Chapter 510: Twenty-five Years Ago…

"Good child..." Mu Yurou murmured softly as she supported Yun Che. Her eyes blurred, and tears suddenly streamed down her face.

"Ah!" Yun Xiao was startled to see his mother suddenly crying. He quickly walked over. "Mother, what's wrong? This is a great day, why are you suddenly crying?"

Mu Yurou shook her head. She reached up to wipe her tears, but they wouldn't stop, and her eyes quickly turned red. She said, somewhat choked up, "I'm fine, dear. Perhaps I'm just too happy to have another son..."

When Yun Che called her "Mother," she felt her heart tremble violently, and tears flowed uncontrollably; even she didn't know why.

"Your mother, her biggest trait is crying. As a child, she'd cry a little every two days, and a lot every three. Even after becoming a mother, she's still so prone to tears, haha." Yun Qinghong shook his head and chuckled, his gaze filled with tenderness as he looked at Mu Yurou. He guessed it must have been Yun Che's words, "My parents left me when I was young," that had touched her heartstring... Over the years, every time she thought of that child, she had cried countless tears.

Mu Yurou wiped her tears, then shot Yun Qinghong a glare, playfully scolding, "I just became Che'er's mother, and you're already making fun of me in front of him. Just wait until Xiao'er and Che'er aren't around, you'll see how I'll deal with you... Che'er, don't believe his words. Your mother is just too happy. Please, stand up."

Yun Qinghong shrugged his shoulders, then chuckled, "My wife and I have gained another son; this is truly a huge cause for celebration! We must have a few drinks today. Che'er, you haven't eaten all day, you must be hungry. Come on, let's all go have a good drink first, hahahaha!"

Yun Qinghong burst into hearty laughter, clearly in high spirits. Yun Che, however, shook his head and said, "As long as Father wishes, your son will naturally accompany you anytime. But right now, the most important matter is the cold poison in your bodies, especially Mother's... The immediate priority is for your son to remove the cold poison."

"You're already so tired from before; don't push yourself. I'm fine, dear. We can talk about the detoxification tomorrow," Mu Yurou said gently.

Yun Che, however, shook his head without hesitation. "This is a major matter concerning Mother's well-being. Your son absolutely will not delay."

Yun Qinghong slowly nodded. "Che'er's spirits seem to have recovered well, and he speaks truly. Very well, let's proceed as Che'er suggests."

"Yun Xiao, please go rest. You are injured and have been busy all day. If you don't recuperate, your injuries won't stabilize; they're likely to worsen," Yun Che said earnestly.

Yun Xiao had indeed been bearing the physical burden of his injuries. He didn't force himself, and with great faith in Yun Che, he immediately nodded. "Alright, then I'll go rest. Big Brother, I'm entrusting Father and Mother to you."

As Yun Xiao left, Yun Che wasted no time and swiftly began removing the cold poison from Mu Yurou. He had Mu Yurou sit upright, then picked up the box of long silver needles Yun Xiao had brought. Holding ten needles in one hand, he lightly flicked his fingers, and the ten needles silently flew out, penetrating Mu Yurou's clothing and piercing her body.

As Yun Che raised his hand to flick the needles, Yun Qinghong's eyes flickered. He instinctively opened his mouth and lifted his hand, but before any sound escaped his lips, his body froze. He watched with immense shock the exact locations where the ten silver needles had pierced... Those were clearly the ten most crucial acupuncture points on a profound practitioner's back.

Ordinary doctors, when needling acupuncture points, must not only remove clothing to confirm the location but also insert each needle one by one with extreme caution. Yet, Yun Che had done it through clothes, from a distance, ten needles at once, with not a single point missed... This could only be described as divine skill.

Yun Che continuously shifted his position, his right hand's five fingers a blur of motion. In just a few breaths, a hundred silver needles had all pierced Mu Yurou's body. Throughout the entire process, she heard no sound and felt not even the slightest pain.

The cold poison in both Mu Yurou and Yun Qinghong had penetrated too deeply; it absolutely could not be directly purified by the Sky Poison Pearl. Instead, profound energy was used as a guide, and silver needles as a medium, to draw the cold poison out from various parts of their bodies, which was then rapidly purified by the Sky Poison Pearl. This sounded simple, but the process was incredibly difficult and slow.

After inserting the silver needles, Yun Che sat behind Mu Yurou, placed his palm against her back, and slowly channeled profound energy into her.

Yun Qinghong did not leave. He observed every movement Yun Che made and every change in Mu Yurou, wanting to see how Yun Che would remove this cold poison, which was considered incurable by all the great physicians.

After a full two hours of silence, a faint, ominous blue color slowly emerged on all 109 silver needles... The blue was very subtle, yet upon seeing it, a terrifying, chilling sensation spread throughout one's body. Yun Qinghong's gaze fixed, and he involuntarily whispered, "Could these be..."

After muttering a few words to himself, he immediately fell silent to avoid disturbing Yun Che. Just then, Yun Che opened his eyes and said aloud, "Yes, these are the cold poisons from Mother's body."

After speaking, Yun Che's palm moved away from Mu Yurou's back. In the instant before it lifted, a green light flashed from his palm, and immediately, all the ominous blue on the silver needles vanished completely, purified without a trace. Mu Yurou, meanwhile, remained with her eyes closed, having fallen into a deep sleep.

"So, it's succeeded?" Yun Qinghong asked, barely containing his excitement.

Yun Che shook his head. "Not yet. The cold poison drawn out just now is only a very small portion. The cold poison has been in Mother's body for over twenty years and has penetrated too deeply, so we absolutely cannot be greedy or rush the process. Although only a small part was drawn out, it still inevitably took some vitality. With the loss of vitality and fatigue, Mother simply fell asleep. But please rest assured, Father, this slight loss of vitality is not serious. As long as we proceed slowly, it will never cause substantial harm to Mother's body and can be quickly replenished."

Having suffered from the cold poison for over twenty years, both of them were intimately familiar with that dreadful chill. At this moment, Yun Qinghong clearly felt that the chilling aura emanating from Mu Yurou had diminished by at least twenty percent. Instantly, his last shred of doubt vanished, replaced only by overwhelming surprise and hope. As for Yun Che, he was so astonished and grateful that he didn't know what to say, only nodding heavily, his eyes blurring with moisture.

"Father, let your son recuperate for a moment, and then I will begin removing the cold poison from you," Yun Che said with a relaxed expression.

"There's no rush for me, and don't overwork yourself because of us," Yun Qinghong said softly. Although he was infinitely puzzled as to why Yun Che was so good to their family of three, Yun Che's sincerity and concern for them made him feel no trace of falsehood.

After a short period of quiet, Yun Che's spirit had mostly recovered. He opened his eyes again and suddenly said, "Father, I feel that Mother has a deep-seated emotional burden. Her injuries and poison are not as severe as yours, yet her physical condition is much worse than yours; this is one of the reasons... What is Mother so worried about? Your son wants to know if there's a way... to share her burden."

"Sigh." Yun Qinghong let out a long sigh. "This is a long story. She truly carries a heavy heart. For over twenty years, she has never truly smiled."

Yun Qinghong did not continue speaking. Yun Che unconsciously bit his lip, then slowly said, "Although I've just arrived in Demon Imperial City, I've heard rumors that Yun Xiao is not your and Mother's biological son. Is this... true? Your son is just curious and feels indignation for Yun Xiao. If my question is inappropriate, please don't take offense, Father."

Yun Qinghong shook his head and smiled faintly. "The entire Illusory Demon Realm already knows about this; there's nothing inappropriate about discussing it." He paused, and after a brief hesitation, made a decision. He said with a hint of melancholy, "Perhaps it's time I found someone to confide in about this. Xiao'er is grown now, and although we've kept some things hidden, this is his life and his origins; he should know. We just haven't found the right time to tell him... You and Xiao'er have become sworn brothers, and you are destined to help Xiao'er a great deal in the future. Perhaps telling you first would be better for Xiao'er."

Yun Che looked up. "The matter Father speaks of is..."

Yun Qinghong slowly said, "Just as the rumors say, Xiao'er... is indeed not your mother's and my biological son."

Yun Che: "..."

"I suppose you've also heard the rumors that he is actually from the Profound Sky Continent... That, too, is true." Yun Qinghong glanced at Yun Che's reaction. His decision to tell Yun Che this was not impulsive. The people of the Illusory Demon Realm harbored a deep animosity towards those from the Profound Sky Continent. The fact that Yun Xiao was from the Profound Sky Continent would eventually become public knowledge... Moreover, it had already been confirmed by some, leaving only a thin veil that they desperately protected. Yun Che and Yun Xiao had become sworn brothers. If Yun Che also harbored ill feelings towards people from the Profound Sky Continent, then it was far better for him to know this now than later.

But he immediately noticed that Yun Che seemed completely unconcerned about this. He directly asked, "So, Yun Xiao is a child you adopted in the Profound Sky Continent?"

Yun Qinghong shook his head. His gaze turned towards the window, becoming hazy and profound as his memories drifted back to that unforgettable time. "Twenty-five years ago, my wife and I, in order to rescue my father, who was missing in the Profound Sky Continent, activated a secret Yun family artifact and made a desperate journey to the Profound Sky Continent."

"In the Profound Sky Continent, we attempted to infiltrate a place called the Heavenly Sword Villa, but we were discovered. My wife and I were outnumbered and weak, so we had no choice but to flee. However, during our escape, I used Profound Aura Soul Infusion to extract information from someone from the Heavenly Sword Villa. I learned that my father was not dead but was secretly imprisoned in a place called Heavenly Sword Villa, located in the Azure Cloud Nation, one of the Profound Sky Continent's seven nations. So, we escaped the Heavenly Sword Villa's pursuit, traveled thousands of miles, and made our way to the Azure Cloud Nation."

"Upon first arriving in the Azure Cloud Nation, I met... the best brother I'll ever have in this life."

Yun Che: "..."

"...That was in the eastern region of the Azure Cloud Nation, not far from a small city called Flowing Cloud." Although over twenty years had passed, he still firmly remembered the name "Flowing Cloud City," a name few in the Profound Sky Continent would even know. "My acquaintance with him was by chance. At the time, he seemed to be out training when he encountered a group of villains harassing a woman. He intervened heroically without hesitation, but his profound energy cultivation wasn't high, and being outnumbered, he was quickly defeated by the ruffians... My wife and I were cautious every step of the way in the Profound Sky Continent, never getting involved in extra affairs, but I was struck by the resolute spirit and unyielding pride he displayed even after his defeat and under the villains' blades. I couldn't help but intervene, defeating those ruffians."

"What was that... senior's name?" Yun Che asked, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible.

"His name was Xiao Ying."

Yun Che: "..."

"We became acquainted then. After a brief exchange, I discovered that although his profound energy was weak, he possessed an upright spirit and unyielding integrity, making it impossible not to develop a liking for him. Moreover, his temperament was very similar to mine. I originally thought I was just saving a passerby, but as we talked, we increasingly felt we had met too late. At that time, Yurou was injured, and I also warned Xiao Ying that my wife and I were being pursued and could attract danger at any moment. Yet, he showed no repulsion at all; instead, he found us an excellent place to recuperate and hide."

"During Yurou's recovery, Xiao Ying visited us every day, bringing various fine wines and delicious foods. He asked me about the profound way, and I asked him about matters concerning the Profound Sky Continent. The longer we spent together, the more we realized how incredibly alike and compatible we were. So, not long after, we swore brotherhood under the moon."

Yun Qinghong let out a long sigh. "I, Yun Qinghong, never imagined that the only true confidant and close friend I would ever make in this life would be found in the Profound Sky Continent, a place I most detested."

"My wife and I stayed in that place for three months. It was during those three months that Yurou unexpectedly became pregnant... though my wife and I were unaware of it at the time. After Yurou's injuries healed, we bid farewell to Xiao Ying, took the map he had personally drawn for us, and headed to Heavenly Sword Villa, the place where my father was imprisoned."

"But unexpectedly, that place was secretly riddled with ambushes that had long awaited my wife and me. As soon as we approached Heavenly Sword Villa, we were encircled and attacked by powerful experts from the Heavenly Sword Villa, all of whom were top masters. Although my wife and I barely managed to escape, we both sustained injuries... From then on, my wife and I were plunged into the Heavenly Sword Villa's relentless pursuit."

"My wife and I were quite powerful; there weren't many people in the entire Profound Sky Continent who could hold us if we fought together. Although the Heavenly Sword Villa's pursuit made us miserable, it couldn't lead to our demise. However, a few months later, besides the Heavenly Sword Villa, another group of pursuers suddenly appeared. My wife and I, by accident, fell into their poison formation and were completely afflicted with severe toxins, and these toxins couldn't be forced out with profound energy... These severe toxins are the cold poisons now in our bodies."

"At that time, Yurou was already showing signs of pregnancy and knew she was carrying a child. To prevent the severe toxins from harming the baby in her womb, she used all her strength to gather the cold poison into her five vital organs. For six whole months, she endured the agonizing pain of the cold poison, day and night..."