Chapter 1697: Demon Queen's Oath

No wonder, on the very first day Yun Che met Chi Wuyao, she directly spoke of the "Evil God's Profound Veins," and her subsequent explanation was incredibly subtle. No wonder she always seemed to see through his thoughts. Could it be that her understanding of him was so profound that it repeatedly startled him, making him repeatedly believe her eyes could peer into souls? It turned out that she had already appeared in his life ten years ago, watching him and guiding him throughout his years in the Snow Song Realm—right until the day the Azure Cloud Continent and his spirit simultaneously shattered.

"You carry too many secrets," Chi Wuyao continued. "For a woman who desires to uncover them, a man's secrets are often the abyss into which she most easily and unknowingly falls, even if that woman is me." She added, "Especially in the God Burial Inferno... when even she (I) was utterly despairing, you saved her (me) with your strength, wisdom, perseverance, and life." She continued, "You invaded not only her body but also her heart... and for a woman whose emotions had been frozen for tens of thousands of years and who was supposedly incapable of love, once she fell, it was for an eternal, unwavering devotion."

Yun Che remained silent.

"It was also after that, she frequently became more willing to face you with this 'persona' of mine. Perhaps in her subconscious, the 'her' represented by my persona would be more appealing to you, more captivating." She paused slightly, and a deeply veiled melancholy crept into Chi Wuyao's voice. "However... outside the Azure Cloud Continent, in those few moments before her demise, as her soul scattered and finally separated from my demonic soul, she realized my existence."

The world before Yun Che’s eyes spun in a violent blur. Those heart-wrenching, blood-piercing images and sounds vividly resurfaced:
"It's not only you who can be willful..."
"Che'er, live... on..."

His body began to tremble violently, an overwhelming surge of grief threatening to erupt. He lifted his gaze, staring at Chi Wuyao through the black mist, his eyes terrifying, his words low and guttural: "What... what did you... treat her as...?"

The Ice Phoenix Spirit's divine soul had resided within Mu Xuanyin, seeing the outside world through her eyes. Only once Yun Che appeared was there the first and only instance of conscious interference. Even that had enraged Yun Che. Even if the interference were undone and Mu Xuanyin's boundless affection for him might turn to hatred, he still insisted that the Ice Phoenix Spirit remove it. Because having one's own will tampered with... that was too unfair and cruel to Mu Xuanyin, or to anyone.

And Chi Wuyao... though only a soul attachment, and though she could never exert coercive interference, her influence on Mu Xuanyin had permeated almost her entire life. This meant that Mu Xuanyin's entire life had been subjected to invisible manipulation and control by others.

"What did you treat her as...?" Yun Che muttered repeatedly, his fingers clenching tight in a tremor. "Why, one after another... did you do this to her!"

Too much anguish, self-reproach, and fury surged simultaneously in a chaotic rush. Yun Che’s vision blurred violently, and his hand suddenly shot out, instantly closing the distance to Chi Wuyao. His five fingers pierced through the black mist, grasping towards her.

Chi Wuyao did not move, allowing his uncontrolled fingers to tightly grip her neck.

It was in that very instant that the black mist around Chi Wuyao slowly dissipated... and for the first time, her true face was reflected in Yun Che's chaotic pupils.

Jieyuan, the Devil Queen Chi Wuyao, was the most beautiful woman in the Northern Divine Region. Every living being there knew this clearly, and no one ever questioned it.

As the black mist dispersed, what appeared before Yun Che was a countenance that seemed to embody all the world's allure, charm, and bewitching aura. In terms of delicate features alone, she was undoubtedly breathtakingly beautiful, though perhaps slightly less exquisite than Shen Xi and Qianye Ying'er. Yet, her crescent eyebrows and phoenix eyes, without needing any expression or posture, naturally exuded an endless, soul-stirring enchantment. Her delicate lips shimmered with a rosy light, and a mere touch of her gaze seemed to directly invade the heart, easily shattering a man's will and igniting an endless, tormenting desire that burned within.

His gaze dropped. Her somewhat simple black dress outlined a voluptuous, strikingly curvaceous body. As she stood there quietly, her curves, under the most natural and simplest of breaths, presented a breathtaking undulation that made one's blood surge and senses swim. It was in that moment of trance that Yun Che truly understood, for the first time in his life, what a "devilish figure" meant.

Yun Che had seen many enchanting women and had experienced various seductive arts. But he had never known a woman could be so captivating. Every part of her... even her snow-white skin, even the jade-like neck his five fingers gripped, seemed to radiate a dreamy, alluring light. Yun Che's fingers and his entire body froze there, staring blankly. The intense heartache, sorrow, and rage he had felt just moments before all vanished as if sucked into an endless abyss of allure.

"Che'er," Chi Wuyao gently spoke, her misty, watery eyes gazing directly into Yun Che's: "Do you truly wish to kill your master?"

His master's eyes, his master's seductive voice, his master's words that, even when sighing, carried a hint of charm and provocation...

Yun Che's hand retreated from Chi Wuyao's neck like lightning.

"No, it's not..." Yun Che stumbled back. In that instant, he couldn't even believe he had made such a rebellious move against his master. As he frantically retreated, losing his balance, a faint, ethereal fragrance enveloped him. In his dazed confusion, he found himself gently embraced by Chi Wuyao, his face sinking into a warm softness.

"Che'er..." A voice, as if from a dream, softly echoed in his ear: "She was your master, and I am also your master. We watched you grow, watched you go further and further, quietly protecting you... sharing your joy, your sighs, your sorrow, your tears."

Yun Che's body trembled. The long-formed dark barrier in his heart was silently crumbling.

"She protected you with her life; that was the choice she regretted least in her entire life."

"And from now on... leave it to me, along with her desire to protect you."

"I will not let anyone hurt you or betray you again. Whoever has deceived you, harmed you, or wronged you, I will make them pay a thousand-fold, ten thousand-fold price."

"Everything you desire, all the most beautiful things in the world... even if it means seizing them by force, I will give them all to you, to compensate you."

"Is that alright...?"

Yun Che's body trembled, his teeth chattered. He clenched his jaw, then clenched it again, yet he could not muster even a shred of strength to struggle.

"Mas... ter..."

With that soft call from the depths of his soul, the dark barrier in his heart, before his lost-and-found master, completely crumbled for the first time, allowing his deeply hidden vulnerability to fully release.

"Master... Master... Master..." He called out repeatedly, and tears he thought had long since dried up flooded forth, freely soaking Chi Wuyao's chest. This was an enchanting dream he was willing to collapse into... moreover, it was not entirely a dream. Chi Wuyao gently closed her eyes, holding the man in her arms even tighter. Perhaps it was extreme doting on Yun Che, perhaps it was guilt towards Mu Xuanyin... but her words were not merely to comfort Yun Che. They were a vow she had made even before she had rediscovered Yun Che.

***

Eastern Divine Region, Snow Song Realm, Southern Territory.

The Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast, the profound beast overlord of the Snow Song Realm's Southern Territory and one of the only two remaining Divine Sovereign giant beasts in the Snow Song Realm, possessed strength equivalent to a human sixth-level Divine Sovereign. Its "rebellion" had always been one of the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect's greatest concerns.

The Snow Song Realm had two Divine Sovereigns, Mu Bingyun and Mu Huanzhi, so forcefully suppressing one Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast was not difficult. However, far more terrifying than the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast itself was its ability, as the Southern Territory overlord of profound beasts, to command a vast and boundless host of profound beasts. If they were to invade human cities to expand their territory, it would surely lead to untold suffering and devastation.

This time, Mu Bingyun personally journeyed to the Southern Territory, leading nine elders and countless disciples of the sect, and mobilizing the forces of all southern branch sects. However, upon arriving in the beast territory, what she witnessed was an utterly baffling scene. The Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast, a hundred feet long with boundless beastly might, capable of collapsing mountains and tearing apart land with a single claw, was instead lying prostrate on all fours at the edge of the beast territory, devoid of any domineering presence or murderous aura.

Behind it was an endless, countless swarm of profound beasts. Yet, this colossal group of profound beasts emitted not the slightest hint of ferocity or danger. Almost all of them were lying on the ground, hardly moving a muscle for a long time. This was the scene that greeted Mu Bingyun and the Ice Phoenix disciples and Snow Song profound practitioners when they arrived, causing her to frown deeply. This snow territory, which had witnessed a brutal battle just yesterday, was eerily quiet today.

At the very front of the profound beast horde, the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast, seeing Mu Bingyun's personal arrival from afar, trembled all over. Its entire upper body slammed to the ground, its head bowed, and it cried out, "This humble beast respectfully welcomes the Snow Song Realm King!"

"…?" Mu Bingyun's figure froze in mid-air, her gaze sweeping towards the distant front, her icy face filled with vigilance and confusion. Behind her, the Ice Phoenix disciples and the Snow Song profound practitioners, who had fiercely battled these same beasts just yesterday, exchanged bewildered glances.

"Sect Master, be careful, there must be a trick," Mu Tanzhi whispered.

Drawing her Snow Song Sword, Mu Bingyun pointed it at the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast and spoke in a cold voice, "Azure Snow Ice Qilin, you have violated your pact with the former Realm King and incited the Southern Territory profound beasts to seize human resources and territory. Today, this King has come personally to settle this matter with you!"

Under the sword's gleam and cold might, the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast did not rise, nor did it show any profound energy fluctuation. It bowed even lower, emitting a pleading sound: "This humble beast knows its mistake, this humble beast knows its mistake. Some time ago, this humble beast was momentarily blinded by confusion and committed an unforgivable grave sin. This humble beast has realized its error and begs for the Realm King's forgiveness... begs for the Realm King's forgiveness!"

A roar from the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast could release earth-shattering beastly might. But now, as it knelt on the ground, every sound it made carried humility and supplication, subtly mixed with fear. Its massive body was clearly trembling. This time, even those who hadn't been confused before were completely dumbfounded.

"..." The Snow Song Sword hovered in mid-air, and Mu Bingyun was momentarily at a loss.

"What... what's going on?" Mu Tanzhi frowned deeply. He unleashed his divine sense; the boundless profound beast horde, as far as the eye could see, was in a posture of submission, emitting a tremulous aura, daring not to release even a speck of aggression or hostility.

Seeing that Mu Bingyun did not respond for a long time, the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast trembled even more violently and frantically said, "This humble beast knows its crimes are heinous... This humble beast swears that from now on, it will retreat to the Southern Orchid Territory and never take another step out in this lifetime. The Southern Territory profound beasts will also never again leave their territory without permission."

"For the damages caused previously, we will surely compensate three times the amount within three months. And... and starting this year, our Southern Beast Territory will annually offer five hundred thousand catties of the finest cold profound crystals to the Ice Phoenix Divine Sect... We beg for the Realm King's forgiveness, we beg for the Realm King's forgiveness!"

As the pleas ceased, the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast repeatedly kowtowed like a pounding mortar, and the profound beasts behind it also desperately prostrated themselves, begging for mercy. The power of the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast and the beast horde it commanded, which forced Mu Bingyun to personally come to the Southern Territory, was easy to imagine. Even if Mu Bingyun could ultimately suppress them and force them back to the Southern Territory, it would have been an excellent outcome... but it would have come at a considerable cost. However, before the suppression even began, the Azure Snow Ice Qilin Beast and its vast horde had voluntarily pleaded for mercy, and to gain forgiveness, they had even proposed what could be considered exorbitant terms. Moreover, their pleading posture and the fear they displayed were absolutely not feigned.