Time passed slowly after that.
When no one noticed, the sun had already begun to set on the horizon.
The orange light of dusk entered through the windows of the residence, tinting the interior of the house with soft, warm tones. The shadows of the trees in the courtyard stretched slowly across the stone floor.
Gradually, the sky began to darken.
The first stars appeared silently in the firmament.
When night finally arrived, Yun Qinghong's residence was illuminated only by the lanterns hanging along the corridors.
Inside the room, Yun Che had already fallen asleep again. His face remained pale, and his expression was still vacant, but he seemed a bit more at peace.
Mu Yurou stayed by the bedside, holding one of his hands as if afraid to let go.
Yun Qinghong spoke in a low voice with some servants outside the room, organizing everything to care for his daughter's new condition.
Ren Zu did not stay there any longer. Without making much noise, he simply stood up and left the room. As he crossed the corridor of the residence, two figures were already waiting for him outside: Xia Qingyue and Feng Xue'er.
The two were silent.
When they saw him leave, they simply began to walk beside him.
Neither of them spoke.
The three crossed the silent courtyard of the residence together.
The night breeze was cool.
The trees swayed gently under the pale moonlight.
The leaves that had fallen earlier were still scattered across the stone floor.
Ren Zu walked a few more steps before finally stopping. He did not turn immediately. His gaze remained fixed on the night sky as he spoke in a calm manner.
"Let's return to the palace first. I believe you've already met Caiyi, but you haven't been formally introduced yet. She entered seclusion, so she'll come out next month. During that time, I'll introduce the Illusory Demon Realm to you two...."
Xia Qingyue remained silent for a brief moment after hearing those words. Then, she spoke in a calm manner.
"… Xue'er and Qingyue have met the Little Demon Empress. But we didn't have a deep conversation. She also didn't allow either of us to enter her private quarters…" Her tone was neutral. After a brief pause, she asked another question: "…Are you really okay? For someone to knock you unconscious… That enemy was strong?"
Ren Zu simply shook his head.
"No." He finally diverted his gaze from the sky and turned his attention to the two: "It wasn't because of his strength. At that moment… I was forced to become unconscious. That's why I said it wasn't anything serious; I wasn't even injured or anything.... If I wanted, I could have killed him with a single slap. But I didn't do it right away. First, because he probably had the antidote for the Divine Burial Mist, and I intended to interrogate him to learn his reasons for attacking my Illusory Demon Realm...."
Feng Xue'er remained silent for an instant after hearing the explanation.
Then, she let out a small sigh. Her blue eyes, which resembled two dreamy gems, reflected emotions too complex to be easily described.
"…That's good." Her gaze softened a bit as she continued. "I'm relieved to know you're okay, husband. I was really afraid something had happened to you… Sorry if I didn't show it before. I ended up focusing too much on Big Sister Yun's situation."
She lowered her gaze slightly upon finishing her words. Deep down, that mixture of feelings still left her a bit confused. The concern she felt for Yun Che came from old memories, from someone who had been important in her life. But the fear she felt at the thought that something might have happened to Ren Zu was different, deeper and more immediate. And realizing this difference in her own feelings made her understand even more clearly who truly occupied the most important place in her heart now.
Although it wasn't so easy to abandon someone who had been important to her....
Xia Qingyue remained silent for a moment, just observing Ren Zu before finally speaking:
"…Qingyue also came to see Yun Che. He did a lot for me in the past, and it would seem ungrateful on my part not to at least come see how he was or try to help in some way. Besides… I believed that Sister Caiyi would take good care of you, husband."
She paused briefly before adding, with her usual calm:
"Even so… Qingyue apologizes for coming here without asking your permission."
Although her words were simple, there was a clear sense of responsibility in them; she understood her position as a wife, so she made a point of acknowledging that she should have informed Ren Zu before acting on her own.....
Ren Zu remained silent for a brief moment.
Then he let out a small sigh.
"…You don't need to apologize for that. I know you two have a past with my 'new sister.' Even though you're my women now, that doesn't mean you can simply erase everything you've lived before. Some things don't work that way."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"No one controls their own heart. I trust you. I know very well what your feelings for me are, so there's no reason for me to feel jealous just because you showed concern for someone who was part of your past."
He didn't say that just to reassure them. For him, it was simply the most natural way to view the situation. People's emotions couldn't be erased as if they had never existed, and trying to force something like that would only create unnecessary resentment. As long as he knew the place he occupied in their hearts was real, small concerns or memories from the past weren't something he needed to worry about.
That's why he didn't mind that they had come there or anything like that, although both had felt bothered for coming without his permission or even informing him beforehand. Which resulted in this "somewhat awkward" conversation....
For a few moments, the courtyard remained completely silent.
The night breeze passed gently through the trees, making the leaves scattered on the ground move slightly.
Feng Xue'er slowly raised her gaze.
Her blue eyes observed Ren Zu for a moment before finally speaking.
"…Thank you, husband." Her voice was soft, with a clear trace of relief in her expression: "Hearing that… really makes me feel more at ease."
She didn't add anything else.
But the tension that had remained in her chest since that conversation began finally seemed to have lessened a bit.
Beside her, Xia Qingyue also remained silent for a moment. Then she nodded slightly.
"…Qingyue understands." Her tone remained calm, as always: "Even so, next time I will inform you beforehand."
Ren Zu didn't respond immediately.
He just observed the two for a brief instant before letting out a small sigh.
"…You don't need to treat something like this with so much formality."
After that, he resumed walking.
Xia Qingyue and Feng Xue'er naturally followed him.
The three proceeded slowly through the silent courtyard.
Yun Qinghong's residence was already beginning to fade behind them.
For a few moments, no one said anything.
Then, suddenly—
Feng Xue'er slowed her steps slightly.
She seemed to hesitate.
Her gaze remained fixed on the path ahead as she thought for a few seconds.
"…Husband."
She finally called in a low voice.
Ren Zu didn't stop walking, but responded calmly.
"Yes?"
Feng Xue'er hesitated again.
As if wondering if she really should ask that question. After a few seconds, she finally spoke.
"…I wanted to ask something. I know that husband has already done his best and that I'm being very insistent on this matter, but is there really nothing more we can do for Yun Che?"
Ren Zu let out a small sigh. Only then did he turn slowly to look at the two.
"My previous explanation was… a bit too optimistic." His voice remained calm: "The damage to her body isn't just physical."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"The soul was also damaged."
Feng Xue'er and Xia Qingyue fell silent.
Ren Zu continued speaking with the same tranquility as before.
"If someone possesses a sufficiently high level of cultivation in the Profound Way, the physical body isn't so important, since you can live in spirit form until you find various items to recreate your old body, among other options. But none of those alternatives would work in her case. The reason is simple. The damage was done to the soul. Even if Yun Che recovered his cultivation and managed to create another body in the future… She still wouldn't be able to recover her legs. Because the origin of the damage isn't in the body. It's in the soul. And, in her current state, she doesn't even possess the capacity to cultivate profound strength again."
Those words made Feng Xue'er lower her gaze slightly.
Ren Zu continued, as if simply explaining a common fact.
"Furthermore… Even if a miracle happened and her profound veins recovered… It wouldn't make much difference. The mental damage she suffered is too severe. Enough to permanently limit her cognitive capacity. In simple terms… She has become too stupid to cultivate. Her mental capacity now is extremely limited."
The silence that followed seemed even heavier.
Feng Xue'er kept her gaze lowered.
Xia Qingyue also said nothing.
The night breeze continued to blow gently as the three remained standing in the courtyard.
Then—
A feminine voice suddenly sounded in Ren Zu's mind.
"…Is this serious?" The voice carried clear surprise; it was Jasmine who continued next: "I also thought of those alternatives you mentioned… I even thought about searching for those methods when I recovered my body. Are you saying that… none of those options would work for Yun Che?"
Ren Zu showed no change in his expression. But he responded calmly within his mind.
"Yes. If the problem were only in the body, there would still be many ways to solve it. But when the origin of the damage is in the soul… the situation changes completely."
Then Jasmine spoke again.
"…Are you sure about that?" The tone of her voice carried a clear trace of disbelief.
Ren Zu let out a small sigh.
"Jasmine. I am the best physician in the entire Primordial Chaos. This isn't presumption; you know why? Well, I never got around to telling you about this. But there's a very simple reason for me to believe that...."
Jasmine frowned slightly.
"…What?"
Ren Zu responded calmly.
"The Miracle of Life; that's the reason I'm so confident. The truth is that a few years ago, I stumbled upon the legacy of the Life Creation Goddess, Li Suo, and after years of studying, I fully mastered that divine scripture. Li Suo compiled in the scripture all the mysteries of life and medicinal knowledge. The scripture is incredibly profound and difficult to comprehend. If someone manages to understand it, they can use the knowledge contained in the book to cure everything, including the diseases considered most impossible. But even with all my knowledge, I can't find a way to cure Yun Che..."
For a brief instant, Jasmine's mind went completely blank.
"…What?" The word escaped her mouth almost instinctively, laden with a shock she rarely displayed: "…You said… what?"
"…Do I need to repeat? I fully mastered the Miracle of Life...."
Jasmine remained silent for a long moment, processing his words. Her mind worked quickly, analyzing every detail. She knew the name of Li Suo, the Life Creation Goddess, one of the most legendary figures of the Primordial Era, whose legacy was considered lost for eons. If Ren Zu had truly found and mastered that divine scripture, it explained a lot about his frightening medical knowledge and his ability to perform feats that seemed impossible, like regenerating entire limbs with a profound light art she had never seen before.....
But it also meant she would have to give up on finding any way to help Yun Che; if not even he knew about it, no one in the entire Primordial Chaos would know....
"…This princess was just surprised by your luck. I never thought someone would be able to find that legacy and that it would be found in this small world...." She finally responded, with a low and resigned voice. "If not even the Miracle of Life can help… then there really is no solution."
Ren Zu didn't respond. He continued walking, his black eyes fixed on the path ahead.
If a cure were possible, he wouldn't have spent countless efforts to create those pills he had used to feed Yun Che. He doubted that even the Ancestral Goddess could help Yun Che in that situation. The moment he made him consume those pills, the situation was already decided.....
He had won....
Now it was just a matter of enjoying his victory!
For the next two years, he would live comfortably and prepare for his journey to the Realm of the Gods....
___________________
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