Chapter 1393: "Mission"
"He Ling," Yun Che said slowly, his gaze gradually deepening as his emotions calmed. "If you had witnessed my life, you would see that I am like a star of calamity. Wherever I go, I bring all kinds of disaster and turmoil, and it has never stopped."
He Ling: "Ah?"
"Even when I died once and lost my power, calamity still came knocking at my door."
"And all of this began when I inherited the Evil God's legacy at the age of sixteen." Yun Che spoke frankly. "Over the years, among the spirits that granted me various divine powers, more than one mentioned that while I inherited the Evil God's power, I also inherited the 'mission' left behind by him. In other words: I have obtained a power unique in the world, and I must bear the responsibility that comes with it."
"..." He Ling could not understand.
"I kept their reminders in my heart, but subconsciously, I never truly cared about them. I even dismissed them somewhat."
"Later, in the Reincarnation Forbidden Land, when I first met Shen Xi, she asked me a question: If one of your wishes could be granted immediately, what would it be? My answer disappointed her... Over that year, she told me many times, in many ways, that since I possessed the unique Creation God power in the world, I must stand above all beings in the world using it."
"Including her... uh, she heavily emphasized Lord Dragon Emperor's admiration for her, wanting me to surpass him as well."
"Master... have you finally understood Lady Shen Xi's words?" He Ling asked softly.
"No," Yun Che shook his head. "I have found enough reasons, and I have completely figured everything out."
"Power is far too important." Yun Che's gaze turned dark. "Without power, I cannot protect myself, cannot protect anyone. Even a few maggots who were once unworthy to be my opponents could force me into a dead end, and they harmed Xin'er... Ha."
He let out a heavy breath.
Thinking of those four people, Yun Che gritted his teeth and furrowed his brow... Now that he was slightly calmer, he suddenly realized that he knew absolutely nothing about what they were called, where they came from, or why they had fallen onto the Lan Ji Star!
Not only had he failed to use Arcane Firmament Soul-Seizing before killing them, he had even failed to search their souls for any implanted soul crystals... Fortunately, there was no abnormal soul aura when they died, or the consequences would have been severe.
Sigh... It seemed this was the first time he had been so angry and lost his mind.
"The power I possess is too special. It will attract countless covetous eyes, and it will also inadvertently bring unforeseeable calamities. If I want all of this to never happen again, the only way is to stand at the very top of this world and become the one who makes the rules... Just like back then, when I stood at the very top of this continent. The difference is that this time, I have to include the God Realm as well."
Seeing He Ling's violently shaking eyes, he smiled: "To others, this is wishful thinking. But I... can do it, and I must do it. What happened today, I don't want to endure a second time in my life! This reason alone is enough!"
"Then... Master, when you return to the God Realm, are you going to cultivate at Lady Shen Xi's place?" He Ling asked. That place seemed safe, and it was where he could achieve his goal the fastest.
"No," Yun Che shook his head again. "I must return because... I have to fulfill the so-called 'mission' that was brought to me along with the power."
"Mission? What mission?" He Ling asked.
"I've only guessed a little for now. But after returning to the Eastern Divine Region, there is someone who will tell me."
Yun Che's mind flashed to the Ice Phoenix girl beneath the Minghan Heavenly Lake. His gaze shifted eastward... On the distant eastern horizon, a red starlight flickered, more dazzling than all other stars.
Once, it only flashed across the sky occasionally. But at some point, it had become embedded there, never extinguishing day or night.
"And there's one more thing I must tell you." Yun Che continued, his gaze growing misty. "The one who restored my power was not just Xin'er, but also He Lin."
"Ah?" He Ling was stunned. "You mean... Lin'er?"
"The Phoenix soul spirit wanted to use that wisp of Evil God's divine breath in Xin'er's Mysterious Vein to awaken my dormant Evil God Mysterious Vein. It succeeded in separating the Evil God's divine breath from Xin'er's Mysterious Vein and transferring it into my dead Mysterious Vein. But it failed. The Evil God's divine breath did not awaken my Mysterious Vein... instead, it awakened the Wood Spirit King Pearl that He Lin gave me."
"..." He Ling's lips parted, her beautiful eyes trembling violently.
"The Wood Spirit Clan was created by the Life Creation God Li Suo in ancient times. The life force in the Wood Spirit King Pearl originates from Light Profound Force. After it awakened, the life force it released touched the 'Life Miracle' power that had long been attached to my life. And what awakened my dead Mysterious Vein was precisely that 'Life Miracle'."
The Phoenix soul spirit had said that the Evil God Mysterious Vein was the Mysterious Vein of a Creation God, of too high a level. To awaken it, only power of the same level would work—that is, the last wisp of Evil God's divine breath in Yun Wuxin's Mysterious Vein.
But it did not know that Yun Che also had another power of the Creation God level on him—the Life Miracle of the Life Creation God.
Light Profound Force is not only attached to the Mysterious Vein, but also to life. The same is true of the Life Miracle. When the dormant "Life Miracle" was touched by the power of the Wood Spirit Royal Clan, it healed Yun Che's injuries and also awakened his long-dormant Mysterious Vein.
This was a miracle, one that perhaps even the Life Creation God Li Suo herself, if she were alive, would find difficult to explain.
"When I was very young... Mother and Father said... that my Wood Spirit Pearl is special, that it is a 'seed of miracles.' They hoped that one day... it could truly... bring miraculous power to Brother Yun Che..."
The words He Lin had said back then, as she offered up her Wood Spirit Royal Pearl with tears in her eyes, echoed in his heart... Yun Che's vision blurred, and he murmured softly: "He Lin... thank you for the miracle you brought me."
He Ling bit her lip, holding back tears for a long time before saying softly: "If Lin'er knew, she would certainly be very comforted."
"..." Yun Che pressed his hand to his chest, clearly sensing the presence of the Wood Spirit Pearl. Indeed, his life had experienced many calamities due to the Evil God's power, but he had also encountered many benefactors and received countless feelings and kindnesses.
After forcing back the mist of tears in her eyes, He Ling turned her face and asked: "Master, when do you plan to return to the God Realm?"
Without thinking, Yun Che replied: "With cultivation at the Divine King Realm, I would be considered high-level in the God Realm. But those who might target me are all too powerful. So now is certainly not the time to return."
"Master intends to cultivate here, and only return when you are strong enough?" He Ling asked... But the aura of this world was so thin and turbid, completely unsuitable for divine path cultivation.
"No," Yun Che denied. "The Lan Ji Star's plane is too low. Cultivating in this environment would be extremely slow. Moreover, this place is close to the Eastern Divine Region. Too many people there are familiar with my power aura. If I cultivate here, there is a risk of being detected."
"In fact, the timing of my return does not depend on me, but on you." Yun Che turned to look at He Ling.
"Me?" He Ling was confused, then realized something: "Master means... the Heavenly Poison?"
"Yes." Yun Che nodded. "I must return to the God Realm, but I am not going back to continue living like a stray dog, trembling and hiding everywhere as I did back then."
"Once the Heavenly Poison Pearl has recovered enough poison power to threaten a King Realm, we will return." Yun Che's eyes turned cold. His trump cards were certainly not limited to the Evil God's power. From the moment He Ling became the Heavenly Poison's poison spirit, his other trump card had fully awakened as well.
It was also possible that he would be forced to return before that... Yun Che glanced again at the red "star" in the west.
"Mn, I will definitely work hard." He Ling nodded seriously. But then, she suddenly thought of something and asked with surprise: "Master, do you mean... you plan to expose the Heavenly Poison Pearl?"
"Mn!" Yun Che nodded without any hesitation. "Tonight, although my mind was extremely chaotic, I also thought about many things. In the four years in the God Realm, I had been desperately hiding the secrets on me, but in the end, I was still discovered. Qianye learned that I possessed the Evil God's power, and that old thief Tu Mi from the Star God Realm saw through me because of my relationship with Mo Li... Comparatively, the existence of the Heavenly Poison Pearl is actually easier to expose. On the first day I met Mo Li, she recognized the Heavenly Poison Pearl at a glance. Before going to the God Realm, when I saved the Ice Cloud Palace Master, she also called out 'Heavenly Poison Pearl' at once."
"..." He Ling could not refute this. The Heavenly Poison Pearl's poison power and purification ability were unmatched in the world. Some poisons could only be resolved by the Heavenly Poison Pearl, and some poisons could only be released by it. Thus, it was easy for people at the God Realm level to associate it with.
"The God Realm is too vast, its history and heritage incomparably profound. Its understanding of certain ancient secrets far surpasses that of the lower realms. Since I have decided to return to the God Realm, the secrets on me will eventually be completely exposed one day." Yun Che's expression was unusually calm. "In that case, I might as well expose them proactively. Concealment will only make them become my constraints. Looking back on those years, almost every step I took was with my hands tied, and most of it was self-imposed."
"But if I proactively expose them... although it means there is no turning back, I can find ways to make them become constraints for others instead." Yun Che squinted his eyes, gathering a glimmer of cold light.
In the years after losing his power, he was leisurely and carefree every day, without worries, spending most of his time enjoying himself, seemingly no longer caring about anything else. In truth, he was more immersed in himself and also did not want those around him to worry.
But those unresolved kindnesses, grudges, loves, and hatreds... how could he truly forget and let go?
In the past year or so, he had countless thoughts, especially repeatedly thinking: In those years in the God Realm, if he could choose again and start over, how should he act, and what could he do...
"Those four years in the God Realm passed in haste, almost every step taken blindly... Before I return, I will figure out what I need to do." Yun Che closed his eyes. Not only about the future, but also about the past few years in the God Realm—every step he took, every person he met, every piece of land he set foot on, even every word he heard—he would reconsider.
Back then, when he resolutely followed Mu Bingyun to the God Realm, his only goal was to find Mo Li. He never thought about staying there, nor did he think about tying any karmic grudges there.
But if he were to return to the God Realm, it would be entirely different.
"There is one more question." Yun Che still had his eyes closed as he spoke, his voice suddenly becoming soft and somewhat difficult: "Did you... see Hong'er?"
"..." He Ling's eyes dimmed.
For a long time, Yun Che received no answer from He Ling. He smiled somewhat forcedly, turned around, and walked toward the room where Yun Wuxin was sleeping. But he did not push the door open. Instead, he sat by the door, quietly guarding her night, and sorting out the feelings of his rebirth.