Chapter 650: Xue'er Awakens
Shenhuang Empire, Phoenix City.
In the Shenhuang Grand Hall, Feng Hengkong held a large map in his hands, depicting the territory of the Cang Feng Kingdom. But on it were marked patches of flame patterns... The places stamped with flame patterns were the regions his Shenhuang had already occupied.
His gaze lingered on the far right of the map—the location of "Liu Yun City"—for a long time without moving, as if lost in thought.
Chirp————
An extremely piercing, long cry suddenly came from outside, causing Feng Hengkong's entire body to tremble... This was no ordinary cry; it was clearly the cry of a phoenix! The majesty and nobility of this phoenix cry actually caused the phoenix blood in his veins to instantly boil, and in his heart and soul, he felt a strong urge to worship.
At the same time, he vaguely saw a flash of golden yellow in the sky outside.
"A cry of the Phoenix God?" Feng Hengkong threw down the map in his hand, exclaiming in shock. He knew clearly that the Phoenix God was dead... But this phoenix cry unmistakably came from the Phoenix God. No one, no living being, not even the strongest of the Fenghuang God Sect, could imitate it.
Feng Hengkong strode forward. Just as he was about to rush out of the hall, he saw Feng Ximing running toward him. When Feng Ximing saw Feng Hengkong, he quickly landed, too excited to even bow properly, and said with a face full of emotion: "Father, it's Xue'er... Xue'er... she has awakened!!"
"What?" Feng Hengkong froze, then revealed intense excitement and ecstasy. Without another word, his entire body transformed into a streak of firelight and flew straight toward the Phoenix God Hall. Feng Ximing quickly followed behind.
Three years ago, after Feng Xue'er escaped from the Primordial Mystic Ark and publicly revealed the truth and the crimes of Ye Xinghan, she collapsed in tears... and never woke up again.
Until today, she had been unconscious for three full years.
Her unconsciousness seemed abnormal. After she fell unconscious, a red phoenix flame spontaneously ignited on her body, and her entire being was transported within the firelight to the Phoenix God Hall, where the Phoenix God had once resided. That time also happened to be when the last remnant soul of the Phoenix God completely dissipated after intimidating Ye Xinghan, Gu Cang, Ji Qianrou, and the others.
After that, Feng Xue'er remained unconscious, with phoenix flames burning on her body, never extinguishing for even a moment. Moreover, this phoenix flame was so intensely hot that no one in the Fenghuang God Sect could touch her. Even with Feng Hengkong's cultivation, he could not approach within five zhang of her.
During these three years, Feng Hengkong personally went to the Phoenix God Hall every day to check if Feng Xue'er had woken up, never missing a day. Just an hour ago, he had been there... Now, hearing that she had awakened, this Shenhuang emperor was trembling with excitement. To him, Feng Xue'er was more important than his own life, more important than the entire Fenghuang God Sect. During the three years she had been unconscious, he had been in a state of intense anxiety every single day.
Like a gust of wind, he rushed into the Phoenix God Hall. Feng Hengkong immediately spotted Feng Xue'er standing there. He stopped, then staggered toward her, his voice trembling: "Xue'er... Xue'er... you're awake... you've finally awakened."
"Xue'er..." Feng Ximing also rushed in closely behind him. Seeing Feng Xue'er awake, his eyes were filled with boundless excitement... and burning passion.
Feng Xue'er lifted her eyes to look at her father and imperial brother. But compared to their ecstasy and excitement, there was no joy on her face. She softly, almost despondently, murmured: "Father... Imperial Brother..."
Feng Hengkong's steps slowed. His initial ecstasy cooled by half, and his heart suddenly clenched. After three years of unconsciousness, his daughter's appearance had not changed in any way. Her face was still more perfect than a fairy's, her eyes still purer than a spirit's... But in those eyes, he saw an unfamiliar, gray darkness.
His Xue'er, whenever she saw him before, always had the purest smile on her face and happily called out "Father." No matter how angry or anxious he was, just seeing her smile would dispel all negative emotions, leaving only infinite warmth and satisfaction... His greatest pride in life was not his position as Shenhuang emperor or Fenghuang Sect Master, but having the most perfect daughter in the world.
But after she awakened, instead of a smile, there was sorrow... a sorrow so unfamiliar that he had never seen before.
This darkness and sorrow struck Feng Hengkong's heart with a piercing pain. He would rather be pierced by ten thousand arrows than see sadness on Feng Xue'er's face. At this moment, the Fenghuang Sect Master and Shenhuang emperor, admired by all, completely lost his composure. His voice carried deep pain and panic: "Xue'er, you... what's wrong? Did you just wake up? Are you feeling unwell somewhere? Tell your father quickly."
The change in the aura Feng Xue'er released was earth-shattering. From her, he sensed a vast, ancient presence similar to the departed Phoenix God... Even from his grandfather, the strongest of the Fenghuang God Sect, he had never felt such a mysterious aura. In normal times, he would have been extremely shocked and urgently questioned her, but now he couldn't care about that at all.
Feng Xue'er's gaze was vacant. Her trembling starry eyes seemed to shimmer with a watery haze. She moved her lips, making a soft, dreamlike, wind-like sound: "Brother Yun... I can never... see Brother Yun again..."
Her tearful starry eyes and voice could break the heart of the most malicious person in the world. Feng Hengkong's chest tightened in pain, and he could hardly breathe. He knew who "Brother Yun" was that Feng Xue'er spoke of. Three years ago, she had wept for him, fallen unconscious for him... After being unconscious for three full years, she was still grieving for him...
Or perhaps, when she woke up, the connection point of her memory was still from before she fell unconscious three years ago...
"Alas." Feng Ximing stepped forward, let out a long sigh, then comforted her as gently as possible: "Xue'er, I know you are too kind by nature. But... you really don't need to be sad. You are the princess of our Fenghuang God Sect, and Yun Che is merely a worthless life. He exchanged his life for yours, and for him..."
"Don't you dare speak of Brother Yun like that!!!"
Before Feng Ximing could finish, he was cut off by Feng Xue'er's sudden, angry shout. Feng Ximing stood frozen, and both he and Feng Hengkong stared at Feng Xue'er in disbelief... The Feng Xue'er they knew either spoke like a mountain spring after rain or like a gentle breeze brushing willow leaves. Not only had she never angrily rebuked anyone, but she had hardly ever spoken in a slightly raised voice. But now, the sound that came from Feng Xue'er was sharp, angry... even hysterical! It was as if she had been touched on the most inviolable reverse scale... Her snow-white face clearly showed anger... A mass of crimson phoenix flame also flared up from her body at that moment, not burning gently, but flickering and swaying as if caught in a raging storm.
"Get out! Get out!!" Feng Hengkong fiercely slapped Feng Ximing across the face. This slap, with Feng Hengkong's mind in chaos, was delivered with nearly full force, sending Feng Ximing flying like a top. Feng Hengkong stepped forward, extended his hands, and comforted her in a flustered manner: "Xue'er... Xue'er... don't be angry, don't be sad. Your Brother Yun saved your life. He is your benefactor, and also your father's benefactor, and the benefactor of our entire Fenghuang God Sect. We will never forget his kindness... Or, in future years, your father will go with you to pay respects to him, alright?"
As he spoke, Feng Hengkong tried to approach Feng Xue'er, but as soon as he neared within five steps, an unbearable heat hit him, startling him. The phoenix bloodline in his body also clearly shrank violently. He looked at the phoenix flame on Feng Xue'er and felt her aura, shocked beyond measure... This power... Could it be that during these three years of unconsciousness, the Phoenix God's power inherited by Xue'er had awakened further?
And it was a massive awakening!
Feng Ximing was sent flying, and Feng Hengkong's words finally stabilized Feng Xue'er's out-of-control emotions somewhat. The flame on her body gradually subsided. She looked forward, her eyes fixed on Feng Hengkong but without any focus, and murmured softly: "Father, I... how long have I been asleep..."
"Three years, it's been three years already." Feng Hengkong said softly, then after a pause, quickly added: "Xue'er, if you still want to sleep, then go ahead and sleep. It's fine."
"Three years..." She murmured dazedly...
"I am afraid of many things... But now, the thing I fear most is seeing you truly lose your life here."
"In front of you, I feel almost unworthy, my soul stained with countless filth and sin... Your appearance is like a pearl embedded in my soul, so precious that I almost lack the courage to touch it."
"So, no matter what, I will not watch you die... At least now, I would rather die myself than let that happen."
"I will also fulfill the promise I made to Xue'er... Three years from now, at the Ice Extreme Snow Domain in the Cang Feng Kingdom, I will watch the boundless falling snow with Xue'er. Xue'er, wait for me there in three years, alright?"
"Xue'er... wait for me..."
"..."
Drip...
Drip...
On her cheeks, whiter than snow, teardrops silently flowed and fell, more and more, unable to stop. A wave of extreme sadness spread, filling this scorching hot space with thick desolation.
"Xue'er..." Feng Hengkong reached out his hand but didn't know what action to take or what words to say. The emperor of the Shenhuang Kingdom was completely at a loss in this moment. He couldn't imagine, let alone understand, why his daughter was so grief-stricken over Yun Che... Even if he had saved her life, it shouldn't be to this extent.
"Father..." she murmured as if in a dream: "I... want to go to the Cang Feng Kingdom... the Ice Extreme Snow Domain... May I?"
Cang Feng... Ice Extreme Snow Domain?
Feng Hengkong was stunned for a moment, then without hesitation, quickly nodded: "Alright! Alright! As long as Xue'er is willing, you can go anywhere you want. Wherever you want to go, your father will personally accompany you... I'll have someone arrange a Mysterious Ark and itinerary right away. At most fifteen days... oh no, ten days, and we'll set off. Alright?"
"Mm... Thank you, Father. Father, Xue'er has one more request..." Feng Xue'er's tears continued to fall. She had grown up under the extreme protection of the Fenghuang God Sect and the extreme indulgence of Feng Hengkong, with smiles always accompanying her... She never knew that one day she would shed so many tears.
And the tears of her entire life had almost all been given to Yun Che.
"Tell me... As long as it is Xue'er's request, no matter what, your father will agree." Feng Hengkong said, his heart aching as he watched the tears on his daughter's face.
"Xue'er begs Father... to treat the Cang Feng Kingdom kindly in the future... Because that place... is Brother Yun's homeland... Consider it... as a small repayment... from Xue'er to Brother Yun... May I..."
Feng Hengkong's whole body stiffened suddenly, but then he quickly nodded: "Alright! In the future, your father will treat the Cang Feng Kingdom well. I will no longer collect tributes from the Cang Feng Kingdom... and will never allow the other five kingdoms to bully Cang Feng. When your Brother Yun hears these words in heaven, he will surely be very happy."
"Thank you, Father... Xue'er's heart is very confused now and has made Father worry... Xue'er wants to go to the Qifeng Valley for a while..."
"Alright! Your father will accompany you."
"Xue'er will go alone..."
............................
This place was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a thousand-zhang Fengjue Cliff to the south. Compared to the dry, yellow heat of the Shenhuang City area, the Qifeng Valley seemed to gather all the spiritual energy of the entire Phoenix Mountain Range. Everywhere you looked, there was a pure, lush green, and even every breeze was exceptionally gentle and fresh, like a fairyland.
Beside the clear little lake, it seemed to echo the laughter of when she and Yun Che had fished together. Feng Xue'er leaned against the Snow Phoenix Beast, its soft snow-white feathers slowly soaked by the purest and most precious teardrops in the world...
"Brother Yun... Why did you have to make me meet you... If I hadn't met you, Xue'er wouldn't be so sad... and Brother Yun wouldn't have died..."
"Why did I have to meet you... Brother Yun..."
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"Sect Master, what are your orders? I heard the Snow Princess..."
"Pass the order immediately!!" Feng Hengkong's face was stiff and ugly: "Our military action against Cang Feng is not to be discussed by anyone within the sect..." His gaze sharpened: "No! Pass the order throughout the entire Shenhuang City. No one is to publicly discuss the military action against Cang Feng! Anyone who disobeys... will be killed without mercy!! Especially within the sect—if anyone dares to bring it up, I will make sure they die without a burial place!!"
The Fenghuang elder who received his orders trembled in his heart... The murderous aura radiating from Feng Hengkong was terrifying. And for him, the great Shenhuang emperor, to even blurt out "I will," showed just how serious this matter was. He dared not ask further and quickly nodded: "Yes."
"Also, prepare the Phoenix God Ark. I will personally go to the far north of Cang Feng within ten days... Now go!"
"Yes, yes." The terrifying murderous aura made the Fenghuang elder not dare to stay a moment longer. He retreated two steps and quickly left.
"Boom!!"
Feng Hengkong slammed his fist fiercely into the wall, his entire fist sinking deep into it. Thinking of the tear-streaked face of Feng Xue'er, he shook his head violently, the restlessness inside him like a rampaging flame.
"The Phoenix God said that Xue'er's Phoenix God power would take at least three hundred years to fully awaken... Three hundred years is too long. By then, they will surely detect that the Phoenix God has passed away. And if we don't have sufficient power to resist by then, our Fenghuang God Sect will be in grave danger... What I did... was not wrong!"
"Xue'er... forgive your father. Your father did this all for the sake of the entire Shenhuang Empire!" Feng Hengkong whispered to himself in pain.
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