Chapter 1963: Chaos Soul (Part 1)
Regarding Yun Che's reaction, Chi Wuyue felt more relief than surprise: "I have been puzzled by this point as well. Your condition at the time made it truly impossible for you to still have such a great reserve of power. Even if you did, you would have first applied it to yourself."
Yun Che understood what Chi Wuyue meant by "such a great reserve of power." Being able to save the Azure Dragon Emperor, who had fallen into a state of certain death, was no simple feat that could be accomplished with just any random light profound force.
And she had awakened even earlier than he had...
"But aside from Shen Xi, the only one in this world who can wield light profound force is you." Chi Wuyue said, "I specifically asked the Azure Dragon Emperor. That light profound force was definitely not something deeply stored within her body before that day. The Azure Dragon lineage has never had any protective profound artifacts engraved with light profound force."
"If it wasn't you either... then that is truly strange."
Her delicate brows furrowed, Chi Wuyue seemed to sink into thought.
Yes, in this world, the only ones who could wield light profound force were him and Shen Xi.
It definitely wasn't himself, and Shen Xi had long since...
Even if, to take a step back ten thousand times, Shen Xi was safe and sound and appeared in secret, there was no way Chi Wuyue and the others would have been completely unaware.
He himself had awakened so quickly...
Light profound force...
What exactly was going on? Aside from himself, who else could it be...
Yun Che subconsciously reached out and pressed his hand against his head. Both his body and soul were too weak. He tried to think, but it only caused his sea of consciousness to become even more chaotic amid waves of stabbing pain.
Chi Wuyue quickly reached out and placed her hand over his: "Focus on recovering from your injuries first. Now is not the time for too much contemplation. Regardless of what strangeness lies within, this is at least an immensely fortunate thing. No need to worry."
"When you have fully recovered and calmly think it over, you might find the answer."
Yun Che let out a long breath. It took him a while before he could steady his breath and thoughts again.
He closed his eyes for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Why did the Azure Dragon Emperor risk her life to save me? Was it to... protect Qi Tianli?"
"Of course not." Chi Wuyue replied without any hesitation, "The Azure Dragon Emperor's action was extremely decisive, almost instinctive. That is definitely not something that could be triggered by the will to protect Qi Tianli."
"As for the real reason..." She gave him a deep look, with a faint, enigmatic smile, "Sometimes, even a woman herself cannot clearly understand her own heart, let alone others."
"To get to the root of it, I suppose we still have to blame our Lord Yun for having too much charm. Or perhaps, for a person like the Azure Dragon Emperor, cold neglect is the most lethal poison."
It was hard to tell whether Chi Wuyue's words were serious or a joke. Yun Che's head grew heavier and heavier. He closed his eyes and stopped thinking too much.
Chi Wuyue also said no more, her voice becoming gentle: "Regardless, the Azure Dragon Emperor sacrificed herself to save you. We all owe her a life."
"Qi Tianli has done the Azure Dragon Emperor several great favors, and she has always regarded him as half-teacher, half-father. Since she pleaded for him, then we will not kill Qi Tianli... After all, his worthless life is far from worthy to be weighed against yours."
"Furthermore..." A faint, chilling smile curled at the corner of Chi Wuyue's mouth, "Even without the Azure Dragon Emperor's plea, I never intended to kill Qi Tianli."
"If you are unsure how to deal with him for now, let me handle it. What do you say?"
Yun Che nodded directly: "Alright, I'll leave it to you."
When it came to overall control, methods of handling affairs, grasp of discretion, and weighing of pros and cons, Chi Wuyue far surpassed him.
Chi Wuyue stood up and said, "The news of your awakening should not be made public for now. Currently, people from all realms are panicked and unsettled. If they learn you are awake, they will certainly rush to pay respects. You only need to rest and heal quietly now. As for the matter of the Abyss..."
A dark light flickered in her eyes: "When Mo Beichen's soul dissipated, I extracted part of his cognition and memories. I will discuss it with you in detail later."
……
Chi Wuyue left.
Yun Che closed his eyes and regulated his breathing, but his thoughts could never fully settle.
That light profound force that saved the Azure Dragon Emperor from certain death...
If only it had been Shen Xi.
But, even if it were Shen Xi, would it have been truly possible for just a single light profound force to save the Azure Dragon Emperor in that state?
Or perhaps, it wasn't light profound force at all?
For example... the life aura of the Wood Spirit Pearl?
Wood Spirit...
He Ling...
Yun Che's entire body suddenly tensed. He snapped his eyes wide open.
Ever since he woke up, a deep sense of absence had been lingering in his consciousness. But fresh from a severe injury, his thoughts were heavy and blurred, and he had never been able to pinpoint what that sense of loss was.
Now, it suddenly struck him... Every time before, when he had woken from unconsciousness, the first thing he always heard was He Ling's excited and pleasantly surprised voice calling out to him.
She was connected to him by life and by soul. The very instant he awoke, she could clearly sense it.
But this time, he had never once heard He Ling's voice.
He couldn't even feel the soul that was always connected to hers!?
The sleeping thoughts instantly scattered. Yun Che sat up sharply: "He Ling?"
"He Ling!"
Two urgent calls, but no reply came.
At that moment, the chaotic consciousness revived the dream-like voices from his coma:
"Master, please wake up, okay? I want to talk with you for a while... Just a little while, alright?"
The familiar soft, tender voice, hazy as if coming from the mist deep within the sea of souls, caused Yun Che to freeze on the spot:
"...I'm going to go find my parents and Lin'er now. I will tell them so many things about you."
……
A powerful unease, like a nightmare, suddenly amplified in his mind. His fingers clenched tightly against his skull.
No, it can't be...
Closing his eyes, he desperately concentrated his spirit and sank his consciousness into the Heavenly Poison Pearl.
Appearing in the emerald green space, before his shout could even leave his mouth, he suddenly petrified, completely frozen in place.
The familiar space of the Heavenly Poison Pearl, but it was a familiarity that instantly pierced Yun Che's soul with agony.
It had returned to its former appearance...
The appearance it had before He Ling was there.
The same emerald green space, but it was a green so lifeless and stagnant, devoid of any vitality.
Even with his consciousness sunk in here, he still could not perceive He Ling's existence.
Not a single trace.
"As long as I can thrust the Heaven-Defying Demon-Slaying Sword into Mo Beichen's body, I am absolutely certain I can poison him to death."
Absolutely... certain...
Yun Che's consciousness trembled uncontrollably.
The excruciating pain that stabbed directly into the depths of his soul was tens of thousands of times greater than the pain in his body.
That monstrous Mo Beichen, yet she had spoken with such absolute confidence... such resolute words.
In order to make the Heavenly Poison Pearl erupt with a poison force that surpassed the limits of that world, capable of poisoning even a demigod to death in seconds, she had clearly... sacrificed herself as the Heavenly Poison Spirit!
He should have thought of it long ago... He should have thought of it long ago!
……………………
Outside the main hall of Diyun City.
Qi Tianli's hands were bound together tightly by a black rope. His head hung low, and he knelt curled up on the ground.
He had maintained this position for four days and four nights.
Soft footsteps approached from afar. Qi Tianli's body moved slightly, but he dared not lift his head. Instead, he lowered it even further, almost touching the cold ground.
Because that was the aura of the Demon Empress.
Chi Wuyue's footsteps stopped in front of Qi Tianli. Looking down at him, his profound force self-sealed and his hands bound, seemingly drained of all hope, she said calmly, "The Cloud Emperor has awakened. Your life is saved, and the Qilin lineage is also considered saved."
Qi Tianli, who had hardly moved in four days, suddenly began to tremble uncontrollably. He trembled for a long time before letting out a dry, hoarse voice: "Guilty one Qi Tianli, thanks to the Cloud Emperor and Demon Empress for their immense grace."
Every word carried tears, every word was filled with excitement and sorrow.
"First, you are thanking the wrong person." Chi Wuyue's gaze gradually darkened. "Second, you are thanking too early."
"..." Qi Tianli bowed his head deeply, not daring to move or speak.
No matter what his final fate would be, with the Demon Empress's words, "the Qilin lineage is also considered saved," even if he were to be crushed to pieces after suffering the harshest torture, he would already be satisfied and weeping with gratitude.
"The person who saved your life and the lives of your entire clan is the Azure Dragon Emperor. You should know this in your heart."
Compared to Yun Che, Chi Wuyue did not hate Qi Tianli as much; rather, she felt at least fifty percent sympathy and pity... pity that he was the first one Mo Beichen had targeted.
"Seeing Cang Shitian, whom you usually looked down upon, willing to sever Canglan forever rather than let the Canglan lineage kneel to the Abyss, do you feel ashamed?"
"The Azure Dragon Emperor protected the Cloud Emperor's life by sacrificing her own. With such merit, her only request was to spare your life. Do you feel ashamed?"
"..." Qi Tianli could not speak. His aged body shook even more violently, as if plunged into a bone-chilling, soul-shattering abyss of cold.
Chi Wuyue knew best which words could pierce Qi Tianli's heart the most. He did not fear death, did not fear humiliation, and even less did he fear scolding. What pierced his soul most was shame.
"The Azure Dragon Emperor saved the Cloud Emperor's life. Whatever request she makes is not excessive. Since the Cloud Emperor agreed, he naturally will not go back on his word. However..." Her demonic eyes narrowed slightly, "The Cloud Emperor said something very true: If betrayal cannot be punished sufficiently, then loyalty is bound to become a joke."
Qi Tianli murmured, "The guilty one, Qi Tianli, is willing to accept any punishment without complaint. If... if the Demon Empress is afraid of dirtying her hands, this old man is willing to immediately... cripple his own profound force."
"Cripple your own profound force?" Chi Wuyue sneered, "It has been only a few years since the Cloud Emperor led the Northern Divine Realm to sweep across the Three Divine Realms, and countless profound practitioners from all realms have been lost. Now, with the calamity of the Abyss upon us, looking across the four divine regions of the God Realm, how many Divine Emperors still remain?"
"..." Qi Tianli was stunned for a moment, then vaguely understood Chi Wuyue's meaning.
"Your life will be spared, and the power in your body will be preserved intact. However..."
Chi Wuyue slowly extended her hand, her palm facing Qi Tianli's head: "From now on, these will no longer belong solely to you, but will all be held in the palm of my hand."
Qi Tianli finally raised his head. A pair of turbid Qilin eyes were filled with deep gloom: "Is the Demon Empress going to... bestow a slave mark?"
Qi Tianli, who had long since become indifferent to death, still could not help his soul convulsing at the words "slave mark."
Chi Wuyue's voice drifted slowly: "A thing as injurious to heavenly harmony as a slave mark, if I were to use it on you, wouldn't I be inviting criticism from the world? Besides, have you forgotten the field I am best at? If I want to control a person's heart and soul, what need do I have for a mere slave mark?"
Qi Tianli's slightly raised head inadvertently met Chi Wuyue's demonic eyes, which were as deep and dark as the abyss. In an instant, a chill ran through his entire body, and he hurriedly lowered his head again.