Chapter 697: Before the Phoenix City
With a flash of profound light, Yun Che was teleported to the first floor of the Black Moon Merchant Guild.
As the "lowest tier" floor of the Black Moon Merchant Guild, the atmosphere here was completely unlike the dense, spiritually piercing air of the seventh floor. Yun Che looked ahead; this was a simple yet elegant room, furnished like an ordinary reception chamber. Before he could fully take in his surroundings, his gaze froze in place.
Beside a dark red wooden table, a gentle-faced middle-aged man slowly rose and smiled at him: "Che'er, you've come."
Yun Che opened his mouth, a sharp sting of emotion in his nose. He stepped forward quickly and knelt heavily: "Uncle Xia..." He paused, then immediately corrected himself: "Father-in-law, I've finally seen you again."
"Ha, get up." Xia Hongyi reached out and helped Yun Che to his feet, looking him over with a warm gaze and nodding in approval: "It's already been over six years. You've grown up. Though your appearance hasn't changed much, back when you married Qingyue, you only reached my forehead. Now you're half a head taller than me."
Indeed, since he had been forced to leave the Xiao Sect back then, he had never seen Xia Hongyi again. When he returned to Liuyun City, he had wanted to visit Xia Hongyi first, but learned he had long since left home, his whereabouts unknown. Three years ago, he came to Shenhuang City and happened to learn that Xia Hongyi was in the Black Moon Merchant Guild, but feeling ashamed to face him, he hadn't sought him out... Now, over six years had passed.
From Xia Hongyi's demeanor, Yun Che sensed no gloom or depression, only a peaceful calm and elegance. This greatly lifted his spirits, and he said with a smile: "If we're talking about growing up, Yuanba is the one who truly 'grew up.' Father-in-law, if you saw Yuanba now, you might not even recognize him."
"Oh? So you've seen Yuanba?" Xia Hongyi's smile grew even warmer, but a deep concern flickered in his eyes.
"Mn." Yun Che nodded emphatically. The Black Moon Merchant Guild had the most up-to-date information, and he believed Xia Hongyi already knew much of what had happened: "Yuanba is truly remarkable now. He's currently guarding our Cang Feng Empire's last line of defense, shouldering the heaviest and most glorious mission on his shoulders... With him there, even if the Shenhuang Empire sends thousands upon thousands of troops, they won't set foot half a step into the Imperial City!"
"Good... Very good." Xia Hongyi nodded gently, his still peaceful smile tinged with deep pride and satisfaction.
"Once our Cang Feng Empire escapes this calamity and is restored, you and your son can be reunited... And that day won't be far off."
"Yuanba..." Xia Hongyi murmured the name, then let out a sigh laden with emotions no one else could understand. No one would have imagined—including his own father—that Xia Yuanba, whose talent in Liuyun City was only average, who was a laughingstock in the Cangfeng Mystic Palace, would rise at a mythical speed within just a few years, now standing at the pinnacle of the Tian Xuan Continent, leaving even the Four Sacred Grounds stunned in comparison.
Compared to others' shock and disbelief, Xia Hongyi's feelings about Xia Yuanba's transformation were far more complex.
The two sat facing each other, talking freely. Yun Che had always held Xia Hongyi in the highest respect. During those years in Liuyun City, only two people had given him the concept of an elder: his grandfather Xiao Lie, and Xia Hongyi. Aside from his family, Xia Hongyi was the only elder who genuinely cared for him, a "waste," always treating him with warmth and kindness, never once rejecting the idea of marrying his extraordinarily talented daughter to someone like him. In fact, he had personally arranged most of the wedding affairs.
Having experienced two lives of grudges and life-and-death struggles, Yun Che knew better than anyone how precious true warmth was when surrounded by cold stares and mockery at his lowest point.
Xia Qingyue had entered the Bing Yun Fairy Palace; Xia Yuanba's whereabouts were unknown... The blow to Xia Hongyi back then had been too heavy. To find Xia Yuanba, he abandoned his ancestral business, left Liuyun City, used a clue left by his ancestors to join the Black Moon Merchant Guild, and by a twist of fate, entered the main guild.
During his years at the Black Moon main guild, he did the same things every day, met different people, and every few days would seek news of his children and Yun Che, gradually making his mind more peaceful.
"Father-in-law, there's a question I want to know the answer to. But as a junior, perhaps I shouldn't ask..." Facing Xia Hongyi, Yun Che wanted to voice the doubt that had long lingered in his heart. Even though he had decided to ask, he still hesitated... because it might touch Xia Hongyi's most sensitive nerve.
"You want to ask... about Yuanba and Qingyue's mother?" Xia Hongyi looked at him and said slowly.
"..." Yun Che showed surprise.
"Heh, anyone would be curious." Xia Hongyi smiled faintly, but a trace of melancholy appeared on his face: "Yuanba and Qingyue were born into a merchant family. Our Xia family has been merchants for generations—me, my late father, my grandfather—all the same. We only occasionally practiced the profound way, with no real interest. Yet Qingyue had extremely high profound talent from a young age, and Yuanba... in these years, he has displayed talent far beyond the ordinary."
Yun Che was silent for a moment, then nodded gently: "Because I know some inside information, I have more questions than others."
"I already know that Yuanba possesses a special power called the 'Overlord Emperor Divine Meridian.' I'm not entirely sure what that concept entails, but I know that Huangji Sacred Domain's Holy Emperor—the number one profound practitioner on Tian Xuan Continent—has taken a special liking to Yuanba because of it. When it was exposed three years ago, the other three Sacred Grounds were also shaken. In these three years, many people came to see me openly or secretly. After checking my background and profound strength, they all left disappointed, heh..."
Xia Hongyi shook his head slightly, smiling faintly. His expression was not one of helplessness, but a kind of self-mockery that others couldn't understand.
Xia Hongyi's various reactions showed that he wasn't overly surprised or unaccepting of his children's incredible talents, but rather more melancholic. Yun Che spoke: "I only asked out of curiosity. If Father-in-law doesn't want to talk about it, there's no need..."
"It was a cold winter twenty-five years ago." Before Yun Che finished speaking, Xia Hongyi's voice followed. He looked up at the green ceiling, his gaze becoming distant and hazy: "I had just completed a large business deal outside. On my way back, it was getting dark, and a heavy snow fell, making it bitterly cold. To get back to Liuyun City before nightfall, I took a shortcut through a mountainous area often frequented by dangerous profound beasts. Halfway through, I suddenly stopped. My servant reported to me... that ahead, we had found someone unconscious in the snow."
"It was a young woman about my age, dressed all in white, but most of her clothes were stained with blood. I was only in my twenties at the time, but born into a merchant family, I had been taught from childhood that as a merchant, one must never get involved in the grudges of profound practitioners. Rescuing someone with an unknown background who was clearly being hunted by enemies was a great taboo for a merchant. However, this woman was not only extremely beautiful but also had an indescribable special aura. She was unconscious in the snow, her breath faint, yet so weak that one couldn't help but want to protect her... In the end, I rescued her and brought her back to Liuyun City... Even though I knew very well that this action might bring great trouble to myself."
"..." Yun Che listened quietly, knowing that the woman Xia Hongyi had rescued must be Xia Yuanba and Xia Qingyue's mother.
So that was how they met.
Then, what could her identity be?
"After I brought her home, she remained unconscious for a long time, her life force growing weaker. I searched for famous doctors everywhere, even sending people to New Moon City multiple times to invite physicians, but they all said her 'life force was exhausted and beyond saving.' After seven whole days, I had given up hope, but she woke up faintly... After waking, she was not only extremely weak but also had lost all her memory."
"Lost all memory?" Yun Che frowned sharply.
"Yes. She didn't know how she was injured, where she came from, or even who she was. Perhaps it was amnesia from a head injury. After that, she stayed in the Xia family. Because her body was always weak, she almost never left the house, and I took care of her personally. To help her recover, whenever I heard of a good lingzhi or snow ginseng, I would buy it at any cost... But strangely, no matter how much nourishment she received, she remained weak, even panting after walking a dozen steps. Fortunately, she never developed any other illnesses."
Various tonics... even strong ones, yet she remained weak? And no signs of being unable to absorb them?
Yun Che's brow furrowed slightly, a trace of confusion crossing his face.
"Because I met her in the cold winter and in the snow, I named her Dongxue (Winter Snow)—fitting the 'Xia' (Summer) family name. We spent days and nights together, falling in love. Although I never knew who she was or where she came from, I couldn't control my feelings. Two years later, I married her. Soon after, she became pregnant. Because of her weak constitution, the physicians advised her to abort the fetus, saying childbirth would be extremely dangerous. I also advised her the same, but she insisted on keeping it... After only seven months, she went into premature labor and gave birth to Qingyue."
"Perhaps due to the premature birth and the mother's weak constitution, Qingyue was born not crying or moving, her body ice-cold. The midwives and physicians all said she was stillborn. Fortunately, your father Xiao Ying arrived in time and sensed a faint breath of life in Qingyue. He transferred his entire profound strength to Qingyue, protecting her heart meridian and preserving her final life force. Thanks to Xiao Ying's full efforts, an hour later, Qingyue miraculously recovered and let out a cry..."
"..." Yun Che's heart was deeply moved. He had heard about this from Xiao Lie when he was very young, and almost everyone in Liuyun City knew about it. It was precisely because Xiao Ying saved Xia Qingyue's life that Xia Hongyi, overwhelmed with gratitude, proposed on the spot to betroth Xia Qingyue to Xiao Ying's son as repayment for the great life-saving grace.
Xia Hongyi closed his eyes slightly and continued: "I had thought that having suffered such a calamity at birth, Qingyue would be weak and sickly. But astonishingly, Qingyue grew up healthy and free from illness, extremely intelligent, and with a mind far more mature than her peers. Her mother also recovered quickly after giving birth to her. Within a month, she was like a normal person, with no signs of weakness. A year later, she gave birth to Yuanba for me..."
At this point, Xia Hongyi paused. He still looked upward, his gaze completely hazy, his hands trembling slightly. Having a loving partner, a son and a daughter, his wife recovering, his children healthy, and a substantial family fortune... In anyone's eyes, especially Xia Hongyi's own, he had the most perfect life.
Xia Hongyi remained silent for a long time, as if immersed in the infinite joy and satisfaction of those years. After a long while, Yun Che finally broke the silence: "Then... what happened later? Grandfather said Yuanba and Qingyue's mother died of illness... Is that true?"
In the past, he had never doubted this, and had no reason to.
But now, he had no reason not to doubt.
"When Qingyue was four and Yuanba was three, she... left." Xia Hongyi spoke as if in a dream.
"Left...?" Those two words could mean many things.
"She flew away... flew away like a fairy."
Yun Che: "!?"
"On that day, she suddenly regained the memories that had slept for many years, and also regained the power that had slept for many years... She didn't stay another day, not even another hour... Just like that, she left... Though she was crying, her departure was utterly resolute. She said that when her power recovered, her aura would already be detected. If she didn't leave, she would bring great disaster to me and to her children... Before she left, she also said... in this life, we would never meet again... and never to look for her... that we should just think of her as already having..."
Xia Hongyi's voice was painful. Even after nearly twenty years, his reaction proved he had not forgotten or let go. He had a vast family fortune, was the richest man in Liuyun City, but in all these years, he had never remarried, not even taken a concubine. It could be imagined how much the woman he named "Dongxue" weighed in his heart, how irreplaceable she was.
"Then... did she mention... or vaguely hint at... where she went?" Yun Che asked tentatively in a low voice, thinking about how to comfort Xia Hongyi at this moment.
Xia Hongyi didn't shake his head. He let out a faint breath and, with a voice like drifting mist, spoke four words that had been engraved in his heart for over a decade but had never yielded any information or trace...
"The Realm of the Gods."
"!!" Yun Che was stunned, unable to recover for a long time.
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When Yun Che walked out of the Black Moon Merchant Guild, it was nearly noon.
He looked up at the bright, dazzling sky and sighed deeply: "I never expected that Qingyue and Yuanba's birth mother... had such a strange and complicated story. No wonder they have such terrifying talents—one with the Overlord Emperor Divine Meridian, the other with a Ice Snow Glass Heart and Nine-Xuan Exquisite Body... Their mother actually came from a place like that."
"The first time I heard the name 'Realm of the Gods' was from Dragon God. Now, I hear it from Uncle Xia." Yun Che let out a long breath, the turmoil in his heart hard to calm.
"A woman who could give birth to a child with the Overlord Emperor Divine Meridian and an Ice Snow Glass Heart must have a very high status even in the Realm of the Gods," Mo Li said indifferently.
"No woman would truly be willing to part forever with her husband and children... She must have had great difficulties," Yun Che muttered to himself. "If one day I can go to that place called the Realm of the Gods, maybe I can try to find her traces... Even if it's for Yuanba and Qingyue."
Sensing the fluctuations in Yun Che's soul as he muttered, Mo Li inside the Heavenly Poison Pearl slightly raised her delicate brows and suddenly said, "You actually plan to go to the Realm of the Gods?"
"Of course." Yun Che nodded directly. "After all, I personally promised Dragon God back then to do my utmost to find and reach that place called the Realm of the Gods. The fact that I now have such a powerful body, bloodline, and soul is all the gift he gave at the cost of destroying himself. I naturally must do my best to fulfill my promise to him. But it's only 'do my best'—if I never reach that level in my lifetime, then there's nothing I can do."
"I suggest you talk yourself out of this somewhat foolish idea," Mo Li said coldly.
"Hm? Why? Don't you want me to go there?" Yun Che was slightly surprised.
"Humph, now is not the time for you to think about these things." Mo Li forcefully changed the subject: "You should be thinking more about the relationship between this Black Moon Merchant Guild and the Supreme Sea Palace."
"No need to think about that." Yun Che turned around and glanced at the towering pitch-black waning moon above: "Behind the Black Moon Merchant Guild is the Supreme Sea Palace... Or rather, the Black Moon Merchant Guild is the other half of the Supreme Sea Palace."
"All three other Sacred Grounds have their own massive resource chains and domains, while the Supreme Sea Palace is surrounded by water on all sides. Yet its status among the Four Sacred Grounds has never declined; it even surpasses the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the Tian Wei Sword Domain, second only to the Huangji Sacred Domain. Without a massive resource supply from the continent, how could it manage? And that massive resource chain is naturally the Black Moon Merchant Guild."
"Zi Ji probably already guessed that based on what he said, I would deduce the relationship between the Black Moon Merchant Guild and the Supreme Sea Palace. But at the Sacred Ground level, this shouldn't be a secret. On the other hand, Zi Ji forced me to sell him ten Overlord Pills, really stabbing the other three Sacred Grounds in the back." Yun Che touched his chin. "This way, the Supreme Sea Palace gets ten alone, and the other three Sacred Grounds scramble for twenty... No! The Supreme Sea Palace will surely come to compete for those twenty as well, otherwise the other three Sacred Grounds will become suspicious. So each of the three gets five, and the Supreme Sea Palace takes fifteen..."
"Mn, and then my Bing Yun Fairy Palace gets three thousand!"
"Sacred Grounds, nothing special, hahahaha!" Thinking of this, Yun Che's mood lifted greatly, and he strode westward... straight toward the Fenghuang God Sect.
"Humph, using a Mystic Heaven Supreme Treasure like the Heavenly Poison Pearl to refine things and despising a bunch of low-level forces is nothing short of blasphemy against a sacred artifact! And you're proud of it!" Mo Li snorted, extremely disdainful.
"Now, how should I collect my debts..." Yun Che looked in the direction of the Fenghuang God Sect, his voice turning sinister.
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Phoenix City was located in the southwest of Shenhuang City, part of Shenhuang City yet existing independently—a special city within a city. Like the Shenhuang Imperial Palace, Phoenix City was the core stronghold of the Fenghuang God Sect. The difference was that one was the center of power and the other the center of authority. Both held unparalleled prestige and deterrence in the Shenhuang Empire and even among the Seven Nations of Tian Xuan.
As he approached Phoenix City, a suffocating pressure and noticeably scorching air hit him.
This was Yun Che's second time here, but compared to three years ago, both his purpose and state of mind had undergone earth-shaking changes. Looking up at the phoenix sculpture above the city gate, its head raised and wings spread, radiating blazing brilliance, he no longer felt the awe and faint reverence he had three years ago. What flashed in his mind were the scarred lands of the Cang Feng Empire, the ruined cities, the displaced people, the battlefields piled with bones... Cang Wanhe's memorial tablet... Cang Yue's tears... the war cries of Cang Feng's soldiers... Sikong Du's angry and despairing roars...
Rage and hatred ignited in his chest, burning fiercely. He could not forget his purpose and mission here, nor could he forget the blood-soaked fifty million... and the nearly arrived national extinction.
"Who goes there! This is Phoenix City, not a place for commoners like you. Get lost!"
At the gates of Phoenix City, the guarding Phoenix disciples stepped forward and barked at Yun Che with arrogant tones. They sensed no Phoenix aura from Yun Che. In the eyes of even these lowliest Phoenix disciples, Shenhuang citizens without Phoenix aura were merely lower-class people and naturally unqualified to enter Phoenix City.
"Huh? Doesn't this person look a bit familiar?" The guard disciple on the right curled his lips.
Yun Che narrowed his eyes slightly, and in an utterly calm tone, said slowly, "Go inform your sect master, Feng Hengkong, that Yun Che has come to visit."
He spoke slowly, but every word carried a murderous intent beginning to boil.
(Chapter End)
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