# Chapter 2063: Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom
Yun Che thought for a moment, then said with a smile: "Wreaking havoc on the world is something that can't be rushed for now. I first need to win over my future father-in-law, otherwise I won't even be able to thoroughly corrupt you, the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden, let alone go on to corrupt the entire Abyss world."
Hua Caili's hands, which were tightly wrapped around his waist, lightly pinched his lower back, as if shy and reproachful: "You've already... corrupted me to this extent, and you say it's not thorough... Hmph, if my Father God finds out about the bad things you've done to me, he'll definitely break your legs first."
"...Is it too late for me to turn back and run now?" Yun Che made a fearful expression.
Hua Caili leaned forward, pressing even closer to him: "Hehe, of course it's too late. Even if you really tried to run, Auntie would catch you and bring you back."
Hua Qingying: (Would not)...
"Alas." Yun Che sighed softly, as if worried about his fate, but immediately, he dropped all pretense and turned his gaze back to gentle but firm: "Actually, I'm not afraid at all. Even if your Father God really wants to break my legs, it's only right... Caili, as long as you're here, I can face anyone and anything without fear."
"I... I know." This sudden confession of love immediately moistened Hua Caili's eyes.
"So," Yun Che said, "you're not angry anymore, right?"
"Ah?" Hua Caili blinked, then lightly hit him: "I stopped being angry the moment I saw you. I just wanted to see how you would comfort me. But instead, you ended up calling yourself some Demon Lord..."
She lay on Yun Che's chest, as if trying hard to suppress her laughter.
"Then... in the future, when you're angry, how would you most like me to comfort you?" Yun Che asked.
Hua Caili thought for a moment, then looked up and said, "I want to play in the snow."
"Alright."
Yun Che lightly raised his hand, and instantly, snowflakes filled the sky, quickly layering thick snow around the two of them.
Hua Caili let out an excited cry, released Yun Che, and threw herself into the pure, pristine white snow.
She kicked off her shoes, removed her silk socks, and stepped into the snow, leaving behind small footprints.
After frolicking for a while, she let her body fall backward, sinking her entire being into the snow, allowing the refreshing coolness and purity to wrap around her whole body. A comfortable, long sigh escaped her lips: "If only everything in the world were as simple and pure as snow."
These words caused a momentary ripple in Yun Che's mind... Yes, if only all people and events were that simple.
She lay in the snow, squinting her beautiful eyes, bending her calves, her delicate feet—whiter than snow, with exquisite curves—swinging up and down, stirring up puffs of snow dust.
Yun Che stared fixedly, his gaze unconsciously becoming dazed. When he came back to his senses, those jade-carved, delicate feet were already in his hands, filled with soft, smooth tenderness.
"Mmm... it tickles a bit." Hua Caili giggled, then pressed her feet deeper into Yun Che's embrace, feeling his fingers slowly trace the beautiful curves of her calves.
"..." Yun Che unconsciously averted his gaze.
Clearly, he had always built an unbreakable barrier deep in his soul, but the dangerous feeling of being gradually drawn to her was occurring more and more frequently... He couldn't deceive himself.
But even if it meant breaking his heart and tearing his soul, he absolutely could not...
As his thoughts were in turmoil, a soft voice drew near, and he was suddenly pushed down by Hua Caili, who had risen abruptly, and they fell together into the snow.
Their eyes met, her beautiful orbs seemingly filled with mist, rippling with soul-stirring waves; her jade lips slightly curled in a light smile, as delicate as newly bloomed petals, yet tracing a charm that belonged only to him, unmatched even by a sea of flowers.
She didn't get up, but pressed down on Yun Che, her eyes sparkling with brilliance, her lips softly uttering words that should never come from a Zhe Tian Divine Maiden: "Today, I want to be in the snow."
Flying snow gathered, instantly forming four snow screens, enclosing the space where they were.
The white snow refracted crystalline light, like the first rays of moonlight, carrying infinite holiness, illuminating the filth beneath the snow screens in vivid detail...
---
Eternal Night Divine Kingdom.
The palace door was slowly pushed open.
This was the main divine hall of the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom, yet it was as dark and dead as the depths of a ghost prison. Even a demigod stepping here would be chilled into holding their breath.
A woman walked in slowly. Her face was deathly pale, her body stained with blood. Even so, her steps were still light, and her weak breath was kept as steady as possible.
In the suffocating oppression, she stopped and slowly knelt down: "Wuyi... pays respects to Mother God."
Whoosh!
The black curtain was violently parted, and a terrifying surge of air rushed out, striking Shen Wuyi fiercely.
Shen Wuyi spat out a mouthful of blood, sent flying back to the palace door.
"Still remember to come back? Wuyi, you're truly something. Now even you... have started to disobey my orders!"
This hoarse voice was extremely harsh and grating, every word like a knife cutting into internal organs.
The woman, already severely wounded, took a long time to struggle up, but didn't let out a single moan of pain. Instead, she knelt down again: "Wuyi returns ninety-seven hours late and is willing to accept any punishment. I only beg Mother God to allow Wuyi a few words..."
"Shut up!"
The terrifying voice pierced her ears: "Regardless of the reason, this is the first time you have defied my orders! If this continues, it seems you wish to become the second Shen Wuqing!"
"Wuyi has absolutely no such intention." Shen Wuyi said urgently: "Mother God is Wuyi's only family in this life, and my heart and soul will only ever hold Mother God alone. How could I..."
"Get out! You will soon know the price of disobedience."
"Yes." Shen Wuyi bowed respectfully: "I implore Mother God to calm her anger, and not harm herself over Wuyi's fault."
"Get out!" From behind the curtain came a roar that could make even ghosts tremble.
Shen Wuyi dared not say more. She bowed once more, and dragging her wounded, blood-stained body, slowly withdrew from the Eternal Night Divine Hall.
Soon after leaving the hall, a woman in black flew rapidly toward her from the air.
Seeing Shen Wuyi, she immediately descended and asked with concern: "Wuyi, are you alright..."
Shen Wuyi's aura was extremely weak, clearly bearing new injuries. She immediately understood what had happened, and her expression became very complex.
"Aunt Shenwu Youluan." Shen Wuyi, despite her severe injuries, did not neglect etiquette: "Wuyi returned late, causing Mother God to be angry. I beg Aunt to comfort her well. If Mother God is deeply angered and hurts her heart because of Wuyi, Wuyi... will find it hard to be at peace for a long time."
No complaints, no pleas for justice or mercy. Her words and expression were only concerned about the Mother God who had just struck her.
Shen Wu Youluan raised her hand and lightly squeezed her wrist: "Your Mother God is just in a temper. She'll be fine soon. Go and heal your wounds first. Don't worry about the rest."
"Yes. Thank you, Aunt Shenwu Youluan."
Shen Wuyi walked away slowly. Shen Wu Youluan watched her retreating figure and sighed inwardly.
But unknown to her, the moment she turned away, the worry and timidity in Shen Wuyi's eyes vanished in an instant.
In her slightly lowered eyes, there was only a calmness like dead water.
"Sovereign, Shenwu Youluan requests an audience."
"Enter."
Shen Wu Youluan stepped into the dim, oppressive hall, approached behind the curtain, and bowed: "Sovereign, great news."
"Speak." The brief word was like metal scraping, extremely harsh.
In other divine kingdoms, being able to meet the Divine Venerable in person was an unparalleled honor.
But in the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom, it was like the deepest nightmare.
Shen Wu Youluan held out a jade box with both hands. When she opened it, it refracted a pure, dark light like obsidian.
In the dead silence of the hall, a few slightly heavy breaths were heard, and then a gust of wind rushed out from behind the curtain, sweeping away the jade box in Shen Wu Youluan's hands.
Immediately, a hoarse voice with a slight tremor came from the darkness: "A complete... Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal!"
"Yes!" Shen Wu Youluan immediately said: "Over the years, we have searched all six divine kingdoms, but every Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal we found was incomplete. This time, while Wuyi was deep in the Mist Sea, she happened to encounter a demigod-level Black Obsidian Beast."
Black Obsidian Beasts are not Xuan Beasts corrupted by Abyss Dust into Abyss Beasts, but pure Abyss Beasts directly condensed from Abyss Dust. They only appear deep in the Mist Sea, are extremely rare, and far more terrifying than ordinary Abyss Beasts of the same level.
And the Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal can only condense inside high-level Black Obsidian Beasts.
"Wuyi's training this time already tripled the target you set, Sovereign. But for the sake of this Black Obsidian Beast, she continued to stay deep in the Mist Sea."
"With Wuyi's cultivation, she could only barely handle this Black Obsidian Beast. But if she struck too hard, she risked damaging its internal Abyss Crystal; if she held back, it would put herself in danger... Wuyi fought it for a full half month, sustaining heavy injuries more than a dozen times, before finally defeating it."
Shen Wu Youluan said with emotion: "Perhaps it was due to Wuyi's pure-hearted devotion, the Abyss Crystal inside this Black Obsidian Beast was not only a Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal, but also completely flawless."
"When I found Wuyi, she had just obtained this crystal, but she was severely wounded all over. Fearing that her heavy injuries might make her vulnerable to accidents, she entrusted the Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal to my hands. I had just brought her back, and she, ignoring her own injuries, rushed to beg your forgiveness."
In response, there was only suffocating silence.
She raised her head slightly, then continued: "Thus, of the six rare treasures recorded in the [Secret Codex], four have now been obtained. The day of your restoration to sight is close at hand."
The aura of the Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal disappeared, clearly having been taken away by Wuming Divine Venerable.
"If that's the case, then quickly dispatch more servants to search the remaining two rare treasures."
There was no praise, no commendation. Her tone remained ice-cold.
"Yes." Shen Wu Youluan responded. She stepped back, her brows showing a slight struggle, but still spoke: "Sovereign, Wuyi's late return this time was all for this Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal. For the three rare treasures found before, Wuyi also risked her life time and again, truly valuing your safety far above her own life..."
"Are you speaking for her?"
The hoarse, indifferent voice made the unease in Shen Wu Youluan's heart suddenly amplify: "No, Youluan only..."
"Wretched thing!"
The curtain parted, and a burst of air struck Shen Wu Youluan's face hard.
In the dead silent hall, the sound of a cheekbone breaking was heard.
"What I hate most in this life is betrayal! And disobedience is the first step toward betrayal! No matter the reason, it is unforgivable!"
Shen Wu Youluan trembled as she rose. She knelt down, not daring to tend to the injury on her face: "Sovereign, calm your anger. It was Youluan's presumptuous words."
"Get out. Tell Wuyi she is confined to her own hall and must not set foot outside!"
"Yes." Shen Wu Youluan slowly retreated, then remembered something and stopped: "Sovereign, there is one more thing to report. Now throughout the Mist Sea and surrounding realms, it is said that a person calling himself 'Mist Emperor' has appeared in the Mist Sea..."
"Such petty matters also reported to me? Get out now!"
Shen Wu Youluan dared not say another word. She withdrew and left.
As she walked out, she kept her head deeply bowed, not daring to lift it... because she feared that if she raised her head even slightly, the terrifying perception of Wuming Divine Venerable might sense the hatred buried deep in her eyes.
The divine hall returned to dead silence.
But not long after, behind the black curtain, the aura of the Black Obsidian Evil-Subduing Crystal was felt again.
A withered hand touched this Abyss Crystal that shimmered with obsidian light, touching it again and again, almost greedily.
Beside her hand lay a heavy [Secret Codex], from which wispy Abyss Dust rose.
---
Back in her own bedchamber, it was just as dark and cold. Though she was the Eternal Night Divine Maiden, no one attended her.
Her steps were slow, one by one, each as even as if measured by strict calibration.
Soon, she stopped before a bronze mirror. In the dim light, she silently gazed at her reflection.
Who... am I?
Who... am I really?
My talent surpasses everyone I have ever seen.
My heart and soul refuse to be subordinate to anyone.
My cunning can be this insane...
A person like this—why can I find no trace of my past in this life?
And...
She raised her hand. Her fingers were like jade, but at the very tips of those jade-like fingers...
There was clearly a faint ring of Abyss Dust circling.
Why am I able... to control Abyss Dust...
Outside the hall door, a familiar aura approached, followed by the voice of its owner: "Wuyi, may I come in?"
The Abyss Dust at her fingertips silently dissipated. Her expressionless face took on a hint of weakness from severe injury and a touch of heartache: "Please enter, Aunt Shenwu Youluan."
Shen Wu Youluan stepped in, quickly approaching Shen Wuyi. Her aura gently swept over, and she relaxed slightly, then comforted: "Wuyi, the Sovereign told me to inform you that you are confined here for three months."
"Ah?" Shen Wuyi looked up, surprise on her face: "This... is Mother God's punishment?"
"Yes." Shen Wu Youluan nodded, a faint smile tilting at the corner of her mouth: "The Sovereign is angry, but your devotion to the Sovereign is clear to everyone, and the Sovereign knows it well. It's just that the Sovereign absolutely cannot tolerate betrayal and defiance, hence this punishment."
Shen Wuyi pressed her lips together. It took her a while to suppress her emotions before she whispered: "Mother God's grace to Wuyi cannot be repaid in ten lifetimes. As long as Mother God can calm her anger, any punishment, no matter how severe, is fine."
"Silly child." Shen Wu Youluan patted Shen Wuyi's arm: "I have delivered the Sovereign's words. You heal and rest well. I won't disturb you."
She turned around, a hint of heartache and complexity flashing at the corner of her eyes.
---
As they neared the Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom, the concentration of Abyss Dust dropped sharply.
Looking from afar, a massive barrier seemed to descend from the sky, covering the entire vast kingdom, separating the inside and outside into two completely different worlds.
The isolation barrier of a divine kingdom is vastly different from that of many living lands. Because it is built with the power of a True God, it can almost perfectly isolate Abyss Dust, making the Abyss Dust within the kingdom so thin as to be nearly negligible.
Yun Che stopped in the distance, letting out the proper exclamations of wonder one should have upon first seeing a divine kingdom.
More than a month ago, they could have already reached the Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom.
But once faced with reality, everything afterward fell into uncontrollability. Hua Caili dragged him around in circles until, nearing the final deadline her Father God had set for returning to the kingdom, she had no choice but to come here.
The homeland she knew all too well—yet for the first time in her life, she felt a sense of timidity.
"Are you scared?" She turned, her eyes sparkling as she looked at the man beside her, to whom she had decided to entrust her life.
"A little." Yun Che replied in a relatively calm voice.
"Me too." Hua Caili gradually tightened her grip on Yun Che's hand, sensing the comfort coming from him.