Chapter 672: Disaster Strikes Again

Yun Che and Xiao Yun changed into identical clothes. Without looking at their faces, their figures, both from the front and back, were over ninety percent similar. Xiao Yun, feeling uneasy after changing, asked, "Big Brother, what exactly are you planning to do?"

Yun Che scrutinized Xiao Yun, nodded slightly, and then said, "Very good. Our body types are similar. Unless someone is extremely familiar with us, it would be very difficult to distinguish us based solely on our figures."

As he spoke, Yun Che took out a wooden box from the Sky Poison Pearl. "Sit down now. I'm going to disguise you as me."

"Huh?" Xiao Yun was startled, then his mouth dropped open. "Dis... disguise?"

"Yes!" Yun Che nodded, his brows slightly furrowed. "Don't worry, I'm using special medicine for the disguise, not profound energy. Unless someone is a master of this art, it will be impossible to tell."

The strongest master of disguise Yun Che had encountered on the Profound Sky Continent so far was Hua Minghai. But even Hua Minghai was far inferior to him in the art of disguise. Yun Che could see through Hua Minghai's disguise at a glance, but Hua Minghai might not be able to see through his in a short time.

"But why do I have to be disguised as Big Brother?" Xiao Yun asked, his face full of confusion.

"Because after the people from the Sun and Moon Divine Hall arrive... if nothing goes wrong, for a period of time, you will need to take my place and face them as me," Yun Che said gravely.

"Huh?" Xiao Yun froze. "Me..."

"Are you scared?" Yun Che smiled faintly.

Xiao Yun was briefly dazed, then he gritted his teeth and shook his head forcefully. "No... I'm not scared! Big Brother, don't worry, even if I have to risk my life, I'll..."

"Risking your life won't be necessary," Yun Che interrupted with a laugh. "I promised your Seventh Sister I'd bring you back with every hair on your head intact. If you lose your life, she'll chase after me with a knife every day, and I'll never have peace for the rest of my life."

At this point, Yun Che's expression became serious. "However, this matter does carry immense risk. To ensure my death, Ye Xinghan will bring at least three Divine Emperors! He might even bring Divine Emperors of the mid-stage... or even higher. If we fail, although we can escape with the Primordial Profound Ark, you can imagine how severe the consequences would be. After the disguise, I will tell you in detail what you need to do. Remember every word I say later... This will also be a huge test for you."

"Alright... I understand." Xiao Yun took a deep breath and nodded very seriously.

Yun Che exited the Primordial Profound Ark, transforming it to its smallest form—no bigger than a palm. He then went to the main gate of the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace and placed the Primordial Profound Ark between two thick layers of ice. In common understanding, a profound ark's entry and exit are naturally through its gate. The Primordial Profound Ark can also be entered through its gate, but it has a special entry and exit method, which Yun Che always used: spatial transfer!

This was one of Yun Che's trump cards against the Sun and Moon Divine Hall today. Of course, the prerequisite was that he absolutely could not let them discover the Primordial Profound Ark's existence. However, the Ark's energy source was Hong'er, not the ark itself, so there was no energy fluctuation when it was still. Coupled with its ability to change size, even a Divine Emperor would find it difficult to detect its presence. Even if seen, it would likely just be mistaken for a profound ark model.

It was late at night, and the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace was completely silent. There were still two hours until dawn, which was also roughly the time the Sun and Moon Divine Hall was expected to arrive. Yun Che used the Frozen Cloud Immortal Soul to issue the Palace Master's command. Soon, six snow-white immortal figures flew over, landing before Yun Che. They were the Six Frozen Cloud Fairies, missing Xia Qingyue.

"Palace Master, is something important happening?" Mu Rong Qianxue asked, frowning. To be summoned in the middle of the night surely meant a significant matter.

Yun Che said in a deep voice, "Indeed, it's a major event. People from the Sun and Moon Divine Hall are heading our way... they will arrive in about two hours, led by their Young Master Ye Xinghan, and there will be at least three Divine Emperors among them!"

"What?!" Mu Rong Qianxue and the others all turned pale with shock. The Sun and Moon Divine Hall's Young Master... Divine Emperors... these were undoubtedly words a million times more terrifying than a nightmare to them!

Just two Tyrant Sovereigns had pushed the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace to the brink, and if Yun Che hadn't arrived, the palace would no longer exist. At least three Divine Emperors—that was power capable of sweeping across the Seven Nations of the Profound Sky Continent. Destroying the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace would be effortless for them!

"As for the reason, there's no time to explain now. Immediately awaken all disciples and have them gather all their important belongings within half an hour, then have everyone assemble here after half an hour!"

"Palace Master, have you chosen a place for us to escape to?" Jun Lianqie asked nervously.

"No, I never said we had to escape!" Yun Che said calmly. "Facing the Sun and Moon Divine Hall, you should be very clear: if we run today, we will forever be on the run, forever under the shadow of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall. All of us, the disciples of the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, are gathered here to face the Sun and Moon Divine Hall together."

Yun Che's words left them stunned. Chu Yuechan sighed softly, saying sadly, "That is the Sun and Moon Divine Hall after all; we simply cannot contend with them. If they stay, they will only die in vain... Let the six of us remain to face the Sun and Moon Divine Hall. As for the others... there are still two hours; perhaps they can still get far away. The more people who can escape their grasp, the more a flicker of hope will remain for the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace."

"No! I only said we would face the Sun and Moon Divine Hall together, not that I would send you to your deaths!" Yun Che said with utmost seriousness. "Although the Young Master of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall himself is coming this time, it absolutely does not mean we are in a desperate situation. If you trust me... I cannot guarantee the safety of the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, but I will definitely protect all your lives, whether it's the Senior Aunts and Uncles, or all the Senior and Junior Sisters... I promise not a single one will be lost!"

"And if everything goes smoothly, and even the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace is saved..." Yun Che raised his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over their fair faces and bright eyes one by one. "Then our Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace will experience a rebirth, and in the future, at least for a short time, no one will dare to offend us again... until we grow strong enough to contend with them!"

Under the silent snow-covered night, Mu Rong Qianxue, Jun Lianqie, Mu Lanyi, Chu Yuechan, Feng Hanyue, and Feng Hanxue all gazed at Yun Che blankly, speechless for a long time. They couldn't imagine what confidence he had to speak such words, facing the "Young Master of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall" and "at least three Divine Emperors" as he had personally stated.

The night grew deeper, the sky's color gradually shifting from off-white to a more profound gray. Chu Yuechan was the first to speak. "Alright... You are our Palace Master. Of course, we will trust your words."

"We will go and gather all the disciples now," Mu Rong Qianxue nodded. As she spoke, tiny ice beads had already appeared on her hair tips. Killing the two Tyrant Sovereigns from the Sun and Moon Divine Hall had temporarily pulled the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace back from despair, but they all knew this was not the end of their tribulation, merely the beginning. They just hadn't expected an even greater catastrophe to arrive so quickly.

"Additionally, I will be in the Ice Sovereign Divine Hall and will set up an isolation barrier. Unless the people from the Sun and Moon Divine Hall arrive early, do not let anyone approach there until I come out voluntarily," Yun Che said gravely, then, without further explanation, he floated up and flew directly towards the Ice Sovereign Divine Hall.

For a thousand miles, silence and cold night winds prevailed. Unknowingly, the sky's color shifted from gray to off-white, then to pale... until it became bright. Two hours passed quietly.

All the Frozen Cloud disciples had already gathered in front of the main gate. An atmosphere of tension and grim determination enveloped the entire Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace.

Mu Rong Qianxue and the others floated high above, their beautiful eyes occasionally gazing south, then back towards the Ice Sovereign Divine Hall. After Yun Che entered the Ice Sovereign Divine Hall, there had been no further movement. As the time Yun Che mentioned, "two hours," drew closer, they could only continuously calm their minds with the Ice Heart Secret Art.

Just then, a distant but ear-splitting tearing sound came from the southwest sky, rapidly growing louder and closer. Following the direction of the sound, a faint black dot appeared in the pale sky.

"What is that... Ah!!"

With the Frozen Cloud women's cries of alarm, in an instant... just one instant, the black dot in their sight magnified countless times with an unexpectedly terrifying speed, clearly revealing the outline of a silver profound ark. Its speed far surpassed anything the Frozen Cloud women had ever known. Then, this silver profound ark rapidly halted, stopping less than a hundred zhang in front of them.

The cold wind became chaotic, and space subtly vibrated. An immense, indescribable profound energy aura enveloped nearly the entire Frozen Extremity Snow Region, making even the strongest among the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, like Mu Rong Qianxue, hold their breath completely. This level of profound energy, which could only be described as "unfathomable"... the people from the Sun and Moon Divine Hall... they had truly arrived!!

"That profound ark is called the Sun-Moon Holy Ark, the Sun and Moon Divine Hall's top-tier profound ark. It's incredibly fast and not easily deployed. They brought it out specifically for their visit to our Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace."

A calm voice with a hint of mockery came from behind them. They quickly turned around, exclaiming in a mix of fear and surprise, "Palace Master!"

Yun Che arrived, stepping on the wind, and in a flash, flew to stand before Mu Rong Qianxue and the others. None of them knew what he had done during his two hours in the Ice Sovereign Divine Hall. However, they vaguely felt that the weighty presence around Yun Che had significantly lessened compared to before. Now, facing the arrived Sun-Moon Holy Ark, his aura and expression were utterly calm... even somewhat proud, devoid of any panic or fear!

Yun Che stood at the very front, his gaze fixed on the Sun-Moon Holy Ark, whose gate had not yet opened. A faint smile seemed to play on his calm face. "Senior Aunts, Senior Uncles, Senior Sisters, Junior Sisters, what we face now is indeed an unprecedented calamity in the thousand-year history of our Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace! But as the Palace Master of the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, I stake my honor, Yun Che... I absolutely will not let our palace fall! Nor will I let any one of you suffer harm. All you need to do is remain calm, no matter what happens! Perhaps..."

He turned his head and gave the Frozen Cloud young women a gentle smile. "You might even find that the Sun and Moon Divine Hall isn't as terrifying as you imagine."

With calamity at hand, each of them sensed only the chilling and stifling aura of despair. But Yun Che's words, and his faint smile in the face of a formidable enemy, were like a gentle breeze, dispelling most of that suppression and fear. The gaze of all the Frozen Cloud women fell upon the back of the figure standing steadfastly in front of them. As their eyes trembled slightly, a sense of reliance, trust, and an indescribable, unfamiliar warmth continuously bloomed and expanded in their hearts—a feeling they had never experienced with the previous Palace Master, Gong Yuxian.

Chu Yuechan silently watched Yun Che's back, her beautiful eyes lost in a daze for a long time. Who could have imagined that the young man once despised and ridiculed by everyone in Floating Cloud City, whom she had only protected at Qingyue's plea, would, in just a few short years, shake the Azure Cloud Nation and the entire Profound Sky Continent... And now, he had become the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace's sole reliance in the face of a massive catastrophe!

With a heavy thud, the gate of the Sun-Moon Holy Ark opened, and figures radiating immense profound energy slowly emerged. Yun Che stood with his arms crossed, his gaze sweeping over each person descending from the ark. A faint, cold smirk slowly curved his lips. "Ye Xinghan, you've finally arrived. I thought your so-called Holy Ark of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall was something extraordinary, but it seems it's nothing special after all, making me wait this long!"

Everyone who had stepped out of the Sun-Moon Holy Ark paused, their expressions subtly changing in unison.

Ye Xinghan, accompanied by four Divine Emperors and fifteen Tyrant Sovereigns, had arrived in the Sun-Moon Holy Ark, intending to annihilate Yun Che in their rage and in the shortest possible time, giving him no chance to react or escape. On their journey, they had envisioned many scenarios: they thought Yun Che might collapse in fear at the sight of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall descending from the sky, or perhaps he would flee in terror, running for his life. Or perhaps he might have sensed their coming and escaped the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace, in which case they would destroy the palace and then directly attack Azure Cloud Imperial City, waiting to see Yun Che's face filled with despair.

But they could never have imagined, even in their wildest dreams, seeing such a sight upon their arrival. Yun Che was waiting for them, completely at ease, clearly having known they would come. Not only had he not fled, but he showed not a hint of panic or fear. His voice was resounding and firm, without even a trace of nervous trembling. His slightly upturned lips and eyes, clearly filled with arrogance and mockery, made him seem as though he was scrutinizing prey that had fallen into a trap!

As the "hunters," facing Yun Che's gaze, they inexplicably felt for a fleeting moment that they had become the "prey."