Chapter 1067 - Departing for the Darkya Realm (1)
The Primordial Profound Ark continued hovering above the God Burying Inferno Prison. No one had visited the God Burying Inferno Prison after the three Flame God Realm sect masters had left the place, so naturally no one discovered that there was a strange profound ark parked there.
Inside the internal world of the Primordial Profound Ark, after confirming that the horned dragon blood inside Mu Xuanyin’s body had been completely cleansed, Yun Che helped her put on her snow-colored clothes before staring at the sky. After standing there blankly for a very, very long time with a deep frown on his face, he finally came to a decision.
Not far away, the ancient horned dragon’s huge body lay on the ground. The ice on its body had melted and its body was covered in wounds.
Yun Che then instantly appeared before the ancient horned dragon’s corpse and extended his left hand towards its gaping mouth. A green flash later, a large amount of horned dragon’s breath was sucked into the Sky Poison Pearl.
In a flash, Yun Che withdrew his palm and briefly identified the amount of dragon’s breath stored inside the Sky Poison Pearl. Then, he muttered to himself, “If I use this properly, it should be enough to poison a couple thousand people.”
A moment of hesitation later, he also extracted some horned dragon blood from the dragon’s wounds… who knows, maybe it’d be useful one day.
This was a Divine Master dragon who had lived for at least tens of thousands of years. Every part of its body was a precious treasure, including its extremely strong dragon blood and poisonous dragon breath.
These two things were all the things he took from the dragon… the rest, he couldn’t extract them even if he wanted to. A Divine Master dragon was something that he absolutely couldn’t destroy even though the power protecting its body was now gone. Forget cutting apart its body and obtaining its heart, he couldn’t even blast a single scale off its skin.
Mu Xuanyin’s wounds and breathing had already stabilized, so no danger would befall her any longer. However, she would be in a slumber for a very, very long time because of excessive weakness and loss of energy. It might last a few days or a few months even.
Her profound strength was gradually starting to recover… but after she forcefully unleashed a forbidden formation, depleted most of her blood essence and talent, and lost her ice phoenix vital yin, not even Yun Che could predict how much she would recover.
One thing was certain though. She would be far weaker than she used to be.
It was something unacceptable for any profound practitioner… much less someone as proud as Mu Xuanyin.
If he stayed behind, the first thing Mu Xuanyin would do after she awakened would be to kill him.
Therefore, the only choice he could make was to leave the Snow Song Realm before she awakened. It was because he didn’t want to die and he had many reasons not to die.
Thud.
Yun Che knelt heavily before Mu Xuanyin and buried his head low.
“Master,” Yun Che whispered in regret, “When disciple first arrived in the God Realm, he committed many terrible mistakes and would’ve exposed his secrets unknowingly if it wasn’t for your reminder. You knew that this disciple held the Evil God’s inheritance and the Heavenly Profound Treasure that was the Sky Poison Pearl, but not only did you never try to deprive me of them, you even took me in as your direct disciple. Upon noticing that Mu Sushan and Mu Fengzhu no longer existed in Freezing Snow Hall, disciple immediately understood that you killed them in order to eliminate all future troubles that might arise from their existence…”
“At first, I thought that you were just returning my favor of saving Palace Master Bingyun, but after that… you demanded the Golden Crow’s Record of the Burning World and the horned dragon’s heart for me. You also tried to use a large amount of ice phoenix vital yin to fulfill disciple’s wish and even gave me the Buddha Heart Lotus of Nine Resurrections you spent half a lifetime to nurture…”
“During the two times I left your side, once to Ice Wind Empire and once to Mist End Valley, you protected disciple in secret, especially the time your disciple was sent to Mist End Valley for committing a grave mistake. Despite your anger, you still protected me out of concern for my safety…”
“This disciple’s master is a goddess of heavens and I am but a insignificant junior who hails from a lower realm. I am undeserving of the great kindness you have shown me… and this disciple already cannot possibly repay this favor during his lifetime, yet now I have committed an even more disgraceful act.”
Yun Che inhaled deeply before closing his eyes in regret. “I owe you my life, Master. When Master awakens, you will surely be angered beyond imagination upon learning what I have done… disciple can no longer face you. It is only natural that you would wish to sentence me to death. However, I cannot die now, for I still have an important wish to fulfill…
When disciple has fulfilled his wish, he will surely return to Master’s side and allow you to punish him however you wish.”
Yun Che bent his body and kowtowed quietly three times before Mu Xuanyin.
Then, he moved to Mu Xuanyin’s side before carefully and gently setting her clothes to order. After stroking the disheveled hair before her forehead with his fingers, he gently lifted her in his arms and walked out of the world of the Primordial Profound Ark.
He had to deliver Mu Xuanyin safely back to the Snow Song Realm before his departure.
——————————————
Vermillion Sect’s main hall.
After Mu Bingyun and Mu Huanzhi arrived at the Flame God Realm, they immediately visited the Vermillion Bird Sect. They waited for a very, very long time before someone finally came to greet them… and it wasn’t one, but three people.
The Vermillion Bird sect master, Yan Wancang, the Phoenix sect master, Yan Juehai, and the Golden Crow sect master, Huo Rulie.
Mu Huanzhi was obviously caught off guard to find all three sect masters showing up at once. He immediately said with a bit of panic, “Mu Huanzhi of Divine Ice Phoenix Sect hereby greets the three sect masters. Haha, I must admit that I was not expecting to meet Sect Master Yan and Sect Master Huo here, what a coincidence.”
“Ah… you are too kind, Brother Huanzhi,” Yan Juehai said. All three sect masters were wearing extremely unnatural expressions on their faces.
They hadn’t yet sent word to the Snow Song Realm to inform them that Mu Xuanyin and Yun Che had “perished” in the Inferno Prison. That was because they hadn’t figured how to account for everything that had happened. Yan Wancang had been troubling himself over this since he returned from the God Burying Inferno Prison but he wasn’t able to find a solution even to this day. Then, he suddenly received the notice that Mu Huanzhi and Mu Bingyun had shown up at the Vermillion Bird Sect.
Whatever his reasons might be, there was no hiding the news of Mu Xuanyin’s death now that those two were already here. Anxious, he didn’t dare to meet the two alone and hastily called over Yan Juehai and Huo Rulie as well.
Mu Huanzhi was a little overwhelmed to find all three sect masters present and welcoming them with unbelievable courtesy but Mu Bingyun felt her heart sink at their abnormal reaction. She stepped forward and asked coldly, “Shouldn’t you all be at the God Burying Inferno Prison right now? Where’s my sister? Where is she?”
Her question immediately awakened Mu Huanzhi to realization in a flash. His expression changed. It was the horned dragon’s ecdysis period, so all three sect masters should be hanging out around the God Burying Inferno Prison. The fact that they had returned meant that the horned dragon hunt should be over already… but the problem was that they had still heard nothing from Mu Xuanyin!
“We…” The matter regarding Mu Xuanyin was too big, so big that none of the three sect masters knew how or where to start. Yan Juehai forced a smile to his face and said, “It’s a, it’s a long story…”
The fact that a sect master was humming and hawing immediately magnified the anxiety in Mu Bingyun’s heart a hundred fold. The coldness in her voice was completely drained, leaving behind only abject fear. “Where is my sister?… Speak, tell me now!”
“Palace Master Bingyun, please, calm down for a moment.” Yan Wancang let out a soft sigh.
“Alright, enough! I’ll say it!” Huo Rulie could hold it no longer as he strode forward and revealed the bad news frankly, “Mu Xuanyin perished during the battle against the ancient horned dragon yesterday!”
“What… what did you say!?” Mu Huanzhi trembled like a leaf in the wind. For an instant, he looked shocked enough to lose his soul.
“...” Mu Bingyun stared coldly at Huo Rulie. A long time later, she muttered, “Im… possi… ble…”
“Yes! Yes, that’s… impossible. Impossible.” Mu Huanzhi shook his head in panic, “How could a mere horned dragon harm our great sect master? Impossible, it’s… absolutely impossible. Sect Master Huo, if this is a joke it’s not… funny, you hear?”
“I know you can’t believe this but it is the truth!” Huo Rulie said in a heavy tone, “Of course a mere ancient horned dragon could not have harmed your sect master but no one could’ve imagined that there was not one but two horned dragons in the God Burying Inferno Prison all this time. She was ambushed and dealt a grievous blow by the two dragons and she wasn’t able to escape because both dragons did their best to keep her down. In the end…”
“...” Mu Bingyun neither moved nor spoke a word. Her face swiftly turned deathly pale as she looked like she was about to collapse on the spot.
“How could this be… impossible… impossible…” Mu Huanzhi slumped on his chair as the world spiraled all around him. He muttered incomprehensible things again and again with blank eyes as if a demon had suddenly possessed him.
If Mu Xuanyin truly was gone, then it was a gigantic disaster for Divine Ice Phoenix Sect and the entire Snow Song Realm… one on a scale that none dared to imagine.
“I… I… I refuse to believe this…” Mu Bingyun said in a slow and calm tone through quiet lips but the darkness behind those words cast a heavy burden upon everyone’s heart and soul.
“We, the Flame God Realm, are at fault in this matter,” Huo Rulie said. “Do not worry. We will compensate you for our mistake.”
“Compensate?” Mu Bingyun whispered monotonously, “Can you return me… my sister…?”
Huo Rulie was immediately silenced. Yan Wancang and Yan Juehai looked even more clueless as to what kind of a response they should give. Mu Bingyun didn’t yell at them, did not go on a rampage, or put on a suffering appearance, but the cold sadness that spread out during that instant stabbed deeply into their hearts… they could almost hear Mu Bingyun’s heart and soul break.
“Yun Che… Where is Yun Che?” She suddenly asked with a distant sounding voice.
“Yun Che, he…” Again, Huo Rulie was the one who answered her question. He sighed heavily as he spoke with terrible regret, “He forcefully made his way over in order to save your sect master and as a result he… Haah! I like this boy a lot but he… Haaaaaah!”
“...” Suddenly Mu Bingyun extended a hand and took out a glowing Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade. Then, she asked in a soft tone, “Yun Che… is that really you?”
“What… what did you say?” Mu Bingyun’s sudden words caught all three sect masters off guard.
A bit of focus and light suddenly returned to Mu Bingyun’s snowy eyes. Then, her hand holding the Ice Phoenix Engraved Jade suddenly trembled as she looked up in a sudden and said urgently, “Quick! Bring me to the God Burying Inferno Prison right now!!”
“Ah? What… what is…” The three sect masters looked completely clueless.
Mu Bingyun had already flown away in a rush of cold wind.
——————————
The profound dimensional formation next to the God Burying Inferno Prison sparkled as the three sect masters once again arrived at the place with Mu Bingyun and Mu Huanzhi. The second they stepped out of the profound formation, the three sect masters’ eyes bulged bigger than a cow’s eyes, as if they had seen a ghost or thunderstruck.
On the other side, not only was Yun Che alive and well, he was also holding… a slumbering woman.
“Yun Che… and… the S-snow Song Realm King!?” Yan Juehai blurted. He was so shocked that he actually bit his tongue.
“Ah… what… what is going on here?” Huo Rulie’s jaw nearly hit the floor too.
“Sister!”
“Sect Master!”
Both Mu Bingyun and Mu Huanzhi were already rushing forward. Yun Che moved toward them and carefully passed Mu Xuanyin into Mu Bingyun’s arms, “Elder Huanzhi, Palace Master Bingyun, do not worry. Master is safe. She’s just going to be unconscious for a while because she used up too much strength.”
“Thank goodness… phew, thank goodness.” Mu Huanzhi pressed a palm to his heart and panted heavily for a moment. The great sadness and great joy he experience made him feel like he had gone back and forth from death’s door.
Mu Bingyun’s arms tightened bit by bit after she accepted Mu Xuanyin… She didn’t say anything. She simply felt the presence of Mu Xuanyin in her arms and cried silently.
“Palace Master Bingyun, I leave… Master in your hands.”
Yun Che’s voice was so soft that almost no one but himself heard what he just said. After casting one final glance at Mu Xuanyin’s face, he strode toward the three mind boggled sect masters and stood in front of them. He never looked at either Yan Wancang or Yan Huehai as he spoke to Huo Rulie, “Sect Master Huo, this junior wishes to speak with you in private about something… are you free for the moment?”
“...” Huo Rulie’s shock persisted for a moment before he finally regained enough senses to nod at Yun Che. Then, he carried Yun Che with one hand and flew toward the distance.
“Where are you going, Yun Che?” Mu Bingyun turned around and let out a cry when she sensed his suddenly departing presence. But Yun Che and Huo Rulie had already vanished from her vision and Yun Che never sent back a reply.