Chapter 1916: Truth (Part 2)

“Brother Cloud Che, many of your previous suspicions were not mistaken. The images in those four Illusory Heart Glazed Jades were secretly engraved by Sister Qingyue. However, when she engraved them, she did not use the Illusory Heart Glazed Jade, but rather the Hidden Moon Floating Shadow Pearl.”

Cloud Che wasn't surprised in the slightest. He softly asked, “Is it a precious profound image stone, like the Illusory Heart Glazed Jade, capable of engraving silently?”

The reason for transferring them to the Illusory Heart Glazed Jade was to rationalize the idea that Shui Meiyin herself had engraved them.

“The Hidden Moon Floating Shadow Pearl is not as effective as our Glazed Light Realm's Illusory Heart Glazed Jade in terms of concealing aura, but she is the Moon God Emperor. The aura leaking from the Hidden Moon Floating Shadow Pearl during engraving could completely merge with her Moon God aura. For her, it was even more discreet than using the Illusory Heart Glazed Jade.”

“Moreover, she didn't engrave four Hidden Moon Floating Shadow Pearls, but five.”

“The fifth one... is it the scene from the day the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor left?” Cloud Che leaned forward, his voice clearly urgent.

Shui Meiyin nodded. “Yes, but... I wasn't present when the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor left, so... that image couldn't be used.”

“Do you have it on you?” Cloud Che asked anxiously.

Of course, that day's image was no longer needed now. However, since it hadn't been used, perhaps the scene within hadn't been erased. Although, having been engraved by Xia Qingyue, it naturally wouldn't contain her figure... but at least, it would still have her voice. Even just her voice...

Shui Meiyin, however, shook her head gently. “Sister Qingyue... destroyed it.”

Cloud Che's eyes instantly filled with disappointment.

“The images transferred to the Illusory Heart Glazed Jade had all been processed by Sister Qingyue. She removed any scenes containing me, her own voice, and any footage that could expose traces.”

“Afterward, she destroyed all five Hidden Moon Floating Shadow Pearls... She didn't want to leave any flaws.”

This meant that even back then, Xia Qingyue had already decided to transfer everything she had done onto Shui Meiyin.

Cloud Che desperately wanted to know why she had done it, but he forcefully suppressed the surging emotions in his heart, concentrating on Shui Meiyin's narration, unwilling to miss a single word.

“I know what these images mean to Brother Cloud Che. Releasing them to the public at the most opportune time in the future will provide you with immense support, both emotionally and strategically, and in terms of momentum.”

“I asked her back then why she had bothered to engrave these images so early, using such precious Hidden Moon Floating Shadow Pearls, before anything had even been discovered. Did she sense something amiss long ago?”

At that time, Shui Meiyin's explanation was that her Immaculate Divine Soul had foreseen some danger, so she secretly engraved these scenes with the Illusory Heart Glazed Jade as a precaution. But Qingyue...

“Sister Qingyue told me it was because... you worried and concerned her too much back then.”

Cloud Che's eyes wavered.

“She said that back then, Brother Cloud Che had undergone nirvana and returned to the God Realm. Yet, despite having faced a deadly tribulation, your gaze had not sharpened; instead, it became even softer. Your aura didn't increase in malevolence; rather, it lost some of its former sternness.”

Cloud Che: “...”

“Later, she gradually learned that during your years back on the Blue Pole Star, you not only revived due to the power of nirvana but also found Sister Yuechan, whom you had lost for over a decade, and your daughter with her.”

“You had once lost all profound energy and become a cripple. It was your daughter, Wuxin, who sacrificed her Heretic God talent to allow your power to recover...”

“Therefore, your heart was filled with reverence for Heaven, gratitude for destiny's favor, aspirations for the future, and a longing to accompany and compensate your daughter... All of which only further diluted the ambition you should have had.”

“For someone with the Heretic God's legacy and numerous 'precious jades,' this was the most dangerous state.”

Cloud Che's lips moved. He wanted to speak repeatedly but didn't want to interrupt Shui Meiyin's narration.

In fact, Xia Qingyue had said similar things to him, either directly or indirectly, more than once.

“Did your heart soften because of your daughter?” she once asked him in a tone tinged with a sigh.

Shui Meiyin continued, “Soon after, the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor returned from beyond the realm. You successfully stopped her devilish wrath and gained a powerful backer, earning the gratitude and reverence of all Realm Kings and God Emperors, who hailed you as the Son of Salvation...”

“Later, you also found Sister Jasmine, who possessed the power of the Evil Infant. Not only did this fill another void in your life, but it also gave you another strong backer.”

“However... Sister Qingyue said that no matter how powerful the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor or the Evil Infant were, they were ultimately not your own strength. Instead... they completely stripped you of your ambition and sense of crisis.”

How could Cloud Che not remember that at that time, all he thought about was, after seeing off the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, returning safely to the Blue Pole Star with Jasmine, with the merit and renown of “Son of Salvation” and the promise personally made by the Eternal Heaven God Emperor.

At that time, his status as the inheritor of the Heretic God's legacy and the owner of the Sky Poison Pearl had already been revealed. After the Crimson Disaster, the various Realm Kings and God Emperors had gone from disdain to reverence towards him. At least, in terms of external prestige, he had reached a height comparable to, or even surpassing, that of a God Emperor.

And with his unique Creation God's legacy in this era, anyone could foresee that the limits he could reach in the future would undoubtedly surpass all existing God Emperors.

Yet, at that very moment, his own power was only at the Divine King stage.

From his current position as “Emperor Yun,” if a young person emerged in the world who, once his renown was revealed, could surpass his own achievements and was destined to surpass him in the future, but was currently still a fledgling...

He would undoubtedly try every means to secretly eliminate them!

Thinking back now, how fragile, how childishly laughable, that pride, satisfaction, comfort, security, and yearning were.

“She said that after the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor left, although you had Sister Jasmine by your side, the ambition of a Realm King Emperor is an unpredictable thing. Furthermore, at that time, she had already detected Long Bai's killing intent towards you... and what if something unexpected happened with Sister Jasmine, such as the Evil Infant's power going out of control, or...”

“At that point, without a sufficiently strong deterrent by your side, not only Brother Cloud Che but also the entire Blue Pole Star would face calamity.”

Shui Meiyin looked into Cloud Che's eyes and softly repeated Xia Qingyue's words from back then: “He was wholeheartedly hoping for and believing in a beautiful future, so I had no choice but to wholeheartedly make the worst possible plans and preparations for him.”

Cloud Che clenched his teeth, and his five fingers clutched on his knees unconsciously tightened, almost digging into his flesh.

“'The true devils are never the dark fiends, but rather those that reside deep within the soul of every living being. Therefore, never hope to exchange your kindness for others' kindness, and never overestimate the depths of human depravity.'”

Shui Meiyin paused slightly and said, “Brother Cloud Che, I told you back then that this quote was from the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, but in truth... it was Sister Qingyue who said it.”

“...Continue,” Cloud Che said with great difficulty, his teeth still clenched uncontrollably as he regulated his breathing.

After obtaining the Universe Piercer given by the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor and being able to fully control it, Sister Qingyue had already begun secretly searching for a planet that could replace the Blue Pole Star... even though at that time, neither the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor nor Sister Jasmine had left, and nothing had yet happened.

Cloud Che, of course, knew that Xia Qingyue must have started looking for a suitable planet very early on... How could a planet with an almost identical appearance, similar aura, and a large number of living beings be found on short notice?

He was looking up, gazing at a peaceful future.

Yet, he didn't know that someone was quietly, with all her might, filling the abyss beneath his feet.

Even if the possibility of that abyss collapsing seemed very, very small at the time.

Behind such foresight... was a deeper emotional attachment than any abyss.

His knuckles were pale from the extreme tightening of his five fingers.

But I killed her...

I... killed... her...

“When... did the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor give the Universe Piercer to Qingyue?” Cloud Che asked in an incredibly calm voice, enduring the pain that felt like it would tear through his chest.

Shui Meiyin answered without hesitation, “Sister Qingyue said that was the day you successfully planted the slave seal on Sister Qianying.”

“That day...?” Cloud Che murmured in surprise.

The person Xia Qingyue hated the most was undoubtedly Qianye Ying'er.

Before she fell into the Void, she had also tried her utmost to kill Qianye Ying'er.

Yet, back then, she cornered Qianye Fantian and forced Qianye Ying'er to submit to her... And she, who hated Qianye Ying'er to the extreme, did not kill her to vent her hatred, but instead forced her to become Cloud Che's slave.

Now, how could Cloud Che not understand that it wasn't just simple humiliation for Qianye Ying'er, but also a scheme she devised to protect him back then... even though she so desperately wished to kill her with her own hands.

“Soon after you planted the slave seal on Sister Qianying and left the Moon God Realm, the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor proactively sought out Sister Qingyue and handed her the Universe Piercer and the World-Defying Heaven Manual.”

“What was the reason?” Cloud Che asked. “Just because she could control the Universe Piercer?”

Regarding control over the Universe Piercer, Shui Meiyin, with her Immaculate Divine Soul, was clearly more suitable than Xia Qingyue, with her Glazed Heart.

Putting aside the Universe Piercer... why was the World-Defying Heaven Manual given to her, instead of directly to me?

Shui Meiyin, however, shook her head. “Sister Qingyue didn't tell me. She said it was a secret between her and the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, a secret that could never... be revealed.”

The Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor left Chaos, and Xia Qingyue fell into the abyss... This had become an eternal secret.

“Although she had thought and prepared so much, what Sister Qingyue most desired was that none of her preparations would ever be needed, that everything was just her excessive worry and pessimism...”

“However, the instant the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor left, Sister Jasmine was ambushed. The worst situation she could have imagined appeared with frightening speed, and what was worse, your dark profound energy was exposed.”

“Almost everyone turned against you.”

“At that moment, Sister Qingyue could have immediately used the Universe Piercer to take you away... But if she had, the Universe Piercer would have been exposed, the Moon God Realm would have been implicated, and you would have been relentlessly pursued.”

“Therefore, the best method Sister Qingyue could think of at that time was to stand against you, using the excuse of personally severing ties with a devilish husband, to 'execute' you in the most ruthless manner.”

“And beneath the purple glow of the Purple Sovereign Divine Sword, the Universe Piercer, completely enveloped in purple light, was hidden. The moment the Purple Sovereign Divine Glow fully encompassed Brother Cloud Che and power erupted, you could be sent away by the Universe Piercer's silent, traceless spatial divine power...”

“This way, the Universe Piercer wouldn't be exposed, the Moon God Realm wouldn't be implicated, Brother Cloud Che would not only be saved but would also be considered dead in everyone's eyes, allowing you to lie dormant in concealment afterward.”

“Brother Cloud Che, safe and sound after being sent away, would immediately understand her intention, and because the Universe Piercer was used for teleportation, Sister Qingyue could also immediately find you.”

“It was just that, at that critical instant... she was interrupted by Sister Qianying.”