Chapter 1486: Thousand Leaves Enslaved (Part 2)

"Very good," Xia Qingyue nodded faintly. Xia Qingyue was an avenger and a victor, yet she showed no sign of joy or excitement.

Chiba Ying'er was about to face an incredibly cruel slave imprint that would condemn her to a thousand years of servitude and destroy her lifelong dignity, yet she remained unusually calm, devoid of any sorrow or anger.

The Heaven Smiting God Emperor, who had been silent, watched the two from close range. Having lived for tens of thousands of years, for the first time, he clearly felt that women were often far more terrifying than men... no, much more terrifying. This was especially true for Xia Qingyue, the new Moon God Emperor, who had only been on the throne for three years and whom he had only met a few times. Her image and standing in his mind had undergone a radical transformation.

"Heaven Smiting God Emperor," Xia Qingyue said, "when Yun Che places the slave imprint on her, I will trouble you to join me in suppressing her profound energy to the greatest extent, to prevent her from suddenly attacking Yun Che."

Chiba Ying'er sneered, "Xia Qingyue, you underestimate me too much."

"You are not worthy of my trust!" Xia Qingyue retorted.

"Brahma Heaven God Maiden, if you have truly decided on this and will not regret it, then follow the Moon God Emperor's words," the Heaven Smiting God Emperor calmly stated. When the slave imprint was placed, the two had to be at close quarters. At that moment, if Chiba Ying'er harbored any ill intent, a single instant would be enough to kill Yun Che. He would never allow such a possibility to exist.

"Fine..." Chiba Ying'er showed no resistance or anger. The chilling smile on her lips, it was unclear if it was directed at Xia Qingyue or herself. "Come on, everything as you wish!"

She slowly spread her arms, completely retracting her profound energy. She had no way out. Xia Qingyue had agreed to her conditions, and the time had been reduced from three thousand years to one thousand, which was already far better than she had anticipated. Xia Qingyue's apparent concession, in reality, silently severed all her thoughts of retreat.

Xia Qingyue's figure flickered, and she was already standing beside Chiba Ying'er. She extended a palm, not touching her body, but releasing a purple light that pressed down horizontally on Chiba Ying'er. After a brief pause, it directly invaded Chiba Ying'er's body, forcefully suppressing her profound veins. Chiba Ying'er indeed did not resist.

The Heaven Smiting God Emperor stepped forward, standing on Chiba Ying'er's other side. A white light descended, similarly suppressing Chiba Ying'er's profound veins. With the combined power of two God Emperors pressing down on her profound veins, even Chiba Ying'er would not be able to suddenly break free.

"Brahma Heaven God Maiden, although all of this is your own doing, and even I cannot sympathize, yet, given your temperament, to go to such lengths for your royal father, truly makes this old man see you in a new light," the Heaven Smiting God Emperor said with some emotion.

"Yun Che, come here," Xia Qingyue said. Yun Che stepped out of the profound formation, slowly approaching until he stood directly in front of Chiba Ying'er, facing her. His height of seven and a half feet was less than half an inch taller than Chiba Ying'er, and the invisible spiritual pressure emanating from the Brahma Heaven God Maiden made Yun Che, who was accustomed to facing Mu Xuanyin and Xia Qingyue, feel a deep sense of suffocation and oppression.

"Yun Che..." Chiba Ying'er uttered in a low voice. Yun Che had expected her to curse at him in extreme humiliation, but instead, he heard her slowly say, "A slave imprint to repay the Brahma Soul Death-Wishing Mark can be considered tit for tat. However... you'd best be wary of this woman beside you. When she means you well, she can unhesitatingly offer me to you as a slave. But should she ever wish you harm... ten lives wouldn't be enough to survive!"

"Well said," Xia Qingyue stated calmly, looking at Yun Che. "Let's begin. You wouldn't refuse, would you?"

Refuse? Unless Yun Che's brain had been kicked by a donkey!

But the person before him was Chiba Ying'er... the daughter of the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, the future Brahma Heaven God Emperor, the foremost God Maiden of the Eastern Divine Region, whose name was comparable to "Shen Xi"! Her origin, her status, her power, her cunning, her everything, stood at the absolute pinnacle of the current era. And her sheer beauty and grace... caused Jasmine's brother, Xisu, to willingly die for her, and even made the foremost God Emperor of the Southern Divine Region utterly infatuated. At the same time, Chiba Ying'er was also the person who had left the deepest fear and heaviest shadow in his entire life.

Yet, such a person was now... to have a slave imprint placed upon her by him, to become his sole slave for the next thousand years, to obey his every command without the slightest disobedience!

To say he wasn't excited would be an absolute lie. Not just Yun Che, but anyone in the world facing this situation would feel an endless sense of surrealism and unreality... even deeming it more absurd than the wildest dream.

Yun Che extended his arm, saying nothing... almost unable to speak. His palm stiffly rose, positioning itself before Chiba Ying'er's forehead, barely touching her golden eye mask. He had never seen Chiba Ying'er's true face. At the same time, he wondered if anyone in this world truly possessed beauty comparable to Shen Xi.

"What are you still hesitating for?"

Xia Qingyue's faint remark brought Yun Che back from his slight daze. He let out a soft breath, and the slave imprint quickly formed, directly penetrating deep into Chiba Ying'er's soul. Separated by the eye mask, he couldn't see the turmoil in Chiba Ying'er's eyes at that moment... but her incredibly delicate and beautiful lips had been subtly trembling. The instant Yun Che's slave imprint invaded her soul, Chiba Ying'er's body swayed slightly, and the imprint instantly shattered.

"Chiba Ying'er," Xia Qingyue said slowly and distantly, "if you wish to go back on your word, I can let you return now to collect your royal father's corpse."

The Heaven Smiting God Emperor turned his face away, saying nothing, his heart more complex than ever before.

"No need for your nonsense!" Chiba Ying'er snapped coldly, biting her lips slightly... and slowly closed her eyes.

Xia Qingyue gestured to Yun Che with her eyes. Yun Che's hand movements changed slightly, and a new slave imprint quickly formed, invading Chiba Ying'er's soul once more. This time, the slave imprint's invasion met no resistance... only Chiba Ying'er's pale neck and the exposed part of her jade-like face showed a slight shiver...

The slave imprint entered her soul, then deeply engraved itself into the innermost depths of Chiba Ying'er's spirit... Unless Yun Che actively retracted it or completely destroyed her soul, there was almost no possibility of it being dispelled.

It's... done...?

Feeling the slave imprint he had formed deeply impressed into Chiba Ying'er's soul, the unique spiritual connection was incredibly clear. Yun Che's hand remained suspended in mid-air, not lowering for a long time, his gaze filled with prolonged astonishment. Because this sense of unreality was simply too intense.

Xia Qingyue's hand released, the purple light vanished, and the Heaven Smiting God Emperor's power also retracted. Chiba Ying'er, no longer suppressed by any force, stood motionless... At this moment, if she wished, a single flick of her finger could reduce Yun Che, who was so close, to dust. However, Xia Qingyue felt no concern, for the moment the slave imprint entered her soul, Chiba Ying'er became the person least likely to harm Yun Che in this world. On the contrary, should anyone dare to harm Yun Che, no matter who they were, they would become her unyielding, relentless enemy.

"Ah—" The Heaven Smiting God Emperor sighed again, long and drawn out. The fact that he had tacitly condoned, witnessed, and even assisted in the application of the slave imprint made the complexity in his heart imaginable.

"Chiba Ying'er, hurry and pay respects to your master," Xia Qingyue said, her voice seemingly gentle yet cold.

"Hmph!" Chiba Ying'er's voice was icy cold. "Xia Qingyue, it's not your place to discipline me!" She looked at Yun Che. In an instant, all the coldness and hatred she had displayed towards Xia Qingyue vanished. All her outward aura retracted, replaced by a cautious fear... She, who in her entire life had only bowed to and sworn to only kneel before Qianye Fantian, now knelt before Yun Che: "Chiba Ying'er... greets Master."

Her words were still habitually icy, but they lacked any trace of the cold arrogance and dominance she usually showed others. Both Xia Qingyue and the Heaven Smiting God Emperor discerned a near-devout respect.

"..." Gazing at the Brahma Heaven God Maiden kneeling respectfully before him, Yun Che felt a sudden daze. How many people in this world had ever seen her kneel? Her long golden hair brushed the ground, reflecting the world's most opulent light. Beneath the golden armor, her body, too beautiful to be described by any words or depicted by any painting, knelt there in the most humble and respectful posture... She did not dare to raise her head or stand up until he spoke. Yun Che did not know that even before Qianye Fantian, Chiba Ying'er would at most briefly bend her knees, but never prostrate herself.

"Heaven Smiting God Emperor, with this, Yun Che gains the most loyal protector and loses the person most likely to harm him. Furthermore, the Brahma Heaven God Realm will no longer dare to do anything detrimental to Yun Che. It's truly killing several birds with one stone. I presume this will greatly ease your mind," Xia Qingyue said calmly.

Although his heart remained inexplicably complex, the Heaven Smiting God Emperor nodded in agreement. "You are right. In the current situation, Yun Che's safety truly outweighs everything else."

Glancing at the Heaven Smiting God Emperor's expression, Xia Qingyue offered reassurance, "The slave imprint is indeed an act against humanity, and it must be difficult for the Heaven Smiting God Emperor to accept. However, this time it is by mutual consent, serving both to slightly resolve past enmities and as an an action with all benefits and no harm. Moreover, the Heaven Smiting God Emperor is merely a witness and did not participate in the slightest, so there is no need to be overly concerned."

"Heh heh," the Heaven Smiting God Emperor faintly smiled. "Rest assured, though I detest evil, I am not a rigid person. Since I agreed to be a witness, I will not harbor any other thoughts. Furthermore, what you said is indeed correct. Regardless of other grievances, just for having placed the Brahma Soul Death-Wishing Mark on Yun Che, this price... is entirely deserved!"

Xia Qingyue said no more, offering a slight bow to the Heaven Smiting God Emperor.

At the same time, in the Brahma Heaven God Realm.

In the Brahma Heaven God Realm, Gu Zhu was a unique existence. Few knew his name, and almost none knew his true identity or origin. They only knew that he often accompanied the God Maiden, and that the God Emperor held him in exceptionally high regard, giving him a status within the realm no less than any Brahma King.

Gu Zhu's form was like a ghost as he silently arrived at the Brahma Heaven Divine Hall. Without announcing himself, he entered directly, then materialized before Qianye Fantian like a phantom.

"Master, this old servant has something to report," he said, his voice low and extremely unpleasant to hear.

Qianye Fantian, his entire body entangled with virulent poison and demonic energy, opened his eyes and slowly said, "All of you, withdraw."

The Brahma Kings guarding him were slightly startled but dared not question. All of them, including the poisoned Brahma Kings, departed. For a time, only Qianye Fantian and Gu Zhu remained in the hall.

Gu Zhu extended his withered, aged hand. A golden light flashed, and the Brahma Soul Bell appeared in his palm. He presented it with utmost reverence to Qianye Fantian. "The Young Lady entrusted this old servant to deliver the Sacred Bell to Master."

Qianye Fantian's expression was cold and serene, showing not even a hint of surprise. He simply uttered a faint "Mm," and with a light tap of his finger, the Brahma Soul Bell returned to his person, vanishing from his hand. Then, he completely settled into tranquility. He did not ask a single word about why Chiba Ying'er returned the Brahma Soul Bell through Gu Zhu, or about her whereabouts.

Beneath his wide gray robe, Gu Zhu's old face, drier than dead tree bark, silently quivered. He, who never spoke more than necessary, finally spoke up to ask, "Master, you seem to have known the Young Lady would return it?"

"Heh heh," Qianye Fantian chuckled. Though it was a faint smile, combined with his dark, greenish-black face from the poison, it appeared particularly sinister and terrifying. "The Brahma Soul Bell has been her lifelong ambition and goal. If I hadn't used this Brahma Soul Bell to give her a push, how else would she have obediently gone to save my life!"

"..." Gu Zhu stood rooted there, silent for a long time. Beneath his gray robe, his ancient, unmoving eyes were violently trembling... It took a while for them to slowly settle.