Chapter 496: Huan Yao Realm
Huan Yao Realm... Huan Yao Realm...
Yun Che's mind instantly became chaotic. It had been three days since he arrived in this world, and during that time, he hadn't deliberately inquired about the name of this world. After all, this was a completely unfamiliar foreign world; what it was called didn't matter much to him. Moreover, asking people what the world was called carried the risk of being seen as an idiot.
The name of this world was actually Huan Yao Realm!
Impossible! There was absolutely no way it was the Huan Yao Realm he knew — it had to be a coincidence that they shared the same name! The Primordial Mystic Ark had traveled through space for a full eighteen months... this was space travel, not simple flight! And even basic flight over eighteen months at Yun Che's speed would have crossed countless continents. Eighteen months of space travel could have reached virtually any corner of the entire universe... the distance from the Tian Xuan Continent would be terrifyingly astronomical!
And the Huan Yao Realm he knew was on the same planet as the Tian Xuan Continent and the Cang Yun Continent.
How could eighteen months of space travel still leave him on the Lan Ji Star!
Moreover, the Huan Yao Realm and the Tian Xuan Continent had long-standing grudges. People from the Huan Yao Realm even had ways to reach the Tian Xuan Continent, and perhaps people from the Tian Xuan Continent had also entered the Huan Yao Realm. They should at least know some information about each other... If the Huan Yao Realm also had the Primordial Mystic Ark appearing every three hundred years, the Tian Xuan Continent would likely have known about it over the millennia of history. But when he was at the Fenghuang God Sect, he had never heard any such news.
No... it must just be a coincidence!
Yun Che tried hard to convince himself, but at the same time, beyond the name... the Huan Yao Realm was a world where humans and demons coexisted, and so was this place. The ruler of the Huan Yao Realm was called the Demon Emperor, and the central city ahead was named Yao Huang City...
Was it really just a coincidence... or... or...
"Brother Yun, what's wrong?" Seeing Yun Che suddenly frozen there with his expression rapidly shifting, Tianxia Diyi asked in confusion.
Yun Che slowly raised his head, his expression a mix of gravity and bewilderment: "Brother Tianxia, Yun Xiao, Seventh Sister... have you ever heard of a place called... the Tian Xuan Continent?"
When he said the words "Tian Xuan Continent," there was still a slight tremor in Yun Che's voice. Because that place, which he had left two years ago, was his homeland, filled with countless people he deeply missed. If this place really was the Huan Yao Realm he knew, then returning to the Tian Xuan Continent would no longer be so unattainable.
And he clearly saw that at the mention of "Tian Xuan Continent," the expressions of Tianxia Diyi and the other two shifted, not in confusion, but... subtly!
"Not only have we heard of it, but it's thunderously famous." Tianxia Diyi answered without hesitation. "Brother Yun, young as you are yet possessing such strength, it seems you truly are devoted to cultivation and pay little attention to worldly affairs. A hundred years ago, the name of the Tian Xuan Continent was indeed unfamiliar in our Huan Yao Realm, known only to a very few. But over the past century, few in the entire Huan Yao Realm don't know the name Tian Xuan Continent. Because our Huan Yao Realm's Demon Emperor and Little Demon Emperor both died, one after the other, at the hands of those despicable people from the Tian Xuan Continent! Even the Demon King..." Tianxia Diyi glanced at Yun Xiao with deliberate meaning: "...fell into the hands of those despicable people from the Tian Xuan Continent, his fate unknown! The name Tian Xuan Continent... to us, the Twelve Guardian Clans who exist to protect the Demon Emperor Clan, it is not just something we have heard — it is something we must remember even in death!"
"Uh... Brother Yun said he came from a remote place and that this is his first time out training, so it's understandable that he doesn't know these things." Yun Xiao quickly explained on Yun Che's behalf.
Yun Che stood there dazed, saying nothing for a long time.
Tian Xuan Continent... Demon Emperor... Little Demon Emperor... Demon King... a hundred years ago... grudges... the Twelve Guardian Clans...
The name "Huan Yao Realm" could be a coincidence, but these... could all of these be coincidences?
How could they all be coincidences!
The world he was in now, this continent called "Huan Yao Realm"... was actually the very Huan Yao Realm he knew! It was on the same planet as the Tian Xuan Continent, and they had grudges and intersections!
"Mo Li, what's going on?" Yun Che shook his head and asked Mo Li. "The Primordial Mystic Ark traveled for so long, how could it end up in the Huan Yao Realm, which is in the same world as the Tian Xuan Continent? The Tian Xuan Continent has never had news of the Primordial Mystic Ark appearing in the Huan Yao Realm."
"How would I know?" Mo Li replied indifferently. But in her heart, she was somewhat disturbed... Two years ago, to intensify the spatial storm and subject Yun Che to a higher level of training, she had forcibly accelerated the Primordial Mystic Ark's travel speed and to some extent interfered with its trajectory... She never expected that her interference would cause the Primordial Mystic Ark, after eighteen months of travel, to return to the Lan Ji Star and stop above the Huan Yao Realm!
That was the only explanation.
But she naturally couldn't tell Yun Che the reason.
At that moment, Yun Che suddenly turned and stared intently at Yun Xiao... Twelve Guardian Clans... Yun Clan... young family head... picked-up bastard... and the name "Yun Xiao"... These were words he had casually heard earlier and hadn't paid any attention to, but now they were wildly interweaving in his mind, depicting a possibility that made him unable to calm down. Under Yun Che's fierce gaze, Yun Xiao felt his skin crawl. He swallowed hard and said with some trepidation: "Brother... Brother Yun, why are you staring at me like that... uh..."
Yun Che stepped forward, grabbed Yun Xiao's shoulder, and said with extreme seriousness: "Yun Xiao, tell me, the clan you belong to... is it the Yun Clan, the head of the Twelve Guardian Clans!"
"Ah..." Yun Xiao's sudden intense reaction left him at a loss. He looked at Tianxia Diqi for help and said cautiously: "Brother Yun, is... is it that your family or sect has some grudge against the Yun Clan? Please, please calm down first. Whatever misunderstanding it is, it can be resolved..."
Yun Che's unusual reaction made Tianxia Diyi and Tianxia Diqi exchange glances of surprise. But Tianxia Diyi's life experience far surpassed Yun Xiao's. Although Yun Che's emotions were somewhat abnormal, there was no hostility toward Yun Xiao. After a brief hesitation, he spoke: "I'll answer for this kid. He is indeed from the Yun Clan of the Twelve Guardian Clans, and he is the only son of the family head. However... Hmph, they are no longer worthy of the title 'head of the Twelve Guardian Clans.' Since the Demon King's fate became unknown a hundred years ago, the Yun Clan has been in constant turmoil. Twenty-five years ago, the Yun Clan head impulsively went to the Tian Xuan Continent. Although he returned alive three years later, both he and his wife were severely injured, becoming cripples, and they also lost the most important treasure of the Demon Emperor Clan, burdening the Yun Clan with a great sin."
"In just a hundred years, the core figures of the Yun Clan have fallen one after another. Coupled with internal turmoil, the Yun Clan's strength has plummeted. Once, the Yun Clan was indeed the head of the Twelve Guardian Clans, but now, their strength is undoubtedly at the very bottom! They are even gradually losing the qualification to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other eleven clans. Add to that the great sin of losing several treasures... Perhaps in a few years, the Twelve Guardian Clans will become the Eleven Guardian Clans."
Tianxia Diyi glanced at Yun Xiao dismissively. With the son of the Yun Clan present, every word he spoke was merciless, also highlighting the greatly declined status of the Yun Clan. What he said was not a secret among the twelve clans; it was basically common knowledge throughout the Huan Yao Realm, so he had no reservations in saying it.
Yun Xiao bit his lip, a look of reluctance on his face, but he said nothing.
Yun Che's chest heaved violently. Tianxia Diyi's words further confirmed the fact that this Huan Yao Realm was indeed the same Huan Yao Realm. The current Yun Clan head... both crippled twenty-two years ago... That timeframe made him think of another truth. The word "crippled" made his heart twitch violently.
"What is the name of the current Yun Clan head?" Yun Che struggled to stay calm. "Is he your father? What are the names of your father and mother? Are they... Yun Qinghong... and Mu Yurou!"
Yun Xiao's eyes widened, and he nodded woodenly: "They... indeed are my parents... Could it be that my parents have some conflict with your sect?"
"..." Yun Che's expression froze. He slowly released his grip on Yun Xiao's shoulders and stood there, silent for a long time.
"...Your father is named Yun Qinghong. Although I am already several hundred years old, I only have this one son. His talent is not bad, and like me, he awakened the cyan Arcane Firmament. Your mother is named Mu Yurou, the daughter of the ruler of the Mu Clan, another of the Guardian Clans serving the Demon Emperor. Though the Twelve Guardian Clans all exist to protect the Demon Emperor Clan, there are still rifts between them. The relationship between our Yun Clan and the Mu Clan has always been the best. Your parents grew up together and were childhood sweethearts. A hundred years ago, when I left the Huan Yao Realm alone, they had just married..."
Yun Canghai's words rang in his mind, each character like a morning drum and evening bell.
When Grandpa Yun Canghai spoke of the Yun Clan back then, he was full of pride, saying the words "head of the Twelve Guardian Clans" with great arrogance. But now, from Tianxia Diyi, he learned that the Yun Clan had rapidly declined over the past hundred years... Yun Canghai had been imprisoned for a hundred years, completely unaware that the Yun Clan's status had fallen so far. If he knew, he would probably die with lingering regret...
Yun Qinghong... that was the name of his biological father that Grandpa had told him!
Mu Yurou... his biological mother's name.
And the Yun Xiao before him... could he... be...
Mo Li: "..."
Tianxia Diyi frowned: "Could it be that you really have some conflict with the Yun Clan?"
After a long silence, Yun Che regained his composure. He slowly shook his head and gave a faint smile: "Of course not. It's just that, sharing the surname Yun, I have always deeply admired the late Demon King Yun Canghai and the current Yun Clan head Yun Qinghong. So suddenly learning that Yun Xiao is the son of the Yun Clan head, I got a little excited. My apologies for making you laugh."
"Ah? Is... is that so?" Yun Xiao relaxed, patting his chest and letting out a long breath: "You scared me. I really thought my savior might have some conflict with my clan. Hehe... I was overthinking it. It makes sense; my parents are such gentle people, how could they have enemies?"
"I see." Tianxia Diyi was not as naive as Yun Xiao. He could tell Yun Che was being insincere, but he didn't question or press further, just nodding slowly.
"If that's the case, then you two are really fated!" Tianxia Diqi seemed delighted: "Brother Yun can take Brother Yun to meet Uncle Yun. Brother Yun is not only powerful but also saved Brother Yun, and you share the same surname. Uncle Yun will surely be grateful and fond of Brother Yun. Hehe..."
Tianxia Diqi smiled happily. For someone to be recognized by her big brother Tianxia Diyi, even among the Twelve Guardian Clans, there were few. If Yun Xiao could become good friends with such a person, she would be more than willing to see it.