Chapter 608: Golden Crow Legacy

Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation.

“Your Majesty, your humble general has investigated and confirmed why the five nations have consistently refused to send troops to our aid. As the rumors stated, before the Divine Phoenix Empire advanced on our Blue Wind Nation, it indeed signed identical armistice agreements with the Azure Tide Nation, Blackfiend Nation, Kuisui Nation, Heavenly Fragrance Nation, and Jialuo Nation! This agreement is valid for three hundred years! The content of the agreement states that as long as these five nations do not assist us while the Divine Phoenix Empire is attacking Blue Wind, the Divine Phoenix Empire guarantees it will not invade them for at least three hundred years!”

Dressed in a luxurious phoenix robe, the elegant and strikingly beautiful woman stood silently for a long time before a portrait. The portrait depicted a young man, every stroke and line drawn by her own hand.

Receiving no response from her, the general, clad in golden armor, remained kneeling with his head bowed, unwilling to disturb her.

After a long while, she turned, speaking softly, “The principle of interdependence, that the collapse of one leads to the downfall of others – have they completely abandoned this truth for three centuries of peace? General Feng, have you ascertained the true purpose of the Divine Phoenix Empire’s invasion of our Blue Wind Nation?”

General Feng bowed respectfully and stated, “For the Divine Phoenix Nation to invade our Blue Wind, even signing agreements with five other nations, they must have a significant agenda! However, your humble general has yet to uncover it. There are rumors that Divine Phoenix’s current invasion is an act of extreme vengeance because our Blue Wind Nation caused them to lose face in the Seven Nations Ranking Battle... but your humble general finds this claim unbelievable.”

“Revenge?” Empress Cang Yue’s beautiful face was filled with fury. “My husband, the Blue Wind Nation’s consort, saved their Divine Phoenix Nation’s Princess Snow, yet he perished in the Primordial Profound Ark! Their Divine Phoenix Nation never uttered a single word of thanks, instead launching a massive invasion, violating our territory, killing my father, and poisoning the lives of millions of our Blue Wind citizens. What right, what qualification do they have to speak of ‘revenge’?”

“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!” General Feng’s expression was resolute. “This general lives as a man of Blue Wind and will die as a ghost of Blue Wind! I swear to live and die with Blue Wind! As long as a single breath remains, I will slay every last Divine Phoenix dog!”

A faint fluctuation of profound energy was felt, and Empress Cang Yue turned her gaze. “Is that a report from the front lines? Check it immediately.”

“Yes!” General Feng quickly retrieved a sound-transmitting jade slip. After deciphering the message that had just arrived, his expression subtly changed. He reported to Empress Cang Yue, “Your Majesty, the frontline intelligence unit has sent a message. The Divine Phoenix army has suddenly made an unusual move.”

“Unusual? What do you mean by unusual?”

“The Divine Phoenix army is currently only seventeen hundred li from our Imperial City, but today, their main force suddenly diverted thirty percent of its troops directly to the east! According to the intelligence, their target is Flowing Cloud City in the east! Moreover, their marching speed is extremely fast; they could reach Flowing Cloud City in less than twenty days.”

“What? Flowing Cloud City? Why would they divert troops to Flowing Cloud City?” Empress Cang Yue’s voice suddenly became urgent. The name ‘Flowing Cloud City’ made her heart tremble violently, for it was Yun Che’s hometown... and also where Xiao Lie and Xiao Lingxi were currently living to avoid the war.

Flowing Cloud City was the smallest, most inconspicuous, and lowest-tier city in the Blue Wind Nation; a large portion of Blue Wind’s citizens weren’t even aware of its name. This made it all the more incomprehensible and bizarre that the Divine Phoenix main army, originally heading directly for the Blue Wind Imperial City, would suddenly divert such a significant portion—as much as thirty percent—of its forces to Flowing Cloud City.

“Your humble general is equally puzzled!” General Feng frowned. “Flowing Cloud City is remote and extremely poor. Capturing it would be virtually worthless and only increase the military’s burden... Or perhaps, this is a feint, a diversionary tactic by the Divine Phoenix army?”

Empress Cang Yue gave a bitter smile. “With the Divine Phoenix Nation’s power, they have already captured sixty percent of our Blue Wind territory in just two years, and their main army is relentlessly pressing towards our Imperial City... Why would they need a feint or a diversionary tactic? Their sudden advance on Flowing Cloud City must have a purpose.”

Empress Cang Yue’s breathing quickened. She gently pressed a hand to her chest before speaking with some difficulty, “...General Feng, immediately send a message to City Lord Yuwen of Flowing Cloud City. If the Divine Phoenix army reaches the city, they must not resist. They are to immediately open the city gates and surrender.”

“Why?” General Feng abruptly looked up, his face filled with bewilderment.

Empress Cang Yue closed her eyes. “Flowing Cloud City and its surroundings have no stationed troops. Against the Divine Phoenix’s fierce, wolf-like army, they possess no power to resist whatsoever. Forcing resistance would only further provoke their aggression and bring suffering to Flowing Cloud City’s citizens...”

General Feng slowly raised his hands, then slowly lowered them, speaking with a hint of dejection, “Your humble general obeys.” He then slowly retreated.

Empress Cang Yue’s gaze fell once more upon the portrait she had drawn herself. Every day, she would gaze at it for hours, lost in thought, her eyes always welling with tears...

“My husband... wait for me a little longer... once I have guarded Blue Wind’s last shred of dignity... I will come to be with you...”

Illusory Demon Realm, Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley.

The crimson-gold barrier enveloping Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress suddenly shattered. Simultaneously, nine points of dazzling golden light, too bright to look directly at, descended from the sky, landing on the Little Demon Empress. Before Yun Che could react, her body was completely enveloped in golden flames, and then she vanished from his sight.

“Hahahahaha...” The Golden Crow Spirit’s booming laughter echoed from above. “Truly worthy of one with the Dragon God’s bloodline, to succeed in only forty-seven days. But this daughter of the Demon Emperor has truly opened my eyes; though a virgin, she was so utterly unrestrained. This venerable one is suddenly curious whether she was simply desperate for the power of revenge or if this is her true nature... Hahahahaha!”

“Where did you take her?” Yun Che’s voice was tinged with urgency. Previously, his concern for the Little Demon Empress’s life, even risking immense danger to save her, was primarily for the sake of the Yun family, as their clan would surely decline or perish if she died. But now, it was different. The Little Demon Empress was no longer just the Little Demon Empress to him; she was also his woman... even if the process had been a little... strange...

“She has lost her virgin yin essence, and her body has been thoroughly nourished by your primal yang. Now, neither her physical form nor her vital energy will be easily incinerated by the Golden Crow flames. Even her lifelines have been fully repaired, far more smoothly than this venerable one anticipated. I have just bestowed nine drops of the purest Golden Crow blood into her bloodline. She is now within a Golden Crow secret realm created by my power, gradually awakening all the source energy within it, and in this process, comprehending my Golden Crow lineage’s supreme profound art—the *Golden Crow Burning World Record*!”

“To fully awaken all the source energy will only take seven days; by then, she will achieve the half-step Divine Profound Realm! But for her to emerge from the secret realm, she must comprehend at least the third stage of the *Golden Crow Burning World Record*. If she is too dull-witted and cannot achieve this within three years, then she might as well perish within it!”

...Unlike the Phoenix Spirit or Dragon God Soul, which, despite being awe-inspiring, possessed relatively gentler temperaments, this Golden Crow Spirit was not only volatile but also prone to forcibly confining people, forbidding their departure until their goals were met.

It acted entirely on its own whims, completely disregarding the will of others... utterly tyrannical and ruthless.

So Yun Che thought to himself... but of course, he dared not voice it.

Yun Che was perfectly clear about the consequences of the Little Demon Empress accepting the Golden Crow’s power. Although he harbored an incredibly strong desire to stop her at that moment, he knew even more clearly that he simply couldn’t. Forcibly stopping her would only make the Little Demon Empress resent him for life.

“Yun Che, do you know why this venerable one decided to help her?” Crimson-gold eyes opened above, their gaze, filled with endless pressure, encompassing Yun Che.

“She is the inheritor of the Golden Crow bloodline, so your helping her... could be considered only natural, right?” Yun Che replied.

“This venerable one helping her is only natural? Hahahahaha, ridiculous! Her ancestors received my bloodline inheritance and thereby dominated the Illusory Demon Realm! I bestowed boundless grace upon them and never owed their clan a single fraction. On what grounds do you say my helping her is only natural? If I had wanted to help her, I would have intervened long ago when she was forced into desperation... The reason I help her now has nothing to do with her bloodline or race, but solely because of you!”

“Because... me?” Yun Che pointed to himself, momentarily stunned.

“You are but a mortal, yet you possess the Heretic God’s inheritance, capable of causing profound energy to rampage and unleash divine power several, even dozens, of times greater! You also acquired the Evil Seed of Fire, granting you the world’s unique Fire Spirit Evil Body, allowing you to control all fires under heaven! Furthermore, you astonishingly possess the bloodline of the Primordial Dragon God, bestowing upon you a divine body that transcends mortals! Therefore, you are arguably the most suitable being in this world to inherit the Golden Crow bloodline and wield the Golden Crow flames! This venerable one has carried the Golden Crow’s will, guarding this place for countless years, and now... finally, the most perfect inheritor has arrived!”

The Golden Crow Spirit’s words quickly relaxed Yun Che’s previously tense mind. “You mean... you want me to... inherit the Golden Crow bloodline?”

“Precisely! Your aptitude surpasses that of the Demon Emperor’s clan by tens of millions of times! There is no one else in this world more suited to inherit the Golden Crow bloodline than you! In your hands, the Golden Crow flames will undoubtedly unleash boundless searing heat! Yun Che, are you willing to accept the Golden Crow inheritance bestowed by this venerable one!”

According to Jasmine’s description, the Golden Crow flames were the strongest divine fire, even surpassing Phoenix flames in power. When he first heard Xiao Yun speak of the Golden Crow inheritance, a desire to obtain its fiery power immediately ignited within him, but Jasmine had quickly poured cold water on the idea.

But now, the Golden Crow Spirit before him was actually offering to bestow the Golden Crow bloodline upon him!

Yun Che naturally had no reason to refuse. He immediately said, “To receive a divine power inheritance is naturally the dream of every profound practitioner. Thank you, Golden Crow Holy Spirit, for this opportunity.”

No sooner had Yun Che finished speaking than Jasmine’s cold laugh echoed in his mind. “You’re celebrating too soon!”

“Excellent!” The Golden Crow Spirit’s voice finally held a hint of warmth. “You truly did not disappoint this venerable one. Since that is the case, then allow this venerable one to first erase the Phoenix bloodline within your body!”