# Chapter 1688: Eternal Dark Magic Crystal
"Wu'er, do not disobey!" Yan Tianxiao warned in a deep voice.
Yan Wu stepped forward, her movements unusually stiff and slow... The injuries Yan Jie had inflicted on her were not light, but clearly not severe enough to cause her to act this way.
Finally, she reached Yun Che. She bowed deeply, her voice cold and rigid: "What does my master command?"
Yun Che said nothing. He suddenly reached out, and a wisp of black qi coiled straight toward Yan Wu.
Yan Wu's gaze turned icy in an instant... But a low shout from Yan Tianxiao rang out behind her: "Do not resist!"
Yan Wu's body stood frozen. Her jade-like teeth clenched tightly, and her entire frame trembled slightly. The black qi from Yun Che had already invaded her body with overbearing force, reaching deep into her profound veins.
But her physical tension and inner chill lasted only a few breaths. After a slight tremor in her eyes, they became confused, then excited—and then filled with an increasingly deep disbelief.
Yun Che withdrew his arm, and all the dark aura vanished.
Yan Wu stood there motionless for a long time. The incredulous black light in her pupils lingered, refusing to fade, as if she were lost in a dream.
Suddenly, she knelt solemnly—not bowing, but dropping to one knee, her head deeply lowered. Her voice had lost all its earlier coldness, replaced by a profound excitement that stemmed from the depths of her soul: "Yan Wu... thanks my master for this blessing!"
The ferocity of Yan Wu's temperament was known to all in the Yanmo clan.
Even Yan Tianxiao rarely saw Yan Wu display such gratitude and reverence.
Between shock and doubt, Yan Tianxiao quickly stepped forward, pressing his finger against Yan Wu's shoulder... In an instant, his expression drastically changed, displaying the same excitement and disbelief as Yan Wu. Then he murmured, as if dazed: "Could it be... could that rumor about the Demonesses actually be true..."
"Hmph, the Burning Moon's rapid submission also had an important reason—they personally witnessed the transformation of the Demoness."
Yun Che spoke calmly, demonic light swirling in his palm: "To you, this change might seem like a miracle. But in my hands... it's merely something done at will."
Yan Tianxiao also knelt beside Yan Wu—and this was the first time he did so without such reluctance. He said solemnly: "I beg my master to bestow grace upon the Yanmo. The entire Yanmo clan will forever remember my master's great kindness and will devote all their strength to serving my master!"
The power of the Dark Eternal Calamity — he had witnessed it time and time again.
Commanding the power of the Eternal Dark Bone Sea at will. Creating miracles that surpassed understanding at a whim...
And this was surely not all there was to the Dark Eternal Calamity.
At this moment, he even began to harbor a faint thought... that he was meant to be the master of the Northern Domain.
"This blessing, I will bestow widely upon the Yanmo. But in return, I require your loyalty!"
Yun Che's voice was slow, each word hammering at the hearts of those present: "And the loyalty I demand..."
"Is... only... once!"
Yan Tianxiao looked up. He knew what posture he should adopt under the current circumstances: "My master is the only successor to the Demon Emperor in this age. He is also the first—and the only one—to have subdued our Yanmo. Other than my master, no one is worthy of our allegiance."
"Very good." Yun Che nodded in approval, slowly rising and walking forward.
As he moved, the Three Yan Ancestors followed closely behind, guarding Yun Che's safety from all angles without any blind spots.
"Now, do two things."
"Please speak, my master." Yan Tianxiao said seriously.
"First, seal the news. Do not allow any member of the Yanmo to spread what happened today outside. In particular... do not let the Jiehun Realm side learn of it."
Now, every time he thought of Chi Wuyue, a cold black light flashed in Yun Che's eyes.
"This..." Yan Tianxiao frowned slightly and replied, "In response to my master, I fear this matter can no longer be fulfilled. My master's divine might shakes the world, and the Yanmo Imperial Domain's disturbances were too great. The Yanmo Realm is also filled with countless spies planted by the Jiehun Realm. By now, sealing the news is simply too late."
"There's no need to actually succeed. Just make it look convincing enough." Yun Che narrowed his eyes.
"..." Yan Tianxiao furrowed his brow in thought for a moment, then said, "Understood."
"Second," Yun Che shifted his gaze slightly, "send someone to the Huangtian Realm to bring a person before me. It would be best if you can do it silently. But if you're exposed, it's not a major issue."
Huangtian Realm?
Yan Tianxiao's brow twitched slightly... This was the very place where Yun Che had killed Yan San Geng, the leader of the Yan Ghosts.
At the time, he had flown into a rage, ordering his men to capture Yun Che at all costs, even sending three Yanmo to the Jiehun Realm to demand his return... Back then, he never dreamed that Yun Che would turn out to be such a terrifying scourge.
"Might I ask who my master wishes to bring?" he inquired cautiously.
Yun Che lifted his head and spoke in a low voice: "Tian Guhu."
As the foremost figure of the younger generation, Tian Guhu possessed astonishing cross-level capabilities. Even Yan Tianxiao knew of him well.
He did not ask further. Turning around, he ordered: "Yan E, go personally to the Huangtian Realm and bring Tian Guhu here."
"Do it now."
For an ordinary upper-level star realm person, it wouldn't warrant sending a Yanmo in person.
But the Huangtian Realm was, after all, the number one star realm below the king realms in the Northern Divine Region. And Tian Guhu was a rising star with a reputation at its peak. Plus, this was a direct order from Yun Che... Sending a Yanmo personally was not an exaggeration.
"Yes!"
Yan E acknowledged the order and vanished in a flash.
"Yan One, Two, Three, follow me." Yun Che commanded.
Yan Tianxiao asked, "May I ask where my master wishes to go?"
Yun Che walked past him without stopping, leaving only a cold, piercing voice: "Do your own work well. What you should know, you will know. What you shouldn't know, don't be nosy!"
Such words were normally used by Yan Tianxiao to admonish others. He had never been on the receiving end before.
But the shock of Yan Wu's dramatic transformation had yet to subside. He quickly adjusted to his new role and said, "My master's lesson is well taken... I see my master off."
Yun Che and the Three Yan Ancestors departed, heading in the direction of the Eternal Dark Bone Sea.
The imperial hall fell into a terrible silence. After a long while, Yan Tu was the first to speak, asking with extreme caution: "Master, are we truly going to... to..."
The Yanmo Realm seemed unchanged.
The Yan Emperor was still the Yan Emperor. The Yanmo were still the Yanmo. The Yanmo Imperial Domain still had its original inhabitants, not occupied or taken hostage by outsiders. Their freedom was also unrestricted.
As for losses, there were just a pile of collapsed buildings.
As for Yan Jie... the sooner he jumped out and was disposed of, the better. If the Yanmo were to truly make him emperor in the future, the consequences would be unimaginable.
This surface-level lack of change, with no apparent constraints on them, meant they could turn their coats at any time. Behind it all, there was clearly a confidence and arrogance that showed no concern about betrayal.
Yan Tianxiao did not answer. He looked at Yan Wu: "Wu'er, what are your thoughts?"
Yan Wu shifted her mind from the massive changes in her body and said slowly: "Right now, I feel that even if we leave the Northern Divine Region, the control and recovery of dark profound energy won't be too greatly affected."
These words caused everyone's expressions to shift dramatically.
"Your Highness, what do you mean?" Yan Tu asked somewhat urgently.
"Back then, Chi Wuyue spoke many times to Father King about wanting to break the cage of the Northern Domain, but... all of it was just foolish dreams." Yan Wu's face was covered in frost, but not the kind of cold that intimidated others—it was a rapidly gathering resolve:
"But Yun Che—his words were not empty boasts!"
Yan Wu swept her gaze and said: "This one and only life—if we can only forever seal ourselves in darkness, it would be far too boring, too stifling. Since we have such an opportunity, such a leader, why not take a gamble and become rebels who shatter the chains of darkness!"
"Even if we ultimately lose and die, at least we will have done justice to the power we bear, and to this land of darkness we were born into!"
These words from Yan Wu stirred everyone's hearts.
And she had been the one who showed the most resistance, the most unwillingness earlier.
Yet after being touched by Yun Che, her mindset had undergone such a massive change.
Yan Tianxiao's gaze was calm: "So you mean..."
"I have decided to follow him!" Yan Wu's beautiful eyes were condensed cold, resolute and unwavering.
What enters the ears through words and what is personally experienced are always entirely different concepts.
"Have you truly decided?" Yan Tianxiao asked again.
"Without regret." Yan Wu raised her hand, black light spiraling in her palm, and said slowly: "In the past, as soon as we left the Northern Domain, we would be half-crippled. Resistance was a joke. But now, I can't wait to unleash the dark power within me... fully upon the land of the Three Divine Regions! Let them taste the anger and hatred we've accumulated for countless years!"
Bang!
Her fingers closed, and the black light extinguished. She lowered her eyes and said: "Don't find it strange. When you receive the same blessing... you will understand! I can now somewhat comprehend the choice of the three ancestors."
Indeed, the Yanmo and Yan Ghosts could not fully understand Yan Wu's feelings and transformation. But at least, her words and great change subtly suppressed most of their reluctance.
"Good." Yan Tianxiao nodded slowly. He now understood that Yun Che's choice of Yan Wu first had a special intention behind it.
"Remember his words. The loyalty he demands is only once." Yan Tianxiao's voice grew heavy: "If you've truly decided, there will be no chance to go back."
"No, with his domineering ruthlessness, whether one is willing or unwilling now, there is already no place for turning back." Yan Wu said coldly: "Rather than dying in vain in his hands, wouldn't it be far better to die in the hands of the three divine regions!"
Compared to her earlier unwillingness and resistance, now anyone who tried to turn coat would likely be killed by Yan Wu first.
"Hehehe." Yan Tianxiao laughed very calmly, with no negative color in his expression. As the Yan Emperor, he seemed to have no objection to Yan Wu's words: "Wu'er is right. No matter what you think in your hearts, you must remember that Yun Che is now the master above this king."
"His terror, and whether he is qualified—you have all seen it clearly with your own eyes. At the very least... no matter what, there must be no open defiance."
Yan Tianxiao gave the order: "Obey my master's command. Quickly seal the news!"
——————
Eternal Dark Bone Sea.
Leading the Three Yan Ancestors, Yun Che returned to the Eternal Dark Bone Sea. But he did not come to cultivate. Instead, he flew straight toward the edge of the Eternal Dark Bone Sea.
As he advanced, patches of purple light appeared in the dark world.
It was the Netherworld Brahma Flower's netherworld purple light. But for Yun Che now, these terrifying purple lights could no longer interfere with his soul.
His gaze did not linger on the Netherworld Brahma Flower at all.
Because those purple lights would drag his soul into a gray and painful abyss.
As his figure halted, his gaze pierced through layers of broken demon bones and fell upon a magic crystal flowing with mysterious black light.
These magic crystals were distributed at the very edge of the Eternal Dark Bone Sea, like naturally formed, irregularly shaped dark crystals. Under the reflection of the dim phosphorescent light around them, they refracted a gentle and dreamlike luster.
Yun Che's body descended, and he reached out his hand to touch these dark magic crystals that had condensed at the edge of the bone sea.
"Master, do not touch!" The Three Yan Ancestors cried out in unison.
Yun Che's fingers stopped.
Yan One said: "These magic crystals are formed by the most primitive ancient yin qi, condensed over an extremely long period of time. They may appear similar to ordinary dark magic crystals, but in reality, the dark power they contain is not only of extremely high density but also extremely violent. The slightest touch will invite their devouring."
Yan Two said: "We once tried to harness their power, but even with the combined strength of the three of us, we could not do so. After that, we dared not approach again... Ah!"
With a startled exclamation from Yan Two, Yun Che's fingers landed lightly but firmly on the dark magic crystal.
The dark magic crystal showed no reaction at all.
The Three Yan Ancestors immediately breathed a huge sigh of relief. Yan Three quickly said: "You two old ghosts, spewing useless nonsense. What kind of figure is our master? How dare these mere Eternal Dark Magic Crystals act presumptuously before him!"
"Yes, yes, we were overthinking." Yan One and Yan Two quickly nodded.
Yun Che removed his hand from the magic crystal in front of him, his eyes half-closed, streaks of dark light flashing within.
The most stable form of power existence was undoubtedly crystallization.
For this reason, all kinds of profound crystals were used to aid cultivation, to construct profound arrays and artifacts, and also used as currency of various levels.
But the dark crystals before him, which the Three Yan Ancestors called [Eternal Dark Magic Crystals], were clearly completely different from the dark crystals of the outside world.
The moment Yun Che touched them, the violent, ready-to-explode power within was like a raging demon god sleeping inside, waking up at the slightest touch.
These were special crystals formed by the primitive yin qi of the Eternal Dark Bone Sea from long-forgotten ages... The death qi released by the ancient demons shortly after their deaths—how much hatred and ferocity must it contain!
Yun Che's gaze swept slowly. He could see only a few traces of magic crystal light in his field of vision. But for such a vast Eternal Dark Bone Sea, the number of Eternal Dark Magic Crystals that had condensed would undoubtedly be an astronomically large quantity.
As his gaze shifted, the corners of Yun Che's mouth curled up bit by bit, revealing a sinister arc like a bloodthirsty evil ghost.
Behind him, the Three Yan Ancestors all shuddered in unison.