Chapter 1482: Thousand Leaf's Choice

In the Brahma Monarch God Realm, within the Goddess Palace.

A thin, withered old man in gray robes bowed before Qianye Ying'er, his voice hoarse and unclear. "Miss, how may this old servant be of service?"

"Elder Gu," Qianye Ying'er used to address Gu Zhu with her back or side to him. Today, however, she faced him directly. "You are half my servant and half my mentor. Besides my royal father, you are the closest and most trusted person to me in this world."

Qianye Ying'er's words made Gu Zhu's aura stir slightly. "It seems Miss has an important task for me today. Please speak, Miss. This old servant's life, though it might cost me ten thousand deaths, is yours to command with a single word."

Qianye Ying'er extended her hand, and a soft chime accompanied by dazzling golden light emanated from her fingers. The unusual aura made Gu Zhu look up. "The Brahma Soul Bell?"

"The Divine Emperor has actually bestowed the Brahma Soul Bell upon Miss... Haha, this is wonderful. Congratulations, Miss, on fulfilling your lifelong wish ahead of time." Gu Zhu's calm voice held a hint of joy and satisfaction.

However, Qianye Ying'er's next action made Gu Zhu's aged, serene eyes suddenly widen.

With a flick of Qianye Ying'er's slender finger, the Brahma Soul Bell instantly left her hand and flew towards Gu Zhu.

Gu Zhu's withered body swayed. Instead of touching it, he instantly flashed tens of feet away, allowing the core divine artifact of the Brahma Monarch God Realm to simply fall to the ground with a soft, heart-stirring chime.

"Miss, what are you..." Gu Zhu was shocked and bewildered by Qianye Ying'er's action.

Qianye Ying'er did not retrieve the fallen Brahma Soul Bell. Instead, she turned her gaze and calmly said, "Elder Gu, I am entrusting this Brahma Soul Bell to you. Please return it to my royal father in three hours... Remember, it must be exactly three hours later. During this time, no one must know it is with you."

"This... is absolutely not permissible!" Gu Zhu shook his head, not moving a step closer. "The Brahma Soul Bell can only be handled by successive Brahma Heaven Divine Emperors. How can an outsider touch it?"

"I have my reasons for doing this," Qianye Ying'er said. "Elder Gu, you do not possess the power of a Brahma God, so you cannot use the Brahma Soul Bell. Moreover, you have been by my side for many years, making you the person I trust most. To offer a rather ironic reason, you have always carried the Brahma Soul Death-seeking Mark that my royal father planted on you back then, making you the least likely person to defy him. I have no need to worry at all."

"Furthermore, this is an order!"

The air remained frozen for a long time. Finally, Gu Zhu sighed softly and stepped forward. From beneath his gray robes, a withered hand emerged, and an invisible profound energy lifted the Brahma Soul Bell, sealing it into his spatial ring. From beginning to end, he avoided any physical contact with it.

"Miss, may this old servant know the reason?" Gu Zhu asked. Previously, he would never ask if Qianye Ying'er did not offer an explanation.

"You will know soon enough." Qianye Ying'er offered no explanation. She pushed her hand forward again. "These Brahma Monarch secret scriptures, and the profound artifacts my royal father bestowed upon me, please keep them safe for me temporarily. They must not suffer any damage before I retrieve them."

Gu Zhu remained silent and put them all away.

"This one, the Illusory Space Stone my royal father gave me back then, also keep it for me temporarily."

This time, however, Gu Zhu did not take it. He said, "Miss, no matter what you intend to do, your safety outweighs everything. With Miss's abilities, there is nothing to fear in this world. But if you do not have the Illusory Space Stone with you, this old servant's heart will be uneasy."

"...Very well." Qianye Ying'er pondered for a moment, then retrieved the Illusory Space Stone. After that, she took out a grayish-white stone slab.

The stone slab was somewhat flat but utterly devoid of aura, not even comparable to the lowest-grade spirit stone. It seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary rock, with various sized holes evenly distributed across its surface.

She gazed at it in silence for a long time, not saying a word... An ordinary, non-spiritual stone held in the hand of the Eastern Divine Region's foremost Goddess—the scene felt profoundly out of place.

"Miss, do you wish to place this 'fragment' with this old servant as well?" Gu Zhu asked.

Qianye Ying'er's gaze flickered for a moment. In the end, she slowly put the stone slab away, not leaving it with Gu Zhu. At that moment, her eyes subtly changed, and her voice became exceptionally cold.

"Elder Gu, prepare yourself. I need you to 'imprison' a portion of my memories."

"This... is absolutely forbidden, no matter the reason!" Gu Zhu slowly shook his head. "Even a slight mistake could severely damage Miss's soul and potentially cause those memories to disappear forever."

"My decision is made; no more discussion is needed." Qianye Ying'er was ruthless not only to others but also to herself. "Listen carefully to what I say next, and remember every word. Do not miss or forget a single one!"

***

In the Moon God Realm, the Divine Emperor's private quarters.

Yun Che had been silently contemplating; he had too much on his mind lately. After an unknown period, the chamber door finally opened. Xia Qingyue walked in silently and stood before Yun Che. Instantly, the previously cold and quiet chamber seemed to be illuminated by a radiant moon, every corner sparkling with light.

Yun Che opened his eyes, stretched, and grumbled discontentedly, "What have you been doing all this time! Even setting aside the fact that I'm your husband, I'm still your honored guest! How could you just leave me here uncared for?"

Xia Qingyue gave him a sidelong glance. "Didn't you have Yaoyue to keep you company? With such a beauty by your side, you actually felt bored? And it seems... you didn't make a move on her? That doesn't seem to fit your nature."

"Hehehe..." Yun Che grinned, showing his teeth. "She's a Moon God! What kind of 'move' could I make on her?"

"You wouldn't dare touch a Moon God?" Xia Qingyue asked with a knowing smile. "Is there any woman in this world you wouldn't dare touch?"

Xia Qingyue's casual jab made Yun Che feel a bit guilty. He pursed his lips. "You're the Moon God Emperor now, and little sister Yaoyue is still here. You shouldn't lose your imperial dignity when you speak!"

Yaoyue: "???"

"By the way, what exactly are you doing? Is there any news from the Brahma Monarch God Realm? Don't tell me all this effort will be for nothing." Yun Che asked.

"I just received an honored guest," Xia Qingyue said casually.

"An honored guest?" Given Xia Qingyue's current status, there were very few people in the world she would refer to as an "honored guest."

"You will meet them soon," Xia Qingyue said, turning slightly. "As for the Brahma Monarch God Realm, things are progressing very smoothly, even better than the best possible outcome we anticipated. It seems I... and you yourself, underestimated the terrifying power of the Sky Poison Pearl's venom."

"Is that so..." Yun Che calculated the time since the poison took effect and frowned slightly. "The Sky Poison Pearl's venom can only 'survive' for twenty hours. Approximately sixteen hours have already passed."

"There's no need to rush. After all, panic, fear, hesitation, despair, decision-making... and traveling from the Brahma Monarch God Realm—all take time." Xia Qingyue's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. "However, the time should be just about right now."

"It seems you're quite confident," Yun Che said, looking at her. "If it succeeds, how do you plan to use this to get revenge on Qianye?"

"You'll know when the time comes." Xia Qingyue's expression was indifferent. Although she seemed to have victory in her grasp, there was no hint of joy. "This time, I am entirely relying on your power. The venom of the Sky Poison Pearl, the interference of the Heretic God's devilish energy, and the deterrence of the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor herself—all come from you. So, when 'it is done,' I will grant you ample benefits."

"No need to rush to refuse." Interrupting Yun Che, Xia Qingyue calmly stated, "I'm certain you'll be very pleased!"

Yun Che thought for a moment and said casually, "Fine, have it your way. Your personality has suddenly become so unyielding that I probably couldn't refuse even if I wanted to. More importantly, I hope you can tell me something else?"

"Oh?"

"Where... is she?" Yun Che's expression darkened slightly, and his voice became a little ethereal. "No one else can know. But you... you should know something, right?"

Xia Qingyue knew who he was asking about. As he spoke, she saw a myriad of emotions in his eyes that she had never seen before, and even his words carried a slight tremor he might not have noticed himself.

To Yun Che's utter disappointment, Xia Qingyue gently shook her head.

"She is the Heretic God, and more specifically, the Heretic God manifested from the Heaven Punishing Star God," Xia Qingyue said. "The Heaven Punishing Star God's ability to escape and conceal herself was already unparalleled. Now, with the power of the Heretic God, as long as she doesn't willingly reveal herself, no one in this world can find her."

Yun Che exhaled softly.

"Regarding her whereabouts, only one thing is certain... the God Realm of Absolute Beginning!"

Upon mentioning those "four words," Xia Qingyue's moon-like brows unconsciously furrowed. It was there, back then, that she and Yun Che were forced into a desperate situation by Qianye Ying'er. If not for the sudden appearance of Heaven Punishing and Heavenly Wolf, neither she nor Yun Che would be alive today. "That is the only place where traces of her have appeared. Although for a time, I suspected those traces in the God Realm of Absolute Beginning were a deliberate illusion she created, everything learned about the Heretic God over the years ultimately points to the God Realm of Absolute Beginning."

"Furthermore, it is indeed the most suitable place for her."

"God Realm of Absolute Beginning..." Yun Che murmured, then asked, "So, she hasn't reappeared all these years?"

"Yes," Xia Qingyue confirmed. "Given the terrifying power she displayed back then, if she had wished to wreak havoc, the God Realm would have long since been plunged into chaos. My foster father, who once fought against the Heretic God, said before he left that even the Dragon Monarch would be no match for the Heretic God's power; it would require the combined might of an entire divine region to defeat her. And given her terrifying nature, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it would take the power of three divine regions."

"It is quite surprising that she hasn't reappeared since then. Could it be that the Heretic God's power recovers too slowly, or perhaps... there's another reason?"

"God Realm of Absolute Beginning... God Realm of Absolute Beginning..." Seemingly not listening to Xia Qingyue, Yun Che repeatedly muttered the name. His gaze then solidified. "Good... After I leave here, I will make another trip to the God Realm of Absolute Beginning!"

"Naive!" Xia Qingyue said coldly. "Leaving aside the fact that going there with your current power would be akin to seeking death, the God Realm of Absolute Beginning is far vaster than you can imagine. It is said that the world of the God Realm of Absolute Beginning is even larger than the entire Primal Chaos itself, and it wouldn't be wrong to consider it another chaotic world!"

"In such an immense world, where even three divine regions are powerless, how do you expect to find her?"

"I can!" To Xia Qingyue's surprise, Yun Che was not disappointed by her words. Instead, his gaze grew even more resolute. "Others might not be able to find her, but I... I definitely can!"

Xia Qingyue glanced at him, her expression thoughtful, then whispered, "It seems your relationship with her has a subtlety that others cannot comprehend. If you truly can find her, it would be an immense blessing for you. Compared to the 'amulet' I found for you, she... is your greatest and most reliable safeguard in this world."

"After all, while the Devil Emperor's power can be relied upon, it cannot be controlled by you. She, however, can dedicate everything for you!"

"Moreover, with the Devil Emperor's arrival and the return of the Devil Gods, this is also a tremendous opportunity for her, who was originally shunned by all living beings."

Xia Qingyue's words were exceptionally calm, simply stating a matter with utmost indifference, without any perceptible change in emotion or disturbance of feeling.

Yun Che looked at her, frowned, and suddenly asked, "You... don't hate her?"

"Hate her?" Xia Qingyue retorted. "Why would I hate her?"

"She did kill Yue Wuya... your foster father, who was incredibly kind to you," Yun Che said, his expression complex.

Xia Qingyue's bright eyes shone like stars as she calmly spoke, "Back then, my foster father mistakenly believed my mother was harmed by the Star God Realm. In his rage and madness, he forced her birth mother to her death, and in doing so, he also forced her to become the Heaven Punishing Star God. It is only natural for her to avenge her mother! My foster father died by her hand, and in a way, he deserved it. The grievances are settled. On what grounds would I hate her?"

Yun Che stood there, silent for a long time.

"Do you perhaps think I'm too rational?" she suddenly asked.

"No..." Yun Che shook his head. "You're rational... to a terrifying degree."

Xia Qingyue offered a cold smile at Yun Che's assessment. "I'll say it again. The current me is not just Xia Qingyue; I am also the Moon God Emperor!"

Just then, a flash of moon-like light appeared before Xia Qingyue, and a girl in blue robes bowed gracefully. "Master, the Brahma Monarch Goddess requests an audience!"