Chapter 112: Phoenix Ode to the World Classic · Fragment (6)

Creak... The bamboo door of the house was carefully pushed open. A slender woman entered, carrying a bamboo basin filled with freshly washed clothes. She appeared to be in her early twenties, yet possessed the delicate vulnerability and charm of a girl of fifteen or sixteen, as serene and graceful as a radiant hibiscus under the moonlight. Her simple, grayish-white coarse cloth dress could not conceal her stunning beauty, reminiscent of stars in the night sky, or her ethereal aura, like spirit rain in a secluded mountain. Especially her eyes; clearer than the purest crystal, their captivating brilliance was enough to overshadow everything else in the world.

As Yun Che realized where he was, he anticipated her appearance. The moment she pushed the door open, his heart still pounded fiercely. His eyes and expression froze; he stared blankly, as if everything in the world had, in that instant, turned to pale nothingness, leaving only her solitary figure. All his emotions, all his thoughts, all his beliefs, surged wildly and completely in that moment. That year, she had perished in his arms. After a long cry, he had believed he would never shed another tear in his life. But at this moment, he felt warm tears streaming uncontrollably from beneath his eyelids.

Emotions, so intense they felt alien, intertwined chaotically within his chest. He had forgotten where he was, forgotten that he was still undergoing a trial. All his emotions, at this moment, coalesced into a cry from his soul, tinged with a slight sob: "Ling'er... Ling'er!!"

The bamboo basin slipped from the woman's hands and fell to the ground. Looking at Yun Che, who was sitting up in bed, deep surprise appeared in her beautiful eyes. She rushed to his bedside in a few steps, her expression urgent, yet she made an effort to soften her voice: "Brother Yun Che, you're awake... Are you still in pain? Is anything uncomfortable?"

The woman's face was now inches away, her distinct feminine scent strongly impacting Yun Che's senses. Her eyes were filled with joy, anxiety, worry, and a deep-seated grievance and longing—exactly as he remembered, and as she had appeared countless times in his dreams. Yet, he had never dared to imagine that one day, he would see those most beautiful eyes again.

He gradually became entranced, his lips trembling constantly, yet he couldn't utter a single word. His consciousness completely disintegrated at that moment, leaving only the figure before him, deeply imprinted in his soul, impossible to forget even in death. He recklessly opened his still-bandaged arms. Amidst Ling'er's gasp of surprise, he held her tightly, so very tightly, as if afraid that if he loosened his grip even slightly, she would disappear from him.

"Brother Yun Che..." Ling'er's body froze for a long time. Only then did she hug him back, pressing her body fully against his chest, uttering soft murmurs.

"Ling'er... Ling'er... Ling'er..." Yun Che knew how distraught he was at that moment. His heart was utterly chaotic. From his own cries, he could hear a distinct sobbing, and feel the constant tracks of tears sliding down his face.

This was a scene that had only appeared in his dreams since that painful loss. His heart felt so warm it almost stopped beating, making him feel that even if he were to die right now, he would be endlessly content. If only he could, he would never let go again, no matter how great the cost.

In those years, he had grown accustomed to her presence, accustomed to seeing her as his sanctuary. Whenever he was covered in blood, on the verge of death, he would desperately crawl to the small hut she had built for them with her own hands. Whenever he needed warmth, he would instinctively come here. Whenever he was agitated or lost control, he would always come here to find peace. And she, time and again, would soothe the wounds on his body and soul: she would catch fish from the stream for him, pat his back, lulling him to sleep like a baby. His vigilance was too high; usually, he would wake up every quarter of an hour when sleeping. Only with her would he sleep soundly until noon the next day.

She was his only source of warmth then. However, blinded by hatred and seeing revenge as his sole purpose in life, he had merely taken all this for granted, as a habit. It wasn't until the day he lost her that he truly understood that this girl had long been more important than his own life, more important than his hatred.

Tearfully, she had repeatedly begged him not to seek revenge again. That was her only request amidst her selfless devotion, yet he had not listened. Even at the very end of her life, she had still used her dying breath to persuade him not to avenge his master, nor to avenge her. It wasn't because her relatives were her killers, but because she so desperately wished for him not to continue living in endless hatred.

Once lost, no matter how painful or regretful, it could never return. If he could, he would exchange everything he had, even his life and soul.

"Ling'er... Ling'er... Ling'er..." He hugged Ling'er tightly in his arms, calling her name again and again, with every breath. He yearned for this illusionary dream never to end. This feeling of happiness, like finding something lost, was so warm it defied all description.

"Brother Yun Che..." Ling'er's soft murmur reached his ear, light and ethereal like a dream: "Please don't think about revenge anymore, okay? Your master, if he has a spirit in heaven, surely wouldn't want to see you like this. As long as you give up revenge, I'll agree to anything you ask... We can stay here in this bamboo grove, you with me, and I with you, for all our lives... forever... I'll be your gentlest wife... and never leave you... okay?"

Her fragrant breath, her voice, her words—all were so familiar. They were entirely her unique scent and sound, words she had spoken to him countless times. In the past, every time she spoke these words to him, he would feel a stirring in his heart, but it would immediately be suppressed by his deep-seated hatred.

After losing her, he had fantasized countless times that if time could be reversed, if heaven granted him another chance, he would never refuse again, absolutely never.

Without any hesitation, he nodded vigorously, five or six times in a row. He said firmly in a hoarse voice: "Yes! Yes! Ling'er, I'll listen to you, I promise you, I will never seek revenge again. From now on, you are my life. Where you are, I will be. I will stay with you forever, protect you, and we will never be separated, through all lives and generations!"

Every sentence, every word, every trace of emotion came from the depths of his soul. How he wished he could have shouted these words to her back then.

Ling'er cried tears of joy, her two arms, like glistening white jade, held him tightly: "Brother Yun Che, is what you said true? Is it really true?"

"It's true, every word is true. If I've spoken a single lie, may I be struck down by heaven and earth," Yun Che said, each word firm and resolute.

After speaking these words, he gently closed his eyes, his expression tranquil and content. He felt a sharp, cold object pierce deeply into his back. Blood gushed forth, and his consciousness rapidly dissipated into a heavy darkness.

The scene before him distorted and dissolved, and the world returned to complete darkness. Yun Che opened his eyes, and before him were two massive golden eyes.

"I lost." Yun Che gave a self-deprecating, yet remarkably peaceful, smile. "I thought that with my state of mind, I could easily pass this third trial, but I overestimated myself. Heh, I must have disappointed you. My pursuit of power isn't as firm as I thought."

The voice of the Phoenix Spirit resonated: "Your soul perception tells me that from the very beginning, you knew it was merely an illusion. You clearly saw the dagger by the bedside, and you knew that by picking it up and stabbing the girl, you could break this illusion and easily pass the trial. Why did you choose instead to immerse yourself in this illusion, even self-suggesting that everything was real? Could it be that, in your heart, the immense power within your grasp was less important than that temporary fantasy?"

"I couldn't do it." Yun Che slowly shook his head. "This illusion originated from the most precious memories deep within my soul. It was both illusory and the most genuine beauty deeply imprinted in my soul. You wouldn't understand how important that girl is to me, nor how much I owe her. Even if it was just a dream, even if it meant sacrificing immense power, I would never harm her."

"Even so, why did you not push her away or even dodge when you clearly perceived her secretly picking up that dagger and thrusting it at you?" the voice of the Phoenix Spirit asked, perplexed.

Yun Che smiled, a truly melancholic smile. "I know that was an illusion created by your forceful interference with my memories. My Ling'er, even if it meant her own death, would never wish to inflict the slightest harm upon me. However, I was willing to die by her hand, because what I owe her is far more than just a single life. To die by her hand, even if it was illusory, could somewhat alleviate the slightest bit of guilt in my heart."

The Phoenix Spirit remained silent for a long time.

"I crave power, but there are many things in this world far more important to me than power. I need power to protect those more important things. It seems I am not destined or qualified to obtain the power of the Phoenix after all... However, even though I failed the trial, I am still very content, because this trial allowed me to see her again, embrace her, and even personally give her the promise I had only dreamed of giving her."

Yun Che smiled, a very warm smile, without a trace of unwillingness or regret.

"It seems the girl you call Ling'er is truly important to you. Your heart also holds profound regret because of her. However, you don't need to suppress this regret deep within your soul. You traversed reincarnation with a Profound Sky Supreme Treasure, altering the laws of causality in this world. Under the butterfly effect, time, dimensions, and planes have all shifted accordingly. Some regrets and debts may not be without a chance for resolution and compensation."

The words "You traversed reincarnation with a Profound Sky Supreme Treasure" greatly shocked Yun Che. He stared directly at the massive golden eyes before him, speechless for a long time.

Profound Sky Supreme Treasure... traversing reincarnation... Could it be that it saw through his two lives? And the reason for his two lives... was the reincarnation brought about by a Profound Sky Supreme Treasure?

Profound Sky Supreme Treasure... Jasmine had told him that the Sky Poison Pearl, fused with his body, was one such treasure. But the Sky Poison Pearl's abilities were concentrated on poison, medicine, refining, space, and detection. Where would it get the ability to traverse reincarnation?

As for the words that followed, he didn't understand them at all. He tentatively asked: "What do you mean by those words?"

"Heh heh..." The Phoenix Spirit chuckled mysteriously. "You only need to understand half of it; the rest is a heavenly secret that cannot be revealed. As your power grows and your standing in this world continuously rises, there will come a day when you fully understand."

Yun Che pondered, then nodded. "Phoenix Spirit, although you altered my memory illusion and had my Ling'er stab me to death, which I'm a bit unhappy about, I still thank you. However, I ultimately failed this trial, so I should leave now."

"No, it's not time for you to leave yet. Because you have successfully passed the third trial."

"Congratulations, human, bearer of the Heretic God's power. You are the eighth trial participant in countless years who would rather give up power than harm the illusion of a loved one. You are qualified to receive a gift from the Phoenix."

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