Chapter 2154: Facing the Abyss Emperor Alone
The Dragon Lord arrived alone, without Long Chixin and Long Qianxin accompanying him. As soon as he saw Yun Che and Hua Caili, a smile spread across his deeply lined, ancient face:
"Judging by the look of the Abyss Divine Son, it seems you have recovered. The Abyss Divine Son silently bore the double Wild Devouring Punishment alone—a feat unprecedented and likely never to be repeated. The shock and awe in my heart have not faded even now. To witness a hero like the Abyss Divine Son in my dying years is an honor that leaves me without regrets."
Yun Che straightened up and said apologetically, "Senior Dragon Lord flatters me, I truly dare not accept such praise. However, my body is still weak at the moment, and it would be discourteous to not be properly respectful. I hope you will forgive me."
"The Abyss Divine Son is too serious."
Someone of such noble status, with such talent and will, yet still so humble and courteous—Long Zhiming's eyes showed even more admiration and appreciation: "The Abyss Divine Son and the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden are truly a perfect match made in heaven. Now that you have overcome such great obstacles, your story will surely become an eternal legend passed down through the ages in the Abyss."
Thinking of his own son, who had been raised with the full resources of the clan and even with unscrupulous means, his heart felt both bitter and sighing... Compared to the man before him, it was like the difference between a firefly and the bright moon.
Hua Caili was pleased by Long Zhiming's praise, and she could also feel Yun Che's respect for the Dragon Lord. She said with great reverence, "Thank you for your kind words, Senior Dragon Lord. My Yun-gege and I will definitely work hard together to become... the 'legend' you speak of."
"Hahahaha." Long Zhiming burst into hearty laughter.
Yun Che asked directly, "May I ask, Senior Dragon Lord, what advice have you come to give?"
"Advice is too strong a word." Long Zhiming paused for a moment, as if weighing his words, then lowered his voice and said, "But... when the Abyss Divine Son was undergoing the Wild Devouring Punishment, I sensed what seemed to be dragon breath surrounding you, and it resembled the breath of our clan's Ancestral Dragon... I wonder if it was just my advanced age and degraded spiritual senses leading to a mistaken perception?"
"I see."
Yun Che showed no change in expression upon hearing this, and a faint smile still lingered at the corners of his lips: "Senior Dragon Lord's perception is certainly not mistaken. In that case, I will not hide it from you."
"During the years I was wandering outside, my master bestowed upon me a few drops of Ancestral Dragon Blood and a segment of dragon marrow, giving me some traces of dragon bloodline. However, since it involves my master, I am not at liberty to speak of it lightly, which is why I did not disclose it to you at the first opportunity."
Facing Yun Che's clear, serene eyes without any impurity, Long Zhiming was half surprised and half delighted: "So that is how it is! So that is how it is! I never expected that the Abyss Divine Son has such a connection with our Ancestral Dragon lineage."
Given Yun Che's performance witnessed by all in the Pure Land, his future status and achievements were bound to reach the utmost pinnacle.
If the Dragon Clan could be close to him and share a bloodline connection, it would be nothing but beneficial.
Yun Che took the opportunity to say, "I suppose that the reason Long Xi came to my aid back then was largely because he sensed the Ancestral Dragon aura on me."
"Indeed, indeed." Long Zhiming nodded repeatedly. He had been puzzled before why Long Xi, given his temperament, would not normally take the initiative to help others. Now it all made sense: "It seems that your master must be a predecessor of our Dragon Clan..."
He stopped mid-sentence, realizing he had misspoken, and changed the subject: "How dare I speculate about such an extraordinary figure as your master. Please forgive my rudeness."
With that, he took out a square jade stone that was entirely pale white, engraved with a faintly glowing mystic formation, and a dragon's majesty seemed to lie dormant within it.
"The Ancestral Dragon Mountain Range where our Dragon Clan resides has a large isolation barrier that exists year-round to resist the Abyss Dust. With this jade token, the Abyss Divine Son can enter and exit freely. When necessary, by showing this token, any Ancestral Dragon who sees it will surely render full assistance."
"This..." Yun Che seemed startled by such a heavy gift: "How could I possibly deserve..."
But Long Zhiming placed the jade token directly into Yun Che's hand, then stepped back and smiled, "In that case, I will be awaiting the arrival of the Abyss Divine Son... and the Heaven-Breaking Divine Maiden at the Ancestral Dragon Mountain Range at any time."
After Long Zhiming left, Hua Caili immediately showed a look of admiration that was half genuine and half teasing: "Wow! As expected of my Yun-gege, I've never even heard of this Dragon Clan jade token. Truly, 'In Eden, a single day astounds the world, henceforth who does not sigh in admiration of you,' hehe."
Yun Che put away the jade token, and in his sea of consciousness flashed Long Xi's stiff, cold face and almost emotionless voice. Seemingly casually, he said, "Having received such a gift, it's time to pay a visit to the Dragon Clan."
"Then we'll go together!"
The girl, who clearly had no interest in the Dragon Clan, now had brilliant anticipation shining in her eyes.
It was not that distant places were all beautiful landscapes, but that she cherished the person who would journey with her.
At this moment, Meng Kongchan walked in slowly, his steps noticeably hesitant and heavy, and even his aura was a few points lower than usual.
Yun Che sensed it immediately and had a feeling. He asked, "Senior, has something happened?"
It involved the unfathomable Yuan Huang, and Meng Kongchan didn't know whether to appear relaxed to let Yun Che not be tense, or to appear solemn to warn him to be cautious.
In the end, he could only force a compromise attitude and said unhurriedly, "The Yuan Emperor has sensed that you have awakened and wants you to go to the Eden Holy Temple to see him... and it is to be an immediate audience."
"Ah!?" Hua Caili suddenly stood up from beside Yun Che, her beautiful eyes instantly filled with tension.
"Does Uncle Yuan Huang... say why he wants to see Yun-gege?"
Meng Kongchan shook his head: "The emperor's will cannot be fathomed. Yuan'er, you..."
He wanted to try to calm Yun Che's mood, but found that Yun Che's eyes were completely calm, without even a trace of the anxiety and fear one should have when facing the Yuan Emperor alone.
Meng Kongchan felt a sudden relief... Since he could face the Wild Devouring Punishment with such fearlessness, what else in this world could truly frighten him?
Yun Che flipped over directly from the jade couch. Although his face was pale and his steps unsteady, his smile was unusually genuine: "To be summoned by the Yuan Emperor is a great honor that many do not dare to dream of in their entire lives. How could I be slow? I will go immediately."
As Yun Che walked out, Dugu Zhuyuan was standing quietly waiting. Seeing Yun Che, he cupped his hands in salute: "Abyss Divine Son."
This scene made Meng Kongchan raise his eyebrows slightly, and Hua Caili slightly parted her lips.
Given Dugu Zhuyuan's lofty status, it seemed to be the first time he had saluted a Divine Son of a divine kingdom.
Evidently, Yun Che's feat of enduring the double Wild Devouring had subdued not only the people of the divine kingdom.
Yun Che returned the salute and said, "Senior Dugu, I have long admired your name."
Dugu Zhuyuan sidestepped and said, "The Yuan Emperor has summoned the Abyss Divine Son to the Eden Holy Temple for an audience. I have been ordered to escort you the entire way. Please."
"Thank you for the trouble." Yun Che nodded slightly and strode forward.
His excessive calmness made Dugu Zhuyuan's eyes flicker with a strange light.
Dugu Zhuyuan gave a faint bow to Meng Kongchan, and was about to leave when he suddenly turned back and said to Hua Caili, "Caili, I have an impertinent request, and I hope you... will not hesitate to help."
"Eh?" Hua Caili raised her brows. "Uncle Dugu is suddenly so polite, so it must be something bad. I guess... it probably has something to do with Aunt again."
Dugu Zhuyuan smiled faintly. "Caili is as sharp as ever. I have fought the Sword Immortal twelve times, currently with six defeats, three victories, and three draws. There has always been a slight discontent in my heart. Recently, I have had some insights, and I am eager to fight the Sword Immortal once more. Now that I have finally met her in the Pure Land, unfortunately, the Sword Immortal has directly ignored my challenge."
Just as she thought... Hua Caili said with a smile, "So, Uncle Dugu wants me to persuade Aunt to fight you again?"
Yun Che's heart stirred slightly. As the first of the Abyss Knights, he had naturally heard of Dugu Zhuyuan's name. But that he was only slightly inferior to Hua Qingying, and even had three victories, was a fact that he could not help but be shocked by.
"Yes." Dugu Zhuyuan admitted frankly, his expression earnest. "If Caili is willing to help, any condition is open for discussion."
Regarding the information on Dugu Zhuyuan, it was heavily emphasized that although his appearance seemed resolute yet gentle, he was, in his bones, a complete mystic obsessed battle maniac.
His strength and his current status stemmed from the pursuit of the mystic path that had been deeply rooted in his soul since birth. His efforts and obsession with the mystic path were far beyond what ordinary mystics could imagine. The only pity was that although his talent was extremely high, it was ultimately slightly weaker than that of the heaven-blessed by a thin margin.
And this seemingly thin margin was a gap that several times the effort could not cross, preventing him from ever truly surpassing Hua Qingying.
Hua Caili seemed to think it over very seriously, then nodded and said, "Alright, I will try to persuade Aunt, but in the end, it depends on Aunt's decision. After all, although Aunt loves the sword path, she does not like fighting."
Dugu Zhuyuan's eyes immediately shined with a strange light, and he said sincerely, "Thank you! If my wish is granted, I will surely give a great reward."
"Abyss Divine Son, please."
Yun Che followed Dugu Zhuyuan into the distance. Hua Caili's forced relaxed demeanor immediately crumbled, and she was anxious and at a loss for a moment.
"Uncle Meng, could it be that Uncle Yuan Huang has... sensed some secret about Yun-gege?"
Yun Che's strangeness was too much: his profound energy could explode with power far beyond his realm, multiple coexisting elemental profound energies, the Ancestral Dragon bloodline, and even the Light Profound Force... coupled with the rumors of his extremely mysterious master, whom no one had ever been able to know even a fraction of...
It was enough to make even an existence like Yuan Huang take a deep look, even...
"No," Meng Kongchan shook his head, his gaze looking far into the direction of the Eden Cloud Summit. "The Yuan Emperor's temperament is extremely cold, indifferent to the extreme towards all things. He has none of the desires that worldly beings understand, and he never investigates the secrets of others. Even the most unprecedented divine miracles in the eyes of the world are beneath his notice."
"Hmm... that's good. Father God said something similar once." Hua Caili breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Little did she know, it was precisely because of the Yuan Emperor's temperament that Meng Kongchan's worries grew even deeper.
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"Reporting to Your Holiness, all areas around the Pure Land have been investigated, and some informants were used, but no trace of Pan Buwang's aura has been found."
The Qiheng Divine Venerable listened quietly, his expression unruffled, but his eyes were dark and unclear.
After a long wait with no response, the reporting old man ventured, "If Pan Buwang truly intends to return to the divine kingdom, even if he is far away, he would actively release his aura to facilitate our pursuit. But this time... in my humble opinion, he indeed seems to have no intention of returning."
"Impossible!" The old man beside him immediately retorted. "He is just putting on a show, trying to be coy. He expended so much effort and scheming to come to the Pure Land and put on such a grand performance. Does anyone really believe it was just for that mere jade ornament?"
"Perhaps he is already eagerly on his way back to the kingdom. So, in my opinion, there is no need to actively search. Just let him be cold, and he will obediently return on his own."
"..." Pan Yusheng remained silent for a long time, no one knew what he was thinking.
Pan Buzhuo, who had been eavesdropping on the side, could no longer hold back. He strode over and, suppressing his emotions as much as possible, said, "Father God, are you really going to let Pan Buwang come back?"
Pan Yusheng glanced at him indifferently and said, "He should come back."
Pan Buzhuo's heart twitched violently. Even with his best efforts to control himself, his face still showed some unease: "But..."
"No buts." Pan Yusheng interrupted him coldly. "Rest assured, you will remain the Xiaodie Divine Son. He will never replace your position."
The word "never," with no room for leeway, spoken from the mouth of the Qiheng Divine Venerable, clearly demonstrated his resolute attitude and instantly relaxed Pan Buzhuo's expression.
"He should come back because we must conform to the Yuan Emperor's attitude. More importantly..." He narrowed his eyes slightly, a dark gleam flickering in the depths. "His Dark Body and the 'Pan Abyss Severing Night' he comprehended are a great treasure that can eternally benefit our Xiaodie Divine Kingdom. How could we let them remain outside?"
He turned around, his demonic eyes shrouded in black light staring directly into Pan Buzhuo's eyes: "Buzhuo, listen carefully. I swear in the name of your father, and even more so as the Qiheng Divine Venerable, that unless a perfect divine rank descends from heaven upon the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom in this era, no one can shake your position as Divine Son. But..."
His voice suddenly turned sinister and fierce, his grim gaze seeming to pierce directly through the depths of his soul: "After Pan Buwang returns, you must not use those filthy tricks on him again. If you cannot stand to see him, then stay as far away from him as possible. Otherwise..."
Pan Buzhuo quickly promised, his tone respectful and urgent: "Father God, rest assured. When I first became Divine Son back then, I was full of fear and anxiety day and night, which led me to make mistakes. Now that I have grown up, I deeply understand what is important and dare not do anything to cause you difficulty and disappointment again."
"Hmph, see that you do!"
Clearly, Pan Yusheng also believed that no matter how Pan Buwang "put on a show," deep down he certainly wanted to return to the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom.
After all, even if he could not regain the position of Divine Son, he was still an Imperial Prince of the Xiaodie Divine Kingdom.
An Imperial Prince of a divine kingdom, backed by a divine kingdom, and favored by the Yuan Emperor—compared to that, how could anyone choose to wander alone?
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"Abyss Divine Son, we have arrived."
The Eden Holy Temple—the highest place within the highest place.
Pure white outer walls, the simplest square palace, a square door, with not a single decoration or carving to be seen—only extreme simplicity and purity.
Yun Che paused briefly, then stepped into the Eden Holy Temple alone.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the world seemed to silently shift.
His gaze fell upon a vast expanse that seemed to have no end.
Pale temple walls, light gray floors—nothing else besides these.
Tap, tap, tap...
The sound of footsteps was as clear as if it were right beside his ears. With each step, Yun Che gradually heard his own breathing, his heartbeat, and eventually the sound of every wisp of air flowing.
Tap, tap, tap...
The world ahead, just as before, showed no change, nor any end.
Imperceptibly, the existence of space began to blur, and even the flow of time gradually became imperceptible.
Every existence here, every wisp of aura, silently spoke two words:
Loneliness.
And this silently rendered loneliness made footsteps weak, the heart desolate, and the world dim and without light.
It was as if a solitary figure walked alone, pointing a sword at the sky in sorrowful questioning...
As if someone played a zither under the moon, the strings breaking and voice choking, recalling the face of a butterfly...
As if someone's love had been shattered and soul severed, leaving only Eden to weave a cradle...
As if someone held a brush and gazed intently, ink falling on paper while tears streamed down in secret...
As if someone burned their thoughts and boiled their dreams, in the Eternal Pure Land where butterflies filled the mountains...
As if someone burned incense facing the moon, praying for butterfly shadows to return to their dreams...
................
The road ahead was boundless, with only hopelessness.
................
No one knew how long had passed or how much space had been crossed. Then, ahead in the world, a back figure suddenly appeared.
It felt as if he had suddenly appeared in his sight, yet also as if he had long existed there, having stood in lonely vigil for a hundred years, a thousand years, ten thousand years... a million years...
Yun Che stopped walking, silently gazing at the back figure before him.
Pale, dustless robes, almost merging with the world. Only the black bracelet on his wrist dotted the striking color of his existence in this world.
The Yuan Emperor.
The scene of facing the Yuan Emperor alone—he had rehearsed it in his heart countless times.
And every time there was a change in information about the Yuan Emperor, especially with each revelation from the Evil God's memory fragments, the rehearsed content underwent earth-shaking upheavals.
Because this might be a crucial node directly related to the fate of his homeland—every possible word, every possible scene, every possible accident—he had to deliberate, weigh, and simulate countless times.
Now, it had finally arrived.
He did not bow in obeisance; he simply watched quietly. As if he were not facing the supreme, revered Yuan Emperor, but an ancient statue that had weathered countless ages.
Finally, at some moment, the Yuan Emperor's voice sounded in this lonely world.
"Yun Che, you truly have great audacity."
His voice carried no majesty, no discernible joy or anger, but when it fell upon any living being's ears, it was a divine edict that could not be disobeyed, instantly making the soul cower and submit.
This was the absolute divine pressure stemming from essence, rooted in existence.
"Everything you have done in the Pure Land has been within my sight."
He slowly turned around, his pale eyes veiled with a faint divine light gazing into Yun Che's eyes, his lips uttering indifferent divine words:
"Filthy, despicable means, defiling the Pure Land."
The Yuan Emperor's temperament was cold and mild. The Divine Venerables of the divine kingdoms often went their entire lives without hearing a single word of reprimand from him. Moreover, the records of the Six Divine Kingdoms contained no mention of the Yuan Emperor ever being angered.
Yet now, he had given such a severe rebuke—enough to make any Divine Venerable of a divine kingdom instantly lose their composure.
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