Chapter 1279: Gift

The sound of the shattering jade cup made Huo Rulie, Mu Huanzhi, and the others turn their heads simultaneously. Seeing Yun Che's current state, they were all shocked. "What's happening?"

With another crack, following the jade cup, the jade table they were seated at also split open with a long crack.

Mu Bingyun quickly reached out and pressed Yun Che's arm. A surge of cold energy instantly suppressed his turbulent aura. "Yun Che, calm down," she said. "That might not be her."

In the vast and boundless universe, it's not uncommon for people to have similar or even identical names and appearances. Moreover, the "Empress" standing before them was vastly different from the Xia Qingyue in Yun Che's and Mu Bingyun's memories. Their identities and statuses were also worlds apart.

One was the young palace master of a sect in a lower realm; the other was about to become the Empress of a King Realm.

Yet, Yun Che knew it was her!

There was no rational reason, but the moment Yun Che saw her, he was absolutely certain it was Xia Qingyue—it had to be. There wasn't a trace of doubt.

At sixteen, she was still a naive girl, yet she possessed unparalleled elegance. At seventeen and a half, on the battlefield of the Azure Cloud Ranking Tournament, the entire Heavenly Sword Villa held its breath the moment her veil fell. At nineteen, she was already the young palace master of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, and the eternal ice and snow of the Ice Phoenix Realm paled in comparison to her fleeting, enchanting smile.

Now, seeing her again, she was like a true goddess from the heavenly realm, her grace making even the divine moon in the sky dim in shame.

She was Xia Qingyue...

After eight years with no news, he finally saw her again... in a place he had never imagined, under circumstances he had never conceived, and with an identity he had never thought possible...

Seeing her again, he should have felt relieved and overjoyed. But why was she about to become the Moon God Emperor's Empress?!

Although his aura was suppressed by Mu Bingyun, Yun Che's mind remained incredibly chaotic. He tried to calm himself, but the blood in his veins surged wildly to his head, an agitation he couldn't suppress.

"Brother Yun, you..."

Huo Poyun was about to ask when Huo Rulie suddenly pressed down on his arm and slowly shook his head. Huo Rulie, Yan Juehai, Mu Huanzhi, and the others remained silent, deeply shaken. Yun Che was not someone who easily lost emotional control. On the contrary, he could face the intimidating might of Honored Qu Hecheng without changing his expression, even sharply refuting him. On the Conferred God Stage, no matter how severe his injuries, he remained eerily calm. He even politely refused the olive branch from a King Realm with utter indifference.

Yet, this same Yun Che was now trembling, his face contorted, as if his soul was gripped by a demon. They couldn't imagine what kind of stimulus could make Yun Che, who could calmly refuse even a King Realm, lose control to such an extent.

Not only Yun Che, but Mu Bingyun at his side also showed signs of a disturbed aura. All of this happened after the Moon God Empress made her appearance. They dared not make any wild guesses, but one thing was certain: this was definitely not something outsiders could interject or interfere with.

"Yun Che, don't be impulsive!" Mu Bingyun whispered again, her voice laced with deep helplessness. Everyone else was awestruck by the Empress's Glazed Heart, but Mu Bingyun was deeply shocked and simply couldn't believe she was Xia Qingyue. Her hand remained firmly pressed on Yun Che's arm, preventing him from making any rash moves.

This was the Moon God Realm, the supreme King Realm. Who would dare cause trouble here? But Mu Bingyun knew Yun Che absolutely would... Not because he was reckless or lacked judgment, but because of the arrogance and dignity deeply ingrained in his very being! He could concede on anything and handle everything with indifference, but he would never allow anyone to cross the line of his dignity. This was evident to Mu Bingyun from the very first day she brought him to the Snow Song Realm. Upon his first arrival in the Snow Song Realm, he mercilessly severely injured Mu Fengshu, the Snowfall Palace Master's nephew. In the Netherfrost Heavenly Lake, he defied Mu Xuanyin due to injustice. And at the Profound God Convention, he displayed this trait to its absolute extreme... This was ingrained in his very being and would never change throughout his life.

Xia Qingyue was not just his confidante, nor a lover with whom he had promised a future, but his lawfully wedded wife! Yet she was about to become the Moon God Empress. This was undoubtedly the humiliation of having his wife taken from him! The humiliation of having one's wife taken was an immense disgrace that no normal man could ever accept—indeed, it was the greatest possible dishonor... Let alone Yun Che!

Mu Bingyun sighed inwardly, then gently brushed Yun Che with her jade-like fingers. A wisp of Ice Phoenix aura instantly enveloped his entire body. Yun Che trembled as if doused with cold water, and his chaotic pupils finally regained a bit of clarity.

Everyone's attention was on the newly appeared Empress; no one else noticed Yun Che's abnormality... except for one person.

Qianye Ying'er!

Above the clouds, her gaze lingered on Yun Che for a long time, and her lips curved slightly. "Even someone I have no interest in can have such an interesting reaction to her," she murmured. "It seems Yun Che and this Moon God Empress have some fascinating connection."

"Miss," Gu Zhu said, "This woman not only possesses a Glazed Heart, but she also has something you've been looking for."

"Oh?" Qianye Ying'er looked sideways, her gaze shifting slightly. "Are you saying..."

"The Nine Profound Exquisite Body," Gu Zhu slowly replied.

Qianye Ying'er fell silent, remaining so for a very long time. The Nine Profound Exquisite Body forms a small world within the profound veins, allowing one to break through limits and transcend laws. It's widely recognized as the best cultivation cauldron in the world. As profound energy strengthens, the exquisite world becomes increasingly difficult for others to detect, but it still couldn't escape Gu Zhu's murky and terrifying eyes.

"The Ice Phoenix Glazed Heart and the Nine Profound Exquisite Body—possessing either is a gift from heaven," Gu Zhu sighed deeply. "Yet she possesses both, something unheard of since ancient times. This generation of the Eastern Divine Region has produced too many unusual prodigies. Could it be that they are truly born for a calamity?"

Qianye Ying'er didn't respond. Her gaze was no longer on Yun Che but fixed intently on Xia Qingyue. After a long silence, she suddenly asked coldly, "Is her primordial yin still intact?"

Gu Zhu nodded slightly, knowing Qianye Ying'er would ask that question.

"Now this is strange. Such a beauty, with an exquisite body, and yet she's still a virgin. Has Yue Wuya become a saint, or a eunuch?" Qianye Ying'er's eyes narrowed slightly. "Her primordial yin is still present, which means... her exquisite world can be taken over."

"It is not an empty boast that a Glazed Daughter is blessed by the Heavenly Way," Gu Zhu slowly said. "Forcibly taking her exquisite body might not be the best option."

"I never believed in the so-called Heavenly Way," Qianye Ying'er said with a soft, cold laugh. "Even if the Heavenly Way truly exists, then I'll just overturn it!"

Gu Zhu remained silent.

"Qingyue, go rest," the Moon God Emperor said from above the Moon Evasion Immortal Palace, his gaze sweeping across the entire hall. He was not surprised by anyone's reaction.

Xia Qingyue turned and returned to the Moon Evasion Immortal Palace. From beginning to end, she did not utter a single word, nor did her expression or eyes show even a hint of emotion.

But her brief appearance was enough.

"Star God Emperor, are you still satisfied?" the Moon God Emperor asked, chuckling, his words aimed directly at the Star God Emperor.

Compared to the Star God Emperor's public cold words, his counterattack was extremely "gentle," yet it was an undeniable and complete victory. The Star God Emperor let out a cold snort, his hands clenched tightly, his face turning ashen. His expression hadn't looked so ugly in a long time.

In recent years, the Star God Realm had faced continuous misfortune. Even powerful Star Gods, who typically died of old age, had suffered successive calamities. In just a few decades, both the Sirius Star God and the Heavenly Slaughter Star God had fallen. While Heavenly Slaughter later returned and Sirius found a new successor, Heavenly Poison was then instantly killed by Heavenly Slaughter again. He had kept the matter of Heavenly Poison's demise tightly under wraps; even within the Star God Realm, it was unknown, let alone to outsiders.

In contrast, the Moon God Realm had gained a Glazed Daughter as their Empress!

At the Moon God Emperor's smiling words, he felt his internal organs burning with rage... and an incredibly strong jealousy and hatred ignited within his heart.

In Moon God City, countless sounds of praise and awe immediately erupted, especially various flattery creating a surging wave of sound. In the main hall, the Brahma Heaven God Emperor remarked, "No wonder the Moon God Emperor's wedding ceremony is so high-profile this time, and he even publicly mentioned the events of that year... So that's how it is."

"The humiliation of that year no longer exists," the Eternal Heaven God Emperor stated. He believed most strongly in the Heavenly Blessing name associated with the "Glazed Heart." Just the three words "Glazed Heart" alone would make even a God Emperor, regardless of the person's appearance—even if ugly as a sow—scramble to make them an Empress to bless themselves and their King Realm. What's more, her beauty far surpassed that of Yue Wugou back then... Her beauty alone was enough to be worthy of the Moon God Emperor; Shui Qianheng was not the only one who thought so. The humiliation of that year, now viewed in hindsight, had surprisingly become a blessing. From now on, no one would be qualified to secretly mock the Moon God Realm; even other King Realms would only feel extreme envy.

As Xia Qingyue departed, Yun Che's body slowly stopped trembling, until it was completely still. The surging sounds around him drowned out his hearing. Long ago, Jasmine had told him that Xia Qingyue possessed the "Ice Phoenix Glazed Heart" and was blessed by heaven. In the Snow Song Realm, Mu Xuanyin had also briefly mentioned the "Glazed Heart" to him. But he hadn't grown up in the God Realm, and based on Jasmine's and Mu Xuanyin's few words, he couldn't truly understand what the "Glazed Heart" signified. But today, the reactions of these Eastern Region powerhouses and the Moon God Emperor's smiling demeanor towards the world were all telling him what the "Glazed Heart" truly meant.

However, none of this was important. What was important was that she was Xia Qingyue.

Seeing that Yun Che seemed to have calmed down and showed no signs of impulsive actions, Mu Bingyun breathed a slight sigh of relief. At that moment, she saw Yun Che's gaze turn towards her as he asked a question:

"Palace Master Bingyun," he asked, "do you think... she knows I'm still alive?"

Looking into Yun Che's eyes, Mu Bingyun's heart suddenly sank. Because those eyes were incredibly calm, terrifyingly so, and faintly shrouded in an invisible, profound darkness. They were like two ferocious beasts lurking, ready to rampage at any moment.

Mu Bingyun couldn't answer and could only shake her head. That year, when Xia Qingyue was sent away from the Frozen Cloud Asgard, everyone in the Profound Sky Continent knew Yun Che had "died" in the Primordial Profound Ark. In her understanding at that time, Yun Che was dead. Until this year, before the Profound God Convention, Xia Qingyue should have believed that Yun Che no longer existed in this world.

But...

In the Conferred God Battle, Yun Che's name resounded throughout the entire God Realm. As long as one was in the Eastern Divine Region, it was impossible not to have heard his name, especially since she was in the Moon God Realm. Hearing his name, if she had just watched a projection of the Conferred God Battle, she should have known Yun Che was still alive.

Mu Bingyun truly couldn't answer this question. Because whether she believed Yun Che was dead or not were two completely different concepts for both Xia Qingyue and Yun Che.

Yun Che fell silent, and Mu Bingyun said nothing more. Huo Poyun, Yan Juehai, and the others felt an invisible suppression and remained silent, their hearts churning with turbulent waves. In the thoroughly boisterous Moon God City, only their seating area remained eerily silent.

At this moment, a young girl wearing a moon-white long dress gracefully approached. She had a delicate, charming figure, and though her life aura suggested she was not yet twenty, she exuded an imposing air of elegance and nobility. This made many Eastern Region powerhouses glance at her repeatedly, yet none dared to speak offensively. The moon-white long dress she wore was emblazoned with the divine moon emblem of the Moon God Realm.

She passed through layers of outer seating, then walked towards the areas occupied by the Snow Song and Flame God Realms, finally stopping beside Yun Che, under the astonished gazes of Huo Rulie and the others.

"May I ask... are you Young Master Yun Che?" the young girl asked with some trepidation.

Yun Che glanced sideways at her. "Who are you?" he asked.

Yun Che's implied confirmation prompted the girl to immediately bow gracefully. "My name is Jin Yue," she said, "a personal maidservant to Her Majesty the Empress."

Hearing the words "Her Majesty the Empress," Yun Che's gaze suddenly hardened. Mu Bingyun and the others' expressions also showed various changes.

Yun Che's sudden change in gaze made Jin Yue's heart skip a beat. She didn't know what was happening, but she vaguely felt uneasy. She quickly presented a jade box, her words tinged with nervousness: "Her Majesty the Empress said she once received kindness from the Snow Song Realm, and specially... specially offers this gift to... Young Master Yun..."

Under Yun Che's intense gaze, Jin Yue suddenly shivered, unable to continue her words.

Yun Che reached out and took the jade box, his face devoid of expression.

Jin Yue breathed a long sigh of relief. She didn't know where the sudden uneasiness in her heart came from, but she simply wanted to leave immediately. She bowed slightly and said, "Jin Yue takes her leave."

"Wait," Yun Che said, his fingers lightly caressing the jade box. He then opened it, looking at a jade-white pill emitting a mysterious aura inside. "May I ask a question?"

"Young Master Yun... please ask," Jin Yue replied, her body tensing slightly.

"Since your Empress knows me, has she watched the projection of the Conferred God Battle?" Yun Che asked. As he spoke, he picked up the jade-white pill and, without a glance, directly placed it into the Sky Poison Pearl, leaving only an empty jade box in his hand.

Jin Yue was bound by an inexplicable tension and had no time to ponder why Yun Che would ask such a question. She truthfully replied, "Her Majesty has a detached nature and did not pay attention to the Conferred God Battle."

"Is that so?" Yun Che said indifferently, still with no expression on his face. A folded paper scroll appeared in his hand, which he then placed into the jade box before gently closing the lid.

"Her Majesty the Empress is so generous, how could I not reciprocate?" Yun Che said, lifting the jade box and placing it before Jin Yue. "Please trouble Miss Jin Yue to deliver my return gift to Her Majesty the Empress... She must open it herself."

Jin Yue subconsciously took the box. After a slight hesitation, she kindly advised, "Young Master Yun, Her Majesty has a very detached nature. She receives countless congratulatory gifts, but she never touches them."

Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then please trouble Miss Jin Yue to add one more sentence: This is a wedding gift from 'Liu Yun Xiao Che'."