"Do you know how worried I was for you?!" Shui Yingyue cried out, her voice trembling with emotion. The tension she had kept bottled up finally burst forth as her hands clutched at her little sister's shoulders. Her expression was a mixture of anger, relief, and the very edge of a mental breakdown.
"I'm sorry, Big Sister... I won't do it again... I promise..." Shui Meiyin said softly, her eyes sparkling with guilt and affection as she pulled her sister into a tight hug.
Then, as they embraced, Meiyin leaned closer and whispered something directly into Shui Yingyue's ear.
The next second—
Shui Yingyue's face turned bright red.
"Y-You little—!"
Before anyone could ask, she spun on her heel and bolted out of the room, her ears flushed to the tips. The sight of the always-composed Shui Yingyue fleeing in embarrassment left those in the hall stunned for a moment...
Then came the laughter.
Some chuckled, some laughed aloud, and others just smiled as the heavy, suffocating air that had blanketed the room began to lift. Shui Meiyin's mischief, just like always, brought lightness to even the darkest moments. For a short while, their hearts eased—bound together by relief, by warmth, and the joy of still being together.
"Children, you all should step outside for now," Chi Wuyao said gently, her voice carrying an unmistakable command beneath its softness.
The Nine Witches exchanged glances, then bowed their heads in silent acknowledgment. Unlike Shui Yingyue, who had stormed off in a fluster, the Witches immediately sensed the shift in the air. Whatever needed to be discussed now was not meant for their ears.
Without a word, they quietly exited the hall.
The moment they stepped outside, they didn't simply leave. One by one, they scattered across the surrounding area, casting powerful barriers to isolate the Divine Hall. Then, they took to the skies and flew off in different directions, silently positioning themselves as sentries, guarding the realm from any intrusion.
Inside, as the last echo of footsteps faded and the hall grew quiet once more, the lightness from earlier dissipated. The air, though still and silent, suddenly felt heavier.
A tension returned to the space—unspoken, but deeply felt. Everyone present knew: what came next would not be something easy to say… or to hear.
"Little Meiyin," Chi Wuyao's voice was calm but heavy with concern, "earlier… you purposefully allowed that hateful aura to invade your Stainless Divine Soul. Is there going to be an issue later on?"
Her question dropped like a stone into still water, sending silent ripples across the hearts of everyone present. Even Caizhi, who had just poured her power into purging the aura from Shui Meiyin, widened her eyes in realization.
"It's okay, Big Sister Wuyao," Shui Meiyin replied gently, her voice soft but steady. "There won't be any problem."
She sat upright now, her expression calm despite the recent torment. "My soul… even before, it was strong enough to rival those at the peak of the Divine Master Realm. That hateful aura—though terrifying—was only a tiny wisp. It couldn't truly harm me unless I allowed it to." She paused, then added with a small smile, "Which I did."
Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes narrowed as she processed those words. So that madness… that terrifying change they all witnessed—it wasn't due to the aura overwhelming Meiyin.
It was Meiyin's choice.
"You… you let it in to analyze it," she said, her voice low, sharp with understanding.
Meiyin nodded softly, her expression more serious now. "Yes. If something like this is coming into our world, then someone has to understand it. I figured… who better than me?"
"So…" Qianye Ying'er leaned in slightly, her gaze sharp as blades, "what did you find out?"
Soon, everyone in the room turned their eyes toward Shui Meiyin.
"The aura contained immense darkness… hate, and anger," she began slowly, her voice clear and steady. "I believe everyone here could feel it the moment it touched them."
The others nodded silently in agreement, their expressions solemn.
"But that wasn't all," Shui Meiyin continued, her tone deepening with gravity. "Beneath all of that… there was more. Pain… sorrow… grief… even regret. All of it—twisted together and buried under the surface. The darkness wasn't just born from hatred alone. It was the kind of despair that festers and eats away at everything until only one thing remains."
Her eyes, no longer playful, glinted with a cold clarity.
"Pure killing intent. So deep and consuming… it erases logic, devours reason. What I felt, even just briefly—it wasn't something any sane being should experience, much less carry within themselves."
A heavy silence followed her words, weighing down the air like a mountain.
"By allowing it to touch my soul," Shui Meiyin continued, "I was able to glimpse into that intent. And just as you all heard earlier… the owner of that aura wants to destroy everything in our God Realm."
She paused, then added with chilling certainty, "And not just anything. It specifically targets the realms and sects I named earlier—Eternal Heaven, the Moon Gods, the Brahma Kings… It wants them erased more than anything else."
Every face in the room stiffened.
"...…"
Qianye Ying'er's golden brows furrowed tightly, her hand slowly curling into a fist. She had seen it—she had felt it. The hatred that surged when the aura spoke of the Brahma Gods was no illusion. It was real, and it was deep.
Then Shui Meiyin's voice broke the heavy silence once more.
"And the owner of this aura… I'm afraid to say it, but…" Her eyes slowly turned toward Caizhi, locking with hers. "…it should definitely be Big Sister Jasmine."
!!!!!!!!!!!!
A wave of shock rippled through the room.
Everyone had already suspected it—whispers of familiarity in the darkness, the faint trace of the Heavenly Slaughter Star God's power. But now… hearing Shui Meiyin confirm it with the clarity of her Stainless Divine Soul—there was no longer room for doubt.
And yet, with that certainty came confusion, disbelief, and a sharp pain that settled in the depths of their hearts.
"All those emotions… they all stem from one thing," Shui Meiyin continued softly. "It's longing… an eternal, unending longing for Big Brother Yun. But because that longing couldn't be fulfilled… it twisted."
Her voice trembled now, and even with her strength, the weight of the truth shook her deeply.
"It turned into pain… unbearable pain. Then regret… then hatred. And from that hatred, an anger… a killing intent that could devour all things was born."
She paused, her expression darkening.
"I don't know what exactly happened to Elder Sister Jasmine after she was cast out of the Primordial Chaos that day… but something did happen. And now… she's seeking a way to return to our world again."
"Big sister…" Caizhi's body trembled. Her fists clenched, and her eyes welled up with tears as she whispered, "You're alive… you really are alive…"
Tears streamed freely as her heart finally received the answer it had been yearning for all these years.
But while Caizhi murmured in relief, eyes glowing with hope and disbelief—
—everyone else in the room grew even more solemn.
Jasmine… alive.
And filled with a darkness so deep, it could annihilate the entire God Realm.
Chi Wuyao's black eyes narrowed into sharp slits, her voice cold and heavy with revelation."To survive outside of the Primordial Chaos… one must possess the cultivation of at least a True God… or a True Devil."
The weight of her words settled like a mountain in the room.
"But even at such a level… one cannot return. Not without a Heavenly Treasure capable of breaching the Primordial Chaos Wall. And throughout all records in history, only two Heavenly Treasures have ever been known to hold that power…"
Her voice trailed as her mind, sharper than blades, raced through the possibilities—connecting everything: Jasmine's aura, the endless hatred, the corruption powerful enough to harm them all with just tiny wisps of her aura...
"It seems..." she continued, voice deep and chilling, "...whatever happened that day—after the Heavenly Slaughter Star God was cast out of the Primordial Chaos—the Evil Infant's power didn't just protect her..."
Her fingers curled tightly.
"...It awakened. Fully. And with it… as its master… she rose far beyond what any of us could imagine."
A suffocating silence filled the room. For some, the words rang like the toll of a funeral bell—for others, like a warning from fate itself.
"Isn't that… a good thing?" Caizhi murmured softly, almost in a whisper, as if saying it any louder would shatter the fragile hope clinging to her heart. Her hands trembled slightly at her sides. "Big Sister… she's alive. She's alive…"
The joy in her voice was raw, heartfelt—pure.
But that same purity made it all the more painful to hear.
No one answered right away.
It was Qianye Ying'er who finally spoke, her golden eyes heavy and grim. "If the Heavenly Slaughter Star God had only gained cultivation… yes, that would've been something to... celebrate."
A silence fell, thick and sharp.
"But I'm afraid," she continued, "with the overwhelming hate we felt from just a wisp of her aura… that person, that being—she is no longer the Heavenly Slaughter Star God we knew."
Her voice wasn't cold, but it was painfully honest.
Caizhi's eyes widened slightly as the words sank in, her lips parting… but no words came out.
"She's alive," Chi Wuyao said slowly, dark eyes narrowing, "but the Jasmine that loved Yun Che, the Jasmine who we once know… she may already be gone."
And in her place… something else now gazed back through the void.
---------
Abyss Realm, a few days prior to Yun Che being spotted in the Endless Fog Sea.
"Mother, this is my master… Master Chen." Dian Xiang's voice was gentle as he led the old man forward, his tone carrying a rare mixture of warmth and reverence. Though his body was still frail from his injuries, his steps were steady—this moment clearly meant something to him.
Standing before them was a woman who looked no older than her mid-thirties. Her features bore a quiet grace—years of hardship etched into the soft lines at the corners of her eyes, but her poise remained untouched. The moment her son introduced the elder, she paused—just briefly—before stepping forward and lowering herself into a graceful bow.
"Nice to meet you, Master Chen," she said, her voice calm and clear. "I've heard much about you from Xiang'er throughout the years. Thank you… for everything you've done for my son." Her words held genuine gratitude, but behind her eyes was a flicker of pain—an unspoken ache at the mention of a past she hadn't been able to share in.
Master Chen looked at her quietly for a moment before nodding his head in return, his gaze steady, respectful. "The boy has always been diligent and kind-hearted. If anything, I should be thanking you for raising such a child."
Though this was their first meeting, the weight of everything that had happened—not just to Dian Xiang, but to their family—hung between them like a veil neither fully acknowledged. Still, in that brief exchange, a thread of understanding passed silently between master and mother.
They had arrived in her small hometown only a few days prior. The city was quiet, lying near the borders of the Qilin Abyss, untouched by the grandeur and chaos of the Divine Kingdoms. It was simple, unadorned… peaceful.
In all the years Dian Xiang had studied under Master Chen, the elder had never accompanied him here. Perhaps out of respect for his disciple's privacy. Or perhaps because the need had never arisen—until now.
Now, with Dian Xiang crippled, his future dimmed, and the walls of the Boundless Divine Kingdom quietly closing behind him, this city… this humble home… was all he had left.
Master Chen gave the young prince a gentle look before turning away.
"I won't disturb your reunion," the old man said. "There's a quiet place nearby I'll use to rest for now. If you need me, just raise your voice—I'll be there."
Dian Xiang tried several times to persuade him to stay, his voice filled with respect and lingering worry, but Master Chen only smiled and shook his head each time. In the end, the prince could only bow deeply in gratitude before watching his master disappear into the distance.
Turning back, Dian Xiang took a breath and stepped into his mother's home.
The moment he crossed the threshold, a strange quiet settled over him. This was the place his mother had called home all his life, yet it was his first time truly seeing it—not as a prince, not as a genius of the Divine Kingdom, but as a son returning in defeat.
There was no luxury within the modest home. No polished jade ornaments. No intricate carvings or silken drapes. Nothing that might hint that the woman living here was once the mother of a shining prodigy, a prince of one of the great Divine Kingdoms. Instead, the furniture was old, yet cared for. The floor was clean, though slightly cracked in places. A small table bore signs of daily use—simple meals, quiet evenings, perhaps moments spent alone in silence.
This place was... humble. Peaceful. And painfully lonely.
Earlier, Master Chen had told him the truth—there were no guards stationed nearby anymore. They had all left the moment news of Dian Xiang's fall from grace spread. And with them, many of the city's residents had quietly followed, taking their offerings, their courtesy, and their shallow respect with them.
The city now felt like a ghost town. Empty homes. Shuttered stalls. Faint echoes of a liveliness that no longer existed.
Yet despite everything, his mother had remained.
She made no protest when the guards left. She didn't try to stop them. Nor did she complain when the townspeople vanished one by one. She simply continued living as if nothing had changed—fetching water, sweeping her doorstep, tending to her small garden that barely grew anything in the dust-choked air.
Her skin had dulled—once radiant, now faintly gray, touched by the ever-present abyssal dust of this region. It didn't seem to invade her body, but it tainted her beauty nonetheless. And yet… she didn't seem to mind.
To her, appearances held no meaning. The titles, the power, the respect of nobles and elders—none of it mattered.
Because, at the end of the day… she was simply a mother.
And now, after everything that had happened… her son had come home.
The days passed slowly, peacefully.
Mother and son shared long conversations—quiet talks over simple meals, laughter mingled with pain, and old memories that brought tears to their eyes. Dian Xiang spoke of the past, of the storm that had taken everything from him, and of the twisted fate that had turned his once limitless path into a shattered road. But more than anything, he spoke of his resolve.
"There's no reason to stay in the Divine Kingdom anymore," he had told her softly, watching the gray dust drift through the light from their window. "That world... it's not mine anymore. Whatever future I once dreamed of—it's gone."
He paused, then smiled, a smile more real than any he had worn in years.
"But here… here, I have you. And that's enough for me."
His mother didn't answer immediately. Her hands were busy weaving thread through a patch of torn fabric. Yet, her silence was full of warmth, and her smile said more than words ever could.
And so, the days became simpler.
No longer a prince, no longer a genius revered by the Boundless Divine Kingdom, Dian Xiang became just a young man helping his mother—fetching water, sweeping the courtyard, carrying bundles of herbs, and tending to their meager crops. No one in this quiet city, far from the influence of the Divine Kingdom, knew who he was. To the people here, he was just "Xiang'er," a filial son who'd returned to his roots.
It was a peaceful life, one built on quiet routines and genuine affection, far removed from the power struggles and expectations that once burdened his every step.
But peace, in the Abyss, was never meant to last.
One morning, as Dian Xiang returned from the nearby forest carrying a bundle of dry firewood, he saw a group of people huddled near the town square. Their voices were raised—not in panic, but in awe. Someone had brought the news. And in moments, the entire city began to buzz with it.
He paused, his heart stilling.
"Did you hear?! Divine Son Meng Jianyuan was spotted in the Endless Fog Sea!"
"What?! The one who was taken from the Pure Land years ago?"
"Yes! The very same! The gods are forming a rescue mission—they say the Lord High Priests themselves are going!"
"They say the entire Abyss is shaking over it!"
The words struck like thunder in Dian Xiang's chest. Soon, he returns home.
"Mother... I..." Dian Xiang hesitated, his voice low with uncertainty as he stood at the doorway, gazing at the distant sky stained with the ever-present gray of the Abyss.
He wanted to say more, to explain the unrest in his heart. The news of Meng Jianyuan's reappearance and the Gods still echoed in his mind, but the news were fractured—blurred, distorted whispers passed through countless mouths before they reached this quiet town. He needed more. More truth. More answers. And something else… a faint, inexplicable pull that stirred whenever the Divine Kingdom or the gods were mentioned.
"I want to visit one of the nearby major cities. Just for a few days." He turned back to his mother, searching her face for concern or disapproval. "With my cultivation… I'll be safe. I promise."
His mother smiled, gentle and unshaken, even as her fingers paused in their embroidery.
"Go, Xiang'er," she said softly. "If your heart is restless, then it's meant to fly. Mother will be fine. Don't worry about me."
She reached up to brush his hair from his face, her touch light, loving. "You've always come back to me. So go. I'll be here, waiting, like always."
Dian Xiang clenched his fists, then nodded.
After ensuring all the protective formations and life-saving talismans were in place around the house and handing his mother one more jade token—imbued with a last-layer escape technique—he finally took a deep breath and turned toward the open sky. As a final protection, he asked his master to stay a guard the town before he leaves.
He had been coming to this place for years now. He knew every mountain, every hill, every path like the lines on his palm. The trip wouldn't take long—just a few days at most. He was confident.
With the wind at his back and a swirl of profound energy around his feet, he rose into the gray horizon.