Chapter 828: Eternal Farewell
The void was shattered, and Mo Li's figure appeared above the Southern Sea of Tian Xuan. The blue sea stretched to the sky, boundless and vast. Mo Li floated there, frozen, her icy and ruthless eyes rapidly melting... until they dissolved into a layer of mist, blurring her vision, along with the entire world.
Suddenly... an eternal farewell...
All of this was far too sudden for Yun Che—and for her, was it any different?
For Yun Che, there was only the piercing pain of departure, but for her, there were too many helpless cruelties that Yun Che could never understand.
"Like this... it's for the best..."
In a world without Yun Che, she murmured softly...
"Now... without me, he can still grow quickly..."
"In just a few more years... he can personally take his revenge... fulfill all his wishes... and no one in the world will ever be able to threaten him... or oppose him..."
"He will miss me, maybe he'll be sad... but he has parents who love him... so many friends... so many women... before long, he will... slowly forget me..."
Mo Li slowly closed her eyes, her hand still pressed against her chest, unable to move away... because the suffocating feeling there was too strong. This was the third time in her life she had felt this way.
The first time was when her mother passed away.
The second was when her brother fell.
The third...
A warm sensation surged at the corners of her eyes and lips. She instinctively reached up to touch them...
At her eyes were tears; at her lips, blood.
Because they would never see each other again.
Seven years, like a dream.
Slowly curling her small hands together, she murmured in a daze: "So this... is the greatest tribulation in my destiny..."
The sound of space tearing came from behind, followed by Yu Luo's soft and delicate voice: "Princess, do you want to take one more look at the scenery here before we leave?"
"No interest." Mo Li's gaze instantly turned cold. Without even glancing back at her, she said flatly, "Remember what you promised me, or else... I will follow through!"
"Oh, Princess, you're always scaring your servant." Yu Luo sounded half-fearful, half-aggrieved: "After this servant brings you back, I absolute~ly will not mention that handsome little brother to our King. If I lie, this servant will submit to whatever punishment you decree."
"Hmph! Let's go!"
With a flash, Mo Li vanished into the void, again ahead of Yu Luo.
She kept her back to Yu Luo the entire time, so she never saw the strange glimmer deep in Yu Luo's eyes as she spoke.
—————————————————
The main hall at the heart of Phoenix City had been leveled to the ground. The grand betrothal feast—which had gathered major sects, powers, royal families, and noble clans from across the entire continent—had ended in a way no one could have anticipated.
Mo Li had left. Yun Che still stood there, his mind and heart in utter turmoil, his brain almost completely unable to think. Around him, the people Mo Li had swept away were all looking at one another in bewilderment. Some were still dazed, because their understanding of the profound path had been shaken like never before.
"Brother-in-law's master... is someone from another world?" Xia Yuanba muttered blankly. "The Realm of the Gods?"
"She came from another world—we were already certain of that. The history of the Tian Xuan Continent has never recorded a power of that level." Gu Cang Zhenren sighed. "I just never imagined she was from the legendary God Realm. No wonder her strength was so terrifying."
"God Realm?" Xia Yuanba turned to his master. "Is that the 'God Realm' she and Brother-in-law were talking about? Do you know of this place, Master?"
Gu Cang Zhenren shook his head. "The universe is vast beyond measure. Our world is but a drop in the ocean. Legend says that if one can break through the bottleneck of the Jun Xuan realm and reach the Divine Xuan Realm, they step onto the edge of the divine path. At that point, their spiritual senses will also break through their limits and perceive the existence of other worlds. In ancient legends, the highest plane among all worlds is called the God Realm. There is a tale that Duotian Old Man, who vanished ten thousand years ago, broke through to the divine path and ascended to the God Realm."
"That so-called 'ascension' of Duotian Old Man was nothing but an ethereal legend and speculation. But the name 'God Realm' is recorded clearly in several ancient texts. And today, we heard that name from the mouth of Yun Che's master, who comes from another world... It seems the 'God Realm' written in those ancient books truly exists."
"Ahh..." Xia Yuanba's mouth dropped open. He muttered, "Brother-in-law said his master is even younger than Sister Xue'er, yet she's so powerful. And that strange woman who came earlier seemed even stronger than Brother-in-law's master. That God Realm... must be a terrifying place."
"That plane is beyond our understanding. Still, to have witnessed with my own eyes, in my lifetime, a person from the distant legendary God Realm—I can die without regrets. However..."
Gu Cang Zhenren quietly glanced around. The people of Huangji Sacred Domain had not yet recovered from their shock. The Supreme Sea Palace, which had just lost its Third Venerable, was caught between sorrow and alarm. As for the Sun Moon Divine Palace and the father-and-son pair of Xuanyuan Wentian, they were staring fixedly at Yun Che, their expressions shifting unceasingly.
"From their final words, they left and will never return," Gu Cang Zhenren sighed. "Yuanba, you should know that this betrothal feast was so grand not because of Yun Che himself, nor because of the Fenghuang God Sect—but because of Yun Che's master. Now that Yun Che's master has departed before everyone's eyes, Yun Che's situation... sigh."
Xia Yuanba was jolted awake in an instant.
Yun Che's identity had gone unquestioned because of his master. The fact that he possessed the Lunhui Jing had spread across the entire continent, yet no one dared to seize it precisely because of his master. Now that his master had left... it was as if the barrier that protected him, the one that even the Four Sacred Grounds dared not touch, had vanished.
Moreover, the three Venerables of Tian Wei Sword Domain were dead, their Northern Domain destroyed, and Ye Moxie and Qu Fengyi had suffered humiliation... They did not have the courage to take revenge on Yun Che's master, but it was extremely likely they would vent all their anger on Yun Che!
"I don't believe it..." Yun Che murmured softly. "You clearly didn't want to leave. I don't believe you don't want to see me again... I don't believe it..."
"Brother Yun..."
Feng Xue'er hurried to Yun Che's side. She could feel his grief and the feeling of his soul being lost. Gently, she comforted him, "Although I don't know what happened, that day at the Supreme Sea Palace, she worked so hard to protect you. So I believe that you and your master will surely meet again one day."
Yun Che lifted his head slightly and gave a faint smile. "Xue'er, you're right. All these years, how could I not understand in my heart whether she treated me well or not? Her final words were surely because she was afraid I would recklessly put myself in danger trying to find her... Since I've been scolded by her many times before for doing things like that."
"Mm!" Feng Xue'er nodded firmly.
"Brother-in-law!" Xia Yuanba rushed over urgently and lowered his voice. "You have to be careful. Now that your master isn't here, I'm afraid Xuanyuan Wentian and the others might..."
"I know." Yun Che was incredibly calm, with no trace of panic. "But don't worry. They won't do anything right now. With so many people present, they still have some face to maintain. Even if they want to make a move against me, it will have to be after the crowd disperses."
"Yuanba, don't worry about me," Yun Che said, suppressing all his emotions and putting on a relaxed smile. "Don't forget, I have the Primordial Mystic Ark. As long as I want to leave, even ten Xuanyuan Wentians can't do anything to me. In a little while, I'll take Xue'er and leave... We'll have to go back to the Huan Yao Realm for now."
Hearing this, Xia Yuanba felt reassured.
On the other side, Feng Hengkong was watching Yun Che and Feng Xue'er standing together. His mood was worlds apart from how it had been before the feast. He let out a heavy sigh. "To think something like this would happen, and on today of all days... This is bad."
All the disciples and elders of the Fenghuang God Sect—including Feng Tianwei and Feng Zukui—were completely dumbfounded.
Yun Che's master had left so suddenly, and she would never return. Yun Che had lost this immense backing... And hadn't the Fenghuang God Sect put on this grand betrothal feast precisely to tell the world that they had secured the protection of this unassailable power?
But before the feast could even conclude, everything had vanished like a bubble...
When Xuanyuan Wendao had entered Phoenix City, he had carried no arrogance at all. He, who normally wouldn't even put the Fenghuang Sect Leader in his eyes, had shown extreme deference to Feng Hengkong. To appease Yun Che's anger and earn a chance to live, he had stooped low, even laying his dignity at Yun Che's feet... But now, watching everything come to an end and looking at Yun Che's back, his expression and aura had completely changed. The resentment and humiliation he had been suppressing with all his strength surged like a beast unleashed, making his entire body tremble involuntarily.
"Father..."
Xuanyuan Wentian raised his hand and gave him a warning look. Then he strode over to Feng Hengkong's side and said blandly, "I never expected such a joyous occasion to turn into a farce. The Phoenix Sect Leader has just gained an excellent son-in-law, only for the son-in-law's master to fly away... What a pity."
Feng Hengkong's chest tightened sharply. He recalled how, a few hours ago, when Xuanyuan Wentian had arrived, he had bowed of his own accord, personally offered heavy gifts, and even bent his back to request a private audience for Xuanyuan Wendao with Yun Che... Now, Xuanyuan Wentian's tone was clearly that of a superior addressing an inferior, laced with sarcasm even a fool could detect.
"Heh heh," Feng Hengkong gave a helpless smile. "Alas, the world is unpredictable. It seems I have ruined the enjoyment of the honored guests."
"Not at all. After all, this was not the Phoenix Sect Leader's intention, was it?" Xuanyuan Wentian said with a grin, then turned his head away. "Phoenix City has been reduced to a wreck. It looks like the Phoenix Sect Leader will have to spend quite a while cleaning up this mess. Under these circumstances, our continued presence would only be an inconvenience."
"Wendao, let's go."
Before he had even finished speaking, Xuanyuan Wentian had already soared into the air, flying away without looking back. Xuanyuan Wendao's face twitched several times. He shot a venomous glare at Yun Che, then quickly followed.
Xuanyuan Wentian left so coldly, without the least regard for the Fenghuang God Sect's dignity. None of the forces from the Six Nations dared to comment, but a strange glimmer flashed almost simultaneously in the eyes of the other three Holy Lords.