Chapter 1940: Choice

At the center of the God Realm, near the entrance to the Absolute Beginning Divine Realm.

Following a violent spatial distortion, seven dark figures from the Abyss emerged from the Absolute Beginning Divine Realm, appearing in this divine space overlooking the current world—a realm now under Yun Che's dominion.

"God... Realm..." Mo Beichen murmured, slowly surveying his surroundings and sensing everything. His eyes were fixed, making it impossible to discern his emotions.

"Such low-level and fragile laws, such turbid aura—is this truly where the God Race and Devil Race once resided?" Nan Zhaoming's eyes held seven parts excitement and three parts disdain.

"Lord God Official once said that, according to this world's time flow, only about a million years have passed since the demise of both gods and devils." Mo Beichen closed his eyes and let out a low sigh, "To decline to such a state in mere million years, truly shows how lowly and pathetic the beings of this world are."

"Such lowly beings, yet they occupy this land of gods and devils and their legacies, fully enjoying a world free of Abyss Dust. Ha... heh heh..." Nan Zhaoguang's murmur was mixed with sounds of grinding teeth, "Ridiculous... detestable!"

These words caused waves of uncontrollable frenzy and violent aura to surge simultaneously from several of them.

"The Abyss Emperor is benevolent and compassionate, most intolerant of malicious conflict, bullying, and wanton slaughter," Mo Beichen stated. "The current peace in the Abyss is entirely due to the Abyss Emperor's grace."

"Though lowly, this place will also become a dominion under the Abyss Emperor. I understand your resentment. However, when the Abyss Emperor arrives, he will surely wish to see obedient reverence, not trembling fear after a bloodbath." Mo Beichen cast a sideways glance. "This is also Lord God Official's warning. As pioneers carrying endless glory, we shall be forever etched in history. Therefore, whether for the Abyss Emperor or for ourselves, we must restrain our desires and do what is right."

Mo Beichen's words caused the other six to stiffen their expressions.

Nan Zhaoming let out a slight breath and said, "The passage is complete. In another fifty years, the Abyss Emperor can gather the power of the gods and descend upon this place. Though fifty years is short, with our strength, we can completely control this world, where Divine Masters are revered, within a few years. Before that, some appropriate release wouldn't be unacceptable."

"Fifty years? Humph." Mo Beichen scoffed coldly, "Have you forgotten the Time Black Tide?"

Nan Zhaoming first frowned, then his expression changed. "Could it be..."

Mo Beichen raised his hand, revealing a black disc in his palm. "Lord God Official grants a Time Disc to each group of pioneers for time calibration. See for yourselves."

Black patterns covered the disc, faintly emitting dark light. Beneath these patterns was an absolutely independent time domain.

Within the time domain, a star-like speck of bright light swiftly moved, like a firefly caught in a storm.

"Ten... times..." Nan Zhaoming's face quickly grew solemn. "That means... only five years left!?"

With a clench of his fingers, the black disc vanished from Mo Beichen's hand. "There's something else you'd best remember."

Mo Beichen turned to face the six, his gaze chilling, his presence heavily intimidating. "Lord God Official once said a profound thing: this place is our homeland, both for the Abyss Emperor and for us."

"However, the meaning of 'homeland' is entirely different for the Abyss Emperor and for us."

"Therefore, no matter how much resentment you harbor in your hearts, no matter how lowly you perceive this place to be, you had best not act wantonly!"

His words implied that perhaps the Abyss Emperor valued this place even more than the Abyss itself.

The uncontrollable excitement and hostility that had surged within the six were forcefully suppressed. Both Nan Zhaoming and Nan Zhaoguang quickly sobered up.

"Understood," Nan Zhaoguang said. "Thank you, Sir Knight, for the guidance and warning. What shall we do next? Please give your orders, Sir Knight."

Mo Beichen's gaze turned westward. "The Absolute Beginning Divine Realm exists independently of the God Realm. The dragon I just killed was likely the master of the Absolute Beginning Divine Realm, not the God Realm itself."

"The outsiders mentioned that the Western Divine Region is most revered in the God Realm, and within the Western Divine Region, the Dragon Race, who inherited the Dragon God's bloodline and call themselves the 'Dragon God Race,' are supreme. Their leader bears the title 'Dragon Monarch,' signifying the unparalleled emperor of the God Realm."

"Monarch?"

This single word caused all six of their expressions to change, as if they had heard a great taboo.

"In the era of the Abyss Emperor, who dares to call themselves Monarch!"

"That single word... deserves a myriad deaths!" Nan Zhaoguang raged.

Mo Beichen continued, "I will go to the Western Region alone. The East, I leave to you."

As he spoke, his figure was already far in the west, demonstrating extreme decisiveness. Only his cold, authoritative voice still echoed in the six's minds: "The Abyss Emperor desires dominion, not cleansing. Those who submit shall live, those who defy shall die! Do not commit wanton slaughter, and do not torment those who offer no resistance!"

"As pioneers, your glory will extend to a thousand generations. Do not, for a momentary desire, allow such supreme glory to be stained with dust!"

"Do not disappoint me."

"Yes, Sir!" The six bowed respectfully towards the west, only straightening up once his aura had completely vanished from their senses.

The starry sky was vast, dazzling and dreamlike, free of life-consuming Abyss Dust and black mists of remnant souls.

To the beings of the God Realm, this was merely a world of basic understanding, yet for Mo Beichen, it had only ever existed in the most beautiful dreams of his life.

His figure glided westward, his speed unconsciously slowing. He raised his hand, and every inch of space his palm touched, every wisp of aura he encountered, felt so luxurious that he still dared not fully believe it was reality, not a dream.

The Western Divine Region was within reach, and chaotic dragon aura clearly entered his perception. Yet, his steps halted at that moment.

He silently gazed westward, his originally chilling eyes gradually losing their intensity. Then, his shoulders began to tremble, until his entire body was shaking violently.

"Zhen'er, Long'er..." He spread his hands, and a hoarse, strained voice escaped his slightly parted lips: "Do you see it, a world without Abyss Dust... a world where not even a speck of Abyss Dust exists... Your father didn't lie to you... Your father did it... Your father really did it... Do you see it..."

"If only... if only it could have been years earlier... if... only..."

With no one else present, he wept freely, his cries becoming choked sobs.

The spatial tremors finally began to subside, then seemed to become completely calm.

However, the lingering oppressive gloom remained heavy enough to suffocate.

Yun Che was actually not unfamiliar with this kind of spatial tremor.

In the Northern Divine Region, when he activated Divine Extinction by sacrificing four-star Divine Source power...In the Southern Divine Region, when the Nethergod Grand Cannon unleashed its ancient divine might...And when the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor returned to the world, shaking the entire Primal Chaos to its core...

Undoubtedly, what could cause such spatial tremors and send shivers down the Heavenly Way... was power beyond the limits of the current world.

It also mercilessly shattered everyone's last shred of hope.

"Brother Yun Che, what should we do?" Shui Meiyin tightly grasped Yun Che's wrist with one hand, while her other hand held the Profound Sky Cauldron Spike between her fingers, its crimson light flickering.

"How many more long-distance spatial transfers can the Profound Sky Cauldron Spike perform with its remaining power?" Chi Wuyao asked.

"It depends on the transfer range," Shui Meiyin urgently replied. "If it's a small-scale, cross-star-region transfer, it can perform about twenty consecutive times. But if it's a large-scale transfer involving many people at once, it might exhaust its divine power in just a few uses."

However, a cross-star-region transfer of an entire planet, as was done in the past, was no longer possible.

Chi Wuyao said nothing more, awaiting Yun Che's response.

Everyone understood that if they truly chose to retreat, given Yun Che's character, he would never choose to leave alone.

Furthermore, considering his personality and his current status as Emperor Yun, was it truly possible for him to make such a choice?

"Devil Queen," Yun Che finally spoke, "Send messages to all regions to monitor their movements. If they are encountered, no resistance is to be made."

"Understood." Chi Wuyao nodded, showing no surprise in her expression.

"Additionally, under these circumstances, there are two individuals who can no longer be trusted," Yun Che added.

Chi Wuyao parted her lips and slowly uttered the two names: "Qianye Lihu and Cang Shitian."

"The former has always drifted with the currents, prioritizing self-preservation, submitting to the strong; the latter... if not for this Abyss calamity, he would be the most loyal hound, but now, he will surely bite and bark at his master!"

The Qilin Realm, led by Qianye Lihu, was now the head of the Western Region, and Cang Shitian was the leader of the Order Maintainers, with his influence extending throughout the entire God Realm.

Both had been entrusted with crucial responsibilities and great power by Chi Wuyao. However, no matter how capable she was, she could not have foreseen this moment...

"Yun Che!?" Jun Xilei suddenly looked up. "Are you thinking of..."

Yun Che calmly met her tear-filled eyes. "A great calamity has befell us, yet for an emperor to flee without a fight—that is a disgrace that can never be cleansed. My descendants, everyone around me, would also..."

"No! Impossible... impossible!" Jun Xilei shook her head vehemently, her knuckles white as she clutched Yun Che's hand. "Yun Che, listen to me. I personally witnessed my master die because of them. My hatred for them surpasses yours by ten million times."

"But they are absolutely not people to confront head-on; this has nothing to do with dignity or honor! Your temporary retreat isn't fleeing, it's preserving our only hope. You... you can do that, right?"

Chi Wuyao's demonic eyes slowly swept over Jun Xilei, and she sighed softly in her heart: "Another one, indeed."

Had it not been for such a perilous predicament, given Jun Xilei's extremely proud and stubborn nature, she might never have revealed such emotions before Yun Che.

Facing the Little Sword Monarch, whose emotions had for the first time crumbled so completely, Yun Che's expression and gaze remained frighteningly calm. He looked directly into Jun Xilei's eyes and said, "Don't worry, I'm not simply throwing myself to death for so-called imperial dignity. Though these people are formidable, I..."

He slightly raised his head, his eyes gleaming with cold light: "I might not be without the power to fight them."

"If things truly become unmanageable, we can always escape using the Profound Sky Cauldron Spike's spatial divine power," Chi Wuyao calmly interjected.

"...Mm." Shui Meiyin nodded softly. She understood that since Yun Che had already made his decision and Chi Wuyao was also compliant, anything more she said would be useless.

"Furthermore, I've been pondering it repeatedly, and perhaps things won't be as bad as we imagine."

Yun Che: "..."

"Why do you say that?" Cai Zhi asked.

"Outsiders? No, we have merely returned to where we belong."

Chi Wuyao recounted the words of the Abyss figures from Jun Xilei's memory, her eyes gleaming with demonic light, as she slowly said: "In the Era of the Gods, the power at the divine level was excessively strong, and divine wars inevitably tore apart the heavens and earth. Even the dispersing power from the fall of a true god would cause immense regional devastation. Therefore, according to records, when the God and Devil Races executed gods and devils who had committed unforgivable crimes, they often chose to cast them into the Nihilistic Abyss, turning them into nothingness, thereby preventing divine calamities."

"If the Nihilistic Abyss underwent an early mutation, and had long ceased to be a pure world of destruction, then the true gods and devils cast into the Nihilistic Abyss in ancient times might not have been annihilated by the Abyss. Instead, a portion of these gods and devils could have survived in the mutated Abyss by relying on their powerful divine and devil bodies, passing down their lineage through generations."

"In other words, these people are likely not native to the Abyss, but rather descendants of the ancient gods and devils who committed grave sins."

"However, the Abyss, after all, is fundamentally a world of destruction. No matter how much it mutates, it cannot completely eliminate the presence of destructive elements. The 'Abyss Dust' they frequently mention is very likely the constantly existing power of destruction. The living environment in the Abyss world is naturally extremely harsh, which is why the beings of the Abyss have constantly strived to open a passage between the Abyss and the Nihilistic Abyss, to reach the present world free of destructive power."

"And today, they succeeded."

"Although these are only my conjectures," Chi Wuyao said, "the actions and words of those seven deeply align with them."

"Descendants of ancient gods and devils...?" Chi Wuyao's words immediately made them recall the many strange things those people had said.

Yun Che's expression shifted slightly. What Chi Wuyao said was entirely consistent with what he had been thinking.

In ancient times, true gods who committed unforgivable sins were often annihilated in the Nihilistic Abyss. Furthermore... it is clearly recorded in the Dragon God Realm's Dragon God Tome that even Mo Su, the son of the Heaven Punishing Divine Emperor Mo E, was personally cast into the Nihilistic Abyss by Mo E for committing grave offenses.

Yet, from the Nihilistic Abyss, which should have contained only destruction and nothingness, emerged extremely terrifying powerful beings. This made Yun Che unable to help but connect them to the true gods who should have been annihilated in ancient times.

The Abyss, which had been silently mutating for ages, had finally spawned a terrifying calamity that erupted today.

Moreover, these were only seven individuals, merely pioneers... just the beginning.

"If this place is truly considered their homeland, and a new place where they can escape the Abyss, then there's a high probability they won't excessively trample upon or destroy it."

"However," she looked at Yun Che, "while this is an unfortunate blessing for the fate of this world, for you, it makes no difference."

At that moment, Yun Che turned slightly. A profound light flashed before him, unfolding a small sound transmission profound formation.

Within it, Qianye Ying'er's voice could be heard:

"Yun Che, what was that spatial anomaly just now? For some reason, I have this lingering sense of oppression."

"It's nothing," Yun Che calmly replied. "Just a few uninvited guests appeared from the Absolute Beginning Divine Realm. Stay in the Brahma Monarch God Realm. Do not leave if there's any anomaly. I will be there soon."

With that, before Qianye Ying'er could respond, the sound transmission profound formation dispersed between his clenched fingers.

Yun Che's arm fell to his side. He looked up at the sky, his eyes as cold as an abyss.

Qingyue, looking back on this life, every step I took to ascend was upon your blood and wounds. You pushed me to the peak, yet buried yourself in the abyss.

The place I reside condenses the sorrow and blood-tears of your entire life.

How can I allow others to trample upon it!

Boom—! Yun Che's black hair suddenly danced, and a terrifying wave of aura violently burst forth from his body. The Emperor Yun City Domain instantly fell silent.