Divine Phoenix Nation, Divine Phoenix Sect.
The right side of Feng Ximingâs face was dark red, like blood, and it was swollen as well. After being slapped so heavily by an enraged Feng Hengkong, not even Feng Ximing, who had such strong profound strength, had been able to completely recover. He stood in front of Feng Hengkong, bowing respectfully as he said, âRoyal Father, why have you summoned me?â
Both of Feng Hengkongâs hands were behind his back as he faintly said without turning around, âFeng Huwei has died.â
Feng Ximingâs brows suddenly furrowed. âDied?! It definitely seems like someone from the Four Great Sacred Grounds must have finally been unable to hold back and thus made a ruthless strike! Then... then that secret, has it been leaked?â
âFeng Huweiâs body was enchanted with the Cage of Memories which was created by the collaboration a few grand elders. There is absolutely no way that the secret was leaked.â Feng Hengkongâs brows narrowed. âFurthermore, the one who killed Feng Huwei actually wasnât someone from the Four Great Sacred Grounds. I donât believe that the Four Great Sacred Grounds would risk offending the Phoenix God to kill Feng Huwei just because they had some doubts.â
âItâs not someone from the Four Great Sacred Grounds?â The surprise atop Feng Ximingâs face intensified as he said, âAlthough Feng Huwei is the general of the Divine Phoenix Army, his profound strength by no means weak. Other than someone from the Four Great Sacred Grounds, who else has the power to and dares to kill Feng Huwei... Moreover! There is also the two hundred thousand strong Divine Phoenix Army at Feng Huweiâs side!â
âIt is someone you never would have thought of.â Feng Hengkong turned around. The expression on his face was incomparably heavy and ugly as he said, âItâs Yun... Che!!â
âWhat?â Feng Ximing suddenly raised his head, abruptly ripping open the wound on his face which caused the edge of his eye to twitch sporadically. âItâs that Yun Che?â
âHmph, is there any other? It is indeed the Yun Che who should have been buried within the Primordial Profound Ark three years ago!â Feng Heng heavily continued, âDonât bother asking how he is still alive, that is something that I want to know more than anyone else!â
âHow could he have lived? Three years ago, he disappeared along with the Primordial Profound Ark. There was simply no possibility of survival! Could it be... that it is only someone who looks similiar? Or perhaps just a simple illusion to confuse us?â
âHmph, I have not yet reached the point where I am unable to determine if someone is real or not!â snorted Feng Hengkong. The voice, expressions, glares... and the wild arrogance which emanated out from Yun Cheâs body from within Feng Huweiâs death soul imprint, there was absolutely no one within the world who could possibly reenact it. âNot only is he alive, his profound strength has advanced even further these last three years. Beneath his hands, there was simply nothing Feng Huwei could do to resist.â
âCould it be that his current strength has already reached the middle stage of the Tyrant Profound Realm?â asked Feng Ximing in shock. Feng Huweiâs profound strength had been at the early stage of the Tyrant Profound Realm, so for Yun Che to be able to render him helpless, Yun Che had to at least have the power of a mid-stage Overlord. âIt canât be! There is absolutely no way! No matter how talented he is, itâs not possible to advance so much within such the short span of three years!â
âWrong! His current strength is perhaps even greater than the middle stage of Tyrant Profound Realm.â Traces of coldness emerged within Feng Hengkongâs eyes as he solemnly said, âThe strange disappearance of the seven hundred thousand soldier army, including the two supervisor elders, Fei Heng and Fei Ying, in Blue Wind Imperial City was all due to him... These were his own words! If they are true, then his strength is definitely greater than the middle stage of Tyrant Profound Realm. It is very possible... that he has already reached the late stage of Tyrant Profound Realm!â
âThatâs even more impossible!â Feng Ximing shook his head without hesitation. âBack then, Yun Che had used all his strength and could only barely defeat Xiluo; his strength was probably only in the ninth level of the Emperor Profound Realm. In just three short years, even if he ate the Great Shifting Gold Pellet, itâs impossible that he could advance to the late stage of the Tyrant Profound Realm in such a short amount of time. If he used some special method or profound artifact, I could still accept it. However, if we said that he relied on his own strength to obliterate the seventy thousand strong Divine Phoenix Army and the two overseeing elders, I would never believe it no matter what.
âFurthermore, even if we consider the worst, even if Yun Che had really come back from the dead and now possesses the strength of a late-stage Overlord, he would only be a trifling thorn in our side. Also, knowing that the disappearance of the army had nothing to do with the Four Great Sacred Grounds, shouldnât royal father feel reassured instead, why is your expression still so glum?â
âHmph, even if there were another ten Yun Ches, he would not be able to conjure up much of a storm!â Feng Hengkongâs eyes knitted tightly. âBut, did you forget for what reason Xueâer was unconscious for three years!â
Feng Ximingâs expression changed drastically. âCould royal father be afraid that Xueâer...â
âIâm not worried!â Feng Hengkongâs chest rose strongly, and his expression was so ugly that his face nearly contorted. âItâs something even more scary than what you imagined! Do you know what Xueâer told us before we were chased out? She wanted us... to treat Blue Wind Nation kindly!â
â... Was this the reason why royal father ordered everyone to not talk about sending troops to Blue Wind?â Feng Ximing started to realize the severity of the problem.
âHow could we not agree to a request from Xueâer!â Feng Hengkong clenched his fists tightly. âThree years ago, Yun Che had indeed used his life to save Xueâer... and Xueâer had been unconscious for three years because of him and even cried in sadness for him! Before this... have you ever seen Xueâer cry?â
âWeâve long realized that her feelings towards Yun Che were not simply just pure gratitude!â Feng Hengkongâs body started to tremble as rage appeared in the depths of his eyes as well as a sense of anxiety. âXueâer obtained an ice type aerial profound beast out of nowhere, and we learned that the ice type profound beast was known as the Snow Phoenix. It only exists in a region in Blue Wind Nation known as the Snow Region of Extreme Ice, and Yun Che had once flown on a Snow Phoenix.â
âThen... could it be...â
âBefore Xueâer returned to Phoenix Perching Valley, she had suddenly requested to go to Blue Wind Nationâs Snow Region of Extreme Ice... and only one force exists at the Snow Region of Extreme Ice, which is Frozen Cloud Asgard! And Yun Che, was a member was of Frozen Cloud Asgard!â
Feng Hengkongâs words caused Feng Ximingâs expression to darken time and time again. âDoes that mean that even before the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, Xueâer and Yun Che had already known each other?â
âWe should have already known that with Yun Cheâs temperament. How could he have been willing to save her using his own life only because Xueâer had helped him! Similarly, how could Xueâer have been that heart broken if it was only because of the gratitude of him saving her...â Feng Hengkongâs rage had started turning into hostility, and the temperature within the entire Divine Phoenix Main Hall had started to rise intensely.
Feng Xueâer... A precious gem bestowed by heaven upon the Divine Phoenix Sect, the future Phoenix God of the Divine Phoenix Sect! His biggest pride, the most precious thing in his entire world, much more than his life. A daughter that was much more important than the entire Divine Phoenix Sect combined. But she had shed her tears for an outsider, an enemy of the Divine Phoenix Sect...
He could never blame Feng Xueâer, but his hatred for Yun Che had already grown leaps and bounds! The fact that he possessed the Phoenix bloodline and insulted the pride of his entire sect was nothing in comparison.
Because Feng Xueâerâs suggestion of treating Blue Wind Nation kindly had already thrown him into utter confusion and caused him to order a ban within the entire city. Furthermore, Yun Che was still alive! If Xueâer were to learn that Yun Che was still alive... he could not imagine what would happen.
Feng Ximing said with some calmness, âHowever, Xueâer usually stays either at the Phoenix Realm or Phoenix Perching Valley. It would have been impossible in the Phoenix Realm, and as for Phoenix Perching Valley, there are enchantments on three of its boundaries. For the last one, there lies a Great Phoenix Formation. Only members of our sect would be able to enter. It is impossible for Yun Che to have come into contact with Xueâer!â
âThe problem probably lies on the Great Phoenix Formation!â Feng Hengkongâs expression darkened even further. âThe Great Phoenix Formation does not only allow our sect members to enter. Donât forget, Yun Che also possesses the Phoenix bloodline and can enter without restraint as well! Three years ago, several days before the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament began, you once personally told us that Chenâerâs chief bodyguard had died tragically within the Great Phoenix Formation...â
Feng Ximing was shocked before his expression drastically changed. âRoyal Father, do you mean that the person who killed Feng Chihuo back then was Yun Che?! And after that, he passed through the Great Phoenix Formation and met Xueâer in Phoenix Perching Valley?â
âHighly likely!â Feng Hengkong solemnly said, his clenched fist making cracking noises. Back then, when he had heard that Feng Chihuo had died, he treated it as if it was nothing because he was preparing for the Seven Nation Ranking tournament and the Primordial Profound Ark. He would not bother with a lowly bodyguardâs death. Furthermore, dying within the Great Phoenix Formation meant that it was likely a battle between sect members and he had lost due to inferior skills! However, when Feng Xueâer had awoken, all her actions had caused his mind to be in a mess, and he had unknowingly recalled the âsmall matterâ that had happened three years ago.
âXueâer is pure and innocent, her heart untainted. Yun Che possessed the aura of the Divine Phoenix, so even if he had barged into Phoenix Perching Valley, Xueâer would not be cautious against him. Also, he is very glib-tongued and silenced so many people during the ranking tournament... Xueâer would not be able to resist his bewitchment!â Feng Hengkong clenched his teeth together tightly. Although this was all speculation, the more he thought about it and the deeper he thought about it recently, the more likely he felt that this was true.
âWhat shall we do next?â On Feng Ximing, the same sense of hostility as the one on Feng Hengkong appeared.
âOf course it is to kill him within the shortest amount of time!â Feng Hengkong uttered each word with killing intent, âNo matter what, we must not let Xueâer see Yun Che... No! We must not let Xueâer find out that heâs alive!
âMingâer, go inform all the elders together in the Divine Phoenix Main Hall tomorrow afternoon to discuss matters! Furthermore... it looks like we must employ a grand elder to kill Yun Che! Although the possibility that Yun Che is in the late stage of the Tyrant Profound Realm is low... he needs to die!â As he finished speaking, only the sound of his grinding teeth could be heard.
In his entire life, he had never had such bone deep hatred for someone.
Allowing a cornerstone Grand Elder of the Divine Phoenix Sect to kill a twenty odd year old youth, any member of the Divine Phoenix Sect hearing this would stare mouth agape in disbelief, but Feng Ximing did not appear to be shocked... because just as Feng Hengkong had said, Yun Che had to die! His life was worthless... but this concerned Feng Xueâer!!
âI understand.â Feng Ximing bowed solemnly.
Feng Hengkongâs chest rose and fell strongly before he eventually calmed down and seemingly muttered to himself, âLooks like before we can ensure that Yun Che and all worries are eliminated, we must try and delay Xueâerâs trip to Blue Wind Nationâs Snow Region of the Extreme Ice...â
He turned around and looked at the right side of Feng Ximingâs face, and his gaze immediately turned much gentler, âMingâer, is your face still hurting... Royal Father could not control his emotions and apologizes.â
Feng Ximing immediately replied in shock, âWhat is royal father saying! I spoke out of line and made Xueâer sad. Royal father reprimanding me is only natural. I only feel ashamed and have no complaints. What royal father is saying now only makes me feel worse.â
âHeh heh,â Feng Hengkong reassuringly laughed slightly, before waving his hand. âYou may leave. Only we need to know what has been said today.â
âUnderstood! Naturally, I wonât tell anyone anything that we discussed... I shall not disturb royal father anymore and will withdraw!â
Exiting from the Divine Phoenix Main Hall, Feng Ximingâs originally calm expression had sunk as well. He looked up, touched the swollen right side of his face, and his entire face contorted. His eyes stared widely, and within the depth of his eyes, there was a malicious, ice cold, killing intent ... Gradually, traces of blood seeped through from between his teeth and gathered on his trembling lips.
âYun... Che!!! You... actually... dare...â
âYou... actually... dare!!!â
This Chapterâs Teaser