even dare to dream that a Monarch actually existed in this rural city of Blue Wind Nation… Moreover, he seemed to be only a little over twenty!
He was indeed a strong Overlord, however, in front of a Monarch, he was no different than an ant which could be killed with just a pinch.
“We… only came to occupy Floating Cloud City… we will absolutely not kill a single innocent… citizen.”
Although Feng Huwei was trying with all his might to calm his voice to protect his reputation as the great General Huwei, even he himself could hear the shuddering in his voice which he could not suppress.
“Get lost!”
Fen Juechen’s reply was simply those two words with absolutely no emotion.
Looking at General Huwei’s entire life, who would dare to say those two words to him? However, today, forget about anger, Feng Huwei didn’t even dare to say another word. He retreated several steps, then directly dragged his Fire Mastiff which was limp on the ground and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction… and his pace quickened by the second, the Divine Phoenix army which was following, as if receiving a great pardon, ran as fast as they could, until they ran out of the city gates of Floating Cloud City. After they stopped, only then could they feel that they were drenched in cold sweat.
“Who… in the world… is he?!” Feng Huwei violently breathed. Both his hands were balled up, shuddering. Just now, he did not even dare to ask what the opposite party’s name was…
Floating Cloud City’s Mayors Yuwen Tuo and Situ Nan also hurriedly left with their tails between their legs. The surrounding Floating Cloud City citizens also did not dare to stay, as they frantically scrambled to flee. With her hand on her chest, Xiao Lingxi said toward Fen Juechen: “Big Brother Fen, thank you.”
“…You don’t ever need to thank me.” Fen Juechen said. Although his voice was cold, he was trying his best to make his tone warm: “If it wasn’t for you, I would have died three years ago. Anything you want me to do, I will not refuse. If you ever want me to die… wait until I kill everyone from the Four Sacred Grounds, I’ll give you my life then!”
“No,” Xiao Lingxi shook her head. In this half year, Fen Juechen had said such similar words to her many times: “You don’t need to be like that to me. Your life is your own, it does not belong to anyone else. The life of others, are the same too… If, if you really want do something for my sake, then don’t kill innocents wilfully!”
“Once people die, they can never come back to life… When they cannot be seen again… it will make those who care for them hurt for their whole life… I…”
Yun Che’s figure appeared in front of Xiao Lingxi’s eyes, causing tears to well up in her eyes, as she sobbed without sound.
Upon seeing Xiao Lingxi’s tears, Fen Juechen also knew why she had suddenly started to cry. He sighed deeply, then turned around: “In this half a year, I did not kill a single person. That person just now, he was trying to take advantage of you, he died for his crime. When I have enough strength and have killed everyone I need to kill… then I will listen to whatever you say.”
Black mist gathered, and Fen Juechen disappeared without a breath or sound from that place.
The air was still, without a single person in sight. Xiao Lingxi covered her face with her hands, her lips letting out a sound which would cause hearts to shatter: “Little… Che…”
Just as the phoenix flame was two feet away, Duke Hui Ye’s expression suddenly changed… Being someone who possessed the bloodline of a fire-attribute divine beast and an Overlord who trained in fire profound arts, he would naturally possess strong resistance against fire. Needless to say, the lowly scarlet profound flame or even the normal purple profound flame would not be able to harm him one bit. However, when this scarlet flame approached, he felt a burning sensation that caused his heart to palpitate.
When he had realized this, the flame was already close to him and was no longer avoidable. Duke Hui Ye instantly gathered his profound energy at his right arm, igniting the devil flame on his palm and attacked the approaching scarlet flame with a smashing fist.
With a dull rumbling noise, the phoenix flame was deflected away hurriedly by Duke Hui Ye and landed on the ground to his right. When the flame extinguished, a one and a half meter radius of the ground sunk slightly due to being burnt. Although the expression of pain that flashed past Duke Hui Ye’s face was short, it was sufficient for the majority of the people to see it clearly. Among his five fingers, three of them had been burnt red.
Everybody had their mouth agape in shock as they stared dumbfoundedly at Duke Hui Ye’s slightly burnt fingers and the slightly sunken floor on his right… This was the Duke Hui Ye who possessed the bloodline of the Golden Crow and the floor was made of the resistant black profound jade that even a mid-stage Overlord would have trouble destroying.
“What… What happened? Wasn’t that the lowly scarlet profound flame, how can it have such a huge power!”
“Could it be that Yun Che’s flame is not actually a normal profound flame?”
“Duke Hui Ye’s hand seemed to be burnt as well… Duke Hui Ye’s flame is a mixture of the Golden Crow’s and the Fallen Devil Flame, and he actually got burnt by the scarlet profound flame that Yun Che casually released. This, this, this… Could it be possible that Yun Che’s flame was stronger than Duke Hui Ye’s Golden Crow Flame?”
The entire hall now was in a great commotion and even Yun Qinghong’s face revealed shock. There were also significant changes in Little Demon Empress’ expression as she sat on her throne, because in the instant Yun Che had released his flames, she felt the clear sensation of her own Golden Crow Flame intensely throbbing.
Scarlet color, abnormal strength, causing the Golden Crow Flame to throb…
Could it be that the flame he used was also some sort of primordial divine flame that was on the same level as the Golden Crow Flame?
Yun Che mocked, “You’re so pathetic even when receiving the scarlet flame that in your own words are not even considered a joke. Your ability to scold yourself indirectly is indeed high level!”
Duke Hui Ye looked at his hand as his expression darkened, laughing coldly, “With just you, you think you’re fit to mock me? Do you really think that with your lowly profound flame, you can challenge this duke!”
Duke Hui Ye took a step forward quickly, waving both his hands. Instantly, the crimson black devil flame ignited around him, turning the entire sky crimson black. An eerie aura that seemed as though it came straight from the depths of hell filled the entire hall. Following Duke Hui Ye’s hand sign, all the crimson-black devil flames rushed towards Yun Che as though they were a beast that had just been awakened.
Yun Che quickly retreated, ignited Phoenix Flames on his body, and attacked the sky filled with Devil Flames with a “Burning Field”.
Boom!
The crimson-black Devil Flame and the scarlet Phoenix Flame collided in midair, exploding at the same time. In that instant, the sparks nearly blinded most of the audience and the roof of the originally elegant hall was now completely covered in flames. The exploding crimson-black flames and scarlet flames were like two ferocious tigers and amidst the shocking roars of the flames, they were burning one another, devouring one another… The scarlet flame devoured the black flames, and the black flames burnt the scarlet flames. The scarlet flames were unable to overcome the seal of the black flames, and the black flames were unable to overcome the resistance of the scarlet flames… The two were at a counterbalance with one another.
“Wha… aaaatttttttt!”
Duke Hui Ye’s pupils contracted in an instant as he could never imagine, nor would he accept the flame that he claimed to be the strongest in the world was equal with the flames released by someone two entire profound realms below him.
“A piece of rubbish like you… How are you qualified to fight with this duke!!”
Duke Hui Ye roared out in near utter perturbation as he stared widely. The crimson-black flames on him suddenly soared and became more intense…
“Fallen Corruption Flames!!”
The crimson-black flames instantly became much more violent and quickly suppressed the scarlet Phoenix flames. Yun Che’s eyebrows knitted as the silhouette of a Phoenix appeared behind him for an instant…
“Phoenix Flames Sears the Heavens!!!”
Booom!!!
Like two huge waves violently colliding with each other, a sea of flames replaced all the air in the hall, which was exhausted in an instant. The patriarchs of the Twelve Families hastily went forward to confine the flames within the arena, and the entire arena was also transformed into a world of flames. The scarlet flames and the crimson-black flames collided against one another violently, and only after several breaths of time had passed did they gradually extinguish.
In the arena where the flames had extinguished, Duke Hui Ye and Yun Che stood at the east and west wings respectively. Yun Che’s clothes were torn apart at various spots and he was smiling slightly, whereas Duke Hui Ye looked obviously much more pathetic. Not only were most of his clothes burnt, even much of his hair had been burnt. Although he did not seem to suffer any obvious burns, his face was as black as charcoal.
Everyone held their breaths… The violent clash of flames between the two had turned out to be a draw!
However, behind the draw was the fact that —— Duke Hui Ye was in the sixth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm whereas Yun Che was only in the tenth level of the Sky Profound Realm. Duke Hui Ye’s flames were the Golden Crow Flames that had been mixed with the Fallen Flame Devil Arts…
Under the suppression of two great profound realm, the battle of their profound flames had actually been equal…
Wouldn’t that mean, that in terms of flames, Yun Che was far superior than Duke Hui Ye?!!
The level of the flames he used would be far superior than Duke Hui Ye’s Golden Crow Flames which had been mixed with the Fallen Flame Devil Arts!
“This… This is impossible…” Those powerhouses from the Demon Imperial City who knew how scary Duke Huai Palace’s flames all stared widely while uttered in complete shock.
Little Demon Empress’s petite body moved forward slightly as a curious glow flashed past the depths of her eyes. After staring at Yun Che for some time, she finally muttered to herself, “Phoenix Flames?”
Because she saw the instant flashing of a Phoenix’s silhouette when Yun Che released Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens.
“Your Duke Huai Palace’s flames… are only so-so!” Yun Che laughed.
This ridicule caused Duke Hui Ye’s face to contort, as he was unable to utter out even one phrase in retaliation. Previously, he had shouted that Duke Huai Palace’s flames were the strongest flames under the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World. But in the blink of an eye, he had slapped himself on the face and it was just as Yun Che had mentioned… he slapped his own mouth himself.
Even though Duke Hui Ye was about to explode with anger, his face had instead revealed a cold smile, “Yun Che, you really gave this duke a pleasant surprise. This duke admits that he has been looking down on you too much. But just now, that is probably your limit right? It’s such a pity that I have only used fifty percent of my strength just now!”
“In front of this duke, you are still just trash!”
Duke Hui Ye howled, the faint bloodline of the Golden Crow had been ignited to its maximum within him, as a two foot-long black shortsword appeared in his hands. When the shortsword appeared, the Golden Crow Flames swayed vigorously before quickly growing more intense until the color of the crimson-black flames became similar to that of freshly dried blood.
On the shortsword, there were also lines and lines of uniform flashing red markings.
Yun Che’s expression became serious as the frightening aura coming from Duke Hui Ye had… grown by at least double compared to just now!
“Is that sword… the legendary Obsidian Devil Sword?”
“That shape, that aura, is the same as the rumors. That must be it!”
“Duke Hui Ye’s aura had become so much stronger as compared to just now… Sss, Duke Huai Palace’s profound arts are more scary than what the rumors say! It looks like it’s over for Yun Che this time.”
“The fact that he was able to force Duke Hui Ye to use the Obsidian Devil Sword, Yun Che can definitely lose with pride… I’m just afraid that Duke Hui Ye might cripple Yun Che in his rage.”
Yun Qinghong’s voice suddenly rang in Yun Che’s ears, “The black shortsword in his hands is the Obsidian Devil Sword. It is a sword left behind by the founders of the ancient clan that created the Fallen Flame Devil Arts. It possesses a ton of strong fiendish powers and releasing the Fallen Flame Devil Art through this shortsword would largely increase the intensity of the flame… You must be careful! Duke Hui Ye obviously wants to kill you. If you’re not certain you can win, don’t act tough. Your life is the most important!”
Yun Che, “…”
The crimson-black flames on Duke Hui Ye burned intensely and the strong devil’s aura was accompanied by the cries of ghosts; it was as though there were countless souls being burnt in that moment. The strength of the flame’s aura was enough to move the strongest experts in Illusory Demon Realm… Being able to reach such a level even before he was thirty, Duke Hui Ye’s future was limitless.
“This is this duke’s true strength.”
Duke Hui Ye bathed in the flames, his hair flying and his face pitch-black due to the flame. He looked as though he was an evil god of devils that had walked out from the depths of hell. He looked at the flame in his hands, felt his aura, and had a satisfied expression. At this instant, he felt that he could now easily control everything… even Yun Che’s fate.
“Let this duke see how long you can struggle in the face of his full strength.”
Once he finished speaking, the Obsidian Devil Sword stabbed out suddenly… Obviously, Duke Hui Ye wanted to eliminate any chance where Yun Che could surrender. Even though he had the absolute confidence of defeating Yun Che, Duke Hui Ye was now completely enraged after being forced to use his full strength with his Obsidian Devil Sword, having suffered a disadvantage when competing with flames by this person, whom he was looking down previously. Even if Duke Huai had not instructed him earlier, he was still determined to kill Yun Che.
A crimson-black fire wave rushed towards Yun Che following the slash of the Obsidian Devil Sword, but Yun Che did not avoid nor retreat. A Phoenix Flame that was accompanied by the cry of the Phoenix attacked it head on.
“Phoenix Break!”
Phoenix Break was not a simple Phoenix Flame attack; it also had a strong destructive power. However, because it was not used with a heavy sword, its power was far weaker than it should have been. When it collided with the Devil Flame, it slowed down the rush of the Devil Flame, but following a nasty cry, the Devil Flame suddenly attacked and quickly consumed the Phoenix Flame. When the Phoenix Flame had completely disappeared, the Devil Flame was only weakened by thirty percent, and without any other obstruction, it rushed straight towards Yun Che, striking his body.
Boom!
When the Devil Flame exploded, the power of destruction and corrosion was frantically released. In the next instant, Yun Che’s figure flew far away from among the exploding Devil Flame. Duke Hui Ye locked onto Yun Che who was in midair and laughed a little playfully, “You’re not bad at escaping, but let this duke see how you’re going to escape this time!”
His hand sign changed and the markings on the Obsidian Devil Sword became even more eye-catching. Below Yun Che, the willfully burning crimson-black Devil Flame suddenly distorted intensely before turning into a tall flame giant that was howling while it rushed at Yun Che.
“This is… Duke Huai Palace’s killer move, Fallen Flame Devil! Duke Hui Ye could actually use this technique!!!”
“No! Duke Hui Ye must be relying on the strength of the Obsidian Devil Sword’s powers to use this technique! Although the Flame Devil was partly formed using those flames, the remaining strength is connected to that Obsidian Devil Sword. Once this frighteningly powerful Flame Devil comes out… Yun Che would not even be able to struggle.”
Chapter 562 - Heaven Smiting Sword Comes Out
The Giant Flame Devil’s height was dozens of meters, its body and four limbs were made of flames, and its facial features could be spotted clearly. It was condensed and formed from the Crimson Black Devil Flame released by Duke Hui Ye. Its aura was so thick and terrifying, it was clear that it was several times stronger than that ball of devil flames. When the Flame Devil approached him, Yun Che had a temporary feeling of suffocation.
Yun Che had extensive knowledge and experience, but it was the first time he had ever seen this kind of move… it was as strange as the Sword Spirit Doppelganger of Heavenly Sword Villa!
When both arms of the Flame Devil smashed down from the sky, the wind it swirled up sounded like ghosts crying and devils wailing.
“Falling Moon Sinking Star!!”
Yun Che already had no time to consider; his profound energy exploded, and his fist struck towards the Giant Flame Devil.
BOOM!
In the drumming sound of the explosion, an enormous profound vortex swept in the air. The Giant Flame Devil was struck and somersaulted backwards more than ten times; and Yun Che fell straight down like a cannonball, crashed severely on the ground, and bounced more than thirty meters away. When he finally landed, there was a dark red bloodstain on the corner of his mouth.
The horror of the Flame Devil was beyond Yun Che’s expectations. He wiped the corner of his mouth, and just as he was about to stand up, the sound of ghosts crying came from above his head. The Flame Devil had already reappeared in the air above Yun Che with its widened eyes and pupils like will o’ the wisps, and was dropping downwards to him.
Among the Yun Family’s seats, a roar loud like thunder sounded as Yun Qinghong flew out and tried to grab Yun Che from the arena. But before he was able to enter the area of the arena, Duke Huai, who had prepared for this already, instantly blocked himself in front of Yun Qinghong. Their bodies bumped into each other, and then separated.
“Yun Qinghong, you want to break the rules of the competition!?” Duke Huai spoke harshly while deep in his eyes, there was a trace of a sneer.
If it was merely a competition, then Yun Qinghong would definitely not do anything rash; however, Duke Huai and Hui Ye obviously fostered murderous intent towards Yun Che. Yun Che was injured on the ground from the Flame Devil’s heavy strike and at this moment, the Flame Devil went all-in onto him again; it was clear that it was trying to kill Yun Che! How could he not do anything about it? He understood clearly how terrifying that Flame Devil was… it was supported by the strength of the Obsidian Devil Sword, a devilish profound skill that was completely out of Hui Ye’s own abilities. Even though technically Hui Ye was basically cheating, the powerful weapon and armor was part of his own strength, and it happened to be one of the standards that was accepted by the profound world.
“Get out of my way!” Yun Qinghong was surrounded by the hissing sound of the thunder and lightning. Yun Che’s life was in danger, how could he have time to care about the competition rules? He had to do whatever it took to save Yun Che, and then surrendering would mean…
Just as Yun Qinghong wanted to forcefully blow Duke Huai away, a resonant phoenix cry suddenly sounded over the arena as a bright, red flame soared into the sky.
“Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing!!”
A pair of slightly golden phoenix wings was opening up, and a lifelike silhouette of a phoenix appeared on Yun Che’s body. The silhouette of the phoenix rushed Yun Che up into the sky, instantly across the vacuum, and severely struck the Flame Devil’s body.
Boom!!!!!!!
The Phoenix Flame blasted with rage, and a ring of sunlight suddenly appeared in the sky above the hall, and it shined upon the whole hall with a bright, red light. In the sunlight that was seemed to have come from the firmament, Yun Che and the Flame Devil were fiercely pushed away from each other in the incredibly violent profound energy storm.
The Flame Devil flew back upside-down, and it rolled speedily like a rubber ball. The flame surrounding its body splashed all over the place, but they didn’t completely scatter from the strike. Duke Hui Ye swung the Obsidian Devil Sword in his hand, and the upside-down Flame Devil stopped itself abruptly. It quickly flew back, and floated in the sky above of Duke Hui Ye.
Bang!
Yun Che landed on the ground, his body continuously sled backwards until he abruptly steadied himself with his hands. The clothes on his chest were burst open completely, and there were more than ten scars with different depths added on his chest.
Duke Huai’s eyebrows wrinkled greatly, and said coldly, “Yun Qinghong, you really did adopt a good son!”
He underestimated Yun Che again and again, and after he established a murderous intent towards Yun Che, he realized that he still underestimated him. He knew better than anyone how terrifying that Flame Devil was. He did not expect at all that Yun Che would actually be able to blow away the Flame Devil which was using its all-out attack in a head-on confrontation.
In his early twenties, with cultivation only at the Sky Profound Realm… yet his strength was terrifying to such an extent!
For such a young man like him, his future achievements were completely unimaginable. If he was their enemy, then they had to kill and eliminate him thoroughly before he could mature!
But now that he had blown away the Flame Devil, Yun Qinghong could let him surrender immediately… If that were to happen, then it would be impossible to kill Yun Che today!
Yun Qinghong’s movements stuttered. Watching the Flame Devil that was blown away, he couldn’t help but be impressed and say, “Good work!”
“Che’er, surrender immediately! He can summon three Flame Devils like this at the same time! He used his Obsidian Devil Sword, so it’s not shameful for you to surrender at all… or else, his next attack would surely be an all-out attack to put you to death.”
“…” Yun Qinghong’s sound transmission was sent towards Yun Che’s ears, but he didn’t respond. He slowly stood up, as if he didn’t hear it at all.
“Hmph, not bad. This duke knew that there must be some final move that you haven’t used yet. I didn’t expect you to bounce off this duke’s Flame Devil. This really surprised me nicely.”
Even though Duke Hui Ye was shocked in his heart, he didn’t panic at all. His face still had the expression of an adjudicator’s light smile, “Then, how about this?”
The Obsidian Devil Sword flickered in blood-colored light while Duke Hui Ye laughed deeply. The wave of flames surged in front of him. In the bursts of ghosts crying, he actually condensed and slowly formed two… two Flame Devils that looked exactly the same as the one from before!
Not only was their appearances the same, even their auras were also just as thick and terrifying.
Counting the one that was in the air, there was a total of three Flame Devils!!
“Three… three Flame Devils!” Exclamations sounded all over the place.
“If Yun Che is smart enough, he would surrender immediately. For things to get to this point, it is already enough for his name to be known by everyone. But, if at this moment, he still puts on a bold face to yell that so-called ‘fight until the last moment’… then he would just be courting death!”
All of the top, strong practitioners in Demon Imperial City could feel the murderous intent Duke Hui Ye had for Yun Che. If Yun Che wanted to live, then now was the only chance to surrender! Or else, as soon as the three Flame Devils moved, Yun Che would die for sure. Among the seats, there were also continuous yelling, telling Yun Che to surrender immediately.
But Yun Che pretended to not have heard anything. Facing the three Flame Devils, he slowly reached out his palm…
“Hong’er, come out!”
In a deep hum, a sword suddenly fell and appeared out of nowhere in front of Yun Che. With a loud “boom”, it fiercely stabbed into the black profound jade floor under his feet. In that instant, there were concentrated shattering sounds and countless cracks that crazily spreaded out from under Yun Che’s feet.
Deafening exclaims came from every direction. What shocked them, was not how large the sword was, but that it… simply dropped from the sky, and was able to stab into the black profound jade floor that was a thousand times tougher than firm stone!
“What… what an enormous sword!!”
“This sword… actually broke through the floor! This is the Demon Imperial Hall! How heavy is that sword?”
“This was the first time I have ever seen such an enormous sword. It actually directly stabbed into and cracked the Demon Imperial Hall’s floor… but, there didn’t seem to be any aura of a high level profound weapon from the sword. Out of all the profound weapons, there also didn’t seem to be a huge sword like this.”
“That’s Big Brother’s weapon? That’s… that’s too big.” Xiao Yun yelled in shock. He looked down at the tip of the sword that had sunk into the ground, and his eyes stared blankly.
“Tch, finally willing to show your weapon.” Duke Hui Ye said smilingly. He couldn’t help but be shocked in his heart about the crack under the tip of the sword, but the smile on his face became even more bantering, “Heh, no wonder you kept refusing to use your weapon before. This sword, you probably aren’t able to control it completely, right?!”
Yun Che didn’t speak. Both of his hands were holding on the handle of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword. Under an incredibly sharp, shrieking sound, he pulled out the sword slowly from the ground, and placed it horizontally in front of his body… At that instant, the noisy hall quieted down a lot. Everyone’s gaze focused onto Yun Che. Even some of the strong practitioners that were standing at the peak of Demon Illusory were stunned for a short period of time by the fierce change in Yun Che’s expression.
The aura on Yun Che’s body didn’t change, and there also wasn’t any aura on the vermilion greatsword, as though it was a dead sword. But when Yun Che held the vermilion greatsword in his hand, everyone clearly felt that Yun Che had changed completely: his aura, momentum, even his expression… had completely changed.
The vermilion greatsword was as long as nine feet, and the blade on the ground was two feet thick. Such a huge sword like this was even larger than Yun Che’s body. Even if a nine foot giant held the sword in its hand, there would be a strong uncoordinated feeling. However, when it was in Yun Che’s, the overall feeling was so in accordance that it didn’t make people feel any bit of disharmony; instead, it felt like the sword belonged in his hands. It was a perfect fit that couldn’t be described with words, as though this sword was made for Yun Che from the beginning, while Yun Che himself also existed because of this sword.
The profound energy aura didn’t change at all, but facing the Yun Che who was holding the heavy sword, everyone felt a pressure which seeped directly into their soul. Especially Duke Hui Ye, who was facing directly against Yun Che; the smile on his face had already became stiff. It was as if an iron board that weighed over a hundred and fifty thousand kilograms pressed on his chest, and almost suffocated him.
Standing on the edge of the arena, Yun Qinghong and Duke Huai stared straight at Yun Che. One had forgotten to send a sound transmission to tell Hui Ye to immediately kill off Yun Che, the other had forgotten to scold Yun Che to immediately surrender. These two peerless individuals within their own generation, now only had shock in their eyes.
An indescribable pressure caused Duke Hui Ye to feel extremely uneasy in his heart, but seeing the three Flame Devils in front of him, his uneasiness quickly went away, as he roared deeply, “You think taking out a ridiculous weapon could help you a comeback?! Go… to… hell!!”
Duke Hui Ye suddenly blasted out his sword. A large sea of flames tumbled like crimson-black smoke that covered the sky, and swept towards Yun Che. The three Flame Devils also moved at the same time, following the devil flames, bringing a frightening aura that even caused space to tremble as they both rushed towards Yun Che.
Facing the overwhelming devil flames and the three scary Flame Devils that struck at the same time, Yun Che didn’t step back at all. Instead, he held up his Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword without a hurry.
The reason he didn’t use the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword before was not because he was arrogant. It was just as Duke Hui Ye had guessed, to avoid too much exhaustion. When he first got this Heaven Smiting Sword, it already weighed a hundred thousand kilograms. After consuming Dragon Fault, its weight increased even more. In a span of three months, even though he managed to get used to its weight and he could control it perfectly, every time he swung it, an enormous amount of exhaustion would soon follow.
The next opponents in this fierce battle would only be stronger than the next, so he had to do his best to avoid exhausting himself.
His current opponent was Hui Ye, but just based on the thickness of their profound energy, he was completely suppressed by Hui Ye if he did not open the “Purgatory” gate. However, opening “Purgatory” would exhaust his strength even more, which was why it was now time for the Heaven Smiting Sword to come out.
Chapter 563 - Reversal
The crimson-black devil flame quickly approached Yun Che. It was as if there was a boundless sea of flames behind him. He quickly stepped forward and swung the Heaven Smiting Sword casually. The instant the sword was swung, a ferocious wave of air was swept up and the sound of the blast was shockingly deafening.
Riiip!
The air became heavily distorted and a sound like cloth ripping apart rang through the hall. The fire which had blanketed the entire area was easily torn apart, and a huge vacuum appeared amidst the flames. Yun Che started to move as he rushed straight into the sea of flames. His heavy sword danced in the air, resembling a flood dragon dancing in the waves. Wherever the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword landed, it completely blasted, broke and cut away those incomparably fearsome crimson-black devil flames as a huge heavy sword energy storm wreaked havoc in the inferno. In the span of a few short breaths, the sea of fire that had blanketed the entire arena had been blasted into smithereens.
“Wha… What?!!” Duke Hui Ye’s face paled in shock and both of his hands trembled as he swiftly raised up the Obsidian Devil Sword. Three flame devils howled in an unholy cacophony as they rushed towards Yun Che.
“Empyrean Dance… of the Phoenix Wing!!”
The image of a phoenix flashed into life as a phoenix cry split the air and Yun Che’s entire body morphed into the form of a phoenix composed of raging flames, as he explosively charged at the three Flame Devils.
Using the same Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens without any weapons, he had only knocked aside one flame devil!
But this Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens was performed with his heavy sword!
That instant of awesome might and pressure caused the entire Demon Imperial Hall to fall into complete silence.
Boom!!!
The silhouette of the phoenix smashed into the first flame devil and with a loud explosion, the phoenix directly tore through the flame devil, leaving countless flame devil fragments fluttering across the sky in its wake.
Boom!!
The second flame devil was also pierced through.
Boom!!
The third flame devil was sent flying in an instant and smashed against the roof of the hall violently. The entire great hall violently trembled and the flame devil had exploded as well, raining down large fragments of the crimson-black blaze.
In an instant, all three flame devils had been completely destroyed, and all of this had occurred at the speed of light. Even though all of this had happened, the power of Phoenix Flames Sears the Heavens had still not completely dissipated; it carried the might and pressure of a phoenix as it shot towards Duke Hui Ye. Duke Hui Ye was so shocked that his eyes were practically bulging out of his face as the phoenix violently smashed into his chest.
Boom!!!
The profound energy shielding Duke Hui Ye’s body was instantly shattered by the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword and the remaining power of Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens plowed into Duke Hui Ye’s body. Following the roaring explosion of phoenix flames, Duke Hui Ye’s body flew out like a kicked rubber ball as he miserably screamed while being sent flying into the distance.
Yun Che raised his head and looked in the direction Duke Hui Ye had flown. When he had smashed Duke Hui Ye’s chest just now, he had clearly felt his own strength being heavily obstructed by something… Duke Hui Ye seemed to be wearing some kind of profound armor with an extremely strong defense, and so Phoenix Flame Sears the Heavens, which had been weakened due to the obstruction of the three flame devils, was unable to deal any heavy damage to him.
“Hmph!” The corner of Yun Che’s lips curled upward as he revealed a faintly cruel and cold smile. When facing an opponent who wanted to consign him to the cruel embrace of death, how was it possible that he would allow that opponent to suffer a comfortable defeat?
Yun Che’s figure blurred as he combined Extreme Mirage Lightning with Star God’s Broken Shadow. In the blink of an eye, he had appeared in the air above the still flying Duke Hui Ye. With a brandishing of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword, the image of a wolf flashed behind him as the body of the sword ignited with phoenix flames, and he explosively smashed his sword downwards.
“Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash!”
The image of the Sky Wolf pulled along phoenix flames as it split the air and rocketed downwards; it was as if it had grown a long phoenix tail. Amidst the keening hiss of broken air, the image of the Sky Wolf quickly combined together with the phoenix flames, morphing into the image of a blazing, furious sky wolf as it mercilessly exploded towards Duke Hui Ye.
Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash… It was a derivative move which combined the flames of the Phoenix with Sirius’ First Sword Style! It was also a masterpiece which Yun Che had just managed to complete fifteen days ago!
After the three flame devils had been demolished in a split second and Duke Hui Ye had been sent flying, Duke Huai’s heart had already been filled with alarm. Now that he saw Yun Che’s movement, he quickly flew out as his face paled in complete fright. His right arm burst into flames, but before the flames could even begin to rush towards Yun Che, a figure blurred in front of him and a cluster of deep purple lightning rushed towards his face, forcing him to backflip as he made a distant leap.
“Duke Huai, are you trying to break the rules of the tournament?!” Yun Qinghong coldly declared as he blocked Duke Huai’s advance. The words he had shouted out were exactly the same words Duke Huai had said before.
With Yun Qinghong’s obstruction, even if Duke Huai wanted to save Duke Hui Ye, he would not make it in time. Following a loud ringing sound, the burning image of the Sky Wolf heavily smashed into Duke Hui Ye’s body.
“Arghhhhh…”
A loud, miserable cry as shrill as the wailing of an evil spirit split the air and nearly suppressed the sound of the exploding profound energy. Under the immensely strong destructive power of Yun Che’s strike, Duke Hui Ye’s protective profound armor could only last for a mere instant before it was shattered like fragile glass. Duke Hui Ye’s body fell like a falling meteor. In the next moment, he crashed into the ground with an ear-piercing scream, then immediately bounced off the ground. When his body had impacted the ground a second time, he had landed outside the arena and many pockets of phoenix flames still burned on his body. Instead of dying down, the fires seemed to burn even hotter and harder, causing him to instantly become a human torch.
Surrounding him was the scattered fragments of his profound armor, littering the ground.
“Duke Hui Ye!!”
Many people from the east wing hurriedly surrounded him and several young disciples promptly released profound energy in an attempt to extinguish the flames on Duke Hui Ye’s body. But how could phoenix flames be so easily extinguished? Once their hands came into contact with phoenix fire, they screamed out in pain as they were scorched by the heat. Even after flailing about for a good long while, they had still not even come close to extinguishing the flames on Duke Hui Ye’s body.
“Out of the way!”
Duke Huai descended from the air and slapped his palm on Duke Hui Ye’s chest. Under the incomparably deep and thick profound energy, the flames on his body began to recede like a breaking tide and swiftly disappeared. After the phoenix flames had been completely extinguished, one-third of Duke Hui Ye’s body had been charred black and his hair and eyebrows had been completely burned away. His wounds were numerous beyond count and many of those wounds were deep enough to expose bone… and all of these were only external injuries. What caused Duke Huai to be truly enraged was that at least thirty percent of Hui Ye’s meridians had been ruined and at least half of his bones were broken. For him to make a complete recovery, even with the vast resources Duke Huai Palace had, it would still take many months.
The profound armor that Duke Hui Ye had always worn on his person had disappeared, and all that was left was the faint aura of the profound armor that had been scattered all around. Duke Huai himself was incomparably clear about how resilient this profound armor was, and he was even more clear that if not for the protection of this profound armor, even if Hui Ye had not died under that previous sword strike, he would still have been completely crippled.
“Too bad huh. This guy was actually wearing such an incredible life-preserving charm, or else I would have at the very least shaved off half his life,” Yun Che said softly to himself in regret, emoting a heavy and rough gasp.
Within the great hall, nearly everyone present had unwittingly rose to their feet with stunned expressions on every single one of their faces. The silence lasted for a long time and it was as if all the sound present in this world had been completely removed.
In a single instant, he had destroyed three flame devils and had followed that up by heavily injuring Duke Hui Ye with a single stroke of his sword. The conclusion that seemed to be foregone had been completely turned upon its head once that vermilion greatsword had appeared. In the span of a few short breaths, a complete reversal that no one had ever dreamed of had happened…
Duke Hui Ye laid on the ground with half his face charred black and the other half pale as a sheet. Even though he had been heavily injured, it was not to the point where he had lost consciousness. Both his eyes were opened and they had widened to an extreme degree; it was as though his soul had left his body due to the shock and trauma.
The reactions of everyone in Duke Huai Palace and all of those seated in the east wing were largely the same. They could scarcely believe their own eyes, because once Hui Ye had revealed the Obsidian Devil Sword, they were completely sure that Yun Che was going to admit defeat, or even die. No one had expected that this would actually be the result.
Shock and amazement was writ large on Yun Qinghong’s face and it was only after a while that he came to his senses. But he still was not able to fathom the commotion that was currently occurring in his mind. He looked toward the Yun Family’s seats and without exception, from the lowest of disciples to the grandest of elders, every single one of them had a dazed expression. Even the three Grand Elders, Yun Jiang, Yun He and Yun Xi had risen up from their seats and stood there for a good long while.
Yun Qinghong began to faintly laugh, and his gaze grew indistinct for a moment. He could hardly believe that this young man, who had time and again shocked the entire audience and stunned all the heroes of the realm, was actually his own biological son. His previous worries and interference had been completely unnecessary. When he recalled Yun Che’s confident demeanor and unwavering gaze, he lightly nodded his head and said to himself, “Che’er, your true limit, where exactly does it lie…”
The Yun Che who had not used his heavy sword was dominated by Duke Hui Ye but once that heavy sword had appeared, in the blink of an eye, it was Duke Hui Ye who had lost miserably and suffered serious wounds. For a profound practitioner, training in one type of weapon was a must, and once a practitioner held his or her preferred weapon, that person’s ability would also rise, but not to an overly exaggerated extent. Someone who was at the fifth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm could still easily defeat an opponent who was one level lower than him with bare fists, even if that opponent had a weapon equipped.
But Yun Che was definitely not the same. The Yun Che who had no heavy sword in his hand versus the Yun Che who did, it was not only a difference in strength at this point… it was practically a difference in entire levels! With Dragon Fault in Yun Che’s hands, he would have already surpassed Duke Hui Ye, so when he used the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword which was far stronger, the result was already predetermined.
But at the same time, the energy consumed in the process of wielding the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword was far greater than that of Dragon Fault. While he had heavily wounded Duke Hui Ye, Yun Che’s breathing had become noticeably rougher.
“Father, he… what sort of person is he?” Su Zhizhan exclaimed in astonishment. The scenario that unfolded in those few short breaths had fiercely impacted his very soul and completely overturned his world.
Su Xiangnan shook his head and replied in a voice that was also rather baffled, “Your father wants to know this answer even more than you do.” And when he thought of how Yun Qinghong almost forcibly intervened, he continued, “And I’m afraid that even Yun Qinghong did not know that he was actually this strong!”
Someone able to cause these peerless experts who came from all over the Illusory Demon Realm to experience shock and marvel time and again; Yun Che was definitely the first person who had ever done so. The kind of shock he created with a profound strength that was just at the Sky Profound Realm could not help but cause calamitous waves to rage about in the hearts of all these peerless experts, and the impact he created the moment he had heavily injured Duke Hui Ye far surpassed any of the previous shock he had caused.
“Who is next?!!”
His vermilion greatsword dug into the ground and Yun Che supported himself by leaning on the sword with one hand. His forehead was filled with sweat but his voice was still thunderous as it rang clear. At this point, not a single person dared to mock him or take him lightly and all eyes were glued to his figure. Even the Little Demon Empress, who was seated on her throne, had been reduced to a supporting role under his dazzling brilliance.
For the first time in his life, Duke Huai had been driven to vexation by a young person. Duke Hui Ye’s injuries were completely secondary, because even his confidence, dignity, and arrogance had been completely shattered by Yun Che. From this day forth, if Yun Che managed to survive, his name would shake all of Illusory Demon Realm while Duke Huai’s son would be reduced to a mere stepping stone on Yun Che’s path to glory!
This person, he definitely must die…
Duke Huai inclined his head and shot a fierce gaze towards Duke Zhong. Duke Zhong’s expression had long ago turned sour and he lowered his head. He sent a silent sound transmission to his own son, Duke Yuan Que, “Yun Che has already revealed an opening. It is clear that using that sword consumes a large amount of energy and he should not have too much strength left! Use any and all means that you have at your disposal to kill him…. no matter what the cost!”
Chapter 564 - Duke Yuan Que
He defeated Jiufang Yu, defeated Xiao Donglai, defeated Chiyang Yanwu… and now, he had won once again, defeating Duke Hui Ye. In every single match, all those who were present were convinced of Yun Che’s imminent defeat. To be able to enter this Demon Imperial Hall, every person present had to first be at the summit of Illusory Demon Realm and every single one of them had an extremely high status and authority, especially those seniors who had already lived for a few hundred years, or even a few thousand years. All of them possessed great discernment and all of them had been through extensive experiences. But in the end, they made the wrong judgement again and again, and each time this happened, they went pale with shock.
Perhaps, in the entire history of the Illusory Demon Realm, Yun Che was the first person to accomplish such a thing.
Duke Hui Ye had fallen in defeat, so the opponent Yun Che should face next was Duke Yuan Que; the person that no one thought would even have the opportunity to take the stage.
“Father, Big Brother looks like he has exhausted a large amount of energy. The Under Heaven Family has a special Profound Recovering Pellet. I will immediately go get one from them,” Xiao Yun said as he stood up.
Yun Qinghong extended his arm and grabbed him while gently shaking his head, “The competition that takes place during a Demon Imperial/Emperor Ceremony has historically never allowed the use of any medical pellets.”
“Then… then what can we do now?” Xiao Yun’s expression turned anxious. Even though Yun Che still stood up straight as an arrow, anyone could see the sweat drenching his face. Moreover, his face was flushed red and his breathing was exceptionally rough. He had just won a big victory over Duke Hui Ye, but it was clear that he exhausted a lot of energy as well.
Yun Qinghong furrowed his brows in concentration; he knew that Xiao Yun was worried that Yun Che’s remaining strength was insufficient and that he would unwittingly be ensnared by his next opponent’s evil scheme. He gently said, “Relax, even though your big brother’s words and actions appear extremely arrogant, he is definitely not a reckless person. This is especially so in matters concerning his own life and death. The fact that he has chosen to remain in the arena shows that he still has an ace up his sleeve.”
A person descended from the air in front of Yun Che. He was dressed in wine-red battle attire and his face contained seven parts arrogance and three parts dignity. Facing the Yun Che who had seriously injured Duke Hui Ye, his heart could not help but quicken slightly, even though Yun Che had clearly exhausted a large amount of profound energy.
“Duke Yuan Que?” Yun Che’s brows jumped, and even though he faced a member of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions whose ranking surpassed Duke Hui Ye, his face did not show a single trace of anxiety. It was almost as if he was not aware that his profound energy had been depleted.
“Indeed, it is this duke!” Duke Yuan Que’s finger brushed across the spatial ring he was wearing and a silver-colored long spear appeared in his hand. His arm swept out and fire began to spread on the body of his spear, “Prepare to die!”
If you were to compare the arrogance and haughtiness of Duke Hui Ye and Duke Yuan Que, as both of them were Dukes and ranked within the top three of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, Duke Yuan Que was definitely not inferior to Duke Hui Ye. In fact, if he had headed out to battle before Duke Hui Ye, he would likely have been even more arrogant in front of Yun Che than Duke Hui Ye had been. But after Hui Ye’s miserable defeat, it was impossible for him to not be deeply shocked, so there was no way he could still have the mood to display his arrogance.
But even more importantly, he did not dare waste any more time, as he did not want to give Yun Che time to recover… when comparing their strengths, even though he was superior to Duke Hui Ye, it was only by half a level. Duke Hui Ye’s miserable defeat and serious wounds made it so that he could not help but feel apprehensive now that he was facing Yun Che. Duke Hui Ye had already been reduced to Yun Che’s stepping stone on his path to glory… If, by chance, he was defeated as well, then he, too, would become yet another stepping stone for Yun Che.
As a duke of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, how could he tolerate such a thing happening to him?
Therefore, when Duke Yuan Que attacked, he did so with all of his might.
Duke Yuan Que let out a huge yell and flames flared up all around his body. An aura that felt as boundless as the ocean welled up and rushed forth without restraint. The fierceness of this aura caused countless powerful currents to form and surge violently within the great hall. These currents impacted the air and caused the space within the hall to violently reverberate.
All the profound practitioners within the great hall felt a dull pressure on their chests, as if a heavy iron plate had been laid on top of them, and they were unable to breathe for quite a while. Those who had a comparatively weaker profound strength had to hurriedly erect profound energy barriers as their eyes were filled shock and terror.
“What… What a fearsome aura.”
“He is indeed worthy to be ranked number two amongst the Illusory Demon Seven Scions. Just based on this profound energy aura alone, he is definitely superior to Duke Hui Ye.”
“Such a fearsome strength, Yun Che should… he should not be able to win again, right?”
The aura that Duke Yuan Que exuded as he unleashed his full power caused the hearts of all of the younger generation to tremble and be filled with fear. It caused the seniors who had great strength to be fiercely moved. However, not a single person dared to loudly assert that Yun Che was doomed to lose… Even in this case, where it was obvious that Yun Che had very clearly exhausted a lot of his profound strength.
Because Yun Che had caused them to be completely dumbfounded four times in a row, coupled with the two sword moves he had used to defeat Duke Hui Ye, this brought about a shock to their system which was simply too intense.
Yun Che was the one who was closest to Duke Yuan Que, so naturally he was the one who experienced the full weight of the pressure caused by Duke Yuan Que’s aura. However, the Yun Che that Duke Yuan Que was staring wore a calm expression on his face and he hardly seemed moved at all. Furthermore, the scarlet greatsword in front of Yun Che did not exude any aura at all, but it made Duke Yuan Que feel as if he was facing an unmoving and majestic mountain, whose peaks were too high to reach.
This feeling was caused an extremely unbearable feeling to manifest in Duke Yuan Que’s heart. He gave low yell and he took a step forward.
The incomparably hard and durable black profound stone was actually directly crushed underfoot. This single step seemed to step on the entire audience’s heart and it caused every single one of them to feel a jolt in their hearts.
“Purgatory Helix!”
Duke Yuan Que thrust his spear out and a column of spear energy that was thicker than three meters shot out, and it burned fiercely and carried a scorching hot storm which rent the air as it rushed towards Yun Che. Wherever this beam of spear energy passed, it would cause layer upon layer of cuts to appear on the black profound stone floor as it shaved off an inch of the black stone. If this were just ordinary earth, there would have been huge, deep trenches carved into the ground long ago .
Facing this spear thrust which exuded such a terrifying aura, Yun Che’s gaze grew concentrated and he grabbed up the Heaven Smiting Sword with both hands. The sword blade carried a tyrannical aura that it did not display before as it smashed down with a loud bang. This stroke of the sword, which did not look the least bit elegant, brought along a world-shaking energy explosion, and chaotic energy waves swept out and engulfed the arena as the floor beneath Yun Che’s feet instantly broke apart.
Booom…
The giant sword collided directly with the spear thrust and in an instant, all the sound in the world seemed to have been completely devoured and an extremely gigantic profound energy storm violently burst apart. A large area of the floor of Demon Imperial Hall broke apart and jade fragments swirled in the air.
Cries of alarm soon rang out and blanketed the area as the surrounding profound practitioners hurriedly shielded themselves with profound energy. There were a few people who received a heavy impact and were thrown out of their seats. There were also those who had weaker profound strengths, and this impact caused them internal injuries and they vomited blood on the spot.
The Little Demon Empress stood up as her brows sank, and with a flick of her voluminous grey sleeve, she immediately erected a wall of crimson flames taller than thirty-five meters that surrounded the arena. In the instance that the flames began to burn, the profound energy storm that was raging across the great hall was firmly confined within the circle of flames, and not even a trace of energy leaked out anymore.
The audience who were seated close to and around the arena recovered their calm, and once they turned back toward the arena, their gazes were filled with terror.
When Duke Yuan Que attacked, he had done so at full force. Even though his name had shaken the heavens for many years, the power that he displayed when he attacked was still beyond the imaginations of anyone who had witnessed it for the first time. This was especially so for the strong individuals from outside the Demon Imperial City, as they could scarcely believe this power had come from such a young person.
But even facing such an attack as this one… Yun Che could actually still met it!
Duke Yuan Que personally witnessed his own spear energy beam being destroyed with just one sword stroke from Yun Che… Only one sword stroke. Yun Che was still standing at his original position and his feet had not even retreated half a step. Before Duke Yuan Que even had the time to be shocked, a figure suddenly blurred into existence in front of him, and that vermillion greatsword had abruptly cleaved down right in front of him.
Duke Yuan Que’s pupils shrunk and the silver spear in his hand fiercely shot out, but before the spear could complete its movement, the spear slash had already collided with the Heaven Smiting Sword.
Scree!
To no one’s surprise, Duke Yuan Que’s spear beam was shattered by the Heaven Smiting Sword like so much thin glass, and it did not even create any resistance as the sword sailed through it with a loud explosion. Duke Yuan Que desperately poured all the profound energy in his body into the silver spear as he gritted his teeth and blocked the onrushing Heaving Smiting Sword.
Boom!!!
With a giant ring, the Heaven Smiting Sword heavily smashed into the horizontal section of the silver spear that was being held by Duke Yuan Que, and the silver spear immediately bent to a great degree. An incomparably violent heavy sword energy traveled from the silver spear directly into Duke Yuan Que’s body… In that instant, Duke Yuan Que’s gaze darkened, his entire body shook, and he felt as if all the bones in his body were going to shatter into fragments. He felt as if he was not receiving a blow from a sword, but instead a thirty thousand meter tall mountain had fiercely smashed into his body. He had been smashed with such force that he could only endure it for that instant and in the next moment, he fiercely shot through the air.
The boundaries of the arena had been set and once a competitor exceeded those boundaries, it would signal his defeat. The flying Duke Yuan Que widened his eyes and he let out a low roar that sounded like the howl of a wild beast. As he was flying, he thrust his spear towards the ground. The body of the spear sank deep into the ground and both his hands held onto the spear in a death grip while he forcibly slowed down the speed of his flying body. By the time his body had finally stopped, he was no further than one meter away from the boundary of the arena, and in front of him was an incomparably straight pitch black trench which stretched one hundred meters; the trench had been caused by his silver spear plowing into the ground.
That sword smash from Yun Che was so strong that he needed to fly at least five kilometers away before he could reduce the strength of that blow. Due to the fact that he could not leave the arena, he had to forcibly endure all of the energy of that attack, and it caused all the energy and blood in his body to fluctuate wildly. He calmed down his own agitated blood and energy flow, but his right hand, which held the silver spear, still trembled steadily, and his complexion looked incomparably awful.
Before this, he still had countless suspicions over how Yun Che had used a mere two sword moves to heavily injure Duke Hui Ye, given Duke Hui Ye’s power and his profound armor. Now that he had experienced the fearsomeness of Yun Che’s heavy sword, he had come to realize that Duke Hui Ye’s heavy injuries and crushing defeat were not the least bit unjustified. If not for the profound armor’s protection, it was highly possible that he could have just died miserably then and there.
Yun Che did not take advantage of the situation to pursue and attack his opponent; instead, his chest rose and fell violently. Today was the first day he had used truly used the Heaven Smiting Devil Slaying Sword in a real fight. The degree of strength it displayed had caused him to exclaim silently to himself in glee but the amount of physical and profound energy it took to handle this sword was more than ten times the amount he used to handle Dragon Fault. He came to the realization that even though he had shattered Duke Yuan Que’s spear energy with one slash and sent him flying with another, just these two slashes were enough to cause his body to experience a momentary feeling of emptiness… He was very clear that given his current physical and profound power, handling the Heaven Smiting Devil Slaying Sword was still a bit of a reach.
Even though it allowed him to display an incomparably huge and tyrannical might in the instant his sword struck, it also wore him down by a huge margin… it could completely be labeled as a form of disguised overdraft.
It looks like I still have to find a way to raise my profound strength as quickly as possible…. Yun Che thought silently.
Even though Yun Che was the clear winner of the last clash, he was also very aware that given his present condition, beating Duke Yuan Que would be no easy feat. After all, he was still at the peak of the sixth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm and his profound energy was extremely robust and solid. Even though he had been sent flying by Yun Che’s sword, the silver spear in his hand had resisted at least fifty percent of that blow’s strength, and that spear had never left his hand since the beginning.
Duke Yuan Que stood up and his complexion was extremely dark and gloomy. His eyes flashed for a moment, then, he suddenly grinded his teeth together. As if he had made some sort of resolution, he violently pulled the silver spear from the ground with his left hand while his right arm also made an abrupt flourish. Following a flash of black light, an entirely jet-black long spear appeared in his right hand.
“Ah? Two spears? Could it be that he wants to use two spears at the same time?”
Duke Yuan Que gave a huge roar and all the muscles in his body suddenly twitched strangely at the same time. The twitching began to increase in intensity, and following that, the sound of joints exploding rang through the air with a series of successive bangs and pops. At the same time, the already shocking aura that he exuded suddenly increased dramatically by several times.
An extremely intense profound energy flooded out to collide directly with him and this caused the charging Yun Che to take half a step backwards as his brows sank. The profound energy protecting his body began to make a series of chaotic popping and hissing noises… and it was just this explosive aura that nearly caused the profound energy protecting his body to be torn apart.
Duke Yuan Que’s aura still continued to rapidly strengthen, and at this moment, his forehead, the back of his hands, his arms, and his chest became layered with fine, dark gray scales; these scales looked like dragon scales.
Even though Duke Yuan Que had inherited a thin amount of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, his biological mother was the Chiyang Clan’s current Patriarch’s, Chiyang Bailie’s, own sister, so he had ninety percent of the Scorching Sunfire Dragon bloodline. Based on the thickness of his bloodline alone, Duke Yuan Que’s main bloodline was not that of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, but of the Scorching Sunfire Dragon’s instead!
Chapter 565 - Berserk
The silhouette of a huge flame dragon appeared behind Duke Yuan Que amidst the firelight. The image of the fire dragon that had appeared was wreathed in flames and its face was malevolent and twisted. It roared toward the sky and the cry it released contained endless wrath and despair, as if it was being tormented in the Nine Hells of Purgatory.
All the people who heard this dragon roar felt the energy and blood within their body uncontrollably dance in agitation, feeling like their blood was about to burst out of their pores. At this time, the rapidly-expanding aura around Duke Yuan Que finally came to a stop and the entire arena trembled under the weight of his terrifying aura.
“What… What… What is this strength? Duke Yuan Que’s aura actually doubled in power in this short span of time… No, it has more than doubled!” After looking at the current Duke Yuan Que, the entire audience was stunned into insensibility; at least ninety-nine percent of them had never heard of Duke Zhong Palace ever possessing this sort of ability.
“What… What is this?” Xiao Yun stood up as he exclaimed in shock. That terrible aura caused his heart to be filled with terror.
“This is a sort of special profound skill that can manifest when the Demon Emperor bloodline mixes with the Scorching Sunfire Dragon bloodline, and it has appeared many times in the history of the Demon Imperial City.” Yun Qinghong said with a grave expression on his face, “Using the power of the Golden Crow bloodline to ignite the Flame Dragon bloodline, all of one’s energy is gathered together and explosively rises for a short period of time. For a set period of time, the user can display a power that far exceeds the power he usually has. Duke Yuan Que’s current strength is more than double his normal strength when he is at full power. Moreover, he can now also use both of the Dragon Purgatory Double Spears at the same time; a pair of spears which can normally only be used one at a time.
“Then… then what can we do? Big Brother will be in danger,” Xiao Yun said anxiously.
Yun Qinghong remained silent and did not reply as his brows were tightly knit together.
This unique profound skill that was manifested from the mixing of the Golden Crow and Chiyang bloodlines, was known by extremely few people, even within Demon Imperial City itself. Because even though the amount of people in the Illusory Demon Royal Family who had both bloodlines mixed together was not considered few, the frequency with which this profound skill appeared was extremely low. Using the Golden Crow bloodline to ignite the Flame Dragon bloodline was originally a forbidden skill to begin with, because even though it allowed its user to have an explosive spike in power for a short period of time, this explosive spike would be followed by extremely serious consequences… For at least three months after the use of this skill, the user would be in an extremely weak state. It was also highly possible that irreversible damage would be done to the user because the profound veins and body of the user endured too heavy a burden from the usage of this skill.
Thus, this ability would only be activated in desperate situations.
As members of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, all of whom were immediately established at the summit of the Illusory Demon Realm from birth, whom possessed status and power that people of the realm would admire and look up to; what kind of desperate situations would they face in their life? So even though it was easy to use this skill, the majority of the people who had both the strength and ability to do so would have never use it even once in their lifetime.
But Duke Yuan Que had chosen to use this forbidden power, and even though it was clear that he was slightly deranged with anger, Yun Qinghong did not feel that it was too out of the norm. He had a high and noble status, was a duke who looked down on the entire realm, and he was a supreme genius who was ranked number two amongst the Illusory Demon Seven Scions. How could he tolerate losing in front of all the heroes of the realm, and how could he tolerate becoming the stepping stone of someone, who before this day, was a complete unknown?
“How can… this duke… lose to you?!!”
Duke Yuan Que held the silver spear in his right hand and the black spear in his left. All the dragons scales on his body rippled and all the muscles in his body bulged. The silhouette of the dragon behind him roared malevolently and the expression on his face looked like he was in an exceptional amount of pain. Duke Yuan Que lifted up both spears and gave a huge roar as he rushed towards Yun Che.
A scorching storm barrelled towards him but Yun Che met it with a slash of his sword…
“Overlord’s Fury!”
Boom!
Both of Duke Yuan Que’s spears added together still could not compare to the giant size of the Heaven Smiting Sword. When the Heaven Smiting Sword smashed against the dual silver and black spears, a loud ringing sound spread out across the arena. As the two opponents clashed together, the Black Profound Jade floor around them began to crack and break apart, forming a rapidly expanding spiderweb of cracks with them at the center.
The Duke Yuan Que that he was facing seemed to have become a completely different person. In the previous clash, his spear was bent with a single slash from Yun Che and even his body was sent flying. Right now, when he was wielding two spears at the same time, not only did the bodies of the spears refuse to bend in the slightest when they clashed with Yun Che’s sword, even his body did not retreat a single step. The vermilion Heaven Smiting Sword was being firmly pinned down and Yun Che’s feet sank deeply into the ground. As the black profound jade under his feet began to fracture completely, both his feet began sinking deeper and deeper into the ground…
This was the direct confrontation that favored Yun Che the most, but he was at present being firmly held back by Duke Yuan Que!
Bang!!
Both combatants abruptly separated and Yun Che’s body seemed like it was going to rise in the air when he suddenly barreled forward and smashed his sword towards Duke Yuan Que’s head. When both of Duke Yuan Que’s spears came out to meet that strike, Yun Che’s figure blurred, his true body appeared behind Duke Yuan Que as he used Star God’s Broken Shadow to get behind him, and he slashed heavily at Duke Yuan Que’s back.
Bang!!
The ground exploded and Duke Yuan Que was fiercely smashed into the floor, but he instantly bounced back up, thrusting his black spear forward while sweeping his silver spear across as he made his counterattack. Both his pupils revealed an ominous glint that was similar to the gaze of a vicious wolf.
Hm?
Yun Che’s heart faintly wavered because he was more than clear on the power of the attack he had just made. If an Overlord who was in the initial stage took this blow, even if that Overlord did not die, he would at least lose half his life. But it was clear that Duke Yuan Que did not suffer much injury and he could even immediately bounce back up and launch a counterattack… It was clear that even his energy and blood had not gone awry.
That explosive rise in profound strength… was clearly accompanied by the great bolstering of Duke Yuan Que’s defensive capabilities.
Yun Che swung his sword out to meet the attack.
Clang!!!
As both sword and spear collided, the extremely ear-piercing ring of metal practically tore through the roof. Yun Che’s body bent backwards and he was sent sliding across the ground for tens of meters. Then Duke Yuan Que, whose body had remained rooted throughout, let out a furious roar as he rushed forward, and the two spears which carried a ferocious aura swept forward together.
Bang! Boom! Clang! Boom…
The dual spears frenetically clashed with the heavy blade and as two tyrannical powers continued to crash against one another, the floor and the ceiling began to fracture, and fragmented jade fluttered in the air. The sound of gigantic forces crashing together was akin to the roar of the divine lightning from the ninth heaven crashing to the earth. The mere sound of this explosive and loud roar caused the blood and energy of all who were present to churn and surge.
Booooom….
As a profound energy storm began to rise up, the entire Demon Imperial Hall began to fiercely shake as the roof of the hall began to be covered with cracks which seemed to become longer and longer; it looked like it would cave in at any time.
The attribute of Yun Che’s profound energy was ‘Berserk’, and the weapon he used caused his attacks to be incomparably hard and fierce. After Duke Yuan Que had ignited his bloodline, his frantically swelling power urgently sought an outlet and every single one of his blows were as wild as a tsunami. So the combat between the people raged on and every clash of spear and sword was akin to two mountains colliding together.
The scene within the arena had rendered the entire audience completely dumbfounded and there were even some young disciples who had turned pale after receiving the impact from the soundwaves. They were completely convinced that if not for the barrier which the Little Demon Empress had set up, the overflowing energy would have instantly minced their insides, and they would have died on the spot with blood flowing from all seven facial orifices.
“This… Is this really a fight between two people of the younger generation?” A senior said with a face full of shock and terror. This fight was unfolding right before his very eyes, yet he just could not bring himself to believe what he was seeing. The person who said that was a grandmaster who reigned over one of the southeast regions of the Illusory Demon Realm.
“Duke Yuan Que’s profound strength suddenly increased by a huge amount so he most probably used some kind of secret art… But even so, Yun Che can actually still meet him blow for blow! This is simply too inconceivable!”
“Duke Yuan Que is at the sixth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm while Yun Che is only at the tenth level of the Sky Profound Realm. He is even lower than me by a whole realm, but the kind of might he is still displaying is so great that I wouldn’t even be able to meet a single one of his blows… Just where did his strength come from?!”
“However, it seems like Yun Che has been at a disadvantage from the start, and even though both of them appear to be in a deadlock, the one who has retreated has always been Yun Che. If Yun Che just gets a little careless, then it is possible that…”
Boom!!
Boom!!
Boom!!
In the blink of an eye, Yun Che and Duke Yuan Que had already clashed against each other for a more than one hundred exchanges. Sometimes they clashed in the air and sometimes they fought on the ground, and like two berserking savage vicious beasts, they clashed with incomparable intensity. Every single collision would shake the heavens and rend the earth as the power of these blows caused the world to tremble.
Duke Yuan Que derived all of his strength from the source that all profound practitioners did, profound power.
But no one would have thought that Yun Che only derived half of his strength from profound power… and it was a profound power that was heavily bolstered by the Evil God’s Profound Veins at that. The other half of his strength came from his own body and physical might!
After his profound power had gone wild, Duke Yuan Que was indeed fearsome, and when the two of them exchanged blows, Yun Che had become the one who was under constant pressure, though he did not fall behind. Yet, his expression still remained calm from start to finish, while Duke Yuan Que became more and more panicked with each successive strike.
He did not hesitate to activate his secret ability, having resolved himself to suffer from the extremely serious side effects, and it caused his strength to run wild. He had originally thought that with this, he would most definitely defeat Yun Che swiftly, and he also believed beyond the shadow of a doubt that killing Yun Che would be even easier. What was completely out of his calculations was that even though his strength had berserked to such an extent, he was only able to suppress Yun Che by a small margin. He resolutely grit his teeth and he attacked desperately, and every blow wildly released his full power as he intended to directly smash Yun Che into little fragments. Yet every single one of his blows had been blocked by Yun Che, and despite his finishing moves and his roars which shook the heavens, he simply could not blast aside that vermillion greatsword.
This kind of berserker state was caused by surging all of his profound energy in a concentrated burst and it was not something that could be maintained for too long.During this period, his body and profound veins had to endure an immense burden. The warping of his face and the pained expression were definitely not pretense.
At this point, he was beginning to feel his profound energy running empty as his entire body was wracked with pain and even his brain started to experience a faint but unending sensation of dizziness… But the Yun Che in front of him was still calm and unruffled, even though he had been suppressed throughout their exchange.
“Rarghhhh!” Duke Yuan Que’s eyes widened and all the blood vessels in his eyes popped out. He let out a roar that was filled with violence and pain, and both his spears swept forward at the same time, as if he wanted to ruthlessly smash Yun Che’s body into pieces. But along the howling of the wind brought by the sword, his spear force and energy were still firmly blocked. Yun Che’s heavy sword was locked with the two spears, and even though his chest rose and fell fiercely, his eyes were still as tranquil as still water. He looked at the Duke Yuan Que, who was gasping like a bull and had completely bloodshot eyes, and he suddenly gave a bland smile, “What’s the matter? Is that all you’ve got?”
Duke Yuan Que’s explosive increase in profound strength would most likely cause any profound practitioner to be filled with shock. However, it was not even something for which Yun Che would spare a glance. Berserking profound energy was a state with which Yun Che was all too familiar. From Evil Soul, to Burning Heart, and then to Purgatory.
An ability that caused one’s profound power to temporarily increase by two times was already something that was considered heaven-defying in the eyes of all the people.
But just from using the Evil God power’s lowest form, the Evil Soul state, Yun Che already increased his profound strength by two to three times.
Duke Yuan Que’s berserk status not only lasted for a short period of time, but it also brought along immense side-effects.
Yun Che, on the other hand, could now maintain the Burning Heart state at any and all times, and it did not even place any burden on him. Even the Purgatory state was something he could maintain for a relatively long period of time now, and as long as he did not overuse it, the only side-effect it brought about was accelerated exhaustion.
So for Duke Yuan Que to play his hand at causing his profound strength to go berserk in front of Yun Che… It was safe to say that Yun Che was not the least bit entertained.
At the same time, Yun Che was exceptionally clear about the consequences of causing one’s profound strength to go berserk. Initially when he had forcefully opened Evil Soul, Burning Heart, and Purgatory, the burden that his body and profound veins had to bear caused his body to feel like it was going to rip itself apart; that sensation was still fresh in his memory.
At the present time, he had the body of the Dragon God, the bloodline of the Phoenix, and he had been tempered by the energy of heaven and earth. Moreover, he had also survived the baptism of the spatial storm, so for him to bear the burden of a profound strength that was far beyond his current profound strength was something that did not create any pressure for him whatsoever. But if it were Duke Yuan Que… the most he could endure was one hundred breaths.
So right now, Duke Yuan Que’s strength and spirit seemed to have started collapsing.
“This cannot be… This cannot be! This duke’s current state… How can it not be enough to defeat you?!!”
Yun Che’s words and his confident expression were like one hundred thousand steel needles which pierced into Duke Yuan Que’s soul. He gave a wild howl and swept both of his spears across, sending Yun Che flying into the distance. His whole body ignited and the flames crazily swirled about, and the image of the dragon behind his back flickered into and out of existence before it let out a hoarse dragon roar filled with pain.
Bang, bang, bang…
All of the veins on Duke Yuan Que’s body swelled as parts of this dragon-scaled body bulged out grotesquely and parts of his skin cracked open, sending blood flying everywhere.
“Ah, he’s really going all out.” Looking at Duke Yuan Que’s present appearance, Yun Che grasped the Heaven Smiting Sword and positioned it in front of him. Even though his eyes were calm, his heart was definitely not relaxed. After having endured over a hundred of Duke Yuan Que’s explosive strikes, his energy consumption had been exceptionally enormous. Coupled with the fact that he had also used up quite a bit of energy over his last four fights, his present profound and physical strengths were not even at thirty percent of what they normally were.
Waiting after this was a far scarier opponent than Duke Yuan Que waiting for him, Hui Ran!
So it looked like he could not let this battle continue any longer and he needed to finish him as soon as possible.
Yun Che had originally planned to focus on defense, wait until Duke Yuan Que could no longer endure the burden on his body, and then defeat him. This method would consume a lot less energy and allow him to preserve more strength. But looking at Duke Yuan Que’s current state and seeing as how he continued to desperately fight with his life on the line, Yun Che had no choice but to once again reconsider.
“Ultimate… Sky Dragon Sunder!!”
All of Duke Yuan Que’s energy poured desperately into both of his spears and the black and silver long spears began to generate two profound energy storms. Both storms enfolded one another and they carried an aura which threatened to destroy the heavens and the earth. In an instant, the storm had engulfed the entire arena, and within the boundaries of the arena, which could only be described as ‘small and narrow,’ Yun Che was left with no way out.
This was simply Duke Yuan Que’s last stand, where he put everything on the line as he was about to fall into despair. Facing the all-out onslaught of the violently surging energy wave, a scarlet light flashed across Yun Che’s pupils.
“Pur… gatory!!”
Duke Yuan Que’s fearsome attack produced a change in everyone’s gaze and soul and all of the people in the audience strained their eyes wide as they prepared to see how Yun Che would deal with this attack. But at this time, everyone suddenly felt the aura around Yun Che’s body abruptly rise dramatically!
“Wha… What… Wha… What?!!” The dignified Patriarch of the Su Family, Su Xiangnan, looked at Yun Che and the cry that he inadvertently let out caused him to stumble over his words.
This match had been extremely intense and it had gone far beyond what anyone had anticipated. Even when Duke Yuan Que had used the forbidden ability and gained a massive power up, Yun Che was still able to hang on. From how everyone saw it, this was already a miracle that was beyond miracles. He was being suppressed by Duke Yuan Que with every move; everyone in the west wing was worried that Yun Che would suddenly be unable to withstand it and get smashed by a thrust of Duke Yuan Que’s spear.
But… what they would never ever have imagined was that under such conditions, Yun Che’s aura actually abruptly flared up tremendously… this was a pure and genuine spike in power! And the degree to which his power was increased far exceeded that of Duke Yuan Que. In just a short span of time, he completely covered the aura of power emitted by Duke Yuan Que after he had powered up.
Chapter 566 - Five Consecutive Victories
Duke Zhong, who was seated in the middle of the east wing, stood up suddenly and his face had become extremely warped with astonishment. In regards to Duke Yuan Que’s lack of hesitance in activating his forbidden art, he actually approved of it silently. As the young master of Duke Zhong Palace, if Duke Yuan Que was defeated, it also signified the defeat of the entire Duke Zhong Palace. Even though the side-effect of being weakened for three months as a result of using the forbidden bloodline art to completely crush Yun Che was serious, it was at least better than the consequence of falling in defeat.
Yet Duke Yuan Que, who had made his profound power go berserk, could not crush Yun Che under his feet, and this already caused Duke Zhong to feel ill at ease. At this moment, Yun Che’s aura suddenly expanded explosively and it shocked him to the point where he had nearly vomited blood on the spot.
This aura of power which explosively rose up and abruptly assaulted Duke Yuan Que caused the raging duke to suddenly grow sluggish, and even the spear aura he emitted grew gentler. Facing Duke Yuan Que’s all-out attack, Yun Che no longer went on the defensive; instead, he abruptly ran forward to face the attack head on and he sent a fierce ‘Falling Moon Sinking Star’ crashing forward.
Bang!!
The strength of the blow that came from Yun Che was much more tyrannical than that of his previous strike. The profound energy storm that had been raised by Duke Yuan Que’s dual spears crashed into it like a thousand foot wave crashing into a ten thousand foot tsunami, and in an instant, it was suppressed and devoured. An incomparably tyrannical and immense attack smashed into his dual spears before continuing onto his body.
An immense explosion ripped through the air as both his arms completely lost all sensation. His entire body was like a leaf fluttering in a storm as it flew over a great distance until he violently smashed into the roof of the Demon Imperial Hall. The Demon Imperial Hall shook greatly before his body smashed heavily into the floor, which caused the great hall to shake once again.
However, since he had been smashed high into the air, he was not sent flying out horizontally. When his body came to a standstill, it did not leave the boundary of the arena.
Duke Yuan Que looked incomparably pathetic as he propped himself up with both his spears and pulled himself upright amidst the shattered stones. All the energy and blood in his body were thrown into complete chaos, and the hands that gripped both spears were torn and dripping with blood. Because of the protection of his strong protective profound energy, this slash did not inflict much damage, but his already wavering belief had taken a huge hit.
While in the state of ‘Purgatory’, Yun Che had to bear an immense consumption of energy and burden on his body, so naturally he could not waste even half a second. Just as Duke Yuan Que stood up, he rushed in swiftly and sent his sword sweeping forward.
All the veins in Duke Yuan Que’s body were either swollen or torn, but a crazy, ominous glint suddenly flashed across his eyes. Every single dragon scale on his body swelled up greatly and ghastly blossoms of blood shot into the air…
“This duke… wants your life!!”
Both of Duke Yuan Que’s eyes had turned crimson and a few of his teeth were broken. He raised both his hands and with a low, pained roar, he unreservedly poured all the energy he had left into his spears. The silhouette of the dragon behind him shattered and the image of two fierce dragons appeared on the bodies of his spears; one of them silver, while the other, black.
“It is the finishing move of the Duke Zhong Palace, Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World!”
“Che’er, be careful!” Yun Qinghong swiftly shouted.
As one of the Duke Zhong Palace’s ultimate finishing moves, Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World was normally incredibly difficult for Duke Yuan Que to perform. For him to forcefully use this move when he was in such a state, one could well imagine the kind of burden he would have to endure. But at this moment, Duke Yuan Que’s spirit was on the verge of collapse, so why would he still care about the consequences?
After this move, if anything went wrong, there was even a possibility that his profound veins would be heavily injured.
But even with his current strength, it was still incomparably terrifying.
“Yun Che… go and die!! Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World!”
Both the silver and black fierce dragons flew from his spears and they fiercely snaked out as they intertwined and pierced the air. Before both dragons came close to Yun Che, he had already been pinned down by the impact of the assault, his clothes were swiftly torn into shreds, and he could barely even open his eyes.
This was truly a strong move… But this fellow had released this strength only after he had endured a heavy burden for a long period and his profound energy was nearly empty…
Was he tired of living?!
“Sealing Cloud Locking Sun!”
The Evil God barrier appeared for an instant, and the two fierce dragons were completely consumed by Yun Che’s barrier. The destructive power surged violently and erupted and the Evil God barrier was battered by the impact. A cutting sound filled Yun Che’s ears, and after three breaths, the Evil God barrier was finally broken, but ninety percent of the power of Demon Dragon Slaughtering the World had been reduced as well. Even though the remaining energy sent Yun Che flying for tens of meters, he had only sustained some light injuries.
“Ah, I can finally end it…” Yun Che wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, his figure blurred as it pierced through the sand that was flying all around, and he smashed his sword into the completely dazed Duke Yuan Que’s body.
Duke Yuan Que had already wagered all of his remaining energy in that single blow and there was not even a shred of profound energy left to protect his body. Yun Che’s sword at a mere two-tenths of its power caused his body to fly through the air like a sack of rotten meat.
Bang!
Duke Yuan Que’s body hit the floor heavily and his entire body was covered in blood. However, the injuries that Yun Che had caused were all internal injuries which either snapped muscle or fractured bone. The blood covering him was due to his body being unable to withstand the overbearing burden and rupturing.
A huge amount of fresh blood flowed from Duke Yuan Que’s head, body and the back of his hands. He lay still on the ground and his eyes were directed at the blurry ceiling of the great hall. They were dull and lifeless and it seemed as if he was in some extremely ephemeral dreamscape. He opened his mouth but no sound came out at all, and his consciousness completely flew away. His head rolled back as he thoroughly fainted dead away.
Duke Yuan Que had lost!
The entire hall had fallen into a dead silence and one could even hear the sound of a pin drop.
Not even Duke Zhong Palace made a move for a long time after seeing a bloodied and unconscious Duke Yuan Que lying on the ground… they had all been struck dumb.
“Big Brother… is simply too incredible! Big Brother, you are way too awesome!!”
A loud, emotional cry rang through the great hall, Xiao Yun was already dancing about excitedly as he wildly cheered until he lost his voice.
Xiao Yun’s cheers were like the spark that ignited the powder keg, and the entire Demon Emperor Hall exploded into sound.
“Yun Che won again… Yun Che actually won again!! My heavens! This is simply… simply… simply…”
“Duke Yuan Que used all of his power and displayed all of his finishing moves. He did not even hesitate to use a forbidden art. Even after Yun Che had fought four matches, and all four of his opponents were individuals who stood on the summit, whose names had shaken all of Illusory Demon Realm, Yun Che had still won each and every battle… he’s simply a monster!”
“I have personally witnessed the glorious ascension of a supreme genius today! For me to come to Demon Imperial City and see with my very eyes a genius that seems to have walked out of mythology, this competition… is enough to satisfy me for the rest of my life!”
“After his previous bouts, Yun Che’s name would definitely shake the heavens. But after this match, he has qualified himself to be recorded in the very annals of our Illusory Demon Realm’s history! Defeating five mid-stage Overlords with his strength only at the Sky Profound Realm has never been seen before in the history of Illusory Demon Realm, and it is likely that such a feat will never be seen again after.
“Good… Good!” Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou clasped their hands together and they were so moved that they could barely speak.
All the young disciples who were present had been stunned senseless. Any of them were peak existences amongst their peers, and normally, they were incomparably proud and arrogant. After witnessing that bitterly fierce battle, Yun Che’s extremely terrifying strength had caused every single one of them to be scared witless, even to the point where their courage had been completely torn to shreds. In front of such strength displayed by a person who was of a similar age, they felt that their power was not even at the standard where it could be displayed as a disgraceful sideshow.
When Su Zhizhan had fallen in defeat, the east wing still had a whole six competitors, while the west wing was only left with one. Furthermore, the strongest competitors left in the east wing consisted of Hui Ye, Yuan Que and Hui Ran, and any one of them could completely defeat Su Zhizhan. On the other hand, the west wing’s final combatant, Yun Che, had a profound strength that was so weak, everyone disregarded him.
All of those seated in the west wing thought that this match would end up exactly as they had originally predicted… either that or it would end up as a defeat that was even more miserable and humiliating than anticipated. But not a single one of them could have predicted that Yun Che would actually defeat Jiufang Yu, Xiao Donglai and Chiyang Yanwu…
To think that he would defeat the one who was ranked third amongst the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, the one who had both the bloodline of the Demon Emperor and the strongest profound art, Duke Hui Ye…
And to defeat yet another member of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, the second-ranked Duke Yuan Que, who had not even hesitated to use a forbidden profound skill!
Five consecutive victories!
Every single one of his matches had shaken the very soul of all who were watching. It was a string of five consecutive victories that had completely overturned all logic!
This was a series of five matches that would stir a huge commotion in the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Beside such a string of victories, all the previous defeats that had occurred on both sides had become woefully insignificant and all the previous victories were not worth mentioning. This series of matches looked like a competition but was actually a secret gamble between two large factions who were pitted against each other. It was a struggle between loyalty and ambition, but all of this had been overshadowed by Yun Che, who had become the sole protagonist as he drew all the attention and won the hearts of all those present.
When those seated in the west wing gazed toward Yun Che now, every single gaze was filled with a radiant splendor that had not existed before. The gathered elders of the Yun Family were filled with such emotion that they were either rendered speechless or they could not form coherent sentences. Regarding the matter of the ‘foster son’ that Yun Qinghong had taken in, originally everyone felt like it was inappropriate and they even despised him because his profound strength was too low. Only now did they realize that the Yun Family had actually picked up a huge treasure!
The unconscious Duke Yuan Que was carried out of the arena by the people from Duke Zhong Palace as they swiftly brought him out of the Demon Imperial Hall. If he did not receive medical attention soon, there was a very high chance that he would be crippled from then on. Duke Zhong did not leave with them, but the expressions on his and Duke Huai’s face had become grave and ugly… In each of Yun Che’s five matches, it was only after the match had concluded that they had realized how much they had underestimated Yun Che. This match was no exception!
From the conclusion of Yun Che’s third match onwards, Duke Huai had wanted to kill him. But right now, he had never ever felt such an intense desire for someone to immediately disappear from the face of the earth!
He had been shocked too many times by Yun Che and accompanying each shock carried with it an incomparably thick and heavy aura of danger.
He had no knowledge whatsoever of Yun Che’s true origins, the only thing that he did know was that Yun Che was only twenty-two years old… what was twenty-two years old? The son with whom he was most pleased, Hui Ran, the publicly acknowledged future number one in Illusory Demon Realm, definitely did not have such strength when he was twenty-two years old!
If he continued to mature, before long, he would even surpass Hui Ran! If he was allowed to completely develop in the future, he would completely transcend him.
Someone of this caliber was even a foster child of the Yun Family! Someone who stood on the side of his enemies!
Duke Zhong and Duke Huai exchanged glances, and they were both able to see the extremely intense killing intent in each other’s eyes.
Thump….
In the middle of the arena, Yun Che supported himself with his heavy sword as he gently knelt to the pockmarked ground. His entire body trembled faintly, and he continuously gasped for breath; the sound of each breath was extremely rough and heavy. His previous four battles, and especially the one with Hui Ye, had consumed a large amount of his energy. Furthermore, he had just crossed swords with Yuan Que for over one hundred rounds, and in the end, he had opened the gate of Purgatory. He had even activated ‘Sealing Cloud Locking Sun’ when he had activated Purgatory, so his energy consumption was incomparably immense. Now that he had relexed, he could feel a pressure that was as heavy as a mountain pressing down on his entire body. For him to even stand to his feet was an exceptionally difficult task.
“Ah? Big Brother!” After seeing Yun Che kneel on the ground, Yun Xiao’s heart tightened and he hurriedly exclaimed, “Father, hurry up and ask Big Brother to leave the stage! Big Brother has already fought five consecutive battles and it is simply not possible for him to continue fighting… Moreover, the only one left on the other side is the most fearsome Hui Ran!”
Hui Ran, the head of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions, eighth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm. He was an existence that completely surpassed the rest of the young generation and he was the undisputed number one, described as ‘obscenely strong’ by those who lived in the Demon Imperial City.
Even though he, Hui Ye, and Yuan Que were grouped together in the top three ranks, his ability did not exceed Hui Ye and Yuan Que just by a little bit. Instead, it had surpassed theirs to the point where even if you added the strengths of Hui Ye and Yuan Que together, it would still be far behind the strength of Hui Ran.
Even though the strength that Yun Che had displayed in his five consecutive victories had shocked all who witnessed it, those who knew the true ability of Hui Ran would definitely not think that Yun Che was Hui Ran’s match.
More importantly, the Yun Che who had already fought five consecutive battles did not have much strength left.
“Patriarch, quickly… quickly get him to leave the stage!” The Yun Family great elder Yun Waitian said anxiously, “If Hui Ran takes the stage, given Duke Huai’s temperament, he will definitely get Hui Ran to deal a killing blow to Yun Che.”
“Patriarch, I have to concur! For Yun Che to be able to accomplish this much is already a great victory for our Yun Family! Right now, it is obvious that his strength is at an end and he needs to immediately leave the stage; if not, it will be too late. Given Hui Ran’s strength, if he wanted to kill the current Yun Che, he would only need the space of one breath! At that time, even if we were to try to intervene and save his life, it would be too late,” The second elder added hurriedly. Given the strength that Yun Che had displayed and his status as a foster child of the Yun Family, they had already realized that the fate of Yun Che was a huge matter that would likely concern the future of the entire Yun Family.
Yun Qinghong was naturally more worried than anyone else when it came to Yun Che’s safety. He swiftly sent a sound transmission to Yun Che, “Che’er, let Father represent you and renounce the final match of this competition.”
If he personally stepped in to renounce the match with Hui Ran, it would naturally protect Yun Che’s dignity to the greatest degree. But just as he had finished his sound transmission, he saw Yun Che tilting his head to look at him, and after that… Yun Che slowly shook his head. His entire face was covered in sweat and a fiery-red blush colored his face, but his eyes were as firm and resolute as iron.
Yun Qinghong’s heart felt like it been struck heavily. He did not stand up, nor did he make a sound. Even if all the elders stepped forward to urgently advise him, and even if all the Patriarchs and dukes seated in the west wing incessantly used their expressions and sound transmissions to implore him, he remained unmoving.
“Husband…” Mu Yurou grabbed Yun Qinghong’s arm, and the palm of her hand was deathly cold.
Instead, Yun Qinghong grasped her hand and whispered to her in a low and gentle, but resolute voice, “Yurou, this is Che’er’s own determination, we have no right to arbitrarily make a decision on his behalf… but do not worry, he is our son, and even if I have to put my life on the line, I will definitely not let him fall into some wicked scheme.”
But as he spoke, his other hand had already tightly clenched into a death grip, and a small cluster of frighteningly dense lightning was soundlessly gathering in the palm of his hand… if Hui Ran really attempted to murder Yun Che and Yun Che was not able to defend himself, even if he completely lost all of his standing and reputation, he would not hesitate to kill Hui Ran himself!
Chapter 567 - Original Win
Not only was it the west wing, where the Yun Family was located, the whole hall was filled with the sound of people yelling for Yun Che to immediately abandon the competition. The whole world knew how terrifying Hui Ran was. Not only was his skill abnormally high, he was also extremely brutal and violent. People who faced him in the past were either killed or crippled; even a serious injury was considered as getting off easy.
No one would be willing to see a genius getting crippled under the hands of Hui Ran.
Those who knew about Duke Huai’s ambitions were extremely sure that if Hui Ran fought, he would definitely kill Yun Che right in the arena… now that Yun Che had almost used up all of his profound energy, he was half-kneeling on the ground. It would be impossible for him to even have any means to struggle.
The attitude Duke Huai had earlier, as if he was in control of everything, and his slight smile had already long disappeared. Since Yun Che won the third round, his expression had begun to look uneasy, and now it was even worse. The reason he suggested the competition between the east wing and west wing was to expel the Yun Family completely from the lineup of the Guardian Families, and at the same time step all over the momentum and dignity of the forces that were loyal to the Little Demon Empress.
After Su Zhizhan lost, he was laughing loudly in his heart, because everything was going just as he planned. This scenario of stomping all over his opponent had already made him picture himself becoming the Demon Illusory Emperor.
But now, he could laugh no longer.
The scenario of them enjoying the pleasure of torturing the other party and dominating was crushed single-handedly by Yun Che in an instant.
His Duke Huai Palace’s young duke and Duke Zhong Palace’s young duke used all of their powers and played all of their trump cards. However, not only were they unable to kill Yun Che as they wished, they all lost miserably, and were seriously injured by Yun Che.
Even though with Hui Ran on their side, their east wing would still win in the end, their goal of completely demolishing their opponent had completely failed; instead, they increased the other party’s momentum, and they even increased the Yun Family’s momentum. Duke Huai, who always had everything under control, failed completely this time, and he even felt regretful. If he had another chance, he would absolutely not instigate this competition.
While the whole audience was shouting for Yun Che to give up the last round, Duke Huai secretly gnashed his teeth. If they didn’t “accidentally” kill Yun Che in the arena today, where it would be “perfectly justifiable”, then it would be even harder to kill Yun Che with him standing with the Yun Family’s and with the Little Demon Empress’s most solid protection come tomorrow. By then, this Yun Che, whose talent and potential struck fear into even himself, Duke Huai, would certainly become a poisonous thorn in his heart. He wouldn’t be able to eat, sleep, or be calm for each day it still existed.
But no matter how much the whole audience yelled, there wasn’t any sign of Yun Che surrendering. After he violently gasped for breath for a while, he grabbed onto the handle of his sword and stood up slowly. He looked at the east wing, and said without rush, “Isn’t there still another person? Why hasn’t he come out yet? Did you guys run out of people qualified to be sent out?”
Once Yun Che’s words were spoken, everyone in the west wing was shocked. Even Su Xiangnan couldn’t care about anything else and started yelling loudly, “Yun Che, you have fought enough, don’t take on the last round.”
Greatest Ambition Under Heaven yelled directly at Yun Qinghong, “Qinghong, why haven’t you pulled that boy down from there?!”
However, Yun Qinghong did not speak.
The Little Demon Empress’ crescent brows slightly slanted, then she suddenly opened her mouth and said, “Yun Che, the skill of the last person on the other side who has yet to come out yet is much stronger than you imagine. You have already fought for five rounds in a row, have exhausted most of your profound energy, and have almost no strength to go on. Are you sure you still want to fight the last battle?”
Yun Che said without any hesitation, “Even though my strength was greatly exhausted, I haven’t lost yet. And since I haven’t lost yet, of course I will keep fighting! I, Yun Che, have lost before in this life, but I have never voluntarily surrendered before!”
The Little Demon Empress’ crescent eyebrows locked tightly, and her eyes deeply showed a sign of warning, “You think your persistence is noble? Hmph! A true man knows when to resist and when to yield, when to advance and when to retreat. There is no value at all in depending only on a rash persistence. Most of the time, it is only an action of a foolish death wish!”
The reminder in the Little Demon Empress’ words were clear enough, but Yun Che grinned and said, “I, Yun Che… have never thought of myself as a foolish person! Little Demon Empress, who are you to say that I will definitely lose my last round?”
Even with facing the Little Demon Empress watching him intently, Yun Che wouldn’t back off at all. The Little Demon Empress stopped saying anything else, silently gave Yun Qinghong a look, and said softly, “If you insist, then go on ahead.”
Duke Huai, whose heart was originally filled with hatred and annoyance, was relieved. He stared at Yun Che viciously, and started laughing coldly in silence, “This boy’s gifts and potential are really shocking, but he’s young and reckless after all. He doesn’t give up when there’s a way out… and deliberately courts death!”
Yun Che is, after all, from outside of Demon Imperial City. It is very likely for him to be unaware of how scary Hui Ran’s strength was, so he dreamed of using the last of his energy to make one last-ditch effort… Having thought of this, Duke Huai’s eyebrow’s twitched again… Why didn’t Yun Qinghong come forward and forcefully pull Yun Che from the fight?
Was it possible, that Yun Che still has a trump card?
Duke Huai locked his eyebrows and thought deeply. From the overall strength Yun Che had displayed in these five matches, to the changes in his breathing, to his exhausted state for which it was absolutely impossible to be an act, he thought for a good while, but still couldn’t think of any possibility for Yun Che to beat Hui Ran.
Unless the sky suddenly dropped a fierce lightning while the two of them were fighting and killed Hui Ran.
At this moment, he suddenly noticed Yun Qinghong’s tightly held left fist. Even though Yun Qinghong had sealed his profound energy tightly in his palms, after Duke Huai scouted with his mind congealing, he was still able to clearly feel an extremely high density of lightning profound energy.
That explained it. This Yun Che was too proud and arrogant, Yun Qinghong was afraid that if he forcefully pulled him out of the competition, it would hurt his dignity, and he would resent him, so he wanted to take action and rescue Yun Che the instant he was in danger fighting against Hui Ran…
Duke Huai immediately started laughing coldly. Since he knew about Yun Qinghong’s actions, he had absolute confidence that he would be able to stop him before he rescued Yun Che… He would be stopping him from taking the liberty of interfering with the competition, and stopping him would be perfectly justifiable!
“Ran’er… Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!!”
Duke Huai sending three consecutive “kill him” sound transmissions to Duke Hui Ran in a deep voice showed how strong his murderous intent was. As Duke Hui Ran’s father, he naturally knew best of Hui Ran’s temper… he was naturally cruel and brutal, his greatest pleasure came from torturing his opponent, but at the same time, he was also extremely arrogant. He almost never truly took anyone seriously, and because of this personality, when he faced Yun Che, it was very possible that he would arrogantly give him time to regain his strength, and disdain fighting against someone who was exhausted.
Therefore, he reminded him by saying “kill him” three times.
Hui Ran’s eyelids twitched when he received Duke Huai’s sound transmission. He scoffed lightly between his nostrils, and stood up slowly. Step by step, he walked towards the arena without a hurry.
From the moment that he stood up, he attracted everyone’s attention, and became the center of attention. He didn’t release any profound energy aura, but the people who were watching him clearly felt an extremely heavy pressure.
The expression of the people in the west wing who knew well of Hui Ran’s strength had all become stiff… However, up to when Hui Ran was standing right in front of Yun Che, Yun Che still hadn’t made any sign of surrendering as they had hoped. Instead, he was standing straight, and he gazed right into Hui Ran’s eyes.
“Please… do not get killed.” The several great Patriarchs could only sigh heavily in their hearts.
Hui Ran stood in front of Yun Che. His slightly narrowed eyes were flickering with an extremely dangerous light. His body was already unusually tall, on top of that, every single one of his muscle were popping out. Just his figure alone already imposed a fearful pressure. Even though he didn’t release his aura, there was an invisible pressure, and it had already heavily pressured on Yun Che’s heart and soul.
“This guy’s strength is no weaker than than that Number One Under Heaven from the elven race,” Jasmine said coldly. “You are far weaker than him. Even if you were in your best condition, there is no question that you would lose fighting against him, let alone now when you only have ten percent of profound energy and strength left.”
“I am indeed not as strong as him,” Yun Che replied while gasping for his breath, “But that doesn’t mean… I can’t beat him today!”
Jasmine scoffed softly and said, “Under the rule of leaving the arena would count as a loss, it is indeed possible for you to beat him… but you will need enough luck!”
“My luck has never been bad.”
“Hmph.” Duke Hui Ran scoffed softly in contempt and arrogance. He crossed his arms over his chest, and looked at Yun Che indifferently, “Since you were able to beat this duke’s younger brother, you barely qualify to be this duke’s opponent. This duke had always disdained fighting against someone who had already almost used up all of their profound energy, but you… are even more not worthy for this duke to waste time on.”
He didn’t take out a weapon, pointed at Yun Che with one finger, and ticked his finger in contempt, “You can attack now.”
“Heh,” Yun Che laughed coldly, laughing with even more scorn, “As expected, you Duke Huai Palace people are only a bunch of trash who are just talk. Even though now I only have less than ten percent of my profound energy, it is enough to beat trash like you.”
With Hui Ran’s strength and prestige, he had never had anyone say anything like that to him from birth to now. No one ever had the ability or the guts to be so presumptuous in front of him. Duke Hui Ran’s eyes slowly narrowed. He didn’t get mad, he just smiled lightly, as a cold glare of brutality flashed deep in his eyes, “With just you?”
Suddenly, Duke Huai’s sound transmission was sent to his ears, “Stop chitchatting with him and kill him immediately!”
“Yes! With just me!”
Followed by a “clang”, Yun Che pulled out his heavy sword from the ground. A type of heavy yet insolent might was instantly released, and it made Hui Ran twitch his eyebrows slightly… but it merely made him twitch his eyebrows, it was still followed by a contempt wry smile.
Yun Che seemed to have not realized entirely that his strength was not enough to threaten Hui Ran at all. He raised his heavy sword and roared deeply, “Let me see how long you can stand under the attack of my sword! Haah!!”
Yun Che took a step, swung his heavy sword, and his whole person was as like an arrow shooting towards Hui Ran. His movement also made the expressions of everyone in the west wing extremely stiff. The several great Patriarchs had all stood up, and everyone’s expression was incredibly nervous. Even though Yun Qinghong didn’t stand up, his left hand had already been quietly placed in a horizontal pose before his body.
A wave of raging storm came head on, causing Hui Ran’s clothes to flutter and make noise. Even though Yun Che had exhausted most of his strength, the power of the heavy sword was still extremely fierce. However, this didn’t make Hui Ran show any expression of concern. He raised his right arm without hurry, and spread his fingers… he was actually going to catch Yun Che’s heavy sword in his palms. The corner of his mouth showed a disdainful light smile, “Heh, you’re overestimating yourself.”
Everyone in the hall clearly saw just how scary Yun Che’s heavy sword was before, and were even frightened by it. But no one thought that Hui Ran’s actions which seemed extremely careless were made because Hui Ran had a death wish… because with Hui Ran’s powers, he really had the ability to do so.
Hui Ran’s actions made Yun Che slightly locked his eyebrows. While he was shifting his position in extreme speed, he was closing in on Hui Ran. In a blink of eye, there was only six meters left of distance between them. At this moment, Yun Che’s figure suddenly slowed down slightly, and his eyes immediately released a mysterious, azure light. An azure dragon’s silhouette appeared and flashed behind Yun Che, followed by a prestigic, domineering dragon roar that shook the entire universe as it came from the sky.
“Dragon Soul Domain!!”
To keep his mind’s energy consumption to the minimum, this Dragon Soul Domain only cover up to thirty-three meters, but that dragon god cry which came from the Primordial Azure Dragon still sounded throughout the entire Demon Imperial City, and violently shook the heart and soul of everyone in this hall.
Especially the demon race who bore the bloodlines of beasts, under the dragon god cry of the king of all beasts, every one of them were shocked, and their souls involuntarily trembled. As a race of true dragons, everyone from the Chiyang Family expressed panic on their faces. Their dragon souls were agitated; they almost wanted to kneel on the ground and begin worshiping.
“This… This… What is that!!”
“It’s… a dragon cry?!”
A pair of azure eyes that were as deep as the sky and as bright as the stars opened up three feet above Yun Che’s head. Under the dragon cry which shook the skies and the terrorizing strength of the dragon soul, Duke Hui Ran’s whole body was trembling. His expression instantly became stiff, then was followed by a strong feeling of fear. His pupil showed rapid shrinking, and even his body appeared to be trembling slightly…
Even if Yun Che’s strength was far weaker than Hui Ran’s; even if Yun Che was already extremely exhausted, this soul deterrence came from the soul of the Dragon God… With Hui Ran’s powers, even if he had mental resistance, it was still impossible for him to defend at all, let alone now, when he wasn’t on guard at all!
“Purgatory!!”
Facing the powerful Hui Ran, even if he was sunk within the Dragon Soul Domain, Yun Che still had to be cautious. He gathered all of his powers, and the silhouette of the phoenix flickered and appeared on his body. The phoenix’s cry hissed in the sky as it used speed and power that was several times stronger than before, and violently attacked towards Hui Ran.
“Get down there… Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing!!”
In terms of strength, Hui Ran was hands down stronger than Yun Che, but when danger was approaching, he abruptly woken up a little as he reached out his arms difficulty, and blocked the front of his body… However, after thirty percent of him had woken up, the other seventy percents were of fear and the collapse of his faith. His defensive powers weren’t even at thirty percent of his usual. He was only able to brace himself for an instant, then got harshly knocked out under the violent shock of the Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing…
Yun Che was knocked backwards from the aftershock, but before he even landed, the Heaven Smiting Sword had already swung out once more. An azure wolf with scarlet flames tore through space, and ruthlessly attacked Hui Ran, who was still upside down in the air.
“Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash!!”
Like a meteor flying through the enormous Demon Imperial Hall, the Empyrean Dance of the Phoenix Wing followed tightly by the Phoenix Sky Wolf Slash blew Duke Hui Ran’s whole body across half the Demon Imperial Hall, across the seats, causing him to crash severely into the eastern walls of the hall. Followed by a violent quake in the hall, Duke Hui Ran’s whole body was smashed into the east wall, as countless of cracks spread crazily.
Chapter 568 - Victory Round
Crack… crack…
In the enormous Demon Imperial Hall, there were more than ten thousand strong practitioners from all over the world, but besides the sound of the shattered jade falling from the wall, there weren’t any other traces of sound at all… not even the sound of breathing. Everyone in the Demon Imperial Hall had already stood up with their eyes widened, mouths opened, and it was uncertain just how many jaws had almost dropped onto the ground.
Even the Little Demon Empress had already stood up from her throne, and was staring blatantly at the Hui Ran who was smashed into the wall.
Closest to the arena, standing on its edge, the eyes of Duke Huai, who had already built up his power in preparation to stop Yun Qinghong from rescuing Yun Che, bulged out, and the corners of his mouth, eyebrows, and chin, were all twitching as if they were cramping… For someone who was able to make the Little Demon Empress hesitate to mobilize against, able to make more than sixty percent of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces abandon the Demon Emperor’s bloodline and turn to him, his manipulative manner and temperament were as imagined. But at this moment, his mind became completely chaotic and his face became crooked watching this scene.
The strength of this round of battle displayed an extreme disparity… the gap was even wider than in any of the other rounds. Hui Ran’s strength was already far stronger than Yun Che’s strength, and on top of that, Yun Che had fought five battles in a row, and his profound energy was greatly exhausted. The focus of the audience wasn’t on who would win the battle at all, but whether or not Yun Che could survive to the end…
The whole process of the two fighting hand to hand only lasted an instant…
That instant was so short that no one had been able to react yet…
And one of them was knocked away fiercely, flew directly out of the arena, and was smashed into the east wall of the Demon Imperial Hall.
According to the rules, falling outside the arena, also meant the end of this battle!
The one who was blown away instantly wasn’t Yun Che, but was the one whose strength was abnormally high, who could stomp Yun Che completely, the Hui Ran whom no one thought had any chance of losing!!
The scene that they saw, was no different from a dying little blade of grass suddenly knocking over a tall tree that had been rooted in the ground for ten thousand years… It was as mind blowing as the heavens and earth suddenly turning upside down.
“Big Brother… won…” Xiao Yun mumbled, as though he had lost his soul, then followed with an uncontrollably loud yell, “Big Brother won… Big Brother won!! Our Yun Family won!”
Xiao Yun’s loud, excited yelling brought everyone back from shock. At that instant, countless exclamations assembled into an earthshaking, loud soundwave.
“Yun Che won… It’s true… Yun Che won!!”
“Th-th-th… this is the most incredible thing that I have seen all my life!”
“Hui Ran lost… lost in only one move! Ahhhh… I cannot believe my own eyes, am I dreaming?!”
“This is impossible… Impossible! Who can tell me what happened, this is definitely impossible!!”
“Hui Ran was the last person from Duke Huai’s side. Yun Che won… that means, the end result is the Yun Family’s victory!!”
“Father… Hui Ran lost, and Yun Che won… We… actually… we won!” Su Zhizhan stuttered, his voice swayed, as if he was sleep talking.
“That’s… right.” Su Xiangnan nodded slowly, and his voice shivered heavily, “I believe no matter who it is, it would be impossible for anyone to expect this result. This Yun Che… what kind of god is he?”
The dignified Su Family Patriarch actually used the word “god” to describe Yun Che, but at this moment, it didn’t sound exaggerated or unsuitable at all to anyone in the Su Family.
“Unbelievable… unbelievable… it really is unbelievable.” Mu Feiyan said the word “unbelievable” three times in a row. This Mu Family Patriarch, who had lived for more than several hundred years, exhibited the emotion of “amazement” in his eyes, voice, and expression. He was just criticizing Yun Che earlier for being too young and rash, not knowing when to fight or yield, but he then realized that Yun Che knew exactly what he was doing. After he had reached a hundred years of age, he rarely misjudged anyone, but when it came to Yun Che, he kept underestimating over and over again…
Mu Yubai opened his mouth, and mumbled in a low voice, “This boy, where did this little monster come from…”
He had always been serious about being sworn brothers with Yun Che, but at this moment, he felt diffident in his heart. At first, he lowered himself at all costs and asked Yun Che himself to become sworn brothers. Half of it was because of his gratitude to him, and the other half was naturally because of his top medical skills which had cured Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou… If he got a brother like this, then it wouldn’t just be him getting a few more lives, it would benefit the entire Mu Family.
The reason why he was so adamant on getting what he wanted and was a bit forceful back then, was because he was, after all, the Mu Family’s young patriarch, and would soon become a true Patriarch of the Mu Family. He thought for sure that his background and ability was absolutely worthy enough. But now, after seeing Yun Che’s incredibly shocking skills, temperament, and boldness, on top of his medical skills that could amaze everyone under heaven… this Yun Che, who had all of these qualities, was only twenty-two years old!
Him at the same age would be beaten by Yun Che instantly by who knows how many city blocks.
Since he had accomplished this kind of achievement at the mere age of twenty-two, it made his future accomplishments even more unimaginable.
If someone said he would become the number one of the Illusory Demon Realm in the future, probably none of the people here who had witnessed everything today would doubt it.
Therefore, under Yun Che’s overly bright radiance, this dignified Mu Family’s young patriarch became unconfident about lowering himself and taking the initiative to ask to become sworn brothers…
“Such a character has actually appeared in our Demon Illusory Realm.” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven said in an impressed voice, “But unfortunately, he is Yun Qinghong’s adopted son. If he were their biological son, the Yun Family wouldn’t have any worries in the future… Firstly, Father originally thought that you overexaggerated, but in truth, Yun Che was even more impressive than you had described. This boy’s achievements in the future will definitely shake the heavens. On top of that, he is the savior of our Under Heaven Clan… You all should make friends with him more later on.”
All the brothers of the Under Heaven Clan were nodding their heads. Everyone’s eyes were still filled with deep shock and astonishment.
Yun Qinghong stood tall. The Yun Family’s elders who were behind him were already so riled up that they didn’t bother to take note of their image, and started yelling with the young disciples until they almost lost their voices. He didn’t yell, and didn’t rush into the arena. He gazed at Yun Che as tears welled up in his tiger eyes. He knew clearly… Everyone knew clearly, this result, wasn’t just as simple as an unimaginable miracle. He saved the Yun Family from its fate, saved all of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces who were loyal to the Little Demon Empress, and most importantly, he saved the momentum and dignity of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline.
He even gave Duke Huai’s people, who were originally incredibly cocky, a severe, heavy strike.
“Che’er, Father is proud of you!” Yun Qinghong said while smiling. He didn’t even look at Duke Huai… because there was no question that Duke Huai’s face must have looked extremely awful.
Duke Huai’s face awful-looking right then was not only awful, it was so crooked that it was hard to tell his facial features apart. The faces of Duke Zhong, other masters of various great Duke Palaces, and patriarchs from the east wing, all darkened to the color of a pot’s bottom. They stood there, gazing at each other, but none of them were able to say a word.
“Ahhhh!!”
Bang!!
The east wall of the hall suddenly exploded in a beast-like roar. Hui Ran jumped out with disheveled hair and a face full of blood, and rushed directly towards Yun Che with bloodshot eyes, “Bastard… this duke will kill you!!”
Even though Hui Ran looked extremely beaten down, his momentum was still incredibly shocking. After taking two sword attacks from Yun Che under the state of Dragon Soul Domain, not only did his profound energy not collapse, judging from the surface, he didn’t seem to have suffered from any serious injuries… Yun Che felt slightly cold in his heart. This Hui Ran’s strength was indeed unusual.
A profound storm with a raging aura struck. The Yun Family’s Great Elder Yun Waitian flew up, and immediately went in front of Yun Che to protect him. He roared furiously, “Hui Ran, what do you think you’re doing?!!”
At present, the entire Yun Family treated Yun Che like their precious treasure, how could they possibly let him get hurt?
No matter how strong Hui Ran was, it was impossible for him to be Yun Waitian’s match. Under the imposing aura of Yun Waitian, he was forced away immediately. Hui Ran was even angrier, as he roared furiously, “This bastard tricked me! With this duke’s ability, how is it possible for me to lose to this kind of trash… Yun Che, do you dare to fight this duke fairly?!”
Yun Family’s Second Elder Yun Duanshui also flew in front of Yun Che to protect him. He looked at Hui Ran, laughed coldly and said, “Hui Ran, a loss is a loss. No one here is blind. We all clearly saw everything. You are a dignified duke after all, and you can’t afford to lose? Hmph, aren’t you afraid of making your entire Duke Huai Palace the whole world’s laughingstock?”
“Shut up!” Hui Ran pointed his finger at Yun Che, and his whole body was shivering. This extremely arrogant person had never lost in his entire life. But today, under everyone’s eyes, he was blasted out of the arena by someone who was far weaker than himself, who had already exhausted most of his profound energy. He had never been humiliated like this ever in his whole life. “How could this duke possibly lose! Just now, it was clearly…”
“Enough!”
Duke Huai’s face was as calm as the surface of water. He scolded Hui Ran harshly, “Are you trying to humiliate our Duke Palace even more!? Back down immediately!”
“Father…” Duke Hui Ran’s face was cramping. Everyone’s gazes were like knives on his back. He held his fists tightly in reconciliation, looked at Yun Che viciously, and gnashed his teeth while he turned around to walk out of the arena. As soon as he got back to his seat, he spat out a mouthful of blood violently… Yun Che’s heavy sword wasn’t so easy to bear.
“Very well!” The Little Demon Empress walked down slowly. That face which seemed to always be cold revealed some relief in a moment of extreme rarity, “What a remarkable competition. Yun Che was only in the Sky Profound Realm, but he alone fought six battles in a row, and won consecutively against our Demon Imperial City’s six geniuses. It was eye-opening, even to this empress, very impressive!”
“According from the rules that were set before the competition, if the Yun Family loses, they will lose the title of Guardian Family. The Yun Family was originally on the edge of the cliff, but Yun Che turned the tide himself, and turned defeat into victory. Looks like even the heavens are on the Yun Family’s side!”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze slanted, swept across the east wing, and at last landed on Duke Huai, “Duke Huai, do you have anything else to say about this result?”
Before Duke Huai even spoken yet, Yun Che already said loudly, “Before Duke Huai says anything, may I remind Duke Huai… the wager that both of our sides had agreed to. Duke Huai, please don’t forget about it! If you win, our Yun Family leaves the Guardian Families. And if we win… heh! You all can shut up about our Yun Family’s business now. And… Helian, Chiyang, Nangong, Bai, Xiao, Lin, each of these families must submit two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family within a month! And you, Duke Huai, must turn in ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family within a month!”
The corners of Yun Che’s mouth arched, “Regarding this, we have the Little Demon Empress and everyone here as witnesses. You, Duke Huai, and the seven families agreed that easily… Duke Huai, I believe that you, as a dignified duke, wouldn’t go back on your words with everyone watching, right?”
After Yun Che finished speaking, the faces of everyone from the seven families all became the color of pig liver. This two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal was their lifeline, and even the Guardian Families that were on the peak of the Demon Illusory Realm would have to accumulate for hundreds of years to reach that amount. The reason that they followed Duke Huai’s lead and agreed to it, and let everyone witness, was because they were extremely sure that their side would absolutely not lose. This “bargaining chip” were merely there as a decoration.
And now, they lost…
If they really submitted two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, then it would be the same as destroying the hundred years of the family’s progress. As for the Yun Family who had gathered a few dozen kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, it would be hard for them to not ascend. They absolutely could not accept this… but unfortunately this was the Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony, where all the strong practitioners from the Illusory Demon Realm gathered. Ten thousand strong Illusory Demon practitioners were the most solid witnesses in the whole world. If they went back on their words, then it would essentially mean peeling off the skin of their faces in front of all the people under heaven, ruining the family’s prestige and reputation, and being despised and humiliated by everyone.
But at this moment, Duke Huai was not panicking at all; instead he smiled lightly, “Of course this duke did not forget. This competition was brought up originally by me. No matter win or loss, this duke would naturally accept calmly. We would definitely not be a sore loser, would definitely not go back on what we had promised, and shame our Duke Huai Palace. I believe all of the Guardian Families are like this as well.”
“But, you seemed to have completely misunderstood something.” Duke Huai’s eyes narrowed in half, and said without a hurry, “This competition was about the fate of the Yun Family. The people qualified to represent each side for the battle must be under the age of thirty-five, and they must also be from the Guardian Families and Illusory Demon Duke Palaces.”
After Duke Huai spoke, the expressions of the people in the west wing changed, and the eyes of the people in the east wing all brightened up. Duke Huai said with a smile, “Yun Qinghong, if this duke remembered correctly, this Yun Che is only a son that you adopted from somewhere else? Since he is only an adopted son, then that means he does not have the Yun Family’s bloodline… Since he does not have the Yun Family’s bloodline, then how is he qualified to represent the Yun Family for the battle!”
Chapter 569 - Moving a Boulder Only to Smash One’s Leg
“Duke Huai, what is the meaning of this!” Yan Zijing roared as he rose up.
“Could it be that this duke’s words weren’t clear enough?” Duke Huai laughed lightly, speaking in a carefree manner. “Yun Che is merely an adopted son who was taken in by Yun Qinghong, and is not an actual member of the Yun Family. I believe everyone present is very aware of this point. When all’s said and done, an adopted son is nothing but an outsider. How could he possess the qualifications to represent the Yun Family in this competition… especially in this Demon Imperial Hall, when it also concerns the huge matter of the fate of a Guardian Family!”
“Yun Che’s strength is indeed absolutely stunning, and everyone present has witnessed it for themselves. Although luck played an extremely large role when he defeated my son, Hui Ran, a loss is a loss, and our Duke Huai Palace will definitely not deny it. However, the one who defeated my son, Hui Ran, as well as the final six participants from our side, was Yun Che, not the Yun Family! Ultimately, he does not even qualify to participate in this competition! The six matches in which he participated were indeed splendid spars. However, they were merely spars. They were completely unrelated to this competition, which decides the fate of the Yun Family!!”
Duke Huai’s words were like pots of cold water pouring down, causing chills and silent hatred to simultaneously fill the bodies of everyone in the west wing seats. When Yun Che first stepped up for the match, a large number of them had thought of this point. Even several elders of the Yun Family had thought of using this reason to request for Yun Qinghong to replace Yun Che with the most talented disciple among the Yun Family’s youths. However, because of Yun Qinghong’s persistence, Yun Che still went up, and not a single person in the east wing seats voiced their objections… Someone whose strength was so weak to the point of being only at the Sky Profound Realm, was actually representing the Yun Family in battle; they couldn’t wait to see him make a fool out of himself, so why would they point out matters such as him not being a disciple of the Yun Family, and not having the qualifications to participate?
After that, with every subsequent match, everyone was given a ruthless shock by Yun Che. Seemingly everyone had unconsciously disregarded this problem.
Currently, when Duke Huai suddenly brought this up, it was as though the extremely excited and joyful people in the west wing seats, especially the members of the Yun Family, had their Achilles’ heels stepped on instantly… Although it was evident that Duke Huai was denying everything that just happened, the reasoning behind his denial was so substantial, it was basically impossible to refute. Even though Yun Che held the surname Yun, he wasn’t a disciple of the Yun Family. Moreover, he couldn’t be Yun Qinghong’s biological son, and was merely an “adopted son” whom he had just taken in. Indeed, he basically did not have the qualifications to represent the Yun Family in battle!
A session of the Demon Imperial Hall occurred every hundred years, and in every session, there would always be an exhibition competition held by the various Duke Palaces and the Twelve Guardian Families. Some of the troubles and ideological conflicts between the Families and Duke Palaces had always been settled through such competitions… This competition that concerned the Duke Palaces and Twelve Guardian Families could naturally only be entered by members of the Duke Palaces and the Twelve Guardian Families. Outsiders were definitely not allowed to step in, and given the level of strength the Duke Palaces and the Twelve Guardian Families possessed, outsiders basically did not have the abilities and the qualifications to intervene in the first place.
It was even more so when it came to an unprecedented huge matter that concerned the fate of the Yun Family.
Hence, Duke Huai’s words had truly stepped on their Achilles’ heel.
“Duke Huai, you’re clearly trying to deny it!” Su Xiangnan shouted out with a sharp voice. “Yun Che is Yun Qinghong’s adopted son. Since he is his adopted son, he is also considered a member of the Yun Family. Why can he not represent the Yun Family in battle?!”
Su Xiangnan’s words were deafening; however, his argument lacked confidence, no matter whose ears heard it. Sure enough, Duke Huai let out a bland laugh, “Heh, what a huge joke. Based on what Patriarch Su has said, in future competitions that are settled with displays of profound strength, this duke can casually find a few peerless experts, take them as my foster sons, and then have them represent my Duke Huai Palace in battle?! Hehe, what would be the point in the rankings of our various Duke Palaces and Twelve Guardian Families then? What would be the point in nurturing the next generation with all our might? We simply have to see who has the most godsons, and see whose godsons are more incredible, would that not be enough?”
“Patriarch Su, you actually approve to an outsider representing one of our Guardian Families or Duke Palaces in battle? Just how low do you place the dignity of our Duke Palaces and Guardian Families?!”
“You…” Su Xiangnan’s expression turned dark, but he was unable to refute in the slightest.
“Duke Huai, since you say that Yun Che does not have the qualifications, then why didn’t you say anything about it when he stepped into the arena? Why didn’t you prevent it then?!” Mu Yubai asked with a cold look.
“Why would this duke have to prevent it?” Duke Huai rebutted with a question. “To allow an outsider to represent the Yun Family in battle is such a laughable and foolish action. The Yun Family had made this decision, and it was the Yun Family’s foolishness for doing so, so they have to bear the consequences on their own. This duke wasn’t obligated to remind, nor prevent them from doing what they did.”
Mu Yubai’s face turned as dark as charcoal, and hatred silently filled his heart. However, he simply could not refute it. Every single person seated in the west wing gritted their teeth, as today, it could be said that they had experienced the feeling of ascending from hell to heaven, only to suddenly fall from the heavens back to hell. Now, there were merely sighs, resentment and desolation in their hearts. In comparison, the formerly ugly faces of the people seated in the east wing had completely disappeared. Every single one of their expressions were relaxed, and their scornful eyes even carried pity within them.
“Patriarch…” Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui turned around, and looked towards Yun Qinghong. Unconsciously, everyone in the west wing had looked towards Yun Qinghong as well.
Yun Qinghong had not spoken a single word the entire time, and at this moment, Yun Che, who had finally managed to stabilize his energy and blood flow after taking several deep breaths, held his Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword. Walking up between Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui who were protecting him, he faced Duke Huai, and said with an indifferent expression, “What Duke Huai has said is indeed correct. Without possessing the Yun Clan’s bloodline, and just based on the identity of an adopted son alone, that person indeed does not have the qualifications to represent the entirety of the one and only Yun Family in battle. However, Duke Huai, on what basis did you conclude that I’m not a son of the Yun Family?!”
Yun Che’s words caused Duke Huai to narrow his eyes, and laugh out loud right after. There were several people in the east wing who directly let out their laughter as well. When Yun Che voiced out these words, they were instantly able to guess Yun Che’s motive… Evidently, after landing in such a predicament, he was clearly being thick-skinned and trying to say that he was a member of the Yun Family. He might even make up a story in just a moment, and take out a few pieces of his so-called “evidence.”
If this was another family, such methods might have really caused them to feel uneasy; however, it just had to be the Yun Family he was talking about.
The Yun Family had a unique method to prove their own bloodline… the Profound Handle!
The Profound Handle was a bloodline power. Only people who possessed the Yun Family’s bloodline would have the power of the Profound Handle, with no exceptions! This type of bloodline power could only be passed on by males to the next generation, and it wouldn’t be inherited by females. Hence, sons of the Yun Family would definitely possess the Profound Handle.
Looking it from another way, people who could use the power of the Profound Handle would definitely be members of the Yun Family. This was common knowledge which everyone in the past ten thousand years of Demon Illusory Realm history knew.
Hence, to determine whether someone was actually a member of the Yun Family, there was only a need to see if that person could execute the power of the Profound Handle. If Yun Che could use the power of the Profound Handle, then he would definitely be a member of the Yun Family without question. If he couldn’t execute it, then he definitely wasn’t a member of the Yun Family, again without question!
Hence, in the eyes of Duke Huai, and the eyes of everyone else, if Yun Che wished to claim that he was a member of the Yun Family, it would simply be a joke.
“What? Could it be that you’re trying to tell this duke that you’re actually a member of the Yun Family? Hehehehe…” Duke Huai laughed with a very playful tone. “Then I wonder which elder of the Yun Family are you a son of? Or could it be that you’re actually an illegitimate child Yun Qinghong left behind somewhere outside, and this so-called ‘adopted son,’ is just a cover? Hahahaha!”
After saying that, Duke Huai had already begun to laugh out loud, and all of the Patriarchs in the east wing revealed mocking smiles as well.
Yun Che also began to laugh out loud, “Your highness, Duke Huai, you couldn’t be more correct. I am a son of the Yun Family, and I possess the truest and purest Yun Clan’s bloodline! Yun Qinghong is my biological father, exactly as you said!”
These words did not shock the entire audience, but they did still startle a few people. Mu Yubai slapped his forehead, and vexatiously said, “Haah, this little one is about to lose so much face this time. In this world, the hardest thing to fake is the Yun Family’s bloodline.”
The one with the most intense reaction was actually Mu Yurou. In the instant she heard Yun Che’s words, she grabbed onto Yun Qinghong’s hand, and tears began to uncontrollably well up in her eyes.
“Hahahaha…” Duke Huai wildly laughed for a long while, then was finally able to contain himself. Penetrating through his narrowed eye slits, his gaze landed on Yun Che, and a certain form of pleasure suddenly rose in his heart… Both of his sons were defeated by Yun Che, his plans completely crumbling was also because of Yun Che, and it brought about a huge backlash. Not only did he fail to humiliate and trample on the other party, he also boosted the other party’s morale greatly. His killing intent towards Yun Che rose; however, Hui Ye, Yuan Que, and Hui Ran were all unable to kill him. His hatred towards Yun Che was like a volcano which had seethed for a thousand years. At this moment, he finally found an opportunity to ruthlessly humiliate Yun Che, and Yun Che was actually the one who set up the opportunity on his own.
“Very well. Since you claim that you are a son of the Yun Family, and even the son of Yun Qinghong himself, why don’t you reveal your Profound Handle to this duke and to everyone present?”
“Profound Handle?” Yun Che’s brows slightly twitched.
“What? Looking at your expression, could it be that you don’t even know what a Profound Handle is? The Profound Handle is a bloodline power which is unique to the Yun Family. As long as one is a son of the Yun Family, he will definitely receive the inheritance of the Profound Handle. If you are able to reveal your Profound Handle, no one can deny your identity as a son of the Yun Family. As for the matter of you representing the Yun Family in battle, it will be perfectly justified as well. No matter if it is about banishing the Yun Family, or offering up the Purple Veined Divine Crystals, this duke will definitely not have the slightest bit of dissent. However, if you are unable to use the Profound Handle…”
Duke Huai’s eyes narrowed into a pair of even thinner slits, and both his gaze and voice turned especially cold, “If you’re unable to execute the Profound Handle, then, in the face of Little Demon Empress, and in the face of the heroes of the realm, posing as a member of a Guardian Family, and even moreso, the son of a Guardian Family’s Patriarch, do you know how large an offense that is?!”
“I have no interest in knowing that.” Yun Che took a step forward, and slowly stretched out his own arm. “I simply wish to remind Duke Huai that you had best not forget the words you have just said!”
Yun Che pulled up his sleeves, and revealed his left arm, “That’s right. The Profound Handle is the best way to prove our identities as members of the Yun Family. It can’t be faked, nor can it be imitated! Duke Huai, you’d best open your eyes wide… and watch carefully!!”
When Yun Che’s voice fell, under everyone’s attentive gaze, “Purgatory” silently activated, and on his arm, a cyan sword-shaped mark suddenly flashed.
The moment this mark appeared, everyone in the Yun Family suddenly trembled, “That… That is…”
Following after, Yun Che willed his thoughts. A ray of deep cyan light shot out from the mark, and floated next to him. Right after, it quickly turned into the shape of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword as he willed it. A unique aura that could only belong to a Profound Handle was spreading outwards at a quick rate as well, filling the entire Demon Imperial Hall.
“Profound… Profound Handle!!” Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui who were behind Yun Che, lost control of their voices at the same time and shouted.
At the moment the Profound Handle appeared, Duke Huai’s expression had turned incomparably stiff. His pupils severely shrank, as though they had suddenly been pierced by needles.
Chapter 570 - Son of the Yun Family
WHOAA——
The Demon Imperial Hall was completely thrown into an uproar. The many elders and disciples of the Yun Family all stood up, and every single one of their eyes were widened until they were round, seemingly thinking that an illusion had appeared in front of them. “Profound Handle, it’s the Profound Handle… It’s our Yun Family’s Profound Handle!”
“What’s… What’s going on here? Could it be that Yun Che is really our Yun Family’s…”
“It’s hard to believe, but that’s an actual Profound Handle! If he isn’t a member of our Yun Family, how could he possess the Profound Handle… And it’s even the powerful cyan Profound Handle!”
“He’s… he’s… he’s really a member of our Yun Family!” A Yun Family elder roared out loud out of excitement.
“That’s… That’s impossible!” The expressions of Duke Zhong, Helian Kuang, Jiufang Kui, Chiyang Bailie, and everyone else underwent a drastic change. They stared at the Profound Handle in front of Yun Che, and they could not believe their own eyes. Their assured and cold smiles earlier, had been replaced by shock, and fear that came right after. They deeply knew what kind of outcome would occur if Yun Che was truly a member of the Yun Family.
However, Yun Che… this adopted son whom Yun Qinghong had taken in, was someone who had clearly only arrived at Demon Imperial City for the first time three months ago, so how could he possibly be a son of the Yun Family?! Three months ago, no one had heard of this person’s existence, and even Duke Huai was unable to find any clues of his background. Even his profound arts and profound skills were all completely unrelated to the Yun Family. Not to mention, looking at the expressions of everyone in the Yun Family, they did not know that he was someone from their family either.
However, the Profound Handle Yun Che released, just had to be the most indisputable proof. The Yun Family’s Profound Handle was second to none, and even if its outer appearance could be imitated using profound energy, the bloodline aura and the power of the Profound Handle that belonged solely to the Yun Family could never be imitated, no matter what.
The entire hall was thrown into a complete uproar. This single day seemed to have the most ups and downs out of any day in their entire lives. Their nerves, which should have been incomparably resilient, were seemingly in a complete mess under the constant shocks they received. They felt that even if it were a dream, it wouldn’t be as unbelievable, and it wouldn’t have as many twists and turns as today.
Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui, who were behind Yun Che, had completely lost their usually calm demeanor. Out of excitement, they were unable to breathe properly, to the point that it seemed like they could burst into tears. Although it was a huge surprise that left some questions unanswered, the Profound Handle was the most solid proof in the world. As Elders of the Yun Family, they couldn’t mistake the Profound Handle, no matter what.
Facing Yun Che’s Profound Handle, they were unable to contain their excitement. This definitely did not merely signify a complete victory for the Yun Family today… Yun Che being Yun Qinghong’s adopted son and Yun Che being a pure and true member of the Yun Family, were two concepts as different as heaven and earth! The current generation of the Yun Family was in an unbearable state of decline. They were ranked the lowest out of the Twelve Guardian Families, and the decline in strength was even intensifying. But now that Yun Che was in the Yun Family, why would there still be a need to worry about being unable to flourish and prosper in the future?!
“Duke Huai, you can’t possibly not recognize our Yun Family’s Profound Handle, right?” The corner of Yun Che’s lips were raised as he looked straight at Duke Huai and said. Although his expression looked relaxed, in actual fact, he was struggling very hard to maintain his composure. Since he was going to reveal his own Profound Handle in front of the heroes of the realm, then naturally, he had to reveal his Profound Handle at its peak condition! His grandfather Yun Canghai held the cyan Profound Handle, and his father held the cyan Profound Handle as well. Then, as the grandson of Yun Canghai, and the son of Yun Qinghong, how could he allow others to shame him when he executed the Profound Handle, the soul of the Yun Family?
His current peak condition for his Profound Handle, was cyan. And to reach the cyan Profound Handle, he had to be in the “Purgatory” state.
Hence, with every second of maintaining the cyan Profound Handle, his body had to endure a gigantic burden. Thus, when he finished voicing his question, he lightly waved his arm, and his Profound Handle transformed into a ray of cyan flowing light which flew back into Yun Che’s arm.
Duke Huai’s expression could be still be considered calm; however, his lips were clearly quivering, if only a little. Facing Yun Che’s question, he, who usually had everything in the palm of his hand, was actually unable to utter anything for a moment.
Before this Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, he had done extensive planning and made sufficient preparations; he was even prepared to truly advance his ambitions on this day. Pointing his spearhead at the Yun Family in the beginning of the ceremony was the first step, causing a huge impact to all of the opposing Guardian Families and Duke Palaces was the second step…
He had initially thought that he was guiding and controlling everything stably. However, he suddenly realized at this moment that the situation had never been in his control. Everything, including Duke Huai himself, had clearly been guided by this youth in before his eyes!
From the moment he leapt out and shouted that he wanted to take part in the competition, to making use of his sharp tongue to coerce them into making a “wager”, to beating six people consecutively with just the power of a single man after everyone had believed that the west wing was about to suffer a terrible defeat… and again, to this moment, when he suddenly revealed his Profound Handle!!
Duke Huai was completely certain that he had foreseen that after defeating Hui Ran in battle, he himself would shout out that he did not possess the Profound Handle, and thus did not have the qualifications to represent the Yun Family. At the same time, he had even shouted that if he was a son of the Yun Family, then he would no longer have any qualms towards this “wager”.
In regards to sons of the Yun Family, the power of the Profound Handle was a huge form of support. However, in the six consecutive battles that he had fought, he basically did not make use of it. The reason why was clearly to lead him into saying these words, so that he would no longer have even the slightest of room to maneuver in.
Duke Huai was conceited ever since he was born. In his entire life, this was first time he felt that he was being treated like a monkey by someone else, and being played like one! And that someone was even a youth who was merely twenty-two years old!
This was first time he experienced the so-called “intestines turning green out of regret”, and “losing both his wife and soldiers”. For the matter of targeting the Yun Family, he had the support of seven Guardian Families and sixty Duke Palaces on his side. He was holding onto a stable upper hand in the first place; however, because of wanting to step on the opposing party’s morale and pride, he brought up the suggestion of a duel between both sides to decide the fate of the Yun Family… Only to result to such an outcome.
No matter whether it was about targeting the Yun Family or ruthlessly stepping on the opposing party’s morale, he should have succeeded in both of them. However, within his plans, a variable that was completely not included in his predictions had appeared… Yun Che.
Currently, facing Yun Che who was giving a light smile, an ice-cold intent actually rose in Duke Huai’s heart. Never would he have dreamt that the first person to ever cause his heart to skip a beat was actually a youth who was merely twenty-two years old.
To drive out the Yun Family… he had plotted and prepared for a long time, yet he suffered a terrible defeat in the first step he executed in the Hundred Year Reign Ceremony due to Yun Che, and his next plan to ruthlessly step on the opposing party’s morale had instead received several times the opposite effect… He aided in the rise of the opposing party, and had caused a backlash to his own side instead!
The seven Guardian Families had to each offer up two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, while he himself had to offer up exactly ten kilograms… It had even turned from a joke, to an encroaching nightmare!
Duke Huai gritted his teeth, and his chest swelled up as he forcefully calmed himself. Suddenly, he turned his head, looked towards Yun Qinghong, and sharply said, “Yun Qinghong, what’s going on here?!”
When these words of his fell, several people were startled. Following after, their expressions turned strange. Under this situation, he did not reply Yun Che, but instead, had suddenly gone to interrogate Yun Qinghong on “what was going on”. No matter who it was, he could clearly see that currently, Duke Huai had completely lost his cool and his mind was in a mess.
Yun Qinghong lightly smiled, and said in leisurely manner, “As you have seen for yourself, what he displayed earlier is the power of the Profound Handle of my Yun Family. Duke Huai, being so close to him, you couldn’t have not recognized it, right?”
“That’s impossible!” Duke Huai growled. “This person basically never once existed in your Yun Family! His first appearance in Demon Imperial City was even just three months ago… So how could he be someone from your Yun Family?!”
“I am not obligated to explain this to you,” Yun Qinghong lightly said. “Nor is there a need for me to argue with you. Earlier, you have said it yourself as well, the Profound Handle is the most indisputable proof to identify a member of the Yun Family. As to whether he is a member of our Yun Family or not, you should be extremely clear of that in your heart right now. But there’s one point, that I can tell you as an exception… Not only is Yun Che a son of my Yun Family, he is also the biological son of me, Yun Qinghong, and the future Patriarch of the Yun Family!”
When these words fell, it was as if a thunderclap had been thrown into the Demon Imperial Hall which had finally managed to quiet down, for it instantly sank under the surging waves of voices.
“Yun Che, is the son of the Yun Family Patriarch, th-th-this…”
“What kind of figure is the Yun Patriarch? He spoke these words in the face of Little Demon Empress, and in the face of the heroes of the realm, so how could it be false?!”
“Back then, everyone had suspicions in regards to the identity of Yun Xiao from the Yun Family. Patriarch Yun did not make any sort of response towards all of these suspicions. He did not admit, nor deny it. But when he said that Yun Che was his biological son in the face of the entire audience, his eyes were brightly lit, and his voice was absolutely resounding… No matter how you look at it, it doesn’t seem fake.”
“After a careful thought, it really isn’t hard to accept either. Although Yun Che had completely taken the spotlight today, he had completely offended Duke Huai, offended seven Guardian Families and sixty Duke Palaces! If he’s merely an adopted son, how could he possibly persist to such degree?! It’s because he is a son of the Yun Family, and even moreso, the son of Yun Qinghong… Other than Yun Canghai’s grandson and Yun Qinghong’s son, among the Yun Family, whose descendant would have such talent, strength, and boldness?!”
“Could it be that Yun Che is an illegitimate child Yun Qinghong conceived outside?”
“No, no! Yun Qinghong’s character is incomparably upright. Openly having a concubine might be a possibility, but it’s definitely impossible for him to conduct acts such as tainting other women in the dark. Twenty odd years ago, when Yun Qinghong and his wife returned from the Sky Profound Continent, because their bodies suffered from severe injuries, they invited many famous doctors in the entire world. According to the rumors of those famous doctors, Madam Yun was poisoned while pregnant. In order to protect the infant in her womb, she forcefully pushed the cold poison into her own five organs… which thus caused the cold poison to spread throughout her entire body, and was unable to be cured. In other words, back then, Madam Yun had indeed gave birth to a child for Yun Qinghong… And the matter of Yun Xiao not possessing the Profound Handle is known by everyone as well…”
“In other words… Because Patriarch Yun was worried of the Yun Family’s predicament back then, he purposefully hid his son, or perhaps searched for an incredible teacher for him… while the Yun Xiao he brought back was just a cover?”
“It’s extremely possible!!”
Countless exclamations, discussions and guesses filled every corner of the hall. The group which was the most shocked was undoubtedly the people from the Yun Family. The fact that Yun Che possessed the Yun Family bloodline and was a son of their Yun Family, was already enough to allow everyone to be overjoyed. But if he was the son of Yun Qinghong… Then that would even more so a joyous gift sent down by heavens for the Yun Family! Because this signified that the bloodline of the Yun Family’s Patriarch had not been severed!
The many Elders and Grand Elders of the Yun Family naturally deeply knew what kind of character Yun Qinghong had. In such an occasion, using such a tone, how could the words he shouted out be fake?!
“Huu… This scenario is really too bizarre,” Su Xiangnan heaved a long sigh, unable to voice out his emotions.
“Yun Canghai’s grandson, Yun Qinghong’s son… No wonder, no wonder…” Greatest Ambition Under Heavens nodded, a little startled. The role of the Yun Family’s Patriarch had been passed down from one generation to another, and in every generation, he would definitely be a dragon among men, an emperor among dragons, with no exceptions.
“The Yun Family is really going to once again rise into prominence,” Yan Zijin said with a sigh.
Old man Mu Feiyan had been sitting there with a blank look for a long while. As though he had been suddenly woken up from a dream, he stood up with a “whoosh”, and his beard wildly quivered from excitement. “Could it be… Could it be… he’s the child that Rou’er lost… in the Sky Profound Continent…?”
Back then, the encounters which Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou had in the Sky Profound Continent, especially the matter regarding the child, were not known by a single outsider. However, as Mu Yurou’s father, how could he not be aware of it?
“There’s definitely no mistake!” Mu Yuqing said out of excitement as well. “He possesses the Yun Family’s bloodline, brother-in-law has personally admitted it, and the eyes little sister is looking at him with… and most importantly, other than little sister’s son and our old man’s grandson, whose child could be this talented?!”
With Mu Feiyan’s several hundreds of years of age, he had always been dismissive towards his three sons’ boot-licking talk. However, Mu Yuqing’s flattery this time had actually made Mu Feiyan ecstatic. His upper body leaned forward, and his hands trembled. “That’s right… Rou’er’s child, my grandson… Ha… Hahahaha… This is my grandson… My biological grandson!!”
“So this kid is actually our nephew!” Even Mu Yukong was grinning from ear to ear in excitement. However, when he turned his head, he saw Mu Yubai was covering his face with both his hands, and his head was seemingly about to droop towards his crotch. With widened eyes, he gave him a slap. “Hey, big bro! Our little sis’ son is back. He’s our biological nephew, you know… What’s with this reaction of yours?”
“Heheh,” Mu Yuqing laughed gloatingly. “Before this, our big bro has been shouting and screaming about being sworn brothers with our nephew…”
“Shut up!” Mu Yubai landed a kick on Mu Yuqing’s buttocks. “Whoever dares to bring this matter up again will be beaten to a pulp by this daddy here!”
Chapter 571 - Great Condemnation of the Seven Families (1)
“Yun Qinghong, your so-called ‘son’… Where did he come from?!” Duke Huai roared out with a solemn tone.
Yun Qinghong lightly snorted. “This is my family matter, so there isn’t a need to explain to you, Duke Huai. It doesn’t matter even if you don’t believe that he’s my son either, but my son Yun Che has already clearly displayed the power of his Profound Handle, and has proven that he’s a true member of the Yun Family! He naturally, and absolutely has the qualifications to represent the Yun Family in battle!”
“The reason why you, Duke Huai, couldn’t accept your defeat no longer exists!”
“In this battle, the twelve participants from your side were defeated, while my side’s Yun Che stood till the very end. The victory of this duel which decides the fate of my Yun Family, belongs to our side! Though it was a close victory, we have won fair and square, staying true to our name!”
Though Yun Qinghong’s expression looked calm, his gaze was like that of a hawk, and his words could shake one’s heart. With every word he spoke, the expressions of the people from the various families and Duke Palaces of the opposite side would darken. Yun Qinghong’s gaze swept through the opposing party, and he said lightly, “According to the agreement made before the duel, if we come out victorious, the Yun Family would continue to keep the title of Guardian Family, and you, the seven great Families of the Helian Family, Jiufang Family, Chiyang Family, Nangong Family, Xiao Family, Bai Family and Lin Family, and sixty Duke Palaces will never bring up the matter of banishing our Yun Family again! In addition, the seven great families will each have to each submit two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family respectively within the span of one month.”
“While you, Duke Huai, within a span of a month, have to submit ten kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals to our Yun Family!”
“This is the agreement that both sides made before the duel, and all of you have personally assured it!”
“The Little Demon Empress can testify to this, and the heroes of the realm can testify to this as well!”
“Do you people still have any objections regarding this result… and of course, they would have to be justified objections.”
Yun Qinghong’s words caused the expressions of the seven great families to turn incomparably ugly. Until now, they were still unable to accept the huge difference, from clearly being the side with greater absolute strength, to suddenly being stepped on by the opposing party’s feet. Duke Huai’s expression was ashen, and he did not speak for a long while. However, in the dark, with profound sound transmissions, he was currently transmitting his voice to several people at the same time.
The Little Demon Empress swept her eyes at the hall, and slowly said. “The Hundred Year Reign Ceremony is held every hundred years, and in every session, a duel between dragons and tigers will always take place. However, there had never been one as fantastic as this.”
The Little Demon Empress’ brows gently sank, and her voice carried a slight cold intent. “Regarding the removal the Yun Family’s title of a Guardian Family, this empress has never wished for it to occur in the first place! This result is the joy of the Yun Family, and follows the will of this empress as well. Though Yun Che is still of young age, he possesses peerless talent, astonishing strength, and extraordinary courage. His performance today was even more so stunning and matchless! His background and origin are of no importance. Since he is the son of Patriarch Yun, then that would be the joy of the Yun Family, and also the fortune of my Illusory Demon Royal Family! In the future, he will definitely become a pillar of my Illusory Demon Realm!”
“Duke Baoqing, where are you!”
From the western wing, a man with a bland expression and simple dress slowly came forward and respectfully said, “Little Demon Empress, please provide me your instructions.”
Although this Duke Baoqing was similarly a duke, his dress and demeanor did not display the slightest trace of extravagance. When he walked, a very thick medicinal scent was exuded by his body. Duke Baoqing Palace was a unique existence among the many Duke Palaces, because their ability and responsibility laid in refining pellets and medicine. As history told, they had listened solely to the Demon Emperor’s orders. Those wondrous pellets and medicine which could shake the Illusory Demon Realm had mostly come from the Duke Baoqing Palace. The resources that were distributed to the various Guardian Families and Duke Palaces every year had mostly come from the Duke Baoqing Palace as well.
The people of the Duke Baoqing Palace had always dedicated their lives wholeheartedly to refining medicine, while their profound strengths were a secondary priority. Because of this, they all possessed bland and clear hearts, without any greed or ambition. Hence, even though Duke Huai wished that he could have the Duke Baoqing Palace submit to him in his dreams, he had never rashly tried to rope them in.
“Has the Overlord Pellet been refined yet this time?” Little Demon Empress asked coldly.
“When the two words ‘Overlord Pellet’ were spoken, the expressions of even the people of the various great Guardian Families and Duke Palaces changed. As for the people that came from outside Demon Imperial City, all of their eyes had instantly rounded widely. Those expressions were as though they heard of the name of a heavenly divine pellet.
Duke Baoqing said with a bow, “In reply to the Little Demon Empress; three months ago, the Overlord Pellet this time had already been refined to completion. Its purity is of ninety percent, and will not cause the loss of life.”
“Very good,” the Little Demon Empress nodded. “The Overlord Pellet this time shall be bestowed to Yun Che of the Yun Family then. I believe no one has any objections to this decision.”
“Yes. The height of Yun Che’s talent is rarely seen in a thousand years, and as the son of Patriarch Yun, he will be the future Patriarch of the Yun Family. Though he has only just returned to the Yun Family, his stunning performance has even brought about admiration from this elder’s heart. In the future, he will definitely be a pillar of Illusory Demon Realm. Bestowing this Overlord Pellet to Yun Che cannot be more fitting,” Duke Baoqing respectfully replied. Evidently, his thoughts were completely alike those of the Little Demon Empress.
With Yun Che’s performance today, and Yun Qinghong personally admitting his identity, the bestowal of this Overlord Pellet could be said to be rightfully deserved. The hearts of everyone in the hall were incomparably envious, yet they knew that Yun Che was the person who definitely had the most qualification to receive it.
The Little Demon Empress’ words had caused the expressions of the people within the seven Great Families and the many Duke Palaces of the east wing to turn extremely ugly… The preciousness of the Overlord Pellet was known by the entire world. Its refinement process was extremely difficult, and the Duke Baoqing Palace had to spent fifty years on average to refine a single pellet. Not to mention, its effects were naturally incredible to an incomparable degree… Once a profound practitioner reached the peak of the Emperor Profound, as long as he took an Overlord Pellet, he could immediately break through the bottleneck of the Tyrant Profound Realm, and easily achieve the level of an Overlord!
This was also the reason it was called the “Overlord Pellet”.
When it came to Overlord themselves, as well as practitioners who possessed strength above the Tyrant Profound Realm, the effects of the Overlord Pellet would not be notable, simply bringing about a slight degree of improvement to their profound strength. However, to those who held strength below that of an Overlord, it was truly comparable to a “heavenly pellet”. Be it Profound Sky Continent or Illusory Demon Realm, the numbers of Emperor Profound experts were many, but ninety-nine percent of them could only reach as far as the peak of the Emperor Profound Realm and would not be able to break through to the Tyrant Profound Realm. However, if one had an Overlord Pellet, he could instantly traverse the clouds, and be reborn.
The plane of Demon Imperial City’s profound level was extremely high, and the numbers of experts were countless. This was especially true in the Guardian Families and the many Duke Palaces, in which Overlords were not the least bit rare. Despite this fact, that definitely did not signify that they could successfully make a breakthrough into the Tyrant Profound Realm after reaching the peak of the Emperor Profound. With the aid of many strong Monarchs, the bottlenecks of Sky Profound and Emperor Profound could be easily broken through. However, regarding the bottleneck of the Tyrant Profound Realm, Monarchs were powerless as well. Those with great talent could be stuck for several years; some might take more than ten, or several dozens… Some might not even make a breakthrough in their entire lifetime.
There would always be secret duels and rankings among the Guardian Families and various Duke Palaces. If they could obtain an Overlord Pellet, they would help the next generation that they carefully raised would be able to instantly break through into the Tyrant Profound Realm right after reaching the peak of Emperor Profound, allowing him or her to directly have a realm’s lead before others who had similar levels of talent… Concerning the reasons why the strength of Duke Hui Ran from the Duke Huai Palace was this terrifying, his extremely high level of talent was one of them, but the other, more important reason, was because he had taken an Overlord Pellet right after his profound level had reached the peak of Emperor Profound. He was the only one among the Guardian Families’ and Duke Palaces’ current generation of youths who had taken an Overlord Pellet… From then till now, he was unbeatable among the same generation.
Hence, even in the eyes of the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces, the Overlord Pellet was a priceless treasure.
In every session of the Demon Imperial Hall, there would be an Overlord Pellet… and only one Overlord Pellet would be bestowed. No matter which party received it, there would definitely be a figure in the next generation that could overwhelm most or even all from the same generation.
Yun Che’s strength was already astonishing to the world even with this profound strength merely being at the peak of the Sky Profound Realm. If he were to obtain an Overlord Pellet, he would not have any obstructions breaking through to the Tyrant Profound Realm in the future, and it would basically be impossible to imagine the degree of strength he would possess then.
Not a single person from the Yun Family neglected to express their joy, and Mu Feiyan instantly let out a loud, hearty laugh. Mu Yurou joyfully said, “Che’er, hurry and thank the Little Demon Empress for her grace.”
“Yes,” Yun Che nodded with a smile. Just as he was about to turn around, a thundering roar suddenly resounded. “Wait a minute! This Overlord Pellet cannot be bestowed upon Yun Che no matter what! He is not qualified to receive such a reward at all.”
Everyone’s eyes instantly shifted towards the source of the voice. The person who spoke had already stood up with a stern expression, and it was actually the Patriarch of the Jiufang Family… Jiufang Kui!
“Jiufang Kui, what is the meaning of this?!” Yun Duanshui, who had already prepared to joyfully watch Yun Che receive the Overlord Pellet reward, was instantly filled with anger. He did not care if he was Patriarch Jiufang or whoever, as he immediately roared loudly with a furious glare.
“Hmph!” Jiufang Kui coldly snorted. “I said… your Yun Family’s child isn’t qualified to receive such a reward.”
“Rubbish!” Yun Duanshui replied furiously. “If my Yun Family’s Young Patriarch isn’t qualified… Could it be that your Jiufang Family’s Young Patriarch is qualified?”
The way Yun Duanshui addressed Yun Che had instantly been elevated to “Young Patriarch”. In regards to the Jiufang Family’s Young Patriarch to whom he was referring, it was naturally Jiufang Yu. When Jiufang Yu’s seven apertures bled with a single punch from Yun Che, everyone present had personally witnessed it. These words from Yun Duanshui were undoubtedly sarcasm which did not carry the slightest trace of mercy.
As expected, Jiufang Kui’s expression slightly twitched. He immediately ignored Yun Duanshui, faced the Little Demon Empress, and said with his hands clasped, “Only one Overlord Pellet is produced every fifty years, and it allows one to become an Overlord with a single step. How could such a treasured item be bestowed to the Yun Family… Little Demon Empress, please withdraw the order!”
The Little Demon Empress coldly glared, “Reason?”
Before Jiufang Kui could reply, the Patriarch of the Xiao Family, Xiao Xifeng, had already stood out, and loudly said, “My thoughts are completely in line with those of Patriarch Jiufang! The reason is all the more simple. The talent of this child, Yun Che, is indeed astonishing. His identity being Yun Qinghong’s son is a matter I do not have much suspicions about either. However, Yun Che still had only appeared in the Demon Imperial Capital three months ago. Where he came from, where he had been in the last twenty odd years, and why Yun Qinghong had to hide him for those twenty odd years, we basically know nothing! Ultimately, even if he possesses the bloodline of the Yun Family, he’s still a person whose background is completely unknown. How could we put aside the genius youths and highnesses who had been staying by Little Demon Empress’ side, simply because of the talent that he had revealed today?”
“And this is still a minor reason…” Xiao Xifeng said with a griefed look. “Little Demon Empress, could it be that you have completely forgotten about the Yun Family’s mortal sin?!”
“The Yun Family’s sin! It’s the Yun Family’s sin yet again!” Little Demon Empress’s crescent-like brows furrowed intensely. “In these hundred years, this empress has heard these words from your mouths countless times. Since that time, a hundred years have passed, yet you’re still not going to let it go?!”
“Little Demon Empress, it isn’t that we aren’t letting it go… The Yun Family’s sin is simply too severe… it’s basically unforgivable!” The Patriarch of the Bai Family, Bai Yi, leapt out as well, as he loudly said, “Because of our defeat this time, in the end, we were unable to banish the unforgivable Yun Family from the Guardian Families. This is due to our incapability, and there’s nothing we can say about it. Allowing the Yun Family to continue staying is already extremely unreasonable in the first place, and is also the Little Demon Empress’ heavenly grace towards the Yun Family. Rewarding the Overlord Pellet to such a heavily sinful family… This really can’t happen. Not only are we unable to accept it, but even the citizens of the world might not be able to accept it.”
“Patriarch Bai sure is mighty, to actually be able to represent all of the citizens in the world by himself!” Yun Waitian said with a cold smile. After his smile, his fury followed right after. “After enduring for so many years, today, all of your fox tails could no longer bear it and have completely revealed themselves! Ever since the start of the ceremony today, every single one of your words had been directed at our Yun Family, pushing our Yun Family to our deaths one step at a time! Now that our Young Patriarch has been graced by the Little Demon Empress, you people are not only clearly jealous at heart, but are actually so thick-skinned and shameless to make yourselves sound so righteous! Hmph… A hundred years ago, all of Illusory Demon Realm was filled with rumors of our Yun Family committing a heinous crime, having a lack of responsibility, and being unable to ensure the world’s peace. We had suspected that there must have been someone spreading them with ill intentions… Looking at it now, it must have been the actions of your seven great families… Do you dare to admit it?!”
“Why wouldn’t we dare?!” Chiyang Bailie stood out. With a straight and cold expression, he said. “That’s right! A hundred years ago, it was indeed us seven great families collaborating together to inform the world of the Yun Family’s crimes. Back then, because the Little Demon Empress had only just been instated, she was both indifferent and lenient, unable to bring herself to heavily blame the Yun Family. However, if such a heavy crime by the Yun Family goes unpunished, Illusory Demon citizens who are all loyal to the Demon Emperor will definitely feel indignant, and before long, chaos will ensue! Even the Little Demon Empress has been drawn into this vortex of public opinion. As Guardian Families, in order to preserve the Little Demon Empress’ mighty name and stabilize her imperial position, after bitterly attempting to persuade the Little Demon Empress to no avail, we had no choice but to adopt this plan.”
“The reason why we have done such a thing is all for the sake of the Little Demon Empress, and the peace and stability of all of Illusory Demon Realm! Even if we’re condemned by several people, we did it with a clear conscience, with no regrets! So why wouldn’t we dare to admit it?!” The Patriarch of the Nangong Family, Nangong Zhi, said with a stern look.
“What a well-said ‘clear conscience’, what a well-said ‘without regrets’, what a well-said ‘for the sake of Little Demon Empress and the Illusory Demon Realm!’” Yun Duanshui’s voice began to tremble from fury. “When saying such words, do none of you feel shame?!”
“Shame? Why do we have to feel shameful?” Helian Kuang stood up and said coldly. “The reason why we seven great Families, and many Duke Palaces, want to go against your Yun Family… do your hearts really not know? Ever since ten thousand years ago, our twelve families had always been of the same breath and branches. Even if we may have small injustices between us, we never had huge grudges. If not because of the grave severity of your Yun Family’s sin, why would we be willing to waste so many words, so much energy?!”
The Patriarch of the Lin Family, Lin Guiyan, roared right after, “Your Yun Family has lost the most important Demon Emperor’s Seal belonging to the Demon Emperor Clan, preventing the Little Demon Emperor from truly succeeding the Demon Emperor’s position. If not because of this, how would he have lost his reason amidst his grief and venture into the Profound Sky Continent alone? This led to him to his death, and has even severed the Demon Emperor’s bloodline right then and there! Currently, although the Little Demon Empress has succeeded the position, without the Demon Emperor’s Seal, her bloodline power is unable to truly awaken, and she even has to often suffer the rampage of the Golden Crow’s Flame Energy… And after the Little Demon Empress, there will no longer be another Demon Emperor! Everything, is because of your Yun Family!!”
“Since the beginning of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, it had been ten thousand years; however, it has been completely brought to an end by your Yun Family! Currently, for your Yun Family to still keep your name as a Guardian Family is already relying on the Little Demon Empress’ grace! How could you still have the face to lecture others about shame, and how could you still have the face to accept a reward such as the ‘Overlord Pellet’?!”
Chapter 572 - Great Condemnation of the Seven Families (2)
“You… You…” Yun Waitian’s and Yun Duanshui’s bodies trembled from their fury. Even though they knew that the seven Guardian Families were clearly going against them out of ill intentions, they had no words to refute them. The crime of losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal had been pressing down on the Yun Family like a mountain for all these years. Even if a hundred years had passed, it was still heavy to the point of causing them to be unable to breathe.
Compared to Yun Che’s identity earlier, this matter was truly the Yun Family’s Achilles’ heel. It was like a demon from a nightmare that could not be shaken off nor escape from, torturing them for a hundred years. Unless there came a day they could retrieve the Demon Emperor’s Seal, they would have to shoulder the shackles of this heavy crime from generation to generation.
No matter how mighty the Yun Family was today, no matter how great a genius they produced in this hundred years, and no matter what kind of merit they made… They would still be unable to escape from this Achilles’ heel that could be freely stepped on by the other families.
“Enough!” Little Demon Empress raised her sleeves, and said coldly, “The matter of Yun Family losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal was not on purpose in the first place. Now that they had already suffered a hundred years of severe punishment, even this empress has stopped taking this matter into account, so under whose authority do you denounce them time and time again!”
“Little Demon Empress, how could such a heavy crime of the Yun Family be cleared by merely a hundred years of punishment!” Helian Kuang shouted out with a face filled with anguish. “What the Yun Family had lost was the Demon Emperor’s Seal… the Demon Emperor’s Seal! What they have truncated is the future of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline! For such a grave sin, even exterminating their entire Family wouldn’t be going overboard. A mere hundred years of punishment basically isn’t worth even the slightest bit… And the punishment which the Yun Family had suffered was nothing but a restriction of resources, so how could it be referred to as a ‘severe punishment’!’”
Jiufang Kui said, “What Patriarch Helian has said is right! And it’s definitely the voices of the hearts of all the citizens in Demon Imperial City in these hundred years. The severity of the Yun Family’s sin is too enormous, and Little Demon Empress is also too lenient. In these hundred years, Little Demon Empress has been tolerant with the Yun Family. But to be this tolerant to such a huge crime, who in the world would accept it? Since Little Demon Empress is unwilling to truly deal a severe punishment, and is unwilling to banish the Yun Family, we have no choice but to obey. However, to bestow this ‘Overlord Pellet’ to the Yun Family… Forgive my Jiufang Family, but we are unable to accept it no matter what!”
The moment Jiufang Kui’s voice quieted, Nangong Zhi immediately said, “We are definitely not eyeing this Overlord Pellet, but ever since Little Demon Empress was instated a hundred years ago, there have been countless people who aided Little Demon Empress and gained merits. Yet, Little Demon Empress wishes to bestow this Overlord Pellet upon a family with such a mortal sin… As Guardian Families, we naturally have no choice but to obey Little Demon Empress’ orders. But even if we accept this, if this matter spreads, waves of public opinion will definitely be set off in Illusory Demon Realm, bringing about countless grievances and accusations. An extremely huge impact will also be dealt to Little Demon Empress’ holy and mighty name… Little Demon Empress, please reconsider.”
“Our actions are all for the sake of Little Demon Empress, and the mighty name which the entire Demon Emperor’s bloodline had carried till today!”
The Patriarchs of the seven Guardian Families from the east wing attempted to persuade one after another, their every word directed against the Yun Family, yet every single one of their words were shouted sonorously and righteously. In their words, the Yun Family had long been an extremely vile and unforgivable family, and if the Little Demon Empress were to bestow this Overlord Pellet to the Yun Family, then she would be a “fatuous ruler” who displeases the entire world.
If the objections had only come from a single family, then the Little Demon Empress could have easily suppressed it. However, these seven great families had evidently discussed this in secret, standing out together. Their words and attitude were incomparably tough. Even the people who were sitting at the corner of the Demon Imperial Hall and did not have the slightest inkling of Demon Imperial City’s political circumstances could clearly feel the heavy sense of pressure.
The Patriarch of the Xiao Family, Xiao Xifeng loudly said, “Our Twelve Guardian Families have guarded the Demon Emperor’s bloodline for ten thousand years in one heart, yet, it has been shortened by the Yun Family. No matter who the Overlord Pellet is bestowed upon, our Xiao Family will not have the slightest of objections. However, only by bestowing it upon the Yun Family, our Xiao Family will be disheartened with no end… Even countless citizens of the world will feel disheartened, thinking that as the ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm, Little Demon Empress still bestowed rewards regardless of one’s sin, allowing the sinners to be merry, and leaving the meritorious disheartened. This Overlord Pellet cannot be bestowed upon the Yun Family no matter what!”
“In addition, the person who lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal back then was the previous Patriarch of the Yun Family, Yun Canghai! The former Emperor had instated him as King, regarded him highly, and had even handed him the Demon Emperor’s Seal to safeguard it. However, Yun Canghai had instead gone against the former Emperor’s trust, forcefully infiltrated Sky Profound Continent, and in the end, lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal. This could be said to be reckless and foolish to the extreme, an utterly unforgivable action. He basically no longer deserves the honor of being ‘Demon King’! So…”
“Shut your mouth! You are not allowed to humiliate my father!!”
“Shut your mouth! You are not allowed to humiliate my grandfather!!”
Before Xiao Xifeng could finish his words, two thundering roars sounded at the same time. Xiao Xifeng, with the cultivation of a level three Monarch, had actually shuddered from the trembling caused by these two roars, and even his heart had fiercely shrunk for a moment. The moment he turned around, he was instantly met with Yun Qinghong’s frightening face which had already sunk from immense fury.
Among these two roaring voices, one came from Yun Qinghong, while the other came from Yun Che.
When the Little Demon Empress brought up the idea of bestowing the Overlord Pellet upon Yun Che, both Yun Qinghong and Yun Che had predicted that Duke Huai would definitely have the seven great families or the many Duke Palaces intervene, and the best reasoning would naturally be the Yun Family’s sin from a hundred years ago. Hence, with the seven great families collaborating together to go against them, they did not feel surprised in the slightest. They had both been simply watching with cold gazes without making a single comment.
However, Xiao Xifeng’s words, were clearly humiliating Yun Canghai… which had ruthlessly stepped on their bottom line!!
Yun Qinghong respected his father all his life, and had treated his father as his sky. Whenever he thought about that old and wilted corpse of his father which he saw a month ago, the guilt, remorse, hatred, and pain he felt were like countless arrows piercing his heart… Yun Canghai was Yun Che’s grandfather, and was even moreso a person who used his own life to save Yun Che from the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation. Using his own death, he explained to Yun Che what kin was.
They could face countless of matters calmly and collectedly; however, when it came words tarnishing Yun Canghai, how could they possibly endure them?!
Facing Yun Qinghong’s fury, Xi Xiaofeng slightly trembled in his heart, but how could he display such a weak demeanor under the eyes of everyone present? With a cold smile, he said, “Humiliate? The truth that everyone in the world knows has actually turned into humiliation? Could it be that I have actually misspoken somewhere? Back then, if it wasn’t for Yun Canghai…”
“Shut your mouth!!” Yun Qinghong’s expression turned livid. “My father possessed an indomitable spirit, he held a conscience that was clear to the heavens and earth, clear to the former Emperor, and clear to the Yun Family! A lowly person like you isn’t even worthy of saying my father’s name! If you dare to tarnish my father with another word, there will definitely come a day that I, Yun Qinghong… will personally take your life!!”
This overly agitated speech clearly displayed the wrath in Yun Qinghong’s heart. Evidently, from touching upon Yun Canghai’s matters, he had lost his calm to a certain extent. Yun Che furrowed his eyebrows, and called out, “Father, a lowly henchman with ulterior motives such as him isn’t even worthy to have Father personally deal with! Though I do have a few queries that I really wish to ask them about!”
Yun Che took a step forward, and with a cold expression, faced the Patriarchs of the seven families. With a light smile, he said, “You seven great families, in order to prevent our Yun Family from obtaining the Overlord Pellet, sure stand united as one, huh! That’s right… the grave sin of losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal, such a wonderful and perfect excuse! Then, let me make a guess. In regards to the Purple Veined Divine Crystals which you have all lost to our Yun Family earlier, that promise definitely wouldn’t be fulfilled either, right!”
What Yun Che used was an interrogative tone, rather than a doubtful one!
The faces of the seven great families slightly changed. Earlier, when they transmitted their voices between each other, they had already colluded, saying that they definitely would not truly hand over the Purple Veined Divine Crystals to the Yun Family… Forget about two and a half kilograms, they wouldn’t even give the slightest bit! After stopping the Little Demon Empress from handing the Overlord Pellet to the Yun Family, their next plan, was to work together to apply pressure, to welsh on the agreement of handing over two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals.
Now that it had been given away by Yun Che, not a single one of them revealed an expression of awkwardness, but instead, took advantage of this and said, “Yun Che, your guess is right! Those two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, my Chiyang Family will definitely not give to your Yun Family!”
“Our Jiufang Family, will definitely not hand it over either!!”
“Hahahaha, it seems like our thoughts were all alike! Even if my Nangong Family had to destroy these two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, we will definitely not hand them over to the Yun Family even the slightest bit!”
“My Lin Family is the same as well! Forget about two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals, we wouldn’t even hand over five strands of hair!”
“Your Yun Family carry numerous sins, what face do you have to receive our Guardian Families’ Purple Veined Divine Crystals!!”
Even though they were clearly being thick-skinned and shamelessly denying what they had promised under everyone’s eyes, every single one of them were shouting with such exalted demeanors and soaring spirits… Evidently, the Yun Family’s “great sin” that was known to the entire world was what they were confidently relying on. Yun Che laughed coldly, “Two and a half kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals are what you people promised! The duel earlier had also ended in your defeat! Yet, currently, all of you are denying it in such a high-sounding fashion. You dignified Guardian Families who had stood at the top for ten thousand years are actually this shameless. It’s simply laughable and lamentable to the extreme! Aren’t you afraid that the mighty names you have kept for ten thousand years will thus become laughingstocks in the Illusory Demon Realm?!”
“”So what?!” The Patriarch of Bai Family, Bai Yi said. “We’d rather become the laughingstocks of the world than give your Yun Family the slightest amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystals!
“The Yun Family’s sin, is utterly unforgivable. Even banishment would be the lightest punishment, and cleansing the entire family wouldn’t even be enough either! However, in these hundred years, the fact that your family is still standing at an equal footing with our Guardian Families is already raising the suspicions of the entire world. If we hand our Purple Veined Divine Crystals to the Yun Family, the Yun Family will definitely rise into prominence, while ours will definitely weaken… The Yun Family is a sinful family that has shortened the Demon Emperor’s bloodline!! Not only have they not received the punishment they deserve, they will even be overriding the rest of the Guardian Families. If that’s the case, not only will chaos definitely ensue in Demon Imperial City, chaos will definitely ensue in all of Illusory Demon Realm! Even the former Demon Emperor will be unable to sleep in peace under the Nine Springs!”
“Compared to chaos within our Illusory Demon Realm and shame to the Demon Emperor’s name, even if we have to be ridiculed as faithless people, so what?!” Helian Kuang said with a solemn expression. “In these ten thousand years, we have been loyal to none other than the Demon Emperor, and if it’s for the Demon Emperor, we wouldn’t even fear death! So what if our name and reputation gets tarnished?!”
Even though they were clearly denying in such a shameless and despicable fashion, under the cover of Yun Family’s sin, their words had turned into “feats” which demonstrated loyalty to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline , and the degree of responsibility they had for the Illusory Demon Realm. This caused everyone in the Yun Family to seemingly explode in fury; however, Yun Che simply laughed out loud, “Hahahaha! What a well-said ‘loyal to none other’, and what a well-said ‘if it’s for the Demon Emperor, we wouldn’t even fear death’! You great families are so loyal, and for the sake of this ‘loyalty’, would even forsake your reputations! Then…”
The moment his laughter ended, Yun Che’s expression suddenly turned stone-cold. Taking a step forward, with a hawk-like gaze, he pointed towards the Patriarchs of the seven great families, and his voice thundered, “A hundred years ago, when the former Demon Emperor fell into the Sky Profound Continent, my grandfather stepped forward to save him without the slightest of hesitation… Then what about you people?! Where were you people? Why were the ones who disregarded their fears of death, who risked their lives to save the former Demon Emperor, my grandfather and our Yun Family?! Why was it not your so-called families who are ‘completely loyal, and for the sake of the Demon Emperor, wouldn’t even fear death’!!”
“At that time, where were you people?! And where was your so-called ‘loyalty’?!”
Yun Che’s furious interrogation rendered all these Patriarchs, who were giving various eloquent speeches earlier, utterly speechless.
Chapter 573 - Great Condemnation of the Seven Families (3)
Yun Che’s loud interrogation stunned the seven great Patriarchs who were initially displaying an overbearing might; it was as though they suddenly had a fishbone stuck in their throats. Only after a good while did Xiao Xifeng finally roar with widened eyes, “Yun Che! Your Yun Family still has the face to bring up the matters of back then?! At that time, if Yun Canghai had not hastily departed for the Profound Sky Continent, how would he have lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal?!”
Yun Che let out a cold laugh. “The reason my grandfather had to head to Profound Sky Continent is completely clear to all of the citizens of Illusory Demon Realm! It wasn’t for his own sake, wasn’t for the Yun Family, nor was it to lose the Demon Emperor’s Seal! It was instead in order to save the Demon Emperor who had fallen into Profound Sky Continent! Xiao Xifeng, why don’t you dare to answer my earlier question directly…? Back then, when the former Demon Emperor fell into the Profound Sky Continent, when my grandfather lead ten Grand Elders of the Yun Family to rescue him, what were your seven great families doing?! Why didn’t any of you head over to save him?! Answer me!!”
This question Yun Che had brought up caused the hearts of the seven Patriarchs to uncontrollably clench, because to them, this was an overly sharp question. Back then, when the former Demon Emperor fell into Profound Sky Continent, everyone had believed that the probability of him living through it was close to none. They had never gone to Profound Sky Continent before, so if they were to infiltrate hastily, there was a huge possibility that they would lose their lives. At the same time, the Twelve Guardian Families had prospered for ten thousand years, and they had been secretly competing in the dark. If their family’s experts were to lose their lives in Profound Sky Continent, the family’s forces would definitely decline. Hence, they didn’t dare, and in the depths of their hearts, they were basically unwilling to take such a huge risk… Only Yun Canghai insisted that he definitely wouldn’t believe the former Demon Emperor was already dead without seeing the corpse with his very own eyes! He decisively lead the ten strongest Grand Elders of the Family, and traveled to Profound Sky Continent…
Hence, due to this pinpoint interrogation from Yun Che, they could not help but feel guilty in their hearts.
Xiao Xifeng exhaled, then solemnly said, “Ignorant child! Back then, the former Demon Emperor landed in the hands of the Four Sacred Grounds of Profound Sky Continent. The strength of the Four Sacred Grounds was extremely formidable, and more importantly, Profound Sky Continent was the opposing party’s homeground. If we were to hastily infiltrate it, we would only be inviting casualties! Even if we had to save, there’s a need to make sufficient preparations, and make long, in-depth plans…”
“Long, in-depth plans? What a well-said ‘long, in-depth plans’!!” Yun Che began to laugh mockingly. “What’s the duty of a Guardian Family? It’s to guard the Demon Emperor’s bloodline! To guard the Demon Emperor’s bloodline well, the very first thing we must do, which is also our most basic duty, is guard the Demon Emperor well! Since you knew that the former Demon Emperor was in such a predicament, then you should have known that for every second that dragged on, the more danger the former Demon Emperor faced! As a Guardian Family, what should have been done was the immediate and unhesitant rescue of the former Demon Emperor… and while the former Demon Emperor was in such a time of crisis, you!! The Patriarch of the Xiao Family, one of the dignified Guardian Families, actually said the words ‘long, in-depth plans’!”
Yun Che pointed at Xiao Xifeng, his face filled with rage. “I’m simply unable to understand. As the Patriarch of a Guardian Family, when facing a crisis which concerned the Demon Emperor’s life, just where did you find the face to say these words! Heh… when you land in the hands of the enemy, and when your life is at stake, should you make long, in-depth plans as well?! When your son falls in the claws of a ferocious beast, do you have to make long, in-depth plans too? When you see your wife being stripped naked from her clothes, are you going to make long, in-depth plans as well?!”
“You!!” What kind of status did Xiao Xifeng have?! He was the Patriarch of one of the Guardian Families, the number of people to whom he would bow his head to in all of Illusory Demon Realm could even be counted by hand, let alone those who would scold him. Currently, he was actually being scolded with a finger pointed at his nose by a junior like Yun Che in front of all heroes of the realm. Furthermore, even though he was furious beyond his head, he was actually unable to refute a single word, and his chest looked as though it could explode.
“Heh!” Yun Che coldly laughed. “What long, in-depth plans? Such a laughable and shamelessly sad excuse! You were clearly afraid that you yourself would encounter danger in Profound Sky Continent, afraid that your family’s forces would suffer a setback, and thus decided to disregard the life and safety of the former Demon Emperor!! Illusory Demon Realm had peace and stability for ten thousand years, enjoying increasing prosperity every day. With no crisis and difficulty, it’s understandable that maintaining loyalty would be difficult! A hundred years ago, when crisis struck, it was exactly the time for the twelve Guardian Families to repay the Demon Emperor for the ten thousand years of prosperity, to perform the duties of a guardian! Yet, when the former Demon Emperor faced a crisis, the only ones who unhesitantly risked their lives to save him… were our Yun Family!! Only our Yun Family!!”
“While the lot of you!!!” Yun Che pointed forward, his voice trembling. “The same Guardian Families, yet, to protect your own lives, for the interests of your own families, the lot of you actually disregarded the life of the Demon Emperor! And still, you’re here, shouting the words ‘long, in-depth plans’ in such a superior manner! This alone is bad enough, but when the former Demon Emperor died, when my grandfather died, when ten Great Elders of our Yun Family died, not only did none of you feel shame and guilt or atone yourselves, the lot of you instead collaborated together to defame the heroics of our Yun Family! Furthermore, you lot have even spread lies throughout Illusory Demon Realm, destroyed the reputation of our Yun Family, and pressured the Little Demon Empress, who had just been instated back then, to bestow punishment upon our Yun Family! Causing my Yun Family, who had clearly been extremely loyal, and had just painfully lost their Patriarch, to instead suffer punishment and great decline for a hundred years… To the point where even today, the lot of you are collaborating together, wanting to banish our Yun Family from the Guardian Families! How could the lot of you, with vile and ugly actions and shameless faces, be worthy of the ‘Guardian Family’ title!!”
Every single word from Yun Che was like thunder, filled with indignation, fiercely shaking everyone’s souls. All of the voices in the hall had all quietened down, and every single person was watching Yun Che with dumbfounded expressions. Hearing his condemnations, their hearts stirred for a long time.
“Che’er… Well said!” Yun Qinghong clenched his fists tightly. He didn’t say a single word and quietly watched this son of his, who was making him feel even more proud, and even a little surreal.
The faces of the seven Patriarchs became incomparably ugly. Although Yun Che looked incomparably agitated, and seemed to have lost control of his emotions, every one of his sentences and words was like one poison needle after another, striking right at their weaknesses. The Patriarch of the Jiufang Family, Jiufang Kui, sharply said, “Shut your mouth! Yun Che, you sure have lots of guts to actually dare tarnish our Guardian Families! Back then, the place the former Demon Emperor had fallen to was the Profound Sky Continent! Not just any regular dangerous land! Not a single one of our Twelve Guardian Families had once gone to the Profound Sky Continent! Not only was it impossible for Yun Canghai’s hasty infiltration to save the former Demon Emperor, it had even caused his own death at that place. It was an extremely foolish action…”
“Shut your stinky mouth!!” Before even waiting for Jiufang Kui’s voice to fall, Yun Che had already voiced out in furious condemnation. “My grandfather was foolish? If my grandfather was foolish, how could he have been given the title of Demon King, and not you, Jiufang Kui? Could it be that the former Demon Emperor was a foolish person as well?!”
Jiufang Kui opened and closed his mouth a few times; however, he basically had no words with which he could refute.
“If my grandfather was foolish, why was the one prospering the most a hundred years ago, our Yun Family, and not your Jiufang Family!!”
“If my grandfather was foolish, why was he the number one expert among his generation back then? Why did his name shake the world, and receive the respect of all the experts in Demon Imperial City? Why was he the only Demon King in the history of Illusory Demon Realm?! While these achievements are completely unrelated to your Jiufang Family, your Grand Patriarch, and you, Jiufang Kui! If my grandfather was foolish, then you, Jiufang Kui, could not even be compared to the stupidest and lowliest of pigs!!”
“You… You…” Jiufang Kui’s face turned green for a moment, then white in the next.
“As to whether my grandfather was a foolish person, anyone who knew my grandfather, came into contact with my grandfather, or even heard of my grandfather through rumors, should be crystal clear about that!” Yun Che’s voice had calmed down, and his gaze slightly trembled. “My grandfather wasn’t foolish. He was more upright than anyone else, and smarter than anyone else. He was extremely clear about what the outcome would be if he were to bring along the family’s ten strongest Grand Elders to Profound Sky Continent… That was the Profound Sky Continent in which he and the ten Grand Elders could very possibly die. If that were to happen, then the Yun Family will lose their eleven strongest pillars, eleven of them… and all of the eleven late-stage Monarchs they had! This would cause the Yun Family’s strength, which was ranked first among the Twelve Guardian Families, to fall to the weakest in a span of one night.”
“However, my grandfather still decided to do it! Without any hesitation, without turning back! Not a single person in the Yun Family objected to it, and none of the ten Grand Elders retreated! Because our Yun Family is a Guardian Family, and guarding the Demon Emperor is our Yun Family’s greatest mission! In my grandfather’s beliefs, the life of the Demon Emperor was far more important than his own, and in our Yun Family’s beliefs, the safety of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline far surpasses the safety of our Yun Family’s bloodline! This is the mission of our Yun Family, and is also the loyalty and pride of our Yun Family!!”
“But how were we rewarded for our Yun Family’s display of loyalty?!” Yun Che’s eyes, which were looking straight at the seven families, were filled with hatred. “There was slander and pressure from you lot, families who had disregarded the crisis of the former Demon Emperor, and even today, the lot of you are still collaborating to banish our Yun Family! During such a huge crisis for the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, not a single one of your families had suffered a single loss of troops, not even the slightest bit of injury! The loyalty and sacrifice our Yun Family’s former Patriarch had made for the Demon Emperor’s bloodline was even dismissed as ‘foolish’!”
“Just which of the families here aren’t worthy of the name of ‘Guardian’?! Just which of the families here should be banished?! Heh… Could it be that the eyes of everyone in the world are all so blind that they can’t even see the obvious truth right before their eyes?!”
Yun Che’s words had fiercely struck every single one of their heartstrings… and every single pair of eyes that had been unconsciously blinded by the rumors.
“Well said… Well said… Well said, I say!!” The old man Mu Feiyan’s hands trembled. Raising his head, he said with a sigh, “Little brother Yun, this is your grandchild! With such a grandchild, you should be smiling even in death!”
“Young Patriarch…” The eyes of every single person in the Yun Family were reddened, and their faces were all completely flushed red. Yun Che’s words, had vented out all of the grievances, resentment, and indignation in these past hundred years. He had shouted out all of the voices they had bitterly suppressed, and were unable to cry out from within the depths of their hearts. Even moreso, he had proclaimed the pride and honor of their Yun Family. Every single one of them was tightly clasping their arms; even the blood in their bodies was seemingly about to boil, but their eyes were instead filled with the flickering of tears.
“Grand Patriarch… Are you hearing this? Young Patriarch is currently rectifying your name, rectifying the name of our Yun Family.” When the many elders recalled Yun Canghai who had died in the Profound Sky Continent, every single one of them grieved from the bottom of their hearts, and tears continued to flow without end.
Xiao Xifeng and Jiufang Kui, the two great Patriarchs, were instead condemned by Yun Che to the extent where it was as though dog blood had rained on their heads. Their expressions were as ugly as though they had eaten cow dung, and even after restraining themselves for a long while, they were still unable to blurt one a single word of rebuttal… Similarly, the expressions of the other five Patriarchs were extremely ugly to behold. Today, they weren’t facing Yun Che alone, as the heroes of the realm were surrounding them by the sides. If they were going to be completely suppressed by the Yun Family today, then the direction of public opinion, which they had controlled for a hundred years, might completely change…
In their eyes, Yun Che’s age could only be described as an ‘infant;’ however, the toxicity of his lips and the sharpness of his tongue had traumatized all of their hearts. This was the first time in their lives experiencing what was called “hearts being smashed with every single word”. The Patriarch of the Lin Family, Lin Guiyan, gritted his teeth, and sharply said, “Yun Che! You speak of praising loyalty, coming up with excuses for your Yun Family with your words! Hearing them sounds so laughable, one’s teeth could even drop from his laughter! Yun Canghai was indeed an outstanding person, but his actions a hundred years ago were foolish to the extreme, and were known by the entire world! If he weren’t foolish, why would he have brought the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Profound Sky Continent, and not hand it over to the Little Demon Emperor before his departure?! Otherwise, the Demon Emperor’s Seal wouldn’t have been lost!”
“Laughable! Just who is laughable here?!” Yun Che mocked with cold eyes. “The Demon Emperor’s Seal was handed to my grandfather by the former Demon Emperor for safekeeping! The reason such an important item was handed to my grandfather was because of the unlimited trust in my grandfather! My grandfather was loyal to the Demon Emperor his entire life, so how would he betray such trust in the slightest?! Without the former Demon Emperor’s order, my grandfather definitely would not hand it to anyone else! Although the former Demon Emperor had fallen to the Profound Sky Continent back then, my grandfather had firmly believed that the former Demon Emperor had yet to die. Even with the countless dangers, even if there was possibility of death because of his decision, my grandfather still wasn’t willing to hand over the Demon Emperor’s Seal without permission… That is trust and loyalty between a master and his subject! While you, Lin Guiyan, actually feel that this is laughable! Even if the former Demon Emperor were to live for another ten thousand years, he definitely wouldn’t leave the Demon Emperor’s Seal to a person like you for safekeeping! Just what qualifications do you have to criticize my grandfather?!”
Lin Guiyan’s face sank, but following after, he revealed an ugly cold smile. “This sort of blind loyalty is basically a joke!”
Yun Che’s eyes narrowed, as he stared frigidly at Lin Guiyan. “Lin Guiyan! Do you know what true loyalty is in this world? Let me tell you then… It is exactly the ‘blind loyalty’ of which you spoke! In this world, the clearest and purest form of loyalty, is blind loyalty! Just which, out of all the kings and emperors, wouldn’t wish for their own ministers to be blindly loyal! Just which, out of all the masters, wouldn’t wish for their own subordinates to be blindly loyal! You’re right, my grandfather was blindly loyal to the former Demon Emperor! In his eyes, the former Demon Emperor was heaven itself! In his eyes, the former Demon Emperor’s life surpassed his own! While you, Lin Guiyan, who hang the word ‘loyalty’ by your lips, are unable to do it… Not only are you unable to, but you don’t even feel shameful, and you actually call this a joke!”
“Everyone in the Lin Family, you’d best remember well the words your Patriarch had said earlier, you must definitely not be overly loyal to your Patriarch. Otherwise, in his eyes, you’re a joke… a joke, he says!”
“Yun… Che! You…” Lin Guiyan pointed at Yun Che, his body trembling.
“For someone who sees blind loyalty to the Demon Emperor as a joke, his identity is actually even the Patriarch of a Guardian Family. This is simply the shame of a Guardian Family! For my Yun Family to be one of the same Guardian Families as yours, even feels shameful in itself! Such a person actually has the face to criticize my grandfather… Heh, Lin Guiyan, excuse this junior for his straightforwardness… but you don’t even have the qualifications to lick my grandfather’s feet! Patriarch of the Lin Family? My ass!!”
Chapter 574 - Demon Emperor’s Seal (1)
The words Yun Che said did not have the slightest of scruple or respect for elders as a junior, or for the Patriarch of a Guardian Family. Instead, it was filled with deep scorn, disgust, and even hatred. Every single one of his condemnations were even moreso venomous to the extreme. Lin Guiyan had lived for nearly two hundred years, yet this was the first time in his entire life he had been condemned in such an unbearable manner. His lips turned purple, and his entire body was trembling. Under his heart-wrenching fury, he was even close to puking out a mouthful of blood.
Yun Che let out a cold laugh. Disdainfully, he moved his gaze away from Lin Guiyan, and stared straight at the Patriarch of the Bai Family, Bai Yi. “Bai Yi! A hundred years ago, when the former Demon Emperor was in a crisis, just what was your Bai Family doing?! Why didn’t you head over to rescue with the strength of your entire family?! And right after, just what basis did you have to pressure our Yun Family?! You’d best give our Yun Family, the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and the Illusory Demon Realm a convincing enough reason!”
When Yun Che’s eyes turned towards him, Bai Yi’s heart seemed to have uncontrollably shuddered for a moment. He clenched his teeth, and forced himself to calmly speak, “Yun Che! With every single one of your words, you desperately exaggerate the Yun Family’s loyalty, but you have yet to mention your Yun Family’s sin in the slightest! If not for your Yun Family having lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal, why would the Little Demon Emperor, under utter despair, rush towards Profound Sky Continent alone during the night of his great wedding, causing the severance of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline from that moment on?! This is all thanks to your Yun Family…”
“Hahahaha!!” As though he had heard some sort of huge joke, Yun Che willfully laughed out loud. The moment his laughter fell, his eyes instantly turned incomparably ice-cold. “Thanks to our Yun Family? Bai Yi, I must commend you for actually having the face to say such words! A hundred years ago, the Little Demon Emperor was indeed in utter despair… But the loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal was the reason for his despair?! According to my father’s description, though the Little Demon Emperor was a sentimental person, he was definitely not a man who acted on impulse. At a young age, he had already greatly possessed the demeanor of an emperor, so how could he ‘die due to despair’ because of the loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal?! If the Demon Emperor only possessed a disposition of such caliber, how could the Illusory Demon Realm be guided to prosperity till this day by the Demon Emperor’s bloodline?!”
“What caused the Little Demon Emperor’s despair was basically you so-called Guardian Families!” Yun Che sharply roared. “The former Demon Emperor fell into Profound Sky Continent, and his life was at stake. As the only successor to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, even if he were worried for his father, he definitely couldn’t risk the danger on his own, nor was there a need for him to take the risk… Because the Demon Emperor’s bloodline possessed the mighty and imposing Guardian Families! They should have departed for rescue without hesitating a single moment; however… among the Guardian Families who carried the mission to safeguard, only our Yun Family went to save with all our might! While the lot of you were unwilling to take the risk for the Demon Emperor, and had even spouted out countless excuses! Even when the former Demon Emperor’s corpse had yet to be seen, the lot of you had asserted that there was no way that the former Demon Emperor was still alive, and had even anxiously pushed the Little Demon Emperor to succeed the throne… At the same time, through quiet collaboration, you suppressed our Yun Family who had lost our pillars!”
“The most trusted Guardian Families were actually behaving in such an unbearable manner, completely revealing their selfish, despicable, and ugly selves! How could the Little Demon Emperor not despair from his disappointment?! The reason why the Little Demon Emperor rushed to the Profound Sky Continent all by his lonesome… was because not a single person from you Guardian Families stepped up to save the former Demon Emperor! Overwhelmed by grief and despair, the only choice he had was to save him himself! Because that person was his father!”
Yun Che slightly clenched his teeth, and his gaze was like daggers. “Just who caused the Little Demon Emperor’s despair? Just who forced the Little Demon Emperor to have no choice but to save his father on his own…? Just who forcefully severed the final bloodline of the Demon Emperor?! If back then, you had collaborated with the Yun Family, and we entered Profound Sky Continent as one, even if the former Demon Emperor still couldn’t be saved in the end, how could it have caused the Little Demon Emperor to harbor such despair?! Bai Yi, with your Bai Family being one of the main culprits, just where did you get the face to say your earlier words?! Just where did you get the face to lecture our Yun Family?! Our Yun Family holds a conscience clear to the heavens, clear to the earth, and clear to the Demon Emperor! Even if our Yun Family has currently been weakened due to your hundred years of despicable suppression, the hearts of the disciples of our Yun Family are magnanimous and unashamed, our spines are as straight as a mountain! While your Bai Family… even if you’re Bai Yi, Bai Family’s Patriarch, you’re basically unworthy of being looked in the eyes by our Yun Family disciples!”
The stir in the glow of the Little Demon Empress’ eyes, could not be calmed for a long while. The atmosphere in the hall constantly changed. Every single person’s expression and eyes were all gradually changing as well… In these hundred years, it was common knowledge to the citizens of the Illusory Demon Realm that the Yun Family had hastily gone to the Profound Sky Continent to save the Demon Emperor who had clearly already sent a death message. In the end, not only did they not save the Demon Emperor, they had instead all lost their lives in Profound Sky Continent, and had even lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal… Because of the loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Emperor’s heart was filled with grief and despair. After getting heavily drunk on his wedding night, under impulse, he headed towards Profound Sky Continent…
This was the version which everyone in the Illusory Demon Realm knew, making the Yun Family out to always have been a heavily sinned family in the hearts of all citizens in Illusory Demon Realm… Severing the Demon Emperor’s bloodline was an utterly unforgivable crime.
However, Yun Che’s words, Yun Che’s condemnation, and Yun Che’s speech that seemed impulsive, had words that were clear and resounding. Every one of them struck straight at their fatal points, causing their opinions toward the “Yun Family’s sin” to undergo a gradual earthshaking change with which they had been familiar for the past hundred years.
People that could enter the Demon Imperial Hall were all lords of their respective locations, unlike those common mortals who could only follow ignorantly and not think by themselves. In a hundred years, under the collaborative effort of the seven families to move public opinion, the eyes of the people of the world were like clear lakes tainted by cloudy oil. Yun Che’s voice was like a gigantic boulder which fell into the lake, clearing their vision one step at a time, allowing them to clearly think and ponder for themselves, making it easier for them to clearly see the truths and the lies.
“And there’s you two, Chiyang Bailie and Nangong Zhi!” Yun Che disdainfully glanced at Bai Yi once more, before shifting his gaze towards Chiyang Bailie and Nangong Zhi. “Ten thousand years ago, when your Chiyang Family and Nangong Family were in jeopardy, who was the one who save your entire families?! Who allowed your families to live to this day, and even hold such standings and prosperity?!”
“Not only did the Demon Emperor’s bloodline bestow the lot of you the heavenly grace of saving and restructuring your families, they had always thought highly of both of your families. The Fiend Dragon Solar Whip belonging to your Chiyang Family, was bestowed by the Demon Emperor! The Sky Splitting Sword belonging to your Nangong Family was bestowed by the Demon Emperor as well! Chiyang Bailie, a hundred and sixty years ago, when you were struck with the Lightning Source Poison while training in the outside world and your life was at stake, do you still remember who saved your life? Heh… It was my grandfather! In order to save you, not only was he unable to activate his Profound Handle for ten years, he had even lost a lightning spirit which he painstakingly refined!”
“Nangong Zhi, bustling with energy during your days of youth, you headed to the outskirts of the city without permission, and unfortunately encountered a vile beast. Who was it that saved you from the claws of that vile beast? It was also my grandfather, Yun Canghai!”
Yun Che’s expression slightly twisted, his every word was filled with thunderous fury. “Your two lives were both saved by my grandfather, saved by our Yun Family! Our Yun Family only had great kindness towards the both of you; when was there ever the slightest of scores to settle or the slightest bit of hatred? However, after my grandfather died, just how did the two of you treat our Yun Family, how did you show your loyalty to the Demon Emperor?!”
Chiyang Bailie and Nangong Zhi opened their mouths. Then, they coincidentally lowered their heads at the same time, not being able to even say a single word.
“Think of the heavenly kindness the Demon Emperor had given to the both of you! Think of the guardian mission that the both of you have adhered to for ten thousand years! Think of the number one family rule in your families’ lineages… And think of all the motives and schemes behind the actions the both of you have committed today! Can the both of you face the Demon Emperor?! Can the both of you face your titles as Guardian Families?! Can you even face all the ancestors of your families?!”
“Think of what will happen after your death, will you have the face to see your ancestors and the previous Demon Emperors in the Nine Springs?!”
Nangong Zhi and Chiyang Bailie’s bodies shook at the same time. Their expressions were ghastly pale, and their hands were ice-cold.
“And you… Helian Kuang!!” Yun Che shifted his gaze towards Helian Kuang… the Patriarch who was behind the deadly assassination attempt on Xiao Yun back then. Based on what Yun Qinghong had said, he was also the very first to submit to Duke Huai, and his greed was plain to see.
“Child of Yun, shut your mouth!!”
When Yun Che’s gaze shifted towards him, Helian Kuang’s heart fiercely skipped a beat for a moment. Under Yun Che’s furious lectures, it was as though plate after plate of dung had rained over Xiao Xifeng, Jiufang Kui, Lin Guiyan, Bai Yu, Chiyang Bailie, and Nangong Zhi… They were even powerless to resist and counterattack, so how could he not be afraid? Hence, without waiting for Yun Che to condemn him, Helian Kuang stole the first opportunity to speak, and roared out. “No matter how glib-tongued you are, no matter the hundreds of excuses you come up with, don’t even think about covering the fact that you people lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal!! A gargantuan sin such as this, no matter how many thousand times loyal your Yun Family is, even if your entire Family were to die, it would still be unable to redeem you! Us having the entire world know about your Yun Family’s sin and having Little Demon Empress punish your Yun Family for your crime are properly justified in the first place!”
“A heavenly sin?” Yun Che coldly laughed. “What sin? Because of your own selfishness, disregarding the safety of the former Demon Emperor is the actual sin! The lot of you forcing the Little Demon Emperor to die due to despair, is the actual sin! A bunch of people harboring malicious intentions is even moreso a huge sin! Because all these are not caused inadvertently, but by the ugliness and vileness the lot of you possess! If it weren’t just our Yun Family who headed to Profound Sky Continent back then but the entire Twelve Families working as one heart heading towards the Profound Sky together, what would there be to fear about the Four Great Sacred Grounds?! It might have even be possible to safely save the Demon Emperor, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal might not have been lost, and the Little Demon Emperor wouldn’t have to die… the Demon Emperor’s bloodline wouldn’t have withered since then!”
“Just who were the ones who caused everything? Just who were the actual ones who committed a gargantuan sin?!”
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal was indeed lost by our Yun Family, but my grandfather headed towards the Profound Sky Continent to save the former Demon Emperor! Losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal was never my grandfather’s intentions! Not only would he not hope to see the Demon Emperor’s Seal be lost, he would instead unhesitantly use his life to protect it… That wasn’t a crime, but merely a mistake! And it was a helpless mistake! The lot of you… are the ones who sinned!”
“No!” Yun Che’s voice suddenly stopped. He gently raised his head, and solemnly said, “My grandfather… basically didn’t make a single mistake either!!”
The moment his voice fell, he suddenly stretched out his hand, and a mass of gentle and white profound light appeared in the center of his palm. “Helian Kuang… You’d best widely open your doggy eyes, and clearly see what this is!!”
Chapter 575 - Demon Emperor’s Seal (2)
In Yun Che’s hand was a mass of dense and gentle protective profound light. Back then, when Yun Canghai handed this to Yun Che, he instructed him not to inspect the contents within, and to pass it personally to Little Demon Empress. After that, Yun Che had never checked the contents.
Even until he encountered the deathly tribulation in the Primordial Profound Ark, he still hadn’t checked the contents within the profound light… He wanted to know just what it was that his grandfather was willing to endure a hundred years of pain to desperately protect…
Following Yun Che’s stretched arm, everyone’s eyes concentrated on that mass of white protective profound light. Gently, the profound light soundlessly dispersed. A mass of blinding red light, accompanied by a fiery-hot aura, broke through its shackles and radiantly shot out.
It was a small jade seal. Its bottom was flat and smooth, while a delicate three-legged fiery bird was carved at the top, and it was this three-legged fiery bird that emitted the red light. Its entire body was small and crystal clear, yet it was releasing a faint aura of might as well. Its two eyes were scarlet and pierced the eyes of the beholder. They were like the cold stars in the dark night, which people seemingly did not dare to look at directly.
Looking at this jade seal that was glowing with a blinding red, the Little Demon Empress suddenly stood up as though she were electrocuted. Duke Huai, Duke Zhong, Yun Qinghong… the various Patriarchs and Dukes, all of their expressions drastically changed, and their overlapping exclamations turned into thundering waves of voices.
“De… De… Demon Emperor’s Seal!!”
The jade seal which Yun Che was holding onto, no matter its appearance or radiance, was exactly the same as the Demon Emperor’s Seal described in legends!
Its appearance and radiance could be imitated; however, what they sensed from the Demon Emperor’s Seal at the same time was also the unique aura of the Golden Crow! The people of the Illusory Demon Royal Family who possessed the Golden Crow’s bloodline especially felt their blood throb uncontrollably under this Golden Crow’s aura. That irrepressible spiritual pressure had even moreso heavily oppressed their souls…
No matter how impossible they thought it was, no matter how unbelievable and even fantastical they felt it was, that incomparably clear Golden Crow’s aura was telling everyone who had once seen the Demon Emperor’s Seal… that this was the Demon Emperor’s Seal that was said to be lost… Without any mistake! It definitely wasn’t fake!
The reactions of the Little Demon Empress, the various Patriarchs and Dukes, and those thundering three words gave a huge shock to all those who had never seen the Demon Emperor’s Seal as well, throwing the Demon Imperial Hall into an uproar once again. The loss of the Demon Emperor’s Seal a hundred years ago, to Illusory Demon Realm, was a mortal crisis which everyone knew of, and the thought of retrieving it was basically impossible. No one would have thought that the Demon Emperor’s Seal which was lost a hundred years ago would all of a sudden… appear right in front of their eyes, catching all of them by surprise.
Among everyone in the hall, the most agitated was undoubtedly the Little Demon Empress. Although she had suppressed it with all her might, the most intense stirring that had occurred within these past hundred years appeared within her pair of eyes… Because to her, the significance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal far surpassed everyone in this world. This wasn’t merely an important item of the Demon Emperor Clan that was retrieved; with the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she could enter the Golden Crow Ancestral Realm within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and her own Golden Crow’s bloodline could be truly awakened, invoking a huge leap in her strength… from her current level of mid-stage Monarch, directly to a peak-level Monarch. Within Illusory Demon Realm, there would no longer be anyone else who could be her match.
The biggest key point was… after awakening her Golden Crow’s bloodline, she could easily release the spiritual pressure within the Demon Emperor’s Seal, bringing out an irrepressible pressure to all those who possessed the Golden Crow’s bloodline. If she had obtained this Demon Emperor’s Seal long ago, how could have those Duke Palaces and Guardian Families dared to act so arrogantly, and dared to show such treachery?!
Hence, the appearance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, to her, was undoubtedly a heaven-sent surprise! It would completely change her fate, allowing her to become the true ruler of the Illusory Demon Realm.
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal… Impossible… Impossible!” Although he exclaimed the word “impossible,” that pressure that was seemingly forcing him to kneel had told him with absolute clarity that this was the true Demon Emperor’s Seal, without doubt. Duke Huai’s expression changed again and again… If Yun Che’s appearance could be said to be similar to having him eat a housefly and be disgusted from head to toe, then the appearance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, was like a ten-ton hammer smashing down, completely shattering the plan that he had painstakingly orchestrated… It was no longer possible to proceed with it any further.
Without the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Empress was merely the “Little Demon Empress” who could not awaken her bloodline, whose strength, qualifications, and even gender could hardly convince anyone.
If she were to obtain the Demon Emperor’s Seal… then she could become unbeatable in the world in a blink of an eye. With her might encompassing the world, she would become the representative of the Golden Crow’s Divine Spirit, the complete successor of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline… a true Illusory Demon Empress! Her being a female would basically no longer be of importance.
The several Patriarchs were either shocked, surprised, or could not dare to believe their own eyes for a long while. They looked at Yun Qinghong, only to realize that he had the same astonished look as them… Evidently, even he did not know that the Demon Emperor’s Seal that was lost for a hundred years was actually with Yun Che.
“Could it be… Could father have…” Yun Qinghong muttered softly.
“Yun Che! The Demon Emperor’s Seal… Why is it in your hands?!” Helian Kuang loudly questioned. His eyes were roundly widened, and his voice was slightly trembling.
Everyone wanted to know the answer to this question.
Yun Che smiled coldly and said, “This Demon Emperor’s Seal was handed to my grandfather by the former Demon Emperor for protection back then. Since it was the former Demon Emperor’s request, unless my grandfather was dead, he definitely wouldn’t allow it to land in the hands of anyone else… Naturally, it was personally handed to me by my grandfather!”
“Nonsense!” Duke Zhong stood up. With a dark and uncertain voice, he sharply said, “Yun Canghai had already lost his life a hundred years ago, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal was thus lost ever since… You were far off from being born at that time, so how could he have handed it to you?! And the place where the Demon Emperor’s Seal had fallen to was the faraway Profound Sky Continent, how could it be possibly in your hands… Just how in the world did you obtain it?”
The return of the Demon Emperor’s Seal should have been a big celebratory matter for the Illusory Demon Realm. However, no matter how it was heard, Duke Zhong’s voice was filled with confusion and agitation. Yun Che smiled coldly. Retracting his arm, he leisurely withdrew the Demon Emperor’s Seal back into the Sky Poison Pearl.
To other people, this was the Demon Emperor’s Seal. But to Yun Che, this was his grandfather’s hundred years of faith, hundred years of pain, and undying loyalty…
Seeing that Yun Che was actually, openly keeping the Demon Emperor’s Seal, everyone looked at each other, while Helian Kuang’s expression changed, as he had finally found an extremely good excuse to denounce him, he stretched out his finger and loudly roared, “Yun Che! You sure have great guts! Instead of returning the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress, you’re actually keeping it for yourself… Is your Yun Family thinking of seizing the Demon Emperor’s Seal for yourselves?!”
The expressions of everyone in the west wing, including people of the Yun Family, all changed immediately after… The Demon Emperor’s Seal was an artifact belonging to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline from the start. Its significance to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline and to all of Illusory Demon Realm, was known to the entire world. If he hadn’t taken it out and no one knew about it, it would still be fine. However, he actually took out the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and was even in the presence of the Little Demon Empress, in the face of the heroes of the realm. Yet, not only did he not immediately present it to the Little Demon Empress, he instead kept it for himself. This was undoubtedly an extremely inappropriate course of action.
Facing Helian Kuang’s denouncement and everyone’s shifting gazes, Yun Che did not even make the slightest of movements. With a stiff expression, he said, “Didn’t you people want to know how this Demon Emperor’s Seal which had fallen into Profound Sky Continent came to my hands?! I will now tell you the answer…”
Yun Che took a step back. The moment he finished speaking,, a completely transparent, crystal coffin appeared in front of him following a flash of light from the Sky Poison Pearl. Within the crystal coffin laid an old man with pastel white hair, whose entire body was disheveled and whose face was withered and hideous.
“…” Yun Qinghong’s entire body tensed, and his chest intensely undulated. Mu Yurou had already stood up as well. They did not say a single word, nor did they want to stop any of Yun Che’s actions. Together with Yun Qinghong, she silently looked at the old man within the Coffin of Eternity.
Skinny as a bag of bones, a withered face, hair, beard, and brows which were disheveled and white. Looking at the person, he appeared to be a savage and terrifying devil. With just a few glances, a sense of discomfort welled up within the people. Everyone was completely baffled as to why Yun Che would suddenly display such a withered and ugly corpse of an old man. However, gradually, among the Yun Family, and the Guardian Families, countless people began to stand up. Some of their eyes began to stare widely, and some of their lips were trembling intensely…
Because, from this old man’s body, they caught the hint of a faint and familiar silhouette… and their spiritual perception began to stir deeply!
Yun Duanshui and Yun Waitian were the closest to the coffin. They blankly looked at the old man within the Coffin of Eternity for a long time, and their bodies began to tremble. Yun Duanshui opened his mouth, releasing a hoarse voice that was seemingly unclear, “Could he be… Could he be… Could he be… Could he be…”
“It’s… It’s… the Patriarch…”
Chapter 576 - Corpse of the Demon King
At first, no one could immediately recognize that the old man within the Coffin of Eternity was Yun Canghai, because compared to a hundred years ago, he was already completely unrecognizable. Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui were the closest to the coffin. As they and Yun Canghai had been in the same family for two hundred odd years, they vaguely sensed the hint of a familiar silhouette, the aura of a Patriarch of the Yun Family which was unique to Yun Canghai. However, even they had simply released a hazy voice, and were basically unable to make a confirmation.
“You people, can you recognize this person?” Yun Che stood at the side of Yun Canghai’s corpse. With straightened brows and cold eyes, he looked at the seven Patriarchs and everyone else in the east wing who had hesitant and uncertain expressions. This was why, even though he had brought back Yun Canghai’s corpse, he did not allow Yun Qinghong to hold a burial as soon as possible, nor did he allow the rest of the Yun family to know about it. He definitely would not allow his grandfather to be buried with accusations that were planted by the evil intentions of others… He wanted to clear his grandfather’s name, and more importantly, have those people apologize and confess to his grandfather in front of the entire world!
“Yes, it’s impossible for the lot of you to recognize him! Even if a Monarch could have sensed something with his extremely strong spiritual perception, he definitely wouldn’t even dare to believe it!” Yun Che gazed at the entire hall, and said coldly, “He’s the one and only Demon King in the history of the Illusory Demon Realm, my grandfather, and is also the so-called ‘sinner’ that you people have criticized for exactly a hundred years… Yun Canghai!!”
When Yun Che shouted out this name, the entire hall instantly boomed. Everyone stood up, and stared at the person within the Coffin of Eternity with wide eyes. Their faces were all filled with shock and utter disbelief to the point that they couldn’t believe their own ears.
“Yun… Yun Canghai?!”
“Impossible! This withered and bony old man… How could he possibly be the Demon King, Yun Canghai?!”
“Didn’t Yun Canghai fall in the Profound Sky Continent a hundred years ago… How could it possibly be him?!”
The name of the “Demon King” Yun Canghai was known to everyone in the Illusory Demon Realm. However, that withered old man within the crystal coffin next to Yun Che, no matter how they thought about it, he couldn’t be connected to the Demon King whose name had shaken the world. A hundred years ago, Yun Canghai’s appearance was extraordinary, within his graceful face carried a form of might which people revered. Back then, his appearance looked as though he had yet to reach his thirties, and it was unknown just how many women of the Illusory Demon adored him in their dreams.
With Yun Canghai’s cultivation, even if another thousand years were to pass, there shouldn’t have been the slightest change to his appearance.
However, the old man within the crystal coffin had hair that was messy and white, had a body as withered as a rotten tree, as though he was a pitiful beggar who had starved to death after suffering from thousands of torture. Most probably, even humans at the lowest level of the Illusory Demon Realm wouldn’t be willing to take more than a few glances… How could this person be the Illusory Demon Realm’s Demon King who was beneath only a single person, above billions of people, and received admiration from countless people?!
“Patriarch… It’s really the Patriarch!!”
Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui cried out in grief as they rushed forward and fiercely knelt in front of the Coffin of Eternity. Under their cries, they had already been overwhelmed with warm tears. Although they did not dare to believe it, and were unwilling to believe it, they had already placed all their trust in Yun Che… How could he possibly use the corpse of his own biological grandfather for a devious trick in front of Little Demon Empress, in front of the Twelve Guardian Families, and in front of everyone in the world?! Outsiders might not be able to discern him, but they were both people from the same family who were loyal to Yun Canghai back then. Even if he had died, even if his face was no longer recognizable, that indescribable subtle sense of familiarity which belonged to Yun Canghai truly existed so clearly.
The name “Yun Canghai” and the sorrowful cries of the two Great Elders caused the hearts of everyone in the Yun Family to tremble intensely. Yun Qinghong took a deep breath, raised his hand to stop the family members who had lost control of their emotions, and charged right out, saying, “That… is indeed father’s corpse. It was Yun Che who brought him back from the Profound Sky Continent… It’s enough for Great Elder and Second Great Elder to guard him. You people do not head over there any further, so as to prevent startling the elderly’s rest.”
Yun Qinghong’s words firmly proved the identity of the corpse. All of the people within the Yun Family felt as though something was bursting in their chests. Old tears were already flowing from the eyes of the three Grand Elders, Yun He, Yun Jiang, and Yun Xi… Even in their dreams, they never thought that there would come a day they could see Yun Canghai once again…
“He’s… really the Demon King?” With a startled gaze, the Little Demon Empress asked with surprise and doubt. In this lifetime, there were only two people whom she truly respected. One was her royal father, while the other was Yun Canghai. In a flash, it had already been a hundred years. She no longer hoped that she could see the corpses of her royal father and little brother, and similarly, she did not dare to hope that she could see Yun Canghai once again… But at this moment, Yun Canghai’s corpse, like a miracle and a dream, had returned to this Illusory Demon Realm, appearing right in front of her…
However, his appearance had instead caused her soul to quiver intensely… without pause…
With a stiffened expression, Yun Che said. “Even if I were the most heinous and vile person, I definitely wouldn’t use the corpse of my late relative for a scheme!!”
“Impossible!!” Helian Kuang said with a slightly husky voice. “Yun Canghai died in the Profound Sky Continent a hundred years ago, so how could his corpse possibly appear here?! And Yun Canghai’s profound strength was at the peak of the eighth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, possessing a lifespan of many thousands of years… How could he possibly become like this?!”
“How could he possibly become like this?” Yun Che let out a bland laugh. His gaze carried a bone-piercing hatred, and his voice had turned incomparably cold as well. “A lowly person like you… naturally wouldn’t understand why my grandfather had become like this!!”
“You… Do you want to know why my grandfather currently looks this way?! Do you know want to know why his corpse could return here from the Profound Sky Continent?! Do you want to know why the Demon Emperor’s Seal is in my hands?!”
The three questions that Yun Che roared out were all questions that everyone present anxiously wanted to know the answer to, and it was even more so for the seven Patriarchs, who had an incomparable desire to find out. However, facing Yun Che’s frighteningly cold expression, eyes, and tone of speech head-on, even with their mighty Monarch cultivations, they clearly felt a deep sense of fear in their hearts… And, Yun Canghai’s corpse that was next to him… Although it was just a corpse, not a single one of them dared to face it directly, as though Yun Canghai’s heroic soul was there, staring at them.
Yun Che laughed. His smiling intent, in the eyes of the seven Patriarchs, were especially sinister and terrifying. “I shall now provide you people the answers to each one of them!!”
“A hundred years ago, my grandfather brought ten Grand Elders of the Yun Family towards the Sky Profound Continent to save the former Demon Emperor. However, they were struck with a scheme, falling into the enemy’s ‘Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation’ that was long well-prepared. The ten Grand Elders fell, while my grandfather was gravely injured… However, my grandfather did not die; instead, he was imprisoned, by the Profound Sky Continent’s Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, three hundred meters underground, in a place of complete darkness! With the Meteoric Chain locking his entire body, and with the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation sealing his profound energy… this single imprisonment, lasted exactly a hundred years!”
Other than Yun Che’s voice, the entire hall was so quiet, a needle dropping onto the ground could even be heard.
Clank clank clank!
A set of incomparably heavy chains was taken out by Yun Che, and thrown onto the ground. “This is the Meteoric Chain which had locked my grandfather! Helian Kuang, didn’t you ask why my grandfather became like this in a mere hundred years? Because my grandfather, for a hundred years, he could not see the sun nor the moon. For a hundred years, he could not eat. For a hundred years, he was in complete darkness. For a hundred years, he stayed in solitude within the darkness. For a hundred years, he had his entire body sealed. For a hundred years, he had his profound veins suppressed. For a hundred years, he had suffered the Soul Suppressing Formation’s devouring… For exactly a hundred years, he was suffering a living death!”
Yun Che’s words had caused the expressions of the people present in the hall to turn pale, and chills ran down their entire bodies. While having his body and profound energy shackled, he even had to face an endless darkness and solitude… Even without the pain of the formation’s devouring, it would still be an experience similar to hell. Because, in this world, the most frightening thing wasn’t the torture that came to one’s body, but facing an endless darkness in solitude… Even if it was an incomparably strong profound practitioner, when shackled to this dark abyss, his spirit and willpower would have been tortured to the point of complete collapse after a few years, even driving him insane.
That was a form of living death no one could possibly not fear, and no one could truly endure…
A hundred years… They were basically unable to imagine that there would actually be a person who could endure in this dark abyss for a hundred years…
“In that place, during every second, my grandfather was enduring a mental torture that you people can’t even dare to imagine. Every second of it felt like a living death… He could have committed suicide in the first place, directly releasing himself. However, my grandfather did not do it. Even if he had to endure the largest pain, no matter what, he didn’t allow himself to die. My grandfather wasn’t a person who feared death, and in that place, no matter how one isn’t afraid of death, right after a month, that person will still use everything he have to kill himself…”
“The reason why he desperately clung onto life, was all because of this… Demon Emperor’s Seal!” Yun Che once again took out the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and said while gritting his teeth.
“This… is impossible!” Jiufang Kui roared out. “Since Yun Canghai had fallen into the hands of the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, then how could the Demon Emperor’s Seal possibly still be on his body! Even if he opened a small dimensional space, it would definitely still be taken away. It’s definitely impossible for the Demon Emperor’s Seal to still be carried on his body!”
“Heh!” Yun Che let out a cold laugh. Right after, he closed his eyes, slowly moved the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the position of his own heart, and gently said. “In order to prevent the Demon Emperor’s Seal from being taken away by the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, my grandfather opened a small dimensional space in the center of his heart, and hid the Demon Emperor’s Seal within… for exactly a hundred years…”
“Wh… What?!”
The expressions of the seven Patriarchs stiffened, and they could no longer let out a single sound. The Little Demon Empress’ pair of clear eyes suddenly widened, and the light in her eyes intensely stirred. Countless exclaiming voices sounded in the hall. Seemingly everyone had unconsciously reached out their hands to where their hearts were. Their hands constantly trembled, and their inner hearts had stirred to the extreme.
“Patriarch… Patriarch… You… Why… Why go to such lengths…” The people of the Yun Family were either dumbfounded, or had their eyes closed, while dozens of the Elders had already thrown themselves onto the ground, breaking down into tears.
Yun Qinghong raised his head, and tightly closed his eyes shut. His clenched fists were constantly releasing out dull bone-crackling sounds.
Opening a small dimensional space in the center of one’s heart, was indeed extremely hard for anyone to perceive. Thinking about the pain brought by this action would make anyone shudder in fear, even if it were someone who was as strong as a Monarch. Because Yun Canghai was located in the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation, and his profound strength had been suppressed to a great degree, if it was taken out, the dimensional space would disappear right after, he would no longer have the energy to create another one, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal would thus be in a crisis of being exposed at any moment. Hence, in these hundred years, no matter how much pain he suffered, he had never taken out the Demon Emperor’s Seal. The small dimensional space where the Demon Emperor’s Seal was hiding had always been within Yun Canghai’s heart as well… for exactly a hundred years.
Earlier, they were unable to imagine just what kind of experience, what kind of pain and torture could cause a high-level Monarch to turn out like this in a mere hundred years… Now they knew. They now knew it all…
“Now, do you understand?” Yun Che looked at Jiufang Kui and said with an incomparably bland voice.
Jiufang Kui opened his mouth, yet, because of a dry throat, he could not speak out a single word.
Yun Che laughed coldly. Staring at the seven Patriarchs, his cold and bland words entered every one of their ears one after another. “The lot of you had best take a careful look at my grandfather. His entire body is withered, his hair is white, the gown on his body, had long scattered beyond recognition. In these hundred years, his every second had all been passed in purgatory. Only when he handed the Demon Emperor’s Seal that he had been desperately safeguarding to me, did he finally peacefully pass away…”
“Heh, then look at the lot of you… Similarly, a Patriarch of a Guardian Family, yet, every single one of you are so ruddy and high-spirited, wearing such expensive and glamorous clothes. In these hundred years, the lot of you lead your entire families, gazing arrogantly upon the world in such an awe-inspiring manner. What the lot of you ate were the finest delicacies, what you used were the finest spirit pellets and medicine. The lot of you have lived such a comfortable and unfettered lives!”
Yun Che’s voice changed, and his every word was as sharp as daggers. “Yet, carrying the name of loyalty, the lot of you still grandly collaborated together to suppress our Yun Family! The lot of you still wished to defame my grandfather, who had spent his time in purgatory bitterly protecting the Demon Emperor’s Seal, into an eternal sinner!! The lot of you still wanted our Yun family to endure a hundred years of sin, and had even wanted to banish us eternally!!”
“Do the lot of you still have any face?! Any conscience?! Any pride?!”
“Do you people even have the slightest bit of shame?!”
Chapter 577 - Heaven Pities the Yun Family
Yun Che’s furious condemnations came as resounding thunder, shaking the ears and souls of everyone present.
Earlier, the Helian, Jiufang, Nangong, Chiyang, Lin, Xiao, and Bai Families were all condemned by Yun Che to the point that their heads were being drenched in dog blood, and they had nothing to refute with. However, the fact that the Demon Emperor’s Seal was ultimately lost because of Yun Canghai still existed to everyone’s knowledge. This was like a set of chains binding the Yun Family; no matter what speech they made, what reasons they gave, or how much loyalty they displayed, they were unable to completely escape from it.
And now, the Demon Emperor’s Seal had returned. Yun Canghai’s corpse had returned as well.
The Demon Emperor’s Seal was completely unscathed, while Yun Canghai’s corpse was like a piece of withered deadwood. In the Demon Imperial Hall, even the person with a heart of the hardest stone could not stop the stirring in the depths of his heart at that moment. For the Demon Emperor, he unhesitantly brought the strongest forces from his family and rushed to the Profound Sky Continent… even though he was awfully clear that there was an extremely high possibility of causing a huge decline to his family’s strength.
In this past hundred years, he even suffered from unimaginable torture and pain. Enduring for exactly a hundred years, he used his own life, willpower, and all of his faith to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal which was entrusted to him by the former Demon Emperor.
Every scar on his body was deeply depicting the meaning of “loyalty” and “might”.
All of them asked their own hearts, but not a single one of them believed that they would be capable of doing it.
Yet in these hundred years, while he was giving his everything to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal… the Yun Family was suffering from heavy punishment, collaborative suppression, and even bullying, from the other Guardian Families. Even his title, under the constant waves of hidden insinuations, had turned from “Demon King” into “sinner”.
How could this Yun Canghai be a sinner?!
Even in the eyes of the heavens, Yun Canghai had determination, loyalty, and courage to a degree that would make them sigh out of grief. If there could only be a single person in all of Illusory Demon Realm who hadn’t sinned, that person would definitely be him, Yun Canghai…
In retrospect, the hundred years of accusatory slander against Yun Canghai, the hundred years of sin which the Yun Family had suffered were clearly the saddest jokes in the history of Illusory Demon Realm…
While holding onto the same title, those seven great families who had acted and spoken against the Yun Family at every turn, and had even personally admitted to collaborating together to suppress the Yun Family a hundred years ago, were unbearably hideous to behold. Their persistence in saying that all they had done was for the sake of the Illusory Demon Realm, flaunting their own righteousness and loyalty… at this moment, in front of Yun Canghai’s corpse, evidently looked incomparably petty and laughable. Their every word earlier had all turned into fans, slapping resoundingly on their faces.
“My grandfather’s willpower and loyalty were reflected by the sun and moon and witnessed by heaven and earth! He held a conscience clear to Illusory Demon Realm, clear to heaven, and clear to the title ‘Demon King’! The lot of you, use your own eyes and take a proper look at his corpse… Take a proper look at how much he had done for Illusory Demon Realm!! For the Demon Emperor, he was trapped in purgatory, but he had never resented it, and he had even desperately safeguarded the Demon Emperor’s Seal which was entrusted to him by the former Demon Emperor. For the Demon Emperor’s Seal, he suffered a living death for a hundred years. Yet, he still did not utter even a single word of resentment… Even at the moment right before his death, he was still concerned about the safety of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline…”
“Helian Kuang, Jiufang Kui, Chiyang Bailie, Nangong Zhi, Xiao Xifeng, Lin Guiyan, Bai Yi… This is the unforgivable ‘sinner’ you guys have spoken about! This is the ‘foolish person’ you have quipped about with your venomous words! The Demon Emperor’s bloodline encountered a great tribulation, but you seven families did not even lose a single soldier or general, nor did you earn the slightest bit of merit. What you seven families have done, however, was collaborate together to slander my grandfather, suppress my Yun Family, and spare no efforts to spread the ‘grave sin’ of our Yun Family to all of Illusory Demon Realm. Even today, when my Yun Family had already completely declined, you all still wish to collaborate together to oust my Yun Family from the Guardian Families, and even humiliate my grandfather with every single one of your words!!”
“If heaven had not pitied us, allowing me to reunite with my grandfather, my grandfather’s honorable name would have forever been tainted by you vile sinners! My entire Yun Family would have forever been unable to address our injustice!”
“Just where did the lot of you get the confidence, the nerve, the qualifications, and the face to criticize my grandfather and judge my Yun Family?!”
“You abandoned your master, acted on your selfish reasoning, betrayed your ancestors, framed innocents, and harbored ill motives… Compared to my grandfather, how are any of you worthy of becoming the Patriarch of a Guardian Family?! A beast acts based on thirty percent of conscience, and none of you are even worthy of being beasts!!”
Yun Che’s eyes had already quietly turned blurry. Yun Canghai severed his own lifeline to put an end to himself, and died with a smile, allowing him to escape alive. Today, he had finally did a little something for his grandfather, something that should be done as his grandchild.
Every single one of the expressions of the seven Patriarch was unsightly to the extreme. Some even had flush-red faces with crimson ears, and their facial features were distorted. Facing Yun Che’s furious condemnation, all seven of them, seven Guardian Family Patriarchs whose might could shake the world, were however unable to refute even a single word… They felt as though their clothes had been stripped off in front of the eyes of everyone present, and those eyes were filled with disdain… Even those people whom they had never even bothered to give a second glance were using the most disdainful eyes look coldly look at them.
The Yun Family which had declined yet still possessed the pride they once had, the Demon Emperor’s Seal which had miraculously returned, and Yun Canghai’s corpse which was engraved with the scars of purgatory… As long as their eyes were not blind, they would be able to see with absolute clarity which side was loyal and which side was scheming. A single glance… had won over the tens of thousands of rumors and hearsay.
Even the many elders and disciples of the seven families had deeply lowered their heads as well, as they did not dare to make eye contact with anyone. That feeling of shame caused them to feel as though they were sitting on pins and needles.
“Duke Huai… What should we do now?” Duke Zhong’s trembling voice transmitted over.
The current situation had already completely spiraled out of control. Everything had completely escaped Duke Huai’s control and predictions. Before today, he had predicted various types of accidents; however, never did he expect that the situation would actually develop to such an extent.
The Yun Family obtaining victory in the competition earlier was already enough to shock him to an incomparable degree, but he could still respond to it. At this moment, he could already feel that his head was soon about to explode. He understood that the plan he had initially set for today could no longer be fulfilled no matter what.
Hearing Duke Zhong’s voice transmission, Duke Huai fiercely took a deep breath, forced himself to calmly step forward, and said, “Demon King Yun Canghai’s loyalty was indeed enough to move the entire world… But, there’s one thing that is unclear to this duke! Since the Demon King was imprisoned by Profound Sky Continent’s Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, how were you able to meet him, and even bring back his corpse!” His voice sank by a small degree. “Since you’re a member of the Yun Family… Why were you in the Profound Sky Continent? And how did you come here from the Profound Sky Continent?”
Duke Huai’s questions mirrored the doubts in everyone’s hearts. However, his solemn tone was clearly hinting that the Yun Family had some hidden motives.
Yun Che’s gaze shifted. Just as he was about to speak, a heartbreaking cold female voice had already resounded, “In regards to these questions, this empress can give you the answers!”
The Little Demon Empress slowly walked down. The moment her voice resounded, it had attracted the eyes of everyone present. Her eyes were like cold stars, and she said frigidly, “Back then, both my imperial father and the Demon King were trapped in the Profound Sky Continent. Although there were no longer any messages, we had yet to see their corpses either. Hence, this empress was unwilling to completely believe that imperial father has already passed on, and Patriarch Yun had not given up on finding out news of the Demon King.”
“A hundred years ago, over at the Profound Sky Continent, they had constantly sent scattered messages, saying that the Demon King wasn’t dead, and wanted my Illusory Demon Realm to exchange our Mirror of Samsara for his life. Although a large number of patriarchs and dukes persisted that this was a scheme by the Profound Sky Continent, the matter concerned the Demon King’s life, and both this empress and Patriarch Yun chose to believe it rather than not! It’s known to the entire world that twenty-five years ago, Patriarch Yun and his wife had secretly gone to the Profound Sky Continent… And at that time, it was actually under this empress’ behest! Otherwise, with Patriarch Yun’s loyalty, he definitely wouldn’t have brought along the Mirror of Samsara he was safeguarding of his own will. Although the Mirror of Samsara was a treasured artifact of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, in the end, it was still a dead object. If it really could be used to exchange for the Demon King’s life, then this empress would definitely not be the slightest bit unwilling to do so.”
The eyes of everyone in the Yun Family were moist, and their expressions stirred. Even they, had only found out at this moment, that everything that happened twenty-five years ago was all facilitated by the Little Demon Empress, and she had even unhesitantly allowed Yun Qinghong to bring along the treasured artifact Mirror of Samsara, to win over that slightest bit of hope to retrieve the Demon King’s life. In these recent years, although she had punished the Yun Family out of pressure, in her heart, she hadn’t truly made light of the Yun Family.
“As for the matters that happened after, all of you should already be aware.” The Little Demon Empress coldly swept her gaze to the front. “Patriarch Yun and his wife returned three years later with heavy injuries, their profound strengths were crippled, and they had even brought back a son. When Patriarch Yun came to confess his sin of losing the Mirror of Samsara, he had told this empress everything that had occurred. At that time, this empress found out that Patriarch Yun and his wife did indeed bear a child in the Profound Sky Continent, but that child was not the Yun Xiao whom they had brought back!”
Yun Xiao was unable to execute the Profound Handle, and rumors concerning him not being Yun Qinghong’s son were already long known to the entire city many years ago. Even the Yun Family had never truly admitted his identity as Young Master. Hence, when the Little Demon Empress said that Yun Xiao was not the son of Yun Qinghong and his wife, although the expressions of the people present were a little odd, not a single person felt that it was shocking.
“Not long after Patriarch Yun and his wife bore their child in the Profound Sky Continent, they were then hunted down for a long period of time. When they were about to reach a dead end, they encountered a good friend they had made in the Profound Sky Continent. Not only did he guide Patriarch Yun and his wife to a path of escape, he was afraid that their child would encounter some uncertainties during the escape, and that they would lose their only descendant. Hence, quietly, he exchanged his own child with Patriarch Yun’s child.”
Exclamations and discussions broke out in the Demon Imperial Hall. Little Demon Express looked towards Yun Che, and slowly said, “Yun Che, you’re the child whom Patriarch Yun had left in the Profound Sky Continent back then, is that right?”
Although she was asking Yun Che, she had used a tone of certainty. Because other than this, there was no second possibility. Yun Che nodded and said, “Yes. I grew up in Profound Sky Continent, and only three months ago did I finally arrive in the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“Then how did you and the Demon King meet? Can you inform this Empress?” Little Demon Empress calmly asked.
Yun Che said, lightly, “In the Profound Sky Continent, when I was seventeen years old, I became the victor of a Ranking Tournament. As a result, I was invited to spectate a demon sealing ceremony by a low-ranked Elder of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region… And that ‘demon’, was my grandfather. However, back then, I didn’t even know of my own familial background, nor did I know that he was actually my relative. During that process, because of a sudden accident, I was swept into the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that was sealing my grandfather, heavily injured by my grandfather, and then sealed in the dark underground along with my grandfather… After that, my grandfather saw the Mirror of Samsara on my body, and then, used his profound energy to force out my Profound Handle Mark. Only then did I find out that he was actually my relative, and find out my true familial background.”
Although Yun Che had only spoke a few short sentences, they had already depicted clear and bizarre scenes in everyone’s minds. The Demon King of the Illusory Demon Realm, imprisoned deep within the enemy’s territory, had actually encountered and reunited with his own biological grandson in the Profound Sky Continent. This was truly an arrangement by the heavens. Truly, the heavens had taken pity on the Yun Family…
Yun Che reached out his hand, and following the opening of his palm, the pendant chain of the plain-looking Mirror of Samsara fell, swaying gently beneath his hand.
“Ah… It’s really the Mirror of Samsara!” Several people in the surroundings exclaimed in unison.
“This Mirror of Samsara was worn on my body since I was young. The grandfather who had raised me up said that this was my only lead to find out about my biological parents and my familial background in the future. It was also this which allowed me to reunite with my grandfather.” Yun Che then clenched the Mirror of Samsara in his hand again. Lowering his eyelids, he said gently, “My grandfather entrusted the Demon Emperor’s Seal and the Yun Family Patriarch’s Crest to me, and then, in order to allow me to escape from that place, he severed his own lifeline, to cancel the seal which was connected to his lifeline… That, was merely three years ago.”
Chapter 578 - How Could One Be Willing?
Everyone present sighed in their hearts. None of them expected that Yun Canghai did not actually die in the Profound Sky Continent a hundred years ago, but had only truly passed away three years ago. A hundred years had already passed since the Demon Emperor’s great tribulation, yet only today did they truly and clearly see the scenes behind this tragedy. The truths and facts which they had believed in and were familiar with back then had also been completely overturned in their hearts.
“I had always thought little brother Yun and I had already been separated by the heavens, but never did I expect that it’s only been three years since… Haah,” Mu Feiyan let out a long sigh, and for a moment, grief, and joy intersected. He felt sad for the experience Yun Canghai had in these hundred years, but he felt joyful for him to have such a descendant. To be able to see his own biological grandson at his last few moments, hand him the item which he had been safeguarding desperately, and personally witness his extraordinary prowess, Mu Feiyan believed that at the moment he left this world, he must had smiled with a peace of mind.
In the Demon Imperial Hall, every single pair of eyes that was looking at Yun Canghai’s remains, was filled with a heavy amount of yearning, admiration, respect, and a deep sense of guilt… The guilt of him actually labeling him as a “sinner” under the parroting of information in these hundred years.
All of the elders in the Yun Family had long been covered entirely in tears, while those young disciples of the Yun Family were even moreso, clenching their fists, as they looked straight at Yun Canghai… Their gazes were similar to looking up to a god. When they were born, the Yun Family had already declined. Demon Imperial City was forever filled with various types of rumors and slander against the Yun Family. When facing the rest of the Guardian Families, they had always felt that they were a level lower than them. Yet, at this moment, they were filled with such intense pride for being children of the Yun Family.
Duke Huai’s chest undulated, and with a tone that could still be considered calm, he said, “I see, then that is truly an arrangement made by the heavens. But, there’s still one matter that this duke doesn’t understand… and it’s also an extremely important matter.” He narrowed his eyes, and said, “How exactly did you come to Illusory Demon Realm from the Profound Sky Continent?!”
“The Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm are separated by a long distance, and even a peak-level Monarch is unable to cross it. The secret dimensional passage which Profound Sky Continent had used to infiltrate our Illusory Demon Realm back then had long been sealed by us, and around it, there’s even three great powers that’s safeguarding it day and night. If they dare to offend us once more, it will definitely be detected by us at the very first instance. Yet, you actually came from the Profound Sky Continent without being detected in any way! If you had not admitted it yourself, none of us would have known that you came from the Profound Sky Continent! Could it be that the Profound Sky Continent had actually opened up a dimensional passage of some sort once again? Or did you use some sort of artifact capable of crossing such distances? If that’s truly the case…”
“Wouldn’t that mean it’s possible for those vile people of Profound Sky Continent to silently infiltrate us at any moment? Then, wouldn’t that mean it’s possible for our Illusory Demon Realm, to once again encounter that huge crisis a hundred years ago at any moment?!”
Duke Huai’s words caused several people to hold their breaths, as they looked towards Yun Che one after another. Yun Che glanced at Duke Huai, and without any change to his expression, said, “Your highness, Duke Huai, your worries are unfounded. If the Profound Sky Continent really did have a way to silently infiltrate here, then, with their covet towards the Mirror of Samsara, they would have long taken action several times over in these hundred years. Why would they have unhesitantly gone through so much trouble to send their sound transmissions here, and wish to use my grandfather’s life to exchange for the Mirror of Samsara then?”
Yun Che slowly continued, “Three years ago, when I found out about my own background, and adding that I was holding onto the item which my grandfather handed to me, I naturally had an incomparable desire to return to the Illusory Demon Realm. Both to reunite with my family, and even moreso, to accomplish the task which my grandfather entrusted to me before his death. As expected, the heavens did not let me down. Due to a fortunate encounter, I found a treasured artifact that could transport me here, and ever since three months ago, I had returned to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
Naturally, Yun Che could not possibly tell the truth about him being sent here by the Primordial Profound Ark; however, what he described was not exactly nonsensical either. Because the “treasured artifact” he spoke of was exactly the Primordial Profound Ark. Duke Huai frowned, and just as he was about to speak, Yun Che, however, immediately continued, “In regards to what this treasured artifact is, it’s now a private item that belongs to me, Yun Che. Duke Huai shouldn’t be rude to the extent that he would even inquire about this, right?”
With Yun Che’s response, Duke Huai swallowed back the question which he was about to ask. He no longer spoke, and his brows secretly furrowed, while the depths of his eyes were shaking with a bone-piercing killing intent. Little Demon Empress glanced at Duke Huai, before shifting her gaze towards Yun Che. Raising her arm, beneath the grey-colored sleeves, a smooth snow-white hand of a girl stretched out. “Yun Che, for now, hand this empress the Demon Emperor’s Seal.”
Duke Huai’s expression stiffened, yet, he was completely helpless to stop this from happening. He deeply knew that the moment Little Demon Empress was to obtain the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the difficulty of achieving his own goal would be raised by several dozens of times, and at worst, he might even have to suffer the consequences of his vile actions. Yet, at this very Demon Empress Grand Ceremony, he was unable to prevent it. At the same time, the appearance of the Demon Emperor’s Seal had undoubtedly stirred the Little Demon Empress’ heart as well. Only by possessing the Demon Emperor’s Seal would she truly become the ruler of Illusory Demon Realm. Her strength, and her current predicament, would also undergo an earthshaking change from then on.
Hence, when Yun Che revealed the Demon Emperor’s Seal, but did not offer it to her and instead kept it, even the Little Demon Empress who had always been as quiet as a cold lake, was no longer able restrain herself as she took the initiative to face Yun Che at this moment.
However, when faced with the Little Demon Empress’ personal request, Yun Che did not take a step forward, nor did he even move to take out the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Instead, he stood at the same position, and said with an incomparably calm expression, “I refuse.”
Yun Che’s answer was out of everyone’s expectations. The Little Demon Empress’ brows rose slightly, and everyone in the imperial hall even looked at each other with shocked expressions.
“This…” Even all of the elders of the Yun Family were dumbfounded. Yun Qinghong’s brows twitched; however, he did not speak, and simply looked at Yun Che silently.
Duke Zhong, whose heart had been stuck in restlessness for a long time, finally grabbed onto this opportunity to attack Yun Che. Taking a step forward, he loudly said, “Yun Che! What great audacity you have! The Demon Emperor’s Seal is an item belonging to our Illusory Demon Royal Family, and carries great importance for our Illusory Demon Royal Family! Could it be that you’re trying to possess it yourself?!”
Yun Che’s eyes slanted, and coldly said, “Duke Zhong, you’ve made three mistakes. One, the Demon Emperor’s Seal is an item belonging to the generations of Demon Emperors, and not an item belonging to the Illusory Demon Royal Family! Only the generations of Demon Emperors themselves have the qualification to possess it. As for dukes and kings, naturally, they do not have this qualification.”
“You…” Duke Zhong’s body trembled. Duke Huai’s lips had even more so, turned purple in an instant. How could they not understand that the hidden meaning behind these words from Yun Che was blatantly ridiculing them? ‘How could a mere duke be qualified to touch the Demon Emperor’s Seal… be qualified to become the Emperor of Illusory Demon Realm?’
Yun Che did not care about their expressions in the slightest, and continued, “Two, this Demon Emperor’s Seal, to the Demon Emperor, is an important treasure. But to me, it’s nothing more than a piece of fiery-red jade. Other than looking at it, there’s no other use to it. I do not have the slightest of interest in making it my own.”
“Three…” Yun Che’s gaze turned cold. “Since you’re merely a duke, naturally, you do not have the rights to interfere or decide who it belongs to. While it was in the Profound Sky Continent for a hundred years, it was protected by my grandfather with his life, and it was then brought back here after I have faced many difficulties to do so. Now that it’s in my hands, I naturally have the freedom to decide who I hand this to! As for the matter of retrieving this Demon Emperor’s Seal, you did not make the effort and merit to do so. You’re not even related to it in the slightest, so you’re not in the place to point fingers and find faults with me!!”
Since the beginning of the Demon Empress Grand Ceremony till now, everyone had seen for themselves how sharp and venomous Yun Che’s tongue was. The seven Patriarchs who had rampantly displayed their arrogance earlier, were now all keeping mum, and not a single person from any of the various large duke palaces dared to challenge Yun Che in linguistics again. Duke Zhong had initially thought since Yun Che had disobeyed the Little Demon Empress in front of the masses, he could be seen to be courting death, so him being criticized was perfectly justified. Duke Zhong had never expected that he would instantly receive a retaliation similar to dogs’ blood being poured over his head. Duke Zhong’s chest raised, and his upright torso trembled. His vision darkened, as though he was seemingly about to puke blood.
The Little Demon Empress, however, wasn’t angry. Calmly, she said, “Since you know that it’s a treasured item belonging to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and adding that you were entrusted by your grandfather, the Demon King, to return to this empress, why now do you still refuse to do so? Could it be that you have a request? You have brought back the Demon Emperor’s Seal from the Profound Sky Continent, the merits earned are high enough to cover the sky. If you have any request, as long as it’s something this empress can do, then I will naturally agree to it.”
Yun Che let out a bland laugh, however, he shook his head. “Request? The moment I received this from my grandfather’s hands, for days and night, I had been thinking of ways to come to this Illusory Demon Realm in order to hand this to Little Demon Empress. It was merely to fulfill my grandfather’s dying wish, and I had never thought of receiving any rewards by relying on it. Because the Demon Emperor’s Seal in my hands, carried my grandfather’s life and his sincere loyalty.”
“But, when I came to the Illusory Demon Realm, what I saw was instead a Yun Family which had already declined to a miserable state. What I heard was the various types of rumors and scandals against the Yun Family, to the extent where even all of Illusory Demon Realm believed that my Yun Family and my grandfather were all sinners! Heh…” Yun Che laughed, laughing especially sarcastically. “When my grandfather told me about my family back then, his face was filled with pride. He said that our Yun Family was the strongest family in the Illusory Demon Realm, the toughest and mightest defensive barrier next to the Demon Emperor. He told me that even though he was no longer with the current Yun Family, it would still definitely be flourishing even more than before. Because the Yun Family had always been the top among the Twelve Guardian Families in all of history, and in all of history, it had always been the most highly regarded by the Demon Emperors.”
“But, in order to save the former Demon Emperor, my grandfather unhesitantly brought all of the supporting pillars in the family and rushed to the Profound Sky Continent… and while he was suffering a hundred years of torture to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal… What kind of repayment did my Yun Family receive instead? Just what sort of repayment did my grandfather receive instead?!”
“If my grandfather were to know of all these, how could he possibly rest in peace?!”
“In order to save the former Demon Emperor, ten great Grand Elders of my Yun Family fell in vain. In order to safeguard the Demon Emperor’s Seal, my grandfather passed away after suffering a hundred years of torture. While my Yun Family, had instead carried the title of sinners for a hundred years, suffered punishments and suppression time and time again, received countless cold glares and ridicule, and now, it has even declined into such an indescribable miserable state… All of the sacrifices, my Yun Family suffered from them. All of the sins, my Yun Family carried them. All of the punishments, my Yun Family endured them all while gritting their teeth…
“Now that the Demon Emperor’s Seal has returned, you actually want me to hand it over just like that… Tell me, how will I be willing to hand this over to you?!”
Yun Che’s eyes glowed in fury, and his voice was like roaring thunder. “If I were to return this Demon Emperor’s Seal just like that, how would I be able to face the hundred years of injustice my Yun Family had suffered?! How would I be able to face the hundred years of infamy which my guiltless grandfather had carried?!”
“Little Demon Empress, if you were in my position instead, would you be willing?!” Yun Che looked straight at Little Demon Empress, and questioned with narrow eyes.
Little Demon Empress was stunned, and was speechless for a long while. Not a single sound could be heard from within the imperial hall… At the moment when Yun Che shouted out his refusal to hand over the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress, everyone had thought that Yun Che was simply being utterly audacious. However, after hearing Yun Che’s questions one after another, all of them sank into silence… All of the sacrifices, punishments, and infamy, were carried by the Yun Family alone. Now that the Demon Emperor’s Seal was brought back by a child of the Yun Family, if it was immediately handed back just like that… How could he be willing to do so?! Who would be willing to do so?!
Would everything which the Yun Family had suffered from for a hundred years be all for nothing?!
They questioned themselves in their hearts. If they were in his place, it was definitely impossible for them to be content and willing… It was definitely impossible.
Chapter 579 - Kingship Bestowed Upon Xiao Yun
The Little Demon Empress remained silent for a while, then lightly sighed, “Regarding this matter, it’s indeed true that this empress had mistreated the Yun Family. From today onward, this empress will give your Yun Family, and the senior Demon King, a fair explanation.”
However, Yun Che shook his head, “Little Demon Empress, although you’re the monarch of the Illusory Demon Realm, you’re still a female and it’s the first time you’ve assumed the position of the monarch. As such, you’re easily misled and forced by those with ulterior motives, resulting in trade-offs and compromises regarding some matters. You have never mistreated our Yun Family. The ones who had actually caused us to decline to such a miserable state, the ones who had utterly trashed the meaning of ‘loyalty, honesty, benevolence and righteousness’, the ones who really showed contempt to the authority of the Demon Emperor; I believe everyone present should have seen it clearly.”
Whoever Yun Che was speaking of, everyone present had indeed seen and heard clearly. The seven Patriarchs who stood not too far away from Yun Che had lost all of their usual pride and arrogance. All of their faces were ashen, and under the eyes of the masses, they felt as though they were criminals currently being judged. Feeling extremely unbearable, they continuously looked to Duke Huai to plead for help, but Duke Huai’s current expression was much worse than theirs. Facing Yun Che, he was now completely fearful and did not dare to speak arrogantly… Because even he was unable to handle it whenever Yun Che retaliated.
Yun Che’s words caused the glow in the Little Demon Empress’ eyes to stir slightly. Looking at Yun Che once again, she experienced a mysterious change and said, “This empress knows fully well the grievances and injustice your Yun Family has suffered all these years. The dissatisfaction and anger within your hearts is something this empress has felt as well. Sigh…” she sighed faintly and continued, “But, the Demon Emperor’s Seal is just too important for this empress. I hope you can hand it back to this empress. This empress assures you that from today onwards, as long as this empress still holds the throne, I would not allow the Yun Family to suffer one bit of bullying!!!”
The Little Demon Empress’ cold and ruthless personality was something well known by all. However, now, when facing the major matter regarding the Demon Emperor’s Seal, not only did she not become angry and forceful, her voice was calm and mild. She had even made such an huge promise to the Yun Family in front of everyone!
Everyone present was immensely moved. The members of the Yun Family were so agitated that their entire body trembled, wondering if they were dreaming.
This was a serious promise that the Little Demon Empress made to the Yun Family in front of the masses! Such words coming out undoubtedly meant that it was decided that the Yun Family would prosper once again in due time, and no one could stop them! Returning to the leader of the Twelve Families was imminent… no, their position would be higher than in the past!
However, thinking about what the Yun Family had suffered and sacrificed for the past century, no one actually thought that this was a gift that was too much in their favor… The Yun Family deserved such a promise… In all of Illusory Demon Realm, only the Yun Family had such a right.
Su Xiangnan stood up and said, “Given the Yun Family’s loyalty, righteousness, and merit, they deserve such kindness from Little Demon Empress.”
“Although we are also of the Guardian Families, my Under Heaven Family feels that only the Yun Family deserves such honor,” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven added on without hesitation.
Yun Qinghong gradually stood up, his heart a bundle of emotions. How would he not understand what such a promise the Little Demon Empress had made meant… Their Yun Family had shockingly won competition, following which the Yun Family’s and Yun Canghai’s name had been vindicated and the Demon Emperor’s Seal had been returned. Now, the masses had once again been acquainted with the Yun Family and the Yun Family had received a promise that was larger than heaven from the Little Demon Empress… Furthermore, even Duke Huai’s well thought-out scheme had been utterly destroyed…
All of this was because of Yun Che…
This feeling of satisfaction and pride as a father was far superior to the feeling of joy and agitation due to the promise the Little Demon Empress had made. Cupping his hands deeply towards the Little Demon Empress, he said, “Yun Family’s Patriarch Yun Qinghong represents the whole clan to thank Little Demon Empress for her kindness. We swear our allegiance to the Little Demon Empress and it will never waver, even in the face of death!”
“Hahahaha!” Old Man Mu laughed heartily and shouted towards Yun Che, “The Little Demon Empress personally made this promise, each word is like gold! The heavens are finally not blind. Good grandson, you can now hand the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
When he shouted the phrase “good grandson”, Old Man Mu’s face was radiantly glowing and filled with pride. At the same time, he couldn’t wait to remind everyone that this young man that caused such a stir was actually his, Mu Feiyan’s, own blood-related grandson.
Yun Che held up the Demon Emperor’s Seal but still did not immediately hand it to the Little Demon Empress, but instead calmly said, “To obtain such a promise from the Little Demon Empress to my Yun Family, Yun Che is grateful to the utmost. However, before I return the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress, Yun Che boldly asks for two minor requests.”
Little Demon Empress looked at him deeply, but not one bit angrily or impatiently, as she gradually nodded, “This empress has already said that you can ask for any request you want. Even though you are a child of the Yun Family, you’ve been brought up in the Profound Sky Continent and have never received one bit of kindness from this empress and the Illusory Demon Realm. However, you still went through all the trouble to bring the Demon Emperor’s Seal back here. To this empress, you’ve done a great favor to the Demon Emperor’s bloodline. Any requests that you may have would not be too much.”
From the Little Demon Empress’ words, anyone could tell that she had always held a deep sense of gratitude and guilt towards the Yun Family. Since the Little Demon Empress has already said this, Yun Che naturally would not be pretentious. He nodded slightly and turned around to face the Yun Family seats, “Xiao Yun, come over here.”
The agitated Xiao Yun was suddenly stunned. Stretching out his finger, he pointed to himself in shock and asked, “Ah? Me?”
Yun Qinghong said, “Xiao’er, your big brother is asking you to go over. Even though the fact that you’re not my birth child is already exposed, you do not need to be afraid because you have never owed or wronged anyone. Hold your head high, keep your chest out and go up.”
Yun Qinghong’s words quickly calmed down the stunned Xiao Yun. He inhaled deeply, nodded and said, “Mn, I understand… I will definitely not be an embarrassment to the family.”
Xiao Yun stood up, and under everyone’s gaze, he walked to Yun Che’s side. Yun Che nodded to him, held his arm, and told the Little Demon Empress, “This is my sworn brother, the foster son of my father —— Yun Xiao, but from today onwards, his name shall be Xiao Yun! The rumors within Illusory Demon Realm for the past ten-odd years were indeed true, he is indeed not the birth child of my parents and is also not a member of the Yun Family. This was something my parents have never denied before. I believe everyone present already knows his background… That’s right, he’s the child that was exchanged with me by my father’s sworn brother, my foster father, Uncle Xiao all those years ago within the Profound Sky Continent!”
More than ten years ago, rumors of Xiao Yun not being a member of the Yun Family had already spread. Many had also heard that he might have come from the Profound Sky Continent. Therefore, towards this revelation, people were not too surprised. However, they were shocked by the circumstances that caused this to happen. In order to ensure his brother that was being hunted had descendants, he had used his own child as an exchange… This was such a strong level of brotherhood!
To be able to make such a friend… undoubtedly made one’s life a fulfilling one.
“At that time, my parents were being chased by two Sacred Grounds from the Profound Sky Continent at the same time. Not only were they severely injured, their profound strengths had depleted, they were badly poisoned and they had to split their focus to protect the baby in their hands… The situation then was dire, and there was hardly any hope for escape. In order to protect me and to ensure that my parents had a descendant in the event they met with harm, Uncle Xiao secretly used his newborn child… which was Xiao Yun, and exchanged him with me… It was lucky that in the end, under Uncle Xiao’s guidance, my parents had eventually managed to escape, but I was left in the Profound Sky Continent and Xiao Yun came to Illusory Demon Realm.”
“This might have been fate. If it weren’t for the kindness Uncle Xiao showed at that time, I would have never been able to grow up in the Profound Sky Continent and would not get the lucky opportunity to reunite with my grandfather. I would also not have been able to bring his corpse and complete his dying wish. The Demon Emperor’s Seal might never have had the chance to return to the Illusory Demon Realm.”
“Therefore, the fact that the Demon Emperor’s Seal was able to return to Illusory Demon Realm today is ultimately thanks to Uncle Xiao’s family. Although Uncle Xiao’s family members are in the Profound Sky Continent, they are actually my Yun Family’s great benefactors. They are also the benefactors of the Illusory Demon Royal Family and even all of Illusory Demon Realm… Does Little Demon Empress agree with me about this?”
The Little Demon Empress looked at Xiao Yun for some time before slowly nodding, “This empress will naturally bear this kindness in mind.”
Yun Che’s voice deepened as he continued, “However, you all do not know that at that time, not long after my parents left, Uncle Xiao, the birth father of Xiao Yun, was found by the people from the Sacred Grounds and… died under their vicious hands! Xiao Yun’s mother also passed on because of her longing, and his grandmother had grew ill due to sadness and eventually passed on as well… Even I did not get the chance to see their faces properly.”
Xiao Yun, “…”
Yun Che’s words caused the Little Demon Empress and everyone else to be moved.
“To my Yun Family, to the Little Demon Empress and even to all of Illusory Demon Realm, Xiao Yun will always be a descendant of our benefactor! However, for all his time in Illusory Demon Realm, he had always suffered criticism, ridicule, insult, and bullying. Three months ago, on the first day I arrived in Demon Imperial City, I had even seen for myself that someone tried to kill him… What kind of logic is this?!”
Yun Che’s last sentence came out as a shout and everyone now looked at Xiao Yun in an entirely different light. No one could have imagined that behind his birth, there were actually so many secrets. The Demon Emperor’s Seal could only have been returned to Illusory Demon Realm today because of his parents. The great act of kindness their family had shown towards the Illusory Demon Realm was definitely no exaggeration. They had even lost their lives because of it, leaving Xiao Yun, their sole descendant, behind…
Although he held the title of Young Patriarch of the Yun Family, he had suffered all sorts of insults and bullying… This was such a major irony.
The glint in the Little Demon Empress’ eyes turned slightly, and she said, “Yun Che, is your first request for this empress to reward Xiao Yun? To express our deep gratitude to his family?”
“That’s right!” Yun Che said while looking her in the eye, “However, this is not a request but something that needs to be done upon the return of the Demon Emperor’s Seal.”
“Alright!” Little Demon Empress nodded without hesitation and looked at Xiao Yun, “Xiao Yun, the fact that the Demon Emperor’s Seal could return to the Illusory Demon Realm is undoubtedly thanks to your father! Therefore, he is this empress’ benefactor. However, since he has passed on, I have no chance to repay him. Being his descendant, you shall receive my gratitude in his place.”
“From today onward, this empress shall confer upon you the title of “King Xiao”. Your status is the same as all the dukes present here. You can also freely enjoy all of the royal family’s resources. You shall also be awarded with a king palace, five kilograms of purple jade, one Demon Emperor Profound Seal Sword, thirty servants, as well as thirty guards… Are you willing to receive all this?”
Hearing the Little Demon Empress’ words, Xiao Yun stared widely, mouth agape and took a long while before regaining his senses. Everyone within the Demon Imperial Hall was dumbfounded, and even Yun Che was deeply shocked.
The only reason Yun Che had called upon Xiao Yun was to seek justice for him, giving him a better status within Illusory Demon Realm so that he no longer had to face everyone’s insults and bullying. As for Little Demon Empress’ rewards, those would only be secondary… However, he completely did not expect that the Little Demon Empress’ “compensation” would be so earth-shattering…
She had actually bestowed kingship upon Xiao Yun!!!
However, Yun Che had understood immediately. “Compensation” was only one of the reasons the Little Demon Empress was treating Xiao Yun with such exaggerated kindness. Another reason was definitely because of the Yun Family! Although Xiao Yun was not part of the Yun Family bloodline, he had still grown up within the Yun Family for the past twenty-two years and could be considered half a Yun Family member! When Yun Canghai was initially bestowed kingship, the entire Yun Family basked in glory! Now, when Xiao Yun was bestowed kingship… the glory again went to the Yun Family!
Chapter 580 - Command!
Although the other rewards were also incredibly generous, compared to being bestowed kingship, they basically were not worth mentioning. Yun Che immediately tugged Xiao Yun and said, “Hurry and thank the Little Demon Empress…” then he lowered his voice and said, “You shouldn’t reject this.”
“Ah…” It was as though Xiao Yun had just woken up from a dream; he stuttered in panic, “Xiao Yun… thanks the Little Demon Empress… for your… your grace.”
“Very good, it couldn’t be better that you are willing to accept.” The Little Demon Empress nodded delightfully.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see that on the surface, the Little Demon Empress was heavily rewarding Xiao Yun, but in reality, she was actually helping the Yun Family. Helian Kuang’s face cramped up, until he finally lost his patience and said loudly, “Little Demon Empress, bestowing kingship is not a light matter, how can…”
“You can stop talking now!” the Little Demon Empress interrupted Helian Kuang with her ice-cold voice before he could even finish his sentence. She didn’t even look at Helian Kuang as she said coldly, “Didn’t you all keep yelling repeatedly that the matter concerning the Demon Emperor’s Seal is larger than the heavens, and because the Yun Family lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal, it wouldn’t be going overboard to even exterminate their entire family… If so, shouldn’t returning the Demon Emperor’s Seal be considered as a contribution larger than the heavens?! How is bestowing kingship and granting rewards unsuitable!”
“But…”
“What ‘but’?!” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was even colder and stricter. She scoffed, “Patriarch Helian, if you risked your life and went to the Profound Sky Continent to save my father back then, if you ruined and broke your family just to bring back the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and left your only son orphaned in this world, this empress would definitely bestow kingship upon your son and give him glory for life! Since you didn’t, then shut your mouth.”
Helian Kuang’s face immediately became burning red, and he couldn’t say another word. Those who were prepared to speak all swallowed their words, and at that moment, no one dared to make any objections.
The corner of Yun Che’s mouth raised slightly, and he smiled softly and said, “Yun Che thanks the Little Demon Empress for granting my wish… Also, may I ask the Little Demon Empress to give the Overlord Pellet to Xiao Yun as well? Currently, my profound strength is still low, and I am still far away from reaching the Tyrant Profound Realm. I won’t be needing the Overlord Pellet for a short while, but Xiao Yun has already been half-step from the Tyrant Profound Realm for a long time, and it couldn’t be more suitable than to grant him the Overlord Pellet.”
“Big Brother…” Xiao Yun turned over, and his whole face looked moved and grateful.
Everyone in the hall was stunned… the Overlord Pellet was something that even the Guardian Families saw as a precious item, and Yun Che just gave it away like that! What kind of a broad heart did he have?
The Little Demon Empress said, “It has already been decided that this Overlord Pellet is to be granted to you, and you naturally have the right to decide who should own it. If you are willing to give it to Xiao Yun, then you do as you wish.”
“Duke Baoqing, grant this Overlord Pellet to Xiao Yun now.”
Duke Baoqing stood up immediately and carried a black jade box towards Xiao Yun. As he moved forward, his eyes were stuck on the black jade box, and they were filled with strong envy that he couldn’t restrain, while many of the young people couldn’t stop from having to swallow their saliva. No one thought that this Overlord Pellet would ultimately belong to Yun Xiao, who had been seen as inconspicuous, and was nothing more than people’s gossip topic.
Compared to other people’s shock, one person’s joy could not be hidden… Number Seven Under Heaven. She yelled excitedly towards the family by her side, “Did you all hear that! Brother Yun was bestowed kingship… bestowed kingship! Waaaah! I knew… that Brother Yun is going to become the most amazing person ever!”
“Big Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother! You all kept looking down upon Brother Yun… but now Brother Yun has been bestowed kingship by the Little Demon Empress herself! He is a hundred times better than you all, what qualification do you all still have to look down upon him in the future!” Number Seven Under Heaven held her fists, blew her cheeks, and used her strongest rebuttal toward her elder brothers. Following after, her excitement cooled down, and she became dejected, as she mumbled to herself, “But, Brother Yun is really pitiful, his biological parents are already… already…”
“This guy, I can’t believe he had such a background.” Number Three Under Heaven scratched his chin, and said with a wry mouth, “Seventh Sister, don’t be so excited just yet. Now that this fellow’s identity is not like it used to be, in addition to the reversal of the Yun Family’s momentum, I’m afraid that there will be many Duke Palaces’ princesses going for him themselves. By then he wouldn’t even bother with you anymore.”
“You’re talking nonsense!” Number Seven Under Heaven strongly slapped Number Three Under Heaven, and said angrily, “Brother Yun is not someone like that. He will only like me for all his life. Hmph!”
“I can’t believe Yun Xiao’s past hid this kind of debt of gratitude, no wonder Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou treated him like their own all these years. Even though outsiders spoke a lot of rumors, they still love him and protected him a lot,” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven said with realization.
Unparalleled Under Heaven gave Number Seven Under Heaven a look, and said with a smile, “With someone like Yun Che in the future generation, and with the Little Demon Empress’ promise in front of everyone, the force of the Yun Family’s ascension will not be in question. Yun Xiao, who is being bestowed kingship now, has become the second king after the Demon King. Now, the question isn’t whether or not he is good enough for Seventh Treasure, but if Seventh Treasure is good enough for him, heheheheh.”
Unparalleled Under Heaven laughed in an incredibly mischievous manner. Greatest Ambition Under Heaven scoffed slightly, and didn’t speak.
When Xiao Yun received the black jade box holding the Overlord Pellet, his brain was still in a fog. Even after Duke Baoqing had stepped back and left, he was still stunned and couldn’t speak.
The Little Demon Empress said, “Xiao Yun, right now your profound strength is just half a step into the Tyrant Profound Realm. Taking this Overlord Pellet can help you make a breakthrough one day, and step into the realm of Overlords. The date of the ceremony of bestowing kingship will be picked and held after the Grand Ceremony. You can step down for now.”
“Yes…” Xiao Yun responded. He then raised his head, and asked suddenly, “May I ask… if I can give this Overlord Pellet to someone else?”
The Little Demon Empress said without any emotion, “Since it has been granted to you, whatever you want to do with it,: use it yourself, give it away, destroy it, throw it away, it’s all up to you.”
“Xiao Yun thanks the Little Demon Empress.” Xiao Yun’s expression seemed to be more relaxed and joyous. He carefully held the black jade box, and stepped away under the differently expressed gazes of everyone.
“Yun Che, are you satisfied like this?” The Little Demon Empress asked Yun Che.
“Of course I am satisfied. I thank Little Demon Empress for fulfilling my wish.” Yun Che sincerely nodded and said.
“If so, what is your second request?” The Little Demon Empress asked.
Yun Che expression became serious. He stood by Yun Canghai’s body, turned, and faced the seven patriarchs in the east wing who were unsettled… When he cast his sight towards them, the seven patriarchs’ hearts all tightened simultaneously. Before, they were continuously tossed around by Yun Che, and at this moment when they faced Yun Che’s suddenly darkened face, they almost became birds that were startled by the sight of an archer’s bow.
Without disappointing them, Yun Che raised his arm, pointed his finger straight at the seven of them, and said in a slow and determined voice, “Helian, Jiufang, Chiyang, Nangong, Xiao, Bai, and Lin… I want the Patriarchs of these seven families, at this hall today, in front of my grandfather’s body, with everyone under heaven watching… to kneel and repent to my grandfather… and swear to be loyal to the Little Demon Empress for their whole lives! Or else their descendants will be slaves and prostitutes for ten thousand generations!!”
The countless things that Yun Che had said today had already been extremely shocking, but when he spoke those words, it once again made everyone… especially the people from Demon Imperial City, heavily shocked. He pointed at the seven patriarchs, and every word was in an incredibly forceful commanding tone. Moreover, the ones he commanded… were the seven great Guardian Families’ patriarchs!
But referring to Yun Che’s actions and words from before, it wasn’t all too surprising to people that he would say something like this now. Everyone knew what the seven families did to the Yun Family and to Yun Canghai. They already confessed it themselves, so morally speaking, they should apologize and ask for forgiveness from Yun Canghai.
As for swearing loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, it was something even more unquestionable.
The seven patriarchs were all gritting their teeth inwardly, and they were extremely angry in their hearts. Everything Yun Che said and did, were enumerating their “heavy crimes”, stepping on their reputations, ripping off their disguises, ruthlessly reprimanding them as if they were stripped naked under everyone’s sight until they couldn’t rebut anymore, and there was no place for them to hide from their shame. They knew best about what they had been doing for these hundred years… but to make them kneel and repent to Yun Canghai in front of everyone, as the patriarchs of their respective Guardian Families, how could they be willing to do so!
Because this would be equal to their seven families bowing their heads to the Yun Family in front of everyone under heaven today!!
Helian Kuang’s face darkened, forced himself to laugh coldly and said, “Yun Che, as a little son from the the Yun Family, you do not have the qualifications to request us to do anything…”
“Patriarch Helian, you are mistaken!” Helian Kuang hadn’t finished talking, and he was interrupted by Yun Che unrestrainedly. He used an even stiffer and deeper voice than Helian Kuang and said, “I am not asking you, I am commanding you! Request? Heh, the dirty things that you all have done over these hundred years were without good intent to try to collapse our Yun Family, you all know clearly yourself. Who were the ones who degraded my grandfather’s honor? You all also know clearer than anyone else! You treat my Yun Family like this, and you still want my Yun Family to ‘ask’ you? Heh, my Yun Family’s people are not that cheap… it’s a command! Because this is what you owe our Yun Family, owe my grandfather!”
“Also!” Not waiting for them to speak, Yun Che had already raised up the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and roared deeply, “Don’t say that I don’t have the qualification to command you, because I have the Demon Emperor’s Seal in my hands now, and if you don’t obey today, I will never hand it to the Little Demon Empress!”
“Earlier, didn’t you call losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal a fault larger than the heavens, and that our Yun Family, who had lost the Demon Emperor’s Seal, had committed a sin so great that our whole family should be exterminated? You would crush all your bones if it were for the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and you could give up your own dignity and honor if it were for loyalty… and now, there is no need for you to risk dying to go to the Profound Sky Continent to retrieve the Demon Emperor’s Seal, no need for you to risk anything or use any resources. The only thing you need to do is the one thing that you should have done. Do the thing that the ones who have the littlest sense of honor should do to let the Demon Emperor’s Seal be returned into the hands of the Little Demon Empress, and let the whole Illusory Demon Realm be reborn… I think you seven great patriarchs of Guardian Families shouldn’t have any reason to reject, right? Unless all of the things you have said before, and the ‘loyalty’ and ‘honor’ from your mouths were just some meaningless fart!”
The faces of the seven patriarchs immediately became stiff and awful, like feces that were air-dried for several days. Not only did Yun Che want them to kneel before Yun Canghai and repent in front of everyone, he also completely sealed their way out… and what was used to seal their way out… were clearly the things that they said “righteously” when they were stating the Yun Family’s “sins” earlier.
Chapter 581 - Public Outrage
The seven Patriarchs’ faces all darkened, but even after some time, no one stepped forward, nor did anyone speak… They had been forced into such a state by Yun Che. If they knelt down in front of everyone and apologized, it would mean that they bowed down to the Yun Family. However, if they refused, they would have fallen into the trap that Yun Che had set and their reputations and even their Families’ reputations might crumble throughout Illusory Demon Realm. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place, and they all waited for someone to act. However, after some time had passed, not one person stepped forward, causing the entire scene to turn extremely awkward.
“Heheheh…” Yun Che looked at them and laughed mockingly, “So it’s true, my words have already been clear enough. Regarding the right and wrong in this matter, I think that I have stated it out clearly. Despite this, the seven Patriarchs of the Guardian Families are actually still indifferent! Everyone seated here is either a lord, hegemon, powerhouse or a star of the young generation, the pillars of the past, present and future. Demon Imperial City is the most crucial core of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. This Demon Empress Reign Ceremony is a valuable experience for all of you, as I believe that at this point, everyone has already clearly seen the true problems that lies within the core which is Demon Imperial City! All of you should be able to clearly differentiate the right from the wrong, the loyal from the traitorous, as well as who truly deserves the title of the ‘Guardian Family’ and who are the poison that needs to be eradicated!”
Yun Che’s words echoed loudly within the hall. His words were so straightforward that they were a thousand times sharper than knives. Such words, even the Little Demon Empress would not have put it so directly, as those he targeted were the seven strongest forces within Illusory Demon Realm and any one of them would be able shock Illusory Demon Realm, never mind all seven families.
If it were any other occasion, Yun Che would definitely not utter such words, as this was an extremely irrational action. However, right then and there, he shouted without regard. His voice was deafening, as though he wished that the entire populace in Illusory Demon Realm could hear him clearly.
Yun Che’s words caused numerous people to tremble in fear. Indeed, right now, everyone could already see things clearly. Even so, just how many people would dare give a reply in front of the power and influence of the seven great Guardian Families… However, just as Yun Che had finished speaking, an agitated and elderly voice rang from the back of the seats.
“Well said!”
This elderly voice that came from the back caused everyone to be shocked. The seven patriarchs’ gaze grew concentrated as they looked towards the source of the voice. And at this time, the elder who spoke flew forward and landed beside Yun Che.
The elder wore a simple gray robe, with both his hair and beard already snow-white. The signs of old age were carved all over his face, and even his back was slightly bent. Seeing this elder, a commotion broke out within the hall and many people called out his name in shock…
Among the heroes that were gathered within the Demon Imperial Hall, the hegemon of a region could only be considered average.
However, this elder could most definitely not!
Because he was the region lord of the biggest city in Illusory Demon Realm other than Demon Imperial City, —— Sky Demon Region’s Region Lord Qin Zheng. He was already a thousand four hundred years old, and in terms of seniority, he was even higher than the late Demon Emperor! When the late Demon Emperor ascended to the throne a thousand years ago, he was already the region chief of Sky Demon Region, and even now, he was still the region lord! Among everyone present, he was the only person to have served under three generations of Demon Emperors. In terms of seniority, no one in the Imperial Demon Hall could match him.
Qin Zheng’s temperament was famous for its righteousness. Serving as the region lord of Sky Demon Region for a thousand years, he was highly respected within the Sky Demon Region and even the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Even the late Demon Emperor treated him with great respect and naturally, the Little Demon Empress followed suit. He was one of the few people that existed outside of Demon Imperial City who had words that carried the same weight as those of someone from a Guardian Family.
However, Qin Zheng usually gave off the impression of someone who was calm and composed, and no one had expected his angry howl and step forward today.
“Region Lord Qin?” The Little Demon Empress looked at him in shock as she revealed her respect which she rarely showed.
Qin Zheng took a step forward, bowed respectfully and said, “I plead the Little Demon Empress to pardon this subject’s offense. However, as a subject of Illusory Demon Realm, this old subject has some things that he must do, as well as some things that he must say.”
When Qin Zheng had finished speaking, he suddenly turned around and knelt on one knee towards Yun Canghai’s body. He said in shame, “The old Qin Zheng is here specifically to ask the Demon King for forgiveness!”
Yun Che hurried forward, stretching a hand out to try to support him up, “Old senior, this is…”
Qin Zheng waved him off and remained kneeling, strongly refusing to stand up, “A century ago, a Guardian Family Patriarch personally traveled five thousand kilometers to seek this old one to talk about the Demon King’s sins, and wanted this old one to garner support from the entire Sky Demon Region to condemn the Demon King and force the Little Demon Empress to punish the Yun Family for their wrongdoings. Otherwise, the Illusory Demon Realm would be chaotic… The old one has lived in vain for more than a thousand years and was actually easily blinded and scolded the Demon King for an entire century. Not only had I destroyed the prestigious name of the Demon King within the Sky Demon Region, I nearly turned him into a sinner that destroyed Illusory Demon Realm…”
“This old one has failed the Demon King, failed the late Demon Emperor and Little Demon Empress, failed the Yun Family, failed Sky Demon Region, failed everyone in the world!!”
Qin Zheng’s words were unaffectedly filled with sorrow and regret. Every word he said was filled with deep emotion and everyone that heard them felt their hearts trembling. When he finished, his aged eyes were already glinting with tears.
Yun Che lowered himself and replied in gratitude, “Old senior, you don’t have to blame yourself. After all, you did not know the complete truth then and were deluded by some villains…”
“No!” Qin Zheng shook his head, “A mistake is a mistake. Even if this old one were to kneel to the spirit of the Demon King for ten years, it would definitely be what is deserved.” He looked towards Yun Che and cupped his hands together and seriously bowed, “Child, this old one really needs to thank you. If it were not for you allowing this old one to see the truth, providing this old one with the chance to repent my sins, when I pass on, how would I even have the face to meet the Demon King, how would I even have the face to meet the Demon Emperor?!”
Yun Che hurriedly held onto Qin Zheng’s arm and said, “Old senior, you mustn’t do this. I am just a small junior and am not deserving of your great courtesy. Not only is senior righteous, you are as broad-minded as the ocean. Even if you had been wrong for a hundred years, I believe you did not mean any harm. The Demon Emperor and Grandfather in heaven would definitely not blame you one bit.”
Qin Zheng looked at Yun Che and nodded joyfully, “You are undoubtedly the Demon King’s grandson. This old one has seen many young and talents throughout life, yet, not one of them is comparable to you. Honestly speaking, this old one has been worried about the future of Illusory Demon Realm for the past century. However, now that the Demon Emperor’s Seal has been returned, and a junior that has even impressed this old one has appeared in Illusory Demon Realm, even if I were to pass on now, I would definitely rest assured.”
Yun Che shook his head and said, “This junior does not deserve such praise from senior…”
“No, you do deserve it.”
A thunderous voice came from midair and a burly man with a black beard landed beside Qin Zheng. He directly knelt down with one knee towards the body of Yun Canghai, “South Sun City Lord Lei Yunjian is here specifically to seek the Demon King’s forgiveness! I have firmly believed that I have never done anything wrong, but today, I found out that for the past century, I, Lei Yunjian, had been blind and am worse than a beast!!”
Just as Yun Che was about to speak, numerous figures appeared in midair at the same time and landed near Yun Canghai’s corpse, and all of them knelt down towards him…
“South Border Commander Zhao Zhenzhi is here to seek the Demon King’s forgiveness…”
“Yellow Wind Region Lord Ouyang Xian is here to seek senior Demon King’s forgiveness… Thinking back to my actions and words for the past hundred years, I deserve to die in shame…”
“North River Region Lord Dan Haokong has failed the Demon King… has failed the late Demon Emperor… For the past hundred years, I have been blinded in both my eyes and my heart!”
“…”
Ever since Sky Demon Region Lord Qin Zheng had moved, more and more people left their seats and knelt down in front of Yun Canghai, repenting their mistakes in front of his body. From one to tens to hundreds to thousands and finally ten thousand…
Within less than fifteen minutes, the previously filled seats of the Demon Imperial Hall were now nearly empty. The area designated by the Little Demon Empress as the battle arena was now filled by waves and waves of people, all in front Yun Canghai’s body, kneeling down on one knee…
Nobody had expected to see such a scene.
For the past century, the loyal and courageous Demon King who even gave up his life for Illusory Demon Realm had been treated as a sinner who had committed a heinous crime. Countless people had criticized, insulted, and even spread the bad rumors through their own regions… Now that the truth had been revealed, and seeing the Demon King’s body, anyone who knew shame and had even a little conscience would feel greatly ashamed of themselves.
But in front of the seven families who had clearly come out as the enemies of the Yun Family, who would dare step out in front of everyone and repent in front of Demon King’s body even if they were ashamed? However, when Qin Zheng became the first person to step out, the situation changed drastically. More and more people came forward, and towards the end, those who did not step forward to admit their crimes had become strangers. Sitting down, they felt uncomfortable as though they were being criticized and looked down upon from everywhere… In the end, not only were there city lords, region lords, and commanders, even the hegemons of great forces were all kneeling in front of the Demon King’s body, repenting.
The situation was completely out of control. As Duke Huai stood there, his face became stiffer than a corpse’s and his body trembled continuously. Before the Demon Empress’ Reign Ceremony, he had thought that everything would be under his control. However, because of a certain Yun Che, nothing went according to his plans and it started becoming extremely unfavorable. Even in his dreams, he had not expected that things would develop in such a way… Being the hegemons of an area, they had a chance to become the voice that caused the entire Illusory Demon Realm to condemn the Demon King and the Yun Family, and they could similarly cause the entire Illusory Demon Realm to praise the Demon King and the Yun Family. Furthermore, due to the guilt of the past century, Yun Canghai and the Yun Family’s good name would be restored quickly and it might even rebound several times. At that time, the support the Yun Family gained from the public would be sufficient to allow them to stand firmly.
Tears welled up in the eyes of everyone in the Yun Family. Yun Qinghong stood up and slowly gestured, “ Yun Qinghong… thanks everyone.”
Qin Zheng looked up and said with a sense of loss, “We were only admitting our mistakes and repenting over the major sin we committed. Even if Patriarch Yun were to blame and chide us, it is undoubtedly justifiable, so why do you need to thank us? Instead…”
Qin Zheng suddenly turned around and looked towards the seven Patriarchs who were standing there. His gaze immediately turned cold, “Heliang Kuang, it was you who personally came to find this old one all those years ago and it was also you who made me use the entire Sky Demon Region to apply pressure on the Little Demon Empress! The one who greatly incited the public’s opinion within Sky Demon Region was also your Helian Family! At that time, this old one had naively believed that your Helian Family had only wanted to punish the Yun Family to quell the public’s outrage and was only doing so with the big picture of Illusory Demon Realm in mind. However, from what I have learned today, all of this was obviously for your personal gain. You only wanted to slander the Yun Family and Demon King!”
“Now that the truth is out and the Demon King’s body lays here, your Helian Family are obviously the ones that needs to apologize to Demon King the most… Why are you still standing there indifferently?!”
“And the rest of you… You seven Patriarchs have already personally admitted that you’ve worked together and spread false rumors about the Demon King within Illusory Demon Realm a hundred years ago, which led to the Demon King being scolded by the masses. You all have caused a generation of heroes to be lowered to being grave sinners for an entire century. Why is it that when facing the Demon King’s body, you are all unwilling to admit your mistakes and repent! Even though all of us have made mistakes too, we knew how to admit our mistakes and repent. Is it that your prestigious Guardian Families do not have the demeanor to do so?!”
“You Guardian Families have power that is as vast as the sky and no one dares to offend you. However, today, if you do not apologize to Demon King, not only would this old one look down on you, I would clearly inform the entire Sky Demon Region how you all act! This old one is already half a step into his grave, I’m not afraid of your revenge!”
Qin Zheng’s words that were deafening and filled with rage were targeted straight at Helian Kuang and the six other Patriarchs. When he finished speaking, an elder beside Qin Zheng shouted as well, “This old man agrees with what Region Lord Qin has said! If you all do not apologize to the Demon King, it would be shaming your family’s ten-thousand year-old prestigious name!!!”
Chapter 582 - Cornered
“Yes! You seven families need to apologize to your senior, the Demon King!”
“Even Region Lord Qin, this venerated senior, has taken the initiative to step forward and apologize before all those present. So as the main perpetrators, in addition to the matter concerning the Demon Emperor’s Seal… what reason do you have to refuse?! Aren’t you afraid of becoming the laughingstocks of the realm?!”
“Patriarch Chiyang, back in the day, your Chiyang Family sent people to our Southern Sea Region to proclaim the sins of the Demon King… But now that the truth is out, it would not be seen as excessive if your entire clan were to kneel in front of the Yun Family and apologize. Could it be that right now, you are not even willing to acknowledge your mistakes to the remains of the Demon King?”
“Do you not feel the least bit ashamed or guilty when you are faced with the corpse of the Demon King?! If that is truly so, even though all of you are part of the Guardian Families, we will still look down on you!”
Not a single person who was able to gain admittance into this Demon Imperial Hall was a fool. What they had seen and heard today were two clearly divided factions, Duke Huai, who was deliberately trying to provoke dissent, and the exaggerated arrogance of the seven Patriarchs and their suffocatingly obvious allegiance to him. Furthermore, all of this was painstakingly exposed by Yun Che, piece by piece, so how was it possible that the crowd would not smell anything fishy by now?
The thing that stood out the most was that… the seven families had ganged up to fiercely oppose the Yun Family. This was coupled with the fact that the same seven families had also instigated and pushed for the Demon King and the Yun Family to be found guilty. It was definitely premeditated and it might even hide some kind of scheme that they did not dare think too deeply about.
Under the driving impetus of the seven families one hundred years ago, all the hegemons here became accomplices and chess pieces, even to the extent of becoming sinners who defiled the name loyalty and devotion. These hegemons had failed the descendants of the Demon King, so how could their hearts not be filled with anger and regret? However, the other party still consisted of the seven great Guardian Families, so they could not afford to offend them… But when someone raised his head, the rest corresponded as well, and the situation had naturally become completely different from before.
Qin Zheng’s words were just like a drop in the ocean, yet they generated a tsunami of waves. All the region lords, city lords, and hegemons stared at the seven families with undisguised outrage as they exchanged heated words with each other. For a period of time, the entire Demon Imperial Hall was filled with voices denouncing the seven families; the sound of this criticism grew more and more deafening and more and more ferocious.
The faces of all the seven Patriarchs twitched violently, a sheen of cold sweat appeared on their foreheads; their hearts felt like they were being weighed down by a thirty thousand kilogram boulder. Even if they were to be severely reprimanded and scolded by the Demon Emperor himself, they would not feel as much pressure as they were feeling now. If they were to pick any random person out of all of the people who were criticizing them right now, that person would have no choice but to bend his head to them. But if all the people whom they originally regarded as lesser mortals banded together, they represented the will of the entire Illusory Demon Realm and all the people in it!
“Duke Huai… What… What should we do right now?” The seven Patriarchs hurriedly sent sound transmissions to Duke Huai while each and every one of their bodies became matted with sweat. They were incomparably clear that given the current situation, making a single misstep today would cause the prestigious reputations that they had held for ten thousand years to drop like a rock. The situation was so severe that it was possible that they would be targeted by the entire Illusory Demon Realm if they made a mistake.
Duke Huai had practically ground two of his teeth into fragments. All these years of scheming had resulted in Duke Huai possessing a greater power base than that of the Little Demon Empress, but his movements had always been slow and restricted, mainly because the will of the people was something that he could only dream of having over the past few years.
Today’s Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, when all the heroes of the realm were gathered, was the excellent opportunity he had always been waiting for! He had genuinely staked all his ambitions on today, but who would have thought that before he could make a single move, Yun Che would smash his plan into the ground… But it did not stop here. In the instant that he was caught unawares, the will of the people had shifted to the Yun Family, and the seven Guardian Families that he had acquired at great expense had become the enemy of all those around them in the blink of an eye…
Regarding the Yun Family’s hundred years of vilification; not only were they unable to expel the Yun Family from the ranks of the Guardian Families, they had even evoked the guilt, remorse, and wrath of all the heroes of the realm. And not only did the hearts of the people, the one thing he wanted to grasp the most, not sway towards him, instead, they sided completely with the parties opposed to him.
His plan had just begun, but it had been completely ruined and even made him look extremely miserable and wretched. This was a result that he had not even dreamed would happen. He ground his teeth together and exclaimed in an incomparably deep voice, “What else can we do?! Hurry up and apologize to that corpse… or are you waiting to drown to death under the curses of everyone under heaven?!!”
Now that things have come this far, apologizing to Yun Canghai’s corpse was something they had to do no matter what. If not, the consequences would be so severe that even as a Guardian Family, they might not be able to bear it. So at this moment, the seven Patriarchs simultaneously gnashed their teeth and made their way through the multitudinous crowd as they flew towards Yun Canghai’s body… after which, they knelt down with incomparable difficulty.
The Demon Imperial Hall fell into a hush and the gazes of all the people were concentrated on the figures of these seven people. For Helian Kuang and his six compatriots, these gazes were akin to the looks given to criminals who were being judged, and it was extremely unbearable for them. The seven of them had never dreamed that they, as Patriarchs of Guardian Families, would actually fall into such a predicament one day.
Helian Kuang gnashed his teeth fiercely and after that, he gave a violent exhale, putting all his effort into portraying a calm and serene facade. He bent his head towards the body of Yun Canghai and declared, “Most revered Demon King, this junior was initially unable to see the forest for the trees, and in a moment of folly, this junior presumptuously thought that he was acting on behalf of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. But this junior would never have imagined that he would commit such a grave mistake instead, so this junior humbly seeks forgiveness from the most revered Demon King.”
Even though Helian Kuang had sought forgiveness, he had made his ‘sin’ sound extremely trivial. The words from his mouth muddled it to become something that was done for the sake of Illusory Demon Realm. Yun Che gave a cold, silent laugh but he did not speak. Chiyang Bailie, Jiufang Kui, Bai Yi, Nangong Yan, Xiao Xifeng and Lin Guiyan all followed suit and strode forward to seek forgiveness. The words that they shouted out were exactly the same as the words uttered by Helian Kuang.
When the seven Patriarchs had risen to their feet, their faces were so black that it looked like they had climbed out of the bottom of a pot. They shot glances at Yun Che through the corners of their eyes, as they all wished to tear him apart with their bare teeth.
Even though it was clear that the ‘admittance of guilt’ on the part of the seven Patriarchs lacked conviction, because they had bowed their heads towards the body of Yun Canghai for all to see despite their status as the Patriarchs of the Guardian Families, no one could utter any further condemnation against them. Yun Che silently looked at Yun Canghai’s peaceful corpse as a sour feeling invaded his calm heart… Grandfather, the rehabilitation of the Yun Family cannot be accredited to me. If not for the fact that you stubbornly defended the Demon Emperor’s Seal to your dying breath for a hundred years… if not for your loyalty and righteousness that is reflected by the sun and the moon, even though I have immense ability, I would still not be able to cause the Yun Family to gain the hearts of the people. It was Grandfather who used his own life to allow me to see the light of day again… yet what I can do for Grandfather is only this much… It is not even a fraction of the affection that Grandfather had showed to me.
“Haha, the seven Patriarchs have personally gone down on their knees to acknowledge their sin against the Demon King. Even though it was something that had to be done, it has clearly demonstrated the broadness of the hearts of these seven Patriarchs, as well as their noble bearing!” Duke Huai said as he stood up with a serene expression. He calmly praised the seven people who had clearly committed a grave mistake and who were blatantly despised by all those who were present here and his demeanor was like that of a person who was completely uninvolved in the current messy state of affairs. He looked towards Yun Che and said in a steady voice, “Yun Che, the seven Patriarchs have disregarded their own dignity and have gone down on their knees to acknowledge their sins against the Demon King. This has been in complete compliance of your wishes! So now, it is time for you to return the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
“It looks like Duke Huai’s memory is not that good!” Yun Che blandly said as he slanted his eyes, “I had said it before very clearly. If you want me to return the Demon Emperor’s Seal, these seven people must first kneel in repentance in front of my grandfather, and after they have done so, they still need to swear loyalty to the Little Demon Empress once more! I certainly did not see any of them swearing loyalty towards the Little Demon Empress!”
Duke Huai’s brows were pinched together as he declared in a low voice, “Yun Che, on the account that you are not only our junior but also the descendant of the Demon King, this duke and the seven Patriarchs have tried to be patient and accommodating with you in every possible way, so do not presume, lest you be too overbearing…”
Duke Huai and the seven Patriarchs were definitely being patient, accommodating and willing to compromise, but as long as one was not blind, you could tell that they were doing so under duress. It was only after Yun Che’s methodical coercion that they had no choice but to be accommodating and willing to compromise. In the eyes of everyone else, it was a small matter indeed to make the seven Patriarchs swear allegiance to the Little Demon Empress for all to see… Because as members of the Guardian Families, being loyal to the Little Demon Empress was their duty in the first place.
But Duke Huai was extremely aware of Yun Che’s true motive!
Yun Che wanted them to swear their loyalty once more… Furthermore the oath he wanted them to swear was the venomous oath, ‘If we were to rebel, then our descendants will be slaves and prostitutes for ten thousand generations’! If they swore such a venomous oath, it would undoubtedly pierce a poisoned needle through the heart of these seven Patriarchs, and if they continued to follow Duke Huai’s uprising, they would undoubtedly curse themselves and their descendents. And because all the heroes of the realm were present to bear witness, the entire Illusory Demon Realm would remember the venomous oath made by these seven Patriarchs.
This not only sickened the seven Patriarchs, it also sickened Duke Huai!
If the seven Patriarchs refused, then it undoubtedly announced to all the heroes of the realm that they had something to hide… At that point, it would not even have to be Yun Che, anybody who had a glib tongue could take the opportunity to smash an indestructible basin of shit on top of the heads of all the seven Patriarchs.
Yun Che’s move had put them in a position where if they advanced, it was sickening and if they retreated it was still sickening… It was even more malicious than the curse of a devil.
“I am being too overbearing?” Just as expected, the moment that Duke Huai opened his mouth, Yun Che’s counterstroke promptly followed, “May I venture to ask Duke Huai, in what way have I been too overbearing? As the Patriarchs who lead their respective Guardian Families, for them to swear loyalty to the Little Demon Empress is originally the only right and proper thing to do! They have been loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan for ten thousand years, and right now I am only asking them to swear an oath to reaffirm their loyalty! It is not only giving them an opportunity to once again express their loyalty to the Little Demon Empress, but it is also to allow the Demon Emperor’s Seal to return to its rightful owner. This is simply the most simple thing to do under heaven, it is not the least bit excessive or disagreeable!! So how can you say that I am being too overbearing?”
Duke Huai’s chest rose and fell violently. He was aware that Yun Che was going to say such a thing and he was also aware that in front of all the heroes of the realm, he could not refute a single word that he had said… The Guardian Families’ existence revolved around their loyalty to the Demon Emperor’s clan; this was common knowledge for all the people within the Illusory Demon Realm. If any of the Guardian Families betrayed the Demon Emperor’s clan, they would undoubtedly earn the condemnation and enmity of the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Duke Huai’s mind whirled and he reluctantly said, “All the Guardian Families have been loyal to the Demon Emperor for a whole ten thousand years and the whole world knows that none of them have wavered! Yet you would force these seven Patriarchs to swear such a venomous oath! It is evident that you are slighting them and calling their loyalty into question! Hmph, all the so-called oaths that are sworn in this world will forever only be empty words. If they were truly perfidious, even if the oath they swore was one hundred times more venomous, what effect would it have?!”
“Duke Huai has indeed hit the nail on the head!” Yun Che said as he nodded his head and gave a dry laugh, “Since this venomous oath is only a string of empty words, then if just casually shouting out these empty words would not only profess one’s loyalty, but also cause the Demon Emperor’s Seal to return to the hands of the Little Demon Empress, I think that not a single person would have reason to reject, am I wrong? So why did Duke Huai just accuse me of being too overbearing then?”
“…” Duke Huai was left completely speechless.
“Hah…” Yun Che gave a cold laugh, “If I requested for them to represent their entire clan when they swore this oath, it would indeed have been rather forceful. After all, even though they are the Patriarchs of their families, they would be unable to represent and decide the will of every person within their clan. However, my request was merely that they themselves swore that oath! If these seven Patriarchs were truly loyal to the Little Demon Empress, even if this oath was ten thousand times more venomous, they would still remain calm and not a hint of hesitation or alarm would creep into their hearts! Instead, they would cheerfully use this as a pretext to express their undying loyalty towards the Little Demon Empress in front of all the heroes of the realm!”
“If even this simple request causes conflict and bewilderment… Hah, then isn’t it telling all of us present that you have something to hide?! Because if you swear such an oath, you would actually be cursing yourself!!”
“Not only that!” Without waiting for Duke Huai or the seven Patriarchs to respond, Yun Che suddenly extended his hand and pointed his finger towards Duke Huai as he said with tightly furrowed eyebrows, “Duke Huai, I simply cannot understand why you would speak out against this. An act which is not only mind-numbingly simple but also beneficial towards the Illusory Demon Royal Family. As an Illusory Demon Royal Duke, you should be rejoicing in such an act. Yet you keep speaking out against it, could it be that Duke Huai, you…”
Yun Che’s word stopped right there, but anyone who heard it would understand the meaning of his words. After a short pause, Yun Che’s expression and tone changed and he said, “Duke Huai, I may only be a lowly junior but there is something that I need to warn Duke Huai about… In Illusory Demon Realm, if anyone betrays the Demon Emperor, even if it is a member of the Guardian Families, he would at most be despised by all. But Duke Huai, you… and all of the members of the Royal Family who are present, if you have harbor any rebellious thoughts in your heart, even the heavens would not be able to overlook it!”
The expressions of all the members of the Royal Family seated in the east wing turned ashen, and Duke Zhong exclaimed in a deep voice, “Yun Che… what do you mean when you say such a thing?!”
“Duke Zhong, is it truly so hard to understand?!” Yun Che’s eyes narrowed slightly and he replied in an incomparably solemn tone, “Everyone here knows that in the beginning, the first Demon Emperor conquered the whole Illusory Demon Realm and brought it out of an era of endless chaos and ushered in an era of peace and calm that has lasted for ten thousand years! In the beginning, the ones who accompanied the first Demon Emperor though all his battles as he united the Illusory Demon Realm were the Twelve Guardian Families! Ten thousand years ago, the Twelve Guardian Families were the arms of the original Demon Emperor. In the ten thousand years that have passed, they have always been the protective walls surrounding the Demon Emperor. So it could indeed be said that they have covered themselves in glory. The position and prestige that the Twelve Guardian Families have today is indeed something that they deserve.”
“But all of you members of the Royal Family, it is only because you have inherited a portion of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline that you have been treated as the highest nobility since your birth. Possessing the grandest positions, having access to the best resources, and living in a lap of luxury that the common man would never hope to enjoy even once in his lifetime. Furthermore, none of you needed to contribute anything, and neither did you leave behind any legacy of blood and glory on the field of battle! All that you have is due to the fact that you have inherited the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan! Therefore, all that you have is due to the favor of the Demon Emperor’s clan!!
“You can enjoy all of this with a clear conscience, but none of you must ever forget who was the one that gave this to you! Furthermore, there cannot even be the slightest hint of treachery in your hearts. If not, you will simply be ungrateful and treacherous as you try to bite that hand that fed you! Even the heavens and earth will not be able to tolerate your actions!”
“Right now, the Demon Emperor’s clan is going through the greatest crisis it has faced in the last ten thousand years. The previous Demon Emperor has died, the Little Demon Emperor has died and now only the Little Demon Empress is left to prop up everything by herself… But because she is a woman, she was ceaselessly questioned. All of you who belong to the Illusory Demon Royal Family have enjoyed ten thousand years of favor from the line of the Demon Emperor, and now when the line of the Demon Emperor has sunk into an unprecedented predicament, isn’t it the best time for your to repay the line of the Demon Emperor?!”
“If at this time, any member of the Royal Family harbors treachery in his heart instead of committing his all to protect and assist the Little Demon Empress, then they truly have no conscience left in their hearts and they are even lower than dogs and pigs! Ugly and shameless wretches who will surely be struck by heavenly lightning!”
Chapter 583 - Suspension of Ceremony
“…” Duke Huai’s lips turned purple as both of his hands quivered slightly. His chest nearly burst open. This was the most malicious insult he had received in his entire lifetime, and what was even more painful than suffering this insult was the fact that he couldn’t even retort.
On the surface, it was a “reminder”, but in reality, it was a direct slap to Duke Huai, and a resounding slap of abuse to the faces of the east wing’s Duke Palaces, causing all the dukes and families on the west wing to become dumbstruck. As for those dukes in the east wing, every one of their faces was uglier than the next… and in this kind of situation, some Duke Palaces had even begun to regret attaching themselves to Duke Huai.
Not only were Yun Che’s words a huge scolding, they were also a set of incomparably heavy shackles, looping over their disloyal ducal bodies and causing them to feel so unwell to the point that they wished to die.
“Duke Huai, and all you various dukes, is there anything wrong with what I, Yun Che, said? If there’s anything wrong, please, point out my error.” Yun Che said in an extremely slow manner as his gaze swept the east wing.
Duke Huai, Duke Zhong… and all the most imposing dukes of the east wing were in absolute silence; not a single one of them spoke out to retort or berate. At this time, their current state of mind was as though they had been fed feces; not only could they not spit it out, they also could not resist, and had to unanimously nod and admit that it was right for them to be fed feces…
The Little Demon Empress had been silently watching Yun Che since the very start, with a complicated expression of confusion apparent in her eyes. In this Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, she was originally prepared to answer everything, but she didn’t expect that everything that she originally believed would happen did not occur. This grand ceremony had become Yun Che’s one man show. Even Duke Huai, who the Guardian Families were powerless against, who she herself would describe as “scary”, had been soundly defeated by the Yun Che who had “come out of nowhere”, while also cause seven world-shaking Guardian Families to nearly become fools.
Beneath her gaze, Yun Che suddenly turned around and faced her, then raised the Demon Emperor’s Seal in his hands once more, saying, “Little Demon Empress, please excuse Yun Che’s previous stubbornness. Yun Che shall now return this Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.”
After he finished speaking, he slowly advanced and offered the Demon Emperor’s Seal to the Little Demon Empress.
The two’s gazes were relatively close, and the image of a naked young girl’s jade body within the water that night surfaced in Yun Che’s mind unconsciously. A strange expression immediately flashed through the depths of his eyes, and even the corners of his mouth twitched afterwards. The Little Demon Empress’ razor-sharp eyes caught that trace of lewdness in his eyes, and an ice-cold killing intent instantly appeared in hers, causing Yun Che to nearly shiver in coldness. She didn’t immediately take the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and instead asked calmly, “You’re not going to continue pursuing the request you put forth just a moment ago?”
“No need.” Yun Che shook his head and continued, “The Demon Emperor’s Seal is originally an object belonging to the Demon Emperor’s clan; returning something to its rightful owner is just something you do. It was just that this Demon Emperor’s Seal bore proof of my grandfather’s loyalty and life. What my grandfather paid in addition to how he had been treated just made me unable to let go so easily, so earlier, I used the help of the Demon Emperor’s Seal to make the seven Patriarchs apologize to my grandfather and at the same time, remind a few people to never forget their duty and never lose their sense of morality… As a descendant of the Demon King, I don’t want to see the thing my grandfather used his life to defend be met with the conspiracy of some wicked people!”
“Since I’ve already reminded these people, it’s already enough. Otherwise, if there were people who hesitated and were unwilling to pledge loyalty after the end of this ceremony, wouldn’t it disgust the Little Demon Empress and the entire world who is loyal to the Demon Empress?” Yun Che casually said a few words, but they were no doubt several knife stabs toward “some people”.
The Little Demon Empress extended her hand and gently took the Demon Emperor’s Seal with a tranquil face, her movements ever so careful and light as she clasped it in her hands. However, the Yun Che who was close to her still saw a slight turmoil in her eyes.
Since she was the only surviving member of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, no one truly understood what losing the Demon Emperor’s Seal meant to her, and no one knew how her heart throbbed at the moment. After sensing the burning temperature and pure Golden Crow aura of the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she closed her eyes softly and then turned around, walking back to the imperial throne.
In front of the throne, the Little Demon Empress turned around, hands grasping the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Her white slender fingers and smooth wrists looked as beautiful as the world’s purest jade stone within the shine of the Demon Emperor Seal’s clear firelight… However, in the entire Demon Imperial Hall, only Yun Che would be the one to have the thought to admire the Little Demon Empress’ hands.
“The Demon Emperor’s Seal that has been lost for a century has finally returned. This is a hugely fortuitous event, largely accredited to the Yun Family, and no one can deny that! With regards to the Yun Family’s huge service, this empress will reward them greatly. As for the injustice the Yun Family had bore within these hundred years, this empress will also give them a proper compensation! As for all the rights and wrongs buried within this… this empress will also definitely investigate this thoroughly!”
The Little Demon Empress’ gaze swept the great hall and the expressions of all those who had come in contact with it became sluggish; even their breathing had instantly stilled. With a shift of her arm, the Demon Emperor’s Seal disappeared within her hands, and she said, “This empress had previously made an oath in front of my royal father’s memorial tablet that I would use any and all means to retrieve the Demon Emperor’s Seal, and that once I retrieved it, I would hold a memorial service for the late emperor. This empress cannot violate the oath I promised to my royal father. This reign ceremony will be suspended for today. Everyone, please return to your residences, the ceremony will continue in three days!”
“Ah? This…” The Little Demon Empress’ sudden declaration to temporarily stop the ceremony caught everyone off guard, but it still seemed to be within reason. It seemed quite reasonable and fair that the Little Demon Empress immediately wanted to hold a memorial service to inform the late Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor that such an important item like the Demon Emperor’s Seal had returned. Moreover, the Little Demon Empress also needed time to digest and think about how to respond to everything that had happened today.
“For the time being, the Demon King’s remains shall be with the Yun Family. Once we’ve selected an auspicious date, we will hold a burial ceremony using the highest standard of the royal family. Furthermore, when the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will open again in fifteen days. At that time, the Yun Family will also be permitted to choose thirty people to enter. I’d assume the other families and duke palaces have already made preparations; the Yun Family must also make their preparations as soon as possible within these fifteen days. During these three days, this empress needs to meditate to pay homage to my royal father. No one is allowed to disturb me, even if it is the greatest of all matters!”
“Everyone may disperse. We’ll discuss these matters in three days!”
After the Little Demon Empress finished, she didn’t wait for anyone to respond before she enveloped her entire body in flames with a wave of her long, dark grey sleeve. When the flames totally scattered, her silhouette had already disappeared in place.
The Little Demon Empress’ clean, abrupt departure left everyone staring at one another, not knowing what to do. Yun Che was also stunned… He had already set up the prelude perfectly. The Demon Emperor’s Seal would thereby give the Little Demon Empress power when in her hands. She could now easily suppress the public disruption Duke Huai’s faction caused, and at least not allow them to blindly act with gusto for the time being. However, once she obtained the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she had actually chosen to suspend the Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, and even left so bluntly… just to pay homage to the late Demon Emperor.
With the Little Demon Empress’ disposition, this kind of action shouldn’t have been plausible.
Once the Little Demon Empress left, the great hall immediately broke into discussion. Yun Qinghong stood up and looked at his father’s body at the center of the hall with a sorrowful heart, “Everyone, let’s go… we should bring my father back home.”
Yun Qinghong’s soft sentence caused every elder to lose all control. As if they had gone mad, they charged to the heart of the great hall and fell down in front of Yun Canghai’s body one after the other.
“Patriarch!!”
“Oh, Patriarch!!”
Considering their endless emotions, how could they even bother to take care of their appearances and prestige? They shouted in sorrow and wailed… no longer able to control their bawling. It could be said that they had experienced the fiercest joy and sadness of their entire lives today. Thinking back to when they received the news of his death a hundred years ago and everything the Yun Family had suffered since then, even if they possessed the strongest willpower, they were unable to keep their emotions from rioting.
“Yun Duanshui… pays respect to the Young Patriarch!” Second Elder Yun Duanshui bowed deeply at Yun Che, his face revealing agitation and respect which he only revealed when facing Yun Qinghong and Yun Canghai, “Previously, we did not know that the Young Patriarch had returned and showed negligence and disrespect. Our actions were truly punishable by death.”
“What is Second Elder saying…”
Just as Yun Che was about to go forward to support Yun Duanshui up; he had already been surrounded by the Yun family elders and disciples who paid their respects in unison, “We pay our respects to Young Patriarch!”
Today, Yun Che had reversed the ominous fate that was originally destined for the Yun Family and also helped eradicate an incoming storm. Everyone among the people that were in the Demon Imperial Hall today was so shocked that they thought he was a deity, especially the Yun Family members. Although he was only in his twenties and had only returned to the Yun Family for three short months, everyone was paying their respects willingly and were completely convinced. A few elders and disciples who had treated him with disrespect usually were now filled with fright.
“You’re indeed the Demon King’s grandson, the son of the Yun Family Patriarch. Although this old one has lived for a thousand years, he has finally seen what a truly outstanding human is like today,” exclaimed Qin Zheng thoughtfully, standing by Yun Che’s side.
“Region Lord Qin is too kind.” Yun Qinghong bowed respectfully, “This junior thanks Region Lord Qin for your righteous speech. Region Lord Qin does not need to worry. If the seven families dare to take revenge on you, I will not sit back idly.”
“Hoho, this old one is only trying to repay his sins. If Patriarch Yun does not blame me, I’ll be of utmost gratitude already. I definitely do not deserve your thanks.” Qin Zheng waved it off as he replied with a smile, “As for Patriarch Yun’s concerns, there’s no need. This old one will probably enter his grave in a few more decades. There’s no need for them to do anything against this old one.”
“Congratulations to Patriarch Yun for reuniting with your beloved child… With such an heir, the Yun Family’s return to former glory is only a matter of time.” A region lord came forward to congratulate Yun Qinghong.
“I disagree with Region Lord Yue’s words. Young Patriarch Yun is only twenty-two and he filled us all with admiration. With Patriarch Yun and Yun Che in the Yun Family, and given the Little Demon Empress’ high regard and promise, the Yun family would definitely grow beyond its former glory, hahahaha!”
“Brother Lin’s words are true! Patriarch Yun, congratulations!”
The various heroes all congratulated Yun Qinghong in succession because all of them had realized that the Yun Family was now abruptly making a meteoric rise. Yun Xiao had been bestowed kingship; the Yun Family received Little Demon Empress’ promise; Yun Qinghong’s severely injured body miraculously recovered. Their lost glory was about to be restored and it would greatly increase as well… More importantly, the Yun Family had gained a Young Patriarch which had caused all of them to be in awe.
It would be difficult even if the Yun Family did not want to be back on the rise.
Even though the Yun Family’s strength was currently the weakest among the Twelve Families, at this point in time, no one dared to imagine how much the Yun Family would grow in the near future.
The Yun Family was being swarmed by all the heroes of the land, and behind them, many people were pushing frantically just to have a few words with Yun Qinghong and Yun Che. Duke Huai looked on coldly with a sullen look that seemed to have been permanently plastered on his face, causing him never be able to relax.
“Yun… Che…” Despite the grinding sound produced by his teeth, he had managed to utter out two words that were filled with hatred and coldness with much difficulty.
He had prepared and tolerated for so many years just for this one day!
But in an instant, it had all gone to waste.
He had only executed the first part of his plan… and yet with just this step, he had stumbled. Not only had he allowed Yun Che to gain all the limelight, but he had been disgraced shamefully and even had to pay a large amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystal.
“Duke Huai, what shall we… do now?” Duke Zhong walked over and asked softly. Looking at Yun Che, he was similarly grinding his teeth. They all knew fully well that today’s failure had only been because of Yun Che… just him alone.
“Tch…” Duke Huai gritted his teeth. As his chest rose, a breath of cool air seeped through his teeth, “Let’s go!”
Duke Huai turned his sullen face around. Ignoring everyone, he walked towards the exit of the hall rigidly. Seeing his actions, the seven Patriarchs who were initially distracted rose with the Duke Palaces and walked to the exit depressingly.
“I bid Duke Huai Palace and the seven Patriarchs farewell!”
Duke Huai had only taken a couple of steps when Yun Che’s loud voice had rang behind him. Yun Che stared at the back of Duke Huai’s figure, glanced at the seven Patriarchs, and laughed, “However, there is one matter of which I, Yun Che, need to remind you. Regarding the Purple Veined Divine Crystal you lost to my Yun Family, please deliver it to our Yun Family residence on time. The entire Illusory Demon Realm would probably know about this matter soon, so I think that the prestigious Duke Palaces and Guardian Families would not throw away their most basic trust and face in front of everyone just over a few kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal, right?”
Duke Huai’s footsteps paused and his body remained frozen for three breaths of time before he forcefully suppressed his urge to immediately kill Yun Che without any regards for anything else, and continued to silently walk out of the Demon Imperial Hall.
“Hmph!” Looking coldly at the figure of Duke Huai leaving, Yun Che snorted coldly. The killing intent Duke Huai had emanated previously was something that he had felt clearly.
“In just one day, you have offended so many people! Furthermore, they are the top powerhouses of Illusory Demon Realm.” Jasmine laughed coldly, “It sure suits your personality that seeks death no matter where you go.”
“This matter concerns my Grandfather’s honor and will. Even if I have to dig my own grave, it not something that can be avoided.” Yun Che sighed before continuing, relaxed, “However, compared to the danger I faced two years ago within the Primordial Profound Ark, this is nothing.”
When he finished speaking, Yun Che frowned and muttered to himself, “Just why did the Little Demon Empress halt the ceremony immediately after she received the Demon Emperor’s Seal…”
Chapter 584 - Yun Che’s Suspicions
As the Yun Family strode out of the Demon Imperial Hall, four elders personally carried Yun Canghai’s body with slow and careful steps. The rest of the Yun Family crowded around them as they escorted the body out of the hall, with every one of their expressions respectful and solemn. When they had entered the Demon Imperial Hall, they had drawn the attention of everyone in the hall, and now that they strode out of the hall, even though all eyes were still fixed on them, those gazes carried something different from before.
“Brother Yun, tomorrow evening, this Su will come along with Patriarch Yan to pay you a visit,” Su Xiangnan sent a sound transmission to Yun Qinghong.
Yun Qinghong gave a faint nod of acknowledgement in the direction of Su Xiangnan and Yan Zijing; he was well aware of what they wanted to discuss.
“Che’er, what are you thinking about?” Yun Qinghong slanted his head and looked at Yun Che while asking. After they had left the Demon Imperial Hall, Yun Che’s brows had been faintly furrowed and it was clear that he was pondering something.
Yun Che briefly raised his head and replied, “I am thinking about why the Little Demon Empress suddenly stopped the ceremony and why she left right after. If it were only for the reason that she wanted to use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to pay homage to the previous Demon Emperor… it simply does not make much sense.”
Yun Qinghong blandly laughed, “Even I feel a little astonished, but the Little Demon Empress is definitely someone who does not deal with things frivolously. If she does something, there is definitely a reason for it. But since she does not want to let other people know, we do not need to think too deeply.”
Yun Che slowly nodded his head, but after that he suddenly asked, “Father, I heard from Xiao Yun that it is a rule that the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will only be opened once every five years. But is this opening decided by the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley itself, or is it decided by the Demon Emperor’s clan?
“Of course it is the former,” Yun Qinghong said, “There is an enormous flame seal at the entrance of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. This flame seal was not set up by the Illusory Demon Royal Family, but by the Golden Crow Divine Spirit after the original Demon Emperor had obtained the legacy of the Golden Crow. No one can forcibly break this seal and this seal disappears by itself for twenty-four hours at a fixed time every five years. This is also the time when the Illusory Demon Royal Family and the Guardian Families enter to grow stronger. Twenty-four hours later, the seal would reappear once more, and at the same time, all of the people within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley would be expelled from within… unless of course someone had died within it.
“Ah, so that is the case.” Yun Che nodded his head, but a thought flitted through his mind so he continued to ask, “So that is to say that, until the seal dissolves by itself at that set time and date, there is no other way to enter the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley? Including those who possess the bloodline of the Demon Emperor?”
Yun Qinghong nodded his head once more, “Yes, the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is home to fire spirits, lightning spirits, and mysterious treasures of heaven and earth. Anyone who enters the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will receive relatively enormous rewards, but if one tried to unrestrainedly gather resources, that person would be harmed by the origin energy of fire and lightning. The reason behind the five years of sealing of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley after opening is to allow the fire spirits, lightning spirits, and mysterious treasures to regenerate. No matter who it is, they will not be allowed to enter during the period that it is sealed. At least in these hundred plus years that I have been alive, I have never heard of anyone being able to enter the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley when it has been sealed.”
“Ah…” Yun Che rubbed his jaw with one hand for a while and the suspicion that was nestled in his brain grew even heavier. Before, in the Demon Imperial Hall, all the people had witnessed his unyielding posture and also witnessed his power which had swept through all of the young heroes. He had even uninhibitedly lambasted Duke Huai’s faction in front of them. But only he knew the truth; from the moment he had entered Demon Imperial City, he had been cautious and on his toes every step of the way. Especially now, since he had thoroughly offended many of the great powers and individuals of high status and ability today, he had to be even more cautious from here on out. He would not dare to leave even a single blind spot or suspicion uncovered.
Despite pondering on this matter for a long period of time, he still could not make any headway, so he decided to give it a rest. He patted Xiao Yun on the shoulder and laughed heartily, “Xiao Yun, from today onwards you will be the impressive and awe-inspiring King Xiao! In the history of the entire Illusory Demon Realm, after our grandfather, you are only the second person to have ever been made king. How does that feel?”
Ever since Xiao Yun had stepped out of the Imperial Demon Hall, his footsteps had become light and erratic and until now, he still felt like he was in some kind of dream. After hearing Yun Che’s words, his feet came to a halt and he replied in a rather lost voice, “This, this… this is actually all due to Big Brother’s efforts, I… I’m kind of at a loss for what to do right now.”
“Haha,” Yun Che laughed and replied, “You don’t need to worry about this, once you have completed the ceremony of bestowing kingship, you will naturally know what you will need to do.” After that he lowered his voice to a whisper and whispered merrily, “And after you have been made a king, your status will be even higher than that of Seventh Sister’s father, so the matter between you and her should no longer encounter any obstacles.”
“Hehe,” Xiao Yun gave an awkward laugh but his expression immediately clammed up after, and he continued in a worried voice, “Big Brother, Duke Huai is an extremely terrifying person, and after today, he definitely hates you from the bottom of his heart. Furthermore, I am afraid that the Helian Family and the rest of the seven families will look for an opportunity to harm you…”
“Brother Yun!”
At this moment, the clear and light voice of a young girl rang out from behind. With a ‘whoosh’, Xiao Yun spun around and he immediately saw Number Seven Under Heaven, who was scampering over to his side. Behind her was the heroes of the Under Heaven Family gathered together, all of whom had differing expressions on their faces, along with the six brothers of the Under Heaven Family.
“Seventh Sister!” Xiao Yun called out while he excitedly and nervously stood in place. Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou also halted their steps, and they wore faint smiles on their faces as they looked at them.
“Brother Yun, you’ve become King Xiao now! You’re simply too awesome… Congratulations!” Number Seven Under Heaven practically skipped all the way over to Xiao Yun’s side with a face filled with elation and joy. If it was like before, with her father present, she wouldn’t even dare to give her salutations to Xiao Yun —— and before the opening of the grand ceremony, every time the Under Heaven Family had strode past the Yun Family seats, she was not even able to exchange a word with Xiao Yun. But now, with the reputation and the fate of the Yun Family undergoing a complete reversal, coupled with the fact that Xiao Yun’s origins had been exposed and he had been made King Xiao, the situation had naturally become completely different.
“Cough, cough!” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s face stiffened like a board. He shot Xiao Yun a ferocious glare and decided to directly ignore him, but he did not drag Number Seven Under Heaven away from him. Instead, he let his eyes linger on Yun Che for a long while, and then he declared in a deep, lamenting voice, “Brother Yun, this son of yours is simply incredible… he is stronger than all six of my sons put together.”
Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s words caused the the six brothers of the Under Heaven Family to grimace. Yun Qinghong gave a light laugh and replied, “Brother Under Heaven, do not say such things.”
The reply was short but it was not too self-effacing. Because the greatest source of pride in his life came from his own son, why would he be willing to use his own words to modestly deny such praise?
After seeing Yun Che today, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was deeply and sincerely moved. Before, he had vehemently opposed his own daughter courting the Young Patriarch of the Yun Family, Yun Xiao, and a small part of the reason was the feebleness of the Yun Family, but his main objection was the possibility that Xiao Yun had come from the Profound Sky Continent. Now, the real Young Patriarch of the Yun Family had returned, and when he looked at Yun Che, the idea that had filled his thoughts was actually this… If Seventh Treasure was able to marry this kid, even if she were a concubine, I would still be willing! Ahhhhh!
“Brother Yun, pardon me for asking, your injuries and your wife’s injuries were suddenly healed, may I ask just which expert did this? My elf clan has always prided itself on being extremely skilled in the healing arts, but we were helpless in the face of your injuries and we were always under the impression that no one under heaven could treat them. But seeing that you have made a full recovery today, I am simply too curious as to which person could actually have such transcendent skills.”
He used the words “transcendent skills” to describe the person who had helped the Yun Qinghong and his wife make a full recovery, and these words came from the Patriarch of the Under Heaven Family of all people. But those who knew the severity of the injuries suffered by Yun Qinghong and his wife knew that it was not in the least bit exaggerated to use those words.
If it were before the Demon Empress Reign Ceremony, no matter who asked, Yun Qinghong would keep it hidden. But at this time, he gave a faint smile instead and his eyes turned towards Yun Che and he said in a calm and proud voice, “To tell you the truth, the poison and injuries that had plagued Yurou and me for so long were treated by Che’er.”
Before this, they had no choice but to conceal this matter, because they did not want anyone to notice Yun Che. Now, Yun Che’s profile was so high that it could not be any higher, and he had also completely and utterly offended Duke Huai’s faction, so there was no meaning in further concealing any information. Instead, if he just openly spoke the truth, it would possibly bring benefit to Yun Che.
As expected, once Yun Qinghong’s spoke those words, Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s face showed unconcealable shock, and behind him, the jaws of the six brothers of the Under Heaven Family all gaped wide open; they were unable to close them for a good long while.
All of them were extremely clear on just how terrifying the poison that had invaded Yun Qinghong’s and Mu Yurou’s bodies was. If this were told to them by anyone else, they would all have refused to believe it. But these words had come straight from the horse’s mouth, so even if Greatest Ambition Under Heaven did not want to believe it, it was not possible… Once they thought back to all the information they had received lately, before Yun Qinghong made his recovery, he had not been in contact with other people, and the only change was that a foster son, Yun Che, had appeared by his side…
Greatest Ambition Under Heaven exhaled deeply, and it was only then that he could suppress the shock that had surged from the depths of his heart. He eyed his surroundings and did not pursue this matter any further, “Brother Yun, thank you for your honesty. But the walls have ears in this place, so we shouldn’t dally any longer. Even though Duke Huai suffered a complete and crushing defeat today, by no means will he back down. Now that Brother Yun has made a full recovery and the Demon Emperor’s Seal has been returned, the Little Demon Empress will have a much greater ability to stand against him… As for what will happen from today onwards, I will pay a visit to your house tomorrow so that we can further discuss things there.”
Yun Qinghong faintly nodded and did not speak any further.
“Seventh Treasure, let us be off.” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven glared at Xiao Yun and directly dragged Number Seven Under Heaven along as he prepared to leave.
“Ah! Seventh Sister!” All of a sudden, Xiao Yun remembered the most important thing and he hurriedly shouted after Number Seven Under Heaven to get her to stop. After that, he hurriedly rushed to her side and in his hand was a delicate white jade case… and once this white jade case had been taken out by him, it immediately attracted the gazes of all those around him. Because this was the white jade case bestowed upon him by the Little Demon Empress, and inside this case was the Overlord Pellet!!
“Seventh Sister, this is the Overlord Pellet that the Little Demon Empress bestowed upon me. I am giv… giving it to you.”
“Ah!” Number Seven Under Heaven’s eyes grew into saucers and with a light cry, she subconsciously covered her mouth with her hands. Behind her, her six brothers all wore incredulous expressions on their faces, and one could even see turmoil broiling about in Greatest Ambition Under Heaven’s eyes.
This was not some common medicinal pellet; this was the Overlord Pellet that was a mythological existence to the masses. The Overlord Pellet that even the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces would drool over and covet!!
After taking this Overlord Pellet, Xiao Yun would immediately become an Overlord and his progress would be rapid! He would truly become supreme amongst all of his peers… But he actually gave this Overlord Pellet to Number Seven Under Heaven, with no hesitation whatsoever!
Yun Che stood there silently nodding his head, his face filled with approval… Given the insight he had into Xiao Yun’s character over this period of time, this kind of action that would be regarded as world-shaking by other people was actually something that was not unusual at all when it came to Xiao Yun. Or else, why would the little princess of the Under Heaven Family still be so dead-set on him despite the vehement objections…
“You want to give this Overlord Pellet… to our Seventh Sister?” Number Five Under Heaven asked as he stretched his neck, his face filled with disbelief.
Xiao Yun’s origins had already been exposed for all to see, and he had become the benefactor of the Illusory Demon Royal Family. Furthermore, he had been made king by the Little Demon Empress and his current status was completely different from before. He was no longer considered as ill-matched with Number Seven Under Heaven, but now he was actually high above her. Despite all that, he was still willing to take the initiative and give away the extremely valuable Overlord Pellet to Number Seven Under Heaven. And this Overlord Pellet was so valuable that it would even cause division between father and son, brother and brother…
So right now, unless one was blind, anyone with eyes would be one hundred percent certain on whether Xiao Yun’s feelings towards Number Seven Under Heaven were real or fake, whether they were light or heavy.
“Mn, mn.” Xiao Yun immediately nodded his head, “Seventh Sister’s profound strength is right now at the very pinnacle of the Emperor Profound Realm, and this Overlord Pellet would be most suitable for her. Seventh Sister, once you eat this Overlord Pellet, you can became a true Overlord. Then, no one will be able to bully you anymore.”
Number Three Under Heaven’s jaw hit the ground and no words came out of his mouth for a while. The other Under Heaven brothers were no different. They asked themselves, if they had obtained this Overlord Pellet before they had become Overlords, they would definitely not be willing to hand it over to someone else, even if that person was their own brother. But the newly-crowned king Xiao Yun actually…
Number Seven Under Heaven alternated between being moved and elated. She was more convinced than anyone else that even if he had been made a king, he would still be her ‘Brother Yun’. She shook her head and pushed the white jade case aside, “Brother Yun, this is something the Little Demon Empress bestowed upon you, I don’t want it.”
“But, the Little Demon Empress said herself, once it has been bestowed, it has become my property and I can give it to whomever I please.” After seeing Number Seven Under Heaven reject his gift, Xiao Yun replied in a rather anxious tone, “Seventh Sister, right now it is the most suitable time for you to use it, I… I am going to breakthrough very soon anyways, so even if I use it, it will be a waste.”
“Hmph, I don’t believe you.” Number Seven Under Heaven pushed the white jade case aside once more and she smiled merrily as she replied, “Brother Yun, even though you are older than me in age, you are at the same profound realm that I am at, so it is clear that you are a teensy weensy bit lousier than I am. If anyone is gonna make a breakthrough first, it’s gonna be me! So you should just behave yourself and eat it! I forbid you from pushing it to me again.”
“But… But…”
The Overlord Pellet that others could not even obtain in their dreams was now being pushed back and forth by these two people. Yun Che took a step forward, grabbed the case which held the Overlord Pellet, and said, “Both of you, stop pushing it to each other for a moment. Since Xiao Yun wants to give this Overlord Pellet to Seventh Sister and Seventh Sister also wants Xiao Yun to use it for himself… then I have a suggestion. Hand the Overlord Pellet to me first. When I go back, I will divide it into two perfect halves, with the same amount of medicine in each half. If the both of you each eat one half, wouldn’t that settle everything?”
Translator Note: Hi ATG readers, this is Dnton here. I’m 10% cute.
Chapter 585 - Returning to the Mu Family
“Split it in two?” Everyone’s faces revealed shock and Number One Under Heaven said, “Brother Yun, you might not know this but this Overlord Pellet is not an ordinary pellet. Although its ingredients are easily obtainable, it is extremely difficult to produce. Trapping the medicinal properties within the Overlord Pellet is even more difficult. Normally, when the pill is formed, it is quickly and carefully consumed to prevent the medicinal properties from dissipating in case something happens to it. Splitting the pellet into two… Would likely destroy the Overlord Pellet.”
The others also had a look of deep thought. However, Yun Che replied with certainty, “Brother Under Heaven does not have to worry. I have some mastery with regards to refining medicinal pellets and have absolute confidence that nothing would happen to this Overlord Pellet, nor would its medicinal properties dissipate one bit.”
Xiao Yun had long since possessed blind confidence in Yun Che and after what happened today, his blind confidence in Yun Che had only soared higher. He immediately nodded and replied, “If Big Brother says he can do it, it’s definitely not a problem. If I can share the pill with Seventh Sister, it would be the best… Big Brother, I’ll have to trouble you then.”
As he spoke, Xiao Yun handed over the white jade box to Yun Che.
For Yun Che to suggest such a thing, he must have his reason. After receiving the Overlord Pellet, he immediately kept it.
His confident demeanor caused the members of the Under Heaven Family to be immensely shocked; thinking of how he completely cured Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou in the short span of a few months, and thinking about his earth-shattering performance today, it seemed that anything extraordinary that happened around him was actually not that exaggerated. Number Seven Under Heaven’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Yun Che and said, “I believe that since Big Brother Yun dared to say it, he can definitely do it. Big Brother Yun, this young sister is full of admiration for you now. Next time, do tell me some stories about yourself, okay?”
Yun Che laughed heartily, “No problem. After you and my brother Xiao Yun tie the knot, we will be one family. At that time, there’s no reason why I wouldn’t agree to such a small request.”
His words were obviously targeted at Greatest Ambition Under Heaven, but when Number Seven Under Heaven heard it, she was elated and replied with a smile, “Big Brother Yun, this is something you personally said; it’s a promise!”
“Cough cough!” Greatest Ambition Under Heaven was suddenly embarrassed as he pulled Number Seven Under Heaven over, “You’re a girl… Is this appropriate… Cough, Brother Yun, we shall take our leave. On the day of the Demon King’s burial, do inform us…”
When the Under Heaven Family left, an agitated shout came from a distance behind them.
“Grandson! Grandson… Aiyo, my grandson!”
Among the Twelve Patriarchs now, Mu Feiyan was the oldest, most senior, and most prestigious. He was usually stern which has caused people to fear him whenever they saw him. However, his face was currently flushed as he approached like an excited little child and he was even visibly flustered, as evidenced by his footsteps.
Yun Che turned around and knelt down without hesitation, “Yun Che pays his respects to Grandfather.”
“No, no, no… Good grandson, quickly, get up!” Hearing his words and seeing his actions, Old Man Mu was immediately ecstatic and even nearly cried. He hastily went forward to help Yun Che up and assessed him from up close. The redness in his face became deeper and deeper, “Good! Good! Good!” After saying “good” three times, Old Man Mu grabbed Yun Che’s hand and laughed heartily, “Hahahaha! My grandson is back, this is my, Mu Feiyan’s, blood related grandson, hahahaha.”
The three brothers Mu Yubai, Mu Yuqing, and Mu Yukong followed him at a normal pace… However, the eldest, Mu Yubai, who usually stood at the vanguard, was currently trailing behind for some reason. His face even revealed a mess of emotions.
“Father, looked how agitated you are. Aren’t you afraid you’ll be laughed at?” Mu Yurou asked with a smile, her eyes showing signs of tears welling up.
“Hahahaha! This old man is in a good mood today, whoever wants to laugh can laugh!” Old Man Mu waved it off and laughed once again, “That bunch of old fogies always liked to gloat about their grandsons in front of this old man. Now that this old man’s grandson is back, let’s see who still dares to talk about their grandson in front of this old man… Compared to this old man’s grandson, their grandsons are simply too inferior to be seen. Hahahaha.”
Even in his dreams, Mu Feiyan desired to quickly get grandchildren, but until now, his wish was unable to be fulfilled. Now that he had a grandson, he was obviously over the moon. Furthermore, this grandson of his was simply too outstanding. Among the young generation within Illusory Demon Realm, there was probably no one that could compare with him… It had been a few hundred years since he was so elated.
“Thank you, Grandfather, for your praise.” Yun Che said with a smile.
“Cough cough,” Mu Yuqing touched his chin and said with a grin, “Heh heh, good nephew. Your uncle has grown up under your grandfather’s black face since youth. This is the first time I’ve seen the old man praise someone like this. However, you do indeed deserve the old man’s praise.”
“It’s true, it’s true.” Mu Yukong nodded strongly, “You must see whose nephew he is. It’s always been said that the nephew follows the uncle. With such an outstanding uncle like me, our good nephew having such outstanding results today is only natural.”
“Piss off!” Mu Feiyan stared and waved them off. In an instant, a cold wind blew Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong some distance away, “Two good-for-nothing brats. When you were young, you two added up would not even be able to compare to my grandson’s toe! Stop embarrassing yourselves in front of my grandson, and go play with your sandcastles on the side!”
Mu Yuqing and Mu Yurou’s faces instantly turned bitter, as they stood there, not daring to reply. Mu Yurou laughed and said, “Father, with Che’er here, at least give some face to Second and Third Brother who are his uncles. Che’er, come and greet your uncles properly.”
“Mn.” Yun Che nodded, walking to the front of Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong, and bowed, “Nephew Yun Che greets his two uncles.”
“Mn.”
Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong revealed the demeanor of an elder and enjoyed it comfortably. Yun Che’s excellence was something they all witnessed today. To have their nephew reveal such a talent that shook the entire Illusory Demon Realm, they began to foster in their hearts a strong sense of pride.
Mu Yubai stood there without saying anything, but he finally could not bear with it anymore as he ran over and roared, “What two uncles! What do you mean by two uncles! Is this daddy here not your uncle! Or are you treating this daddy as a transparent person!!”
When Mu Yubai’s roar had just finished, Yun Che had not yet managed to react when Mu Feiyan appeared in front of him. He stared widely and with a thunderous voice, he scolded Mu Yubai, “MU YUBAI! My grandson has been lost for twenty-odd years and after many difficult experiences, he had only managed to return today. As a senior, not only did you not show signs of appreciation, you actually scolded him! Also, why do you keep using ‘this daddy’! You’re very imposing now, eh?!”
As he spoke, he turned to Yun Che and immediately became amiable once again, “Good grandson, you don’t have to be afraid. Since he was young, this brat did not know the limits of heaven. If he dares to roar at you like that again, grandfather will help you cripple his legs.”
When Mu Feiyan shouted the words “Mu Yubai”, all the hairs on Mu Yubai’s entire body stood on end. Hearing Old Man Mu’s scoldings which sounded like a tiger’s roar, he did not dare to utter a word and merely stood there with his head hung low, not daring to even breathe slightly louder.
Old Man Mu had always been absolutely strict within the Mu Family. He had been very thorough about it on these three young masters of the Mu Family especially.
Mu Yurou laughed secretly as she walked forward to appease the situation, “Alright Father, Big Brother is just agitated. How would he bear to scream at Che’er? Che’er, quick, come over to greet your First Uncle.”
Yun Che stepped forward and respectfully said, “Nephew greets First Uncle.”
Seeing Yun Che’s respectful face and the fact that he did not mention anything about the matter regarding “swearing brotherhood”, Mu Yubai’s expression calmed down immediately and a huge weight was lifted in his heart. The address of “First Uncle” was comforting and he instantly said seriously, “Mn, good nephew…”
Then, what was worse was that Yun Che had followed up by saying this, “First Uncle, regarding the matter about swearing brotherhood…”
“Pfft…” Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong could not control in an instant and burst out laughing while Mu Yurou covered her mouth as she laughed. The veins on Old Man Mu trembled and the corners on his mouth twitched.
Before this afternoon, he had steeled his resolve to make Yun Che his sworn brother and this matter was known by all within the Yun and Mu Families. When he found out that Yun Che was actually his nephew… He almost went to find a hole to hide himself.
Mu Yubai glanced carefully at Old Man Mu’s expression as he forcefully resisted the urge to send Yun Che flying. He tapped Yun Che on the shoulder and laughed dryly like a madman, “Ha… Haha… Hahahaha… Being nephew and uncle is definitely better than being sworn brothers… Ha… Hahaha… Nephew, the fact that you are able to return, as your uncle, I’m extremely glad!!!”
Although Mu Yubai appeared to be laughing dryly, he gritted his teeth in secret… If this was exposed, the heroic name of Mu Yubai would probably become a laughingstock!
“There are many people here and it’s unsuitable for a long conversation. Che’er, you’ve already been back for three months and have yet been to Grandpa’s house for a visit. No matter what, you must follow Grandpa back to the Mu household today and look at the place where your mother grew up, and also let Grandpa take a good look at my wonderful grandson,” Old Man Mu said.
As he spoke, he was already holding onto Yun Che’s arm, unwilling to let go. His usually strict and cold eyes were currently filled with anticipation and love which made it hard for Yun Che to refuse.
“Alright.” Yun Qinghong gave some thought and nodded, “Che’er has already been back for so long and it’s not right that he did not manage to return to his mother’s family for a visit. Yurou, let us follow Che’er and Xiao’er back for a good gathering.”
“That’s great.” Mu Yurou nodded happily. Although it was just the simple word “gathering”, it caused everyone’s heart to sadden. Yun Che was already twenty-two and this was his first proper gathering in his entire life.
“Good!” Old Man Mu’s voice trembled slightly as he held Yun Che’s hands and walked in great stride, “Come, let’s go home!”
“Great Elder, I shall trouble you to escort father’s body back first. We will return at dusk.” Yun Qinghong instructed Yun Waitian and the rest simply before bringing Mu Yurou and Xiao Yun along with the Mu Family.
North of the Demon Imperial City, in front of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
A massive flame profound formation was at the front, spinning slowly. In the middle, there was the golden image of the Golden Crow flashing, and each time it flashed, it released a golden flash of fire that no one could look into directly.
The profound formation was only thirty meters in diameter yet, it secured the only entrance to the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Even if all the high-leveled Monarchs in Illusory Demon Realm worked together, there was no way they could break through it. The high temperature it released caused ordinary profound practitioners to be unable to even get close to it.
To the Illusory Demon Realm, this was a forbidden ground. Other than once every five years, when the seal of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was released, no one typically dared to get close to it.
However, at this moment, there was a dark grey and petite figure that appeared quietly in front of the Golden Crow Profound Formation.
Chapter 586 - Golden Crow’s Soul
The person who had arrived at the entrance of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was precisely the Little Demon Empress.
She stood in front of the Golden Crow Profound Formation with her grey sleeves swaying gently. She lifted up her arms, then slowly held up the Demon Emperor’s Seal. At that moment, the light that the Demon Emperor’s Seal released became even deeper and hotter, and it started to flicker slowly. The frequency of the flickering was completely synchronized with the silhouette of the Golden Crow in the center of the profound formation, as if it developed some kind of resonance.
The Little Demon Empress reached out her left hand, and gently cut her long, delicate fingers. Instantly, a drop of bright, red blood flew out from the tip of her finger and fell on the Demon Emperor’s Seal. At that moment, the Demon Emperor’s Seal flickered in flames, and a reddish-gold flame ascended and surrounded the Demon Emperor’s Seal in raging fire and didn’t go out for a long time.
The Little Demon Empress stretched her fingers, danced lightly, and at that moment, another drop of blood flew out from in between her fingers, painting a red trail as it flew directly towards the Golden Crow Profound Formation. It landed on the silhouette of the golden crow in the center of the profound formation. A ball of the same reddish-gold flames started burning in the center of the profound formation.
The Little Demon Empress held the Demon Emperor’s Seal, flew up, and in the instant when the Demon Emperor’s Seal touched the center of the profound formation, the two balls of flames that were burning because of her Demon Emperor’s blood merged together. The Demon Emperor’s seal made a hissing noise, and the Golden Crow Profound Formation was also making hissing noises. Following, the two balls of merging flames suddenly flew out at the same time.
The profound formation sealing the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley also began to speedily dissolve at this moment, until it was gone completely.
The only entrance for the path to the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was completely revealed in front of the Little Demon Empress.
The eyes of the Little Demon Empress were calm like the surface of water. She put away the Demon Emperor’s Seal, her small body emerged as a gray shadow that normal people’s eyes couldn’t even detect, and she went into the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley without making a sound…
In another half of a month, it would be the opening period of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. In the time of five years, it had already replenished a large amount of fire spirit and lightning spirit within it. The ground in here was red, but the sky was purple. Within sight, countless flames were swaying, and countless thunderbolts were hissing. Occasionally, there would suddenly be sea of flames bursting up more than thirty meters high, or bolts of roaring thunder falling down… Even though there was only a Golden Crow Profound Formation between here and outside, it was like the laws and construction of the two worlds were completely different.
The Little Demon Empress moved at full speed, heading north in a straight line. She let the flames and lightning strikes entangle her, but no matter how the flames and lightning raged, they couldn’t harm her at all. Some of the fire spirit with mid-grade consciousness felt the aura around her would run away hastily, and didn’t dare to get close.
The Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was incredibly vast and broad. The Little Demon Empress focused all of her power on her speed without holding anything back. Her speed was so fast just like suddenly flickering lightning, but even so, after more than two hours, she was still in the world surrounded by lightning and flames, and couldn’t see the end of it.
After a full four hours, the wall of a hill that was covered completely by reddish-gold flames appeared in front of her. The Little Demon Empress’ body turned, and landed in front of the wall of the hill. In front of her was a Golden Crow Profound Formation extremely similar to the one sealing the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, except this profound formation was a third smaller, and the silhouette of the Golden Crow was even deeper.
The Little Demon Empress’ cold, lonely eyes finally appeared in an instant of commotion. This place… it was not the first time that she had been here, but this time, her state of mind was completely different than before. In the past, she only had helplessness and desire, but this time… in her hands, she held the Demon Emperor’s Seal that had returned.
Holding the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Empress stopped hesitating, slowly stepped forward, and just as her body touched the profound foundation, the Demon Emperor’s Seal flickered in flames, and a ball of fire burst and spread out, covered the Little Demon Empress, and brought her body slowly into the profound formation…
The world in front of the Little Demon Empress immediately changed. From the world of lightning and fire, she stepped into a world without edge filled with a golden color.
Holding the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the Little Demon Empress knelt on one knee, and said in great respect, “Illusory Demon Royal Family’s Twelfth Emperor, eleventh inheritor of the Golden Crow’s bloodline, Huai Caiyi, greets the Golden Crow Divine God.”
“Hahahahahaha…”
Just as the Little Demon Empress finished speaking, a reckless woman’s loud laughter sounded in this golden world. This sound was as if it was from in the sky, but it was also as if it was close by her ear. Even though the Little Demon Empress’ profound strength was high as level five in the Sovereign Profound Realm, her vital energy and blood shook under this sound.
“Your Illusory Demon Royal Family has been late for a hundred years. You finally arrived today, but it’s only a woman. Looks like this noble one’s fate with your clan has come to an end, why did you still come here for!”
The woman’s voice was like vicious flames; her words confused the Little Demon Empress, who raised her head and said, “Father and Brother were both in trouble back to back a hundred years ago, and the Demon Emperor’s Seal was also lost for a hundred years. It wasn’t found until recently, so we were late for a hundred years. Even though I am a woman, I am the only direct descendant of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and I inherited the pure Demon Emperor’s blood. May the Golden Crow Divine God please grant me the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》 and the ancestral bloodline to revive the Demon Emperor’s clan.”
“Grant you the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World and the ancestral bloodline? Hahahaha! You really are pitiful and naive. Didn’t you hear what I had said just now? As soon as you entered here, I knew that my fate with your clan was finished!”
“What is the meaning of Golden Crow Divine God’s words?” The Little Demon Empress locked her eyebrows and said without understanding.
“What do I mean? You really are completely naive! Your Demon Emperor’s clan has had ten generations of Demon Emperors for the past ten thousand years, and the ten generations of Demon Emperors were all men! There had never been a woman. Did you really think it was only a simple coincidence and the common customs of men being superior to women!? Hmph, looks like you didn’t know that with a mortal body like yours, only men can bear the Golden Crow ancestral blood!
The Little Demon Empress felt as if she were struck by lightning, her whole body was trembling slightly, and she said, “Why?! Even though I am a woman, my heritage is directly of the Demon Emperor’s clan…”
“It doesn’t matter if you are a descendant of the Demon Emperor’s clan! It is simply because you are a woman!” The flame-like woman’s voice said ruthlessly, “Men’s body is Yang and women’s body is Yin. With a mortal woman’s body, it is tolerable to control normal profound flames, even Phoenix’s flames or Vermilion Bird’s flames would be okay, but my Golden Crow’s flame is the world’s fiercest Yang fire! There cannot be any existence of Yin! You only have a thin trace of the Golden Crow’s bloodline at the moment and you are already suffering from the burn day and night. You are in pain, and your life has been shortened greatly. If you bear the ancestral bloodline, your internal blood flow would be completely messed up, and you will suffer in pain for all your life!”
“On top of that, you are still a virgin, so the vital Yin is still in your body. If you accept the ancestral blood, within three days, the flame energy of your bloodline will explode, and you would die in flames within five days!
Little Demon Empress, “!!!!”
It was true that the Illusory Demon Realm’s ten generations of Demon Emperors were all men, but no one thought that it was strange, because having a man as emperor was always normal. On the contrary, it was abnormal for a woman to be the emperor. All of the Illusory Demon Royal Family’s people knew that the Golden Crow’s bloodline would harm the body of women, especially the Demon Emperor’s empress who has the direct bloodline. The empress always pass away before the Demon Emperor, and none of their lives surpassed a thousand years… without exception.
The Little Demon Empress naturally knew all of these… but she absolutely did not think that, as a woman, even as a woman of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, she could not bear the ancestral blood… and could not even cultivate 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》.
All of the hopes were dashed, as if ice-cold water from a freezing fountain was poured ruthlessly on top of her heart and soul. She was stunned for a long while, thinking about the situation the Demon Emperor’s clan was in right now, and mumbled without giving up, “Could it be, is there really not any possibility… Golden Crow Divine God, you also have the body of a woman…”
“Hahahaha!” The flame-like voice laughed insolently, “How can a divine body be compared to your mortal body! The possibility… hmph, it’s not none at all, but that would mean getting the nourishment of a man’s vital Yang who has the Phoenix or Vermilion Bird’s bloodline! But in this Illusory Demon Realm, no one has the power of the Phoenix or Vermillion Bird; therefore, there wouldn’t exist a man like that. Give up and leave!”
When the Golden Crow mentioned “Phoenix” and “Vermillion Bird,” it was obvious that there was was in deep disdain.
The Little Demon Empress lowered her head and closed her eyes. She didn’t speak for a long time, and she was not willing to leave. The flame-like woman’s voice sounded again, “Don’t live in a fantasy. Do not wish for me to help you anymore! I am the isolated being of the Golden Crow’s bloodline and soul, under the will left by the Golden Crow; I can never leave this place! From ten thousand years ago, I have already granted your Neon Sparrows Clan ten thousand years of riches and honor, and made you the Demon Emperor’s Clan for ten thousand years! Since our fated relationship has reached an end, it is heaven’s will! Leave!”
“As for this Demon Emperor’s Seal, the day you die, when the Demon Emperor’s bloodline dies, it will naturally disappear!”
After the Golden Crow’s soul’s voice vanished, the golden world instantly collapsed. Surrounding, became the world of lightning and fire once again. The Little Demon Empress was still kneeling there, and she couldn’t move or speak for a long time, as if she had lost her soul…
The Mu Family had welcomed the most lively day in more than a hundred years.
When Yun Che agreed to go back to the Mu Family together, Mu Feiyan immediately sent a sound transmission back home, and the whole, large Mu Family from up to down had been busy. It was several dozen times busier than when the Little Demon Empress visited.
The Mu Clan’s location was larger than the Yun Family by more than one and a half times, and on top of the Yun Family’s recent descent, the Mu Family had more momentum than the Yun Family.
Old Man Mu led the way and dragged Yun Che through the door. The whole way, he was laughing loudly and he looked very energetic. The Mu Family’s disciples were all stunned and couldn’t speak, they even suspected that the Patriarch, who usually was calm and prestigious, had been possessed by some ghosts or spirits.
Mu Feiyan led Yun Che himself on a tour around the Mu Family. On the way, he couldn’t stop talking and laughing loudly, as his saliva flew everywhere like stars. It scared all of the disciples of the Mu Family, as if they had saw a ghost during daytime. After taking a tour of the Mu Family, it was almost evening. Mu Feiyan brought them into the courtyard, and without any hesitation, took out all of the Jade Ginseng Tea that he had been saving for several hundred years and couldn’t bear to drink himself… When the three Mu brothers were holding the teacups, all of their hands were shaking. A single ounce of this Jade Ginseng Tea was already invaluable. Normally, when the three brothers snuck a sniff, they would be scolded harshly by the old man. Today, thanks to their nephew… they were able to drink it!
“Come! Che’er, this is a greeting gift from grandfather. Hurry and see if you like it.” Mu Feiyan put an ice-jade box that released cold air into Yun Che’s hands while laughing.
“Thank you, Grandfather.” Yun Che received it, and directly opened the ice-jade box. In the box that was as big as his palms, there lay a small, narrow, long crystal that was only as large as his pinky. Just from looking at it, it seemed to be no difference from a normal icicle, only that the cold aura that it was releasing revealed an indescribable mysterious feeling.
When seeing this “icicle,” the eyes of the three brothers of the Mu Family all popped out, and they “pfft” and spat out the Jade Ginseng Tea that was in their mouths. It was followed by a hissing, roaring noise, as if pigs were being slaughtered…
“Ahh, Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven!!!”
Chapter 587 - Terrifying Deduction
Even though it only looked like a small icicle, it was evident from the reaction of Mu Yubai and the rest of them just how precious and powerful this ‘icicle’ was. Mu Feiyan disregarded the reactions of his three sons and he said with a full smile on his face, “This item is called the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, and it is one of the inherited treasures of my Mu Clan. Even though it looks fairly unremarkable, when you encounter a crisis, break it apart. The released energy will instantly congeal into an incomparably hard crystal ice barrier which will persist for six hours. Once you are within that crystal ice barrier, no one should even think about trying to harm you because even if that terrific grandfather of yours was still alive, even he would not be able to break it.”
“There used to be three of these Frost Crystals of Absolute Heaven, but now there is only one left. The other two were used to save two of my predecessors’ lives,” Mu Feiyan said in a rather proud tone.
This item would form into a protective barrier that even a high-level Sovereign would not be able to break apart, and it would even last for six hours… Yun Che’s heart leaped! This was a genuine and proper life-preserving artifact! As long as he had it on his person, it was like having one more life to spare! If this was during a matter of life or death, even if no one came to help, given his current physique, a protective barrier that lasted for six hours was more than sufficient for him to help him recover both his health and his profound energy.
This was truly a treasure that he could not reject!
Mu Yubai practically stammered as he exclaimed, “My venerated Father, this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, didn’t you say that you were… prepared… to give it to my eldest son?!”
But once these words left his mouth, Mu Yubai instantly regretted them… Sure enough, once those words had been spoken, Mu Feiyan’s eyes instantly narrowed as he glared at Mu Yubai, “Oh you still dare to mention the matter of grandsons to me! Where are my damn grandsons?! Where?! The frost wolf that this old man had reared one hundred years ago already has tens of offspring, but you three useless bums haven’t even produced a fart between the three of you in the same amount of time! Causing this old man to lose all face in front of that bunch of old fogeys for one hundred over years! This grandson of mine has now completely restored my dignity, so what objections do you have to me giving him a gift to celebrate our first meeting?!!”
Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong panickedly threw their hands in the air, “Venerated Father, those words were spoken by Big Brother just now, we didn’t even say anything. In fact giving this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven to Elder Sister’s son is simply way too appropriate! Our Venerated Father is truly wise!!”
The corner of Mu Yubai’s eyes violently twitched and he didn’t dare to say anything for a good long while. He knew that his venerated father had so desperately desired a grandson that it drove him into a tizzy just thinking about it, and now that he had that desired grandson, he would definitely spoil him immensely… but the way he spoiled this grandson was simply outrageous. On the very first day, he had brought out all of the good stuff that he had hid in his chest… In comparison, as the eldest son, he practically had no position to speak of.
However, given Yun Che’s illustriousness, the treatment shown to him by his venerated father… was not something that was hard to accept.
Mu Yurou’s pair of phoenix eyes had long ago become a pair of slender crescent moons as her smile covered her face. She was extremely clear on just how precious this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven was, and if Mu Feiyan were to give it to her, she would reject him with a fair amount of terror. After all, this was one of the inherited treasures of the Mu Family. But since it was being given to her son and it would give her son yet another life-saving treasure, she did not have any intention of rejecting it at all. Instead, she smiled brightly and said, “Che’er, hurry up and thank your grandfather.”
“Thank you very much, Grandfather!” Naturally Yun Che would not reject it either, so he accepted the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven. At the same time, his heart pulsed with gratitude… he knew why Mu Feiyan unhesitantly passed a treasure as valuable as the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven to him. Today, he had thoroughly offended Duke Huai and the seven Guardian Families, sowing hatred and also giving them a motive to kill. Given the strength held by Duke Huai, even the Yun and Mu Family together would not be able to guarantee that they would be able protect Yun Che from harm… So this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, could allow Yun Che to survive once he met any danger… An absolute protection for six whole hours, a simple sound transmission relaying his location would allow them to rush to his side and remove the danger.
“Hahaha!” Mu Feiyan guffawed loudly and did not looked pained in the least, “As long as you like it, that’s enough. We are amongst family here, you do not need to thank me.”
“However,” Mu Feiyan’s face grew somber and he said in a rather worried voice, “Che’er, there is something that Grandfather has to say. Today you were brave and you were smart. Your ability and charisma were undeniable. Not only did it revitalize the prestige of the Yun Family, it also handed a crushing defeat to Duke Huai whom even the Little Demon Empress was helpless against. But you pitted yourself against Duke Huai’s factions as well, and you even greatly rebuked and humiliated the Helian Family and the other six Guardian Families. Even though it was neatly done and felt extremely refreshing, it was also something you really shouldn’t have done.”
Once he mentioned today’s events, everyone’s faces grew grave. Mu Feiyan continued, “This man, Duke Huai, is someone who thinks deeply and has astonishing ability. The amount of power he has gathered is huge, far beyond what you have imagined. If not, given that the Little Demon Empress is well aware of his ambitions, why do you think she has never been able to expose him or tried to rush into things indiscriminately? Originally, you could have behaved in a tactful manner today, but instead you have thoroughly angered the other party. Right now, he must hate you from the bottom of his heart and also be filled with murderous intent towards you. Even though he might not go so far as to oppose you openly, he will definitely launch numerous attacks at you from the dark, sigh.”
Mu Yubai nodded his head sagely, “Che’er, your grandfather is right. Even though you covered yourself in greatness today, you attracted a huge amount of danger to yourself as well.”
Yun Che just blandly laughed instead and replied, “A blade hangs over the character of ‘tolerance’. It is only when you can tolerate what common man cannot, that the world can be at peace and that you can become a person above all other people… These are the words that the master who taught me my medical skills said to me often and it also used to be one of the creeds that guided my life. However, in the end, my master was killed by those that he had tolerated and accommodated all his life….”
Mu Feiyan, “…”
Yun Qinghong, “…”
“It was only then that I truly understood that the blade that hangs over the character of ‘tolerance’ was something that would not only cause me pain and suffering, but it might even cost me my life one day. So rather than being restrained by it, I’d rather force it onto my enemies!”
Even though Yun Che smiled, every person could hear from his voice an apathy and bitterness that could only come from one’s soul. They found it hard to believe that these words actually came from the mouth of someone who was merely a young man of twenty-two years. What they found even harder to fathom… was the amount of trials and tribulations that he had to undergo to have the mentality and the success that he had today.
For a period of time, everyone fell silent and not a single word was uttered in retort. Then Yun Che continued, “Duke Huai is extremely difficult to deal with, this is something that I understand. He is wild with ambition and he is definitely the man behind the present decline of our Yun Family. If it had been just the matter of whether he thought to kill me, I wouldn’t have had any reason to hold back! On the contrary, he is a person that is exceedingly cautious and these kinds of people are often excessively prudent and prone to overthinking. Today, I have not only completely offended him and the other seven families, but I have even humiliated them for all to see, without even leaving a shred of dignity for them to cling onto. Besides provoking him to kill me, he will also be thinking about whether my attitude is due to ignorant recklessness, whether I am courting my own doom, or whether it is because I have something to rely on… Moreover, he suffered a crushing defeat at my hands today and every attack he launched against me was met with multiple counters from me. In this case, he would naturally eliminate the possibility of it being the former and he would think that the reason for my unbridled behavior is because I have someone strong enough to back me up… And that it is a support so strong, I would not fear his reprisal.”
“Coupled with the ability that I have shown, my profound arts which far surpass what anyone else knows and my ability to sneak into Illusory Demon Realm from Profound Sky Continent without raising a single alarm. This will boundlessly magnify that probability in Duke Huai’s heart and even now, he must suspect that I have an extremely powerful master supporting me, someone who might surpass the boundaries of the mortal world. Because of these misgivings, Duke Huai will not jump the gun, and until he has completely ascertained my entire background, it is unlikely that he will take any action against me.”
Mu Feiyan eyed Yun Che with an extremely astonished gaze. He had clearly only met Duke Huai for the first time today, but he was able to have near-flawless understanding of Duke Huai’s temperament. Duke Huai was indeed someone who was excessively cautious and prudent, so unless he was absolutely certain, he would not make any rash moves. He was filled with ambition and the strength that he gathered had long ago exceeded that of the Little Demon Empress, but he had waited instead of taking action, all for this day… Originally, he had absolute confidence in how today’s events would play out, but in the end he had met Yun Che, and it had ended in utter defeat.
“That was well said!” Mu Yuqing exclaimed, “Truth be told, even this uncle of yours is quite certain that you have an extraordinary saint as a teacher! If not, you wouldn’t be so absurdly strong and you would not be so cocky in front of Duke Huai.”
Yun Qinghong did not speak, he faintly nodded his head instead.
“Che’er’s words are indeed correct.” Mu Yurou said, “Duke Huai will definitely have the same suspicions, so that will restrain him to some extent. Moreover, the majority of the people today will also think the same thing as well. But today, Duke Huai was heavily rebuked by Yun Che and he has definitely never suffered such disgrace in his life before. A cornered beast will do something desperate, I’m just afraid of that… So I think that it is best that we be extremely careful regardless.”
“In regards to this, I am not the least bit worried.” Yun Che said as he smiled instead, “If it was anyone else, there would indeed be a large possibility that the other party might do something out of desperation, but this is Duke Huai we are talking about! If he was easily provoked, he would not have the power he holds today. So let’s just let him merrily bear that blade that hangs above the word ‘tolerance’. From now on, I will not only not hide within the house, I will even swagger about ostentatiously, I have ninety-nine percent confidence… that he will not make a move against me, at least not in the short-term.”
Yun Qinghong nodded his head, “I approve of what Che’er has just said. Given Duke Huai’s temperament, even though he will have an extremely strong urge to kill Che’er, he will not make any moves in the foreseeable future. Moreover, Yun Che now has the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven protecting him; even if he is attacked from the shadows and faces mortal danger, he will be able to safely escape his predicament.”
“Yes… I just hope that it is so.” Mu Feiyan brows furrowed slightly as he gave a brief nod of his head.
“I have actually made a terrifying deduction regarding Duke Huai,” Yun Che suddenly said in a serious tone.
“Terrifying deduction?”
Yun Che’s brows sank and his voice dropped to a low whisper, “I suspect that Duke Huai’s ambition was not born only after the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor met an untimely end, but it had been something that had been in the works for a long time, even during the reign of the previous Demon Emperor! Furthermore… it was a scheme hatched together with the Profound Sky Continent!!”
“Ah!!” Yun Che’s words was like a thunderclap that descended from the heavens and it caused Xiao Yun to involuntarily cry out.
“What?!!” The expression of Mu Yubai and his two brothers abruptly changed.
Yun Qinghong stood up swiftly and his arms moved as fast as lightning as he released roiling electricity which surged in the air. In a split second, the surrounding area was covered in an incomparably strong soundproof barrier. Even though they were inside the Mu Family household, and they were even in Mu Feiyan’s own courtyard, but the matter which Yun Che was discussing was far too serious, so these words definitely could not be heard by anyone else.
“Continue!” After he had set up the soundproof barrier, Yun Qinghong looked at Yun Che and said in a low voice.
Yun Che found that even though Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan wore grave expressions on their face, they were not overly shocked, so it was clear that they had long ago formed their own suspicions. He inhaled lightly and continued, “There are four reasons for my suspicions.”
“The first reason is that when Profound Sky Continent suddenly invaded Illusory Demon Realm all those years ago, their objective was to steal the Demon Emperor’s family treasure, the Mirror of Samsara! However, before this, Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm had no dealings with each other; they merely knew about each other’s existence. So why would they suddenly know about the existence of the Mirror of Samsara? And what was even more strange is this. Even though the Mirror of Samsara was the inherited treasure of the Demon Emperor’s Clan, but no one knew what it could do. Since no one knew what it could do, it has been a ‘useless’ object for the last ten thousand years. Yet the people from Profound Sky Continent spared no expense in trying to steal it away! It’s as if… someone had told the people of the Profound Sky Continent of the existence of the Mirror of Samsara and then deliberately lied or exaggerated what it could do, for the purpose of inflaming their greed and ambition!”
“And this person can only be someone from Illusory Demon Realm!”
“The second reason is that this place is clearly the territory of Illusory Demon Realm, yet the invaders from the Profound Sky Continent could directly storm Demon Imperial City. Moreover, they could come and go as they pleased, even if Demon Imperial City had made abundant preparations, they were still able to escape with no casualties every single time. It was as if they knew the entire Demon Imperial City and even all the plans that had been laid out like the back of their hand! The greatest possibility is that they had a spy within Demon Imperial City!”
“And this spy not only lived in the Demon Imperial City, but was even someone who had an extremely extraordinary status!”
“The third reason. One hundred years ago, my grandfather brought ten grand elders of the Yun Family with him to rescue the previous Demon Emperor… Eleven high-level Sovereigns, this was a force that was sufficient to shake the entire world. Eleven high-level Sovereigns acting in concert, even if they were unable to rescue the previous Demon Emperor, they should still be able to retreat without a loss… Or at the very least, I do not believe that there is any power in this world that can detain eleven high-level Sovereigns acting in concert!”
“However… Grandfather told me that once they had entered Profound Sky Continent, they had immediately been entrapped in the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation! And the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation, which was powerful enough to seal the profound energy of eleven high-level Sovereigns, would definitely have a staggering rate of energy consumption, even if it was only set up for a single breath! So there was no way that it could have existed there all this while! Instead, they had already known where and when Grandfather and the others would arrive and so they simply set the formation up and idly waited… That is to say, that before Grandfather and the others had even left for Profound Sky Continent, someone used some sort of method to inform those people at what time and which location Grandfather would arrive at.”
“And only a power that is not inferior to that of the Yun Family would be able to know the precise movements of Grandfather and the rest and also be able to send a sound transmission that could cross such a vast amount of distance!!”
“The fourth reason is that the death of the Little Demon Emperor is simply too suspicious and fishy! During today’s grand ceremony, even though I claimed that he was extremely disappointed with the Guardian Families and so he personally left to save the previous Demon Emperor… But in fact, I definitely do not believe that the Little Demon Emperor would do something like losing control due to alcohol and personally rushing into the Profound Sky Continent! Even if he wanted to do so, he would have left behind a heir with the Little Demon Empress first. If not, he would personally destroy his own Demon Emperor’s bloodline! As the son of the Demon Emperor, how could he possibly do such a stupid thing?!”
“The Little Demon Emperor’s death… is very likely due to an assassination!”
Yun Che raised his head and enunciated each word slowly, “And all of this evidence points to only one place… Duke Huai Palace!”
Chapter 588 - The Mastermind
Even though Yun Che called it a “deduction”, if one combined the four reasons that he had established, it was clearly extremely close to the truth!
Regarding three of the points that Yun Che had raised, Yun Qinghong and Mu Feiyan had long ago harbored the same suspicions. All these years, they also could not understand just how eleven of the strongest members of the Yun Family acting in concert were all brought to ruin in the Profound Sky Continent… No matter how strong the Four Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent were, they might have at most defeated them and forced them to retreat, but it was not plausible for all of them to die in the first place…
It was only today that they found out that when Yun Canghai’s expedition entered the Profound Sky Continent, they were immediately ensnared by the “Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation” which sealed profound energy!
Yun Che’s words were one hundred percent correct! The Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation could suppress eleven high-level Sovereigns, but the amount of energy it consumed every second must have been incomparably huge, to the extent that it would be beyond the imagination of common people. So it was definitely not possible that the formation had been there all along… Rather, it was clear that they had been tipped off on when and where Yun Canghai’s group was arriving!
Just this point alone was enough to prove that there was definitely a traitor within Demon Imperial City!
And this “traitor” could only be from Duke Huai Palace!
“So that is to say that the ones who caused the deaths of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor… the main culprits behind the calamity that struck our Illusory Demon Realm were not those so-called Sacred Grounds of Profound Sky Continent, but… was Duke Huai Palace instead!!” Mu Yubai smashed the ground with his fist, and when he stood up, his entire body was quivering with anger.
“I had originally believed that the ambition of Duke Huai Palace had only been conceived once the Little Demon Emperor died and the line of the Demon Emperors was broken. But I never would have thought that it was actually…” Mu Yuqing gnashed his teeth in anger, “Their entire clan enjoyed the favor of the various Demon Emperors for several thousand years, but in the end they actually perpetrated such a heinous disaster against Illusory Demon Realm. A crime that cannot be tolerated by heaven or earth! If all of this is true, then Duke Huai Palace is… simply unforgivable!”
“Just from the four reasons that Che’er has established, it is already impossible for it to be false!” Mu Feiyan’s chest heaved violently and his tiger eyes flashed with fury, “Even though I had made similar conjectures on occasion in the past, I had always lived in self-denial. Because I was absolutely unwilling to believe that a Duke Palace would perform an act so heinous that it would anger both men and gods, an act so heinous that even the heaven and earth would not tolerate it! But I would never have thought… that they were actually truly such bastards all along! For the sake of their own ambition, they caused the death of the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor, and even caused the death of Yun Canghai… caused the Demon Emperor’s bloodline to be broken… caused the entire Illusory Demon Realm to be plunged into terror for one hundred years…”
Mu Feiyan grew more and more agitated as he spoke, and his breathing grew more and more fraught due to the fury and sorrow in his heart… Once Yun Che had explained why Yun Canghai’s group had fallen, he then knew that those hazy conjectures he had made for the past one hundred years but was unwilling to believe were actually true.
All these years, they had hated the Four Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent to the bone, and the entire Illusory Demon Realm had viewed Profound Sky Continent as a land of devils… Only to realize today that the devil who had brought calamity to Illusory Demon Realm was actually someone from Demon Imperial City itself! It was actually someone from the Illusory Demon Royal Family!
Just who could have imagined this? Just who?
Even those powers who had aligned themselves with Duke Huai Palace would definitely not have thought that Duke Huai Palace was the main culprit behind that evil deed.
Xiao Yun’s eyes had widened into full moons and he was completely dumbfounded. The words that he had just heard, every single one of them resounded in his ears like heavenly thunder.
Yun Qinghong’s hands had tightened into rigid fists and a low cry came from his lips, “Causing the death of the Demon Emperor, causing the death of my father, causing the Yun Family to fall into such dire straits… This grudge and hatred… has made it so that we cannot live under under the same sky any longer!”
He raised his head and continued in a steady voice, “However, if that is the case, this ambition should not have been born within Duke Huai, but it should have been conceived in another person instead! When Profound Sky Continent had made its initial thrust into Illusory Demon Realm, Duke Huai was only thirty years of age, so it is impossible that he had that level of ambition or shrewdness, and it is even more impossible that using his own strength, he could collude with Profound Sky Continent without anyone noticing. So the one who had colluded with Profound Sky Continent was….”
Mu Feiyan and the others were jolted by those words and Mu Yukong exclaimed in alarm, “Could it be… Duke Huai’s father —— Duke Ming?!”
“But Duke Ming had always treated everyone with incomparable kindness, his behavior was low-key and even if he met commonfolk, he did not put on any airs of royalty. He had always been loyal and devoted to the previous Demon Emperor, and he had always been at the Demon Emperor’s beck and call… and he completely lacked any interest in fame and profit. Over one hundred years ago, when Duke Huai was thirty-seven years of age, he could barely wait to foist his position as the head of the Duke Palace onto his son, so he could travel the world and relax, and from then on, he showed no interest or concern regarding the state of the world… His casual nature and his simple life was well-known throughout the entire city. He kept such a low profile that many people have already forgotten this name… So how could it be him?!” Mu Yuqing said in disbelief.
Mu Feiyan had fallen into a daze but he suddenly spoke up, “Initially, I had always admired the temperament of Duke Ming and we were on extremely good terms with each other. But there was one time that I went drinking with Yun Canghai that he told me solemnly and in no uncertain terms that I should only maintain my friendship with Duke Ming, but I should absolutely never turn my heart towards him. I asked him for an explanation and he said that Duke Ming was simply too placid, that he was placid to the point where he had always made Yun Canghai feel like there was something off with him. He also pointed this out; that if Duke Ming truly did not care about the things of the world, then why did he cultivate his profound strength to such a high level….”
“Was Duke Ming extremely strong?” Yun Che asked hurriedly.
“That’s right!” Mu Yubai nodded his head and his face had turned green, “In that generation, the Demon Emperor was the strongest, Yun Canghai was second, and Duke Ming only lost to these two individuals in terms of profound strength. His current cultivation should already have surpassed the Demon King in his prime.”
“Ah.” Mu Feiyan gave a long sigh, “It was just that I simply could not approve of the warning that Yun Canghai had given me all those years ago… Even when Duke Huai had made his ambitions known, I had never placed any suspicion on him; at most I had only railed to the heavens that Duke Ming had left behind an unfilial son.”
Yun Che’s brows jumped, “Grandfather, do you mean that… all these years, you have never seen Duke Ming at all?”
“That is right.” Mu Feiyan nodded his head, “Before the previous Demon Emperor had met with disaster, Duke Ming had already passed the lordship of his Duke Palace over to Duke Huai. After that, he bid farewell to the previous Demon Emperor, claiming that he wanted to live a life free from care and worry, and that he wanted to travel all over Illusory Demon Realm and enjoy his retirement… He never appeared once since then, whether the line of the Demon Emperor had met misfortune or Duke Huai had shown his ambition. In order to get him to stop Duke Huai, the Little Demon Empress and I spared no efforts in trying to track him down, but it was all for naught… Indeed, with how big Illusory Demon Realm is, give his power, if he did not want anyone to find him, no one would be able to do so.”
“And now the previous Demon Emperor and the Demon King have already departed, and the Little Demon Empress Golden Crow bloodline has yet to be awakened, so given Duke Ming’s strength… He is already fully deserving of being called the strongest in Illusory Demon Realm, and none can compare!” After he said these words, Mu Feiyan’s breathing clearly became sluggish and the faces of everyone present had turned a lot uglier in an instant as a cold suddenly blanketed their entire bodies.
The clearer the truth was, the more terrifying it become.
Duke Huai’s power had already swelled to the extent that the Little Demon Empress was unable to fight him. But now, there was the incomparably shrewd and powerful Duke Ming who was added to the mix, causing the already untenable situation to teeter even closer to the abyss….
This shadow that enshrouded the Demon Emperor’s clan and even enshrouded the entire Illusory Demon Realm… Just what could they do to fight against it?!
The room had fallen into a solemn silence and the only sound left was the sound of breathing. After a long time, Mu Feiyan let out a long sigh and his brows furrowed deeply, “So it looks like the only hope we have left lies in the awakening of the bloodline of the Little Demon Empress!”
“If the bloodline of the Little Demon Empress awakens, what will her power rise to?” Yun Che asked.
Yun Qinghong said unhesitantly and calmly, “Every time a Demon Emperor awakens his bloodline, he would also learn the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, and after that his power would be unrivaled throughout the Illusory Demon Realm! One thousand years ago, the previous Demon Emperor awoke his bloodline when he was at the fourth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, and his profound strength directly jumped to the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. The Little Demon Empress’ current strength is at the Sovereign Profound Realm level five, so after her bloodline awakens, at the very least her profound strength should jump to the peak of the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm! Moreover, with the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, she would even be able to take on someone who was at the Sovereign Profound Realm level ten! At the same time, her awakened Golden Crow Flames will also have the property of greatly suppressing the members of the Royal Family who only have traces of the Golden Crow bloodline. At that time, even if it is Duke Ming, he won’t be the Little Demon Empress’ match either.”
“Ah, so that was how it is.” Yun Che showed faint surprise on his face. From his previous understanding, every time a Demon Emperor used the Demon Emperor’s Seal to enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, their profound power would soar into the heavens and they would become unrivaled under heaven… As it turned out, these words were not the least bit exaggerated after all.
Now that the Little Demon Empress had received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she could also enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, and it was just so happened that the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley would open in half a month’s time.
“Since the Little Demon Empress will receive such a massive boost in power once her bloodline awakens, then if…” Yun Che said as his brows sank, “If I were Duke Huai, I would think of every and all means to stop the Little Demon Empress from entering the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land that was within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!”
“That’s right!” Mu Feiyan nodded his head and his gaze grew dark and severe, “So, half a month from now, on the day that the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley opens up, I will gather up all those bunch of old fogeys and personally escort the Little Demon Empress to the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land!”
Demon Imperial City, Duke Huai Palace.
When Duke Huai had returned to his palace, his expression was as tranquil as water. But once anyone within the palace approached him, they would involuntarily break out into fierce trembling and it caused them to withdraw in fear as their heartbeat soared.
“Your Highness, the old master requested that you see him immediately after you have returned.” The moment Duke Huai stepped past the palace gates, a person, who had the complexion of yellow wax and had a short horn growing out of his head, stepped forward to greet him in a low voice. His appearance was extremely similar to the Venerable Stone Dragon whom Yun Qinghong had heavily wounded.
After hearing the two words “old master”, Duke Huai’s brows jumped and he faintly nodded his head and quickly strode inside. After he had taken a few stops, he suddenly stopped and inclined his head to ask, “How are Ye’er’s injuries like?”
The man with the complexion of yellow wax replied, “His Highness Hui Ye’s injuries were more serious than previously imagined. The energy that had smashed into his body was extremely tyrannical, and even now it has not fully dissipated yet… I am afraid that Duke Hui Ye will have to be in convalescence for a minimum of three months.”
Duke Huai’s brows faintly tightened; he did not say a word and silently worked into the middle of the courtyard.
Duke Huai opened the barrier and entered the secret passage, finally stopping at a wide, pitch-black pearl curtain. Behind the pearl curtain, one could vaguely make out the figure of a black figure.
Duke Huai knelt to the ground and closed his eyes as he said, “Royal father….”
“You do not need to say a single thing. I have already gotten a complete account of today’s events,” said a low and deep voice that came from behind the inky pearl curtain. This voice was of an indeterminate age, it seemed to float down from the heavens, but at the same time it possessed a gloomy coldness that seemed to emerge from the depths of hell.
“Yun Qinghong made a full and sudden recovery two months ago, and he recovered all of his profound strength. I had originally believed that it could only arise from a variable that we had never taken into account of before. But who would have thought that his son actually…” At the mention of Yun Che’s name, given Duke Huai’s temperament, he could barely stop his teeth from gnashing together in fury. Today’s humiliation, today’s disgrace, today’s defeat; they were all something he had never experienced before in his life!
“The outcome of today’s events cannot be blamed on you. Yun Qinghong’s son is incomparably brilliant. He even brought back the Demon Emperor’s Seal and the body of Yun Canghai. So even if I was present at the ceremony today, it would still have been tough to avoid a loss.” The voice behind the pearl curtain continued, “Failing to carry out the plans we had made for today is only a secondary concern. The most serious concern that we have right now is that the hearts of the people have turned towards the Yun Family. Since it has come to this, we will not be able to make any careless movements for the next twenty years at least.”
“….I want to personally take Yun Che and… rip him into a million pieces!” Duke Huai said in a voice filled with hate.
“Such careless words; I believe this is the first time I have ever heard you utter them. It looks like this time you were met with complete and utter defeat.” The voice behind the pearl curtain was as calm and cold as the boundless black night as it said, “He is exceedingly cunning, yet he dares to act in such an unbridled manner, so he definitely has something to back him up! In this world, the most fearsome enemies are the ones you cannot fully grasp. Before you have fully investigated his background, it would be extremely unwise to take any action against him, whether obvious or covert.”
“I fully understand.” Duke Huai said as he ground his teeth together, “I have already sent instruction… to mobilize all our spies and fully dig out all of his secrets! Especially the sect he belongs to… and also how he arrived from the Profound Sky Continent to this place!”
“No! Now is not the time to do such things.” The voice behind the curtain became even colder and sinister, and a cluster of crimson-black flames suddenly lit up the darkness; it seemed like a ghost flame that was gently swaying in the abyss. “I have summoned you for one purpose, and that is to kill someone.”
“Kill who?”
“The Little Demon Empress.”
“What?” Duke Huai fiercely raised his head.
“Right now is the best opportunity we will have to assassinate the Little Demon Empress.” A horrifyingly cold laugh rang out, “Furthermore, she will even personally deliver the opportunity to us herself. Right now not only is she alone, she is also within the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley that no one will approach.”
“She thinks that just because she got the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she can awaken her bloodline… Naive…”
“You are not allowed to alert anyone else to this matter, the fewer people the better… To guarantee that there will be no slip-ups, I will personally accompany you, and I will make sure that she dies without a trace! Hahahahahaha….”
At the sound of that wild laughter, the crimson-black flame flickered frantically and a dark and sinister wind blew, causing the pearl curtain to rattle incessantly….
Chapter 589 - Premonition!
Demon Imperial City, Mu Family Residence.
“Even though the truth is far more terrifying than what we had previously known, based on our present circumstances, there is no need to be too pessimistic.” Mu Yubai said as he furrowed his brows, “For the past one hundred years, the main reason why Duke Huai Palace was able to gather so much power and allegiance is due to the Little Demon Empress. Firstly, it is because she is a woman. Secondly, it is because she did not have the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Because of that, there was no way to awaken her bloodline, so she did not possess the awe-inspiring power of a Demon Emperor that was able to oppress everyone. Furthermore, she had no qualified successors, so once Duke Huai Palace displayed sufficient power and presented them with the appropriate threats and temptations, the convictions of those Duke Palaces and Guardian Families would naturally be shaken…
“But now the world has witnessed the Little Demon Empress receiving the Demon Emperor’s Seal, so it won’t be too long before she awakens her bloodline to become unrivaled under heaven. At the moment, those powers who have aligned with Duke Huai Palace are already beginning to feel frightened and restless. Furthermore, during today’s events, Yun Che won over the hearts of all heroes of the realm, causing them to side with the Yun Family, while also hinting towards Duke Huai’s ambition… As a result, Duke Huai Palace will definitely not dare to act recklessly for at least the next twenty years! Unless they want to live with the wrath of the entire realm directed against them!”
“That is indeed the case.” Mu Yuqing and Mu Yukong nodded their heads in agreement.
Yun Qinghong took one look at Yun Che’s expression and he said, “Che’er, it seems like you do not think that things will pan out this way.”
Yun Che raised his head slightly, then said in a bland voice, “However, if the Little Demon Empress were to suddenly die… Then the threat posed by the Demon Emperor’s Seal and any other worries that Duke Huai Palace had would instantly disappear!”
Yun Che’s words caused everyone to sit up straight. Yun Qinghong replied, “So you are worried… that Duke Huai Palace is going to try to assassinate the Little Demon Empress?”
“That’s absolutely impossible!” Mu Feiyan said with a large flourish of his hand, “Even if Duke Huai Palace possessed a strength that was ten times stronger, and even if you were to give Duke Huai himself ten times more guts, he will still definitely not dare to make a move against the Little Demon Empress! The Little Demon Empress is extremely strong herself and the number of experts she has at her side are like clouds in the sky. Even if it is Duke Huai Palace, assassinating the Little Demon Empress is a task that is harder than climbing to the heavens. On the contrary, the Little Demon Empress has long looked forward to the day that Duke Huai Palace attempted to assassinate her. Because once she is able to grab hold of some proof, she would be able to openly make public of Duke Huai Palace’s ambition and convict them of the crime of regicide, causing them to be ostracized by the whole realm… what Duke Huai wants is to become the Demon Emperor and rule all under heaven. He does not have the capability or the guts to do something that would arouse universal condemnation.”
“I understand the point you are making.” Yun Che’s brows still remained knit together, “What I am worried about is that if the Little Demon Empress is by herself… they might seize the opportunity and do the deed without leaving behind a single trace. That would be a complete disaster.”
“That will naturally not be possible.” Mu Feiyan waved his hand again, “Given the wisdom of the Little Demon Empress, she will definitely not present such an opportunity to Duke Huai Palace. The Little Demon Empress normally does not go beyond a one hundred and fifty kilometer radius of Demon Imperial City. Even if she does meet danger when she is alone and outside the city proper, the resulting profound energy vibrations will be sufficient to alert the entire Demon Imperial City.”
Yun Che was naturally extremely clear on this particular point… When he had seen the Little Demon Empress for the first time that night, just a simple wave of her hand caused an area that was five kilometers wide to be engulfed in a sea of fire. Given the strength of a Sovereign, an all-out fight between them would cause profound energy vibrations that would extend beyond five hundred kilometers.
But Mu Feiyan’s words still failed to reassure Yun Che regarding this matter. He pinched his eyebrows and he spoke as his mind continued to churn, “The first day I came to Demon Imperial City, I heard Xiao Yun tell me that lightning and fire within Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was very thick and there were even many lightning spirits and fire spirits living within… Is it a world where the natural laws are different from the outside world?”
“That is right.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head, “The existence of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is something that goes beyond all historical records. The public explanation has always been: In ancient times, the Divine Beast Golden Crow descended on upon the Illusory Demon Realm, and the present Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, is its initial resting place. After it left, it also left behind a spark of its divine soul and its bloodline legacy. Using its incomparable divine strength, it created a semi-autonomous world where its resting place used to be, a world where the laws of fire are completely bent… As for why that place has lightning spirits as well, it has always been a mystery and the legends generally speak of there being a powerful mysterious treasure which contains the essence of lightning.”
“So that is how it is… since it is a semi-autonomous world which possesses different laws from the outside world, those fire and lightning spirits cannot escape from the world at their convenience. Any profound energy vibrations and explosions will also not affect the outside world and no one will be able to send any sound transmissions to the outside world from the inside as well… Are all of my assertions correct?”
“You are indeed correct.” Yun Qinghong nodded his head as he understood what Yun Che was thinking, “Che’er, are you worried… that the reason the Little Demon Empress suddenly called off the ceremony and left the premises is so that she could go to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by herself?”
“Yes!” Yun Che nodded heavily, “The Little Demon Empress has endured one hundred years of danger and pressure; her greatest desire is to awaken her own bloodline and attain unparalleled profound strength. Today was the Little Demon Empress’ Hundred Year Reign Ceremony, all the heroes of the realm were gathered and the entire scenario had shifted in her favor due to my actions. Yet when she received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she immediately and abruptly announced that the ceremony was over… and she immediately left after that without any explanation. The reason that she gave, that she wanted to use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to present a sacrifice to the late Demon Emperor, is a reason that I am unable to accept. I have thought of many, many reasons but the only reason that I think is plausible is this one. In order to prevent any new problems from arising after she had received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, she chose to waste no time and proceed to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley in order to awaken her bloodline!”
“Also, even though she had left in a hurried and decisive manner, she still mentioned that there was ‘still half a month to the opening of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’. These words were completely unnecessary, and rather it seemed like… she was deliberately reminding everyone that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was only opening in half a month’s time, in order to conceal the fact that she was now able to open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley by herself.”
Yun Qinghong’s brows arched and now he finally understood why, after the ceremony had abruptly stopped, Yun Che would suddenly ask him whether Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley could be independently opened, and whether there were other ways to open it. He looked at Mu Feiyan and said, “Father-in-law, have you ever heard of a secret method that the Demon Emperor’s clan has which can forcibly open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley?”
Mu Feiyan furrowed his brows in thought but he slowly shook his head, “I have never heard of such a thing. Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley has always opened and closed autonomously, and the barrier sealing Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is something that no one would be able to break. During the ten thousand year reign of the line of the Demon Emperors, there hasn’t been a single Demon Emperor or anyone else for that matter who has been able to enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley while it is still closed. So this particular worry of yours should be a superfluous one.”
“There are no absolute things in this world!” Yun Che declared solemnly, “The reason why it has not happened in the past is because the line of the Demon Emperor had never been plunged into crisis like it has been today. So there was never any need for them to forcibly enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Furthermore, because of the respect they had towards the land of the Golden Crow, they would not barge in without a good reason… But that does not mean the Demon Emperor’s clan would not have any means of forcibly entering within. If there was really such a method… even if us Guardian Families do not know about it, it does not mean that none of the Duke Palaces are as clueless as us either. Because they are also part of the Illusory Demon Royal Family, so they will naturally know some secrets that pertain to the Royal Family itself.”
“And even if all the other Duke Palaces do not know of it… It does not mean that Duke Huai Palace would not know. When Duke Huai Palace first started their schemes, the first thing they would do is to use any and all methods to completely uncover all of the secrets and hidden cards possessed by the Demon Emperor Clan. In this period of time, they have been able to cause the deaths of the late Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. They have also divided the strength of the Guardian Families while causing the line of the Demon Emperor to be left with only the Little Demon Empress. Yet through all of this, they are still able to hoodwink the entire Illusory Demon Realm. I have to admit that even though the methods of Duke Huai Palace are extremely evil, they are also excellent at what they do. I definitely believe that they have the ability to ferret out the secrets of the Demon Emperor Clan that no one else would know.”
The strength of Duke Huai Palace was something that no one could deny. Especially after they had peeled back the truth today, everyone was alarmed to find out that Duke Huai Palace was far more terrifying than what they had anticipated. Yun Qinghong said with sunken brows, “So what you are worried about is that the Little Demon Empress may just know a method to forcibly enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, so she abruptly stopped the ceremony to immediately head over there. In order to not alert anyone to her plans, especially Duke Huai Palace, she went by herself… However, Duke Huai Palace may very well know this secret as well, and after guessing where the Little Demon Empress was headed to, they would follow in behind her in order to assassinate the Little Demon Empress?!”
“Yes.” Yun Che slowly nodded his head, “Even though it is only a guess, if by any chance… if by any chance that guess is correct, then the Little Demon Empress is in extreme danger!! Once the Little Demon Empress dies, the Demon Emperor’s bloodline will vanish forever. And once that happens, the strongest Duke Huai Palace can openly and uprightly assume the mantle of Demon Emperor!”
“Hahaha.” Even though Yun Che’s words were exceptionally solemn, Mu Feiyan laughed out loud instead, “You are truly worthy of being called my grandson, your intellect is simply brilliant, and you are even more meticulous and prudent than that Duke Huai. However, this worry of yours is still rather unfounded, no?”
Mu Feiyan continued in a carefree voice, “Che’er, even if your guesses are completely correct and the Little Demon Empress did indeed know a method to forcibly enter Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and went by herself, even if it turns out like what you have just said, that Duke Huai Palace also knows about this method, guessed her location, and sent experts to follow her into Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… The Little Demon Empress had left immediately, so no matter how fast Duke Huai Palace can react, they would only be able to enter after her. Given the power of the Little Demon Empress, she has definitely entered the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land before they would be able to catch up. The Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land is restricted to only those of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline who also carry with them the Demon Emperor’s Seal. Once the Little Demon Empress has entered that place, even if the people from Duke Huai Palace all grew three heads and six arms, they would still be helpless to do anything to her. If they tried to forcibly enter… it is even more likely that it would arouse the ire of the Golden Crow Soul; they would all be reduced to ashes.”
“Once the Little Demon Empress emerges from the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, she will have awakened her bloodline and she will also possess the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》. So even if the entire Duke Huai Palace was mobilized, they wouldn’t even be able to do a thing against her.”
“Therefore, there is no need to worry too much about this. The Little Demon Empress may not have stopped the ceremony because she wanted to pay her respects to the late Demon Emperor, but she definitely has a special reason for it and she also has her reasons for not telling us as well. If she really went to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to awaken her bloodline as soon as possible, in order to get rid of all the restlessness and uncertainty, then that is also an extremely good thing.”
Compared to the guesses of Yun Che, the words of Mu Feiyan were orderly and reasonable; there was not a single flaw to be found in his logic. If the Little Demon Empress had really wanted to go to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to awaken her bloodline as soon as she possibly could, then she definitely did so at the greatest speed possible, without pausing to take even a single breath….
Yun Che also silently considered Duke Huai’s reaction after the ceremony had ended… He had left in complete fury and his murderous intent towards Yun Che overflowed, but his footsteps were not hurried in the least when he had left. While his eyes were filled with murderous intent and hatred, they also did not have a trace of anxiousness within them. If Duke Huai was going to act as he had guessed, then he should have left with the greatest speed, since preparing his forces would definitely take some time.
Could it be that all of his guesses and worries were really just a product of an overactive imagination?
Since they were at the Mu Family household, they naturally could not avoid being fiercely detained by Mu Feiyan for a family dinner.
Once the time had come to leave the Mu Family residence, the curtain of night had already been draped across the sky. The streets of Demon Imperial City had begun to quiet down and it seemed to be even quieter than before.
Yun Che’s feet came to a sudden halt not even five hundred meters since they left the gates of the Mu Family residence, and he sincerely said, “Father, Mother, Xiao Yun, go back without me first… I want to make a trip to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley myself.”
“Ah? Why?” Xiao Yun said with a face filled with shock.
Yun Qinghong pinched his brows, “Are you still worried that your guesses will come to fruition?”
“Che’er, didn’t your grandfather already tell you that even if your guesses are all correct, the Little Demon Empress still wouldn’t be in any danger?” Mu Yurou said gently.
“Grandfather’s words are indeed absolutely correct. However, I just have this horrible premonition.” Yun Che said as he furrowed his brows.
“Pre… Premonition?” Xiao Yun asked.
“I have never suspected my instincts.” Yun Che solemnly declared, “Because it has saved my life countless times!”
“Uh….” Xiao Yun said with a clueless face.
Chapter 590 - At That Time, We Will Not Owe Each Other Anything nor Will We See Each Other Again
Yun Qinghong sighed heavily, but he did not stop Yun Che. He gave a brief nod of his head and said, “Since that is the case… Yurou, Xiao’er, go home first; I will accompany Che’er to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“No need!” Yun Che hurriedly raised his hands, “Father, I am only unable to hold myself back from verifying my own guesses and instincts, that is all. It’s not like I’m going to do anything dangerous or some urgent and important matter. So you should just let me go by myself. After today’s ceremony, the rest of the Yun Family are definitely still agitated and restless. Moreover, Grandfather’s body has only just been properly returned home and everyone must be waiting for Father to come home and organize things. It is definitely not the time for you to leave the city.”
“But right now, Duke Huai Palace hates you to the very bone, and the seven Guardian Families, along with many of the Duke Palace, harbor ill-will towards you as well. If you go all by yourself… it is simply too dangerous. How about letting Mother come with you as well?” Mu Yurou said in a voice full of worry.
Yun Che knew that they would definitely be worried over his safety and said with a relaxed expression, “Please do not worry, it isn’t so easy for others to follow or detect me.”
Once his voice fell, he withdrew his presence and quietly activated “Hidden Flowing Lightning”. In an instant, his profound energy aura was like smoke being dissipated by a breeze; it swiftly weakened, and within the span of two short breaths… his aura actually disappeared without a trace.
“Ah?” Xiao Yun’s mouth gaped open and he was unable to close it for a good long while. The gazes of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou also trembled as shock spread across their faces.
“Ah, ah… this… this… Big Brother’s profound energy aura actually… actually completely disappeared!” Xiao Yun yelled in a low voice as his eyes widened into saucers. Yun Che was clearly standing in front of him, yet he couldn’t feel a single wisp of profound energy coming from him… He closed his eyes but he actually could not even detect Yun Che’s existence. It was as if the Yun Che standing in front of him was only an illusionary shadow.
Despite Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou’s cultivations, they could only feel a faint sliver of energy that could only be described as a ‘silk thread’, and this was despite them focusing on detecting him. Furthermore, Yun Che was only three steps away from them… this degree of concealment, if it were in a normal situation, even if Yun Che was hidden within a thirty meter radius from them, they still might not be able to detect him… Even if they were mighty practitioners at the Sovereign Profound Realm.
Yun Che faintly laughed and said, “This profound art is called ‘Hidden Flowing Lightning’ and it can almost perfectly conceal one’s presence. Furthermore, activating it uses very little energy. After all, its method of profound energy concealment is not through forcible suppression; instead, it locks one’s energy within the body and does not interfere with your profound strength at all. So even when you are being concealed, you can always exert your full strength if you have to.”
“To think that this world actually had such a unfathomable divine skill!” Yun Qinghong could not help but exclaim. Despite the heights he had scaled and all that he had seen and heard, this was the first time he had seen such a powerful concealment technique in his life. At the same time, his concern over Yun Che’s safety had been reduced by a great deal.
“Since you are so insistent, go ahead with your plans. Just remember to prioritize your safety and go and come back swiftly.” Yun Qinghong did not try to restrain Yun Che any further. In these short three months that he had known him, he had come to understand that Yun Che was not someone who let others easily interfere with his decisions. Moreover, in regards to Yun Che, he had long ago already formed a confidence in him that even exceeded the confidence that he had in himself.
“Father, Mother, do not worry. Do not forget, I also have the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that was given to me by Grandfather, so even if I really encounter any danger, with it around, nothing will happen to me,” Yun Che said with a relaxed expression.
Mu Yurou’s face was still filled with worry, but she no longer tried to persuade Yun Che to do otherwise. She simply said in a soft voice, “With this concealment ability of yours, it would actually be safer for you to travel on your own… Ah, even though Mother believes that you will definitely not come to harm, but… I just can’t stop worrying…”
“Now, now. That’s enough. Che’er is far more incredible than we had ever imagined,” Yun Qinghong consoled Mu Yurou as he patted her shoulders. After that, he suddenly took a step forward and pressed his finger in the spot between Yun Che’s brows. Following a flash of dull purple profound light, he slowly retracted his hand and a clear image appeared in Yun Che’s mind.
“This is where Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is located and what its entrance looks like.” Yun Qinghong said, “Once you have reached that place, if the sealing profound formation is still there, then you should make haste and return. If the sealing profound formation has disappeared… you must definitely not make any reckless moves, and you must send a sound transmission to me at first notice.”
“Yes, I understand.” Yun Che nodded his head.
“Also…” Yun Qinghong hesitated for a moment but continued speaking anyways, “Even though I have absolute confidence in your ability to protect yourself… even if it is for the sake of not letting your mother worry, send a sound transmission back to us every hour. If I have not received your sound transmission for more than an hour, I will immediately make my way to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.”
“Understood. I will definitely not forget Father’s words,” Yun Che nodded his head once more. He knew that even if he had full confidence in himself and even if he had just demonstrated the mighty Hidden Flowing Lightning ability, they would still worry about him regardless… because they were his father and mother.
“Then go,” Yun Qinghong said as he nodded with a faint smile. Those ordinary and light-hearted words pierced the depth of his heart and carried an inexplicable warmth, causing his heart to warm all over.
“Father, Mother, Xiao Yun, I’ll be back soon,” said Yun Che as he rose into the air and spun around, and before anyone could feel a trace of profound energy in the air, he was already thirty meters away.
“Che’er, you have to be careful!”
As she watched Yun Che’s figure swiftly vanish into the night, the hand that Mu Yurou used to hold Yun Qinghong’s hand involuntarily tightened, “Husband, Che’er, he will definitely be… okay, right…”
“Do not worry, he is only going to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to confirm his suspicions, he’s not going there to fight anyone. Besides, his ability is probably even stronger than what we have seen or imagined so far, so he definitely won’t be in any danger,” Yun Qinghong said as he comforted her.
“I know, it’s just that…” Mu Yurou raised her hand and pressed it against her chest while she said rather despondently, “It’s just that my heart is still beating really quickly and I just have this feeling that…”
“There, there. Don’t let your imagination run wild.” Yun Qinghong said while smiling, “Our child has already returned for three months. Now that he’s left for a short period of time, your heart has been reduced to a complete mess. Don’t worry, Che’er will return almost as soon as he went. All we need to do is go home and calmly wait for his return. You never know, he might even be back before midnight.”
In order to be as stealthy as possible, Yun Che only traveled at half of his maximum speed, but that was definitely not a slow speed. Under the cover of night and using the Hidden Mirage Lightning to conceal his figure, he traveled in towards the location that Yun Qinghong had detailed for him, and pressed westward.
“Why is your heart suddenly so set on that Little Demon Empress?” Jasmine asked all of the sudden, “Is it once again because she is a beauty? So it caused your base, lecherous instincts to stir once more?”
Jasmine’s words caused Yun Che’s body fiercely contort in midair. He yelled in a low voice, “Of course not! It’s because nothing must happen to the Little Demon Empress! If not, the current situation in Demon Imperial City will be thrown into complete upheaval. The Duke Palaces and Guardian Families aligned with Duke Huai Palace will be on cloud nine, whereas my Yun Family will definitely have to endure a miserable and heavy oppression. Before long, there may even be a possibility that the Yun Family will no longer exist… This thing must definitely never come to pass.”
“Even if it’s only a guess, it’s highly likely that it will concern the life and death of the Little Demon Empress. No matter what, I need to confirm it because I will not risk even the slightest chance of it happening!”
Even though Yun Che had explained it in an incomparably sincere manner, and his argument was sound and logical, Jasmine still replied with a disdainful cold laugh, “Hmph, and is the fact that you saw her naked body also one of those important reasons?”
Yun Che, “…”
Yun Che was clear that his status as a “lecher” in Jasmine’s heart was something that was impossible to erase. He chose not to bicker with her any further, and instead looked forward while thinking carefully to himself: Could it be… that “it” was also part of the reason… After all, he had certainly taken full advantage of her that night… Cough…
“There is a piece of good news that I want to tell you,” Jasmine said in a bland voice.
“What?”
“Half of the devilish poison within my soul has already been cleansed.”
“Half? Is that true?!” Yun Che’s spirit was shaken and joy involuntarily lit up on his face.
From Yun Che’s tone, Jasmine could tell that he was subconsciously happy about it. She let out a light sigh and continued, “From the time I have known you until now, it has already been six years. The devilish poison in my body is without a doubt the deadliest poison in the boundless universe, yet half of it was purged within a short six year period… The Sky Poison Pearl is indeed worthy of its name. Hmph, and if not for the fact that I was frequently and personally forced to act, it might have taken a lot shorter than that!”
“That’s great!” Yun Che said as he rejoiced, “The less the devilish poison there is left in your body, the easier it is for the Sky Poison Pearl to suppress and cleanse it. To go from the state of having the poison inundate your body to only half of it being left in your body in less than six years, the remaining half should only require about two to three years to be completely cleansed away.”
“No.” Jasmine gave a dry laugh as her eyes narrowed, “Given the speed at which the Sky Poison Pearl has cleansed the poison, the remaining half should only require about a year or so to be completely purged from my system… Of course, that is with the condition that I don’t use my profound energy at all during this period of time!”
“One year?” This was indeed good news. “So this means that you will be able to make a full recovery one year from now?”
“Far from it!” Jasmine replied with a cold laugh, “It will only mean that the devilish poison will be completely cleansed in a year’s time! Don’t forget, right now, I am only a spirit body that needs to be attached to your lifeline and your body in order to exist! If I want to make a full recovery, I need a profound core that is of the Tyrant Profound Realm or higher, thirty-five kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystal and also the Netherworld Udumbara Flower… Don’t tell me that you’ve forgotten all of this?!”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten,” Yun Che said hurriedly. “What I meant was that once the devilish poison is purged from your system, does it mean that you can use your profound energy anytime you want?”
“…That is right,” Jasmine replied in a voice that was devoid of all emotion or color. “Are you preparing to borrow my power recklessly, without restraint when that time comes?”
“No, not really.” Yun Che said, “I am just thinking if you will be able to search for the Purple Veined Divine Crystal and the Netherworld Udumbara Flower by yourself when that time comes… After all, you are so powerful. If you searched for it yourself, you would definitely find it much faster than I would.”
“I cannot.” Jasmine said indifferently, “My soul is not attached to you in such a simple manner, but it is actually entangled with your lifeline. Before my body is reconstituted, I will not be able to stray too far away from you or leave you for too long! If not, the strength of my spirit will irreversibly weaken.”
“That’s good then,” Yun Che let out a small sigh of relief.
Jasmine, “??”
“I am just afraid that one year from now, I might wake up one day only to find that you have quietly left by yourself. If that were to happen… I would definitely be very lonely and sad,” Yun Che said gently as he looked forward.
Jasmine gave a cold laugh, “These kind of words that are used to coax girls, did you actually vainly think that it would have any effect on me?”
“Hmph, once I have made a complete recovery, I will indeed leave immediately. However, you do not need to worry; I won’t quietly slink away. Before I leave, I will do as I had promised you before and I will impart my Star God Profound Art to you… After all, I am your master, and it was also you who saved my life.”
“At that time, whether it is in Illusory Demon Realm or in Profound Sky Continent, no one will be able to be your opponent and you can live a completely carefree life. You can show off to your heart’s content and if you want anyone to bow their head towards you, they will have no choice but to comply. You will have as many women as your heart desires… But after that, we will naturally not owe each other a single thing and we will never meet again.”
“…”
The night breeze welcomed him as it brought faint refreshment. Jasmine’s words clearly told him: The day that she made a full recovery would also be the day that she would make him unrivaled under the heavens… These were four words that seemed to spring from the depths of pure fantasy. Since Jasmine was the one who said it, it was true beyond a shadow of a doubt. But this did not bring any joy to Yun Che, nor did it make a smile bloom on his face. He did not speak any further; instead, he welcomed the night breeze and headed directly westward, and before he knew it, he had already left the confines of Demon Imperial City.
Chapter 591 - Little Demon Empress’ Crisis
The sky grew darker and darker. The night was exceptionally dark today and no stars could be seen in the night sky. A dark cloud floated by, covering up the crescent moon. In an instant, the entire world became as dark as black ink, and when one stretched out his hand, he could not see his fingers. Even the air became exceptionally heavy… as though it was using the surrounding darkness to predict something.
“Tonight really is overwhelmingly dark,” Yun Che muttered to himself. As he looked into the sky, the cloud layer was not dense, which signified that there was also almost no chance of rain.
After some time, the clouds that shrouded the moon slowly floated away and dim moonlight shone down. In front of Yun Che, the figures of two towering peaks appeared vaguely in the distance. Under the darkness of the sky, they looked like two giants that depended on each other to stand.
The entrance to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley laid where the two towering peaks crossed paths. In the area fifty kilometers around it, there was no sign of humans, and only a few profound beasts were seen.
“I’m almost there!” Yun Che called out in a low voice. His body started to descend, his speed slowed down, his aura weakened greatly, and even his eyebrows knitted slightly.
From the message Yun Qinghong had sent to his mind, he learned that the seal at the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was personally set up by the soul of the Golden Crow. The profound formation was thirty meters tall and was constantly emitting a golden profound glow and a scorching aura.
In the darkness of the night, even if one was several kilometers away, the golden glow of the profound formation should be exceptionally eye-catching. However, from what Yun Che could see, there was only a patch of darkness between the two peaks and not one bit of the golden profound formation could be seen.
Which meant that… the profound formation that sealed Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had indeed been broken!!
“Looks like what I predicted had indeed come true. The Little Demon Empress had indeed come to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… And there was indeed a way to forcefully break the seal to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley,” Yun Che muttered.
It was also obvious that after the seal to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had been broken, it would not recover immediately, and people that came later could freely enter as well.
Yun Che took out a Sound Transmission Jade and was about to inform Yun Qinghong of the news that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s profound formation had been broken, but just as he was about to talk, he put down the Sound Transmission Jade and said to himself, “I better go closer to confirm things.”
Yun Che closed the distance quickly and soon, he could see the entrance to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley in front of him. He could clearly feel that the surrounding air was becoming hotter and hotter, and when he was one and a half kilometers away, the scorching heat had become unbearable for any normal human. Then, Jasmine suddenly said, “Quick, get down; there’s someone at the entrance.”
Hearing this, Yun Che quickly descended from midair and slowly walked to the entrance. Using Hidden Flowing Lightning, he became silent. Previously, even the Little Demon Empress could not detect his existence when he was close by, not to mention other people.
Every time his proficiency in the Great Way of the Buddha increased, the sensitivities of Yun Che’s five senses increased. Stopping one kilometer away, he stood behind a huge boulder as he looked across the darkness and indeed, at the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, he clearly saw the figure of a person.
Although he could not see the person’s face clearly, this person did not withhold his aura and from the profound aura, Yun Che felt a sense of familiarity.
This aura, this slight pressure, was not foreign. This person was…
Yun Che thought for a short while before his heart stirred fiercely——
Hui Ran!!!
Duke Huai’s eldest son, the strongest of the Illusory Demon Seven Scions… The one he beat miraculously during the ceremony by sending him flying with one swing of his sword!!!
Why would he be here….
Yun Che thought for a while before his heart sank… Hui Ran appearing here could only mean one thing. The members of Duke Huai Palace had, as he feared, learned of the actions of the Little Demon Empress and had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley after the Little Demon Empress had entered!
Their motive was obviously to kill the Little Demon Empress at such an excellent place like Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!!
To perform such an act, nothing could be leaked and there must be no signs of the act. Therefore, the ones who performed the act must be the ones Duke Huai trusted the most… As such, his immediate relatives would naturally be involved!
Father or son!
To ensure that the assassination was successful, it was definitely not possible with Duke Huai alone. Then, the person Duke Huai would most likely bring along would definitely be his father who had disappeared for a long time, but was most likely be hiding behind the scenes and was at the pinnacle of profound cultivation… Duke Ming!
Hui Ran was obviously here to act as a lookout! To prevent anyone from approaching and realizing that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal had been broken… If he could defeat this person, he would definitely silence him, and even if he couldn’t, he would clearly know who had approached.
Yun Che hid his body again, took out the Sound Transmission Jade and sent a sound transmission to Yun Qinghong, “Unfortunately, my guess was right… The profound formation to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley has been opened. Duke Huai Palace’s Hui Ran is guarding the entrance.”
When he finished speaking, Yun Che kept the Sound Transmission Jade… He believed that when Yun Qinghong heard this, he would definitely rush over immediately.
“What are you going to do?” Jasmine asked.
Yun Che thought for a while and said, “I’ll guard here for now. Even if I disregard Duke Ming and Duke Huai, I’m also unable to beat Hui Ran. The only thing I can do now is to observe and wait for Father and Grandfather to arrive.”
“However, what Grandfather said previously is true. The Little Demon Empress definitely won’t let down her guard so easily. After leaving the palace, she most definitely rushed towards Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land that is within the depths of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. Even if the people from Duke Huai Palace reacted right away, it would not be possible for them to chase up to her. Within the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, the Little Demon Empress would not encounter any danger. When her bloodline has been awakened, even if Duke Ming personally attacked, it wouldn’t be possible to kill her.”
After saying these, Yun Che’s eyebrows did not relax but knitted even more tightly.
“Oh? Is it?” Jasmine snorted, “After saying all this, you don’t find anything wrong? How smart are Duke Huai and Duke Ming who are always behind the scenes. How would they not think of something your grandfather thought of! They’re able to predict the Little Demon Empress’ movement and chase her to this place, so isn’t it obvious that, just as you were afraid of, they had already learned numerous secrets about the Demon Emperor’s clan? What they know would definitely be much more than what your grandfather knows! If it were just like you had said, why would they chase to this place knowing fully well that it would be a waste of energy… and even leave one person to stand guard at the entrance!”
Jasmine’s words were also what Yun Che had been wondering about. She stopped for a moment, changing the tone in her voice, and she coldly laughed, “Regarding the bloodline of the Golden Crow, I just remembered something interesting.”
“Something interesting? What?” Yun Che was stunned.
“In the world that I was in, there’s an astral plane called ‘Flame God’s Realm.’ That place is dominated by flames and the people there all succeeded the bloodline and strength of fire beasts from the Primordial Era. There were flame qilins, azure divine birds, zhurongs, nine-tailed divine foxes, scarlet sables… Almost all the legacy of the flame-type divine beasts from the Primordial Era were concentrated in the ‘Flame God’s Realm.’ Above them were the three strongest flame forces which naturally were the races of the Vermillion Bird, Phoenix, and Golden Crow, which possessed the supreme flame divine powers and bloodline!”
Yun Che, “…”
“I’ve once said before, among the three flame supremes, although the Golden Crow is ranked last, if one were solely judging based on the might of the flames, the Golden Crow would be the strongest. However, within the Flame God’s Realm, the combined strength of the Golden Crows is far inferior to that of the Vermillion Bird and the Phoenix; not even half of theirs! Do you know why?”
“…Could it be that the Golden Crow flames are too intense? Not only is it intractable, it would harm one’s body?” Yun Che thought for a while and replied. Because Jasmine had once said similar words to him. Furthermore, within the Illusory Demon Realm, the purest heirs of the Golden Crow, the Demon Emperors, only had a very short lifespan. After their bloodline awakened, they could only live for more than a thousand years. In addition, no Demon Empress managed to live past a thousand years.
“Hmph, that’s right.” Jasmine said, “Within the Flame God’s Realm, men who cultivated the Golden Crow flames usually had lifespans that were half of those who cultivated the Vermillion Bird and the Phoenix Flames! Females who cultivated the Golden Crow flame had half the lifespan of males who did so. They were even often subjected to the pain of the flame burning their hearts!!!”
“This is because the Golden Crow Flame is the most supreme Yang flame and it does not allow the existence of even one bit of Yin energy! The more pure the Golden Crow bloodline, the more true this is! The vitality of women is innately Yin. If one bore the bloodline of the Golden Crow and cultivated the strength of the Golden Crow, wouldn’t the Golden Crow Flame harm their vitality?!”
Yun Che looked up vigorously, “Jasmine, what do you mean… by saying all this?”
Jasmine laughed coldly, “What I meant is that if that was the case for the women in Flame God’s Realm, for the Little Demon Empress who possessed an ordinary body, simply inheriting the Golden Crow’s bloodline would cause her excruciating pain. For them, the so-called awakening of the bloodline simply means obtaining a pure drop of blood from the soul of the Golden Crow. Heh, she’s merely a woman; if she were to obtain a pure drop of blood from the Golden Crow Ancestor, then, no matter how hard she tried to resist and withstand, her vitality would be burnt up within a year!”
“If she were still a virgin and still possessed her vital yin, she would not even survive past a month!”
“What!!” Jasmine’s words caused Yun Che to become deeply shocked and he nearly shouted out loud.
Jasmine then continued, “However, if the soul of the Golden Crow has some brains, it would not do the stupid thing of wasting the precious Golden Crow blood on a woman! Even if Little Demon Empress managed to see the soul of the Golden Crow, she would most likely be chased out.”
Yun Che, “!!”
Yun Che was greatly shocked… Jasmine’s words definitely wouldn’t be wrong! But if this were all true, then the Little Demon Empress’ attempt to awaken her bloodline would only end in failure! Even if she were to reach the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, the only result would be her being chased away by the soul of Golden Crow… Because even he would not believe that a divine beast which had its own will, such as the soul of the Golden Crow, would choose to waste its bloodline on a successor that would quickly perish after receiving it.
Then, unable to awaken her bloodline, she would soon encounter Duke Huai who entered after her…
Yun Che stood up immediately and did not hide his action one bit. Even his profound aura was released without restraint. He instantly swept up a storm and rushed straight to the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
“Who goes there!!” Yun Che’s action had undoubtedly caught the attention of Hui Ran who stood up intensely, releasing an aura of dismay which condensed the air within a radius of thirty meters.
“What do you want to do?!” Jasmine asked displeasingly.
“Obviously, I need to rush in!” Yun Che said as he gritted his teeth, “If all of this is real… the Little Demon Empress would be in great danger. There’s no time left to wait for Father and Grandfather! No matter what, the Little Demon Empress cannot perish. Otherwise, the Yun Family would be doomed!”
“With your strength now, what use is there even if you were to rush in? Regarding people who have the ability to kill the Little Demon Empress, I’m afraid you wouldn’t be able to stop them for even a breath of time.”
“…If I can find her and she isn’t dead yet, then I’ll have a plan! Hong’er, come out!”
Yun Che howled as a red radiance flashed in his hand and the Heaven Smiting Sword appeared in his hand. Without even a word of greeting, the sword smashed straight at Hui Ran.
Chapter 592 - Duke Ming Appears
Boom!!
A loud noise suddenly exploded within the deathly silence of the night. A violent flow of air that was more ferocious than a storm swept all around, and scorching Phoenix Flames shot into the sky. The flames spread and clearly illuminated the two people’s faces.
“It’s… you!!!” Although Hui Ran immediately recovered and stood firmly after he was sent flying by a swing of Yun Che’s sword, his arms were still severely numb and his muscles shrieked in pain uncontrollably. Seeing that the person who suddenly appeared was Yun Che, he immediately swept around himself with a peculiar gaze before quickly searching behind Yun Che.
“Heh, don’t worry, there’s only me,” Yun Che relaxingly said, lifting the Heaven Smiting Sword. When he attacked Hui Ran just now, he also suffered the recoil due to Hui Ran’s strength. Although he looked to have gained the advantage… Hui Ran had blocked his blow with just one arm.
The profound strength of someone in the eighth level of the Tyrant Profound Realm, along with powerful profound arts and a shocking physique… His strength was truly frightening.
Yun Che’s words caused Hui Ran to be shocked for a moment, “What are you doing here?” Changing the tone of his voice, he shouted, “ You’re courting death!”
“Courting death? Hahahaha!” Yun Che laughed madly in disdain, “Is some trash who was beaten by me in three moves worthy of saying those two words in front of me?”
Hui Ran was someone who was extremely arrogant, and looked at everyone else in disdain. And for someone like that, he was easily angered as well. Expectedly, just one sentence of disregard caused the aura around Hui Ran to increase tremendously. His bloodshot eyes made him seemed as though he was a devil that came from hell, as he said angrily, “Yun… Che! This duke will personally turn you into minced meat!!!”
After the ceremony had ended, Duke Huai had personally said that no matter how much he had wanted Yun Che to die, he could not touch Yun Che. However, Yun Che had appeared at a place where no one was allowed to come on this night and even insulted him… No matter what, he was going to torture him to death tonight!
Yun Che wagged his finger in contempt, “Tsk, tsk. You really are useless, you so-called prince of a Duke Palace. Your father and grandfather had wanted you to stand guard to prevent any accidents. If you had really attacked, heh, aren’t you afraid that the commotion would spread to Illusory Demon Realm? At that time, when everyone gathered to figure out what happened, the plan to kill the Little Demon Empress might end in failure.
When the enraged Hui Ran that was about to attack had heard what Yun Che had said, his pupils shrunk in shock… He was shocked that Yun Che had figured out their Duke Palace’s plan and even more shocked that he had mentioned the word “grandfather!”
His grandfather, Duke Ming… was their Duke Palace’s biggest trump card and well-kept secret for the past hundred years! This was a secret that no one had managed to see through!
Tonight, the Yun Che in front of him… had figured it out in one go.
Never mind Hui Ran, if Duke Huai had heard these words, he would be greatly shocked as well.
Yun Che’s initial words were meant to cause Hui Ran to become angry, and his latter words were to test him while he was still enraged. From the change in Hui Ran’s expression and eyes, Yun Che was shocked as well… Because from Hui Ran’s reaction, it was proven that the frightening guess of “Duke Ming” being involved had become reality!
If Duke Ming was involved, then Little Demon Empress’ fate was… absolute demise!
He could not wait any longer.
Hui Ran, was now standing in front of him, letting out a strong killing intent which shot to the skies, “You know too much… You must die!”
Boom!!
The boulders surrounding Hui Ran were shattered and the ground cracked. Following the ignition of the crimson-black flames on his body, a thick, dark chain appeared in his hand, and at the ends of the chain were two huge, round hammers that were filled with spikes!
Meteor hammer… and it was a twin meteor hammer!
A meteor hammer was a very lethal weapon that was extremely difficult to handle. However, with Hui Ran’s physique and strength, the meteor hammer is his hand would undoubtedly be nightmarishly powerful.
“Be careful, this twin meteor hammer of his… each hammer weighs at least fifty thousand kilograms!” Jasmine warned.
Each hammer was no less than fifty thousand kilograms, and adding up the two, their weight was nearly that of the Heaven Smiting Sword in his hands!
“Don’t worry… I don’t have time to waste on him now!” Yun Che muttered, and just when he had finished speaking to Jasmine, Hui Ran swung his arm and a meteor hammer that carried crimson-black flames flew violently at Yun Che… Wherever it went, the air distorted vigorously and the ground below sunk madly. The surrounding boulders of numerous hundred kilograms all disappeared like bubbles being popped.
Even with Yun Che’s physique, if he were to be hit by the hammer, it would not be easy to bear.
Yun Che’s gaze focused as he retreated. However, he did not avoid or dodge, and instead swung his sword at the meteor hammer.
BOOOM!!!!
With a loud bang, Yun Che retreated in panic. His arms that held the Heaven Smiting Sword was feeling numb and yet, the corners of his mouth revealed a satisfied smile… Hui Ran, who wielded the frightening meteor hammer, was sent flying into the air when it collided with the sword. The meteor hammer’s surface seemed to have been branded with an indentation.
“Wha… What!” Hui Ran was extremely shocked. His meteor hammer had been forged with a lava core made of “Flame Devil Heart Shattering Steel” which possessed the strength to destroy mountains. Ever since he had started using it, nobody below the Sovereign Profound Realm dared to face it head on. This swing had been made out of rage, and he had used nearly eighty percent of his strength. He originally thought that he would see images of Yun Che’s arms shattering, yet, he had never imagined that when his meteor hammer collided with Yun Che’s great sword… he would be the one sent flying.
Besides being shocked, Hui Ran was furious. In front of his eyes, Yun Che’s heavy sword had already arrived instantly, bringing along blazing phoenix flames. He stared widely and howled. His Fallen Flame surged in an instant and the twin meteor hammers swung in unison, which made them seem like two Flame Devils that came from hell as they smashed forward.
“Go… and… die!!!”
BOOM!!
With a loud bang, all the dark clouds in the sky scattered, and within a three kilometer radius, the earth was completely overturned. Crimson-black flames filled the entire sky and the entire scene looked as though doomsday had arrived… Under such catastrophic strength, the greatsword that had infused with Phoenix Flame shattered into numerous tiny fragments right in front of Hui Ran’s eyes and disappeared from sight.
Yun Che’s figure disappeared with it.
Taking where Hui Ran stood as the center, a massive, deep pit that spanned farther than three kilometers appeared. In the air, there were shattered flaming rocks raining down. Grabbing his meteor hammer, Hui Ran had an extremely downcast expression, and after five breaths of time, he had finally reacted. What he had shattered just now was obviously just Yun Che’s profound handle!
And Yun Che had used that opportunity and snuck into Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s entrance!
He turned and looked towards the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley but did not give chase. His face revealed a cold smile as he laughed, “Idiot… With your speed, if you wanted to run, this duke might not be able to kill you! However, you chose to court death yourself…”
“Then, you shall become the Little Demon Empress’ companion in death!!”
Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, Core Region
“Princess Caiyi, it’s been a hundred and fifty years, how have you been. Oh no, I guess I should address you as… Little Demon Empress!”
The man was of medium stature, looked elegant and handsome, and his face was rather pale. Overall, he looked as though he was a weak scholar, yet he was emitting an extremely frightening pressure from his entire body.
The world of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was shrouded in exploding flames and the constant rumble of thunder. At every corner, a disastrous elemental storm was present. However, around him, it was frighteningly silent and there was no sign of any flames or lightning. There did not even seem to be any trace of airflow. His hair and sleeves were all still… just like his surroundings, where his frightening aura seemed to have condensed the air around him.
He was dressed in a red robe and looked to be only around thirty years old. Standing in front of Duke Huai, he seemed to be even younger than Duke Huai. Furthermore, the Duke Huai who usually treated everyone indifferently and was feared by many others not only stood upright behind him, but he also had a posture of respect.
The Little Demon Empress stared closely at this person, as her expression and gaze changed, revealing the shock and horror in her heart.
Within the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, she did not obtain a desirable result and was expelled by the soul of the Golden Crow. Without much hesitation, she swiftly returned because she could guess what Duke Huai would do if he had predicted her course of actions, and at the same time, she had a bad feeling… There was only an entrance to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and no exits. The only way to exit from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was to wait for one to be forcibly expelled a day later when the seal was reactivated.
However, since the Demon Emperor’s Seal had a way to allow her to enter forcefully, it must also have a way for her to leave as well… But, she had to get back to the place she entered from first.
When she was flying back to the core region of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, she saw Duke Huai… Regarding Duke Huai’s appearance, she was already well-prepared and was not surprised. However, she never expected the person that accompanied Duke Huai!
He was a person that has disappeared for a hundred and fifty years without a word!
“Duke… Ming!” The Little Demon Empress’ chest rose intensely. For this person to suddenly appear here today along with Duke Huai, she would not naively believe that he was here to welcome her. At that instant, in her shock, she had finally understood facts that she had previously dared not to believe.
“It’s been a hundred and fifty years, but your highness still looks the same,” Duke Ming spoke with a slight and gentle smile. If it were not for the frightening flow of air, anyone who saw that smile would feel that the smile was like a warm spring breeze, “It’s such a pity. Although your highness possessed the purest of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, even if you forcefully seal your vital Yin and maintained your body in a youth-like state, the feeling of the bloodline eating away at your body must be unbearable. It must be hard on you to bear it all these years. Although the Little Demon Emperor died early, there are many men within Illusory Demon Realm. You could have found any of them to release your vital yin and live comfortably for the past hundred years. Hahahahahaha!”
Duke Ming and Duke Huai both laughed hysterically. Their words of insult had caused any hope within the Little Demon Empress to shatter as she continued staring closely at Duke Ming… Staring at this person that her father used to trust and value; this person that she herself used to greatly respect. In her heart, her anger was like a volcano that was exploding crazily.
She also clearly knew how frightening Duke Ming’s profound strength actually was… Then, he was the third strongest person in the entire Illusory Demon Realm behind the Demon Emperor and Demon King.
However, now that both the Demon Emperor and Demon King had passed on, he had become the undisputed number one within Illusory Demon Realm! Within a hundred fifty years, his strength had obviously risen greatly. Under the effect of his profound energy, even at the Little Demon Empress’ level, her body was frozen cold and her chest felt a suffocating pressure.
“Duke Ming, you have hidden very well.” The Little Demon Empress’ gaze was like an ice cold sword and golden flames had already ignited on her hand which was holding the Demon Emperor’s Seal.
Chapter 593 - Life and Death Battle!
Yun Che shot like an arrow towards the entrance of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and suddenly the space in front of him distorted completely. Once the darkness had dissipated, what presented itself before his eyes was a world where scarlet fire and purple lightning wreaked complete havoc.
The outside world was completely enshrouded by the ink-black curtain of night, but there was not a hint of darkness here. Wherever he looked, he saw raging volcanoes and boiling lava. These volcanoes were grouped inconceivably tightly together, and while their heights differed wildly, each and every one of them burned with a bright red flame. There were some as tall as three thousand meters, and they seemed like huge flame devils which set the heavens ablaze.
The earth was so hot that it had turned red and every grain of sand released a shocking temperature. If a normal person came here, they would burn to cinders in the span of a few breaths. Yet the sky was a deep purple color, as storm clouds howled like furious devil gods, and every now and then the ground was struck with thunderbolts that shook the heavens and the earth.
Boom!!
A bolt of lightning that was several tens of meters thick exploded in front of Yun Che as it instantly cleaved a volcano in two. Countless volcanic rocks and magma flew through the air… This scene, which would terrify anyone who witnessed it, was instead extremely commonplace here.
“The degree of activity of the fire and lightning element in this place exceeds what I had anticipated. No wonder it was able to become the highest level training ground within Illusory Demon Realm,” Jasmine said in a bland voice as she observed the vibrations of the spirit energy around her. She let out a soft sigh and said in a seemingly disdainful, yet astonished voice, “The fire spirits and lightning spirits birthed in this place aren’t bad at all; at the very least, they are not of the lowest grade.”
Yun Che swept his eyes across the world in front of him and he did not let his guard down at all, but there was no indication that Hui Ran had run in after behind him. He turned around, and to his amazement, what he saw was the same boundless crimson world that he had seen in front of him… There was no trace of an exit, not even anything similar to a teleportation profound formation.
“What is going on?” Yun Che said as his brows furrowed, “Could it be that we can only enter from the entrance, but we cannot exit from the same place?”
“This place is the same as the Heaven Basin Secret Realm and the Primordial Profound Ark. It is a small world and its laws are not the same as those of the outside world, but neither of these laws interfere with each other. That entrance was only a spatial profound formation that was meant to send you into this world. As for exiting this place, if you do not have any special method, you can only wait for the energy field of this world to expel you from this place.”
“That is also the reason that Hui Ran person did not think of chasing you inside.”
After hearing Jasmine’s words, Yun Che suddenly recalled what Yun Qinghong had told him before. That one would be expelled from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley twenty-four hours after entering it, unless one died in this place… this condition was indeed exactly the same as the Heaven Basin Secret Realm and the Primordial Profound Ark.
The reason why Hui Ran did not follow him inside was because he was scared that even though it was easy to enter, he could not exit it as he pleased.
Yun Che did not let go of the energy that he had gathered. He soared into the sky and immediately pushed his speed to its limit as he rushed crazily towards the west amidst the interweaving gleam of fire and lightning…
A great number of fire and lightning spirits wandered and danced in front of him. Even though most of them were only as big as his palm, they released the aura of the Sky Profound Realm, and some even had an aura of the Emperor Profound Realm. Occasionally there would appear a high-grade spirit that would actually release the aura of the Tyrant Profound Realm.
If one were able to subdue and refine these fire and lightning spirits, then they could be directly converted into one’s own profound energy. Refining a low-grade Emperor profound fire spirit was equivalent to the result of many years of bitter cultivation for a normal Emperor Profound Realm practitioner!
In order for these spirits to be born, some extremely exacting conditions had to be met. It was only in an environment where an element was extremely active and pure did they have a possibility of appearing. An example of such an environment would be the heart of a glacier or the bottom of a lake of lava, and even then, the chance of a spirit appearing was extremely low. Thus, even a low-grade elemental spirit could be sold for an astronomical fortune.
But in this Golden Crow Lightning Valley, they appeared in groups and swarms.
No wonder the power levels of those who lived in Demon Imperial City were so shocking. It was not surprising that since the Yun Family had been barred entry to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley for one hundred years, its power had weakened to an astonishing degree.
However, Yun Che ignored all of these things and he tried his best to evade them instead, so he could avoid being attacked by them. Using the Extreme Mirage Lightning, before these lightning and fire spirits could approach, he was already long gone.
He needed to immediately find the Little Demon Empress!!
Before that happened… she must not die!
Rumble… rumble… rumble….
Yun Che had swiftly flown over hundreds of kilometers when he suddenly felt the air start to vibrate. This vibration did not happen every now and then; instead it steadily continued and it actually grew fiercer and fiercer as he pressed forward. His ears were barraged by the ceaseless explosions while thunderclouds above him stirred fiercely and in an agitated fashion.
Boom!!!
The sound came from an extremely distant location, yet an extremely heavy explosive sound reached all the way here. Yun Che focused his gaze towards the front… and in a faraway location of indeterminate distance, a scarlet-yellow cloud of smoke and a crimson-black cloud of smoke soared into the sky. Smoke filled the skies, and below the smoke were two clusters of unimaginably far but brilliant pinpricks of firelight which hurt the eyes.
That was….
Yun Che fiercely ground his teeth and his profound energy swelled as he pushed the Extreme Mirage Lightning to its limit. His whole person seemed to morph into a meteor which streaked across the horizon, and he was so fast that he barely even left any afterimages behind.
Boom!!
Two clusters of fire collided in midair, yet it made a terrifying sound, as if two mountains were colliding violently against each other. In an instant, heaven and earth turned dark and the ground frantically broke apart and was launched into the sky before being swiftly reduced into bits and specks of dust…. and the rocks here were definitely not normal rocks; they were high-grade profound stones which had not melted despite existing in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley for the last ten thousand years!
In the sky, the scarlet-yellow flames and crimson-black flames struggled to devour each other. Within the flames, two figures could be seen clashing against each other like two streaking bolts of lightning. Every collision caused the sky and the earth to howl.
The rocks below continued to break apart and volcanoes were being completely uprooted by the extremely terrifying energy that was being exerted. Fire and magma filled the sky as a bizarre red mist filled the sky and became thicker and thicker, to the point that a person would not even be able to see his own hand if he held out it in front of him.
On the ground, a huge crater that was over three hundred meters wide had long ago formed… and the surface of the crater was as sleek as a mirror.
This kind of power was much more fiercer than the explosion of any volcano.
Because this was a life and death battle between Monarchs!
Boom!!!
Yet another explosion ripped through the air.
The dazzling scarlet-yellow flames suddenly tore apart the seemingly demonic crimson-black flames and rushed forward explosively, instantly engulfing one of the figures and sending that flame-wreathed silhouette crashing into the ground.
For an instant, the earth trembled and the winds and clouds scattered as a fire pillar that was more than three hundred meters thick shot into the sky, traveling thousands of meters. In the distance, an immense mushroom cloud had risen into the sky and it did not dissipate for a long while.
Underneath the mushroom cloud, the Little Demon Empress calmly floated in midair. Her grey robes gently swayed in the air as her long hair splayed out behind her and her crystalline eyes were as dark and sinister as a death god’s.
In front of her, Duke Huai had flown up from the deep crater to meet her once more. Even though his expression was calm, and a faint cold smile still adorned his face, his appearance was extremely miserable. His embroidered clothes were riddled with thousands of holes and half of his hair had been completely scorched. His entire left hand had been severely burnt and two rivulets of blood flowed down the corners of his mouth.
In the sky far above, Duke Ming stood by idly, his eyes faintly open, his expression tranquil and content. It was as if he was simply enjoying some beautiful scenery.
“Duke Huai, if it were just you alone, you would still not be worthy of taking this empress’ life!” The Little Demon Empress voice was even deeper than the rumble of thunderclouds.
“Heh? Is that so?” Duke Huai wiped off the blood at the corners of his mouth and he flew even higher at an even pace. His expression was not the least bit resentful as he said, “Ah, the Little Demon Empress is indeed worthy of her reputation. Even though this duke had never believed that he was your opponent, I had never thought that you would actually be able to suppress me to such an extent! The late stages of the fifth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. You’re no longer any inferior to the Yun Qinghong of twenty-five years ago; it truly brings tears of joy to this duke’s eyes.”
“Heh, Little Demon Empress, you are after all the last remaining member of the line of the Demon Emperor. If you simply died like this, it would be such a waste. So before you die, why don’t you let this duke play with you for a while… the longer you amuse me, the longer you’ll live! Hahahahaha!”
The Little Demon Empress’ Golden Crow bloodline was far purer than Duke Huai’s, so the Golden Crow flames that she released would have a great suppressive effect. Therefore, even though their profound strength was equal, if they went all out, Duke Huai would definitely not be the Little Demon Empress’ match… But the key qualifier was that the Little Demon Empress had to go all out!
As he laughed wildly, Duke Huai raised his hand and grasped a flaming longsword that had appeared out of nowhere. The flames that engulfed the body of the blade were definitely not the scarlet-yellow of the Golden Crow flames; instead the flames had the color of thick blood.
Devil Blood Sword!!
The blood flames spread over Duke Huai’s body, causing his aura to fluctuate violently, and even turning his face into something horrifying and sinister. He wildly brandished the Blood Demon Sword and every slash produced a huge swathe of crimson-black flames. These crimson-black flames congealed together in mid-air, finally forming a three hundred meter tall giant Flame Devil.
Duke Huai was the same as Hui Ye; he also cultivated the powerful Fallen Flame Devil Art. If Hui Ye could use the flame devils, then it was natural that Duke Huai could do so as well… and his flame devil was many, many times stronger than the flame devil of Hui Ye.
Duke Huai roared, and with a wave of his hand, the immense flame devil let out a gloomy and sinister wail that seemed to come from the depths of hell as it fiercely threw itself at the Little Demon Empress.
Just looking at that three hundred meter flame devil would cause one to be scared witless. But the Little Demon Empress expression was as cold and calm as a lake that had been sealed in ice, and not a single ripple appeared on her face. She raised her arm and her broad grey sleeves danced in the air, and in an instant all the fire, lava, and volcanic rocks in a three thousand kilometer radius seemed to come to life and converge together in front of her… In the next instant, it congealed into a three hundred meter tall, thirty meter wide fire greatsword. As more and more fire and rock congregated together, it grew bigger and bigger, and a majestic, blazing power seemed to completely envelop the sky and the earth.
Duke Ming had not yet made a single move; instead he wanted the ill-matched Duke Huai to exchange blows with her first. The Little Demon Empress was completely mystified by this… but at this late hour, she was finally alerted to Duke Ming’s terrifying intellect. As a person possessing such intellect, he naturally clearly understood the meaning of the phrase ‘a long delay gives rise to many hitches.’ He had come to take her life, an opportunity which would only come along once every blue moon. So the wisest thing to do would be for him to personally attack with all of his power, so that he could kill with her within the shortest amount of time….
He should have understood that the longer he delayed it, the more likely it was for an unforeseen event to occur! Once an accident occurred, not only would he lose this extremely rare opportunity, but he would also expose himself and be put on the defensive.
But Duke Ming was still doing what anyone would term as an extremely stupid action… He tasked Duke Huai with taking the Little Demon Empress life, while he just stood there idly watching, without even the slightest intention of taking action himself.
Even though the Little Demon Empress had her suspicions, she did not have any idle time to consider them. Because even though her power was greater than that of Duke Huai, she definitely could not relax. It was hard for her to devote her attention to anything else as she faced off against a Duke Huai who was going all-out.
Ssss!
The flame seal between the Little Demon Empress’ brows suddenly flashed with a golden-yellow light, and as she raised both her arms, the gigantic flame sword shot forward as it rent the sky apart… Even though it looked like it was moving at a slow speed, it had directly stepped across dimensions and bored into the body of the onrushing giant flame devil. The sword pierced through the Flame Devil’s body without the least bit of resistance as it bore the gigantic Fallen Flame Devil God aloft and drove it into the sky.
Boom…
The flaming greatsword which pierced the Fallen Flame Devil exploded and produced an extremely terrifying profound energy storm which descended with a huge explosion… The sound of the explosion was so huge that it sounded as if a star had exploded in mid-air.
The howls of the struggling Fallen Flame Devil echoed across the sky, but within the span of a few short breaths, the Fallen Flame Devil had been blown apart and was swiftly reduced to a countless number of fire fragments which filled the atmosphere.
The thunderclouds in the sky had disappeared… Or, it was more accurate to say that, one could no longer see the sky as it was completely filled with berserking Golden Crow Flames. Apprehension finally appeared on Duke Huai’s face as he retreated at the swiftest possible speed he could muster… Even though he had never thought that he was the Little Demon Empress’ match, he had also never thought that she would be quite this powerful.
At this time, Duke Ming, who had been standing by idly watching the show, revealed a sinister, cold smile as his eyes flashed. Before anyone could observe his movements, a wild gale blew and his entire person seemed to vanish from its original spot… An afterimage that moved so swiftly that the naked eye was unable to capture appeared behind the Little Demon Empress’ back.
Even though the Little Demon Empress had easily broken apart Duke Huai’s Flame Devil, she had put her all into that strike, not holding back in the slightest. Furthermore, Duke Ming’s profound strength was superior to hers by half a realm, so it was only when Duke Ming was within thirty meters of her that she detected his presence… But by then, it was far too late.
Bang!!!
An extremely ear-piercing shattering sound ripped through the air as the space around the Little Demon Empress fractured in an instant. The Demon Emperor’s Seal flew out, and under a strong attractive force, it instantly flew into Duke Ming’s hand… At the same time, an extremely violent windstorm smashed into the Little Demon Empress’ body. The Little Demon Empress gave a low groan as she was smashed a hundred meters away before finally coming to a halt.
Chapter 594 - Facing Duke Ming
“Heh!” As he raised the Demon Emperor’s Seal that he grasped in his hand, Duke Ming narrowed his eyes slightly and displayed a bland and placid smile that would cause discomfort to anyone who gazed upon it.
“It has gone perfectly according to my royal father’s plans,” said Duke Huai, no longer trying to attack the Little Demon Empress. Instead, he sidled over to Duke Ming’s side. Even though his body was covered in wounds, the smile he displayed was incomparably self-satisfied.
“Your goal was… the Demon Emperor’s Seal!” The Little Demon Empress held a hand to her chest. Her expression may have been calm, but she radiated a bone-piercing killing intent that caused the air around her to freeze solid.
Low-level profound practitioners used spatial rings as storage devices, but once one reached the rank of Monarch, one could open a personal dimensional pocket. One could store important objects in this dimensional pocket, so that these things would not be so easily lost or stolen like the objects in a dimensional ring.
Stealing something from someone’s dimensional pocket was far harder than killing that person… If one truly killed that person, his dimensional pocket would collapse as well, and the items inside that pocket would either be ripped apart by the spatial energies or fall into the cracks between dimensions. Either way, those items would never appear again.
The reason behind Duke Ming not personally taking action and letting Duke Huai attack was to take advantage of the instant when the Little Demon Empress would be powerless to defend herself once she had used her full force to deal with Duke Huai, and seize her dimensional pocket… stealing the Demon Emperor’s Seal that lay inside!
“You really need to thank this thing, because it has let you live until now,” said Duke Ming, dangling the Demon Emperor’s Seal in front of him. His voice was as tranquil as water, but it would cause the heart of anyone who heard it to palpitate, “This duke knows that as long as a member of the Demon Emperor’s clan has it on their person, once they encounter any life-threatening situations, it will automatically drink your Demon Emperor blood to help you use the blood escape technique, and it can even help you directly leave this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. The price would merely be the loss of some blood essence!”
“This duke has waited far too long for this day to come… so how could I give you such an opportunity?!!” Duke Ming grasped the Demon Emperor’s Seal tightly, and his normally placid smile finally turned rather sinister.
The Little Demon Empress’ face paled for an instant and she ground her teeth silently. She replied in a deep voice, “You… Why do you know the secrets of the Demon Emperor’s Seal?!”
“Hahahaha!” Duke Huai gave an unbridled laugh, “Little Demon Empress, the things that my royal father knows far exceeds what you have imagined! There are some secrets of the Demon Emperor’s clan that my royal father knows of that even you do not know!”
“This duke does not mind telling you that when the ceremony was suddenly stopped halfway, even though this duke suspected that you were going to do something, I did not have any clues to act upon. However, my royal father knew very clearly where you were headed all along… Because my royal father knew that you could use the Demon Emperor’s blood within you to activate the Demon Emperor’s Seal and forcibly open the sealing profound formation that sealed Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… and once you were inside Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, you could use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to force your way out as well.”
The Little Demon Empress, “…”
“But Little Demon Empress, it has to be said that your decision to halt the ceremony once you had received the Demon Emperor’s Seal so you could awaken your bloodline as soon as possible was truly a wise and brilliant choice. If not for the guidance of my royal father, this duke would not have even begun to guess it. Even if I had managed to deduce your actions, I would have arrived far too late… Because if you had truly awakened your bloodline, it would have caused a great hindrance to this duke.”
“But it’s just too bad…” Duke Huai let a mocking grin form on his face, “that in the end, you, the Little Demon Empress, are a mere woman! If a woman were to dare to awaken the Golden Crow bloodline, it would lead to only one result: death! From time immemorial, the Demon Emperor had always been a man, so no one had ever known about this particular detail. Even you direct inheritors of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline did not know… yet my royal father had complete knowledge of it! So not only were you unable to fulfill your wishes by coming here… you have even given us an incredible present!”
“You pitiful woman, how could you possibly think that you were my father’s adversary?!”
The Little Demon Empress tightly clenched her hands and both her small face and her lips had been drained of all color. But her eyes were filled with a nearly golden-colored firelight… in that moment, her fury and her profound energy were raised to their extremes.
“Without the Demon Emperor’s Seal, whether by the blood escape or the dimensional escape… heh, you no longer have any possibility of leaving this place alive,” Duke Ming said as his smile filled his face, and he extended his palm towards the Little Demon Empress. Within his palm, a small cluster of crimson-black flames swayed, “So now you can let go of everything and die… and when you reach the Yellow Springs, do not forget to help this duke send his regards to your pitiful royal father and royal brother… Oh?”
Duke Ming’s voice suddenly stopped and his head tilted and looked southward. A disdainful laugh escaped from his mouth after that, “Oh? It seems like a little rat has scampered inside. Princess Caiyi, looks like your luck isn’t so bad after all. Before you die, someone actually specially volunteered himself to be your burial partner.”
After Duke Ming had said those words, both Duke Huai and the Little Demon Empress felt an aura approaching fast… It was definitely traveling at the speed of a Sovereign Profound Realm practitioner, but the aura being emitted was abnormally low… it was only at the Sky Profound Realm! At most, it was only at the peak of the Sky Profound Realm.
An aura at the peak of the Sky Profound Realm, yet it displayed the speed of a low-level Monarch, and it was only one person… Whether it was the Little Demon Empress or Duke Huai, they had only seen this kind of person once in their life… Moreover, the rapidly approaching aura was not unfamiliar to them!
“Could it be…” Duke Huai violently swiveled his head and his face revealed a deeply incredulous expression.
The elements in this place were incomparably active, so the rate at which Yun Che’s Great Way of the Buddha absorbed the energy of heaven and earth was far faster than it was in the outside world. When Yun Che had flown from the starting point to the central region, he could maintain his maximum speed without exhausting too much energy or tiring out.
Once Duke Huai and the rest had discovered Yun Che, Yun Che had already firmly locked on to the Little Demon Empress’ position…
Whoosh!!
A fierce gale blew past, and as an afterimage faded away, Yun Che’s figure was standing in front of the Little Demon Empress. Once he saw that the Little Demon Empress was not dead and did not even seemed to be wounded, his heart instantly felt better.
“Yun… Che!” He was in disbelief before, but at this moment, Yun Che’s face had clearly appeared in his field of vision. Duke Huai’s pupils instantly dilated and his throat trembled with astonishment. A low and deep howl that carried a deep hatred and bloodlust rose from his throat.
For him to react as if he had met a great adversary proved that Yun Che had already formed a shadow in his heart and soul.
“Oh?” Duke Ming raised his eyebrows immediately. An unexpected appearance, a young face and a speed that was not matched at all with his profound strength. All of these already caused Duke Ming to take interest in the young man in front of him. And once Duke Huai had yelled out that name, it caused the interest in his gaze to immediately grow by several times, and he slowly swept his slightly narrowed eyes over Yun Che’s body thrice.
“Why did you come here?!” Yun Che’s sudden appearance undoubtedly caused the Little Demon Empress great shock and also caused a layer of dark clouds to descend on her heart… Because once he appeared at this place, Duke Ming and Duke Huai would definitely not let him leave this place alive!
“Oh, I just came out for a stroll, so I could take in the night breeze. But to my surprise, I saw that the seal over the entrance of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley had disappeared, so out of curiosity, I decided to take a peek inside,” Yun Che said in a carefree and relaxed manner, as if he completely missed the danger that he was in. He said these words to relax the guards of both Duke Ming and Duke Huai… If they found out that he had already informed Yun Qinghong regarding the opening of the seal, they would definitely act in an incomparably decisive manner….
So given the current scenario, every second he dragged out increased their hope for survival… Since Yun Qinghong was already alerted to the fact that Duke Ming may be the real mastermind, he would definitely not come by himself. Instead, he would bring along a group of experts that could deal with Duke Ming as well!
It was only if he could drag it out until that time comes that they could dispel the danger surrounding the Little Demon Empress.
“Idiot!” The Little Demon Empress naturally did not believe Yun Che’s words, as his previous lightning speed had already betrayed his anxiety. She said in a low voice, “Leave this place right away! No matter what happens… you are not allowed to turn back!”
After saying that, the flames wreathing the Little Demon Empress rose ten of meters into the air. Yun Che gave the Little Demon Empress an astonished look… The Little Demon Empress who gave other people the impression that she was devoid of all emotions was actually planning to use her full strength to obstruct Duke Ming and Duke Huai in order to give him a chance to escape….
It looked like she was not as cold-hearted as she made herself out to be….
But it was clear that her plan was untenable. Yun Che shrugged his shoulders and said, “I think I’d rather not waste the energy… If it’s an opponent that even you cannot flee from, then it is even more impossible for me.”
“… Stupid! Why are you so stupid that you have come to die?!” The Little Demon Empress yelled fiercely. Her face, which looked like that of a young maiden, had fury and gloom written all over it, emotions that completely clashed with her young and tender childish face.
“Oh… So you are that Yun Che,” mused Duke Ming as he had finished measuring Yun Che, his face revealing a rather interested smile.
Yun Che turned around and looked at Duke Ming, and there was a smile that did not seem like a smile plastered on his face, he said, “Oh the renowned Duke Ming actually knows this humble one’s name, this humble one is completely overwhelmed by the favor you have shown to me.”
Duke Huai gave a cold snort and he wanted to step forward to say something, when his face suddenly froze over… Because when Yun Che had spoken just now, he clearly mentioned… the two words “Duke Ming!!”
What was going on… How could he know the name “Duke Ming?!” Even the people in Demon Imperial City had not seen him for over a hundred years, and his existence was practically forgotten. But this Yun Che who had only arrived in Demon Imperial City for three months… Why would he be able to yell out the two words “Duke Ming?!”
For an instant, astonishment flashed across the Little Demon Empress’ face.
“Oh?” Duke Ming’s eyes instantly narrowed into two long slits, and the gaze directed from those slits unerringly rested on Yun Che’s eyes, “Interesting, you actually recognized this duke.”
“Of course I would recognize you,” Yun Che said as he crossed his hands across his chest. In front of this terrifying character whose strength dominated Illusory Demon Realm, who could cover the sky with one hand and whose intellect and shrewdness were deep and unfathomable, Yun Che did not even seem the least bit nervous. Instead, he smiled merrily and replied, “I not only know that you are Duke Ming, I also know that….”
“It was you who colluded with Mighty Heavenly Sword Region one hundred years ago to kill the previous Demon Emperor… and it was also you… who personally killed the Little Demon Emperor!!”
Yun Che’s words were undoubtedly both astonishing and earth-shaking. The Little Demon Empress’ entire body shook dramatically and she fiercely and suddenly raised her head; she seemed to slip into a daze for an instant… while Duke Huai did not have enough time to conceal the look of pure astonishment which appeared in his eyes. Even Duke Ming, who had been staring straight at Yun Che all this while, had turmoil flash in his eyes for a moment.
Yun Che’s brows immediately sank… This guess turned out to be one hundred percent truth.
“Are you agitating him? This guy’s profound strength has actually reached the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm! If he wants to kill you, even using one finger would be enough!” Jasmine said in a solemn voice.
“…” In this world where Profound Gods were only a mythological existence, the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm was the very peak of all profound practitioners! No matter if it were in Profound Sky Continent or in Illusory Demon Realm, these existences were true monarchs who looked down on everything under heaven and could not be surpassed! An existence which humans would brand as God!
Yun Che had never dared to think that he would actually … face this kind of peak expert so quickly… A person who was truly unrivaled under the heavens!
Yun Che silently sucked in his breath and replied Jasmine, “I definitely do not want to agitate him… But you must know, curiosity is one of humanity’s great weaknesses! And in this world, there are very few things left that would make a kind of person like Duke Ming curious. But the words I have just said will definitely be enough to induce him to keep questioning me!!”
“Every additional word spoken will increase our chances of escaping!”
Chapter 595 - Main Culprit
“What… what did you say?!!” The Little Demon Empress’ tone was deep and stiff, and it revealed an incredible, violent confusion.
“Oh?” Duke Ming lifted his eyes, looked at Yun Che with some interest, and said, “This duke doesn’t seem to understand what you are saying all that well.”
“Hehe!” Yun Che’s face revealed a sneer, and his eyes even showed obvious disdain and mockery, “You, Duke Ming, have the ambition to take over the world, have unparalleled profound strength, a calculating mind that even ghosts and gods can’t predict, and a heart that is ten thousand times even more vicious than snakes and scorpions… I originally I thought that you were a formidable person that couldn’t be more qualified, but too bad… seeing you today, it seems that you are just a chicken who only dares to do but doesn’t dare to confess, it really disappoints me.”
“You have a death wish?!” Duke Huai instantly became furious, and abruptly reached and grabbed towards Yun Che. This was the first time in his whole life that he saw someone actually insult his own father.
However, Duke Ming reached out and stopped Duke Huai, following he lifted his head and laughed loudly, “Hahahahahaha! You are indeed the young man who had made my son fail miserably. Your mouth and devious mind are really sharp like knives, and your words are so harsh that this duke doesn’t even know how to respond.”
Duke Ming narrowed his eyes once again. The light coming from the narrowed, long slit of his eyes were even more frightening that those coming from a poisonous snake, “This duke knows that you are trying to drag out the time. However, there are very few things in this world that interests this duke, and very few things that I want to know the answer to that it’s sad, so this duke is going to grant you some more time to live. Here, tell this duke, what else do you know?”
The words that Duke Ming said was not a question, but rather an implied confession. The Little Demon Empress’ breath was completely messed up, and the flames on her body suddenly ascended high, and the flame burning in her eyes was not simply the Golden Crow’s flame anymore, but it was like gruesome hatred from hell’s purgatory.
Yun Che sneered softly, and said without hurry, “Back then, Profound Sky Continent suddenly invaded Illusory Demon Realm… that was because of you! You used some kind of method to let the Four Great Sacred Grounds of the Profound Sky Continent know the existence of Illusory Demon Realm’s ‘Mirror of Samsara’ that was treasured by the Demon Emperor, and falsified that the ‘Mirror of Samsara’ had some godly powers, triggered their ambition, and caused the people from Profound Sky Continent, with all their resources, to invade Illusory Demon Realm, just to seize the Mirror of Samsara… and the reason they were able to invade again and again, and be able to retreat unharmed, was because you were there their man on the inside!”
Yun Che pointed at Duke Huai and said coldly, “And the reason you did what you did was to replace the Demon Emperor, and become the owner of Illusory Demon Realm! The reason the previous Demon Emperor would chase to Profound Sky Continent personally, was absolutely not because of out of rage and recklessness… he must have fallen into your trap! The Little Demon Emperor’s death… was not because of acting rashly after drinking too much and forcefully barging into the Profound Sky Continent, but… he died in the hands of you, Duke Ming!!”
“Are you going to deny these things?”
Almost each sentence that Yun Che had said made Duke Huai’s face change each time. Deep inside, his eyes were filled with shock. He thought that the things that he had said, in the whole world, were secrets that only they, father and son knew, and it was absolutely impossible for the third person to know… even those people in Profound Sky Continent didn’t know the identity of their inside man back then.
Clap… clap… clap… clap…
“Hahahaha!” Duke Ming laughed loudly and clapped his hands, and his eyes were without any ripples, “Brilliant, you really are brilliant. Yun Che, looks like it wasn’t wrong for the son that I am proud of to lose face in front of you. This duke will generously admit it; what you said was absolutely correct. The reason those Sacred Grounds of Profound Sky Continent invaded Illusory Demon Realm was because of this duke. This duke merely told them back then that the Illusory Demon Realm’s Mirror of Samsara that was treasured by the Demon Emperor contained a divine profound mystery. If they could crack the secret of the Mirror of Samsara, then they could break through the limit of the Sovereign Profound Realm, step into the Divine Profound Realm, and become the legendary ‘Profound God.’”
“Those people were even greedier and stupider than this duke had expected. Not only did they believe it, but a year later, then already couldn’t wait and were preparing to step into Illusory Demon Realm. This duke naturally was happy to help them construct the spatial tunnel, and tell them what this duke wants them to know… These people from Profound Sky Continent really didn’t disappoint this duke. They brought Demon Imperial City into complete chaos, and made the deaths of the Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor go even more perfectly than this duke had planned!”
Duke Ming laughed wildly, “Hahahaha! What Profound Sky Sacred Grounds, they were only chess pieces that this duke used and played within my palms. As for that Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor, in the hands of this duke, they were only two pitiful little bug. This duke merely used a small trick and easily led the Demon Emperor to where the spatial tunnel was. Of course, no matter how stupid he was, he wouldn’t rashly chase into the spatial tunnel and suicide in Profound Sky Continent’s territory… it was this duke’s timely appearance that helped him. Princess Caiyi, your pitiful father was really surprised when he saw this duke’s appearance. Until this duke approached to a distance of just two steps away from him, he didn’t have any guard, and he was kicked lightly by this duke into the spatial tunnel…”
Little Demon Empress, “!!!!”
Yun Che, “…”
“On the other side of the spatial tunnel, there was the ‘Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation’ waiting for him. As soon as he entered the ‘Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation,’ even if he had the strongest profound strength, he wouldn’t be able to use it.” Duke Ming laughed lightly, his expression of boundless arrogance was as if everything in the world couldn’t escape his control, “As for the Little Demon Emperor who had just ascended the throne, it was even easier. On the night of your grand wedding, he was just like the you today; he generously gave this duke an absolutely great chance. He actually went to commemorate the previous Demon Emperor alone… But, this duke didn’t kill him. I merely crippled him, and threw him into the spatial tunnel that led to Profound Sky Continent. This way, there would be no trace of this duke left behind. This duke only randomly left some last words for him… The next day, the whole Illusory Demon Realm knew that the Little Demon Emperor who had just ascended the throne acted rashly after drinking too much at the wedding night with the Little Demon Empress, and barged into Profound Sky Continent alone… compared to grieving for the death of the Little Demon Emperor, there must be even more people cursing at his stupidity, hahahaha!”
“Duke… Ming!!!”
The flames on the Little Demon Empress were waving furiously, her small body was even trembling in an incredibly violent way. Yun Che, who was closest to her, could clearly felt that her anger, hatred, and murderous intent were bursting out so strongly that it was almost going to completely tear up the space. He gave a sideways glance at the Little Demon Empress, and found that even though she was covered in flames, under the reflection of the scarlet-gold flames, her face was still as pale as a white sheet of paper… and at the corner of her mouth, there was a bright, red blood slowly dripping down.
She wasn’t hurt when she was fighting against Duke Huai; that trace of blood… was from the internal injury caused by her rage and hatred that was too intense.
And at this moment, a deep respect rose in Yun Che’s heart for the Little Demon Empress.
Until today, she had not known that the culprit that got her father and brother killed wasn’t Profound Sky Continent, but was the Duke Ming in front of her! He killed the two people that were closest to her, caused the extinction of the bloodline of the Demon Emperor’s clan, caused chaos in Demon Imperial City, and even harmed the whole Illusory Demon Realm. Yun Che could imagine how strong that hatred and murderous intent must be…
But even so, she was able to strictly kept her rationality, and didn’t drop everything under the influence of the hatred that pierced her bones to attack Duke Ming. Because not only was it impossible to kill the Duke Ming whose ability was incredibly terrifying, but she and Yun Che would only die even sooner… At this moment, this second, she must gain every breath of chance to live, so there would be a possibility for her revenge in the future!
Duke Ming rolled his eyes, then narrowed them and enjoyed the Little Demon Empress’ expression at this moment…That’s right, ‘enjoy.’ That hatred that so strongly wished to burn his bones to ashes, that hatred that so strongly wished to tear him into pieces, made him enjoy and gave him pleasure, “Knowing the truth, and still able to refrain from attacking this duke, you are indeed Princess Caiyi. It was worthwhile letting this duke not getting the perfect chance to kill you for this hundred years. You should thank this duke gracefully, letting you know who destroyed your clan before you died…Oh, that’s right, you know back then when the Little Demon Emperor clearly saw this duke’s face, how remarkable his expression was? Tsk-tsk, it was so remarkable that even when this duke thinks about it now, it gives me endless aftertastes.”
“Duke… Ming…”
The Little Demon Empress’ voice was so raucous and deep that it didn’t even sound like a human’s voice. The two short words were so cold it was as if it was from the hell’s purgatory, but it couldn’t be compared to a ten thousandth of the hatred in her heart. Even though Yun Che’s face was calm, the hatred in his heart was no less than that of the Little Demon Empress, because his grandfather’s, Yun Canghai’s death, was also because of Duke Ming! The Yun Family’s descent, the tragedy of Xiao Yun and his destiny… it was all because of this Duke Ming in front of him!
He took a deep breath, and said coldly, “Duke Ming, your clan was able to be a royal clan; that was all because of the Demon Emperor’s clan! You not only weren’t grateful and failed to serve loyally, but you grew your own ambitions, and were cruel to this point! Aren’t you afraid of getting struck by lightning because of your sins!”
“Such childish words.” Duke Ming smiled lightly, “The emperor of the world should naturally be someone with ability. From the moment this duke was born, I was determined to be the one to rule the people under heaven. The people who get in this duke’s way, no matter who it is, this duke will do anything to get rid of the person. These so-called ‘loyalty’ and ‘righteousness’ are things that belong to ridiculous weaklings!”
“What you want this duke to confess, this duke has all confessed. Now, tell this duke, about the information of this duke, how did you find out?” Duke Ming looked straight at Yun Che, the gaze from his eyes was like two sharp knives; it almost pierced through his heart and soul as Duke Ming continued, “This duke thought that no matter what I did, I wouldn’t leave any trace. Over this past century , the whole Illusory Demon Realm has never had anyone who suspected this duke. How did you, Yun Che, find out about it? Could it be that this duke made any mistakes on the way?”
“Very simple.” Yun Che casually stepped back, stood by the Little Demon Empress and said, “You should already know, that even though I am the son of the Yun Family, I am from the Profound Sky Continent. When I was in Profound Sky Continent, I was in contact with Mighty Heavenly Sword Region of the Four Sacred Grounds… these, were naturally heard from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region!”
“Mighty Heavenly Sword Region? Heh!” Duke Ming was obviously not satisfied with this answer, but he didn’t continue to ask; instead he made a sneer, and his eyes which were already revealing a dangerous light, immediately becoming even more chilly, “This duke will believe your answer for now. Then, your goal of dragging out the time is already perfect enough, but unfortunately, the back-up that you have been waiting for didn’t show up. Next, how are you going to save yours, and Princess Caiyi’s lives in front of this duke? Mn?”
Yun Che also sneered and said, “Then does Duke Ming think that the reason I came here despite knowing you were here was to die for nothing?”
“So this duke is curious; why do you think you could escape from the palm of this duke’s hand?” Duke Ming asked with a smile. His dangerous but calm expression was as if he was telling Yun Che that even if he had some great trick, it was absolutely impossible for him to escape from him, “Is it based on the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that you’ve been holding in your hand?”
Chapter 596 - That’s Ripping Off Your Grandson!
Duke Ming’s words triggered Yun Che’s heart, and evoked a strong, unsettling feeling; he then immediately crushed the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that was in his hand without any hesitation.
He would dare to rush in, and wanted to save the Little Demon Empress from Duke Ming, and what he counted on the most was indeed this Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that Mu Feiyan had just gifted him! Because when Mu Feiyan gave him the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, his face was full of pride, and promised that as long as Yun Che had it on him, at a crucial moment, it could form a protective barrier that no one could break, and it could last for as long as six hours… in this amount of time, it would definitely be enough for Yun Qinghong to get here.
But…
Following a soft sound, the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven was crushed by Yun Che very easily. A wave of blue light spread in haste. In an instant, it formed an ice-blue barrier with a diameter of ten meters, enveloping Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress within, and cutting Duke Ming and Duke Huai out.
Even though the process was short, to an extremely strong practitioner, a short breath of time could allow him to do a lot of things. But Duke Ming only watched while smiling; there wasn’t even a sign of him trying to stop them. When the protection barrier appeared, his expression also didn’t change at all… except in his eyes, which held an additional trace of disdain.
When Duke Ming called out the “Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven” that was held tightly in his hand, Yun Che already had a bad feeling about it, and the expression on Duke Ming’s face right now magnified the unsettled feeling in his heart a dozen times more… For being able to open up the protective barrier at the first instant, Yun Che had held the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven in his hand from the very beginning. And to keep the aura from leaking out, he naturally used his profound energy to safely trap the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven’s aura, but Duke Ming called him out so easily!
Merely based on the aura, he knew that it was the Mu Family’s “Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven,” it was obvious that he was absolutely no stranger to it! Then he wouldn’t be unaware of the toughness of its released protective barrier! But, even though Duke Ming already knew that he was clearly holding the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, he didn’t look for a chance to seize it, didn’t stop him from crushing it, and wasn’t even surprised or panicking…
His reaction was all outside of Yun Che’s expectations!
“Hahahaha!” Looking at the protective barrier formed by the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, Duke Ming only laughed recklessly, “So that’s what it was. This duke was originally looking forward to what kind of clever way you would use to escape from this duke’s hands, but the result really disappointed this duke greatly.”
“It was only this mere Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven!”
Yun Che locked his eyebrows tightly, and his heart was suddenly alarmed. He said without weakening his momentum, “Mere? The Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven is the Mu Family’s most protective treasure. Since you look down on it so much… You can try breaking it!”
“Hahahaha,” Duke Ming laughed recklessly once again, as he slowly stepped forward. Even though there was a protective barrier in between them, every step Duke Ming got closer, the pressure on Yun Che multiplied. In front of the protective barrier, he reached out his palm and slightly recounted, “If it were a hundred years ago, it would be true that this duke wouldn’t have the powers to destroy it, and in the whole Illusory Demon Realm, no one could do so.”
“But, now this duke is no longer at the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm, like a hundred years ago. I am at the tenth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm! It is the peak realm in this world. Upon reaching this level, this duke’s palms can already almost touch the laws of this world, even this space under the palm of this duke, could in an instant… be shattered!”
Duke Ming suddenly twisted his wrist, and at that instant, a large swirl abruptly appeared and spread in speed… this wasn’t a swirl caused by airflow, not a swirl caused by profound energy… but it was a completely twisted space!!
The twisted space didn’t disappear in an instant, but it was spreading fiercely like sea waves, and in a blink of eye it spread onto the ice-blue barrier… The barrier that was originally thought to be tough and unbreakable, under the extremely horrifying space swirl, was instantly twisted like a fragile soap bubble, and it continued to twist even more violently, until it was twisted into an extremely exaggerated shape… Perhaps, in the next breath, it would be completely torn apart.
“!!!” Yun Che was solidly surprised. He subconsciously blocked in front the Little Demon Empress, his eyebrows locked tightly, blue veins popping out from both sides of his hands. The protective barrier that the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven formed was promised by Mu Feiyan that it could hold on for six hours, and even if his grandfather were alive it couldn’t be destroyed…
What kind of person was Mu Feiyan… Not only was he Yun Che’s grandfather, he was also the highly respectable Patriarch of the Mu Family. What he said was absolutely authoritative, and on top of that, the exaggerated reaction of Mu Yubai and the others when Mu Feiyan took out the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, and the joyous expression revealed by his father and mother… towards the strong protective ability of the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, he naturally had no reason to doubt it. Or else, he wouldn’t dare to just barge in and face the extremely strong Duke Ming.
Never mind six hours, even if it only supported him for two hours, it would be completely enough for Yun Che.
He never thought that the life-saving barrier of the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven was so vulnerable in front of Duke Ming.
That’s ripping off your grandson!
And it’s ripping off his little life!!
“This Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven is indeed a rare protective item in the Illusory Demon Realm,” Duke Ming stopped the movement of his palm, but the twisting space was still continuing, and the protective barrier was on the edge of collapsing. If Duke Ming continued his movement, it would completely shatter, “Because the profound energy level that it can resist, is only up to the ninth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. But against a level exceeding that, it is no different from a thin layer of ice! In all of Illusory Demon Realm, only this duke can destroy it this easily. Yun Che, you miscalculated.”
Yun Che, “…”
Duke Ming’s eyebrows loosened up slightly, and the corner of his mouth raised a little. The face without any expression became a leisurely soft smile, “Yun Che, honestly, this duke would hate to kill you. You have an abnormal skill, and you are smart, and your potential is even more surprising. Under the gaze of this duke, you didn’t panic at all, and this means that your mental strength is also unusual. You dare to barge in knowing that this duke is here, your bravery and boldness is even more unusual… With your age, having this type of ability, even this duke cannot help but be impressed. If you just die like this, it would be such a waste.”
“So?” Yun Che narrowed his eyes, “Could Duke Ming be prepared to give me a chance to live?”
“Let this duke plant a soul imprint on your body, and from now on be loyal to this duke, then, not only can you life, when this duke rules the world, you can enjoy riches and honor in your life, and this duke can even spare your Yun Clan.” Duke Ming said softly, “This duke has never hesitated and became soft-hearted when it came to killing someone; you are the first. This is the utmost grace that this duke is giving you! Do not disappoint this duke.”
“Grace? Heh…” Yun Che sneered deeply, “Your so-called ‘grace’ doesn’t even amount to a penny to me! Even if I die, I will not let someone like you who cannot even be compared to an animal taint my own soul!”
“Very well.” Duke Ming nodded his head slowly, “Since you choose stupidity, then… die!!”
Rumble…
The space trembled crazily, and the enormous space swirl immediately swallowed the protective barrier that was built by the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, and it ripped it into countless of shattered pieces. At that instant, it was as if the whole heaven and earth was drawn into the horrifying spatial whirlpool.
Because of the extremely terrifying profound energy’s suppression, Yun Che almost suffocated, his legs couldn’t even move, and he couldn’t make a sound from his mouth. At this moment, a small, grayish-white shadow slightly swayed, and blocked in front of him. At the same time, the space swirl viciously collided onto the grayish-white shadow…
Ugh!
A deep, suffering moan swept across Yun Che’s ears. Afterwards, his arms were grabbed tightly by a small, delicate hand. On the wrist of the small hand, a dark scarlet bracelet instantly broke, and released a flame-like bright light…
“Clang!”
The instant that flame brightness flickered, the figures of Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress disappeared at the same time, and the spatial whirlpool swept across, crushing the layers of space. Under this extremely horrifying power, even a normal Monarch, not to mention a normal person, would be easily crushed into pieces.
Duke Huai was surprised and hurried forward, “Royal father, what happened? How did they disappear? Could they have…”
“Heh!” Duke Ming put down his palms without a hurry, there was not a trace of panic or an unsettled expression on his face, not even an expression of surprise; it seemed like this was also within his expectations, “It was only the crushing of the ‘Scarlet Blood Bracelet’ that launched a dimensional escape. There is such a thing existing in the Little Demon Emperor’s memory, and it was just as this duke expected, that the Little Demon Empress had equipped it. But too bad, Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is an independent world, the Demon Emperor’s Seal’s blood escape can help her escape to the world outside, but the Scarlet Blood Bracelet could never do that.”
“It is just a pitiful struggle before their death, how can they escape from this duke’s palms?” said Duke Ming as he slightly turned his body, narrowed his eyes and smiled. His eyes were directly focused on the northwest. The corner of his mouth slightly raised a smile, soft and gentle as a breeze… The light from the slits of his eyes were even more cold and bone-piercing than the world’s most vicious poisonous snake.
Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, northwest borderland.
The world was immediately several times hotter, and the air was so thin that it was almost impossible to breathe.
Yun Che was swung away by the Little Demon Empress, and landed on the ground roughly. After a short duration of being stunned, he suddenly understood what happened. He stood up, looked at the surroundings and asked, “Where… where is this place?”
“Northwest borderland,” the Little Demon Empress had her back turned against him, as she said coldly. As soon as she finished speaking, her body suddenly froze and an arrow of blood spat out from her mouth, landing several meters away. Her whole body lost all her strength, and she knelt down onto the ground.
“Little Demon Empress!”
Yun Che immediately stepped forward, wanting to held her up, but when his hand just touched her shoulder, he was pushed away hardly by her, “Don’t touch me!”
Yun Che stood there, and didn’t dare to move. The Little Demon Empress painstakingly struggled to breathe for a little while, finally stood up slowly and turned around… The young girl’s cheeks were without any color of blood, but the bloodstain at the corner of her mouth was still hard to look at.
Yun Che hurriedly in his calm mind, started to appear the scene from a few breathes ago… Duke Ming’s attack wasn’t pointed at the Little Demon Empress first, but it was him! At the pressure of a peak Monarch’s profound energy, how was it possible for him to avoid it? He was able to live, and not only was it because the Little Demon Empress escaped with him using the dimensional escape… but it was more because the Little Demon Empress used her own body, and endured Duke Ming’s deadly attack.
Yun Che’s chest was violently rising and falling, he said sincerely, “…Thank you for saving my life.”
Compared to this… his unreliable grandfather, arghh!!
The Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven that Mu Feiyan gifted him not only failed to save his life at a crucial moment, it almost killed him… because if it wasn’t for the Frost Crystal of Absolute Heaven, he wouldn’t just barge in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley like that.
“Save your life?” The Little Demon Empress held her chest, and said in a low, cold voice, “Ridiculous! You think you could live past today?! The Demon Emperor’s Seal has been seized by Duke Ming; we cannot leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley at all. With Duke Ming’s ability, it won’t be long before he would be able to find us again… you self-righteous idiot, why did you barge in here to suicide for nothing?!!”
Chapter 597 - Hatred Higher Than the Heavens
“I was just worried that Duke Ming and Duke Huai had gotten to you already,” Yun Che said with an innocent face.
The Little Demon Empress said angrily, “If you already knew it was Duke Ming… why did you still barge in! With your ability, not to mention Duke Ming, even in front of Duke Huai, you are no different than an ant… Do you really not cherish your own life one bit?!”
“…” If Yun Che was yelled at like this normally, he would have already returned it several times harder already, but at this moment, he couldn’t get angry at all. Each one of the Little Demon Empress’ words was filled with hatred, but none of that hatred was against him. Inside the Little Demon Empress’ voice that was yelling at him, what he heard more was unwillingness and self-blame.
“If you die today because of me… after I die, how will I still have the face to see the Demon King… ugh!!” the Little Demon Empress said as her body violently shook, and she spat out another large mouthful of blood, her already pale face becoming even paler. She clutched her chest, and her body slowly swayed, almost falling.
At this moment, she was like a young, weak girl who was seriously ill and on the verge of dying. Even her eyes, that were normally cold as an ice lake, that people couldn’t dare to even look into directly, had already darkened, continuously revealing a sense of absent-mindedness… Anyone seeing her at this moment couldn’t feel the majestic-feeling that belonged to the Little Demon Empress; they could only be deeply sympathetic.
“Are… are you okay?” Yun Che stepped forward a little in a probing manner, and asked worriedly.
“Her lifeline has been cut, she doesn’t have much longer to live,” Jasmine said softly.
“What!?” Yun Che was shocked in his heart, “How is that possible! She only suffered an attack from Duke Ming… Even though Duke Ming is strong, the Little Demon Empress also has mid-stage Monarch’s profound strength, how could it be possible…”
“Hmph, what did you think?” Jasmine scoffed in disdain, “When you reach the Sovereign Profound Realm, a small realm would mean all the difference in the world. That Duke Ming is an entire half a large realm stronger than the Little Demon Empress! On top of that, that Duke Ming’s attack was harsh, and even if that strike wasn’t a hundred percent of his strength, it was at least ninety percent! Also, the Little Demon Empress placed herself in front of you in a rush; not only did she not have the chance to defend with all of her strength, it hit her vitals… forget about being able to breathe and live for a little more, even if she died on the spot, it wouldn’t be strange!”
“…” Yun Che clenched his fists tightly, his heart and soul trembled uncontrollably.
Duke Ming’s ability was so terrifying to this extent. Even the powerful Little Demon Empress was seriously injured like this in one strike… Even the Little Demon Empress was like this, if it wasn’t for the Little Demon Empress taking the hit from Duke Ming, he would have already died!
Whoosh… Yun Che’s heart was twitching violently, somewhere deep inside his heart and soul, it was even touched harshly, and couldn’t stop under the violent trembling… Why block that strike for me… Yeah, you didn’t know that the one thing I, Yun Che, couldn’t stand in my whole life, is owing my life to a woman…
Because that was how Ling’er died in my arms… my promise to her, and my promise to my own soul…
If the Little Demon Empress died, and I was able to escape by myself in the end, then, in my heart and soul, there would be another layer of chains that I could never resolve in this lifetime… How would I be able to face Ling’er…
“What are you preparing to do after this? Wait for your death?”
“…I never knew what ‘waiting for my death’ meant.” Yun Che said with gritted teeth, “My Great Way of the Buddha is at the fourth stage… If we can escape from here, even if her lifeline has already been cut off, if she could hold on for ten days, I am sixty percent certain that I can save her life!”
“Yun Che, I ask you!” The Little Demon Empress suddenly spoken up. Her voice was already very weakened, but she still tried her best to support her deep vocal tone and the prestige of the Little Demon Empress, “Back then, when the Demon King and the Yun Family’s ten seniors died in Profound Sky Continent, was it also because of what Duke Ming had done?!”
“Yes.” Yun Che nodded in reply, “Back then, when my grandfather and the others left, the location of where the spatial tunnel pointed to and the timing of their arrival, were all clearly taught to the Profound Sky Continent’s side… As soon as they arrived in Profound Sky Continent, they directly fell into the Heaven’s Might Soul Suppressing Formation that was prepared beforehand… Or else, with the strength of my grandfather and the ten seniors of the Yun Family, how could they have all been completely annihilated?”
The Little Demon Empress’ body was releasing an extremely deep hatred, “What else did Mighty Heavenly Sword Region tell you? What else did Duke Ming do!”
“This…” Yun Che took a breath, and said, “All those things about Duke Ming weren’t actually heard from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region.”
“…Then how did you find out?” The Little Demon Empress locked her eyebrows.
“It was a guess… and these guesses have all become reality,” Yun Che sighed and said.
“Three months ago, when I first came to Illusory Demon Realm, based on: what I had seen and heard, the situation of Demon Imperial City, the reason and process of how Profound Sky Continent invaded, the illogical actions of the Little Demon Emperor, combined with everything my grandfather had told me about how once he entered the Profound Sky Continent, he walked into a trap, I logically thought that there must have been someone colluding with the Profound Sky Continent within Demon Imperial City, and it was most likely Duke Huai Palace.”
“After I told this to my father and grandfather, Father brought up that if these were all true, then Duke Huai Palace’s ambition didn’t grow after the previous Demon Emperor was killed, but before… and then, Father mentioned the name ‘Duke Ming.’ After thinning it out, everything suspicious pointed to him… When Illusory Demon Realm was in commotion all these years, and he had completely disappeared for all this time, it already made that an enormous suspicious point. And the truth was as so! Duke Huai’s ambition and some of his actions were only for show. The real conspiracy was ten thousand times scarier than what the people of Demon Imperial City had seen.”
What Demon Imperial City’s citizens had seen was that after the Demon Emperor’s bloodline was cut off by Profound Sky Continent, the Little Demon Empress, as a woman, was unable to awaken her bloodline, and there couldn’t be any more successors. As a result, Duke Huai emerged with his ambitions, pulled forces to his side, and wanted to replace her. Even though the nature of it was conspiring a treacherous act, in the eyes of the people, it didn’t count as something that “angered both human and god,” many strong practitioners had even agreed to Duke Huai’s actions ——The Demon Emperor’s bloodline had gone extinct, with only the Little Demon Empress left. For another clan to become the emperor was something that would happen sooner or later. Duke Huai had enough ambition and ability, and even enough forces. If he became emperor, it would be more acceptable than a woman being the emperor.
After the Little Demon Empress abdicates from the throne, the only force qualified to control Illusory Demon Realm would only be Duke Huai Palace… So Duke Huai’s actions, from another angle, was only an act with undue haste.
It was also because of this that more than half the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces which had been loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan for ten thousand of years favored Duke Huai.
But the truth was that Duke Huai Palace colluded with an outer force and murdered the Demon Emperor, murdered the Little Demon Emperor, cut off the united Illusory Demon Realm, and the Demon Emperor’s clan that had let the world be peaceful for ten thousand years! This was an action that was devoid of humanity, troubled the world, and angered both human and god!
If the truth were known by the world, then, even if the Guardian Families and Duke Palaces had ten thousand guts, they wouldn’t dare to fall on Duke Huai Palace’s side.
Duke Huai Palace, would become the target of public criticism, the enemy of everyone under heaven, being despised and punished by everyone.
But now, even if the Little Demon Empress and Yun Che knew the horrible truth, and even if they escaped from Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley today, they couldn’t expose the truth to the world. Because Duke Ming’s measurements were incredibly brilliant, a series of conspiracy and murder didn’t leave a trace of mark. The Demon Emperor died in Profound Sky Continent, the Little Demon Emperor died in Profound Sky Continent, and the Demon King also died in Profound Sky Continent… Every single thing, all pointed to the Profound Sky Continent, and none of them pointed towards Duke Ming.
If the truth were exposed to the world like this now, they would instead be incriminated by Duke Huai Palace.
Duke Ming, was truly an extremely horrifying person.
If it weren’t for Yun Che meeting Yun Canghai under the coincidence of fate and the arrangement of the heavens, and found out about his grandfather being plotted against as he stepped into Profound Sky Continent, then until now, perhaps they wouldn’t have known the whole truth… and they would still have ignored this “Duke Ming” person’s existence.
The Little Demon Empress gazed at Yun Che as a peculiar light shone from deep within her eyes, “Then how did you know that Duke Ming, who was behind all of this, would appear here? Did you also guess that?”
“Mn, I guessed it.” Yun Che raised his head, “When you were at your best state, you suddenly cut the Grand Ceremony short after receiving the Demon Emperor’s Seal. The most reasonable explanation that I could think of was that after you received the Demon Emperor’s Seal, you would awaken your bloodline at the first moment. Subsequently, I thought that you might have had a way to force open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s seal, so I was worried that if Duke Huai Palace’s people also knew, and they would seize this extremely good chance of killing you.
I told all of this to my father and grandfather, but they weren’t worried, because even if this all became true, once you entered the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, even if Duke Ming attacked you personally, they couldn’t harm you… but I wasn’t able to relieve myself from the guesses and worries, so I came to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to confirm for myself. At the entrance, I didn’t see the seal, but I saw Hui Ran from Duke Huai Palace, so I knew that all of my worries had became true!”
“I confirmed from Hui Ran that Duke Huai and the Duke Ming that my father had spoken of had both entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and at the same time, I found out that even if you entered the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land, you were doomed to not be able to awaken your bloodline… Today’s actions were only giving Duke Huai Palace a chance to kill you. Thus, I couldn’t wait for Father and the others to arrive, and came in here myself first.”
Yun Che lied a little bit, because he couldn’t say that he found out that the Little Demon Empress wouldn’t be able to awaken her bloodline from Jasmine.
“I didn’t know that your father was stabbed in the back by Duke Ming before. As for the Little Demon Emperor getting schemed upon by Duke Ming, I only thought of that after I entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.” Yun Che said with a steady face, “You were able to force yourself into Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. My father and grandfather didn’t know about it, and so it means that it is a secret of the Demon Emperor’s clan, but Duke Ming was very clear about it. Even you didn’t know that women could not bear the Golden Crow’s ancestral blood, but Duke Ming obviously knew.”
“The people in the world that knew your Demon Emperor’s clan’s secret better than you are possibly only the previous Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor. So I thought of the only possibility; that a hundred years ago, when the Little Demon Emperor was attacked by Duke Ming, on the verge of dying, and his consciousness was unfocused, Duke Ming searched his soul, and seized all of his memories… and what Duke Ming said before, proved it to be the truth without question.”
The Little Demon Empress’ heart trembled violently in her heart once again.
Today, Duke Ming seemed to clearly know about her coming to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and that she would gain nothing as a result. Also, he even knew clearly that the Demon Emperor’s Seal could launch the “blood escape” at a crucial moment…
This kind of savior trump card, was a secret that absolutely couldn’t be known by anybody of any race…
But Duke Ming knew clearly.
Yun Che’s words… the Little Demon Emperor back then was plotted against by Duke Ming and even his soul was searched… This guess pained her heart so much that it almost suffocated her… but it was the only explanation and possibility!
And once a person’s soul had been searched, the person would directly become a soulless shell… become a pitiful, living dead…
“Ugh…” A strain of almost black-colored blood flowed out from the corner of the Little Demon Empress’ mouth. That wasn’t the blood from her internal injuries, but the blood under her suffering and extreme anger… All these years, she was vigilant against Duke Huai Palace, but the extreme hatred in her heart, was always towards the Profound Sky Continent, and she even swore that for as long as she lived, when the time came, even if it would kill her, she had bathe the Profound Sky in a bloodbath, and get her absolutely irreconcilable vengeance.
Today she just found out, that all these years, she was hating the wrong person.
Her father was a worldly Demon Emperor who controlled Illusory Demon Realm in his palms, and the whole world bowed to him. But the real culprit that killed him wasn’t the Profound Sky Continent; he was plotted against by one of the people that he trusted the most! Her royal brother, who was also her husband, didn’t die tragically because he was trying to save their father, but was also plotted against… and died so tragically…
All these years, what she saw was all an illusion. What the whole Illusory Demon Realm thought of was also an illusion. Everyone, including her, the Little Demon Empress, were played in Duke Ming’s palms; even the Profound Sky Continent’s Four Great Sacred Grounds were still mere tools used by Duke Ming.
“Duke… Ming…” The Little Demon Empress’ hatred filled up her heart and soul. She grabbed tightly onto the grey clothes before her chest, and her trembling ten fingers were pale without any color of blood, “Duke… Ming… Duke… Ming… Even… if… I… become a ghost… I… will not… let… you… get… away… with… this…”
Chapter 598 - Desire in Peril
“Pfft…”
The Little Demon Empress spat out another large mouthful of black blood, and within the blood, were worrying pieces of blood clots. Following that, she gradually knelt onto the ground, her eyes occasionally losing focus and occasionally looking dull.
Seeing her vomit blood, Yun Che suddenly felt his heart clench as he rushed forward to support the Little Demon Empress’ thin shoulder. Just as his hand had touched the Little Demon Empress’ shoulder, she slapped it away heavily, “Let me tell you again… Don’t… touch me!”
The Little Demon Empress looked extremely weak, but her slap was not light. It had caused Yun Che to retreat several steps while her body trembled intensely and nearly collapsed. She then looked up, her tender face looking so weak that it caused one’s heart to ache, but her gaze still exhibited the coldness and stubbornness that could never dissipate, “Solely based on the fact that you visually violated my body that day… even if you’re the Demon King’s descendant, I should dig out your eyes… If you dare touch me again… I will kill you!”
Her lifeline had been severed and both her mind and body had been severely injured. Yet, she still cared about such things… The corners of Yun Che’s lips quivered as he rebutted with displeasure, “I already said that I did not peek at you on purpose that night… I had been there all along. It was you who did not detect me and stripped…”
Even before Yun Che had finished speaking, a scorching wave swept the area and the Little Demon Empress’ tender white hand grabbed onto his neck, “Do you really think that… I wouldn’t dare to kill you!”
Although the Little Demon Empress was weak, she still possessed the strength of a mid stage Monarch. Even in her current state, killing Yun Che was a simple task. Yun Che nodded and replied seriously, “Mn… Because you do not have any killing intent towards me.”
Immediately after he spoke, Yun Che was afraid the Little Demon Empress would storm off and he quickly continued, “We have already been forced to such a peril, so now we need to think of how to escape… Even if you want to kill me or dig out my eyes, at least wait until we have escaped.”
“Hmph!” Little Demon Empress flung her hand and pushed Yun Che far away, “Escape? Are you so naive to think that we can escape from Duke Ming’s vicious clutches?! Now is only the calm before the storm.”
Yun Che’s eyebrows knitted as he replied, “I have encountered situations more dire than this at least ten times! However, I’m still alive now… That’s because before I lose my breath, I will struggle with everything I have! Even if there were ten more Duke Mings, I would not sit still!”
“Little Demon Empress, you’re the monarch of Illusory Demon Realm. For the past century, you’ve suffered the pain of losing all your closest kin and have been bearing pressure far beyond anyone’s imagination. You had to face the judgment of the world, worry about the future of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline, and handle the wild ambition of Duke Huai Palace. Even so, you’ve still held the position of the monarch and protected the remaining pride of the Demon Emperor for the past hundred years. Duke Huai could not defeat you, and even the powerful Duke Ming, who harmed the late Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor, had been unable to realize his wishes all this while because of you…”
“Every time my father talks about you, he holds you in high regard, and after I realized the truth, I also came to respect you greatly. It can be said that among all the women I’ve seen in my life, other than my master, you’re the most outstanding one! You’re the powerful Little Demon Empress, the only female monarch in the entire history of Illusory Demon Realm… Such an outstanding person, would they be willing to accept fate?! I know that in order to save me, you were severely injured and your lifeline was severed… However, as long as we are able to escape today, even if your lifeline is broken, I have ways to let you live! Don’t forget, my parents had been severely injured for more than twenty years but were still completely cured by me!”
Little Demon Empress, “…”
Yun Che walked forward and stood in front of her, “Little Demon Empress, I would never believe there is anything ‘absolute’ in this world! Also, there is also no absolute peril! If you’re still unwilling to die… If you still want to personally exact revenge for your royal father and the Little Demon Emperor… then follow me. Make use of the short remaining time to come up with a plan and escape no matter what!”
The Little Demon Empress was stunned as she looked straight at Yun Che’s eyes… Within them, she saw concern, but no fear nor one bit of hopelessness! The look on his face did not change one bit… This was the first time in her life that someone’s look was so bright that she felt it was eye-catching. She lost focus for some time and even the darkness in her soul started to waver.
“Furthermore, and most importantly!” Yun Che said extremely seriously, “You should know that the Demon Emperor’s bloodline possesses a secret that only Demon Emperors and the Yun Family Patriarch know! Before, when the late Demon Emperor was harmed, he could not pass the secret on to the Little Demon Emperor in time, and my grandfather had also been harmed in Profound Sky Continent… However, when I met my grandfather, not only did he pass me the Demon Emperor’s Seal, he had also told me this secret which was crucial to the Demon Emperor’s Bloodline and told me to personally pass it on to you!”
Yun Che words caused the Little Demon Empress to be shocked once again! As the daughter of the Demon Emperor, she certainly knew the existence of this secret but did not understand why the Patriarch of the Yun Family could know this secret when the Demon Crown Prince could not until he succeeded the throne. No matter whether it was her or whether it was the Little Demon Emperor, they did not ask about this matter, despite their curiosity. Originally, she had thought that this secret was lost when the Demon Emperor and Demon King had met with harm, and would be buried forever. However, Yun Che had actually brought this secret of the Demon Emperor back.
She looked at Yun Che… When he spoke, his eyes did not show any signs of lying, “There’s naturally a reason why this secret was not imparted upon you earlier. It’s because this secret can only be used during the most dangerous and desperate of times… like the current situation with the Illusory Demon Royal Family! If this was mentioned earlier, once one did not have sufficient determination, something disastrous would happen!”
“Because, this was a… way to let the heir to the Demon Emperor… advance to a Half God Realm and let him possess the strength of someone half a step into the Divine Profound Realm!”
Half God Realm… Half-step Divine Profound!
This was something that only existed in the imagination and legends, and even to the Little Demon Empress, it sounded too much like a dream.
“What did… you say?” she uttered in disbelief.
“What I just said was something my grandfather personally told me. If I had said any lies, I would burn within the depths of hell when I die.” Yun Che looked at Little Demon Empress straight in the eye and said with absolute seriousness and uncertainty, “At that time, personally killing Duke Ming wouldn’t be any difficult task! Destroying Duke Huai Palace would also be simple! You can rebuild the entire Illusory Demon Realm and no one would dare disobey you! The people and families that had betrayed you would tremble below your feet and regret…”
“As long as you can survive today, all of it would come true!”
“Therefore, there’s no more reason for you to sit still and leave it to fate any more!”
Half-step Divine Profound… Avenge her father… Avenge her husband… Rebuild the might of the Demon Emperor… Reform the entire Illusory Demon Realm…
Each of Yun Che’s words was like lightning striking directly at her soul. Her eyes started to lose their dullness and lifelessness, and they started to tremble intensely as a strong desire started to frantically appear…
Crack!
Boom!
A thick bolt of purple lightning struck down from the skies, shattering the tough profound stones on the ground and causing a huge pit to appear. The strong shock wave traveled towards them and violently swept the weak Little Demon Empress away. Yun Che quickly flew up and caught the Little Demon Empress in midair, gently wrapping his right arm around her waist.
Although the Little Demon Empress’ clothes were big, her body was extremely thin. In particular, her slender waist was tender like the branches of a willow, allowing Yun Che’s arms to completely wrap around it easily.
The Little Demon Empress’ body froze slightly, but this time, she did not attack Yun Che and instead just said softly, “Go… I want to kill Duke Ming… to avenge my royal father and royal brother… I cannot die here… bring me away… no matter what… I cannot die here…”
Yun Che’s words had undoubtedly given the Little Demon Empress a large amount of hope and desire. Yun Che smiled and nodded firmly. The arm around her waist wrapped around even more tightly, “You are more familiar with Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley than I am… Which direction is the most advantageous for us to head toward?”
“To the east… the ancestral land is in that direction… Although we cannot enter without the Demon Emperor’s Seal… If we are able to reach that place before Duke Ming finds us… The Golden Crow Divine God… might not watch without interfering…”
“Okay!!” Yun Che replied strongly and activated the Extreme Mirage Lightning, shooting towards the east like a bolt of lightning. In actual fact, whether it was Yun Che or the Little Demon Empress, they clearly knew that it was near impossible to arrive at the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land before Duke Ming.
Even if they managed to arrive first… The answer as to whether the soul of the Golden Crow would intervene was already clear. Because, with the power of the soul of a true god, the situation within the entire Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was definitely clear to the soul of the Golden Crow. If it had wanted to intervene, it would have done so when the Little Demon Empress met Duke Huai and Duke Ming.
After all, it was the one that provided the bloodline of the Demon Emperor with the power of the Golden Crow. It was their entire clan’s benefactor, but not protector. It would not bother to meddle in such affairs!
The secret regarding the “half-step Divine Profound” that Yun Che had explained to the Little Demon Empress was not a lie. When the Demon Emperor’s clan faced the danger of being exterminated, they could use this secret of the Demon Emperor to obtain the strength of half-step into the Divine Profound Realm… becoming unbeatable in this world. This would cause the situation to change and allow the Demon Emperor’s bloodline to rebuild.
However, all that Yun Che had described was only half the entire truth.
The other half was… that although this secret way could indeed allow someone with the Demon Emperor’s bloodline to obtain the profound strength of half a step into the Divine Profound Realm, their longevity would in turn be left with only three years…
This was also the reason why Yun Che did not immediately tell Little Demon Empress the secret that Yun Canghai had passed on to him even though he had already been in Demon Imperial City for three months.
Using Extreme Mirage Lightning, Yun Che’s speed became faster and faster, to the extent that even Little Demon Empress was shocked. He only possessed the strength of the Sky Profound Realm, and there were no strong profound fluctuations coming for him, yet, he could raise his speed to the level of a low-level Monarch. Based on the understanding of any profound practitioner, this was something that was basically impossible.
Along the way, Yun Che had shook off numerous fire spirits and lightning spirits. His eyebrows knitted tightly, as his eyes scanned the road in front, searching for any possibility.
The Little Demon Empress had mentioned before, this was the north-western boundary of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and looking northward, there were no longer signs of the scorching earth and no signs of the volcanoes that were engulfed in flames. All that was seen was a frightening scene of redness that was boiling, as though it were a boundless purgatory of blood.
Yun Che could not help but ask, “What surrounds the borders of the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley? A spatial barrier?”
“No! It’s one thousand, five hundred kilometers of lava! This lava is not made of any molten rocks, but comprised of the most scorching profound stone refined by the Golden Crow Flame! This one thousand, five hundred kilometers of lava surrounds the entire Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and is named the “Sea of Death!” If one dares to touch the Sea of Death, even at Duke Ming’s level, he would instantly be injured. If he’s submerged within the Sea of Death, just a few short breaths of time would be able to turn him into ashes! If we were to suffer at the hands of Duke Ming here, he would undoubtedly throw us into the Sea of Death to eliminate any evidence!”
Just as the Little Demon Empress had finished speaking, a very gentle voice that to them, was like a nightmare, sounded from the sky, “Heheheheh, Princess Caiyi is indeed as clever as I had expected. You had the same plan as this duke.”
Yun Che abruptly stopped moving, gritted his teeth and looked forward… About a hundred meters in front of him, the air distorted violently and the distorting space was torn apart violently. Duke Ming walked out slowly from within, his face revealing a casual smile. He was followed by Duke Huai, who was smiling coldly.
“Duke… Ming!!!” Little Demon Empress stared intensely at Duke Ming who appeared in front of them as she uttered the two words that filled her with deep pain… as well as the strongest hatred and killing intent that she had ever felt.
Chapter 599 - Sea of Death
“Oh? Little Demon Empress, you don’t seem too well. Your heart vessel has been severed and your internal organs are all damaged. You must be feeling quite miserable now, right?” Duke Huai laughed arrogantly, “This duke has been unable to do anything to you, but now that my royal father has personally acted, even if you’re the Little Demon Empress, you’re still vulnerable.”
“Oh, judging by the looks of the two of you, did you imagine that you could have escaped? Hahahaha…” Duke Huai started to laugh hysterically, “This duke had thought that you two would choose to honorably end yourselves so that we couldn’t get the chance to kill you ourselves. However, I did not imagine that there would be anyone in this world that would have such a laughable imagination. Since you want to escape, then run all you want. Let this duke see where you can escape to, hahahahaha!”
The speed at which Duke Ming had appeared was much faster than what Yun Che had imagined. His gaze turned cold and his breathing also became heavier. Duke Huai’s hysterical laughter and arrogant words caused his soul to fluctuate while he concentrated solely on Duke Ming.
“Hug me tightly…”
Within the Little Demon Empress’ mind, Yun Che’s voice suddenly rang, “Hug me tightly and no matter what happens later, don’t loosen up nor let go… As long as you have any consciousness, remember to not let go!”
“This is our… only hopes of escape! Believe me!”
The Little Demon Empress was stunned.
What they were facing now was the true definition of peril. Even without Duke Ming, Duke Huai alone could easily put them to death. Now, even if Yun Qinghong arrived, there was no possibility of survival.
As for Yun Che, in front of this frightening person from Illusory Demon Realm, no one would believe that he had any chance of escape… It would be impossible for even a slim chance of a struggle.
However, as though she did not have any control, the Little Demon Empress opened her arms and followed Yun Che’s instructions, hugging his waist tightly…
During the Demon Imperial Reign Ceremony, he had continuously defied what people thought to be impossible with earth-shattering results and repeatedly turned their laughter into shock… By himself, he rebuilt the reputation of the Yun Family and decimated Duke Huai’s foolproof plan… causing her to feel deep admiration for the first time in her life.
Now, she also could not help but to trust him.
Hugging this twenty-two year old man who was weak and yet ignored all danger to protect her suddenly made her feel more assured. She was immersed in this mysterious, foreign and incomprehensible feeling. In the depths of her head, a muffled voice seemed to be telling her, “This is… the feeling of relying on someone…”
Duke Ming raised both his hands and looked towards the sky saying, “Princess Caiyi, your Demon Emperor’s bloodline has already ruled over Illusory Demon Realm for ten thousand years. It’s time for this to end. From today onwards, there will no longer be any Demon Emperor within Illusory Demon Realm, and my son will no longer be Duke Huai. Instead, he will immediately ascend the throne and become Emperor Huai! As for your Demon Emperor’s clan, you’ll be soon be forgotten by the Illusory Demon Realm. And you, Princess Caiyi, will not only be the last ruler of the era of Demon Emperors, you’ll also become the shameful conclusion to that era of Demon Emperors. It’s such a pity you won’t live to see all this.”
“Royal father,” Duke Huai said, “let me deliver their ends to them. These two pathetic worms are too lowly for royal father to personally act. Especially Yun Che… let me kill him personally to quell the hatred in my heart.”
Duke Ming glanced and faintly said, “You’re a mid stage monarch and the person that is about to ascend the throne of Illusory Demon Realm. Yet, you actually took initiative and are so desperate to kill this person whose age and strength are far below you. In front of him, you have failed miserably.”
Duke Ming’s faint words caused Duke Huai’s body to stiffen as he hung his head in shame and say, “I am useless…”
“No, this duke did not say that you’re wrong.” Duke Ming slowly continued, “This was the first time in your life your plans were messed up; your emotions lost control, you were shamed, and all this was because of a mere youth older than twenty. This was something you could not comprehend. and perhaps you have not realized but in your heart, he has already planted a demon… The only way for you to completely exterminate the demon in your heart is to personally kill Yun Che.”
“Kill them!”
Duke Huai suddenly looked up and replied, “Yes!”
“Also! Facing someone you must kill, no matter how weak that person is, even if he’s like the meat below your knife, you must not toy with him! You must eradicate him in the shortest amount of time possible!”
“I will remember royal father’s teachings!”
Duke Huai immediately appeared in front of Yun Che, and locked onto him with a strong aura. Duke Huai smiled as his casual and arrogant gaze made it seem as though he was looking at two pathetic worms, “Yun Che, this duke has been thinking for the past few hours how he could tear your corpse to shreds personally to quell my hatred. However, it’s no longer important now. This duke going to be the ruler of Illusory Demon Realm soon, and you no longer have the qualifications for this duke to hate you. You don’t even deserve to be looked in the eye by this duke. Having the Little Demon Empress accompany you in death sure is a lucky thing.”
“Then, you shall continue protect the Little Demon Empress in hell!”
Duke Huai’s face revealed ferocity as he raised both his hands and laughed hysterically. A skull-shaped crimson-black flame then appeared above his head and grew more than thirty meters in size instantly. The sky was now darker, and the fire spirits and lightning spirits escaped frantically as though they were scared of something…
Duke Huai had always put Duke Ming’s words in his mind and this blow of his was nearly ninety percent of all his strength. This fallen flame that was used against a Sky Profound Realm profound practitioner was no longer simple overkill… this was strength that could even destroy the Little Demon Empress in one move in her current state.
There was an instant of darkness as the massive Fallen Flame Devil shot straight towards Yun Che with a devilish howl… Although their main motive coming to Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley today was to kill the Little Demon Empress, both Duke Ming and Duke Huai targeted their attacks at Yun Che and not the Little Demon Empress.
Perhaps within their consciousness, Yun Che was the bigger threat, as compared to the Little Demon Empress.
Such a frightening attack would put even an Overlord to death, needless to say someone in the Sky Profound Realm.
The profound energy in the Little Demon Empress surged as she wanted to defend, ignoring the dangers to her heart vessel, when she heard Yun Che shout, “Don’t move!!!”
Yun Che retreated at full strength as his right hand supported the Little Demon Empress’ waist tightly. However, under the pressure emitted by Duke Huai, it was extremely difficult for him to move as he saw the Fallen Flame Devil approaching… At the instant the Fallen Flame Devil was about to hit him, he turned abruptly and allowed the Fallen Flame Devil to strike against his back…
“Sealing Cloud Locking Sun!!!”
BOOM!!!
Following a deafening blast, the Fallen Flame Devil that came from Duke Huai exploded and filled the air over tens of kilometers, which made the surroundings seem as though it was a world where the flames of doomsday had arrived. Yun Che had been swept several kilometers away, as though he was wind blown by a typhoon…
Seeing the figure that was a distance away, the smile on Duke Huai’s face stiffened and even Duke Ming’s expression darkened, “What?!”
A strike that was nearly full power from a mid stage Monarch. Even a hundred or ten thousand Sky Profound practitioners would be destroyed instantly without any trace.
However, Yun Che had only been sent several kilometers away and his body was still intact. Although his aura was extremely weak, he was still alive! Even his consciousness did not seem to dissipate… He was still carrying the Little Demon Empress and rushed towards the north with a speed that was not possible for his profound strength.
“He actually… didn’t die?!” Duke Huai’s eyes stared widely and did not revert for some time as he could not believe what he saw or felt.
However, how could he know that Yun Che had possessed the body of the Dragon God, was under the protection of the Great Way of the Buddha, and had undergone eighteen months of refinement within the spatial storm without using any profound strength. A normal tyrant was unable to harm him.
Furthermore, the protection of Sealing Cloud Locking Sun and his high resistance against flame profound arts… Even a blow at full strength by him, Duke Huai, was unable to take Yun Che’s life!
“Hmph, although he did not die, he’s severely injured. All his organs have been shifted and half of his meridians have been severed,” Duke Ming said calmly, but the shock in his eyes still did not dissipate. A Sky Profound Realm practitioner forcefully receiving a blow of a mid stage Monarch without dying, and still even possessed enough strength to escape… Even for someone as strong as Duke Ming, it was something that shocked the depths of his heart.
If this person did not die… When he matured, his strength would be frightening!
Luckily, he was bound to die today!
“Quickly give chase… and kill them!” Duke Ming said deeply.
Yun Che pushed his Extreme Mirage Lightning to its limits. While severely injured, his vision was sometimes clear and sometimes blurred. However, his speed did not drop one bit.
They were originally already at the borders of Golden Crow Lightning Crow Valley and now, just below them, was a bloody red scene —— That was the sea of lava which had been boiling for ten thousand years.
One thousand and five hundred kilometers of the Sea of Death!
A warm fluid gradually flowed onto the Little Demon Empress’ hand. She then turned and looked at her palms… Her two slender and snow white arms had now been completely dyed with blood. It was as though she had just been soaking in a sea of blood.
The Little Demon Empress’ body trembled slightly.
She looked up, her eyes meeting Yun Che’s at that instant. From Yun Che’s face, she could not see any signs of pain; instead, she saw a gradual smile, “Don’t worry, I’m alright.”
The warm voice and the gentle smile seemed to have its own indescribable magical powers as it strongly touched the depths of the Little Demon Empress’ soul, making her lose focus and forgetting how to speak.
“Do you feel that… I’m very outstanding, heheh!” Yun Che laughed. As they went closer and closer to the Sea of Death, the surrounding air had become ten times hotter than what a normal human being could bear.
Little Demon Empress, “…”
Behind them, Duke Ming and Duke Huai approached swiftly, and within a few breaths of time, they had already closed the distance by half. However, when they were finally above the Sea of Death, their speeds had clearly slowed down. Perhaps they had guessed what Yun Che had done, or maybe it was because the Sea of Death was too frightening and they did not dare to approach it.
“They actually entered the Sea of Death!” Duke Huai gritted his teeth. Before, he did not manage to kill Yun Che in one move and looked as though he still could not comprehend.
“Looks like you’ve chosen an honorable death!” Duke Ming replied faintly, “Hmph! Alright, it’ll save us the trouble. The eventual results of dying in our hands would also be being thrown into the Sea of Death.”
Yun Che’s speed had also slowed down until he completely stopped. He did not turn around to see how close Duke Ming and Duke Huai were, but instead, looked ahead at the blood-like sea that seemed boundless, “I do not know what your chances of survival are from me doing this… However, this was the only way that I imagined where we had any chances…”
“Hug me tightly… Close your eyes…”
Yun Che released his profound energy and Phoenix Flame. The scarlet flame wrapped around him and the Little Demon Empress and yet, it did not make Little Demon Empress feel any sensation of heat… Just the feeling of a warm breeze blowing around her.
Yun Che closed his eyes and exhaled heavily. His hands wrapped around the Little Demon Empress tightly as he removed his profound energy that was causing them to float and crashed down along with her… They fell straight into the Sea of Death below them and silently sunk into the seemingly boundless, blood-like sea.
Chapter 600 - Endless Molten Lava
The searing heat wave in the air above the Sea of Death was even scarier than the profound flames released by a normal Overlord. The fire spirits wandering above the air were all releasing the aura of the Tyrant Profound Realm. Furthermore, it was said that deep within the Sea of Death, fire spirits of the Sovereign Profound Realm were bred.
Duke Ming and Duke Huai’s bodies were frozen as they helplessly watched Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress fall into the Sea of Death. Duke Ming waved his long sleeves and took Duke Huai with him through space. Almost within the instant they traveled, backed away from above the Sea of Death to its edge. Because as strong as Duke Huai was, overstaying there would still be unbearable.
“Hmph! Letting them die just like that… It’s too easy for them!” Falling into the Sea of Death would certainly mean their deaths. There was not any possibility for them to survive it, because even if it was his royal father, Duke Ming, who fell within, he would be melt into ashes in the time of at most ten breaths. But Duke Huai didn’t get too much pleasure from it; instead he gnashed his teeth from feeling unhappy with the result!
Because Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress could be tortured and killed at his will, he used all of his strength, but he was extremely surprised that not only was he not able to kill them, but instead gave them a chance to kill themselves… especially Yun Che! Even though Yun Che died and completely perished right before his eyes, Duke Huai couldn’t fully release the anger that was bottled up in his chest the whole day, and this made him incredibly uncomfortable.
“When you couldn’t kill them just now, this duke already knew that they would choose this way to die,” Duke Ming said softly.
“It’s this child’s incapability,” Duke Huai lowered his head and said.
“Let it go.” Duke Ming looked at the Sea of Death that was forever boiling with indifference in his eyes, and followed with a slow, cold sneer, “Today’s Grand Ceremony was a complete mess, but it was a blessing in disguise! The return of the Demon Emperor’s Seal easily made the Little Demon Empress gave us a chance to kill her! And Yun Che barging in was another additional reward! Dying in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, perishing in the Sea of Death, not even half a trace of it would remain. Even if he really had a powerful master, or a strong force behind him, they will never be able to trace it back to us.”
“This is all heaven’s will… Heaven is favoring our clan!”
“That’s right, it is all heaven’s will!” Duke Huai laughed loudly, “The Little Demon Empress died. There is no longer a Demon Emperor’s bloodline in this world! After this, the Illusory Demon Realm will belong to us! Congratulations royal father… No, I should congratulate our clan finally following the heaven’s will and getting what we wished for, and will control the Illusory Demon Realm from now on!”
“Don’t celebrate so early yet.” Duke Ming said slowly, “The Little Demon Empress’ death was only the end of the generations of Demon Emperor’s rulings. There are still a lot of obstacles on your path of becoming the emperor! Those Guardian Families and Duke Palaces that will be loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan ‘til death are all great obstacles. Especially the Yun and Mu Families; according to what Yun Che had said earlier, they are already suspecting this duke’s existence.”
“Don’t worry, royal father,” Duke Huai said while seeming confident, “when the Little Demon Empress was alive, they were already suppressed to an extent that they didn’t even have the guts to do anything! Now that the Little Demon Empress is dead, they lost their backbone, and are more like a sheet of loose sand. Perhaps they would even rush to our Duke Huai Palace to surrender… Talk about an obstacle that’s worth considering, hmph, simply relying on a revived Yun Qinghong still cannot help them thrive in this environment!”
Duke Ming didn’t show any expression, and slowly nodded his head, “Royal father still cannot show his face in this short period of time. The path has already been paved successfully. It will be up to you to get rid of the last obstacles. If you can’t even do that…”
“I will definitely not disappoint royal father!” Duke Huai said in an arrogantly, definite tone before Duke Ming finished speaking.
At this moment, Duke Ming suddenly turned around, looked to the south indifferently, and said in a low voice, “People from the Yun Family and the Mu Family are here… There are twelve people in total. Hmph, their lineup is enough, but unfortunately it’s too late!”
“Then what should we do now? Avoid them?” Duke Huai said, his expression didn’t show any surprise or panic.
“No need.” Duke Ming raised his arm, and held up the Demon Emperor’s Seal, “Do you know why even though I still make the effort to seize this Demon Emperor’s Seal even when I have the absolute confidence in putting the Little Demon Empress to death?”
Duke Huai answered, “Royal father said, when the people of the Demon Emperor’s clan have the Demon Emperor’s Seal on them, if they are in danger of life, the Demon Emperor’s Seal will automatically drink the Demon Emperor’s blood in order to launch the blood escape, and the power of blood escape can help them escape out of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley… Also, if the Little Demon Empress finds the chance to escape to the spot where she first entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, she could use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to directly leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley…”
Having spoken of that, Duke Huai was suddenly enlightened, “Royal father, could it be…”
“That’s right,” Duke Ming grabbed the Demon Emperor’s Seal, “In order to escape Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, it needs the Demon Emperor’s blood. But in the memory of the Little Demon Emperor, it clearly recorded that dukes with a thin Demon Emperor’s blood can also do so! It would only take more blood.”
“In the entire world, only the two of us know this secret. It is known to the common people that if you want to get out of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, you can only wait until the seal forms itself again, and then be forcefully discharged. Aside from this, there is no other way!”
“If so, when we use the Demon Emperor’s Seal to escape Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, and after this you show yourself in the Demon Imperial City, then everyone would know that you couldn’t have been in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley! After the news of the Little Demon Empress disappearing in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley spreads out, if the Yun Family and the Mu Family go against you, you could use this to shut them up, and even accuse them!”
Duke Huai’s eyes immediately brightened up; he could almost see the incredibly awful look on Yun Qinghong’s face when that happened, “Royal father is wise!”
“Let us wait temporarily for an hour,” Duke Ming said softly as he looked at the Sea of Death once again.
Duke Huai stuttered, “Could royal father be worried that… but falling into the Sea of Death, there is no possibility for them to live. Even if it was royal father, you would also…”
“Hmph!” Duke Ming scoffed lightly, “This Yun Che reveals a lot of strangeness! You weren’t able to kill him with all your powers, making me feel like this person cannot be judged with normal reasoning… it even made me feel an instant of a sense of danger!”
“Even if the Little Demon Empress doesn’t die, he must die!” Duke Ming said coldly, “This Sea of Death is the molten lava of the Golden Crow that has been boiling for ten thousand years!”
“This can count as a reward for him making this duke feel an instant of the sense of danger!”
“Yes.” Even though Duke Huai thought Duke Ming’s cautiousness was too exaggerated and even ridiculous, he didn’t dare to disobey. And one hour was far from enough for the Yun Family and the Mu Family who had entered Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley to arrive here in time.
The only result of falling into the Sea of Death was becoming ashes, no matter who it was.
The Little Demon Empress closed her eyes… Disappearing into the Sea of Death was at least far better than dying in the hands of Duke Ming and Duke Huai. It was just that she was destined to not be able to take revenge and reconcile this hatred higher than the heavens. Even the truth would remain unknown forever. Even the whole Illusory Demon Realm would fall into the hands of Duke Huai Palace.
She had an infinite amount of unwillingness, but at this moment, she was incredibly calm. She didn’t know if it was because death was close within reach, or because… of this man by her side who was hugging with her tightly.
She felt her entire body sinking into the boiling lava, the sense of burning was flowing everywhere. What was even more scary than the burning feeling, was the sense of death. But the time passed by breath by breath, she still didn’t feel her life disappearing, didn’t lose her senses, but the sensation of sinking was particularly clear. The burning feeling around her still existed, but it didn’t become stronger. Even though her body had been seriously injured, she was still able to endure it completely.
The Little Demon Empress opened her eyes in confusion, and found a pair of bright eyes looking straight at her. Yun Che grinned and said, “Heh… did… you… think… that… you died… already?”
In her sight, besides Yun Che… everything else was dark red like the color of blood!
Whether it was front, back, up, or down… the slowly boiling lava was everywhere!!
They were in the world of molten lava right now, but somehow this molten lava didn’t touch their bodies. Surrounding them was a three meters thick layer of bright, red flames. This layer of bright, red flames was thin, but it completely isolated the endless molten lava around them… Even the burning temperature of the molten lava was significantly reduced!
The Little Demon Empress knew how scary the molten lava of the Sea of Death was. No one in the Illusory Demon Realm would disagree calling it the scariest thing in the world. Isolating the molten lava in the Sea of Death… not to mention her, even if her royal father were still alive, it would be absolutely impossible to do it.
But that layer of flames… the bright, red flames from Yun Che, was able to do it.
“This… What is going on?” The Little Demon Empress’ voice was as if she was in a dream; she still couldn’t believe her eyes.
Yun Che clenched his teeth tightly. He had the power of the Evil God; even if the molten lava of the Sea of Death was ten times scarier, it wouldn’t be able to harm him. But he must pour all of his powers into isolating the molten lava and the scary heat to protect the Little Demon Empress. Even though he had an incomparable fire controlling ability, this was the fire from the holy Golden Crow after all, and the molten lava surrounding them spread for a thousand miles endlessly. If wasn’t an easy task for him to completely isolate it.
It was incredibly difficult for Yun Che to say the few words to the Little Demon Empress. Facing the Little Demon Empress’ questions, he already didn’t have the strength to explain, instead he clenched his teeth, and said difficulty, “I don’t know… how long… I can last… Duke Ming’s temperament is even more cautious than Duke Huai… Right now… they must still be guarding outside… so we cannot… leave yet…”
“Right now… I cannot be distracted to attend to you… If you want to kill Duke Ming yourself for revenge… try your hardest to lock in your vitality… At least before I can’t hold on anymore… you absolutely cannot die!”
With a broken lifeline, normal people would have died instantly already. Even an Overlord could only struggle to survive for a couple hours at most before dying… Even though a Monarch with a broken lifeline would also die for sure, if they supported themselves with all of their strength, with the profound body and powerful profound strength they had that exceeds the common people, there was a possibility for them to live for another several days, even dozens of days!
“…” The Little Demon Empress stared at Yun Che for a while. When she closed her eyes, the word “death” had already completely disappeared from her mind, and it was replaced by a strong desire to survive with deep, complicated emotions. She stopped being aware of the environment around them, forgot where she was, channeled the rest of the profound energy left in her whole body, and used it all to lock up the last of her life vitality… She must live; even if it wasn’t for revenge, it was for the hope Yun Che gave her with his everything.
“You idiot, hurry up and channel the Great Way of the Buddha!” Jasmine said in an exasperating tone, “In this molten lava environment, the active rate of the elements are no less than the spatial storm of the Primordial Profound Ark! The force of nature you absorb in every breath using the Great Way of the Buddha will be several dozens of times greater than of the outside world! Not only can it heal the wound on your body fast, your healing ability will also far surpass the depletion… and here you are questioning how long you can hold on for!”
“Of course I can hold on for as long as I want to!”
Yun Che’s eyes widened… when he realized it, he almost wanted to slap himself on the face… He was overthinking it under the shadow of Duke Ming, he ignored the fact that the Sea of Death was in an extreme elemental environment!
When he was first in the extreme elemental environment in the Primordial Profound Ark, his Great Way of the Buddha could absorb several dozen times the force of nature compared to normal, and kept him alive while his body was being destroyed by the spatial storm… Of course he could do it here!!
Yun Che focused his mind shortly, and a dull golden pagoda appeared spinning above his head. Instantly, pure natural essence flowed into his body like a stream… In merely the time for one breath, this stream already surged and became a flood, flowing into his whole body in an almost crazy level… Yun Che’s brain immediately became clear, the tiredness of his body was speedily decreasing, his outside wounds were healing at a speed that could be seen with the naked eye, even his broken meridians were healing at a speed that normal people couldn’t even believe.
Chapter 601 - Frozen Cloud Crisis
To the knowledge of all profound practitioners, the place with the most extreme flames would undoubtedly be a volcano. Within the violent fiery mountain, there would be roiling lava and, from time to time, there’d even be a sea of fire that stretched as far as the eye could see. A place like this would occasionally yield precious fire-attribute spirit treasures while it was simultaneously acted as a favored cultivation spot for some high-level profound practitioners who specialized in fire elements.
The Illusory Demon Realm and Profound Sky Continent both had volcanoes of various sizes scattered all around, but it wouldn’t be the least bit exaggerated to say a corner of this Sea of Death held a much greater area than all of these volcanoes combined.
Even an almighty Monarch would immediately turn pale when a discussion arose regarding the Sea of Death; it was a place that none dared to approach.
The activity of the fire element in this place was far beyond the limit of any profound practitioner’s imagination.
After Yun Che checked up on the Little Demon Empress’ condition, he immediately heaved a huge relieved sigh. Under normal conditions, even if he activated the Great Way of the Buddha with his full strength, it would still be difficult for him to stop the Little Demon Empress’ life from slipping away. But right now, since nature energy was ten times richer in this place, not only could he swiftly heal her injuries, he could also safely ensure she’d preserve her life… Even though her lifeline had been broken, as long as he did not lose access to the energy of heaven and earth, the last remnants of her vital energy would not fade away.
Now, he no longer worried whether he and the Little Demon Empress could survive. However, they could not leave the Sea of Death for now as it was extremely likely that Duke Ming and Duke Huai were waiting for them just around the corner. Yun Che began to focus and observed his surroundings… It was as though he had entered a world that consisted solely of flames because there was nothing else here other than an extreme fire element blazing in his vicinity.
As he possessed the Evil God’s Profound Veins and the Evil God’s Fire Seed, Yun Che had a perfect affinity with the element of fire. No matter the strength of a flame, as long as it was composed of pure flame energy, it would not bring him the slightest bit of harm. Even if he faced an extremely abstruse fire-based profound art, he would be able to handle it easily within a short period of time… However, this was the first time he had come in contact with such an intense environment of fire ever since obtaining the Evil God’s Fire Seed.
To other people, this was truly the sea of death.
But to Yun Che, whose inclination with fire nearly reached perfection, this was instead a paradise.
Yun Che held out his hand and it passed through the protective barrier, disappearing within the sea of fire. Immediately, what rushed into his body was not only the energy of heaven and earth but also an extremely rich and thick fire energy. It responded to the affinity he had with fire and it quickly rushed into his arm. Before the inducement of the Evil God’s Profound Veins themselves, it automatically spread towards his profound veins.
This was an extremely wondrous sensation that words could barely describe.
But what caused Yun Che to be truly astonished was that the fire energy retained all of its concentration and potency as it spread towards his profound veins, and it seemed that it did not want to leave as it slowly entrenched itself in his profound veins. As the fire energy slowly merged with his body, it caused his profound strength to undergo a slight… but completely noticeable growth.
The fire energy in this place… could actually be absorbed… and directly converted into profound strength?!
Refining and absorbing a fire spirit could increase one’s profound strength. However, without even taking into account the rarity of fire spirits, if a profound practitioner wanted to refine even a single one, it would require a significant amount of resources and effort, and it would even come with a great amount of danger as well. But at present, Yun Che had only absorbed some fire energy from this place yet it actually caused his profound strength to increase… This was simply outrageous! This was definitely something profound practitioners of this world could not possibly comprehend.
Moreover, not only did this process come with no side effects or risks, there was not even a trace of pain or difficulty involved at all.
Yun Che placed the barrier solely around the Little Demon Empress’ body before he submerged half his body into the sea of flames. Immediately, the thick and rich fire energy seemed to be inexorably drawn towards him and multitudinous streams of fire energy arose all around him as they rushed towards his body. The fire energy flowed into every artery, vein and drop of blood in his body. He induced the fire energy to circulate through every nook and cranny of his being, and gradually, he felt his whole body and even his soul enveloped in a thick and extremely warm sensation, as if all his blood and cells were starting to burn.
It felt as though he had morphed into a spirit of flame.
In these years with the Evil God’s Fire Seed and the Phoenix flames in his possession, he had never experienced such a delicate sensation.
In the end, this fire energy obediently rushed into his profound veins and began to circulate and slowly merge with them…
Yun Che’s current feelings were undoubtedly that of extreme joy and astonishment. He divided ten percent of his concentration to maintain the barrier around the Little Demon Empress, another ten percent to infuse the energy of heaven and earth into her body, and used the remaining eighty percent to absorb and guide the blazing hot, boundless, thick and rich fire energy that originated from this Sea of Death…
Even to a strong profound practitioner who could look down on all mundane things, this extremely high-class fire energy was the essence of death for them. At this moment, however, it was being greedily absorbed by Yun Che as tonic of the highest grade… Streams of fire energy began to circulate in his body twice, then thrice… and after the third circulation, Yun Che’s profound energy had already increased by ten percent and he had become completely immersed in the process.
As his profound strength was in the process of being strengthened, Yun Che could vaguely sense that his understanding towards the laws of fire had undergone some sort of faint and indistinct change.
Jasmine naturally observed Yun Che’s activity and current status. She focused on him right now, and her eyes ceaselessly flashed with astonishment. After a long while, she muttered to herself in a low voice, “The legends were indeed correct… This Sea of Death is a place that isn’t even supposed to exist on this plane. It actually went as far as to trigger the heaven-defying ability of the Evil God’s Profound Veins…”
“It is simply the world’s most shameless cultivation method that draws the resentment and envy of all others.”
“And the reason why it had not been triggered before is because the levels of those flames he had come into contact with previously were simply not high enough…”
“If he one day arrives at the Flame God Realm, and enters the Ancient Inferno Burial Ground of Gods…”
Jasmine did not make a sound so as to avoid disturbing Yun Che. Instead, she simply wordlessly observed every single change that occurred to his body… The Evil God, the most unique god that had existed in the mythological era of the primordial gods, did not belong to any faction and was not controlled by any other god. He did not even respect the primordial God Emperor and he was even unwilling to comply with the laws of primal chaos. The power that the Evil God left behind had been extremely elusive and when it had finally surfaced once more, it had driven countless people to engage in a crazy struggle… until it finally landed in her hands.
At the same time, it had nearly cost her own life.
But in the end, it was Yun Che who had inherited it.
Moreover, in the span of just a few short years, the strength of the Evil God’s power and its ‘heaven-defying’ attribute that allowed it to ignore to laws of heaven and earth were beginning to show themselves… such as being able to grant complete elemental immunity, such as being able to combine the two completely polar energies of fire and ice, and also such as being able to directly absorb elemental energy and make it a part of one’s own strength.
Or perhaps, the way he could easily endure the legacies of all his various divine powers was also because of the Evil God’s unique ability to ignore all natural laws.
Profound Sky Continent, North of the Blue Wind Nation.
“This place is the Snow Region of Extreme Ice?” A middle-aged man who was robed in green and looked to be around fifty years of age spoke as he looked at the boundless icy world before him, “The scenery isn’t all that bad.”
“This should be your first time ever stepping foot into the Blue Wind Nation, correct?” A purple-clothed old man said placidly as he stood by the side of the green-clothed man.
“Hmph!” The green-clothed man gave a cold and dull snort and his eyes glinted with deep arrogance and contempt, “If not for the instructions of the Young Master, why would I even deign to step into this lowly space. However, with such scenery to admire, coming here wasn’t a complete waste of time after all.”
This was a party of twenty people and the ones leading it were the green-clothed man and the purple-clothed senior. They were dressed in tight clothes of a single color and no distinctive feature or symbol could be seen on their attire.
But what was truly shocking was that all twenty people released a profound aura that was undoubtedly incomparably frightening. Especially the green-clothed man and purple-clothed senior, their bodies clearly exuded the aura of the Tyrant Profound Realm… and it was an aura that approached the mid stages of the Tyrant Profound Realm. Even the weakest of their followers exuded the aura of a level eight Throne!
The strongest person in the Blue Wind Nation, Ling Tianni, was a level six Throne, yet any one of the twenty people present was greater than him! Any one of them had the qualifications to rivaled in the entire Blue Wind Nation. These two Overlords were terrifying existences that were akin to gods in the Blue Wind Nation, they could easily blot out the sky of Blue Wind’s profound cultivation world with one hand.
“If you want to admire the scenery, you will have more than enough time after we complete our mission.” The purple-clothed senior said in a bland voice, “Frozen Cloud Asgard is nestled within this icy region, after we have found that girl called Xia Qingyue, we can return to give the Young Master our report.”
The green-clothed man looked ahead and the direction in which he was looking so happened to be where the Frozen Cloud Asgard was located. This boundless snowy region showed few signs of human life but given the spiritual perception of a Tyrant Profound Realm Practitioner, directly locking on to the location of the Frozen Cloud Asgard within this spacious and empty place definitely was not a hard task. He smiled merrily as he said. “I heard that Frozen Cloud Asgard is one of the four great powers of the Blue Wind Nation and it is only inferior Heavenly Sword Villa. But it seems like the strongest individuals are only at the Emperor Profound Realm, and there aren’t even more than two or three of these Emperor Profound Realm combined. An inferior land is in the end, only an inferior land. I simply cannot fathom why the Young Master would want us to attend to such a trivial matter.”
“Stop complaining already.” The purple-clothed old man said solemnly, “The Young Master has clearly said that this girl, Xia Qingyue, is extremely important to him. If not for the fact that the bottleneck of his devil art had suddenly loosened and required him to go into confinement, the Young Master was even prepared to personally take action. So it should be clear just how important this matter is to the Young Master!”
“Moreover, this mission is far less easy than you seem to believe!” The purple-clothed senior’s expression grew grave, “The Young Master said that Xia Qingyue is twenty-two years of age, yet her appearance is only that of a sixteen or seventeen year old and that she was christened the number one beauty in all of Blue Wind. Besides this, we do not have any other clues. Frozen Cloud Asgard has two to three thousand disciples, and they are all reportedly outstanding beauties, if they insist on not pointing out who Xia Qingyue is, it will definitely not be an easy task to differentiate all of them.”
“Besides, the Young Master has strongly emphasized that we must take Xia Qingyue back alive, and it would be best if we did not harm a single hair on her head! If Xia Qingyue dies, then our heads will also roll once we return! So before we determine who Xia Qingyue is… we cannot be too heavy handed towards any of the female disciples and all our actions must be taken with the utmost caution.”
“Hahahaha!” The green-clothed man gave a great laugh, “When a savage tiger hunts wolves, there will still be an element of risk. But when a fierce tiger rampages among lambs, can there still be any possibility of us suffering a setback? We cannot lay our hands on any young disciples so we will start from the ones who are older and we will slowly kill their sect leader and all their elders, forcing Xia Qingyue to surrender herself, it is that simple. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll just knock out every single one of them and bring them all back. Three thousand ice beauties, the Young Master will definitely be delighted if he sees them.”
“Anyways, I’ve also heard that the armies of the Divine Phoenix Empire are less than five hundred kilometers away from Blue Wind Imperial City, so in the matter of a few months, this Blue Wind Nation will be completely done for. Heh, there must also be something wrong in the head of the Divine Phoenix Empire, for them to burn with such anxiety that they would actually mobilize their entire army in a bid to quickly conquer this inferior country which is lacking in resources. And they even signed a nonaggression pact with the other five nations. Could it be because they were humiliated by the Blue Wind Nation during the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, that they were driven into a frenzy of rage?”
“These are no matters which require our attention.” The purple-clothed senior swiped his hand across his face and immediately his face was covered with a layer of dense, white fog, “Frozen Cloud Asgard is two hundred and fifty kilometers, we can begin our operation. I will repeat myself again, do your utmost to not not expose your identities, these are the Young Master’s orders.”
“Yes!” Their followers all sounded out at the same time and they also swiped their hands across their face, using profound energy to hide their appearances.
The green-clothed man performed the same actions and said disdainfully, “I hope this Frozen Cloud Asgard can bring us some surprises, maybe they’ll even sacrifice some precious treasure and ruffle my clothes a little bit… if not, it’ll simply be too boring.”
Before he had even finished speaking, all twenty of them had taken flight and they darted towards the direction of Frozen Cloud Asgard, quickly disappearing into the boundless sea of snow.
Chapter 602 - The Mystery of the Frozen Cloud Ancestor
Ping!!!
A deafening shattering sound rang sharply through the air, nearly traversing the entirety of Heavenly Sword Villa. All of the Heavenly Sword disciples who were practicing their sword skills, and even a few elders, involuntarily covered their ears. As they sought desperately to suppress an uncomfortable sensation which seemed to seep into their souls, they also looked towards the origin of that sound with expressions of amazement.
Heavenly Sword Ancestral Hall, the most sacred place in Heavenly Sword Villa, located at its very core. Following the sound of urgent footsteps, the Ancestral Hall’s great doors were pushed upon and Ling Yuefeng stepped in. With a glance, he saw Ling Tianni, who had clearly been in seclusion, standing by the side of the jade platform situated at the right side of the Ancestral Hall.
“Yuefeng, you’ve come.” Ling Tianni did not turn around; instead, he stood there silently, staring at the jade platform in front of him.
“Father, what’s happened?” Ling Yuefeng asked as he quickly strode forward. That peculiar ringing sound was definitely not a normal occurrence and the origin of that sound was from this place. When he saw that his father, who had been in seclusion for over a year, had actually appeared in this place, he knew that this matter was even more complex than he had initially anticipated.
As his voice fell, his gaze also fell upon the jade platform that Ling Tianni faced… From his memory, there had always been a clear, icy-blue jade pearl a foot in length placed atop this jade platform. This jade pearl did not emanate any aura and its only distinguishing feature was its emission of faint, icy-blue light when nighttime arrived.
He had learned from Ling Tianni that this jade pearl’s name was “Jewel of Icy Song” and it was an item gifted to the founder of Heavenly Sword Villa when their sect had just been established one thousand years ago by the founder of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, Mu Bingyun. As for what it was used for, Ling Tianni had never told him and he had also never paid it any mind.
But right now, this “Jewel of Icy Song” was no longer there and what replaced it was a pile of cluttered fragments shaped like ice crystals on the jade platform.
“The recent noise… was because this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ fractured?” Ling Yuefeng asked. If a jade pearl had merely broken, even though it was something left behind by their ancestor, it wouldn’t be too significant of a matter. However, Ling Tianni didn’t hesitate to break out of his cultivation seclusion to come here. Furthermore, the grave expression on his face told Ling Yuefeng that this matter was definitely not simple.
“Ah.” Ling Tianni heaved a deep sigh and said, “Something has happened to Frozen Cloud Asgard… a calamity great enough to destroy their entire sect.”
“What?” Ling Yuefeng’s eyebrows jumped fiercely.
Ling Tianni slowly replied, “This ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ was an item gifted to our founding father by the ancestor of Frozen Cloud Asgard, Mu Bingyun. But it was not meant as a gift. Back then, when the Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun gifted this to our founder, she said this: ‘One thousand years from now, Frozen Cloud Asgard will be plunged into a great crisis. The moment this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ breaks is the moment the crisis will descend upon Frozen Cloud Asgard…’”
“So that is to say… the Frozen Cloud Ancestor hoped that when this day came, our Heavenly Sword Villa would lend a helping hand?” Ling Yuefeng asked.
Ling Tianni inclined his head and replied, “That is right, this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ is linked to the final forbidden protective formation of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, the ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil.’ The ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil’ is something the Frozen Cloud Ancestor had set up by herself all those years ago and it’s a forbidden protective formation that will only open when Frozen Cloud Asgard has been pushed into truly dire straits. Once this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ breaks, it will let out a loud ring. This means the ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil’ has already been activated. For the next seven days, Frozen Cloud Asgard will be under the protection of this ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil.’ All those years ago, Frozen Cloud Asgard had hoped that Heavenly Sword Villa would be able to help them within seven days’ time when the day of their doom were to arrive.”
“Seven days…” Ling Yuefeng had a very complicated expression on his face, “To be able to plunge Frozen Cloud Asgard into such a disaster, the other party must be immeasurably strong or they might even be individuals of the Overlord class. The Frozen Cloud Ancestor and our Heavenly Sword Ancestor were high-level Thrones back in their day, so the protective profound formation that she laid down could only be at the strength of the at best the Emperor Profound. If they truly fought against Overlord-calibre enemies, the formation shouldn’t even last a single blow, much less for seven days… So, even if we do extend our hand to help, it would be days before we’d reach Frozen Cloud Asgard… it’s not even possible that we can arrive in time, right? What’s more, the current situation in the Blue Wind Nation is…”
“No…” Without waiting for Ling Yuefeng to finish, Ling Tianni interrupted him and said, “If your words were true, why would I still be so hesitant?”
Ling Tianni quietened down and it was only after a long time that he turned around and faced Ling Yuefeng, “Yuefeng, I was originally only planning to tell you these matters regarding Frozen Cloud Asgard when I approached my twilight years. But the day of calamity for Frozen Cloud Asgard has come, and it also involves a request made by the Frozen Cloud Ancestor… As Heavenly Sword’s Villa Master, the decision of our next course of action lies with you. So, I need to tell you about all of these affairs right now.”
“… Could it be that Frozen Cloud Asgard… is still hiding a secret that’s been hidden from the rest of the world?” Ling Yuefeng asked solemnly as he observed Ling Tianni’s grave expression.
“The secret does not lie with the Frozen Cloud Asgard proper, but with its founder… Mu Bingyun.” Ling Tianni slowly said, “For the next seven days, Frozen Cloud Asgard will definitely be safe from all harm, because once the ‘Snow Goddess’ Veil’ has been activated, no one in this world will be able to break it. Even if it is Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, Supreme Ocean Palace, Sun Moon Divine Hall, and Mighty Heavenly Sword Region. Even if all these four Sacred Grounds join hands, there is no possibility that they would break through.
“What?” Ling Yuefeng was greatly shocked, “This… How is this possible? Even if the Saint Emperor, the Sovereign of the Seas, the Heavenly Monarch, and the Sword Master acted in concert and used all their might, it would still be impossible for them to erect such a formidable profound formation… As a high level Throne, how is it possible for the Frozen Cloud Ancestor to have such an ability… Could it be power borrowed from some kind of incomparably strong artifact?”
Ling Tianni shook his head once more and raised his head slightly. His expression was unexpectedly one of complete subconscious admiration, “Wrong… The power of the Frozen Cloud Ancestor, Mu Bingyun, was far beyond what you or anyone in this world knows.”
Ling Yuefeng, “…”
“A thousand years ago, before our Heavenly Sword Villa had been established, Frozen Cloud Asgard was already in existence. When our Heavenly Sword Ancestor roamed across Blue Wind, he challenged all of the experts within Blue Wind, and he did not lose a single match. After that, he came to know of the existence of Frozen Cloud Asgard and he went to challenge the Frozen Cloud Mistress Mu Bingyun… Our ancestor thought it’d be a fight with no suspense, yet he lost to her… Everyone back then who had heard of this duel knew that our ancestor had only lost after a long fight with Mu Bingyun, but the true story our ancestor left behind for us was that Mu Bingyun had defeated him in one move.”
“This…” Before such shock, Ling Yuefeng’s pupils uncontrollably contracted for an instant.
“The Snow Region of Extreme Ice was not always called by that name, because in the past, that place rarely rained or snowed. It was only a vast, bitterly cold land filled with shrubbery that stretched as far as the eye could see. But one thousand years ago, a great blizzard descended upon the land for seven days and seven nights, and ever since then, it’s been locked in snow and ice. And after that, the Frozen Cloud Asgard appeared… What our ancestor left behind was this: The blizzard that lasted for seven days and seven nights was caused by Mu Bingyun.”
Ling Yuefeng, “!!!!”
“Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun’s true strength was unfathomable. From the description left behind by our ancestor, Mu Bingyun’s strength was on an incomprehensible level. Our ancestor swore to Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun that he would keep all of this a secret and he would not divulge it to anyone else. Because the Frozen Cloud Ancestor established the Frozen Cloud Asgard with the intention of taking in some ill-fated girls who had nowhere else to go, she was not willing to let the world notice their existence.”
“…” Ling Yuefeng descended into a stupor. Heavenly Sword Villa was the strongest force that lorded over Blue Wind. One thousand years ago, the ancestor who established Heavenly Sword Villa dominated all under heaven with his sword and he was unrivalled; he was the publicly acknowledged strongest in Blue Wind. It was only the direct inheritors of the Villa who knew of his defeat to the Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun all those years ago… and they had been told that it was a narrow loss.
But no one would have imagined that Frozen Cloud Ancestor Mu Bingyun was actually such a terrifying existence.
Defeating the Heavenly Sword Ancestor in a single move… If she had the ambition, how then could Heavenly Sword Villa lord over the Blue Wind for the past thousand years?
“Just where did that Frozen Cloud Ancestor come from? Could it be that… she was also like our ancestor, and she came from one of the Four Great Sacred Grounds?” Ling Yuefeng asked with a face full of astonishment. This kind of strength could only come from the Four Great Sacred Grounds.
“No.” Ling Tianni shook his head yet again, “No one knows where her origins lie even our ancestor did not know. It was not only her background no one knew of but also the profound art she used back then… Frozen End Divine Art was incomparably strong, yet no one had ever heard of it. Putting aside our ancestor, even up till today and even within the Four Great Sacred Grounds, not a single person knows where Frozen End Divine Art actually originated from.”
“Our Heavenly Sword Villa’s ‘Heaven’s Might Sword Art’ comes from Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, and our ancestor stated that the Frozen Cloud ancestor’s ‘Frozen End Divine Art’ was far superior to our ‘Heaven’s Might Sword Art’ and that it was in no way inferior to the core profound arts cultivated by those in the Four Great Sacred Grounds. For a profound art to reach that level, it would require at least a few thousand years or even more than ten thousand years of background and continued tradition. But Mu Bingyun’s ‘Frozen End Divine Art’ seemed to have descended from the heavens. Even if you scoured the previous thousands of years of history, you would not be able to find a single trace of it.”
“And because the level of the ‘Divine End Frozen Art’ was too high, even though the female disciples Mu Bingyun had taken in all had good innate talent, not a single one of them could learn it. So, Mu Bingyun created the ‘Frozen Cloud Arts’… and even though the ‘Frozen Cloud Arts’ were weaker than the ‘Frozen End Divine Art’, within Blue Wind, and even across the entire Profound Sky Continent, it would definitely be considered a profound art of the highest quality. Yet Mu Bingyun had only used seven days in its creation.”
“…” Ling Yuefeng remained silent for a long period of time, but following that, he continued in a mystified voice, “If the Frozen Cloud ancestor was truly so strong, and even approached the level of an elder of a Sacred Ground, then why was her life span so short? If she had reached that level, shouldn’t she have a lifespan of several thousand years?”
Ling Tianni closed his eyes and replied, “This is something that no one knows. What is passed down within the Frozen Cloud Asgard is that their ancestor had passed from this mortal coil in their Frozen End Divine Hall. When our ancestor, who knew the true power of Mu Bingyun, personally went to the Frozen Cloud Asgard to verify this matter, he found out that Mu Bingyun had scattered into an icy mist which filled the entire Frozen End Divine Hall whereupon it disappeared. There was no body left behind, and what was left behind were only several words.”
“Because he never saw the body, our ancestor had always suspected that Mu Bingyun had never passed away… However, she did leave the ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ with him, which indicated that she would not be able to protect the Frozen Cloud Asgard from then on, indicating the possibility that she would no longer be in this world… So, even to the point of his death, our ancestor could not gain complete closure as to whether Mu Bingyun was alive or dead.”
“But a thousand years have passed and there are no longer any traces of Mu Bingyun left in this world, so she should have indeed already passed on. The reason she passed this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ likely means that she too felt her life was coming to an end. If not, given her ability, why would she request assistance from our Heavenly Sword Villa on her own accord?”
“After the Frozen Cloud Ancestor passed on, the reason for Frozen Cloud Asgard’s existence also continued to change. When the Frozen Cloud Ancestor established the Frozen Cloud Asgard, she only took in a few girls who had suffered bitter hardships and were in hopeless situations. But even after the Frozen Cloud Asgard lost Mu Bingyun, the strength of the Frozen Cloud Art still caused its reputation to flourish. The newly accepted disciples were gradually no longer accepted on the sole basis that they were in bitter and hopeless situations. The qualifications also grew more and and more severe, where in the end, aptitude and appearance had become the most important factors…”
“A change like this is also reasonable.” Ling Yuefeng said, “Frozen Cloud Asgard consists solely of women, so it’s easy for them to be bullied, humiliated and lusted after. So what they needed to do was to increase their overall strength. It was only then would they be able to protect all the people within Asgard itself.”
“You are right.” Ling Tianni said slowly, “Endless change is what caused the present Frozen Cloud Asgard to no longer resemble the Frozen Cloud Asgard our ancestor knew a thousand years ago. But, before our ancestor left the world, he requested that this ‘Jewel of Icy Song’ be preserved in this ancestral hall until the day it shattered. This showed that our ancestor regarded the promise he made as extremely important and showed his determination to keep it.”
“And now, when Blue Wind is reaching its end, it just so happens that a catastrophe of this magnitude befalls Frozen Cloud Asgard. Whether we continue closing our gates and ignore worldly affairs or we uphold the promise made by our ancestor and extend a helping hand towards Frozen Cloud Asgard… The first option is to ensure security upon our thousand-year foundation but instead, we will lose our honor and justice. The second option is to uphold our honor and justice, but we may possibly bring calamity down on our own heads…”
“Yuefeng, as Villa Master of Heavenly Sword Villa, what we do next is entirely up to you.”
Chapter 603 - Waking up within the Sea of Flames
“Honor and justice?” Ling Yuefeng gave a self-mocking laugh, “Today, in the eyes of every citizen within Blue Wind Nation, our Heavenly Sword Villa does not even have a shred of honor and justice to speak of. Especially the Blue Wind Imperial Family… they already hate us to the bone and see us as their enemy… so what justice and honor do we have left to speak of?”
Your faithlessness hath earned mine contempt, your disregard hath aroused mine spite, this empress shall always remember this! If the Blue Wind doth see the dawn and its gentle breeze chances upon the Heavenly Sword, there will be no reconciliation, for only hate and enmity remains, forevermore!
This was the letter personally written by Empress Cang Yue after the Blue Wind Imperial Family had requested for help nine times and had their pleas ignored for nine times. It was a silk letter that had been thrown at the gates of the Heavenly Sword Mountain.
Princess Cang Yue had attended the two previous Blue Wind Ranking Tournaments, so she had personally visited Heavenly Sword Villa twice. The impression that she had given others was that she was as gentle as water, as soft as wind… But now, the words that she had personally written were filled with hate and determination.
It was clear that the emotion that she felt towards them after they had repeatedly ignored her nine times was no longer disappointment but instead loathing.
Heavenly Sword Villa Master Ling Yuefeng had weathered countless storms in his lifetime but when he had personally held that piece of silk, his face had turned red while his heart was filled with bitter agony…. Heavenly Sword Villa and the Blue Wind Imperial Family had a shared oath which was laid down by their ancestors. If either one were to meet with a great calamity, the other would give their all to help. Now that the Blue Wind Imperial Family was facing the crisis of being exterminated, between preserving the safety of the villa or preserving the honor of the villa, he had chosen to preserve the safety of the villa.
Because Heavenly Sword Villa had the backing of Mighty Heavenly Sword Region, as long as they did not interfere with the current state of affairs, Divine Phoenix Empire definitely wouldn’t provoke them. But if Heavenly Sword Villa did interfere… even though they could cover the entire sky with one hand in Blue Wind Nation, how could they be worth anything in the face of the mighty Divine Phoenix Empire?
However, selfishness was selfishness. No matter what reason, this was a characteristic that could not be covered up.
So when Ling Tianni had mentioned “honor and justice”, Ling Yuefeng’s heart was filled with bitter agony.
“So, your decision… is to pretend you don’t know about it?” Ling Tianni said in a completely tranquil voice without looking at him.
“To be able to push Frozen Cloud Asgard into such dire straits, the other party must have unfathomable strength. Even if our Heavenly Sword Villa fully mobilized, it’s extremely likely that we are unable to help the situation. Also, we would incur great losses and draw the ire and hatred of the other party.” Ling Yuefeng closed his eyes and a figure that was more dreamy and ethereal than a fairy flashed through his mind, “It took one thousand years for Heavenly Sword Villa to reach this point. Now, as the Villa Master, I regard the safety of our sect as paramount to all else… Not helping the Blue Wind Imperial Family is already a violation of our ancestor’s instructions and our own honor. Since it has already come to this, what is one more violation? I believe that our ancestors in heaven would certainly approve of our actions. After all, the current Heavenly Sword Villa is no longer what it was in the beginning, a small faction that only had a few hundred disciples. As the Villa Master now, how can I, for the sake of others, risk the lives of the tens of thousands of people who live in our villa.”
“…Ah.” Ling Tianni did not nod or shake his head, and only let out a long and drawn-out sigh.
“I approve of my husband’s decision.”
The great doors of the ancestral hall were pushed open and Xuanyuan Yufeng leisurely strolled in. She made a small curtsy to Ling Tianni and said, “Father, Husband, I have just received a fifty thousand kilometer sound transmission from Elder Ling Kun warning us that if we receive any sound transmission from Frozen Cloud Asgard requesting for help… we must definitely disregard them.”
Ling Tianni inclined his head while Ling Yuefeng said with furrowed brows, “Could it be that elder Ling Kun knows which person is attacking Frozen Cloud Asgard?”
Xuanyuan Yufeng extended her right arm and she made a small and soft gesture with her hand. This simple gesture, caused Ling Yuefeng’s expression to abruptly change and even cause Ling Tianni’s body to stiffen up for an instant.
“What is going on?” Ling Yuefeng said in astonishment, “Frozen Cloud Asgard is situated in the extreme north of Blue WInd, and they have nearly no grudges or gratitude to any powers situated outside of Blue Wind and they have never even come into contact with these people before, so why would they suddenly… take action against Frozen Cloud Asgard?!”
Xuanyuan Yufeng solemnly declared, “Elder Ling Kun has advised that he does not know the motives behind this action but he can guarantee that it is that faction. Moreover, it was something personally ordered by their young master! If we truly take action and spoil their party… Hmph, I’m sure you’re all aware of the temperament of that particular young master. At that time, even if my father were to personally come forward, he would also not be able to protect Heavenly Sword Villa.”
Xuanyuan Yufeng softly ground her teeth, her voice quietened down a bit and the depths of her eyes rippled with elation and masked jealous hatred, “That Frozen Cloud Asgard is filled with sluts and witches, so where do they get off calling themselves a fairy palace… Hmph, it would be far better if this group of scourges were wiped off the face of this earth!”
“….” Ling Yuefeng did not utter a word. With a sweep of his sleeve, he gathered up all the fragments of the “Jewel of Icy Song” and said with a sigh, “Father, this matter, we shall treat it as if it had never happened before.”
Ling Tianni slowly extended his hand and within his palm was a purple-colored Sound Transmission Jade. Numerous sound transmission imprints could be seen on the surface of this Sound Transmission Jade… He did not need to look at it to know that it was also cries of help from Frozen Cloud Asgard.
And the only person in the Frozen Cloud Asgard who could make sound transmissions to him was their Grand Mistress, Feng Qianhui.
Crack!
The Sound Transmission Jade immediately shattered in Ling Tianni’s hand and was reduced to nothing but fragments. He did not turn around and following a surge of sword wind, his entire person vanished in front of Ling Yuefeng and Xuanyuan Yufeng, without leaving behind a single word or sound.
Extreme North of Blue Wind, Snow Region of Extreme Ice.
A huge ice-blue barrier covered the entire Frozen Cloud Asgard and twelve people were gathered outside that barrier. Amongst them, a green-clothed man surged all the profound energy within him and smashed a palm on the barrier.
Bang!!
Blood scattered in the air and the green-clothed man stretched open his trembling palm… The web between his thumb and his index finger had been greatly torn and his entire arm was both in pain and numbed. He fiercely sucked in a breath and said in an enraged and exasperated manner, “What the hell is going on?! A mere Frozen Cloud Asgard, how could they possess a protective barrier of this magnitude… This isn’t possible!”
“Pavilion Master, should we request for an elder to come as well?” asked a black-clothed man behind him.
“Shut your mouth!” The green-clothed man roared, “We personally made our way to this lowly place, so if we request for aid from an elder… then what shred of dignity will I have left in the future, huh?!”
“There is no need to be anxious.” The purple-clothed old man advised in a rather calm voice, “While this protective barrier may be extremely unusual, it also will not be able to last for too long, and before long, it should vanish as well. At that time, Frozen Cloud Asgard will be at our complete mercy.”
“Hmph!” The green-clothed man waved his hand and said with a cold smile, “I had originally thought this would be an extremely boring mission. But who would have thought that this Frozen Cloud Asgard actually did manage to give us a big surprise! It was said that this place had only three Thrones at most, but in the end… they actually had a whole nine Thrones and the Xia Qingyue that Young Master desires is actually already a half-step Overlord… She could actually cause one of my fingers to experience frostbite… and now, such a protective barrier has actually appeared as well….”
“I have now changed my mind! After this barrier has vanished, besides Xia Qingyue… All the other women must die!”
These twenty people were completely unaware that in the air three thousands kilometers above them, there were a pair of clear and cold eyes silently observing them… and the Frozen Cloud Asgard that had been enshrouded in the protective barrier.
This woman was as lithe and graceful as a fairy and her entire body was enshrouded in cloud and mist. It was impossible to make out her features clearly, and one could only vaguely see a pair of eyes that were as tranquil as an ancient spring.
“This day had still come in the end.” She gave a faint sigh. Her voice was cold but graceful, as if it contained no joy or sorrow.
“Master, are… you going to take action?” Beside her was a young girl with an exquisite figure, completely clad in blue. The young girl asked with caution and respect as she looked at her face.
The white-clothed woman faintly closed her eyes, “When I left all those years ago, I vowed to severe all ties with this place, and no matter what happened henceforth, I would count it as destiny and not interfere any further… perhaps that is already enough for it to persist for a millennium.”
The blue-clothed girl bit her lips and gathered up her courage to ask, “Then why did Master … choose not to care about the cost today… and make her way to this place? Master is so kind and soft-hearted, surely you are still worried about them, right?”
“Humans are not devoid of emotion. So even though I have made an oath to myself, how can I be free of worry?” The white-clothed woman said in an ethereal voice, “After all, it had started because of me… So witnessing its end will also completely sever all yearning and karma that I have with it.”
“Master, this disciple is extremely curious. All those years ago, you had clearly recovered your profound strength and memories, so why did you still leave behind Frozen Cloud Asgard before departing?” The blue-clothed girl asked in an inquisitive tone.
“….At that time, my profound strength was completely crippled and my memories were lost. It was a member of Eternal Night Royal Family that rescued me from the claws of a profound beast. Not long after, the Eternal Night Royal Family were destroyed by a bunch of villains and scoundrels. After I had recovered my memories and profound strength, even though my heart was filled with hatred, I did not like killing nor did I belong to this world. So leaving behind Frozen Cloud Asgard could be considered as my small repayment for this world…”
After saying that, the white-clothed woman’s voice cut off abruptly. The blue-clothed girl was shocked for a while before she tried to sound out the situation, “Did Lord Realm King discover that we have left the Snow Song Realm?”
“Mn.” The white-clothed woman swept her eyes downward for the last time before turning around and leaving it all behind. “We should return. Don’t tell elder sister that we came here. She had always borne a bit of a grudge towards me for leaving the Divine End Frozen Art in such a place.”
“Yes, Master.” The blue-clothed girl immediately nodded, “If Lord Realm King asks, I’ll just say that we went to Cold Star Realm to play… Uuu, Master, are we really going to leave just like this? You clearly only need to lift one finger and all of these bad guys would completely disappear.”
The white-clothed woman raised her head slightly but in the end, she lightly shook it, “This is their fate. Even if I were to help them resolve the current calamity, what follows will only be a bigger one. Whether they live or die, depends entirely on their own fortune… Right now, Star God Realm and Moon God Realm are engaged in a long and fierce struggle, Brahma Emperor Realm is acting strangely, and Flame God Realm is looking at our Snow Song Realm with ravenous and greedy eyes… A great chaos is descending upon us, and even though I have the heart, I cannot cause any more trouble.”
“Let us return then.”
“Oh.” The blue-clothed girl voiced her obedience and followed behind the white-clothed lady. Illusory clouds waft past their bodies, as though it was a scene from paradise.
“Master, yesterday I heard rumors that Star God Realm’s Princess Jasmine is still alive… it seems like some Universe Devouring Beast saw her in between dimension cracks… Do you think it’s really true? The Star God Realm King’s ‘ritual’ is only lacking Princess Jasmine, if Princess Jasmine is truly still alive, then the Star God Realm King will be able to….”
“…Don’t believe whatever rumors and empty words you hear. Moreover, whatever happens on Star God Realm is not something that we should be concerned with.” The white-clothed lady said in a clear and cold voice.
“Oh, understood. Then Master, where does the teleportation formation that you left behind in Frozen Cloud Asgard lead to?” The blue-clothed girl asked once more.
“….” The white-clothed woman’s paused for a moment before softly replying, “Perhaps this teleportation formation will be used soon… As for the destination of transmission, that would depend on her fate… I too am unable decide that.”
Illusory Demon Realm, Sea of Death.
The warm currents that rushed into Yun Che’s body were boundless and infinite; they seemed to surge up more and more majestically as time went by. They swam through the entirety of Yun Che’s body before finally settling in his profound veins…. A whole hundred cycles later, Yun Che practically did not feel the existence of the sea of fire around him. It was as if his entire body had morphed into that of a pure fire spirit, and he had completely become immersed in this world of fire.
After these hundred cycles, the profound energy in his profound veins had thickened by three times! This increase in profound strength did not have any unstable elements and during the entire process, he did not even have to put in any effort, he only had to concentrate on guiding the flame energy which rushed into his body.
Right now, if he was willing, he could achieve a breakthrough and step directly into the Emperor Profound Realm at anytime.
This kind of cultivation method was entirely dream-like even to Yun Che.
After these hundred cycles, Yun Che regained his consciousness. He felt that only six to eight hours had passed since he had fallen into the Sea of Death… and by this time, Duke Ming and Duke Huai should have already confirmed his and the Little Demon Empress’ death, so they should have left the shores of the Sea of Death by now. Thus, it was time for him and the Little Demon Empress to leave this place.
When he had regained his consciousness, Jasmine’s voice rang out at the same time, “Hmph, so you’ve finally decided to wake up. And here I was, thinking that you never wanted to wake up from your daze.”
“Uh… How many hours has it been since then? Are Duke Ming and Duke Huai’s auras still in the vicinity?” Yun Che asked in his mind.
“How many hours?” Jasmine gave a cold laugh, “You have already been in this Sea of Death for an entire month.”
“…”
“What?!” Yun Che’s eyes flared open and he immediately exploded with a shout, “ONE MONTH?!!”
Chapter 604 - Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land
“In this one month, besides the two portions of will you used to keep the Little Demon Empress safe, the rest of your consciousness had sunk into a complete trance as you entered the state of deep cultivation, so it was impossible for you to clearly keep track of the flow of time.” Jasmine’s bland voice carried just that slightest bit of schadenfreude, “So what you felt was just a few hours was in actuality an entire thirty days. If not for those worries within your subconscious mind, it would not be strange for you to maintain that state of immersion for a few years, or even a few decades.”
“~！#￥%… Then why didn’t you wake me up?” Yun Che nearly blew his top.
“Why would I want to wake you up?” Jasmine asked disdainfully, “For such a rare state of cultivation, I would rather you have continue to be in this state perpetually.”
“….” If not for the fact that he simply could not win against Jasmine, Yun Che truly felt like grabbing her and giving her a good spanking. He hurriedly looked towards the Little Demon Empress… Even though it had been more than a month, the energy he used to obstruct the flames had never disappeared. So there was not a single scorch mark on the Little Demon Empress’ body. It was also at this time that the Little Demon Empress suddenly opened her eyes and looked directly at him.
“You have finally come to your senses.” The Little Demon Empress said in a cold and dull voice.
Even though her tone was not kind, but her voice and her face did not show a single sign of weakness. This led Yun Che to let out a huge sigh of relief. He replied in a rather embarrassed tone, “Such a long period of time has passed… why didn’t you wake me up?”
“You had clearly slipped into an enlightened state of cultivation where you entered the state of nothingness; this state is something that is rare for a profound practitioner to encounter even once in his life. Unless I reach the stage where I can no longer go on, I will definitely not disturb you.” The Little Demon Empress gave Yun Che a deep look, “The profound energy you infused into my body actually ensured that my life’s vital energy did not dissipate in the slightest for a whole thirty days… and within this Sea of Death, you could still actually reach a state of enlightenment… you are simply an unimaginable, freakish monster.”
“Little Demon Empress, I thank you for your praises.” Yun Che replied without much strength, “But now you should believe, that as long as we can leave this place, I will definitely have a method to restore your lifeline!”
The two people did not continue to speak but they eyed each other with complex looks on their faces as they each knew what the other was thinking about. They had unknowingly been in the Sea of Death for an entire month, so the news of the Little Demon Empress’ “death” should have spread through the entire Illusory Demon Realm. Demon Imperial City must have been plunged into a sea of chaos, and because it had just so happened to be the Little Demon Empress’ Grand Ceremony, all the heroes of the realm would still be gathered in Demon Imperial City….
Right now, the scenario in Demon Imperial City had definitely undergone a drastic change. Even though Duke Huai Palace would not be able to take the throne in such a short period of time, given the power that he held in his hands, he would definitely be able to dominate the proceedings. Moreover, there would be an implosive increase the number of factions aligned with Duke Huai Palace now…. and those who were steadfastly loyal to the Demon Emperor’s clan, especially the Yun Family and Mu Family who knew the true reason behind the Little Demon Empress’ death, would definitely be completely suppressed by Duke Huai Palace.
Furthermore, there was still the terrifying Duke Ming who was lurking behind the scenes….
“We need to leave this place right away!” The Little Demon Empress exclaimed.
“Yes!” Yun Che instantly replied. Since an entire month had passed, Duke Ming and Duke Huai would definitely not still be in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. He fiercely inhaled and then shot upwards… travelling through Golden Crow lava. Merely thinking about this kind of scenery would cause countless profound practitioners to tremble in fear, but when Yun Che travelled through it, it was even easier and simpler than flying through the air. Because even the thinnest of air would cause some obstacles for him, while the extremely concentrated fire element would instead endless assist him.
The Sea of Death stretched for one thousand five hundred kilometers; it was incomparably huge and no one knew how deep it went. Yun Che had been immersed in it for one month but he didn’t even know where in the Sea of Death he was right now. As fast as a bolt of lightning, he kept shooting upwards, but what he saw in front of him was still a vast purgatory of lava.
It was only after tens of breaths later that Yun Che finally felt the fire energy begin to get thinner. In the next instant, as their eyes were assaulted by a dazzling array of light, he and the Little Demon Empress finally broke through the lava and left the Sea of Death after staying inside for thirty days. It was the same Sea of Death that was strong enough to cause countless of strong Sovereigns to die within it.
The molten lava in the Sea of Death would continuously roll about and move, so their current location was naturally not where their previous location was when they had entered the Sea of Death. Yun Che gazed keenly at his surroundings, and even given his vision, he could only see scarlet lava wherever he looked. There was nothing else he could see besides the lava and even the sky was not the deep purple of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley. It was the scarlet red of fire.
It was impossible to orientate oneself within the boundless Sea of Death. Yun Che stood in one spot and surveyed his surroundings for a long time before finally seeing an extremely faint purple color in the extreme south-east direction, at a place where the Sea of Death nearly touched the horizon.
The skies above the Sea of Death were a scarlet red but the skies above Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley were purple!
Yun Che locked on to that location and rushed south-east. Using Extreme Mirage Lightning, it was not before long that the faint purple color slowly became more and more obvious as it gradually became thicker.
Upon leaving the Sea of Death, the rate at which he absorbed the energy of heaven and earth decreased by several tens of times and Yun Che could suddenly feel the Little Demon Empress’ vital energy clearly slipping away as her breathing also became disorderly… After all, she was still in the state where her lifeline had been broken and her life had been cut short!
Yun Che gathered all the profound energy in his body and brought his speed to its maximum limit. One hour later, the borders of the Sea of Death was finally reflected in his vision. Bolts of purple lightning rained down from the sky, accompanied by the ear-splitting roar of thunder.
“We have nearly reached Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley!” Yun Che yelled in a low voice as the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley in front of him grew nearer and nearer. Yun Che rolled into a somersault and the surrounding heat waves around his body were roughly dispelled. When his feet had touched the ground, following his descent from the air, Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley was beneath his feet.
“Phew!” Yun Che exhaled a long breath, then looked towards the Little Demon Empress, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” The Little Demon Empress shoved him with the palm of her hand and struggled free from her grasp, “You personally said before that the greatest secret of my Demon Emperor’s clan was that I could take half a step into the Divine Profound Realm! That secret… just what is it? Demon Imperial City is definitely in great chaos now, so no matter what… I cannot allow Duke Huai Palace to have their way!”
One hour had elapsed from the time they had left the Sea of Death to now. The Little Demon Empress’ aura had already greatly weakened and even speaking caused her to gasp heavily.
Yun Che did not bother about the Little Demon Empress resistance and extended his hand to press it against her shoulder. He activated the Great Way of the Buddha and infused all of the energy of heaven and earth he had gathered into her body, doing his utmost to preserve her life’s vitality, “That is your Demon Emperor’s clan secret, so I am obligated to tell it to you, but before that, we must first leave this place and restore your lifeline… Don’t worry, I am at least seventy percent confident that I will be able to completely restore your lifeline, but not in this place! Because I require a large amount of Purple Veined Heaven Crystal, more than ten kinds of spirit jade and more than thirty kinds of spirit herbs, and it is impossible that Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will have such things… If you have not even repaired your lifeline, don’t even bother thinking about some half step into the Divine Profound Realm.”
“Since you could forcibly open Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley’s sealing profound formation to enter this place, then you should also be able to figure out a way to get out as well, right?” Yun Che asked in a voice filled with hope.
“….I was only able to enter because of the Demon Emperor’s Seal. If I used the Demon Emperor’s Seal, we could indeed force our way out of this place. But the Demon Emperor’s Seal has already been stolen away by Duke Ming… and he knows all the secrets of Demon Emperor’s Seal like the back of his hand.” The Little Demon Empress replied as she ground her teeth.
“Then… is there are any other way to get out?” Yun Che asked as his brows knit together.
“Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley is an independent world, there isn’t any exits that exist. If we do not rely on the Demon Emperor’s Seal, the only way for us to leave this place is when the sealing profound formation reasserts itself once again, and the energy field generated from that event forcefully expels us, but….” The Little Demon Empress’ face had become pale and her voice was getting weaker and weaker, “But every time the sealing profound formation is opened, the next time it will open again is five years later, and even if one uses the Demon Emperor’s Seal, it can only be forcefully opened once every one hundred years and after that, it would be impossible to forcefully open it again within that period of time.”
Five years….
That would simply take too long…
Given the Little Demon Empress’ condition, it would be hard for her to hold on for even five days… But, if they spent the entire five years immersed in the Sea of Death, given the abundance of the energy of heaven and earth, he could indeed ensure that the Little Demon Empress would not die within these five years. But five years were not one month, and there were too many things that could change in this period of five years! It would give Duke Huai Palace enough time to consolidate their hold over the entire Illusory Demon Realm and it would be sufficient for the Yun Family to fall into complete decline… or even complete destruction….
It was even sufficient time to allow Illusory Demon Realm to gradually accept and begin to become accustomed to the extinction of the line of the Demon Emperor.
And in five years, there were too many things they would be unable to save. Whether it was for the Little Demon Empress or for Yun Che, it was something that they definitely could not accept.
“Is there really any other way?” Yun Che said as he also ground his teeth together.
The Little Demon Empress’ chest heaved and she said rather pensively, “Go to the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land… and beg the Golden Crow’s Divine Spirit to send us out of here. That is the only option we have left. Since I am still someone who bears the bloodline of the Golden Crow… it might perhaps work.”
“Alright!”
Yun Che carried the Little Demon Empress and flew into the air, speeding off in the direction the Little Demon Empress had indicated.
“Little Demon Empress, I recall that Duke Ming addressed you as “Princess Caiyi’, could it be that in the past, you enjoyed wearing colorful clothing… because the grey and stolid clothes you are wearing now are really ugly.”
The Little Demon Empress expression and eyes remained wooden, “ ‘Caiyi’ is only the name that I had previously. My Demon Emperor’s clan’s surname is ‘Huan’ so my surname is Huan and my name is Caiyi, it is merely a name, and it is a name that I myself have nearly forgotten.”
“I do not believe that it is merely as simple as it being a name.” Yun Che said as he looked forward, “If you did not wear beautiful, multi-colored clothes, then why would they call you ‘Princess Caiyi’? It is because you bear the a terrible burden and harbor vengeance in your heart that you are perpetually clothed in grey, isn’t it?”
Little Demon Empress, “….”
“Sigh.” Yun Che gave a light sigh and his voice contained a trace of melancholy and deep compassion, “After all, you are only a woman, there is no need to treat yourself in such a manner… To change your previously colorful life into an overcast and silent world of loneliness… For you to treat yourself in such a manner, that is far too cruel. I have heard from several people that long ago, you were the publicly acknowledged number one beauty in the entire Illusory Demon Realm. And even if you are covered in grey, your beauty is something that cannot be hidden. I really wish to know just how beautiful you would be if you were to wear a set of luxurious, multi hued clothes… that would truly be the number one beauty in the Illusory Demon Realm, so splendorous that it would dazzle the eyes.”
The Little Demon Empress’ icy-cold palm was pressed against Yun Che’s chest, “You are not allowed to spew nonsense anymore! Even if I am in this state, killing you… would be as easy as flipping my wrist!”
Yun Che did not look the least bit frightened. Instead, he curled his lips and laughed, “I am not afraid of your threats at all… On the contrary, I completely understand your thoughts and actions for the past hundred years, because for a period of time, I was exactly like you; hatred and vengeance were the only things that I had.”
“You?” The Little Demon Empress had been moved by his words and she swivelled her eyes to meet his, discovering that a clear pain flashed across his pupils for an instant.
Yun Che slowly said, “Hatred is a kind of terrifying poison; it had previously covered my eyes, nibbled away at my rationality and completely buried my emotions… I previously believed that what I had done was right, and it was something that I had to do, even if I was consigned to eternal damnation in the end. I believed that my unceasing relentless vengeance would comfort ‘his’ spirit in heaven. But when ‘she’ had perished, the words that she used the last of her life’s energy to say, was for me to forsake ‘vengeance’….”
“It was only in that moment that I understood. Their spirits in heaven did not desire me take revenge on their behalf, they only desired that I lived a good life. The better my life was, the more comforted they would be… If I buried myself in the deep abyss of pain and hatred, it would only cause them even more pain. It would also cause pain to those who were still alive and by my side… At the very end, I had reached an outcome which I could never ever recover from.”
The Little Demon Empress’ hand slowly moved away from Yun Che’s chest and her eyes had turned misty. After that, she slowly said, “We have arrived.”
In front of them was a mountain wall and in front of this wall was a slowly revolving profound formation which burned with golden fire.
This was the end of Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, the place where the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Lands were!
Chinese 101 with alyschu: Huan Caiyi (幻彩衣) = Little Demon Empress’ name. 彩衣 means colorful clothes/attire.
Chapter 605 - The Only Choice
Yun Che landed with the Little Demon Empress before Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land’s sealing profound formation. There was only a mountain wall behind this sealing profound formation; evident that the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land should be another independent world… and even could be the Golden Crow Soul’s own little world. This flame profound formation was merely a teleportation entrance.
“How should we get in?” Facing this place that retained the Golden Crow Legacy and the Golden Crow’s Soul, Yun Che’s heart still only felt unsettled. Because Jasmine said that among the three Supreme Fire Attribute Beasts, the Golden Crow was the most incomparably fierce and explosive existence. The Golden Crow Soul came from the Golden Crow’s divine soul, inherited the Golden Crow’s will, and its temperament, was also supposed to be extremely irascible and hot-tempered… On top of that, the Vermillion Bird, the Phoenix, and the Golden Crow were incompatible, and they repulsed each other. If he really met with Golden Crow Soul, there was a great possibility he would be repugnant due to the Phoenix Bloodline within him.
“Sure enough, you two have come!”
A woman’s voice suddenly sounded in the air above him… a divine voice, but of course, this wasn’t the first time Yun Che had heard one. The Phoenix Spirit’s voice was calm and prestigious; the Evil God’s voice was faint and deep as if it was from the ancients; the Dragon God’s voice was vast and boundless, making people unable to help it but want to kneel and worship on the ground…
But the voice that sounded above the air at this moment made Yun Che’s body shiver, the blood in his whole body instantly turned violently… at that instant, Yun Che even felt like his own body almost exploded.
That was… the voice of the Golden Crow Soul?
This voice was even more explosive than the Sea of Death’s molten lava!
The Demon Emperor’s Seal was needed in order to enter the Golden Crow’s Ancestral Land. The Little Demon Empress was originally worried about it, but when she heard the Golden Crow Spirit’s voice, she slowly kneeled down on the ground, “Golden Crow Divine God, your powers are boundless. Everything that happened in the valley couldn’t escape your spiritual senses. I am the Demon Emperor Clan’s Golden Crow’s descendant, but I was plotted against by traitors, and now I am the only one remaining. This vengeance and hatred is absolutely irreconcilable. Now I no longer seek to awaken my bloodline’s power, I only ask for Golden Crow Divine God to help the two of us leave Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley, in order to take revenge for the blood of our clan’s people.”
“Revenge? You don’t have much time left of your life and are only supporting the last of your life’s vitality with your profound energy, what are you going to rely on to exact revenge?”
At that instant, a pair of scarlet-gold eyes suddenly opened up in the deep purple sky, and shed down a fire-like burning brightness. Under the illumination of the pair of eyes, all of the fire spirits stopped wandering, as if the space was sealed, and they did not dare to move at all. Even the falling lightning that were everywhere had all disappeared in an instant, and within the hundred miles, not even the sound of thunder clapping could be heard.
“Even if you can survive, the strength of your nemesis is far stronger than you, so just what are you going to rely on to exact revenge then? Relying on the so-called ‘Demon Emperor’s secret’ that fellow beside you told you?!”
Obviously, the Golden Crow Soul clearly knew of whatever had happened in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley and even knew what they had said. After all, this was an independent world formed by the Golden Crow’s power.
“The greatest secret of your Demon Emperor’s clan can indeed let the direct descendent of the Demon Emperor’s bloodline achieve half a step into the Divine Profound Realm in a short amount of time! But do you know why he kept finding excuses and didn’t tell you exactly how it could be achieved? Because once you reached half-step into the Divine Profound, you would die for sure three years later! By that time, even if the Ancient Emperor of Gods was alive, he still wouldn’t be able to save you!”
Each word spoken by the Golden Crow Soul shocked their souls; the Little Demon Empress slightly lifted her head, her pale face not showing any signs of surprise, but instead was calm like the grayness of death, “I know. Stepping into half-step Divine Profound from being a Monarch is almost an action that defies the heaven’s way. If it really can be achieved… then there must be an extremely tragic punishment and consequence, otherwise, my Demon Emperor’s clan wouldn’t keep this secret from its direct descendants so tightly until their death.”
“But now all of my close family had passed away and I am the only one left from the Demon Emperor’s clan that had inherited for ten thousand of years. Even our clan’s honor of being emperor for the past ten thousand years is on the verge of being seized by traitors. I am alone in this world and there is no more going back. All that is left in my life is only an absolute irreconcilable blood vengeance that is deep as the sea! For revenge… I would do anything at any costs. If I can obtain the power of half-step Divine Profound, not mentioning three years, even if my life perishes and my soul disperses ten days later, I would be willing to do so without regrets, and absolutely would not hesitate!”
Yun Che opened his mouth, as his heart was immediately filled with a complicated emotion. He had been struggling on how he should describe that secret to the Little Demon Empress, and even unconsciously wished that the Little Demon Empress would not put herself in the position where she would only have three years of life before dying for the sake of revenge… Facing the Demon Emperor’s secret that Yun Che had revealed, even though the Little Demon Empress showed extremely deep desire, she did not question him closely… It turned out that she had already predicted the possible ending.
“Um… is there really no way to have it both ways?” Yun Che probed.
However, the Golden Crow’s Soul completely ignored him, and spoke with a voice that was like burning flames towards the Little Demon Empress, “Even though you are a woman, your intelligence is worthy of praise, and you are indeed worthy of being a descendant of the Golden Crow. Your hidden secret of the Demon Emperor’s clan is actually a promise that I gave to your ancestors back then! Back then, this noble one told them, ‘If your clan were to be on the verge of desperation and seek for the power for a comeback, then I will allow one request, and will grant nine drops of the Golden Crow’s blood! At the same time, with the guidance of that person’s life vitality, burn all of the power from their Golden Crow’s bloodline, and allow them to receive a strength that is as strong as half-step into the Divine Profound Realm!”
“But three years later, the bloodline’s power and life vitality would burn out at the same time! By that time there would only be death! And there would not be any remedy for it in the world!”
“Unfortunately, your clan was still too late after all. You are the only one left from the Demon Emperor’s bloodline; even if you receive this power, although it will help you exact revenge, eventually… it would extinct your clan even more quickly!”
The Little Demon Empress knelt and bowed deeply, there was only determination and desire on the face of the pale girl, but not any trace of hesitation and fear, “May the Golden Crow Divine God please grant my wish!”
“Because you are a woman, I rejected awakening your bloodline before. Originally it would be the same today as this method can only be used on men and using it on a women would cause her to instantly perish… But maybe the heavens took compassion on your Demon Emperor’s clan, and let a twist of fate appear for this event and your life for the next three years!”
“A twist of fate?” The Little Demon Empress was confused.
“It’s that person by your side! Do you remember that last time, I told you that the only way you, a woman, can awaken the Golden Crow’s bloodline safely is by receiving the vital Yang nourishment of a man with the Vermillion Bird or the Phoenix’s bloodline! If you want to achieve the half-step Divine Profound that is required for your revenge, that is the only way as well! And, that man standing beside you… is someone who possess the bloodline of the Phoenix!”
“…” The Little Demon Empress turned her head, and looked at Yun Che in shock.
Yun Che’s mouth opened widely, and his heart was a mess… receiving the vitial Yang nourishment from a man with the Vermillion Bird or the Phoenix’s bloodline…
Vital Yang… nourishment…
What… the hell… is this!!
“Yun Che!”
The Golden Crow Spirit’s voice seemed like a fierce ball of fire, shocking through Yun Che’s heart and soul from his ears. Nothing in Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley could escape her spiritual senses. She naturally also knew Yun Che’s name clearly, “Did you inherit the Phoenix’s bloodline from Profound Sky Continent?”
“…Yes,” Yun Che nodded stiffly… as he kept repeating what the Golden Crow Soul had said in his heart.
“Hmph! No wonder the faint scent of the Phoenix kept coming from the North, it was indeed not an illusion!” There was suddenly a faint sense of disdain in tthe Golden Crow Soul’s voice, “You were gifted by the heavens, received the inheritance of the Evil God, and achieved the Fire Spirit Evil Body. You can control primordial flames and are fear none of the myraid flames in the world. However, you happen to choose the Phoenix’s flames which can only be called an inferior divine flame in front of the Golden Crow’s divine flame! It is simply a throwaway!”
“Uh…” (Damn! It was exactly as Jasmine had said… Oh, no! This was only a tiny part of the soul of the Golden Crow, and the attitude of discriminating the Phoenix’s flame was even more severe than what Jasmine had said. How is this discriminating, this is simply naked disdain and contempt.)
“But, your Phoenix’s bloodline is useful to me now!”
The scarlet-gold eyes suddenly flicked at this moment.
Ssss…
Yun Che’s brocade clothes and the Little Demon Empress’ grey clothing instantly became tiny pieces of scraps with a soft ripping sound, left their body, and was swept away by a searing storm.
“I! #$%… What are you doing!” Yun Che was surprised as he backed away in panic. The Little Demon Empress’ tender back which was even more delicate than white snow, and even more smooth than porcelain appeared right before his eyes.
The Little Demon Empress covered her chest with her arms, as panic flashed across her face.
“What is it? You have such strong will for revenge, and the sense of giving your all, yet you don’t have the courage to face a man’s ugly body?! Only by getting his Phoenix vital Yang can you receive the power of half-step Divine Profound for three years. Otherwise you would only perish instantly! Also, not only does he possess the Phoenix’s bloodline, he also possesses the extremely rich Dragon God’s bloodline! The Dragon God’s scent in his vital Yang could not only refine your body, it could allow your broken lifeline to be restored within a short amount of time! What reason do you have to be afraid!”
Yun Che was furious by what the Golden Crow Soul had said and nearly couldn’t resist jumping up and yelling… Who are you calling ugly! You’re ugly!! Your whole family’s ugly!! All eight generations of your ancestors were all ugly!!
A snowy, white silhouette suddenly swayed before his eyes, and before he could even react, he was pressed down tightly under a small, young and naked girl, who pressed both of her hands strongly on his chest.
“Little Demon Empress, you…” Yun Che cried out in a low voice, but then his voice was choked in his throat and he couldn’t make another sound.
The tender body of the young girl within his sight was white as snow. Her body was soft, delicate and weakened that it made one’s heartache. Her snowy shoulders were narrow, her slim waist was supple and her two snowy bosoms with two delicate red, jade beads were right before his eyes. Even his nose could smell a scent that could intoxicate his heart and make him lose his soul.
However, the young girl’s face was incredibly indifferent. There was no sadness, no tears, no joy, no embarrassment, no panic, nor any trace of emotions… the only emotion, was a hollow desire… for power, and the desire for revenge.
It was as though at that moment, she had ice-sealed all of her emotions, and became a doll without a soul.
“I have… a… wife,” Yun Che looked straight at the Little Demon Empress, and protested weakly.
The Little Demon Empress’ hands that were on his chest pushed down with more strength, and her long, snowy, dazzling legs also slowly split, until it became an “m” shape before she sat onto him… She would not know that her indecent action was enough for the purest soul to be willing to be doomed into the sinful abyssal…
Clang!
A ball of scarlet-gold flames fell from the sky, forming an enormous flame barrier, and shrouded the place where Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress were.
“Hahahaha!” The Golden Crow’s Soul laughed loudly, “If you want to repair your lifeline, and let your body become strong enough to receive my power, you at least need to take his vital Yang five hundred times! Since his noble one has decided to help you, then I’ll help you until the end! I will give you two months, and when you’ve completed it within these two months, this barrier will naturally disappear! If you cannot complete it, this barrier will exist forever, and you two should not even think of getting out! Hahahaha…”
Chapter 606 - Golden Crow Legacy
Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation.
“Your majesty, the reason why the five nations had been unwilling to send out troops to help us has been ascertained. It was just as rumored; before Divine Phoenix Empire invaded Blue Wind Nation, Navy Tide Nation, Black Fiend Nation, Sunflower Dew Nation, Divine Incense Nation, and Grand Asura Nation all signed the same peace treaty! And this treaty will last three hundred years! The contents of the treaty stated that when the Divine Phoenix Empire invades our Blue Wind Nation, as long as the five nations stay out of it and do not send help, then Divine Phoenix Empire promises that at least within the next three hundred years, they would absolutely not invade these five nations!”
A gracious looking woman in luxurious clothing was looking at a portrait silently for a long time. The portrait illustrated a young man and every hook and line was all drawn with her own hands.
Before receiving her response, the general in golden armor remained kneeling with his head down, unwilling to disturb her.
After a long time, she turned around, and spoke in a slow voice: “The teeth and jaw relies on one another, and the teeth turns cold without the lips; such an intrinsic law of living, they completely abandoned it just for three hundred years of tranquility, huh.”
“General Feng, then did you find out the actual reason for why Divine Phoenix Empire is invading our Blue Wind Nation?”
General Feng cupped his hands and said seriously, “Divine Phoenix Nation had signed a treaty with the five nations just so they could invade our Blue Wind Nation; this must mean they are plotting something! But this general hasn’t been able to find out the reason yet. There have been rumors spreading that Divine Phoenix Nation is invading us now because our Blue Wind Nation had embarrassed them at the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, and they want to take revenge out of anger… but this general doesn’t think that it is believable.”
“Revenge?” Empress Cang Yue’s snowy face showed fury, “Our husband, our Blue Wind Nation’s prince consort, saved their Divine Phoenix Nation’s Princess Snow, and perished in the Primordial Profound Ark himself! Not only did their Divine Phoenix Nation not say a word of thanks, they massively invaded us, violated our land, killed our father, and tormented our Blue Wind’s tens of thousands of citizens. What face and qualification does he have to talk about the word ‘revenge!’”
“Your majesty, calm down!” General Feng’s expression was determined, “This general lives as a citizen of Blue Wind, dies as a ghost of Blue Wind, and swears to live and die with Blue Wind! As long as I am still alive, I will kill all Divine Phoenix dogs!
A light wave of profound energy made Empress Cang Yue turn her gaze, “Are there any combat information from the front line? Go check it out immediately.”
“Yes!” General Feng took out the sound transmission jade with haste and listened to the sound imprint that was just received. His expression changed slightly, and he reported to Empress Cang Yue, “Your majesty, the reconnaissance from the front line sent a sound transmission, saying that the Divine Phoenix army is suddenly making abnormal movements.”
“Abnormal? What do they mean by abnormal?”
“The Divine Phoenix army is currently only eight hundred and fifty kilometers from our Imperial City. But just today, the Divine Phoenix main army suddenly sent a third of their forces straight to the east! According to the information acquired, their target is the Floating Cloud City in the east! And their troops are moving with great speed and would arrive at Floating Cloud City in less than twenty days!”
“What? Floating Cloud City? Why are they dispersing their military force to Floating Cloud City?” Empress Cang Yue’s voice immediately became frantic. The three words, Floating Cloud City, shook her heart and soul violently, because that was the hometown of Yun Che… and was also where Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi were currently living to avoid the chaos caused by wars.
Floating Cloud City was the smallest of Blue Wind Nation, the most inconspicuous, and also it was a city on the very bottom; even most of the citizens of Blue Wind Nation did not know the name “Floating Cloud City.” Because of this, the action of sending a part of their main army that had been coming straight for Blue Wind Imperial City to Floating Cloud City was exceptionally bizarre and incomprehensible… also, they even dispersed up to a third of their military force.
“This general is also baffled by this!” General Feng locked his eyebrows and said, “Floating Cloud City is located far away in some remote region, and is also extremely poor. It can be said that there was no worth in attacking Floating Cloud City at all, and it only increases the military’s work… Or, could this be the Divine Phoenix army’s distraction plan?”
Cang Yue Empress smiled in distress, “With the strength of Divine Phoenix Nation, it only took them two short years to conquer a sixth of our Blue Wind Nation’s land. Their main army is even in the momentum of crushing us, pressuring straight at our Blue Wind Imperial City… Why would they need a distraction plan! The sudden advancement of their army towards Floating Cloud City must be for some other reason.”
Empress Cang Yue started breathing rapidly, and she stroke her chest before saying bitterly, “…General Feng, send a sound transmission to Floating Cloud City’s Mayor Yuwen immediately. If Divine Phoenix’s army arrive at the city, do not resist, immediately open up the city door and surrender.”
“Why?” General Feng lifted his head abruptly, and looked puzzled.
Empress Cang Yue closed her eyes and said, “There are no garrisons within Floating Cloud City and its surroundings. Facing Divine Phoenix’s strong army, there are unable to put up any resistance at all. If they forcefully fight against them, it would only serve to increase the enemy’s ferociousity, and the citizens of Floating Cloud City would suffer…”
General Feng slowly lifted both of his hands, but then slowly lowered them, and dejectedly said “this general obeys” before slowly stepping away.
Empress Cang Yue’s eyes once again fell on the portrait that she drew with her own hands. She would look at this portrait with infatuation for many hours each day. Each time, she would look at it until it was as if she lost her soul, and each time she would look at it until her tears fell…
“Husband… wait for me a little more… After I finish protecting the last of Blue Wind’s dignity… I will come and accompany you…”
Illusory Demon Realm, Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.
Bang!
The scarlet-gold barrier that was shrouding Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress suddenly shattered at this moment. At the same time, nine dots of golden light that was so bright that it could not be looked at directly descended from the sky, and landed on the body of the Little Demon Empress. Even before Yun Che could react, the Little Demon Empress’ body had already been wrapped up completely by the golden flames, and disappeared before his eyes.
“Hahahaha…” The loud laughter of the Golden Crow Soul came from the sky, “You are indeed worthy to be someone who owns the Dragon God’s bloodline, it only took you forty-seven days. But this girl of the Demon Emperor really opened this noble one’s eyes. Although she was a virgin, she was extremely wild. This noble one suddenly became somewhat curious whether she was giving it her all to achieve the power for revenge, or if this was her innate nature from the very beginning… Hahahaha!”
“Where did you take her?” Yun Che voice seemed to be somewhat anxious. Before when he cared about the life and death of the Little Demon Empress, and even risked to save her life, it was mainly because of the Yun Family. If the Little Demon Empress had died, the Yun Family would decline and perish. But now, it was already different. To him she was no longer just a Little Demon Empress, but was also his, Yun Che’s, woman… even though the process had been a little bit… strange…
“She has already lost her virgin Yin and her body was also nourished adequately by your vital Yang. Whether it was her body or her life’s vitality, it wouldn’t be burnt or destroyed by the Golden Crow’s flame power. Even her lifeline had been repaired completely, things were even smoother than what this noble one had expected. Just now, this noble one has already endowed nine drops of the most original Golden Crow’s blood into her bloodline. Now she is within the Golden Crow Secret Realm that is formed with my powers, slowly drawing from the power source within, and in the process of understanding the unparalleled profound art of my Golden Crow’s bloodline, 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》!”
“It only takes seven days to draw out all the power source, and by then she will be able to achieve half-step into the Divine Profound Realm! But if she wants to come out from the Secret Realm, then she must at least grasp the first three levels of the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》. If she is too slow and dim-witted, and couldn’t do it in three years time, then she might as well die within!”
“…” This Golden Crow’s soul’s temperament was completely unlike the Phoenix’s soul and the Dragon God’s souls which commanded respect but was still amiable. Not only was she violent, she frequently sealed of others by force and did not allow them to leave until her objective was achieved..
All according to her own likes, completely ignoring other people’s will… It was so overbearing that it was inhumane.
Yun Che was thinking of this in his heart… but of course, he did not dare to say it out loud.
Yun Che knew clearly of the consequence of the Little Demon Empress accepting the power of the Golden Crow. At this moment even though he felt incredibly strongly that he wanted to stop it, he knew even more clearly that he could not stop the Little Demon Empress at all… forcefully stopping her would in turn cause him to be hated by the Little Demon Empress for his whole life.
“Yun Che, do you know why I helped her?” The scarlet-gold eyes opened above the sky, shrouding Yun Che with infinite overbearing gaze.
“She is a successor of the Golden Crow’s bloodline, you helping her… is only something natural, right?” Yun Che said.
“This noble one helping her is only something natural? Hahahaha, ridiculous! Her ancestors received this noble one’s bloodline legacy, and used it to dominate the Illusory Demon Realm! This noble one’s grace towards them is already boundless and has never owed their clan anything, how could you say that this noble one helping her is something that is only natural? If this noble one wanted to help her, when she was forced into a hopeless situation that day, this noble one would have already helped… The reason that this noble one is helping her now has nothing to do with her bloodline and race, it was only because of you!”
“Because of… me?” Yun Che pointed at himself, and was stunned for a moment.
“You are only an ordinary mortal, and yet you possess the Evil God’s legacy that can make your profound energy go berserk, thereby releasing a divine might several times and even several dozen times greater than usual! You also received the Evil God’s Fire Seed and own the one and only Fire Spirit Evil Body in the world! So, in this world, you are the most suitable living being to inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline and control the Golden Crow’s flame! This noble one bears the Golden Crow’s will, and guarded this place for countless of years, now… I finally found the most perfect successor!”
Golden Crow Soul’s speech relaxed Yun Che’s tense mind, “What you mean is… you want me to… inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline?”
“That’s right! Your qualification is ten thousand times better than those of the Demon Emperor’s clan! In this world, it’s impossible for anyone more suitable than you to inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline! In your hands, the Golden Crow Flame released would be of infinite heat! Yun Che, are you willing to accept this noble one endowing you the Golden Crow’s legacy?!”
From Jasmine’s description, the power of the Golden Crow’s flame was the strongest divine flame that was even stronger than the Phoenix’s flame. When he had initially heard Xiao Yun talking about the existence of the Golden Crow’s legacy, he immediately gained the desire of obtaining the power of the Golden Crow’s flame, but was instantly discouraged by Jasmine.
However at this moment, the Golden Crow’s Soul before his eyes was actually offering to endow him with the Golden Crow’s bloodline!
Obviously, there was no reason for Yun Che to reject it, and he immediately said, “Obtaining a divine power’s legacy is naturally every profound practitioner’s dream. I thank the Golden Crow Divine God for fulfilling it.”
Right after Yun Che finished yelling, Jasmine’s sneer came from within his heart and soul, “You’re celebrating too early!”
“Very good!” There was finally a tinge of geniality in the voice of the Golden Crow Soul, “You did not disappoint me indeed. If so, then let me erase the Phoenix bloodline in your body first!”
Chapter 607 - Golden Crow Soul’s Compulsion
“Erase the Phoenix’s bloodline?” Yun Che was surprised, and following that, he realized something, “What do you mean?”
“The Golden Crow’s bloodline is a hundred times more honorable than the Phoenix’s bloodline, and the power of the Golden Crow’s flames is far superior to the Phoenix’s flames. If you inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline, then there is naturally no need for the Phoenix’s bloodline to remain.” The voice of the Golden Crow Soul was filled with arrogance.
Yun Che said loudly, “But, you also know that I have the Evil God’s Fire Seed, which gives me control over any flame; thus I am able to completely control the Phoenix’s flames and the Golden Crow’s flames at the same time. Since the Dragon God’s bloodline and the Phoenix’s bloodline can coexist in my body, the Golden Crow’s bloodline and the Phoenix’s bloodline must be able to do so as well.”
“Hmph, naive! You actually want my Golden Crow’s bloodline to coexist with that undignified Phoenix’s bloodline in the same body? What a huge joke. Where the Golden Crow is, there is be no room for the Phoenix! Upon receiving my Golden Crow’s powers, your bloodline will be even more noble, and the power of your flames would also increase several of times! There is no reason you would still need the Phoenix’s bloodline! Coexisting with it is simply an insult to my Golden Crow’s powers! This noble one will never let that happen.”
“If you wish to receive this noble one’s endowment of the Golden Crow’s powers,the Phoenix’s bloodline within your body must first be completely erased!”
The voice of the Golden Crow Soul was arrogant, determined, indisputable, and even contained an extreme disdain towards the Phoenix’s bloodline.
When Jasmine first mentioned that the Vermilion Bird, the Phoenix, and the Golden Crow were incompatible, Yun Che originally thought that it was only because they were each protecting their own bloodline, power, and dignity and wanted to become the sole Supreme Fire Attribute Beast. That was why they suddenly fought against each other, and none of them were willing to yield to the others. But now, he saw the Golden Crow’s attitude… which simply viewed the existence of the Phoenix as a nemesis.
“No!” Yun Che’s voice was even more determined… Even if the one he was facing was the Golden Crow’s Soul, “I can inherit the Golden Crow’s bloodline, but I absolutely cannot allow my Phoenix’s bloodline to be erased! If the prerequisite for inheriting the Golden Crow’s bloodline is to erase my Phoenix’s bloodline… then, the power of the Golden Crow is not worth having!”
“Presumptuous!” Yun Che’s words undoubtedly infuriated the Golden Crow’s Soul greatly, “In your eyes, is the power of my Golden Crow not comparable to the mere power of the Phoenix?”
Yun Che’s personality had always been unyielding and even if he faced the soul of a god, he would not back down on an issue of principle. He replied without giving in, “I don’t know whether the Phoenix flames are stronger or the Golden Crow flames are stronger. But… the Phoenix’s legacy within me is now part of my own bloodline and power! It is also a part of my life, and only I can choose what I want to do with it! Even if you are the soul of god, I will not allow you to interfere!”
“When the Phoenix Divine Spirit endowed me with the Phoenix’s bloodline, it was a sign of its approval of me, and its grace. How could I throw this gift away completely for another bloodline and power? If I did so, it would not only disappoint the Phoenix Divine Spirit who had given me grace, but it would also be extremely disrespectful. If what I received first was the Golden Crow’s legacy, and the Phoenix Divine Spirit also wanted to forcefully erase the Golden Crow’s bloodline in me before granting me the Phoenix’s legacy, then I would reject it the same way! This has nothing to do with whether the Golden Crow’s power or the Phoenix’s power is stronger, but as a human… it is the most basic principle and bottomline!”
“You cannot endure coexisting with the Phoenix’s bloodline, and I also cannot endure my own strength being forcefully erased. Then… even though I yearn for the power of the Golden Crow, looks like it is not meant to be after all.”
Yun Che didn’t hesitate to say these words. After saying the final sentence, there was not any sign of unwillingness or lingering.
“Hahahahahaha!” The Golden Crow Soul laughed loudly, shaking the sky, but there was no anger in this laughter anymore, “What stubborn morals you have. Your stubborn temper happens to suit my taste exactly, and makes me unwilling to let you, the most perfect successor, go!”
“Even though you have a stubborn temper, real stubbornness always relies on powerful strengths! You don’t have the right to choose in front of me! Rejecting my Golden Crow’s inheritance just to keep that inferior Phoenix’s bloodline… I will not allow that!”
The scarlet-gold eyes in the sky widened, and the golden light that was blazing down suddenly intensified by several times. It was so bright that Yun Che was not able to look at it directly. At the same time, scarlet-gold flames also fell from the sky like a storm and became an endless sea of flames drowning Yun Che within.
Yun Che’s body would not be harmed even with flames that were even more scorching, but he couldn’t open his eyes because of the terrifying Golden Crow flames, the most terrifying in the world. He unconsciously placed his arms in front of his body and roared deeply, “What are you going to do…”
Just as he made a sound, his whole body suddenly shook violently, a loud bang went off in his brain, and his consciousness quickly collapsed…
He saw the endless golden sea of flames, but these golden flames were not within his sight, but they were burning deep in his heart, his mind… Slowly, the golden flames spread endlessly and burned his profound veins. The brightness of the flames changed the original red and blue colors of the profound veins into the color of pure gold, and then it spread to each of his tendons, each drop of his blood… until the cells of his whole body were burning.
What… is going… on…
All of the parts of his body and all of his organs were burning, but he did not feel anything at all… His consciousness already could not feel the existence of his body!
These flames had started to spread towards his soul, burning towards the depth of his soul…
“What… what… are… you… doing…”
Yun Che roared with all of his strength, but he couldn’t hear his own voice at all, and at this moment, his remaining consciousness had a surprising sudden realization… the Golden Crow flames that was burning all over his body were not only going to completely destroy the existence of the Phoenix’s bloodline, the Golden Crow’s flames that were spreading towards his soul… were clearly going to erase the imprint of the Phoenix and all of his memories of the Phoenix flames, including the 《World Ode of the Phoenix》!
The voice of the Golden Crow Divine Spirit sounded within the depth of his soul at this moment, and all of his guesses became reality, “There are merely three drops of the Phoenix’s ancestral blood in you! For this noble one to erase it all is simply too easy!”
“Only three drops of the Phoenix’s blood, but you were able to cultivate the sixth stage of the World Ode of the Phoenix easily! It is truly the power of the Evil God’s Fire Spirit Evil Body! But the mere World Ode of the Phoenix cannot be compared to the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World! Just wait till this noble one has erased everything in your body and mind about the Phoenix! Your unique body of the Evil God… is the only one worthy to carry the power of my Golden Crow!!”
BOOM!!
Yun Che’s heart and soul exploded as though lightning from the ninth heaven had struck it; endless golden flames came down like waves roaring under a storm and fiercely rushed into his mind. In an instant, there was only endless flame left in his mind, and nothing else. That remaining trace of clarity was like withered leaves blown by tornados, able to be crushed into tiny shreds at any moment.
The Golden Crow Soul was the Primordial Divine Beast, Golden Crow’s, isolated form, and it carried the will and power of a god. Based on it being able to grant the Little Demon Empress power of a half-step into the Divine Profound Realm, showed that its powers were far stronger than those of the Phoenix Divine Spirit of the Profound Sky Continent’s Divine Phoenix Empire.
Facing such power, even a high level Monarch would only kneel down in fear, and wouldn’t be able to resist at all. But Yun Che… even if he only had some wandering consciousness left, he would be determined to struggle at all costs.
“You… you are… in any case… the spirit of divine beast… I cannot believe… that you would… be so low… You… stop it… right now… I still have… the slightest amount of respect… and gratitude… from helping… the Little Demon Empress… towards you… or else… ugh…”
“Oh? You can still use your soul voice; this willpower has surprised me. Hmph! You can only blame yourself for being foolish, rejecting my Golden Crow’s inheritance just for the mere Phoenix’s bloodline! Or else this noble one wouldn’t have to do this!”
The suppressive feeling from the Golden Crow Soul increased once again, and it put Yun Che’s final trace of consciousness on the verge of completely collapsing. He still used all of his will and screamed, “The power of the Golden Crow… If… it is really that strong… why would you mind… whether or not… the Phoenix’s bloodline exists… Minding it that much… can only mean that… towards the Phoenix’s bloodline… not only was there no disdain… that you showed on the surface… instead… you have a sense of inferior… resentment!!”
“You… have already… lost… on this matter!”
Out of Yun Che’s expectations, the emotion of the Golden Crow Soul did not fluctuate because of what he said; rather, it sneered in contempt, “Hmph, such low-level, uninteresting resistance. You think you would be able to enrage me like this? Your sad struggle can only put you in a disadvantage, without giving you any benefit!”
“Even though this noble one is forcing you now, this noble one definitely has the qualification to force you! Because this noble one gifted the virgin body of the most noble, publicly acknowledged number one beauty of Illusory Demon Realm to you, let you fondle her with your own desire for all these days, and helped her achieve unmatched power! If you continue to not know how to appreciate a favor, believe it or not, this noble one will immediately cripple her veins!”
“You…” Yun Che’s mind trembled slightly… So this was the real reason and intent behind her helping the Little Demon Empress… It purely provided her a justification in forcing him!
When Yun Che’s mind appeared to have an instant of disorder, the golden flames immediately rushed in and instantly drowned the last of his will completely.
There was only blankness before his eyes; there was no sound in the whole world at all, even the Golden Crow’s golden flames could not be seen, could not be felt, and everything was drifting away… In the end, even the blankness was disappearing with speed, and everything was starting to be shrouded with darkness.
The instant before the world was filled with darkness, Yun Che made his final struggle.
Dragon… Soul… Domain…
ROAR!!
The fierce cry of a dragon resounded throughout Yun Che’s soul. As they were taking over Yun Che’s soul, the Golden Crow’s flames that were searching for the Phoenix’s imprint suddenly started shaking in chaos. Following that, an enormous, azure dragon tore apart the flames with a loud roar, and flew up in the sky… The divine spirit pressure from the Primordial Azure Dragon made the raging Golden Crow flames instantly stop spreading, and even tremble slightly in unsettlement.
“What!? The Dragon God Soul?” The Golden Crow Soul was so shocked at that instant that it lost its voice, “What is going on… It was already unusual for the Primordial Azure Dragon to have endowed him with such rich Dragon God’s Bloodline… Why did it even give him the origin of its soul!”
“Bloodline can be spread by inheritance… but the origin of the soul is the last will and trace of a divine spirit in this world! Each bit of it taken away means a slight disappearance of its last existence! Moreover, it is the Primordial Azure Dragon, the head of the Primordial Divine Beasts… What is worthy about this human, that it would go to such an extent!”
Chapter 608 - Divine Jade of the Nine Suns
“…Is that so! Then all the more reason for him to inherit my power of the Golden Crow! How could a person who has gained the acknowledgement of the Dragon God Soul be ordinary! He really is the person who deserves the legacy of the Golden Crow the most in this world!”
If faced with the complete might of the Dragon God, the Golden Crow would naturally not be a match. However, Yun Che’s strength was too weak; how could the amount of the Dragon God’s might that he could muster compare to the willpower of the Golden Crow Soul? In the next moment, the flames of the Golden Crow which were retreating under the pressure of the Dragon God’s might suddenly filled Yun Che’s entire soul domain like an erupting volcano… However, the Dragon God Soul was still the Dragon God Soul; although it only existed within the body of a Sky Profound Realm human, the Golden Crow Soul had to use the whole span of a hundred breaths. Only then was it able to fully keep it under control.
It could be said that in the entire Illusory Demon Realm and Profound Sky Continent, apart from Yun Che, there was nobody else who could possibly last this long under the Golden Crow Soul’s pressure.
“This kid is really making this noble one feel even more interested!”
Suppressing the Dragon God Soul, the flames of the Golden Crow had already occupied the entirety of Yun Che’s soul domain. Before erasing the Phoenix bloodline in his body, it was necessary to erase the Phoenix imprint on his soul first; this way, the Phoenix blood within his body would lose its roots, and thus could be easily obliterated in a fraction of a second.
In the blink of an eye, the Phoenix imprint within Yun Che’s soul domain appeared in front of consciousness of the Golden Crow Soul. For her to destroy the simplistic Phoenix imprint would be like batting an eyelid.
“Hmph! this noble one unexpectedly had to take the initiative and go through such great pains in order to pass on her bloodline! This is all because of you, an eyesore of a Phoenix, stole him first… get out of here!”
Following her thoughts, a column of golden flame shot from the sea of flames and rushed towards the Phoenix imprint.
Boom!!
A dull rumbling sounded from within Yun Che’s soul, and golden flames violently exploded… however, within the flames which lit up the entire soul domain, the Phoenix imprint was not destroyed; instead, it also glowed with a golden radiance… it was so intense, not a single bit weaker than the radiance of the Golden Crow’s flames.
Scree!!
An extremely resonant and sharp Phoenix cry sounded imposingly, and a golden Phoenix silhouette dragging along long phoenix feathers flew towards the sky. The surrounding Golden Crow flames, seemingly engulfed by violent winds, were all forced into a corner of the soul, incapable of approaching it.
“Wh… What!!”
“Phoenix… Soul Origin!!”
At this moment, the flames of the Golden Crow no longer approached it, and the consciousness of the Golden Crow Soul was in total shock.
“Why… even the Phoenix… has given him its soul origin!”
“This human… what’s going on… could it be, just because he carries the strength of the Evil God?!”
“Why on earth!”
The silhouette of the Phoenix Soul floated in the middle of Yun Che’s soul, staring arrogantly at the Golden Crow’s flames which surrounded it. The two extremely luminous golden radiances reflected upon each other… and the flames of the Golden Crow which previously vowed to wipe off the Phoenix imprint did not move forward for a long time. The shock and puzzlement of the Golden Crow Soul persisted for a long time. When her emotions finally stabilized, she did not choose to suppress the soul of the Phoenix, but looked away and started to look through all of Yun Che’s memories.
In a short thirty breaths, all of Yun Che’s memories emerged within the consciousness of the Golden Crow Soul. The sea of Yun Che’s soul was still bombarded by the Golden Crow’s flames, but the golden flames did not have any movement for a long time, and the Golden Crow Soul did not make a sound for a long while either…
It was as if within the silence, she was making a tough decision.
———————————
Yun Che’s consciousness gradually returned to him. When he awoke, the scene of him losing consciousness floated into his mind.
He sat up violently, opened his eyes and saw the pair of pure gold pupils gazing attentively at him from the skies. Yun Che said in shock, “You…”
After only saying the word “you,” Yun Che’s voice suddenly stopped, because he could clearly feel within his body the power of the Phoenix. The Phoenix imprint and the six volumes of the 《World Ode of the Phoenix》 clearly existed within his body, it did not feel even one bit indistinct… at the same time, within his body and soul, there was clearly another type of blazing energy.
Yun Che extended his two hands experimentally, two balls of flames ignited on his palms at the same time. They were both scarlet flames, moreover; both were similar shades of scarlet, and the difference in color was not very visible.
However, the difference was that the flames on his left palm ignited calmly, but the flames on his right palm… it was evident that wind was not present in the area, yet the flames danced and swayed violently, as if they were a fierce beast, moreover, they burned with a frantic aura which would make one palpitate.
Two balls of flame, one as calm as the boundless oceans, the other as fearsome as torrential waves.
The flame in his left hand was the Phoenix flame which Yun Che was familiar with.
In his right hand… was a flame which was even more scorching than the Phoenix flame, a flame which released a tyrannical aura.
Could it be…
“Hng, you woke up unexpectedly fast! When the blood of the Golden Crow enters the body of other living creatures, it should be as difficult to overcome as a ferocious beast; it could even cause the creature to burn directly, yet in your body, it becomes so meek! Just within several hours, and even when you were unconscious, you managed to absorb thirty percent! As expected of the Fire Spirit Evil Body which possessed the Dragon God Soul and the Phoenix Soul!”
The voice of the Golden Crow Soul was incomparably dull and downcast, and Yun Che was unsure if he misperceived when he heard some signs of weakness in her voice.
Yun Che raised his head and asked in an unconvinced manner, “You poured the Golden Crow’s bloodline into my body… but did not erase my Phoenix’s bloodline?”
“What else?” the Golden Crow’s soul said coldly, “Hmph! Don’t naively think that this noble one did not have the ability to erase your Phoenix bloodline; it’s just that this noble one suddenly felt merciful and changed her decision! What a joke… this noble one actually allowed the Golden Crow bloodline and Phoenix bloodline to coexist in a single body… hahahaha… this is the biggest joke ever…”
“…” Yun Che was speechless for a long while, he could clearly remember that under the soul attack from the Golden Crow Soul, he was virtually defenseless, his consciousness was defeated and he was completely unconscious. At that time, the Golden Crow’s soul was absolutely determined to erase his Phoenix bloodline, leaving no room for negotiation. He also did not suspect that with the power that the Golden Crow Soul displayed, she did not have the ability to easily erase his Phoenix bloodline.
While he was unconscious, he had thought that all he could do was allow the Golden Crow’s soul to freely take advantage of him, and awaken to find out that he had completely lost the power of the Phoenix… He did not expect to not only keep the power of the Phoenix, but also gain the power of the Golden Crow.
“Jasmine, what exactly happened?” Yun Che could not think of a reason. The Golden Crow Soul suddenly becoming merciful… he could not believe such a reason.
“She originally had almost erased the Phoenix imprint in your soul. However, at the last moment, she changed her mind. As for the reason why she changed her mind…” Jasmine laughed strangely, “It should have been because your experiences scared her.”
Lucky for her that she changed her mind at the last moment, or else, she would have been obliterated by this princess… this was from the depth of Jasmine’s heart.
“Scared by my… experiences?” Yun Che was baffled.
“This Golden Crow Soul character is so fickle; who knows what she’s thinking, you can just get an idea about why she changed her mind… you don’t need to know the reason!” Jasmine said irresponsibly, “This is not the time for you to meddle with such issues. Since you have retained the power of the Phoenix and gained the Golden Crow bloodline, this is really to your advantage! Now, the Golden Crow’s origin blood is flowing within your body. When you were unconscious, you only refined thirty percent of it! You should hurry and concentrate to refine it!”
“Oh!” Yun Che answered immediately as his mind shook. He concentrated and adjusted his breathing. He could feel that within his body, there existed nine additional scorching streams which were emitting pure gold radiances.
Nine drops of the Golden Crow’s origin blood.
Watching Yun Che go from a state of shock to a state where he could calmly refine, the voice of the Golden Crow Soul sounded out once again, “Although this noble one allowed the Golden Crow bloodline and Phoenix bloodline to coexist within your body, it absolutely does not mean that this noble one admits that the Phoenix bloodline is on par with the Golden Crow bloodline! The Golden Crow is a divine being borne from the core of the Sun. The Golden Crow’s flames are the strongest flames in this world, how can the Phoenix flames compare… when you have integrated the Golden Crow bloodline into your body and comprehended the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》, you would not even think about using the inferior Phoenix flames!”
“That Phoenix soul merely gave you three drops of Phoenix blood… while this noble one has bestowed nine drops of Golden crow blood upon you!”
“The Phoenix Soul accorded you six volumes of the 《World Ode of the Phoenix》, this noble one will imprint your soul with seven volumes of the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》!
“That Phoenix soul gave you a huge gift… this noble one will bestow you with an even larger gift!!”
The words of the Golden Crow Soul targeted and belittled the Phoenix flames at every turn. She initially “disdained” allowing the Golden Crow bloodline and Phoenix bloodline to coexist, and now, she made each of her bestowals to Yun Che surpass that of the Phoenix Soul.
Peeling off her tyrannical, mighty and violent outside, how was she different from a competitive, ordinary woman unwilling to lose.
Yun Che opened his eyes at this point, he raised his head and asked with misgivings, “The Phoenix soul gave me… a huge gift? What huge gift?”
Such similar words, the Phoenix Soul had said before, and the Dragon God Soul had said before, but they did not state it explicitly. Jasmine wore a knowing expression, but no matter how many times he asked, she never answered seriously. Today, the Golden Crow Soul said the exact same words.
What exactly was the “huge gift” that the Phoenix soul had bestowed upon him before leaving the Phoenix Secret Realm?
“As expected, you don’t know. You do not need to know either.” The Golden Crow’s soul similarly did not answer him, “Although knowing it earlier would be a pleasant surprise for you, it would hinder your growth, and it would not be beneficial! It would be better for you not to know… Until the day you need to know, then you will find out.”
“!@#$…” (Damn! Why is it such an answer again! What on earth is it!)
“The big gift that the Phoenix Soul granted to you indeed caused this noble one to be shocked! However, this noble one’s gift to you is not worse than that of the Phoenix!”
At this moment, the pure gold pupils suddenly flashed, and for a moment, the entire sky was wrapped in gold light. The source of the light slowly floated down and landed in front of Yun Che. Yun Che stopped refining the Golden Crow’s blood, extended his arm, and carefully touched the source of the golden light… This was something which was granted by the Golden Crow Soul, something which was not inferior to the Phoenix Soul’s mysterious gift… it was not to be taken lightly!
After making contact with Yun Che’s hand, the glow slowly disappeared. Appearing in front of Yun Che’s eyes was an ordinary looking golden jade about the size of a fist. The jade could be considered translucent and dazzling, and nine irregular golden specks could be clearly seen; in fact, these nine specks were obviously linked by a golden thread.
“This is… the Jade of the Nine Suns!!” Jasmine cried out involuntarily from within Yun Che’s mind.
This was Yun Che’s first time hearing Jasmine lose her cool from seeing a piece of jade. He asked hurriedly, “Jade of the Nine Suns? What kind of jade is this? Is it really as incredible as the Golden Crow Soul says?”
“…It is quite unimaginable for something as divine as the Jade of the Nine Suns to appear in this plane!” Jasmine said with an abnormal voice, she then said in an overcast manner: “The Jade of the Nine Suns is one of the highest level divine jades of the Primordial World! Even in the world I was born, it is an extremely rare divine object! When all the power of a Jade of the Nine Suns is triggered… hmph, it is enough to obliterate the entire Illusory Demon Realm in an instant!”
Chapter 609 - Seed of the Evil God - Lightning
“Obliterate… the entire Illusory Demon Realm?” Yun Che’s hand trembled slightly, almost shouting it out loud. Holding on to the golden jade which did not even feel warm, his heart was beating out of control… it contained the power to obliterate the Illusory Demon Realm in an instant… how scary of an existence was this!
“Such a terrifying object…” Yun Che resolutely swallowed his saliva: “If the power inside could be absorbed and refined, would that not go against the heavens!”
“Absorb its innate power? To the current you, it is just a silly dream.” Jasmine laughed in disdain: “For such a small piece of jades to contain enough energy to destroy the entire Illusory Demon Realm, can you imagine how dense the energy it contains must be? The current you will not be able to comprehend the level of power, not to even mention bearing it. If you want to absorb it forcefully, the only ending is… death!”
Yun Che was not surprised by Jasmine’s reply. He asked doubtfully: “If that’s the case, why did the Golden Crow’s soul gift it to me?”
“It naturally has its uses. As for what it can be used for, you should ask her yourself.” Jasmine said: “While you were unconscious, she read through all of your memories, if she mentions any of your secrets, you do not need to be shocked.”
“…” Yun Che lifted the Divine Jade of the Nine Suns carefully: “Golden Crow Divine God, this Jade of the Nine Suns is far too precious and based on my strength, I do not have the capability to handle it, to leave it with me would be causing a divine object to become dirt, a waste of resources, why did you gift it to me?”
“To you, it naturally has its uses, and in fact, it is extremely useful.” The Golden Crow’s soul said mildly, as if she was not shocked that he knew the name “Jade of the Nine Suns”: “Don’t you have a profound ark from the Primordial Era? That Profound Ark has mystical abilities to shuttle between the void, however, to operate it, you need an incomparable amount of energy.”
“And this Jade of the Nine Suns is able to power the Primordial Profound Ark, able to help it travel between the void… it will at least be able to allow you to travel back to the Profound Sky Continent which you have been wanting to return to!”
If it was not for Jasmine’s reminder, he would have been totally shocked by the Golden Crow Soul’s words… Having his memories read by someone else was obviously an incomparably horrible experience; all of his experiences, relationships, secrets… even his unspeakable thoughts, all of it was made known to someone, it was simply even worse than being naked in front of everyone…
Thinking back that the one in front of him was the Golden Crow’s soul who granted him the Golden Crow bloodline and Jade of the Nine Suns, Yun Che clenched his teeth and tolerated it, his head pounding fiercely… Jasmine had said, it was hard for even Purple Veined Divine Crystal to power the Primordial Profound Ark, yet this Jade of the Nine Suns could do it!
That way, he could immediately use the Primordial Profound Ark to return to the Profound Sky Continent… Return to the side of those whom he dreamed of day and night!
As long as the Divine Jade of the Nine Suns’ power did not run out, he could even use the Primordial Profound Ark to freely travel between the Profound Sky Continent and Illusory Demon Realm… and he would not be noticed by anyone! He could absolutely travel according to his whims and fancies!
Yun Che was definitely not an unreasonable person; he nimbly deposited the Jade of the Nine Suns into the Sky Poison Pearl. Yun Che’s heart felt much lighter once the Jade of the Nine Suns which contained such a horrifying amount of power left his hands. He then thanked the Golden Crow’s soul earnestly: “I thank the Golden Crow Divine God’s generosity… I hope the Golden Crow Divine God will forgive my discourteous words from earlier.”
“Hmph! Why would this noble one lower herself to a human’s level!” The Golden Crow’s soul said coldly. At this point, her pupils flashed. Yun Che’s body was instantly clothed in flames and started to float.
“This is…” Yun Che’s face was full of doubt.
“The Sea of Death is the best place for you to train! For the subsequent period, you will concentrate on refining the Golden Crow’s blood within the Sea of Death and comprehend the 《Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World》 that this noble one has bestowed upon you! This noble one will naturally let you return once your Little Demon Empress has broken out of the barrier! Before this, don’t even think of leaving the Sea of Death!”
“…” (Why is it like this again! This Golden Crow’s soul sure likes to impose her will on others!)
(But the words “your Little Demon Empress”, sounds really good!!)
“Alright!” Yun Che nodded, he did not have any reason to oppose the decision. The Sea of Death was indeed the most suitable place for him to cultivate.
“Also, once you have refined the Golden Crow’s blood, eat this!”
After speaking, a purple glow appeared from within her pupils which flew rapidly towards Yun Che…
As the purple glow neared, bursts of ear-piercing cries could be heard. Yun Che’s eyes opened wide… the purple glow within his line of sight grew closer and closer, its original form was small, but the purple glow surrounding it was extremely deep, twisting like a violent beast, and wherever it went, the space around it was distorted.
Above, the thunder clouds which were originally suppressed by the Golden Crow’s soul now pervaded the entire sky, and ear-splitting roars of thunder could be heard.
Yet it was not these changes which shocked Yun Che the most. What he felt excited for was that the moment the purple glow appeared, it was as if his profound veins were an awakened sleeping beast which had been agitated. This kind of agitated feeling was not unfamiliar at all…
The purple glow of devastating lightning could be seen within his line of sight, yet he did not feel a single bit of fear or rejection. Instead, he felt an extremely familiar feeling, down to his heart.
As the purple glow neared, Yun Che almost involuntarily reached out to grab it.
Immediately, all the lightning above dispersed, and even the aura became particularly gentle. Within Yun Che’s palm, it revealed its true form… An extremely tiny seed which exhibited a gentle, illusory purple glow.
This… could it be…
“Evil God’s Lightning Seed!?”
“That’s right! This indeed is the seed of lightning of the Evil God’s Seeds! Since you have inherited the Evil God’s power, this naturally belongs to you!” the Golden Crow’s soul continued, “It originally appeared in the Illusory Demon Realm and this noble one obtained it. The endless thunder clouds within this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley were borne because of its power! Now that it has been returned, this Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley will no longer have thunder clouds.”
“You now have the Fire and Water seeds to form the Fire Spirit Evil Body and Water Spirit Evil Body. When you have fused it into your Evil God’s Profound Veins, you will have formed the ‘Lightning Spirit Evil Body’, when that happens, even ten thousand kinds of lightning will not affect you. Not to mention lightning formed by profound energy, even lightning from the heavens will not affect you!”
Without waiting for Yun Che to say another word, the pure gold pupils both flashed and Yun Che disappeared from the air… directly thrown by the Golden Crow’s soul into the boundless Sea of Death.
Although Yun Che had left, the pair of pure gold pupils belonging to the Golden Crow’s soul did not vanish, and slowly, in front of the golden pupils, an exquisite body of a young lady wearing the Smoky Red Fairy Dress appeared.
She crossed her arms against her chest, appearing to be a young girl, yet her expression and attitude was incomparably arrogant… Even though she was facing the Golden Crow’s soul, she narrowed slightly her eyes and said expressionlessly: “This princess is quite curious, you suddenly retreated, and even benefited him so, is it because you realized about this princess’ existence and became fearful, or did you do it on your own accord?”
The Golden Crow’s soul said apathetically: “You do indeed have the power to destroy this noble one, however this noble one possesses the willpower of the Golden Crow. In this world, there still does not exist anything that can cause this noble one to experience fear!”
Jasmine laughed coldly: “A pity that this ‘willpower of the Golden Crow’ will disappear soon. You have given him your soul origin, you can only exist for ten years at most. A pity to this one thousand five hundred kilometer Sea of Death, after ten years, will also gradually disappear when you disappear.
“Now that this noble one has found the most perfect successor, disappearing immediately without any regrets would be natural. What’s more, this noble one still has ten more years… but you on the other hand, Star God from the Star God Realm who inherited the power of the Heaven Slaughter Star, may not even live as long as this noble one. Why would you need to pity this noble one!”
“What did you say!?” a dark expression appeared on Jasmine’s small, milk white face.
“We Golden Crow Souls are able to mutually transmit memories. Even though this noble one is now in the Illusory Demon Realm, this noble one is aware of everything which happens in your Realm of Gods. Although your Star God Realm is able to use the ‘Star Soul Reincarnation’ to pass on the strength of a Star God, each ‘Star Soul Reincarnation’ will cause the divine strength to be weakened by a portion. Thus, your Star God Realm has to use other methods which ‘compensates’ that to avoid the subsequent generations from getting weaker.”
“And since a hundred thousand years ago, the Heaven Slaughter Star God did not exist ‘alone’… Which is to say, you, who possesses the power of the Heaven Slaughter Star God are just a temporary vessel! And the outcome for a vessel would naturally to become an ‘offering’! For you to appear in this world would not simply just be due to being chased for obtaining the Evil God’s indestructible blood… the greater reason, would be because you are fleeing from the Star God Realm!”
“If not, why did you, who was being chased, flee in this direction… which is opposite from that of the Star God Realm!”
“Or perhaps, you went through such great dangers, putting aside all considerations to obtain the Evil God’s indestructible blood just to obtain enough strength to escape the fate of being an ‘offering’!”
“Shut up!!”
This space around Jasmine ruptured immediately. A cold and incomparably terrifying murderous intent was released uncontrollably, causing innumerable cracks to appear in the surrounding space.
“Hahahahaha…” the Golden Crow’s soul laughed: “Seems like what this noble one has said was spot on.”
“In this world, there is no one who can decide this princess’ fate, even ‘that person’ cannot!”
Jasmine’s face was filled with terrifying indifference, she pointed at the pair of pure gold pupils in front of her, a scarlet ray flashed on her fingertip: “If you dare to continue babbling such nonsense, this princess will cause to disappear forever immediately!”
“Even if you were really angry, you would not dare to kill this noble one. This place is not a spatial tunnel, if you really release energy on the level which is enough to kill this noble one, it will cause the Star God Realm to notice your presence. When that happens, you of all people should be aware of the consequences.”
Jasmine’s hand paused in the air. After a long time, she slowly lowered her arm, even the anger and murderous intent which she exploded with previously had calmed down a little, a look of indifference returned to her eyes. She said coldly: “As expected of the soul which houses the Golden Crow’s will and memories, the things you know are just too much! Hmph! This princess’ business is none of your concern! Since you know so much, this princess will ask you a question… since you have read through all of Yun Che’s memories, then you should know that the legacy of the Phoenix, Dragon God… and you, the Golden Crow, exists on this little Blue Pole Star! Even the Evil God’s seeds have appeared on this world…”
“In this boundless universe with countless stars, to have an inheritor of a divine legacy is one in a hundred billion, yet on this little Blue Pole Star, there exists so many… from the Primordial Era. What exactly happened on this star? To have the vestiges of so many divine beings?”
Jasmine’s sudden question caused the Golden Crow’s soul to become silent. The pair of pure gold pupils stopped moving for a long while. Then, she said with an intense voice: “Since you wish to know, this noble one will answer you… The reason why this star is called the Blue Pole Star is because it is divided into one percent of land and ninety nine percent water! From the outside, this star is azure.”
“However it was not called Blue Pole Star previously. Back then, it was forty percent land and sixty percent water. The reason is because during the calamity of the Primordial Gods, a large portion of the land was destroyed into nothingness, leaving the current one percent. What’s more, this star was located at the other end of the spatial chaos previously, not even a hundred Star Realms apart from the world in which you were born.”
“What?” Jasmine scrunched her eyebrows: “What you are saying, is that back then this star traveled across half of the spatial chaos?”
“That’s right! It continued to exist after experiencing such a force, and to just have ninety percent of its land to be destroyed, even in the Realm of Gods, this is an irreplicable miracle. The one who preserved this star was precisely the Evil God! Because this Blue Pole Star… was the first star that he created!”
Jasmine: “…”
“After the Evil God’s death, the only ones who knew of this world’s existence were the few divine beings who were on good terms with the Evil God! The Dragon God, Phoenix and Golden Crow were the three amongst them! That was the only reason why they would leave their legacies on this star with such inferior strength! At least, your Star Realm would not be aware of the existence of this star which travelled across half of the spatial chaos!”
“In other words, the reason why the Phoenix, Dragon God and you gave him your bloodline legacies and even soul origins, would be because he possesses the Evil God’s strength?” Jasmine squinted.
“Of course not!”
The Golden Crow’s soul denied and at this point, her voice became incomparably overcast: “Although we are just souls which have left a divine being’s body and our strength are countless times weaker than that, the realm which we souls are in is the that of a divine being… we are able to roughly detect auras which only those at a divine being’s level are able to.”
“What does that mean?”
“It is an aura which should have become extinct with all the gods back in the Primordial Era! Although it is incomparably faint and indistinct, it is clearly becoming stronger year by year… being souls which have left the body, we have to forever be loyal to the divine being’s will, never able to leave this world… but that terrifying aura keeps on getting closer to reality, the largest contribution we can make would be to give our all… including our soul origins to the most suitable person!”
“When this noble one saw the Dragon God’s and Phoenix’s soul origins within his soul, this noble one knew that they too had noticed the same aura! Although this noble one loathes the Phoenix’s strength, this noble one will not go as far as to kill her own will just because of hate!”
“…The aura ‘which should have become extinct’ that you spoke about, what is it?” Jasmine scrunched her eyebrows and asked.
“Pray that it was a misperception. If not, no matter how strong your Star God Realm is, it too will fall into endless fear!”
Following the last words of the Golden Crow’s soul, the pure gold pupils embedded in the sky slowly disappeared. In the sky, the dark purple thunder clouds rapidly dispersed. Bit by bit, the color of the sky transformed from a deep purple to scarlet.
Good Guy Dnton’s Note: With reference to chapter 603, you will realize that a lot of new realms are popping up all over the place. But these realms are either referring to different planets/stars or different planes of existence. Example: when Jasmine talked about how certain things shouldn’t exist on Yun Che’s world/plane but do exist on other “higher” planes. So a sort of cosmology is slowly being introduced in the ATG-verse and you can picture it as being like a D&D universe where there are various planes which exist together or you can think of it like a proper astronomical chart, where there is a universe and these realms are separated by space.
Chapter 610 - Forces Approaching Floating Cloud
Profound Sky Continent. Blue Wind Nation, Floating Cloud City, Xiao Clan.
An old rattan chair sat underneath an ancient tree with dried up leaves. An old man, his head filled with white hair sat quietly on the rattan chair with his eyes closed as the morning sun shined upon him.
A man dressed in black walked into the courtyard, his footsteps were silent, his silhouette was like a monster. With just a single step, he crossed the courtyard to arrive in front of the old man… The old man in front of him was actually not fit to be called an old man, he was only sixty-one years old this year. On top of that, he was a profound practitioner, signs of aging would not leave a huge mark on his body. However, in the past few years he had aged very quickly, his hair rapidly became white. The man dressed in black stood in front of him; what he felt was not a kind of peacefulness but rather a type of loneliness and apathy.
As if he was apathetic even to death.
As if he had detected that someone had neared, the old man opened his eyes, he glanced at the youth dressed in black silently, then shut his eyes: “Xi’er is not here.”
The youth in black did not say a word. He turned around as though intending to leave quietly. At that point, a tall figure walked through the entrance of the courtyard —— it was Xiao Clan’s Clan Master Xiao Yunhai. The Xiao Yunhai who walked in glanced at the youth in black who stood there, his entire body trembled violently. His bones shuddered and went limp, his eyes were filled with fear as if the one he saw was not a person but a devil that was baring its terrifying fangs.
Xiao Yunhai did not have the guts to leave. He summoned the courage to move forward. After taking several steps, he nearly fell because both his legs were shuddering and had become limp: “Gree… greetings… Young… Young Master Fen.”
“What are you doing here?” The youth in black spoke, his voice was cold and indifferent with absolutely no emotions as if the words were not spoken by a human but a cold, dead body.
“Your… your humble servant… specially… specially came… to… pay respects… to the Fifth Elder.”
Xiao Yunhai took such a long time stuttering over such a simple sentence, and the sound of his teeth chattering could be heard.
“Hmph!” The youth in black snorted coldly. He didn’t make any visible movements, but his body suddenly disappeared without a sound or breath leaving no traces behind.
Xiao Yunhai’s entire body loosened; like a pile of mud he fell paralyzed onto the ground. He sighed a huge breath of relief, his robes were entirely drenched in cold sweat.
In the past few years, his fate, and that of the entire Xiao Clan’s went up and down like the lone boat in a huge wave.
Six years ago, Xiao Sect granted enormous favors upon the Xiao Clan. Xiao Yunhai was wild with joy, thinking that they could transform from an earthworm in the soil to a dragon soaring in the clouds. In order to curry favor with Xiao Kuangyun and let his son Xiao Yulong enter Xiao Sect, he did not hesitate to use devious schemes to offer up Xia Qingyue and Xiao Lingxi to Xiao Kuangyun.
He did not think that Xia Qingyue would be a Frozen Cloud Asgard disciple… instead, the outcome of his devious scheme was to force Yun Che to leave in bitterness… That night, his son who was originally supposed to leave with Xiao Kuangyun to Xiao Sect on the second day got his four limbs and five senses destroyed… dying miserably not long after.
Three years ago, Yun Che returned to take revenge, causing them to experience a horrible nightmare.
After that, the entire Xiao Clan lived in constant fear, especially Xiao Yunhai and the rest, feeling as though they were awaiting a trial for a death sentence… Eight months later, Yun Che did not arrive, but the news of his death in the Primordial Profound Ark spread across the entire Profound Sky Continent.
The entire Xiao Clan sighed a breath of relief. However half a year ago, they had attracted another demon… one which was even more terrifying than Yun Che.
Fen Juechen!
Bearing an inexhaustible hatred, Fen Juechen wanted to exterminate the entire Xiao Clan… because this was Yun Che’s birthplace!
He arrived at the Xiao Clan and started to kill people… He flashed with each step, and each step brought ten people down. They had not even reacted to the situation and more than a hundred had died in his hands, with none of their corpses left intact.
Amongst them included the Grand Elder Xiao Li and Third Elder Xiao Ze.
Throughout the whole thing he did not say a word and did not have any expression, as if he came from hell, like a Grim Reaper who came to harvest lives.
The scariest thing was that those who died under him… their corpses rotted rapidly in a cloud of black gas, transforming into piles of char…
And the one who stopped this devil was Xiao Lingxi.
When Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi who had a face full of fear appeared, that devil stopped his massacre as undulating emotions which belonged to a human appeared on that emotionless face…
Thereafter, he stopped his massacre of the Xiao Clan and continued to stay in this place… the reason why he stayed was also because of Xiao Lingxi.
He became an existence like the devil to the Xiao Clan, any disciple of the Xiao Clan who saw him would shiver in terror, not even daring to take a breath. The good thing was that he listened to Xiao Lingxi and did not kill anymore members of the Xiao Clan. He did not even harm a single person since, and he practically only stayed within his courtyard… Everyday, the only time when he left his courtyard was to take a glance at Xiao Lingxi, even if he could only see her from afar.
Back then, to escape the chaos of war, Xiao Lie brought Xiao Lingxi back to Floating Cloud City where the war would not reach them. Because of a warning from the Imperial Palace, even without the threat of Yun Che, they would no longer be disrespected because of their current identities. Xiao Lie was the grandfather of the current Empress’ husband and when Fen Juechen arrived, everyone treated Xiao Lingxi and Xiao Lie like their ancestors, not daring to neglect them the slightest bit.
Because anybody could clearly saw that the terrifying devil would listen to Xiao Lingxi’s every word, so whoever Xiao Lingxi wanted him to kill would die immediately.
“Fifth Elder…” Fen Juechen had left but Xiao Yunhai was still frightened. Facing Xiao Lie, he said deferentially: “The forces of the Divine Phoenix Empire are approaching, the gates of Floating Cloud City are already… already wide open, Mayor Yuwen and Mayor Situ left two hours ago to personally lead the city soldiers thirty kilometers away from the city to wel… welcome… and after the Divine Phoenix Army enters the city, they warned our Xiao Clan… not to do anything disrespectful. Just now, the Divine Phoenix Army has already arrived… the Fifth Elder may be at ease, there was no resistance, so there should be no indiscriminate killing.
Xiao Lie opened his eyes. There was no grief, disappointment or unwillingness in his eyes, only an expanse of dead gray: “That’s good… since we are bound to be humiliated, at least we can avoid the deaths of innocent civilians.”
From afar, waves of clamors could be heard, as if it were getting closer. Xiao Yunhai hurriedly took out a Sound Transmission Jade and took a glance at it, then carefully said to Xiao Lie: “Fifth Elder, the Divine Phoenix Army did not enter the city, but… instead garrisoned outside the city, encircling the city tightly, I’m not sure what… what they want to do.”
“I will immediately notify the Clan disciples, that they have to be well-behaved during these days. Fifth Elder, I… I won’t disturb your rest any longer.”
Xiao Yunhai moved two steps back. Although Fen Juechen was not present, he was still deferential, not daring to show the slightest bit of neglect. That was because in his eyes, Fen Juechen was several hundred thousands of times scarier than the Divine Phoenix Army. After all, facing the Divine Phoenix Army, one just had to obediently surrender and listen; they would not massacre the entire city. However with Fen Juechen, just the slightest bit of inattentiveness could cause one to die without his corpse intact.
At this moment, a flustered voice came from outside…
“Big trouble! Fifth Elder… big trouble!!”
A young Xiao Clan disciple staggered in a hurry. When he saw Xiao Yunhai, he gasped: “Clan Master, it turns out that you are here… trouble… Xiao Lingxi she… she… she…”
The urgent speech and the name “Xiao Lingxi” caused Xiao Lie’s eyes to open wide. Xiao Yunhai’s heart also thumped, he shouted: “What happened to Xiao Lingxi… hurry and speak!”
“She… she…” The Xiao Clan disciple choked violently: “She was stopped by the Divine Phoenix Army… that Divine Phoenix General seems like… he wants to…”
Hiss!!
“What did you say!?”
A pitch-black silhouette abruptly streaked across in the air. The Fen Juechen who had left before suddenly appeared in front of the Xiao Clan disciple, as though a demon. He picked him up by his collar with a single hand, but immediately threw him aside. His body was brimming with murderous intent as his body flashed, his pitch-black figure rushing toward the northern direction with terrifying speed.
Less than one and a half kilometers before the Floating Cloud City’s city gates.
Feng Huwei, Divine Phoenix Empire’s mighty and brilliant General Huwei. He possessed the Phoenix bloodline and belonged to the Divine Phoenix Sect. Within the Divine Phoenix Army, he possessed extremely high prestige and rank… At the same time, he also had an extremely high level of profound cultivation —— level one Tyrant Profound Realm. Even within the sect, he could be an Elder.
He was one of the heads of the invasion of the Blue Wind Nation.
And the “important duty” of taking down Floating Cloud City this time was personally lead by him!
As he had expected, under the twenty five thousand strong army which he lead, Floating Cloud City did not even dare to show half a bit of resistance. The two mayors opened the gates wide and went on their own accord to welcome the army and fawned throughout the journey.
After allowing the army to surround the entire city, he entered Floating Cloud City riding on a huge ferocious Fire Mastiff with a five hundred cavalry behind him, along with Mayor Yuwen Tuo and Vice Mayor Situ Nan bowing and scraping. Even without his identity of General Huwei, he was very clear what an Overlord was like to Blue Wind Nation… not to even mention the tiny little Floating Cloud City. His eyes swept across Floating Cloud City… Everything here was in the palms of his hands, it was as easy as stepping on an ant.
In fact, the exaggeratingly large twenty five thousand strong army was not necessary, he alone could casually flatten the entire Floating Cloud City… forget about getting hurt, not even a speck of dust would get onto him.
After taking down Floating Cloud City, the mission would be completed after finding the enormous crystal mine in the vicinity of Floating Cloud City in the shortest time possible… that was not simply his task this time, it was the end goal of the Divine Phoenix Empire invading Blue Wind Nation… Eradicating the Blue Wind Nation was just a ploy to fool others!
Nobody would think that the reason why the Divine Phoenix Army invaded Blue Wind would be… because of Blue Wind Nation’s smallest, most barren city, Floating Cloud City!
He had originally thought that the task was pointless to the extreme and similarly boring… until a girl caught his eye.
The girl wore a flowy blue dress, from afar her figure was elegant, moving and extremely delicate. Following her slow steps, her dress would float behind her. Her exquisite figure could be seen intermittently. Even though the arcs of her waist, bosoms and bottom could only be seen for a split second, words could not describe this beauty which had a charm that cause men to lose themselves.
Although only a little could be seen, it was extremely beautiful. The skin of her slightly exposed neck was snow white and gem-like, as though it were slightly translucent to the point her bones could almost be seen…
As the stately General Huwei who was an Overlord, he had seen countless people yet he still was instantly dumbstruck… At that moment, he felt as if he had seen a beautiful fairy who had fallen among mankind.
The girl’s footsteps quickened, evidently wanting to avoid the scary invaders. Feng Huwei’s had a fiery gaze in his eyes. He pointed forward in an incomparably urgent manner: “Go! Stop the little lady, let this general take a good look!”
Following the startled cry of a young maiden, Xiao Lingxi was surrounded by a group of people riding flaming colts. She could neither move forward nor retreat, and her eyes were wide with terror: “Wh… what do you guys want…”
The civilians of Floating Cloud City all fled. They were filled with terror, so who would dare to rescue her?
“Hahahaha!” Feng Huwei rode in majestically on his Fire Mastiff without haste. He took a good look at Xiao Lingxi’s looks, and his gaze became even more fiery, as if his eyes were about to start burning. He even subconsciously licked the corner of his mouth: “In this tiny place, there is unexpectedly such a quality beauty… Sss, seems like this general has not wasted his time, hahahaha!”
Floating Cloud City’s mayor, Yuwen Tuo hurried forward. He bent his back, and said with a flattering smile: “This is the daughter of the Fifth Elder of the Xiao Clan, the largest family in our Floating Cloud City. Her name is Xiao Lingxi, twenty-one years old this year and is not married. General Huwei has such a good eye, she is definitely our Floating Cloud City’s number one beauty.”
“Yes, yes.” Situ Nan immediately nodded and smiled: “If General Huwei fancies her, that would be her biggest fortune in this lifetime… Oh, that’s right, there is something that this little one does not know if he should mention… She has another identity. That… that is Yun Che’s Little Aunt.”
“What?”
The two words “Yun Che” made General Huwei’s face change. He grinned suddenly, then laughed wildly: “That means this little beauty is actually Yun Che’s family… Good! Good! Good… hahahaha! This is simply wonderful! Since it is Yun Che’s family, even if I have to snatch, I will snatch it away! Bring her to this general’s sedan!”
He displayed such tyrannical deeds absolutely unrestrained. That was because in these barren lands, everything in front of him was petty and vulgar. No matter what he wanted to do, no one could stop him, no one could bring him to justice… The only thing they could do was obediently obey and tremble.
At least, that was what General Huwei thought.
Then, just when his voice landed, an icy cold voice… that seemed to have come from hell came over:
“Try… to… touch… her… if… you… dare…”
Chapter 611 - The Trembling Divine Phoenix General
Feng Huwei was not only a supreme practitioner in the Tyrant Profound Realm, he was also a seasoned general; the fresh blood in which he had bathed in was enough to form a boundless ocean of blood. He was unaware of when he had started to forget what “fear” felt like.
However, this voice coming from who knew where… simply a voice, made all the hairs on his entire body suddenly erect, causing a chill to run up his spine….
Sssss!!
An extremely ear-piercing sound resounded, and Feng Huwei’s eyes vaguely caught a glimpse of the space being roughly ripped by a pitch black scar… amongst everyone present, he was the only one who could see that moment where the space was ripped. A young man clothed entirely in black, whose face was cold and hard like a corpse, appeared in front of the girl like a demon. His lifeless eyes gazed indifferently at Feng Huwei who was mounted on the Fire Mastiff.
It was as if the whole world had completely congealed at this moment.
Under the gaze of this young man, the emotion of fear which had not surfaced for the past hundred years suddenly awoke like a devil breeding within General Huwei’s soul. It inflated till he could feel his chest being pressured by an extremely tall mountain. His heart completely stopped beating, even his blood stopped flowing; it was as though his entire body was in an ice cold hell, every cell violently trembled… That kind of fear even affected his five senses. He was clearly looking at the young man in front of him but what he saw was instead just a misty blur; he could not take a good look at his face.
Beneath his body, a wave of intense shuddering could be felt… it was the Fire Mastiff shuddering! His Fire Mastiff mount was an incomparably huge and powerful Emperor Profound Beast which had followed him for for a full hundred years, it had charged into wars countless of times, treaded upon countless of corpse-ridden fields. More than hundreds of thousands of men and beasts died under its claws; it had never known fear. Even encountering Tyrant Profound Beasts which it had no way to beat, it charged in without hesitation, it had never retreated a single bit.
However at this point, it was actually shuddering violently!
As an Overlord, and also the Divine Phoenix Empire’s famous General Huwei, Feng Huwei was obviously not a fool. Even though this area was the lowliest of places which could not have anyone who had the qualifications to rebel against him… to the point where there was no one who had the qualifications for him to even look at, he clearly knew that to cause fear in his Fire Mastiff with simply aura and the look in one’s eyes was quite the concept.
Even the pressure of the Divine Phoenix Empire’s Emperor Feng Hengkong had never made him tremble before.
“Aiyoh! This little Floating Cloud City unexpectedly has a Blue Wind scum who doesn’t know what’s good for him. To dare stop our general, it seems like you don’t want to live anymore!!”
While Feng Huwei’s mind was trembling, a voice full of contempt sounded out… the one who said that was not some other person, but instead was the first Vice General under him, Feng Qianjun, who also belonged to the Divine Phoenix Sect. Feng Huwei was greatly alarmed. Just when he wanted to say something to stop him, he instead saw the black clothed young man’s silhouette flash past, abruptly moving forward. The palm which was unnaturally deathly pale and seemingly shrouded in a black mist, clawed towards Feng Qianjun’s neck.
No matter what kind of movement, including his hand movement, to an ordinary person, it would be extremely quick. However to a strong practitioner, especially to Feng Qianjun, who was at the eighth level of the Emperor Profound Realm, it was particularly slow, slow to the point that he was too lazy to dodge, and allowed his palm to grab his own neck… When the black-clothed young man’s hand grabbed his neck, apart from traces of iciness, not to mention suffocation or pain, not even a bit of uncomfort could be felt. Soon after, even that icy feeling could not be felt anymore. And to him, this was extremely normal, because amongst the lowly profound cultivators within Floating Cloud City, even if they used hundred percent of their strength to strangle him, it would not cause a single bit of unease to a level eight Throne of the Divine Phoenix Sect.
“Hahahaha!” Feng Qianjun laughed wildly, his laughter was full of contempt and despise. He looked at the expression in Fen Juechen’s eyes and felt pity, as if he were looking at an ant overestimating itself: “There sure enough isn’t a lack of ignorant and laughable wretches in this world. This general was originally feeling merciful and did not plan to kill anybody today, but an insignificant Blue Wind scum would actually dare to make a move against this general, hahahaha! Come, come, come, show me all of your strength. Quick, strangle this general to death, this general will simply stand here. You can use your hands, a blade, a spear, if you can kill this general, this general will call you granddaddy in hell. Come, come, come, you have to use a little more strength, hahahaha….”
While Feng Qianjun was laughing wildly with disdain… nobody around him was laughing at all. No matter if it was the Divine Phoenix Army or citizens of Floating Cloud City, all of their eyes were wide till they almost burst, as endless terror filled their faces.
Feng Qianjun’s neck, which was locked onto by Fen Juechen’s hand, started to emit a faint black mist. Under the black mist, the flesh on Feng Qianjun’s neck started to rapidly rot and wither. In the blink of an eye, the white and dense larynx bone could be seen, and in the next moment, the white larynx bone had already turned black… it became as black as coal.
Yet Feng Qianjun was completely unaware and continued to laugh wildly in disdain… the rotting of flesh was rapidly spreading downwards, and within three short breaths, most of his upper body did not a single bit of flesh; from his sternum to his ribs, all of it was fully presented to everybody present.
Such a terrifying scene contrasted with his wild and wanton laugh… it was terrifying to the point that not a single person even dared to breathe a word.
A gust of wind blew past, and Qianjun’s Throne body caved in like a pyramid made of sand, dispersing powerlessly. The Feng Qianjun who was in the midst of laughing suddenly realized that his vision was suddenly moving downwards without control. He stopped laughing, then… he saw himself entirely rotted, only his pitch-black bones were left, and the pitch-black bones were currently dispersing… scattering into bits and pieces of powder.
“AARRRRGGGHH!!”
Feng Qianjun let out a heart-tearing, lung-bursting scream of fear. It sounded like a blood-curdling scream from hell; it barely lasted for a moment, then it ended… The instant his brain fell onto the floor, it became pitch-black powder.
The entire world was silent; endless fear pervaded the air within Floating Cloud City, the air had completely stopped moving. Some citizens of Floating Cloud City shuddered and their bodies became limp, losing the ability to stand. The only thing their bodies could do was to shudder intensely and uncontrollably.
The Fire Mastiff beneath Feng Huwei let out a hoarse roar that even Feng Huwei had never heard before. Thereafter, the Fire Mastiff which had never known fear started to retreat. Only after two steps, it immediately went limp and fell as its massive body shuddering like a sieve.
All of the fear that General Huwei experienced in his life added up could not even compare to a thousandth of what he felt today. His mouth went agape, but did not say a word for a long time. He had killed countless of people in his life; even if he killed a hundred thousand people a day, his face would still not show an expression. But in front of him just now, only a single person died, yet his entire soul was shuddering violently.
And the one who died under the hands of the young man clothed in black was not an ordinary Divine Phoenix General; it was a level eight Throne who was supposed to be unrivalled in Blue Wind!
He even absent-mindedly thought that the one standing in front of him… was actually a fiend from hell.
At this moment, Fen Juechen turned to face him. His voice was withered, like a fiend cursing, and iciness flowed through General Huwei’s ears: “All… of… you… need… to… die…”
The moment the voice landed, Fen Juechen slowly walked forward… just this simple step, made General Huwei feel as if his death was approaching.
The voice of a girl sounded out anxiously. Fen Juechen’s footsteps stopped the same moment the girl’s voice was heard.
Xiao Lingxi rushed over in a hurry. Even though her face was still full of fear, she still resolutely obstructed Fen Juechen: “Don’t… don’t kill anyone… if you kill them, they will kill all of Floating Cloud City… kill even more citizens of Blue Wind Nation. You… you have already killed one of them, warned them… It’s enough… don’t kill anymore… Floating Cloud City has already fallen into the hands of the enemy… however, the Divine Phoenix Army has already said they will not kill recklessly… I don’t want to see the fallen Floating Cloud City filled with blood…”
When Xiao Lingxi’s voice fell, Fen Juechen’s hand which was originally raised, slowly fell… At the same time, Feng Huwei felt the shadow of death which he was shrouded in, disappear just like that. He stared blankly at Xiao Lingxi… this girl who made the fiend’s killing intent fill the skies, had also ended his killing intent immediately.
Fen Juechen slowly turned around: “I will not kill you today. But if you dare to kill one person from Floating Cloud City, I will kill ten thousand of you! If you kill ten people of Floating Cloud City, I will kill a hundred thousand of you!” He looked towards Xiao Lingxi: “If you dare to touch a single hair on her head, I will let all of you… die in place!”
Fen Juechen suddenly raised his arm and attacked.
Boom!!!
The entire Floating Cloud City trembled, and an extremely oppressive explosion could be heard, causing everyone present to lose their hearing momentarily. Everyone subconsciously looked upwards, and were alarmed to see that in the distance, there was an enormous pitch-black whirlpool… but in the next moment, the pitch-black whirlpool disappeared. Feng Huwei, however, was alarmed to the point that his heart almost shattered. He cried out involuntarily:
“Mo… Monarch!!”
It was just that his voice was warped under his fear, so not a single person could clearly hear what he had shouted.
To use profound strength that could cause a crack in space, the Emperor Profound Realm could do that. Yet to casually cause such an enormous spatial black hole… this was clearly the strength of the Sovereign Profound Realm!!
Within their powerful Divine Phoenix Sect, there were only a few tens of people in the Sovereign Profound Realm. Yet these Monarchs were the cornerstones of the Divine Phoenix Sect; they were people whom even the Divine Phoenix Sect Master Feng Hengkong had to be respectful to. And in the Seven Nations of Profound Sky, only their Divine Phoenix Empire had Monarchs.
He did not even dare to dream that a Monarch actually existed in this rural city of Blue Wind Nation… Moreover, he seemed to be only a little over twenty!
He was indeed a strong Overlord, however, in front of a Monarch, he was no different than an ant which could be killed with just a pinch.
“We… only came to occupy Floating Cloud City… we will absolutely not kill a single innocent… citizen.”
Although Feng Huwei was trying with all his might to calm his voice to protect his reputation as the great General Huwei, even he himself could hear the shuddering in his voice which he could not suppress.
“Get lost!”
Fen Juechen’s reply was simply those two words with absolutely no emotion.
Looking at General Huwei’s entire life, who would dare to say those two words to him? However, today, forget about anger, Feng Huwei didn’t even dare to say another word. He retreated several steps, then directly dragged his Fire Mastiff which was limp on the ground and ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction… and his pace quickened by the second, the Divine Phoenix army which was following, as if receiving a great pardon, ran as fast as they could, until they ran out of the city gates of Floating Cloud City. After they stopped, only then could they feel that they were drenched in cold sweat.
“Who… in the world… is he?!” Feng Huwei violently breathed. Both his hands were balled up, shuddering. Just now, he did not even dare to ask what the opposite party’s name was…
Floating Cloud City’s Mayors Yuwen Tuo and Situ Nan also hurriedly left with their tails between their legs. The surrounding Floating Cloud City citizens also did not dare to stay, as they frantically scrambled to flee. With her hand on her chest, Xiao Lingxi said toward Fen Juechen: “Big Brother Fen, thank you.”
“…You don’t ever need to thank me.” Fen Juechen said. Although his voice was cold, he was trying his best to make his tone warm: “If it wasn’t for you, I would have died three years ago. Anything you want me to do, I will not refuse. If you ever want me to die… wait until I kill everyone from the Four Sacred Grounds, I’ll give you my life then!”
“No,” Xiao Lingxi shook her head. In this half year, Fen Juechen had said such similar words to her many times: “You don’t need to be like that to me. Your life is your own, it does not belong to anyone else. The life of others, are the same too… If, if you really want do something for my sake, then don’t kill innocents wilfully!”
“Once people die, they can never come back to life… When they cannot be seen again… it will make those who care for them hurt for their whole life… I…”
Yun Che’s figure appeared in front of Xiao Lingxi’s eyes, causing tears to well up in her eyes, as she sobbed without sound.
Upon seeing Xiao Lingxi’s tears, Fen Juechen also knew why she had suddenly started to cry. He sighed deeply, then turned around: “In this half a year, I did not kill a single person. That person just now, he was trying to take advantage of you, he died for his crime. When I have enough strength and have killed everyone I need to kill… then I will listen to whatever you say.”
Black mist gathered, and Fen Juechen disappeared without a breath or sound from that place.
The air was still, without a single person in sight. Xiao Lingxi covered her face with her hands, her lips letting out a sound which would cause hearts to shatter: “Little… Che…”
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