With the spatial holes mending themselves, the overwhelming sense of dread that had gripped Yun Che began to fade. He stopped in his tracks, his vast Divine Sense locking onto the area where the gods were, a sense of shock overwhelming him.
He, too, was in shock, just like the gods, as he witnessed Hua Caili's attack on High Priest Wan Dao.
If High Priest Wan Dao had continued to maintain control of his laws, the gods would have certainly entered, and with the short distance between them, Yun Che, even with the suppression of the Endless Fog Sea's Abyssal Dust, wasn't sure he could escape. Yet, before that could happen, High Priest Wan Dao had been attacked by Hua Caili!
Given the injuries Wan Dao had already sustained from using his laws to create the spatial cracks, he collapsed immediately from the force of Hua Caili's sword strike.
But why would Hua Caili do such a thing?! For everything she had endured, for all he had done to her, there seemed to be no reason for her to act this way!
"Just why..." Yun Che murmured to himself, the question hanging in the air like a weight that he couldn't shake.
WHY WOULD SHE DO THIS????!!!!!
"Little... Caili...???" Liu Xiao murmured in disbelief, his eyes wide as he stared, dumbfounded, at the scene before him. His long-time friend, Wan Dao, was on the ground, unconscious, and yet, Liu Xiao's old mind struggled to comprehend what had just happened. He couldn't process it—his thoughts were racing, trying to make sense of the unimaginable.
Everyone here had been on guard against Pan Buwang, including the Chief Priest. All eyes had been on him, waiting for his next move. But who could have foreseen this? No one had expected Hua Caili to attack Wan Dao.
When the Ancient True Gods intervened to stop Pan Buwang from killing other True Gods, the rest of the True Gods had moved to Wan Dao's side for protection. Since they were all on the same side, no one anticipated any betrayal or attack from within their own ranks. Least of all, such a terrifying attack at such a close distance!
Even Yun Che, who was still hundreds of millions of miles away, was shocked by what he had just witnessed.
"You... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!!!" The Chief Priest roared in fury, his voice filled with rage as he looked down at High Priest Wan Dao, who lay unconscious in his own pool of blood.
All eyes were on Hua Caili, filled with shock and confusion, as they tried to comprehend what had just happened.
"Caili...?" Hua Qingying murmured her niece's name, her voice thick with confusion. With everything Yun Che had done to her—his fake tenderness, his fake affection, his fake love—Caili should have been driven to hate him, to want nothing more than to see him suffer to the bitter end.
If the gods had captured Yun Che, Caili would have had all the time in the world to take her sweet revenge... but why? Why had Caili attacked the High Priest, causing his sacrifice to fail?
Even though her own power was far below the level of a True God, much less an Ancient True God, Hua Qingying understood that what High Priest Wan Dao had done had come at a terrifying price. But before the fruit of his labor could bear results, her niece... had attacked him.
The tension in the air grew palpable as the gods slowly distanced themselves from Hua Caili. The only person still near her was her aunt, Hua Qingying, as Liu Xiao flew close by after checking on High Priest Wan Dao.
"HUA CAILI! I ASKED YOU WHY!!!!" The Chief Priest's voice thundered, his anger rising. Scales slowly began to build on his ancient form as he glared at Hua Caili, his rage unmistakable.
It was true that Hua Caili had grown up in the Pure Land and had been close to the High Priests, even having a somewhat friendly relationship with the Chief Priest. But none of that would save her from the consequences of her actions.
Crack... crack...!!!!!! The air crackled under the weight of the Chief Priest's fury, and the very space around them trembled, the power of his rage echoing throughout the area.
-----
"..." Yun Che watched the scene unfold in his Divine Sense, his mind filled with countless thoughts. In the end, he slowly closed his eyes, the faces of his daughters, his wives, his parents, and everyone he had known flashing before him. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"We're fated to be enemies, nothing more, nothing less, everything is fake..."
With those words, he opened his eyes, his gaze steely and resolute. He turned his attention to the Abyssal Qilin God, commanding it to push further into the Endless Fog Sea.
-----
"HUA CAILI!!!!!"
"BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!"
"CRACKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The space crumbled, the air trembled, and the earth quaked under the overwhelming might of the Chief Priest. His anger was pushing beyond his limits, and as more and more snake-like, dragon scales began to form on his body, the power radiating from him grew many times stronger than even Liu Xiao's. The fury in his eyes was palpable as he turned toward Hua Caili, who remained eerily quiet.
Even though Hua Qingying wasn't the direct target of the Ancient True Gods' wrath, she could still feel her blood churning, her soul burning, as though her very spirit was on the verge of shattering.
Her cultivation in the Divine Limited Realm meant nothing here. The crushing pressure from the Ancient True Gods' power was more than she could handle, even when almost all of it was focused on someone else.
"Ugh..." Hua Caili groaned under the unbearable pressure, blood trickling from her lips. Her face was pale—paler than the white wedding dress she still wore, a stark contrast to the raw power around her.
Under the terrifying might of the Ancient True God, Hua Caili finally spoke.
"Because... because I believe... Big Brother Yun Che... is not a bad person..." It took her a long time to answer, but she did.
???????????????
"Not a bad person?!"
Her answer stunned everyone, including Hua Qingying. The shock was palpable, and they all stared at her as though she had just uttered the most ridiculous joke in the world.
Even Pan Buwang was taken aback by her words, understanding just how absurd they were. He had heard the stories of Hua Caili and Yun Che's twisted love, and he knew the chaos the Fog Monarch had brought. Since Yun Che and the Fog Monarch were one and the same, Yun Che was anything but a good person.
The reason Pan Buwang did what he did was because he wanted to repay Yun Che's kindness. With nothing left to live for, he had decided to repay that kindness with his life. But what did Hua Caili have to do with this?
Yun Che—everything he had done to her should have been enough to drive her to chase him down and kill him a hundred times over. Yet... she still said this?
"He's not a bad person?!!!!!"
"...."
"....."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The Chief Priest laughed mockingly, his laughter echoing like thunder through the air. By now, his body had transformed, no longer resembling a human but a massive snake-dragon beast. Draconic wings had sprouted from his back, and a soul-shaking, terrifying power radiated from him, filling the entire space with an oppressive weight.
Finally, after a long, mocking laugh, the Chief Priest stopped, his eyes burning with fury as he demanded:
"HOW IS YUN CHE NOT A BAD PERSON?!!!!"
"EVERYTHING HE DID TO YOU, TO THE DREAMWEAVERS, EVERYTHING HE DID TO THE ABYSS, HOW IS HE NOT A BAD PERSON?!!!!"
"....." Meng Jianxi, watching from a distance, silently echoed the same question in his mind. He recalled everything that had happened between them and Yun Che, the chaos, the pain, the betrayal. Even at this distance, the power of the Chief Priest's anger was palpable, and Hua Caili, standing at the center of it all, could feel the crushing weight of his rage.
"Because his eyes... he's... he's in pain..." Hua Caili's voice was soft, but it carried with it an undeniable certainty.
The beast in the depths of the Endless Fog Sea suddenly slowed, the figure atop it stunned by her answer.
"Brother Yun Che is definitely not a bad person... but because of the situation, he had to do what he had to do." Hua Caili continued, the pressure on her slowly easing.
"I believe he has many reasons for everything he does, and I am sure that if there were another way, he would not have done what he did."
"His eyes, they're filled with pain, with regret..."
"Because of that, I don't believe Big Brother Yun Che is a bad person."
In her white wedding dress, Hua Caili stood unwavering, looking directly at the stunned Chief Priest, her voice earnest and filled with a deep, unwavering belief.
"....."
"..."
"...."
"HAHAHAHAHA.....HAHAHAHAHAHA!" The Chief Priest erupted in laughter, his tone mocking and filled with disbelief. The answer she gave... it was just... ridiculous!
"And for all of that... for just YOUR OWN BELIEFS, YOU CHOOSE TO DO WHAT YOU DO?!!!!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!" The Chief Priest continued to laugh, his gaze locked on Hua Caili. Gone were the last traces of tenderness toward her, gone was any semblance of reason.
He, the Chief Priest Big Rage, the First God of the Rage God Race, created by Mo Su. His loyalty was to Mo Su, and Mo Su's will was his to follow. Mo Su was his creator and his lord.
As Mo Su had sent them all here, his desperate need to capture Yun Che was clear for all to see.
High Priest Wan Dao, who had followed Mo Su from the very beginning of the Abyss, understood this deeply. He hadn't hesitated for a second to sacrifice the power he had cultivated over millions of years just to temporarily create an opening in space to track Yun Che down... but everything—everything—had been stopped by her! By Hua Caili! By her ridiculous belief!
WHAT A JOKE!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At this moment, even though Liu Xiao too understood how ridiculous Caili's answer was, he wasn't foolish enough to miss the deadly shift in the Chief Priest's gaze. A killing intent leaked from the Chief Priest's eyes as he looked at Hua Caili. The Chief Priest had lost control.
"BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"
The godly might of the Chief Priest surged, splitting the gray world apart as his energy tore through the air. Hundreds of thousands of miles were cleared of Abyssal Dust, and the force terrified the Gods as they sped away! Pan Buwang was no exception. However, as Pan Buwang was speeding away, his eyes locked on a single direction, filled with cold, murderous intent.
As for the Chief Priest?
The last thought to cross his mind was, "Anyone who causes the lord's plans to fail... is just an enemy that needs to be eliminated." With that, his final shred of reason vanished, and his claw-like fingers ignited with terrifying power.
"DIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The beast known as Big Rage roared as he charged toward Hua Caili, who was immobilized by the overwhelming power.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"CAILI!!!!!!!!!!" Hua Qingying's voice rang out, filled with fear and horror. Her body moved instinctively, rushing toward her niece, the one, she swore to protect.
"
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!"
"UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
"CRACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!"
The attack shattered the gray world as space itself crumbled and the earth caved in beneath the force of it.
"BOOOMMMM!!!"
"BOOOOMMMM!!!!"
"BOOOMMMMM!!!!!"
Figures flew through the air, crashing violently into the abyssal ground with loud booms before finally coming to a stop, their bodies battered by the force of the attack.
"PUKEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
"Ugh..."
In the distant gray world, Yun Che's face turned pale as he watched the scene of destruction unfold. Blood stained the white wedding dress, turning it a dark crimson, and the sound of someone coughing up blood echoed in the air.
Yet, it was not Hua Caili's blood.
Slowly, Hua Caili opened her bloodied eyes, her face even paler than before as she looked at the scene before her. A figure of Hua Qingying lay drenched in blood, just a few meters in front of her. In front of Hua Qingying, the old figure of Liu Xiao appeared just in time to block the Chief Priest's devastating attack.
His bones were broken in many places, and he slowly dropped to the ground, coughing up blood. Blood streamed down his ancient body, slowly turning him red as he fought to stay conscious.
He had taken almost all of the Chief Priest's power. Even though he, too, was an Ancient True God, the difference in their strength was worlds apart.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Liu Xiao!!!!!!" A moment of clarity washed over the Chief Priest as he realized what he had just done. In an instant, he appeared before the injured Liu Xiao.
"Liu Xiao... you... are you alright...?" Big Rage's voice shook with concern, his anger still lingering, but now mixed with worry.
"Cough... cough... puke... cough!!!!"
"I'm... "PUKE".... fine... my old bones are tougher than I look," Liu Xiao replied after several rounds of coughing up blood. His aura was chaotic, his body wracked with pain from countless injuries, yet he managed to force a smile. Seeing his old friend return to his normal state seemed to ease the pressure on him.
"AUNTIE!!!!! AUNT!!!!!!!!"
Suddenly, the pair heard a desperate scream from Hua Caili behind them. They both turned to look, and their hearts sank.
A figure lay on the ground, covered in terrifying injuries, her body still bleeding profusely. It was Hua Qingying. Her body was so battered, so broken, that her aura and soul were barely holding on, weak enough to be wiped out by a single gust of wind.
Though Liu Xiao had absorbed nearly all of Big Rage's power, some of it had slipped past, and even a tiny amount was enough to destroy someone like Hua Qingying, who was not a True God.
She had taken the full brunt of the Ancient True God's power that had passed through Liu Xiao.
"AUNT!!!!!!!" Hua Caili screamed, rushing to her aunt's side. Despite her extreme weakness, Hua Qingying managed to lift her hand to wipe the tears from her niece's face, her reddened hand trembling with effort.
"It... alright..."
"I'm... glad... you're... safe," Hua Qingying whispered, her hand falling lifelessly to the ground as she passed out from the sheer weight of her injuries.
"AUNT!!!!!"
"AUNT!!!!!!" Hua Caili screamed in anguish, her aura swirling in chaotic fury as she fell to her knees, her heart shattered by the sight of her aunt's near-death state.
"She will be okay, she will just need time to recover." The old Liu Xiao spoke softly, offering what little comfort he could to Hua Caili as he used his power to heal her body while still recovering from his own injuries.
Looking at the scene, Chief Priest Big Rage could only turn his head away, his expression heavy with regret. He lifted his fingers, and the still unconscious Wan Dao floated over. "It seems... I won't be able to fulfill Lord's order today," he murmured, a deep sorrow in his voice.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!"
Suddenly, just as the group was still recovering from the chaos, a painful moan rang out after a blast of godly power. The darkness dome rose, and in an instant, the weak soul of Shenwu Yanye was enclosed by it. Pan Buwang, with a cold, ruthless expression, crushed her soul into nothingness.
"BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"
Under the shocked eyes of the gods, Pan Buwang killed Shenwu Yanye in an instant.
"YOU!!!!!" Realizing what had just transpired, Chief Priest Big Rage rushed forward with terrifying speed, his fist crashing toward Pan Buwang.
Pan Buwang barely managed to raise his power enough to block, but the crushing force of the Chief Priest's strike sent him plummeting into the earth with a deafening BOOOOM!!!, the sickening crack of his bones echoing through the air.
"..."
Within the crumpled abyss, Pan Buwang lay, his bloodied figure still as his breath came in weak gasps. Despite the agony, his face was adorned with a smile, a smile of satisfaction.
"Wuqing... I've... finally... taken... revenge. For you." Pan Buwang murmured, a twisted satisfaction in his voice. Although it was true that Shenwu Yi had been the one to kill Shenwu Qing, ultimately, it had been Shenwu Yanye who had ordered it.
Shenwu Yi, being related to his master, had been something Pan Buwang could let go. But Shenwu Yanye? Not in a million years! The moment the opportunity had presented itself, Pan Buwang, who had long suppressed his killing intent towards her, had unleashed it with everything he had.
Finally, he had achieved his goal. Now, even if he died here, there were no regrets.
As he lay there, smiling madly at his own fulfillment, the Chief Priest's irritation grew. It was true that those who left part of their Divine Soul in the Soul Hall could be revived, but with Wan Dao's injuries and the lack of resources, Shenwu Yanye might as well be fully dead!
Fury bubbled within the Chief Priest as he raised his hand. Power gathered from the depths of his Laws, forming an image of a Teng-Dragon in the air. With a fierce roar, he was about to finish Pan Buwang off once and for all.
"PUKEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!"
Suddenly, a blood-curdling sound filled the air as the Chief Priest stopped his movements and turned toward the source of the noise.
Surrounded by Liu Xiao, Wan Dao, and Hua Qingying, Hua Caili fell to her knees, clutching her abdomen as she vomited blood. Her face was pale, and the blood continued to spill from her lips, her entire body trembling.
??????????????
In the depths of the Endless Fog Sea, Yun Che suddenly felt a sharp pain pierce through his heart. His soul trembled.
"Yun Che?" Li Suo's voice rang out in confusion as her divine power continued to heal him. Yet, despite her efforts, the trembling in Yun Che's soul grew worse and worse.
Each passing second felt like a weight pressing down on him, and his heart clenched in pain. No matter how much healing energy Li Suo poured into him, it wasn't enough to quell the growing turmoil within.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
??????????????
The Chief Priest rushed forward in confusion, his gaze locked on Hua Caili, whose face had gone pale as she clutched her stomach. Liu Xiao, too, stood beside her, his brow furrowed. He knew that both Hua Qingying and Liu Xiao had absorbed nearly all of Big Rage's power earlier, so Hua Caili should have been unharmed. Yet, here she was, clutching her stomach and vomiting blood. It didn't make sense.
"Little Caili..." Liu Xiao carried his bloodied form over to her, his voice gentle despite his pain. "Are you alright?" He placed his old, weathered hand on her back, but as soon as he did, his expression shifted. From confusion to astonishment, and then to shock.
"You... You...." He staggered back, his face filling with disbelief.
"YOU'RE PREGNANT!" He roared out!