Chapter 1621: Demon Empress Mark
"Less than three years... Is something like this truly possible?" Zhou Tian Shen Di murmured.
He had witnessed Yun Che's god-sealing battle at the Xuan God Tournament, seen him draw forth the ninefold heavenly tribulation... He had seen too many miracles in Yun Che, to the point where he had become somewhat accustomed to them.
He had once called Yun Che a prodigy, a miracle of the Eastern Domain, the one and only Divine Son, even a freak of nature... But even a freak, even someone who defied common sense, should have a most basic limit.
In the million-year history of the God Realm—neither long nor short—every era always produced astonishing geniuses. But compared to Yun Che, the divine radiance they had once left behind or still shone with seemed utterly dim and insignificant.
Less than three years, from just entering the Divine King Realm to being capable of killing the severely wounded Taiyin. As Zhou Tian Shen Di, he could not believe it, could not accept it.
But his mind was now a mess of chaos, long past the point of being able to think clearly. He watched the black aura continuously rising from Zhou Qingchen's body, his fingers trembling without a moment's pause.
Having spent his life by Zhou Xuzi's side, Taiyu knew only too well what Zhou Qingchen meant to him. He hesitated briefly, then said, "Yun Che had the power to kill Quhui and Taiyin, yet he deliberately spared Qingchen's life. Clearly, he intended to..."
Taiyu did not finish the second half of his sentence, but how could Zhou Tian Shen Di not understand? Turning his son into a demon... To him, there was no more cruel revenge in this world than that.
Even he himself had never realized that, as the Divine Emperor of Zhou Tian, having cultivated his heart for tens of thousands of years, he could still feel such pain and helplessness.
"Perhaps there is still one way," Taiyu said. "Darkness is greatly feared by light. The Dragon Empress of the Western Domain must have a way to save Qingchen."
"No," Zhou Tian Shen Di slowly shook his head, his gaze vacant. "Yun Che had the merit of saving the world, yet because of his demon body, he was hunted by the entire realm, and it was my Zhou Tian that led the charge..."
"My son Qingchen... if I protect him and save him, the world will surely doubt me. My personal reputation is trivial, but how can I... defile Zhou Tian's honor." Zhou Tian Shen Di closed his eyes. "Moreover, light profound energy can purify external demonic aura, but his physique, life force, and profound energy have all turned demonic... How could it be purified? Otherwise, Yun Che, who also possesses light profound energy, would have long since purified himself."
"It's different, it's completely different," Taiyu said. "Yun Che fell into being a demon, with endless future calamities. No matter how great his merits, for the peace of later generations, he had to be executed. Qingchen was forcefully demonized by someone else. Coupled with his identity as the Crown Prince of Zhou Tian, even if the world knew, they would surely tolerate it. Moreover, given our friendship with the Dragon God Realm, if we seek help from the Dragon God and Dragon Empress, even if it's futile, they have no reason to make it public."
"No... it cannot be..." Zhou Tian Shen Di murmured in a daze. The two simplest words carried a pain and helplessness as heavy as ten thousand mountains.
Taiyu took a deep breath, a deep sorrow rising in his heart.
If it weren't for Yun Che as a "precedent," Zhou Tian Shen Di would not be in such a state. But Yun Che had truly saved the world, only to be hunted by all realms for the word "demon." And Yun Che's "fall into demonhood" was because of him, Zhou Tian Shen Di, and the persecution of him was indeed led by Zhou Tian God Realm.
Zhou Qingchen was the noble Crown Prince of Zhou Tian... But aside from this prestigious identity, he could not compare to Yun Che in any respect.
With Yun Che as the "precedent," what right did Zhou Xuzi, or even Zhou Tian God Realm, have to protect Zhou Qingchen! The only thing they should do was to consistently uphold Zhou Tian's faith and laws—kill the demon Zhou Qingchen.
But he was the Crown Prince of Zhou Tian, the successor of will and power personally chosen by Zhou Xuzi, and more importantly, his most important family member... the most important without question.
"Fa... ther..."
Zhou Qingchen's voice sounded in his ear... Strong as Zhou Xuzi and Taiyu were, in their chaotic state of mind, they hadn't even noticed when he had awakened.
Given Zhou Qingchen's cultivation, those minor external injuries shouldn't have made him faint at all. Clearly, the trauma to his heart was countless times greater than his physical injuries. His unconsciousness was due to his utter inability to accept his current state.
"Qingchen!" Zhou Xuzi stepped forward, crossing to him in one stride.
Though his eyes were open, Zhou Qingchen's gaze was hollow, and his voice was incredibly weak: "Zhou Tian's reputation... cannot be... tainted by me..."
"Father... kill me."
Zhou Xuzi's body shook violently.
"Qingchen," Taiyu tried to make his voice sound gentle, but his gaze shifted slightly away. "You don't need to be like this. There will be a way. You must trust your father, trust Zhou Tian."
Taiyu's words of comfort for Zhou Qingchen instead brought some calm to Zhou Xuzi's expression. He sighed softly and said, "That's right, there will be a way... For now, just sleep well for a while."
He pressed his palm down, and Zhou Qingchen fell unconscious again.
Although he had not become frantic or broken down, the gray, deathly resignation he displayed made it unsuitable for him to remain conscious.
"Taiyu, I'll take Qingchen to see the Ancestor. Guard this place."
"I understand." Taiyu Zunzhe nodded.
The Ancestor... indeed, the only hope left.
Below the Zhou Tian Tower, there was a world that only the Zhou Tian Shen Di could freely enter.
It was a pale world, where one could strangely feel no sense of space or time.
In the paleness, Zhou Tian Shen Di walked slowly, carrying the unconscious Zhou Qingchen. His steps were heavier and slower than ever before.
He stopped, set down Zhou Qingchen, knelt on one knee, and uttered a sorrowful voice: "Ancestor, how can I save my son Qingchen?"
"Qingchen has little worldly experience, has never had evil thoughts, and has never committed evil deeds. If Yun Che wants revenge, it should be directed at me. Why must Qingchen suffer this demonic calamity?"
The pale world fell into a long silence, then a voice, ancient and ethereal beyond measure, came: "It is the Dark Eternal Calamity."
"Dark... Eternal Calamity?" Zhou Tian Shen Di murmured in a daze.
"During the era of gods and demons, among the four Demon Emperors of the demon race, it was difficult to determine who was stronger. But when it came to mastery of dark profound energy, Jie Tian Mo Di was universally acknowledged as the foremost. Her 'Dark Eternal Calamity' embodies the ultimate form of the dark laws of that era. By that measure, Jie Tian Mo Di could be called the foremost of the four Demon Emperors."
"Jie Tian Mo Di... left the Dark Eternal Calamity... to Yun Che?" Zhou Tian Shen Di murmured.
That was the demonic art of a Demon Emperor!
"Although Qingchen is young, his cultivation is not low. For his Divine Sovereign body to be forcibly demonized, even in the fragmented memories of the Zhou Tian Pearl, only Jie Tian Mo Di's 'Dark Eternal Calamity' could have achieved such a feat."
"Thus, before Jie Tian Mo Di departed, she must have left her core bloodline and core demonic art to Yun Che. That is the only possibility."
Zhou Tian Shen Di: "..."
"But..." the ancient voice grew even more ethereal: "The profound arts of a Demon Emperor and a Creation God are unique to themselves. Even other Demon Emperors and Creation Gods find them difficult to cultivate, let alone mortals."
"In just a few short years, to have such progress... Yun Che, what kind of monster is he?"
Zhou Tian Shen Di was shocked in his heart. The elder's words came from the memory of the Zhou Tian Pearl and could not be false. And according to common knowledge, no power could forcibly convert a Divine Sovereign into a demon... Thus, Yun Che not only possessed the Evil God's inheritance, but also the inheritance of a Demon Emperor!
The future was unimaginable.
"Ancestor... is there a way to save Qingchen?" Zhou Tian Shen Di pleaded. All his thoughts were now focused on this.
"Two ways."
The ancient voice's reply made Zhou Tian Shen Di raise his head sharply.
"First," the ancient voice said slowly: "Shatter his profound veins and disperse all his profound energy. Then sever all his meridians, extract his marrow, and replace all the blood in his body. When his life force is at its weakest, forcibly purify him with light profound energy... If he can survive death, he might be freed from the darkness."
Zhou Tian Shen Di stood frozen, unable to speak.
"The chances of death from this method exceed fifty percent. Even if successful, Qingchen will be crippled for life, relying on medicinal herbs and profound jades to survive. Even if constantly maintained with the highest-grade herbs and profound jades, his remaining lifespan will be less than a thousand years."
Zhou Tian Shen Di's throat moved. With difficulty, he said: "Please, Ancestor, teach me the second method."
This method was something Zhou Qingchen could never accept, nor could any profound practitioner. It was far crueler than death.
"Yun... Che." The ancient voice slowly spoke two words.
"...!" Zhou Tian Shen Di's pupils dilated: "Ancestor means..."
"The Dark Eternal Calamity has the ultimate mastery over dark profound energy. Since Yun Che can now forcibly demonize people with the Dark Eternal Calamity, he can also use its power to erase it."
"Only Yun Che can do this."
"Aside from this, based on my lifelong knowledge and even the fragmented memories of the Zhou Tian Pearl, there is no other possibility."
"..." Zhou Tian Shen Di looked up at the sky above, unable to speak for a long time.
A deathly silence lasted for more than half an hour. Finally, Zhou Tian Shen Di moved. He lifted Zhou Qingchen, turned, and walked away, his steps even heavier than when he had arrived.
Zhou Xuzi left, and the pale world returned to its eternal silence. But not long after, the pale voice spoke again, slowly: "Yun Che... He is clearly a mortal body, so why does everything about him seem to transcend the boundaries that even Creation Gods and Demon Emperors cannot cross..."
"Yun Che's hatred is deep enough to sink into the abyss. There is no possibility of redemption."
"Could it be that my unease in recent years has not been because of Jie Tian Mo Di..."
---
Back in the divine palace, Taiyu saw Zhou Tian Shen Di's expression and knew the result. He did not ask, but said: "Master, should we go seize Yun Che now?"
"No," Zhou Tian Shen Di shook his head: "What he did to Qingchen shows he is clearly emboldened. He is certainly no longer in the Tai Chu Divine Realm. And the Tai Chu Divine Realm is too dangerous; ordinary profound practitioners cannot enter. If we make this public, countless cultivators will rush into the Tai Chu Divine Realm for the reward, with unpredictable consequences... Also, some traces might expose the matter of Qingchen."
Taiyu Zunzhe nodded slightly: "What should we do now?"
Zhou Tian Shen Di raised his eyes slightly. His old eyes, dark and gloomy for so long, finally regained some of their former steadfastness: "Do you still remember that battle with the Demon Empress of the Northern Domain?"
"Of course I remember." Taiyu Zunzhe slowly spoke that name: "Chi Wuyue. There could never be a more terrifying woman than her in this world."
"It was precisely because of that battle that we learned that in the remote northern border, the Yin Xue Realm closest to the Northern Divine Region, a female Divine Lord had appeared. And it was because of her that we left the future threat of Yun Che."
Mu Xuanyin!
At the thought of Mu Xuanyin, Taiyu's brow twitched sharply. Taking the opportunity, he said: "That battle happened nearly ten thousand years ago. At that time, Mu Xuanyin had just entered the Divine Lord Realm. Decades ago, there was a rumor that she had reached Level 4 Divine Lord, which was already extraordinary. And when she forcefully saved Yun Che years ago, her strength had actually reached the pinnacle of Divine Lord. Had it not been for her back then, Yun Che would have died at the hands of Yue Shen Di, with no chance of escape."
"In the cold northern border, a barren mid-tier region with a thin Ice Phoenix inheritance... I could never understand how she managed to achieve the pinnacle of power."
"She is already dead. There is no point in discussing it further." Zhou Tian Shen Di said. His gaze gradually deepened, and he recalled the scenes of those years. Somewhat absently, he said: "Ten thousand years ago, the Nanming Shen Di of the Northern Domain was killed. His newlywed empress forcibly seized the throne and renamed the king realm as 'Jiehun'. That should have been a time of internal strife, but soon after, she appeared in our Eastern Domain."
"That battle, you and I, along with Qianye Fantian and Qianye Wubei, originally intended to bury her there. But we were deceived by her deliberately feigned defeat, lured to the border of the Northern Domain. She drew upon ten thousand miles of demonic aura and executed the terrifyingly peerless Jiehun demonic art... Even a powerful being like Qianye Fantian, to this day, when he mentions the name Chi Wuyue, finds his heart and soul unsettled."
Taiyu's brow twitched involuntarily. Even though so long had passed, every time he thought of the words "Chi Wuyue" and "Jiehun," his heart twitched.
In recent years, the Eastern Divine Region dared not trespass into the Northern Divine Region. That battle was a major reason.
That battle unexpectedly alarmed the Yin Xue Realm, which was closest to the Northern Divine Region... and its newly enthroned realm king, Mu Xuanyin.
A Divine Lord from a mid-tier star realm was naturally extremely impressive. But that was a battle involving the Demon Empress, Divine Emperors, Guardians, and Fan Gods. Her strength, newly having entered the Divine Lord Realm, hardly qualified her to participate. Yet she forcefully intervened in the battle, completely heedless of life and death.
It was later learned that because the Yin Xue Realm was too close to the Northern Divine Region, it frequently encountered demons attempting to flee the Northern Divine Region. Her lineage as realm kings was undoubtedly the leader in resisting the demons. Hence, some of her ancestors and even certain close relatives had died at the hands of Northern Domain demons.
Thus, she bore a hatred of demons etched into her soul.
But even Qianye Fantian had fallen victim to Chi Wuyue's schemes, suffering greatly and still bearing the shadow. The consequences of Mu Xuanyin, who was newly at the Divine Lord Realm, forcefully intervening were predictable.
She fell unconscious under the "Jiehun" and fell into Chi Wuyue's hands.
But miraculously, Mu Xuanyin later escaped safely. No one knew how she escaped from Chi Wuyue's grasp... not even she herself knew.
Perhaps at that time, Chi Wuyue was already at her last gasp and didn't waste her remaining strength on an irrelevant person, instead using it to flee deep into the Northern Domain.
"Master, why do you bring up this matter now?" Taiyu asked.
He had always known that Zhou Tian Shen Di was unwilling to mention that battle. And the world had never known about that battle... After all, two of the strongest Divine Emperors of the Eastern Domain, plus the strongest Guardian and the strongest Fan God, had been utterly disgraced by a woman of the Northern Divine Region. How could they ever reveal a single word?
Zhou Tian Shen Di was silent for a moment, then said: "Back then, the mark left by Chi Wuyue... is it still intact?"
Taiyu was stunned. He furrowed his brow and said: "Master, you don't mean to..."
Zhou Tian Shen Di slowly closed his eyes, his voice heavy and slow: "Qingchen's calamity was brought upon him because of me. I absolutely cannot, because of my own thoughts, doom his remaining life... Otherwise, even if my soul returns to the west, I would have no face to face my ancestors, let alone face her."
"In that battle, Chi Wuyue's ambition was laid bare. It was clearly a very bold and highly ambitious probe." Zhou Tian Shen Di's hands slowly clenched: "Since that is the case, I will make a deal with her."