Chapter 1303: Unexpected Encounter

This response was, without a doubt, a voice from heaven to Xia Qingyue. She sharply lifted her head, then bowed deeply again: “Senior Shen Xi, I know that disturbing your cultivation is an unforgivable sin, but... my husband has been afflicted by the Brahma Soul Death-Wanting Mark from the Brahma Monarch God Realm. I had no other choice but to come and beg for your help.”

“Since you know me, you should also know that I am a being beyond the mortal realm and never interfere in mortal affairs. Given your sincere devotion to saving your husband, I forgive your trespass. You may leave now; do not disturb me again.”

Her voice was incredibly pure and gentle. It could soothe the most extreme rage and make a person whose heart was tainted with sin weep in repentance. But to Xia Qingyue, it was incredibly cruel, as it refused to grant her even the slightest glimmer of hope.

“Senior Shen Xi,” How could Xia Qingyue leave now? she gently asked, “Please tell me, do you have a way to undo the Brahma Soul Death-Wanting Mark on him?”

A long silence fell over the hazy world before the ethereal voice, like a dream, slowly returned: “Indeed, apart from the one who cast it, I am the only person in this world who can undo the Brahma Soul Death-Wanting Mark on him. However, I say this only because I do not wish to deceive you, not to give you hope. This place is not for mortals; you should leave.”

Xia Qingyue’s heart was struck as if by a meteor, igniting a powerful glimmer of hope. Previously, when she brought Yun Che here, it was merely with a shred of hope, because when the Moon God Emperor mentioned ‘Shen Xi’ to her years ago, he had said that Shen Xi possessed a highly unique power capable of undoing all defilements and curses in the world.

But that was, after all, only hope. Yet, the ethereal voice that had just reached her ears was Shen Xi herself admitting that she could undo the Brahma Soul Death-Wanting Mark!

However, accompanying this brilliant light was a calm refusal that kept her miles away. She pleaded again: “He is not a ‘mortal spirit.’ Perhaps, secluded here, you are unaware that half a month ago, he drew down a nine-layered lightning tribulation. The Heaven Mystery Realm prophesied him to be the ‘Son of the Heavenly Way.’ Even the Dragon Emperor admired him greatly and proactively offered to take him as his adopted son...”

As she spoke, Xia Qingyue held up the Dragon God Seal high: “This is the Dragon God Seal personally bestowed by the Dragon Emperor. Every word I say is true. If the Dragon Emperor were here, he would surely wish for you to save him.”

No sooner had her voice fallen than the ethereal voice replied: “I never involve myself in mortal affairs. It is not due to my coldness or indifference, but because of special reasons and difficulties. Until those are resolved, I will never make an exception for anyone.”

“The Brahma Soul Death-Wanting Mark on him is extraordinary. It could only have come from the Brahma Heaven God Emperor or the Brahma Monarch Goddess. To remove it, with my power, would not only deplete my vital energy but also take fifty years. Moreover, it would inevitably entangle me in your grievances with the Brahma Monarch God Realm. I have no reason to do so. Take him and leave. Even if the Dragon Emperor were here, he would only tell you to leave.”

Xia Qingyue had thought that even if her words didn't completely change Shen Xi's stance, they would at least move her. Unexpectedly, the voice in her ears showed no emotion, remaining gentle yet resolute.

Xia Qingyue felt suffocated. Closing her eyes, she said: “Senior Shen Xi, I would never let you save him for nothing. Though I am but a mortal woman, I possess the ‘Nine Profound Exquisite Body.’ If you are willing to save him, I am willing to give the ‘Nine Profound Exquisite Body’ to you. Please show mercy and grant us aid.”

When facing a being of Shen Xi's caliber, the 'Nine Profound Exquisite Body' was the only bargaining chip she had.

“Alas...” A long sigh drifted over. She could feel the despair in Xia Qingyue's words, and this despair was undoubtedly born from Shen Xi’s absolute refusal: “The Nine Profound Exquisite Body is a divinely bestowed body; do not squander it. Ling'er, see them out.”

A very soft footsteps sounded. From the world of mist and clouds before Xia Qingyue, a girl in green slowly emerged.

The girl was slender, dressed in a light green gown. Even her long hair was a bright emerald green. Her entire being seemed to be subtly bathed in a faint green light.

She appeared to be no more than twenty years old. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, with a seemingly innate shyness. Beneath her green attire, her skin was like freshly bloomed petals, whiter than snow, more radiant than jade. It was incredibly delicate, so much so that after admiring it, one would hesitate to even touch it.

As she approached, a fresh and delightful floral fragrance wafted gently over. The girl stopped at the barrier and said to Xia Qingyue: “Sister, no one is ever allowed to enter here. Please go back.”

Her eyes were beautiful, shimmering with emerald green light. Beneath her emerald hair, her ears were snow-white, pointed, and long, vastly different from those of humans.

Wood Spirit... The name of this race flashed through Xia Qingyue's mind.

The attendant that the Dragon God guard mentioned Shen Xi had brought back in recent years was actually a Wood Spirit girl.

The Forbidden Land of Samsara was a place of utter purity. Indeed, only Wood Spirits, who embody the power of nature and are supremely pure, were qualified to enter and stay by Shen Xi's side.

With her only hope right before her, how could Xia Qingyue leave? She remained kneeling, bowing deeply once more: “Senior Shen Xi, I beg for your mercy. If you do not save him, he will surely die. As long as you are willing to save him, whatever you ask, whatever you want me to do... I will agree.”

Never before had she pleaded with anyone like this.

Even after arriving in the God Realm, she had gone directly to the Moon God Realm, was regarded as a cherished daughter by the Moon God Emperor, and later even bore the title of 'God Queen,' never needing to bow before anyone.

Today, she knelt on the ground, shedding all her cold arrogance and dignity, but received only gentle heartlessness in return.

“Sister,” the Wood Spirit girl said, “My master has her own difficulties and will not make an exception for anyone. Even if you knelt here for ten or a hundred years, my master would not agree. And it might even displease His Highness the Dragon Emperor. So, you should leave early and seek other methods.”

Other methods? That is the Brahma Soul Death-Wanting Mark; how could there be any other way?

“Senior Shen Xi...” Xia Qingyue was about to plead again, when suddenly, golden patterns flashed across Yun Che’s entire body, whom she held tightly. He trembled violently, his eyes instantly wide, and a desperate shriek of agony escaped his lips.

“Ugh, ahhhhhhh...”

“Ehhhh... ahhh... ahhh... ahhhhhhh!!”

After a brief period of unconsciousness, he had once again awakened in the abyss of nightmares, letting out wails like a tormented ghost.

In this dream-like pure world, his wails were particularly piercing and shrill, startling countless birds, insects, and butterflies into frantic flight.

“Yun Che!” Xia Qingyue quickly hugged him tighter again, especially carefully gripping his hands to prevent him from scratching her again. She raised her head, pleading mournfully towards the front: “Senior Shen Xi, I beg you, please save his life no matter what. Xia Qingyue will remember your kindness forever, and repay it with her life for all eternity... Even if I cannot repay you in this life, I will surely do so in the next...”

“Ahhhhhhh... Ah!!”

“Ehh Ehh Ehh Ahhh—Ahhhhh...”

Having clearly never heard such agonizing screams before, the Wood Spirit girl’s delicate face, as tender as a freshly peeled lychee, was tinged with a faint paleness. Her gaze timidly shifted away, unable to look at the struggling, screaming Yun Che. Combined with Xia Qingyue’s pleas, which seemed to carry tears and blood, her eyes filled with unbearable pity, and she too pleaded: “Master, he looks so pained. Can you really... not save him?”

The ethereal voice drifted over faintly: “There is endless suffering in this world, and no one can save everyone. This is their fate. As a being beyond the mortal realm, I should not interfere. The curse mark on him is also not ordinary. If I save him, it will not only defile this place, but also force me into mortal grievances, and, more importantly, will destroy at least twenty thousand years of my efforts in an instant.”

These words made the Wood Spirit girl's beautiful eyes widen. Clearly, she had not realized it was so serious. She could only force herself to suppress all her pity and apologetically say to Xia Qingyue: “I’m sorry, Sister, even though he is very pitiful, but... but Master truly cannot save him. Please take him away soon.”

“Please, Senior... save him.” Xia Qingyue remained motionless. She closed her eyes, her voice mournful and powerless. In the vast God Realm, having left the Moon God Realm's protection, she had only Yun Che by her side, with no one else to help her. The only bargaining chips she possessed were the Exquisite World and her own life. Beyond that, she had no idea what else she could do.

But if they left this place, there would truly be no hope left. The last thing she could do would be to personally kill Yun Che.

This agonizing sense of powerlessness... was just like the desperate situation she faced years ago in the Frozen Cloud Asgard.

Looking at Xia Qingyue, especially her eyes, the Wood Spirit girl bit her lips, then, as if realizing something, her eyes suddenly reddened, and tears streamed down.

She quickly wiped away her tears and turned to leave, but after only two steps, she stopped again. Then she turned back and said to Xia Qingyue: “Sister, you should still take him away. Master truly cannot save him. I have a few spirit medicines refined by Master here. Although they can't save him, they... they might alleviate his pain.”

As she spoke, the Wood Spirit girl held up several emerald-green pills in her hands. She took a few steps forward, then stepped directly out of the barrier, preparing to hand them to Xia Qingyue.

And just as the Wood Spirit girl stepped out of the barrier, a strange emerald green light simultaneously flared from both her and Yun Che's chests.

In that instant, the Wood Spirit girl was struck as if by lightning. She froze completely on the spot, and the emerald-green pills tumbled from her hands.

“Lin...’er...” she murmured softly, like a sleepwalker. Suddenly, she lunged toward Yun Che, her hands tightly gripping him, her cheeks instantly streaked with tears: “Lin'er... Lin'er... it’s Lin'er! Why... why do you have Lin'er’s aura on you? Who are you... why do you have Lin'er’s aura on you...?”

Xia Qingyue looked up, staring blankly at the Wood Spirit girl. The girl, who had been gentle and timid, suddenly seemed to go mad. In just a few words, she became incoherent, tears gushing forth.

As she drew closer, the emerald-green light on Yun Che's chest grew even denser, as if sensing something. Under this emerald light, Yun Che's consciousness somewhat revived. Through his blurred vision, he saw the Wood Spirit girl, her face tear-streaked like pear blossoms after rain. A strange sensation spread throughout his body.

He spoke with difficulty, his voice trembling: “You... are... He... Ling...”

Her hands, gripping Yun Che, tightened instantly. He Ling nodded vigorously, uncontrolled tears completely wetting her cheeks: “It’s me! I am He Ling! Lin'er... what happened to him... what exactly happened to him...? Tell me, please tell me!”

Yun Che's parched lips trembled. Even with his soul plunged into the abyss, he was still trembling with excitement at this moment.

He Ling...

She is He Ling...

The elder sister He Lin had yearned for throughout his life and had tearfully begged Yun Che to find before his own dissipation. She was also the last descendant of the Wood Spirit Royal Clan.

He had finally found her, but at such a moment...