# Chapter 420: Promise
A snowstorm had greatly narrowed the distance between Yun Che and Feng Xue'er. Feng Xue'er's mood became exceptionally joyful, because for her, a sky full of snow had always been her most longed-for and most beautiful dream.
"Brother Yun, the snow you make fall—is it a kind of water-type profound art, right?" Feng Xue'er cupped her fragrant cheeks with both hands, her sparkling eyes gazing at him. This pure spirit held nothing back; all her emotions were revealed without concealment on her snowy face. As she spoke these words, she also expressed her curiosity and longing for this type of profound art.
"Mm, it's called the 'Ice Cloud Art.' To be precise, it's an ice-type profound art." Yun Che replied without concealment, because he believed that Feng Xue'er had definitely never heard of this profound art's name. Still, he added casually, "Xue'er, have you heard of this profound art before?"
"No." Feng Xue'er gently shook her head and asked curiously, "But why would you know an ice-type profound art? Our Phoenix bloodline can burn the fiercest Phoenix flames, but wouldn't fire-type power and ice-type profound arts conflict with each other? I've never heard of anyone in the sect who practices water-type profound arts. Father once said that there aren't even any in all of Shenhuang City."
Fire and water counter each other; they cannot coexist. Even if one trained in both, when activating one type of profound force, the other must be suppressed to the greatest extent, otherwise both forces would cancel each other out or even become chaotic within the profound veins. This was the most basic common sense of the profound way. Therefore, training in a profound art that opposed one's own attribute was essentially useless, aside from wasting energy and adding the risk of accidentally triggering a backlash. The fire element in Shenhuang City was exceptionally active, making it an excellent place to cultivate fire-type profound arts. The profound practitioners here almost all trained in fire-type profound arts. Apart from occasional outsiders, it was impossible to find profound practitioners who practiced water-type profound arts. Even for outsiders, because the fire element was so active here, if they specialized in water-type profound arts, their bodies and profound veins would experience varying degrees of discomfort due to the environmental influence.
Thus, Feng Xue'er naturally had such a doubt.
Yun Che said calmly, "Xue'er, do you know? The power of our Phoenix God Sect isn't just limited to the Shenhuang Empire. Many of our clan members are sent out from a young age to other countries, where they conceal their Phoenix bloodline and join powerful, authoritative sects or forces in those places. They gather intelligence and information, forming our sect's intelligence network."
Feng Xue'er's fragrant lips parted slightly, then she gently nodded: "Mm, I know this. Father once told me about it... Brother Yun, were you sent out from a young age as well?"
Feng Xue'er naturally would not doubt Yun Che's words. Building an intelligence network was one of the essential tasks for every powerful sect, and the intelligence network was even one of a sect's lifelines. Tian Jian Villa, Xiao Sect, and even Cangfeng Mystic Palace all had disciples planted in other major sects, let alone the massive Phoenix God Sect.
"Yes, the place I was sent to is called the Cang Feng Kingdom. I only returned to the sect this year." Yun Che nodded. His reply was exceptionally calm, without any ripples. Even a person with deep experience would find it nearly impossible to detect any trace of a lie from his eyes or expression. But as these words left his mouth, his heart and soul twitched violently.
In his two lifetimes, to achieve certain goals or simply to survive, he had countless times spoken words of concealment, fabrication, and misdirection. He had long cultivated the ability to speak without changing his expression or stirring his heart. But this time, he was facing a maiden purer than snow, and she had also saved his life... He spoke these lies only to conceal and achieve his own purposes, with absolutely no intention of harming her. Yet the guilt and burden in his heart were stronger than ever before.
"Cang Feng Kingdom..." Feng Xue'er knew of this kingdom, and knew it was the smallest nation on the continent. She blinked her beautiful eyes and asked further, "Then Brother Yun, did you learn the Ice Cloud Art there? Since there are ice-type profound arts there, does it snow a lot?"
"Mm." Yun Che nodded. "It's a place called the Ice Extreme Snow Domain. For a full thousand li, there is nothing but white snow."
"Thousand li... white snow?" Feng Xue'er's cherry lips parted in surprise. She couldn't imagine what kind of wonder that would be.
"A full thousand li, all covered in white snow—very thick snow. Even if you shattered several zhang of the snow layer, beneath it would still be snow." Yun Che said with a smile. He believed that the Ice Extreme Snow Domain would be a paradise for Feng Xue'er, who loved snow. He described it earnestly: "Because it's very cold there, the ice and snow never melt for ten thousand years... Look, the mountains around here are made of earth and rock, but in the Ice Extreme Snow Domain, even the peaks are covered in layers of snow and ice. Our sky here is blue, but there, the sky is reflected pure white by the thousand li of snow. The entire world is just a vast, endless white, indistinguishable between sky and earth—so pure and quiet that you can hear the sound of your own heart beating."
"Wow..." Feng Xue'er's hands unconsciously pressed against her lips, her gaze hazy like mist: "Is there really... such a place... Ice Extreme Snow Domain... Ice Extreme Snow Domain..."
"Not only that, although it's all ice and snow there, there are also many flowers and plants. The flowers there are ice flowers like crystals, and the grass and trees also sparkle with icy light. There are beautiful ice corals and natural ice sculptures of all shapes... These are things you can't see anywhere else, because once they leave the Ice Extreme Snow Domain, they melt quickly. And also..." Yun Che pointed at the Snow Phoenix Beast: "Xiaochan was also born in the Ice Extreme Snow Domain, so her feathers are just like white snow. Throughout the entire Tian Xuan Continent, only there do Snow Phoenix Beasts exist. It's been a hardship for Xiaochan to leave that place and follow me."
The Snow Phoenix Beast let out a soft chirp.
Feng Xue'er was completely stunned. She felt as if she had fallen into a dreamlike world that had never appeared even in her dreams. Its beauty surpassed the most beautiful heaven she had ever imagined... In fact, with all her knowledge, she couldn't even begin to picture in her mind how beautiful a scene it would be... a thousand li of white snow, snow-white mountain peaks, snow-white sky, crystal trees, crystal flowers, and birds as beautiful as Xiao Bai Bai flying through the sky...
"Ice Extreme Snow Domain... Ice Extreme Snow Domain..." She murmured the name as if in a dream, feeling as if her very soul had melted.
"Does Xue'er want to go there?" Yun Che asked a question whose answer was already clear from her expression.
"Mm!" Feng Xue'er nodded very firmly, a slight flush of excitement coloring her snow-white cheeks: "So such a beautiful place actually exists in this world. I really want to go. If I could reach such a world and live there... wow~ what a happy thing that would be."
"But..." Her gaze dimmed slightly: "Father said that before I turn twenty, I cannot leave Shenhuang City. Father is always so busy, and he hasn't left Shenhuang City for many, many years. Even when I turn twenty, Father might not have time to take me..."
"Then I'll take you." Yun Che didn't think twice before blurting out.
"Ah..." Feng Xue'er gasped softly, revealing a deep surprise that even surprised Yun Che: "Really? You're truly willing to take me?"
She trusted his words so completely, was so defenseless against him, and because of his snow and the scene he described, she felt a thread of girlish admiration for him. A complex yet warm emotion surged in Yun Che's heart, and he nodded forcefully: "Of course I'm willing. When you can leave Shenhuang City, if you still acknowledge me as 'Brother Yun,' and whenever you want, I will definitely take you to the Ice Extreme Snow Domain. I came from there to the Shenhuang Empire, so I know exactly how to return. Starting from Shenhuang City, if we hurry, we can arrive in half a month."
"That's wonderful!" The girl's joyful voice rang out. The slight disappointment she had felt earlier dissipated completely. She looked at Yun Che, smiling like the most exquisite, purest doll: "Brother Yun, thank you. You're so kind... Meeting you, I'm really so happy."
"To be able to watch the snow with a beautiful girl like Xue'er, I'm the luckiest one." Yun Che said sincerely. But he didn't know if this promise could ever come true... If, at that time, she was still willing, then even if there were countless obstacles, he would do everything in his power to fulfill it for her... Whether to make up for the guilt in his heart, or because deep down, he longed to stand by her side.
"Hehe, then it's settled. After I turn twenty, Brother Yun will take me to the Ice Extreme Snow Domain to see a thousand li of falling snow... you mustn't lie or go back on your word." Feng Xue'er said with a happy smile.
"Mm!" Yun Che nodded and extended his pinky finger toward Feng Xue'er: "Let's pinky swear."
"Ah?" Feng Xue'er looked at Yun Che's extended pinky, then at her own finger, her face showing confusion: "Pinky swear... what does that mean?"
Yun Che gently wiggled his finger and said, "It means we hook our pinkies together to prove that our words must be kept, no matter how many years pass, they cannot change."
"Hmm..." Feng Xue'er timidly extended her own finger, delicate as jade, and said in a small voice: "As long as Brother Yun doesn't forget, I will definitely keep my word, but... but..."
But her body—even her pinky—had never been touched by a man. Because in Feng Hengkong's eyes, every inch of her skin was the most precious treasure of the Phoenix God Sect. Any contact was an unforgivable defilement, even from her own father. In fact, if he had to choose between the Phoenix God Sect and Feng Xue'er, he would unhesitatingly choose Feng Xue'er.
The reason for this wasn't simply a father's extreme protectiveness over his only daughter. A more important reason was known to only a few people within the entire Phoenix God Sect... Apart from the Phoenix God Sect, the Four Sacred Grounds had also received the news somehow and had already taken note of Feng Xue'er. This made Feng Hengkong's protection of her even more cautious—to the point of being incomprehensible.
If he were to learn that a man was sitting so close to Feng Xue'er, laughing and chatting with her... and even wanted to hook pinkies with her—let alone that this person was a "bastard" he needed to eliminate, even if he were his own son, in his fury, he would not hesitate to blast him into meat paste with one palm.
"Oh, I see." Yun Che seemed to have just realized: "Your father doesn't allow anyone to touch you. You're afraid your father will blame you, right?"
"Mm..." Feng Xue'er nodded gently: "I cannot disobey Father's words. I'm even more afraid that... if Father finds out, he'll be angry with you. Just last year, Twelfth Brother accidentally touched my shoulder, and Father saw him. Father was so furious that he directly broke Twelfth Brother's wrist and said he would cripple him... I pleaded for Twelfth Brother, and Father usually indulges me, but he was truly angry. He still confined Twelfth Brother for a full half year... It was all my fault. I harmed Twelfth Brother. I don't want to cause Brother Yun to be hurt because of me either."
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