Chapter 1885: Blue Extreme Snow Heart

Polaris Star Realm, Profound Sky Continent, Divine Phoenix Empire.

A massive crimson barrier enveloped the Divine Phoenix Forbidden Land, a place inaccessible to all.

Inside the barrier, phoenix flames raged and surged, powerful enough to incinerate the entire Divine Phoenix Empire. Even with the barrier’s separation, their blazing light painted the sky a blood-stained red.

Boom! The phoenix flames exploded as they intertwined, followed by a clear, sky-rending phoenix cry. The sea of flames parted, and a streak of fiery light shot far away. As the flames on her body rapidly extinguished, the slender and graceful figure of a young girl was revealed.

In front of her, the phoenix light also vanished, revealing the exquisitely beautiful, ethereal figure of a woman. Her red robes settled, and the crimson flames on her snowy hands slowly faded. A slight, enchanting smile, capable of mesmerizing all who saw it, graced her lips. “Very good. Wuxin, your progress with the Phoenix Ode has been remarkably swift over the past six months, ever since your mindset shifted. Soon, I will have nothing left to teach you.”

No sooner had she spoken than a scorching wind suddenly arose. Although Yun Wuxin was clearly close to exhaustion of her profound energy, the phoenix flames on her body stubbornly flared up again. “Master, I… I can continue.”

Her faint smile fading slightly, Feng Xue’er said softly, “Are you pushing yourself so hard recently because you want to go to the God Realm to find your father again?”

“No!” Yun Wuxin clenched her hands, her jade teeth biting down. “I just… after he comes back… I want to hit him even harder… the more it hurts, the better!”

Feng Xue’er shook her head, slowly moving to stand before Yun Wuxin. With a playful, knowing smile, she said, “Wuxin, when you see him, you’ll be too excited to even think about hitting him. How could you bear to? Since you’ve decided to patiently wait for his return, don’t be so hard on yourself. After all, the day after tomorrow is your twentieth birthday. If you accidentally hurt yourself, many people will be worried.”

“Hmph!” Yun Wuxin lowered her beautiful eyes, lightly biting her lip. “He won’t see it… and he won’t feel bad either.”

Feng Xue’er was speechless.

“Master,” Yun Wuxin raised her head, suddenly asking softly, “It’s been five years, and he still hasn’t returned. Do you… do you really… not resent him?”

“No resentment.” The answer Yun Wuxin received held no hesitation… The two gentle words conveyed only deep concern, without the slightest trace of blame.

“Not… at all?” Yun Wuxin murmured.

“Not at all.” Feng Xue’er’s reply remained calm and gentle. She slowly said, “Because one thing I am very sure of is that even if it’s not just five years, but a hundred, or a thousand… if he still hasn’t returned, it can only be because he’s been entangled in unavoidable circumstances, and never because he abandoned us.”

Yun Wuxin was momentarily stunned, then whispered, “Mother is like this, and Master is like this too… Whenever it concerns Father, why do you… become so foolish?”

Feng Xue’er smiled faintly and shook her head, saying, “He once risked trapping himself in the Primordial Profound Ark for me… Back in the Dragon God Realm’s trial, for months, every step was a matter of life and death, yet even when he was half a step from death, he refused to let go of your mother.”

“All love, hate, and grievances in this world have their reasons. Your father’s true nature is clearer to your mother and me than anyone. You say we are foolish, but in many ways, your father is actually the most foolish person in this world… That’s why so many women are willing to give their hearts to him for a lifetime.”

As she spoke softly, Feng Xue’er’s vision suddenly blurred, and a dreamy mist quickly welled up in her beautiful phoenix eyes.

“Master?” Sensing her master’s suddenly troubled aura, Yun Wuxin looked up in surprise. “Are you… are you worrying about him again?”

Feng Xue’er’s soft hand unconsciously reached out and gripped Yun Wuxin’s pale wrist, as if seeking a tangible anchor amidst her hazy emotions.

“Wuxin, for your twentieth birthday… you will definitely receive the best gift.”

“As long as it’s a gift from Master, no matter what it is, I will…”

A soft murmur, like a dream, reached her ears as Feng Xue’er’s out-of-control aura caused her crimson skirt sashes to flutter, brushing against her cheek.

At that moment, her heart and soul suddenly trembled violently, and her body turned almost before her mind registered it.

Within the phoenix barrier, which isolated everything, a figure had appeared unnoticed.

He was still dressed in white, with hair as dark as night. His brows were sharply defined like sword engravings, yet his eyes were so gentle they seemed to melt directly into one’s heart. At the corner of his lips was the faint smile he always wore when looking at her.

Everything was as she remembered, exactly as it had been years ago, as if they had parted only yesterday.

His feet were truly treading on the land of the Polaris Star Realm. In his sight were the close figures of Feng Xue’er and Yun Wuxin. Even though he had rehearsed this moment countless times in his mind, the surge of emotion in his soul was still so intense it threatened to overwhelm him at any moment.

Slowly, he extended his arms, his lips moving gently. “Xue’er, Wuxin… I’m back.”

…Yun Wuxin froze completely, her entire body stiff and unresponsive.

Feng Xue’er took a step forward but stopped, her snowy hand resting on Yun Wuxin’s trembling shoulder, gently pushing her.

A warm breeze seemed to push the stunned Yun Wuxin forward, sending her tumbling heavily into Yun Che’s chest.

Yun Che’s arms wrapped around her, holding Yun Wuxin tightly to his chest… In that moment, it was as if all the warmth in the world poured generously into his entire being.

All the pain and cruelty he had endured over the years melted into a warm, ephemeral mist that could no longer pierce his soul.

One breath… two breaths… Yun Wuxin suddenly began to struggle, her clenched hands flailing wildly, accompanied by confused sobs.

Yun Che’s arms held her gently yet firmly, refusing to let her escape his embrace, no matter how much she struggled.

Finally, Yun Wuxin’s struggles weakened. Her hands stopped at Yun Che’s waist, her head rested against his chest, and her confused sobs transformed into an uncontrollable, heartbroken cry…

All the emotions she had suppressed over the years were ignited by this wail of anguish. She no longer had any strength to struggle, completely collapsing against her father’s chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

Five years of worry, longing, fear, and resentment… transformed into rapidly flowing tears, quickly drenching Yun Che’s chest.

The current Yun Wuxin was no longer the naive young girl she once was. As Yun Che’s only daughter and possessing divine cultivation, she undoubtedly held a supreme position on the Polaris Star Realm, admired and revered by all beings.

Before her family, she was gentle and refined. In the eyes of the world, she was as aloof and pure as her mother, inspiring such reverence that one feared even a distant glance might be considered sacrilegious.

Yet, before her father, she seemed to instantly revert to the childlike girl she once was, crying inconsolably.

Feng Xue’er slowly walked closer, gazing tenderly at Yun Che’s face… Her eyes finally settled on his.

After five years apart, he appeared to have not changed at all.

But…

Once, his eyes were like the vast starry night, deep and mysterious, drawing her in with curiosity and fascination. Now, his still dark eyes were like endless black holes in the starry sky, capable of instantly drawing in all souls in the world with a single thought.

Her heart suddenly ached intensely… She couldn’t imagine what he had endured in those five years to cause such a drastic change in such a short time.

In a daze, she realized a hand had tightly gripped her pale wrist. Their eyes met, his gaze warm and filled with deep guilt. “Xue’er, these past few years… I’ve made you worry again.”

Feng Xue’er gently shook her head, her beautiful eyes misting over, a faint smile gracing her jade lips. “Your safe return surpasses everything in the world. Grandfather… Father, Mother… all of us… we are all very, very well.”

“Mm…” Yun Che managed to utter a single, difficult word, then struggled to suppress the accompanying tremor in his voice. He raised his arm, cupped Yun Wuxin’s cheek with one hand, and looking at her tear-streaked face, murmured, “My Wuxin has grown up too.”

From birth to her twentieth year, a girl experiences incredibly beautiful growth and change each year—one of nature’s most wonderful miracles bestowed upon the world.

But… he had missed an entire seventeen years.

And it was a permanent omission, one that could never be made up for.

Yun Wuxin’s face was completely streaked with tears, and her body was almost limp with exhaustion from crying. She clearly harbored a chest full of resentment and anger, fully intending to hit him as hard as she could when she saw him.

Yet, looking at her father, so close, holding her unwilling to let go, her heart contained nothing but joy and unstoppable tears… nothing else.

“Will you… still… leave…?”

Even the sob that finally escaped her lips was not the angry sound she had imagined countless times, but rather the fear of him leaving again.

Yun Che slowly but very firmly shook his head. “No, never again. I promise.”

“Ugh… Hmph…” Yun Wuxin tried with all her might to stop sobbing. “Your promises… they always… don’t count…”

…Yun Che felt a pang in his heart. His lips trembled as he looked into Yun Wuxin’s eyes and said very softly, “Trust me one more time, okay? Because this time, there’s nothing in the world that can force me to leave you.”

High in the distant sky, two female figures stood.

“It seems we truly are a bit superfluous,” Chi Wuyao said with a faint smile. “Having two extra people at a reunion might spoil the mood. Let’s save our visit for Wuxin’s birthday.”

As she finished speaking, she sighed, “Little Wuxin from back then has grown up so much.”

Qianye Ying’er, beside her, did not respond.

Chi Wuyao glanced sideways. “You haven’t been suddenly touched by this, have you?”

…Qianye Ying’er’s eyebrow twitched, clearly having just snapped back to reality. She said coldly, “Some people cherish their daughters like treasures, while others can discard them like old shoes. Human nature is truly fascinating.”

“What’s even more interesting is that my whole life I tried to become someone like Qianye Fantian, yet in just a few short years, I’ve been desperately trying to cling to Yun Che.” Qianye Ying’er let out a soft snort. “I suppose in the eyes of the world… including yours, I, the former ‘Divine Empress,’ am probably the strangest woman in this world.”

“No,” Chi Wuyao shook her head instead. “You could never truly become someone like Qianye Fantian.”

Qianye Ying’er: “?”

Chi Wuyao slowly said, “Qianye Fantian caused your mother’s death because your feelings for your mother were very deep. You became the peerless Brahma Monarch Goddess in less than a millennium, also to gain Qianye Fantian’s recognition, and later, to save his life, you willingly allowed Yun Che to place a slave imprint on you.”

“It’s clear that your coldness and ruthlessness are reserved only for others. You deeply care for those you truly value.”

“As the saying goes, ‘A country may change, but its nature is hard to alter.’ A person’s personality and ideals might undergo sudden drastic changes, but their fundamental nature, not to mention in the short term, is difficult to alter significantly even over long periods. Therefore, even if later events hadn’t transpired, you could never truly become a villain like Qianye Fantian, who would abandon everything for his own benefit.”

“Just like Yun Che, the changes he experienced were among the most tragic. Even so, his fundamental nature has never truly changed.”

As she spoke, Chi Wuyao’s smile suddenly stiffened slightly.

She thought of someone… someone she still couldn’t understand or come to terms with.

Only that person had changed so completely.

“Still spouting your self-righteous nonsense!” Qianye Ying’er retorted irritably.

…Chi Wuyao was thinking about Xia Qingyue.

“I have a question for you,” Qianye Ying’er suddenly said.

“Hm?” Chi Wuyao slightly turned her face.

“Tell me… if, if my child had been born, what would it have been like between me and him?”

Qianye Ying’er’s voice was somewhat ethereal, and her golden eyes unconsciously lost focus.

Chi Wuyao smiled. “If you want to know the answer, then just have a child with him. Although what happened back then was regrettable, at least you and he still have infinite time, infinite opportunities. There’s no need to dwell on unnecessary sadness.”

Casting a distant glance at Yun Wuxin below, who was crying freely in her father’s arms, Chi Wuyao couldn’t help but think of ‘Xi’er,’ who had never even met her father, and secretly exhaled.

She only hoped that this matter would forever remain a secret known only to her and Mu Xuanyin.

“Hmph! I’m not that sentimental,” Qianye Ying’er sneered. Sensing Chi Wuyao’s figure suddenly moving away, she frowned. “Where are you going?”

“This small lower realm planet, however, was created by the Heretic God and the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor. It holds many true divine remnants. And it was these divine remnants that gradually helped Yun Che achieve what he has.”

“Given its significance, of course, I must use my own eyes to thoroughly examine every corner of this planet.”

The devilish voice faded into the distance, and Chi Wuyao’s figure was no longer in sight.

Qianye Ying’er, however, did not follow her. She continued to watch Yun Che from afar, neither revealing herself nor leaving.