Chapter 1678: Shivering Yaksha

Yan Wu departed. Though she was about to face Yun Che, rumored to have instantly slain the Burning Moon God Emperor with a single sword, she displayed no hint of trepidation or fear.

"Father, shall we summon 'them' to the Imperial Palace?" Yan Jie respectfully inquired.

"No, that would only show our Yama Devils are afraid!" Yan Tianxiao declared. "Jie'er, go and open the barrier to the 'Tomb'."

Yan Jie was startled. "Father, are you truly going to..."

"Of course." Yan Tianxiao's gaze turned cold. "Do you think your King and Wu'er were merely jesting?"

"But Father, you just confirmed that Fen Daojun's death and Burning Moon's collapse are real. Even if Yun Che isn't as legendary as the rumors suggest, he absolutely cannot be underestimated."

"He has come alone this time, which means he must have a powerful reliance. If we act rashly before understanding his true capabilities, what if... what if..."

Yan Tianxiao shifted his gaze. "Fen Daojun cherished his imperial throne above all else and lived his life prioritizing 'stability.' Yet, he was still killed, and his stronghold was seized."

"It's only been a few days, and Yun Che has suddenly appeared here. Do you imagine he's come for a friendly chat and tea? Why should we treat him with courtesy?"

"Moreover, his arrival was so swift that it caught this King unprepared, leaving me completely unsure of his intentions. In this situation, playing nice would be a poor strategy; it's better to be decisive!" A cold glint flashed in the Yama Emperor's eyes.

Yan Jie gripped his hands. "Your son fears the 'what if'..."

"This King knows your concerns," the Yama Emperor said coldly. "Don't forget why Yun Che is in the Northern Divine Region in the first place. He was hunted and fled from the Eastern Divine Region. If he could wield such power at will, how could he have fallen to this state?"

"If we lure him into the 'Tomb,' he will undoubtedly perish, eliminating all future troubles. But... if he can even survive the 'Tomb,' then any other countermeasure this King has would be completely useless."

"So that's it," Yan Jie finally understood.

Indeed, if Yun Che could truly unleash the power that slew Fen Daojun again, and if he could escape even the "Tomb," then any other countermeasure would be entirely futile. In that case, it was better to be direct and decisive!

If he could be killed, all future troubles would be eradicated. If not, they would simply have to accept their fate... with no other choice.

"It's good that you understand. As Crown Prince, you are far too timid and indecisive. In that aspect, you are miles behind Wu'er," Yan Tianxiao scoffed.

"Father's lesson is correct." Yan Jie immediately bowed his head and sincerely stated, "Xiao Wu is not only exceptionally talented, but her intellect is also increasingly resembling yours, Father. Your son will certainly redouble his efforts."

"Now, go quickly."

"Your son obeys."

As Yan Jie departed, Yan Tianxiao watched his rapidly receding back, letting out a soft sigh. His stern, sinister gaze softened somewhat.

"Jie'er, being an emperor is not easy. Wu'er's superior qualities are your greatest test. If you cannot even bear this level of pressure..."

"Do not disappoint your father."

Outside the Yama Devil Imperial Region, the hollow eyes of a demonic skull suddenly gleamed with two dark, ominous lights, and its closed, bone-white fangs slowly parted.

A woman emerged slowly, clad in black armor that accentuated her slender, graceful figure and curves. Her cold, piercing eyes fixed directly on Yun Che.

Behind her, the Yama Devil guards had all bowed deeply. "Greetings, Lord Yaksha," they saluted.

The woman remained silent, and the guards kept their heads bowed to the ground, not daring to lift them even slightly.

"Yaksha Yan Wu," she stated her name. "Are you Yun Che?"

The Yama Emperor's daughter, the head of the Yama Devils, a woman second only to Chi Wuyao in the Northern Region... Yun Che narrowed his eyes, glanced at her, and said, "Take me to see the Yama Emperor."

When news of Yan Sanguan's death first reached them, the accompanying information that Yun Che's profound strength cultivation was merely at the Divine Sovereign Realm was met with complete disbelief by all Yama Devils.

Given the recent drastic changes within the Yama Devils, it was even harder for them to believe Yun Che was merely a Divine Sovereign.

Yet, Yan Wu's divine sense repeatedly confirmed that the man before her, whose gaze was eerily calm and who displayed no emotional disturbance under her immense pressure, possessed profound strength only at Divine Sovereign Realm Level Eight!

This was merely one minor realm level different from the rumors.

"Very well," Yan Wu said curtly. "Follow me."

Yun Che kicked aside the shattered corpses at his feet. "Some foolish fellow got in the way, so I took care of him," Yun Che said indifferently. "You don't mind, do you?"

The Yama Devil guards, still kneeling with bowed heads, all paled drastically. This was the Yama Devil Imperial Region! Yaksha Yan Wu was present! Never before had anyone dared to provoke Yaksha Yan Wu in such a manner!

Not even visiting God Emperors from other King Realms would dare to behave this way.

"Heh," Yan Wu gave a cold smile. "Since he was so foolish, his death is of no consequence."

With her words, she waved her palm, and a demonic wind swept up, instantly reducing the scattered corpses to a cloud of dust. "Are you satisfied now?" she asked.

That single wisp of demonic wind carried a pressure that caused the very space to tremble continuously.

The woman before him, the second most powerful figure in the Yama Devil Realm... purely in terms of strength, she might genuinely rival Qianye Ying'er in her peak state.

And Yun Che, now in the Northern Divine Region, propelled by both the Law of Nothingness and the Eternal Calamity of Darkness, had in just a few short years found himself facing only individuals who stood at the absolute pinnacle of their era.

This also meant he was drawing ever closer to his ultimate goal.

Yun Che narrowed his eyes, looked at her, and simply said, "Let's go."

The Yama Devil Imperial Region was shrouded in black mist, and the dark aura was exceptionally dense.

This was undoubtedly a paradise for dark beings, but for profound practitioners from the other three Divine Regions who did not cultivate darkness, even those on the Divine Path, a visit here would lead to their swift demise.

The Yama Devil Imperial Region was extraordinarily quiet and deathly still. Wherever Yan Wu walked, everything seemed to fall into a stiff, cold silence. Sensing her aura, Yama Devil profound practitioners would bow from afar, only rising after she had passed a considerable distance, daring not to show the slightest disrespect or impropriety.

Yaksha, a legendary fiend of hell. This woman, with her alluring appearance, devilish figure, and terrifying strength, appeared to possess an exceptionally fierce and ruthless temperament.

"I hear Young Master Yun slew a God Emperor with a single sword in the Burning Moon Realm, astonishing all quarters," she said.

The two walked one behind the other for a long time before Yan Wu finally spoke, her voice faint: "My Father King heard of it and was greatly impressed. Your unprompted visit, Young Master Yun, is very much welcomed by him."

"However, I'm curious, Young Master Yun, what brings you here uninvited? As you hail from the Eastern Divine Region, perhaps you are unaware that in our Northern Divine Region, arriving without notice is a major taboo and deeply offensive. If you weren't a distinguished guest, you would likely have been cast out already."

Yan Wu's words were a blend of probing and provocation.

Yan Wu finished speaking, but for a long time, she received not a single word in response.

She turned her gaze, only to find Yun Che's face and eyes as indifferent as before. His dark eyes were fixed straight ahead, not shifting even slightly towards her... completely ignoring her words.

It was as if he were telling her she wasn't worthy of a reply.

The Yama Emperor's daughter, the head of the Yama Devils, a Level Ten Divine Master... unworthy!?

Yan Wu turned her gaze forward again, showing no anger and remaining silent, but a cold glint flashed in her eyes.

When it came to arrogance, she would yield to no one in this world!

"We've arrived."

After a long, oppressive silence, Yan Wu stopped before another massive demonic skull. Without turning, she said to Yun Che, her back still facing him, "Beyond this gate lies the Everlasting Dark Devil Palace. My Father King's Imperial Hall is within. Please, enter."

Despite saying "please," she took the first step and passed through the palace gate.

Yun Che took a step. As he drew near, black light suddenly shot forth from the demonic teeth, forming a dark barrier. The dark aura emanating from it was so overwhelmingly powerful it inspired despair.

Ahead lay the Everlasting Dark Devil Palace, the dwelling of the Yama Emperor and the Yama Devils, and the strength of its barrier was immense. Even a late-stage Divine Master would find it impossible to breach quickly.

"Oh?" Yan Wu turned her gaze, as if suddenly remembering something. With a faint, knowing smile, she said, "I almost forgot, only those who cultivate the Yama Devil arts can enter the Everlasting Dark Devil Palace; otherwise, the barrier will block them."

"However, given Young Master Yun's ability to slay even the Burning Moon God Emperor with a single sword, this mere barrier surely won't require my assistance to open."

Her upturned eyebrows and the curve of her lips revealed undisguised provocation and a subtle hint of sarcasm.

Or perhaps it was retaliation for his earlier disregard... After all, no one had ever dared to disrespect her, Yaksha Yan Wu!

However, the anger or gloom she had anticipated did not appear on Yun Che's face. Not even a flicker of disturbance showed in his eyes or brows.

He took a step forward, raised his palm, and casually extended a single finger, poking it forward with a seemingly light touch.

With a soft sound, Yun Che's finger plunged directly into the dark barrier, piercing through it as if it were rotten paper.

In that instant, Yan Wu's pupils seemed to be violently pricked by a poison barb, instantly contracting to pinprick size.

The strongest Yama Devil, a Level Ten Divine Master! In this world, there were exceedingly few things that could even slightly move her, yet at this moment, she distinctly felt her heart and soul simultaneously convulse.

An incredibly grating, almost painful hiss erupted. Centered around Yun Che's finger, the dark barrier fractured into countless radiating cracks, then collapsed with a resounding roar.

Boom!!

This barrier, constructed by the combined might of powerful Yama Devils, held enough power to shatter heaven and earth. As it disintegrated, the surrounding space violently collapsed into a raging dark vortex, and the sound of darkness devouring space persisted for several breaths before finally dissipating.

Throughout the prolonged dark storm, Yun Che remained utterly spotless; not even a single strand of his hair was stirred.

As Yan Wu remained completely frozen, Yun Che casually withdrew his finger, a faint, sarcastic smile gracing his lips. "Is this your Yama Devil's protective barrier?" he remarked. "Is it meant to keep out fleas?"

If it had been a barrier of comparable strength constructed with ordinary profound energy, Yun Che would have had no way to break it so easily without using the Void Ice Flame.

But a dark barrier... in his presence, it was nothing but a joke.

The rigid expression on Yan Wu's face swiftly vanished. Her gaze remained unchanged, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of her lips. "That's why I said," she remarked, "this barrier simply couldn't stop you."

She appeared outwardly unperturbed, yet as she spoke, the faint smile on her lips trembled ever so slightly.

No one understood the terrifying strength of that barrier more than Yan Wu, the head of the Yama Devils.

Not just her, but even her father, Yan Tianxiao, would have found it difficult to break it quickly.

And Yun Che... had merely poked it with a finger!?

Furthermore, from his finger and indeed his entire body, almost no profound energy fluctuations could be detected.

Yan Wu's internal vigilance, coldness, and arrogance were utterly shattered by the scene she had just witnessed, leaving her with a sense of shock and awe she had never before experienced.

To shatter the Everlasting Dark Devil Palace's protective barrier with a single finger—such power simply shouldn't exist.

Coupled with the rumors of him slaying the Burning Moon God Emperor with a single sword.

Could he... truly wield power from the True God Realm!?

And he seemed to be able to unleash it at will!

Faced with something completely beyond her comprehension and acceptance, even she, the Yama Devil Empress and First Yama Devil, could no longer maintain her inner calm and pride.

Yun Che walked directly past her, heading straight towards the colossal palace ahead that radiated immense imperial might. The Yama Emperor, Yan Tianxiao, resided within.

Before the Imperial Hall, eleven dark demonic skulls were arranged horizontally, six on the left and five on the right, symbolizing the eleven types of Yama Devil power within the Yama Devil Realm.

As Yun Che approached, the previously silent demonic skulls suddenly seemed to awaken, releasing eleven streams of dense black light and emitting chilling, terrifying wails.

"This is the Yama Wail Grand Formation, left by our ancestors," Yan Wu's voice echoed from behind.

From behind, Yan Wu said faintly, "Without a Yama Devil's guidance, anyone who dares to trespass into the Imperial Hall will surely be met with..."

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Yun Che step directly into the demonic skull formation.

"Wooooooah!!!"

The wails of the devils shook the heavens, as all eleven demonic skulls flashed with explosive black light. The surging dark profound energy resembled boiling, pitch-black magma.

The power within the eleven demonic skulls was regularly infused by the Yama Emperor and the Ten Yama Devils themselves. Their might and destructive force were immense; even a God Emperor who rashly stepped in would surely suffer injury upon their eruption.

Seeking death... As these two words flashed through Yan Wu's mind, her eyes abruptly widened.

Facing the eleven ferociously wailing demonic skulls, poised to unleash their Yama Devil power simultaneously, Yun Che extended both arms and lightly pushed his palms outwards to the sides.