Chapter 468 – Desperate Straits
Ye Xinghan used all of his strength and had only managed to tiringly escape from the Song of the Flower Burial after being pressed down for exactly twelve hours. After venting his anger on the place, he still did not give up, and chased after them with all his might. Then, just like Yun Che, out of curiosity, he entered this ancient fortress which appeared out of nowhere… At this moment, he had basically given up hope on finding Feng Xue’er. He didn’t expect that a large surprise would suddenly descend from the heavens just like that.
However, currently, a stone door was completely blocking him from obtaining the prey which was supposedly right at his fingertips, even with an attack which he unleashed with his full strength that had even caused his own arm to be in severe pain; forget about being destroyed, not even a single hint of a scar could be seen on the stone door in front of his eyes, nor was there a slight deviation in its position either.
He struck the stone door with all his strength, yet, what he received, was a feeling as though he was an ant trying to shake a tree.
Ye Xinghan became utterly agitated. This feeling as though a cooked duck had suddenly flown off, had undoubtedly made him feel extremely unbearable. He stared at the stone door, and walked back and forth. He tried to locate the opening mechanism, and his solemn voice carried a deep threat. “Yun Che, if you don’t wish to die without a proper burial, open the door for me now!”
Yun Che did not respond. He closed his eyes, regulated his breathing, and slowly stabilized the injuries in his body. Although he had prepared himself when he took Ye Xinghan’s attack, the injuries he received were definitely not light. From his side, Feng Xue’er reached out her little snow-white hand, and carefully rubbed away the bloodstain from the corner of his lips. Her beautiful eyes were filled with pain… He had received such heavy injuries, yet, he was able to make sure that not even the corner of her clothes were damaged, while she was powerless to defend herself. This alone was touching enough to last in her memory for a lifetime.
Ye Xinghan circled around the vicinity for several times, yet he was unable to find anything that looked similar to a mechanism. He could only give up, and stand in front of the stone door. After his expression quickly changed, his voice suddenly calmed down. “Yun Che, not only have you spoilt my great plans, you have even killed my two beloved women. Whatever you have done, is enough for me to torture you to the point you would wish for death to come! Let’s take a couple steps back; even if you’re capable of escaping today, and you manage to leave the Primordial Profound Ark… Hmph! I will still unhesitantly move all the forces of Sun Moon Divine Hall to endlessly hunt you down. When that time comes, not only will there not be a single person who would have the guts to protect you, there will even be countless of people willing to kill you just to curry favors with my Sun Moon Divine Hall. Like a dog with a deceased owner, you will endlessly pray to see the light of day, until your corpse is shredded into countless pieces!”
Yun Che knew very well in his heart that although Ye Xinghan’s words were threats, they were facts as well. Incurring the hatred of Divine Phoenix Sect and incurring the hatred of Sun Moon Divine Hall were completely two different concepts.
“If you don’t come out, you will be sealed to death in this Primordial Profound Ark. Even if you manage to escape, only death awaits you as well!” Ye Xinghan said solemnly. “But, right now, I can give you a chance! As long as you open this door, and hand me my little sister Xue’er, then, everything that happened, including the matter about you killing my women, I can let them be bygones! Not only will I let you leave and I’ll even allow you to safely leave the Primordial Profound Ark. From today onwards, I will not hunt you down, and I can even provide you with some benefits.”
In such desperate straits, these words undoubtedly carry huge temptation. Yun Che closed his eyes, his demeanor was still the same, and he did not make a sound. Feng Xue’er looked at him worriedly, and said with a soft voice. “Big Brother Yun…”
“Let’s not care about him.” Yun Che held onto Feng Xue’er’s shoulder, and said with a similarly soft voice.
“This young master is the Young Hall Master of Sun Moon Divine Hall, so I keep my promises. This is your only chance to live, and also a big gift for you. You’d best not be an idiot, and destroy your own life and future!” Ye Xinghan said with a solemn voice. However, in actual fact, he was especially anxious in his heart. Because, counting the time, there were only less than two hours before the Primordial Profound Ark would close. When that time comes, not only would he have to give up on Feng Xue’er, his greed and despicable acts could very possibly be exposed. In the future, it would be hard to obtain another opportunity.
He had said a bunch of words, yet still he did not receive even a single response, and not even a single bit of voice could be heard from inside. Ye Xinghan’s expression became even darker and stern. “Yun Che! Since you’re not coming out, could it be that you’re thinking of dying in this Primordial Profound Ark? Hmph, with a lowly life such as yours, it’s fine for you to die, but you don’t have the qualifications to drag Feng Xue’er to die alongside you! Her life is more precious than yours. If you really wish to protect her, then you’d best honestly hand her over to me. This is your only chance!”
With the harshest voice she could muster, Feng Xue’er said. “Ye Xinghan! I, Feng Xue’er, am willing to die here with Big Brother Yun, than to land in your hands!”
“Oh, my little sister Xue’er.” Hearing Feng Xue’er’s voice, Ye Xinghan’s tone instantly underwent a huge change. “Why do you want to reject your Big Brother Ye to such an extent? Although my methods are a little dishonorable, it’s because I like you too much, and that I’m too anxious to obtain you.”
“Go away!” Feng Xue’er furiously shouted. “I really… really hate you!”
“Little Sister Xue’er, you will learn to not hate me.” Ye Xinghan said with a carefree voice. “I, Ye Xinghan, am the Young Hall Master of Sun Moon Divine Hall. Given less than three hundred years, I will become the true Hall Master of Sun Moon Divine Hall, becoming the highest and most supreme figure in the entire Profound Sky Continent. And only I, am worthy of Little Sister Xue’er, and only Little Sister Xue’er, is worthy of me.”
“I can make a guarantee to Little Sister Xue’er right now, that after our marriage, I will use everything I have to protect you, and have you become the most respected, and the most perfect woman in this world. For you, I can even give up on all other women.”
“I will never… never like you! My Big Brother Yun, is a thousand times, ten thousand times better than you!” Feng Xue’er angrily said.
“Your Big Brother Yun?” Ye Xinghan’s eyes narrowed, and began to coldly laugh in disdain. “You actually compare me to a lowly mortal? In my eyes, he’s even less than an ant by the roadside. If I want to crush him, it’s actually even much easier than crushing an ant. My Little Sister Xue’er, given how pure and smart you are, how can your heart be so easily blinded? Only by following me, will you find where you perfectly belong. Even if you don’t think for your own future, you should also think of the future of Divine Phoenix Sect. Could it be that you really wish for the future of Divine Phoenix Sect to be destroyed by your own selfish and mistaken decision?”
Ye Xinghan’s final words, had undoubtedly struck a huge blow in Feng Xue’er’s heart. Yun Che opened his eyes, gently grasped onto Feng Xue’er’s slightly cold hand, and shook his head. “Don’t believe any words from a downright despicable person such as him. No matter what he says, we don’t have to listen to him.”
“Mn.” Feng Xue’er lightly nodded.
Yun Che once again closed his eyes, and healed his own injuries with all his strength. Before the Primordial Profound Ark closes, Ye Xinghan would definitely leave this ancient fortress. When that time comes, that would be the only hope for him and Feng Xue’er to escape from this place. In order to completely secure his own life, Ye Xinghan would definitely not stay too close from the ancient fortress after leaving it either. Although it carried a very huge risk, as long as he were to plan out the time well, the chances of success definitely wouldn’t be low.
The more his injuries heal, the possibility of success would raise correspondingly as well.
Yun Che and Feng Xue’er were in the stone room, while Ye Xinghan was outside the stone room. The situation had instantly landed in a stalemate where neither parties could advance or retreat. Even after using all of his strength, Ye Xinghan was unable to break the stone door. Hence, he could only constantly use enticing, deluding, and threatening words. At the end, under extreme agitation, he had even broken out into curses, however, neither Yun Che nor Feng Xue’er responded to him with another word.
Rumble…
The floor beneath their feet, the wall behind them, and even the entire space, had suddenly trembled slightly, as though an earthquake had happened.
This trembling caused Yun Che to focus his senses, and outside, Ye Xinghan’s expression changed greatly.
“Ah…” Feng Xue’er was suddenly conscious of something, and cried out. “Big Brother Yun, this is bad. I heard from my royal father, that when the space within the Primordial Profound Ark begins to shake, it means that there’s only less than half an hour left before the Primordial Profound Ark closes.”
“Half an hour…” Yun Che raised his eyes and stared at the stone door, his expression beginning to turn grim.
Ye Xinghan’s voice had clearly become anxious as well. “Yun Che! In half an hour, the Primordial Profound Ark will close. If you don’t come out now, the two of you will not be expelled by the Primordial Profound Ark’s force. The two of you will die inside, and even your corpses will disappear along with the Primordial Profound Ark!”
“Come out, and you two can live! Otherwise, both of you will die!”
“It’s best that you worry more about yourself.” Yun Che coldly said. “You’re still inside the ancient fortress yourself. Even if we’re not forced out when the time comes, you will accompany us in our deathbeds as well.”
“Accompany you in your deathbed? Ha, those words are so terrible to hear. You clearly only have to obediently open the door. As long as you do this simple action, you can live on nicely, and my little sister Xue’er will be able to live as well. Yet, you still wish to not come to your senses. It’s fine to be stupid on your own, but you even wish to drag down my perfect little sister Xue’er as well. This is the first time I have ever seen such a fool in my entire life!”
“If I really believe in your words, then I will truly be an idiot.” Yun Che coldly laughed.
Rumble…
Space once against shook, and according to the past experience and records, the nearer to the Primordial Profound Ark’s close, the frequency of the shaking space would increase. At the very end, it would even continue to shake violently, similar to a space which was at the verge of collapse. Ye Xinghan’s expression became even darker. He turned around to look out of the courtyard, hurriedly calculated the time he needed to escape the ancient fortress from his current position, and said while gnashing his teeth. “Yun Che. I shall give you one last chance. Either you open this door, or… both of you will die together!”
Seconds flowed by, and with every passing second, it was as though the footsteps of the god of death were approaching closer. Yun Che’s expression was calm; however, his forehead was already filled with cold sweat. Because the final amount of time he would have, would decide the life and death of both him and Feng Xue’er. If he were to head out now, he would die. If he was unable to leave before the Primordial Profound Ark closes, he would similarly die.
Another fifteen minutes had past, and the frequency of the shaking space had clearly increased as well. Ye Xinghan’s expression had already turned even more anxious, as he constantly turned his head around, confirming time and time again the route and amount of time he needed to escape the ancient fortress. Then, he took a deep breath, and once again roared. “Yun Che, I shall give you one final chance! If you wish to live… open the door now!!”
In the stone room, Yun Che tightly furrowed his brows, tightly gritted his teeth, and did not say a single word. Feng Xue’er strongly grabbed onto Yun Che’s hand, her expression was a field of confusion.
Rumble…
Space severely shook, causing Ye Xinghan’s body to greatly shake for a moment. And right now, out of the total of twenty four hours, they were only left with the final fifteen minutes.
At this moment, even if Yun Che opened the door now, and handed Feng Xue’er to him, removing the time needed to escape, he basically wouldn’t have the time to succeed either. His expression darkened, and his entire body trembled, as he said resentfully and hideously. “Very good. Then I will fulfill your wishes! Since I’m unable to obtain her, then destroying the two of you personally isn’t a terrible idea either!!”
Ye Xinghan’s words, caused Yun Che to suddenly realize what he was planning to do. He fiercely stood up and roared out. “Stop!”
Before his words fell, Ye Xinghan’s palm had already heavily struck onto the right of the stone door. The point of contact, was exactly the small-scaled profound formation controlling the opening mechanism of the stone door.
A violent force struck onto the profound formation. The profound formation momentarily shone, before it completely shattered, and the dispersed profound light gently dissipated in the air.
With the profound formation destroyed, the stone door was completely locked tight as well. No matter was it from the outside or inside, it could no longer be opened.
“Haha… Hahahaha! Die here for me… Forever!!”
The destroyed profound formation had severed Yun Che’s and Feng Xue’er’s hope of escaping, and it had severed Ye Xinghan’s hope of obtaining Feng Xue’er as well. Ye Xinghan let out a huge furious laugh, as he flew into the air with a face filled with hatred. With his fastest speed, he charged outwards. Very quickly, he descended down the stone stairs, and charged out of the exit of the ancient fortress.