"The Heart of the Crystal Dream?" Qingyue asked softly, her voice quieter than the wind that carried them.
She sat beside Yun Che on a bed of soft, drifting clouds high above the Imperial City, its golden glow twinkling far below like scattered stardust. The sky stretched infinitely around them—deep sapphire streaked with silver. Qingyue wasn't sitting stiffly as before. This time… she was closer. Barely an inch separated their shoulders.
"You could say that," Yun Che nodded. "It's a heart state that formed after your Frozen Cloud Heart was… well, shattered."
He paused, guilt flickering across his expression.
"I might have accidentally destroyed it when Shirayuki released her true form."
"Shirayuki…?" Qingyue's gaze flicked to him with a faint note of surprise.
"I remember… you called your swords Shirayuki and Kuroyuki. And… that ice dragon—Hyourinmaru?. Then the final form… Daiguren Hyourinmaru. And something else… 'Hakka no Togame.'"
Yun Che chuckled. "You've got a good memory. Yes—Shirayuki, or more fully, Sode no Shirayuki. In your words… 'Sleeved White Snow.'"
Qingyue whispered the name slowly under her breath.
"Sleeved White Snow…"
It lingered in the air like falling frost.
"But knowing her name doesn't mean you can wield her," Yun Che continued, glancing at the distant horizon. "She's temperamental. Shirayuki doesn't like anyone else touching her—not unless it's me, Retsu, Mio, or Nemu. Not even touching the sword form, let alone channeling her power."
Qingyue tilted her head thoughtfully. "She sounds… possessive."
"She is," he laughed. "But there's a reason. She's not just a sword. She's a being of frost, of elegance and judgment. Pure as snow, cold as death, and—when she chooses—beautiful enough to melt even the strongest hearts."
"I see." Qingyue nodded thoughtfully, processing all that she had learned.
Then Yun Che added casually, "She didn't actually like you, though."
Qingyue blinked. "Eh? Did I offend her somehow?"
Yun Che gave a helpless shrug. "No, nothing like that. She just doesn't like you because… you're my wife."
A long silence.
Qingyue slowly turned to look at him—expression unreadable, but her eyes narrowing ever so slightly. "She hates me… because I married you?"
Her voice was dangerously calm.
Yun Che scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Jealousy's a strange thing, huh? That's just how she is. Don't take it personally."
Qingyue's gaze drifted into the distance again, lips pressing into a thin line. "Your sword spirit sounds less like a sacred entity and more like a petty woman fighting over a man."
Yun Che chuckled softly. "You're still alive because of her. But what you said is not entirely inaccurate, honestly. Just… let her be. She'll warm up to you eventually."
"Warm up…? She's literally made of snow and ice."
"Exactly. So that's going to take a while. She is cold but she's extremely nice and cute sometimes." He grinned.
Qingyue sighed, clearly unconvinced, but let it go. She leaned back against the cloud, allowing her body to relax.
"Back to the Heart of the Crystal Dream," Yun Che began, his tone soft as they hovered on the cloud under the moonlight. "It's a heart state that needed unique energy from the one who restructured it. In other words… you need me close to sustain it."
Qingyue blinked, surprised. "What do you mean?"
"It's not just physical closeness," he clarified. "This heart feeds on your emotions. The stronger your feelings—longing, hope, love, even sadness or frustration—the stronger the power it grants. But that also means..."
He paused briefly, looking up at the stars before meeting her eyes again.
"The darker your emotions—despair, hatred, heartbreak—the more unstable and dangerous it becomes. That's why I call it a double-edged sword."
Qingyue lowered her gaze, placing a hand over her chest.
"So this warmth… the way my heart beats when I'm near you… That's the source?" she murmured.
"Yeah." Yun Che nodded. "Your new heart was born from broken by my unique energy—reshaped by it. It's attuned to me, not just spiritually… but emotionally. It reacts to your feelings for me, even if you don't always want it to."
Qingyue's lips parted slightly. For a moment, her calm facade wavered.
"That's why… no matter how I try to act cold, I still end up drawn to you." Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper.
She stopped, cheeks flushing faintly, before she looked away. The moonlight reflected in her silver eyes.
Yun Che turned toward her. "And in doing so… You rebuilt it. The 'Heart of the Crystal Dream' isn't weaker than the Frozen Cloud Ice Heart. It's yours to control and your Frozen Cloud Arts will be ten times stronger. It's a reflection of yourself, reshaped by my power—but awakened by your desire to protect, not obey."
Qingyue's lips parted slightly.
Something in those words pierced her—gentle, like snowfall, but sharp enough to settle deep in her soul.
"I… felt it," she admitted. "When you healed me… or more than healed me. Something changed inside. Like my heart answered to your command—but not out of submission. It felt… right."
"That's because your new heart doesn't listen to logic or fear," Yun Che said, gently brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. She didn't him touching her instead of lashing out like typical cold woman. Her heart and body accepted his actions despite her mind was a tad bit against it. "It listens to you—the real you. Not the girl buried under Asgard's rules or the one struggling to carry your Asgard's hopes."
She didn't pull away from his touch this time. Her violet eyes searched his.
"And you… how did you know what I needed?"
"I didn't," Yun Che shrugged with a soft grin. "I just gave you what I would've wanted—someone who would risk breaking yourself… just to help you heal and get stronger."
For a long moment, Qingyue said nothing.
Then she turned her gaze upward—at the endless night sky, the stars scattered like frost across silk.
"…I want to understand this heart more," she said finally. "And… I want to understand you."
Yun Che smiled. "We've got all night."
"Now that you've unlocked the Heart of the Crystal Dream," Yun Che said, his voice steady yet laced with anticipation, "we can finally begin your real training."
Qingyue turned toward him with focused eyes, her silver gaze reflecting the stars above.
"What kind of training?" she asked softly.
"I've mapped out a path for you." Yun Che folded his arms as he looked out into the night sky. "I won't teach you everything I know—not because I don't want to, but because much of what I wield isn't meant for you. My power stems from too many sources—so I can't teach you what I can do as I cultivate as a soul cultivator."
He turned back to her and smiled faintly. "But there are things… things only cultivators like you can master. Things that can surpass even divine power if used right."
"Haki is one of them," he continued, stepping closer. "You heard Yuechan mention it before. But she only scratched the surface."
Qingyue nodded slightly, absorbing every word.
"We haven't touched the advanced arts yet—" his eyes narrowed as he listed them off, "Advanced Senses, Bending, the Six Arts, Ki Evolution… and more."
He paused before finishing with a tone of seriousness:
"You still have a long road ahead before you can truly stand at our side. At my side."
There was no judgment in his words—only truth. And that truth didn't discourage her. In fact, it lit something deep within her.
Qingyue closed her eyes briefly, then bowed her head with sincerity.
"I see… then please," she said softly but firmly, "guide this Qingyue."
Yun Che gave a rare, earnest smile. He stepped forward and gently patted her head.
Qingyue's eyes widened, then slowly, she smiled. A real one this time.
"First thing we need," Yun Che began as he crossed his arms thoughtfully, "is to get you a proper weapon."
Qingyue blinked, slightly caught off guard by the sudden shift.
"My weapon…?"
"Since I broke it the other day," he continued, "it's only right that I help you replace it. Besides—" his tone grew more serious, "—if you're going to follow this new path, you'll need something stronger. A blade that matches your heart. Not just any sword will do."
She nodded slowly. There was no resentment in her heart—she remembered how easily her former ribbon had shattered in the aftermath of their clash. Against the power he had unleashed, her treasured blade was like glass.
"Do you have something in mind?" she asked.
"I have one," Yun Che said calmly. "Mind accompanying me for a moment?"
He spread his Wings of Transient Dreams, their ethereal glow dancing across the dim light of the sky. Qingyue nodded silently and followed behind him. For reasons she didn't understand, she held his hand the entire way. And she didn't let go.
He didn't mind.
Their flight was brief, descending gently above the Heavenly Sword Villa's Sword Discourse Arena. The towering Tree of Frozen End still stood tall at the center, encircled by frozen petals and jagged ice boulders that had long since blanketed the once-hallowed dueling grounds.
Below, disciples of the villa moved about carefully, collecting ice flowers and fragments from the arena. Some touched the frost cautiously, in awe of its enduring chill.
"It's been two days…" Qingyue whispered, eyes wide in disbelief. The ice had not melted in the slightest.
"This isn't ordinary ice," Yun Che explained. "It's a mix of Ice Phoenix Divine Frost and the crystallized Divine Ice of my Bankai— Daiguren Hyourinmaru. It doesn't melt. Ever."
She nodded slowly, taking in the surreal beauty of the scene. The chill didn't bother her—it felt oddly comforting now.
"Why are you bringing me here?" she asked softly.
Yun Che didn't answer immediately. Instead, he focused inward.
"System," he called silently in his mind.
"Convert the ice around the arena into materials."
==============
[Ding… All Ice Phoenix Ice within the area?]
==============
"The Ice belonged to Qingyue. So, I won't let them take it."
==============
[Converting…]
==============
A faint pulse of light rippled through the area—unseen by the bystanders—yet Qingyue instinctively felt a shift in the air. The ice surrounding the arena shimmered faintly, as if acknowledging his will.
The Tree of Frozen End, the divine frost, the glacial boulders—all began to emit a soft, radiant glow as the System began breaking them down into pure materials, ready for transformation.
All of a sudden, a stillness fell over the Sword Discourse Arena—an unnatural calm that made the wind itself halt.
Then, the Tree of Frozen End—once tall, proud, and jagged in divine frost—began to crackle. Not from damage… but from release.
Crystalline cracks shimmered like starlight across its surface before it shattered soundlessly, not into shards, but into a cascade of glimmering snow particles. The entire tree dissolved upward, flaking apart in a spiraling storm of soft white radiance, like a blizzard in reverse.
The harvesting disciples around the arena froze in place, stunned.
"W-What's happening?!"
"The ice! The tree is… breaking apart?!"
"Wait—my flower samples!" someone cried.
Across the villa, even in the Villa's Research Hall, where large chunks of divine ice and samples had been taken for study, trembled. Containers cracked. Ice blocks quivered. Then—like their source had been severed—they too began to dissolve, reverting into snowlight that slowly floated skyward, as if summoned by a silent call.
The sky itself dimmed slightly as all the snow particles gathered above the arena, swirling like a vortex of cold light.
Qingyue instinctively took a step closer to Yun Che, her hand gripping his tightly.
"They're returning to you," she whispered.
Yun Che's eyes were closed, focused. The System had done more than simply convert—it had called back every fragment of divine ice born from his clash with Qingyue, acknowledging its true owner… and the one it now served.
"No," he said quietly, opening his eyes to gaze at her.
"They're not returning to me."
He extended his hand slowly, and the storm of divine frost began spiraling down—not toward him—but toward Qingyue.
"They're becoming yours."
As the swirling storm of snowflakes converged around Yun Che's outstretched hand, they began to gather, fuse, and reshape—not into chaos, but into elegance.
Each flake locked into place like a divine mosaic, forming the silhouette of a blade. The storm quieted, and what remained floating in the air was a breathtaking ice katana, glimmering with ethereal beauty.
Its blade was forged from diamond-clear ice, flawless and sharp, frosted along the spine with drifting snow mist. The cutting edge glowed with a tranquil aqua blue, like the heart of a glacial storm.
The hilt was shaped like a snowflake, delicate yet strong, and entirely composed of intricately layered frost. The handle, also carved from ice, shimmered with frost veins. At its base was a bloom—a fully bloomed ice flower, radiant and serene—anchoring a long, flowing ribbon of frozen silk that danced with the breeze.
Just then, a scabbard manifested in Yun Che's left hand, also of crystalline ice, etched with quiet snow patterns along its length. He let go of Qingyue's hand and reached into the air, grasping the floating katana with care and reverence.
As he slid the blade into the scabbard, the ribbon at the handle's end shortened, coiling around the ice flower like a silken wisp. When he drew it back out—the ribbon unfurled once more, trailing behind it like the tail of a comet.
Qingyue's breath caught in her throat.
An ice katana… with a ribbon that moved like it lived. A blade adorned with a flower that mirrored the very name of her sect.
A weapon that reflected her.
Yun Che turned and gently offered it to her.
"Here," he said.
Qingyue stared at the sword in disbelief.
"You just… forged this in mid-air?"
"Yes?" Yun Che replied with a small grin, as if that wasn't an awe-inspiring feat.
Her gaze lowered to the weapon again.
"If I were to name it…" he murmured, "…I'd call it the Snowflower."
"Snowflower?"
"It's an ice katana… with the Iceflower ribbon. A blade that flows and dances like frost in the wind. It fits." Yun Che smiled.
"Snowflower… a new Meitō, born from divine ice and named by its rightful wielder." He gently placed it in her hands. "A sword crafted for you… and only you."
Qingyue's fingers curled around the hilt. The moment she touched it, she felt it resonate with her Crystal Dream Heart—a perfect match.
"Try it," he whispered.
And she did.
Qingyue slowly drew the sword from its crystalline scabbard.
The moment Snowflower cleared its sheath, the air around her seemed to still—quiet, expectant, reverent.
Her breath hitched.
The blade was flawless—a work of frozen artistry. A translucent, glowing edge traced with icy-blue aura ran along the katana's curved form. The core of the blade shimmered like a sky of stars trapped in crystal, and the swirling frost that followed its motion made it seem alive, as if the blade danced with her thoughts.
She gave it a light swing—and the ribbon fluttered outward with grace, then retracted and locked as she shifted the grip. A weapon and a ribbon. A dance and a duel. A deadly beauty forged in divine ice.
Even more surprising—it responded to her. Like it already knew her.
Her fingers tightened slightly, sensing a soft vibration running through the hilt—not discordant, but attuned. Harmonized.
She felt no recoil, no clash of will.
Just unity.
"…It's attuned to me?" she asked softly.
Yun Che folded his arms and gave her a lopsided grin.
"Of course. I tuned it to your new heart. And infused it with a special metal from my world—it absorbs shock and resonance. Perfect for channeling Haki without breaking your arm… or your weapon."
Qingyue stared at him—no, at the man who just casually forged her the most precious weapon she's ever held.
"…Thank you," she whispered, the words quiet, but sincere—rare, even for her.
Yun Che's smile softened. He could feel the weight of her gratitude.
She remembered her master's sword—a special curved blade that she kept on her waist. Even her master, who loved her dearly, never passed that weapon to her. Some treasures are too sacred, too irreplaceable to share.
And yet… Yun Che had just made something similar.
A sword that wasn't merely powerful—it was hers.
"It's a start," he said, his voice casual but warm. "You'll need something stronger than normal steel if you want to master Haki. Consider that your first step. A gift from me to you."
He glanced up at the villa below.
"Now… let's leave before the entire Sword Villa starts suspecting me of sorcery."
Qingyue chuckled softly—genuinely—for the first time in a long while. She sheathed Snowflower on her waist, and without hesitation, reached for his hand.
"Lead the way…."
And together, they took to the sky once more—leaving behind a garden of frozen petals, and the whisper of something new blossoming between them.
As they flew, leaving behind the bewildered villa—and likely a storm of rumors about the shattered ice trees and the massive chunk of ice that vanished overnight—she held his hand. Somehow, the simple act brought her an inexplicable calm. Her heart urged her to never let go, even as her mind whispered that she should.
As they soared through the cool night sky, Qingyue's voice gently cut through the wind.
"If I may ask…" she began, her tone calm yet curious. "What am I going to train in first?"
Yun Che glanced sideways, his eyes still scanning the stars.
"Haki. We'll begin there. Since you now have the Heart of Snow Glazed Glass, mastering it should come naturally to you—and quickly."
Qingyue blinked.
"Wait… but you said I had the Heart of the Crystal Dream. What is this Heart of Snow Glazed Glass?"
Yun Che chuckled lightly.
"You have two hearts now. The Crystal Dream Heart came from me—rebuilt from the ashes of your old Frozen Heart. It's tied to emotion, desire, and power… but this second one—the Heart of Snow Glazed Glass—is yours. Something ancient. Something rare. Something only, you possessed."
Qingyue listened closely as he continued, his tone shifting into a quiet reverence, as if reciting legend.
"In ancient times, they said the Heart of Glazed Glass appeared only once in a million years. When awakened, it reshapes the soul—boosts one's power, sharpens wisdom, expands vision. But most of all… it frees the heart."
He glanced at her.
"A person who possesses it won't bow easily to anyone. They'll no longer be weak, hesitant, or lost. They become… something more."
Qingyue took a moment to process. "So… what does it actually do?"
"It grants a rare mind—pure, crystalline in nature. Those with this heart develop immense comprehension, spiritual clarity, and a soul that grows stronger over time. You'll gain the ability to sense good from evil, feel danger before it comes, and even pierce through lies and illusions. Eventually… you might even see into the hearts of others. It's like having extremely advanced Observation Haki."
She fell silent again, the wind brushing against her face as the revelation sank in.
"…I see." She placed a hand on her chest, over the faintly glowing warmth within.
"So this… Heart of Snow Glazed Glass… it hasn't awakened yet?"
"Not fully," Yun Che said. "But it's stirring. It's why you were able to reach the Fourth Realm of Frozen End Arts so easily. Why you can comprehend things far beyond others at your level."
He smirked knowingly.
"Still think it wasn't just your mother's blessing?"
Qingyue met his gaze briefly—then looked away, hiding the faintest hint of a smile. She was silent for a moment, the wind softly tousling her silvery hair as they glided through the night sky.
"…."
Then she glanced at him.
"Yesterday… you mentioned something. The Nine Profound Exquisite Body. What exactly is that?"
Yun Che gave her a look, as if trying to decide how much to say.
"It's more commonly known as the Nine Mystical Exquisite Body." He spoke calmly, then explained,
"In simple terms, it's like a 'small world' inside your body. It allows you to contain and control power far beyond what your cultivation should permit. No matter what profound art you train in, even ones far above your current level, you can master them as if you were already qualified. It defies logic."
Qingyue's brows lifted slightly. "So… I can actually do that?"
Yun Che smiled.
"Oh, you've already done it." He continued,
"According to Chu Yuechan, in the Emperor Profound Realm, your Winter Fairy Form should only last thirty seconds at most. But you lasted several minutes—and not just that. You unleashed the First to Fourth Stages of the Frozen End Arts in succession while still in your Winter Fairy Form. Even Shui Wushunag Winter Fairy form lasted more 10 seconds. It was crude."
Qingyue's eyes widened slightly as she remembered the moment. The serenity… the overwhelming cold… and yet, the control.
"If you didn't have the Nine Mystical Exquisite Body," Yun Che said, "you would've collapsed after the first stage. Maybe less."
He grinned.
"So yes—you can 'spam' your techniques. Over and over. And you won't get tired. It's… kind of unfair, honestly. Sigh….. The pot calls the kettle black." He sighs as if he can pretty much do the same thing.
Qingyue blinked.
"…Spam?" The unfamiliar word sounded awkward on her tongue. He used another word that is unfamiliar. When she get back later, she must write this word in her small journal.
Yun Che chuckled.
"Never mind that. What matters is, you've been blessed with an extraordinary constitution. Most cultivators burn out or explode trying what you did casually."
She turned her gaze forward again, quietly absorbing his words.
"So this is what I've become…" she murmured to herself. "Something more than human…"
Yun Che didn't answer that—but he smiled knowingly. He exhaled, the night wind brushing past them as the Imperial City lights shimmered below like stars.
"Back to the real issue—Haki is your first step," he said, glancing at Qingyue.
"Chu Yuechan mentioned it once. For your foundation, I'll train you to master Observation Haki and Armament Haki. It's like partially unlocking the true potential of your Heart of Snow Glazed Glass."
Qingyue tilted her head slightly. "So it's connected?"
"Not directly," Yun Che said, "but the Snow Glazed Heart amplifies your comprehension and senses. So Haki becomes easier to understand, refine, and evolve. Once you've grasped the basics, I'll guide you to Advanced Haki Senses."
He paused, holding out his hand as if weighing something invisible.
"So far, I've unlocked two for myself—Eagle Vision and Eagle Scent. I can teach them once your foundation is stable."
Qingyue's eyes shimmered slightly with intrigue. "What do they do?"
Yun Che smirked.
"Eagle Vision—it sees through things. For example, if someone casts an illusion like your First Realm of the Frozen End – Ice Illusory Mirror, Eagle Vision would ignore it entirely. It lets you see truth, bypass lies, and read people's intentions. Friend or foe—you'll know without a word."
"And Eagle Scent?"
He chuckled. "That one's more… invasive. You pick up intent scent left on people. You could smell someone's fear… or even recognize whose aura they've been near. For example, you'd know who someone slept with, even if they erased all evidence."
Qingyue was silent, her expression unreadable.
"…You don't have to use that one," Yun Che added quickly, scratching his cheek. "It's just… part of the skillset. Unless you ready to smell something worse than a rotting corpse from people who are still alive."
After a beat, Qingyue simply murmured, "I see."
Yun Che cleared his throat and pressed on.
"Once you master those, the next step is evolving your Haki and Profound Energy into Profound Ki—a more advanced form. Like your brother Yuanba, who naturally generates Ki as part of his power system. You'll have to build it from scratch."
"And after that?"
"Then we reinforce your body with the Six Superhuman Arts. They're ancient human techniques that enhance the body far beyond normal limits. Strength, speed, durability, flexibility, finger strength, leg strength and adaptability to all six arts."
Qingyue blinked, absorbing the avalanche of knowledge.
"And finally… Bending," Yun Che said.
"Bending? Is it like Unohana Retsu's Waterbending and your Firebending?"
"The manipulation of elements directly using willpower and refined Ki. Think of it like commanding nature itself—not by force, but by resonance. That's what she did in the arena. She has a lot of experience and is extremely versatile in battle. I advise you not to piss her off if you value your life."
He smiled at her. Qingyue nodded. Unohana Retsu can end her life in an instant if she wants to. It is better to thread on a safe path.
"It'll take time, Qingyue. But if anyone can walk this path, it's you. Cang Yue walked the path of three swords, she won't take up bending unless she had time to learn."
She looked ahead, then softly nodded.
"Do your other fiancées know?" Qingyue asked quietly, her voice barely above the wind.
Yun Che nodded. "They've already mastered it. They're… very eager to grow stronger."
Qingyue lowered her gaze. "I envy them."
He glanced sideways at her.
"They got to walk beside you early on," she continued, her tone filled with quiet regret. "To learn what you offered them… instantly. If I had followed you the moment we were married… I—"
"It wouldn't have done you any good." Yun Che cut in, gently but firmly.
"Frozen Cloud Asgard wouldn't have allowed it. They sacrificed everything to raise you as their genius. If I had been a true cripple, they wouldn't have let me near you. Honestly…" he hesitated, "…they might've killed me, just to protect their investment."
Qingyue's eyes widened. "They wouldn't…"
Yun Che looked straight ahead, voice low and unwavering.
"Qingyue… our marriage was the price for your entry into Frozen Cloud Asgard. A contract. Once the promise was fulfilled, my worth—my life—meant nothing."
He gave a bitter laugh. "If I had laid a hand on you while still a cripple, that might've been my last moment alive. If not by your hand… then by your master's."
She fell silent, her fingers tightening ever so slightly.
"So even if I was a cripple… even if I was the man you were supposed to marry—" he trailed off, letting the weight of those unspoken years stretch between them.
"I would've been dead if... I don't have anything to bargain my life with."
"Let's say…" Yun Che began, his voice low and steady, "…you didn't kick me out that night."
Qingyue looked at him, heart tightening.
"If I truly didn't have powers… if I was still that helpless cripple… I would still give you the Heavenly God Spiritual Veins using a different method. As repayment, you would've saved my life at given time just for doing that. By pushing me away. Forbidding me from touching you was kind of a call to save my life. You had every right—and indirectly, you would've protected me."
He gave a faint, bittersweet smile. "Your master was watching us from afar at that time."
Qingyue's expression faltered.
"You would've stayed," he continued softly, "protected me… maybe even cared for me until the day you left the clan."
He looked up at the sky.
"You're someone who recognized deed. Then, it would be logical for you to be alone to avoid a debt of gratitude. By the way, If I were sick… you might've made chicken soup and nurse me back."
Qingyue blinked, stunned. "Chicken soup…?" That was her specialty. Something only those closest to her would know.
"How did you—?"
Yun Che fell silent, the weight of unspoken truths lingering between them like frost in the air. Qingyue didn't press him—but she didn't need to. Her eyes, calm and unblinking, were the kind that quietly demanded answers.
He looked up at the sky, the faint shimmer of the ice katana still reflecting in his eyes.
"You're going to ask eventually, and I know you won't give up until you have an answer." he muttered. "So I might as well give you part of it now."
Qingyue tilted her head slightly. She said nothing, waiting.
"Let's just say… I've seen another timeline." He turned to her, his expression unreadable.
"One where I never had my current powers. One where I didn't replace the man you were supposed to marry."
His expression became serious as he dropped the bomb after sealing themselves inside a mute kido. Preventing whatever information is given to her stays between them.
"I've seen your future, Qingyue."
Yun Che's voice was low, carrying a weight that made her breath hitch.
"A future where you're hunted by a Sacred Ground… driven from this world, forced to flee."
His eyes darkened as he looked into the horizon.
"You end up in the Realm of the Gods. You gain an inheritance that catapults you from a mortal to a celestial. You eventually find your mother again… but it's not the reunion you dreamed of. It's twisted. Painful."
Qingyue stiffened, her lips parting slightly—but no words came.
"You lose everything, Qingyue." he said softly. "Your mother. Me. Your father. Everyone you once knew. Everything that made you you… gone."
She felt a chill that had nothing to do with her element.
"The loss broke you and you succumb to despair. You become cold. Unrecognizable. A witch in the eyes of others. Broken beyond repair. Cruel yet calculating."
Yun Che's gaze dropped.
"I hated that version of you. That future version. I truly did. That's why I chased you away at the wedding. I hated you for a future that was dark. However, the one I knew… the one I see right now… still has a heart. Still has light. That's why I can't hate you because that future didn't happen."
Silence fell between them, the wind carrying only the sound of snowflakes fluttering in the distance.
"And in the end…" his voice cracked slightly, "…you jumped into the Abyss of Nothingness carrying what last of secrets or love you had for me…."
Qingyue's entire body froze.
"Your fate… vanished into silence. No one knew what became of you. Whether you died… or just chose to stop existing."
She couldn't speak. Couldn't breathe. Her mind was spinning, her heart cracking under the weight of a truth she hadn't lived… yet somehow, already carried.
"Your love for me… was twisted in its own way," Yun Che said, his voice heavy, his eyes lost in the swirling clouds around them.
"You stayed by my side… even when you had every reason to walk away."
He paused, the wind brushing between them like memories long buried.
"You ascended—no, leapt—to the peak of the Celestials. You inherited the power of the moon itself and became the Moon Celestial."
Qingyue's breath caught in her throat.
"And yet… you used all that power not to save yourself, but to protect me."
He looked at her then, truly looked.
"You made me hate you. You divorced me. Cast me aside to keep me alive."
A bitter smile touched his lips.
"You even pretended to destroy my star… after finding out the truth—that I carried a dark bloodline."
Her eyes trembled.
She remembered none of this. And yet, every word hit her like it was carved from fate itself.
"I didn't understand it then. Why you turned so cold. Why you pushed that version of me away when I needed you most."
He exhaled deeply.
"But now I know. You weren't saving yourself… you were saving me."
His voice dropped to a near-whisper.
"If the Celestials knew I was your husband… if they had found out… they would have destroyed your entire realm just to erase that link."
Qingyue looked down, the ice katana in her hand trembling. "You did what you had to do."
Yun Che's words weren't filled with blame. Just… sorrow. "Even if it meant becoming the villain in my eyes."
She was silent, shaken. The sword in her hand no longer felt as steady.
"It was just one timeline," Yun Che said quietly.
"One possibility. But it became your fate in that world. You became strong… too strong. But that strength twisted you. The love you had became a weapon—against yourself, against others. You turned cold… cruel… and finally, you were hunted like a monster."
He looked away.
"In the end, you jumped into the Abyss of Nothingness. Disappeared from every realm."
Qingyue's lips parted, but no words came.
"This timeline… is not that one." He stepped closer. "It doesn't have to be. You don't have to become her."
Her voice was small, uncertain.
"…How do you know all this?"
"How do you know what happens in a timeline that isn't real?"
Yun Che didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice carried a strange stillness.
"Because I kind of lived through it. I watched her fall. I watched you fall. That Qingyue—she exists, in the remnants of a dead world."
He looked directly at her, unwavering.
"I was wrong. You are not her. But the choices you make now… will determine whether you stay that way or not."
Qingyue gripped the sword tighter, heart pounding.
"…This Qingyue doesn't understand," she whispered, her voice caught between confusion and unease.
"How do you know of this…?" she asked again, eyes narrowing.
"How do you know my fate in this 'timeline' of yours? Did you come from the future to change the past?"
Yun Che shook his head slowly. "No. Time travel doesn't work that way. Not truly."
He looked up at the sky, voice tinged with a quiet gravity.
"You don't go back and change the past. You create a new timeline. A different path. A different version of events. The old one continues… and a new one is born alongside it."
Her brow furrowed.
"So… that version of me still suffers? Still falls?"
"Yes," he said softly. The story continues. "That's the Prime Timeline or I prefer to call it 'the original novel'"
Yun Che eyes the skies and he knew Jasmine is listening right now. She too wanted to know about the Prime Timeline.
"In the Prime Timeline, the original path… you became the worst possible version of yourself."
Qingyue looked down, her grip tightening on Snowflower.
"This Qingyue still doesn't understand…" she murmured, almost to herself.
Yun Che stepped forward, his voice gentle but firm.
"If you think all of this is just one big lie, I might as well stop here," Yun Che sighed.
"No... you're not lying. My heart told me so—both of them did. They trusted you," Qingyue said softly. "So, this Qingyue will believe you, even if it sounds ridiculous."
"Since you now know I'm not from this world, I might as well tell you more."
He met her gaze.
"Do you believe… that there are countless alternate dimensions? Timelines shaped by different choices, different chances?"
Her eyes searched his, caught in the web of this strange truth.
"Is it… like another lifetime?"
He gave a half-nod.
"Sort of. But not exactly. In this world, people believe in reincarnation—a single soul reborn across many lives but that timeline still moves on."
He gestured subtly with his hand, fingers tracing unseen paths.
"Where I come from, we understand it as infinite versions of the same moment, split across dimensions. Alternate timelines. Each one is born from a different decision. Different feelings. Different fates. Think of it as 'What ifs'." Then, he continued. "What if your mother is still alive? What if we never met? What if worlds that we will never be able to see or exist unless you find ways to travel the multiverse."
She was quiet, her breath slow and measured. The wind whistled past them, cold with meaning.
"So… the past, present, and future all exist together?"
"Yes."
He looked at her with solemn intensity.
"Which means the version of you that fell into darkness still exists somewhere. Not just that, random versions. But this you… this version, standing here with me… is free to choose differently."
Qingyue closed her eyes for a moment, as if absorbing the weight of it all.
"Then… who am I, really?"
Yun Che smiled gently.
"You're still you. The Qingyue of this world. This alternate dimension of the Prime Timeline or I could call it, the real novel. You're the one who hasn't fallen yet," Yun Che said softly. "The one who doesn't have to follow the Prime Timeline's fate."
Qingyue's brows furrowed, her voice barely above a whisper.
"…How did I change it? How do I avoid the dark fate awaiting me?"
He looked at her—truly looked at her, as if seeing not just the girl in front of him, but every version of her that could have been.
"You knew the truth," he said. "About your mother… your origin… your potential. In that timeline, you charged forward alone, carving your own path with no one beside you. Cold. Ruthless. Unstoppable. But also… utterly alone."
He took a breath, his gaze softening.
"But not this time."
"This time… you didn't rush. You didn't discard everything to chase power. You trusted me."
"You chose to stay. To train together. To build something instead of destroy it all."
Qingyue looked away, heart heavy and warm at once. She had never thought of it like that.
"You created a branch path," he continued. "A deviation from the fate carved in stone. Instead of becoming a sword that cuts everything away… you chose to hold on. You pinned your hopes on something different. On… us."
He smiled—not the cocky grin he often wore, but something quiet and real.
"And that changed everything," Yun Che said quietly. "God has written a new fate for you—one even I cannot see. I don't know what lies ahead, but whatever comes, we'll face it together. The Prime Timeline's fate is already sealed. But here, in this world… a new path has begun. An unknown fate."
"Have we branched away from the Prime Timeline's destiny?" Qingyue asked.
"It branched the moment I entered this timeline," Yun Che replied.
"You?" Qingyue blinked, confused.
"Not Yun Che… or even Xiao Che," he said, drawing a deep breath.
"Me. The real me."
Yun Che's voice was steady, but laced with something ancient… something weary.
"Let me break it down for you. You married me because of a promise… but I was never meant to be that groom. I'm not even the Yun Che you think you know."
Qingyue's breath hitched. She instinctively took a step back, her fingers gripping Snowflower tighter.
"Then… who are you?" she asked, voice trembling, confusion swirling in her violet eyes.
"You always say you're not Yun Che… or Xiao Che… You talk about living as a cripple… about timelines… This Qingyue doesn't understand. It's too much."
Yun Che looked at her for a long moment, silent. The wind brushed past them, scattering faint flecks of snow around their feet in the air. His expression was unreadable—but heavy, like a man carrying the weight of many lives.
Then, he spoke.
"…Would you believe me," he said quietly, almost a whisper, "if I told you… I'm someone who wasn't supposed to exist here at all?"
Qingyue blinked, her lips parting.
He stepped closer—not threatening, but honest. Raw.
"The soul that now lives in this body… is not the one born in this world."
"I come from another place—another realm entirely. Not a timeline. Not a dimension. A different reality altogether."
Her hand trembled slightly at her side, the weight of his words pressing into her.
"In that world," he continued, "I died. My soul was scattered. And somehow… it found its way here. Into Yun Che's dying body. I woke up in a world that wasn't mine, with a name that wasn't mine, a fiancée I didn't know… and a fate that never belonged to me."
Qingyue stared at him, stunned into silence.
"When I came to this world… replacing Yun Che, taking over his body…" Yun Che's voice was calm, but there was a storm behind it.
"That was the first thing that came to my mind. The reason I hated you…" He closed his eyes, as if the memory still hurt.
"I hated the version of you that hadn't even existed yet." He gave a small, bitter laugh.
"Petty, isn't it?"
Qingyue's expression froze.
"Replace…?" she echoed, stunned.
Yun Che didn't flinch.
"Yes. Do you believe me when I am telling you that I'm not the Yun Che you think I am. Not the one born in this world. I took over his body… at the moment of his death."
His words were heavy, too sharp to be a lie. If he intended to alter her fate in this world, then he would risk telling the truth. Just like what he did with Jasmine.
"I'm from another timeline. Another reality. Another world."
Qingyue's breath caught. "You… you're not him? All this time?"
He turned toward her then, his eyes soft, yet haunted.
"More or less," Yun Che said calmly. "Your childhood friend… was indeed me. But only a shadow clone. A construct created to live like a child, to blend in. Meanwhile, the real me stayed hidden—developing in secret."
He looked away, as if the admission cost him more than he let on.
"I would return from time to time to reinforce the illusion. And every memory the clone experienced… eventually came back to me."
He shrugged slightly, voice quieter.
"But… I guess that part doesn't matter anymore."
Qingyue turned to him, eyes searching. "Then please… tell me—who are you, really?"
He drew in a breath. "I…"
But before the words could leave his lips, the air around them shifted violently. A suffocating pressure descended like a mountain crashing down from the sky. Qingyue gasped, stumbling, and Yun Che immediately grabbed her, pulling her close.
A sudden flash—and they landed hard onto the deck of a massive ark. The atmosphere was thick with suppression, layered and ancient.
Yun Che's eyes narrowed. Damn it… He had been under a mute kido, shielding his presence. But in focusing too much on Qingyue, he had failed to sense someone approaching.
He recognized the formation instantly—one he had tampered with days ago to render himself immune. But Qingyue…
Her aura collapsed.
She dropped from the Sky Profound Realm to Peak Spirit Profound—then plummeted further to Peak True Profound Realm.
"Well… well…" came a condescending voice. "To think I'd find the infamous Yun Che and the ever-so-lovely Xia Qingyue here of all places."
Yun Che's jaw clenched.
"Ling Tianni."