Ling Yun jolted awake with a sharp gasp, the sting of his wounds flaring across his body. The pain reminded him—Cang Yue. His defeat. The humiliation burned hotter than any injury. He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, and without even waiting for the healers to stop him, he leapt from the sickbed.
Every step sent a jolt through his bones, but he didn't care.
He had to return.
To the arena. To reclaim his pride.
But the moment he stumbled past the threshold of the Sword Discourse Arena—
He froze.
The overwhelming silence was unnatural. Not a whisper, not a breath… as if the entire world held itself still.
He opened his mouth to speak—perhaps to declare something bold or foolish—but his voice caught in his throat, as if the air itself refused to leave his lungs.
His already pale face turned blank.
Then he saw her. He saw them.
Unveiled….
There, in the center of the crystalline battlefield, amidst the shimmering dome of Retsu's domain, a snow-white veil floated down like a feather, gently spinning through the air before touching the ground.
And the face it once concealed…
The illusion before him didn't feel real. It was as if a goddess from some ancient realm had descended, untouched by time or mortal stain. Her skin, flawless and luminous like freshly fallen snow under moonlight. Her features, so ethereal they blurred the line between dream and reality.
Ling Yun's world tilted.
"Is she even human…?"
His knees nearly buckled. For a moment, he forgot pain, pride, and even Cang Yue. He forgot why he'd come.
He wasn't the only one.
The entire arena was gripped by a collective silence so deep, it felt sacred. Thousands, including profound masters, elders, sect leaders, and monarchs, held their breath as Xia Qingyue's face was revealed, no longer hiding behind a veil.
In the wake of that veilfalling, time itself seemed to stop.
It wasn't just beauty. It was divinity made flesh.
And in that stillness… no one dared speak.
Xia Qingyue's skin was like snow kissed by sunlight—not the kind of pale that evoked sickness, but a radiant, crystalline whiteness that seemed born from winter itself. It shimmered with a flawless luster, each ray of sunlight brushing against her like an artist's final stroke. Her exposed shoulder, visible through her torn sleeve, gleamed like polished jade—so smooth, so immaculate, it seemed as though even the wind dared not touch it.
Just her skin alone was enough to steal the breath of every man present.
But that was only the beginning.
Framing her ethereal visage were elegant brows, long and fine like brushstrokes in a master's painting—soft curves of moonlight over ice. Her eyes, deep and crystalline, shimmered with the clarity of a frozen spring, each glance holding mystery, serenity, and distant sorrow. Her cheeks were whiter than the first snow and just as delicate, accented by soft, graceful dimples that belonged to dreams and timeless verses.
And then—her lips.
A natural rose-petal pink, as if the gods themselves had taken their time, carving perfection with care and reverence. Tender, curved, divine. Lips that could silence kingdoms.
Every single feature was enough to stun the soul. But combined… they formed a transcendence of beauty, something so staggering that even heaven and earth paled in comparison. In that single, breathless moment, the world faded—all color, all sound—washed away by her radiance.
As her veil fluttered to the ground, it felt like a divine seal had been lifted.
The arena—thousands strong—fell into a hush so pure, even the wind dared not whisper.
And in the stunned silence, a single shared thought bloomed in countless minds:
"Is she a goddess…? No… even a goddess wouldn't be this beautiful…"
Even the most seasoned elders, battle-hardened masters, and cold-hearted sect leaders found themselves awestruck—no longer warriors, but worshippers at the altar of her beauty.
The ones who reacted the most… were undoubtedly the young profound practitioners. Their eyes were locked in place, their souls seemingly drifting beyond the confines of their bodies. Even the heirs of noble clans—surrounded by beauties from birth—found themselves entranced, powerless before Xia Qingyue's divine radiance. Their minds blanked, their thoughts scattered. In that moment, it was as if they themselves no longer existed, overwhelmed by a presence too beautiful to be mortal.
Even the elders—men whose hair had turned white from age and cultivation, whose hearts were no longer easily stirred—stood frozen. Their weathered eyes widened, as if caught in a time long past… mesmerized not by power, but by a beauty that shook their spirits.
"Woah… as expected, Big Sis got even prettier." Xia Yuanba's voice was soft and dazed. The change in atmosphere was so palpable that he blinked and looked left and right, uncertain of what he was feeling—before turning to Yun Che beside him.
Yun Che said nothing.
The last time he had seen her face directly was at their wedding. Even then, she had stunned him before his dislike for her takes over. But now—after nearly eighteen months of seclusion, tempered and nurtured by the ice and snow of Frozen Cloud Asgard—her beauty had transcended mortal limits.
Back then, sixteen-year-old Xia Qingyue was already breathtaking.
Now, at seventeen and a half, she had blossomed into a vision worthy of legends. Her beauty no longer belonged to the realm of ordinary humans… It had become ethereal, otherworldly. No wonder she always veiled her face. This wasn't concealment—it was protection. For herself… and for those who might lose themselves at a single glance.
And Yun Che, despite all he had seen and done, found himself sighing.
He wasn't the only one.
Even Cang Yue, a noble princess with a grace and elegance of her own, stood stunned. She, too, possessed an unrivaled beauty—dignified, refined, and enchanting. Yet, before this goddess-like presence, she felt something she never had before.
Inferiority.
She tried to suppress it, but the feeling crept up anyway… a quiet ache in her chest. Retsu… Mio… Nemu… and now, the true face of Xia Qingyue—each one surpassing her in some form. It shouldn't matter… but it did.
Her eyes turned to Yun Che. He was dazed—lost in the same trance as the others. For a brief moment, her heart clenched.
But then, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, and smiled.
That single gesture told her everything.
He didn't love her for beauty alone. He never had. His heart wasn't swayed by appearances—but by compassion, virtue, and strength. In that instant, the doubt faded. Cang Yue took a deep breath and smiled too, quietly reminding herself… she had already surpassed them in the only way that mattered—in his heart.
Even as the entire arena stood frozen in stunned reverence, two figures remained curiously unmoved.
Mio and Nemu.
While gasps filled the air, hearts raced, and minds went blank across the Sword Discourse Arena… the two calmly stood beside Yun Che, their expressions unchanging. Not from indifference—but from familiarity.
"Ara, that how she looks like?" Mio mused as she fan herself and Nemu nodded.
They had seen this level of beauty before. Lived with it. Breathed beside it.
To the stunned audience, Xia Qingyue's unveiled visage was a revelation—a celestial vision descending from the heavens.
To Mio and Nemu, it was simply… expected.
Beautiful? Certainly.
Stunning? Yes.
But not enough to shake them.
They had seen Lin Xin whose beauty burned with the intensity of the sun. They sometimes had tea beside Jasmine, whose divine aura and fierce elegance could halt armies with a glance. Even within their own small circle, they had watched Retsu, who now stood in front of Qingyue like a silent moon overshadowing starlight, draw awe from monarchs and sages alike.
So when others gawked or gasped, Mio merely tilted her head with a neutral curiosity.
"She's pretty," she said, her voice soft as silk. "But not terrifying."
Nemu nodded in agreement. "Not like Nee-sama."
Their words weren't meant to belittle, nor did they stem from pride. It was simply their truth—All they wanted is for Yun Che to look at them. He did and they are satisfied and grateful for it.
Still, they understood why the world around them had come to a halt. Xia Qingyue's beauty was exceptional. For the common eye, for even elite cultivators, she was like a goddess—too radiant, too untouchable.
But for Mio and Nemu… she was simply the latest star in a sky they'd long grown used to.
Yun Che, meanwhile, remained between worlds—his heart moved, not just by beauty, but by memory, by history, by connection.
And above them all, the moment still hung suspended—two unmatched women standing side by side, and an arena held hostage by the splendor of their presence.
Far above, some of the elders who had been present at the Ranking Tournament thirty years ago were struck by a powerful déjà vu. A moment from the past echoed in this one—the unveiling of Chu Yuechan, the Fairy of Frozen Cloud. The silence, the awe, the stillness in the air… And now, history repeated itself.
But this time, it was even more profound.
Because now… there were two.
And it was Unohana Retsu who embodied the other half of that overwhelming beauty.
That was the true shock.
"Ara… This wasn't quite what I had in mind," Retsu murmured, her voice soft beneath her breath. Her eyes briefly flicked to the glowing green Kidō orb Yun Che had released into the sky. She smiled faintly. "Then again…"
Her gaze turned toward Xia Qingyue, and for a moment, she paused—truly admiring her.
"Yes… this is a face worthy of Yuu-kun's wife," she thought to herself. "But beauty alone is not what I seek."
There was no envy in her eyes. Only calm… and curiosity.
The arena remained silent, the world holding its breath.
Her own veiled hat drifted slowly to the ground like a falling petal… and the entire arena fell into stunned silence.
Unohana Retsu stood revealed.
A divine figure—no, an incarnation of celestial majesty—bathed in the glimmering light of her crystal domain.
Her snow-white skin glistened with a soft, otherworldly glow, unmarred and impossibly smooth. Her braided raven hair, dark as the void and woven with pale silk threads, cascaded like a sacred waterfall down her back. But it was her face—a visage carved from the dreams of immortals—that truly shattered the breath of every soul in attendance.
Her eyes, glowing with serene, icy blue, held an endless depth. Not of coldness—but of a timeless calm that threatened to undo the minds of those who gazed too long. Her features, perfectly balanced—elegant, ethereal, untouchable—bore a symmetry so refined it bordered on divine craftsmanship.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"This… This kind of beauty… Is she even human?" murmured Chu Yueli, her voice barely a whisper.
Even Gong Yuxian, famed across the empire for her poise and control, found her breath catch in her throat. She had trained countless disciples, seen the finest female beauties in the Frozen Cloud Asgard… yet none compared to this.
Comparable to Xia Qingyue…
"She's beyond mortal beauty…" she muttered. "Even Qingyue…"
Only Little Fairy remained mostly unfazed. After all, she had spent three full months alongside Retsu and had long since grown accustomed to the woman's overwhelming presence—her beauty that shimmered like moonlight on still water, somehow always eclipsing even her own. Still, she couldn't deny it: Retsu had changed. Grown. The girl she once met in the Spirit Profound Realm, already radiating talent and grace, had blossomed into something even more formidable. Not just in power… but in presence. Her beauty, like her strength, had only deepened with time.
The rest of the Seven Fairies stood frozen in awe, their breath caught in their throats. It was as though time itself had stopped—Unohana Retsu, unveiled for the first time, stood not as a woman, but as a vision summoned from the divine realm.
Xue Ling sighed softly, Lin Yueru mirroring the gesture beside her. The former had spent two full weeks within the Imperial Palace alongside Retsu—long enough to see her unveiled face more than once. To them, the sight was no longer a shock. Retsu, ever poised and distant in public, rarely removed her veil before others. Only those closest to her—Yun Che, Kon, Cang Yue, Mio, Nemu—were granted that privilege regularly including her and Lin Yueru who recently entered their group.
For Xue Ling, it had become almost a common sight, yet never a dull one. No matter how many times she saw Retsu's face, there was always that quiet awe. That beauty was not something one simply got used to… merely something one learned to accept without staring too long.
Even Lin Yueru got used to their presence and beauty after a few days with them.
Even Cang Wanhe, the emperor of the Blue Wind Empire, could not hide his astonishment. The woman who had walked beside his daughter, who had fought in silence and shadow, now revealed herself as a peerless beauty—one capable of shaking empires with presence alone.
"She…" the emperor breathed, leaning forward in his throne, "she stood next to Yue'er… and I never knew."
A divine woman who seemed untouched by time, untouched by flaw—her sheer presence in front of Xia Qingyue, another beauty famed across continents, was enough to distort reality itself. The pressure of two absolute beauties sharing the same stage… it was like watching the moon and a forgotten goddess of winter descend at once.
Whispers rippled across the arena, some breathless, others trembling with reverence:
"Two supreme beauties… standing side by side…"
"The empire isn't ready for this…"
"One could move hearts… but both could move heaven."
And in that still, silent moment—neither sword nor spirit clashed—yet the very foundation of the arena seemed to tremble, unable to bear the weight of their presence.
Two immortal figures… and the world watched, utterly spellbound.
Xia Yuanba widened his eyes. The last time he saw her—Retsu's presence was not one a man could look upon without feeling his soul stir revealed during the banquet of the New Moon Profound Palace.
Even Xia Qingyue, herself a beauty in the eyes of countless suitors across the Blue Wind Empire, could not help but falter. Her beauty was that of a moonlit lotus—cold, noble, untouchable. But Retsu… she was the winter sky itself.
Not just noble.
Absolute.
The elders exchanged glances. Ling Wugou, his hands trembling slightly, whispered under his breath, "We cultivate for centuries seeking the Dao. And today, I've seen it. Not in power—but in presence. That woman… That woman is what the ancient cultivators spoke of in the old songs."
"She is like the embodiment of Yin itself…" murmured Chu Yueli, barely able to take her eyes off the woman who now stood poised and calm, surrounded by hundreds of floating crystal swords. The woman who stood in front of them.
And yet, in the middle of all that power, all that eternal grace—Unohana Retsu spoke with a faint smile on her lips, her voice calm as drifting snow:
"Ara-ara… Looks like our beauty is indeed troublesome. Isn't that right, Miss Xia?"
Even her voice struck chords within the hearts of many—soft, laced with gentleness… yet edged with deadly confidence.
The entire arena realized it all at once:
She wasn't just beautiful. She was terrifying.
She did not command beauty. She was beauty incarnate, shaped by death, tempered by power, and enshrined in serenity.
In that moment… even the stars above seemed to pale in comparison.
--------------------------------
Jin Mulan's gritted her teeth. She had seen Unohana Retsu's beauty before it was unveiled the moment she met her alongside Mio this morning.
She had seen beautiful women before. She was one. Among the daughters of the Jin Province, she was hailed as unmatched—graceful, noble, a warrior of elegance and steel. She had carried herself with pride, not arrogance. She believed in her worth.
But now… standing in the presence of her—that woman standing so closely beside Yun Che, veiled no more, adorned in nothing but effortless, divine beauty—Mulan felt small.
Not physically. Not in cultivation.
But in presence.
She swallowed a tight breath, heart beating a little faster—not out of jealousy… but fear.
She hated that thought. Hated how it lingered and dug itself deeper with every glance Yun Che shared with Retsu. The way Retsu and Mio as well as Nemu looked back at him—soft, assured, as though they shared a world only they could see.
And then… the face of Xia Qingyue emerged. Another goddess. Someone beyond mortal beauty, blessed with elegance that made the sky dull in comparison. Her veil fell, and the crowd lost their breath. Mulan felt her own chest tighten again.
Compared to them… I'm just… ordinary.
A sharp pain laced her heart. And yet, her hands curled into fists at her sides—not from defeat, but defiance.
She would not surrender.
Even if Yun Che didn't see her now. Even if his eyes never lingered on her the way they did on Retsu or Qingyue. Even if he had already given his heart to goddesses that left the world jealous.
She would not falter.
"Beauty," she thought, "is not the measure of a wife's worth. Not of her heart, nor her soul."
She stood straighter. Lifted her chin.
She would earn his respect not through appearance, but through unwavering devotion—through strength, through loyalty, through the quiet fire that refused to be dimmed.
She was Jin Mulan, Mu Che's wife. She would not be overshadowed.
Even if the stars themselves walked beside him, she will win him back. Restore his memories and be the husband and wife they were meant to be.
-------------------------------
"Goddesses! Cover your faces! Hurry!"
A frenzied voice cut through the reverent silence like a jarring discord in a perfect melody.
Ling Yun, pale and battered, tore across the arena like a madman newly awakened from delirium. Despite the pain wracking his body, he sprinted with reckless abandon, pushing past stunned officials and sect guards who failed to stop him in time.
"Your faces are only for me! For me!!" he screamed, eyes wild with obsession. "Cover yourselves! Now!"
His words drew gasps, then silence, then growing confusion. He had fallen—and hard. Enraptured first by Retsu's gentle elegance, then Mio's silent grace, then Nemu's doll-like charm, and now, this final blow—Xia Qingyue's unveiled divinity. To him, it wasn't admiration. It was madness disguised as love.
Ignoring his status, his shame, and the sheer absurdity of the situation, he lunged toward the stage—arms outstretched, as if trying to shield the two goddesses from the world's gaze.
Retsu blinked once beneath her long lashes, her expression flat. "Ara… what a delusional man."
But before her hand could rise to stop him—a quiet boom echoed through the arena.
Ling Yun froze mid-step. His body shuddered, his eyes rolled back… and then he dropped face-first onto the cold stone steps.
A few in the crowd gasped.
Retsu's eyes narrowed, then shifted toward the source.
Yun Che's eyes contracted. The subtle ripple of Haoshoku No Haki shimmered around him like a fading breeze. He simply smiled at her—a soft, reassuring smile that said "Don't waste your time on trash."
Retsu met his gaze and… smiled back. A rare, sincere expression—grateful, and perhaps even a little warm.
Yet, neither Xia Qingyue nor Retsu seemed particularly affected. As the ice veil slipped from her face and she calmly restored it, Qingyue merely let out a soft sigh, her composure unshaken. Retsu, meanwhile, only cringed slightly—remembering with secondhand embarrassment the moment when someone as disciplined as Ling Yun utterly lost control in her presence when they met for the first time.
Ling Yun, a man whose spirit had always been sheathed in the sharp clarity of sword intent, whose heart had never once been stirred by desire or distraction, now stood broken in composure. His breathing was ragged, his posture slack, and his eyes—once serene and dignified—now shimmered with confusion and turmoil that lingered like a haze.
For Ling Yun, this was a first. Never before had he felt his mental state unravel like this before a duel. It was as if the stoic swordsman had suddenly realized bananas existed—and he was the monkey. So disoriented was he, Yun Che had to step in and knock him out cold just to end the embarrassment.
Little Fairy let out a quiet sigh, remembering all too well what it was like in her younger days. The moment her veil had slipped, revealing the breathtaking beauty beneath, Ling Yuefeng had fallen helplessly—no, obsessively—in love. That single glimpse of her face had ignited a desire so deep, he would return to Frozen Cloud Asgard hundreds of times, each visit more desperate than the last, just to catch another glimpse of her.
She was relieved that it all came to an end the night they rescued Cang Yue. All grievances were finally settled—Ling Yuefeng and his father utterly defeated. The image of her sister shattering his sword still lingered in her mind… cold, precise, and poetic. A fitting end to a long-buried obsession.
As for now, she formed a small smile as she now dedicated that beauty for the one person she cares the most other than her sister.
A certain rascal.
In that moment, the storm passed.
Xia Qingyue, still silent and poised amidst the commotion, gently exhaled. She hadn't expected her veil to be torn away—and now she felt the weight of thousands of stunned gazes piercing her soul. She could hear the gasps, feel the reverence, taste the stunned silence in the air.
With a quiet sigh, she lifted her snowy white hand, its fingers gliding with elegance. A new veil of translucent frost shimmered into existence, dancing in the light like crystallized moonlight. She lifted it to her face, covering her divine features once more.
And just like that, the world around them exhaled.
The overwhelming image that had stolen the breath and soul of the audience was mercilessly hidden, leaving behind only the memory. The memory of a beauty that rivaled legends… and vanished like a dream.
In front of her, Retsu extended her hand with a fluid motion. Her veiled kasa hat floated up from the arena floor and landed gently atop her head. The soft black veil once again descended, subduing the crushing aura of her divine presence. Where there was once blinding beauty, now stood the calm and mysterious silhouette that once haunted dreams and intrigued legends.
"Are they… goddesses?" a dazed disciple from one of the lesser sects murmured blankly, his eyes glazed and soul seemingly unanchored.
"Women… can be this beautiful?" another whispered, trembling. "I felt… my spirit leave my body…"
All across the arena, the profound practitioners—young and old alike—stood frozen in a trance-like state. Every eye was locked on the two unveiled figures: Xia Qingyue, and the impossibly ethereal Unohana Retsu.
"Their faces… I will never forget. Never." breathed one of the elders, tears welling in his aged eyes. "Even at death's door, I will carry this memory with me."
A soft madness slowly crept through the crowd, especially among the younger generation.
"I want them… I must have them!"
The identical thought thundered in the minds of Xiao Kuangyu and Xiao Kuanglei, their chests heaving with desperation and desire.
As the future inheritors of the mighty Xiao Sect, they had been raised with arrogance in their bones—taught that the world and all its treasures would one day kneel beneath their feet. Women, to them, had always been ornaments… indulgences, not desires.
Until now.
Now, standing before them were two women so transcendent, so devastatingly beautiful, that even their legacy seemed pale. For the first time in their lives, they felt true desire—not for conquest, but for reverence.
Obtaining such a woman… no, even just touching the hem of her sleeve, felt more glorious than ascending as Sect Master. The title they once hungered for now seemed like a child's toy in comparison.
And this was not unique to them.
Every powerful young cultivator in the stands—those of noble birth, clan heirs, scions of great sects—all burned with the same fire. And those who knew they lacked the status, strength, or fortune to ever reach such divine beings? They simply bowed their heads in silence, consumed by envy and self-loathing, as unreachable fantasies danced behind their eyes like distant stars.
Meanwhile, Yun Che stood in silence amidst the waves of stunned awe. His arms were crossed, his expression calm… but deep within, a quiet smirk tugged at his lips.
"…Qingyue's even more beautiful now," he muttered beneath his breath, careful not to let Mio, Nemu, or Cang Yue hear him.
He had seen Xia Qingyue's face once before, long ago, on the day they wed. Even then, she had been exquisite. But now… she was no longer a girl. She had blossomed into something utterly divine. The snow and ice of Frozen Cloud Asgard hadn't chilled her—it had nourished her into a celestial being.
She was his wife.
And Retsu, veiled no more, was his guardian, his ally…his beloved future wife and to many, an untouchable goddess in human form.
The audience was thunderstruck.
But they had only seen two.
What would they feel… if they were to witness the true appearances of Nemu, Mio… or even Yoru?
They'd likely believe heaven itself had descended… or lose their minds completely.
Yun Che silently sent a playful glance toward the stunned Xiao brothers, then turned his eyes to the crowd. The arena was frozen in an illusion, like a dream no one wished to wake from. A dream where divinity had briefly descended upon the mortal realm.
And that dream…
Belonged to him.
Xia Qingyue had always known of her beauty.
But she had never considered it a gift—certainly not a blessing. To her, it was merely a part of herself, like the snow that fell quietly on the peaks of Frozen Cloud Asgard. Inevitable, perhaps… but unimportant. She had never seen her reflection as something that defined her worth or path. In fact, there had been many quiet nights when she wished her appearance were more ordinary—less capable of stirring hearts, less likely to draw eyes wherever she went.
When the Asgard Mistress gave her the veil, it wasn't questioned. When Chu Yueli told her, "Never let the world see your face," she nodded. It was not out of obedience. It was out of relief.
But fate had a cruel sense of humor.
As the veil fluttered to the ground and gasps filled the Sword Discourse Arena, the weight of countless stares descended upon her. Admiration, awe… and desire. All of it—unwelcome.
And in front of stood Unohana Retsu whom now donned back her veiled kasa hat. She remained calm, but her sigh was soft and sorrowful. Her overwhelming beauty had never been meant for public worship. It was meant for one person alone—her beloved Yuuki.
Not for this sea of strangers. Not for their greedy perverted eyes or shallow worship.
Then… both of them looked up.
A quiet pulse glowed above the arena like a lone, drifting star—aqua-green and divine, the kido orb Yun Che had launched in secret. Its light shimmered with protective intent.
Retsu's lips curled ever so slightly into a smile behind her veiled hat.
He did not forget.
He kept his promise to protect her beauty and honor.
And in the next breath… the orb exploded.
It was not a violent blast, but a wave of gentle light—like moonlight washing over snow. A single, soundless pulse of energy spread outward across the entire Heavenly Sword Villa, enveloping the arena in a calming brilliance.
As the brilliant aqua flash engulfed the arena, a strange stillness followed. When the light faded and reality returned, the faces of Xia Qingyue and Unohana Retsu—those divine visages that had stunned the world—were no longer present in anyone's memory.
At first, there was confusion.
Then, a strange unease settled over the entire Sword Discourse Arena.
"Wait… what did she look like again…?"
"Her… her face… I can't remember it…"
"Was it an illusion? No… I saw it—I felt it…"
Cultivators clutched their heads, some forcing their spiritual senses to reconstruct the moment, others trying to sketch the face in their minds—but no matter how hard they tried, only a glowing blur remained in their memories.
Even the image transmission talismans seemed to glitch and resume as if nothing had happened. To outsiders watching from afar, it merely looked like a brief distortion—minor damage in the spiritual relay.
Yet, something far more profound had occurred.
"It's like… a piece of heaven was shown to us, then ripped away," an elder muttered, clutching his chest. His vow of carrying the beauty's face to death was instantly broken.
Even the arrogant heirs of major sects—Xiao Kuangyu, Xiao Kuanglei, and others—stood slack-jawed, their pride smothered under the weight of loss. They had beheld a beauty beyond comprehension, only to have it stripped from their minds like a dream vanishing with the dawn.
"No… no, I had her image—how did I lose it!? It was right there!!" Xiao Kuanglei snarled, eyes bloodshot as he groaned in frustration.
It was the same everywhere: groans of anguish, wide eyes clouded with yearning, minds hollowed by the sudden void left behind.
"It feels like something important was stolen…"
"I would trade my cultivation to see that face again…"
Even the most powerful elders, those who had trained their spirits for centuries, couldn't defy the phenomenon. All that remained was the faint recollection of divinity, as if they had glimpsed a goddess—but couldn't remember which heaven she came from.
And above them all, the glowing kido orb in the sky quietly dimmed, its job complete. The spell woven into its light had gently, but decisively, protected the honor of two women who never wished to be worshipped for beauty alone.
From the arena, Retsu cast a sidelong glance toward the sky and smiled softly.
"Mouu.... Yuu-kun, you jelly.... Thank you for protecting my beauty that was meant only for you."
And Xia Qingyue, quietly whispered to herself as she eyes Yun Che from below:
"Are you the one who did it? Did you erase my beauty from their minds?"
All across the stands, people rubbed their eyes and exchanged questions—unease creeping into their voices. The overwhelming vision they had witnessed only moments ago… had vanished from memory. Like fog retreating from a rising sun.
The image of Xia Qingyue's snow-white skin, the brilliance of Retsu's sacred elegance—all of it had been sealed away.
What remained… was the echo of beauty. A phantom emotion with no form.
Only Yun Che, Cang Yue, Mio, Nemu, Xue Ling, Lin Yueru, Jin Mulan and the goddesses themselves remembered. For the rest of the world, it was as if heaven had pulled the curtain back down.
And all they could do… was wonder if they had ever seen it at all.
Xia Qingyue's mind drifted back.
As the veil drifted to the ground like falling snow, Xia Qingyue's gaze locked onto Unohana Retsu's unveiled face.
And for a heartbeat… she forgot to breathe.
She had always wondered that Retsu was refined—graceful, poised, and enigmatic behind her veil—but never had she imagined this.
Snow-pale skin, flawless and luminous, like porcelain kissed by moonlight.
Eyes of aquamarine, impossibly deep, carrying the tranquil calm of a frozen lake and the merciless stillness of a blizzard. When they glanced forward, they seemed to pierce through the soul itself.
A nose finely sculpted, delicate but proud, and lips soft and cool like untouched morning frost.
Her raven-black hair, braided intricately and coiled with such elegance, glimmered with crystal frost under the sunlight, like obsidian snow laced with starlight.
Even amidst the battlefield, even within the crucible of battle, Retsu stood untouchable—divine, serene, absolute.
And Xia Qingyue felt it—the twisting knot in her chest.
That subtle, venomous feeling she rarely acknowledged.
Jealousy.
She had never been one to compare herself to others—her cultivation, her beauty, her reputation in the Asgard—none of it had ever needed validation. She had always been chosen. Admired. Desired.
But now…
That woman.
That veiled swordmaiden who once stood silently behind Yun Che everywhere he goes, who always lowered her eyes, who never spoke unless spoken to…
She had been beside him all this time.
Along with other veiled women. Then, what are those women looked like?
And now, revealed, she shone like the eternal winter moon—and Xia Qingyue couldn't deny it.
"So this is what he sees… when he looks at her?"
The thought pierced her more deeply than she expected. She clenched her ribbon tighter, trying to push it down, but the doubt clawed up from beneath her pride.
"Is this the one he protects so fiercely… the one he hides from the world? The way she looked at him. That flash before, it was him? Erasing our faces from the people in the arena?"
A flicker of vulnerability crossed her face—so brief, no one noticed. But in her heart, the storm began to swirl.
Even as a cultivator, as a warrior, as the Ice Phoenix disciple and bearer of the Frozen Cloud Domain…
She suddenly felt small in the face of Unohana Retsu's beauty, her presence, and her closeness to the man.
"Now that that's over…" Retsu's voice was calm, almost too gentle. The crystalized air around her shimmered as her domain receded—ice fading back into the sleek silver blade of her halberd, as though the world had taken a breath and held it. "I'm going to end this. If you survive this art, then I have no reason to fight you further."
Her words weren't a threat. They were a simple statement of fact.
If Retsu hadn't been merciful—if her blade had aimed for the throat instead of merely slicing through her veil—Xia Qingyue might have lost her life on the spot. Her innate talent was extraordinary, bordering on divine, but she carried with her a fatal flaw: a glaring lack of real combat experience. No matter how gifted one might be, talent alone could never substitute the instincts forged through blood, pain, and countless battles. In this regard, she was leagues behind Yun Che, who had fought through life-and-death trials that talent alone could never overcome.
In front of Retsu, whom survived Hell through her other side Yachiru, it was a stark contrast.
Xia Qingyue gritted her teeth, her body trembling—not out of fear, but from exhaustion and tension. She had endured so much already, yet nothing she did had truly fazed Retsu. She readied her ribbon once more, ice mist curling around her form as she whispered to herself:
Whatever she's planning… it'll be beyond everything so far.
Retsu stepped forward—and in a flash, the clash resumed.
Xia Qingyue launched a flurry of attacks, her icy ribbons dancing through the air like serpents, each strike sharper and more precise than the last. She pressed forward with everything she had — waves of frost, phantom lotuses, ribbons that cracked space. But…
Unohana Retsu moved like water.
Each attack was countered with graceful efficiency, her halberd deflecting the assaults with a fluid precision that made her seem untouchable. Her movements weren't just defensive — they were a dance. A deadly waltz of parries, spins, and sidesteps.
From the spectators' view, it was as if Retsu was weaving through Xia Qingyue's offense — untouched, unfazed, unrelenting.
High above, Yun Che's lips curled into a smile.
"She's getting better… faster… every day. She just knew halberd exists a few days ago." He whispered, proud yet slightly wary. Retsu was getting better and better.
Suddenly, Xia Qingyue's ribbon slammed into Retsu's halberd handle, unleashing a booming shockwave that echoed across the arena.
CRACK!
The halberd snapped in two, fragments of ice scattering like glittering shards under the sunlight.
Gasps rang out from the audience—
"She broke Unohana Retsu's weapon?!""Finally! She landed a solid hit!"
But Retsu merely smiled.
The break was intentional.
The moment the halberd shattered, the icy fragments coalesced midair. Twin icy swords, the same one from her Zone of Absolute Zero — elegant, cruel, and shimmering with biting cold — formed in each of Retsu's hands out of the broken pieces.
Without missing a beat, she crossed the blades in front of her as she leaped in the air.
A massive X-shaped wave of glacial energy exploded forward from each sword, as large and radiant as the crescent moon. The sheer pressure of it sent howling winds throughout the arena.
Xia Qingyue's eyes widened. She thrust both palms forward, forming a multi-layered Frozen Cloud Barrier just in time.
BOOOOMM!
The wave collided, shaking her barrier like a ship in a storm. Cracks spiderwebbed across the ice, mist exploding around her in a burst of icy fog.
As she struggled to stabilize—
Retsu appeared in front of her.
Not with the twin swords—
But with her halberd, perfectly reformed, gleaming with fresh frost.
"H-How…?" Xia Qingyue's voice barely escaped her lips. The transformation… fluid. Seamless. Instant.
From halberd to swords. From swords back to halberd. A broken weapon that can be reformed in an instant.
And not a beat was missed.
Booming echoes thundered across the Sword Discourse Arena as halberd and ribbon met again and again in a whirlwind of speed, grace, and precision. Each impact cracked the ground and sent shockwaves through the air. Qingyue fought desperately, but then—
With a sudden, devastating palm strike, Retsu slammed directly against her ribbon. The blow sent Qingyue flying high above the stage like a streak of light. She tumbled, gasped, and landed on her feet hundreds of meter in the air, only to look down and see Retsu standing calmly, halberd glowing faintly in her hand.
Then, with one motion, Retsu spun her halberd in a wide arc.
Water burst forth, cascading in rippling waves beneath her feet. The ground trembled as the water coiled upward—slowly, deliberately—forming the serpentine body of an ancient colossal dragon, its long body a twisting storm of glacial water and razor-edged ice. The air turned cold. The clouds overhead trembled. The beast's eyes shimmered with an unnatural, divine light.
A colossal water dragon, its form serpentine and terrifyingly majestic, burst forth from the vortex. Its body shimmered with layers of rippling water and jagged ice, scales glowing with blue and silver light. Eyes of frozen death glared forward as it rose higher… and higher…
Then it let out a soul-shaking roar, loud enough to make the very mountains echo with fear.
"W-What is that?!"
"A divine beast!?"
"That's… that's not just a technique. That's a calamity!"
Unohana Retsu just conjured a massive water and ice dragon.
The Xiao brothers froze, their eyes wide with fear. If Ling Yun had been conscious to witness it, he might have collapsed from sheer pressure alone. Ling Jie stood in stunned silence—this was the first time he had seen such overwhelming power, and it shook him to his core. In the Burning Heaven Clan's section, Fen Juecheng stumbled backward and landed hard on his rear, his face pale. He had risked the humiliation of showing up after his crushing defeat the other night, but now, it was clear—offending Yun Che was no longer just foolish, it was suicidal. Whatever pride remained in him crumbled in the face of that monstrous strength. Not even the full might of the Burning Heaven Clan could contend with them.
Even the veteran elders, many of whom had fought countless battles across their lifetimes, stood up from their seats in utter shock. Their mouths agape. Their faces pale.
"That's… overkill! She's going to obliterate her!"
The ice and water dragon shot forward like a divine judgment, its roar consuming the soundscape. The sheer pressure of its advance pressed down on the audience like a tidal wave. Walls of spiritual defense sprang up around the arena and the tournament officials ready to sprang and stop the match to save Xia Qingyue.
Ling Wugou widened his eyes upon seeing the colossal dragon. "That girl… she won't survive that!"
"How could anyone survive that!?" The audience gasped in unison.
"A… a Kirin!" someone whispered. "No… a dragon…!"
"Qingyue!" Chu Yueli shouted the same with Gong Yuxian.
Retsu rose into the air, her figure backlit by the glowing, watery beast behind her. She raised her halberd, then pointed it toward Xia Qingyue. The water dragon let out a thunderous, soul-shaking ROAR, the sound rattling the very bones of the audience as it surged forward—an unstoppable tidal force of destruction and divinity.
ROAR!!!!
Yun Che's eyes widened as the colossal dragon surged forward, its roar shaking the heavens.
"Retsu… you're really going to finish her!?"
"Ret-chan, isn't this a bit too much!?" Mio gasped, rising to her feet, her golden eyes filled with disbelief.
Nemu's calm façade cracked, worry flickering across her face.
"Nee-sama…"
"Qingyue! Avoid it!!" Chu Yueli's voice echoed in panic.
Reacting instantly, Qingyue flared her profound energy, her figure vanishing in a blur of speed. She narrowly dodged the incoming water dragon, the force of its passing tearing through the clouds, obliterating everything in its path.
Xia Qingyue reappeared, the attack barely passed her. She floats in the air, panting heavily—only to feel a sudden shift behind her.
She turned around and the dragon is already approaching her.
No…! She redirected it!
Retsu, still airborne, shifted her stance mid-flight, her halberd swirling once more. The water dragon twisted unnaturally, roaring again as it whipped around in mid-air, chasing Qingyue with unrelenting intent.
Xia Qingyue's eyes widened—there was no time to block, no place to run.
This is… over.
The dragon struck with its massive mouth.
It didn't explode or destroy—it devoured her in a rush of divine water and ice, swallowing her whole before shattering into countless crystalline fragments, glittering like stars as they fell across the arena like snow.
The entire world went silent.
Every Frozen Cloud disciple, every sect master, every audience member—even Yun Che himself—froze, eyes locked on the center of the arena, their breaths held tight in their chests.
"…Qingyue…" Chu Yueli whispered, her voice trembling.
Even Little Fairy, normally emotionless and serene, murmured with unease,
"Sister Retsu… Don't tell me you wiped her out…"
Chu Yueli clenched her fists, heart pounding as the water dragon devoured Xia Qingyue's form in an overwhelming cascade of cold and ice. She was already float in the air ready to save Qingyue form total death but stopped as she can still feel her disciple's life coursing through her.
Retsu descended silently, her feet gliding to the ground with the grace of falling snow. The battlefield was frozen still, mist swirling and silence thick as dread.
Then—
BOOM!
A pillar of ice shattered from above the arena, erupting into a gleaming storm of frost. Crystalline shards scattered in all directions as a familiar figure emerged.
Xia Qingyue.
Blood on her lips, breathless, and barely standing—yet still whole. A faint halo of icy mist surrounded her, her ribbon glowing as it supported her worn body. Her gaze was defiant, locking directly onto Retsu.
The entire crowd gasped in disbelief.
"She survived…!?" Gong Yuxian whispered in awe. She too was ready to dive to save her.
The fairies of Frozen Cloud Asgard were stunned silent. Retsu's colossal water dragon had been overwhelming—too destructive, too powerful, far beyond anything they thought Xia Qingyue could endure. Yet she had not only endured—it was clear she had defended herself at the final moment.
A Frozen Cloud Ice Coffin, her last resort. She had sealed herself in a block of pure ice to weather the storm.
And now, breath heavy, body trembling, she stood once more.
Xia Qingyue took a shaky step forward, aura flaring as her fingers curled.
"I'm… not done yet."
She readied her stance, preparing to unleash her trump card, the last set of arts that the Asgard Mistress made her use only as a last resort—the one she had sworn to never use lightly.
But—
Retsu merely smiled. A soft, elegant sound escaped her lips.
"Ufufufu…"
She stepped forward, halberd dissolving into mist, the tension of the battlefield vanishing with it.
"I know you have last tricks, Miss Xia… but I advise you to save it for later. Your defeat won't serve my purpose."
Her voice was calm, almost motherly, but carried the authority of one who had long since decided the outcome.
"This battle is over."
Retsu gently raised her hand—not in aggression, but in declaration.
"I concede."