Chapter 1471: Setting the Stage
"Ying'er, stay hidden for now and do not show yourself." Qianye Fantian's brow furrowed slightly.
Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes slanted coldly. "Father, who always looks down upon the world, when did you become so timid and hesitant?"
"This is an order!" Qianye Fantian's voice suddenly turned icy.
Qianye Ying'er frowned slightly. Since she had cultivated to the Divine Lord realm, this was the first time Qianye Fantian had spoken to her like this.
"Since it is Father's command, how dare Ying'er disobey?" she said coldly. "However, whether I reveal myself or not is still up to me!"
As her voice faded, her figure scattered like dissipating mist, silently vanishing into the air.
Qianye Fantian furrowed his brows in brief contemplation, then transmitted a message: "Ninth, go personally to welcome Yun Che and Yue Shen Di, and bring them directly to the divine temple. Remember, you must not lose any courtesy."
…………
The Star God Realm was filled with starlight, the Moon God Realm shone with moonlight, and the Zhou Tian God Realm was veiled in mist. When Yun Che first entered these three great king realms of the Eastern Divine Region, it felt like stepping into a celestial paradise.
But as he stepped into the Fan Di God Realm, the foremost king realm of the Eastern Domain, the scene before him was utterly unadorned. There was no ostentatious display, nor the distinctive divine lights that marked the other three king realms. All the buildings were ancient and weathered, sharp and angular, their exteriors constantly reflecting a cold, metallic sheen. Even the most ordinary dwelling exuded a pressing sense of aggression.
And as for the aura here, with every step Yun Che took and every breath he drew, he sensed an indescribable intensity and restlessness. The elemental energy in particular was far more active and volatile than in the other three king realms.
As he walked, every person his spiritual sense touched—regardless of age or gender—released an aura that secretly shocked him.
Mu Xuanyin had long told him, "In the Fan Di domain, there are no mediocre people." Seeing it with his own eyes, he was still profoundly shaken.
"In the Fan Di domain, there are no mediocre people." Xia Qingyue spoke beside him. "You must have heard that saying before. The cultivators of the Fan Di God Realm regard the Xuan Path as their very life. From the moment they are born, they are instilled and nurtured with the ambition to reach the pinnacle of the Xuan Dao. Here, the weak are scorned, and laziness is a disgrace. In such an environment, everyone becomes a madman."
"Qianye Ying'er is a madwoman," Yun Che said coldly.
"You're right. She is a complete madwoman. For the sake of reaching a higher Xuan realm, she would stop at nothing." Xia Qingyue continued, "To you, such conviction and ambition might seem insane, but in the Fan Di God Realm, it is utterly commonplace."
"The Qianye Fantian of those days was even more excessive than the Qianye Ying'er of today!"
When speaking of Qianye Ying'er, Xia Qingyue's expression remained unchanged. But when she mentioned Qianye Fantian, purple light flickered uncontrollably in her eyes.
Carrying the memories of Yue Wuyai, her wariness of Qianye Fantian was several times greater than her wariness of Qianye Ying'er!
The First Divine Emperor… Those who could earn such a title were emperors among emperors, demons among demons!
"Qingyue, after the Fan Di God Realm lost its three Fan Gods, how does it compare to the Zhou Tian God Realm in strength?" Yun Che asked.
"Without a doubt, the Fan Di God Realm still prevails." Xia Qingyue did not hesitate for even half a breath. "The power that the Fan Di God Realm has outwardly displayed is already terrifying enough, let alone… no one has ever been able to see the full picture of the Fan Di God Realm."
Having lost the three Fan Gods, second only to the Divine Emperor in power, the Fan Di God Realm was still superior to the Zhou Tian God Realm… Truly terrifying.
Just then, a pale golden figure appeared in their line of sight and rapidly approached.
It was a middle-aged man of short stature, unremarkable appearance, with a perpetually smiling face. He raised his hand in salute: "Ninth welcomes Yue Shen Di and Divine Son Yun."
His words were gentle and without any edge, his face even carrying a hint of simple honesty… But the faint light reflected from his narrow eyes, narrowed into two slits, told Yun Che that this was an extremely formidable person.
"So this is the Ninth Fan King. You are exactly as the legends describe." Xia Qingyue glanced at him and gave a slight nod.
Ninth… Fan King!?
This man was actually one of the Fan Kings of the Fan Di God Realm!
Yun Che's expression shifted subtly, and he firmly committed this person's features to memory.
"Being able to personally welcome the new Moon God Emperor and the Divine Son Yun, who saved countless souls from the returning Demon Emperor, is Ninth's great fortune." The Ninth Fan King bowed again, his manner quite genial. "The Divine Emperor is already waiting for the two of you in the divine temple. Please."
The two followed the Ninth Fan King directly into the Fantian Divine Temple. Qianye Fantian had already taken the initiative to greet them, his face full of smiles: "Divine Son Yun and Moon God Emperor—having either one of you visit would already illuminate my realm with glory. That both of you come on the same day is Qianye's utmost honor."
He greeted "Divine Son Yun" first, then "Moon God Emperor"… Yun Che's brow twitched slightly. Hmm, husband before wife—that's only proper!
"Brahma Divine Emperor, there is no need for formalities." Yun Che directly spoke before Xia Qingyue. "Since I promised to purify your demonic energy for you, I naturally cannot break my word. Moreover, being able to finally glimpse the splendor of the Eastern Domain's foremost king realm is quite a gain in itself."
"I came unannounced without informing you in advance. I hope the Brahma Divine Emperor will not take offense." Xia Qingyue gave a slight bow.
"Haha, what are you saying, Moon God Emperor? Please, come in." Qianye Fantian gestured, his face beaming with smiles. At the same time, he glanced aside: "Ninth, you may withdraw. Order that no one is to disturb us."
"Yes." The Ninth Fan King did not ask a single question and left crisply.
Seated in the hall, Qianye Fantian was once again courteous and refined, displaying the utmost respect for his honored guests. He said to Yun Che, "Divine Son Yun, since you rarely visit my Fan Di God Realm, why not let me take you around for a tour first? Although the scenery here cannot compare to the Star, Moon, or Zhou Tian realms, it does have its own unique charm."
"No need to trouble yourself." Yun Che replied politely, "My primary purpose in coming is to dissolve the demonic energy for the Brahma Divine Emperor. Ah, by the way…"
"May I ask if the Divine Maiden is present?" he asked, seemingly casually.
"Most unfortunate." Qianye Fantian expressed regret. "Ying'er is always away from the realm and rarely returns. I have no idea where she is at the moment. However, if Divine Son Yun wishes to see her, I can summon her back to the realm immediately."
"Oh, there's no need. I was just asking casually." Yun Che smiled faintly and rose to his feet. "Brahma Divine Emperor, your time is precious, and I dare not intrude further. Let me dissolve your demonic energy now."
"Very well, then I must trouble Divine Son Yun." Qianye Fantian did not decline and also stood up. "By the way, may I ask if Moon God Emperor has any instructions for her personal visit this time?"
"Instructions would be too strong a word." Compared to Yun Che, Xia Qingyue's words were cold and piercing. "Right now, Yun Che's life and safety concern the fate of this world, so naturally he must be fully protected."
Qianye Fantian laughed. "All souls in this world owe a debt of gratitude to Divine Son Yun. Who would dare to offend Divine Son Yun now? Would that not be to incur the wrath of the entire world?"
"There are plenty of people with guts in this world, especially in your Fan Di God Realm. Don't you think so, Brahma Divine Emperor?" Xia Qingyue said coldly.
"Hahahaha," Qianye Fantian let out a loud laugh. "Since Moon God Emperor offers such praise, I shall accept it without humility. In that case, I'll trouble Moon God Emperor to act as Divine Son Yun's protector."
Immediately afterward, Yun Che released his Light Profound Force and began once again to purify the Evil Infant's demonic energy for Qianye Fantian. He did not forget Xia Qingyue's words; the Light Profound Force he released was slightly weaker than the last time, and during the purification process, his attention wandered several times.
Such minute changes would be nearly impossible for an ordinary person to detect, but Qianye Fantian would surely notice them.
Several hours later, Yun Che was drenched in sweat, appearing completely exhausted. He immediately ended the purification, opened his eyes, and said to Qianye Fantian, "My cultivation is too shallow; I must have made a fool of myself before the Brahma Divine Emperor. I will come again in two days to perform another purification. After that, I will have to deal with the Demon God's return, so it will be difficult to find the opportunity to fully purify all of the Brahma Divine Emperor's demonic energy."
"No matter, no matter. The great matter takes precedence." Qianye Fantian quickly said, "Divine Son Yun has repeatedly bestowed his grace upon me, and I am already deeply grateful. Thinking of my daughter's offensive actions toward Divine Son Yun back then, I am even more filled with fear and guilt."
Yun Che smiled and said, "Since there are grievances, it's best to resolve them early. Otherwise, the rift will only become harder to mend. I hope that when I visit next time, I will be for~tunate~ enough to meet the Divine Maiden."
"Very well!" Qianye Fantian nodded without any hesitation. "Divine Son Yun is right. Since you have this wish, I will send a sound transmission and order her to return to the realm the day after tomorrow, to apologize to Divine Son Yun for her past transgressions."
"Mm, then I'll trouble the Brahma Divine Emperor." Yun Che nodded, as if casually.
"Divine Son Yun has worked hard. For these two days, please rest well in my Fan Di God Realm. If you need anything, just speak openly. Do not stand on ceremony."
"No need." Just as Yun Che was about to agree, Xia Qingyue spoke before him. "For these two days, I will take him to the Moon God Realm. I won't trouble the Brahma Divine Emperor with hospitality."
"This…" Qianye Fantian showed a hint of urgency. "Without Divine Son Yun's kindness, I would have suffered countless tormenting heart-devouring and soul-devouring episodes these past days. The Dragon Queen is in seclusion, and I have no one else to turn to. Divine Son Yun's grace is like a gift from the heavens, and I still do not know how to repay it. At least let me fulfill my duties as a host…"
"I said there is no need, and that is that." Xia Qingyue's voice was cold and sharp, without any courtesy. "The atmosphere of the Fan Di God Realm lives up to its reputation; I find it most disagreeable. If I leave Yun Che alone here, I cannot rest easy. It's better to return to the Moon God Realm!"
"Yun Che, let's go." Xia Qingyue finished speaking, then took Yun Che and prepared to leave directly.
"In that case, I will comply with the Moon God Emperor's wishes." Qianye Fantian showed no anger and did not try to dissuade them further. He rose to see them off.
After seeing Yun Che and Xia Qingyue off, the smile on Qianye Fantian's face gradually faded, and a rare look of puzzlement gathered between his brows.
Qianye Ying'er materialized at his side and remained silent for a long time.
"When Yun Che purified my demonic energy, he was clearly distracted. The purification was nothing but a pretense. Yet it didn't seem to be for your sake. Although Yun Che mentioned you twice, and his tone was quite heavy… it was too deliberate."
"And then there's the Moon God Emperor… What are they trying to do?" Qianye Fantian frowned, deep in thought.
Just then, Qianye Ying'er's brow suddenly sank sharply, and she uttered five words in an extremely low voice: "Primordial Chaos Life-Death Seal!"
"?" Qianye Fantian whipped his head around sharply.
"Xia Qingyue… somehow, she learned about the Primordial Chaos Life-Death Seal. About a month ago, she even used it to threaten me." Thinking back to Xia Qingyue's words that day, an extremely dangerous light flickered in her eyes.
"What did you say!?" Qianye Fantian's expression drastically changed.