Chapter 1860: Eternal Overhanging Clouds (Part 1)
The death of Long Bai symbolized the complete end of an era.
Behind Yun Che, the Northern Domain Xuan Adepts had gathered together. When Yun Che turned around, they knelt heavily, kowtowed, and shouted loudly: "We pay homage to the Demon Lord!"
Most of them were already exhausted and severely injured, barely sustained by the dark storm brought by Jie Mo Huo Tian. But this shout was more ear-shattering and heart-shaking than any before.
In just four short words, every Northern Domain Xuan Adept almost tore their throats as they cried out.
Behind them, the remaining Brahma Kings and Canglan Xuan Adepts knelt on the ground. Further back, the Qilin and Azure Dragon also knelt in panic and unease.
"..." Yun Che nodded slightly. "Rise."
But not a single Northern Domain Xuan Adept stood up.
Fen Daoqi raised his head. He breathed several times before finally managing to speak with a trembling voice: "Demon Lord, we... won... right?"
"Yes, we won." Yun Che nodded heavily. "The four king realms of the Eastern Divine Region: Zhou Tian has been bloodily slaughtered, Yue Shen has collapsed, Xing Shen... Fan Di has already bowed under our Demon Clan's wing. All realms of the Eastern Domain have submitted in submission."
"The four king realms of the Southern Divine Region: Nanming has been trampled and extinguished, Canglan has surrendered, Xuanyuan and Ziwei have both had their courage broken."
"And as for the greatest obstacle, the Western Divine Region: all Divine Lords of the four realms—Dragon God, Chi Long, Hui Long, and Wanxiang—have been slaughtered. These four king realms now exist in name only, posing no further threat. As for the Qilin and Azure Dragon..."
A brief pause made all the Qilin and Azure Dragon shudder.
"Whether they live or die from now on is all in this Demon Lord's single thought."
Yun Che swept his gaze across the entire scene, his voice calming: "In this world, there is no longer any force that can stop the advance of our Northern Divine Region."
"From today, from this moment onward, as long as this Demon Lord exists in this world, no one in all the realms will ever again be able to bully, slander, or discriminate against the dark profound practitioners of our Northern Divine Region for no reason!"
"You, your loved ones and clans, your descendants for generations to come—all will completely break free from the shackles of darkness and hold your heads high under heavenly principle and the light of day! The Divine Realm from now on will be an era belonging to our Northern Divine Region!"
The Northern Domain Xuan Adepts were still far from having recovered their spirits from the brutal battlefield and the repeated upheavals. In their minds, violent ferocity still lingered, and thick blood mist still churned.
But the Demon Lord's proclamation finally turned all of this into streams of uncontrollable hot tears.
The taut, nearly snapping strings of their souls relaxed. The ferocity and killing intent silently dissipated along with the profound aura they had forcefully gathered for so long. What filled their noses and mouths no longer seemed to be the scent of blood.
Pfft...
Many collapsed sideways from exhaustion. But immediately, they scrambled back to their knees, their heads bowed low. Their humble postures and trembling eyes revealed nothing but the supreme reverence they were determined to guard for life—and even for a hundred generations to come.
Fen Daoqi slowly closed his eyes, kowtowed heavily, and said with tearful words: "The might of the Western Divine Region far surpasses all records and exceeds imagination. Without the Demon Lord, our Northern Divine Region might have been forever trapped in the dark cage, never to rise again."
"The Demon Lord's grace will never be forgotten... for ten thousand generations... it will be hard to repay..."
Fen Daoqi kept his head pressed to the ground, not lifting it for a long time. As a former teacher to the Burning Moon Emperor, his experience was vast. But at this moment, he was utterly unable to find any words that could fully convey this grace and gratitude.
This battle against fate—they had all witnessed the strength of the various divine regions with their own eyes, especially the terrifying power of the Western Divine Region.
Without Yun Che, the tragic fate of the Northern Divine Region would not have been just a million years... but forever and ever, until the day the Northern Domain collapsed on its own.
The terms "dark profound practitioner" and "demon" would forever remain as evil heresies in the eyes of the world, etched into their most basic understanding.
Fen Daoqi's words deeply touched the souls of all the Northern Domain Xuan Adepts. They all kowtowed heavily again and shouted in unison:
"The Demon Lord's grace will never be forgotten, impossible to repay for ten thousand generations!"
"The Demon Lord's grace will never be forgotten, impossible to repay for ten thousand generations!!"
"The Demon Lord's grace will never be forgotten, impossible to repay for ten thousand generations!!!"
...
Although they were already extremely weak and exhausted, their shouts grew louder and louder, echoing endlessly over the skies of the Canglan Divine Region.
Behind them, the Qilin Emperor slowly raised his head, a mix of admiration and envy in his expression.
Their shouts were definitely not the flattery or fear he was most familiar with. Every word came from the depths of their hearts and souls.
A life-saving grace is hard to repay for a lifetime—how much more so a complete salvation of an entire vast divine region, thousands of races, millions of spirits, stretching for countless generations.
At this moment, even if Yun Che ordered them to sacrifice their lives immediately, the Qilin Emperor firmly believed that every single one of them would slit their own throats without any hesitation or resentment.
And such deeply ingrained reverence and loyalty... as a ruler, the Qilin Emperor, like the Azure Dragon Emperor, knew he could never truly earn it.
Yun Che's fingers moved slightly, forming a thin, transparent soundproof barrier to avoid waking Cai Zhi, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. Another stream of his aura surged forward, suppressing all the shouting.
"The result today is not my achievement alone. It is not I alone who saved the Northern Divine Region—it is we, it is every one of you!"
Yun Che gently sighed and said: "Long Bai's early return, the Qiankun Dragon City, the Withered Dragon Venerable—these were all unexpected. As the Demon Lord, I failed to make preparations sufficient to deal with such surprises before entering the Zhou Tian Divine Realm. That was my dereliction as Demon Lord. And because of it, extremely serious consequences have followed."
Chi Wuyue's demonic eyes narrowed slightly... Of course, this was not Yun Che's fault. An unexpected event that could be prevented was never truly an accident. Even she had not foreseen the series of changes in the Dragon God Realm. If not for the demon soul that had lodged itself in Zhou Xuzi's soul, the consequences would have been even more unpredictable.
However, Yun Che bringing up these words at this moment was perfectly appropriate.
There is no emperor who does not need the art of speech and the manipulation of hearts.
"The Zhou Tian Divine Realm is a special world with independent laws, difficult to influence from the outside. But the power of the Zhou Tian Pearl is now withered and broken. The three-year Zhou Tian Divine Realm was barely opened and is extremely unstable. If subjected to external force, it could cause the Zhou Tian Divine Realm to collapse... with unpredictable consequences."
Yun Che's gaze swept across all directions, his pupils reflecting the silent demon blood staining the earth: "The Demon Empress must have informed you of all this. That is why, despite having enough time to escape, you all chose to stay... in a situation with ten deaths and no chance of life, you did it not for the Northern Domain, not for yourselves, but for me alone."
Every word of this speech carried the deep stirring of Yun Che's soul.
The "you" he spoke of included not only those kneeling before him but also those who had died to guard his return... Only they could no longer hear this speech, could no longer see the bright light that the Northern Divine Region had finally grasped, the light they had yearned for generation after generation.
"If not for your desperate defense until the very last moment, the Zhou Tian Divine Realm would surely have collapsed. At best, I would have been swept away by spatial turbulence to an unknown space; at worst... I might have perished."
These words were not an exaggeration by Yun Che; they were all relayed by He Ling.
"Every bit of your strength, every drop of blood you shed, every sacrifice they made, saved me and also saved the Northern Divine Region. Therefore, it is not I alone who reversed the fate of the Northern Divine Region and rewrote its history... It is all of you."
When Yun Che emerged from the Zhou Tian Divine Realm, Long Bai's figure was already right before his eyes.
Thus, the time each of them had bought for Yun Che with their strength and lives was crucial and indispensable.
"The history of the Northern Divine Region will remember all your names. This is an honor that belongs to each and every one of you, and in the future, it will require the joint protection of all of you as well."
The demon blood of the Northern Domain Xuan Adepts surged warmly, and tears filled their eyes.
As Yun Che spoke, a surge of dark energy rippled, lifting the upper bodies of all the Northern Domain Xuan Adepts: "Rise. Compared to sentiment, there are more important things for you to do."
"Gather the remains of our fallen kin... down to every last drop of demon blood. On the soil of the Northern Divine Region, there must stand an eternal monument to them."
Fen Daoqi, leading the way, bowed deeply again, tears streaming down his aged face: "We shall follow the Demon Lord's command."
The Northern Domain Xuan Adepts dispersed, following the traces of dark aura as they moved toward the eternally silent bodies.
The harsh living environment of the Northern Domain meant that many star realms harbored grudges of varying depths. But now, even when facing the remains of former hated enemies, there was not the slightest gloating in their hearts. Instead, they bent down, wrapping them with the gentlest of profound auras, afraid of causing even the smallest damage or loss.
When fighting side by side in blood for the future of the Northern Divine Region, personal grudges were as insignificant as dust.
Yun Che turned his eyes, casting a faint glance at the Canglan Xuan Adepts.
He had to admit, he was surprised that the Ten Directions Canglan Realm had not betrayed them.
At that moment, Cang Shitian strode forward, threw himself to his knees, and shouted loudly: "The sinner Cang Shitian pays homage to the Demon Lord! Congratulations to the Demon Lord for your divine might shaking the world, for annihilating the evil dragon that brought calamity to the world, for saving the Northern Divine Region from its cage, and for rescuing the Divine Realm for ten thousand generations! This is the blessing of all spirits, the fortune of all heavens!"
Only three Canglan Sea Gods remained, and only fifteen Canglan Divine Envoys were left. Cang Shitian's excited, almost tearful proclamation made them all lower their heads deeply, their mouths twitching uncontrollably.
Yun Che cast a sidelong glance at him: "You managed to survive until now?"
In his eyes, Cang Shitian was someone completely devoid of imperial dignity or honor, ready to change his allegiance at any moment. When the Nanming Divine Realm was crushed, as the second Divine Emperor of the Southern Divine Region, he hadn't offered the slightest resistance. He had immediately knelt and submitted, even ruthlessly striking at Nan Wansheng to show his loyalty.
That had forced the Xuanyuan Emperor and Ziwei Emperor to bow in dejection.
Such a person, when the wind was favorable, would be a useful lackey.
But once the wind turned against them, he would surely kneel before the Dragon Emperor just as he had pledged allegiance to them, and would stab the Northern Divine Region in the back to prove his loyalty.
That was why, before entering the Zhou Tian Divine Realm, he had specifically warned Chi Wuyue to be careful with Cang Shitian.
Yet, when he stepped out of the Zhou Tian Divine Realm, what he faced was not just adversity but a desperate situation—only one step away from eternal death—and Cang Shitian was still standing on their side.
This was completely contrary to his behavior of falling to his knees without resistance in the face of danger.
He glanced lightly at Chi Wuyue, curious about what means she had used to train Cang Shitian to this extent... Or had he misjudged Cang Shitian... Or both?
"To answer the Demon Lord, since Shitian is the Demon Lord's loyal dog, without the Demon Lord's command, Shitian dares not die."
A statement of self-abasement and loyalty, yet Cang Shitian somehow shouted it with resounding force and unyielding pride.
"..." Yun Che frowned deeply, then looked at Chi Wuyue.
Chi Wuyue chose that moment to speak: "Although the Shitian Divine Emperor committed a great offense back then, today, he has indeed performed several great merits. As for whether they can offset his crimes..."
Her demonic eyes shifted, landing on Mu Xuanyin: "That will ultimately be decided by the Demon Lord and the Yinxue Realm King."
As soon as Chi Wuyue finished speaking, Mu Xuanyin's blue eyes flashed with cold light. A shard of ice appeared out of thin air, shooting forth with explosive force, straight at Cang Shitian.
The chill penetrated his soul. Cang Shitian's entire body bristled, but he gritted his teeth and stayed still, even quickly dispersing all of his protective profound aura.
Pfft!
An ice spike a zhang long pierced straight through his heart, lifting the Divine Emperor's body and sending it flying for several li before pinning it viciously to the ground.
Boom!!
The ice spike exploded, and Cang Shitian was flung far away again, smashing heavily into the earth.
Mu Xuanyin turned around, no longer attacking or even glancing at him again.
Terrifying cold air turned Cang Shitian's skin a horrifying blue-purple. His whole body trembled uncontrollably, but he struggled to his feet. Profound aura surged around him, not to heal his wounds, but with a low roar, followed by a deafening sound of breaking bones, he forcibly shattered his own left arm.
He propped himself up with his remaining arm, breathing heavily, and bowed his head: "Back then, it was with this arm that I struck at the Yinxue Realm King... I am willing to sever myself for three hundred years, begging only to quell the Demon Lord's and the Yinxue Realm King's anger."
"Hmph!" Mu Xuanyin said coldly. "Keep your arm and serve the Demon Lord well!"
Cang Shitian's head shot up, overjoyed. He kowtowed deeply: "Little king Cang Shitian thanks the Yinxue Realm King and thanks the Demon Lord for his grace."
"..." Chi Wuyue watched every tiny movement of Cang Shitian coldly, murmuring under her breath: "He really is quite the remarkable character."
Yun Che stared at Cang Shitian from afar. The killing intent deep in his pupils had not completely dissipated.
The remaining Sea Gods and Canglan Divine Envoys helped the severely injured Cang Shitian to his feet, their expressions varied.
Setting aside his various self-debasing actions that made them wince, at this moment they felt nothing but deep relief for Cang Shitian's earlier manic choices—and an unprecedented, profound admiration.
This battle had completely destroyed the Canglan Divine Region, severely depleting the Sea Gods and Divine Envoys.
But the Divine Legacy Artifacts remained, the middle and lower-tier Canglan Xuan Adepts had been sent away early, and the foundation still survived. More importantly, in the future world where the Northern Divine Region would set the rules, his Ten Directions Canglan Realm could secure a not-insignificant position.
But if he had followed the situation and sided with Long Bai... the four Western clans, annihilated to the last, would have been their fate.
That said, without Cang Shitian's desperate gamble, the Northern Divine Region might not have ended like this.