# Chapter 685: That Really Is Great!
Right in the center of the Shenhuang Army's encampment, a fiery red tent shaped like a flame stood conspicuously.
As the supreme commander of the Shenhuang Empire's forces stationed in Liu Yun City, Feng Huwei had been in a fairly good mood lately. He knew full well how significant the "task" he was carrying out actually was. Being entrusted with such a heavy responsibility fully demonstrated the trust and regard the Sect Master and the Council of Elders had for him. After the mission was completed, his status within the Fenghuang God Sect would very likely be elevated.
However, in the past two days, with the news that the main army that had attacked Cangfeng Imperial City had suddenly vanished without a trace, he had been feeling somewhat unsettled.
"Still no news from the main army?"
There were only two people inside the tent. Feng Huwei, dressed in light clothes, was slouching in a wooden chair, clutching a flask of strong liquor. With furrowed brows, he listened to his adjutant's report.
"Not only the main army, but the Western Army Commander Han Xingchao personally led fifty-two elders and fifty thousand troops last night to investigate Cangfeng Imperial City, but there was also no word from them. They had also taken tens of thousands of Flame Warhorses and flying profound beasts, so they should have been able to advance and retreat freely, but..." Feng Huwei's chief adjutant, Tian Yi, spoke with a look of deep dread on his face. Having fought on battlefields for over a hundred years, they had never encountered anything so horrifying. That army of several hundred thousand seemed to have vanished from the world in the span of a single breath.
Feng Huwei sank into a frowning silence. After a moment, he spoke slowly: "To make an army of several hundred thousand, including three Phoenix Elders, disappear in such a short time without even a chance to send a sound transmission... to achieve that... unless there is a Sovereign Xuan Realm Guardian in Cangfeng Imperial City!"
"Sovereign Xuan... an Emperor Lord!?" The adjutant Tian Yi looked up, his voice startled: "How is that possible! King Xuan is already the limit in the Cang Feng Kingdom. In its thousand-year history, not even an Overlord Emperor has ever appeared, let alone an Emperor Lord! And a profound practitioner with Sovereign Xuan Realm power is like a peerless emperor on this continent. Why would they bother with a mere Cang Feng Kingdom!"
"Other than that, there is no other possibility. I'm sure the Sect Master and the elders think the same." Feng Huwei said without hesitation. "If there is no Emperor Lord in the Cang Feng Kingdom... then what was that terrifying black-clothed person in Liu Yun City!"
Tian Yi was at a loss for words. Thinking of the horrifying scene and the hellish aura from half a year ago, his heart still clenched tightly.
"I'm sure the Sect Master and the elders think likewise." Feng Huwei tossed aside his empty wine flask and said calmly: "But even if there is an Emperor Lord guarding Cangfeng Imperial City, they can only hold out for a time! Our Fenghuang God Sect has twelve Emperor Lords! Does that person really think that just because they have the power of an Emperor Lord, they can provoke our Shenhuang Empire?!"
"Exactly, General. Whoever dares to provoke our Shenhuang Empire, even an Emperor Lord, is just seeking death!" Tian Yi nodded. "Seventy thousand troops lost, and the blood debt of three Phoenix Elders... I believe our Emperor will make them pay back tenfold!" He paused, then cupped his hands: "There is another important matter that requires the General's decision."
"Speak!"
"Yes!" Tian Yi stepped closer and lowered his voice: "Just this morning, eleven more of our soldiers went missing. Their bodies were all found several miles away..."
"Heh." Feng Huwei showed neither anger nor surprise. Similar incidents had occurred several times over the past six months. Every so often, soldiers would suddenly disappear, and when their bodies were found, they bore signs of brutal torture—clearly they had been interrogated. He let out a disdainful sneer: "Ignore it. No matter what tricks they use, they won't get anything out of us."
"No, this time it's different." Tian Yi quickly said: "The bodies this time had no external injuries, but their expressions were uniformly stiff and vacant. It is highly likely... they were subjected to a soul search!"
"Soul search?" Feng Huwei's brow furrowed deeply, then he snorted: "The ability to use soul search techniques... it seems that after being unable to figure things out for so long, they've finally sent out some experts."
"I believe the General must be especially careful about his own safety," Tian Yi said.
"No need to worry." Feng Huwei waved his hand dismissively. "So what of the Four Sacred Grounds? Our Fenghuang God Sect is protected by the great Phoenix God. They have the guts to kill our soldiers, but they don't have the guts to lay a hand on me! I carry the Phoenix Bloodline and am under the protection of Lord Phoenix God!"
"This subordinate was overthinking," Tian Yi said respectfully. Looking at Feng Huwei's confident expression, he hesitated for a moment before finally gathering his courage: "General, we have been stationed here for months, 'training' every day. What exactly is the purpose? Your subordinate dares not speculate recklessly, but after months like this, the soldiers are quite..." As he said this, he suddenly felt Feng Huwei's gaze turn icy and grim. His entire body trembled, and he dared not continue. Hastily he said: "Your subordinate misspoke. Please forgive me, General."
"Knowing it was misspoken is enough!" Feng Huwei gave a heavy snort and looked away. "Never ask that question again. Just know that this is an order personally given by the Sect Master! Do it well, and we both return home in glory. Mess it up, and the consequences are something even I cannot bear! When you should know, you will naturally know!"
"Yes!" Tian Yi quickly responded, not daring to say another word.
"Is that so? Unfortunately, it seems you won't have the chance to return home in glory."
A voice laced with clear mockery and arrogance suddenly came as if from the void itself. Tian Yi instantly sprang up from the ground, his longsword already out of its sheath: "Who goes there!!"
This was the main command tent, surrounded by layers of heavy guards. Setting that aside, Feng Huwei himself was a powerful early-stage Overlord Emperor, and Tian Yi was a third-level Throne. Yet this voice sounded right in their ears without any prior warning. Though their reactions were swift, every hair on their bodies stood on end in shock.
Tian Yi gripped his sword, quickly turning his head in all directions, but saw no one. He turned back, intending to move closer to Feng Huwei, when he suddenly saw that less than a step behind Feng Huwei, a young man in a golden robe stood silently. His face wore a cold, sinister smile, and his pupils were as dark as an abyssal pool. And Feng Huwei, a powerful Overlord Emperor, had his profound energy fully released and his eyes wide with rage... yet he was completely oblivious to the young man behind him!!
Tian Yi's hand holding the sword trembled violently. He roared in shock: "General, you... behind you!!"
Feng Huwei instinctively turned around, and immediately came face to face with a visage that was mere inches away. Instantly, his pupils contracted. He leaped backward like a spring, and when he steadied himself, his entire body was covered in a cold, clammy sweat. He pointed at the young man, about to speak, when he suddenly felt that this face seemed somewhat familiar. After a brief daze, his expression changed drastically, and he cried out: "You... you are Yun Che!!"
"Oh?" Yun Che crossed his arms, tilting his head with a cold smirk: "The renowned Tiger Might Grand General of the Shenhuang Empire actually recognizes me? What a great honor."
"Yun... Yun Che?" Tian Yi turned to look at Feng Huwei: "Which Yun Che? Didn't he... die three years ago?"
As a member of the Fenghuang God Sect, Feng Huwei held the rank of Tiger Might Grand General and had a profound strength reaching the Overlord Xuan Realm. Of course, he was qualified to appear at the Seven Nations Ranking Tournament. How could he forget that face which had trampled the dignity of the Fenghuang God Sect into the dirt?
"You're actually still alive!" Feng Huwei said in a deep voice. If this were the Yun Che from three years ago, Feng Huwei would naturally not be afraid. However, Yun Che had just been standing less than a foot behind him, and Feng Huwei had not sensed a thing! Even a fool would understand what level of power was required to achieve that. Moreover, Yun Che's body showed no fluctuation of profound energy, yet merely being under his gaze, Feng Huwei felt a deep sense of dread. All of this proved that this Yun Che, who should have died long ago, possessed power far more terrifying than three years ago.
"And you... are about to die." Yun Che let out a low, cold laugh. A stream of icy killing intent had already locked firmly onto Feng Huwei.
"Don't you dare harm my General!!" Tian Yi bellowed, stepping sideways to block in front of Feng Huwei. Then, gritting his teeth, he thrust his sword straight at Yun Che's chest. Inwardly, he grew more alarmed—with all the commotion inside the tent, the guards outside had not reacted at all... Could Yun Che have already dealt with them all? But there had been no sound from outside either!!
At that moment, outside the tent, layer upon layer of guards stood with stern expressions, eyes fixed straight ahead... but an invisible, colorless "Ice God Illusory Mirror" enveloped the entire tent. Within the range Yun Che could control, not a single sound or breath could escape.
Tian Yi's sword tip pierced through space, creating a startling vortex. This strike seemed plain and unadorned, but it contained his full power. Yun Che, however, did not move, allowing the sword tip to stab toward his chest.
Seeing that Yun Che had no intention of dodging, a glimmer of joy flashed in Tian Yi's eyes. He poured even more profound energy into the strike, concentrating it at the sword tip, and stabbed fiercely into Yun Che's heart...
A strike carrying the full power of a Throne could easily pierce even refined steel. But when the sword tip struck solidly against Yun Che's chest, there was not the slightest sound. Tian Yi felt as if his sword had suddenly stabbed into empty void, and the full force of his profound energy erupted into that "void," vanishing without a trace or sound...
Tian Yi's sword pressed against Yun Che's chest. He stood there like a statue, frozen. The next moment, the sword in his hand became light, its blade crumbling into countless fine dust particles that scattered to the ground, leaving only the hilt in his hand.
Tian Yi's eyes were dull, his gaze unfocused, his entire body motionless. As the last dust from the blade fell, he toppled backward like a log, landing stiffly on the ground. His eyes were wide open, and there was no more movement... No wound was visible on his body, yet all life had faded.
"Tian Yi!" Feng Huwei took a step forward but quickly retreated. He stared at Yun Che, his expression dark and heavy... He had not seen at all how Yun Che had killed Tian Yi.
"Tiger Might Grand General," Yun Che sneered as he looked at Feng Huwei, his killing intent causing Feng Huwei's entire body to convulse, barely daring to move. "I heard that a few months ago, when you led your troops into Liu Yun City, you ordered my little aunt to be seized?"
Yun Che's voice suddenly turned icy: "You have quite the nerve!"
Yun Che's words made Feng Huwei's eyelids twitch violently. He knew exactly who Yun Che was referring to. When they had encountered Xiao Lingxi in Liu Yun City back then, the two city lords had eagerly introduced her as Yun Che's little aunt, which had only excited him more. Now he understood why this "resurrected" Yun Che had suddenly come for him and shown murderous intent... He had heard more than once that one of the Cang Feng Kingdom's strongest sects had been brutally annihilated by Yun Che, leaving not even a blade of grass, because they had kidnapped his little aunt!
Feng Huwei steadied himself, suppressing the fear in his heart, but a cold smile appeared on his face: "You want to kill me? Let's see if you have the guts."
"Oh?" Yun Che's brow twitched.
"You might have the ability to kill me now, but..." Feng Huwei raised his hand and pointed at his temple. "Within my heart and soul is a soul seal personally imprinted by the Sect Master! If you dare to kill me, the memories of the thirty breaths before my death will be instantly known by the Sect Master! Heh, if you dare to kill someone from our Fenghuang God Sect, you will die a far more miserable death. And everyone related to you will also die horribly! If you have the guts, then come and kill me!"
"Is that so?" Instead of the expected change in expression, Yun Che's eyes became even more amused, and his cold smile deepened with further mockery. "That really is... great!!"