Chapter 1722: Bloodstained Universe (Part Two)

In the Moon God Realm, within God Moon City, Xia Qingyue returned from the Heaven Smiting God Realm. The moment she stepped into the city, she sensed an unusual atmosphere. Large numbers of Moon Guards were dispersing, heading directly towards the Moon God Realm's borders. "What's happening?" Xia Qingyue murmured, her brow furrowed.

At the sound of the Divine Emperor's voice, the entire God Moon City stilled. Yao Yue, Lian Yue, and Jin Yue quickly appeared before Xia Qingyue. Lian Yue urgently exclaimed, "Master, Shui Meiyin... she's no longer in the Moon Prison!" "What?!" Xia Qingyue's eyes instantly turned icy, and she sharply glared at Jin Yue. "Jin Yue! Didn't I tell you to keep a close watch on her?!"

Jin Yue's delicate body bowed as she stammered, "Master, this servant immediately went to the Moon Prison after receiving your orders, but upon reaching the bottom, I found... Shui Meiyin was gone." "Are you saying Shui Meiyin escaped on her own before you got there?" Xia Qingyue suddenly shifted her gaze and called out, "Hengzhi!" A tall man in silver armor quickly arrived, kneeling below. "Greetings, Divine Emperor." This was Yue Hengzhi, the overall commander of the Moon Prison guards.

"It's been six months since I last personally entered the Moon Prison. In that time, has anyone forcibly broken through the thirty-three layers of barriers at its bottom?" Xia Qingyue asked, her gaze fixed on him. Without hesitation, Yue Hengzhi replied, "Absolutely not. Hengzhi would instantly detect even the slightest impact of an external force on the Moon Prison's bottom barriers. And as for those who have actively opened the barriers at the bottom of the Moon Prison in the past six months, there's only been..." He glanced at Jin Yue, his voice dropping slightly. "Only Divine Envoy Jin Yue." As the Moon God Emperor's three personal attendants, Yao Yue, Lian Yue, and Jin Yue held numerous privileges, allowing them access to any place within the Moon God Realm... including the very bottom of the Moon Prison.

"Hmph!" Xia Qingyue's gaze shifted slightly. At that moment, Jin Yue also looked up, terrified. It was the first time Xia Qingyue had looked at her with such coldness, making her feel as though she had plummeted into a cruel, icy abyss. "Jin Yue," Xia Qingyue's voice was cold, tinged with pain and disappointment. "What immense benefits did the Glazed Light Realm offer you, that you dared to betray me right under my nose?!" Jin Yue was greatly alarmed and stammered, "This servant would never dare! I have never..." "Still daring to quibble!"

"Jin Yue!" Lian Yue cried out in alarm, swiftly moving to embrace Jin Yue. Yao Yue urgently interjected, "Master, Jin Yue has served you faithfully for many years, deeming it her life's greatest fortune to attend to you. She would absolutely never betray you." "Silence!" Xia Qingyue snapped coldly. "It's not your place to beg for her." A line of blood slowly traced from Jin Yue's lips. Dazed, she lay in Lian Yue's arms, her eyes chaotic and unfocused, like thousands of shattered stars. Among the Moon God Emperor's three personal attendants, Jin Yue was the first to serve Xia Qingyue. Back then, Xia Qingyue was not yet the Moon God Emperor, and their bond was almost like that of sisters. Jin Yue was even the only one Xia Qingyue would confide in. After Yue Wuya's death and Xia Qingyue's enthronement as the Moon God Emperor, she gradually became distant... growing more and more so, even becoming unfamiliar. But this was the first time Xia Qingyue had lashed out at her. Compared to the physical pain, the heart that had been devoted to Xia Qingyue was shattered into countless pieces, causing excruciating agony. "Master, this servant did not," she knelt again, her words choked with tears. "I would rather die than ever betray you."

"'Is that so?' Facing Jin Yue's despair, Xia Qingyue's eyes remained utterly cold. 'Very well, considering you've been by my side for many years, I might even believe you were swayed by Shui Meiyin's Untainted Divine Soul. But do you know why I imprisoned Shui Meiyin?! Her Untainted Divine Soul, once fully awakened, will be terrifyingly powerful! Now that the Eastern Divine Region has just suffered a devil calamity, her escape at this moment could very well lead her to side with the devil people, becoming an extremely massive hidden danger in the future! For such a grave crime, even if you were genuinely influenced by an Untainted Divine Soul... how could I possibly forgive you!'" Before Jin Yue could utter a single word in her defense, Xia Qingyue delivered her cold judgment: "Get out of the Moon God Realm immediately! From this moment on, you are forbidden from setting foot within it ever again!" "Master..." "Anyone who dares to intercede will be punished as an accomplice!"

Lian Yue and Yao Yue bit their lips simultaneously, their eyes filled with turmoil, but they dared not speak another word. Jin Yue's beautiful eyes lost their luster. She looked at Xia Qingyue, slowly raised her hand, and pressed her palm to her chest. "Master, this servant... is willing to die... to prove her innocence." "'Die?' Xia Qingyue remained utterly unmoved, as indifferent as ever. 'You should know that I never leave loose ends. If you die before me, then your parents, your siblings, and all your direct relatives will be buried with you... Feel free to try.'"

Jin Yue's body swayed, and her already delicate, pitiable face gained an added touch of tragic pallor. "Jin Yue..." Lian Yue softly called her name, slowly shaking her head. Finally, the hand on her chest slowly lowered. Tears that Jin Yue had desperately tried to hold back now streamed from her eyes, instantly soaking her cheeks. She bowed her head deeply to Xia Qingyue. "Master, Jin Yue knows... she has committed a great mistake, and from now on, I will no longer be able to serve by your side. Please, Master... please take good care of yourself."

Xia Qingyue remained silent, coldly turning her back, as if she no longer wished to look at Jin Yue, or perhaps didn't want anyone to see her own expression. Slowly rising, Jin Yue once again bowed deeply to Xia Qingyue, then turned to leave, utterly dejected. "Wait," Xia Qingyue suddenly spoke.

Jin Yue's delicate body trembled, thinking Xia Qingyue had changed her mind, but what she heard were even more ruthless, heartbreaking words: "I never want to see you again in this lifetime. Take all your family members and leave the Eastern Divine Region within thirty-six hours! Otherwise, do not blame me for being merciless!" Jin Yue felt as if plunged into an icy wind, her body swaying as she whispered a desperate, tragic reply, "Jin Yue... will obey Master's command."

Jin Yue left, tears falling with every step. "Lian Yue," Xia Qingyue ordered coldly, her back to the others, "take people to immediately search the surrounding star regions. Dig three feet deep if you must, but bring Shui Meiyin back! While searching, remember to spread the news of her escape from the Moon God Realm. Heavy rewards will be given to anyone who provides clues." "Yao Yue, you personally go and monitor the Glazed Light Realm!" "Yes, Master," Lian Yue and Yao Yue replied, accepting their orders.

At this time, the Northern Divine Region was being invaded by devils. Should the situation spiral out of control, the Moon God Realm would immediately have to step in to suppress them. Yet, at such a critical moment, so much core power was being diverted to search for a single Shui Meiyin... However, with Xia Qingyue in her current furious state, and Jin Yue having been ruthlessly cast out, how dared they question or speak further? Meanwhile, Xia Qingyue's figure slowly blurred and soon vanished from their sight and spiritual perception.

The news of Shui Meiyin's escape from the Moon God Realm quickly spread as the realm initiated a wide-ranging search. With the ongoing devil calamity, this news certainly garnered attention, but it wasn't significant enough to cause further upheaval. In the Heaven Smiting God Realm, Zhou Xuzi stood before the spatial profound array, quietly contemplating all possible battle scenarios for over half an hour. The news of Shui Meiyin's escape from the Moon God Realm reached his ears, but it did not distract him.

Finally, the layout of the occupied star realms and the devil forces in the northern Eastern Region clearly materialized in his mind. His eyes snapped open, a cold glint in them. "Activate the grand array." A white light from the spatial grand array shot skyward, enveloping an area spanning dozens of miles.

"Taiyu," Zhou Xuzi transmitted in a low voice, "pay constant attention to my messages. The moment the time is right, immediately use the Heaven Smiting Sound to mobilize all star realms and profound practitioners in the central and southern regions. Push northward with full force to collectively eliminate the cornered devil people." "Taiyu understands," Venerable Taiyu's voice quickly replied. The spatial grand array hummed violently, its immense spatial power stirring up tsunami-like ripples in the surrounding space. To construct such a massive spatial grand array in mere days was a feat only achievable by the Heaven Smiting Realm in the current era.

"Everyone," the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor said, facing the assembled Upper Realm Kings, "this calamity arose due to this old man. I am immensely grateful for your assistance." He didn't bother to explain that he had been framed, knowing that no one would believe him and that a forceful clarification would only backfire. "Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor, what are you saying? The Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor maintains order in the Eastern Region, vanquished the Calamity of the Evil Infant, and quelled countless disasters. Your merits are immeasurable. How could the present crisis diminish even a fraction of the Heaven Smiting Realm's sacred glory?" an Upper Realm King immediately stated. "This calamity is a shared one for our entire Eastern Divine Region! How could the Heaven Smiting God Realm bear it alone? As for those timid and useless star realms in the Northern Realm... once the devil people are eliminated, we'll certainly settle accounts with them! With our combined strength, these mere devil people can surely be swept away within ten days!"

Although the Heaven Smiting God Realm was now implicated as the cause of this turmoil, its hundreds of thousands of years of divine might and sacred reputation remained unshakeable. Six Guardians, thirty Heaven Smiting Elders, and over one hundred forty Upper Star Realm Kings had arrived in person, bringing with them a significant portion of their star realms' core combat forces. Including Zhou Xuzi himself, this assembly comprised nearly two hundred God Lords, several thousand God Monarchs, and a massive contingent of God Kings and God Spirits... all accompanied by the terrifying auras of various profound artifacts. Just as the Moon God Emperor had said, the Heaven Smiting God Realm had remained inactive for several days, but its move now signaled its readiness to drive the invading Northern Region devils to their demise.

"After the devil rebellion is quelled, this old man will naturally provide an explanation to all of you, and to the entire Eastern Divine Region." With his words, Zhou Xuzi waved his hand. "Activate the array! Move out!" Spatial power erupted, transmitting waves of Eastern Region powerhouses directly from the Heaven Smiting God Realm to the northern border—the rear of the invading devil forces. In less than two quarters of an hour, everyone had been transported. The Heaven Smiting God Realm immediately returned to a state of calm.

However, from beginning to end, no one noticed the subtle, eerie strangeness within this calm. Soon after the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor departed, three hunched, dark figures flickered out from a shadowed area at the edge of the Heaven Smiting Realm. They then split into three directions and vanished back into the darkness.

North of the Eastern Divine Region's border, as a dense white light spread, a spatial grand array materialized out of thin air. Numerous figures, each radiating an exceptionally massive aura, flew out from within it. Zhou Xuzi, accompanied by Zhou Qingfeng, was the last to emerge from the profound array. The silence here was profound, almost eerie, with not a single devil figure in sight.

"Lord, how shall we proceed?" a Guardian asked, as his divine sense swept across the surroundings. Zhou Xuzi extended his hand, and a massive projection appeared before them, displaying the full map of the Northern Eastern Region's star realms. All star realms occupied by the devil people were marked in black. He pointed a finger, and dozens of white lights appeared on the projection. "Using these fifty locations as starting points, with three realms forming a team, seal off all possible retreat routes for the devil people... Do not be distracted by the state of the star realms; focus entirely on annihilating the devil forces. Once the Heaven Smiting Sound resonates and the north-south encirclement is complete, they will have no escape!"

The Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor's voice was incredibly deep. Among the invading devil forces this time, there were numerous Devil God Lords, but no figures from the King Realms were present. While he felt a sense of mockery, he couldn't help but also feel fortunate.

"As expected of the Heaven Smiting Realm, truly skilled in spatial power. An excellent encirclement strategy. I wish you success in advance." A voice, soft as a spectral breeze and as enchanting as a devil's chant, drifted faintly from behind them. Zhou Xuzi's gaze instantly turned frigid. Everyone spun around sharply at the exact same moment.

In the sky to the north, a lone female figure stood silently, mere miles away from them. Yet, not a single person, including Zhou Xuzi, had detected her arrival. "Devil Queen!" The projection flickered out. Zhou Xuzi turned back, his gaze fixed on Chi Wuyao's figure, and he smiled faintly. "This old man thought you lacked the courage to emerge from the darkness." The words "Devil Queen" caused the Heaven Smiting Guardians and the Upper Realm Kings' faces to change drastically. She was utterly alone, with no other auras detected around her.

*Boom!* The six Heaven Smiting Guardians stepped forward in unison, simultaneously unleashing their Heaven Smiting Divine Power. For a moment, it was as if thunder roared, and the clouds in the sky shattered and dispersed under their might. "Do not act rashly," Zhou Xuzi said, raising a hand to stop them. On the opposing side, there was only Chi Wuyao, while their side had gathered an incomparably terrifying force. Yet, having faced Chi Wuyao twice in his life and suffered greatly both times, even now, confronting her alone with such an overwhelming formation, his heart could not relax in the slightest. It remained heavy, as if ten thousand mountains pressed down upon his soul. And her presence at this specific time and place could absolutely not be a coincidence!

"After all, this queen is merely a delicate woman. How could I dare to personally step into the Eastern Divine Region, this terrifying dragon's den and tiger's lair?" Chi Wuyao's voice was soft and lingering, piercing ears and hearts, causing all the God Lords to feel a profound numbness throughout their bodies. The God Monarchs and God Kings, meanwhile, found their vision gradually blurring and their profound energy unconsciously receding. "Hmph!" Zhou Xuzi let out a soft snort that nonetheless cleared minds and shook souls, causing those profound practitioners who had been subtly entranced to jolt awake, their bodies breaking out in a cold sweat. The tragic image of Zhou Qingchen's death flashed before his eyes. Zhou Xuzi's five fingers slowly clenched. He suppressed his rage, yet his voice slowly deepened. "Tell your Soul Stealing Realm people to come out! Hiding like this only invites ridicule!"

Chi Wuyao lightly pursed her lips and softly chuckled, her laughter laced with myriad meanings. "Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor, your paranoid bad habit hasn't changed a bit. My lovely children aren't here. They're in a place that will give you an even bigger 'surprise'." Zhou Xuzi's brow furrowed sharply. Chi Wuyao's gaze subtly shifted. Facing the incredibly terrifying and overwhelming auras before her, she showed not the slightest fear; instead, her smile deepened. "To gather so much power and construct such a frightening spatial grand array in such a short time—truly worthy of the Heaven Smiting Realm. It's quite remarkable. However," she exhaled softly, speaking with a shallow, alluring tone, "relocating such a massive force out of the Eastern Divine Region... what if you can't return for a while?"

The moment her voice fell, the spatial grand array in the distance, which had just completed its transmission task, suddenly trembled violently. Then, with a resounding crash, it disintegrated into a scattering of broken white light across the sky. "!!!" This sudden anomaly caused Zhou Xuzi's face to change dramatically. The foundation of this spatial grand array was located within the Heaven Smiting Realm. Its sudden collapse meant only one thing: the main array in the Heaven Smiting Realm had been destroyed!

Meanwhile, in the Heaven Smiting God Realm, earth-shattering roars simultaneously erupted from three directions. An ominously dark aura surged skyward, so chilling it seemed to permeate every fiber of one's being. The spatial grand array, only recently constructed to transport Zhou Xuzi and others to the northern Eastern Region, disintegrated and was utterly destroyed by an intensely terrifying surge of dark light. Simultaneously, all the main spatial grand arrays situated around the Heaven Smiting God Realm—those connecting it to various King Realms and major regions of the Eastern Divine Region—rapidly disintegrated under the sudden descent of darkness. All of this happened suddenly, without any prior warning.

These main spatial grand arrays had existed for hundreds of thousands of years, each incredibly resilient and certainly not something ordinary power could destroy. However, the ones who annihilated these main profound arrays were the three most terrifying existences of the Northern Divine Region—the Three Yama Ancestors of the Yama Devils! The Heaven Smiting God Realm was severely shaken, and countless figures streamed out, rushing towards the direction of the dark aura's eruption. And in the very center of the Heaven Smiting God Realm, a core area inaccessible even to Heaven Smiting Elders, a black figure materialized from thin air and slowly stepped out. It was Yun Che! No one knew how or when he had arrived. Even the Heaven Smiting Guardians who remained on guard had not detected any unusual figures or auras from beginning to end.

In front of him stood a colossal bell, another divine relic of the Heaven Smiting God Realm. After the Heaven Smiting Realm became a King Realm, this relic was renamed the "Heaven Smiting Bell." The "Heaven Smiting Sound," capable of easily transmitting anyone's voice across the entire Eastern Divine Region, was achieved through the power of this very bell. Placing his palm on the Heaven Smiting Bell, he forcibly activated its power with dark profound energy. A sinister, fiendish arc stretched across his lips. "Children of Darkness, dance wildly!"

The Heaven Smiting Bell resonated, transmitting a terrifyingly gloomy devil's roar to every corner of the Eastern Divine Region, echoing across its entire sky. Under the demonic sound, seemingly from the very depths of the abyss, the entire Eastern Divine Region suddenly became dim and oppressive. Countless profound practitioners in the Eastern Region looked up in horror. And in countless hidden corners of the Eastern Divine Region, pairs of long-awaiting dark eyes suddenly snapped open, unleashing an endless, violent demonic light.

This chapter was exceptionally long, hence its delayed publication. Tonight's update will likely also be a bit late. Definitely keep Jin Yue in mind; she possesses an extremely crucial item.