Deep within the Perching Phoenix Hall, the chill remained biting.
Yun Huang sat high upon his jade throne. The clear radiance of the pearls in the hall fell upon him, only to be swallowed entirely by his black robes embroidered with gold.
His golden eyes were utterly placid. In the hands of this Reincarnated Immortal Emperor, a sinister and terrifying secret technique like Soul Refining and Source Extraction was performed as naturally as breathing.
"Too many impurities. Unfit for any great purpose," Yun Huang remarked casually, as though he had merely dealt with a slightly flawed piece of immortal material. His movements were elegant and indifferent.
He seemed to have regained his usual calm dignity, but the space constantly shattering and reforming around him revealed that his mood was very bad indeed.
Since he was unhappy, the culprit could forget about enjoying any peace...
"Ah-choo!"
On the top floor of the Immortal-Sealing Tower, Yun Qing sneezed involuntarily as he hung suspended in midair, "comfortably" bound by several Immortal-Binding Chains as thick as a child's arm.
He raised his head and surveyed the surrounding void. As far as he could see, only the Soul-Calming Talismans inscribed on the chains flowed with a spectral blue light. That light offered no warmth; instead, it deepened the sinister chill, eating away at his protective spiritual power strand by strand.
He had no idea what materials Yun Huang had used to forge this Immortal-Sealing Tower. Its cold pierced to the bone. Even his Immortal King body, tempered in the Primordial Chaos Ancient Cave, was beginning to struggle to withstand it.
Absolute darkness, absolute silence, absolute cold, and... absolute suppression of power.
This was the Immortal-Sealing Tower, a place of despair that destroyed the will and ground hope into dust.
Yet Yun Qing's eyes still held a faint, lucid light in the darkness.
He was waiting, and thinking.
Thinking about how to deal with his current predicament, waiting for the man who had imprisoned him here.
Creeeak-creeeak-
A heavy metallic grinding, as though the metal had rusted for ten thousand years, abruptly shattered the eternal silence atop the tower.
The tightly shut iron doors slowly slid open to either side.
The dim yellow light of the Ever-Burning Palace Lantern outside mingled with the spectral blue glow of the runes within, pouring into the dark prison chamber and casting shifting, intersecting shadows through the void.
Yun Qing abruptly raised his head.
His double pupils rapidly adjusted their focus amid the mingled light and shadow, instantly locking onto the backlit figure standing in the doorway.
Their eyes met.
It was Yun Huang.
He stood in the doorway, his backlit face somewhat indistinct. Only those golden eyes remained clear, like two points of divine fire opening within the abyss of an icy pool, roiling with undisguised lingering anger and a thread of biting murderous intent after someone had touched his dragon's reverse scale.
After a long moment, Yun Huang finally stepped into the prison chamber.
His brocade boots struck the cold jade tiles, every step clearly audible, each one hammering at the heart.
He stopped three paces from Yun Qing, so close that Yun Qing could even feel the unique blend of auras emanating from him, as though he stood at the boundary between the extremes of ice and fire.
Yun Huang's gaze slowly swept over Yun Qing's black robe, marked by the pressure of the chains, then across his pale profile, before finally settling on those double pupils that always remained lucid and composed.
"It seems," Yun Huang said, his voice echoing through the empty, frigid top floor, "the tranquility of the Immortal-Sealing Tower suits you well, elder brother."
He tilted his head slightly, every word an icicle. "How does it feel to be a prisoner?"
Yun Qing tried to speak, only to discover that his throat was dry and tight. Under the chains' suppression, even drawing upon a wisp of spiritual power to moisten it was difficult.
He could only lift his eyes with effort and meet Yun Huang's gaze. There was no pleading in them, nor resentment, only... sincere remorse.
Yun Huang did not seem to need an answer. He slowly raised his hand, flicking a wisp of radiant sun divine power from his fingertip straight into a concealed recess atop the tower.
A soft click sounded.
A Gray Stone Bead embedded overhead suddenly activated, emitting a gentle light. White mist carrying a strangely sweet fragrance swiftly spread, enveloping the entire space on the top floor.
Yun Qing's heart tightened. He did not know what the bead did, but Yun Huang had actually resorted to such methods... He was determined to "interrogate" him until everything was clear.
Within the Yun Clan Territory, preparations for the Little Cloud Summit Trial were proceeding to the urgent beat of drums and gongs.
The incident in the Myriad Beasts Ancient Domain that had shaken the upper ranks was firmly pressed beneath the surface by an invisible force. Aside from the few who knew the truth, everyone believed that the eldest young master, Yun Qing, had entered secluded cultivation for the upcoming Cloud Summit Tournament and was paying no heed to outside affairs.
After all, who dared spread an Immortal Emperor's "embarrassment"?
Three days later, the Little Cloud Summit Trial was held as scheduled in the cleared Myriad Beasts Ancient Domain.
The edge of the ancient domain, wreathed in bloody mist, clamored with voices. A massive ring-shaped viewing platform floated in the air, its runes flowing in a magnificent display.
Beside the trial grounds below, Yun Shuo, who had been specially brought out to take his mind off things, clenched his little fists. His face flushed with excitement as he cheered desperately for his familiar big sister Yun Yao and big brother Yun Li.
"Big sister Yao! Big brother Yun Li! Hit him! Use the move eldest brother taught you!"
He had no idea where his eldest brother, supposedly "cultivating hard in seclusion," truly was, or what torment he was enduring. The Second Elder's reassurance and the thoughtful care of Yun Yao and the others had built him a temporary safe harbor.
Yun Yao, however, was somewhat distracted. As she fended off the demon beasts' attacks, she kept casting worried glances at Yun Li's gloomy expression nearby.
Ever since the Divine List had appeared that day, he had been acting strangely, often keeping to himself. The oppressive gloom around him made even her heart tremble.
"Brother Li, are you all right?" Unable to restrain herself, Yun Yao sent him a voice transmission during a pause in the fighting.
Yun Li moved like lightning, evading a sharp streak of Sword Qi. The longsword in his hand swept upward in a reverse slash, forcing back the contestant who had ambushed him.
"I'm fine. Focus on the match." After a pause, he changed the subject. "I heard the Third Elder asked you to help at the library again?... That's a good thing. With her protection, those main-line descendants won't dare trouble you again."
Stay farther away from me... The words rolled on his tongue, but when he saw the genuine concern in Yun Yao's clear eyes, he swallowed them in the end.
Above the platform stood twelve seats symbolizing the highest status among the Yun Clan's younger generation, but only five or six were occupied. The others were either in seclusion, attempting to break through their bottlenecks, or had disdained watching a selection contest one tier beneath them and had not attended.
After all, at their level, the Little Cloud Summit Trial was hardly worth watching.
Among those absences, Yun Qing's was not particularly conspicuous. Only the handful who knew the truth felt their hearts sink when their gazes passed over the empty seat at the head.
Second Elder Yun Yuan sat near the front of the elders' seats, seemingly focused on the fierce clashes of spiritual power in the arena below. Yet his hand kept unconsciously twisting the few strands of his goatee, nearly pulling them out.
From the corner of his eye, he repeatedly glanced at First Elder Yun Che beside him, who was once again resting with his eyes closed, as still as an old monk in meditation. He wished he could glare a hole through the old fellow. Young Qing is still suffering in that sunless Immortal-Sealing Tower. How can this old thing remain so calm?!
In stark contrast to the Second Elder was the Twelfth Elder, seated at the very end of the elders' section. His face bore the pallor of severe injuries that had yet to heal, and his aura was noticeably weaker, yet his confinement had actually been temporarily lifted. He had even been permitted to attend today's event!
He looked at the empty seat on the raised platform, then glanced at the Second Elder nearby, who was squirming as though seated on needles. The corners of his mouth quietly curved upward, despite his efforts to contain them.
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