Chapter 1609: Luminous Disaster Unleashed

Time flew by, and another year passed.

The once restless Eastern Divine Region gradually began to quiet down. The search for the Devil Yun Che diminished, and after consistently yielding no results, all the King Realms concluded that he must have escaped into the Northern Divine Region.

Unbeknownst to them, Yun Che had indeed fled to the Northern Divine Region initially, but a year ago, he had left it and entered the God Realm of Absolute Beginning.

However, due to their extraordinary concealment abilities, not only the three Divine Regions but even those in the Northern Divine Region aware of Yun Che's existence had no inkling.

Eastern Divine Region, Moon God Realm.

"The Star God Realm has begun to reorganize, but there's still no trace of Xing Juekong... Most of the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm's adjudicators have been recalled, and the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor hasn't appeared for a long time. However, the other day, we received an unconfirmed report that the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm seems to be preparing for Zhou Qingchen's trial ceremony."

"Trial ceremony?" A flicker of surprise appeared in Xia Qingyue's eyes. "Does the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor intend for Zhou Qingchen to ascend to the throne earlier?"

"Zhou Qingchen's experience is still..." Lian Yue paused mid-sentence, suddenly recalling that her own master was the youngest and least experienced Divine Emperor in the history of the God Realm. She quickly changed her words: "Given the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor's current status and prestige, there's no reason for him to abdicate. So, this news is probably not true."

"No, this is very likely true," Xia Qingyue said slowly. "Even someone as powerful as the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor might find it difficult to bear such an overwhelming sense of guilt."

"Guilt?" Lian Yue was bewildered.

"Any results from the Glazed Light Realm?" Xia Qingyue asked, without elaborating.

"Reporting, Master," Lian Yue's gaze sharpened. "Everything is as you predicted. The twelve hours when Yun Che first vanished without a trace were indeed spent hidden by the Glazed Light Realm!"

"As expected..." A purple glow appeared in Xia Qingyue's eyes. "The Glazed Light Realm is truly audacious!"

"However, Yun Che did not go to the Glazed Light Realm on his own. After being sent away by Qianye Ying'er's Empty Illusory Stone, he seemed to have fallen unconscious and was carried into the Glazed Light Realm," Lian Yue continued.

"Who?"

"The new Realm King of the Flame God Realm... Huo Poyun."

"..." After a brief silence, her slender, crescent-like brows furrowed slightly. "Him?"

Recalling the scene of the various God Emperors seeing off the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor at the Wall of Primal Chaos, Huo Poyun had indeed not been present.

"This matter has been thoroughly investigated by your maidservant," Lian Yue said. "On the day the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor was sent away, Huo Poyun did leave the Flame God Realm but did not reach the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm. Perhaps he changed his mind midway and turned back, and on his way back, he unexpectedly encountered the unconscious Yun Che and sent him into the Glazed Light Realm."

After a brief deliberation, Xia Qingyue said, "Lian Yue, quickly prepare the sound transmission array. Connect to all King Realms and Upper Star Realms, and publicly disclose the Glazed Light Realm's act of harboring and concealing the Devil Yun Che back then!"

"...Yes." Lian Yue was visibly startled but immediately complied without asking for the reason.

"However, do not implicate Huo Poyun. It's best to erase all traces."

"Yes."

Xia Qingyue slowly rose. As she paced, an astonishing pressure caused the surrounding space to tremble. "Yaoyue!"

A graceful figure appeared in a silent, faint blue glow, slowly bowing. "Master."

"Come with me to the Glazed Light Realm."

"Yes." Yaoyue accepted the order and casually asked, "What is your intention in going, Master?"

"To kill Shui Qianheng!" Xia Qingyue's words were grim.

"...!?" Lian Yue and Yaoyue were simultaneously shocked. Yaoyue, unaware of the reason, said, "Master, Shui Qianheng is not an ordinary Upper Realm King. The Glazed Light Realm's power and reputation are at the forefront of all Upper Star Realms, and it has quite good relations with all the King Realms. Without sufficient reason... Master, please reconsider."

"Hmph, harboring and concealing a devil is already a grave sin. And Yun Che is no ordinary devil; his escape into the Northern Divine Region this time has sown an unpredictable, immense disaster! Had it not been for the Glazed Light Realm's concealment back then, this disaster might not even exist. This is a crime for which all living beings may be executed!"

"Huh!?" Yaoyue suddenly looked up.

"If I don't kill him, someone else will eventually kill him after his exposure. Since that's the case, why should I hand over the opportunity to others!"

A purple light flashed around her, and her light blue gown transformed into the majestic, chilling attire of the Moon Emperor. "Yaoyue, depart for the Glazed Light Realm now. Lian Yue, immediately send a sound transmission to the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm... An hour later, send transmissions to the other King Realms and Upper Star Realms."

Above the Glazed Light Realm, a ray of purple light illuminated the sky, seemingly eclipsing all other brilliance of the realm. However, this radiant purple light was too cold, causing all beings beneath it to shiver and their souls to tremble, silently recoiling.

"Hahahaha!" A particularly hearty laugh broke the icy purple silence. Shui Qianheng's figure approached rapidly from a distance, bowing from afar. "Today, purple mist fills the sky over the Glazed Light Realm, a sign of great fortune. It turns out the Moon God Emperor and Qing Yaoyue God are personally here. What an immense blessing and honor!"

Shui Qianheng did not arrive alone. Behind him closely followed two female figures, his two most cherished daughters.

Shui Yingyue and Shui Meiyin.

After three thousand years in the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm, both of his daughters had become Divine Masters, one a fifth-level Divine Master and the other a seventh-level Divine Master, becoming a miracle of the Glazed Light Realm. Shui Meiyin, in particular, was a miracle of the entire Eastern Divine Region, even being bestowed with a divine maiden title almost comparable to Qianye Ying'er.

Amidst Shui Qianheng's hearty laughter, Shui Yingyue and Shui Meiyin stood on either side of their father and bowed simultaneously.

However, Xia Qingyue's beautiful face was as cold as the moon. "Shui Qianheng, will you end your own life, or shall I do it myself?"

When the purple light descended, its bone-chilling cold had already unsettled Shui Qianheng. The moment Xia Qingyue's words left her mouth, his heart suddenly thumped. Shui Yingyue and Shui Meiyin's expressions changed drastically at the same time.

Shui Qianheng looked puzzled and asked, "This... Qianheng is unaware of what wrong I have committed to provoke such wrath from the Moon God Emperor?"

Xia Qingyue had no intention of beating around the bush with him. Her cold gaze fixed on him. "Two years ago, when Yun Che's demonic identity was exposed and he was hunted by the entire realm, who was it that hid him for those twelve hours!?"

"!!" Shui Qianheng's hands clenched tightly.

"Shui Qianheng, are you going to try and deny it?" Xia Qingyue's voice grew colder. Her originally beautiful gaze pierced hearts and souls like merciless purple blades.

"Moon God Emperor," Shui Yingyue spoke up, "This matter..."

"Silence!" Shui Yingyue had barely spoken when Shui Qianheng's low growl interrupted her. "You have no place to speak here!"

Shui Yingyue: "..."

Taking a deep breath, Shui Qianheng revealed a bitter smile. "If it weren't for conclusive evidence, how would someone as esteemed as the Moon God Emperor come here in person? Before the Moon God Realm and Qing Yaoyue God, Qianheng has no right to argue."

"Father..." Shui Meiyin reached out and clutched the corner of her father's robe, her starry eyes trembling, her lips pale. She knew this day would come sooner or later, but she hadn't expected that the first person to demand accountability would be her...

"Very good, at least you still have some decorum as a Realm King," Xia Qingyue said slowly. "While harboring a devil is a grave sin, given your identity as the Glazed Light Realm King, perhaps no one would have pursued the matter against you. But concealing the Devil Yun Che ultimately led to an immense disaster being sown across the entire Eastern Divine Region. Even if you are the Glazed Light Realm King, ten thousand deaths would not atone for your crime!"

As her voice fell, a purple glow suddenly appeared in Xia Qingyue's hand... It was the Purple Pylon Divine Sword, the strongest weapon of the Moon God Realm and a symbol of the Divine Emperor!

A purple sword qi shot forth from the Purple Pylon Divine Sword, thrusting directly at Shui Qianheng... It gave him no chance to explain or leave any last words, immediately pushing him towards death without quarter.

Shui Qianheng remained motionless.

"Ah!!"

Shui Yingyue and Shui Meiyin were horrified and simultaneously made their moves... But, almost at the same instant, Shui Qianheng also acted, not to block the purple sword qi, but to strike his two daughters with both hands.

Boom!!

Space shattered, and Shui Yingyue and Shui Meiyin were blasted far away. In their violently constricted pupils, the purple sword qi struck Shui Qianheng's chest directly... passing through his body.

"Father!"

"Daddy!!"

"Ugh!" Shui Qianheng's body stiffened, the color gradually draining from his face. His daughters' heartbreaking cries echoed in his ears. He looked down at the purple sword qi piercing his body, yet he showed no sign of struggle... As an eighth-level Divine Master, an existence at the pinnacle of Upper Realm Kings, if he had resisted, even Xia Qingyue would not have found it easy to kill him.

Xia Qingyue held the Purple Pylon Divine Sword, which had pierced Shui Qianheng, and her gaze slightly lowered. "Shui Qianheng, you made a wise choice. If you had dared to dodge this strike, you wouldn't have been the only one to die! If you and I had clashed, countless people in the Glazed Light Realm would have perished alongside you!"

"Fa...ther!" Watching Shui Qianheng being impaled by a single sword from afar, the light in Shui Yingyue's eyes shattered. She let out a mournful cry, "Moon God Emperor... I'll kill you!!"

Her Yaoxi Sword emerged, gleaming with blue light, and a massive water curtain spread across the sky, rushing directly towards Xia Qingyue.

"Yingyue... Stop!"

Shui Qianheng painfully turned his head, swung his arm, and forcibly intervened, instantly blocking all of Shui Yingyue's power and blasting her far away again.

Forcibly acting with the Purple Pylon Divine Sword through his heart undoubtedly exacerbated his injuries greatly. Blood immediately gushed from Shui Qianheng's mouth, but he hoarsely roared, "Do you want me... to die in vain?!!"

The Yaoxi Sword slipped from her hand, and Shui Yingyue knelt there, her gaze filled with grief and confusion.

"..." Shui Meiyin remained motionless.

"Moon... God... Emperor..." Each word Shui Qianheng uttered was accompanied by gushing blood foam. "Concealing Yun Che was my decision alone; no one else knew anything about it! Even if they did, they couldn't have defied my will... Moon God Emperor wishes to punish me, and I have nothing to say. I only ask... that you do not involve innocent people."

Xia Qingyue said coldly, "I said I would kill only you, and I will kill only you! Of course, if anyone dares to forcibly intervene..." Her gaze swept over Shui Yingyue and Shui Meiyin. "They will be deemed equally guilty!"

"Before coming here, I had already informed the various realms about your act of concealing the Devil Yun Che back then. If I don't kill you, others will. At least by my hand, you can die swiftly." A faint purple glow shimmered in Xia Qingyue's eyes, and the divine light released by her sword qi subtly changed. "Now... die in peace!"

"Stop! Stop!!"

This loud shout did not come from Shui Yingyue or Shui Meiyin but from the immensely distant void... An aura was rapidly approaching. Before the true body arrived, a pale, large hand suddenly descended, firmly grasping the purple sword qi piercing Shui Qianheng, completely halting the impending eruption of Purple Pylon divine power.

Xia Qingyue frowned, her gaze slowly shifting to the side as she addressed the void, "Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor, do you intend to protect him?"

The moment Xia Qingyue's voice fell, a white figure rushed over like a streak of light. It was indeed the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor.

He came alone; there was no other presence behind him.

The Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor extended his palm and grasped the purple sword qi, the previous pale handprint vanishing with it. Only then did he speak, "Spare him."

His voice was rather weak, each word accompanied by a sigh.

Xia Qingyue's brows furrowed deeply. "Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor, surely you aren't unaware of the crime he committed back then!?"

"Alas," the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor sighed deeply. "His concealment of Yun Che was indeed a grave sin. However... I have known the Glazed Light Realm King for tens of thousands of years, and I am intimately familiar with his character. What he concealed that day was merely the 'son-in-law' he had already recognized... He absolutely harbored no intention of sheltering a devil."

"Given his temperament, I am not at all surprised that he would act in such a way."

"Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor," Xia Qingyue said with a frown, "Yun Che has now successfully escaped into the Northern Divine Region. No one can predict the consequences once he matures and is utilized by the Northern Divine Region. Had it not been for Shui Qianheng's concealment back then, this disaster might not have even come to be... For such a grave crime that endangers the entire Eastern Divine Region and the entire God Realm, I can find no reason for forgiveness."

The Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor shook his head. "Given Yun Che's ability to conceal himself, even without the Glazed Light Realm King's hiding, we would have struggled to find him during those twelve hours. On that day outside the Blue Pole Star, you, I, and Brahma were all present. The Dragon Monarch and the Southern Sea Divine Emperor personally arrived, surrounded by various Eastern Region Realm Kings, yet we still failed to stop Yun Che. Now, why must we be so harsh on a Glazed Light Realm King who merely acted foolishly for a moment?"

"Acted foolishly for a moment?" Xia Qingyue seemed to find it laughable. "The Heaven Smiting Divine Realm spared no effort in hunting Yun Che, even resorting to once-despised methods; such determination is known throughout the world. Yet now, you're being so lenient towards someone who once concealed the Devil Yun Che?"

"The Devil Yun Che must be executed," the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor said. "However, since everything has already been set, and the Eastern Divine Region has suffered too many losses, I truly do not wish to see anyone else perish because of this matter."

"Moon God Emperor, I know you are most sensitive to matters concerning the Devil Yun Che. Today, consider it an old man's debt to you. Please grant me this small favor and spare his life."

Having said this, the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor sighed deeply once more... The prophecy of "Devil Gods Slaying the World" was drawing ever closer to fulfillment because of him. He dared not let anyone know a single word of it, and for these past two years, he had spent every moment immersed in guilt.

He did not want to see anyone else die because of this... because, ultimately, it was all his own sin.

Xia Qingyue remained silent, the purple light on the Purple Pylon Divine Sword finally dimming slightly. "Very well. Since it is the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor's command, it would be disrespectful for me to insist further."

"However, if he is let go just like that, even if everyone knows it's the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor's will, I fear their hearts will not be at peace." Xia Qingyue's tone suddenly shifted. "I can spare Shui Qianheng, but the Glazed Light Realm must fulfill two conditions."

"Firstly," Xia Qingyue spoke directly, not waiting for any reaction from the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor, "Shui Qianheng has committed such a grave sin that he is no longer qualified to be the Glazed Light Realm King. I demand that his profound strength be crippled to below the Divine Master level, and that he relinquish his position as Realm King within ten days."

"Good," the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor nodded. He did not ask for Shui Qianheng's opinion, as Shui Qianheng held no right to speak in front of two Divine Emperors. Moreover, compared to death, this outcome was already infinitely better.

Xia Qingyue's gaze suddenly turned to Shui Meiyin. "Merely crippling Shui Qianheng alone might not be enough for the Glazed Light Realm to remember this lesson! Because the true core of the Glazed Light Realm is no longer Shui Qianheng, but this Divine Maiden Meiyin!"

"Secondly... Shui Meiyin shall return with me to the Moon God Realm, to be imprisoned for a thousand years. Within those thousand years, she shall not leave by so much as a single step!"