Chapter 1044: Enemies Meet

In areas teeming with profound beasts, one would expect a constant chorus of roars and cries from various creatures, echoing from afar. Yet, in Mist Vanishing Valley, there was only an eerie and oppressive silence.

When the wind and snow finally ceased, the silence became so profound it felt as though even one's heartbeat had stopped.

Yun Che, having fallen into the Mist Vanishing Valley, leaned against a thick, withered tree, his legs sunk deep into the snow. The moment he landed, he swiftly used Flowing Light Thunder Shadow to mask his aura. Then, he remained absolutely still, cautiously perceiving his surroundings with both his sight and spiritual senses.

A dense, icy mist permeated the area, limiting visibility to only a few dozen zhang. This mist was no ordinary fog; it severely restricted not only sight but also, to a large extent, one's spiritual perception. However, this wasn't entirely a disadvantage.

The terrifying silence created a chilling, sinister atmosphere. A pervasive sense of danger surged from all directions. This feeling confirmed that Mu Bingyun's description of Mist Vanishing Valley was not an exaggeration; it was a perilous place where the slightest misstep could lead to death.

"Ah, this is life," Yun Che sighed softly. Just that morning, he had been brimming with confidence, strategizing how to surprise Mu Xuanyin and win. The surprise attack had indeed been successful, but it had resulted in this unforeseen predicament.

After remaining motionless for some time, Yun Che finally moved cautiously. He had only taken two steps when his foot suddenly struck something rigid. He paused, then kicked it free from the snow.

To his surprise, it was a stiff, frozen corpse.

In the frigid environment, decomposition was slow, making it impossible to determine how long the person had been dead. However, the depth of the snow covering the body suggested it hadn't been long. The corpse was horribly mutilated from being gnawed, with only the head relatively intact. On his face, Yun Che could discern an expression of terror and despair, but also, surprisingly, a hint of relief.

The outer garment was severely tattered, but on the shoulder, a small strip of cloth bearing the Ice Phoenix emblem still hung. This Ice Phoenix emblem, strikingly, belonged to the Ice Phoenix Divine Hall!

This was actually a disciple of the Divine Hall!

To gain entry into the Divine Hall, one's profound energy cultivation had to be at least at the Divine Tribulation Realm. Yet, this individual had met such a gruesome end here.

Yun Che took a step back, drawing a shallow breath.

Just as Mu Bingyun had said, in this terrifying place, the Flowing Light Thunder Shadow, which could conceal his aura, was his greatest advantage. Furthermore, the extreme cold here wouldn't negatively affect him; instead, it would accelerate his profound energy recovery. The profound beasts in this region were all ice-elemental, significantly reducing their threat to him, which was another advantage he possessed.

The profound energy span of the Divine Path far surpassed that of the Mortal Path. While on the Azure Cloud Continent, relying on the Heretic God's power, he could directly bypass two major realms in strength. However, when he was at Sovereign Profound Realm Level Five, he had to forcibly activate "Heaven Smiting" to defeat Ji Hanfeng, who was at Divine Origin Realm Level Six. After he himself reached Divine Origin Realm Level One, the maximum realm he could overcome should be Divine Soul Realm Level One.

No... with the transformation of his profound veins and his improved "touch sense," he might be able to push even further.

However, if he encountered a profound beast in the mid to late stages of the Divine Soul Realm, his only option would be to flee with all his might.

And if he were unfortunate enough to encounter a profound beast at the Divine Tribulation Realm... escaping alive would be exceedingly difficult.

Yun Che cautiously began to move forward. His current location was relatively open, and his immediate priority was to find a more secluded spot suitable for concealment, then fully suppress his aura. After all, his goal wasn't to find a way out within three days, but simply to survive three days in this place.

The safest approach, undoubtedly, was to use Flowing Light Thunder Shadow to hide like a turtle in its shell.

The palpable danger in the air made Yun Che afraid to make even the slightest sound as he moved. After walking some distance, he hadn't detected the aura of any other living beings. Yet, at that very moment, he involuntarily stopped. An indescribable sense of dissonance emanated from beneath his feet.

His "touch sense"...

Before Yun Che's mind could even process the sensation, his body instinctively shot backward like a bolt of lightning.

*Whoosh!*

Thick snow was violently thrown upwards as a white blur burst from beneath the surface. A flash of cold light ripped through the air, accompanied by an incredibly piercing hiss, passing less than three inches from Yun Che's face.

Yun Che flipped backward, landing hard with his back against a thick tree. His right hand instinctively pressed against his face, and beads of blood slowly welled up between his fingers. Although he hadn't been directly struck, the bladed wind generated by that incredibly swift flash of cold light had still left three deep gashes across his face.

Had it not been for his greatly enhanced "touch sense," refined under Mu Xuanyin's guidance, allowing his body to react instinctively in that crucial moment, the terrifying cold light might have already gouged out his eyes.

What appeared before him was a snow-white wolf with crimson eyes, its violent nature exuding a pungent, bloody aura. The flash of cold light that had just missed him was its wolf claw, gleaming with a chilling, scarlet luminescence.

It was a wolf as white as an Ice-Whispering Wolf, but this was clearly not one. Though two times smaller in size, its aura was at least ten times more terrifying than any Ice-Whispering Wolf. The acute sense of danger, like a blade at his throat, told Yun Che that this white wolf, despite its unremarkable size, was unequivocally a Divine Soul Beast!

"What a terrifying white wolf..." Yun Che's heart clenched. This wolf had pounced from less than five zhang away, and he hadn't detected its presence at all.

Concealing itself perfectly in the snow to hunt... The very first profound beast he encountered here was so formidable. Was it just bad luck, or were all the profound beasts that survived in the harsh environment of Mist Vanishing Valley such terrifying creatures?

The terrifying white wolf's initial deadly strike had missed. Its body lunged far, then pivoted back with lightning speed, yet it did not immediately resume its pursuit. A flicker of wariness appeared in its eyes, which glowed with a deep crimson light. Yun Che instinctively reached out with both hands, but then immediately stopped himself from summoning the Heaven Smiting Sword.

No... one swing of that sword would cause mountains to crumble and the earth to crack, drawing every profound beast in the vicinity. That would be a guaranteed death sentence.

Yun Che flipped his palm, and the Cloud Butterfly Blade given to him by Mu Bingyun was now firmly in his grasp. Although the wolf's aura was terrifying, the sense of immediate threat wasn't overwhelmingly strong. He should be able to handle it!

Yun Che had a thought and was about to move, intending to forcibly hunt this Divine Soul white wolf. But just as his profound energy was about to erupt, a slight anomaly suddenly registered on his back. His profound energy instantly reversed, and he rapidly teleported away using Severed Moon Ghost Shadow.

*Rip!*

Another piercing rip echoed through the air as a second white figure burst from the snow and lunged at Yun Che. Almost simultaneously, the first white wolf, which had been briefly still, also sprang towards him.

*Thud!*

As Yun Che instantly teleported, the white wolf from behind lunged into empty air. Due to the miraculous lingering aura left by Severed Moon Ghost Shadow, the first white wolf didn't pounce on Yun Che's actual landing spot after his teleportation, but instead lunged at his afterimage.

At his previous location, an afterimage was torn to shreds, scattering a shower of tiny ice crystals.

Meanwhile, Yun Che's true body, utilizing Phantom Light Thunder Extremity, vanished into the dense icy mist like a bolt of lightning, retreating far into the distance.

Facing one white wolf, without resorting to the Heaven Smiting Sword, he lacked the absolute confidence to confront it head-on. With two, he'd have to be insane not to run.

"So fast!"

The sensation of their relentless pursuit from behind startled him. Fleeing at full speed in such a location was undeniably dangerous, yet he had no other option. He couldn't even afford to slow down slightly, forced to grit his teeth, brave the dense mist, and rush into the unknown ahead.

Dozens of breaths later, the two white wolves that had been relentlessly chasing him suddenly slowed, then seemed to halt abruptly, vanishing from Yun Che's perception entirely.

Yun Che secretly let out a breath of relief, but then his brow furrowed sharply. *No!* Judging by their astonishing hunting methods, these two white wolves possessed exceptionally keen spiritual senses and intelligence. Their sudden halt might not signify giving up the chase; it could mean they were approaching a dangerous area, a forbidden zone for them!

The moment this thought struck him, Yun Che abruptly stopped, and his aura was suppressed with utmost speed.

Just as he came to a complete halt, an oppressive force, like a collapsing mountain, descended from directly ahead.

Within the pale, dense mist, a colossal white shadow, dozens of zhang tall, slowly began to materialize.

Yun Che's gaze shot up like lightning, revealing a snow-white giant ape, as massive as a small mountain!

Like the white wolves before it, the ape's eyes were the color of thick blood. The moment it detected Yun Che, an incredibly ferocious aura erupted from its body. Its powerful right arm, like a massive hammer falling from the sky, smashed down with terrifying force towards Yun Che's position.

Attack without preamble... It seemed to be the sole law of survival in this world.

Yun Che's brows knitted. He leaped diagonally into the air as the Heretic God Barrier instantly flared open.

*Boom!*

A colossal roar, as if the heavens were collapsing and the earth splitting, erupted. Snow, ice layers, and trees were violently flung a thousand zhang into the air. Yun Che, mid-air, instantly lost his balance, swept away by the aftermath like a storm, and was sent hurtling far away.

Fortunately, protected by the Heretic God Barrier, Yun Che, though momentarily dazed, remained unharmed. He dared not linger, gritting his teeth as he used the momentum of the storm unleashed by the giant ape's attack to flee. In a flash, he vanished once more into the dense mist.

Thundering roars echoed from behind him, but the giant ape was clearly not agile enough, and its sounds quickly receded into the distance. Yun Che fled at full speed until he reached a sufficiently safe distance, but before he could even catch his breath, a storm, accompanied by a piercing shriek, suddenly descended upon him from above.

Yun Che looked up... In his pupils, a massive eagle rapidly grew larger. Its outstretched, snow-white wings spanned ten zhang, dazzlingly magnificent. Its curved talons, reflecting a chilling light, seemed to pierce through his eyes and directly into his soul.

"Hong'er!"

Yun Che's pupils constricted sharply; he had no other choice. He immediately grasped the Heaven Smiting Sword, and the Golden Crow Flame erupted across its blade as he blasted directly towards the giant eagle.

"Heaven Smiting!"

*Boom!*

Golden flames exploded in the air. The giant eagle, which had been diving from above, shrieked, its white feathers scattering as it was sent tumbling backward through the air. Yun Che let out a muffled grunt, as if struck by a heavy hammer, and fell from the sky with the Heaven Smiting Sword, slamming heavily onto the ground with a dull thud.

*Pfft...*

Before Yun Che could even rise, he coughed up a mouthful of blood. Yet, thanks to his Buddha Heart Divine Veins, his profound energy remained undisturbed. High above, the giant eagle he had just repelled circled briefly, its icy gaze fixed on him. It then plunged down like a meteor, its talons aiming precisely for his heart, trailed by a devastating ice storm.

"This is truly... a hellish place," Yun Che muttered inwardly. "At least let me catch my breath..."

Yun Che cursed inwardly as his body reacted instantly. He no longer dared to confront the attack head-on, instead using Severed Moon Ghost Shadow to teleport away while simultaneously activating his Heretic God Barrier.

As he shifted positions, he suddenly heard voices nearby.

Human voices!

"It really is a Blizzard Fiery Eagle!"

"It's falling... Quick, seize this chance to seal it and retrieve its profound core!"

The giant eagle plunged down, bringing with it a terrifying storm that churned up ice and snow. However, it did not immediately take flight again because a fierce blue light pierced through its body, rapidly freezing its massive form. Amidst its struggles, its long shriek transformed into a pained wail.

Yun Che retreated further, secretly astonished. He had just experienced the eagle's terror firsthand, yet this blue light had sealed it with such ease...

This aura... could it actually be from someone at the peak of the Divine Soul Realm?

From within the icy mist, two indistinct human figures swiftly closed in. The leading figure thrust out a sword, and the giant eagle's body, which had been unharmed even by Yun Che's full-power strike, was instantly pierced. As the profound energy on the sword erupted, the eagle's massive form rapidly became encased in a thick layer of ice. By the time the ice had spread over its entire body, it had completely ceased struggling, its life force quickly fading.

"Excellent! As expected of Senior Brother Yizhou!" the person behind exclaimed excitedly as he rapidly approached the ice-encased eagle. "With this profound core, we can definitely sustain ourselves for much longer..."

"Senior Brother Yizhou?"

That designation made Yun Che abruptly turn his head, his gaze piercing through the layers of dense mist to fall upon the person ahead. He was startled to see a familiar face.

Mu Yizhou!!

How could he be here?!

Just as Yun Che clearly saw him, the other person's gaze fixed firmly on Yun Che. His eyes widened abruptly, and he spun around, his attention completely diverted from the freshly hunted Blizzard Fiery Eagle. After a prolonged moment of shock, his face began to contort with a mixture of anger, distortion, and excitement.

"Yun Che... Is that you? It's—*you*!!!"

His abruptly transformed gaze and voice were as if he had just encountered a mortal enemy.