Chapter 1693: "Master"
"..."
Chi Wuyue's words came as if from an infinitely distant, infinitely illusory dream.
Confronting Chi Wuyue, who had taken the initiative to step into the Yanmo Divine Domain, Yun Che stood with his back against the Eternal Dark Bone Sea, holding an absolute certainty of victory, yet he dared not relax his mental vigilance in the slightest. Because her scheming was too terrifying, and she also bore the only Demon Emperor's Soul in the current world.
But... her light, ethereal words still pierced through his layers of soul defense, touching the deepest part of his soul.
Even though every word was as faint as smoke and clouds, they instantly stirred a vast ocean within his heart.
Ten years ago, Bing Huang's 36th Palace... Fuyun Cold Dew... Senior Sister...
That was back then, the first time in his life he had met Mu Xuanyin, the woman who had repeatedly changed his life and was deeply engraved into his soul.
All the scenes involving her, all the words that came from her, were carved into the deepest recesses of his life and soul with the most beautiful and pure crystal, as clear as her icy eyes, in a bloody, vivid manner.
How could he ever forget... Forever and ever, even until death, he could never forget.
And he would never allow any form of desecration!
His vision blurred violently, then instantly cleared. Yun Che's brows sank sharply, his eyes like cold swords: "So you can indeed... steal people's memories!"
The first encounter with Mu Xuanyin back then—the first time in his life that a woman's backward glance made his blood surge and reverse, his mind so disturbed that he almost appeared utterly disgraced... After that, even when facing Shen Xi, he had never been so lost and wretched.
At that time, the words "Big-chested Senior Sister" had nearly slipped out in his mental confusion, and in the end, he had cleverly mistaken her for Mu Feixue.
Only Mu Bingyun and Mu Xiaolan knew a little about what happened that day. No one else could possibly know.
Chi Wuyue spoke softly: "In this world, I can steal anyone's soul. Except for you... You possess the soul of an ancient azure dragon, and the Dark Eternal Calamity of Jie Tian Mo Di. With your current soul level, no one can forcibly take your soul or memories."
"Regarding this, you should understand and be more certain than anyone else."
"..." Yun Che's gaze shook violently, but he still desperately maintained his clarity, even forcing himself not to ask questions.
Although he sensed no fluctuations in soul power from Chi Wuyue and felt no erosion of his own soul, he knew—this must be her mysterious soul-stealing power.
It had to be!
"You must be very curious why I know about that day's events." Chi Wuyue still stood sideways to Yun Che, her voice soft and ethereal. "Because that day, the one who went to Bing Huang's 36th Palace and placed Fuyun Cold Dew in your hands... was me."
"..."
"..."
"Heh... hehe!" His vision blurred again, then Yun Che let out a low, cold laugh. "Chi Wuyue, your skill at telling jokes is truly terrible!"
"Furthermore..." His gaze and voice grew colder bit by bit, his fingers slowly clenching, a mass of dark light gathering in his palm, ready to strike. "Some things, no matter who, cannot be desecrated! You've done well—you've successfully angered me once again."
Boom!
He raised his arm, black light flashing. Behind him, Yan Yi and Yan San also raised their old eyes, the vast, heaven-like dark aura instantly released, locking onto Chi Wuyue.
Outside the hall, Yan Tianxiao and the other Yanmo sensed the shift in aura. Their Yanmo power also readied itself, awaiting only Yun Che's command to strike with all their might.
If the Demon Empress was eliminated, the Jiehun Realm would be leaderless, and annexing it would only be a matter of time.
A series of powerful auras converged on Chi Wuyue alone. The ancient yin aura of the Eternal Dark Bone Sea began to churn violently, like vast ocean waves, ready to converge on her at Yun Che's single thought.
The mighty Demon Empress of the Northern Domain was perhaps facing a true death crisis for the first time in her life, so isolated and helpless. Yet there was no alarm or fear in her demeanor—her aura remained as calm and peaceful as ever.
She slowly turned to face Yun Che... and at the moment she turned, her aura subtly changed.
Instead of growing stronger, it weakened, losing all aggression. Instead, it radiated a kind of cold, oppressive dignity—though it was certainly not enough to impose any spiritual pressure on a Divine Lord.
But at that instant, Yun Che, who had been wearing a cold smile and murderous intent, suddenly trembled slightly, his icy pupils silently widening.
"Che'er," Chi Wuyue sighed softly. "Is this how you speak to your master now?"
BOOM——
It felt as if countless stars had violently exploded in his heart and eyes.
All anger, murderous intent, and malice—even rationality—were annihilated in an instant, leaving only the violent trembling of his soul and the spinning of heaven and earth.
Yan Yi and Yan San were furious. Yan San, unable to contain his rage, acted directly. His body leaped forward, his right arm manifesting a thousand-zhang ghostly claw, aiming straight for Chi Wuyue's throat: "Insolent Demon Empress! How dare you speak to the master like that! Die!"
"GET BACK!!"
A roar exploded in Yan San's ear. Though it was a bellow of three words, it carried a distinct tremor.
Yan San frantically retracted his power mid-air, his aura in utter disarray as if someone had violently struck him with a dull club from above, causing him to fall clumsily.
He immediately scrambled back up and retreated stealthily behind Yun Che, his old face full of fear.
"Out..." Yun Che said in a low voice. "All of you, get out."
"Yes... yes, yes." Yan Yi and Yan San sensed Yun Che's sudden change but dared not ask a single question, hastily retreating.
The vast, empty imperial hall was left with only Yun Che and Chi Wuyue.
The dark light in Yun Che's hand had vanished at some point. He stared straight at Chi Wuyue, still shrouded in black mist, his teeth clenched tightly, desperately trying to stay calm... but his features still trembled, his pupils still contracted, unable to stop.
"Who are you..." He could hear his own voice shaking terribly. "Who the hell are you!"
Her aura, her posture, her voice, her tone, her gaze...
That sigh, that phrase "Che'er"...
All his senses, his entire soul, told him with overwhelming intensity that the figure who had only appeared in the most beautiful and most sorrowful dreams was now standing before him again.
"Sometimes, believing is indeed a very difficult thing," Chi Wuyue spoke slowly, each word seeming to drift from a dream as it fell on Yun Che's ears. "Then let your master help you see more clearly."
She suddenly smiled very softly, very gently, very seductively. Even beneath the black mist, one could see her enchanting demonic body lean slightly forward: "You refused to take Feixue... could it be that you want your master to accompany you in dual cultivation?"
BOOM——
Countless brilliant lights exploded in his mind again. Yun Che's body shook violently, nearly stumbling to the ground.
Utterly seductive words, soul-melting demonic sounds... Yun Che would never forget. Back then, Mu Xuanyin's soft sentence made his entire body feel as if it were burning with endless flames. Even with the Dragon God's Soul suppressing him, he was only a hair's breadth away from throwing himself at the master he deeply revered.
Exactly the same words, exactly the same voice and coquettishness.
Even in his hazy awareness and violent soul tremor, the same flames of desire ignited within him.
"You... you..."
Yun Che bit down hard on the tip of his tongue. The taste of blood and sharp pain struck together, but failed to suppress the violent agitation in his body and soul. He shook his head vigorously, speaking with difficulty: "No... you're not... who exactly are you... you..."
Having stepped into the Northern Divine Region, having extinguished all kindness and hesitation, he was for the first time in such utter mental chaos.
"I am your master," Chi Wuyue said. "But I am not Mu Xuanyin."
Yun Che's gaze sharpened.
"Your master has two personalities," Chi Wuyue spoke softly, her words carrying no soul power yet piercing straight through Yun Che's heart:
"One is Yinxue Realm King Mu Xuanyin, who seals her emotions, stands proud and aloof, and exudes supreme cold authority."
"The other... can you guess who it is?"
Yun Che stood frozen, silent for a long time. The turmoil in his heart surged a thousand times more intensely because of Chi Wuyue's words.
That Mu Xuanyin had two personalities—Yun Che had known this very clearly when he first became her disciple.
Normally, her demeanor and eyes radiated an unsurpassed cold authority that could almost freeze everything. All beings in Yin Xue and the entire Bing Huang Sect revered her with boundless awe. Yun Che was extremely obedient before her; once her icy eyes turned cold, he would fall silent in fear.
Yet at other times, she would become enchantingly seductive. Her icy body, which no one dared to desecrate or gaze upon, exuded a charm from every part and inch that could instantly obliterate any man's reason.
Especially her eyes and voice—a single glance or word could make souls melt and hearts drift, willing to sink into eternal illusion.
Yun Che had been with many women, but never had he encountered one so seductive.
Two completely different, even contradictory natures—one ultimate cold, one ultimate charm—yet they coexisted in the same person. This had once left him deeply astonished and bewildered. Even the Ice Phoenix deity beneath the Minghan Heavenly Lake had specifically mentioned it, expressing divine confusion.
But Yun Che, well-versed in medical principles, also knew that under certain excessively intense mental shocks, humans could indeed develop a second personality. Although, given Mu Xuanyin's formidable cultivation and icy soul, this situation was quite inexplicable, from a medical perspective, it was not entirely impossible.
Moreover, no other explanation could be found.
Later, Yun Che gradually discovered that Mu Xuanyin's seductive state seemed to appear only in front of him and Mu Bingyun. It never appeared before the sect or outsiders.
But all this had become a distant dream, forever lost.
Yet now, before his eyes, he saw that hazy, seductive shadow once more, heard that voice he thought had forever vanished from his life...
And a truth that threw him into chaotic turmoil.
"Do you know why, back then, as the Yinxue Realm King, 'she' personally went to the Bing Huang Palace to deliver 'Fuyun Cold Dew' to you? Because it was not Mu Xuanyin's will, but mine."
"Do you know why she could so easily see through the Evil God Inheritance within you? Was it really, as she explained at the time, because she recognized the 'Star God Remnant Shadow' you displayed?"
"No—it was because, when you stepped into the Bing Huang God Sect, my Nirvana Wheel Demon Soul told me about the Evil God aura on you. I went personally to deliver the Fuyun Cold Dew precisely to confirm this matter."
"..." Yun Che stood there, utterly stunned, as if his soul had fled.
"After taking you as a personal disciple, having Mu Feixue and all the Bing Huang female disciples with excellent talent and appearances cultivate with you in dual cultivation—such a licentious idea, given Mu Xuanyin's temperament, how could she ever conceive it? The one who proposed that method was also me..."
Yun Che: "..."
"The master you knew, faced, and were infatuated with—she did not have two personalities. She was two persons."
"One half was Mu Xuanyin, the other half was me."
"She and I together guided your growth, witnessed your changes, indulged everything about you, protected your safety... and together, unknowingly, carved your shadow into our souls."
"..." Yun Che's mind was a continuous roar, sometimes blank, sometimes chaotic. He opened his mouth repeatedly but could not utter a sound.
Chi Wuyue slowly closed her eyes, her voice as light as clouds beyond the sky: "Do you still think that I would scheme against you, that I would harm you..."