It was in that moment of tranquility that everything changed.
Without any warning, a colossal red barrier rose over the entire Demon Imperial City.
Buzz—
The scarlet dome formed like an artificial firmament, completely sealing off the area and preventing anyone from leaving or entering.
Within the Yun Family territory, everyone froze for a single second.
Then, a strange mist began to spread—silent, colorless, and deadly!
"Ugh—!"
Mu Yurou was the first to feel the effects immediately; her face paled instantly, her body losing strength as though her bones had been drained of energy.
Yun Qinghong furrowed his brows tightly, trying to stand—
But it was already too late.
The air entering his lungs felt heavy… contaminated.
His eyes trembled.
"This… is…"
Thud.
Mu Yurou collapsed.
Almost at the same instant, Yun Qinghong also lost strength in his body; the tea spilled from his cup as he fell heavily to the side.
"Father! Mother!!"
Yun Che stood up abruptly—and then the world spun. A violent dizziness exploded inside his head.
His heart raced.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The profound energy in his body began to slow… turn sticky… as though it was being suppressed by something invisible.
But unlike the others, he did not fall. The [Sky Poison Pearl] glowed in his hand. A pure emerald light burst through his veins.
Sssss—
The purifying energy swept through his body like a cleansing tide.
The dizziness receded instantly.
The poison—or whatever it was—vanished like snow under the sun.
"Yun Che—!!"
Jasmine's voice exploded in his mind, rarely so alarmed.
"This mist…!"
She paused for half a second.
When she spoke again, there was genuine shock in her voice.
"It's the Divine Burial Mist!!"
Yun Che's pupils contracted.
Divine… Burial?
But he had no time to process it. The name alone didn't sound like anything good—he had to help his parents quickly!
Whoosh!
Yun Che appeared beside his parents in an instant.
"Mother…!" His hand swiftly reached for Mu Yurou's wrist, and he frowned slightly when he realized she was… strangely fine. Merely unconscious, nothing more—but still, something felt off, a subtle sensation that didn't match that apparent normalcy. His eyes narrowed briefly as he assessed her condition. Anyway, that could wait; first, he needed to rid his parents' bodies of the mist enveloping them. Without hesitation, Yun Che channeled the power of the [Sky Poison Pearl] once more.
A soft green light enveloped her body, spreading like a gentle tide of vitality. Then he turned to Yun Qinghong and repeated the process, releasing another wave of purification that swept through the surrounding air. The residual mist contaminating both their bodies was completely eradicated in mere seconds, dissipating as though it had never existed. Yun Che let out a short breath, the tension in his shoulders easing for a moment—but then his expression changed.
"…?"
They didn't wake up.
Yun Che's chest tightened immediately. He checked again, this time even more carefully. Pulse… stable. Breathing… normal. Profound energy… present.
But they were unconscious!
Yun Che's expression darkened completely.
"…It's no use."
Jasmine's voice sounded low and heavy in his mind.
Yun Che froze.
"What…?"
"Even if you purify all the poison from their bodies… it's useless." Her voice rarely carried such gravity.
"The Divine Burial Mist is not an ordinary poison. In fact…" She paused slightly, as though even she was evaluating the strangeness of the situation, "…I'm genuinely surprised that something so bizarre has appeared in this world. As far as I know, the method to refine it was lost millennia ago."
Jasmine's voice cooled several degrees.
"In the place I come from, if word spread that someone had managed to recreate it…" A brief pause, "…a true bloodbath would erupt just to get their hands on it."
Yun Che's heart sank even further.
Jasmine continued:
"But don't worry—it doesn't kill. In fact, it has a far more sinister effect. Anyone who inhales it will have their consciousness forcibly sealed. The body remains intact, profound energy continues to flow, breathing is unaffected… but the mind is completely suppressed."
"In other words… they aren't injured. They're… switched off."
Yun Che's fists clenched.
"But it's still a poison, right? Shouldn't the Sky Poison Pearl be capable of purifying all poisons under the heavens? Thanks to it, I wasn't affected…" His voice had already grown darker.
Jasmine paused briefly before answering.
"The [Sky Poison Pearl] did indeed purify the poison from their bodies. There is no longer any active toxin circulating. But the Divine Burial Mist is insidious. The moment it is inhaled, a portion of its essence has already penetrated the victim's sea of consciousness. It directly interferes with the brain and consciousness… forcing an absolute state of sleep."
Yun Che's eyes trembled.
"Once that happens… it isn't something simple purification can reverse. Without the specific antidote… they won't wake up. You were simply lucky that the Sky Poison Pearl is fused with your body and that your reaction was quick enough to use it—otherwise you would have fallen unconscious too…"
"…" Yun Che was deeply shaken by those words. This Divine Burial Mist was truly terrifying! His teeth clenched hard, jaw rigid as his eyes repeatedly swept over the motionless faces of Mu Yurou and Yun Qinghong. His expression—which rarely faltered—now carried a tension difficult to conceal.
"So… there's nothing we can do?" he asked, his voice low and heavy, laden with an urgency he himself hated showing.
"Hmph." Jasmine snorted coldly in his mind. "If you have time to panic, then use it to look around."
Yun Che's eyes widened—he hadn't even paid attention to his surroundings until now.
"…What?"
"Finally noticed too late?" Her voice carried clear irritation. "Lift your head and look properly."
Yun Che's heart jolted.
He raised his gaze.
And then his eyes contracted violently.
That scarlet dome that had risen over the Demon Imperial City… was not just an ordinary barrier. It was easily recognizable as a powerful profound formation!
"…What the hell is this…?" Yun Che murmured, shock finally breaking through his expression.
Jasmine's voice descended into his mind, grim:
"Even I don't know exactly what it is."
Yun Che froze—there were very few things in the world that Jasmine didn't know… But before he could react, she continued, each word heavier than the last:
"But one thing is certain… whoever set this up…" A brief pause, "…is far stronger than I am in my current state."
Yun Che's eyes widened.
Stronger than… Jasmine?
"This formation isn't something you can break with brute force. Even I couldn't pass through it right now." Irritation mixed with rare seriousness in her voice. "The entire space of the Demon Imperial City was isolated in advance. This was planned… and with extreme care. Someone targeted the Demon Imperial City from the very beginning."
Yun Che's eyes slowly darkened.
"So all we need to do…" His voice came out low, "…is find the one responsible."
"Hah." A short, merciless laugh echoed in Yun Che's mind. Jasmine spared not the slightest trace of softness as she spoke: "You really know how to say big words without blinking, don't you?"
Her voice turned cold and sharp.
"If even I'm not sure I can deal with whoever set this up… what exactly does an ant like you think they can do?"
Yun Che's fists clenched even tighter, veins faintly bulging on the backs of his hands. His teeth ground together, but this time he didn't retort immediately. His gaze returned to the motionless faces of Mu Yurou and Yun Qinghong.
His chest tightened.
When he finally spoke, his voice came out low… but firm as steel.
"…Even so, I have to try."
Jasmine fell silent for a brief moment.
Yun Che slowly stood up, the aura around his body beginning to subtly condense.
"If I just stand here… they'll never wake up." His voice grew heavier. "If someone is behind this, then I'll find them. Besides, if they went to the trouble of using such a method, they probably have no interest in killing innocents and only care about their goal."
His eyes narrowed, a dangerous flame igniting in their depths.
Inside the Sky Poison Pearl, Jasmine remained silent… but her eyes trembled slightly.
"…Tch." She clicked her tongue, her voice returning to its usual cold tone. "Even so, it's pure stupidity on your part to hope he won't try to kill you the moment he sees you."
Her voice dropped even lower.
"Whoever released the Divine Burial Mist clearly has an objective. That kind of thing isn't used without reason… it's meant to act in the shadows, leaving no witnesses."
A brief pause.
Then came the verdict:
"If he discovers that someone is still awake… it's almost certain he'll try to eliminate that person…"
That was all she said.
In the next instant—
Whoosh!
His body shot into the sky like an arrow loosed from a bow, slicing through the air with explosive speed as he rose above the Yun Family territory. The wind roared in his ears, but his eyes remained cold and focused, fixed on the colossal scarlet formation sealing the entire Demon Imperial City.
"Jasmine…" Yun Che spoke, disregarding her words—even if it seemed reckless, he had been through enough desperate situations to believe there was still a glimmer of hope. "Where should I go to find the person who set this up?"
Inside the Sky Poison Pearl, Jasmine let out an irritated huff.
"Hmph…"
When she spoke again, her voice carried a rare note of displeasure.
"This formation is more troublesome than it looks. It doesn't just isolate space… it also numbs my senses. My spiritual sense can barely extend, and crossing this barrier is completely impossible in my current state."
Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly.
Even Jasmine's spiritual sense was being suppressed…
Her voice continued, cold:
"I don't sense any other conscious presence in the entire city. Whoever did this was extremely meticulous."
Another brief pause.
Then came the conclusion:
"…But if you want the most likely place, head to the Imperial Family Palace."
Yun Che's eyes flashed.
"If someone had the ability to raise a formation of this level and use the Divine Burial Mist…" Jasmine said, her voice laden with cold certainty, "…then the main target could hardly be anywhere else…"
The air around Yun Che exploded.
BOOM—
His speed surged abruptly as he launched himself toward the Imperial Family Palace, his eyes already tinged with a cold and dangerous intent.
Whoosh—
The wind tore around his body as he streaked across the sky in a straight line, the Demon Imperial City spreading below him like a silent sea of motionless rooftops.
The Imperial Family Palace was already in sight.
Yun Che's eyes narrowed—and then his body passed through something invisible.
Rip—
For a single instant, the space around him distorted violently.
"…!?"
Yun Che's eyes widened in shock.
His body had passed outside?
The scenery changed subtly.
The scarlet dome that had previously covered the sky was now below him, as though he had been pushed out of the barrier sealing the city.
He stopped abruptly as his entire body stiffened. His gaze, which had instantly turned cold as ice, swept forward.
Why, in that instant, had an extremely cold aura appeared out of nowhere and locked onto him…? He possessed the Evil God's Water Spirit Body, so he did not fear cold—but when that aura enveloped him, it instantly made him feel a soul-piercing frigid sensation. Every hair on his body stood on end. Two abyssal, demonic eyes had even been projected into his mind. He suddenly felt as though he were standing in a terrible, thick pitch-black hell.
This kind of dense, extremely uncomfortable cold aura… he had never felt anything like it before…
"Who is it?!"
The moment he turned, Yun Che's gaze locked onto the black figure floating in the air… Dressed entirely in black from head to toe, he was thinner and shorter than him. His long hair was as black as night and reached down to his waist. His complexion was pale, and his eyes were lifeless, without a trace of light in them. The aura emanating from his body carried a bone-marrow-chilling cold—yet Yun Che could find no trace of life in him at all… as though what floated there was not a living person, but a dead corpse.
When he saw the black figure's face, Yun Che's brows twitched violently as deep astonishment appeared on his face.
"Fen Jue…chen?!" The moment he finished speaking, Yun Che's voice carried a distinct note of hesitation.
His outward appearance and expression were exactly the same as the Fen Juechen in his memories. However, the Fen Juechen he knew had never possessed this kind of aura. Not only that… he clearly felt an icy, bone-chilling danger from this black-robed person! With Yun Che's current realm, those who could make him feel danger possessed at least the power of early-stage Monarchs—and when he had released Fen Juechen three and a half years ago, his profound strength had only been at the Spirit Profound Realm. In short, not even four years had passed; there was no way he could possibly have reached a level strong enough to threaten him.
Moreover, technically he should have been on the Profound Sky Continent. How the hell had he arrived here?
"Hm? It's actually this guy…" Jasmine's voice also carried the same astonishment.
"Yun… Che!!" His face remained rigid, and when he spoke—whether in expression or dark eyes—there was not the slightest ripple, yet his voice carried a bone-piercing cold resentment. "You're still alive… you're actually still alive!!"
"….." The aura surrounding Yun Che instantly grew many times colder. The moment this black-robed person opened his mouth, Yun Che was now certain… this person really was Fen Juechen! Why else would that voice, that tone, and that hatred be exactly the same as when he had released him back then!
"Do you know how much I hated it—how much I suffered—when I heard you had died?! All these years, I even wished in my dreams that you would come back to life so I could tear you apart with my own hands!"
Yun Che showed no fear; he looked straight at Fen Juechen without retreating. "It seems your dream has already come true. However… do you really think the current you can kill me?"
Before Fen Juechen could even respond, Jasmine laughed coldly in Yun Che's mind. "His current profound strength level is First Level of the Sovereign Profound Realm. Combined with the special attributes of his devilish profound energy, if you fought him head-on, he would definitely have a chance to kill you!"
The corner of Yun Che's eyes twitched violently. "You're… joking, right?!"
That year, when he had exterminated the Burning Heaven Clan, the main reason he had spared only Fen Juechen was because he had saved Xiao Lingxi and his little aunt had begged him. The secondary reason was that he subconsciously believed that even if Fen Juechen lived, he would never become a threat. Back then, a thousand Fen Juechens wouldn't have been able to even scratch him. Moreover, with his own unmatched growth speed, even if Fen Juechen's innate talent were ten times greater, the distance between them would only widen until he was reduced to a mere ant-like existence.
The bloodlines and divine powers he possessed were luxuries normal people couldn't even dream of for hundreds of generations! His master was also Jasmine, whose very existence transcended this plane. In this world, when it came to growth speed, no one should have been able to surpass him…
Xia Yuanba's astonishing growth speed came from possessing the Tyrannical Emperor's Divine Veins. It was also that heaven-defying talent that made him the treasured gem of the Absolute Monarch Sanctuary, the number-one Sacred Ground.
Fen Juechen back then—who had only been at the Spirit Profound Realm… How could he, in the short span of four years, already have become an early-stage Monarch!?
"You think I'm joking?" Jasmine replied coldly. But in the next instant, her voice changed abruptly.
"…Wait."
There was a strange, heavy pause. For the first time since Yun Che had known her, there was a clear trace of alarm—almost panic—in her tone.
"Something's wrong… this aura… no— Damn it, he's about to break into the Divine Profound Realm?"
Her voice suddenly became urgent.
"You'll die if you fight him! I need to act—"
The mental connection was cut off cleanly and abruptly.
Yun Che's eyes widened violently. He immediately tried to contact Jasmine inside the [Sky Poison Pearl], but found only silence. It was as though an invisible barrier had forcibly closed between them, completely isolating her consciousness.
Recalling her last words, a cold sensation—far colder than Fen Juechen's aura—climbed up his spine, spreading through his entire body like liquid ice. His mind spun for a brief moment—not from ordinary fear… but from the fact that she had shown that reaction. If Jasmine wanted to act, it meant only one thing…
His face visibly paled.
In the current circumstances, he truly had no chance of victory!
His fingers slowly closed on empty air, joints creaking faintly. Yet his gaze did not waver when it locked onto Fen Juechen again. On the contrary, the heavier the crushing pressure before him became, the colder his expression grew.
The surrounding air seemed to have turned into pitch.
Every breath felt heavy.
Every heartbeat sounded too loud in his own ears.
Fen Juechen remained motionless in the air, those dead eyes fixed on him like cold blades. The black aura around his body rippled slowly, as though it were alive… He smiled faintly—and it looked like the smile of a demon…
A bead of cold sweat silently slid down Yun Che's temple.
Danger.
Extreme danger.
His instinct—forged through countless life-or-death situations—was screaming with an intensity he had never felt before.
__________________
(A/N: I have a proposal for you, gentlemen.
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