Chapter 703: Great Phoenix Chaos

Feng Xiluo died, at Yun Che's hands… and truly, not even a complete corpse remained. All the Phoenix elders and disciples were stunned. Although Feng Xiluo's life had just been in Yun Che's hands, none of them had subconsciously thought that he would actually perish. After all, he was a Divine Phoenix Prince, a figure with the most esteemed status on the Profound Sky Continent. Who in this world would truly dare to kill a Divine Phoenix Prince?

Feng Hengkong had also not expected this, especially when Yun Che personally stated his intent "to consider for the Blue Wind" and then offered three conditions. At that moment, Feng Hengkong became even more convinced that Yun Che would never dare to go too far. He had begun to approach, sternly, believing that Yun Che would panic and reveal a weakness. Yet, he never imagined… that Yun Che would directly deliver a fatal blow the moment he took his second step!

This left him, the Divine Phoenix Emperor and Phoenix Sect Master, watching helplessly as his most beloved son turned to ashes before his eyes.

"You… you…" Every strand of Feng Hengkong's hair, indeed every single hair on his body, ignited with crimson flames. His pupils turned blood-red, and his entire being radiated an unprecedented level of murderous aura that all the Phoenix elders had never witnessed. "You… die!"

In his extreme rage, Feng Hengkong suddenly struck. His right hand formed a claw, aiming directly for Yun Che's throat. His profound energy, uncontrollably unleashed, instantly surged into a massive torrent of flames, like an enraged, out-of-control beast lunging at Yun Che.

As Feng Hengkong attacked, Grand Elder Feng Feilie, Second Elder Feng Feiran, and Crown Prince Feng Ximing also struck simultaneously. Feng Ximing unfolded a vast Phoenix Domain, completely enveloping the space where Yun Che stood. Meanwhile, the two elders' profound energy condensed into two similar profound formations… these formations emitted a powerful gravitational pull, making it impossible for Yun Che to escape.

"You beast… die!!"

Boom!!!

This was the Phoenix Flame unleashed by the Phoenix Sect Master in his extreme fury. The moment it erupted, the mere overflowing shockwaves sent thousands of Phoenix disciples flying backward, eliciting a chorus of screams.

Within the blazing fire that dispersed over a hundred zhang away, a figure shot skyward, floating high above. Yun Che looked down, completely unharmed, a faint, mocking smile on his face. "Feng Hengkong, how does it feel to see your own son die right before your eyes? Is it very painful? Do you wish you could hack me into a thousand pieces? Heh heh… then do you know how many people in my Blue Wind Empire have suffered pain tens of millions of times worse because of you?!"

"Yun… Che!!" Feng Hengkong's voice trembled violently. Never in his life had he been so furious, so full of hatred. "I… today… will personally… tear you into ten thousand pieces!!"

Whoosh!!

Amidst the chaotic explosions, thirteen Phoenix elders simultaneously shot into the sky. Their Phoenix Flames, at the Tyrant Profound Realm, also surged upwards, engulfing the sky and completely overwhelming Yun Che in an instant… Yet, from within the sky-obscuring fire, it was not Yun Che's screams that echoed, but his wild laughter:

"Hahahaha… Feng Hengkong, to be honest, I was actually worried you'd directly agree to those three conditions. Otherwise, I would have been too embarrassed to kill your son. But, you truly didn't disappoint me."

"Today, I will only kill one person from your Divine Phoenix Sect for now. Tomorrow, I will still grant your Divine Phoenix Sect a chance for atonement, but tomorrow's opportunity won't be as merciful as today's. And the consequences of disobedience won't be as simple as just one person dying!"

Feng Feilie roared in fury, "On the verge of death, and you still dare to utter such arrogant words! You beast who destroyed our Phoenix God Statue and killed my Fourteenth Prince, do you still dream of leaving here alive?!"

Profound energy erupted, Phoenix Flames surged. Not only did more than ten elders attack simultaneously, but fueled by the rage and humiliation of their prince's death, their strikes were all merciless, aiming to kill. They didn't even spare a thought for the surrounding disciples with lower profound energy cultivation.

Yun Che's figure became ethereal, then instantly split into five identical shadows, dispersing in five directions. The speed of these five figures was incredibly swift; all of them shot out from the encirclement of the thirteen elders, not even their illusory forms being touched.

As the afterimages vanished, Yun Che's true body, while they were momentarily stunned, had already escaped the rolling Phoenix Flames that filled the sky. He reappeared dozens of zhang away and rapidly fled into the distance, his wild laughter trailing behind him.

"Feng Hengkong! From now on, enjoy this wonderful game specifically bestowed upon you… hahahaha!!"

The thirteen Phoenix elders, who had attacked together, were astonished and enraged to the point of their chests almost bursting, as their opponent vanished in an instant. They frantically chased in the direction Yun Che had fled, roaring, "Still trying to run!! Today you'll be…"

The roars of the Phoenix elders, who had just begun their pursuit, quickly diminished. Even their speed gradually slowed, until finally, they all stopped in unison, staring blankly in the direction Yun Che had flown, as if their souls had suddenly departed.

Because Yun Che's speed was simply too fast.

While flying, the profound energy aura he emitted was only at the King Profound Realm, and specifically the early stage of the King Profound Realm. Yet, his speed was astonishing, capable of shaking heaven and earth and making ghosts weep. These Phoenix elders were all Tyrant Emperors in the middle or late stages; their speed, propelled by their powerful profound energy, was incredibly swift. However, in just three breaths, Yun Che, from less than fifty zhang away, had already escaped to the very limits of their vision… In the next breath, he completely vanished from their sight.

And this was while they were pursuing him at full speed.

The thirteen Phoenix elders, still in a daze, all took a sharp, cold breath… What kind of speed was this?!

How could such speed possibly originate from a young man who only possessed a King Profound aura?

It was so fast… that these powerful Phoenix elders gave up chasing in despair after only three breaths, watching helplessly as the person who destroyed their Phoenix God Statue and killed their prince left completely unharmed.

Not just the thirteen elders in the sky, but everyone who witnessed Yun Che's speed was utterly stunned. Earlier, when Feng Xiluo fell into Yun Che's hands, they thought it was due to their own carelessness. Only now did they realize that what had brought such a great calamity upon their Divine Phoenix Sect was clearly a god-like speed.

Feng Feilie's eyebrows twitched wildly before tightening. Then, suddenly recalling something, he exclaimed in surprise, "Is that… Illusory God Lightning Arc?!"

"What?" Feng Feiran turned in astonishment. "Illusory God Lightning Arc… isn't that the unique skill of the God Stealing Clan! And it's only passed down through direct lineage, never to outsiders. Currently, the only one in the world who should be able to use Illusory God Lightning Arc is Ghost Shadow Saint Hand Hua Minghai, so how could Yun Che…"

"What are you dawdling for… Hurry and chase him! Chase him! Tear him into ten thousand pieces!!" Feng Hengkong was clearly out of control. As the Phoenix Sect Master, to have his own son blasted to pieces right before the entire sect was a blow so immense that even a sect master or an emperor would find it hard to calm down quickly.

"Father Emperor, please calm down first… Yun Che won't be able to escape the net of our Divine Phoenix Sect," Feng Ximing stepped forward to comfort him.

"Sect Master… you must restrain your grief. Regarding the Fourteenth Prince… we will surely get justice for him." The elders stepped forward, each with a furious and pained expression.

"…" Feng Hengkong took a deep breath. After a long while, he finally managed to calm down slightly. He turned his gaze to where Yun Che had obliterated Feng Xiluo. With his peak Tyrant Profound vision, let alone a corpse, he couldn't even find a shred of his son's clothing.

Feng Hengkong clenched his hands so tightly that they trembled, almost breaking all his finger bones. His voice, however, was eerily calm. "Dispatch all idle disciples in the sect… pursue and kill Yun Che at all costs… If found… kill without mercy!!"

"Yes! Your son will go give the orders immediately," Feng Ximing nodded and quickly departed.

"Second Brother," Feng Hengkong called out to Grand Elder Feng Feilie, "personally send a sound transmission to Xue'er. Tell her that the sect has had esteemed guests recently, and I cannot spare time, nor is it suitable for her to return… Tell her to stay peacefully in Phoenix Perch Valley for a while."

"Furthermore, during this period, personally supervise the Grand Phoenix Formation in the Phoenix Mountain Range!"

Feng Feilie instantly understood Feng Hengkong's meaning and slowly nodded. "Sect Master, rest assured."

Feng Hengkong closed his eyes, his body trembling with rage, his face filled with agony. He cherished Feng Xue'er more than his own life, never bearing to deceive her even slightly in any matter. When she awoke after three years of unconsciousness, he was overjoyed, but in these short few days, he had been forced to deceive her repeatedly.

However, his worries were entirely superfluous. Because Yun Che had no intention of finding Feng Xue'er. On the contrary, after confirming that Feng Xue'er was not in the sect but likely in Phoenix Perch Valley, Yun Che actually breathed a sigh of relief. He would rather hope Feng Xue'er never appeared… If she did, he truly wouldn't know how to face her.

The Phoenix God Statue destroyed, the Fourteenth Prince killed, the Divine Phoenix Sect plunged into chaos, and even the entire Divine Phoenix City became rife with turmoil. Large numbers of Phoenix disciples poured into every corner of the city, even the suburban areas, searching for Yun Che's whereabouts like a swarm of desperate, headless flies.

The Divine Phoenix Sect naturally possessed an extremely dense network of informants and intelligence in the Divine Phoenix City area. With a massive deployment of disciples, they had expected Yun Che would have nowhere to hide. However, from midday until sunset, the entire Imperial City was in disarray, its people in panic, and they failed not only to capture Yun Che but couldn't even find a trace of his shadow.

In the center of Divine Phoenix City, at the outermost edge of the Black Moon Merchant Guild's seventh floor, Zi Ji stood before a transparent window adorned with special profound formations, gazing down at the restless Divine Phoenix City. Ripples constantly formed in his eyes.

"Ah, what an unfathomable person," Zi Ji sighed to himself. "Although I suspected he might kill to establish deterrence, I never expected… he would directly kill a prince. This is clearly something only a completely irrational madman would do."

"Yet, from my previous conversation with him, he seemed to not want to become an absolute mortal enemy of the Divine Phoenix Empire… After all, given his temperament, he wouldn't fail to consider the Blue Wind Nation's situation and future."

"With such contradictions, what exactly does he intend to do…?"

A soft, almost imperceptible sound reached Zi Ji's ear. He extended a finger and lightly tapped the air. Instantly, a half-inch profound formation materialized, from which a deliberately lowered voice transmitted, "We've found Yun Che."

"Oh? Where is he now?" Zi Ji asked.

"In a small hilly area two hundred li southeast of the city. His clothes haven't changed, and he hasn't disguised himself."

"…Without concealing his attire or appearance, he managed to leave Divine Phoenix City undetected by the Divine Phoenix Sect." A hint of confusion and surprise appeared on Zi Ji's face. He admitted that even he couldn't have achieved that, and it was arguable that no one could, except…

Escaping and escaping without a trace are entirely different concepts.

"If you could find his location, it's highly probable he discovered you too," Zi Ji stated.

"Indeed. But as you said, seeing our Black Moon insignia, he didn't attack us. He merely seemed to open his eyes, then continued… continued…"

"Oh? What is he doing outside Divine Phoenix City?"

"…It seems he's sleeping."

"Also, according to internal sources from the Divine Phoenix Sect, the movement technique he used when he left was as swift as lightning… seemingly the God Stealing Clan's Illusory God Lightning Arc!"

"Illusory God Lightning Arc?" Zi Ji's eyebrows sharply twitched. At his level, the words "Illusory God Lightning Arc" were widely known. Because Illusory God Lightning Arc was the world's foremost movement profound art, acknowledged even by the Four Great Sacred Grounds, and its ability to conceal aura and travel vast distances was unparalleled. A Throne who possessed Illusory God Lightning Arc, when fully concealing their presence, would be undetectable even to a Tyrant Emperor within ten steps. And when escaping at extreme speed, a Tyrant Emperor could only trail behind, eating dust. The God Stealing Clan currently had only one successor! That successor's profound cultivation was only at the early stage of the King Profound Realm, yet they shook the Profound Sky Continent, known even to the Four Great Sacred Grounds… precisely because of Illusory God Lightning Arc! With early King Profound Realm profound energy, to be able to enter and exit the Divine Phoenix Sect multiple times without harm, showed the power of Illusory God Lightning Arc.

"Can this be confirmed?" Zi Ji asked with a frown. As far as he knew, Illusory God Lightning Arc was always passed directly to descendants, never to outsiders… not even to one's own daughters. Furthermore, there had always been rumors at the level of the Four Great Sacred Grounds: the Sun Moon Divine Hall, coveting Illusory God Lightning Arc, had secretly searched for the God Stealing Clan's whereabouts for generations. During this time, they had used threats, inducements, and even resorted to ruthless methods, but all to no avail.

If the God Stealing Clan absolutely refused to leak Illusory God Lightning Arc even when facing the Sun Moon Divine Hall, how could it possibly appear on Yun Che?

"Hua Minghai, the current successor of the God Stealing Clan, had infiltrated the Divine Phoenix Sect several times in recent years. Twice, he was detected due to triggering profound formations and pursued by several Phoenix elders, but he always escaped using Illusory God Lightning Arc. Some Phoenix elders are thus somewhat familiar with the profound energy fluctuations when Illusory God Lightning Arc is used. And Yun Che's movement technique when escaping had a very similar aura… but these are just conjectures, not confirmed."

"…" Zi Ji remained silent for a long time, then calmly said, "Monitor Yun Che's movements at all times, but do not disturb him, and do not reveal anything about him to anyone other than me. Additionally, instruct our people stationed in the Blue Wind Nation to focus on the movements within the Blue Wind Imperial City for the next few days."

"Understood, my lord."

"Wait… also, don't lose track of the person named Fen Juechen."

"Yes!"