Chapter 1512: A Truth That Should Not Have Been Known
"Yun Che, you have finally come. All this time, I have been waiting for you."
The Ice Phoenix Maiden's voice was as soft as water, as ethereal as a dream.
On the day Jie Yuan returned, she had sensed her presence immediately. The eruption of this Scarlet Calamity was even earlier than she had anticipated.
But after that, the aura of Chaos was unexpectedly calm. Today, she finally awaited Yun Che's arrival. His safety was a great comfort to her.
Yun Che stepped forward, a smile appearing on his face: "Mm, I'm here. You must have been very worried all this time."
"It seems that what you bring with you is a joyful message." Sensing Yun Che's emotions, the Ice Phoenix Maiden's voice added a touch of tender gentleness.
"Yes!" Yun Che nodded heavily, and then he told her, in great detail, everything that had happened since Jie Yuan's return... all the way until Jie Tian Mo Di was about to return to Outer Chaos and permanently destroy the passage connecting Inner and Outer Chaos.
The bottom of the Heavenly Lake fell into a long silence, followed by a long, deep sigh from the Ice Phoenix Maiden.
"The Evil God was the greatest deity of the Divine Race. As the supreme existence of the world, he used his final life to leave behind hope for the salvation of future generations. And Jie Tian Mo Di—how could she not be equally great, to the point where one cannot help but sigh in admiration?"
"No wonder that back then, the Evil God, a Creation God, was so persistently devoted to her."
"It's just that future generations may never know that the world they safely inhabit was granted by this couple who were once rejected by the world. If the gods and demons in heaven have spirits, who knows what they would think."
"Not only them, but also you," Yun Che said earnestly. "If it weren't for your concern for all living beings and your persistent existence, giving me the most crucial guidance, perhaps today's outcome would not have come to pass."
"Compared to the Evil God and his wife, my contribution is negligible. As for you... facing the returning Demon Emperor as a mortal, ultimately resolving the calamity without a trace—you deserve all the glory and praise of this era, and the praise of all living beings for countless generations."
"Uh..." This, Yun Che truly felt he could not bear, because he always felt that his own efforts really didn't match the result.
"Thus, my worries are exhausted, my wish fulfilled. I can finally leave in peace."
These words were still so gentle and calm, without any reluctance or hesitation.
Yun Che lifted his gaze, his expression complex, and sighed: "Must it be so?"
"You need not persuade me to stay, nor grieve for me," the Ice Phoenix Maiden said softly. "I was never meant to exist in this era. I have lingered only because of unresolved cares. Now that I have obtained the most perfect result, I no longer have any cares or reason to exist."
"Please... treat the daughter of the Evil God and Jie Tian Mo Di well. This is my final request."
"Alright!" Yun Che nodded heavily, enunciating each word: "As long as I live, I will never let them suffer any grievance."
Ding... crack!
The ice crystal containing the Ice Phoenix Maiden suddenly developed a rapidly spreading crack, then shattered, releasing her jade-carved body, along with her fully sealed power and life.
A mass of profound blue radiance spread across the bottom of the Heavenly Lake, extending all the way to the surface.
And the densest part of it enveloped Yun Che.
"Giving my remaining power to you is the best final destination for my residual life and soul."
Every inch of the icy skin and jade bones in his sight was exquisitely beautiful and flawless, but there was not a hint of lust in Yun Che's heart. He knew that with the shattering of the ice crystal, the last remaining god of the world was about to dissipate.
Clang—
After a brief stillness, all the blue radiance suddenly transformed into countless blue light stars that rapidly flew toward Yun Che. The moment they touched him, they silently merged into his body.
The world before Yun Che's eyes turned into an increasingly deep ice blue, until he could no longer see the figure of the Ice Phoenix Maiden. He closed his eyes and quietly accepted the final blessing of the Ice Phoenix Maiden... which was also her final life.
One day...
Two days...
Three days...
When Yun Che opened his eyes, the world before him no longer held the blue radiance or light stars. Only the water of the Heavenly Lake still flowed silently with its extreme cold.
Within his profound veins, a deep blue star had appeared.
Before him, the Ice Phoenix Maiden's figure had become as illusory as mist, but on her fantastically beautiful face was a faint smile: "Yun Che, your power and profound veins are extremely special. My final Ice Phoenix divine power, if fully refined, could help any living being achieve the Divine Lord realm. Only with you, perhaps reaching the Divine Sovereign realm is already the limit."
"To me, this is already a great blessing." Yun Che said gratefully. "I will refine it completely as soon as possible, and never waste your gift. I will also, on behalf of the world, forever remember your existence and all the blessings you have bestowed upon this world."
The Ice Phoenix Maiden smiled, her body becoming increasingly hazy.
"There is one last matter. Please, Ice Phoenix God, enlighten me." Yun Che did not forget the words the Ice Phoenix Maiden had spoken to him before... concerning Mu Xuanyin.
The Ice Phoenix Maiden was silent for a moment, then spoke softly: "I will say it again. Knowing the truth of this matter will do you no good, and may even harm your state of mind to some extent. If you remain ignorant, you will be unharmed for your entire life. Even so, do you still insist on knowing?"
Yun Che nodded without hesitation: "I want to know."
"Very well." Since it was Yun Che's wish, the Ice Phoenix Maiden no longer hesitated and spoke slowly: "Last time, I told you that your master became the first Divine Lord in the history of Yin Xue Realm, and that her recent surge in power, was all due to the Ice Phoenix divine soul I granted her long ago."
Yun Che nodded slightly.
"And precisely because of the existence of that Ice Phoenix divine soul, I can easily interfere with her will."
Yun Che was startled, his brow furrowing slightly. Then he suddenly thought of something, and his heart gave a heavy "thump": "Do you mean that all these years, you have sometimes... interfered with her will?"
The Ice Phoenix Maiden said: "Before, it was indeed only occasional. But ever since you arrived in Yin Xue Realm, my interference with her will has been constant, never ceasing."
Yun Che's pupils slightly dilated, and a supremely uneasy feeling surged in his heart: "What is this interference with her will... In what aspect?"
Slightly surprised by Yun Che's reaction, the Ice Phoenix Maiden continued: "Seven years ago, when you first stepped into Minghan Heavenly Lake, I sensed your presence and vaguely perceived the Evil God's divine power you carried."
"Later, you sank into the Heavenly Lake and met me. I read your memories, and thus learned many truths that shocked me, and saw great hope."
Yun Che listened quietly, his hands unconsciously tightening, the unease in his heart growing steadily.
"However, I could not leave the Heavenly Lake, nor could I protect and guide your growth. So, I chose Mu Xuanyin. When you left the Heavenly Lake, I used the Ice Phoenix divine soul within her as a medium to carve the imprint 'treat him above all else' into her soul."
Boom—
It was as if something had exploded inside Yun Che's mind.
"Heh, hehe..." He laughed, a laugh exceptionally cold and desolate. "You're saying... that all of Master's kindness toward me was not her own will, but merely... the result of your will's interference... Heh... What kind of joke is this... What kind of joke!"
His hands trembled slightly, his heart turning cold... He had never heard such a ridiculous thing! How could such a ridiculous thing exist in the world!
His thoughts became incredibly chaotic, so chaotic that even he found it hard to believe, to the point where his vision blurred. But his memories of Mu Xuanyin were exceptionally clear—every image, every glance, every word...
And... the doubts he had experienced countless times.
Doubts about why Mu Xuanyin treated him so well.
Back when he first arrived in Yin Xue, Mu Xuanyin was the Great Realm King of Yin Xue Realm, the first Divine Lord in its history, with supreme status and prestige, holding the power of life and death over countless beings. In the entire God Realm, she stood at the highest level.
And Yun Che was a humble junior from the lower realm, whose cultivation had not even stepped onto the Divine Path, someone whom even the lowest-ranked disciple of the Ice Phoenix God Sect would not spare a second glance... His only special trait was that he was brought by Mu Bingyun and had saved her life.
The gap between him and Mu Xuanyin in every aspect was far greater than the distance between heaven and earth.
Moreover, before meeting Mu Xuanyin, Yun Che had heard many times that the Yin Xue Realm King was an extremely cold and heartless person, devoid of any pity or warmth. Throughout the entire Ice Phoenix Sect and all of Yin Xue, fear of her far outweighed respect.
But, towards him alone...
Taking him as a disciple—that could be justified by his mastery of ice profound energy far surpassing all other disciples, and Yun Che felt it was reasonable. But everything after that... everything...
Again and again, so good that every time he felt it was nearly unreal.
Especially, in his usual conversations with Mu Bingyun, it was clear that even she was deeply surprised, or rather shocked, that Mu Xuanyin was so good to him.
Yes... why...
A junior profound practitioner from the lower realm—what made him worthy of such treatment from a Divine Lord and Realm King?
She never coveted his Evil God's divine power and did her utmost to conceal it. She allowed him unrestricted access to Minghan Heavenly Lake, which even elders and palace masters had rarely touched in a century. She schemed against Huo Rulie to seize the Golden Crow World-Incinerating Record for him. A crime of desecration was washed away with just a reprimand. For two years before the Profound God Convention, she abandoned the entire sect to focus solely on him. She raged against the Sword Lord for him. She helped him fuse the Qiankun Five Jade Pill. She secretly followed him into the Ice Wind Empire, and then secretly followed him into the Zhou Tian God Realm.
And to save him, she even confronted Gu Zhu head-on, disregarding the safety of the entire Yin Xue Realm.
Why?
So, all of this, all of it, was merely the interference of another's will, not her own volition!
All the confusion, shock, and incredulity of those years were now completely resolved. Indeed, in this world, there is no such thing as inexplicable, groundless kindness... especially one so beyond reason and principle.
From the very beginning, treating him above all else, doing anything for him, even teetering on the edge of forbidden feelings—from start to finish, it was never Mu Xuanyin, but the will of the Ice Phoenix Soul!
But why did this answer have to be so ridiculous, so cruel?
The scene of him holding her and softly whispering "Xuanyin" in her ear was still vivid before his eyes. The heart-throbbing sensation at that moment was etched deeply into his soul.
But...
"Your concern over this matter exceeds my expectations." The Ice Phoenix Maiden looked at him and spoke slowly. "I hope you can come to accept this soon."
The intensity of Yun Che's reaction made her begin to regret telling him this truth.
Yun Che clenched his fists tighter, then tighter again. He could not describe the feeling in his heart... It was as if some important fragment of his soul had suddenly turned illusory, scattering into a void that was painfully unbearable and perhaps irreparable.
"Undo it." He spoke only those two words, harsh and stiff.
"..." The Ice Phoenix Maiden fell silent. She understood Yun Che's meaning and was surprised that he would say such words. After a long while, she finally spoke softly: "If I erase my will's interference, with her own will, she will no longer treat you as before. Moreover, given everything that has happened between you, it is very likely she will develop a strong anger and resistance toward you... even murderous intent."
"I think you should understand this."
She had been observing the world through Mu Xuanyin's Ice Phoenix divine soul, so she saw clearly everything that had transpired between them.