Chapter 826: Threat
"Giggle giggle giggle giggle..." Faced with Mo Li's cold mockery, Yu Luo was not angered but instead laughed charmingly. She cast a flirtatious glance at Yun Che, twisted her snake-like waist, and appeared in front of Mo Li as if teleported: "Princess, not only has your appearance not changed, but your temper hasn't changed either. Years ago, when we thought you had met with misfortune, Our King grieved for a long time."
"Grieved?" Mo Li's face showed coldness and sarcasm. Her gaze darkened: "How did you find me?"
"Eh?" Yu Luo's slender fingers gently brushed her lips: "Isn't it because the Princess herself told this servant?"
"..." Mo Li's chest rose and fell slightly, and a helpless sigh echoed in the depths of her heart: "As expected..."
Earlier, when she explored the bottom of Jueyun Cliff and encountered a Dark Beast in the Dark Abyss, she was forced to use Divine Path power. At that time, she felt deeply uneasy... because the Twelve Star Gods are connected in spirit, and those who inherit Star God power have a unique resonance with each other.
Xing Shen Realm is extremely far from here, a distance almost impossible to sense. But if by chance any Star God happened to be relatively close... given the degree of Star God power she had released at the bottom of the abyss that day, it was indeed possible to be sensed.
And now, the worst outcome of that "by chance" had shockingly become reality.
"Brother-in-law, what exactly is going on?" Xia Yuanba asked quietly. "That woman who dresses... strangely—who is she? She seems to know your master. Is she as powerful as your master?"
"..." Yun Che didn't answer and couldn't answer. His heart was in chaos... unprecedented chaos.
From Yu Luo's address to Mo Li and Mo Li's expression when facing her, Yun Che could confirm that this Yu Luo was definitely from the same world as Mo Li, and was very likely someone sent to find Mo Li.
Thinking back to Mo Li's strange behavior this morning... perhaps she had sensed Yu Luo's approach back then. That is, she didn't want to be found.
This Yu Luo called Mo Li "Princess," but her tone and actions showed not a hint of reverence, as if her status was not lower than Mo Li's at all!
As Yun Che thought, Mo Li had indeed sensed Yu Luo's rapid approach that morning. So she separated from Yun Che and completely sealed her aura, trying to escape Yu Luo's spiritual perception. But she never expected Yu Luo to find Yun Che... Her soul body had been attached to Yun Che for seven full years, and his body indeed carried her soul aura—and heavily.
His body also carried her aura, both in life and soul.
Thus, she had no choice but to appear. Otherwise, with Yu Luo's venomous nature, Yun Che would surely die.
"So why are you near this planet?" Mo Li asked coldly.
"Of course, by Our King's command." Yu Luo's finger slid over her lips, down her smooth neck, and stopped at her collarbone, gently twirling a strand of faintly glowing hair: "A few years ago, I heard the Princess was still alive, but I didn't believe it. Yet Our King ordered me to bring the Princess back no matter what. I had to obey Our King's command. Over the years, I've traveled far and wide, and I never expected to actually find you, Princess."
"A few years ago? How did you know I wasn't dead?" Mo Li's brows, already lowered, sank even further, and her voice suddenly turned sharply cold with killing intent: "I understand... It's that Shi Kun Beast!!"
Back when the Primordial Mystic Ark was traversing space, Mo Li, in order to push Yun Che to his limits in training, forcibly interfered with the Primordial Mystic Ark's spatial chaos. Once, in a gap between spaces, she encountered two Shi Kun Beasts! One died, and one escaped!
The Shi Kun Beast was one of the very few ancient beasts that had survived from the era of ancient times. Few in number, it lived in the gaps of space, feeding on space itself, and thus had extremely vast knowledge. The moment she made her move, it instantly recognized her power and identity. If Xing Shen Realm had known she was still alive a few years ago, the Shi Kun Beast that escaped was the only possibility!
"The Princess is truly clever." Yu Luo giggled: "No wonder the Princess survived the Godslayer Desolation Poison; it must be because she forcibly abandoned her body tainted by the demon poison and attached her soul to another person... If I'm not mistaken, that person is that handsome young lad, right?"
Mo Li: "..."
"That young lad is not only handsome but also possesses surprisingly vigorous life force. No wonder he was chosen by the Princess, giggle giggle."
Yu Luo laughed so much that her flowers trembled. But she could never imagine that the demon poison Mo Li suffered back then had not only spread throughout her body but also invaded her soul. If only the body was contaminated, one could abandon the body to preserve the soul. But if the soul was invaded, given the terror of the Godslayer Desolation Poison, even for someone at their level, death was certain; there was no hope of survival.
Unless one possessed the Heavenly Poison Pearl, a Mystic Heaven Supreme Treasure.
Mo Li was originally doomed to certain death, but at the final moment, she met Yun Che, who possessed the Heavenly Poison Pearl. Her fate was changed by Yun Che, and Yun Che's fate was likewise turned upside down by her.
"But it seems the Princess has only recently reshaped her body, having recovered only one-tenth of her divine power. That's good, or I would have a headache," Yu Luo's lips curled sideways, her voice and expression both coquettishly weak: "If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have reported finding the Princess to Our King."
"...!" Mo Li's gaze turned icy: "You told... that person!?"
"Of course." Yu Luo continued to play with her hair: "The Princess clearly discovered me, but instead of approaching me, she hid her aura and played hide-and-seek with me. That clearly means she doesn't want to return with me. If I had to use force, I couldn't defeat the Princess—what a headache. So I had to send a sound transmission to Our King. Who would have thought the Princess's divine power had dropped so much... Oh dear, if I insist on taking the Princess away now, you wouldn't be able to resist at all."
"Hmph!" Mo Li said expressionlessly: "Although I don't want to go back, I will eventually return one day. Since you've found me, it seems I have no choice but to go back."
Mo Li was well aware that since "that person" Yu Luo mentioned now knew her location, staying here was impossible. Otherwise, that person might personally come here... if that happened, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"However, I need ten days." Mo Li squinted coldly: "In ten days, after I finish everything I want to do, I will naturally return with you."
"Mo Li..." Mo Li's words made Yun Che's heart lurch; he cried out involuntarily.
Faced with Mo Li's sharp, cold gaze, Yu Luo shook her head with a smile: "Of course not. Our King gave me a very strict order: upon seeing the Princess, I must bring you back immediately, without a moment's delay. I dare not disobey Our King's command. Besides, the Princess was avoiding me earlier. If you were to secretly run away during these ten days, I would be severely punished by Our King."
"I said I would return with you in ten days, and I won't go back on my word." Mo Li's voice grew even colder: "And although I only have one-tenth of my divine power now, if I don't want to, it won't be so easy for you to force me back."
"The Princess must not be willful." Yu Luo showed no hesitation or worry at Mo Li's words; instead, she smiled even more seductively: "The Princess was playing hide-and-seek with me earlier, but because of that handsome young lad, she came to find me. It seems that young lad is very important to the Princess."
Mo Li's expression shifted slightly: "He's a disciple I took on a whim during my idle days these past days!"
"Disciple? Oh~~~ I'm truly surprised. Given the Princess's temperament, she actually has an interest in taking disciples." Yu Luo's seductive eyes narrowed into slits, and the smile at the corner of her lips grew more meaningful: "If the Princess insists on not returning immediately, it would indeed give me a headache. But if Our King were to learn that the Princess was unwilling to return home because of some low-level planet's people, what do you think would happen?"
"You! You dare threaten me!!"
"And another good news I must tell the Princess early." Yu Luo said with a grin: "The new inheritor of the Celestial Wolf Star God has already appeared."
"Celestial Wolf Star God..." Mo Li lifted her head sharply: "Who!?"
The Celestial Wolf Star God was the Star God power her brother had inherited back then. So she had a special affection for the power of the Celestial Wolf.
Star God power was not something anyone could inherit; it had extremely high requirements for the inheritor. Talent, constitution, compatibility—all had harsh, exacting demands. After a generation of Star God fell, finding a suitable next inheritor often took hundreds or even thousands of years.
And now, less than ten years since her brother's fall, a new inheritor had appeared so quickly.
"That person is..." Yu Luo's face showed a mysterious smile: "Princess Cai Zhi."
"..." Mo Li's entire body trembled violently, as if struck by lightning: "What did you say!?"
"The Princess heard correctly—it is Princess Cai Zhi." Seemingly satisfied with Mo Li's reaction, Yu Luo smiled even more contentedly: "Moreover, Princess Cai Zhi's compatibility with the Celestial Wolf divine power has reached a perfection never seen in history. Truly worthy of being..."
"Shut up!!"
Mo Li clenched her fists, and her two frail arms trembled slightly, unable to stop, even her breath becoming disorderly. In the distance, Yun Che, who had been watching Mo Li all along, was even more chaotic in his heart and soul. Because he could feel Mo Li's anger, panic... and fear...
He couldn't understand their words, and he had no power to interfere in matters of their level. He could only stare blankly, watching and listening, his heart and soul filled with worry for Mo Li, and also...
The fear of possibly losing Mo Li.
Mo Li's breathing became rapid. It took a while before she finally calmed down, and the trembling of her body gradually ceased. She lifted her head slightly, took a heavy breath, and said coldly: "Fine. I'll go back with you now."
"That's more like it, Princess." Yu Luo's smile was like a flower: "Seeing the Princess return safely, Our King will surely be overjoyed."
"But you must promise me one thing."
"Oh?" Yu Luo tilted her head slightly.
Mo Li's gaze dropped, looking at Yun Che. Their eyes met... but for just a moment, Mo Li looked away: "After we return, you must not mention the disciple I took to that person, nor say anything about this place!"
At this point, she had no other choice.
Yu Luo's threat was clear. If she didn't comply now, she would tell "that person" about what happened here.
If the entire Tian Xuan Continent was destroyed, she wouldn't even frown.
But Yun Che...
"Oh~~" Yu Luo lowered her brows and smiled lightly, seemingly not surprised by Mo Li's request: "How dare I disobey the Princess's command? I am merely ordered to bring the Princess back; I can't be bothered to tell Our King about that handsome young lad, giggle giggle."
Yu Luo laughed charmingly, but deep in her flirtatious eyes, a strange glimmer flickered.
"Good." Mo Li nodded slowly: "You'd better keep your word, or else..."
"Oh dear, why such a scary expression, Princess? I'm so timid." Yu Luo adopted a frightened, delicate expression: "Besides, the Princess knows I hate people who lie the most."
"Hmph!" Mo Li turned around: "Before we go... after all, we were once teacher and disciple. I have a few words to say to him as a farewell."
"That won't do..."
"Yu Luo!!" As Yu Luo voiced her objection, Mo Li's gaze snapped back, and a killing intent like the depths of the Nine Nether Purgatory choked off her words: "Don't push your luck! I've already agreed to go back with you immediately. I'm merely bidding a simple farewell to my disciple. If you dare say another half-word, once I recover my power, I have ten thousand ways to ruin your face, and make sure it never recovers! I'll make you look neither human nor ghost!"
"Do you want to try!!"
The smile on Yu Luo's face froze instantly. When she smiled again, it became somewhat forced, as if she was genuinely frightened: "Fine, fine. I never said I wouldn't agree."
"Hmph!"
Mo Li withdrew her killing intent. Without looking at Yu Luo again, she slowly descended from the air and landed in front of Yun Che.
"Mo Li..." Looking at the girl so close, so familiar, Yun Che gently called out, his voice so faint he couldn't even hear it himself.
"All the riffraff, get lost!!" Mo Li muttered softly, then suddenly waved her hand.
A storm swept through the air. Amid a sky full of screams, all the people, tables, chairs, and even the entire Phoenix Great Hall were swept away by the gale, flung into the distance.
In an instant, a perfectly flat, terrifyingly empty area of five li around them was created, with not a single person or object left. Only the two of them remained, standing at the center of this world.