Chapter 2124: Wu Yi's Resolve
A Divine Venerable of such strength could crush all lives beneath their palm like ants. Yet matching that power was their supreme dignity, status, and honor—they would never deign to casually strike at the weak, nor would they tarnish their divine name for the sake of a mere weakling.
But if that Divine Venerable was a madman...
The warning echoed in his ears. Alone as he was, Yun Che naturally had no intention of courting trouble. He halted his steps and even carefully restrained his aura.
Even just this soul-shaking aura, so different from that of other divine kingdoms, was enough to reveal its notorious reputation.
He only breathed a slight sigh when they had gone far away, vanishing completely from his sight, before continuing on his original path.
When members of the other five divine kingdoms set foot in the Pure Land, they were generally half awed and half excited.
But the atmosphere of the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom was completely different.
All one hundred of them stood with perfect posture, their aura tightly sealed. Even those among them visiting the Pure Land for the first time kept their eyes straight ahead, showing none of the excitement and curiosity naturally exhibited by cultivators from other lands.
Even the pace of their steps carried a puzzling lightness and caution, as if one wrong step would plunge them into an abyss of endless calamity.
An extreme stillness and oppression hung over them, making it almost impossible to breathe. Even the Pure Land's gentle breeze could not dispel it.
At the center of their formation was a palanquin—a type that had long disappeared from other divine kingdoms and only occasionally existed in the lower kingdoms of backward lands.
The pitch-black curtains hanging down on all sides completely concealed the figure within the palanquin, but could not block the chilling divine pressure that made souls tremble.
Even if one lifted the palanquin's curtains, they would still see a face-covering black veil.
Wu Ming Shen Zun—Shen Wu Yan Ye—had not shown her true face to anyone for far too many years.
And no one would dare to probe the true appearance of the Divine Venerable beneath that black veil.
Sha Xing and Pan Bu Wang looked on from afar, unconsciously holding their breath. If it had been any other divine kingdom's Divine Venerable they encountered, as the Star God Son, Sha Xing would have taken the initiative to pay his respects.
But the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom was one he kept far away from. The instructions he had received as the Star God Son were also to avoid approaching it.
Only after the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom's party had gone did Sha Xing turn his head. His gaze lingered on Pan Bu Wang for a long time before he spoke with deep meaning: "Brother Bu Wang's growth over these years is truly astonishing."
Just now, upon hearing the name "Eternal Night Divine Kingdom," the killing intent he released was so strong it was startling. But now, as they drew near, his expression was indifferent and calm. The hatred and killing intent that were clearly etched into his very bones did not leak out in the slightest.
Pan Bu Wang's gaze followed the direction the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom was heading. He said calmly, "Intent is not forgotten; hatred is not forgotten."
Sha Xing stared at him for another long moment, then exhaled slightly. "Brother Bu Wang, to be honest, now that you are no longer a Divine Son, I find you somewhat hard to read. I was initially quite looking forward to your purpose in coming to the Pure Land 'by any means necessary' this time. Now, I am instead a bit worried."
Pan Bu Wang withdrew his gaze. "I never expected that after being stripped of my title as Divine Son, there would still be one person in this world who would genuinely worry about me."
It was hard to discern the emotion in these words... whether it was lamenting sorrow or counting blessings.
Sha Xing smiled sincerely. "We are friends. It has nothing to do with status."
"Mm. Friends."
Pan Bu Wang also smiled, and his gaze naturally shifted away.
Only, at this moment, Sha Xing could not understand the profound complexity hidden within that smile.
"That woman beside Wu Ming Shen Zun's palanquin should be the somewhat mysterious new Eternal Night Divine Maiden, Shen Wu Yi. Unfortunately, she was too far away, and also veiled in black, so I couldn't catch a glimpse of her true face."
"But then again, the time for the audience with Emperor Yuan is near. This new Divine Maiden, whom Wu Ming Shen Zun has deliberately hidden for years, will soon reveal her true form. That is rather anticipated."
The appearance of Shen Wu Yi had been accompanied by the demise of Shen Wu Qing.
Having said this, Sha Xing expected Pan Bu Wang's emotions to surge violently.
But to his surprise, from expression to aura, Pan Bu Wang was as still and calm as dead water.
Sha Xing frowned slightly... What exactly had Pan Bu Wang experienced in the three years since leaving the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom and hiding himself in the Mist Sea? His state of mind had changed so drastically.
*'To truly break free from the heart's abyss, one must face it directly. My desire to go to the Pure Land this time is precisely because of the Mist Emperor's words.'*
Recalling what Pan Bu Wang had said, Sha Xing's curiosity, anticipation, worry, and unease all quietly grew.
The pitch-black palanquin stopped. The hundred attendants also stood in perfect order, not making a single sound.
"Wu Yi."
A hoarse, grating voice came from the palanquin, scraping at everyone's eardrums and souls.
Shen Wu Yi stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "I await Mother Goddess's instructions."
"Now, beneath your feet is the Pure Land. Tell me again: what is your purpose in coming to the Pure Land this time?"
Shen Wu Yi raised her eyes, half of her jade-like face concealed, and spoke with unwavering resolve: "To trample all Divine Sons underfoot!"
This was the first Pure Land gathering after successfully opening the Abyss passage. Its significance was surely extraordinary, likely directly determining the direction of the Abyss Realm's next fate and serving as the prelude to reaching the legendary "Eternal Pure Land."
All divine kingdoms harbored the same hopes... except for the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom.
Because Shen Wu Yan Ye was a Divine Venerable who absolutely could not be judged or anticipated by the standards of "Divine Venerable." In the eyes of other Divine Venerables, she was more like a complete madwoman who had lost her mind and integrity.
Wu Ming Shen Zun's soul-shaking voice sounded again: "Since I renamed the kingdom to Eternal Night, my Eternal Night Divine Kingdom has existed in isolation from the other five divine kingdoms. They call me Wu Ming Shen Zun, but in truth they despise me, mock me, laugh at me as insane and deranged, and shun me like a venomous snake. The men of this world, even Divine Venerables and Divine Sons—their flesh, their tongues, their souls—all are filthy, foul, hypocritical, and base to the point of nausea!"
Her voice grew even hoarser, even more heart-wrenching.
"Wu Yi, I have raised you for twenty years at the cost of every resource and price, all for this day!"
"At today's Pure Land gathering, you will tear apart the faces of all those Divine Sons in this so-called supreme land, completely shatter their dignity, and make those arrogant, filthy fools who look down on my Eternal Night Divine Kingdom properly adjust their expressions and see their own baseness!"
What she wanted was not defeat, but utter crushing, trampling, and humiliation.
If anyone from another country heard these words, they would be filled with endless shock and soul-chilling fear.
But Shen Wu Yi was long accustomed to it. Her expression was emotionless, her voice carrying flawless resolve and unwavering calm: "Pan Bu Zhuo of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom, Meng Jian Xi of the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom, Sha Xing and Sha Xingyue of the Star Moon Divine Kingdom, Dian Jiu Zhi of the Senluo Divine Kingdom... Wu Yi will trample them all!"
"After today, there will be no more 'First Divine Son' in this world! Only the name 'Wu Yi,' bestowed by Mother Goddess, will reign supreme above all Divine Sons!"
From within the palanquin came a bone-chilling, icy divine voice, like it came from the depths of hell: "I do not tolerate failure."
Shen Wu Yi lowered her head and said softly: "Wu Yi is even less tolerant of failure than Mother Goddess."
"Very good."
These two hoarse, low words were the highest praise Wu Ming Shen Zun could give.
In front of the palanquin, Shen Wu You Luan and Shen Wu Ming Que exchanged a glance, then quickly concealed the unease and worry at the bottom of their eyes. But for a long time, they did not dare to look toward Shen Wu Yi.
When will the eternal night that shrouds the divine kingdom finally see the dawn...
...
Dian Jiu Zhi sat cross-legged, eyes closed, with no energy swirling around him. His expression was serene and waveless... except for the occasional twitch at the corner of his brow, revealing that his inner state was far from as calm as his surface.
A silver barrier isolated everything in this place, with only Dian San Si guarding at his side. But he was far less quiet than Dian Jiu Zhi, pacing back and forth incessantly. His features would sometimes convulse, sometimes forcibly calm, while an increasingly uncontrollable irritation grew in his brows.
A cry of "Divine Venerable" sounded outside the barrier. Dian San Si's steps halted, a chaotic shift in his eyes, then he gritted his teeth and charged toward the outside of the barrier.
A suddenly outstretched hand firmly locked onto his wrist. Behind him came Dian Jiu Zhi's voice: "Are you going to ignore my warning and tell Father God about this!?"
Dian San Si turned around, his pupils wide, his voice trembling slightly: "Brother Jiu Zhi, you are the First Divine Son of the Six Divine Kingdoms, the future Divine Venerable of my Senluo Divine Kingdom, and the person I have admired and respected most in my life... How can you endure such a monumental disgrace!"
Dian Jiu Zhi remained calm, his voice waveless: "This is my choice. And you just promised me..."
"I don't understand!" Dian San Si rarely interrupted Dian Jiu Zhi, his eyes slightly reddening: "Your engagement to the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden was brokered by Father God and Hua Xin Shen Zun, with the personal approval of Emperor Yuan. Who does she, the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden, think she is... And what kind of thing is Meng Jian Yuan!? How dare... how dare..."
His chest heaved, and the more he spoke, the angrier he became: "Right is on our side, wrong is on theirs. They dared to commit such a shameful act. Why must Brother Jiu Zhi—why must we—be the ones to endure!"
"San Si!"
Dian Jiu Zhi gave a soft shout, his profound sound entering the soul, dispersing most of the turmoil in Dian San Si's eyes.
He sighed lightly. Even though he was bearing heart-piercing pain and soul-crushing humiliation, his voice was as gentle as a trickling stream: "Do you still remember why Father God gave you the name 'San Si'?"
Dian San Si's gaze steadied, and his voice finally weakened: "How could I forget. Since childhood, I was gifted with extraordinary talent, but accompanied by arrogance and pride, prone to acting on impulse, causing countless troubles great and small. So Father God changed my name to 'San Si,' allowing me to act boldly in small matters but to think thrice and control myself in major affairs."
"Very good." Dian Jiu Zhi nodded lightly. "Now, think carefully: if you expose this matter, what consequences will it bring?"
"...?" Dian San Si's thoughts were still chaotic, unable to answer immediately.
Dian Jiu Zhi continued: "Let me tell you. Among the six divine kingdoms, my Senluo has the best relations with Zhe Tian and Weaving Dream. This bond between kingdoms originates from the friendship forged in childhood between Father God, Hua Xin Shen Zun, and Wu Meng Shen Zun. That friendship has not been worn away by time or their respective titles as Divine Venerables. It remains unbreakable."
"Supported by this bond of Divine Venerables, if one kingdom ever faces disaster, the other two will surely come to its aid with full strength. This is an invisible blessing that the other three divine kingdoms can only envy."
"But..." Dian Jiu Zhi's voice grew heavy, but his gaze also shifted slightly away: "If this matter is exposed today, especially here in the Pure Land where all six divine kingdoms gather, the precious and solid friendship between the three divine kingdoms will be severed overnight. The mutual support between the three kingdoms will collapse utterly... and it will be a complete collapse."
"Furthermore, it will become a laughingstock that will be passed down for who knows how many years."
Dian San Si's lips trembled, his mind buzzing. He knew every word Dian Jiu Zhi said was absolutely correct, but he still gritted his teeth and retorted: "What about the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden and Meng Jian Yuan? Why do they dare... why..."
Dian Jiu Zhi raised his hand and gently patted Dian San Si's shoulder: "Meng Jian Yuan is only one hundred and twenty years old and just returned to the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom. Cai Li... her true age of experience is less than sixty years. They are ultimately too young, too inexperienced in life, and their understanding of the word 'divine kingdom' only scratches the surface. So their lack of understanding leads them to make mistakes."
"But they can make mistakes; I cannot..."
"Brother Jiu Zhi!"
Dian San Si interrupted him again. He looked up and stared at Dian Jiu Zhi's seemingly calm face: "If your forbearance is truly for the sake of the divine kingdom's greater picture, if what you say is what you truly think in your heart, then when you say these things, why don't you dare to look me in the eyes!"
Dian Jiu Zhi's lips moved, but no sound came out.
Dian San Si said: "I am over one hundred and eighty years old now. I am no longer the ignorant child who needed Brother Jiu Zhi's guidance in everything. On the contrary, my gaze and steps have never stopped following Brother Jiu Zhi my entire life. So I understand you better than most."
"You... are actually protecting the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden, aren't you?"
His speech was slow, and although it was phrased as a question, every word was resolute and undeniable.
Dian Jiu Zhi shook his head instinctively. He opened his mouth, but faced with Dian San Si's gaze that was more pained than angry, the words he was about to speak got stuck in his throat. Then they turned into a faint smile: "San Si, before I knew it, you have grown up."
This smile carried a bitterness he no longer concealed.
Dian Jiu Zhi's words were undoubtedly an admission. But Dian San Si's heart did not relax at all because of this; instead, it clenched even tighter. His hands unconsciously balled into fists.
He looked up into the sky, his vision blurring without him realizing it, and whispered: "She... can hurt me a thousand times, ten thousand times, but I... will never, absolutely cannot... never hurt her even once."
Dian San Si also looked up, filled with confusion and incomprehension: "I don't understand."
"You have not yet met your 'Zhe Tian Divine Maiden,' so of course you don't understand." Dian Jiu Zhi's voice became as hazy as his gaze: "Do you still remember the words I said to you in front of the Lingxian Divine Residence?"
After a brief daze, Dian San Si nodded: "I remember. Brother Jiu Zhi said: 'Being admired by others is not luck; finding someone to whom you are willing to give everything is the greatest fortune of a lifetime.'"
Dian Jiu Zhi turned his gaze back, letting Dian San Si see the firmness deep in his eyes: "Every word of that was sincere. Even now, even if she hurts me ten times more, there is not the slightest pretense. Because to me, she is not just the one I admire, but the one who has engraved her name on my heart, the one who redeemed me, the one who bestowed grace upon me."
"Without her, it would have been absolutely impossible for me to stand high with this glory as I do now. I might have already died in some puddle of mud that no one would deign to look at."
"So... San Si, set aside the greater picture of the divine kingdom. For my sake, for the sake of this unworthy elder brother of yours, temporarily forget this matter. Wait until we leave the Pure Land to handle it slowly, okay?"
For the first time, Dian Jiu Zhi cast a pleading gaze toward Dian San Si.
Dian San Si hurriedly averted his eyes. He could not bear such a gaze, nor could he speak words of refusal under it.
They both knew too well the temperament of Dian Luo Hou. His nature was as violent as fire, and he valued loyalty and faith above all else in life. If he learned of this matter, even with the Pure Land beneath his feet, his rage would surely scorch the heavens.
"I... understand."
Dian San Si's voice carried pain—not because it was difficult to agree, but because he felt deep sorrow for Dian Jiu Zhi.
Everyone had a soft spot, but Dian Jiu Zhi's soft spot seemed to have taken root deep in his lifeblood and the depths of his soul.
"Let me give you another reason." He patted Dian San Si's shoulder again, his voice turning gentle: "Although I am called the First Divine Son of the Six Divine Kingdoms by the world, in truth, everyone knows that this title of mine is mainly because I have the strongest Senluo Divine Kingdom behind me, and my Father God is the First Divine Venerable of the Six Divine Kingdoms."
"And my so-called highest cultivation is nothing but an accumulation of age. When it comes to talent... not to mention Cai Li and Meng Jian Yuan, who possess perfect divine ranks, within our own kingdom, you surpass me at the same age by far too much."
Dian San Si's heart trembled, and he quickly said: "Brother Jiu Zhi must not say that! You possess the unmatched Great Desolate God Meridian in this world. It's just that your start was slightly later..."
"This is the truth. No need to argue for me." Dian Jiu Zhi smiled. "So all these years, in order to live up to the name 'First Divine Son,' I have never dared to slack off even a little, nor can I bear any external injury... including reputation, including dignity."
"I understand." The same three words left his mouth, much smoother than before.
He gritted his teeth, took a heavy breath, and let his eyes gather enough determination: "Brother Jiu Zhi, I swear to you, before leaving the Pure Land—no! Before I receive your permission, I will absolutely not tell anyone about today's matter, including Father God. If I break this oath..."
"San Si, thank you." Dian Jiu Zhi smiled, his voice grateful. "Having you as a younger brother is another great fortune in my life."
At that moment, an unexpected voice came from outside:
"Yun Che of the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom specially comes to pay respects to Divine Venerable Jue Luo and the Senluo Divine Son. If I am disturbing you, please forgive me."
The voice was gentle and refined, like a breeze brushing the ear, but it struck Dian Jiu Zhi and Dian San Si like thunder, freezing them both in place.