Chapter 1685: Yanma Great Calamity

"Old Ghost, you..."

Yan Wangu's grimly resolute voice made Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun's aged eyes widen in terror. Yet, their attempts to dissuade him, both in words and actions, were not particularly forceful. The three Yama Ancestors shared the same fate, the same desperate plight. If Yan Wangu's resolve faltered, how could they remain unshaken? Yan Wangu stepped forward first... They, too, wished to see if Yun Che could truly fulfill his promise after implanting the slave seal.

"Excellent."

Yun Che looked down at Yan Wangu with approval. His palm descended, fingers splayed, directly gripping Yan Wangu's head. Yan Wangu's body convulsed, then began to tremble violently and unceasingly... Yet, he steadily lowered his soul's defenses, until they were completely gone. Only the sound of his teeth grinding, then cracking, echoed.

Yun Che's gaze sharpened. The slave seal materialized in his palm, piercing directly into Yan Wangu's soul. A chill ran through Yan Wangu's entire body, while Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun held their breath completely... Yet, despite the pervasive cold, Yan Wangu offered no resistance, allowing Yun Che's slave seal to be deeply etched into the very core of his soul. Unless personally removed by Yun Che or by the complete destruction of his soul, the seal would endure eternally.

Yan Wangu, the first-generation inheritor of the Yama Devil bloodline, thus became the first of the Yama Devils to bear a slave seal.

Yun Che slowly withdrew his hand from Yan Wangu's head.

Thud!

Yan Wangu's hands hit the ground, and his head bowed low. His rigid kneeling posture instantly transformed into the most abject prostration: "This old servant, Yan Wangu, greets my Master." Gone was his anger, his resentment, his hatred; only ultimate devotion and apprehension remained. From the moment the slave seal took root, the sole purpose and belief of his remaining life became absolute loyalty to Yun Che, with not a trace of defiance ever again. He was, utterly and truly, a loyal hound.

Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun stared, wide-eyed and silent for a long time, at Yan Wangu's prostrate form. Their hearts were filled with endless sorrow and desolation. A Yama Ancestor, reduced to a slave... Even in their wildest dreams, they could never have conceived of such an absurd reality.

Yun Che paid them no mind. The hand that had been on Yan Wangu's head suddenly shimmered with dark light, then gripped his shoulder with significant force.

Ommm!

Against his Master's power, Yan Wangu could not offer even the slightest resistance. Dark profound light instantly enveloped his entire body, completely engulfing him in a flash.

"Ah... Ugh... Ahhh!"

Yan Wangu's fractured screams emanated from within the dark glow, instantly shattering Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun's expectations and causing them to tremble uncontrollably with shock and fury.

"You... what are you doing?!"

"You truly are..."

BANG!

Before their shouts could fully cease, the dark glow abruptly exploded, flinging Yan Wangu far away to land beside Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun. He quickly scrambled to his feet. The moment his upper body straightened, he suddenly froze, then tremblingly raised his hands, staring blankly, as if he had unexpectedly stepped into an impossible dream. Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun, who had been about to approach him, also froze completely, their four eyes bulging intensely. For a long time, they couldn't believe their own eyes or their spiritual perception.

Because Yan Wangu's life essence and soul aura had utterly transformed. They had become robust, profound, and remarkably clear. Most importantly, his aura's connection to the Yin energy of the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea had been unequivocally severed; dark Yin energy no longer surged into his body, yet he remained alive. His power had not dissipated, and his life and soul were incredibly strong and stable.

"Ah... ah... ahhh..."

Yan Wangu stared at his own hands, dry, dreamlike moans escaping his throat. Suddenly, his entire body shuddered, and he violently prostrated himself on the ground, his head thudding heavily as he exclaimed: "This old servant thanks Master for your grace! Thank you, Master! Thank you, Master!"

He remained prostrated, his head pressing against the ground. His face, like withered wood, was instantly streaming with tears.

The slave seal, in essence, instilled an unshakeable belief of absolute obedience to its caster, without altering memories or other aspects of free will. Thus, he clearly understood the significance of the changes occurring within him.

"From this moment forward, you shall be called Yan San," Yun Che stated indifferently. Now that he was his loyal hound, his past, even his name, should be discarded... Yet, to retain the surname 'Yan' was Yun Che's first grace as his master.

Yan San kowtowed again, tears of gratitude streaming down his face: "This old servant, Yan San, thanks Master for bestowing this name!"

"Very well," Yun Che nodded in approval.

Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun's faces remained etched with stupefaction. Yan Wangu's transformation from a Yama Ancestor into a loyal hound was far less shocking than the profound change in his aura.

"Old Ghost, have you truly already... already...?" Yan Wanchi still could not believe it.

Yan San turned his gaze, exclaiming with immense excitement: "Yes! Master did not deceive us. My life and soul are now completely independent; I no longer need to rely on this putrid abyss to live! Hurry! Quickly let Master implant slave seals on you too, and join his ranks! Not only will you gain rebirth, but you'll also have the immense fortune of serving him faithfully! What are you still hesitating for?!"

He was not merely excited, but incredibly eager, practically wishing he could rush over and personally force Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun before Yun Che. To him now, being Yun Che's loyal hound was unequivocally the greatest joy and honor in the world.

Before Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun could respond, Yun Che's lips curved into a sudden smile, and a blinding, potent surge of profound light burst forth from his body. The torment of light descended once more. Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun were assailed as if by ten thousand blades piercing their souls, simultaneously letting out ear-splitting screams. They writhed and thrashed on the ground, wishing for death to escape the agony.

Yan San's body instinctively recoiled, and a scream reflexively caught in his throat. But immediately, his body stilled. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, remaining rooted to the spot, mouth agape in daze. Even shrouded in light, he still felt a strong discomfort. But compared to the previous torment, this discomfort was the difference between heaven and hell. His body still experienced a searing pain, but it was no longer easily consumed. With a slight circulation of his dark profound energy, the faint discomfort quickly vanished.

As their lives and souls were devoured and they howled in torment, Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun clearly saw Yan San, utterly unharmed within the light, showing not the slightest sign of pain. Their screams twisted, their struggles became chaotic, and their eyes trembled with a desire and plea for mercy that was immeasurably more intense.

"Tell me, what is your choice now?" Yun Che, radiating sacred profound light, whispered like a devil.

"The seal!!" No sooner had Yun Che's words ended than Yan Wanhun, expending all his remaining will, desperately shrieked: "Please... implant the seal on me... the seal! Ahhhh--"

Yan Wanhun's complete collapse of will finally became the last straw that broke Yan Wanchi's remaining resolve. When their will completely crumbled, all dignity and glory shattered along with it. Yan Wanchi, howling, exerted all his might to crawl towards Yun Che's feet: "Give me... the seal... Mercy... Have mercy! Ahhhhhh!!"

Yun Che withdrew his hand, and the light instantly vanished. Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun lay sprawled on the ground, gasping for breath, their faces a deathly grey, whether from despair or relief, it was hard to tell. In their trembling, constricted dark pupils, Yun Che slowly advanced, his heavy footsteps echoing deep within their very souls with each stride.

Finally, he stood before them, extending both hands to simultaneously grasp the heads of the two Yama Ancestors. "No need to be nervous," Yun Che said with a faint smile. "You still have a chance to regret. If you do, feel free to resist; I lack the ability to forcibly implant slave seals. Besides, I still have many interesting methods I haven't had the chance to use yet. It would be a pity if I missed the opportunity to demonstrate them."

That slow, detached voice made Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun shiver uncontrollably, unable to stop, unable to utter a sound. Though only six days had passed, their terror of Yun Che had deepened to a degree unfathomable to ordinary people. If a true devil existed in this world, it was undoubtedly the terrifying man standing before them.

With a slight concentration, Yun Che's hands simultaneously formed two slave seals, which plunged directly into the soul seas of both Yama Ancestors. The two Yama Ancestors clearly felt the slave seals form and embed themselves... Yet, neither Yan Wanchi nor Yan Wanhun offered even a flicker of resistance. As the slave seals were simultaneously etched, a flicker of excited, unusual light finally gleamed in Yun Che's eyes. For from this moment forward, the most enigmatic and terrifying beings in the Northern Divine Region — the three founding ancestors of the Yama Devil Realm — had all been reduced to loyal hounds, serving him alone!

This was a power entirely his own!

The idea had first taken shape in his mind when he learned of the three Yama Ancestors' existence in the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea from Chi Wuyao. Now, in just a few short days, he had succeeded without any hitches... and in this world, only he could have accomplished it. Three old monsters of the God Emperor level... What an immense, terrifying force!

Yun Che's hand gesture shifted as he activated the Eternal Calamity of Darkness. The dark glow that had enveloped Yan Wangu now simultaneously shone upon Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun, forcibly altering the dark laws they had established with the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea. As he had stated, after being freed from the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea's restrictive laws and regaining independent life and soul, the remaining life essence within the three Yama Ancestors could sustain them for, at most, another ten thousand years. But this timeframe was entirely sufficient for Yun Che.

"Thank you, Master, for your grace!" Freed from the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea's shackles and endowed with independent life and soul, Yan Wanchi and Yan Wanhun were as utterly ecstatic as Yan Wangu, their aged faces streaming with tears.

"From now on, you shall be called Yan Yi," Yun Che said, his gaze shifting from Yan Wanchi to Yan Wanhun, "and you, Yan Er. Understood?"

"Thank you, Master, for bestowing our names," the two Yama Ancestors replied, filled with profound gratitude, kowtowing repeatedly.

"Now..." Yun Che extended a hand towards them. "Give me the Yama Devil's Demonic Source Artifact."

Yun Che had no idea what the Yama Devil Realm's Demonic Source Artifact was, nor had he received any information about it from anyone. However, it was obvious to him that it must be in the possession of the three Yama Ancestors. For the Yama Devil Realm's most vital inheritance core would only be truly safe within the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea, upon the three Yama Ancestors themselves, where it would never have to worry about anything going amiss. Furthermore, from the Yama Ancestors' perspective, as long as they remained alive, they would never willingly surrender it to their future descendants. Alas, in this generation, they had encountered Yun Che.

"Yes, Master."

Completely as he expected, Yan Wanchi immediately stepped forward, raising both hands to respectfully present a two-foot-long, black, square cauldron shrouded in dark light, offering it to Yun Che without hesitation. Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly as he grasped it with one hand. After obtaining the Burning Moon Devil Jade from the Burning Moon Realm, the very lifeline of the Yama Devil Realm's inheritance was now also clutched in his grasp.

The Eternal Darkness Devil Palace was enveloped in profound silence. This was the tenth day since Yun Che had entered the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea. The Eternal Darkness Bone Sea remained utterly silent, a fact that caused Yan Tianxiao no concern. However, the continuous lack of any unusual activity from the Soul Stealing Realm left him with a subtle, growing unease. Any anomaly hinted at trouble, and Chi Wuyao was far more terrifying than any true demon. With the Soul Stealing Realm remaining dormant for so long, Yan Tianxiao grew increasingly restless.

"Father King, are you perhaps going out?"

Yan Jie, arriving to deliver his routine report, found Yan Tianxiao's figure poised to pass through the Eternal Darkness Devil Palace's barrier.

"It has been too long since I visited the Soul Stealing Realm," Yan Tianxiao said in a deep voice. "It seems the time is right. Jie'er, accompany me."

"Yes, Father King."

Yan Jie assented. Just as the two were about to step through the Eternal Darkness barrier, an earth-shattering roar suddenly erupted behind them. Yan Tianxiao and Yan Jie spun around like lightning... From the very center of the Eternal Darkness Devil Palace, at the entrance to the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea, a pillar of pitch-black light shot skyward. This was accompanied by a storm of darkness, unleashed as the thirty-six barriers sealing the Eternal Darkness Bone Sea simultaneously shattered.