Chapter 570: Son of the Yun Clan
Boom—
The Yaohuang Hall instantly erupted into an uproar. All the elders and disciples of the Yun Clan stood up, their eyes wide as saucers, almost believing they were hallucinating. "Arcane Firmament, it's Arcane Firmament... it's our Yun Clan's Arcane Firmament!"
"Th-this... what's going on? Could Yun Che really be from our Yun Clan..."
"Although it's hard to believe, that is genuine Arcane Firmament! If he weren't from our Yun Clan, how could he have Arcane Firmament... and such a powerful Cyan Arcane Firmament at that!"
"He... he... he really is one of our Yun Clan!" a Yun Clan elder roared excitedly.
"Th-this... impossible!" Zhong Wang, Helian Kuang, Jiufang Kui, Chiyang Bailie, and the others all had their expressions drastically change. They stared at the Arcane Firmament before Yun Che, refusing to believe their eyes. Their previous certainty and sneers were replaced by shock and the ensuing terror. They knew very well what the consequences would be if Yun Che truly was a member of the Yun Clan.
But Yun Che... this adopted son taken in by Yun Qinghong, a man who had only first arrived in Yaohuang City three months ago—how could he possibly be a son of the Yun Clan! Three months ago, no one had ever heard of his existence. Even Prince Huai had been unable to trace his origins. His profound arts and techniques had absolutely nothing to do with the Yun Clan. Moreover, judging by the expressions of the Yun Clan members themselves, they clearly had no idea he was one of their own.
Yet, the Arcane Firmament that Yun Che had released was the most irrefutable proof. The Yun Clan's Arcane Firmament was unmatched in the world. Even if its appearance could be simulated with profound energy, the unique bloodline aura and Arcane Firmament power belonging solely to the Yun Clan could never be imitated.
The entire hall was in complete chaos. This was arguably the most tumultuous day of their lives. Their nerves, usually as tough as steel, were on the verge of utter collapse under the constant shocks. They even felt that even in a dream, nothing could be as bizarre, twisted, and unbelievable as today.
Behind Yun Che, Yun Waitian and Yun Duanshui had completely lost their usual composure, their profound energy in turmoil from excitement. They were nearly in tears. Although there was immense surprise and confusion, the Arcane Firmament was the most solid proof in the world. As elders of the Yun Clan, they could never mistake the Arcane Firmament.
Faced with Yun Che's Arcane Firmament, they could not help but be stirred. This signified not only the Yun Clan's complete victory today... The difference between Yun Che being Yun Qinghong's adopted son and being a true member of the Yun Clan was as vast as heaven and earth! The Yun Clan had declined miserably in this generation, becoming the bottom of the Twelve Clans, and the decline was worsening. But now that the Yun Clan had Yun Che, why worry about the clan not flourishing in the future, why worry about not rising again!
"Commandery Prince Huai, you must surely recognize the Arcane Firmament of my Yun Clan, don't you?" Yun Che raised the corners of his mouth, staring directly at Prince Huai. Although his expression was relaxed, he was actually persevering with great difficulty. Since he was going to display his Arcane Firmament before the gathered heroes of the world, he naturally had to manifest the strongest state of his Arcane Firmament! His grandfather Yun Canghai had Cyan Arcane Firmament, and his father Yun Qinghong also had Cyan Arcane Firmament. Thus, as the grandson of Yun Canghai and the son of Yun Qinghong, how could he bring shame to the Yun Clan's soul-force-based Arcane Firmament?
The most extreme state his Arcane Firmament could reach currently was cyan. And to achieve Cyan Arcane Firmament, he had to be in the Purgatory state.
Therefore, maintaining this Cyan Arcane Firmament for every single breath placed a tremendous burden on his body. So, as his voice fell, he waved his arm casually, and the Arcane Firmament transformed into a streak of cyan light, flying back into Yun Che's arm.
Prince Huai's expression remained relatively calm, but his lips were clearly trembling slightly. Faced with Yun Che's question, he, who was usually a master strategist, was speechless for a long time.
Before this Demon Empress Ceremony, he had made long-term plans and ample preparations. His ambition was to truly erupt today. Pointing the spearhead at the Yun Clan at the beginning of the ceremony was the first step; severely disheartening all the other Guardian Clans and Prince Mansions was the second step...
He had thought he was steadily guiding and controlling everything. But at this moment, he suddenly realized that the situation was not under his control at all. Everything was clearly being guided by the young man before him—including Prince Huai himself!
From being the first to jump out and shout for a duel, to using sharp rhetoric to half-coerce and half-trick them into offering "stakes," to the moment when everyone thought Xi Xi had been utterly defeated, and then defeating six opponents in a row single-handedly... to this moment, suddenly revealing his Arcane Firmament!!
Prince Huai was absolutely certain that Yun Che must have anticipated that after he defeated Hui Ran, Prince Huai would call out that he had no Arcane Firmament and thus was unqualified to represent the Yun Clan. At the same time, Prince Huai had also declared that if Yun Che was a son of the Yun Clan, then he would have no further objections regarding the "stakes."
For a son of the Yun Clan, Arcane Firmament power was a tremendous boost, but Yun Che had fought six battles without using it at all. The purpose was clearly to lure Prince Huai into saying those words, leaving him no room to maneuver.
Prince Huai had been proud all his life, but for the first time, he felt like he was being played for a fool, a monkey! And his adversary was just a twenty-two-year-old young man!
It was also the first time he tasted the meaning of "regretting it to the point of having one's intestines turn green" and "suffering a double loss instead of gaining." In the matter of targeting the Yun Clan, he had the support of seven great clans and sixty Prince Mansions. He was already firmly in the upper hand. But he proposed a decisive duel between both sides to decide the fate of the Yun Clan, just to trample on their momentum and dignity... and ended up with this result.
Whether it was targeting the Yun Clan or severely defeating their momentum, he should have succeeded. But among it, a completely unexpected variable appeared... Yun Che.
Now, facing Yun Che, who wore a faint smile, Prince Huai felt a chilling coldness rise in his heart. He had never dreamed that the first person to make him feel a sense of dread would be a mere twenty-two-year-old youth.
Expelling the Yun Clan... he had plotted and prepared for a long time. The first step at the Demon Empress Ceremony had miserably failed because of Yun Che. The step meant to severely dishearten the other party had rebounded several times over... boosting the opponent and harming himself!
Each of the seven great clans offering five catties of Purple Vein Divine Crystal, and he himself offering a full twenty catties... had transformed from a joke into a nightmare that now entangled him!
Prince Huai gritted his teeth, his chest heaving. He forced himself to calm down, then suddenly turned his head to look at Yun Qinghong and roared, "Yun Qinghong, what is the meaning of this!"
When he said this, many people were momentarily stunned, then their expressions turned strange. In this situation, he did not answer Yun Che but instead suddenly turned to interrogate Yun Qinghong about "what is the meaning of this." Anyone could see that Prince Huai had completely lost his composure and his mind was in chaos.
Yun Qinghong smiled faintly and said slowly, "As you have seen, what he just displayed is the Arcane Firmament power of my Yun Clan. You, Commandery Prince Huai, are standing so close, you surely must recognize it, right?"
"Impossible!" Prince Huai growled. "Your Yun Clan has never had this person! He first appeared in Yaohuang City only three months ago... How could he be a member of your Yun Clan!"
"I am not obliged to explain that to you," Yun Qinghong said lightly. "And there is no need to argue with you. You yourself just said that Arcane Firmament is the most irrefutable proof of Yun Clan identity. You must be very clear in your heart now whether he is a member of my Yun Clan or not. However, there is one thing I can tell you extra... Yun Che is not only a son of the Yun Clan but also the biological son of me, Yun Qinghong, and the future master of the Yun Clan!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the Yaohuang Hall, which had just barely calmed down, seemed to have another thunderbolt thrown into it, instantly drowned in a surging wave of noise.
"Yun Che is the Clan Master's son? Th-this..."
"Who is Clan Master Yun? For him to say this in front of the Little Demon Empress and all the world's heroes—how could it be false!"
"Back then, the identity of Yun Xiao of the Yun Clan was doubted by everyone. Clan Master Yun didn't respond to any of the doubts, neither confirming nor denying. But when he publicly said that Yun Che was his biological son, his gaze was blazing and his voice was resolute... it doesn't seem fake at all."
"Think about it carefully, it's really not hard to accept. Although Yun Che stole the spotlight today, he has completely offended Prince Huai, offended the seven Guardian Clans and the sixty Prince Mansions! If he were merely an adopted son, how could he have pushed himself to this extent! Because he is a son of the Yun Clan, and even the son of Yun Qinghong! Aside from the grandson of Yun Canghai and the son of Yun Qinghong, whose descendant in the Yun Clan could possess such talent, strength, and courage!"
"Could it be that Yun Che is Yun Qinghong's illegitimate child outside?"
"No, no! Yun Qinghong's character is extremely upright and honest. Taking a concubine openly is still possible, but he would never secretly be involved with another woman. Over twenty years ago, after Yun Qinghong and his wife returned from the Tian Xuan Continent, they were severely injured and invited many famous doctors from the world. According to what those doctors occasionally revealed, Madam Yun was afflicted with cold poison during her pregnancy. To protect the baby in her womb, she forced the cold poison into her own five viscera... which caused the cold poison to spread throughout her body, making it incurable. That is, at that time, Madam Yun did give birth to a child for Yun Qinghong... And it is well known that Yun Xiao has no Arcane Firmament..."
"Then... Clan Master Yun deliberately hid this son away because the Yun Clan's situation was precarious at the time, or found him an extraordinary master... and the Yun Xiao brought back was just a decoy?"
"Highly likely!!"
Countless exclamations, discussions, and speculations filled every corner of the hall. And the most shocked were undoubtedly the members of the Yun Clan. That Yun Che possessed the Yun Clan bloodline and was a son of the Yun Clan already made everyone overjoyed. But if he was the son of Yun Qinghong... that was an even greater heaven-sent joy for the Yun Clan! Because it meant that the main bloodline of the Yun Clan's Clan Master had not been severed!
The elders and supreme elders of the Yun Clan naturally knew Yun Qinghong's temperament well. How could the words he spoke in such an occasion with such a tone be false!
"Phew... this plot is too bizarre." Su Xiangnan took a long breath, filled with inexpressible emotion.
"The grandson of Yun Canghai, the son of Yun Qinghong... no wonder, no wonder..." Tianxia Xiongtu nodded absently. The Yun Clan had been passed down through a single line for generations, and every generation was a dragon among men, an emperor among dragons, without exception.
"The Yun Clan is truly about to rise again." Yan Zijing sighed with emotion.
Old Master Mu Feiyan sat there stunned for a long time, then suddenly woke up as if from a dream, stood up with a "whoosh," and trembled with excitement as his beard shook: "Could it be... could it be... he is the child that Rou'er lost on the Tian Xuan Continent..."
Back then, no outsider knew what Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou encountered on the Tian Xuan Continent, especially regarding that child. But as Mu Yurou's father, how could he not know?
"No mistake!" Mu Yuqing also said excitedly, "He has the Yun Clan bloodline, he has Brother-in-law's personal acknowledgment, and the way Little Sister looks at him... Most importantly, aside from Little Sister's son, Father's grandson, whose child could be this outstanding!"
Mu Feiyan, who was several hundred years old, had always dismissed flattery from his three sons. But this compliment from Mu Yuqing made Mu Feiyan’s heart bloom with joy. He leaned forward, his hands trembling: "Right... Rou'er's child, my grandson... Ha... Hahahaha... This is my grandson... my blood grandson!!"
"So this kid turns out to be our nephew!" Mu Yukong was also grinning excitedly, his teeth showing. He turned his head and saw Mu Yubai covering his face with both hands, his head almost drooping into his crotch. He widened his eyes and slapped him: "Hey, Big Brother! Little Sister's son is back, this is our blood nephew... what kind of reaction is that!"
"Heh heh," Mu Yuqing laughed with schadenfreude: "Our Big Brother was just shouting and clamoring to become sworn brothers with our nephew..."
"Shut up!" Mu Yubai kicked Mu Yuqing in the backside: "Whoever brings that up again, I'll fight them!"