# Chapter 1864: Demon Lord's Empress
In less than a day, all the seals on the palaces of Qiankun Dragon City had been fully opened by Shui Meiyin. Some special defensive mechanisms, profound formations, and the seals of the lower levels were far more complex, but within a month, they should all be completely removed.
After injecting sufficient energy, she was very much looking forward to what Qiankun Dragon City would become... after all, this was a true ancient divine warship.
After a day of rest, Yun Che's soul power had recovered about seventy to eighty percent. He stood atop Qiankun Dragon City, gazing into the distance at the flattened Canglan Divine Region below, stained with blood, and remained silent for a very, very long time.
The greatest obstacle had been removed, the final source of hatred had been slaughtered by him. At this moment, he truly stood at the pinnacle of heaven and earth... but what to do next, he instead fell into confusion.
Should he immediately return to Lan Ji Star and tell them he was safe and sound, or...
After more than an hour, he finally moved, following Chi Wuyue's aura to her side.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, my Demon Lord." Chi Wuyue turned around, smiling at the approaching Yun Che.
She understood very well that with the end of this final fierce battle, Yun Che, suddenly losing his immediate goal, would instead fall into a daze... Being the emperor of the world was something that, for a man only half a Jiazi in age, was probably overwhelming and impossible to start on immediately.
"Mm!" Yun Che sighed somewhat helplessly: "I've tried very hard not to rely on you, but it seems that's not possible. Ruling over heaven and earth is far more difficult than being invincible under heaven."
He was very certain that Chi Wuyue must have already planned what he should do next.
"First, answer me one question." Chi Wuyue approached him, looking into his eyes: "Next, what do you most hope for? Is it to push this world into the dark abyss, letting yourself and the Northern Domain profound practitioners who endured a million years of imprisonment vent to their hearts' content? Or... to become a true emperor who rules over all realms and also leads all realms? Just like how you rule and lead the Northern Divine Region."
"...The latter." Yun Che replied.
"Just as I thought." Chi Wuyue smiled: "Over the years, the hatred in your heart has been like countless roaring and struggling demons. This has been my greatest worry, that your hatred would lose control and completely devour you. But... ever since that day, you suddenly changed."
"From the day you and Meiyin returned." Chi Wuyue's expression then turned serious: "Can you tell me, what exactly happened that day?"
"Mm, it's time I told you." Yun Che's gaze turned southward, his fingers touching his brow, slowly gathering the light of his soul: "Over the years, how frantically I wanted to destroy everything, even wishing I could bathe in blood and personally slaughter the living beings of one star realm after another. Because everything I saved, I lost everything because of it."
"But that day, the reason for my hatred toward all worlds, my willingness to become a demon, suddenly disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Chi Wuyue's delicate brows moved sharply.
Yun Che pointed his finger and gently pressed it against Chi Wuyue's brow. The memories of that day then surged into Chi Wuyue's heart.
"..." After a long silence, the turmoil in Chi Wuyue's demonic eyes lasted for a very, very long time.
"Something like this actually happened." Chi Wuyue murmured softly. Even with her life experience, she had never seen such an exaggerated reversal, such astonishing twists and turns.
The Cosmic Thorn...
Shui Meiyin...
Not only had she engraved everything with the Illusion Heart Flowing Shadow Jade before it all happened, but she had also deceived the world and protected Lan Ji Star... and even made Yun Che what he was today.
And indirectly, she had saved the fate of the Northern Divine Region.
This was the first time Yun Che had seen Chi Wuyue experience such prolonged distraction and shock. Without a doubt, this was a reversal that completely surpassed everyone's imagination and understanding... because the destruction of Lan Ji Star had been witnessed and attested to by many Divine Lords and Divine Emperors.
In her heart, it was as if countless heavy mountains had dissipated like a gentle breeze, bringing a lightness and joy she had never imagined. A smile appeared at the corner of Chi Wuyue's lips: "So that's how it is... Very good... The most beautiful thing in the world, the most magnificent miracle, is nothing more than this."
"Xuanyin, Caizhi, Qianying... and everyone in the Northern Domain, when they find out, they will surely be infinitely joyful."
As she spoke softly, Chi Wuyue's enchanting eyes misted slightly, but she immediately dispelled it. Although the fragments of memory from Yun Che concealed his own emotional changes, she knew that Yun Che must have cried bitterly... those were tears that no will could stop.
"And Meiyin, I truly underestimated her. I never thought she would quietly do so much for you. And she secretly paved many paths for us long before we set foot out of the Northern Divine Region."
"Mm." Yun Che nodded and said softly: "Her love and grace, I don't know how many lifetimes it will take to repay."
"This lifetime will be enough. You must never let her down." Chi Wuyue smiled enchantingly. Yun Che's change was naturally an extremely good transformation for her, but she never imagined it could be as wonderful as this.
He who could hardly endure an extra day of waiting in bitterness had instead willingly entered the Zhou Tian Divine Realm for three years... So that was it! Having seen his undamaged homeland and loved ones with his own eyes, for a better future, let alone three years, even thirty or three hundred years, he would surely endure willingly.
"The Dragon God Realm is destroyed, Long Bai is dead, the greatest threat no longer exists. So... is it time now for me to see them?" Yun Che asked somewhat despondently.
"The fact that you think this way shows you understand in your heart that now is still not the time to see them." Chi Wuyue said: "I can understand the urgency in your heart, and also... the sense of guilt."
"You have removed the greatest obstacle, but your true rule over heaven and earth has only just begun." Chi Wuyue said slowly: "Take just the Western Divine Region. Although you have slaughtered all the Divine Lords of the four king realms of Dragon God, Emperor Chi, Hui Long, and Wanxiang, the Western Divine Region still has over four hundred upper star realms and over two thousand middle star realms. They cannot be underestimated."
"Although this force is not enough to threaten you or us... But Lan Ji Star, as a lower realm planet, is far too fragile in the face of the power of the God Realm level."
"Now, in the God Realm, there are countless star realms and profound practitioners who harbor great fear and hatred toward you. And the ingrained perception of dark profound practitioners cannot be changed in a short time. If, before you have sufficiently brought the God Realm under your control, you prematurely expose the existence of Lan Ji Star, then even the slightest oversight..."
Chi Wuyue gave Yun Che a deep look.
Yun Che didn't react much to Chi Wuyue's words, but asked calmly: "When is the best time?"
"After you formally ascend to the throne." Chi Wuyue said: "This time won't be too long. If there are no major surprises, just a single year."
"How about half a year?" Yun Che's gaze drifted slightly: "In another one hundred and ninety-nine days, it will be Wuxin's twentieth birthday. I... don't want to miss it again."
"..." Chi Wuyue was about to speak, but seeing Yun Che's suddenly sorrowful eyes, she remained silent for a moment, then pressed her lips gently and said: "Half a year is barely possible. However, it will require my Demon Lord to cooperate well with me."
Yun Che turned sideways and said seriously: "Alright, tell me."
How to control, how to be emperor, especially how to win hearts, she was undoubtedly far better at it than he was.
Chi Wuyue paced slowly and stood to Yun Che's right, saying leisurely: "To eliminate resisters, violent suppression is the simplest and most brainless method, but it's not suitable now. Moreover, in this battle, our Northern Domain's core forces suffered heavy losses. In the short term, there can be no more losses."
"Furthermore, violent suppression does not win respect, but greater fear."
"The best method is to form in the shortest time a trend that the world has already fallen under your control, so that resisting star realms and profound practitioners become outliers before they can even form any significant force. In this way, as hearts are further gathered, the resistance army will likely collapse on its own before we even need to suppress it."
Yun Che frowned, thought for a moment, and said: "That might be far more difficult than violent suppression."
Having said that, he listened quietly for Chi Wuyue's response. He knew that since Chi Wuyue had brought it up, she must have a plan.
"It's difficult, very difficult. But..." She glanced at Yun Che lightly, a hint of a smile at the corner of her mouth: "If the Demon Lord is willing to cooperate, given the current situation, it's not that difficult."
"What exactly do you want me to cooperate with?" Yun Che asked.
"A method that the royal nobility of any realm often uses, very clichéd, but very effective." After a brief pause, Chi Wuyue's lips parted slightly: "Marriage alliance."
"..." Yun Che was stunned for a full three breaths: "Ha!?"
Chi Wuyue smiled faintly and continued: "Through the images engraved by Meiyin, the fact that you once saved the world cannot be denied by anyone in this era. The fact that you were betrayed by the various king realms and upper star realms is also a universally known fact. This is an extremely good foundation."
"Next, both of these must be amplified. This is the first step in building momentum."
Her voice slowed and also sank a little: "History is never recorded by the just, but written by the victors."
"Based on this," she looked at Yun Che, her demonic eyes both enchanting and misty: "If the Divine Emperors of the four regions were all your empresses, what do you think would happen?"
"..." Yun Che was suddenly stunned.
"The Northern Divine Region goes without saying. The world knows that I am your empress."
There was a faint hint of grievance in these words.
"In the Eastern Divine Region, the four king realms are either destroyed or crippled. The only relatively intact one, the Fan Di God Realm, has Qianying as its emperor. If you make her your empress, she naturally would have no objection."
"Although the Star God Realm exists in name only, the Celestial Wolf Star God is still alive, and his divine legacy artifact is also in your hands. You can help Caizhi rebuild the Star God Realm, make her its emperor, and also make her your empress."
"In addition, you can support the Yin Xue Realm as a new king realm in the Eastern Region. Although the Yin Xue Realm as a whole is weak, with Mu Xuanyin's personal divine might alone, and with your history as a disciple of the Ice Phoenix, it is enough to uphold the name of a king realm. With the influx of superior resources and your 'special' ability, the overall strength of the Yin Xue Realm will also grow day by day. Perhaps one day, it will truly match the name of a king realm."
"In this way, the Divine Emperors of the three king realms in the Eastern Region are all your empresses!"
"For the Eastern Divine Region, this will be a grand trend enough to overwhelm all dissenting hearts and gather all wills!"
"..." Yun Che was stunned for a long time.
Was there... such... an operation!?
Chi Wuyue continued: "On the Western Divine Region side, four of the six king realms exist in name only. Among the two intact king realms, there is one candidate who is extremely suitable."
"The Azure Dragon Emperor."
"!?" Yun Che's eyes widened: "You're not saying you want me to..."
"Given the current situation, she must comply whether she wants to or not." Chi Wuyue ignored his interruption and continued: "But even if she is extremely unwilling in her heart, she will ultimately not refuse, because for the Azure Dragon Realm, there is no greater life-protecting talisman."
"Once she becomes your empress, even if it's just in name, her mentality will undergo subtle changes. When making decisions, she will unconsciously lean toward you."
"In addition, the Qilin Realm and the Azure Dragon Realm are closely connected. When the Qilin Emperor looks at the Azure Dragon Emperor, it's entirely with the eyes of looking at a daughter. Thus, having the Azure Dragon Emperor as an empress can also influence the Qilin Realm to a certain extent."
"An outsider who was just forced to submit has become an insider. Many things in the Western Divine Region will become much more convenient."
"As for the Southern Divine Region side, during this time in the Canglan Realm, I have also scouted a candidate for you..." She said with a hint of a smile: "I'm sure you'll be satisfied."
"In this way, as long as my Demon Lord nods his head, the Divine Emperors of the king realms in all four divine regions of the God Realm will be your empresses. Such a spectacle has never been seen in the history of the God Realm. Thus, without spending a single soldier, you can cast a grand trend that overwhelms all dissenting thoughts over this newly born God Realm."
"But," Yun Che said with a serious expression: "I have only met the Azure Dragon Emperor a few times. There is no emotional connection between us. Suddenly taking her as an empress..."
"Just in name. Marriage alliances have never required any emotional existence." Chi Wuyue said: "Isn't this empress just your empress in name, but in reality, hasn't yet been... graced... by you? This is something the Demon Lord is quite skilled at, isn't it?"
Yun Che: "..."
"Besides, the Azure Dragon Emperor has an unparalleled beautiful face, skin like congealed water, and a figure that is tall and proud. She was born into the Azure Dragon imperial clan and has been emperor for tens of thousands of years. Originally determined to be alone for life, but now forced to become your empress. I actually feel a bit wronged for her."
Yun Che: "(￣ェ￣;)"
"Adding one more empress in name doesn't cost you anything, and it can make controlling the Western Divine Region several times easier. Or, if the Demon Lord ever takes a fancy to it, holding this Azure Dragon Emperor in your arms and toying with her wouldn't be a bad thing either."
"..." Chi Wuyue's words involuntarily brought to Yun Che's mind the image of the Azure Dragon Emperor's legs under her blue dress—white as porcelain jade, flowing with water light, and astonishingly long and slender. His heart immediately pounded wildly.
He was actually... quite tempted!