Chapter 1498: Wuxin Liuli (Part 1)
Leaving the Jueyun Abyss, Yun Che flew toward the Tian Xuan Continent. His speed was not fast, and his brows were tightly knit, as if his heart was heavy with many concerns.
Qianye Ying'er maintained an even distance behind him, her spiritual sense sweeping across this world that, in her perception, was exceptionally lowly and humble.
"Master, what are you thinking about?" He Ling asked with concern.
Yun Che's gaze refocused, and he replied, "From these few encounters, what kind of person do you think Jie Tian Mo Di is?"
He Ling thought about it very seriously for a while before answering, "The first time I saw her, I was terrified—uncontrollably terrified. But after those close interactions between Master and her, I no longer feel that fear. Instead… because of her, and also because of Master, my previous understanding of 'demons' and 'dark profound force' has changed."
"Moreover, I think she is very… lonely. A kind of loneliness that is hard to describe. And every time I see her, this feeling grows even stronger."
"…So it's not just me who feels this way." Yun Che's expression was complex. "In this world, too many people spend their entire lives pursuing supreme power, status, and strength. The higher one stands, the more this is true."
"But Jie Tian Mo Di—her power is something no one can defy. Her existence far transcends everything in the present age. She can command and drive any living being, do whatever she wants to do, obtain anything she desires as long as it exists, decide the fate and survival of any creature, and even easily change all rules, laws, and structures."
"Such absolute height and authority—even the Chaos Sovereign Dragon God, no, even ten Dragon Gods, could not possess it. Even those supreme powerhouses who spend their lives seeking higher planes would never dare to dream of such things."
"But with all this, since Jie Tian Mo Di returned to this world, she has been astonishingly indifferent. I see no anger or hatred, no arrogance or disdain as she looks down upon all life, no commands, no demands, no taking. I can't feel any joy, anger, sorrow, or pleasure. And she has never appeared publicly, nor does she allow those few who know the truth to reveal her existence to the world."
"Not only that, she shows no interest in the Evil Infant Myriad Calamity Wheel or the Ancestral Divine Art." Yun Che shook his head. "Puzzling…"
"The era Jie Tian Mo Di has existed in is incomparably long. The experiences in her life are beyond comparison to any living being of this age. So it's only natural that we find it difficult to understand her state of mind and thoughts." He Ling said softly.
This was like… she had spent several years by Shen Xi's side, but could never truly understand what she was thinking, especially her actions toward Yun Che.
Yun Che thought for a moment and nodded, "Mm, you're right. The only thing I'm certain of is the same feeling as yours. She is very lonely—a loneliness that we may never be able to understand in our lifetimes."
"She told me to come find her in a month, and then she will tell me the 'answer'…" Yun Che's brows sank, and a strange gleam flashed in his eyes. "I have a feeling that the 'answer' she will give me in a month might directly determine the fate of Chaos from now on!"
…………
Returning to the Tian Xuan Continent, Yun Che swept his spiritual sense… Sure enough, Yun Wuxin was at the Bing Yun Fairy Palace again.
He went straight to the Bing Yun Fairy Palace. Yun Wuxin was not cultivating; instead, she was learning to write from Chu Yuechan. She was studying very seriously. Her tender little hand danced lightly across the paper like a sprite, her strokes neither too heavy nor too light. Her handwriting was exceptionally elegant and showed no trace of childishness.
Yun Che watched silently, initially not wanting to disturb her. But as time went on, his gaze and mind became involuntarily absorbed into her handwriting, unwilling to look away.
When she finished writing another full page, she looked up at her work and laughed with great joy and pride. Just as she was about to seek praise from her mother, she caught sight of Yun Che, who had appeared there at some unknown time and was smiling at her.
"Father!" Yun Wuxin's eyes lit up as she cried out softly and flew into a pounce. It was only then that Chu Yuechan noticed Yun Che's presence as well. Her immortal body turned slightly. "You're back."
She saw the golden-clad woman behind Yun Che, and her beautiful eyes narrowed.
Qianye Ying'er released no profound aura. But that kind of intangible aura—one that could dominate over all life even at the level of the God Realm—brought Chu Yuechan a terrifying pressure that surpassed her understanding countless times over.
"Haha," Yun Che scooped up his daughter… but at fourteen and a half years old, Yun Wuxin's figure was much longer. Her height had even slightly exceeded his shoulder. He could no longer hold her across his chest with one arm like he could a few years ago, giving him an odd feeling of regret. He blurted out, "It's only been about half a month, and you seem to have grown taller again?"
Unbeknownst to him, in another two years, she would be of marrying age. Xia Qingyue had just turned sixteen when she married him.
Time was truly cruel…
Yun Wuxin frolicked and bounced on him for a while, then suddenly turned her attention to Qianye Ying'er, who was standing quietly in place. Her figure was so stunning that even the naive Yun Wuxin found her unspeakably beautiful. "Father, who is this elder sister? Could she be…"
"She is my… attendant!" Yun Che cut off her forthcoming words at lightning speed, then looked at Chu Yuechan with a pure and unwavering gaze.
Chu Yuechan: "…"
"Attendant?" Yun Wuxin was clearly a bit skeptical. "It's not some strange relationship, is it? And why is this elder sister wearing a mask? Though, this mask is very pretty."
"Of course, it's because she's not good-looking, so she has to cover her face." Yun Che said without a red face or a racing heart.
"…" Qianye Ying'er turned her cheek slightly away, as if she didn't like Yun Che's evaluation very much.
"Eh?" Yun Wuxin studied Qianye Ying'er very seriously for a while. The half of her face visible below the mask was meticulously carved like fine jade—exquisite, perfect to the point of being breathtaking. She whispered, "But… she looks like she should be very beautiful."
"Mm, actually, her appearance might be considered very beautiful in the eyes of others. But compared to your mother, she falls far, far, far short. So in your father's eyes, she's naturally on the uglier side." Yun Che said with a big grin.
"…" Qianye Ying'er shot a very serious glance at Chu Yuechan, then turned her whole face away.
"Hmm." Yun Wuxin seemed to understand.
"Ying—" The words had just left his mouth when Yun Che suddenly realized that the title "Shadow Slave" might not be suitable to mention in front of his daughter. He quickly changed it: "Qianye, this is my daughter. From now on, her commands are my commands. When by her side, you must protect her safety at all costs."
"Yes." Qianye Ying'er acknowledged.
"Qian… Ye?" Yun Wuxin murmured softly. "What a strange name."
"Forget about her." Yun Che leaned in slightly and said with a smile, "Wuxin, guess what gift I brought you!"
"Huh?" Yun Wuxin's expression showed not surprise or curiosity, but rather suspicion. "Father actually didn't forget this time?"
Yun Che's eyes twitched. He said gloomily, "Last time was really because of an unexpected sudden return. I absolutely did not forget. Everything I promise Wuxin, I will fulfill every single one."
"Hehehehe," the girl's crescent-like brows curved as she smiled brightly, extending her fair little hand. "Gift! Gift!"
Her brows and eyes were filled with an excitement and anticipation so intense it overflowed, impossible to conceal.
A glow flashed before Yun Che's chest, and in his hand appeared a shallow white silk garment. Pure and mysterious light flowed over it, like thin smoke or moonlight.
"Wow! Such a beautiful dress!" Yun Wuxin's gaze was instantly captivated.
"This is called the 'Moon Huan Divine Garment.' It comes from the Yue Shen Realm in the Dong Shen Domain." Yun Che placed it in Yun Wuxin's hand and said with a smile, "Not only is it beautiful, but it can also protect you very well. If you wear it, no one on this planet can harm you."
The Moon Huan Divine Garment wasn't just from the Yue Shen Realm—it was extremely precious. In the Yue Shen Realm, one needed to be at least the level of a Moon Divine Envoy to be qualified to obtain it…
Yun Che had casually swiped it from Xia Qingyue's bedchamber… and he'd even taken more than one. Xia Qingyue had asked him for them back several times, but he brazenly refused to return, so she had no choice but to let it go.
"Wow!" Yun Wuxin let out a delicate exclamation as she held the Moon Huan Divine Garment in her hands. It felt as light as nothing. A mysterious and intoxicating aura also quietly enveloped her entire body. "This is the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. But if Mother wore it, it would surely be even more beautiful."
"Don't worry. Your mother has one too." Yun Che reached out his hand again. In his palm appeared a lustrous white jade. The jade was small and exquisite, yet it emitted an aura even more mysterious than the Moon Huan Divine Garment. "And this one too!"
That special aura made Qianye Ying'er turn her gaze, pausing briefly on Yun Che's palm.
A Hengying Stone? Qianye Ying'er murmured inwardly.
She naturally knew how rare and precious a Hengying Stone was.
"What is this?" Yun Wuxin picked up the jade and studied it with great curiosity.
"This is a Mysterious Shadow Stone."
"What? A Mysterious Shadow Stone?" Yun Wuxin was clearly surprised.
"Mm, but it's not an ordinary Mysterious Shadow Stone," Yun Che explained with a smile. "The images it records can last forever. You never have to worry about them disappearing or deteriorating. In other words, with this, if you ever want to capture any image for a lifetime, you can see it anytime you wish."
"Therefore, it has a special name: the Hengying Stone."
Yun Che's description of the Hengying Stone stirred even Chu Yuechan, whose temperament was normally extremely indifferent.
"Wow!" Though Yun Wuxin wasn't entirely clear on the concept of "eternal recording," she still let out an excited cry. She played with it for a long time, her starry eyes shimmering as she asked, "Then… how do I use it?"
"Uh… Since it's a gift for Wuxin, I didn't test it too much. But I think the method of use should be similar to an ordinary Mysterious Shadow Stone." Yun Che thought for a moment.
"Let me try." Yun Wuxin raised the Hengying Stone, aimed it at Yun Che, and infused it with her profound force. Soon, a mysterious glimmer flickered across the stone.
Yun Wuxin's spiritual sense probed into the Hengying Stone, and then she laughed happily. "This is Father's image… Will it really never disappear, forever and ever?"
"Mm!" Yun Che affirmed with certainty.
"Then I want to record Mother, Master, Grandfather and Grandmother… so many people and so many places." Yun Wuxin shouted excitedly. But then, as her little hand gripped the Hengying Stone, she suddenly stopped, and a subtle expression crossed her face.
"Hm? What is it?" Yun Che asked.
She quickly withdrew the profound force and spiritual sense that had sunk into the Hengying Stone and, for some reason, swiftly put both hands behind her back. Yun Wuxin said with a smile, "I really like this gift. Thank you, Father!"
"Mm, I'm glad you like it."
Yun Wuxin's happy expression always filled him with immense pleasure and satisfaction… And he also thought that he should find some way to thank Mu Feixue.
"But… the gift I've been preparing for Father isn't finished yet." Yun Wuxin said with a hint of nervousness. "Can Father wait a little longer?"
The last time he had returned, Chu Yuechan had told him that Yun Wuxin was preparing a mysterious gift for him. For it, she had personally traveled to many places on the Tian Xuan Continent and in the Huan Yao Realm… but she wouldn't tell him what the gift actually was.
"Alright." Yun Che replied with a smile.
"Then, Father, have you completed what you needed to do?" Yun Wuxin asked.
"Not yet…"
"Then… this time, when will Father leave?"
"Mm… probably about half a month from now." Yun Che said.
"Half a month…" Yun Wuxin murmured softly, thought very seriously for a while, then said with a determined look, "Before Father leaves this time, I will definitely finish the gift… Mm! I'm going to work on it now! Father cannot peek!"
"Alright. Absolutely no peeking." Yun Che said with a laugh.
With that, Yun Wuxin hurriedly ran off. But just after she had gone a short distance, she suddenly turned back, her face full of seriousness. "Father! Tonight, you are not allowed to go anywhere else. You can only stay with Mother! Even Master is not allowed!"
Yun Che: "…"
A daughter naturally always favored her birth mother. Yun Che shook his head with a smile and said to Qianye Ying'er, "For the time being, you don't need to follow me. Go and protect Wuxin. You must obey every word she says."
"Yes." Qianye Ying'er acknowledged, then vanished in an instant, following after Yun Wuxin.