Chapter 2090: Divergent Path
After another unhurried half-hour of wandering, Yun Che changed direction and headed toward Chenmeng Valley.
Although Chenmeng Valley was named a "valley," it was actually situated within a massive hall. From the outside, the hall appeared only a few miles wide, but inside it contained a space spanning a hundred miles, filled with a misty haze that made it seem like an illusory realm.
As Yun Che approached, a disciple of Chenmeng Valley immediately came forward, his expression stiff as he said, "You are not one seeking to sink into dreams, please stay away from this place."
Those who wished to enter Chenmeng Valley either had gloomy expressions or were mentally agitated. Someone like Yun Che, at a glance, was clearly not someone seeking to sink into dreams.
Yun Che said calmly, "Please trouble you to inform Valley Master Naihe that Yun Che has come to visit."
"Yun Che?" The Chenmeng disciple furrowed his brow slightly, then his face suddenly changed: "Abyss... Abyss Divine Son!"
He quickly knelt on one knee: "I was blind and failed to recognize the arrival of the Abyss Divine Son. Please forgive me, Abyss Divine Son."
"Is Valley Master Naihe present?" Yun Che asked.
The Chenmeng disciple replied respectfully, "The Valley Master has just personally received a somewhat special guest and is currently in the valley. I will go and inform him immediately."
Without making Yun Che wait too long, soon the figure of Meng Naihe quickly emerged. His aged face had already broken into a smile from afar: "The Abyss Divine Son actually has leisure to come here—this old man is truly overjoyed."
With a perfect Divine Rank and a demeanor that exuded the aura of a ruler, Yun Che, though he had declined the title of Divine Son, was already seen as the future Dreamweaving Divine Venerable in his eyes.
The ceremony had not ended too long ago, and he was still in a state of uncalmed excitement. That Yun Che had taken the initiative to visit made this old man, who had seen much of life's vicissitudes, feel somewhat flattered.
Yun Che gave a slight bow, his tone humble: "This junior's visit today was unannounced and truly presumptuous. I hope I have not disturbed you."
Meng Naihe quickly stepped aside: "You must not do that; you must not. As the honored Abyss Divine Son, how could you bow to an old man like me who is half-buried in the ground? If the Abyss Divine Son has any instructions, please feel free to speak."
Yun Che did not waste any more words and said directly, "Then this junior will not stand on ceremony. Just now, did Pan Buwang, the former Divine Son of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom, enter Chenmeng Valley?"
"That's right." Thinking of Pan Buwang, Meng Naihe let out a sigh: "Ah, fate plays tricks. The former Divine Son, now with a heart dead as an abyss, utterly despairing. Sad and lamentable. Um... Did the Abyss Divine Son come because of Pan Buwang? Could it be that the Abyss Divine Son has some connection with Pan Buwang?"
Yun Che shook his head: "No connection. Has Pan Buwang already 'sunk into dreams'?"
Meng Naihe said with lingering sighs, "He was, after all, the former Divine Son of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom. I tried my best to persuade him for a long time, but his heart was like dead ashes, with no attachment left to the mortal world. He only begged to sink into eternal illusion. He even handed over all the Abyss Crystals and mystical artifacts on him at once, only asking that his dream sinking last as long as possible."
"So, I had no choice but to comply. He has already fallen into a deep sleep. I was just about to sink him into the dream when I heard the news of the Abyss Divine Son's arrival, so I temporarily set him aside and came in haste."
Yun Che seemed to breathe a sigh of relief: "That's good then. We nearly caused a disaster."
"A disaster?" Meng Naihe's expression turned alarmed: "What do you mean by that?"
"Valley Master Naihe," Yun Che's expression took on a hint of seriousness, "You have been the Valley Master for many years. You should know the history of Chenmeng Valley. Has any Divine Son or Divine Maiden ever sunk into dreams here?"
"Never." Meng Naihe answered without hesitation: "Those who can become Divine Sons or Divine Maidens are all dragons and phoenixes among men. Why would they need illusory dreams to escape the sorrows of the mortal world? Moreover, once one sinks into dreams, half their life is wasted. It is even more impossible for a Divine Son or Divine Maiden to come here."
He seemed to grasp some of Yun Che's meaning and immediately added, "Although Pan Buwang was once a Divine Son, he has now been deposed. Moreover, his current status in the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom is inferior to that of an ordinary Imperial Prince. And his experience..."
Meng Naihe shook his head and sighed again: "Sinking into dreams—at least it can be called a kind of beautiful release."
Yun Che frowned slightly: "Even if he has been deposed, he is still a Divine Successor with an eight-point Divine Rank. And... Valley Master Naihe, how do you know that he will not become the Xiaodie Divine Son again in the future?"
Meng Naihe was stunned: "Abyss Divine Son... what do you mean by that?"
"Valley Master Naihe, do you still remember how many points of Divine Rank Meng Jianyuan had back then?" Yun Che asked a question that everyone in the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom knew.
"Eight points." Meng Naihe answered with confusion.
"And now?" Yun Che asked again.
"Ten... points."
Yun Che's gaze tightened, giving Meng Naihe an inexplicable sense of invisible pressure: "Since Meng Jianyuan, who was born with an eight-point Divine Rank, could later awaken his Divine Rank, why can't Pan Buwang?"
"This..." Meng Naihe said, "A miracle like that of the Abyss Divine Son is something rarely seen even in a hundred thousand years. It is not so easy to reproduce."
"Exactly, rarely seen in a hundred thousand years, but not absolutely impossible." Yun Che's voice softened slightly: "So, what if? What if Pan Buwang, like me, later awakens his Divine Rank, and his overall talent surpasses that of the current Xiaodie Divine Son? Have you considered the consequences?"
"..." Meng Naihe's breath caught.
Yun Che continued: "Once one sinks into a dream, indulging in everything that reality cannot offer, they can no longer accept the cruel and hopeless real world. Both body and mind will be completely wasted. And if such a Pan Buwang later awakens his Divine Rank, but has become a useless wreck because of 'dream sinking,' then can you imagine how furious the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom would be? And upon whom would all the blame fall?"
Before Meng Naihe could respond, his words pressed on step by step: "Valley Master Naihe, are you certain that this 'what if' will never happen? Or... you could have refused, so why did you introduce such a potentially huge risk into Chenmeng Valley?"
Yun Che's final words completely annihilated any counter-arguments Meng Naihe was about to make, replacing them with cold sweat that poured down his back.
He took a deep breath, as if waking from a dream: "The Abyss Divine Son is absolutely right! Even if there is only a ten-thousandth chance of impossibility, if that 'what if' occurs, it will surely trigger a great disaster."
"Fortunately, the Abyss Divine Son arrived in time. The dream sinking has not yet begun. This old man will bring him out immediately."
"No." Yun Che stopped him, however. "Pan Buwang is already in Chenmeng Valley. You just said his heart is like a dead abyss, his hopes utterly dashed. If you wake him and tell him he cannot sink into dreams, it would be equivalent to cutting off his last shred of desire in this world."
"Valley Master Naihe, in your life you have seen many people whose hearts are dead. Among them, there must be no shortage of those who were refused dream sinking for various reasons. How many of them chose to commit suicide?"
Meng Naihe's expression changed slightly.
"Given Pan Buwang's current state, if you take away this last thread of hope from him, might he choose to end his own life? It's possible, right?" Yun Che looked at him and continued, "If that happens, the former Divine Son of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom committing suicide in the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom..."
Yun Che shook his head slightly: "This matter could be big or small. But whether big or small, it is directly related to Chenmeng Valley. This is also a risk that should not be taken."
Meng Naihe had already turned back the step he had taken. Now, facing Yun Che, his aged frame seemed to shrink a bit more: "Please enlighten me, Abyss Divine Son."
As the Valley Master of Chenmeng Valley, he had read countless people in his life. But truly, he had never before received a figure like a former Divine Son.
Because it was far too rare for a Divine Successor with sufficient Divine Rank to be born. Throughout history, basically each era saw only one such person appear. But in this era, multiple Divine Kingdoms had produced multiple Divine Sons or Divine Maidens in succession. This was undoubtedly a miracle of this age, and from it arose the saying that they were born to answer a calamity.
Thus, this situation was truly the first time Meng Naihe had encountered it. After Yun Che's repeated "reminders," he realized he had nearly laid a huge hidden danger with his own hands.
Yun Che pretended to be in thought for a moment, then asked, "You said he has already fallen asleep. Then, Valley Master Naihe, is there a way to guide his consciousness and make him obediently follow me?"
Meng Naihe quickly replied, "That's simple. Those who seek to sink into dreams will actively lower their soul defenses. In his current state of unconsciousness, it is very easy to implant suggestions. However, this action might be somewhat improper..."
"Exigencies of the situation permit it." Yun Che directly instructed, "Valley Master Naihe, have someone immediately prepare a small mystic ark, oriented toward the direction of the Mist Sea. At the same time, plant a suggestion in Pan Buwang to make him follow me within half an hour."
"I will personally escort him out of the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom, and I will ensure that many people witness this scene. That way, when Pan Buwang awakens elsewhere, he will realize that he was rejected by Chenmeng Valley. Whatever he chooses to do then will have nothing to do with Chenmeng Valley or my Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom."
Meng Naihe nodded heavily: "This indeed eliminates all possible risks. The Abyss Divine Son is only two Jiazi in age, yet his thoughts are so meticulous and far-reaching. This old man is deeply impressed. My Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom, with the Abyss Divine Son, will surely usher in an era of boundless glory."
Soon, a mystic ark was prepared. Yun Che stood upon it, with Pan Buwang beside him, his eyes unfocused.
"Shouyuan, stay in the Divine Son Palace and do not follow." Yun Che sent a voice transmission into the darkness.
Meng Shouyuan's voice soon came: "The Divine Venerable has strictly ordered that I must not leave the young master's side."
Yun Che narrowed his eyes slightly, his voice suddenly turning cold: "I do not need those who disobey orders by my side!"
After a long pause, Meng Shouyuan's voice came again: "Shouyuan will quietly await the young master's safe return."
"Rest assured, I'm just sending someone off. I'll be back soon."
The mystic ark started. Thus, within the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom, many people personally witnessed Yun Che escorting Pan Buwang, the former Divine Son of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom who had sought to enter Chenmeng Valley, out of the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom.
The mystic ark flew beyond the national borders, heading straight toward the direction of the Mist Sea.
Yun Che stood at the front of the mystic ark, his divine sense covering everything ahead.
"What... are you going to do?" Li Suo asked.
Yun Che half-closed his eyes: "Those with hearts as dead as ashes are the easiest to use... As long as you give them what they most need, they will spare nothing."
On this point, he was absolutely certain, because he had once been the same.
"Where are you taking him?" Li Suo asked again.
"Nowhere." Yun Che gave a faint smile: "Just a decoy."
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly grabbed Pan Buwang and plunged straight down into the endlessly desolate mountain terrain below, leaving only the mystic ark to continue flying in the predetermined direction until it ran out of energy and fell into the Mist Sea.
Bang!
The two hit the ground. Yun Che quickly took out the Kunlun Divine Stone. Red light flashed, and a profound formation was instantly completed. Yun Che had already disappeared from the spot with Pan Buwang.
Deep in the Mist Sea, Yun Che threw Pan Buwang to the ground. With a shift of his mind, the slumbering Abyss Qilin opened its eyes. A terrifyingly dominant aura directly covered the unconscious Pan Buwang, pressing him firmly to the ground, making it impossible for him to move even if he woke up.
Yun Che stepped back into the formation and teleported back to the previous location.
Putting away the Kunlun Divine Stone, Yun Che flew up and, at a leisurely pace, flew back to the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom.
Everyone saw Yun Che send Pan Buwang away on the mystic ark. He soon returned alone, clearly having seen him off from afar... In this way, whatever happened to Pan Buwang outside afterward would certainly have no connection to him, Yun Che.
Returning to the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom, Yun Che headed straight back to the Divine Son Palace. As he approached, the master of the First Dream Hall, Meng Kongdu, came face to face.
Beside him was a young man who, by appearance, seemed to be one of Meng Kongdu's sons.
Yun Che slowed his pace and greeted him: "Dream Master Du."
But Meng Kongdu's expression darkened. He glanced aside and let out a cold snort through his nose.
The young man behind him, however, had a conflicted expression but did not dare to speak, only able to nod slightly at Yun Che.
Yun Che showed no reaction to this. As they passed each other, he let out a low, cold sneer: "Idiot."
Meng Kongdu abruptly stopped and turned back, his voice deep: "Meng Jianyuan! What did you say?"
Yun Che also stopped and turned around. But compared to Meng Kongdu's full-blown anger, he had a faint smile on his lips: "It seems Dream Master Du is getting old, and his ears are almost failing. Since that's the case, let me make sure you hear clearly. I said..."
"Idiot!"
"Ha!" Meng Kongdu laughed in extreme anger, his voice cold: "Meng Jianyuan, do you think that just because you have the protection of Sword Immortal and a perfect Divine Rank, I dare not teach you a lesson?"
Rumble——
As his five fingers spread, a gale howled around them, and the space trembled terrifyingly.
"Ha, hahahaha!" Yun Che laughed coldly, then burst into unbridled mockery: "Since you know I have the protection of the Sword Immortal, you should also know that if my aunt wants to kill someone, she never cares about the other person's status! Since you know I have a perfect Divine Rank, you should know who will be supreme in this Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom in the future!"
"..." Meng Kongdu's body stiffened, and his momentum suddenly weakened.
Facing Meng Kongdu's extremely fearsome aura, Yun Che raised his head with disdain: "Anyone with a bit of brains should know to read the times. Even if you still don't want to leave Meng Jianxi's faction, you should at least know how to curry favor on both sides and leave yourself a way out. Unfortunately, there are always self-righteous fools in this world... Don't you agree, Dream Master Du?"
"You!!" Meng Kongdu's face twisted, but his momentum clearly weakened again and again.
A hand pressed on Meng Kongdu's arm. The young man hurried forward and bowed respectfully: "Abyss Divine Son, my father has always been stubborn in temperament and doesn't know how to adapt, but he has absolutely no intention of disrespecting the Abyss Divine Son. I ask the Abyss Divine Son to be magnanimous. Another day, I will surely come on behalf of my father to pay my respects and apologize to the Abyss Divine Son."
Meng Kongdu's mouth twitched, but he did not refute.
Yun Che gave the young man a deep look, then said nothing more and turned away.
His aura withdrew. Meng Kongdu let his arm fall and was momentarily lost in thought.
Back at the Divine Son Palace, Yun Che directly stepped into the training space.
Deep within the Mist Sea.
Pan Buwang struggled awake.
He didn't know how long he had been unconscious. As his consciousness revived, he felt as if ten thousand mountains were pressing down on him. He lifted his head with difficulty, and as far as his sight could reach, there was only thick darkness and an even thicker Abyss dust.
Where... is this...
Shouldn't I have... entered a dream...
Why is it still so painful... Why haven't I seen Wuqing yet...
"Finally awake, pitiful boy."
A voice, at once near and far, extraordinarily deep and cold, entered his ears.
Pan Buwang's sight shifted with difficulty. He saw a twisted gray mist, and above the mist, a pair of eyes like dark night light, constantly shifting.
"Who... are you?"
The one sunk into Chenmeng Valley should have been the most perfect beautiful dream. Why was this one like the darkest nightmare?
The twisted gray shadow gave him an answer: "I am the Mist Emperor, ruler of the Mist Sea."
"Mist... Emperor?" He murmured, then laughed mockingly: "Heh... heh heh... haha... ridiculous... to humiliate me with such ridiculous methods! I don't care who you are, if you have the guts... kill me!"
"Heh heh heh," the Mist Emperor laughed lightly, "A mere boneless crawling insect is not even worthy of my humiliation."
"Pan Buwang," the Mist Emperor called out his name, "A wretch like you has permanently stained the word 'Divine Son' with an eternal mark of shame."
"Hahahaha..." Pan Buwang continued to laugh bitterly, completely unfazed by how the other knew who he was: "That's right, I am a pitiful waste. I can't do anything... I wanted to protect my mother, but I watched her die horribly, with the murderer right in front of me, and I was powerless..."
"I promised Wuqing I would help her get rid of that madwoman, but... she died too... she died too... and I don't even have the qualification to avenge her... hahahaha... hahahahaha..."
He was laughing loudly, but tears were splashing wildly.
The Mist Emperor spoke: "So, what was Shen Wuqing's death like? Did you witness her death with your own eyes?"
Pan Buwang continued his bitter laughter: "No... I didn't even... get to see her one last time."
"That is to say, you did not witness her death with your own eyes..." The Mist Emperor's voice suddenly turned harsh: "Then on what basis do you believe she is dead!"
Pan Buwang's bitter laughter abruptly stopped, and then he suddenly burst into uncontrollable roars: "She... is dead! Shen Wuyanye killed her! Everyone knows she is dead!"
The Mist Emperor laughed coldly: "So, the person you claim to love dearly, you judge her dead based solely on the words of others? Instead of believing that she would cling to life for your sake, endure humiliation for your sake, fight for a chance to live for your sake... Or is she, like you, a waste who becomes utterly despairing at the first setback?!"
Pan Buwang's eyes suddenly twisted with fury: "She is not a waste! I forbid you to say that about her!"
"The one who thinks she is a waste is you!" The Mist Emperor's voice completely swallowed his roar: "You assumed she was dead out of thin air! You, who don't even have the courage to go to the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom and confirm it with your own eyes!"
"As pathetic as you are, how could you ever be worthy of the former Eternal Night Divine Maiden?"