Chapter 2089: Refusing to Be the God’s Child

"Hmm?" Dreamless Cicada felt doubt in her heart, but her face showed nothing. "Yuan'er, could it be that you are not yet ready to take on the title of Divine Son?"

"Yes, and no," Yun Che replied respectfully, his expression serious. "Actually, what some of the Hall Masters said earlier was not wrong. I currently have no memories related to Meng Jianyuan, so I cannot truly accept that identity. My feelings towards the Divine Dream Nation are solely gratitude for taking me in, but I have no sense of belonging. For me now, the most inviolable belief remains my master's kindness."

"Your Divine Sovereign has a broad mind and allows me to continue using the name 'Yun Che.' However, as the Hall Masters mentioned, if the Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation were to bear the surname 'Yun,' while it would indeed demonstrate your Divine Sovereign's tolerance, it would also inevitably draw endless questions and criticism from both within and outside the nation."

"Therefore," he raised his gaze, meeting Dreamless Cicada's eyes, and spoke sincerely, "before I recover my memories and accept that I am Meng Jianyuan, it is not appropriate for me to become the Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation too soon. My purpose in coming here today was simply to prove to everyone that the Divine Sovereign's choice was not mistaken, and that is sufficient. For now, I can only let down the Divine Sovereign's grace."

Everyone stared, stunned, unable to believe that anyone in this world would voluntarily refuse the title of Divine Son.

In their understanding, for a wandering commoner to even enter a Divine Nation was a pipe dream. If one knew they could become a Divine Son, shouldn't they be overjoyed, as if in a trance or a dream?

Yet, Yun Che chose to stick to his principles, firmly refusing the title of "Divine Son" in front of everyone, including the Divine Sovereign, simply because he temporarily could not accept the identity of Meng Jianyuan.

In other words, he had no desire whatsoever for the title of Divine Son, a title people wouldn't even dare to dream of in this world.

So, his previous arrogance, assertiveness, pride, and apparent struggle... were merely to prove himself, and he had never intended to compete with Meng Jianxi for the position of Divine Son?

Dreamless Cicada observed Yun Che for a moment, then said, "From what I gather, are there perhaps other reasons besides what you've stated?"

Yun Che replied, "What I've stated is the main reason. As for secondary reasons, they are merely some personal thoughts of mine, not worth mentioning."

"Heh heh," Dreamless Cicada chuckled softly. "I've gained a glimpse of your character these past days: you value kindness and righteousness, stick to your principles, are unswayed by gain, and refuse to bend. Very good. Although your recent decision surprised me, upon reflection, it's not entirely unexpected."

Her calm words contained not a hint of anger at Yun Che's public defiance; instead, every word was praise and commendation... and a subtle underlying pride.

"On the contrary, I am more interested in your personal thoughts. Why don't you share them? Whatever you say, I assure you, I will not hold it against you."

Yun Che hesitated slightly, then his face relaxed, and he said, "As the Divine Sovereign commands, this junior can only obey."

He raised his gaze, his expression solemn and stern. "My life was saved by my master in the Sea of Mist. From my youth, my master repeatedly taught me that even if a man is momentarily as weak as dust, he must never bow down; even if his body shatters and his organs tear, he must never lose his unyielding pride; and even if his soul falls into the abyss, he must never sink into depravity."

Yun Che's gaze shifted slightly, unapologetically glancing towards Meng Jianxi. "My master's teachings are etched in my heart, never to be forgotten. Therefore... among my personal thoughts, I absolutely refuse to stand shoulder to shoulder in reputation with hypocritical and treacherous individuals!"

Even without Yun Che's directed gaze, everyone knew exactly who he was referring to.

This was an utterly blatant and humiliating insult.

For a moment, the entire venue fell silent; no one dared to react.

After all, Meng Jianxi was still the Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation, and he was surrounded by a powerful faction led by his maternal clan.

However, what they truly thought in their hearts was an unspoken understanding.

Meng Jianxi's body trembled violently, but he gritted his teeth and remained silent.

"Mm." Dreamless Cicada nodded. "Maintaining conviction is also a quality a superior should possess. Very well, in that case, the matter of conferring you as the Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation will be temporarily put aside. I believe that since you have returned safely, the return of your memories will also be a matter of time."

Yun Che expressed his gratitude: "Thank you, Divine Sovereign, for your magnanimity once again. This junior is profoundly grateful."

After speaking, he turned and bowed respectfully towards Hua Qingying. "Aunt, you specifically came in person but couldn't witness the ceremony; instead, you saw my willfulness... You must be disappointed in me."

Hua Qingying spoke, standing in the air: "You have always adhered to your own convictions. This is your personal choice, unrelated to right or wrong."

Her ethereal figure turned. "Divine Sovereign Wumeng, since this matter has concluded, I need not stay any longer. I will take my leave now."

Dreamless Cicada instinctively stepped half a pace forward. "It's rare for Sword Immortal to visit here. How can I not let the Divine Dream Nation fulfill its host's..."

"Yun Che, you escort me."

Her ethereal voice lingered, and the azure figure was already gone. Dreamless Cicada could only sheepishly retract her hand and said earnestly, "In that case, Yuan'er, go see your aunt off."

"Yes."

Under the varied gazes of the crowd, Yun Che quickly bowed to those around him, then swiftly pursued Hua Qingying in the direction she had gone.

With Yun Che gone, the conferment ceremony held for him naturally lost its protagonist. Dreamless Cicada's expression turned serious, and she said calmly, "Since Meng Jianyuan is temporarily unwilling to become the Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation, this matter will be suspended for now. As you are all gathered here today, I have another matter to discuss."

Although "Meng Jianyuan" refused, everyone knew perfectly well that unless a major unforeseen event occurred, the future Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation would undoubtedly be Meng Jianyuan.

This was due to his perfect divine core, which could truthfully be described as a "miracle."

They already anticipated that after today, Meng Jianyuan's name would once again spread throughout the entire Abyss with a magnitude countless times more shocking than a century ago. The Divine Dream Nation, too, would be graced with unprecedented glory because of him.

"In three years, it will be time to travel to the Pure Land to pay respects to the Abyss Emperor. This audience will be vastly different from any previous one. Each of the great Dream Halls must select three of their most outstanding juniors within these three years..."

Yun Che pursued Hua Qingying until he reached beyond the national protective barrier, where he finally saw her waiting for him.

"Aunt," he called softly, hurrying forward, his face brimming with the excitement and gratitude he had previously tried to suppress. "Your personal presence here today is a surprise so immense, I can barely believe it."

Hua Qingying turned her gaze back, speaking coldly, "Do you know why I intervened?"

"I know," Yun Che nodded immediately. "Aunt didn't want me to expose the full extent of my power when facing Meng Jianze."

"It's good that you know."

Hua Qingying seemed to transform any place she stood into an ethereal ancient painting. "You utterly defeated nine profound practitioners of the same realm with absolute overwhelming force, which is already astonishing enough to shock the world. Meng Jianze's cultivation is at the third level of the Divine Extinction Realm. If you had publicly withstood his attack, it would surely have alarmed even the Pure Land."

"You are still inexperienced in the world, and your foundation is not yet stable. While it's good to display your strength appropriately to gain status and leverage, you should also know when to conceal your edge, as it can save your life at critical moments. Especially... you must not underestimate Meng Jianxi. His maternal clan is not only powerful but also deeply rooted in the Divine Dream Nation. He was in such a sorry state today only because he clearly hadn't considered you a threat before. Take this as a lesson, and do not underestimate him because of today's events."

"Yes!" Yun Che nodded obediently. "I will keep all of Aunt's words firmly in mind."

"..." She gazed deeply at Yun Che, then asked, "Just now, you calmly faced the pressure from Meng Jianxi's faction alone, so why is your aura disordered now? Have you suddenly encountered some insoluble problem?"

"No, it's not that," Yun Che quickly shook his head. He looked at Hua Qingying, his voice softening slightly. "It's just... after Master left, it has been so many years... no one has taught me so many things, or genuinely worried about my safety like this. That's why..."

Hua Qingying said, "You have already recovered your identity, and you now have many blood relatives around you. In the future, countless people will be as concerned for your safety as this..."

"No, it's different!" Yun Che interrupted Hua Qingying somewhat excitedly, stating with utmost seriousness, "The identity of Meng Jianyuan was imposed on me passively by others. To this day, I still cannot fully accept it, nor can I truly regard them as family."

"But Aunt... when I was adrift and alone, with nothing, you, with your transcendent status as a Sword Immortal, accepted me, protected me, spoke up for me, and gave me so much advice and care."

"Perhaps for Aunt, these were merely casual acts. But for me, they are feelings of devotion as endlessly warm and precious as a master's kindness."

"Hmph, smooth talker," Hua Qingying's tone remained cool. "No wonder Cai Li is so utterly devoted to you. You don't need to be like this; my advice to you and my public protection are all for Cai Li's sake."

Yun Che, however, showed no disappointment at her words, instead smiling. "No matter the reason, I only know that I truly feel Aunt's kindness toward me. Even if one day Aunt no longer likes me... in my heart, you will always be an irreplaceable aunt."

"...Have it your way," she said, her back to Yun Che, so her expression was unseen. "Cai Li has entered the Seven-Star Heaven-Folding Array and won't come out in the short term. You don't need to worry about her, nor should you be distracted; just focus on improving yourself."

"Furthermore, your identity is no longer what it was. After today, your perfect divine core will certainly cause ripples throughout the Abyss. But even so, the matter between you and Cai Li must not be revealed too early. Everything must wait until after the audience in the Pure Land three years from now."

Yun Che assented, "I understand."

"I'm leaving."

As her voice faded, her ethereal figure floated into the air, then paused, and she suddenly said, "As long as it doesn't involve a Divine Source, the Abyss Emperor never interferes in the affairs of the Divine Nations. In the previous era, the Divine Son of the Eternal Night Divine Nation, who was about to inherit a true god's divine power, was killed by Shen Wuyanye, and his Divine Source was also taken by her. Even then, the Abyss Emperor did not utter a single word of inquiry."

Yun Che: "..."

"Therefore, the calamity you suffered a hundred years ago may not necessarily fail to repeat itself. Take care of yourself."

Watching Hua Qingying's retreating figure disappear into the distant sky, Yun Che called out loudly, "Aunt, don't worry. Even for Cai Li and for you, I will certainly protect myself."

Only after Hua Qingying completely vanished from sight in the far distance did Yun Che turn around and leisurely make his way back.

As he stepped through the Divine Nation's barrier, the guarding disciples all knelt on one knee. "Welcome, Divine Son Yuan!"

Although they had not attended the ceremony, the Divine Sovereign's voice had echoed throughout the entire nation, and the four words "perfect divine core" had spread outwards like thunderclaps, sweeping across the world like a surging tide.

Instead of returning to the ceremony hall, Yun Che walked directly back to his Divine Son's Palace. Everywhere he went, people knelt to greet him.

"You... why did you suddenly give up the title of Divine Son?" Li Suo finally asked. "Wasn't that what you had been striving for with all your might?"

"You misunderstood," Yun Che said leisurely. "From the very beginning, all I wanted was to suppress Meng Jianxi, but I never intended to become the Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation."

Li Suo: "Why?"

"You'll understand if you just think about it," Yun Che explained unhurriedly. "After today, whose reputation and prestige will be greater, mine or Meng Jianxi's, both inside and outside the Divine Dream Nation?"

"Yours," came the obvious answer.

"Exactly, that's enough," Yun Che smiled. "I am not the Divine Son, yet I am the Divine Son in everyone's eyes. Meng Jianxi is the Divine Son, but his title has become incredibly awkward."

"Actively striving for something and having others beg you to take it are completely different concepts. I've already obtained what I wanted without being bound by the title of 'Divine Son.' As for all those matters a Divine Son needs to handle, of course, Meng Jianxi should deal with them. What do they have to do with a mere Imperial Son like me... right?"

"..." Li Suo was momentarily speechless.

Yun Che looked ahead, seemingly with emotion. "Actually, in some ways, Meng Jianxi and I have exactly the same ideas."

"You and Meng Jianxi... have the same ideas?"

Yun Che slowly said, "Meng Jianxi's plan was to use profound practitioners of the same realm to utterly crush me, thereby branding me with shame and making it impossible for me to ever touch the identity of Divine Son of the Divine Dream Nation. I did the same: directly branding shame upon his 'Divine Son' title... only he failed, and I succeeded."

"As for methods, it's not about right or wrong, high or low; it's only about success or failure."

Li Suo was silent for a brief moment, then spoke softly, "Meng Jianxi's tactics were lowly due to his disdain for you, and his aim was merely self-preservation; their nature wasn't overly malicious. But you... your identity is false, everything is a scheme, yet you publicly insulted him as hypocritical and treacherous, trampling his previously stable Divine Son title to this extent... Clearly, you are the complete villain."

Yun Che's eyes narrowed slightly. "Thank you for the compliment. It shows that I, this demon bringing disaster to the world, am becoming more and more qualified."

Upon returning to the Divine Son's Palace, it was no surprise that Lu Laisheng and a group of guards collectively bowed in welcome:

"Welcome, Divine Son Yuan, back to the Palace!"

Yun Che sighed, half-helplessly, "You should have received the news. I was not conferred as the Divine Son."

"No," Lu Laisheng proclaimed loudly, "it's not that you are unworthy of the title of Divine Son, but that you temporarily do not wish for it! Even without the title, you are in the hearts of all profound practitioners of the Divine Dream Nation..."

He paused, then declared loudly, "The only Divine Son!"

This was the power of the perfect divine core. With a perfect divine core, it no longer mattered whether he bore the title of Divine Son; instead, everyone in the Divine Dream Nation eagerly awaited the day he truly became their Divine Son.

Yun Che waved his hand. "I know your intentions, but rules must still be followed. From now on, simply address me as 'Young Master.'"

"Yes!" Lu Laisheng responded immediately. His current reverence was countless times more genuine than before.

Nearing the living quarters, a group of attendants were already waiting. Their postures had become even more deferential, and each person exuded an overly intense aura of excitement.

Serving an ordinary son of the Divine Sovereign versus serving a Divine Son of a Divine Nation was a difference as vast as heaven and earth.

They had never dreamed that, after entering the Divine Nation with endless apprehension, such immense fortune would fall upon them. It seemed that among the entire Divine Dream Nation, apart from the Divine Sovereign Wumeng, they were the most excited.

Meng Zhiyuan quickly stepped forward, bowing gracefully. "Welcome, Your Highness Divine Son. You must be tired from the ceremony."

The other attendants, however, were somewhat too nervous and dared not step forward for a moment.

"Don't call me Divine Son," Yun Che said helplessly.

"Yes, yes, whatever Young Master says," Meng Zhiyuan replied with a grin.

Yun Che raised his gaze and glanced at Liu Zhanyi, Shangguan Helu, and the others. "What's wrong with you all? Don't you recognize me?"

"No... no..." Liu Zhanyi lowered her head, nervously clutching her clothes, timidly saying, "Young Master... your celestial presence... this servant doesn't quite... know how to act at the moment."

Yun Che's lips twitched slightly; just as he was about to tease them, a clear voice suddenly drifted from afar:

"Jiu Zhi of the Senluo Hall, paying a presumptuous visit. I seek an audience with Brother Jianyuan."

Yun Che turned his gaze slightly, pondering for a moment.

"Zhanyi, go escort the Hall's Divine Son to the reception hall. Helu, prepare tea. Zhiyuan, help me change clothes... This Divine Son attire is too conspicuous and doesn't suit your Young Master's demeanor."