Chapter 2031: Enemies Meet on a Narrow Path

One hour… two hours… three hours passed. Yun Che finally lowered his arm and exhaled slowly.

Only then did he realize his entire body was drenched in sweat mixed with blood.

The Qilin light on his body extinguished completely at this moment.

Deprived of the Qilin light and faced with a dangerously close vital aura, the abyssal Qilin’s eyes instantly flared with a destructive dark glow. However, before its destructive power could fully unleash, the agitated light in its pupils rapidly subdued.

“Back away,” Yun Che murmured, his voice clearly strained.

Facing this human with only a Divine Master’s aura, the Abyssal Qilin God actually began to slowly retreat, then abruptly turned, sweeping massive currents of air as it vanished into the vast sea of mist.

As his mind finally relaxed, an overwhelming sense of exhaustion immediately washed over him, causing Yun Che to collapse onto the ground.

A white light shimmered before him, revealing Lisha’s dreamlike phantom soul. She gently waved her fair hand, and a soft, bright divine glow, imbued with the miracle of life, enveloped Yun Che’s entire body.

Instantly, Yun Che’s body, which had felt as heavy as a mountain, became light as if floating on clouds. Even his dulled five senses rapidly cleared.

“Did you control that Qilin God corrupted by Abyssal Dust?” she asked softly.

“Sixty percent,” Yun Che replied, his eyes closed.

Just now, he had spent a full three hours and finally succeeded in imprinting his soul mark on nearly sixty percent of the Abyssal Dust within its abyssal core.

After profound beasts are corrupted into abyssal beasts, they still retain their original nature and instincts to some extent. For instance, a dragon’s roar or a wolf’s howl when injured, their preferred body parts for attack, or their movements for flying and burrowing. As for Qilin Gods, their gentle nature is known to all beings, and their will to protect their own kind is innate, as if firmly etched into every drop of Qilin blood and every fiber of their being. Even complete corruption by Abyssal Dust cannot erase this.

If it had been any other Divine Extremity abyssal beast, Yun Che would have been instantly annihilated by a single strike unless he could control it in an instant. Yet, this abyssal Qilin God remained still for three whole hours. Facing the Qilin light on his body, it showed no desire for destruction, only a bewildered craving.

Lisha was currently so fragmented that she couldn't even manifest a physical body, and her divine power, of course, was far from what it once was. However, the miracle of life emanating from her was still a true miracle in this world.

His injuries healed at a speed that completely defied common sense. After he achieved the Divine Master Realm, Lisha’s divine soul aura became several times clearer than before, and the light divine power she could release far surpassed her previous capabilities. Furthermore, Yun Che had gradually come to realize that this was by no means the limit of Lisha’s power. If she wished, her healing speed for him could be many times faster.

However, doing so would likely harm her.

Regrettably, her existence remained a vague, ethereal soul phantom. Her shadowy form was as beautiful as a fairy tale, yet he could not discern her true face, nor could he touch her body.

“Lisha, when do you think you’ll be able to manifest a physical body?” Yun Che suddenly asked.

“I don’t know,” Lisha replied softly. “Perhaps a thousand years, perhaps a hundred thousand years. Or perhaps one day, a drastic change in your life or power aura will cause my life aura to transform overnight.”

It was a similar answer to before.

Yun Che couldn’t help but ask again, “Do you still remember what you looked like back then? If you do, project an image into my soul sea. All records say you were the epitome of female grace in this world. I’m really curious to what extent that ‘epitome’ was.”

Lisha replied blandly, “Appearance is merely different skins manifested on the faces of all beings; in essence, there is no difference. So-called beauty and ugliness are nothing more than the most superficial embellishments creatures apply to various skins, utterly meaningless. Since you bear the powers of Ni Xuan and the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor, you should possess ambitions that transcend the world and discard such shallow thoughts.”

“No, no, no,” Yun Che immediately countered. “In essence, I am just an ordinary mortal who enjoys superficial things and matters. But even setting aside my ‘mortal’ identity, I absolutely do not believe this is a shallow thought.”

“Take you, for instance. Your personality is as placid and indifferent as still water. We’ve been practically inseparable for so long, and no matter what I say or do, I’ve never seen you smile or get angry. Six months ago, facing Senior Ni Xuan’s soul phantom, who was clearly an old friend reunited across eras and space, your emotional fluctuations were even less intense than when I yawned.”

“As a woman, you could be said to be utterly uninteresting. From a medical perspective, you could be directly diagnosed with severe… well, frigidity! Yet, back then, the two Creation Gods fought tooth and nail over you, and Senior Ni Xuan remained fixated on you for tens of millions of years. What do you think was the reason?”

“…” Lisha had no answer.

“The pursuit of beautiful things is the innate nature of all beings in this world, whether mortals or Creation Gods. How can it be called superficial? …And that includes you,” Yun Che stated with an air that allowed no questioning from a Creation God. “For example, if there were a way for you to manifest a physical body ten thousand years earlier, but the cost was bodily mutation, making your entire face shriveled and ugly, you definitely wouldn’t be willing, right?”

“Why not?” Lisha countered.

“…” Yun Che was speechless.

“Beautiful things…” Lisha suddenly murmured softly, as if a vague memory had been stirred within her.

Yun Che: “Hmm?”

“In my memory, in my life, the name that most evokes the words ‘beautiful’ is a single name.” Lisha spoke softly, trying to clarify the name and figure slowly emerging in her memory. “Her appearance, I can no longer recall. I can only vaguely remember that the moment I saw her, I was certain that in this world… as far as external appearance goes, there could be no more beautiful existence than her.”

Yun Che unconsciously opened his eyes, surprised as he watched Lisha suddenly immerse herself in memory.

This was… an evaluation from the Creation God of Life?

An appearance that could move even the one described as the epitome of female grace?

Did such a person truly exist? Or was her understanding of “beauty” vastly different from that of ordinary people?

“What name?” Yun Che asked.

Lisha didn’t answer immediately, because the previously vague name only now became clear in her memory, yet it was a name she had already known.

The name slowly emerged from her lips: “Ni… Jie.”

“Uh…?” A sound involuntarily escaped Yun Che’s lips.

The name she spoke was actually the name of Ni Xuan and Jie Yuan’s daughter!

It was also the name of the sole existence in the world, and the only one in the history of Chaos, before Hong’er and You’er separated.

Lisha’s words suddenly sparked a conjecture in Yun Che’s mind…

The one who separated Ni Jie into Hong’er and You’er back then, could it have been… Lisha?

Ni Xuan and Jie Yuan named their daughter “Ni Jie,” not only taking parts of their own names but also wishing that she could reverse the inherent calamities and all future tribulations, ensuring a peaceful life.

But… she ultimately failed to reverse the calamity and instead transformed into Hong’er and You’er.

From another perspective, in that era where all gods and devils were annihilated, wasn’t she successfully born against calamity, reborn as Hong’er and You’er?

With his injuries fully healed and his consciousness no longer hazy, Yun Che stood up. He quickly checked the recently planted Universe Array Core, and after confirming it was safe and sound, he did not linger. Using Abyssal Dust to conceal his aura, he headed back in the direction he came from.

As the Abyssal Dust gradually thinned, the surrounding abyssal beasts no longer posed a threat to him. His speed sharply increased, and he flew directly towards the outer perimeter of the Mist Sea.

He had been in the depths of the Mist Sea for a long time, but now, returning to its outer perimeter, it felt like entering a completely different world. The presence of Abyssal Dust became clearer and much more docile. The abyssal beasts within his spiritual perception… especially those at the Divine Master and Divine Sovereign levels, had abyssal cores so clear they felt as if they were right at his fingertips. With a mere thought, he could command them, without needing to implant a soul mark.

He extended his hand, staring blankly at his palm.

Having benefited from misfortune in the face of near-death, after forcibly controlling the Abyssal Qilin God, his control over Abyssal Dust seemed to have subtly advanced.

He couldn’t help but wonder… would there be a day when abyssal beasts above the Divine Master Realm could also be easily controlled?

And would there be a day when, with a mere thought, all abyssal beasts within his perception range would be at his command?

In the outer perimeter of the Mist Sea, the aura of abyssal beasts diminished, but the aura of profound practitioners increased. For profound practitioners of the Abyss, the Mist Sea was undoubtedly an ideal training ground. Due to the harsh environment, suppressed spiritual senses and profound energy, and abyssal beasts with only destructive desires and no mercy whatsoever, profound practitioners could be dragged into genuine danger and despair at any moment. Danger would stimulate potential, and despair would ignite miracles… As they fought desperately again and again, turning from death to life, not only would their will and temperament be tempered repeatedly, but previously unshakeable bottlenecks would also be assailed again and again, until they finally shattered.

Countless breakthroughs for abyssal profound practitioners were achieved in the Mist Sea. Especially the breakthrough from Half-step Divine Extinction Realm to true Divine Extinction Realm… one who never enters the Mist Sea will very likely remain at Half-step Divine Extinction Realm for life. Like a death-fearing person such as Helian Jue, who only ever stepped into the outermost fringes of the Mist Sea and dared not go any deeper, knowing he would never achieve the Divine Extinction Realm in his lifetime.

Therefore, when he faced the legendary Qilin Bone Spirit Orchid, he naturally became crazed to the point of losing his mind.

However, the vast majority of profound practitioners entering the Mist Sea did so not just for training, but also for Abyssal Stones and Abyssal Crystals.

Abyssal Stones and Abyssal Crystals were considered the common currency of the Abyss, holding a status equivalent to Profound Stones and Profound Crystals in Yun Che’s world, but undoubtedly on a much higher level.

They were formed from mutated, or “dead,” Abyssal Dust and could appear anywhere in the Mist Sea at any time. The power contained within Abyssal Dust itself could not be wielded by abyssal profound practitioners, but the Abyssal Stones and Abyssal Crystals formed from its mutation were at the opposite extreme of gentleness. The power contained within them could not only be easily extracted, but their energy level was also extremely high. They could greatly assist in cultivation, the construction of divine palaces and profound arrays, and even be directly used as energy for profound ships and profound warships.

The early stages of cultivation for abyssal profound practitioners were extremely fast. The density and level of spiritual energy were only one reason. The existence of Abyssal Stones and Abyssal Crystals was the primary cause.

Consequently, countless profound practitioners entered the Mist Sea every year to collect Abyssal Stones and Abyssal Crystals.

Abyssal Stones could be collected relatively easily in the outer perimeter and even the fringes of the Mist Sea. Abyssal Crystals, on the other hand, were extremely purified Abyssal Stones, appearing as hazy grey crystals and extremely rare. The possibility of finding them in the outer perimeter of the Mist Sea was even smaller.

Their value, naturally, far surpassed that of Abyssal Stones. As a medium of exchange, even the most common Abyssal Crystal of equal weight was equivalent to ten thousand times its weight in Abyssal Stones.

In the Mist Sea, where individuals might rely on each other one moment and turn into bitter enemies the next, such fierce battles were often sparked by the discovery of an Abyssal Crystal shimmering with a sinister grey glow.

The vassal states of the Divine Kingdoms were required to pay tribute with large quantities of Abyssal Crystals annually as a condition of their allegiance.

The fastest way to obtain Abyssal Crystals was certainly not by searching deep within the Mist Sea, but by hunting abyssal beasts!

This was because the bodies of abyssal beasts were the most likely places for Abyssal Crystals to form. The higher-grade and older an abyssal beast, the more likely it was to possess Abyssal Crystals.

Furthermore, some extremely powerful abyssal beasts might even possess mutated Abyssal Crystals. Their rarity and value were beyond the imagination of ordinary profound practitioners, existing only as aspirations in various rumors and records.

In addition, before the Abyssal World took shape, the vast Mist Sea buried countless ancient beings interred within the Abyss. The Abyss at that time had already undergone early mutations; although these beings were devoured and annihilated, some ancient profound artifacts and legacies that were either part of their bodies or within their personal spaces were preserved, existing peacefully within the Mist Sea.

Consequently, the Mist Sea also concealed the Abyss’s greatest opportunities. From time to time, ancient profound artifacts would emerge, bringing varying degrees of upheaval to the Abyssal World.

Intense sounds of battle came from Yun Che’s front. He was already accustomed to such noises and didn’t even glance over for a moment.

*Boom!*

A giant boulder shattered, and the figures in fierce combat appeared within Yun Che’s sight.

These were two profound practitioners at Divine Master Realm Level 3, both clad in black clothing suitable for concealing their figures, hunting an abyssal beast at Divine Master Realm Level 1.

With overwhelming strength, and it being a two-on-one fight, these two profound practitioners still attacked without holding back, their faces showing no signs of relaxation.

Because it was an abyssal beast! It knew no fear, felt no pain, left no room for retreat, and would never flee. And in the vast grey mist, other abyssal beasts could appear at any moment. Underestimating them or relaxing in the Mist Sea was tantamount to digging one’s own grave.

*Screech!!*

Two streaks of azure sword light, accompanied by a storm-like roar, sliced horizontally across the Divine Master abyssal beast.

The enraged abyssal beast was cut in half mid-air. Upon landing, its two severed parts twisted frantically, still releasing terrifying destructive power.

The two men had clearly seen this sight countless times. Like thunder, they lunged forward from left and right, their sword lights carrying a storm, instantly tearing the severed abyssal beast into dozens of pieces.

The fragmented abyssal beast was silent, only wisps of dense grey mist slowly rising… And through the mist, a strange gleam flickered in their eyes.

“That… that is!?”

The two hastened forward. Immediately, a grey crystal about half the size of a fist appeared in their sight.

“Abyssal Crystal!” A surprised cry escaped, but he immediately clamped his hand over his mouth.

“At least three jin!” the older profound practitioner whispered, unable to conceal his excitement.

“This single Abyssal Crystal makes this trip to the Mist Sea worthwhile,” the younger profound practitioner grinned. He then grabbed the Abyssal Crystal and placed it in the other’s hand. “Senior Brother, quickly put it away. It’ll be trouble if anyone else sees it.”

The senior brother, however, pushed it back. “This Abyssal Crystal came from the part of the abyssal beast’s remains you destroyed. It should belong to you.”

“Senior Brother!” The younger profound practitioner insisted on placing it in his senior brother’s hand, smiling. “We killed the abyssal beast together, so there’s no ‘it belongs to me’ or ‘it belongs to you.’ But there’s an order of seniority. This first one must go to you. As for the next one, I definitely won’t yield it, and who knows, it might be ten times larger than yours.”

They were fellow disciples from the same sect, with deep affection for each other, and it wasn’t their first time entering the Mist Sea together. They knew full well that what was more terrifying than the abyssal beasts of the Mist Sea was human nature. Since they relied on each other, they had to eliminate any suspicion and greed.

“Alright,” the senior brother smiled, no longer refusing. Just as he was about to put the Abyssal Crystal away, his peripheral vision caught sight of a figure.

He sharply turned his head, looking at Yun Che who was passing by not far away.

An aura of Divine Master Realm Level 2, and he was alone… The tension in his heart immediately eased, and he even took the initiative to speak. “Brother, are you alone?”

The other party spoke, and there was no malice, so Yun Che casually replied, “Yes.”

“Divine Master abyssal beasts often frequent this area, so being alone, Brother, might be too dangerous. I suggest you head to a more peripheral zone. While training and opportunities are important, they are not more valuable than life… Ugh!!”

His words abruptly ceased, and his eyes instantly widened to their fullest.

Yun Che frowned and turned his gaze, only to see an azure sword blade pierce through the man’s body from behind, the storm power it carried cruelly churning his internal organs.

And the one holding the azure sword was his most trusted junior brother.

He slowly turned his eyes, looking at his junior brother’s eyes in disbelief: “You… you…”

But, in his blurring vision, what he saw on his junior brother’s face was not malevolence or ferocity, but a blank stare, his eyes terribly hollow.

“Hehehe!” A wanton and mocking voice rang out from the grey mist behind them. “How does it feel to be stabbed in the back by your most trusted companion? It must be quite wonderful, tsk tsk.”

This voice made Yun Che pause.

And the owner of the voice had already leisurely emerged from the grey mist.

He had a handsome and imposing appearance, a wicked smirk on his lips. His peculiar silver robes, even in the dim Mist Sea, shimmered with an eerie, mercury-like gleam.

It was none other than… Meng Jiezhou!

He was actually in the Mist Sea.

But unlike their first encounter in the Qilin Abyss Realm half a year ago, Meng Jiezhou’s left sleeve was now shriveled and dangling, leaving him with only his right arm.

His cultivation, however, had made no progress, still remaining at the Half-step Divine Extinction Realm.

At this moment, the junior brother’s empty eyes regained focus. He abruptly released his grip on the sword, his body recoiled, and his voice trembled: “No… it wasn’t me, it wasn’t me…”

“Tsk tsk!” Meng Jiezhou shook his head, a sinister smile on his lips, silver light flickering in his eyes as if ensnaring souls. “As a man, how can you not own up to what you’ve done? If you truly feel sorry for your senior brother, why don’t you simply end your own life to atone?”

His nonchalant words were like the whisper of a demon… And the silver glow that flickered in Meng Jiezhou’s eyes now appeared in the younger profound practitioner’s eyes.

He slowly raised his hand, speaking woodenly: “Senior Brother, I’m sorry… I’ll… atone… to you now…”

*Bang!!*

His profound energy imploded, unhesitatingly severing his heart meridians and destroying his internal organs. Blood spurted from his seven orifices, and his body slowly slumped to the ground. After a few breaths, he was silent, only his lifeless eyes remaining wide open, unwilling to close.

“…” Yun Che slowly narrowed his eyes.

The Divine Dream-Weaving Kingdom was skilled in soul power. As the Divine Venerable’s son, Meng Jiezhou’s soul power was something Yun Che had personally experienced in the Qilin Abyss Realm.

“You…” The senior brother, gravely wounded by the sword, was full of pain and despair. He trembled as he raised a hand, pointing at Meng Jiezhou. “It was you… it was you!”

“Noisy,” Meng Jiezhou walked over leisurely. “This young master helped you deal with the one who stabbed you in the back, yet you glare at me. How disheartening. What use is there in keeping an ungrateful person like you?”

*Bang----*

Without Meng Jiezhou appearing to make any move, a massive force slammed into the older profound practitioner’s chest, utterly pulverizing his internal organs.

His utterly lifeless body flew far away, plunging into the Mist Sea an unknown distance away, never to be heard from again.

The Abyssal Crystal bounced from his body and, guided by a wisp of profound energy, floated lightly into Meng Jiezhou’s hand.

He held the Abyssal Crystal between two fingers, raising it to his eyes, seemingly reveling in the unique grey light it refracted.

As the son of a Divine Venerable from a Divine Kingdom, the amount of Abyssal Crystals he had consumed in his cultivation throughout his life was a colossal figure that ordinary people wouldn’t dare dream of.

However, the wonderful sensation of personally acquiring something… especially snatching it from someone else’s hands, was incomparable to merely obtaining it with ease.

Pushing one profound practitioner after another from the immense joy of just obtaining an Abyssal Crystal into the abyss of despair—at that moment, his fingers seemed to connect heaven and hell, an incredibly intoxicating and even corrupting pleasure.

At this point, he slowly turned his gaze, glancing at the other person present with the look of a predator playing with its prey. “Oh? You’re not running? You don’t think… hmm?”

The moment he clearly saw Yun Che, his gaze clearly shifted.

Immediately, he recalled where he had seen this person before, and his sword-like eyebrows instantly furrowed. “It’s you!?”

----Remember this Abyssal Qilin God, and remember the Abyssal Horned Dragon from before. They will be of great use!