Chapter 1667: The Burning Moon's Scheme

"Master, where are you going?" He Ling asked uneasily.

"Burning Moon," Yun Che replied.

"But..."

He Ling looked up... the world within the Sky Poison Pearl was cast in a faint layer of black. She said no more.

Perhaps, compared to Qianye Ying'er or Chi Wuyao, she was the one who understood Yun Che best. Her life was linked to his; she not only experienced everything he did but also constantly felt his soul.

The Burning Moon Realm was a King Realm of the Northern Divine Region! Burning Moon Divine Emperor Fen Daojun alone was one of the three most supreme beings in the Northern Divine Region. Even with the Eternal Calamity of Darkness, Yun Che could not possibly be his match. However, she knew with absolute certainty that there was no way to stop Yun Che or make him turn back at this moment.

Passing through vast stretches of dark star regions and sweeping past dim stars, the Burning Moon Realm, which they had only recently left, reappeared in sight. His speed slowed slightly, and the dark glow in his eyes gradually receded... but the deepest darkness within his pupils became even more chilling.

Upon entering the Burning Moon Realm and traversing through its layers, he landed before the Burning Moon Royal City. The royal city's barrier had already closed... though even the strongest dark barrier was virtually useless before him.

"This is a vital area of the Royal City. Unauthorized approach is forbidden, violators will be executed!" As soon as Yun Che landed, a powerful, authoritative voice echoed from afar, carrying an intimidating aura.

Yun Che looked ahead and spoke calmly, "Please inform the Burning Moon Divine Emperor that Yun Che has come to visit."

A brief silence was followed by gasps of shock: "Yun... Yun Che!?"

The previous confrontations in the Burning Moon Main Hall, all involving Divine Masters, had undoubtedly shaken the entire Burning Moon Royal City. Although it had only been a short time, news had already quietly spread throughout the city... especially the name Yun Che. Subsequently, the Eclipse Mooners and Burning Moon Divine Envoys who were outside were swiftly recalled. Even the least sensitive individuals within the royal city could sense a strong, unusual atmosphere.

"Didn't they say the Devil Queen and he just left...?"

"Could it be a trick?"

"True or false... quickly inform the General Commander and have him tell the Divine Emperor!"

The atmosphere in the Burning Moon Main Hall was exceptionally heavy. Unlike the Devil Girls of the Soul Stealing Realm, who served only the Devil Queen, the Eclipse Mooners of the Burning Moon Realm each had their own governed star regions. Consequently, they were rarely forcibly recalled unless there was an immense crisis. Such emergency recalls were even rarer. Within a mere hour, all Eclipse Mooners and Burning Moon Divine Envoys had returned to the realm! Some, in their haste to return, even activated dimensional profound formations that had been dormant for years, regardless of the cost.

In the grand hall, the Burning Moon Divine Emperor sat on the main seat, his face perfectly calm, yet his entire being subtly exuded a terrifyingly oppressive aura. Below him were a silent assembly of intensely solemn Eclipse Mooners, Burning Moon Divine Envoys, and dozens of the highest-ranking Imperial Princes and Princesses.

"My King, is this matter truly that serious?" asked an Eclipse Mooner who had just returned. This was Fen Zhuo, ranked second among the Eclipse Mooners, with strength second only to Fen Daozang. In the Burning Moon Realm, there were no Level Ten Divine Masters below the Divine Emperor. However, compared to the Ten Yama Devils of the Yama Devil Realm and the Nine Devil Girls of the Soul Stealing Realm, the Burning Moon Realm's Eclipse Mooners held a distinct numerical advantage. There were a full twelve of them!

Fen Daozang glanced at him, his voice deep as an abyss. "If you had seen it with your own eyes, you wouldn't say such a thing." Fen Daozang had not only witnessed it but had personally been suppressed by two Level Eight Divine Master realm individuals. At the time, his heart was filled with indignation and shame. However, now, recalling the earth-shattering pronouncements of "Calamity of the Devil Blighting Heaven," "Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor," and "Eternal Calamity of Darkness," it no longer seemed so difficult to accept. Instead, there was an endless weight.

Fen Zhuo's gaze shifted, and he noticed that the Eclipse Mooners who had remained in the royal city each bore an unprecedentedly grave expression.

"Have all those sent to spy on the Soul Stealing Realm been recalled?" the Burning Moon Divine Emperor asked.

"To Your Majesty, they have all been recalled, not a single one remains."

The Burning Moon Divine Emperor slowly let out a breath.

The Burning Moon Divine Emperor was not fond of conflict, especially after the rise of the Soul Stealing Realm, which surpassed even the former Pure Brahma Divine Realm. He had never been willing to provoke the Soul Stealing Realm. However, he had never shown such clear and intense apprehension before.

A Burning Moon Imperial Prince said, "Is that really the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor's power on Yun Che? Could the Devil Queen be putting on a show? Or perhaps, the Eternal Calamity of Darkness isn't nearly as powerful when manifested in a mortal. Just like that Brahma Emperor Goddess, she was no match for Father."

"Naive," the Burning Moon Divine Emperor coldly stated. "This King would not mistake whether it is the Devil Emperor's power! It will only be far more powerful than you imagine. What was displayed by those two Devil Girls might merely be the tip of the iceberg of the Eternal Calamity of Darkness's power. After all, what you saw were just two of the weakest Devil Girls and a single Eternal Calamity Devil Formation."

"According to ancient records, the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor was the first devil created by the Ancestral God. Her dark power was known as 'Primordial Darkness.' The changes in the Devil Girls must be far more profound than simply perfectly wielding darkness." Everyone present held their breath.

As a Divine Emperor of the Northern Region, his understanding of the ancient Devil Emperor naturally far surpassed that of ordinary people.

"As for that Brahma Emperor Goddess..." The Burning Moon Divine Emperor frowned slightly. "She seems to be in a certain state. Her true power is far from as simple as what you witnessed."

"My King, what should we do now?" Fen Zhuo asked. "If the Eternal Calamity of Darkness is truly that terrifying, and the Devil Girls, Soul Spirits, and Soul Attendants have all undergone metamorphosis under it... if the Devil Queen intends to invade our Burning Moon Realm, wouldn't we be... hard-pressed to resist?"

Everyone present understood how understated the phrase "hard-pressed to resist" was. With the "Calamity of the Devil Blighting Heaven," even the two weakest Devil Girls could suppress the strongest Eclipse Mooners. If those two terrifying Great Devil Girls arrived, with their dark metamorphosis and the same "Calamity of the Devil Blighting Heaven," all twelve Eclipse Mooners might still struggle...

The Burning Moon Divine Emperor's gaze fell upon the man seated beside Fen Daozang. This was a man who appeared to be thirty-four years old, dressed in white, with black hair and no beard. He wore a wide-brimmed hat, and his skin was much fairer than the other Eclipse Mooners. He exuded no intimidating aura, and his demeanor was serene and elegant. Anyone who saw him would never have guessed that he was one of the twelve Eclipse Mooners of the Burning Moon Realm.

"Master, what is your opinion?" the Burning Moon Divine Emperor asked. Fen Daoqi, in terms of cultivation, was ranked seventh among the twelve Eclipse Mooners. However, beyond being an Eclipse Mooner, he held two special identities. He was the Imperial Tutor of Burning Moon and Burning Moon's chief strategist! The Burning Moon Divine Emperor had always held him in great respect. Even as Divine Emperor, he still addressed him as "Master."

Fen Daoqi rose and said, "Daoqi was not present to witness it firsthand. However, judging by Your Majesty's words, in the short term, we absolutely must not provoke the Soul Stealing Realm, not even attempt to probe them, lest the Devil Queen seize the opportunity to use it against us."

The Burning Moon Divine Emperor slowly nodded. "And in the long term?"

"There are only two paths," Fen Daoqi paused, his voice becoming exceptionally heavy. "First, kill Yun Che."

"Difficult," the Burning Moon Divine Emperor stated. As cunning as the Devil Queen was, how could she not protect Yun Che to the utmost? "And the second?" It wasn't just difficult; the risk was far too great. After all, they had just agreed that they absolutely must not provoke the Soul Stealing Realm now.

"As for the second, I believe it is already in Your Majesty's mind," Fen Daoqi smiled slightly, then uttered a single word: "Entice."

Everyone exchanged glances, then became thoughtful.

The Burning Moon Divine Emperor slowly rose, looking straight ahead. "If we can gain Yun Che, we will surely gain the Northern Divine Region in the future. With his perfect compatibility with darkness, even if he leaves the Northern Divine Region, his dark profound energy will likely not weaken. That means we would have the foundation and capital to break free from this cage and truly contend with the other three Divine Regions."

These words deeply moved everyone present.

"Even harder," Fen Daozang said. "What kind of person was the Pure Brahma Divine Emperor? Yet he still fell into the Devil Queen's hands. When it comes to dealing with men, I fear no one in this world can compare to the Devil Queen. Yun Che remained silent and rigid throughout; perhaps even his soul is already in the Devil Queen's grasp. How can we entice him?"

"No," the Burning Moon Divine Emperor shook his head. "The Devil Queen can steal any soul in the world. But Yun Che possesses the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor's power... that is absolutely impossible." He was certain of this point.

"Master, what method do you believe could possibly draw Yun Che into our Burning Moon Realm?" the Burning Moon Divine Emperor asked again.

Fen Daoqi smiled slightly and calmly uttered a single word: "Beauty."

Everyone frowned slightly, all dismissing the idea, except for the Burning Moon Divine Emperor, whose eyes narrowed.

"This seems like the most unfeasible method," Fen Daozang said, looking at Fen Daoqi with surprise, wondering why someone as wise as him would utter such a word. "When it comes to enchanting men, is there anyone in the Northern Divine Region who can compare to the Devil Queen? Right now, that Devil Queen must be serving Yun Che comfortably day and night, hmph!"

"And the Brahma Emperor Goddess by his side... it's said that in terms of beauty, she and the Dragon Queen of the Western Divine Region are considered the most beautiful in the God Realm!" His words were clearly mocking, yet anyone could discern deep jealousy and resentment within them.

Fen Daoqi, however, shook his head slightly and said, "What we can offer, the Soul Stealing Realm can also offer. But 'beauty' can come in a thousand, even ten thousand forms. The biggest reason he joined the Soul Stealing Realm was likely his desire for the Devil Queen's beauty. That is to say, 'beauty' is effective on him."

"Indeed, the women of our Burning Moon Realm are hard-pressed to compare with the Devil Queen and the Goddess," Fen Daoqi stated objectively. "However, when it comes to 'beauty,' sometimes 'novelty' and 'quantity' can be more important than 'quality.' Especially since... Yun Che is reportedly not yet sixty years old, an age when one is most susceptible to female charm and most prone to seeking new experiences."

Fen Daozang's eyes flickered, as if he understood something. "Are you implying?"

"The Devil Queen's temperament is extremely domineering. Even if she truly allows Yun Che to be Emperor and she remains Queen, she will certainly not let Yun Che's power surpass hers. Therefore, her control over Yun Che... especially regarding other women, will certainly be extremely autocratic and overbearing. The Burning Moon side can then exploit this loophole to tempt him..."

Fen Daoqi shook his head with a sigh. "It sounds crude and ridiculous, but it seems to be the only method that might work. Although the possibility of him abandoning the Soul Stealing Realm and joining our Burning Moon Realm using this method is extremely slim. However... it would be enough if he merely became distracted by our Burning Moon Realm. Afterward, we can make further long-term plans."

Since he had already "fallen into" the Devil Queen's hands, it was extremely difficult, almost impossible, for them to fully win over Yun Che himself. The only feasible option was to win over a part of his mind... the more they won over, the smaller the Burning Moon Realm's crisis would be.

Seeing the Burning Moon Divine Emperor's expression, everyone knew that he approved of Fen Daoqi's words, or perhaps he had been thinking the same thing all along. However... the core figures of Burning Moon, the supreme beings of the Northern Divine Region, gathered here in full force, and the only conclusion they reached was to forcibly use a honey trap! This was utterly...

"Zhuo," the Burning Moon Divine Emperor suddenly spoke.

Fen Zhuo stepped forward and bowed, "Your Majesty, please command."

"In seven days, you will personally go to the Soul Stealing Realm and present Yun Che with a grand gift." The Burning Moon Divine Emperor's eyes flickered.

"Yes," Fen Zhuo responded. "And the grand gift is..."

The Burning Moon Divine Emperor closed his eyes, his voice tinged with heaviness. "Hehuang."

"Wha...what!?" Fen Zhuo snapped his head up, and everyone present revealed expressions of shock.

Fen Hehuang, the Burning Moon Little Princess, known by all in the Northern Divine Region. Her beauty was like jade, her grace like an immortal's. She was the treasure of the Burning Moon Realm, and also the Burning Moon Divine Emperor's most beloved daughter.

Facing the shocked expressions of the crowd, the Burning Moon Divine Emperor remained unmoved and continued, "Remember to avoid the Devil Queen as much as possible. If Yun Che accepts her, that's best. If he doesn't, leave her there by force. It won't matter even if she's sent back afterward, as long as he sees her." Men understand men best. Even if Yun Che had both the Devil Queen and the Goddess, he wouldn't refuse other exquisite beauties... Moreover, he was certain that no man in this world could see Fen Hehuang and remain unmoved.

"But... but..."

"There are no 'buts'," the Burning Moon Divine Emperor said, turning his back. "Since she is this King's daughter, she should have the awareness to sacrifice for the Burning Moon Realm."

Fen Zhuo's lips trembled slightly; upon closer inspection, his fingers were also continuously shaking. Finally, he closed his eyes deeply, bowed his head, and said, "I will obey... Your Majesty's command."

Just then, an aura rapidly approached, and a hurried voice echoed from afar: "Fen Zhou, General Commander of the Burning Moon Guards, requests an audience with Your Majesty... there is an urgent matter to report."

The Burning Moon Divine Emperor was in a foul mood, but he did not lash out. He said calmly, "Speak."

A figure stopped abruptly before the hall, knelt, and bowed his head, "Before the royal city gates... Yun Che requests an audience with Your Majesty."

The words "Yun Che" made everyone in the hall snap their heads around. The Burning Moon Divine Emperor suddenly turned back, "What did you say!?"