Chapter 862: Return

The crisis was temporarily averted, but at the cost of the lives of the three Grand Elders of the Yun family. The Yun family was filled with sorrow, and families throughout the realm, along with the Xuan practitioners of Illusionary Demon Realm, were also tearful. As revered Grand Elders of the Guardian Families, they not only failed to die of old age but also suffered such a tragic end, with not even their remains left behind.

“Xuanyuan… Wentian!!” Yun Qinghong trembled uncontrollably, his face becoming even more distorted than the enraged Xuanyuan Wentian. He uttered Xuanyuan Wentian’s name, just four words, but imbued with immense, sky-reaching hatred.

“No need to rush,” Xuanyuan Wentian said sinisterly. “You’ll all be joining them in hell very soon!”

The Eternal Night Devil Sword unleashed a black sword light, smashing into the city’s protective barrier amidst Xuanyuan Wentian’s wild laughter. A black beam shot into the sky, and dozens of fine cracks instantly erupted on the barrier.

“Brothers… no matter what, hold on!! Especially our Yun family children… don’t let the three Grand Elders die in vain!!”

Yun Qinghong roared hoarsely, his body, already largely depleted, surging with an almost frantic strength as he desperately slammed against the barrier. All Illusionary Demon Realm Xuan practitioners also unleashed their grief-fueled power, using their increasingly exhausted bodies to project strength against the Eternal Night Devil Sword.

Facing Xuanyuan Wentian, whom even the Little Demon Empress could not defeat, their ability to hold out this long was already incredibly difficult. However, Xuanyuan Wentian, now wielding the Eternal Night Devil Sword, was too terrifying. The deaths of the three Yun family Grand Elders had granted them a brief reprieve, but under a power far exceeding their profound strength and even their comprehension, they struggled for less than a hundred breaths. The barrier, which had already endured countless calamities, once again faced the crisis of shattering.

The Eternal Night Devil Sword struck repeatedly, the cracks growing more numerous and longer, their spread far outpacing the repair rate. Xuanyuan Wentian gazed at the barrier below, now cracked like a spiderweb, feeling no satisfaction, only intense rage and humiliation.

“Damned small fry!!”

Xuanyuan Wentian soared into the sky, a massive demonic shadow appearing in the air. A dark sword light, dozens of meters long, suddenly extended from the Eternal Night Devil Sword, then stabbed towards the crumbling city barrier with an apocalyptic aura.

*Crack!*

The already damaged city barrier fractured into thousands more cracks, but still did not completely shatter. The sword light was stubbornly resisted, and Xuanyuan Wentian’s eyes widened. With a low growl, the black sword light surged again.

*CRA-CRACK!*

The tip of the dark sword light violently pierced into the barrier, and a dark storm, as if from hell, instantly swept through half of the array area. Terrified screams erupted within the barrier. Large numbers of Illusionary Demon Realm Xuan practitioners were engulfed by the darkness; nearly a thousand Xuan practitioners died instantly, their bodies directly turning into black withered bones. Many more Xuan practitioners fainted amidst the screams, their fates unknown. This unimaginably terrifying power sent shivers down the spines of all who witnessed it, making them feel as though they had fallen into an icy abyss.

“Hahahahaha…” Xuanyuan Wentian’s rampant laughter echoed from above. “How could you mere fodder hope to resist this deity, who is now a devil god! All of you… go to hell!!”

Despite their desperate resistance, the city’s protective barrier was ultimately pierced, and perhaps in a few more breaths, it would completely shatter. Yun Qinghong saw the sword light piercing the barrier; he showed no panic or fear, his face expressionless, a heavy sigh in his heart. Against such a terrifying Xuanyuan Wentian, their ability to hold out until now was truly a miracle. This was, completely, their limit. Every breath was spent in full defense. As a fifth-level Emperor Profound, his profound energy consumption had already exceeded seventy percent, let alone others. He had originally thought that relying on this miraculous profound array left by the Ancestral Demon Emperor, it might be possible to keep Xuanyuan Wentian outside Demon Imperial City. But Xuanyuan Wentian’s power was simply too terrifying; even with all the trump cards and power of the entire Demon Imperial City, they could only resist until this moment.

“Family Head, what do we do?” Yun Waitian gasped, shouting.

“…” Yun Qinghong slowly exhaled and calmly said, “Notify the others in the array zones to prepare for battle.” The four words “prepare for battle” were spoken with unusual calm and indifference, but everyone heard the resolute will to die.

*CRACK!*

Another deafening crack, and the largest fissure yet appeared on the barrier. The black sword light plunged deeper by another fraction, causing the city barrier to tremble… it had reached the very brink of collapse. Yun Qinghong withdrew his power at this moment, grasping the Startling Thunder Sword in his right hand, its blade wreathed in faint reddish lightning.

Just then, a bright light suddenly shone down from the dark sky. Everyone instinctively looked up… To the north, a golden light, like a meteor from outside the heavens, cut through the swirling dark clouds above Demon Imperial City, crashing down with a whistling shriek.

“That’s… Golden Crow Flame!!” Tianxia Diyi cried out in surprise.

*BOOM!!!!*

Like a falling meteorite, the golden fire light slammed into Xuanyuan Wentian’s black sword light amidst the shaking of heaven and earth. The black sword light that had pierced the city barrier was instantly incinerated, and Xuanyuan Wentian was forced back a great distance. He roared and shrieked, “Ah!! Little Demon Empress, you finally had the guts to come out!!”

At that very last moment, the city’s protective barrier escaped its fate of shattering. With the immense profound energy from the Illusionary Demon Realm Xuan practitioners, it began to rapidly repair its myriad crisscrossing cracks.

The dark clouds above quickly dispersed, revealing a delicate figure in flowing colorful robes. Her eyes, like cold stars, gazed coldly at Xuanyuan Wentian, a cluster of golden flames burning intensely in her hand.

“Little Demon Empress… It’s the Little Demon Empress!!” Watching the figure that suddenly appeared above, Demon Imperial City erupted in earth-shattering exclamations. For this person was none other than the Little Demon Empress, who had been completely out of contact for three months.

“It’s the Little Demon Empress… The Little Demon Empress is back!” Xiao Yun shouted excitedly.

At this moment of nearing despair, the Little Demon Empress’s sudden return undoubtedly brought immense surprise and hope to everyone in Demon Imperial City. The oppressive, tense atmosphere was submerged by cheers that spread across the land, even in the northern array zone directly facing Xuanyuan Wentian. But Yun Qinghong’s expression remained heavy. Because against such a terrifying Xuanyuan Wentian, the Little Demon Empress would simply be no match. Moreover, she appeared outside the city barrier, meaning she couldn’t even rely on its protection!

“Hahahahaha,” Xuanyuan Wentian laughed wildly, looking at the appearing Little Demon Empress. “This deity thought you had fled with your tail between your legs. It seems you still have a tiny bit of backbone. Are you going to obediently offer up the Samsara Mirror and end your own life, or do you want this deity to personally turn you into black ashes?”

“Tsk, a creature who’s lost his own face and shamelessly plagiarized another’s power dares to be so arrogant and wild? Truly laughable!”

Amidst the disdainful mockery, a patch of dark clouds behind the Little Demon Empress quickly dispersed in the scorching flames. Yun Che and Feng Xue’er walked out side-by-side from it, coming to the Little Demon Empress’s side.

“B-Brother!!” Xiao Yun jumped up, excited.

“Che’er… Che’er!” Mu Yurou cried out twice, nearly fainting from excitement.

“Palace Master!” The women of Ice Cloud Immortal Palace were even more uncontrollably thrilled.

Yun Che, standing side-by-side with the Little Demon Empress and Feng Xue’er, wore their familiar faint smile. His eyes were as deep as an abyss, and there was no sign of injury or weakness on his entire body.

“Brother Yun… he seems to have fully recovered!” Tianxia Diyi exclaimed.

“Of course! I told you… with the divine power of the Golden Crow Holy God, Big Brother would be completely fine.” As Xiao Yun spoke, his nose involuntarily stung, and he nearly shed tears. He had spent every day of those three months of silence on tenterhooks.

“Yun Che?” Xuanyuan Wentian’s eyes flashed with black light. “You’re still not dead!?”

Yun Che sneered, “Even you live so shamelessly, how could I have the nerve to die!”

“Heh… still alive,” Xuanyuan Wentian’s face contorted into an incredibly terrifying grimace. “That’s excellent! The humiliation this deity suffered at the feet of that red-clothed demoness, I can finally return it to you a thousandfold!”

Although he already knew of Xuanyuan Wentian’s transformation, Yun Che still felt a pang of emotion looking at the “Fen Juechen” before him.

“While I don’t particularly like Fen Juechen,” Yun Che said blandly, “your filthy soul isn’t worthy of his body! This face is truly Fen Juechen’s greatest shame in his life!”

“No, this is his greatest glory in his life!” Xuanyuan Wentian’s face twisted as the Eternal Night Devil Sword slowly rose. “Yun Che, you could never dream how powerful this deity has become! Even this deity cannot believe I’ve grown so strong!” “Because this is a devil god’s body, a devil god’s power! You mortals can never understand this might, but you are fortunate enough to taste the fear and death it brings!” “Especially you, Yun Che!! I will grant you a death that will plunge you into endless fear, even if you reincarnate a thousand times!!”

“Brother Yun, he… he’s become so terrifying,” Feng Xue’er gripped Yun Che’s sleeve tightly.

“The intensity of his aura has nearly doubled compared to our last encounter.” The Little Demon Empress’s eyes were filled with bone-deep hatred, but her milky-white face was serene. “However, his previous assault on the city barrier consumed a considerable amount of his strength. With the power of the three of us, we might not be without a chance of victory. Xue’er, I need to borrow your strength.”

“Understood!” Feng Xue’er nodded vigorously.

“More talk is useless.” The Little Demon Empress raised her hand, and the golden Golden Crow flame shadow appeared around her. From the outset, she raised her Golden Crow flame power to its peak. “Xuanyuan Wentian… prepare to die!!”

The Little Demon Empress pushed her small hand forward, and the hundred-mile radius around her instantly turned crimson-gold. Though a very strong barrier separated them, the Illusionary Demon Realm Xuan practitioners below still felt an extremely hot wave of air rushing towards them, forcing them to frantically gather their energy to resist.

“What do we do! Che’er… Che’er is still outside!!” Mu Yurou tightly clutched Yun Qinghong’s arm, anxious and helpless.

Their incredibly difficult resistance earlier had shown them Xuanyuan Wentian’s power, terrifying as a legendary devil god’s. And Yun Che and the Little Demon Empress were not only outside the barrier but also directly facing Xuanyuan Wentian. She felt her entire heart suspended over a mountain of blades.

“…” Yun Qinghong remained silent, clenching his hands tightly.

“Brother Yun’s aura…” Tianxia Diyi looked at Yun Che above with confusion, then his face suddenly changed, exclaiming, “Overlord Profound Realm… sixth level!?”

“What?” Xiao Yun was startled. “Are you saying… Big Brother?”

“Indeed, his profound energy aura is truly at the sixth level of the Overlord Profound Realm,” Tianxia Xiongtu exclaimed in admiration. “What astonishing talent. I never imagined he could improve so much in less than a year.”

“No,” Tianxia Diyi shook his head. “Three months ago, when Brother Yun was gravely injured, his profound energy was only at the mid-stage of the King Profound Realm. This time… not only has he recovered from his injuries, but his profound energy has actually… actually directly advanced a major realm!” “Could it be that he stayed in the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley all these three months, cultivating under the guidance of the Golden Crow Saint God’s divine power?”

Tianxia Diyi couldn’t help but be excited. As an eighth-level Overlord, a sixth-level Overlord was still beneath him. But he knew very well that Yun Che’s strength could not be measured by conventional profound energy levels. When his profound energy was at the mid-stage of the King Profound Realm, he could already defeat Fen Juechen, who was at the mid-stage of the Monarch Profound Realm! Now, seeing him again, his profound energy had miraculously soared to the sixth level of the Overlord Profound Realm… What level of strength would he possess!?

*BOOM!!*

The sound of explosive flames violently shook the hundred-mile space, especially in front of Xuanyuan Wentian, where the space was scorched into irregular vortices by the Golden Crow inferno. Although this was her first attack, it was her ultimate power, with no reservation. Because her opponent was Xuanyuan Wentian! This was not only the Little Demon Empress’s strongest flame but also the peak flame of this plane. Facing such flames, Xuanyuan Wentian showed no sign of retreating. Instead, he chuckled lowly and swung his sword forward to meet the attack.

A low roar, like the wailing of a demon, mixed with the dull rumble. The Golden Crow Flame, with its power to incinerate the heavens, was shattered and scattered, flying outwards. Some scattered flames landed on his body but were immediately extinguished by black mist. Xuanyuan Wentian laughed loudly: “Little Demon Empress, three months ago, if not for the power of the devil sword, this deity would indeed not have been your match. But now, killing you is as easy as turning my hand!”

Xuanyuan Wentian instantly traversed a thousand zhang, thrusting his sword towards the Little Demon Empress. The sound of the sharp sword slicing through the air should have been piercingly shrill, but Xuanyuan Wentian’s devil sword created an incredibly deep air blast, making one’s scalp tingle. At the same time, the black qi in the surrounding space surged violently, instantly overwhelming the Golden Crow flame light.

*Screech!*

With a long cry, a Golden Crow flame shadow flew through the air, meeting Xuanyuan Wentian and instantly colliding with the black devil sword. Space violently tore, and the Golden Crow flame shadow’s shriek also twisted. The standoff between the flame and the devil sword lasted only a brief moment before the Golden Crow flame shadow let out a pained cry. It struggled violently but was immediately almost entirely submerged by black mist.

“See, this is the power this deity wields now!” Xuanyuan Wentian laughed maniacally, his face subtly covered in black and red bloodlines, making his appearance look extremely hideous and terrifying. “Be destroyed!!” Xuanyuan Wentian roared, suppressing the Golden Crow flame shadow even more fiercely, threatening to crush it at any moment. Just then, a crimson fire light blasted from his front right.

Xuanyuan Wentian, however, looked disdainful, not even glancing at it. But as the flames neared his body, he suddenly realized, swiftly retracting the Eternal Night Devil Sword. Then, with a thunderous boom, he swept it out, meeting the two divine flames.

*CRASH!!*

Like a meteorite striking the ground, the earth caved in, smoke and dust billowed, and amidst the sky-obscuring firelight, Xuanyuan Wentian was instantly forced back a thousand zhang. Gripping his devil sword, his eyes, filled with surprise and malice, stared intently at Feng Xue’er.

“That red-clothed girl… is she the Feng Xue’er you spoke of?” Yun Qinghong said, stunned.

“Yes! She’s Sister Xue’er.” Xiao Yun nodded.

“She actually…” Yun Qinghong took a deep breath. “Her aura is actually no less than the Little Demon Empress’s!!”

“…Huh!?” Xiao Yun was first stunned, then his jaw nearly dropped to the ground in shock.

“This… is simply incredible.” Tianxia Diyi, who knew Feng Xue’er’s previous strength, was also dumbfounded. Feng Xue’er was absolutely the most terrifying talent he had ever seen in his life. Barely twenty years old, she was already an eighth-level Emperor Profound—unprecedented in both the Profound Sky Continent and and the Illusionary Demon Realm. But there was still an immense gap between an eighth-level Emperor Profound and the Little Demon Empress’s near-divine strength. Yet, after only three months, not only had Yun Che’s strength exploded, but Feng Xue’er’s strength had actually reached a level comparable to the Little Demon Empress!? He couldn’t imagine what had happened in the Golden Crow Lightning Flame Valley during those three months!

“Feng Xue’er, you’ve given this deity quite a surprise.” Xuanyuan Wentian said sinisterly. “After three months, this little phoenix of yours can grow to such a level. What a pity… still too naive!” Three months ago, Xuanyuan Wentian’s strength could easily crush Feng Xue’er. But just now, the Phoenix Flame Feng Xue’er blasted at him presented a threat no less than the Little Demon Empress’s Golden Crow Flame! In just three short months! Feng Xue’er’s change truly astonished him, and at the same time, it ignited a killing intent many times stronger towards her.

Feng Xue’er stood quietly beside the Little Demon Empress, a thin layer of crimson flames surrounding her. Her beautiful, dreamlike face had shed some of its youthfulness and naivety, gaining a celestial elegance and nobility… as well as a subtle, yet soul-stirring, aura of majesty. “Phoenix Flame is a sacred divine flame. I carry the blessing of the Phoenix God, yet I have never used it to incinerate any living being,” Feng Xue’er said softly. “But you, and only you, I will absolutely not show mercy to!”

Feng Xue’er gently flipped her palm, summoning a sky full of Phoenix Flame. The Little Demon Empress’s arm also ignited with heaven-scorching Golden Flames. The two divine flames simultaneously burst forth. When they touched, they did not incinerate each other but merged without resistance, forming a massive fiery serpent dozens of meters thick, sweeping towards Xuanyuan Wentian. Wherever it passed, the void was burned through layer by layer. Three months ago, the two did not know each other. But during these three months, they stayed together constantly, and imperceptibly, their powers could now easily synchronize—while the Phoenix and Golden Crow might traditionally repel each other, Phoenix Flame and Golden Crow Flame are divine flames of the same attribute and level!