Chapter 1387: "The Simplest Choice"
The Chaos was vast beyond measure, with planets and star realms numbering in the trillions. The probability of a planet being set foot upon by someone from the God Realm was infinitesimally small. Moreover, Xuan practitioners accustomed to the aura of the God Realm were fundamentally unwilling to set foot in the lower realms.
A beam of red light descended, replacing Feng Xian'er's profound energy to protect Yun Che's fragile, crumbling life pulse, while also making it even clearer just how perilous his condition was. The Phoenix Soul Spirit let out a soft sigh: "This day has come far sooner than I expected... Alas."
"Lord Phoenix God, I beg you to save him quickly. You can surely save him." Feng Xian'er pleaded again and again.
"I cannot save him." But the words of the Phoenix Soul Spirit fell like a bucket of cold water on Feng Xian'er... and on Yun Wuxin.
"His body is splitting apart, all his internal organs are shattered, his life pulse is severely damaged, and all his meridians are broken... Even with my divine power intact back then, I could not have saved him either," the Phoenix Soul Spirit said slowly.
The Phoenix Soul Spirit's words caused Feng Xian'er's pupils to rapidly lose color. Yun Che had been gravely wounded in an instant, on the verge of death. Normally, if he were sick or injured, her first reaction would be to seek out Su Linger. But this was bodily tearing caused by spatial tremors, tearing both inside and out. If her profound energy had not been constantly maintained on him, it would have killed him in an instant.
For an injury like this, she could only think of the Phoenix Soul Spirit. If even it could not save him...
But the Phoenix Soul Spirit's next words made Feng Xian'er's fading pupils light up again.
"Although I cannot save him, there is one person who can. In this world, she should be the only one who can."
"Who? Who is it!?" Feng Xian'er raised her head sharply, her voice urgent.
"She is right before your eyes."
As the Phoenix Soul Spirit spoke, a pair of red eyes also fell upon Yun Wuxin at that moment. Beneath the red light, her eyes shimmered with a watery gleam, clearly still in shock and fear from Yun Che's severe injury. Hearing the Phoenix Soul Spirit's words and feeling its gaze, Yun Wuxin's lips parted slightly.
"You mean... Wuxin?" Feng Xian'er was stunned.
"The power Yun Che once possessed was inherited from an ancient creation god named Xie Shen." The Phoenix Soul Spirit spoke without any reservation. "The level of Xie Shen's divine power is beyond your imagination. After he was crippled, the Xie Shen divine power he carried sank into dormancy. In a world without gods, no force can awaken a dead Xie Shen divine power... except the last remaining Xie Shen Divine Breath in this world."
"And that last Xie Shen Divine Breath resides in his daughter, in you." The Phoenix's eyes fixed on Yun Wuxin as it slowly spoke the words it had once said to Yun Che.
Feng Xian'er listened intently. Though she did not understand what a creation god or Xie Shen divine power was, the Phoenix Soul Spirit's words were enough for her to guess something: "Could it be... you mean..."
"Draw forth the Xie Shen Divine Breath in her profound vein and transfer it into Yun Che's dead Xie Shen profound vein. Perhaps it will be like placing a single spark into a dead volcano, reawakening it."
These words seemed to be spoken for Feng Xian'er to hear, but in truth, they were meant for Yun Wuxin.
"Will that... save Father?"
Feng Xian'er didn't understand, and Yun Wuxin understood even less. But at least she understood that these strange eyes and the voice coming from them were telling a way to save her father.
"In the time you have lived with your father, you should have heard many legends about him, and you should know how powerful he once was." The Phoenix Soul Spirit's red eyes did not waver from Yun Wuxin. "I cannot guarantee success, but if it succeeds, his power can be restored. And once his power is restored, even an injury ten times worse than this can be healed within a short time."
Though her mind was in a haze, the Phoenix Soul Spirit's last sentence made Yun Wuxin's eyes shine with extraordinary brightness. She unconsciously took a small step forward and said urgently, "Re... really? Save Father... please save my father quickly..."
"Then you are willing to give up your Xie Shen Divine Breath?" the Phoenix Soul Spirit asked.
Yun Wuxin had no idea what Xie Shen Divine Breath was, nor had she ever known she carried such a thing. She nodded without any hesitation: "I don't know what Xie Shen Divine Breath is, but as long as it can save Father... anything is fine! Please hurry, Father is..."
"Wait!" Feng Xian'er suddenly spoke up at that moment, her voice extremely uneasy: "Lord Phoenix God, if, as you say, drawing forth the Xie Shen Divine Breath from Wuxin's profound vein... what consequences will it have for her?"
She was certain that the Phoenix Soul Spirit must have told Yun Che about this before. But obviously, Yun Che had not agreed. He had rather remain crippled forever than agree, and had never mentioned it to anyone.
"To draw forth her Xie Shen Divine Breath, all her profound energy must first be dispersed. All her cultivation up to now will return to nothing. Only a small part of her extraordinary talent comes from the Phoenix bloodline; the main reason is the existence of the Xie Shen Divine Breath. Lose that wisp of Xie Shen Divine Breath, and her talent will revert to mediocrity... It is also possible that her profound vein may be damaged, and complete destruction is not impossible either."
The Phoenix Soul Spirit's words held no evasion or concealment.
"And even then, it is not certain to succeed... right?" Feng Xian'er asked dazedly, completely at a loss.
"There is about a twenty percent chance," the Phoenix Soul Spirit said. That twenty percent chance, in its view, was already very high. "This is the only feasible method I can think of. There has never been a precedent in history, so naturally, success cannot be guaranteed."
"But, if it can reawaken his Xie Shen divine power, even if the chance is one in a trillion, it must be attempted."
These words were spoken from the standpoint of the Phoenix Soul Spirit, which carried the will of the Phoenix.
Because, from the moment it sensed that "terrifying aura," it had vaguely guessed that Xie Shen had left behind such complete source power—not just power, but also... hope.
A hope that must never be extinguished, and a hope that the Phoenix Soul Spirit, inheriting the Phoenix's will, must protect.
"Yun Wuxin," the Phoenix Soul Spirit's gaze grew more focused, "Did you clearly hear what I just said? To save your father, you will lose all your power. Your talent will be gone forever, with no possibility of recovery. Your profound vein may also be severely damaged... Even so, are you willing to give your Xie Shen Divine Breath to your father?"
Lose all power, all efforts reduced to nothing. Talent permanently diminished, with the possibility of being completely crippled.
For a twelve-year-old girl, these words and this choice were undoubtedly too cruel.
But... to Feng Xian'er's surprise, and even more to the Phoenix Soul Spirit's surprise, Yun Wuxin was staring blankly into the air, clearly not yet fully digesting what she had heard. Yet she was nodding, nodding without any hesitation: "As long as I can save Father, I am willing."
"No! No! No!" Feng Xian'er shook her head. "Young Master would never allow it! He treasures Wuxin like a precious gem; he would never agree to such a thing! If something happens to Wuxin because of this... even if Young Master successfully recovers all his power, he will blame himself for life... he will be in agony forever... No... no..."
During this time, she had stayed by Yun Che's side day and night. She had seen clearly how much he treasured Yun Wuxin.
How could he possibly accept this!
"Then, would you rather watch him die?" the Phoenix Soul Spirit said with a sigh. "Moreover, if he does not recover his power, the one who injured him may bring an even greater disaster into this world. Only with his power restored can such a disaster be averted. In my understanding, this is a choice that must be made."
"..." Feng Xian'er's face was pained, and she kept shaking her head, but could no longer speak.
"Fairy Aunt Xian'er, it's alright." Yun Wuxin's comforting voice reached her ears. She looked up in a daze, and in her sight, Yun Wuxin's little face showed no pain, struggle, or hesitation. Instead, there was a very light, very warm smile: "Father and I have played many choice games. This choice is much simpler than all the games Father taught me. Because... I can live without profound force, but I absolutely cannot live without Father."
"Wuxin..." Feng Xian'er's vision instantly blurred.
"And not having profound force is no problem at all," Yun Wuxin said smilingly. "Mother will protect me, Master will protect me, and Fairy Aunt Xian'er will definitely protect me too, right? Once Father recovers his power, he will protect me even more. And this time, I saved Father. Mother, Master... they will all praise me... Wow! Just thinking about it makes me so happy."
"..." Feng Xian'er's lips trembled. She could not choose... but Yun Wuxin had made her choice without hesitation.
The Phoenix's eyes tilted noticeably. The soul fragment of the divine spirit was deeply moved... Yun Che would rather be a cripple forever than harm his daughter's talent. Yun Wuxin, for the hope of saving her father, showed no attachment at all to her profound force and talent. Perhaps, in its eyes, human emotions were strangely difficult to understand.
"Xian'er," the Phoenix Soul Spirit said, "I know your worries. I will bear his resentment and anger... I hope I can hold out until that moment."
"Lord Phoenix God?" The Phoenix Soul Spirit's words made Feng Xian'er look up sharply.
But she received no answer. A ray of red light descended from the sky and brought her out of this Phoenix space.
In the space wreathed in red light, only Yun Wuxin and Yun Che remained, his breath so faint it was almost imperceptible... He did not know that the Phoenix Soul Spirit had bypassed his will and made Yun Wuxin make a choice she should not have had to make.
"Yun Wuxin," its voice was slow and solemn, "To draw forth your Xie Shen Divine Breath, your will must cooperate. Therefore, as long as you are unwilling, no one can force you. I ask you one last time..."
"Save Father..." Before the Phoenix Soul Spirit could finish, she had already spoken urgently, not only urgently but with a determination that did not belong to her age.
She raised her face, her gaze meeting the Phoenix's red eyes in the air. From her eyes, from her soul, the Phoenix Soul Spirit could feel not a trace of reluctance, unwillingness, or hesitation... only fear and urgency.
"Good..." the Phoenix Soul Spirit responded. Its red eyes flickered with an unusual flame light, and its originally dignified voice became extremely gentle: "I will say no more. I will devote all my remaining power and soul to make this succeed."
"Yun Wuxin, remember: if one day, the gloom that shrouds this world is dispelled because of your father, then... you are the true savior behind it all!"
The gentle Phoenix voice descended. At that moment, the Phoenix's red eyes suddenly opened to their fullest, releasing two extremely intense and profound Phoenix flames that enveloped both Yun Che and Yun Wuxin.