Chapter 689: Xiao Family's Joy

When he first met Jasmine, she had told him her age was thirteen. But back then, he had no real grasp of just how powerful she was. As his own strength grew, he became increasingly aware of the terrifying extent of Jasmine’s power. Now, his strength allowed him to contend with low-level Emperors, yet he still couldn't perceive the limits of Jasmine's power.

To possess such terrifying strength at thirteen... He simply couldn't accept that she had cultivated it all on her own.

"Yes, my power was indeed inherited." To Yun Che's surprise, she answered this question—one she had never allowed him to ask before—with remarkable straightforwardness. "But while there is a method to achieve this, it's far more difficult than you can imagine, and the conditions are extremely stringent. Even in the world I came from, a successful profound energy inheritance might only occur once every few millennia. Furthermore, even the most perfect profound energy inheritance in the entire Grand World involves the loss of at least half the profound energy during the process! And the reason I was able to successfully accept the inheritance..."

Jasmine's voice suddenly cut off. Clearly, she realized she had almost said something she shouldn't have. After a brief pause, she gave a cold snort and continued: "The Profound Sky Continent is a very low-level plane within this Grand World, so it should be utterly impossible for profound energy inheritance, a profound art of such a high level, to occur here. Therefore, what appeared in him should also not be a profound energy inheritance."

"Not a profound energy inheritance?" Yun Che asked, surprised. "Then what is it? Isn't the demonic source he absorbed simply demonic profound energy cultivated by someone else? In essence, he's absorbing and inheriting another's power bit by bit!"

"When I first saw Fen Juechen, his sudden surge in power and the demonic profound aura around him made me believe his body had been possessed by a demonic soul. But then I discovered he clearly possessed full self-awareness. I then examined the demonic source within him and found that its soul aura was incredibly compatible with Fen Juechen's own soul aura!" Jasmine's calm voice held a hint of confusion: "This is what puzzles me."

"When a demonic soul carrying its source power forcibly enters a person's body, there should only be three possible outcomes: destroying the body, possessing the body, or being defeated and dissipated by the body's owner through superior profound or soul power. However, with Fen Juechen, his own soul and the demonic soul that entered him perfectly fused, not only avoiding mutual destruction or possession, but instead, it was as if two originally separate souls were slowly re-merging into one!"

Yun Che was speechless. If Jasmine had simply said it was a profound energy inheritance, he, though surprised, would have understood instantly. But Jasmine's explanation completely muddled his mind. He shook his head and set off, flying back towards Floating Cloud City. "This is getting too complicated. Forget it... I'll just ask Fen Juechen about it in three months."

"Didn't you hear what I just told you?" Jasmine said coldly. "As you are now, you're no match for him. Three months from now, you'll be even less likely to be his match. Are you preparing to walk to your death?"

Yun Che calmly pursed his lips. "I have the Primordial Profound Ark. If I can't beat him, I can always run!" He then reined in his faint smile, his brow furrowing slightly. "Besides, even if I don't run, it won't be that easy for him to kill me! I won't allow myself... to be defeated by someone I've already beaten!"

Jasmine didn't bother to respond. She floated quietly within the Sky Poison Pearl's space, guiding the world's incredibly dense purification energy to cleanse the last vestiges of demonic poison from her soul. After a short while, she suddenly opened her eyes slightly and whispered to herself: "Could it be some kind of Reincarnation Forbidden Art?"

Back at the Xiao Sect, Xiao Lie's courtyard was still filled with laughter and joy. In just a few hours, Xiao Lie's complexion and mental state had completely transformed. The joy of regaining what he had lost for over twenty years brought tears to his eyes again and again.

"Little Che!" As Yun Che landed, Xiao Lingxi hurried over, tightly hugging his right arm, as if afraid he would fly away again. She then remembered Xiao Lie and Xiao Yun were present and quickly loosened her grip a little, her downcast cheeks flushed with a charming blush... Their intimacy was the same as before, but her state of mind was different.

"Che'er, you're back." Xiao Lie smiled with satisfaction and gratitude, looking at Yun Che, whom he had raised since childhood.

"Big Brother, how are things over there? Have you found out what exactly they're doing?" Xiao Yun asked, stepping forward. Compared to before, his brows showed a heightened sense of urgency. Back then, Floating Cloud City was a place connected to him but still felt unfamiliar. But now, in the place of his birth, surrounded by his own family, he felt a deep sense of belonging for Floating Cloud City.

Yun Che shook his head. "The Divine Phoenix Army is indeed carrying out some secret mission, but their secrecy measures are extremely thorough. Even when I used Soul Stealing, I couldn't find any results."

"None of them worked?" Seventh Under Heaven's face was filled with surprise. In the Imperial City, everyone knew the domineering power of Profound Core Soul Stealing. But if even Profound Core Soul Stealing couldn't yield results, then the situation was truly unusual.

"Mm," Yun Che nodded solemnly. "So, this matter is even more serious than we anticipated. No matter what, we must find out the truth."

As Yun Che spoke, his gaze towards Seventh Under Heaven suddenly became a little strange. The change in his gaze made Seventh Under Heaven look down at herself in confusion. "Big Brother Yun, is there... anything strange about me? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Hold out your hand." Yun Che said suddenly, his expression serious.

"Ah? Oh." Yun Che's serious demeanor instantly made Seventh Under Heaven nervous, and she quickly extended her right hand. Xiao Yun, standing beside her, was even more nervous than she was. "Big Brother, Seventh Sister... what's wrong with her?"

Yun Che didn't answer. He stretched out a finger and pressed it against Seventh Under Heaven's wrist. After three breaths, he withdrew his finger, slowly exhaled, and said deliberately: "Xiao Yun, Seventh Sister, you both need to prepare yourselves... for what I'm about to say."

Yun Che's expression, tone, and the way he exhaled made Xiao Yun and Seventh Sister hold their breath, their hearts constricting. They didn't dare to breathe. Xiao Yun stammered, "Seventh Sister's body, could it be... is there something wrong with it?"

They knew Yun Che's medical skills well enough... he was never one to joke about such things.

"Yes, and it's quite serious." Yun Che extended two fingers, pointing at the two whose hearts had almost stopped from fear. "Seventh Sister... is pregnant! Which means, you two are about to become parents!"

"...Ah!" Xiao Yun and Seventh Under Heaven stood there dumbfounded, then simultaneously let out a cry of surprise.

"Rea...really?" Xiao Yun grabbed Seventh Under Heaven with one hand and Yun Che with the other, his face flushed with excitement.

"Oh... I... I..." Seventh Under Heaven's hand instinctively went to her lower abdomen, her face flushed, almost incoherent from a mix of shock, instinctive panic, and joy.

"Of course it's true. I'm a divine doctor, do you think I'd get something like this wrong?" Yun Che looked at them with a strange gaze. "You two are a bit too efficient, aren't you? How long have you been married? You've already created a life! Don't tell me you two were already... before marriage?"

"No, no, absolutely not!" Xiao Yun frantically waved his hands.

"Oh my goodness!" Xiao Lingxi exclaimed. "Dad, did you hear that?! Little Seven is pregnant! You're about to become a great-grandfather!"

Yun Che's voice was so loud, how could Xiao Lie not have heard it? His arm was raised mid-air, his entire body trembling slightly, almost speechless with excitement and joy. Yun Che quickly walked to his side and said loudly: "Grandpa, in a few months, you'll be promoted to great-grandfather! Heh heh, look, not only did Xiao Yun come back completely unharmed and bring back such a wonderful granddaughter-in-law, he's even brought you a great-grandchild!"

"Good... so good..." Xiao Lie nodded, his voice trembling, his eyes glistening with joyful tears. Just then, a slightly cool breeze blew, and Xiao Lie's brow furrowed. He quickly said: "Yun'er, quickly take Little Seven back inside. It's cool out here; we mustn't let anything harm the baby."

"Haha!" Yun Che laughed. "Grandpa, set your mind at ease. Although Seventh Sister is quite young, her profound energy is at the Tyrant Profound Realm. Even Ling Yuefeng, the master of Heavenly Sword Villa, is no match for her. Moreover, the profound art Seventh Sister cultivates is incredibly pure. With such powerful and pure profound energy protecting the fetus in her womb, it would be difficult for anything to go wrong."

"On the other hand, Grandpa, I've only been gone for three years, and your health has declined so much. If you don't take good care of yourself, you might not even be able to hold your great-grandchild when they arrive."

"Hahahaha," Xiao Lie let out a hearty laugh, slowly but firmly standing up with a hand on his chair. "My bones are still quite strong. I'll live for a few more decades, see this little one grow up, and even see more little ones; that's no problem at all!"

"Dad..." Xiao Lingxi felt genuine joy, seeing Xiao Lie's vitality and spirit suddenly reinvigorated many times over. She believed that in this state, Xiao Lie's body would surely recover completely in the shortest possible time.

The news of Seventh Under Heaven's pregnancy plunged the family into an outpouring of joy. Once the initial excitement had somewhat subsided, Yun Che finally found an opportunity to say what he had been wanting to. "Grandpa, Little Aunt, Xiao Yun and Seventh Sister will temporarily stay here in Floating Cloud City and be looked after by you all. Although I've just returned... I must go to a certain place next, so I'll have to leave you all again for a while."

"Where are you going?" Xiao Lingxi's expression grew tense, and she suddenly gripped Yun Che's hand tightly. "You just got back, why are you leaving again so soon? Is it... are you doing something dangerous again?"

"I'm going to the Divine Phoenix Empire, and I'll leave before dusk today." Yun Che gently squeezed Xiao Lingxi's hand in return and smiled reassuringly. "There's absolutely no danger, and I won't be gone long. When I return, Little Aunt, I'll stay with you for as long as you wish."