Chapter 1973: This Time Leaving, Uncertain About the Stars and Moon (Part 2)

Although Feng Xue'er had only just begun cultivating in the Divine Way, her phoenix aura was incredibly rich and pure, no less potent than Huo Poyun's Golden Crow aura. This discovery completely overturned the understanding of the three Flame God Sect Masters.

"Xue'er," Yun Che turned to her, his gaze exceedingly gentle. "You can still change your mind. You truly don't have to do this for my sake..."

Feng Xue'er smiled and shook her head. "This decision is not a sacrifice; it is what my heart desires and what my soul yearns for."

"I was born under the grace of the Phoenix, and I have yet to repay any of it. For me, this is undoubtedly the most fitting and best path in life. Should the Phoenix Divine Spirit know, it would surely be immensely pleased."

She smiled brightly. "And if it can even slightly alleviate Brother Yun's regrets, that would be even better."

She stepped forward and stated, "I am Feng Xue'er, a junior from a distant lower realm. In my youth, I was blessed with the grace of the Phoenix Soul. Today, I wish to become a part of the Flame God Realm and ignite the inherited Phoenix Divine Flames for its benefit. I humbly ask the three senior Flame Gods to accept me."

Feng Xue'er's gentle words seemed like a dream to the three Flame God Sect Masters. They understood the implications, yet they dared not believe it was true. Her aura clearly revealed to them that she was, astonishingly, the Phoenix counterpart to Huo Poyun. Her entry into the Flame God Realm would undoubtedly mean that the hope which had just flickered out for their realm would be completely reignited! Furthermore, her status as the Imperial Concubine of Emperor Yun meant that the benefits to the Flame God Realm would be immeasurable, far surpassing anything Huo Poyun could have offered.

"Is... is this real?" Yan Juehai stared at Feng Xue'er, not asking a question but murmuring to himself in disbelief. They had just lost a Golden Crow Divine Son, and now Heaven had granted them a Phoenix Divine Daughter. And she was from *his* Phoenix lineage! As the Phoenix Sect Master, he knew full well how envious he had been of Huo Rulie over the years.

Feng Xue'er leaned slightly and addressed Yan Juehai, "Junior has heard from Brother Yun that Senior Yan has served as the Phoenix Sect Master of the Flame God Realm for thousands of years, and your comprehension and mastery of the Phoenix Odes of the World are unmatched. May I, a junior, have the honor of becoming your disciple?"

Yan Juehai's eyes trembled violently. He stumbled back half a step, his voice quivering, "No, no... How could I, Yan, be worthy or dare? You are the noble and supreme Imperial Concubine, the chosen successor of the Phoenix Divine Spirit. How could I possibly be your teacher?"

"A teacher's role isn't bound by age or status; the capable one leads," Yun Che stated. "Sect Master Yan, in this world, you are the only one truly qualified to be Xue'er's master." He turned away, speaking seemingly casually, "If you become Xue'er's teacher, then in the future, our children will also belong to the Flame God Realm."

Yun Che's few words were undoubtedly a profound promise that would benefit the Flame God Realm for generations to come. Clearly, despite his outwardly calm demeanor, he was far from tranquil about Huo Poyun's death.

Thud!

Yan Wancang, Yan Juehai, and Huo Rulie simultaneously dropped to their knees, their voices resonating deeply.

"The Flame God Realm... thanks Emperor Yun for your immense grace!" Tears welled in their eyes, and their words trembled with emotion. The profound gloom that had seemed destined to linger forever instantly dissolved, replaced by a dazzling, brilliant flame light.

"No need," Yun Che said without turning, his chest rising and falling gently. "It is this world that owes a debt to your Flame God Realm."

"Sect Master Huo, do you hate me?" Yun Che asked Huo Rulie outside the main hall.

"Why would Emperor Yun say that?" Huo Rulie replied, bowing his head. "Emperor Yun's grace today is something we could never repay, even if we were to be utterly shattered..."

"You understand what I mean," Yun Che interjected, looking directly at him.

Huo Rulie still shook his head, meeting Yun Che's gaze. "That was Poyun's own choice. Moreover," Huo Rulie said with a faint smile, "when the Nine Heavens Golden Crow perished and shattered into flames, I mourned for him, but I was even prouder."

"Although he served as the Flame God Realm King for only a few short years, he etched the Golden Crow flames into the memories of all living beings in this world, and his name will undoubtedly be carved into history. As his master and a father figure, how could I not be proud of him?" A smile graced his lips, but his eyes were already brimming with tears.

Yun Che nodded, said nothing further, and turned to depart.

"Emperor Yun," Huo Rulie called out, stopping him.

Yun Che paused and glanced over his shoulder.

"Do we... truly still have a future?" He posed the most weighty question for their current world.

Without a moment's hesitation, Yun Che replied with an undeniable certainty, "Of course. The Abyss will not have its way, and Poyun will not have died in vain."

"Good!" Huo Rulie nodded heavily. "With Emperor Yun's words, we have no more doubts or distant worries. We will devote all our efforts to assisting the Phoenix Divine Daughter, and even if we face death ten thousand times, we will have no regrets!"

After leaving the Flame God Realm, Yun Che quickly arrived in the neighboring Snow Song Realm. Mu Xuanyin's injuries had not yet healed, and she had already learned of Yun Che's impending journey to the Abyss. After all, Chi Wuyao rarely kept secrets from her. When Yun Che faced her, she offered no resistance, no words of advice, nor did she betray any worry. Instead, she simply embraced him quietly for several hours, like any ordinary, frail woman.

After stepping out of the Ice Phoenix Sacred Hall, Yun Che did not leave immediately. Instead, he stood silently in the snow for a long time, fully immersing himself in the baptism of wind and snow. The world known as the Abyss had no invigorating winds, no pure rain, and no tranquil snow. After leaving today, he wondered when, if ever, he would again be able to bathe in such wind and snow. Or perhaps, this would be the final, cherished memory in his mind...

A slender female figure emerged from the distance. The snowy curtain, like a rainbow, could not conceal her exquisite grace in the slightest. Her face, as beautiful as jade and surpassing snow, moved with the graceful steps of an immortal.

Mu Feixue. Upon seeing Yun Che, she instantly halted in the snowy expanse, quietly gazing at his profile. A moment later, she bowed slightly, her steps as light as lotus petals as she moved silently away, careful not to disturb his quiet contemplation.

"Feixue." At that moment, Yun Che suddenly called out her name.

Mu Feixue's steps instantly froze. A faint impression appeared in the snow beneath her feet.

"I am going to a very distant place." He looked at Mu Feixue's back. "Therefore, as I am now, I dare not make you any promises."

"Will you... wait for me?"

The cold wind blew, but silence reigned. The entire world, along with Mu Feixue's figure, seemed to freeze in that moment.

"If I return safely, I hope I can have the privilege of being bound to you for the rest of your life." Yun Che continued to gaze at her back, his voice slow and gentle. "If I never return..."

"I will wait," her voice echoed through the falling snow, each word like a jade petal settling upon an icy lotus. "No matter how long... until my beauty fades and the eternal snows melt away."

She didn't ask where he was going or what he planned to do. She didn't question if his words were genuine or spoken out of pity. For her, his words and gaze in that moment had already become an eternity, pouring into the entirety of her life.

This was the location of the newly established Moon God Realm. It was still under reconstruction. However, even the atmosphere here felt much more oppressive. The shadow emanating from the Abyss had gradually permeated every corner of the God Realm.

He watched from a distance until his presence was noticed by a woman approaching from afar.

"Emperor Yun?" Her lips parted slightly, and for a moment, she couldn't believe her eyes.

Yun Che turned his gaze, smiling at her. "Jin Yue, it's been a while."

Jin Yue's hands unconsciously tightened their grip on her sash. She dared not meet his eyes, nervously and timidly asking, "Are... are your injuries healed?" The memory of Yun Che's cruel smile as he stripped her clothes and branded her with a devil mark still cast a clear shadow over her, evidently undissipated even now.

"They're fine," Yun Che replied, his gaze studying Jin Yue. He suddenly let out a soft sigh and added, "I had only intended to observe this place, but since I've met you... it's a good opportunity." As he spoke, his form blurred, and he was suddenly standing before Jin Yue, extending his palm towards her.

"Ah!" Jin Yue gasped, her body instinctively flinching backward. Only then did she see that in Yun Che's palm lay the bronze mirror, a relic from Xia Qingyue. Her beautiful eyes trembled violently; it was an item she cherished as her life, yet Yun Che had mercilessly taken it from her.

"Take it," Yun Che urged, moving his palm slightly closer.

Jin Yue's gaze remained fixed on the bronze mirror, unable to look away. She slowly extended her hand, yet for a moment, she couldn't believe it, nor dared to touch it. "You... are really giving it back to me?"

"Yes, this was originally hers to leave for you," Yun Che affirmed. "When this entire world abandoned her, defiled her, and even she herself wished to erase her existence, only you fiercely guarded her last vestiges. Otherwise..." He sincerely added, "In this world, only you are truly most qualified to possess it."

Jin Yue finally reached out, taking the bronze mirror from Yun Che's hand and pressing it tightly against her chest. As if a part of his heart had suddenly emptied, Yun Che did not reconsider. He simply smiled faintly, turned, and prepared to leave.

"You..." From behind him, Jin Yue's voice suddenly rang out. "Are you going to do something dangerous?"

"Could it be... the Abyss?" A woman's intuition can sometimes be frighteningly keen.

Yun Che didn't deny it, instead praising her. "Quiet, graceful, loyal, persistent, intelligent, and perceptive—no wonder Qingyue liked you so much."

Yun Che's words were an undeniable admission. Jin Yue raised her eyes, then immediately cast them down again. "If that weren't the case, why would you be willing to return it to me?" Her head bowed further, and her voice dropped to a whisper. "That place must be unimaginably dangerous. Do you truly... have to go?"

"Yes, I must go. If I go, there is still hope. Otherwise, we can only close our eyes and await death." Yun Che's voice remained flat and calm. He was about to leave then, but seeing Jin Yue's fingers, which were tightly clutching the bronze mirror, tremble uncontrollably from extreme emotion, he felt deeply moved and pained. He finally spoke, "And, she... might also be there."

After a brief silence, Jin Yue abruptly looked up, and in her beautiful eyes, countless starlight fragments seemed to erupt in chaotic brilliance. Her lips trembled, opening and closing, as if she wished to utter "her" name, but the word simply wouldn't form. She yearned to hear Yun Che truly and clearly speak that name himself, rather than it being a mere figment of her imagination.

"The Abyss of Nothingness has long since changed. Falling into it doesn't necessarily mean annihilation, but rather entering that world known as the Abyss. Therefore, Qingyue, who fell into the Abyss of Nothingness, might... might not have been devoured by the Abyss, but instead exists safely within the world beneath it."

"Even for this reason alone, I must go."

Jin Yue's body swayed precariously, and tears instantly blurred her vision, making it impossible to clearly see even Emperor Yun's nearby figure.

"Protect it well. Perhaps one day, you two will meet again. At that time, you can personally return it to her."

"Okay," she finally whispered, as if in a dream, after an unknown length of time. "My master... she must... she must still be alive... Please... please... you must find her..."

Through her blurred vision, Yun Che's figure was no longer there. Only the bronze mirror against her chest offered her the warmest touch in the world.