Chapter 454: Awakening Yuan Ba

The Four Great Sacred Grounds were, naturally, the most esteemed guests of the Phoenix Divine Sect. Therefore, their accommodations were utterly luxurious, making even Yun Che, the Azure Cloud Imperial Son-in-Law who had lived in a palace for several months, secretly marvel.

After settling in, Xia Yuanba found an excuse to forcibly dismiss True Master Gu Cang. Previously, under the watchful eyes of others, Xia Yuanba's overwhelming excitement was hard to express. Now, finally alone, his emotions again spiraled out of control: "Brother-in-law, for the past two years, I thought you were dead. I've been half-dead myself during this time. Whenever I thought I caused your death, I... I wished I could kill myself... But my life was exchanged for yours, brother-in-law, so if I died, I'd be even more sorry to you. That's why I desperately kept living... This morning, I met Dad, and he told me you were still alive. I didn't dare believe it, but I never imagined... never imagined..."

As Xia Yuanba spoke, he choked up, his powerful tiger-like eyes welling up with tears.

Yun Che could imagine what Xia Yuanba had gone through these past two years. He sighed inwardly and asked, "You've seen Uncle Xia?"

"Mm-hm," Xia Yuanba quickly nodded. "After my master and I arrived in Divine Phoenix City, we didn't go straight to Phoenix City. We went to the Black Moon Merchant Guild first. Because Master had some old friends there, and I wanted to see it myself. Unexpectedly, on the first floor of the Black Moon Merchant Guild, I actually ran into Dad! He told me that you didn't die at Heavenly Sword Villa back then, and that you came out alive more than eight months ago. And it seems... hehe, you even married Princess Cang Yue. Phew... If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have gone to the Supreme Ocean Sanctuary. Otherwise, I wouldn't have known you were alive and well until today."

When True Master Gu Cang arrived, he had told the Phoenix Divine Sect that his disciple had encountered an old acquaintance and thus hadn't come. At that time, he naturally would never have imagined that the disciple True Master Gu Cang spoke of was Xia Yuanba, and the old acquaintance he met was Xia Yuanba's father, and also his own father-in-law... Xia Hongyi. Fate, sometimes, truly is the most wondrous thing in this world. Xia Hongyi indeed knew about his marriage to Cang Yue five months ago, which was a bit... *cough cough*.

A single sentence from Xia Yuanba caught Yun Che's attention: True Master Gu Cang went to the Black Moon Merchant Guild to visit old friends. Those who could be "old friends" with True Master Gu Cang would basically be individuals of similar, or even the same, caliber as him! The foundation and background of the Black Moon Merchant Guild were indeed incredibly formidable!

"When I first arrived in Divine Phoenix City, I also heard that Uncle Xia was at the Black Moon Merchant Guild, but at that time, I felt too ashamed to visit him... After tomorrow's trip on the Primordial Profound Ark, let's go to the Black Moon Merchant Guild together," Yun Che said.

"Okay!" Xia Yuanba nodded emphatically. "Dad has been very worried about you these past few years. Even after coming to Divine Phoenix City, he's been inquiring about all your news through the Black Moon Merchant Guild. I talked with him all day today, and it was all about you... Dad said that after you miraculously left Heavenly Sword Villa, your strength soared. You ruined Fen Juecheng's bridal procession, saved the Azure Cloud Emperor who was close to death, and then... you single-handedly annihilated the entire Burning Heaven Clan! Later, you even defeated the Supreme Villa Master of Heavenly Sword Villa, Ling Tianni... Now, you're the foremost person in Azure Cloud, leading the entire Azure Cloud Royal Family's prestige and status to an all-time high, with no one daring to disobey..."

As Xia Yuanba spoke, his eyes shone brightly, and his face was full of adoration, completely unaware that with his current abilities, destroying a Burning Heaven Clan would be as easy as playing a game.

However, from Xia Yuanba's description, Yun Che knew that Xia Hongyi had indeed been keeping track of everything about him all these years. After all, he was his daughter's husband. From childhood, besides his grandfather and aunt, among his elders, Xia Hongyi was the one who cared for him the most, never looking down on him for his crippled profound veins, and never regretting his decision to marry his daughter to him.

"Brother-in-law, how exactly did you get out from under the Heavenly Sword Villa's seal? Dad said that the sealed demon died, so the seal was directly lifted. But that demon had been imprisoned for over a hundred years without dying, and when I saw him that day, he still looked so terrifying, not at all like he was about to die... Dad said that maybe the demon thought you weren't a threat, so he didn't kill you, keeping you inside for company, and then you worked hard to cultivate inside and finally found a way to kill him... Is that how it happened...?"

As soon as Xia Yuanba finished speaking, he saw Yun Che's expression suddenly darken. He quickly stopped talking and carefully asked, "Uh... Brother-in-law, did I say something wrong?"

Yun Che shook his head and gave a strained smile. "I'll tell you about this after I've accomplished something in a few years."

Xia Yuanba nodded blankly, and seeing Yun Che's expression, instinctively felt that the matter was definitely not simple, so he didn't ask further.

"Yuanba, what's going on with your profound energy? Why did it increase so dramatically in just two years?" Yun Che asked, staring at Xia Yuanba. Although Jasmine had told him long, long ago that Xia Yuanba possessed the "Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins," he naturally still wanted to hear Xia Yuanba describe the reason himself.

"Well..." Xia Yuanba scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "Honestly, I don't really understand why either."

"Two years ago, after I thought you had died, brother-in-law, I particularly hated myself. After a good cry, I decided I couldn't be a good-for-nothing anymore. Otherwise, this life, which I got in exchange for yours, would only continue to burden others. So, I wanted to go out and gain experience by myself... I heard that the people in the Divine Phoenix Empire were the strongest, so I trained myself while heading towards the Divine Phoenix Empire."

"How did you get to the Divine Phoenix Empire by yourself?" Yun Che asked, surprised. From Azure Cloud to Divine Phoenix, the journey was not only extremely long but also fraught with countless dangers and vicious beasts. Xia Yuanba only had profound energy at the Elementary Profound Realm at that time. For him to arrive alive in Divine Phoenix City alone... was theoretically impossible!

Xia Yuanba replied, "On the way, I encountered many fierce profound beasts and bandit groups... Sometimes, I couldn't find food in the desolate mountains and wilderness, and when I was about to faint from hunger, I'd run into a profound beast and get bitten... But for some reason, every time I was on the verge of death, thinking I was about to die, a strange power would suddenly erupt within my body, knocking down all the profound beasts and then I'd pass out... When I woke up, I would feel a significant increase in my profound energy..."

Yun Che: "..."

"After I discovered this, when I arrived in Divine Phoenix City, I desperately challenged famous sects. Every time, I'd be beaten half-dead. Several times, I was truly on the verge of death, yet I'd quickly recover, and my profound energy would increase significantly again..." Xia Yuanba scratched his scalp. "I don't know what was going on. Back then, I felt like I had turned into a monster... Then, one time, I was beaten to near death again and thrown into the ruins outside the city. I seemed to be unconscious for a long time. When I opened my eyes, an old man... Oh, my current master, was standing next to me... He said my profound veins were called the Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins and wanted to take me as his disciple... Then he brought me into the Supreme Ocean Sanctuary. After that, I've been cultivating relentlessly, and now I'm like this."

"Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins? People from the Supreme Ocean Sanctuary also know about the Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins?" Yun Che asked, surprised.

"Yeah... Uh, brother-in-law, you also know about the Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins?" Xia Yuanba's eyes widened. "Master said that the Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins have only appeared twice in the history of the Profound Sky Continent, and I'm the third. Only the Four Great Sacred Grounds know about it, and he told me to never reveal it! So, you actually knew about it, brother-in-law!"

Yun Che was silent for a moment, then asked, "Did your master say what the highest realm you could reach in the future would be?"

"He didn't say, Master. But Master did say that my Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins are only partially awakened. Once fully awakened, I can become invincible, and might even break through the boundaries of this world... Heheheh, although Master probably wouldn't lie, it sounds really hard to believe." Xia Yuanba said, looking a bit sheepish.

Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins... Invincible... Break through the boundaries of this world!?Yun Che's eyebrows suddenly twitched.

Xia Qingyue's Nine Profound Exquisite Body and Ice Phoenix Divine Soul... Xia Yuanba's Tyrannical Emperor Divine Veins... What exactly is going on with this brother and sister's physiques and talents?!

At this moment, an incredible thought flashed through Yun Che's mind... Xia Yuanba and Xia Qingyue, it seemed as if neither of them truly belonged to this world.

"Oh, right, brother-in-law, how is Sister now? Why didn't she come with you this time?"

"Your sister is doing very well. She's now the Young Palace Mistress of Ice Cloud Immortal Palace, ranking first among the Seven Ice Cloud Fairies. I originally thought she would come with me, but the Supreme Palace Mistress of Ice Cloud Immortal Palace didn't allow it."

"Oh! Was Sister angry when you married Princess Cang Yue... heheh."

"...Perhaps a little," Yun Che rubbed his nose.

Yun Che didn't know that in the two-plus years after he and Xia Yuanba parted ways, Xia Yuanba had never smiled. Even after joining the Supreme Ocean Sanctuary, a place he'd never dared to dream of, there wasn't a trace of joy or a smile on his face. Besides desperately striving to become stronger, he lived each day like a walking corpse, his body and soul filled only with self-loathing and a frantic yearning for power.

Yet in one evening, he made up for almost all the laughter he had missed in those two years.

The two talked until nightfall. Then they walked out of the courtyard together, planning to stroll through Phoenix City. Not long after stepping out, beneath a phoenix tree covered in phoenix blossoms, they saw a figure impossible to ignore.

If a man's figure was captivating enough, it would typically be described as "elegant and otherworldly," "uniquely handsome," or "godlike and jade-like." But this man's figure made one think of... beauty! And allure!!

He stood beneath the phoenix tree, his fingers, more slender and pale than a woman's, gently holding a phoenix flame blossom as vibrant as fire. A few petals from phoenix flowers were scattered on his snow-white robe, making him breathtakingly and unbeatably alluring.