# Chapter 729: A Heavy Metamorphosis
"What did you say!!"
Cang Yue's words made Feng Hengkong's face change instantly. With a violent roar, the stone bricks beneath his feet shattered, and the entire great hall shook fiercely, dust and sand raining down. Although Yun Che remained seated motionless, the teacup beside him was thrown high into the air, shattering into pieces when it landed.
Those waiting outside the hall were all startled. Xia Yuanba, without a second word, was about to rush in, but as soon as he took a step, Tianxia Diyi grabbed him and shook his head. "Don't act rashly. Brother Yun is inside."
"Such a violent reaction from the Phoenix Sect Master—could it be that you're unwilling?" Faced with Feng Hengkong's sudden outburst, Cang Yue showed no sign of panic, not even a ripple in her gaze... This alone was something an ordinary person could never achieve. Feng Hengkong was not only the emperor of Shenhuang but also a tenth-rank Overlord Emperor! The momentum of his sudden eruption was enough to make even a Throne collapse in terror.
"Outrageous!" Feng Hengkong had just said that Feng Xue'er was his inviolable reverse scale, and now Cang Yue had proposed a condition that ruthlessly touched that very scale. Had the situation not forced his hand, he would have already erupted in fury and struck down the one who spoke those words... no matter who he was.
"I deeply admired the magnanimity and tolerance of the Cang Yue Emperor, but I never expected that behind such tolerance and generosity, you were actually setting your sights on the most precious treasure of my Shenhuang!" Feng Hengkong's hands were clenched tightly, his face full of anger. "Xue'er is not only my daughter but also the sole inheritor of the only divine spirit in Tian Xuan Continent, the future Phoenix God of my Fenghuang God Sect! How could a mere Yun Che be worthy of her! And you even want Xue'er to be a concubine—utterly preposterous! I beg the Cang Yue Emperor to abandon such wishful thinking!!!"
"Sister Xue'er may indeed be the most outstanding woman in all of Tian Xuan. Anyone who sees Xue'er would probably not deny that." Cang Yue did not retreat in the slightest. "But my husband is also an inheritor of the Phoenix God bloodline. He started cultivating profound arts at sixteen, became famous at seventeen, achieved the position of the number one person in Cang Feng by nineteen, and single-handedly defeated six nations—including your Shenhuang!—in the Seven Nation Ranking Battle. Now, at only twenty-two, he alone has made your great Fenghuang God Sect so miserable that you, the Phoenix Sect Master, were forced to endure great unwillingness and humiliation to personally come to Cang Feng to atone!"
"Among his peers, my husband's achievements are unprecedented in the entire history of Cang Feng, with no second person! How is he unworthy of your daughter!"
Cang Yue's voice carried deep pride. In her eyes, there was only someone who could not match Yun Che, not the other way around.
"I will say it again... stop your wishful thinking!" Feng Hengkong's voice was low and heavy. He used all his patience to suppress the fury that was nearly out of control.
"Then please, Phoenix Sect Master, provide a reason sufficient to convince me!"
"...I said he is unworthy, so he is unworthy!" Feng Hengkong's icy tone carried the threat of imminent eruption. "Just because my daughter is the future Phoenix God, there is no one in this world worthy of Xue'er!!"
"What a pale argument!" Cang Yue smiled faintly. She confronted Feng Hengkong head-on. The gap in their profound strength was like heaven and earth, and the time they had sat on the throne differed by a hundred years, yet in terms of presence, she was not suppressed by Feng Hengkong in the slightest. "But I have several reasons why Feng Xue'er must marry Yun Che."
Not "should," but "must."
She emphasized the word "must" with the heaviest tone.
"Hmph!" Feng Hengkong turned his face away, too lazy to respond. His posture said that even if she talked until the sky fell, he would only sneer at it.
"First, as I understand it, Feng Xue'er's Phoenix Blood was directly bestowed by the Phoenix Divine Spirit of your Fenghuang God Sect, so her body contains the most original and pure Phoenix Bloodline. Apart from Feng Xue'er, your Fenghuang God Sect no longer has anyone with original Phoenix Blood! However, Yun Che's Phoenix Blood was also directly bestowed by the Phoenix Divine Spirit—equally the most original and pure Phoenix Bloodline! I am clearer about this than anyone, because I was right beside Yun Che when he underwent the Phoenix Trial and Inheritance!"
"Therefore, in terms of Phoenix Bloodline, even within your Fenghuang God Sect, no one is worthy of Feng Xue'er. Only my husband, Yun Che, has the most perfect compatibility with Xue'er's bloodline!"
Feng Hengkong's brows tightened, and he remained silent... He had known all this long ago.
"Second, the Phoenix Sect Master must not forget that you are here today to atone! I have hated for three full years. If not for the hundreds of millions of Cang Feng people on my shoulders, I would truly wish to use this opportunity to impose the harshest sanctions on Shenhuang... I would even wish to personally take your life to avenge my father!" Cang Yue's words were calm, but one could still clearly feel the deep hatred and resentment accumulated beneath her tranquil tone. "But in the end, I made such a choice. If Feng Xue'er marries my husband, for Cang Feng, it will greatly uplift the frightened hearts of the people. In the future, they can rely on your Shenhuang as a backing and no longer fear any war or bullying, allowing my Cang Feng people to enjoy lasting peace."
"For your Shenhuang, you do not need to announce your guilt to the world, you do not need to cede territory, you do not need to pay tribute, you do not need to lose face, suffer complete humiliation, and become a laughingstock. The Shenhuang Kingdom will not experience panic and turmoil. Shenhuang can fully preserve its dignity and stability, and you, the Phoenix Sect Master, can preserve your freedom and life! At the same time, you will also find the best home in the world for your daughter!"
"This is the greatest mercy and tolerance that I—a woman burdened with the hatred of a murdered father and the grief of a lost nation—can offer! If you agree, both nations will be delighted. If you refuse... then I will withdraw all my mercy and tolerance!!"
Feng Hengkong: "..."
"Third!" Cang Yue's voice did not pause. Her phoenix eyes stared straight at Feng Hengkong. "Since the Phoenix Sect Master insists that my husband Yun Che is unworthy of your daughter, then please kindly inform me—in the entire Tian Xuan Continent, is there anyone more worthy of your daughter than Yun Che!?"
"..." Feng Hengkong's lips moved, but for a long time, he said nothing.
And this time, it was not that Feng Hengkong was too lazy to respond, but truly speechless.
Cang Yue's earlier words had only slightly touched him, but this time, as his thoughts naturally turned with her words, he suddenly realized that among his peers, there really was no one who could compare to Yun Che.
The Yun Che who had driven his Fenghuang God Sect to such a state was only twenty-two years old... At such an age, within the Fenghuang God Sect, apart from Feng Xue'er, there was not even anyone worthy of carrying his shoes!!
The world's strongest were all concentrated in the Fenghuang God Sect and the Four Sacred Grounds. Yet even within the Four Sacred Grounds, not to mention the twenty-year-old age group, among those within sixty years of age, he could not think of anyone who could compare to Yun Che.
These days, immersed in the disaster brought by Yun Che, busy day and night with a troubled mind, he had subconsciously neglected a fact that could shock the entire continent... Yun Che, who had returned alive after being "dead" for three years, had most likely become the indisputable number one among the younger generation of men in Tian Xuan Continent!
Then, if there was only one person in this world worthy of Feng Xue'er... it was undoubtedly Yun Che!
"It seems the Phoenix Sect Master cannot name anyone." Noticing the change in Feng Hengkong's expression, Cang Yue smiled faintly. "That means this third reason of mine is also valid!"
"Fourth!" Cang Yue continued. "I have heard that before she turned thirteen, Sister Xue'er grew up under the protection of the Fenghuang God Sect, and after thirteen, under the protection of the entire sect. Because she has never truly stepped into the mortal world, she must be especially ignorant when it comes to matters of love between a man and a woman. Therefore, Sister Xue'er may not yet understand what her feelings toward Yun Che truly are. But I believe that with the Phoenix Sect Master's experience and wisdom, you cannot fail to see... Sister Xue'er's feelings for Yun Che are by no means simply gratitude for saving her life!"
"Sss..." Cang Yue's words made Feng Hengkong grit his teeth, his entire body trembling violently.
Yes... How could he not see it, not feel it!!
That was why, after hearing the news that Yun Che was alive, he felt as if his chest would split, his emotions out of control, and he was determined to kill him no matter what. That was why, when he suddenly heard Cang Yue's demand that Feng Xue'er marry Yun Che, the emotions and momentum he had suppressed for the sake of atonement instantly erupted beyond control.
Having always been deeply curious about the Snow Princess, known as the "Number One Beauty of Tian Xuan," for whom Yun Che was willing to risk his life to save, Cang Yue finally met her today. While marveling at her goddess-like beauty, she also saw Feng Xue'er's unusual gaze when facing Yun Che and heard the peculiar emotion in her voice when she said the words "Brother Yun." Although less than two hours had passed since they met, she had already clearly seen through many things.
From Feng Xue'er, she seemed to see herself back then when facing Yun Che—uncontrollably joyful, delighted, warm, satisfied, letting down all defenses, and completely opening her heart.
"Is that everything you have to say?!" Feng Hengkong's hands were clenched tightly.
"No!" Cang Yue shook her head and continued slowly. "I know that the Phoenix Sect Master's blunt refusal without hesitation was the instinctive love and protection of a father for his daughter, unable to tolerate sacrificing his daughter as the price for compromise. But, Phoenix Sect Master, after all I have said, I believe you have reason to reconsider whether Sister Xue'er marrying Yun Che is truly a sacrifice. Sister Xue'er not only feels gratitude toward Yun Che but also romantic affection. As her father, you must see this even more clearly than I do! And my husband, though he has always been 'gentle and compassionate,' is not the kind to risk his life to save just any beautiful woman!"
"And to have someone you admire, who is also willing to protect you with their life—Phoenix Sect Master, do you know that for a woman, this can be the greatest happiness and fortune of a lifetime. And Sister Xue'er has found such a person... Once found, it is an unforgettable lifetime!"
"You just said that to you, Sister Xue'er is more important than your own life, even more important than the survival of the Shenhuang Kingdom and the Fenghuang God Sect! If you forcefully separate Sister Xue'er from Yun Che, given Sister Xue'er's pure and untouched heart, it will bring her permanent, indelible heartache and sorrow. Then the only result is that you, who claims Sister Xue'er is more important than anything else, will use your own selfishness to personally give her a lifetime of heartache!"
"You..." Feng Hengkong's body swayed. Cang Yue's words had undoubtedly struck him heavily.
"Therefore, my condition is not coercion, not humiliation, not sacrifice... it is forgiveness and fulfillment!!" Before Feng Hengkong could utter another word, Cang Yue's voice suppressed him. "Of course, you can still choose to refuse. Then let it be as if all my previous words were never spoken. I will also withdraw all my mercy and tolerance... with no room left for negotiation!!"
Cang Yue's last sentence carried a pressure that even made Yun Che feel a momentary weight.
When Cang Yue proposed that Feng Xue'er marry Yun Che as his concubine, Yun Che was stunned for several breaths. After that, he silently watched Cang Yue, not uttering a word the entire time, but inside, waves that could not be calmed were churning.
Back then, his Yue'er, his Senior Sister Xueruo, was independent and strong, yet also exceptionally gentle, kind, and soft. In front of him, she would even unreservedly release her vulnerability. After their grand wedding in the palace, despite being a princess, she personally dressed him, sewed for him, and prepared his three meals every day... She served him with meticulous care, almost completely forgetting her identity as a princess, wholeheartedly becoming the most perfect wife belonging only to him, treating him as her entire world, no longer contending for anything, no longer seeking anything.
But the woman before him now, wearing a phoenix crown and golden robes, with an imperial majesty radiating, stood face to face with Feng Hengkong's overwhelming pressure, her presence not weaker in the slightest, and even faintly overpowering him. Her phoenix eyes, deepened countless times, were sometimes warm, sometimes icy cold, sometimes sharp. Her voice penetrated directly to the soul, her words sharp and incisive, wise and coldly alert, unassailable. A few sentences had nearly completely collapsed Feng Hengkong's erupting momentum...
Three years. Only three years had passed, yet she had undergone such earth-shaking changes.
Such changes, if they happened to someone else, might take thirty years, or even three hundred years to achieve... But happening to Cang Yue, Yun Che felt not the slightest surprise, only a heavy, piercing pain.
Perhaps there is nothing in this world more capable of driving—no, forcing—a person to transform quickly than bearing the calamity of a fallen nation.
And the price behind such a transformation was so heavy that ordinary people could hardly imagine it... At the very least, what she had borne in these three years was far, far heavier than what Xiao Yaohou had endured under the shadow of Huai Wang.