Chapter 1970: This Departure, the Stars and Moon Are Hard to Foresee (Part 2)
When she was eleven years old, when he found her, he held her tightly and promised with all his will that he would spend the rest of his life making up for his shortcomings toward her, never letting her be lost from his life again.
But he failed to do so.
Before returning to the God Realm, he solemnly assured her that once everything was resolved, he would come back soon, and then he would always stay by her side, never to be separated again.
But once he left, there was no news.
After becoming the Cloud Emperor, with endless guilt and a voice that allowed no doubt, he promised her once more: This time, he would never leave again, nor would he ever let anyone harm her.
But...
Time and again, he failed the person he least wanted to fail.
"Whether you are a good father or not, that's not for you to decide." She lifted her head, holding back her tears as she spoke. "Only I have the right to say."
Yun Che: "..."
"All the promises you made before can be considered void." Her gaze pierced through the mist of tears, staring straight into Yun Che's eyes. "But this time... this time... you must return safely, whole and intact."
"No matter how difficult... no matter how long it takes, you must come back."
She had tried so hard to hold back, but tears still streamed down in lines. She truly couldn't imagine, and dared not think, what would happen to her father once he fell into that terrifying abyss.
"As long as you can do this," she said, her voice trembling with sobs, each word spoken with effort, "you will be... the best father in this world."
"..." Yun Che's breathing became rapid and disordered. His fingers curled inward as he trembled slightly.
Yun Wuxin leaned forward, pressing tightly against Yun Che's chest. "Father, you are willing to become a worthy emperor. Then surely you will also be willing, for my sake, to become the best father, right?"
Yun Che pulled his arms forward, silently embracing his daughter. He closed his eyes and whispered softly in her ear, "Of course I will come back. Because in this world between heaven and earth, there is something I will never be able to let go of."
"Mm!"
Yun Wuxin reached out, her fingertips touching the three-colored Liuyin Stone that Yun Che always wore around his neck. "When you don't want to cherish your own life, listen to the soft chime of the Liuyin Stone, and then remember all the words you said to me today."
"Alright." Yun Che nodded heavily.
......
Leaving the Southern Divine Region, Yun Che brought Yun Wuxin back to the Lan Ji Star, landing in the Huan Yao Realm.
"Wuxin, go tell your mother and your masters about this first."
The Cloud Emperor, who dominated heaven and earth, now had a face filled with barely concealed unease. "Especially your Aunt Caiyi. She has the most stubborn temperament. It's best if you tell her first."
This departure was different from any before, because from the moment he fell into the abyss, it would be a narrow escape from death.
"I know." Yun Wuxin smiled charmingly, trying to soothe Yun Che's mood. "Father is the best at coaxing women. You'll definitely have to work hard later."
Yun Che let out a laugh that was half melancholy, half bitter.
Yun Wuxin flew away. Yun Che looked up at the clear, cloudless sky... When would his world, his life, finally achieve true peace?
"Che'er, you're back." A warm, deep voice sounded from behind him.
Yun Che turned and looked at Yun Qinghong, who was smiling. "Father."
Yun Qinghong nodded. "I've already heard about what happened in the God Realm. But I also understand that the real situation must be a thousand times more dangerous than what they told me."
"It was indeed extremely perilous," Yun Che said. "But fortunately, it's over now."
"It's not over." Yun Qinghong looked at him. "The fact that your eyes have become so dim... that's not an end, but merely the beginning, right?"
No one knows a son better than his father.
Even though he was now the Cloud Emperor, he was still his father.
Yun Qinghong walked over and said calmly, "If you have something to say, just say it directly. With me, you don't need to have any scruples or concealments. Even if it's something I shouldn't be able to understand."
Yun Che was silent for a long time, then said, "Father, back when you and mother were at your most difficult, how did you manage to remain so composed?"
"Composed?" Yun Qinghong shook his head and smiled. "Do you know that what can bring composure might not be having everything under control, but rather complete hopelessness."
Yun Che: "..."
"At that time, your mother and I were poisoned, our power and life force barely remaining. The Huai Wang held power, the Yun Clan was in constant turmoil, and Xiao Yaohou's fate was also hanging by a thread. Looking at everything, the only word I got was 'hopelessness.'"
"Because of hopelessness, there was no fear."
"Your arrival was a gift from heaven beyond all calculations and struggles."
He reached out and patted Yun Che's shoulder firmly. "And you, at least, still have hope, still have the chance to do your utmost to fight, right?"
"Right," Yun Che raised his head slightly. "At least, there is still hope."
"Then that's enough." Yun Qinghong said with a smile. "Decide what needs to be done next, and then do your best. As for whether the outcome will be as you wish, no one can truly foresee that. So there's no need to worry about the distant future. Just focus on the present with all your might."
"You can also treat it as a journey that will broaden your understanding and horizons."
"Besides, your greatest identity right now is the emperor of the world. What you are about to do, and must do, is to save the entire world from peril."
"So, after you make your decision, the thing you should discard the most is hesitation and fear of loss."
Yun Qinghong met his son's gaze and placed his broad hand on his own shoulder. "You have to believe that the people around you are much stronger than you imagine. At least your father, though weak, still has a pretty sturdy shoulder, enough to support the fate of our Yun Clan for at least ten thousand years."
"..." Yun Che's expression shifted. It felt as if a thick fog had cleared from his chest. "Father, I understand."
Yun Qinghong nodded, and father and son smiled at each other.
Just then, a rumbling sound quickly approached from afar, accompanied by a sharp rise in the air temperature.
Yun Qinghong raised an eyebrow and his figure almost instantly fled into the distance, leaving only a light remark: "This matter can only be handled by you. Your father can't help with this, hahaha!"
Boom!
Xiao Yaohou descended with a violent, scorching wave, shaking the entire Yun Clan residence.
......
Eastern Divine Region, Yan Shen Realm.
Huo Poyun's tombstone was erected in front of the Burial God Fire Prison.
It was here that he had received the blessing of the Golden Crow Soul Spirit, and he had once said he wished to rest beside the Burial God Fire Prison.
Without Huo Poyun, the eternal, blazing aura of the Yan Shen Realm seemed to have quieted down a lot.
The Yan Shen King Hall, built for Huo Poyun, was now even more lifeless.
Yan Wancang, Yan Juehai, and Huo Rulie were all inside, but the hall where the three sect masters gathered was filled with a desolation that chilled the soul.
"With Po Yun gone, the Yan Shen has no king." Huo Rulie looked up at the hall's ceiling, his eyes unfocused, the image of Huo Poyun being crowned king in this hall floating in his mind. "Now that the doors of this king hall are locked, who knows how many years it will be before it sees daylight again."
Yan Wancang and Yan Juehai both remained silent.
They all knew clearly that the inheritance Huo Poyun carried could never reappear. He hadn't even left behind a son or daughter to inherit his Golden Crow bloodline.
For future generations of the Yan Shen Realm, it would be extremely difficult to produce another Divine Lord.
That also meant that once this hall was sealed, it might never open again.
Even if, by some miracle, another Divine Lord did emerge, they could never reach Huo Poyun's height.
The peak of the Yan Shen Realm was as fleeting as an ephemeral flower.
But among the four regions and various realms, even a thousand generations later, no one would dare to look down on the suddenly declining Yan Shen Realm. Because the flame that the Yan Shen Realm King had kindled at the cost of his premature death was the flame that saved the world.
At that moment, light, steady footsteps came from the hall's entrance.
None of the three sect masters had noticed the person's approach until the clear footsteps reached their ears. They all turned around in shock, and their faces instantly changed drastically.
The three of them knelt down at the same time: "We pay homage to the Cloud Emperor. We did not know of your esteemed arrival and failed to welcome you. We are deeply terrified."
The one who had arrived was none other than Yun Che.
He was not alone. By his side was a woman in red they had never seen before.
With the grace of an immortal and the beauty of a dream... Their eyes met hers for a brief instant, and they dared not look again.
But they were certain that someone so peerlessly elegant, standing so closely beside the Cloud Emperor, was no ordinary person.
"Rise. No need for formalities."
Yun Che made no move, but an invisible aura had already lifted the three sect masters to their feet. He turned his gaze behind him, looking at this great hall that belonged to Huo Poyun.
This was the first time he had set foot here.
"May we ask what orders the Cloud Emperor has for our arrival?" Yan Wancang spoke. Though he had always felt uneasy facing Yun Che before, his expression was now quite solemn.
There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart. As Yun Qinghong had said, hopelessness naturally brings fearlessness.
Yan Juehai involuntarily raised his head, the corner of his eye repeatedly sweeping over the woman in red beside Yun Che, because the magnificent red robe, as splendid as the rosy clouds, was imprinted with Phoenix Divine Patterns.
Yun Che withdrew his gaze and said, "The flame might of this hall is vast and imposing, no doubt the result of all your efforts. It would be a great pity if it were to be sealed off like this."
"Alas." Huo Rulie shook his head with a sigh. "This hall exists for the Yan Shen Realm King. Since there is no longer a king, it should return to silence."
Indeed, the three of them had poured all their hearts into this Yan Shen King Hall. Subconsciously, they felt that after Huo Poyun, no one was worthy to reside in it.
"Three sect masters, there's no need to be so pessimistic," Yun Che said. "Just because the Yan Shen Realm has lost Brother Po Yun doesn't mean its future is completely cut off."
"The Vermilion Bird, Phoenix, and Golden Crow souls that remained in the world have all perished. Po Yun left no descendants, so the Golden Crow inheritance on him is forever severed... Where can the Yan Shen find hope?" Huo Rulie said in pain.
Yun Che turned sideways, a flash of flame in his eyes, and removed the barrier protecting Feng Xue'er.
A pure aura of Phoenix Divine Energy emanated from her, causing the three Yan Shen sect masters to all turn their heads sharply.
Feng Xue'er did not speak. Her beautiful eyes transformed into flames, and the rosy clouds on her body shone brightly, instantly condensing into a dense, substantial Phoenix Divine Shadow, accompanied by a majestic, piercing phoenix cry.
"Ah... ah!!"
The three sect masters all let out uncontrollable exclamations. The red flame light reflected in their pupils, which dilated almost to the point of shattering.
"Three sect masters," Yun Che looked at the three who were utterly stunned, "compared to Brother Po Yun's Golden Crow aura, how is her Phoenix aura?"
"..." Yan Juehai's mouth hung wide open. As Yun Che's voice entered his ears, his neck turned stiffly, and it took several breaths before he could force out words: "She... she... who is she?"
"Her name is Feng Xue'er." Yun Che took Xue'er's hand. "She is one of my wives."
Gulp!
The throats of the three sect masters moved violently at the same time, but they didn't dare forget their manners. They quickly bowed: "We pay homage to the Imperial Consort."
"Three seniors, there's no need for this," Feng Xue'er said. "This junior cannot bear such courtesy."
Facing the three who were already shaken to the point of mental chaos, Yun Che said slowly, "Like Brother Po Yun, what she carries is the complete bestowal of a Phoenix Soul."
Yan Juehai's lips opened and closed repeatedly, but under extreme excitement, he was completely unable to speak.
"Her Phoenix bloodline and Phoenix soul are no less than Brother Po Yun's Golden Crow inheritance. It's only because she has always lived in the lower realm that her profound path cultivation is limited by the realm of the lower world."
If not for Huo Poyun's death, he might never have let Feng Xue'er be drawn into the murky dust of the God Realm.