Chapter 1878: Mother-in-law

Eastern Divine Region, Glazed Light Realm.

Shui Qianheng sat cross-legged on the ground, a light profound formation slowly operating beneath him. This profound formation of light was different from the one Yun Che gave to Cang Shuhe, but both were constructed using the Miracle of Life.

The Moon God Emperor had been extremely ruthless when he attacked Shui Qianheng, especially with the severe damage inflicted upon his profound veins, which was considered irreversible by common understanding and enough to drive any profound practitioner to despair... let alone the Glazed Light Realm King, who once stood at the pinnacle. In this era, only the Miracle of Life, and only Yun Che, could restore them to their original state, though it would still require a considerable amount of time.

An hour and a half later, Yun Che withdrew his hand, and the light profound formation dissipated. Shui Qianheng slowly opened his eyes. Before he could even rise, a surge of profound energy naturally radiated outwards as he perceived the dreamlike changes within his profound veins. Shui Qianheng, who had long resigned himself to his fate, was so overwhelmed with emotion that tears nearly escaped his eyes. He bowed deeply from the waist: "Qianheng... thanks the Devil Master for your grace!"

Yun Che quickly raised his hand, supporting Shui Qianheng's upper body: "Senior Shui, there's no need for this. This small repayment is still less than one ten-thousandth of the kindness the Glazed Light Realm has shown me." Yun Che always held deep respect and gratitude for the Glazed Light Realm. Especially everything Shui Meiyin had done for him over the years, it was a profound kindness he could never repay, even over countless lifetimes. No amount of repayment to the Glazed Light Realm would be too much.

"The Devil Master exaggerates, the Devil Master exaggerates," Shui Qianheng said, still his face full of excitement. The Yun Che before him was the Devil Master who had just swept through the three divine regions and crushed Long Bai. Naturally, he could not, as before, laughingly call him 'worthy son-in-law' with the demeanor of an elder and a high-ranking realm king.

"My profound veins... can they really be restored to their original state?" Shui Qianheng asked, his voice trembling and his gaze quivering. Clearly, no matter how calm Shui Qianheng had appeared over the years, in truth... no profound practitioner who had once stood at the Divine Master realm could truly accept a fate of remaining forever at the Divine Sovereign realm for the rest of their life.

"Hehe, Dad, you've asked that question four times today!" Shui Meiyin, who had been standing by, said with a smile. "Even if everyone in the world says it's impossible, as long as Brother Yun Che says it's possible, then it will definitely be fully restored. You can rest assured."

Yun Che said, "Senior Shui, rest assured. Every few months, I will heal you. Within twenty months, your profound veins will be restored to their original state, and within three years, your profound strength will gradually recover to its peak from back then, without any loss whatsoever."

Yun Che's unequivocal reassurance instantly made Shui Qianheng's face flush with excitement. Just as he was about to bow deeply again, Yun Che forcefully stopped him: "Senior Shui, there's no need for any more pleasantries. All the injuries you suffered were because of me. Moreover... at the Grand Emperor Sealing Ceremony in a few months, Meiyin and I will formally become husband and wife. How could I accept such a profound gift from my future father-in-law?"

Shui Meiyin tilted her head and smiled broadly. Shui Qianheng was also startled for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Good, worthy son-in-law, worthy son-in-law! Hahahaha, this address still rolls off the tongue better." With the change in address, the oppressive feeling that had weighed on his mind also dissipated. Shui Qianheng's laughter became even heartier: "Rest assured, worthy son-in-law, during the Grand Emperor Sealing Ceremony, if anyone in the Eastern Divine Region dares to cause trouble, I'll personally... send my daughter to wipe out their entire clan!"

The Sacred Universe Sect had been slaughtered overnight, and even Luo Shangchen had died within the sect. Now, everyone in the Sacred Universe Realm was in fear for their lives, and chaos reigned. Everyone could guess who was responsible, but no one dared to openly state it. Without the Sacred Universe Sect, the Sacred Universe Realm naturally no longer deserved to be the head of the Eastern Divine Region's upper star realms. Now, in the Eastern Divine Region, apart from the sole remaining king realm, the Brahma Monarch God Realm, the Glazed Light Realm and the Heaven Covering Realm were held in highest esteem.

Yun Che nodded and said, "The Eternal Heaven Realm and the Moon God Realm have been destroyed, and the Star God Realm exists in name only. At that time, I will establish the Snow Song Realm as a new king realm by force, to increase my dominion and deterrence over the Eastern Divine Region. This matter will still require your assistance, Senior."

"Meiyin told me about this," Shui Qianheng said with a wave of his hand. "Don't worry, the Heaven Covering Realm King and I will definitely be the first to step forward in support at that time. Besides, the Snow Song Realm King severed and killed the Crimson Extinction Dragon God with a single sword strike. With that might alone, who would dare to disobey!"

At this moment, a disturbance suddenly came from the barrier outside, and two auras entangled as they intruded within.

"Mother, you really can't go in, the Devil Master is currently..." This was Shui Yingyue's voice, tinged with helplessness and a touch of panic.

"What Devil Master! That's my son-in-law! It's perfectly natural for a mother-in-law to see her son-in-law!"

"But... Ah!"

A gust of wind swept up. The moment Yun Che glanced sideways, a figure instantly appeared, moving with a flurry. Behind her was Shui Yingyue, who had hastily followed but dared not forcibly stop her.

This was a woman who appeared to be in her early thirties, dressed in a blue robe. Her face was beautiful, and her eyes were like peach blossoms. The moment she arrived, her gaze fixed directly on Yun Che. There was not a trace of fear in her eyes when facing the Devil Master; instead, her brows arched, and a smile nearly overflowed from her gaze.

"Mother, how did you barge in?" Shui Meiyin swayed slightly, stood beside the woman, and affectionately linked arms with her.

"What do you mean 'barge in'? Don't speak so irreverently," the woman said, reaching out to touch Shui Meiyin's cheek, but her eyes remained fixed on Yun Che with a smile. "Isn't Mother here to see the husband you chose? Oh, after becoming the Devil Master, not only is he more handsome than he was back then, but he's also more majestic. Especially this captivating malevolence, which woman in the world could resist it? As expected of Mother's little Yinyin, your taste is excellent. Even if it were me... if I had been born a few decades later, your father wouldn't have stood a chance."

Yun Che: "..."Shui Yingyue sighed softly, her face showing helplessness.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough!" Shui Qianheng hastily rose, his face twitching, and said to Yun Che, "This... this is my wife, Cheng Wanxiao, also Yingyue and Meiyin's birth mother. She has always been unruly and speaks without restraint. Devil Master, please don't take it to heart." After speaking, he frantically winked and gestured at the woman, while urgently transmitting a message: "Who let you in? Get out, quickly!"

The woman, however, paid no heed, not even glancing at Shui Qianheng. She continued to examine Yun Che with a smile, her peach blossom eyes crinkling as if real peach blossoms were about to bloom from them.

Yun Che also stood up and bowed respectfully: "Junior Yun Che greets Auntie." Shui Meiyin most frequently mentioned her mother in front of him, so he had known the name 'Cheng Wanxiao' for a long time, but today was his first time meeting her. As Shui Qianheng's youngest concubine, Cheng Wanxiao had only entered the household a few decades ago but was already widely renowned. This was because her two daughters with Shui Qianheng—Shui Yingyue and Shui Meiyin—were now the Glazed Light Realm King and the Enchanting Music Divine Maiden, respectively. With these two daughters, Cheng Wanxiao didn't have to do anything to overshadow Shui Qianheng's principal wife and all his other concubines. Everyone knew that Cheng Wanxiao could be established as the principal wife with just a word. However, she scoffed at the position of principal wife... Shui Meiyin had told Yun Che more than once: "My mother said that a wife is inferior to a concubine, and the younger the concubine, the more favored she is."

Shui Meiyin, for her part, was not only extremely close to her mother but also clearly held deep admiration for her.

Cheng Wanxiao said with a radiant smile, "Why call me Auntie? It makes me sound old and distant. Call me Mother-in-law, or even Mama... calling me Sister isn't out of the question either."

Shui Qianheng's legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed to his knees on the spot.

"Uh... how could this junior be so impolite?" Yun Che said. "I often heard Meiyin mention Auntie, and today I am fortunate enough to finally meet you. Indeed, as Meiyin said, meeting you is like... basking in a spring breeze."

Cheng Wanxiao immediately covered her mouth and chuckled. She could sense that Yun Che was subtly reining in the naturally radiating malevolence and cold authority from his body, and his respect for elders was exceptionally sincere. Her heart was filled with extreme fondness and satisfaction: "Of course! Otherwise, how could I have given birth to two such excellent daughters?"

At this point, she suddenly lowered her eyelids, took Shui Meiyin's small hand, and her expression instantly shifted from beaming with smiles to on the verge of tears: "From now on, Mother's little Yinyin will belong to someone else. My good son-in-law, you must treat little Yinyin well. If little Yinyin ever gets bullied, it would break Mother's heart."

"...Auntie, please rest assured. This junior will wholeheartedly treat Meiyin well and never let her suffer any grievance," Yun Che promised, meeting her gaze.

"Mother, Brother Yun Che has always been very, very good to me. You don't need to deliberately remind him," Shui Meiyin said, her eyes twinkling, transparently exposing her mother's intentions.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Shui Qianheng, whose scalp had gone numb all the way down his back, finally couldn't help but speak: "Wanxiao, you've already met the Devil Master. Please withdraw for now; the Devil Master and I have important matters to discuss."

Cheng Wanxiao, however, merely gave him a look, then pulled Shui Meiyin several steps forward and said to Yun Che, "My good son-in-law, I also have a very important matter I wish to entrust to you. I guarantee it's far more important than anything my good-for-nothing has to say."

"Good... for-nothing... Is that really a term to use in front of outsiders?!" Had it been any of his other women, setting aside whether they'd even dare to barge in, Shui Qianheng would have roared them out with a single shout, or even blasted them away with a slap if they didn't listen. But with Cheng Wanxiao... his thought wasn't to forcibly remove her, but to quickly find a hole and crawl into it himself.

"Please, there's no need to ask so humbly. Auntie, please speak freely; what instructions do you have?" Yun Che replied courteously.

"Instructions?" Cheng Wanxiao's eyes lit up, her face beaming with delight. "So, you won't refuse, will you? As expected of my good son-in-law, little Yinyin's choice of man was indeed correct. Mother is truly overjoyed."

"..." For some reason, Yun Che felt as if he had been inexplicably trapped. He could only steel himself and say, "Auntie, please speak."

"Yingyue, come here, come here." Cheng Wanxiao raised a hand, and before Shui Yingyue could even respond, her body was directly pulled over, her delicate hand already grasped in Cheng Wanxiao's. Cheng Wanxiao said with a laugh, "My good son-in-law, this matter is quite simple. When you complete your marriage with little Yinyin, remember to bring Yingyue along too! So, it's settled!"

Yun Che: "..."The premonition that had just dawned in his mind instantly came true. Shui Yingyue hurriedly flung her hand away, her aura in disarray, and spoke urgently: "Mother, what... what are you talking about?! How can you be as mischievous as Little Sister?"

"Mischievous? How can this be mischievous?" The words had barely left her lips when Cheng Wanxiao suddenly sniffled, and her eyes almost instantly became misty with tears: "Yingyue, you're not young anymore, and you still haven't found a suitable man. Do you know how worried Mother is?! However, under Cheng Wanxiao's surging verbal onslaught, Shui Yingyue had no time to retort.

"Look at your little Yinyin! She's marrying the future Emperor of the God Realm, the best man in this world. As her older sister, if you find a man inferior to him, how will others ridicule you? People will also backstab Mother, saying I'm partial, only doting on the younger sister and neglecting the older. It's nothing for Mother to suffer a little injustice, but how can Mother stand by and watch you suffer injustice? Wouldn't that be taking Mother's life?"

Yun Che remained silent.Shui Meiyin bit her lip to hide a smile.Shui Yingyue was utterly exasperated.

As she spoke, Cheng Wanxiao even shed tears: "Furthermore, look at the formidable women around my son-in-law: the Devil Queen who rules the Northern Divine Region, the Brahma Monarch Goddess who rules the Brahma Monarch God Realm and is so beautiful she deserves divine retribution... I've even heard that the Azure Dragon Emperor of the Western Divine Region is only fit to be his junior concubine. And your little sister is all alone. If you don't go and help her, who knows what kind of bullying she'll suffer in the future?"

Shui Yingyue finally couldn't help but interject: "Mother! It's not as exaggerated as you make it sound!"

"You've never truly been a 'woman'; you wouldn't understand," Cheng Wanxiao said tearfully. "Do you know how terrifying the struggles are between women... especially concubines in a harem? A man like your father, he's a decent man, but if he were a woman, he wouldn't survive three days in a harem. Can you bear to see your little sister suffer endless bullying, sorrowful every day? Can you bear to see Mother constantly worried sick, washing her face with tears..."

Shui Qianheng this time felt numb all the way to his heels.

She wiped away a tear and continued, "Besides, my good son-in-law has already agreed. If you refuse and make him angry, that would be the Devil Master's wrath! At that time, Mother fears she might even lose her life, *sniffle*..."

Yun Che: *When did I ever...*

"That's right! That's right!" Shui Meiyin added fuel to the fire at the opportune moment. "Brother Yun Che has been coveting older sister for a long time, you know. Every time I mention older sister, Brother Yun Che suddenly gets so excited. If older sister refuses, Brother Yun Che will be terribly disappointed, and who knows... he might bully me even more."

Shui Yingyue: "..."Yun Che: "I..."

"That's more like it." Cheng Wanxiao burst into laughter through her tears, giving Yun Che no chance to explain himself. "No matter how good a son-in-law he is, he's still a man. How could he not covet my Yingyue's body? My good son-in-law, if you can't wait, I'll arrange for you and Yingyue to consummate your marriage tonight..."

"Mother!!" Shui Yingyue's neck turned from pale pink to crimson. Her entire being, from her vision to her thoughts, became a panicked mess. She dared not even meet Yun Che's gaze. Stamping her foot fiercely, a blue shadow flew away as if escaping, and soon the sound of a door being broken could be heard from outside.

"Oh, Yingyue knows how to be shy now too," Cheng Wanxiao said with a beaming smile. "My good son-in-law, then it's settled. I'll go continue preparing the dowries for Yingyue and Yinyin now. Son-in-law, you should stay here and spend a few more days with little Yinyin." Without waiting for Yun Che's response, she left with a radiant smile, leaving Yun Che standing there utterly bewildered.

She hadn't asked for his opinion at all throughout the entire process! Nor had she given him any chance to refuse!

He turned to look at Shui Meiyin and almost unconsciously murmured, "Your mother... is truly formidable."

Shui Meiyin's personality was entirely inherited from her mother.

"Hehe!" Shui Meiyin said with a beaming smile, "As expected, Mother's intervention solved everything at once."

"Cough!" Shui Qianheng, who had been marginalized throughout, finally found an opportunity to speak. He sighed heavily and said, "Although my wife's temperament is wild and mischievous, some of her words struck a chord with me. The Devil Master's women are all divine phoenixes from the heavens. If Meiyin were to be alone... as parents, how could we rest assured?"

As he spoke, he continued to sigh repeatedly, his face darkening, his worry and concern evident.

Yun Che cast a sidelong glance, saying helplessly, "Senior Shui, forgive my bluntness, but in terms of both persuasiveness and acting, you are at least three levels below Auntie."

"Uh..." Shui Qianheng paused, then forced a laugh: "Ha... hahaha... Yes, indeed, indeed."