Chapter 2056: Caili

A stream of light and a myriad of sword gleams instantly severed all life from the Divine Annihilation Qilong. Its dragon body collapsed like crumbling shale, scattering into flat pieces across the ground.

Hua Qingying descended from the sky. Without even glancing at the Deep Abyss Qilong, she teleported to Hua Caili's side. Sensing Hua Caili's extremely faint, but no longer death-bound, life force, Hua Qingying's heart instantly relaxed, as if reborn after a catastrophe.

Too preoccupied to notice Yun Che, Hua Qingying extended a finger. Extremely gentle profound light gathered at its tip, aiming for Hua Caili's chest. However, the moment her fingertip touched Hua Caili's body, she recoiled as if shocked. What she felt at her fingertip was an abnormally searing heat. Before she could register her surprise, in that fleeting instant, she clearly saw Hua Caili's cheeks and all exposed skin rapidly turn a progressively alluring rosy pink.

Her moon-like brows furrowed slightly. Hua Qingying's finger descended again, and a wisp of extremely gentle profound energy quickly coursed through Hua Caili's entire body. What she perceived was an omnipresent burning heat. Even Hua Caili's half-opened eyes, weak yet unnaturally glazed, seemed not to recognize Hua Qingying, despite her close proximity.

"This... is..."

"It's that... Qilong's blood... Quickly... Save her..." A faint, anxious voice reached her ears.

Hua Qingying glanced over, only then noticing that Yun Che's complexion was also abnormal, even redder than Hua Caili's. Even from that distance, she could sense his aura burning like fire.

Qilong? She looked at the dragon corpse she had shattered. Everywhere she looked, she saw Qilong characteristics.

Dragon blood is uniquely aphrodisiacal, and Qilong's is the most potent... This seemingly insignificant record about the dragon race, one she had never truly paid attention to, suddenly flashed into her memory. Dragon blood is extremely yang, not a poison, but in some respects, it is more terrifying than poison. Therefore, to describe it as an aphrodisiacal toxin is not an exaggeration.

However, no matter how aphrodisiacal or potent the dragon blood, it posed no threat to individuals at their level. Even if the blood of a Divine Annihilation Qilong stained them, Divine Masters and Divine Sovereigns could easily neutralize and dispel it. But Hua Caili was gravely wounded; let alone dispelling it, she couldn't even offer the slightest resistance. As the Qilong blood poured over her, it instantly invaded her entire body.

"So that's it," Hua Qingying murmured, a sense of relief washing over her. With a light twist of profound light at her fingertip, she gently covered Hua Caili's heart.

One breath... two breaths... That wisp of gentle profound light remained stagnant at Hua Qingying's fingertip. She seemed to have suddenly frozen there... After a moment, her fingertip began to tremble slightly. Hua Caili was too weak. The Qilong blood had spread throughout her body without the slightest impediment, penetrating her blood, meridians, and even her soul sea. She wasn't just severely injured; her breath was fleeting, teetering on the edge of life and death.

In this state, if she were to forcefully dispel it with external power... Before the aphrodisiacal toxin was gone, her last vital energy would dissipate first! How could... this happen...? If she had retained even a shred of resistance, she wouldn't have been eroded to this extent... If only her injuries were slightly lighter... just a little...

With a slight gritting of her teeth, the profound light at her fingertip finally entered Hua Caili's body... but the next instant, it sharply recoiled. She dared not make another move. If she restored her injuries first, the aphrodisiacal toxin would erupt, and the consequences... If she forcefully dispelled it, it was highly likely...

"Senior..." Yun Che's voice reached her ears again. Her hesitation seemed to ignite his urgency, each word rushed: "Save her... quickly save her... she has no resistance now... if you don't save her... her heart and soul will be corroded..."

"Shut up!" Hua Qingying's mind grew increasingly chaotic. In this world, no one wanted to save Hua Caili more than she did. She had just miraculously survived a catastrophe, yet in the blink of an eye, she was in such a helpless situation again.

Suddenly, something occurred to her. She looked at Yun Che: "Can your profound light energy..." The moment her gaze met Yun Che's, the rest of her words died in her throat. Her attention had been solely on Hua Caili. Only now did she realize Yun Che's injuries were terrifyingly severe. Had he not possessed the Dragon God's bloodline, such injuries would have been fatal to anyone else. Just now, when he pierced the Qilong with his sword, he was doused in far more Qilong blood than Hua Caili. With his severe injuries and weakness, he also had no power to resist, meaning the invasion would be even more severe for him than for Hua Caili. In such a state, how could he possibly activate profound light energy...? If he could, he would have already started healing himself.

She picked up Hua Caili, then looked around in a daze. The silent world seemed to spin in chaotic circles, leaving her directionless. The breaths from Hua Caili's lips grew hotter and hotter, yet they could not dispel the soul-piercing chill in Hua Qingying's heart. In this situation, could the only way to resolve it truly be through the merging of Yin and Yang...?

No... she is Caili, the daughter of her brother and Wanxin... the Divine Maiden of the Heaven Punishing Divine Kingdom... she is... How could this be...? How could this be...? But besides this, what other way is there...? What other method could possibly save her...? The painful helplessness morphed into an increasingly intense dizziness, blurring her vision. Her mind felt as though it had plunged into a raging, sky-covering tempest, turbulent and disoriented.

"Young... Master... Yun..." The maiden's dreamy murmur instantly shattered Hua Qingying's tottering mental defenses. Her figure swayed slightly. She already stood before Yun Che, holding Hua Caili. Looking at the man drenched in blood before her, two hoarse words slowly spilled from between her teeth: "Save... her!" These two words were not as difficult as she had anticipated. For every drop of blood in his body had been shed for Hua Caili.

Yun Che was stunned. He quickly understood Hua Qingying's intention. He struggled to retreat, his voice weak yet resolute: "No... She is a Divine Maiden... and already betrothed... How can I tarnish her purity! Senior's heavenly might is like that of a god, you can surely save her!"

This compliment, at this moment, sounded to Hua Qingying like nothing but deep self-reproach and irony. Yet, facing Hua Caili, a Divine Maiden of world-shattering beauty, his reaction was refusal... This, to some extent, counteracted the painful struggle in Hua Qingying's heart. Her chest heaved, her words laced with hidden pain: "So, you'd rather watch her suffer eternal soul damage and wish for death her entire life?!"

"..." Yun Che froze, his eyes sometimes losing their luster, sometimes struggling.

Hua Caili was placed by Yun Che's knees. Hua Qingying abruptly turned away: "You at least have the Dragon God's bloodline. Though gravely wounded, you... surely have some residual power." Although she was trying her best to control it, even she could clearly perceive the tremor in her voice: "If you don't save her, I will kill you right now!"

Before Yun Che could respond, she ascended into the air, and simultaneously, a two-way isolation barrier descended, enveloping the space where Yun Che and Hua Caili were. The moment the barrier formed, Hua Qingying sharply turned again. Her fingers trembled in mid-air before she finally withdrew them, flying towards the high sky without looking back.

Whizz! Countless chaotic and fierce sword gleams descended, destroying the already shattered Deep Abyss Qilong, reducing it to countless tiny fragments. To prevent Hua Qingying from investigating the Deep Abyss Qilong's blood, he had poured most of the pure Qilong blood into its dragon body. Clearly, he had been overly cautious. How could the former Divine Maiden of Heaven Punishing, now the Ruthless Sword Immortal, possibly be interested in familiarizing herself with a mere Qilong? Had her soul power not been exceptional, the record about "dragon blood being uniquely aphrodisiacal, Qilong's the most potent" would have long faded from her awareness.

Lisha sealed her perception at the opportune moment. He had succeeded. Having entered the Deep Abyss for less than a year, and with a Divine Master Realm level three cultivation, he had twice forced Sword Immortal Hua Qingying—the foremost individual beneath the gods in the Deep Abyss—into a "desperate situation." Especially the second time, the timing of the Deep Abyss Qilong's appearance, Hua Caili's injuries, and his own injuries, all were perfectly timed... effectively forcing Hua Qingying, who possessed Divine Extremity power, to have no other choice. To plot to this extent... he must have been exhausted.

***

Senluo Divine Kingdom.

Dian Jiuzhi wore a plain, unadorned, solid-colored long robe, yet due to his regal and elegant demeanor as the First Divine Son of the Six Kingdoms, it rendered even the finest jade brocade dim by comparison. Here, there was no Abyss Dust. The clear spring water was mirror-like, and its sound rippled gently. Dian Jiuzhi stood bathed in the sound of the spring, quietly gazing at his palm. He often stood here like this, for very long periods each time. In his palm rested a Rainbow Cloud Branch, meticulously protected by profound light. Its diminutive stem bore Rainbow Cloud petals distinctly larger than usual. The same place, the same posture, the same Rainbow Cloud Branch, enshrining the same memories and thoughts.

His head was brutally kicked into the mud. Just as he struggled to rise, a foot stomped down hard, an irresistible force rendering him immobile, leaving only the pain and humiliation he had long grown accustomed to. Harsh mockery and humiliation assailed his ears.

"You ugly thing, how dare you come to this place? Don't tell me you're here to sneak a peek at Divine Maiden Caili?"

"Pah! Big-Head Dian, don't you have a mirror, or even your own piss? Divine Maiden Caili is such a figure; if she were scared by an ugly thing like you, being beaten half to death wouldn't be the issue, you'd also implicate us and make us lose face with you!"

He gave up struggling, only able to wait helplessly and pathetically for the foot on his head to move away voluntarily. Because struggling would only result in more brutal beatings and humiliation.

In truth, they weren't wrong. He had indeed come here for a distant glimpse of the legendary Divine Maiden Caili. Legend had it that she possessed the Heaven Punishing Divine Kingdom's only perfect Divine Soul in its history. Legend also said that though young, her beauty was already unparalleled, surpassing even Sword Immortal Hua Qingying, and would be unimaginable once she matured. It was said that the Abyss Emperor himself praised her as a miracle of the Deep Abyss and a treasure of Heaven Punishing.

He heard that Divine Venerable Hua Xin had brought her back from the Pure Land, making a detour to visit Divine Venerable Jieluo. Filled with endless curiosity and longing, he had secretly come, hoping for a distant glance... but they discovered him, leading to another round of lessons and humiliation. They were his kinsmen by blood, his brothers, all sons of Divine Venerable Jieluo. Though blood brothers, he was their plaything... even their disgrace.

Because his appearance was peculiar. Of medium height, his head was notably large, almost as wide as his shoulders, appearing ugly and grotesquely flattened, with his facial features unpleasantly distorted. He had no name, for all his kinsmen only called him "Big-Head Dian" or "Ugly Thing." They considered him a disgrace, a freak born into their clan. He grew up accustomed to bullying. His father god never spared him a glance, and even his own mother found him repulsive and kept her distance. Naturally, he became used to self-abasement and dared not raise his head. Yet, the small spark of defiance and unwillingness to yield within him spurred him to cultivate diligently... But his talent, among all his kinsmen, was also at the bottom, crushing his only hope of gaining dignity. His desire to glimpse the rumored Divine Maiden Caili also stemmed from his deep longing for beauty in the world.

He closed his eyes, letting them stomp and jeer. He was long numb to their insulting words.

"What are you doing? Why are you bullying him?"

He opened his eyes, his consciousness momentarily dazed. He had never heard such a beautiful voice, like the clear springs in a secluded valley or ethereal immortal melodies described in books...

"Cai... Divine Maiden Caili..." Disoriented, terrified, and incredulous voices rang out. The imperial princes who were bullying him seemed to have had their throats squeezed, their demeanor becoming timid and weak, their words stammering. The foot on his head hastily moved away, then stood frozen nearby, not daring to move for a long time. Though all children of Divine Venerables, the status of an Imperial Prince/Princess and a Divine Son/Maiden was vastly different, like heaven and earth.

He rose in a daze, and the moment his gaze lifted, his world suddenly blurred. It was a girl in white robes, fourteen or fifteen years old, still young and undeveloped. But the moment his gaze met hers, the entire world seemed to lose its luster, and his understanding of beauty utterly collapsed and shattered. He had often imagined what kind of grace Divine Maiden Caili possessed to earn such praise from the Abyss Emperor. Only now did he realize that the so-called "miracle" and "treasure" were merely the pinnacle of the world's laudatory words, and in her presence, they were but pale and dim.

Lost in a trance for a long time, he suddenly lowered his head again, not daring to look further, as profound self-loathing, like an overwhelming deluge of mud, engulfed him.

"Your attire and aura clearly indicate you are kinsmen. This place is near the Senluo Divine Hall; if Divine Venerable Jieluo knew you were bullying your own kinsman, he would certainly punish you." The girl rebuked them, but without any intimidation; only an ethereal immortal melody resonated through his soul.

The imperial princes showed fear. Their leader quickly said, "This person... this person is Big-Head Dian, the most notorious one in our clan, and Father God dislikes him the most. He secretly approached today, and we were afraid his ugly appearance would disturb Divine Maiden Caili, so we... we just gave him a small lesson. We hope Divine Maiden Caili is not angry and please, please don't tell Father God."

"Big-Head Dian?" The girl was slightly taken aback, her gaze turning to him: "Is that... truly your name?" He felt the girl's gaze but dared not meet it. Instead, he bowed his head even deeper... then nodded slightly. He had long forgotten what his original name was. He was long accustomed to being humiliated, but at this moment, revealing his ugliness even further before this dreamlike maiden, his soul still trembled, almost shattering. His ten fingers, with nowhere to rest, had already pierced deep into his clothes.

Though she had received his response, the girl clearly didn't fully believe him. She turned her gaze, speaking in as indignant a tone as possible: "Since you know you were wrong, then quickly get out of here!"

"Ah... yes, yes, yes, we'll leave now, we'll leave now." Facing the Heaven Punishing Divine Maiden, how could they dare disobey? They retreated repeatedly, wanting to look up but not daring to, and soon obediently moved far away.

He stood rooted to the spot, at a loss. The girl, however, did not immediately leave. Instead, she turned to him. "This... Big-Head Brother, here, take this." He looked up, bewildered and dazed, seeing a streak of white light floating before him. It was a Rainbow Cloud Branch that only grew in the Pure Land. Its small stem bore Rainbow Cloud petals distinctly larger than usual. He instinctively reached out but then dared not touch it, remaining frozen in mid-air.

"This is a Rainbow Cloud Branch I picked from the Pure Land. When Granny Lingxian allowed me to pick, the first one I noticed was this one. Because it had the very biggest Rainbow Cloud petals blossoming." The girl curved her lips into a smile: "So, Big-Head Brother, you are special too. Your uniqueness is a mark that sets you apart from others, preventing you from being ordinary. Please, don't look down on yourself because of it. They bully you because of your appearance; that is a flaw in their character, not your fault. You must not give up on yourself because of it. Perhaps... one day in the future, your uniqueness, like this Rainbow Cloud Branch, will grant everyone the most stunning bloom."

The girl left... Faced with his ugly appearance, she had only a momentary surprise at first, but never even the slightest hint of revulsion or pity. He stood there in a daze. After a long while, he used trembling hands to carefully cup the small Rainbow Cloud Branch. The girl didn't know that her simple, natural act of kindness had utterly transformed his entire life. From that moment, his world gained light, purpose, and obsession. He cultivated desperately, enduring all manner of mockery and humiliation. He resolved to become powerful at any cost... solely so that one day, he might be worthy of a distant glance at her. Until one day, his head resonated with a roar, and his Divine Soul awakened...

The memory, having been replayed countless times, meticulously resurfaced before his eyes once more. Until his death, he would never forget every single moment, every fleeting instant of that first encounter. Dian Jiuzhi brought his hands together, gently and meticulously putting away the Rainbow Cloud Branch. In his heart, he softly murmured the vow he had secretly sworn countless times:

Caili, the rest of my life, my entire life, my name as Divine Son, everything I possess, exists solely to protect you. In this life, I will absolutely not allow anyone to harm you in the slightest... Otherwise, even for the smallest injury, I will ensure they fall into eternal damnation and regret this life forever!