Chapter 677: Wolfish Retreat

"Senior... Senior, wait!" Ye Guying hastily stepped in front of Ye Xinghan. "We will immediately follow your instructions and leave this place, and we won't disturb you for another moment..."

Ye Guying's expression and gaze had lost all their previous composure and calmness; even his voice trembled noticeably. His address to the black-clad elder had also changed from "Your Excellency" to "Senior." Ye Shi... an elder of their Sun and Moon Divine Hall, a mid-stage Emperor who commanded respect throughout the world, a figure of immense standing within the Divine Hall, had been reduced to nothing by a small flame the elder had casually conjured. What terrifying power, what unparalleled strength this was...

The elder's overwhelmingly powerful aura might have been just an aura, but they had witnessed Ye Shi's disintegration into nothingness with their own eyes, from within ten zhang. That power completely transcended their understanding and imagination! To effortlessly reduce a mid-stage Emperor to nothing—not even the lords of the Four Sacred Grounds (the Saint Emperor, Sea God, Sky Monarch, and Sword Master) could accomplish such a feat. Even the Phoenix God, the only half-step Profound God in existence, would be utterly incapable of it!

Even if the Phoenix God unleashed a full-power, sky-engulfing Phoenix Fire, a mid-stage Emperor would not be utterly without any power to resist.

Yet, this black-clad elder had merely conjured a fist-sized cluster of ice-blue flames with a flick of his hand.

The density of power within that ice-blue flame must have been unimaginably potent. And the laws it contained undoubtedly surpassed their comprehension by more than just one or two major realms!

Such a terrifying person truly existed in this world!

Recalling it now, his earlier command for them to leave wasn't due to any apprehension about the Sun and Moon Divine Hall... it was clearly because he disdained attacking them at all!

"Hmph!" The black-clad elder let out a faint cold snort, the ice-blue flame in his palm flickering slightly. "I allowed you to leave just now, but you insisted on provoking me, even making me inadvertently break the killing vow I've upheld for ten thousand years. Do you really think it will be so easy to leave now?"

The elder's voice was no longer as calm as before; it carried a hint of anger, clearly due to breaking his killing vow! The words "ten thousand years" from his mouth astonished everyone present... The lifespan of this terrifying elder... was actually over ten thousand years!

To possess a lifespan of ten thousand years, just how terrifying must this elder's cultivation realm be!

The cluster of ice-blue flames pulsed faintly in the black-clad elder's palm, causing Ye Guying and the others' hearts to clench violently. The horrifying image of Ye Shi's demise appeared like a nightmare in their minds, and they were only a hair's breadth away from suffering the same fate!

"Senior, please calm your anger!" Ye Guying cupped his hands, bowing his body low. He spoke humbly and fearfully, "Even if we overestimate ourselves, we would never dare to offend a distinguished senior like you. Our proposal for a brief spar earlier was truly just so we could have an explanation upon returning to the Sun and Moon Divine Hall... Elder Ye Shi's death at your hands was due to his own inadequate skills; you are entirely blameless. As the Ninth Elder of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall, I guarantee that if you show us mercy and allow us to leave today, our Divine Hall will absolutely not pursue the matter of Elder Ye Shi, and our grievances with your disciple will also be completely written off from this moment forward..."

As one of the top ten elders of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall, Ye Guying hadn't displayed such a lowly posture in countless years. But before this black-clad elder, how could he dare to maintain any of his usual demeanor? He even wished he could prostrate himself on the ground. For this person to kill them would be as easy as turning his hand! And he had already harbored killing intent! If he truly made a move... Ye Shi hadn't even the strength to struggle under his hand, and they would be no different! Not only would they all die, but their deaths would be in vain!

This was the most terrifying individual they had ever encountered in their lives, and it was their first time facing a true death threat. How could they dare to be presumptuous in the slightest? Even a Sun and Moon Elder, under the shadow of such true death, could only beg with all their might.

"Heh, not pursue?" The black-clad elder chuckled dismissively. "Do you think I'd be afraid of your Sun and Moon Divine Hall 'pursuing' the matter? In the eyes of the world, you are an unassailable sacred ground, but in my eyes... destroying your Sun and Moon Divine Hall would be nothing more than a flick of my hand!"

His calm voice, however, sent tremors through everyone's souls. "Destroying your Sun and Moon Divine Hall would be nothing more than a flick of my hand"—who in this world would dare to utter such arrogant words? If they had heard such a statement before today, Ye Guying and the others would have dismissed it as a massive joke. But now, what they felt was not amusement or disdain, but profound shock and terror... The horrifying image of Ye Shi being reduced to nothing by a casual spark from the elder reappeared before their eyes, sending shivers down their spines.

"Yes, yes..." Ye Guying hurriedly said, "Senior, you are an extraordinary master from beyond this world; the Sun and Moon Divine Hall must be utterly insignificant in your eyes. However... if anything were to happen to our Young Master today, even facing you, our Sun and Moon Divine Hall would certainly not let the matter rest. While we couldn't possibly harm you, you are a transcendent master who has shunned worldly affairs for many years, so you surely wouldn't wish to invite such 'minor troubles.' Moreover..." Ye Guying, thinking quickly, maintained his composure and continued, "Moreover, your anger arose because you inadvertently broke a killing vow. But the so-called 'killing' stems from the heart. If there is no true intent to kill, it doesn't count as breaking the vow. You had no intention of killing Ye Shi; it was merely his insufficient cultivation and his overestimation of his own abilities in trying to withstand your divine flame that led to his demise... Therefore, Ye Shi's death was his own doing, not yours, and thus, you haven't actually broken your killing vow."

"Now, if you act on your killing intent towards us and destroy us, that would truly break your killing vow! You are an supreme master in this era, while we are mere mortals hardly worthy of your notice. Why should you, Senior, break your vow and tarnish your long-unsullied pure heart for a few insignificant individuals like us?"

"The Ninth Elder speaks perfectly true!" Ye Juanyun quickly added, "Although there was a misunderstanding between us and your disciple Yun Che... more than ten of us were defeated by your disciple, yet we didn't even harm a single hair on him! Senior, you have upheld your killing vow for many years, so you must be a profound master with a vast and cosmic mind..."

"Enough talk!"

A calm voice interrupted Ye Juanyun. The black-clad elder slowly withdrew his palm, and the ice-blue flame vanished from his hand. The faint murderous aura lingering in the air also dissipated, but the overwhelming pressure remained, suffocating their souls. "Though your words are for your survival, they do hold some logic. Very well, you may leave. After today, never set foot in this place again!"

All the members of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall looked up, as if hearing heavenly music. For the first time in their lives, they felt as though they had escaped death. Ye Guying's voice trembled as he said, "Thank you, Senior, for your benevolent mercy! Our Sun and Moon Divine Hall will surely remember your kindness..." He paused, then steeled his resolve and continued, "This junior dares to ask for your esteemed name, Senior! In the future, wherever you may go, our Sun and Moon Divine Hall will certainly give way. We will also never offend anyone connected to you, Senior."

Ye Guying's words were absolutely not an attempt to seek revenge after learning the name... Ye Shi's tragic death, combined with the elder's terrifying power that utterly defied comprehension, had prevented them from even conceiving of retaliation. As for "giving way," it was no empty promise! They only hoped they would never again encounter such a terrifying existence in their lives.

"My name?" The black-clad elder spoke slowly. "What good would knowing it do you? In this world, my name has long ceased to exist. Had it not been for the serendipitous chance of taking a final disciple, I would have remained untouched by the dust of the mortal world for the rest of my life."

"My name is Duotian! Duotian is my name!"

"Duotian..." Ye Guying murmured, a name he had never heard before, indeed the most audacious name he had ever encountered! To what extent must one be arrogant, or powerful, to dare to call oneself "Duotian"?

"Senior Duotian, we shall leave at once! If you ever have leisure in the future, we hope you will deign to visit our Divine Hall as a guest. Our entire Divine Hall will surely come out to welcome you!" As Ye Guying spoke, his steps were already quickening in retreat, wishing he could fly away immediately. Half of his words were to appease the black-clad elder, and the other half was naturally an attempt to forge good relations. For such a terrifying individual, even if they couldn't become friends, they absolutely could not become enemies.

As they quickly turned to fly towards the Sun and Moon Divine Ark, a voice suddenly rang out from behind them:

"Wait!!"

The voice belonged to Yun Che, who spoke with particular hoarseness, seemingly from urgency and unwillingness. Ye Guying and the others halted at the command, a chill running down their spines... The black-clad elder might have let them go, but that didn't mean Yun Che would! If Yun Che were to insist that the elder keep them all here...

"Che'er, no need to say more."

Before Yun Che could speak, the black-clad elder's voice calmly resonated: "Your master knows what you intend to say. Do you truly believe that I let them go because I disdained to act, or because I didn't want to break my killing vow? Wrong!"

His voice grew slightly sterner at this point: "Long ago, I instructed you never to rely on your master's power unless your life was truly in danger, and certainly never to become dependent! I know you utterly detest these people because of the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace incident and are eager to see them dead, but allowing them to retreat is my limit. If you want them dead, you must accomplish it with your own power!"

"Six years ago, when we, master and disciple, first met, you were merely a cripple with ruined profound veins. Your master restored your profound veins and tutored you for three years, after which no one among the younger generation of the Seven Nations could rival you! Three years ago, your master broke through space to bring you back from the Primordial Profound Ark, and now, your strength allows you to contend with Emperors! Although you cannot kill them yet, if you diligently cultivate under your master's guidance, in another three years, killing any one of them will be as easy as turning your hand! In another three years, the entire Sun and Moon Divine Hall will be yours to trample upon at will. Why then would you compromise your cultivation path just to satisfy your desire for revenge today?"

These words were spoken by the black-clad elder to Yun Che, but to the members of the Sun and Moon Divine Hall, every single word sent shivers down their spines.

Six years... from a cripple with ruined profound veins to a power capable of contending with Emperors... only six years!!

What a terrifying concept this was!!

Moreover, they knew with absolute certainty that this was no exaggeration! Based on their three years of investigation into Yun Che, six years ago, he truly was just a cripple burdened with ruined profound veins—a fact known to everyone in the city where he had lived for over a decade, and he had even become the city's laughingstock!

When he first displayed his divine might at the Phoenix Divine Sect, he had only been cultivating profound energy for a mere three years!

They finally found the answer to this horrifying truth today: behind him was such a terrifying master! A master a thousand times more dreadful than they had ever imagined!

Six years to go from a cripple to an Emperor-level powerhouse—their Four Sacred Grounds, though proud rulers of the world, knew they could never achieve such a feat.

And one more sentence, which every one of them heard clearly... The reason Yun Che was still alive was not, as they had surmised, because he hadn't been trapped in the Primordial Profound Ark, but because this black-clad elder had rescued him from within it!

This meant he could actually travel through space between the Profound Sky Continent and the Primordial Profound Ark!!

Indescribable shock and awe reverberated through their souls. As the most powerful Emperors of the Profound Sky Continent, they were utterly incapable of comprehending the black-clad elder's realm... In comparison, it was as if they belonged to two entirely different worlds.

Yun Che lowered his head. "Master is right; your disciple has learned his lesson."

His voice was very small and low. Yun Che, who was arrogant and unrestrained, daring to confront the Phoenix Divine Sect alone and even offend the Sun and Moon Divine Hall, appeared exceptionally respectful and reserved before his master.

Ye Guying grabbed Ye Xinghan's arm and shot skyward at top speed, not daring to linger for another moment... "Six years to contend with Emperors... another three years to kill any one of them... another three years to freely trample the entire Sun and Moon Divine Hall..." These words lingered in his soul like a curse.

He began to feel that making an enemy of Yun Che, a young man they had previously paid little attention to, might be the biggest mistake they had made in years!