Chapter 470: The Phoenix God Reappears
Gu Cang, Feng Hengkong, and the others were all expelled from the Primordial Mystic Ark at roughly the same time, appearing on the ground directly beneath it... that is, within Phoenix City. A group of elders and princes had long been waiting there. Seeing Feng Hengkong and the others appear, they quickly hurried over to greet them.
The members of the Fenghuang God Sect who had entered together all emerged simultaneously. Feng Hengkong quickly swept his gaze around, only to find two people missing... and they were the two most important people. He frowned deeply and said, "Xue'er and the Grand Elder? Why haven't they come out yet?"
Gu Cang True Person looked up at the Primordial Mystic Ark still in the sky, and said calmly, "Gu's disciple has also not yet appeared. They were in different positions within the Primordial Mystic Ark than we were; perhaps their exit time will be different."
Feng Hengkong slowly nodded, accepting this line of reasoning... because Xia Yuanba, Feng Feiyan, and Feng Xue'er had all remained in their initial positions to act freely, rather than joining the exploration team.
Ye Xinghan and Ji Qianrou also appeared at the same time as Feng Hengkong and the others. Ye Xinghan's expression was somewhat dark, while Ji Qianrou cast a glance at him before looking away, her demeanor completely carefree, as if nothing in the world concerned her.
Upon hearing this, Feng Xichen quickly stepped forward and said, "Gu Cang True Person, your disciple came out less than two hours after the Primordial Mystic Ark opened. He is currently in the Alchemy Hall."
"What did you say?" Gu Cang True Person's expression shifted slightly. Feng Hengkong also frowned: "Chen'er, are you sure you didn't see the wrong person? I saw with my own eyes Xia Yuanba enter the Mystic Ark—how could he have come out midway?"
Gu Cang True Person's expression turned grave: "Was he severely injured? How is his condition now?"
Feng Xichen quickly replied, "He didn't seem to be injured at all, but he was unconscious, and his entire body was completely devoid of any Profound Force aura. It was as if... he had been crippled."
Gu Cang True Person's face changed again: No trauma, no Profound Force aura throughout his body. Could it be...
Ye Xinghan, who had remained silent, raised an eyebrow, a sense of unease rising in his heart. Feng Feiyan was dead, and Yun Che and Feng Xue'er were also unlikely to appear. The only one who knew everything was Ji Qianrou. As long as he could keep Ji Qianrou under control, no one would know what had happened inside the Primordial Mystic Ark. He had never imagined that Xia Yuanba was still alive... that his disappearance was actually because he had left the Primordial Mystic Ark early!
He also suddenly remembered that he had indeed heard not long ago that the Huangji Sacred Domain possessed a kind of jade that could interfere with the space of the Primordial Mystic Ark, though they were extremely rare and invaluable. He hadn't expected Xia Yuanba to have one... but thinking of his Overlord Emperor Divine Meridian, Ye Xinghan suddenly felt that this should probably be taken for granted.
Feng Hengkong thought for a moment and was about to speak when suddenly, a flash of Profound Light appeared before him, and a small Profound Array slowly materialized. Seeing this array, Gu Cang True Person's face showed doubt... because this array was clearly the special teleportation array contained within a Teleportation Jade.
Within the array, the figure of Feng Xue'er appeared. Her emergence made Ye Xinghan's expression instantly change, but what appeared on his face was not fear—it was a shock mixed with wild joy.
Familiar place, familiar air, familiar faces in sight, familiar sounds in her ears... But Feng Xue'er seemed completely oblivious to all of this. She stood there quietly, looking up at the sky... Though she was in her own home, she seemed utterly desolate.
The Primordial Mystic Ark in the sky also completely vanished at that moment.
Feng Xue'er's gaze instantly lost all focus. Two clear streams of tears slowly slid down her cheeks. Before her eyes, all she could see was the blurry face of Yun Che in that final moment. In her ears, his gentle, wind-like voice echoed over and over again...
"Xue'er... wait for me..."
"Brother Yun... Brother Yun..."
A soft sob, each word so sad it nearly tore at everyone's hearts. She closed her eyes, like a soul lost spirit, and fell straight backward.
"Xue'er!"
As Feng Xue'er appeared, Feng Hengkong breathed a huge sigh of relief. He called out twice but received no response from her. Just as he was wondering, he saw her fall straight down. Startled, he rushed over to catch her. The moment he touched her body, his face drastically changed: "This is... the Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array!"
"What?!" At these four words, everyone from the Fenghuang God Sect present was greatly shocked. They crowded around, and upon sensing the faint aura on Feng Xue'er's body, each of them was horrified.
"How can this be!" Feng Ximing gritted his teeth. "The Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array is used to punish disciples who have committed grave mistakes in our sect. How could it appear on Xue'er... and with Xue'er's strength, how many people in the entire sect could make her fall victim to the Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array!" Saying this, he suddenly realized something and his face turned pale with fear: "The Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array can only be used by members of our sect, and the only one outside with Xue'er is the Grand Elder... but... this... how could the Grand Elder..."
Feng Hengkong quickly scanned his surroundings and found that Feng Feiyan still had not come out. His expression was terrifyingly dark... because since childhood, not only had Feng Xue'er never been harmed, she had never even been harshly spoken to. And now, someone had actually used the Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array on her. His face livid, he was too angry to speak. He took a deep breath, ignited flames in his hands, and generously poured his own Flame Source Power into Feng Xue'er's body... Not long after, the Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array within her silently shattered.
Feng Xue'er, who had fainted, slowly regained consciousness at this moment.
"Xue'er!" Feng Hengkong withdrew his Phoenix Flame, helped Feng Xue'er up, suppressed his anger, and asked with concern and urgency: "What exactly happened to you inside the Primordial Mystic Ark? Who... who hurt you?"
Although Feng Xue'er opened her eyes, her face was deathly pale, and her beautiful eyes were vacant and unfocused. Even after Feng Hengkong called her several times, she showed no reaction, as if she had lost her soul. It was only when... her gaze suddenly fell upon the figure of Ye Xinghan.
"It was you... it was you who killed Brother Yun... it was you who killed Brother Yun!!"
The voice Feng Xue'er suddenly emitted was almost heart-wrenching. Her gaze carried a hatred and murderous intent that Feng Hengkong found utterly unfamiliar... As her father, this was the first time in his life he had sensed hatred and intent to kill from her. And the person she pointed at was Ye Xinghan, which caused his heart to stir violently. He quickly grabbed Feng Xue'er's shoulders and said in a deep voice: "Xue'er, calm down. Tell me, Father, exactly what happened!"
Gu Cang swept his gaze around but did not see Yun Che. The abnormal state of Xia Yuanba and Feng Xue'er's loss of composure made him vaguely guess something. He glanced calmly at Ye Xinghan and said in a gentle tone: "Princess Xue, calm your mind."
Gu Cang True Person's plain and unadorned words carried supreme Profound Power, like a gentle breeze brushing over Feng Xue'er's heart and soul, slowly calming her emotions. She no longer lost control, but the pain in her heart still made it hard for her to breathe. She bit her lips, and a trace of blood slowly trickled from the corner of her mouth, flowing all the way down to her snow-white neck, as delicate as congealed fat.
She had escaped from a desperate situation, left the Primordial Mystic Ark, returned to Phoenix City, returned to the side of her loved ones, and was safe from all danger...
But all of this was bought with the life of Yun Che.
He could have easily escaped the danger himself... from the very beginning. But instead, he desperately carried her in flight, risked completely offending Ye Xinghan for her sake, and in the end... used his own life to trade for hers.
Brother Yun... Brother Yun...
The tears on her face were slowly dried by the wind, but the tears in her heart spread into an ocean... For the first time, she understood what true sorrow was, and that sorrow was so painful and tormenting. She closed her eyes, tears welling at the corners, her voice calm but each word tear-stricken: "The Grand Elder betrayed us. He had already pledged allegiance to the Sun Moon Divine Palace... Ye Xinghan wanted to take me. The Grand Elder appeared and suddenly attacked me, making me fall into the Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array... Brother Yun and the big guy brother saved me... Brother Yun carried me and fled to an ancient castle... Ye Xinghan wanted to force me and Brother Yun to death. Brother Yun gave me something that could allow escape, but he... he..."
Feng Xue'er's description was fragmented and her voice rose and fell, but everyone still clearly understood what had happened. After finishing her last sentence, the image of Yun Che's figure disappearing into the distance appeared before her eyes again. Her heart felt as if pierced by ten thousand arrows, her vision blurred, and she fainted once more.
"Xue'er!" Feng Hengkong caught Feng Xue'er, trembling with anger and hatred. When he had detected the Phoenix-Sealing Forbidden Array inside her, he had already thought of Feng Feiyan... because the only one who could have stayed outside the depths of the Mystic Ark to secretly protect Feng Xue'er was Feng Feiyan. He never imagined that this terrible suspicion would become reality, and it was a million times more horrifying than he had anticipated.
His elder brother, who had grown up with him, whom he respected, trusted, and even relied on the most among his peers, had actually...
All the signs indicated that the Four Sacred Grounds seemed to have already known the news of the Phoenix God's departure... So it wasn't a delusion! It was Feng Feiyan who had told the Sun Moon Divine Palace! He had completely betrayed and sold out the Fenghuang God Sect.
If he could barely bear Feng Feiyan's betrayal, then the fact that Feng Xue'er had almost been harmed, and that she had nearly been forever buried in the Primordial Mystic Ark... this had completely touched an absolute forbidden scale, trampling his final bottom line. Boundless fury made Feng Hengkong's chest feel as if it would explode. He glared at Ye Xinghan, his voice trembling slightly: "Ye Xinghan... you... give me... an... explanation!!"
Everyone from the Fenghuang God Sect fixed their gazes on Ye Xinghan, each filled with deep anger and malice. If it weren't for his status as the Young Master of the Sun Moon Divine Palace, they would have already surged forward and torn him to pieces on the spot. Feng Xue'er was not only Feng Hengkong's forbidden scale but the forbidden scale of the entire Fenghuang God Sect.
Although Gu Cang True Person's face appeared relatively calm, his eyes already held hidden anger. Ji Qianrou turned sideways, leisurely admiring the phoenix flowers not far away, while Ling Kun's gaze shifted back and forth between the Fenghuang God Sect and Ye Xinghan, his brows furrowing.
Facing Feng Hengkong's fury, which could erupt at any moment, Ye Xinghan showed no sign of panic. His eyes narrowed into long slits, and he said unhurriedly: "Phoenix Sect Master, please calm your anger. My actions were indeed a bit excessive, but it was only because I like Sister Xue'er too much, so I was momentarily a little impulsive. The Phoenix Sect Master was also young once; I believe you will surely understand."
"Understand?" Feng Hengkong laughed in extreme anger, his eyes turning completely crimson, two balls of phoenix flame flickering violently in his pupils, clearly in a state of immense rage: "Then if I kill you now, I believe your Sun Moon Divine Palace will surely understand as well!"
"Kill me? Hahahahaha!" Ye Xinghan laughed heartily, showing no fear, instead wearing a face of disdain and mockery: "Fine! Then the Phoenix Sect Master, do try to make a move. Ah, I wonder how long the Fenghuang God Sect, with no Phoenix God, can survive under the wrath of my Sun Moon Divine Palace? One year? Or maybe a month?"
Feng Hengkong and Feng Ximing's faces suddenly changed.
"Silence!" an elder of the Phoenix Sect shouted sternly: "You first launched a malicious attack on the Snow Princess, and now you dare to blaspheme our clan's Phoenix God! Our clan's Phoenix God is the only deity in the Tian Xuan Continent, with eternal life, guarding our Phoenix clan for generations, and will exist forever! Do you truly believe we of the Fenghuang God Sect fear your Sun Moon Divine Palace?"
"Hahahaha... hahahahaha!" Ye Xinghan burst into wild laughter again, his laughter piercingly harsh: "You people of the Fenghuang God Sect are truly pitiable, toyed with by your Sect Master. Your Phoenix God has been dead for several years, yet not a single one of you knows it. You still bring out this long-dead ancestor—it's laughable, hahahaha... If you don't believe me, feel free to ask your Sect Master."
"You... you're spouting nonsense, utter lies!" All the Phoenix elders trembled with rage. But Ye Xinghan's overly arrogant posture and confident tone made it impossible for them not to feel a shadow cast over their hearts. When their gazes turned to Feng Hengkong, they saw his face livid, but he did not refute, sending a shock through their hearts.
Could it be... that the Phoenix God has truly...
"The news that the Phoenix God is dead was personally told to me by your Grand Elder, Feng Feiyan," Ye Xinghan said insidiously. "We of the Four Sacred Grounds received the news two years ago. How laughable that your own sect's people still don't know, still living in a pitiful illusion. Don't you all think: if your so-called Phoenix God were not dead, why would your Grand Elder be selling his life to our Sun Moon Divine Palace?"
"When your Phoenix God was still alive, I might have shown some respect, but without the Phoenix God, the Fenghuang God Sect, tsk tsk..." Ye Xinghan curled his lips: "That word 'God' should be removed. Not to mention contending with my Sun Moon Divine Palace, you don't even have the qualifications for us to look squarely at you. Under these circumstances, my taking a fancy to your Snow Princess is a blessing to your entire sect! Not only do you not appreciate it, but you even want to kill me? Phoenix Sect Master, go ahead and try to kill me!!"
Ye Xinghan's words struck like a poisonous blade, piercing deep into the hearts of every member of the Fenghuang God Sect, causing deep terror to appear on their faces. They looked at Feng Hengkong, their voices trembling: "Sect Master, is what he said... true? Has the Phoenix God truly... truly..."
The Phoenix God was not only the ancestor of the Fenghuang God Sect but also the backbone, faith, and spiritual pillar of the entire sect. If this pillar toppled, the Fenghuang God Sect would collapse by half—not only would its deterrence plummet, but the entire sect would fall into chaos. But at this point, the matter could no longer be hidden. Feng Hengkong raised his head, let out a deep sigh, and said: "The matter of the Phoenix God..."
"What junior dares to slander this God as dead!"
A voice both dignified, calm, and yet tinged with anger suddenly came from the distant heavens, clearly reaching everyone's ears. It carried an irresistible penetrating power, echoing in their hearts, souls, flesh, blood, bones... every corner of their bodies.
This voice made everyone shudder. At the same time, an aura vast and boundless, as if the sky itself were overturning, descended, seeming to envelop the entire earth. Under this majestic aura, everyone's body stiffened, their hearts tightened. Even a person as strong as Gu Cang felt as insignificant as a grain of sand before a mountain.
Feng Hengkong raised his head sharply, trembling all over with shock and excitement: "This... this voice and power are... are..."
In the distant heavens, at this moment, two narrow golden lights suddenly appeared. Then, these two narrow golden lights slowly opened like half-closed eyes... revealing a pair of enormous golden pupils set into the sky.
The Eyes of the Phoenix!!