Chapter 1448: Reencounter with the Dragon Emperor

Yun Che had completely purified the devil poison within the Eternal Heaven God Emperor, and the same was true for the Brahma Heaven God Emperor. Moreover, Yun Che clearly perceived that the devil energy within Qianye Fantian was much denser and more terrifying than that within the Eternal Heaven God Emperor. In terms of actual ability, Qianye Fantian was slightly superior to the Eternal Heaven God Emperor. This suggested that Jasmine might have held back a little against the Eternal Heaven God Emperor, but had shown no mercy whatsoever towards Qianye Fantian.

After several hours, Qianye Fantian's complexion improved significantly, while Yun Che was drenched in sweat and appeared utterly exhausted. Xia Qingyue helped Yun Che up, declined Qianye Fantian's thanks and attempts to detain them, and left with him immediately.

Leaving the grand hall where the Brahma Heaven God Realm was stationed, Yun Che let out a long breath. This was his first close encounter with the East God Region's foremost God Emperor. Instead of the anticipated pressure and trepidation, he felt an indescribable sense of ease and peace.

This feeling was even stronger than what he felt with the Eternal Heaven God Emperor. If not for past events, Yun Che truly would have believed that the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, like the Eternal Heaven God Emperor, was a benevolent and broad-minded individual who cared for all living beings. However, as the saying goes, "like father, like daughter." Qianye Ying'er's methods to achieve her goals were utterly ruthless, showing complete disregard for all living beings. Having raised such a daughter, how could the Brahma Heaven God Emperor truly be as he appeared on the surface?

Xia Qingyue gazed straight ahead, as calmly silent as when they arrived. After they had walked a considerable distance, she suddenly turned her eyes and whispered, "What were you just about to do to Qianye Fantian!?" Her crescent-shaped brows furrowed, and her voice held a hint of coldness.

Yun Che was slightly startled and stammered, "Nothing at all. Wasn't I just purifying the devil energy for him?"

"My aura was covering you the entire time; you can't hide anything from me," Xia Qingyue said, looking at him, her crescent brows drawing tighter. "In those three hours, your spiritual energy fluctuated four times, but you forcefully suppressed them each time. Was Qianye Fantian trying to throw his life away?"

Yun Che was speechless.

"And with your power, even if Qianye Fantian allowed your profound energy to enter his body, do you truly believe you could harm him in the slightest?" Xia Qingyue's chest heaved. She couldn't believe Yun Che didn't know even this. Every time Yun Che's spiritual energy stirred earlier, it made her heart clench.

Seeing Xia Qingyue's slightly displeased expression, Yun Che's mood brightened considerably. He smiled and said, "Of course I know that with my power, even if I exploded directly inside him, I wouldn't be able to harm him. Alright, alright, I admit it, there were a few times just now when I thought of doing something, but I eventually gave up." After all, when purifying his devil energy, his profound energy could directly enter Qianye Fantian's body – an excellent opportunity that inevitably made him contemplate action. But it was just a fleeting thought.

That was the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, after all!

"Since you knew, what exactly were you planning to do?" Xia Qingyue's tone softened slightly. She knew Yun Che wouldn't act without reason. "Tell me."

Yun Che pondered for a moment, then said, "I wanted to secretly poison him while my profound energy was inside his body."

"'Poison?'" Xia Qingyue's brows furrowed slightly. She was about to speak when she heard Yun Che continue, "Don't worry, the poison I planned to use is something he absolutely wouldn't have detected at the time. Moreover, I have a way to conceal the 'poison' directly within the devil energy in his body. However, he is, after all, the foremost God Emperor of the East God Region. The current potency of the poison, even if directly implanted in his body, wouldn't kill him, and would instead bring me endless trouble, so I abandoned the idea."

Xia Qingyue silently watched Yun Che for a while, finding that he spoke with unusual seriousness, especially with an indescribably dark look in his eyes.

She turned her gaze back, murmuring, "With my current understanding, there is simply no poison in this world that could kill Qianye Fantian. Furthermore, I can't imagine how you could secretly plant a poison in his body without him noticing." After saying these words, her eyes suddenly narrowed slightly. "Concealing the poison within the devil energy in his body? Interfering with and manipulating the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor's devil energy!?" Xia Qingyue cast a deep look at Yun Che.

"I'll tell you about this later. When the poison's potency is sufficient..." At this point, Yun Che exhaled with some frustration. "However, after three or four more times, all the devil energy in his body will be purified. By the time the poison is potent enough, I'm afraid there won't be such a good opportunity as today."

"Yun Che," Xia Qingyue suddenly said, "answer me one question."

"Oh?" Yun Che glanced sideways. He sensed that Xia Qingyue's demeanor had become unusually serious.

"Why exactly did the Dragon Queen of the Western Divine Region teach you to cultivate light profound energy?" she slowly asked, her calm, deep purple gaze fixed on Yun Che's astonished eyes. "Did anything special happen between you two?"

Yun Che's breathing and steps paused for a fleeting moment, then he asked, "Why do you ask?"

Yun Che's unusual reaction, though lasting only for an extremely brief moment, was caught by Xia Qingyue. She sighed softly and said, "When I sent you into the Samsara Forbidden Land back then, the Dragon Queen showed no intention of taking you in. Yet, in just one short year, light profound energy appeared on your body, and in the common perception, light profound energy is the sacred power unique to the Dragon Queen, the only one in existence in this era. So, to anyone, it would seem strange. However, if it's you, perhaps anything is possible."

Xia Qingyue spoke this last sentence very lightly, each word seeming to be veiled in mist.

"Senior Shen Xi truly bestowed immense kindness upon me. After matters here are concluded, I will visit her again, hoping that by then her seclusion will have ended," Yun Che said, his tone unnaturally.

"Do you know why she went into seclusion?"

"I don't know," Yun Che stammered, looking perplexed. "She mentioned the Crimson Calamity to me many times, seeming very concerned, yet she chose to go into seclusion at such a time, which is truly strange. And I remember she said her power was 'sealed,' so she couldn't achieve any breakthroughs. What exactly is she doing?"

Xia Qingyue remained silent.

As it involved a considerably significant "hidden truth," Yun Che clearly didn't want to continue on this topic. He changed the subject, saying, "Qingyue, because of me, the Moon God Realm suffered a great loss of face back then. If I were to go back to the Moon God Realm, do you think I'd be hacked to death by random blades?"

"Perhaps," Xia Qingyue replied.

Yun Che's eyes widened. "Huh? Aren't you going to protect me? You're the Moon God Emperor! Even if we're not husband and wife anymore, we did at least sleep in the same bed back then. You should show a little old affection, right?"

Xia Qingyue stammered, "Shameless."

"Hahahaha!" Yun Che burst out laughing. He looked at the purple figure beside him, his vision blurring for a moment, and then suddenly sighed, "Time truly is a terrifying thing. Back then, you and I were married in Flowing Cloud City, a very small world, and we were both insignificant mortals. I knew then that you would soon leave me, so all I thought about every day was how to take advantage of you. Now, in just over a decade, you've actually become a God Emperor of a King Realm..."

"Perhaps, in this world, it would be hard to find two people with more capricious and bizarre fates than us."

Xia Qingyue said nothing.

"Speaking of which, a while ago I had a strange dream where I was a child," Yun Che casually mentioned. "In the dream, there was Yuanba and Little Aunt, but what's funny is that Yuanba didn't have a sister, and the person I was engaged to wasn't you, but someone else."

Xia Qingyue's body trembled, and her steps suddenly halted.

"I was thinking the other day, if I hadn't met you back then, what if I hadn't... huh?" Yun Che turned, looking in surprise at Xia Qingyue, who had suddenly stopped. "What's wrong?"

"You have an acquaintance arriving," Xia Qingyue said calmly, turning around. "I have something to attend to; I'll go ahead. Please convey my greetings to Senior Mu."

Having said that, without waiting for Yun Che's reply, Xia Qingyue floated into the air. With a flicker of purple, she vanished from Yun Che's sight.

"???" Yun Che looked utterly bewildered, muttering to himself, "What did I say wrong this time?"

"Big Brother Yun Che!!"

A particularly melodious voice drifted from afar. Following it, a dark figure fluttered into Yun Che's view. A girl in a black dress landed gracefully before him like a butterfly flitting through flowers. Her gem-like starry eyes blinked as she looked at him, her incredibly beautiful face filled with joy. "Why are you here, Big Brother Yun Che? Are you here to see me?"

"So it's Fairy Meiyin," Yun Che quickly replied, while simultaneously scanning his surroundings, but he found no other people from the Glazed Light Realm.

"Big Brother Yun Che, calling me that sounds so distant. Just call me by my name," Shui Meiyin said with a playful smile.

The fifteen-year-old Shui Meiyin already possessed a face seemingly kissed by angels, and now fully grown, she was like a celestial maiden descended to the mortal world; every word and every smile of hers was indescribably beautiful. Especially her eyes—though so pure and innocent, they carried a contradictory hint of enchantment. Looking at her smiling face so close, Yun Che was momentarily dazed, and only with great difficulty did he manage to look away after a while.

"Or, you can call me Mei'er, or Yin'er," she said, her delicate brows curving upwards as she gazed at Yun Che without blinking, seeming to enjoy being able to look at him from such close proximity.

"Isn't that a bit inappropriate?" Yun Che said, somewhat awkwardly. "Although there is indeed a very strange engagement between us, it hasn't been formalized yet..."

"It will be soon," Shui Meiyin said with a beaming smile.

Yun Che: "Huh?"

"Just now, your master found my father and officially brought up the engagement..."

Yun Che's body swayed, his eyes nearly popping out. "What??"

"Then, they started discussing the wedding date. I felt happy and shy, so I ran out." As she spoke, Shui Meiyin's delicate pink lips curved into an extremely beautiful smile.

Yun Che pressed a hand to his forehead. Back in the Snow Song Realm, Mu Xuanyin had specifically reminded him of the various benefits of marrying Shui Meiyin, and had indeed said that after arriving at the Eternal Heaven Realm, she would proactively discuss the engagement with Shui Qianheng. After all, a woman whose talent, background, and beauty were all top-tier in the current era, yet who would also essentially "pay to be married" was probably the only one in the entire world. If he didn't seize this opportunity, wouldn't he be foolish?

"Are you really that happy?" Yun Che looked at her, his expression conflicted. "I mean, we've spent very little time together, let alone truly understand each other. And back on the Conferred God Stage, I didn't even win against you by strength... Uh, and marriage is a lifelong matter. Do you truly not find it strange, and have no regrets?"

"Why would I find it strange or regret it?" Shui Meiyin asked with a smile, blinking her starry eyes. "I've decided on you for this lifetime. From that day on, being able to marry you is the happiest thing I can imagine."

"My mother has also always encouraged me. Mama says that encountering someone you fall for, and then experiencing a reunion after loss, are the luckiest and happiest things in this world. You must hold on tightly, otherwise, you'll regret it for a lifetime."

As Shui Meiyin spoke, starlight continually shimmered in her eyes, but every word she uttered was incredibly earnest.

"You need to think this through. Back then, setting aside my background, I could barely compare to you. But now, I'm just a Divine King, far, far inferior to you. You..."

"It doesn't matter, I'll protect you!" Shui Meiyin said without hesitation. "After we get married, if anyone dares to bully you, I'll have each of my ninety-nine brothers beat them once, okay?"

This statement touched Yun Che slightly, but it also abruptly reminded him of the fact that she had ninety-nine older brothers. For some reason, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine. As far as he knew, each of her ninety-nine brothers doted on her immensely. If she were to suffer any grievance from him in the future, what would happen then?!

Yun Che secretly sighed, then suddenly leaned his face closer and asked with a serious expression, "Do you think I'm very good-looking?"

Facing this brazen question, Shui Meiyin readily nodded. "Yes! Big Brother Yun Che is super handsome. I used to think my ninety-ninth brother was the best-looking among men, but Big Brother Yun Che is a thousand times more handsome than him!"

Shui Yinghen: "Hachoo!"

Yun Che was speechless. To be honest, Yun Che had encountered many infatuated girls in his life, but he had truly never seen anyone so utterly obsessed. The crucial point was that Shui Meiyin, in every aspect, had reached the pinnacle of femininity. She was the kind of woman whom even the sons of Realm Kings wouldn't dare to approach or even fantasize about. Yun Che still couldn't figure out what about him had attracted her so profoundly, to this extent. After much thought, he concluded it could only be his appearance!

"Big Brother Yun Che, then do you think I'm good-looking?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her face full of anticipation.

"Beautiful," Yun Che nodded.

"Hehehehe!" Shui Meiyin giggled happily. She suddenly stepped forward and took Yun Che's hand. "Let me show you around the Eternal Heaven Realm. I've been here many times."

"Okay." The incomparably soft touch on his hand made Yun Che's heart skip a beat, and he nodded instinctively.

Receiving Yun Che's assent, Shui Meiyin's starry eyes immediately became exceptionally radiant. She took another step, like a happy butterfly, standing close beside Yun Che, her slender white hand awkwardly and nervously wrapped around his arm.

But just then, the sky suddenly darkened without warning. A tall figure descended from the sky, landing not far in front of them. Although it was just a single figure landing, Yun Che felt as if the entire firmament had collapsed. The Dragon Monarch!