Chapter 2025: Mist

"I understand." Ni Xuan's answer prevented Yun Che from pressing further, despite the endless doubts in his heart.

At this moment, a pure, dreamlike white figure slowly materialized beside Yun Che, its voice as ethereal and distant as a dream. "Ni Xuan, how did you... come to look like this?"

Ni Xuan's gaze fell upon the white figure. After a long silence, he whispered, his voice filled with disbelief, "Li... Sa?"

"You actually still exist in this world?"

Li Sa replied, "Though I barely survive, I am no longer what I once was. About ninety percent of my memories of you are blurred and forgotten, but your appearance... should not be like this."

"Heh heh." Ni Xuan chuckled faintly. "Suffering myriad eons of desolation, even a Creation God's body was consumed by poison, turning into a dying, withered tree. To reunite across ages, only for you to see me in such a state, fills me with both shame and regret."

"However..." Ni Xuan sighed softly. "I once made a vow to Jie Yuan that I would never see you again. Entrusting Jie'er to you back then was already a breach of that vow. Now, it's another layer of guilt towards her."

Jie'er?Yun Che was slightly startled but quickly realized he was referring to his and Jie Yuan's daughter, the girl they were before Hong'er and You'er separated—Ni Jie.

Li Sa's figure slowly faded until it completely vanished, leaving only her voice. "My memories and perceptions are too faint for me to recall this. I deeply apologize." Ni Xuan smiled and shook his head. Though he felt guilt towards Jie Yuan, he also felt joy at seeing his old friend reborn into the world. "Heaven and earth have turned upside down, and eras have changed. You are no longer the Life Creation God you once were, yet you remain the same Li Sa from before, almost unchanged."

"Thinking back now, Mo E's and my past obsession with you was ultimately a mistake. Someone as pure and sacred as you should be like a star above the chaotic world, outshining all brilliance, yet untouched by any living being."

Yun Che pondered: *Had she truly been so supremely sacred back then? Why did she now... feel a bit simple-minded?*

"Indeed, all things of the past should vanish like smoke." Li Sa said, "I awoke from a long dream, having lost the mission of the Life Creation God, but I have found a new reason for my existence. In this, at least, I am far luckier than you are."

"That truly is for the best." Ni Xuan smiled gently. "To have a friend like you is the greatest fortune of my existence. It's just a pity that my life has concluded, and I can no longer repay your kindness from back then."

Li Sa's divine sense touched Yun Che. "He is the reason for my existence in this world, and he has received kindness from you. Therefore, your kindness to him is repayment of your kindness to me. Thus, you need not feel guilty towards me."

"..." Based on Yun Che's current understanding of Li Sa, she always spoke with immense purity and straightforwardness, never concealing any hidden meanings.Yet, hearing her words still made his scalp tingle.

Fortunately, Ni Xuan before him was merely a faint wisp of a soul. Otherwise... no matter how great his divine nature or self-restraint, and even if he had long since abandoned his obsession with Li Sa, he would still be unable to suppress the urge to slap Yun Che to death.

After all, his obsession of tens of millions of years had failed to bring him close to her, or to earn her favor. Yet now, she personally stated that her existence in this life was... for a mortal man...

Sure enough, a silence that made Yun Che's heart pound suddenly fell upon the Profound Vein world.

He felt Ni Xuan's divine sense re-examining him.

Then, he uttered two words that made Yun Che's heart leap: "Why...?"

But immediately, before Li Sa could respond, he smiled serenely. "Never mind. What does anything in this world have to do with me? How fortunate that you could find a new 'reason.' I should be truly pleased for you."

"Reason..." He suddenly murmured, "Throughout my life, I didn't realize that 'reason' was such a luxury. Mo E was like that, and so was I..."

It was impossible to imagine what Ni Xuan had experienced back then to feel such profound emotion.Had he once... been unable to find a reason to live?

Wait, Mo E as well?Did the Heaven Punishing God Emperor Mo E... also lack a reason for existence?Did he die of old age... or did he die from melancholy?

What exactly happened back then... what on earth happened!?

Ni Xuan's last wisp of soul energy could dissipate at any moment. Was everything from back then destined to be eternally buried here?

Though somewhat presumptuous, Yun Che could no longer simply watch these two Creation Gods continue their conversation, facing the Evil God's soul which could vanish at any moment. He spoke up, "Senior Ni Xuan, when I was in the God Realm, I found the inscription you left. You submerged an Evil God's seed into the Abyss because you were concerned that a complete Evil God Profound Vein, if manifested in a mortal, could generate power beyond the current God Realm's limits, potentially causing the nascent God Realm's order to collapse again."

"But I believe you had another purpose: to attach a wisp of your soul to the Evil God's seed, which could not be obliterated by any power. This way, as the seed fell into the Abyss, you could observe its anomalies."

"You are correct." Ni Xuan nodded, showing a faint hint of approval. "In a distant era, I had already detected anomalies in the Abyss's aura. But at that time, I wasn't alarmed, and for a period, I believed it was merely a change in aura caused by the increasing number of Sin Gods sinking into it."

"Later, with the Calamity of the Evil Infant, everything perished. Suddenly, there was no world of devils or gods. The primordial primordial qi, the purest essence of heaven and earth, all began flowing into the Abyss of Nothingness... The speed and scale of this flow were so immense that I couldn't ignore it."

Yun Che thought, *Just as I expected...*

"I once considered leaping into the Abyss of Nothingness, but I had unfinished wishes, so I dared not try."

Because he had to leave his legacy to obstruct Jie Yuan, who would return to the world in the future, how could he risk death?

"Thus, as you said, I infused a wisp of my divine soul into the core of power and let it sink into the Abyss."

"The core of power was not consumed by the Abyss, allowing this wisp of divine soul to remain. But once it entered the Abyss, its connection to my main soul was severed, and anything it observed was destined not to be conveyed to that world."

Given the faintness of this wisp of divine soul, its periods of divine sense outreach in the Abyss over the years must have been extremely rare; it was mostly in slumber... But it must have glimpsed countless secrets.

According to Mo Beichen's knowledge, no one in the Abyss knew the name of the Abyss Emperor; they only knew him as "Abyss Emperor."It was as if his original name concealed some terrifying taboo.And no matter who he was, his most fundamental origin could only be a God or Devil from that era... and according to Chi Wuyao's speculation, most likely a high-ranking Devil carrying the Devil Race's strongest spatial devil artifact.

The Earth Seed, which existed in the Abyss, had always been with the Qilin God. And the Qilin God had been in close proximity to the Abyss Emperor.

No one in the Abyss knew the Abyss Emperor's name. But what kind of being was the Evil God? No matter how high the Abyss Emperor's level, it couldn't surpass the Evil God's. With close contact, even a remnant soul could easily identify him.

Yun Che immediately asked, "Based on what Senior Evil God has witnessed over the years, who exactly is the Abyss Emperor who founded this Abyss world?"

As Yun Che finished speaking, whether it was an illusion or not, he caught an elusive, hazy emotion in Ni Xuan's gaze.

It took several seconds before he finally gave Yun Che his answer: "The one who built this world is my sin."

"...??" Yun Che's eyes visibly widened. "You said... what?"

Ni Xuan's words were brief, yet Yun Che couldn't understand a single one.

"..." Ni Xuan said nothing more. He closed his eyes, seemingly trying to shut off that past.

Yun Che had thought that by encountering the Evil God's remnant soul, he would clarify many doubts in his heart.Yet, he never expected to instead fall into a state of near-chaotic incomprehension and bewilderment.

Ni Xuan's appearance at this moment prevented him from pressing further... until his voice resonated in Yun Che's soul once more:

"Stop him, you must stop him." He looked at Yun Che, his divine sense revealing one part sorrow and nine parts resolute determination. "Let all sin end in this world. You can do it... and only you can do it."

"Consider it repayment for the divine inheritance you received from me." Despite his chaotic understanding and complete ignorance of the Abyss Emperor's identity, Yun Che's eyes sharpened as he met Ni Xuan's gaze and nodded firmly. "I came precisely to stop him, and I will certainly succeed... because I have no retreat."

"...Good." Ni Xuan looked up, closing his eyes again. "If it can truly end in this world, then at least... it won't be the worst outcome."

"You are still young; he has already matured. This path is destined to be long and arduous. Your ability to reassemble the scattered power cores within yourself clearly shows your will and the direction of your destiny."

"However, do not approach him too early, for he can easily recognize... the power aura that once belonged to the Elemental Creation God."

"...!" Yun Che's pupils trembled slightly.

What... did that mean?

"Understood. Thank you for the warning, Senior." He could only reply this way. Ni Xuan slowly murmured, "His former identity no longer matters. I cannot... and have no face to speak of it. Now, in the Abyss, he is merely a lost wanderer submerged in obsession. He needs to be stopped, to be saved... This grave responsibility I entrust to you."

"My time is also running out."

As his voice faded, his soul-figure also gradually blurred.

"Wait!" Yun Che quickly pulled his consciousness out of his confusion and spoke urgently. "Senior Ni Xuan, please don't leave yet!"

As he spoke, his thoughts moved in succession, shifting Hong'er and You'er's soul-figures to his side.

Identical bodies, identical faces... only different eyes, different hair colors, different soul auras.

Ni Xuan froze, his soul-figure fading, but his gaze fixed intently on the two girls, unwilling to pull away for even a moment.

Hong'er surveyed the strange world, then very naturally asked Yun Che about the old man nearby, "What is this weird place... and who is this weird old grandpa?"

In stark contrast to her reaction, You'er froze completely, her gaze as stunned as Ni Xuan's. Until a certain moment, when a soul imprint that had been separated for too long was profoundly touched.Her tender lips parted, and she uttered a difficult, soft sound: "Fa...ther..."

"Eh???" Hong'er swiftly turned her gaze, staring at You'er with wide, vermilion starlike eyes.

"..." Ni Xuan's soul-figure trembled and wavered. If a divine soul could weep, he would already be sobbing uncontrollably.

"Hong'er." Yun Che took her and You'er's small hands, and said very solemnly, "His name is Ni Xuan, and he is your father, your true father." "Oh, really..." Hong'er's gaze at the "old grandpa" suddenly became especially serious, then a joyful smile bloomed on her face. "Hello, Father, I'm Hong'er. Sister Shen Xi and Big Sister White both said I used to have a very strange name called Wanhu... Is it because I liked to eat too much?"

"..." Ni Xuan looked at them, his soul-figure still trembling, still unable to utter a sound.

"So, I really do have a father and mother!" Hong'er smiled very happily. "I thought my mas... Mm... mmm-mm-mm-mm!"

Her prepared master promptly covered her mouth, then said without changing his expression, "What pig-cat-goose-dog nonsense? There are no such things in the Abyss. Now, quickly go to your father's side."

As Yun Che pushed Hong'er over, You'er had already floated gracefully to Ni Xuan's side.

She extended her tiny hand, tentatively reaching out to touch her father, but could only poke through a phantom image like a bubble.

Crystalline tears slowly slid down her snow-white face, one drop after another, ceaselessly.

Back then, her father placed her in that dark and lonely world, where only a vast expanse of Netherworld Udumbara flowers accompanied her.Later, he visited her many times. The last time, he gave her a pitch-black star of light, said many things, and then... he never returned.

Ni Xuan slowly extended his trembling hand, wanting to cup his daughter's tears... but could only watch helplessly as those crystals, the most brilliant yet most heartbreaking in the world, passed through his palm.

"Father." Hong'er also flew over, looking at Ni Xuan more closely, her clear vermilion eyes full of inquiry and curiosity. "Why is your hair so long, and your beard so long, and so bushy? Sister Heling said that father and mother are the closest people in the world. But Mother secretly left, Father... you won't secretly leave, will you? From now on, will there be one more person who often brings me delicious things?"

Yun Che averted his gaze and slowly let out a breath. Hong'er's understanding of "mother" and "father" clearly differed greatly from ordinary people's. But no matter how skewed her perception, the yearning for familial affection would always be deeply embedded in the bloodline of all living beings, and no method, time, or space could truly sever it.

Ni Xuan looked at You'er, then at Hong'er, and softly said, "I... am unworthy to be a father... I brought you into the world... yet I... pushed you into the Abyss..."

"Eh? The Abyss? No, the Master jumped into the Abyss himself, you didn't push him down," Hong'er corrected.

Yun Che covered his face with his hand. An unutterable expletive seemed to pass through his mind as he realized those two words had still slipped out of her mouth. Ni Xuan's soul-figure had turned misty, and he seemed not to have heard the words "Master" from Hong'er. With his last wisp of soul energy, his final voice, he gave his daughters his ultimate affection: "When the sin ends... someone will take my place and your mother's, to show you all the beauty this world should have... to compensate for us... to make up for everything you've missed."

Yun Che solemnly declared, "I swear on my very being: that person certainly will!"

"As for father and mother... whether you forget... or occasionally remember... I only wish that in this life... you find eternal peace and happiness..."

At that moment, Ni Xuan's soul-figure completely dissipated, transforming into countless fading light motes.These light motes swiftly flew towards Yun Che, then all dissolved into his soul sea, accompanied by a gentle voice:

"Yun Che, thank you... I have no regrets."

Yun Che closed his eyes and sighed softly. "Your kindness is something I could never repay in a million lifetimes. How could I ever deserve your thanks?" Hong'er suddenly wailed, "Eh? He disappeared? Did he secretly leave again, just like Mother...? You'er, you're crying again... Please don't cry, okay? Seeing you cry suddenly makes me so sad... Boo hoo... I... I suddenly want to cry too... Waaah! Waaah!"

Yun Che walked over, embracing Hong'er and You'er, one on each arm, gently comforting them. And just then, the light motes that had flown into Yun Che's soul sea unfurled a series of distant images in his consciousness...