Chapter 1690: Eternal Dark Magic Crystal

"Wu'er, do not defy orders!" Yan Tianxiao warned in a low voice.

Yan Wu stepped forward, her pace unusually stiff and slow. Although the injuries Yan Jie inflicted upon her were not light, they clearly weren't enough to make her move like this.

Finally, she arrived before Yun Che, bowing low. Her voice was stiff and cold: "What are your commands, my Lord?"

Yun Che said nothing. Suddenly, he extended a hand, and a wisp of dark profound energy coiled directly around Yan Wu.

Yan Wu's gaze turned instantly cold, but Yan Tianxiao's low roar echoed from behind her: "Do not resist!"

Yan Wu stood rigidly still, her jade-like teeth clenched, her body trembling slightly. The dark profound energy from Yun Che had already invaded her body with overwhelming dominance, reaching deep into her profound veins.

However, her body's tension and inner chill lasted only a few breaths. After a slight tremor, her eyes became bewildered, then excited, and finally filled with an increasingly deep sense of disbelief.

Yun Che retracted his arm, and all the dark energy withdrew.

Yan Wu stood there in a daze for a long time, the incredulous dark light in her pupils lingering as if she were in a dream.

Suddenly, she knelt solemnly—no longer just bowing, but dropping to one knee, her head bowed low. Her voice had lost its previous coldness, replaced by a profound excitement emanating from the depths of her soul: "Yan Wu... thanks my Lord for your grace!"

Everyone in the Yama Devil clan knew how fiery Yan Wu's temper was.

Even Yan Tianxiao rarely saw Yan Wu display such gratitude and reverence.

Amidst his shock and doubt, Yan Tianxiao quickly stepped forward and touched Yan Wu's shoulder. In an instant, his expression drastically changed, showing the same excitement and disbelief as Yan Wu. Then, as if dazed, he murmured, "Could it be... could all those rumors about the Devil Queen be true?"

"Hmph, there's another important reason why the Burning Moon Realm submitted so quickly: they witnessed the Devil Queen's transformation with their own eyes," Yun Che spoke indifferently, dark profound light swirling around his palm. "To you, such a change might seem like a miracle, but in my hands... it's merely child's play."

Yan Tianxiao also knelt beside Yan Wu. This was the first time his bow was not as strained as before. He stated solemnly: "I beg my Lord to bestow your grace upon the Yama Devils. All of us will forever remember your immense benevolence, and we will pledge our full loyalty to you!"

He had witnessed the immense power of the Darkness Eternal Tribulation again and again.

Effortlessly wielding the power of the Everlasting Darkness Bone Sea, effortlessly creating miracles beyond comprehension.

And this was certainly not the full extent of the Darkness Eternal Tribulation.

At this moment, he even began to harbor a thought: that Yun Che was truly meant to be the master of the Northern Region.

"This grace, I will widely bestow upon the Yama Devils. But in return, what I demand is your loyalty!" Yun Che's voice was slow, striking each person's heart and soul word by word. "And the loyalty I demand..."

"Is... only... once!"

Yan Tianxiao looked up, knowing what stance to adopt in the current situation: "My Lord is the only Devil Emperor successor in this era, also the first... and the only one to subdue our Yama Devils. Besides my Lord, no one else is worthy of our loyalty."

"Very good," Yun Che approved, slowly rising and walking forward.

As he walked, the Three Yama Ancestors followed closely behind, guarding Yun Che's safety from all angles.

"Now, do two things."

"Please speak, my Lord," Yan Tianxiao said earnestly.

"First, block all news. Allow no one from the Yama Devil clan to spread word of today's events, especially... do not let the Soul Stealing Realm find out."

Nowadays, whenever Yun Che thought of Chi Wuyao, a cold, dark glint would flash in his eyes.

"This..." Yan Tianxiao frowned slightly and said, "Reporting to my Lord, I fear this might be difficult to achieve. Your divine might shook the world, and the Yama Devil Imperial Region caused too great a commotion. There are countless spies from the Soul Stealing Realm planted within the Yama Devil Realm. It is already too late to impose a blockade now."

"No need for it to be 'in time'; simply make it look the part," Yun Che narrowed his eyes.

"..." Yan Tianxiao frowned in thought and replied, "Understood."

"Second," Yun Che's gaze shifted slightly, "send someone to the Imperial Heaven Realm to bring a person to me. It's best if it's done quietly. But if it's exposed, it's no great matter."

Imperial Heaven Realm?

Yan Tianxiao's brow twitched slightly. This was where Yun Che had killed Yan Sangeng, the leader of the Yama Ghosts, back then.

He had been furious then, ordering his people to retrieve Yun Che at any cost, even sending the Three Yama Devils to the Soul Stealing Realm to demand his return. At that time, he had never in his wildest dreams imagined Yun Che would be such a terrifying harbinger of disaster. "May I know who my Lord wishes to see?" he asked cautiously.

Yun Che tilted his head back and spoke softly: "Tian Guhu."

Tian Guhu, as the foremost person of the younger generation and possessing astonishing cross-rank abilities, was well known even to Yan Tianxiao.

He didn't ask further questions. Turning, he said, "Yan E, go to the Imperial Heaven Realm yourself and bring Tian Guhu here."

"Go now."

For someone from an ordinary upper-star realm, it wouldn't be necessary to send a Yama Devil in person. However, the Imperial Heaven Realm was, at least, the foremost star realm below the Northern Divine Region's King Realms, and Tian Guhu was a junior whose reputation was currently soaring. Coupled with this being a direct order from Yun Che himself, sending a Yama Devil in person was not an exaggeration.

"Yes!"

Yan E took the command and flashed away.

"Yan One, Yan Two, Yan Three, follow me," Yun Che commanded.

Yan Tianxiao asked, "May I know where my Lord intends to go?"

Yun Che walked past him without stopping, leaving only a cold, daunting voice: "Do your own business. What you should know, you will know. What you shouldn't, do not pry!"

These were words Yan Tianxiao usually used to admonish others. Never before had someone else admonished him.

However, the shock brought by Yan Wu's drastic change was far from subsiding. He quickly settled into his role, saying, "My Lord's teachings are correct... I respectfully see off my Lord."

Yun Che and the Three Yama Ancestors departed, heading seemingly towards the Everlasting Darkness Bone Sea.

A terrifying silence filled the Imperial Hall. After a long pause, Yan Tu was the first to speak, asking very cautiously, "My Lord, are we really just... just going to..."

The Yama Devil Realm seemed to have undergone no significant changes.

The Yama Emperor was still the Yama Emperor, the Yama Devils were still Yama Devils. The Yama Devil Imperial Region still consisted of the same people, not occupied or hijacked by outsiders. Their freedom remained unrestricted.

As for losses, there were just a pile of collapsed buildings.

As for Yan Jie, it was better that he was exposed and abolished sooner. Otherwise, if the Yama Devils had truly recognized him as Emperor in the future, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

This facade of no change and no constraints on them meant they could rebel at any time. Yet, behind it, there was clearly a confidence and arrogance that showed no concern about their potential rebellion.

Yan Tianxiao didn't answer. He looked at Yan Wu: "Wu'er, what are your thoughts?"

Yan Wu's mind shifted from the drastic changes in her body. She slowly said, "I now feel that even if we leave the Northern Divine Region, the control and recovery of dark profound energy will not be significantly affected."

These words caused everyone's eyes to twitch.

"Your Highness, what do you mean?" Yan Tu asked somewhat eagerly.

"In the past, Chi Wuyao had spoken to father on multiple occasions about breaking free from the Northern Region's cage, but... that was nothing but a fool's dream." Yan Wu's face was frosty, not with a domineering coldness, but with a rapidly forming resolve:

"But Yun Che, what he says is not empty boasts!"

Yan Wu's gaze swept around as she said, "This life is but once. To be forever confined to darkness would be too dull and stifling. Since such an opportunity has arisen, and such a leader has appeared, why not take a gamble and become the one who shatters these dark shackles, a defiant against destiny!"

"Even if we ultimately suffer a crushing defeat and perish, at least we will have lived up to the power we possess and this dark land from which we originate!"

Yan Wu's words shook everyone to their core.

Yet, she had previously been the most resistant, the most unwilling one.

But after being touched by Yun Che, her mindset had undergone such a profound change.

Yan Tianxiao's gaze was calm: "So that means..."

"I have decided to follow him!" Yan Wu's beautiful eyes were filled with chilling resolve, her words firm and decisive.

Words heard, and experiences felt firsthand, are always entirely different concepts.

"Are you truly decided?" Yan Tianxiao asked again.

"No regrets whatsoever." Yan Wu raised her hand, dark light swirling in her palm, and slowly said, "In the past, merely stepping out of the Northern Region would leave one half-crippled; resistance was a joke. But now, I can't wait to fully unleash the dark power within me... upon the lands of the Three Divine Regions! Let them truly feel the accumulated rage and hatred we've harbored for countless years!"

Her fingers closed, extinguishing the dark light. She lowered her gaze and said, "There's no need to find it strange. Once you receive the same grace... you will understand! I now somewhat comprehend the choice of the three ancestors."

Indeed, the Yama Devils and Yama Ghosts could not fully comprehend Yan Wu's feelings and changes. But at the very least, her words and drastic transformation invisibly suppressed most of the unwillingness in their hearts.

"Good." Yan Tianxiao slowly nodded. He now knew that Yun Che choosing Yan Wu first indeed had a special purpose.

"Remember what he said; the loyalty he demands is only once," Yan Tianxiao's voice deepened. "If you truly decide, there will be no chance to go back."

"No, with his domineering ruthlessness, whether we are willing or unwilling, there is no turning back now," Yan Wu said indifferently. "Isn't it far better to die in the Three Divine Regions than to die in vain at his hands?"

Compared to her previous unwillingness and resistance, now, should anyone consider rebelling, Yan Wu would be the first to step forward and suppress them.

"Hehehe." Yan Tianxiao chuckled calmly, with no negative emotions in his expression. As the Yama Devil Emperor, he seemed to have no doubts about Yan Wu's words: "Wu'er is right. No matter what you think in your hearts, you must remember that Yun Che is now a master above this King."

"You have all clearly seen with your own eyes how terrifying he is and whether he possesses this qualification. At the very least, under no circumstances should there be any open defiance."

Yan Tianxiao ordered: "Obey my Lord's command, and quickly proceed to seal off all news!"

**The Everlasting Darkness Bone Sea.**

Taking the Three Yama Ancestors with him, Yun Che returned to the Everlasting Darkness Bone Sea, not for cultivation, but to fly directly to its edge.

As he advanced, the dark world continuously revealed streaks of purple light.

These were the spectral purple lights from the Netherworld Udumbara Flower. However, for the current Yun Che, these terrifying spectral purple lights could no longer interfere with his soul.

His gaze did not linger on the Netherworld Udumbara Flower.

Because those purple lights would draw his mind and soul into a gloomy, painful abyss.

As he paused, his gaze pierced through layers of decayed demon bones, landing on a demon crystal that shimmered with mysterious dark light.

These demon crystals were scattered at the very edge of the Everlasting Darkness Bone Sea, like naturally condensed, variously shaped dark crystals. Under the faint phosphorescent glow around them, they refracted a peaceful yet dreamlike ethereal light.

Yun Che lowered his body and reached out to touch these dark demon crystals condensed at the edge of the bone sea.

"Master, do not touch!" the Three Yama Ancestors exclaimed in unison.

Yun Che's finger paused.

Yan Yi said, "These demon crystals are formed from the most primordial ancient Yin energy, condensed over extremely long periods. They appear similar to ordinary dark demon crystals, but in reality, the dark power they contain is not only extremely dense but also extraordinarily violent. Even a slight touch will cause one to be devoured by it."

Yan Er said, "We once tried to control its power, but even with the combined strength of the three of us, we couldn't do it. After that, we dared not approach again... Ah!"

Amidst Yan Er's startled cry, Yun Che's finger gently but firmly landed on the dark demon crystal.

The dark demon crystal showed no reaction.

The Three Yama Ancestors immediately let out a collective sigh of relief. Yan San quickly said, "You two old ghosts are spewing useless nonsense. Who is the Master? How dare mere Everlasting Darkness Demon Crystals act presumptuously before him!"

"Right, right, we were overthinking," Yan Yi and Yan Er quickly nodded.

Yun Che's hand moved away from the demon crystal in front of him. His eyes narrowed slightly, dark light flashing continuously.

The most stable form of power, undoubtedly, is a crystal.

For this reason, various profound crystals are used to aid cultivation, forge profound formations and profound artifacts, and are also used as currency of different levels.

However, the dark crystals before him, which the Three Yama Ancestors called Everlasting Darkness Demon Crystals, were clearly entirely different from the dark profound stones outside.

The moment Yun Che touched them, the volatile power within felt like a tyrannical devil god slumbering, ready to awaken violently with the slightest contact.

These were special crystals formed from the primordial Yin energy of the Everlasting Darkness Bone Sea from ancient times. The death qi released shortly after the ancient devils perished must have contained an immense amount of hatred and malevolence.

Yun Che's gaze slowly swept across them. Only a few of these demon crystals were within his direct line of sight. But given the immense size of the Everlasting Darkness Bone Sea, the number of Everlasting Darkness Demon Crystals condensed there would undoubtedly be staggering.

As his gaze moved, Yun Che's lips slowly curled into a sinister smile, like a bloodthirsty fiend.

Behind him, the Three Yama Ancestors all shivered simultaneously.