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

Chapter 694 A Sincere Invitation to Visit

A blend of reason and emotion has made the choice irreversible. —Epigraph

Just as they were about to grieve, they seemed to sense a faint life force quietly flowing through the ice sculptures.

This faint glimmer of life did not trigger a sudden and dramatic change on the ground, as if it were tacitly acquiescing to this change.

Tan Ying was clearly encountering this situation for the first time.

"This...how is this possible?"

Fan Nuoxi couldn't help but let her imagination run wild, "Perhaps they've just fallen into some kind of deep sleep that's hard for ordinary people to understand?"

She's not so narcissistic as to think her presence caused some kind of magnetic field change.

It was just a coincidence at best.

She is more inclined to believe that these creatures have fallen into a deep sleep, and after half a century, they are waiting to be revived and embrace a new life.

After all, in the astronomical world, it is quite normal for a star to occasionally experience a mass extinction, followed by a period of calm before new species suitable for survival on that star are born.

However, this evolutionary cycle is certainly complex and leaves people unsettled for a long time.

Because no one knows whether this change will lead to a new beginning or a complete demise.

Those who had been exposed to modern scientific knowledge naturally thought of this aspect, but their mood did not improve as a result.

"If this continues, will they perish completely or survive?" Fan Nuoxi's eyes welled up with tears as she looked helplessly at Tan Ying.

“This…” Tan Ying hesitated for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t know either.”

Tuanzi asked with some worry, "Sister Tan, does this mean we can't walk on the ground anymore?"

If one cannot walk on the ground, some real-life situations may be difficult to capture.

Upon hearing the nickname "Tuanzi," Tan Ying raised an eyebrow and said with a hint of fright, "Yes, if you go down there, you might get stabbed right through and then be reduced to ashes."

Tuanzi quickly hugged Fan Nuoxi's waist, her shoulders trembling, "Dear Master, Tuanzi is scared."

Fan Nuoxi patted Tuanzi's head and then put her into her dantian.

Upon seeing this, Tan Ying's gaze froze.

Then, the snow started falling uncontrollably again, and the wind howled along with it. The vitality of that land began to wane again under the touch of the snowflakes.

The snowflakes that fell this time were all normal, and nothing unusual happened.

Upon seeing this, Dongfang Junyan quickly took out a thick cloak from his spirit ring and tied it on Fan Nuoxi. He then leaned forward slightly to shield her from the wind and snow, and also put a hot water bottle in Fan Nuoxi's arms.

Fan Nuoxi felt the warmth in her arms, and a smile played on her lips. Then she looked at Tan Ying and asked, "If it's really as terrible as you say, why weren't you affected?"

"Well... well..." Still reeling from what she had just witnessed, Tan Ying was unsure how to answer the question.

“Survivorship bias? Or is it like Qu Kuo, who is not bound by certain spatial and temporal constraints?” Fan Nuoxi pondered.

Upon hearing Qu Kuo's name, Tan Ying noticed the certainty in Fan Nuoxi's eyes and tentatively asked, "You...have you met him?"

Seeing that Fan Nuoxi did not answer, Tan Ying was not discouraged. "As you think, I am indeed not bound by these constraints, so... I can control some of the changes here, but only temporarily."

"However, what I said before wasn't exactly an exaggeration. Various dangers can arise here at any time, so it's not a good place to stay."

"Then why are you here?" Fan Nuoxi nodded slightly, somewhat puzzled.

"Because... I've been looking for you."

Tan Ying looked intently at Fan Nuoxi, a barely perceptible pain flashing in her eyes.

Fan Nuoxi subconsciously looked away, but in her heart, she was beginning to lower her guard against Tan Ying.

Upon her return, she encountered two powerful figures whose strength she couldn't fathom—the coincidence was almost too much.

But what if everything Tan Ying and Qu Kuo said is true...?

She must be carrying something extraordinary.

It might even be related to some kind of foundation.

However... this doesn't mean she'll accept any possible identities, unless—she has no other choice.

Thinking of all this, Fan Nuoxi unconsciously touched the ring that Yunmeng Zhiyuan had transformed into, and her heart ached.

Half a century has passed outside, but has even more time passed here? A hundred years, several hundred years, or even a thousand years?

Seeing Fan Nuoxi's subtle actions, Tan Ying noticed the difference in the ring. "What you really want to know is whether they are alright, right?"

"Hmm." Fan Nuoxi nodded listlessly.

"May I take a look at it?"

Tan Ying looked at Fan Nuoxi cautiously, her tone filled with heartache.

Fan Nuoxi gently reached out her hand, but her eyes reddened and her wrist trembled slightly.

Seeing Fan Nuoxi like this, Tan Ying also carefully touched the ring.

The moment her fingertip touched the ring, Tan Ying's finger was jolted away.

Fan Nuoxi quickly steadied Tan Ying, and felt extremely guilty looking at her reddened fingertips.

“Master, I’m fine.” Tan Ying saw Fan Nuoxi’s concern and self-blame and quickly said, “It’s because this ring has a restriction that prevents others from getting close, so this is a normal phenomenon of being rejected.”

"However, that place seems to be protected by something else. I can only sense that everyone inside is asleep and there is no danger to their lives."

"Then what can I do to get them all back to normal?" Fan Nuoxi asked anxiously.

Tan Ying shook her head, her tone much lowered, "This... I don't know."

Even Qu Kuo couldn't do it, so she can't either...

Unfortunately... she couldn't say.

Looking at the vast expanse of white all around, Fan Nuoxi felt an unprecedented sense of powerlessness. "I can't just sit here in the snow and wait to die!"

Dongfang Junyan gently pulled Fan Nuoxi into his arms, "There's always a way out. Perhaps there's still a chance for things to turn around."

"Right now, let's find a place to stay first before making any further plans."

Feeling the vibrations from Dongfang Junyan's chest, Fan Nuoxi seemed to find some comfort and whispered, "I'll listen to you."

Without waiting for Tan Ying to give any orders, the mammoth beneath them carried them away from there.

After a long while, led by a mammoth, the group arrived at a snow cave.

Here, due to the changes over a long period of time, there are many irregular ice crystals embedded in the cave entrance, and there is also a very beautiful door at the cave entrance.

The door, set against the backdrop of the snow, appeared as a somewhat dirty, pale purple. Its material was unknown, but its surface emitted a faint glow and was decorated with totems and animal patterns. The moment the mammoth appeared, it suddenly shone brightly.

A beast pattern then appeared on the mammoth's forehead, echoing the pattern, and then the door opened.

The person on the elephant's back had to close their eyes because of the dazzling light, waiting for the blinding light to dissipate. The scene before them had changed completely.

One after another, towering ice-blue buildings rose from the ground, with countless streams of light swirling around them, seemingly overjoyed at the return of their owner.

Tan Ying seemed used to this kind of scene, unlike Fan Nuoxi and Dongfang Junyan, whose eyes were filled with shock.

Once the complex was stable, what came into view was the city wall and the towering palace behind it. The shimmering light that lingered around the complex seemed to remain there for a long time.

Tan Ying gently patted the mammoth beneath her, and the mammoth began to move slowly forward, seemingly to make it easier for Fan Nuoxi and Dongfang Junyan to get a good look.

Perhaps the scene before her was too overwhelming, Tuanzi couldn't help but shrink to the size of a palm and land on Fan Nuoxi's shoulder, looking at the scene with great appreciation.

"Sister Tan, is this your home? It's so beautiful!"

"What are these streams of light and orbs of light for? They seem quite unusual."

"This is just a world I created casually. As for the streams of light and orbs of light you see, they are the forces that keep this world running. Without my permission, outsiders cannot enter," Tan Ying explained calmly.

"Master, it's still very safe here. You can stay as long as you want."

"I'm afraid that's not appropriate." Fan Nuoxi felt a warmth in her heart, but still didn't agree.

Tan Ying argued logically, "With the world facing constant disasters and no one knowing when they will end, this is a good safe haven."

"Besides, your strength has not yet recovered to its peak, so it's probably difficult for you to accomplish what you want to do."

"And I don't want to lose you either."

----------

This chapter was written by Tan Ying.

Art Director: Fan Nuoxi

Special Feature: Mammoth