# Chapter 2066: Clash
## Senluo Divine Kingdom
"Your Highness, Divine Son. After searching throughout the six divine kingdoms, we finally found a flawless Jade Cloud Heart-Confessing Pearl. But it is in the hands of Pan Buzhuo, the Divine Son of Xiaodie Divine Kingdom. Knowing that Your Highness sought it, he drove a hard bargain, demanding... demanding three Seven Purity Divine Jade in exchange."
By the end, the man was already grinding his teeth in anger.
Dian Jiuzhi, however, neither surprised nor angered. Instead, he smiled faintly. With a gentle push of his palm, three points of dark green radiance slowly drifted toward the reporting man: "Trouble you to make another trip. Go exchange it."
The man accepted the three rays of light in a daze, his face full of astonishment: "But, the Jade Cloud Heart-Confessing Pearl is merely a trinket for amusement. How could it compare to Seven Purity Divine Jade in the slightest... and three whole pieces at that!"
He was also a son of the Senluo Divine Venerable, and in the past, he had not been sparing in his bullying of Dian Jiuzhi.
Yet Dian Jiuzhi had always been grateful for the kindness he had received from Hua Caili back then. After becoming the Divine Son, he reciprocated with tolerance, never targeting or retaliating against those who had bullied him. This made the group of imperial princes and princesses, besides feeling ashamed and guilty, exceptionally loyal to him.
At that moment, a rough, soul-shaking voice rang out: "If I tell you to go, then go. This is a birthday gift for that girl Caili. Even if it were thirty pieces, this boy wouldn't even furrow his brow."
"Father God." The two bowed hastily.
"Go now!" Jueluo Divine Venerable Dian Luohou waved a hand, sending the man flying, then stepped beside Dian Jiuzhi: "You boy, as long as it makes that girl happy, you really spare no expense, hahahaha."
It sounded like a scolding, but as he spoke, he burst into loud laughter.
Dian Jiuzhi smiled and said: "Father God seems to be in an exceptionally good mood today. Has something joyful happened?"
"To me, it's just so-so, but to you, boy, it's a great piece of news." Dian Luohou's face was all smiles: "That girl Caili has returned after completing her first trial. When she came back, her cultivation had successfully entered the Divine Annihilation Realm."
"Ah!" Dian Jiuzhi's eyes flashed with surprise and joy, his voice rising several tones: "This... is this true?"
"Can your own father's words be false?" Dian Luohou stroked his sword-like long beard: "That girl Hua Fuchen sired is truly remarkable. You've got yourself a good deal."
Dian Jiuzhi raised both hands, clearly too excited to contain himself: "Excellent. As expected of little sister Caili. Not yet twenty, already a demigod. This is truly unprecedented and unparalleled. On this point alone, the glory of all us divine sons and divine maidens combined cannot compare to Caili alone."
Judging by his expression, he was even more excited than when he himself had broken through.
"Of course!" Dian Luohou's face was full of pride: "Look who picked the daughter-in-law."
The Senluo Divine Kingdom and the Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom were to become in-laws, naturally sharing glory and honor.
"But there's one question I need to ask you again, boy." Dian Luohou's expression suddenly turned serious: "Are you certain that you will only have that girl in this life?"
"Yes!" Dian Jiuzhi's reply had not a trace of hesitation.
He met his Father God's gaze directly, letting him see his resolve: "Caili's background goes without saying. Her appearance is peerless, her heart pure and flawless, and her talent is unparalleled throughout the ages. If she hadn't saved me back then, I would have spent my entire life wallowing in self-pity and mud, and the Great Desolate Divine Meridian would have had almost no chance of awakening."
"In the past, all my efforts were only so that I could be worthy of gazing at her from afar. Now... to have her as my wife is already a gift from the Heavenly Dao that I could only earn through ten thousand lifetimes of good deeds. How could I ever do anything to defile or harm her."
"In this life, it is only her and me, and no third person."
Dian Luohou was not angry either. He said calmly: "Once one becomes a Divine Venerable, the most important matter is inheritance. A notion like yours would normally be considered grossly unfilial."
"However, if it's that girl Caili, then the case can be different. With the two of your talents, any children you produce will likely be prodigies one and all, making it easy to produce Divine Successors with sufficient divine rank."
He reached out and patted Dian Jiuzhi's shoulder: "The name 'Jiuzhi' I gave you has 'knowing gratitude' as one of its meanings. Your deep affection, though a bit excessive, is not a bad thing. How about this: I'll give you three thousand years. If after three thousand years you still haven't produced a Divine Successor, then we will revisit this matter."
"However, what I'm more worried about now is who the first Divine Successor should belong to. At that time, I'll inevitably have to argue with that fellow Hua Fuchen about it, hahahaha."
Dian Luohou's loud laughter shook the surroundings, completely unaware that the threads of fate binding Dian Jiuzhi and Hua Caili had already been silently cut by someone they knew nothing about.
---
Hua Qingying had given Hua Fuchen twenty-four hours to calm down.
Once the twenty-four hours passed, Hua Qingying personally brought Yun Che to the Heart-Remembering Sword Pavilion.
Before they even drew near, Yun Che could already sense a divine consciousness sweeping over him several times. When he stepped into the sword pavilion, Hua Fuchen's gaze pierced straight at him.
His expression was calm, his eyes without ripples. But in Yun Che's eyes, it no longer held the water-like tranquility of yesterday. Instead, it was as if countless invisible swords were pressing against his eyes and soul.
Once inside the sword pavilion, Hua Caili no longer held back. She quickly pressed close to Yun Che, her hands firmly clutching his arm. Her beautiful eyes held not only tension and worry but also a hint of vigilance.
That trace of vigilance undoubtedly deeply wounded Hua Fuchen.
He sighed inwardly and said: "Caili, go out with your aunt first. I will speak with him alone."
"No!" Hua Caili immediately refused, her grip on Yun Che's arm tightening: "Over these past months, Xuan Che and I have never been separated. No matter what Father God wishes to say to Xuan Che, there is no need to avoid me."
"Rest assured," Hua Fuchen's voice had clearly lost some of its strength: "I will not make things difficult for him."
Hua Caili still did not move.
Yun Che gently patted her hand and said in a very relaxed tone: "Caili, some words are indeed better suited for your Father God and me to speak alone. Trust me... believe in me."
Under his gaze full of reassurance, Hua Caili slowly released him: "Alright, I understand."
"Father God, I will go out with Aunt. You... you two absolutely must not come to conflict."
Hua Caili pulled Hua Qingying and walked out of the sword pavilion.
Hua Fuchen slowly exhaled.
His own daughter, whom he had cherished since childhood... When he said the same words, Hua Caili flatly refused, but when Yun Che said them, she was so obedient.
"Junior Yun Che pays respects to Heart-Painting Divine Venerable."
"Sit." Hua Fuchen casually waved his hand.
Yun Che sat down as instructed. Then, the sword pavilion fell into a long silence.
Hua Fuchen did not speak for a long time, and as a junior, Yun Che naturally would not take the initiative to speak.
He was the Heart-Painting Divine Venerable, a true god who ruled a divine kingdom. Being near him, the divine pressure he bore was imaginable.
But after several tens of breaths, Yun Che maintained his original expression and posture throughout—neither losing propriety, neither humble nor arrogant, without a trace of haste... Even his aura barely showed any sign of disturbance.
Divine Lord Realm, Level Three, who had never set foot in a divine kingdom, yet was so calm before him... Hua Fuchen began to understand some of the rather astonished assessments Hua Qingying had given him.
"Where are you from?" Hua Fuchen finally spoke, each word flat but also carrying the soul-suppressing weight of a god.
Under divine pressure, who would dare to speak falsely?
Yun Che replied "sincerely": "Junior has no origin, nor does he know where his parents are."
"Without an origin, but with a sufficiently bold heart."
Hua Fuchen's words were indifferent as water, yet they could easily cause even a demigod's soul to tremble in fear.
"You did save Caili after all. I do not wish to make things difficult for you." He looked straight at Yun Che, somewhat surprised by his composure: "Therefore, I will give you... perhaps the greatest opportunity of your life."
"State your terms. What will it take for you to leave my daughter forever!"
Yun Che immediately stood up, speaking urgently and sincerely: "Venerable senior, Caili and I—"
"Spare me your useless words." Hua Fuchen raised his hand, forcibly silencing Yun Che: "Do you think you are worthy of my daughter!"
Before Yun Che could answer, he continued: "Caili's background, appearance, reputation, talent... every aspect is at the pinnacle of this world. Even if you turned this entire abyss world upside down, there is not a single woman who could compare to her."
"And you... Caili's aunt spoke to me of your affairs yesterday. She said your future is immeasurable, that your upper limit is certainly no weaker than any divine son of a divine kingdom, and she speculated that the 'master' you speak of is likely an ancient soul beyond the level of a true god."
"But so what? No matter how many secrets and peculiarities you carry, you are ultimately rootless and nameless, not even possessing a decent identity, let alone reputation or a faction to rely on."
He watched the changes in Yun Che's expression: "A rootless, nameless wanderer and an unparalleled, unprecedented divine maiden—tell me, how can you match each other?"
Yun Che met his gaze directly, bowed slightly, and said respectfully: "Junior presumes to ask the Venerable senior a question... Whether we match—should that be decided by Caili, or by you and me?"
"..." Hua Fuchen was stunned for a moment.
Yun Che continued: "All living beings struggle their entire lives, all for the sake of having better choices. Since Caili is, in the senior's eyes, the finest woman in this world, does that mean she instead has no right to choose?"
"Heh, heheh, hahahaha." As if some nerve had been touched, Hua Fuchen suddenly laughed—a laugh that made one's heart tremble and soul ache.
"Unflappable and sharp-tongued. No wonder you've managed to charm Caili like this." The Heart-Painting Divine Venerable raised his head, seemingly unwilling to let Yun Che see his current expression: "These words of yours might work on young, inexperienced souls, but to me... they are all nonsense."
"..." Yun Che said nothing.
"I will ask you once more. What will it take for you to leave my daughter forever?"
Yun Che slowly shook his head: "Unless Caili herself gives up on me, I will never abandon her."
Hua Fuchen did not become angry at his answer. Instead, he said calmly: "I heard that when Caili first actively approached you, you chose to retreat and vowed never to see her again. This shows you are clever enough, rational enough."
"Why, then, are you now so lacking in reason?"
Yun Che replied without arrogance or cowardice: "At that time, I deeply understood the gap between us. I also knew that Caili had a widely known engagement. If I could not control my emotions, it would inevitably bring unimaginable burdens... even disaster upon her. So I chose to leave."
"But afterward, we experienced life and death together. Caili said she had already died once and no longer feared anything. Even her Longevity Pearl has been entrusted into my hands."
Hua Fuchen: "..."
"Since Caili's feelings are so sincere, as a man, what reason do I have to continue fleeing and fearing?"
"..." Hua Fuchen stared at Yun Che for a long moment, then suddenly murmured softly: "Well said... 'no longer fear.'"
Yun Che: "?"
Hua Fuchen slowly rose. He paced to the center of the sword pavilion, his fingers gently stroking a sword of ordinary material but stained with countless strands of true god's divine aura.
"Yun Che, let me tell you a story. A story... that even Caili has never heard."
Yun Che walked behind him: "Junior listens with respect."
Hua Fuchen raised his head and closed his eyes. He let out a long breath and began his tale:
"Long ago, when I was still young, I was like you—fearing neither heaven nor earth, and even more unrestrained and arrogant than you."
"At that time, two Divine Successors emerged in our Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom: one was me, the other was Caili's aunt, Qingying."
"In terms of aptitude and cultivation, Qingying surpassed me, and even her divine rank was one point higher than mine. According to the inheritance rules of the divine kingdom throughout history, Qingying should have become the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden."
"But Qingying was born a sword fanatic, her heart entirely devoted to the sword, utterly uninterested in matters beyond the sword, and she was extremely repulsed by the four words 'ruling the divine kingdom.' Moreover, the former Divine Venerable was inherently biased toward males over females, believing that if a woman succeeded to the throne of Divine Venerable, the bloodline inheritance of Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom would lose its orthodoxy."
Yun Che noticed that Hua Fuchen also referred to him as "the former Divine Venerable," not as "Father God."
"Combined with Qingying's disposition, the former Divine Venerable had from the very beginning hoped for me to inherit the position of Divine Venerable. But Qingying's divine rank, talent, and cultivation all surpassed mine. If I alone were appointed Divine Son, it would inevitably invite criticism. To silence the multitudes, he established both a 'Divine Son' and a 'Divine Maiden' at the same time."
"The former Divine Venerable repeatedly hinted to me, and Qingying repeatedly made it clear to me that she would never succeed as Divine Venerable. Thus, I tacitly accepted the matter of inheritance. Until I met... Caili's mother."
Hua Fuchen's voice paused.
Yun Che could clearly feel that this man, possessing the power of a true god, was silently regulating his breathing.
"Her name was Qu Wanxin. Her background was very similar to yours... no, even inferior to yours. Both her parents had died, the clan of her birth had been destroyed, and she bore an indelible Crime Mark on her body... All because her clan had inadvertently offended some great power and committed what they called an unforgivable sin."
"I met her in an ordinary place, and before I knew it, I was deeply drawn to her, to the point where my soul and dreams were bound to her. Her unruliness, her unyieldingness... everything about her..."
He did not continue recounting their bond. Perhaps he could no longer recall it peacefully.
"At that time, I was unrestrained and willful, acting as I pleased. I only thought it was a fortunate thing in life and never considered it a mistake. Soon, this matter came to the attention of the former Divine Venerable..."