Chapter 1360: Soul Sorrow

The Phoenix space was dim, with the only light coming from a pair of crimson phoenix eyes. But the fiery red glow, as it fell upon Yun Che's eyes, reflected an exceedingly bleak and dull gaze.

The space fell silent, and for a long time, no sound was heard. Yun Che stared blankly ahead, his despondent eyes were completely still, as if his soul had been pulled from him.

The Phoenix Spirit remained silent. It knew all too well that for a profound practitioner, becoming a cripple was a crueler fate than death. Especially for Yun Che, who had once stood at the pinnacle of a continent, experienced countless glories and honors, and created one unprecedented miracle after another—even divine miracles.

Yet, after what felt like a dream, he had become a cripple.

No one could accept this sudden nightmare. Not even profound practitioners from the God Realm—not even the supreme God Emperors and God Masters—would have their wills shattered by such a fate.

Especially a nightmare from which there was no awakening.

"Is there... a way to recover?" he asked, his voice weak and slow.

"Once dead, how can one be reborn?" the Phoenix Spirit replied. "You are now merely a mortal... one who needs to slowly recover from weakness. Everything you once were has turned to smoke."

"...Then can I cultivate again?" Yun Che asked once more.

"No." Even though the truth was cruel, the Phoenix Spirit did not hide it. "Your profound veins are still the Heretic God's profound veins, but they are dead. In this world, no power can awaken dead Heretic God profound veins... unless you can find another drop of the Heretic God's blood."

Yun Che stared ahead, dazed and spiritless.

The Ice Phoenix girl at the bottom of the Netherfrost Heavenly Lake had told him that the Heretic God had extinguished his own existence prematurely to leave behind that single drop of undying blood. This meant that the Heretic God's undying blood that Jasmine found in the Southern Divine Region was the only Heretic God inheritance in the world. There could be no other drops of the Heretic God's blood.

This meant that not only had he lost all his divine power, but he could no longer cultivate.

He would forever... be a cripple!

"Ha... haha..." Yun Che laughed, a dry, hollow sound. "What... kind of joke... are you playing...? Is this... the price for me to live? Is this... the so-called... Nirvana..."

The Phoenix Spirit: "..."

The words "so-called Nirvana" were undoubtedly an affront to the phoenix's dignity, but the Phoenix Spirit showed no anger. It knew all too well how cruel a blow this reality was to Yun Che.

"Why didn't you just let me die peacefully..." Yun Che hoarsely growled. "At least I could have accompanied her... I promised to go to another world with her... Why didn't you let me die... Why..."

Just a few words left him breathless, and his blurring vision made the bitter smile on his lips even more desolate... He wasn't just crippled; he was worse off than a gravely ill elder confined to bed.

The day he forcefully entered the Star God Realm, he never expected to rescue Jasmine... but at least, he could die with her.

Although he had killed many Star Guards and a Star God Elder, it would not have impeded the "ritual." He had been unconscious for so many days that by now, the ritual must have been completed. And as sacrifices for the ritual, Jasmine and Caizhi were undoubtedly dead.

Yet, he, who had promised to accompany Jasmine... was still alive...

Living on as a permanent cripple...

His hands slowly clenched in a tremor. He tried to lift them, but they could only reach his waist before falling limply.

In his current state, he couldn't even end his own life.

"I understand how you feel," the Phoenix Spirit said. "Life is the most precious gift bestowed by the heavens upon every living being. Even if one becomes extremely humble, they should still revere and cherish it. Moreover, in your current life, is there truly nothing more important than death?"

Yun Che remained silent for a long time. One image after another, one face after another, flashed through his mind. Gradually, his dim eyes began to tremble, and the trembling grew more intense...

This was the Profound Sky Continent... He had returned.

Those he missed day and night, he could finally see them, tell them he had returned... But then, a heavy dread welled up in his heart... He was afraid to face them.

How could he... face them in such a state...?

A long silence ensued.

"Thank you for giving me a second life," Yun Che slowly said. His voice seemed to have regained some calm, but his hands remained clenched.

"You are certainly unable to accept this reality right now," the Phoenix Spirit said. "It's alright; you don't need to force yourself to accept it immediately. Time will gradually help you find the meaning of this second life. Perhaps, one day, you will discover that returning to an ordinary life is not a bad thing."

This was the only comfort it could offer Yun Che in his current state.

To be a cripple forever—this outcome was enough to break any profound practitioner's will. The life Yun Che now possessed was granted by it, and it did not wish for Yun Che to waste it away in endless, dark despair.

Yun Che did not respond.

"Go," the crimson phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. "This second life is not only a gift but also a trial. If you can overcome this hardship through your own will, you will gain not just a rebirth of life, but perhaps a true Nirvana of the spirit as well."

Yun Che: "..."

At that moment, the phoenix's eyes closed, the world plunged into darkness, and then countless bright lights flared.

The surrounding world shifted silently, and Yun Che was back at the entrance of the Phoenix Trial Grounds.

The barrier sealed shut once more. Ahead, Feng Xian'er, Feng Zu'er, Feng Baichuan... and many other Phoenix clansmen waited. Every face bore deep worry and anxiety.

Seeing Yun Che emerge, their expressions all shifted to concern. Feng Zu'er and Feng Xian'er immediately stepped forward, supporting him from either side.

A warm current rose in Yun Che's bleak heart. Their worry and concern were heartfelt, with no hint of falseness or contempt despite him being a cripple. He forced a faint smile and said, "Senior Feng, it was I who asked Xian'er to bring me here. Don't blame her."

Feng Baichuan smiled and shook his head. "First, focus on recovering your body. Nothing else matters."

"Benefactor Brother, let us help you back first," Feng Zu'er said. "Mother just made some bamboo soup. You'll surely like it."

The two gently helped Yun Che along, walking with extreme care. Yun Che looked ahead, his gaze still dazed and spiritless.

This was the Phoenix Remnant, located in the heart of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range. Everything in his sight was almost identical to his memory, save for the sky, which was faintly veiled in a crimson hue... That must be the barrier set up by the Phoenix Spirit to protect the Phoenix remnant clan.

It had been there when he and Feng Xue'er arrived five years ago... or perhaps even earlier.

"Senior Feng," Yun Che suddenly spoke. "You already knew I was crippled, didn't you?"

The hands supporting him tightened slightly at the same time.

Feng Baichuan paused his steps, then looked at him and calmly said, "Ten days ago, when the Phoenix God sent you here, she mentioned it."

Yun Che: "..."

"Although my profound cultivation is low," Feng Baichuan continued, "I understand that this must be unacceptable for you. However, to our clan, no matter what you become, you will always be the greatest benefactor to our entire clan... This will never change."

"Benefactor Brother, don't lose heart," Feng Zu'er said with a forced smile. "All of this is just temporary. Perhaps, once you've recovered your body, you'll slowly regain your strength. Even if... even if you truly can't recover, at worst... you can just cultivate again!"

"Yes!" Feng Xian'er nodded vigorously. "Benefactor Brother is so powerful; he was invincible at just over twenty years old. As long as Benefactor Brother is willing, he can quickly become as powerful as before... No, even more powerful."

Feng Baichuan turned his face away, sighing inwardly.

Yun Che offered a desolate smile. "Thank you all."

Back then, when the eight-year-old siblings looked at him, their eyes shone with a starlike glow, a look of immense admiration and worship.

Even now, in their twenties, their eyes still sparkled with the starlight of adoration when they looked at him.

But they did not know that the person they had admired, yearned for, and pursued since they were eight years old had become a complete cripple... a permanent cripple... even worse off than he was when his profound veins were crippled before he turned sixteen.

At least back then, he still possessed profound energy at the first level of the Elementary Profound Realm, capable of emitting a faint profound light.

Through his hazy vision, a short, old tree appeared. Its branches were dry and cracked, stooped and on the verge of falling, like an old man on the brink of death. A few withered, yellow leaves let out their last sighs in the gentle breeze.

"I want to sit over there for a while," Yun Che whispered, pointing at the old tree.

Feng Xian'er and Feng Zu'er both slightly parted their lips and looked at Feng Baichuan for help. His eyes held a complex look, and he nodded slightly.

The siblings helped Yun Che to the base of the old tree. Yun Che leaned against the dry trunk, facing the cool mountain breeze and looking into the distance. He wanted to calm his mind, to make himself accept his current reality. But his will, his spirit, seemed to have sunk into a bottomless abyss, unable to find an escape.

"I want to be alone for a while," he said, looking straight ahead, his voice fainter than the mountain breeze.

Feng Baichuan did not refuse; he simply nodded slightly. He understood the profound darkness Yun Che was enduring far better than Feng Xian'er and Feng Zu'er, whose hearts were still overly innocent.

"But... but only for a little while. You'll catch a cold if you stay too long. My brother and I will come back to get you soon."

Feng Xian'er gave her worried "instructions" before finally leaving, looking back frequently.

Whoosh...

The mountain breeze grew a little stronger, stirring the messy hair on Yun Che's forehead. But his eyes remained vacant and spiritless, and the chill in his heart was not carried away by the wind in the slightest.

His vision had become ordinary; he couldn't even see clearly the gravel a short distance away.

A bird chirped by his ear, but he didn't notice when it had landed.

A withered leaf fell onto his shoulder, but he couldn't trace its descent.

His future life would be like this.