Chapter 1811: The Fish That Slipped Through the Net
The Seven Star Realm was located in the south of the Southern Divine Region, near its southern edge. It was named for the seven brilliant stars that revolved around it.
The vast Divine Region had forty thousand star realms, with lower star realms accounting for thirty thousand of them—more than seventy percent. As one of those lower star realms, the Seven Star Realm's star domain was very small, and even its Xuan path aura was weaker than that of most lower star realms.
Clearly, this was not a star realm focused on the Xuan path. Such star realms were quite rare within the Divine Realm, though they generally had some unique characteristics.
"We're here! Let's go down and take a look!"
The core of most star realms was typically where the Realm King sect was located, but the Seven Star Realm was different. Its core was a place called the Seven Star Merchant Domain.
Upon reaching the skies above the Seven Star Merchant Domain, a bustling atmosphere swept over them. Shui Meiyin tightened her grip on Yun Che's hand and eagerly descended.
The Seven Star Merchant Domain stretched for thousands of miles, filled with countless merchant associations of all sizes. Small shops and stalls were scattered in every corner, selling an incredibly wide variety of goods: weapons, profound tools, strange stones, exotic flowers, ancient jade, formation plates, decorations, delicacies, outer garments, profound ships, profound beasts, intelligence—everything imaginable.
There were even some bizarre items that could make even Yun Che's jaw drop.
"Wow! Wow!" Shui Meiyin exclaimed repeatedly. Her starry eyes darted around, unable to take everything in. "So lively! So many strange things! It's exactly as Ninety-Nine Brother said... Wow!"
The atmosphere of the mundane world—it hadn't been that many years, but it gave Yun Che an extremely distant, almost surreal feeling.
From the Snow Song Realm, to the King Realms, to Divine Emperors and Demon Lords... After stepping into the Divine Realm, he had moved too fast and climbed too high. The positions he had walked and stood in over these years made him feel as if he had become cut off from such a world.
Born in the Glazed Light Realm and raised with utmost care since childhood, Shui Meiyin was experiencing this kind of world for the first time.
"In the Eastern Divine Region, there's a similar star realm," Yun Che said. "Though it's a bit smaller, it's just as lively."
As they descended, both he and Shui Meiyin used profound energy to alter their appearances and suppress their auras to the fullest. Otherwise, with his face—one widely known as the Demon Lord—directly appearing would likely throw the entire Seven Star Realm into chaos.
Shui Meiyin immediately turned her face toward him. "Really?"
"It's called the Dark Evil Realm," Yun Che said. "That should be the star realm with the most merchant associations among the lower star realms of the Eastern Divine Region. But unlike here, the Dark Evil Realm also pursues the Xuan path."
The Dark Evil Realm had once boasted the rather powerful Black Soul Sect. But in this Seven Star Realm, Yun Che's spiritual sense found no sect of that level; it was dotted with mid-tier powers.
"Dark Evil... I think I've heard Father mention that star realm." Her curiosity piqued, she asked, "Big Brother Yun Che, I remember that after you came to the Divine Realm, you directly joined the Ice Phoenix God Sect in the Snow Song Realm. How do you know about the Dark Evil Realm? And it seems like... you've been there before."
Memories surged back. "Back then, I committed a great mistake and offended my master. In my panic, I cowardly chose to flee, and the place I escaped to was the Dark Evil Realm."
It was there that he had met He Lin, which led to Shen Xi taking him in and his bond with He Ling.
Any seemingly insignificant node in life can sometimes alter the entire course of one's destiny.
"Oh?" Shui Meiyin's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Big Brother Yun Che actually... ran away? Did you do something really terrible to your master?"
"...Yun Che shook his head and changed the subject. "Where is the place your Ninety-Nine Brother mentioned? For him to praise it so highly, it must be extraordinary."
"It's around here. We should be there soon."
Not pressing the previous question, Shui Meiyin said excitedly, "That place is called Qimeng Pavilion. Ninety-Nine Brother said that if you come to the Southern Divine Region to play, you absolutely must try their Feiyu Lotus Heart Soup."
"...Yun Che smiled and squeezed her hand. "You crossed such a vast star region just for a bowl of soup?"
"That's no ordinary soup." Shui Meiyin's long eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings. "Ninety-Nine Brother said it's the ultimate supreme enjoyment in the world. It's so delicious it can almost make your soul leave your body and forget all worries."
"It sounds a bit exaggerated, but Ninety-Nine Brother has never lied to me. Unfortunately, Feiyu Lotus Heart Soup must be enjoyed right after it's made. Even if it's just a little over an hour, the taste deteriorates greatly. So if you want to taste it, you have to come here in person."
Those who cultivate the Divine Path have no need for food. Wine and delicacies are purely for the enjoyment of the taste buds.
To travel across star regions for such enjoyment—perhaps it's normal for Divine Path cultivators?
Following the memory images given by Shui Yinghen, Shui Meiyin's gaze swept around. "It should be around here. Let me ask someone."
"Old grandfather, could you tell me where Qimeng Pavilion is?"
The "old grandfather" Shui Meiyin called out to had a wrinkled face and graying hair. His cultivation was only at the initial King Xuan realm, and his lifespan aura was at most five hundred years. In front of him was a pile of oddly shaped ancient stones, suggesting he was a long-time stall owner here.
Though Shui Meiyin had concealed her appearance, possessing the Stainless Divine Soul meant that even without releasing any soul power, she carried an irresistible, intangible charm that made others lower their guard.
Faced with Shui Meiyin's inquiry, the "old grandfather's" cold expression instantly softened. Smiling warmly, he said, "Little girl, you've come at the wrong time. Seven days ago, Qimeng Pavilion already closed down. Everyone there has left the Seven Star Realm."
"Closed down?" Shui Meiyin was taken aback. "Why would it close down? It's so popular; business couldn't have been bad."
"It's not about that." The old man's smile faded as he sighed. "The demon race from the Northern Divine Region has already invaded our Southern Divine Region. The Nanming Divine Realm is gone, and the three King Realms of Canglan, Xuanyuan, and Ziwei... alas!"
"Even though things seem peaceful now, who knows when those demons will run rampant everywhere? Then we'll be like fish on a chopping block."
Yun Che: "..."
"Right now, not just the Seven Star Realm, but all the surrounding star realms—those with wealth have started fleeing or preparing to flee. The best destination is the Western Divine Region, where the Dragon God Realm presides, but ordinary people can't get there. Most have no choice but to temporarily hide in the lower realms with their turbid aura."
"As for people like us," the old man shook his head, "we can only resign ourselves to fate. If the demon race is destroyed by the Dragon God Realm in the future, fine. But if... ai, I dare not think about it."
A shadow passed over Shui Meiyin's expression. "Then... old grandfather, do you know where the people from Qimeng Pavilion fled to?"
"I don't know. If you really want to find out, you can try asking Master Ke at the beef tripe stall next door."
"...Mm, thank you, old grandfather."
Returning to Yun Che's side, Shui Meiyin lowered her head, the smile gone from her face.
"Looks like we came all the way for nothing." Yun Che looked down at her expression.
She pouted her lips slightly, but when she raised her eyes, her face was already bright with a smile. "How could that be? With Big Brother Yun Che by my side, no matter where we go or what we do, I'm always happiest."
"...Yun Che looked at her for a moment, his gaze seeming thoughtful. "Since Qimeng Pavilion is a bust, where should we go now? Back to Canglan?"
"No." Shui Meiyin tightly grasped his hand, pressing her slender body close to him despite the bustling crowd. "Right now, Big Brother Yun Che belongs to me alone. I don't want to go back so early. It's so lively here. Even without Qimeng Pavilion, there must be plenty of other good food and fun things. Come on, let's go over there and take a look."
Without another thought for Qimeng Pavilion, she pulled him along, trotting deeper into the merchant domain.
They spent a full two hours wandering through the Seven Star Merchant Domain. Shui Meiyin bought a large pile of peculiar odds and ends.
The days here were short, and the light dimmed imperceptibly. Shui Meiyin, arm in arm with Yun Che, walked outside the merchant domain. She held a string of multicolored candied fruits—the kind you could find on any street in any small city in the lower realms—and ate them with relish, savoring every bite.
Laughing and chatting, they walked far, aimlessly entering a desolate forest. Occasionally, the sounds of birds and beasts reached their ears, but human traces were rare.
Just then, four figures sprang out from ahead, accompanied by a low, cold sneer. "Heh, stop right there."
Four men: two at the late Divine Origin realm, two at the mid Divine Soul realm. Their auras pressed down heavily on two seemingly weak prey who couldn't offer any resistance. Their gazes roamed over them brazenly.
"You poor fools, just came out of the Seven Star Merchant Domain, eh?" The leader grinned, revealing teeth that glinted coldly. "If you want to live, hand over your profound crystals..."
Too lazy to waste a single word, not even willing to lift a finger, Yun Che's eyes flashed black. The four men instantly turned into dark powder, scattering with the wind.
Attempting to rob a Demon Lord—it's hard to say whether they were incredibly fortunate or incredibly unfortunate.
Shui Meiyin lowered the candied fruit from her lips and said softly, "As a merchant-focused star realm, the Seven Star Realm sees countless people from other star realms flowing through every day. As such, it's protected by many rules set by higher star realms. For example, large profound ships are not allowed over the merchant domain, and releasing strong auras within the city is prohibited."
"Bullying others with power and outright robbery are even greater taboos. Anyone who violates them would face severe punishment."
"But... there are already robbers appearing here. And they carry a heavy bloodlust—they don't just rob, they kill."
"...Yun Che said nothing, listening quietly.
"In high-level wars, low-level realms have no right to participate. They barely have the ability to interfere, and it seems they won't be affected. But in reality, they might be the ones most impacted."
"Even a merchant star realm is already in a panic, with order broken to this extent. I can't imagine the other star realms..."
Looking ahead, she murmured softly, "When the storm seeks to uproot a great tree, the most tragic victims are the innocent grass and insects."
Yun Che stopped and looked at the girl's profile. "Is that what you wanted to tell me today?"
"Huh?" Shui Meiyin seemed to snap back to reality. She turned to look at Yun Che and blinked vigorously. "No, I was just feeling a little emotional."
Yun Che leaned in slightly and reached out to turn her shoulders toward him. Gazing directly into those starry, black-jade-like eyes, a smile full of affectionate indulgence curved his lips. "Even now, you won't tell me the truth?"
"At such a critical time, you brought me across a vast star region just for a bowl of Feiyu Lotus Heart Soup? Do you think I'm a three-month-old piglet?"
"Pfft!"
Hearing such a childish, playful remark from a murderous Demon Lord made Shui Meiyin burst out laughing.
"And besides, you're usually so clever. This time, to bring me here, you used such a low—uh, simple and rather clumsy method. It seems you were very eager to tell me, or show me something, right?"
"...Shui Meiyin opened her mouth as if to say something, but then she bit her lip softly. What came out was a faint murmur. "It's not a low-level method at all. It's just because I know that no matter how capricious the request, Big Brother Yun Che would never have the heart to refuse me."
The starlight in her eyes flickered with slight turbulence, as if she were struggling and hesitating.
"Let me guess." Yun Che smiled. "You hope that our fierce battle with the Dragon God Realm will avoid harming the innocent as much as possible... and that in the future, when I replace Long Bai as the supreme ruler of this era, I will reestablish order and treat the world well, right?"
Shui Meiyin's gaze continued to tremble. She neither nodded nor shook her head... After a long moment, she looked at Yun Che and finally spoke. "When Qianye Ying'er sent me a voice transmission, I could hear deep worry in her voice. Big Brother Yun Che, you're so eager to break through the Dragon God Realm. I... I'm truly afraid... that behind this urgency of yours, there might be... great danger."
"Just like before, when you forced your way into the Nanming Divine Realm, you risked immense danger facing the Abyss God Cannons."
"So... so..."
"...?" Yun Che was momentarily surprised.
What Shui Meiyin wanted to say seemed quite different from what he had guessed.
"After receiving the news, my first reaction was to tell you 'that matter.' But... but I've been afraid and hesitant. Even now... I still don't know whether I should say it."
"I... I really don't know if this is the right time."
Yun Che frowned...
For Shui Meiyin to be so hesitant, even somewhat confused, the matter she wanted to speak of was definitely extraordinary.
Unable to bear watching the girl's painful inner struggle, he raised his hand and gently patted her shoulder. "It's okay. No matter what it is—good or bad—if you want to tell me, tell me. If you don't..."
His words stopped abruptly. Yun Che suddenly turned his head to look southwest, his eyes instantly growing cold.
Shui Meiyin also sensed something at that moment and looked in the same direction. But compared to the chill in Yun Che's eyes, what flickered across hers was a faint hint of panic.
"Hmph, what an ironically subtle fate." With a displeased murmur, Yun Che took Shui Meiyin's jade-like hand. "Meiyin, follow your own will. No one, including me, will force you to do anything. No one will blame you for right or wrong. Before you make up your mind, let's first go catch a few fish that slipped through the net."
With that, he lifted her up, released his profound energy, and shot southwest.