# Chapter 923: Killing the Donkey After Its Work is Done
"...What do you mean? Why won't I be able to see her again?" Yun Che's head shot up, his expression alarmed. "Do you know something?"
"Hmph, it's because..." The Golden Crow Soul Spirit's voice suddenly paused, its golden pupils flickering with momentary hesitation—because it thought of Yun Che's temperament and his usual way of handling matters. Then, it chose to conceal the truth and said lightly, "As a Star God, she naturally has her own unique mission. Five years... no, perhaps even less than five years, and she must fulfill the mission she bears. By then, even if her will wishes to see you, the mission she carries will leave her with no choice."
"Mission..." Yun Che murmured, somewhat dazed. "What kind of mission is it? Why would it take away her freedom?"
"I do not know. But I am absolutely certain of this: if you cannot see her within five years, you will never be able to see her again. Many things in the Realm of the Gods are simply beyond the comprehension of mortals like you." The Golden Crow Soul Spirit's voice remained calm, but it knew full well that the so-called "mission" would cost her far more than just her freedom. Thinking of Yun Che's temperament, this was all it could tell him.
"..." Yun Che stood there frozen. He suddenly thought of the mother of Xia Yuanba and Xia Qingyue—the woman Xia Hongyi had told him about, whom he had named "Dong Xue."
In Xia Hongyi's account, the mother of Xia Yuanba and Xia Qingyue had suddenly regained her memories and power that day. Without staying even a single day longer, she had resolutely abandoned her husband and two children and left, saying she would never see them again.
And indeed, she was never seen again.
Why? What kind of place was the Realm of the Gods? Why, once one returned there, could they no longer meet people from "here"? Someone as powerful as Mo Li—why was she so bound by other factors that restricted her freedom? And what exactly was it that bound her...
What kind of world was the world she lived in!?
"Is there any way to forcefully go to the Realm of the Gods?" Yun Che suddenly looked up, gritting his teeth slightly.
"Forcibly go?" The Golden Crow Soul Spirit snorted lightly. "It seems my words have indeed stirred you."
"If I have to live the rest of my life never being able to see her again... I cannot accept it. I absolutely cannot accept it." Yun Che's heart tightened. "I want to know if she's doing well in her world. I want to know why she has no freedom... No, I have to see her."
"Your power is unmatched in this world, but if you were to go to the Realm of the Gods, it would barely cause a ripple. Especially the star realm where your master resides—it exists at the highest level even in the Realm of the Gods. Even if you somehow made it to the Realm of the Gods, you would never be able to reach her star realm. And even if you did manage to find her... what could you possibly do for her with your strength?" The Golden Crow Soul Spirit said coldly.
"My power may indeed be insignificantly small in that world. But..." Yun Che closed his eyes. "I want to see her not because of your words, but because I long to see her again every moment. Her departure was too sudden; I still haven't fully come to terms with it. And... I want to know how she's faring in her world. Even if, when I see her, she still tells me to leave and never come back, I can leave forever without regrets."
"Ha ha ha ha ha!" The Golden Crow Soul Spirit burst into laughter. "This is exactly what you would say. I have read your memories before, and I know better than you how deeply she resides in your heart and soul. Even if I hadn't provoked you, you would eventually be unable to resist going to the Realm of the Gods to find her. But unfortunately, the Realm of the Gods is an extremely vast distance from this world. Even exhausting all the remaining power in the Primordial Mystic Ark would not allow you to reach it, and there are no other shortcuts or methods available... at least, none that I know of."
"If you want to see her within five years, the only way is to elevate your profound strength to the Divine Profound Realm within five years. Then, you will naturally find a way to reach the Realm of the Gods. However, in this world, where elemental energy is too thin, the aura is exceptionally turbid, and the laws are extremely low-level, reaching the Divine Profound Realm through conventional means is far harder than reaching the heavens. But in your case, it might be possible."
"If this is the only way..." Yun Che's mind and aura gradually calmed. "Then I will focus on cultivation in the time I have left, even if..." His voice softened. "I can only see her from afar one more time."
His current profound strength was at the first level of the Sovereign Xuan Realm, while the Divine Profound Realm was a realm far beyond the tenth level of the Sovereign Xuan Realm.
He had no way of knowing if he could achieve it in just five years.
But if he could not, then in two or three more years, Feng Xue'er would surely be able to. Perhaps, when the time came, she could take him to the Realm of the Gods.
Mo Li... No matter what, I must see you one more time. I cannot let our separation be so incomplete... I need to know if you're doing well in that world...
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Time passed, and it had been a full month since Xuanyuan Wentian had turned to ashes.
The high-level space teleportation array connecting the Tian Xuan Continent and the Huan Yao Realm was finally completed within the time limit Yun Che had set, thanks to the tireless efforts of the Four Sacred Grounds day and night.
The teleport point on the Huan Yao Realm side was set at the Yun Family's detached estate, which was currently the temporary residence of the Bing Yun Fairy Palace's fairies.
The teleport point on the Tian Xuan Continent side was set in front of the original Bing Yun Fairy Palace in the Ice Extreme Snow Domain of the Cang Feng Empire.
To curry favor with Yun Che, the Four Sacred Grounds—especially the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the Tian Wei Sword Domain—had invested an enormous amount of Purple Vein Divine Crystals and Void Space Stones. Not only could it achieve instant travel between the two continents, but its energy could sustain its existence for a full decade. After ten years, when the energy was depleted, it could be replenished directly with various types of profound crystals.
This array was more than ten times as powerful as the space teleportation array they had jointly built when they invaded the Huan Yao Realm back then—because at that time, each of the Four Sacred Grounds had been afraid of using even one more divine crystal, lest they give the other three an advantage.
On the day the teleportation array was completed, the first to use this massive space teleportation array were also the Four Sacred Grounds.
Following Yun Che's orders from that day, all members of the Four Sacred Grounds at the level of Elder and above passed through the array to arrive at Yao Huang City.
Many of them had come to Yao Huang City before. But last time, they had come with greed and murderous intent; this time, each of them shrank their necks, cautious and terrified.
Because this time, under Yun Che's orders, they had come to apologize. And Yun Che had made it unequivocally clear: if Xiao Yaohou wanted to kill any of them, no matter who or how many, no one was allowed to resist!
Below Yao Huang City, they awaited Xiao Yaohou. Xiao Yaohou was extremely calm, with no killing intent, and didn't even say a single word. In complete silence, she led them to the royal mausoleum of the Demon Emperor Clan.
"Kneel!"
Facing the tombs of the Former Demon Emperor and the Little Demon Emperor, Xiao Yaohou finally spoke her first words to the people of the Four Sacred Grounds.
Without much hesitation, everyone from the Four Sacred Grounds knelt in unison. Since they had come, they knew what they would face. When they invaded the Huan Yao Realm back then, although they had been manipulated by both Xuanyuan Wentian and the Ming King simultaneously, and were not the chief culprits, they were still the executioners who had brought about the calamity at Yao Huang City.
Even if they had to pay with their lives, it would be deserved.
All the top experts of the Four Sacred Grounds kneeling before the royal mausoleum of the Demon Emperor Clan to apologize—such a scene was something Xiao Yaohou, once alone, had never dared to hope for. No one in Yao Huang City had dared to imagine it either.
The Huai Wang Manor had been wiped out; aside from the Ming King, his entire clan had been exterminated. The only survivor, the Ming King, endured a torment akin to hell every day, but could not die even if he wanted to. The imperial city was at peace, the Huan Yao Realm was tranquil, and she had regained the absolute imperial authority befitting the emperor of the Huan Yao Realm.
All calamities originated from the other culprit, Xuanyuan Wentian, who had turned to ashes. The Four Sacred Grounds that had invaded Yao Huang City were now kneeling and bowing their heads before the mausoleum... At this moment, she could finally fully console the spirits of her father, her younger brother, and all those who had sacrificed their lives for Yao Huang City in the heavens above.
Her gaze shifted slightly and secretly turned to the man beside her... All of this had been brought about by him. Without him, today's result would not have been achieved, and she herself would not be the person she was today.
She had only meant to glance briefly, but once her sight touched him, it lingered for a long time without moving away... Her heart and soul felt an increasingly clear sensation. Unbeknownst to her, from some point on, his place in her heart and soul had surpassed even the Huan Yao Imperial Clan...
Once, in her mind, the dignity and glory of the Huan Yao Imperial Clan had far exceeded her own life. But now, the thought of setting down the heavy burden of the imperial clan and entrusting everything to him stirred so strongly within her heart.
They knelt, then performed nine prostrations before the tombs. The dignified Sacred Ground Elders had probably never dreamed that one day they would be trembling and cowering like a flock of sheep awaiting judgment.
When everything was done, Yun Che cast a questioning glance at Xiao Yaohou, then turned around and said, "Yuanba, Mr. Zi, take your people and leave."
As soon as these words were spoken, the people of the Huangji Sacred Domain and the Supreme Sea Palace were all overjoyed, while those of the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the Tian Wei Sword Domain were all stunned on the spot. Xuanyuan Bo of the Tian Wei Sword Domain asked nervously, "Palace Master Yun, then... what about us?"
"Heh heh," Yun Che smiled, his expression full of concern. "I wonder if the Young Sword Master of your sect is doing well now?"
Xuanyuan Bo's scalp went numb, and his voice trembled: "The Young Sword Master... he is recuperating from his injuries in the Sword Domain. He is doing well. Th-thank you for your concern, Palace Master Yun."
"That's truly excellent." Yun Che nodded with a smile, then suddenly turned his gaze toward the Sun Moon Divine Palace side. "May I ask which of you is Elder Ye Xuange?"
The one called Ye Xuange stepped out with a bewildered look and said nervously, "May I ask what orders the Palace Master has for this old man?"
"So you are Ye Xuange?" Yun Che looked him up and down.
"Yes, yes." Ye Xuange quickly nodded, his heart filled with unease.
"Very good," Yun Che nodded slightly, a sinister smile appearing on his face. "It seems your luck is not bad. At least, you'll live a bit longer than your fellow sect members."
"..." Ye Xuange looked up, his face instantly turning terrified. "Palace Master Yun, wh-what do you mean by that?"
"What I mean is that you people are no longer useful. So you can go die now!!"
Yun Che's profound aura instantly surged to its peak. With a wave of his hand, a blue light swept toward everyone from the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the Tian Wei Sword Domain.
Crack crack crack crack crack...
The temperature of the air plummeted. Under the rampant blue light, dozens of terrifying Ice Demon Trees rose from the depths of hell, sealing all the people of the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the Tian Wei Sword Domain within crisscrossing ice prisons.
This was an Ice Demon Tree at Yun Che's peak state. Its terrifyingly fierce cold air and its overbearing ice seal were such that even these Sacred Ground Elders and Divine Emissaries could never break free. Their faces rapidly turned blue and purple under the cold, and deep despair and terror appeared on every face.
"Yun... Yun Che! You—!" The strongest of the Sun Moon Divine Palace's Divine Emissaries let out a terrified, furious shriek, but before the words were fully out, his mouth was firmly sealed by an ice branch.
Beside them, the people of the Huangji Sacred Domain and the Supreme Sea Palace stood frozen, not daring to breathe. Seeing this scene, how could they not guess what was happening... Yun Che had merely waved his hand, and over a hundred Sacred Ground Elders and five extremely powerful Sun Moon Divine Emissaries were all completely frozen, not one able to struggle free. Although they had never doubted Yun Che's terror, they were still shaken by this sight.
This was power they could barely comprehend.
"Tian Wei Sword Domain, as Xuanyuan Wentian's lackeys, how many vile deeds have you done over the years! You brought calamity upon the Huan Yao Realm, nearly wiping out the Huan Yao Imperial Clan! You even caused the death of my grandfather, killed so many of my Yun Family's ancestors, and nearly murdered my parents! You made my families, Xiao and Yun, suffer separation from childhood... Tell me, what reason could I possibly have to let you continue to exist in this world!"
"And the Sun Moon Divine Palace! With the grudge between us, did you really think I would mercifully spare you!?"
"All blood debts must be repaid with your lives!"
Despair and terror appeared on those blue-and-purple frozen faces. But not one of them could shout out; only faint, muffled sobs could be heard occasionally.
"Caiyi, would you like to do it, or shall I?" Yun Che asked in a low voice.
The moment his voice fell, Xiao Yaohou had already flown out. A sea of golden flames, carrying scorching despair, rained down upon the frozen bodies below.
Boom——
The cold rapidly dissipated, but the binding force of the ice did not weaken in the slightest. The people of the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the Tian Wei Sword Domain escaped the abyss of ice, only to be thrown into an even more despairing inferno of flames. Amid ghostly wails, the Golden Crow flames rapidly burned them into charred ashes...
In just a few dozen breaths, everyone from the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the Tian Wei Sword Domain who had come—except for Ye Xuange, whom Yun Che had singled out—had been reduced to ashes, their bodies and souls annihilated.