# Chapter 1950: Loyalty and Dog
Huo Poyun was recognized as the unparalleled genius of the Eastern Divine Region, a legend in the middle-ranked star realms destined to be recorded for eternity, and the first Upper Realm King in the history of the Flame God Realm that would be forever inscribed.
Yet he had never been ostentatious or arrogant, and he rarely appeared.
The most common rumors about him in the Divine Realm were that he had a rather complicated grudge with Yun Che, and had thus always remained silent under the shadow of the Cloud Emperor.
Regardless, they had never imagined that Huo Poyun's true potential and future would be so terrifyingly beyond their expectations.
Surpassing all Upper Realm Kings… and even Divine Emperors!
Huo Poyun was also stunned heavily, and the three Flame God Sect Masters behind him were equally dumbfounded.
He immediately reacted, bowed deeply, and said with great excitement: "Thank you, Venerable, for your words of recognition. Poyun is extremely honored and humbled. In the future… if the future allows me to receive the Venerable's guidance and step into a higher world, Poyun will remember the Venerable's great kindness for the rest of his life, and will be willing to die ten thousand deaths to repay it."
"Hmph!" Mo Beichen spoke coldly: "There's no need for such nonsense before me. I recognize you only because you are qualified! In the future, if you are fortunate enough to serve at the feet of the Abyss Emperor, absolute loyalty and an unstained will are the only repayment you need to offer!"
"Yes!" Huo Poyun responded with a heavy voice. Though it was only a single word, anyone could perceive the extremely intense excitement and fervent longing within it.
"Very good." Huo Poyun's current emotions seemed to please Mo Beichen somewhat. He slowly turned around at this moment, facing Huo Poyun directly.
It was also the first time today that he had faced someone of this world directly.
"Although your cultivation is not yet qualified, your special divine inheritance and potential are sufficient for me to make an exception."
Mo Beichen's tone was slow and solemn, causing everyone to hold their breath deeply: "Huo Poyun, I will accept you today as my attendant knight. In the future, when the Abyss takes over this world, I will recommend you to the Divine Officials. What do you think?"
Without caring about Huo Poyun's "lowly world" origins, without asking about his past, and without understanding his nature or moral character.
He was special enough—that was entirely sufficient for Mo Beichen.
Special enough that he couldn't wait to act, lest in the future he become an attendant knight of another Abyss Knight.
*Gulp!*
Countless throats and hearts violently convulsed.
Huo Poyun was stunned for a moment, then directly knelt on both knees with excitement, bowing his head: "Poyun thanks the Venerable for his favor! To be able to follow a figure like the Venerable is an honor Poyun never dared to hope for in this life. From now on, Poyun will wholeheartedly serve at the Venerable's side, taking the Venerable's will as his…"
"Stop." Mo Beichen interrupted him coldly: "I will teach you in the future how to become a true Abyss Knight, including saying less of these useless empty words!"
He turned away: "Come to my side. Although the ceremony has not been performed, since you will be my attendant knight, how can you stand on equal footing with these lowly world people."
"Yes!"
Huo Poyun indeed stopped his rambling, hastily rose, and then, with obvious excitement and trepidation, approached Mo Beichen's location as instructed, carefully positioning himself a foot away from him, one body height lower in the sky.
All the glances surreptitiously cast at Huo Poyun had to transform into looks of looking up.
This figure, who in their eyes was still just a "young man" moments ago, had in the blink of an eye become someone they could only look up to.
The fickleness of fate was fully displayed.
The sudden arrival of the Abyss visitor was undoubtedly a great calamity for this world and its people. But for Huo Poyun, it had become a circumstance they wouldn't even dare to hope for.
Below, the auras of the three Flame God Sect Masters could no longer remain calm, and the gazes falling upon them had also undergone earth-shattering changes.
"Congratulations to the three Sect Masters, congratulations to the Flame God Realm."
A group of Upper Realm Kings who would not even glance at a Divine Sovereign on ordinary days now proactively approached, their expressions exceedingly amiable and respectful.
"As expected of the genius cultivated by the three Sect Masters, I knew that the Flame God Realm King would one day break through the dome and ascend to the heavens."
"There are countless geniuses in the world, but only Realm King Poyun has received the appreciation of the Abyss Venerable. This is not only the glory of the Flame God Realm, but the glory of the Divine Realm…"
"In the future, when the Abyss merges with this world, the Eastern Divine Region will likely… definitely… be led by the Flame God Realm. I offer my congratulations to the three Sect Masters in advance."
…
Groups of Upper Realm Kings from the Eastern Divine Region rushed forward, each with a beaming smile, as if trying to exhaust all words of praise.
Yan Wancang, Yan Juehai, and Huo Rulie all responded vaguely, their expressions drifting, as if deeply trapped in a dream from which they could not awaken.
No one found their dazed state strange.
After all, such a huge surprise would be enough to stun anyone.
But no one knew that amidst their extremely complex emotions were Huo Poyun's ruthless words before his arrival:
"I, Huo Poyun, did not bow my head even half a degree before Yun Che, whose might overwhelmed the entire world. How could I… bend my knee to a foreign hyena!"
Every word was gritted between his teeth, and a blazing flame like the raging sun of the nine heavens burned deep within his pupils.
They looked up at Huo Poyun in the sky above. His aura and expression, clearly in a state of sustained excitement, quickly reassured them.
Poyun, this world-covering calamity has become a tremendous opportunity for you, enough to transform your fate.
In that case, you surely have no reason to do anything unwise anymore.
"Hahahaha, congratulations to the Venerable for gaining an attendant knight!"
A burst of loud laughter came from afar. The only person under heaven who could laugh so wildly before Mo Beichen, in such an atmosphere, was basically one person…
Cang Shitian!
The first loyal dog under the Cloud Emperor in the past.
The first lackey at Mo Beichen's feet now.
The status and authority that the Cloud Emperor and the Demon Empress had given him over the years had now all become capital for him to pledge loyalty to Mo Beichen.
The Sea Gods and Divine Envoys of the Ten Directions Canglan Realm all turned their heads excitedly. The fate of the Canglan Realm was entirely in Cang Shitian's hands.
Cang Shuhong's beautiful eyes finally rippled slightly.
Cang Shitian approached quickly, then respectfully bowed: "Subordinate Cang Shitian pays respects to the Abyss Venerable. Your subordinate arrived late, and has specially prepared a small gift for the Venerable to celebrate today's ceremony."
Cang Shitian did not come alone.
Following behind him were not the Order Keepers, but a deep blue barrier flowing with pure water light.
The Canglan Barrier!
Through the deep blue water light, what was sealed inside was the shadow of a unconscious woman.
She was dressed in snow-white, her long hair like the night, and her delicate, jade-carved features were slightly tightly furrowed, clearly having experienced painful struggle before losing consciousness.
Seeing this woman, everyone present changed color dramatically, and many even cried out in shock.
It was clearly the Cloud Emperor's only daughter, the sole Imperial Daughter with the most distinguished status in the current world… Yun Wuxin!
"Wuxin…" Cang Shuhong murmured softly, but her arm was tightly grasped by Rui Yi, who shook her head forcefully, begging her not to act rashly.
She was her husband's daughter. Falling into Mo Beichen's hands meant only death.
And the one who brought her here was her closest and most respected elder brother.
"…" Without making any impulsive move, Cang Shuhong closed her eyes, and her silently bitten lips quickly lost their color.
To the north, Yan Wu stepped forward, two Yanmao spear shadows already gathered in her pupils.
"It's not possible to save her, and it's not the time."
Fen Daoqi's voice sounded in her ear, calm but low: "Since we never planned to leave alive, let's at least make our deaths worth something."
"At least, let future generations—even if they are completely devoured by the Abyss—forever remember… that even though the Cloud Emperor's reign was brief, beneath him were loyal blood enough to dye the firmament red, and not just a group of cowardly dogs who feared death!"
Yan Wu's toes were nailed firmly to the ground… after a long while, she finally retracted them.
The Canglan Barrier was recognized as the strongest protective barrier in the Southern Divine Region. And this Canglan Barrier was not only personally set by Cang Shitian, but its energy aura was so dense that he had obviously exhausted all his strength to seal Yun Wuxin, which seemed somewhat exaggerated.
It also ensured that she had absolutely no possibility of escape.
Mo Beichen glanced sideways, only briefly sweeping over Yun Wuxin for an extremely short moment: "This is what you call a small gift?"
"Reporting to the Venerable," Cang Shitian's face was full of fawning expression: "Although this woman's cultivation is shallow, her identity is precisely Yun Che's only daughter."
"…" Mo Beichen's expression did not change at all.
Cang Shitian leaned forward and continued: "She has been hidden very securely during this time. Your subordinate spent considerable effort to find her."
"Yun Che cherishes this woman greatly, treating her like his very life. If he knows she has fallen into this place, based on my understanding of him, he will definitely come to throw himself into the net at all costs. At that time, the Venerable can capture him without lifting a finger."
"Elder… brother…" Cang Shuhong murmured softly, her whole body utterly powerless.
Qi Tianli's brow twitched. He was very clear that Cang Shitian's flattery this time had precisely hit the wrong spot.
*Bam!*
Mo Beichen did not move at all, but a terrifying air wave violently pierced through the void, fiercely slamming onto Cang Shitian's face.
Amidst the loud noise, both of Cang Shitian's cheek bones deeply caved in simultaneously. His entire body rolled and flew sideways, plowing a several-mile-long deep trench into the ground.
As if stunned, it took a full several seconds before Cang Shitian crawled up from the ground.
Blood gushed from his nostrils and the corners of his mouth, his face blackened like dried blood—an utterly wretched sight.
After getting up, he knelt down in panic: "Venerable, calm your anger. Your sub… subordinate does not know what offense he has committed. I beg the Venerable to grant me instruction."
Mo Beichen's strike made everyone's eyes wide with palpitations.
Mo Beichen's silver armor reflected a chilling cold light, and his indifferent words were even more soul-chilling word by word: "I have to capture a mere Yun Che with but the flick of a finger. What need have I for such lowly conduct?"
"This is an insult to me. Do you know the crime of insulting an Abyss Knight?"
"Your subordinate absolutely did not mean that, and would never dare to have that intention!"
Cang Shitian trembled all over from fright, heavily kowtowing. He did not dare to dispel the bruising on his face. Carrying bloodstains and red-black colors, he shouted with utmost sincerity: "Kidnapping Yun Che's daughter was done solely by me, with not the slightest instruction from the Venerable."
"Moreover, this act of your subordinate had not the slightest thought of questioning the Venerable's heavenly might. Rather… rather, compared to the Venerable, Yun Che is nothing but an ant beneath the heavens. The Venerable would not even need a finger to destroy him."
"But he does have the Mystic Heaven Supreme Treasure, the Cosmic Thorn, protecting his side, allowing him to escape time and again. Your subordinate privately believed that mere Yun Che is not even worthy of making the Venerable expend any unnecessary mental energy, so I took the liberty of adopting this inferior strategy."
He lifted his head, his face seeming to show only fear, not regret: "As everyone knows, I, Cang Shitian, have always been a dirty person, best at doing dirty deeds. And in this world, many things can be much more convenient and useful by using dirtier means."
"These means are, of course, beneath the Venerable's notice, but your subordinate can handle them. As long as I can share the Venerable's worries, I can stop at nothing."
"And no matter how dirty the grime, it will only fall upon your subordinate's body, never tarnishing the Venerable's reputation in the slightest."
Saying this, the corner of Cang Shitian's mouth slightly curled: "After your subordinate captured this woman, I have spread the news widely. Yun Che will surely hear of it."
A hint of inexplicably sinister light flickered in his eyes: "He… will definitely come!"
"At that time, it will be my dirty hand that lures him in. And it will be the Venerable's heavenly might that captures him."
"…" Mo Beichen's aura did not stir, nor did he mete out any further punishment.
Qi Tianli said: "Venerable, whether in terms of understanding and controlling the various regions of the Divine Realm, or in terms of methods of action, Cang Shitian is a necessary person. Many things that the Venerable disdains to touch can be handed over to him. This is also why Yun Che and the Demon Empress valued him so highly."
"With him doing his utmost, it will go much more smoothly for the Venerable to present a perfect world of submission when the Abyss Emperor arrives in person."
"Hmph!" With a cold snort, Mo Beichen lowered his brow and spoke heavily: "You had better not splash your filth onto me!"
Half a warning, half tacit approval. Cang Shitian quickly bowed and pledged: "Rest assured, Venerable. Even if your subordinate had ten thousand times the courage, I would never dare to lose even a shred of propriety. Otherwise, without needing the Venerable's punishment, your subordinate will die ten thousand deaths to atone for his sins."
"Withdraw."
Mo Beichen turned his gaze away arrogantly, no longer looking at Mo Beichen, nor glancing at Yun Wuxin again.
Cang Shitian hurriedly rose, stepped back a few paces, and with a teleportation, arrived before the Ten Directions Canglan Realm.
His approach immediately stirred a commotion among the Sea Gods and Divine Envoys.
Cang Shuhong's beautiful eyes shifted slightly, looking at the person closest to her, the one she respected most in life and knew best, yet she no longer knew how to face him.
"Elder brother…" she called softly, a mix of myriad emotions.
Cang Shitian's face was covered in embarrassment, but facing Cang Shuhong, he had completely lost his former obsequiousness, his imperial might awe-inspiring.
He slowly extended his hand: "Shuhong, return the Canglan Divine Pearl to me."
Every word was cold and authoritative, brooking no refusal.