Chapter 1154: Mo Li Cai Zhi
The vast Dong Shen Domain, Xing Shen Realm.
Mo Li quietly looked at herself in the mirror.
After inheriting the power of Tiansha Xingshen, her age seemed to have frozen as a result. So many years had passed, and she still looked like a little girl of thirteen or fourteen, just as when Yun Che first saw her. However, those scarlet pupils reflected a coldness and iciness completely at odds with her apparent age.
The blood-red in her eyes, as well as her hair that seemed stained with blood, appeared to have become even denser.
Anyone who met her gaze would feel their entire body turn cold, as if a blood-drenched blade were pressed against their throat.
The face in the mirror was perfectly exquisite, almost dreamlike. A face of thirteen or fourteen, yet without any trace of childishness—instead, it carried an extremely dangerous, yet even more captivating, enchantment.
She faced her reflection in silence for a very long time. No one knew what she was thinking.
"Thump! Thump!"
In the silent Xing Shen Hall, a knock suddenly sounded. It rang only twice, and was very light, clearly the knocker was being cautious. Then, an elegant male voice came: "Royal Sister, may I enter..."
"Scram!"
One cold, indifferent word, without any warmth, without any room for negotiation.
"...Royal Sister, after all, I am your elder brother, and I have something very important..."
"This princess has only one brother, and he is already dead." Her voice turned sharply cold, murderous intent surging. "Do you want to die too?!"
"Bang!" The person outside the hall seemed to stumble in fright. When his voice came again, it carried a slight tremble: "Royal Sister... you really... know how to joke..."
Before he finished speaking, the owner of the voice hurriedly fled into the distance.
The Xing Shen Hall fell silent again, but was soon broken by an somewhat anxious young girl's voice.
"Sister... Sister!"
The hall door was pushed open directly. A girl in a seven-colored rainbow dress, with star-like eyes, ran in hurriedly, all the way to Mo Li's side.
Throughout the entire Xing Shen Realm, there was only one person who dared to be so casual...
Princess Cai Zhi!
Except for her, even the Xing Shen Realm King absolutely could not.
Compared to two years ago, Cai Zhi had not changed at all. Mo Li frowned slightly. She rarely saw her so anxious: "Cai Zhi, what happened?"
Cai Zhi pulled Mo Li's hand, her milky-white face slightly flushed, her voice urgent: "Sister, the second round preliminaries of the Xuan Shen Assembly are almost over, then the battle at the Feng Shen Platform begins. I want to go watch. Will you come with me, okay?"
"...Just for this?" Mo Li didn't believe her. She stared into Cai Zhi's starry eyes, which clearly hid a different light: "There's no way you could be interested in the Xuan Shen Assembly. What are you planning?"
With their power, the Xuan Shen Assembly was like babies fighting to them. How could they have the slightest interest?
"Me... I just want to watch the Xuan Shen Assembly, okay! I've never seen it before, and neither have you, sister... They say it's the top thousand in the entire Dong Shen Domain. It must be very exciting. Come with me, please?" Cai Zhi pouted, shook Mo Li's hand, and pleaded coquettishly.
"If you want to watch, go by yourself." Mo Li refused without hesitation.
"No! I want sister to come with me. Sister..."
"Cai Zhi!" Mo Li's gaze suddenly sharpened, her face turning stern: "I watched you grow up. You can't fool me... What exactly are you planning?"
"I..." Cai Zhi bit her lip quietly, her voice weakening: "I just... want to watch the Xuan Shen Assembly, that's all."
"If you won't tell the truth, don't expect me to go with you." Mo Li looked away without any room for compromise.
"I... I..." Cai Zhi had known from the start that she could never fool her sister. But she was absolutely forbidden from revealing the real reason. Because she knew her sister's temperament all too well, just as her sister knew her best.
"I... I do have another reason, but... I can't say it. Sister, just come with me, okay? Please? Please!" Cai Zhi's eyes were misty, like a pitiful kitten begging.
These past few days had been an emotional rollercoaster for her.
When the first round of the Xuan Shen Assembly preliminaries began, she had found Yun Che's name through the Star Monument... Yin Xue Realm, Yun Che, Divine Tribulation Realm, Level 1.
At that time, she was delighted but not in a hurry, because the first round preliminaries would last another month.
But then, she suddenly learned that not all participants would remain in the Zhou Tian God Realm after the competition; the eliminated would all be expelled. She knew the situation had changed, so she had to alter her "plan." Instead of dragging Mo Li to the Zhou Tian God Realm, after the first round preliminaries, she secretly went alone to the outskirts of the Zhou Tian Realm, hoping to find Yun Che after he was expelled, and then think of another way.
But she didn't find him. Instead, she unexpectedly found Yun Che's name among those participating in the second round.
The eliminated in the second round would also be expelled. The situation was still unchanged. But just now, with less than an hour left in the second round preliminaries, she casually glanced at Yun Che's status through the Star Monument...
And discovered that he was among the top three hundred!
She had no idea how Yun Che had managed it. Cai Zhi could only rush anxiously to Mo Li.
"Can't say?" Mo Li frowned. "Why can't you? Haven't I told you repeatedly never to make decisions on your own about big matters again? And now you're hiding something else from me?"
Cai Zhi's heart jumped in fright, her voice immediately small: "I... I promised sister I would obey, but... but this time is different. Sister will know when we get there. I can't say it now."
"No! You must say it!" Mo Li remained unbending.
"Sister..." Cai Zhi raised her face: "Just this once, okay? Ever since sister came back, I've always listened to you and never made you angry. But this time... just listen to me this once, just this once, really, just this once... It's very, very important. If sister agrees, I'll listen to you about everything from now on, okay? Okay..."
As she spoke, tears gathered pitifully in her starry eyes.
"You... what exactly..." Mo Li rarely saw Cai Zhi so stubborn. She was extremely puzzled. As the words came out, seeing Cai Zhi's almost pleading expression, her heart finally softened: "Alright... But I'll only allow you this one indulgence. You must promise never to hide anything from me from now on!"
"Mm!" Cai Zhi's eyes sparkled like stars, and she replied with immense joy.
The reason Mo Li was so strict with Cai Zhi was, of course, not without cause... Because during the years Mo Li was away from the Xing Shen Realm, Cai Zhi had actually accepted the inheritance of Tianlangxing Shen. For others, being qualified to inherit the power of a Star God was a gift they wouldn't even dare to dream of.
But for Mo Li, this was an absolutely unacceptable catastrophe.
It was also the main reason she had to return to the Xing Shen Realm immediately.
---
Zhou Tian God Realm. For nearly three days, the matter of the Chaos Wall had been discussed. An unusual atmosphere still hung over the Feng Shen Platform.
"By my reckoning, the second round preliminaries should be ending soon."
Zhou Tian Shen Di's gaze fell upon the Zhou Tian Tower: "The thousand youths who pass the preliminaries will be sent here. They are the thousand 'chosen ones' selected by this Xuan Shen Assembly. If a disaster truly breaks out in the future, they will be a very powerful force."
"However, before the Xuan Shen Assembly is completely over, it's best not to tell them about this. Their most important task now is to showcase their brilliance to the fullest, enjoy their Xuan Shen Assembly, and let us personally witness the demeanor of the current younger generation, rather than suddenly bearing a heavy burden."
Everyone on the Feng Shen Platform nodded in agreement.
"Heh, the chosen ones." Shitian Shendi let out a strange laugh: "Then this king will have a good look. I hope they don't disappoint me too much."
"Ha, after staring at the bottom of a well for so long, don't wet your pants from fright." Xing Shendi suddenly sneered.
Below the king realms, the current younger generation of the Dong Shen Domain was indeed full of talent. Not just Xing Shendi, but the other Divine Emperors were also quite confident.
"Heh, then this king can hardly wait." Shitian Shendi gave a false smile.
At that moment, Zhou Tian Shen Di's expression shifted slightly. He gave Fantian Shen Di a meaningful glance, half-smiling.
Fantian Shen Di also turned his gaze, then gave a wry smile: "My daughter is impolite for barging in. I am deeply ashamed. Please be lenient with the punishment."
"Hahahaha!" Zhou Tian Shen Di laughed heartily, a rare occurrence: "The fact that your esteemed daughter has honored us with her presence makes this old man overjoyed. How could I bear to punish her?"
"Oh dear. She barged in, yet only stands there watching from afar without coming to pay respects to the various seniors. She's becoming more and more unruly." Fantian Shen Di shook his head with a wry smile.
The two's conversation was heard clearly by everyone. Countless heads instantly turned, craning to see...
The daughter of Fantian Shen Di...
That legendary "Fandi Shennü" had arrived!?
But immediately, they also heard Fantian Shen Di's wry remark, which clearly indicated that the Fandi Shennü had indeed arrived, but had not come to the Feng Shen Platform. Instead, she was... watching from afar?
"That's fine." Yue Shen Di said with a smile: "If our domain's Fandi Shennü were to actually appear on the scene, I fear these young men would have no mind left for the Xuan Shen Assembly. Hahaha."
"Hahahaha." The various Divine Emperors all laughed... except for Xing Shendi.
Strange. Why would Ying'er take an interest in this insignificant Xuan Shen Assembly?—Fantian Shen Di felt a flicker of doubt. From his understanding of his daughter, she had no reason to appear here.
---
High above the Zhou Tian God Realm, among the distant clouds.
A golden figure stood silently atop the clouds. She wore a golden dress that flowed like a dream. Though it clung only slightly, it outlined a figure that was enchanting enough to drive any man mad. Her hair was a dazzling gold, falling straight down to her pert buttocks.
Even just looking at her back or silhouette from a distance, no one would doubt that she was an incredibly beautiful woman. Because her mere silent presence there made the sunlight and starlight shy away, dimming quietly, as if afraid to overshadow her brilliance.
But most unfortunately, no one was fortunate enough to behold her true face.
A golden blindfold shaped like a phoenix wing covered her mysterious eyes. But beneath the blindfold, her lips were delicate and pink, like cherry blossom petals, shimmering with luster. Her neck was like rouge on snow, white and illusory, making it hard to believe that such flawless, jade-like skin could truly exist in this world.
In the divine realm, very few had ever seen her face, but almost everyone knew her name.
Dong Domain Fandi Shennü—the only daughter of Fantian Shen Di—Qianye Ying'er!