Chapter 1994: "Honored Guest"

In the Linyuan Realm, at the Bailin Alliance.

“So severely injured, he needs to rebuild his flesh and blood. There are still more than twenty days until the Divine Kylin Realm opens, which is barely enough time.” The Divine Kylin Realm opens only once every sixty years. Given Ximen Qi's exceptional talent, if he were forced to miss this opportunity due to his severe injuries, it would be an immense and irreparable loss, both for Ximen Qi himself and for the Bailin Alliance.

“Qier, who exactly injured you?”

The man speaking had a stern expression, his brow naturally exuding a chilling, intimidating aura. His voice was deep and heavy, each word pressing down like a boulder. This was Ximen Boyun, a newly promoted Abyssal Knight, ranked nine hundred eighty-second, with the title 'Unyielding Rock Owl'.

Ximen Qi was still moaning when Zhai Liancheng, standing nearby, spoke up: “Senior Ximen, the person who injured Young Master Qi is named Yun Che, and he claims to be the guard of Princess Helian, Helian Lingzhu. However, from my assessment, he is definitely not a member of the Helian Imperial Family.”

“As if Helian would have the guts to do such a thing,” snorted Ximen Borong, leader of the Bailin Alliance. The Bailin Alliance knew exactly what kind of people the Helian family were. They were spineless—people who wouldn't even outwardly complain if you knocked their teeth out with a slap, as long as you didn't touch their vital interests.

“Yun Che? Yun?” Ximen Boyun’s expression remained unchanged. In all his life, among all the people he had known, he had never heard of anyone with the surname Yun who held any significant renown.

“Father, Uncle… you must… avenge… me…” Ximen Qi’s teeth were stained with blood, his words filled with hatred, his voice hoarse. He was by no means someone who lived a life of pampered ease; on the contrary, he often trained to the point of risking his life and bleeding. However, he had never endured such humiliation.

“Calm your mind and rest well, so you can prepare to enter the Divine Kylin Realm,” Ximen Borong consoled him. “We will deal with the one who injured you.” He then turned and asked, “Nephew Zhai, what is this Yun Che's cultivation level and background?”

“Divine Sovereign Realm, unknown background,” Zhai Liancheng answered truthfully.

“What?!” Ximen Borong and Ximen Boyun simultaneously looked up in shock. Zhai Liancheng was not surprised by their reaction in the slightest. He had been present at the scene, and his astonishment had been more than ten times greater than theirs. Both men looked at Ximen Qi simultaneously… Ximen Qi did not shake his head, and the shame in his eyes deepened.

“This junior would never speak falsely!” Zhai Liancheng stated seriously. “Furthermore, this junior is completely certain that ‘Yun Che’ is merely an alias. To utterly defeat Young Master Qi at the same cultivation level, this person’s identity and origin are absolutely not simple. This junior suspects he might be… from a Divine Kingdom!”

The words “Divine Kingdom” struck like thunder.

After a brief silence, Ximen Borong spoke: “Does this person named Yun Che know your identities?”

“Yes,” Zhai Liancheng nodded. “But he showed no apprehension from beginning to end. In fact… he seemed quite deliberately provocative. Moreover, he and Young Master Qi are complete strangers, yet he attacked with such ruthless finality. It’s clear he doesn’t regard your alliance or my Panxuan Sect at all… as if he has nothing to fear.”

“You suspect he might be from a Divine Kingdom; do you have any other evidence to support this?” Ximen Borong asked gravely.

“His appearance,” Zhai Liancheng said directly. “He has black eyes and fair skin, with almost no traces of Abyssal Dust erosion.”

Ximen Borong and Ximen Boyun exchanged a glance, their expressions growing solemn.

“Zi'ao, Tianyao,” Ximen Borong ordered, “Immediately send people to investigate this Yun Che's background and his relationship with the Helian Imperial Family. Do not act rashly before clarifying the situation.”

“Father!” Ximen Qi’s face showed unwillingness. “We have already allied with the Three Sects… and Uncle is here to oversee… why should we fear a mere lowly slave like him…”

“Hmph!” Ximen Borong said coldly, “The other party knew your identity yet still struck so ruthlessly. This person is either madly foolish, or they have something to rely on… Would someone capable of defeating you at the same cultivation level be the former? Qier, if you cling to momentary anger, it could bring about a disaster of annihilation!”

Ximen Qi froze, then said with a pale face, “Yes… your son understands.”

“The esteemed guest should also be arriving soon,” Ximen Boyun said gravely. “Whether we can become a subsidiary of a Divine Kingdom after establishing our own nation depends entirely on this occasion. If we miss this chance, it will be difficult to get another.” At a time like this, it’s naturally most important to avoid any complications. “Regardless of Yun Che’s background, everything will be decided after we receive the esteemed guest and the Divine Kylin Assembly is concluded.”

Upon hearing the words “esteemed guest” from Ximen Boyun, Zhai Liancheng instinctively lowered his head completely. Because that person’s identity carried a profound authority that he dared not even look up to. The Panxuan, Myriad Blades, and Blazing Sand Sects had dominated the Linyuan Realm for many years, their combined strength far surpassing that of the Bailin Alliance. The fact that they were willing to bow to the Bailin Alliance and support its establishment as a nation was certainly not due solely to Ximen Boyun.

Yun Che, of course, had not left the Helian Imperial City. Instead, he remained securely in the private hall that Helian Lingzhu had designated for him. The hall was simply furnished, with dozens of different profound formations laid out, clearly for meditation and cultivation. For four consecutive days, Yun Che had remained in silent meditation, not moving an inch. His eyes were closed, and no profound energy circulated around him. Only between the curled fingers of his right hand did a faint amount of Abyssal Dust gather. Indeed, gathered!

Although the gathered Abyssal Dust was very faint, in the Abyss, this was an absolutely astonishing sight. Abyssal Dust could only be resisted and isolated through extremely high cultivation; it was an outlawed force that was absolutely impossible to control. This was the most fundamental understanding and common knowledge in the Abyss… not even the Abyssal Emperor or the Divine Officials of the Pure Land could do it. However, the Law of Nothingness was inherently beyond the laws understood by the ordinary world.

The sound-transmitting jade emitted a slight ripple. Yun Che opened his eyes, the Abyssal Dust in his palm dispersed, and he let out a long breath, a strange glint flashing in his eyes. From first realizing his unusual interference with Abyssal Dust, to carefully testing it little by little… in just a few short days, he had made such progress. Although his control over Abyssal Dust was currently only at a “barely” and “weak” level, for him, it was a miracle beyond all expectations. And what lay at the end of this miracle… he could not predict.

The transmission was from Helian Lingzhu. As he had expected, the Helian Imperial Family had agreed to participate in the Divine Kylin Assembly despite immense pressure. To facilitate this, Helian Lingzhu had truly committed herself, even going so far as to seek an audience with the Ancestral Guardian. It was even possible that the Ancestral Guardian would secretly be present at this Divine Kylin Assembly. The Helian Imperial Family’s Ancestral Guardian was named Helian Kunlun. To extend his lifespan as much as possible, he had sealed himself off in an underground palace for years, never seeing the light of day or involving himself in court affairs. Instead, he quietly served as the Helian clan’s last stabilizing force. Although he was a Half-God, he was nearing the end of his life. Every time he acted, it caused significant damage to his remaining lifespan. His continued existence was sustained by his unwavering commitment to protecting the Helian lineage. Now knowing that the Bailin Alliance was about to “establish a nation and change the dynasty,” and that even the qualification to enter the Divine Kylin Realm would be revoked, he would likely be enraged beyond measure.

Calculating the time, Helian should completely collapse and his life be endangered in about two or three more days. Mo Beichen intensely hated Helian and had entwined his Half-God power into Helian’s heart meridians. This was far more difficult than simply killing him and certainly not something external forces could easily resolve. Even if Helian Kunlun were to act… unless his cultivation was far superior to Mo Beichen’s, he would likewise be unable to resolve it. Helian, being so fearful of death and protective of his life, would certainly seek him out when desperate.

Sure enough, two days later, the sound-transmitting jade fluctuated again. Yun Che didn't even listen, directly sealing the sound-transmitting jade. Then he stood up and walked out unhurriedly. His aura also retracted, making him difficult to find. How could he, Emperor Yun, be commanded to come and go at will? Let Helian suffer for a while longer, on the painful and fearful brink of death.

Leaving Helian Lingzhu’s private hall, Yun Che strolled through the Helian Imperial City. The Imperial City of the Abyss was, naturally, very different from the imperial cities he knew. It was sparsely populated, with no clamor. “Waste” individuals without sufficient aptitude would be abandoned, while young ones with enough aptitude were protected within underground palaces until they matured. Cultivation was their entire youth. Those who could freely walk under the light of day were all powerful individuals. Wherever Yun Che’s spiritual perception reached, the lowest cultivation level was the Divine Tribulation Realm, and even those in the Divine Tribulation Realm likely had very limited time to move freely outside. There were no green trees, no clear water. Even a discarded dead star in the God Realm would be thousands of times more vibrant than this place. Yun Che remained unmoved by this. This was the predetermined fate of all beings in the Abyss from birth. They could, of course, try to change their fate, even by destroying the fates of other worlds. But… they absolutely should not touch his world! He would be kind to himself and to the worlds he governed… This was the only request Xia Qingyue had conveyed to him through Shui Meiyin. It was also a promise to Xia Qingyue that he absolutely could not break.

After strolling for several hours, he figured the time was about right. But just as he was about to turn back, his entire body suddenly grew cold, and his footsteps abruptly halted. A chill, surprisingly, shot straight from his spine to his head, lingering for a long time. As his power grew increasingly attuned to Abyssal Dust, the dust's restrictions on his spiritual perception gradually weakened. Now, at the same cultivation level, the sharpness and range of his spiritual perception far surpassed others. The source of this bone-chilling cold was an aura that had swept over him. Outside the Calamity Abyss, the most terrifying aura Yun Che had ever experienced in his life was from Mo Beichen. Yet this aura… was clearly even stronger than Mo Beichen’s. And by far. This aura merely swept past him, making no stop. After all, how could such a figure pay attention to a mere Divine Sovereign aura?

Yun Che’s expression remained unchanged. After a momentary pause, he naturally turned back, maintaining his previous leisurely pace. But inwardly, he felt a little heavier. Even with his Divine Extinction activated, he could only temporarily hold his own against Mo Beichen. But this person… even if he could still activate Divine Extinction now, there would be absolutely no possibility of resistance. Chi Wu had said that Mo Beichen’s cultivation was at the late stage of the Divine Annihilation Realm, Level Two, placing him among the lower ranks of Abyssal Knights, but definitely not the very last. Compared to the oppressive feeling this person brought… their cultivation might be in the realm nearing Divine Annihilation Realm, Level Five. The Linyuan Realm, being a border region in the Abyss, why would such a figure appear here!? He hoped it was just someone passing by. The Divine Kylin Realm was only a step away; he absolutely did not want any unforeseen variables to emerge.

Yun Che further reined in his aura, but after only a few steps, a figure directly entered his line of sight. Due to this person’s posture and aura, it was hard for Yun Che not to notice him. This was a young man with a face like polished jade, exceptionally handsome and dignified. His flawless black hair was tied back with a silver ribbon, flowing down to his waist. He wore a peculiar silver robe, the material of which was hard to discern. As he walked, it seemed to ripple like flowing mercury, with layered, strange gleams. Yun Che’s gaze was first drawn to the silver robe. As he briefly focused, he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness. He quickly gathered his thoughts and focused, his eyes returning to clarity, and his brows furrowed deeply. This person’s aura… had already broken through the peak of the Divine Master Realm and was halted at the Half-step Divine Annihilation Realm! That terrifying and unparalleled aura also swept over Yun Che’s body once again at that moment, then seemed to stop wandering. Yun Che instantly understood that the owner of this terrifying aura… was hidden in the shadows, protecting this silver-robed man.

***

**Review: Cultivation Realms**

* **Mortal Nine Realms:** Initial Profound Realm → Entry Profound Realm → True Profound Realm → Spirit Profound Realm → Earth Profound Realm → Sky Profound Realm → King Profound Realm → Tyrant Profound Realm → Sovereign Profound Realm* **Divine Profound Seven Realms:** Divine Origin Realm → Divine Soul Realm → Divine Tribulation Realm → Divine Spirit Realm → Divine King Realm → Divine Sovereign Realm → Divine Master Realm* **Beyond Human Realms:** Half-step Divine Annihilation Realm → Divine Annihilation Realm → Divine Extremity Realm → True God → Creation God / Devil Emperor → Ancestral God