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The next morning, the palace was completely different.
The heavy iron chains were gone from the Sun Moon Courtyard.
The large white doors were wide open.
Feng Xue'er walked out into the main garden.
She looked up at the blue sky. She felt the fresh wind blow across her face.
She smiled brightly.
Sam walked beside her. He carried a small paper bag in his hand.
"Try this,"
Sam said.
He pulled out a piece of sweet chocolate and handed it to her.
Xue'er put it in her mouth. Her bright eyes went wide.
"It is so sweet!"
She laughed happily.
"I have never tasted anything like this in my whole life. Do you have more, big brother?"
"I have plenty,"
Sam smiled.
"I will give you as much as you want."
Sam spoiled her.
He didn't treat her like a powerful cultivator or a dangerous weapon.
He treated her like a normal, happy little sister.
He answered all her questions about the sky, the stars, and the loud cities outside.
He listened to her very patiently.
A quiet footstep sounded behind them on the stone path.
Feng Hengkong walked slowly into the garden.
He looked very tired and old today.
He wore a simple red robe instead of his heavy golden armor.
He stopped a few steps away from them. He bowed his head deeply.
"Father!"
Xue'er said happily. She ran over and hugged his arm.
Feng Hengkong gently patted her hand.
He looked at Sam with nervous, careful eyes.
"Can I speak with you?"
Feng Hengkong asked Sam.
"Go look at the flowers for a minute, Xue'er,"
Sam told the girl.
"Okay!"
She skipped away to the other side of the garden.
Sam turned and looked at the Sect Master.
"What do you want?"
Sam asked.
"I want to know our fate,"
Feng Hengkong said quietly.
"What are you going to do with us? Will you destroy the sect?"
"I already told you,"
Sam answered.
"I don't care about your lands or your gold."
"Then why did you come here?"
Feng Hengkong asked.
"To fix the karma,"
Sam explained simply.
"Everything in this world is tied to karma. Actions bring results. You plant a seed, and a tree grows. Your sons planted greed, cruelty, and death. So, death came to their door."
Feng Hengkong looked down at the ground.
"I will not kill recklessly,"
Sam continued.
"I don't kill innocent people. I don't wipe out sects just to show off my power. If your people do good things, they will live a long, peaceful life. If you hurt people, I will come back. It is entirely up to you."
"I understand,"
Feng Hengkong said.
Sam pointed a finger at Xue'er, who was smelling a red flower across the garden.
"Look at her,"
Sam said.
Feng Hengkong looked at his beautiful daughter.
"She has the True Phoenix power now,"
Sam told him.
"She is in the Divine Origin Realm. She is much stronger than you. She could destroy this whole mountain if she wanted to."
Feng Hengkong nodded slowly.
"She is a god now."
"But her heart is completely innocent,"
Sam said softly.
"She doesn't know how to lie. She doesn't know how people can be cruel. I don't want the dirty outside world to ruin her pure heart."
"That is why I locked her away,"
Feng Hengkong said quickly.
"I wanted to protect her from the dirt. I wanted to keep her clean and safe."
Sam shook his head.
"You did it wrong,"
Sam said firmly.
"A locked room is just a cage. You made her a bird in a cage. A bird in a cage forgets how to fly. It becomes weak. When the cage finally breaks, the bird dies because it does not know how to survive."
Feng Hengkong listened closely. He didn't argue.
"You are her father,"
Sam said.
"You must be a good model for her. You cannot just hide her away. You have to walk with her. Let her see the world. Let her meet people. When she sees something bad, you explain it to her. You guide her gently. You teach her right from wrong."
"I was a fool,"
Feng Hengkong whispered.
"I thought closing the door was enough."
"It is never enough,"
Sam said.
"If you want her to be a great Emperor, she has to know her people. She has to hear them cry and see them smile. Give her freedom. Support her from behind. Be a father, not a guard."
Feng Hengkong took a deep breath.
A heavy weight finally lifted from his shoulders.
"I will do exactly as you say,"
Feng Hengkong promised.
"I will be a father to her. I will guide her."
Sam nodded.
"Good. Start today."
Later that night, the silver spaceship hovered high above the clouds again.
The palace was far below them. The stars were bright and clear outside the large glass windows.
Xia Qingyue stood alone on the quiet observation deck. She wore her usual pale blue dress.
She looked out at the endless dark sky.
She felt very lonely.
She was thinking about the Realm of Gods.
It was a massive, dangerous place far beyond this world.
She was thinking about her mother.
Sam walked through the metal doors.
He held two cups of warm tea.
He walked over and handed one cup to her.
"You look lost,"
Sam said.
Qingyue took the cup. The warmth felt nice against her cold hands.
"I am thinking about the future,"
Qingyue said quietly.
"What about it?"
Sam asked.
"I have to go to the Realm of Gods,"
She explained. Her voice was flat and serious.
"I have to find my mother. It is the only reason I cultivate. It is my only true purpose."
Sam leaned against the glass window. He took a slow sip of his tea.
"Finding your family is a good goal,"
Sam agreed.
"But in your situation it serves a terrible purpose."
Qingyue frowned. She looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
She asked.
"A goal is just a destination,"
Sam told her.
"It is a place you want to reach. But life is a journey. If you only look at the end of the road, you miss everything around you."
"I don't need anything else,"
Qingyue said stubbornly.
"I just need to find her."
"And then what?"
Sam asked directly.
"Let us pretend you find her tomorrow. You hug her. You cry. Then what happens the next day? Who is Xia Qingyue without that single mission?"
Qingyue opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.
She had never thought about that at all.
"You put chains on yourself,"
Sam said softly.
"You ignore your own feelings. You ignore food, friends, and rest because you only care about finding her. You forgot how to live."
Qingyue looked down at her tea.
"Your mother loves you,"
Sam said.
"Do you think she wants you to be a cold, empty machine? Does she want you to be miserable?"
"No,"
Qingyue whispered.
"She wants you to be happy,"
Sam told her.
"You need to focus on yourself too. Pay attention to what you like. Laugh when you want to laugh. Rest when you are tired. You can find your mother and still enjoy your own life."
Qingyue closed her eyes.
Sam's words hit her deeply.
She felt a thick wall of ice break inside her chest.
For years, she pushed everyone away.
She forced herself to be cold.
She thought suffering made her strong.
But Sam was right. She was just hurting herself for no reason.
She opened her eyes and looked back into the main room of the ship.
Jasmine was sitting on a chair, arguing loudly with Jean about a map.
Sue Grey was laughing at them.
The room was noisy, bright, and completely alive.
For the first time in a very long time, Qingyue felt a true, deep warmth spread through her body.
She looked at Sam. He was drinking his tea quietly, watching her with a patient smile.
She felt safe here. She felt entirely free.
She didn't have to pretend to be a cold ice statue around him anymore.
A small, real smile appeared on her beautiful face.
She suddenly felt happier than she had ever been in her entire life.
"Thank you,"
Qingyue said softly.
"You are welcome,"
Sam replied.
Qingyue looked back at the stars.
Her mind was finally clear.
She still wanted to find her mother.
That would never change.
But she realized something else tonight.
When the journey was finally over, she didn't want to be alone again.
She wanted this warmth.
*Maybe,*
Qingyue thought quietly to herself,
*Maybe staying with Sam forever is the best choice after all.*