Chapter 2048: 断心神子

"Buwang," the middle-aged man behind God Venerable Qiheng said, "Why do you act like this?"

"Buwang... Buwang? Hahaha... hahahahaha!" Pan Buwang threw his head back and laughed wildly, letting the wine from the jar pour over him. "Listen to the name the Father God bestowed upon me back then for a God Child. It truly was far-sighted. Now that I've been trampled into the mud, Father God will never again have to worry about me being arrogant or deluded... Heh hahahaha..."

Pan Yusheng's face grew increasingly grim, and a faint dark aura even seemed to rise between his brows. The middle-aged man quickly stepped forward, gesturing to Pan Yusheng to calm his anger, then said, "Buwang, although you are no longer a God Child, your Father God never thought of abandoning you. If he weren't worried about you, why would he have..."

"Shut up, you old coot."

Pan Buwang glanced at him, his twisted lips sneering deeply. "Back then, you swore an oath to assist me with your life, never to abandon me. Yet, when that Pan Buzhuo stepped on my head, you didn't even dare to utter a single fart. Someone of your caliber dares to lecture me? Ptooey!"

A gob of thick phlegm, mixed with pungent alcohol fumes, truly flew towards the two men.

Pan Buwang's name was known to few throughout the entire Abyss.

This was because it was once the name of the God Child of the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom.

Unfortunately, it was "once."

In every era, each of the Six Divine Kingdoms of the Abyss spared no effort to find the next Divine Inheritor. The emergence of a new Divine Inheritor was always the greatest joyous event for a major Divine Kingdom throughout its entire era.

In this generation, several Divine Kingdoms unexpectedly produced more than one Divine Inheritor with awakened divine cores.

For example, the Evernight Divine Kingdom, and the Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom... Even the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom, which had the weakest overall strength and historically the most difficulty producing Divine Inheritors, saw the emergence of a second Divine Inheritor within an extremely short period.

The first was Pan Buwang. His God Child investiture ceremony that year caused a sensation throughout the world; even the Abyss Emperor personally attended... This was an unparalleled honor that the God Children and God Daughters of other Divine Kingdoms would absolutely never receive.

However, in just two thousand years, the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom awakened a second Divine Inheritor.

And their divine core and talent surpassed his.

For any Divine Kingdom, the legacy of a true god is paramount. Undoubtedly, only the most exceptional individual could become the God Child.

The Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom had never before seen an era with two Divine Inheritors. Pan Buwang also became the first God Child in the history of the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom to be deposed.

He had naively believed that the fate of a deposed God Child simply meant a return to his former life... But the reality was that he was trampled into the abyss.

In the past, he possessed the most glorious aura of the Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom, enjoying rights and resources others dared not even dream of. His kinsmen, including his brothers, sisters, and even elders, treated him with utmost reverence, even bowing subserviently.

Yet, when he suddenly fell from the pinnacle, the reverence and flattery once shown by many transformed into an unbearable humiliation for them. They would doubly ridicule, mock, and even trample him, seeking a twisted form of balance.

Furthermore, in the eyes of the new God Child, this former God Child was undoubtedly a threat... Trampling this threat, pushing him into the mud where he could never rise again, was a way to appease the God Child and the future God Venerable of the Owl Butterfly.

"Bastard!"

Pan Yusheng's rage overflowed, and he struck out with a palm.

With a heavy thud, Pan Buwang was violently sent flying, a jet of blood spurting into the air.

Pan Yusheng's hand tightened; he hadn't expected Pan Buwang to offer no resistance whatsoever.

After all, Pan Buwang had once been his most beloved and proud son; how could he truly be utterly heartless? He regretted his action the moment he struck, but as a God Venerable, he couldn't speak softly, so he coldly let out a heavy snort.

Pan Buwang tumbled and crashed to the ground. He lay prone, spitting several mouthfuls of foul-smelling blood, and when he looked up, he let out an even more deranged and sarcastic laugh: "Hehehe... It's truly troublesome for Father God. In your endless busy schedule, you still have to take the time to personally discipline this useless son of yours, hehehehe..."

He spat out flecks of bloody foam with almost every word. Pan Yusheng averted his gaze, his voice softening slightly: "Buwang, I know you feel aggrieved. But the legacy of the Divine Kingdom is paramount; you should understand that..."

"Understand? Of course I understand."

He tremblingly propped himself up. "Stripped of the God Child title, I was unwilling and resentful, but I held no grievances or hatred. Yes, the Divine Kingdom's legacy is paramount. If a more superior Divine Inheritor appeared than me, then he should be the God Child! As a direct inheritor, I should have willingly yielded."

"Those who once respectfully flattered me now pity and mock me; those who once groveled before me wish they could shatter the dignity they once showed me into a thousand times more humiliation... All of this, I can bear. Even if I am not the God Child, I am still a divine core awakener. As long as I work hard enough, my future achievements will surely make them regret their current faces."

He suddenly looked up, his eyes gradually turning as crimson as the bloodstains on his lips. "But... why... why did you harm my mother!"

Pan Yusheng said in a deep voice, "I told you! Your mother died by her own hand, overcome by grief and falling ill from the immense disparity after being stripped of her Divine Empress position. It had nothing to do with anyone... and even less with the Divine Empress."

"Hah hahahaha!" Pan Buwang let out a miserable laugh. "Do you even believe those words yourself!"

"That despicable woman, for Pan Buzhuo, brazenly stole my Four-Phase Demon Crystal and was caught by my mother. Such a grave crime deserved to be announced to the entire clan; nullifying her status and exiling her would not have been excessive."

"But my mother was kind-hearted. As a mother herself, thinking of her maternal heart, she merely ordered her arms to be severed, not publicizing the matter, nor even informing Father God. Yet that despicable woman harbored resentment, and on the very first day she became Divine Empress, she subjected my mother to endless mockery and humiliation..."

His teeth ground together with a "clack-clack" sound. "She certainly couldn't have personally killed my mother. But with her current status, a single word... or even just a glance, would naturally prompt someone to act for her! Father God, do you truly... do you truly know nothing at all!"

"Enough!"

Pan Yusheng didn't want to hear him speak any further. "Whether it is or isn't, to me, and to this Owl Butterfly Divine Kingdom, it is utterly unimportant. You should accept your fate."

"Furthermore," his demeanor and words carried the coldness and heartlessness of a supreme emperor, "Don't think I don't know that your current disgraceful state isn't just because of your mother, but also..."

"That Evernight Divine Maiden Wuqing, who was deposed just like you!"

The three words "Divine Maiden Wuqing" struck Pan Buwang, who had been acting maniacal, like a bolt of lightning, and his half-paralyzed body instantly stiffened.

"As the former God Child of the Owl Butterfly, to abandon yourself to this state for the sake of mere women — by this alone, you are unworthy of the title 'God Child'!"

He let out a heavy snort and, without another glance at Pan Buwang, flicked his sleeve and departed.

After they had walked a considerable distance, the middle-aged man spoke, "Venerable One, Buwang is merely having difficulty coping with the drastic change for now..."

"Don't mention him again." Pan Yusheng abruptly raised a hand. "If he wants to rot, let him rot there completely. There's no need to concern ourselves with him from now on."

"Ah... very well." The middle-aged man nodded. "In that case, it's not entirely a bad thing. At least we won't have to worry about him gaining strength or ambition in the future and contending with Buzhuo, causing unpredictable instability."

Pan Yusheng remained silent, acknowledging these words.

After God Venerable Qiheng departed, Pan Buwang completely collapsed there, motionless and silent for a long time, like a cold corpse drunk to death.

Only, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and tears spilled from the corners of his eyes.

Wuqing... Wuqing...

Your name is Wuqing, and the world says you are the Evernight Demoness, never to be approached...

But... when I fell from the peak into the dust, everyone pitied me, mocked me, humiliated me... my brothers, sisters, elders, those I once thought were my closest friends, even Father God... they all changed...

Yet only you looked at me with eyes unchanged from before... only you extended your hand to me in the mire... only you were willing to believe that my mother was harmed by that despicable woman...

When I was shocked to hear that you, like me, were deposed, I felt nine parts shock and pain, yet also one part ignoble glee. Because as fellow deposed individuals, there would no longer be the same obstacles between us as before.

But why...

Did you just... forever...

Wuqing... Wuqing... Are you truly ruthless...?

Between you and me, was it always destined to be merely a pathetic illusion...?

Dream...

His cloudy eyes slowly regained a little focus.

He slowly rose, his movements as stiff as a piece of dragged driftwood.

Dream... Dreamweaving...

He raised his head, looking distractedly into the distance. There, lay the Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom.

Even if it's a dream. Wuqing, just let me see you one last time...

Yun Che sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes closed in concentration. With Hua Caili beside him, he could relax his guard.

During this time traveling with Hua Caili, he no longer cultivated. When meditating, he silently perceived the flow of Abyssal Dust, imperceptibly deepening his harmony with it.

However, this process was utterly undetectable and incomprehensible to others.

"Young Master Yun! I seem to have gained another insight, quickly come practice with me!"

The maiden's voice, like a heavenly melody, sounded in his ears. Immediately, his wrist was grasped by a smooth, jade-like snow-white hand, pulling him up from the ground.

Her movements were utterly fluid, completely natural.

The maiden danced like a butterfly, lightly thrusting her Liuyun Sword towards Yun Che. The silent sword strike, however, concealed a thousand layers of sword intent. With joy and excitement, she eagerly showed Yun Che another small breakthrough in her Heaven-Folding Sword art.

Yun Che's lips curved slightly. Without a word, he sent his Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword crashing out, responding to the thousand-fold variations with unwavering broad and open movements.

After breaking the "taboo" for the first time, the "bottom line" would subtly recede with each subsequent instance, until it became natural.

Such was Hua Caili's interaction with Yun Che.

During this period, for about half an hour each day, she would tightly grip Yun Che's arm, trying to perceive the so-called "Void Sword Intent" that endlessly captivated her.

Now, she, who had been protected to the utmost from every hair on her head since childhood, could naturally use her hand to pull Yun Che over to practice swordplay with her.

Heavy sword and light sword, a clash of strength and profundity, stirred up magnificent sword light and roaring storms in the dim space.

Hua Qingying watched in silence. These past few days, she had clearly felt that Hua Caili's progress in sword dao had noticeably accelerated since traveling with Yun Che.

Could it be that the sword intent she perceived from Yun Che truly held some wondrous benefit?

Sword cries pierced the ears. Yun Che's rampant sword might was split into hundreds of fragments, transforming into swirling currents that scattered and impacted, lifting the hems of both their robes high.

Their sword tips met, and their gazes locked across the blades. Hua Caili's eyebrows curved, and she smiled sweetly, "How is it? Are there many more layers of changes than yesterday?"

Instead of receiving the affirmation and praise Yun Che was always generous with, the Yun Che before her simply stared, unresponsive to her words, as if lost in thought.

Hua Caili froze, then suddenly realized something and quickly reached for her face... but did not feel the layer of misty veil she had long grown accustomed to.

In the previous clash, her misty veil had been swept away by a stray wisp of sword wind, flying off to an unknown location.

The face of the number one Divine Maiden of the Abyssal World was thus revealed before Yun Che, so close and completely uncovered.

He stared in a daze, murmuring, "I finally know what the moon in the sky is... and snow among the clouds..."

Unable to find her misty veil, the maiden's snow-white, jade-like hand instinctively covered her lips. But her fluster was unexpectedly brief; she moved her hand away and smiled faintly as before, gazing steadily into the man's eyes, her beautiful eyes shimmering with unique brilliance. "Such lovely praise, it's the first time I've heard it, hehe, as expected of Young Master Yun."

She was already accustomed to people being captivated by her appearance and praising her.

But this particular instance felt subtly different.

A feeling of joy... that she had seemingly never experienced before?

Yun Che hastily averted his gaze, and his Heaven Smiting Sword also rested diagonally on the ground. He seemed to suppress the slight disarray in his heart before sincerely saying, "I knew early on that Sister Cai must possess a celestial beauty, but I never imagined it would be... it would be..."

It was as if, for a moment, he couldn't find any words to describe her beauty and his astonishment.

"Young Master Yun is the truly handsome one," she responded with a smiling praise, her words equally sincere and flawless.

At least, among all the men she had seen in her life, the only one who could surpass Yun Che in appearance was her most revered Uncle, the Abyss Emperor, after her own family.

Yun Che chuckled and shook his head, praising deeply, "How could my mortal appearance possibly compare... to Sister Cai's divine grace? Had I not seen Sister Cai, I would never in my entire life have imagined that a woman could be so beautiful... that even miracles wouldn't suffice to describe it."

Hua Caili giggled softly. With a flick of her jade hand, the drifting misty veil was brought back into her grasp. Instead of re-covering her face, she put it away directly. Then, she leaned forward, moving a little closer to Yun Che, and smiled playfully, "Then Young Master Yun can look at me more every day, and also use these strange words to praise me more, hehe."

Yun Che also laughed. "This is likely an honor that all men in the world could only dream of, never daring to hope for."

As Hua Caili leaned forward, the crimson sword glow of the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword was reflected in her beautiful eyes. Her gaze shifted slightly, and she suddenly asked, "Young Master Yun, I've always wanted to ask, the aura of your sword is very peculiar, unlike any other sword I've encountered. What is its name?"

Yun Che answered without hesitation, "This is a sword bestowed by my master, its name is 'Yunli'."

"Eh!?" Hua Caili abruptly looked up, her slightly widened beautiful eyes filled with confusion.