Chapter 919: Sanctuary's New Emperor

Hidden in the most remote corner, Dongfang Xiu and Qin Wushang were so shocked by Yun Che's words that they nearly leaped up simultaneously.

What exactly was the Black Moon Merchant Guild?

The combined wealth of the six nations of Profound Sky, excluding the Divine Phoenix Nation, absolutely could not compare to that of a single Black Moon Merchant Guild. Its status and historical foundation on the Profound Sky Continent were also vastly superior. What exactly did three-tenths of the Black Moon Merchant Guild's income mean? It was an astronomical sum, beyond even the imagination of Dongfang Xiu and Qin Wushang.

Furthermore, Yun Che had said "hand over," implying a pure tribute. The Blue Wind Imperial Family wouldn't need to provide any conditions or labor, nor even participate in management. It was a completely free gain, and as much as three-tenths. This was not merely flaying the Black Moon Merchant Guild; it was chopping off their very flesh, and doing so annually. This was undoubtedly the most ruthless case of gaining something for nothing in the history of the Profound Sky Continent. If the Blue Wind Nation could obtain such a massive amount of resources and wealth annually, its national power would certainly skyrocket.

"This... this..." The Black Moon Merchant Guild represented Zi Ji's life's work, something almost as important as his own life. At the same time, it was the lifeblood supporting the Supreme Ocean Palace. To have a full three-tenths taken away annually was undoubtedly equivalent to savagely cutting out a piece of his heart, and also equivalent to severing three-tenths of the Supreme Ocean Palace's lifeblood.

"Palace Master Yun, could you... could you perhaps be a little more lenient? How about twenty percent? Twenty percent?" Zi Ji's face was filled with pain, whether from the demonic poison's erosion or from having to part with the most treasured possession of his life. And as a merchant, he instinctively sought to minimize his losses.

"Oh, it seems Mr. Zi is not satisfied with these terms," Yun Che chuckled softly. "Very well. Then I'll be a little more lenient... forty percent handed over annually!!"

"Wha—what?" Zi Ji's entire body jolted.

Dongfang Xiu and Qin Wushang trembled even more violently.

"Oh? Does Mr. Zi still feel dissatisfied?" Yun Che smiled faintly.

"No, no, no!" Zi Ji frantically waved his hand. "Forty percent, forty percent it is!"

Zi Ji's heart bled, and he hated his initial reaction of trying to bargain with Yun Che!

"Very good," Yun Che nodded with satisfaction. "It's only forty percent, not seventy or eighty percent. Indeed, I, Yun Che, still can't be the kind of person who uses leverage to demand an exorbitant price. Since the words are out, let it be so."

Zi Ji was utterly speechless.

As Yun Che's voice fell, he extended his left hand. A verdant purifying light instantly enveloped everyone in the Ocean Palace who had been afflicted by the demonic poison. In just a few breaths, all the demonic poison was completely purified.

The excruciating pain of the erosion throughout their bodies immediately subsided significantly, and then gradually vanished. However, having been eroded by the demonic poison for so long, they would still need a considerable amount of time to fully recover.

"Thank you, Palace Master Yun, for saving us," the leading Venerables of the Supreme Ocean Palace stood up and bowed. Although they had paid an enormous price, at least they had escaped the torment and nightmare of death, and the Ocean Palace had been preserved. Furthermore, unlike Zi Ji, they didn't have a clear or intuitive understanding of what forty percent of the Black Moon Merchant Guild's annual income truly meant.

"This Ocean Palace has suffered a great calamity and is quite severely damaged," Yun Che said indifferently. "If you wish to remain on this vast ocean, you can slowly repair it. If not, the source of dark energy in the Southern Demon Slaying Abyss has disappeared. That protective barrier could have been removed a long time ago, so there's no need for you to continue guarding it."

The Venerables exchanged glances. The leading Purple Venerable raised a hand and said, "Thank you, Palace Master Yun, for informing us of this."

Zi Ji, now free from the demonic poison, slowly took several deep breaths. He held the dying Qu Fengyi as he stood up, his expression sorrowful. "Palace Master Yun, I know I am unworthy to ask for your forgiveness for the Sea Emperor's mistakes. But her life is nearing its end, and there is no hope of recovery. I implore Palace Master Yun to allow this old man to temporarily leave and take her to a quiet place..."

At this moment, Qu Fengyi lay curled in Zi Ji's arms, her body covered in blood, her breath faint as a wisp of smoke. Gone was her usual imposing aura and heart-stopping presence; one could barely detect any profound energy from her. Xuanyuan Wentian's vicious demonic energy had almost completely crippled Qu Fengyi's profound energy. This was perhaps the most vulnerable and helpless moment of Qu Fengyi's life. But at least, at this time, there was a man who held her tightly in his arms, even while enduring immense suffering from the demonic poison himself, and never for a moment let her go. Even the powerful practitioners of the Ocean Palace only at this moment clearly remembered that they were still husband and wife.

Zi Ji, holding Qu Fengyi, his face stiff, slowly departed, his back conveying an inexpressible desolation. Yun Che turned around, a flash of his own despair when holding Ling'er instantly crossing his mind. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "If I can save her, what will you trade with me?"

Zi Ji's steps halted, then froze abruptly. Suddenly, he whirled around and heavily knelt before Yun Che, his voice trembling violently: "My life! My very life! If you are willing to save her, whatever it takes—my old life, everything I possess—I will agree to whatever you ask! I beg Palace Master Yun to be merciful, to show such great kindness. I, Zi Ji, cannot repay this debt in this life, and in the next, I vow to spend my life as your humble servant. I beg Palace Master Yun to have mercy and save her..."

In his arms, Qu Fengyi's lips twitched slightly. From the corners of her eyes, two lines of tears slowly trickled down.

Yun Che looked away, taking a deep breath. Back then, if someone had told him they could save Ling'er, he would surely have been willing to kneel before them, offering everything he had in exchange, begging for her life.

He detested Qu Fengyi, but Zi Ji's kneeling deeply touched the softest part of his heart. He walked forward, extended a hand, and said indifferently, "Senior Zi, please rise. I am but a junior, unworthy of such a grand gesture from you. Lay her down, I will save her."

Zi Ji opened his mouth, then quickly swallowed the words he was about to speak. Trembling, he carefully laid Qu Fengyi on the ground. Yun Che squatted down on the spot, his palm pressed against the fatal wound on her chest, without touching. He concentrated, and dense, pure Heaven and Earth aura gathered and swirled in his palm, then was fully channeled into Qu Fengyi's body.

Soon, the remaining demonic energy in her body was completely dispelled. Her life force, which was on the verge of exhaustion, also began to rapidly recover.

And of all this, Zi Ji felt it most keenly. His eyes trembled with increasing intensity, and his hands gripped the ground tightly. Though extremely agitated, he dared not utter a single sound.

A full quarter of an hour passed. Yun Che moved his palm away from Qu Fengyi's chest and gently exhaled. Qu Fengyi had completely fallen into a deep sleep, but her complexion clearly showed a touch of healthy color.

"Her life is no longer in danger for now," Yun Che said very calmly. "With the resources of your Ocean Palace, you won't need me for the rest. However, her profound veins are severely damaged. Even if she fully recovers, her profound energy will be greatly reduced, likely falling below the Tyrant Profound Realm. Furthermore, even if she continues to cultivate, her progress will be several times slower than before."

Feeling the dozens of times smoother and steadier aura from Qu Fengyi's body compared to before, Zi Ji raised both hands and bowed deeply, "Thank..."

"No need for your thanks, and you don't need to give me anything," Yun Che said as he turned away. "I saved her not for you, nor for her, but for myself. You should take her to a quiet place suitable for recuperation immediately."

Zi Ji picked up Qu Fengyi and spoke deeply to Yun Che's retreating back: "Palace Master Yun, I, Zi Ji, will never forget this immense kindness in this life!"

With that, he no longer lingered and hurriedly left with Qu Fengyi. If he had harbored resentment towards Yun Che's ruthlessness and exorbitant demands moments ago, now, he felt nothing but endless gratitude.

Everyone in the Supreme Ocean Palace felt the same.

"He gave them a big stick, and then immediately granted immense favor," Dongfang Xiu sighed deeply. "Yun Che isn't just powerful in profound energy, he also knows how to control people's hearts." He didn't know that Yun Che's reason for saving Qu Fengyi was merely to fill a void in his own heart, and certainly not to control people's minds.

All the people from the Supreme Ocean Palace were now safe and sound. Yun Che had even mercifully saved Qu Fengyi, who had tried to frame him, twice. The Imperial Grand Sect, however, was still deeply mired in the nightmare of demonic poison. After Zi Ji left, they cast eager and hopeful gazes towards Yun Che, earnestly pleading, "Palace Master Yun, please also extend your benevolent hand and cure us of this poison."

Yun Che turned around and said with extreme indifference: "The Supreme Ocean Palace had no reason for me to cure their poison for free, and neither does your Imperial Grand Sect. As you just saw, if you want me to cure the poison, you must offer sufficient terms. At the very least, something that can match the lives of so many of you."

True Master Nine Lament said hoarsely: "If Palace Master Yun ever needs anything from our Imperial Grand Sect in the future, we will certainly not refuse..."

"There's no need for that," Yun Che said without hesitation. "Anything your Imperial Grand Sect can do, I can certainly do. Anything I can't do, you certainly won't be able to do. I truly can't think of anything I would ever need to ask of you in the future."

"Cough, cough..." Huangji Wuyu moved his body forward, but this simple movement made him cough up two large mouthfuls of blood. He said weakly, "I, Huangji Wuyu, know I am unworthy to face you, and even less qualified to beg anything from you. If it would appease Palace Master Yun's anger, I would immediately take my own life, I only ask Palace Master Yun to show leniency to my Imperial Grand Sect."

"Heh, whether you take your own life or not is your business; please do as you wish," Yun Che said indifferently, turning his face away. "As for 'showing leniency,' I don't understand that at all. The demonic poison you are afflicted with came from Xuanyuan Wentian and has nothing to do with me, yet you speak as if I inflicted it."

"Brother-in-law," Xia Yuanba walked over and pleaded, "Although they have done many wrong things, especially unforgivable things to you, they are still... they are still respectable people, just like Master. At least, I have never seen them commit evil deeds. What Holy Emperor did for the Samsara Mirror was, I believe, the only and most wrong thing he has ever done..."

"Alright, Yuanba," Yun Che patted his shoulder and said, "Senior Gu Cang is your Master, so it's only right for me to save him. But these people, although they belong to the same Imperial Grand Sect as you, are neither your masters nor your disciples, not to mention they almost drove me to a dead end earlier. I have no obligation to save them."

"But... but..." Xia Yuanba immediately became anxious, not knowing what to say.

At this moment, Huangji Wuyu's gaze suddenly shifted. He struggled with all his might to stand up, and waved to Xia Yuanba: "Yuanba, come here."

Xia Yuanba walked over as instructed. As soon as he arrived, he saw Huangji Wuyu's face turn solemn, and he said in a deep voice, "Imperial Grand Sect disciple Xia Yuanba, kneel and receive your orders!"

"Holy Emperor," Xia Yuanba was startled for a moment, then quickly knelt down, not understanding why.

All the members of the Imperial Grand Sect looked on. Their gazes flickered, and they suddenly realized something.

Huangji Wuyu picked up the Primeval Heavenly Ruler with his left hand. With his right hand, he produced a token shimmering with a strange golden light. An exceptionally ancient aura emanated from the golden token. He presented the Primeval Heavenly Ruler and the golden token to Xia Yuanba, enduring the demonic poison's erosion, and said with utmost solemnity: "I, Huangji Wuyu, the Thirteenth Holy Emperor of the Imperial Grand Sect, hereby pass on the Holy Emperor's Seal and the Primeval Heavenly Ruler to the Imperial Grand Sect disciple Xia Yuanba. From today onwards, Xia Yuanba shall be the Fourteenth Holy Emperor of my Imperial Grand Sect."

"Yuanba, accept the Seal and Ruler!"

Xia Yuanba's mouth hung open, and he was completely stunned. "I..."

Yun Che slapped him on the back: "If I tell you to take it, then take it!"

Xia Yuanba stumbled forward a step, unconsciously taking the Primeval Heavenly Ruler and the Holy Emperor's Seal into his arms. At that very instant, everyone in the Imperial Grand Sect bowed deeply, even his Master, True Master Gu Cang, prostrated himself, and they all shouted in unison:"Greetings, Holy Emperor!"