Chapter 1876: Weak Willow Shuyun

The Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm in the Southern Divine Region.

The Azure Sea Divine Region was utterly destroyed, and its reconstruction to its former glory would likely take generations. Fortunately, the Ten Directions Azure Sea Realm's hundreds of thousands of years of accumulated resources remain intact. Currently, the entire core of the Azure Sea has been relocated to the least damaged area, southeast of the Divine Region. The surviving Sea Gods and Azure Sea Divine Envoys are recuperating, while the returning Azure Sea profound practitioners are extremely busy, each overwhelmed with tasks.

Despite the immense devastation, their overwhelming feeling was one of relief. This was because the Azure Sea Realm had made the wisest choice during the war between the Northern and Western Regions, even performing great merits. In a world where the Devil Master is supreme, their status would not decrease but rather increase.

A month later, Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er once again arrived in this Azure Sea land. As far as their eyes could see, traces of disaster still permeated everywhere.

Even though the Azure Sea Divine Region had been reduced to ruins, Cang Shitian clearly had no intention of abandoning this ancestral land. Countless Azure Sea profound practitioners were strenuously clearing the battleground, and a new Azure Sea Royal City seemed destined to rise again in this former core divine region.

Behind them, the Three Yama Ancestors followed at a distance. Even though there was no longer any threat in the world, Chi Wuyao still did not permit Yun Che to leave the protection of the Three Yama Ancestors.

Boom!

Cang Shitian, accompanied by Feng Huang, arrived in a rush, sliding into a deep bow before fully stopping. "Cang Shitian of the Azure Sea respectfully welcomes the Devil Master and the God Master. The Devil Master's divine might is boundless, eternal, encompassing the world..."

"Enough talk," Yun Che said with cold eyes. "Take me to Cang Shuzhen."

Qianye Ying'er glanced sideways into the distance. Within her line of sight, all the Azure Sea profound practitioners were already bowing from afar, heads deeply bowed, even their bodies tense, not daring to make the slightest move.

Long Bai was dead, the Dragon God Realm annihilated. The God Realm was about to welcome its first true supreme ruler in history... Although not much time had passed since that brutal war, this reality, fueled by various forces, had increasingly permeated the hearts and minds of all profound practitioners in the God Realm.

Accompanying this was Yun Che's sacred reputation as a savior and his formidable prestige from crushing the Dragon Emperor, as well as... the countless dark secrets and evils unearthed during the purging of the Dragon God Realm.

As a Royal Realm, it was impossible for it not to have a dark and sinful side, and the Dragon God Realm was no exception. These dark secrets and evils would be amplified and spread to the greatest extent. Thus, what was severed for the Dragon God Realm was not just its lifeline, but also its million years of prestige and glory.

Such matters were effortlessly managed by Chi Wuyao.

Cang Shitian led the way, and Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er entered a profound ark concealed underground.

Upon entering, the distinctive light blue divine glow of Azure Sea Divine Jade, accompanied by a chilling aura, washed over them.

Inside the profound ark was an embedded space. This small area was luxurious to the extreme, not due to its opulent decoration, but because... various divine jades and divine crystals were piled into almost every corner, their aura and luster revealing their extreme purity.

Each piece was so precious that it was immeasurable by wealth; even a Royal Realm would find it difficult to acquire.

The presence of these divine jades and crystals made the spiritual energy in this space incredibly rich and dense.

The chilling aura here originated from pieces of unmelting profound ice, some colorless, some light blue.

Upon a cold bed crafted from divine jade and profound ice, a small profound formation, ten feet long, was operating. Its deep blue profound light was rich and gentle, vaguely revealing the graceful figure of a woman seated within.

Beside the profound formation, a girl in a blue dress stood quietly. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, her waist slender like a willow, and her demeanor held a subtle chill. She appeared delicate and elegant, yet the profound energy contained within her was that of an astonishing Divine Master Realm, mid-stage.

Facing Cang Shitian and Yun Che, the girl in the blue dress quickly bowed. "Your servant, Ruiyi, greets the Devil Master, Your Majesty, and the Brahma Heaven God Emperor."

"Hmph!" Qianye Ying'er coldly glared at the girl in the blue dress. "There's actually an Azure Sea Divine Envoy hidden here. Cang Shitian, you truly are partial to your sister, aren't you?"

No wonder Chi Wuyao was able to detect Cang Shuzhen's presence in such a short time. With her terrifying devil soul, no matter how deeply an Azure Sea Divine Envoy hid, how could they escape her perception?

Just as Cang Shitian was about to explain, the girl in the blue dress raised her gaze and said, "Replying to the Brahma Heaven God Emperor, although your servant has achieved the Divine Master Realm, I was not fortunate enough to be ranked among the Azure Sea Divine Envoys. My lifelong duty is to protect my young mistress. Therefore, I was unable to assist in the Northern Region war."

"If the Devil Master and the Brahma Heaven God Emperor wish to assign blame, Ruiyi is willing to accept punishment."

Her voice was clear and ethereal, and even when facing Yun Che and Qianye Ying'er, her eyes were like a serene lake, neither servile nor overbearing.

Yun Che cast a fleeting glance at her, his gaze then settling on the profound formation swirling with blue light.

Cang Shitian hastily said, "My younger sister, Shuzhen, has an inherently deficient life vein, requiring her life to be sustained with the essence of heaven and earth every half a month. Today happens to be..."

At this point, he turned his head and asked, "Ruiyi, how much longer?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, there's still an hour and a half," the girl in the blue dress answered.

Cang Shitian turned back and suggested, "How about this: the Devil Master and the God Master rest in the city for a while, and Shitian will personally..."

"Bring her out," Yun Che commanded, his tone cold and unyielding.

Cang Shitian's expression froze for a moment, then he turned and said, "Ruiyi, help her out."

"No!" the girl in the blue dress refused without almost any hesitation, her eyebrows furrowing. "Young mistress's life energy is weakening day by day, sustained entirely by the 'Azure Orb Revival Array'. If forcibly stopped, it will cause irreversible damage... Your Majesty knows this best."

"Do not defy my order," Cang Shitian said, his voice subtly chilling.

Ruiyi remained still, the resolve in her eyes showing no sign of wavering. Just as she was about to speak again, a soft, dreamlike voice gently sounded, "Ruiyi, help me up."

From within the profound light, a delicate hand slowly extended.

"..." Yun Che's gaze uncontrollably wavered.

What kind of delicate female hand was this... It was white, a pure white without a single speck of impurity, like fine snow, untouched by dust.

It was clearly an unhealthy, pallid white, yet it also shimmered with an ethereal glow, like flawless white jade carved atop fine snow. Her five fingers were slender and delicate, her nails like tiny crystal gems... Invisibly, it emanated an almost fatal beauty, compelling one's gaze to linger uncontrollably, unable to look away.

"Young mistress!" Ruiyi exclaimed, too late to dissuade her. She hastily rose, carefully taking the glowing white jade hand that extended from the profound formation.

A soft chime...

With a soft chime, the profound light dispersed. Yun Che's gaze fell upon a pair of eyes so delicate that they could instantly break one's heart.

"Rest assured, my Devil Master, I would never allow an ordinary woman to approach you. You will surely like her. After all, she was once the Southern Region's foremost beauty."

As Yun Che's eyes fell upon Cang Shuzhen, Chi Wuyao's soft, bewitching whisper instantly echoed in his mind.

The two women that Southern Sea God Emperor Nan Wansheng desired at all costs throughout his life were Qianye Ying'er and Cang Shuzhen.

She wore simple white clothing, her face unadorned by makeup, and like the delicate hand she had momentarily shown, her complexion was as pale as snow. Yet, this sickly pallor did nothing to conceal the breathtaking beauty of her face... As Chi Wuyao had said, she was undoubtedly a beauty capable of captivating any city and stirring any heart.

And her eyes, brows, lips... that completely innate gentleness, delicacy, and frailty, like a lotus petal that could wither in the wind at any moment, were enough to awaken deep pity and a desire to protect even in the coldest hearts in this world.

"..." For three full breaths, Yun Che only slightly shifted his gaze.

A woman not only supremely beautiful but also possessing ultimate gentleness and fragility... Anyone who saw Cang Shuzhen, even for a glance, was destined to never forget her.

"Shuzhen," Cang Shitian said, "Quickly greet the Devil Master."

Aided by Ruiyi, Cang Shuzhen gently shuffled forward and slowly bent her knees... It was hard to imagine that someone from the God Realm, the sister of a God Emperor no less, would need assistance to perform such a simple action.

"..." Cang Shuzhen had been watching Yun Che, and her delicate eyes, as if veiled by a fine mist, were the first to make Yun Che look away.

"Your humble servant, Cang Shuzhen, respectfully welcomes the Devil Master... Shuzhen's physical condition makes it difficult for her to bow immediately. Please forgive me, Devil Master."

Her voice was soft and slow, like a gentle breeze brushing past one's ear, yet so beautiful that it compelled one to unconsciously strain to catch every sound, unwilling to miss a single syllable.

"Hmph, truly worthy of being the Azure Sea's daughter who, despite being a fleeting beauty, earned the title of the Southern Region's foremost beauty," Qianye Ying'er said indifferently. "Even with her life force nearly depleted by illness, she still looks so captivating."

Yun Che: "..."

Cang Shuzhen softly said, "Before the God Master, Shuzhen is merely dust beneath the moon, hardly worthy of such praise."

She seemed to have completely missed the veiled hostility in Qianye Ying'er's words, whether it was intentional or casual.

This hostility clearly stemmed from Yun Che's reaction to Cang Shuzhen, which, though not obvious, certainly did not escape Qianye Ying'er's perception.

"You don't need to be so modest," Qianye Ying'er said, a slight sneer on her lips. "At the very least, being a Devil Master's tool woman is barely enough."

Ruiyi's jade-like teeth secretly clenched, her eyes brimming with anger, but she ultimately refrained from acting on it.

As if a sudden bout of illness had struck, Cang Shuzhen's snow-white hand gently pressed against her chest, her slightly furrowed eyebrows conveying heart-wrenching weakness. "To be able to assist the Devil Master is Shuzhen's fortune. It's just that Shuzhen's life is nearing its end, and I wonder if I can... still... cough... cough, cough..."

With her hand pressed to her chest, she coughed incessantly, a faint flush rising to her cheeks, adding a strange, delicate beauty to her illness.

"Young mistress!" Ruiyi exclaimed in alarm. She hastily knelt, but could only carefully support her with her hands, as Cang Shuzhen's body was too frail to withstand even a wisp of her profound energy.

Staring deeply at Cang Shuzhen, Yun Che coldly stated, "In her condition, for her to have lived until now is already half a miracle. The resources expended to sustain her life over these years would likely be enough to cultivate several Divine Masters. Cang Shitian, you truly have been incredibly self-indulgent as a God Emperor."

Cang Shitian slowly exhaled, then suddenly knelt heavily. "Devil Master, Shuzhen's condition has worsened year by year, and Shitian has already done everything in his power, but she cannot hold on for much longer. In this world, only you can save her... The Devil Queen personally stated that you can certainly save her!"

"If the Devil Master can grant Shuzhen health, I, Cang Shitian... will forever and ever... be the Devil Master's... most loyal dog!"

"Bro...ther..." Cang Shuzhen softly turned her gaze and whispered.

"Hmph!" Yun Che merely scoffed at Cang Shitian's desperate oath. The current him would not easily trust any promises. The only thing he could trust was inescapable control.

He took a step forward, extended his palm toward Cang Shuzhen, and commanded, "Give me your hand."

"Yes."

Faced with the Devil Master's command, Cang Shuzhen responded with almost childlike obedience. Her hand, which had rested on Ruiyi's, was gently placed into Yun Che's palm, amidst Ruiyi's slightly complex gaze.

In Yun Che's hand, it felt as though he held a piece of boneless soft jade. His profound energy and strength unconsciously tempered themselves by several points.

Throughout the entire process, Cang Shuzhen's beautiful eyes remained fixed on his, holding a faint curiosity and a hint of bewilderment.

"...Why do you keep looking at me?" Yun Che suddenly asked.

Her jade-like lips parted slightly, as if surprised that the man before her would ask a question so unfitting of his status. Then, a very faint smile blossomed on her lips, and her beautiful eyes, still gazing directly into Yun Che's, replied, "Shuzhen always thought the Devil Master's eyes would be very cold, very terrifying. I never imagined... they would be so... beautiful."

Yun Che: "..."

"..." Qianye Ying'er's golden eyes narrowed sharply.