Chapter 2081: Forced Soul

The God Child Hall buzzed with activity.

Piles of artifacts, decorations, and crystal stones were flown in from various directions. Figures, one after another, arrived cautiously, suppressing their auras. Even in their busy movements, they were light-footed, fearing they might make too much noise.

Upon seeing Yun Che, they would prostrate themselves in salute from a great distance. If Yun Che didn't speak, they wouldn't dare to stand up, let alone lift their heads.

Beneath the Pure Land, the Divine Kingdom was, after all, the highest plane of existence in this world.

"Hahahahaha," Meng Kongchan's hearty laughter echoed from afar. "Yuan'er, I hope I didn't startle you?"

He stood beside Yun Che, looking with satisfaction at the God Child Hall, which was being densely furnished. He chuckled, "Yuan'er, since you've returned safely, this God Child Hall must also become lively."

Yun Che bowed, neither servile nor overbearing, saying, "Senior Divine Master, perhaps... you should still address me as Yun Che."

"Oh!" Meng Kongchan waved a hand. "If you don't call me Father God, I won't call you Yun Che. It's perfectly fair."

Yun Che could only show a helpless expression. "This... very well. Your junior will comply with your wishes."

At this moment, nearly two to three hundred figures flew in from the east in perfect formation. Upon nearing the God Child Hall, they immediately descended, their footsteps becoming exceptionally light and cautious. From thirty zhang away, everyone bowed in unison. The leader, with a majestic aura, spoke with a resonant voice: "Your humble subordinate, Lu Laisheng, greets Your Holiness and Young Master Yuan."

"Mm." Meng Kongchan nodded slightly and said to Yun Che, "This man is the Deputy Commander of the Security Department in the eastern region of my Divine Kingdom. But from today onwards, he and his subordinates will all guard this God Child Hall and will only obey your commands."

Lu Laisheng immediately said, "From today onwards, Lu Laisheng belongs to Young Master Yuan. I will not hesitate to face a myriad of deaths to fulfill any command."

Yun Che felt a slight headache. In truth, he would rather this vast God Child Hall be occupied by him alone... Clearly, this was not realistic.

"Rise, and then each find your positions," Yun Che said lightly. "As for the arrangements, Commander Lu can decide; there's no need to ask me."

"Yes!" Lu Laisheng immediately responded, then stood up without delay and quickly sent people away.

Soon after, groups of figures arrived one after another. But this time was very different; they were all young men and women, appearing to be even under twenty years old. Their expressions were mostly fearful and timid, and their auras varied, with a significant portion clearly not from the Divine Kingdom.

Meng Kongchan said with a smile, "These will all be your servants and maids from now on. They will attend to your daily life and obey all your commands. Although they are servants, their backgrounds and aptitudes are extraordinary, and they are all new recruits this year, having never served anyone else."

To enter the Divine Kingdom was a dream for countless Abyssal profound practitioners... even if it meant becoming the lowest-ranking person.

Meng Kongchan secretly glanced at Yun Che's expression, then said to the several women at the very front whose beauty clearly surpassed the others, "The few of you, come and meet your future master."

Those from the lower ranks had never imagined facing a Divine Master so closely. However, being handpicked individuals, the several young women at the front did not lose their composure, maintaining perfect posture as they stepped forward as instructed.

"Your humble maid, Liu Zhanyi, greets Young Master Yuan. From now on, Zhanyi's life will only be lived for Young Master alone."

The young woman's posture was respectful, and her appearance was exquisite. Although she was a maid, her every word and action carried an undeniable noble air.

"'Clothes dampened by apricot blossom rain,' what a beautiful name," Yun Che praised. "Where are you from?"

This "Young Master Yuan" was not only exceptionally handsome and lacked any arrogance in his demeanor, but even his voice was so gentle, and he didn't hesitate to praise her, a mere maid. Most of her apprehension instantly melted into warmth, and she replied, "Your maid comes from the Flowing Bright Realm, north of the Divine Kingdom, and is the thirty-ninth princess of the Flowing Bright Imperial Family. To be able to dedicate the rest of my life to Young Master Yuan is Zhanyi's greatest fortune."

A princess of an imperial family, yet willing to be a maid in the Divine Kingdom... This was the Abyssal Divine Kingdom created by Yuan Chen.

The second young woman also gracefully stepped forward. "Your maid, Shangguan Helu, from the Nine Chiefs Domain, greets Young Master Yuan..."

The third young woman was noticeably less reserved than the others. Her beautiful eyes curiously assessed Yun Che, with curiosity far outweighing any timidity. She stepped forward gracefully and bowed with a slight curtsy. "Your maid, Meng Zhiyuan, from the East City lineage, greets Divine Son Meng."

The surname "Meng" proved she was from the Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom. But her form of address made Yun Che momentarily stunned.

"Hahahahaha!" Meng Kongchan burst into laughter. "This girl is quite clever."

"Divine Son Yuan?" Yun Che frowned.

Meng Kongchan said, "Before coming here, I, your father, just issued an order to re-establish you as the Divine Son of my Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom. The enthronement ceremony will be seven days from now. But you don't need to worry; just wait. You don't need to do anything."

"But..."

As soon as Yun Che spoke, Meng Kongchan interrupted him. He said meaningfully, "You need an identity that matches that girl. Moreover, having two Divine Sons is not uncommon, and it won't nullify Jianxi's position."

Yun Che's subsequent words remained unspoken. He merely nodded slightly. "Alright, then I shall follow Senior's words."

Divine Son of Dreamweaving...

This should have been the most difficult part of his plan. But before he even began, he was... forced to get his wish?

Seven days from now... it was as if someone was more anxious about it than he was!

At this moment, Meng Kongchan suddenly reined in his smile, and his gaze shifted upwards.

The figure of an old man slowly emerged. As he drew near, Yun Che's soul strings violently throbbed.

What a powerful aura!

Without releasing any profound energy, he still exuded such a heavy sense of oppression... His cultivation level should be at least late-stage Demigod.

However, when this terrifying old man, who suddenly made Yun Che feel soul pressure, landed, he actually knelt on both knees... and his knees were not facing Meng Kongchan, but Yun Che.

"This sinful slave... greets Divine Son Yuan. To see Divine Son Yuan unharmed in this life, I would have no regrets even if I died ten thousand times."

His voice carried a heavy sorrow and grief. As his words fell, his head slammed directly to the ground, creating an incredibly heavy sound of prostration.

Yun Che looked at Meng Kongchan, only to see Meng Kongchan's brows tightly furrowed and his expression slightly grim. "Yuan'er, he was the guardian I chose for you after your birth. Even his name was changed to 'Shou Yuan' (Guardian of Yuan)."

"This was the highest trust and honor I, your father, bestowed. But he... failed to protect you, causing you to suffer calamity a hundred years ago. If not for a heaven-sent miracle, you and I, father and son, would never have met again in this life."

Meng Shouyuan pressed his head into the ground, his voice hoarse. "This old slave knows... that I deserve ten thousand deaths."

"You indeed deserve ten thousand deaths," Meng Kongchan said coldly. "But I spared your life, allowing you to live until today with your guilt. And now... I grant you a second chance, a second trust!"

Meng Shouyuan slowly raised his head, blood streaming from his forehead. His parched lips parted, and each word came from his soul. "Your Holiness's grace is something this old slave can never repay, even in ten thousand lifetimes. I will dedicate my remaining life to protecting Divine Son Yuan with my life... If there is any further mistake or oversight, I will end my own life to atone."

"Senior, please rise," Yun Che said. "The ambush back then was clearly premeditated and difficult to guard against; it was not your fault. I am now safe and sound, so you need not blame yourself anymore."

Tears welled in Meng Shouyuan's eyes, and he bowed deeply again. "Divine Son Yuan's heart is as vast as the abyss, making this old slave... even more ashamed."

"From now on, you shall secretly guard Yuan'er's side, holding his safety as your highest belief. Beyond his safety, do not disturb him. You may withdraw now."

Meng Shouyuan stood up and slowly retreated. In an instant, he vanished from sight, his whereabouts unknown.

Meng Kongchan said to Yun Che, "Although Meng Shouyuan failed to protect you back then, in truth... you were in your mother's bedchamber at the time, and he couldn't approach, which is why you were ambushed. In terms of cultivation, throughout the entire Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom, apart from me, the nine Dream Palace Masters, and the Grand Palace Master, he and the Valley Master of the Deep Dream Valley are the strongest."

"Level nine of the Divine Extinction Realm. With his remaining lifespan, it's not entirely impossible for him to reach the Divine Extremity Realm before his life ends."

Yun Che: "..."

"So, you can rest assured," Meng Kongchan patted Yun Che's shoulder. "I, your father, will absolutely not allow... what happened back then to be repeated!"

Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom, Empress's Palace.

Meng Jianxi arrived in a hurry and respectfully bowed. "Your son greets Mother Empress. May I know why Mother Empress summoned me?"

On the phoenix couch, a woman with a graceful figure but cold, piercing eyes slowly rose. She looked at Meng Jianxi, her eyebrows tightly knit. "Meng Jianyuan has returned. It's only his first day back, and your Father God has already issued an edict to make him the second Divine Son of Dreamweaving... Jianxi, aren't you worried at all?"

The Empress of the Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom, birth mother of Meng Jianxi and Meng Jianzhou – Meng Xuanjue.

Meng Jianxi's expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, "Your son already knows about this matter."

"Since you know, what do you intend to do?" Meng Xuanjue's gaze was authoritative, and her aura pressured his soul.

Meng Jianxi had not seen her in such a state for many years. Clearly, Meng Jianyuan's return and the news of his enthronement as Divine Son had made her utterly restless.

"Mother Empress, please calm yourself," Meng Jianxi stepped forward and helped his mother sit down. "Your son personally witnessed Father God's joy upon seeing Meng Jianyuan, as well as the extreme doting he showed, just like back then. This doting, combined with guilt and a touch of impulsiveness from extreme joy... Father God making such a decision, though unexpected, is understandable upon closer thought."

"Understandable? What a joke!" Meng Xuanjue sharply lifted her head, her gaze piercing her son. "Answer me directly, what do you intend to do?"

Meng Jianxi slowly said, "Meng Jianyuan's current cultivation is only at level three of the Divine Sovereign Realm, a vast difference from your son's. He has just returned to the Divine Kingdom, with no foundation, and not even any memories of the Divine Kingdom... In other words, he has nothing but Father God's temporary favor and guilt."

"Therefore, in your son's opinion, Father God's actions are merely to compensate and express his guilt. Even if Meng Jianyuan is crowned with the title of 'Divine Son,' it will be a name without substance, and in time, he will become an awkward joke."

"In other words," Meng Jianxi's expression was resolute, "neither Meng Jianyuan himself nor his enthronement as Divine Son is worthy of your son's concern."

Meng Xuanjue slammed the table and stood up, her formerly beautiful face contorted into a somewhat terrifying grimace. "After you awakened your Divine Core and became the Divine Son of Dreamweaving, I, your mother, repeatedly reminded you to be vigilant in times of peace, to prepare for a rainy day, and to eradicate problems at their root. Have you forgotten all of that?!"

"Your son would not dare to forget!" Meng Jianxi hastily bowed. "It's just that..."

"No 'just that'!" Meng Xuanjue's voice was sharp. "Back then, with your maternal grandfather and uncle overseeing the Nine Dream Palaces, I always thought my position as Empress was as solid as a mountain, unshakeable by anyone."

"But ever since Meng Jianyuan was born, your Father God not only treated him like a treasure, but even that harlot who gave birth to Meng Jianyuan... the way your Father God looked at her was tens of thousands of times gentler than how he looked at me!"

"She was just a harlot from an outer domain with a low-ranking surname!"

"When Meng Jianyuan was seven, your Father God didn't hesitate to use immense resources to build a God Child Hall for him. When he was ten, he was enthroned as Divine Son, and in that very year, the news that the Empress's position would soon change grew stronger by the day, something even your maternal grandfather and uncle couldn't suppress!"

Meng Xuanjue let out a cold laugh. "Even after that God Child Hall was built, even if it lay desolate, your Father God never allowed you to set foot in it! Now that Meng Jianyuan has returned, your Father God wishes he could cram all the best things from the entire Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom into it!"

"What if you are the legitimate son? What if you are the true Divine Son? What if your maternal grandfather is Meng Zangji, and your maternal uncle is Meng Xuanji? What if your talent and Divine Core are superior to Meng Jianyuan's? Some things only happen once in a lifetime; your Father God gave them to Meng Jianyuan, and he can never give them to you!"

The calm expression Meng Jianxi had maintained finally showed a slight crack, but he immediately regained his composure. "Mother Empress, your son understands all that you've said. Your son witnessed Father God's doting on the young Meng Jianyuan, and more profoundly sensed Father God's turbulent emotions upon finding Meng Jianyuan again... Your son knows that in this regard, I can never compare to Meng Jianyuan."

"But, that is the only point."

Meng Jianxi, in turn, tried to persuade his mother. "Moreover, Meng Jianyuan has just returned, and Father God is in the period of his strongest joy, sentimentality, guilt, and desire to compensate. His protection of Meng Jianyuan will also be at its peak. If we were to do something contrary to this at this stage, it would surely provoke Father God's displeasure... or even his wrath. It would be an extremely unwise move."

"..." Meng Xuanjue stared at Meng Jianxi for a while, then her voice suddenly softened. "In other words, you won't object to your Father God enthroning Meng Jianyuan as the second Divine Son? Nor will you advise your maternal grandfather and uncle to object?"

Meng Jianxi's maternal grandfather was Meng Zangji, the Grand Palace Master of the Nine Dream Palaces of the Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom, and the foremost person beneath the Divine Master in the entire Divine Kingdom. Meng Jianxi's maternal uncle was Meng Xuanji, the Dream Master of the Seventh Dream Palace.

Meng Xuanjue had also become the Dreamweaving Empress for this reason.

"Yes," Meng Jianxi nodded.

"Very well," Meng Xuanjue waved her hand, a cunning glint flashing deep within her alluring eyes. "You have your own judgment and plans; I, your mother, should not be too harsh on you. Hmph, it can only be blamed on that useless good-for-nothing, Meng Jingzhe, for actually letting Meng Jianyuan survive."

"....!!" That faint remark made Meng Jianxi's pupils constrict sharply.

He suddenly turned and rushed out... But before he could block his hearing, his mother's leisurely voice reached his ears: "If it weren't for me secretly guiding and assisting, would that old fool Meng Jingzhe even have had the chance to act?"

Meng Jianxi suddenly stopped, closing his eyes in pain.

"Now, you know about this matter," Meng Xuanjue walked over unhurriedly. "Tell your mother again, what do you intend to do?"

"..." Meng Jianxi did not turn around, nor could he utter a sound for a long time.

Meng Xuanjue continued slowly, "Your Father God is the Unfathomable Divine Master, most skilled in soul power. He will surely find a way to restore Meng Jianyuan's memories from back then. And once Meng Jianyuan regains his memories, given your Father God's doting on him, what kind of fate awaits your mother? And you, who know all of this, how will you manage yourself then?"

"No, it won't," Meng Jianxi finally spoke, his voice extremely dry. "The one who harmed him was Meng Jingzhe; Meng Jianyuan's memories will only contain Meng Jingzhe."

"No, no, it wasn't just Meng Jingzhe who acted; there was also your idiotic elder brother, Jianzhou."

She uttered "idiotic" in reference to her own son with utmost naturalness. "More critically, the reason Meng Jingzhe and your idiotic brother Jianzhou were able to avoid all auras and silently approach Meng Jianyuan back then was due to a 'Void-Breaking Divine Jade' that I deliberately had Meng Jingzhe steal."

"That was a spatial divine object bestowed by the Abyssal Emperor. There are only three such stones in the entire Dreamweaving Divine Kingdom, capable of traversing space almost perfectly without a trace. If Meng Jianyuan regains his memories, he will surely recall that Void-Breaking Divine Jade... And as long as its origin is traced, it will definitely lead back to me!"

Meng Jianxi's hands clenched tightly.

"At that time, I will be a sinner, and you will be the son of a knowing sinner! So, between the two Divine Sons... which one is more likely to be stripped of his position by the enraged Divine Master?"

She slowly walked to Meng Jianxi's side, satisfied as she felt the turmoil in his aura. "Now, do you still think Meng Jianyuan poses no threat to you?"