# Chapter 854: Agonizing Wait
Xiao Yun was just about to introduce the Bing Yun Fairy Palace to Yun Qinghong and his wife when he suddenly heard Mu Yurou's words. His legs went weak with shock, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.
The faces of the Bing Palace maidens also flushed slightly, their eyes wide with astonishment.
Murong Qianxue stepped forward and said respectfully, "Clan Head Yun, Madam Yun, we are disciples of the Bing Yun Fairy Palace of the Tian Xuan Continent. Yun Che is the Palace Master of our sect. Palace Master Yun saved our sect from peril half a year ago and granted us a new lease on life. This time, he brought us here to preserve all our lives. We apologize for the intrusion and disturbance, and we are deeply grateful."
"Oh?" Yun Qinghong nodded with a puzzled expression. "So that's how it is. I've heard of the Bing Yun Fairy Palace from Che'er. However, when Che'er described your sect, he mentioned that you only accept female disciples. How did Che'er become your Palace Master?"
"This matter... it's a long story." Murong Qianxue said solemnly. "If not for Palace Master Yun, the Bing Yun Fairy Palace would have ceased to exist long ago."
"Father," Xiao Yun said, "I will explain the details to you later. The Bing Yun Fairy Palace has a total of two thousand disciples. This is their first time in the Huan Yao Realm, and they have nowhere to go. Before Big Brother returns, I ask that you help temporarily accommodate them."
"Hmm, of course." Yun Qinghong nodded without any hesitation. The fact that Yun Che had specially brought all of them to the Huan Yao Realm showed how much he valued the Bing Yun Fairy Palace. After thinking for a moment, he said to Murong Qianxue, "If you don't mind, before Che'er returns, would all of you fairies be willing to stay temporarily in the Yun family's side courtyard? Please rest assured, I have learned from Che'er that the Bing Yun Fairy Palace stands aloof from the world and never wishes to be involved in worldly affairs. I will issue an order that no one is to approach the side courtyard to disturb your peace. Outside the Yun family, I guarantee no one will dare to offend you."
Murong Qianxue bowed deeply with gratitude: "In that case, on behalf of all the disciples of the Bing Yun Fairy Palace, I thank Clan Head Yun and Madam Yun."
BANG!!
With a loud crash, the gates of the Yun residence were violently pushed open, accompanied by a rough shout: "Seven Treasure! Seven Treasure!"
"Father!?" Tianxia Diqi turned around in surprise, seeing Tianxia Xiong Tu charging in frantically.
"Father." Tianxia Diyi quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.
But Tianxia Xiong Tu completely ignored Tianxia Diyi, brushing past him as he rushed toward Tianxia Diqi, roaring excitedly, "My Seven Treasure! You're finally back! You've never left my side for more than three days since you were a child, but this time you've been gone for over half a year! I've missed you to death!"
Tianxia Diqi opened her mouth, and with a "whoosh," she shrank behind Xiao Yun, causing Tianxia Xiong Tu to hug empty air. His arms wrapped around nothing, and he stared pitifully at Tianxia Diqi hiding behind Xiao Yun, saying with immense hurt, "In just half a year, you... you've become distant from your father..."
"Ahem, Father-in-law," Xiao Yun quickly explained carefully, "Actually... actually, Seventh Sister is now six months pregnant, so..."
"What!?" Tianxia Xiong Tu leaped into the air, his roar making Xiao Yun's eardrums ring.
"Is... is this true?" Yun Qinghong and Mu Yurou also showed delighted surprise.
"Of course it's true." Tianxia Diyi said helplessly. "Father, if Old Seventh hadn't dodged just now, you might have hurt your unborn grandchild."
Tianxia Xiong Tu pushed Xiao Yun aside, grabbed Tianxia Diqi's arm, and said, "Come! Seven Treasure, come home with your father quickly. Now that you're pregnant, you absolutely cannot run around outside anymore."
"Go home? I don't want to!" Tianxia Diqi shrank back. "I want to stay with Brother Yun."
"This... how can this young whelp take good care of you? You're carrying my grandchild now. What if... what if something happens..." Tianxia Xiong Tu was getting anxious.
"Alright, Brother Tianxia," Yun Qinghong quickly intervened. "You're letting your worry get the better of you. How can you force a married daughter back to her parents' home? Besides, Seventh is now a princess consort personally approved by the Little Demon Queen."
BANG!!
Another loud crash. The just-closed Yun family gates were violently pushed open once again, and excited, hearty laughter rang out across the entire Yun residence: "Hahahaha! Che'er, Grandfather has come to see you!"
Mu Feiyan strode in grandly with his three sons Mu Yubai, Mu Yuqing, and Mu Yukong. He was immediately taken aback by the scene before him. Mu Feiyan's gaze swept around several times but didn't see Yun Che's figure, so he glared and said, "Where is Che'er? Where is he? Didn't he come back with you?"
"Father, please calm down first." Mu Yurou said softly. "Che'er has returned, but he was injured. He is currently receiving treatment from the Golden Crow Saint God and should be back soon..."
"What!?" Mu Feiyan's hair and beard stood on end, his explosive anger surging upward: "Who! Which bastard injured Che'er? Tell me! Who! I'll tear him to shreds and grind him into meat paste!"
"Give it a rest, old man," Mu Yubai said with a smirk. "With the Little Demon Queen around, that bastard who hurt Che'er has probably been burned to ashes long ago. There's nothing left for you to do."
"..." Xiao Yun opened his mouth, then said quietly, "Actually... actually, even the Little Demon Queen couldn't defeat that person. She was also injured and was forced to burn her source blood... We all nearly died there."
These few words from Xiao Yun struck Mu Feiyan and the others like thunder, their faces turning pale with shock. Yun Qinghong grabbed Xiao Yun's arm, staring straight at him: "You say... the Little Demon Queen was also injured? And forced to burn her source blood?"
"This... how is this possible?" Mu Yukong said with a terrified expression. "In this world, how could there be someone who can match the Little Demon Queen? How!"
"Every word Xiao Yun said is not an exaggeration." Tianxia Diyi let out a heavy sigh.
Mu Feiyan, Tianxia Xiong Tu, Yun Qinghong, and the others looked at each other, unable to believe their ears. Yun Qinghong released his grip on Xiao Yun's arm, his brows deeply furrowed, and said seriously, "Yun'er, tell us in detail everything that happened after you went to the Tian Xuan Continent."
"Let me speak." Tianxia Diyi stepped forward.
And so, Tianxia Diyi recounted everything that had happened after they arrived at the Tian Xuan Continent. He spoke in detail, especially about Xuanyuan Wentian — from his abduction of Xiao Yun to his driving everyone into a corner, covering every detail as thoroughly as possible.
Even after he finished recounting their return to the Huan Yao Realm, Yun Qinghong and the others remained immersed in extreme shock, unable to come back to their senses for a long time.
"Ming Wang was actually... just a pawn... just a pawn..." Tianxia Xiong Tu shook his head, muttering over and over.
"Where did Xuanyuan Wentian's power come from? Why couldn't even the Little Demon Queen defeat him?" The shock on Mu Feiyan's face would not fade.
"I have told you everything I know." Tianxia Diyi said in a deep voice. "But I spent most of my time in Liuyun City. Brother Yun and the Snow Princess surely know more of the reasons and secrets behind this. They might know the cause of Xuanyuan Wentian's transformation."
"If all of this is true, then Xuanyuan Wentian is more than ten times more terrifying than Ming Wang." Yun Qinghong closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Tianxia Xiong Tu suddenly thought of something, his expression shifting as he said gravely, "If Xuanyuan Wentian's strength has already become this terrifying, and he is so fixated on the Lunhui Jing, then once his injuries heal, he will surely attack our Huan Yao Realm... Back then, they managed to forcefully construct a space array connecting the two continents. Now, there's no reason they can't. No! I must immediately notify the entire city and all border regions. From today onward, we must remain on guard day and night."
"Brother Tianxia, wait." Yun Qinghong called out to stop him. "It's best not to spread this matter for now. The Little Demon Queen's absolute authority is built primarily on her absolute strength. If news of her defeat spreads, it will surely cause panic. We should keep this quiet for now and let the Little Demon Queen decide after she returns from the Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley."
"Hmm, Qinghong makes sense." Mu Feiyan nodded slightly. "Don't publicize this for now. Since Xuanyuan Wentian was so severely injured, he won't make any rash moves in the short term. Let's wait until the Little Demon Queen returns to decide."
"Sigh, we just put down Huai Wang's rebellion, and the Little Demon Queen's might dominates the world. I thought the chaos in the Huan Yao Realm had settled, but now..." Tianxia Xiong Tu let out a long sigh. "Truly an era of turmoil."
————————————
Xiao Lie, Xiao Lingxi, Cang Yue, and all the disciples of the Bing Yun Fairy Palace thus settled into the Yun residence.
Yun Qinghong treated Xiao Lie like his own father, paying respects morning and evening and personally attending to all matters. He also took great care of Xiao Lingxi, determined not to let her suffer any grievance.
As the young clan head's wife, Cang Yue immediately held a distinguished status upon entering the Yun family. Mu Yurou grew fonder of this daughter-in-law with each passing day, spending all her time asking about various matters concerning her and Yun Che.
Xiao Yun and Tianxia Diqi did not return to the prince's mansion. Instead, they stayed at the Yun residence to keep Xiao Lie company, joyfully awaiting the arrival of their new life every day.
The Bing Yun Fairy Palace, under Yun Qinghong's personal arrangements, was also settled in the Yun family's side courtyard.
Any one of the Bing Palace maidens, if singled out, was enough to astonish all who saw them, let alone so many appearing at once. In its thousand-year history, the Bing Yun Fairy Palace had never appeared in the mundane world in its entirety. The commotion caused by their arrival at the Yun residence was unimaginable. The Yun disciples, young and old alike, were all dumbfounded, as if in a dream. But the prohibition Yun Qinghong subsequently issued thoroughly dampened their hopes, leaving them staring longingly at the side courtyard walls from a distance, unable even to approach.
The Mu family sent several people to guard the entrance of the Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley, but after a day and a night, the formation at the valley's entrance closed again — and still no one emerged.
Seven days...
Ten days...
Fifteen days...
One month...
A full month passed, and still the Little Demon Queen and Yun Che had not emerged from the Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley. This time, even Yun Qinghong could no longer maintain his composure. For several days in a row, before dawn broke, he would go alone to the valley, craning his neck to watch for changes in the sealing formation.
He could only console himself again and again that Yun Che must not have met with misfortune — otherwise, the Little Demon Queen and the girl called the Snow Princess would have long since left the valley...
There must be some important reason for them to have stayed inside all this time.
With such self-consolation and increasingly anxious waiting, three whole months slowly passed in agonizing torment.
And unbeknownst to them, a shadow of dark clouds was quietly creeping toward the Huan Yao Realm.
————————————————
[The title of this volume is "Jueyun's Hidden Shadow" — these four words are the key. The rest is just filler.]
[Friendly reminder: Su Linger is sixteen years old.]