Chapter 833: Go Away and Then Return

“Yun… Yun Gege!”

Feng Xue’er froze, then frantically rushed towards him. Seeing his fatal injuries and his practically nonexistent aura, Feng Xue’er instantly collapsed. She knelt before him, wailing, “Yun Gege… Yun Gege!! Yun Gege—!”

“Who? Who is it!?”

Feng Zukui, Feng Tianwei, and Feng Hengkong all paled in shock. Their profound energy instantly exploded, and they soared into the air. However, as their profound energy swept through the area, they found no suspicious aura whatsoever… The power that had just attacked Yun Che seemed to have burst forth suddenly from thin air.

They never dreamed that the attack on Yun Che was merely a strand of hair drifting nearby!

“Who dares to act cowardly and launch such a malicious attack! Show yourself!” Feng Zukui roared, and flames instantly surged across the sky above Phoenix City.

At this moment, Feng Hengkong and Feng Tianwei quickly descended to check Yun Che's injuries. The moment they saw him, they were both stunned, then let out heavy sighs.

His internal organs were shattered, and his meridians were completely severed, especially his heart and lifeblood… completely destroyed.

In this state… he was already dead, with no possibility of survival.

“Yun Gege… Yun Gege! Wake up… Answer me!!” Feng Xue’er’s mind and soul completely fractured in immense pain and fear. She felt as though she had fallen off a cliff, plummeting helplessly and despairingly into a dark, endless abyss…

“What exactly happened? Who was behind this malicious attack?” Seeing Feng Xue’er’s agony, Feng Hengkong’s heart was wrenched with pain. Feng Zukui was present, Feng Xue’er was right beside Yun Che, and Yun Che’s own cultivation was extremely high, yet he suffered a fatal blow without any awareness or defense.

Looking at Feng Zukui’s expression now, it was clear he still had no clue!

Given Feng Zukui’s strength as a Level Nine Emperor, it was impossible for anyone on the Azure Cloud Continent to kill someone right under his nose… let alone Yun Che.

“Grandpa, Great-Grandpa… Please save Yun Gege, you must have a way to save him!!”

Feng Xue’er raised her tear-filled eyes, her gaze, dim with despair, holding a deep plea… She couldn’t help but feel despair. Her hands clutched Yun Che’s body tightly. She understood the severity of his injuries far better than Feng Hengkong and the others. Even his already extremely faint aura was rapidly dissipating in an instant.

Although her spiritual perception clearly told her this desperate truth, how could her soul accept it?

“Xue’er, calm down first,” Feng Hengkong said with difficulty. “Yun Che, he’s already… already…”

“He’s already dead,” Feng Tianwei said heavily, uttering the two words Feng Hengkong couldn’t.

Feng Xue’er’s entire body stiffened, then she desperately shook her head. “No!! You’re lying… Yun Gege isn’t dead! Yun Gege clearly… clearly still has a breath… He won’t die… He won’t!!”

“Alas.” Feng Zukui, having found nothing, descended from the air and sighed deeply. “His internal organs are shattered, his lifeblood and meridians completely severed, especially his heart, which is essentially entirely destroyed. He is utterly dead. Even a Great Luo Golden Immortal wouldn’t be able to help… He still has a faint aura only because he just died, and the qi in his body hasn’t had time to completely dissipate.”

Feng Zukui knew his words were too cruel for Feng Xue’er, but regardless, it was a reality she had to accept.

“…” Feng Xue’er was as if frozen, kneeling blankly before Yun Che. Only tears streamed from her eyes like rivulets. The last trace of color faded from Yun Che’s face as he lay still before her, and his aura, which had been as faint as a wisp of smoke, became completely silent. Only the bloodstain beneath him continued to spread.

“Great-Grandpa, Grandpa, Imperial Father… What happened?”

Feng Ximing rushed over. The moment he saw Yun Che on the ground, he stumbled back in shock, stammering, “Yun Che? He… he… he’s dead?”

“You’re spouting nonsense!!” Feng Xue’er, who had been silent, suddenly cried out with a sound like weeping blood. “Yun Gege isn’t dead… He wouldn’t bear to leave me… He won’t die… He definitely won’t!!”

Flames erupted around Feng Xue’er, then gently enveloped Yun Che’s entire body. Feng Xue’er picked up Yun Che’s blood-soaked, almost lifeless body and flew towards the northwest… leaving a long trail of tears in her wake.

“Xue… Xue’er!!”

“Let her go,” Feng Zukui said, raising a hand to stop Feng Ximing, who was about to give chase.

“Xue’er is heading towards the Mystic Realm. She’s probably trying to use the Undying Flame left by the Phoenix God to forcibly heal Yun Che… Alas.” Feng Tianwei closed his eyes and shook his head. The Undying Flame of the Phoenix Fire Lavish Realm could indeed greatly assist those with Phoenix flame power in healing injuries, but for Yun Che’s wounds, even a hundred times the Undying Flame would be useless.

Moreover, he wasn't merely injured; he was already dead.

Feng Hengkong’s brows furrowed deeply, then he gritted his teeth. “No, I must go after her and see. Xue’er’s feelings for Yun Che are too deep. Back in the Moon Slaughter Devil Nest, she said she would wait a lifetime if Yun Che didn’t come out… This time, she has completely lost her reason; she might do something extreme.”

These words made Feng Tianwei and Feng Zukui’s expressions change slightly, and they nodded simultaneously. Just as they were about to rush to the Phoenix Fire Lavish Realm, an ill-timed aura brazenly descended from above, causing them to halt and their hearts to sink slightly.

This aura announced his arrival… Though he was alone, he was the most dangerous person on the Azure Cloud Continent!!

Xuanyuan Wentian!!

His return did not surprise them greatly. Yun Che had also said that Xuanyuan Wentian would likely return after all the banquet attendees had dispersed.

They just hadn’t expected it to be so soon!

“It’s Xuanyuan Wentian! He really did come back,” Feng Tianwei said, frowning deeply.

“Let’s send him away first. Don’t let our morale weaken… And there’s no need for excessive courtesy or nonsense,” Feng Zukui said. His expression and aura had calmed, and his gaze became profound and awe-inspiring.

A short while later, a sharp sword aura cut through the air, and Xuanyuan Wentian’s figure slowly descended from above. However, he was alone; he had not returned with Xuanyuan Wendao.

Behind them, Feng Ximing’s steps slowly shuffled backward. After a few steps, he stopped firmly, his expression constantly shifting, his muscles twitching… At times, he was terrified and uneasy; at others, distorted and sinister.

“So it is Sword Master Xuanyuan. What brings Sword Master Xuanyuan back? Did you perhaps forget something important here?” Feng Hengkong said with a smile that was neither humble nor arrogant.

“Heh heh,” Xuanyuan Wentian chuckled, glancing around with a rather ambiguous smile. “Perhaps Phoenix Sect Master would like to guess.”

“No need to guess,” Feng Zukui said bluntly and gravely. “Sword Master Xuanyuan, I imagine a person of your stature wouldn’t want to hear useless chatter. You’ve returned for Yun Che, haven’t you? But unfortunately, he has already left. However, if you pursue him now towards the Azure Wind Nation, you might still catch him.”

“Hahahaha,” Xuanyuan Wentian laughed freely and unrestrained. “Brother Zukui’s temperament hasn’t changed a bit; you’re still so straightforward. However, this time, Brother Zukui, you’ve guessed wrong.”

Xuanyuan Wentian’s eyes narrowed. “Yun Che is no fool; on the contrary, he’s far more intelligent than most. How could he not expect this Sword Master to come back for him? So, after I left, he must have departed early himself; why would he dutifully wait here? This Sword Master’s return visit to your esteemed sect is not for Yun Che, but because I have a request.”

“Oh?” Feng Zukui looked surprised, but seeing Xuanyuan Wentian’s expression, there was no hint of “request” about it. “Then Sword Master Xuanyuan, what is it you ‘request’? Please speak plainly.”

“Excellent,” Xuanyuan Wentian said, nodding with a smile. With Jasmine’s departure, the arrogance, confidence, majesty, and cunning that belonged to the Sword Master had fully returned to him. “Nineteen days ago, the three of you also led many experts from your esteemed sect to the Supreme Ocean Palace for the Demonic Sword Convention. You naturally witnessed with your own eyes how my Heavenly Might Sword Region had its three Sword Attendants and over twenty elders killed by that red-clad demoness. What’s more, the most crucial Northern Region of my Sword Region was completely destroyed!”

Xuanyuan Wentian’s tone was calm, and his gaze arrogant… but as he spoke of the Northern Region’s destruction, the corner of his eye still twitched uncontrollably.

Feng Zukui, Feng Tianwei, and Feng Hengkong all frowned deeply. The Heavenly Might Sword Region had been utterly miserable that day, and Xuanyuan Wentian himself had been in extreme disarray. Now, the person who caused that disaster had left and would not return. This humiliating and tragic history should have become the Heavenly Might Sword Region’s most unmentionable scar of shame, yet at this moment, Xuanyuan Wentian was actively bringing it up in front of them…

“What happened that day was an unprecedented disaster for my Heavenly Might Sword Region, the greatest loss in ten thousand years, immeasurable! If this Sword Master hadn’t survived, I fear the Heavenly Might Sword Region wouldn’t even be qualified to call itself a Sacred Ground anymore.” Xuanyuan Wentian tilted his head slightly, resentment showing through his calm demeanor. “My Heavenly Might Sword Region has flourished for ten thousand years, yet that demoness set us back at least a millennium in a single night! If we don’t find a way to remedy this, it’s only a matter of time before we’re pushed out of the Sacred Ground ranks by the other three Sacred Grounds.”

“So this is what Sword Master Xuanyuan wants our help with?” Feng Zukui shook his head with a faint smile. “Then Sword Master Xuanyuan thinks too highly of our Phoenix Divine Sect. Although our Phoenix Divine Sect is guarded by the Phoenix God and blessed by the Heavenly Dao, we only have five thousand years of history. In terms of strength and profound heritage, we are far inferior to your Sacred Grounds. Furthermore, with constant disturbances in recent years, we can barely manage our own affairs; how could we possibly have the ability or resources to assist with matters on the Sacred Ground level?”

“No, no, no, of course you do,” Xuanyuan Wentian said with a beaming smile. “How would I, Xuanyuan Wentian, dare ask your esteemed sect to trouble yourselves for my Heavenly Might Sword Region? It’s merely that my Sword Region currently wishes to rebuild its strength and urgently needs a large amount of resources, so I’ve come to borrow some resources from you, that’s all.”

“Borrow resources?” Feng Hengkong’s brows twitched, and he said, suppressing his anger, “In terms of abundant resources, our Phoenix Divine Sect absolutely cannot compare to your Sacred Grounds. The resources your Sword Region lacks are certainly not something our Phoenix Divine Sect has the capability to lend. I’m afraid Sword Master Xuanyuan will be greatly disappointed.”

“You needn’t worry about that even more,” Xuanyuan Wentian said leisurely. “This Sword Master never forces others to do what they can’t. I absolutely will not demand others to do something impossible for them. The items I wish to borrow are definitely things you can produce, and you can produce them immediately.”

Xuanyuan Wentian slowly extended a finger, his narrow eyes narrowing with a chilling, dangerous smile. “This Sword Master only wants this much—one hundred jin of… Purple Veined Divine Crystal!”