As the terrifying aura of darkness coiled and raged around Yun Che's outstretched hand, the air itself seemed to tremble under its oppressive weight. The abyssal energy shrieked like a thousand wailing souls, gathering at his palm in preparation to incinerate the trio before him without mercy.
In that instant—when death loomed only a breath away—Dian Xiang's mother acted on sheer instinct. With a sharp, bloody snap, she bit down hard on her tongue, the searing pain clearing the fog of fear from her mind. "No!" she cried, her voice hoarse and trembling, as she threw herself forward, arms wide, placing her frail body between her son and the godlike figure before them. Her limbs quivered, yet her stance was resolute. She would shield him… even if it meant death.
At the same moment, Master Chen surged forward, the veins in his neck and forehead bulging as he pushed his cultivation to the limit. A storm of Divine Limited Realm power burst from him like a desperate flare, forming a protective barrier around all three of them. His energy surged, shaking the ground beneath their feet, but...
It was useless.
Before Yun Che's might—even weakened—such power was like a flickering candle before a collapsing star. The barrier bent, cracked, and groaned beneath the suffocating pressure of Yun Che's abyssal force. Their resistance was as futile as resisting fate itself.
"Yun… F-Fog Monarch… we didn't do anything to offend you!" Master Chen roared, his voice thick with despair and defiance, eyes wide with a mixture of fear and heartbreak.
What kind of cursed fate was this?!In all his years, he'd endured loss, endured humiliation—tragedy after tragedy had visited him like unrelenting storms. And now, at the end of it all, even his proudest disciple… even the ones he called family… were to be reduced to ash.
He did not fear death.
But what sin had he committed?What unforgivable crime had he done in this life to deserve such an end?!
He refused to accept it.He couldn't accept it!
With unshakable resolve burning in his heart, Master Chen clenched his fists, his body trembling as he stood protectively before his former daughter-in-law and Dian Xiang. His eyes, once calm and wise, now turned bloodshot with fury and desperation. In a heartbeat, he forcefully ignited his own blood essence, and a horrifying surge of power erupted from within him—his cultivation skyrocketing in a blaze of suicidal determination.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
The air detonated.
"BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!"
A deafening shockwave split the sky.
"BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!"
The ground fractured like shattered glass.
"CRAAAAACKKKK!!"
Another explosion followed, then—
"BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!!!!"
In Qianye Ying'er's eyes, there was no battle—only a single moment of stillness. Yun Che's abyssal aura shielded her completely, suffocating all sound and sensation. A faint breeze brushed against her cheek… and then silence.
When her vision cleared, she gasped.
There, in the same spot he had charged from, Master Chen now lay sprawled across the blood-soaked earth. His robes were in tatters, his body broken, his aura flickering like a dying ember. Blood leaked from every pore, yet his face still pointed toward Yun Che—eyes wide, unmoving.
As for Yun Che?
He hadn't even taken a single step.
"Master!!!" Dian Xiang's voice cracked as he screamed, his face drained of all color, disbelief and panic flooding his expression.
"Father!!!" Yixin's cry tore through the air as she stumbled forward, eyes overflowing with tears. Yet even in her grief, her body remained rooted in place. She extended a trembling hand, placing herself between Dian Xiang and whatever fate still loomed over them, shielding her son with the only strength she had left.
In that moment, Dian Xiang's mind went blank. The world around him blurred into nothingness as his thoughts screeched to a halt.
"What…?"His lips parted in disbelief, his eyes wide and trembling.That word—"father"—echoed over and over in his head. It came from his mother… directed at Master Chen?
His legs refused to move. The looming shadow of Yun Che meant nothing now—he had forgotten the danger, forgotten death. All he could do was stare, stunned, as his heart pounded in confusion and rising dread.
But Yun Che did not care.
His expression remained untouched by their sorrow. His hand slowly rose, dark flames churning in his palm—Eternal Darkness Flame—an executioner's blade forged from wrath and vengeance.
To him, there was no need for mercy. These people had hurt his woman. That alone sealed their fate.
The moment of judgment had arrived.
But then—
A soft, fragile hand gently closed around his wrist.
…?????
Yun Che's movement halted.
His gaze turned, confused, and met the golden eyes of Qianye Ying'er. Her fingers were trembling as they clutched him—not in fear, but in silent pleading.
To Yun Che, these people were strangers—their live and death would mean nothing. The only one he recognized… was the young man being shielded.
The prince of the Boundless Divine Kingdom.An enemy.
Yun Che had already slaughtered two of their Divine Regents. There was no room left for diplomacy. No bridges left to mend. Mercy would be a mistake—one that could cost him later. It was better to burn the roots now than wait for them to grow back and seek vengeance.
And yet…
Qianye Ying'er's hand remained firm.
He looked back into her face and saw something he hadn't expected.
Not fear.Not weakness.But sorrow. And something faint… something human.
Her voice came, faint but clear—like the last whisper of wind before a storm.
"Just… let them go."
…??????
To Yun Che, this moment was… strange.Unfamiliar.
This was the first time—truly the first time—he had ever heard the once-ruthless Brahma Goddess… plead for mercy.
The same woman who once stood above all, whose cruelty knew no bounds, now asked for the lives of strangers.
He narrowed his eyes, unsure if this was pity… or something more.
But Qianye Ying'er seemed to sense his hesitation—as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.
Without a word, her hand moved. A soft golden glow gathered in her palm as a small Memory Crystal formed, shimmering like a drop of frozen light. She gently placed it in his hand.
Yun Che frowned but didn't resist.
In the blink of an eye, memories poured into his mind—her memories.He saw everything.
"..."
"...…."
His expression remained unreadable.
Then softly—
"But…"
Qianye Ying'er gently shook her head. Her golden hair fluttered slightly in the still air, her eyes firm.
Yun Che let out a quiet sigh in his heart.She really had grown soft… no, not soft.Human.
More than she had ever been in the past.What a twisted fate.
He slowly lowered his hand.The swirling flame of Eternal Darkness dissipated into a puff of smoke, vanishing without a trace.
To the mother and son pair, every heartbeat stretched into eternity.Their bodies trembled as Yun Che's hand slowly fell… and the darkness vanished.
They were still alive.
It was more than they had hoped for.Tears welled in Yixin's eyes as she turned toward the golden-haired woman who had stopped the execution.
"Thank you… thank you… for sparing us…" she whispered, her voice cracking."Thank you…" Dian Xiang echoed weakly, his legs barely holding him upright.
But then—
Yun Che's next words came like a thunderbolt crashing down upon their souls.
"Cripple your cultivation."
The air turned still. Those words weren't a demand. They were a sentence.
A death sentence.
In the Abyss, to live without cultivation was the same as a death sentence. Their knees buckled as the weight of those words crushed whatever hope had bloomed.
Even Qianye Ying'er's brows twitched as her golden eyes snapped toward Yun Che, the gravity of his words startling her. Her lips parted, ready to object—but before a sound could escape, Yun Che's voice echoed directly into her mind.
"I've already killed their God… that man's elder brother. I don't fear what's to come, but I know they'll try to strike back—against me, or against you. And if they do, I'll end them without hesitation. But for now… I'll spare their lives—only if they prove themselves worthy of keeping them."
Her breath caught.
A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she slowly turned her face away, closing her eyes.
It wasn't that she didn't want to watch what was about to happen… It was because something else occupied her mind.
Yun Che's words still echoed in her heart.He killed Dian Jiuzhi…The True God of the Boundless Divine Kingdom.
A True God!
Just how high had he climbed?How powerful had he become?
Her mind began to drift, stunned by the scale of it all.
But for the trio before Yun Che, there was no such luxury.There was no time to dream.Only a cruel choice—To cripple themselves and live…Or defy him… and perish.
"Haha… ha… cripple our cultivation?!"Dragging himself up from the cold, blood-soaked ground, Master Chen let out a bitter, broken laugh. His entire body trembled with pain, his robes torn and stained crimson, but his eyes burned with defiance. He knew exactly what Yun Che's demand meant. Even if they were spared, the Abyssal Dust would consume them in the end—slowly, cruelly, and without mercy.
"In your dreams!" he roared, the words bursting from his throat with raw defiance. If this was to be the end, then he would face it standing—not groveling.
With a violent surge of energy, Master Chen's voice bellowed through the field:"RUN!!!"
His body burst into a golden radiance, the sheer force of his power shaking the earth beneath their feet. The sky trembled. The air screamed. He had triggered a forbidden technique—one that devoured life itself to fuel a final blaze of strength. His life aura began to collapse rapidly, like a dying star being pulled into itself.
And yet, in the face of his sacrifice… the pair did not run.
Yixin and Dian Xiang ignored his command, staying his side with unwavering resolve.
Master Chen glanced at them, his golden aura flickering violently. He could only let out a long, weary sigh. His form, already bent with age, now withered before their eyes—his hair graying further, his skin tightening over frail bones—as his vitality drained away by the second. But in exchange… his power soared.
"BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!"
An eruption of light and force exploded outward as both Yixin and Dian Xiang unleashed their full cultivation beside him. Their combined might burned with desperation—raw, bright, and short-lived. Compared to Yun Che, their strength was nothing but a flicker in a void, a grain of sand cast into a storm.
And yet, in that fleeting moment…
They chose to burn together.
"Suppress."
The single word descended from the heavens like a divine command, and in that instant, an overwhelming godly might surged from above, locking Master Chen in place before his final technique could fully ignite. The golden aura that had begun to spiral wildly around his body was abruptly sealed, frozen mid-burst, as his deteriorating life force halted in place under an unseen weight.
At the same time, Dian Xiang and Yixin felt their power severed, as though the heavens themselves had crushed their spiritual roots. Their strength vanished, and their knees buckled beneath the pressure of that divine aura.
From the skies descended Pan Buwang, his presence vast and immeasurable, radiating a crushing authority that made even the land tremble. It was he who had halted their rebellion—not of his own volition, but by Yun Che's silent command.
And then—
"BANG! BANG! BANG!"
Three pairs of knees slammed into the earth at once as the pressure bore down upon them like a divine mountain. Their bodies were pinned, unable to rise, their faces pressed against the blood-soaked dirt. Pride, fury, and sorrow burned within their hearts… but perhaps—just perhaps—this was the best outcome they could hope for. Or the only one.
With trembling breaths, the three closed their eyes, waiting for the end they could no longer defy.
But suddenly—
"Ugh…!!"
Choked gasps rang out as Dian Xiang and Yixin's eyes flew open—only to behold a horrifying sight.
Master Chen was no longer on the ground.
Yun Che had lifted him into the air by the neck.
His hand, like a god's judgment, gripped the old man with effortless strength as Master Chen's legs dangled, twitching, while his breath rasped through clenched teeth.
In that moment, Yun Che's pupils flickered—an eerie, silver light rippling across his gaze as he forcefully invaded the old man's sea of memory.
Then, just as quickly, the light faded.
A fleeting flash of emotion—was it pain? sorrow?—passed through Yun Che's eyes.
But only for a moment.The next breath, his expression returned to silence and stillness, as cold and unreadable as the void itself.
"What are… you… doing?!!!"
Dian Xiang's voice tore from his throat like a wounded beast, his scream echoing across the shattered land. Even under the crushing suppression of Pan Buwang, he forced his voice out, his eyes wide with horror. A storm of questions flooded his mind—questions that would likely never be answered—but none of them mattered compared to the pain surging through him now.
His bond with Master Chen was not that of mere teacher and disciple. It was deeper. Closer. Family.And now, to see the one who raised him—who stood beside him all his life—being held by the throat like some worthless criminal… it ignited something primal inside him.
Of course, if Pan Buwang were truly using the full extent of his strength, not even a True God would be able to lift a finger, let alone cry out. The fact that Dian Xiang could still scream at all was either mercy… or a cruel joke.
"Kill me, damn you! What are you… waiting for?!" Master Chen roared, his voice strained and broken as it rasped past Yun Che's crushing grip.
"Hahaha… since you want to die so badly…" Yun Che sneered, his voice sharp and cold like a blade of obsidian, "then this Emperor shall grant your wish."
With a flick of his free hand, a jet-black flame surged to life, dancing wickedly across his palm. The Eternal Darkness Flame crackled with deadly intent, a promise of absolute annihilation.
And then, in a blink—
It vanished.
Yun Che released his grip and flung the old man to the ground like discarded refuse.
A heavy silence fell.
Then his voice, calm yet laced with something far more sinister, echoed across the battlefield.
"But… let's play a game."
His words hit like thunder.
The trio's eyes widened in disbelief, their minds frozen mid-thought.
"I'll spare two of you… if one of you chooses to die by your own hand."
—!!!!!!!!!!!
"Brother Yun…? What are you doing…?"Hua Caili's voice rang out softly in Yun Che's mind, her brows slightly furrowed, a quiet concern rising in her gaze. Even without understanding the full picture, she could feel it—Yun Che wasn't simply punishing them. If he had wanted them dead, it could have ended long ago.
But instead… he gave them a choice.A cruel one.
Yun Che didn't turn to face her, but his voice came gently in return.
"It will be alright.""It will be over shortly."
Although she has questions, Hua Caili choose to remain silent.
At that moment, the oppressive divine pressure holding down Dian Xiang and Yixin abruptly vanished. The invisible weight lifted from their shoulders, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, they could breathe. Their eyes lit up—not with joy, but with a fragile flicker of hope.
"You'll really spare us…?" Dian Xiang asked, his voice shaking.
"This Emperor's words are absolute."Yun Che's voice echoed like law carved into stone—unshakable and final.
And in that instant, the three looked to one another.
No words were needed.They understood.
As if on cue, all three erupted with power, their auras flaring wildly as they prepared to strike themselves down. If one of them could survive… if two could live because of one's death… they would all gladly take that role.There was no hesitation.Only resolve.
But just before they could act—
"Hmph."
A cold snort thundered across the field as Pan Buwang's divine might surged once more. With a mere breath, their powers were extinguished—snuffed out like candles caught in a storm.
Before they could comprehend what had happened, a radiant wave of light profound energy flowed outward from Yun Che. It washed over their broken bodies, mending torn flesh and sealing wounds in an instant. Their strength began to return—not fully, but enough to breathe, to stand, to live.
Still stunned, they looked up—only to see Yun Che stepping toward them.
He raised his hand and gently pressed it against Dian Xiang's back. A surge of light erupted once more, more brilliant and refined than before, diving straight into the young man's body and weaving its way into his damaged profound vein.
Dian Xiang's body shuddered—then stilled.
And before they could react, Yun Che rose into the sky, Qianye Ying'er in his arms, her golden hair fluttering in the wind as they ascended above the battlefield.
His voice echoed one last time, soft and distant, yet impossible to forget.
"Thank you… for protecting my Qianying. Consider this my payment."
And just like that, he vanished into the heavens, leaving behind only silence—and three stunned figures staring after him.
Some time after Yun Che, Qianye Ying'er, and the Gods vanished into the skies, the battlefield finally fell into a still, uneasy calm. The trio remained motionless for a while, as if unsure whether the nightmare had truly ended.
But slowly, cautiously, they began to move.
Their bodies no longer trembled under divine pressure, their wounds were no longer bleeding, and the oppressive dread that had crushed their hearts was gone. They scanned themselves… and then each other—seeking to understand what exactly Yun Che had done.
But all eyes quickly turned to Dian Xiang.
He had been touched directly by the Fog Monarch. He had received his power. And that alone filled the air with a new kind of tension.
Master Chen moved first, reaching out with a trembling hand, his spiritual sense flowing into Dian Xiang's body—his expression wary, uncertain, and yet desperate to understand.
And then—
"Haha… hahaha… HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Laughter erupted from the old man's chest like a dam bursting. He laughed until tears formed in his eyes, his shoulders shaking with joy as he fell to his knees—not from weakness, but from sheer overwhelming relief.
Happiness.Disbelief.Hope.
It all came flooding out at once as Master Chen turned to the skies above and roared with joy.
"The heavens… have been kind to me today!" he cried, his voice hoarse but filled with gratitude, as the impossible became real before his very eyes.