The moonlight was cool and refreshing.
Exhausted from a long day, Youyou couldn't sleep for the first time. She repeatedly asked Yuanqi about the Nirvana Realm, but her anxiety grew stronger, as if something was urging her to quicken her pace.
She took a deep breath, downed the tea in her hand, and stared blankly at the crescent moon above her head. After a while, she murmured, "Father Yuan, do you think... I've really been unfair to Feng Rong?"
Yuan Qi paused for a moment as he poured tea for her, then continued pouring, replying softly, "Why do you say that?"
You You sighed, "Perhaps it's because I was tricked by him when I first met him, and I could tell from the beginning that he was hiding something, so I always unconsciously distrusted him a bit. Plus, he has an awkward personality and a sharp tongue, and he gets angry easily. Sometimes I always felt that he was a bit childish, so I always habitually ignored his opinions. I have the patience to listen to the troubles of anyone in the sect, but I have never had a proper talk with him. Now that I think about it carefully, everything he did and every word he said was actually for the good of Zhenyan Sect. Whether it was when the sect was established or when choosing relatives, he never hesitated to stand on my side."
The more she thought about it, the deeper her brows furrowed, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. "Whether it was when we were being harassed during the Jianzong era or during the trip to the ruins, he was always the first to rush to the front. Although he said he was unwilling, he never stopped me from doing anything I truly wanted to do, and he did his best to help me. But he didn't have to do all that!"
You You looked at Yuan Qi seriously, her expression becoming increasingly conflicted. "Whether it's Lin Feng, Liu Qing, Yin Fan, or you, Father Yuan, or even the disciples of the sect, their loyalty to the sect stems from me helping them awaken their spiritual roots, which is why they feel a sense of belonging to the True Path Sect. Even Shui Yan and the others only consider this place their home because their foundations have been restored. But Feng Rong, it seems... I've never promised him anything?"
“Father Yuan…” she looked at Yuan Qi with some confusion and said, “Do you think it’s because he’s been so good to me that we’ve taken it all for granted?”
"..."
"Dad Yuan, am I really... being too unfair to him?"
Yuan Qi looked at her conflicted expression, and after a while he sighed softly and said, "I think you have a kind of tolerance for Feng Rong that you yourself are not even aware of."
"Huh?" Youyou was taken aback.
Yuan Qi smiled and handed the teacup back to her, saying in a deep voice, "Xiao You, you also said that you could tell from the beginning that Feng Rong was hiding something, which is why you couldn't trust him completely. But you've always allowed him to stay by your side, and no matter how much he makes you angry, you always forgive him in the end. Isn't that tolerance?"
"Really?" Isn't it always him who gets so angry that he explodes?
Yuan Qi sighed, his eyes deep, as if he didn't want to discuss this further. He changed the subject, saying, "Everything Feng Rong did was of his own free will. If you really feel bad about it, why don't we wait until we find his true identity before we talk to him in detail?"
"That's right!" You You took a deep breath, shaking off those conflicting emotions, and instantly regained her fighting spirit. "You're right, thinking about these things is useless. The most important thing now is to find the person first!"
"..." Yuan Qi chuckled lightly, but tightened his grip on the teacup.
——————
Without delay, You You and his group headed to Wushan the next day, which was also the old residence of the Feng family. Wushan was named so because the entire mountain was covered with paulownia trees, a sea of green at first glance, with branches thicker and thicker than the last, and the dense forest was filled with rich spiritual energy, not much less than that of the Zhenyan Sect.
Feng Yu said that the secret realm would open in four days. You You went there beforehand and found that apart from the phoenix trees at the foot of the mountain growing thicker, there was nothing unusual about the surroundings. Even Yuan Qi couldn't detect any trace of the secret realm. It seems that it really will only reveal itself when the time comes.
Youyou brought all the necessary equipment this time, including talismans, magical artifacts, and pills. After all, Feng Rong didn't look well before she disappeared, and Feng Yu looked worried, so she didn't know what his current situation was. These things might come in handy.
They waited at the foot of the mountain for three whole days. It wasn't until the evening of the fourth day that they saw movement around them. A sudden gust of wind swept through the forest, making even the thick sycamore trees sway and rattle loudly. The space in front of them twisted violently. Unlike when the Moon Sea Secret Realm opened before, when the space contracted inward, the space in front of them now seemed to be pulled to both sides by something.
In no time, it split open from the middle, as if cleaved by something, leaving a crack as tall as a person running from top to bottom. The next moment, a scorching heat rushed out, and a blinding red light instantly turned the foot of the mountain red, as some powerful energy surged towards them.
"This isn't a secret realm!" Yuan Qi exclaimed in surprise, his expression darkening slightly. "This is the Void Realm!"
He quickly raised his hand to mobilize his divine power and summoned a protective barrier to block the surging aura. Even so, the people outside were almost blown away because they were caught off guard.
Youyou, however, was unaffected. She examined the cracks closely and felt a familiar aura emanating from them.
“Father Yuan, Feng Rong should be inside.” She looked at Yuan Qi. “Shall we go in now?”
Yuan Qi nodded, then added, "Xiao You, the Void Realm is different from the Secret Realm; it's extremely unstable. Plus, it's the birthplace of the Phoenix Clan, so you must be careful and remember not to leave my side."
"Okay!" You nodded.
Yuan Qi then pulled her along, heading towards the gap. As soon as they approached, a burst of flame erupted from the opening, striking Yuan Qi directly. He raised his hand to summon a protective array, attempting to block it, but discovered that this flame was extremely different; it pierced through his defenses and was about to engulf him entirely.
"Father Yuan!" You You was startled and instinctively reached out to pull him. Before she could even touch him, the suddenly erupting flames instantly changed direction, wrapping around You You like a giant hand and pulling her inside.
"Xiao You!" Yuan Qi realized it was too late. You You had already been pulled into the void, and the crack in the air closed up in an instant, disappearing from everyone's sight. Even the flames from just now vanished without a trace.
“Venerable Yuan, what is this…” Feng Yu, who had been blown away, rushed over, glanced at the vanished void rift, and then looked at Yuan Qi, completely bewildered.
Yuan Qi frowned before replying in a deep voice, "Perhaps it was because it sensed my identity that... that void rejected my entry."
"Then the sect leader..." Feng Yu asked.
Yuan Qi looked again at the spot where You You had disappeared. "That flame didn't hurt You You! She should be alright..."
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