Chapter 761: Turning Point of Fate
"Xue'er, let's go..."
What would happen otherwise, he didn't say, and couldn't say. Without looking at them again, he took Feng Xue'er's hand and flew far away, never looking back.
A moment ago, they were still trembling with fear from his killing intent, yet he suddenly let go of Xuanyuan Yufeng and turned away. This outcome left Xuanyuan Jiuding and Mu Yuanzhi stunned for a long time.
"This Yun Che is truly even harder to deal with than the rumors suggest." Yun Che's departure made Mu Yuanzhi feel a sense of relief. In his entire life, this was the first time he had such a feeling because of a young man. After a moment, he added, "After all, he has a terrifyingly powerful master behind him, so he does have the capital to be so domineering and arrogant."
"Master? Hmph." Xuanyuan Jiuding smiled faintly. "Rest assured, he won't be jumping around for much longer. There will come a time when we can vent today's anger!"
"Oh?" Mu Yuanzhi looked at Xuanyuan Jiuding in surprise. "Thirteenth Elder, what do you mean by that..."
"No need to ask more. When the time comes, you'll know." Xuanyuan Jiuding's mouth curled up in a rather sinister smile.
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After leaving the range of Tian Jian Mountain Range, Yun Che slowed his flight speed, his brows tightly furrowed as he silently pondered something.
Feng Xue'er could sense that Yun Che's mood was very heavy at the moment. She comforted him softly, "Big Brother Yun, don't worry too much. They, mother and child, are definitely safe and sound, waiting for you to find them somewhere safe."
"..." Yun Che let out a light sigh and forced a smile. "Right. They will definitely, definitely be fine. I have always firmly believed that."
"It's just that I only found out today that after she left Bing Yun Fairy Palace back then, she was hunted down by Tian Jian Villa." Yun Che's hands clenched tightly. Because that was Ling Jie's mother, he couldn't bring himself to kill Xuanyuan Yufeng... Otherwise, forget her being the daughter of some Sword Domain Elder, even if she were the Queen Mother of Heaven, he would have killed her in a fit of rage.
"Then... how did she escape?" Feng Xue'er knew that since they were so determined to kill Chu Yuechan, the three people sent must have had the ability to kill her... So the situation at that time must have been a fight for survival.
Yun Che said softly, "Xuanyuan Yufeng spread the news of Xiao Xiannü's pregnancy far and wide back then, her real purpose was to kill her. She was certain that Xiao Xiannü would likely be expelled from the palace after returning to Bing Yun Fairy Palace, so she had people lay an ambush in advance at Ice Extreme Snow Domain... The three people she sent were no match for Xiao Xiannü even in her prime. Moreover, at that time, she was pregnant, her profound aura was unstable, and she had just discarded her profound art. So right from the start, she was severely injured with a single palm strike... Fortunately, a blizzard suddenly struck Ice Extreme Snow Domain that day, and a Snow Phoenix Beast was nearby. In the blizzard, the speed, profound force, and vision of ordinary profound practitioners were greatly reduced, but for the Snow Phoenix Beast, it was the opposite. Xiao Xiannü used the power of the Snow Phoenix Beast to narrowly escape under the cover of the blizzard..."
Otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
But after that, where did she flee to? Were her injuries healed? Was the fetus in her womb harmed? He didn't know. He couldn't even picture the scene in his mind, because every image would make his heart bleed.
At that time, how lonely and helpless must she have been...
"Father said that after great calamity comes great fortune. At such a dangerous moment, she could turn danger into safety. Heaven must have taken pity on her and didn't want her to be harmed, so it protected her all along." Feng Xue'er comforted him gently and softly.
"Mn, with Xue'er's words, I feel much more at ease." Yun Che said with a smile. But after a short while, his expression darkened again.
From Xuanyuan Yufeng's memories, he also saw... that the great disaster that befell Bing Yun Fairy Palace was somewhat related to her!!
And the person more directly related was that Ling Kun!!
"Brother Yun... Brother Yun!!"
An urgent shout came from behind... It was Ling Jie's voice. Yun Che's expression was complicated. After a brief hesitation, he gradually stopped.
Ling Jie had been chasing with all his might, and now that he had finally caught up, he was gasping for breath. Yun Che turned around and said, "Little Jie, right now, are you wishing you could kill me with one sword?"
Ling Jie shook his head, shaking it very vigorously. "No... how could I... I... I came to say thank you."
"Thank me?" Yun Che smiled faintly. "Why thank me? I just threw Tian Jian Villa into chaos, cursed at your father and grandfather, and almost killed your mother. You not wanting to kill me is one thing... but you want to thank me?"
Ling Jie shook his head again, this time even more forcefully. He looked straight into Yun Che's eyes and said sincerely, "Because I know you let my mother go for my sake... Back then, just because Fen Tian Gate kidnapped your family, you annihilated their entire clan. A few months ago, it was rumored that you killed several princes of the Shenhuang Kingdom. But my mother did something far worse than Fen Tian Gate, yet you... yet you... You were clearly so angry, but you let her go. Thank you, truly. I will remember your mercy for the rest of my life... And I will do my utmost to atone for the mistakes my mother made."
"..." Yun Che silently looked at Ling Jie for a long time... More than three years had passed. Ling Jie's aura, stature, and appearance had changed greatly, but his eyes were still clear as a spring. His heart was gently touched. He reached out and lightly patted Ling Jie on the shoulder. "Little Jie, you don't need to thank me, and don't mention any 'great favor' anymore. Have you forgotten? We are brothers, after all."
Ling Jie's eyes lit up, gradually becoming slightly moist. "I... I... can I still call you 'Chief' like before?"
"Of course you can, what nonsense!" Yun Che shook his shoulder vigorously. "Don't forget, you became my little bro by losing to me back then! Are you thinking of reneging on that now?"
"No... of course not!" Ling Jie's eyes were wet. He took a deep breath, trying hard not to let tears fall. "Chief, I knew you wouldn't die so easily... I finally, finally get to see you again! And you've become so... so powerful. Meeting you in this life is the greatest fortune of my life, Ling Jie."
In Ling Jie's voice was a trembling of joy and excitement, which Yun Che could clearly hear and feel.
"No, the fortunate one is me." Yun Che said sincerely, "Little Jie, do you know? Six years ago, on the first day we met, it was I who proposed we compete with three sword strikes, and the loser would be the little bro... At that time, I actually just wanted to use your status as the young master of Tian Jian Villa to make things easier for me in the future... Later, you risked your life to go to Fen Tian Gate for me, and to stop your grandfather from killing me, you stood in front of his sword with your own life. It was also you who traveled thousands of miles alone to the Shenhuang Kingdom to cheer me on... I don't know what I did to deserve such sincere treatment from you."
"Hehe..." Ling Jie smiled, both touched and embarrassed. "I'm your little bro, after all. Doing things for the chief is only right. And being able to follow in your footsteps has always been a... special and irreplaceable pride for me."
"Hahahaha..." Yun Che laughed heartily. "Little Jie, with those words, I will definitely become a figure who shakes the world from now on, and I won't let you down."
His voice paused, and Yun Che's expression turned serious. The change in his demeanor made Ling Jie unconsciously restrain his smile. "Chief, do you... have something to say to me?"
"Little Jie, we haven't seen each other for three years. Your profound force level has increased so much. It must be related to going to Tian Wei Sword Domain, right?" Yun Che asked calmly.
"Mn." Ling Jie nodded. "My maternal grandfather dotes on me a lot and is very good to me, though he is also strict. For the past three years, he has even personally taught me the Tian Wei Absolute Sword for most of the time. He also acquired many Sacred Ground-level resources for me."
When talking about this, Ling Jie's eyes brightened. Yun Che had been certain for many years that although Ling Jie was kind-hearted and outgoing, deep down he was obsessed with the sword. Being able to practice swordsmanship in a place like Tian Wei Sword Domain, guided by an Emperor Lord, was undoubtedly a dream come true for him.
"Listen carefully. What I'm about to say will confuse you, make you uncomfortable, and might even disgust you. But I must say it." Yun Che's expression was extremely serious.
"Ah?" Ling Jie's expression became tense.
"This time, the two elders from Tian Wei Sword Domain came with the purpose of taking you back there to see your maternal grandfather, Xuanyuan Jue. I think for you, this must be something you've been looking forward to ever since you returned to the villa. However, I hope you... don't go to Tian Wei Sword Domain anymore."
"Ah? Why?" Ling Jie asked, puzzled.
"I can't explain it clearly to you." Yun Che shook his head slightly. "Perhaps if you stay in Tian Wei Sword Domain for a long time, you can find the answer with your own eyes. But by then, it might already be too late. I can only tell you that although Tian Wei Sword Domain might be a sacred ground for the sword path to you, beneath that exterior, it is far dirtier and much more terrifying than you can imagine. I don't want you to have too much involvement with Tian Wei Sword Domain, to tarnish your diamond-like heart, and eventually be unable to extricate yourself."
"I..." Ling Jie was completely bewildered.
"Also, I don't want you to inherit Tian Jian Villa. In terms of sword talent and progress, you surpass your elder brother, Ling Yun. On that point, you would be more justified in inheriting the position of Villa Master in the future. But the Villa Master is not just a title or honor; it carries too many responsibilities, pressures, and helplessness. Sometimes, it can even force you to twist your will and character because of that title... Ling Yun's temperament is steadier than yours. He is more suitable for the position of future Villa Master."
Ling Jie: "..."
Patting Ling Jie on the shoulder, Yun Che withdrew his hand, stepped back, and smiled slightly. "Little Jie, I've said all I wanted to say. In the end, you have to walk your own life path. Take others' words as a reference. In the future, if you encounter any problem you can't solve, you can come to Bing Yun Fairy Palace to find me."
Waving goodbye to the stunned Ling Jie, Yun Che took Feng Xue'er's little hand and flew northward.
"Chief!!"
From behind, Ling Jie's full-strength shout suddenly came: "You are the person I trust the most... so I will listen to you... I won't go back to Tian Wei Sword Domain... Starting tomorrow, I will leave Tian Jian Villa... travel the world alone... uphold justice... clear Tian Jian Villa's name... I will diligently search for Fairy Bingchan... to atone for my mother... Ling Jie... will do as he says!!"
Yun Che looked back. In his vision, Ling Jie was only a blurry black shadow. He smiled slightly, and the heaviness in his heart eased a great deal.
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Interlude: Dark Clouds of the Demon Sword
Tian Xuan Continent, southwest, Tian Wei Sword Domain, late at night, moon waning, stars sparse.
It was the beginning of the month, the time when the moon was at its most incomplete. At this deep hour, the night sky was covered by a thin layer of dark clouds. Looking up, one could only vaguely see a blurry sliver of the moon. Before long, dark clouds drifting from somewhere began to silently gather, gradually obscuring the waning moon and the starlight completely, leaving no trace of light between heaven and earth.
When the moon is waning and the sky dark, it is also the time when certain sealing forces are at their weakest.
In a certain hidden underground space, it was pitch black, so dark you couldn't see your hand in front of your face. But at this moment, the sound of light, steady footsteps suddenly echoed. The footsteps rang out evenly, descending from above. The owner of the footsteps had no intention of lighting a lamp or activating a profound light; they simply walked in complete darkness, all the way to the bottom of this underground space.
As the footsteps stopped, a dim light slowly rose. The light was a murky dead gray and emitted an exceptionally eerie aura. If an ordinary person's gaze touched this light, they would feel an uncomfortable chill.
The source of the gray light was, unexpectedly, a sword... The sword was six and a half feet long, one foot wide, pitch black all over, and surrounded by a layer of strange black weapon. Even more bizarrely, at the oddly shaped hilt, a pair of narrow black eyes slowly reflected.
Like demon's eyes suddenly opening from slumber.
These black eyes flickered on and off, and their terrifying gaze locked onto the figure that had approached it.
"Demon Lord, it has been several months. Today, once again, the sky is dark and the moon is waning." The figure slowly spoke. Judging by the voice, it was a middle-aged man.
Because when the sky is dark and the moon is waning, the seal on the sword is at its weakest. The "Demon Lord" within the sword could gain a brief moment of relative freedom... such as to speak. Otherwise, if it tried to appear forcibly at other times, it would only accelerate the seal's devouring of it. Moreover, this devouring was irreversible, causing it to disappear faster.
And this sword had a name known throughout the world.
The Heavenly Sin Divine Sword!!
"How is the progress on breaking the seal... especially regarding that person named Fen Juechen!"
The Heavenly Sin Divine Sword emitted a terrifying voice. The sound echoed back and forth in the pitch-black space, like a ghost howling in agony.
The middle-aged man smiled faintly: "Everything is going smoothly. In another two months, the three-thousand-year event of the Thirteen-Star Conjunction will occur, which is also the scheduled date for the Demon Sword Assembly. During the Thirteen-Star Conjunction, the Yin energy of heaven and earth will reach its peak. Gathering the power of all the strong practitioners of Tian Xuan Continent will surely be able to break the seal."
"As for that Fen Juechen, he will come at that time as well. After all, he wants the Heavenly Sin Divine Sword more than anyone else."
Under the dim light, a dangerous smirk could be vaguely seen at the corner of the middle-aged man's mouth.
"Very good." The terrifying voice came from the sword. "Once you help me break the seal and reclaim the demon blood, I will naturally help you slaughter all sides and become the supreme ruler of the world! There will absolutely be no one who is your match."
"I only hope you keep your word. I have spent a full thousand years of great effort and scheming, and I do not wish to receive an unacceptable result." The middle-aged man's voice was calm but laced with gloom.
"Hahaha, what kind of being am I? How could I stoop to scheming against you mere humans! I am, after all, just a sword. I still need a wielder, and you are the most suitable wielder!" The voice of the Heavenly Sin Divine Sword suddenly became extremely fierce: "Back then, I said the same to that person surnamed Ye. I only sought freedom. I humbled myself, begged word by word, and even sacrificed the only drop of demon blood I had, just so he would help me break the seal. Then, I would grant them supreme invincible power..."
"But that person surnamed Ye obtained my demon blood and demon arts, yet not only did he not help me break the seal, he added several more layers of seals, locked me in the Flame Pool, and had his entire clan guard it, swearing that I would never see the light of day again! If you hadn't rescued me, this last wisp of my remnant soul might have completely dissipated by now, becoming an eternally dead sword!"
"You humans are truly the most despicable and shameless creatures in this world!"
"Hehehe," the middle-aged man laughed lightly. "Demon Lord, rest assured. I won't be as foolish and ungrateful as the Eternal Night Royal Clan. Over the years, I have spent a tremendous price to gradually undo the seals that the Eternal Night Royal Clan placed on you. To break the final seal, I even designed the Demon Sword Assembly. All of this is enough to show my sincerity."
"I believe you! Your strength and strategy are among the top existences among humans in this plane, and you are qualified to be my wielder. If I had to name your biggest mistake, it would be killing Ye Mufeng a thousand years ago and leaving no trace of his remains! Otherwise, why would you need to go through so much trouble!"
The middle-aged man said disapprovingly, "Back then, before encountering the Demon Lord, how would I know that Ye Mufeng's bloodline would be so useful? However, Ye Mufeng, in order to leave behind a bloodline, used the 'Reincarnation Forbidden Art' that his lordship mentioned, at great cost and risking divine punishment, to forcefully resurrect the demon blood that should have been extinct. Truly, it is the help of the heavens, hehehehe."
"The Soul-Sealing Coffin containing Ye Mufeng's soul was placed in the extreme Yin region of the Black Fiend Nation to slow the dissipation of his remnant soul as much as possible. Then, after his son finally reincarnated in the Fen Tian Gate of the Cang Feng Kingdom, the key to the Soul-Sealing Coffin was given to the then Grand Leader, Fen Yijue, with a mental suggestion implanted in his soul that it was an heirloom from their ancestors, only to be used in desperate times. Everything went smoothly."
"I originally planned, three years before the Thirteen-Star Conjunction, to massacre the entire Fen Tian Gate, leaving only Fen Juechen alive. He would take that key to reunite with Ye Mufeng. After obtaining his past life memories, in order to take revenge and gain the power for revenge, he would inevitably go mad with desire to retrieve the Heavenly Sin Divine Sword, and then naturally appear at the Demon Sword Assembly."
"Unexpectedly, something went wrong. The Fen Tian Gate was annihilated by that young man Yun Che. Fortunately, he didn't kill Fen Juechen. Otherwise, it would have almost ruined my great plan! If he had, he would not be able to atone even with a million deaths!" The middle-aged man's voice carried a dark murderous intent.
"But things went exceptionally smoothly afterwards. Although it was much earlier than I had planned, Fen Juechen successfully found Ye Mufeng's remnant soul, and his strength increased astonishingly. But that's even better. If he were too weak, it wouldn't be so easy to let him 'naturally' obtain the Heavenly Sin Divine Sword."
The middle-aged man's voice was always extremely calm, and within that calm, there was an extreme arrogance. It felt as if everything in this world could not escape his eyes, and the changes of the wind and clouds were under his control.
"Demon Lord, I have always wondered: why must Fen Juechen obtain the Heavenly Sin Divine Sword? Why not just capture him directly and forcibly take the demon blood?"
"Hmph, if that were possible, I would have done it twenty years ago! Why would I need to go through so much trouble!" The pitch-black demon sword growled. "On my body is a seal left by an ancient god, named 'Evil God'! Although it has been a full million years and the seal has become extremely weak, I have also been devoured until only this last bit of remnant soul remains!! If this seal is not broken, I will completely disappear! For me to still exist now is already extremely difficult. There is absolutely no way I can actively seize the power of the demon blood! Fen Juechen must release the demon blood and then actively sacrifice it to me! That is the only way!!"
"If he even suspects my intention, I will never see the light of day again! All your efforts will come to naught, let alone forcibly capturing him and taking the demon blood!"
"I see." The middle-aged man slowly nodded, his face expressionless. He turned around and said calmly, "In two months, the Thirteen-Star Conjunction will occur. At that time, the sky and earth will be dark, and Yin energy will cover the heavens. It will also be the time when the seal is at its weakest in three thousand years. By then, almost all the Emperor Lords and a large portion of the Overlord Emperors from Tian Xuan Continent will be present. Gathering the power of all the Emperor Lords and Overlord Emperors will surely break the seal."
"Demon Lord, rest assured. They will definitely exhaust themselves. After all, they are all extremely eager to know the secret of the 'Demon Sword'. And even more so, they want to know the so-called 'Mystery of the Divine Xuan', hahahaha..."
Amidst the laughter, footsteps sounded again, and the middle-aged man disappeared into the darkness.
He possessed strength and influence enough to cover the sky with one hand.
Even more, he had the cunning and scheming of a demon... manipulating almost all the heroes of the world in the palm of his hand.
Yet not a single person noticed.
Even less did anyone realize that his grand plan to become the ruler of the world was approaching its final stage.
Lord of Tian Wei Sword Domain — Xuanyuan Wentian!
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[It's almost New Year, running around with various gifts. When will it be my turn to sit at home and peacefully receive New Year gifts... ~~~ (T_T) ~~~]