Chapter 805: No-mind Soul-snatching Gu

“It was indeed the Heaven's Might Sword Region! Those bastards!” Xia Yuanba was furious and was about to charge forward.

“Don't move!” Yun Che grabbed Xia Yuanba. His eyes and face were extremely grim, and the rage in his heart was close to exploding. “Yuanba, listen to me. From now on, you must distance yourself from me! No matter what happens later, don't worry about me or Xiao Yun. It's best if you don't say a single word.”

“What?” Xia Yuanba's eyes widened, and he shook his head resolutely. “Brother-in-law, I've been cultivating desperately all these years precisely so I wouldn't hold you back. If we ever face difficulties, I'd at least be qualified to stand by your side... How could I abandon you to save myself? If that's the case, I'd rather die here.”

“No, I'm not trying to save you!” Yun Che's expression grew darker. “Look closely at Xiao Yun's current state!”

Released by Xuanyuan Guxing, Xiao Yun still stood there, not having fallen. His eyes were open, indicating his strength and consciousness were still present. However, his open eyes were unfocused and devoid of color, his entire face vacant and dazed, as if his soul had been taken.

“He's been poisoned with a Gu!” Yun Che said bitterly. “And the one who administered the Gu poison must be that black-robed man standing nearby!”

“Gu poison?” Xia Yuanba asked.

“On my first day arriving at the Sea Palace, when Grand Elder Mo Chenfeng took me to see the Sea Emperor, I saw that black-robed man. According to Mo Chenfeng, his title is 'Ghost Fiend Poison Immortal,' renowned as the foremost poison user on the Profound Sky Continent. He's here at the Supreme Ocean Palace precisely because the Heaven's Might Sword Region invited him!” Yun Che's teeth were almost ground to dust. “I was curious then why the Heaven's Might Sword Region would invite such a person to the Devil Sword Convention. It turns out it was to... target Xiao Yun and use him against me!”

“What kind of Gu poison are you talking about? Is it to poison Xiao Yun and force you to comply?” Xia Yuanba asked urgently.

“No!” Yun Che shook his head. “If it were simply for poison threats, the Heaven's Might Sword Region wouldn't need this Ghost Fiend Poison Immortal at all. If I'm not mistaken, the Gu poison Xiao Yun was afflicted with is a mind-controlling one. It makes him lose all willpower, causing him to answer truthfully no matter what he's asked!”

“What!?” Xia Yuanba was greatly startled. For Yun Che, this was far more terrifying than any lethal poison. If the fact that Yun Che's “master” was fictitious were exposed, he would at most face retaliation from the Sun and Moon Divine Hall. But if his identity as a Phantom Demon from the Yun family's young master were revealed, he would become the target of the Four Sacred Grounds and even the entire Profound Sky Continent!

“So, everything Xiao Yun knows, Xuanyuan Wentian must already know! He's bringing Xiao Yun up now, clearly intending to expose all my secrets through Xiao Yun's mouth, right in front of everyone!” Yun Che took a deep breath. The situation was indeed developing in the worst direction he had anticipated.

Currently, he could only pray that the matter of the Primordial Profound Ark hadn't been exposed. If not, he still had a slim hope of seizing Xiao Yun using the Star God Broken Shadow at a crucial moment and then escaping via the Primordial Profound Ark...

However, Jasmine was still reforming her body, and he couldn't leave her for too long beyond a twenty-mile radius. Even if he succeeded, after bringing Xiao Yun to safety, he would have to return here.

“But why would Xuanyuan Wentian do this? Brother-in-law doesn't have any major grievances with the Heaven's Might Sword Region. Is it just because of Xuanyuan Jue's matter?” Xia Yuanba asked, puzzled.

“Hmph, Xuanyuan Jue's trivial matter isn't enough for Xuanyuan Wentian to personally go to such lengths to set up this trap.” Yun Che sneered, “His goal is to seize my...”

Yun Che's words were cut short as his brow suddenly furrowed... Wait! The only thing on me worth Xuanyuan Wentian's elaborate scheming is the Samsara Mirror. If he's after the Samsara Mirror, why wouldn't he keep it a secret from the other three Sacred Grounds, and instead, secretly target me or those around me to force it out, rather than exposing it publicly?

Once the other three Sacred Grounds also learned I possessed the Samsara Mirror, it would be utterly impossible for the Heaven's Might Sword Region to “monopolize” it!

His brief confusion gave way to no time for further thought. He said in a deep voice, “Yuanba, this time is different. Once my Phantom Demon Realm identity is revealed, not only you, but even the entire Supreme Ocean Palace wouldn't be able to protect me. It would only drag you in for no value whatsoever! If you distance yourself from me, even if Xuanyuan Wentian intends to target you, you just have to insist you knew nothing, and with the Supreme Ocean Palace's protection, you definitely won't get entangled...”

“No!!” Xia Yuanba gritted his teeth.

Yun Che snapped, “Then if I fall into the Heaven's Might Sword Region's hands, who will save me!?”

“Huh?” Xia Yuanba froze.

Yun Che said slowly, “Don't worry, it's not necessarily a dead end. I have a certain degree of confidence in escaping via the Primordial Profound Ark. If I can't, and I fall into Xuanyuan Wentian's hands, you and Xue'er can still rescue me! But if you and Xue'er also get dragged in, then there won't be even a glimmer of hope left, understand?”

“...” Xia Yuanba remained silent, his teeth clenching audibly.

Sea Emperor Qu Fengyi glanced at Xiao Yun. “Sword Master Xuanyuan, who is this person?” So young, yet already a Tyrant Emperor—his talent was certainly extraordinary. But this definitely wasn't why Xuanyuan Wentian brought him forward.

Moreover, his state clearly indicated his mind was being controlled.

Xuanyuan Wentian said with a smile, “This person is only around twenty years old, yet his profound strength has already reached the Tyrant Profound Realm. Even in our Sacred Grounds, he would be considered top-tier talent. Logically, with such age and cultivation, and not being from our Sacred Grounds, he should have already become renowned throughout the world. Yet, all you profound masters present here likely find his appearance quite unfamiliar, isn't that a bit strange?”

Heavenly Monarch Ye Mei Xie appeared quite interested. “To be worthy of Sword Master Xuanyuan personally 'inviting' him out, this person's identity must be quite extraordinary. I'd like to hear more.”

Within the Heaven's Might Sword Region, many eyes darted towards Yun Che, their faces showing enigmatic sneers.

Yun Che's hands clenched tighter and tighter. In truth, now was the optimal moment for him to escape using the Primordial Profound Ark. However, Xuanyuan Wentian showed no intention of restraining him first, clearly unafraid that he would flee... He apparently had a complete grasp of Yun Che's character.

Xuanyuan Wentian said with a faint smile, “This person's name is Xiao Yun, and he currently resides in a small city called Flowing Cloud City, located in the east of the Azure Cloud Nation. Does the name Flowing Cloud City sound familiar? Few people knew about this small city previously, but because of a certain individual, it has become famous in recent years. Yes, it's the Flowing Cloud City where Yun Che, Palace Master Yun, was born and grew up.”

“However, the connection between these two isn't just Flowing Cloud City. Many know that sixteen years ago, Yun Che's surname wasn't Yun, but Xiao. He only changed his surname to Yun after learning he was an adopted son, not a biological one. And this Xiao Yun, his surname wasn't Xiao before; it was Yun... his name was Yun Xiao! Tsk, tsk, what a marvelous coincidence.”

Supreme Monarch Wuyu glanced up and down at Xiao Yun, then said indifferently, “What exactly is this person's identity, Sword Master Xuanyuan? Just state it directly.”

Xuanyuan Wentian, still smiling broadly, turned to Supreme Monarch Wuyu and said, “In that case, I won't keep you in suspense. This person is not from the Profound Sky Continent; he is from... the Phantom Demon Realm!”

“What!?” As soon as Xuanyuan Wentian uttered these words, the entire audience erupted in an uproar. The faces of those from the Four Sacred Grounds, especially, changed color simultaneously.

Xia Yuanba's muscles bulged, his profound energy threatening to burst forth at any moment. Yun Che gripped his arm firmly with one hand. “Don't make any rash moves!”

Supreme Monarch Wuyu frowned deeply. “A demon from the Phantom Demon Realm? How did he come to the Profound Sky Continent? Why were we completely unaware?”

Xuanyuan Wentian smiled faintly. “Brother Huangji, do you recall that twenty-six years ago, Yun Qinghong and his wife, from the Yun Family—the head of the Phantom Demon Realm's twelve guardian families—used a spatial forbidden artifact called the 'Void Breaking Ring' to stealthily infiltrate our Profound Sky Continent, completely undetected by us? Their purpose in infiltrating was to rescue the demon Yun Canghai, who had fallen into our hands a century ago and was guarded by my Sword Region. Fortunately, someone informed us of Yun Qinghong and his wife's whereabouts, allowing us to prepare in advance, setting up ambushes in the Sword Region and around the area where Yun Canghai was confined. However, the couple proved quite cunning; they sensed the danger and suddenly withdrew before fully entering the ambush, eventually escaping.”

Yun Che remained silent, his expression serene. Yet, almost every cell in his body was filled with coldness and fury... The person who had revealed his parents' whereabouts to the Heaven's Might Sword Region back then was naturally the Ming King.

“Subsequently, my Sword Region, along with the Divine Hall, pursued Yun Qinghong and his wife for three full years, but they ultimately escaped back to the Phantom Demon Realm. During those three years, the couple unexpectedly had a child, and later they continued their flight with the newborn infant... It's just that at the time, we never imagined that although Yun Qinghong and his wife returned to the Phantom Demon Realm, their child was left behind on the Profound Sky Continent.”

As Xuanyuan Wentian finished these words, his gaze settled on Yun Che's face, a seemingly harmless faint smile playing on his lips.

Ye Mei Xie said coldly, “Are you saying this Xiao Yun is the son of Yun Qinghong and his wife?” Yun Qinghong's name was rarely known on the Profound Sky Continent, but among the Four Sacred Grounds, it resonated like thunder. This was because he was by no means an ordinary “demon.”

His son, naturally, was also an extraordinary “demon.”

“No, no, no,” Xuanyuan Wentian slowly shook his head. “If it were merely that, then this grand spectacle would be too boring. As for what truly happened, let's just ask him ourselves.”

Xuanyuan Wentian turned to face Xiao Yun. “To uncover the complete truth, I specifically invited the renowned Ghost Fiend Poison Immortal from the Ghost Fiend Nation. The Ghost Fiend Poison Immortal is hailed as the foremost poison user on the Profound Sky Continent, and among poisons, he is particularly skilled in Gu poison.”

Supreme Monarch Wuyu slightly raised an eyebrow, seemingly quite displeased with Gu poison. “In other words, this young man's current state is due to some form of Gu poison?”

“Precisely. This Gu poison is a mind-controlling one. Although the method is somewhat dishonorable, this matter involves the Phantom Demon Realm and potentially concerns the safety of our Profound Sky Continent, so it was unavoidable.” Xuanyuan Wentian's gaze shifted. “Ghost Fiend Poison Immortal, can you truly guarantee that this Soul-Seizing Gu you administered is foolproof?”

The withered figure cloaked in black robes emitted a harsh, grating, and utterly unpleasant voice. “Sword Master, please rest assured. Under this old one's 'Mindless Soul-Seizing Gu,' he has completely lost his faculties, and his spirit will have no defenses whatsoever. At this moment, no matter what anyone asks him, he will answer truthfully, without a single word of falsehood or concealment. This old one has toyed with Gu poisons for hundreds of years; if such a simple Gu poison could fail, how could I be worthy of the title 'Ghost Fiend Poison Immortal'? Heheheh...”

“Very good.” Xuanyuan Wentian nodded slowly. “Then I, the Sword Master, will personally question him. I believe what we learn from his mouth will undoubtedly be a great surprise to all of you.”

Yun Che: “............”

Xiao Yun stood there blankly, his eyes open but dim like those of a dead fish, resembling a living corpse without a soul.

His current state was exactly like someone whose soul had been extracted by profound energy, having lost all spiritual defenses.

The difference, however, was that profound energy soul extraction would eventually dissipate on its own. But a person afflicted with Gu poison, if not cured by the one who administered it, would remain in that state for life, making it utterly vicious!