Chapter 1480: Qianye's Choice
Fan Di God Realm, Fandi Shennü Palace.
A thin, withered old man in gray robes stood bowed before Qianye Ying'er, his voice hoarse and raspy: "Miss, may this old servant know what your orders are?"
"Uncle Gu," In the past, when Qianye Ying'er spoke with Gu Zhu, she would either have her back to him or face him sideways. But today, she stood directly in front of him and said: "You are half my servant, and even more so, half my honored teacher. In this world, aside from Father King, you are the person I am closest to and trust the most."
Qianye Ying'er's words caused Gu Zhu's aura to stir slightly. "It seems that Miss has major matters to discuss today. Miss, please speak. This old servant's life is yours; even if I must die ten thousand times, it is but a single word from you."
Qianye Ying'er raised her hand, and between her fingers came a soft chime and a dazzling golden light. The unusual aura made Gu Zhu look up: "Buddhist Soul Bell?"
"The God Emperor has actually bestowed the Buddhist Soul Bell upon Miss... heh heh, wonderful. Congratulations to Miss for fulfilling your lifelong wish ahead of time." Gu Zhu's calm voice carried a faint joy and contentment.
However, Qianye Ying'er's next move made Gu Zhu's deep, abyss-like old eyes jump sharply. Qianye Ying'er flicked her slender finger, and the Buddhist Soul Bell instantly left her hand, flying toward Gu Zhu. Gu Zhu's withered body trembled; instead of touching it, he instantly flashed dozens of zhang away, letting the core divine artifact of the Fan Di God Realm fall to the ground with a heart-shaking chime.
"Miss, you..." Qianye Ying'er's actions left Gu Zhu shocked and unable to comprehend.
Qianye Ying'er did not retrieve the fallen Buddhist Soul Bell. Instead, she turned her gaze and said calmly: "Uncle Gu, I am entrusting this Buddhist Soul Bell to you. Please return it to Father King after three hours... Remember, it must be exactly three hours later. During this time, no one must know that it is on you."
"This... absolutely not!" Gu Zhu shook his head, not stepping closer. "The Buddhist Soul Bell can only be held by successive Fantian Shen Di. How can it be touched by an outsider!"
"I have my reasons for doing this," Qianye Ying'er said. "Uncle Gu, you possess no Fan God Force and cannot use the Buddhist Soul Bell. Moreover, you have been by my side for so many years and are the person I trust most. To put it somewhat ironically, you have always carried the Buddhist Soul Death-Pleading Seal that Father King implanted back then, making you the least likely person to defy him. I have nothing to worry about."
"Furthermore, this is an order!"
The air froze for a long time. Finally, Gu Zhu sighed softly and stepped forward. From beneath his gray robe, he extended a withered palm, and an invisible profound energy lifted the Buddhist Soul Bell, sealing it into his personal space... Yet from beginning to end, he still did not let his body touch it even slightly.
"Miss, may this old servant know the reason?" Gu Zhu asked. In the past, if Qianye Ying'er did not speak, he would never ask further.
"You will know soon enough." Qianye Ying'er did not explain further. She pushed her hand again: "These Fan Di secret scriptures and the profound artifacts Father King bestowed back then, you will keep them safe for me temporarily. Until I retrieve them again, there must not be a single scratch."
Gu Zhu said nothing and stored them all.
"This one is the Void Stone that Father King gifted me back then. Keep it with you for now as well."
But this time, Gu Zhu did not take it. He said: "Miss, no matter what you are preparing to do, your safety is paramount. With Miss's abilities, there is nothing in the world to fear. But without the Void Stone on your person, this old servant's heart will be unsettled."
"...Very well." Qianye Ying'er thought for a moment, then withdrew the Void Stone. Then, she took out a gray-white stone slab. The stone slab was fairly flat in shape, but it had no aura at all—not even comparable to the lowest grade spirit stone. It seemed to be just an ordinary mundane stone, with evenly distributed holes of varying sizes on its surface.
She stared at it silently, not speaking for a long time... A completely ordinary mundane stone held in the hand of the number one divine maiden of the Eastern Domain—the scene was indescribably incongruous.
"This 'fragment,' is Miss going to leave it with this old servant as well?" Gu Zhu said.
Qianye Ying'er's eyes flickered with changes. Finally, she slowly put the stone slab away, not leaving it with Gu Zhu. Her gaze shifted subtly at that moment, and her voice turned exceptionally cold: "Uncle Gu, prepare yourself. I need you to 'imprison' a part of my memories."
"This... no matter the reason, it is absolutely unacceptable!" Gu Zhu slowly shook his head. "If this is done carelessly, it will heavily damage Miss's soul, and may even cause that part of the memory to vanish forever."
"My mind is made up. Say no more." Qianye Ying'er was not only ruthless to others, but also to herself. "Listen carefully to my next words. Remember them well. Do not miss or forget a single word!"
.....
.....
Yue Shen Realm, God Emperor's Bedchamber.
Yun Che had been silently pondering; he had far too much to think about lately. After who knows how long, the palace door finally opened. Xia Qingyue walked in with soundless steps and stood before Yun Che. Instantly, the formerly cold and silent bedchamber seemed to rise like a bright moon, every corner glowing brilliantly.
Yun Che opened his eyes, stretched, and muttered discontentedly: "What were you doing all this time! Even setting aside the identity of husband, I'm still your honored guest! And you just left me here completely ignored!"
Xia Qingyue shot him a sideways glance and said: "Don't you have Yao Yue to accompany you here? With a beauty like Yao Yue by your side, you actually find it boring? And it seems... you didn't make a move on her? That doesn't seem like your nature."
"Hehehe..." Yun Che grinned, baring his teeth. "She's a Moon God! What could I possibly do to her!"
"You dare not touch a Moon God?" Xia Qingyue gave a half-smile. "Is there any woman in this world that you dare not touch?"
Xia Qingyue seemed to just casually jab at him, but it made Yun Che feel a bit guilty. He pouted and said: "You are the Moon God Emperor now, and besides, little sister Yao Yue is still here. Don't lose the dignity of a God Emperor when you speak!"
Yao Yue: "???"
"By the way, what were you doing? Any news from the Fan Di God Realm? Don't let it be a wasted effort," Yun Che said.
"I just received an honored guest," Xia Qingyue said, as if casually.
"Honored guest?" With Xia Qingyue's current status, few in the world could merit the term "honored guest" from her.
"You will soon meet them." Xia Qingyue turned aside. "As for the Fan Di God Realm side, things are going quite smoothly—even smoother than the best expected outcome. It seems that I... and you yourself included, have underestimated the terror of the Heavenly Poison Pearl's venom."
"I see..." Yun Che calculated the time since the poison had taken effect and frowned slightly. "The Heavenly Poison Pearl's venom can only 'survive' for twenty hours currently. About sixteen hours have already passed."
"No need to rush. After all, panic, fear, hesitation, collapse of heart, choices... and traveling from the Fan Di God Realm—all of these take time." Xia Qingyue's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. "But it should be about now."
"It seems you are quite confident," Yun Che said, looking at her. "If successful, how do you plan to use this to take revenge on Qianye?"
"You will know when the time comes." Xia Qingyue's expression was indifferent; though she seemed to have victory in hand, she showed no trace of joy. "This time, I am completely borrowing your power. The Heavenly Poison Pearl's venom, the interference of the Evil Infant's demonic energy, and the deterrence of the Jie Tian Mo Di—all come from you. So, when the 'deed is done,' I will also give you sufficient benefits."
"Don't be in a hurry to refuse." Interrupting Yun Che's attempt to speak, Xia Qingyue said leisurely, "I am certain you will like it very much!"
Yun Che thought for a moment and said casually: "Forget it, do as you please. Anyway, your temperament has suddenly become so strong that I probably can't refuse even if I don't want to. Compared to this, I would rather you tell me something else?"
"Oh?"
"Where... is she?" Yun Che's expression darkened slightly, and his voice became somewhat ethereal. "Others cannot know. But you... should have some idea, right?"
"..." Xia Qingyue knew who he was asking about. As he asked, from his eyes, she saw too many colors that had never been there before. Even his voice carried a tremor that perhaps he himself had not noticed.
To Yun Che's great disappointment, Xia Qingyue gently shook her head.
"She is the Evil Infant, and even more so, the Evil Infant transformed from Tiansha Xingshen." Xia Qingyue said. "The escape and concealment abilities of Tiansha Xingshen are already unmatched in the world. Now with the Evil Infant's power, as long as she does not actively reveal herself, no one in this world can find her."
Yun Che let out a soft breath.
"The only thing that can be confirmed about her whereabouts is... Tai Chu Divine Realm!"
At the mention of these "four words," Xia Qingyue's moon-like brows unconsciously sank. Back then, it was there that she and Yun Che were forced into a deadly situation by Qianye Ying'er. If not for the arrival of Tiansha and Tianlang from the sky, she and Yun Che would not be where they are today. "That is the only place where traces of her have appeared. Although at one point I suspected that the traces in Tai Chu Divine Realm were deliberately fabricated illusions by her, all evidence regarding the Evil Infant over the years ultimately points to Tai Chu Divine Realm."
"At the same time, it truly is the most suitable place for her."
"Tai Chu Divine Realm." Yun Che muttered softly, then said: "In other words, she has never reappeared all these years?"
"Yes." Xia Qingyue said. "With the terrifying power she displayed back then, if she wanted to wreak havoc on the world, the God Realm would have long been in chaos. My adoptive father, who fought the Evil Infant, said before he left that the Evil Infant's power was such that even the Dragon Emperor was no match for her; it would take the full force of one Divine Region to destroy her. And given her terror, it would not be an exaggeration to say that it might take the power of three Divine Regions."
"But she has not appeared since then, which is truly surprising. Perhaps the Evil Infant's power recovers too slowly, or... other reasons?"
"Tai Chu Divine Realm... Tai Chu Divine Realm..." As if not listening to Xia Qingyue's words, Yun Che repeated the name over and over. Then his gaze gradually sharpened. "Good... After I leave this place, I will go to Tai Chu Divine Realm again!"
"Naive!" Xia Qingyue said coldly. "Not to mention that with your power, going there is no different from seeking death. The vastness of Tai Chu Divine Realm is beyond your imagination. According to legend, the world of Tai Chu Divine Realm is even larger than the entire Chaos—it would not be wrong to regard it as another chaotic world!"
"A world so vast that even the three Divine Regions are helpless against it—how can you find her?"
"I can!" Contrary to Xia Qingyue's expectations, upon hearing her words, Yun Che was not disappointed. Instead, his gaze grew even more resolute. "Others cannot find her, but I... can definitely do it!"
Xia Qingyue glanced at him, thoughtful, then said softly: "It seems that your relationship with her has a subtlety that others cannot understand. If you truly can find her, it would be an enormous boon for you. Compared to the protective talisman I found for you, she... is your greatest and most reliable protective talisman in this world."
"After all, the Demon Emperor's power can support you, but it cannot be controlled by you. But she... can give everything for you!"
"Furthermore, the Demon Emperor has descended upon the world, and the Demon God will return. For her, who was originally rejected by all living things, how is this not a great opportunity?"
Xia Qingyue's words were exceptionally calm, as if she were merely stating a matter with utmost indifference, without any change in emotion or turmoil of feeling.
Yun Che looked at her, frowned, and suddenly said: "You... don't hate her?"
"Hate her?" Xia Qingyue countered. "Why would I hate her?"
"She killed Yue Wuyai after all... your adoptive father, and a person who did immense favors for you." Yun Che's expression was complicated.
Xia Qingyue's bright eyes were like stars as she said calmly: "Back then, my adoptive father mistakenly believed that my mother was killed by the Star God Realm. In his rage and loss of reason, he drove her biological mother to death and forced her to become Tiansha Xingshen. Her revenge for her mother is only natural! My adoptive father died by her hand; it was a fitting end. The enmity is settled. Why should I hate her?"
"..." Yun Che stood there, speechless for a long time.
"Do you think I am too rational?" she suddenly asked.
"No..." Yun Che shook his head. "Your rationality... is somewhat frightening."
To Yun Che's assessment, Xia Qingyue gave a cold smile. "I will say it again. The me now is not only Xia Qingyue, but also the Moon God Emperor!"
At that moment, a flash of moonlight flickered before Xia Qingyue. A blue-clad girl bowed gracefully: "Master, Fandi Shennü requests an audience!"