Chapter 1594: Digging One's Own Grave
"Grand... Elder!"
This completely unexpected scene made the Yun Clan members cry out in shock. Second Elder Yun Fu and Third Elder Yun Hua quickly stepped forward. Sensing Yun Jian's injuries, their hearts sank heavily.
The Yun Clan members didn't know what had happened, but the elders were all too clear. Thinking back to what Yun Che had said in the Ancestral Temple earlier, their own words to him, and then recalling his relationship with Yun Shang... their hearts felt as heavy as if ten thousand tons of stone were pressing down on them, making it hard to breathe.
The other elders and supreme elders also had ashen faces, but not a single one glared at Yun Che with anger.
Not only the Yun Clan members, but even the trembling Huangtian Demon Dragon and Jiuyao Heavenly Palace people were completely dumbfounded.
What the hell?
Wasn't he the "savior" invited by the Tiangang Cloud Clan?
How could he be beating his own people to death?
The green-robed elder was also visibly startled for a moment, then the smile on his face became even more gentle. He spoke: "I see. Fellow Daoist is neither a member of the Tiangang Cloud Clan nor a friend of theirs. In fact, it seems there is quite some enmity. It appears today's matter is all just a misunderstanding."
Even though Yun Che had brutally slaughtered a hundred Huangtian Demon Dragons, slain the Huangtian Dragon Lord, heavily wounded the Jiuyao Heavenly Venerable with one sword strike, and just now nearly killed the Yun Clan's Grand Elder with a single sword blow, this green-robed elder still had a cheerful face, showing no fear, no panic, and certainly no wariness.
Beneath his immortal bearing and carefree demeanor lurked a suffocating pressure.
He shifted his gaze downward and said: "Clan Chief Yun, may I ask where you found this distinguished expert?"
Yun Ting opened his mouth. He stood up and bowed deeply before speaking with some difficulty: "In reply to Divine Void Venerable, this... expert is named Yun Che. He is a... distinguished guest of my clan."
"Distinguished guest?" The elder smiled faintly: "It seems your sinful clan's hospitality is quite lacking, making your distinguished guest very unhappy."
"..." Yun Ting wanted to look at Yun Che, but didn't dare meet his eyes. For a moment, he was tongue-tied and couldn't speak.
He never dreamed in his wildest fantasies that Yun Che, who had stayed with them for over twenty days, was such a terrifying figure.
And the reason he stayed was because of Yun Shang.
With such a figure, if they could win his favor, what tremendous help would that be to the Tiangang Cloud Clan, now nearing its final limit!
But instead... instead...
The darkness, regret, and helplessness in his heart felt like countless demons devouring his soul. He didn't even dare think about the scenes in the Ancestral Temple just moments ago.
It's just... there's no such thing as regret medicine in this world.
Over by the Ancestral Temple, Qianye Ying'er was still languidly leaning against that stone pillar, her posture unchanged, with Yun Shang still unconscious at her feet.
She raised her eyes to scan the miserable scene of dragon blood and dragon corpses everywhere, and murmured softly like an orchid: "So much resentment... Long Bai killed Mu Xuanyin, and now he's taken out his anger on every dragon in the world."
Thinking of the past months, when Yun Che sometimes lost control of his inner rage and vented wantonly on her jade-like body, crying out the word "Master" several times in a daze... her eyes narrowed, and she let out a cold snort: "The so-called 'Ice Fairy of the Northern Domain,' the Yinxue Realm King, turns out to be nothing but an outwardly cold, inwardly wanton slut. How laughable!"
"Daoist Yun," facing Yun Che, Shenxu Daoren's expression became gentle again. He flicked his horsetail whisk and said amiably: "Since it's a misunderstanding, everything can be settled. The Huangtian Dragon Clan and Jiuyao Heavenly Palace have come today purely out of private grievances with the Tiangang Cloud Clan, with absolutely no intention of targeting Fellow Daoist. The earlier rude offense was clearly a case of mistaking Fellow Daoist for a member of the Tiangang Cloud Clan."
"The Huangtian Dragon Clan has suffered heavy losses, and their Dragon Lord has perished. That should be sufficient price paid for offending Fellow Daoist. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared, I ask Fellow Daoist to show mercy. I'm sure Huangtian and Jiuyao will remember the grace of being spared. If we can turn enemies into friends, that would be even more wonderful."
Yun Che swept his gaze over him, and his chilling eyes visibly softened: "And who are you?"
This elder's aura was similar to Jiuyao Heavenly Venerable's, even slightly stronger. Clearly another peak Divine Sovereign, with an absolutely extraordinary status and position. And given his calm confidence here in the Qianhuang Realm, where he came from was already obvious.
"Heh heh," the elder chuckled: "I am the Divine Void, Chief Guardian of the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult. If Fellow Daoist Yun doesn't object, you may call me Daoist Divine Void."
The moment the words "Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult" were spoken, an innate sense of heavenly might that intimidated all living beings spread through the air.
That was right. In the Qianhuang Realm, the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult was the supreme heaven!
Ever since ten thousand years ago, when the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult, under the heavenly edict of the Burning Moon Realm's king realm, replaced the Tiangang Cloud Clan as the realm's ruling sect, its hegemony had been unshakeable, and the Tiangang Cloud Realm was renamed the Qianhuang Realm.
During these ten thousand years, it was the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult that had been enforcing cruel sanctions on the Tiangang Cloud Clan... and the final sanction, as well as their ultimate fate, was also determined by the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult.
As the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult grew stronger and the Tiangang Cloud Clan grew weaker, by now, even without the king realm's heavenly edict from the Burning Moon Realm, the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult could easily decide the Tiangang Cloud Clan's life and death.
To escape the clan-extermination sanction after their limit as much as possible, the Tiangang Cloud Clan had always been flattering and offering tributes to the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult. As the deadline drew nearer, they went to even greater lengths and costs to curry favor.
And the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult's ambiguous attitude had given them faint hope.
Facing the arrival of Daoist Divine Void—the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult's Chief Guardian—the Tiangang Cloud Clan was naturally full of fear and awe, showing utmost humility, daring not the slightest disobedience or discourtesy.
"Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult?" Yun Che's brow seemed to twitch.
"Indeed." Daoist Divine Void raised his hand to stroke his beard, smiling cheerfully: "Fellow Daoist must have heard of my cult's name. If Fellow Daoist finds this sinful clan's land displeasing, why not move to my Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult as a guest? My cult will surely treat you with the highest courtesy."
"Since you're from the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult, why are you here?" Yun Che's tone was flat, hard to read: "Could it be that you're also here to fish for something?"
Daoist Divine Void shook his head and laughed: "Although my cult has been ordered by the Burning Moon King Realm to sanction the sinful clan, we would never stoop to such petty deeds. I merely heard that the Huangtian Dragon Clan and Jiuyao Heavenly Palace had both arrived at the sinful domain, fearing great chaos. Thus, I traveled ten thousand miles to arrive, solely to mediate. To encounter Fellow Daoist Yun here is not a bad thing, after all."
Hearing this, Yun Ting quickly bowed deeply and said: "Divine Void Venerable has come to protect my sinful clan. My sinful clan is deeply grateful and knows not how to repay this kindness."
The surrounding Yun Clan disciples also quickly bowed or kowtowed, putting on a display of gratitude... even though they knew in their hearts that this might not be the truth, they had no choice but to humble themselves and express endless thanks.
"I see." Yun Che seemed to understand. The Heaven's Calamity Demon Emperor Sword in his hand slowly lowered, and even the abyss-like black radiance faded somewhat.
In the eyes of Daoist Divine Void, and indeed everyone else, this was only natural. Yun Che dared to kill the Huangtian Dragon Lord and Jiuyao Heavenly Venerable, but in this Qianhuang Realm, who would dare to offend the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult!
Not to mention that Daoist Divine Void, the Chief Guardian of the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult, had shown such friendly overtures and an intent to win him over.
"In that case," Yun Che said slowly, "then die in peace."
Daoist Divine Void's smile froze, his expression abruptly changing as a pitch-black sword radiance came crashing down, instantly extinguishing all light in his field of vision.
Though shocked inwardly, Daoist Divine Void had been on guard. His horsetail whisk swept out in the first instant, every strand of thread erupting with black radiance sufficient to shatter mountains and split seas.
But in an instant, these forces vanished like clay oxen entering the sea, obliterated without a trace!
Daoist Divine Void had just witnessed Yun Che's terror with his own eyes, but facing him directly now, he realized in extreme horror just how dreadful the sword's might he unleashed was.
His reaction was extremely fast. He withdrew his power and body with a speed almost defying the laws of profound way, shifting back several li like a ghostly shadow. The position he had just occupied had already turned into a terrifying dark maelstrom beneath that sword strike.
"Yun Che!" Daoist Divine Void's face was cold, his whole body drenched in sweat. His caution was merely due to innate prudence; deep down, he had never imagined that Yun Che would still dare to attack him after learning he was the Chief Guardian of the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult: "How dare you... aagh!!"
Rumble!!
Golden flames erupted directly on his back, spreading a sea of fire across the sky. Behind the flames was Yun Che's true body.
Daoist Divine Void's retreat and speed were extremely fast, but how could they be faster than Yun Che's?
Under the Golden Crow Flame, Daoist Divine Void was scorched and howled like a fiend. Black light burst from his body continuously, suppressing most of the Golden Crow Flame burning him. But just then, Yun Che's figure appeared behind him again like a ghost. Crimson Phoenix Flame exploded on the same spot on his back.
Nearly piercing straight through his body.
"Yun... Che!" Daoist Divine Void roared in pain and fury: "You are... making an enemy of my cult... aaaaah!!"
Amid his screams, Daoist Divine Void, while desperately suppressing the flames on his body, frantically tried to flee into the distance... The dragon corpses and blood all around still reeked of a pungent stench. As long as he wasn't hopelessly stupid, he wouldn't think about counterattacking.
But if Yun Che wanted him dead, how could he possibly escape!
Whoosh!!
Yun Che didn't give chase. His hand extended toward Daoist Divine Void, who was frantically fleeing, and his five fingers slowly closed.
Instantly, the Golden Crow Flame and Phoenix Flame furiously blazing on Daoist Divine Void's body underwent a rapid and bizarre fusion, transforming into a vermilion divine flame of doubled might.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
More terrifying than the multiplied annihilating force was the multiplied pain, dozens of times worse, causing even a peak Divine Sovereign to let out a despairing fiend's wail.
His figure twisted and struggled in the air, then crashed heavily to the ground, writhing and rolling on the earth like a desperate larva. But those seemingly unremarkable vermilion flames clung to his bones, burning persistently, showing almost no sign of gradually dying out.
Bang!!
Yun Che descended from the air heavily, one foot stamping down on Daoist Divine Void's chest. His entire right foot sank into the man's chest.
"Ugh... ah..." Daoist Divine Void spewed bloody froth from his mouth. He stared at Yun Che with wide eyes, his face bearing no trace of his earlier calm and warmth, only pain and fear: "How... dare you..."
He wanted to say that offending the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult was digging his own grave, but before he could finish, his words turned into pleas: "Fellow Daoist... we have no grievances or enmity... why must..."
"You didn't have to die. But I hate it when people lie to me. I hate it very much." Yun Che stepped on Daoist Divine Void, but his gaze looked ahead: "You were hiding in the shadows from the very beginning, yet you lied to me, saying you came to mediate. Do you take me for a fool? Then I have no choice but to send you to your death."
"Fellow Daoist... spare me..." Just for a single lie, he would so ruthlessly kill him, the Chief Guardian of the Thousand Wilderness Divine Cult! With such a madman before him, how could he dare any further threats or provocations? His face and eyes now held only the most humble plea: "I, Divine Void, am willing from now on to be... Fellow Daoist's... no... this Venerable's horse and ox... I will obey every command... please... spare me..."
"Yun Che... Yun Che!" Yun Ting practically scrambled and crawled over, followed by the Yun Clan members, all pale as ghosts. He stretched out his arm and said tremblingly: "Please... please show mercy! Don't kill him. Don't kill him by any means, or else my Tiangang Cloud Clan..."
Pfft!!
Yun Che stamped down. Black light exploded beneath his foot, directly shattering the Divine Sovereign body, scorched beyond recognition, into four or five pieces. The mangled remains flew several li away.
"Ah!" Yun Ting stumbled, half-kneeling on the ground, his face ashen.
Yun Che slowly withdrew his foot, not a speck of blood or dust staining it. His gaze turned coldly: "What happens to your Tiangang Cloud Clan, what the hell do I care?"
——————
[Divine Void Daoist]: Shen (god), not the fourth tone.