In the depths of the Endless Fog Sea, Yun Che's body, mind, and soul trembled as though struck by Heavenly Lightning. His soul shook violently, his mind going completely blank from the shock of what he had just heard.
"Ah... ah...." Yun Che's eyes went wide, his mouth forming sounds that barely resembled words, a mixture of disbelief and confusion. His body trembled uncontrollably as he collapsed from the Qilin Beast, hitting the ground with a sharp "Bang!" Even as his body lay motionless on the cold abyssal ground, his mind continued to tremble, despite Li Suo's power trying to wash over him and calm his inner turmoil.
The gods, everyone who had heard Liu Xiao's words, were left stunned, mirroring the shock that Yun Che was feeling in the depths of the Endless Fog Sea, though they were just slightly more composed.
"You... You... You...." Liu Xiao's old face was still filled with disbelief as he pointed a trembling finger toward Hua Caili.
Just moments earlier, when he had checked her condition, something had felt off about her energy. Upon further investigation, he had found the source of the oddity—she was pregnant! Not with one child, but with twins!
The two life forms within her had been conceived not long ago, and the revelation hit him like a storm, leaving him frozen in shock.
Maybe it was the overwhelming stress and shock from everything that had happened today, but Hua Caili suddenly coughed up blood. Despite the blood, everything within her seemed safe—her pregnancy intact—but the shock that Liu Xiao felt only deepened. After all, the father of these just-conceived children could only be… Yun Che.
!!!!!!
With swift motion, the Chief Priest appeared before Hua Caili, checking her condition. Then, slowly, just like Liu Xiao, he looked down at her pale face. "You... really... are pregnant?" he murmured, stepping back in disbelief. His words caused another wave of shock to ripple through the surrounding people and to the figure trembling on the ground in the depths of the Endless Fog Sea.
Slowly wiping the blood from her lips, Hua Caili gathered the strength to rise to her feet, her hand placed gently on her stomach.
"Yes... I am with a child... a twin," she said softly, her words confirming what the Ancient True Gods had said.
"And just like you all thought, they're mine and Big Brother Yun Che's," she continued, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her.
"The twins... I felt their existence not long ago, just a day before everything happened today..."
"I was going to let Big Brother Yun Che know after our wedding, to surprise him... but... it seems that will never happen." Hua Caili's eyes filled with sadness as she lowered her hand from her stomach, her heart heavy with the weight of her words.
"Is that the reason why you said Yun Che is a good person...? Just so you can protect your pregnancy?" The Chief Priest asked suddenly, his voice filled with skepticism.
"No... that's not the reason why I said Big Brother Yun Che is a good person!" Hua Caili shouted, her voice filled with emotion. "But because I know he truly is a good person! His eyes... when I gaze into them, even if it's just for a moment, I see the pain he's carrying! He didn't want to do what he did! If there were other ways, he definitely wouldn't have done what he did!" Tears began to fall from her eyes, but she didn't stop there.
"Lord Abyssal Monarch said he's from another world, right? Then maybe... maybe he has someone, his family, his friends, his everything that he needed to protect in the other world!"
Her words caused a stir among the gods, bringing them back to their senses. They listened intently, as if her words were reaching them on a deeper level.
"Maybe he's just like us... someone who's just trying to survive, someone who has something to protect!" Hua Caili's voice rose in passion, her eyes filled with conviction.
"BUT THAT'S NOT ENOUGH!" The Chief Priest, having listened for so long, finally snapped.
"THAT'S NOT ENOUGH REASON FOR HIM TO BE A GOOD PERSON!" His voice shook the very air as Hua Caili raised her head to look at him, her gaze unwavering.
"He...." Seeing the pain in her eyes, the Chief Priest softened his voice, a reluctant understanding creeping into his tone. "He, in the world he comes from, may be a good person... but to us, what he did here in the Abyss, the pain and grief he caused in our world... he needs to be punished."
The Chief Priest stood firm in his belief, his conviction unshaken, even as he saw the anguish in Hua Caili's eyes.
-------
The Chief Priest's words hit like a cold reminder of Yun Che's actions, leaving the gods somber and silent. The gods had regrouped, and Pan Buwang was tightly bound with a divine chain, the power of the Ancient Gods holding him in place.
"But...!" Hua Caili began to protest, her voice desperate.
"No, But!" The Chief Priest interjected, his voice stern and final.
"At this time, it's probably too late for us to catch him. Wan Dao was the only one capable of such actions... but... well, it doesn't matter now."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the gods before he continued, the weight of his words heavy.
"We'll return to Pure Land and report this matter to the Lord. He will decide what to do." The Chief Priest's voice was unwavering.
"We don't know when Yun Che will return, it might even be years from now. But next time, for sure, we'll capture him!" His eyes turned toward Hua Caili, cold and resolute. "And next time, no one will interfere with what we do!" His words carried a finality, a warning that rang in the air. The gods nodded in agreement, their expressions grim.
Hua Caili, her heart heavy with despair, was forced to lower her head. The weight of the situation bore down on her as she silently accepted the harsh reality.
"Worse comes to worse, we'll use the children as a bargaining chip," the Chief Priest added, his voice cold and calculating.
The chilling finality of his words hung in the air as everyone prepared to leave.
"YOU!!!!" Hua Caili's voice was filled with anger and fury as she heard the Chief Priest's chilling words. But before she could protest further, Liu Xiao stopped her, shaking his head in warning.
"You said he's a good person yourself, didn't you?" Dian Jiuzhi suddenly spoke, his voice dripping with mockery and a cruel smile playing on his lips.
"If he's a good person, then he should be a good father. And as a good father, how could he watch his children in pain? HAHAHAHA!" Dian Jiuzhi laughed, his words filled with satisfaction. Though the trip to the Endless Fog Sea had been short and he had been injured, hearing the Chief Priest's words filled him with a twisted sense of joy he couldn't contain.
"BANG!!!!"
Suddenly, in the midst of his laughter, Dian Jiuzhi was kicked with tremendous force, sending his body flying through the air.
"BOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!"
His body came to a stop after crashing into a mountain, and a spray of blood erupted from his mouth as he collapsed, struggling to breathe.
"Ugh..." It takes some time before Dian Jiuzhi come to his full senses as he looks up.
"PAN BUWANG!!!!" he roared in pain, his eyes filled with rage as he looked toward the source of the attack.
Though Pan Buwang was bound by chains, which restricted his profound power, his hands were the only parts restrained—his legs remained free. He had not used any profound arts and had relied solely on his Perfect God strength. Seizing the opportunity, he kicked Dian Jiuzhi into oblivion, sending him crashing far away.
The force of the attack was enough to leave a lasting mark, even on someone like Dian Jiuzhi.
Of course, with his actions, the chains tightened further, and Pan Buwang felt the pressure increase as his legs were also bound now.
"Ugh...!!!!!" Pan Buwang groaned in pain for a moment before quickly silencing himself.
Although the gods felt a certain satisfaction from Pan Buwang's defiance, they could not allow him to act as he pleased. In the end, more chains tightened around him, ensuring he couldn't move. The Chief Priest had already mentioned that if worse came to worst, they would have to take extreme measures, and though the gods didn't want to take such actions, what choice did they have? Yun Che was an enemy, after all. And since Hua Caili kept insisting that he was a good person, then it was up to Yun Che to prove it.
Soon, the gods took to the sky, traveling outward toward the areas where the Abyssal Dust was less dense, and they could feel their bodies lighten as the suppression eased. Beneath the gray sky, the figures of the gods moved in silence, the unconscious bodies of their comrades floating beside them. Dian Jiuzhi shot hateful glares at Pan Buwang from time to time, but the prisoner remained silent.
"STOP!" The Chief Priest roared, raising his hand to signal everyone to halt.
"Impossible...." Liu Xiao suddenly said, his voice filled with disbelief as he stared ahead, his divine sense pulsing in alarm.
??????
The gods, much weaker than the Ancient True Gods, were confused, unsure of what was happening. One of them finally asked.
"Lord High Priest... what is it?"
With a shocked expression, Liu Xiao turned toward Hua Caili. "It... Yun Che..." he said, his voice barely above a whisper, filled with shocks.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
---------
Just some time earlier;
A million miles away from where the gods were, there was one odd Abyssal Beast, racing toward the group of gods at incredible speed.
Originally, this beast had followed the same course as all the other Abyssal Beasts and Abyssal Ghosts, charging toward the gods in pursuit. But, curiously, instead of charging directly, it began to move erratically. It seemed to press forward but then started retreating, inch by inch, eventually veering off in a completely different direction.
This beast was Yun Che's final escape route. It carried the eyes of the World Piercer, a failsafe in case the gods cornered him in the depths of the Endless Fog Sea. If the gods appeared before him, pushing him to his limits, Yun Che would use this creature as his last escape.
At that moment, above the beast, Yun Che materialized. His gaze was fixed on the gods in the distance, his mind set and resolved for what was to come.
"Are you sure about this?" Li Suo's voice rang out with concern, her words laced with worry. This was Yun Che's final escape route, his lifeline. He could already escape from the gods and reach the Well of Samsara, but at this moment, he had used his teleportation to return—back to where he started!
And not just return... Yun Che, with all his resolve, had planned to confront the gods! Even though Yun Che had filled Li Suo in on what was happening, and as shocked as she was, she still understood the gravity of what he was about to do. After all, she was once a Creation God and had the wisdom to comprehend the danger Yun Che was willingly putting himself in.
"I... cannot... let the past... repeat itself," Yun Che said, his voice low as the memory of Qianye Ying'er flashed in his mind as well as figure of Long Xi—whom eyes once filled with hates, appeared in his mind. Yun Che closed his eyes, the weight of his decision pressing down on him, while the beast continued its course toward the gods.
"..." Li Suo didn't speak for a long, long time.
Finally, her voice broke the silence. "You will be putting yourself in danger—a danger that could cost your freedom, as well as your very life... I cannot allow that."
"You're going to stop me?" Yun Che asked, still with his eyes closed, his tone calm but unwavering.
"No." Li Suo's voice was resolute as she, too, made up her mind. "But if you are to go through with this... I will make sure you come out of this alive."
"Back then, when Ni Xuan created his techniques, although I didn't know much about it, I know that Othershore Asura was only his fifth style technique. It granted him greater power than he already had," Li Suo began, her voice calm but filled with a depth of knowledge. "But it came with a price. It burned his God's Soul, and it took time for him to recover."
"To mortals who inherit his power, using it will only guarantee death, for you will burn all of your soul using his power." Her words confirmed what Yun Che had already known.
"What is it that you're trying to say?" Yun Che asked, his tone low, yet his curiosity piqued.
"But for you... just for you... for one minute, I can let you freely use that technique!" Li Suo's voice was firm with determination, her resolve unshakable. Yun Che's eyes snapped open in surprise.
"How would you do that?" he asked, his voice sharp with intrigue.
"Did you forget? I am the Creation God of Life and Master of the Seal of Life and Death!" Li Suo's voice rang out, filled with authority. "Although my power hasn't fully recovered, and although the Seal of Life and Death is not what it once was, I can still support your soul. Even under the extreme, terrifying power of using Othershore Asura... it will be enough!" She spoke with confidence, as if she knew exactly what she was capable of.
"GOOD!" Yun Che smiled, a spark of resolve in his eyes as the beast continued carrying them toward the gods.
Soon, Yun Che appeared near the path the gods had taken to leave the Endless Fog Sea.
The suppression here, as Yun Che estimated, was only around twenty percent of the gods' full power. But at this moment, Yun Che didn't care in the slightest. The weight of the situation seemed irrelevant as he stood tall, facing the group of gods.
As he felt the presence of the Ancient True Gods' divine senses sweep past, he stood unmoving, unwavering, as he locked eyes with the approaching gods. His gaze met theirs, and he saw their initial shock turn into something else—excitement, exultation—as they flew toward him, their faces filled with anticipation.
"Big Brother Yun Che?!!!!!" Hua Caili's voice rang out, filled with a mixture of relief, disbelief, and overwhelming emotion as she gazed at the man she thought she would never see again in her life.
"Hahahaha! To think you would actually be waiting for us here!" Dian Juizhi's laughter boomed with joy, his voice carrying the full force of his newfound strength. He could feel the power surging within him, much greater than before, and with it, the belief that he could crush Yun Che with ease now.
Without waiting for the others, Dian Jiuzhi charged forward with a roar.
"BOOOOMMMMM!!" His power exploded outward, the force of it shaking the very space and ground around him. He was at eighty percent of his Perfect God power, and his body transformed into a beast-like form once more as he rushed at Yun Che, his presence overwhelming.
The ground trembled beneath his might, and the very air seemed to crackle with the intensity of his power.
Yet Yun Che showed no fear. His eyes glowed a deep purple as the figure of the Primordial Azure Dragon God manifested above him, letting out a soul-shaking roar toward Dian Jiuzhi.
"ROARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!"
The roar reverberated through the air, shattering Dian Jiuzhi's power like fragile glass. His soul spasmed under the force, and in that moment of weakness, Yun Che exploded into darkness, vanishing from sight only to appear directly before Dian Jiuzhi.
With a swift motion, Yun Che sent a powerful kick to Dian Jiuzhi's face.
"Crackkkkkk!"
The sickening sound of bones breaking echoed through the air as Dian Jiuzhi was sent crashing down into the abyssal ground.
"BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!"
"Ugh..." Dian Jiuzhi groaned in pain, blood spilling from his mouth as he lay on the ground, struggling to rise. The force of the blow had left him reeling, his body battered and broken.
"Fool." Yun Che muttered under his breath. It was true that Dian Jiuzhi was far stronger than him, even with his strength suppressed. But his beast form, the form of the Vein of Great Rage... it was merely a Teng-Dragon, a beast, a snake trying to become a dragon.
Yun Che, however, was a True Dragon. The bloodline suppression, the soul suppression—combined with his experience and power—was more than enough to catch Dian Jiuzhi off guard.
"Fool." Mirroring Yun Che's words, the Chief Priest and Liu Xiao both spoke in unison.
Perhaps because of the injuries from the kick or the sting of the gods' mocking words, Dian Jiuzhi didn't rise from the ground at all. He lay there, groaning in pain, his body weakened and battered.
With that, Yun Che cast his gaze over the group of gods. His voice, warm and sincere, cut through the tension.
"Hello again, everyone. Sorry about earlier."
His tone was a sharp contrast to the destruction he had just caused. His body was cloaked in full darkness, the ominous aura radiating off of him. The stark contrast between his calm demeanor and the chaos he had unleashed was as jarring as night and day.
"...."
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As Liu Xiao observed the young man cloaked in darkness, a sudden realization struck him, and his soul trembled. Amidst all that had transpired, he had failed to consider this earlier, but with all the profound arts Yun Che had used... it was just like the prophecy. But no... it couldn't be about him!
While Liu Xiao was lost in his own thoughts, Chief Priest Big Rage, who had been watching Yun Che in confusion, fell into deep thought for a moment. Finally, he spoke, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Did you hear what was said earlier?"
"Yes, all of it," Yun Che replied, his voice calm and composed as he looked over at Hua Caili.
!!!!!!!!!!
"I know I have wronged you, but I will make it right. I promise," Yun Che said sincerely, locking his gaze with hers. His words were filled with resolve, and as he held her soul bead in his fingers, he felt the weight of her trust. Her soul bead was a reminder of their love, of the promise she had placed in him—her trust, her life, all of it.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hua Caili, unaware of the depth of the emotion swirling inside her, felt tears begin to fall once more. She nodded, her heart heavy yet filled with an unspoken understanding. Her tears, though silent, spoke volumes.
With that, Yun Che turned his gaze back toward the gods, his expression solemn and resolute.
"I cannot allow myself to be captured now, and if there were another way, I truly wouldn't have done what I have done to you all. I am not asking you all to understand me, but..." he paused, his voice growing more intense, "Everything that I do... it's all for one thing."
"I cannot allow you all to enter the Eternal Pure Land."
He stood tall, the weight of his words hanging in the air.
"I, Yun Che, am the emperor of that world known to you all as the Eternal Pure Land!"
"And this Emperor will not allow you all to enter my world!"