Chapter 762: Goodbye Ling Jie

"Yun Che, release my mother!"

Amidst the loud roar, a young man dressed in white soared from a distance. He held the Heavenly Duck Sword, his entire body emanating sword intent, and charged towards Yun Che, who was holding Xuan Yuan Yufeng captive, at his fastest speed.

"Ling Yun?" Yun Che's gaze shifted sideways. Immediately, he saw the person closely following Ling Yun... He appeared slightly younger than Ling Yun, but his physique was similar. What was once a face full of childishness and assertiveness now held more of the cold sternness and steadfastness of maturity.

"Xiao Jie..." Yun Che murmured softly, his expression instantly becoming incredibly complex. The person he least wanted to encounter on this visit to Heavenly Sword Villa was Ling Jie.

After several years apart, Ling Yun's profound strength had advanced by leaps and bounds, breaking through to the Sky Profound Realm. Ling Jie, greatly favored by Xuan Yuan Jue, had made even more rapid progress under Xuan Yuan Jue's tireless personal tutelage. Yun Che could see at a glance that Ling Jie had not only entered the Sky Profound Realm but his power was now almost on par with Ling Yun. In a short time, he would undoubtedly surpass Ling Yun entirely.

"Yun'er! Jie'er! Don't go!" Ling Yuefeng cried out, extending his hand. During the Cangfeng Ranking Tournament years ago, Ling Yun and Yun Che were opponents on the same level. But now, even ten thousand Ling Yuns daring to provoke Yun Che would be courting death.

Ling Yun paid no heed. His Heavenly Duck Sword swept out a half-zhang long sword light, fiercely thrusting towards Yun Che. He and Ling Jie had been practicing swordsmanship in the back mountains. Upon receiving news of distinguished guests from the Heavenly Might Sword Region, they had rushed back to the Villa. Along the way, they noticed extremely unusual air currents and noises. As soon as they returned, they witnessed Xuan Yuan Yufeng being held captive by Yun Che.

Ling Yun was enraged, but Ling Jie's emotions were far more complex. Ever since he learned Yun Che was alive, he had been ecstatic, overjoyed, countless times barely able to restrain himself from seeking Yun Che out. Today, he finally saw him, but the scene before him made his mind explode. He followed behind Ling Yun, but his speed grew increasingly slow, his whole being adrift in shock, confusion, panic, and helplessness.

As Ling Yun approached, Yun Che extended his other hand towards him... This action caused Ling Yuefeng to turn pale with shock, roaring, "Yun Che... stop!"

*Bang!* Before Ling Yuefeng's voice faded, Yun Che unleashed a palm strike. Instantly, a hundred-zhang wave of air was violently propelled, slamming into Ling Yun and Ling Jie, causing them to lose balance instantly. They tumbled several times in the air before falling to the ground.

Seeing Ling Yun and Ling Jie immediately get back up after falling, completely unharmed and with their aura undiminished, Ling Yuefeng's entire nervous system relaxed. He felt a wave of exhaustion, cold sweat pouring, and he spoke with a trembling voice, "Yun Che, what exactly do you want... What wrong has my wife committed?"

"Yun... Big Brother Yun, what... what happened? What's going on?" Ling Jie's face was filled with alarm and confusion. He also used a completely different address for Yun Che than before. He didn't even dare to believe that the Yun Che before him was truly Yun Che.

Yun Che ignored Ling Jie, and also completely disregarded Xuan Yuan Jiuding and Mu Yuanzhi, who were fully focused on healing their injuries. He fixed his gaze on Ling Yuefeng and said in a low voice, "The matter of Chu Yuechan's pregnancy back then was discovered at your Heavenly Sword Villa by someone named Granny Jiumu. At that time, besides Chu Yuechan, Granny Jiumu, Chu Yueli, and you, there was no one else present... So why did this matter become known to the entire world within just a few days, even before Chu Yuechan returned to the Frozen Cloud Asgard from your Heavenly Sword Villa?! Ling Yuefeng, even if you were ten times more foolish, you should have known the consequences for her if this matter spread. Did you take any steps to seal the news?!"

Yun Che's words made Ling Yuefeng's heart skip a beat. He quickly replied, "Of course, I understood the gravity of this matter. Fairy Yueli, needless to say, and Granny Jiumu, a physician for a hundred years, wouldn't breathe a single word. I've also been deeply puzzled as to why this matter spread..."

"Puzzled!?" Yun Che's gaze suddenly turned cold, piercing Ling Yuefeng's very soul like two daggers, making his voice and breath halt instantly. "Ling Yuefeng, you have always been known as a gentleman among swordsmen. This current display of trying to be deceitful truly doesn't suit you! Were the only people who knew about this that day truly just the four I mentioned? Did you not encounter someone who happened to overhear it that day? Who spread this matter and relentlessly fanned the flames until it was common knowledge? Do you truly have no answer in your heart?!"

Ling Yuefeng's lips trembled, and he remained speechless for a long time. From the very beginning, he knew this matter was Xuan Yuan Yufeng's doing, because no one else could have done it. But he had never confronted Xuan Yuan Yufeng, nor investigated to confirm it, nor even brought it up. Chu Yuechan having a child with another man had largely shattered his heart. As things stood, although he was angry at Xuan Yuan Yufeng's actions, he couldn't let their marital relationship deteriorate further. Instead, he had to try to mend it... After all, her father was an elder of the Heavenly Might Sword Region.

Later, he heard that shortly after Chu Yuechan returned to the Frozen Cloud Asgard, her profound energy was crippled, and she was expelled from the sect, never to be heard from again. The Frozen Cloud Asgard also closed its gates after that.

He knew very well that if the matter hadn't become universally known, causing unprecedented pressure on the Frozen Cloud Asgard for a thousand years, Chu Yuechan's status within the Frozen Cloud Asgard would have ensured she wouldn't be expelled from the palace, much less have her profound energy crippled, even if she had violated the rules.

"That's right... I did it!" Ling Yuefeng was stunned, but Xuan Yuan Yufeng shrieked, a twisted smile even appearing on her face. "That hussy... having committed such a disgraceful act herself, does she still have the right to demand everyone keep silent for her?! As for the consequences of it becoming known, that's the disgraceful act you and she committed, what does it have to do with me, hahaha..."

Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly as he said slowly, "Chu Yuechan and I are deeply in love, and our child is a gift from heaven. How is that a disgraceful act?! The word 'hussy' coming from your mouth doesn't anger me in the slightest; it only makes me laugh. I suppose you yourself know very well that those words wouldn't apply to Chu Yuechan in a hundred lifetimes, and for you, ten thousand wouldn't be enough!"

"You..." Yun Che tightened his grip, silencing Xuan Yuan Yufeng, and slowly said, "Xuan Yuan Yufeng, you should have been properly grateful to my Chu Yuechan; a lifetime of gratitude wouldn't be excessive. Because in your heart, you must know better than anyone else that if my Chu Yuechan had never given Ling Yuefeng a second glance, you wouldn't even be the Villa Master's wife; Ling Yuefeng probably wouldn't have given you a second look in his entire life! In terms of appearance, temperament, cultivation, or character, you and Chu Yuechan are like the difference between mud beneath one's feet and a Tianshan snow lotus! Yet, out of personal jealousy, you painstakingly plotted to drive her to her death... I, Yun Che, rarely kill women, but you, Xuan Yuan Yufeng, have successfully made me want to tear you into ten thousand pieces!!!"

"Yun Che!" The chilling murderous intent made Ling Yuefeng, dozens of yards away, feel as if he had fallen into an ice abyss. He urgently roared, "Regarding Fairy Bingchan, my wife was indeed greatly mistaken. But... women are inherently prone to jealousy, and her jealousy towards Fairy Bingchan also stemmed from me, Ling Yuefeng. So, fundamentally, all the fault lies with me, Ling Yuefeng! Furthermore..." Ling Yuefeng took a deep breath, clenching his teeth slightly. "Even if my wife was wrong, it was merely due to jealousy, spreading some truthful information, not malicious fabrication or slander. Her crime is absolutely not worthy of death... I beg you, please release my wife. I, Ling, will bear this crime alone, without complaint."

"Hmph, not worthy of death?" Yun Che cast a sidelong glance at him, his eyes growing increasingly sinister. "It seems you truly know nothing at all... Back then, after Chu Yuechan crippled her own profound energy and left the Frozen Cloud Asgard, she hadn't even managed to leave the Extreme Ice Snow Region before she was pursued by three people who had been waiting for a long time. And those three people were all from your Heavenly Sword Villa. You tell me 'not worthy of death'!?"

"Wh-what!?" Yun Che's words made Ling Yuefeng snap his head up, his pupils dilating. Ling Jie below also stiffened, unable to believe every word he heard.

"No... impossible! Impossible! My wife could never do such a thing, no one from my Heavenly Sword Villa could commit such an evil act, absolutely impossible! Absolutely impossible! This must be a huge misunderstanding..." Ling Yuefeng shook his head violently and roared, but his movements and voice unconsciously slowed down towards the end. He suddenly recalled that, years ago, on the very night the Frozen Cloud Asgard left the Villa, Xuan Yuan Yufeng personally dispatched three Heavenly Sword Elders to escort Ling Kun a thousand li away. At the time, he had been somewhat puzzled; with Ling Kun's strength, he didn't need an escort and wouldn't get lost, but in Ling Kun's presence, he naturally couldn't refuse or question it, and hadn't thought much about it afterward.

Could it be...?"Impossible? A huge misunderstanding? Hahahaha..." Yun Che laughed mockingly. "Xuan Yuan Yufeng, you had the guts to do it, do you have the guts to admit it?!"

"What's there to not admit?!" Xuan Yuan Yufeng shrieked, her twisted, pallid face showing little fear. Relying on her identity as the daughter of a Sword Region Elder, she remained convinced that Yun Che absolutely wouldn't dare kill her. Far from being intensely afraid, her voice and demeanor remained arrogant and haughty. "I only regret that those three good-for-nothings were incompetent and let that hussy escape... Ugh!"

Under Yun Che's sudden tightening grip, Xuan Yuan Yufeng's entire throat bone twisted completely, her eyeballs bulged, and she could no longer utter a single sound.

Xuan Yuan Yufeng's direct confession instantly shattered the last vestiges of hope and illusion Ling Yuefeng had clung to. His vision spun. "Yufeng, you... how could you... do such a thing..."

"It's not real... This can't be real..." Ling Jie collapsed to the ground, mumbling distractedly.

"Hmph, since you've admitted it... Very well, then you can die in peace!" The sneer and low tone vanished from Yun Che's face, replaced by emotionless indifference. A chilling, bone-piercing murderous intent rippled through the air.

This murderous intent startled both Mu Yuanzhi and Xuan Yuan Jiuding. Mu Yuanzhi could no longer bother with his injuries; he stepped forward and roared, "Yun Che! She is the daughter of Ninth Elder Xuan Yuan Jue's..."

"Shut your mouth!" Yun Che turned his head, his terrifying gaze actually making Mu Yuanzhi flinch. "I don't care who she is, nor who you are... Today, whoever dares to stop me from killing her, I will kill them! Mu Yuanzhi, the fifteenth elder of the Heavenly Might Sword Region... Hmph, I seem to recall that the Solar Divine Palace elder who died before me three months ago was also ranked fifteenth. Are you eager for me to send you to the Underworld to keep him company today?!"

Mu Yuanzhi felt a chill run through his body, and his form actually recoiled a step. He was enveloped by a coldness and murderous intent that made even a mid-stage Sovereign tremble to his core. If these words had come from anyone else, he would have merely laughed them off, but the person before him was Yun Che... a madman who had single-handedly killed two great Sovereigns of the Phoenix God Sect and nearly destroyed Phoenix City!

Perhaps Yun Che's own abilities alone couldn't kill him, but the Snow Princess beside him definitely could!

Beside him, Xuan Yuan Jiuding reached out and firmly grasped his arm, signaling with his eyes not to provoke Yun Che... Feng Xue'er, by Yun Che's side, had the power to keep them here permanently. Therefore, in this situation, even if they had to watch Xuan Yuan Yufeng die, it was absolutely not appropriate to threaten or anger Yun Che.

"No... no, please."

A pleading voice, trembling with pain. Below, Ling Jie was already on his knees, his Heavenly Duck Sword, which he cherished as his life, now drawn from its sheath. He looked up at Yun Che in the air, his face streaked with tears. "Big Brother Yun, my mother is absolutely not a malicious villain; she was just... truly just impulsive... I beg Big Brother Yun to spare my mother's life. Let my life atone for my mother's sin. Please, Big Brother Yun, grant my wish."

As his voice fell, the Heavenly Duck Sword flashed with a cold light, suddenly thrusting towards Ling Jie's throat.

"Jie'er!"

Ling Yuefeng and Ling Tianyi were greatly alarmed and rushed towards Ling Jie like madmen. Xuan Yuan Yufeng's pupils contracted even further, the last trace of color draining from her face in terror, leaving it utterly pallid...

*Clang!* A flash of fire descended from the sky, instantly blasting the Heavenly Duck Sword far away. At the same time, Yun Che dropped Xuan Yuan Yufeng from mid-air, and she crashed onto Ling Jie.

"Mo... Mother!"

"Yufeng!"

Ling Jie and Ling Yun hurriedly grabbed Xuan Yuan Yufeng's hands, still unable to believe their eyes in their excitement. Ling Tianyi and Ling Yuefeng also rushed over, gathering around the mother and her two sons.

"Xuan Yuan Yufeng..." Yun Che in the air had already turned his back, his expression unseen. His voice, however, remained cold, imbued with deep hatred: "From today onwards, you'd best pray desperately every day for the safety of their mother and son. Otherwise..."