Feng Hengkong's eyes widened so much that the veins in his temples seemed on the verge of exploding. That place… that distant golden glow in the sky, accompanied by the resonant call that made his phoenix blood boil like never before… was exactly the Divine Phoenix Hall!
Feng Xue'er!
His daughter. His only daughter. The girl he loved more than his own life, more than the empire, more than the very title of Master of the Divine Phoenix Sect.
Two years ago, when Feng Xue'er escaped from the Primordial Profound Ark and exposed Ye Xinghan's crimes, she fell into a tearful coma… and had not awakened since then.
Up to today, she had been in a coma for two full years and a few more months, nearly reaching three years!
And her coma did not seem like a normal coma. After she fell unconscious, the scarlet-colored Phoenix flame automatically began burning within her body and, shrouded in the light of those flames, she was teleported to the Divine Phoenix Hall, where the Phoenix God had been when he was alive. And during that time, the remnant spirit of the Phoenix God also completely vanished after terrifying Ye Xinghan, Old Blue, Ji Qianrou, and the others.
After that, Feng Xue'er remained in a coma ever since, her body burning with Phoenix flames that would not be extinguished. The Phoenix flames were extremely violent, and none of the people of the Divine Phoenix Sect dared to touch her. Even with Feng Hengkong's power, he could not approach within fifteen meters.
During these years, he personally went to the Divine Phoenix Hall to see whether Feng Xue'er had awakened and never once stopped. Only two hours ago he had been there. Two hours. And now…
She had awakened!
Feng Hengkong felt his entire body tremble—not from fear, not anymore—but from a wild, desperate hope that surged like a dying flame receiving pure oxygen.
"Xue'er…!"
The word escaped as a hoarse whisper, almost inaudible beneath the roar of the golden-flame palm that still hovered over the city. He lifted his face toward the horizon, his eyes shining with tears that had not fallen in decades. For an instant, he forgot the absolute terror, forgot the black-haired man floating before him, forgot the entire empire in flames. There was only her.
But then reality returned like an icy blade.
The palm of flames still hovered. The heat still burned his cracked skin. The screams of millions still echoed below. And the Demon Emperor watched it all with the same absolute indifference, those bottomless black eyes reflecting nothing but cold calculation.
Feng Hengkong felt hope die as quickly as it had been born.
Even if Feng Xue'er had awakened… even if the Phoenix flames in her body had intensified over the past three years, even if she had received some final inheritance from the Phoenix God… what difference did it make?
There was an insurmountable barrier between practitioners below the Divine Profound Realm and those who had reached it.
All those below were ants.
It did not matter how talented Feng Xue'er was, how pure her bloodline, how powerful her ancestral flame. Before a being who could erase mountain ranges with a finger, who sealed the entire space of the empire with a casual formation, who invoked solar flames to melt an entire city… she would be nothing more than another ant. Perhaps an ant a little brighter. Perhaps one that burned with greater intensity. But still… an ant.
Feng Hengkong felt his chest constrict as if an invisible hand were crushing it. Excitement turned into searing pain. He dropped even further to his knees in the air, his body hunched, his hands trembling as he braced himself against the void.
"No… not now… not like this…"
His voice was a broken murmur, meant only for himself.
Ren Zu tilted his head slightly, noticing the change in the emperor's expression. His black eyes swept toward the horizon where the golden glow had visibly appeared.
"Interesting." The word came out low, almost thoughtful. For the first time since his arrival, there was the faintest trace of curiosity in his voice. He looked back at Feng Hengkong, the minimal smile returning to his lips. "Perhaps you have something of value after all."
He watched the scene for another moment. Then, with a movement as simple as breathing, he lowered his right hand.
The colossal palm of golden flames hovering over Divine Phoenix City vanished instantly as if it had never been there. The sky returned to its clear blue, the sun reappeared, and the suffocating heat that melted jade and burned flesh dissipated in the blink of an eye. The air, once dense and blazing, became again the hot air laden with fire aura that had always characterized the city, but now cleansed of any immediate threat.
At the same time, the dark purple aura emanating from him fully retracted. The absolute pressure that crushed millions of souls, that forced even the emperor to kneel, evaporated like mist at dawn. Millions of bodies fell to their knees on the ground, panting, crying from relief and lingering terror. The experts who had been groaning under the heat now rose slowly, trembling, not daring to lift their gaze to the sky.
Ren Zu clasped his hands behind his back, his posture relaxed, almost casual, as if he had just settled a trivial matter.
Feng Hengkong, still kneeling in the air, felt the weight vanish from his shoulders. But the relief lasted less than a second. His heart, which had been crushed by the sight of his daughter awakening at the worst possible moment, now beat in pure panic. Xue'er… she was coming…?
Before he could open his mouth to scream, to beg her to run, three figures cut through the sky at extreme speed.
The first was an elder in a blazing red robe, imposing body and an aura that made the air around him warp like a living furnace. Feng Tianwei, the Grand Master of the Divine Phoenix Sect, the Grand Emperor of the Empire, Feng Xue'er's grandfather. One hundred and ninety years ago, he entered the Divine Realm of Phoenix Fire, isolating himself from the world to cultivate, emerging only on the rarest of occasions. And all of those in recent years had been because of her, his granddaughter—and this time was no different…
At his side, another man in red—hair white as snow, face flushed like living embers, eyes like two eternal flames—Feng Zukui, the absolute number one in the sect in raw power, the Grand Elder revered by all as an unshakable mountain! That was the grandfather of the current emperor and the great-grandfather of Feng Xue'er…
They had felt everything: the oppressive aura, the imminent destruction, the Phoenix call announcing her awakening. The instant they learned of the formidable enemy who could destroy both of them with a thought, they quickly decided they had to protect Feng Xue'er! The two arrived at the place where she was and stayed there while lamenting, since they could not take her from there and also could not break through the profound formation the enemy had used to envelop the entire territory! There was nothing to be done—they had been pushed against the wall! But as if the Spirit of the Divine Phoenix had perceived the impending calamity, it accelerated Feng Xue'er's transformation process and she ended up awakening!
The two quickly told her everything and asked her to follow them, saying they would try to use their lives to break part of the barrier so she could escape, but she refused. And, ignoring Feng Tianwei's and Feng Zukui's shouts, she ran. Ran to her father. To the man who had raised her, who had loved her above all else. The two elders could do nothing but follow her, determined to protect her with their lives.
Now, she stopped abruptly in the air before Feng Hengkong. Her eyes—those eyes pure as stars, more beautiful than any celestial goddess's—met her father's.
"Royal Father!"
The cry came out like a sob, full of worry and pain. She extended her delicate hands, gripping his arms, helping him rise in the air where he was still hunched. Her fingers trembled slightly, but her strength was firm and unshakable.
Feng Hengkong slowly raised his face; the change in the aura Feng Xue'er was releasing… was completely different. Around her, he felt a vast aura similar to that of the Phoenix God who had passed away… Even her grandfather, the strongest practitioner currently in the Divine Phoenix Sect, had never emitted such a mysterious aura. Normally, he would have been extremely shocked and would have conducted a detailed investigation. But at that moment, he had no time to worry about that…
When he saw the face of his beloved daughter, what he saw shattered his heart into a thousand pieces.
Whenever he saw her, his Xue'er would always wear the purest and most beautiful smile on her face and happily shout "Royal Father." No matter how angry or impatient he was, once he saw her smiling face, all his negative emotions would disappear and only endless warmth and satisfaction would remain… The thing he was most proud of in his life was not his position as Divine Phoenix Emperor, nor the honor of being the Divine Phoenix Master, but the fact that he had the most perfect daughter in the world.
However, what she revealed was not a smile, but sadness… an incredibly strange sadness never seen before. She seemed not to care about her life at that moment and was determined to accompany him to death…
Feng Hengkong's heart twisted as if crushed by invisible claws. He would rather be pierced by ten thousand swords than see that expression on her face. And knowing that, at any moment, she could be erased before his eyes by the man calmly floating a few meters away… it killed him from within.
"Xue'er… why…?" His voice came out hoarse, broken, full of panic. "You should have fled! Royal Father… you should have taken her away! Taken her far from here! Anywhere! She cannot… she cannot stay!"
Feng Tianwei and Feng Zukui hovered behind her, their faces pale with shock and pain. Feng Tianwei opened his mouth to speak, but the words died in his throat when he saw his granddaughter refuse to retreat.
Feng Xue'er slowly shook her head, her eyes still fixed on her father.
"No, Royal Father." Her voice was gentle but firm. "I am not leaving. I won't abandon you, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, and my brothers…"
Then, slowly, she turned her face. Her eyes met the eyes of the man attacking her family, and she was immediately stunned…
So handsome…!
Feng Xue'er felt her heart begin to beat faster without realizing it. Her thoughts became chaotic, trying to explain what was before her. The figure in front of her was wrong by itself… as if the heavens had made a mistake by letting him be born beneath the clouds, as if that appearance was not meant to be seen by human eyes, but by divinities, in celestial halls where mortals would not even dare to dream of setting foot.
He had black hair, so dark it seemed to swallow the light around it like a starless night, and yet somehow it looked radiant, as if each strand had been washed by rivers of stars. It fell naturally and flawlessly, without the slightest disorder, as if even the wind feared touching him in any vulgar way. His face—there were no words that could describe it without sounding ridiculous. It was as if God had made it to be perfect: the jaw was firm yet elegant, conveying masculinity refined to the extreme; the nose, perfectly aligned, gave the impression of natural nobility; the lips were thin and well-shaped, with a soft curve that always seemed one step away from a smile—not a warm smile, but a dangerous one. The kind of smile that made someone feel chosen… and condemned at the same time.
But the crucial point was his black eyes, like absolute night condensed—an abyss so deep it gave the feeling that if someone stared too long, they would lose their very "self." And yet… within that darkness, there was a subtle glimmer, as if countless stars were trapped inside, spinning silently. He cast a calm glance in her direction, almost indifferent, but so overwhelming it sent a primal shock through her soul and made her go weak.
He wore dark clothes with golden adornments that matched his eyes and black hair, yet contrasted with his white, perfect skin that seemed as soft as silk—truly, as if even reality had no permission to stain him. Light reflected off him in a strange, almost ethereal way, as if his body carried a supernatural purity, an aura that naturally set him apart from the rest of the world. His body was tall and slender, but not fragile. On the contrary: it was the kind of physique that looked as though it had been created to be "perfect."
At that moment, it was as if she had seen snow for the first time, even though the immortal before her eyes had nothing remotely reminiscent of it. To her eyes, he looked like snow falling slowly—too beautiful to be real, too silent to belong to the mortal world… and yet so close it hurt. Her heart tightened, and for an instant she forgot how to breathe, as if any sudden movement might shatter that vision, as if he could simply dissolve into the air like a snowflake vanishing at a touch.
She wanted to reach out her hand.
She wanted to touch that face with the same childish urgency of someone trying to catch snow for the first time—just to confirm it was not an illusion, just to feel that delicate cold at her fingertips and be sure that it truly existed.
Because a part of her… was already certain it did not.
And yet, she desired him.
With an intensity as absurd and inevitable as winter itself.
But she was not the only one who froze in that exchange of gazes—although Ren Zu did not "freeze." He looked at Feng Xue'er with complete surprise in his heart. The girl before his eyes was as beautiful as a dream, indescribable even in words—skin white as snow, beautiful eyes that seemed to ripple like blue waves, condensed within her dreamy and illusory pupils, turning into a poetic, illusory dream, like that of a fairy…
He did not dare believe the image before his eyes… because he did not dare believe that a face so incomparably beautiful existed in this world. It was as if the heavens had poured all their divine grace into a single form, and now she was there before him. There were no words to describe a beauty as stunning as hers…
The girl wore luxurious red clothing; embroidered at the top was a flying phoenix. Whether golden or red, both shimmered brilliantly, as if every part and every decoration were made from the most precious material. Yet this phoenix dress was like cosmetics on jade, outshone by her skin. She looked to be only around fifteen to sixteen years old; her beautiful, dreamy eyes were youthful. In terms of appearance, she could not compare to Xia Qingyue, but in terms of how delicate and perfect her features were, not even the Little Demon Empress could come close. It was as if the heavens had favored her and bestowed on her an aspect like that of a fairy before his eyes.
If he were an ordinary man, he believed his heart would definitely be lost, but he was not an ordinary man.
She remained there, motionless, her long black eyelashes like butterfly wings fluttering lightly, not a single impurity in her expression. Her eyes, clear as crystal mountain springs, were completely absorbed by the sight of him—not with fear or hesitation, but with a deep fascination, almost hypnotic, as if even though they were declared enemies at that moment, she could not look away. The wind blew softly, lifting the hem of her dress into graceful waves of flaming red, and in that instant she seemed even more celestial…
Feng Hengkong noticed his daughter's prolonged gaze at the Demon Emperor and, worse, the gaze Ren Zu returned. There was no fear in Xue'er's eyes, no hatred. It was something deeper—something that made him freeze for an instant: fascination. A fascination so pure and unguarded that it contrasted brutally with the terror hanging over everyone there. And Ren Zu… he did not avert his eyes. His black eyes, always cold and indifferent like bottomless abysses, now carried the faintest trace of genuine surprise, almost as if he himself were being confronted by something he had not expected.
Feng Hengkong's eyes gleamed faintly with a shred of hope. A dangerous, nearly treacherous idea arose in his tormented mind: Xue'er's beauty was incomparable. Perhaps… perhaps it would be enough to soften the Demon Emperor—to offer her hand in marriage to him? That way, she would also be able to survive, and to him, that was all that mattered at that moment. He opened his mouth to speak, to try to turn that mutual gaze into something useful, something that would save the empire…
But before any words could leave his lips, Feng Tianwei took a step forward.
The Grand Master of the Divine Phoenix Sect, Xue'er's grandfather, now radiated a flaming aura that made the air around him crackle. His red robe billowed like living fire, and his voice rang out like contained thunder:
"Hengkong! Take Xue'er away now! Go! Use whatever escape art you have! Your Grandfather Zukui and I will hold this demon here for as long as necessary!"
At his side, Feng Zukui nodded, his flaming eyes shining with suicidal determination. The two elders simultaneously raised their profound auras—the Sovereign Profound Realm, intermediate stage for Tianwei and advanced stage for Zukui. The sky above them trembled; scarlet and golden flames surged upward like celestial pillars. The heat was so intense the air warped, and even the distant disciples in the city felt the impact.
Feng Xue'er widened her eyes and stepped forward, the flames around her exploding in intensity.
"Grandfather! Great-Grandfather! No! I can fight too! I have already awakened… Let me help!"
Her voice was firm, filled with newborn determination, but Feng Hengkong reacted faster. He extended his arm, blocking his daughter's path with his entire body, and raised his voice in a tone that mixed desperation and authority:
"Stop! All of you, stop!"
He turned to Ren Zu, bowing deeply, his forehead nearly touching the empty air.
"Your Excellency… forgive us! We… we dare not defy you any further! I swear by the Phoenix bloodline… there will be no resistance!"
Feng Tianwei turned sharply to his son, his flaming eyes filled with fury and disbelief.
"Hengkong! You… you are bowing before him? Coward! You are the Divine Phoenix Emperor! The Sect Master! How can you humiliate yourself like this? If we are to die, then let us die fighting! At least we will preserve the dignity of our bloodline!"
Feng Hengkong clenched his teeth so hard blood ran from the corners of his mouth. His body trembled—not from fear, but from a deep pain that tore at his soul.
"Royal Father… you don't understand! If we fight… we will die. All of us. And the possibility of Xue'er dying… is too high! If she falls here… what is left? Nothing! I would rather live as a slave than watch my daughter die before my eyes…"
Before Feng Tianwei could respond with more fury, before Feng Zukui could advance, Ren Zu interrupted.
His voice came out low, calm, but carrying such absolute disdain that the air turned cold despite the flames around them.
"Your son is at least somewhat smart, old man." He looked directly at Feng Tianwei, those bottomless black eyes reflecting the Grand Master's imposing figure as if he were nothing but a shadow. "Do you think a mere Sovereign Profound Realm Sixth Level at the intermediate stage, and his companion at the advanced stage, could even hold me back for an instant? Hilarious."
"As for that barrier I placed here, even if the two of you sacrifice yourselves, burning your vital essence and Phoenix blood to the last drop, you would barely scratch the surface…"
"But… I'm no longer that interested in destroying you, so you no longer need to worry about that…"
His gaze returned to Feng Xue'er once more, and for a brief instant, imperceptible to everyone except himself, a spark of genuine interest flickered in his black eyes.
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