Chapter 815: Practice Knife Stone

The Supreme Ocean Palace was filled with dread. She hadn't killed Xuanyuan Wentian or Ye Meixie, but judging by her words, she clearly intended to kill Qu Fengyi! Qu Fengyi was even more terrified and couldn't utter a single word. For anyone on the Profound Sky Continent to kill her would be harder than ascending to heaven, but if Jasmine wanted to kill her, even the combined might of the Four Sacred Grounds wouldn't be able to stop her for an instant.

At this moment, Zi Ji rushed out in a hurry, pleading, "Se... Senior, the Ocean Sovereign did act with selfish intentions and made a grave mistake, but... her crime is not punishable by death. If Senior intends to kill her, may this junior offer a few humble words first?" "Not punishable by death?" Jasmine sharply turned her head. Under her gaze, Zi Ji's legs weakened, and he immediately knelt on one knee, his heart filled with extreme dread: "Qu Fengyi tried to harm Yun Che and seize his Samsara Mirror; her intentions were malicious and greedy, and you say her crime is not punishable by death. When Yun Che was unjustly forced into a death trap, why didn't you utter a sound? Could it be that the life of my princess's disciple is more worthless than this woman's?"

"No, no, no," Zi Ji stammered, shaking his head, "This junior would not dare... Even if I had a thousand guts, I would never dare to conceive of such a thing..." Under the oppressive might that almost made him collapse, Zi Ji didn't dare to look into Jasmine's eyes. He steeled himself and scrambled to Yun Che's side, pushing a blue profound jade into his hand: "Yun... Palace Master Yun, look at this..." This was a valuable Profound Image Stone. As the engraved image was released, Yun Che immediately recognized the location: the eastern part of Azure Cloud Imperial City, where a massive Divine Phoenix army was advancing from west to east, sweeping towards the city. And the person blocking this Divine Phoenix army... was none other than Number One Under Heaven.

In the image, Number One Under Heaven confronted the Phoenix Flames unleashed with full force by the accompanying elders of the Phoenix army. He released powerful hurricane profound energy, rolling the flames back towards the Divine Phoenix army. As Number One Under Heaven unleashed his full power, his previously hidden Elfin Wings spread out clearly... "You..." Yun Che's brows furrowed. At that moment, he finally understood why Zi Ji had suddenly asked him in a peculiar tone, "Have you heard of the Twelve Guardian Families of the Illusory Demon Realm?" when he last left the Black Moon Merchant Guild.

"That's right!" Zi Ji quickly said, "Actually, from that time, I knew he was from the Illusory Demon Realm, and you must have returned from there too... Besides this Profound Image Stone, our Ocean Palace, just like the Heavenly Sword Villa, has many informants in Demon Imperial City. Only two of us have seen this Profound Image Stone: myself and the Ocean Sovereign. But we never exposed your identity, nor did we ever inform anyone else. If the Ocean Sovereign truly harbored ill intentions towards you, why would she have acted this way? Today, it was merely due to the circumstances; as the Ocean Sovereign, she had no choice but to act as she did." "Palace Master Yun, please consider this situation and allow... allow your respected master to show mercy and forgive the Ocean Sovereign. My Supreme Ocean Palace will forever remember this kindness, never to forget it. From now on, whatever Palace Master Yun and your respected master may request, our Ocean Palace will spare no effort, even if it costs us our lives..."

In Yun Che's impression, Zi Ji was like an ancient well of ten thousand years, with an extraordinary temperament, containing within him countless rivers. But now, his eyes were full of pleading, and he was fully kneeling before Yun Che... because in the face of absolutely overwhelming power and the opponent's cruel and heartless methods, all he could do was beg. The Profound Image Stone shattered in Yun Che's hand. He sighed, "Senior Zi, please rise. Rest assured, if my master truly intended to kill the Ocean Sovereign, she would have already done so."

"..." Jasmine's lips twitched. She glared fiercely at Yun Che, then suddenly flung her small hand forward. *Slap!!!!!* On the Sea God Stage, the loudest slap anyone had ever heard in their lives echoed. Over a hundred feet away, Qu Fengyi let out a wretched scream as she was struck by a slap seemingly from thin air. Her body, clad in a sea-blue palace gown, flew horizontally like a rapidly spinning top, rolling dozens of times after landing before finally coming to a stop precariously at the edge of the Sea God Stage. Qu Fengyi lay prostrate on the ground, spitting out over a dozen mouthfuls of blood, each bringing out one or two teeth... All her teeth were shattered, with not a single one remaining.

"Ocean... Ocean Sovereign!" The Venerables and Elders, their hearts pounding with fear, rushed over with cries of alarm. "Who dares to help her!!" Jasmine's cold shout—just four short words—struck the Ocean Palace members like a bolt of lightning, freezing them all in place, their feet no longer daring to move an inch.

"Hmph!" Jasmine sneered, "A lowly person with a lowly heart and a lowly life, yet still claiming to be the Ocean Sovereign—what a joke." Jasmine's words were not entirely due to simple disgust and mockery. From her perspective, the Profound Sky Continent was indeed a humble and lowly plane. In the entire Profound Sky Continent, no one, apart from Yun Che, was worthy of her attention. If not to vent Yun Che's anger, she would never have bothered to humiliate and kill these people... because it would stain her status and hands.

As her cold voice fell, her gaze landed on Huangji Wuyu. The miserable state of Xuanyuan Wentian, Ye Meixie, and Qu Fengyi was right before their eyes; though none of them had died, they had all completely lost their lifelong prestige and dignity. So when Jasmine's gaze fell upon him, Huangji Wuyu trembled violently, his face alternating between ashen and pale.

Jasmine looked at Huangji Wuyu, a faint, chilling sneer playing on her lips, making his entire body go cold and his soul convulse. Then, she averted her gaze and said indifferently, "Do you know why I'm not killing you? On this continent, you are the so-called Sacred Masters, but to this princess, millions more or millions fewer people like you make no difference! Forget the Four Sacred Grounds; even if there were ten million Sacred Grounds, it would only take a flick of my finger for this princess to annihilate them."

Every word Jasmine spoke was utterly shocking to everyone present... Yet, they had all witnessed firsthand her ability to blast open space for dozens of miles with a casual wave of her hand, and to destroy the Northern Region of the Heavenly Sword Villa from seventy thousand miles away. With her power, akin to an ancient devil god, these terrifying words were no exaggeration for her.

"But leaving your lives intact still has some use," Jasmine said, her gaze sweeping across the entire hall. Instead of dealing with Huangji Wuyu, she walked back to Yun Che's side. "Though it would be as easy as flipping my hand for this princess to kill you all, my disciple Yun Che is not yet your match. You are, after all, considered the strongest individuals on this continent. If all of you were dead, Yun Che would have no opponents, which would hinder his growth. The four of you, keep your necks clean and live well! Once his strength is sufficient, whoever among you he wants dead shall die!"

Huangji Wuyu, Qu Fengyi, Ye Meixie, and Xuanyuan Wentian's gazes, trembling, focused on Yun Che... Indeed, with Jasmine's power, killing them was no different from stepping on an ant. Yet, despite her ruthless actions, she hadn't taken their lives, intending for Yun Che to be the one to kill them! She meant for the Four Sacred Masters to serve as Yun Che's whetstones! This meant that from this moment on, their lives were in Yun Che's hands! Once Yun Che's strength surpassed theirs, he could kill them at any time to vent the hatred of this day. And with Jasmine, a devil god-like master, guiding him, that day would not be far off. Furthermore, as long as Jasmine existed, there was no way for them to escape this fate.

"What's more," Jasmine's gaze grew colder, and her voice became even more sinister, causing the temperature throughout the world to plummet: "Among you, many harbor significant grudges against Yun Che. Revenge, of course, must be exacted personally!" A chilling, forest-like coldness crept up the spines of the Four Sacred Masters, into their very marrow, and spread to every corner of their bodies and souls... especially for Xuanyuan Wentian and Ye Meixie. For besides the resentment born today, they also had long-standing feuds with Yun Che.

Therefore, if they wished to live, what they absolutely had to do was desperately curry favor with Yun Che—to the utmost extent! Otherwise, not only their lives as Four Sacred Masters but even their respective Sacred Grounds could face utter destruction. Jasmine reached out, grasping Yun Che's sleeve, and said in a deep voice, "Qu Fengyi, the environment of your Ocean Palace is quite pleasant. Yun Che is injured, so this princess intends to stay here for one more day. During this time, it would be best if this princess did not see anything displeasing, hmph!" "Yun Che, let's go, back to where we stayed last night." Jasmine said, full of pride.

"Alright!" Yun Che nodded, picking up Xiao Yun. "Xue'er, Yuanba, let's go." "Wait... wait, Yun Che, please stay for a moment." The terrifying devil-god girl was about to leave, and everyone... especially those from the Extreme Emperor Sanctuary, let out a massive sigh of relief. But then a voice suddenly called out to them, startling everyone, who quickly looked towards the source, wondering who dared to stop this terrifying devil—even if he was calling out to Yun Che.

The one who called out was none other than Feng Hengkong. Yun Che turned around and asked, "Phoenix Sect Master, what else do you need?" Feng Hengkong quickly walked over and stood beside Feng Xue'er, though he dared not look at Jasmine. He spoke in a rushed tone: "Yun Che, I... *cough*, when I entrusted Xue'er to you five months ago, I said that when Xue'er reached the age of twenty, if she still had feelings for you, I would agree to your engagement... This was also to fulfill the condition set by Empress Cang Yue. For the past five months, Xue'er has been by your side, and now, in nineteen days, she will turn twenty. Xue'er is still deeply in love with you; I heard that when you were trapped in the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest, she guarded you tearfully every day, unwilling to leave for even a moment. If your feelings for Xue'er are as they were, then in nineteen days, on the day she turns twenty, we shall formalize your engagement. What do you say?"

Upon hearing the last sentence, Feng Ximing, who was behind them, swayed and his eyes nearly split open. However, the terrifying red figure beside Yun Che prevented him from making even the slightest sound, his tightly clenched hands threatening to crush his bones.

Yun Che instantly understood... This old fox had clearly witnessed Jasmine's formidable power and was shamelessly trying to cling to their influence! If Feng Xue'er married Yun Che, then even if the truth of the Phoenix God's death became public, no one in the world would dare to touch the Divine Phoenix Sect. Feng Tianwei and Feng Zukui's eyes gleamed, filled with both apprehension and hope, fearing that Yun Che might not agree.

Feng Xue'er naturally understood Feng Hengkong's intention at once. She nervously interjected, "Father, this matter..." "Xue'er," just as Feng Xue'er began to speak, Yun Che already took her small hand. He solemnly told Feng Hengkong, "I, Yun Che, will never betray Xue'er's affection for me throughout my life. If the Phoenix Sect Master is willing to betroth Xue'er to me, I am, of course, more than willing."

"Big Brother Yun..." Feng Xue'er murmured softly, lowering her head, her eyes misting over. "Hahahaha," Feng Hengkong's tense nerves immediately relaxed, and he couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Good! Excellent, I, Feng Hengkong, certainly didn't misjudge him." Then, he turned around and loudly announced, "Distinguished guests from the Sacred Grounds and the Seven Nations, my daughter Feng Xue'er and Yun Che have been deeply in love for several years, and an engagement was already agreed upon months ago. Now, my daughter will turn twenty in nineteen days. Nineteen days from now, our sect will host a grand engagement banquet in Phoenix City, and we cordially invite all of you to honor us with your presence!"

"!#￥...Damn that old fox!" Yun Che cursed inwardly. As expected of the greatest emperor of the Seven Nations, his shamelessness was thicker than the walls of Divine Phoenix City. "Father!" Feng Xue'er was half-shy and half-anxious, but Feng Hengkong had already shouted out impatiently, leaving her utterly helpless.

Before today, if Feng Hengkong had extended an invitation, even for a grand wedding banquet, the major powers of the Seven Nations might have sent relatively important figures. As for the Four Sacred Grounds, merely having an elder attend would have been considered giving great face—most often, only mid-to-high-level figures like Ji Qianrou or Ling Kun would have gone. Let alone just an engagement ceremony.

But this time, the situation was entirely different. Because the one getting engaged to Princess Xue was Yun Che! Setting aside the Seven Nations, even the Four Sacred Grounds... if they wanted to survive, they would have to curry favor with Yun Che to the utmost before he grew powerful. And an engagement banquet was, of course, an excellent opportunity. Even a fool could figure out that the Four Sacred Masters would absolutely attend in person, without exception, and they would undoubtedly bring lavish gifts, trembling with nervousness. Unless they wished to die.

It was just like how smaller factions behaved when facing the Four Sacred Grounds. Naturally, as soon as Feng Hengkong finished speaking, the Sea God Stage fell silent for a moment, followed by an overwhelming chorus of agreements and even flattering remarks: "Congratulations, Phoenix Sect Master! We will definitely be there, definitely!" "This old man will certainly bring his entire family then. Congratulations, congratulations..." "Princess Xue and Palace Master Yun are a match made in heaven; this calls for universal celebration! Missing such an enviable event would surely be a lifelong regret." "Phoenix Sect Master, to have such a wonderful daughter and gain such an excellent son-in-law, truly... truly enviable!" "May I ask the Phoenix Sect Master what your esteemed daughter and Palace Master Yun prefer? This junior would like to prepare accordingly."

In the blink of an eye, the various hegemons of the Profound Sky Continent surrounded Feng Hengkong like stars revolving around the moon. Jasmine glanced back, let out a cold snort, and flew away in a huff. "Xue'er, Yuanba, let's go." Yun Che picked up Xiao Yun and hastily followed behind Jasmine. This time, Jasmine didn't get angry and curse, which meant she was giving him a lot of face.

Strange, she already knew everything about Xue'er and me, so why is she suddenly angry again? Could it be... no way... is she jealous? ...Theoretically, that shouldn't be possible... right? Also, why does Jasmine want to stay at the Supreme Ocean Palace for one more day? If it's for his recovery, wouldn't Returning Cloud City or the Ice Cloud Immortal Palace be better?

As Yun Che pondered distractedly, he failed to control his speed and bumped straight into Xia Yuanba's back. Xia Yuanba turned around, his eyes wide, and asked, "Brother-in-law, what's wrong?" "Oh... nothing, just a bit absent-minded. Xiao Yun should be waking up soon. Let's head back to the Grand Sovereign Cloud Palace quickly." Yun Che said, waving his hand.

Meanwhile, with Jasmine's departure, the oppressive, chilling, and blood-tinged atmosphere on the Sea God Stage finally eased. Huangji Wuyu, the only Sacred Master not punished by Jasmine, was completely drenched in cold sweat from every corner of his robes. His unharmed state gave him a lingering feeling of rebirth after a catastrophe. The terror in his heart lingered for a long time, but as his mind calmed, he realized that the main reason for his safety was Xia Yuanba. Additionally, Gu Cang had also interceded for Yun Che earlier... he was the only one among the Four Sacred Grounds, apart from Xia Yuanba, who had spoken up for Yun Che.

On the other side, Xuanyuan Wentian had been helped up by the people from the Heavenly Sword Villa. Xuanyuan Wendao's face was still pale, and he asked tearfully and painfully, "Father, what do we do now... what do we do...?" Xuanyuan Wentian's injury was only to his right arm; though it was bloody and mangled, no bones were broken. For someone of his level, it was not a severe injury and would heal within ten days to half a month. But far more terrifying than the physical wound was the fear and humiliation etched into his soul like a curse. He gasped heavily, saying hoarsely, "Go... let's go!" The Devil Sword Convention had been orchestrated by him; everything had proceeded and concluded perfectly according to his expectations... but ultimately, due to Jasmine's appearance, it had ended in complete failure.

After descending from the Sea God Stage, the Heavenly Sword Villa and the Sun Moon Divine Hall both left directly, looking utterly dejected, without greeting anyone. The Extreme Emperor Sanctuary, however, did not leave... because Jasmine was residing in the Grand Sovereign Cloud Palace, where they were staying, leaving them no courage to depart immediately. As for the Supreme Ocean Palace, it remained in a state of trepidation. Because Jasmine intended to stay one more day.