Chapter 1420: Meiyin Divine Maiden
It was impossible to tell whether Luo Guxie's words were laced with sarcasm or jealousy, but Mu Xuanyin remained utterly unmoved, coldly addressing her by name: "Luo Guxie, you disturb my Ice Phoenix Realm, injure my disciples and elders. Should I take this as a provocation from you?"
"Provocation?" Luo Guxie let out a mocking laugh. "Do you honestly think a tiny realm like Yin Xue Realm is worthy of being provoked by me?"
Mu Xuanyin: "..."
"But rest assured, every grievance has its due culprit, every debt its proper debtor. I, Luo Guxie, have never stooped to bullying the weak, nor do I deign to involve others. It's only Yun Che who must die!" Luo Guxie slowly extended her hand, and an invisible pressure descended. "Drag Yun Che out here, and everyone else can walk away unscathed."
"I didn't directly storm your sect to seize him—that alone is already giving face to your Yin Xue Realm. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"
"What a generous face indeed." Under the gradually released pressure from Luo Guxie, Mu Xuanyin remained completely unaffected. Her voice carried a bone-chilling coldness: "He is indeed in my Yin Xue Realm. If you wish to see him, you may."
"Oh?" Luo Guxie's gaze flickered slightly. "At least you know what's good for you."
"However, answer me one thing first," Mu Xuanyin said, her jade-like face still utterly expressionless. "Who told you he was here?"
"Heh," Luo Guxie let out a cold laugh as if she had heard a joke. "With your standing, you don't have the qualification to make demands. I'll give you ten breaths... After ten breaths, if you still don't hand over Yun Che, then... don't... blame... me!"
Every word of her final sentence carried a heavy, menacing threat.
But to her surprise, under the pressure she exerted, the Yin Xue Realm King before her showed not a trace of flinching. Her gaze contained not the slightest hint of the cowering or trembling it should have... Instead, it held a frigid light that seemed capable of piercing the very soul.
"Heeheehee..."
Just then, a girl's laugh, incredibly melodious, rang out without warning. Neither her figure nor her aura could be sensed, yet the sound was right by the ears, and then, with an inexplicable magic, it lingered around the ears and the soul for a long time: "Father, this is Yin Xue Realm. Everything is covered in snow—it's really beautiful."
"Heh heh," came a man's voice, far gentler and deeper than the girl's, yet without that eerie soul-entangling quality: "Eternal snow and ice are naturally a breathtaking sight. Speaking of which, this is your father's first time here as well."
As the man's voice arrived, his aura also entered the spiritual perceptions of Luo Guxie and Mu Xuanyin.
Mu Xuanyin's icy brows twitched slightly, while Luo Guxie abruptly turned around, a strange glint flashing in her eyes.
Soon, two figures appeared in their line of sight.
The man was tall and imposing, clad in blue robes. Though his features seemed unusually gentle, they concealed an overwhelming, supreme majesty that made one dare not look a second time.
No matter where he appeared, no matter what world he stood in, whoever saw him would have no doubt that he was a sovereign emperor overlooking the world.
Unfortunately, his transcendent bearing was completely and utterly overshadowed by the woman beside him.
She appeared to be either in her early twenties or perhaps just a teenager. She had black eyes, black hair, and a black dress...
She was extraordinarily beautiful, with an eerie, enchanting beauty. Her hair was as dark as the night sky, standing out sharply against the sacred white falling snow. Her eyes were exceptionally deep and dark, like bottomless abysses, shimmering with faint black light as her gaze rippled lightly. Her already fair face, set against her black hair and black dress, appeared even more flawlessly jade-white.
Gazing at the endless snowflakes and the people within them, the delicate corners of her lips curled slightly. Her smile seemed both innocent and seductive—contradictory qualities that, on her, presented an eerily harmonious whole.
"Heh heh," the tall man laughed softly. "I am Shui Qianheng of the Liuguang Realm. I come uninvited and intrude upon your domain. I hope you will not take offense."
This blue-robed man was none other than Shui Qianheng, the Realm King of Liuguang Realm!
Mu Xuanyin gave a slight nod and spoke indifferently: "Liuguang Realm King and Meiyin Divine Maiden, such distinguished guests honor my Yin Xue Realm. Why would there be any offense?"
The black-dressed girl took a small step forward and performed a junior's courtesy: "Junior Shui Meiyin of Liuguang Realm pays respects to the Yin Xue Realm King."
Then she lifted her head, looking earnestly at Mu Xuanyin, her brows curving upward: "When Meiyin was very young, Mother told me that the Yin Xue Realm King is the most beautiful woman in the northern Dong Shen Domain. Having seen you today... you are actually far, far more beautiful than Mother said."
"Meiyin, no nonsense." Shui Qianheng spoke, but there was no reproach in his tone.
"..." Mu Xuanyin gave a slight nod but did not respond. However, her gaze lingered on Shui Meiyin for a full three breaths.
As one of the three strongest upper star realms, the Liuguang Realm had always resounded throughout the God Realms, yet it also bore the label of "eternal second place," constantly suppressed by the Shengyu Realm.
But this year, the Liuguang Realm's prestige had for the first time surpassed that of the Shengyu Realm, making it the foremost among the upper king realms.
It wasn't that the Shengyu Realm had suddenly weakened. On the contrary, after the Zhou Tian three thousand years, Luo Changsheng had achieved the seventh-level Divine Lord realm, shaking the entire God Realm and bringing supreme glory to the Shengyu Realm.
However, Luo Changsheng's earth-shattering legend was not unique—it wasn't even the most astonishing.
At the same time, the Liuguang Realm had produced a Shui Meiyin, who had also attained the seventh-level Divine Lord realm... and she was a seventh-level Divine Lord who had awakened the Stainless Divine Soul!
Furthermore, her elder sister, Shui Yingyue, had surpassed expectations and reached the fifth-level Divine Lord realm, causing the Liuguang Realm to gain two extraordinarily brilliant stars overnight!
In this generation, the Shengyu Realm had Luo Changsheng, who under the same age outshone any previous generation. But coincidentally, the neighboring Liuguang Realm had produced an even more dazzling star...
And this heavenly favored daughter, now renowned throughout the world, had come to the Yin Xue Realm at this very moment... and together with her father, the Liuguang Realm King...
"Shui Qianheng, what are you doing here?" Anyone would inevitably be surprised by Shui Qianheng's arrival in the Yin Xue Realm. Luo Guxie was no exception, but then she vaguely guessed something, and her expression darkened slightly.
Shui Qianheng maintained his gentle smile: "Shui heard a strange rumor that Yun Che did not die under the Evil Infant back then, but is still alive and residing in the Yin Xue Realm. Yun Che and my daughter Meiyin have long been betrothed—this is known to all the world since four years ago. Upon hearing this news, naturally, I had to come and verify it."
Mu Xuanyin: "..."
"As for why Fairy Guxie is here?" Shui Qianheng asked with a chuckle, casting a sidelong glance at Shui Meiyin and sighing inwardly.
"Heh," facing the amicable Shui Qianheng, who clearly wanted to avoid trouble, Luo Guxie let out a cold laugh without any courtesy: "Can you really not guess why I am here?"
Shui Qianheng's brows twitched, but he kept a smile on his face: "It seems that Fairy Guxie still holds a grudge over the grievances of the past. However, Yun Che is, after all, a junior. Fairy Guxie holds such a lofty position in this world—surely there's no need to stoop to the level of a junior?"
Although Shui Qianheng was the Liuguang Realm King, he clearly did not wish to have a falling out with Luo Guxie... In this world, unless absolutely necessary, no one would willingly offend a figure like Luo Guxie. The title "The number one under the King Realms" carried immense deterrent force and pressure with every word.
To avoid further angering Luo Guxie, he did not explicitly state that she was the one who had shamelessly attacked Yun Che first back then, and that all her humiliation was self-inflicted. His words were as tactful as possible... But what he received in return was still Luo Guxie's cold glare: "And if I refuse? What then?"
Shui Qianheng said with a smile: "Yun Che and my daughter have a marriage contract, so in the future, he will be the son-in-law of my Liuguang Realm. I believe Fairy Guxie is already aware of this. Since we meet here by such coincidence today, may I ask you to do me, Shui, a favor and let this go? Another day, I will surely come to thank you properly."
"Do you a favor? Heh... then who will do me a favor? Who will wash away the shame I suffered back then?" Luo Guxie did not back down at all; instead, her expression grew even darker, even slightly ferocious... The fact that someone was protecting Yun Che only fueled her rage and hatred.
Having already spoken softly several times to Luo Guxie, Shui Qianheng's expression turned stern, and his voice hardened: "If that's the case, then there's nothing more to say. I came here today in person not only to confirm whether he is alive or dead, but also to bring him back to the Liuguang Realm! So, if you wish to settle this grievance, you'll have to come to my Liuguang Realm from now on!"
"Is that so!?" Luo Guxie raised both hands: "Then let's see if you have the ability to leave here with a living Yun Che!"
*Hong weng...*
A muffled roar echoed between heaven and earth. The falling snow turned violent, and behind Luo Guxie, a terrifying whirlpool like an endless abyss appeared. Her robes billowed out, and in an instant, a fierce windstorm erupted across a thousand miles of snowy domain, tearing through the sky and splitting the earth.
"You..." Shui Qianheng's expression shifted slightly, and his brows furrowed deeply.
When Shui Meiyin had forcibly dragged him here, he had dismissed it as nothing serious. He had never imagined that Luo Guxie would harbor such deep resentment over the humiliation of yesteryear—not only personally coming to the Yin Xue Realm, but also showing no respect whatsoever to him, a dignified Liuguang Realm King, and even moving to attack without hesitation.
It was as if she had lost her mind!
He knew he was no match for Luo Guxie, and if they truly fought, the Yin Xue Realm would inevitably suffer a great disaster. He was about to say something more when, beside him, the usually quiet Shui Meiyin suddenly burst out in anger: "Luo Guxie! Back then, it was clearly you who lost all face and tried to kill my Brother Yun Che, only to suffer humiliation in return! Now you have the nerve to blame everything on Brother Yun Che! The so-called 'Fairy Guxie' is nothing but an unreasonable, shameless old witch!"
Before Luo Guxie could react, Shui Qianheng was already startled and hurriedly said: "Meiyin, no nonsense!"
"Hmph!" Shui Meiyin's nose twitched. "Father, we don't need to be afraid of her. With me here, you can definitely defeat her."
"Heh... Shui Qianheng, you've really raised a fine daughter." Luo Guxie laughed, but her laughter carried a dangerous undertone that could crush the heart. Her gaze fixed on Shui Meiyin... and then suddenly froze.
She saw a pair of eyes as deep and dark as the abyss... Then, those dark eyes rapidly enlarged and drew closer before her vision, gradually filling her entire field of sight, swallowing and burying everything she was.
Before her appeared an endless darkness, and within that darkness, countless black butterflies danced silently...
Luo Guxie's eyes went wide and blank. Her body swayed, and the whirlwind behind her began to twist chaotically... Suddenly, her entire body trembled violently. Her eyes cleared from the darkness, revealing a deep look of terror. Her gaze darted away from Shui Meiyin like lightning, and with her invincible strength below the king realms, she no longer dared to look directly at her: "What a Stainless Divine Soul! What a Meiyin Divine Maiden! Today, I'll see what the two of you, father and daughter, can do!"
The atmosphere suddenly grew tense, on the verge of eruption... But just then, a distant, cold woman's voice, as if coming from beyond the heavenly realm, drifted over: "Luo Guxie, do you truly wish to make your move here?"