Chapter 1162 - Star God's Tear
Mo Li pointed, her voice hoarse from losing control of her emotions: "On his own planet, he was the supreme ruler, nothing could threaten him. He had his family, his friends, his women... He could live a life without disaster or worry!"
"But... here, what is he?! Do you know how dangerous it is for him here?!"
Mo Li grew more agitated as she spoke: "Do you know how many secrets he carries?! If even one of them were exposed, it would attract the greed of the entire Divine Realm! Then, his freedom, his life... the planet he came from, everything he possesses—all would be plunged into eternal catastrophe!"
"The ones who can enter the Zhou Tian Realm are what kind of people?! For him, that place is the most dangerous in this world, the place he must stay farthest from! If any one of them detects any of his secrets, then he will... Do you understand?!"
"I... I..." Cai Zhi curled up tightly.
"Countless people are still investigating where I disappeared for those years, and no one has forgotten that I once obtained the Evil God's Indestructible Blood... And if I were to meet him, and someone slightly suspected something, do you know what the consequences would be?!"
"And that's not even close to all the reasons I cannot meet him!"
Mo Li's breathing was heavy, her soul as if swept into a turbulent storm.
"Sister... I... I was wrong..." Cai Zhi was already teary-eyed. "I just wanted to do something for you, to give you a surprise... I didn't know it would be so dangerous... I really know I was wrong..."
"Cai Zhi, after you caused such a huge disaster, you clearly promised me you would never hide anything from me again, and never make decisions on your own. Why did you again..."
"If you had told me immediately after seeing him, there are so many ways to send him back to his home planet, never to set foot in the Divine Realm again, at least today's scene would not have happened... But now, what do you want me to do..."
Mo Li trembled all over. To her, the two most important people in her life now were Cai Zhi and Yun Che. Cai Zhi's acceptance of the Celestial Wolf Star God's inheritance already felt like half the sky had collapsed, and now Yun Che was also...
"Sister," Cai Zhi cautiously moved forward, tears blurring her eyes. "I know I was wrong. I disobeyed you again. Please don't be angry, okay? Maybe... maybe what you're worried about won't happen. And... I believe you must really want to see him again. You're so powerful, you must have many ways to meet him without being discovered."
"You... don't... understand." Mo Li slowly shook her head. "You don't know him... You're still a child. There are so many things in this world you don't understand. Many people are not what they seem, and many things are far crueler than you think!"
Mo Li turned around, not letting Cai Zhi see the wet traces gradually uncontrollable in her eyes: "Cai Zhi, return to your Star God Hall immediately and reflect behind closed doors... Without my permission, you are not to leave even half a step!"
Cai Zhi's lips parted slightly. She dejectedly lowered her head and whispered, "I understand... I will reflect properly. Please don't be angry, sister... okay..."
After taking a few steps, Cai Zhi suddenly turned back, bit her lip, and said softly: "Sister, he... is exactly as you described him—the stupidest person in this world. I intentionally teased him several times, yet he repeatedly risked his life to save me..."
"Just because... I used your name."
Mo Li: "..."
"He must know the dangers of the Divine Realm. The only reason he came to the Divine Realm was to find you. To see you, he truly... would risk his life without a second thought. He..."
"Enough!" Mo Li's back trembled slightly. "Return immediately... and reflect!"
Cai Zhi dared not speak further. She bowed her head, her fair fingers tightly twisting the ribbon on her skirt, and flew alone and obediently back toward the Star God Realm.
The moment Cai Zhi left, two streaks of tears slowly fell down Mo Li's cheeks. Then the teardrops burst forth like a dam breaking, flooding her cheeks.
"Yun Che..."
"Yun... Che..."
"Yun... Che..."
Her body slowly curled up, and through sobs she called out his name... Perhaps no one would believe that Tiansha Xingshen of the Star God Realm could be so fragile, that she could weep in sorrow like a tender young girl...
From a distant place, a gaze had been fixed on Mo Li, never leaving.
"Tiansha Xingshen is so mentally distraught she hasn't noticed me all this time. Hmph... It seems this trip was not only not wasted, but... extremely interesting."
"Yun Che..." Qianye Ying'er turned her head and softly uttered this name that she previously would not have deigned to remember. "This is far more interesting than a Nine-Xuan Exquisite Body."
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Within the world of the Zhou Tian Pagoda, all profound practitioners who entered were situated on the Zero Layer.
Although it was a "pagoda," the space within each layer was unexpectedly vast. The Zero Layer was a barren mountainous region, with rolling low hills stretching for a hundred miles and several li high.
At the peak of one low hill was the passage to the First Layer, but it was a stone door tightly shut.
The scene and location where each profound practitioner appeared were exactly the same for all. This included the appearance of every subsequent layer and the guardian profound beast projections—they were all identical.
This could be said to be absolute fairness.
These images were all fully projected onto the Seal Ascension Platform, so no matter whom you wished to watch, everything could be seen clearly.
Soon, each participating profound practitioner arrived before the passage to the First Layer, waiting for the stone door to open, ready to charge into the First Layer the moment it did—every moment was a fierce battle. Even Luo Changsheng was no exception.
But there was one unique exception.
Yun Che!
He stood exactly where he had been teleported, motionless, his gaze seeming somewhat vacant, as if lost in thought.
Yun Che's behavior drew sneers from many, but it didn't surprise anyone. In this battlefield where only one's own hard power mattered, no matter what he did, the outcome would be exactly the same.
"The third round of the Eastern Divine Region Profound God Convention preliminaries," the divine voice of Zhou Tian resounded within the Zhou Tian Pagoda and on the Seal Ascension Platform, "Begin!"
Rumble...
A thousand identical, completely independent battlefields. The stone doors to the First Layer opened simultaneously.
Instantly, the gathered profound practitioners, like arrows from a bowstring, shot straight into the First Layer of the Zhou Tian Pagoda.
Only Yun Che remained as if he hadn't heard, completely unmoved... However, few bothered to look at him anymore. They focused intently on their own star realm's practitioners, or more often on those true powerhouses destined to become gods.
Entering the First Layer of the Zhou Tian Pagoda was like stepping into another world. This was no longer barren land, but a verdant jungle, with birdsong and floral scents, towering trees reaching the sky. But before the practitioners could finish admiring the scenery, a profound projection burst out from the green woods with astonishing aura.
This projection held dual blades, its body a green that blended perfectly with the surrounding environment. Its attacks were vicious, aiming for vital points, intent on a single lethal strike.
Even more astonishing was its profound energy aura—it was actually at the first level of the Divine Spirit Realm!
This truly shocked everyone. This was only the First Layer, and they were already facing a first-level Divine Spirit realm profound projection... How terrifying must the later layers be? It was simply unimaginable!
Earlier, some had secretly joked that Yun Che, a worthless piece who had sneaked in by despicable means, would at most pass the first few freebie layers... Now it seemed, he wouldn't even get past the First Layer!
Every profound practitioner who entered the Zhou Tian Pagoda was a top-tier expert, and they entered with their nerves taut. So while surprised, they remained calm, skillfully dodged, and immediately counterattacked.
The brilliance displayed by these young practitioners in that same instant impressed many experts from the Eastern Divine Region, who nodded in approval.
The First Layer had only one first-level Divine Spirit realm profound projection, easily dealt with. Following the aura, the practitioners rushed at their fastest speed to the entrance of the Second Layer.
The Second Layer was a desert, guarded by a first-level Divine Spirit realm earth-type profound beast. Due to the special environment, it was slightly more difficult, but still child's play for them. Then came the Third Layer... Fourth... Fifth...
Tenth... Fifteenth... Twentieth...
On the Seal Ascension Platform, everyone exchanged comments and flattery, the atmosphere quite harmonious. For the first few dozen layers, it was hard to create much of a gap.
But as time passed, after the fiftieth layer, the gap began to slowly widen. The practitioners' climbing speed gradually slowed... and the atmosphere on the Seal Ascension Platform gradually grew tense.
Finally, the first person to reach the hundredth layer emerged—a full seventeen layers ahead of the second-last!
And that person was still... Luo Changsheng!
A hundred layers seemed quite high. But everyone knew this was still just the beginning.
Yun Che, meanwhile, remained dead last in the Zhou Tian Pagoda battle. He still stood in his original spot, not moving an inch. Ever since appearing in the Zhou Tian Pagoda, it was as if he had completely lost consciousness.
His body was still, his face without upheaval, but in his heart, waves surged unceasingly. He thought about many things in silence.
He had gained a very different understanding of the Divine Realm. Especially regarding the Zhou Tian Realm—his impression had completely changed.
Previously, his understanding of the Zhou Tian Divine Realm came from the words of others. It gave him the impression of a righteous, most authoritative, and most respected king realm in the Eastern Divine Region. The arbiters led by the Zhou Tian Realm were devoted to judging all evil in the world, absolutely fair and strict.
Thus, when questioned by the Zhou Tian Realm, he had stepped forward without worry. His confidence came mainly from the Dragon Sovereign's presence, but also from a sense of goodwill and trust toward the Zhou Tian Realm.
He quickly realized he had been too naive.
The same words, the same reasoning—when he said them, it was an offense to the Zhou Tian Pearl. Not only were they ignored, but he was also saddled with additional crimes.
Yet when spoken by Shitian Shendi, it left the Zhou Tian Realm speechless.
Exactly like the first thing Mu Xuanyin taught him: In this world, there is no absolute justice, only absolute strength!
Only by possessing absolute strength can you obtain absolute justice! Otherwise, all you can get is the justice that others think and define!
Quhui Zunzhe was considered the most strict and selfless person in the Eastern Divine Region. To devote his life to judgment, he even abandoned his name and took "Quhui" (Impurity Removal).
But a man like him casually insulted Mu Xuanyin... Perhaps he was indeed extremely fair and strict, but what Yun Che saw more clearly was his arrogance as the head arbiter, looking down on other star realms, other realm kings, and other profound practitioners.
Even a realm king who had achieved Divine Lord status could be insulted as a matter of course.
This was true reality, the true Divine Realm.
And also... Mo Li.
Hope was gone. Yun Che had to accept that Mo Li... truly had not come to the Zhou Tian Realm.
Everything was in vain.
How could he be reconciled to this outcome?
What he truly regretted was not that his years of effort had come to nothing, but that... three full years had passed, approaching the deadline he had promised Cai Yi and the others, yet he still hadn't found Mo Li.
"It's not over yet." Yun Che lifted his head, closed his eyes, and said to himself within: "Mo Li didn't come to the Zhou Tian Realm, she can't see me... But... if I can make the entire Eastern Divine Region know my name..."
"Isn't this... a good opportunity right now..."
"A first-level Divine Tribulation realm cultivator entering the Seal Ascension Battle of the Profound God Convention... Heh, my name will definitely cause a sensation..."
"Master will be furious when she finds out. But there's too little time left. I really have no other choice... If I can't see Mo Li, it will be the regret of my entire life..."
Opening his eyes, Yun Che's expression slowly turned cold and resolute. Deep in his pupils, an odd, ominous light flashed.
The face I lost for my master before... I will take it back tenfold!
Old man Quhui, who insulted my master! Open your eyes wide and watch carefully... who is truly blind!!