Chapter 628

Chapter 628: Mirage Shock

“Good boy, you stole my treasure and hid in the Ice Tower. Never thought you’d dare show yourself before me again,” Master Hei Xu roared angrily.

Ye Yun sneered. “A mere illusion, yet so lifelike.”

Master Hei Xu ignored his words, bellowing, “Surrender the Divine Rhythm Crimson Fruit, and I might spare your corpse intact.”

Ye Yun laughed. “Fascinating—this illusion born from my mind actually knows of the Divine Rhythm Crimson Fruit. The Ethereal Void Breaking Array truly lives up to its name. Obtaining its setup method would be most useful.”

Master Hei Xu stiffened momentarily before snarling, “Enough rambling! Seize him! Remember—alive. He holds treasures from the Ice Tower.”

Two men flanking Master Hei Xu bowed and lunged forward.

A sharp glint flashed in Ye Yun’s eyes as he studied them.

Hm. Their cultivation levels remained obscured, but their speed suggested mid-Nascent Soul stage.

Unreadable cultivation?

Ye Yun’s chest tightened. Earlier, he’d instantly seen through Murong Wuqing’s illusion by discerning their cultivation. Yet these two attackers’ depths were hidden. Could this be real?

The men closed in. Ye Yun clenched his fists and struck.

Within the Ethereal Void Breaking Array, true qi and spirit perception were sealed—only raw physical strength remained. Ye Yun trusted his body’s power surpassed ordinary Nascent Soul stage fighters.

The attackers scowled at Ye Yun’s audacity. Fourth Level Nascent Soul experts, even without true qi, possessed physical might beyond most. For this brat to challenge both at once reeked of madness.

Fists collided with a crack.

Instead of retreating, Ye Yun pressed forward, unleashing dozens of bone-crushing blows in seconds.

The Nascent Soul experts recoiled, hands near-shattered. Before they could react, Ye Yun’s barrage fractured their bones.

They hurtled backward, slamming at Master Hei Xu’s feet, immobilized.

Two Fourth Level Nascent Soul experts—defeated barehanded by a Golden Core youth.

The crowd gaped in disbelief. How?

Master Hei Xu’s eyes narrowed. Though Ye Yun had talent, the gap between Golden Core and Nascent Soul should’ve been insurmountable. Yet here, deprived of qi, he’d felled two mid-stage experts. True, physical combat leveled the field, but this…

“Impressive physique. I misjudged you,” Master Hei Xu conceded, voice edged with surprise.

Ye Yun shrugged. “Nascent Soul physiques seem underwhelming. How’s yours, old man?”

Master Hei Xu blinked. Provocation? At his Seventh Level Nascent Soul peak, half-step into transcending mortals? Amusing. The boy’s victory meant little.

“Careful, Ye Yun,” Ancestor of the Sword Path’s voice warned mentally. “He’s likely a Devil Race descendant. Their kind excel in physical might.”

“I know. Testing his reaction. The Array hampers him. Besides…” Ye Yun glanced skyward. “Darkness returns soon.”

“Ah, the coming dark. Good chance to probe him,” the Ancestor mused.

Misreading Ye Yun’s pause as fear, Master Hei Xu smirked. “Join me, boy. Inherit my legacy.”

Ye Yun barked a laugh. “Forgotten Du Jianyin so quickly? We’re old friends.”

Rage twisted Master Hei Xu’s face before vanishing. “That traitor will be dust. I’d planned to spare you, but since you insist… Know this—the world drowns in geniuses. Even you’ll join their corpses.” His gaze drifted sideways.

His intention was to see if anyone dared to challenge Ye Yun. If he attacked now, it would damage his pride.

This ragtag group only followed Master Hei Xu under threat of force. After seeing two Fourth Level Nascent Soul experts get smashed backward by Ye Yun’s punches, none dared risk their lives. Who could claim their fleshly body surpassed Ye Yun’s?

Silence fell.

Master Hei Xu sneered, “Fine. None of you want to live. I’ll handle this arrogant brat myself. Once he’s dead, you’ll follow.”

The enraged master prepared to strike with full force. As a pinnacle Nascent Soul expert and possible Devil Race descendant, his physical strength matched Ye Yun’s. He charged forward, fists becoming blurry remnant shadows as countless punches flew.

Ye Yun exhaled, meeting the assault head-on with his own flurry of fists.

BOOM!

Their fists collided with thunderous impact. Ye Yun hurtled backward through the air – not from inability to withstand the blow, but realizing he couldn’t counterattack immediately if pressed. He flipped mid-air, landing ten zhang away.

“As expected of a pinnacle Nascent Soul expert. Your physical strength surpasses mine.”

Master Hei Xu’s face darkened. Behind him, cultivators gaped. No wonder Ye Yun had repelled two Nascent Soul experts.

An elder near Master Hei Xu scoffed, “Who knew the Ice Tower contained an Ethereal Void Breaking Array sealing our true qi and spirit perception? Only a fool would focus on fleshly cultivation like you.”

“True qi is the proper path,” another added. “How far can muscles take you?”

“Physical cultivation plateaus at Nascent Soul level,” a third said pityingly. “With your talent, you’d achieve more cultivating true qi.”

Ye Yun smirked silently.

CRACK! Master Hei Xu backhanded three men flying. “Fools! Only strong flesh endures this world’s trials. Without it, how survive arrays like this? Natural formations could fully seal true qi someday. Then you’ll die whimpering!”

His cold gaze held grudging approval as he turned to Ye Yun. “Join me. I’ll teach the physical Dao to transcend mortality. You could become supreme.”

Ye Yun laughed. “Earlier you wanted me dead for mentioning Du Jianyin. Now you offer discipleship? What’s your price – that Xuan Yuan Devil Whip none but you can wield in all Great Qin Empire?”

Master Hei Xu’s eyes flashed. “What do you know?!”

“Whatever you’re hiding.”

The master grinned savagely. “Then die.”

He stomped, making earth tremble as he arrowed toward Ye Yun. The youth retreated swiftly – his flesh slightly weaker, but the gap tiny. If he fled, pursuit was futile.

They crossed hundred zhang in breaths. As Master Hei Xu prepared to accelerate, darkness swallowed the sky.

“We’ll fight when light returns. Farewell.”

Ye Yun’s voice echoed through the falling night.

The sky curtain descended once more, bringing darkness and chaos. The six senses were sealed, and spirit perception remained trapped within.

Ye Yun stood motionless. No sounds or figures remained around him.

"Ancestor, after another day passes, can you still sense that treasure?" Ye Yun silently inquired.

"Naturally. This treasure feels like my own flesh and blood. If my guess holds, it’s likely one of my soul fragments. Obtaining it would greatly enhance my cultivation and restore more memories," the Ancestor of the Sword Path responded gravely.

"A soul fragment?" Joy surged through Ye Yun. If true, their journey to the Great Qin Empire would achieve its purpose. Returning to Jin Kingdom after leaving this secret realm meant he could heal Su Ling. With two soul fragments, the Ancestor’s power would grow substantially, bringing Ye Yun greater advantages.

"My calculations suggest it must be," the Ancestor replied, voice trembling slightly.

Within the Ethereal Void Breaking Array, their six senses were blocked and spirit perception couldn’t extend outward. Only this strange resonance could guide them to the soul fragment.

"What’s our next move?" Ye Yun pressed.

After a pause, the Ancestor instructed, "The soul’s presence grows stronger now, no longer drifting randomly. Take ten steps leftward."

As Ye Yun shifted to move, disorientation struck. He suddenly couldn’t distinguish left from right.

Startled, he inhaled deeply and focused, finally regaining orientation. Each of the ten leftward steps proved agonizing – after each movement, the next step brought fresh confusion. What should’ve been simple steps took the length of an incense stick’s burn.

"Turn right. Seven steps forward," came the mental command.

Drawing on his earlier experience, Ye Yun steadied his breath and turned right. The seven steps passed smoother.

"Retreat two steps. Five leftward steps. Then one step back," the Ancestor continued methodically.

Following these directions became progressively easier. After another incense stick’s worth of time, Ye Yun halted without further instructions.

"Here!"

The Ancestor’s voice quivered with barely contained excitement.

"Here? But without spirit perception or senses, how do we find anything?" Ye Yun frowned.

"Touch your surroundings," the Ancestor blurted.

"Have you gone senile? With no senses, I couldn’t feel anything even if I touched it," Ye Yun chuckled.

The Ancestor laughed ruefully. "My eagerness made me forget. We’ll wait for dawn then."

Nodding, Ye Yun sat cross-legged to inspect his body. His true qi had vanished completely, along with his alchemy pill. Yet his five internal organs, meridians, blood, bones and muscles remained unchanged.

As he pondered this, Ye Yun attempted summoning the Heart of Immortals and Demons. Though the six senses were sealed, a flicker of black-and-white light suddenly glowed in his chest – the Heart had appeared.

A smile touched Ye Yun’s lips. The Ancestor’s inability to detect this artifact puzzled him, but he focused on examining it. When his consciousness entered the Heart, golden light exploded in his mind.

Familiar visions returned: golden-armored warriors marching, divine light desiccating rivers and shattering mountains. Ahead, a young couple in black and white strolled hand-in-hand, effortlessly maintaining a hundred zhang lead from the pursuing light.

This time, their faces were clear – younger versions of Su Hao and Shui Qingxuan. Their starry eyes met Ye Yun’s, lips curving in faint smiles.

BOOM!

Mental chaos erupted. Ye Yun’s body shook violently as his soul seemed to tear free. Time became meaningless until he awoke, golden light briefly piercing the darkness.

Before him floated a fist-sized mist cloud, gently undulating.

"That’s it!"

The Ancestor’s voice rang out, electrified.