Chapter 1866: Cang Shuhe
Cang Shitian's words made everyone's expressions turn strange, their mouths twitching.
"Hmph," Chi Wuyue's voice suddenly turned cold: "Cang Shitian, playing dumb is one thing, but if you insult the Demon Lord's reputation, that is an unforgivable crime."
Cang Shitian quickly dropped to one knee and said solemnly: "Shitian would never dare. But regarding the Ten Directions Canglan Realm here... please, Demon Lord and Demon Empress, give clear instructions."
Yun Che's gaze shifted... he himself didn't know what Chi Wuyue intended to do with the Ten Directions Canglan Realm. Chi Wuyue hadn't told him in private earlier, clearly not wanting him to refuse in person.
At that moment, his eyes suddenly focused as he looked toward the southeast.
An enormous aura stirred the wind and clouds, rapidly approaching this side.
Less than a hundred people, but every single one exuded the aura of a Divine Lord, and two Divine Emperors led the group. Without a doubt, this was a terrifying force capable of dominating any dimension.
But this abnormally powerful and overwhelming aura carried a deep sense of urgency and panic. The closer it got, the thicker this panicked atmosphere became, as if they were rushing toward an abyss of darkness with unknown life or death.
The Xuanyuan Realm and the Ziwei Realm.
Though a day had passed, the overly rich dragon blood still stung their hearts and pierced their bones. The casually piled-up remains of the Dragon God, and the high-hung head of the Dragon Emperor, nearly caused their internal organs to burst. Their legs, which had been treading the void, trembled violently and incessantly, unable to stop.
Thud!
From a great distance away, the leading Xuanyuan Emperor and Ziwei Emperor fell heavily to their knees in midair, their voices strained as they howled: "Xuanyuan (Ziwei) came late to the rescue, please forgive our sins, Demon Lord and Demon Empress... Fortunately, the Demon Lord and Demon Empress's divine might shrouds the world, safe and sound, and have crushed the various realms of the Western Region, slaying the calamitous... calamitous evil dragon. From now on, all the heavens and myriad realms will be under the Demon Lord and Demon Empress's fingertips. This might will shake the ages and cover the heavens for eternity!"
Apologies, praises, declarations of loyalty... but within the voices of these two emperors was a tremor that grew increasingly violent.
Less than three li in front of their knees hung Long Bai's head.
Behind them, the Divine Legacies and Divine Lord elders of the Xuanyuan and Ziwei realms also knelt in neat rows, not one daring to show their usual pride.
The Dragon God Realm, the four king realms of the Western Region—all their Divine Lords were annihilated... This news was so terrifying they dared not believe a single word.
Chi Wuyue's demon eyes turned cold, her icy gaze slowly sweeping over them: "You really came just in time."
The Xuanyuan Emperor and Ziwei Emperor's pupils dilated simultaneously, their bones and flesh contracting. The Xuanyuan Emperor lowered his head deeply, his upper body almost touching the ground: "Dragon Emperor—no, the Western Region Evil Dragon's actions were far too sudden. After we received the news, we immediately prepared for battle and rushed here at full speed. We never imagined that the Demon Lord and Demon Empress's divine might would be so great, crushing the evil dragon in just one day."
The Ziwei Emperor also said frantically: "The day Nanming was destroyed, we willingly submitted to the Demon Lord's command. Our loyalty is clear to heaven and earth, and the sun and moon can bear witness. But... we did arrive late this time. Our actions were ineffective, and we have no excuse. We willingly accept the Demon Lord's punishment."
Two Divine Emperors knelt on the ground, their voices choked with tears—where was the slightest hint of imperial dignity? Behind them, the faces of the Divine Legacies and elders, deeply bowed, were all filled with extremely complex emotions.
Previously, the submission of the two Divine Emperors had been a forced expedient. But now, the situation was completely different. The humiliation they had endured had now become a fortunate choice.
In the war between the Northern Domain and the Western Domain, they had chosen to sit on the sidelines, helping neither Yun Che nor Long Bai. Thus, even if Yun Che wanted to punish them, it would not be a mortal sin.
"Demon Lord," Chi Wuyue asked, "how should they be dealt with?"
Yun Che raised an eyebrow and said coldly: "Keep them if useful; kill them if useless!"
"Useful! Useful!" Yun Che's words struck the two Divine Emperors like lightning, and they spoke out in a rush: "The entire Xuanyuan Realm is willing to be driven by the Demon Lord. Even if we die a million deaths, we have no regrets!"
"The Ziwei lineage is willing to dedicate eternal loyalty to the Demon Lord!"
"Xuanyuan, Ziwei, listen up." Chi Wuyue spoke calmly, and the moment the first word left her lips, the voices of the two emperors came to a dead stop: "I give you five months. While continuing to wipe out the remnants of Nanming, make all the upper-level Realm Kings of the Southern Domain come to the Demon Lord's knees within five months to swear allegiance."
The Xuanyuan Emperor and Ziwei Emperor looked up, their faces dramatically moved.
"If you succeed within five months, you will be preserved intact. If you fail... hmph, useless sinners really have no reason to stay, do they?"
Five months... all the upper-level star realms of the Southern Domain... The Xuanyuan Emperor and Ziwei Emperor's hearts ached, their scalps tingling. But they dared not bargain, and could only obediently agree: "We accept your command. We will give it our all."
"Oh, and one more thing." Chi Wuyue continued: "If you encounter tough nuts to crack, don't waste too much time. Just smash them directly."
"But remember, the Demon Lord once saved the worlds, only to be betrayed by them. Now he rules the heavens. He could have inflicted countless punishments to vent his anger, but instead, he chose to return peace to the world with compassion. Yet some fools and some star realms are stubborn, showing no gratitude and even trying to rebel against the will of heaven. You are outraged by this and, to maintain peace in the Southern Domain, have chosen to intervene and punish them—this is absolutely not the Demon Lord's instruction. Understood?"
"Understood, understood." The Xuanyuan Emperor and Ziwei Emperor nodded repeatedly, but inwardly felt much more at ease.
If they could simply crush those who disobeyed... that actually made things easier.
"This is an opportunity granted to you by the Demon Lord. You'd better not mess it up."
Having said that, Chi Wuyue didn't spare them another glance, turning instead to Cang Shitian.
"Cang Shitian, by the Demon Lord's will, I appoint you as the leader of the 'Order Keepers,' directly under the command of the Demon Lord and myself, dedicated to eliminating those 'Order Breakers' who wreak havoc in this age."
The words "Order Keeper" struck Cang Shitian's nerves like a needle, and he immediately understood what kind of identity this was. His blood seemed to boil and churn explosively, a deep excitement showing on his face as he bowed deeply: "Shitian offers ten thousand thanks to the Demon Lord and Demon Empress for this grace! Shitian will devote the rest of his life to maintaining order for the Demon Lord and Demon Empress, and to eradicating all vile creatures that should not exist!"
The Xuanyuan Emperor and Ziwei Emperor, still kneeling, were both shocked and envious with jealousy.
Directly under the command of the Demon Lord and Demon Empress, and the chillingly suggestive title "Order Keeper"... This meant that Cang Shitian now possessed authority that, while below the Demon Lord and Demon Empress, seemed to surpass all realms and even the Divine Emperors of the king realms.
Chi Wuyue said: "The coronation ceremony six months from now will formally bestow the titles. By then, the Order Keepers' ranks will also begin to take shape. Cang Shitian, not only has the Demon Lord pardoned your earlier crimes, but he has also entrusted you with such a heavy responsibility. Don't disappoint the Demon Lord."
"Yes." Cang Shitian replied excitedly, then requested instructions: "Since I must dedicate myself to maintaining order for the Demon Lord and Demon Empress, I will inevitably have no time for the Ten Directions Canglan Realm. As for the successor to the Divine Emperor throne... may I ask the Demon Lord and Demon Empress for their arrangement?"
Talking with an intelligent person was indeed effortless, saving Chi Wuyue any unnecessary preamble. She said directly: "Within one month, pass your Canglan Divine Emperor position to your imperial sister—Cang Shuhe."
"...!?" The name made Cang Shitian's eyes stir violently.
Qianye Ying'er also frowned instantly: Her!?
Cang Shitian naturally lowered his head, erasing the turmoil in his eyes as quickly as possible, and said in a calm voice: "The Demon Lord and Demon Empress's favor toward my younger sister Shuhe is her great fortune. However, the Demon Lord and Demon Empress may not know that Shuhe has been frail and sickly since childhood. Not only is her profound path weak, but she has also seen very little of the world. Moreover, she cannot resonate with the Canglan Divine Power. She might be the least suitable person among all my brothers, sisters, and even descendants to inherit the Divine Emperor throne."
Chi Wuyue smiled faintly: "I say she is suitable, so she is suitable. You only need to hand over the throne; you don't need to hand over the Canglan Divine Pearl. What she inherits is merely a title; the actual emperor remains you, Cang Shitian. So whether she is capable or not is unimportant."
"As for the Canglan Divine Power, you need not worry. The Demon Lord will naturally help her resonate with it, ensuring that the history of the Ten Directions Canglan Realm does not record a Divine Emperor without Canglan Divine Power. And this is also a great fulfillment and grace for Cang Shuhe, is it not?"
"I see." Cang Shitian bowed his head again: "Shitian obeys the Demon Lord and Demon Empress's command. Within one month, Shitian will pass the Canglan Divine Emperor throne to Shuhe, and on Shuhe's behalf, thank the Demon Lord and Demon Empress for their great generosity."
As his head was lowered, no one could see that, despite the excitement in his voice, his pupils were chaotically dilating and contracting, and his teeth were faintly chattering.
"Do I need to teach you what to do next?" Chi Wuyue said with a light laugh.
Cang Shitian immediately replied: "After Shuhe ascends, she will, at the appropriate time, announce her marriage to the Demon Lord as a consort, and the Ten Directions Canglan Realm will also be incorporated under the Demon Lord's command."
"Very good." Chi Wuyue nodded slowly: "It seems the Demon Lord was not mistaken in valuing you so highly."
Cang Shitian's momentarily uncontrolled expression, as well as Qianye Ying'er's abnormal reaction, did not escape Yun Che's notice. He sent a voice transmission to Qianye Ying'er: "What is so special about this person Cang Shuhe?"
Qianye Ying'er glanced at him and said: "Put simply, she is the daughter of Canglan that Cang Shitian desperately wants outsiders to forget. Even I had almost forgotten her existence. I didn't expect she was still alive... and that Chi Wuyue dug her up."
"Oh?" Yun Che frowned: "Who exactly is she?"
Qianye Ying'er said: "Do you think, given Cang Shitian's temperament, that he would be willing to become the Canglan Divine Emperor?"
Yun Che thought for a moment, then said: "From what I've seen so far, he is completely unsuited to the title of Divine Emperor."
The title of Divine Emperor symbolizes supreme status and power, but also a kind of restraint. Every word, action, and even gesture represents a king realm, even a divine region.
And given Cang Shitian's character, restraint was the thing he could least tolerate.
"Exactly. And according to what Qianye Fantian said, Cang Shitian did not inherit the throne passively, but seized it aggressively by ruthless means. And the reason he went to such lengths to become the Canglan Emperor was precisely for Cang Shuhe."
"Why?" Yun Che asked. In all his years in the Divine Realm, he had never heard anyone mention the name Cang Shuhe.
Qianye Ying'er sorted through the somewhat blurry memories from Qianye Fantian and said: "Cang Shitian was born to the Canglan former emperor's secondary consort. Their mother and son were not high in status, but from a young age, Cang Shitian displayed astonishing talent. Moreover, at the age of a thousand, he triggered resonance with the Canglan Divine Pearl."
"Because of this, he became a target of jealousy for his eldest brother, who feared that Cang Shitian would threaten his position as Canglan Crown Prince. Before Cang Shitian could inherit the Canglan Divine Power, his brother suddenly attempted to kill him... but was stopped by their mother. Their mother was severely wounded in the process, and at the time she was pregnant. After struggling to give birth to a daughter, she passed away. On her deathbed, she did not entrust this daughter to the emotionally detached Canglan Divine Emperor, but to Cang Shitian."
"It is said that it was after this that he renamed himself 'Shitian'." Qianye Ying'er's lips moved slightly. "It's somewhat laughable—he named himself 'Shitian' but gave his own younger sister the name 'Shuhe'. Truly ironic."
A man who called himself "Shitian" naming his sister "Shuhe"—yes, it was ironic.
"All for the sake of fulfilling his mother's trust?" Yun Che found it somewhat hard to accept. Could this man, who acted like a mad dog, trampling all rules and etiquette underfoot, actually be someone who valued blood ties so deeply?
Qianye Ying'er continued: "Because she was severely injured while still in the womb, Cang Shuhe has been plagued by illness since birth, extremely weak. If not for the protection of Cang Shitian, who had already become a Sea God by then, she probably wouldn't have lived past a hundred years."
"But this sickly princess happened to be blessed with a beautiful appearance." Qianye Ying'er snorted lightly through her nose. "It is said that after the lustful demon Nan Wansheng caught a glimpse of her by chance, he visited the Ten Directions Canglan Realm more than twenty times in the following three years, utterly shamelessly. Following that, rumors spread that the Canglan Divine Emperor intended to marry Cang Shuhe to Nan Wansheng as his empress."
"Empress!?" Yun Che's brows moved violently. Being a consort and being an empress were two entirely different concepts... and that was the number one king realm of the Southern Divine Region.
More than twenty visits in three years—the degree of obsession was comparable to his own nearly thousand-year pursuit of Qianye Ying'er.
"Exactly," Qianye Ying'er said. "You can imagine how infatuated Nan Wansheng was with Cang Shuhe. Just two months after this rumor spread, a sudden change occurred in the Canglan Realm. By some unknown means, Cang Shitian seized the Canglan Divine Pearl from the Canglan Divine Emperor and forced him to abdicate, passing the throne to himself."
"After Cang Shitian became emperor, he announced that Cang Shuhe was critically ill and in need of long-term recuperation... After that, there were almost no more rumors about Cang Shuhe in the world, and it seemed no one saw her again. Even when Nan Wansheng visited Canglan, he was never able to see her again."
"Later, the Canglan Realm fell entirely under Cang Shitian's control. The name Cang Shuhe gradually faded from memory. Occasionally, there were rumors that she had already died of illness."
"Speaking of which..." Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes half-squinted as she stared at Chi Wuyue: "I have never even seen Cang Shuhe, and I had almost forgotten her name. Where did she learn about her? And how is she so certain that Cang Shuhe is still in Canglan?"
"I think she might have finally found Cang Shitian's weak spot this time—and possibly his only one." Qianye Ying'er's eyes flickered with a dark light: "This woman is truly terrifying to the point that it makes one grind their teeth."
She even suspected that Chi Wuyue had secretly hijacked Cang Shitian's soul.
"Demon Lord, Demon Empress, what are our next orders?" Fen Daogi stepped forward and asked.
Chi Wuyue turned her gaze and let out a soft sigh: "Return to the Northern Domain."