Chapter 2143: Divine Maiden Showdown
"Your mind is already in turmoil..." Li Suo issued a reminder.
"Yeah." Yun Che did not deny it. "I can't stop myself from wondering what exactly happened to her during these years in the Abyss."
Li Suo let out a soft sigh. "I know far too little about her. But regarding the Crystal Maiden... as I said before, although she can condense crystal ice, she completely lacks the pure and clear aura that a Crystal Maiden should possess. At the very least, the Crystal Maiden I know would never have such an emotion as 'cold indifference'."
"But these anomalies are not something we can find answers to by probing right now. Moreover... you just had a moment of killing intent, and Meng Kongchan was right beside you. If everyone's attention hadn't been focused on Shen Wuyi and Shen Wuyanye, he would very likely have noticed... Since entering the Abyss, this is the first time you've made such a lapse."
"Don't worry," Yun Che said. "Even if I'm found out, I have many explanations to cover for it."
Having said that, he calmed his mind again, stopped trying to argue or make excuses, and admitted, "Alright, you're right. I really am a bit... unworthy today."
"It's not unworthiness. On the contrary, today you are more like Yun Che, rather than the 'Yun Emperor' you force yourself to remember countless times every day."
Li Suo's voice was still as soft as celestial clouds, completely unchanged from usual, but it made Yun Che pause briefly, then he shook his head and laughed.
"Your words are quite warming. They should be very useful for coaxing naive young girls. Unfortunately... given what I carry on my shoulders, indulging myself in this world would be an unforgivable sin. I will be more self-aware."
Li Suo was silent for a long moment before speaking again: "There is one more thing I need to remind you of. When you were staring at Shen Wuyi, Hua Caili was staring at you."
Yun Che's heart went *thump*... Damn it!
No matter how much Yun Che repeatedly woke himself and fortified his mental defenses, he was ultimately not a soulless abyssal beast. In this world, there were always things that could create gaps in his will... such as Xia Qingyue.
But fortunately, Hua Caili's nature was far too pure and simple. To Yun Che, she was the easiest type of person to deal with in the Abyss.
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if pondering something, then suddenly opened them. His gaze shifted—almost instinctively—toward where Hua Caili was, just as their eyes met.
A faint, hazy mist clouded Hua Caili's eyes, reflecting the chaotic and indescribable emotions and hesitation of a young maiden.
Yun Che blinked slightly, the corner of his mouth tilting up almost imperceptibly. Then he naturally moved his gaze away, looking toward Dian Jiuzhi's direction.
That fleeting glance and faint smile made the tangled currents swirling in Hua Caili's heart involuntarily scatter. Her beautiful eyes, which had been clouded by icy mist, melted away, returning to the flawless brilliance of stars.
Hua Qingying, who had been constantly sensing the changes in Hua Caili's emotions, turned her eyes and finally spoke softly: "The anomaly shown by Shen Wuyi is too astonishing. Even your father and I cannot help but be shaken by it. It's perfectly normal for Yun Che to focus his gaze on her. There's no need to be so sensitive and concerned."
Her thoughts unexpectedly exposed, Hua Caili's snow-white cheeks flushed slightly. She quickly retorted, "Wha... where? Brother Yun's feelings toward me... I know them best. I'm not concerned about anything. You're talking nonsense, Auntie."
"...It seems my perception was off."
"It is!"
"..."
Beside them, Hua Fuchen shook his head with a smile. The corner of his eye caught a glimpse of Dian Luohou, who was dispelling the cold from Dian Jiuzhi, and he sighed inwardly.
As the number one divine venerable of the Six Divine Kingdoms, Dian Luohou's Senluo power was extremely formidable. By now, the cold on Dian Jiuzhi had been completely driven away. Although his face was still slightly pale, he had barely regained the ability to move.
Given Dian Jiuzhi's cultivation level, it wouldn't take long for him to fully recover from the frostbite, but for now, he was still being carefully supported by Dian Sansi.
Just then, Dian Sansi suddenly felt a gaze pierce him like a needle. This gaze made no attempt to hide its aggression and didn't care at all—in fact, it seemed deliberately intended for him to notice.
As the second-best of the younger generation in Senluo Divine Kingdom, second only to Dian Jiuzhi, how could Dian Sansi tolerate such provocation? His eyes sharpened abruptly, tracing the source of the gaze, and clashed in midair with Yun Che's.
Yun Che squinted slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly. Then, with a very casual air, he looked away.
Dian Sansi's hands suddenly tightened... He clearly saw the mockery in Yun Che's eyes, and even more clearly saw the silent shape of Yun Che's lips forming words:
Worth... less...
Dian Jiuzhi was still weak from his injury. When Dian Sansi's clenched fingers tightened, they caused him sharp pain. He turned his eyes and asked, "Sansi, what's wrong?"
Dian Sansi hurriedly released his fingers and forced a smile. "Nothing, it's just... just... I really can't accept this."
When he said those last few words, he couldn't control the grinding of his teeth.
Dian Jiuzhi, however, thought Dian Sansi was upset about his defeat, and instead smiled to comfort him: "When one's skill is insufficient, one must accept defeat. As for the insulting words... that is Wuming Divine Venerable. There's no need to take it to heart."
Dian Sansi opened his mouth... Above the Pure Land, with the Abyss Emperor present and all the venerables gathered, he couldn't explain.
But that piercing gaze came again.
Dian Sansi's eyes turned fierce, his glare fixed directly on Yun Che. Yet, faced with such a terrifying stare, Yun Che not only showed no fear or alarm, but the corners of his mouth stretched into an even wider grin... Though silent and wordless, the contempt, mockery, and disdain surged toward Dian Sansi's soul like a torrential tide.
*Look, I snatched away Hua Caili, who was engaged to Dian Jiuzhi, and he doesn't even dare to make a fuss... Worthless!*
*Look, the so-called number one divine son was beaten into a 'frozen dead dog'... Worthless!*
*Look, you, who know everything, don't even dare to fart... Worthless!*
*Number one divine son, hahahaha... In my eyes, you're nothing but a huge joke! The biggest coward in the divine kingdom!*
*You're raging impotently... Oh, people like you, worthless as you are, can only rage impotently! You're worse than a stray dog that can still bark!*
...
Darkness swirled before Dian Sansi's eyes.
Though it was only a fleeting exchange of glances, the look from Yun Che was far too piercing, far too mocking... It wasn't even a gaze of looking down on a weaker person, but more like pitying a pathetic, miserable worm...
The flame of hatred that had been lingering in his heart, suppressed only by his utmost will, was stirred to the point of nearly boiling over again.
"Hmm?" Dian Luohou suddenly turned his head, looking at Dian Sansi, whose aura was clearly disturbed.
Dian Sansi took a deep breath and lowered his head. "Father God, no one has ever dared to humiliate Brother Jiuzhi like this. I... I just..."
Dian Luohou withdrew his gaze and said in a deep voice, "A loser must have the awareness of a loser. If you are unwilling, use it as motivation and take it back tenfold in the future. As for that madwoman from Eternal Night, ignore her."
Dian Sansi acknowledged the command, then kept his head lowered for a long time without speaking. Only his teeth remained clenched tightly, unable to relax.
*Why... What right...*
*Our Senluo Divine Kingdom is clearly the strongest divine kingdom...*
*Even though Brother Jiuzhi lost, he was still the number one divine son...*
*He clearly did nothing wrong... He was the one being tolerant, the one being patient, the one thinking of the bigger picture...*
*That was the Abyss Emperor's personally bestowed marriage contract...*
*The fault clearly lies with Yun Che, with Hua Caili, with Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom and Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom...*
*Why is it Brother Jiuzhi, why is it us who suffer this humiliation...*
*Creak... creak...*
He could faintly hear the sound of his own teeth cracking.
By now, Shen Wuyi's figure had returned to the center of the barrier, yet for a long time, no one challenged her.
Her eyes, like a dark night's cold pool, fell directly on Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom.
"Weaving Dream Divine Son, Meng Jianxi, requests your guidance."
As was only natural, Meng Jianxi was neither surprised nor flustered. He stepped forward and said frankly and calmly: "Although I have always considered myself extraordinary, in a fight at the same cultivation level, I am far from being a match for Senluo Divine Son, and even less so for Eternal Night Divine Maiden."
"Therefore, I must shamelessly concede."
Meng Jianxi's response was truly unsurprising to anyone.
The unbreakable Exquisite Profound Realm, the bizarre cold ice that defied comprehension... Not taking up the challenge was the most rational choice, one that would not invite ridicule.
"Hahahahaha!"
That extremely harsh laugh also rang out, just as unsurprisingly: "So this is the divine son of Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom? He doesn't even have the courage to accept the challenge. Are you all planning to hand over the next generation of your divine kingdoms to this bunch of useless trash?"
Meng Kongchan spoke indifferently: "For a divine venerable to speak such insulting words to a junior in public... One could only say, truly worthy of Wuming Divine Venerable! I imagine that with Wuming Divine Venerable's guidance, Eternal Night Divine Kingdom must be at its peak of prosperity, with all living beings rejoicing in pride."
Shen Wuyanye let out a cold laugh. "A divine kingdom whose very dreams are rotten and foul, a divine successor who doesn't even dare to fight—your Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom is only fit to grovel beneath the feet of my Eternal Night in the future. What right do you have to comment on my Eternal Night Divine Kingdom?"
Meng Kongchan gave a faint, cold snort and did not reply, showing no sign of anger at all.
Meng Jianxi had chosen to concede outright, so the only divine kingdom left that hadn't entered was Zhe Tian.
Just as everyone thought Hua Caili would also choose to avoid the battle, a streak of pure white light flickered past, and the maiden's figure had gracefully landed inside the barrier, facing Shen Wuyi directly.
"...!" Hua Fuchen subconsciously raised his hand.
"Let her try," Hua Qingying said calmly. "Caili's sword is enough to deal with the Exquisite Profound Realm."
Hua Fuchen frowned slightly, then suddenly seemed to think of something, and his eyes revealed barely concealed shock: "You mean, Caili she..."
Meeting Hua Fuchen's clearly disturbed gaze, Hua Qingying gave a slight nod: "This was originally the surprise she was preparing for you, the trump card she worked hard to perfect in order to ask a reward from the Abyss Emperor."
She then let out a faint, wistful sigh, looking at the two in the barrier, and said with some melancholy: "She had already achieved near-certain odds of defeating Dian Jiuzhi at the same cultivation level. She just never expected that such a dazzling and bizarre Eternal Night Divine Maiden would appear. Caili's wish is destined to be unfulfilled."
"Since it's already destined to be unfulfilled, why still..."
Hua Fuchen was halfway through his sentence when he understood. Half amused, half helpless, he sighed: "In the end, it's the mind of a little girl."
"Zhe Tian Divine Maiden, Hua Caili, greets you for the first time. I request your guidance!"
At the center of the barrier, the two maidens stood a hundred steps apart, facing each other directly. Before they had even exchanged moves, they had already caused the entire audience to hold their breath in a daze, even the light breeze and thin clouds pausing for them.
Shen Wuyi was dressed in ink-black robes, the hem of her garments seeming to be wreathed in cold mist. The battle with Dian Jiuzhi had left a few strands of her hair slightly disheveled, falling by her cheeks, but that only made her peerless face appear even more jade-white and translucent. Her eyes were like cold pools frozen solid, beautiful as a celestial dream, yet without a trace of softness or tenderness—only a distant, aloof indifference that kept people at arm's length.
The crystal ice breath slowly swirling around her bestowed upon her a halo of holiness and detachment, making her like a divine maiden of ice and snow descended from the Ninth Heaven—beautiful, fierce, and sublimely aloof.
Hua Caili wore a snow-white cloud dress unique to the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden. The skirt was embroidered with seven distinct sword glows, interwoven with intricate and magnificent star divine patterns. The seven stars—Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, and Yaoguang—shone together, symbolizing both the Seven Sword Venerables of Zhe Tian gathering around her like stars around the moon, and concealing the unbroken protection of eternally never parting.
As she moved, her skirt swayed, instantly like a cascade of the Milky Way, flowing with brilliant colors.
Her appearance was already renowned throughout the Abyss, a heavenly-endowed treasure known to all. Her skin was as white and smooth as congealed fat, her cheeks naturally flushed with a faint rosy hue, as if they had never been touched by the dust of the Mist Sea or the mundane world. Her eyebrows were curved and faint, like a new moon just rising, her beautiful eyes still reflecting the brightest stars of the Abyss, carrying the unique, fragile purity of a young maiden.
Two beauties, equally stunning yet with completely different auras, appeared in the same field of vision. This was a gorgeous tableau that no one in the Six Divine Kingdoms had ever been fortunate enough to witness.
Outside the barrier, some gazes were dazed, some were lost in fascination, some struggled to maintain their composure... but the overlapping breaths were so low they were almost inaudible, and pairs of eyes forgot to reflect the light, as if the heavens and earth above Eden's clouds had suddenly lost all color.
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