The group's beloved wife: She is the phoenix, she is the king

Chapter 692 Not What It Used to Be

When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? —Epigraph

Seeing that the people in front of him couldn't help but laugh, Qu Kuo secretly groaned in his heart.

Forget it, we're all on the same side, I'll put up with it!

Fan Nuoxi silently repeated his name in her heart, feeling both unfamiliar and familiar.

Noticing that Dongfang Junyan's body was stiff, she used her magic to examine him and released him from the immobilization spell.

The moment they gained their freedom, Dongfang Junyan and Fan Nuoxi intertwined their fingers, demonstrating their commitment through action.

Qu Kuo, “…”

It's just freezing him in place for a moment, why be so petty?

I have no idea what the owner saw in this guy!

I still hate her just as much as before!

"What's going on now? And where is this place?" Fan Nuoxi looked around and changed the subject at the right moment, but she did not pull her hand away from Dongfang Junyan's.

There's no other reason than that I'm afraid she'll get jealous and I'll have to comfort her, which is exhausting.

The place they are in now seems quite different from the place where Yuan Qing lives.

Around Yuan Qing, one can always see the twinkling stars, vast and beautiful yet awe-inspiring.

But here, the surroundings seem colorless, as if there are thousands of colors, or as if a world constructed from a single color, making one feel as if they are detached from the world yet also as if they live within it.

It stands apart from the world, yet its fame endures.

Occasionally, tiny specks of energy would appear around, only to quickly dissipate. The fluctuations in energy were barely perceptible, but the power that condensed within them was extraordinary.

If we compare the strength of power to water, the power that can be condensed on a sphere like Xu Nuan is like a few drops of water, the power that can be condensed in the divine realm where Su Xiu lives is like a trickle of water, the power that can be condensed in the place where Yuan Qing lives is like a river and lake, but the power here, once condensed, is like sinking into a vast ocean, or even a more impenetrable place.

But for Fan Nuoxi, it was like a training ground tailor-made for her.

"Now, everything is desolate, and everything needs to be rebuilt." Qu Kuo lowered his eyes, a trace of resentment flashing in them before turning into sorrow, his voice trembling slightly, "Ever since the day my master encountered calamity, everything in the world has been burdened by cause and effect, but that is what they deserve..."

Realizing what he had said, Qu Kuo pretended to be relaxed again, "Master, will you take me with you wherever you go from now on?"

Seeing the flicker in Fan Nuoxi's eyes, Qu Kuo leaned down and hooked the little finger of Fan Nuoxi's other hand, his voice soft and gentle, "You have no idea how bored I am without my master."

“You seem much more capable than me, you have everything you could want, how could you be bored?” Fan Nuoxi laughed, but her eyes couldn’t help but sized up the somewhat childish Qu Kuo in front of her.

This guy looks to be at least tens of thousands of years old, and his acting all cute and coquettish with her seems a bit like he's trying to look younger than he is.

"What's the use of being powerful? He's still..." Qu Kuo muttered softly, his voice trailing off, "...unable to even protect the people he wants to protect..."

"What did you say?" Fan Nuoxi approached step by step.

Qu Kuo instinctively backed away, "N-nothing..."

As soon as he finished speaking, Qu Kuo vanished without a trace.

"Coward," Tuanzi said, looking in the direction where I, Qu Kuo, disappeared.

Dongfang Junyan felt a ripple of emotion upon hearing Qu Kuo's words.

He seemed to know Fan Nuoxi quite well, and the aura emanating from him felt strangely familiar...

Did they meet before at some point?

But why do I have no impression of him at all?

Dongfang Junyan subconsciously tightened his grip on Fan Nuoxi's hand, his palms slightly sweaty, clearly showing some panic and unease.

Having experienced a host of troubles firsthand, Fan Nuoxi was already numb, well, actually she had run out of options.

All I wanted was to end this bizarre mess as soon as possible, find the truth I'd always wanted to know, and go back to my life of wealth and luxury.

Time seemed to stand still here, and none of them felt excessive fear.

The three of them sat on the ground, regulating their breathing.

But Qu Kuo, hiding in the shadows, was clearly not as calm as them. He secretly practiced his simplified Chinese name while observing their movements.

After an unknown amount of time, Dongfang Junyan and Tuanzi felt their long-dormant dantian begin to warm up, and the power they hadn't embraced for so long was gradually circulating throughout their limbs and bones.

Fan Nuoxi's situation was quite different from theirs. She could clearly sense the changes in their own power, as well as the changes in their surrounding environment.

She could sense that Qu Kuo hadn't gone far, watching their every move from somewhere she couldn't pinpoint exactly.

She released a bit of her power, like ripples spreading across a calm lake. Countless points of power transformed into stars and flew towards her, seemingly as a welcoming ceremony or as a voluntary surrender.

Not only did they not harm them, they even subtly helped them.

"Om - hum -"

Accompanied by a continuous buzzing sound, the place where they were standing rapidly diminished like melting snow and ice, and the place where they sat cross-legged also underwent a huge change.

Everything around became bright and deathly still.

What is bright is that everything is covered in silver, with heavy snow falling as if it never stops; what is deadly is that there is no living thing in sight, and no sign of life walking or living.

What can be vaguely seen are the unique ice sculptures that are sure to make your heart flutter.

The earth, mountains, rivers, vegetation, living things... everything that represents life is deathly silent.

Has this place turned into the Ice Age?

Fan Nuoxi reached out and caught a snowflake in front of her. The snowflake did not melt because it felt the warmth, but turned into an ice needle and pierced Fan Nuoxi's palm.

The moment the skin broke, blood seeped out. The ice needle seemed to have a sense of self, hovering still and emitting a faint blue halo. It quickly healed Fan Nuoxi's wound.

Also still were the other fluttering snowflakes, and everything that landed on Tuanzi and Dongfang Junyan and turned into ice needles.

The wounds on the three of them were visibly healing, the wind gradually stopped, and the snow slowly subsided and even returned to normal, as if it were apologizing or trying to please something.

Even more strangely, the cold air also warmed up because of this change.

Although everything happened very quickly, Fan Nuoxi still managed to accurately capture the force that could reverse it all.

"Who's playing tricks? Come out here!"

With a flick of her wrist, Fan Nuoxi conjured a long whip in her hand.

Dongfang Junyan and Tuanzi also became vigilant, paying close attention to the changes around them.

After he finished speaking, the atmosphere seemed to reach a stalemate.

The snow stopped, and the clouds dispersed.

"Ding-ding-ding-ding-"

As ethereal sounds echoed through the heavens and earth, a woman dressed in a magnificent ice-blue robe rode an ice-blue mammoth into the three people's view from afar.

The mammoth was enormous, about the height of a two-story building. It looked majestic and awe-inspiring, yet it moved with a light step and did not cause any major earthquakes.

It is adorned with many ice-blue accessories—its forehead, trunk, back, tail, and four legs are all decorated with light and beautiful things, but without appearing ostentatious.

However, the occasional clear, melodious sound emitted by the ornaments at its tail seemed to signify its status and existence.

The woman sitting on its back is both heroic and lively.

She wasn't exactly petite, but her ice-blue gown, paired with matching hair, created a melodious yet powerful sound as her accessories clattered with each step, making her resemble a queen of an icy world.

The moment he saw Fan Nuoxi, his blue-green eyes lit up with joy, but his every move was tinged with caution.

As the elephant beneath her respectfully bent down to let her down, the three of them directly perceived the woman's imposing stature, which appeared to be several meters tall.

At this moment, Fan Nuoxi and the other two seemed very insignificant.

It gives the impression of dwarves moving into a world of giants.

The woman seemed to notice the difference, and with a light laugh, she shrank in size, shrinking along with the mammoth.

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This chapter's screenwriter: Fan Nuoxi

Art Direction: The author

Special appearance by: Qu Kuo