Chapter 1088: Soul Sect's Backer

Ji Ruyan’s expression froze, then she lowered her head. “Young Master... you already know, it seems. But... how could a powerful upper-realm like the Divine Martial Realm truly value a mere sect from a lower-realm star? And the Blazing Heaven Realm is a top-tier existence among the mid-level realms. The Divine Martial Realm surely wouldn’t offend the Blazing Heaven Realm over a single Soul Sect.”

“Heh,” Yun Che sneered. “If an upper-realm star isn’t willing to offend a mid-level star realm for the sake of a sect from a lower-realm star, then why would a mid-level star realm offend an upper-realm star realm for the sake of this lower-realm sect... especially when the Blazing Heaven Realm has no grievances with them! It’s utterly ridiculous!”

“Furthermore, if the Divine Martial Realm truly disdains the Soul Sect as you claim, then why has your Black Feather Merchant Guild been powerless to resist for an entire millennium!”

“I...” Ji Ruyan bit her lip, unable to respond.

“For your own peace of mind, you dream of a sect from the Blazing Heaven Realm risking grave offense to an upper-realm star to help you. On what grounds? Where in this world can you find such a convenient deal! Hmph, should I call you pathetic and pitiful, or simply ridiculous!” Yun Che said mercilessly.

He didn’t doubt Ji Ruyan’s words. If the Black Feather Merchant Guild was indeed coerced, then many of his previous doubts could be explained. However, after the events of the past two days, he still harbored a degree of aversion towards the Black Feather Merchant Guild.

“Because Ruyan truly had no other path, no other options!” Ji Ruyan pleaded, her voice filled with sorrow. “A thousand years ago, the Great Realm King Wu Sanzun of the Divine Martial Realm happened to visit the Black Abyss Realm. He took a liking to a woman named Lei Qianyu and brought her back to the Divine Martial Realm as his concubine... And Lei Qianyu is the younger sister of Lei Qianfeng, the sect master of the Black Soul Divine Sect. The Soul Sect used this connection to fully climb the high branch of the Divine Martial Realm.”

“The Great Realm King Wu Sanzun had countless concubines, and Lei Qianyu, being from a lower realm, initially held no status. However, just over thirty years ago, she bore Wu Sanzun a young son, named Wu Guike.”

Yun Che: Wu Guike... Tortoise shell?! Was that name given by a stepfather?

“Born to a concubine, he originally held a low status among Wu Sanzun’s many children. But as he grew, Wu Guike displayed astonishing talent, earning him Wu Sanzun’s attention and affection. His reputation gradually grew in the Divine Martial Sect and even throughout the Divine Martial Realm. With her son’s rise, Lei Qianyu’s status within the Divine Martial Sect naturally ascended rapidly, making her far more influential than before. The Soul Sect, her home, naturally gained even more power... and will only become more unbridled in the future. If the Black Feather Merchant Guild doesn’t break free soon, it will surely fall into an eternal abyss.”

As the saying goes, when one person achieves enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven. The rise of a tortoise shell... oh, no, Wu Guike, made the Soul Sect’s already tenuous backing incredibly solid. After all, the Soul Sect was Wu Guike’s maternal family, and its sect master, Lei Qianfeng, was his biological uncle.

What does it mean for a sect from a lower-realm star to gain an upper-realm star as its backer? Not to mention the Soul Sect was already the dominant power in the Black Abyss Realm.

No wonder the Black Feather Merchant Guild, in its anxiety, was desperately scrambling for solutions.

“Young Master, if you are willing to help the Black Feather Merchant Guild escape the Soul Sect’s control, just name your terms, no matter the conditions or the cost, we will agree. If our wish is granted, then as long as we are not forced to do any more dirty deeds, the Black Feather Merchant Guild is willing to serve you, or the Blazing Heaven Realm, for a hundred... or even a thousand years!”

Ji Ruyan’s voice was full of sorrow, every word a plea. Anyone would feel pity for a vast merchant guild with a fifty-thousand-year history being forced to such a desperate state. Yun Che’s gaze moved from Ji Ruyan’s face downwards, and his eyes slowly narrowed. “Are you truly willing to agree to any condition?”

Yun Che’s nakedly aggressive gaze made Ji Ruyan’s body tremble. Her face paled slightly, and though she bit her lip, she stammered, “As long as the Black Feather Merchant Guild can be saved, even if Ruyan must... become a slave or a concubine...”

“...That would be wonderful, but what a pity.” Yun Che shook his head with a regretful expression. “Unfortunately, you’ve misunderstood many things. For example, I am neither from the Blazing Heaven Realm, nor from a so-called higher star realm than the Blazing Heaven Realm. I’ve only met Sect Master Huo a few times; he gave me that Black Feather Stone merely to repay a favor. After that, our obligations were settled, and we owe each other nothing.”

“...” Ji Ruyan looked up, completely at a loss.

“As for my background, I’m afraid it will greatly disappoint you. I am not from a mid-level star realm, not even a lower-level star realm. I come from a tiny planet at the very bottom of the lower realms, below the God Realm. Forget about having any backing forces; I don’t even have a single companion.”

“The reason I acted so decisively was because those profound stones were stolen by me, so I didn’t feel any pain spending them. As for the person I severely injured last night, firstly, I had no idea who he was. Secondly, I am all alone, so I have no reservations or repercussions to worry about! If anyone dares to provoke me, no matter who they are, I have no reason to let them off easy. That’s all there is to it!”

“...” Ji Ruyan’s lips parted slightly, and she remained speechless for a long time.

“Therefore, your coming to me for help is utterly laughable!” Yun Che turned his back. “This is the truth, believe it or not. Considering that your Black Feather Merchant Guild is also a victim and risked concealing my origin from the Soul Sect, I won’t kill you, nor do I care to kill anyone from your guild. But the Soul Sect... I must make them pay a bloody price!!”

With that, Yun Che leaped up, preparing to leave.

“Wait!!” Ji Ruyan quickly stood up, her figure flickering as she blocked Yun Che’s path. “Young Master, are you... are you going to the Soul Sect?”

“Precisely.” Yun Che said coldly, “The only reason I haven’t left the Black Abyss Realm is because of the Soul Sect!”

“No!” Ji Ruyan shook her head. “Young Master Lingyun, although your strength is considerable, if you truly are alone... you absolutely must not go! The Soul Sect is the dominant power in the Black Abyss Realm, incredibly terrifying. Its main branch alone has eight million disciples, and if you include the various branch sects spread throughout the Black Abyss Realm, there are tens of millions of disciples in total! Sect Master Lei Qianfeng is an unmatched and powerful Divine King, and all the branch sect masters are in the Divine Spirit Realm. The main sect also has eight Divine Spirit elders and one Divine Spirit Realm Hall Master, and all sixty-four hall masters are formidable figures in the late Divine Tribulation Realm... Young Master, Ruyan deeply admires your sense of loyalty and justice, but you must not throw yourself into the abyss and sacrifice your life out of a momentary fit of pique.”

“Hmph!” Yun Che gritted his teeth slightly. “As an insignificant person, of course I can’t shake a vast dominant sect. But even if I have to risk my life, I will make the Soul Sect bleed!”

“This is a debt they owe!”“And a debt I owe!”“Blood must pay for blood!”

“...” Ji Ruyan stared blankly at Yun Che. A profound practitioner, only in the Divine Soul Realm, with no backing, no companions, and utterly alone, was actually going to “punish” a vast dominant sect of a star realm!

She should have found it absurd, laughable, and foolish. Yet, the fervent aura emanating from Yun Che deeply stifled her. She distinctly felt that he wasn’t speaking idly, nor was he acting on impulse.

As the young mistress of the Black Feather Merchant Guild, she had met far more people than the average person. For the first time, she was so startled by the imposing aura of a young man.

“Young Master Lingyun,” Ji Ruyan said sincerely, “I have a way to help you safely leave the Black Abyss Realm, guaranteeing that the Soul Sect won’t...”

“No need!” Yun Che flatly refused, about to leave again.

“Young Master!” Ji Ruyan quickly stepped in front of him. “If you insist on going to the Soul Sect... Ruyan is willing to help you.”

“Hm?” Yun Che showed surprise. “You’ll help me?”

Ji Ruyan sighed softly. “Since you are new to the Black Abyss Realm, and yesterday you knew nothing about the Soul Sect, you probably know very little about them even now. I suspect you don’t even know where the Soul Sect is located.”

Yun Che: “...”

“Your actions, in Ruyan’s view, are no different from walking to your death. Ruyan cannot help you much, but at least within the Black Abyss Realm, I am one of the people who knows the Soul Sect best. Later, I will send you information about the Soul Sect via a sound transmission jade... though I still hope you will retreat in the face of difficulty.”

“First, answer one question for me.” Yun Che suddenly said, “Last night at the trade fair, why did that Soul Sect member suddenly attack and try to forcibly reclaim the Wood Spirit?”

“This matter... is because of the Divine Martial Realm.”

Mentioning the distant, terrifying, and unattainable Divine Martial Realm, Ji Ruyan’s eyes could not remain calm.

“Go on,” Yun Che prompted.

“I only recently learned the full reason for this matter. Initially, after the Soul Sect confirmed that the small Wood Spirit they captured was actually the legendary extinct Royal Wood Spirit, they immediately sent a sound transmission to Lei Qianfeng. Lei Qianfeng was first delighted, then fearful. He didn’t dare to keep it for himself, or even present it to the Divine Martial Realm. Naturally, he also didn’t dare to hold onto it for long, ordering them to immediately dispose of it through my Black Feather Merchant Guild. However, unexpectedly, the first part of this sound transmission was overheard from afar by Lei Qianfeng’s principal wife. She didn’t understand the concept of a ‘Royal Wood Spirit,’ and to make matters worse, that day happened to be Lei Qianyu’s birthday. When Lei Qianfeng’s wife sent a sound transmission to Lei Qianyu, who was far away in the Divine Martial Realm, she casually mentioned this matter.”

“That’s roughly how it happened. It’s easy to imagine the Divine Martial Realm’s reaction upon learning that the Soul Sect had captured a Royal Wood Spirit. But precisely when the Divine Martial Realm found out, Young Master Ling took that Royal Wood Spirit away... Now, recovering that Royal Wood Spirit is the Soul Sect’s top priority. If it cannot be recovered in the end, the Divine Martial Realm will undoubtedly unleash its wrath, perhaps even sending people personally to the Black Abyss Realm.”

“They won’t find it, and they’ll never be able to find it.” Yun Che’s hands slowly clenched into fists. “I don’t care about the Divine Martial Realm; even if the King of Heaven himself is protecting them, I will make the Soul Sect run red with blood!”