The Last Immortal

Chapter One Hundred and Two

When Feng Ran returned to Phoenix Tree Island to assume the throne, she never moved into the Phoenix Emperor Hall. Even now, after stepping down, she still resided in the stone cottage on the back island.

It was in the courtyard of this very stone cottage that Shang Gu had once presented the Fire Phoenix Jade to the yet-unborn Little Fire Phoenix. Over the years, as Feng Ran waited for Jing Jian’s rebirth, more than a millennium had passed in the blink of an eye.

The place remained unchanged, but the person playing chess with her under the phoenix tree had shifted from Shang Gu to Yuan Qi.

In his youth, Yuan Qi bore a striking resemblance to the True God Bai Jue. As he grew older, however, his features began to mirror Shang Gu’s more closely. Yet, the sternness in his eyes and brows over the years was identical to that of Bai Jue in the Vault of Heaven back then.

Gazing at the young man across from her, who lowered his eyes to place a chess piece, Feng Ran raised an eyebrow. “Have you met my disciple?”

“How could I possibly miss meeting my little phoenix, given Auntie’s thoughtful arrangement?” Yuan Qi had been peacefully staying within the Ancestral Phoenix Tree. If not for Feng Ran’s deliberate actions, how could he have appeared before Feng Yin in the form of a child just at the right moment?

“Your little phoenix?” Feng Ran snorted.

Yuan Qi arched an eyebrow. “Auntie, I am well aware that Fire Phoenixes have always been the mounts of our lineage of Chaos Gods.”

Feng Ran narrowed her eyes. “Only your mother would dare say such a thing to my face. If you want a mount, go and ask Feng Yin yourself. Don’t make bold declarations here.”

Yuan Qi was momentarily taken aback by Feng Ran’s retort. He rubbed his nose and chuckled wryly. “Your esteemed disciple awoke from her slumber as a Demigod. I wouldn’t dare ask this Phoenix Sovereign to be my mount.”

“A slumber?” Feng Ran’s expression turned complex. “It was indeed a long sleep. If it were me, I wouldn’t wish to attain Demigod status through such worldly trials. My disciple was once so lively and adorable, but now her temperament is as still as an old monk in meditation—utterly unappealing.”

Feng Yin’s temperament unappealing? Recalling the little Phoenix Sovereign’s flame-like eyes and smiling face, Yuan Qi thought Feng Ran must be joking.

Sensing something unspoken in her words, he looked puzzled. “Auntie, how exactly did Feng Yin attain her Demigod status? Since she has already achieved Divine Attainment, why was there no Thunder Tribulation on the day she awoke?”

Had he not witnessed it himself, Yuan Qi would have found it hard to believe that anyone in the world could undergo Divine Transformation without enduring a Thunder Tribulation.

Feng Ran’s expression grew slightly complicated as she recounted Feng Yin’s fate of reincarnating for a thousand years in the mortal realm.

Yuan Qi listened with astonishment. It was he who had destroyed Feng Yin’s Nirvana Rebirth, causing her to endure a thousand lifetimes. Yet, hearing Feng Ran’s words, aside from guilt, he felt an inexplicable, dull ache and bitterness in his heart that he couldn’t quite articulate.

Feng Ran sighed. “We in the Immortal Realm have lived for a thousand years, experiencing the joys and sorrows of just this one lifetime. She, however, lived and died dozens of times in the mortal realm. Each journey through the Yellow Springs, every past life vividly replaying before her eyes—no wonder she has become the person she is now.”

Feng Ran glanced at Yuan Qi, who sat opposite her with a slight frown, and sighed inwardly. At a thousand years old, she had been a reckless troublemaker in the Abyssal Marsh, defying heaven and earth. How could she compare to these two youngsters, mature beyond their years and endlessly worrying? Though her disciple had once been Soul Scattered and Spirit Dispersed, enduring a thousand lifetimes, she had at least returned whole and safe. But Yuan Qi..."You now..." Feng Ran paused in her heart, ultimately not voicing her concerns, and only said, "These past few days, taking on the form of a child has reminded me of when you were young in Clear Pond Palace." A trace of nostalgia flickered in Feng Ran's eyes as she suddenly added, "I heard Hua Shu is holding a birthday banquet for you, inviting sect leaders from across the Immortal Realm. The invitation even reached my Phoenix Tree Island a few days ago."

Seeing Yuan Qi frown, Feng Ran continued as if it were of little consequence, "Now that Feng Yin has ascended to the throne, she was the one who received the invitation. I heard she couldn’t be bothered to attend and sent the invitation right back to the Heavenly Palace."

Yuan Qi was taken aback, a faint sense of disappointment stirring within him. He placed a piece on the board and said, "Back then, I ruined her Nirvana Rebirth, causing her soul to scatter and her spirit to disperse, forcing her to endure a thousand years of reincarnation. It’s only natural she doesn’t want to see me, let alone attend my birthday banquet."

"So you’ve hidden your identity in front of her, using the name of a Kunlun Mountain disciple." Feng Ran’s eyes showed disapproval. "I heard from Feng Yun that she’s quite fond of you, even moving the Soul Suppressing Pagoda to Fengyi Palace. Feng Yin has a fiery temper; if she ever learns your true identity, I’m afraid..."

"She won’t find out." Yuan Qi cut off Feng Ran’s concerns. "Beyond this Wutong Phoenix Island, there is no Shang Bai in the Three Realms, and the Yuan Qi of Clear Pond Palace will have no further connection with her. Feng Yin’s awakening has settled a matter that weighed on my heart. Aunt, I’ve grown accustomed to being alone. It’s better this way."

Feng Ran’s voice faltered, and after a long moment, she nodded.

Since that day a thousand years ago, she had never seen Yuan Qi smile again—except today, in front of Feng Yin. She had originally hoped the two would spend more time together and develop some affection, but seeing Yuan Qi like this, it was clear he hadn’t let go of the past in the slightest.

"Hua Shu is organizing this birthday banquet for you. Although it’s obvious to everyone that she has feelings for you and is trying to win your favor, she’s using the pretext of the Heavenly Palace’s reverence for the Divine Lord of Clear Pond Palace, inviting you to emerge and intimidate the Demon Realm. In half a month, the immortals of the Heavenly Palace will gather, and you won’t be able to avoid attending..."

"What does that have to do with me?" Yuan Qi took a casual sip of tea, his eyes growing even colder at the mention of the Heavenly Palace immortals and Hua Shu.

Seeing Yuan Qi’s icy expression, Feng Ran sighed inwardly. Although that Water Condensation Beast had its soul scattered and spirit dispersed under the Heavenly Thunder, if the immortals of the Heavenly Palace hadn’t allowed Hua Shu to strike it with six bolts of Heavenly Thunder first, it wouldn’t have met such a tragic end in the Thunder Tribulation.

For Yuan Qi, not only could he not forgive himself for the death of the Water Condensation Beast, but he also couldn’t forgive the Immortal Tribe he had once protected with all his might. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have secluded himself in Clear Pond Palace for a thousand years and never set foot in the Heavenly Palace again. If it weren’t for his innate duty and responsibility as the son of a god, given Yuan Qi’s protective nature—much like his mother’s—that little peacock likely wouldn’t have survived back then.

Hua Shu truly doesn’t know her place. While others avoid it at all costs, she rushes forward eagerly. It seems she’ll have to suffer a great loss before she comes to her senses.

As they spoke, the game of chess concluded. Yuan Qi glanced at the sky and bid farewell to Feng Ran, who waved him off repeatedly, clearly feeling that conversing with Yuan Qi in his current state was exhausting.

Unexpectedly, after taking two steps, Yuan Qi suddenly stopped and called out to Feng Ran.

"Aunt."

"What is it?"

"Back when Feng Yin hadn’t yet undergone Nirvana Rebirth and emerged, was she already able to take human form through her Primordial Spirit?"Feng Ran nodded, "That's right. When she was young, she was lively and unrestrained. Even before her Nirvana Rebirth, she would transform into human form all day long and cause trouble on the island. I and several Elders had quite a few headaches over her. How do you know about this? Did Feng Yun tell you?"

Feng Ran did not notice the complex expression that appeared on the young man's face as he stood with his back to her. After a long while, she only saw Yuan Qi shake his head. "No, it's just that when I saw Feng Yin today, I felt she seemed somewhat familiar. So it turns out we actually met back then."

Yuan Qi's last sentence was barely audible, and Feng Ran did not catch it. By the time she wanted to ask again, Yuan Qi had already walked away.

Under the moonlight, the young man's figure was bathed in the bright moon, lonely and desolate, just as it had been for these thousand years.

Feng Ran unconsciously rubbed the white jade chess piece in her hand, yet for some reason, she recalled that day a thousand years ago in Rakshasa Land, the young man covered in blood, his eyes filled with regret and despair.

If that Water Condensation Beast had seen that look, she probably would never have chosen to die at the hands of the one she loved.

Those who live, though alive, are as if dead—worse than death.

She had tasted it, so she knew.

But Ayin, whose soul had already scattered and spirit dispersed, would never know that the person she loved most was sent by her own hands into the abyss of hell, trapped like a prisoner for thousands upon thousands of years.

Disciple, oh disciple, may your worldly trials not be as your Master Sovereign fears... If my guess is accurate, I truly do not know how I will ever give an account to those two True Gods in the Ancient Divine Realm.

Feng Ran suddenly raised her eyes, her gaze clear and wise, yet carrying an indescribable complexity and emotion.

And so, Yuan Qi settled on Phoenix Tree Island under the identity of Shang Bai, a disciple of Kunlun. In the form of a child, he spent his days mingling in Fengyi Palace, accompanying Feng Yin day and night. To be honest, after a thousand years, both of their temperaments were no longer what they once were.

Back in the day at Great Marsh Mountain, Feng Yin had been lively and active, causing trouble with Qing Yi all over the place—truly the temperament of a young girl. After a thousand years of worldly trials, having been emperors, generals, bandits, and commoners, what she loved most now in Fengyi Palace was playing chess, savoring wine, and cultivating her mind.

As for Yuan Qi, apart from nurturing his soul in the Soul Suppressing Pagoda, he was often dragged by Feng Yin to accompany her in chess and wine.

Fearing that Feng Yin might notice something amiss, Yuan Qi deliberately held back while playing chess. But Feng Yin’s insight was now profound; no matter how much Yuan Qi concealed, she could still glimpse a hint of his character and temperament from his moves. For a young child to possess such depth and still try to hide it—Feng Yin saw it clearly but did not expose him, following the temperament she had cultivated over a thousand years as a mortal.

They were only companions for a few days, after all. Since others did not wish to speak, she had no need to meddle. However, upon realizing that Yuan Qi was holding back, she found it amusing, but her inexplicable sense of closeness toward him inevitably faded somewhat.

And so, the two of them quietly accompanied each other in Fengyi Palace for nearly half a month. Though this period was uneventful, it was a rare time of peace for Yuan Qi in a thousand years. He now understood that the one he had admired back then was Feng Yin, not Hua Shu. Now that he had figured out the person, the emotions of his youth could not return.

What was missed was missed. He had someone else he cared for more deeply, and though that person was gone, he could never love anyone else in this lifetime.

Though he always felt familiarity and warmth when he looked into Feng Yin’s crimson eyes, he merely attributed it to the feeling brought by the Fire Phoenix Jade he had worn at his waist every day for a thousand years.Half a month later, when Yuan Qi came to bid farewell, Feng Yin felt somewhat disappointed but did not try to persuade him to stay. Instead, she allowed him to linger for a while, smilingly instructed her maids to prepare parting gifts for him, and personally escorted him off the island.

Appreciating Feng Yin’s kindness, Yuan Qi did not decline. However, at the entrance of Phoenix Island, when he saw the Phoenix Clan guards leading twelve Heavenly Steeds laden with chests of gold, he was momentarily taken aback.

"Your Majesty? This…"

"Kunlun is a major sect. Although your master is the direct disciple of the Kunlun Patriarch, your Immortal Power is likely not highly regarded, and you may face some difficulties. Though I am young in years, my status and seniority are established. With my regard for you, your days in Kunlun will naturally be smoother. There’s no need to decline…" As she spoke, Feng Yin took an unremarkable cloth bundle from a maid beside her and handed it to Yuan Qi, smiling as she said, "These are my favorite mung bean cakes. I know you youngsters love these treats. Here, they’re all for you—eat them on the way. If you like them, send someone to Phoenix Island to let me know, and I’ll have more made and delivered to you."

In the moment Feng Yin lowered her gaze, it met Yuan Qi’s as he looked up.

Staring at the smiling Feng Yin, he froze in place.

"Here, A Jin, they’re all for you. Don’t be angry anymore, take me down the mountain with you, okay?"

It was as if he heard that clear, youthful voice from the depths of his memory.

The Phoenix Sovereign before him seemed to slowly merge with the girl who had laughed lightly on the stone steps of Great Marsh Mountain a thousand years ago.