Chapter 1769: Ice and Snow as Memories
Ice Phoenix Sacred Domain.
The eternal snows of memory still fell.
Stepping upon the untouched snow, he walked slowly to the entrance of the sacred hall. His gaze roamed over the pool, the ice bed, the ice sculptures… everything was exactly as he remembered.
After Mu Bingyun succeeded as Sect Master, the Ice Phoenix Sacred Hall became her private domain. But over the years, she had touched nothing here, not even the small, simple items that Mu Xuanyin had liked—they all remained in their original positions, perfectly intact.
In the corner, an ice lamp bore a clear, diagonal crack—a scar left behind when he, forced by Chi Wuyue to drink Flood Dragon's Blood, had gone mad and pounced on Mu Feixue. It had never been repaired.
Seeing Yun Che standing there, his gaze vacant, Mu Bingyun said softly, "Come in."
Yun Che did not move. Somewhat lost, he said, "If Master saw me as I am now… would she despise me?"
Mu Bingyun was startled. This Dark Demon Lord, who had returned and ordered the slaughter of countless star realms and countless lives, now hesitated to even step into this sacred hall—a place filled with countless memories of him and Mu Xuanyin.
"She would," Mu Bingyun said. "Because you still address her as 'Master.'"
"Back then, you might not have understood. But now… do you still not grasp why she was so determined to expel you from the sect?"
"And even if I do understand, what does it matter?" Yun Che said quietly, then gave a bitter, self-mocking smile. "My naivety back then cost so many lives. I would rather she loathe me, hate me."
He slowly turned, looking at Mu Bingyun. "Palace Master Bingyun, do you still hate me?"
Mu Bingyun's icy eyes shifted, then she gently stepped forward and stood before Yun Che. Her snow-white hand rose, and in Yun Che's surprised gaze, her jade-like fingers softly touched his cheek.
"Back then, in your moment of greatest pain, I struck you," she said, her voice soft as mist and dream, her icy, hazy gaze carrying an apology buried deep in her heart for many years. "Does it still hurt now?"
"…" The touch on his cheek was gentle as soft jade, brushing against his soul. Yun Che's gaze flickered, and his lips moved slightly. "It never hurt."
When they parted ways at Minghan Heavenly Lake back then, he had sensed that all her icy tenderness had turned into pain and gloom. But today, when they met again, her gloom seemed to have completely vanished, and she had returned to the Mu Bingyun of old, cold on the outside but warm within, just like "Bing Yun."
At that moment, from behind an ice mirror within the hall, a woman of exquisite beauty, her aura like a cold lotus, walked out.
Mu Feixue.
She saw Yun Che, and she saw that snow-white hand still resting on his cheek. She lowered her head slightly and said softly, "Sect Master, Senior Brother Yun."
Mu Bingyun's arm curved, and she withdrew her hand almost instinctively. But before she could speak, Mu Feixue had already made a graceful bow and silently retreated.
"Feixue's progress over these past few years is truly remarkable." Yun Che turned his gaze in the direction Mu Feixue had left. She was still within his perception. She moved slowly, and wherever she passed, the surrounding blizzard seemed to soften and calm.
Mu Bingyun smiled. "I was worried she would be burdened by distracting thoughts, but the result was quite the opposite. It seems that the same state of mind can have vastly different effects on different people. Feixue is an extraordinary child, and she will surely be able to bear the future of the Ice Phoenix God Sect."
Yun Che raised his hand, producing three violet crystal rings. "Inside these are resources taken from the Zhou Tian Realm. They should allow the Ice Phoenix God Sect to develop rapidly in a short time."
The accumulated wealth of a king realm—resources at that level—was unimaginable, immense fortune for a mid-level star realm. With such resources, it would undoubtedly be possible to nurture a younger generation far beyond their previous limits in a very short time.
Mu Bingyun reached out directly, took the rings, and swept her spiritual sense over them. "Good. I will do my best to maximize their use. These resources are enough to cause a transformation within the sect in a single generation."
Mu Bingyun accepted them without the slightest hesitation, which momentarily startled Yun Che.
Mu Bingyun turned and walked into her private chamber. When she emerged, she was holding several folded Ice Phoenix Snow Robes. The Ice Phoenix inscriptions on them were the style reserved only for personal disciples.
"These are your Ice Phoenix robes, all made by Sister's own hands," Mu Bingyun said. "Although you are no longer a disciple of the Ice Phoenix Sect, and will never use them again, they are still your belongings. Leaving them here would only betray… the feelings she had back then."
Yun Che lowered his eyes, slowly taking them. His fingers gently brushed against the cold divine patterns on the fabric. After a long while, he lifted his gaze. "Palace Master Bingyun, the reason I came this time was to see her, and I also hope you will leave with me."
He would never allow the incident of Mu Bingyun being taken hostage by the Brahma Emperor God Realm to happen a second time.
Without any surprise, Mu Bingyun gently shook her head, her voice calm as water. "Yun Che, do not forget who you are now. Your concern, your guilt—give them only to Sister."
"As for me, as for the Yin Xue Realm—they neither will nor should become your burden. Even if the Yin Xue Realm meets its worst end one day, to perish alongside it would be my best final destination."
Her voice was soft but filled with a firmness that brooked no refusal.
"Moreover, I do not want you to go see her now. The bloodlust and killing intent on you right now are far too heavy; they would disturb her rest. If one day you have achieved your goals and no longer need her to worry or care for you, then go see her."
Yun Che: "…"
"If you truly must take someone away…" Mu Bingyun's tone grew meaningful. "Then take Feixue with you."
…………
Leaving the Ice Phoenix Sacred Domain, Yun Che stood high in the sky, letting his body drift with the wind and snow. He gazed out over the endless snowfield, his eyes cold and calm—not the bone-piercing cold of ruthlessness, but a placid, waveless stillness.
This was the most peaceful moment his heart had known since returning to the Eastern Divine Region. The blood on his hands, the ferocity in his heart—all seemed temporarily buried beneath the ice and snow.
He had indeed not gone to Minghan Heavenly Lake. Mu Bingyun's words had touched him. Above all, he should not disturb her rest while still stained with the blood and sins he had just acquired.
Eleven years ago, he had come to the God Realm with Mu Bingyun, carrying a goal that was pure—perhaps, to others, laughably naive. This place was the starting point of everything.
Back then, neither he nor Mu Bingyun could have imagined that this would be the turning point not just for him, but for the entire God Realm.
The Eastern Divine Region lay at his feet. He had displayed awe-inspiring demonic might, the truth of that time was now known to all, and he had the Northern Divine Region as a perfect retreat that could not be cut off or collapse.
In terms of scale, strength, deterrence, and even the hearts of the people… he could now firmly dominate both the Eastern and Northern Divine Regions, stand on equal footing with the Southern and Western Divine Regions, and reshape the structure of the God Realm with a sufficiently powerful stance and voice.
Not to mention the Southern Divine Region—even if the Dragon Sovereign returned now, facing the terrifying power displayed by the Northern Divine Region and this drastically changed landscape, he would not dare act rashly.
But Yun Che had no intention of stopping. The hatred and cruelty within his heart were calm beneath the ice and snow… but they had never lessened by even a trace.
In this snowy domain, the faces of those who had attacked Mu Xuanyin back then surfaced rapidly in his mind, each one clear and unforgettable.
Especially… Long Bai, who had struck the fatal blow!
At that moment, from within the wind and snow, a voice that existed in his beautiful memories came.
"Ah? Did you really see Senior Brother Yun Che? What is he like now?"
The speaker was a slender woman in icy blue clothes, her voice urgent and excited. She had a Divine Soul cultivation base, not as high as the other Ice Phoenix disciples around her, but she seemed to hold a special status among them.
Yun Che's gaze descended toward the blue-clad woman. He recognized her voice from the very first word—it was Mu Xiaolan. Over all these years, her silhouette had not changed at all.
"Just like in the projections… no, even more terrifying than the projections. Especially his eyes. Just one glance, and I couldn't breathe for a long time," said a male Ice Phoenix disciple.
Another male Ice Phoenix disciple quickly warned, "Junior Sister Xiaolan, he is the Demon Lord now. You must never call him 'Senior Brother' again. Otherwise… otherwise, if the Demon Lord becomes angry…"
He dared not continue.
"No, no, that won't happen." Mu Xiaolan shook her head, speaking with certainty. "I believe that no matter how much he changes, he would never hurt the Yin Xue Realm. Don't the events of these past few days already prove it?"
The leading Ice Phoenix disciple said solemnly, "The former Sect Master died to save him, so of course he wouldn't bear to harm the Yin Xue Realm. But he is terrifying now—everyone in the Eastern Divine Region has seen it clearly. So never, ever try to get close to him, and don't discuss him privately anymore. If he is angered by some word… uh… ah…"
He inadvertently looked up and caught sight of Yun Che in the air. Instantly, his heart stopped, every hair on his body stood on end, and his words turned into a trembling friction of his throat.
The others followed his gaze subconsciously. Suddenly, the entire world seemed to fall into a frozen silence. Faces turned deathly pale, pupils dilated to their maximum, and although their mouths opened wide, they could not produce a single sound.
"Yun… Che…"
Mu Xiaolan stared blankly at the black figure in the sky, murmuring softly between her lips. Then she immediately covered her mouth tightly, not daring to make another sound.
After the entire Northern Divine Region had submitted, and countless Divine Lords could only tremble and grovel at his feet, the Yun Che of today no longer needed to release any dark demonic might. Even the faintest, most indifferent glance was enough to plunge innumerable souls into an abyss of fear.
Withdrawing his gaze, Yun Che did not speak a single word. He turned and silently departed.
Once the fear subsided, nearly half of the Ice Phoenix disciples collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, their bodies covered in frozen sweat.
Mu Xiaolan stared blankly in the direction Yun Che had vanished, her vision gradually blurring.
Back then, that man who had been brought into the Yin Xue Realm by her and her master, who had laughed and joked with her every day—now seemed so distant, like a figure from a dream, impossible to reach.
At that moment, from across a vast distance, a voice full of majesty and authority rumbled forth:
"Huo Poyun of the Yan Shen Realm has come to seek an audience with Realm King Bingyun!"
In the sky, Yun Che, who had been about to head north, halted. He turned his gaze slightly, but his expression remained cold and calm, without the slightest change.