Chapter 2035: "Shortcut"

It was true that Meng Jizhou had killed Meng Jianyuan.

Before today, Yun Che had never heard the name Meng Jianyuan. In truth, within the Abyss, the name Meng Jianyuan was known to all, for he had once been the Weaving Dream Divine Son. Meng Jizhou's admission, "I killed Meng Jianyuan," forced out under Yun Che's relentless pressure, was indeed an incredibly damning piece of leverage. For Yun Che to be unaware of Meng Jianyuan's name would certainly be seen as a significant flaw in the eyes of sufficiently astute individuals.

Although Meng Jianyuan was not a legitimate son, he was born to Meng Kongchan, the Sleepless Divine Sovereign, from his newest and most favored concubine. At that time, the other five Divine Nations already had Divine Sons and Daughters who had awakened sufficient divine power, but the Weaving Dream Divine Nation did not. Meng Kongchan's anxiety was palpable. Among all of Meng Kongchan's descendants at the time, Meng Jizhou was one of only two legitimate sons, and he had awakened six-tenths of his divine power. While this didn't meet the eight-tenths "Divine Inheritance" requirement, he was still the best among a less-than-ideal group. Coupled with his high talent in the profound way, he was greatly valued by Meng Kongchan. Divine power was not solely determined by birth. Although it was extremely rare, it was not impossible for one's divine power to awaken later in life. Everyone, including Meng Jizhou himself, hoped for such a miracle to occur, allowing him to awaken to eight-tenths of his divine power and thus become the contemporary Divine Son of the Weaving Dream Divine Nation.

But then, Meng Jianyuan was born… and he awakened eight-tenths of his divine power at birth. Overnight, Meng Kongchan's gloom vanished, replaced by radiant joy. The sound of his laughter was said to have reverberated across the entire Weaving Dream Divine Nation for three days and three nights. All eyes, praise, and expectations within the Weaving Dream Divine Nation then converged upon Meng Jianyuan.

As for Meng Jizhou… his status plummeted without question. Some people, when at their lowest, redouble their efforts. Even if destined to lose, they strive to become stronger, rising to the highest position they can achieve. Others, however, grow agitated and reckless, eventually developing malicious intent… Meng Jizhou was undoubtedly the latter, even if his target bore the future of the Divine Nation, even if the risk was immense, and even if exposure would lead to eternal damnation.

When Meng Jianyuan was ten years old, Meng Kongchan eagerly conferred upon him the title of Weaving Dream Divine Son. From that day forward, no one in the Abyss was unaware of Meng Jianyuan's name. Meng Jizhou's jealousy and hatred for him also reached their peak. As a legitimate son of the Sleepless Divine Sovereign and Meng Jianyuan's closest elder brother, he knew better than anyone Meng Jianyuan's character weaknesses and vulnerabilities in his defenses. He secretly harbored his malicious intent, patiently waiting for the right moment… Finally, on the three-hundredth day of Meng Jianyuan's tenure as the Weaving Dream Divine Son, when he was still not yet eleven years old, Meng Jizhou found the long-awaited opportunity. Under the cover of a secretly obtained Spatial Divine Jade and Meng Jingzhe's Soul-Bewitching art, he personally killed Meng Jianyuan. He even completely destroyed Meng Jianyuan's body, then used Abyssal Dust released from an Abyssal Core to obliterate all remaining traces. The youngest and shortest-lived Divine Son in the history of the Weaving Dream Divine Nation thus perished, without even a trace of flesh and blood remaining, leaving no detectable clues.

During that period, Meng Kongchan was so enraged he was almost driven to madness. He even considered breaking the Weaving Dream Divine Nation's taboo by using the "Weaving Dream" power on his own kin, including his descendants. But ultimately, he was desperately stopped by everyone… The "Weaving Dream" power of the Weaving Dream Divine Nation must not be used on one's own kin. This was an ancestral decree and taboo left by the Grand Ancestor, which absolutely could not be violated. This very taboo became Meng Jizhou's audacious reliance.

With Meng Jianyuan dead, facing Meng Kongchan's rage that several times verged on losing control, Meng Jizhou's fear far outweighed his excitement. What brought him temporary relief was that, since there was no body, everyone—especially Meng Kongchan—clung to a shred of hope that Meng Jianyuan was still alive, relentlessly searching for his whereabouts. Naturally, Meng Jianyuan could not be found, and Meng Kongchan's attention was soon diverted. This was because Meng Jixi, another legitimate son who had always been quiet and unassuming, unexpectedly awakened three-tenths of his divine power later in life, achieving the nine-tenths "Divine Inheritance" status! This surpassed even Meng Jianyuan.

From heaven to hell and back to heaven, Meng Kongchan had experienced such dramatic ups and downs in just over a decade. His level of importance, care, and protection for Meng Jixi was unimaginable. With Meng Jianyuan as a lesson, Meng Kongchan did not hesitate to divide his most important divine soul, leaving a fragment of it within Meng Jixi's soul. At the same time, for the sake of "equal treatment," he also symbolically imprinted soul marks on some other relatively important descendants… Meng Jizhou, as a legitimate son, was naturally among them.

Meng Jixi, having suddenly become the Weaving Dream Divine Son, immediately revealed his true sharpness. The Meng Jixi that Meng Jizhou saw was completely different from the Meng Jixi presented to others. This younger brother, whom he had once looked down upon with disdain, was thousands of times more sinister and ruthless than he was. Meng Jixi gradually crushed all of Meng Jizhou's ambitions into pure fear, until he no longer dared to harbor any thought of contention. Having given up on himself, he no longer harbored ambitions, only an accumulating gloom and a resentment he dared not show in Meng Jixi's presence. Meng Jixi's cultivation and status advanced by leaps and bounds daily, while Meng Jizhou made no further progress, gradually becoming a complete good-for-nothing.

"That's roughly how it went," Yun Che recounted to Lisha, sounding rather bored. The scandalous affairs between the three brothers—Meng Jizhou, Meng Jianyuan, and Meng Jixi—did not strike him as strange in the slightest, nor did they hold any interest for him. What truly piqued his interest was the "Weaving Dream" power of the Meng clan. It was the foundation supporting a great Divine Nation, the strongest soul power in the Abyss.

"Lisha, do you recall anything about this 'Weaving Dream' ability?" he asked tentatively.

"No," Lisha softly replied. "Ancient divine powers, after traversing time and space, may no longer bear their original names."

"Indeed," Yun Che nodded slightly, no longer speculating or probing.

"Your mind was calm when you recounted that just now," Lisha said slowly. "What then caused your previous soul palpitation?"

"Because… in Meng Jizhou's recent memories, I saw someone." Yun Che's eyes narrowed, and he slowly uttered the name: "Hua… Cai… Li!"

To be precise, it wasn't a literal "seeing," but rather Meng Jingzhe had remotely sensed Hua Caili's aura and, like a startled bird, quickly transmitted a message to Meng Jizhou, telling him to evade her as swiftly as possible. This occurred just four days ago. In other words, at least four days prior, Hua Caili was within the Fog Sea. Meng Jizhou's left arm had been severed by Hua Qingying and could not be reattached. Therefore, the one-armed Meng Jizhou undoubtedly harbored intense thoughts about Hua Qingying, and by extension, Hua Caili, who was the cause. In the memories Yun Che had seized, there was much of Meng Jizhou's understanding of the two women.

She… was indeed Hua Caili, the Divine Daughter of the Heaven Severing Divine Nation. And the one secretly protecting her, Sword Immortal Hua Qingying… The foremost individual beneath a True God in the Abyss!? One who could serve as the protector of a Divine Nation's Divine Daughter must naturally be incredibly powerful. But Hua Qingying's renowned name still left Yun Che utterly astounded. An immortal of the sword way, the foremost beneath a True God, cultivating the Unfeeling Sword… just a few words, yet how terrifying. No wonder even someone as strong as Meng Jingzhe was so terrified and disheveled when he dragged Meng Jizhou away in the Qilin Abyss Realm that day.

"Hua Caili?" Lisha's impression of the name was faint; she gradually recalled that it was the Heaven Severing Divine Daughter Yun Che had speculated about, whom they had briefly encountered in the Qilin Abyss Realm half a year ago. "Did your palpitation come from her?"

"Yes!" Yun Che frowned and nodded, his gaze turning toward the deeper reaches of the Fog Sea. "She's in the Fog Sea right now."

Lisha wondered, "You two don't even have a casual acquaintance, so why are you so agitated?"

"Because…" Yun Che said words that Lisha was destined not to understand, "She is the best shortcut I can think of."

"Shortcut?" Unquestionably, Lisha was only more perplexed.

Yun Che slowly explained, "Before me lies the Abyss, which I must overturn. And the time remaining to me is less than fifty years. The Abyssal Emperor established this Abyssal world over millions of years. I, however, must overturn it in less than fifty years. Therefore, I don't merely have the option to take a shortcut; I *must* take a shortcut… by any means necessary!"

"...What exactly is this shortcut you speak of?" Lisha understood Yun Che's predicament and his words, but she simply could not grasp what he meant by "shortcut."

"You'll understand," Yun Che replied after a moment's thought, that being his only answer.

Lisha did not press further, and Yun Che stood silently in place, for a long time saying nothing and making no movements, as if suddenly lost in thought.

"What are you thinking?" Lisha asked again.

Maintaining his thoughtful posture, Yun Che mused, "I'm thinking about how to create curiosity."

"Cu… riosity?" Yun Che's answers that day invariably left her more confused.

"Curiosity is the most important beginning," Yun Che explained casually. "This applies to both men and women… and perhaps even Creation Gods."

"..." Lisha seemed to somewhat grasp Yun Che's intention, but she chose not to respond to his last, clearly superfluous remark.

"Little Lisha," Yun Che said, seemingly asking but actually muttering to himself, "Tell me… how do you make a woman—one of noble birth, with a pure soul, raised in ultimate protection, accustomed to things others covet, and familiar with the most exceptional men in the Abyss—develop sustained curiosity about a particular man?"

"Shouldn't this be your area of expertise?"

"..." Yun Che suddenly looked up, caught off guard by Lisha's reply. On the surface, Lisha had "awakened" only after he entered the Abyss. In reality, before she revealed herself, she had been with him for several years, just like He Ling… observing all his actions without missing a single detail.

Yun Che extended a finger, and the surrounding Abyssal Dust, guided by him, slowly gathered before him to form the words "Heaven Severing." His finger moved again, and another name appeared to the right—"Myriad Manifestations," the name of the strongest among the six Divine Nations. This was also the Devil Queen's habit. Manifesting things visually was often clearer than contemplating them within the soul sea.

He extended his other hand, and between "Heaven Severing" and "Myriad Manifestations," he slowly drew a thin thread with Abyssal Dust. However, he drew this thread very slowly, very reluctantly. It seemed to hold too much fragility, as if a single stray gust of wind could scatter it. Yun Che's brows gradually furrowed. A long time passed in silence, and the thread of Abyssal Dust silently dissipated. He exhaled softly. Just as Yun Che's finger was about to drop, his eyes suddenly snapped open. His fingertip lifted, and another name coalesced… its position was directly between "Heaven Severing" and "Myriad Manifestations."

"Weaving Dream!"

"Meng… Jian… Yuan…" He lightly murmured this name, which had previously held no significance for him. Suddenly, boundless, profound dark profound light erupted from his pupils.

Weaving Dream… What a good name.

Then I shall… weave a beautiful illusion for you all!

His palm swept across, and "Heaven Severing," "Myriad Manifestations," and "Weaving Dream" immediately dispersed, returning to Abyssal Dust.