Chapter 1623: The Lone Swan
Tai Chu Divine Realm.
In this gray-white world, two graceful female figures stood out conspicuously, yet seemed slightly out of place.
"Are you certain this is the place?"
Xia Qingyue floated in midair, her beautiful eyes gazing downward slightly. The land beneath was scarred and ravaged. Only power at the Divine Lord level could have damaged the ground of Tai Chu Divine Realm to such an extent.
Though these traces of destruction were shocking, they were also quite concentrated. Clearly, that fierce battle between Divine Lords hadn't lasted long... No, it should be said to have been extremely brief—likely ending in just a few breaths.
"Answering Master, this servant has used the secret art multiple times to confirm. It is indeed this place." Lian Yue replied without hesitation. "The residual blood has also been confirmed to be that of a Zhou Tian Guardian."
Xia Qingyue pondered briefly, then asked, "Any changes on Zhou Qingchen's end?"
Lian Yue replied, "No progress. The message remains that the Zhou Tian Crown Prince was severely injured during the trial in Tai Chu Divine Realm seven months ago and is now in seclusion recovering, with no disturbances allowed."
"Not even his siblings or the Guardians can visit, correct?"
Lian Yue thought for a moment and said, "It seems so."
Xia Qingyue closed her eyes and remained silent for a long time.
"Master," Lian Yue raised her head slightly, puzzled, "Even if a Zhou Tian Guardian truly fell, it's not such a major matter for our Yue Shen Realm. Why did Master personally come to confirm this?"
"...?" After a long silence, Xia Qingyue opened her eyes, reflecting two icy purple glints. "The one who killed that Zhou Tian Guardian was Yun Che."
"What!?" Lian Yue jerked her head up in disbelief. Her first reaction was that her hearing had failed her.
Who were the Zhou Tian Guardians? And Yun Che... Even if he had truly come here, how could he possibly kill a Zhou Tian Guardian?
"He killed Quhui, killed a Guardian, yet Zhou Qingchen didn't die..." Xia Qingyue murmured softly. "No wonder. Since they encountered each other, how could he possibly let go of such a perfect opportunity for revenge?"
Lian Yue's lips parted slightly, stunned into silence.
Anyone else would likely find it impossible to comprehend the statement "Yun Che killed a Zhou Tian Guardian."
"Lian Yue, you may go." Xia Qingyue suddenly spoke. "No need to bother with matters concerning Zhou Tian anymore. Focus all your efforts on investigating those two people. Do it now."
"Yes." Lian Yue acknowledged. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed the direction of Xia Qingyue's gaze and subconsciously asked, "Master, you..."
"I have other matters to attend to."
"Yes, this servant takes her leave."
Lian Yue departed. Xia Qingyue rose and flew straight toward the depths of Tai Chu Divine Realm—the most dangerous place in all of the chaos.
The deepest part of Tai Chu Divine Realm, recorded in many texts and speculated to be its very center—
The Abyss of Nothingness!
A vast abyss stretching for millions of miles, shrouded in eternal gray fog.
Xia Qingyue's figure slowly descended. Facing this terrifying world that would bury everything and reduce all to nothingness, she, the Yue Shen Di, was as insignificant as a single speck of dust.
She walked forward slowly until she stopped at the very edge of this fearsome place. The mist silently drifted and swirled around her feet. One more step forward, and she would fall into the abyss, dissolved into nothingness... Even she, the Yue Shen Di, would not be spared.
Throughout the history of the God Realm, countless people had sought to explore its mysteries. Those who could penetrate this deep were invariably figures at the very pinnacle of the Xuan path. But once they fell into it—whether living beings, dead objects, or even qi and light—they were utterly annihilated without a trace.
What exactly was hidden within this "Abyss of Nothingness"? Why did it exist? No one knew. Even in the ancient age of the gods, no one had ever known.
One day...
Two days...
Three days...
Xia Qingyue stood silently at the edge of the Abyss of Nothingness, her eyes reflecting the pale gray of the mist.
She remained there until the seventh day, when she finally turned and silently left.
As she departed, the corners of her lips curled into a faint, shallow smile—one that no one would ever understand.
Returning to the Yue Shen Realm, outside the Divine Moon City, she detected several auras that did not belong to the Yue Shen Realm. But she did not stop, nor did she spare them a single glance. She went straight back to her palace.
Soon, Jin Yue hurriedly reported, "Master, you've finally returned... Shui Yingyue, the new Realm King of Liuguang Realm, and the former Realm King Shui Qianheng, have been waiting outside Divine Moon City for several days. They seek an audience to visit Shui Meiyin, who is imprisoned in the Seventh Moon Prison."
"Throw them out." Xia Qingyue did not turn around. Her reply was only three cold, hard words.
"..." Jin Yue paused briefly, trying to suppress the reluctance in her heart, and responded, "Yes."
"Tell them," Xia Qingyue continued, "they must bear the consequences of their own foolish actions. For this thousand years, Shui Meiyin will not take half a step out of the Moon Prison. They should stop deluding themselves into thinking they can see her."
"If they dare to disturb me again... I will personally cripple one of Shui Meiyin's legs."
"...Yes, this servant will relay the message." Jin Yue quickly acknowledged and hurriedly withdrew.
The matter of the Liuguang Realm—hiding the demon Yun Che years ago and being discovered by the Yue Shen Di—was known throughout the world. Even with Zhou Tian Shen Di interceding on their behalf, the punishment still fell on Shui Qianheng being crippled and Shui Meiyin being confined in the Yue Shen Realm for a thousand years. This outcome elicited countless sighs of regret.
More people lamented not Shui Qianheng's fate, but Shui Meiyin's destiny. This woman, blessed by heaven with a Stainless Divine Soul, born with a radiant halo that shone upon the world, and crowned as the next "Divine Maiden" after Qianye Ying'er—she should have had an infinitely brilliant future. But because of a single lapse in judgment, shielding the demon hunted by all the King Realms, she had fallen to such a state.
One could imagine that, given the Yue Shen Di's ruthless treatment of Yun Che, Shui Meiyin's fate within the Yue Shen Realm would surely not be good... It might even be the kind of misery one would rather not think about.
...
...
Northern Divine Region.
Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er traveled side by side. Previously, because of the Primordial World Pill, they had inadvertently poked two huge hornets' nests in the Northern Divine Region and had been forced to leave temporarily. Now, reappearing in the Northern Divine Region after less than twenty months, they no longer bore any trace of panic.
"Not going to the Qianhuang Realm to see that little girl?" Qianye Ying'er asked. "If we happen to find that little girl and the Tiangang Cloud Clan all wiped clean by someone else, wouldn't that be perfect?"
"No need." Yun Che responded coldly.
He knew very well that Qianye Ying'er would actually be more than happy if Yun Shang died.
The place they were in now was a star realm forever adrift with scattered black clouds, possessing an extremely dense dark aura—even stronger than the Qianhuang Divine Region.
Without a doubt, this was an upper star realm of the Northern Divine Region.
Yun Che did not know the name of this star realm. He was merely passing through. If there was any reason for stepping foot here, it was probably that, when he was near, he sensed a large number of Xuan practitioners and auras converging upon this star realm.
Where he was going and what he was doing, Qianye Ying'er never asked, as if she were completely indifferent to it.
Against the dull, cold wind, Yun Che's clothing fluttered slightly. The Liusound Stone at his neck kept touching his skin, giving him the only—yet most piercing—warmth.
Three years. If Wuxin still lived, she would be seventeen... How he longed to see her grow up, graceful and elegant.
Three years... So short.
For Yun Che, though, they felt far longer than any other three years in his life.
If he were willing, he could have prepared for a hundred, a thousand years... But he couldn't wait. Absolutely couldn't wait. Every day, every moment, until the hatred and venom that filled every drop of his blood was fully unleashed and vented, he felt as if he were walking through the deepest, darkest hellish abyss, covered in thorny brambles.
Boom!!
With a loud crash, a low hill ahead was broken in two. The sounds of fierce fighting drifted on the wind, mingled with the mad, furious roars of dark profound beasts.
Several massive shadows appeared ahead. They were five entirely black, hundred-zhang-long dark profound beasts with strange, jagged fangs, each bursting with the dark aura of the Divine King realm.
In their midst were two human figures who seemed utterly tiny. A man and a woman, both quite young, with similar clothing and auras. The profound weapons they wielded were also extraordinary, and their cultivation had reached the Divine King realm.
All of this signaled that these two had extremely distinguished identities.
But they were currently facing what might be the most desperate danger of their lives.
With their strength, if they faced only one of the beasts, they could easily escape unscathed, perhaps even join forces to defeat it. But facing five at once, they were completely suppressed under the claws and fangs of the enraged profound beasts. Every moment was treacherous, their wounds mounting steadily, and any hope of escape had almost vanished.
Just then, they caught sight of Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er about to fly past overhead. The two were jolted, hope suddenly kindling in their eyes.
With a grunt, the man forced out a hoarse shout in the gaps of his desperate struggle: "Friends! I am Luo Ying, son of the Realm King of Tianluo Realm! My sister and I came here to partici... Hmph! Please lend us your aid! My brother and sister will surely reward you handsomely!"
The woman also cried out excitedly: "I beg you to save us! The Tianluo Realm will never forget your kindness!"
They had quickly revealed their identities. The Tianluo Realm was one of the upper star realms known to all in the Northern Divine Region. As children of an upper star realm's Realm King, their status was unquestionably noble. And if someone could truly save them, what an enormous favor that would be.
But... Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er paid them no heed. They didn't even glance in their direction, maintaining their previous speed as they flew past and soon disappeared into the distance.
The hope that had just flickered was mercilessly extinguished. Luo Ying's excited face twisted into despair as he let out a furious roar: "Bastards!!"
Swish!!
At that very moment, a bright light suddenly appeared in the dim sky.
Five streaks of purple sword light, like heavenly bolts of lightning, pierced through the five Divine King rank beasts in an instant. Explosive thunder coiled around their bodies, freezing their massive frames and their power completely.
Riiip!
As the two siblings stood there dumbfounded, lightning flashed. A not-so-loud tearing sound had, in a single instant, ruthlessly severed the Divine King bodies of the five beasts.
Boom—
Their massive frames collapsed like mountains, but not a single drop of blood splattered.
A figure also slowly descended from the sky, landing before the startled siblings. The purple sword strapped to his back still emitted a faint, yet spine-chilling, rumble of thunder.
It was a tall, slender man, simply dressed in blue robes. His face was like white jade, exceptionally handsome. He appeared very young, but his bearing and demeanor exuded an otherworldly grace. His expression was calm, his eyes seeming to carry a reassuring smile. His entire temperament could not be described merely as elegant; he seemed more like a transcendent being beyond mortal hearts and worldly dust.
Instant annihilation of the five Divine King profound beasts that had driven them to despair—such cultivation was nothing short of astonishing. Luo Ying quickly regained his composure, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you, Senior, for your righteous aid. This great grace of saving our lives is beyond repayment..."
"Ah!"
Before he could finish, a woman's scream came from beside him. Luo Ying turned to reprimand her, but found her eyes wide, her hand covering her mouth, her gaze trembling with burning intensity: "You... you are... you are..."
Rescued from a desperate situation, Luo Ying, in his shock, hadn't had time to look closely at the blue-robed man's face. When his gaze shifted, his eyes, like his sister's, bulged, and his body began to tremble violently.
But this time, it wasn't from despair, but from boundless excitement and disbelief: "You... could it be... are... Lone... Lone Swan Young Master!?"
The blue-robed man smiled, neither confirming nor denying. Instead, he suddenly turned his gaze toward the direction in which Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er had departed, his voice, as clear as it was incongruous with this dark world, carrying directly to them: "If one lacks strength or it's a personal grudge, not intervening is often the principle of the world."
"But these two were suffering a calamity at the hands of profound beasts. You, who possess Divine Sovereign power, could have resolved it with a flick of the finger. Yet you watched coldly and left without a care. Does that not tarnish the dignity of a Divine Sovereign?"
"At this coming Heavenly Lord Assembly, I fear guests like you two would not be welcome."
The sound reached their ears—the clearest voice to be found anywhere in the Northern Divine Region. The identity of this voice's owner was a symbol for an entire generation of Xuan practitioners in the Northern Divine Region, and a myth that no one could surpass in a certain domain.
But Qianye Ying'er didn't even pause or look back. Her expression didn't shift in the slightest. She would likely have reacted more strongly to the squeaking of a roadside rat.
But Yun Che's brows twitched. His eyes narrowed, and his figure gradually came to a halt.