Chapter 1750: Seven Days of Fate
The chill emanating from Yun Che's words was no less than that from Chi Wuyue. But for Shui Yingyue and Lu Zhou, it was already an excellent outcome.
After all, they hailed from the Eastern Divine Region and were Realm Kings of its star realms.
The Eastern Divine Region was saved by Yun Che, and then it had gravely wronged him. In terms of the fate of survival, Yun Che had every right to exact revenge on the Eastern Divine Region in any way he saw fit… But among them, the vast majority of living beings were innocent.
Within the rules and "cages" constructed by their rulers, they had never truly understood what was happening from beginning to end.
Both Liuguang Realm and Futiān Realm could have stood aloof, preserving themselves amidst the demonic calamity. But with Zhoutian being slaughtered, the Moon God shattered, the Star God cowering, and the Fandi Divine Realm sealing its borders… As the leading star realms beneath the King Realms, they had to step forward, for there to be any chance of turning the tide for the Eastern Divine Region's fate.
Otherwise, if things continued like this, those fearsome demonic beings who had no fear of death and were venting their boundless hatred upon the Eastern Divine Region would turn it into a hellish landscape beyond imagination.
Lu Lengchuan bowed with utmost sincerity. "We thank the Demon Lord for bestowing grace upon the Eastern Divine Region once more. Upon our return, we will immediately proclaim to the world in the name of Liuguang and Futiān that any star realm willing to pledge allegiance to the Demon Lord shall receive his pardon. Those who are unwilling… we will also regard as enemies!"
They understood very well that such a decision would inevitably invite countless curses of "collaborating with demons."
But… having not yet suffered the demonic calamity, they had instead observed from the sidelines with perfect clarity. With the successive annihilation of Zhoutian and the Moon God, and the collapse of consciousness following the revelation of the truth, the Eastern Divine Region was utterly incapable of resisting the northern domain's demonic beings.
To preserve the Eastern Divine Region to the greatest possible extent, this was already the best… and indeed the only choice.
"Heh! There's no need!"
Yun Che, however, let out a grim laugh. He abruptly summoned the Primordial Mystic Ark, then reached out with a hand.
Bang!
A figure encased in ice was hurled out with the motion of his arm, crashing heavily to the ground.
The ice shattered, and the person inside rolled out like a gourd across the ground, but did not stand up. Instead, they curled up, trembling uncontrollably.
As their gaze swept over the person's face, everyone was momentarily stunned. Then, Shui Qianheng and Lu Zhou's expressions changed simultaneously as they cried out in shock: "Star God Emperor!?"
The words "Star God Emperor" ringing in his ears made the middle-aged man on the ground jerk his head back. He saw Lu Zhou, he saw Shui Qianheng… Suddenly, he let out a strange cry and buried his face into the ground, clutching his head with both arms, curling up like a desperate insect:
"No… no… I'm not the Star God Emperor… I'm not… You've… mistaken me for someone else… I'm not… not…"
Once upon a time, he was so majestic and awe-inspiring. Even the strongest upper-tier Realm Kings like Shui Qianheng and Lu Zhou had to bow before him with respect.
Now, meeting his acquaintances in such a state, his whole body shuddered and trembled, dying of shame… He would rather be frozen forever than have anyone see him in this disgraceful state.
At least that way, he would forever be remembered by the world as the vanished Star God Emperor, forever remembered as the one who commanded the Star Gods with divine might and authority.
"This… this is…" Lu Zhou and Lu Lengchuan exchanged a glance, their hearts shaken beyond measure.
Back then, the Star God Realm had been reduced to ruins by the disaster of the Evil Infant. On that very day, the Star God Emperor had suddenly vanished. Afterwards, the remaining Star God practitioners had searched nearly the entire Eastern Divine Region but found not a trace of his presence or aura.
Countless rumors and speculations about the suddenly disappeared Star God Emperor had abounded in the Eastern Divine Region.
And now, at this time and place, he appeared before them in such a manner.
The Xing Juekong before them had none of the imperial might and spiritual pressure of his former days; they could barely sense any trace of his profound energy.
The crippling of his profound power and years of frozen torment had completely shattered his will. His eyes and body revealed only despair and pitiful cowering. Even the most ordinary mortal would look upon him with deep contempt and pity.
To have broken the Star God Emperor to this state could not have been done in a short time. It was very likely that, from the year he vanished, he had already fallen into such a miserable state… But, of course, they dared not ask. Yun Che hated Xing Juekong to the extreme, yet he had never killed him. Instead, he had sustained his life. Now, at this moment, it could actually serve a purpose.
He glanced at Xing Juekong from the corner of his eye, then suddenly reached out, took out the Star God Wheel, and tossed it directly in front of Xing Juekong.
Although he no longer had the Star God's divine power, the Star God Wheel had accompanied Xing Juekong for ten thousand years. Its mere scent was etched into his bones.
He lifted his head abruptly from the ground. The moment he saw the Star God Wheel, he was stunned. Then, his body, once too weak to stand, suddenly pounced on it like a flea, clutching the Star God Wheel tightly to his chest as tears streamed down his face.
Lu Zhou, Shui Qianheng, and the others watched in silence, their emotions indescribable.
"Heh," Yun Che lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "Xing Juekong, this Demon Lord will grant you today the chance to once again become the Star God Emperor. You had better… cherish it well!"
Xing Juekong gave no response, as if he hadn't clearly heard what Yun Che had said. All his strength was focused on clutching the Star God Wheel tightly. In a daze, he felt as if he were once again the Star God Emperor, standing at the pinnacle of the world, gazing down at all living things with arrogance.
With a cold laugh, Yun Che stepped forward and said indifferently, "Dao Qi, activate the array!"
The incredibly useful projection array from the Zhoutian Realm was activated once again.
Although maintaining it every moment consumed immense resources, those resources were plundered from Zhoutian—there was no need to feel any pity at all.
The projection array was soon activated, and this time, the projection covering the entire Eastern Divine Region showed Yun Che's dark and sinister face, with a chilling aura of demonic might instantly enveloping the entire Eastern Divine Region.
Instantly, all the demonic beings in the Eastern Divine Region, from the highest King Realm God Emperors to the lowest common demon soldiers, all knelt in unison… Their reverent faith was so strong that it made the profound practitioners of the Eastern Divine Region tremble in their hearts.
At this point, the profound practitioners of the Eastern Domain faced Yun Che with a state of mind completely different from before.
He was a demon… but a demon forced into existence by the rulers of the Eastern Divine Region, by the entire God Realm.
And originally, he was the Divine Son who saved the world, and the greatest pride the Eastern Divine Region had ever known.
"Children of darkness," Yun Che's voice slowly and heavily echoed, "temporarily cool your boiling blood. This Demon Lord has a fantastic piece of news to announce to the wretches of the Eastern Divine Region. Wretches, you had better prick up your ears and listen carefully. Don't miss a single word."
In the silence, countless throats moved with difficulty.
In the projection, Yun Che slowly raised his hand, his open fingers seeming to cover the entire Eastern Divine Region under his palm. "Zhoutian and the Moon God have been annihilated. The Fandi Divine Realm and the Star God Realm are only trembling in their turtle shells."
"Don't ever think you've been abandoned by them… No, no. In the face of true calamity, you don't even have the right to be abandoned. After all, you're just a bunch of wretches they can mold into any shape they please."
Yun Che's words were extremely sarcastic… Especially in the face of the truth now made public, they were a thousand times more so.
"However, this Demon Lord has, after all, received great kindness from the Yinxue Realm. Now, the Liuguang Realm and the Futiān Realm have also come to plead on your behalf. Mindful of the grace of the Liuguang Realm for taking me in back then, and the Futiān Realm for speaking up for me, I will give you a chance… the only chance!"
Inside the Zhoutian Realm, Shui Qianheng's reaction was relatively calm, but Lu Zhou and his son were deeply stirred for a long time.
If the Eastern Divine Region were to be saved because of this, and if Yun Che were to truly become the master of the God Realm in the future… then Yun Che's words today would be enough to elevate the already high reputation and status of Liuguang Realm and Futiān Realm to an even higher level.
Behind his bloody hand, he valued loyalty and righteousness to such a degree.
After the excitement came deep sighs… Such a person. If the Eastern Divine Region had not wronged him back then but had protected him, then the Eastern Divine Region would not have received the calamity of the King Realms' destruction and corpses strewn across myriad realms, but unshakable protection and peace.
But, to put it another way, without that past… Yun Che, who only wished to retreat from the world with the Evil Infant, would never have been able to grow to such a terrifying extent.
Yun Che curled his fingers in. A slight movement, yet it made countless profound practitioners in the Eastern Domain instantly feel as if their lives and souls were clenched between Yun Che's fingers. "Within seven days, all the upper-level star realms will either have their Realm Kings come to kneel before this Demon Lord and swear allegiance and submission… or disappear into darkness forever!"
The words of the Dark Demon Lord made countless eyes and hearts race wildly.
"Remember, you only have seven days. The only seven days! And this is the last chance this Demon Lord bestows upon you!"
"If your Realm Kings are stubborn and insist on dragging you all to accompany them in death within the darkness, you can choose to die, or you can choose to kill them and elect a new Realm King."
"Dance together in the darkness, or turn into eternal black dust. I look forward to your choice!"
"Heh heh heh heh!"
With a low, cold laugh, Yun Che's figure turned away in the projection. But his words, like a demon's judgment, planted dark seeds in the hearts of the many Eastern Domain profound practitioners whose souls were still reeling.
"Obey the Demon Lord's command! Withdraw!"
While the Eastern Domain profound practitioners were still dazed, the demon army withdrew in perfect unison, quickly pulling back. Even the demon squads that were about to breach the core immediately retreated without a hint of resistance or hesitation.
Without Yun Che, they would not have been able to step out of the Northern Divine Realm, let alone gain vindication and vent their hatred so thoroughly. His commands had long become their highest dark faith.
The tide of demonic beings receded like water, and the words of the Dark Demon Lord echoed for a long time in the ears of the Eastern Divine Region's profound practitioners…
This terrifying demonic calamity that had stained the sky red had finally temporarily ceased, but they couldn't know whether this was a "blessing" or an even deeper dark hell.
"No, don't be fooled by the demons!" a dark profound practitioner shouted loudly. "They want to divide us, to enslave us!"
If this had been two days ago, the vast majority of Eastern Domain profound practitioners, who had been fighting to the death, would have held onto their last will and dignity and would rather die than kneel to the darkness.
But under the cruel truth and shattered beliefs, more people saw a glimmer of life and hope in the midst of the gray.
The Demon Emperor sacrificed himself for the world, and the Demon Lord saved the world only to be betrayed by it. If the notion that darkness could not coexist with the world was itself wrong, if their oppression and extermination of the demonic beings for countless years had been a sin from start to finish…
Then, was pledging allegiance to the Dark Demon Lord, who had once saved the world and hailed from their own Eastern Divine Region, and coexisting with the darkness from then on, really so unacceptable?
At the very least, this disaster could end here. At the very least, they could save their lives and their clans.
At the very least… it could be considered a form of atonement and a correction of understanding.
"I… don't want to fight the demons anymore," a profound practitioner collapsed to his knees, his voice utterly weak.
And this pale, spiritless statement was the voice of countless Eastern Domain profound practitioners.
"Great Realm King, choose to submit. The demons are too terrifying; we are no match for them. Besides… Yun Che was originally from the Eastern Divine Region."
"Sect Master, in the face of the truth, what exactly are we struggling for? …I don't want to fight anymore, I really don't."
"They are demons! Have you forgotten how many of your clansmen and fellow disciples they have killed!? Do you want the Eastern Divine Region to become the domain of demons!" an upper-level Realm King roared with a voice full of imperial might.
"Heh," a weak, bitter laugh sounded. It came from the highest talent in their sect, a young profound practitioner who had been pinned with high hopes for the future. "Sect Master, if we all die, the Eastern Divine Region will truly become the demons' domain. I would rather live. I want to see with my own eyes what true demons are really like."
"Great Realm King! You absolutely must not submit to the demons, or else how will we face our ancestors in the future! Don't forget, there is still the Fandi Divine Realm! The Fandi Divine Realm has remained motionless; it can't be that they are just cowering. Perhaps they are secretly uniting with the Southern Divine Region and the Western Divine Region, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to the demons… If we submit now, it will be a stain on our entire clan that can never be washed away!"
Within the Eastern Divine Region, countless voices surged.
Because the ultimate fate of their star realms would be decided within these short seven days.
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Wu Guike: Yeah! I'm on stage again!