by Mars Gravity
Mu Heng swung his sword at Yun Che, causing bone chilling air to enshroud Yun Che in an instant. He looked like he would freeze Yun Che in ice right there.
Yun Che raised his arms in front of himself with the Heaven Smiting Sword clutched firmly in his hands. His eyes turned gloomy as he detonated his profound energy, flames and sword force at once. Judging from the strength of Mu Heng’s aura, he was probably around the second or third level of the Divine Soul Realm. Although he was far weaker than Mu Yizhou, he still wasn’t an easy opponent for him.
Thankfully, Mu Heng’s whole life in Mist End Valley was spent running just one step ahead of certain death. Not only was he hurt all over, his vitality was weak and his profound strength was largely depleted. There was no reason for him to lose if he were to fight Mu Heng with full force!
Yun Che braved the cold wind and leaped into the air, instantly arriving in front of Mu Heng. His sword fell on Mu Heng’s head, as though it would flatten him like a pie.
Yun Che’s speed immensely shocked Mu Heng but he raised his own sword immediately afterwards, his profound energy surging. He had complete confidence that his slash would deal Yun Che a grievous blow.
Clang! A heavy sound resounded as Yun Che was knocked far, far away from the point of impact. However, Mu Heng’s sword was the one that broke as his hands turned numb and his feet sank deeply into the ground.
“Ah!?” Mu Heng’s pupils contracted abruptly as fear and shock appeared on his face, “How… how is this possible!?”
Before him, an oppressive feeling that shouldn’t belong to one at the Divine Origin Realm rushed towards him. Yun Che actually recovered with a roll through the air and swung his sword once more down toward his head. The flames enveloping the sword were actually stronger than during the first clash and threatened to suffocate Mu Heng.
Mu Heng clenched his teeth and threw away the broken sword he was wielding. Not daring to conserve his strength any longer, his entire body glowed icily as he roared and sent thirteen icicles stabbing into the air from the ground.
The thirteen icicles had appeared swiftly and unexpectedly, so Yun Che’s falling figure was instantly stabbed by two of the thirteen icicles at the same time. Mu Heng was just about to let loose a peal of mad laughter when he suddenly realized that the pierced “Yun Che” was dissipating swiftly into a cloud of thin ice mist.
Behind Mu Heng, a calamitous, burning power rushed ruthlessly towards his back. The only thing the he could do was to scream in terror before he was struck mercilessly by the attack.
Boom!!
The snapping sound of Mu Heng’s spine was so crisp that it was almost piercing to one’s ears. Mu Heng flew far, far away into the distance like a broken bag of blood before he crashed painfully into the frozen rock Yun Che was hiding inside earlier.
It was impossible for Mu Heng to stand up again after his spine was snapped in half. He wriggled painfully on the ground while continuously vomiting scarlet blood from his mouth.
“All bark and no bite, you are.” Yun Che taunted just before a dangerous, beastial roar followed his words. A dangerous aura swiftly approached towards Mu Heng.
It was only natural that the commotion had drawn the profound beasts’ attention. Putting away his sword swiftly, Yun Che withdrew his aura and escaped leisurely from the place, not bothering to spare Mu Heng even a second glance. After he moved a few hundred meters away from the place, he jumped soundlessly into the air and landed on top of a tall, dry tree. His figure slowly vanished after that.
It didn’t take long before the low growls of a profound beast and Mu Heng’s blood curdling screams of despair cut through the air.
——————————
Nearing the end of the third day since Yun Che was sent into Mist End Valley.
There were less than thirty minutes left before the seventy-two hour time limit was up. When the time was up, the dimensional profound formation Mu Xuanyin left on Yun Che’s body would teleport him away from Mist End Valley.
A cloud of thick mist scattered as Mu Xuanyin soundlessly appeared above Mist End Valley once more. She quickly spotted Yun Che after she spread her consciousness across the land. Then, her eyebrows became wrinkled a little.
Yun Che hadn’t hidden in the same spot and waited for the third day to pass. Right now, he was almost fifty kilometers away from his previous spot.
She could sense where Yun Che was but not see his person, so it was obvious that Yun Che was currently in that amazing state of Concealment. However, that wasn’t why Mu Xuanyin was surprised.
Mu Xuanyin was surprised because Yun Che was obviously moving slowly across the ground!
He was able to move despite being in the concealed state!
“...” The tiny ripple of emotion in Mu Xuanyin’s eyes lasted for a long time before it subsided.
Meanwhile, Yun Che was walking slowly across Mist End Valley while being invisible… he couldn’t speed up even if he wanted to anyway.
After a whole day and night of meditation, enlightenment, and experimentation, he was now able to maintain a perfect state of Concealment while walking slowly and not making any big movements. Although he had used it for less than a day only, it was without a doubt a large improvement compared to the time when he wasn’t able to move at all.
Now that he was able to move while being invisible, naturally Yun Che didn’t need to hide in the same place any longer. Instead, he started roaming around Mist End Valley and enjoying its unique scenery.
Yes, he was enjoying the scenery of Mist End Valley...
Of course, he was cautious even though he was invisible and he would do his best to walk out of a profound beast’s way should he noticed them. While it was true that the profound beasts couldn’t see him, they could unwittingly send a wave of profound energy in his direction and… reveal him instantly.
Mu Xuanyin watched as Yun Che strolled through layer upon layer of thick mists and past many violent profound beasts. He made it look so simple it was as if he was the only thing to exist in Mist End Valley. His temporary exile was supposed to be a severe punishment and test of his abilities but right now he looked like he was on a vacation or something.
It was just like the time he travelled to the Ice Wind Empire alone three months ago!
At this rate, Mu Xuanyin doubted that Yun Che could get into trouble even if he tried. But just when Mu Xuanyin withdrew her gaze and got ready to leave, her eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of something. She said softly to herself, “The Feathered Ice Spirit Flower?”
Yun Che’s footsteps had paused because an extremely dangerous aura was brimming ahead of him. Moreover, it was the most dangerous aura he had ever sensed since he entered Mist End Valley. When he came close to this intimidating aura, he could clearly sense some of the hair on the back of his neck standing on end.
His gaze penetrated the thick mist and very soon he saw a huge, white figure.
This white figure was thirty meters tall and it had the outline of a giant ape. It was completely white in color but the color wasn’t like the snow white color of thick hair. Instead, it was an icy white color that gleamed intimidatingly even through the thick mist!
The ape wasn’t covered in hair but a layer of thick ice armor! Yun Che only needed to look at the light reflecting off its armor to guess just how tough it must be.
Worse, this giant ice armored ape wasn’t weaker than Mu Hanyi at all!
This also meant that its strength was the equivalent a human cultivator in the middle stage of the Divine Tribulation Realm… or the late stage even!
Yun Che stopped his breathing and slowed down his footsteps, backing away from the ape little by little. Although the giant ice armored ape seemed to be deeply asleep and he was currently invisible and undetectable by aura, he still acted with extreme caution. After all, the consequences of being discovered were unimaginable.
He could barely escape from the peak Divine Soul Realm Mu Yizhou.
But the same absolutel
y couldn’t be said for this Divine Tribulation Realm profound beast. Even the chance of escaping was miniscule.
No wonder this particular area was so quiet and devoid of profound beasts. It was the territory of a Divine Tribulation Realm beast… naturally, there were no profound beasts that dared to approach it.
Just when he was about to turn away and leave, a strange, white gleam suddenly caught his full attention.
Less than ten meters away from the giant ice armored ape, a beautiful white flower lay quietly in full bloom. It was completely icy white in color and the single flower above the stem looked so pure it was almost unreal. Its feather-like petals swayed to the wind.
A strange spirit energy filled the surrounding space and it was clear and rich despite the giant ice armored ape’s terrifying aura. It was only then that Yun Che realized that the spirit energy had come from this strange flower.
It was only natural for a flower in Mist End Valley to be icy and cold. But not only did this flower’s spirit energy not make him feel cold at all, it even warmed his heart for a very, very long time.
Yun Che stared fixedly at this strange white flower, so much so that he even forgot to move away from the giant ape. He had seen countless strange flowers and herbs in his life but there were very few that could strike a deep chord in his heart.
Chapter 1045: Exterminating a Divine Tribulation Realm Existence Once Again
Yun Che didn't continue to retreat any further. He looked fixedly at the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower for a long while and then actually began to slowly walk forward. He approached the extremely dangerous giant ice armored ape step by step but his eyes were still looking in the direction of the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower.
Mu Xuanyin clearly understood his intention when she saw him act in such a manner. She felt angry in her heart, "You scoundrel! You're risking your life for a moment of greed? This brat never learns his lesson!"
"Especially, why is he behaving like this for a mere Feathered Ice Spirit Flower!? In the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake, you can easily find a variant flower, which would be far better than that one!"
Yun Che gradually drew closer, making his way ahead at an extreme slow pace. The aura emanating from the giant ape grew increasingly fearsome as he got closer and closer to it.
Although he was taking a great risk by doing so, Yun Che was still quite confident in achieving his goal. Using Moon Splitting Cascade to conceal his figure, along with Hidden Flowing Lightning which concealed his aura, he was confident that unless the giant ape released his spirit sense and proactively looked around vigilantly, it'd be very difficult for it to discover his existence, even if he was only around thirty meters away from it.
Furthermore, it was currently in slumber.
Amidst the ice-cold silence, Yun Che continued to walk forward while maintaining his extremely slow pace and quietly arrived before the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower. He didn't experience any surprises or danger on his way to the flower. Yun Che was only ten meters away from the giant ice armored ape at present. He could faintly sense it letting out a heavy breath in its sleep.
But, there was no unusual change in the giant ice armored ape's aura. It was evident that it hadn't sensed his presence.
Yun Che was even more surprised when he looked at the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower from up close. It was only the size of an adult's palm and its seven petals looked like tail feathers. Each petal was disseminating a distinct aura, as if all of them were independent lifeforms.
The flower was emitting a cold, white light, giving it a particularly magnificent and beautiful appearance. However, when Yun Che slowly brought his palm closer to it, he didn't feel the chilliness characteristic to the ice-attribute flowers. Instead, he felt a warm and comfortable feeling, that made people feel at ease.
"Alright..." Yun Che lightly touched the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower with utmost carefulness. The Sky Poison Pearl glowed with a faint light, after which the flower was plucked off the stem.
Watching the whole process from high above in the sky, Mu Xuanyin frowned slightly, "Let me teach you a lesson!"
One should risk their life when it was required to accomplish their objective but it was certainly a great taboo to do so just to satisfy your greed for an unnecessary thing. What made her especially angry was that even though he knew that the Heavenly Netherfrost Lake had countless spirit flowers and all kinds of herbs, he still took the risk of getting closer to a profound beast in the Divine Tribulation Realm in order to obtain a mere Feathered Ice Spirit Flower. His action was totally ridiculous!
She lightly pointed her finger. A blue light burst out at once, with a tip as sharp-looking as a needle.
Yun Che deeply glanced at the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower while holding it between his palms. Just when he was going to place it inside the Sky Poison Pearl, an abrupt change happened in his surroundings. A sense of fatal danger immediately pricked at the nerves throughout his body.
"ROAR!!!!"
The calm airflow in the place grew intensely agitated like a tsunami. The giant ice armored ape got up and let out a sky-shaking bellow. Yun Che, who was only ten meters away, nearly vomited blood due the shockwaves generated by it. As the giant ape crazily unleashed its power, the ice and snow in the surroundings burst apart because of the impact. Yun Che's figure was also exposed in no time and the eyes of the giant ice armored ape, that were releasing the light of madness and wrath, clearly caught sight of the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower in his hand.
"...?!!" Yun Che paled in fright. He quickly stored the flower in the Sky Poison Pearl before dashing away like a thunderbolt.
No matter what creature, all of them would need some time to fully sober up after awakening from their sleep. Therefore, even though the giant ice armored ape woke up the moment he plucked off the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower, he was confident in safely leaving the place.
But, the giant ice armored ape seemed so violent, as if it had been firmly stabbed with a knife. It was in deep slumber just a moment ago, releasing an incomparably calm aura. And now, it appeared to have gone completely berserk, right after awakening from its sleep.
Damn it... Yun Che gnashed his teeth.
How did things turn out this way? Could it also be a characteristic of the violent profound beasts living in Mist End Valley?
It was naturally no coincidence that the giant ice armored ape was sleeping in the vicinity of the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower. It chose the location because the aura of the flower had an extremely strong attraction power to it. Even if it wasn't awakened in such a startling way, it'd have soon woken up on its own due to the absence of the aura from the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower—though Yun Che would have safely left by that time.
But now, not only was it awakened in such a crude and startling manner, it also saw the Feathered Ice Spirit Flower falling into Yun Che's hands. As such, its initial berserk aura immediately became even more turbulent, like a volcano erupting two times in a row. The giant ape leapt high into the air as it pounced towards Yun Che and firmly smashed down his huge fist in burning rage.
BOOM!!
As though the air had been shaken by a sudden clap of thunder, the entire area several kilometers ahead was enshrouded by the terrifying might of the fist attack launched by the giant ice armored ape. All the ice stones, huge trees, and glaciers broke and were destroyed in an instant, causing the layer of snow to cave in at an astonishing speed.
Sensing a fatal, oppressive feeling from behind, Yun Che, who had no means to evade the attack, immediately activated "Rumbling Heaven," and unleashed Sealing Cloud Locking Sun with all his might.
BOOM——
As though he had been struck by a heavy hammer, Yun Che suffered a hard fall, which again produced a very loud sound in the surroundings. A huge pit, with a depth of tens of meters, appeared around the place he had fallen.
"Sss..." Yun Che quickly got to his feet inside the huge pit. His whole body was feeling intense pain as well as numbness. The moment he got up, b
lood flowed out of the corner of his mouth, his nostrils and ears—if not for the fact that he had immediately activated Rumbling Heaven and opened the Evil God barrier, he would be as good as dead, even if he survived the attack.
That was the might of a being in the Divine Tribulation Realm!
Although he somehow resisted the attack, it didn't mean that he was out of danger. On the contrary, he didn't even have the time to pant. Before he could calm down his agitated profound energy, he found himself enveloped in a scarlet, eye-piercing light that was being released by the other party's eyes. The thick and heavy arm of the giant ice armored ape again moved down to attack from above his head, bringing along the might of death and instantly shrouded his field of vision.
Yun Che instantaneously moved at an extremely fast speed, before opening the Evil God barrier once more with all he had.
BOOM!!
The ground split apart and sank down and even all the small mountains several kilometers away crumbled and collapsed. As if he had been struck by a heavy hammer again, Yun Che was sent flying high into the sky. Despite the fact that he was only hit by the remnant shockwaves of the attack, the Evil God barrier shattered into pieces after persevering for a brief while. However, he did succeed in barely escaping the great danger due to its help.
Yun Che's aura and blood were thrown into disorder and he had to give his all just to steady his posture in the air. He spit out a mouthful of blood and gnashed his teeth so hard that they almost broke apart…
Running away won't work! It's basically impossible to flee from that profound beast. If I were to get hit by his attack once more, I'd be in danger for real.
He had almost reached his limit by using all of his strength to execute Sealing Cloud Locking Sun two times in succession within the Rumbling Heaven state.
If he wanted to get out of here alive, there was only one method left at his disposal...
To kill the giant ice armored ape!!
While he was thinking of the means to deal with his current predicament, the blood-red light emitting from the eyes of the giant ice armored ape had enveloped him again. It had locked onto Yun Che's aura, effectively rendering him unable to evade its attack. The giant ape whirled its arm, preparing to shroud the surroundings with the might of the Divine Tribulation Realm.
