Chapter 1770: Obsession Breaks the Clouds
Huo Poyun wore a fiery red robe like flames. He did not come alone; behind him were the three Flame God Sect Masters who had once dominated the Yan Shen Realm and together pushed Huo Poyun to become the Yan Shen Realm King:
Vermilion Bird Sect Master Yan Wancang, Fenghuang Sect Master Yan Juehai, and Golden Crow Sect Master Huo Rulie.
All four of the strongest figures in the Yan Shen Realm had arrived, bringing a restless, scorching aura to this snowy domain.
Mu Huanzhi had been waiting outside. He immediately stepped forward, quickly scanning the expressions of the four, and asked knowingly, “Welcome, Yan Shen Realm King and three Sect Masters. I wonder what brings you four here today?”
Under Mu Huanzhi’s words, none of the four spoke.
Huo Poyun stared straight ahead, his gaze calm, revealing no particular emotion. The expressions of the three Flame God Sect Masters were quite complex. Huo Rulie stepped forward and said in a low voice, “Poyun, listen to me. This is my last time…”
“My mind is made up. No need to say more!” Huo Poyun coldly interrupted him.
“!” Huo Rulie nearly ground his teeth to pieces.
Not only was Huo Rulie hot-tempered, he was also extremely stubborn. Once he decided something, he would never change it. This was not only well known in the Yan Shen Realm but also in the Yin Xue Realm.
The former, Huo Poyun did not resemble him; the latter, however, he surpassed him by far.
Mu Huanzhi frowned and spoke again, “I will go inform the Sect Master immediately.”
“No need.” Huo Poyun raised his gaze slightly and said in a deep voice, “Right here is fine.”
The wind and snow abruptly ceased. An invisible, oppressive spiritual pressure descended silently, causing the three Flame God Sect Masters to choke in an instant, their vision darkening.
In Huo Poyun’s pupils, a black figure slowly reflected.
He had appeared in the sky at some unknown moment, his pitch-black eyes like the dark night, like an abyss. The gaze looking down at them held no disturbance of a long-lost acquaintance, only icy coldness and indifference.
A familiar face, but his eyes and aura had undergone earth-shattering changes.
The bodies of the three Flame God Sect Masters involuntarily shrank in suffocation. Even Huo Rulie, who had once been the closest to Yun Che, always laughing and shouting “Brother Yun,” instinctively suppressed all his flame aura.
In the projection, Yun Che was already terrifying and chilling. But facing him in person, they realized just how horrifying his dark aura truly was.
It was not only a sense of inferiority in existence, but also like being strangled by a demon’s grip. With just a thought, he could end their lives, with no regard for past friendships or any mercy.
Huo Poyun held his head high and smiled faintly. “Yun Che, it’s been many years again. Your condition seems far better than I expected.”
On the other side, the demoness Chan Yi, who had just arrived, narrowed her delicate brows sharply.
A mere Upper Realm King dared to call Yun Che by name? That was undoubtedly a grave disrespect.
She was about to step forward, but Chi Wuyue gently reached out and stopped her. Then, Chi Wuyue turned her gaze slightly toward another direction below, where Mu Feixue stood quietly, watching from afar.
Mu Huanzhi wisely stepped back.
Yun Che did not change his posture and spoke indifferently, “Yan Shen Realm King, coming to die on your own is good. It saves this Demon Lord some time. In that case, I will grant you a swift death.”
“Demon… Demon Lord!” Huo Rulie hurried forward and said urgently, “We came to beg the Demon Lord’s forgiveness. Poyun did not mean to defy you. He happened to be breaking through during this time and only just emerged from seclusion, thus delaying the seven-day deadline. I beg the Demon Lord to consider past friendships and give Poyun… give the Yan Shen Realm a chance to pledge allegiance.”
He had originally hoped to use the familiar address “Brother Yun” to narrow the distance. But facing Yun Che directly, he simply could not dare to utter those four words.
“Past friendships?” Yun Che said coldly. “Those friendships have long been extinguished. Now, what friendship does this Demon Lord have with the Yan Shen Realm King?”
“…” Huo Rulie’s whole body tensed, his heart bitter. He had learned afterward that Huo Poyun had leaked Yun Che’s whereabouts to the Shengyu Realm back then. To this day, he could not understand why Huo Poyun would do something so foolish.
But there was no doubt that his friendship with Yun Che had dissipated from that moment. Yun Che’s failure to retaliate back then was already the utmost kindness.
Huo Poyun, however, smiled without a trace of fear. He extended his hand, golden flames burning in his palm, the surrounding snow rapidly melting under the flame radiance: “Back then, we once agreed to have another contest after the Zhou Tian Divine Realm. Although we did not enter the Zhou Tian Divine Realm afterward, this agreement is not unsuitable now.”
“An agreement?” Yun Che laughed with extreme contempt. “I don’t remember.”
“No matter.” Huo Poyun was not angered at all. The golden flames in his hand gradually intensified: “I remember, and that’s enough.”
As his voice fell, he suddenly soared into the air. Flame light filled the sky, and the Golden Crow Flame in his hand condensed into a dazzling golden flame sword, thrusting straight at Yun Che.
“Poyun!”
The three Flame God Sect Masters were greatly shocked. Once Huo Poyun attacked Yun Che, there would be no room for mercy.
The three acted simultaneously… but how could they, in their current state, stop Huo Poyun? Before they could even get close, they were flung far away. Huo Poyun’s Golden Crow Flame light was already directly in front of Yun Che.
The might of the Divine Lord Realm caused the space, accustomed to extreme cold, to twist violently. Yun Che did not move. When the flame light came close, he casually reached out and lightly gathered his five fingers forward.
In an instant, the dazzling flame light that filled the sky suddenly dimmed. Then the flames on Huo Poyun’s body rapidly extinguished, and even the flame sword in his hand disappeared layer by layer.
By the time Huo Poyun’s figure halted in front of Yun Che, not a trace of firelight could be seen on him. Even the Golden Crow Flame in his pupils had become unusually dim.
With Yun Che’s rise in cultivation level and his comprehension of the Void Law, his control over flames had far surpassed his previous self, and was absolutely beyond Huo Poyun’s expectations.
Seeing his own Golden Crow Flame extinguish almost out of thin air, Huo Poyun’s pupils contracted slightly. His figure also stopped in front of Yun Che, unable to advance even half a step. Under Yun Che’s dark demonic might, his flame might was devoured without a trace.
Before any force had even clashed, he was already utterly defeated.
In his sight, Yun Che’s face was right before him, inches away. There was no sneer on his face, no contempt in his eyes, not even a trace of pity—only darkness and endless indifference.
It was as if Huo Poyun did not even qualify for his disdain or mercy.
“Those who knelt, lowered their heads, and swore allegiance to me,” Yun Che said indifferently, “I crushed their dignity and planted eternal darkness within them. But at the same time, their families, clans, sects, and the countless beings in their star realms survived.”
“Their choice was very wise. After all, if one cannot bend when necessary, how can they qualify to be an Upper Realm King? As for those self-righteous fools, this Demon Lord naturally grants their wish.”
Yun Che finally showed a bit of expression, a low, cold smile: “At least we were acquaintances, so you are much more fortunate than them. After all, you are personally granted death by this Demon Lord!”
“Wait! Wait!” Huo Rulie, Yan Juehai, and Yan Wancang stepped forward, shouting frantically, “Demon Lord, please show mercy! He never…”
“Heh.” A low laugh chilled the three Flame God Sect Masters to the bone, rendering them unable to make another sound. “I once received the grace of the Phoenix Spirit under the Burial God Fire Prison, so I will kill only the Yan Shen Realm King and not bring disaster to the Yan Shen Realm.”
“But if you three dare say another word of pleading… you all die together!”
The icy words had no warmth or leeway.
As for Huo Poyun… he stared fixedly at Yun Che, no curses, no struggle. His aura was even fading, as if he had accepted his fate from the start.
At that moment, a flash of black light appeared beside Yun Che, and Chi Wuyue’s figure emerged.
“Show you something,” she said softly. “After you see it, then decide whether to kill him or not.”
With that, Chi Wuyue lightly tapped her jade finger, and a wisp of soul light touched Yun Che’s brow.
That soul light contained memories from Luo Changsheng. In the memory, Yun Che was unconscious, and someone suddenly struck him away, then fled desperately while carrying Yun Che—that person was Huo Poyun.
“…” Yun Che’s brow gradually sank. He stared at the unyielding Huo Poyun, his black eyes slowly narrowing. “The one who sent me to the Liuguang Realm back then… was you?!”
These words stunned everyone. Especially the three Flame God Sect Masters, whose eyes shook violently, clearly completely unaware of this.
As for Huo Poyun, upon hearing these words, instead of sneering or frowning, he showed a momentary… panic?
“I see.” Yun Che seemed to understand something, his eyes slowly narrowing. “You wanted me to kill you first, and then learn that you once saved me, so that I would forever be consumed by guilt. Is that it?”
Huo Poyun gritted his teeth fiercely. The calm he had maintained all along now shattered, both his pupils and hands trembling.
“Could it be…” Huo Rulie raised his head sharply and took out a crimson soul crystal. “Poyun, the thing you asked me to give the Demon Lord after your death… was the fact that you once saved him?”
“Heh… hehe.” Yun Che laughed. “Your so-called self-respect is this ridiculous?”
“Ah.” Chi Wuyue let out a complex, meaningful sigh.
“Aaah!”
Huo Poyun suddenly let out a scream. Flame light exploded from his body, and the Flame God Demon-Slaying Sword tore through the air, stabbing straight at Yun Che.
Clang!
With a great ringing sound, the Flame God Demon-Slaying Sword was caught between Yun Che’s two fingers, the flames on it rapidly extinguished.
Yun Che lowered his cold eyes, looking at Huo Poyun’s somewhat ferocious face and smiling faintly. “You want me to kill you that badly? Then I won’t. After all, you saved me once. My life is far more valuable than yours. This ‘debt of gratitude,’ I will definitely repay!”
Bang!
With a flick of his finger, Huo Poyun, whose aura was in chaos, tumbled heavily downward.
He twisted in midair and was about to attack Yun Che again… but in that twist, he inadvertently met Chi Wuyue’s eyes.
Boom!
His vision went black. Thousands of bells seemed to ring inside his head. His chaotic soul turned into countless violent demons, rampaging through his sea of consciousness…
The power he had just mustered dissipated instantly. He fell straight down, landing in the pale snow.
The three Flame God Sect Masters hurried forward to support him.
His sight flickered. His consciousness had never been so heavy, but Huo Poyun stubbornly refused to black out. He lifted his head bit by bit, his scattered pupils fixed on Yun Che’s figure: “If you have the guts… kill me…”
“…” Such astonishing willpower surprised even Chi Wuyue slightly.
Yun Che hovered in the air, looking down, and said in a deep voice, “In this Eastern Divine Region, if I want someone to die, they must die. If I want someone to live, they have no right to die!”
“Yan Wancang, Yan Juehai, Huo Rulie.” He said coldly, “Take him back to the Yan Shen Realm. Make sure he lives well. If he dies… I will make sure the Eastern Divine Region has no more Yan Shen Realm!”
“…”
With counterflowing blood attacking his heart, Huo Poyun’s vision blackened again, then turned into complete darkness… and finally, he passed out.
Even in his coma, his teeth were tightly clenched, bloodstains seeping between them.
Yun Che had not only refrained from killing Huo Poyun but had issued a demonic decree forbidding his death. The three Flame God Sect Masters did not know whether to be relieved or saddened.
They lifted Huo Poyun, made a simple bow, and dared not say another word. They soon departed far into the distance, their hearts filled with indescribable complexity.
Gazing into the distance, Yun Che’s eyes were fixed, unmoving for a long time.
Around them, the Ice Phoenix elders and disciples silently retreated, no one daring to approach.
“What are you thinking?” Chi Wuyue walked over and asked casually.
Yun Che let out a light breath and said, “Demon Empress, you know people well. Can you see through Huo Poyun?”
“Oh?” Chi Wuyue looked at him, a faint smile curving at the corner of her mouth.
Yun Che continued, “The Yan Shen Realm spent countless resources nurturing him. Back then, he always shouldered the future of the Yan Shen Realm. That placed heavy pressure on him early on, but it was also what made him remarkable.”
“Now that he has finally become the Yan Shen Realm King, he should be even more mindful of his current responsibilities and the safety of the Yan Shen Realm. Why is he so stubborn and irrational? And his hatred for me…” Yun Che frowned. “Is Mu Feixue’s place in his heart really more important than the Yan Shen Realm that he devoted his life to?”
Chi Wuyue’s lips curved slightly, and she said lightly, “After you arrived, Feixue also came. Huo Poyun must have sensed her aura. Just now, his gaze only shifted toward Mu Feixue’s direction once. After that, it was always focused on one person.”
Yun Che frowned: “What do you mean?”
“I’m thinking about a very interesting question.” Chi Wuyue smiled. “Is Huo Poyun’s obsession truly with the person ‘Mu Feixue,’ or with the fact that ‘the person Mu Feixue likes is you’?”
Yun Che: “?”
“You two were once good friends, weren’t you?” Chi Wuyue suddenly asked.
“…Yes.” Yun Che nodded. He had once sincerely regarded Huo Poyun as his only friend in the God Realm.
“Do you know the most important thing for two people to become friends?” Chi Wuyue asked again.
Yun Che could not answer.
“Equality.”
Chi Wuyue glanced at him and then recalled the day he first met Huo Poyun: “Back then, you were a personal disciple of the Yin Xue Realm King, and he was a personal disciple of the Golden Crow Sect Master. You were close in age and status, and in your respective star realms, you were both the most dazzling among the younger generation.”
“In your battle that year, he lost—lost in elemental control. But in terms of profound cultivation, he far surpassed you. When you reached out a hand to help him up, the gaze you exchanged and the words you spoke—anyone could see, hear, and feel the mutual admiration between you.”
“Geniuses are destined to be lonely. To Huo Poyun, you were probably the first friend he truly acknowledged. Coupled with his personality, he was very serious about and cherished your friendship.”
“At that time, there was an ‘equality’ between you. You would support and encourage each other without any gap.”
Chi Wuyue paused, looking at Yun Che’s profile: “When did this ‘equality’ begin to break? And who broke it?”
“…” Yun Che’s gaze froze.
Chi Wuyue continued, “At the Xuan Shen Assembly, he was defeated by Jun Xilei with a single sword strike. And you, later, dealt a heavy blow to Jun Xilei. Your intention was to vent his anger, but in reality, it created a tremendous gap between the two of you. Moreover, even though he was a disciple of the Golden Crow Sect, it was you who ignited the blazing Golden Crow Flame on the Feng Shen Platform.”
“The ‘equality’ between you was completely torn apart. You stood at the high point, oblivious. He was thrown far behind… To a young man in his early twenties who treasured his first friendship so deeply, it was indeed an enormous blow.”
“That blow first brought disappointment. I think he must have tried hard to overcome it. But afterward, he learned that the girl he had loved at first sight liked you instead.”
Chi Wuyue sighed softly and shook her head: “Disappointment, resentment, jealousy, indignation, longing, self-pity… when these feelings are mixed strongly, no one can predict what they will twist into.”
“In fact, if you think carefully, Huo Poyun and Feixue have met very few times. They have no shared hardships or special memories. How could such an obsessive feeling truly arise?”
“Moreover, during the years when you were ‘dead’ in the Xing Shen Realm, he did often come to the Yin Xue Realm to see Feixue. But they were always just visits, never overstepping. Based on my observations of him back then, he did admire Feixue, but it was not to the point of ‘intensity,’ let alone obsession.”
“But after you returned alive, his ‘obsession’ suddenly erupted.”
Chi Wuyue’s voice became drawn out, soft and gentle: “Seeing you and Feixue being intimate, he wished he could use Luo Guxie to kill you. But when he saw you about to die by Luo Changsheng’s hand, he risked his own life to save you.”
“Your guess just now was correct. Huo Poyun came this time hoping you would kill him. Then, he would let you learn that he had once saved you, giving rise to a strong, perhaps lifelong, guilt… In this way, he could finally gain the upper hand here. But that hope was cruelly shattered.”
The culprit was actually Chi Wuyue. If she had not shown Yun Che Luo Changsheng’s memory, Huo Poyun would have gotten his wish.
“He cares about Feixue, but he cares ten times more about you.”
With a light glance at Yun Che, Chi Wuyue turned and walked away slowly.
Snow blew past. Yun Che stood motionless for a long time… In the distance, Chan Yi kept her lips slightly parted, her mind in chaos.