In the inner hall of the Pure Land, the only one who remained calm was Hua Fuchen. Leisurely sipping his wine, he listened to the bickering of the gods without concern.
My Caili is the best, he thought with pride. She doesn't stir up trouble, she's independent and beautiful… and she even managed to collect so many Abyss Cores along the way.
Hua Fuchen felt deeply comforted and reassured to have a daughter like Hua Caili.
As for the departure of Meng Kongchan and Dian Luohou, he didn't see it as worth making a fuss over. With Emperor Yuan already having confirmed that Yun Che was safe, there was nothing else to worry about. And as for Dian Jiuzhi—there was even less cause for concern.
Within the original Death Abyss of the Sea of Fog—
Yun Che's figure had been completely enveloped by Yuan Chen's power, rendering him undetectable. Though hidden, his eyes were filled with reluctance. As he looked at Hua Caili's cold and resolute expression, an unexpected bitterness rose in his heart.
Faking his death to provoke conflict between the divine kingdoms had been the most direct and effective tactic he could devise—and he had executed it flawlessly. Even better than expected.
Yet there was no joy in his heart.
Instead, his emotions were mixed and conflicted. He felt a deep debt of guilt toward Hua Caili. From the beginning, he had approached her with ulterior motives. And now, because of her, an irreparable rift had formed between two divine kingdoms. From start to finish, he had used Hua Caili.
Yun Che still remembered the Demon Queen's words clearly:
"In the Abyss, all relationships—be it friendship, mentorship, love, or gratitude—are merely tools. They must never be tainted by true emotion."
But now… something between him and Hua Caili had become unstable. There was a discord in his heart and soul he couldn't ignore—an emotion he could neither control nor suppress.
With difficulty, Yun Che averted his gaze from Hua Caili and turned toward Meng Kongchan.
At this moment, Meng Kongchan looked nothing like his usual composed self. He appeared like a man completely broken—an old man hollowed out by grief. The sudden aging in his features, the wrinkles deepening across his face, the whitening temples, the hoarseness in his voice... all revealed his spiritual collapse.
If the physical change was already shocking, the emotional wound he carried was dozens—perhaps hundreds—of times more devastating.
To a father whose soul was already in pain, this was salt in the wound.
Yun Che bore no hatred toward the Dreamless Divine Lord—only respect.
As a father, Meng Kongchan had treated Meng Jianyuan with utmost care and affection. Yun Che had taken advantage of that love. But Meng Kongchan's devastation far exceeded anything Yun Che had anticipated.
"Dian Luohou treats you so well, he even gave you the divine weapon," Meng Kongchan said bitterly. Though he had never seen the divine artifact of the Senluo Divine Kingdom before, he knew that only a weapon tempered by the power of a true god could resist a true god's might.
The seven-colored Hunyuan Pearl—this was the divine weapon of the Senluo Divine Kingdom!
Inside the multicolored protective barrier, Dian Jiuzhi stood dumbfounded. He had no idea that the life-saving item his father had given him was actually the most precious divine artifact of their entire kingdom.
And at that moment, the realization dawned on him—his father had always intended to pass on the divine throne to him.
Once the divine weapon was handed over, the divine source within the god's body would lose perfect synchronization. From that point forward, the god's power would slowly decline, and within a thousand years... death would follow.
"Father God… You gave me the name 'Jiuzhi'—Nine Knowledges—and once told me its meaning: 'Know yourself, know others, know all life, know gratitude, know shame, know good and evil, know when to advance, when to retreat, and know your destiny.' Now I finally understand…"
"These were your life's teachings. You wanted me to inherit your will, uphold the righteousness of the Nine Knowledges, and become a truly worthy Divine Lord."
In that instant, Dian Jiuzhi's mind cleared. He broke free, if only briefly, from the chains of his emotional torment. His heart no longer clung to Hua Caili. His thoughts elevated, now focused entirely on the greater picture—on the Senluo Divine Kingdom and its people. Everything he would do now, he would do for their future... and to become a better god.
"Jiuzhi!"
A deafening cry echoed from the distance.
The warship of Senluo Divine Kingdom descended swiftly—God Jueluo had arrived. Never in his life had Dian Luohou looked so anxious.
"Are you alright?" Dian Luohou hurried to his son's side, his voice filled with worry. As the strongest god among the six kingdoms, he now looked shaken—terrified that something had happened to Dian Jiuzhi.
"I'm fine." Dian Jiuzhi shook his head, tears welling in his eyes. In that moment, his father seemed more godlike, more majestic than ever before.
"Old Meng," Dian Luohou said solemnly, "since you know I've handed the divine weapon to Jiuzhi, then you understand I've already made my choice."
Meng Kongchan sighed, his expression heavy. He and Dian Luohou had always been close. He didn't want things to turn ugly.
But Dian Jiuzhi had killed Meng Jianyuan.
This… could not simply be forgiven.
"What's going on? Meng, are you trying to kill Jiuzhi?" Dian Luohou frowned. Looking around, he noticed only Hua Caili and Meng Kongchan were present. Based on Dian Jiuzhi's condition, he quickly pieced the story together.
"Ask your son what he did!" Meng Kongchan shouted, voice trembling with grief. "How could I possibly let this go?!"
Dian Luohou's expression turned grim. He could see clearly now—Meng Kongchan's breath was chaotic, and his face was haggard beyond recognition. His usual carefree demeanor was completely gone.
"Jiuzhi, what happened?" Dian Luohou asked seriously. He knew Meng Kongchan's character—he wouldn't act like this without a grave reason.
"I killed Yun Che… who had returned as Meng Jianyuan," Dian Jiuzhi admitted, lowering his head deeply. His sanity had returned, and now, he fully grasped how foolish he had been.
"You what!?" Dian Luohou exploded. His anger surged, and he finally understood why Meng Kongchan had become so unhinged.
"Give me a reason. This isn't like you! Have you forgotten everything I taught you?" Dian Luohou tried to suppress his fury. He couldn't believe his most trusted son would do something so rash without provocation.
"Father God… Caili and Yun Che… I saw them… being intimate," Dian Jiuzhi said, each word like a blade. "More than once. I saw it with my own eyes. Caili even said she wanted to break off the engagement, so I…"
Dian Luohou closed his eyes in anguish. "How could this happen…"
"Caili is everything to me. The thought of losing her… I lost control. I blamed everything on Yun Che, and then…"
His voice was bitter. There was no evasion, no lies. He laid it all bare.
"Jiuzhi… since it's already happened, don't blame yourself too much. Hua Caili was the one who betrayed you first. Everything you did was understandable."
"The daughter Hua Fuchen raised… to do such a disgraceful thing! She and you had a marriage decree issued by Emperor Yuan himself! And now you're humiliated like this? It's not just a personal insult—it's an insult to our entire Senluo Divine Kingdom. Unforgivable!"
Dian Luohou took a deep breath and turned a fierce gaze toward Hua Caili.
"Caili, teleport away. Go to your father. What's happening here is beyond what you should bear," Meng Kongchan said, stepping in front of her protectively. "Old Dian, the hearts of young people are their own. Marriage contracts can't bind the body or soul. Everyone deserves to pursue their own happiness."
"Brother Meng," Dian Luohou replied grimly, "I'll give you an explanation, but that girl still needs to be held accountable."
"Dian Luohou!" Meng Kongchan's voice turned cold. "This is between my Yuan'er and your Jiuzhi! Don't try to shift the blame. Caili is a victim too!"
"It was fate that brought Yuan'er and Caili together. Hua Fuchen and I had planned to explain the situation at this Pure Land Conference, ask Emperor Yuan to cancel the engagement, and then formally apologize. But now…"
Meng Kongchan's voice faded, heavy with sorrow.
"Since you won't let Jiuzhi go, and since he did kill your son," Dian Luohou said solemnly, "then I, as his father, will atone in his place."
"I'll cut off one arm to repay Meng Jianyuan's life!"
Without another word, Dian Luohou raised his hand and severed his own left arm with a single strike.
A god's body was sacred and inviolable. Sacrificing an arm in exchange for a life was the highest price one could offer.
"Let this end our debt," Dian Luohou declared, blood pouring from his wound, but his expression unwavering.