# Chapter 2175: Throwing a Stone
The same hall, seats in the same positions, even the wisps of tea fragrance drifting through the air were no different—but the gazes and mindsets of the two sitting across from each other were destined to never be as they were before.
Shangguan Helu, attending at the side, unconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes, the tension within her heart spilling out. The aura shrouded by Meng Shouyuan, hidden in the shadows, was several times more cautious than usual, as if fearing that the Senluo Divine Son might suddenly lose emotional control and strike at Yun Che here in the Weaving Dream land.
But Yun Che's posture was just as it had been at their first meeting—seven parts faint smile, three parts humility. There was not a trace of negativity visible on Dian Jiuzhi's face either. His gaze was warm, his demeanor gentle and refined. There was no hint of enmity between them; rather, they seemed like old acquaintances with a shallow friendship.
"Brother Dian, when you arrived, I happened to be in seclusion and could not welcome you in person. It was truly rude of me. I offer my apologies here and ask for your forgiveness, Brother Dian."
Yun Che's wording was appropriately polite.
Dian Jiuzhi responded with a faint smile: "Lord Abyss Son is too kind. My visit this time was quite abrupt. Only recently did I learn that Lord Abyss Son was blessed with the Vermilion Bird Divine Blood by the Immortal Celestial Divine Official and was in the critical period of refining it through seclusion. To disturb you at such a time, it is I who should apologize."
His humility and courtesy were free of any impurity. But his form of address for Yun Che had changed—no longer "Brother Yun," but "Lord Abyss Son."
As if not noticing the change in address, Yun Che said naturally, "I heard Brother Dian has been in Weaving Dream for ten days. May I ask what important matter brings you here?"
Dian Jiuzhi shook his head, revealing a bitter smile: "Father God's fury has yet to dissipate. He and I have many disagreements in philosophy and understanding. At first, we argued endlessly, but now every time he sees me, anger surges to his peak. Thus, I can only temporarily avoid him, perhaps allowing his wrath to gradually subside."
Yun Che looked at him and said in a very plain tone, "The main reasons Lord Jueluo Divine Venerable's anger is hard to quell are, first, his inability to accept and digest the heavy blow from his two close friends, and second... your lack of contention and anger."
"So," Yun Che leaned forward slightly, "why are you not angry?"
Faced with this suddenly less friendly question, Dian Jiuzhi showed no emotional turmoil. He said calmly, "Perhaps for most people, admitting that one is inferior to another is a difficult thing. But for me, it comes quite easily, even though I am the so-called 'First Divine Son.'"
He looked at Yun Che, his gaze without evasion: "In divine rank, talent, will, cunning, appearance... I am inferior to you in all respects. The Six Laughing Divine Official pleaded for you, the Immortal Celestial Divine Official bestowed favor upon you, and I heard that Lord Abyss Emperor even summoned you alone. Compared to you, I am far from inferior—there are many things I may never attain in a lifetime."
"Therefore, for Caili, you are undoubtedly the better choice. Even... setting aside my status as her former betrothed, I deeply believe that in this world, only you are worthy of her."
"So why should I contend or be angry? It would only make my inadequacy more apparent and merely add to her guilt and unease."
His words were so frank and straightforward that Shangguan Helu, standing nearby, unconsciously turned her head, her eyes wide.
Yun Che slowly nodded: "Thank you for your honesty, Brother Dian."
Dian Jiuzhi narrowed his eyes slightly: "Your demeanor is quite different from what I expected. I thought you would at least have a few moments of poorly concealed mockery, or the contempt and disdain of a victor."
Yun Che said seriously, "If I put myself in the position of the Senluo Divine Kingdom, you would indeed be blamed for not contending or being angry. And worldly men would indeed sneer in secret, for it is the nature of the weak to never miss a chance to mock the First Divine Son."
"But in any case, true love should not be mocked. For it might be the rarest and most precious thing in the world."
Dian Jiuzhi was visibly stunned. Then, he smiled faintly, a smile more genuine than any before: "You are truly an interesting person. If I could become your friend, it would surely be a blessing in life. But unfortunately... I cannot completely erase the rift in my heart."
Yun Che returned the smile: "Even if you were willing, I would not be. For I no longer believe in the existence of saints in this world. If there were any, they would surely be wearing the mask of a saint."
"Hahahaha!" Dian Jiuzhi burst into laughter. "Well said, very well said. Over the past month, all the elders have blamed me for not contending and called me pedantic. Some even laughed at me, saying I was nothing more than a saint without backbone or resentment. But not a single person in the entire Senluo Divine Kingdom truly understands me, nor does anyone realize that my lack of anger and contention is, in fact, a selfish act to please myself and fulfill my own wishes."
"Unfortunately, the one who could understand me is..."
He shook his head with a laugh, then let out a long sigh. Suddenly, he turned his gaze to pierce directly into Yun Che's eyes: "So, on the Pure Land, in front of the Immortal Celestial Divine Residence, was it all deliberate on your part? And all of Dian Sansi's various erratic actions—were they also step by step led by you?"
"Correct." Facing Dian Jiuzhi's gaze, Yun Che admitted with exceptional frankness, his returning gaze without any unease or guilt. "You are fifty Jiazi older than me. You must understand far better than I the depth of the bond between the three Divine Venerables. Therefore, matters between Caili and me would inevitably wound the feelings of the three Divine Venerables, no matter what."
"The Heart-Painting Divine Venerable and the Dreamless Divine Venerable have been trying every way to ease the possible situation and find a perfect solution. But my life has taught me that one of the most dangerous things in the world is greed. Wanting both often results in losing both. And I believe more in breaking through forcefully before rebuilding, and cutting the tangled knot with a sharp blade."
"Moreover, for Caili's sake, I am willing to use any means!"
The last sentence was his answer to the Abyss Emperor, and it was also the answer that most moved the Abyss Emperor. The same applied to Dian Jiuzhi.
Dian Jiuzhi was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Sansi once told me that you have two faces, and when the other face is revealed, you are like a demon that devours people."
"My visit to Weaving Dream this time was also with probing intentions. How many faces you have, what your true face is—none of that concerns me. But I cannot ignore whether your feelings for Caili are genuine."
"Your answer just now, I am willing to believe it is true, not false. After all, you were willing to bear double the Wild Devouring Punishment alone for Caili's sake, even wasting the favor of two Divine Officials. And indeed, a woman as beautiful as Caili is worth any man willingly... using any means for her."
He stood up. "So I can rest completely at ease."
Yun Che also rose: "How long do you plan to stay in Weaving Dream?"
"I will leave now." Dian Jiuzhi looked ahead. "The Dreamless Divine Venerable is very busy, so I did not have the honor of paying respects. Please convey to him, Lord Abyss Son, that at least for the next month, he should not try to approach my Father God. My Father God, whether angry or not, is like a different person."
"I had intended to visit the Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom to pay respects to the Heart-Painting Divine Venerable, but I fear it might put pressure or trouble on Caili. I suppose..." He gave a light sigh and a bitter smile. "I will wander around for a while and return only when Father God's anger has mostly subsided."
Yun Che did not urge him to stay but said with some emotion, "Thinking back to when I first met Brother Dian, you were gentle and refined, humble and polite, without the slightest hint of the pride befitting the First Divine Son. At that time, I thought you were hiding your edge beneath harmony, or at least I was unwilling to believe that someone of your status could be a true gentleman."
"Now it seems my vision was too narrow. Brother Dian truly deserves the name of a gentleman."
Dian Jiuzhi smiled faintly: "For a Divine Son of a divine kingdom, the word 'gentleman' is hardly a compliment."
"No," Yun Che countered, "precisely because you are a Divine Son, it is all the more precious."
Dian Jiuzhi said no more. He reached out and placed a silver jade stone on the tea table beside him.
"This is a sound transmission jade specially made for me by Father God. It contains Father God's Senluo Divine Power. Using it, as long as you are not in the Mist Sea, you can send a message to me from anywhere in this world. With the remaining Senluo Divine Power, it can probably be used six or seven more times."
Yun Che picked it up, a faint silver light reflected in his eyes. How could he not understand Dian Jiuzhi's intention? Without any hesitation, he said, "Good, I will accept it. If it concerns Caili, when necessary, I will not hesitate to seek your help."
Dian Jiuzhi smiled faintly. Meeting Yun Che's gaze, he spoke words that were hard to believe: "Even if it costs me my life."
Yun Che: "..."
Dian Jiuzhi left. Yun Che watched him from afar, offering him the highest degree of courtesy.
But in his heart, he sighed quietly: Yes, since you are already the Senluo Divine Son, how can you be a gentleman...
A gentleman has far too many weaknesses and flaws.
Not long after Dian Jiuzhi left, Meng Jianxi hurried over.
"Brother Abyss, how did it go?"
Yun Che raised his hand, and Vermilion Bird Flame burned between his fingers. This divine flame, which should have been scorching, instead released a gentle warmth that soothed the heart. Meng Jianxi immediately praised, "As expected of Brother Abyss. In just a few dozen days, you have already been able to successfully ignite the Immortal Celestial Divine Official's divine flame."
He half-jokingly said, "With this flame on you, even if Brother Abyss were not the Weaving Dream Divine Son, you could still roam the Abyss World with impunity."
Yun Che extinguished the Vermilion Bird Flame and asked, "How has the Divine Venerable been lately?"
Meng Jianxi smiled faintly and shook his head. "How to allocate the quotas to go to the Eternal Pure Land—the various Dream Halls are arguing endlessly. Some elders who had already retired have also come out to fight for their juniors. That's just one issue, and it's already enough to give Father God a headache."
Having said that, he changed the subject: "Did the Senluo Divine Son... say anything unpleasant just now?"
Yun Che smiled slyly: "What you really want to ask is about Long Jiang, right?"
"Haha, as expected, nothing can escape Brother Abyss's eyes." Meng Jianxi laughed in response. "But judging by Brother Abyss's expression, it doesn't seem like anything bad. Earlier, when I saw her mention you at the realm gate, her tone was stiff and cold, her posture forceful. I thought perhaps when you were wandering the world back then, she had gotten some hold over you."
"After all, with your current reputation, for her, the Scar-faced Dragon Maiden of the Dragon God Clan, to be so aggressive—she must have some backing. So I stabilized her immediately. Now it seems I was overthinking."
Long Jiang's identity could hardly escape Meng Jianxi's eyes.
"No, your judgment and decision were absolutely correct." Yun Che praised but did not explain. Instead, he took out an enormous profound crystal with a bizarre shape and even stranger aura and light: "Brother Xi Divine Son, do you recognize this abyss crystal?"
It was the "Coiled Dragon Seven Profound Crystal" that Yun Che had condensed in the Mist Sea, using the Heaven-Enlightening Divine Jade as a base and the Dragon Abyss Crystal as a supplement, with the Void Power that could control Abyss Dust.
Such a huge and strange abyss crystal immediately caught Meng Jianxi's attention. He stepped forward quickly, letting his divine sense slowly and carefully flow over it, then exclaimed, "This level of aura is undoubtedly the highest grade of abyss crystal. There is a faint dragon aura within, yet it is different from any abyss dragon aura I know... Even this shape is unprecedented."
He said with burning eyes, "Brother Abyss, I am thoroughly familiar with all the exotic abyss crystals recorded in the Xuanji Hall, but I have never seen this one. It is very likely a never-before-seen exotic abyss crystal."
The extremely strange shape triggered a fleeting sense of déjà vu in his mind, but it was too vague and vanished in an instant: "Brother Abyss, where did this abyss crystal come from? Was it also bestowed by your master back then?"
"No," Yun Che said without changing his expression. "When I was wandering the world back then, Long Jiang and I had mutual favors. Her visit this time was to gift me this abyss crystal to settle the karma of those days. With her temperament, harder than abyss stone, she hates being indebted to others more than anything."
With that, he pushed the "Coiled Dragon Seven Profound Crystal" directly toward Meng Jianxi, who quickly took it with a solemn expression.
"Even Brother Xi Divine Son doesn't recognize it... Perhaps we could carve it into a shadow image and inquire at other divine kingdoms or the Pure Land. Otherwise, if we try to explore its effects on our own, we will inevitably cause damage."
"Precisely." Meng Jianxi nodded deeply. "I will send someone to investigate immediately. Such a huge exotic abyss crystal—if we can fully utilize it, it might unleash a power worthy of a heavenly gift."
As Meng Jianxi left, his steps carried barely concealed excitement and urgency. After all, what he held in his hands could very well be an abyss world treasure appearing for the first time, one that might astonish the world.
Yun Che slowly narrowed his eyes, silently watching this little "stone" being thrown into the seemingly calm lake.
He looked forward to seeing what kind of waves Shen Wuyi could stir up with this "stone."
........
[Note: The last sentence refers to "Shen Wuyi" who was mentioned earlier in the chapter as a character. Since the glossary doesn't have this name, I've transliterated it as Shen Wuyi based on pinyin. The context implies this is a character who will use the "stone" to cause ripples.]