Chapter 646: Returning to Tian Xuan
Unconsciously, three years had already passed since leaving the Tian Xuan Continent. The scene of saying goodbye with a smile to Cang Yue and Xiao Lingxi at the Cangfeng Imperial Palace was still vivid in his mind. He had even sworn confidently that he would return within a month... but the wheel of fate, once again, did not turn according to his own will.
Thinking that he could soon return to the Tian Xuan Continent and see the people he had been longing for day and night, Yun Che's heart naturally could not stop racing. He stayed awake all night. At dawn, as the sky brightened, he was pushed off the bed by Xiao Yaohou: "You should be going."
"Caiyi wifey..." Yun Che turned around, gazing reluctantly at the silhouette behind the gauze curtain.
"If you're going, then go cleanly!" Xiao Yaohou said coldly.
"You... really don't want to come with me to the Tian Xuan Continent and take a look? My mystical ark is very special; it absolutely won't be detected by the Four Sacred Grounds over there." Yun Che said softly.
"...The Illusion Demon Realm has only just settled down. This is not the time for me to leave. Ming Wang has not yet been vanquished, and I cannot leave with peace of mind. Once Ming Wang is eliminated and the future threat is removed..." Xiao Yaohou's voice paused, then lowered a few notes: "I might accompany you to the Tian Xuan Continent."
"Alright." Yun Che nodded. He understood very well that it was indeed too unrealistic to expect Xiao Yaohou to return with him to the Tian Xuan Continent right now.
The closer the day of return, the more impatient his heart became. Yun Che left the Yao Huang Palace, went to the Mu Family to bid farewell to Mu Feiyan and Mu Yubai, then returned to the Yun Family to take his leave from his parents. In front of Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou, he summoned his Primordial Mystic Ark.
"Che'er, though your father desperately wishes to go to the Tian Xuan Continent once more to pay respects to Brother Xiao Ying, unfortunately... I can only wait some other time." Mentioning "Xiao Ying," Yun Qinghong's face revealed deep sorrow. Meeting Xiao Ying was the greatest fortune of his life, and also the greatest pain: "Give my regards to your Grandfather Xiao on my behalf. If he has no more attachments over there, bring him back. As long as I, Yun Qinghong, live one day, I will not let him suffer the slightest humiliation."
"Mm, I will remember." Yun Che nodded heavily.
"Che'er, the Tian Wei Sword Domain is powerful, far surpassing our Yun Family. When you go to the Tian Xuan Continent, you must not think about avenging your grandfather... When the time is ripe, we will surely make them pay blood for blood. While you are there, you must take care of yourself and not touch any danger. After handling matters over there, be sure to come back early... and bring my daughter-in-law back with you." Mu Yurou said, her eyes already glistening with tears.
"Mother, rest assured. In all my life, I've never met anyone with a tougher life than mine." Yun Che said with a smile. With a motion of his hand, the mystical ark slowly rose and expanded to about three meters in size.
"Big Brother!!"
At that moment, hurried footsteps approached. Xiao Yun pulled Tianxia Diqi along as he rushed over quickly. Before he could even steady himself, Xiao Yun urgently said, "I've decided. I want to go back to the Tian Xuan Continent with Big Brother."
"Oh?" Yun Che smiled. "You've thought it through?"
"Mm!" Xiao Yun nodded with extreme seriousness. "Although I used to have a deep aversion to the Tian Xuan Continent, it's different now. After all, that is where I was born, and it still holds my two relatives. My parents are also buried there... I have no reason not to return."
Yun Che had also considered bringing Xiao Yun back, but never brought it up, as it had to be Xiao Yun's own decision. Xiao Yun's decision made his heart relax immensely... Before him, he could almost see the truly joyful smile of Grandfather. He nodded, then looked at Tianxia Diqi: "And what about you, Seventh Sister?"
Tianxia Diqi wrapped her arm around Xiao Yun's: "Of course I'm going with Yun gege! I am Yun gege's wife now. Whether it's the Illusion Demon Realm or the Tian Xuan Continent... wherever Yun gege goes, that's where I go."
From the look of her, she seemed quite excited.
Yun Che smiled knowingly and patted Xiao Yun on the shoulder: "For Grandfather, his greatest wish is to be reunited with you. I had originally planned to bring him here to reunite with you and let him enjoy his remaining years in peace, but if you come back with me to see him, that would be even better."
"Hehe, then let's hurry up and go. I can't wait to see if Big Brother Yun's mystical ark is as magical as Yun gege says." Tianxia Diqi said with sparkling eyes.
"Wait!!"
Another hurried voice came from afar, and its owner arrived in front of them with a gust of wind. Seeing the newcomer, Tianxia Diqi's mouth fell open: "Big Brother, why are you here?"
The newcomer was none other than Tianxia Diyi. He bowed to Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou and said, "Lord Yun, Lady Yun, this junior was anxious and came abruptly. Please forgive me... Lao Qi, you just sent a sound transmission to Father saying you want to go to the Tian Xuan Continent with Xiao Yun and Lord Yao Jun... Is that true?"
"Of course it's true!" Tianxia Diqi said without hesitation. "Yun gege's biological parents are buried over there. I've married Yun gege, so naturally I must go with him to pay respects to his parents."
Tianxia Diyi frowned and said, "The Tian Xuan Continent is not the Illusion Demon Realm! To us, it is a land of enemies. Moreover, it is said that in the Tian Xuan Continent, people from our Illusion Demon Realm are demonized as monsters! If the people there find out that you are from the Illusion Demon Realm and even belong to a Guardian Clan, it might very well alert the Four Sacred Grounds there. With none of us around by then, it would be far too dangerous... This matter is no small thing; you absolutely must not fool around."
"Aiya, aiya! Big Brother, you're so long-winded! The Tian Xuan Continent isn't as scary as you say. Besides, Big Brother Yun's mystical ark is miraculous; it can directly traverse space without touching the boundary barrier set up by the Four Sacred Grounds, so it won't alert those people. Even if there really is danger, I have Yun gege and Big Brother Yun to protect me!"
"Big Brother, rest assured. I am taking Seventh Sister to the Tian Xuan Continent only to acknowledge our ancestors and reunite with close family. We will return very quickly and won't stir up any other trouble... and I absolutely won't let Seventh Sister encounter danger. Even if there really is danger, I would protect her even at the cost of my life." Xiao Yun said resolutely.
"Brother Tianxia, rest assured," Yun Che said with a smile. "The place we are going to is the smallest nation in the Tian Xuan Continent, far from the Four Sacred Grounds. The level of the profound way there is very low; King Xuan is already the peak. Seventh Sister has now achieved Overlord Xuan; once there, she would basically be an invincible existence. It would be hard for her to encounter any danger even if she wanted to... As long as she doesn't bully others."
"Hmph, someone as gentle, kind, and adorable as me would never bully anyone." Tianxia Diqi stuck her tongue out at Yun Che.
"Alas," seeing Tianxia Diqi's attitude, Tianxia Diyi knew persuasion was futile. And from Yun Che's description, along with his trust in him, he began to feel that his worries might be unnecessary. However, he could not forget the orders from Tianxia Xiongtu: "Brother Yun, to be honest, when Father heard that Seventh Sister was going to the Tian Xuan Continent, he was extremely worried and restless, and ordered me to come at top speed to stop her... On the way here, Father sent a sound transmission: if I could not stop her, then I must accompany her no matter what."
"Ah? Big Brother is coming too? Really? Really?" Tianxia Diqi's eyes lit up.
"If Big Brother comes along, that would be truly perfect." Xiao Yun also quickly chimed in. Tianxia Diyi was a powerful eighth-level Overlord Xuan, wise and steady. Having him along would mean an extra super bodyguard — though it should hardly be necessary.
Tianxia Diyi gave a slight bitter smile: "This is Father's wish; otherwise, he would have trouble sleeping and eating. I apologize for the trouble, Brother Yun."
"If Brother Tianxia comes along, it's clearly a pleasant surprise, not trouble at all. My Primordial Mystic Ark's space is enormous; even if we brought the entire Tianxia Clan, it would be more than enough." Yun Che said with a smile. "With Brother Tianxia by our side, I believe my parents will be much more at ease."
Tianxia Diyi nodded and smiled faintly. Deep in his consciousness, he was also somewhat curious about the Tian Xuan Continent, so he had no inner resistance to accompanying them.
"Che'er, the location I told you about is roughly in the central part of the Cang Feng Kingdom on the Tian Xuan Continent. Though not extremely precise, it will certainly not deviate outside Cang Feng's borders. Although it has been over twenty years since then, I have thought of it day and night all these years; I could not have misremembered. Once you are there, we will be too far apart to communicate via sound transmission. After handling matters there, be sure to return early... After all, you are still the Yao Jun of the Illusion Demon Realm, and your home is here."
Although Yun Qinghong had remained very calm, the depths of his eyes and his words revealed some worry. After all, the Tian Xuan Continent had left the heaviest shadow on his life. Even though the family was now reunited, the mere mention of "Tian Xuan Continent" still brought a sense of danger, even a slight palpitation.
"Haha, I'm just returning to my other home for a visit. It's not like the situation you and Mother faced twenty years ago, heading into danger. All your worries are completely unfounded." Yun Che said with a relaxed and helpless smile.
"In any case... you must come back early. Never do anything dangerous." Mu Yurou said, her eyes blurry with tears, repeating her exhortations once more.
"Alright, alright." Yun Che obediently nodded in agreement.
A faint dark red light began to flicker on the Primordial Mystic Ark. Yun Che concentrated his mind and said to Xiao Yun and the others, "This mystical ark is controlled by my mind. You don't need to enter through the door. In a moment, when you sense the intent to enter, just don't resist."
This method of entering the ark was unheard of by them. As Yun Che's mind moved, a faint dark red glow enveloped them, and in an instant, they vanished from where they stood. The Primordial Mystic Ark slowly rose, then, with a violent tremor of space, completely disappeared as well.
On a cloud in the distant sky, Xiao Yaohou withdrew her gaze, slowly turned around, and drifted silently away through the clouds.
She had spent a full century without fully getting used to loneliness. Yet it had taken her less than a month to get used to Yun Che's presence. Watching Yun Che leave, even though it was merely a return to another home and he might return soon, she still felt a sense of emptiness she had never known before.
She was Xiao Yaohou, but in essence, she was also a woman...