Chapter 1457: The Confused Demon Emperor
In contrast, Mu Xuanyin's demeanor was the most calm. She stood there quietly, facing the various thanks, praises, and even flattery from the many Upper Realm Kings and even the various venerables of the king realms, yet she showed no significant emotional changes.
Early on, when Yun Che had told her everything, she had considered that if Yun Che could truly "pacify" the returning Demon Emperor, such a scene might appear. And now that it had truly appeared, she still felt somewhat at a loss.
These people, each possessing immense power and occupying extremely high positions, bowed and thanked for saving lives and the world—was it truly out of gratitude? Perhaps there was some, but definitely not as strong as they displayed. More than that, it was to conform to the Demon Emperor's arrival and the greatly changed laws of survival that came with it.
Nanming Shendi walked over, his inherent aura silently repelling the other Divine Lords. He bowed deeply to Mu Xuanyin and said, "Realm King Yinxue not only possesses peerless immortal grace but also nurtured the world-saving Divine Son. This visit of Nanming to the Eastern Domain, being able to meet Realm King Yinxue, has already made the journey worthwhile and is the greatest fortune of my life."
"Nanming Shendi praises me too much," Mu Xuanyin said.
"No, these few words are insufficient to express even a ten-thousandth of the respect in my heart," Nanming Shendi immediately said. "Nanming shamelessly invites Realm King Yinxue to bring Divine Son Yun to visit the Southern Domain in her leisure time. Nanming will accompany you throughout the journey. I hope Realm King Yinxue and Divine Son Yun will honor me with your presence."
"You flatter me with such a phrase. If there is an opportunity, I will naturally visit," Mu Xuanyin said neither warmly nor coldly, neither showing arrogance nor refusing his face.
Facing the changes in the "laws of survival" brought by Jie Tian Mo Di's return to the world, what difference was there between the First Divine Emperor and ordinary mortals? After all, in essence, they were all human. Before the weak, they were supreme strong; before the strong, they were all weak.
After the two Divine Emperors of the Southern Domain, Saint Universe Realm King Luo Shangchen finally squeezed in, but his gaze was somewhat evasive, and his steps were unsteady. He was pulling Luo Changsheng by the hand.
Luo Shangchen leaned forward, his face full of smiles. "Today, without Realm King Yinxue and without Divine Son Yun, disaster would have already descended upon the world. The merit of Realm King Yinxue's salvation should be inscribed in the Divine Realm for ten thousand generations."
"Thinking back to that year, my unworthy son Changsheng fought a battle with Divine Son Yun at Zhou Tian. Divine Son Yun inherited the Evil God's power and had such a teacher as Realm King Yinxue; how could my son compare? No wonder he was defeated miserably. However, to have had that battle with Divine Son Yun is the greatest fortune of my son's life."
Luo Changsheng bowed and said, "What Father King says is true. That battle with Divine Son Yun back then is unforgettable for this junior, Changsheng."
"Oh, right," Luo Shangchen suddenly seemed to remember something and said with trepidation, "I happened to learn some days ago that my younger sister Gu Xie seemed to have, out of personal anger, committed an offense against the Yinxue Realm. Fortunately, Realm King Yinxue taught her a lesson. Although Gu Xie has left the Saint Universe Realm, she is after all my sister and Changsheng's teacher. I cannot escape blame and am deeply ashamed. Within ten days, I will personally go to the Yinxue Realm to apologize. In the future, if there is any use for the Saint Universe Realm, a single word from Realm King Yinxue will suffice."
"Good," Mu Xuanyin nodded. "This king has noted it."
Zhou Tian Shen Di did not pay attention to the appearances of the various Divine Lords. He pondered over the scenes of Yun Che's first appearance in the Zhou Tian Realm back then, his heart filled with countless emotions. He couldn't help but sigh, "The 'Ancestor' always said that this calamity could only be saved by a miracle. It turns out that the miracle had already existed."
"Before the Evil God fell, he left behind the hope of saving the world. And Yun Che perfectly ignited that hope. It seems fate has always been favoring the present world. The Tianji Realm does not deceive me; Yun Che is indeed the 'Son of Heavenly Dao' chosen by fate."
The Dragon Emperor beside him smiled faintly and said calmly, "It seems our judgment back then was not wrong."
"Hehe," thinking of how the Dragon Emperor wanted to adopt him as a son back then, and how he and Qianye Fantian wanted to take him as a personal disciple, Zhou Tian Shen Di stroked his beard and laughed. "I finally understand why he rejected all of them back then and was willing to stay in a middle-tier star realm. Bearing the Evil God's power, the only inheritance of a Creation God in this world, he must have already been harboring the thought of saving the world at that time. Commendable and admirable."
(Yun Che: ...?)
In Zhou Tian Shen Di's view, no words of praise and adulation could be excessive when used on Yun Che.
"Speaking of which, today's outcome also requires thanking your Dragon God Realm," Zhou Tian Shen Di said.
"Oh?" The Dragon Emperor turned his head.
"Although I do not know what Qianye did to Yun Che back then, it is true that Yun Che was forced to stay in the Dragon God Realm because of it and could not return to the Eastern Divine Region," Zhou Tian Shen Di said, furrowing his brow slightly. "Fortunately, the Dragon Queen took him in."
"The Dragon Queen is a remarkable woman who transcends the mundane world. She keeps distance from all beings, yet her discerning eyes are like stars. She kept Yun Che and even taught him Light Profound Force. Otherwise, today's outcome would have been difficult. But this matter is known to few in the world, and given the Dragon Queen's temperament, she would surely disdain such empty fame."
Zhou Tian Shen Di sighed deeply again. "When the Dragon Queen finishes her seclusion in the future, I trouble Dragon Emperor to convey my gratitude."
"...Hehe," the Dragon Emperor smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
With the pessimism and gloom in his heart turning to optimism, Zhou Tian Shen Di glanced at the spot where Jie Yuan had left, then turned around and said, "Yun Che has deeply benefited from the Dragon Queen's kindness, which is his great fortune. And looking at this, having such a relationship between Yun Che and the Dragon Queen, for the Dragon God Realm..."
He suddenly paused, his brow twitching, and asked suspiciously, "Dragon Emperor, you... are you injured?"
He saw that at the corner of the Dragon Emperor's lips, a thread of blood was slowly trickling down.
The Dragon Emperor raised his hand, wiped away the crimson that had seeped from between his teeth, and smiled faintly. "Probably from bearing the Demon Emperor's pressure just now, my energy and blood reversed slightly. No need to mind."
"Mm," Zhou Tian Shen Di did not think further about it.
"The matter of the Demon Emperor's arrival, though not to be made public, must still be notified to the necessary people as soon as possible, for early warnings and preparations. I, Dragon, will return now. As for the Eastern Domain, I must trouble Zhou Tian."
After saying that, the Dragon Emperor seemed to add casually, "Oh, by the way, Shen Xi once said that this seclusion of hers is of utmost importance, ranging from a few hundred years to several thousand. I'm afraid Zhou Tian's news will have to be conveyed later."
Zhou Tian Shen Di said, "Dragon Emperor's words make me feel quite uneasy."
He turned and focused his gaze, his voice gathering authority: "Everyone, once the news of the Demon Emperor's return spreads, it will surely cause great panic. Therefore, this matter must be kept secret as long as possible. Moreover, the Demon Emperor specially emphasized this just now... We must not touch the taboo and incur the Demon Emperor's wrath."
Everyone responded in succession.
They all knew that, just as Fantian Shen Di had said, the Chaos had completely changed. From today onward, the rules of this world would no longer be set by them... but there would be an absolute overlord whom no living being or power could defy.
Another space.
This was also a cosmic space, but the atmosphere was completely different from before—exceptionally gloomy and oppressive. Even the light carried a distinct darkness.
Moreover, it was exceptionally empty, with only gray, dead void and almost no stars visible.
Yun Che, suddenly brought here by Jie Yuan, quickly scanned his surroundings, and his heart jolted... This aura and atmosphere, could it be the Northern Divine Region?!
"That planet is indeed gone."
Jie Yuan's voice came to his ears. Low... and carrying obvious loneliness.
Yun Che turned his gaze sideways and tentatively asked, "Senior, where is this?"
Jie Yuan did not answer Yun Che. After that murmured sigh, she closed her eyes and was silent for a long, long time before finally speaking: "How did you obtain his power?"
Yun Che thought for a moment and said, "The one who first obtained the 'Undying Blood' left by the Evil God was not me, but... my first profound way master. She found it by chance in the Southern Divine Region, and after being poisoned, she met me and used it on me."
"Southern Divine Region?" Jie Yuan's brow moved slightly. "And the Heavenly Poison Pearl? Where did it come from? Why has its poison spirit completely changed?"
Although the Heavenly Poison Pearl had merged with Yun Che, Jie Yuan still saw through it completely at a glance. Because she was the first owner of the Heavenly Poison Pearl! She had the most primal connection.
"The Heavenly Poison Pearl..." This was truly difficult to explain. Yun Che could only explain reluctantly, "It was in the world where I was born. My medical master found it by chance. Later, due to an accident, I swallowed it, and it just merged with my body. As for its poison spirit, it was probably taken by the Evil Infant Myriad Calamity Wheel. After unleashing Myriad Tribulations of Oblivion, it died. Only three years ago did it get a new poison spirit."
"Swallowed? Merged?" Jie Yuan glanced at Yun Che. She was sure Yun Che would not dare lie in front of her, but what he said, she actually could not understand!
She stopped asking and directly extended her hand, saying coldly, "Let me see your memories!"
"...Yes." Yun Che could not refuse and closed his eyes.
Jie Yuan spread her five fingers and directly grasped Yun Che's crown. A trace of black aura flickered... But in the next instant, a dragon roar suddenly sounded in her soul, causing her hand to tremble slightly and her brows to suddenly tighten.
Slowly, she withdrew her hand from Yun Che's head and looked at him deeply once more. "Just an ordinary mortal, so young, not only possessing his power but also bearing four divine souls. Heaven has been far too kind to you!"
Yun Che: "Uh..."
"Forget it." Jie Yuan turned her gaze back. "Your soul has now become its own world and is guarded by a Dragon God divine soul. If I forcefully peek, I might harm your divine soul. I won't look!"
Jie Yuan's words stirred a long-lasting shock in Yun Che's heart. To avoid harming him... a mortal's divine soul, she gave up on peeking into his memory just like that.
The Jie Tian Mo Di beside him was completely, utterly different from the terrifying demon god he had imagined, returning full of hatred.
"To obtain his power is your destiny," Jie Yuan said slowly. "To obtain the Heavenly Poison Pearl is also your fortune. He has passed away, and the Heavenly Poison has changed owners. Why should I delve deeper?"
She spoke softly, and what spread through the dim space was an indescribable confusion and desolation.
She had finally returned... but the people she loved and the people she hated were all gone.
Yun Che was not Jie Yuan; he could not understand what kind of feeling that was.
The Demon Emperor beside him no longer made Yun Che feel afraid. Perhaps all his previous worries and despair were completely unnecessary. He took the initiative to speak: "Senior Demon Emperor, you brought me here to...?"
Jie Yuan said blankly, "Here, there was once a planet, a planet... that I created together with him."
Yun Che: "..."
"He was one of the Creation Gods of the Divine Clan, and among the four Creation Gods, he was the least skilled at 'creation.' The first planet he created was only completed with my help... We completed it together."
"It was also there that we became husband and wife, and had a daughter."
"Unfortunately, that small planet could not survive the fierce battle between the two clans..."
Jie Yuan clenched her hands. Facing the completely unfamiliar world before her, all the hatred, anger, hope, and longing in her heart disappeared, leaving only emptiness and confusion...
The people she loved, the people she hated, the people she knew... even the memories of the past all returned to dust.
Why did I bother to return? And why did I fight so hard to survive all those years...