CHAPTER 684: CHAPTER 551: DEFYING HEAVEN—CAN FATE BE CHANGED?

Chapter 551

Qing Feng only glanced at Ye Lingyue’s horoscope before her expression subtly changed.

Feng Xun possessed a Water Life, and outsiders said that it was after his injury at the age of six that he contracted Cold Syndrome. However, only Qing Feng and Feng Lan knew that Feng Xun had been born with Cold Syndrome.

Ye Lingyue’s horoscope revealed a Fire Destiny, specifically one that signified an unending flame, which simply meant that Ye Lingyue’s horoscope was very strong.

When Feng Xun was just born, the Heavenly Venerate had foretold his fate, divining that he would encounter two major calamities in his life; one at the age of six and another at the age of twenty.

At that time, Qing Feng had newly wed Feng Lan and was somewhat dismissive of these superstitious words from the Heavenly Venerate.

After all, the Heavenly Venerate had initially said that she and Feng Lan were astrologically incompatible.

Back then, Qing Feng didn’t believe it, but as it turned out, the words of the Heavenly Venerate were true.

She and Feng Lan ultimately faced a tragic separation of life and death. At the age of six, Feng Xun also suffered from a misfortune that left him with a lifelong ailment.

Because of his Cold Syndrome, predictions claimed that he wouldn’t live past the age of twenty.

"Water and fire are incompatible; this girl is not a suitable match for Feng Xun. He and the Dan Palace Heavenly Maiden Xue Pianran share a Water Wood Destiny, which complements each other. But clashing horoscopes are not the most significant issue; the most critical point is that Ye Lingyue’s fate indicates premature death. According to astrological principles, she would already be dead," said the Heavenly Venerate when he saw Ye Lingyue’s horoscope, which was the same reaction Beiqing Chen Hongru had.

"But Xinxin likes her, and it’s the first time in many years that the child has shown such an expression."

Qing Feng felt dejected.

Feng Lan had been attacked that year, and to protect Xinxin, she had drawn the assailants away, nearly facing dishonor, and was willing to jump off a cliff to her demise.

Though she eventually survived, she languished for months due to Feng Lan’s death.

It was only when her master, irritated, took her to the Beiqing Imperial Palace and pointed to the child on the sickbed, trembling from Cold Syndrome, and crying out for his mother in his midnight dreams, did Qing Feng finally come to a realization.

She understood that she couldn’t continue like this; she had to be strong and protect the last bloodline she and Feng Lan had.

While learning the Ultimate Skills of the Tongtian Pavilion, she frequently snuck into the Imperial Palace and Feng Residence to visit Feng Xun.

With concerted efforts from Emperor Beiqing and the Dan Palace, Feng Xun survived.

But the child who used to smile and call her "mother" while hugging her suddenly lost his smiles.

He just sat desolately in the imperial garden, watching princes and princesses embrace their mothers, his expression as cold as if it concerned another world.

After several years, Feng Xun’s health finally improved somewhat, and he returned to the Feng Residence.

Not yet ten years old, he could write beautiful calligraphy, towering over the ledgers in the Feng Residence’s study.

Under his management, the reputation of the Feng Residence grew day by day, but even so, Qing Feng never saw any luster in Feng Xun’s eyes.

Until this time, when he returned from Daxia.

Unable to resist, Qing Feng went to secretly check on him.

Although he appeared no different from before, as Feng Xun’s mother, Qing Feng felt there was something different about Xinxin.

Before long, a woman named Ye Lingyue moved into the Feng Residence.

Qing Feng saw the way Feng Xun gazed at Ye Lingyue and caught Feng Xun, in the study, secretly kissing Ye Lingyue while she was deep in sleep, like an awkward, young child.

Qing Feng also saw Feng Xun, clumsily in the kitchen, cooking and washing dishes for the woman he liked.

In that moment, Qing Feng’s well-like heart experienced a ripple for the first time.

She couldn’t help it, tears falling like rain.

She seemed to see her younger self, with Feng Lan.

Feng Xun was her, Ye Lingyue was Feng Lan.

Feng Xun was so cautious, using everything he had to please a woman.

Just like back then, facing the outstanding Feng Lan, she did not hesitate to lower her own dignity, turning herself into a jester, simply hoping to follow by his side.

And that woman, at the moment she removed the veil, her eyes also reflected Feng Xun’s face.

Qing Feng understood, her Xinxin had finally grown up.

But why was Ye Lingyue’s astrological birth chart like this?

Seeing Qing Feng’s sorrowful expression, the Heavenly Venerate sighed.

"Qing Feng, after so many years, do you still not believe in fate? Do you want Feng Xun to make the same mistakes that you and Feng Lan did back then? Feng Xun has taken to Ye Lingyue, and given Emperor Beiqing’s regard for Feng Xun, he must have already had someone check Ye Lingyue’s astrological birth chart. Emperor Beiqing will definitely not let Ye Lingyue and Feng Xun come together."

"Fate? Elder Brother, is destiny truly immutable? If it cannot be changed, then why am I, who should have died long ago, still standing here?" Qing Feng did not believe in fate.

If she believed in fate, she would not have been lurking in Tongtian Pavilion all these years.

Because she didn’t believe in fate, she had been accumulating power, waiting for the opportunity to deal a fatal blow to her formidable enemies.

"That is because... our master changed your fate for you. At that time, master used half of his cultivation to change your destiny against the heavens," the voice of the Heavenly Venerate suddenly grew louder.

A look of shock appeared on Qing Feng’s withered face.

Master... could it be that his sudden death was also because of her?

"To defy the heavens and change fate is against the natural order, master forcibly left you alive. But he also perished due to the power of Heaven and Earth. Although our cultivation is not weak, compared to master, we are still much lacking. If Feng Xun and Ye Lingyue end up together, no one can save them."

The Heavenly Venerate shook his head helplessly, unwilling to speak further.

The matter of their master, he had hidden for many years, never willing to tell Qing Feng, but now, he had no choice but to do so.

The master had passed away, and on the entire mainland, those who could defy the heavens and change fate were few and far between.

And those few people are always elusive. Feng Xun and Ye Lingyue are doomed to have a deep love but a shallow fate.

The astrological birth chart in Qing Feng’s hand fell to the ground in despair.

"Xinxin, so many years ago, your mother couldn’t protect you. Has all this time passed, and still, I cannot help you?"

Qing Feng was bitter.

She picked up the astrological birth chart, suddenly clenching it, as if she wanted to crumble it to dust.

But just as Qing Feng was about to tear the paper, she took another look at Ye Lingyue’s astrological birth chart.

She suddenly recalled something and quickly wrote down another astrological birth chart.

It was Feng Xun’s astrological birth chart. After writing it down, Qing Feng’s fingers trembled slightly, and she wrote down yet another astrological birth chart.

Then she used the new astrological birth chart and calculated it again with Ye Lingyue’s.

A look of shock emerged in Qing Feng’s eyes.

"Could it be that all of this is fate. Xinxin... Ye Lingyue, perhaps it is not completely impossible. Never mind, let life and death take their own course, whether these two children can be together, that will be up to their own destiny."

Qing Feng carefully put away the piece of paper.

She now held an invitation in her hand, an invitation that Emperor Beiqing had sent to Tongtian Pavilion, inviting two Venerables of heaven and earth, to attend Emperor Beiqing’s enthronement anniversary at Beiqing before the month.