Chapter 759: Xuanyuan Jade Phoenix

“So, rest assured completely. Since my Empress wife has spoken, I have no interest in bothering your Heavenly Sword Villa. I wouldn’t want my Empress wife to end up like you, unable to face her ancestors in the afterlife!”

Ling Tianni’s and Ling Yuefeng’s faces froze. They had both been prepared to be condemned by Yun Che and the Azure Wind Imperial Family, and to pay a heavy price, but what they received was this kind of “forgiveness.” This forgiveness left them astonished, ashamed, embarrassed, and utterly mortified.

Ling Tianni closed his eyes, a wave of pain washing over his face. Although, facing the immensely powerful Divine Phoenix Empire, closing the villa was the wisest course of action—even if the entire villa had mobilized, it would have been impossible to protect the Azure Wind Imperial Family, only leading to the villa's destruction. However, regardless of the reasons or so-called difficulties, their indifference and betrayal were undeniable facts.

“Empress Cang Yue is exceptionally wise and magnanimous. Her current prestige far surpasses that of the former emperor, and her future achievements are certainly limitless. Azure Wind is fortunate to have such a new ruler; it is a blessing of a century. I, Ling Tianni, have always lived with a clear conscience… but due to a moment of hesitation, I ultimately failed the Azure Wind Imperial Family, the Ice Cloud Asgard, and my own ancestors of Heavenly Sword.” Ling Tianni’s voice carried a sense of melancholy and hidden pain: “Though I am ashamed to face Empress Cang Yue again, a mistake once made cannot be compounded. Tomorrow, I will personally go to the Azure Wind Imperial City to apologize to Empress Cang Yue in person…”

“No need!” Yun Che raised a hand, mercilessly cutting off Ling Tianni’s words. “My Empress is working day and night; she has no time to see you, nor does she want to see you, or anyone from Heavenly Sword Villa for that matter! Ling Tianni, there’s no need for you to be hypocritical here. You can say these things now because the Azure Wind Imperial Family was saved. And let me tell you, with just one word from my Empress, I can flatten your Heavenly Sword Villa anytime! If the Azure Wind Imperial Family had been destroyed, and I were already dead… would you still be showing this face?!”

Ling Tianni’s lips trembled, but he had no words.

“Someone who was indifferent to his own country’s near destruction, and whose heart remained stone-cold despite my Empress’s nine desperate pleas for help, has long lost all sense of loyalty, integrity, and shame in my eyes. Your so-called self-reproach and apologies are worthless in my eyes, not even fit to be a joke!” Yun Che’s gaze was icy, and his voice was bone-chilling, utterly devoid of mercy. “If, during these past three years, even if you disregarded the peril of Azure Wind’s destruction, you had simply used your own power to help the Azure Wind Imperial Family, or even just sent people to protect my Emperor father and my Empress’s safety, then today, the Azure Wind Imperial Family would be grateful to you, and I would be grateful to you! Whatever you lost during that time, I would repay tenfold without hesitation! In this life, I, Yun Che, have always repaid every grievance and returned every kindness!”

“But since you chose to be heartless, unrighteous, and shameless, then you have no one but yourselves to blame for today’s outcome! You should be even more grateful for my Empress’s benevolent heart, otherwise, after today, Heavenly Sword Villa would cease to exist in this world… Even Heavenly Might Sword Region wouldn’t be able to protect you!!”

Both Ling Tianni and Ling Yuefeng were figures of immense influence in Azure Wind Nation, never having been publicly insulted in such a manner. But facing Yun Che’s utterly harsh words, they both tilted their heads back, closed their eyes, and remained silent, unable to refute… nor did they have the right to.

After all, although they had chosen selfishness and indifference during Azure Wind’s tribulation, they were not inherently shameless villains. On the contrary, both in their conduct and their sword arts, they adhered to the righteous path. These three years were perhaps the greatest shame and mistake of their lives.

Ling Tianni and Ling Yuefeng offered no rebuttal, but at that moment, an extremely grating female voice came from below: “Yun Che, you have some nerve. Not only do you insult my Heavenly Sword Villa, but you even dare to disregard Heavenly Might Sword Region. Who gave you such audacity?!”

Xuanyuan Yufeng soared into the air, landing to Ling Yuefeng’s right. Her rather beautiful face displayed a demeanor completely different from Ling Yuefeng’s. Her gaze towards Yun Che was filled with deep anger, hostility, and mockery.

“Xuanyuan Yufeng!” Yun Che’s eyes slowly narrowed. This woman before him was his true reason for coming to Heavenly Sword Villa today.

“Yufeng, this doesn’t concern you. Go down immediately,” Ling Yuefeng reprimanded softly. He knew Xuanyuan Yufeng’s temperament well, and Yun Che was certainly not someone who yielded to aggression.

“Doesn’t concern me?” Xuanyuan Yufeng sneered. “He already stated clearly that he didn’t come to condemn the Azure Wind Imperial Family. As for his true purpose for being here today… hah, the only name he shouted upon arrival was mine, Xuanyuan Yufeng! How could it not concern me?!”

Ling Yuefeng stiffened at her words, and then suddenly remembered that the phrase which had echoed through Heavenly Sword Villa upon Yun Che’s arrival was clearly…

“Xuanyuan Yufeng, get out here right now!!”

He had long been prepared for Yun Che’s arrival, believing he had surely come to condemn the Azure Wind Imperial Family… Instead, he had subconsciously overlooked that the person Yun Che had called out was precisely “Xuanyuan Yufeng,” and only “Xuanyuan Yufeng.”

“Xuanyuan Yufeng!” From the moment Xuanyuan Yufeng appeared, Yun Che’s gaze had been fixed on her. His eyes, and the aura emanating from him, had turned bone-chillingly cold. In the air, a murderous intent that could erupt at any moment was stirring. “Between us… there’s a big score to settle!!”

Towards Ling Yuefeng and Ling Tianni, Yun Che’s voice was contemptuous and dismissive. But the words he spoke to Xuanyuan Yufeng were filled with sinister undertones and murderous intent.

The sudden change in atmosphere immediately made Ling Yuefeng realize that the situation was far from ordinary… even exceptionally unusual! Resentment, chilling cold, murderous intent—he clearly felt all of it. He quickly stepped forward, saying, “Yun Che, there must be some misunderstanding here! My wife, ever since she married into Heavenly Sword Villa, has almost never left the mountain gate, nor has she ever interfered with matters outside the villa. Furthermore, my wife and you have only met once, six years ago, and haven’t even exchanged a single word. How could there be any enmity between you?”

“Moreover, all decisions made over the years were determined by me, as the Villa Master, and have no connection whatsoever to my wife… There must be a misunderstanding here!”

Ling Yuefeng wasn’t merely trying to protect her. He knew best what Xuanyuan Yufeng had done over the years. Since marrying into Heavenly Sword Villa, she had almost never stepped outside the villa. The only times she had left in recent years were to return to Heavenly Might Sword Region, and he had accompanied her every single time… He truly couldn’t fathom how Xuanyuan Yufeng could have angered Yun Che, especially to such an extent that it appeared to be a profound grievance.

“Misunderstanding?” Yun Che clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white. “Xuanyuan Yufeng! You know better than anyone whether this is a misunderstanding! Today, I don’t need any explanation from Heavenly Sword Villa, but as for you…”

Before he finished speaking, Yun Che, incandescent with rage, surged forward, his eyes like cold stars, his hand like an eagle’s claw, reaching directly for Xuanyuan Yufeng’s neck.

“Stop!” Ling Yuefeng and Ling Tianni cried out in alarm simultaneously. They were still wondering what kind of grievance could exist between Yun Che and Xuanyuan Yufeng, never expecting him to suddenly attack, and with such vicious intent.

Ling Yuefeng and Ling Tianni moved to block Yun Che from left and right. However, six years ago, their power had been an insurmountable mountain to Yun Che; today, the situation was completely reversed. They had only taken half a step forward, without even extending their arms, when they were violently pushed back by the wave of energy from Yun Che… unable to resist even slightly.

Just then, a piercing, heart-shattering sound of air being rent sharply rang out. A potent sword qi, so substantial it seemed almost tangible, shot up from below. One moment it was still a hundred zhang away, the next, as if it had crossed space itself, it abruptly stabbed towards Yun Che’s face.

Clang!

Yun Che’s body spun sharply, unleashing the full force of his already prepared profound energy forward. With a hiss, the space before him twisted, and the sword qi’s trajectory bent drastically, shooting past Yun Che and behind him. Yun Che himself was forced back, returning to Feng Xue’er’s side. His eyes coldly fixed on the two figures who had appeared below: “You two finally decided to show yourselves. I thought Heavenly Might Sword Region was just a bunch of cowardly scoundrels.”

Yun Che harbored deep resentment towards Heavenly Might Sword Region, so he spoke without reservation.

“Hehehehe…”

Amidst tranquil laughter, two elderly men of similar age slowly floated up into the air, standing to Xuanyuan Yufeng’s left and right. One was dressed in green robes, the other in gray. On their backs, they each carried a long sword, one green and one gray. Their gazes were as sharp and cold as sword glints, and the profound energy naturally emanating from them was as vast and boundless as a mighty ocean.

Despite Yun Che’s insulting words directed at Heavenly Might Sword Region, they showed no anger. The green-robed elder’s gaze lingered on Yun Che for a moment, then he nodded slightly and said with a faint smile: “Though this old man has long resided in the Sword Region, Yun Che’s name has become widely known these past days, like thunder. I had hoped to witness your prowess at the Demon Sword Convention two months from now, but to unexpectedly meet you here is also a stroke of luck.”

“Elders.” Ling Tianni and Ling Yuefeng, their energies still in disarray from Yun Che’s previous attack, seeing the two elders in green and gray appear, quickly pressed their hands to their chests and bowed in greeting. For Heavenly Sword Villa, these were two utterly transcendent figures whom they could not afford to disrespect.

But Yun Che was completely different from them. Even though he knew they were from Heavenly Might Sword Region, and very likely elders, his face remained sullen: “A stroke of luck? If it’s a stroke of luck, then what was the meaning of your attack just now? Since you’ve heard of my name, Yun Che, then have you also heard that I am extremely… vengeful!”