"BOOOOMMM!!!"
A monstrous tail—thick as a mountain—smashed into Yun Che's body with devastating force, sending him hurtling backward like a comet through the abyssal void.
As he was flung through the air, his chest convulsed—
"Ugh!"
A trail of blood sprayed from his lips, staining the oppressive darkness around him.
The sheer force behind that strike was ridiculous, but what made it worse… was the damn suppression.
Even in his God Ash state, even with his overwhelming might, the deeper he went into the Endless Fog, the more the abyss ate away at him.
His skin—which should have been nearly indestructible—had turned ashen gray, the abyssal dust's corrosive energy eating away at him like a slow, creeping poison.
Yet—
A grin spread across his bloodstained lips.
"But that's a good thing."
Despite the pain, despite the suffocating suppression, he halted midair, stabilizing himself with sheer willpower.
This is exactly what I needed.
If he wanted to stand against the High Priests and the Abyssal Monarch himself—then he had to push beyond what was possible.
A thunderous "ROARRRRRRRRRR!!!!" erupted as the abyssal beast lunged toward him again—
Then suddenly—
It froze.
Its massive, serpentine body stiffened as though an invisible force had shackled it in place.
Its once ferocious, predatory eyes glazed over, its killing intent vanishing in an instant.
Then—
It lowered its head in submission.
Yun Che extended his hand with ease, and with just a thought—
The gray corrosion that had seeped into his flesh vanished.
His skin returned to its normal state, and the pain in his body receded like a passing wave.
He had proven his point.
But as he gazed down at the kneeling beast, he couldn't shake the lingering thought in his mind.
"...It's still not enough."
The words slipped from his lips, his expression growing contemplative as he descended onto the massive serpent's head and sat, arms folded, deep in thought.
If I truly want to stand at the peak…
He closed his eyes, recalling the conversations he had with Meng Kongchan.
"Even if all the Gods of the Divine Kingdoms attack together against one of the High Priests… they still wouldn't stand a chance."
His strength had grown at monstrous rates, surpassing what most cultivators could even comprehend.
And yet—
Compared to the true rulers of this world… it wasn't enough.
His fingers tightened into fists, his mind racing.
"Surely the Gods aren't going to venture this deep into the Endless Fog just to fight me…" Yun Che murmured to himself, his voice laced with both amusement and certainty.
Even if they wanted to, could they even survive here?
At this depth, the abyssal suppression was beyond reason. Even for him, maintaining his peak strength was a challenge.
No God would be foolish enough to enter these depths unless they had no other choice.
Yet, despite his confidence, he shook his head.
There was no point in underestimating them.
He had learned long ago—never let your guard down.
With that thought, Yun Che turned and soared into the abyss, his figure disappearing into the swirling darkness.
With his Divine Sense stretching across hundreds of millions of miles, he had complete awareness of everything that moved within this domain.
Even if he left, he could summon any abyssal beast under his control with a single thought.
And so, he flew.
He traversed through the unending void, passing through storm-like currents of abyssal energy, through regions where the air itself felt like it could crush souls into dust.
Until—
He arrived at the hidden location of the Primordial Profound Ark.
A massive protective space, untouched by the abyssal dust, surrounded the Ark—a formation created by a fragment of his own soul, keeping this place safe from corrosion.
But the moment his gaze landed on it—
"???"
His eyes narrowed.
"The Ark… is shaking?"
A deep sense of confusion settled over him as he hovered in place.
Why was it trembling?
His expression darkened.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward, entering the Ark's inner world.
The moment he did—
"RUMBLEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"
A deep, earth-shattering roar of energy erupted all around him.
The very world inside the Ark trembled, as if something within was on the verge of awakening.
And Yun Che—
For the first time in a long time—
Felt an unknown sense of unease creeping up his spine.
"RUMBLEEEEEEE!!!!!!!"
Waves of unimaginable power surged through the world inside the Primordial Profound Ark, the sheer force of it turning the land into a chaotic ruin.
The skies trembled, the very laws of this space groaned, struggling under the pressure of the eruption.
If not for the fact that Yun Che had long fortified this world with his own power, this fragile domain would have been annihilated in an instant, reduced to nothing but an endless wasteland of destruction.
"BOOM!"
Before the energy could spiral out of control, Yun Che's figure blurred.
With a speed beyond measure, he rushed forward, heading straight toward the source of the explosion!
"RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The deeper he went, the stronger the tremors became, the chaotic power crashing through the world like a raging storm.
Yun Che's brows tightened.
This aura… This pressure… It wasn't abyssal energy.
His mind raced as he pushed forward, weaving through the turbulent waves of force until, finally—
He arrived.
His eyes instantly locked onto the epicenter of the chaos.
"!!!"
It was coming from the coffin.
Shen Xi's coffin.
A brilliant, divine radiance pulsed from within it, surging uncontrollably.
The very air around it warped and cracked, as if the energy inside was trying to break free from its prison.
"Qingyue… what's going on?"
Yun Che's voice was sharp as he turned toward Xia Qingyue, his heart pounding.
She stood just before the coffin, her body wrapped in a protective veil of profound energy, using everything she had to contain the eruption.
Her eyes were focused, but Yun Che could see the strain in her expression.
She had been here this entire time, trying to prevent the power from spiraling out of control.
Xia Qingyue's gaze flickered toward him, her voice steady but filled with urgency.
"Something inside… it's awakening."
A deep shock rippled through Yun Che's chest.
Awakening?
His fists clenched.
Could it be… Shen Xi…?
Before he could process any further—
"BOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!"
The coffin shook violently, a burst of unfathomable divine energy exploding outward, threatening to shatter the entire space!
Within these many months of duo cultivating with Yun Che, Xia Qingyue had absorbed the boundless power of the Nine Worlds at an astonishing rate.
Her cultivation had soared, and she had successfully broken through to the Divine Limited Realm.
Yet now—
She was struggling.
Even with her newfound strength, she was having trouble containing the force erupting from the coffin!
Her delicate brows furrowed, her profound energy weaving an intricate seal, desperately holding back the surging might trying to break free.
Her voice, though steady, held an edge of uncertainty.
"I don't know… what's going on… It just started after you left."
Beside her, Yun Xi stood with pale lips and wide, worried eyes, her small hands clenched into fists.
Her face was ghostly white, drained of all color—her connection to Shen Xi's bloodline was making her feel the disturbance even more intensely.
Yun Che's gaze darkened as he watched the trembling coffin.
"RUMBLE!!!!!!!!!"
The entire space quaked as the coffin trembled violently, another terrifying surge of divine power bursting outward!
"BOOOMMMMM!!!"
The force of the explosion clashed against the protective barrier Yun Che had placed around Yun Xi, shaking it to its core.
This eruption—
Was even stronger than the last.
The entire Primordial Profound Ark trembled, the sheer magnitude of the release making Yun Che feel as though he were standing before an unstoppable storm of divine power.
Shen Xi… just what is happening to you?
Without wasting a second, Yun Che extended his hand—
A burst of pure white light surged from his palm, bathing Xia Qingyue in a soft radiance, instantly restoring her drained energy and stabilizing her internal injuries. He did the same for his daughter.
At the same time—
His other hand moved with precise control, releasing a pulse of abyssal energy, weaving around the coffin like invisible chains, locking down the chaotic force threatening to spiral out of control.
"No matter what happens… I won't let you be taken from me again."
His voice was low but resolute, his eyes blazing with determination.
As his profound energy wrapped tightly around the coffin, sealing it within his power—
Yun Che turned to them, his gaze sweeping over both Xia Qingyue and Yun Xi, his concern evident in his expression.
"You okay?" His voice carried a rare gentleness despite the intensity of the moment.
Xia Qingyue exhaled, her breathing slightly unsteady from the strain of holding back the eruption. Still, she straightened herself, her violet eyes meeting his.
"I'm fine," she assured him. "But I don't think this world can hold on much longer."
She wasn't wrong.
The unstable divine energy within the Primordial Profound Ark had reached a critical point, and despite Yun Che's fortifications, the world was beginning to fracture under the strain.
Their eyes met—an unspoken understanding passing between them.
"Go," Xia Qingyue said firmly.
Yun Che didn't hesitate.
With a swift motion, he tore open the entrance to the outside world, his profound energy wrapping around the coffin, lifting it with absolute precision.
As he stepped through, entering the boundless gray abyss of the Endless Fog Sea, Yun Xi suddenly rushed forward, attempting to follow him out!
But before she could, Yun Che's hand shot out, stopping her in place.
His expression was firm but filled with warmth as he spoke.
"Stay here. The outside world's corrosion is too strong for you."
Yun Xi froze, her eyes flickering with hesitation.
"...But..."
She wanted to follow.
She wanted to be there.
But Yun Che shook his head gently, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I'll make sure your mother is alright." His voice was calm but resolute.
Seeing the certainty in his gaze, Yun Xi finally lowered her head, clenching her fists before reluctantly nodding.
Yun Che gave her one last look, then turned—
With a surge of profound energy, he flew out into the abyss, carrying Shen Xi's trembling coffin with him.
As soon as he emerged into the boundless gray abyss, Yun Che waved his hand, sending the Primordial Profound Ark back into his soul space. His gaze immediately snapped to the trembling coffin, now suspended above him, its entire structure shaking violently as if it had finally been freed from its chains.
The moment he let go of his control—
The coffin, like a caged beast suddenly released, shuddered uncontrollably, its divine aura erupting with far more intensity than before!
As if the outside world—or rather, the abyssal energy of the Endless Fog—was fueling whatever was inside.
The sky of gray abyss churned.
The abyssal dust converged toward the coffin, swirling around it like a vortex, creating a scene that was nothing short of cataclysmic.
"RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEE!!!!!"
A world-shaking tremor rippled through the entire region!
The coffin pulsed—and then,
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!"
A devastating shockwave exploded outward!
It was so terrifyingly powerful that the abyssal beasts lurking within millions of miles were blasted away, their massive bodies sent flying like leaves in a hurricane!
!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even Yun Che himself staggered back, his body nearly thrown off balance by the sheer force of the eruption.
His pupils shrank as he struggled to stabilize himself.
What kind of power was this?!
It wasn't just divine energy—it was something far beyond that.
Something ancient.
Something primordial.
Something that shouldn't even exist in this world.
His gaze locked onto the coffin, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!"
The coffin lid blasted into the sky, propelled by an unimaginable force, as a figure in white slowly floated out, her ethereal form bathed in divine radiance.
The moment Yun Che laid eyes on her, his heart skipped a beat, his entire soul trembling in both relief and fear.
"Shen Xi!!!!!!!"
His voice rang out, but the instant his eyes took in her full appearance, a chill ran through his very being.
Something was wrong.
Terribly wrong.
Shen Xi hovered above, her snow-white robes fluttering, her serene face untouched by time—yet, Yun Che's profound energy detected nothing.
No life aura.
No profound energy.
No soul presence.
Nothing.
She was there… but at the same time, she wasn't.
His mind raced, his body instinctively stepping forward—
Then—
A wave of destruction began to form once more!
The surrounding abyssal energy surged inward, rushing toward Shen Xi as though being devoured.
Yun Che's eyes widened in horror.
"No...!"
Before he could act—
"RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
The second explosion detonated, even more devastating than before!
This time, five million miles of the Endless Fog Sea were completely engulfed, the sheer force ripping through everything like an apocalypse descending upon the world.
"UGH—!!!"
The shockwave struck Yun Che head-on, sending his body hurtling backward by over a thousand miles!
"BOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!"
Yun Che's profound energy erupted, his body exploding with power as he forcefully stabilized himself in midair.
But—
His pupils contracted sharply.
He noticed something.
Shen Xi's body was getting fainter.
Her form was dissipating, little by little, as though the very fabric of her existence was being erased from reality.
His chest tightened with dread.
"No—NO!"
Without hesitation, he burst forward, shooting toward her like a meteor, his profound energy roaring to its limits.
He didn't care what it took—
He wouldn't let her disappear!
Yet, before he could reach her—
"BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!"
Another explosion erupted, even more violent than before!
The sheer force of destructionrippled outward, a storm of pure annihilation, tearing through the Endless Fog Sea with unstoppable fury.
Even Yun Che, despite being in his God Ash state, was blasted back—tens of thousands of miles!
"Ugh...!"
His body staggered in midair, his blood boiling from the impact. He wiped the crimson trail from his mouth, his eyes burning with frustration.
"Just what's going on?!!!!"
He roared, his voice filled with a mixture of rage, panic, and desperation.
Then—
His mind went blank.
His Divine Sense flared, searching desperately—
Scanning again. And again. And again.
But no matter how many times he searched—
Shen Xi was gone.
GONE.
The realization sent a wave of terror through his soul, his thoughts spiraling into chaos.
"No… No… No… This isn't happening!"
His breathing grew ragged, his profound energy surging wildly as he tried to sense her presence—anything at all!
But there was nothing.
No aura. No lingering presence.
As if she had never existed at all.
Just as his mind teetered on the brink of panic—
"BOOOOOOOM!!!"
A sudden burst of lighterupted from the very spot where Shen Xi had just been.
A dazzling, yet mysterious radiance, shining amidst the abyssal darkness.
And within that light—
An object came into being.
Yun Che's eyes trembled as he stared at it.
A sword.
A dull sword, without a sharp edge.
It looked ordinary. Unremarkable.
No divine patterns. No overwhelming aura.
Nothing about it stood out.
And yet—
The moment Yun Che laid eyes on it—
His mind went completely blank.
Because at that moment—
A flood of memories surged through his soul.
Scenes from a distant past, memories not his own— The Heretic God's memories.
"Heaven Punishing Ancestral Sword!"
Yun Che's lips trembled as the words escaped him, his voice barely above a whisper—yet, it carried a weight that shook his very soul.
The moment he spoke its name—
Something happened.
A force beyond time and space stirred.
Before Yun Che could even process what was happening—
The sword, which had been floating tens of thousands of miles away—
VANISHED.
In a single instant—
It crossed the vast distance in an unfathomable blink—
And before Yun Che could even utter another word, react, or cry out in horror—
"PUCHI!!!"
The blade pierced straight into his forehead!
But—
There was no blood.
No pain.
No physical wound.
Instead—
The moment it touched him, the sword disappeared.
Not into his body—Not into his soul, but his Profound Vein! His infinite worlds trembled as a blinding, divine radiance erupted from within him, swallowing his entire existence!
-------------
"Dian Jiuzhi greets Lord High Priest Wan Dao."
In the sacred land of the Pure Land, a large group of people knelt with respect and reverence. At the head of the group stood Dian Jiuzhi, the Divine Son of the Boundless Divine Kingdom, his expression calm, yet within his heart, a storm of emotions brewed.
The High Priest sat upon an elevated throne, his aura vast and unfathomable, like an immovable mountain that had existed since the dawn of time. He gazed upon the group before him with an impassive expression, his piercing eyes carrying an unreadable depth.
"So, have you prepared everything?" the High Priest's voice rang out, carrying a weight that seemed to press down upon the very air.
Dian Jiuzhi's fist clenched for an instant, before he forced himself to nod.
"...Yes," he answered, his voice steady despite the turmoil in his heart.
"Everything you have requested has been prepared."
With that, Dian Jiuzhi extended his hand, and from within his spatial storage, an aura of unimaginable divinity erupted as multiple Divine Items emerged into the air.
"WHOOOOOOSH!!"
The instant they appeared, the blinding light of pure divinity illuminated the entire hall, drenching everything in a radiant glow.
"Gulp..."
The Pure Land Guards, who had remained composed until now, found themselves swallowing hard, their eyes betraying their uncontrollable desire as they gazed upon the treasures before them.
These were treasures that only a Divine Kingdom could possess—items so precious and rare that even the Gods themselves would covet them!
Among the Boundless Divine Kingdom's delegation, there was no shortage of hidden pain.
Their hands trembled subtly, their hearts ached deeply, and yet—
They smiled.
A forced, stiff, but unwavering smile.
Even though they were offering up the lifeblood of their Divine Kingdom, they could only grit their teeth and endure.
For the sake of reviving their Lord.
For the sake of restoring their standing in the Abyss.
For the sake of bringing back their God.
The High Priest nodded in satisfaction, his eyes gleaming for the briefest moment as he waved his hand.
"Good. Follow me."
With a casual flick of his fingers, the Divine Items flew toward him, disappearing instantly as he stored them away.
Dian Jiuzhi and the rest of the delegation could only watch helplessly, forcing themselves to swallow their pain, as they wordlessly followed after him.
There was no turning back now.
High in the boundless sky of the Pure Land, three figures floated silently, shrouded in an aura of absolute divinity.
Aside from High Priest Wan Dao and the Abyssal Monarch, no one else in the entire Pure Land had noticed their presence.
They were—
The remaining three High Priests.
Ancient beings who had existed since time immemorial.
Their gazes, filled with indifference, peered down at the events unfolding below.
After a moment of silence, the Chief Priest finally spoke, his voice calm and emotionless.
"Is that to your satisfaction?"
His words were directed at the only woman among them, High Priest Ling Xian.
Ling Xian, known for her gruff temperament, crossed her arms as she grumbled under her breath.
"A little..." she admitted, though dissatisfaction still lingered in her tone.
Then, with a sidelong glance at the Chief Priest, she snorted before adding—
"You could have asked for more, you know."
The Chief Priest shook his head, his expression remaining unreadable.
"....."
Ignoring her complaints, the Chief Priest shifted his gaze toward Liu Xiao, the final member of their group.
As if expecting the attention, High Priest Liu Xiao casually reached out his hand, holding what appeared to be a small delicacy—its fragrance subtly drifting through the air.
"Want some?" he offered, his expression completely serious.
The Chief Priest's eyelid twitched.
Ling Xian, too, turned her head slightly, as if debating whether to just smack Liu Xiao out of the sky.
Because in Liu Xiao's outstretched hand was a small, elegantly crafted pastry.
Its name—
Heaven Smiles Cake.
"....."
A suffocating silence fell over the three of them.
For all his mystique and divine might, for all his endless wisdom and unfathomable power—
High Priest Liu Xiao had an unhealthy obsession with cooking.
The Chief Priest's temples throbbed as he glared at the man before him.
Then—
Without a word, he turned his back.
"..... Fuck you, Old Xiao."
He cursed inwardly, swallowing down the urge to say it out loud.