Chapter 1718: Dark Invasion

Qianye Ying’er didn’t answer directly. Instead, she murmured, “When we bid farewell to the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor at the edge of the Primal Chaos back then, you weren’t present. Therefore, you might not know who truly forced Yun Che out of the darkness and into despair.”

Chi Wuyao remained silent.

“It was the Dragon Monarch,” Qianye Ying’er’s gaze darkened. “At that moment, just before the Crimson Crack vanished, Zhou Xuzi expelled the Evil Infant from the Primal Chaos. Yun Che was furious with Zhou Xuzi, and the Southern Sea God Emperor and Qianye Fantian stood against him.”

“This, however, shouldn’t have pushed Yun Che into despair. After all, Yun Che had just saved the world; everyone owed him their lives. Especially since the Dragon Monarch, who held the highest authority, had always greatly admired Yun Che, even wanting to adopt him as a godson. When Yun Che was afflicted by my Brahma Soul Death-Seeking Mark, it was the Dragon God Realm that took him in and saved him.”

“He only needed to step forward and speak a single word for Yun Che, and everything could have been resolved.”

“But the Dragon Monarch not only refrained from speaking on Yun Che’s behalf but directly rebuked him and put pressure on everyone present, acting far more ruthlessly than the Southern Sea God Emperor and Qianye Fantian.”

“With the Dragon Monarch leading and the paramount God Emperors of the three God Regions standing against Yun Che, no other God Emperor or Realm King could have made a different choice. Afterwards, Yun Che, enraged, triggered the Eternal Calamity imprint left by the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, causing devilish energy to overflow. This gave everyone the most legitimate reason to kill him, trapping him in a fatal predicament.”

Qianye Ying’er’s golden brows furrowed with coldness. “The Dragon Monarch’s attitude towards Yun Che puzzled me for a very long time afterwards. I believe everyone who knew of the Dragon Monarch’s admiration for Yun Che would have been equally puzzled by this.”

Chi Wuyao knitted her brows and remained silent.

Indeed, she wasn't present when Yun Che's darkness was exposed at the edge of the Primal Chaos back then. However, the fatal blow that struck Mu Xuanyin came from the Dragon Monarch. Recalling it now, the Dragon Monarch's viciousness at that time seemed utterly inconsistent with his rumored nature of being detached from worldly ambitions and proud yet not arrogant.

“It wasn’t until I arrived in the Northern Divine Region that I accidentally learned something from Yun Che,” Qianye Ying’er said. “He had slept with the Dragon Queen.”

“…!” Chi Wuyao’s eyebrows shot up. “What did you say!?”

“That man, worse than a beast, is capable of anything unimaginable,” Qianye Ying’er said hatefully.

Briefly stunned, Chi Wuyao frowned as she suddenly recalled the question she had teasingly asked Yun Che when she met him and the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, taking advantage of his willingness to enter a soul-snatching state caused by her: “Then, in your heart, which woman is the most beautiful?” And Yun Che’s answer was “Shen Xi.” She hadn't paid much attention to it then, even jokingly remarking to him. After all, the “Dragon Queen Goddess” was the epitome of feminine grace in the current age; it was not strange that he had been taken in by the Dragon Queen in the Forbidden Land of Samsara, had seen her true face, and thus given that answer.

“An ani—mal!” Chi Wuyao’s full bosom rose and fell with tumultuous, vivid emotion. “He dared to defile even a married woman, and the Dragon Monarch’s wife at that – the Dragon Queen, who had shown him such great kindness!”

Along with her astonishment, there was also a subtle hint of disappointment in her heart.

“No,” Qianye Ying’er said softly. “This matter is likely not that simple. Because afterwards, Yun Che repeatedly emphasized one thing to me, even getting angry several times because of it.”

“She is Shen Xi, not the Dragon Queen.”

Chi Wuyao knitted her brows in silence.

“Though Yun Che is a complete lecher and an absolute beast, he is somewhat pedantic when it comes to loyalty and righteousness,” Qianye Ying’er “praised” with an emotionless expression.

“At that time, the Dragon Monarch was considered to have shown him kindness. If Shen Xi were truly the Dragon Monarch’s wife, there’s no way he would have touched her.”

Shen Xi’s celestial beauty and grace were enough to instantly shatter any man’s will, making them disregard all loyalty and ethics... but on this point, Qianye Ying’er strangely believed the utterly beastly Yun Che, and this belief was not without reason.

Because back then, during the period she was Yun Che’s slave, Yun Che, for the sake of Xia Qingyue and Jasmine, surprisingly didn’t lay a finger on her.

“So that means…” Chi Wuyao murmured, “Shen Xi isn’t the Dragon Queen. That statement… might actually be true?”

Her understanding of Yun Che’s true nature far surpassed Qianye Ying’er’s. Indeed, if she were the wife of someone who had shown him kindness, he would never have touched her, nor would he have mentioned “Shen Xi” with such openness.

Qianye Ying’er said, “Initially, I was only focused on mocking Shen Xi as a hussy with a sacred exterior and a debauched interior. It was only after he got angry several times that I began to consider a very amusing possibility…”

“That the so-called ‘Dragon Queen’ might never have existed at all. And was merely a ridiculous facade the Dragon Monarch used to deceive the world, and even himself!”

Chi Wuyao’s eyes were like a cold abyss. She didn't find it shocking or amusing; instead, she was contemplating what kind of danger would be hidden if all of this were true.

“Have you ever tried to verify this with Yun Che?” Chi Wuyao asked cautiously.

“No,” Qianye Ying’er shook her head. “I’ve asked him multiple times, but he never wishes to speak of Shen Xi. Even a slight inquiry will invariably provoke his anger.”

“…” Chi Wuyao pondered for a moment, then said, “Dragon nature is inherently lecherous, yet it is widely known that the Dragon Monarch deeply loves the Dragon Queen. To demonstrate his devotion, for hundreds of thousands of years, he has not only avoided relations with other women but has also deliberately avoided any close contact. The world has universally praised him for this.”

“If only Shen Xi existed in the world, and ‘Dragon Queen’ truly never did, yet he willingly remained alone for so many years, clinging to those two illusory words.”

“His affection for Shen Xi in this manner is far beyond what can be described as ‘profound’… it’s almost terrifying.”

Chi Wuyao’s expression grew even more solemn. “Such a deep obsession… if he were to learn that Shen Xi had been defiled by another, and by a human junior less than sixty years old at that…” Chi Wuyao didn’t finish her sentence. She couldn’t even imagine the extent of the Dragon Monarch’s jealousy and hatred towards Yun Che if everything was as she suspected.

But if that were the case… his change in attitude towards Yun Che would no longer be strange.

Then…

Chi Wuyao suddenly understood the apprehension Qianye Ying’er had just shown.

“Are you worried that the Dragon Monarch will forcefully intervene?” Chi Wuyao asked.

The Brahma Heaven God Realm provoked the Northern Divine Region first. Facing the Northern Divine Region’s retaliation, the Western and Southern Divine Regions would have no reason to interfere; they would only watch from the sidelines, gloating… and certainly wouldn’t need to worry about the war reaching them. Surely, the Eastern Divine Region would be capable of handling a mere group of devils who had voluntarily emerged from their cage to seek death? By the time the Eastern Region fell under a thunderous assault, it would be too late for them to react.

But if these conjectures about the Dragon Monarch and Shen Xi were true, then once he heard that Yun Che had stepped out of the Northern Divine Region, the Dragon Monarch might… or even *would* definitely make a move!

Regardless of the cause or the grievances between the divine regions, it would be solely because of the Dragon Monarch’s resentment and murderous intent towards Yun Che… a depth of hatred possibly far beyond anyone’s imagination.

“Yes,” Qianye Ying’er murmured, letting out a soft breath. “I hope all of this is just my unfounded speculation. However, rather than believing the ‘Dragon Queen’ has never existed for over two million years, I’d rather believe Yun Che is merely a beast.”

Previously, Qianye Ying’er’s thoughts on this were merely occasional conjectures. Her greater interest lay in mocking Shen Xi and deeply enjoying it. The revenge plot and her mental efforts were focused on the Northern and Eastern Divine Regions; she hadn’t considered this aspect at all. But in that instant, as she considered the elements of danger, her mind inadvertently touched upon her past conjectures regarding Shen Xi, and she suddenly felt a chill run through her entire body.

“Regardless, this matter must be clarified with Yun Che immediately!”

Just as Qianye Ying’er was about to move, Chi Wuyao suddenly reached out and grasped her wrist.

“No need to ask,” Chi Wuyao said. The surprise had left her face, and her tone was much calmer and softer than before.

Qianye Ying’er: “Oh?”

Chi Wuyao turned her gaze towards Yun Che’s figure in the distant sky and slowly said, “What the true cause and effect of this matter are, you and I can only guess, but Yun Che himself knows it clearly.”

“In this war of vengeance, he is the one who can least afford to fail. Yet, he has never mentioned a single word about such a crucial unstable factor.”

Qianye Ying’er frowned slightly. “Are you saying…?”

“Either we are overthinking things,” Chi Wuyao said, “or…”

The Dragon Monarch likely harbors extreme hatred for Yun Che.

But then again, Yun Che surely despises the Dragon Monarch just as much!

If the Dragon Monarch were to learn of Yun Che’s reappearance in the Eastern Divine Region, there’s a very high probability he would personally appear and make a move.

And similarly, Yun Che, who has officially bared his fangs for vengeance, must surely be itching to… kill the Dragon Monarch at the earliest opportunity. Even if it meant paying a huge price!

Chi Wuyao’s phoenix eyes slightly narrowed as she gazed directly at Yun Che’s silent figure in the darkness. She let out a wistful sigh: “It seems his reservations and concealments from us are even greater than I imagined. Alas, men who grow up always leave one with a certain sense of loss.”

Qianye Ying’er remained speechless.

“Since he is so reluctant to mention Shen Xi, we shouldn’t force him,” Chi Wuyao said faintly. “However, it would be best to pay closer attention to the movements of the Dragon God Realm.”

At this moment, a female figure slowly emerged from the darkness and bowed before Chi Wuyao: “Master, the mission in the Southern Divine Region has been completed.”

“Were you noticed by anyone?” Chi Wuyao asked.

Huajin hesitated for a moment, then replied, “No. The Southern Sea God Emperor has been indulging in pleasures outside recently, which made things much easier.”

“Very good,” Chi Wuyao smiled. “Truly worthy of my excellent Huajin. To travel so quickly between the Northern and Southern Divine Regions without leaving any traces. Only my Huajin could accomplish something so remarkable.”

“Speaking of which,” she turned her gaze to Qianye Ying’er, “what wonderful secret is hidden within that soul crystal?”

Qianye Ying’er crossed her arms and said coolly, “A secret you’d best never know. You only need to know that the so-called First God Emperor of the Southern Region has always been a very useful dog.”

“He was before, he is now, and he will be… the same!”

At this moment, Chi Wuyao suddenly frowned, looking down. “Huajin, did someone detect you?”

Huajin was silent for a moment, then shook her head. “I don’t think so. But… when approaching the Southern Sea God Emperor’s imperial palace, for a few moments, I faintly felt as if I was being spied upon.”

“Oh?”

“However, the soul crystal landed in the Southern Sea God Emperor’s hands as intended, and his divine sense never touched my location, so perhaps it was just… a delusion.” Huajin uttered the words “a delusion” very softly. This was because Chi Wuyao had long ago warned all the Devil Maidens that the two most untrustworthy things in the world were men and “delusions.”

Chi Wuyao pondered briefly but said nothing more. “Very well then. You may go.”

In the distance, the ten dark devil blades were drawing closer and closer to the Eastern Divine Region. Behind them, hundreds of thousands of enormous profound warships and millions of various profound arks had also arrived at the Northern Region’s border, filling the entire sky, their colossal dark aura spilling out beyond the Northern Region like a crushing weight.

The moment the first wave of devil blades pierced out of the Northern Divine Region, there was no longer any need to hide anything.

Chi Wuyao did not go to Yun Che’s side. Instead, she suddenly recalled that fleeting sense of being spied upon, like a “delusion,” which she had also experienced after meeting the Brahma Heaven God Emperor back then.

“…” She remained silent for a very long time.

In the northern border of the Eastern Region, in the ten star realms closest to the Northern Divine Region apart from the Snow Song Realm, a dim shadow suddenly appeared in the sky. At first glance, it was as if a black hole was slowly unfolding across the northern sky. Countless profound practitioners looked up in astonishment towards the north… that black hole was approaching, expanding, and gradually revealing figure after figure in their sight, dense like swarms of locusts.

“Dev—devils!!”

Dark devils, and a group of devils on an unprecedentedly massive scale! Before the first profound practitioner’s shriek could fade, a dark figure descended through the sky, carrying terrifying devilish might that seemed to overwhelm heaven and earth… He was Tian Guhu, the leader of the Heavenly Sovereigns of the Northern Region, and the supreme commander of these ten dark “devil blades”!

His Imperial Heaven Sword, imbued with the Yama Devil’s might, ruthlessly struck down.

*Boom*—

Under the devilish might of a late-stage Divine Master, how fragile was a mid-level star realm? With a single sword stroke, the vast star realm was cleaved with a hundred-thousand-mile long fissure, and countless lives were instantly extinguished. The Northern Divine Region’s first sword of revenge and counterattack was struck by him, Tian Guhu. In that single moment, he already felt his life was complete.

“Children of Darkness,” he pointed his sword downwards, looking upon the fleeing, wailing beings consumed by fear. “With life and blood, unleash your hatred to your heart’s content!”

With that command, the curtain rose on a brutal and bloody war. His gaze was already fixed on the south, and alone, he headed directly for the core of this star realm—the location of the Realm King’s sect.