# Chapter 2118: Shattered (Part 2)
The Pure Land was vast and empty, pure and tranquil, as if it would never know dust or filth. It was like a separate, independent world completely cut off from the Abyss Realm.
Anyone who came here would surely be cautious and trembling, but Hua Caili was clearly an exception. She smiled brightly, her posture graceful, and was extremely familiar with every place here. Even most of the Abyss Knights and Pure Land Divine Guards she encountered could directly call out their names and titles.
When the Abyss Knights and Pure Land Divine Guards saw her, they all respectfully greeted her, and some even showed smiles, with no intention of stopping or questioning her.
Passing through an open area, the world before them suddenly became colorful. A myriad of trees and flowers entered their view, as if they had encountered a fairyland within a fairyland.
The elemental aura of the Pure Land was already extremely rich, and here it was several times richer, mainly dominated by fire, thunder, and wind… At the same time, there was also an unusual and somewhat out-of-place cold aura.
Among the myriad trees were several small huts, like the secluded dwellings of people living apart from the world.
Unfortunately, there were no birds, beasts, or insects that should have been there.
"Here… could this be the dwelling place of the Lingxian Divine Official?" Yun Che asked, looking ahead.
Hua Caili was surprised. "Brother Yun is amazing. This is clearly your first time in the Pure Land, yet you guessed it in one go."
Just then, the space ahead rippled like waves, and a woman's figure emerged from the flowers and trees, smiling at them. "Little Caili has come."
The woman wore a plain white robe, sparsely adorned with a few pale pink winter plum blossoms. Her skin was fair, her age difficult to discern, and her long hair was tied up with nothing more than a simple band. Her gaze was gentle and calm, with a faint smile on her lips, like a pure-hearted recluse who had long lived in the mountains and fields, indifferent to worldly affairs.
If one were to ignore her terrifying and unparalleled spiritual pressure…
"Aunt Sushang!"
Hua Caili called out warmly and quickly stepped forward to meet her. As she approached, she sensed the presence of that cold aura, and her eyes narrowed. "This cold aura… has Granny Lingxian again…"
"Yes." The woman nodded gently. "My master knew you would be coming in these days and was always talking about you, but unfortunately, her 'old ailment' suddenly flared up."
At this point, her gaze turned to Yun Che. "And this is?"
Yun Che stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "Yun Che of the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom greets Senior Sushang."
The four words "Aunt Sushang" that Hua Caili had called out could not help but cause his heart to stir violently.
Because this was the name of the close divine attendant of the Lingxian Divine Official, one of the four strongest Divine Guards under the Abyss God in the Pure Land!
With such a plain dress and elegant appearance, no one who saw her would ever imagine she was such a terrifying existence.
"Yun Che?" Sushang Divine Attendant showed slight surprise, then understood. "So you are the former divine son of the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom, Meng Jian Yuan, who was found. Indeed, as the rumors say, you are impressive-looking and handsome. Setting aside your perfect divine rank like Caili, just in appearance alone, you already surpass Meng Jianxi by a great deal."
Her words were extremely direct and straightforward, even though they involved the divine son of a divine kingdom.
Yun Che showed no reaction. "Senior flatters me. This junior has come hoping that through Divine Maiden Caili's introduction, I might have the honor of witnessing the divine presence of the Lingxian Divine Official."
Sushang remained faintly smiling. "Lord Yuan will not be able to fulfill his wish this time. My master is not convenient to receive guests at the moment."
"That's fine, that's fine," Hua Caili quickly said. "Then we won't disturb her. We'll come to visit Granny Lingxian another time."
But Yun Che did not move. Instead, he took out a small jade box. "If so… this is a greeting gift I specially prepared for the Lingxian Divine Official before coming to the Pure Land. May I trouble Senior Sushang to accept it on her behalf?"
"Eh?" Hua Caili showed surprise, not expecting Yun Che to have prepared a gift.
"There's no need." Sushang said indifferently. "My master does not touch worldly affairs or follow worldly customs. I will naturally convey Lord Yuan's intentions to my master."
But Hua Caili reached out, took the jade box from Yun Che's hand, and directly stuffed it into Sushang Divine Attendant's hands, saying playfully, "Aunt Sushang, this is a gift that Brother Yun specially prepared for Granny Lingxian. He must have put a lot of thought into it. Granny Lingxian is so gentle; she definitely wouldn't have the heart to refuse. You accept it for Granny Lingxian, okay?"
"…" Looking at the jade box she was forced to accept, Sushang shook her head with a smile that was half helpless, half doting. "Alright, I'll accept it on my master's behalf. Caili, if you have free time, you can take Lord Yuan to look around near the Lingxian Caiyun Realm, but remember not to get too close to here."
"No, that would be bad if it disturbed Granny Lingxian." Hua Caili gracefully curtsied. "Aunt Sushang, then we won't disturb you. After we see Uncle Yuan Huang, we'll come visit Granny Lingxian again."
Yun Che and Hua Caili left. Watching their receding figures, recalling Hua Caili's words and her clearly unusual expression, Sushang Divine Attendant seemed thoughtful.
She picked up the jade box in her hand and casually opened it.
A spiritual aura overflowed. Her faint expression suddenly froze, and the jade box in her fingers was lifted to her eyes. Immediately, a deep red light reflected into her pupils, which rapidly dilated due to excessive excitement and disbelief.
"This… this is…"
She quickly turned around and directly burst through the icy barrier she had been guarding…
***
"I heard from Dreamless Divine Venerable that the Lingxian Divine Official has a special innate constitution and often suffers from elemental erosion. When Sushang Divine Attendant just now said her 'old ailment flared up'… could it be referring to elemental erosion?"
"Mm." Hua Caili nodded, a clear worry in her expression. "And, the frequency of Granny Lingxian's… episodes seems to be getting higher. The last time it happened was a little over four years ago, just as I was leaving the Pure Land."
She turned back, her beautiful eyes carrying concern as she glanced behind, and said softly, "I've seen what it's like when Granny Lingxian's calamity strikes. It's really terrifying. Even such a powerful Granny Lingxian shows such a pained expression."
"She once said something to me. She said… a long life is the desire of countless beings, but it is a great torment for her."
"But, she can't die, because there is someone who needs her."
Yun Che: "…"
Hua Caili lightly sighed. "Unless there is something absolutely necessary, Granny Lingxian almost never leaves the Pure Land. She even said that in the eyes of the world, she is a noble and powerful divine official, but in truth, she is nothing more than a sick and tormented caged bird."
"Such a gentle, such a good Granny Lingxian, yet she has always suffered so much."
Yun Che pondered and said, "She can't easily leave the Pure Land because… is her nature that of a beast?"
Abyss dust erosion was far more severe on beast tribes than on humans. The Lingxian Divine Official was a descendant of the Vermilion Bird, belonging to the beast tribe, so naturally she was extremely afraid of Abyss dust.
"Eh?" Hua Caili showed surprise. "Brother Yun, you already know? However…"
She moved closer to Yun Che and lowered her voice, "You must never speak of this outside, especially in front of Granny Lingxian. She actually minds it very much."
"Oh? Why?" Yun Che was puzzled.
As the descendant of an ancient divine beast clan, she should have pride in her origin engraved in her bones. As a Pure Land divine official, existing above all beings under the Abyss God, she should naturally look down on all worlds. Why would she care about her race?
Unless…
Hua Caili looked around, hesitated for a moment, but still didn't speak. Instead, she said softly, "After we leave the Pure Land, I'll secretly tell you."
"I see… alright."
At this moment, Yun Che suddenly stopped.
Hua Caili also stopped, looking at him in confusion. But Yun Che suddenly moved forward, closing the distance they had deliberately kept, close enough to clearly feel each other's warm breath.
"Brother Yun…" Hua Caili's breathing became chaotic, but she didn't rationally step back.
Yun Che lowered his gaze, his warm eyes falling into her beautiful eyes. "Everything else can wait until we leave the Pure Land. But there's a gift I've prepared for three years, and I really want… I can't wait to give it to you."
"What… is it?" At such close distance, with the eyes and voice meant only for her, it was undoubtedly stirring the emotions and longing Hua Caili had suppressed for three years, making her heart race and her mind more chaotic, gradually losing her clarity.
"You… close your eyes first." Yun Che looked mysterious, with just the right amount of nervousness.
Hua Caili closed her eyes as instructed, her snowy face full of anticipation.
"Mm… still not right. Close your spiritual sense completely too. Don't secretly perceive anything." The mystery and nervousness in Yun Che's voice increased a few notches.
"I'm not doing that." She pouted slightly, but obediently withdrew all her spiritual sense, tilting her face up. "Is this okay now?"
Mystery would breed greater anticipation. Even if she hadn't withdrawn her spiritual sense, Hua Caili could basically only perceive her own wildly beating heart and Yun Che's presence, with no mind for anything else.
She felt Yun Che's presence getting closer and closer, warmth spreading from her forehead across her cheek, then gently touching her lips.
She quietly opened her eyes, looking at Yun Che, who was right in front of her with a teasing expression.
"Did you receive it?" Yun Che tilted his lips with a smug smile. "The longing I've accumulated for three whole years."
The girl's beautiful eyes fully opened, but showed no disappointment or anger. Instead, she suddenly stepped forward, her arms firmly wrapping around Yun Che's neck, and kissed him back heavily, even gently biting his lower lip with her snow-white jade teeth, not letting him easily break free.
After a long while, she released her jade teeth, her cheeks flushed like sunset clouds, but she said defiantly, "See, my longing is clearly more."
The girl was immersed in a too-beautiful world, completely unaware that in the distance of the Pure Land, two blurry figures had walked over.
"Ninth Brother, you didn't go to visit the Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom, but came directly here. Are you so sure that Divine Maiden Caili must be here?"
Dian Sansi said, looking around the Pure Land world with great interest.
He was the most outstanding imperial prince of the younger generation of the Senluo Divine Kingdom besides Dian Jiuzhi. Not yet three Jiazi old, he was already at the third level of the Divine Annihilation Realm, even surpassing the Dian Jiuzhi of those days. Moreover, his Senluo Myriad Phenomena Art had already achieved initial success.
He was still young and had not experienced Dian Jiuzhi's most unbearable past. He was extremely respectful and admiring of him.
Dian Jiuzhi smiled, clearly in a good mood. "Every time Caili comes to the Pure Land, she will first go to visit the Lingxian Divine Official. This time should be no exception."
Dian Sansi sighed. "Although Ninth Brother and Divine Maiden Caili are often apart, he knows everything about her thoroughly. Divine Maiden Caili is truly fortunate to have Ninth Brother's sincere feelings."
"No, you've got it backward." Dian Jiuzhi shook his head with a smile. "The fortunate one has always been me. Without Caili, there would be no me today. Moreover… being admired by someone is not fortune. Finding someone you are willing to give everything for is the greatest fortune in life."
"Mm!" Dian Sansi nodded. "Ninth Brother, I've memorized all your words. But I don't think there could be a woman in this world who would make me willing to treat her the way Ninth Brother treats Divine Maiden Caili."
"Hahaha!" Dian Jiuzhi laughed loudly. "You are still young. At your age, I also would never have believed that such a person exists in the world."
Dian Sansi looked expectant. "Although I have never had the honor of meeting Divine Maiden Caili in person, I have seen her portraits and projections countless times at Ninth Brother's place. She is truly peerlessly elegant. I wonder what the real Divine Maiden Caili…"
"Portraits and projections cannot capture even one ten-thousandth of Caili's elegance." Dian Jiuzhi interrupted with a smile. "When you see her, you will truly understand what… it… means… to… be… en… chan…"
His voice suddenly slowed down until it got stuck in his throat, and his steps weakly stopped there.
Dian Sansi also stopped, about to ask, when he suddenly saw two figures ahead.
They were embracing, lost in each other as if driven by passion, completely disregarding that this was the supreme Pure Land.
The man was handsome and ethereal; just in appearance, he was even several degrees better than Dian Jiuzhi. And the woman… her appearance and grace made even this Pure Land paradise a mere backdrop to her divine beauty.
Her beautiful eyes were fixed on the man before her, as if the whole world only had his figure, unable to contain anything else.
Dian Sansi's eyes widened, his heart full of shock. Because the woman's appearance and features were clearly… it was…
No, absolutely impossible!
He quickly looked at Dian Jiuzhi, only to find his face was horrifyingly pale.
His hands were trembling, his whole body trembling violently. His eyes, which had been full of tender light just moments ago, now trembled as if about to shatter, and his rapidly dilating pupils almost filled his entire eyeballs.
"Ninth… Ninth Brother?" Dian Sansi's throat suddenly felt dry.
This low call seemed to pull Dian Jiuzhi out of a suddenly fallen nightmare. His gaze shifted little by little, then he closed his eyes… when he opened them, the painful trembling was still there, and even his tightly clenched hands could not suppress the trembling from the depths of his soul.
"Let's… go." He made a sound, but it was hoarse to the point of harshness. The gaze he forcefully pulled back no longer dared to look in that direction again.
"Ninth Brother!" Dian Sansi stepped forward and grabbed his trembling arm. "That person… could she… could she really be…"
"… Go!" Dian Jiuzhi's voice was even more hoarse, but still very soft, afraid of disturbing the figures in the distance… even though his heart and soul were already aching to the point of breaking.
At this point, even if Dian Sansi wanted to deceive himself, he could no longer. His brows furrowed, and anger surged. "This is outrageous… this is outrageous! Ninth Brother has been so deeply devoted to her, and the Yuan Huang himself personally bestowed the marriage contract, yet she dares… she dares to treat Ninth Brother like this!"
"No! I must—"
A hand pressed on his shoulder, forcefully suppressing his anger and overflowing aura.
"Are you going to disobey me!?"
His voice and expression were terrifyingly unfamiliar to Dian Sansi.
"Forget what you just saw. Don't tell anyone… especially Father God, do you hear me!"
Dian Sansi stared fixedly at his features, which, though he tried hard to control, were still constantly distorting. After a long while, he nodded woodenly. "I hear you… Ninth Brother, rest assured, I won't tell anyone."
Dian Jiuzhi's chest heaved, and he let out a long trembling breath. Then he pulled Dian Sansi, suppressing his aura, and silently moved away.
His steps had never been as heavy as at this moment… even when he was deep in the mire back then.
Only after they had gone far did Yun Che gently release Hua Caili, whom he still held in his arms.
His eyes flickered for a moment to where Dian Jiuzhi had appeared, and a gentle smile remained on his lips.
"Caili, what would happen if someone from the Pure Land saw us just now?"
"Hmph, you still say that."
Hua Caili's jade finger drew several circles in Yun Che's palm before reluctantly letting go, then stepped back three paces. "Granny Lingxian's fairyland is the quietest and most elegant. There are no divine guards stationed there, so there's no fear of being seen. But, it's best not to mess around elsewhere. Otherwise, I'm afraid it might really disrupt Father God and Dreamless Divine Venerable's arrangements."
"Mm, I understand." Yun Che immediately put on a serious expression. "I promise to stay at least three steps away from you."
"Come, let me take you to another place. That person will definitely like you very much."
Thinking of something, Hua Caili's lips curled slightly, and she let out a mysterious, soft laugh.