Chapter 1360 - Starlight

“Big Brother Benefactor,” Feng Xian’er’s eyes slowly turned distant as she said softly, “Did you know? Big Brother and I worked hard to cultivate every day after both you and Big Sister Xueruo were gone. From Elementary Profound Realm... to True Profound Realm... Spirit Profound Realm... Earth Profound Realm... Sky Profound Realm... Emperor Profound Realm... Every time I achieved a breakthrough, I would be overjoyed and shouting your name happily in my heart... because I’d finally gotten closer to you again.”

Yun Che, “...”

“Later on, big brother and I were finally allowed to leave, so we traveled the entire Profound Sky Continent and visited quite a few places in the Illusory Demon Realm as well. Your legend is everywhere no matter where we go, you know? You saved Blue Wind Nation, the Illusory Demon Realm, and the Profound Sky Continent. You are a god not only to us, but also the entire continent.”

“The places you’d gone to... Floating Cloud City, New Moon Profound Palace, Wasteland of Death, Blue Wind Profound Palace, Demon Imperial City, and more... We visited all of them. I’d be so happy every time I heard any rumor that was related to you. Big Brother and I wanted to meet you again so much, but we later heard that you’d left this world to go to a higher plane.”

“Some time after that, we ran into Big Sister Phoenix Goddess, and she told us that you were the one who had saved us again five years ago, and that you were also the one who had left behind the complete version of the World Ode of the Phoenix and those miraculous spirit pellets. It was at that moment we knew that you’d never forgotten about us even after you’d become a legend...”

“I cried a lot on that day. Even Big Brother shed a lot of tears while he comforted me.”

A beautiful, soft smile appeared around the corner of her lips, but her face was streaked in tears.

“...” Yun Che had never realized that his careless gift would strike such a deep chord in the duo’s hearts.

“You’re... not just a benefactor to me,” Feng Xian’er whispered quietly like she was talking in her sleep, “You are the goal I’d decided to spend my entire life chasing after since I was eight years old, and you are the sky in my heart.”

She turned around and stared at him dazedly, “The sky... may rain or turn gray, but it can never truly fall on our heads, right?”

“...” The tears in her eyes looked like starlight. They slipped soundlessly into his heart and soul.

He might be a cripple now, but he was still the sky in another’s heart...

The light of her tears entered the darkened world, and Yun Che opened his mouth slightly before turning to look at her, “Xian’er, I’m feeling a little hungry... Can you... Feed me?”

Right now, he honestly didn’t have the strength to lift his arms.

Feng Xian’er’s teary eyes trembled once before she nodded with great force...

She raised the bowl and grabbed a delicate-looking wooden spoon that she had made herself. Although she was at the Emperor Profound Realm, her fingers felt weak to her for some reason. She had to gather nearly all of her concentration to successfully push the filled spoon gently into Yun Che’s mouth.

The warm liquid entered his body and brushed gently against his mind. Yun Che looked up slightly to the infinitely gray sky again, and for the first time he saw many beautiful stars that he had unconsciously neglected before.

...It had been a long, long time since he last had a girl feed him like this.

Xiao Lingxi had been the only one to do so during this life, and Su Ling’er in his last.

————

Western Divine Region, Dragon God Realm, Forbidden Land of Samsara.

Shen Xi’s figure and countenance were covered by white mist. The only thing that was revealed was a vague outline.

Beside her, a tall, imposing figure stood with a serious expression on his face. Although he wasn’t circulating any aura, an invisible, draconic might seemed to fall naturally from the heavens and silence the entire space that was the Forbidden Land of Samsara.

“Has the Evil Infant truly come back to life?” Shen Xi asked.

“Mn.” Dragon Monarch nodded, “All four god emperors of the Eastern Divine Region fought a terrible battle against the Evil Infant in the Star God Realm, and while Qianye Fantian, Zhou Xuzi, and Xing Juekong were injured terribly in that battle, Yue Wuya passed away because his injuries were too severe. Xing Juekong has gone missing, but he has probably just gone into hiding due to the severe damage done to his heart and soul. Qianye Fantian and Zhou Xuzi’s injuries were pretty severe as well, and the level of devilish energy they were tainted with was extremely high. It will take them several years, or even several dozen years to flush it completely from their systems.”

“A huge number of Star Gods, Moon Gods, Guardians and Brahma Kings perished in that battle as well.”

“Considering how terrifying the Evil Infant already is when she has just awakened, the consequences of not finding her soon are... unimaginable.”

The Dragon Monarch looked incredibly solemn. For the past two hundred thousand years, he has been the strongest, highest, and most untouchable existence in the entire God Realm and Primal Chaos. But today, an ancient power that surpasses his had resurfaced, and it possessed the ability to threaten any living being or race in the world.

“Does this mean that the Dragon God Realm is prepared to send someone to the Eastern Divine Region to seek out the Evil Infant?” Shen Xi asked.

“There is no other way,” the Dragon Monarch nodded with deep eyes, “the World Destroying Devil Wheel... isn’t something that matters to the Eastern Divine Region only. Even the six king realms of the Western Divine Region will be sending their main force to the Eastern Divine Region in the hope that they can hunt down the Evil Infant while it is still weakened in the shortest time possible.”

“The Southern Divine Region is acting similarly as well.”

“In the past, the Eastern Divine Region would’ve stopped this no matter what, but this time they were actually urging the two divine regions to act faster.” Dragon Monarch exhaled slightly before continuing, “Both Brahma Monarch Realm and Eternal Heaven Realm are incredibly powerful, but even they were scared out of their wits after just one battle... It doesn’t take much to imagine just how scary the Evil Infant is.”

“There’s one more thing I need to tell you, but you probably knew it already.” Dragon Monarch suddenly changed the subject and said, “Yun Che passed away during the Evil Infant calamity as well. But did you happen to know why he had suddenly traveled to the Star God Realm without warning? According to Zhou Xuzi, he even passed through the Absolute Star Soul Barrier somehow. How strange.”

Shen Xi answered indifferently, “What’s the point of knowing this if he’s already dead?”

“It’s just... such a shame.” the Dragon Monarch shook his head before letting out a sigh, “He was an unparalleled genius who attracted a nine stage heavenly tribulation. I’m not sure if someone like him will ever appear in the God Realm again even if another million years were to pass. To think that he would perish this soon... especially when you’d even broken your golden rule for him.”

“...” A misty look flitted across Shen Xi’s eyes for a moment, and she asked slowly, “I heard that the Evil Infant’s host is the Heavenly Slaughter Star God?”

“That’s right.”

“Are you sure that she is just... the host?”

The Dragon Monarch looked a little surprised before he turned around to look at her in puzzlement, “What do you mean?”

“...” The way the Evil Infant’s Wheel of Myriad Tribulations returned to life had been largely different from her initial expectations. But instead of explaining herself, she replied softly, “What I mean to say is, is it possible that she isn’t the host of the Evil Infant’s Wheel of Myriad Tribulations, but the master?”

“That is absolutely impossible,” Dragon Monarch shook his head without hesitation, “The first thing the Evil Infant did after she had awakened was to slaughter the people of the Star God Realm. If the Heavenly Slaughter Star God hadn’t been robbed of her body and soul, why would she kill her fellow star gods, wound her own father, and destroy nearly the entire Star God Realm?”

“...” Emotions stirred behind Shen Xi’s eyes. Yun Che’s figure and the absolute determination he had shown her just before he left surfaced inside her heart.

“Moreover, the Evil Infant’s Wheel of Myriad Tribulations and the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword were the two strongest artifacts of the Primal Chaos. One of them was absolutely evil, and the other absolutely holy. Back in the days of the Era of Gods, the Evil Infant’s Wheel of Myriad Tribulations never had a master. Even the head of the Creation Gods, the Heaven Punishing Devil Emperor wasn’t worthy of becoming the Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword’s master, and could only command it to a very limited degree. How could there be anyone who could command the Evil Infant’s Wheel of Myriad Tribulations in this day and age?”

“...” Shen Xi nodded slightly as if she was acknowledging the truth behind his words.

“Oh right, where is He Ling? Why don’t I see her?” Dragon Monarch looked around a little.

“She has found her true calling. Naturally, I couldn’t keep her here.” Shen Xi replied before turning around. Her gentle voice sounded like flying cotton in the wind, “You may go. My mental state is in a bit of a disorder as of late. I need to go into seclusion for a time, and you will be busy dealing with the Evil Infant yourself. You may not see me for a short period of time.”

The Dragon Monarch raised his arms slightly, but in the end he nodded, “Alright. Qianye Fantian and Zhou Xuzi are currently being plagued by the devilish energy from that battle. If they decide to come to you during their time of need, but you are unwilling to help them at that time, then I will show up and turn them away for you.”

Shen Xi nodded imperceptibly.

“Considering that you enjoy to company of a wood spirit, should I go find another one like Ling’er for you?”

“That is unnecessary. You may go.”

Finally, the Dragon Monarch left the scene.

When the draconic might left the Forbidden Land of Samsara, the water started flowing, the birds started chirping, and the butterflies starting flapping their wings once more. Shen Xi stood alone in this world, accompanied by neither He Ling nor Yun Che.

“He willingly went to his death for her, whereas she woke the Evil Infant for him.” Shen Xi spoke quietly to herself, “Human emotions are so... subtle.”

She stretched out her perfectly white arm in front of herself, and in her palm sat a delicate, vermillion-colored crystal. Her eyes misted slightly before she whispered to herself, “Wan Hu... who knew that our reunion would be this short? But... considering that you are a carefree soul, I’m sure you have no lingering regrets.”

She slowly gripped the vermillion crystal... but a sudden thought caused her to open her palm again. Her eyes went blank with shock.

She’s... asleep...?

He’s... still alive?

————

Profound Sky Continent, Blue Wind Nation. At the center of the Ten Thousand Beast Mountain Range, where the Phoenix Clan lived.

Yun Che’s arrival was without a doubt great news to this little lost clan.

Ever since Feng Xian’er words and tears had opened a tiny gap in Yun Che’s darkened, deadened heart, he was no longer the same person he was during the first day. Since the start of the second day, he started building up his terribly weak body consciously and stopped rejecting rest, food, and drink. Sometimes, he would even reveal a smile or two.

However, most of his time he was still blanking out, feeling lost... and looking indescribably pitiful and lonely.

Five days later, he was able to walk for a short period with Feng Xian’er and Feng Zu’er supporting him.

Ten days later, he could take a few steps on his own without aid.

Everyone here treated him with incredible kindness. Not only did they think of him as a benefactor they could never repay in full, they hadn’t looked down on him because he had become a cripple even once.

It was the good karma he had sowed himself many years ago.

Back when he still had the divine body of a dragon god and the Rage God Arts, he had been able to recover fully in a day even when he was near death. Of course, his current recovery rate was absolutely nothing like before.

Slow his recovery might be, but he was without a doubt improving every day.

Time passed quickly, and before he knew it it had been almost a month since his return.

By now, he could walk on his own for a very long distance. His body wasn’t as numb and weak as it was before. He could address every resident by their names, and the smile on his face seemed to appear even more frequently than before.

However, he hadn’t once requested to leave the Phoenix Clan... In fact, he hadn’t even asked anyone about the outside world.