“Brother Yun, what’s wrong with you?” The frightened Feng Xue’er asked anxiously. At this moment, she suddenly saw a layer of black air slowly rising from Yun Che’s body.

This layer of black gas was very thin at first, but gradually became thicker, and clearly carried an extremely heavy aura of evil.

“Cai Yi… Xue’er…” Yun Che clutched his chest tightly and said in pain, “Take me back… to Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley…”

The space in front of Yun Che quickly twisted, revealing the Primordial Profound Ark. It was obvious that Yun Che knew clearly that it was impossible for him to force himself to fly back to the Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley in his current state, and he had to use the Primordial Profound Ark.

“Hurry and go!” The Little Demon Queen quickly reached out and grabbed Yun Che and Feng Xue’er. They entered the Primordial Profound Ark in the flashing white light, and then disappeared along with the Primordial Profound Ark.

"Hiss..." The severe pain on Tianxia Xiongtu's palm went straight into his bone marrow, and this pain was different from all the pain he had ever suffered in his life. It was an extremely strange... cold burning sensation.

With his powerful cultivation as a mid-stage emperor and the protection of the power of nature, it took more than ten breaths for the pain to be slightly suppressed.

“What…what exactly is…” Cold sweat dripped down Tianxia Xiongtu’s forehead. He took a long breath, glanced at Yun Qinghong, and after a brief hesitation, said, “The black energy just now…seems to be somewhat similar to the one on Xuanyuan Wentian’s body.”

"..." Yun Qinghong was silent for a long time, then he sighed softly and said as if talking to himself: "Wait until Che'er comes back, then ask him."

The Primordial Profound Ark instantly traveled to the entrance of the Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley. The Little Demon Queen and Feng Xue’er brought Yun Che and quickly flew into the Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley… From the time they left to the time they reentered, less than an hour had passed.

Passing through the land of boiling flames, they once again came to the end of the Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley. Before they could even stop, Feng Xue’er had already shouted anxiously, “Golden Crow Spirit, please save Brother Yun!”

Almost at the moment when Feng Xue’er’s voice fell, a pair of golden eyes in the sky that contained endless might and blazing fire opened, emitting a dazzling golden light across the entire Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley.

"You've returned just in time. I have something to ask you." The Golden Crow Spirit's voice was filled with deep solemnity: "Who was the person who just fought with you? And what was the profound skill he used?"

The Little Demon Queen said in a hurry, “We will answer all questions from the Golden Crow Saint. But please, Golden Crow Saint, save Yun Che first. He is now…”

Yun Che curled up on the ground, the black energy wrapped around his body sometimes thicker and sometimes thinner. He was covered in cold sweat, and his facial features were squeezed together. He was obviously enduring a huge amount of pain, but he was holding it in and refused to make a sound.

“Save him?” The Golden Crow Spirit’s voice was quite disdainful: “Could it be that he was injured by the Sky Poison Star God again… Hmm?”

Before he finished speaking, the tone of the Golden Crow Spirit suddenly changed: "This aura..."

Clang!!

A golden light shot out from his mouth and covered Yun Che.

The golden light touched Yun Che’s body and stayed there for a short while… Instantly, the light in the Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley suddenly changed, and the golden pupils in the sky suddenly expanded. The sea of fire and volcanoes within hundreds of miles behind were like they had encountered a disaster, and raging flames rose up.

“Golden Crow Holy Spirit!?” The Little Demon Queen looked up in shock. She couldn’t imagine what could have caused it to go so out of control… As the supreme god of the Illusory Demon Realm, it seemed as if it had suddenly received a huge shock.

“Leave Yun Che here, and leave here immediately.” The Golden Crow Spirit ordered: “Within twelve hours, no one is allowed to enter this place, including you!”

Its voice was particularly solemn and low. It did not give any explanation, nor did it ask any more questions about Xuanyuan Wentian. Its reaction made the Little Demon Queen and Feng Xue'er's hearts beat wildly. Feng Xue'er said in panic, "Golden Crow Spirit, Brother Yun, he...he..."

"No need to say more, just go ahead!"

The golden pupils flashed, and two golden flames descended from the sky, landing on the Little Demon Queen and Feng Xue'er, instantly driving them away from the Golden Crow Thunder Flame Valley.

Feeling the two women leaving, Yun Che slowly raised his head and said with difficulty: “Golden Crow Spirit, I’m counting on you… My own strength… is simply not enough to suppress it…”

“No need to talk! There will be a time for you to explain!” The Golden Crow Spirit said coldly. As he spoke, a ring of golden flames had already condensed around Yun Che. Then he muttered to himself, “It seems that it is impossible for me to continue to exist in the world for another ten years.”

“…” Yun Che gave a grateful and bitter smile, then closed his eyes and concentrated his mind to bear the power from the Golden Crow Spirit.

Four months ago, the devil source bead that the Moon Slaughter Devil Lord had injected into his profound veins before he was completely destroyed became a devil nightmare buried in his body. Even with Jasmine’s power, she couldn’t get rid of it. It would erupt one day, and Yun Che knew this very well.

But he didn't expect it to happen so soon.

I didn't expect it to erupt so violently.

It was Jasmine's power that sealed the Devil Origin Pearl. Because she was afraid of hurting his Profound Veins, Jasmine only dared to use a very small amount of power to seal it, but she also clearly stated that it would be sealed for at least six months.

She had also said before she left that even if her power to seal the Devil Origin Pearl disappeared, Yun Che could still use his own power to seal it.

Furthermore, at that time, Yun Che’s strength was far inferior to what it is now.

But now, not only did the explosion last much longer than expected, the dark magic energy it released was so huge that his power could not suppress it at all. If the previous magic source bead was just a magic seed planted in his body, then now... it was like a violent demon god suddenly awakened.

After the Golden Crow Spirit gave its soul source to Yun Che, its own strength had already dropped significantly. But it was, after all, a fragment of the soul of the ancient mythical beast Golden Crow. When Yun Che bathed in the burning golden flames, a surge of power like a huge wave surged into his body and rushed straight to his profound veins.

After a moment, the black energy on Yun Che's body slowly faded away, and his complexion also improved a lot. He sat up straight, concentrated his mind, and used the Great Dao Fu Tu Jue with all his strength, also drawing the power of the Golden Crow Divine Spirit to suppress the rioting Demon Source Pearl.

Under the enormous power of the Golden Crow Spirit, the power of the Magic Source Pearl was finally suppressed bit by bit. Rays of golden light rolled towards the dark Magic Source Pearl like streams, wrapping around it layer by layer, gradually sealing off its power completely until no trace of dark magic energy could escape.

Yun Che opened his eyes, and his complexion had completely returned to normal.

And time, three full hours passed.

If he did not possess the body of the Dragon God and the power of the Great Buddha, if it were someone else, he would have been devoured by the dark demonic aura that filled his body before the Demon Source Pearl was completely sealed within these three hours.

“Thank you, Golden Crow Spirit, you saved me once again. I will never be able to repay you for all the kindness you have shown me in this lifetime.” Yun Che said from the bottom of his heart.

"There is no need to say unnecessary empty words."

The voice of the Golden Crow Spirit was obviously several points weaker than usual, and even the golden light in its pupils became dim. Without its soul source, it could not regenerate its strength, and every point it used would be reduced. The three hours it helped Yun Che seal the Devil Source Pearl shortened its existence time, which was less than ten years, by another full two years.

“You should explain to me now.” The pupils of the Golden Crow Soul suddenly widened: “Why is there a magic source bead in your body!”

"That is something that has long been extinct in the world!"

“It might be a little troublesome to explain this matter.” Yun Che said. He didn’t need to hide anything from the Golden Crow Spirit. Besides, it had saved his life many times.

"In that case, how about letting me explore your memory?"

No one, no matter how ordinary a person is, would want to have their memories looked at by others. But this time, Yun Che nodded without hesitation: "Okay."

The Golden Crow Soul was obviously surprised by his straightforwardness. It said no more and sprinkled golden light, invading Yun Che's defenseless soul. Suddenly, his memories after leaving the Illusory Demon Realm flooded into the Golden Crow Soul's soul like a tide.

Reading about a year's worth of memories was a relatively short process. But after the Golden Crow Spirit withdrew its golden light, it remained silent for a long time.

Its constantly flashing golden eyes revealed the great vibration of its heart and soul.

After a long while, the Golden Crow Spirit spoke slowly, "When I fought with you today, I sensed a faint demonic aura from the man named Xuanyuan Wentian, as well as the aura of the Eternal Night Illusionary Demonic Scripture. I once suspected that it was an illusion, because the demons had long been extinct."

"I didn't expect that it was actually the aura of the Eternal Night Magic Scripture!"

"I have carried the will of the Golden Crow and have existed in this world for such a long time, but I have never realized that in the distant northern continent, there is a real demon that has survived from ancient times to this day!"

It explored Yun Che's memories and naturally knew about the existence of the Moon Slaughter Devil Lord.

"It's fortunate that you accidentally discovered and killed him. Otherwise, if his soul revived, his devilish nature and the resentment that had been locked away for millions of years would have brought about an incomparably terrible catastrophe for this world. It's like you saved this seemingly peaceful world with your own strength."

Yun Che smiled faintly and shook his head: “I killed him only to save my own life, because if he didn’t die, I would die, that’s all. As for saving the world, I don’t think I have the courage and the heart to do so. Besides, what’s the use of killing the Moon Slaughter Devil Lord? In comparison, Xuanyuan Wentian is a hundred times more terrifying.”

“You are wrong. How can a demon god be compared to a mortal? Although Xuanyuan Wentian today is far superior to the Moon Slaughter Devil Lord you killed, the Moon Slaughter Devil Lord is a true demon. Once he truly revives, his power is simply beyond your imagination. Even if you have the body of a dragon god, it will only take a thought for him to destroy you.”

“And Xuanyuan Wentian only obtained a thin layer of demon blood and a tiny bit of demon soul. Even if he could obtain all of it and perfectly integrate all the powers, he would not be able to truly step into the divine way.”

“However, although my strength has improved by leaps and bounds in the past three months, I am still far from being a match for Xuanyuan Wentian. If it weren’t for Fen Juechen’s remaining soul, I would have died today.”

“Moreover, Xuanyuan Wentian said today that his demonic blood has not yet fully awakened. It will reach a perfect state in three months. By then, his strength will surely be far greater than it is now. Phew… I really can’t think of how I can fight him.”

Yun Che raised his head and whispered to himself, “It would be great if Jasmine was here. Even if she is still unable to use her own power like before, she can still teach me what to do.”

“…” From Yun Che’s body, the Golden Crow Spirit felt a heavy gloom.

More than a year ago, when Yun Che first saw it, he was respectful but not afraid of it. Even when facing its pressure, he was still full of vigor. When it tried to forcibly wipe out his Phoenix bloodline, he firmly refused and even cursed at it.

At that time, facing his scolding, it was not angry, but rather it found him more pleasing to the eye. Because as the soul of the Golden Crow, its temperament was extremely arrogant and violent.

But now, it felt gloomy from Yun Che.

It couldn’t be sure whether the cause of this gloom was Xuanyuan Wentian’s despairing strength or Jasmine’s departure.

Perhaps, it is the latter.

“Golden Crow Spirit, with your strength, can you defeat Xuanyuan Wentian?” Yun Che asked, but his tone clearly showed that he did not hold out any hope.

“If it was a year ago, I might have been able to do it.” The Golden Crow Spirit said calmly, “But now, even if I go against the Golden Crow’s will and forcibly leave this place, I will definitely not be able to burn Xuanyuan Wentian to death.”

“…” Yun Che closed his eyes and clenched his hands slightly.

Jasmine’s departure, Yuluo’s plot, the mutated Xuanyuan Wentian, the erupting Demon Source Pearl… He was still immersed in the confusion of Jasmine’s departure and hadn’t recovered from it when everything came rushing in.

In the past, no matter how terrible the danger, his fighting spirit never dimmed. But now, without Jasmine by his side, he felt as if his soul had been cut in half. He felt gloomy and powerless.

After the loss, he truly understood that his dependence on Jasmine was far greater than he had expected.

“Don’t you want to know why the magic source bead in your mysterious vein suddenly broke free from the blockade and exploded?” The Golden Crow Soul suddenly said.

“I am also wondering about this question.” Yun Che’s eyes moved: “Golden Crow Spirit, do you know the answer?”

“The Demon Origin Pearl from the Moon Slaughter Devil Lord originally only had very weak power. If you had not been seriously injured in the fierce battle with the Moon Slaughter Devil Lord that day, you could have sealed it yourself.” The Golden Crow Spirit narrated slowly, and there was still a clear sense of weakness in his voice: “It merged into your profound veins and will naturally absorb the profound energy in your profound veins.”

"It's like a dark seed that was about to die. Although it was revived by your profound energy, it is a demon god-level thing. The power that gradually derives will far exceed your strength and level. If you want to survive, you must either destroy your profound veins, or continue to seal it to prevent its increasingly powerful demonic energy from overflowing."

"Originally, it would take quite some time for the awakened power of this Demon Source Pearl to reach a level that would be fatal to you. With your profound strength from three months ago, you could rely on your own strength to seal it off again and again for at least several decades."

"But during these three months, you and Feng Xue'er practiced the Dragon and Phoenix dual cultivation, and your Yuan Qi and Xuan Qi were always in an extremely active state. Your Xuanli level even increased dramatically in just three months... But by some strange coincidence, the power of the Demon Source Pearl increased rapidly due to your continued activity and continuous increase, and eventually it broke the blockade left by your master and released the dark demonic aura that you could not bear."

Yun Che: “…”

“This is my negligence. If I had discovered the existence of the magic source bead in your body three months ago, this would not be the result today.” The Golden Crow Spirit sighed… It did not directly say how terrifying the magic source bead in Yun Che’s body was now. Although it was difficult to seal it, but…

Yun Che laughed and shook his head: “This is not your fault. If you hadn’t guided Xue’er to practice dual cultivation with me, I would have died three months ago.”

“The Devil Origin Pearl is in my Profound Veins. I have long been aware that this would happen… it’s just that it came a little too quickly.” Yun Che paused, and suddenly said, “Regarding the Devil Origin Pearl, I must be very confused. Why can it be easily integrated into my Profound Veins? The Profound Veins of a Profound Person are where the Profound Qi is condensed, and they will repel all foreign objects. Moreover, my Profound Veins are the Profound Veins of a Profound God. Why can I directly integrate the Devil Origin Pearl that belongs to the devil without any rejection?”

“This matter is something that I cannot understand either.” The Golden Crow Spirit said slowly, “The Devil Source Pearl is the source of power for the Devil God. The birth of a Devil God begins with the Devil Source Pearl. It carries the source of power for a Devil God and is located at the core of the Devil’s Profound Vein. Once a Devil loses or has its Devil Source Pearl destroyed, it will lose all of its power and may even die.”

"If a demon god's magic source beads are destroyed, he can seize the magic source beads of other demon gods, and then integrate them into his own profound veins through some special method, so as to regain power... Although it sounds bizarre and I don't know whether it is true or not, there were indeed similar rumors in the Age of Gods. But it is impossible for a true god or a mortal's profound veins to integrate the source power beads of a demon god. Unless..."

“…”

The Golden Crow Spirit obviously thought of something, but its voice suddenly stopped, and even its golden eyes shrank several times.

“Unless what?” Yun Che asked.

"...I cannot answer you because that is just an extremely absurd fantasy. There is no need to ask any more questions."

Yun Che could tell that the tone of the Golden Crow Spirit had changed. It must have thought of something, but was unwilling to tell him... and was extremely stubborn in not wanting to say it.