Chapter 864: Gloomy
“Brother Yun, what’s wrong?” Feng Xue’er asked in shock and worry. At that moment, she suddenly saw a layer of black aura slowly rising from Yun Che’s body.
At first, the black aura was very thin, but it gradually became thicker, carrying with it an extremely heavy aura of dark and sinister energy.
“Caiyi… Xue’er…” Yun Che’s hand was clutching his chest tightly, and he said in pain, “Take me back to… Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley quickly…”
The space in front of Yun Che twisted rapidly, and the Primordial Mystic Ark appeared. Clearly, Yun Che was well aware that in his current state, it was impossible for him to forcibly fly back to Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley; he had to rely on the Primordial Mystic Ark.
“Let’s go!” Xiao Yaohou quickly reached out, grabbed Yun Che and Feng Xue’er, and amidst a flash of white light, they entered the Primordial Mystic Ark, then vanished along with it.
“Hiss…” The sharp pain on Tianxia Xiongtu’s hand pierced straight into his bone marrow. This pain was different from any injury he had ever suffered in his life—it was an extremely strange… cold and burning sensation.
Even with his powerful cultivation at the mid-stage Emperor Lord level, plus the protection of the power of nature, it took a full dozen breaths before the pain was somewhat suppressed.
“What… what in the world is this?” Cold sweat continuously dripped from Tianxia Xiongtu’s forehead. He took a long deep breath, glanced at Yun Qinghong, and after a brief hesitation, said, “That black aura just now… seems somewhat similar to the one on Xuanyuan Wentian’s body.”
“…” Yun Qinghong remained silent for a long time, then let out a soft sigh, as if speaking to himself, “We’ll ask Che’er once he returns.”
The Primordial Mystic Ark instantly traversed to the entrance of Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley. Xiao Yaohou and Feng Xue’er quickly flew into the valley with Yun Che… From the time they left to their re-entry, less than an hour had passed.
Passing through the searing land of flames, they arrived at the deepest part of Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley once more. Before they could even stop, Feng Xue’er anxiously shouted, “Golden Crow Divine Spirit, please save Brother Yun!”
Almost the moment Feng Xue’er’s voice fell, a pair of golden eyes, containing boundless majesty and blazing heat, opened in the sky above, casting dazzling golden light across the entire valley.
“You have returned at just the right time. I was about to ask you something.” The Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s voice was deeply solemn: “That person you fought earlier—who is he? And what kind of profound art was he using?”
Xiao Yaohou hurriedly said, “We will answer all of Golden Crow Holy Spirit’s questions without reservation. But please, Golden Crow Holy Spirit, heal Yun Che first. He is now…”
Yun Che was curled up on the ground, the black aura around him fluctuating between thick and thin. He was drenched in cold sweat, his features twisted together, clearly enduring immense pain, yet he gritted his teeth and refused to make a sound.
“Heal him?” The Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s tone was somewhat disdainful. “Has the Heavenly Poison Star God injured him again… Hmm?”
Before finishing, the Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s tone suddenly changed: “This aura…”
Clang!!
A beam of golden light shot down from its mouth, enveloping Yun Che.
The golden light touched Yun Che’s body and paused briefly… In an instant, the light in Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley shifted dramatically. The golden eyes in the sky widened abruptly, and the sea of fire and volcanoes stretching hundreds of miles behind erupted like a calamity, surging with towering flames.
“Golden Crow Holy Spirit!?” Xiao Yaohou looked up in shock. She couldn’t imagine what could cause it to lose control so completely… As the supreme deity of the Huan Yao Realm, it seemed as if it had suddenly received a tremendous fright.
“Leave Yun Che here. Both of you leave this place at once,” the Golden Crow Soul Spirit commanded. “For the next twelve hours, no one is allowed to enter this area—including the two of you!”
Its voice was exceptionally heavy and low, offering no explanation and not pressing further about Xuanyuan Wentian. Its reaction made Xiao Yaohou and Feng Xue’er’s hearts pound wildly. Feng Xue’er asked fearfully, “Golden Crow Soul Spirit, what is wrong with Brother Yun…?”
“No more words. You may go!”
A flash of light from the golden eyes, and two streams of golden flame descended from the sky, landing on Xiao Yaohou and Feng Xue’er, instantly driving them out of Jinwu Thunder Flame Valley.
Sensing the departure of the two women, Yun Che slowly raised his head and said hoarsely, “Golden Crow Soul Spirit, I’m counting on you… With my strength alone… I simply cannot suppress it…”
“Don’t speak! There will be time for you to explain later!” the Golden Crow Soul Spirit said coldly. As it spoke, a ring of golden flame also condensed around Yun Che, and then it muttered to itself, “It seems that my desire to continue existing for another ten years is no longer possible.”
“…” Yun Che managed a grateful yet bitter smile, then closed his eyes, concentrating as he received the power from the Golden Crow Soul Spirit.
Four months ago, the Demon Source Pearl that Shiyue Mojun had driven into his profound veins before his complete annihilation had become a nightmare buried within Yun Che’s body. Even with Mo Li’s power, it could not be removed. He had been well aware that one day it would erupt.
But he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.
And even less did he expect the eruption to be so violent.
Previously, the power sealing the Demon Source Pearl was Mo Li’s. Afraid of damaging his profound veins, Mo Li had only used a very small amount of force to seal it, but she had explicitly said it would hold for at least six months.
Before she left, she had also stated clearly that even if her sealing power faded, Yun Che could use his own strength to seal it.
And at that time, Yun Che’s power was far less than it was now.
But now, not only had the eruption occurred far earlier than expected, the dark demonic aura it released was so immense that his own power could not suppress it. If the previous Demon Source Pearl was merely a demon seed planted within him, then now… it was as if a violent demon god had suddenly awakened.
After imparting its soul origin to Yun Che, the Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s own power had greatly diminished. But it was still a soul fragment of the ancient divine beast Golden Crow. When Yun Che was bathed in the rising golden flames, a surging torrent of power flooded into his body, rushing straight toward his profound veins.
In moments, the black aura on Yun Che’s body slowly faded, and his complexion improved considerably. He sat upright, concentrated his spirit, and activated the Great Dao Pagoda Art at full power, guiding the Golden Crow Divine Spirit’s energy to suppress the rampaging Demon Source Pearl.
Under the immense divine power of the Golden Crow Soul Spirit, the force of the Demon Source Pearl was gradually suppressed. Strands of golden radiance, like flowing streams, coiled around the pitch-black Demon Source Pearl, layering seals upon it until its power was completely locked away, not a trace of dark demonic aura escaping.
Yun Che opened his eyes, his complexion fully restored.
And three whole hours had passed.
If it weren’t for his Dragon God’s Body and the power of the Great Dao Pagoda Art, anyone else would have been devoured by the dark demonic aura flooding their body long before the Demon Source Pearl could be fully sealed within those three hours.
“Thank you, Golden Crow Divine Spirit. You have saved me once again. I have no way to repay all your great kindness to me in this life,” Yun Che said sincerely.
“Spare me the empty pleasantries.”
The Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s voice was noticeably weaker than usual, and even the golden light in its eyes had dimmed. Without its soul origin, its power could not be regenerated; every bit used was lost forever. The three hours it spent helping Yun Che seal the Demon Source Pearl had reduced its remaining existence—already less than ten years—by another two full years.
“Now you should explain yourself properly.” The Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s eyes widened sharply. “Why do you have a Demon Source Pearl inside your body?!”
“That is something that should have been extinct from this world long ago!”
“Explaining this might be a bit troublesome,” Yun Che said. He had no need to hide anything from the Golden Crow Soul Spirit, especially since it had saved his life multiple times.
“In that case, how about I probe your memories?”
Anyone, even the most ordinary mortal, would never want someone else to pry into their memories. But this time, Yun Che nodded without hesitation: “Fine.”
His straightforwardness clearly surprised the Golden Crow Soul Spirit. Without another word, golden light descended, invading Yun Che’s completely unguarded heart and soul. Instantly, the memories from after he left the Huan Yao Realm flooded into the Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s consciousness like a tidal wave.
Reading through roughly a year’s worth of memories was a fairly quick process. But after the Golden Crow Soul Spirit withdrew its golden light, it remained silent for a long time.
Its constantly flickering golden eyes revealed the immense turmoil within its heart and soul.
After a long while, the Golden Crow Soul Spirit finally spoke slowly: “That person you fought today, the one called Xuanyuan Wentian, I detected a very faint demonic aura from him, as well as the aura of the Eternal Night Illusion Demon Scripture. I once thought it was a delusion, because demons have long been extinct.”
“I never expected that it truly was the aura of the Eternal Night Illusion Demon Scripture!”
“Having carried the will of the Golden Crow and existed in this world for so long, I never realized that in the far northern continent, a true demon had been hiding, surviving from the ancient era!”
It had probed Yun Che’s memories and naturally learned of Shiyue Mojun’s existence.
“It is fortunate that you discovered him by chance and annihilated him. Otherwise, if his soul had fully awakened, with the nature of a demon and the hatred accumulated over a million years of imprisonment, this world would have suffered an unimaginable catastrophe. It is equivalent to you, with your own strength, saving this seemingly peaceful world.”
Yun Che shook his head with a faint smile: “I killed him only to save my own life. If he didn’t die, I would have. That’s all. As for saving the world, I don’t have that kind of courage or saintly heart. And besides, what does it matter that I killed Shiyue Mojun? In comparison, Xuanyuan Wentian is a hundred times more terrifying.”
“You are wrong. How can a demon god be compared to a mortal? Although the Xuanyuan Wentian of today far surpasses the Shiyue Mojun you annihilated, Shiyue Mojun was a true demon. Once he truly awakened, his power would be beyond your imagination. Even with your Dragon God’s Body, for him to destroy you would be but a thought.”
“As for Xuanyuan Wentian, he has only obtained a trace of thin demon blood and a sliver of demon soul. Even if he could fully obtain and perfectly merge all the power, he could never truly step into the divine path.”
“But even though my power has skyrocketed over the past three months, I am still far from being a match for Xuanyuan Wentian. If it weren’t for Fen Juechen’s remnant soul not being extinguished today, I would probably already be dead.”
“Moreover, Xuanyuan Wentian said himself today that his demon blood has not fully awakened. In three months, he will reach a perfect state. By then, his strength will surely far surpass what it is now. Hah… I really can’t think of how I can fight against him.”
Yun Che looked up and murmured to himself, “If only Mo Li were here. Even if she still couldn’t use her own power like before, she could at least tell me what to do.”
“…” From Yun Che, the Golden Crow Soul Spirit felt a heavy gloom.
More than a year ago, when they first met, Yun Che had respected it without fear. Even when facing its pressure, he had carried himself with great dignity. When it tried to forcibly erase his Phoenix bloodline, he had refused firmly and even cursed at it in anger.
At that time, faced with his cursing, it had not been angered; instead, it had grown more fond of him. Because as the soul of the Golden Crow, its nature was inherently proud and fiery.
But now, it sensed gloom from Yun Che.
It couldn’t determine whether this gloom was caused by Xuanyuan Wentian’s despair-inspiring strength, or by Mo Li’s departure.
Perhaps it was the latter.
“Golden Crow Soul Spirit, with your power, could you defeat Xuanyuan Wentian?” Yun Che asked, though his tone clearly held little hope.
“A year ago, I might have been able to,” the Golden Crow Soul Spirit said frankly. “But now, even if I were to violate the will of the Golden Crow and forcibly leave this place, I absolutely could not incinerate Xuanyuan Wentian.”
“…” Yun Che closed his eyes, his hands clenching slightly.
Mo Li’s departure, Yu Luo’s scheming, the mutated Xuanyuan Wentian, the erupting Demon Source Pearl… He was still lost in the shock of Mo Li’s leaving, unable to come back to his senses, and everything came crashing down at once.
In the past, no matter how terrifying the danger he faced, his fighting spirit had never dimmed. But now, without Mo Li by his side, he felt as if half his soul had been cut away—bleak and powerless.
Only after losing her did he truly realize that his dependence on Mo Li far exceeded what he had imagined.
“Don’t you want to know why the Demon Source Pearl in your profound veins suddenly broke free from its seal and erupted?” the Golden Crow Soul Spirit suddenly asked.
“I’ve been wondering about that too.” Yun Che’s gaze shifted. “Golden Crow Soul Spirit, do you know the answer?”
“That Demon Source Pearl from Shiyue Mojun originally had only a very weak power. That day, if you hadn’t been seriously injured from the fierce battle with him, you could have sealed it yourself,” the Golden Crow Soul Spirit began to explain slowly, its voice still carrying a noticeable weakness. “It merged into your profound veins and naturally absorbed the profound energy within them.”
“It is like a seed of darkness that was on the verge of death. Though it relies on your profound energy to awaken, it is an object at the level of a demon god. The power it gradually generates will far surpass your own strength and level. If you want to survive, you must either destroy your own profound veins, or you must constantly seal it tightly, preventing its ever-strengthening demonic aura from leaking out.”
“Originally, it would have taken a considerable amount of time for this Demon Source Pearl’s awakened power to become fatal to you. With your profound strength from three months ago, you could have sealed it again and again by your own power for at least several decades.”
“But over these past three months, you and Feng Xue’er engaged in dual cultivation of dragon and phoenix, causing your vitality and profound energy to remain in an extremely active state at all times. Your profound power level even skyrocketed repeatedly in just three short months… Yet, by an unfortunate twist, this caused the Demon Source Pearl’s power to rapidly grow under your continuously active and repeatedly surging state, ultimately breaking through the seal left by your master and releasing dark demonic aura beyond your capacity to bear.”
Yun Che: “…”
“This is my oversight. If I had discovered the existence of the Demon Source Pearl in your body three months ago, today’s outcome would not have come to pass.” The Golden Crow Soul Spirit let out a short sigh… It did not directly state just how terrifying the Demon Source Pearl in Yun Che’s body had become now. Although it had been sealed with great difficulty, however…
Yun Che, however, laughed, shaking his head. “It’s not your fault. If you hadn’t guided Xue’er to dual cultivate with me, I would have died three months ago.”
“The Demon Source Pearl is in my profound veins. I have long accepted that this would happen one day… It just came a little too fast.” Yun Che paused, then suddenly asked, “Regarding the Demon Source Pearl, I have always been very puzzled. Why could it so effortlessly merge into my profound veins? A profound vein is where a profound practitioner condenses their profound energy and will reject all foreign matter. Not to mention that my profound veins are those of a Xuan God, so why did they show no rejection at all towards a Demon Source Pearl belonging to a demon?”
“This, I also cannot comprehend.” The Golden Crow Soul Spirit said slowly. “A Demon Source Pearl is the origin pearl of a demon god’s power. The birth of a demon god begins with the Demon Source Pearl. It carries the origin power of a demon god and lies at the core of their demonic profound veins. If a demon loses theirs, or if their Demon Source Pearl is destroyed, they will lose all their power, and may even die as a result.”
“If a demon god’s Demon Source Pearl is destroyed, they can seize another demon god’s Demon Source Pearl and, through some special method, merge it into their own profound veins to regain power… Though it sounds bizarre and its truth is uncertain, there were indeed such rumors during the Age of Gods. But for a true god or a mortal’s profound veins to fuse with a demon god’s origin pearl is fundamentally impossible. Unless…”
“…”
The Golden Crow Soul Spirit clearly thought of something, but its voice came to an abrupt halt, and even its golden eyes constricted several times.
“Unless what?” Yun Che pressed.
“…I cannot answer you, because it is nothing but a ridiculously absurd speculation. No need to ask further.”
Yun Che could tell that the Golden Crow Soul Spirit’s tone had changed strangely. It must have thought of something, but was unwilling to tell him—and was extremely adamant in its refusal.