"You just had another intense soul tremor… were you reminded of something again?" Li Suo spoke softly. Ever since arriving in the Pure Land, she could sense Yun Che's soul growing increasingly unsettled.
Whether it was the final memory fragments left behind by the Evil God, the silent pressure from the Abyssal Emperor, or the relentless flow of time—everything weighed heavily on this once peerless Devil Lord, forcing him to bear what no one ever should.
"You can speak to me about anything," Li Suo continued gently. "You don't need to carry it alone. In this world, I will always stand by your side."
"You once said that my heart was growing ever more hollow and lonely, and even with Huacai Li—Abyss' First Divine Maiden—by my side, that emptiness remained unchanged." Yun Che returned to his room and let out a heavy sigh. "Just now, Mengjian Xi's message reminded me of someone."
"Her name was Xia Qingyue… the former Moon God Emperor I buried with my own hands into this abyssal world. She was also my first wife."
"The greatest regret of my life is her. She was the Vessel of Fate created by the Ancestral God. Back then, I thought receiving the Evil God's legacy, the Primordial Azure Dragon's bloodline, the Phoenix's inheritance… were all strokes of fate. I never realized it was all orchestrated by the Ancestral God—and the price behind it was Qingyue's tragic life."
"It's been so long, yet there hasn't been a single trace of Qingyue in this Abyss World. Not even someone with the Nine Profound Exquisite Body has appeared. But I don't believe anything bad happened to her… because she possesses the Glazed Heart of Ice and Snow—blessed by the Heavenly Way itself."
"When I passed through the Abyssal Gate, I realized that Qingyue—possessing the Moon God's legacy—could very well have arrived in this world as well. Perhaps, like me, she assumed a new identity."
"Shen Wuyi, the Divine Maiden of Eternal Night… might be the very person I've been searching for all this time—Xia Qingyue."
Li Suo was taken aback. "Wouldn't that be… a good thing? If you can reunite with her, she'd be a great help to you in this world. Her mind isn't inferior to your Devil Queen's."
It should have been joyous news. But from Yun Che, Li Suo sensed no excitement—only endless guilt and hesitation.
"Indeed… no matter what her identity is now, she would never harm me. I'm certain of that." Yun Che slowly sat down. "But I… might end up hurting her again."
"My purpose in coming to the Abyss is singular: to stop the Abyssal power from invading the God Realm. For that… I'm willing to pay any price."
"But if Qingyue truly is Shen Wuyi now… then think about her current stance."
"With her intelligence, she must have realized that the so-called 'Eternal Pure Land' the Abyssal denizens speak of… is none other than the God Realm where she once lived."
"As the Divine Maiden of Eternal Night, she must understand that the Abyssal power far surpasses that of the God Realm. If the Abyssal Gate opens in forty-plus years, the God Realm will face only two paths: submission… or annihilation." Yun Che closed his eyes, placing himself in Xia Qingyue's shoes.
"From what I know of her, Qingyue would never harm the world of life. But she wouldn't stand by idly either. She's likely planning to seize the divine source of the Eternal Night Divine Nation… to delay the Abyssal Gate's opening. But the cost of that would be her own fall—whether or not she succeeds."
Li Suo asked, confused, "But if that's the case, isn't her goal the same as yours? Even if the outcome isn't perfect, she'd still be helping you. And you wouldn't hurt her."
"That's just one possibility," Yun Che said as he opened his eyes, their light piercing. "The greater likelihood… is that she no longer remembers the past."
"If she remembered everything about the God Realm, she wouldn't have become the Divine Maiden of Eternal Night. That's not her style."
"If I were an outsider, I'd hide carefully in the shadows—not expose myself to the divine light of the True Gods, much less sit in the very seat closest to them."
"If Qingyue has truly lost her memories, then she's no different from a native of the Abyss. Her values would be aligned with the Abyss' interests… and if that's the case, someone like me, who intends to destroy the Abyss' stability, is destined to hurt her again."
"That's why I fear Shen Wuyi really is Qingyue. I'd rather she was just an ordinary profound practitioner of this world… living a peaceful life, untouched by me."
Li Suo: "..."
"This world is destined to end—whether pushed by you or through natural evolution. That result won't change. According to the calculations of the Temporal Black Tide, this world's cycle is nearing its end. So no matter what you choose, the Abyss is already heading toward the same fate. There's no need to torment yourself over it," Li Suo said in a rare effort to comfort him.
"…You're right, little Li Suo. I shouldn't be so hesitant." Yun Che let out a faint smile. "Besides, we haven't even confirmed if she's the Divine Maiden of Eternal Night yet. Everything's still uncertain. We should proceed with our original plan."
He sighed with relief. The Abyss was indeed oppressive for someone like him—but thankfully, he still had a "sensible" Creation God of Life by his side.
Li Suo wanted to protest being called "little," but feeling Yun Che's emotions calming, she held her tongue.
Time passed in a flash.
At long last, the Pure Land Guardians brought word: the Abyssal Emperor summoned them.
The Gathering of the Pure Land had officially begun.
"Yuan'er, have you rested well these past two days? Are you adapting to the aura of the Pure Land?" Meng Kongchan asked with concern as soon as Yun Che arrived.
"Thank you for your concern, Divine Lord. I'm fine now," Yun Che replied with a casual wave.
"Xi'er, look after Yuan'er. This is his first time in the Pure Land—he may not be fully used to it."
"Yes, Father. Xi'er will take good care of Brother Yuan. Please rest assured."
"Let's go," Meng Kongchan took the lead. Only Meng Jianxi and Yun Che followed. The rest of the Zhimeng Divine Nation members had been assigned elsewhere.
As the six other nations and the Dragon Race arrived one after another, Yun Che finally saw the full lineup of the Seven Divine Nations of the Abyss.
Like the Zhimeng Divine Nation, only Divine Lords, Divine Sons and Daughters, and core figures like Hua Qingying were allowed to enter the inner palace and meet the Abyssal Emperor.
Although Yun Che wasn't the officially titled Divine Son of Zhimeng, everyone knew he had every right to be present.
Zhimeng was the second to arrive and sat opposite the Senluo Divine Nation. Jueluo Shenzun and the Senluo Divine Son were already seated. This time, aside from a brief nod between the two Divine Lords, the Divine Sons ignored each other. Dian Jiuzhi, in particular, wore a gloomy expression—his eyes brimming with resentment he couldn't hide.
Next came the Zhetian Divine Nation. Hua Caili wore an expression of barely restrained joy. Her gaze frequently drifted toward Zhimeng's side, never once glancing at Senluo. She took her seat beside the Senluo Divine Nation.
When Dian Jiuzhi saw this, his face contorted with rage. He could no longer deny the special relationship between Yun Che and Caili. Remembering how Yun Che once called Hua Qingying "aunt," his mental state began to collapse.
Following Zhetian came the Yongye Divine Nation. Yun Che's eyes fell on the Divine Maiden of Eternal Night for the first time. Though she wore a veil, the moment he saw her eyes, he was pulled back to the scene during the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament—when he saw Xia Qingyue again.
Those bright eyes… he could never forget them.
Shen Wuyi sat calmly beside Yun Che, face utterly serene. But deep inside, something stirred—her heartstrings trembling with an emotion she couldn't name.
Do I… know him?
He feels… important to me somehow…
After that came the Xingyue Divine Nation and the Dragon Race, seated on opposite sides of the hall. Finally, the last to enter was the Xiaodie Divine Nation. Their seating was conspicuously higher than the other five nations and the Dragon Race, placed closer to the Abyssal Emperor himself—an unmistakable show of superior status.
…
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(End of Chapter)