Chapter 1754: The Burial of Fan Di (Part 2)

Nan Wansheng had been feeling somewhat disturbed lately. The Northern Divine Region's invasion of the Eastern Divine Region hadn't initially concerned him much; in fact, it presented an excellent opportunity for him to acquire the "Immortal Artifact." Even after the Eternal Heaven Realm was bloodied by the airborne invasion of devils, he still felt no significant sense of crisis. Instead, he opportunistically used it to double the pressure on the Brahma Heaven God Realm.

However, with the sudden collapse of the Moon God Realm, the rapid deterioration of the Eastern Divine Region's war situation, and the unexpected revelation of the truth from years ago, his focus was abruptly diverted from the pursuit of "eternal life."

The Eastern Divine Region was caught off guard by its million-year-old solidified perception of the Northern Region's devils, and even the Nanming God Emperor himself finally began to realize that his earlier assumptions had been far too naive.

Especially with the truth now exposed, unsettling news began to frequently arrive from the Southern Divine Region.

Just then, the Southern Prison Underworld King and Western Prison Underworld King entered, announcing, "Your Majesty, they have arrived."

Soon after, six individuals in light golden robes entered, radiating powerful, almost divine auras. They prostrated themselves before Nan Wansheng.

Each of these six was a formidable figure, revered by the people of the Southern Divine Region and standing supreme over the world, for they were all Underworld Gods.

The Nanming God Realm was the foremost Royal Realm in the Southern Divine Region. Under the Nanming God Emperor served sixteen Underworld Gods and four Underworld God Kings: the Eastern Prison Underworld King, Western Prison Underworld King, Southern Prison Underworld King, and Northern Prison Underworld King.

And now, not only had the Nanming God Emperor personally arrived in the Eastern Divine Region, but also two Underworld Kings and six Underworld Gods had joined him.

Nan Wansheng stood up. Despite the "timely" arrival of the six Underworld Gods, he showed no joy. His youthful face bore a profound solemnity as he softly commanded, "Return to Nanming!"

"…!?" The six Underworld Gods simultaneously looked up, their faces etched with astonishment.

They had rushed day and night at full speed after receiving the Emperor's command, only to be ordered to return to Nanming?

The Southern Prison Underworld King and Western Prison Underworld King, however, showed little surprise. They had been in the Eastern Divine Region this entire time and were immediately aware of everything that had transpired.

"It seems I was too naive in my thinking," Nan Wansheng said in a deep voice. "I completely misjudged both Yun Che and the Northern Divine Region."

Nan Wansheng had previously viewed the Northern Divine Region's full-scale assault on the Eastern Divine Region as a suicidal act of vengeance, one that would undoubtedly lead to its annihilation by the Eastern Divine Region. After all, no one understood the Northern Divine Region's true strength better than these God Emperors.

When the war's progression entirely defied his expectations, he began to think that even if the Northern Divine Region somehow managed to defeat the Eastern Divine Region, it would be severely weakened. In that state, it could be easily annihilated if it dared to challenge his Southern Divine Region.

Yet, within mere days, the news arriving daily utterly defied his expectations, repeatedly sending shivers down his spine. He realized he had to completely overturn his previous understanding and assessment of both the Northern Divine Region and Yun Che.

And he had to rethink why he was even here.

Eternal life was indeed a temptation that made his blood boil and his soul go mad. Yet, beyond that allure, there might only be an endless abyss of darkness.

"Go!" Nan Wansheng commanded with absolute decisiveness. This time, he would no longer underestimate the Northern Divine Region; instead, after returning to the Southern Divine Region, he would swiftly consolidate the core strength of its four Royal Realms and then launch a proactive attack!

He would catch the Northern Divine Region off guard, just as they had done to the Eastern Divine Region.

Just then, a strikingly unusual aura rapidly approached.

The Southern Prison Underworld King's gaze flickered. He soared out like an eagle, and when he returned, an additional figure was behind him.

It was none other than Qianye Zixiao, the Tenth Brahma King of the Brahma Heaven God Realm.

"Oh? Isn't this the Tenth Brahma King?" The Nanming God Emperor swept a glance over him, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Visiting at this hour, has your God Emperor had a change of heart and wishes to invite me for tea? …Though, it seems your condition isn't quite good."

Qianye Zixiao's condition was far worse than "not quite good." One didn't even need divine sense to perceive it; anyone with eyes could instantly see his pale face and eyes emanating a strange, eerie glow.

His normally powerful Brahma King aura, as majestic as a mountain, was now utterly chaotic and unstable. His entire body's skin was abnormally twisting and writhing, clearly indicating he was enduring immense pain.

Thump!

Qianye Zixiao suddenly dropped to his knees, then crawled forward until he was before the Nanming God Emperor. This abject posture, adopted by a Brahma King, caused all the Underworld Kings and Underworld Gods present to frown in shock.

"Nanming God Emperor… save me… save me!"

Fear, longing, pitifulness… It was like a dying man desperately grasping for a final lifeline.

Regardless of his posture or his pleading words, no one who witnessed or heard him would have believed that this was coming from a Brahma King!

"Hm?" Nan Wansheng narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze as cold as needles.

As the foremost God Emperor of the Southern Divine Region, his eyes were incredibly sharp. The fear and desperation displayed in Qianye Zixiao's body and eyes were entirely unfeigned; they seemed to stem from prolonged terror and despair.

He suddenly reached out, and a wisp of aura directly enveloped Qianye Zixiao.

Qianye Zixiao offered no resistance whatsoever. Yet, in the very first instant Nan Wansheng's divine sense, guided by the aura, permeated Qianye Zixiao's body, his expression drastically changed. His aura instantly recoiled, and he stumbled back several steps, almost in a panic.

"Your Majesty!?" Nan Wansheng's reaction greatly alarmed both Underworld Kings and the six Underworld Gods.

Nan Wansheng's eyes were fixed on Qianye Zixiao, his voice incredibly low: "What kind of poison is this!?"

The moment his divine sense intruded, he felt as if he had perceived a terrifying devil about to pounce on him and devour him forever, sending a chill through his entire body. His divine sense hastily retreated before even touching the poisonous aura.

And the instant Nan Wansheng cried out in alarm, he had already thought of the answer… the only answer.

The Divine Realm universally knew that the Nanming God Realm possessed the most terrifying devil poison: the God-Slaying Absolute Soul-Eater.

Yet the poison on Qianye Zixiao was far, far more terrifying than the God-Slaying Absolute Soul-Eater he was familiar with, easily capable of driving a powerful Brahma King to desperate despair and death.

Such a poison could only possibly originate from the Heaven Poison Pearl, which had once driven Qianye Fantian to desperation!

"It's Yun Che! It's his Heaven Poison Pearl!" Qianye Zixiao cried out, his voice trembling. He was an extremely intelligent person; his display of such an abject posture wasn't due to despair overriding his dignity, but rather an expression of "sincerity." "Now, the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, all the Brahma Kings, elders, divine envoys… everyone in Brahma Heaven City, has been afflicted with this poison…"

This news undoubtedly caused a profound shock in Nan Wansheng and the others.

Brahma Heaven City, the very core of the Brahma Heaven God Realm… including the Brahma Heaven God Emperor and the Brahma Kings, everyone afflicted by the Heaven Poison!?

If this was true, if the Heaven Poison Pearl's poison was truly incurable, wouldn't that signify that… the Brahma Heaven God Realm might face annihilation!?

The Underworld Kings and Underworld Gods exchanged glances, all seeing the profound apprehension in each other's eyes.

There were few fierce battles between Royal Realms, because at this level, inflicting even a tiny bit of damage on an opponent would result in immense backlash upon oneself.

Even with profound hatred, as long as a shred of reason or leeway remained, no Royal Realm would stake hundreds of thousands of years of its foundation and go all out to fight another Royal Realm to the death.

Thus, in the Divine Realm's million-year history, in the era before Yun Che's appearance, Royal Realms rose one after another, but none ever fell. Changing names due to a change of ownership, like the Pure Sky God Realm in the Northern Divine Region, was already the extreme.

But within these mere ten days, the Eternal Heaven Realm was easily massacred, the Moon God Realm directly shattered and vanished, and now, all core members of the Brahma Heaven God Realm were trapped in a Heaven Poison hell…

This was far beyond what the word "terrible" could describe.

The Nanming God Emperor's eyes were cold, and he suddenly let out a chilly laugh. "The Heaven Poison Pearl's poison can probably only be cured by the Heaven Poison Pearl itself. If you wish to live, you may as well beg Yun Che for mercy. Why come to me?"

"No!" Qianye Zixiao rasped, shouting, "The Yun Che of now is nothing but a bloodthirsty devil! And he has absolutely no trustworthiness whatsoever! Even when the Eternal Heaven Ancestor sincerely sought a peaceful resolution, Yun Che went back on his word in front of the entire world."

"When he administered the poison, he gave us a seven-day deadline, but… with the Eternal Heaven's precedent, even if we were to kneel to him, that devil would absolutely not detoxify us; instead, he would seize the opportunity to humiliate us to the extreme!"

"Heh," Nan Wansheng chuckled softly. "You do see things quite clearly."

"Nanming God Emperor…" Qianye Zixiao crawled forward on his knees. "Now, only you can save me. The Nanming Divine Pearl is the foremost evil-warding artifact in the world; it can even cure the God-Slaying Absolute Soul-Eater. It might just be able to cure the Heaven Poison Pearl's poison!"

"Even if… even if it can't completely remove it, it can certainly purify it to a controllable extent."

"Nonsense!" Nan Wansheng's gaze was cold and disdainful. "How precious is the spiritual power of the Nanming Divine Pearl? Even if it could purify the Heaven Poison, why would I use it on you!?"

Qianye Zixiao immediately said, "I can help the Nanming God Emperor obtain…"

His voice paused, his gaze shifted slightly, sweeping over the nearby Underworld Kings and Underworld Gods. He then lowered his voice: "…that which you desire!"

"Oh?"

The Nanming God Emperor narrowed his eyes, looking down, waiting for him to continue.

Qianye Zixiao continued, "Currently, everyone in Brahma Heaven City has been afflicted by the Heaven Poison. As long as… as long as I open the barrier, the Nanming God Emperor can easily take what he wants! I guarantee, in their current state, they will have absolutely no power to resist."

"Heh heh…" The Nanming God Emperor chuckled coldly. "Tenth Brahma King, your act is truly too clumsy. Can the Brahma King of the Eastern Divine Region's foremost Royal Realm truly be such a sell-out, begging for survival? Do you take me for a fool!?"

Qianye Zixiao did not panic. He met the Nanming God Emperor's gaze, and instead, a piercing cold glint flashed in his eyes. "Loyalty is naturally important, but it should not transcend life itself! Right now, I am simply doing what a smart person who wants to live should truly do!"

"If the Nanming God Emperor doesn't believe me…" Qianye Zixiao gritted his teeth slightly and continued, "You may search my memories from recent times. I, Qianye Zixiao… will absolutely not resist."

As soon as these words were uttered, the Underworld Kings and Underworld Gods, along with the Nanming God Emperor, all showed a dramatic shift in their expressions.

Allowing another's soul power to enter one's soul carried unimaginable consequences if the other party harbored even a slight ill intent.

Only if truly forced into desperation would one do such a thing.

"Good!" How could Nan Wansheng refuse? He directly reached out and grabbed Qianye Zixiao's head.

Qianye Zixiao gritted his teeth hard, his body trembling, but he indeed did not resist, allowing Nan Wansheng's soul power to directly transmit into his soul.

A moment later, Nan Wansheng's palm left Qianye Zixiao's head, and his expression shifted.

"Your Majesty?" The Western Prison Underworld King stepped forward.

"He wasn't lying," Nan Wansheng murmured. "The current Brahma Heaven City… heh heh, it's tragically like a hell left with only despair."

As he spoke, his tone conveyed three parts shock, three parts stirring desire, and four parts fear.

If this Heaven Poison were to erupt in the Nanming God Realm, it could similarly, overnight, transform his Southern Region's foremost Royal Realm into a purgatory of potent poison.

"Seven days… no, less than six days remain," Qianye Zixiao desperately reminded, supporting his head, which felt dizzy after the soul-intrusion. "By then, when Yun Che arrives, 'that thing' will fall into his hands."

"No, it's highly possible… the Brahma Heaven God Emperor will offer it to Yun Che early to secure a chance at survival. If the Nanming God Emperor wishes to obtain it, you must act as soon as possible."

The Nanming God Emperor looked at him, raising an eyebrow, and his smile grew gentler. "Tenth Brahma King, you are indeed the smartest among all the Brahma Kings. A truly intelligent person should, like you, recognize the situation early and make the most correct choice in the shortest time."

He slowly raised his hand. In his palm, a golden, shimmering pearl suddenly appeared, and an intensely concentrated purifying aura instantly filled the space they occupied.

The Nanming Divine Pearl! In the legends of the Divine Realm, it was an ancient pearl possessing the strongest purifying power. It was said to even purify the God-Slaying Absolute Soul-Eater… though, of course, that was just a rumor.

The instant he smelled the Nanming Divine Pearl's purifying aura, Qianye Zixiao sharply raised his head. His eyes suddenly released an incredibly strong light of longing, like a drowning man on the verge of death suddenly seeing a lifeline float into view.

"You are to return to Brahma Heaven City immediately and open the barrier at once!"

Even though he had just searched his memories, Nan Wansheng remained extremely cautious. He had to personally see the Brahma Heaven Royal Realm's barrier open before he would truly trust Qianye Zixiao completely.

"If you do this well, regardless of the final outcome, I will use this Nanming Divine Pearl to purify the Heaven Poison from you!"

"I will certainly keep my word, and…" He revealed a low smile, "…you have no other choice!"

Qianye Zixiao looked up, gritted his teeth, and said resolutely, "Since I have taken this step, I will not turn back, nor will I regret it!"

Having said that, he sharply turned around and flew back towards the Brahma Heaven God Realm, his body still radiating a poisonous aura.

"Follow him!"

The "Immortal Artifact," which had suddenly become within reach, made the Nanming God Emperor completely abandon the thought of immediately returning to the Southern Region. He followed closely behind Qianye Zixiao from a distance.

High above Brahma Heaven City, Yun Che's hidden form stood aloft, his presence undetected by anyone.

After a long wait, finally, the powerful barrier that enveloped Brahma Heaven City, which could only be controlled by Brahma Heaven divine power, suddenly deactivated.

At the same time, from the distant space, the aura of Nanming arrived.

Yun Che's eyes narrowed, and he let out a faint, profound smile. He wondered, "A nest of poisoned dogs, and a pack of greedy dogs—who will ultimately bite whom?"