The last two weeks he had spent on the Profound Sky Continent had been extremely "fruitful."
First of all, through some simple investigations, he managed to precisely confirm the exact point in the timeline where that world was located. From what he gathered, Yun Che, a name already quite well-known in the Blue Wind Empire, had "died" in the Primordial Profound Ark during his incursion into the Divine Phoenix Empire. This had happened two years ago. In other words, at that moment, Yun Che had probably already arrived or was about to arrive in the Illusory Demon Realm.
This fact, however, did not cause him any concern. First, because from the moment he had awakened in that world, he had already deduced, with reasonable accuracy, at what point in the original story's timeline he had been reborn. Second, because all the necessary preparations to receive that "trash" in his territory had already been completed.
What really mattered was that, over those two weeks, he took advantage of every opportunity he still remembered existing, without wasting a single resource or favorable chance. After updating himself on the recent news from the Profound Sky Continent, he went to Floating Cloud City and excavated, without leaving any traces, the fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals hidden in a mine.
Of course, he had to deal with some problems to obtain them....
Apparently, the Divine Phoenix Empire was already eyeing them and had started a war against the Blue Wind Empire.
From what he discovered through some simple investigations during his journey, two years earlier, when they received the news that Yun Che had died inside the Primordial Profound Ark, the princess of the Blue Wind Empire named Cang Yue had fainted right there and become very ill. Three months later, the Divine Phoenix Empire would send three million strong troops against the border, beginning a large-scale invasion. This plunged Blue Wind into chaos as it faced a precarious situation... Three more months later, the former emperor named Cang Wanhe had been assassinated, and even on his deathbed, he could not find someone to be his successor... The princes had spent their entire lives fighting for the position, conspiring to gain Cang Wanhe's approval, as they all dreamed of becoming Emperors. But as soon as the Divine Phoenix Empire invaded, the only fate of the Blue Wind Empire was to perish. Who would be willing to be the ruler of a doomed nation? Everyone just wanted to hide.
However, at that time, Cang Yue, who was still immersed in the pain of losing Yun Che, stood by Cang Wanhe's bedside and, using her weak shoulders, voluntarily took on that burden of fighting against her nation's fatal destiny. In the history of the Blue Wind Imperial Family, there had never been a female ruler before. However, when Cang Yue ascended to the throne, there was not a single objection from the princes. On the contrary, they all let out a long sigh of relief.
Although no one knew the reason for this sudden war, that did not mean he did not know. According to what he knew, four years ago, when the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region began preparations for the appearance of the Primordial Profound Ark, a extremely weakened reaction from a Purple Crystal mine located in the extreme east of the Blue Wind Nation was coincidentally discovered. Never before, in the entire recorded history of the sect, had a reaction from a Purple Crystal mine been detected at such a great distance.
Faced with this anomaly, some protectors from the Mighty Heavenly Sword Region were secretly sent to investigate the situation. The investigation revealed that, deeply buried beneath the lands to the east of a small city known as Floating Cloud City, there existed a Purple Crystal mine of enormous proportions and extremely powerful energy.
If it were possible to extract and refine all the crystals from this mine completely, the total yield would reach about fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals. Just the existence of fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Heavenly Crystals would already be enough to shake the heavens; fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals represented something even more unbelievable.
Even the Four Great Sacred Grounds would consider fifty kilograms of Purple Veins as an incomparable resource. It was necessary to understand that a Sacred Ground would take at least five hundred years to accumulate fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals. Thus, if the Divine Phoenix Sect managed to obtain this amount completely, it would be equivalent to conquering five hundred entire years of a Sacred Ground's accumulation.
A temptation of this level was more than enough to attract the Divine Phoenix Sect. In fact, it would be capable of attracting any force existing on the Profound Sky Continent, leading it to do everything in its power to obtain such a treasure, even if it meant acting without the slightest scruple.
Since then, both empires had entered into war in various locations. Because of this, he had some problems acquiring the fifty kilograms of Purple Veined Divine Crystals. Well, what they did not know was that the reason behind the war had fallen into his hands....
He also went after Fen Juechen, someone who, at that moment, hated Yun Che to the bone. In the original story, this hatred would end up being gradually erased when Fen Juechen became the sworn brother of Xiao Lingxi, Yun Che's adoptive aunt and, technically, his own aunt. However, this had not happened yet.
But the reason for seeking him out had nothing to do with empathy.
He wanted the [Heavenly Sin Divine Sword].
It was a weapon that, in the past, reached the level of a True God. Within it resided a demonic spirit: the soul of the son of the Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign, the same one he had already killed before. Furthermore, the sword carried engraved on it the [Eternal Night Illusory Devil Tome], an extremely rare dark profound art. Although he had already completely copied this profound art during the battle against the Moon Slaughter Devil Sovereign, making the record on the sword practically useless, that did not mean the trip had been in vain. He devoured the remaining soul of the Ancient Devil's son through his cultivation method, which apparently was capable of that as well, obtaining valuable fragments of knowledge, and the sword inevitably ended up in his hands....
As for Fen Juechen…
He considered him somewhat pitiful.
Still, he decided to "help" him in a limited way, preparing yet another extremely pleasant surprise for Yun Che, just one more among several....
Naturally, this help came at a price. He engraved on Fen Juechen his own slavery mark, along with a profound formation similar to the one he had implanted in Yun Gu. The difference was that this formation had a specific function: to detect any weakening or disappearance of Fen Juechen's hatred for Yun Che.
The moment the boy stopped desiring his revenge, the instant he lost the will to kill him or to sacrifice everything for that goal, he would cease to be useful.
And then, he would turn to ashes.
Obviously, he was a villain and could simply have done all this without offering any explanation. Still, he granted Fen Juechen himself a choice.
The answer came without the slightest hesitation.
Faced with the promise of enough power to take revenge, Fen Juechen readily accepted. For him, nothing had greater value than that goal. Sacrificing everything, dignity, freedom, or even his own existence, did not seem like too high a price.
So, after taking all necessary precautions, he personally opened all of Fen Juechen's Profound Entrances. Then, he transmitted some profound arts to him, treating him as a disciple for a few days. Only after that, satisfied with the results, did he proceed with his own journey.
Next, he began to systematically plunder the entire Profound Sky Continent with regard to medicinal herbs. The amount was so absurd that he needed to expand his special ring twice just to accommodate everything. Still, his collection was not completely destructive. Just as he had done on the Azure Cloud Continent, he left buds, secondary roots, and profound seeds to allow the fields to regenerate over the next years.
He also found a much larger amount of Purple Veined Divine Crystals that had never been excavated. When he plundered the Azure Cloud Continent, he had barely gathered a few dozen kilograms, added to a little more taken from the coffers of the sects he plundered. But there, just by robbing the Profound Sky Continent and not sects and everything else, he obtained hundreds of kilograms of these crystals. That represented more than ten thousand years of accumulation from one of the Great Sacred Grounds.....
After that, he visited the Divine Phoenix and Primordial Azure Dragon trial sites, just to check if there was still any chance of obtaining one of those two supreme bloodlines. As expected, he had no success in either case.
Even so, this did not represent a real loss.
He had already considered, in advance, various ways to appropriate Yun Che's "Bloodlines" at a later time, when his plans were properly aligned. Compared to that, the failure in these attempts was nothing more than a small setback.
In the end, it was not such a great loss.
After plundering everything he remembered still existing as opportunities on the Profound Sky Continent, he headed to the Snow and Ice Polar Region, seeking isolation. Later, he planned to visit the Frozen Cloud Asgard to learn the profound art used by the fairies of that place; after all, he needed a technique suitable for the Water Laws he had mastered, and what better technique than the Frozen End Divine Arts? Which were also known as the Ice Phoenix God Investiture Canon, a profound art that came from the three supreme water element beasts....
Before that, however, he just wanted to refine some pills and cultivate in peace.
That was how he found the valley where he now was. A naturally protected, silent, and stable place. There, he built a simple cabin and remained secluded for the last weeks, living tranquilly, away from interferences.
During his time there, he spent most of his days refining pills and cultivating in silence. Based on his vast medicinal knowledge, he created various pills with extraordinary effects, all of them tested and refined with absolute success.
The first was the [Full Moon Pill Clothed in Autumn Dew]. After ingesting it, his spiritual sense was drastically elevated, reaching a level completely incomparable to the previous one. Even without resorting to fusing his senses with the Spatial Laws, he began to perceive with clarity all three continents of that world, as if they were within the reach of a single thought.
Next, he refined the [Celestial Wind Emperor Pill], which allowed him to advance at an absurd speed in the Wind Path of the [Ten Extreme Daos] technique.
This pill forced his body to face the winds of the world itself directly, allowing him to experience firsthand the profound wind element in its purest and most natural form. As a result, practically all the natural winds of that world converged toward him. Thanks to this, in just a few days, he completely concluded that path, achieving an absolute understanding of the Wind Laws. From then on, he became immune to that element and began to exercise total subordination over it. With the "Wind Path" completed, his understanding naturally extended to the Earth Path, which he was already about to conclude.
But his greatest invention was, without any doubt, the [Immortal Jade Dragon Pill].
Unlike all the others, this pill did not limit itself to strengthening his cultivation base or expanding his understanding of the laws. It completely reconstructed his physique. Upon refining it, all remaining impurities in his body were expelled, cell by cell, until his flesh, bones, blood, and even his vital essence became as pure and immaculate as those of a true Immortal.
As a result, he awakened a unique physique, something that did not even exist in the original history of that world, the [Immortal Jade Dragon Physique].
But how was this possible?
The answer lay in the "Prime World Liquid" that he had absorbed previously. The pill did not create something from nothing; it amplified and directed that primordial power absolutely, shaping it exactly according to his will. For this, he mixed dozens of extremely rare herbs, but five of them were the true core of the formula.
These five essences merged into his body, engraving on it five fundamental characteristics, transforming his physique into something that completely surpassed the natural limits of that world.
In basic terms, the five main herbs were not chosen at random. Each one, upon being incorporated into the [Immortal Jade Dragon Pill], ceased to be just a medicinal ingredient and became a living law that was engraved on his body.
The first was the Smoky Hydra Herb.
Originally, it was a relatively common herb, widely used in creating high-level healing pills. However, upon becoming a fundamental characteristic of his unique physique, its effect was elevated to an absurd level. It granted his body an almost absolute capacity for regeneration and recovery. Severed limbs could regenerate completely; destroyed organs, including the heart, could be rebuilt; even his profound veins were capable of restoring themselves. In practice, he would only die if his head were completely destroyed. Crippling him... would simply become impossible.
The second was the Serene Moon Profound Yin Vine.
This herb grew only under consecutive full moons, in regions saturated with the purest yin energy. Its use was shrouded in taboos: when ingested by a man, it created a continuous spiritual flow that made any woman deeply addicted to the pleasure he provided, from a simple touch to the act itself. However, that was never the true reason for his choice. Upon transforming into a characteristic of his physique, obviously he not only maintained this effect but amplified it infinitely, while revealing its true value. It began to drastically amplify yin receptivity, allowing energy absorption with perfect efficiency and completely eliminating any conflict during dual cultivation. In other words, his body became the perfect vessel for dual cultivation. Any woman who slept with him would have her cultivation accelerated to absurd levels, and so would he.
The third was the Intertwined Heart Orchid.
A legendary, extremely rare herb that only bloomed when two cultivators shared a deep karmic destiny. In antiquity, it was disputed by couples seeking a true spiritual connection. However, upon being integrated into his physique, its function was elevated to something far beyond that. Every woman he lay with would automatically form a permanent spiritual bond with him. He could sense the location of each one, their vital state, and their energy fluctuations. Furthermore, there would be a mutual sharing of talent and understanding: he would absorb their comprehension, and they would be nourished by his. The gain from dual cultivation increased several times, and most importantly... after this bond was formed, it was impossible for any of them to even have the intention of betraying him. Rejection of other men would occur unconsciously, naturally, and absolutely.
The fourth was the Crimson Dao Ecstasy Fruit.
This fruit only formed on trees that had absorbed desires, emotions, and wills from profound practitioners over millennia. Even in its original form, it already possessed incredible effects. Still, this was only the second rarest herb he found in his entire journey. Transformed into a characteristic of his physique, it granted him the ability to perceive the emotions and feelings of all living beings around him, identifying them with absolute precision. More than that, he obtained control over his Seven Emotions and Six Desires, being able to amplify or suppress them at will. For example, he could amplify his anger or make himself feel that "emotion" to strengthen the [Evil Infant's Wheel of Myriad Tribulations], in this way, he could recover all the power of his Profound Treasure more efficiently.
Finally, there was the herb that gave name to his physique.
The Immortal Jade Dragon Herb.
Without any shadow of doubt, it was the rarest herb he had found in his entire life. This herb could only grow in environments where true dragons or profound beasts carrying draconic bloodlines had remained for long periods. It was during his visit to the Primordial Azure Dragon trial site that he found it. At first glance, there was nothing special about it, common appearance, discreet aura, practically nonexistent profound energy. Any other cultivator would have passed by it without even casting a second glance, but he recognized its true value.
Over countless years, it had absorbed, drop by drop, the profound aura subtly released by the Ancient Spirit of the Primordial Azure Dragon. This silent absorption transformed the herb imperceptibly, concealing a potential that far surpassed common understanding.
It was precisely because of this that it seemed common.
When incorporated into the [Immortal Jade Dragon Pill], the herb not only strengthened his body, it redefined it. His physique began to carry traits of purity, vitality, and supremacy that only existed in dragons. That was why he named it the [Immortal Jade Dragon Physique].
Obviously, there were several other benefits besides the characteristics gained from the herbs; he had discovered several others while studying in the last days, but that is beside the point.
Another pill he refined that was not of his own invention was the [Sun and Moon Pill]. Upon ingesting it, his lifespan increased by ten thousand years, exactly as he had done previously with his wife. Only now did he have sufficient resources to refine it again, and naturally, he did not let this opportunity pass.
It was at the moment he concluded the refinement of this pill and absorbed it that he felt an unusual disturbance in his spiritual sense, coming from several kilometers beyond the valley where he was. Deciding to investigate, to his surprise, he found Xia Qingyue on the verge of death. Without hesitating, he saved her and brought her to the place where he had been residing for the last days, carefully treating her wounds until healing her completely.
Later, after a quick outing to check on Fen Juechen's progress, he returned and found Xia Qingyue already awake.
And that brings us back to the current moment.
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.
.
.
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When he found Xia Qingyue on the verge of death, after sensing a distant disturbance through his spiritual sense and deciding to investigate, he knew very well that she probably would not die. According to the plot of that world, the life-and-death struggle she was going through was nothing more than a trial destined to strengthen her.
Although he did not remember anything exactly like this being mentioned in the original story, he reached this conclusion upon noticing the level of profound strength in Xia Qingyue, who was about to break through to the Tyrant Profound Realm, as well as the approach of another Profound Beast, whose aura was comparable to that of the Heavenly Ice Bull Python. Everything indicated that this creature had been attracted by the Myriad Dreams Glacial Butterfly, which probably harbored some hatred for the Python and, therefore, would end up attracting both Xia Qingyue and the other profound beast into a deadly trap.
...Quite complex, isn't it?
But this only shows how everything had been premeditated by the Ancestral Goddess.....
Still, he decided to take advantage of this opportunity to approach her. After all, technically, Xia Qingyue was his fiancée, someone who ended up marrying that "trash" by mistake.
Without hesitating, he saved her and, deliberately, demonstrated a terrifying power, leaving a deep impression on her. He was fully certain that, later, she would be unable to contain her own curiosity about him because of the strength demonstrated....
After bringing her to the valley where he was living temporarily, he used his light profound energy combined with refined medicinal techniques to heal her deplorable state. At that point, he really had not lied when he said he did not touch her body. Although he was a villain, he had his own principles. He was not a rapist like a certain someone, nor a harasser who took advantage of medical skills to exploit women....
In a way, ironically, he was much worse, wasn't he? After all, everything he had done was skillfully manipulate a conversation, leading a girl desperate for answers to reveal her own desires while he offered her what he knew about the God Realm. Of course, there were personal objectives behind this.
Ren Zu looked at that face beautiful enough to take anyone's breath away. While Xia Qingyue raised her enchanting eyes to stare at him, countless emotions crossed her expression, all this after he casually commented that he feared she did not know the God Realm. Even rigidly controlling his emotions and desires through the innate ability of his newly created unique physique, he still found himself momentarily stunned.
A pair of magnificent eyes met his. It was as if the very essence of the world rested in their depths. Neither the most beautiful painting ever created, nor the most precious words ever written, would be able to adequately describe that beauty. Her skin resembled pure jade, and her face was as white as snow under the soft light illuminating the room. Her lips seemed like petals of the world's most delicate flower, while her nose resembled the most perfect sculpture carved from white jade, raised with elegance, pride, and an innate nobility impossible to ignore.
Yes, honestly, Xia Qingyue was an extraordinary beauty. The instant his eyes landed on her, he desired her, as any man would. From that moment, he decided he would try to conquer her. Both for her undeniable beauty and for the fact that, originally, she was his fiancée... although he did not attach much importance to that detail.
He snapped out of his thoughts when Xia Qingyue took an involuntary step forward. Her bare feet touched the heated floor, but she did not even notice. Her eyes, normally cold and apathetic, now shone with a feverish light, almost desperate.
"Lord Ren Zu..." The voice came out low and trembling, laden with an urgency she herself did not recognize. She tried to control herself, took a deep breath, but the words escaped before she could contain them. "The God Realm... does the lord know any way for someone like me to reach...?"
Ren Zu tilted his head slightly, observing her with those black and unfathomable eyes. The almost imperceptible smile on his lips disappeared. He raised an eyebrow and asked, in a calm tone:
"I may know. But why would you want to go to the God Realm?"
He took a step forward, reducing the distance between them.
Xia Qingyue looked in his direction, and a deep sadness crossed her eyes for a brief instant. They became misty as she began to speak, her voice laden with long-repressed emotions.
"Because of my mother... The union of my father and my mother was something almost magical. When my father found her outside the city, she was in a coma, her entire body covered in blood. After she woke up, she had no memories, and her body was extremely weak. Even so, she married my father. Giving birth to me was something terribly difficult for her, and I almost died at birth..."
She took a deep breath before continuing.
"When I was four years old, my mother suddenly recovered her memories. She left like a fairy... flew away and left us. Before going, she hugged me and my brother while crying desperately, saying that if she did not leave, she would bring calamity to the entire family. She said the place she was going to was called the God Realm... a place we could never reach."
Her voice trembled.
"After that, even though my father appeared strong, many times I saw him crying silently when he was alone. For more than ten years, he never remarried. My brother was too young to understand at first, but as he grew up, the thing he envied most was people who had mothers..."
Xia Qingyue clenched her fingers tightly.
"I researched countless ancient books, but I never found that name. That was the reason I sought to become stronger. I just wanted to reunite my family again. Even if that goal seemed too distant, I believed that if I climbed higher and higher, I would inevitably see my mother's silhouette one day..."
She raised her gaze and fixed it on Ren Zu, with an almost painful determination.
"Until I met the lord. The lord is the only path Qingyue has found to achieve this goal. That is the reason I want to go to the God Realm..."
Ren Zu remained silent for a few moments.
The cabin seemed to have become quieter, as if even the discreet crackling of the wood in the fireplace had diminished, respecting that moment. The snow outside continued to fall, slow and steady, but Xia Qingyue was no longer aware of anything besides the figure in front of her and the almost painful expectation accumulating in her chest.
She realized, with a slight delay, that she was holding her breath.
His eyes rested on her unhurriedly, deep as a bottomless abyss. There was no pity in them, nor disdain. They were calm, excessively calm, as if he were observing something far beyond what her words had just revealed.
"I understand.... Well, I will explain the basics to you and then you decide what you want to do next. Pay attention...."
Xia Qingyue nodded slightly, her eyes full of expectation. At no point did it cross her mind that he might be deceiving her. After all, why would someone so powerful, someone who saved her life, lie to her? And besides, how could he know about the God Realm if he had not really come from there? The idea that he was telling lies simply made no sense to her.
"The God Realm was the abode of gods and devils during the Primordial Era. Although the era of gods and devils has come to an end and there are no longer True Gods in this world, many mystical treasures were left in the places where they previously dwelled. Some gods who were unwilling to simply disappear also left behind their bloodlines, profound arts, or even soul inheritances."
"The most important point is that since it was the place where gods and devils resided for several billion years, its elemental aura is incredibly rich. As such, its laws far surpass those of other planes. There, the speed at which one advances in the profound way is far beyond other worlds. Breaking through realms and comprehending laws is also much simpler than in other worlds."
"Well, the Divine Profound Realm, as you must know... Which exists only in legends on the Profound Sky Continent. Since you managed to advance at such a shocking speed on the Profound Sky Continent, which has such thin and turbulent aura and inferior laws, if you were in another Star Realm, it is extremely possible that you would have already reached that level of profound strength before twenty years old...."
Xia Qingyue's world seemed to freeze.
She parted her lips slightly, but no words came out.
Before she could react, Ren Zu continued, his voice firm and relentlessly logical:
"We are currently on the Blue Pole Star, which could not even be considered one of the star realms. At most, it could be considered a planet... a small planet. In the entirety of the God Realm, there are a total of forty thousand star realms, and each star realm is divided according to its level of strength. There are lower star realms, middle star realms, and upper star realms. There are thirty thousand lower star realms, eight thousand middle star realms... and the remaining two thousand are the strongest star realms....."
Xia Qingyue felt her heart beating violently, shocked by the magnitude of the place she had always sought! With her current knowledge, it was still fundamentally impossible for her to imagine what kind of concept a gigantic world that possessed a total of forty thousand star realms was.
Each one of them surpassing the Blue Pole Star as well.
In the Primal Chaos Dimension, the Blue Pole Star was just a mere drop in the ocean... or perhaps not even a drop in the ocean.
Before she could formulate any question or process the newly acquired knowledge, he continued calmly:
"To be more specific. The forty thousand star realms of the God Realm are divided into four divine regions: the Eastern Divine Region, the Southern Divine Region, the Western Divine Region, and the Northern Divine Region. Among them, the Western Divine Region is the largest, with the Eastern Divine Region being the second largest. Besides the forty thousand lower, middle, and upper star realms, there are also seventeen king realms that are at the top of the entire God Realm. One could even say that they are the Real Realms that dominate the entire God Realm! Of these seventeen King Realms, there are six in the Western Divine Region, four in the Eastern Divine Region, three in the Northern Divine Region, and four in the Southern Divine Region...."
"What you consider as the Divine Profound Realm is simply the entry gate to be able to navigate the waters of the God Realm. But even so, you run the risk of dying in shallow waters; there are simply true monsters scattered throughout the ocean that is the Primal Chaos. Each one of them could reduce this planet to nothing with a mere movement of their hand.... Still, do you want to proceed with your goal?"
"..." Xia Qingyue remained silent for a long time. Her entire body stiffened, and a deep coldness spread from inside out, as if even the blood in her veins had slowed down. At that instant, she felt something she had rarely experienced since she began treading the profound path...
Insignificance.
And, more than that... naivety.
The Divine Profound Realm... the entry gate?
She had barely reached the Tyrant Profound Realm.
Even being recognized as an incomparable genius on the Profound Sky Continent, even having advanced at a speed that made countless experts sigh in shock and envy, still... that level existed only in legends.
Achieving it so early?
Perhaps... no.
Perhaps it was simply impossible.
Her chest tightened.
The God Realm... forty thousand star realms. Countless dominating existences. True monsters that could erase entire worlds like dust carried by the wind.
And her mother... would be somewhere in that vast colossus.
A place so large that the Profound Sky Continent was nothing more than an insignificant point. A place where the talent that had made her extraordinary here might not even be worthy of note.
Faced with this, what was she?
A grain of sand before an endless blue ocean.
No... perhaps not even that.
Her heart shuddered.
So, how could she see her?
How could she cross such a vast abyss, break such absurd limits, surpass existences that could reduce worlds to dust....
Just with the desire of her own heart?
The doubt, silent and heavy, began to corrode her convictions.
If this was the path...
If this was the reality beyond the sky...
Then her oath, her determination, her obstinate search for so many years... all of that would be nothing more than a childish whim?
Xia Qingyue's fingers slowly closed, her nails pressing into her palm until almost piercing it. Even her Frozen Cloud Asgard profound art could not make her calm down for a long time, and since it did not work since she woke up in this valley because of Lord Ren Zu, she felt a feeling she had forgotten a long time ago...
She felt fear.
Not of danger.
Not of death.
But of the possibility that, no matter how much she tried... She would never be able to achieve what she sought.
It was then that Ren Zu spoke again.
His voice was not loud, nor solemn.
It was calm, almost indifferent, but it cut directly through the turmoil in her heart.
"The desire of the heart, by itself, is useless."
Xia Qingyue shuddered slightly.
"If it does not come accompanied by clarity," he continued, his black eyes fixed on her, deep as the void itself: "It only leads to frustration."
"But do not confuse difficulty with impossibility."
She raised her gaze.
"You are looking at the God Realm using the eyes of someone born in this small world...." he said, without cruelty, just with absolute frankness. "It is natural that everything seems unattainable. But that does not mean it really is.... Your luck was that you met me; if not, indeed. Perhaps, you would never be able to achieve your goal. I know a way for you to achieve your goal quite quickly...."
"...!" Xia Qingyue was visibly surprised. His words contained no explicit arrogance, nor empty promises. Still, there was an absolute certainty in them, as if he were describing a fact, not a possibility. Her heart, which moments ago was heavy as lead, shuddered violently. She took a step forward almost by reflex, while asking: "The lord... knows a way?"
She realized, belatedly, that her hands had clenched too tightly. When she noticed, she tried to relax them in vain.
Ren Zu observed her in silence.
He did not answer immediately. Instead, he averted his gaze for a brief instant, as if evaluating something invisible in the air, or perhaps reorganizing his own thoughts. The soft flame of the fireplace reflected in his black eyes, making them even deeper, almost unreal.
Then, finally, he turned back to face her.
"Yes..."
The word fell like muffled thunder in Xia Qingyue's heart.
She felt the blood running faster through her veins.
"But are you willing to follow this method even if you have to sacrifice everything?"
Xia Qingyue remained silent for a moment. The expression on her face, previously taken by turbulent emotions from finally finding a clue to the place where her mother was and why simply her profound art could no longer suppress or freeze her heart due to the indescribable charm of the man before her, gradually became more lucid.
She took a deep breath and spoke with total frankness:
"Since the day I saw my mother leave, this Qingyue swore to herself that one day she would reach that distant place to reunite with her... to understand why she left us and, perhaps, heal the wounds that remained in my family. My father... he was never the same again. And my brother, Xia Yuanba... grew up without the warmth that only a mother can provide."
Her voice remained firm, but laden with deep feelings.
"For years, I cultivated tirelessly in the Frozen Cloud Asgard, all with this single goal. But now... knowing that the lord comes from there, that he knows the way... this Qingyue begs."
She raised her gaze, staring at him directly.
"Tell me how to reach the God Realm. Any price, any trial... I will face it."
Ren Zu observed her for another long instant. Then, a calm and almost imperceptible smile curved his perfect lips.
"Excellent."
The word came out low, soft, but laden with a certainty that made Xia Qingyue's heart give an involuntary leap. Even more so upon seeing that smile so beautiful.... She was so focused on her goal coming within reach that she forgot how beautiful Lord Ren Zu was....
He turned with natural grace, walking to the simple wooden table beside the fireplace. With a casual wave of his hand, a discreet glow appeared in the air. In a few moments, the table was set: a platter of roasted profound beast meat, exuding a rich and tempting aroma; fresh vegetables glazed with a crystalline sauce that seemed made of frozen dew; soft breads still warm; and two glasses of a translucent wine, jade-colored, emanating a subtle fragrance of snow flowers.
"But first, let's eat something and sit down," he said calmly: "Explaining all the details takes time... and nothing like a good meal for a proper conversation...."
He pulled out a rustic but perfectly carved chair, indicating it to her with a polite gesture. Then, he sat in the opposite chair, his movements fluid and elegant, as if each gesture were part of an ancient and forgotten dance.
Xia Qingyue hesitated for a brief instant, not out of distrust, but because his mere proximity made her heart beat uncontrollably again. The blush she fought so hard to contain threatened to return, but she took a deep breath, forcing herself to maintain composure. With a light nod, she accepted the invitation and sat down, her hands delicately placed on her lap.
The aroma of the food invaded her senses, and only then did she realize how strangely hungry she was....
Ren Zu served a portion on a simple plate in front of her, then on his own. He raised the jade wine glass, swirling it lightly between his long and perfect fingers, observing the liquid dance.
"Try it. It's made from Millennial Ice Mist and fruits of the Frozen Moon Flower. It helps stabilize the profound veins, this will save you a couple of days of cultivation as well... and it has a flavor that suits someone like you."
Xia Qingyue was surprised by a wine capable of that; she accepted the glass, her fingers briefly brushing his upon receiving it, a minimal, accidental touch, but one that sent an electric current through her entire body. She lowered her gaze quickly, disguising the blush rising to her cheeks, and took a small sip.
The wine was cold on the tongue, but exploded in soft warmth as it went down, spreading like snow melting in the sun. It was refreshing, pure, with a sweet touch that recalled winter mornings under moonlight.
"...Delicious," she murmured, sincerely surprised.
Ren Zu merely nodded, taking a sip of his own wine before beginning to eat calmly.
For a few minutes, they ate in silence, not an awkward silence, but something almost... comfortable.
Finally, he set down his utensils and leaned back slightly in the chair, his black eyes fixed on her with that unfathomable depth.
"Now that we are more at ease... let's get to the details."
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