Chapter 1673: The Sixth Pagoda

On the Soul Sky Ship, Chi Wuyao and Qianye Ying'er stood in the shadows cast by a profound formation, their eyes meeting.

Below them, the core profound formation of the Burning Moon Royal City was rapidly being recast. Its essence, however, was no longer Burning Moon power, but the power and souls of the Devil Queens.

To expedite the recasting and preempt any unforeseen actions from the Yama Realm, Chi Wuyao decisively used the Primordial Divine Marrow she had obtained from the Heaven Smiting God Emperor. After all, even the best resources are useless if hoarded and not put to use.

"What do you wish to say to me?" Chi Wuyao asked Qianye Ying'er, a faint smile playing on her lips. She subtly sensed a delicate change in Qianye Ying'er.

"Why didn't you stop him then?" Qianye Ying'er asked, her voice cold and hard.

"Stop him?" Chi Wuyao chuckled softly. "Do you truly believe I could have stopped him?"

"Why do you think you couldn't?" Qianye Ying'er stared at Chi Wuyao, her gaze seemingly piercing through layers of dark mist, intent on reaching the depths of her soul to perceive her truest self.

When Yun Che left the Dark Profound Ark to return to the Burning Moon Realm, Qianye Ying'er, whose mind and soul were in extreme turmoil at the time, didn't realize it. But Chi Wuyao knew it perfectly well. She didn't stop him; in fact, she feigned ignorance. Not long after, the Dark Profound Ark rendezvoused with the rapidly approaching Soul Sky Ship. Clearly, Chi Wuyao had already sent a message to the Soul Stealing Realm, deploying the Soul Sky Ship, even before that.

"I told you... it's because I understand him," Chi Wuyao said slowly, without averting Qianye Ying'er's gaze.

"Hmph," Qianye Ying'er scoffed quietly. "In front of me, no one has the right to say that."

"No, I do," Chi Wuyao replied instantly, without hesitation.

Qianye Ying'er frowned deeply, her gaze on Chi Wuyao becoming even more intense.

"Moreover, I actually had no desire to stop him. On the contrary, I've always hoped he would act in this way."

"You... hoped he would?" Qianye Ying'er frowned deeply. "Did he tell you about this trump card of his!?"

Yun Che had once told her that he possessed a trump card capable of killing anyone, and that he intended to use it against the Dragon Monarch at the "final moment." However, he had never mentioned what this "trump card" actually was. She had also never imagined that he could forcefully wield the Star God Origin Power, which should have belonged exclusively to the Star God Realm.

"Of course not. How could one reveal a trump card to others?" Chi Wuyao said calmly. "What I meant by 'hope' was that I hoped he could feel sorrow, anger, and impulsiveness for you, and for the child you two lost before it could be born..."

Qianye Ying'er: "…?"

"Because that would at least indicate that his heart hadn't truly 'died,' and perhaps from then on... it wouldn't continue to 'die' further."

Qianye Ying'er's gaze trembled slightly, and her eyes, fixed on Chi Wuyao, changed once more.

Chi Wuyao seemed not to notice the change in her expression and continued, "Before he returned to the Burning Moon Realm, I had already ordered the Soul Sky Ship to be deployed. This was so that after his impulsive return, no matter how bad the situation became, I would be there to handle it. I just didn't expect him to give me such a tremendous surprise."

"The vast Burning Moon Realm, which endured countless historical upheavals for nearly a million years without faltering, was taken by him with such ease!" Chi Wuyao laughed, her smile enchanting and alluring. "This alone proves that this man surpasses anyone in the history of the God Realm! Among all the men alive today, who can compare to even a single action of his?"

She looked at Qianye Ying'er, her eyebrows curving delicately. "With one fit of rage, a true god appears; with another, a King Realm falls. And the one who sparked his outrage... Yun Qianying, to me, a woman, that's probably a more enviable title than 'Brahma Monarch Goddess.'"

"For me? Hmph!" Qianye Ying'er snorted coldly, unconsciously averting her gaze. "He has always harbored deep guilt towards his daughter. This incident merely triggered that guilt, causing him to erupt... What does it have to do with me!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Chi Wuyao narrowed her eyes, then said with a smile, "My original purpose in coming to Burning Moon this time was to eliminate hidden dangers and prevent him from suddenly interfering with the Yama Realm's affairs. I never expected such a substantial gain. Even now, I still feel as if I'm dreaming. If, after this, he abandons his death wish, then all the better."

Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes flickered slightly, a shimmering blur.

There will be more in the future...

In... the future...

Seeing the involuntary, faint curve on Qianye Ying'er's lips, Chi Wuyao averted her gaze and said softly, "There will undoubtedly be many matters to attend to here in Burning Moon, which I must handle one by one. Have you said all you wished to say?"

"No," Qianye Ying'er replied, turning back with a suddenly chilling gaze. "Listen very carefully and remember what I am about to say!"

"Oh?" Chi Wuyao tilted her head, seemingly intrigued.

Qianye Ying'er slowly moved, standing about half a foot in front of Chi Wuyao, their gazes almost touching. "When we first met in the Imperial Heaven Realm, I told you that while our goals differed, our enemies were precisely the same."

"Your goal was to break free from the Northern Region's shackles, truly contend with the other three regions, and even elevate darkness above them. As for us, our goal is revenge! To spill blood across every land we resent... Thus, by killing the same enemies, you would help us get revenge, and we would help you become empress."

"And now?" Chi Wuyao asked, her gaze hazy like mist, yet devoid of any probing desire. It seemed she already knew what Qianye Ying'er was about to say.

"Now..." Qianye Ying'er smiled coolly. "Not only will we seek revenge, but after leveling the three God Regions, I will also ensure..."

"He... becomes... King!"

The three weighty words, uttered with the ruthless conviction she once possessed as the Brahma Monarch Goddess, left no room for doubt.

"Oh?" Chi Wuyao blinked lightly, showing no surprise or anger. Instead, she seemed to chuckle softly. "If that's the case, our ultimate 'distribution of benefits' will lead to a conflict, and quite a significant one at that. You're saying this so early, so directly. Aren't you afraid of creating a rift in our cooperation?" she asked.

"Hmph, with your cunning, you would realize it sooner or later anyway. At that point, the rift would only be greater. It's better to state it upfront," Qianye Ying'er said, her golden eyes narrowing. "And... especially after today, do you truly believe there's anyone else in this world more suitable to be King than him!?"

"Ah, that's a tricky question for which there's no other answer," Chi Wuyao said with a faint smile. Facing Qianye Ying'er's sharp, piercing gaze, she suddenly took a step forward, her slightly parted lips almost touching Qianye Ying'er's pearly ones. A captivating, soul-stirring voice whispered into Qianye Ying'er's ear: "I merely wish to know, if he becomes King... who will be Queen?"

Qianye Ying'er frowned and stepped back, saying coldly, "You."

"Excellent." Receiving a satisfactory answer, Chi Wuyao smiled charmingly and turned to leave.

"Wait!"

Qianye Ying'er called out to her again, her voice low.

"Chi Wuyao, who... exactly are you!?"

Chi Wuyao's lips pressed together slightly. Without turning, she slowly said:

"The more you realize the reasons behind your own words, actions, and psychological changes, the more you will understand that I would never harm him. I believe this is why you spoke frankly with me, and why you are willing for me to be 'Queen.' Is that not enough?"

Qianye Ying'er froze for a moment, her golden eyebrows furrowing even deeper. "Who... exactly... are... you!?"

"If you truly desire an answer..." Chi Wuyao smiled faintly. "Someone who understands him better than you, and perhaps... someone who loves him more deeply than you."

Qianye Ying'er was stunned.

"However, you are... far luckier than I."

These words were calm and lingering, yet subtly imbued with a hint of quiet sorrow and melancholy.

Chi Wuyao departed, leaving Qianye Ying'er standing in place, silent for a very long time.

On this day, at this moment, the world would not know that the fate of the God Realm had been quietly determined during the conversation between these two women.

The demise of the Burning Moon God Emperor, the arrival of the Soul Sky Ship at Burning Moon Royal City, the seizure of the Devil Source Artifact, and the surrender of all Eclipse Moon Cultivators to the Soul Stealing Realm... Earth-shattering news swept through the entire Northern God Region like a tempest, causing a cataclysmic upheaval. Concurrently, various rumors about Yun Che, wielding the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor's power to slay the Burning Moon God Emperor with a single sword and his impending enthronement in the Soul Stealing Realm, also spread like wildfire.

Such terrifying news and such a massive storm had never before been seen in the history of the Northern God Region. The shock it delivered was tens of thousands of times greater than the fall of the Pure Heaven God Emperor ten thousand years ago.

Undoubtedly, the Yama Realm had also received the news... yet, there was no reaction whatsoever.

Soul Stealing Realm, Soul Stealing Sacred Region.

It was the third day since their return from the Burning Moon Realm. Yun Che's wounds had fully healed, but he still hadn't awakened. Qianye Ying'er, too, was beginning to grow anxious. On that day, Yun Che had unleashed a truly heaven-defying power that should not have existed. Could the negative repercussions of this power also far exceed imagination?

Sitting beside Yun Che, Qianye Ying'er reached out and touched his neck. This was the sixtieth time today she had checked his internal injuries and aura. Just as her profound energy was about to surge, a golden light suddenly flashed on Yun Che's body.

"!" Qianye Ying'er frowned sharply, and then her gaze fixed on the top of Yun Che's head. There, as the golden light shimmered, a pure golden pagoda silhouette slowly emerged and rotated gradually. A faint golden glow also slowly descended with the pagoda's rotation, gradually enveloping Yun Che's entire body.

"Fu... Tu... Pagoda..." Qianye Ying'er whispered, then suddenly recalled something, and an exceptionally brilliant light bloomed in her golden eyes. She had seen this golden light on another person before: Tianwu Xisu!

The Sixth Stage of the Grand Dao of Buddha, a supreme realm in the memories left by the Primordial God, said to allow a human body to gradually approach... to infinitely approach the realm of gods! A significant reason for Tianwu Xisu's power was the Grand Dao of Buddha he cultivated, which allowed his body to withstand even defensive profound formations that Qianye Ying'er herself could not have resisted back then. Tianwu Xisu, with a cultivation of Level Nine Divine Master, had painstakingly cultivated the Grand Dao of Buddha to its Sixth Stage.

And Yun Che... at Level Seven Divine Sovereign, he had actually reached the Sixth Buddha Stage, a feat only achieved by Tianwu Xisu when he was a Level Nine Divine Master!

Beyond the Sixth Stage of the Grand Dao of Buddha... it was said to be a realm forever unattainable by mortals, belonging solely to gods.