Chapter 704: Breaking Through the Sky

Night fell, but Divine Phoenix City remained anything but quiet. Phoenix disciples, still relentlessly searching for Yun Che, continued their frantic, fruitless quest. Having found nothing all day, they were furious and frustrated, too ashamed to report back. Their emotions grew restless, and they began forcibly breaking into and searching major businesses, sects, medical clinics, and even private residences. Almost any space that could hold a person was turned upside down.

Of course, this excluded the Black Moon Merchant Guild.

Even so, they still couldn't find a trace of Yun Che, which instead stirred up widespread resentment in Divine Phoenix City, though people dared not speak out.

The search finally ceased at midnight, but the Divine Phoenix Sect remained brightly lit. Their failure to find Yun Che's whereabouts, despite deploying almost the entire sect's strength, shocked everyone and created an exceptionally oppressive atmosphere. Feng Hengkong and the grand elders did not sleep, gathering in the Phoenix Great Hall to discuss how to deal with Yun Che through the night. Given the arrogant words Yun Che had uttered before escaping, he would surely return tomorrow!

This time, Yun Che absolutely had to be killed. His first escape, unharmed, could be understood as them being unprepared for his abnormal speed. But if he came back and they still couldn't kill him, then the entire Profound Sky Continent would mock the Divine Phoenix Sect, and even their five-thousand-year Phoenix deterrent would plummet.

After a day and a half of chaos, Divine Phoenix City was unusually quiet the next day. The Divine Phoenix Sect, in particular, was stiflingly quiet, as if covered by a giant lid, and everyone within the sect seemed to be deliberately holding their breath.

In Divine Phoenix City, people continuously looked towards Phoenix City, though the Phoenix God Statue, which usually emanated immense pressure, was no longer visible.

At the Divine Phoenix Sect, Feng Hengkong had not slept all night, nor had he left the sect. He stood directly in front of the Phoenix Great Hall, looking up at the sky, his body radiating a terrifying killing intent. The Phoenix God Statue destroyed, his son murdered, Yun Che escaping, and after a full day and night, still no trace of the culprit – he was now forced to passively wait for Yun Che to appear. His anger and resentment had long since reached their peak.

“Sect Master,” Elder Feng Yunzhi, the thirty-eighth elder, approached.

“Have you found Yun Che's hiding place?” Feng Hengkong asked expressionlessly, his tone indicating a complete lack of hope in the answer.

Feng Yunzhi shook his head, then whispered, “It’s already been a day and a night… The Fourteenth Prince’s funeral ceremony should… should…”

Feng Hengkong’s brow twitched violently as if a steel needle had been thrust into it. Feng Xiluo was not only dead, but not even a trace of his remains was left. Each time he thought of it, he felt a tearing pain in his heart. He said in a deep, low voice, “Yun Che has not been caught yet… We must use his life and blood to appease Luo’er’s departed soul!”

Feng Yunzhi bowed his head with a soft sigh. “I understand. We were unprepared yesterday, which allowed him to escape. If he comes again today, there’s no way he’ll leave alive. After searching Divine Phoenix City for a day and a night without a trace of him, he has clearly fled the city. Now, informants are stationed in every corner of the city. The moment he enters, we will detect him immediately and notify the sect, waiting for him to walk into our trap.”

“Is there any activity now?” Feng Hengkong asked.

“None,” Feng Yunzhi shook his head again. “Today is different from yesterday. He will surely be extremely cautious when he comes, most likely acting after dark. Hmph… This time, either he won’t come, or the moment he steps into our Imperial City, we will know immediately. Once he approaches Phoenix City, in just an instant, we can…”

“Aaaahhh… Save me… Imperial Father, save me!!”

Just then, a scream filled with extreme terror rang out, like a thunderclap shattering the oppressive silence of Phoenix City. Feng Hengkong and Feng Yunzhi’s faces changed dramatically at the same time, and all the Phoenix elders and disciples remaining in Phoenix City rushed out, looking towards the source of the scream.

Boom!!

With a loud explosion, a palace barely a li away from the Phoenix Great Hall erupted… and it was a prince’s palace! Amidst the rising flames and smoke, one figure lifted another high into the air, soaring a hundred zhang high, and a terrified, hoarse shriek echoed desperately from that altitude.

Watching the two figures in the sky, everyone in Phoenix City showed expressions of utter horror.

“Yun… Yun Che!!”

“The Thirteenth Prince… That’s the Thirteenth Prince!!”

The one screaming in terror was none other than Feng Xichen, the Thirteenth Imperial Prince of Divine Phoenix. And the one holding him by the scruff of his neck, suspended in the air, was indeed Yun Che!! Yun Che’s eyes were half-closed, his face bearing the same cold sneer as yesterday, proudly looking down upon all beings below.

“No… impossible! When did he… impossible!!” Feng Yunzhi’s pupils dilated almost to the point of bursting. He had just guaranteed Feng Hengkong that they would immediately know if Yun Che even took half a step into Divine Phoenix City, let alone approached Phoenix City itself.

But no sooner had he finished speaking than Yun Che appeared from the very center of Phoenix City, holding the Thirteenth Prince Feng Xichen in his grasp!!

From Divine Phoenix City, to Phoenix City, to the Thirteenth Prince’s palace… not a single person had detected anything until the Thirteenth Prince was in Yun Che’s hands!!

The overlord of the Profound Sky Seven Nations, the very core of the Divine Phoenix Empire, a five-thousand-year-old sect close to a Sacred Ground in prestige, had been infiltrated by Yun Che as if it were uninhabited!!

Feng Yunzhi trembled as he cried out that it was impossible… and all the Phoenix elders and disciples simply couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Feng Hengkong, after just one day, we meet again. I said I’d come today, and I haven’t broken my word in the slightest.” Yun Che looked down, letting Feng Xichen shriek in agony in his grasp. His choice of Feng Xichen today was not without reason. As someone who always repaid grievances, he had not forgotten how this Thirteenth Prince had forcibly disrupted his wedding with Cang Yue and arrogantly declared that he would “clean house” right then and there. At that time, due to his own weakness and various other concerns, he couldn't kill Feng Xichen, but today was different. He continued, “It’s a pity your Divine Phoenix Sect members are truly impolite. I strolled all the way from Divine Phoenix City to Phoenix City, and not a single person even greeted me. Your Divine Phoenix Sect’s hospitality is truly disappointing.”

It wasn't actually difficult for Yun Che to infiltrate Phoenix City undetected. Using the Starfall Thunderclap to conceal his aura, he could enter Divine Phoenix City, easily kill a lone Phoenix disciple, use profound energy to read their memories, then disguise himself as them, and casually walk into Phoenix City. He could naturally emit a Phoenix aura, and with his disguise, the stolen memories, and the profound energy aura… everything was flawless. Even if he walked past Feng Hengkong himself, the Sect Master might not notice anything amiss, let alone anyone else.

“Release the Thirteenth Prince!!” a Phoenix elder closest to Yun Che roared, his lips trembling.

Feng Hengkong’s face was already livid. The scene of Feng Xiluo being blasted to death by Yun Che right before his eyes yesterday was still vivid, and he hadn't recovered from it. Now, another one of his sons was held captive by Yun Che. He pointed at Yun Che, and under extreme hatred, almost every cell in his body trembled violently. “Yun Che… if you dare lay a hand on him, I… I will make you pay a million times over!!”

“Heh heh, you seemed to have said something similar yesterday, more than once, but it didn’t seem to do any good. When your son is meant to die, he will die.” Feng Hengkong’s words, even if a hundred times more vicious, would not intimidate Yun Che in the slightest. He said with a smile, “But you don’t need to get so agitated. No matter what, you are the Emperor of the Divine Phoenix Nation; you shouldn’t forget your imperial dignity, should you? Besides, your son isn’t dead yet. Of course, if you continue to be as uncooperative as yesterday, then I can’t guarantee anything.”

“Imperial Father… save me… save me…”

Feng Xichen’s entire body was sealed, rendering him unable to struggle, only able to emit sufficient screams and pleas from his mouth. Back in the Blue Wind Nation, he had experienced Yun Che’s ruthless methods. And yesterday, Feng Xiluo had died a tragic death by Yun Che’s hand. He knew very well that the person behind him was a true devil, someone who would genuinely take his life, not merely scare him. The Phoenix deterrent, which could make all sects in the Seven Nations tremble in fear, had absolutely no effect on him.

“Shut up! You are an Imperial Prince of Divine Phoenix… When did I ever teach you such cowardly clinging to life and fearing death! You are completely disgracing my Divine Phoenix Sect!!” Feng Hengkong rebuked furiously, but his voice was already trembling. He had suppressed a day and night of resentment, planning to personally torture and kill Yun Che for revenge once Yun Che “delivered himself,” but now, with Yun Che right before him, the surging power distorted the space around his body, yet he was utterly unable to strike Yun Che.

Because in Yun Che’s hand was another one of his sons!

Grand Elder Feng Feilie quickly transmitted a message to Feng Hengkong: “Sect Master, this Yun Che is clearly a madman who will do anything. Now that the Thirteenth Prince is in his hands again, do not provoke him further… He is currently only holding the Thirteenth Prince captive without harming him, clearly intending to threaten us into agreeing to yesterday’s conditions again. Let’s feign compliance for now and agree to his terms… In any case, we must first secure the Thirteenth Prince’s safety! The Fourteenth Prince is already gone; we absolutely cannot lose another imperial prince.”

Even from dozens of li away, Feng Hengkong’s killing intent and rage were clearly palpable. Dozens of Phoenix elders flew up from various directions, reaching the same altitude as Yun Che, forming a massive encirclement around him. Feng Feilie took a deep breath and said, “Yun Che, for you to silently infiltrate our Divine Phoenix Sect and even abduct the Thirteenth Prince, you truly possess incredible abilities. Today, we must admit defeat once more. Very well, as long as you release the Thirteenth Prince, then we, the Divine Phoenix Sect, can agree to all three conditions you proposed yesterday.”

All the Phoenix disciples were startled, then immediately realized that, given the Divine Phoenix Sect’s standing and dignity, there was no way they would actually fulfill yesterday’s three conditions. This was clearly the Grand Elder’s delaying tactic. Given Yun Che’s ruthless methods, it was indeed the only approach.

Once the Thirteenth Prince was rescued, everything that followed would, of course, no longer be dictated by Yun Che.

“Oh? Yesterday’s three conditions?” Yun Che’s eyes held a dangerous amusement. “What do yesterday’s three conditions have to do with today? Grand Elder’s memory seems a bit poor. I clearly stated yesterday that those three conditions were the most generous opportunity I, Yun Che, would bestow upon you with the greatest mercy of my life. Yet you chose to be uncooperative. Do you really still dream that today’s conditions will be the same as yesterday’s?”

“You!!” Feng Hengkong’s profound energy suddenly erupted, instantly shattering two thick pillars behind the Phoenix Great Hall.

Feng Feilie quickly signaled Feng Hengkong with his eyes, doing his best to suppress his own anger, and said, “Very well… you may state today’s conditions!”

“As expected of the newly appointed Grand Elder who replaced Feng Feiyan; truly straightforward.” Yun Che praised him, then with a flip of his hand, lifted Feng Xichen higher into the air, eliciting an even more terrified scream from the prince. “Then listen carefully.”

“First, within twenty-five days, all Divine Phoenix troops shall withdraw from the borders of my Blue Wind Nation. Not a single person, not a single hair, shall remain, and for two hundred years, you shall not invade by even half a step!”

“Second, Feng Hengkong shall personally draft an imperial decree, apologizing to my Blue Wind Nation, proclaiming it to the world! Furthermore, you, the Divine Phoenix Grand Elder, shall personally deliver this letter of apology to the Blue Wind Imperial Family and apologize in person!”

“Third, compensate my Blue Wind Nation with twenty billion purple profound coins!!”

The three conditions Yun Che stated were still withdrawal, apology, and compensation, but each was far more stringent than yesterday’s, especially the compensation, which was exactly double the amount demanded previously.

This time, not to mention Feng Hengkong, even the lowest-ranking Phoenix disciples were trembling with rage, but Yun Che’s words were not yet finished…

“Fourth, cede Scarlet Jade City, located on the northeastern border of your Divine Phoenix Nation, to my Blue Wind Nation!”