Chapter 1443 - Terrible Premonition
Yun Che also stopped in his tracks to bow at the old immortal. “Ice Phoenix disciple Yun Che greets Senior Sword Sovereign. Also, congratulations on attaining the great way, Fairy Xilei.”
“Hmph!” Jun Xilei’s expression was frosty, and the light in her eyes was as sharp as a sword. “Your insincere courtesy is unnecessary, Yun Che! I haven’t forgotten the debt from three millenniums ago in the slightest!”
“Debt from three millenniums ago? What debt?” Yun Che asked puzzledly, “From the day we meet at the Snow Song Realm to the day we fought at the G.o.d Conferred Battle, we have only met face-to-face three times in total, right? What debt are you talking about?”
Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he put on a look of realization. “Could you be referring to the snow robe I gifted you back then?”
During the battle between Yun Che and Jun Xilei, a humiliated Jun Xilei had decided to stake her life and use the Nameless Sword by force. When her third swing was destroyed by Yun Che with soul power, her belief had crumbled, and her power had left her completely… As a result, the profound energy that had been keeping her powderized clothes intact was a second away from dissipating as well.
Lucky for her, Yun Che had noticed it a while ago and secured her clothes just before they fell apart. Then, he had covered her up with his own Ice Phoenix Snow Robe and even patted her on the head in pa.s.sing, putting her to sleep (faint in fury) on the spot.
Technically speaking, she was right. This was her one and only debt with Yun Che.
Jun Xilei’s sword energy immediately became disturbed when the matter was brought up. Her face darkening, she glared at Yun Che as if she could poke a thousand holes in his body with her eyes alone… and yet, she wasn’t able to say a word despite standing there for a very long time.
“Oh…” Yun Che said “understandingly”, “Fairy Xilei truly deserves to be called the future Sword Sovereign, not only does she not mix favor and grudges with each other, she isn’t someone who would owe anyone anything at all. If you really hate owing a debt that much, then I suppose you can just return me the Ice Phoenix Snow Robe.”
Yun Che actually extended his hand after saying that.
To Yun Che, that battle had happened four years ago.
But to Jun Xilei, that battle was set three millennia in the past!
It’d be a miracle if that Ice Phoenix Snow Robe was still by her side!
Furthermore, considering how much Jun Xilei hated him, Yun Che reckoned that that snow robe had been destroyed into nothing immediately after the day of the battle.
That being said, the snow robe was a favor Yun Che had done unto Jun Xilei. If he hadn’t secured her clothes and covered her up in his Ice Phoenix Snow Robe, she would’ve been exposed completely on the Conferred G.o.d Stage. The entire Eastern Divine Region would’ve been privy to every inch of her naked body. Considering how prideful she was, there would have been a real danger of her committing suicide out of sheer shame.
When Jun Xilei saw that Yun Che was alive and well, her blood had rushed to her head in an instant. However, Yun Che had instantly turned her accusation around and made her the debtor of that incident four years ago.
“You!” Jun Xilei’s expression changed yet again… Of course, Jun Xilei was one of the nineteen Eternal Heaven G.o.d Children who had become Divine Masters. Right now she was a middle stage Divine Master, and she was far stronger than her master at the same age.
Although Jun Xilei’s way of the sword and mental state were incomparable to before… Yun Che had easily provoked her into a rage anyway.
Jun Xilei immediately realized that she shouldn’t be feeling as angry as she was and broke away from the anger, but she just couldn’t dispel the unknown weight sitting in her heart no matter how she tried. Gritting her teeth in secret, she made a grabbing motion and said, “Fine! It’s just some shabby old clothes… You can have them back!”
She swung her arm and threw a white colored thing straight at Yun Che’s face.
Yun Che subconsciously caught the item out of the air, and he was surprised when he saw what he was holding.
It was a snow white male outfit overflowing with frost aura… Naturally, it was none other than the Ice Phoenix Snow Robe he had covered around Jun Xilei on the Conferred G.o.d Battle four years ago.
Since he was the direct disciple of Mu Xuanyin, his Ice Phoenix Snow Robe was different from all other Ice Phoenix disciples. It was impossible to copy too.
Yun Che stared at the furious-looking Jun Xilei who looked like she could swallow him whole with wide eyes and asked, “Wow, wow… it’s been three millenniums, my girl. How on earth do you still have this with you? You’re not secretly in love with me, are you?”
“You"re courting death!!” Enraged, Jun Xilei’s hand tightened around the grip of the Nameless Sword.
Clang!
The Nameless Sword was only around one sixth of a meter long, but unsheathed it was still powerful enough to freeze s.p.a.ce itself and cause the world to tremble.
Meanwhile on the other side, Jun Wuming and Mu Xuanyin were conversing peacefully while paying no heed to the conflict between their juniors.
“Long time no see, Senior Sword Sovereign.” Mu Xuanyin gave Jun Wuming a polite salute.
“Hehe.” Jun Wuming laughed admiringly and astonis.h.i.+ngly at her. “It has only been a few years since we last met, and yet your aura seems to have climbed to a whole new level again, Realm King Xuanyin. Those who are young are truly formidable.”
“You praise me too much, Senior Sword Sovereign. Also, I’d like to apologize for my impulsive and offensive act back then,” said Mu Xuanyin.
Jun Wuming shook his head and replied, “To be honest, we were the ones who had offended you first.”
He then slightly turned his head to the side and shot Yun Che a glance. “This old man had lived for fifty millennia, and he had thought himself unrivaled by anyone in terms of experience and had eye for quality. But that time though, I was completely wrong. To be honest, this old man’s expectations for Yun Che was actually higher than his inferior disciple after the end of the Conferred G.o.d Battle, but… it is a shame that he wasn’t able to enter the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm.”
He let out a sigh.
Mu Xuanyin replied, “It is his fate, and it may yet be a blessing in disguise.”
“Mn.” Jun Wuming nodded before lamenting, “That incident back at the Snow Song Realm is a shameful thing to recall, but I must admit that it was beneficial to my inferior disciple, especially considering that it was the day that these two youngsters with boundless futures ahead of them became connected with one another. Who knows, it may even turn out to be a romantic tale in the future, hoho.”
Mu Xuanyin, “...”
The duo only turned around when Jun Xilei had gotten so angry that she had pulled out the Nameless Sword. Jun Wuming lightly pointed a finger at the pommel of the sword and pushed it back into its sheath. Then, he shot Yun Che a glance before half-smiling at his disciple, saying, “Lei’er, don’t be impolite. How can you allow yourself to lose control like this after you’ve completed your sword realm?”
Jun Xilei lowered her head, took two steps back and apologized regretfully to her master, “Yes, this disciple acknowledges her mistake.”
Jun Xilei was already a Divine Master by the time six centuries had pa.s.sed in the Eternal Heaven Divine Realm. After her heart for the way of the sword had become as sharp as a blade, her “Undistracted Sword Domain” had reached a completely new level as well. But for some reason, she just couldn’t keep her cool in front of Yun Che… Shocked by her own loss of control, Jun Xilei quickly calmed herself down and cleared up her sword heart in no time.
But then Yun Che said, “You are exactly right, Senior Sword Sovereign. Four years ago she was just a little girl who hadn’t grown up yet, so it’s understandable for her to be arrogant, conceited, and irritable. But now she’s three thousand years old and she’s still screaming b.l.o.o.d.y murder at the slightest provocation…”
“~！@#￥%… YOU’RE DEAD, YUN CHE!!!”
It was as if someone had stuffed an erupting volcano right into her empty sword heart. The Nameless Sword exited its sheathe loudly, and Yun Che might have been torn into shreds in the next instant had Jun Wuming not stopped her in time.
“Sigh.” Jun Wuming forced down Jun Xilei’s profound energy completely before adopting a sterner tone. “Lei’er!”
Jun Xilei gritted her teeth and glared fire at a certain guy who had dodged behind Mu Xuanyin at the speed of lightning. After suppressing her anger with what must be the greatest sum of willpower she had ever mustered in her life, she let out a snort and turned her back to Yun Che, keeping him completely out of her sight.
Jun Wuming shook his head exasperatedly before nodding once at Mu Xuanyin. Then, he also turned around and bid them goodbye, “Alright, we’re leaving.”
“Hey, wait a second!” Suddenly, Yun Che spoke up and held up the Ice Phoenix Snow Robe Jun Xilei had tossed at his face. “I’ve grown a little bigger and taller as of late, so this snow robe doesn’t fit my size anymore. More importantly, I never take back a gift that I’ve given away, so you best keep this with you.”
He sent the Ice Phoenix Snow Robe flying back to Jun Xilei after saying that.
Jun Xilei replied coldly without even turning around, “Who wants your shabby clothes!”
But Jun Wuming caught the snow robe with a ball of gentle profound energy before chuckling, “Thank you for the gift, young friend. This old one shall receive it on behalf of his inferior disciple.”
Yun Che, “Uh…”
“Let us meet again at the Eternal Heaven General a.s.sembly in three days.” Jun Wuming smiled and left with Jun Xilei after that.
Yun Che’s eyes went blank for a second when he stared at Jun Wuming’s retreating figure.
He could sense that Jun Wuming… was almost at the end of his lifespan.
“Phew…” Yun Che exhaled slightly before muttering to himself, “I can’t believe she hasn’t changed a bit, even though it’s been three millennia for her. I should stay away from her in the future.”
Mu Xuanyin shot him a glance before commenting indifferently, “I see you dislike older woman a lot.”
A blank stare later, Yun Che shook his head rapidly like a rattle drum, “Nonononononono! Absolutely, totally not! This disciple just… simply dislikes that little sword sovereign with a terrible temper! He absolutely doesn’t mean anything else, and he d-d-definitely doesn’t hate…”
“Ah! Master, wait for me!”
Mu Xuanyin had moved far away before Yun Che could finish explaining himself. He hurriedly chased after her back.
At another place in the Eternal Heaven G.o.d Realm.
Xia Qingyue was sitting behind a table, reading an Eternal Heaven scripture. Her gaze was focused, and her face was without makeup, yet she looked as pretty as the snow of morning clouds. The room was impossibly silent, perhaps because a barrier was set around it, and she looked so still that it was almost like she was a character in an exquisite painting.
She changed her sitting posture slightly as her fingers flipped through the pages. Her purple clothes unconsciously cupped the unnaturally full curves above her stomach… it lasted for only a brief instant, but it was more perfect than a round moon in the sky.
It was at this moment a snow-skinned, delicate-looking girl entered the room quietly before bowing in front of Xia Qingyue. “Realm King Xuanyin and Yun Che have arrived at the Eternal Heaven Realm, Master.”
“Mn.” Xia Qingyue put down the scripture in her hands and looked up. A near indiscernible purple glint flashed across her eyes as she said, “That’s more or less the time I’d predicted they’d show up. Lianyue, you’ll guard them personally for the next few days. If anything happens, send me a sound transmission immediately.”
“Yes.” The girl accepted her order and took a small step forward. Then, she held up a delicate purple crystal with both hands. “This here contains the latest intel, Master.”
Xia Qingyue gently picked up the purple crystal and held it in her hand. A purple flash later, all of the information contained inside the crystal had entered her mind. “You may leave.”
“Lianyue shall take her leave now.”
The girl took two backward steps before turning around, but suddenly Xia Qingyue called out to her, “Wait!”
The girl immediately stopped in her tracks and turned back to her master. “What other instructions do you have, Master?”
“...” Xia Qingyue stood up with a small frown and walked up to Lianyue. She was an entire head taller than the delicate servant. “Send down the order to investigate the family ma.s.sacre that has been happening in the Dragon G.o.d Realm recently, especially the time and location of the first incident… if possible, tell the men to do everything they can to search for energy traces at every crime scene. The more detailed the report, the better!”
“Huh?” It took a while for the girl to understand what the “family ma.s.sacre” Xia Qingyue was talking about. She asked puzzledly, “But Master, we have very few spies in the Dragon G.o.d Realm because it’s very difficult to plant them. This level of investigation will greatly affect the collection of other intel, and… it is in Lianyue’s opinion that these tragedies are insignificant and negligible.”
It had been one of the smallest and most insignificant reports among all the intel they had gathered regarding the Dragon G.o.d Realm. It was in there only because it had happened while they were collecting intel.
“It’s fine. Just send down the order to investigate this incident with whatever resources we have. Everything else can wait until we have a result!”
Lianyue rarely saw and heard such a heavy expression and tone from her master. It made her s.h.i.+ver a little in apprehension. Although she was still confused as to the point of the investigation, she dared not question her master further. “Yes.”
When Lianyue was about to step out of the door, Xia Qingyue stopped her yet again.
“Lianyue,” she asked, “a year ago, the Brahma Heaven G.o.d Emperor and the Eternal Heaven G.o.d Emperor went to the Dragon G.o.d Realm to ask for the Dragon Queen’s help in curing the Evil Infant devilish energy. However, they were turned down by the Dragon Monarch… Are we sure that the one who turned them down was the Dragon Monarch, and not the Dragon Queen herself?”
“Yes.” Lianyue thought for a moment before answering, “It is rumored that the Dragon Queen had gone into secluded cultivation, and that no one was allowed to meet her. That was why the Dragon Monarch had to be one to reject all guests on her behalf.”
“Are we also sure that the new barrier around the Forbidden Land of Samsara was laid down by the Dragon Monarch himself?” asked Xia Qingyue again.
“Yes.” This time, Lianyue nodded without any hesitation whatsoever. “Because the Dragon Queen went into secluded cultivation suddenly, the Dragon Monarch made a public declaration that no one was to get within one thousand five hundred kilometers of the Forbidden Land of Samsara. To show that he was serious, he even built a gigantic barrier around the Forbidden Land of Samsara himself. This is no secret in the Dragon G.o.d Realm.”
“...You may leave.”
After Lianyue had left, Xia Qingyue stood at the same spot with a deep frown on her face...
For the past year, dozens of family ma.s.sacres had happened throughout the Dragon G.o.d Realm. Entire families had been wiped out in a single night without leaving behind any corpses… including many n.o.ble families.
The largest family among the deceased numbered around three hundred thousand people. They had all perished in a single night anyway.
However, no one knew who the murderer was because not a single trackable clue had been left behind at the crime scene.
Both small families and big sects had been involved in these tragedies. The times and locations of the murders were completely random, and they didn’t share the same foe either.
However, there was one common point between all the victims...
They all shared the same family surname, “Yun”!
A long silence later, Xia Qingyue finally s.h.i.+fted her feet and sat back down behind her table. However, she was no longer in any mood to read. She pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed quietly. “I hope I’m just thinking too much.”