Unbeknownst to Yun Che, as wails echoed throughout the God Realm, signaling the tragedy that unfolded, he was being carried away into the deepest reaches of the Endless Fog Sea by the Qilin God. Though only a short time had passed since he was teleported to this vast, unknown place, most of his injuries had already been healed, thanks to the Divine Miracle of Life from Li Suo.
Since Li Suo's awakening, her Divine Power had reached an unprecedented level. The serious injuries Yun Che had suffered from Mo Su's explosive force were now mostly healed. The speed and efficiency of her healing abilities were nothing short of terrifying. Yun Che couldn't help but marvel at her power, wondering just how formidable she would be if she ever returned to her true form as a Creation God. If she reached that level again... Yun Che thought, sucking in a cold breath. The sheer thought sent a shiver down his spine.
"Thump!"
A sudden, sharp pain shot through his chest as his body jolted, causing him to gasp.
"Ugh!!!!"
"??????!"
"Are you alright?" Li Suo's voice rang in Yun Che's mind, filled with concern for his well-being. Her worry was evident, as though she could feel his every discomfort, even from a distance.
"I'm... fine..." Yun Che answered, his voice strained, though his mind was filled with confusion. What had just happened? He felt as if his heart had been pierced by something—an invisible force striking deep within him. Yet, no attack had come from anyone or anything around him. Li Suo continued healing him from the inside out... so what was that sensation?
He shook the thoughts aside, forcing himself to focus. Li Suo's voice rang out once again in his mind, cutting through his confusion.
"What would you have done... if it weren't Mo Su who appeared before you just now?" Her words echoed through his consciousness as they traveled deeper into the dense Abyssal Dust, her concern clear as ever.
"...." Yun Che didn't answer immediately. His thoughts turned inward, replaying the events from just moments ago. He closed his eyes, the weight of the question pressing against his mind.
If it had been any other Ancient True God instead of Mo Su... the spatial barrier would most likely still be too strong for him to break through with his teleportation. He had relied on Mo Su's hesitation, on the unexpected turn of events that allowed him to escape. Without that, the outcome would have been far different.
"I guess... I would have no other choice but to use that." Finally, Yun Che answered, his voice quiet but resolute. He opened his eyes, and his mind flashed back to the day in the Star God Realm—the day he had been forced to use Othershore Asura.
"...." Li Suo understood immediately what he meant. Her silence conveyed a deep understanding as she continued to heal him, her power weaving through his broken body.
As Yun Che's body healed, his divine power began to spread out, reaching hundreds of millions of miles. Wherever his divine senses and power reached, the Abyssal Beasts and Abyssal Ghosts, under his command, surged forward, drawn to his presence.
Suddenly, a piercing voice broke through the chaos, sending a shiver down Yun Che's spine.
"IGNORE THE BEASTS! DO NOT LET YUN CHE GET AWAY!" The Abyssal Monarch Mo Su's voice rang out, carrying with it a sense of urgency and threat. It was a command that shook Yun Che's mind, bringing a sharp awareness of the looming danger.
"He won't let me leave in peace..." Yun Che muttered, his voice tinged with a mix of frustration and determination.
"Perhaps he recognized my aura as well," Li Suo added, her tone calm but sharp, as if she, too, had anticipated this outcome.
"How would you deal with them?" Li Suo asked, her voice carrying a hint of curiosity, even though she knew Yun Che's resolve well.
"Did you forget where we are?" Yun Che smiled, the faintest hint of amusement in his eyes despite the rising tension.
"Maybe I was worried over nothing," Li Suo admitted, her confidence growing with his response.
"Maybe..."
Soon, powerful auras surged through the fog, pressing against the very fabric of space as they tore through the dense mist. The fog parted as godly energy washed over the area, an overwhelming presence pushing down on Yun Che from all sides.
"They're here," Li Suo said suddenly, her voice unwavering as Yun Che turned his gaze back toward the direction he had just fled from.
"Let them come..." Yun Che murmured, his voice calm despite the terrifying power pressing from afar. The Abyssal Qilin God, moving at an unimaginable speed, was already a force to be reckoned with, but Yun Che could feel the gods rapidly closing in on him.
"Your heartbeat, your emotions—everything about you is as calm as can be. Seems like you have a plan," Li Suo observed, her voice filled with quiet admiration as she noticed the subtle shifts within Yun Che, sensing his composed state.
"Of course." Yun Che smiled, his eyes still blackened, the last of his injuries now fully healed. As he looked toward the approaching gods, a sense of finality settled in him.
"It's time to bid farewell to a disciple of mine..." His voice was low, almost a whisper, but laced with an eerie calmness.
-------
Among the group, there was one person who, somehow, should not be here. Her aura was weaker than everyone else's, and if not for the Ancient True Gods clearing a path through the dense Abyssal Dust, she would have had trouble using even ten percent of her power.
She was, of course, Hua Qingying.
Instead of worrying about Yun Che up ahead, all of her focus was on Hua Caili. Since they had been teleported here by the Abyssal Monarch, with the order to chase down Yun Che, Caili had somehow regained her strength. Despite the overwhelming odds, she fought fiercely against the Abyssal Beasts and managed to keep up with the other gods.
Why?!!!! Hua Qingying's mind was in turmoil. Yun Che's love for Caili was fake, everything about Yun Che was a lie… So why, why had her niece—who should have retreated—suddenly found the strength to push forward, following the other gods into the depths? It didn't make sense. Her heart twisted in confusion and frustration as she watched Caili's determination.
Suddenly, an ancient voice rang out from the front.
"Yun Che is just up ahead. You all can suppress him, but do not kill him!" Big Rage's roar echoed across the Abyssal Dust, his godly power erupting as he destroyed all the incoming Divine Limited Realm Beasts. The energy from his strike rippled through the air, pushing back the creatures with terrifying force. Given the distance they had traveled into the Endless Fog Sea, the suppression on their power had reached a staggering forty percent.
But even with only sixty percent of their strength, it was still enough to overturn the world around them.
"Yes, Lord Chief Priest!" The gods acknowledged the command in unison, nodding as they prepared for the task ahead.
In the depths of the Endless Fog Sea, godly auras erupted in unison, their combined might shaking the very foundation of the Abyssal Dust. The dense fog parted before them, revealing Yun Che up ahead who stand beside the Abyssal Qilin God.
The gods came to a halt, their eyes fixed on Yun Che, who had finally stopped running. His blackened eyes met theirs with an emotionless gaze, and a cold smile curled on his lips.
Hua Caili, who seemed to have regained her strength, stared at the man before her. She thought back to a moment earlier when their eyes had briefly met, a fleeting second that felt like a lifetime. The look in his eyes then… it was vastly different from what she saw now. But deep within her, she chose to trust her heart. She believed in him, even now. Yet, before she could speak, her thoughts were shattered.
"Heh! Now that we know YOU ARE THE MONARCH! YOU'RE DEAD! YUN CHE!" Dian Jiuzhi's roar shattered the silence, his body already transforming into something beastly, his draconic eyes locked on Yun Che with an intensity that burned through the air.
The Ancient True Gods all gazed at the young man ahead of them, each with different thoughts running through their minds—hatred, worry, and even fear flickered within their eyes. The battlefield had shifted. Though Yun Che appeared weak, they knew this was his domain. He was on familiar ground here, and they dared not act rashly.
Given that their Lord had been struck by the Gray Flame, and the devastating effect it had on him, forcing him to retreat, they understood the gravity of the situation. They would have to proceed with extreme caution if they didn't want to face the terrifying power of that flame themselves.
If only they knew... that it wasn't so easy for Yun Che to create such a flame. Each one required time to fully manifest and store away safely. And right now, Yun Che was completely out of it.
Yun Che's cold gaze swept over the group before him. Despite the short time that had passed, his injuries had all healed. His body, now restored, only served to make the gods more cautious than before. They all waited, tense, for their leaders to make the first move.
Suddenly, a figure steps forward as he asked.
"Not running anymore?" Pan Buwang's voice broke the silence, his eyes fixed on Yun Che, his expression thoughtful.
"No. I will still keep running, keep going until I reach the deepest depths of the Endless Fog, to that place." Surprisingly, Yun Che, who had shown no reaction to anything up until now, responded calmly to Pan Buwang.
"There's someone really important to me waiting for me there." Yun Che's voice carried a quiet, unwavering determination, revealing a side of him that few had seen before.
"...... Someone important to you..." Pan Buwang murmured, his mind racing through everything he knew about Yun Che. The events back in the Pure Land flooded his thoughts, and a realization slowly began to dawn on him.
"Long Xi's... mother?"
"Yes." Yun Che's answer was simple, yet earnest, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.
??????????????????????
The gods, watching and listening to the exchange between the two, were filled with confusion. They were unsure of how to respond or where to begin, and even if they asked one another, they knew there was little point. Yun Che seemed to be revealing more and more about himself, and at this rate, it might be best to remain silent and let him speak, gathering whatever information they could from him.
"Then what about her...?" Pan Buwang suddenly turned his gaze sideways, his voice calm but with a hint of curiosity.
"..........."
Yun Che took a long, heavy pause before answering. "An ill-fated meeting."
Hua Caili's eyes grew misty, and a wave of emotion seemed to wash over her. She listened intently, her heart aching, while Hua Qingying, standing beside her, shot Yun Che a look filled with murderous intent.
"Ill-fated..." Pan Buwang murmured softly, his mind filled with memories, pieces of the past that connected everything. Slowly, he nodded, as if coming to some conclusion, making up his mind about something important.
"Goodbye then." Yun Che's voice was low, but resolute, as he turned to leave once more, preparing to climb atop the Abyssal Qilin God Beast.
"Hold it right there!"
"Where do you think you're going?!!!!"
"DID YOU THINK WE'LL LET YOU GET AWAY?!!!"
As soon as Yun Che made the move to leave, the gods erupted in a chorus of roars, their powerful auras spreading out in all directions. Despite the suppression of the Endless Fog Sea, their divine might still filled the air, pushing down on Yun Che, a force he couldn't resist with his current power level.
Yun Che's footsteps slowed, the weight of their presence pressing down on him. His body felt almost immovable, but despite the overwhelming force, he continued moving forward. Without look back, Yun Che raising only his hand, and pointed directly at the group of gods.
The gods braced themselves, their protective auras flaring in response, but…
????????
There was nothing. Nothing came out of Yun Che's hand. The air was silent, a moment of confusion rippling through the gods as they waited for an attack that never came.
"HOW DARE YOU PLAY WITH US!" Dian Jiuzhi roared, his fury overwhelming as he prepared to unleash an attack. But suddenly, just as he was about to strike, the Ancient True Gods sensed a wave of crisis.
Before anyone could react, Big Rage grabbed the Twin Gods, Wan Dao seized Meng Jianxi, and Liu Xiao quickly grabbed Hua Caili and Hua Qingying.
The Three Ancient True Gods moved so swiftly, even though they had no idea what about to happens, they still acted. Their actions were like lightning, too fast for their targets to fully comprehend.
At the exact moment the Ancient True Gods made their move, Pan Buwang's aura exploded outward with terrifying power, unleashing a deafening explosion.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!!"
The endless darkness surged upward toward the gray abyssal sky, a force so violent that it sent the remaining gods flying in every direction. The impact was so intense that some of the gods spewed blood, their bodies torn by the force.
"Ugh!!!!!!!"
In the brief moment that followed, the Three Ancient True Gods reappeared, their hands still clutching the people they had saved. The shock in their hearts was evident, and some even trembled with fear and disbelief at the sheer power that had just been unleashed.
The power radiating from Pan Buwang's body was no less than when he was outside, before the suppression of the Endless Fog Sea had taken hold of him. This was the deepest part of the Endless Fog Sea, a place where even the strongest were limited by its crushing force—yet here he was, unleashing such terrifying energy as if there was no suppression at all.
"Pan Buwang...!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Dian Jiuzhi, who had been sent flying by the explosion, coughed up blood in anger as he roared at Pan Buwang. His body was a mess—bones broken in many places, his scales shattered, and his body riddled with injuries from the blast.
"PUKE!!!!!!!" A harsh sound of someone vomiting blood echoed through the air.
"....PAN BUWANG!!! YOU!!!!!!" Among the gods who had been sent flying, the Lightless Divine Regent, who had remained quiet for so long, finally roared out in pure hatred and fury. Pan Buwang's earlier surge of power had clearly been aimed at her. The force of his aura had torn through her defenses, and now she was deeply injured, her body trembling with the aftermath of the attack.
Her body was battered bones broken, organs shattered, and her very soul was deeply wounded by the intensity of Pan Buwang's power.
"Eclipse Sovereign! What is the meaning of this?!!!!" Big Rage's ancient eyes locked onto the young man at the center of the darkness, his voice filled with confusion and anger. His words echoed through the heavy silence, but Pan Buwang didn't even spare a glance at the others around him.
Instead, his gaze was solely fixed on Yun Che. "Thank you, for everything... Master."
His voice was calm, yet filled with deep reverence. "Although this disciple still has some questions for you... although I still have regrets, things I cannot undo, your grace and kindness... I, Pan Buwang, will never forget it." With those words, he bowed his head deeply to Yun Che, his gesture one of complete respect and gratitude.
??????????????
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The gods, at first confused, were now struck with shock, and then, outright horror. Their minds struggled to process everything they had just heard. Pan Buwang—one of the most powerful beings among them, a figure they had always feared—had just spoken words of gratitude, reverence, and even loyalty to Yun Che.
The weight of it hit them like a thunderclap. The sheer impact of his words left them stunned, speechless, unable to move or react. They had forgotten to lock Yun Che in place, and in that moment, Yun Che, with a calmness that was almost unnerving, stepped onto the head of the Abyssal Qilin God Beast.
Although Mo Su had always known about Pan Buwang's relationship with Yun Che, he kept it secret, watching from the shadows as he allowed Yun Che to grow. But now, that decision had come back to haunt him and his entire force.
"You!!!!"
"YOU, HOW DARE YOU BETRAY THE ABYSSAL MONARCH?!!!!!"
"PAN BUWANG! HOW COULD YOU?!!!!"
Upon realizing what had just transpired, roars of disbelief and anger erupted. Shouts filled the air, all of them directed at Pan Buwang. Their fury and betrayal surged through the group, and in the midst of it all, Yun Che, unnoticed by most, and the Qilin Beast sped off into the chaos.
"WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!!!!" Liu Xiao's voice rang out, his eyes never leaving Yun Che. He had been watching the young man intently, and now, seeing Yun Che's movement, he prepared to rush after him.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!!"
Endless darkness exploded from Pan Buwang, forcing Liu Xiao back with a violent burst of energy. The shockwave reverberated through the area, shaking the ground beneath their feet.
"YOU!!!!" Liu Xiao turned his gaze to Pan Buwang, his eyes blazing with fury.
In the Endless Fog Sea, everyone's power had been suppressed by the dense Abyssal Dust's corrosion. It should have been the same for all of them! And yet… Pan Buwang, at this moment, was no different from the Fog Monarch. He seemed unaffected, standing tall and unyielding, as if the Endless Fog Sea itself had accepted him. He was no longer suppressed at all—it was as if he had become part of the very sea that surrounded them.