Chapter 727: The Divine Maiden's Kneel
“Just a month ago, all the purple crystal mines had been fully harvested and secretly brought back to Phoenix City using several hundred space rings, hidden within the forbidden grounds. Once everything settles, we can begin the refinement.” Feng Hengkong spoke without evasion. He had long sensed that Yun Che’s gaze seemed capable of seeing through any lie.
“Is that so? Then congratulations on the smooth and complete success of your painstaking ‘grand scheme’!” Yun Che said with a cold laugh.
“Hmph! Since I dared to say it, I naturally had my resolve. Once our sect finishes refining the Purple Vein Divine Crystal, we will present ten jin of it to Cang Feng’s imperial clan!” Feng Hengkong said coldly. For a small nation like Cang Feng, let alone ten jin of Purple Vein Divine Crystal, it was likely that even successive emperors had never seen the real thing. Purple Vein Heavenly Crystal was already the supreme sacred object.
“Ten jin? Hahahaha!” Yun Che laughed heartily. “All of this originally belongs to our Cang Feng nation. The Phoenix Sect Master returning a full ten jin—how generous indeed.”
“You…” Feng Hengkong’s face flushed with anger. He was about to retort, but when he met Feng Xue'er’s gaze, the words about to leave his mouth were forcibly swallowed. Suppressing his fury, he said in a low voice, “Fifteen jin… this is my final limit.”
“No need. I don’t care for it. Keep it for yourselves!”
Yun Che’s disdain was clearly written on his face. There wasn’t the slightest hint of greed toward the “Purple Vein Divine Crystal” that Feng Hengkong had mentioned, and his words showed no sign of jest. This left Feng Hengkong momentarily stunned… Purple Vein Divine Crystal was the highest and most sacred existence in the Tian Xuan Continent, a sacred object dreamed of by all Xuan practitioners. When he revealed the truth, he had been prepared for Yun Che to “extort” him, but he never imagined that someone could be so indifferent to the temptation of Purple Vein Divine Crystal.
“But I must advise the Phoenix Sect Master… be careful that among those who know of these purple crystal mines, there isn’t a second ‘Feng Feiyan’!” Yun Che said with a hint of mockery.
“I am not foolish enough to allow such a thing to happen a second time. You need not trouble yourself,” Feng Hengkong said coldly. Clearly, he was extremely confident about this matter. Those within the sect who knew of the purple crystal mines were all true “trusted confidants.” Moreover, apart from himself, Feng Ximing, Feng Tianwei, and others of the sect master’s bloodline, the memories of the others who knew of the mines had been sealed like Feng Huwei’s—unable to be spoken, written, or transmitted by any means. If subjected to soul search, that part of their memories would directly disperse.
It was precisely because of the lesson from Feng Feiyan that the Fenghuang God Sect had chosen such extreme measures.
“I also have one thing to remind you,” Feng Hengkong continued. “The reason matters in Liu Yun City went so smoothly is thanks to a strange man named Fen Juechen. He drew over ninety percent of the attention! And according to reports, the reason he appeared in Liu Yun City was to kill you! Now that he knows you’re still alive, he will surely act. When the time comes, don’t let yourself fall!”
Yun Che: “…”
“Ah? To kill Brother Yun?” Feng Xue'er was startled, but immediately comforted him with a smile, “It’s fine. Brother Yun is so powerful, there’s definitely no danger. Xue'er will also protect Brother Yun very seriously.”
“Xue’er, you… sigh.” Feng Hengkong twitched the corner of his brow, deeply frustrated.
Earlier, when Feng Xue'er had first appeared, Mo Li immediately informed Yun Che that her profound strength had already reached the Lord Xuan Realm Level 8, far surpassing even Feng Tianwei. If Feng Xue'er truly protected him by his side, Fen Juechen’s attempt to kill him would be nothing short of a fantasy.
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The storms Yun Che had stirred up in the Shenhuang Empire over these days had long since spread to Cangfeng Imperial City. Yesterday, Yun Che sent a message saying that he would return today at dusk with Feng Hengkong and the Snow Princess. Cang Yue had been so excited she couldn’t sleep all night. Shortly after noon the next day, she was already waiting in the Imperial Palace.
Although she had absolute faith and trust in Yun Che, during his days in the Shenhuang Empire, she had been worried every moment.
Yun Che’s safe return was her greatest wish. In comparison, the outcome was not so important.
The sky darkened, and dusk arrived. A massive profound ark, like a crimson flame, appeared above Cangfeng Imperial City, drawing exclamations from the entire city. The Phoenix Ark stopped directly above the imperial palace and slowly descended. Because it was too large, it did not land but hovered in midair, its profound energy stirring up waves of heat like a storm.
“Is that… the Phoenix Ark?” Qin Wushang, accompanying Cang Yue, looked up at the behemoth radiating sky-covering pressure and scorching heat, his face full of shock. Cang Feng had very few profound arks to begin with, and he had never in his life seen one with such momentum.
“Indeed,” Dongfang Xiu slowly nodded. “I once had the fortune to see it when I accompanied the late emperor to the Seven Nations Ranking Tournament.”
“Your Majesty said that Yun Che, Feng Hengkong, and the legendary Snow Princess are arriving together on the Phoenix Ark, and that there is no fourth person… Is this true or false?” Qin Wushang said in a low voice, his face full of disbelief. The news from Shenhuang these days said that Yun Che had stormed Phoenix City, destroyed the Phoenix God Statue, killed several princes, and undoubtedly formed an irreconcilable blood feud with the Fenghuang God Sect—a fight to the death. Yet yesterday, he suddenly sent Cang Yue such a message.
Although it was relayed personally by Yun Che and spoken by Cang Yue herself, hardly anyone could believe that Feng Hengkong would come with only the Snow Princess accompanying Yun Che. He was the Emperor of Shenhuang, the Phoenix Sect Master, the most honored and unparalleled existence among the seven nations of Tian Xuan. Even if he were to visit the weakest, disaster-ridden Cang Feng, it shouldn’t be such a solitary journey.
“Master told me what the Phoenix Ark looks like. It can’t be wrong! Brother-in-law!” Xia Yuanba was full of excitement, and seeing the ark had stopped, he was about to rush over.
Tianxia Diyi grabbed him, “Don’t go over yet, in case something unexpected happens.”
“Right… Yuanba, according to reports, Feng Hengkong’s profound strength is at the peak of the Overlord Xuan Realm. If something does happen, only you can protect Her Majesty,” Qin Wushang reminded him in a low voice.
“I understand,” Xia Yuanba nodded, staying less than ten steps behind Xia Qingyue, refraining from acting rashly.
The door of the Phoenix Ark opened. Yun Che was the first to step out, then slowly descended. Seeing Yun Che safe and sound, Cang Yue’s bright eyes sparkled with boundless joy. Heedless of the occasion, let alone her status, she rushed forward in her fluttering phoenix robes: “Husband, you’re back.”
“Mm.” Yun Che took Cang Yue’s hand, then turned sideways. “The ‘honored guest’ I mentioned in my message has also arrived.”
Beneath the still-open ark door, a figure in all-red robes appeared. Feng Hengkong exited the ark but did not immediately descend. His indifferent gaze swept over the surroundings, sensing the desolate and smoky flavor in the air.
His imperial authority and overwhelming momentum might be ineffective against Yun Che, but that certainly didn’t mean they couldn’t affect others. The moment his figure appeared, everyone’s gaze involuntarily fixed on him, yet they dared not meet his eyes. Their breaths and heartbeats seemed to stop in an instant, and their chests and souls felt as if a heavy iron plate had been pressed upon them, trembling under the oppression.
“The Emperor of Shenhuang!” Yun Che didn’t need to explain. This heavy, utterly dominating momentum had already confirmed his identity to everyone. Transcendent profound strength, transcendent status, transcendent identity… Under the gaze and pressure of this red-robed man, even someone like Dongfang Xiu, who stood at the pinnacle of Cang Feng, felt their soul tremble, unable to even catch their breath.
“It is indeed… the Emperor of Shenhuang…” The voice that sounded beside him came from Dongfang Xiu. His voice trembled slightly. He never thought he would see this legendary figure in his lifetime, much less that he would set foot in Cang Feng.
Right behind Feng Hengkong, Feng Xue'er stepped out of the ark door. Although she was also dressed in red, the moment she appeared, she seemed to draw away all light from the world. Her beauty was indescribable, her aura pure like a celestial lotus, her eyes clear like moonlight. Every sight of her made one question whether she was a fairy from the heavens or a saint descended to the mortal world.
Feng Xue'er floated down from the air, landing beside Yun Che. Following Yun Che, she slowly walked forward to stand before the crowd.
Everyone’s hearts began to beat wildly. The arrival of the Emperor of Shenhuang had already shocked them; the arrival of the Snow Princess of Shenhuang was an even greater shock—so great that they wondered if they were dreaming.
“I am Feng Hengkong, Emperor of Shenhuang, the master of the Fenghuang God Sect.” Feng Hengkong finally spoke, his voice low and heavy, carrying an innate authority that made one instinctively want to lower their head. He looked at Cang Yue with a complex gaze, then said, “This visit to the Cangfeng Imperial Palace is to… thank Her Majesty, the Emperor of Cang Feng.”
These words made Qin Wushang, Dongfang Xiu, and the others all stare wide-eyed. The Emperor of Shenhuang had come personally to thank the Emperor of Cang Feng? This was like a bolt from the blue! No matter how much they racked their brains, they never could have imagined such a scene.
A huge shadow fell from the sky, the Phoenix Ark slowly rising. As it rose higher and higher, it finally disappeared into the distant night clouds.
Feng Hengkong delivered the core of his thanks in a few concise sentences, then fell silent. As Emperor of Shenhuang, speaking these words was already the greatest concession and sincerity he could offer. Although the tone was still forceful and cold, to those present, it felt like seeing snow in summer or flowers blooming in winter.
In the Great Hall, Yun Che turned to Feng Hengkong and Feng Xue'er and said, “Feng Xue'er knows all the details of the truth. This matter has allowed her to see through everything of the Fenghuang God Sect. For me to have Feng Xue'er accompany me for this trip, you should understand what that means.”
Feng Hengkong’s brows twitched sharply. He looked at Feng Xue'er, who was standing beside him, then said in a low voice, “Say whatever you want to say. But… don’t go too far!”
Yun Che said to Cang Yue, “Yue’er, send someone to inform Elder Yun Qinghong and all the ancestors to come quickly. Let them ensure that no former emperor of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan is missing. Time is tight; they don’t need to be neat or formal.”
Yun Che spoke seriously, and Cang Yue did not ask questions. After silently nodding in agreement, she quickly gave the order.
The envoys arrived swiftly. As there were no carriages in use in the imperial city, the ancestors of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan, clad in fragmented robes and bearing corpse-like auras, walked step by step toward the palace. They were accompanied by Yun Qinghong and others who had stayed in the imperial city.
When these ancestors stood within the courtyard, their turbid eyes looked at Feng Hengkong and Feng Xue'er with dazed confusion. Feng Hengkong’s expression was dark and heavy, while Feng Xue'er’s beautiful eyes were moist, her face pale, and her red lips trembling slightly.
When Yun Che told her everything on the Phoenix Ark, Feng Xue'er was completely stunned. She could not believe it at all, but the evidence Yun Che provided was conclusive, and she knew that Yun Che would never deceive her. When she was heartbroken and in despair, she heard the story of the ancestors of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan, and she insisted on coming to visit them in person.
She never dreamed that the ancestors of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan, who had sacrificed so much, would be in such a miserable state.
All the ancestors were confined here. They could not leave the imperial palace, but within this vast courtyard, they could move freely. They had long since lost their will and awareness. They were just puppets driven by that divine ability.
Xiao Yun and Yun Che exchanged glances, then Xiao Yun said softly, “All the ancestors are here.”
Feng Xue'er walked up, about ten steps away from the ancestors, and then stopped. Her eyes trembled violently as she looked at them. They were like walking corpses, completely unaware of her gaze. Their clothes were tattered, their bodies covered in wounds, their eyes hollow and dim, their hair disheveled… among them, some were still young, not yet past their prime, yet they looked older than even the old and frail.
Feng Xue'er could no longer look away, and the tears she had been holding back finally fell.
“Xue’er?” Feng Hengkong called out in a low voice. Feng Xue'er’s reaction made him feel uneasy.
Feng Xue'er did not respond. She turned around and knelt in front of Feng Hengkong.
Feng Hengkong, supreme and unparalleled, the Emperor of Shenhuang, the master of the Fenghuang God Sect, suddenly staggered back two steps. He looked at Feng Xue'er in disbelief, his body trembling violently. He wanted to reach out and help her up, but his hands were shaking uncontrollably.
“Father.” Feng Xue'er raised her head. Her face was drenched in tears, her voice choked: “Please… save them.”
Feng Hengkong’s body shook again. He clearly understood what Feng Xue'er meant by “save them,” but he could not utter a single word in response.
“Please,” Feng Xue'er said again, her words still choked but her gaze resolute: “Xue’er is willing to use her status as the Divine Maiden of the Fenghuang God Sect, her honor, her life, and everything she has, to atone for their sins… and your sins.”
“Xue’er!” Feng Hengkong’s voice suddenly grew sharp, his eyes flashing with fury: “I have indulged you time and time again! Your demands, I have met them one by one! Don’t push me too far!”
“Please!” Feng Xue'er cried out again, her body trembling as she pressed her forehead heavily to the ground.
That cry, that sound, made Feng Hengkong’s expression change greatly. He watched Feng Xue'er kneeling on the ground, her tears falling, and looking at the ancestors of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan. For a long time, he did not move, as if he had lost his soul.
Not a single person present dared to speak, let alone interrupt. The sound of Feng Xue'er’s crying made everyone’s hearts ache.
Yun Che stood not far from Feng Xue'er, looking at her kneeling, his eyes filled with mixed emotions, complex and profound. Feng Xue'er was the Divine Maiden of the Fenghuang God Sect, the most pure and flawless existence in the entire Tian Xuan Continent. She was revered by all in Fenghuang God Sect, adored by the entire Shenhuang Empire. From the moment of her birth, she had been the beloved of heaven, the most wonderful treasure of the Fenghuang God Sect. She had never knelt to anyone, not even the heavens or her parents.
But now, she knelt to her father, for the sake of the ancestors of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan.
A long time passed, and Feng Xue'er wept with a sorrowful expression. Feng Hengkong, the Emperor of Shenhuang, who feared nothing under heaven, seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. He slowly lowered his hand and said in a hoarse voice: “Alright, I promise you.”
“Thank you… Father.” Feng Xue'er’s tears were even more sorrowful, but she finally showed a faint smile. She stood up with difficulty, her red dress stained with dust, but her beauty remained dazzling.
With an expression as cold as iron, Feng Hengkong glanced at Yun Che, then turned around and walked away, leaving behind a sentence: “Xue’er, before I leave, say everything you need to say. I will wait for you on the Phoenix Ark.”
“Mm.” Feng Xue'er nodded gently.
Feng Hengkong’s figure gradually faded into the distance. As he walked, he sighed heavily. In all his years as emperor, he had never sighed like this before, nor had he ever been forced into such a corner by his own daughter.
Perhaps, these ancestors of the Cangfeng Imperial Clan were the biggest stain in his life. Today, Feng Xue'er’s kneeling had revealed it completely.
The entire Cangfeng Imperial Palace was dead silent. Xia Yuanba, Dongfang Xiu, Qin Wushang, Feng Yunlie, and the others were all stunned there, their minds completely blank. For a long time, they could not believe the scene they had witnessed or the words they had heard.
Cang Yue was also frozen, at a loss. Yun Che reached out to Feng Xue'er, but as he took a step forward, he slowly retreated… He knew that this was too unfair to Feng Xue'er. As Feng Hengkong had shouted, there was no one in this world worthy of her kneeling, not even Feng Xue'er’s father, Feng Hengkong.
But perhaps, this could make Feng Xue'er feel a little better.
Her heart was too pure and too kind. After she learned the whole truth, the heavy sins and blood debts that Feng Hengkong bore weighed heavily on her soul. During the two days and one night on the Phoenix Ark, he had faintly sensed a kind of oppressive guilt and remorse emanating from Feng Xue'er.