Chapter 1314: As If Falling Into a Dream

Yun Che scrambled to steady himself, then chuckled awkwardly, "Senior Shen Xi, it seems you can... make jokes too."

"Master..." He Ling was also stunned, her face full of bewilderment.

"Ling'er," Shen Xi said, her gaze fixed on the distance, "you should go first. I have something to discuss with Yun Che. Later, no matter what happens here, do not come near."

Yun Che: "...?"

"Yes," He Ling replied, rising and stepping back slowly, leaving in a daze.

Shen Xi turned and walked back to the small, mysterious bamboo house. As she stepped inside, her ethereal voice floated out: "Come in with me."

This bamboo house was the only structure in the entire Forbidden Land of Samsara. Yun Che had been there for nearly two months but had never entered it, nor even approached it.

Not only him, but even He Ling, who had been there for three years, had never set foot inside.

With a heart full of surprise, Yun Che lightly stepped into the bamboo house.

He had expected that, despite its small exterior, the bamboo house would contain a vast independent world within, much like Jasmine's Star God Palace. However, to his surprise, it was just an ordinary bamboo house with no spatial expansion inside.

The furnishings were extremely simple: only a verdant bamboo bed placed in the center of the room, and nothing else.

Standing behind Shen Xi, Yun Che felt uneasy. This was certainly not an ordinary-looking bamboo house, but Shen Xi's dwelling, a place even He Ling was not permitted to enter.

He had been taken in as an exception, receiving her grace in removing the Mark of Death. Why would she specifically ask him to come here?

"Do you think I was joking?" she asked, turning around.

In truth, Yun Che preferred to face Shen Xi's back. Shrouded in white radiance, whether facing him or turned away, she always appeared as a figure of ethereal beauty. However, when she faced him, even though he couldn't see her eyes, he instinctively felt an unwillingness to look directly at her, fearing blasphemy.

Even when facing Mu Xuanyin years ago, he had never felt such an intense sensation.

"This junior would not dare question Senior Shen Xi's words, it's just..." Yun Che involuntarily averted his gaze. After a long pause, he finally found the most tactful words: "It's just that this junior's abilities are too meager; I fear I cannot bear such great expectations from you."

Me... capable of shaking the Brahma Monarch God Realm?

If it hadn't been Shen Xi in front of him, but anyone else, Yun Che would have long ago retorted with, "You're not joking, you're spouting absolute nonsense."

"Alas." Yun Che's answer drew a sigh from Shen Xi. Though faint, Yun Che faintly detected disappointment in it.

"Do you know why I made Ling'er calm down for a month, only telling her today?" she asked.

Yun Che shook his head.

"It wasn't because of Ling'er," she said, looking at Yun Che. Amidst the hazy white radiance, no one could discern the shift in her gaze, "It was because of you."

"...Me?" Yun Che grew even more perplexed.

"During this past month, the Mark of Death on you has been completely isolated from your soul, blood, body, and meridians. From now on, as long as my power remains uninterrupted, it will no longer flare up, gradually dissipating over time. However, the dissipation process will be quite long," Shen Xi explained.

In recent times, the Mark of Death had not flared up often, and each instance brought noticeably less pain. Hearing Shen Xi's words, he felt even more relieved and expressed his deep gratitude: "Senior Shen Xi's great kindness, Yun Che will never forget. But... what does this have to do with He Ling?"

"If Ling'er had not pleaded on her knees that day, I would not have made an exception to keep you. So, Ling'er is your savior, right?" Shen Xi said.

"Yes, He Ling, like you, Senior, is a benefactor for my entire life," Yun Che nodded seriously.

"Helping her seek revenge is the best way to repay her," Shen Xi softly said, uttering words that, in common perception, should never come from her. "The Brahma Soul Mark of Death on you was planted by Qianye Ying'er. The immense suffering it caused you, I believe, you will never forget in this lifetime. Your enmity with her means you have an unsolvable grudge with the Brahma Monarch God Realm. Helping her avenge herself is also helping yourself."

Yun Che truly detested Qianye Ying'er. She was the most terrifying woman he had ever encountered in his life, and the only one who had truly made him wish for death but unable to find it.

However, the gap between him and Qianye Ying'er was simply too vast. Moreover, she wasn't just one person; behind her stood the Brahma Monarch God Realm! The most powerful King Realm in the Eastern Divine Region, a giant among god realms that no one had ever dared to provoke!

Shake the Brahma Monarch God Realm? Seek revenge against the Brahma Monarch God Realm?

That was something even the other three King Realms of the Eastern Region dared not, and could not, do. How could he, alone, accomplish it?

"I do indeed long for revenge. If I could, I'd want nothing more than to first violate Qianye Ying'er... *cough cough cough*, I'd wish to grind her bones to dust. But..." Yun Che shook his head, "I am merely an insignificant person from a lower realm, with no background and even less influence. As for my own strength... compared to Qianye Ying'er, I fear I'm not even a tiny ant, let alone facing the vastness of the Brahma Monarch God Realm."

"Therefore, I completely fail to understand your words, Senior."

Strictly speaking, he was not without influence. He had a sect in the God Realm. However, the Ice Phoenix God Sect was as insignificant as a firefly under the blazing sun compared to the Brahma Monarch God Realm, and he would never drag them into this.

After Yun Che finished speaking, Shen Xi remained silent for a long time. The white radiance was dreamlike, but Yun Che vaguely sensed that Shen Xi was quietly observing him.

The unusual silence stretched on for a long time before Shen Xi suddenly asked, "If I could grant you one wish right now, what would be the first thing that comes to your mind?"

"..." After a brief moment of thought, Yun Che said, "I want to return to the world where I was born."

The white radiance flickered slightly, followed by another sigh. This sigh was longer, carrying more disappointment.

"Why is it that the first thing you think of isn't possessing power that commands the entire world and cannot be defied? With such power, you could achieve everything you desire, obtain everything you wish, go anywhere you please, and do anything without any restraint?"

"..." Yun Che paused, then shook his head, "That truly is a fantasy anyone might have... but ultimately, it would only remain a fantasy. What I want most right now is to return to the world where I was born. Before I came to the God Realm, I promised I would return quickly; otherwise, they will think something happened to me here and will be incredibly worried and sad."

There were less than two years left until the latest time he had promised to return... yet he was trapped here, unable to go back, and not even daring to send news of himself.

"For others, those are indeed just fantasies. But... do you truly believe they are mere fantasies for you, who possesses the power of a Creation God?" she asked softly.

Yun Che froze, his expression subtly changing.

Shen Xi softly whispered, "I know all your secrets. Including your Heretic God's Legacy, the Sky Poison Pearl, the Dragon God's Soul, and your Heaven Smiting Sword."

"...!!" Yun Che's body swayed violently. His most important secrets were being revealed by Shen Xi, one after another. He felt as if all his clothes had been stripped away, standing naked before Shen Xi, every hidden detail laid bare.

"Did... Qingyue tell you?" Yun Che's heart tightened as he instinctively asked. But as the words left his mouth, he immediately dismissed the thought... While Xia Qingyue knew he possessed the Heretic God's divine power from Qianye Ying'er, she had no idea about the Sky Poison Pearl, the Dragon God's Soul, or the Heaven Smiting Sword.

The only one who truly knew he possessed the Dragon God's Soul and the Heaven Smiting Sword was Jasmine; not even Mu Xuanyin was aware.

Why did she know so clearly? Could it be that her soul truly could see through everything?

"You needn't be surprised, nor nervous," Shen Xi softly said. "I will not covet anything you possess, nor will I harm you."

"Senior Shen Xi has saved this junior's life, so naturally... you wouldn't harm me," Yun Che replied, his heart still deeply shaken.

"The power of the Brahma Monarch God Realm is undeniable and unquestioned. It can be said to be the most powerful star realm controlled by humanity. Furthermore, its might was not achieved overnight; from the day it became a King Realm, it has been the strongest star realm in the Eastern Region, and to this day, no other star realm has ever been able to shake its position. Even the Eternal Heaven Ancestor, with her glazed heart, and the Eternal Heaven Realm she led, never had an era that surpassed the Brahma Monarch God Realm."

"The saying 'what flourishes long must decline' has never applied to the Brahma Monarch God Realm."

"Do you know why the Brahma Monarch God Realm is so powerful, and has remained so powerful?"

Yun Che shook his head. As a novice who had only been in the God Realm for three years, his understanding of the Brahma Monarch God Realm was extremely limited.

"Because every single person in the Brahma Monarch God Realm, from the lowest-level profound practitioners to the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, possesses immensely strong ambition! Ambition for the profound way, ambition for status, ambition for power. And this is the belief that the Brahma Monarch God Realm has always upheld."

"Am...bition?" Yun Che's brow twitched.

"Qianye Ying'er, whether in terms of beauty, profound strength, authority, or status, can be said to have reached the pinnacle of humanity, even the pinnacle of this era. Yet, even having reached such extremes, she has never stopped her pursuit; instead, she has strived intensely to break through those limits. For this, she has spared no effort, used everything at her disposal, and willingly taken every risk... Over these years, she has also been the person who has entered and exited the God Realm of Absolute Beginning the most frequently."

Yun Che: "..."

"Why did she target you? And why did she go so far as to plant the Mark of Death on you?" Shen Xi continued, "Because you possess something she yearns for, something that can satisfy her ambition."

"The divine power of a Creation God, the Heaven Profound Treasure Sky Poison Pearl, the true soul of a Primordial Dragon God... these are things that figures of Qianye Ying'er's caliber dream of acquiring but can never obtain in a lifetime, yet they are all concentrated within you alone. And you tell me that what I said is merely a fantasy to you?"

Shen Xi's words stirred Yun Che's heart and soul, though not overly intensely. His chest rose and fell, his gaze wavered, but his voice remained quite calm: "Senior Shen Xi, I understand what you're saying, and I am well aware of what the things I possess signify. However... I am not Qianye Ying'er after all, and I do not wish to become a person like her."

"Furthermore, what I possess has given me a new life and granted me many things, but it has also brought me countless perils... just like now. So, often, I would rather be more ordinary than have to hide like a stray dog, unable to see the light of day."

These words came from Yun Che's heart. Even his eventual invincibility in the Azure Cloud Continent was a passive achievement, far from his original intention. He gave a self-deprecating smile: "My words must be very disappointing to you, Senior."

Shen Xi shook her head slightly. "Yun Che, you are indeed an unusual person. Despite possessing the world's strongest aptitude and potential, you lack the ambition that you ought to have."

Shen Xi's words were almost identical to what Xia Qingyue had once said to Mu Xuanyin.

"Every year, countless profound practitioners 'ascend' to the God Realm, either wanting to see a broader world or to pursue a higher profound way. Once they establish themselves in the God Realm, in a better plane than before, they will discard everything from their past without hesitation... even parents, friends, wives, and children. This allows them to focus wholeheartedly and ensures that these ties do not become burdens."

"Yet you have never had the heart to abandon anything; instead, your past remains your greatest concern. This is your greatest weakness and vulnerability... and perhaps, also your greatest strength. Moreover, you will likely never change throughout your life, will you?"

At these words, Yun Che nodded without hesitation: "To abandon everything from the past for the sake of pursuing higher planes and the profound way... I could never do that in this life, or even the next."

"That's fine too," Shen Xi gently nodded. "One's mindset is not easily changed. True ambition cannot be born from another's persuasion."

"As for helping He Ling seek revenge against the Brahma Monarch God Realm... let's set that aside for now."

"..." Yun Che was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. Shen Xi had brought him here and said things that sounded incredibly strange to him, and he still hadn't truly understood her intentions.

At that moment, Shen Xi suddenly made a move he hadn't anticipated.

She extended a soft, delicate hand, more perfect than the full moon in the starry sky, and lightly touched her own chest.

In Yun Che's stunned gaze, the white radiance that had always enveloped Shen Xi's ethereal form... slowly dissipated in silence.

Shen Xi's face, which had not been revealed to others for countless years, and which Yun Che had thought he would never behold in this lifetime, now appeared fully and unveiled before his eyes.

He stood there, utterly frozen, without words, without a change in expression, his gaze completely fixated... as if time had instantly come to a complete halt.

Without any adornment, no pearls, jade, or crystal, she wore only the simplest, most ordinary plain white long dress. Her long hair reached her waist, not styled into a bun or tied up, but simply flowing freely, emitting a gentle, luminous glow.

Everything else in the surrounding world seemed to vanish. Yun Che's mind was blank, leaving only a face more ethereal than a dream, devoid of any other brilliance, incapable of conjuring any words... for all the world's magnificent splendor and eloquence, even the most beautiful fantasies, paled into insignificance before her divine countenance.

Her eyes were like a hidden emerald lake, yet also seemed to contain a bottomless abyss, captivating enough to make anyone, any living being, willing to leap into them, even if it meant falling into the abyss forever.

Never before had Yun Che so strongly believed he was in a dream. For he could not believe that such breathtakingly beautiful, ethereal looks could exist in this world...

"Am I beautiful?" she gently uttered. Her celestial voice, softer than a gentle breeze or drifting clouds, made Yun Che believe even more strongly that he was in an illusory dream.

"Be...autiful..." he replied, his mind lost. Neither his soul nor his gaze could shift even for an instant, as if he had been drawn into a beautiful illusion from which he could not escape, willing to be forever immersed.

"Then..." Shen Xi slowly walked towards him, stopping just half a step away, within arm's reach. Her impossibly beautiful lips parted, emitting an ethereal, dreamlike voice: "Do you want to pin me beneath you, tear off all my clothes, and do whatever you please?"