Chapter 1767: Deep Abyss Prophecy

After Luo Shangchen had left, Yan Tianxiao suddenly sighed with emotion, "I've long heard that the Eastern Divine Region produced a remarkably talented young man named Luo Changsheng. Now that I've seen him, although his actions were somewhat naive and foolish, he certainly had some backbone. It's a pity he died like this."

"Backbone?" Chi Wuyao smiled faintly. "Emperor Yan, you don't actually think he chose 'death over dishonor' this time, do you?"

"Hm?" Yan Tianxiao looked puzzled.

Chi Wuyao leisurely continued, "From the moment he was born, he had the Saint Universe Realm King as his father and Luo Guxie as his master. His talent was unprecedented, and he quickly became the Young Master of Saint Universe. One could say that every step he took was accompanied by an aura that others couldn't even dream of achieving in a hundred lifetimes."

"For someone like him, death is certainly terrifying, but far more terrifying than death is the complete destruction of everything. And even more terrifying than that destruction is his esteemed reputation turning into a crude and unsightly scandal."

"If he had lived, he would never have been able to return to the Saint Universe Sect. He would forever face Luo Shangchen's hatred, and that scandal would eventually become known to the world."

"Therefore, he chose death. With his death, Luo Shangchen's hatred would dissipate, leaving only grief and the father-son bond they shared over the years. The Saint Universe Sect would also no longer publicize the truth. The world would forever remember him by the name 'Luo Changsheng,' rather than the other name he never wanted known."

"..." Yan Tianxiao frowned. "What do you mean by all this?"

Chi Wuyao smiled and shook her head. "Since he's already dead, let's at least preserve the dignity he protected with his life."

Yan Tianxiao seemed lost in thought and did not ask further.

Chi Wuyao turned and said, "His choice was 'clever,' but ultimately, it revealed a certain fragility. After all, his life had been too smooth."

However, while Chi Wuyao chose not to disclose Luo Changsheng's "scandal," she harbored no sympathy for him.

His choice to die to protect his secret and forever preserve the name "Luo Changsheng" undoubtedly reflected the same belief held by Luo Shangchen: that people from lower star realms were "inferior commoners" from the very core of their being. A child of an inferior commoner, of course, deserved to be called a "bastard."

In other words, he would rather die than acknowledge his birth father.

He seemed to have forgotten that Yun Che, who had utterly trampled him and the Saint Universe Realm, came from an even humbler background than a lower star realm: the lower realms.

***

Eastern Divine Region, Heaven's Mystery Realm.

As the most unique upper star realm in the Eastern Divine Region, it possessed the smallest territory, the weakest profound energy aura, and its entire realm comprised only one sect, the Heaven's Mystery Sect, with fewer than a thousand disciples.

Yet, it was a unique holy land, not just within the Eastern Divine Region, but across the entire God Realm.

A significant portion of visitors from other divine regions each year came specifically to visit the Heaven's Mystery Realm.

Now, with the Eastern Divine Region in turmoil, the Heaven's Mystery Realm, as an upper star realm, had also reached a moment of fateful decision.

In front of the Heaven's Mystery Divine Hall, the Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery—Mo Yu, Mo Wen, and Mo Zhi—sat upright. Before them knelt a group of Heaven's Mystery disciples, who constituted all the disciples of the sect.

"Go," Mo Yu said, his hands clasped together, his aged voice heavy and drawn-out, his face devoid of expression.

"Ancestral Masters," the leading disciple tearfully looked up. "Please don't send us away. The Heaven's Mystery Realm has no combat power and poses no threat to the Devil Master. Besides... all the other realms have surrendered to the Devil Master, so why can't we?"

"This has nothing to do with it," Mo Wen said calmly. "Go."

"Please, Three Ancestral Masters, come with us. We can go to the Western Divine Region; with our sect's Heaven's Mystery Divine Power, the Western Divine Region would surely welcome us warmly."

"There will be no Heaven's Mystery Sect in this world anymore, nor any Heaven's Mystery Divine Power," Mo Zhi repeated, uttering words as decisive as a thunderbolt from the sky for all the disciples. "From now on, anywhere, at any time, you must not claim to be a Heaven's Mystery disciple... Go."

In their final moments, the Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery remained unmoved.

The Heaven's Mystery disciples could no longer persuade them. They bowed deeply. "Three Ancestral Masters... please take care."

All the Heaven's Mystery disciples departed. Within the now-closed barrier, the Heaven's Mystery Realm, once bustling year-round with countless people seeking its profound insights, became desolate and silent, with only Mo Yu, Mo Wen, and Mo Zhi remaining.

"Ah," Mo Yu opened his eyes and gazed at the sky, which had darkened at some unknown point. He slowly said, "Heaven's will is unpredictable, and fate is impermanent. Even knowing the mysteries of heaven, what good does it do?"

Mo Wen asked, "Looking back at our lives, have we ultimately achieved merit, or have we committed a sin?"

"Sin," Mo Zhi gave his answer. "Perhaps, prying into the mysteries of heaven was a sin from the beginning."

Mo Wen raised his hand, and the colossal Heaven's Mystery Divine Codex appeared in a flash of light. Then, under the combined power of the Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery, it slowly opened:

The Ninefold Heavenly Tribulation appears,When the True God returns,If benevolent, all heavens will be eternally peaceful.If malevolent, the Devil God will slaughter the world.

Their gazes lingered once more on the prophecy inscribed on the first page of the Heaven's Mystery Divine Codex... the final prophecy made by Ancestral Founder Huantian, the founder of the Heaven's Mystery Realm, before his death.

In that era, Ancestral Founder Huantian was almost on par with Ancestral Founder Zhou Tian in status. Naturally, the Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery held boundless reverence and devotion for his final prophecy, never questioning it in the slightest.

Years ago, at the Heaven Smiting Divine Platform, when the latter part of the prophecy suddenly appeared, the Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery promptly suppressed it and did not disclose it to the public. One reason was to protect Yun Che.

During the God-Sealing Battle at the Profound God Convention, they witnessed an astounding brilliance in Yun Che, and his eyes were remarkably pure, without any trace of gloom or malevolence. Therefore, they believed that when Yun Che matured, he would surely bring great fortune to the world.

Had they revealed the prophecy at that time, people would have focused not on the first half but on the terrifying implications of the second half, likely leading them to eliminate him prematurely.

Later, Yun Che saved the world, only to be betrayed by everyone... After learning of this, they deliberated carefully and chose to inform the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor about the prophecy.

At that time, the Heaven Smiting Divine Emperor was in a state of extreme guilt and self-reproach. Even after Yun Che revealed his dark profound energy, the Emperor harbored no intention of killing him. Instead, he was racking his brain for ways to preserve Yun Che's life and refused to reveal the location of Yun Che's origin to anyone.

However, upon seeing the prophecy, his mindset abruptly changed. To prevent future trouble, he immediately disclosed the location of the Azure Cloud Continent... Following this, the Heaven Smiting Realm took the lead in relentlessly pursuing Yun Che.

This ultimately drove Yun Che into utter desperation, completely transforming him into a devil.

If malevolent, the Devil God will slaughter the world...

Today, the Eastern Divine Region was cruelly enacting this prophecy, and... perhaps it was just the beginning.

And the three of them...

Along with this ancestral prophecy...

To some extent, they had become the catalysts for all of this.

Every drop of blood that stained the Eastern Divine Region's soil carried their sin.

"Let it return to dust with us, forever," Mo Yu said slowly.

Mo Zhi's aged eyes lifted, gazing at the golden light emanating from the Heaven's Mystery Divine Codex. "Since we have decided to return to dust, let us use all our remaining lifespan to take one last glimpse at the fate of the Eastern Divine Region. Even a Devil God can show mercy; perhaps then we can depart with a little more peace."

No one responded, but moments later, they simultaneously extended their hands.

Forcibly peering into the mysteries of heaven inevitably invited divine retribution. Each glimpse resulted in a reduction of lifespan.

This time, all three of them sacrificed their entire remaining lifespans to the Heaven's Mystery Divine Power.

Golden light shone brilliantly from the Heaven's Mystery Divine Codex. As the Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery, it was the most intense Heaven's Mystery divine light they had ever witnessed in their lives.

Reflected in the golden light, a massive black hole suddenly appeared on the opened Heaven's Mystery Divine Codex... like an endless, bottomless abyss of darkness.

The instant the dark abyss appeared, all light between heaven and earth, even the golden light of the Heaven's Mystery Divine Codex, was instantly swallowed. The world before the Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery became pitch black. They saw countless planets and star realms shattering, star regions breaking apart, order collapsing, and the entire chaos trembling.

It was as if a colossal demon, spanning the heavens, was cruelly devouring and destroying the entire Eastern Divine Region... indeed, the entire world, with its gaping abyssal maw.

"What... was... that..."

A bone-chilling cold spread wildly throughout their bodies, making them tremble violently... In the darkness, their lifespans completely vanished, taking their last breaths with them.

The Heaven's Mystery Divine Codex dissipated in mid-air, transforming into slowly scattering dust motes of light.

The Three Elders of Heaven's Mystery remained seated in their original positions, but their lips were purple, their pupils dilated, and their severely contorted features were etched with profound fear.

From that day forward, the Heaven's Mystery Realm ceased to exist in the world.

Nor did anyone know how terrifying the "heaven's mystery" they had witnessed in their final moments truly was.

***

"Brother Yun Che!"

With a sweet call, like clear spring water shattering jade, Shui Meiyin descended from the sky and stood before Yun Che. The moment her smile bloomed, her entire being seemed to radiate a dazzling light so bright one could not bear to profane it.

Yun Che, returning from the Northern Divine Region, had completely transformed into a different person. Whether it was Shui Qianheng, who used to clap him on the shoulder and loudly call him "worthy son-in-law," or Shui Yingyue, who was proud yet gentle, both now faced him with clear respect and apprehension. Only Shui Meiyin... it seemed that in her eyes, Yun Che had never changed.

Her figure flickered, and she was instantly pressed against Yun Che's side, her two hands affectionately entwined around his arm... Behind Yun Che, Yan San instinctively reached out, then tremblingly withdrew his hand.

"Why did you run back again?" Yun Che reached out and gently tapped her delicate nose, a warm and gentle smile appearing on his face. "This is a very dangerous place. The Western and Southern Divine Regions might launch a surprise attack here."

"Of course, it's because I missed you," Shui Meiyin said with a playful smile, her watery eyes tilted slightly upward, gazing at him without blinking. "Brother Yun Che, do you have time now?"

"Yes," Yun Che smiled. He was waiting for news from Qianye Ying'er.

When he left the Brahma Monarch God Realm, Qianye Ying'er had told him she would give him the results of her investigation into the Wood Spirit catastrophe from years ago in three days. However, three days had passed, and Qianye Ying'er still hadn't sent him a message.

"Then... will you tell me about what happened to you in the Northern Divine Region?" Shui Meiyin looked at him with eager anticipation.

"Didn't Chi Wuyao tell you?"

"Hehe, I want to hear it from you personally," Shui Meiyin gently swayed his arm. "Please?"

Yun Che thought for a moment and said, "It's too long; I can't finish it right now. I'll tell you about it another time, somewhere else."

"Somewhere else?" Shui Meiyin blinked her eyes, then leaned closer to his lips and softly whispered, "A place just for Brother Yun Che and me?"

The Three Yama Ancestors simultaneously turned away, covered in goosebumps, and completely blocked their hearing... These young people nowadays were simply too disgusting.

Yun Che's smile deepened a little. He said, "I'm more interested in knowing how you spent those years in the Moon God Realm. Did Xia Qingyue do anything to you?"

"..." Shui Meiyin averted her gaze, then suddenly her brows arched slightly. "Brother Yun Che, shall we make a promise?"

"Hm?"

"From now on, let's never mention the name 'Xia Qingyue' again, okay?" She looked at Yun Che, her watery eyes sincere, speaking very earnestly.

"Why?" Yun Che asked.

"Because she did such terrible things to Brother Yun Che, and to me as well. Every time I mention or hear that name, it brings back memories I least want to recall. Since she's already dead, let's completely forget about her, okay?"

Yun Che was slightly stunned, then gave a faint smile. "Alright."

Indeed, someone who was already dead, and whose mention only brought painful memories to oneself and others, was best forgotten forever.