Chapter 489: Leaving the Ancient Mysterious Boat

"Huh?" Feeling something amiss, Hong'er opened her eyes, wide and confused. "Something strange seems to be happening!"

Yun Che looked at Hong'er, focusing his mind and tentatively sending the thought to recall her. Instantly, the sword-shaped profound seal on the back of his hand glowed, and with a soft cry, Hong'er instantly transformed into a red light and flew into the profound seal.

Yun Che raised his arm, staring at the sword-shaped profound seal on the back of his hand, utterly stunned. It actually... really... worked!

"Hong'er!"

He called out softly. Immediately, the profound seal flashed again, releasing a red light that materialized into Hong'er's figure. Her mouth was wide open, and she blinked hard, clearly in a daze.

"Transform into sword!"

No sooner had his thought formed than light reappeared on Hong'er's body. Her small, delicate form instantly transformed into the enormous vermilion greatsword. He extended his palm, and with a slight mental command, the vermilion greatsword flew into his hand on its own. He gripped the greatsword with both hands, feeling its astonishing weight, and a groan identical to before escaped him. It actually... really... worked!

However, at that moment, the vermilion greatsword in his hand suddenly began to struggle. With a swing of its blade, it forcefully broke free of his control, then transformed back into the form of the young girl Hong'er amidst flickering red light.

Yun Che was stunned. What was happening? She could actually break free on her own? Was she not completely under his control like a contracted profound beast? Could she resist?

As soon as the red light appeared, she began frantically checking her body. After finding nothing amiss, she tilted her head, a confused expression on her face. "How strange, my body seems to be a little disobedient... Big brother, did you do something to me?"

Just as Yun Che was wondering how to explain, he suddenly saw her eyes curve into a smile as she giggled, "But it's so much fun! Big brother, can we play again?"

Before Yun Che could reply, she immediately continued to herself, "Ah! No, no! Delicious food... more delicious food! Quickly give me Long Que to eat! You promised, no backing out!"

To plant a profound contract seal on her, then successfully recall her into the seal, summon her, and have her transform into a sword... If all of this had happened to a normal person, it would have been enough to scare them half to death. Yet, Hong'er's reaction was only brief confusion, followed by finding it "fun," and then immediately casting it all aside. What exactly were her nerves made of?

Yun Che took out Long Que, his expression peculiar, and said, "Here, you can eat it."

"Wow!" Hong'er took Long Que, dancing excitedly. The half she had eaten before was swallowed in a rush while being chased by Yun Che; this time, she could eat without any pressure, so she was naturally much slower. Her small, delicate, tender-pink lips and pearl-like tiny white teeth effortlessly bit off pieces of Long Que, which was tougher than profound steel. The impact of this sight on Yun Che's mind was considerable.

Rumble...

The spatial tremors intensified once more. Above, tiny spatial fissures had begun to appear. The Primordial Profound Ark's repulsive aura was imminent.

"Quickly recall her into the profound seal! Due to her physique, she is highly likely to be unaffected by the Primordial Profound Ark's repulsive aura!" Jasmine suddenly exclaimed.

Yun Che frowned and quickly sent the thought to recall Hong'er into the profound seal. With a flash of the profound seal's light, Hong'er, who was happily eating, let out a soft, discontented cry, then, along with the half-eaten Long Que she was clutching, transformed into a red light and returned to the profound seal.

Almost simultaneously, an overpoweringly strong force lifted Yun Che and flung him towards a spatial vortex that had appeared in the sky at some unknown point.

Having endured eighteen months of spatial turbulence, this mere spatial vortex was nothing to Yun Che. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to be carried by the vortex, his heart filled with apprehension.

What kind of world would he be taken to?

***

Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Empire.

The Divine Phoenix Empire's unannounced full-scale invasion had plunged the Blue Wind Empire into chaos and conflict. When news of New Moon City's fall, a central hub of the Blue Wind Empire, arrived, the citizens immediately fell into deeper panic.

The five nations—Azure Tide, Sunflower Water, Heavenly Fragrance, Garon, and Blackfiend—remained silent in response to Blue Wind's repeated pleas for aid. It was unclear whether they had forgotten the meaning of "when the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold" (a proverb meaning interdependent parts share a common fate), or if they were simply too terrified of the Divine Phoenix Empire to risk incurring its wrath. Over ninety percent of the major profound sects within Blue Wind chose to surrender. Resistance meant only annihilation; surrender, though humiliating, at least allowed them to preserve their centuries-old foundations. Those who rose in defiance or joined the defense forces were, ironically, the relatively weaker sects or factions with little established heritage.

Even Heavenly Sword Villa, the most powerful and only entity capable of causing the Divine Phoenix Empire some apprehension, chose to close its gates and remain silent as Blue Wind teetered on the brink.

The war brutally exposed the selfish side of human nature.

Facing the overwhelmingly powerful Divine Phoenix Empire, and with no external assistance or significant support from the profound world, the Blue Wind Empire had no chance of resistance. Yet, under Empress Cang Yue's unwavering and uncompromising defense, Blue Wind's ability to hold out this long was a miracle that profoundly astonished all seven nations. Although every Blue Wind citizen clearly sensed the impending doom of their nation, Empress Cang Yue became the brightest moon in Blue Wind's gloomy sky, earning their profound respect. Even if she were to become the ruler of a fallen nation in the near future, her name would forever be etched in the annals of Profound Sky history.

***

In the western territories of Blue Wind, a place now reduced to a land of smoke and ashes, a young man with shoulder-length black hair and dressed in dark clothes emerged from the haze of battle.

His steps were slow, his gait heavy and stiff. His face was exceptionally rigid, and his eyes, like icy blades from the Nine Netherworlds, sent chills down one's spine with a mere glance. Upon closer inspection of his eyes, one would notice an unusual black light rippling within his pupils.

This was a place ravaged by war, desolate and barren. The few remaining standing houses were dilapidated, and the occasional passersby wore expressions of sorrow or even despair. War should not affect civilians, but the Divine Phoenix Empire seemed too eager to conquer Blue Wind, sweeping through with its army, showing no regard for the common people.

The black-clad youth maintained an incredibly even pace and stride with every step, and his path was conspicuously a perfectly straight line. People who saw him instinctively recoiled, trying to keep their distance.

After a long walk, he finally spotted an inn that wasn't too dilapidated. He paused briefly, then stepped inside.

With widespread disaster and displaced refugees, the inn rarely saw any guests and was clearly on the verge of closing. The innkeeper sat behind the counter, dispiritedly sighing repeatedly. Suddenly, an inexplicable chill ran through him, and his heart tightened. He looked up and saw the black-clad youth entering.

As someone who ran an inn, the keeper was naturally well-acquainted with all sorts of people. This unprecedented sense of dread immediately made him realize that the arriving black-clad youth was an absolutely terrifying individual. He hastily emerged from behind the counter, proactively stepping forward to greet him, and with a voice as calm as possible, asked, "Esteemed guest, are you looking for lodging?"

"Where is Yun Che now?" The black-clad youth did not look directly at him, uttering a few cold, stagnant words from his barely moving mouth.

"Yun... Yun Che?" The innkeeper suppressed his fear and cautiously asked, "Which Yun Che?"

"The Yun Che who destroyed Burning Heaven Clan, of course!" The black-clad youth's voice suddenly turned cold.

"Ah? This..." The innkeeper glanced at him with surprise and confusion, then hastily lowered his head again. "I don't understand what the esteemed guest means. Yun Che, the Imperial Son-in-Law... isn't he already dead?"

The name Yun Che was, of course, known to everyone within the Blue Wind Empire. The Seven Nations Profound Ranking Tournament two years ago had directly made his name famous throughout all seven Profound Sky Nations. However, his widespread renown was accompanied by the news of his demise within the Primordial Profound Ark.

"What... did you say!?"

The innkeeper's words instantly ignited the usually silent black-clad youth like a detonated thunderbolt. With one hand, he grabbed the innkeeper's collar, lifting the two-hundred-pound man like a small chicken. Ferocious light burst forth from his dark pupils. "You said he's dead? You said Yun Che is dead!?"

The innkeeper felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, so terrified he nearly lost control of his bladder. "Esteemed... esteemed guest, please calm your anger. Imperial Son-in-Law Yun really is dead. He died two years ago... Everyone in the world knows about this... Please spare my life... please spare my life!"

The black-clad youth's hand trembled, his face contorted into a terrifying mask. He rasped, "Dead... How could he be dead! Tell me!! How did he die... How did he die!!"

"He... he... he died in the Divine Phoenix Empire... during the Seven... Seven Nations Profound Ranking Tournament... the Pri... Primordial Profound Ark... I... I heard it was to save the Divine Phoenix Empire's Princess Snow... he was buried in the Primordial Profound Ark..."

The innkeeper was pale with fright, his entire body convulsing, and his words were incoherent.

"Argh!!" The black-clad youth roared, swinging his arm and flinging the innkeeper far away. The innkeeper's body smashed violently through the wall, then fell silent, his fate unknown.

"Dead... dead... he's... dead... He's actually dead... Ha... haha... hahahaha... Dead!!" The black-clad youth trembled all over, muttering repeatedly, his expression chaotic. Then he suddenly burst into laughter. After the laughter, his face was contorted in pain... as if he had suddenly gone insane.

"Why... why is he dead!" The black-clad youth threw his head back, roaring in agony. "Three years of body-rending, soul-tearing suffering, countless purgatories at the gates of hell, and I finally waited for this day... Why is he dead... dead... Who do I get my revenge on!? Argh!!"

With a fierce roar from the black-clad youth, a mass of dark smoke suddenly rose from his body. Where the smoke enveloped, the wooden table beside his feet silently rotted away, and the white porcelain bowl on the table instantly turned pitch black, then disintegrated into a cloud of black powder that dispersed with the wind.

As his roar subsided, his expression suddenly became calm. A name emerged in his mind.

Floating Cloud City!!

"Floating Cloud City..." the black-clad youth murmured in a deep voice. "Yun Che... you annihilated my entire clan... This vendetta will never be extinguished, not even in a thousand generations! Since... I can no longer kill you... then I will kill every single one of your kin!"

The black-clad youth soared into the air, smashing through the inn's roof, and shot eastward like a black arrow, flying straight towards Floating Cloud City.