Chapter 1320: You Dare?

When Yun Che first met He Ling two months ago, her beautiful, emerald-like eyes left an unforgettable impression on him. Afterwards, with her heart plunged into despair, her gaze had become incredibly dim, seemingly destined to remain that way forever... But at this moment, her eyes shone brighter and more soul-stirring than when he first saw her.

"Master, if I become the 'Heaven Smiting Spirit', can I truly... take my revenge with my own hands, as you said?"

He Ling's voice was very soft, but every word trembled slightly.

Despite possessing the purest and highest-grade Wood Spirit bloodline, even if she spent her entire life, she could never hope to contend with beings from the Brahma Monarch God Realm... not even a tiny bit. If she sought revenge, her only option was to rely on others.

Therefore, when the dark seed of "revenge" was sown in her soul, it was effectively like consigning herself to an bottomless abyss.

Taking revenge with her own hands was originally an impossible dream for her... If it could truly be realized, then she would undoubtedly be willing to give everything for it.

Shen Xi was not surprised by He Ling's reaction. She sighed softly in her heart and spoke gently, "The poison of the Heaven Smiting Pearl could poison even gods and devils to death during the Age of Gods. Although in the current chaotic environment, its awakened toxicity is far from comparable to what it once was and should no longer be sufficient to slay gods. But... even a Divine Master at the peak is still a pseudo-god, merely a mortal spirit beneath true gods. If the Heaven Smiting Pearl's toxicity recovers sufficiently, let alone just poisoning someone in the Brahma Monarch God Realm..."

"It could even poison the entire Brahma Monarch God Realm into oblivion."

Yun Che was deeply shaken by Shen Xi's words.

For years, the Heaven Smiting Pearl he possessed had almost no toxicity. Over time, he had habitually overlooked its true power—its poison—after all, it was the Heaven Smiting Pearl!

Although, like the Eternal Heaven Pearl of the Eternal Heaven God Realm, the Heaven Smiting Pearl even at full recovery of its toxicity could not compare to its past self, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. If the Heaven Smiting Pearl, which once annihilated the Age of Gods and Devils, were to reawaken its toxicity and bare its fangs, it would still be one of the most terrifying existences in the current era.

Poisoning the entire Brahma Monarch God Realm into oblivion was by no means an exaggeration!

However...

Shen Xi's words made He Ling's eyes shine even brighter. She turned to Yun Che, her gaze filled with deep excitement and longing: "Yun Che... let me... become the Heaven Smiting Spirit... Please... let me become the Heaven Smiting Spirit..."

He Ling's gaze weighed heavily on Yun Che's chest.

"He Ling, listen to me carefully." Yun Che met her gaze, his expression solemn: "Currently, you are a Wood Spirit, the last descendant of the Wood Spirit Royal Family, and you carry the last and most important hope of your clan. If you become the Heaven Smiting Spirit, you will lose your current 'existence', only able to exist by relying on the Heaven Smiting Pearl... and on me. You will lose yourself, lose your freedom, and remain this way forever, with almost no possibility of reversal. Are you... truly willing to accept that?"

Yun Che had expected his words to at least slightly affect He Ling. But when he finished speaking, he found no turmoil or hesitation in her eyes; instead, there was an even more heart-piercing plea: "The Wood Spirit Royal Family is extinguished; there is no future. We Wood Spirits possess only the weakest power, but the world is filled with endless sin and greed. Where is there any hope left..."

Yun Che: "..."

"The royal family is all but gone, and only I barely cling to life..." He Ling shook her head, each word filled with sorrow: "I couldn't even protect Lin'er. My very survival is an unforgivable sin... Please, let me at least live with peace of mind... let me have my revenge... I am willing to serve you as my master... whatever it takes... Even if my wish cannot be fulfilled in the future, I will never regret it... Please, agree..."

Her words and her appearance at that moment made Yun Che gradually begin to truly understand the meaning of "salvation" in Shen Xi's earlier statement.

To be alive was already an unforgivable sin...

The hatred in her heart was not only for the Brahma Monarch God Realm but also for herself, and the latter undoubtedly made her feel even more desperate. Her eyes, which had turned dim, and her emerald tears after learning everything, were something he would never forget.

Yun Che sighed inwardly, then cursed furiously: This damned fate had actually forced such a kind and pure girl to such an extreme...

"Yun Che," Shen Xi said, "Your current strength is still weak, yet you face the most formidable enemy in this world. If you do not wish to repeat the failure of the 'Death Seeking Mark', you must gain the means to contend with beings like Qianye within the shortest time. And the Heaven Smiting Pearl is heaven's best, and only, gift to you."

"Ling'er is the only one in this era who can become the Heaven Smiting Spirit. If you miss her, the Heaven Smiting Pearl's toxicity will never truly awaken. And she, in turn, deeply desires the power of revenge. Your meeting, so perfectly aligned with each other's destinies, seems to be a fated connection. Why would you hesitate to refuse?"

"..." Yun Che remained silent for a long time, his expression shifting.

He was currently trapped here, with Qianye eyeing him covetously from outside. In such circumstances, if he could awaken the Heaven Smiting Pearl's toxicity, he should have been overjoyed.

But why... why did it have to be He Ling?

Even if she desired it with all her heart, even if he knew it might even be "salvation" for He Ling, psychologically, he still found it hard to accept. Because she was He Lin's older sister... the one He Lin, with her dying breath and final tears, had entrusted to him...

How could he...?

Shen Xi knew the reason for Yun Che's reluctance. She comforted him, saying, "Becoming the Heaven Smiting Spirit will indeed cause Ling'er to lose control over her own destiny. Her future will no longer be decided by herself, but by the person she relies on... which is you. In other words, if she becomes the Heaven Smiting Spirit, whether her future life becomes brilliant or bleak will depend entirely on you."

Yun Che's eyes twitched.

"As for her existence, it will not be stripped away. On the contrary, in terms of level, the Heaven Smiting Spirit is far superior to a Wood Spirit."

Shen Xi's words undoubtedly struck hard at the two points Yun Che found most difficult to accept. He shook his head and finally said, "He Ling, I understand everything. However... until the Death Seeking Mark on me is completely removed, I can only remain here. So, after I am completely free of the Death Seeking Mark, before I leave, if you are still willing, I will agree."

These words seemed to give He Ling time to consider, but in reality, he was giving himself time to accept.

"Alright." He Ling looked at him, her eyes glistening as she nodded, "As long as you don't reject me, I will obey your every command."

"Sigh," Yun Che shook his head, "You truly don't have to be like this."

"Master, thank you. Ling'er will forever remember your great kindness." He Ling bowed to Shen Xi, tears streaming down her face. Three years ago, Shen Xi saved her life. The "Heaven Smiting Spirit" was another new life bestowed upon her by Shen Xi... But after becoming the Heaven Smiting Spirit, she would forever follow Yun Che, no longer able to serve by Shen Xi's side.

Shen Xi sighed softly. Enveloped in white light, no one could clearly see her eyes at that moment. She gently said, "Ling'er, your thoughts and desires, I understand them better than anyone. Because... you and I share the same destiny."

"..." He Ling's eyes were hazy; she couldn't grasp the meaning of those words.

"You and He Ling... share the same destiny?" Yun Che also looked bewildered: "Senior Shen Xi, what do you mean by that?"

Shen Xi gently shook her head, not answering their questions. Instead, she turned and said, "Yun Che, the matter of the Heaven Smiting Spirit not only concerns Ling'er's future life but also determines yours. Your situation is far more dire than Ling'er's. Therefore, you need the 'Heaven Smiting Spirit' even more than Ling'er does. Yet, in this matter, Ling'er is far more decisive than you. What you need now is not hesitation, but self-reflection."

Yun Che said, "I am not soft-hearted or indecisive. It's just... He Ling is different."

"That has nothing to do with it." Shen Xi's voice was soft, yet subtly infused with spiritual pressure: "You clearly desire the recovery of the Heaven Smiting power, yet you resist Ling'er becoming the Heaven Smiting Spirit so much. Is it truly for Ling'er's sake, or for your own peace of mind?"

These words made Yun Che stiffen abruptly, unable to answer for a long time.

"Now, I'll ask you a more important question..."

She took a step forward, standing directly in front of Yun Che. As her jade finger lightly pointed, the white glow surrounding her slowly dispersed.

Instantly, her ethereal beauty, more dreamlike than any illusion, reappeared before Yun Che's eyes... His gaze widened in astonishment. There was nothing else in his sight but Shen Xi, as if all other light had vanished from the world in her presence.

Although it was no longer their first meeting, and despite having experienced an entire day and night of dreamlike intimacy with her, his senses were still instantly overwhelmed... Her beauty seemed to transcend the limits of human will, reaching a nearly terrifying degree, truly capable of overturning kingdoms and causing ruin.

Scenes from yesterday replayed wildly in his mind, throwing Yun Che's thoughts into disarray. His blood began to surge uncontrollably throughout his body. In mere seconds, he felt a powerful urge, no less than ten times, to pull her back down again... even though he was acutely aware that He Ling was still by his side.

He Ling, too, covered her lips with both hands, mesmerized by Shen Xi's celestial beauty.

"Yun Che," she called softly, her gentle voice like a whisper from a distant wonderland: "Yesterday, you pushed me onto the bed, defiled my body, and took my chastity and primal yin... So, have you ever thought of possessing me, making me yours and only yours forever?"

He Ling's beautiful eyes widened in astonishment, and her face instantly paled. She couldn't believe her ears... couldn't believe a single word she heard.

"..." Yun Che's throat made a sudden gulping sound.

Perhaps there was no simpler question in this world. The greatest pursuits a man could envision were nothing more than the pinnacle of power, the pinnacle of authority, and the pinnacle of beauty. And Shen Xi, without a doubt, was the epitome of beauty... but she was far more than that. Beyond her appearance, her incredibly high cultivation, her seemingly eternal ethereal presence among the clouds, the sacred aura that made one feel humble and dared not profane, and the mystery that seemed impossible to ever fully comprehend...

To possess such a woman exclusively, not just for a lifetime, but even for a single day and night, or even a few moments, would drive almost any man into a frenzy.

Everything from yesterday felt like a dream, and Yun Che hadn't fully recovered his senses even now, nor did he understand why Shen Xi had offered no resistance to his transgressions. Yet, he would never dare to hope to possess her... and he certainly hadn't expected her to say such a thing.

"Don't rush to answer yet." Shen Xi's eyes grew even deeper and boundless: "You just asked Ling'er about my relationship with the Dragon Monarch, and Ling'er also seemed to tell you that the Dragon Monarch has always admired me... So, if I truly am the one the Dragon Monarch admires, tell me... would you still dare?"