## Chapter 2152: Pure and Unwavering Heart
The profound ship of the Senluo Divine Kingdom departed from the Pure Land, becoming the first among the six Divine Kingdoms to begin its journey home.
It had completely abandoned even the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to enter the God-Sleeping Forbidden Domain—a clear testament to the extent of Jueluo Divine Venerable's rage.
In stark contrast to the fervent atmosphere of their arrival, the Senluo profound ship on the return journey was shrouded in a terrible silence. All Senluo profound practitioners held their breath and suppressed their voices, terrified of even slightly provoking the enraged Jueluo Divine Venerable.
They could not forget the gazes cast upon them when Yun Che and Hua Caili's illicit relationship was exposed... nor could they forget the shift in those gazes after Yun Che endured double the Wild Devouring Punishment with his astonishing willpower.
The Weaving Dream and Zhe Tian Kingdoms, which should have been mocked and reviled, instead found themselves unable to be reproached—replaced by admiration and emotion due to Yun Che's will, Hua Caili's oath, and the deeply touching sincerity of their love...
Perhaps they were even blessed as a match made in heaven, destined to break through countless shackles to achieve a beautiful story.
And the Senluo Divine Kingdom, which had suffered betrayal and betrayal, ultimately...
Dian Luohou stood alone at the prow of the ship, unmoving for a long time, his long beard fluttering in the wind. His terrifying aura pressed down on every living creature aboard like ten thousand mountains, nearly suffocating them.
Without deliberately softening his footsteps, Dian Jiuzhi came to stand behind Dian Luohou. In the distance, Dian Sansi also hesitantly approached, his eyes shrinking like a frightened young beast. He struggled for a long time but dared not come any closer.
"Father God," Dian Jiuzhi spoke. "Now that things have come to this, I beg you to calm your anger for the time being. I am not qualified to judge Heart-Painting Divine Venerable and Dreamless Divine Venerable, but you have shared a deep friendship with them for many years, so you must understand their temperaments better than anyone. Whether their actions constitute intentional betrayal and harm—after you calm down, you will surely make the most correct judgment."
Dian Luohou did not turn around, his voice cold as tempered ice: "What does 'Jiuzhi' mean?"
Dian Jiuzhi replied calmly: "Know self, know others, know all life; know gratitude, know shame, know goodness..."
"You still remember 'know shame'!?" Dian Luohou whirled around, his deep, fierce voice exploding like thunder, violently cutting off Dian Jiuzhi's words: "If you know what 'shame' means, how can you have the face to defend those who have shamed you!? Was your dignity as the Senluo Divine Son devoured by dogs!?"
Meeting Dian Luohou's furious gaze, Dian Jiuzhi murmured softly: "To know shame... is easy to be trapped by shame."
Dian Luohou's gaze sharpened slightly, and his already terrifying aura took on a few degrees of sinister malevolence: "Those words... who told them to you!?"
Dian Jiuzhi's mind was naturally far calmer than he appeared. The moment those subconscious words left his mouth, he regretted them. But facing Dian Luohou's gaze, he was not flustered. Instead, he said frankly: "Yun Che."
Dian Luohou's pupils contracted. Then his features began to tremble, and his surging anger turned his face crimson.
"You... bastard!!"
Bang!!
His sudden fist slammed into Dian Jiuzhi's face.
Dian Jiuzhi's nose bridge broke with a crack, and his entire body flew far away, crashing heavily to the ground. A large spray of blood and foam erupted from his mouth and nose.
Dian Luohou pointed at him, his fingertips trembling slightly from extreme rage: "I have taught you for thousands of years, and it is not worth... it is not worth a single reckless word from that brat! You... you are truly remarkable, truly remarkable!"
"Cough... cough... cough cough cough cough..."
Dian Luohou's punch was extremely heavy. Dian Jiuzhi's whole body curled in pain, and he even coughed up dark red chunks of internal organs.
He propped himself up with his hands, his head hanging low, and spoke hoarsely: "Back then, I was even more puzzled and surprised than you are, Father God, about how Yun Che could shake my thousands-year adherence to the word 'Jiuzhi' with just a few words... But not long after, I understood completely."
"Because his words resonated seamlessly with the cognition that had always been deep in my heart."
Dian Luohou's gaze blazed with anger like raging flames: "You say... what!?"
Dian Jiuzhi raised his head. Blood dripped from his broken nose bridge, glaringly bright, but his eyes showed no fear or regret: "Father God, have you ever witnessed the essence of human nature?"
"..." Dian Luohou's brow furrowed further.
He asked again: "Father God, do you still remember my original name?"
"..." Dian Luohou did not answer, nor could he, because he did not remember or ever care.
"You don't remember, and no one else does either."
Dian Jiuzhi's voice was as calm as stagnant water: "But everyone remembers that I used to be called 'Dian Bighead'."
A faint self-mockery curled at the corner of his blood-stained lips: "My unawakened Great Wilderness Divine Meridian made my head abnormally large. Thus, I became a hideous monster in others' eyes. Everyone mocked me, bullied me, called me 'Dian Bighead.' Even my birth mother loathed and feared me, wouldn't let me near her, and even screamed for me to die again and again, because my existence brought her shame."
"From childhood, I was cautious and timid, not daring to make a single misstep, and certainly not daring to bother anyone. I could only take the inferior resources nobody wanted, huddle in the most pitiful corner, alone, and cultivate alone."
"But even so, the mockery and bullying never ceased for a moment. They were my own clan members, and among them were my half-siblings... I had done nothing wrong. In fact, I tried so hard to please them."
"Yet they still mocked my appearance, snatched my resources, beat me until I was covered in bruises, then arranged me into the poses they considered ugliest, most humiliating, and most entertaining."
"Even visitors from other kingdoms... with no grudges, not even knowing each other—when they heard the name 'Dian Bighead,' they would laugh wildly, looking at me as if I were a pitiful, dirty plaything."
"That was when I learned that the malice of human nature needs no reason. Simply because of my appearance, simply because I was called 'Dian Bighead,' I deserved to be ridiculed and bullied! I needed no sin or fault!"
Dian Luohou's lips moved, but he said nothing. He was well aware of what Dian Jiuzhi was talking about.
"But after my Great Wilderness Divine Meridian awakened and I transformed from 'Dian Bighead' into the Senluo Divine Son, Dian Jiuzhi..."
He let out a scoff, carrying undisguised irony and sorrow: "All the mockery and bullying vanished. Everyone's gaze became so fervent, so fawning, so adoring and reverent... as if overnight, there were no more villains in the world, and everyone around me had become incredibly gentle and kind."
"Those who once mocked and bullied me voluntarily knelt to apologize, weeping bitterly, as if their souls had been cleansed overnight. The birth mother who avoided me like a snake or scorpion suddenly became a loving mother, crying that I was her pride, crying that her former neglect and venomous words were just tempering me... Heh... heh heh heh heh..."
"What are you trying to say?" Dian Luohou frowned deeply. "That you were pitiful in the past? Or that the entire Senluo Divine Kingdom has wronged you?"
"You are already fifty-two jiazi old. Haven't you yet seen that the rule of this world is exactly this! The strong can look down upon all life, and no one dares to bully them, while the weak must endure the fate of being bullied! This is true in every Divine Kingdom, every realm! With your past experience, you should understand this better than anyone!"
"No," Dian Jiuzhi shook his head, once again denying his father's teachings before him: "There is one person who made me understand that even those in high positions can choose not to despise the lowly, and that the weak can also be respected and deserve dignity!"
"Cai... Li."
Even though he knew it was hopeless, the moment he thought of this name, his voice and expression became so gentle, as if immersed in a sweet dream.
"The first time I met Cai Li, I was being trampled in the mud, covered in wounds and utterly disheveled. She was like a nine-heavenly divine phoenix, the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden. The gap between us was greater than the difference between clouds and mud."
"But she drove away my bullies and spoke words of comfort. Her gaze was not condescending or charitable; it was genuine pity and concern. She thought 'Dian Bighead' was my name, and when she said it, there wasn't even a hint of mockery."
"That day, for the first time in my life, hearing the word 'Bighead' didn't make me feel ashamed; instead, it felt like a rosy glow filling my heart, warm like a dream..."
"On that day, I abandoned my long-held death wish and began to train desperately. I wanted to see her from afar again, and I dreamed... that with this ugly body, I could forge even a sliver of power to help her, even if just a little."
Dian Luohou stared at him for a long time, then laughed in extreme anger: "So this is your stance now? Even though she betrayed your betrothal, crushed your dignity, and turned you from the number one Divine Son into a huge joke, you still defend her as before?"
"Yes!" Dian Jiuzhi answered with unwavering determination.
Dian Luohou's long beard bristled, his chest heaving. He abruptly raised his hand... but facing Dian Jiuzhi's unprecedented resolute gaze, his hand ultimately did not fall. However, his voice trembled with extreme anger:
"Dian Jiuzhi, do you know... since you were named 'Jiuzhi,' your life, your dignity... everything no longer belongs only to yourself, but is bound together with the name 'Senluo Divine Son,' affecting the fate and dignity of the entire Senluo Divine Kingdom!"
"Look at yourself now! A broken-backed dog still knows how to bark, but you, having your spine trampled, still protect her! You... you are truly my good son, Dian Luohou! You are worse than a dog!"
Dian Luohou thought that such a harsh rebuke involving the kingdom's dignity would at least elicit some shame or regret from Dian Jiuzhi.
But... not at all. His eyes were barely stirred by his words.
"Father God, you were born with a nine-tenths divine rank, and you became the Senluo Divine Son at birth. The word 'honor' has accompanied your entire life. Everyone knows your temper is straightforward and violent... but who doesn't want to freely express their emotions? Who doesn't want to vent as they please? Yet not everyone is blessed with a fate like yours, Father God."
Dian Jiuzhi's voice was very calm. His emotions seemed even more composed than Jueluo Divine Venerable's: "The world I see and feel is different from yours, Father God."
"My life was saved by Cai Li. My destiny was changed by Cai Li. She was my salvation and my lifesaver. The ray of humanity she bestowed upon me back then was too precious, too dazzling."
"Because of Cai Li, after I became the Senluo Divine Son, I never retaliated against anyone who once bullied me. Because of Cai Li, I have never been willing to inflict malice on anyone. Because of Cai Li, I have never stopped or slackened in my progress."
"Father God, I am ultimately not you. I cannot place everything of the Senluo Divine Kingdom above myself the way you do. I have things I consider precious, and moreover... I will never, because of my identity as Divine Son or Divine Venerable, extinguish that humanity I hold dear."
Dian Luohou clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking.
The son he thought he knew so well had become so unfamiliar today.
Only today did he realize that he had never truly understood his own son.
Dian Jiuzhi's infatuation with Hua Caili was known to all, and as his father, he was even more aware. For her favorite things, Dian Jiuzhi would spare no expense. As the Senluo Divine Son, he never let women near him, and even his attendants were all men. He had stated more than once that he would have only Hua Caili in his life, and even as Divine Venerable, he would never change.
He had been astonished, laughed at, and eventually accepted under his persistence... because in his understanding, infatuation was just a youthful delusion. As his status and vision gradually rose, he would naturally make the choice most beneficial to the kingdom's lineage and future.
Only now did he realize that Dian Jiuzhi's feelings for Hua Caili were truly so pure that not a speck of dust could enter, so pure that they transcended everything in the truest sense.
"You are utterly hopeless! I am... deeply disappointed in you!"
Dian Luohou flung his arm and stormed off, unwilling to look at him again.
"Cough... cough!"
Dian Jiuzhi clutched his chest, blood still flowing from his mouth and nose.
Dian Sansi, who had somehow approached, tremblingly crouched down, trying to help Dian Jiuzhi up.
"Jiuzhi-ge, are... are you okay?"
His voice trembled, afraid to meet Dian Jiuzhi's eyes.
Dian Jiuzhi raised his eyes, then suddenly propped himself up and slapped Dian Sansi hard across the face.
With a sharp "smack," Dian Sansi collapsed to the ground. He lowered his gaze and sobbed brokenly: "I'm sorry... Jiuzhi-ge, I'm sorry. I... I don't know what came over me. It was as if a demon had entered my mind... I only wanted to vent, only wanted to ruin Yun Che's reputation... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."
Dian Jiuzhi's eyes went vacant for a moment. He reached out tremblingly, touching Dian Sansi's reddened cheek... then abruptly reversed his hand and slapped himself hard in the face.
"Jiuzhi-ge!" Dian Sansi was greatly shocked and hurriedly grabbed his wrist.
Dian Jiuzhi let out a bitter laugh and said sorrowfully: "You were innocently implicated, and yet I vented my anger on you... I am indeed hopeless."
"No, no." Dian Sansi shook his head vigorously: "It's my fault. I was childish and incompetent. I didn't listen to your teachings, Jiuzhi-ge. I couldn't even control my emotions, and I made a huge mistake. I... I..."
Dian Jiuzhi raised his hand, gently wiped away the tears on his face, and then gave a faint smile: "Sansi, you are a man of the Senluo—unyielding and steadfast. How can you still weep like a child? On your shoulders rests the future of Senluo."
Dian Sansi wiped his tears vigorously. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly froze and said blankly: "Jiuzhi-ge, you... what did you say? The future of Senluo?"
Dian Jiuzhi looked at him calmly: "Do you still remember what I once told you? The reason I work tirelessly and aspire to the position of Divine Venerable?"
Dian Sansi opened his mouth and answered weakly: "To... be worthy of the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden."
"So..." He smiled faintly, his gaze turning toward the distant sky filled with dark clouds: "My reason no longer exists."
"Moreover... you must have heard my conversation with Father God just now. My heart has long been filled entirely by that rosy glow from back then. There is no grand ambition, no awareness of dedicating myself to Senluo, and I have no intention of shouldering the future of the Senluo Divine Kingdom. But you, Sansi, are more suitable than I am. So from now on, you must work even harder."
"No, no!" Dian Sansi shook his head: "Jiuzhi-ge, how can I compare to you? You possess the only Great Wilderness Divine Meridian in this world, while I... today I am already ruined. How could I be worthy... how could I be worthy..."
"Sansi, remember this." Dian Jiuzhi's expression grew solemn: "In this world, the least important things are the gazes and judgments of others. Because when you become strong enough, when you stand high enough, all contempt will turn into admiration, all mockery will turn into awe."
These words spoken by him were more convincing than anyone else's.
He patted the stunned Dian Sansi heavily on the shoulder, then stood up with difficulty and staggered away.
At that moment, a shout came from behind him: "Jiuzhi-ge, you do have a reason! Don't you want to continue protecting the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden!?"
Dian Jiuzhi did not turn around, but his steps stopped abruptly.
Dian Sansi took a deep breath and said earnestly: "I know that today, Yun Che endured double the Wild Devouring Punishment alone for the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden, which must make you think that Yun Che will treat her with the same wholehearted devotion as you do, and will never betray her. But... but..."
"I know that after today, any evaluation I give of Yun Che will be hard to believe, seen only as malicious slander and venting. But... Jiuzhi-ge, the Yun Che I saw is truly different from what you all see!"
"When he faced me in private, his expression was terrifyingly sinister, and his words were extremely venomous—completely different from what you saw! It was as if he wore many completely different masks."
"I have thought it over repeatedly, and I've begun to suspect that from the very beginning, he was deliberately provoking me. He even told me himself that in front of the Spirit Immortal Divine Residence, he and the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden... acted deliberately because they sensed our approach!"
"..." Dian Jiuzhi's body swayed slightly.
"I know my words are hard for you to believe, but please, try to trust me. Even if... even if it's just a one-in-ten-thousand chance, if Yun Che is truly a two-faced person and will one day betray and hurt the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden, wouldn't you then want to have the power and status to protect her?"
After a long silence, Dian Jiuzhi moved silently away, his figure gradually disappearing into the shadows of the profound ship, without giving a reply.