Chapter 733: War Cease

“Father Emperor!”

The sound of the Phoenix Ark activating made Feng Xue’er rush out of the main hall, but she only managed to catch a glimpse of the rapidly disappearing crimson silhouette in the west.

“Your Father Emperor has left,” Yun Che said, turning to face her.

“But why did Father Emperor leave without saying goodbye?” Feng Xue’er’s small face showed a hint of bewilderment. This was the first time since her birth that she had been alone, away from her father and the Divine Phoenix Sect.

“Your Father Emperor was afraid that seeing you would make it too hard for him to leave. Besides, he trusts you now, and of course, he trusts me even more,” Yun Che said with a smile. “You’ll be staying in the Azure Cloud Nation for quite a while, so you won’t see Father Emperor or your other relatives, and everything around you will be new... Are you afraid?”

“Oh... of course not.” Feng Xue’er gently shook her head and smiled. “Because Big Brother Yun is here with Xue’er.”

Yun Che stepped forward, taking her hand directly. He said softly, “Xue’er, don’t worry. During your time in the Azure Cloud Nation, you don’t need to burden yourself with anything. You can do anything you’ve always wanted to but couldn’t, go anywhere you wish... If you’d like, I’ll accompany you.”

“...Mm!” Feng Xue’er nodded vigorously, her eyebrows curving like happy crescent moons. Yun Che’s few words completely dispelled her earlier trepidation, leaving only joy filling her heart. “Thank you, Big Brother Yun.”

“Brother-in-law!”

A gust of wind howled behind them as Xia Yuanba rushed over, shouting. Ling Tianya, Dongfang Xiu, Qin Wushang, and others followed closely. Seeing Xia Yuanba, Feng Xue’er gave a gentle smile. “Big Brother Giant, we meet again. Xue’er also wants to thank Big Brother Giant for protecting us on the Primordial Profound Ark back then.”

“Hehe,” Xia Yuanba chuckled, a little embarrassed. “It was nothing, really. But after three years, Little Sister Xue’er doesn’t seem to have changed at all.”

“But Big Brother Giant seems to have gotten even... bigger.” Feng Xue’er looked at Xia Yuanba with a hint of curiosity. Three years ago on the Primordial Profound Ark, Xia Yuanba had sacrificed himself to block Ye Xinghan and Feng Feiyan so she and Yun Che could escape. Combined with his status as Yun Che’s closest relative, Feng Xue’er felt a strong sense of closeness to him. She suddenly said with a beaming smile, “And Big Brother Giant is so powerful now, already at the sixth level of the Sovereign Profound Realm! Maybe even stronger than Grandpa.”

“Hehe... Huh?” Xia Yuanba’s eyes widened. “How did you know that? Did Brother-in-law tell you?”

Yun Che smiled and said, “Xue’er is now an eighth-level Divine Emperor; discerning your profound strength level is simple for her.”

“What?!” Xia Yuanba exclaimed in shock, his mouth instantly gaping wider than his head.

Behind him, Dongfang Xiu and Qin Wushang, who had just caught up, trembled, nearly falling out of the air in surprise.

“Eighth... eighth-level Divine Emperor?” Ling Tianya was utterly dumbfounded. Xia Yuanba’s terrifying sixth-level Sovereign Profound Realm power at twenty-one had already dropped his jaw, but now, this girl before him, whose beauty was no less than that of the Little Demon Empress, and whom Xia Yuanba had just said was under twenty, was actually an eighth-level Divine Emperor!?

She was far stronger than his own father, Ling Tianxiong!

This Profound Sky Continent... how could there be so many incredible, abnormal prodigies!!

“As expected... of Little Sister Xue’er, she’s too... too amazing,” Xia Yuanba swallowed hard, his words coming out in a stutter. As for Dongfang Xiu and the others, they were too stunned to even speak. The concept of an eighth-level Divine Emperor was something they couldn’t even dare to imagine.

Xia Yuanba shook his head, finally getting to the main point. “Brother-in-law, I just saw Feng Hengkong get on the Phoenix Ark and leave. Why did Little Sister Xue’er stay behind? What exactly happened?”

“About that...” Just as Yun Che was about to give Xia Yuanba and Dongfang Xiu a general overview, he suddenly noticed Cang Yue hadn’t emerged from the main hall. His brow twitched, and he released Feng Xue’er’s hand. “Xue’er, why don’t you briefly tell them what happened? I’ll go check on Yue’er.”

With that, Yun Che quickly flew down and re-entered the Azure Cloud main hall.

As expected, Cang Yue was currently sitting... or rather, slumped on the phoenix throne, her face pale and her breathing weak. Yun Che rushed over, wrapped his arms around her shoulders, and gently channeled a surge of profound energy into her body. “Yue’er, are you alright?”

Cang Yue softly shook her head and rested her forehead on his shoulder, a weary yet contented smile on her face. Despite her mere Spirit Profound Realm cultivation, she had steadfastly faced the immense pressure from Feng Hengkong without yielding an inch. The moment Feng Hengkong left and the pressure vanished, she instantly felt near collapse.

“Rest well, don’t think about anything... Feng Hengkong has left, and he left Xue’er here. Our Azure Cloud Nation is completely safe now,” Yun Che said tenderly, holding her close.

“Mm...” Cang Yue softly murmured in response. “All of this is my husband’s achievement. If it weren’t for you...”

“No,” Yun Che shook his head. “This is all your achievement, Yue’er. If you hadn’t endured and supported this nation for three years, how could we have this outcome today? What I’ve done in these past few days is insignificant compared to your three years of struggle.”

“Hehe...” Cang Yue chuckled softly. This time, her laughter was entirely free of pressure or gloom. “My Junior Brother Yun, my husband, your words always make me happy.”

“...Yue’er, I don’t even have the courage to imagine the suffering you’ve endured these past three years. I hate the Divine Phoenix Empire, and you should hate them even more than I do,” Yun Che said, voicing his confusion. “Why, when facing Feng Hengkong, who was willing to accept any punishment, did you choose this outcome? Fifty billion in compensation is a lot, but for the Divine Phoenix, it might not even be a slight inconvenience.”

“Because punishment brings temporary satisfaction and joy, but it sows resentment and hatred. These resentments and hatreds would continue to fester as history unfolds, perhaps erupting completely in some future era. And compared to the Divine Phoenix, my Azure Cloud Nation is too weak; if such a conflict erupted, Azure Cloud would surely be plunged into disaster. And as for forgiveness... it’s not truly forgiveness, after all...” Cang Yue gave a gentle smile. “My husband and I have taken the Divine Phoenix’s most precious Princess Snow from them!”

“If Little Sister Xue’er can marry my husband, it will be infinitely better for the future of the Azure Cloud Nation than gaining half of the Divine Phoenix Nation. And for me personally, this is the best possible outcome.”

Yun Che gently stroked her cheek, his voice low. “You’re the Empress of a nation now, yet you’re actively asking another woman to marry me, and to be my principal wife just like you... Don’t you feel wronged?”

Cang Yue smiled and slowly shook her head. “Before, I could only be reunited with my husband in dreams. Now, even what I longed for in my dreams has become reality. I am happier and more content than anyone else in this world, so how could I feel wronged?”

“Little Sister Xue’er is the most wonderful girl I’ve ever met in my life. Her beauty, temperament, lineage, status, profound strength—everything about her is simply flawless. And the most wonderful girl in this world naturally belongs to my husband. Hehe... I truly wish that all the best things in the world belonged to you, my husband.”

“Yue’er...” Yun Che whispered her name, and the warmest feeling slowly permeated every corner of his soul. He knew that he could never, ever let Cang Yue down in this lifetime... not even in the slightest.

“Husband...” Cang Yue closed her eyes in his embrace and softly murmured, “Would you give me a child? When he grows up, I can pass the throne to him, and then I can always be by your side, becoming a person who belongs only to her husband.”

Yun Che nodded gently, his fingers slowly caressing the fair skin on her neck. He leaned down and chuckled softly, “Then, shall we start trying today?”

Although Cang Yue’s eyes were closed, a faint blush still crept onto her fair face, and she buried her head even deeper, not daring to look up. After a long while, she let out a mosquito-like whisper, “Mm...”

Starting the day after Feng Hengkong’s departure, all Divine Phoenix troops stationed in the Azure Cloud Nation swiftly reorganized. While they didn’t completely withdraw from Azure Cloud, they pulled back from all major city areas and were given strict orders never to commit any acts of aggression against the populace again.

The Divine Phoenix Nation’s invasion of the Azure Cloud Nation thus abruptly ended in a way no one could have foreseen.

The subsequent developments plunged the entire Profound Sky Continent into violent upheaval... On the fifth day after Feng Hengkong returned to the Divine Phoenix, he publicly compensated the Azure Cloud Imperial Family with a full fifty billion purple profound coins, along with thirty tons of purple crystal, and thirteen thousand sets of light armor and weapons tempered by Phoenix flames. That same afternoon, millions of Divine Phoenix troops began to orderly enter the Azure Cloud Nation... This time, however, it wasn’t an invasion, but rather they were dispatched to the major cities and regions of Azure Cloud to assist in rebuilding and restoring the towns and villages destroyed during the war.

News that several Divine Phoenix princes and elders had been killed by Yun Che, and that Phoenix City had been turned upside down by him, also spread widely throughout the Seven Nations during this period.

Combining these two facts, even the most foolish person could vaguely guess what had transpired.

Although the Azure Cloud Nation was still in ruins, it had finally seen the clouds part and the fog disperse, and the entire nation erupted in jubilation. Countless Azure Cloud citizens stopped fleeing, returning to their hometowns with tears and laughter, all the while shouting Yun Che’s name, for they knew it was this man who had saved the Azure Cloud Nation from the brink of destruction.

Outside the Azure Cloud Nation, the other six nations were undoubtedly in a state of extreme shock and turmoil.

If the Divine Phoenix had merely withdrawn its troops, that would have been one thing. But the Divine Phoenix not only retreated but also paid an exorbitant compensation and deployed nearly seventy percent of its army to help Azure Cloud reorganize...

The reason the Divine Phoenix would go to such lengths sent shivers down their spines, even with the most superficial thoughts. The rulers of the five nations—Canglan, Heisha, Kui Shui, Jialuo, and Tianxiang—had been unable to sleep or eat for days... After all, during the three years of Azure Cloud’s struggle against the Divine Phoenix, they had completely ignored the Azure Cloud Imperial Family’s repeated humble, almost pleading requests for aid, even tearing up their pleas for help right in front of them.

For someone capable of forcing the Divine Phoenix Empire to such a degree, retaliating against them would be child’s play.

Especially Yun Che’s unyielding, ruthless personality and methods... The rulers of these five nations had personally witnessed them during the Seven Nations Ranking Tournament three years ago!

Having cast off the shadow, the Azure Cloud Nation began to regain its vitality, and Cang Yue naturally became extremely busy. She managed state affairs during the day and attended to Yun Che at night. Yun Che, on the other hand, was unusually idle. Every morning, he would consistently go to Cang Wanhai’s mausoleum to accompany Feng Xue’er... To atone for Feng Hengkong’s transgressions, Feng Xue’er insisted on kneeling before Cang Wanhai’s tomb for ten days and ten nights, and Yun Che and Cang Yue could only accede to her wish. At other times, Yun Che primarily traveled between the Azure Cloud Imperial City and Flowing Cloud City.

Ten days later.

Early morning, the sky was already bright. Cang Yue had woken up, her soft, jade-like body still tightly intertwined with Yun Che’s, unwilling to get out of bed. Her snow-white arms, peeking out from beneath the edge of the silk quilt, were like porcelain, dazzlingly pale.

“Your Imperial Majesty, King Kuishui, Que Wanli, requests an audience... King Kuishui has been waiting outside the hall since before dawn.”

From beyond the gauze curtains came the respectful announcement of Cang Yue’s personal palace maid. Cang Yue half-closed her eyes, her bare jade body gently rubbing against Yun Che in his embrace, and lazily said, “Understood. Tell him to wait another half hour.”

“Yes.”

The maid departed. Cang Yue opened her eyes and pulled back the silk quilt, instantly revealing large expanses of her snow-white skin and jade-like body before Yun Che. Yun Che reached out and pulled her back into his embrace. “Why bother seeing him? Just tell him to drop off the tribute and then get lost.”

Cang Yue chuckled and shook her head. “Alright, husband, you should get up too. Little Sister Xue’er has been kneeling at Father Emperor’s mausoleum for ten days and ten nights already. If you don’t bring her back today, I’ll be heartbroken.”

Cang Yue simply draped a phoenix veil over herself, then knelt on the bed, using her slender, silken hands to help Yun Che get dressed and arrange his hair. Only then did she put on her own phoenix robe and crown before hurrying off to personally prepare a meal for Yun Che.

Leaving the imperial palace, Yun Che flew at full speed until he reached the northern part of the city. Before Cang Wanhai’s mausoleum, Yun Che immediately spotted the young girl kneeling quietly there. Her head was bowed, her hands clasped before her chest, and her snow-white face was serene and devout. Morning dew dampened her long hair and robes, her slender, solitary figure evoking a prolonged ache in anyone who saw her.