Chapter 829: Threat

"Heheheh..." Instead of growing angry at Jasmine's cold mockery, Yuluo let out a charming laugh. She narrowed her enchanting eyes at Yun Che, then, with a twist of her sinuous waist, appeared as if teleporting directly in front of Jasmine. "Princess, not only has your appearance remained unchanged, but your temper hasn't changed a bit either. Our King was deeply saddened for a long time when he thought you had met with misfortune years ago."

"Saddened?" Jasmine's face showed cold indifference and mockery as her gaze darkened. "How did you find me?"

"Oh?" Yuluo's slender fingers lightly brushed her lips. "Didn't you tell me yourself, Princess?"

"..." Jasmine's chest rose and fell slightly, and a helpless sigh echoed deep within her heart. "Indeed..."

Earlier, when she explored the bottom of the Cloud's End Cliff and encountered dark demonic beasts in the dark abyss, she was forced to use her divine power. She had a bad feeling about it then... because the Twelve Star Gods were connected by a shared aura, and those who inherited Star God power had a unique resonance between them.

The Star God Realm was extremely far from here, a distance at which it was almost impossible to be sensed. However, if by chance a Star God happened to be relatively close... given the extent of the Star God power she unleashed at the bottom of the abyss that day, it was indeed possible for her to be detected.

Now, that "worst-case scenario" had unmistakably become a reality.

"Brother-in-law, what's going on?" Xia Yuanba whispered. "Who is this... strangely dressed woman? She seems to know your master. Is she as powerful as your master?"

"..." Yun Che didn't answer; he couldn't. His mind was in turmoil... an unprecedented turmoil.

From Yuluo's address to Jasmine and Jasmine's expression when facing her, Yun Che could confirm that Yuluo was undoubtedly from the same world as Jasmine, and very likely someone looking for her.

Thinking of Jasmine's unusual behavior this morning... perhaps she had sensed Yuluo's approach at that time. This meant she didn't want to be found.

Although Yuluo called Jasmine "Princess," there was no hint of respect in her words or actions; it seemed her status was no lower than Jasmine's.

Just as Yun Che suspected, Jasmine had indeed sensed Yuluo's rapid approach that morning. So she separated from Yun Che and completely sealed off her aura, trying to escape Yuluo's spiritual perception. But unexpectedly, Yuluo had found Yun Che... Her soul had been attached to Yun Che for seven years, and his body indeed carried her soul aura, and a strong one at that.

Her body also carried Yun Che's aura, both in life and soul.

Therefore, she had to reveal herself. Otherwise, given Yuluo's maliciousness, Yun Che would surely die.

"Then why are you near this planet?" Jasmine asked coldly.

"Of course, it's Our King's command." Yuluo's fingers traced her lips, then slid down her smooth neck to her collarbone, where she playfully twirled a strand of faintly shimmering hair. "Years ago, when I heard that Your Royal Highness was still alive, this servant didn't believe it. But Our King insisted that I find you no matter what. I simply had to obey his command. I've been traveling around these past few years, exploring, and I never expected to actually find Your Royal Highness."

"Years ago? How did you know I was still alive?" Jasmine's already lowered slender brows furrowed further, and her voice abruptly carried cold killing intent. "I know... It was the Devourer Beasts!!"

Back then, when the Primordial Profound Ark was traveling through space, Jasmine, in order to put Yun Che through extreme training, forcibly interfered with the Ark's spatial turbulence. On one occasion, in a spatial rift, she encountered two Devourer Beasts! One died, one escaped!

Devourer Beasts were among the very few exotic creatures that had survived since ancient times. They were extremely rare, lived in spatial rifts, fed on space, and thus possessed incredibly vast knowledge. When she made her move, one of them recognized her power and identity at a glance. If the Star God Realm knew she was still alive years ago, then the escaped Devourer Beast was the only possibility!

"Your Royal Highness is truly clever," Yuluo said with a grin. "No wonder Your Royal Highness didn't die even after being poisoned by the God-Slaying Soul-Severing Poison. So you forcibly abandoned your body, which was contaminated with the demonic poison, and then attached your soul to someone else... If I'm not mistaken, that person is this handsome young man, isn't he?"

Jasmine: "..."

"Not only is that young man handsome, but his life force is also astonishingly robust. No wonder Your Royal Highness chose him, hehehe."

Yuluo swayed with laughter. But she could never have imagined that the demonic poison Jasmine was afflicted with back then had not only spread throughout her body but had also invaded her soul. Because if it had only infected her body, she could have preserved her soul by abandoning her body. But if it invaded her soul, given the terrifying nature of the God-Slaying Soul-Severing Poison, even someone at their level would surely die, with no chance of survival.

Unless one possessed the Heaven Poison Pearl, one of the Profound Sky Divine Treasures.

Jasmine was certainly doomed back then, but at the last moment, she met Yun Che, who possessed the Heaven Poison Pearl. Her fate changed because of Yun Che, and Yun Che's fate was similarly turned upside down because of her.

"However, it seems Your Royal Highness only recently reconstructed your body, and your divine power has only recovered by ten percent. But that's good; otherwise, this servant would have a headache," Yuluo said, her lips upturned in a flirtatious smile, her voice and expression feigning delicate weakness. "If I had known this, I wouldn't have told Our King about finding Your Royal Highness so soon."

"…!" Jasmine's gaze instantly turned cold. "You told... *him*!?"

"Of course," Yuluo said, still playing with her hair. "Your Royal Highness clearly detected me, yet instead of confronting me, you hid your aura and played hide-and-seek. It's clear you don't want to come back with me. If I forced the issue, I couldn't defeat Your Royal Highness, which would be a headache for me. So I had no choice but to send a message to Our King first. Who would have thought Your Royal Highness's divine power had dropped so much... Oh dear, if I absolutely *must* take Your Royal Highness back, you wouldn't be able to resist at all now."

"Hmph!" Jasmine said expressionlessly. "Although I don't want to go back, there will always be a day when I must. Since you've found me, it seems I can no longer refuse to return."

Jasmine knew very well that with "Our King" (as Yuluo called him) knowing her whereabouts, it was impossible for her to remain here. Otherwise, that person might come here personally... If that were to happen, the consequences would be simply unimaginable.

"However, I need ten days," Jasmine said coldly, her eyes slightly narrowed. "After ten days, when I've done everything I wish to do, I will return with you willingly!"

"Jasmine..." Jasmine's words made Yun Che's heart skip a beat, and he cried out unconsciously.

Facing Jasmine's sharp, icy gaze, Yuluo shook her head with a smile. "Of course not. Our King gave me very strict orders: if I found Your Royal Highness, I was to bring you back immediately, without even half a moment's delay. I dare not disobey Our King's command. Moreover, Your Royal Highness was hiding from me earlier. If you were to sneak away during these ten days, I would be severely punished by Our King."

"Since I've said I will return with you in ten days, I will not go back on my word," Jasmine's voice grew even colder. "And even though my divine power is only at ten percent, if I don't wish to, you won't find it easy to force me back."

"Your Royal Highness shouldn't be so headstrong," Yuluo said, not hesitating or worrying in the slightest from Jasmine's words. Instead, her smile grew even more charming. "Your Royal Highness was playing hide-and-seek with me earlier, but because of that handsome young man, you actively sought me out again. It seems that young man is very important to Your Royal Highness."

Jasmine's eyes changed slightly. "He's just a disciple I took on these past few days out of boredom!"

"A disciple? Oh, this servant is truly surprised. Given Your Royal Highness's temperament, you would actually be interested in taking a disciple." Yuluo's enchanting eyes narrowed into thin slits, and the smile at the corners of her lips became even more meaningful. "If Your Royal Highness insists on not returning immediately, this servant will indeed have a big headache. But what if Our King finds out that Your Royal Highness is unwilling to go home because of certain individuals on this low-level planet?"

"You! You dare threaten me!!"

"Oh, and there's some good news I simply must tell Your Royal Highness early," Yuluo said, smiling. "The new inheritor of the Sirius Star God has appeared."

"Sirius Star God..." Jasmine suddenly looked up. "Who is it!?"

The Sirius Star God was the power her brother had inherited years ago. Thus, she held a special affection for the power of Sirius.

The power of a Star God was by no means something just anyone could inherit; it placed extremely high demands on its inheritor. Talent, constitution, and compatibility all had incredibly stringent requirements. After one Star God fell, finding a suitable successor often took hundreds, or even thousands, of years.

Yet, less than ten years had passed since her brother's demise, and a new inheritor had appeared so quickly.

"That person is..." Yuluo's face showed a mysterious smile. "Princess Caizhi."

"..." Jasmine's entire body suddenly trembled as if struck by lightning. "What did you say!!?"

"Your Royal Highness heard correctly; it is indeed Princess Caizhi." Seeming very pleased with Jasmine's reaction, Yuluo's smile grew more contented. "Furthermore, Princess Caizhi's compatibility with the Sirius divine power has reached an unprecedented level of perfection, truly worthy of being..."

"Shut up!!"

Jasmine clenched her hands, her slender arms trembling slightly and uncontrollably, and even her aura became chaotic. From afar, Yun Che, whose gaze had been fixed on Jasmine, felt his spirit become utterly chaotic. He could sense Jasmine's anger, her panic... and her fear...

He couldn't understand what they were saying, and he had no power whatsoever to intervene in matters of their level. He could only stare blankly, listening, his heart filled with worry for Jasmine, and...

...the fear of potentially losing Jasmine.

Jasmine's breathing became ragged; it took a while for it to finally calm, and the trembling of her body slowly ceased. She lifted her head slightly, took a deep breath, and said coldly, "Alright, I'll go back with you now."

"Now Your Royal Highness is being good," Yuluo said, her smile blooming like a flower. "Our King will surely be overjoyed to see Your Royal Highness return safely."

"However, you must promise me one thing."

"Oh?" Yuluo tilted her head slightly.

Jasmine's gaze lowered slightly, looking at Yun Che; their eyes met... but only for a fleeting moment before Jasmine looked away. "After we return, you are not to mention this disciple I took on to *that person*, nor are you to speak of anything about this place!"

As things stood, she had no other choice.

Yuluo's threat was clear: if Jasmine didn't comply, she would tell "that person" about what happened here.

If the entire Profound Sky Continent were destroyed, she wouldn't even bat an eye.

But Yun Che...

"Ohh~" Yuluo smiled subtly, seemingly unsurprised by Jasmine's request. "How would this servant dare not obey Your Royal Highness's command? I was merely ordered to bring Your Royal Highness back; I couldn't be bothered to tell Our King about that handsome young man, hehehehe."

Yuluo giggled charmingly, but deep within her alluring eyes, an unusual, faint dark gleam flickered.

"Fine," Jasmine slowly nodded. "You had better keep your word, or else..."

"Oh my, Your Royal Highness, please don't make such a frightening expression. This servant is so timid," Yuluo said, feigning a delicate, scared look. "And Your Royal Highness knows perfectly well that this servant hates liars the most."

"Hmph!"

Jasmine turned around. "Before we leave... he and I are master and disciple after all. I have a few words I need to say to him, as a farewell."

"You can't..."

"Yuluo!!" No sooner had Yuluo voiced her objection than Jasmine's gaze snapped back, and a murderous aura, as if from the Nine Nether Purgatory, utterly stifled Yuluo's words. "Don't push your luck! I've already agreed to return with you immediately. This is just a simple farewell to my disciple. If you dare utter another half-word of nonsense, once I recover my power, I have ten thousand ways to ruin your face, permanently! I'll make you look neither human nor ghost! Do you want to test me!!"

The smile on Yuluo's face froze instantly. When she smiled again, it was a little strained, clearly indicating genuine fright. "Alright, alright, this servant never said no."

"Hmph!"

Jasmine's killing intent receded. Without another glance at Yuluo, she slowly descended from the air, landing in front of Yun Che.

"Jasmine..." Looking at the girl so close, so intimately familiar, Yun Che softly murmured her name, his voice so faint he could barely hear it himself.

"All unnecessary people, get out!!" Jasmine murmured softly, then suddenly waved her small hand.

A violent gust of wind swept across the space. Amidst countless startled cries, all the people, tables, chairs, and the entire Phoenix Hall were lifted by the tempest and flung far away.

In an instant, a terrifyingly flat vacuum appeared in a five-mile radius around them, devoid of any people or debris. Only the two of them remained, at the center of this world.