Chapter 188: Young Master of the Fen Tian Gate
One year's time, amidst the pursuit of countless profound beasts, killing ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine profound beasts — and every single one of those profound beasts was far above his level. The difficulty and ridiculousness of this trial was not just cruel, it was outright insane.
What infuriated Yun Che the most was... couldn't they at least make it a round number!? Why did it have to be exactly 99999!
As the voice of the Primordial Azure Dragon faded, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly shifted from fresh to eerie.
Countless profound beast roars sounded in the distance. Around Yun Che, dozens of profound beast shadows stirred. Their auras locked firmly onto Yun Che, and then they all charged toward him.
The profound energy aura exuded by these profound beasts was not a single one below the Spirit Xuan Realm.
In the blink of an eye, Yun Che was surrounded by a large number of profound beasts. The Primordial Azure Dragon's voice had said that the profound beasts here would be guided by its aura to actively approach Yun Che's direction, and upon discovering him, they would pursue him relentlessly unto death. These words were certainly not said lightly!
Yun Che quickly drew Long Que with one hand and faced these profound beasts. As Long Que swung, it brought forth streaks of dancing Phoenix Flames, continuously forcing back the surrounding profound beasts. However, the strength of these profound beasts far surpassed the Rock Dragon Warriors from the first trial. Dozens of them surging together created pressure far greater than being surrounded by hundreds of Rock Dragon Warriors. Moreover, as Yun Che fought, the number of profound beasts did not decrease but instead increased rapidly. At every moment, large numbers of profound beasts came running from all around.
Within a few dozen breaths, the pressure on Yun Che had become so heavy it nearly suffocated him. After another few dozen breaths, his situation was becoming increasingly precarious. He firmly protected Chu Yuechan and urgently asked Mo Li for help: "Mo Li, what should we do now!"
"There's only one way," Mo Li said calmly.
Yun Che's spirits lifted: "What way?"
"Run, of course!" Mo Li snapped angrily. "If you don't run now, are you waiting to die here!? Did the Star God Remnant Shadow I taught you become a decoration!?"
"…"
"Haah!!"
Flames exploded from Yun Che's body. A small Burning Star Demon Lotus bloomed layer by layer, quickly forcing back the surrounding group of powerful profound beasts. Taking advantage of the fire's cover, he leaped high into the air. After making a long-distance sprint with Phoenix Wing Firmament, he used Star God Remnant Shadow for several consecutive instant movements, finally breaking free from the profound beasts' encirclement. He stored Long Que into the Heavenly Poison Pearl, making his body instantly much lighter. Then, concentrating his profound energy at his feet, he hugged Chu Yuechan and ran off at full speed.
"For this trial, whether it's the intensity of the enemies or the degree of danger, the time required will far exceed that of the first trial," Mo Li said with a heavy voice. "Although your method of passing this trial is to kill 99,999 profound beasts, given how terrifying this place is, if you so much as touch a single profound beast, you'll alert all the surrounding profound beasts and then fall into a dangerous situation — and that's not even considering that you're dragging along a deadweight! So the vast majority of your time here won't be spent hunting, but running!"
"In these past few months, all your training has been focused on the heavy sword and the Great Dao Pagoda Art, but you've neglected the Star God Remnant Shadow I taught you! If you want to pass this trial, you must first practice your survival skills. To properly stay alive in this dangerous place full of Spirit Xuan Beasts, you must, in the shortest possible time, cultivate Star God Remnant Shadow to the second realm of 'Two-fold Shadow'!"
"I'll give you one month. During this month, stay in the safest possible place, and unless absolutely necessary, do not attack any profound beasts. That way, at least you'll be much safer. During this time, you must cultivate Star God Remnant Shadow to the second realm."
"Since you were able to break through to the second realm of the Great Dao Pagoda Art in such a short time, with your comprehension, this goal shouldn't be too difficult for you! Once you can manifest Two-fold Shadow and have stronger survival and escape abilities, then you can start hunting these profound beasts... Do you understand!"
"...Understood." Yun Che didn't object in the slightest to Mo Li's words. The heavy pressure and sense of crisis he had felt when surrounded by dozens of Spirit Xuan Beasts earlier still left him with lingering fear.
There was one sentence Mo Li had spoken that was absolutely correct... To pass this trial, the first priority was to keep yourself alive!
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Cangfeng Imperial City, Lanyue Palace.
Azure Moon Princess, fully adorned in ceremonial robes, stood by the lotus pond, gazing at her own incomparably beautiful reflection in the water. Her gaze was vague and distant, as if lost in thought.
A palace maid hurried over, bent respectfully, and said, "Your Highness, the Cangfeng Mystic Palace's Palace Master Qin requests an audience."
Azure Moon Princess shifted her gaze from the water: "Please, come in."
Before long, Qin Wushang arrived alone. He bowed to Azure Moon Princess and said, "Qin Wushang pays respects to Her Highness the Princess."
"Palace Master Qin, no need for formalities... Palace Master Qin, have you come this time because you have news of Yun Che?" Azure Moon Princess's voice carried an obvious urgency.
Qin Wushang slowly shook his head, then sighed: "I am ashamed to say, we still haven't found any trace of him... Ah, Your Highness, please forgive my bluntness, but the Death Wasteland is a place where even I dare not set foot lightly. Five months ago, many people saw him enter, but no one has ever seen him come out. In that place, too many geniuses have fallen. A full five months... Ah, Your Highness, please stop clinging to this hope."
"No — absolutely not! I believe he is definitely fine!" Azure Moon Princess's voice began to tremble slightly. Although she had been trying hard to suppress it, her emotions were still starting to get out of control, and a mist of tears uncontrollably gathered in her eyes: "He promised me... that he would return safely... that he would be back within half a year... He is definitely fine... He just doesn't want to be found by us... Definitely..."
She said six "definitely"s and one "absolutely" in a row, uncertain whether she was trying to convince Qin Wushang or herself.
Shortly after Yun Che left, she could not suppress her longing and tried to send him a voice transmission. But neither the thousand-mile sound transmission talisman nor the precious ten-thousand-mile sound transmission talisman received any response. Later, she finally learned of Yun Che's whereabouts... In front of the Death Wasteland, many people had seen a young man of about sixteen or seventeen, carrying a large black sword, enter the Death Wasteland alone. The innkeeper where he had stayed further confirmed this.
But no one had ever seen him come out.
If she had known back then that the place Yun Che was going to was the Death Wasteland, she would never have let him leave by any means. Because that was a nightmare land filled with death. Countless people perished there every year, including numerous top geniuses who had absolute confidence in their own strength.
Such news had caused Azure Moon Princess's spirit to nearly collapse... Now, five full months had passed, and still no one had seen him come out. Even the elite teams that ventured deep into the territory of Spirit Xuan Beasts had never encountered him.
And to have entered the Death Wasteland for five full months without coming out and without any trace — the only possibility was that he had perished there, his body destroyed or devoured by profound beasts.
Qin Wushang sighed silently in his heart. He too deeply regretted Yun Che's fall. He quickly changed the subject: "Your Highness, just now I had an audience with His Majesty to discuss the matters of this year's Cang Feng Ranking Competition. His Majesty instructed me to discuss it directly with Your Highness. There is only one month left until the competition begins. The profound practitioners representing the Cangfeng Imperial Clan must be decided. May I ask if Your Highness has any candidates in mind, or, as in previous years, should we select them through competition from the Inner Palace's disciples?"
Azure Moon Princess averted her gaze. Only after her mood had somewhat calmed did she say with a distant look in her eyes: "Palace Master Qin, wait a little longer... wait another half a month. If... if there is still no news of him, then we will conduct an Inner Palace selection as in previous years."
"But that would make the schedule too..." Qin Wushang stopped halfway, seeing the sorrowful expression on Azure Moon Princess's face. Feeling a pang of pity, he swallowed the words "too hasty" and clasped his hands, saying, "I understand. Everything will be as Your Highness commands. As for Yun Che, I beg Your Highness to be open-minded about it. Now, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince's actions are becoming increasingly rampant. Your Highness is His Majesty's last support. Please take good care of yourself... Ah, I take my leave."
As the Vice Palace Master of the Cangfeng Mystic Palace, Qin Wushang was naturally no fool. When Yun Che first entered the Cangfeng Mystic Palace, the special attention Azure Moon Princess showed him could still be understood as valuing him to represent the imperial clan in the Cang Feng Ranking Competition. But later, she personally went to the Inner Palace to visit him every few days. Others might not know, but as the Mystic Palace Master, he could not possibly be unaware. After learning that Yun Che had entered the Death Wasteland, her various reactions made Qin Wushang increasingly understand that she had clearly developed feelings for Yun Che, and it was not merely "valuing."
"...Palace Master Qin, take care."
Watching Qin Wushang leave, Azure Moon Princess turned her head and slowly closed her eyes...
Junior Yun, why did you go to such a dangerous place... Have you truly remained forever in that wasteland of death, never to come out again...
The Cang Feng Ranking Competition is about to begin. You said you would directly participate in this year's competition... But where are you now... You made me accustomed to your presence, made my heart, which was like a drifting duckweed, find attachment, reliance, and a sense of belonging because of you. Why did you so hastily disappear from my world...
If you do not appear in this Cang Feng Ranking Competition... then after Father Emperor passes away, I will go to the Death Wasteland myself to search for you... If I cannot find you, I will stay with you... and remain there forever... so you won't be lonely...
Her two delicate hands quietly clenched. Beneath the luxurious phoenix robe and phoenix crown, strands of sorrowful aura seeped out.
At that moment, a young man's unrestrained voice came over:
"Hahaha, little sister, so you are here. Your brother has come to see you. Look quickly, see who His Highness has brought for you."
This voice caused a slight furrow in Azure Moon Princess's brows. The expression on her face instantly shifted from grief to calm. She turned around and looked at the speaker and the person standing shoulder to shoulder with him. Her gaze was utterly unruffled, and her voice was as calm as water: "Third Imperial Brother, Young Master Fen, long time no see."
The words "long time no see" were as faint as a light breeze, carrying no surprise or joy of a reunion after a long separation.
Third Prince Cang Shuo appeared to be twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. The person beside him was a bit younger, only about twenty-two or twenty-three, yet he stood shoulder to shoulder with this imperial prince. His innate noble and proud aura was not at all weaker than Cang Shuo's; in fact, it surpassed it.
He took a step forward, bowed slightly, and in his eyes looking at Azure Moon Princess, there was no attempt to conceal the fervent, fiery admiration: "Fen Juecheng of the Fen Tian Gate pays respects to the beautiful and noble Azure Moon Princess. I heard that Your Highness returned to the palace eight months ago, but during this time Juecheng has been in closed-door cultivation at the Lieyang Fire Domain and only emerged two days ago. I hope Your Highness will not hold it against me."
"Hahaha," Cang Shuo laughed. "As soon as Young Master Fen emerged from seclusion, he could not wait and traveled day and night to come see little sister. Such sincere feelings are truly touching and enviable."